Gov. Pete Ricketts on Thursday created a new international trade council to help drive development of trade opportunities for Nebraska in an expanding global market. The council will "bring together business, agriculture and education groups to work together to expand overseas trade opportunities and develop new international partnerships," the governor's office said. "We want to raise our profile and do better in international markets," Ricketts told a morning news conference. Ricketts unveiled the new undertaking in advance of his second annual Governor's Summit on Economic Development. The council will help "coordinate and leverage all our resources" in driving expanded trade, he said. Increased trade "fits the Grow Nebraska vision" that has been a driving theme of his governorship, Ricketts said. A couple dozen members of the council gathered with the governor to launch the new undertaking. The council will meet annually and "stay in touch" quarterly, Ricketts said. The governor said he will continue to lead trade missions overseas, following previous trips to Europe and Asia that have paid off in terms of foreign investment and expansion in the state. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green hailed creation of the trade council as "a great move forward" for Nebraska. Education and research "help develop economic powerhouses for the state," Green added. "The key to the future is innovation." Barry Kennedy, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Nebraska exported $6 billion in manufacturing products last year. Increased trade creates more jobs and spurs economic growth for the state, he said. Ricketts pointed to the recent trade agreement that opened the Chinese market to U.S. beef. Nebraska was the first state to take advantage of that opportunity. With a growing middle class in China, the governor said, $200 million in annual beef sales looms as a possibility. "Trade is critical to the well-being of Nebraska agriculture and will continue to grow in its importance into the future," Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said. "Today, Nebraska farm and ranch families rely on international trade for 30 percent of their overall income." BANCROFT The wife of a man charged with murder, arson and other crimes in northeast Nebraska has been charged as an accessory to the arson. OMAHA A man accused of raping a 10-year-old girl in Omaha has been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child. Police said 33-year-old Gabriel Cardona was caught Sunday in the act of assaulting the girl by his then-girlfriend and fled the house. Police were called and arrested Cardona after a search of the neighborhood. Cardona was charged the next day. Police and prosecutors said Cardona had sexually assaulted the girl once before. He's being held on $750,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 2. Free newsletter Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole. Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer. Orla McCoy A top Sydney-based lawyer has achieved a rare feat in her field of specialisation.Orla McCoy, a restructuring and insolvency partner at Clayton Utz , has been named the top student in the INSOL Global Insolvency Fellowship for 2017. She will travel to New York in May next year to receive her award at the next INSOL conference.The INSOL Global Insolvency Fellowship course was an intensive and deep dive into the restructuring and insolvency regimes of key common and civil law jurisdictions, including the USA, England and Wales, the European Union, Singapore, Canada, Brazil and the leading offshore jurisdictions, McCoy told Australasian Lawyer.The course was led by Ray Warner of St. John's University New York and US BigLaw outfit Greenberg Traurig. Among other things, it looked at the informal restructuring techniques in those jurisdictions and at judicial and court-to-court cooperation in cross border matters.An international faculty of academics, judges, and professionals taught parts of the course, which required research papers, case studies, and the completion of three modules including a one-week intensive restructuring simulation conducted in London and Sydney.The most beneficial aspect of the course has been getting to know, and learning from, my fellow students, all of whom are very impressive practitioners in their own jurisdictions, but happily all nice, normal, and most entertaining individuals, McCoy said.The course has helped me to develop a better understanding of how the regimes of the key restructuring and insolvency hubs work, and how an optimum restructuring solution can be devised in a cross-border distress situation by drawing upon tools available in the insolvency regimes of different jurisdictions, she added.McCoy completes the fellowship at a time when Australia is seeing heightened insolvency and restructuring activity and a rise in matters that include cross-border elements.The Australian restructuring and insolvency market has been very busy in 2017 with high-profile formal appointments including the Network Ten receivership, Topshop, Arrium and significant formal and informal restructures including Emeco, Boart Longyear, Peabody. One key trend is that each matter had, or has, substantial cross-border elements. We are also seeing more international players, including US and Asian funds, looking for opportunities on every sizeable deal, McCoy said.According to McCoy, Australia is in the midst of game-changing domestic legislative reform, brought about by the safe harbour and ipso facto reforms.In the wider Asia region, taking the innovation mandate to a whole other level, Singapore's introduction, at break-neck speed, of a Chapter 11-scheme of arrangement hybrid is fascinating. It will be interesting to see how the restructuring and insolvency market in the region develops as a consequence, she said. As per Autocar, the news shouldn't come as a surprise for this is a market where the mid-size luxury segment is dominated by the likes of the BMW 5er and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. In fact, Hyundai UK managed to sell merely 50 units since the Genesis went on sale in 2015 at a starting price of 47,995.For the final model year of the UK-spec Hyundai Genesis , pricing crept up to 50,705, and thats a big no-no for an automaker that isnt renowned for this particular type of product. Worse still, think about the pricing advantage offered by the German establishment because, as opposed to the Genesis, the G30 5 Series and W213 E-Class can be had with lesser powertrains than Hyundais naturally aspirated 3.8L V6."The Genesis was never built for the European market , it was conceived for the Korean and American markets," explained Hyundai UK managing director Tony Whitehorn. "We brought it in as much just to sample it: lots of people told us theyd driven a Genesis in America and liked it. Thing is, the U.S. is not the UK, therefore Hyundai got the short end of the stick. Captain Obvious would be proud.Now known as the G80, what was previously referred to as the Hyundai Genesis has a full-sized brother in the form of the G90. Regarding the luxury divisions attempt at gaining momentum, the upcoming G70 will be the automakers make-or-break moment. A couple of high-riding utility vehicles are on the menu as well for the near future, as is electrification.At the present moment, Hyundai has yet to decide if Genesis Motors would make sense in the United Kingdom . According to Whitehorn, there are models coming that are more suitable for our market, such as the crossover and SUV. We bring out the SUV, there will be more interest. AWD We've seen photos of the hatchback too, but the sedan in our latest spyshots is going to be the big seller in America. However, President Trump isn't going to like it much because Ford might switch most of the production from Michigan to China for cost reasons.While no specific date is available yet, the current Focus will end its business in Detroit next year, suggesting a reveal of the new unit could happen earlier. And it's about gosh darn time, as the having gone on sale in 2011 makes this one of the oldest vehicles on the market. Sure, an Aston Martin grille during the refresh and dropping a 2.3-liter engine into the RS have kept things interesting, but it's time to move on.In many ways, the Focus will follow the lead set by the Fiesta, they new one they have in Europe. The interior should feature a new SYNC tablet-style infotainment system with fewer buttons perched on top of the dash. Also, you're likely to see standard auto emergency braking and an available digital dashboard.The car is based on a new global platform from Ford, one which will also underpin the next Escape crossover. Rumor has it that a Focus Cross will also be offered and will haveavailable.And that kind of sets the mood here, as the car will have a new type of automatic gearbox, higher grade interior and a lot more cabin and trunk space. In most ways, it will feel like it's two generations ahead, not one. Rumor has it that, like Honda, Ford will eventually drop all its naturally aspirated engines and replace them with the 1.0 or 1.5L EcoBoost units. his head Volume up! First white GT2RS to surface. Start up and a little acceleration. You can hear the exhaust valves close and reopen. Video: @rafaelstu A post shared by DDWCarsinAZ (@ddwcarsinaz) on Jul 12, 2017 at 7:22am PDT We're talking about an Instagram clip that shows a 991.2 Widowmaker (yes, we know, Porsche would rather see us using the King Kong official nickname of the supercar) going for a random drive in its home country.And the way in which the guy in the suit turnshis whole body to follow the rear-wheel-drive special says it all. Heck, the driver was barely touching the gas pedal, but the all-out aero package of the GT2 RS means that you simply can't look past this Zuffenhausen hero.Come to think of it, you don't even have to see the new Rennsport animal to be amazed by it. For instance, finding out its Nurburgring time should be enough to tick this box.Porsche is, of course, teasing us at the moment - the Germans first dropped the GT2 RS at the E3 gaming convention, with the supercar making its actual debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, crazy donuts, press release and all.As such, we should get to find out the Green Hell number of the uber-Neunelfer later this season. Given the maximum velocity clue dropped by Mark Webber, we could see the GT2 RS setting a new production car lap record, so, if you're the kind who enjoys betting, now would be a good time to go for one.Meanwhile, you can check out the relaxed 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS moment delivered in the piece of footage below.And with the 2018 911 GT3 RS being almost ready to step out of the oven, we have plenty of things to keep us Porsche-busy this year. AVMA member AVMA honor roll member Nonmember Melvin K. Beach Dr. Beach (Colorado State '41), 99, Delta, Colorado, died March 8, 2017. He was a cattle rancher from the late 1940s until retirement. Dr. Beach began his career working for the Bureau of Animal Industry in Bismarck, North Dakota. In 1944, he moved to Delta, where he established a practice, selling it three years later to go into the cattle business. Dr. Beach was a member of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; a son and two daughters; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Clifton Christian Church, 3241 F 1/4 Road, Clifton, CO 81520, or HopeWest Hospice, P.O. Box 24, Delta, CO 81416. Beckwith Hubbell Jr. Dr. Hubbell (Washington State '52), 94, Camp Verde, Arizona, died Jan. 20, 2017. During his career, he practiced mixed animal medicine in Washington state and Montana and served as director of the Montana State Livestock Laboratory in Bozeman for 13 years. Dr. Hubbell was a member of the Sedona Parks and Recreation Commission and the Camp Verde Planning and Zoning Commission. He volunteered at Fort Verde State Park and was named Arizona State Parks Volunteer of the Year in 2000. Dr. Hubbell served in the Army during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; four sons and a daughter; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Pines, 13175 East St., Route 169, Dewey, AZ 86327. Edward A. Jones Dr. Jones (Iowa State '56), 87, Alpharetta, Georgia, died Dec. 22, 2016. He practiced small animal medicine in Alpharetta prior to retirement in 2012. During his career, Dr. Jones established and owned five practices in Florida, one in Dunedin and four in Clearwater. In 1969, Veterinary Economics magazine named his Dunedin practice Hospital of the Year. Dr. Jones was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, Pinnelas County VMA, and Hillsborough County VMS. A past president of Dunedin's Rotary club and Jaycees, he was a recipient of the Rotary's Paul Harris Award. Dr. Jones served in the Marine Corps. His wife, Carol; four daughters, two sons, and a stepdaughter; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren survive him. Valerie B. McDaniel Dr. McDaniel (Texas A&M '97), 48, Houston, died March 27, 2017. A small animal veterinarian, she owned Montrose Veterinary Clinic in Houston. Dr. McDaniel is survived by her daughter. Christopher S. Rogers Dr. Rogers (Virginia-Maryland '01), 42, Roanoke, Virginia, died April 6, 2017. A small animal veterinarian, he worked at Emergency Veterinary Services of Roanoke. Following graduation, Dr. Rogers practiced emergency medicine in Cockeysville, Maryland, and in Virginia at Lynchburg and Roanoke. He subsequently served as staff veterinarian at the Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke and practiced at Animal Emergency and Critical Care of Lynchburg. In 2011, Dr. Rogers established Roanoke Valley Mobile Veterinary Clinic, maintaining the practice until early 2017, after which he joined Emergency Veterinary Services of Roanoke. He is survived by his wife, Kari, and two daughters. Memorials toward an educational fund for Dr. Rogers' children may be sent c/o Kari Rogers, 3203 Oakdale Road, Roanoke, VA 24018. Bruce W. Widger Dr. Widger (Cornell '51), 92, Marcellus, New York, died March 6, 2017. He retired in 1989 as director of the New York State Division of Animal Industry. Following graduation, Dr. Widger bought a mixed animal practice in Unadilla, New York. In 1953, he co-established a mixed animal practice in Skaneateles, New York, where he worked until joining the state's division of animal industry in 1978. Dr. Widger was a past president of the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians and a member of the United States Animal Health Association. A member of the New York State VMS, he received the Merit Award in 1986. Dr. Widger served as a trustee of Cornell University for 20 years and was a member of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Advisory Council for more than two decades. In 1995, the university's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences honored him with an Outstanding Alumnus Award. Dr. Widger was a founding member of the Marcellus Rotary Club and active with the Masonic Lodge, serving as grand master of masons for New York. His wife, Mary; a daughter and two sons; and nine grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Marcellus Free Library, 32 Maple St., Marcellus, NY 13108. To notify JAVMA of a death, call 800-248-2862, ext. 6754, email to news avma [dot] org, or fax to 847-925-9329. Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, will be asked to face the Senate Judiciary Committee for questioning related to the larger Russia probes, specifically the government's oversight for registering as a foreign lobbyist, which Manafort has done. But this is just the latest in the Manafort intrigue: earlier this week it was revealed he attended Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election, along with Jared Kushner. What remains unclear is whether Manafort even knew that the June 9 meeting was with a Russian lawyer, particularly one who was reportedly promising "damaging" information on Hillary Clinton. (But the email's subject line included "Russia" and although he wasn't included on them, they were likely forwarded to him.) Manafort's spokesman declined to comment. The intrigue: The timing of Manafort's work with the campaign and how he has subsequently disclosed information about his meetings and work. He joined the Trump campaign on March 29 and was promoted to campaign chairman on May 19 just three weeks before Trump Jr.'s meeting. Although he's entangled in the larger web created by the Russia probes, Manafort previously disclosed this meeting to congressional investigators before Trump Jr. leaked his emails but he wasn't required to disclose the content of it. Now the question is why did he attend Trump Jr.'s meeting at all? Given he was just a few weeks into his role as chairman (and considering he has an apartment in Trump Tower, where the meeting was held) it's possible he felt an obligation to attend, especially after his boss's son requested as much. And while it's possible he wasn't aware that a Russian government lawyer would be there, it's hard to believe he didn't know that the meeting would be Russia related in some way, considering the email chain's subject line alone. But those close to Manafort maintain he's done nothing wrong in fact, they think Manafort's involvement in this whole thing is completely unlike that of Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner, who was also at the meeting. And the same goes for how they view his retroactive registration as a foreign agent. Jason Maloni, Manafort's spokesman, told Vanity Fair: "He's cooperative, but he's not cooperating in the 'cooperating witness' sense. He engaged with the Department of Justice's Foreign Agent Registration Act unit back in September, and sought their counsel about taking the appropriate steps to be registered. This started before the election, before Mueller was ever in place." Manafort resigned from Trump's campaign on August 19, just 3 months after becoming chairman, after NYT broke news of his firm's work with Ukrainian oligarchs. Since then: April 12: Maloni announced Manafort intended to officially register as a foreign agent. The statement came the say day that financial documents confirmed Manafort's firm received $1.2 million from his clients payments that some Ukrainian officials believed were part of a larger scandal involving former President Viktor Yanukovych's pro-Russian political party and Manafort's firm. April 28: Mercury LLC, a Washington-based lobbying firm under Manafort's direction, registered as a foreign agent. They lobbied for and set up meetings with Ukrainian political officials in an attempt to influence the campaign based on their pro-Russian interests, specifically for former Russian President Yanukovych. The registration revealed that he was involved with the firm's lobbying work, attending meetings and offering consulting. June 27: Manafort registered as a foreign agent for Ukraine. He retroactively filed forms with the Department of Justice disclosing his work as a foreign agent for a Ukrainian political party. Note: It wasn't illegal for Manafort to file his disclosure form retroactively that would require clear intent and as Maloni previously told Vanity Fair, he started this work back in September. Ukrainian prosecutors announced they found no evidence of illicit payments to Manafort and his signature wasn't on the payment ledger, from the news that emerged in April. What's next: Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (who's also the Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee) announced yesterday they plan to question Manafort, noting the committee will issue a subpoena if he's uncooperative. But as has been mentioned before, those close to Manafort say he has been cooperative and will continue to be he's just waiting on the committee to give him a date for the hearing. The FBI, Congress and Special Counsel Bob Mueller are also questioning Manafort as part of the Russia probe, per the Washington Post. Go deeper: Axios' breakdown of who the Russia investigators are talking to and why. 13 July 2017 12:21 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Life in Armenia leaves much to be desired, but there is a more terrible place in this country the national army. The situation there is so dreadful that every Armenian family, who has a son, tries to find any opportunity to keep him far from the army. Many of Armenians literally hate serving in the countrys army, and this has once again been confirmed in a letter of Armenian soldier, which he addressed to his Azerbaijani friend. Epress reports that some time ago, a conscript of the Armenian armed forces gave a letter, written in Russia, to the agencys correspondent and asked him to hand it over to his friend in Azerbaijan, whom he had met in Georgia, and to publish it on the website. I have been drafted into the army, which means that Ill have to spend two years in a place which I deeply hate I am writing to remind you of the following: among many nationalists, Nazis, pseudo-patriots and others alike, I am now also serving [in the army], the Armenian soldier writes in his letter. Whatever you hear about the Armenian nation or the Armenian army, know that I am there, too. With the greatest disgust and without a choice, he writes. The only somewhat comforting thing is that in two years I will be free and will not have any duties imposed on me. Know that there are many of us out there, the soldier concluded his letter. As it is proven once again in the letter of an Armenian soldier, his leadership, headed by Serzh Sargsyan does not care about the wellbeing of Armenian soldiers in the army. Soldiers of some Armenian units do not receive even the minimum of the necessary provision. They are fed with poor-quality food, while unsanitary conditions prevail in military units; contagious diseases, especially the infectious ones are wide-spread there. Increasing number of Armenian soldiers continue to fall victim of the aggressive policy of the government of this country. Last years April fights between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces also confirmed the grave situation in the Armenian army. As it turned out, Armenian soldiers were dying not having even bullets, and the tanks could not go into battle, as they had water instead of fuel. In addition to terrible conditions in the Armenian army, its officers often abuse their soldiers, as well as steal and sell their clothes and food. There are also many deaths of Armenian soldiers in mysterious circumstances. When an Armenian soldier dies in the army due to a fight with other soldiers, or when soldiers kill him after constant humiliation, the Armenian military officials just say that the soldier died because of wrong handling of weapons or committed a suicide. After that, dozens of Armenian mothers weeping front of the Government Building and Presidential Office, but they will never manage to return their sons, who died because of the indifference and carelessness of the Armenian government. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00) By Jim O'Neill Last week, Volvo issued an inspiring announcement: it will no longer produce gasoline- or diesel-fueled cars after 2019. Volvo executives may be anticipating that traditional vehicles will be less profitable in the future. But whatever their motive, their decision has resonated widely. Within 24 hours, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would prohibit the sale of gasoline- and diesel-fueled cars by 2040. Volvos decision confirms that things are changing for the auto industry, and it sends a positive message in the fight against climate change. But, more important, it demonstrates that people and organizations are still capable of taking big, bold steps to solve major challenges. Among the many global problems today, the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) desperately needs a similar breakthrough commitment. For advocates, AMRs appearance on the G20s agenda last year, at the groups summit in Hangzhou, China, represented a major triumph. But G20 leaders 2016 statement on AMR was not as bold as it could have been, because they did not want to set the bar too high. They knew that Germany, an enthusiastic champion in the fight against AMR, would be chairing the G20 this year, and could be expected to bring bold proposals to the table. In the run-up to this years G20 summit in Hamburg, I started to worry that Germany would fall short of these expectations. But, if anything, Germany under-promised and over-delivered. The lengthy communique issued at the end of the Hamburg summit includes a statement on AMR that is bolder than I would have expected. Not only have G20 leaders reaffirmed their previous support for efforts by the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and the Organization for Animal Health to tackle AMR. They have also taken important steps in three crucial areas: agricultural usage, diagnostics, and the market for new useful drugs. There are clear opportunities for breakthrough commitments in each of these three areas. In agriculture, G20 countries have promised to restrict the use of antibiotics outside of veterinary medicine. That alone is a big step forward, given that, in big countries such as the United States, and possibly China and India, antibiotics are now used more for growth promotion in agriculture than for fighting infections in humans. The European Union has prohibited this practice for a decade now, but its policy has not spread globally because vested interests in major food-producing countries have stood in the way. Still, countries such as the US and Brazil could now have their own Volvo moments: policymakers simply need to tell food producers what will and will not be allowed. And the private sector, too, needs to show leadership on this front. Food producers and retailers should follow in the footsteps of the Devon-based bacon producer that recently committed to using only antibiotic-free pigs. Will Walmart, Asda, Tesco, and others now do the same? To win the war against AMR, we must stop doling out antibiotics like sweets. To that end, we will need new technologies and other measures to change how antibiotics are prescribed and administered. For example, in the Review on AMR, which I chaired, we urged developed countries to require, by 2020, that certain diagnostic tests be conducted before antibiotics can be prescribed. By enacting such a policy, any developed country can now establish itself as a global leader. So, too, can companies that commit to providing the necessary diagnostic technology at an affordable price, or pharmaceutical companies that support such technologies as a complement to new gram-negative antibiotics, which will have to be set at a higher price to discourage overuse. Which pharmaceutical company will be the Volvo or Tesla of its industry? If one company takes the lead on developing new drugs to respond to antibiotic-resistant pathogens that the WHO has identified as urgent priorities, it will free others from their conventional strait jackets, and force them to stop thinking so narrowly about quarterly returns. In the Review on AMR, we recommended 27 interventions that could solve the AMR crisis for a generation. So far this decade, however, three US-based pharmaceutical manufacturers have already spent more money buying back their own shares than would be needed to see those interventions through. Pharmaceutical companies have essentially become balance-sheet managers first, and drug makers second. Someone needs to flip that model on its head. The Review also proposed market-entry rewards to encourage innovation. If the major pharmaceutical producers were to make meaningful investments in antibiotics research, they could vastly improve the current environment for developing new drugs. The G20s proposed R&D Collaboration Hub will, one hopes, help in this effort. Only when the industry comes together will AMR go the way of the gasoline- and diesel-powered car. Copyright: Project Syndicate: A Volvo Moment for Antimicrobial Resistance --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 12:22 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The International Bank of Azerbaijan, the countrys largest bank, got support from creditors to realize a $3.3 billion debt-restructuring plan. The Bank reported that its creditors holding more than 87 percent of the debt have voted in favor, a day before the deadline, according to Bloomberg. Two-third support is required to make the proposal binding under the Azerbaijani rules. IBA defaulted on its foreign debts when it failed to repay a $100 million subordinated loan on May 10. The bank will announce the final result in the restructuring vote after a July 18 claimants meeting. In July 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the measures for rehabilitation related to the preparations for privatizing the state-owned shares of the International Bank of Azerbaijan JSC. The shortcomings in the management, investment and loan policy of the IBA, as well as financing of less efficient, risky investment projects worsened the Bank's financial state, caused increase in the share of distressed assets and reduced its liquidity. The restructuring plan contemplates a restructuring process to be effected through an exchange of IBAs senior and junior foreign currency obligations for direct sovereign obligations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Pending the implementation of the planned restructuring process, and to ensure equal treatment of all affected creditors, IBA has suspended payments of principal and interest with respect to all obligations to be included in the operation (other than interest under trade finance facilities). Among the major foreign creditors of the IBA are the American company Cargill, Citibank, Rubrika Finance Company Limited, Credit Suisse AG. Firstly, the bank appealed to the New York court for support in the process of their restructuring. Foreign creditors will not be able to make claims against IBA assets in the process of voluntary restructuring of the bank's foreign obligations, according to the court decision adopted on May 12, 2017. Then the London court took a positive decision on the IBA to prevent lawsuits in the UK from foreign creditors regarding the bank's assets. The IBA has been operating since 1992 and is one of the country's two state banks. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 15:37 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The Baku International Sea Trade Port, which is being constructed in Alat settlement of Baku, is steadily developing and attracting new partners to the Free Trade Zone within its territory. Austrian companies also show interest in the Free Trade Zone created in the Port of Baku. Azerbaijani Ambassador to Austria Ghalib Israfilov told Trend that transport sector for Austrian companies is now the main area for investments in Azerbaijan. Given that Azerbaijan has chosen reformation of the economy, modernization of transport infrastructure, creation of a number of technological and industrial parks, we hope to involve more Austrian companies in cooperation with Azerbaijan, the ambassador said. Azerbaijan, considered as the bridge between Europe and Asia, offers great transit opportunities and a wide range of economic priorities. In this regard, the Port of Baku makes Azerbaijan`s transport sector more attractive to world countries. The Free Trade Zone in the Port is expected to start to operate in 2017. The free trade zone is expected to bring up to $1 billion just in the first few years. Special tax and customs policy, which will be pursued in the territory of the free trade zone will also stipulate further development and simplification of a number of procedures. Austrian businessmen also have a high interest in cooperation in the field of tourism, in particular, in the construction of hotels, according to Israfilov. Representatives of business circles in Austria also see good opportunities for investment in the agricultural sector, which includes the production, processing and packaging of finished products. Considering the attractiveness of the Azerbaijani economy, its constant improvement and development, more and more Austrian companies are showing interest in economic cooperation, the ambassador said. As for Azerbaijan's investments in Austria, the diplomat said that despite passivity, Azerbaijani investments are still present in the tourism sector, which is currently booming and amounts to 10-12 percent of Austria's GDP. "The great distance between the two countries is that Azerbaijani companies are more involved in regional projects and are oriented to the markets of neighboring countries, in particular Turkey, Russia, Iran, Georgia and Central Asia. Moreover, the existence of certain requirements for entry into the European market, which are necessary to overcome, create certain difficulties for closer cooperation in the field of investment, but all these issues are solved, and we just need to improve the approach," he said. Speaking about trade relations between the two countries, Israfilov noted that the highest level of trade turnover between the two countries was registered in 2015, when it exceeded half a billion euros (525 million euros). Oil products accounted for most of the turnover structure (about 60 percent), as well as non-oil products-agricultural, machine-building, and petrochemical products. Last year, the volume of trade between the countries amounted to 150 million euros, there was a decrease of 20 percent compared to the same period in 2015. The decline in the volume of trade was affected by the economic crisis, both in the Austrian market and in the world as a whole and the decline in oil prices. 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. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 16:40 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The volume of cargo transportation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan amounted to almost 1.05 million tons in 1H2017, which is 164 percent more than in the same period of 2016, the Kazakhstan Railways National Company said in a message. Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov met with head of Kazakhstan Railways Kanat Alpysbayev in Baku, where the sides discussed further development of cooperation in the railway industry, according to the message. The growth was achieved due to the increase in exports of Kazakh producers oil products through the territory of Azerbaijan, the message said. It was noted that imports also increased by 100,500 tons, while transit traffic increased twofold by 9,800 tons. This is due to the increase in transportation of sugar from Brazil to Uzbekistan and food products from Ukraine to Uzbekistan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:38 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli BP Azerbaijan delegation visited the Sumgayit Technologies Park (STP), the first technology park of its kind in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus region. The guests got general information about the STP and the potential of production areas created in Sumgayit Technology Park. Then the sides held a large-scale meeting with the participation of STP General Director Emin Mammadov, where they discussed relations between the two companies. The guests emphasized the participation of the STP in the Shah Deniz-2 project and expressed their interest in continuing such cooperation. Mammadov also expressed desire to further expand the relations between the two companies. He noted that the enterprises of STP, which produce high quality products and provide services meeting international standards, are ready to successfully participate in any project. Products manufactured at STP include electrical equipment, cables, machine building, polymeric products, steel fabrication, hot-dip galvanizing, sandwich panels, ventilation systems, polyvinyl chloride windows, technical cases, solar panels, and powder coating. The Park, established since 2009, is a clear example of the non-oil sector development in the Azerbaijani economy. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 11:12 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The trial on blogger Alexander Lapshin, detained in Azerbaijan, continued in the Baku Grave Crimes Court on July 12. At the trial presided over by judge Alovsat Abbasov, the judicial investigation was completed and the state prosecutor requested time for his speech. The trial will continue on July 14. Earlier, the blogger answered the questions and said that he visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories twice. Lapshin pleaded not guilty at the trial held under the chairmanship of Abbasov. Blogger Lapshin illegally visited Azerbaijans Armenia-occupied lands and now is charged under the articles 281.2 (appeals directed against state) and 318.2 (illegal border crossing) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. He violated Azerbaijani laws on state border in April 2011 and October 2012. Helped by his accomplices in the occupied territories, Lapshin paid a number of visits to Azerbaijan`s occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territorial integrity on April 6 and June 29, 2016. The blogger was arrested in Minsk in late 2016 and transferred to Baku in February 2017. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 14:50 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The murder of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militaries is terrorism and separatism, says Yuri Raikhel, the Ukrainian analyst. He made the remarks in his article about the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, published on a popular Ukrainian Internet portal Politeka.net. On July 4 evening, the Armenian armed forces using mortars and grenade launchers shelled the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli region. As a result of this provocation, a resident of the village and her two-year-old granddaughter were killed. Another resident, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on. Raikhel further noted that the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem could facilitate the development of trade and economic ties of the countries of the region and other states. As a result of solving the problem, it will be possible to transport products of the South Caucasus countries through the Caspian and Black seas, writes Raikhel. The Ukrainian analyst added that the South Caucasus is a strategic region, and therefore it is always in the interest of foreign states. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, it failed to achieve any result so far. Today it is obvious that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the biggest obstacle to cooperation of the countries of the region, and Armenia suffers the most from that. The country has no economic relations and transport links with Azerbaijan and Turkey. There are also difficulties in relations with Georgia that separates the republic from its main economic partner Russia. The conflicts with neighbors and territorial claims do not allow Armenia to join any regional project and gain any benefits. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 14:14 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov A group of Azerbaijani parliamentarians, including Vice Speaker Bahar Muradova visited the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli region, which was recently shelled by Armenian militaries. On July 4, Armenian armed forces, using mortars and grenade launchers, shelled the village. As a result, an Armenian shell killed two Azerbaijani civilians living in Alkhanly Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and her 2-year-old granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva. The Azerbaijani MPs inspected the place where the woman and toddler were killed. Later, they will meet with Alkhanli residents, APA reported on July 13. Azerbaijans villages in Fuzuli, Agdam, Jabrayil, Tartar and other frontline regions frequently face destructive acts by Armenian soldiers. By committing such provocations, the Armenian side deliberately seeks to cause harm to Azerbaijani people by making life at the border difficult and risky for them. Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have again 125 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The Armenians shelled the Azerbaijani army positions near the state border in the Agstafa, Gazakh, Tovuz and Gadabay regions, as well as the Azerbaijani positions along the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 15:02 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Grant Thornton Azerbaijan announced that it stands with the Azerbaijani government against any unlawful activity in Nagorno-Karabakh. Grant Thornton Azerbaijan, following the Azerbaijani Economy Ministrys warning in respect of the activities of the Armenian member firm, expressed its support to the Ministry and immediately sent a note to the Grant Thornton International and Grant Thornton Armenia over the unlawful actions. Grant Thornton Azerbaijan, immediately contacted Grant Thornton International and Grant Thornton Armenia, and obtained written undertaking from the Armenian firm that they do not have any plans to do any business or professional activity directly or indirectly in Nagorno-Karabakh territory of Azerbaijan and they do not have any intention to have any legal presence in the occupied territory, Azertac reported with reference to the company. Grant Thornton International also confirmed in writing their undertaking to ensure that the Armenian firm is complying with the statement signed by them for not doing any business in Nagorno-Karabakh and this will be monitored constantly. Both letters were given to the Ministry of Economy as a confirmation of their commitment. Grant Thornton Azerbaijan Managing Partner, Farouk Mohamed once again reconfirmed his respect for laws and regulations issued by the government of Azerbaijan and stated that under no circumstances will allow such regulation to be violated. "Grant Thornton is operating in Azerbaijan for many years and serve sustainable development of local businesses in the country and has no legal, financial or any other type of business relationship with Grant Thornton Armenia," Farouk Mohamed said. "This way we will continue to provide high level of professional services to our international partners and local clients. Azerbaijan takes necessary measures against those, who are engaged in illegal business or economic activity in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia. Moreover, unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys black list. Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war. Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have produced no results so far. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 16:30 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova The world community regards Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan by international law, said German MP Stephan Mayer in his response to an enquiry by the Berlin office of The European Azerbaijan Society regarding the killing of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militaries. On July 4 evening, the Armenian armed forces using mortars and grenade launchers shelled the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli region. As a result of this provocation, a resident of the village and her two-year-old granddaughter were killed. Another resident, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh led to bloody battles between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces with tens of thousands of dead people. Azerbaijani regions, bordering the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast got under control of Armenian forces as well. Approximately 25,000 people died in this war, about one million were expelled and had to flee. In the course of this war, the Armenian forces not only occupied Nagorno-Karabakh itself, representing about 5 percent of the Azerbaijani territory but also the seven adjacent Azerbaijani regions. In 1993, the military occupation of parts of Azerbaijani territory was condemned by the United Nations Security Council, Mayer said, noting that this demand is valid until today and is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany. Mayer stressed that the world community regards Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan by international law. It is both Germanys and the European Unions (EU) position, that an enduring solution of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh can solely be achieved peacefully. Neither Germany nor the EU acknowledged the parliamentary election in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2010. Already since the eruption of war in 1992, the so-called Minsk Group within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) exerts itself for peace. The Bundestag member stressed that the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh breaches the commitments by international law. In 2012 the foreign affairs working group of CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag used the 20th anniversary of conflict as an opportunity to reconsider the previous forms of conflict resolution and initiate the process of conflict settlement. A peaceful conflict settlement and a normalization of relations would immediately cause economic and social pulses in the entire region. In this context the members of the Foreign Affairs working group of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag together with the OSCE, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the UN called - among other things - to pay more attention to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh again. In all negotiations and bilateral meetings with the conflicting parties, the necessity of political compromises for the purpose of a peaceful settlement - security guarantees for the population living near the line of contact and the confidence building - has to be emphasized, he added. For more than two decades, Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of war following Yerevans aggression, ethnic cleansing policy and illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Today, Armenia keeps under control over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. Armenia ignores all attempts of Azerbaijan and mediators to achieve progress in the settlement of the conflict, thus trying to preserve the inadmissible status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:57 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijans Jojug Marjanli village is living through a successful period of history. The families, which resided here more than two decades ago, now are returning to their native village. The people have smiles on faces because now they can eventually reunion with their native land. It was very dangerous to live in the village before the April battles of 2016. But the situation completely changed after the successful counter-attack of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to Armenian provocations. The Azerbaijani army valiantly prevented the provocations in the front line and struck a devastating blow to the Armenian army for a short time. As a result, the Armenian troops were kicked back, and the Azerbaijani troops released 2 hectares of territories from Armenian occupation, retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Leletepe hill located in the direction of Fuzuli region. After that, security was restored in the village, and the Azerbaijani government launched a program on returning Jojug Marjanli residents to their native village. In late January 2017, President Ilham Aliyev ordered to restore Jojug Marjanli. Under the order, 4 million manats was allocated for the construction of 50 private houses, a school, a mosque and other relevant infrastructure at the first stage. Moreover, President signed an order on additional measures to construct the road leading to the village and allocated 4.3 million manats from the state budget for the construction of a 9-km long highway. The work has been finalized here, people return to Jojug Marjanli, and the government moves to the second stage of the villages restoration, which envisages construction of 100 more houses in Jojug Marjanli. The Khudiyevs are among the families that have already came to the village. Zaur Khudiyev married ten years ago, but due to the Armenian aggression his family had to live in an administrative building in Baku, far from Zaurs native village. The family members told a Xezerxeber.az reporter that all conditions were created in their newly-built house in Jojug Marjanli. All houses are all day long provided with gas, electricity and water supply. Zaurs family, which saw Jojug Marjanli only on TV, now live here, in the land of their ancestors. Meanwhile, the school for 96 pupils built in Jojug Marjanli is now fully ready for the new school year. Some parents have already registered their children into the pupils list. The teaching staff continues to be recruited into the school. Teachers both from Jojug Marjanli and the surrounding villages have applied for a job in the school. Today, Jojug Marjanli enters its second life. Now its residents will be able to live in the place they had to leave in early 1990s. Thanks to the courageous Azerbaijani army, their children are now able to live in their native place, and soon, other internally displaced persons of Azerbaijan will gain this opportunity as well. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:41 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov A group of Azerbaijani parliamentarians headed by the Vice Speaker Bahar Muradova have visited Salminaz Guliyeva, who was injured by the Armenian armed forces on July 4. On that day, Armenian troops, using mortars and grenade launchers, shelled the frontline village of Alkhanli located in Azerbaijans Fuzuli region. As a result, an Armenian shell killed two Azerbaijani civilians Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and her 2-year-old granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva. The third civilian Salminaz Guliyeva got wounded and was taken to the hospital and operated on there. The chief doctor of the Fuzuli region central hospital Natig Shukurov told Trend on July 13 that the Vice Speaker and MPs enquired about the well-being of the wounded, who currently receives treatment in the Horadiz city hospital. Earlier in the day, Bahar Muradova and MPs inspected the place where the Azerbaijani woman and toddler were killed. Shukurov noted that the condition of the wounded Guliyeva is always in the focus of attention of the state structures. Some days ago, Azerbaijani Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova also visited Salminaz. Azerbaijans villages in many frontline regions, mainly in Fuzuli, Agdam, Jabrayil, Tartar and others, frequently face shelling and provocations by the Armenian militaries. By committing such provocations, the Armenian side deliberately seeks to cause damage to Azerbaijani people living near the frontline and tries to make their life difficult and risky. Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 125 times. The Armenians shelled the Azerbaijani army positions near the state border in the Agstafa, Gazakh, Tovuz and Gadabay regions, as well as the Azerbaijani positions along the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline. 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. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:20 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement are not bearing fruit while tensions are growing in the zone of military operations, Azerbaijan's Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. The tensions have grown in recent years in the zone of military operations where Armenian troops are deployed against the Azerbaijani armed forces. The single reason for this is the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, Hasanov said. All the rest is a consequence. The occupied territories are not liberated, and negotiations are not bringing any results. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. The minister went on to say that Azerbaijani Armed Forces have anti-missile weapons capable of shooting down missiles of Iskander systems deployed in Armenia. We have 50 times more missiles. I take full responsibility for these words. Imagine what the retaliation on infrastructure and military targets will be if they will use them!? Hasanov stressed. He said that there are several types of tactics for using troops. However, a few questions arise. First, what type of Iskander missile system is it? There are many types of them. Second, in what condition is this Iskander missile system? Third, who manages this system? The fourth question is whether they [Armenian Armed Forces] will be able to use this system, he added. We, as military people, always consider the worst option, and we are ready for it, he said. Zakir Hasanov added that though the missiles he was speaking about were purchased not in the Russian Federation, their quality is not worse. He noted that Azerbaijans Armed Forces held military drills and combat shooting, adding that the result was excellent. To date, we are confident that we will be able to protect our settlements and armed forces, he said. Financing of Azerbaijans Armed Forces increased by 17-20 percent in 2017, said Hasanov. Although there is a crisis in the whole world and it didnt bypass us, but didnt hit hard. As the Minister of Defense, I am interested in financing the army last year, it only increased, said Hasanov. Therefore, the leadership of Azerbaijan, headed by President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, pays big attention to strengthening the army, equipping it with modern weapons, noted the minister. We have moved to a new qualitative level. In recent years, the task has been set to modernize the army, to strengthen it, added Hasanov. The skills and combat readiness of the Azerbaijani army are growing year by year, as the countrys Armed Forces regularly conduct military exercises. The Azerbaijani army is supplied with modern weapons and technical equipment for maintaining a high level of combat capability. The army building process is of particular importance for Azerbaijan, as twenty percent of the country's territory is under Armenian occupation and the country is in a state of war with Armenia. Azerbaijan was ranked the 59th among 132 countries in the 2017 Military Strength Ranking compiled by a U.S.-based Global Firepower survey center. Azerbaijan left behind many CIS and regional countries, including Georgia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, as well as other countries such as Portugal, Hungary, Belgium, Croatia to take its place among the first 59 strongest armies of the world. - Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:13 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli President Ilham Aliyev chaired a next meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to results of socio-economic development in the first half of 2017 and objectives for the future, where he touched upon the main and current issues on the agenda of the country. President Aliyev said that he was very pleased with the economic indicators for the first six months of the year, in particular, the 1.7 percent growth of the non-oil sector of the economy. This is a very good indicator," he stressed. "I particularly note the non-oil economy because the general economic indicator, that is the Gross Domestic Product indicator, depends mainly on oil production and oil prices. And they change. Therefore, this cannot be the main factor for evaluating our work. The growth of the non-oil economy by 1.7 percent is the result of the economic reforms we implement. I believe this is a very good indicator, especially in present conditions, he said. The non-oil industry grew even more. The growth is 4.4 percent here. I think this is also the best possible indicator. This shows that the reforms and the policy we pursue yield results, said the president. The president went on to add that $5 billion was invested in Azerbaijans economy in six months of 2017. Azerbaijan is a land of stability, and investors invest in stable places, he said. "The number of stable countries is reducing dramatically. Therefore, I am sure that in the future, even more foreign investors will appeal us to invest in Azerbaijan. Today capital investments decrease almost in all countries by force of financial difficulties and problems. However, Azerbaijan attracts investments and most of them are foreign investments. That is, Azerbaijan is a very attractive country for foreign investors. Why? Not only because we have good investment environment, but because Azerbaijan is a land of stability and investors make investments only in stable places, President Aliyev said. The Azerbaijani president noted that the countrys currency reserves have increased by about $3 billion since early 2017. Our currency reserves increased to $40.6 billion. This is also a very good indicator as from the beginning of the year until present, our currency reserves have increased by about $3 billion, President Ilham Aliyev said. Oil prices fell sharply and then rose to a certain extent. It is likely that they will fall again. And our currency reserves increase. This happens thanks to a well thought out policy, because we have never engaged in populism. We have always engaged in long-term development of our country. We both saved up and carried out reforms, and allocated funds only for strategically important projects. Of course, we reduced import and increased export. There is no budget problem. Therefore, transfers from the Oil Fund to the budget decreased. So, the increase of currency reserves in the first six months of the year by $3 billion is an excellent result. Azerbaijan-U.S. relations entering new stage Highlighting the countrys international ties, President Aliyev said that the relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S. are entering a new stage. He recalled U.S. President Donald Trumps letter sent to him in connection with the International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, Caspian Oil and Gas 2017 held in Baku this year. "This exhibition and conference is one of the world's most outstanding events in the energy sector, the president said. The best part is that U.S. President Trump has sent a letter dedicated to this event. Of course, the letter addressed to me raises the significance of the Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference and at the same time is the U.S. support for successful energy projects being implemented by Azerbaijan. The head of state added that this favorable attitude creates new prerequisites for the successful development of the Azerbaijan-U.S. relations. My meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State held a few days ago in Istanbul reaffirmed our strategic ties and today the U.S.-Azerbaijan relations are entering a new stage." Land of stability Azerbaijan has developed successfully in the first half of 2017, all the tasks have been fulfilled, the country has become even stronger and its international relations have become even deeper, according to President Aliyev. He said very dangerous trends are further strengthening in the world, adding that there are quite a lot of matters of concern both in the region and in the world. Unfortunately, today, conflicts, bloody clashes and crises are featuring the current international panorama. But Azerbaijan is developing successfully. Stability is strengthening in Azerbaijan. The people of Azerbaijan and the unity of people and the government are the source of stability. All socio-economic issues are resolved successfully and security measures are at the high level in Azerbaijan, said President Aliyev, adding that Azerbaijan is known in the region and in the world as a place of stability. Of course, in these conditions, there is interest in making investments. At the same time, our people live comfortably, the welfare of our people is improving and the Azerbaijani people are building their future in security and tranquility, added the president. Armenian fascism Speaking about the murder of little Zahra and her grandmother, President Aliyev said that this action demonstrated Armenian fascism, noting that Armenia received a response for this military crime. The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the major issue in our foreign policy. Unfortunately, no result has been achieved in the negotiations in the first half of this year. At the same time, I believe that there were important developments in 2017 in terms of solution of the conflict and Azerbaijans fair position has gained even greater value, said the president. The Armenian armed forces, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli region on July 4. 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. Another provocation was staged in Alkhanli village of Fizuli district on July 4. This is a military crime. This demonstrates Armenian fascism and Armenia has received a response for this crime. This is an unprecedented atrocity. Murder of little Zahra and her grandmother showed the ugly face of Armenian fascism to the whole world, said President Aliyev. The president pointed out that this crime was not left unanswered and the Azerbaijani society is aware of that. Although Armenia always wants to conceal its losses, it cant conceal all of them. Azerbaijani army inflicted destructive strikes on the enemy. Many invaders were killed as a result of these strikes. Little Zahras and her grandmothers blood was avenged. This will always be so. What was this crime considered for? First of all, it shows the essence of the Armenian political leadership. It is impossible to expect anything else from the Khojali killer, baby and woman killer. This is the Armenian fascism and the whole world should accept it this way, said President Aliyev. Talking about holding of so-called "referendum" in Nagorno-Karabakh, President Aliyev said that this is big mistake, more precisely, it is stupidity. He said that non-recognition of this referendum once again proves that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan. With such position, the entire world and the countries directly involved in settlement of the conflict once more affirm that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, he added. As you know, after the April 2016 events Armenia was imposing some conditions to restore the negotiations and was openly stating this, noted the head of state. That time, I saw and knew that this was another stupidity, because sooner or later, they will come back to the negotiating table and will simply disgrace themselves for the next time. That happened. Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers met yesterday [July 11]. The process of negotiations has been restored and the Azerbaijani side hasnt accepted any condition. The negotiation process has been restored without any condition, said the president. This is our standpoint. We have always stated that should be in this way. This is also the position of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries. Therefore, they made the invader to return back to the negotiating table. President Aliyev noted that the current task is to restore substantive, thats to say, meaningful, concrete talks. Our lands should be liberated and Azerbaijans territorial integrity should be restored as a result of the negotiations. This is our position. No other way is possible beyond that, he added. President Aliyev said that Armenia has always tried to disrupt the negotiations and to stage provocations when facing with increasing pressure. We are well aware of this from recent history. In late 1990s, a terror attack was committed at the Armenian parliament and this was a pretext for the then Armenian leadership to disrupt the negotiations. So this happened. Immediately after the talks held in France in 2014, Armenia staged another provocation and held military exercises in Aghdam. Our positions were attacked by helicopters and one of them was destroyed by the Azerbaijani army, he added. President Aliyev recalled that he and the Armenian president attended the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in late March 2016. That time, pressure was put on the Armenian president to solve the issue as soon as possible, said the head of state. "To breach the negotiations Armenia committed the April 2016 events and staged a provocation against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani army gave an adequate response to the enemy. As a result of this response, today, our flag is on the liberated lands of Aghdere, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts. He added that no talks have been held since then, and Armenia was facing increasing pressure. In an effort not to commence the negotiations, they staged another provocation last month, killing one Azerbaijani soldier, said the president, adding that the Azerbaijani army punished them again and a lot of invaders were killed as a result of the response strikes. The head of state said that Azerbaijan can destroy any target in the occupied lands. As always we have paid great attention to strengthening our military potential this year. We purchase state-of-the-art weapons and military hardware, from different countries. Part of them has already arrived, and the other part will arrive. This will increase our military potential, Ilham Aliyev said in his opening speech at the meeting. We can destroy any target in the occupied lands, but we should strengthen our military potential. We need this, and we have enough capabilities to do this. Unlike poor Armenia, we buy military hardware by spending our own money and we also produce military hardware in Azerbaijan. This year two military plants started to operate in Azerbaijan, according to the President. Today Azerbaijan supplies itself with weapons to a great extent, and also exports weapons to foreign countries, he added. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:04 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Energy-rich Azerbaijan has achieved high economic growth and well-being over a short time period. The countrys economic power and national GDP have increased significantly thanks to the hydrocarbon revenues. Despite the rising GDP volume, greenhouse gases emissions have significantly decreased, said Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Huseyngulu Bagirov. The relationship between energy consumption and economic growth is becoming increasingly close. The energy consumption is also the major source of greenhouse gases, which can significantly affect the balance of the global ecosystem. Countries worldwide seek to address climate change, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and implement sustainable development strategies. Bagirov, addressing a cabinet meeting on results of socio-economic development in the first half of 2017 and objectives for the future on July 12, said that Azerbaijan has improved its environmental performance in the report prepared by prestigious international agency. The 2016 Environmental Performance Index, compiled by researchers from Yale University and Columbia University that evaluates how nations protect their ecosystems and human health, placed Azerbaijan 31st among 180 countries. The report placed Azerbaijan into second place among Eastern Europe and Central Asia countries, while the country left behind the CIS countries. Bagirov said that Azerbaijan is among the top five countries in terms of assessment of forests, which became possible thanks to increase of forest area, broadening of forest seedlings, and strengthening of forest protection measures. Under this assessment, Azerbaijan is in the second place in terms of eradication of factors affecting the climate and the impact of energy use on the environment, and the first place for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the fact that the GDP in Azerbaijan has increased by several times, gas emissions have decreased from 73 to 51 million of tons since 1990. This was possible thanks to great importance attached to sustainable development principles, development of environmentally friendly industry and renewable energy sector, increase of energy efficiency and, most importantly, to Azerbaijan's own resources, he said. Speaking about forest lands, the minister said that over the last 15 years the area increased by 144.500 hectares, and 101.5 million trees were planted. He said that in 2017-2021 it is planned to plant olive groves at 5,396 hectares of land, which alongside providing the local market, will bring about $50 million export potential per year. Azerbaijani forests are a rich source of biodiversity and habitat to a number of rarest species of flora and fauna. More than 450 tree and shrubbery species are growing in the Azerbaijani forests where overwhelming majority of the tree species are represented by the hardwood species. Saying that conservation of biodiversity is one of the Ministrys key activities, Bagirov noted that all the work underway to create the first biosphere reserve in the history of the country in Zagatala-Balakan region. Preservation of the nature and biological diversity is one of the basic priorities of the state policy in Azerbaijan, while large-scale state programs directed to the improvement of the ecological situation have been implemented during the past decade. Despite emitting about 0.1 percent of the total greenhouse gasses, Azerbaijan implements projects and actions not only in climate change adaptation, but in its mitigation as well. Azerbaijan, in accordance with the recently ratified Paris Agreement, voluntarily has taken obligation to achieve 35 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the base year 1990 as its contribution to the global climate change mitigation efforts. The country also plans to increase the share of alternative and renewable energy sources in the country's energy balance up to 20 percent by 2020. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 11:00 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The timely implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, as well as its extension over time to additional supply countries is important for Europe and Georgia, said Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union. Sefcovic made the remarks ahead of the official visit to Georgia to attend Batumi International Conference "Ensuring Regional Stability" which will focus on the European Agenda, particularly on energy security and diversification of energy markets. Georgia has a key transit role to play in the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor, added Sefcovic. 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. 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 at the initial stage. 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. The SGC may become a 'wide corridor' in the near future bringing more Caspian and Middle East gas to Europe. By connecting to key infrastructure in the region, such as the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline and the Western Balkans Ring, the route is planned to bring new gas supplies to South-Eastern Europe Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia as well as in the future to countries in Central Europe: Switzerland and Austria. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called Thursday for Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen to remove Wells Fargo & Co. board members who presided over the bank when it opened millions of accounts without customers authorization. Wells Fargo agreed in September to pay $185 million to settle investigations into its sales practices by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. The bank did not admit any wrongdoing but said its employees had opened millions of checking, savings and credit card accounts that customers never authorized. That included more than 12,000 in Nebraska. Warren wrote to Yellen last month urging the Fed, which oversees Wells Fargos holding company, to take the step. The Fed has not done so. How could removal of these board members not be warranted given the facts that we already know? Warren asked. Yellen said she could not discuss confidential information about the Feds supervision of the bank. She indicated no decision has been made on the boards fate as the Fed continues to look into the matter. The behavior that we saw was egregious and unacceptable and it is our job to understand what the root causes are of those failures, Yellen said. She said the Fed needs to conduct a "full investigation" to understand the root causes of the problems at Wells Fargo. Yellen said the central bank is prepared to take appropriate enforcement actions but did not say whether that action would include removal of any bank directors. Despite a concerted effort against some of the bank's board members, all of them were re-elected at its shareholder meeting in April, although four of them got less than 60 percent support, including Cynthia Milligan, former dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration. 13 July 2017 13:05 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Global gas demand is expected to grow by 1.6 percent a year for the next five years, with consumption reaching almost 4,000 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2022, up from 3,630 bcm in 2016, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Gas 2017 report. The global natural gas market is undergoing a major transformation driven by new supplies coming from the United States to meet growing demand in developing economies and as industry surpasses the power sector as the largest source of gas demand growth, according to the IEA. The report said that demand from the industrial sector becomes the main engine of gas consumption growth, replacing power generation, where gas is being squeezed by growing renewables and competition from coal. The United States the worlds largest gas consumer and producer will account for 40 percent of the worlds extra gas production to 2022 thanks to the remarkable growth in its domestic shale industry, said the IEA. By 2022, US production will be 890 bcm, or more than a fifth of global gas output. By 2022, the IEA estimates that the United States will be on course to challenge Australia and Qatar for global leadership among LNG exporters. The US shale revolution shows no sign of running out of steam and its effects are now amplified by a second revolution of rising LNG supplies, said Fatih Birol, the IEAs Executive Director. Also, the rising number of LNG consuming countries, from 15 in 2005 to 39 this year, shows that LNG attracts many new customers, especially in the emerging world. However, whether these countries remain long-term consumers or opportunistic buyers will depend on price competition. US LNG will be a catalyst for change in the international gas market, diversifying supply, challenging traditional business models and suppliers, and transforming global gas security, according to the IEA report. The analysts point out that this LNG glut is already affecting price formation and traditional business models and attracting new LNG-consuming countries like Pakistan, Thailand and Jordan. Europe could see growing competition between LNG imports and pipeline gas as domestic production declines, creating extra uncertainty on the sources of future supply, according to the report. IEA analysts state that the recent standoff involving Qatar, which supplies about a third of the worlds LNG, and neighboring countries has also underscored potential risks to gas supply security. Even in a well-supplied market, recent events remind us that gas security remains a critical issue. said Birol. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 12:02 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The price of OPECs basket of 13 crudes stood at $46.02 per barrel on July 12, as compared to $44.79 per barrel on July 11, the cartel reported. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). The price for September futures of Brent crude oil has decreased by 0.44 percent to $47.53 per barrel July 13 as of 07:35 (UTC +4). This is while the price for August futures of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has dropped by 0.40 percent and stood at $45.31 per barrel. The total OPEC-14 crude oil production averaged 32.61 million barrels per day in June, an increase of 393,000 barrels per day over the previous month, the cartel said in its July Oil Market Report. Crude oil output increased mostly in Libya (up by 127,000 b/d), Nigeria (96,700 b/d), Angola (66,000 b/d), Iraq (60,600 b/d) and Saudi Arabia (51,300 b/d), while production showed declines in Venezuela (down by 13,600 b/d), according to the cartel. The 172nd Meeting of the Conference approved Equatorial Guineas request to join OPEC, with immediate effect from May 25, 2017. In line with this development, data for Equatorial Guinea will now be included within the OPEC grouping. As a result, the figures for OPEC crude production, demand for OPEC crude and non-OPEC supply have been adjusted to reflect this change. For comparative purposes, related historical data has also been revised. Equatorial Guinea has increased its crude output by 1,400 b/d in June as compared to May 2017, said the report. In May 2017, OPEC member countries and non-OPEC parties, Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan agreed to extend the production adjustments for a further period of nine months, with effect from July 1, 2017. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 16:11 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova OPEC's compliance with oil output cuts fell in June to 78 percent, the lowest levels in 6 months. The compliance level of the cartel countries fell from last months 95 percent to 78 percent as output from Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Iraq, the UAE and Venezuela compensate strong compliance from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Angola, Reuters reported. "Each month something seems to come along to raise doubts about the pace of the rebalancing process," the International Energy Agency (IEA) report said. OPEC and other major oil producers such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, and South Sudan reached an agreement in December 2016 to curb production by 1.8 million barrels a day from the market starting from January 2017. The cartel and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till March 2018 in Vienna on May 25, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry. OPEC reported that its output increased by 393,000 barrels per day in June to 32.611 million barrels per day, thanks to extra output from Nigeria and Libya. OPEC members Libya and Nigeria were exempted from the cuts because of years of unrest that have undermined their oil output. The two countries have managed to increase their combined production by more than 700,000 barrels per day in recent months, the IEA said. Earlier, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said that Kazakhstan wills to exit from the OPEC deal with gradual increase in production within a period of 1-2 months, said Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev Kazakhstan has committed to cut output by 20,000 barrels per day from November 2016. Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, CEO of Qatar Petroleum (QP) said that Qatar is committed to an agreement to reduce oil production and does not intend to increase the extraction of "black gold", Bloomberg reported. He noted that Qatar will consider the issue of increasing production at the Al-Shaheen field, adding that that the planned investment in the deposit of $3.5 billion over 5 years from the French Total will support production. "We have a lot of ambitions, we are in a huge growth mode," he stressed. The French oil and gas company Total reported that it had signed an agreement with Qatar Petroleum and received a 30 percent share in the concession of the Al-Shaheen offshore oil field for 25 years, starting July 14, 2017. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 09:50 (UTC+04:00) By Trend US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday there are many areas besides Syria where the United States and Russia can cooperate and that would be a welcomed development, Sputnik reported. "Well he wants what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing," Trump said in an interview with CBN. Trump noted that he had an excellent meeting with Putin last week, and they get along very well. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 10:11 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Turkey will fully switch to the presidential form of government in 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said July 12. President Erdogan made the remarks at the event dedicated to the anniversary of the military coup attempt. He added that the presidential form of government will strengthen Turkey in all spheres, including political and economic. "Turkey will completely get rid of external dependence in the military and defense industries," Erdogan said. The constitutional referendum was held in Turkey April 16. Thus, 51.4 percent of votes in the referendum were in favor of amendments to the Turkish constitution. Eighty four percent of voters participated in the voting. The events dedicated to the anniversary of the military coup attempt are being held in 81 Turkish provinces July 11-16. The main events will be held in Ankara and Istanbul, where monuments to the coup victims will be opened. Special sessions will be held in the country's parliament. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country as a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 12:44 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva A group of high-ranking members of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress has presented a new version of the draft law stipulating sanctions against Russia and Iran. The document is identical to the one that was supported by the Senate about a month ago with an absolute majority of votes. Thus, its authors intend to win support from Republicans. Earlier, Democrats tried to present another bill on sanctions, but the Republicans resisted these actions. The current version was presented by the leader of the democratic minority Nancy Pelosi, her deputy for the faction Steni Hoyer, as well as the head of the Democrats in the Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel. Nevertheless, it is already obvious that the prospects for the new bill are vague and unclear. In particular, the official representative of the Speaker Paul Ryan, Ashley Strong, called the step taken by the Democrats "fussiness." The Senate of the U.S. Congress on June 15 approved a bill providing for new sanctions against Russia and Iran. The proposed sanctions involve a reduction of the maximum period for market financing of Russian banks to 14 days, and companies in the oil and gas sector - to 30 days. The document also suggests that the U.S. president can impose sanctions on persons who intend to invest in the construction of Russian export pipelines more than $5 million per year or $1 million at a time or to provide projects with services, technologies and information support. The question of new Russian sanctions has been raised by a number of senators in both parties after the intelligence community announced in January its conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of President Donald Trump. But, the White House promised to block this document if it gets to the president's signature. White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said that a new version of the draft law on sanctions poses risks for the implementation of U.S. foreign policy. Currently, the U.S. aims at normalizing relations with Russia and establishing cooperation. U.S. President Donald Trump said the same day that there are many areas besides Syria where the two countries can cooperate and that it would be a welcomed development. "Well he wants what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing," Trump said in an interview with CBN. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 13:33 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva U.S. Secretary of State Tillersons efforts to resolve a regional crisis in the Persian Gulf between Qatar and Saudi-led block have shown no sign of breakthrough. Washingtons top diplomat on July 12 held talks with four Arab states boycotting Qatar. The meeting brought together foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah. Tillerson is due to make an unexpected return visit to Doha on July 13. It is expected that he will inform the Qatari leader on the views expressed at the meeting with the foreign ministers of the Saudi-led group. On July 11, Tillerson signed an agreement with Qatar for the two countries to work together in countering terrorism financing, a separate deal which, however, addressed one of the main demands of the Arab nations which put the blame on Qatar of supporting terrorism and extremism. Nevertheless, the reaction of Saudi-led block to the agreement was far from positive as they called the deal insufficient. They stated again that the embargo against Qatar would continue until Doha commits to comprehensively implement the demands. In early July, the Arab states sent a list of demand requiring 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. Kuwait currently mediates the crisis. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 15:22 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Iran, following the removal or relaxation of a range of international sanctions, seeks to develop its national railway industry by attracting huge investments from major international players. Iranian and Italian state-run railway companies have signed memorandums of understanding for mutual cooperation on July 11, the Iranian railway company said. A deal worth 1.2 billion euros for building a 135-kilometer high-speed railway between Irans central cities of Arak and Qom is among the MoUs which were signed by Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of Italy's state railway company and his Iranian counterpart Saeed Mohammadzadeh in Tehran. The railway is the first stretch of a high-speed rail line which the Italian side plans to build in Iran, with the other being a 320-km planned link between Tehran and Hamadan. The deal follows an earlier reached agreement that saw Italy promise Iran $5.6 billion in export credits in return for contracts to build the Qom-Arak and Tehran-Hamedan railways. Italy will also provide rolling stock for high-speed and conventional lines, training for Iranian railway managers and a research centre to develop railway technology. The two sides also signed a MoU with Irans University of Science and Technology for training and transfer of technology, according to the report. The improvement of railway services is one of the top priorities of Iran defined in the Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan 2016-2021. Iran plans to invest $25 billion over the next 10 years in the modernization and expansion of its railway network, stretching out its railroad line to 25,000 kilometers by 2025 from under 15,000 kilometers now. During the past four years, $1 to $1.5 billion of direct investments have been attracted by the railway sector per year and $7.5 billion have been allocated by the government to guarantee investments in this sector. Italy was the first trade partner of Iran among the European Union member states, during the first three months of 2017, according to European Unions statistics agency, Eurostat. The volume of trade between Iran and Italy in the same period hit 1.2 billion euro, with 800 million euro pertaining to Iran's exports to Italy and 400 million to its imports from the country. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:22 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The energy-rich Central Asian nation, Kazakhstan is studying the possibilities of exporting electricity to China, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev announced about this at a conference on energy transformation, Kazinform reported. China is a global player, a big market. For several years we studied the possibilities of electricity supply. Of course, we do not have any connection today and the possibility of transmitting, but this is a matter of time, he said. Bozumbayev noted that there is an increase in consumption by China, especially by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Probably, we will cooperate more closely, it is possible to export electricity, he said. The minister also noted that Kazakhstan considers it expedient to export electricity to the Central Asian countries and observes the development of the electricity transmission system to Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is being conducted by Tajikistan. The national company KEGOK builds a powerful power transmission line connecting the energy-rich central and northern regions of Kazakhstan with the energy-deficient south, according to Bozumbayev. Other electricity development projects in the south will give an opportunity in the future to join the export routes currently being developed in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, Kazakhstan exports electricity to Russia. The electric power industry remains a key factor in Kazakhstans industrial development and economic growth. The government of Kazakhstan has developed an action plan for electric power development up to 2030, which includes a list of proposed power plants for modernization or reconstruction as well as the construction of new facilities. Electricity in Kazakhstan is generated by 118 power plants of various form of ownership. The total installed capacity of power plants in Kazakhstan is 22055.5 MW and available capacity is 18789.1 MW. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 17:34 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide Georgia with 250 million euro loan to upgrade priority road infrastructure, the bank reported on July 13. The loan agreement was signed by EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudak in the presence of Georgian Prime Minister Girogi Kvirikashvili and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in Tbilisi. In addition, the EU bank increased its support by 3.5 million euro to finance the completion of rehabilitation works at Georgias biggest hydropower complex, the Vardnili-Enguri HPP cascade. The 250 million euro loan is the second and last tranche of a 500 million euro framework loan for the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 253 kilometers priority primary and secondary roads identified by Georgias Government for the 2017-2020 period. The project, which will include road safety elements, will enhance both international connectivity notably on the East West Highway, part of the extended Trans-European Transport Network and domestic mobility. This will strengthen vital links between Georgia, Ukraine and Europe through the Black Sea ports, and also to Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia. The extension of the EIBs support for the Vardnili-Enguri HPP cascade follows the 20 million euro loan provided by the bank in 2010 in line with EU policy guidelines for EIB activities in the Eastern Partnership and supported by a 5 million euro grant from the European Commission. The additional 3.5 million euro in funding from the EIB will help to finalize a rehabilitation program concerning civil works as well as electrical and hydro mechanical work. This additional loan will provide assistance to secure the completion of a project that is expected to have a significant impact on Georgias hydroelectricity supply. The EIB has so far supported 21 projects with a total loan volume of over 1.5 billion euro in Georgia. A regional EIB office was opened in Tbilisi in 2015. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY RACINE The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., is offering these free events: Repair Cafe, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Various volunteer repair experts will be available to help make repairs free of charge. Tools and materials will also be on hand. Camp NaNoWriMo Drop-in Sharing Session, 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. Teens in grades six through 12 will set their own writing goals for a month and work throughout July to complete the goal. For more information, contact Carrie Richmond at carrie.richmond@racinelibrary.info. Its the End of the World as We Know It Young Adult Book and Movie Talks, 6 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Teens in grades six through 12 are welcome to a twice-monthly film showing and book talk series featuring paired movies and books with dystopian themes. Julys book talk will focus on Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. For more information, contact Carrie Richmond at carrie.richmond@racinelibrary.info. Racism/Race Relations Movie, 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 25. A film based on the book Hidden Figures will be shown. Following the film, a member of Coming Together Racine will facilitate a discussion. To register for an event, call 262-636-9217, unless otherwise listed, or go to www.racinelibrary.info. A valid library card is required. WATERFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY WATERFORD The Waterford Public Library, 101 N. River St., will offer the following: Ice Cream Checkout Party, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday, July 17. Each patron checking out an item will receive an ice cream treat. Adults Coloring & Crafts, 6-7 p.m. Monday, July 17. The library will supply coloring sheets and materials for adults, who may also bring their own craft project. Registration is required. Buying a Home, presentation, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. This free workshop will offer home buyers an opportunity to ask questions of professionals in the industry. Registration is required. Storywagon Performance, 10-10:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 19. This weeks performance is called KidsPlay Comedy Theatre. Medicare Made Easy presentation, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. Attendees will learn what various Medicare health insurances are available, what to look for in a plan and what to avoid. Build a Better World, Celebration, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, July 20. The final celebration of the summer reading program will feature bounce houses, a petting zoo, dunk tank, hot dogs, games and more. For more information, call 262-534-3988 or go to www.waterford.lib.wi.us. BURLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY BURLINGTON The Burlington Public Library, 166 E. Jefferson St., will offer the following: Lap-sit Story time, 10 a.m. Tuesdays. Finger plays, bouncing movements, rhythmic play and stories are the core of this program for children ages 5 and younger and their parents or caretakers. Parachute Fun, 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. School age children may play with a parachute in Wehmhoff Square Park, 166 E. Jefferson St. Storywagon performance, 10 a.m. Friday, July 21. KidsPlay interactive theater will feature Doug Jarecki and Matthew Huebsch. For more information, call 262-342-1130 or go to www.burlingtonlibrary.org. 13 July 2017 18:11 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura voiced the possibility of direct talks between Syrian delegations before the next round of talks. This was stated on July 13 during the seventh round of UN brokered peace talks in the Swiss city of Geneva ahead of the meeting with the government delegation of Damascus led by Bashar Jaafari. Jaafari has already held two official meetings with de Mistura in Geneva this week. "I'm not pushing for it. Because I want, when it happens, that there should not be a row but should be real talks. We are actually pushing for areas where they do have common points, de Mistura said. Asked whether such a meeting could take place before the eighth round of the Geneva negotiations scheduled for late August, he replied that it may happen "even earlier." The three opposition groupings have recently held technical talks, aligning their positions to the extent that they might be able to form a single delegation, if not a united one. Formation of single opposition may positively affect the whole process of intra-Syrian negotiations thus speeding up the conflict resolution. 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. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 13 July 2017 13:42 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Tourism is steadily growing in Azerbaijan and its no wonder that more than a million travelers visited the sunny country on the shores of Caspian Sea in the first half of 2017. The figure for six months shows an increase in the number of visitors by almost a 25-percent, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The country welcomed 1,199,667 guests in the first six months of the year. Russian tourists are leading among the visitors of the Land of Fire. The number of travelers from the northern neighbor soared 17 percent this year making up 374,491 people. Georgia comes next with a four-percent increase (254,425 tourists). Southern guests from Iran made significant jump in 2017. Their number increased by 89 percent (180,103). However, the most active influx was observed from tourists from the UAE - 338 percent (44,196). The number of Ukrainian and Iraqi tourists rose by 14 percent (27,342) and 75 percent (19,355), accordingly. In turn, the number of Turkish tourists visiting Azerbaijan dropped compared to last year. During this period 138,692 people came from Turkey, which means a decrease of 7.6 percent. Moreover, compared to the first half of 2016, 16-fold jump was recorded in number of tourists arriving in Azerbaijan from Oman in the first six months of 2017, eight-fold - from Kuwait, six fold- from Saudi Arabia, five-fold - from Qatar and Morocco, 4.4-fold - from the UAE, 3.5 fold -more from Pakistan and Algeria, 2.2 fold- from Jordan, two-fold from Turkmenistan and about 1.5 times more tourists from Iraq. The number of foreign nationals who arrived in Azerbaijan from CIS countries (12 percent), EU countries (13 percent), Gulf countries and Middle Eastern states (117 percent), Asian countries (64.4 percent), Africa (72 percent), the U.S. and Australia (22.8 percent) also increased. The Culture and Tourism Ministry says there is also a growth in the number of European tourists in the last six month, and the majority of guests are coming from the UK (16,323). German tourists are following in a number (7,787) leaving behind Italians (4,462) visiting the Land of Fire. Experts say that every tourist chooses own way for rest. Arab tourists, for example, prefer to relax in a good hotel, take a walk in the city, do shopping and go to restaurants. As for Russian and European tourists, they are more interested in sightseeing tourism, cultural cognitive and culinary tourism. The development of tourism industry as well as necessary infrastructure, positively influence the influx of tourists not only from neighboring countries, but also from European countries, said Nahid Bagirov. The Chairman of Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTa) told local media that there are several reasons for this. The first reason is that promotion of Azerbaijan in foreign countries plays significant role. Another reason is interest of European citizens in travelling. Also, there are Azerbaijanis who live in Europe. These play significant role in promoting our country, he said. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices RACINE A 54-year-old Mount Pleasant man has been charged after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman while giving her a massage at a former Regency Mall massage parlor. Huaying Sun of the 5800 block of Margery Drive is charged with felony third-degree sexual assault. In January 2011, officers spoke with Sun after a woman told police she went to a massage parlor at Regency Mall, 5538 Durand Ave., and was sexually assaulted by Sun. According to a criminal complaint, Sun asked the woman to undress, fondled her breasts and touched her genitalia. The business relocated to 5802 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant, several years after the incident. When Stephanie Kohlhagen, Mount Pleasant clerk, performed a routine annual background check on massage parlors, she discovered the pending sexual assault charge and terminated the business license. We alerted the state; much to my dismay, they didnt really react too much to it, Kohlhagen said, adding she also alerted the Village Board. Kohlhagen said the village does not license the individual masseur, they are licensed by the state. However, it does license the business. The only way we can keep track of issues like this is if they get a business licence, Kohlhagen said. If something does happen, its easier to track down those people. Kohlhagen said Suns wife is applying for the business license. A preliminary hearing for Sun is scheduled for July 26. It was unclear as of Wednesday why Sun was charged six years after the incident. He remained in custody as of Wednesday at the Racine County Jail, according to online records. BURLINGTON Two Burlington disaster sites have been set up to help victims of flooding in western Racine County. Sites were open Thursday and are scheduled to reopen 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at Gateway Technical College, 496 McCanna Parkway, and Gooseberries, 690 W. State St. The sites are staffed by the Racine County Human Services Department. Western Racine County residents affected by the flood and receiving FoodShare can apply for emergency FoodShare to replace food lost due to the flood and power outages, according to a news release. Residents can also apply for unemployment insurance, access computers and receive information on other disaster recovery services. The county is coordinating with federal, state and local agencies and deploying resources to western Racine County. We streamlined our processes and partnered with other local organizations to provide immediate relief, said Hope Otto, Racine County Human Services Director. Food security and basic needs are critically important so our goal is to help our community speed the recovery by getting quick access to food and much-needed resources. The Central Racine County Health Department warns residents that extreme caution should be taken with food and private well water. Nearly 5,000 people have been without power since Wednesday after a We Energies substation flooded. To access additional disaster recovery resources, contact the agencies listed below. For emergencies, call 911. American Red Cross Emergency Response Line: 414-345-8678 (water, shelter and meals). Central Racine County Health Department: www.crchd.com (health and safety information). Wisconsin Kenosha Racine Partnership: 888-794-5820 (FoodShare/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Unemployment Insurance: dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben (unemployment benefits for those who lost work due to floods and power outages) Residents who need to file a damage report can dial 211 or call toll free at 866-211-3380. Information collected will be forwarded to the Racine County Emergency Management Office several times a day. The office will use the information to determine the scope of the flooding. A homeless man lay dead in Dublins St Stephens Green for a number of hours before he was discovered, writes Louise Roseingrave. Derek Buchan (39) originally from Drogheda, Co Louth had no permanent address but used homeless hostels in the city, Dublin Coroners Court heard today. He was found lying face down in foliage at the Leeson Street end of St Stephens Green on January 30 2016. A candlelight vigil following the death of Jonathan Corrie who died near Leinster House in December 2014. It was beginning to get dark as Park Constable David Morgan and his three colleagues were locking the park at 4.20pm, the court heard. I was locking the two small gates at the Leeson Street end of the park around when I saw a person lying in the bushes. I saw the figure of a man lying face down, Mr Morgan said. He noted drug paraphernalia and attempted to rouse the man before calling emergency services, he said. It was an area where people used to go in to sleep and use drugs, Mr Morgan said. All four park constables lock the park in the evenings, checking bushes and shrubbery for people. Mr Morgan said the bushes where Mr Buchan was found had since been cut down. The mans sister, Mary McCabe said he was a free spirit whom she hoped was now at peace. His possessions included a rosary beads, a scapular and E65. He was a free spirit, he wouldnt settle anywhere, he was always wandering around. He used to come to me every Christmas but we didnt see him that year, Ms McCabe told the court. Gardai and Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and Mr Buchan was pronounced dead at 5.45pm. The doctor who pronounced his death noted that he had been dead for a number of hours before he was found. A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as a drug overdose, with evidence of heroin and the sleep medication zopiclone found in his system. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of death by misadventure. Mr Buchan was a friend of Jonathan Corrie, a homeless man who died near Leinster House in December 2014. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Published On Jul 13, 2017 02:53 PM By Jagdev for Renault KWID 2015-2019 The impact of Goods & Services Tax (GST) on the automotive sector has mostly been positive with prices of most cars coming down in most parts of the nation. The reduction in prices is significant in cities like Mumbai where cars were taxed at a higher percentage before. For cities like Delhi, the reduction in prices is not as steep especially in the small car segment (cars shorter than four metres in length and with a petrol engine smaller than 1.2 litres or diesel engine smaller than 1.5 litres). The general consensus of GSTs impact for the small car segment was that the prices would go up in the capital city. However, for most of the cars belonging to the said category, prices have come down in Delhi as well. The Renault Kwid belongs to the small car category, and it has seen a drop in prices post GST in Delhi and Mumbai. Heres a table with pre- and post-GST prices for the Kwid: Car Variant Pre (lakh) Post (lakh) Difference (lakh) Pre Post Difference (lakh) Kwid Delhi Mumbai STD 2.64 2.61 -0.03 2.98 2.71 -0.27 Climber 1.0 AMT 4.56 4.49 -0.07 4.97 4.55 -0.42 As explained above, the drop in prices of the Kwid in Delhi is not as steep as it is in Mumbai. In Delhi, all variants of the Kwid are now cheaper than before, and the drop in prices is in the range of Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000. The reduction of prices in Mumbai is between Rs 27,000 and Rs 42,000. The drop in prices should not be considered as a discount on the previous prices. The reduction of the said amount is in the ex-showroom cost only. The on-road price consists of variables like insurance cost, registration cost, etc. With the increase in service tax (now GST) from 15 per cent to 18 per cent on services like insurance, the insurance premium will somewhat increase. Since insurance is a factor of the ex-showroom price, the increase in GST per cent on insurance amount is expected to be nullified by the reduced ex-showroom prices. Prices for the Kwid now start at Rs 2.61 lakh in Delhi and go up to Rs 4.49 lakh here. For Mumbai, prices start from Rs 2.71 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 4.55 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). Also read: Impact of GST On Car Prices In India Read More on : Renault KWID AMT Photo: Contributed Michael Madsen A body found inside a burning Kelowna home in April has now been identified, and the death is being treated as a homicide. Police have identified Michael Madsen, 23, of Kelowna, as the victim found inside the Stockwell Avenue home. The investigation revealed that Michael Madsens homicide was related to the drug trade and the organized crime element, said Cpl. Tania Carroll. The home was fully engulfed in flames on the morning of April 1 after a loud explosion was heard by neighbours. Madsen lived at the home with other males at the time, according to police. Anyone with information or who was in contact with Madsen on March 31 or April 1 is asked to contact police. Police said Madsen was linked to a 1993 white Chevy Cavalier that was found at the scene. The Kelowna RCMP's Serious Crime Unit and BC Coroners Service continue to investigate. Hima Cement signs supply deal for Uganda infrastructure 13 July 2017 Uganda-based Hima Cement is to supply infrastructure projects being undertaken by China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) in the East African country under a new trade deal, local media have reported. Allan Ssemakula, Hima Cement's commercial director, said the LafargeHolcim company will supply cement for the ongoing Entebbe International Airport expansion, construction of Mubende-Kakumiro-Kagadi Road as well as upgrading of Soroti Moroto Road. The firm will supply 30,000t of cement to the Entebbe Airport expansion project for a period of five years, 60,000t for the Mubende-Kakumiro-Kagadi road and 30,000t for the Soroti-Moroto road project for a period of three years. Hima Cement also clients benefit from the technical expertise and product innovation that are the hallmark of LafargeHolcim Group. This Memorandum of Understanding is testament to our diverse product offerings and also avails solutions that fit the unique needs of our clients, The Independent (Uganda) quoted Mr Ssemakula as saying. He also disclosed that the MoU paves way for further collaboration between Hima Cement and CCCC on future infrastructure development undertakings in the country. Published under Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. 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. RACINE COUNTY Torrential rains caused flooding throughout the county Wednesday and put the Fox River in Burlington at a record high level. The City of Burlington and Racine County each declared a state of emergency Wednesday morning. More than a dozen roads closed due to nearly 7 inches of rain that fell between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in some parts of the county. The worst flooding was seen on the countys west end. By 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Fox River in Burlington was at an all- time high at 15.5 feet, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record was 13.5 feet set in 2008. This is very significant flooding, record-breaking, said Mark Gehring, National Weather Service meteorologist. The Fox River basin has been hit extremely hard, harder than weve ever seen in the modern age. The Fox River is expected to peak at 16.5 feet by noon Thursday, local officials said. Burlington city officials encouraged property owners to monitor the Fox and White river levels and expect increased flooding, which will lead to street and park closures. They urged residents to stay away from the river and off of bridges, saying the area is hazardous. Please be advised, the Fox River waters are continually rising quickly, the city said on its Facebook page Wednesday night. Be prepared to evacuate the premises. The weather service said 6.82 inches of rain was recorded at the Burlington airport between Tuesday night and Wednesday. About 6.2 inches was recorded in Rochester, and in Lyons, Burlingtons western neighbor in Walworth County, more than 8 inches fell, according to the weather service. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Racine County that was expected to continue into Thursday. Officials were bracing for the possibility of more rain late Wednesday night and Thursday morning. We are concerned about the potential damage to both public infrastructure and to homes and businesses, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said in a news release. County staff is monitoring the situation closely, and we are prepared to do everything we can to support local municipal efforts. Power was knocked out to about 14,000 customers in Burlington and other parts of western Racine County at about 5:45 p.m. after a We Energies substation in Burlington flooded, We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said. This is quite an incident right now, Manthey said late Wednesday. A curfew in Burlington went into effect at 10 p.m. Wednesday and was scheduled to last until 6 a.m. Thursday. The curfew applied to all residents except for emergency personnel and those commuting to and from work or students traveling to and from classes. Sandbags are being filled and distributed to the community. Two pick-up points are Walgreens, 680 Milwaukee Ave., and Karcher Middle School, 225 Robert St. Delagrave cancels listening session due to weather Racine Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave has cancelled his next listening session Officials assessing damage David Hansen, who lives in Burlington, said he saw at least two cars stuck in McHenry Street near Market Street and a fire truck that had trouble getting through. He made it through, but he had to drive really slow, Hansen said. I lived here 15 years and avent seen it flood like this, he added. Charlie Roy of Burlington said he saw Burlington firefighters in a boat rescuing a resident from their house. Ash Elmer of Burlington said most of her neighbors had significant (amounts of) water in the basements. Residents who need to file a damage report can dial 211 or toll free at 866-211-3380. Information collected will be forwarded to the Racine County Emergency Management Office several times a day. The office will use the information to determine the scope of the flooding. An emergency declaration positions Racine County to ask for state and federal assistance, if the situation warrants. In addition, the county executive has the authority to make county personnel and resources available. Video: Racine County officials give update on flooding Racine County officials gave a media briefing on flooding in the county at about 10:30 a.m. Road closures Many roads were closed throughout the county, including several portions of Highway 11 and roads near Highway 11; Highway 20 eastbound at Highway 75 in Dover; and Highway KR near Interstate 94 in Yorkville. Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said he received reports of motorists driving around barricades and he urged them not to do so, warning that citations may result. Officials say residents who see flooding while driving should turn around. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles, according to a warning from the National Weather Service. The state Department of Transportation also closed Highway 50 in western Kenosha County near the Fox River. Officials said the closure may be in effect throughout the weekend or until water levels dissipate, and asked drivers to follow alternative routes along Highways 83, 11 and 75. Damage minor elsewhere Village of Waterford officials reported Wednesday afternoon that the threat of serious flooding subsided. However, forecasts for more rain raised concerns about uprooting of trees. Flooding problems were less severe in the City of Racine, though officials warned residents to monitor Root River levels. Otherwise, the Racine Wastewater Utility was handling and treating water coming to the treatment plant. Western Racine County paper delivery affected by flooding WESTERN RACINE COUNTY Due to flooding, delivery of The Journal Times in parts of Western R Racine was fortunate not to receive the volumes of rain that fell in other local areas, said Keith Haas, general manager of the Racine Water and Wastewater Utilities. WESCO International, Inc. provides business-to-business distribution, logistics services, and supply chain solutions in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Electrical & Electronic Solutions (EES), Communications & Security Solutions (CSS), and Utility and Broadband Solutions (UBS). The EES segment supplies products and supply chain solutions, including electrical equipment and supplies, automation and connected devices, security, lighting, wire and cable, and safety, as well as maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products. This segment also offers contractor solutions, direct and indirect manufacturing supply chain optimization programs, lighting and renewables advisory services, and digital and automation solutions. The CSS segment operates in the network infrastructure and security markets. This segment sells products directly to end-users or through various channels, including data communications contractors, security, network, professional audio/visual, and systems integrators. It also provides safety and energy management solutions. The UBS segment offers products and services to investor-owned utilities; public power companies; and service and wireless providers, broadband operators, and contractors. This segment's products include wire and cable, transformers, transmission and distribution hardware, switches, protective devices, connectors, conduits, pole line hardware, racks, cabinets, safety and MRO products, and point-to-point wireless devices. This segment also offers various service solutions, including fiber project management, high and medium voltage project design and support, pre-wired meters and capacitor banks, meter testing and metering infrastructure installation, personal protective equipment dielectric testing, and tool repair, as well as emergency response, storage yard, materials, and logistics management. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Antisemitism and musicians row: Now Christian evangelical calls for boycott of Roger Waters concert An American evangelical Christian leader is calling for a boycott and picket of a concert starring the former Pink Floyd rock artist Roger Waters in Miami this evening. Laurie Cardoza-Moore, who is the president of the pro-Israel group Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, said: 'Roger Waters is a flagrant antisemite. All Christians, Jews and people of conscience should publicly condemn him. 'Everybody should do what they can to voice their concern that this antisemite is spewing his despicable brand of hatred in the Sunshine State. Contact your local lawmakers, picket the concert, speak out on social media, but whatever you do, do not remain silent.' Waters, 73, is a very vocal supporter of the controversial boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and has spoken out repeatedly about the plight of the Palestinians.He has vehemently denied being antisemitic. Yesterday, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation placed an advert on the Miami Herald homepage with a message for Waters, whose concert will take place at the American Airlines Arena. 'Antisemitism and hatred are not welcome in Miami,' it said. The call for a boycott of Waters's concert comes amid a row over the band Radiohead's decision to play a concert in Israel on July 19. The band have repeatedly been urged to call off the show as part of the BDS movement. On Tuesday, the film-maker Ken Loach wrote an open letter in The Independent, accusing Radiohead of ignoring 'human rights violations' and offering to meet with the band. But Radiohead's Thom Yorke hit back on Twitter, saying, 'Playing in a country isn't the same as endorsing its government.' He added: 'We've played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others. We don't endorse [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America. Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them, about open minds not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression. I hope that makes it clear Ken.' Waters has been among those urging Radiohead to cancel the Israel concert. But Yorke told Rolling Stone magazine last month: 'I'll be totally honest with you, this has been extremely upsetting. There's an awful lot of people who don't agree with the BDS movement, including us. I don't agree with the cultural ban at all, along with JK Rowling, Noam Chomsky and a long list of others. 'It's really upsetting that artists I respect think we are not capable of making a moral decision ourselves after all these years. They talk down to us and I just find it mind-boggling that they think they have the right to do that. It's extraordinary.' In an interview with AP last month, Waters denied that he is an antisemite. Waters was asked: 'You have always been outspoken when it comes to politics, and have been attacked on your support of a boycott of Israel. Some have called you antisemitic because of it. Are you?' He replied: 'I've got nothing against Israel, and I've certainly not got anything against Jewish people or Judaism. But I am fundamentally opposed to people being subjugated and not having rights under the law. So I've finished my little speech, but people have suggested that I'm antisemitic, which I am clearly not... I will go to my grave defending the rights of ordinary people, under a law, under a common law.' Farewell, Eugene Peterson? Why evangelicals can do better than start a heresy hunt over gay marriage Eugene Peterson, the acclaimed author of The Message translation of the Bible, has come out in favour of same-sex marriage, saying that he would perform a same-sex wedding, and that 'that kind of debate about lesbians and gays might be over'. The response from the conservative evangelical world? In the words of John Piper's notorious tweet when Rob Bell rejected hell: 'Farewell, Eugene Peterson.' That's largely been the reaction from those unimpressed with Peterson's new statements, made in an interview with Jonathan Merritt of RNS. Influential conservative church leaders like Southern Baptist Russell Moore called the news 'so disappointing', but others went further. Social media users lamented his outright 'apostasy', accusing him of forsaking Scripture and selling out to culture. Whether serious or not, one Twitter user said it was time to burn every copy of Peterson's The Message that they could find. While not planning to torch his books, the conservative Christian retailer LifeWay has now said it plans to drop Peterson's catalogue of works from their shelves. A spokesperson told Christianity Today: 'If he confirms he does not hold to a biblical view of marriage, LifeWay will no longer sell any resources by him, including The Message.' But isn't this all dangerously dramatic? One second Peterson is 'in', endorsed and loved in the evangelical community. But when some brief comments are made on one issue, Peterson becomes a 'false teacher' to be regarded with suspicion. It's not enough to condemn his present thought, he's apparently now undermined everything he's ever written. Debates about sexuality and marriage are important, and rather like a lifelong union, not to be entered lightly. If we set aside the worthy questions about Peterson's theology and whether it's convincing or not, can a teacher not still be loved and respected as a Christian even if you think they're very wrong? Because a cursory glance at Christian history tells us that most of the 'heroes' of the faith were no angels, but their flaws or controversial positions haven't barred them from an honoured place in the Church. Moses murdered, King David too. Peter thrice denied Christ, and was accused by Paul of contradicting the Gospel but he wasn't cast out for it, but remained the 'rock' of the Church. The saint and monk Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade against Islam. The beloved hymn-writer Isaac Watts was arguably a Unitarian (and thus a heretic) in his later life. The Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli had the Anabaptist Balthasar Hubmaier racked to get him to change his mind about baptism, and the theological giant John Calvin demanded the death of Michael Servetus for denying the Trinity. The cases of Zwingli and Calvin illustrate a double point: not only was what they did abominable, but it embodies what's wrong with the contemporary evangelical spirit when someone's theologically 'wrong', then they (literally) might as well be dead. Church history seems to show you can love and respect a thinker while believing they were seriously wrong on a particular issue. Martin Luther's legacy for the Protestant Reformation is celebrated this year, but his notorious antisemitism isn't. I'm not equating antisemitism with being LGBTQ-affirming they aren't morally comparable positions. But evidently Christians have shown that serious disagreement doesn't have to become complete dismissal. In moral terms, the Church is still split on what to say about sexuality. Conflict persists, but we don't have to reach for the torch and pitchfork. New Testament scholar Preston Sprinkle made the point well in a blog response to the Peterson debacle. He wrote: 'Eugene is a pastoral legend, a prophetic voice in the American evangelical church. And I'm a better Christian because of him.' But, he added: 'Our celebrity-driven culture has spilled over into the church and hinders us from viewing our heroes of the faithan ancient and contemporary as imperfect vessels worthy of praise one minute and critique the next. I still admire the heck out of Peterson. Always will. But I believe he's terribly wrong on this one.' There's an approach to learn from. Clearly the rightness or wrongness of Peterson's comments is hotly debated. But imagine if you could believe that someone was deeply wrong and still not dismiss their entire life's work? Admit the conflict, but affirm the good as well? If I shed a tear of lament for every Christian who didn't think like me, I would have a pretty sad life. Division need not mean despair. Heretic hunting historically hasn't gone well for the Church. Seeking grace and truth, with charity for where we disagree? That looks more hopeful. You can follow @JosephHartropp on Twitter 'Great pain and dismay': Another priest killed in Mexico Another priest has been killed in Mexico, the third such incident this year alone. A statement from the local diocese said: 'With great pain and dismay we inform of the death of our diocesan priest Luis Lopez Villa, 71, who on July 5 was killed by criminals who managed to break into San Isidro Labrador Parish, in the municipality de Los Reyes.' World Watch Monitor reports that Christians are often targeted because they stand against the drug trade by, for example, setting up rehabilitation centres. It says there are other reasons too. 'Christians are also targeted because of the perception that churches and their leaders have a lot of money, so congregations offer a ready source of cash cartels can simply enter, lock the doors and ask the congregation to empty their pockets.' A priest was killed in March, while a bishop went missing in January, only to be found dead later. These are just the latest incidents in a rising trend of violence towards clergy. Other Christians have also been targeted. Mexico's drug trade has claimed numerous casualties in recent years. Christian Solidarity Worldwide says: 'The number of violations of freedom of religion or belief, specifically threats against and attacks on religious leaders by criminal networks, has risen in recent years across the country.' In contrast to other North American countries, Mexico is predominantly Roman Catholic, with a significant Protestant community and much smaller numbers of adherents of other religions. No 'ladies and gentlemen' on the Tube any more? Gender pronouns must not disappear, says Christian group A group of evangelical Christians has condemned a decision to replace 'ladies and gentlemen' announcements on the London Underground with gender-neutral alternatives as 'dangerous'. Following the decision to scrap the traditional 'ladies and gentlemen' from tannoy announcements, Graham Nicholas, director of Affinity, a fellowship of Churches, evangelical agencies and individual Christians, accused the network of being both 'ridiculous and sinister'. Nicholas said: 'The changing of public address announcements is not just a simple update of language to a modern equivalent but part of an ideology that wants to separate gender identity a matter of personal feeling from gender reality a matter of biological fact. 'We believe that in the beginning God made a world of diverse creatures including human beings male and female. We want to recognise and embrace gender distinctions male and female as something objectively true, but also something good and helpful for society, for family life and for finding our way in the world. We believe it is demeaning, reductionist and dangerous to flatten those distinctions.' He added: 'Imagine going to a zoo and being told that none of the residents are given names, but instead all will be called by the generic term "animal". What a dull and dangerous zoo. 'Perhaps worse there may be the worry that just in case some of the animals might believe they are in fact a grain of sand or a star in the sky the labels are changed to "thing" so as not to cause offence to anyone. 'It is ludicrous and it spoils our enjoyment and safe navigation of the diverse world God has made and the same is true of relegating gender pronouns to a bygone era. 'None of this is to deny there are people going through genuine struggles for whom gender specific announcements might cause them pain. But blurring the distinctions and denying the reality will not help them in the long run. Knowing who they are in Christ and who they are as God has made them is how we begin to solve the identity crisis with God's help'. Affinity spoke out after Transport for London tpld staff to use terms such as 'good morning everyone' instead of 'ladies and gentlemen' after LGBT activists appealed to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to the language used by bus and tube drivers. Mark Evers, who heads customer strategy at TFL, said they want everyone to feel welcome on the transport network. He told Christian Today: 'We have reviewed the language that we use in announcements and elsewhere and will make sure that it is fully inclusive, reflecting the great diversity of London.' Last month, TFL celebrated London Pride by transforming parts of the transport network with a new rainbow design, created especially to raise awareness and show support for LGBT. According to a report published last year by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), Canada needs 182,000 new workers in the Information Technology (IT) sector by 2019. Fortunately for Canadian employers and international workers alike, over the past year Canadas Express Entry immigration system has helped to address this labour shortage. Critically, provinces across Canada have recognized their need for skilled IT personnel and have used their enhanced Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams to select IT workers specifically. These provincial efforts are in addition to the federal governments objective of inviting more Express Entry candidates based on their strong human capital factors. As a result, the number of candidates with IT work experience being invited to apply has increased over time. In addition, the federal government recently launched a new initiative aimed at IT workers and employers known as the Global Talent Stream. This initiative aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they can access the highly skilled talent they need quickly. Workers who arrive in Canada under the Global Talent Stream may build up Canadian work experience a highly-valued factor under Express Entry and subsequently immigrate to Canada permanently. This IT immigration report looks at how IT workers have benefited from immigration trends over the past 12 months. About Express Entry and provincial nomination Individuals eligible to immigrate to Canada through a federal economic program can submit a profile into the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked against each other according to a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The government of Canada issues Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence to the highest-ranked candidates on a priority basis through draws from the pool. If a candidate obtains a provincial nomination, 600 CRS points are awarded and that candidate is prioritized for an ITA in a subsequent draw from the pool. In order to apply for a provincial nomination, candidates must first create an Express Entry profile. Provinces use their enhanced PNP streams in different ways. For example, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan open their doors on a first-come, first-served basis to candidates in specific occupations, whereas Ontario searches for candidates in the pool before issuing a provincial Notification of Interest (NOI). Provinces looking for IT workers Certain provinces, using their enhanced PNP streams, are explicitly seeking out IT workers in the Express Entry pool. Example 1: Ontario Ontario, which is a particularly popular destination for new permanent residents, has a Human Capital Priorities (HCP) stream that only selects eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool. Applications under this stream are submitted through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). On June 28, the government of Ontario made an announcement that it was seeking Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professionals. While one of the usual requirements of the HCP stream is that candidates must have a CRS score of 400 or above, the announcement clarified that for these ICT occupation-specific searches, Ontario lowered the required minimum CRS score below 400. Candidates with work experience in any of the following National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes were eligible to receive a NOI, even if they scored less than 400 points under the CRS. NOC 0131: Telecommunication Carriers Managers NOC 0213: Computer and Information Systems Managers NOC 2133: Electrical and Electronics Engineers NOC 2147: Computer Engineers (Except Software Engineers and Designers) NOC 2171: Information Systems Analysts and Consultants NOC 2172: Database Analysts and Data Administrators NOC 2173: Software Engineers and Designers NOC 2174: Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers NOC 2175: Web Designers and Developers NOC 2241: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians NOC 2281: Computer Network Technicians NOC 2282: User Support Technicians NOC 2283: Systems Testing Technicians NOC 5224: Broadcast Technicians NOC 5241: Graphic Designers and Illustrators Though the government of Ontario has not stated if or when it may prioritize IT workers under the HCP stream again, it is notable that the ICTC report cited at the beginning of this article states that By 2019, cumulative hiring requirements for ICT talent are expected to be over 52,700 in the greater Toronto area, over 9,700 in Ottawa-Gatineau, over 3,800 in the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo region, and over 9,900 in rest of Ontario. Consequently, it may be the case that Ontario uses the HCP stream again to prioritize IT workers. Example 2: Nova Scotia Halifax, the capital and largest city in Nova Scotia, was recently titled Canadas fifth-biggest tech hub by CTV News. This is no mean feat, considering that Halifax is the 13th largest metropolitan area in Canada. Of the 16 occupations on Nova Scotias list of targeted opportunity occupations for its Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry stream, four are IT occupations: NOC 2171: Information systems analysts and consultants NOC 2174: Computer programmers and interactive media development NOC 2281: Computer network technicians NOC 2282: User support technicians This Express Entry-aligned stream most recently opened last week on July 5, reaching its intake limit within hours. However, the government of Nova Scotia expects this stream to open and close over the next year. Candidates with experience in one of these occupations improve their chances of successfully submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration if they prepare their documents and forms in advance and stay alert to news from Nova Scotia regarding this stream. Example 3: Saskatchewan Earlier this month, the government of Saskatchewan began to let nominees and other stakeholders know that a new tech careers web page is now available, showing the range of tech-related jobs in the province, which is located in Western Canada. Saskatchewans Labour Demand Outlook for 2016 to 2020 shows that salaries in IT professions are expected to be high. Since July, 2016, the International Skilled Worker Express Entry sub-category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has opened on five occasions. This sub-category allows eligible Express Entry candidates with experience in an in-demand occupation to submit an application to the SINP. No job offer is required, and applications are received on a first-come, first-served basis. For the most recent intake, which ran from May 16 to May 24, 2017, no IT occupations were included on the list. However, for the previous intake periods Computer and Information Systems Managers (NOC 0213) and Information Systems Analysts and Consultants (NOC 2171) were included. Saskatchewans list of in-demand occupations is subject to change, and Express Entry candidates across the IT professions may benefit in the future, as they have done so in the past. Example 4: New Brunswick This time last year New Brunswick, located in Atlantic Canada, was inviting certain IT professionals to submit their resume through the Open Category of the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) Express Entry Labour Market Stream, before potentially applying for provincial nomination under the program. New Brunswick was looking for newcomers in the following occupations: NOC 2171: Information systems analysts and consultants NOC 2172: Database analysts and data administrators NOC 2174: Computer programmers and interactive media developers NOC 2175: Web designers and developers NOC 2281: Computer network technicians Though this category stopped receiving applications on July 15, 2016, it may reopen in the future, either with the above list of occupations or with some other variation. Express Entry Changes Benefit IT Candidates When IRCC released its year-end report for 2016, statistics showed that invited candidates by profession had shifted towards higher-skilled professions, principally in IT. BURLINGTON National Guardsmen blockaded streets and businesses stayed closed for lack of electricity as Burlington remained in crisis mode Thursday due to unprecedented flooding. The city continued dealing with historic and dangerous flooding Thursday that affected nearly every property in the community. Police Chief Mark Anderson opened a Thursday evening press conference by saying that the Fox River crested at 16.5 feet early Thursday, but has since begun receding and is expected to continue to do so going forward. What we are dealing with in the City of Burlington is unprecedented, Anderson said. The Wisconsin National Guard was called in to help, with many roads and bridges impassable and about 4,900 people still without power Thursday. About 85 guardsmen blockaded bridges and streets covered with standing water while, according to Captain Joe Trovato, some others conducted approximately 120 welfare checks through the community. Theyre checking in to make sure those people are in good condition, Trovato said. We will be here as long as the incident commander requires. Walker in Burlington At noon Thursday, guardsman lifted caution tape on the Milwaukee Avenue Bridge to allow a cadre of local and state officials to cross above the surging river. The group included Gov. Scott Walker, State Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, along with Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty, Fire Chief Al Babe, City Administrator Carina Walters and Anderson. Walker held an impromptu news conference at the foot of the bridge to address the situation. Something of this magnitude is not only an all-time high for Burlington, it is one of the most aggressive flooding efforts weve seen in the state in some time, Walker told reporters. That we dont have a serious injury or fatality is certainly remarkable, and I think is a testament to the first responders of this community stepping up. Walker said the dam was inspected and remained stable Thursday afternoon and he declared a state of emergency for Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties. He added that safety is the top priority as officials monitor flood conditions and work to restore power. Following his news conference, Walker led the group through Downtown Burlington, shaking hands with residents and business owners, many of whom were in the midst of removing water from their homes and businesses. Two of those residents were Sharry Sullivan and Bob Rubach, who were pumping water out of the basement of The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine streets in the heart of the Downtown area. Weve got probably about 15, 18 inches (of water), Rubach said. We were really lucky. The river is expected to dip below the major flood stage level of 14 feet by mid-day Saturday, Anderson said Thursday evening. He added that it will reach normal flood levels by Tuesday. But Anderson warned that flooding conditions in the city change rapidly and residents should stay away from the river. Officials encouraged those living near the Fox River to evacuate. The best news I can tell you is that weve had no reports of loss of life or serious injury, Anderson said. Lets make this tragedy a successful tragedy. Anderson added that the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew imposed Wednesday night would again be in effect overnight Thursday and early Friday morning. Many without power For many, power outages have been a major headache. Anderson said that 4,000 people in the Burlington area were still without power as of early Thursday evening. We Energies crews may not be able to restore electricity to some of those customers until Friday afternoon or later, a company spokeswoman said. The outages were caused by a substation submerged in floodwater. When flooded, our substation cannot deliver electricity to the wires that serve these customers. Water really can damage our equipment inside that substation, spokeswoman Amy Jahns said. Due to our substation still being submerged, we have not been able to even get in there because its unsafe at this time. Still, Anderson said that thats down from an initial 25,000 customers who were without power at one point in the flood. The target restoration time is tomorrow around noon, but be prepared for longer, Anderson said. Dont rely on the fact that you have been told that power may be turned on by tomorrow. The company planned to bring in mobile transformers, a complex process that will change the way power is delivered to customers in the affected area, Jahns said. 911 service has not been affected, but the citys non-emergency number has. Residents should call 262-763-9558 for non-emergency situations. The Burlington Police Department has about 5 feet of water in its basement, which is where its electronic equipment is stored, Anderson said. Burlington City Hall was closed and could not receive phone calls or emails. City officials are providing updates on the citys Facebook page. Recovery beginning Sandbags are being filled and distributed to the community, with two pick-up points at Walgreens, 680 Milwaukee Ave., and Karcher Middle School, 225 Robert St. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections sent about 20 inmates from the Robert Ellsworth Correctional Center in Dover to help with sandbagging, according to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs. Disaster recovery sites were set up at Gateway Technical College, 496 McCanna Parkway, and Gooseberries, 690 W. State St. Tina Henning, the social services director at Love Inc., 480 S. Pine Street said that while their facility did experience some flooding, they were focused on aiding the community as quickly as possible. Love Inc. is partnering with Kwik Trip, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army to provide water, emergency housing and supplies to those affected. Our stuff is secondary compared to what our clients and our community are dealing with, she said. We wouldnt be an agency without our community. Many people and organizations have contacted the city to donate goods, food and services to the community, Hefty said. We are working on creating a process and plan for those requests, Hefty said. We will be letting the public know what they can do to help us as soon as we can. In the meantime, people can make cash donations to flood relief efforts at any southeastern Wisconsin BMO Harris Bank, Babe said. Widespread damage The Fox River water level shatters the previous record of 13.5 feet set in 2008. Flood stage begins at 11 feet. Everyone in Burlington is dealing with some type of flood damage, Anderson said. That includes popular restaurant Freds Burgers, 596 N. Pine St., which had roughly 4 feet of water in its basement, according to Ben Mabson of the family that owns Freds. All our inventory is downstairs, thats all gone, Mabson said. No structural damage, though. And while some struck a solemn tone, some tried to make the best of the situation, like Joseph Terry, who sat outside his Pine Street apartment with a half dozen friends drinking beer. We decided to sit out here and see how the United States of America reunites, Terry said. Everybody seems to be coming together all of a sudden. Patrick Leary and Mark Schaaf contributed to this story. A few days after the infamous July 13, 1977, New York City blackout, I joined a group of pals setting out from Park Slope, Brooklyn, a neighborhood that hadnt yet gentrified, for Williamsburg, home to Hasidim and Puerto Ricans in the decades before it, too, became a hipster hot spot. Headed for Jacks Pastrami King, our favorite restaurant, we were in a jovial mood, though New York was reeling from two days of rioting and looting, which had destroyed 1,600 stores. The riots were another blow to a city still struggling to rebound from its near-bankruptcy of 1975. Jacks Pastrami King was famous for hand-sliced pastrami, served on delicious rye bread smeared with Ba-Tampte mustard, with healthy sides of potato salad, coleslaw, and fabulous sour pickles included. The restaurants reputation was built on the meats smoked on site, in its basement. Jack, explained our friend Louis Menashe, who grew up around the corner, smoked the pastrami in cedar, not the customary hickory, and flavored it with fresh garlic, not garlic salt. This was food fit for the hardworking Jewish manual laborers who had hailed from the Russian Pale of Settlement 75 years earlier. The restaurants fame was such that a mutual friends wife, an airline stewardess, made regular deliveries of its corned beef, pastrami, and rye bread to Louiss friends in Paris. But what amazed us was the day we heard an enormous commotion as we were sitting and stuffing ourselves. Three guys had just come in from San Juan, via JFK, to pick up several thousand dollars worth of smoked meats, sides, and rye bread. They brusquely paid in cash, shouting at the largely Latino staff, already hustling, to hurry up, weve got a plane to catch. The food was packed in Styrofoam to keep it as fresh as possible for the return trip. Apparently, they had carefully coordinated their trip so that they could quickly return to San Juan for what we gathered to be a party of some sort. But when we returned to the neighborhood in the aftermath of the riots and looting, we were in for an unpleasant surprise. So many stores and building had been torched that we couldnt find the restaurant. Louis, who knew the neighborhood best, wasnt with us, and without him we were clueless. The driver, Freddy, circled round and round; we saw block after block in ruins, until we were able to make out what we thought might be the charred remains of Jacks. Freddy pulled over, and I stepped out to ask some guys standing on the sidewalk if the burned-out building behind them had, in fact, been the restaurant. (We must have been naive to assume that Jacks Pastrami King would survive the riots, but we couldnt believe that anyone would destroy a restaurant that provided pleasure to so many people.) Several told me, smirking, that the looted building had been liberated. I had no response but bewilderment. It was only later, in lesprit de escalier, that I wished that Id asked them how many people had lost work due to the looting. Today, the graffiti and gang violence of the 1970s evoke a contrived nostalgia on the part of some hipsters, many of whom hail from out of town but wish that they could have been part of the funky seventies as evoked by Saturday Night Fever and other films of the time. But as a native New Yorker, I look back on the seventies as a kidney stone of a decadea decade in which I heard the frightening, reverberating thud of a truck crashing through the old elevated West Side Highway a few blocks from my apartment. The city was too caught up in expanding its welfare system to pay much attention to small matters like bridge and road repair. The dreadful 1977 riots hit Brooklyn the hardest of New Yorks boroughs; the poorer the neighborhood, the greater the damage. The damage that I sustained was relatively trivial, but instructive: told that the vandalism that had destroyed Jacks Pastrami King was an act of liberation, I lost much of my political innocence. The city itself had been mugged, I realized. Im still haunted by that moment from 40 years ago, when my political reeducation began. Photo Hulton Archive/Getty Images The soporific name is enough to induce apathy, but net neutrality is a topic that should concern everyone who believes in the open internet. Yesterday, visitors to major websites like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter saw messages about the future of the internet, with the much-reviled loading icon serving as a sort of mascot. It was all part of net neutrality day of action, a last-ditch effort to raise awareness and encourage comments to the Federal Communications Commission, which will decide the future of the issue. In the simplest terms, net neutrality rules prohibit internet service providers like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast from blocking websites, slowing them down, or striking deals with companies to provide them with premium services. Under Obama, the FCC reclassified internet access as a Title II telecommunications service and imposed strict net neutrality rules on internet service providers classifying them as utilities, which basically means that all internet content must be treated the same in the way it is delivered to broadband customers. But new Federal Communications Commision Chairman Ajit Pai wants to roll back those rules, leaving ISPs to regulate themselves. Pai and his supporters argue that the regulation is slowing investment in broadband development, and that the reins need to be loosened to spur competition. There is some data that supports the idea that investment is slowing, but a recent USA Today study shows that blaming net neutrality rules for that situation is an oversimplification. For media consumers, the loss of net neutrality could affect which websites they access and the speed with which those sites load, creating a have and have not dichotomy that would likely damage smaller publishers. The winners in this scenario would be major companies that could afford to strike deals with the ISPs, and, of course, the ISPs themselves. As Nilay Patel writes in an excellent and comprehensive overview of the issue for The Verge, Rolling back Title II is a massive corporate handout that will line the pockets of Comcast and AT&T, while doing nothing for the average American. Below, more on the day of action and whats next for net neutrality. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Other notable stories Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon. A GROUP OF INVESTORS led by a former member of the Chicago City Council bought the Chicago Sun-Times this week, preventing the papers acquisition by Tronc, the parent company of the Chicago Tribune. The group reportedly purchased the Sun-Times for $1, and pooled $11.2 million to fund the newspapers operating costs. Sun-Times reporter Lauren FitzPatrick tweeted during a meeting between the papers staff and new owners and disclosed several details, including that the paper will likely move from its current office to save money on rent: Money will get saved on rent when @suntimes moves to "trendy" west loop. Goodbye river! Also wants new printing contract. Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) July 13, 2017 After the Sun-Times solicited other buyers, former city alderman Edwin Eisendrath emerged as a potential owner. Until today, most of the investors involved in ST Acquisition Holdings LLC were not named in reports on the deal as it developed. (One exception: corporate restructuring expert Bill Brandt.) When the Sun-Times reported on the sale last night, it noted that Eisendrath didnt yet have permission to identify all the members of his investment group. Today, FitzPatrick reported on Twitter that other investors include veteran broadcast journalist Linda Yu; lawyers Skip Herman and Len Goodman; Edwins brother, John Eisendrath; and developer Elzie Higginbottom, a prominent local real estate mogul. ST Acquisition Holdings, the limited liability company formed for the purchase, also attracted the support of several unions: In addition to the Chicago Federation of Labor, union investors include SEIU Local 1 and Operating Engineers Local 150. In a way, the investment group resembles the city itselfor, at least, the people who run it. TRENDING: The man behind depressing, viral Trump Jr. tweet speaks Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project The sale effectively ends the Justice Departments anti-trust investigation into Chicago-based Troncs effort to purchase the Sun-Times and the Chicago Reader from Wrapports. CJR reported in May that Tronc, which owns the Tribune, had entered into a nonbinding letter of intent to purchase Wrapports. Tronc had pledged that the two papers would maintain independent editorial operations. But most observers in Chicago saw the bid as the beginning of the end for the citys status as a two-newspaper townone of the few remaining in America. In a tweet yesterday, the day the sale closed, Eisendrath described the investment group as civic-minded leaders who were inspired by the writing and reporting at the Sun-Times. We wanted to make sure that Chicago had a genuine voice with honest & good reporting that connects with working men & women, he wrote in another tweet. In most other cities in America, it might seem unusual that the unions stepped up to buy the paper. But unions are big business in Chicago and in Illinois, which has one of the largest union workforces in the country. I can think of no other publication today in the United States with the support of labor unions, says Steve Franklin, who covered the labor beat for the Tribune and has taught courses on employee and labor relations at the University of Illinois. It could be a genie that would open up and give them a voice. Franklin says the new union ownership in the Sun-Times is a nice comeuppance for the smaller paper over the Tribune, which waged war against its blue-collar unions in the 1980s and broke them. With the exception of the Operating Engineers Local 150, which has a reputation of being one of the most conservative unions in Illinois, the other union investors are very left-wing, says Mike Fourcher, editor of the Chicago-based Daily Line political newsletter. The SEIU Illinois State Council helped launch the pro-union Illinois Progress news website, which ceased operating last year. Its interesting, Fourcher says. Theyre upgrading from Progress Illinois to the Sun-Times. Susy Schultz, president of Public Narrative, a Chicago-based community journalism organization, sees the sale as an opportunity for the paper to innovate and deliver news to a community it knows well. She rejects the narrative that people dont like the media, especially their hometown paper. In Chicago, the Sun-Times is the working class paperthe scrappy competitor to the bigger, more conservative, and more monied Chicago Tribune. (Both papers have gone through and emerged from bankruptcy protection.) When you talk to most people, they are hungry for news, Schultz says. They are hungry for information. Having somebody like Edwin Eisendrath and the unions coalesce around the paper is crucial. Eisendrath, a former city council member who represented the Lincoln Park neighborhood on the citys north side from 1987 to 1993, comes from a wealthy family of bankers and investors with a long history in Chicago. After he left the council, Eisendrath became an administrator in the Chicago regional office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2006, he lost a Democratic primary bid for Illinois governor to former governor Rod Blagojevich, who was later impeached and jailed. The unions have said they will not interfere with editorial coverage at the paper. Fourcher isnt sure. This is a fairly left[-wing] group of people, with the exception of Local 50, he says. I dont think anyone should have the idea that there is impartial reporting these days, although I try hard to do it. The idea that a news organization is not going to be slanted is a myth. Sheila Solomon, a long-time recruiter for the Chicago Tribune and currently manager of recruitment and internships at Rivet Radio, says she worries that the well-intended investors simply do not have the financial resources to keep the Sun-Times alive. Honestly, I am not as excited about the deal as some other people are, she says. My fear is that they really will not have enough money to sustain what we know needs deep, deep pockets. There is still quite a mountain to climb. Yes, they saved the Sun-Times from being bought by a big bad Tronc, but for how long and really what is that going to mean? ICYMI: Eight simple rules for doing accurate journalism Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jackie Spinner is CJRs correspondent for Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is an associate journalism professor at Columbia College Chicago and a former staff writer for The Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @jackiespinner. The gold standards of desired impact from investigative reporting have long involved the indictment of an elected official, a bill being signed into law, or a lawsuit filed on behalf of vulnerable citizens. But conversations with investigative journalism leaders across the country reveal a shift in how to document whether their work has made a difference. Driven in part by the increased online presence of readers, top editors at for-profit and non-profit outlets and a Knight professor described placing a greater emphasis in recent years on less tangible markers like raising awareness and sparking widespread conversation. In 2014, for example, the Center for Investigative Reporting followed its investigation into pesticide use on strawberries by commissioning a play that was performed in the affected community, according to Editor in Chief Amy Pyle. The production and other coverage contributed to higher levels of awareness among area residents about pesticides presence and danger. Pyle said her team is spending more time engaging with readers on spaces like Facebook and Twitter as well as holding community events. There are pieces that are less obvious and sometimes feel a little squishy, but in fact are real, says Pyle, adding that for years CIR employed a social scientist full-time to help it define and quantify those more subtle measures. TRENDING: Legacy media diverge from digital natives in fight against Facebook, Google The Austin-based Texas Tribune is adopting a similar approach, according to Editor in Chief Emily Ramshaw. The publication has operated since 2009 in a staunchly conservative state where its hard to generate concrete evidence of investigative impact. Ramshaw emphasized the importance of the Tribune listening to Texans as a way to heighten trust and avoid being dismissed out of hand. We need to do a better job of building trust around those who are not readersto connect face to face, so that were not just considered the urban, liberal big city media, she says. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The Tribune has sought to elicit higher levels of audience engagement through public events. A daylong symposium in January on race and public policy drew hundreds of people. The organization is also working to develop measures to understand whether its work prompted readers to call legislators or vote. You dont always get the forced resignation or the scalp to hang on the wall, Ramshaw says. Were working on ways to more accurately [determine] whether people are taking action based on our work. How stories are presented can influence whether they trigger widespread dialogue and subsequent change. Steven Ginsberg, senior politics editor at The Washington Post, noted that the impetus for that action increasingly occurs on the internet, rather than on the pages of a newspaper. How stories are presented can influence whether they trigger widespread dialogue and subsequent change. If you unburden yourself from thinking of the front page, you think about it in an entirely different way, he says. In some cases, as with Rosalind Helderman and Mary Jordans story about Melania Trumps immigration status, a question-and-answer format was the best way to ensure wide readership and conversation. In other cases, as in recent Pulitzer Prize winner David Fahrentholds coverage of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a listicle of 81 things Huckabee had denounced was the most effective method. It is up to us to figure out how people want to get that information, how to tell people what we know they want to hear, Ginsberg says. Divided opinion on seeking change If there is consensus about the need for engagement and flexibility in story presentation, there was less unanimity about the value of journalists explicitly striving to foment change through their work. New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet argued against the idea of investigative journalism working to have a specific result. You do the work, you ask the hard questions; thats the job, Baquet says. Your goal cant be a certain type of impact, at least if youre The New York Times, The Washington Post or the [Chicago] Tribune. This is in part because of factors outside the reporters and publications control like the timing of the story, peoples reaction to it, and whether other media also cover the issue, he says. RELATED: A new model for high-impact investigative reporting Brant Houston, Knight Chair in Investigative and Enterprise Journalism at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, said that working from the beginning of a project to attain a desired outcome can cross the line from investigative reporting to activism. I think many people accepted the fact that the work is best done not with a plan for effecting change; thats really [the work of] advocates, says Houston. But others, like Marina Walker Guevara, deputy director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, incorporate potential outcomes as an integral part of deciding whether to undertake a project. In addition to considering whether an issue is systemic and of global concern, the group also asks if the project is likely to get a result, she says. Attaining impact has become harder since Trump became president on January 20, but support for investigative reporting has soared since his victory. I would say that we think about impact from the very beginning of each investigation, says Walker, whose organization published the Panama Papers in 2016. We want to change something; thats why we exist. Walker explained ICIJ does not advocate for specific outcomes or associate with activists, and maintained that the organizations methods lead to more effective journalism. By thinking about impact from early on and choosing projects in part based on potential results, I feel we are doing a more responsible and useful type of journalism, she says. Its a journalism driven by the conviction that journalists working together can accomplish far more than what they could do on their own. The Panama Papers, for instance, involved close to 400 journalists, many of them working in tiny newsrooms. We achieve much greater impact through collaboration, Walker says. She and her colleagues also are motivated by a sense of accountability to their readers, many of whom are working people sending donations of as little as $3 to the organization. Rising support for investigative work Although attaining impact has become harder since Trump became president on January 20, support for investigative reporting has soared since his victory. Houston of Urbana-Champaign called the current moment a golden era in terms of the awareness of investigative journalisms importance for a functioning democracy, while Pyle said CIR has had many new donors support their work. A lot of people are getting interested in funding journalism who havent funded journalism in the past, she says. They want to make a difference. Im all for it, Pyle adds. Houston also said that there is a lot of impactful work happening beyond the coverage of Trump. He referred to What wouldnt you know, if not for nonprofit news, a collection of work published in 2016 by the 120 members of the Institute for Nonprofit News. Among the results: the Justice Departments decision to stop using private prisons after exposes by Mother Jones and the Investigative Fund, in partnership with The Nation and Reveal. And while revelations about Trump have not led to many Republicans breaking ranks or a bipartisan agreement on the need to act against him, investigative work on the Trump Administration has already led to change, according to Baquet. He pointed to The Washington Posts revelations about former national security adviser Michael Flynn that led to Flynns resignation. I guess I think investigative reporting still has impact in Washington and all over the place, he says. More is likely to come, according to James Henry, a longtime investigative journalist who published a lengthy piece last December that explored Trumps Russia ties. He cited the appointment of a special counsel, former FBI Director Robert Mueller, and ongoing investigations by teams of journalists in many countries, like Canada, The Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Russia itself, as hopeful signs. There is a gathering storm here, says Henry, who has investigated kleptocrats for three decades. We dont want to miss that potential. ICYMI: When important investigative reporting must compete with Brangelina Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jeff Kelly Lowenstein is an investigative journalist, author, and assistant professor of Journalism at Grand Valley State University. A Fulbright Scholar, Specialist, and Teacher, he has written or edited five books. In the spring semester of 2017, he was the David Laventhol/Newsday Visiting Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. The following companies are subsidiares of Lithia Motors: 797 Valley Street LLC, Albany CJD Fiat, Baierl Auto Group, Baierl Auto Parts LLC, Baierl Automotive Corporation, Baierl Chevrolet Inc., Baierl Holding LLC, Broadway Ford, Buhler Ford Inc, Cadillac of Portland Lloyd Center LLC, Camp Automotive Inc., Carbone Auto Body LLC, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Morgantown, Cranberry Automotive Inc., Crater Lake Ford Lincoln, Crater Lake Mazda, DCH (Oxnard) Inc., DCH Auto Group, DCH Bloomfield LLC, DCH CA LLC, DCH Calabasas-A LLC, DCH California Investments LLC, DCH California Motors Inc., DCH DMS NJ LLC, DCH Del Norte Inc., DCH Essex Inc., DCH Financial NJ LLC, DCH Freehold - V LLC, DCH Freehold LLC, DCH Holdings LLC, DCH Investments Inc. (New Jersey), DCH Investments Inc. (New York), DCH Korean Imports LLC, DCH Mamaroneck LLC, DCH Mission Valley LLC, DCH Monmouth LLC, DCH Montclair LLC, DCH Motors LLC, DCH NY Motors LLC, DCH Nanuet LLC, DCH North America Inc., DCH Oxnard 1521 Imports Inc., DCH Riverside-S Inc., DCH Simi Valley Inc., DCH Support Services LLC, DCH TL Holdings LLC, DCH TL NY Holdings LLC, DCH Temecula Imports LLC, DCH Temecula Motors LLC, DCH Thousand Oaks-F Inc., DCH Torrance Imports Inc., Dah Chong Hong CA Trading LLC, Dah Chong Hong Trading Corporation, Daron Motors LLC, Day Auto Group, Downtown LA, Driveway Motors LLC, Elizabeth Collision LLC, Florida SS LLC, Ford Lincoln of Morgantown, Freehold Nissan LLC, Fuse Auto Sales LLC, Hamilton Honda, Hazleton Honda, Hutchins Eugene Nissan Inc., Hutchins Imported Motors Inc., Jaguar Landrover Mission Viejo, LA Motors Holding LLC, LAD Advertising Inc., LAD Carson-N LLC, LAD Mission Viejo-JLR Inc., LAD Mobu Inc., LAD-AU LLC, LAD-MB LLC, LAD-N LLC, LAD-P LLC, LAD-T LLC, LAD-V LLC, LBMP LLC, LFKF LLC, LGPAC Inc., LLL Sales Co LLC, LMBB LLC, LMBP LLC, LMOP LLC, LSTAR LLC, Lithia AcDM Inc., Lithia Aircraft Inc., Lithia Anchorage-C LLC, Lithia Anchorage-H LLC, Lithia Armory Garage LLC, Lithia Auction & Recon LLC, Lithia Auto Services Inc., Lithia Automotive Inc., Lithia BA Holding Inc., Lithia BNM Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Baierl-S LLC, Lithia Bryan Texas Inc., Lithia Buffalo-A LLC, Lithia CCTF Inc., Lithia CDH Inc., Lithia CIMR Inc., Lithia CJDO Inc., Lithia CJDSA Inc., Lithia CJDSF Inc., Lithia CM Inc., Lithia CO Inc., Lithia CSA Inc., Lithia Community Development Company Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-F Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-M Inc., Lithia DE Inc., Lithia DM Inc., Lithia DMID Inc., Lithia Des Moines-VW LLC, Lithia Dodge of Tri-Cities Inc., Lithia Eatontown-F LLC, Lithia FLCC LLC, Lithia FMF Inc., Lithia Financial Corporation (previously Lithia Leasing Inc. and Lithia Credit Inc.), Lithia Florida Holding Inc., Lithia Ford of Boise Inc., Lithia Fresno Inc., Lithia HDM Inc., Lithia HGF Inc., Lithia HMID Inc., Lithia HPI Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Hamilton-H LLC, Lithia Hazleton-H LLC, Lithia Idaho Falls-F Inc., Lithia Imports of Anchorage Inc., Lithia JEF Inc., Lithia Klamath Inc., Lithia Klamath-T Inc., Lithia LBGGF Inc., Lithia LHGF Inc., Lithia LSGF Inc., Lithia MBDM Inc., Lithia MMF Inc., Lithia MTLM Inc., Lithia McMurray-C LLC, Lithia Medford HON Inc., Lithia Middletown-L LLC, Lithia Monroeville-A LLC, Lithia Monroeville-C LLC, Lithia Monroeville-F LLC, Lithia Monroeville-V LLC, Lithia Moon-S LLC, Lithia Moon-V LLC, Lithia Morgantown-CJD LLC, Lithia Morgantown-F LLC, Lithia Morgantown-S LLC, Lithia Motors Support Services Inc., Lithia NA Inc., Lithia NC Inc., Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #1, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #3, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #4, Lithia NDM Inc., Lithia NF Inc., Lithia NSA Inc., Lithia Northeast Real Estate LLC, Lithia Orchard Park-H LLC, Lithia Paramus-M LLC, Lithia Pittsburgh-S LLC, Lithia Ramsey-B LLC, Lithia Ramsey-L LLC, Lithia Ramsey-M LLC, Lithia Ramsey-T LLC, Lithia Real Estate Inc., Lithia Reno Sub-HYUN Inc., Lithia Reno-CJ LLC, Lithia Reno-VW LLC, Lithia Rose-FT Inc., Lithia SOC Inc., Lithia SSP LLC, Lithia Salmir Inc., Lithia Sea P Inc., Lithia Seaside Inc., Lithia Spokane-B LLC, Lithia Spokane-S LLC, Lithia TA Inc., Lithia TO Inc., Lithia TR Inc., Lithia Uniontown-C LLC, Lithia VAuDM Inc., Lithia VF Inc., Lithia Wexford-H LLC, Lithia of Abilene Inc., Lithia of Anchorage Inc., Lithia of Bend #1 LLC, Lithia of Bend #2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 1 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 3 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 4 LLC, Lithia of Billings II LLC, Lithia of Billings Inc., Lithia of Casper LLC, Lithia of Clear Lake LLC, Lithia of Concord I Inc., Lithia of Concord II Inc., Lithia of Corpus Christi Inc., Lithia of Des Moines Inc., Lithia of Eureka Inc., Lithia of Fairbanks Inc., Lithia of Great Falls Inc., Lithia of Helena Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-A Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-BGMCC LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-F LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-V LLC, Lithia of Killeen LLC, Lithia of Lodi Inc., Lithia of Maui-H LLC, Lithia of Missoula II LLC, Lithia of Missoula III Inc., Lithia of Missoula Inc., Lithia of Pocatello Inc., Lithia of Portland I LLC, Lithia of Portland LLC, Lithia of Robstown LLC, Lithia of Roseburg Inc., Lithia of Santa Rosa Inc., Lithia of Seattle Inc., Lithia of South Central AK Inc., Lithia of Spokane II Inc., Lithia of Spokane Inc., Lithia of Stockton Inc., Lithia of Stockton-V Inc., Lithia of TF Inc., Lithia of Troy LLC, Lithia of Utica - 1 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 2 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 3 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 4 LLC, Lithia of Walnut Creek Inc., Lithia of Wasilla LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 1 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 2 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 3 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 4 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 5 LLC, Medford Insurance LLC, Milford DCH Inc., Northland Ford Inc., PA Real Estate LLC, PA Support Services LLC, Paramus Collision LLC, Paramus World Motors LLC, Personalized Marketing LLC, Prestige Auto Group, RFA Holdings LLC, Ray Laks Acura, Ray Laks Honda, Sacramento-L Inc., Salem-B LLC, Salem-H LLC, Salem-V LLC, Sharlene Realty LLC, Shift Portland LLC, Southern Cascades Finance Corporation, Subaru of Morgantown, Tampa-H LLC, Tustin Motors Inc., Wesley Chapel-H LLC, Wesley Chapel-T LLC, Zelienople Real Estate I L.P., and Zelienople Real Estate L.L.C.. Read More WABCO Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies electronic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, and aerodynamic products worldwide. The company engineers, develops, manufactures, and sells braking, stability, suspension, steering, transmission automation, and air management systems primarily for commercial vehicles. The company's products include pneumatic anti-lock braking systems, electronic braking systems, electronic stability control systems, brake controls, automated manual transmission systems, and air disc brakes; and various conventional mechanical products, such as actuators, air compressors, and air control valves for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, and trailers. It also offers pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off-highway vehicles; conventional braking systems; electronic and conventional air suspension systems; steering technologies; and vehicle electronic stability control and roll stability support products, and advanced driver assistance systems. In addition, the company supplies electronic suspension controls and vacuum pumps to the passenger car and SUV markets, as well as provides remanufacturing services. Further, it offers replacement parts, fleet management solutions, diagnostic tools, training, and other expert services for commercial vehicle aftermarket distributors and service partners, and fleet operators. The company sells its products primarily to truck and bus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), trailer OEMs, and car manufacturers; and manufacturers of heavy duty and off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries. WABCO Holdings Inc. was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Cardinal Health, Inc. operates as an integrated healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home. The company operates in two segments, Pharmaceutical and Medical. The Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, and over-the-counter healthcare and consumer products. The segment also provides services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers for specialty pharmaceutical products; operates nuclear pharmacies and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities; repackages generic pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter healthcare products; and offers medication therapy management and patient outcomes services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and payers, as well as provides pharmacy management services to hospitals. The Medical segment manufactures, sources, and distributes Cardinal Health branded medical, surgical, and laboratory products and devices that include exam and surgical gloves; needles, syringe, and sharps disposals; compressions; incontinences; nutritional delivery products; wound care products; single-use surgical drapes, gowns, and apparels; fluid suction and collection systems; urology products; operating room supply products; and electrode product lines. The segment also distributes a range of national brand products, including medical, surgical, and laboratory products; provides supply chain services and solutions to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare providers; and assembles and sells sterile, and non-sterile procedure kits. The company was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Carnival Corporation will spend about $9 billion on operating expenses per year, including more than $1 billion on food products (the company does not break out its beverage spend). Julia Brown, chief procurement officer, told Cruise Industry News in an exclusive interview that about 35 to 40 percent of the supplies are sourced globally, 35 percent regionally and the balance locally. We have looked at each of the product categories, using food and beverage as an example, and sub segments such as produce and protein, and determined what is global, regional and local, Brown said. The global items are handled from corporate headquarters in Miami, while executives at the various brand groups handle regional procurement, and the brands handle local products on their own. Particular product decisions are made at the cruise line level, Brown said, that has to be the owner of the P&L statement, the person who is accountable. When we do our job right, we know upfront what the brands want, and we make sourcing recommendations based on the needs they have outlined to us. We can buy on behalf of the enterprise without everybody getting the same things. The misconception is that by leveraging scale everybody gets the same product. We are not saying that at all. We are saying that we can get what you want to meet the needs of your guests and the market segment your line supports. And by laying out the overall requirements to suppliers we can probably have less suppliers and more strategic relationships. Today, Carnival Corporation has more than 33,000 suppliers globally, but spend less than $100,000 on 28,000 of these, according to Brown. The tail base of the supplier base is incredibly long, she said. We are focusing on total value, Brown continued. Quality and service are obviously key metrics. The other aspect of value includes innovation, helping us maintain a competitive advantage. That is something we are definitely looking at. As for cost, she said: I distinguish between cost and price. Suppliers pricing has several components including some level of margin, but when we do a bottoms up modeling, we get a sense of what the product actually costs, and then there is the price affected by demand, specifications and so on. We want to understand the difference between cost and price, which will allow us to negotiate on the basis of data rather than just wanting a lower price. Brown has advice to existing suppliers: Always think about how you can simplify our world. I look at quality and service as a given, but if you notice we are buying multiple products that are similar across brands, and we are managing them differently, tell us. We are open to listening to ideas for how we can drive value. And to new suppliers: As you approach us, take time to understand our business. I have suppliers that call me not realizing we have 10 brands. They also need to understand that everything that goes aboard our ships, including the guests, have to be loaded and unloaded in an eight-hour period. The logistical challenge is significant. Her success metrics are to exceed guest expectations and doing so in a way that is not noticeable to the guests unless it is a positive enhancement. Obviously spending less, buying better and getting better quality and service are also a success metrics for me, as are being able to streamline the complexity of what we manage and create more strategic partnerships that will give us competitive advantages over time. Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Summer 2017 The World will return to the Port of Nanaimo Thursday July 13 for two days, departing at midnight on Friday July 14. Bernie Dumas, President & CEO of the Nanaimo Port Authority, is enthusiastic about the vessel's third visit to the Port of Nanaimo representing the second time The World will overnight for a two-day period in Central Vancouver Island. We are privileged to host The World with her travel-experienced passengers on this reputable luxury vessel, stated Dumas. "The World is a-one- of-a-kind vessel and frequents the beautiful British Columbia coast, a favorite destination for passengers. It is important that we showcase our customary hospitality, which Nanaimo is known for, to inspire passengers to return to Central Vancouver Island. We can be proud that our community makes the most of these opportunities. As usual, passengers will be enjoying local and regional shore excursions. Travel Counsellors from Nanaimos Visitor Centre will go onboard to greet passengers and point the way to photo opportunities and conversations with the RCMP in Red Serge. Dumas continued: Our complimentary shuttles transport passengers from the cruise terminal through downtown from 8:30AM to 10:00PM where they will engage with local volunteer hospitality ambassadors. Contact with local culture includes the downtown area, museums, galleries, eateries and walking tours which receive positive feedback. Cannon Firings at our historic Bastion are scheduled at noon for both days. Weather Decision Technologies and Royal Caribbean Cruises announced that the cruise company will implement WeatherOps risk mitigation system on each of its 47 vessels across all subsidiaries, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises and in their emergency operations centers in Miami as of November 2017. Royal Caribbean said in a statement that WDTs WeatherOps platform was chosen to support RCLs global cruise line operations after real-world validation and the approval of each captain in each division. The company's shoreside team in Miami also will utilize WeatherOps to support captains across the fleet and ensure that logistics and weather safety across all aspects of the companys operation are handled with respect to any weather hazards or delays. Were pleased to work with a client like RCL who will not only utilize our service to ensure the safety of passengers and staff but help WDT innovate and ultimately reach deeper into various offshore applications for weather information, said WDT President & CEO, Michael Eilts. RCLs Vision and Values statement reads: To deliver the best vacation experience and we are here to help them in every way possible. We are extremely excited to be using WDTs innovative technology to ensure that our ships and Captains can plan the safest route possible for our guests and crew members, added James Van Fleet, Chief Meteorologist, Royal Caribbean International. Our goal is always to make sure our guests have the best vacation possible and this technology helps us do that. Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Halma plc, through its subsidiaries, provides technology solutions in the safety, health, and environmental markets. It operates through three segments: Safety, Environmental & Analysis, and Medical. The Safety segment provides fire detection, specialist fire suppression, elevator safety, security sensors, people and vehicle flow technologies, specialized interlocks that control critical processes safely, and explosion protection and corrosion monitoring systems. This segment serves elevator safety, fire suppression, people and vehicle flow, fire detection, pressure management, industrial access control, and safe storage and transfer markets. The Environmental & Analysis segment offers optical, optoelectronic, and spectral imaging systems; water, air and gases monitoring technologies; instruments that detect hazardous gases and analyses air quality; and systems for water analysis and treatment. It serves the optical analysis, water analysis and treatment, gas detection, and environmental monitoring markets. The Medical segment provides critical fluidic components used by medical diagnostics and original equipment manufacturers; laboratory devices and systems that provide information to understand patient health and enable providers to make decisions across the continuum of care; technologies and solutions to enable in-vitro diagnostic systems and life-science discoveries and development; and technologies that enable positive outcomes across clinical specialties. This segment serves the life sciences, health assessment, and therapeutic solutions market. The company was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Amersham, the United Kingdom. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Approving 11 AIG posts a move made in haste? The government on Monday approved 11 positions for additional inspector general (AIG) of police, with a view to deputing one AIG in each province. More than half a billion people across Sub-Saharan Africa will be subscribed to a mobile service by the end of a decade, according to a new GSMA study. The new report, The Mobile Economy: Sub-Saharan Africa 2017 is authored by GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA. It forecasts that the number of unique mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa will grow from 420 million (43% of the population) at the end of 2016 to 535 million (50% of the population) in 2020, making it the fastest growing region in the world over this period. The report also highlights the Sub-Saharan Africa mobile ecosystems growing contribution to regional GDP, jobs, innovation and socio-economic development. Sub-Saharan Africa will be a key engine of subscriber growth for the worlds mobile industry over the next few years as we connect millions of previously unconnected men, women and young people across the continent, said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. Mobile is also offering sustainable solutions that address the lack of access to services such as health, education, electricity, clean water and financial services, which still affect large swathes of the population. Connecting the Young and Closing the Gender Gap Subscriber growth is expected to be concentrated in large, underpenetrated markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania, which together will account for half of the 115 million new subscribers expected in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. Growth will also focus on currently under-represented segments such as the under-16 age group, which accounts for more than 40% of the population in many countries, and women, who are currently 17% less likely to have a mobile phone subscription than their male counterparts. Mobile is also a vital tool in delivering digital and financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Around 270 million people in the region now access the internet through mobile devices, while the number of registered mobile money accounts has reached 280 million. Mobile operators and others are also leveraging the ubiquity of mobile networks across the region to deliver services that are working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as energy, water and sanitation, healthcare, and education. Driving the Regional Economy and Building a Digital Africa Mobile technologies and services generated $110 billion of economic value in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2016, equivalent to 7.7% of regional GDP a figure expected to grow to $142 billion (8.6% of GDP) by 2020. The mobile ecosystem also directly and indirectly supported approximately 3.5 million jobs in the region last year, and made a $13 billion contribution to the public sector in the form of taxation. Local mobile operators have invested $37 billion in their networks over the past five years, mainly to deploy new 3G/4G mobile broadband networks. About a third of mobile connections in region were running on mobile broadband networks at the end of last year, forecast to rise to 60% by 2020. These new networks alongside rising smartphone adoption are driving demand for digital content and services. As Sub-Saharan Africa transitions to higher levels of mobile engagement, underpinned by growing access to mobile data services and smart devices, we are seeing a flourishing mobile ecosystem emerge, supported by growing investments by operators and others in mobile-focused start-ups and tech hubs, added Granryd. Building this digital society requires collaboration between governments and the mobile industry to develop the policies and programmes that create the right incentives for innovation and an enabling environment for extending connectivity to all. Chinas second largest player China Unicom is currently in talk with the countrys State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) to obtain 700MHz spectrum in exchange for shares. A deal looks set to be agreed following Chinas new laws on mixed ownership, but it could be some time before a conclusion is reached as there are around ten ministries and commissions participating in the talks. China Unicom is listed on the Shanghai stock exchange. SARFT has been in possession of the highly desired 700MHz spectrum for several years, which has not gone unnoticed by the countrys mobile operators. While the agency is believed to have run trials on the airwaves in preparation for deploying LTE, it did not end up launching a network. In April, China Unicom announced that its ownership structure was being reviewed by its parent company to allow it to accept private investment, in a trial aimed at encouraging private investment in Chinas state-run enterprises. Following this, rumours began circulating that internet retail firms Alibaba and Tencent were planning a CNY70 billion ($10.3 billion) investment into China Unicom. In June, the operator stated that it had not signed any binding documents nor reached agreements with any investors. Lebanons TASC Towers is reportedly closing in on a deal to acquire around 7,500 mobile towers from Zain Saudi Arabia for around $500M. The deal could close by the end of the year as long as TASC, which buys and leases towers across Asia and the Middle East, can raise the funds. It is currently holding discussions with various banks to this end. Zain Saudi Arabias CEO Peter Kaliaropoulos confirmed that Zain remains interested in such a transaction and discussions are still in progress. Negotiations of this nature are complex, protracted and there is no certainty that these will lead to a transaction. There are no material developments to report at this stage. In December last year, Zain confirmed that it was holding discussions with TASC and Acwa Holding over a potential acquisition of its towers. In May, Zain Group CEO and vice-chairman Bader Al- Kharafi announced that Zain Saudi Arabia had recorded its first ever net profit in Q1 2017, and was expecting the units network upgrades and cost optimisation to start delivering further going forward. Saudi Arabias two largest operators, STC and Mobily, are discussing a merger of their tower operations. Chinese exports kept up a solid pace of growth last month as did imports, which depend on domestic demand, but the improved tone in the latter was not likely to last, some analysts said. In US dollar terms, the country's trade balance increased from $40.81bn for May to $42.8bn in June, as did the bi-lateral shortfall in trade with America. Within the former, export growth picked-up from a 8.7% year-on-year clip to 11.3% (consensus: 8.9%), while imports rose at a 17.2% pace, versus 14.8% previously. Stronger demand from the major developed economies, the US and European Union, together with Taiwan helped to offset a deterioration in the Asian giant's trade with ASEAN nations, analysts at Citi said. Product-wise, a hit to steel exports from new EU anti-dumping rules was offset by quicker overseas sales of electronics. Labour-intensive products also staged a rebound, with the rate of growth snapping back from 4% for May to 6.2% in June. In terms of quarterly rates of change, over the three months to June export volume growth was stable at 9.6%, but that of imports fell from 15.5% to 8.0%, although they did improve from May to June, Julian Evans-Pritchard at Capital Economics pointed out. Commodity import volumes at record high As regards commodity imports, those fell in value terms with the falling price of oil acting as a drag. Yet that masked a sizeable increase in volume terms - to a new monthly record - according to Evans Pritchard. In volume terms, imports of iron ore picked up from growth of 5.5% on the year in May to 16% last month. Oil imports were also stronger, rising at a pace of 5.4% after dropping by 16.3% in May. Coal imports on the other hand slowed sharply on the back of government measures to curtail them. "Looking ahead, exports should continue to do well given the relatively positive outlook for Chinas main trading partners. But we are sceptical that the current pace of imports can be sustained for much longer given the increasing headwinds to Chinas economy from policy tightening." Investors in global specialist healthcare company BTG were preparing for the firms annual general meeting on Thursday morning, with chief executive Louise Makin confirming the groups strong performance in the 2017 financial year had carried over into the start of the 2018 year. The FTSE 250 company was on track to achieve double digit sales growth in the 12 months to 31 March 2018, Makin said in a statement, which was being driven by growth in its international medicine business. We reported positive outcomes from two EKOS clinical studies in the first quarter and we anticipate further progress across the portfolio over the full year, including reaching important milestones for Varithena and the PneumRx coils, Makin said. We will continue to implement our growth strategy, to deliver double-digit annual product sales growth and margin expansion over time whilst investing selectively in innovation and development, commercial and geographic expansion and acquisitions to ensure sustainable long-term value creation. Trading since 1 April had been in line with the board's expectations, BTG reported, and guidance for the full year remained unchanged. Its board said there were strong performances from its liver cancer treatment TheraSphere, and its blood clot treatment device EKOS. Varithena reportedly continued to make progress ahead of the publication of new reimbursement codes expected towards the end of the year, and the antivenin CroFab made a good start to the new snakebite season, with a good performance from Voraxaze, used to treat methotrexate toxicity in patients with impaired renal function. There was also good operating progress, the boards statement read. Positive data were reported from two clinical studies using EKOS. It said the OPTALYSE study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of shorter, lower-dose EKOS therapy for pulmonary embolism, and the ACCESS PTS study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of an EKOS therapy treatment regimen for post-thrombotic syndrome. A pilot study showed sustained quality of life at regular intervals throughout three months in patients treated with TheraSphere using IO Loop - a novel data collection tool that helps patients better engage in their own healthcare and measures quality of life and satisfaction rates across the course of their treatment. In June, the Society of Interventional Oncology and BTG announced their 2017 interventional oncology/immuno-oncology grant recipients. BTG said the research grant programme funded initiatives that evaluated how interventional oncology therapies stimulate the immune system, and how they might combine with immunotherapy approaches to improve clinical outcomes. Work continues to progress the premarket approval application in the US for the PneumRx coils, and in Europe coverage/reimbursement determinations continue in Germany and France, the board added. Founded in 2012 in Hamburg, with offices in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Zurich and New York, thjnk is a multi-award winning agency group specialising in advertising, design and corporate publishing. It was named Agency of the Year 2017 by German trade publication Werben & Verkaufen and employs 400 people. The business will remain an independent brand within the WPP group, led by its founding partners Karen Heumann, Armin Jochum and Michael Trautmann along with Ulrich Pallas. WPP said that following the UKs vote leave the European Union last June, it is placing an even greater emphasis on growth in Western Continental Europe, which includes four of the Group's top 10 markets worldwide: Germany, France, Italy and Spain. This acquisition continues WPP's strategy of investing in fast growth markets and important sectors, it said. In Germany, WPP companies including associates collectively generate revenues of around $1.3bn and employ around 8,000 people. On this basis, Germany is WPP's fourth largest market after North America, the UK and Greater China. At 1035 BST, the shares were down 0.3% to 1,571p. Londons FTSE 100 was down 0.1% to 7,413.15 in afternoon trade. BT Group rallied on the back of a positive note from Numis, which initiated coverage of the stock at buy with a 390p target price. Earlier this year the company and Ofcom gave many BT shareholders much heartache, but at current levels we believe the share price discounts some incredible assumptions. Most importantly, we believe only BTs Openreach is prepared to deliver the scale, all-fibre infrastructure Britain wants, but it will not spend NPV-negative capex. So forecasts of much extra capex but no extra returns are excessively bearish, it said. Also on Thursday, regulator Ofcom said it will establish a separate unit to monitor the performance of the companys broadband network operator Openreach. The regulator announced measures to ensure Openreach will be held to account, as it becomes legally separate from BT, so it delivers for both phone and broadband users. Marks & Spencer was on the front foot after LondonMetric Property bought two of its stores in Newport, Isle of Wight and Kendal, Lancashire for 24.6m. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey was boosted by an upgrade to overweight at Global House. Going the other way, AstraZeneca was under the cosh following a report that its chief executive officer Pascal Soriot is leaving the company to go to Teva Pharmaceuticals. Paddy Power was hit by a downgrade to hold from add at Numis. Paddy Power Betfair's focus on being the market leader in regulated markets will unfortunately become a drag on earnings growth. Maintaining historic growth rates against increasingly onerous regulation and improved competition may require M&A or capital returns to support earnings. The shares have been range-bound over the last year and we expect this to continue. Micro Focus International fell after Credit Suisse lowered its target price and estimates and maintained its underperform rating on the stock. Micro Focus has reported FY17 numbers that reflect just 4% EBITDA growth, 2.5% below consensus. We think this highlights the pressure on Micro Focus to pursue M&A to sustain momentum, the bank said. Risers BT Group (BT.A) 300.50p 3.58% Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 324.30p 2.56% Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 181.80p 2.54% Next (NXT) 3,692.00p 2.05% Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 67.38p 2.03% Barclays (BARC) 212.05p 1.95% Mondi (MNDI) 2,044.00p 1.74% Admiral Group (ADM) 2,051.00p 1.58% Kingfisher (KGF) 298.20p 1.57% Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 255.30p 1.51% Fallers AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,988.50p -3.92% Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 7,705.00p -1.66% Shire Plc (SHP) 4,208.00p -1.45% Sage Group (SGE) 673.50p -1.25% Micro Focus International (MCRO) 1,997.00p -1.14% Carnival (CCL) 5,100.00p -1.07% Convatec Group (CTEC) 295.80p -1.04% BP (BP.) 447.15p -0.78% Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,076.00p -0.76% Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,352.00p -0.76% LENZING Austrian speciality fibre maker Lenzing says it will announce a detailed roadmap in the coming weeks outlining how it will address the issues raised by the recent Changing Markets Foundation report which uncovered evidence of viscose pollution affecting local water supplies in Asian production hubs. In an exclusive interview with Ecotextile News, Lenzing's chief commercial officer and member of the management board, Robert van de Kerkhof said: "We welcome this report and the public attention it is providing to issues around the viscose industry and we are working to bring about corrective action." By Joe Sandler Clarke Bayer and Syngenta repeatedly asked scientists to give them raw data on a major new study which found that neonicotinoid pesticides cause harm to bees before it was published, according to emails obtained under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Both companies cited their position as co-funders to try to get information from researchers at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), including on experiments paid for by the government backed National Environment Research Council. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/881538785724559360 to ensure that those protocols are relevant and, of course, all the information that comes from those studies will be with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and I am certain it will be published at some point in the future, he continued. However, the emails obtained in 2014 show that the chemicals companies looked to focus the study solely on honey bees, leaving out other pollinators, ostensibly to reduce costs. Internal documents from that same year, obtained using FOI, show that CEH felt that limiting the research to honey bees would reduce the scientific scope of the study. Professor Richard Pywell from CEH, co-author of the study, wrote in an email dated March 21, 2014, Syngenta and Bayer have suggested that the study should focus on just Honeybees to reduce overall costs CEH believe that this reduces considerably the scientific scope of the study and while we appreciate the potential saving in overall costs, we are concerned about the impact on the merit of the experiment. Complete freedom Speaking just before the findings were made public, Pywell told Energydesk that his organization was determined to keep the research independent and appointed an independent scientific advisory panel, chaired by Bill Sutherland from Cambridge University, to that end. From the outset, we made it very clear that we would have complete freedom to design and report this study as we saw fit. Weve made all of the protocols and the data, once its been published, available to everyone. The funders had no input on the paper we submitted for peer review. We only shared a copy with funders at the proof stage when it could no longer be changed. That was the agreement.They had no input, no influence. We only shared it with them at the proof stage. Some of the arguments around access to data were because CEH had funded the wild pollinator work and in the end we reached an agreement. Asked if CEH would work with Bayer and Syngenta again, Pywell said, We would do it again. We would welcome the opportunity to do something like this. Someone has to do it. Were just doing independent research. CIAA to file corruption charge-sheet against three TSC officials The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has decided to file a corruption charge-sheet at the Special Court against three officials of Tax Settlement Commission (TSC). By Diana Donlon A handful of states around the country have begun to recognize the importance of carbon farming as an expedient tool to fight climate change. Whats carbon farming? Eric Toensmeier, author of The Carbon Farming Solution, describes it as a suite of crops and agricultural practices that sequester carbon in the soil and in perennial vegetation like trees. If carbon farming were widely implemented, it could return billions of tons of carbon from the atmospherewhere theres currently too much, to the soil where theres too little. Carbon in the soil, i.e. soil carbon, becomes a resource that increases food, water and climate security. Last month, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to pass legislation officially supporting the Paris climate agreement, just days after President Trump announced he was pulling the U.S. out of the global agreement. One of the two landmark laws signed in Hawaii was an act creating the Carbon Farming Task Force. Written and championed by Hawaii Center for Food Safety, along with the Sierra Club of Hawaii and Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter, the task force went into effect July 1 and will develop incentives for Hawaiis farmers and ranchers to improve the resilience of their lands by increasing the soils carbon content. University of Hawaii assistant professor of agricultural ecosystem ecology, Rebecca Ryals, believes Hawaiis Carbon Farming Task Force is a critically important first step toward finding local solutions to global climate change, and soil carbon farming strategies should be emphasized in its incentive programs. Hawaii is just one of a growing number of states preparing to protect rural livelihoods from the threats posed by climate change by tapping into the multiple benefits of carbon farming. Here are five others: 1. In May, Maryland established the Maryland Healthy Soils Program introduced by Delegate Dana Stein. Steins legislation (HB 1063) passed unanimously in the Senate and had the support of both the Maryland Farm Bureau and the soil and climate communities (including thousands of Center for Food Safety members who responded to our action alert in support of the bill). The act, as approved by Gov. Larry Hogan, requires the Maryland Department of Agriculture to provide incentives including research, education and technical assistance contributing to healthy soils. 2. Massachusetts is right behind Maryland. An Act to Promote Healthy Soils (No.3713) presented by Paul A. Schmid III, would establish a fund for education and training for those engaged in agriculture that regenerates soil health. Indicators of healthy soil include levels of carbon, rates of water infiltration and biological activity. 3. Meanwhile, in New York, Assemblywoman Didi Barrett introduced A3281, a first-of-its-kind bill to use a tax credit model for farmers who maximize carbon sequestration potential on their land. Although the bill did not pass this past year, Barrett was able to incorporate the Carbon Farming Act into the state budget which is providing $50,000 to study incentives for carbon farming tax credits, grants and other programs. 4. In California the Department of Food and Agriculture has appropriated $7.5 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to develop and administer incentive and demonstration programs as part of the states Healthy Soils Program, actively supported by the California Climate and Agriculture Network, a coalition that includes Center for Food Safety. The objective of the demonstration projects is to monitor and demonstrate to California farmers and ranchers that specific management practices sequester carbon, improve soil health and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases. The program includes a variety of practices such as mulching, cover crops, compost application, hedgerow planting and buffer strips. 5. Finally, in Vermont, after making a successful transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture on their farm, Jesse and Cally McDougall initiated legislation in 2016 to help other farmers transition. Reintroduced in 2017 as S.43 by Vermont State Sen. Brian Campion, the bill: Proposes to require the Secretary of Natural Resources to establish a regenerative soils program whose purposes include increasing the carbon sequestration capability of Vermont soils, reducing the amount of sediment and waste entering the waters of the state, and promoting cost-effective and healthy soil management practices. While the Vermont bill did not pass this year, Jesse McDougall reports that it wasnt killed either and will be taken up again next session. According to this self-described carbon farmer, There is much interest and energy for it here in Vermont. I think this bill (or a new regenerative bill) has a strong chance next year. We expect that McDougall is right. While each state will incentivize soil health differently depending on geography, needs and capacity, theres a strong chance that many more states will get proactive about regenerating the health of their soil and harnessing the potential of carbon farming. With this kind of interest, and momentum generated by public gatherings like the upcoming Soil not Oil conference in September, it wont be long before policies to incentivize carbon farming spread across the nation. Dedicated whale rescuer Joe Howlett was struck and killed Monday by a North Atlantic right whale that he helped free. The critically endangered whale was entangled in commercial fishing gear off of New Brunswick, Canada. Howlett, a 59-year-old Canadian fisherman, was a co-founder of the Campobello Whale Rescue team and was on a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fast response vessel at the time of the tragedy. They got the whale totally disentangled, and then some kind of freak thing happened and the whale made a big flip, Mackie Green of the team told The Canadian Press. The departments minister, Dominic LeBlanc, said that participating in whale rescue operations requires immense bravery and a passion for the welfare of marine mammals. LeBlanc also described Howlett as an irreplaceable member of the whale rescue community. Howlett had helped rescue about two dozen whales over the last 15 years, according to CBC. In the video above, Howlett and Green work for several grueling hours to disentangle a 6-year-old right whale caught in a mass of fishing gear. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, a partner with the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, remembered Howlett as a dedicated volunteer who lived up to the organizations core mission. Joe lived and breathed that mission, and thanks to his tireless dedication, he saved dozens of whales over the last 15 years, the organization said. Joe will be remembered as a kind man with great humor and a ready smile. Our thoughts are with Joes friends and family who are experiencing this heartbreaking loss. A Florida man was caught stealing loggerhead turtle eggs last weekend. Glenn Robert Shaw, 49, was caught with 107 loggerhead eggs, which he had stolen from a turtle as she was laying them, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Facebook post. Shaw faces third-degree felony charges for destroying, selling or molesting turtles or eggs or nests. Caretta caretta, Loggerhead turtle hatchling on the Cirali beach in the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. Photo credit: World Wildlife Fund Shaw was arrested a few days after Florida officials received reports of a man poaching sea turtle eggs, according to the Miami Herald. Our biologists contacted law enforcement after receiving information about someone poaching sea turtle eggs from a beach behind a residence, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions post explained. Our officers began increasing patrols in the area to monitor for illegal activity. After a few days of additional patrols, officers saw a man taking eggs from a female loggerhead sea turtle as she was laying them. Fifteen of the stolen eggs were kept for DNA testing, the commission said, but the remaining 92 were buried with hopes that they will hatch later this year. Loggerhead turtles mate every two to three years. During mating years, females nest between April and September, with the peak of nesting season occurring in June, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Female loggerheads emerge on the beach at night every 14 days, laying an average of four clutches of eggs, which contain between 100 and 120 eggs each. Eighty percent of loggerhead nesting in America occurs in Florida. Loggerhead turtle swimming in open sea in Greece. Photo credit: World Wildlife Fund Loggerheads, which have been listed as threatened since 1978 under the Endangered Species Act, have been hunted in the past for their eggs and leather. But the main threats to the species include entrapment as bycatch from industrial fishing, plastic pollution, loss or degradation of habit, disorientation of hatchlings by beachfront lighting, marine pollution and disease to name a few. Last month, a loggerhead turtle was rescued after being trampled by tourists. By Gina Coplon-Newfield If you think the only way to drive electric is to buy electric, then think again. From ride sharing to car sharing, and short-term rentals to typical rental cars, the auto industry is making it easier for those without their own set of wheels to driveor rideelectric. Following Trumps announcement of his intention to pull the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, Lyft announced that to drive climate action and electric vehicle use forward, its shared platform will provide at least 1 billion rides per year using electric autonomous vehicles by 2025. All of the autonomous vehicles on Lyfts platform are going to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy beginning with its nuTonomy vehicles in Boston that will be coming out later this year. This initiative is going to make huge steps toward cleaning up the U.S. transportation sector. It is estimated to provide at least 1 billion rides per year and will reduce CO2 emissions by at least 5 million tons per year by the year 2025. This isnt Lyfts first announcement of its plans to switch to clean, green, electric autonomous vehicles. In December, Lyft and General Motors (GM) announced that in 2018 they will deploy the largest test fleet of autonomous electric vehicles using a specially equipped version of the Chevy Bolt. Not only is GM providing Lyft with short-term rental vehicles, but they are working on a joint-development of an autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service. GM currently has no plans to sell its autonomous Bolt, the Bolt AV, to customers. Michael Abelson from GM explains, If you assume the costwill be six figures, there arent very many retail customers that are willing to go out and spend that kind of money But even at that sort of cost, with a ride-sharing platform, you can build a business. GM also announced that its own car-sharing service, Maven, will add 100 Bolt EVs to its Los Angeles fleet with plans to expand the Bolt into both the San Francisco and San Diego areas. GMs competitors, such as Ford, are also working on providing autonomous ride-share vehicles. In 2015, there were more than 35,000 people who died in motor vehicle accidents. Many people view autonomous vehicles as a solution to human errors, like distracted driving from eating, talking on the phone or even road rage. Autonomous cars give people the freedom to text, call or apply makeup while riding, all without the risks of distracted driving. They even provide greater mobility options for people with disabilities who are unable to drive. Because all of the cars in these fleets could come with a plug, self-driving cars could accelerate us toward clean transportation. This is because electric vehicles, no matter the energy source, emit significantly less carbon dioxide pollution than from conventional vehicles. And as we transition to clean energy sources like wind and solar, electric vehicles only get cleaner. However, we need to make sure that autonomous vehicles are indeed electric and that AV policies are designed to reduce, rather than increase, vehicle miles traveled. While Lyft will have the largest autonomous fully electric test fleet, there are several other local electric ride-sharing initiatives. In April, Uber launched its first electric initiative in Portland with the goal of making 10 percent of its fleet electric by 2019. WaiveCar, an all-electric vehicle ride-sharing platform, has partnered with Hyundai to offer several free rides in its new all-electric model, the Hyundai IONIQ. With these tests and initiatives in action, we may be seeing electric vehicles dominate ride-share programs in the near future. Car-sharing companies like ZipCar and Car2Go are also looking to plug-in to clean transportation. These short-term rentals now offer a variety of electric and hybrid vehicles. With hybrids in its fleet as early as the year 2000, ZipCar had some of the earliest ones on the market and has been increasing its number of plug-in hybrid options over the years. Meanwhile, other car-share companies are stepping up and are now offering electric vehicle car-sharing. City Car Share powered by Carma in the San Francisco Bay Area has one of the greenest car-sharing fleets. Not only is fifty percent of its fleet hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric, but they are also adding 16 more electric vehicles that are designed by artist, Zio Zielger. BMW is also bringing electric cars to Portland, Seattle and Brooklyn, with ReachNow, its car-sharing program, which offers its electric BMW i3 as an option. Hertz on Demand has been gradually adding electric vehicles as an option for its customers at several of its locations, from Connecticut to San Antonio. However, if youre like me, youve found it difficult to rent a hybrid, let alone an electric, vehicle from a traditional rental car company in the U.S. Modeled after AutoLib in Paris, BlueIndy brought this type of model to Indianapolis. With more than 2,000 members, BlueIndy users have taken more than 21,000 trips mainly to and from the airport. Los Angeles recently launched an EV car-sharing program for low-income communities, bringing access to clean transportation to communities who generally go without. Ride-sharing and car-sharing structures may soon dominate the road. Their cooperation is essential to make moves toward cleaner transportation nationwide. These platforms, if designed smartly in concert with public policy, can reduce individual car ownership and take more cars off the road. But these systems dont necessarily reduce congestion, incentivize people to use public transit or cut down on the overall number of miles driven, nor do they reduce the amount of pollution being produced by conventional vehicles stuck behind ride-share vehicles in traffic. Lots of work is needed to get all of this right. However, Lyfts commitment to provide around 1 billion of its rides using electric vehicles signifies a big step in the industry in the right direction. Alexandra Dobell, an intern at the Sierra Club, contributed to this article. Gina Coplon-Newfield is the director of the Sierra Clubs Electric Vehicles Initiative. This piece originally appeared on Vice Impact. By James Wilt Its not often that an article about climate change becomes one of the most hotly debated issues on the internetespecially in the midst of a controversial G20 summit. But that exact thing happened following the publication of a lengthy essay in New York Magazine, The Uninhabitable Earth: Famine, Economic Collapse, a Sun that Cooks Us: What Climate Change Could WreakSooner Than You Think. In the course of 7,200 words, author David Wallace-Wells chronicled the possible impacts of catastrophic climate change if current emissions trends are maintained, including, but certainly not limited to: mass permafrost melt and methane leaks, mass extinctions, fatal heat waves, drought and food insecurity, diseases and viruses, rolling death smog, global conflict and war, economic collapse and ocean acidification. Slate political writer Jamelle Bouie described the essay on Twitter as something that will haunt your nightmares. Its a fair assessment. Reading it feels like a series of punches in the gut, triggering emotions like despair, hopelessness and resignation. But heres the thing: Many climate psychologists and communicators consider those feelings to be the very opposite of what will compel people to action. Based on my research on climate communications, this article is exactly what we dont need, said Per Espen Stoknes, Norwegian psychologist and author of What We Think About When We Try Not to Think About Global Warming: Toward a New Psychology of Climate Action, in an interview with DeSmog Canada. It only serves to further alarm the already alarmed segment of people. Climate Psychologists Recommends Positivity Ratio of 3:1 Lets get one thing out of the way. Critics of the New York Magazine articleand other instances of doomsday journalismare not anti-science. These are all people who firmly recognize the severity of catastrophic climate change, and are certainly not petitioning for a bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach, shielding the public from the potential horrors. Rather, they suggest that most people will only process such facts about climate change if its framed in an appropriate way that acknowledges how individuals and societies respond to potentially traumatic threats. Its really important to understand that its not just about facts and numbers, but having a way for people to interpret them and know theres something they can do, said Kari Marie Norgaard, associate professor of sociology and environmental studies at the University of Oregon and author of Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions, and Everyday Life, in an interview with DeSmog Canada. Stoknes noted theres a well-known positivity ratio for optimal engagement of a 3:1 ratio of opportunities to threats. He said the New York Magazine piece was around nine threats to every one proposed solution. In other words, a tripling of the ratio in the wrong direction. Article Sticks to Hard Science, Ignoring Role of Social Sciences The author of the New York Magazine article has already responded to a series of criticisms on Twitter, including on the scientific merit of some of his claims. A rather revealing moment was when Wallace-Wells replied to a critique from renowned futurist Alex Steffenwho had described the article as one long council of despairby suggesting that my own feeling is that ignorance about whats at stake is a much bigger problem. The clear implication is that Wallace-Wells assumes a confronting of ignorance about scientific facts could help compel people to action and avoid the most dangerous manifestations of climate change. But Daniel Aldana Cohenassistant professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the response piece in Jacobin, New York Mags Climate Disaster Porn Gets It Painfully Wrongsuggests in an interview with DeSmog Canada that Wallace-Wells approach indicates a failure to engage with any questions about broader sociopolitical systems. I think in the politics of climate change, a narrow idea of climate science is fetishized, said Cohen, adding that even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change largely fails to include social sciences in working group reports. It feels like the most realistic, the most unvarnished truth is what the science predicts, he continued. But the thing is that in some way, climate science registers the impact of human activity, but its not actually an integrated account of the dynamic feedback between social and political activities and physical events in the atmosphere. In other words, Wallace-Wells article sketches out a narrative of catastrophic climate change that assumes people dont act on the knowledge of the situation. But in a cruel twist, by only focusing on the science without any attempt to contextualize it in society or political systems, it could well have the reverse effect by making readers feel even more powerless. This isnt a new problem: Stoknes noted that as identified by James Painter of Oxford Universitys Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, about 80 per cent of media coverage on the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report used catastrophe framing, with less than 10 percent using opportunity framing. Its not just about pointing your fingers at the climate skeptics and saying thats the problem, Norgaard said. Of course, its a major problem. But the apathy or acquiescence of the majority of people who are aware and do care is a larger problem. Its about how we mobilize those people. If Framed Correctly, Idea of Apocalypse Can Help People Imagine Alternatives Stoknes argues that thinking about such a sobering subject as apocalypse or death, if done correctly, can actually help people conceptualize new ways of thinking and being. This psychological approach to the apocalypse is very important, and I found it completely absent in the article, he said. It is not about predicting a certain year in the future of linear time, when everything will be collapsing. Maybe this notion is more like a call in the here and now, calling attention to the urgent need for a deep rethink of where we are and letting go of some cherished Western notions that weve been stuck in over the last century. Such a sentiment is echoed by climate psychologist Renee Lertzman and author of Environmental Melancholia: Psychoanalytic Dimensions of Engagement, who emphasizes in an interview with DeSmog Canada that predictable fault lines have formed in the wake of the New York Magazine piece. A key factor for her is how humans actually process information that may be challenging and bring up difficult feelings. She said the consensus is that we can become cognitively impaired when the brains limbic system becomes activated, resulting in reduced capacity to have functions for strategy, foresight, collaboration and tolerance. That goes out the window when your limbic system is activated, which arguably articles like this are going to do, she said. The best way to deal with that reality is to address how we can soothe and disarm our defenses. We Need to Also Be Engaged in Collective Political Action and Solutions Thats certainly not going to be an easy feat. But there are plenty of initiatives out there that are embracing a bit more nuance. Lertzman points to Project Drawdownan attempt to compile the 100 top solutions to climate changeas a powerful initiative, although she suggests even that is missing the emotional taking stock of where we are. Cohen shouted out the work of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and Texas Tech climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. But central to progressing beyond the gridlock of current climate discourse is likely via bringing it closer to the local level, where people feel they can actually influence things. CBCs new podcast 2050: Degrees of Change is a good example of this. While it paints a dramatic picture of life in BC under climate change, it also uses a scenario under which the world has drastically decreased greenhouse gas emissions. We wanted listeners to end off realizing this is a middle of the road scenario and things could be worse and they could be better depending on what we choose to do now, Johanna Wagstaffe, podcast host and CBC senior meteorologist, told DeSmog Canada. Norgaard said engaging with issues on a local level can give people a leverage point into even greater engagement. We really need to on the one hand be aware that its something we need to respond to as a collective, she said. Riding your bike is great, but we need to also be engaged in collective political action and solutions. Thats part of what helps people to do something proactive thats real. Reposted with permission from our media associate DeSmogBlog. Two North Atlantic right whales were found dead off the Maine coast on Tuesday, while a third was rescued from entrapment by fishing gear off Cape Cod. Ropes and bouys entangle a young, endangered right whale bear the U.S./Canada border in the Gulf of Maine. Campobello Whale Rescue A study by the New England Aquarium in Boston, released earlier this month, revealed that the critically-endangered whales are threatened by a dramatic increase in lethal entanglements with fishing gear. Only 500 remain in the ocean. The North Atlantic right whale is one of three right whale species in the worlds oceans, the other two being the Pacific right whale and Southern right whale. They are distinct species and do not interbreed. Like blue whales and humpbacks, right whales are baleen whales that get their food by filtering large quantities of water through plates of baleen, which act like a strainer. They can consume more than 2,600 pounds of tiny zooplankton and krill per day. Right whales have led a hard life for the last 1,000 years. Thats when the earliest hunting of whales began, and they owe their name to the notion that they were the right whale to hunt. They tend to stay close to the coast and they are slow swimmers. When killed, they float on the surface. As early as the 1700s, the population of right whales became so decimated that they were no longer commercially significant. The North Atlantic right whale flirted with extinction by the early 20th century, and whaling for this species became illegal in 1935. But almost 60 years later, there were just 295 whales and the population was well below a sustainable level. In the U.S., they were first listed as an endangered species in 1970, but recovery has been slow and uneven. The most recent data from NOAA Fisheries estimates the population at 465 individuals. As far back as 1990, ship strikes and entanglement with fishing nets were responsible for one-third of right whale deaths. Now, fishing gear is the dominant cause of death for North Atlantic right whales. The New England Aquarium study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, reveals that from 2010 to 2015, 85 percent of right whale fatalities were due to entanglements. Ship strikes have declined as a percentage of death since shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy were moved in 2003 and the U.S. lowered ship speed limits in right whale habitats in 2008. However, efforts to reduce kills from fishing gear have not been successful. Many whales become entangled multiple times, often able to free themselves only to get caught up once more. Young whales become trapped more often than adults. The studys authors echoed a 2016 paper from NOAA Fisheries that efforts made since 1997 to reduce right whale entanglement have not worked. North Atlantic right whale. WDC/REGINA ASMUTIS-SILVIA / Whale and Dolphin Conservation Off Provincetown, Massachusetts, last Thursday, rescuers removed 200 feet of fishing gear and buoys, freeing that one lucky right whale. Attached to one of the buoys was a U.S. fishing license. An investigation is under way. One of the unlucky dead whales found floating near Boothbay Harbor was an 11-year old female, who was only at the very beginning of her reproductive years. She was well known to scientists, having been tracked and spotted 26 times since 2006. In her short life, her travels had taken her to the Florida waters, Cape Cod Bay, the mid-Atlantic and the Gulf of Maine. She died a long, painful death, with rope wrapped around her head, both flippers and in her mouth. Seasonal migration of North Atlantic right whales. Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Graphics It is now about the time that most North Atlantic right whales head south for the winter. Following a spring and summer off Northern New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces, theyll head for the warmer waters near Georgia and Florida. There, females may give birth, but do so only once every three to five years. On Sept. 15, President Obama created the first marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument lies to the southeast of Cape Cod, covering some right whale habitat, but at only 4,913 square miles, it protects only a small triangle of a vast ocean. The authors of the New England Aquarium study put it plainly: In conclusion, right whales are not yet a conservation success story. By Jessica Corbett As an iceberg the size of Delaware broke away from an ice shelf in Antarctica Wednesday, scientists released findings that up to 668 U.S. communities could face chronic flooding from rising sea levels by the end of the century. More than 90 communities are already grappling with chronic inundation from sea level rise caused by climate changemeaning they have crossed the threshold for when flooding becomes unmanageable for peoples daily lives, disrupting peoples routines, livelihoods, homes and communities. When Rising Seas Hit Home, the new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), found that number could nearly double, to 170, over the next two decades. Coastal sections of Louisiana and Maryland account for the majority of the communities that are currently experiencing heavy flooding, but UCS researchers predict these unmanageable floods will reach the Jersey Shore and Floridas Gulf Coast by mid-century. By 2100, they calculate 40 to 60 percent of all oceanfront communities on the East and Gulf Coasts, and a growing number of West Coast communities, will be inundated with chronic flooding. At-risk regions include major cities like Boston, Savannah, Fort Lauderdale, Newark and four of New York Citys five boroughs. We hope this analysis provides a wake-up call to coastal communitiesand us as a nationso we can see this coming and have time to prepare, said Erika Spanger-Siegfried, a UCS senior analyst and co-author of the report, the first study of its kind to examine potential flood risks for the entire coastline of the lower 48 states. The UCS researchers also considered which cities may be spared from the worst of the flooding if the Paris agreement goals are met. Although Donald Trump withdrew from the climate agreement, many U.S. state and community leaders have committed to upholding it. Meeting the long term goals of the Paris agreement would offer coastal communities facing chronic flooding their best chance to limit the harms of sea level rise, said Rachel Cleetus, UCSs lead economist. The UCS researchers considered which cities may be spared from the worst of the flooding if the Paris agreement goals are met. Although large-scale reductions in global warming emissions, which are among the Paris agreements main goals, may slow the rate at which sea level rise is accelerating and save many communities, the report noted for many communities, its too little, too late. For hundreds of other cities and towns, it said, increased flooding is inevitable, and adaptation is now essential. Some communities are already making efforts to address flooding by raising roads, raising or constructing sea walls and installing pumping systems. Miami Beach has started work on a major flood prevention project that is expected to cost the city hundreds of millions over the next several years. Although Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine has been lauded for embracing climate science and taking action to address the flooding, his plan has also been criticized by climate deniers and experts alike. Theres no playbook for this, Levine said to the Miami New Times. Theres no one saying, Here, mayor, follow these 20 easy steps and youll be OK. The scientific community is increasingly looking for ways to engage with policymakers and the public. The UCS report made a number of policy recommendations based on its analysis, and this week, a group of more than 300 scientists from around the world are meeting in New York City to review current sea-level science and beginning discussions about collaborating on future research. We have a special responsibility to help society respond to the climate issue, said Guy Brasseur of the World Climate Research Programme, one of the conference organizers, urging the conference attendees to invest heavily in sea-level rise research. But even with access to robust scientific information about these issues, environmental policies can take a backseat when certain social issues are more politically convenient, or in communities without the financial means to develop and implement massive prevention projects like the one in Miami Beach. More than half of the 170 communities most at-risk for flooding over the next two decades encompass socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods, the UCS report notedsimilar to the proportion of todays chronically inundated communities. The Eastern Shore of Maryland, one of the regions currently experiencing some of the worst chronic flooding, is home to a large elderly population on fixed incomes and a large African American population, two groups that have traditionally had fewer resources to cope with environmental disasters and change, the report noted. Report authors also acknowledged that these communities will require more assistance to address rising flood concerns: This analysis brings attention to the fact that these communities will need more resources and more capacity in order to prepare for the impacts of sea level rise. Fair solutions will be those that include considerations of socioeconomic vulnerability and are implemented equitably across communities. Reposted with permission from our media associate Common Dreams. Less than two weeks after publishing the graphic images of poached sea turtles on the French island of Mayotte, Sea Shepherds conservation team interrupted another slaughter on the night of July 7, and this timeas captured on video footage shown aboveit turned violent. When the volunteers arrived at the beach known as Moya 1, one of the most popular tourist beaches on the Petit Terre island, they spotted a 44 vehicle, its lights switched off as it waited to pick up poached turtle meat. The guards, who should have been there to protect the turtles who come to lay their eggs, were nowhere to be seen. Down on the beach, the volunteers found two turtles ripped open with their eggs scattered in the sand. There was no sign of the guards who were supposedly there to patrol the beaches, so Sea Shepherd alerted the local gendarmes. The poachers, who had run to hide on a hill overlooking the beach, began throwing large rocks at the volunteers and police from above, barely missing their heads. No one was hurt, however the poachers also set the Sea Shepherd volunteers car on fire. Despite the intervention of three police officers, who helped seize some of the turtle meat which was left behind by the fleeing poachers, no arrests could be made because the security on the beach that night was grossly insufficient compared to the scale of the threat. France seems to remain blind and deaf concerning the social and ecological crisis which is raging in Mayotte, said Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France. France is letting its overseas department perish, a place which is home to one of the worlds largest lagoons, rich in local biodiversity. The only law which seems to prevail on this island is the law of the jungle. This condition has caused social and environmental chaos which is hard to imagine in continental France. Once a true paradise, Mayotte has now become hell on earth. Sea Shepherd launched Operation Nyamba at the request of the locals who dont want to see their island perish from indifference, and now work hand-in-hand with them to fight the poaching with direct action. Even though the circumstances on the ground turned out to be worse and more dramatic than we expected, the situation has only reinforced our determination, Essemlali said. We will not give up on Mayotte. If we have often stated we would give our lives to protect whales, we are equally ready to do the same for turtles. A new climate mobilization is emerging; its first mission? The isolation of Donald Trump. Sundays New York Times headline about the G20 meeting in Hamburg was revealing, but inaccurate: World leaders Move Forward on Climate Change: Without the U.S. Yes, 19 of the 20 major economic players in the global economy agreed that the Paris climate agreement was irreversible, that every nation needed to play its appropriate part, and that the future laid out in Paris, a decarbonized global economy in this century, was inevitable. Even oil exporting nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia, whom President Trump has viewed as favorite diplomatic buddies, refused to stand with him on climate. Trumps unwillingness to concede anything on climate meant that the rest of the G20 could adopt the stronger version of each of their climate communiques. But what the Times headline writer missed was that the world was not advancing without the U.S.it was simply advancing without the current administration. The Trump administration no longer represents American in the way that we have understood the presidency for decades. The broader signs of the isolation of the Trump administration have been evident for months. But look at climate, and look at last week only. Monday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, representing 250 of Americas largest cities, unanimously endorsed the goal of converting their electricity supply 100 percent to renewables like wind and solar. What was the Trump administration response? According to the Houston Chronicle, Energy Sec. Rick Perry was preparing to order Americans to pay more for electricity to keep his bosss promises to coal miners, nuclear power plants and electric companies by requiring them to buy coal or nuclear power even if it cost more than clean renewables! Then, as Trump boarded Air Force One to fly to Poland and ask, plaintively, if the West has the will to survive? California Gov. Jerry Brown, representing the most dynamic and rapidly growing economy in any industrial nation, proclaimed his survival plan. Brown announced that in September 2018 he would host a global climate summit in San Francisco, warning that the president doesnt speak for the rest of America in pulling out of the Paris agreement on climate change its up to you and its up to me and tens of millions of other people to join together to combat the existential threat of climate change. That is why were having the Climate Action Summit. Even the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries broke with Trump and reaffirmed that they, too, supported the Paris agreement. Talk about isolation. A week later Brown joined with Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, to proclaim Americas Pledge, a groundbreaking mechanism for enabling the U.S., as a society, to participate in the global effort to curb climate change even while its normal representative, the Executive Branch of the federal government, struggles to hold back the tide. Americas Pledge is the latest expression of the new bottom-up diplomacy of climate, whose boldest achievement is, of course, the Paris agreement itself. From Kyoto through Copenhagen, the global community triedand failedto solve climate by arm-wrestling national governments into sharing sacrifice and imposing it on their citizens, like a tax bill. They wouldnt pay it. But in the aftermath of Copenhagen climate leaders like then UNFCCC Executive Christina Figueres, and U.S. climate negotiator Todd Stern, realized that, as Figueres put it, the big boom was over. Climate was not going to be solved by a top-down agreement to share painit had to be healed by a bottom-up effort to seize the emerging opportunities that can make climate progress a short term, local win, as well as a long term, global necessity. The Paris agreement reflected that. Nations didnt get handed a tax bill. They came forward with their own preferred actionsthings their governments thought would be good for their own populations, like restoring forests in Kenya, or cleaning up power plants in the U.S. Some focused-on deforestation, some on renewable electricity, others on low carbon transportation fuels. The Obama administrations Paris offera Nationally Determined Contribution, consisted of things most Americans wanted to do anywayreplace outmoded, expensive and dirty coal power with cheaper, cleaner renewables; stop wasting valuable natural gas by letting it leak or be flared; provide motorists with cars and trucks and waste less fuel and go further on a dollars worth of gasoline; modernize our building stock to reduce utility bills and increase comfort; and replace climate destructive HFC refrigerants with modern, American developed safe alternatives. So in walking from Paris, Trump is compelled to threaten that his administration will block Americans from doing things that make them more prosperous, competitive, safer or healthier. Why does Energy Sec. Perry have to threaten states to get them to buy more coal power? Because it costs more than wind or solar. Some, perhaps many, actions will, of course, require federal actionregulating oil and gas pollution on federal land for example. Others, like better building codes to reduce wasteful household energy bills, are primarily matters for cities. Innovating new technologies to replace HFC refrigerants are mostly going to emerge from the private sector. And the best way to figure out how to best leverage a price on carbon as a climate solution might be to let California and other states run a series of experiments and see whose method works best. So why should America wait for Trump? But there is a challenge with bottom-up solutions, a problem that Americas Pledge is designed to solve. If dozens of states, hundreds of cities, thousands of universities and tens of thousands of businesses are each innovating and cutting emissions on their own, how do we know how we are doing? How can we learn from successes and failures? How can we stimulate the competitive instincts that make even more progress possible? Thats the gap Americas Pledge plans to fillto measure, report, compare and aggregate both the actions taken, and the opportunities yet to be taken, by an entire society. Because, at its heart, bottom-up climate progress requires mobilizing all of us, each one to do something that makes sense, and is good for us, but might not ever get to the top of our to do list if we didnt understand that we are part of something much larger, and much more important, than our individual steps. That means, incidentally, that Americas Pledge will have to be just as, or more rigorous, methodical and comprehensive than the Nationally Determined Contributions that made up the Paris agreement. Thats a major challenge. But I think that what President Trump doesnt understand is that this is the kind of challenge Americans respond toand Im thrilled that Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Brown have laid it on the table. Glutathione is the most abundant natural antioxidant in cells. It protects them from damage and regulates a number of important functions, including cell proliferation and death, the synthesis of the genetic material and proteins and the activation of gene expression. These functions are regulated by changes in the concentration of glutathione, but the current methods do not allow for real-time measurements of glutathione levels inside cells. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Rice University have moved the field of glutathione research a step forward by developing a fluorescent probe - they called it RealThiol - that can measure real-time changes of glutathione concentration in living cells. Published in Nature Communications, this study offers a new tool to investigate the roles glutathione plays in aging, health and diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, among others. "Until now, methods for measuring glutathione levels inside cells only allowed for one time point measurements," said corresponding author Dr. Jin Wang, associate professor of pharmacology and chemical biology and of molecular and cellular biology at Baylor. "We wanted to develop a method that would allow biologists to measure how glutathione concentration inside cells changes in real time." How to measure glutathione changes in real time Previous methods are based on irreversible chemical reactions that capture all the glutathione that is inside the cells, providing a one-time snapshot of its amount. Wang, who was trained as a physical organic chemist, and his colleagues looked for reversible chemical reactions that would capture and release glutathione, allowing for multiple measurements inside the same cell. "Other researchers had succeeded at developing chemical probes for measuring the dynamic changes of calcium and zinc in cells using reversible chemical reactions," Wang said. "However, some researchers thought that the same could not be accomplished for glutathione." In 2015, Wang and his colleagues published a proof of concept that a reversible reaction could be used to measure glutathione. Further research led to the current publication. "The key contribution of the current study is that we optimized the probe and made the reaction much faster; both the forward and the reverse reaction can be completed within one minute, allowing us to follow the dynamic changes on glutathione in living cells," Wang said. "Our method requires very small amounts of the probe, which results in little toxicity and poses minimal perturbance of the antioxidant capacity in the cells, and the probe can be used in various applications, from microscopy to cell sorting experiments." Using RealThiol, the researchers measured enhanced antioxidant capability of activated neurons and dynamic glutathione changes during ferroptosis, a form of cell death. The Wang group is currently developing glutathione probes with different sub-cellular specificities. This new tool set can potentially generate knowledge that could help develop new strategies to treat diseases involving glutathione-mediated processes. ### Other contributors to this study include Xiqian Jiang, Jianwei Chen, Aleksandar Baji?, Chengwei Zhang, Xianzhou Song, Shaina L. Carroll, Zhao-Lin Cai, Meiling Tang, Mingshan Xue, Ninghui Cheng, Christian P. Schaaf, Feng Li, Kevin R. MacKenzie, Allan Chris M. Ferreon, Fan Xia, Meng C. Wang and Mirjana Maleti?-Savati?. The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01-GM115622 R01-CA207701, R01-AG045183, R01-AT009050, R21-EB022302, DP1-DK113644, R01-GM120033 and R01-NS100893), the Welch Foundation (Q-1912), the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT R1104 and RP130573), Whitehall Foundation (Research grant 2015-05-54), the Curtis Hankamer Basic Research Fund at Baylor College of Medicine and the Caroline DeLuca Scholarship. Further support was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service through Cooperative Agreement Number 58-6250-0-008, the IDDRC Microscopy Core (P30HD024064 and 1U54 HD083092 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), the Optical Imaging and Vital Microscopy core, and the Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core at Baylor College of Medicine with funding from the NIH (AI036211, CA125123 and RR024574). CoAS meets top UK army officials Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Rajendra Chhetri, who is on an official visit to the United Kingdom, has held talks with the senior British army officials, according to the Nepal Army. LIVERMORE, California -- Maritime transportation has emerged as one solution to the traffic gridlock that plagues coastal cities. But with urban passenger ferries operating in sensitive environments and tourist areas, hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger ferries offer a quiet, zero-emission alternative to conventional diesel vessels. In its San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric Vessel with Zero Emissions study, known as SF-BREEZE, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories concluded liquid hydrogen fuel cells are feasible on technical, regulatory and economic bases. Now, researchers are taking the work to the next level in a second study that focuses on: the optimal combination of vessel design, speed and passenger capacity, which, once determined, could reduce uncertainty in the industry; and the technical evidence to support new safety codes for hydrogen fuel-cell vessels. The work is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration's Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance program. "The Maritime Administration sees immense potential in the use of hydrogen fuel cells to provide efficient, clean, domestically produced power for the maritime sector. The current effort to improve the economic viability using fuel cells in a commercial vessel will bring this vision one step closer to reality," said John Quinn, Maritime Administration associate administrator for environment and compliance. Optimizing how renewable hydrogen can best reduce carbon emissions The initial feasibility study focused on a 150-passenger ferry traveling at 35 knots per hour. Now, mechanical engineer and project lead Joe Pratt is asking whether it makes sense to design ferries that are faster or slower, larger or smaller. Sandia Labs started by plotting typical speeds and passenger capacities of about 600 passenger ferries in the U.S., and found that the ferry studied in the SF-BREEZE project was actually an outlier, being faster and having fewer passengers than most. "Although previous work on the SF-BREEZE project demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing hydrogen fuel cells for propulsion power on a high-speed passenger vessel, it became apparent that there may be better economic returns when applied to slower speed vessels," said Curt Leffers, project manager at Elliott Bay Design Group, who is leading the naval architecture work in the new study. "The next logical step in the process is to examine the effect of speed and passenger count on the overall cost and per-passenger emissions for hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger vessels, which is why the optimization study is important." Pratt added, "How do you achieve the best economics compared to conventional diesel technology and the best gain in environmental impact? Answering these questions is how we'll be quantifying the merit of different designs." The study seeks to make the trade-offs for the shipbuilding and ferry industries clear. The heavier and faster the vessel, the more power is required. To obtain more power, fuel cells -- the most expensive part on a hydrogen-powered ferry -- must be added, which drives up the cost, Pratt said. "You get a double benefit by going slower: you reduce the power required by the fuel cells and the cost of the fuel cells, and you reduce the fuel consumption, so you reduce your operating expense," Pratt said. "That's an example of why we're thinking about this and looking at other designs." Sandia hopes to produce a half dozen ferry concepts to demonstrate which are most economical and which will make the most impact on protecting the environment, he said. Tom Escher is president of a San Francisco Bay operator, the Red and White Fleet, which was a partner in the initial study. He said he looks forward to moving ahead with new ferry designs. "The maritime industry needs to move to zero emissions for the sake of our globally shared environment," Escher said. "This study is tremendously helpful by pointing out how to do that in the smartest way possible, and we look forward to using the results to build the first zero emission hydrogen passenger vessel in the U.S." Updated regulations could clarify path forward for industry Sandia is reviewing International Maritime Organization codes for liquid natural gas-powered vessels and developing a technical basis for codes that could be created for hydrogen fuel-cell vessels. Currently, liquid natural gas codes are the closest regulations that can be applied to hydrogen-powered vessels, but they may not accurately represent the properties of hydrogen. For example, the LNG code requires LNG vessels to have a clearance of 30 feet around all sides of their vents. Hydrogen is lighter than natural gas and much lighter than air, so it does not sink in air like LNG does. Thus, a 30-foot clearance underneath a vent might not be a necessary requirement for a hydrogen ferry, said Sandia Labs mechanical engineer Myra Blaylock, technical lead for the project. Labs researchers are using computer simulation to explore and analyze four common vent and leak scenarios in which hydrogen could be released on-board vessels to show actual hydrogen behavior. The computational simulations have underlying physics models that have been validated through experiments and allow researchers to confidently explore various scenarios in a quicker and less-expensive way than conducting experimental work for each individual case. The results can be used by the International Maritime Organization to ensure the accuracy of the codes when applied to hydrogen vessels. The possibility of extending the applications of hydrogen fuel cells, showing the industry the best path forward and providing the technical basis for new hydrogen regulations, all have "the potential for impact across the entire maritime sector," Pratt said. "A lot of these vessels can travel in ecologically sensitive areas where there is an extra motivation for making them clean. So it's about localized as well as global emissions benefits." ### Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California. Machine learning, which lets researchers determine if two processes are causally linked without revealing how, could help stabilize the plasma within doughnut-shaped fusion devices known as tokamaks. Such learning can facilitate the avoidance of disruptions -- off-normal events in tokamak plasmas that can lead to very fast loss of the stored thermal and magnetic energies and threaten the integrity of the machine. A paper by graduate student Matthew Parsons published in June in the journal Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion describes the application of the learning to avoiding disruptions, which will be crucial to ensuring the longevity of future large tokamaks. Parsons began research on this topic at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) as a member of the DOE's Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program. He collaborated with PPPL scientists William Tang and Eliot Feibush as a SULI intern in the summers of 2014 and 2015, and then as a temporary PPPL employee in 2016. "The plasma physics community is very interested in identifying more classifiers to study instabilities and disruptions," said Feibush. "Matt is ideally qualified to work on this key topic." Parsons developed new ways to apply his PPPL research as a Fulbright grantee at ITER, the international tokamak under construction in France, from September 2016 through April 2017 and based the paper on his work there. He currently is enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign "When you use machine learning," Parsons said, "you consider the models produced by the computer program to be black boxes -- you put something into it and then get something out, but don't always know how the output is related to what you put in. In this paper, I make that black box a little more transparent." The black box does not need to uncover the mechanisms behind causal links. For example, a person might observe hundreds of thunderstorms and observe that lightning tends to precede thunder. That person might infer that thunder will again follow lightening during a future storm. But that inference does not include any information about how, exactly, lighting and thunder are related. Physicists can use machine learning to analyze the behavior of plasma, the hot soup of electrons and charged atomic nuclei corralled by magnetic fields within tokamaks. By feeding data from past experiments into a machine-learning program, scientists can learn which plasma behavior tends to precede disruptions. They can then build a system that monitors the plasma for signs of those disruption precursors, in theory giving the scientists time to steer the plasma towards stability. "One thing that really excites me about the analysis technique I propose is that it is actually quite simple and could fairly easily be implemented by anyone who is developing these machine learning models," Parsons says. "All you have to do is take the numerical output of the prediction model, which in some sense describes how close you are to a disruption, change your inputs by a small increment, and compare the new output to the original output. The smaller the change, the more stable the plasma discharge is with respect to the input variables. That is really the core of what I propose." Though black-box models tend to be shunned by the physics community, Parsons insists that they could be of service. "As physicists, the way that we look at problems is trying to understand the relationship between what goes into your model and what comes out," he says. "It's natural, then, that when we see these black-box models, we think that's not something we want to deal with because we don't understand what's happening." However, "a lot of the problems we're facing in fusion are very technical, and if we could arrive at some of the solutions using machine learning, I think it's prudent to explore all of the options and not exclude some just because they're different from our training." ### Support for this research came from PPPL's lab-directed research and development (LDRD) program and the DOE's SULI program PPPL, on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, N.J., is devoted to creating new knowledge about the physics of plasmas -- ultra-hot, charged gases -- and to developing practical solutions for the creation of fusion energy. The Laboratory is managed by the University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the largest single supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov Stress is a major risk factor for a range of psychopathologies. However, stress does not affect everyone equally: in the face of sustained adversity, some people develop depression symptoms while others adapt and remain resilient. Identifying risk factors and biomarkers for vulnerability to developing stress-induced depression in order to identify individual susceptibility before stress exposure has been a major challenge. EPFL scientists have now shown that social organization can affect differential vulnerability to chronic stress and underscored brain energy metabolism as a predictive biomarker for social status and susceptibility to stress-induced depression. The work is published in Current Biology. The work was carried out by the lab of Carmen Sandi at EPFL, which has long history of research on stress. Previous studies have repeatedly shown that following exposure to defeat experiences, some mice show signs of depression such as avoiding social contact, while other mice behave as unstressed, retaining normal social interests. But most of this work identified vulnerability in the mice based on symptoms developed after stress exposure, not before. The EPFL researchers were intrigued by the fact that differential vulnerability to stress is observed in mice known as C57BL/6J, which are genetically identical. The mice in the study had also been exposed to the same housing and living conditions to exclude the influence genetic factors or issues related to early life trauma. Since mice typically live in groups of four per cage, the scientists reasoned that the hierarchical order established within the homecage might be related to the vulnerability to stress. By giving mice from the same homecage competitive challenges, the researchers could identify the dominant and the subordinate animals in each group. Then, following chronic stress exposure, they found that dominant animals are the ones that display a susceptibility to stress by showing strong social avoidance. On the other hand, subordinate mice behaved like the non-stressed ones, showing resilience. Subsequently, the scientists collaborated with the lab of Rolf Gruetter at EPFL to apply an in vivo neuroimaging technique known as proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy that measures metabolite levels in the brain. They focused on two brain regions: the nucleus accumbens, which is involved in motivation and reward, and the medial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in planning. The neuroimaging showed that the metabolic profile of the nucleus accumbens relates to social status and vulnerability to stress. More precisely, non-stressed, subordinate individuals showed lower levels of metabolites related to energy metabolism (glutamate, phosphocreatine, total creatine, N-acetylaspartate, and taurine) in the nucleus accumbens than dominant mice. But after exposure to chronic stress, the metabolite levels of energy-related metabolites were increased in subordinate, but not in dominant mice. The study is the first to non-invasively identify risk factors and biomarkers that predict social status and stress-induced depression-like behavior. On an experimental level, the findings can now help make progress on investigating of mechanisms related to vulnerability and resilience to stress, as it will help stratifying individuals in longitudinal studies. On a clinical level, the study shows that energy metabolism in the nucleus accumbens can be a potential biomarker for stress vulnerability. And the study also has multiple implications on a societal level, given the ubiquitous nature of hierarchies in our society. "Our findings reinforce the view that losing status is more pertinent to depression than social subordination," says Carmen Sandi. "In the future, it will be important to study whether social status can also predict depression or anxiety when individuals are chronically exposed to stressors of a non-social nature". Her group will now capitalize on these findings to investigate the value of interventions that target energy metabolism in the brain, in order to help vulnerable individuals to cope with stress. ### Funding Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) NCCR Synapsy EPFL EPFL Fellows - Marie Curie Fellowships. Reference Larrieu T., Cherix A., Duque A., Rodrigues J., Lei H., Gruetter R. and Sandi C. Hierarchical status predicts behavioral vulnerability and nucleus accumbens metabolic profile following chronic social defeat stress. Current Biology 13 July 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.027 For the first time this year a late breaking clinical trials session will be held at the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) Congress to highlight world-class research coming out of the region. The 21st APSC Congress, which is taking place 13-15 July in Singapore, will show-case original research from six late breaking clinical trials and 250 abstracts. The meeting is expected to be attended by over 2000 delegates from 45 countries. "The epidemic of cardiovascular disease is rising in Asia, and with this comes the growing realization that the disease phenotype may be different from that of other parts of the world. There are unique risk factors, genetics and public health issues which taken together mean that the findings of studies undertaken in the West may not automatically translate to Asian populations, "said Dr Jack Tan, the APSC Congress chair. "All this makes it really important to have a platform for Asian cardiovascular research. We hope new opportunities to present research at an Asia centered meeting will encourage more researchers from our region to get involved in clinical trials and registries." For example, the ASIAN-HF registry1, which is being presented at the late breaking clinical trials session on 13 July 2017, demonstrates how heart failure patients in Asia are younger and have more co morbidities than their western counterparts. The scientific content of the APSC, added Dr Tan, will be enhanced by European Society of Cardiology (ESC) hosted sessions. On Friday 14th July at 14:00- 15:30 (Room 335) ESC President Prof. Jeroen Bax will chair a session exploring new ESC Guidelines on prevention, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Then at 16:00-17:30 (Room 335) a second ESC session will look at cutting edge cardiology including the role of TAVI, Computed Tomography in Imaging and percutaneous coronary intervention for left main disease. "The idea of these sessions is to highlight both the latest ESC Guidelines and key topics from the last ESC Congress to give a flavour of our recent activities," said Prof. Jose Luis Zamorano, the ESC course director at APSC. "The ESC welcomes the opportunity for close collaborations with the APSC. While there may be some differences in patient populations, there is still a great deal that we can all learn from each other about different ways of practicing cardiology." ASIAN-HF registry In the late breaking clinical trial session Prof. Carolyn Lam, from the National Heart Centre, Singapore and Duke-National University of Singapore, will present the results of The Asian Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure (ASIAN-HF) registry1 which set out to gather real-world data on the demographics, risk factors and outcomes of heart failure patients in Asia. The prospective registry reviewed clinical characteristics and outcomes of 5,276 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; EF<40%) and 1204 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF; EF>50%). Subjects were recruited from 46 centres across 11 regions (including Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines). For the study, ICD-eligible patients were defined as those with ejection fractions ?35% and New York Heart Association Class II-III. Results for the registry showed: Among patients with HFrEF, the mean age was 59.6 year (this contrasts with a mean age in the US of 70 years). Among patients with HFpEF, the mean age was 68 years (this contrasts with a mean age in the US of 72 year). Two thirds of subjects had two or more co morbidities. Having two or more co morbidities increased the odds of HFpEF (vs. HFrEF) by around 50%. Being a woman increased the odds of HFpEF (vs. HFrEF) threefold. At six months, 13.1% of patients had died or were hospitalized for HF (13.9% in HFrEF; 8.9% in HFpEF). Among 3240 ICD eligible patients only 389 (12%) were ICD recipients. Utilization of ICDs varied widely across Asia from 1.5% in Indonesia to 52.5% in Japan. Over a median follow-up of 417 days, ICD implantation reduced risks of all-cause mortality (HR=0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.97) and sudden cardiac death (HR=0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.79). "In our registry we are seeing that despite being much younger than patients in the rest of the world, Asian patients with heart failure have a high burden of co morbidities and risk factors, many of which are modifiable," said Prof. Lam. The study revealed underutilization of potentially life-saving implantable cardiac defibrillators. "This we believe may be due to lack of understanding around the device and cultural resistance to the idea of having a foreign body implanted, which represent opportunities for patient education," said Prof. Lam. The public in Asia, she added, need to be educated to take heart failure more seriously. The registry, she added, showed that there were distinct differences between Asian and Western patients with heart failure. "The results show that we can't just extrapolate the characteristics and outcomes of Western patients with heart failure to Asians, and that even within Asia we can't extrapolate results from one region to another. As cardiologists we need to be conducting more heart failure trials in Asia." The registry, said Prof. Lam, puts an infrastructure in place that can be extended to clinical trials. "We have shown that despite the language and cultural differences across Asia we can get together to successfully recruit thousands of patients. Our dream is that once we have completed the first observational phase we can move on to become an interventional trial network." ### Scientists in Brazil have imaged elderly female yoga practitioners' brains and found they have greater cortical thickness in the left prefrontal cortex, in brain areas associated with cognitive functions like attention and memory. The results suggest that yoga could be a way to protect against cognitive decline in old age. As we age, the structure and functionality of our brains change and this often leads to cognitive decline, including impaired attention or memory. One such change in the brain involves the cerebral cortex becoming thinner, which scientists have shown is correlated with cognitive decline. So, how can we slow or reverse these changes? You might think medication would be required, but surprisingly, the answer could lie in contemplative practices like yoga. Yoga practitioners consciously maintain postures, and perform breathing exercises and meditation. "In the same way as muscles, the brain develops through training," explains Elisa Kozasa of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a researcher involved in the study, which was recently published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. "Like any contemplative practice, yoga has a cognitive component in which attention and concentration are important." Previous studies have suggested that yoga can have greater health benefits than similar aerobic exercises, and yoga practitioners have shown improved awareness, attention and memory. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment have also shown improvements after a short yoga training program. But can practicing yoga over several years significantly shape your brain and if so, could it offset some of the changes that happen in the aging brain? The research team wanted to see if elderly long-term yoga practitioners had any differences in terms of brain structure compared with healthy elderly people who had never practiced yoga. They recruited 21 female yoga practitioners (also known as yoginis) who had practiced yoga at least twice a week for a minimum of 8 years, although the group had an average of nearly 15 years of yoga practice. The researchers compared the yoginis with another group of 21 healthy women, who had never practiced yoga, meditation or any other contemplative practices, but who were well-matched to the yoginis in terms of their age (all the participants were 60 or over) and levels of physical activity. For more consistent results, the researchers only recruited women, and the participants completed surveys to see if there were any other factors at work that could affect brain structure, such as depression or level of formal education. The researchers scanned the participants' brains using magnetic resonance imaging to see if there were any differences in brain structure. "We found greater thickness in the left prefrontal cortex in the yoginis, in brain regions associated with cognitive functions such as attention and memory," says Rui Afonso, another researcher involved in the study. As the groups were well-matched in terms of other factors that can change brain structure, such as education and levels of depression, yoga practice appears to underlie the yoginis' different brain structure. The results suggest that practicing yoga in the long-term can change the structure of your brain and could protect against cognitive decline in old age. However, the team plan to carry out more studies to see if these brain changes result in enhanced cognitive performance in elderly yoginis. Another possibility is that people with these brain features are more likely to be attracted to yoga. "We have compared experienced yoginis with non-practitioners, so we do not know if the yoginis already had these differences before they started yoga," explains Afonso. "This can only be confirmed by studying people for a few years from the time they start yoga." ### A smart computer program named JAABA has helped scientists create a brain-wide atlas of fruit fly behavior. The machine-learning program tracked the position and cataloged the behaviors of 400,000 fruit flies, in more than 225 days of video footage, helping researchers match specific behaviors to different groups of neurons. "We wanted to understand what neurons are doing at the cellular level," says Janelia Group Leader Kristin Branson. She and colleagues reported the work July 13 in the journal Cell. Their results are the most comprehensive neural maps of behavior yet created. Such detailed maps could give researchers a starting point for tracing the neural circuitry flies use to produce specific behaviors, such as jumping or wing grooming, Branson says. Understanding the inner workings of the fly brain could even offer insight into the neural basis of human behavior, she says. Though the brain of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is only about the size of a poppy seed, it comprises roughly 100,000 neurons which interact in complex circuits to control an extensive array of behaviors. "Flies do all the things that an organism needs to do in the world," says study coauthor Alice Robie, a research scientist at Janelia. "They have to find food, they have to escape from predators, they have to find a mate, they have to reproduce." All those actions, she says, involve different behaviors for interacting with the environment. Scientists have identified some of the neurons at work in courtship, say, or chasing, but no one has tackled the entire brain all at once. Branson's team took a brain-wide approach for finding neurons involved in a suite of 14 behaviors, including wing flicking, crab walking, and attempted copulation. The team studied 2,204 populations of flies, part of a collection developed at Janelia called the GAL4 Fly Lines. The flies are genetically engineered to crank up the activity of certain neurons. Previous imaging work, Janelia's FlyLight Project, identified where in the brain these neurons resided - so researchers already had an anatomical map of the neurons targeted in each group of flies. But researchers didn't know what role these neurons played in behavior. Dialing up the neurons' activity in one type of flies, for example, made them huddle together when placed in a shallow dish, says lab technician Jonathan Hirokawa, now a mechatronics engineer at Rockefeller University in New York City. Other types of flies acted even more bizarrely, he recalls. "Sometimes you'd get flies that would all turn in circles, or all follow one another like they were in a conga line." From these behavioral quirks, researchers could piece together the cell types involved in walking or backing up, for example. The researchers tackled the problem in an automated fashion, Robie says. Using videos of flies, Robie taught the machine-vision and -learning program JAABA, Janelia Automatic Animal Behavior Annotator, how to recognize specific behaviors. Then Branson's team put JAABA to work watching and labeling behaviors in videos of the 2,204 different fly groups - a feat that would have taken humans some 3,800 years. In addition to matching cell types to behaviors, the researchers identified something entirely new: the nerve cells linked to female chase behavior. "There have been some reports of female aggression, but not females chasing other flies," Robie says. That finding stands out, Branson says, but it's just one of thousands of results yielded by their study. "With these big datasets, we've been trying to figure out how you actually share the information," she says. Their solution is a program called BABAM, or the Browsable Atlas of Behavior Anatomy Maps. With BABAM, scientists can explore the new data, create maps that link behavior to fly brain anatomy, and search for fly groups associated with certain behaviors. Branson and Robie say the new results highlight the advantages of blending different scientific disciplines at Janelia. "This is what happens when you put biologists and computer scientists together," Robie says. ### Researchers are working with business to revolutionize the infrastructure of the internet in the UK, creating an agile, resilient network capable of meeting the future needs of our rapidly changing society Researchers are working with business to revolutionise the infrastructure of the internet in the UK, creating an agile, resilient network capable of meeting the future needs of our rapidly changing society. Imminent developments such as 5G, virtual reality and self-driving vehicles will require a radical shift in the way our networks perform and how they are maintained. An ambitious 5 million research-business partnership, led by Lancaster University and BT, aims to create the next generation of converged digital infrastructure (NG-CDI) by developing the technologies and methods required for super-resilient, data-driven networks of the future. Jointly funded by BT and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the partnership brings together experts from business and academia, with specialist knowledge ranging from networking, communications and statistics to industrial automation and organisational behaviour. The team -- which includes the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge and Surrey -- aims to develop a future network that is "autonomic", with the capability to react and even predict changes in networking demand, reconfiguring infrastructure accordingly with minimal human intervention. This will lead to new services, improved customer experiences in terms of network reliability, and greater agility for businesses which need digital services that can adapt as they grow. The partnership builds on long-term research collaborations between BT and each of the consortium's members. The project is part of a new set of Prosperity Partnerships, which will receive 31 million of government funding from the EPSRC and the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) -- this will be matched by a further 36 million from partner organisations in cash or in-kind contributions, plus 11 million from universities' funds, totalling 78 million in all. Jonathan Legh-Smith, Head of Partnerships & Strategic Research BT Technology, Service and Operations, said: "Strong collaboration between business and academia is essential to delivering impact from the country's world-class research. The NG-CDI Prosperity programme builds on our long-standing partnerships with Lancaster, Bristol, Cambridge and Surrey, bringing together their expertise to address the strategic opportunities facing the UK's digital infrastructure." Dr Nick Race, NG-CDI's Principal Investigator, Lancaster University, said: "Next Generation Converged Digital Infrastructure is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary programme of research that aims to develop a transformational approach to managing the next generation of digital infrastructure for the UK. "We are very pleased to form this unique partnership with BT, pioneering the way in which data science is harnessed with the latest research in networking. "By delivering this ambitious programme of research we will be forging the next generation digital infrastructure needed to ensure the UK's success as a prosperous, connected nation." Professor Stephen Decent, Lancaster University Pro Vice Chancellor for research said: "Lancaster University is delighted to be leading this prestigious research programme in partnership with BT. The award is testament to our long-standing association with BT, which extends over 20 years and has consistently produced impactful research of the highest quality. Our shared vision of developing cutting edge networking and data science research, addressing real world challenges, has the potential to radically strengthen the UK's prosperity in the data age." Professor Philip Nelson, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said: "These new Prosperity Partnership investments will provide the right conditions in which new technologies and products can be developed more quickly. In turn, this will return social and economic benefits and ensure the UK continues to be one of the best places in the world to research, innovate and grow business." Lancaster academics involved in NG-CDI include Professor Idris Eckley, Professor David Hutchison, Professor David Leslie and Dr Nick Race. ### (Bethesda, MD, July 13, 2017) Research by several leading scientists including Rakesh Jain, PhD, Director of the Edwin L. Steele Laboratory for Tumor Biology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and supported in part by the National Foundation for Cancer Research, has provided the first evidence that the century old model for cancer metastasis - where cancer spreads from primary tumor, to nearby lymph nodes, and then to other organs - may not apply in all cases. These findings were reported in the July 7 issue of Science and show that for the majority of colorectal cancer patients studied, distant metastases originated directly from the primary tumor without involving the lymph system in the process. Using a simple assay developed by the same group, the scientists analyzed 213 tissue samples from 17 patients with colorectal cancer on their polyguanine (poly-G) repeats - small, mutation-prone segments of the genome - to determine the relationships between cancer cells at the primary tumor, lymph nodes and distant sites from the same patient. Their results showed that in only 35% of the patients studied, the path of cancer metastasis fits the traditional primary tumor - lymph node - distant site model, as both lymph node and distant metastases originated from the same cell type in the primary tumor. However, in 65% of patients, scientists uncovered that lymph node metastases and distant metastases matched different cell types within the primary tumor, indicating independent origins for these metastasis types. "Lymph node metastases are typically considered as a precursor of distant metastases. Yet complete surgical removal of lymph nodes does not always lead to extended patient survival. Our study provides the first direct genetic evidence towards resolving this enigma," says Dr. Jain. "The poly-G typing assay we developed also provides a safe and cost-effective way to analyze the evolutionary path of cancer in individual patients, and could potentially be used in the clinic to help guide clinical management of patients with metastatic cancer." "NFCR is proud that our continued support of Dr. Jain since 1998 has contributed to numerous important research breakthroughs in his lab," says Franklin C. Salisbury, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of NFCR. "We are deeply encouraged by this significant finding and its potential clinical application towards improved, more personalized patient care. This is another extraordinary example of Research for a Cure." ### About the National Foundation for Cancer Research The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a leading cancer research charity dedicated to funding cancer research and public education relating to cancer prevention, earlier diagnosis, better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for cancer. NFCR promotes and facilitates collaboration among scientists to accelerate the pace of discovery from bench to bedside. NFCR is committed to Research for a Cure - cures for all types of cancer. For more information, visit http://www.nfcr.org/ or call (800) 321-CURE (2873). Nagoya, Japan - Dry scaly skin, blistering, rashes. Many people will experience some kind of skin problem at some time in their life, if only briefly. However, some individuals are severely affected by chronic skin problems throughout their lives. Most sufferers of any kind of skin problem will agree that the timing and triggers of skin flare-ups are somewhat mysterious. Medical science has only recently begun to separate the environmental and genetic factors behind these conditions. Now, an international collaboration lead by Nagoya University researchers has drawn on their experience helping patients with serious skin conditions to define a whole new category of genetic skin diseases. "Many skin disorders are put into the very broad group of inflammatory keratinization diseases. This term is not very helpful because is covers so many kinds of skin problems and doesn't consider if the route cause is inflammatory or genetic, or a combination of both," says group leader and lead author Masashi Akiyama. Keratinization is the process that forms the outer layer of our skin, based on tough and water-resistant proteins, including keratin and lipids, such as ceramides. However, any number of problems can stop keratinization from working properly, leading to familiar skin problems. For example, immune or allergic reactions and many types of eczema involve an inflammatory response, where the body's own immune system attacks itself, overreacting to an irritant. In their recent perspective article, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the Nagoya group argues that some skin conditions are actually an "autoinflammatory" response with a genetic basis. These conditions reflect a more uncontrolled primitive response of the body's deeper immune system, which does not necessarily depend on exposure to an irritant. "We have been finding more and more of these autoinflammatory related skin diseases and it's time we recognize this as a new category of inflammatory keratinization disease," says co-author Kazumitsu Sugiura. "A better understanding of the root causes of skin problems is the only way for physicians to help patients manage their conditions and develop more effective treatments." ### The article, "Autoinflammatory keratinization diseases." was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2017.05.019 A subspecies of the bacterium Streptococcus gallolyticus appears to actively promote the development of colorectal cancer, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens. Scientists have known for some time that people infected with the S. gallolyticus subspecies gallolyticus (Sg) are more likely to have colorectal cancer (CRC), a leading cause of cancer death. However, it was unknown whether Sg actively promotes CRC or whether it simply grows comfortably in the environment provided by CRC tumor cells. To investigate the precise role of Sg in CRC, Ritesh Kumar of Texas A&M Health Science Center and colleagues performed several experiments using cultured human colorectal cells, mice with CRC, and tissue from human tumors. Experiments in which CRC cells and Sg were grown together showed that Sg promotes proliferation of CRC cells, and that this effect depends on what phase of growth the Sg bacteria are in. Sg-driven proliferation of CRC cells only occurred when the bacteria and CRC cells were in direct contact with each other; substances secreted by bacterial cells did not drive proliferation on their own. The researchers also explored the effects of Sg on a human protein known as -catenin, which plays a key role in the development of CRC. They found that Sg did not promote proliferation of CRC cells in which -catenin production or activity were deliberately reduced, suggesting that Sg drives proliferation through the -catenin cell signaling pathway. In mice with CRC, those injected with Sg developed more tumors and had greater -catenin production (as well as other signs of cancer severity) than did mice injected with a different type of bacteria as a control. The researchers also analyzed normal and tumor tissue samples from more than 100 human CRC patients and found that most were infected with Sg, which was previously unknown. Overall, these findings strongly suggest that Sg plays an active role in CRC development in humans. In the future, the precise mechanisms of its tumor-promoting activity could potentially be exploited to develop new strategies to diagnose, prevent, and treat CRC. "A bacterium that has been well documented to have a strong clinical association with CRC is now found to also functionally promote the development of CRC." ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Pathogens: http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1006440 Citation: Kumar R, Herold JL, Schady D, Davis J, Kopetz S, Martinez-Moczygemba M, et al. (2017) Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus promotes colorectal tumor development. PLoS Pathog 13(7): e1006440. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006440 Funding: The study was supported by funds from the Hamill Foundation and Texas A&M Health Science Center. JD is supported in part by a grant from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment.Characterized Cell Line Core Facility, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX is funded by NCI # CA016672. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Commuter motorcycles selling like hotcakes The demand for commuter motorcycle has been rising in Nepal, as offerings in the segment continue to appeal to the masses. Rising temperatures due to global warming will make it harder for many aircraft around the world to take off in coming decades, says a new study. During the hottest parts of the day, 10 to 30 percent of fully loaded planes may have to remove some fuel, cargo or passengers, or else wait for cooler hours to fly, the study concludes. The study, which is the first such global analysis, appears today in the journal Climatic Change. "Our results suggest that weight restriction may impose a non-trivial cost on airline and impact aviation operations around the world," said lead author Ethan Coffel, a Columbia University PhD. student. As air warms, it spreads out, and its density declines. In thinner air, wings generate less lift as a plane races along a runway. Thus, depending on aircraft model, runway length and other factors, at some point a packed plane may be unable to take off safely if the temperature gets too high. Weight must be dumped, or else the flight delayed or canceled. Average global temperatures have gone up nearly 1 degree Centigrade (1.8 Fahrenheit) since about 1980, and this may already be having an effect. In late June, American Airlines canceled more than 40 flights out of Phoenix, Ariz., when daytime highs of nearly 120 degrees made it too hot for smaller regional jets to take off. Worldwide, average temperatures are expected to go up as much as another 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) by 2100. But that is only part of the story; heat waves will probably become more prevalent, with annual maximum daily temperatures at airports worldwide projected to go up 4 to 8 degrees C (7.2 to 14.4 F) by 2080, according to the study. It is these heat waves that may produce the most problems. "This points to the unexplored risks of changing climate on aviation," said coauthor Radley Horton, a climatologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "As the world gets more connected and aviation grows, there may be substantial potential for cascading effects, economic and otherwise." Most studies so far have focused on how aviation may affect global warming (aircraft comprise about 2 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions), not vice versa. But a handful of studies have warned that warming climate may increase dangerous turbulence along major air routes, and head winds that could lengthen travel times. Rising sea levels are already threatening to swamp some major airports. Coffel and Horton may be the only ones so far to look at takeoffs. In 2015, they published a smaller-scale paper, predicting up to four times more future temperature-related takeoff problems for the common Boeing 737-800 at Phoenix, as well as Denver, New York's LaGuardia and Washington's Ronald Reagan. The new study projects effects on a wide range of jets at these, plus 15 of the other busiest airports in the United States, Europe, the Mideast, China and south Asia. The authors estimate that if globe-warming emission continue unabated, fuel capacities and payload weights will have to be reduced by as much as 4 percent on the hottest days for some aircraft. If the world somehow manages to sharply reduce carbon emissions soon, such reductions may amount to as little as 0.5 percent, they say. Either figure is significant in an industry that operates on thin profit margins. For an average aircraft operating today, a 4 percent weight reduction would mean roughly 12 or 13 fewer passengers on an average 160-seat craft. This does not count the major logistical and economic effects of delays and cancellations that can instantly ripple from one air hub to another, said Horton. Some aircraft with lower temperature tolerances will far worse than others, and certain airports--those with shorter runways, in hotter parts of the world or at higher elevations, where the air is already thinner--will suffer more. For instance, facing LaGuardia's short runways, a Boeing 737-800 may have to offload weight half the time during the hottest days. Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, might be worse; its runways are long, but its temperatures are already very high. Airports probably less affected because they are in temperate regions and have long runways include New York's JFK, London Heathrow and Paris's Charles de Gaulle. Horton said that some effects could be mitigated with new engine or body designs, or expanded runways. But modifications would come at a cost, as aircraft are already highly engineered for efficiency; and expanded runways in densely packed cities such as New York are not an option. "The sooner climate can be incorporated into mid- and long-range plans, the more effective adaptation efforts can be," said Coffel. ### The paper was coauthored by Terence R. Thompson of Logistics Management Institute, a Virginia-based consulting company that studies aviation and other issues. The paper, "The impacts of rising temperatures on aircraft takeoff performance," is available from the journal Climatic Change. Elizabeth.hawkins@springer.com. Scientist contacts: Ethan Coffel ec2959@columbia.edu Radley Horton rh142@columbia.edu +1 646-320-9938 More information: Kevin Krajick, Senior editor, science news, The Earth Institute/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory kkrajick@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-9729 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is Columbia University's home for Earth science research. Its scientists develop fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world, from the planet's deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu | @LamontEarth The Earth Institute, Columbia University mobilizes the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainable earth. http://www.earth.columbia.edu. Like it or not, as we age, our muscle cells are slowly exchanged, one by one, for fat cells. This process quickens when we injure a muscle, and an extreme form of this process is also seen in muscle-wasting diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Now, scientists at UC San Francisco have shown that cellular antennae called cilia, found on fat-forming cells interspersed in muscle, play a key role in this muscle-to-fat transformation. The findings, revealed in experiments with mice, and published July 13, 2017 in Cell, suggest a previously unsuspected connection between cilia and tissue renewal. This fresh molecular understanding could open up new prospects for regenerative medicine, and one day enable researchers to improve muscle renewal during aging and disease. High levels of intramuscular fat have long been associated with a loss of strength and impaired mobility, as well as more falls in elderly or obese individuals, and in patients with DMD. "The frailty of age is a huge biomedical problem," said Jeremy Reiter, MD, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF and senior author of the new paper. "This study helps pave the way to learn how muscles normally age, and provides a new way to possibly improve muscle repair." Reiter has a long-standing research interest in tiny cellular appendages called primary cilia, which look a bit like the cellular tentacles that paramecia and other single-celled critters use to move and gather food. But unlike those motile cilia, primary cilia don't move at all. Instead, they stand stiff and solitary on the surface of nearly all of our cells, including neurons, skin cells, bone cells and certain stem cells. For centuries, these little attachments were largely ignored, and considered a vestigial structure with no known function. But "there has been a renaissance over the past decade in figuring out what these cilia do," Reiter said, and recent work by members of his lab and others has revealed that primary cilia act much like cellular antennae, receiving molecular cues from neighboring cells, and processing environmental signals such as light, temperature, salt balance, and even gravity. Some of the best-studied examples of cilia function come from early stages of embryonic development, when the arms and legs are just tiny "buds" on the embryo. The limb buds receive cues from a fundamental cell-signaling pathway, known as Hedgehog, that specify the number of digits you will have on your hands and feet, and tell the pinky to develop differently than the thumb. Defects in cilia can disrupt how cells interpret those signals, leading to extra fingers or toes. To understand if primary cilia have a role beyond development, and play a part in maintaining adult tissues, Daniel Kopinke, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Reiter lab and first author of the new study, set out to ask whether signaling by cilia is involved in muscles' ability to heal following injury. Previous work has shown that when muscle is injured, fat-forming cells that live alongside muscle cells, called fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), divide and differentiate into fat cells. Kopinke found that, unlike muscle cells, these fat-forming FAPs are more likely to carry primary cilia, and that muscle injury further increased the abundance of FAPs with cilia. These observations suggested that cilia might be playing an important role in fat formation. To test this hypothesis, the research team used two mouse models of muscle injury -- an acute injury model created by injecting damaging agents into mouse muscles, and a chronic injury model with progressive loss of muscle fibers such as that seen in in DMD. When the scientists genetically blocked the ability of FAPs to form cilia, both injury models showed lower amounts of fat in muscle. What's more, the loss of cilia not only led to the loss of fat, but also aided muscle regeneration. "That was unexpected," Kopinke said. "We converted muscle in a mouse model of DMD into muscle that was more like that of a normal mouse." Through a series of experiments, the group discovered that genetically engineering cells without cilia had resulted in a low-level activation of the Hedgehog pathway, which was enough to block fatty degeneration of skeletal muscle. When the researchers used other methods to amplify Hedgehog signaling, mouse muscle again became less fatty. "I was sitting at the microscope and thought, 'Where's all the fat? It's gone!'" Kopinke said, recalling his eureka moment when he made the Hedgehog connection. "I was almost dancing." With further investigation, the researchers found that a key protein in the Hedgehog pathway called TIMP3 was responsible for the effect. By using a small molecule called batimastat, which mimics the effects of TIMP3, the researchers were able to block injury-induced fat formation in muscle. The team is now looking into other molecules that could have the same effect, which could potentially lead to treatments for age- and injury-related muscle loss in humans. "Now for the first time we have a handle on the cell type that turns muscle into fat, and we have a handle on the signaling pathway that controls the conversion," Kopinke said. "Maybe one day we could use this knowledge to improve muscle function." ### In addition to Reiter and Kopinke, UCSF authors of the new study include Elle C. Roberson, a graduate student in the UCSF Tetrad Program. The research was supported by National Institutes of Health, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Packard Foundation, ARCS Foundation Northern California Chapter and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. About UCSF: UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises top-ranked hospitals, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland - and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area. Please visit http://www.ucsf.edu/news. Follow UCSF ucsf.edu | Facebook.com/ucsf | Twitter.com/ucsf | YouTube.com/ucsf As the notion of nuclear hostilities leaps from its old, Cold War perch into modern debate, new calculations by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers show that even a limited nuclear strike could have disastrous global consequences. In a new report, a group of experts led by Adam Liska, a biological systems engineer at Nebraska, has determined that a single nuclear warhead could cause devastating climate change resulting in widespread drought and famine that could cost a billion lives. During the five decades of the Cold War, the doctrine of mutually assured destruction kept the Soviet Union and the United States in counterbalance, each nation recognizing that both would be annihilated if either attacked. But the old rules may no longer apply as more nations, including North Korea, have gained nuclear weapons. "We're losing our memory of the Cold War and we're losing our memory of how important it is to get this right," said co-author Tyler White, a political scientist who specializes in international security and nuclear policy. "Even a conflict that doesn't involve the United States can impact us and people around the world." Even though North Korea does not yet have a warhead capable of delivering the damage described in the article, the nuclear stakes were raised recently when it successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile with the capability to deliver a nuclear payload to Alaska as well as cities in Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, policy analysts say some nuclear powers have adopted doctrines that allow for limited strikes and for first use of nuclear weapons. Russian defense strategy, for example, contemplates limited nuclear strikes to deter or end conventional wars. Military strategists in the United States might consider limited use of nuclear weapons if the nation or an ally is in serious military jeopardy; in retaliation for a chemical or biological weapons attack; or to bring rogue nuclear states under control. Along with White, Liska enlisted experts in climate modeling and climate change to assemble the report, which appeared July 6 in Environment Magazine. Robert Oglesby, a professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences, specializes in climate modeling and climate change; and Eric Holley, a doctoral student in natural resources, has studied how insurance and financial incentives might be used to adapt to climate change. Using publicly available data on 19 types of weapons now held by five major nuclear powers -- the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France -- Liska and his colleagues calculated how many nuclear bombs in each category could be used before triggering conditions they describe as "nuclear autumn" or "nuclear drought." Not as severe as the nuclear winter predicted by scientists in the 1980s, a nuclear autumn nonetheless would significantly impact Earth's climate. "The question is not if a nuclear drought can occur, but what factors increase its probability of occurring and what actions can be taken to mitigate the potentially devastating global impacts?" said Liska, who specializes in life-cycle analysis to assess the environmental impacts of products and services. Other scientists previously have found nuclear blasts sufficient to ignite a developed area roughly the size of Los Angeles -- 500 square miles -- would throw 5.5 million tons of ash and soot into the stratosphere. Sunlight, temperatures and rainfall would decrease around the world, growing seasons would be significantly reduced for at least five years and global temperatures would be their lowest in 1,000 years. Rainfall could decrease by as much as 80 percent in some areas of the world. The black ash created by a nuclear blast would cool temperatures at the Earth's surface, Oglesby said. Because there would be less temperature difference between the lower and upper atmosphere, rainfall would dwindle and cast large areas of the planet into drought. "If the ash reaches the stratosphere, many months could pass before it dissipates," Oglesby said. Physicist Stephen Hawking and former Defense Secretary William Perry are among those who have recently warned about the growing danger of nuclear weapons use. Liska and colleagues found that the United States, Russia and China each have weapons, including air-dropped, intercontinental ballistic missiles and land-based missiles, that could trigger a nuclear drought with the detonation of fewer than five bombs. Each weapon represents only a fraction of their arsenals. China could cause a nuclear drought with the launch of a single land-based missile. It holds 20 of that type in its arsenal. The potential climate destruction posed by nuclear weapons is further compounded by climate change related to fossil fuel consumption, Liska added. More nations are turning to nuclear energy to reduce fossil fuel usage, which also creates opportunities for more nations to obtain nuclear weapons. Political instability as a result of people fleeing higher sea levels in the long term could exacerbate global conflict and increase the chance of limited nuclear confrontations. "We pulled together what is known about nuclear weapons today, to make a case about the magnitude of these impacts," Liska said. "With that understanding, we can make better choices going forward." ### PITTSBURGH, July 13, 2017 - The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has entered into an agreement with three world-renowned French research institutions, the University Pierre et Marie Curie of the Sorbonne Universites in Paris, the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm); and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), to focus on collaborative research and education in the fields of medicine and biomedical sciences. The agreement will enable researchers of all four institutions to cooperate on fundamental research, development of novel therapeutics, and clinical trials, with an initial focus on ophthalmology, vision and neuroscience. Along with joint research, the agreement also emphasizes exchange of academic personnel, joint academic conferences, and exchange of scientific, educational and scholarly materials. The agreement, signed on July 12 at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., highlights an important partnership between Pitt and the French institutions that was spurred by the recent recruitment of Jose-Alain Sahel, M.D., one of the world's top experts in retinal diseases, as the chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Pitt's School of Medicine, director of the UPMC Eye Center, and the Eye and Ear Foundation Chair of Ophthalmology. Sahel retained his connections to Paris as the founder and director of the Institut de la Vision in Paris and as a professor at the Universite Pierre-et-Marie-Curie of the Sorbonne Universites (which co-incidentally also is referred to by the acronym UPMC), a top ranked medical school and the largest scientific and medical complex in France. Inserm, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, is the only public research institution solely focused on human health and medical research in France and a leading medical research agency worldwide; and CNRS, the French National Center for Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe. "This agreement will further strengthen the robust scientific and educational partnerships between Pittsburgh and Paris, bringing to bear our outstanding intellectual capacities to address some of the most significant diseases that lead to blindness and vision impairment through basic and translational research," said Sahel "Taking on an immense challenge like the quest to cure blindness requires that we not only have bold ideas, but also the brightest minds to work on them. The University of Pittsburgh is proud to be a part of this international partnership that will bring together the world-class scientific community at Pitt with researchers from France under the able leadership of Dr. Sahel," said Arthur S. Levine, M.D., Pitt's senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of Medicine. ### About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu. http://www.upmc.com/media GALVESTON, Texas - Immunizing female mice with a Zika vaccine can protect their developing fetus from infection and birth defects during pregnancy, according to new research from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The findings are now available in Cell. Although rapid and promising progress on developing vaccines has been made with animal models, the UTMB study is the first to demonstrate that potential vaccines could protect a fetus from the Zika virus. "In the study, we were the first to show that two different potential vaccines given to the mother prevent the Zika virus from infecting the fetus during pregnancy in a mouse model," said UTMB's Pei-Yong Shi, senior author and the I.H. Kempner professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Based on these data, we believe that evaluating the vaccines' ability to prevent birth defects in humans is warranted." While a Zika infection typically results in mild or symptom-free infections in healthy adults and children, the risk of microcephaly and other diseases in a developing fetus is an alarming consequence that has created a worldwide health threat. Pregnant women who are infected with the Zika virus but never display any disease symptoms may still give birth to a baby with microcephaly. Female mice were vaccinated against Zika with one of the two developing vaccines prior to becoming pregnant and then exposed to the virus during their pregnancies. Shi and colleagues found the vaccinated pregnant mice showed little or no evidence of the virus in the mothers' body including the placenta or in the fetuses' bodies. "Having a Zika vaccine that can protect pregnant women and their unborn babies would improve public health efforts to avoid birth defects and other effects of the disease in regions where Zika is circulating," Shi said. ### Other authors include UTMB's Chao Shan, Camila Fontes, Bruno Nunes, Daniele Medeiros, Antonio Muruato, Huanle Luo, Tian Wang, Alan Barrett, Scott Weaver and Shannan Rossi; Justin Richner, Brett Jagger, Bin Cao, Elizabeth Caine and Indira Mysorekar from Washington University School of Medicine; Kimberly Dowd, Bryant Foreman and Theodore Pierson from the National Institutes of Health; Sunny Himansu and Giuseppe Ciaramella from Valeria LLC, a Moderna Venture as well as Pedro Vasconcelos from Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Para State University, Brazil. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advances Research Projects Agency, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the March of Dimes, Moderna, UTMB, The University of Texas System, the Pan American Health Organization, the Ministry of Health of Brazil, the Brazilian Agency for Scientific and Technological Development and the Coordination of Professionals of High Level Degree of Ministry of Education of Brazil. Mountaintop-removal coal mining causes many streams and rivers in Appalachia to run consistently saltier for up to 80 percent of the year, a new study by researchers at the University of Wyoming and Duke University finds. The scientists examined water quality in four watersheds that flow into southern West Virginia's Mud River basin, the site of extensive mountaintop mining in recent years. In mountaintop-removal mining, underground coal seams are exposed by blasting away summits or ridges above them. Any leftover debris and crushed rocks are deposited in neighboring valleys, creating "valley fills" that can stretch for long distances and bury entire streambeds. "Over time, alkaline salts and other contaminants from the coal residue and crushed rocks in these valley fills leach into nearby streams and rivers, degrading water quality and causing dramatic increases in salinity that are harmful to downstream ecosystems," says Fabian Nippgen, assistant professor of ecosystem science and management at the University of Wyoming. To compound matters, the porosity of the crushed rocks increases the water storage capacity of the valley fills. This decreases natural storm runoff during high-flow winter months while contributing proportionately more water to streamflows during the drier months that make up about 80 percent of the region's calendar year. "These significant alterations are likely to lead to saltier and more perennial streamflows throughout Appalachia, where at least 7 percent of the land has already been disturbed by mountaintop-removal mining," says Nippgen, who notes that mountaintop removal is not part of Wyoming's coal industry. "It's not just the mountains that are being changed." The new findings have implications not just for Appalachia, but for large portions of the eastern United States, other coal-mining regions and other areas where humans have dramatically changed Earth's surface, says Matthew Ross, a Ph.D. student at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. "The consequences are both an altered hydrologic regime -- which has implications for farming, urban water use and the environment -- as well as degradation of streamwater quality," he says. Nippgen, Ross and their co-authors published the peer-reviewed study this week in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. It is among the first studies to document mountaintop-removal coal mining's long-term impacts on watershed, and to show how mined areas contribute to local and regional streamflow. "This work demonstrates that mined watersheds contribute disproportionately to summer baseflow through the Appalachian region, so that mine-derived pollutants are at higher concentrations, and are transported farther downstream, during these low flow times of year. That means many more Appalachian rivers are now flowing year-round and are consistently salty," says Brian L. McGlynn, professor of watershed hydrology and biogeosciences at Duke's Nicholas School. ### Emily S. Bernhardt, the Jerry G. and Patricia Crawford Hubbard Professor of biogeochemistry at Duke, co-wrote the paper with Nippgen, Ross and McGlynn. Funding came from the National Science Foundation. An interactive website detailing the new research is online at https://mtm-hydro.web.duke.edu. It only takes a simple compass to demonstrate that the earth has a magnetic field - but it is quite difficult to explain how exactly it is created. Without any doubt, our planet's hot core, consisting mainly of iron, plays an important part. In combination with the earth's rotation, it builds up a powerful "dynamo effect", which creates a magnetic field. But with iron alone, this effect cannot be explained. A team of researchers, led by Prof. Alessandro Toschi and Prof. Karsten Held (TU Wien) and Prof. Giorgio Sangiovanni (Wurzburg University) has now published calculations in the journal "Nature Communications", which show that the theory of the geodynamo has to be revised. As it turns out, it is crucial for the dynamo effect that the earth's core contains up to 20% nickel - a metal, which under extreme conditions behaves quite differently from iron. Extreme Heat and Pressure The earth's core is about as big as the moon and as hot as the surface of the sun. There is a pressure of hundreds of gigapascals - that is comparable to the pressure which several railway locomotives would exert if they could be balanced on one square millimetre. "Under these extreme conditions, materials behave in a way which may be quite different from what we are used to", says Karsten Held. "It is hardly possible to recreate these conditions in a lab, but with sophisticated computer simulations, we are able to calculate the behaviour of metals in the earth's core on a quantum mechanical level." The heat of the earth's core has to find a way to escape. Hot material rises up to the outer layers of the globe, creating convection currents. At the same time, the earth's rotation leads to strong Coriolis forces. In combination these effects produce a complicated spiralling flow of hot material. "When electrical currents are created in such a system of flows, they can cause a magnetic field which in turn increases the electrical current and so forth - and finally the magnetic field becomes so strong that we can measure it on the surface of the earth", says Alessandro Toschi. Conducting Heat Up until now, however, nobody could really explain how these convection currents emerge in the first place: iron is a very good heat conductor and at high pressure its thermal conductivity increases even more. "If the earth's core consisted only of iron, the free electrons in the iron could handle the heat transport by themselves, without the need for any convection currents", says Karsten Held. "Then, earth would not have a magnetic field at all." However, our planet's core also contains almost 20% nickel. For a long time, this fact was not considered to be particularly important. But as it turns out, nickel plays a crucial role: "Under pressure, nickel behaves differently from iron", says Alessandro Toschi. "At high pressure, the electrons in nickel tend to scatter much more than the electrons in iron. As a consequence, the thermal conductivity of nickel and, thus, the thermal conductivity of the earth's core is much lower than it would be in a core consisting only of iron." Due to the significant proportion of nickel, the heat of the high-temperature earth core cannot flow towards the planet's surface by means of the motion of the electrons alone. As a result, convection currents have to emerge, which eventually build up the earth's magnetic field. To obtain these results, different metallic structures had to be analysed in large-scale computer simulations, and the behaviour of their electrons had to be calculated. The many-particle-calculations were performed by Andreas Hausoel (University of Wurzburg), some of them on the Vienna Scientific Cluster (VSC). "Together with our colleagues from Wurzburg, we did not only have a look at iron and nickel, but also at alloys of these two materials. We also had to take imperfections and irregularities into account, which made the computer simulations even more challenging", says Karsten Held. These advanced simulation methods are not only important to obtain a better understanding of the earth's magnetic field, they also provide new insights into the electronic scattering processes in different materials. Alessandro Toschi is convinced: "Soon, these improvements of computational material algorithms will also lead to exciting forefront applications in chemistry, biology, industry and technology." ### Contact information: Prof. Karsten Held Institute for Solid State Physics TU Wien Wiedner Hauptstrae 8, 1040 Vienna T: +43-1-58801-13710 karsten.held@tuwien.ac.at Prof. Alessandro Toschi Institute for Solid State Physics TU Wien Wiedner Hauptstrae 8, 1040 Vienna T: +43-1-58801-13762 alessandro.toschi@tuwien.ac.at HAVANA, Cuba (July 13, 2017) - Experts from WCS's Global Conservation Programs and WCS's Bronx Zoo assisted Cuban conservationists in the recent release of 10 Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer) into Cuba's Zapata Swamp as part of an ongoing recovery strategy for this Critically Endangered species. These genetically pure crocodiles came from a breeding facility near the Zapata swamp. Hybridization with American crocodiles, which occur in the Southwestern tip of the Zapata Peninsula, is an ongoing issue and has contributed to the Cuban crocodile's continuing decline. Cuban crocodiles face other threats, such as an increase in illegal hunting in recent years, so the release of captive bred Cuban crocodiles and the protection of these reptiles from poaching and hybridization is critical to the survival of the species in the wild. The crocodiles were released in the Wildlife Refuge Channels of Hanabana (Refugio de Fauna Canales de Hanabana) - a 570 hectare (1,400 acre) mosaic of water channels, lagoons, marsh grasslands, and swamp forests in the easternmost Zapata Peninsula where Cuban crocodiles historically occurred. Marsh grasslands in this refuge provide crucial habitat for not only Cuban crocodiles, but prey including bird, fish and mammal species. No American crocodiles or hybrids are found in this Wildlife Refuge. The recent release, which took place on June 8th, is the second reintroduction since Cuba started to release Cuban crocodiles in 2016. The decision to release the crocodiles followed a workshop of crocodile experts organized by WCS and Cuban institutions, including the Fundacion Antonio Nunez Jimenez, CITMA Cienaga de Zapata, and Empresa Nacional para la Proteccion de la Flora y la Fauna. The workshop brought together 40 Cuban nationals working for the conservation of crocodiles in Cuba, and 30 international experts. The workshop resulted in a series of agreed priorities for improving the conservation of crocodiles, including: strengthening the research and monitoring of Cuban crocodiles in the wild; increasing efforts to reintroduce and monitor reintroduced animals in Channels of Hanabana; working with local communities to reduce poaching through alternative livelihoods and environmental education; and working with local authorities to strengthen compliance to reduce illegal selling of crocodile meat. Said Natalia Rossi, WCS Cuba Program Manager: "This workshop was important because it enabled the second release of Cuban crocodiles into the wild and motivated all participants to do even more to save this critically endangered species. Our workshop was fundamental to bring everyone together to share the work being done to save the Cuban crocodile." The critically endangered Cuban crocodile has the smallest, most restricted geographic distribution among all living crocodilian species, being only found in parts of the Zapata and Lanier swamps. Historically it was found throughout the Zapata Peninsula, but indiscriminate hunting for skins beginning in the second half of the 19th century and lasting until the early 1960s decimated most populations. Today, Cuban crocodiles inhabit a territory of about 77,600 hectares (191,700 acres), sharing habitat with the American crocodile and the hybrids of both species. WCS's John Thorbjarnarson began working on Cuban crocodiles in the 1990s, and WCS's Bronx Zoo was the first U.S. zoo to successfully breed Cuban crocodiles. The first one hatched in 1983; six more hatched in 1984, and 21 in 1985. There has been no reproduction since then, but the zoo has a new young pair of crocodiles that will be introduced to each other late this year. Kevin Torregrosa, Herpetology Collections Manager for WCS's Bronx Zoo, attended the workshop to establish collaboration opportunities with individuals working with crocodiles in the breeding centers as well as with wild populations. Said Torregrosa: "Cuba is a fairly isolated island and getting the chance to see the conservation effort in practice was very enlightening. I believe the Cubans were very happy to have the opportunity to show the international community the work that they have been doing." WCS's Cuba Program has helped establish strong collaborations in the pursuit of safeguarding the island nation's wildlife and natural resources. In addition to working to conserve both Cuban and American crocodiles in Zapata and Birama Swamps, WCS has helped protect raptors in the inland forests of eastern Cuba and shark species inhabiting the rich coastal waters of Jardines de la Reina National Park. WCS-Cuba has partnered with national agencies to help train three generations of conservation educators and decision makers through professional exchanges and applied ecological teaching, and worked to balance conservation with support for local livelihoods and culture. ### WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world's oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: 347-840-1242. Place Your Advert Register or sign in to advertise your job Supermarket giant Morrisons has today pledged to support British farming by stocking 100 per cent British fresh meat in all of its stores. The retailers CEO David Potts made the announcement at The Great Yorkshire Show. Mr Potts said that Morrisons will no longer stock imported lamb from New Zealand and Australia and will instead move to 100% British in its own-label brand Market Deals. The move to fully support British livestock farmers has been praised by the NFU. Reacting to todays announcement, NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said: We are extremely pleased that Morrisons has shown this level of commitment and chosen to fully back British sheep producers. Morrisons has traditionally been a strong supporter of the British livestock industry and much of its messaging to shoppers is centred on stocking 100% British Red Tractor assured fresh meat. This move will certainly make it easier for shoppers who want to buy British lamb in store but have previously been confused by the Market Deals labels. 'High-profile commitment' NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: We appreciate that Morrisons purchase a significant number of lambs every year, around 750,000, so this high-profile commitment to source 100% British lamb across all its lines provides a very welcome boost for the UK sheep sector at a time when our future trading relationships is uncertain. It is vitally important that we see strong support from British retail and consumers. Numerous other retailers and supermarkets have opted for 100 per cent British. All of Sainsbury's lamb products will be 100% sourced from British farms from this month, after making the announcement last May. In May this year, the Co-op committed to source only fresh British lamb and bacon. Constitutional bench to conduct hearing on writ against CJ Karki's impeachment The Supreme Court has decided to refer the writ petition against the motion to impeach then Chief Justice Sushila Karki to a constitutional bench for hearing. A government pledge to British farmers to match-fund projects financed by the EU in the wake of Brexit offers a 'unique opportunity that many don't know about'. It's a move which could cost up to 6bn a year and was made when institutions were worried about funding drying up when Britain left the EU. Simon Britton, a partner at George F White, told the Yorkshire Post that people were using Brexit as an 'excuse' not to do things. He said: "It's a good time to apply for a grant. There is a real breadth of grants available, and for up to 40 per cent. "It's really significant, and I don't think people really know it," he said. The Treasury says farmers will get the same level of funding they would have received until the end of parliament and it is 'considering the options for long-term reform beyond that point.' Reassurances The NFU said the Treasury's commitment was 'positive' for farmers. NFU President Meurig Raymond said: "I hope that this short-term certainty will help to deliver longer-term confidence and this is exactly what farm businesses need now." The union said it had given farmers much-needed certainty: "This should mean that farmers can count on receiving the Basic Payment Scheme through to 2020 and that agri-environment schemes already in place are guaranteed through to their conclusion." Andy Tordoff, head of Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in Yorkshire said funding was not a problem as the UK moved towards leaving the EU. He said: "At this time, there is a healthy budget available to help rural businesses grow and diversity. "It is a real window of opportunity and the application process is open until next January." 'Stability and certainty' Chancellor Philip Hammond said the government was determined to ensure that people have 'stability and certainty' in the period leading up to departure from the EU. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell welcomed his decision. "This will help to give some reassurance to communities and businesses right the way across the UK." The Wildlife Trusts said agri-environment schemes are a vital way of supporting farmers and landowners who want to help wildlife. "We would like to see them kept open for as long as possible and until a replacement scheme, at least as good as what we currently have but preferably better, is operative. The Treasury said: "We will consult closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK's national interest, while ensuring appropriate investor certainty. The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to investigate isolated cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease. The response to BSE after the crisis of the 1980s in Europe has significantly reduced prevalence of the disease in cattle. However, isolated cases are still being reported in the EU and for this reason the European Commission asked EFSA to investigate their origin. The key measure for controlling BSE in the EU is a ban on the use of animal proteins in livestock feed. This is because BSE can be transmitted to cattle through contaminated feed, mainly in the first year of life. Sixty cases of classical BSE have been reported in cattle born after the EU ban was enforced in 2001. None of these animals entered the food chain. Classical BSE is the type of BSE transmissible to humans. Contamianted feed The Commission asked EFSA to determine if these cases were caused by contaminated feed or whether they occurred spontaneously, i.e. without an apparent cause. EFSA experts concluded that contaminated feed is the most likely source of infection. This is because the infectious agent that causes BSE has the ability to remain active for many years. Cattle may have been exposed to contaminated feed because the BSE infectious agent was present where feed was stored or handled. A second possibility is that contaminated feed ingredients may have been imported from non-EU countries. Experts could not rule out other causes due to the difficulty of investigating individual cases. Some constraints are the long incubation period of the disease and the lack of detailed information available from farms at the time of the trace-back investigation. EFSA experts made a series of recommendations to maintain and strengthen the EU monitoring and reporting system, and to evaluate new scientific data that become available. An antibiotic campaign group has called on the government to make sure the Great Repeal Bill protects EU standards on farm antibiotic use. The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics is calling on the government to ensure that its Repeal Bill, published today (13 July), fully converts EU legislation controlling farm antibiotic use into UK law. Any substantive changes to policies and standards should be made by primary legislation only, requiring a full and proper role for scientific and parliamentary scrutiny, the campaign group said. The government is also being urged to work with other EU countries 'urgently' to put an end to all routine preventative farm antibiotic use. 'Restrict and reduce' Coilin Nunan, of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said: Scientists and medics are warning we face a post-antibiotic era unless we take urgent action to restrict and reduce antibiotic use in both human and veterinary medicine. The Government should be moving without further delay to ban routine preventative farm antibiotic use, just as several other European countries have already done. Any attempt to use Brexit and the Repeal Bill as a backdoor means to avoiding implementation of the highest standards would be hugely irresponsible in an era of superbugs. 'Mass medication' In March 2016, the European Parliament voted by 95% in favour of new veterinary medicines regulations that would ban mass medication with antibiotics for groups of animals where no disease has been diagnosed within the group. However, the ban has not yet become EU law because the regulations are still being discussed by European Union Member States. The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics said the British government claims to support the proposed ban but refuses to take regulatory action before the EU regulations are agreed. Legally binding standards The group said the ongoing delays in the implementation of the new EU veterinary medicines regulations may mean that no ban on preventative mass medication with antibiotics will be included in UK law when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019. The UK government has not yet committed to banning preventative mass medication, and is instead relying on voluntary initiatives and industry pledges to reduce farm antibiotic use. The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics argues that either the government must commit the UK now to legally binding standards, or to compliance with EU standards via the Repeal Bill. Over 17,000 people affected by dementia in Wales live in rural areas, according to a report released which presses the government for more help on the issue. It said that rural areas are less likely to commission services specifically for people with dementia. People affected by dementia visited Gorwel Farm, in Newcastle Emlyn, West Wales, on Monday (10 July) to take part in a range of activities including milking time and a rural reminiscence session. The event, held in partnership between Alzheimers Society Cymru and the Countryside Alliance Foundation, is part of the charities campaign to engage people with dementia in rural areas. Alzheimers Society Cymrus report, Dementia in Rural Wales published last, year estimated that over 17,000 people affected by dementia in Wales live in rural areas. 'Relive past experiences' Marcia Vale, Dementia Friendly Communities Coordinator for West Wales said: This has given people with dementia who have a farming background a great opportunity to spend time on the farm, relive past experiences and enjoy the activities that take place there. Rurality brings about an additional set of challenges for people affected by dementia. Rural areas are less likely to commission services specifically for people with dementia, access can prove difficult as transport links are often poorer and there are barriers such as a lack of Welsh language services. Farming memories for people with dementia in rural areas These factors can all make it more likely that people in rural areas will experience feelings of isolation and loneliness. This combined with Wales ageing population the biggest risk factor for developing dementia - presents a growing challenge. 'Re-connect' The UK's first ever research to address dementia in farming and rural communities, released in January, has identified areas of significant concern. The four areas of concern identified by the study were: the farm environment; a reluctance to ask for help; support services, and; changing rural communities. Jamie McCoy of Gorwel Farm said: Most families are touched by dementia, and ours is no different. It has been an absolute pleasure to able to contribute in a small way by hosting this group of 'former farmers', and I hope their time spent on farm has provided some enjoyment, reminiscence and time to re-connect with livestock. New strategy Alzheimers Society Cymru have pressed for the Welsh Governments new dementia strategy, Together for a Dementia-Friendly Wales (expected this autumn) to address ways to better support the specific needs of people living with dementia in rural Wales. Sue Phelps, Director of Alzheimers Society Cymru added: Research is desperately needed to best understand what the issues surrounding rurality are and the extent of the problem to enable us to plan and deliver effective information, support and services that are accessible and responsive to the needs of on people affected by dementia in rural Wales. COP27: Energy and food security must be addressed, farm leaders say KFC launching a limited edition Huawei 7 Plus in China News oi -Vijeta KFC has joined hands with smartphone manufacturer Huawei to come up with a Colonel Sanders themed smartphone in China which will have KFC app and K music app pre-installed. KFC has completed three decades in China and to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary the American fast food restaurant chain is coming up with a smartphone in collaboration with Huawei. KFC announced the launch of a smartphone which will have a Colonel theme. KFC joined hands with biggest smartphone brand in China, Huawei, to come up with a Colonel themed smartphone. The senior vice president of KFC marketing, Steven Li stated,"Both brands have witnessed the rise of China in these 30 years, and both embody the spirit of the times. Our collaboration is a homage to the era." Huawei's 7 Plus has been redesigned by KFC and the smartphone features in red color with Colonel Sanders face and '1987', the year KFC debuted in China, on the rear panel. The smartphone is branded as KFC Huawei 7 Plus and is available for a limited period of time on Chinese online retail store Tmall. The smartphone has been priced at 1099 Yuan or Rs. 10440. Huawei has also pre-installed a couple of apps on the smartphone which includes KFC app and Kmusic. KFC Huawei 7 Plus buyers will get 10,000 K Dollars which are basically virtual credits that users can spend on their KFC orders. K music app, on the other hand, works as a jukebox and users can play their favorite music on the sound systems throughout 5000 KFC outlets in China. This is not the first time KFC has tried to drop in an element of digital surprise for its consumers in China. It also introduced a store operated by robots earlier this year along with a facial recognition ordering kiosk which suggests orders based on facial expressions. Image source Best Mobiles in India Motorola releases new press invite for smartphone with shatterproof display News oi -Chandrika Motorola has just sent out a new media invite through a teaser, which reads, "Shatter your expectations". As we have reported earlier, Motorola is all set to hold a launch event on July 25 in New York City, where it is said to unveil the Moto Z2 or Z2 Force along with the Moto X4. Now, Motorola has just sent out a new media invite through a teaser, which reads, "Shatter your expectations". Presumably, the teaser hints towards a smartphone that will feature a shatterproof display. Just like always, the invitation doesn't reveal the name of the device or devices (just guesswork here). However, you can see two smartphones broken displays placed on either side of the invite. Those who are not aware, Motorola's ShatterShield technology makes the display with a rigid aluminum core. Moreover, an AMOLED panel covers the display for providing better protection for floor drops and falls. In addition, there lies a dual touch layer, along with interior and exterior lenses which protect the smartphone from physical damage. Last week, Motorola had sent another press invite for the July 25 event. The Motorola invite features colored tunnels in flash red, pink, orange, yellow, and blue lights. It reads, "you won't want to miss this". The company is also expected to launch the new range of Moto Mod accessories at the same event. It company recently introduced the 360-degree panoramic camera Moto Mod that can capture 360-degree videos and photos. Previously, Motorola has assured that any new Moto Mods will be compatible with the new Moto Z lineup of smartphones. So if not the Moto X4, we are quite sure that the Moto Z2 and/or Moto Z2 Force will get unveiled on July 25. Here you can check out the leaked press render of the Moto Z2 Force. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications House unanimously passes bill A meeting of the Legislature-Parliament on Wednesday unanimously endorsed the Civil Servant Adjustment Bill 2017. Now you can buy the Nokia 3 at 0% interest loan News oi -Chandrika The offer is giving customers the option to pay their EMIs in six and seven months. Home Credit India Finance Pvt. Ltd, the non-banking financial company (NBFC), has partnered with HMD Global, to offer interest-free loans on the purchase of Nokia 3 smartphone. "This strategic partnership is aimed at enabling customers to have easier access to Nokia phones with hassle-free financing options. We are optimistic that our collaboration with HMD will make buying of the new range of mobiles much easier and convenient given our huge network of point of sales across the country," said Mr. Tomas Hrdlicka, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India Finance, while commenting on the partnership. Home Credit is financing purchase of these smartphones by offering 0% interest loans with flexible EMI and down payment options. The offer is giving customers the option to pay their EMIs in six and seven months. "The consumer is always at the center of whatever we do. Keeping this in mind, it is our constant endeavor to offer a smooth and convenient ownership experience to our consumers. This led to our partnership with Home Credit to ensure that consumers buying Nokia 3 can avail of 'interest-free' financial schemes," added Ajey Mehta, Vice President India, HMD Global. To locate a store in your city, you can visit Home Credit India website or give a missed call on the number +919004690046 to speak to a Home Credit Loan Expert. The Nokia 3 is available in four distinct colours - Matte Black, Silver White, Tempered Blue and Copper White - and is available at a recommended best buy price of Rs. 9,499. In related news, Home Credit India also launched a Mobile App that provides customers with a one-stop view of loan details, repayment schedule, information on the due amount, and payment date of loans. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Haiti - Social : Passing of the poet writer Jean-Claude Fignole Tuesday, July 11, passed away the writer poet professor and former mayor of Abricotsn Jean-Claude Fignole. President Jovenel Moise : "President Jovenel Moise salutes the memory of a talented writer, a great intellectual figure [...] The death of Professor and poet Jean-Claude Fignole is a great loss for the country. His brilliant intelligence, his kindness, his commitment to the renovation of his hometown as Mayor of the Abricots, as well as many other qualities will miss us a lot [...] Jean-Claude Fignole had created a place of choice for himself in Haitian intellectual circles with his remarkable novel work whose originality and relevance have been hailed throughout the world. On his own behalf and on behalf of his entire administration, President Jovenel Moise presents his sincere condolences to the family of the writer Jean-Claude Fignole and his family." Prime Minister Lafontant : "On behalf of the Government, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, salutes the memory of an immense writer and sends his sad condolences to his family, his relatives and the cultural world." Read more about Jean-Claude Fignole : Jean-Claude Fignole, born May 24, 1941 in Jeremie, was one of the founders of the literary movement called spiralism in collaboration with Franketienne and Rene Philoctete. So he had put his knowledge, his vision at the service of education at the College Jean Price Mars that he had co-founded with Rene Philoctete and Victor Benoit. His romantic work of a great variety has deeply marked Haitian literature as much by its modernity, its realism as by the exceptional work realized at the level of the writing and the language, as testify in particular in the "Les Possedes de la pleine lune" and "Aube tranquille". In the 1980s, he provided essential support to the inhabitants of his native village of Abricots in the Grand'Anse. A father of three, Jean-Claude Fignole has been mayor of the commune of Apricots since 2007. He assisted the inhabitants in a development work of all necessity (reforestation, education, health, road constructions, agriculture) in order to stem the rural exodus. HL/ HaitiLibre BJP leader Subramanian Swamy went volcanic in words and minced no words while advocating abrogation of Article 370 that gives special status to Jammu & Kashmir and enforcing of Uniform Civil Code in the entire country. Delivering a speech on the Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code organized jointly by Bharatiya Vichar Manch and Jammu & Kashmir Study Centre at Sai Sabhagruha Hall in Nagpur on Saturday, July 5, Swamy said dwelt on Article 370, Ram Mandir and making learning of Sanskrit a matter of pride for Indians. Spearheading the tone for abolishing of Article 370, Swamy categorically blamed successive Congress Governments since Independence and charged it of not handling the Kashmir issue properly. He specifically blamed Pt Jawaharlal Nehru for giving the problematic gift (Article 370) to the nation and that problem is still engulfing the nation. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar strived hard for Uniform Civil Code in entire country but Nehru paid no heed to Dr Ambedkars vision. On the contrary, Nehru created Article 370 that gives special status to Jammu & Kashmir. Dr Ambedkar had warned of dangers that lied in future but Pt Nehru stuck to his adamant stand and stressed upon creation of Article 370. Moreover, by taking the Jammu & Kashmir issue to United Nations, Nehru put the country in grave danger. However, Kashmir will remain an integral part of India, asserted Swamy. Swamy further described the Article 370 as a temporary provision and said it could be abolished at any point of time by the President through an Ordinance. For this, we need a strong Government at the Centre and it is surely going to happen in near future as Narendra Modi who is in favour of abolishing the Article, has become Prime Minister, he said. (Article 370 specifies that except for Defence, Foreign Affairs, Communications and ancillary matters specified in the instrument of accession, the Indian Parliament needs the State Governments concurrence for applying all other laws. Thus the states residents lived under a separate set of laws, including those related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights, as compared to other Indians.) Amidst huge rousing welcome and applause by the fully packed hall, Subramaniam Swamy stressed on implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the valley as soon as possible and if the conditions prevail, he opined the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will implement it very soon. He further said that the legality of the instrument of Accession signed in favour of India by the then Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K on October 26, 1947 has to prevail. The Article 370 can be removed from the Constitution. And for abolishing Article 370, India does not require the wishes of Kashmir people to be ascertained. The President of India by notification can scrap Article 370(3), which confers special status on the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Swamy said the displaced Kashmiri Pandits should get back their land and suggested to resettle ex-servicemen in the valley to combat any threat s to them. There is no need to be defensive and we need to be clear in our mind. A large number of ex-servicemen (double than displaced Kashmiri Pandits) can be sent for ensuring the safety of them, Swamy said andreminded majority Muslim population that Kashmirs accession with India was a true to life fact. No Muslim country in the world is a secular country. Muslim if in majority in any country practice Sharia law. The struggle for Kashmir by the Jihadis thus is not just for Independence. They, instead, want a Darul Islam there and for the State to become a part of the Caliphate. If in majority then crush the minority is their mentality. He raised concerns about the Muslim rise in population and their expansion. He also spoke on the illegal migration by the Bangladeshis into the country and advocated to annex land from Bangladesh in proportion to the illegal migrants from that country staying in India. At present, the northern third from Sylhet to Khulna can be annexed to re-settle illegal migrants. He informed that when Muslims in Australia, France and many other countires have accepted Uniform Civil Code then why do they not accept it in India. He also said there is scope of working out solutions with China as that country is also becoming victim of terrorism from Uzbekistan militants who get training in Pakistan. Swamy praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for two things: One is for creating a base in northern frontier with 40 Sukhois ready and second, not resigning from his post during crisis as it would have made (fool) Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of India. Seated on dais were convener of Bharatiya Vichar Manch Mangesh Tol and Anil Bhardwaj of Jammu & Kashmir Study Centre. Source : Nagpur Today The news that a Jaz in the City is set to open at the very heart of historic Vienna in 2020 means that the Austrian capital will soon boast a further hotel. This will make Vienna the first foreign location at which all three Deutsche Hospitality brands are represented. The Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof and the IntercityHotel Vienna are already firmly established in A1 central positions. The newly planned hotel is being developed at Windmuhlengasse 28 in Vienna"s Sixth District, only 100 metres from the large pedestrianised shopping area at Mariahilfer Strae and 200 metres away from the "Naschmarkt", the city"s most famous food market. This is a quarter of Vienna that enjoys considerable popularity thanks to its host of tourist attractions, museums, restaurants and shops. The Jaz Vienna will offer 167 rooms including two suites. There will also be a restaurant complete with a bar, a small conference area and a health and beauty spa facility. Deutsche Hospitality will operate the hotel under a management agreement. The developer is Immovate Holding GmbH. Rosewood Hotel Group has appointed Jim Struna as Regional Director of Revenue Management, Eastern US and the Caribbean. In this role, Mr Struna will develop Rosewoods revenue management team and execute creative strategies in pricing, distribution, and on-site reservations, with the aim of elevating revenue management outcomes. Mr Struna joins Rosewood with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently, Mr Struna led revenue management for the Auberge Resorts Collection as the Corporate Director of Revenue Management. Prior to this role, Mr Struna held the position of Director of Marketing, Sales, and Revenue Management at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, he has held senior leadership positions with Ginn Hospitality, Expedia, Inc., Hotwire, Millennium Copthorne Hotels, and Richfield Hospitality. Mr Struna also boasts extensive experience in sales and digital marketing in a range of markets including New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Orlando, Northern California, and the Caribbean Islands. Canada's total construction pipeline shows a 7 percent spike in hotel project development year-over-year (YOY), according to Lodging Econometrics (LE). The Canadian pipeline currently comprises 214 projects and 28,299 guestrooms. Projects under construction have jumped 12 percent YOY with 75 projects and 10,700 guestrooms. A 29 percent increase YOY is reported for projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months, with 84 projects and 9,808 guestrooms. Projects in the early planning stage are down 19 percent with 55 projects and 7,791 guestrooms. Marriott International has the most invested in the Canadian construction pipeline with 46 projects and 6,997 guestrooms in development, followed by Hilton Worldwide (29 projects and 3,649 guestrooms) and InterContinental Hotels Group (28 projects and 3,149 guestrooms). The largest brands in the pipeline for each company, respectively, are Courtyard by Marriott with 12 projects and 1,733 guestrooms; Hampton Inn with eight projects and 825 guestrooms; and Holiday Inn Express with 18 projects and 1,935 guestrooms. Toronto has the largest pipeline of any Canadian city with 37 projects and 4,960 guestrooms. Calgary accounts for 18 projects and 2,808 guestrooms, and Montreal has 12 projects and 1,652 guestrooms. About Lodging Econometrics (LE) For nearly 25 years, Lodging Econometrics (LE) has been the industry-leading provider of global hotel intelligence and decision-maker contact information. LE custom-builds business development database programs for hotel franchise companies looking to accelerate their brand growth, hotel ownership and management companies seeking to expand their real estate portfolios, and lodging industry vendors interested in increasing their sales. To learn more about our business development programs, contact us: +1 603.431.8740 or [email protected]lodgingeconometrics.com. Our friends at Koddi know a thing or two about metasearch - and, most importantly, they know what hoteliers want to know about metasearch. They've put together a guide to the top meta FAQs - with pictures! Take a look to find out: The top ten metasearch markets The biggest influences on a buyer's decision The most effective way to advertise low rates (note: it's not strikethrough pricing...) And if you want to dive deeper into the world of metasearch, check out Koddi's guide to Metasearch at Scale. Koddi's Top Metasearch FAQs Photo by Koddi About Triptease Triptease is a SaaS startup building industry-leading software for the hotel industry. The company was co-founded in 2015 by Charlie Osmond, Alasdair Snow and Alexandra Zubko and has offices in London, New York, Barcelona and Singapore. Triptease's most recent funding was led by British Growth Fund alongside Notion Capital and Episode 1. The Triptease Platform is built to help hotels take back control of their distribution and increase their direct revenue. The platform identifies a hotel's most valuable guests then works across the entire customer journey - from acquisition to conversion - to make sure they book directly at the hotel. View source Does your travel company have what it takes to succeed in travel? Is your product or app a key weapon in your battle to win and engage travel consumers? New travel brands will find out as they battle it out as part of EyeforTravel's Start-Up Travel Awards taking place in Las Vegas on October 19th- 20th, as part of EyeforTravel's North America 2017 Summit. EyeforTravel's Start-Up Awards seek to recognize young brands who are making significant progress for travel and trailblazing the way for others to follow. "Start-ups represents a fundamental shift in travel innovation. At EyeforTravel we believe that the brands investing and innovating in new offerings deserve to be recognised", says Tim Gunstone, MD, EyeforTravel Ltd. Travel is being disrupted by factors such as: the sharing economy, mobile, social media and that constant drive to deliver the best customer experience. Technology is transforming the way travel is sold providing exciting opportunities to enhance the customer experience, grow loyalty and ancillary revenues. The Start-up awards is a day-long event: Starting with learning sessions quizzing travel entrepreneurs on their secrets of success Meet the investors and see what they look for in a travel start-up Start-up Pitches for the companies that are shortlisted Finalists and Winners announced The lucky top two will have the opportunity to impress over 400+ senior executives from leading travel brands, including Priceline, Expedia, Alaska Airlines, Hyatt Hotels, IHG, Marriott, Skyscanner and more during the keynotes on Day 2 of the event. This will be followed by a conference attendees' live voting, who will decide the winner for 2017. Successful applications stand the chance to receive much needed advice, funding and exposure against a backdrop of a new wave of innovation in mobile, data and technology. Last year's finalists include Beyond Pricing, Clarifai, Neir analytics bi, RueBaRue, Travelaer, Trusted Housesitters and yanatrip. As Charles Ralston from TripStreak commented: "The Start-up Awards is great value for money, especially for start-ups that can't typically afford to spend thousands on conferences. Bravo to EyeforTravel for pioneering this!" To see a list of the confirmed judges, register to pitch or just attend, click here to learn more. All entries must be received by August 31st. Find out how to enter your brand and for full terms and conditions, visit http://events.eyefortravel.com/travel-distribution-summit-north-america/awards.php For all awards enquiries, please contact Renu Kannu @ EyeforTravel. Details below. Renu Kannu Project and Content Director | Eyefortravel W: +44 20 7375 7197 [email protected] About Reuters Events Reuters Events is a community where the worlds top online travel brands from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry. We know that working in the turbulent online travel industry is as exciting as it is challenging. In this constantly evolving market place, we appreciate that keeping up with the pace of change can be tough, not to mention time consuming. You need the right information, contacts and strategic insight to succeed. Established in 1997, by Tim Gunstone, we offer a diverse product portfolio including industry analysis, insights, research, webinars, reports and conferences to suit the needs of our clients. Our clients read as a whos who of online travel. From major hotel brands to new startups, we help our 80,000 strong customer base make better decisions, build better brands, close the most lucrative deals and ultimately sell more of their product. After all, increasing travel brand profit margins in the cutthroat travel industry is the name of the game! No other online travel intelligence provider has been charting the growth of online travel as long as we have. We were here at the inception of online travel and we know the industry inside out. Whats more, were a small, friendly team. Forget impersonal hierarchies, we like to get to know our customers and work towards their exact needs. Meredith Pistulka EyeforTravel has partnered with Simpliflying to create an exclusive 2-day Airline Marketing Innovations Lab, taking place alongside the 19th Annual North America 2017 Summit on the 19th and 20th October at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas. Specifically designed for airlines, this event will be attended by over 60 of the most innovative airline marketing leaders. The lab will focus on business- critical trends facing the airline industry including brand & personalization, crisis management, real-time customer service, loyalty and more! Previous labs have been held in Singapore and London. Dennis Owen, Group Social Media Manager at Cathay Pacific says, 'The thing I find most valuable about the lab is the opportunity to talk to my counterparts. The things you're struggling with or trying to figure out, everybody is too. In terms of airline conferences, this is my favourite by far'. The focus topics for this year include: Social customer care Crisis communications Driving revenue from social/ mobile Brand personalisation Brand loyalty Big Data You can expect senior level industry speakers and attendance from globally renowned brands including Cathay Pacific, Southwest Airlines, Virgin America, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, WestJet, Lufthansa and many more! This is a fantastic opportunity to participate in intimate roundtables, panel discussions, and practical live experiments helping you gain insights and develop solutions to the most pressing challenges facing airlines today. The Airline Marketing Manifesto 2020, developed by Shashank Nigam, Founder& CEO of SimpliFlying states "Together we recognise how airline marketing has evolved. We aim to identify the key airline marketing truths going forward into 2020, and commit to agree on how airlines can succeed in the age of the 'connected traveller". To find out more about the Airline Marketing Innovations Lab, visit http://events.eyefortravel.com/travel-distribution-summit-north-america/simpliflying-lab-las-vegas.php For any further questions, contact Renu Kannu @ EyeforTravel. Details below. Renu Kannu Project and Content Director | Eyefortravel W: +44 20 7375 7197 [email protected] About Reuters Events Reuters Events is a community where the worlds top online travel brands from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry. We know that working in the turbulent online travel industry is as exciting as it is challenging. In this constantly evolving market place, we appreciate that keeping up with the pace of change can be tough, not to mention time consuming. You need the right information, contacts and strategic insight to succeed. Established in 1997, by Tim Gunstone, we offer a diverse product portfolio including industry analysis, insights, research, webinars, reports and conferences to suit the needs of our clients. Our clients read as a whos who of online travel. From major hotel brands to new startups, we help our 80,000 strong customer base make better decisions, build better brands, close the most lucrative deals and ultimately sell more of their product. After all, increasing travel brand profit margins in the cutthroat travel industry is the name of the game! No other online travel intelligence provider has been charting the growth of online travel as long as we have. We were here at the inception of online travel and we know the industry inside out. Whats more, were a small, friendly team. Forget impersonal hierarchies, we like to get to know our customers and work towards their exact needs. Meredith Pistulka At ITB Slovenia has been represented in Hall 17 with its own stand for many years. This country in the heart of Europe is committed to protecting the environment and promoting eco-tourism. In 2017, as the Convention & Culture Partner of the ITB Berlin Convention, Slovenia attracted even more attention at the World's Largest Travel Trade Show. Majda Rozina Dolenc, director of the Slovenian Tourist Board in Germany: "Our involvement as Convention & Culture Partner was a great success and met with a positive response. This role gave us many opportunities to showcase our small country. Since ITB Berlin 2017 we have had many enquiries from institutions and tourism organisations, not only from Germany, but from other European countries and around the world, on the topic of sustainability. Our partnership with the ITB Berlin Convention enabled us to achieve our main aim of promoting awareness and Slovenia's image in the B2B market." For more information read the interview with Majda Rozina Dolenc, the director of the Slovenian Tourist Board in Germany, who talks about her experience as the Convention & Culture Partner of the ITB Berlin Convention 2017. Please follow this link: www.bit.ly/2umrpDR. About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention ITB Berlin 2023 will take place for trade visitors only from Tuesday, 7 to Thursday, 9 March. Since 1966, ITB Berlin has been the World's Leading Travel Trade Show. As in previous years, the internationally renowned ITB Berlin Convention will take place live parallel with the exhibition on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, with selected sessions live-streamed on itb.com. In 2022 it took place as a virtual event on the brand's website itb.com and registered 60,700 attendees from 125 countries who took part in more than 100 sessions featuring 223 speakers. Taking place on one day, the Digital Business Day gave 2,500 attendees from 96 countries an opportunity to exchange views and do business virtually from anywhere in the world. International attendance was high, with 78 per cent of buyers and providers taking part from abroad. A total of 20,000 business contacts were made, resulting in 14,000 leads and 3,200 business meetings being arranged. As a virtual industry platform, the Digital Business Day augmented the ITB brand family and rounded off the trade show concept. In 2022, under the heading 'TRVLX by ITB', ITB Berlin is planning a series of B2B networking events in European markets the kick-off event took place in May in Georgia. Before the pandemic at ITB 2019, around 10,000 exhibitors from 181 countries displayed their products and services to some 160,000 visitors, including 113,500 trade visitors. Emanuel Hoger Press Spokesman and Press and Public Relations Director, Corporate Communication - Messe Berlin Group +49 30 3038-2270 Messe Berlin GmbH ICP launch put off due to construction delays The launch of the Nepal-India integrated check point (ICP) in Birgunj scheduled for Sunday has been put off due to unfinished construction work on the Nepal side. Kinseth Hospitality Companies is pleased to announce the official ground breaking of the Toweplace Suites Minooka, Illinois took place on July 12, 2017. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the construction site of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott located at 630 Bob Blair Road. To open the ceremony Nancy Norton of the Grundy County Economic Development Council, Mayor Pat Brennan, John Adler of the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce, and Jeff Schrader of Kinseth Hospitality shared their excitement about the new hotel. Schrader said, "Kinseth Hospitality is very pleased to be partnering again with Marquette Properties, Doug Bean Development, and American Construction Services in the development, construction, and operation of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Minooka, Illinois. The City of Minooka, Grundy County, and the residents of the area, have been very supportive of the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton, that our partnership opened (across the street from the TownePlace Suites location in Minooka) in the 4th quarter of 2015 and we are very excited to bring a Marriott brand product to the community." Schrader went on to say, "It's been a real privilege for Kinseth Hospitality to develop and operate a property in the City of Minooka and Grundy County; we look forward to bringing an award winning TownePlace Suites by Marriott to the community." Guests in attendance were able to learn more about the project, see floorplans and room renderings, take home information about the hotel as well as enjoys some desserts. TownePlace Suites Minooka When completed, this all suite extended stay hotel will provide guests with a fully stocked kitchen and separate areas to work and sleep giving guests the space they need to spread out and settle in. Guests will also receive complimentary hot breakfast, free wifi, and access to our business center, fitness center, and indoor pool! Guests will easily be able to make reservations through Marriott's Global reservation system and earn Marriott Rewards points for every stay. About Kinseth Hospitality Kinseth Hospitality is a leading hotel management, development and ownership company. KHC has a proven track record of developing and operating award-winning hotels, restaurant and meeting facilities. Kinseth Hospitality is based in North Liberty, Iowa, and currently operates over 65 hotels and 5 branded restaurants in 12 states. For more information regarding KHC please contact our Corporate Sales and Marketing Team at 319-626-5600 or visit www.kinseth.com. Jeff Schrader 847-202-7954 Kinseth View source According to preliminary June data from STR, London's hotel market reported mostly positive performance during the month. While occupancy decreased 0.4% to 84.1%, a 5.5% ADR increase to 162.51 ($209.57) drove RevPAR up 5.1% to 136.72 ($176.37). STRs preliminary June 2017 data for London, England, indicates strong rate growth. Based on daily data from June, London reported the following in year-over-year comparisons: Supply: +3.6% Demand: +3.2% Occupancy: -0.4% to 84.1% Average daily rate (ADR): +5.5% to GBP162.51 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +5.1% to GBP136.72 The U.K. capital experienced only moderate declines in occupancy for the days following the 3 June terrorist attacks at London Bridge. A week later, the market returned to performance growth. Additionally, STR analysts credit ADR growth toward the end of the month to a calendar shift in the Eid Mubarak holiday from July in 2016 to June this year, as the city typically welcomes a high volume of visitors from the Middle East during that time. STR will release actual June 2017 results later this month. 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. Research Shows Women Have Taken a Significant Share of New Jobs for Male-Dominated Occupations and Vice Versa Of the 785 occupations classified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, two thirds have a higher concentration of men employed. However, a new study from CareerBuilder shows a greater number of women are moving into roles that have traditionally been held by the opposite sex - and vice versa. Of the 785 occupations classified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, two thirds have a higher concentration of men employed. However, a new study from CareerBuilder shows a greater number of women are moving into roles that have traditionally been held by the opposite sex - and vice versa. Nearly 1 in 4 (24 percent) of new jobs added in male-dominated occupations from 2009 to 2017 were taken by women. As it stands today, 23 percent of all male-dominated occupations are held by female workers. More women are breaking into roles ranging from CEOs, lawyers and surgeons to web developers, chemists and producers and directors. On the flip side, 30 percent of new jobs added in female-dominated occupations from 2009 to 2017 were taken by men. Today, 27 percent of all female-dominated occupations are held by male workers. Men have grown their presence in roles ranging from education administrators, pharmacists and interior designers to cooks, accountants and human resources managers. The study involved extensive analysis of 2009 to 2017 data from Emsi, CareerBuilder's labor market analysis arm, which pulls information from multiple federal and state labor market sources. "Women and men are sidestepping preconceived notions and crossing over into roles that historically have been heavily populated by the opposite sex," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder. "Over the last ten years, women have been gaining ground in management, law and various STEM-related roles. More men are moving into education and training, support roles and creative fields. While there is still room for improvement in terms of finding balance, there seems to be less gender bias when it comes to hiring and choosing career paths." Women Gaining Ground in Male-Dominated Occupations from 2009 to 2017 According to CareerBuilder's analysis, more women are moving into leadership roles as well as occupations tied to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Of the 12,385 new chief executive jobs that were added from 2009 to 2017, women accounted for 28 percent of them. Women also took nearly half of new jobs for lawyers, veterinarians and marketing managers and nearly a third of new jobs for surgeons and web developers. Occupation Total No. of Jobs 2017 % of Women Employed 2017 % of Men Employed 2017 Jobs Added 2009-2017 Increase in No. of Women Employed 2009 - 2017 % of Women in New Jobs Added 2009-2017 Lawyers 631,899 38% 62% 31,815 15,247 48% Veterinarians 70,935 46% 54% 12,540 5,974 48% Commercial and Industrial Designers 33,175 46% 54% 4,373 2,085 48% Marketing Managers 207,610 44% 56% 30,038 14,221 47% Optometrists 37,504 46% 54% 7,292 3,155 43% Management Analysts 662,722 45% 55% 96,446 41,030 43% Sales Managers 382,032 41% 59% 40,307 17,345 43% Producers and Directors 112,907 41% 59% 18,671 7,813 42% Chemists 87,746 39% 61% 6,132 2,583 42% Coaches and Scouts 234,742 38% 62% 25,764 10,480 41% Private Detectives and Investigators 32,667 42% 58% 3,896 1,603 41% Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics 248,923 37% 63% 28,929 11,420 40% Financial Analysts 286,398 37% 63% 31,789 12,644 40% Team Assemblers 1,144,211 39% 61% 196,095 77,426 40% Computer Systems Analysts 599,910 35% 65% 132,139 44,769 34% General and Operations Managers 2,259,632 29% 71% 259,923 84,523 33% Firefighters 326,951 5% 95% 3,232 1,029 32% Surgeons 43,497 33% 67% 5,548 1,174 31% Web Developers 143,606 32% 68% 38,606 11,824 31% Dentists, General 105,409 29% 71% 14,865 4,642 31% Chief Executives 255,916 24% 76% 12,385 3,518 28% Men Gaining Ground in Female-Dominated Occupations from 2009 to 2017 Looking at occupations with a higher concentration of women, men accounted for at least half of new jobs for pharmacists, education administrators, retail sales, merchandise displayers and cooks. Occupation Total No. of Jobs 2017 % of Women Employed 2017 % of Men Employed 2017 Jobs Added 2009-2017 Increase in No. of Men Employed 2009 - 2017 % of Men in New Jobs Added 2009-2017 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 436, 096 61% 39% 29,235 18,686 64% Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers 102,015 55% 45% 6,760 3,955 59% Retail Salesperson 4,657,856 54% 46% 376,966 218,889 58% Pharmacists 305,821 54% 46% 19,626 9,823 50% Education Administrators, Postsecondary 134,301 61% 39% 8,427 4,114 49% Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,397,509 80% 20% 17,716 8,712 49% Bartenders 623,602 55% 45% 100,813 48,111 48% Insurance Sales Agents 515,211 56% 44% 102,907 44,077 43% Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 550,900 57% 43% 109,749 46,044 42% Accountants and Auditors 1,326,702 59% 41% 170,284 69,392 41% Technical Writers 52,631 55% 45% 8,931 3,773 42% Interior Designers 53,219 54% 46% 4,071 1,653 41% Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors 262,807 59% 41% 38,533 15,236 40% Telemarketers 235,733 62% 38% 18,191 7,272 40% Training and Development Specialists 270,406 60% 40% 31,602 12,249 39% Respiratory Therapists 127,057 63% 37% 12,035 4,430 37% Human Resources Managers 134,849 62% 38% 17,021 6,244 37% Nurse Anesthetists 41,787 66% 34% 5,387 1,968 37% Physician Assistants 106,650 65% 35% 21,708 7,906 36% Public Relations Specialists 241,912 63% 37% 28,331 10,147 36% About CareerBuilder CareerBuilder is a global, end-to-end human capital solutions company focused on helping employers find, hire and manage great talent. Combining advertising, software and services, CareerBuilder leads the industry in recruiting solutions, employment screening and human capital management. It also operates top job sites around the world. CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com. Mobile apps are becoming as central to the hotel guest experience as soft pillows Mobile apps are becoming as central to the hotel guest experience as soft pillows, extra towels and a competitive price. According to the J.D. Power 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study,SM released yesterday, incorporating mobile apps and functionality into a hotel stay is associated with higher guest satisfaction. Integrating this technology also makes guests more willing to share their positive hotel experiences on social media. The risk for hotels is that greater use of mobile devices for booking means some guests might secure a room with an online travel agency (OTA), which is associated with lower satisfaction. The industry is currently emphasizing direct booking, where a hotel guest rents a room directly through the hotel rather than another way. Pushing for more guests to become rewards members will likely enhance this effort. While OTAs remain popular among many guests, there are some disadvantages to their use, such as the need to deal with a third party if problems arise with a reservation. As mobile usage becomes increasingly ubiquitous for guests, the challenge for hotels becomes twofold: First, they must persuade guests to book directly with them, and second, they must encourage easy utilization of this technology, said Rick Garlick, practice lead, travel and hospitality at J.D. Power. By forging direct relationships, hotels can become guardians of the guest experience, but at the center of these relationships is an establishments mobile strategy. The study, now in its 21st year, measures overall guest satisfaction across eight hotel segments: luxury; upper upscale; upscale; upper midscale; midscale; economy; upper extended stay; and extended stay. Seven key factors are examined in each segment to determine overall satisfaction: reservation; check-in/check-out; guest room; food & beverage; hotel services; hotel facilities; and cost & fees. Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale. Following are key findings of the 2017 study: Direct booking : When guests book through an independent travel website or mobile app (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity) instead of directly with the hotel, they are more likely to experience a problem and to be less satisfied with their stay. : When guests book through an independent travel website or mobile app (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity) instead of directly with the hotel, they are more likely to experience a problem and to be less satisfied with their stay. Membership matters : Hotel rewards members are far more likely to book directly with a hotel or on a loyalty member site than those who are not members (75% vs. 47%, respectively), and their satisfaction is higher. The number of those who book through OTAs is increasing (19% in 2017 vs. 16% in 2013), despite the concerns some guests have ranging from earning hotel rewards to strict cancellation policies. : Hotel rewards members are far more likely to book directly with a hotel or on a loyalty member site than those who are not members (75% vs. 47%, respectively), and their satisfaction is higher. The number of those who book through OTAs is increasing (19% in 2017 vs. 16% in 2013), despite the concerns some guests have ranging from earning hotel rewards to strict cancellation policies. Mobile mania : In 2014, 14% of online reservations were made using mobile means (smartphone or tablet), and now that percentage is 25%. Those utilizing mobile reservations are more likely to be younger or business travelers. : In 2014, 14% of online reservations were made using mobile means (smartphone or tablet), and now that percentage is 25%. Those utilizing mobile reservations are more likely to be younger or business travelers. Not so mobile mania : Among guests who have a hotels app on their mobile device, 38% dont use it during their stay. Only a tiny percentage of check-ins (4%) and check-outs (1%) occurs through mobile apps, but when it is used, it is associated with higher guest satisfaction. : Among guests who have a hotels app on their mobile device, 38% dont use it during their stay. Only a tiny percentage of check-ins (4%) and check-outs (1%) occurs through mobile apps, but when it is used, it is associated with higher guest satisfaction. Get 'em to try the app : Guests who download and use a hotel's mobile app are more satisfied and have greater loyalty to that brand. While only 19% of all guests have downloaded a hotel app, 70% of rewards members have done so. : Guests who download and use a hotel's mobile app are more satisfied and have greater loyalty to that brand. While only 19% of all guests have downloaded a hotel app, 70% of rewards members have done so. Social media surprise : Despite the perception that people posting to social media only do so to complain, guests describing their experience via these channels appear to be more satisfied overall. At the same time, those who do experience a problem are extremely likely to post to social media (86%). : Despite the perception that people posting to social media only do so to complain, guests describing their experience via these channels appear to be more satisfied overall. At the same time, those who do experience a problem are extremely likely to post to social media (86%). Reading is fundamental: Slightly more than half (52%) of guests have read a review of a hotel, industry news or an online forum in the past month, and 46% of those guests wrote a review in the past six months. Review readers and writers are also more likely to have higher guest satisfaction. Hotel Segment Rankings While The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott rank highest in the luxury segment, both of these Marriott-affiliated brands appeal to different types of customers, Garlick said. Its important to remember that this study measures guest satisfaction among a hotel brands own customers and doesnt directly compare hotel brands to one another. Often, the type of guest becomes an important element in determining satisfaction rankings. The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments: Luxury: JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton 1 (tie) and (tie) Upper Upscale: Hyatt Upscale: Hilton Garden Inn (for a second consecutive year) (for a second consecutive year) Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (for a 12th consecutive year 2 ) (for a 12th consecutive year ) Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (for a third consecutive year) (for a third consecutive year) Economy: Americas Best Value Inn Upper Extended Stay: Staybridge Suites Extended Stay: Candlewood Suites The 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study is based on responses gathered between June 2016 and May 2017 from more than 63,000 guests in Canada and the United States who stayed at a hotel in North America between May 2016 and May 2017. For more information about the 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, visit http://www.jdpower.com/resource/jd-power-north-america-hotel-guest-satisfaction-index-study. J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has offices serving North/South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. Seeks Stop to Infringement of Hotel RL Trade Dress RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH) today announced the filing of a lawsuit against Hard Rock Cafe International in federal court in New York. The complaint alleges, among other things, that Hard Rock copied RLH Corporation's distinctive trade dress for its Hotel RL brand, which is protected by federal trade dress law. Over the past few years, RLH Corporation has built a distinctive brand focused on the millennial mindset for its Hotel RL chain. The brand consciously evokes RLH Corporation's Pacific Northwest heritage, with signature elements that include a prominent coffee bar attended by trained baristas; a Living Stage, where local artists, musicians, activists, civic leaders, and engaged citizens can showcase their projects and points of view; "The Steps," a communal, stadium-like seating area across from The Living Stage, where hotel guests and visitors can relax with their cup of coffee, plug in and work on their laptop, or take in a Living Stage performance; and a tech-savvy, forward-thinking front-desk experience that replaces the traditional across-the-counter room check-in process with a flexible approach that allows guests, if they desire, to bypass reception and check in via self-service kiosks or directly from their mobile devices. In the more than two years since Hotel RL's public launch, hotel travelers and property owners have come to associate the brand's signature design elements with RLH Corporation and Hotel RL. There are currently seven hotels under the Hotel RL brand, and RLH Corporation has plans to meaningfully expand the brand over the next several years. Given the distinctiveness of the Hotel RL brand, RLH Corporation was surprised to discover in June that Hard Rock had decided to launch a competing brand - called Reverb - also aimed at millennials, which RLH Corporation believes plagiarizes the Hotel RL signature elements. It also learned that Hard Rock had hired the same branding group used by RLH Corporation to help define the Hotel RL brand - The Gettys Group. "While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and it is indeed understandable that Hard Rock would seek to imitate our brand's success in this market, we are not appreciative of Hard Rock's wholesale infringement of our trade dress with The Gettys Group's help," says RLH Corporation President and CEO Greg Mount. "Hard Rock's infringement is particularly troubling in light of its aggressive litigation strategy to protect what it considers to be its own trade dress. RLH Corporationwelcomes fair competition, but infringement of our trade dress is unfair and illegal. We are prepared to defend our brands and will pursue all avenues available to RLH Corporation to ensure that all of our brands are protected." RLH Corporation's complaint seeks compensatory damages, an injunction, Hard Rock's profits from its Reverb chain, and legal fees and costs. In addition to pursuing a lawsuit against Hard Rock, RLH Corporation is enforcing its rights and remedies under its contract with The Gettys Group which it believes is in breach given the similarity in work produced for Hard Rock. Change in Louisiana Higher Ed Law Highlights Immediate Need for Pre-Employment Background Screening Policy Review; States CriminalBackgroundRecords.com Posted by Press Releases on Wednesday, 07-12-2017 11:47 pm Currently 0.0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 0.0 from 0 votes Louisiana's governor signed that state's ban-the-box legislation requiring the elimination of the question of criminal history on all applications utilized for admission into institutions of higher education. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com offers an opinion: "The action by the governor of Louisiana highlights the ever changing legal landscape covering the use of criminal records in hiring, and should put every hiring manager on notice to review their current pre-employment background screening policies in order to remain fully compliant with existing and potential law."The governor of Louisiana signed ban-the-box legislation that eliminated the question of criminal history from all applications of entrance for institutions of higher learning. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com states: "This is a significant move insomuch it further reminds all hiring managers about the ever changing legal environment regardi... Close Forgot Your Password? Enter in your email address and we will send it to you. Send Email An HR.com member profile provides you with access to a multitude of information and education along with the opportunity to network with the largest HR community on the web. If you need any help, call .877.472.6648 and ask for our Member Experience Co-ordinator. Hi Please check your email for an activation link. If you do not receive your activation email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or call our Help Desk at 1.877.472.6648 For faster assistance, dial extension 4. Thank you! Continue Hi Verification error - Please enter the correct code above. Verified Wow! You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile The U.S. economy has been evolving since the Industrial Revolution and what was once an economy built on manufacturing has moved steadily and continuously towards a knowledge economy. In the former, business success was driven by efficient, streamlined and measureable processes and equipment (think assembly lines), and while a good worker was valuable, maximum performance was limited by physical reality. Even the best worker could only attach so many doors! In todays knowledge economy, there are two stark differences. First, top performers are worth exponentially more than average performers. Consider a software company where star employees who develop the next breakthrough product feature create highly differentiated value as compared to average performers at the company. Second, discretionary effort from employees can add more value to an organization in the knowledge industry than in the manufacturing industry. Therefore, what has emerged is the importance of discretionary effort and retaining top performers (talent management) and the need for HR professionals to provide strategic value to their organizations through recognition and engagement. Engaging employees has been top of mind for HR professionals for several years now. A recent article published by Society for Human Resources Management suggested that engagement rates are declining and that organizations spend upwards of $1.5 billion on attempts... Page Content Montreal and Singapore, 12 July 2017 Addressing the 6th World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forum today, hosted by Singapore, ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu stressed the continuing and critical need for increasing levels of investments earmarked for air transport infrastructure expansion and modernization, as well as concrete actions on climate and sustainability commitments at the global level. Our planet and its environment must be a clear priority for every leader today, no matter their company, country or mandate, Dr. Aliu told the assembled aviation leaders, who represented public and private sector organizations from over 50 nations, and the simplest way to ensure we are on the right side of this issue is to be taking concrete actions today. Noting that the percentage of the air cargo share of items purchased online, grew dramatically from 16 to 74 per cent between 2010 and 2015, and is projected to grow to a remarkable 91 per cent by 2025, President Aliu also stressed to assembled CEOs that the expectations being fostered today in modern consumers whether for access to global products and services or next-day delivery are wholly dependent on international air transport to move their online purchases, rapidly and reliably. The ICAO Council President further highlighted how international air transport connectivity brings tremendous socio-economic benefits to the States and Regions who set out strong commitments and suitable investments to assure that they are effectively implementing ICAOs global standards and policies, and ensuring the capacity and efficiency of their local networks through modernized airport and air navigation infrastructure. This remains a great challenge for the sector, Dr. Aliu noted, because the contributions of international aviation connectivity to local economies and societies are grossly undervalued. As evidence of this, he cited the fact that less than 5 per cent of Official Development Assistance globally is earmarked for air transport projects, despite the fact that aviation generated 67.3 million jobs and contributed 2.7 trillion dollars to global GDP in 2016 alone. He furthermore noted the crucial role international air connectivity can play in helping States to realize the UNs Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. While in Singapore, President Aliu concluded Annex 2 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Leadership and Management Training between ICAO and the Government of Singapore. The agreement details the arrangements for the joint development and delivery of a two-day executive programme on aviation security targeted at Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It was co-signed on the occasion by Mr. Ng Chee Meng, Singapore Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport. President Aliu also joined other Representatives on the ICAO Council for a special dialogue in Singapore with visiting Directors General of Civil Aviation from around the world, with a view to listening to their concerns, refining their working relationships with ICAO, and building momentum on global sustainability issues through the identification of shared priorities and deepened collaboration. During his stay in Singapore he was given a tour of the Singapore Airlines Training Centre (STC) where he was provided with a behind-the-scenes look at the training of Singapore Airlines pilots and cabin crew. He will also be visiting the new Terminal 4 of Changi Airport, set to open by end-2017. The new state-of-the-art facility features design and process innovations that will redefine passenger travel experiences via a full suite of automated biometric systems for check-in, bag-drop, immigration clearance, and boarding. On the last day of his visit, President Aliu will tour Singapores Air Traffic Control Centre. Resources for Editors About ICAO A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States. ICAO's Asia and Pacific Regional Office ICAO and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Contacts Anthony Philbin Chief, Communications aphilbin@icao.int +1 514-954-8220 +1 438-402-8886 (mobile) Twitter: @ICAO William Raillant-Clark Communications Officer wraillantclark@icao.int +1 514-954-6705 +1 514-409-0705 (mobile) Twitter: @wraillantclark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/ Page Content Montreal and Hong Kong, 12 June 2017 ICAOs Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, delivered a strong message today to the participants of the ICAO TRIP Seminar in Hong Kong, China, on how robust ID management frameworks provide a critical foundation for secure and efficient travel document and border control solutions. Through ICAOs standards, our Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP) strategy harmonizes the global line of defence in our shared battle to confront international terrorist movements, cross-border crime, and many other threats to civil society and international aviation, Dr. Liu stressed. The ICAO TRIP strategy has been recognized as critical in aviation security especially at combatting foreign terrorist fighters, with a special focus on effective border control management, as reflected in United Nations (UN) Security Council (SC) Resolutions 2178 and 2309, which were adopted in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Having attended a special meeting of the Security Councils Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) on Terrorist Threats to Civil Aviation last week, Dr. Liu advised the Hong Kong audience that the special meeting had considered relevant gaps and vulnerabilities and discussed possible instruments and tools to further support ICAO-compliant border control management systems. We will continue to explore new means of addressing the terrorist threat through various ICAO TRIP elements, Dr. Liu remarked. The ICAO Secretary General stressed the importance of cooperation in implementing the TRIP strategy. ICAO works closely with many leading organizations. We encourage States to come together at the regional and sub-regional levels to agree on action plans, and to coordinate efforts aimed at rectifying aviation security and facilitation deficiencies in a robust, affordable and sustainable manner, She commented. The Hong Kong TRIP Seminar was hosted by the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong with additional support from Hong Kong International Airport. It gathered some 196 participants from 37 countries and ten international organizations, and addressed the five elements of the ICAO TRIP Strategy, including: machine readable travel document (MRTD) standards; specifications and best practices; secure travel document issuance; robust evidence of identity processes; and information sharing technologies. Dr. Liu concluded her address by inviting all present to join ICAO at its the Thirteenth ICAO TRIP Symposium and Exhibition this October. Conducted at the UN agencys Headquarters in Montreal, TRIP Symposiums are the pre-eminent travel document and border control gathering for global experts and governments seeking to enhance the security and efficiency of all passport, visa and customs processing solutions. While in Hong Kong, Dr. Liu met with Mrs. Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HK SAR). She also met with Secretary and Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing, Messrs. Frank Chan and Joseph Lai, the Director-General of Civil Aviation of HK SAR, Mr. Simon Li, as well as industry leaders of Hong Kong SAR. The respective discussions centred mainly around the pressing need for aviation infrastructure and skilled human resources development in the region, in order to safely and securely manage the projected growth in the Asia/Pacific region. Resources for Editors About ICAO A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States. ICAO's Asia and Pacific Regional Office ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative ICAO and Aviation Development Contacts Anthony Philbin Chief, Communications aphilbin@icao.int +1 514-954-8220 +1 438-402-8886 (mobile) Twitter: @ICAO William Raillant-Clark Communications Officer wraillantclark@icao.int +1 514-954-6705 +1 514-409-0705 (mobile) Twitter: @wraillantclark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/ India urges Nepal to set up consulate in Visakhapatnam India has called on Nepal to open consul generals office at Visakhapatnam to facilitate works related to cargo clearance from the seaport in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kolkata, July 13 (IBNS): JSW Cement has launched its 1st Priority Dealer Store in West Bangal's capital city, Kolkata. The launch took place in their first Priority Dealer Store - Mondal Enterprise situated at Krishnapur, Hanapara. As one of the major players in the industry, JSW Cement has started a new trend by launching this store. It will give them a head start in capturing maximum market share. This will also help the strategic positioning of the brand. This will help them amplify their retail presence and allow them to cater the masses. At the launch, Pushp Raj Singh, CMO, JSW Cement said The company plans on taking 150 such counters this year. The approximate cost for these 150 stores would be around 3 Crores. We would also invest in giving a complete makeover to these stores. The Priority Dealer Stores will not only give makeover but would also offer value added services to its customers. These services will be available at their doorstep or they can visit the Priority Dealer Store to get the best customer experience. Guwahati, July 13 : While Assam is still struggling with a devastating flood.which has already claimed 45 lives and affected over 1.7 million people of 24 districts out of 32, Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju, arrived on Thursday in the state, to take stock of the situation and submit a report to the Centre. Rijiju, and his team, which includes officials from NITI Aayog, NDMA, Home ministry and NDRF, arrived at Lilabari airport in Lakhimpur district on Thursday morning. Rijiju said that he will visit the worst-affected districts of Majuli and Dhemaji and submit a preliminary report to the Centre. "The Assam government has already taken effective measures to rescue the flood-affected people with the help of NDRF and provided sufficient relief material. Centre will help the state government to tackle the situation," Rijiju said. Meanwhile, the Union minister accompanied by state water resources minister Keshab Mahanta and other top administrative officials visited several flood-affected areas in Dhemaji and Majuli district. Rijiju will also visit Arunachal Pradesh. The current flood situation spiralled out of control as the flood waters inundated more areas in the state and the water levels of Brahmaputra river and its tributaries crossed the danger level in various areas following incessant rains in the state and other neighbouring states in the past couple of days. Over 1.7 million people of Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Darrang, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivsagar, Morigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, South Salmara, Charaideo, Goalpara and Karbi Anglong district are affected by the current flood and the flood waters submerged 1,05,860.01 hectares agricultural land of 2488 villages under 82 revenue circles. Over 3.03 lakh people are affected alone in flood-hit South Salmara district along the Bangladesh border, while 2.68 lakh affected in Lakhimpur, 1.81 lakh in Morigaon, 1.45 lakh in Dhubri, 1.31 lakh in Dhemaji, 1.01 lakh in Barpeta. On the other hand, a total of 31,456 people of 16 districts are homeless in the devasting flood and forced to take shelter in 294 temporary relief camps set up by the administration. The current flood claimed 10 lives in the worst affected Lakhimpur district, with 8 in Kamrup (Metro), 4 in Jorhat, 3 in Golaghat, 2 each in Sivsagar, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Karimganj and one each in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara, South Salmara, Cachar, Dima Hasao, Hojai and Morigaon district. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) London, Jul 13 (IBNS) : A giant iceberg twice the size of Luxembourg and one of the largest ever recorded, has broken off an ice shelf on the Antarctic peninsula and is now adrift in the Weddell Sea, media reports said. As per scientists at the University of Swansea and the British Antarctic Survey, the trillion-tonne (1,000,000,000,000 metric tonnes) iceberg that measures at least 5,800 square km, was found to have split off from the Larsen C segment of the Larsen ice shelf on Wednesday morning after scientists examined the latest satellite data from the area, The Guardian said. Scientists say it potentially creates a hazard for movement of ships around the continent and it has been very close to drifting off for a few months. Data collected just days before the iceberg calved revealed that the rift had branched multiple times. We see one large [iceberg] for now. It is likely that this will break into smaller pieces as time goes by, media reports quoted Adrian Luckman, professor of glaciology at Swansea University and leader of the UKs Midas project which is focused on the state of the ice shelf, as saying. Scientists are of the view that the iceberg may remain in one piece but is more likely to break into fragments. Some of the ice may remain in the area for decades, while parts of the iceberg may drift north into warmer waters. Whilst this new iceberg will not immediately raise sea levels, experts say if the shelf loses much more of its area, it could result in glaciers that flow off the land behind speeding up their passage towards the ocean. This non-floating ice would have an eventual impact on sea levels, but only at a very modest rate. Dr Martin OLeary, a Swansea University glaciologist and member of the MIDAS project team, said of the recent calving: Although this is a natural event, and were not aware of any link to human-induced climate change, this puts the ice shelf in a very vulnerable position. This is the furthest back that the ice front has been in recorded history. Were going to be watching very carefully for signs that the rest of the shelf is becoming unstable. Ottawa, July 13 (IBNS): Almost 14,000 people were evacuated from their homes following a wildfire in British Columbia's Interior which raged since last Friday. Williams Lake is the largest city in the Central Interior of British Columbia which is under a high alert, following the evacuation. The disaster struck after lightening storm spread the fire rapidly in the Interior of B.C. An emergency was called immediately after the wildfire. Bob Turner from Emergency Management B.C. told media that firefighters are working with fullest resources to control the situation. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, extended the support from the government to tackle the ongoing situation of wildfire in B.C. In a statement issued on July 9, the minister said: "On behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, and I have accepted a request for federal assistance in dealing with the wildfire situation from my provincial counterpart, Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Emergency Management BC." "The Government Operations Centre is working diligently to coordinate the federal response to ensure that help is provided as soon as possible, and will continue to monitor and assess the wildfire situation as it evolves," Goodale added. "Our officials are working closely with federal and provincial partners on planning the details of this assistance, including support from Canadian Armed Forces" he said. B.C. Wildfire Service on Twitter confirmed the arrival of out of service personnel to join them in tackling the situation of the wildfire, couple of days back. "Out-of-province firefighting personnel have started to arrive in #BC to assist with our #BCwildfire situation" B.C. Wildfire Service tweeted. Out-of-province firefighting personnel have started to arrive in #BC to assist with our #BCwildfire situation: https://t.co/VuD3pIAQp4 pic.twitter.com/MG3YotvnpJ BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 11, 2017 Reports suggested that the situation in the city is expected to get worsened with the deterioration of the weather conditions and particularly winds. (Reporting by Souvik Ghosh) Image: Official site of Public Safety Canada (Government of Canada). Monastery rebuilding delay angers monks Alleging that the government failed to pay heed to construct and reconstruct the Buddhist monasteries destroyed even more than two years after the devastating earthquake, monks from 25 districts, who have gathered in Kathmandu, said they would organise a mass protest in the Capital on July 25. Chennai, July 13 (IBNS): Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), the social arm of TVS Motor Company, aims to give vocational training to people in the age group of 18 to 35 years and help them become employable. SST partners with government bodies, training institutions, NGOs and other policy makers in over five thousand villages across five states to develop skilled and industry ready workforce in different sectors. SST works with government agencies to provide training to unemployed young men and women in project villages. Besides providing vocational training courses, SST also arranges for training in soft skills, language classes, etc. It offers 21 types of vocational training courses to the youth in the project villages. SST offers career guidance and counselling to high school graduates, while making them independent and financially able. The organisation has conducted career guidance programmes in 843 high schools. SST, founded in 1996, focuses on helping villages develop in a holistic and sustainable manner, creating self-reliant communities across six core areas: Economic Development, Health & Sanitation, Health, Infrastructure, Women Empowerment, Education and Environment. https://www.tvssst.org/ New Delhi, Jul 13 (IBNS) : As the border standoff with China snowballs into a big issue that the opposition finds handy to bash the Government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has called an all-party meeting on Friday where she is expected to brief them on the situation, reports said. The meeting will be held at the residence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh where several other Ministers, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will also be present. Swaraj is likely to apprise the opposition parties of the month-long chain of events and the steps initiated by the Narendra Modi Government. The Government move to convene the all-party meeting is being seen as a measure to take along tbuihe opposition on the sensitive issue and avoid trouble in the next Parliament session. Advertisement: Replay Ad The ongoing military standoff has heightened tension at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction in Doklam, a disputed territory claimed by both Bhutan and China, where the Indian Army have reached to stop China from building a road. Taking a serious note of the Chinese activities, Delhi has described it as a major security concern since it gives China access to the narrow strip of land connecting mainland India to its north-eastern states. China has accused India of trespassing into its territory and demanded withdrawal of troops leading to a heated exchange. While India and Bhutan say the land belongs to the tiny Himalayan kingdom and that the Indian troops are there at the request of Bhutan, China has warned that it will not accept any dialogue till Indian soldiers pull out from Doklam. "China has explicitly pointed out that the illegal trespass of Indian border troops into China's territory this time took place at the defined Sikkim section of the China-India boundary, which is utterly different in nature from the previous frictions between the two sides at the undefined sections of the China-India boundary," Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang said. In reply, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said that the India of 2017 is different from the India of 1962. Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh also said India is better equipped today to meet any challenges than it was in 1962. The opposition, particularly the Congress, has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the confrontation and the way the situation is being handled. Chennai, Jul 13 (IBNS) : AIADMK leader VK Saiskala managed special treatment in a Bengaluru jail in exchange of a Rs two-crore bribe to prison officials in Karnatakaas, a senior police officer has reported. In her report sent to the state's Director General of Prisons H Sathyanarayana Rao, Karnatakas deputy inspector general of prisons Roopa D Moudgil has said that a separate kitchen has been set up for Sasikala, flouting prison rules. Moudgil prepared the report after inspecting the jail on July 10. Chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that a probe has been ordered. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry, he tweeted. Sasikala, the top leader of Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK, was sentenced to serve four years in jail for corruption by the Supreme Court for disproportionate assets. Rao has denied the charges and accused Moudgil of gross insubordination. Patna, Jul 13 (IBNS) : Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday defended his security men who have been accused of manhandling journalists on Wednesday, saying he was about to be hit on the nose by the reporters' microphones. Tejashwis security staff allegedly thrashed a camera man, while others who tried to mediate were also manhandled. A video went viral and other political parties condemned the incident. Tejashwi said the security personnel were only trying to protect him. They (journalists) were falling and competing with each other. Couple of media persons were putting mike behind me and brushed my ears and head. There were moments when around 10 mikes were about to hit my nose. I saved myself and the security men were only doing their duty and protecting me, he said in a Facebook post. The scion of RJD chief Lalu Prasad said allegations that he instructed the security staff to attack journalists was baseless. Reports on a few channels that the incident occurred on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried out the assault are0 totally baseless. Tejashwi posted a few video clips on his Facebook page and Twitter handle in which he said poor policemen too have self-respect and they cant sit idle when they are under attack. Kolkata, Jul 13 (IBNS): The Ministry of External Affairs has said it will review the system of asking infants to be present at the passport seva kendra for biometric or fingerprinting process, according to media reports. The issue was recently raised by Sundeep Bhutoria, a well-known cultural activist and social worker from Kolkata. "I am happy that the MEA has responded to my appeal and taken it up seriously. Socially-conscious citizens of Indian should bring such issues to the notice of the government to take proper steps," Bhutoria said to IBNS. He earlier wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj saying, "I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that, as per the extant norms, an infant born in India has to be taken to the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) office in order to comply with the formalities of getting a passport done." Voicing the concern of many concerned parents, he wrote, "This is a very worrisome experience for those parents who find themselves in a situation where they need a passport for their days-old infant. It is also fraught with consequences as the infants are susceptible to diseases and infections and the risk of contracting it is very high. Since the PSK offices are visited by too many people, maintaining a proper sanitized environment conducive for the infants is not always possible." He requested that the Ministry work out a mechanism to issue passports for infants in such a manner so that they are not exposed to any risk. "I also feel that there is a need to re-evaluate the necessity of fingerprinting new-borns and work out viable alternatives. According to media reports, on Wednesday, Gopal Baglay, Spokesperson, MEA said in a statement, "As instructed by the External Affairs Minister, this is under review." Kolkata, Jul 13 (IBNS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has served notices to Trinamool Congress lawmakers Subrata Mukherjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar in connection with the Narada sting case, officials said. According to sources, TMC Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been asked to appear at CBI's office in south Kolkata's Nizam Palace next Monday or Tuesday (Jul 17 or 18), while state Minister Subrata Mukherjee has been called on Thursday (today) for interrogation. A CBI official said that Mukherjee deputed his counsel in the morning to seek more time to appear for interrogation. "Subrata Mukherjee's counsel told us that his client could not appear before us today for interrogation as he was busy in pre-scheduled works," a CBI official told IBNS. "Through his lawyer, cabinet minister Subrata Mukherjee shout more time from us and requested to set another date after July 21." Meanwhile, neither CBI nor the media has received any reaction from MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar so far. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) grilled TMC MP from Uluberia Lok Sultan Ahmed and Kolkata deputy mayor and TMC MLA Iqbal Ahmed in connection with the same case on Thursday and Wednesday respectively, reports said. Since March 14 last year, news portal- Narada News- released several sting operation footage, where TMC's leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs were exposed while allegedly taking bribes. From the beginning, TMC leaderships claimed that the sting footage was doctored and conspiracy of oppositions. After getting direction from the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court, the CBI has started probe into the case. Earlier on April 17, the investigation agency registered an FIR in connection with the case under several non-bailable sections against 12 influential leaders, cabinet ministers, MLAs and MPs of TMC and one senior IPS officer, who were seen taking bribes in the sting footage, reports said. Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has registered a money laundering case in Narada sting and it's currently investigating the case. (Reporting by Deepayan Sinha) Lucknow, July 13 (IBNS): Urging to stop all 'show offs', Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath strictly ordered his officials not to indulge in the arrangements of air conditioner, saffron towel, sofa during his field visits, media reports said on Thursday. Adityanath, who was criticised last time when he visited the family of a dead soldier from his state, seems to be cautious this time. He even warned his officials of strict punishments in case of lapses. Ordering his officials, the UP CM was quoted by NDTV: "There should be no show-off and no inconvenience to people." Last Friday, while visiting the family of a soldier who died in Kashmir, the UP CM got an extravagant reception organised by his officials. He had to receive similar criticisms when he was greeted by arrangements of AC, sofa, coolers as he visited a soldier's home in May. After his departure, the items were also taken away. Later, the soldier's family said they felt humiliated by the CM's visit. Image: Official Facebook page of Yogi Adityanath. Guwahati, July 13 (IBNS): While Assam is still struggling with the devastating flood claiming already 49 lives and affecting over 1.74 million people of 26 districts out of 32, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday undertook an aerial survey of flood-affected districts of the state. The union minister visited the flood-affected districts of Majuli and Dhemaji and took stock the overall situation. Rijiju, with a team comprised by NITI Aayog, NDMA, Home ministry and NDRF arrived at Lilabari airport in Lakhimpur district on Thursday morning. Rijiju said that, he will submit a preliminary report to the Centre and a ministerial group of Centre will visit the state soon. The Assam government has already taken effective measures to rescue the flood-affected people with the help of NDRF and provided sufficient relief materials. Centre will help the state government to tackle the situation, Rijiju said. Meanwhile, the union minister accompanied by state water resources minister Keshab Mahanta also chaired a review meeting with the police officials after visiting the flood-affected areas in Dhemaji and Majuli district. The current flood situation is slipped out of control as the flood waters inundated more areas in the state and the water levels of Brahmaputra river and its tributaries flown over danger level marks in various areas following incessant rains in the state and other neighbouring states in past couple of days. Over 1.74 million people of Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Darrang, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivsagar, Morigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, South Salmara, Charaideo, Goalpara, Kamrup, Hailakandi and Karbi Anglong district have been affected in the current flood as the flood waters submerged 86,223.19 hectares agricultural land of 2450 villages under 82 revenue circles. Over 3.06 lakh people have been affected alone in flood-hit South Salmara district along with Bangladesh border, while 2.16 lakh got affected in Lakhimpur, 2.23 lakh in Morigaon, 1.70 lakh in Dhubri, 1.24 lakh in Nalbari. On the other hand, a total of 28,937 people of 17 districts are homeless due to the flood and have been forced to take shelter in 382 numbers temporary relief camps set up the administration. On Thursday, the current flood claimed five more lives in Golaghat, Nagaon, Lakhimpur and South Salmara district taking death toll mounted to 49. The current flood claimed 11 lives in worst affected Lakhimpur district, while 8 in Kamrup (Metro), 4 each in Jorhat, Golaghat, 3 each in Nagaon and South Salmara, 2 each in Sivsagar, Sonitpur, Karimganj and one each in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara, Cachar, Dima Hasao, Hojai and Morigaon district. The rescue teams of NDRF, SDRF and district administration have rescued 10,716 people of flood-hit 17 districts on Thursday. On the other hand, Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh on Thursday called Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and expressed concern over the damage caused by the devastating floods in Assam. He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modis deep anguish for the loss of lives and properties in the current wave of floods in the State. The DoNER minister also informed that PM Modi has entrusted him with all responsibilities to extend all possible help from the Centre and help the state tide over the impact of this catastrophic flood. Expressing his deep concern over the flood caused by the torrential rains in the State as well as upper reaches of the Brahmaputra, Singh said that, the Centre is very much with the people of Assam at this time crisis and assures all possible help to normalise the situation. Sonowal also directed the Resident Commissioner, Assam Bhawan, New Delhi to liaison with the DoNER Ministry and furnish an exhaustive account of the loss in terms of lives and properties incurred during the current flood. It may be noted that Centre has all along been in touch with the state in the matter of facing flood crisis. After concluding his foreign trip, Modi spoke to Assam Chief Minister, enquired about the flood situation and assured all help to the state to deal with the crisis arising out of flood. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Sonowal and expressed his concern over the flood and declared Centres help to the State. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Kolkata, Jul 13 (IBNS): A taxi driver was arrested on Thursday for allegedly entertaining an air hostess's molestation inside his moving cab in Kolkata, reports said. According to reports, an air hostess of Air India boarded an airport-bound shuttle cab from Kaikhali area at around 6:30 pm. on Wednesday. The woman claimed that her co-passenger, sitting beside the driver, threw abusive words to her and molested her. She also alleged that the cab's driver neither tried to stop the man nor helped her that time. When the taxi reached Kolkata airport, the lady informed CISF about the matter and later lodged a complaint at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport Police Station. After seizing the yellow cab (WB-19 / C-3312) and booking its driver, Uday Kumar, local police have started investigation into the matter while the main accused in the case has not been arrested so far. (Reporting by Deepayan Sinha) New Delhi, July 13 (IBNS): India strongly rejected to China's offer to mediate in Kashmir with an aim to bring peace in the region on Thursday, media reports said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay was quoted by NDTV: "We are ready to talk Kashmir with Pakistan, but no third party mediation...Our stand is absolutely clear. You are aware that the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country that threatens peace and stability in the country, region, and the world." As the border standoff with China snowballs into a big issue that the opposition finds handy to bash the Government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has called an all-party meeting on Friday where she is expected to brief them on the situation along with the attacks on Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir which took place recently, reports said. The meeting will be held at the residence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh where several other Ministers, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will also be present. Swaraj is likely to apprise the opposition parties of the month-long chain of events and the steps initiated by the Narendra Modi Government. The Government move to convene the all-party meeting is being seen as a measure to take along side the opposition on the sensitive issue and avoid trouble in the next Parliament session. The ongoing military standoff has heightened tension at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction in Doklam, a disputed territory claimed by both Bhutan and China, where the Indian Army have reached to stop China from building a road. Taking a serious note of the Chinese activities, Delhi has described it as a major security concern since it gives China access to the narrow strip of land connecting mainland India to its north-eastern states. China has accused India of trespassing into its territory and demanded withdrawal of troops leading to a heated exchange. While India and Bhutan say the land belongs to the tiny Himalayan kingdom and that the Indian troops are there at the request of Bhutan, China has warned that it will not accept any dialogue till Indian soldiers pull out from Doklam. The opposition, particularly the Congress, has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the confrontation and the way the situation is being handled. Regarding the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had accused PM Modi for the whole situation. "Modis policies have created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Grave strategic blow for India" he said on Twitter yesterday. Image: File. Natl interest will be at the core of MoFAs works, says Mahara Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that national interest will be the top priority of his ministry while undertaking any task concerning Nepal and other countries. New York, July 13(Just Earth News): As the war in Yemen grinds on, the increasing battles of attrition are extracting a terrible toll on the countryas women, men and children, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council, calling for concrete action to end the fighting. The country is not suffering from a single emergency but a number of complex emergencies, said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, noting that more than 20 million across the country are affected, including almost seven million at the risk of famine. Of most concern is the rapid spread of cholera across the country, with at least 300,000 suspected cases and over 1,700 deaths. Tackling the disease has become even more complicated with the Yemens health system tethering on the verge of collapse. Tens of thousands of healthcare workers have not been paid for many months, more than half of the country's health facilities have closed and supplies of medicine and medical equipment remain severely limited, added Cheikh Ahmed. In his remarks, the Special Envoy also commended the efforts of Yemeni civil society for peace in spite of many security challenges there and called on the political leadership to recognize that the continuation of the conflict would lead only to more human and physical loss. Yemens political leaders must listen and heed the calls of the Yemeni people demanding peace. History will not judge kindly those who have used the war to increase their influence or profit from the public finances, and Yemenis patience will not last, he underscored. Also at on Wednesdays Security Council briefing, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen OBrien, noted the work done by UN and humanitarian agencies but warned that they cannot replace State functions. Underscoring the need to ensure payments to the countrys public servants and ensuring operations of its health services, OBrien called for predictable and stable access for both humanitarian and commercial imports through Yemens land and port routes. In particular, he stressed the need to ensure that Yemeni people and critical infrastructure are protected. For as long as military actions continue, all parties must comply with their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law, and all States must exert their influence to ensure the parties do so. On Wednesday, they are not doing so. This must change, he said. As I have said before, this is a man-made crisis, and the sheer scale of humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people is a direct result of the conflict and serious violations of international law. Humanity simply cannot continue to lose out to politics, he underlined. Also briefing the 15-member Security Council on Wednesday, via video conference, Jose Graziano da Silva, the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) noted that the conflict in Yemen had disrupted agricultural livelihoods, exasperating food insecurity. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification conducted in March this year, registered a 20 percent increase in the number of people estimated to be severely food insecure (IPC Phase 3 and above). Seven million are in IPC Phase 4 meaning they are a step away from being classified to be in Famine (IPC Phase 5). Furthermore, in addition to dwindling agricultural produce, meat and livestock products have also sharply declined on the back of disease surveillance and vaccination programmes have come to a halt pushing the risk of disease outbreaks higher, noted the UN agriculture agency. Photo: WHO (file) Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, July 13(Just Earth News): The United Nations official advocating against the use of sexual violence in conflict on Wednesday urged all Iraqis to shun stigmatization, and called for women and girls returning from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daaesh) captivity to be embraced into their communities and supported, especially if they have children as a result of rape. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, urged all relevant stakeholders to ensure the return of women and girls from Daesh captivity in safety and dignity, in a statement. The Under-Secretary-General also called on everyone to welcome the women and girls back into their communities and to support them in healing, as well as to address all their human rights protection needs, in particular those of children born to survivors of rape. Patten commended the efforts of religious leader in issuing public statements in support of the women and girls, and urged them to continue working within the communities to promote acceptance of the children. The Special Representatives Office has been working with the Government of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional government, to implement a joint communique on prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in September 2016. Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday said that it is working to support almost one million people displaced from Mosul during the nine months of violent conflict. Sally Haydock, WFP Representative and Country Director in Iraq, said while we have done our best to support those who arrived to camps weak and hungry, our hearts go out to the thousands of people who lost their lives. Photo: UNICEF/ Khamissy Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, July 13(Just Earth News): An independent United Nations human rights expert back from an unofficial visit to Belarus on Wednesday said he was hopeful for a dialogue to begin with the countryas Government. Miklos Haraszti said that although the Government still did not recognize his mandate, it was encouraging that they had allowed him to attend a human rights seminar, which took place on July 6, alongside the parliamentary assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. I see the authorities tolerance as a sign of progress which may be the first step toward cooperation with the mandate created by the Human Rights Council in 2012, Haraszti said. He also noted the publication of the Governments action plan on human rights, even though none of the 100 points within the plan tackle civic or political rights. Haraszti, who was in the country for a special event, and not at the invitation of the Government to pursue work related to his UN mandate, said the Government could quickly change the human rights situation, if it wished. The absolute command that the Government has established over public life also allows it to bring change at a stroke of a pen, he told the seminar on human rights. The seminar highlighted two key areas of concern regarding human rights in Belarus, according to the expert. The first is a systemic refusal of individual liberties a permission-based regime of public life, which in effect criminalizes all Belarusians who act without prior authorization, he said. We also note a lack of independence of the judiciary, and ongoing use of the death penalty. The second area of concern is the cyclical recourse to mass repression, such as the crackdowns in December 2010 and March 2017, when the authorities actually criminalize citizens for using their civic and political rights. Haraszti spoke out against Government actions earlier this year, expressing dismay at what he called the Governments return to the policy of violent mass repression. UN Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. Photo: OSCE/Ilgar Hasanov Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, July 13(Just Earth News): A United Nations-backed report released on Thursday stressed the need for greater recognition of tourism as a key service export in order to attract technical assistance to the sector in least developed countries (LDCs). Although tourism represents seven per cent of all international trade and 30 per cent of the world's services trade, it is often difficult to direct trade-related technical assistance towards the sector because tourism and trade tend to fall under different line ministries, the report points out. Produced by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), the report, titled Tourism for Sustainable Development in Least Developed Countries, was launched on the occasion of the Aid for Trade Review held in Geneva. In LDCs, tourism accounts for seven per cent of total exports of goods and services a figure that stands at 10 per cent for non-oil LDC exporters. The report says that tourism can make a strong contribution to the economies of LDCs, but successful interventions in tourism require strong collaboration across government agencies as well as across different actors at the regional or local level. The report also aims to increase the commitment and investment in coordination and raise tourism's prominence in trade-related technical assistance as to ensure the sector delivers on its powerful capacity to create jobs and incomes where they are most needed and for those who are most vulnerable including youth and women. UNWTO, ITC and EIF are working to contribute to this process of increased co-ordination and collaboration by joining forces in the design and implementation of tailored tourism technical assistance and tourism export strategies, and leveraging resources. The report's launch coincides with the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. The Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 17 sets as one of the targets a significant increase of exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries' share of global exports by 2020, to which tourism as service export can contribute. Photo: IFAD Source: www.justearthnews.com Toronto, July 13 (IBNS): A Toronto court has turned down a request from the wife of a dead U.S. soldier to freeze Canadian citizen Omar Khadr's assets, terming it as "extraordinary", media reports said. Tabitha Speer, the wife of the US soldier Sgt.Christopher Speer, who was killed in a grenade thrown by Khadr fifteen years ago during a firefight between the U.S. soldiers and Taliban fighters, had made the appeal and sought an injunction. But judge Edward Belobaba turned it down. After serving ten years of imprisonment, Khadr admitted his guilt and recanted in American custody of Guantanamo Bay. He was later allowed to go to Canada. During the period of his imprisonment, Khadr filed a civil suit against the Canadian government for conspiring against him along with the US counterpart and for breaching his rights. In 2017, the Canadian government paid a sum of C$10.5-million to Khadr as a compensation. Tabitha along with a former US soldier had asked for an injunction to the money paid by the Canadian government to Khadr and asked the latter to pay US$134-million. However, the request was completely turned down by the Toronto judge. Image: Creative Commons. Kabul, Jul 13 (IBNS): At least 24 militants belonging to the Taliban and ISIS were killed in separate airstrikes conducted by the Afghan forces in Kunar province, local Khaama Press reported. According to a statement by the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan National Army, at least 15 Taliban militants were killed, while two sustained injuries. Machine guns and ammunition were also destroyed during the raid, the report added. In a separate strike, the force claimed to have killed at least nine ISIS militants. However, the provincial police chief Juma Gul Hemat said that at least 11 ISIS militants were killed. According to the police chief, two Pakistanis and an Arab national were among the militants killed in the airstrike. Both the Taliban and the ISIS are yet to comment on the news. keywords: Afghanistan, AfghanistanAirStrike, Kunar, ISIS, Taliban Washington, Jul 13 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump will be visiting France to celebrate Bastille Day and 100 years of US' entry into World War I. The US President took to Twitter to convey the news. "Getting rdy to leave for France @ the invitation of President Macron to celebrate & honor Bastille Day and 100yrs since U.S. entry into WWI," his tweet read. This will be Trump's inaugural visit to the nation following his appointment as the US President. Pundits have opined that the visit is likely to serve as a vacation and getaway for Trump, who in the past few weeks have endured a torrid time, owing to Russia link. Image: Wallpapers Writing for Online Poker Report, Dave Palermo offers an extensive look at an online gaming bill that has drawn concerns of tribes in Michigan. Federal law recognizes the ability of tribes to engage in online gaming through their Class III gaming compacts or approved gaming ordinances. But no tribe to date has successfully offered real money wagers on the internet amid unanswered legal questions. The uncertainty has tribes, attorneys and state officials worried about Senate Bill 203 , Palermo reports. They say the legislation could be seen as violating the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act because it requires tribes to share up to 10 percent of online revenues with the state but doens't guarantee them any form of exclusivity. The statute does not allow taxes," Joe Valandra, a former chief of staff at the National Indian Gaming Commission , told Online Poker Report. "If the tribes want to agree to a revenue share, thats OK." Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Kowall is the sponsor of the bill. He told Palermo that he remains optimistic of passage despite the concerns. Read More on the Story: Dave Palermo: Tweaking Michigan Online Gambling Bill Doesnt Resolve Many Of The Legal Problems (Online Poker Report 7/12) Michigan bill bets on legalizing internet gambling (The Detroit News 3/13) Join the Conversation NMA to raise Manmohan issue with Speaker The Nepal Medical Association has decided to submit a memorandum to Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar over lawmakers statements on the controversial incident that took place at the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences. Burma Child Killed by Artillery Fire in Kachins Tanai Displaced persons take shelter at a church in Tanai. / The Irrawaddy YANGON A 2-year-old child was killed by artillery fire in clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin States Tanai Township on Sunday, according to a statement from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief. The parents of the child are also receiving treatment for injuries, as the family was hit while inside a hut on their farm in Tein Kauk village, said the statement shared on the Facebook page of the commander-in-chiefs office, blaming the KIA for the death and injuries. KIA spokesperson Lt-Col Naw Bu denied the armys allegation, placing the blame on the army. It is not only Tein Kauk village that was hit by artillery fire. Other villages were also hit. We know where civilians are living, and we dont target them. It is not good that the army always puts the blame on ethnic armed groups in the case of casualties, he told The Irrawaddy. Though the Myanmar Army and the KIA have not clashed seriously recently, there have been frequent skirmishes near gold and amber mines in the area, said the KIA spokesperson. Locals and workers of gold and amber mines fled the mines to seek shelter in Tanai since clashes broke out on June 6. Currently, four churches in Tanai are providing shelter for the displaced persons, Naw Ta, a member of Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) told The Irrawaddy. For the time being, there are more than 900 people at four camps. Social organizations have provided food for them, but now we only have one month of rations remaining, he said. Myanmar Army helicopters dropped leaflets in the second week of June, asking the people in the mining areas to leave by June 15 or else be recognized as insurgents. Most of the mine workers then left the mines, said locals. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Burma Detained Journalists Trial Moved to Hsipaw A photo of the three journalists that has been circulating on Facebook after their arrest on June 26. From left: U Aung Nai, Ko Pyae Bone Aung and Lawi Weng. YANGON The charges facing three detained journalists will be examined at the Hsipaw Township court on July 21 because of logistical complications and security concerns in Namhsan Township, where the trio was originally arrested, said one of the defendants lawyers on Thursday. The Irrawaddys Lawi Weng, also known as U Thein Zaw, and U Aye Nai and Pyae Bone Aung from the Democratic Voice of Burma, were arrested on June 26 in Namhsan Township on their way back from covering a drug-burning ceremony held by ethnic armed group the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to mark the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse. The three journalistsand three men who drove them through the areawere charged under Article 17(1) of the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act for contacting the TNLA and were placed in detention in Hsipaw prison. They had their first court appearance in Hsipaws court last Friday to extend their remand and were granted the judges permission for their trial to begin on July 21 in Namhsan, where it was originally determined on July 4 that proceedings would be held. Given difficulties regarding transportation to the hill town of Namhsanwhich could cause inconveniences to the defendants and their family memberslawyer Daw Khin Mi Mi, who represents Lawi Weng, appealed to the Kyaukme District judge earlier this week for the case to be examined in Hsipaw Township instead. The defense lawyer told The Irrawaddy that district judge Daw Mie Mie Win Shwe permitted the appeal on Wednesday, considering the security concerns in Namhsan region and the obstacles in traveling between the two towns. Three defense lawyers have visited the trio in Hsipaw prison to discuss their case. International and local press members, civil society organizations and right groups have condemned the arrest of journalists under the colonial-era statute, saying that it points to a worrying trend against media freedom in Myanmar. Burma Eight Elephants Poached in Six Months in Irrawaddy Division A wild elephant was found dead on July 7, 2017 near Kyauk Chaunggyi Creek in Pathein Township. / Irrawaddy Division Polie Force) PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division Eight wild elephants were killed by poachers in six months from January to the end of June in Irrawaddy Division, according to the divisional police force. Poachers used to kill elephants with percussion-lock firearms. But we found that they are now using an old method that utilizes crossbows and poisoned bolts, police lieutenant colonel Kin Maung Latt of the Irrawaddy Division Police Force told The Irrawaddy. Of the eight cases, police arrested the poachers in four of them, are still investigating three cases, and closed one due to lack of evidence. Forest reserves in Pathein, Ngapudaw and Thabaung townships in Pathein District are home to wild elephants. Poachers take the tusks, hide, flesh, and tails from hunted elephants and sell them to smugglers along the Pathein-Mawtin road. From there, smugglers take the items via the Pathein-Monywa road to Mandalay Division, where they smuggle them into China via the Mandalay-Muse road. In the past, the majority of the elephant poachers were from Minbu, Ngape, and Sidoktaya townships in Magwe Division. But some of the Irrawaddy residents who had accompanied elephant poachers in the past are now hunting as well, according to the Irrawaddy Division Police Force. Some locals have learned how to hunt elephants after accompanying poachers. But they still dont know how to make the poison. So, they take the poison from elephant poachers in Magwe, said police lieutenant colonel Khin Maung Latt. It is a real cause for concern that locals are involved in poaching wild elephants. It has become more difficult for police to arrest the hunters, he added. Though the Forestry Department deployed forestry security police in Pathein and Thabaung townships last year to prevent the hunting of wild elephants and illegal logging, elephant poaching persists. I think there should be routine security patrols around the forest reserves to prevent elephant poaching. Only when security forces can chase and forcibly arrest the poachers like soldiers, can poaching be prevented. But now, migrant workers who have links with poachers tip them off about police, and they just run when police come, said Ko Tun Lay, administrator of Tin Chaung village tract in Ngapudaw Township, who is also a private elephant breeder. Ko Tun Lay, an ex-mahout suggested establishing inspection gates on major roads and smuggling routes to prevent the smuggling of elephant parts. Last year, poachers killed 13 wild elephants in the region and police arrested hunters in four of the cases. They are still investigating six cases and closed three cases, as they could not identify the poachers. Burma Mandalay Ma Ba Tha Appeals Ban on Name Ma Ba Tha members in Mandalay celebrate the enacting of the Race and Religion Protection Laws in March, 2015. / The Irrawaddy MANDALAY Nationalists of a sub-chapter of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion are urging the State Buddhist Sangha authority to reconsider a ban on their groups nameotherwise known by its Myanmar acronym Ma Ba Tha. The spokesperson of Ma Ba Thas Mandalay chapter told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that it is preparing an appeal to the State Buddhist authorityknown by its Myanmar acronym Ma Ha Nawhich banned the groups name in May and ordered all signboards to be removed by July 15. We will send this appeal to the Ma Ha Na office in Yangon tomorrow requesting the senior abbots to reconsider the ban and the removal of the signboards, said U Yatha, the spokesperson. The sub-chapter announced on Monday that it would continue to use the name and would not remove the signboards in defiance of the Ma Ha Na orders. Since our association [Ma Ba Tha] is not illegal and did nothing that is outlawed, we request the senior Sayadaw to let us continue with [the name]. If the Sayadaw decide to go on with their decision to abolish Ma Ba Tha, we will have to listen and follow them, said U Yatha. The spokesperson said they would request a delay of a month or two on the order so that they could still use the signboards during the reconsideration period. Commenting on reports that the groups members in Mandalay were planning to resist local authorities and senior monks if they attempted to remove the signboards, U Yatha added, These are just rumors. We have no plan to act against the decision of the senior monks. If the senior abbots of Ma Ha Na decide we are outlawed, and if they want to arrest us, we have no choice but to respect and follow their decision, said U Yatha. After a two-day meeting with members from across the country in late May, the association released an announcement that it would no longer use [the name] Ma Ba Tha, but would go by the Buddha Dhamma Charity Foundation, rebranding itself as a charity group. Burma Ministers Comments Insult Myanmar Army Myanmar military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. / The Irrawaddy YANGON The Myanmar Army said Yangons chief minister is not suitable for constructive, long-term relations with the army and called his comments about the military chief an insult on Wednesday following its first complaint to the government since it took office. The army told the National League for Democracy (NLD) government to take necessary actions against Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein on Tuesday because of his recent comments about the head of the military, according to a statement released by the Office of the Commander-in-Chief on Tuesday night. The statement, quoting news reports which have gone viral on Facebook, explained that during a workshop on Sunday in Yangon, the chief minister reportedly said there are no civil-military relations in the democratic era and that the militarys commander-in-chief position is the same as the level of director-general, according to the [state] protocol. The complaint comes at a time when Daw Aung San Suu Kyis NLD government has been coaxing the countrys powerful military to participate in the peace process and amend the controversial military-drafted 2008 Constitution that was drafted by the military. On Wednesday, the army released a statement explaining the complaint, saying the military takes the remarks as a direct insult to the military chief and the armed forces. Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Theins reckless and confrontational comments could damage the national reconciliation. He can be reviewed as someone who could cause difficulties for the long-term process that has to be built continuously among the government, people and military for better relations, the statement read. Civil-military relations are more important in our multi-party democracy where armed conflicts are still ongoing. U Phyo Min Theins remarks show how he is less learned, and it can be concluded that he is more confrontational, it added. Myanmars armed forces chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is currently in India for a goodwill visit. News Myanmar Escorts Media to Rakhine, Vows No Restrictions A Rohingya woman walks in a refugee camp outside Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State, Myanmar May 17, 2017. Picture Taken May 17, 2017. / Soe Zayar Tun / Reuters SITTWE, Rakhine State Myanmar pledged on Wednesday no restrictions on journalists visiting the troubled state of Rakhine this week, in the first official trip to include foreign reporters to mostly Rohingya Muslim villages affected by violence since October. Eighteen Myanmar nationals and foreigners representing international media, including Reuters, arrived in the state capital of Sittwe on Wednesday ahead of a government-escorted visit to the northern areas of Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where most residents are stateless Rohingyas. There are no restrictions regarding the areas that you can report from, said Thet Swe, a director at the Ministry of Informations News and Periodicals Enterprise. We didnt arrange any for show places for news reporting, he said. Last year, the Myanmar Army unleashed a crackdown in the area after Rohingya militants attacked posts near the Bangladesh border, killing nine police officers. Some 75,000 people fled across the nearby border to Bangladesh, according to the United Nations, which has documented allegations of gang rape, torture, arson and killings by security forces. Myanmars government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied most of the allegations, and has denied entry to a UN fact-finding mission tasked with looking into the allegations. The government has blocked independent journalists and human rights monitors from going to the area in the far north of the state for the past nine months. Suu Kyi has said a UN fact-finding mission would only heighten tension in the region. Many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Myanmar officials say a domestic investigation, led by Vice President Myint Swea former lieutenant general in the armyand a commission headed for former UN chief Kofi Annanwhich is not mandated to investigate human rights abusesare the appropriate ways to address problems in Rakhine State. Security Concerns Annan recommended in March that authorities provide full and regular access for domestic and international media to all areas affected by recent violence. Reporters on the visit to the northern areas would be provided security by Myanmars paramilitary Border Guard Police force, Thet Swe said. Although access would not be restricted, he said, reporters should stay close to officials during visits to villages for their own security. A detailed itinerary for the five-day trip was provided to reporters on Wednesday. The itinerary does not include visits to the villages at the center of a two-week offensive in mid-November, in which Reuters has documented numerous allegations of abuses by troops following a clash with Rohingya militants. However, Thet Swe said, the plan was not fixed and would be subject to changes due to the weather and security concerns. He invited reporters to suggest additional places they want to visit. Reporters would be taken to the village of Tin May, where security forces killed two suspected militants and arrested one after they detonated a bomb on Sunday, according to an announcement from Suu Kyis office. While Myanmar has denied entry to a UN fact-finding mission, a UN special rapporteur on human rights, Yanghee Lee, is visiting Rakhine State this week. Although she is not expected to visit the northern areas near the border with Bangladesh, she is due to meet some of the people displaced in violence since 2012. About 120,000 Rohingya have lived in internally displaced persons camps in Rakhine State, dependent of international aid, since communal widespread violence that year. Specials Saving Cultures in Karenni A Kayan woman. / Thet Htun Naing / The Irrawaddy DEMOSO TOWNSHIP, Karenni State Mou Mi, 53, is one of roughly 70 Kayan women known as the long-necked people who wear bronze neck rings, a disappearing tradition among the ethnic group in Karenni State. The way of life for people in her village and nearby Kayan villages in Demoso Township has been the same for generations: farming, breeding animals, hand-weaving clothes, and crafting bamboo household wares. In the last two years, however, their village has become more known to outsiders, since the introduction of community-based tourism. With distinctive cultures and untouched scenery, Karenni State has attracted thousands of foreign tourists and even more domestic visitors since the previous government opened access to the area in 2013. The decision came months after its biggest ethnic armed group, the Karenni National Progressive Party, signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. Over the last three decades, many residents of Karennithe smallest state in Myanmar, with a population of about 290,000, according to the 2014 census, but also host to at least eight ethnic armed groupsfled for the Thai border because of fighting between the Myanmar Army and ethnic armed groups. About half of Karenni States ethnicities, including Kayah, Kayaw, Kayan, and Manu Manaw, are staying in Thailands refugee camps. Mou Mi said some of her friends went to the camps, but she remained in her village. The oldest ethnic villagers hold on to their traditional way of life. Losing Traditions Like every girl in Banzan village of Pan Pet village tract, Mou Mi began wearing four bronze coils on her neck when she was little. Even though it was initially painful, it was shameful at that time if we didnt wear them, she said through a translator, as she spun yarn. But she does not force her daughters to wear the neck rings as her mother did to her.My daughters dont want to put these on all the time, so I dont make them, said the mother of eight children. Those accustomed to the heavy neck rings understand how burdensome they would be to wearone of the reasons why the custom has faded among the younger generation that has not embraced the custom. Traditional attire of other ethnicities such as the Kayah and Kayaw in Karenni has also faded. Only a handful of young women don the bronze coils now. One of them, a 20-year-old clothes peddler named Mou Tar who returned from Thailand to live with her family three months ago, sells hand-woven scarves as souvenirs at her home-cum-shop. Mou Thu, 47, returned from Thailand in April 2016 and also began selling scarves from her home. Visitors can also preorder local food and enjoy the music of her family band. She lived in Thailands Kayan villages for nine years after leaving on the advice that she could earn more money there. Kayan villages receive support in Thailand, with residents given a regular salary and taught vocational skills, but Myanmar offers no such supportnot even an awareness drive in order to preserve the traditions. The villages in Thailand, however, are often referred to as human zoos, as visitors pay an entrance fee to see the Kayan people. For our people, the ethnic Kayan, survival matters more than being labeled as a human zoo, said Khun Lakwui, a community guide who was in a Thai refugee camp for almost a decade, then resettled in the United States for five years before returning to the village of his childhood last year. I want the Myanmar government to put effort in to bringing back the ethnic Kayan, or long-necked people, from Thailand, said Khun Lakwui. An estimated 11,000 Karenni refugees live in at least two camps in Thailands Mae Hong Song district since fleeing their homes because of conflict between ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar Army in 1989. About 12,000 Karenni have resettled to third countries, mainly to the United States. Community Fund Tourists who want to explore the traditional ways of life of Karenni States various communities can contact the areas community-based tourism coordinators. Launched in early 2016 and supported by The Netherlands Trust Fund, the tourism project creates job opportunities and income for locals, according to the tour guides based in the state capital Loikaw. The fund provided trainings to the local community on how to prepare food for the foreigners and on basic hygiene, but the project ended in June this year, according to U Htay Aung, the chairman of the states tour guide association. The guides introduce the visitors to community elders, translating the language from the local dialects and vice versa. The guides also contribute 10 percent of their fees to the village funds, which are used for the development of the community. Our villagers, especially young people, have gotten jobs because of the project. In 2016 we got many visitors, said Khu Tee Reh, the village elder from Tanelale village, where many Kayah live, and the patron of the tourism project. They can also earn income from cooking traditional food, he added, explaining that the visitors can sample the local dishes. It encourages locals to promote their traditions, he said, as foreigners want to learn about their culture. Khun Lakwui said using community guides is the best way to contribute to the villages. Before there was a rule that visitors must hire community guides, but now some people hire them and some dont, because some regional guides or national guides know the places and they just bring the visitors to the community for show, he said. Myanmars government must support the communities, he said, to help them not only survive but also preserve their traditions. They do not earn any income by living here, but they could have incomes while staying in Thai villages, so it must be hard for them to decide [to stay]. They need the governments support to be able to come back, he said. There is no entrance fee for the Kayan villages in Myanmar. The community-based tour guides said their approach is needed for development. We want sustainable tourism. If many visitors arrive, we are afraid that it might damage the community, said U Htay Aung, the chairman of the Karenni State tour guides association. We, the guides, the hoteliers, and the villagers all have to work together to preserve this tradition, which would support sustainable tourism, he said. Challenges in Protecting Culture The bid to preserve the cultures of Karennis ethnicities has had a modest start, according to Khu Peh Nyoe Reh, the secretary of the Kayah National Literature and Culture Committee (KNLCC) in Loikaw. In this changing era, our traditions are becoming extinct as many tend not to wear the traditional dress. But we are trying to preserve it, especially the old styles, which use hand-woven clothes. Traditional craftsmen in Loikaw who make pieces such as silver earrings, decorated silver swords, and necklaces all used as accessories in the traditional dress are also dwindling, he said. In ancient clothing, we have lacquered cotton leg rings, the turbans, and earrings in addition to clothes, but now these accessories are becoming rare and we have lost the experts who craft these, Khu Peh Nyoe Reh added. Resource Shortages Locals not only face the loss of crafting skills, but also a shrinking market for raw cotton to use for hand-woven cloth and bamboo household items. We have neither the market, the technology nor the higher quality cotton product, the KNLCC secretary said, adding there are few small-scale cotton plantations in the region compared to the past. Kyar La Pya, the husband of the scarf seller, Mou Mi, grows some cotton plants in their field to use for clothes and scarves at home. He is also one of the villages last makers of lacquered bamboo kitchenware, which includes baskets, cups and circular trays used to serve meals. The cups are used for drinking khawnlocal millet wineand the traysdaunglan in Myanmar and deeyapwelone in Karenniwere once a common sight in households. The villages also lack access to underground water and households must save rainwater in large bowls for annual use. We have to be thrifty using water and when it runs out in the summer, we have to go to further to fetch it, said one woman in the Pan Pet village tract. The locals added that they got access to electricity for the first time a month ago and that a new road leads to the community. From March to May, we have a shortage of waterespecially when we have visitors who want to enjoy the local food, said Khu Tee Reh from Tanelale village. OAG told to produce plan to settle arrears by PAC The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee has directed the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to produce a concrete action plan for the settlement of arrears that has been plaguing state agencies and public enterprises. Reddit Email 354 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | In Edgar Allan Poes Purloined Letter, detective C. Auguste Dupin discovers a stolen letter in the thiefs own apartments after police searches had failed to turn it up. It was hidden in plain sight, on a card rack hanging from a ribbon, though it had been resealed. The police had assumed that it would have been hidden away and could not see it in the open. Fox Cable News (not the affiliates but the national propaganda outfit) is the purloined letter of todays news. Because it is out in the open, it isnt being seen. The allegation is that Vladimir Putin orchestrated the US news cycle by using Russian hackers and Russian media to collaborate with the alt-Neo-Nazi rag Breitbart and right wing social media to smear Hillary Clinton and build up Donald J. Trump. They are said to have targeted close states in hopes of suppressing the Democratic vote by smearing Secretary Clinton as a pedophile and part time witch. The emails released by Donald Trump, Jr., show that the Russian government was likely using Russian friends of Trump to dangle tidbits before his team, to see how corruptible they were. When Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort came running to meet Natalia Vesselnitskaya, they had their answer. That she did not fork over anything of consequence then is not important. She was an opening gambit, not the end game. I have no idea whether the Russian narrative is correct. But what I do know is that a much more obvious and successful attempt to manipulate the American public toward the far right has been run by Rupert Murdoch at Fox Cable News since the 1990s. In fact, Murdoch and Putin are very similar. Both are billionaires. Both are influencers in the US despite being born elsewhere. Despite Murdochs naturalization, his values are those of the old White Australia policies. Both are amoral and apolitical. Both push the agenda that they perceive will benefit them. Both have pushed Islamophobia for political purposes. Both helped elect Trump and so inflicted enormous harm on the United States of America. Both use their control of media to engage bullying and threats of smears to manipulate people. John Major revealed that as soon as he became prime minister, Murdoch threatened him. He could have good press or bad press, Murdoch told him. It depended on Majors policies toward Europe. Both use hacking to get information with which to smear enemies. Murdochs newspapers in the UK routinely hacked into peoples phone messages to get dirt on them. They then erased 20 million internal emails in an attempt to cover it up. Ive long suspected that Murdochs US operations must have done the same thing but that British law enforcement is much less corrupt than the American, so it never came out over here. Putin recently praised his own Russian hackers as patriots. Murdochs Fox is an attempt to subvert American democracy. Its employees have deliberately falsified video. They have retailed blatant lies as news. They have supported an implicit white nationalism. They have propagandized relentlessly for climate denialism. They have promoted war and war industries. They are about knee-jerk support of the Republican Party and more recently of the Trump faction within it. They have show consistent bias against minorities. The whole Mexican Wall fantasy was pushed by Bill OReilly for years. Even right wing thriller writer Tom Clancy at one point told OReilly it was a stupid idea. So as everybody is trying to track down some vague and complicated Russian plot, the Rupert Murdoch plot is in plain sight. And to any extent the Russian election plot has some truth to it, it is simply a use of techniques pioneered by Murdoch and Fox. Which M. Dupin in the corporate media will dare blow the whistle? Related video: WaPo: The conservative response to Donald Trump Jr.s emails Reddit Email 28 Shares By Ali Kazimi | (The Conversation) | Anjula Gogia, the activist bookseller from Another Story Bookshop in Toronto, had patiently nudged me over a few weeks to introduce and host Arundhati Roy on stage when she read from her new book, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Roy would, in turn, acknowledge and thank Gogia for her persistence over many years in making her rare Toronto appearance possible. Gogia was convinced that I could bring a unique perspective to the conversation for several reasons: rooted in social justice, my work as a documentary filmmaker has challenged the Canadian national narrative on race, immigration and Indigenous issues. And like Roy, I was from Delhi. Nearly 1,000 people filled the Bloor Street United Church to greet Roy at the June 22 event. More than 100 were turned away. The buzz was electric and celebratory. Pews filled with mostly women, mostly young, many South Asians as well as academics, feminists, artists and activists. In 1997, Roy won the Booker Prize for The God of Small Things, the first time the honour went to an Indian woman, and the first to an Indian writer living in the country. It would go on to sell eight million copies in 40 languages. Arundhati Roy was the toast of the literati, and I would say the glitterati, the world over. After winning the Booker, Roy went on to become an international political essayist, speaking out against the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Indian nuclear tests. Her work has made her a target of the Indian government. Roy had decided to undertake a gruelling multi-city book launch tour; nearly a city a day across Europe, Canada and the United States. The day before she had been in Brooklyn. But as she entered the green room, she looked anything but tired. (Anjula Gogia) In the summer of 1998, shortly after she won the Booker, India carried out a series of nuclear tests and gate-crashed the international nuclear power club. Pakistan followed with its own tests. In my opinion, it was at this juncture that Roy made a definitive choice. She wrote a brilliant, passionate and powerfully articulated critique entitled The End of Imagination. In doing so, she opted out of the celebrity pages and was labelled anti-national. For the past two decades, Roy has been involved in mass movements while writing non-fiction essays with great urgency, so that those she describes as being deliberately unheard and unseen are heard, seen and understood. Her path has not been easy; she has been, and continues to be, targeted on several levels: vigilantes have stalked and disrupted some of her public appearances. Typically most who oppose her have not read her; they know her literary fame ensures that her reach is unparalleled. Her fearless refusal to blunt her pen against the increasingly sharper edges of the rhetorical knives and swords of her opponents, glinting and ready, drives them crazy. In 2002, the Supreme Court of India charged her with contempt of court. She was ordered to pay a fine and had to serve a day in jail. In 2010, the Delhi Police charged her with sedition after she gave a public talk on Kashmiri independence. She is currently being tried for contempt of court yet again for an essay entitled Professor P.O.W. The case was finally stayed by the Supreme Court earlier this week. In Toronto in June, she was greeted with a standing ovation. I shared with the audience that when I finished the book, I wept. I hope you also laughed as you read it, she quipped and we were off. One does not grieve without loss, yet amid the pain, suffering, horror and hate, the book unflinchingly asks us to witness. It is infused with love and passion of all kinds. For me, it is a loving elegy for the India of my childhood that has been transformed into an unpredictably terrifying place. Of course this thought was not spoken; the clock was ticking and I admitted that I had indeed laughed and chuckled throughout the book. Roy spoke about the risks of taking a no-holds-barred approach to mapping out the brutal political realities of India. Her book is anchored in Jantar Mantar, the only officially sanctioned site for public demonstrations in New Delhi. From here, the narratives spread north to Kashmir, which is the most densely militarized zone in the world with more than 700,000 security forces and tens of thousands of Kashmiris who have been killed or disappeared. One cannot truly understand what is happening in Kashmir through media reports. Fiction offers a way to understand and imagine. For this, shes taken a breathtaking risk with the structure of the book. As a fiction writer, she explained that she felt fiction was in danger of being domesticated. There were huge expectations about her next book and she had wanted to free herself from this, and sought inspiration in her training as an architect and urban planner: You structure a story the way you structure a city planned and then invaded by unauthorized people. The novel is a creation of a universe and the creatures who inhabit it. As a result, the books narratives come from different points of views. I pointed out that all her characters break through borders. The characters in this book have borders that run through them, she said. For example, Anjum, as a hijra/transgendered, has the border of gender that runs through her (her chosen pronoun). Dayachand, a young Dalit (formerly known as Untouchables) who converts to Islam and names himself Saddam Husain, has the incendiary borders of being a Dalit as well a Muslim. Asked by an audience member how she approaches oppressive characters, Roy said: You have to feel affection for all of your characters, including the ones you dont agree with otherwise, it would be easy to create a straw man. Here I pointed out to Roy that Viet Thien Ngyuen, American author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Sympathizer, has similarly argued for the importance of what he calls ethical memory, in which its essential for the other to be humanized and the potential for violence and oppression within oneself to be acknowledged. Roy summed up by pointing out that Indias constitutionally enshrined commitment to secularism and socialism is being pushed aside in a concerted effort to create a Hindu India. In 1947, British India was partitioned into a Hindu majority, but constitutionally secular India, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Hindu nationalists, Islamophobic from the outset, want India to be a Hindu nation in which minorities would live under a Hindu supremacist laws. The current Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state of Gujarat in 2002 when a pogrom against Muslims occurred. More than 1,000 were killed, and several tens of thousands remain internally displaced to this day. Over the past two years, under Modis watch, there have been lynchings of Muslims. The most recent led to a massive street protests across India, including in Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where Roys novel is centred. Yet there are few of us, Roy said, who are resisting, but we have our backs to the wall. Furthermore, she said: For the outsider, India is anarchic. But there is no anarchy in India. Its highly ordered by caste, which is a brilliant and rigid system of administrative control, in which everyone is co-opted because they are allowed to oppress the ones below them, hence every solidarity is broken. The evening ended with another long, standing ovation. Special thanks to Professor Prasad Bidaye, Humber College, for sharing his notes on Roys quotes from the evening. Ali Kazimi, Professor of Cinema & Media Arts, York University, Canada This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Related video added by Juan Cole: NDTV: Its About The Air We Breathe In India: Arundhati Roy On Her Novel OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - Giyani Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:WDG)(FRANKFURT:KT9) ("Giyani" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of seven new prospecting licenses in the Kanye Basin, Southeastern Botswana. Giyani signed a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") with Marcelle Holdings (Pty) Limited ("Marcelle") to acquire an 88% interest in seven prospecting licences (PL294/2016 to PL300/2016 inclusive) by making cash payments totaling BWP 980,000 Botswana Pula. Additionally, the Agreement also includes the completion of the acquisition of 100% interest in five prospecting licences (PL336/2016 to PL340/2016 inclusive) from Marcelle, and 88% interest in one prospecting licence (PL322/2016) from Everbroad Investments (Pty) Limited ("Everbroad) previously announced on 2017/April/11. The Agreement also includes the acquisition of 100% interest in Menzi Battery (Pty) Limited ("Menzi"), a company incorporated in accordance with the laws of Botswana by issuing two million common shares of Giyani to Mr. Arnoldus Brand, subject to regulatory approval. Under the Agreement: Giyani acquired 88% interest in one prospecting licence (PL322/2016) from Everbroad for a price of USD 20,000 (twenty thousand Dollars), such amount was paid in April 2017 Giyani acquired 100% interest in five prospecting licences (PL336/2016 to PL340/2016 inclusive) from Marcelle for a price of USD 55,000 (fifty five thousand Dollars), such amount was paid in April 2017 Giyani will acquire 88% interest in seven prospecting licences (PL294/2016 to PL300/2016 inclusive) from Marcelle by making a cash payment of BWP 980,000 (nine hundred eighty thousand Botswana Pula) The rights to 88% interest in eight prospecting licenses (PL322/2016, PL294/2016, PL295/2016, PL296/2016, PL297/2016/ PL298/2016, PL299/2016, PL300/2016) will be transferred from Everbroad and Marcelle to Menzi The rights to 100% interest in five prospecting licences (PL336/2016, PL337/2016, PL338/2016, PL339/2016, PL340/2016) will be transferred from Marcelle to Menzi Giyani will acquire 100% interest in Menzi by issuing two million common shares of the Company to Mr. Arnoldus Brand "Completing this acquisition is a significant milestone on our path to become the world's leading supplier of high-grade feedstock manganese ore. It establishes Giyani as the majority owner of a large land package with an area totaling 814,000 HA (8,140 Square Kilometers) in and around the past producing K.Hill manganese mine, southern Botswana." said Wajd Boubou, President. Giyani is currently executing a regional sampling and mapping program on the property along with selective bulk sampling and metallurgical testing to better understand the size and chemical properties of the deposit and will publish lab analysis results from the second batch of samples within the next few days. Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedar.com and on the Giyani website: www.giyanigold.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. ("Volcanic") (TSX VENTURE:VG) is pleased to report initial results of its exploration drilling campaign at its Mandiana Projects in Guinea. To date, a total of almost 3,000m of reverse-circulation ("RC") and diamond drilling, and over 15,000m of air-core drilling, have been completed at Mandiana and at lands recently optioned from West African Mining Associates SARL ("WAMA"). The program to date results in the expansion of the strike potential of the Yagbelen Resource at Mandiana by approximately 1,000m, and its lateral potential by up to 500m. The program has also demonstrated the efficacy of air-core drilling as an exploration and target definition technique. Results are reported for the initial holes of this program. RC and diamond drilling were completed within, and in the immediate surroundings of the Inferred Mineral Resource (the "Resource") at Yagbelen, as previously defined by Sovereign Mines of Africa (as announced on November 8, 2016. Initial RC results of this infill program include: Hole From (meters) To (meters) Interval (meters) Gold Grade (g/t) (uncut) 17GRC119 76 81 5 2.68 incl. 78 80 2 4.61 17GRC120 1 2 1 50.00 17GRC121 51 55 4 2.40 66 69 3 7.16 incl. 67 68 1 16.90 78 89 11 2.08 incl. 78 80 2 4.51 101 124 23 2.21 incl. 103 108 5 6.11 17GRC122 45 48 3 1.21 70 72 2 1.55 89 157 68 2.01 incl. 91 100 9 3.76 incl. 122 128 6 4.03 incl. 143 149 6 4.93 17GRC123 61 75 14 2.73 79 94 15 1.21 As well as serving to infill the Resource, the RC and diamond drilling has also allowed Volcanic to gather extremely valuable information on the geological controls on mineralization. Based on work completed to date, gold mineralization is seen to occur preferentially in a series of bedded sandstone units; these units are repeated in all holes, and their characteristics will serve as a key targeting tool in Volcanic's forthcoming resource drilling program. Air-core drilling has been successfully deployed in the identification of extensions to the north, east and south of the Yagbelen Resource, in which regard it has defined a further 1,000m of strike potential. As may be seen from Figure 1 below, initial air-core results clearly illustrate the strike continuation of a strongly anomalous gold mineralization (colored red and yellow) extending approximately 500m to both the north and south of the Resource (colored in magenta), as well as laterally, 500m to its east. These results clearly demonstrate the efficacy of air core drilling in the Mandiana district, and on this basis, Volcanic has defined a very significant near-term resource drilling target. Results of air-core drilling from a southward 1,250m strike extension (see Figure 2 below, which represents the area immediately to the south of that shown in Figure 1) to the reported grid, as well as an infill block covering approximately 500m of strike (see Figure 1) remain outstanding. Air-core drilling has been performed in grid-like fashion on a series of "fences" established at 100-200m intervals, along which inclined holes have been drilled at 40-50m spacings. This rapid, low-cost approach to exploration has been designed to provide detailed and accurate information on near-term resource targets. The air-core drilling is ongoing. Reverse-circulation and air-core drilling of the Farabakoura deposit at the WAMA Project has also been completed, its purpose being to confirm the high grade historic results announced by Volcanic on April 18, 2017, below, and to define zones of extension to this mineralization. Results of drilling are anticipated and will be reported shortly. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Drill chip sampling at Mandiana followed a standardized protocol to ensure the collection of representative and unbiased quantities of material from each sample. Samples were collected from Volcanic's Mandiana field operations by SGS Mineral Services of Bamako, Mali, and were transported directly to the assay facilities thereof, at which they were analysed for gold by means of fire assay, in accordance with analytical method FAA505. In this procedure, a 50g sample is fused with a litharge based flux; the resulting prill is then dissolved in aqua regia, from which gold content is then determined by flame AAS at a detection Limit 0.01 ppm. Volcanic routinely inserted appropriate standards and blanks into its sample stream at Mandiana, and additionally collected regular field duplicate samples. About the Mandiana and WAMA Projects In January 2017, Volcanic acquired an indirect 75% interest a Guinean entity, Guiord SA, which owns 100% of the Mandiana Project in Guinea. The remaining 25% interest in the Mandiana Project is held by SOGUIPAMI, a Guinean government-owned business entity formed to conduct mineral exploration projects. In April 2017, Volcanic entered into a binding letter agreement to acquire 80% of WAMA, a private Guinean company, the landholdings of which together adjoin the entire length of the southern boundary of, and lie within the same mineralized trends as Volcanic's Mandiana Project. The Mandiana and WAMA Projects are underlain by geology comparable to that of many other Birimian-age volcano-sedimentary sequences in West Africa, in which gold mineralization typically exhibits a strong relationship with major structural and hydrothermal zones. At both the Mandiana and WAMA Projects the gold mineralization associates with a network of quartz veins which appear to relate to such zones, and is located at major lithological and structural breaks. In the near vicinity and of very similar geological character is AngloGold Ashanti's Siguiri Gold Mine (Measured and Indicated Resources of 3.37 Moz Au and Inferred Resources of 2.14 Moz Au). Other significant gold deposits and mines in the neighboring area include Hummingbird Resources' Yanfolila project, Avnel's Kalana property, and Avocent's Tri-K project. Of key importance at the Mandiana and WAMA Projects is the presence of shallow but extensive artisanal workings in the project area, which are seen to follow the north-south mineralized trend common in known deposits in the vicinity. Limited drilling beneath such working by both Sovereign and WAMA in their respective properties led to the identification of bedrock gold mineralization. Many kilometers of artisanal workings on these trends remain to be drill tested. Prior to cessation of work activities due to a shortage of market funding in 2013, Sovereign drilled 119 RC and diamond drill holes for a total of 16,624 meters at the property. Drill testing included the four zones (Yagbelen, Foulouni, Damantare and Woyondjan) that now form the basis of the Mineral Resource calculation, as well as at other features, was completed. Results of Sovereign's drilling programs completed between 2011 and 2013 include: RCY07 - 28m @ 1.66 g/t Au from 103m RCY36 - 30m @ 3.15 g/t Au from 35m RCY37 - 40m @ 4.49 g/t Au from 150m RCY88 - 18m @ 1.93 g/t Au from 144m RCY89 - 12m @ 2.89 g/t Au from 73m, and 19m @ 2.58 g/t Au from 104m RCY114 - 28m @ 6.44 g/t Au from 168m with a top cut of 30 g/t Au One of the most notable mineralized occurrences within the WAMA Project is the Farabakoura deposit. During 2014 and 2015, WAMA drilled 89 inclined RC holes beneath lateritic artisanal workings at Farabakoura, results1 of which include: FKRC003 - 7m @ 29 g/t Au from 64m (visible gold observed in RC chips) FKRC005 - 12m @ 40.1 g/t Au from 68m (visible gold observed in RC chips) FKRC006 - 6m @ 14.8 g/t Au from 74m FKRC035 - 4m @ 6.2 g/t Au from 52m and 6m @ 14.9g/t Au from 68m FKRC037 - 3m @ 9.1 g/t Au from 77m FKRC071 - 7m @ 103.5 g/t Au from 62m (visible gold observed in RC chips) FKRC074 - 6m @ 17 g/t Au from 71m FKRC075 - 6m @ 6.7 g/t Au from 69m FKRC076 - 6m @ 18.2 g/t Au from 81m FKRC087 - 6m @ 65.8 g/t Au from 43m The weathering profile at the property extends in places to depths in excess of 200m from surface, producing friable, oxides material which beneath the lateritic profile is very easy to dig. 1The reader is advised that the above results are historic in nature and are yet to be verified by Volcanic. About Volcanic Volcanic brings together a deeply experienced and successful mining, exploration and capital markets team focused on building a multi-million ounce gold resource in the underexplored West African country of Guinea and its neighbouring countries. Through the strategic acquisition of mineral properties with demonstrated potential for hosting gold resources, and by undertaking effective exploration and drill programs, Volcanic is seeking to become a leading junior gold resource company. Qualified Person Mr. Simon Meadows-Smith is a Qualified Person as defined by "National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" and has approved the disclosure of the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Meadows-Smith holds a BSc degree in geology from Nottingham University, England, and has been involved in mineral exploration since 1988, including 20 years of experience working in West Africa. He is a Fellow in good standing of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining in London. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - The Board of SolGold plc ("SolGold" or the "Company") wishes to advise that SolGold will commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange at market open, Friday 14th July 2017. The Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") is generally regarded as the primary Canadian market for equities and has a high concentration of resources companies. The TSX is a robust market with liquidity and access to capital, particularly for the mining sector with participation from over 200 Canadian institutional mining investors and over 500 international institutional mining investors. The TSX/TSXV is the #1 public market for mining companies globally with 1,216 public listings with combined market capitalization of over C$297 billion and coverage by more than 200 mining analysts. In 2016, the TSX/TSXV accounted for 57% of all equity capital raised in the mining sector, making it the top source of investment for mining companies globally. This has been a long anticipated event for the SolGold Board, the Company's shareholders and interested investors, and the Board looks forward to continuing and sharing the Company's success. SolGold's TSX ticker will be the same as on the AIM market, being SOLG. SolGold CEO Nick Mather said: "the SolGold Board wishes to thank the various advisors, shareholders and experts in the UK, Canada, Ecuador and Australia who have contributed to the process leading up to the TSX listing, in particular Bennett Jones LLP and Maxit Capital. The SolGold management and Board looks forward to presenting SolGold to Canadian capital markets in the years to come as the Company progresses the exciting Cascabel Copper Gold Porphyry Project, in which SolGold has an 85 percent registered and economic interest through its 85% ownership of Explorationes Novamining SA (ENSA), and a growing portfolio of 100% owned exploration projects throughout Ecuador, targeting up to 22 other copper gold porphyry projects in four other wholly owned subsidiaries. Ecuador is arguably the world's most under explored copper gold province and the extraordinary dedication by the Government to allow the development of a mining industry in Ecuador provides SolGold with an unprecedented opportunity to develop a copper gold company of global importance. SolGold expects to direct its considerable and accomplished technical team and financial resources to accomplishment of this goal and the TSX listing is an important element, providing access to our growth strategies to new and existing investors and shareholders." Shareholders and stockbrokers seeking information on how to manage their holdings and how to move stock from the UK to Canada are referred to the information contained on the Company's website as follows: http://www.solgold.com.au/shareholding-faqs/ SolGold (AIM:SOLG) is a Brisbane, Australia based, AIMlisted (SOLG) copper gold exploration and future development company with assets in Ecuador, Solomon Islands and Australia. SolGold's primary objective is to discover and define worldclass coppergold deposits. The Board and Management Team have substantial vested interests in the success of the Company as shareholders as well as strong track records in the areas of exploration, mine appraisal and development, investment, finance and law. SolGold's experience is augmented by state of the art geophysical and modelling techniques and the guidance of porphyry copper and gold expert Dr Steve Garwin. SolGold was shortlisted as a nominee for the Mining Journal Explorer Achievement Award for 2016. The Company announced USD54m in capital raisings in September 2016 involving Maxit Capital LP, Newcrest International Ltd and DGR Global Ltd, and a USD41.2m raising in June of 2017 largely from Newcrest International with USD1.2m raised from Ecuadorean investors. All of these raisings were undertaken at substantial premiums to previous raisings, and SolGold has circa USD70 million in available cash to continue the exploration and development of its flagship Cascabel Project. Mr Craig Jones joined the SolGold Board on 3 March 2017, nominated to the Board of SolGold by Newcrest Mining, now a 14.54% shareholder in SolGold. Mr Jones is a Mechanical Engineer and is currently the Executive General Manager Wafi-Golpu (Newcrest-Harmony MMJV). He has held various senior management and executive roles within the Newcrest Group, including General Manager Projects, General Manager Cadia Valley Operations, Executive General Manager Projects and Asset Management, Executive General Manager Australian and Indonesian Operations, Executive General Manager Australian Operations and Projects, and Executive General Manager Cadia and Morobe Mining Joint Venture. Prior to joining Newcrest, Mr Jones worked for Rio Tinto. Cascabel, SolGold's 85% owned "World Class" (Ref: Cautionary Notice) flagship coppergold porphyry project, is located in northern Ecuador on the underexplored northern section of the richly endowed Andean Copper Belt. SolGold owns 85% of Exploraciones Novomining S.A. ("ENSA") and approximately 8% of TSXVlisted Cornerstone Capital Resources ("Cornerstone"), which holds the remaining 15% of ENSA, the Ecuadorian registered company which holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the terms of existing agreements, Cornerstone is debt financed by SolGold for its share of costs to completion of a Feasibility Study. The investments by Newcrest for 14.54% of SolGold, and the investments into SolGold by Guyana Goldfields, Maxit Capital and its clients, endorses Ecuador as an exploration and mining destination, the management team at SolGold, the dimension, size and scale of the growing Alpala, and the prospectivity of Cascabel and its multiple targets. The gold endowment, location, infrastructure, logistics are important competitive advantages offered by the project. To date SolGold has completed geological mapping, soil sampling, rock saw channel sampling, geochemical and spectral alteration mapping over 25km2, along with an additional 9km2 of Induced Polarisation and 14km2 Magnetotelluric "Orion" surveys over the Alpala cluster and Aguinaga targets. SolGold has completed over 40,000m of drilling and expended over USD47M on the program, which includes corporate costs and investments into Cornerstone. This has been accomplished with a workforce of up to 176 Ecuadorean workers and geoscientists, and 6 expatriate Australian geoscientists. The results of 26 holes drilled (including re-drilled holes) and assayed to date have produced some of the greatest drill hole intercepts in porphyry copper-gold exploration history, as indicated by Hole 12 (CSD-16-012) returning 1560m grading 0.59% copper and 0.54 g/t gold including, 1044m grading 0.74% copper and 0.54 g/t gold. The average grade of all metres drilled to date on the project currently stands at 0.32% copper and 0.27 g/t gold. Intensive diamond drilling is planned for the next 12 months with 10 drill rigs expected to be operational by early 2018, targeting over 90,000m of drilling per annum. Cascabel is characterised by fifteen (15) identified targets, "World Class" drilling intersections over 1km in length at potentially economic grades, and high copper and gold grades in richer sections, as well as logistic advantages in location, elevation, water supply, proximity to roads, port and power services; and a progressive legislative approach to resource development in Ecuador. To date, SolGold has drill tested 4 of the 15 targets, being Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central, Hematite Hill, and Alpala Southeast. Currently drill testing of Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central and Alpala Southeast targets is underway, with drill testing of the Aguinaga target to commence in August 2017. The Alpala deposit is open in multiple directions and the mineralised corridor marked for drill testing of the greater Alpala cluster occurs over a 2.2km strike length from Trivinio in the northwest to Cristal in the southeast. The mineralised corridor is known to be prospective over approximately 700m width. High priority targets within the Alpala cluster, at Moran approximately 700m to the north, and at Aguinaga approximately 2.3km north east, are closely modelled by 3D MVI magnetic signatures that currently encompass over 15Bt of magnetic rock. Based on a strong spatial and genetic relationship between copper sulphides and magnetite, this body of magnetic rock is considered to be highly prospective for significant copper and gold mineralisation, and requires drill testing. SolGold is focussing on extending the dimensions of the Alpala deposit including Hematite Hill, Alpala South East, Cristal, Alpala Northwest and Trivinio before completing a resource statement and drill testing of the other key targets within the Cascabel concession at Aguinaga, Tandayama-America, Alpala West, Carmen, Alpala East, Moran, Parambas, and Chinambicito. The Company is currently planning further metallurgical testing and completion of an independent Pre-Feasibility Study at Cascabel. SolGold is investigating both high tonnage open cut and underground block caving operations, as well as a high grade / low tonnage initial underground development towards the economic development of the copper gold deposit/s at Cascabel. Drill hole intercepts have been updated to reflect current commodity prices, using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.63, determined using an updated copper price of USD3.00/pound and an updated gold price of USD1300/ounce. True widths of down hole intersections are estimated to be approximately 25-50%. Following a comprehensive review of the geology and prospectivity of Ecuador, SolGold and its subsidiaries have also applied for additional exploration licences in Ecuador over a number of promising porphyry copper gold targets throughout the Country. SolGold is negotiating external funding options which will provide the Company with the ability to have some of these projects fully funded by a third party while focussing on Cascabel. In Queensland, Australia the Company is evaluating the future exploration plans for the Mt Perry, Rannes and Normanby projects, with drill testing of the Normanby project planned for the coming quarter. Joint venture agreements are being investigated for a joint venture partner to commit funds and carry out exploration to earn an interest in the tenements. SolGold retains interests in its original theatre of operations, Solomon Islands in the South West Pacific, where the 100% owned, but as yet undrilled, Kuma prospect on the island of Guadalcanal exhibits surface lithocap characteristics which are traditionally indicative of a large metal rich copper gold intrusive porphyry system. SolGold intends in the future to apply intellectual property and experience developed in Ecuador to target additional "World Class" copper gold porphyries at Kuma and other targets in Ecuador and Argentina. SolGold is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Company listed on London's AIM Market in 2006, under the AIM code 'SOLG' and currently has on issue a total of 1,515,555,686 fully-paid ordinary shares, 31,795,884 options exercisable at 28p and 9,795,884 options exercisable at 14p. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - Nighthawk Gold Corp. ("Nighthawk" or the "Company") (TSX:NHK) today announced additional drill results from its wholly owned Colomac Gold Project located within its Indin Lake Gold Property, the Northwest Territories, Canada. Drilling focused on the continued expansion of high-grade Zone 1.5 (see Table 1; Figures 1 to 5), testing its extension to depth and along strike to the north and south of previously reported intersections. All holes returned significant gold intercepts, highlighted by hole C17-08 intersection of 55.35 metres grading 3.00 grams per tonne ("gpt") gold ("Au"), including 19.50 metres of 5.58 gpt Au, effectively extending Zone 1.5 an additional 25 metres north and 90 metres to depth. C17-06, 06B, and 06C are the first holes drilled into the resource gap between Zones 2.0 and 1.5 (Figure 1), testing for a possible link between the two, that if present, may result in a single higher-grade domain extending for upwards of 300 metres in strike. All three holes intersected broad zones of mineralization, an early indication that continuity exists between the zones. Zone 1.5 Drilling Highlights: High-grade Zone 1.5 extended along strike from 125 metres to 150 metres and vertically from 260 metres to 350 metres and the zone remains open at depth Hole C17-08 intersected 55.35 metres of 3.00 gpt Au (51.00 metres true width), including 19.50 metres of 5.58 gpt Au, and including 6.80 metres of 10.45 gpt Au Hole C17-02C intersected 51.40 metres (44 metres true width) of 2.46 gpt Au, including 24.25 metres of 4.19 gpt Au, and including 6.45 metres of 9.19 gpt Au Hole C17-07C intersected 20.85 metres (20 metres true width) of 2.65 gpt Au, including 11.85 metres of 3.58 gpt Au, and including and 5.75 metres of 4.30 gpt Au Hole C17-06B intersected 112.10 metres (89 metres true width) of 1.09 gpt Au, including 33.10 metres of 1.84 gpt Au, and including 5.00 metres of 5.77 gpt Au Note: All assays are uncut (see Table 1) Dr. Michael Byron, President and CEO said, "We are almost halfway through our 2017 drilling program and are very encouraged to see that 100% of the holes reported to date have intersected gold mineralization. We are also excited to have significantly expanded high-grade Zone 1.5 along strike and to depth. The zone's well-established continuity and rapid expansion offers considerable insight into Colomac's incredible untapped potential; one that we remain committed to fulfilling. Drilling the resource gap between high-grade Zones 1.5 and 2.0, thereby testing for a possible link between the two, has always been a priority for the Company. Although still early, today's results suggest that the zones may merge and possibly develop into a single higher-grade domain extending upwards of 300 metres in strike. This would represent a key turning point for Nighthawk as both zones have only seen relatively shallow drilling, and remain open for expansion to depth." Three drills are currently active. One rig will remain focused on further testing Zone 1.5 laterally and down plunge, while the others have been deployed to explore for similar high-grade opportunities throughout the Colomac sill and Goldcrest sill, which lies parallel to and west of the Colomac sill. Table 1. Colomac Drill Results (uncut) Hole ID From (metres) To (metres) Core Length (metres)* Au (gpt) C17-02C 160.65 163.65 3.00 0.93 173.15 224.55 51.40 2.46 including 173.15 197.40 24.25 4.19 including 190.35 196.80 6.45 9.19 including 190.35 194.10 3.75 12.31 including 190.35 192.85 2.50 16.40 217.10 221.00 3.90 3.50 C17-04C 233.40 256.00 22.60 1.30 including 233.40 245.00 11.60 1.90 including 235.20 242.30 7.10 2.77 including 252.70 256.00 3.30 1.40 281.20 291.40 10.20 0.73 327.00 327.70 0.70 2.89 C17-06 208.40 284.50 76.10 1.17 including 208.40 239.70 31.30 1.91 including 210.70 233.70 23.00 2.27 including 220.00 230.40 10.40 3.10 including 222.70 230.40 7.70 3.49 including 247.40 259.00 11.60 1.21 C17-06B 262.00 374.10 112.10 1.09 including 285.70 288.00 2.30 1.72 including 310.90 316.00 5.10 1.90 including 320.70 326.60 5.90 1.62 including 329.80 362.90 33.10 1.84 including 329.80 334.40 4.60 2.49 including 352.00 357.00 5.00 5.77 including 354.00 373.40 19.40 2.55 C17-06C 311.00 313.30 2.30 1.31 318.00 321.70 3.70 2.18 332.00 369.40 37.40 1.17 including 335.80 342.00 6.20 1.88 including 346.40 351.50 5.10 2.08 including 360.40 369.40 9.00 1.56 including 360.40 366.40 6.00 2.00 386.40 399.50 13.10 0.93 including 387.00 389.30 2.30 1.48 410.40 414.70 4.30 0.75 454.70 462.20 7.50 1.18 C17-07 202.12 224.15 22.03 0.94 including 202.12 206.12 4.00 1.38 including 211.00 215.50 4.50 1.17 including 218.50 224.15 5.65 1.38 227.75 232.75 5.00 1.87 257.55 273.30 15.75 2.32 including 258.30 268.75 10.45 3.16 258.30 262.75 4.45 5.27 278.25 286.30 8.05 0.78 C17-07B 297.25 298.00 0.75 4.39 310.75 331.50 20.75 0.77 including 310.75 314.25 3.50 2.05 356.95 399.60 42.65 1.07 including 357.70 382.40 24.70 1.37 including 357.70 364.50 6.80 2.62 including 362.40 364.50 2.10 4.89 including 377.05 382.40 5.35 1.92 421.00 440.25 19.25 1.08 including 421.00 423.00 2.00 3.48 including 428.30 430.00 1.70 1.47 including 433.50 438.85 5.35 1.10 C17-07C 350.25 371.10 20.85 2.65 including 350.25 354.00 3.75 3.15 including 359.25 371.10 11.85 3.58 including 359.25 365.00 5.75 4.30 including 360.00 362.75 2.75 7.58 including 367.55 371.10 3.55 4.80 402.50 407.90 5.40 1.73 483.75 488.50 4.75 1.29 510.05 518.60 8.55 1.21 606.25 610.75 4.50 0.96 626.15 627.37 1.22 3.00 C17-08 250.00 253.00 3.00 1.40 269.55 324.90 55.35 3.00 including 273.50 293.00 19.50 5.58 including 284.20 291.00 6.80 10.45 including 284.20 287.25 3.05 14.17 including 284.20 285.25 1.05 35.59 including 315.85 320.65 4.80 3.15 including 311.70 320.65 8.95 2.45 336.90 344.05 7.15 1.08 * Lengths are reported as core lengths. True widths vary depending on drill hole dip; most holes are laid out to intersect the sill close to perpendicular therefore true widths are approximately 80% of core lengths Colomac Zone 1.5 Drilling continues to confirm broad zones of high-grade gold mineralization within the core of Zone 1.5 and has expanded its dimensions down-plunge and laterally. While the zone maintains a true width of up to 50 metres its strike has now been lengthened an additional 25 metres to the north. Its steep to sub vertical northern plunge has also been extended to an average vertical depth of 350 metres and open. Nine holes (3,731.50 metres) have tested the mid-level expansion of high-grade Zone 1.5 and its possible convergence with Zone 2.0 to the south. Hole C17-02C is the central hole of a 3-hole section (Figure 2) drilled north and down plunge of hole C17-03 (see press release dated June 8, 2017), and just south of C14-05, a hole that had previously defined the zone's northern, near-surface, boundary (see press release dated December 3, 2014). Previously drilled holes on this section, C17-02 and C17-02B, intersected 27.20 metres of 1.45 gpt Au, including 6.95 metres of 2.98 gpt; and 33.45 metres of 2.40 gpt Au, including 7.15 metres of 4.57 gpt, respectively (see press release dated June 8, 2017). Hole C17-02C confirms the continuity of grade and thickness of mineralization on this section for over 150 metres vertical depth, intersecting 51.40 metres of 2.46 gpt Au, including 24.25 metres of 4.19 gpt Au, and including 6.45 metres of 9.19 gpt. Holes C17-04 and C17-04B were drilled to test a gap in the zone between previously reported holes C15-06, C16-03, C16-03B (see press releases dated June 8, 2017, October 26, 2015, and October 12, 2016), and the Zone 1.5 initial discovery hole C14-06 (see press release dated December 3, 2014). C17-04C, reported herein, is the steepest of three holes drilled on this section, and has delivered continuity of mineralization to a vertical depth of more than 200 metres, intersecting 22.60 metres of 1.30 gpt Au, including 11.60 metres of 1.90 gpt gold, and including 7.10 metres of 2.77 gpt Au (Figure 3). Previously reported holes C17-04 and C17-04B (see press release dated June 8, 2017) intersected 25.30 metres of 2.58 gpt Au, including 13.00 metres of 3.94 gpt Au, and including 10.90 metres of 4.34 gpt Au; and 23.70 metres of 4.78 gpt Au, including 17.00 metres of 6.20 gpt Au, and including 10.20 metres of 10.14 gpt Au respectively. Holes C17-07, 07B, and 07C tested the depth extension of mineralization previously intersected in holes C15-04, 04B and C15-05, 05B (see news release dated October 26, 2015), approximately 25 metres south and below Zone 1.5's initial discovery hole C14-06 (Figure 1). All holes returned broad intercepts of gold mineralization highlighted by a 20.85 metre cut in hole C17-07C of 2.65 gpt Au, including 11.85 metres of 3.58 gpt Au, and including and 5.75 metres of 4.30 gpt Au, effectively tracking the zone deeper on this section to more than 500 metres vertical depth. Hole C17-08 was drilled along the northern margin of Zone 1.5 (Figure 1) to extend the zone to depth below the section drilled by holes C17-02, 02B, and 02C. Its intersection of 55.35 metres of 3.00 gpt Au, including 19.50 metres of 5.58 gpt Au, and including 6.80 metres of 10.45 gpt Au, demonstrates strong continuity of mineralization between sections and to depth (330 metres vertical), as well as the potential to track the zone further down plunge to the north (Figure 4). Previous drilling established the near surface dimensions of Zone 1.5 to be upwards of 125 metres long, 30 to 50 metres in true width, and extending from surface to 260 metres depth. The nine holes reported today have expanded the zone's high-grade mineralization an additional 90 metres to a vertical depth of 350 metres, and extended the zone 25 metres to the north along strike, while open to depth and along plunge to the north (Figure 5). Colomac Zone 1.5 and 2.0 Gap Holes C17-06, 06B, and 06C were collared along the southern margin of Zone 1.5 (Figure 1) to test a significant resource gap between Zones 1.5 and 2.0. These were drilled to test for the possible merger of the two zones into a much larger higher-grade domain being upwards of 300 metres in strike length. All three holes intersected broad zones of mineralization, highlighted by the C17-06B intersection of 112.10 metres of 1.09 gpt Au, including 33.10 metres of 1.84 gpt Au, and including 5.00 metres of 5.77 gpt Au. C17-06, the shallowest hole, returned 76.10 metres grading 1.17 gpt Au, including 23.00 metres of 2.27 gpt Au. Additional holes have been laid out to continue investigating this priority area, as preliminary results now suggest continuity exists between the zones. Detailed field mapping and bedrock sampling is currently underway over much of the Colomac, Goldcrest, and Nice Lake sill areas in search of additional drill targets. Similar activities are also in progress on select high-priority prospects within Nighthawk's regional land package. Figure 1. Plan View - Drillhole Locations Figure 2. Cross Section - Drillholes C17-02, C17-02B, C17-02C Figure 3. Cross Section Drillholes C17-04, C17-04B, C17-04C Figure 4. Cross Section Drillholes C17-08, C17-08B Figure 5. Zone 1.5 longitudinal section (looking west) showing drillhole pierce points. Significant intersections are highlighted in red. Technical Information Nighthawk has implemented a quality-control program to comply with best practices in the sampling and analysis of drill core. Drill core samples were transported in security-sealed bags for analyses at ALS Chemex Assay Laboratory in Vancouver, BC ("ALS Chemex"). ALS Chemex is an ISO 9001:2000 certified laboratory. Pulp and metallics assaying for gold was conducted on the entire pulverized sample. As part of its QA/QC program, Nighthawk inserts external gold standards (low to high grade) and blanks every 20 samples in addition to the standards, blanks, and pulp duplicates inserted by ALS Chemex. About Nighthawk Nighthawk is a Canadian-based gold exploration company with 100% ownership of a district scale land position within the Indin Lake Greenstone Belt, located approximately 200 kilometres north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Nighthawk is focused on advancing the Colomac Gold Project with a current inferred resource of 2.1 million ounces of gold (39.8 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.64 grams per tonne), as well as advancing its other regional gold deposits and showings within this Archean gold camp. The Company has an experienced and dedicated team and is well funded to complete its goals and objectives over the next 18-24 months. Qualified Person Dr. Michael J. Byron, Ph.D., P.Geo., President & Chief Executive Officer of Nighthawk, who is the "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101 for this project, has reviewed and approved of the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Please refer to NI 43-101 technical report "Technical Report and mineral resource estimate update on the Colomac Property of the Indin Lake Project", dated June 17, 2013, as filed under the company's profile on www.sedar.com. VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - GoldQuest Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GQC) ( FRANKFURT : M1W) ( BERLIN : M1W) ("GoldQuest" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from the latest 4-hole batch of drill holes from its ongoing Tireo exploration drill program. The program is focused on identifying new gold systems and defining the extents of the mineralization at the recent Cachimbo Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) Discovery. All drilling occurs within the Company's 100% owned Tireo Concessions, which hosts the multi-million ounce Romero Project in the Dominican Republic. Highlights: TIR-17-32 intersected 31.6 metres of 3.89 g/t AuEq, 3.16 g/t gold with higher grade sections including: 11.9 metres grading 8.20 g/t AuEq, 6.57 g/t gold, 24.2 g/t silver, 1.43% zinc and 0.19% copper 2.7 metres grading 25.91 AuEq, 22.31 g/t gold, 52.81 g/t silver, 3.10% zinc and 0.46% copper TIR-17-30 intersected 56.2 metres grading 0.32 g/t gold Assays from two holes at Cachimbo are reported herein, and both TIR-17-30 and TIR-17-32 intersected gold within the upper strata-bound polymetallic massive and semi-massive sulphide horizon of the VMS system. Hole TIR-17-32 intersected elevated gold and base metal grades of 2.7 metres grading 22.31 g/t gold, 52.81 g/t silver, 3.10% zinc and 0.46% copper within a wider mineralization interval. The grades are comparable to the Cachimbo discovery hole, TIR-16-09 which intersected 5 metres grading 14 g/t gold, 74 g/t silver, 12% zinc and 1% copper (see release dated January 10, 2017). Holes TIR-17-32 and TIR-16-09 are approximately 50 metres apart and appear to be the same mineralization horizon. This horizon is open along strike to the north-west and to the south-east as well as down dip to the east. Hole TIR-17-30 (56.2 metres grading 0.32 g/t gold) was collared 100m east of the discovery hole at the same platform as hole TIR-17-28. The hole appears to confirm that the upper mineralization horizon is dipping to the east. Drilling continues at Cachimbo and will test areas along strike to expand the mineralization envelope and the Company continues to explore for a potential copper-gold rich feeder system, like the Romero Deposit. Two holes reported from the Las Avispas, holes TIR-17-29 and TIR-17-31, did not intersect significant mineralization. The drilling has, however, encountered favorable alteration to further support that a volcanic eruptive centre, similar to that observed at Romero, is present in the area. The Company is interpreting the results and determining the potential future drilling and next steps for the target. "These results from the Cachimbo discovery follow-up holes are extremely encouraging and support the thesis that our Tireo Belt land package has the potential to materialize into a multi-deposit mining district as these VMS systems often occur in clusters," stated Bill Fisher, GoldQuest's Executive Chairman. "These results are very important in advancing our understanding of this new discovery zone and will help us further explore this area." Plan Map Section A-A' Section B-B' Table 1. Tireo Drilling Intersections Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Cu % Zn % AuEq g/t Cachimbo Holes TIR-17-30 148.01 204.16 56.15 0.32 2.40 0.02 0.14 0.48 TIR-17-32 88.39 119.98 31.59 3.16 11.85 0.08 0.64 3.89 including 90.0 101.90 11.90 6.57 24.2 0.19 1.43 8.20 including 96.0 98.67 2.67 22.31 52.81 0.46 3.10 25.91 Las Avispas Holes TIR-17-29 and TIR-17-31 had no significant results *Interval grades are calculated using uncapped assays. Gold values did not exceed 63.5 g/t which is below the capping level for Romero of 72.2 g/t. Intervals may not represent true widths. There is insufficient drilling to determine the orientation of the mineralized zones at this time. AuEq=((Au g/t*$1220/31.10348)+(Ag g/t*$15.9/31.10348)+(Cu%*$2.65*22.04623)+(Zn%*$1.28*22.04623))*31.10348/$1220 Note AuEq does not include recoveries which have not been determined at this stage. Table 2. Collar locations and hole directions for Tireo holes Hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip TIR-17-29 264,902 2,104,065 1144 225 -85 TIR-17-30 266,395 2,097,276 1220 300 -75 TIR-17-31 263,311 2,104,121 1039 225 -75 TIR-17-32 266,342 2,097,245 1196 0 -90 QA/QC As part of the Company's Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures (QA/QC the Company reviews results from Certified Standard Reference materials (CRSM or Standards), which are inserted at a rate of five per 100 samples. Within the results disclosed herein there were no samples with results outside of the recommended tolerances for the standards. In GoldQuest's drill programs, composite intervals were chosen using a combination of geological criteria and mineralization, averaging around two metres core length. The drill core is cut in half with one half of the core sample shipped to ACME Labs by GoldQuest technicians. The remaining half of the core is kept at the Company core shack for future assay verification, or any other further investigation. Assays within intervals below the 0.005 g/t detection limit for Au were given a zero value. All drill samples were prepared and screened by ACME Labs (Vancouver); metallic fire assay and multielement ICPMS were assayed by ACME Analytical Laboratories (Vancouver). Gold values are determined by standard fire assay with an AA finish, or, if over 10.0 g/t Au, were reassayed and completed with a gravimetric finish. Copper and zinc values exceeding 0.2% were re-assayed with a 4-acid digestion and AAS finish. When zinc values exceeded 10% a classic titration was carried out for zinc. QA/QC included the insertion and continual monitoring of numerous standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream, at random intervals within each batch. The comprehensive GoldQuest Quality Assurance and Quality Control protocols can be viewed on GoldQuest's website at: http://www.goldquestcorp.com/index.php/corporate/corporategovernance. The information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Jeremy Niemi, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration of GoldQuest and a Qualified Person for the technical information in this press release under NI 43101 standards. About GoldQuest GoldQuest is a Canadian based mineral exploration company with projects in the Dominican Republic. GoldQuest is traded on the TSXV under the symbol GQC and in Frankfurt/Berlin with symbol M1W. The Company is well funded to carry out the exploration programs reported on in this release and to advance the development of its Romero gold/copper discovery, also located in the Tireo Formation of the Dominican Republic. Parwiz Kambakhsh released from prison Karzai secretly releases 20-year old student/journalist from prison, ends odyssey that began with death sentence for discussing womens rights at university Monday 7 September 2009 Phnom Penh Post joins Asia News Network The Phnom Penh Post, Cambodias leading English daily, has joined Asia News Network (ANN), an alliance now comprising 23 media in 19 Asian countries. > > > Wars and disputed elections: The most dangerous stories for (...) Wars and disputed elections: The most dangerous stories for journalists Reporters Without Borders Wednesday 30 December 2009 Reading time: (Number of words: ) In 2009 76 journalists killed (60 in 2008) 33 journalists kidnapped 573 journalists arrested 1456 physically assaulted 570 media censored 157 journalists fled their countries 1 blogger died in prison 151 bloggers and cyber-dissidents arrested 61 physically assaulted 60 countries affected by online censorship Dang abduction case: Rana Bdr found dead Police on Wednesday recovered the body of Rana Bahadur Gharti, who was believed to have been involved in the abduction and murder of Dang-based businessman Raj Kumar Shrestha, from the same forest in Salyan where Shresthas body was recovered on June 30. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion , cuisine, social habits, music and arts. The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (opens in new tab) goes a step further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, culture can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones and a million other things," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London (opens in new tab), told Live Science. Many countries, such as France , Italy , Germany , the US , India , Russia and China are noted for their rich cultures, the customs, traditions, music, art and food being a continual draw for tourists. The word "culture" derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin "colere," which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture, according to Arthur Asa Berger (opens in new tab). "It shares its etymology with a number of other words related to actively fostering growth," De Rossi said. Western culture The fall of the Roman Empire helped shape Western culture. (Image credit: Harald Nachtmann via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) The term "Western culture" has come to define the culture of European countries as well as those that have been heavily influenced by European immigration, such as the United States, according to Khan University (opens in new tab). Western culture has its roots in the Classical Period of the Greco- Roman era (the fourth and fifth centuries B.C.) and the rise of Christianity in the 14th century. Other drivers of Western culture include Latin, Celtic, Germanic and Hellenic ethnic and linguistic groups. Any number of historical events have helped shape Western culture during the past 2,500 years. The fall of Rome , often pegged to A.D. 476, cleared the way for the establishment of a series of often-warring states in Europe, according to Stanford University (opens in new tab) historian Walter Scheidel, each with their own cultures. The Black Death of the 1300s cut the population of Europe by one-third to one-half, rapidly remaking society. As a result of the plague , writes Ohio State University (opens in new tab) historian John L. Brooke, Christianity became stronger in Europe, with more focus on apocalyptic themes. Survivors in the working class gained more power, as elites were forced to pay more for scarce labor. And the disruption of trade routes between East and West set off new exploration, and ultimately, the incursion of Europeans into North and South America. Today, the influences of Western culture can be seen in almost every country in the world. Eastern culture Buddhism is a big part of some Eastern cultures. Here is the Buddhist temple Seigantoji at Nachi Falls, Japan. (Image credit: Getty/ Saha Entertainment) (opens in new tab) Eastern culture generally refers to the societal norms of countries in Far East Asia (including China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea and South Korea) and the Indian subcontinent. Like the West, Eastern culture was heavily influenced by religion during its early development, but it was also heavily influenced by the growth and harvesting of rice, according to a research article published in the journal Rice (opens in new tab) in 2012. In general, in Eastern culture there is less of a distinction between secular society and religious philosophy than there is in the West. However, this umbrella covers an enormous range of traditions and histories. For example, Buddhism originated in India, but it was largely overtaken by Hinduism after the 12th century, according to Britannica (opens in new tab). As a result, Hinduism became a major driver of culture in India, while Buddhism continued to exert influence in China and Japan. The preexisting cultural ideas in these areas also influenced religion. For example, according to Jiahe Liu and Dongfang Shao (opens in new tab), Chinese Buddhism borrowed from the philosophy of Taoism, which emphasizes compassion, frugality and humility. Centuries of interactions both peaceful and aggressive in this region also led to these cultures influencing each other. Japan, for example, controlled or occupied Korea in some form between 1876 and 1945. During this time, many Koreans were pressured or forced into giving up their names for Japanese surnames, according to History.com (opens in new tab). Latin culture People dressed up for Dia de los Muertos (Image credit: Harald Nachtmann via Getty Images) (opens in new tab) The geographic region encompassing "Latin culture" is widespread. Latin America is typically defined as those parts of Central America, South America and Mexico where Spanish or Portuguese are the dominant languages. These are all places that were colonized by or influenced by Spain or Portugal starting in the 1400s. It is thought that French geographers used the term "Latin America" to differentiate between Anglo and Romance (Latin-based) languages, though some historians, such as Michael Gobat, author of "The Invention of Latin America: A Transnational History of Anti-Imperialism, Democracy and Race" (opens in new tab) (American Historical Review, Voll 118, Issue 5, 2013), dispute this. Latin cultures are thus incredibly diverse, and many blend Indigenous traditions with the Spanish language and Catholicism brought by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers. Many of these cultures were also influenced by African cultures due to enslaved Africans being brought to the Americas starting in the 1600s, according to the African American Registery (opens in new tab). These influences are particularly strong in Brazil and in Caribbean nations. Latin culture continues to evolve and spread. A good example is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday dedicated to remembering the departed that is celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Day of the Dead dates back to before Christopher Columbus landed in North America, but was moved to its current celebration date by Spanish colonizers, who merged it with the Catholic All Saints Day. Mexican immigrants to the United States brought the holiday with them, and in the 1970s, artists and activities brought focus to Dia de los Muertos as a way of celebrating their Chicano (Mexican-American) heritage, according to the Smithsonian American Art Museum (opens in new tab). The holiday is now well-known in the United States. Middle Eastern culture A Middle Eastern family eats dinner together. (Image credit: Getty/ Jasmin Merdan) (opens in new tab) Roughly speaking, the Middle East encompasses the Arabian peninsula as well as the eastern Mediterranean. The North African countries of Libya, Egypt and Sudan are also sometimes included, according to Britannica (opens in new tab). The term "Middle Eastern culture" is another umbrella that encompasses a huge diversity of cultural practices, religious beliefs and daily habits. The region is the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and is home to dozens of languages, from Arabic to Hebrew to Turkish to Pashto. While there is significant religious diversity in the Middle East, the predominant religion by numbers is Islam, and Islam has played a large role in the cultural development of the region. Islam originated in what is today Saudi Arabia in the early seventh century. An influential moment for the culture and development of the Middle East came after the death of the religion's founder, Muhammad, in 632, according to the Metropoliton Museum (opens in new tab). Some followers believed the next leader should be one of Muhammad's friends and confidants; others believed leadership must be passed through Muhammad's bloodline. This led to a schism between Shia Muslims, those who believed in the importance of the bloodline, and Sunni Muslims, who believed leadership should not pass through the family. Today, about 85% of Muslims are Sunni, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (opens in new tab). Their rituals and traditions vary somewhat, and divisions between the two groups often fuel conflict. Middle Eastern culture has also been shaped by the Ottoman Empire, which ruled a U-shaped ring around the eastern Mediterranean between the 14th and early 20th centuries, according to Britannica. Areas that were part of the Ottoman Empire are known for distinctive architecture drawn from Persian and Islamic influences. African culture An African mother from a Maasai tribe sits with her baby next to her dwelling in Kenya, Africa. (Image credit: hadynyah/Getty Images) (opens in new tab) Africa has the longest history of human habitation of any continent: Humans originated there and began to migrate to other areas of the world around 400,000 years ago, according to the Natural History Museum (opens in new tab) in London. Tom White, who serves as the museum's senior curator of non-insect invertebrates, and his team were able to discover this by studying Africa's ancient lakes and the animals that lived in them. As of the time of this article, this research provides the oldest evidence for hominin species in the Arabian peninsula. African culture varies not only between national boundaries, but within them. One of the key features of this culture is the large number of ethnic groups throughout the 54 countries on the continent. For example, Nigeria alone has more than 300 tribes, according to Culture Trip (opens in new tab). Africa has imported and exported its culture for centuries; East African trading ports were a crucial link between East and West as early as the seventh century, according to The Field Museum (opens in new tab). This led to complex urban centers along the eastern coast, often connected by the movement of raw materials and goods from landlocked parts of the continent. It would be impossible to characterize all of African culture with one description. Northwest Africa has strong ties to the Middle East, while Sub-Saharan Africa shares historical, physical and social characteristics that are very different from North Africa, according to Britannica (opens in new tab) . Some traditional Sub-Saharan African cultures include the Maasai of Tanzania and Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa and the Batwa of Central Africa. The traditions of these cultures evolved in very different environments. The Batwa, for example, are one of a group of ethnicities that traditionally live a forager lifestyle in the rainforest. The Maasai, on the other hand, herd sheep and goats on the open range. What is cultural appropriation? Oxford Reference (opens in new tab) describes cultural appropriation as: "A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another." An example might be a person who is not Native American wearing a Native American headdress as a fashion accessory. For example, Victoria's Secret was heavily criticized in 2012 after putting a model in a headdress reminiscent of a Lakota war bonnet, according to USA Today (opens in new tab). These headdresses are laden with meaningful symbolism, and wearing one was a privilege earned by chieftains or warriors through acts of bravery, according to the Khan Academy (opens in new tab). The model also wore turquoise jewelry inspired by designs used by Zuni, Navajo and Hopi tribes in the desert Southwest, illustrating how cultural appropriation can lump together tribes with very different cultures and histories into one stereotyped image. More recently, in 2019, Gucci faced a similar backlash for selling an item named "the indy full turban" which caused considerable anger from the Sikh community, according to Esquire (opens in new tab). Harjinder Singh Kukreja, a Sikh restaurateur and influencer, wrote to Gucci on Twitter (opens in new tab), stating: "the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as hats whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products." Constant change No matter what a culture looks like, one thing is for certain: Cultures change. "Culture appears to have become key in our interconnected world, which is made up of so many ethnically diverse societies, but also riddled by conflicts associated with religion, ethnicity, ethical beliefs, and, essentially, the elements which make up culture," De Rossi said. "But culture is no longer fixed, if it ever was. It is essentially fluid and constantly in motion." This makes it difficult to define any culture in only one way. While change is inevitable, most people see value in respecting and preserving the past. The United Nations has created a group called The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (opens in new tab) (UNESCO) to identify cultural and natural heritage and to conserve and protect it. Monuments, buildings and sites are covered by the group's protection, according to the international treaty, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (opens in new tab). This treaty was adopted by UNESCO in 1972. Additional reporting by Live Science Contributors Alina Bradford, Stephanie Pappas and Callum McKelvie. What began as a massive crack in Antarcticas Larsen C ice shelf (shown here on March 8) culminated in July 12 with the separation of an iceberg about the size of Delaware and weighing approximately one trillion tons. An enormous crack in Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf that was steadily growing for months has finally given way. The event reduced the size of Larsen C by about 12 percent and dramatically changed the shape of the frozen continent, perhaps forever. Between July 10 and today (July 12), a massive iceberg measuring approximately 2,240 square miles (5,800 square kilometers) one of the biggest ever recorded separated from Antarctica's western peninsula, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported. The saga of this iceberg goes back years, with scientists and satellites alike diligently scrutinizing the crack that birthed the hunk of ice. [In Photos: Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf Through Time] Data from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite revealed the break. The iceberg's separation was later confirmed by NASA's polar-orbiting Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument, which captures imagery in visible and infrared, researchers with the British Antarctic research group Project MIDAS reported in a blog post. The Larsen C break was also evident in a photo captured July 12 by Copernicus Sentinel-1, an ESA satellite that uses radar to scan and capture images of Earth's surface in order to monitor the effects of human activity and climate change. MODIS scientists had been using Sentinal-1 data to monitor the progress of the Larsen C crack, relying on the satellite's radar technology to capture images even during the dark of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, ESA representatives said in a statement. This is the third ice shelf on the western peninsula of Antarctica to undergo massive ice loss in just over two decades. The Larsen A ice shelf broke apart in 1995, and between Jan. 31 and March 7, 2002, Antarctica lost 1,250 square miles (3,250 square km) of ice when the Larsen B shelf collapsed, according to NASA. Ice shelves take shape as advancing glaciers and ice sheets flow from land to the coastline and extend over the sea. These giant structures can build up over many thousands of years, but persistently warmer-than-average air and ocean temperatures are now bringing about the shelves' disintegration in a matter of months, researchers have said. A satellite image showing the giant (and then-growing) crack in the Larsen C ice shelf on April 6, 2017. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory) Because ice shelves are platforms already floating on the ocean's surface, they don't immediately contribute to sea-level rise when they collapse, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSICD). But once the ice shelf is weakened or in pieces, it can no longer hold back the glaciers moving toward the sea, and this can dramatically increase the amount of ice and water pouring directly into the ocean, NSIDC reported. And while the Larsen C ice shelf will begin to rebuild itself, it won't be as stable as it was before the collapse, MIDAS researchers said in a statement. Countdown to collapse Average ocean temperatures in Antarctica have been rising since the 1990s, especially around the peninsula where Larsen C is located. Scientists reported in 2015 that Larsen C was riding lower in the water than it had previously and had lost 13 feet (4 meters) of ice that could not be attributed entirely to warming air temperatures. The first signs of a northward-extending crack in Larsen C appeared in 2010 and progressed in 2014, according to a study published in 2015 in the journal The Cryosphere. Then, a photo of a massive crack in Larsen C was captured on Nov. 10, 2016, by researchers with NASA's Operation IceBridge, a survey of polar ice from the air. At that time, the rift measured approximately 70 miles (113 km) long and 300 feet (91 m) wide. IceBridge experts warned that if the crack extended far enough for an iceberg to separate from Larsen C, the iceberg would be approximately the size of the state of Delaware. By Jan. 19, 2017, the crack had extended to 109 miles (175 km) in length and 1,500 feet (460 m) in width. This left the shelf's edge precariously connected to the mainland part by a frozen expanse measuring only 12.4 miles (20 km) long. A second crack, measuring about 6 miles (9.7 km) long, appeared in May 2017, branching away from the original rift and further weakening the Larsen C shelf. Researchers warned that this crack could hasten the shelf's collapse. On June 28, MIDAS researchers reported that the Larsen C ice sheet was flowing faster than ever advancing 33 feet (10 m) each day, "the highest speed ever recorded on this ice shelf," the scientists wrote in a blog post. This hinted that a collapse was perhaps only hours away, they wrote. The iceberg-to-be was barely hanging on by July 6, with the crack measuring 124 miles (200 km) long and a mere 3 miles (5 km) of ice connecting the future iceberg to the ice shelf. New cracks were extending from the end of the main rift. Then, on July 12, the enormous iceberg holding a volume of frozen water about twice that contained in Lake Erie finally broke free, MIDAS researchers reported. While scientists knew that the Larsen C iceberg's separation was imminent, the speed at which it advanced was unexpected, Adrian Luckman, a professor of glaciology at Swansea University in the United Kingdom and a MIDAS project leader, said in a statement. And it is yet to be seen what far-reaching effects the swift loss of so much ice will have, he added. "We have been expecting this for months, but the rapidity of the final rift advance was still a bit of a surprise. We will continue to monitor both the impact of this calving event on the Larsen C ice shelf and the fate of this huge iceberg," Luckman said. Original article on Live Science. Some emergency-medicine doctors want to banish the phrase "dry drowning" because the term doesn't actually refer to any medically accepted conditions. "Dry drowning" tends to come up in the summer, as it did this June, after a young boy in Texas died several days after swimming and his parents were told it was because of dry drowning. But terms such as "dry drowning," "delayed drowning" and "secondary drowning" are all incorrect, and can cause unnecessary alarm, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). [10 Ways the Beach Can Kill You] "There are no cases of completely normal, asymptomatic patients who suddenly die because they went swimming a few days ago," Dr. Rebecca Parker, president of the ACEP, said in a statement yesterday (July 11). "It's time to retire those incorrect terms, because it is inaccurate and incorrect to say a child was initially fine after a water event and then 'dry drowned' a day or a week later." Parker said media reports of such instances "unduly alarm" parents. Still, in very rare instances, a person can die as a result of breathing problems several days after being submerged in water. The name for such an occurrence? Drowning. The definition of drowning is when a person has any type of breathing problems after being submerged in a liquid, said Dr. Howard Mell, an emergency-medicine physician and a spokesperson for ACEP. For example, if a person goes underwater and comes up sputtering a bit, that's technically drowning, Mell said. When most people think of drowning, they imagine a person going underwater and never coming up again because he or she dies from a lack of oxygen, Mell told Live Science. But "that would be the far end of the spectrum," he said. The medical term "drowning" includes a wide range of scenarios, including deadly problems, but also milder ones. Drowning doesn't mean dying, he added. In the mildest cases, drowning is when water "goes down the wrong pipe," but this phrase is also inaccurate, Mell noted. What's really happening is that water gets to the back of the throat and comes into contact with the epiglottis, which is the flap of cartilage in the back of the throat that blocks the breathing tube when you swallow. The muscles around the epiglottis then spasm to protect you from inhaling water. A person may cough and clear out the water, and then have no further problems. "If you are symptom-free, it's no longer drowning," Mell said. "It's not going to come back." The bigger concern is when a person is coughing when he or she comes out of the water and doesn't stop coughing, Mell said. This could indicate that a person did inhale water in other words, that water got past the protective barrier of the epiglottis, and into the lungs. [10 Bizarre Diseases You Can Get Outdoors] When even a drop or two of water gets into a person's lungs, it can cause problems, Mell said. This is because the water can wash away a compound called "surfactant" that coats the inside of a person's lungs. Surfactant is a slippery substance that helps keep the air sacs within the lungs open so that oxygen and carbon dioxide can be exchanged between the air sacs and nearby blood vessels. If the surfactant washes away, the immune system may react, leading to a deadly condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome. If a person inhaled water, and some of the surfactant was washed away, the signs of this would be clear, Mell said. A person would come out of the water coughing, or start coughing within a couple of minutes, he said. An hour later, the cough would be horrid, and an hour after that, the person would be losing their normal color, and turning gray. The term "dry drowning" came about because there were cases in which people died from this process, but they died several days after they inhaled water, Mell said. "It was harder for people to comprehend" the concept that people can die of drowning when they're not in water, even if they had been coughing and sputtering since they were in the water, he said. "It's not a benign, mysterious process; it's an obvious process" that starts right away, not several hours or days after a person gets out of the water, Mell said. There's no process that would be considered "drowning" that would start only several hours after a person was out of the water, Mell added. So if a child develops a cough a few days after swimming, that's just a cough. But if the person is coughing when he or she comes out of the water, and that coughing continues and gets worse, the person definitely should be taken to the emergency room, Mell said. In addition to the ACEP, these organizations also discourage the use of terms such as "dry drowning" and "secondary drowning": The World Health Organization, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the Wilderness Medical Society, the International Lifesaving Federation, the International Conference on Drowning, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Originally published on Live Science. How is a barrier island born? A new series of satellite images tells the tale. Shots taken by an instrument aboard the Landsat 8 satellite between November 2016 and July 2017 show the formation of "Shelly Island," a mile-long (1.6 kilometers) spit off the coast of Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. The island formed rapidly, adding most of its mass between April and May 2017. (The Landsat satellites are run jointly by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.) New islands are quite common on this stretch of shore, where waves and tides sculpt sand into shapes that sometimes protrude above the ocean surface. The shallow undersea expanses of sand associated with the capes are called shoals, and it is from these shoals that new barrier islands form, experts say. [See Images of a Volcanic Island Birthed in Japan] "A likely process would be a high tide or storm-driven water elevation that piled up sediment to near the surface, and then water levels went down, exposing the shoal," Andrew Ashton, a geomorphologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, told NASA' Earth Observatory, which released the new satellite images. Satellite images revealed the island formed some time between November 2016 (left) and July 2017 (right). (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory) "Waves then continue to build the feature while also moving it about," Ashton said. According to The Virginian-Pilot, the island got its moniker from a visiting 11-year-old, who explored the spot on Memorial Day weekend. (It was loaded with seashells.) But by June, officials were warning people not to try to get to the island, after a series of attempted visits necessitated rescues. A strong rip current makes the 50-yard (45 meters) crossing from the cape to the island dangerous, the newspaper reported. The first snapshot taken by the Operational Land Imager (aboard Landsat 8) on Nov. 16, 2016, shows Cape Point, a prominent local fishing spot, before the island formed. By Jan. 28, 2017, the white froth of breaking waves is visible just off the point, hinting at the very shallow sand below. In the final image, taken July 7, 2017, the island is fully formed. Barrier islands like Shelly Island are both changeable and resilient. They can be destroyed or shifted by major storms, which happened to many barrier islands during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. But when big storms steal the sand from barrier islands, it often ends up just offshore, so it's available when smaller waves return and start gently building the island back up again, Brian Romans, a sedimentary geologist at Virginia Tech, told Live Science in 2011. This natural process can be disrupted by human activities, like the building of piers or redirection of sediment. Original article on Live Science. Reversing brain drain Losing thousands of youths to other countries every year is bad; we must create incentives for them to return home An ancient house of the dead has been unearthed near Stonehenge. The Neolithic burial chamber, which likely dates to approximately 5,600 to 5,700 years ago, would have been an earthen structure that housed the skeletons of some of the earliest inhabitants of Britain. The burial structure, known as a long barrow, was discovered in the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, which is dotted with ancient ruins from this period. "It's a very rare type of monument, and a monument type we do not get to excavate very often," said Jim Leary, director of the Archaeology Field School at the University of Reading in England, who is leading the excavations. "This is the first one in 50 years that's been excavated in Wiltshire in its entirety." The burial chamber was discovered in what looked like an ordinary wheat field, thanks to aerial footage that revealed the outline of some structure lying hidden below. The excavations have just begun, so the scientists have yet to send their findings to peer-reviewed journals; the archaeologists don't yet know whether they will uncover skeletons or other artifacts in the long barrow, Leary said. [Aerial Photos Reveal Mysterious Stone Structures] Sacred landscape The Salisbury Plain in England is home to a stunning array of ancient monuments, from Stonehenge, to the mysterious fire monument near Avebury Circle, to the chalk mound known as Silbury Hill. It's not clear why so many of these ancient monuments have been found in the region, though one likely reason is that it has been very sparsely occupied in recent human history, meaning these monuments have not been plowed over through the millennia by farmers, Leary said. However, the river valleys of the Avon and Kennet rivers (which flow through Wiltshire) do seem to have had some special sacred significance for ancient people, which may mean more monumental architecture was constructed there, he said. Among the finds in this historic region are long barrows, or places where people buried some of their dead in ancient times. In the early Neolithic period, the bodies of a few select people were left on giant platforms for birds to pick clean. Once devoid of any tissue, the skeletons were placed in long, typically rectangular structures that looked like houses, only they were covered over by soil, Leary said. Such long barrows date to an interesting period in the history of this region, when a hunter-gathering lifestyle gave way to permanent settlements supported by domesticated animal husbandry and farming, the researchers noted. Unexpected find The newfound long barrow was discovered via aerial photography, which revealed crop marks in the field. When the researchers investigated the physical properties of the ground, they suspected that there might be an undiscovered monument beneath. The early excavations revealed the remains of a large, long barrow, about 85 feet (26 meters) long and about 65 feet (20 m) wide, Leary said. The structures that would have stood aboveground have been plowed under through the millennia, so the only features that remain are those that were dug deep into the ground, he added. Though the team hasn't dated any of the material at the site yet, long barrows with similar features, such as the West Kennet long barrow, date to around 3500 B.C. to 3700 B.C. If this burial chamber is similar to others found in the region, the barrow may have once contained 30 to 50 skeletons, which may have been buried with cow skulls. "These are the very first people to have domestic cows, and they seem quite an important species to them," Leary told Live Science. The long barrow also may contain a distinctive style of pottery, called Windmill Hill ware, Leary said. Though the burial site predates Stonehenge by several centuries, it's possible that distant relatives of the builders of Stonehenge, or at least relatives of the people who occupied the area around the sacred monument, could, theoretically, be housed there, Leary said. Originally published on Live Science. A beachgoer recently came across a bizarre sight on the California shore: a decaying white, black and purple blob covered with sand. Intrigued, the person, who goes by the Reddit handle xxviiparadise, snapped two photos of the creature and posted them online, asking, "Can anyone tell me what this is? Other than an organ?" It's difficult to say, but the mysterious beastie is likely a sea hare, sidegill or limpet, marine biologists told Live Science. [In Photos: Spooky Deep-Sea Creatures] The perplexing creature discovered in Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu weighed about 7 lbs. (3 kilograms) and measured about 5 inches (13 centimeters) across, xxviiparadise said in the post. "Because of the animal's decomposition, it is difficult to be certain what this animal may have been," John Hyde, a program leader of fisheries genetics at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California, told Live Science in an email. "However, it does resemble a black sea hare (Aplysia vaccaria) that are fairly common in this area." Sea hares, a group of sea slug species,fall within the class of gastropoda. If the strange animal were a black sea hare, that could explain its large size: A. vaccaria is the largest gastropod in the world it can weigh as much as 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) and grow as long as 29 inches (75 cm), according to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. But not everyone is on board with this interpretation. "I am sure it is not a sea hare," Greg Rouse said in an email to Live Science. Rouse is a professor of marine biology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. The pictures show that the creature has a rim, and "sea hares are pretty soft," Rouse said. "They do have an internal shell it could be that but the more likely explanation for me was the sidegill." If it's a sidegill (another type of sea slug), it's probably Pleurobranchaea californica, Rouse said. P. californicais earth-toned: It is colored with light-brown, darker brown and small whitish patches, according to the Sea Slug Forum. It has a large gill on its right side (hence the name, sidegill, although the gill is not visible in the pictures), and a broad and muscular foot that helps it move. These medium-to-large slugs usually live in deep water, from about 10 feet to 1,200 feet (3 to 400 meters) below the water's surface, where they voraciously prey on invertebrates such as worms and fish, including their own kind, making them cannibals, according to the Sea Slug Forum. Trawling data suggests that P. californica eggs hatch during midsummer, mature during the fall and reproduce during the winter months, according to Slug City, a website maintained by Rhanor Gilette, an emeritus professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Illinois. If this is the case, then perhaps the creature xxviiparadise saw was a young sidegill. [Marine Marvels: Spectacular Photos of Sea Creatures] Or, it could be a Megathura crenulata, more commonly known as the great keyhole limpet, which lives along the coast from Southern California to Baja California, Mexico, according to Sea Life Base. These limpets can grow up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) across and have a small shell on the left side of their bodies. "The thing that made me think that it might not be a sidegill is that there was black pigmentation," Rouse said. "That's when I thought maybe it's a keyhole limpet. But again, it's kind of bloated and you can't see the shell in the picture because it would have been on the left-hand side." In all, Rouse said the creature is likely a sidegill, even though he's "never heard of it getting to 7 pounds, but it's hard to see what the scale of this picture is, of course." The decayed mystery creature might be Pleurobranchaea californica, shown here. (Image credit: Greg Rouse) Whatever the answer, the biologists agreed on one issue: the round, purple parts bulging out of the creature are likely its gut, which has bloated since its death, they said. They also added a note to beachgoers: Next time you photograph a strange, dead critter, put an object next to it for size comparison. Original article on Live Science. RJP-Nepal in a fix after statute revision ruled out After the ruling alliance ruled out the possibility of constitution amendment for the time being, the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) is in a fix. Party leaders said they are mulling over various options. by Jess Nelson , July 12, 2017 Facebook has generated over 2 million email sign-ups resulting from the call-to-action units embedded in Instant Articles, according to the company. Instant Articles is Facebooks mobile publishing format. On a basic level, Instant Articles allows publishers to optimize their stories to be displayed on Facebook. Since Instant Articles original launch, however, Facebook has expanded the mobile publishing format to allow news organizations to include a call to action unit alongside the story. The advertisements allow publishers to either promote their Facebook fan page or encourage readers to sign up for a publishers email list. Since Facebook already has email records for its user base, the company pre-populates the sign-up form with a customers information so readers can sign up with just one click. Since Facebook expanded Instant Articles with call-to-action ad units in April, the social media company has generated over 2 million email sign-ups. A company representative also asserts that the current rate of subscriptions is over 25,000 per day across all publishers on Facebook. advertisement advertisement Facebook has over 10,000 publishers using Instant Articles as of June, and the company says it pays more than $1 million per day to publishers via its Facebook Audience Network. Facebook has asserted that its goal with ads in Instant Articles is to maintain a great reading experience for its users, while also driving revenue for publishers. Facebook does not have the best working relationship with the publishing industry, but helping news organizations recruit new readers is a step in the right direction. Alongside Google, Facebook dominates the digital advertising industry and has helped deplete advertising revenue from news organizations. Furthermore, social media was the eye of the fake news storm during the U.S. presidential election. Earlier this year Facebook announced the Facebook Journalism Project, an initiative to build a stronger relationship with the news industry. Facebook is also currently testing new paid subscription options. This week a variety of newspaper publishers asked Congress for the right to negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook. The long-shot request would carve out a limited antitrust exemption from Congress, normally reserved for special cases like labor unions, that would allow the group of news organizations to bargain with the two technology giants together. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 12, 2017 Cable companies and telecoms plan to ask the Supreme Court to vacate the net neutrality rules, on the grounds that the Federal Communications Commission lacked the authority to regulate broadband access. The FCC "effectively arrogated to itself plenary, unprecedented jurisdiction to heavily regulate the Internet, not only without any clear statutory mandate, but also in the face of numerous statutory provisions designed to keep the Internet lightly regulated," AT&T, CenturyLink and a collection of trade groups argue in papers filed this week with Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. The broadband providers' statement comes in a motion seeking to extend the deadline for filing a formal petition for review by the Supreme Court. They are asking Roberts to authorize a deadline of Sept. 28. The net neutrality rules, passed in 2015 by the FCC, reclassified broadband access as a "telecommunications" service and imposed common-carrier obligations on broadband providers. The regulations prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or degrading traffic, and from engaging in paid prioritization. The FCC also broadly banned providers from hindering Web users and content companies from connecting with each other online -- though the scope of that prohibition remains uncertain. advertisement advertisement AT&T, CenturyLink and a coalition of internet service providers and trade groups -- including US Telecom Association, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, the American Cable Association, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, AT&T and CenturyLink -- sued the FCC soon after it enacted the regulations. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has twice rejected the companies' challenge to the rules -- most recently in May. The companies said in their papers to Roberts that the FCC lacked a "substantial justification" for its decision to reclassify broadband as a utility service. "The Commission's decision is of extraordinary importance to the national economy, to future investment and innovation in the technology sector, and to the limits of agency authority," they write. Current FCC Chair Ajit Pai, who voted against the net neutrality order, recently put forward a proposal to reverse key portions of the rules by reclassifying broadband as an information service -- a move that would deprive the agency of the ability to impose prohibitions on blocking, throttling or paid prioritization. It's not yet clear whether the FCC will reclassify broadband, or how long that process might take. The cable companies and telecoms say in their petition to Roberts that they need a deadline extension because Pai's proposal, if passed, could affect the court proceedings. by Aaron Baar , July 12, 2017 Eyes are they key to understanding a persons emotional state, demeanor and personality. In its first brand equity campaign, eye drops maker Clear Eyes wants to help people show off their best moments through their eyes. Your eyes are the first thing people notice and convey so much about you what youre thinking and how youre feeling, Craig Rudner, senior brand manager at Prestige Brands, tells Marketing Daily. So when your eyes are red, dry, and irritated, they may not reflect you at your best. The campaign the brands first to support its entire portfolio, rather than just a single product includes a content effort, My Shining Moment, highlighting the role eyes play in expressing peoples emotions. A video focuses on various peoples eyes as a voiceover speaks about the link between the eyes and how a person is feeling. The shots include expressions conveying happiness, sadness, pensiveness and other emotions. With a simple look, you can communicate what youre feeling without conveying a single word, says the voiceover. Longtime brand spokeswoman Vanessa Williams also makes an appearance in the video. advertisement advertisement In addition to Williams (who in a separate video talks about her shining moment being the birth of her children), Clear Eyes has partnered with influencers such as eye portrait photographer Bridges Aderhold; beauty blogger Rachel Anise; travel videographer Taylor Fischer, and magician and mentalist Adam Wilber to highlight their own shining moments. This campaign is a celebration of the moments in life when people look and feel their best, with clear and comfortable eyes the moments when they truly shine because theyre not distracted by red, dry or irritated eyes, Rudner says. The influencers were each selected because of their connection to visual artistry (such as using make-up to highlight eyes or illusion to trick the eyes), Rudner says, adding, Throughout the campaign, well be working with a variety of influencers that relate to the eyes in some way, with interesting stories that highlight a shining moment from their perspective. The brand is also encouraging consumers to share their own shining moments, as part of a sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Miami and a private shoot with Aderhold. The campaign will be supported with a television spot featuring Williams, digital advertising and social network seeding (and encouraging use of the hashtag, #MyShiningMoment). by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 12, 2017 A company that works with Verizon exposed records of millions of customers by storing their data on an unprotected server. The security firm UpGuard, which initially discovered the data leak and notified Verizon about it, said the Israeli company Nice Systems operated a server that housed customers' data in cloud storage. The information was left on a site that was configured to allow access by the public. Exposed data included customers' names, cell numbers and some PIN numbers, according to ZDNet, which first reported the incident. Verizon confirmed Wednesday that data for 6 million customers was exposed, but said that none of the information was obtained by hackers. advertisement advertisement "We have been able to confirm that the only access to the cloud storage area by a person other than Verizon or its vendor was a researcher who brought this issue to our attention. In other words, there has been no loss or theft of Verizon or Verizon customer information," the company stated. Verizon added that most of the information that was exposed "had no external value." The telecom added that the PIN numbers on the server were used to authenticate customer service calls, but don't provide online access to people's accounts. Advocacy group Public Knowledge is urging the Federal Communications Commission to investigate. The organization said that Verizon's failure to insure that its business partners protect subscribers' information "led to the exposure of millions of customer records, jeopardizing the privacy of consumers across the nation." by Tanya Gazdik , July 13, 2017 Nearly one-third (31%) of consumers prefer to receive offers about booking and merchandising online, on either the hotel or travel website, according to iSeatz, a travel technology company. Only 13% say theyd like to receive the offers via a text message, within the app (12%) or as a push notification (7%). The research also found that consumers find offers helpful during their travel booking process (47%), as well as during the hotel check-in process (48%). Additionally, Millennials were more open to online offers than the older generations with nearly one-third of 18-24 year-olds saying the offers are very helpful. Nearly half of those surveyed found offers from the hotel for supplemental travel products helpful during the online booking process (47%), as well as during the hotel check-in process (48%). Younger consumers in particular were more open to receiving offers of this type, with nearly a third of both 18-24 and 25-34 year-olds rating such offers as being very helpful. advertisement advertisement When it comes to which in-destination services travelers would be willing to pre-book, younger travelers, aged 18 to 34, selected activities from the hotel, such as museum and attraction tickets, while older consumers, aged 55 and up, chose activities such as early/late check-out and dining at the hotel instead of sightseeing tours. All generations said that they are most likely to consider purchasing hotel dining from the hotel or early check-in/late check-out. ISeatz has seen a marked increase in demand to incorporate a broader range of products in our partner implementations in order to enhance customer experience and capture an increased share of the customer wallet through upselling and cross-selling, no matter the device, said Kenneth Purcell, founder and CEO of iSeatz, in a release. In reaction to companies that offer more comprehensive range of products and services to customers during the accommodation booking process, that have been two main results. First, is better customer service for the guest and second is higher revenues or increased share of customer wallet for hoteliers, according to iSeatz. The survey also found that consumers in general preferred to receive ancillary offers during the online booking process. Nearly one-third (31%) of consumers noted that they preferred to receive ancillary offers on the hotel or travel website during the primary booking process. A substantial number were also open to receiving such offers within the hotel booking confirmation email (23%) or in a pre-arrival email from the hotel (19%). Despite the prominence of mobile devices, and perhaps because of their intrusiveness, fewer consumers expressed a desire to receive such offers through their mobile phone, irrespective of whether it was delivered as a text-message (13%), within the hotel app (12%) or as a push notification (7%). And within the destination, most consumers preferred to use a traditional concierge service to make bookings (25%), with fewer expressing a preference for automated services such as self-service kiosks (12%) or in-room technology such as smart TVs, tablets or other devices (13%). by Sara Guaglione , July 13, 2017 Once sought by Tronc Inc., the Chicago Sun-Times will now be acquired by an investment group led by unions and a former politician. Chicago Sun-Times, founded in 1948, was previously owned by Wrapports LLC, a local investor group formerly led by Tronc chairman Michael Ferro. The deal also includes Chicago Reader, an alt-weekly newspaper. The investment group that will buy Chicago Sun-Times includes ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, led by former Chicago alderman Edwin Eisendrath, and a group of labor unions under the Chicago Federation of Labor. Corporate restructuring expert William Brandt is also part of the group, as well as other unions and a few more individuals. Eisendrath told media sources he was not at liberty to give any more names. Our investors include more than half a million hardworking people around Chicago, and you can bet well be talking with a voice that resonates with the working class, Eisendrath told the Chicago Sun-Times. Were going to organize around that to raise circulation. advertisement advertisement The investment group beat a competing bid from Tronc, the owner of the Chicago Tribune, the citys leading newspaper. The Justice Department's antitrust division, which is responsible for investigating newspaper mergers, intervened when Tronc made moves to acquire the Chicago Sun-Times. The Justice Department saw Troncs potential ownership of the top two newspapers in Chicago as a threat to competition in the city, which is one of the last few remaining two-paper towns. DOJ required the Sun-Times to publish an ad seeking other buyers for Wrapports assets, with the understanding that if no other buyers stepped forward, Tronc would be able to acquire the company. Eisendraths group won over the Justice Department by securing more than $11.2 million in operating funds to run the newspapers for a determined length of time. Its a worthwhile challenge, Brandt told the Sun-Times. Its a money-losing venture, but this is one of those things where you take a gulp and you do it for the good of the city. Chicago needs two newspapers. However, the Sun-Times and Tribune already do business together. The Tribune prints and distributes the Sun-Times as part of a $25 million a year deal. In 2014, Tribune acquired Wrapports network of Sun-Times' community newspapers. Ferro became chairman of Tronc and its largest shareholder in February 2016. Last year, Ferro donated his shares in the Sun-Times to a charitable trust as part of the move to take over Tronc, which was then known as Tribune Publishing. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, July 13, 2017 Yandex, the Russian online search giant, has inked a deal with Uber Technologies to combine its Yandex.Taxi operations with the U.S. ride hailing service. On Thursday the two companies said they will form a new joint venture run by Yandex.Taxi CEO Tigran Khudaverdyan. Uber has agreed to invest $225 million and and Yandex will invest $100 million in the new venture. The investments will go into the joint entity called NewCo. Yandex.Taxi will own 59.3%; Uber, 36.6%, and employees of the company 4.1%, on a fully diluted basis NewCo will draw on Yandex's strength in search, maps and navigation to develop and sustainable the business tech-wise. The new company will support ride services in 127 cities in six countries. The transaction has already received board approvals from both Yandex and Uber; it doesn't require shareholder approval. advertisement advertisement After the closing of the transaction, consumers will be able to use both Yandex and Uber apps, while the driver-side apps are being integrated. That should lead to shorter passenger wait times, increased driver utilization rates and higher service reliability. The combined companies support about 35 million rides a month, growing at more than 400% year-over-year, according to Khudaverdyan. For now, the Yandex.Taxi app, available for download on iTunes and other app stores, works just like Uber or Lyft, allowing people to hail a ride. This app lets riders choose from different service levels: economy, comfort and business. Earlier this year, Yandex debuted its self-driving car project for its ride-sharing service. The expertise in computer vision required for self-driving cars came from matching similar images in search results and translating text in a photo through its language-service technology. Take the long view Its in the interest of all parties to respect inclusive provisions in the constitution by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, July 13, 2017 Microsoft has formed a special artificial-intelligence research unit to challenge rivals Google, DeepMind and Facebook. The group, based at its Redmond, Washington, headquarters, is called Microsoft Research AI. It will include a team of more than 100 scientists working on AI from across areas such as natural language processing and learning. Some of the projects will be related to healthcare, environment and education. The news announced at Microsofts AI event in London this week. They range from chatbots to a partnership with the University of Amsterdam's machine-learning expert Max Welling to the availability of Seeing AI, a new iOS app available to the blind and visually impaired. The iOS app uses the smartphone camera to describe the world around the visually impaired. It relies on computer vision to identify the objects and provide information on their surroundings. The app can read aloud text from signs and documents. It describes a person's surroundings and emotions from people around them. It can also recognize the value of currency, scan barcodes and more. advertisement advertisement Microsoft has spent the past year talking up chatbots and developing ways for those searching on the Web to find and access them without performing a search. Based on keyword terms and queries, Microsoft discovered a way to index them in Bing then have them intuitively served up in search results. The search engine will serve up a series of bots in cards or box, based on the keyword query. For example, someone searching for information on plane flights might see a series of bots related to travel, such as the one from Expedia, which launched its bot late in 2017. L'icone de la mode britannique Alexander McQueen honoree a Londres Des centaines de creations spectaculaires d'Alexander McQueen sont presentees a partir de samedi au Victoria and Albert Museum de Londres dans une exposition d'envergure visant a rendre hommage a l'un des createurs de mode les plus influents de sa generation. Plus de 70.000 billets ont deja ete vendus pour l'exposition baptisee "Savage Beauty" (Beaute sauvage) que le directeur du Victoria and Albert Museum decrit comme "un retour emouvant" du couturier, qui s'est suicide en 2010 a 40 ans. Les visiteurs pourront approcher jusqu'au 2 aout 240 creations qui permettent de definir le style singulier et parfois bizarre de McQueen dans ce qui constitue la plus importante exposition de mode presentee par le musee. Jeudi soir, le monde de la mode etait present pour le gala d'ouverture avec notamment Victoria et David Beckham ainsi que les mannequins Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Eva Herzigova et Poppy Delevingne. Ils ont ete rejoints au diner par l'actrice mexicaine Salma Hayek et le Britannique Colin Firth. La conservatrice de l'exposition, Claire Wilcox, a decrit le couturier comme "l'un des createurs les plus influents de sa generation, qui a choque avec ses defiles spectaculaires et puissants". L'exposition est, selon elle, un reflet de "son expression elaboree, de son artisanat de haut niveau" et de son obsession romantique pour la nature. Les pieces exposees devoilent son habilite technique acquise en tant qu'apprenti a Savile Row -la celebre rue des tailleurs a Londres- et qui se caracterise par des courbes assemblees avec precision et des silhouettes exagerees devenues sa marque de fabrique. - Plumes, cranes et pierres precieuses - La chercheuse assistante, Louise Rytter explique que le couturier etait un telespectateur avide des programmes TV sur la nature qu'il a largement exploitee, utilisant notamment des plumes de faisans ou d'oies, des coquillages ainsi que des cranes d'oiseaux ou de crocodile et des bois de cervides sur lesquels il a cloue des bijoux. Autruches et gazelles l'ont egalement inspire. "Je pense qu'il etait inspire par la nature pour son cote si imprevisible et sauvage, a-t-elle dit. C'etait tres profondement ancre en lui". Plus loin, dans la salle "Romantique Gothique", des mannequins masques de cuir portent d'imposantes robes de style gothique victorien qui revelent le travail sur les contrastes, l'ombre et la lumiere, chers au couturier. Des creations de son ultime collection restee inachevee peuvent egalement etre admirees. Qualifiant McQueen "d'artiste a part entiere", Louise Rytter insiste sur le fait qu'"il a puise tellement d'inspiration dans l'art", ajoutant que lui et ses collaborateurs parmi le mouvement des jeunes artistes britanniques du debut des annees 90 ont aide a moderniser la culture britannique grand public. Ses sensibilites politiques et historiques peuvent etre observees dans une piece ou une rangee de robes en tartan, inspirees par ses origines ecossaises, cotoient des robes rouge imperial, blanche et or faites de plumes, de fourrures et de pierres precieuses. L'exposition revient egalement sur son defile de 1995 baptise "Highland Rape" (Le viol des Highland), ou il avait explore le traitement violent de ces territoires ecossais par les dirigeants britanniques a grand renfort de mannequins aux vetements dechires ou aux corps ensanglantes, cimentant sa reputation d'enfant terrible de la mode. Des clips videos de McQueen diffuses tout au long de l'exposition celebrent aussi l'influence qu'a eu Londres dans sa carriere. Un cabinet des curiosites reflete aussi son attrait du macabre. Dans l'un des temps forts de l'exposition, Kate Moss qui etait une amie proche du couturier, flotte sous forme d'un hologramme geant en 3D en arborant l'une de ses robes etherees faite de plumes blanches. La chaussure "armadillo" portee par Lady Gaga dans son clip "Bad Romance" est egalement exposee. Pour Jaana Jatyri, une prescriptrice de tendances et l'une des premieres a decouvrir cet hommage, McQueen "va renaitre, j'en suis sure, a travers cette exposition". The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has matched funds from the City of Pickens to clean up asbestos around the popular Doodle Trail. The Brownfield Grant will also be used to generally improve the area around the trail. Crews will be going in and taking out any material that contains asbestos, said environmental consultant for the city Tice Welborn. The safe handling and removal of asbestos is important due to the toxic properties of the substance. Asbestos is a known carcinogen. When in good condition, it doesnt present a hazard. When worn or damaged, its a great risk to the health and safety of humans. The entire Doodle Park Project in South Carolina will cost $1.2 million, but the grant is for around $152,000. In fact, over the 20-year period from 1980 to 2000, 634 South Carolinians died from asbestos disease with mesothelioma victims accounting for slightly more than half. Pickens is about 30 miles away from Greenville, which has a history of manufacturing and industrial roots that place the city in a high-risk category for asbestos exposure. According to Welborn, They [EPA] saw what has already been done with the trail itself already being constructed. The City of Pickens found asbestos in the rail depot two years ago and applied for the grant. They dont like to award projects if theyre not going to be finished or if theres not going to be some benefit to the community. According to mesothelioma survivor Heather Von St. James, theres been concern over the EPA cutting funds with the current Trump administration. In 2012, the Trump tweeted: If we didnt remove incredible powerful fire retardant asbestos & replace it with junk that doesnt work, the World Trade Center could never have burned down. Tons of asbestos were used and rained down all over Manhattan when the Twin Towers fell. The EPA is working hard on the Doodle Trail project. A playground, workout stations, and a farmers market are in the works. Trail user Trey Cox says, Just having a place to go is awesome. I think itll bring more business to the area for sure, give people something to do in Pickens. The project groundbreaking will commence this Friday. The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. 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Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. Read More Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. engages in the natural gas midstream, and intrastate transportation and storage businesses in the United States. The company's Intrastate Transportation and Storage segment transports natural gas from various natural gas producing areas through connections with other pipeline systems, as well as through its ET Fuel System and HPL System. This segment owns and operates approximately 7,900 miles of natural gas transportation pipelines and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas. Its Interstate Transportation and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services; owns and operates approximately 11,800 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines; and has interests in various natural gas pipelines. The company's Midstream segment gathers, compresses, treats, blends, processes, and markets natural gas. It owns and operates natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) gathering pipelines, natural gas processing plants, natural gas treating facilities, and natural gas conditioning facilities. The company's NGL and Refined Products Transportation and Services segment transports mixed NGLs and other hydrocarbons; stores mixed NGLs, NGL products, and petrochemical products; and separates mixed NGL streams into purity products. This segment owns and operates various NGL pipelines, NGL and propane fractionation facilities, and NGL storage facilities. Its Crude Oil Transportation and Services segment engages in the transportation, terminalling, and acquisition and marketing of crude oil; and operates crude oil trunk and gathering pipelines. The company's All Other segment engages in the natural gas compression equipment business; provides natural gas compression equipment and compression services; manages coal and natural resources property, sells standing timber, and leases coal-related infrastructure facilities; and generates electrical power. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is based in Dallas, Texas. Best Buy Co., Inc. retails technology products in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Domestic and International. Its stores provide computing products, such as desktops, notebooks, and peripherals; mobile phones comprising related mobile network carrier commissions; networking products; tablets covering e-readers; smartwatches; and consumer electronics consisting of digital imaging, health and fitness, home theater, portable audio comprising headphones and portable speakers, and smart home products. The company's stores also offer appliances, such as dishwashers, laundry, ovens, refrigerators, blenders, coffee makers, and vacuums; entertainment products consisting of drones, peripherals, movies, music, and toys, as well as gaming hardware and software, and virtual reality and other software products; and other products, such as baby, food and beverage, luggage, outdoor living, and sporting goods. In addition, it provides consultation, delivery, design, health-related, installation, memberships, repair, set-up, technical support, and warranty-related services. The company offers its products through stores and websites under the Best Buy, Best Buy Ads, Best Buy Business, Best Buy Health, CST, Current Health, Geek Squad, Lively, Magnolia, Best Buy Mobile, Pacific Kitchen, Home, and Yardbird, as well as domain names bestbuy.com, currenthealth.com, lively.com, yardbird.com, and bestbuy.ca. As of January 30, 2022, it had 1,144 stores. The company was formerly known as Sound of Music, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1966 and is headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. TourMin asks PMO to tweak aviation policy The Tourism Ministry has written to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) to find a stopgap measure to enable Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to lease an aircraft from Bhutan Airlines for a short period. 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. Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in banking, trust, securities, and other businesses related to financial services in Japan, the Americas, Europe, Asia/Oceania, and internationally. It operates through five segments: Retail & Business Banking Company, Corporate & Institutional Company, Global Corporate Company, Global Markets Company, and Asset Management Company. The company provides deposit products; syndicated, housing, and card loans; business matching services; and advisory services related to overseas expansions, and mergers and acquisitions-related services. It also offers consulting services, including asset management and asset succession; payroll services; and sells lottery tickets issued by prefectures and ordinance-designated cities. In addition, it offers financial solutions, such as bonds, mergers and acquisitions advisory, risk hedging products, etc. for corporate customers to meet their needs in fund-raising, investment management, and financial strategies; solutions based on their capital management, business strategy, and financial strategy; real estate agency services; advisory services and solutions, such as advice on proposals on various investment products to financial institutions; and financial services that include funding support and public bonds underwriting. Further, the company offers sales and trading services to meet needs for customers; investment products for individual customers; and consulting services for institutional investors. Additionally, the company provides products and services related to trust, securitization and structured finance, pension, and stock transfers; securities services; and research, private banking, and information technology-related services. Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The August issue of Military History Monthly, the British military history magazine, is now on sale. To subscribe to the magazine, click here. To subscribe to the digital archive, click here. In this issue: PASSCHENDAELE: 100 years on This month, we re-examine the controversial legacy of the Third Battle of Ypres. In the first of two features, MHM Editor Neil Faulkner asks why the British high command chose to fight such an ill-fated battle, and takes an in-depth look at the plans and preparations behind it. In his second feature, he reviews the disasters and key breakthroughs at Passchendaele, from both German and British perspectives. Pompey and the pirates Steven Batchelor recalls the seafaring campaigns of one of Romes greatest generals, Gnaeis Pompeius or Pompey the Great, as he is better known. Read about Pompeys ingenious counter-insurgency campaign, and how he cleared the ancient Mediterranean of the pirate menace. The Six Day War Richard Willis analyses Israels lightening victory of 1967, a war that shook the foundations of the Middle East half a century ago. Wenceslaus Hollars etches of war David Flintham takes an in-depth look at the military etchings of this famous 17th-century war artist. Hollar travelled far across the continent and recorded his experiences in a series of detailed visual sketches, with images ranging from the Thirty Years War to the English Civil War. The Lincolns at Caen, 1944 Patrick Mercer charts the key role of the Lincolnshire Regiment at the Battle of Caen, 1944. Also in this issue: We celebrate the centenary of the birth of prolific Punch artist John Leech , creator of the modern cartoon. , creator of the modern cartoon. Taylor Downing reviews the subversive cinematic satire, M*A*S*H . . Read of the daring escapades of Cooler King Peter Tunstall. MHM treks along the WW2 battle trail with a visit to the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch, Luxembourg. in Behind the Image Book Reviews Competitions And much more! To subscribe to the magazine click here. To subscribe to the digital archive click here. From the editor Passchendaele. The word brings forth a cascade of images. Everyone has seen the pictures of soldiers, animals, and guns knee-deep in glutinous mud against an expanse of soaking shell-holes and shattered tree-stumps. For many, it is the ultimate icon of military futility. With the centenary upon us, we could not ignore the battle. We focus on two contentious issues: the reason it was fought at all; and the changing strategy during the three-and-a-half month duration of the battle. In each case, we aim to shed fresh light on Passchendaele, drawing on recent archive research, above all that of Nick Lloyd, whose new book on the battle we reviewed last time. Also this issue, we have Steve Batchelor on Roman general Pompey the Greats battle against the Mediterranean pirates in 67 BC; Richard Williss account of the Israeli blitzkrieg during the Six Day War, 50 years ago this month; and David Flinthams appreciation of the 17th-century military art of Wenceslaus Hollar. Our final feature, as usual, is Patrick Mercers Regiment. This time he explores the role of 2nd Battalion, the Lincolnshire Regiment at the Battle of Caen in early June 1944. With barely two weeks to the opening of the 2017 edition of the Pan African Historical Theatre Festival, (PANAFEST), GCB Bank Limited has joined the crop of corporate institutions determined to ensure that the 25 year old Pan-African cultural forum regains its glamour with a donation of Ghc 75,000.00. Mr. Anselm Ray Sowah, Managing Director of GCB Limited, Ghanas premiere indigenous bank, today paid in a cheque for Ghc 75,000.00 to the PANAFEST Foundation to help kick-start activities marking the 2017 edition of the Pan-African festival. Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, Chairperson of the foundation received the cheque at a brief presentation ceremony at the headquarters of the bank in Accra. PANAFEST, a biennial arts and culture festival has been celebrated in Ghana since 1992 as a platform for reviewing the historical experiences of African societies and addressing the inherent obstacles to progress and development. The festival applies African arts and culture to highlight and deal with the traumatic interruptions which occurred in the natural evolution of African societies that have resulted in the sharp erosion of self-confidence and the freedom of self-determination among most Africans. The much anticipated 2017 edition of PANAFEST will open on 25th of July under the theme, The Power of the Pan-African Culture and will run for nine days, featuring flagship activities like the reverential night and vigil, the grand durbar of Ghanaian Chiefs and people, exhibitions of African visual arts, inventions and cultural heritage, a Colloquium and the ever-popular international musical concerts. As the MD of Ghana Commercial Bank handed over the sponsorship cheque to Professor Sutherland-Addy, he made the point that it was hardly accidental that Ghanas first indigenous bank has so much interest in the success and future of PANAFEST. As an indigenous Ghanaian Bank with a heritage tied to the independence of Ghana, we (GCB) are happy to be associated with PANAFEST, which seeks to celebrate the strength and resilience of our culture as Africans and the achievements of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora, said Mr. Ray Sowah. Ghana Commercial Bank was established in 1953 as the Bank of the Gold Coast, to prepare the country for independence and address the banking needs of indigenous businesses, traders and farmers who, at the time, could not enjoy the support of existing expatriate banks. GCB Bank is therefore best-positioned to partake in this festival which is celebrated in the spirit of Pan-Africanism and the African renaissance. GCB is indeed excited to be part of the silver jubilee of PANAFEST, Mr. Sowah said. Professor Sutherland-Addy herself referred to a seamless convergence of purpose between the bank and the PANAFEST Foundation, explaining that the two entities are both mandated to promote the creative and entrepreneurial potential of Ghanaians and, by extension, of all Africans. She urged Ghanaians to begin to appreciate the value of PANAFEST as a potentially powerful self-marketing tool for their country and start putting in some effort to make it flourish as a major global festival for all Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Although the festival is held under the auspices of the government and other state agencies like the Ghana Tourism Authority, there is now the need to step up the impetus to enrich the scope of this unique festival, she said. Professor Sutherland-Addy drew attention to the large population of Africans spread all around the world and stressed that it is important that Africans themselves came together to reflect on how and why our brothers and sisters got to be where they are now. Something must have gone wrong in the past and it will be helpful if Africans, as a people, can come together, once in a while to confront those realities and find solutions to them, she said, adding that culture has become the latest and most effective frontier for achieving mind liberalization and effecting lasting remedies to the unfortunate mental distortions of the past. Afro-pop artiste Kweku Sarpong Plahar, best known in showbiz as Zigi, is out with a new song titled 'Kom My Way'. Zigi, who became one of the most sought-after featured artistes in the Ghanaian industry, won the Afro-pop song of the year with 'U Say Weytin' at the 2012 edition of the Ghana Music Awards. With the release of his new song, the hiplife artiste has promised to 'run things' in a different dimension with the help of his management team this year. His management is also working hard to promote the song on the streets, social media, online sites and mainstream media. Already, the song is raising eyebrows among music lovers as a result of the airplay it has received so far. The artiste has attributed most of his current milestones to his break-away from the music company owned by Richie Mensah. 12.07.2017 LISTEN The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, has said Ghana needs leaders like president Akufo-Addo to help in the fight against the menace of galamsey that has plagued the country. According to him, Ghana needs people who will help fight for the betterment of the country rather than their selfish political desires adding that the President has won his admiration after his bold statement of fighting galamsey regardless of how it will affect his chances of being re-elected in 2020. His comments come on the back of the call by the President to fight the galamsey menace with all his might regardless of the repercussions it may have on his political future. The President said while speaking at a sensitization workshop for traditional leaders on measures to address galamsey thatNo matter how difficult it is, we will win this fight. We will reclaim our heritage. We will get the rivers of our country running again. We will reclaim our lands. He further called on the chiefs and other relevant stakeholders to support government's fight against the menace. 12.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA - Government has been tasked to establish a Lotto Commission to regulate and control physical activities of all lotto operators in order to create jobs and raise revenue for the country. The Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA), an amalgamation of private Lotto operators in the country, contended that the National Lottery Authority (NLA) currently could not continue to regulate and operate lottery business. Speaking at a Press Conference in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Seth A. Amoani, Secretary of GLOA, noted that Lotto Commission, if established would break the monopoly of the NLA as a regulator and operator in Ghana. Mr Amoani noted that the separation of a regulatory function of the NLA from its commercial or operational functions would ensure that the authority regulated and promoted competition with other private lotto operators. 'Competition is good for Ghana and for all commercial operations of the state; otherwise there will be no private banks, insurance, transport operators. The truth is that corruption does not make the public sector effective to innovate, except with private sector competition.' According to Mr Amoani, GLOA with over two million members were ready to provide solutions to growing challenges of unemployment in the country. Mr Amoani noted that the NLA currently needed an overhauling through public-private partnership arrangements and innovations to amass more revenue for the state and provide jobs for people engaged in illegal mining in the country. 'The reliance on banker to banker tag as the excuse to maintain monopoly in modern Ghana is an aberration of private sector development agenda being pursued by the New Patriotic Party government. This makes the case of public -private participation even stronger,' M Amoani recounted. The Secretary of GLOA said members were ready to comply with all regulations and called for the creation of a national database to register all operators and sub agents to facilitate tax collection. He announced that GLOA had so far received some feedback from the NLA to re-organise and restructure the operations of all members. Mr Amoani therefore appealed to all members to reposition their companies and transform their operations to comply with the new requirements of NLA. He proposed the establishment of a legal review committee to explore modalities for the amendment of the National Lotto Act, Act 722 (2006). He was of the view that deliberate criminalisation of the operations of private lotto had over the years undermined employment creation and revenue maximisation at the Districts. Dr Ato Conduah, a Consultant to GLOA said it was important to encourage the NLA to face competition instead of creating monopoly in the lotto industry adding that the Authority could not continue to be operator and regulator. Dr Conduah recalled that people who were engaged in galamsey offered jobs that the private sector was given the nod to operate effectively. GNA By Joyce Danso, GNA 12.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA - Africa lacks the leadership that can help build a strong public sector, which will stimulate the private sector for the continent's socio-economic development, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has stated. He said it was the responsibility of leadership in Africa to ensure that the resources were harnessed for the people within the community. He said Africa needs the leadership with that open mindedness and with a vision, working with the public sector of information, of global appreciation and dedication to help move leadership to lift the quality of life for the people generally. "When policy works like that; it is implemented sincerely for the good of the people then you are getting transformation for everybody within the populace," former President Kufuor remarked at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Policy Forum on the theme: "Destiny or Policy? - Development Prospects for Ghana". The Policy Forum focused on examining policies that determine a country's development prospects. The discussion brought together high-level policy makers, international development partners, business leaders and key stakeholders from all sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Former President Kufuor said nobody could talk of national development without talking about leadership. He cited the roles some Asian leaders played in the transformation of their individual nations such as Deng Xiaoping of China, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia and Prime Minister Harry Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. He said Africa's development depended on policies and not anchored on destiny. He noted that the world had become a global village; adding that the Africa Union had instituted the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) to provide an overarching vision and policy framework for accelerating economic co-operation and integration among African countries. Dr Ha-Joon Chang, a renowned economist and Director of the Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge, who delivered the keynote speech at the forum said policies, which promote economic development, were not always the supposedly 'good' policies of free-market and free trade but 'bad' policies of protectionism, subsidies and state-ownership, as shown by the development history of today's rich countries - ranging from 18th century Britain to Japan, Korea and Taiwan in the late 20th century. Dr Charles Mensa, IEA Board Chairman, who chaired the function, said after 60 years of independence, comparing Ghana's socio-economic development to its modern counterparts in Asia such as South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, 'we have not done much as a nation'. However, Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, the Senior Minister, was of the view that the cold -war gave special advantage to the Asian Tigers. "The level of American investment, which went to the Far East countries, saw Africa as an orphan. None of these investments came our way. So that technology did not come our way also," he said. He said Africa was literally avoided, hence, that big difference in per capital income. Among the distinguished personalities that graced the function were Professor Akilakpa Sawyer, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana; Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana; Mr Sam Okudzeto, a Member of the Council of State and Mr K. B. Asante, a former diplomat. GNA By Iddi Yire/Benjamin Hallo, GNA 12.07.2017 LISTEN By Laudia Sawer Tema, July 12, GNA - The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) is indebted to the tune of GH25.8 million as at June 16, 2017. The figure covered statutory deduction, commission, suppliers, Government of Ghana (GOG) and donor-funded contracts, Internally Generated Fund (IGF) projects, Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), utilities, and salaries and allowances. Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, disclosed this on Wednesday in his sessional address at TMA's Second Session of the First Ordinary General Assembly Meeting. Mr Anang-La also stated that the Assembly in 2016 spent over GH40 million cedis on expenditures out of an estimated amount of GH53.5 million. He noted that total actual revenue collected in 2016 amounted to GH44.5 million, falling short of the estimated revenue of GH52,900,802.22. The total revenue collected was made up of 24 million, representing 54 per cent of projected IGF while GOG grants and other transfers stood at GH20.7 million. The MCE said to ensure full budget control and further ensure that the Assembly adhered to the Ghana Integrity Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), transactions would through a warrant system before payment were made. To ensure accountability, the Assembly he noted, would discuss the 'budget with the public by focusing on its achievements in 2016, and its projections for 2017 by detailing our programmes and projects for the year.' Touching on other issues, he indicated that he would implement a Tema Restoration Agenda which would help transform the harbour city into a world class city and restore it to its former glory. The restoration agenda would be based on the improvement of health and sanitation, education, security, trade and commerce, water resource, works and physical planning and other initiatives. GNA The Minister of Aviation, Cecilia Dapaah, has disclosed that investors from China, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have expressed strong interest to partner government in the development of a world-class airport at Prampram in the Greater Accra Region. The government acquired a 60-acre land in 1974 to construct the airport but the project has delayed for decades due to lack of funding. Speaking to the Ningo Traditional Council during a tour of the project site, Mrs Dapaah announced that government is considering all the proposals from the investors to build not just an airport, but an aerotropolis. She told the chiefs: Weve come to pay a courtesy call and also view the land. We are all lucky because in Ghana we are one. Investors have expressed tremendous interest in this project and we are all praying and fasting and looking for the necessary funding and strategic partners to make sure we bring this laudable project to fruition. This project will not be called an airport but it will be called an aerotropolis. We have received proposals from a lot of investors from China, Turkey, Europe. And from everywhere we have received these proposals, we are going to work on them. Ghana has in the past few years ramped-up efforts in developing the aviation sector, by undertaking several projects which if properly developed and sustained can further aid socio-economic growth in the country. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com [additional reporting by Classfmonline.com] A member of the Council of State, Sam Okudzeto, says former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources must be prosecuted for secretly snooping on his successor, John Peter Amewu. The experienced lawyer and a former President of the Ghana Bar Association says Inusah Fuseinis action is illegal because it borders on invasion of privacy. It is not allowed anywhere in the world. In fact, he should be prosecuted for doing that, he told Class FM Wednesday. The detection of the audio-visual device was announced on Monday amid widespread public dismay. National Security operatives carried out an unannounced sweeping of Mr Amewus office and found the gadget tactfully planted behind a huge Coat of Arms. Mr Inusah Fuseini has said the device is dead because the installation process was not complete, a claim the security agencies are yet to confirm. According to the MP for Tamale Central, he received the device as a gift and installed it as an added security measure but some commentators say the former Minister's Confession is a ruse to shield powerful names. Inusah Fuseini Many commentators have also wondered why Mr Fuseini never mentioned the existence of the device in his handing over notes. Nii Osah Mills, who took over the Ministry from Mr Fuseini, has said, in all his two-and-half stay in office, he was not told about the remote controlled audio-visual recorder capable of picking a whisper 35 feet away. The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has earned faceless but influential enemies because it spearheads state efforts to root out illegal mining in the country. Related: Anti- galamsey fight: China allegedly hitting back at Ghanaian businesses Mr Sam Okudzeto said Mr Fuseini should have removed the gadget when his tenure of office ended. A sustained campaign against the galamsey by the current New Patriotic Party administration has been the most relentless so far. Illegal mining activities in the Ashanti, Western, Eastern and Volta regions have destroyed ecosystems, polluted water bodies and deprived farmers of arable land. President Nana Akufo-Addo has vowed to end the illegal mining menace even if it will cost him a second term in office. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected] Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - A giant bulldozer digs a deep ditch among the bushes surrounding the University of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria, turning it into a fortress to prevent further suicide attacks by Boko Haram. About 27 kilometres (17 miles) of trenches are being dug around the institution, known locally as UNIMAID, which has since the start of the year become a main target of the Islamist militants. From the fringes of the university campus, the silent, arid bushland of Borno state stretches out as far as the eye can see. "Suicide bombers usually come on foot or by motorbike," said one security guard, stepping down from an old iron watchtower overlooking the vast, 43-hectare (106-acre) site. The eastern side of the campus is not fenced, leaving kilometres of open ground for attackers to try to get in. Emergency personnel work at the site of a blast at the University of Maiduguri on June 26, 2017 According to AFP reporting, since January there have been at least eight suicide bomb attacks against the university, which teaches the "Western" education the jihadists despise. But unlike most state primary and secondary schools, which were either destroyed or closed because of attacks or kidnappings, university classes have not been disrupted. Christians and Muslims from across Nigeria have studied together since the 1970s. Nearly 45,000 students were registered last year, making it one of the biggest state-run universities in the country. The campus itself was spared from attack until January 16. Muhammadu Nur, a 20-year-old law student, remembered the day vividly, as he ran to the mosque near his dormitory when a loud explosion went off at morning prayers. UNIMAID spokesman Danjuma Gambo works in his office in Maiduguri Two students and a lecturer were killed when explosives being carried by a young girl were detonated at the entrance to the mosque. Muhammadu's friend, Abba, was injured and taken to hospital. He had a leg amputated a few days later. "Everyone was in shock," said Muhammadu. Call for action The university campus had until then been seen as a haven of peace in Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded in 2002 and which has been repeatedly attacked since the insurgency began in 2009. Across the city, suicide attackers and bombs have targeted camps for those displaced by the conflict, markets, mosques and bus stations. A trench is being dug around the University of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria to prevent further Boko Haram suicide attacks "It becomes a habit to see mutilated bodies, arms and legs, blood all over the place," said Muhammadu at the university cafeteria, wringing his hands. But fear has gradually set in and if a student's bag is judged to be overly large, they are immediately suspected of being "one of them", he added with a nervous laugh. At the end of June, student associations, lecturers and non-academic staff called for help, demanding urgent measures to end what they said was the "nightmare" of continual attacks. If their demands were not met, they threatened to strike at the start of the new term in 2017. "It is obvious that teaching, learning and research cannot be effectively conducted in this atmosphere of fear," they said, adding that 70 lecturers and many more students had left over the year. Uncertain future The university authorities responded equally firmly. "The management of the university made it clear that we will not close the university," said UNIMAID spokesman Danjuma Gambo. "It is a symbol of advanced Western education. Closing down the university would show that the insurgents are succeeding. It's exactly what they expect," he added. A petrol tanker on fire following a suicide attack in Nigeria's Maiduguri on March 3, 2017 The governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, in response announced financial help of 50 million naira ($160,000, 140,000 euros) to construct a perimeter trench several metres (feet) deep. Security checks at entrances to the campus -- which had previously been relaxed because of counter-insurgency successes -- were reinforced. Army, police and civilian militia patrols were introduced day and night. Many students, however, said they doubted whether the measures were enough, highlighting the low wages and lack of training of the people charged with protecting them. "I have 14,000 naira monthly and I haven't been paid for two months," said one security guard. "I don't want to die for Boko Haram." The end-of-year exams were held in June and preparations are being made for the return of the students. Muhammadu and his friend Suleiman, who live with their lecturer parents on the campus, will graduate next year. The Boko Haram insurgency has not only killed their classmates. It has also affected their hopes for the future in a region where the economy has ground to a halt and millions do not have enough to eat. "Many of our friends who already graduated are unemployed now," said Suleiman, a final-year political science undergraduate. "We have no idea what the future brings," he added. Vereeniging (South Africa) (AFP) - Inside South Africa's maximum security Groenpunt prison, hawk-eyed guards stroll between rows of wooden benches, watching inmates closely as they meet visitors. Among the notorious jail's residents is 51-year-old triple murderer Percy Chepape, an anti-apartheid fighter serving a 60-year sentence for his "politically motivated" crimes committed in the chaos that followed liberation in 1994. The former underground operative of an armed group linked to the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) has been behind bars for 20 years, convicted of a deadly armed robbery on a benefits office in a remote town in the country's north. He claims the aim of the June 1997 heist, which was carried out with seven accomplices, was to raise funds to buy arms and ammunition to help those who broke away from the PAC defend themselves from violence. He has since shown remorse and sought to apologise to his victims' families, while the widely-publicised release of fellow activist Kenny Motsamai this year has offered a ray of hope. Chepape was among 149 prisoners jailed for "political crimes", who were considered for parole under a special pardon scheme launched in 2007. Some 2,100 applied. Only 51 prisoners were found to be eligible and a task force has helped release 39 of them. But Chepape is among the remaining 12 who do not know if they are still under consideration or will ever see freedom -- leaving them in nervous limbo. "I am paying for what I did, but a part of me feels that my sentence was punishment for who I was not what I did," he said, folding his muscular arms. "Sometimes I ask myself if my political activism was worth it." Fight to end apartheid His breakaway group, the Revolutionary Watchdogs, rejected a negotiated settlement to end apartheid in favour of a forced takeover of the country from the white minority. This put it at odds with other political groups, including the now-governing African National Congress (ANC). "As a result we came under fire from faceless agents attached to the state and rogue ANC units," Chepape told AFP. Of the three people who were killed in the raid, two were white, and he was subsequently convicted of three counts of murder as well as robbery. Chepape, a father of three from Katlehong township east of Johannesburg, said he received the harshest sentence despite not being directly involved in the killing. "I drove the cash van after the robbery. I did not shoot," he said. "The heist was politically motivated, we did not do it for ourselves." The PAC, which holds only one seat in South Africa's parliament, has been demanding the release of political prisoners like Chepape. Many were sentenced before the end of apartheid in 1994. The rollout of the 2007 pardons has been slow and beset by legal problems. The process focused on cases that were not heard by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a tribunal launched to investigate apartheid-era political crimes and chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It concluded its work in 1998. Conflicted history "Our case is forgotten and what we fought for and risked our lives for was in vain," he said. Officials have refused to comment on Chepape's situation. But he has been encouraged by the case of Kenny Motsamai, who was freed in January after spending 27 years in prison for the murder of a white traffic officer in 1989 during a heist. Motsamai was serving a life sentence and had refused to apologise or show remorse for the killing. "Apartheid was a crime against humanity, why do we as black people have to go and apologise to the whites?" Motsamai told AFP from his home. Unlike Motsamai, Chepape has sought to make amends for his crimes. "The families have turned down my request for a meeting to make an apology and I have accepted that," Chepape said. Chepape was left dismayed after white, apartheid-era murderer Eugene de Kock was paroled in 2015 "in the interest of nation-building and reconciliation". Dubbed "Prime Evil", De Kock was in 1996 given two life sentences for heading an apartheid-era police death squad. "It is very disappointing to hear that someone who committed far more crimes has been freed," he said. Back in Groenpunt, Chepape is still waiting, unsure what his future holds. The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), is on a nationwide campaign against political vigilantism which is gaining notoriety in Ghana's political environment. CODEO and other like-minded civil society organizations after the 2016 general elections, advocated the need for total disbandment of identified political vigilante groups. These groups are affiliated to the two major political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). In furtherance to the call, CODEO has embarked on a nationwide crusade through public engagements. The organization in Tamale organized a public forum on the theme, The menace of political party vigilantism and Ghana's electoral politics. CODEO's National Coordinator, Albert Kofi Arhin at the event, called for a multifaceted approach to deal with the threat. Our organisation is embarking on a nationwide public engagement to conduct civic and voter education through Round Table Discussions in all the 10 administrative regions of Ghana. These engagements would also form the basis to collate views from regional level stakeholders on the phenomenon and also develop comprehensive advocacy policy recommendations for stakeholders and relevant institutions to implement. Mr. Arhin emphasized that, The organisation would further seek to organise focus group discussions with some identifiable vigilante group members in selected regions to get a better understanding about the perspectives of their groups. Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, revealed that that there were close to 100 vigilante groups recorded in the region. He alerted that some of them are radical in nature for which reason they should be disbanded. He added that political vigilante activities are planned, funded and sanctioned by leadership of political parties yearning to win power at all cost. Alhaji Saani admitted that, civic education deficiency was to be blamed for the sharp increase in political vigilantism. He attributed the situation to the NCCE's inadequate staff and logistics saying, In 2016, the Northern Region NCCE lost 30 staff to death, resignation and retirement. Not a single replacement has been made ever since. A representative of the NPP, Sham-Una Ghazi, said the nation's Muslim Clerics have to condemn the menace which is also widespread in Muslim communities. According to him, majority of members of the political vigilante groups are Muslim youth, and thus questioned the Muslim Clerics leadership qualities exhibited in their sermons. The NDC's Northern Regional Director of Elections, Tanko Rashid, alias computer, suggested the need to re-brand the police administration as the Ghana Police Force. This in his estimation could enable the police administration function like the Ghana Armed Forces for effective crime combating. By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana 13.07.2017 LISTEN The Ashanti Regional Police Command has launched investigations into reports that one of its officers, Corporal Ebenezer Kofi Otchere, committed suicide. The 33-year-old police officer is said to have shot himself dead in the early hours of Wednesday, July 12, at Old Tafo, in the Ashanti Region. The Regional Police PRO, ASP Juliana Obeng, addressing the press said the deceased was an officer with the Ashanti Regional SWAT Unit. The command has contacted the family about the unfortunate incident. The regional crime scene team has also visited the crime scene and has commenced investigations into the case, she added. Meanwhile, it is still unclear why the officer allegedly killed himself. However, residents say after he received a call from an unknown caller, the deceased asked his girlfriend to excuse him, which she did. A few moments after she left, a gunshot was heard from the room. Residents met the deceased in a chair, with a gunshot wound on his neck upon entering the room. The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue. By: Lauretta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has said it will deploy a combined team of military and police personnel to illegal mining areas to stop galamsey. This forms part of efforts to sustain the campaign against illegal mining which has affected major river bodies and left acres of farmlands destroyed. The deployment, according to the Ministry, would be done in two weeks time, and is particularly targeted at illegal miners who work at night. Citi News investigations have revealed that some illegal miners have resorted to mining at night due to the campaign against their activities. The armed personnel will remain in the areas for at least a year on the anti-galamsey operation. Speaking to Citi News, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, said the latest security plan will totally curtail the menace. It has gotten to us that they have developed a new strategy and practicing their activities in the night. We are deploying security personnel and these people are going to track these nocturnal guys and their activities in the night,said the Minister. Well continue fight against Galamsey Mr Amewu also indicated that government will not relent on its fight against illegal mining until it is addressed. This thing has been going on for years and you do not expect to us to use this short period to address the problem so we will continue the fight. We are not relenting on our efforts at all. It will be combined team of military and police to fight the menace. The Lands Ministry has for sometime now intensified its efforts to rid the country of illegal mining which has devastated many communities in six regions of the country. The government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as part of activities to stop the menace, has temporarily placed a ban on the issuance of licenses for small-scale mining, and directed all illegal miners to cease the practice and evacuate from the various sites. Until recently , many of Ghana's fresh water bodies had become poisonous with thousands of acres of fertile farmlands destroyed as a result of the menace. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @EfeAnsah Relevant radio brand, Citi FM, has been nominated for an award for its annual competition the Write Away Contest. The Contest was nominated for the Media Contribution to Education Award category in the Education Community Awards (EDUCOM) 2017. The 2nd annual EDUCOM award is scheduled for Saturday August 19, 2017, at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Accra. The Awards is aimed at recognizing all the valuable educational related works that are undertaken within schools and communities across Ghana by schools, students/pupils, parents, media houses, publishers, agencies, NGOs and other individuals or organizations. About Write Away contest The Write-Away Contest is an annual essay competition that is geared towards encouraging children to read and write. It seeks to build a vibrant culture of reading and writing among young pupils. The contest is for pupils between the ages of 10 and 14 years. Hannah Yeboah , a student of the Beacon International School in Peduase in the Eastern Region, emerged winner of the Write-Away contest organized in 2016. For her prize, Hannah Yeboah received a cash prize of GHc5,000 while her school was given GHc10,000. Nicole Chinery and Goloh Lily Eli both from the Sap's School in Accra placed second and third respectively. By: citifmonline.com/Ghana The Coalition of ECG Concession Arrangement (COSECA), is calling for further negotiations on government's decision to partly privatize the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The proposed deal will see the ECG being ceded to a private investor for some 20 years. But speaking on Eyewitness News, the Convener of the Group, Richard Nyamah, argued that the move if not carefully negotiated, will lead to redundancies within ECG. We want further negotiations and we want the Minister to address the letter we have sentIf we are able to solve this venture thing I think we will jump the hurdles because we do not think as a country we have money to pay redundancies in ECG , Mr. Nyamah said when queried on implications of the said deal. As part of his suggestions, Mr. Nyamah further advised government to allow the ECG enter into a joint venture with the private investor to address the likely challenges the deal might create. Concessionary means a new company taking over and we are saying that to go around this redundancy that we don't have money for, let us find a way of introducing ECG into the whole process. Let them enter into a joint term venture. Mr. Nyamahs comments follow the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarkos criticism of the groups threats to head to court over the intended arrangements. COSECA has been reiterating the stance of the Public Utilities Workers' Union ( PUWU ) c alling on the government to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact. The government has suggested it is not ready to review the deal as it believes it has addressed all the concerns of the workers. Among the concerns was the probability of mass layoffs, but the government has given assurances that no worker will be laid off involuntarily. The General Secretary of PUWU , Michael Adumata Nyantakye, despite governments assurance had said at a forum with COSECA on Tuesday that the Union had initiated steps to take legal action against the concession process. We have a very serious objection to the model to the concession which has been proposed. The president said there will be no involuntary staff layoffs, which is good, but we find it inadequate because we have no details about how this is going to work out, he said. We are taking steps with some lawyers to take this process if possible, find out from the court or seek declaration or challenge so that our rights as workers are not trampled upon, he added. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline,com/Ghana Follow @EfeAnsah 13.07.2017 LISTEN Do you believe Bukola Saraki, Oba idu, ipa to npaja, would be recalled from Kwara? Many of us should be touched by a plea of a young man that would rather look forward to his death in Asia than die in his village as a poor man. What is even more saddening is the number of likes he got on social media. It is far from what many African cultures teach. Many of us are part of those that would rather die trying to be successful than live as a failure. There is a world of difference between the two. Die gallantly at home calling for the head of Saraki, than get wasted abroad. Yes, in the city of Umofia, failure is not an option. Old men are respected but reverence is given to a hard working successful young men. Our culture and love of success from hard work is going to the gutters replaced by men like Adamu Ciroma that claimed they would make Nigeria ungovernable (with Boko Haram) if Jonathan won; Yekini Amoda (Tinubu) that converted Lagos into his personal property; and not the least Bukola Saraki that crowned himself as Oba Idun. Greed has no bound. Each time Saraki steals and gets away with it, he aspires to a higher office in order to control not only the treasury but influence youths with culture of corruption on his country. The cry of the youth that wants to make it by hook or crook including dying for drug peddling in Asia, 419 in America, prostitution in Italy, slavery in the Middle East and used as body parts anywhere diminish our cultures. No, no. The means does not justify the end. These are not the only ones but they exemplify how our society has gone down turning cultures known for hard work, perseverance and success into failures. If you look at the history of Africa, most of the countries that were on the path of success became failed states through greed and selfishness disguised as ethnic quibbling that leads to all or nothing. If you want to disorient our youths, ethnicity is red meat to kill one another like fleas (egbon) thinking they killed the dog. There is always a precedent that somebody gets away with. When the former Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambulwa usurped the seat with the help of his supporters across party lines in PDP, Tinubus AC and got away with it despite his Party order in the allocation of positions for ethnic balance, opportunists took notice and learned from it. It came back to haunt Tinubu and also set a precedence that party rules can be flouted with impunity and nothing would happen. When Saraki with no ethnic or party loyalty except play them selfishly; did the same and gained Senate President, he was not going to stop there. He forced President Buhari to accept him as Senate leader. The same Saraki was able to block the Head of EFCC, Magu that is investigating him for corruption. He got to the point of threatening the Acting President and even nursing the idea of becoming the President himself by impeaching the Acting President Osinbajo. Why not? This man has gotten away with everything as a career banker and as a Governor too! Those that got burnt as depositors in Society General would never forgive his father, his sister and cronies : these working class Nigerians lost their lifesavings, cried that Saraki got away with murder. Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, Chief of Police in futility resurrected Sarakis bank case . Each time Saraki was charged to court, he had immunity as Governor and money to cheat our justice system. Youths watch our leaders and work hard as crooks instead of devoting the same talents and vigor to productive activities that would move them and their country forward. This man is not only a crook, he has more money to kill the recall in Kwara than his next generations could lavishly exhaust. But the way they got the money makes it impossible to spend wisely. Most of us would expect families born into riches would behave in certain ways with fewer propensities for money that is not theirs. However, Sarakis father, a refugee from Niger, was one of the medical doctors of those days that made money with means to give good education to his children anywhere in the world. Yet this is the man that led his children into risky banking where they could steal more money and turn working class folks dream into nightmares. There used to be a time when the children of crooks, looters, highway robbers and kidnappers would never find a lady to marry. Not anymore. Their children are now in high demand. Actually they marry one another from the same looters class regardless of their ethnicity demonstrated by the who and who at their wedding ceremonies. They have created a class for themselves. Either for fear of being recognized as kids of looters or pride, they do not mix with other folks. However, Bukola Saraki got married to a lady from a respectable family whose father worked hard and excel to the top of his company. When the children of the looters are sent to school in places where the well-cultured children go, they must meet. It is a shame that Omo Ojora, the wife of Saraki, will be judged and soiled by the husband; and rightly so because she cannot claim that she has not partaken in the loot that splashed on the husband. As Yoruba say: Ipa npa arare olohun paja! The notion that the children of these looters can anonymously live a peaceful life outside their countries is not so assuring. No matter what, any African outside the Continent will be judged by the progress made in Africa not by the progress Africans make outside. So African Americans protest the encroachment of the limited space in good jobs and colleges occupied by Africans that have not had effect of generational slavery. Saraki is the King of fleas, ipa, egbo on the dog. The point is if Africans were so good, you could have made a difference out of your Continent. Africans cannot devastate their countries and reduce it to rubbles then run out to do the same outside or deprive others of the opportunities they could have gladly had in Africa if it was any good. This is why it is harder for African to fight discrimination outside as those experiencing the vestiges of generational discrimination justify. Our youths have been abused, derogated and lost confidence in their ability to fight back at home. This has disorientated them into thinking it is better to risk it all including their lives abroad than to be subjugated to poverty at home. It has never been this cruel because most of us were ready and did come back home in those days than face severe discrimination abroad. But then, poverty was not biting as hard as it is now at home. Nevertheless, one that can be this desperate, can work towards revolution at home and Occupy the House and the Senate. Risking death fighting at Home, gives you a higher rate of success than wasting your lives abroad! 13.07.2017 LISTEN The first thought that flashed into my mind when I saw this headline on my newsfeed was: Oh my God! Nigeria! Then I started to have spasms of panic attacks. OK, it wasnt that dramatic but I was terrified. I clicked to open the page and quickly read information that coloured my mood for the rest of that day June 5, 2017. Lets have a quick look at bullet points from the US Report as presented by Stanford University economist, Tony Seba. The report was innocuously titled: Rethinking Transportation 2020 2030. There would be no more petrol or diesel vehicles sold anywhere in the world within eight years. The entire market for transportation will switch to electrification, leading to a collapse of oil prices and the demise of the petroleum industry as we know it People will stop driving altogether. They will switch en-masse to self-drive electric vehicles (EVs) that are 10 times cheaper to run than fossil-based cars, with a near zero marginal cost of fuel and an expected lifespan of 1 million miles (1.6 million km) Only nostalgics will cling to the old habit of car ownership. The rest will adapt to vehicles on demand. It will become harder to find a petrol station, spares, or anybody to fix the 2000 moving parts that bedevil the internal combustion engine. Dealers will disappear by 2024. Cities will ban human drivers once the data confirms how dangerous they can be behind a wheel. There will be a "mass stranding of existing vehicles". The value of second-hard cars will plunge. You will have to pay to dispose of your old vehicle. It is a twin "death spiral" for big oil and big autos, with ugly implications for some big companies on the London Stock Exchange unless they adapt in time. The long-term price of crude will fall to $US25 a barrel. Most forms of shale and deep-water drilling will no longer be viable. Assets will be stranded. Scotland will forfeit any North Sea bonanza. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Venezuela will be in trouble. It is an existential threat to Ford, General Motors, and the German car industry. They will face a choice between manufacturing EVs in a brutal low-profit market, or reinventing themselves as self-drive service companies, variants of Uber and Lyft. They are in the wrong business. The next generation of cars will be "computers on wheels". Google, Apple, and Foxconn have the disruptive edge, and are going in for the kill. Silicon Valley is where the auto action is, not Detroit, Wolfsburg, or Toyota City. The "tipping point" will arrive over the next two to three years as EV battery ranges surpass 200 miles and electric car prices in the US drop to $US30,000 ($40,600). By 2022, the low-end models will be down to $US20, 000. After that, the avalanche will sweep all before it. These were a few of Professor Sebas predictions the ones most relevant to us, Nigerians as a nation. After reading this blood curdling information from the US media, I switched over to online Nigerian Newspapers as is part of my daily morning routine. And believe me, what I read there was very comforting, uplifting and even comedic I found myself smiling. I read stuff like: Its Either Biafra or Death Nnamdi Kanu, Our Grouse with the Igbo Ango Abdullahi, Niger Delta Youths Threaten the North, Dont Include us in Your Biafra Niger Delta Spits Fire, True Costs of Presidential Jet Parked in UK for President Buhari, Federal Government says NO to Restructuring, with prominent names like El-Rufai, President Buhari, Bukola Saraki and Tinubu springing up and I was immediately relieved. Id been transported in time and space to the world I am used to. When I got to the part of the Great Senatorial Musician and Entertainer the one that wears academic gowns to the senate, and promises to rape peoples wives, I was so impressed. The Oga was at the stage (what the senate floor has become) fighting (some say begging) for his senatorial mandate not to be taken back by his constituents. Port Harcourt ran out en-masse to welcome our Freedom Fighter, who up till this day, has not produced an economic model/blueprint for the new state he wants to create has he even mentioned the word economy? Almighty oil can take care of all our problems just like it has done for the last 57 years. I went to the comments section that beautiful, entertaining space under every Nigerian newspaper where all the prejudiced, bigoted, short-sighted, jobless and empty-headed Nigerians meet to trade ethnic/tribal insults the online warriors, shooting bullets and throwing atomic bombs at each other. The Igbo man was shooting down the Yoruba man, the Yoruba man was responding in kind with his own insults, the Hausa man and the Niger Deltans were not left out sporadic shooting everywhere. It was the Biafran war again, only the online version; fought not with guns, bullets and fighter jets, but with an MTN subscription and an android phone, from the comforts of their living rooms, probably watching DSTV and consuming lumps of eba the size of a childs head. Bullets like Yorobbers, and Biafraud almost struck me dead as I read, but thank God I survived. And when I read some peoples statements calling Nigeria a zoo, I asked myself: guess who the animals are? Didnt that International Report call us The Happiest People in the World? The people that had absolutely no troubles. I laughed, not only in Spanish, but also in French and Pidgin English I laughed like a madman in seven different languages. Ignorance is blissful and crude oil is sweet. The house is on fire and the owners are running after rats. Well done, sirs! Well done, madams! Not one word was said about the energy crises, nothing was spoken about the imminence of self-driven electric cars that was going to disrupt our lives, and phase out a significant part of our national income and budget forever! Nobody was talking about the Jack Ma prediction, that Artificial Intelligence was also about to create unprecedented unemployment in millions, forcing almost everybody to learn new skills to be relevant. Nobody. Nobody was asking questions like, if indeed electric cars emerge to phase out petrol operated cars as expected, would Nigeria be able to cope, given the current epileptic condition of our power supply? Nobody was talking about the impact or adaptive strategies, or how we can race to recover lost time and perhaps save the futures of our children. Nobody, not one newspaper or media house raised the issue and why would they? If they did, probably the comments section would be empty as the online warriors would not be able to comprehend things of such magnitude, let alone comment on them. Those agitating for a referendum/restructuring and those against mostly take their positions based on their perception of the flow of oil resources but what if there was no oil? Does Nigeria have an economic blueprint to survive without oil? Does Biafra have an economic model that ensures that if no drop of oil was sold it would be economically viable? The first year of President Buharis regime saw over 4.6 million Nigerians lose their jobs and the nation plunge into a recession worse than any that has been seen in the last two decades that story began with the gradual fall of oil prices to about $40 per barrel. Our income per capita contracted between 2014 and 2016, our government talks about loans to fund the smallest expenditures. When oil reaches the predicted price of $25 dollars if we are still together I wonder what our numerous online warriors, ethnic in all shades and colourations will do. The National Cake we all have been fighting to corner for more than 60 years is about to be toast. Our large oil multinational companies will be forced to adapt or die. Our oil dependent economy is blowing up in our face and it doesnt matter if youre a South Easterner, South Westerner, Northerner from any of the zones, or South Southerner, youre about to feel the impact. Because whether the country is divided or not, restructured or not, the era of oil revenues it disappearing; its gone! Restructuring that heavy word would be forced upon us. And Ill tell you why. Our 36 states, a good number of which are not viable economic entities would be forced to depend on the overburdened centre for sustenance. The centre, without the benefits of oil revenues will say, Please take care of yourselves! It would be forced to devolve powers and autonomy to these regions to generate and control their incomes, as well as collapse/merge several states. No more oil resources to corner from any region, no more oil revenues to move to Swiss accounts. Restructuring by necessity. What we need right now is to come together irrespective of tribe, ethnic or religious background and figure out how to solve the problem thats ahead. We cannot, like ostriches, bury our heads in the sands, or think that we can wish away the changes that are happening globally. No, we also would have to adapt or die. We must understand that 90% of the things we worry about would not ensure our survival when this drastic change happens. This is an express call to Nigerian Youths to think. Come of age, young Nigerians. If your father was the street drunk that returned home only to demand for food and beat up your mother, youll learn how to be responsible and fend for yourselves before you are 15. But its the same thing thats happening to our country. Our leaders fathers as they actually are do not care whether you starve to death or youth unemployment rate goes as high as 90% in the next eight to fifteen years, but you must care, because it is your life, your future! You are not safe. Your job is not safe. Your life would be endangered as crime, despondency and insecurity will increase people will lash at the state as the source of their frustrations, and they will do it through any means possible. We have MEND, Boko Haram, MASSOB, IPOB, Fulani herdsmen, Badoo and others as testimonies to how bleak our futures can be if more of such groups should arise. We must understand that it is neither Buhari nor Osinbajos job to kill corruption in Nigeria at least not theirs alone. They need our help; they need our support. Theres no Messiah no one-man-army that is capable of healing all Nigerias wounds. We must all do it together, because if the plans to contain corruption should fail, we Nigerian youths will suffer it the most, living our primes in the era after the locusts. [G1] [u2] I try to imagine what would happen if all these energies we deploy in fighting each other could be channeled to chase the government to stabilise power supply, or reduce the costs of doing business in Nigeria, or impose transparency and accountability, or the removal of the locusts from our national leadership, or to create viable alternatives to oil (including technology). If only we used the energies we use to divide and insult ourselves and country to accept responsibility and actively pursue the change we seek, every minute, every second, every day, I only wonder how wonderful our lives will be. I want every Nigerian between the ages of 18 40 to realise that if electricity alone is stabilised in Nigeria, the trickle down economic benefits would touch every youth in Nigeria irrespective of tribe, ethnic or religious background. Costs of goods will fall, new firms and indeed whole industries would be born, employment would be created, entrepreneurship will be boosted, our GDP will rise and our per capita income and standards of living will begin to mount. I can positively say that this alone would be ten to twenty times more beneficial to every ethnic ground than secession or referendum would bring to any ethnic group ten to twenty times. So Im not saying dont rally, or dont fight or have conflicts. Conflicts are essential for the development of society and I encourage them, they are good! But if we must have conflicts we should at least be purposeful and intentional about them. If we must fight, let us not fight against our brothers, rather let us fight with them to impose the sovereign will of the Nigerian people on the land, to demand a restoration of our rights and dignity as a people, to ask for equity, fairness, justice and transparency, to build structures that would ensure our economic survival and enable us thrive in a changing world. [G3] Every Nigerian, irrespective of tribe, ethnic or religious background would benefit from this new nation. God Bless Nigeria. (Ill publish Part II of this writing to deal with sound and solid long-term, mid-term and short-term strategies to be able to contain this imminent threat.) Amarachi Obiego is a writer, consultant and entrepreneur. He is passionate about Nigerias economic development with young people between the ages of 18 40 taking the lead. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria., [G1] I took a deep breath here. [u2] [G3] Now I know youre warming up to lead a revolution! 13.07.2017 LISTEN Members of Parliament have lauded the historic launch of Ghanas first satellite to space. Ghanas first satellite, Ghansat-1, was on Friday, July 7 released into orbit after its successful launch in June. Ghanasat-1 was launched into International Space Station (ISS) by SpaceX, Flight 11 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida-USA on June 10, 2017. The satellite was released and deployed into the orbit at an altitude of 420km on July 7, 2017 at 12:00 GMT. The process was watched live at JAXA Tsukuba Space Center in Japan and the All Nations University campus at Koforidua, Eastern Ghana. The successful launch of the satellite now makes Ghana the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to launch an academic satellite into space. The satellite, built by students of All Nations University College in Koforidua has low and high resolution cameras onboard capable of taking pictures of Ghana and providing data on happenings on Ghanas coastal areas and the environment. On the floor of the house on Wednesday, July 12, MPs, in lauding the feat, called for an investment of science and technology in the country. 13.07.2017 LISTEN Staff of the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital have called off their three-day sit down strike to protest against the illegal takeover of lands belonging to the hospital. The strike, which began on Monday10 July, was called off on Wednesday 12 July after the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, intervened to stop the developers from building on the land while they find a lasting solution to the problem. The hospital staff embarked on a demonstration on Wednesday, following which the Minister met them in a closed-door meeting with the management of the hospital and some selected staff. Addressing the media after the meeting, the head of staff, Elvis Akuamoah, said they would resume work on Thursday 13 July as the Minister had showed commitment to resolve the matter. He said: We are encouraged by the fact that he [Health Minister] considers this as a very important matter and he said that he hasnt seen any situation where individuals and private developers should take over the frontage of a hospital. In its wider consultation, he has had some sort of agreement with the one who is selling the land that government has interest in the land fronting the hospital and so temporarily they should halt the development and he should also talk to his colleagues who are in the sale of the stretch fronting the hospital to halt as they go into discussions to see the way forward. But ultimately there is some commitment to acquire the land fronting the hospital and we are happy. So tomorrow we are back to work. Last years failed coup attempt in Turkey is nothing but a false flag orchestrated by Turkeys autocratic President Recep Tayip Erdogan and his henchmen to create a pretext for a mass persecution of critics and opponents in a state of perpetual emergency, a new detailed study titled July 15: Erdogans Coup by Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) concluded. Based on publicly available data, the coup indictments, testimonials in court trials, private interviews, reviews of military expert opinions and other evidence collected by researchers, SCF is fairly confident that this attempt did not even qualify a coup bid in any sense of military mobilization which was unusually limited in numbers, confined in few cities, poorly managed, defied the established practices, tradition, rules of engagement and standard operating procedures in Turkish military. This was a continuation of a series of false flags that were uncovered in the last couple of years under the authoritarian rule of Erdogan regime and it was certainly the bloodiest one, said Abdullah Bozkurt, the President of SCF. Erdogan appears to have tapped on widely circulated coup rumors in Turkish capital and staged own show to steal wind and set up his opposition for a persecution, he added. Judging from the results of the coup bid, Erdogan won big time by securing imperial presidency, consolidating his gains, stifle the opposition and even launching cross border military incursion into Syria for which he had been itching for too long. No wonder why he immediately called the attempt as a gift from God. The report was originally published in Turkish. SCF plans to release an English edition soon with new changes and updated data. Here are some of the findings from 191-page detailed report on what happened on July 15, 2016, and days leading to that. A huge gap has emerged between facts and the governments narrative on coup bid despite intense efforts by Erdogan regimes in the form of censorship, propaganda, pressure, threats and even torture and ill-treatment. The testimonials from defendants and the evidence that was uncovered so far has further bolstered the view that the coup attempt was nothing but a set-up. The conflicting public accounts by Erdogan regarding the chain of events on the day of the coup, his recollection that even differ from the indictments issued by judiciary that is tightly controlled by his regime, the anti-democratic measures taken in the aftermath of the July 15, the shuttering of thousands of institutions and the arrests of tens of thousands of civilians cast a long shadow on July 15 events. The fact that the head of Turkish intelligence service (MIT), Hakan Fidan, was tipped off about the coup in advance according to his own written statements sent to Parliament, but he neither informed the Prime Minister nor the President strengthened the claim that the coup bid was totally staged. There is no explanation for why the officials who are, first and foremost, responsible for discovering, thwarting, and halting the coup attempt against the elected government remained unreachable on the day of the coup and why they followed the daily routine even after they learned about the attempt. Against the background of intel chief Hakan Fidans lack of testimony either as a suspect or witness in any judicial investigation into the coup attempt, his no-show at the Parliamentary Coup Investigation Commission for a testimony, and the very fact that he kept his job, Erdogan actually expects everybody to believe in his constructed narrative about the coup attempt without even questioning and investigating anything significant. The fact that intel head Hakan Fidan met with the top military officials for hours a day before the coup as well as on the coup day, his trip to the General Staffs headquarters despite alleged tip-off that he was going to be whisked away and detained by military, his leaving the military headquarters without a hassle, and the launch of the coup attempt right after his departure has not been explained and justified as of today. It is also important to note the Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar made conflicting statements. Testimonials by witnesses and defendants do not confirm the account provided by Akar. The military experts that SCF has consulted in preparing this report clearly underlined that the coup bid, tipped-off in advance, could have stopped easily in its tracks and prevented by simple and quick measures. Yet, Akars not resorting to such preventive measures fuels deep suspicions about July 15 events. It was highly unusual and odd for the top commanders of the military had gone on with their usual routine, even attending wedding ceremonies at hours when there was credible and alarming intelligence of a coup attempt was received. This is against the established traditions, practices and rules of the operating procedures in Turkish military. According to official account, 8,651 officers took part in the coup, corresponding to 1.5 percent of the total military personnel in the Turkish Army. Of those 1,761 were private conscripts, 1,214 were military students, and 5,761 were officers and non-commissioned officers. But even these numbers do not reflect the actual mobilization that was seen on the ground during the coup attempt. Given the fact that 168 generals and thousands of officers are now being tried on coup charges, the military experts find it odd that such an insignificant number of troops took part in the coup attempt. It is estimated that there are 200,00 troops under the command of these generals who are charged with the attempt. The strange events such as shutting down the Bosphorus bridge to the traffic one way, hitting targets that have not served to the goals of putschists at all, the sparing of politicians who should have been the primary target, killing civilians, trying to seize institutions by only a handful of troops were not explained. The limited mobilization of military assets was confined to few cities and the teams that are supposed to detain Erdogan came to his hotel hours after his departure. All these makes-no-sense events appear to be suggesting that they were staged to give an impression and supply footages and photos for the coup. Even after one full year, Turkish government has failed to present a convincing and solid evidence that proves the Hizmet movement (popularly known as Gulen movement) was behind the coup attempt either as a mastermind or a participant. The fabricated and forced testimonials apparently taken under heavy torture in custody were later refuted by defendants when they appeared in court for trial hearings. As various researches that were published or reported by international institutions have revealed, officers who are charged of attempting the coup comes from various ideologies and backgrounds. In most cases, the troops were mobilized over threats of impending terror threats or as part of the military drill, defendants statements in the court has shown. Fethullah Gulen who has inspired the Hizmet movement that was accused of coup bid by Erdogan, stated in an exclusive interview with SCF that the coup bid was outrageous heinous scenario constructed by Erdogan and his accomplices. He said it was launched to pursue unprecedented witch hunt against the Hizmet movement. He made it clear if anyone who was sympathetic to the Hizmet movement took part in this heinous act, they betrayed the very ideals of the movement. Gulen reiterated his call for an international commission to thoroughly investigate the coup, an offer that Edogan has failed to respond. The uncertainty behind the ballistic investigations on the weapons used in the murder of civilian and troops still lingers on. The paramilitary groups that took part in clashes, and that later appeared in various videos taken on coup night were not identified and how they were organized and mobilized remains a mystery. There were also reports that Turkish police distributed high-caliber weapons to civilians on the night of the coup. Turkey is no longer a country governed by the rule of law and democratic principles. It is now a state ruled by the government decrees under constant state of emergency. The judiciary is under full control of the government, freedom of press and expression are under hold, the parliamentary is no longer functioning and opposition politicians are behind bars. More than 150,000 government employees were dismissed from their positions on the basis of their critical views without an effective judicial and administrative probes. The purges in the military, judiciary, foreign service and security apparatus have reached to alarming levels. 51,889 people were put behind bars, without an evidence, a trial and conviction, mostly housewives, teachers, students, doctors, merchants, journalists who were affiliated with the Hizmet movement. Please click for the reports PDF in Turkish 13.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA - Participants at the Sudan-Ghana Business, Culture and Education Expo have expressed optimism about future trade prospects between Sudan and Ghana based on relations established during the Expo. The Expo had been a success with several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) due to be signed between some of the companies and their Ghanaian counterparts. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the last day of the Expo, Mr Gaafar A. Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of the GIAD Industrial Group of Sudan, said the Expo had been successful as they were expecting to sign about five MOUs with various Ghanaian companies in different fields of cooperation. He said the fields include agricultural equipment, farms development, agro industry, steel factories and mining adding that the nature of the partnerships would be decided after the signing of the MOUs. 'The MOUs will be the base for this cooperation and over time we will make it clear in which way we are going to cooperate,' he said. Mr Gaafar said though they had not gotten any Ghanaian company interested in investing in Sudan he was optimistic of future Ghanaian investments. He said they had agreed in a meeting with the Vice President on Tuesday to replicate the Expo in Sudan where Ghanaian companies would also go there to explore investment opportunities. He lauded Ghana's investment environment, saying Ghana was the best place in Africa to make investments due to her political stability and efficient management. Dr Bazara Imam Ali Barry, the Director of Business Development at the Nile Centre Technology Research based in Khartoum- Sudan, said the Nile Centre was also expecting to sign about three MOUs with Ghanaian companies adding that there was potential in Ghana's technology sector. He expressed confidence that Ghana would soon become a technological hub in West Africa with the thriving environment for ICT companies. Dr Barry said while the Nile Centre was established in Sudan, with partners in Europe and the Middle East, it did not have any partners in Africa thus Ghana would be the gateway to fruitful collaborations in Africa. He said ICT, aside being seen as a supporting function of businesses, could be seen as a business in itself citing countries like India and China, which had created big businesses out of ICT and called for a replication of that in Africa. 'We have the minds, we have the passion and we have people who are willing and passionate about learning new things,' he said, adding that Africa could design, develop and build ICT products, services and solutions for her people. Sudan, he said, had learned to rely on herself over the past 20 years due to the American embargo placed on her and had been able to develop and build such solutions using open-sourced technology that could be adapted to suit the needs of the country. On future trade relations between the two countries, Mr Barry said Ghana and Sudan could do better to enhance trade relations by establishing a Ghanaian embassy in Sudan. Mr Hani Ragheb, the Chief Commercial Officer of Haggar Group, a Sudanese investment group with interest in manufacturing, services and exports, said Haggar was interested in connecting with Ghanaian companies in the cocoa, cashew and Shea butter adding that they had been able to initiate contact with some of such companies. He said there was a market for those commodities not only in Sudan but also in the African Region and the Middle East. Two Ghanaian companies who participated in the exhibition; Kingdom Exim Group and Anabia Food and Drinks, lauded the Expo saying they had been able to make useful contacts for future business prospects with their Sudanese counterparts. GNA By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA 13.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA - The National Project for improving Community-based Primary Health Care through Community-Based Health Planning and Services Strengthening (CHPS+ Project) has been launched in Accra. The five-year project (2016-2020) was collaboration between the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) to strengthen the capacity of Ghana health systems in the Upper East Region. The Project would primarily be implemented by the Upper East Regional Health Directorate of the GHS with financial and administrative support from KOICA, while the Navrongo Health Research Centre would provide research and evaluation support, with additional technical support from external consultant. The CHPS+ Project is a scale up from the Ghana Essential Health Improvement Project (GEHIP), which was funded by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and implemented in four most impoverished districts in the Upper East Region from 2010 to 2015. The CHPS+ Project would be implemented in 120 zones of all the 13 districts of the Region at the cost of nine million dollars aimed at enhancing community engagement and support to the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) including community health volunteers, community health management committees and community health officers/community health nurses. It is also to improve the quality of maternal, neonatal and child health services at health facilities, strengthen the health system environment by enhancing supervision and governance, improved digitised health information system, and establishing sustainable emergency referral care. Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Minister of Health, said the result of the GEHIP was a significant reduction in neonatal mortality and improved availability of services at the community level. He noted that the CHPS had come to stay as the strategic tool for achieving universal health coverage in Ghana and more importantly to improve maternal and child health outcomes. He said Ghana had made progress in providing access and bridging financial barriers to health care through the implementation of the CHPS concepts as well as the National Health Insurance Scheme. 'Sustainable Development Goal Three tasks all UN member countries to ensure healthy lives and promote the well being for all at all ages. It calls specifically for decreasing maternal and child deaths, as well as other premature deaths. 'Strong health systems are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring good standards of health and equitable health outcomes for all. 'However, despite the huge investments in the health sector over the years now, we are still struggling as a people to deliver high quality health services that can provide prevention, care and treatment when needed and at an affordable cost,' he said. Mr Agyemang-Manu, therefore, said there was the need for the country to deepen its partnerships with development partners, private sector, civil society organisations, religious and traditional authorities and non-governmental organisations to build effective, responsive, fair and efficient health system to provide accessible services for the growing populations. Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Director General of GHS, said the CHPS+ Project would incorporate some of the successful and proven elements from the GEHIP such as health management information system with simplified register for CHPS and sustainable emergency referral care with the use of modified tricycle (motor king). Those GEHIP elements, he said, would be scaled up through the rest of the 13 districts. 'The Ministry of Health's overall objective is a healthy population for wealth creation and the scale up of CHPS implementation is one of the key policy concerns of government to attain the goal of reaching every community with a basic package of essential health services,' Dr Nsiah-Asare said. Mr Sung Soo Kim, the Korea Ambassador to Ghana, said the project was not only the flagship of KOICA but the first project to be implemented by a government agency and emphasised on the strong relations between the two countries through the CHPS+ Project. He emphasised the importance of co-operation and harmony between the partners to ensure the success of the project and urged all to put their hands to the wheel to achieve that. Mr Woochan Chang, the KOICA Country Director, said the project served as a big step to the Government of the Republic of Korea and KOICA as it would open the door for that type of modality to be implemented in many other countries. 'The collaboration between KOICA, the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service had been well established over the years. Indeed, the Health Sector has always been one of the core sectors for KOICA Ghana Country Office,' he added. He said they had recently concluded a six million dollar Maternal and Child Health Project in three districts of the Volta Region, where KOICA adopted some of its success experiences to the CHPS+ Project. 'Currently, the Ministry and KOICA also collaborate on the construction of the Infectious Disease Treatment Centre in Tamale to improve the country's preparedness towards the case management of infectious disease prevention. 'With the unwavering commitment from the Ministry of Health, we hope to handover the Treatment Centre in this coming August 2017,' he said. GNA By Patience Gbeze/Karen Appah, GNA 13.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA - Amnesty International (AI), a global non-governmental organisation, which focuses on human rights, has urged Ghana to abolish the death penalty for all crimes and commute the death sentences of persons on death row. According to a report published by AI, dubbed: 'Locked up and Forgotten: The Need to Abolish the Death Penalty in Ghana,' there had not been an execution in Ghana since 1993, yet, at the end of 2016, 144 men and four women were languishing on the country`s death row. Sixty two of them have been there for more than five years. The report, which was launched in Accra on Wednesday, indicated that in recent years, it appeared Ghana was moving towards abolition of the death penalty. It said 104 states had abolished the death penalty for all crimes, of which 19 were in Africa. Ms Sabrina Tucci, the Research and Campaign Assistant on Death Penalty, AI, said rather than being left behind and maintaining this cruel practice in law, Ghana should take steps towards abolishing it. It called on Ghana to abide by the international human rights obligations, particularly on the right to fair trial and the detention of people under sentence of death. The issue of the abolishment of the death penalty had been high on the agenda of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) which was inaugurated in January 2010, by then President John Evans Atta Mills. In its report of December 2011, the CRC recommended that the death penalty be abolished under the new Constitution and replaced with life imprisonment without parole, and that such a move should be approved by a national referendum. In 2012 the Government accepted the CRC`s recommendation but implementation is currently stalled as a result of delays in the Constitution Amendment process. The AI report said in the meantime, Ghanaian courts continued to hand out mandatory death sentences for the crime of murder even though the United Nations Human Rights Commission in 2014 determined that such mandatory sentences violated Ghana`s international human rights obligations. Mr Lawrence Amesu, a former Director of AI Ghana, who chaired the launch, said the organisation opposed the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime. He said the death penalty violated the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human rights; declaring that 'It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment'. Ms Sabrina Mahtani, a Researcher from AI West Africa, said the organisation's research into life on death row in Ghana found that many had been convicted after trials when they did not receive proper legal representation. She said three quarters of them had access to a government lawyer provided by the Ghana Legal Aid but several inmates noted that their lawyers did not attend all the hearings. Many said that they did not have a chance to talk to their lawyers and prepare their defence during trial, she said, quoting an inmate as saying; 'I saw my lawyer during trial sessions but never had a chance to talk to him. I never had a chance to sit together with him and prepare my case, not even for one minute.' Ms Mahtani said the Ghana Prisons Service informed AI that only 12 prisoners on death row had filed appeals since 2006; of which half were successful. She said one of those cases in 2010 was Benard Tagoe's conviction which was overturned by the Court of Appeal after he had spent 20 years on the death row. Dr Vincent Adzahlie-Mensah, Board Member of AI, said Ghana's neighbouring countries had abolished the death penalty, hence Ghana must follow suit. He said death penalty should not be an issue of debate adding that everyone must have the right to life. Mr Stephen Cofie, the Director of Prisons Administration and Finance of the Ghana Prisons Service, said the nation's prison facilities, which were meant to accommodate 9,000 inmates were now hosting over 14,000. Seventy-nine year old Cephas Komla Dzah, an ex-prisoner on death row, who was granted a presidential pardon in 2014 after serving 18 years in prison, appealed to the Government to abolish the death penalty. GNA By Iddi Yire/Mohammed Abdul Rashid, GNA 13.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12, GNA- Friends of Coventry University, Ghana Chapter (FOCUS Ghana) would be embarking on a three-day free medical screening outreach programme to Yendi in the Northern Region. The project, which formed part of an annual event by the association aimed at preventing diseases, was also to reduce the cost of healthcare treatment for patients in Yendi. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Gilbert Nyavie, the Vice-President of the Association said FOCUS Ghana organised its first edition of the free medical screening exercise last year in Kitasi of the Eastern Region. He said the programme would be in three phases starting from July 27 to July 29. Mr Nyavie said: 'Phase one will deal with health education, phase two will be health screening and treatment of diseases, whilst phase three, will be a tour by volunteers in and around the town of Yendi'. He noted that Yendi with a population of more than 52,000 lacked adequate healthcare, which resulted in maternal deaths, yellow fever, measles and Cerebrospinal Meningitis. Mr Nyavie said the Yendi Municipal Hospital critically lacked professionals such as midwives, nurses and doctors, which made working in the health facility difficult. He said: 'The Yendi Hospital does not only serve its inhabitants but also serves neighbouring towns like Zabzugu, Chereponi, Nkwanta Domanko, Nanumba Saboba and Tatale hence, putting pressure on the facilities.' FOCUS is a special alumni community of more than 80,000 Coventry University graduates, working all over the world with the aim of creating, researching, developing and building a better future for all people. GNA By Julius K. Satsi/ Ernestina S. Asante, GNA Accra, July 12, GNA - Ghana and Switzerland have agreed to expand co-operation and explore opportunities to boost the volume of bilateral trade for the mutual benefit of its peoples. Thus, the two nations have committed themselves to undertake joint projects aimed at increasing cocoa production in Ghana and enhancing value addition to the commodity, and to improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises and diversify the economy. This was the outcome of a bilateral roundtable when the visiting President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday at the Flagstaff House in Accra. The discussion culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both sides to improve trade in gold and cocoa and investment in the sectors agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Both sides also held discussions in the areas of Foreign Affairs, UN Reforms, Finance and Security. President Akufo-Addo, at a joint press briefing after the talks, said the two countries expressed the need to deepen bilateral relations, improve trade figures beyond the two commodities of gold and cocoa, which over a number of decades had constituted the backbone of trading relations. He said his government was determined to pursue a systematic programmes aimed at adding value to the country's cocoa beans. "Ghana, under my presidency, will no longer become mere producer and exporter of cocoa beans. We will process more and more of our cocoa here in our country. There can be no future prosperity for our people in the short, medium or long term if we continue to maintain economic structures that are dependent on the production and export of raw materials. "We intend to add value to our raw materials resources, industrialise and enhance agricultural productivity. This is the only way we can put Ghana at the high end of the value chain in the global market space and create jobs for the teaming masses of Ghanaians," he said. He entreated Swiss investors to take advantage of the growing business-friendly climate in the country to invest in Ghana, stating that government's flagship policies of 'One District, One Factory', 'One Village, One Dam', and the 'Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs' held areas of opportunity for them. The President said the two countries also underlined and reinforced their commitments to international peace and security, and to develop the co-operation especially in dealing with the ever present threat of terrorism, 'we stressed the importance of needed to end the scourge of terrorism, and the threats to peace and sustainable development in Africa and the world'. He said they both agreed to work closely within the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as with other UN agencies, to promote the protection of human rights around the globe. President Akufo-Addo said he and his Swiss counterpart discussed and agreed on the need for Ghana to become a member of the Human Rights Appeal Caucus. Thus, Switzeralnd will support the candidature of Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, a distinguished Ghanaian jurist, for election to the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the elections, which would be held in the 16th Session of the Assembly of State Parties to the ICC from December 4 to December 14. According to the President, he highlighted the importance Ghana and the African Union attached to the long, overdue process of UN Reform, especially of the Security Council, to correct the longstanding injustice that the current structure and composition of the UN Security Council represent for the nations of Africa. He said Ghana also sought the agreement of Switzerland to support the lead role of the AU in its attempts to resolve the crises in Mali, Libya and other States of the Sahel, which were receiving the full brunt of the terrorism menace. Whilst acknowledging that the issue of migration and mobility went beyond the individual policies of state, President Akufo-Addo said the two sides agreed on the need to provide the right environment on the continent, to prevent the high numbers young Africans taking harrowing risks across the Sahara and around the Mediterranean, trying to reach a better life. 'What this means is that, if we provide them the right environment in Africa, which enables them to enhance their skills, receive appropriate training, have access to digital technology and enhanced economic opportunities, their energies can be channelled towards making our continent great. 'Nonetheless, whilst the necessary measures are being put in place, Ghana and Switzerland, as concerned and responsible members of the international community, have decided to co-operate further in ensuring legal and safer means of migration,' he said. The President said he discussed Ghana's position as one of the Swiss Confederation's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) priority countries for economic development, for which the new Swiss co-operation strategy for Ghana that would be launched soon, would involve an amount of 80 million Dollars to support the enhanced competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises and the diversification the economy. President Leuthard said Ghana was a reliable trade partner to Switzerland and expressed her country's readiness to further deepen relations. She said her country had identified Ghana's agricultural sector as a viable area of investment. She announced a new Swiss co-operation strategy for Ghana which involved $ 80 million to support the enhanced competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises and the diversification of the country's economy. Ghana is currently Switzerland's largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, a position previously held by South Africa. Trade between both countries amounted to some two billion dollars last year, largely from the export of gold and cocoa to Switzerland, and the import of chemical and pharmaceutical products, as well as light machinery and military equipment from Switzerland. GNA By Ken Sackey, GNA The story about the torching of the Central Medical Stores is no longer an enigma; details emerging from the aftermath of the arson have established so. Interesting and eye-opening details about what happened are sufficient to launch whoever learns about them into the complexities of official intrigues and cover-ups in Ghana. The kneejerk reactions following news about the fire included the setting up of a probe among others but in the end nothing of value emanating from it. We, for instance, as citizens with a stake in such assets of state should have been offered full disclosures about what happened not so however as were left in the dark with nothing to learn. Eventually, like other fires before it, we were denied this essential knowledge and suspects left off the hook without even questioning them. When medicinal drugs worth millions of Cedis went up in flames, the ordinary man in the street could only think about the incessant power outages as being the responsible factor because, after all, he could not think about any other cause. Now the cat is out of the bag. Development partners, concerned about what happened and given the volume of their investment in the health sector in the country, were compelled to undertake their parallel and more credible investigations into what at first looked like an enigma the results from which are startling. That there are Ghanaians who would do to a state asset what they did to the CMS is a baffling experience beyond comprehension. What white collar thievery and destruction have done to this country is worth investigating. It is horrendous and beats imagination that so-called elites would stoop so low to satisfy their individualistic interests leaving the state to wallow in avoidable financial challenges. A group of Ghanaians were responsible for the act and from information gathered, it was not difficult to arrest them for questioning yet nothing was done to them. Little has come out of the so-called investigation by government let alone the arrest of suspects. Criminal machinations were used to run down the CMS and the torching of the place inured to the interest of such persons hence their resort to the dirty act. We have learnt about how a controlled narcotic drug in the stores was traced to a pharmacist just before the place was set ablaze. As if that was not enough some boxes of anti-malarial medication went missing from the CMS according to records the investigations have established. There is a lot of investigation to be undertaken about the CMS if the authorities care to do so. If an exhaustive probe has already been done, it is our take that these should not only be made public but action taken. That nothing is being heard about the CMS and how it went up in flames is indicative of the moral challenges we face in our country. The development partners have cause to fret because the tax payers' monies they expend on our budgets are enormous and our poor protection of these, glaring and regrettable. We shall return. Paris (AFP) - At least 200 environmental campaigners and protectors -- 40 percent from indigenous tribes -- were murdered around the world in 2016, the deadliest year on record, the watchdog organisation Global Witness said Thursday. The grim tally, double the number slain two years earlier, is the largest since the NGO began tracking such violence in 2002, it reported. The real number is probably higher as some killings go undocumented. Fatal attacks against activists have become more widespread, occurring in 24 countries in 2016, compared to 16 the year before. Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines accounted for more than half of the confirmed deaths, followed by India, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Bangladesh. Sixty percent of those murdered were from Latin America. "The battle to protect the planet is rapidly intensifying, and the cost can be counted in human lives," said Global Witness campaigner Ben Leather. The number of environment campaigners murdered in 2016 by country and compared to 2015 "More people in more countries are being left with no option but to take a stand against the theft of their land or the trashing of their environment." Of the 100 killings that could be traced to specific industrial sectors, a third were linked to mining and oil operations, and a fifth each to logging and agribusiness. Hydroelectric dams can also be a source of tension. On March 2, 2016, gunmen burst into the home of Honduran activist Berta Caceres and shot her dead. "The mother of four lost her life because she opposed the construction of the Agua Zarca hydropower dam on her community's land," said the report. The UN Environment Programme posthumously made Caceres one its "Champions of the Earth" in recognition of her advocacy of sustainable development. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder, among them an employee of dam construction company Desarrollos Energeticos. Protecting national parks -- where poachers hunt endangered species for meat and valuable body parts, such as elephant tusks -- proved to be a deadly occupation in 2016, with nine rangers murdered in 2016 in the DRC alone. Eleven others lost their lives elsewhere in the world. Most of the violence occurs in tropical countries, where poorly-regulated mining, logging and industrial-scale agriculture can lead to polluted water supplies, land grabs, and the displacement of indigenous peoples. 'Breakdown in law' India, says they have are facing a complete breakdown in law. AFP Photo/Global Witness/Ravi Mishra Corruption and legal abuses sometimes resulted in law enforcers targeting environmental campaigners rather than protecting them. Police and soldiers have been identified as suspects in at least 43 killings, according to Global Witness, which listed all 200 victims. "Murder is the sharp end of a range of tactics used to silence defenders, including death threats, arrests, sexual assault, abductions and aggressive legal attacks," the NGO said. The 50-page report highlights the testimony of activists who have confronted intimidation and violence for protesting what they describe as the environmental pillaging of their homelands. "We're experiencing a complete breakdown of law," said a campaigner known by the name of Richin, who has joined the Adivasi tribespeople in opposing large-scale mining in Chhattisgarh, a state in central-east India. "The state isn't protecting people's land rights and is acting like an agent for mining companies." Sixteen activists were killed in India in 2016, mostly over mining projects, a three-fold increase from the year before. The annual toll more than doubled in Colombia, where extractive industries backed by the government and funded by international development banks faced protests from indigenous peoples who say their land has been misappropriated, and their water fouled. In December, Wayuu rights activist Jakeline Romero -- who spoke out against alleged abuses by corporations and paramilitary groups in the region of La Guajira -- received a pointed threat. "Don't focus on what doesn't concern you if you want to avoid problems," she was told in an anonymous text message. "Your daughters are very lovely... Bitch, avoid problems because even your mother could be disappeared." Management of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company of the Volta River Authority (NEDco-VRA) has served notice that the company is at the verge of collapse largely due to power theft. The company's Corporate Communications Director, Maxwell Kotoka brought this to the fore at a news conference in Tamale where he disclosed that 45 percent of power theft was recorded in the Tamale Metropolitan Area. He cited Aboabo, Zogbeli, Lamakara, Changli, Gumbihini and Dohin Naayili as some of the identified hotspots where power theft is widespread. According to him, NEDco-VRA staff safety is in jeopardy because a significant number of notorious defaulting customers continued to victimize staff on the line of duty. Defaulting customers continue to ignore Court summons but be rest assured that we will continue to intensify vigorous monitoring and disconnection exercises without prior announcements, he warned. Below is the press statement. PRESS BRIEFING BY NEDCO ON THE EVENTS LEADING TO DAYS OF UNRESOLVED POWER SUPPLY INTERRUPTIONS AT DOHINAAYILI, A SUBURB OF TAMALE TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2017 AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE NORTHERN AREA. Distinguished Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon to you all. On behalf of the Management and Staff of Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), we wish to welcome you all to this briefing and to immensely thank you for responding to our invitation at such a short notice. Over the past few days, NEDCo has received some significant reportage as well as a fairly massive media attention and commentary. Ladies and Gentlemen, we deem it fit to brief you formally on the events leading to this, how the impasse was resolved and to use the occasion to advise all going forward. ANTECEDENTS In the recent past, NEDCo staff have suffered a myriad of worrying cases of assault, threat to life, intimidation, physical hindrance and harassment in the course of discharging their legitimate duties as responsible civil servants. These duties include installation of Pre-Paid Meters (PPMs), monitoring of PPMs, disconnection of defaulting customers and direction of service of court summons. Sadly, a significant number of our customers abhor and can simply not tolerate these actions because once they are carried out successfully, their chances of either stealing power from NEDCo or perpetuating their indebtedness to NEDCo becomes bleak. For this reason, we have been assaulted, threatened, intimidated, physically hindered and/or harassed in the past in various suburbs of Tamale. These include Aboaba, Zogbeli, Lamakara, Changli, Gumbihini to mention a few. This impunity kept growing in leaps and bounds as even on one occasion, it led to a sit-down strike by staff who accused Management of not protecting them. On that occasion, the matter was as usual, reported to the Police who did their bit by charging the suspects only for them to refuse to show up in court. Matters got to a head when the police, in an attempt to effect the Bench Warrant that was issued against them, were pelted away from the community. Eventually, Management had to use alternative means to resolve the impasse and to get staff to rescind their decision to strike and get back to work. Ladies and Gentlemen, perhaps, the most painful part of all these is that before we are humiliated, the communities are quick to remind us of how we were stopped or disciplined in other communities; adding that they would even do more. Distinguished members of the Media, this is the antecedent of the recent events at Dohinaayili; we have been compelled to outline all these so as to properly posit the Dohinaayili incident. DOHINAAYILI INCIDENT In the forenoon of Wednesday, July 05 2017, a NEDCo Team was in Dohinaayili with a Court Bailiff directing service of court summons to some residents who had been caught by NEDCo in various acts of illegal connections and power theft. Ordinarily, the Bailiff should have done the service alone but because of the gawky house numbering system, NEDCo had to accompany the Bailiff. It must therefore be noted that NEDCo was ONLY assisting the court official to execute an order of the Court, the fountain of Law and Order in our society. After an hour or so of working, the NEDCo Team (including the Bailiff) had moved significantly away from the official NEDCo-branded vehicle that conveyed them to the community. At this point, a group of young men wielding clubs, machetes, sticks, metal bars, catapults and wooden planks with nails perforated through them chanting antagonistic tunes and threats moved towards the NEDCo vehicle ostensibly, in search of the NEDCo Team. As the NEDCo Team was not immediately in sight, the charged youth deflated three of the four tyres of the NEDCo vehicle thereby demobilizing the vehicle and significantly denying the Team any real chances of retreat or even escape. Having succeeded in this, the youth then went into the community scouting for the NEDCo Team; from the loud chants of the youth, our Team sensed danger so they kept moving away from the din till they could no more. The youth caught up with them and molested the Team Leader, heckling him by the collar of his shirt. Fortunately, our Team escaped by rushing into some tri-cycles that were passing by as some on-lookers sought to know from the youth what the matter was. As our Team escaped, the youth warned that they would not be lucky next time as there would be bloodshed. While the Bailiff went to report to the Court, the NEDCo staff came to report the incident to Management which directed that the matter be reported to Police immediately. It had to take armed police escort for NEDCo to move a vulcanizer to the demobilized vehicle to recover it. Later that day, a number of faults were reported to the NEDCo office which faults included one from Dohinaayili (others include one each from Dungu UDS Campus, Police Barracks Primary School and Ministry of Agriculture). All the other faults were fixed that same day but the one at Dohinaayili could not be attended to as our staff argued that given the events of the day coupled with the threats of bloodshed that were issued, they did not feel safe enough to go back into the community for whatever reason. Management also had its hands tied as it lacked the moral courage to compel them to go back into that same hostile community to address a fault, especially bearing in mind the recent dastardly mob actions in other parts of the country. The situation persisted as NEDCo was looking for assurances of unqualified and unequivocal safety and security for its staff. NAMING AND SHAMING Ladies and Gentlemen, perhaps, this is the most opportune time to delve into how much money and which customers were involved in the illegal connections in Dohinaayili. Management has decided that going forward, NEDCo will add naming and shaming to the tools available to her for fighting illegal connections. Under the circumstances, Dohinaayili has offered itself as a very fine starting point. Accordingly, below are the names and their various estimated stolen power in cedis: SRL NAME OF SUSPECT ADDRESS TOTAL ESTIMATED STOLEN POWER(INCUDING ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES) GH 1 ADAM FUSENI STORE, HOSPITAL WALL (DOHINAYILLI) 2716.38 2 GUMOR REJOICE H/NO BLK L 16 1,569.00 3 ABUKARI IMORO HOUSE NO D.V. 40 1,516.39 4 MUSAH ALIDU H/NO. L EXT. 138 (DOHINAAYILI) 989.64 5 SAGBEWU FRANK H/NO E EXT. 416 CHANGLI 982.67 6 AMADU YAMUSAH H/NO K 537 WARD K 2,495.04 7 ALHASSAN ISSAH H/NO L 374 1,405.00 8 MOHAMMED IDDI SALIFU H/NO L EXT 41 2,310.84 9 SAYIBU SULEMANA KIOSK NR 868.19 10 SEIDU IBRAHIM L. 232 4,218.97 11 OPOKU AKOTO H/NO 17 812.22 12 SAEED MOHAMMED AMIN H/NO. L 536 (DOHINAYILLI) 3004.78 13 ALHAJ OSMAN H/NO L 403 770.00 14 ISSHAKU FUSEINI PLOT NO. 15 (DOHINAAYILLI) 2,155.72 15 SALAMATU ALI H/NO L 403 DOHINAYILI 764.38 16 HAJIA H/NO L 431 5,188.00 17 ANYAN IRENE ABENENGA CONTAINER @ PLT NO 3 A 4,016.42 18 SEIDU ABDUL RAZAK H/NO L 123 2,336.34 19 MAHAMA ALHASSAN PLOT NO. L. EXT. 100 (DOHINAYILI) 1,271.75 20 ISSAHAKU ABDUL RAHAMAN D.V. 58 2,031.46 21 MAHAMADU ADAM H/NO KL 115 3,715.00 22 IDDRISU ALHASSAN H/NO EXT 43 646.00 23 ABDULLAI TIJANI H/NO L EXT 49 13,960.00 24 MOHAMMED AWAL YAKUBU H/NO L EXT 47 15,354.00 25 GRAND TOTAL VARIOUS 75,098.19 Ladies and gentlemen, if only 24 customers could together steal power worth more than GH75,000.00, then the following legitimate questions arise: What does it mean to well-meaning members of the public who honestly and decently buy power? What is the fate and future of NEDCo? What is the future of electricity distribution in the operational area of NEDCo? If nothing is practically done about this situation, can the Management of NEDCo justifiably continue to be in office? At this point, we believe that there is no one still in doubt as to why NEDCo must be firm, resolute, consistent, vigorous, ruthless and unrelenting in the war against power theft. This is why we cannot and should not be intimidated and/or dissuaded from going after the power thieves. Naming and shaming as an additional tool has just begun. RESOLUTION Meanwhile, from the day after the fault was reported, various opinion leaders from the community including chiefs and politicians like the Assembly man of the electoral area began to engage NEDCo on the possibility of reaching an amicable solution as they wanted the fault fixed for them; the immense role of the Metropolitan Police Command in this cannot be over-emphasized. Through these talks, the following conditions were set: That, the opinion leaders will hold public fora within the community and sensitize residents on the impropriety of all forms of conduct that prevent NEDCo from undertaking its lawful duties within the community at all times. That, the opinion leaders will ensure that the Bailiff is amply assisted to deliver the relevant summons to the appropriate recipients in the Dohinaayili community That, the opinion leaders should guarantee that the unruly youth of the area would be reined in subsequently That, the opinion leaders would after all these, guarantee NEDCo the safety and security of her staff working within Dohinaayili That, the opinion leaders will co-operate with the Police in the latter's investigation of the formal complaint lodged by NEDCo. Generally, these conditions have been largely met and we believe that the prosecution of the power theft suspects would continue unabated. Upon reviewing the situation, the Management of NEDCo consulted with key stakeholders including staff and concluded that it was fairly safe to send staff back into the community. Consequently, the fault was fixed and power restored to the affected community at or around 1700 Hours GMT on Monday, July 10, 2017. APOLOGY We wish to render an unqualified apology to well-meaning, decent and tariff-paying residents who fell victim to the effects of our inability to fix the fault as timeously as we are wont to doing; it was never intended to inconvenience you. We simply had to protect the lives of our staff. Once more, accept our apologies. WAY FORWARD Ladies and Gentlemen, much as we are all happy that this impasse has seen a peaceful resolution, we would want to use it to sound a very deafening final CAUTION AND ADVICE to ALL communities that have displayed such impunity against us in the past as well as those who may be intending to do so going into the future that we shall no more risk our lives and safety to work for the comfort of communities where we are endangered or our safety is jeopardised. Electricity, like any other commodity must be paid for once it is acquired or used. Ours as distributors is to make electricity available in its right quantity and quality and as consumers, once you use or acquire the electricity, you MUST PAY for it so it simply cannot be that any legitimate move by NEDCo to claim monies owed it or power stolen from it is seen as harassment. Going forward, we intend to intensify our checks and monitoring very rigorously for which reason announcements have been running for the past month or so to prepare our customers. Without any further notice, we shall visit you so do that which is honourable and expected of you as a well-meaning citizen so that together we can save NEDCo from collapse and be able to pass it on to future generations as we inherited it from our forebears. In doing this, we hope to have as allies, not only the opinion leaders of Dohinaayili but opinion leaders throughout the operational area. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Distinguished members of the Media, lastly, permit us to acknowledge and thank the general public, the Regional and Metropolitan Police Command, the Command of 6Bn, staff of NEDCo, the Bailiffs involved, the opinion leaders of Dohinaayili and of course you, the Media for the wonderful show of understanding and support in these difficult times. We hope to continue counting on you all for, as we strengthen NEDCo, we strengthen the gateway for industrial development in the operational area. Thank you. God bless us all. Maxwell K. Kotoka Corporate Communications Manager NEDco-VRA By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Kinshasa (AFP) - DR Congo must identify both senior army personnel and politicians behind the massacres in the volatile Kasai region, a top UN human rights official told AFP Thursday. Jose-Maria Aranaz, the UN human rights director in the country, was speaking just a day the UN said another 38 suspected mass graves had been discovered in this central part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. "With more than 80 mass graves identified ... it is essential that the inquiry goes beyond those who physically did it and identifies command responsibilities at the military and political level," said Aranaz. Aranaz dismissed as "unconvincing" the suggestion that rogue elements of the security forces were responsible for the violence. "We have to stop the killing," he said. The international community has voiced alarm over the violence, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, according to statistics compiled by the Roman Catholic church. The UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping mission in the country had previously spoken of "more than 400 dead" while about 1.3 million people are thought to have fled their homes. An investigative mission this month found the latest mass graves in the Diboko and Sumbula areas of the Kamonia territory, the UN said. The violence began last year when a tribal chieftain known as the Kamwina Nsapu openly challenged the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government. That provoked a crackdown by security forces and the Kamwina Nsapu was killed in a police operation in August 2016. His armed followers fight on and some believe that their leader is still alive because authorities failed to give his body appropriate funeral rites. In February MONUSCO accused the Kamwina Nsapu militia of "atrocities... including the recruiting and use of child soldiers," but also condemned "a disproportionate use of force" by government troops. Two western experts sent to investigate the conflict by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went missing in March. Their bodies were found in a shallow grave by peacekeepers a fortnight later. The government blamed the tribal militia for their murders. On Tuesday, the United States urged the UN Security Council to punish those responsible for the flareup of violence. It also threatened sanctions against the Democratic Republic of Congo if elections are not held this year. President Joseph Kabila's mandate is due to end in December. The man who is alleged to have contracted two of his friends to murder his wife has been arrested by the Police, DAILY GUIDE has learnt. The arrest which was made earlier this week was a collaboration between the Sokode and the Ziope Police after a tip-off. According to Police sources, the 27-year-old kente weaver and manual worker was arrested in Ziope in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region last Monday after going into hiding last Friday, 7th July 2017. The Sokode-Bagble township in the Ho municipality in the Volta Region was thrown into a state of mourning following the bizarre murder of 25-year-old Esther Amoasi. The late Amoasi who is a mother of three was allegedly murdered and dumped in a stream 100 meters away from her mother's house. Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicated that the gruesome murder was allegedly orchestrated by the husband of the deceased, Joshua Ababio, who contracted two of his friend to commit the horrendous act. However, the suspect after preliminary interrogation has indicated that the wife was mistakenly murdered as his two friends; Benjamin Kisseh, 23 and Lucky Kumah, 25 were rather contracted to murder one Gershon who was believed to be having an affair with his wife, the late Esther Amoasi. He is reported to have given his friends GH500 for the job. Corporal Precious Dogbey told the press that suspects, Kisseh and Kumah explained that they laid ambush at the entrance of Esther's mother's house, since Esther had moved there due to a misunderstanding with the husband. The ambush was allegedly intended for the assassination of Esther's alleged lover, Gershon. However, Kumah mistakenly hit Esthers head with a wood thinking it was Gershon when she came out after they had knocked on her door. The suspects quickly disposed of the corpse in a stream at the back of a church about 100 meters away from the deceaseds house and fled the scene. The corpse was later discovered last Saturday morning by some children, he said. The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Volta Regional Hospital Morgue. Meanwhile, investigation is ongoing and the culprits will be arraigned before court on Friday. ( [email protected] ) From Fred Duodu and Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho Ghana risks losing financial aid and donor support from the United States of America and other developed countries and international organisations over poor human trafficking record. The Head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Volta Regional Police Command, Detective Chief Inspector, Joseph Nakoja lamented that Ghana's efforts in the fight against Child Labour and Trafficking (CLaT) has not been encouraging. He said despite the efforts being made, the country has not met the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, especially children and hence risk losing donor support from the United States Government and other development partners. Chief Inspector Nakoja disclosed this in Ho recently when he addressed a group of Christian leaders in the Volta Region at a forum dubbed; Justice Conference organised by the International Justice Mission (IJM). IJM is an international NGO that protects the poor from violence; slavery, sex trafficking, sexual violence, police brutality, property grabbing and citizen rights abuse in the developing world. It has over 750 lawyers, investigators, social workers, community activists and other professionals working in 17 field offices (countries). An estimated 2.7 million child labourers are in Ghana with the fishing, cocoa and artisanal mining sectors being the largest employers of child labour in the country. It is therefore not surprising that, Ghana has for two consecutive years been listed on the Tier Two watch list of the United States' (US) Department Trafficking in Person (TIP) in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Chief Inspector Nakoja said countries like Ghana in the tier two watch list were countries whose governments do not fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act's (TVPA) minimum standards, but were making significant efforts to meet those standards and the absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking was very significant or was significantly increasing, among others. He was therefore worried that if Ghana does not make significant effort to fight against human trafficking, the country was likely to be downgraded to Tier Three on this year's TIP list, which could have dire implications for the country. He called on all Ghanaians not to leave the fight to halt human trafficking to government and its agencies alone, but treat it as a national problem requiring the assistance of all. Mr Leonard Ackon, the Church and Community Relations Manager of IJM, said his outfit and the Church are more than ready to assist the government to end child abuse and trafficking in Ghana. He was hopeful that the forum will help curb the menace and help re-integrate the abused children into society and provide counselling for them. Rev. Seth K. Mawutor, Chairman of the Christian Council Ghana, Volta Region, said as a key partner, the knowledge gathered by the Church from the forum will be used to form district and regional teams to support the under resourced Social Welfare Department and the AHTU in combating child trafficking. From Fred Duodu, Ho ( [email protected] ) Akua Konadu Kusi is an education enthusiast who has gathered experience in tertiary institution admissions and education. For close to three years, she has worked with several top international universities in the United Kingdom as a regional marketer and talent sourcing expert. Through her recruitment background, Akua Konadu Kusi has honed a relationship building skill set required to maintain high standards when working with over 200 students, independent businesses and university representatives. Her grassroots organisation is a fully-fledged African consultancy firm dedicated to working with applicants from diverse backgrounds and walks of life to secure scholarship-based admissions into established universities in UK, Malaysia, India, Ukraine, China and the United States. Through her hands, Study Abroad West Africa (SAWA) has been able to secure partnership with six universities in United Kingdom, one private university in India, eight universities in China, 10 universities in Ukraine and four universities in USA Akua Konadu Kusi has secured admission for 60 students to these universities for 40 different courses. Since its incorporation in Ghana in December 2015, SAWA has been able to expand its operations to other African countries, including Senegal, Cameroon and Nigeria. Her long-term goal at Study Abroad West Africa is to help 1,000 African applicants secure 20%-50%+ scholarship-based admission into established universities every year. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Political Science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and a master's degree in International Business from Cardiff University, Wales. In addition to that, Akua Konadu Kusi has experience working in a law firm, also as an international marketing manager (Ghanaian representative in the UK), coupled with being an administrative manager for Ghana-India Business Forum. Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia and the delegation from the Mines Chamber Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Sulemanu Koney, has appealed to government to reconsider the Value Added Tax (VAT) on exploration inputs that have made Ghana an unattractive mining destination in the sub-region. According to Mr. Koney, in recent times, most investors had turned their attention to other neighbouring West African countries due to the fiscal reliefs that were being presented to businesses in those jurisdictions. He therefore called for a look at progressive business enabling policies to help Ghana regain her appeal in the sector. The CEO made the appeal when a delegation from the Chamber, led by its president, Kwame Addo-Kufuor, and 1st Vice President, Eric Asubonteng, called on the Vice President at the Flagstaff House in Accra. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who responded to the concerns raised by the Chamber, assured that teh issue would be captured holistically in next year's budget. Adding that government intended to reward responsible mining companies as a way of motivating economic growth, he also expressed optimism at the positive outcome of the various fiscal policies being implemented under the new regime to relieve businesses of the fiscal burdens in their operations. He revealed that government was inviting business partners into various sectors to create an interrelated economy that could rely on internally generated revenue for key developmental projects. Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia explained that the NPP administration was keen on ensuring that the local content drive in the industrial sectors were strengthened and made beneficial to local entrepreneurs and businesses, adding that there would be the creation of linkages among the industries in the country to bolster value for Ghanaians. Also, he said there was the need to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between the Chamber and government to ensure that the process became a reality. On the issue of illegal mining, Dr. Bawumia expressed government's commitment to developing the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP), which was a holistic approach towards tackling the illicit activity. Mr. Addo-Kufuor, on his part, said the Chamber expected that all of the relevant ministries would demonstrate the same commitment as the Vice President to partner the Chamber to propel the local content agenda and find a lasting solution to illegal mining. A business desk report The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Marwako Fast food, Alhaji Marwan Mohammed Chaaban, has been recognized by the National Commission on Culture for growing the catering industry. The award was also in recognition of his immense contributions to the development of Zongo through the establishment of a branch of the popular Fast food joint at Maamobi to offer employment to the youth in the Zongo communities. Alhaji Chaaban was honoured together with other eminent Muslim personalities like the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Shaributu for their contributions to the development of the Zongo communities in the maiden awards ceremony dubbed, 'Zongo Honours. The awards, organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, was to climax the 2017 'Zongofest' activities, which focused on celebrating, promoting and showcasing the cultural heritage of the Zongo people in Ghana, under the theme, 'Harnessing of culture and arts for a competitive advantage in the Zongos.' Alhaji Chaaban, who expressed his gratitude to the organizers for the recognition, dedicated the award to his staff and customers who have brought Mawarko Fast food this far. I dedicate this beautiful award to all my staff and management and of course our wonderful customers for their unwavering support that kept me and my employees mentally and psychologically strong, he said. Alhaji Chaaban said his resolve to support the Zongo communities motivated him to open a branch at Maamobi. When I wanted to go there people said no, but I decided to do it to support the youth, he added. Even though the Maamobi branch suffered a huge setback when the youth vandalized the branch in June, 4, 2014, coupled with the failure of the previous government to fulfill its promise of refunding the cost of damage to the branch, I believe it was an accident. My fervent belief in God inspired me to renovate the place and today I am very glad we never quit three years down the line, he said. By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Malgu Seebaway The Minister for Aviation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who was accompanied by a high-powered delegation comprising some heads of departments at the Ministry and the Ghana Airports Company, among others, has paid a familiarization visit to the proposed site for the construction of the new Ghana International Airport. Speaking to journalists at the proposed site located at the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region, the Manager in-charge of Aerodrome Safety and Standards, Anita Nmashie, indicated that the new airport project is expected to be constructed on a total land of about 60,000 acres. The Safety and Standards Manager stated that an aerodrome is an area on land or water that can be used for the arrival, departure and surface movement of aircraft. By this definition what the Aviation Ministry and the Ghana Airports Company are about to construct is an airport which, when completed, would have a number of state-of-the-art facilities, she indicated. Mrs. Nmashie mentioned some of the state-of-the-art facilities as run and taxiways, terminals, cargo hubs, hotels, shopping centres, banks, hospital and police, security points and car parks. Addressing the chiefs, elders and representatives of families, who released the land to government for the project at Great Ningo, the Minister for Aviation, Ms Dapaah, lauded them for their role in negotiation for the land since 1974 for the intended purpose. We are happy about this high-level of confidence and to us, it's the beginning of a stronger bond between the Aviation Ministry, our stakeholders and the Ningo Traditional Authority, she stated. The Minister mentioned that the Ministry had received proposals from a number of investors, who have expressed interest in collaborating with government for the commencement of the construction of aerodromes. The Minister, who was touring the site for the first time, further stated that the commencement and successful completion of the project is expected to generate many jobs. The Acting President of the Old Ningo Traditional Authority, Nene Kanor Atipah, called on the ministry to deal directly with the traditional council to avoid any form of litigation. The choice of Ningo for the construction of a modern airport is a great source of pride for us, he said, adding that it would also create jobs for the people of the area and beyond. The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ningo-Prampram, Jonathan Teye Doku, gave assurance that the assembly would readily serve as a conduit in the community. By Solomon Ofori The Get Energy Field Ready training programme, a partnership between the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) and Get Energy Field Ready Limited, a UK-based oil and gas training company, has enrolled the first batch of female engineering students for training in Takoradi. The company trains young Ghanaians from the Western Region in engineering to gain vocational skills at the TTC facility built by the Jubilee partners to support the training of Ghana's oil and gas sector workers. The 11 females selected are billed to start training in September, this year. The ladies, who were selected from a group of over 300 boys, were excited to embark on this new journey. They have high hopes of gaining jobs in the oil and gas industry after graduation. This has been my dream to be an engineer one day, and I now know that by getting the opportunity to join the Field Ready programme, I will receive the technical training skills and also be able to advance as a woman into the industry, as there are a few technical oil and gas programmes really encouraging girls to apply pro-actively. New entrants to the training this year, including the 11 females, number up to 30, a 100 percent increase over the first cohort intake. On 23rd June, this year, the programme graduated 15 boys selected from a group of over 600 engineering students at the TTU. The boys, who all excelled in their training, spent nine months at TTC and got trained by industry experts with practical oil and gas industry from Nigeria and Iraq. They also spent a week at GE on placement and completed their final set of exams with flying colours. The students also completed a robust NLP and personal applied skills training. The new technical commissioners were in the persons of Prince Amoako, Tullow; Yaw Ackonor, TechnipFM; Nana Appiah-Nuamah, GNPC; Anthony Ade, Baker Hughes; Giangrazio Delle Foglie, ENI Ghana and Gordon Konadu Ampiaw of GE Oil and Gas. All technical commissioners bring a wealth of industry experience and will be key in ensuring that the training the students receive during the programme is signed off as field-ready upon completion as per industry expectations, Petra Sanyamahwe, lead country consultant of the training programme in Ghana, stated. The Asuogyaman District Education Directorate in the Eastern Region has threatened to close down the Serdom Basic School because residents in the area defecate in the classrooms. Because the area does not have a public toilet, the residents have thus resorted to using uncompleted school block students of the Serdom Basic School as a toilet. Joshua Mawutordzi the headmaster of the school in an interview with Citi News said some of their teachers have refused to teach because of the stench. Our classrooms are uncompleted so open defecation is going on nicely here on regular basis, anytime we come in the morning we will find human excreta dotted in the classrooms, it is an eye sore and disheartening to see students in their uniforms trying to clean and scrub the classrooms before they begin classes. He added that, the class 3 teacher who is fed up over the issue has refused to use the classroom and now teaches the kids under the tree on the compound because of the stench emanating from the classroom. Mr Prosper Yekple, the Deputy Director of Supervision of the Ghana Education Service in the Asuogyaman District disclosed to Citi News that his unit will be forced to close down the school if the situation persist. He said any time teachers come to school they are greeted with toilet. How on earth can these innocent children be cleaning waste done by others? This is really affecting teaching and learning activities, we are going to have a meeting with the community members on this issue and if it continues after the meeting then we do not have any option than to close down the school and take the teachers away because this thing has been going on for more than a year now so If we close down the school for a week the community will sit up. Mr Yekple who believes is a wrong form of protest said the assembly is responsible to provide them with public toilets. We are aware the classrooms are not the best but it is not prerogative of Ghana Education Service to provide them with Public Toilet but rather the district assembly so if they are defecating in the school to protest against government then this is a wrong protest, he added. By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana 14.07.2017 LISTEN I choose not to place 'DIS' in my ability. - Robert M. Peel There is a remarkable amount of strength residing in those who move forward without being able to physically move. Ones that carry the weight of illness or a disability, they battle wars most know nothing about. They are the true warriors of the world, the ones who have every reason to quit but never do. - Nikki Rowe ONE MOST HEART-WARMING piece of news relayed to Ghanaians at the beginning of this month was the one that was concerned with the manning of toll booths by people with disabilities (PWDs). The Minister of Roads and Highways in launching the Persons with Disability initiative confirmed the pledge he made at his vetting that he would reserve 50% quota in all contracts on manning toll booths for PWDs. He has been true to his word; he has kept his word! The people with disability were previously labelled disabled persons, now, they are euphemistically called People with Disabilities, a euphemism appropriately employed. According to the 2010 Housing Population Census, such persons constitute 3% of Ghana's population, and there is the need for opportunities to be created for them to contribute their quota to the economy. During a working visit the Minister paid to the offices of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled Organizations in Accra, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta gave the assurance that persons with disability would be engaged to man the tollbooths. Hence, an elaborate training programme to build the capacities of these persons had been rolled out. It was reassuring when the Minister quoted the Gospel according to John. Chapter 9: As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him: 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned', said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Earlier, the Minister had recalled his campaigning for physically challenged people when he was the presiding member for the Atiwa Assembly. He was always calling for a greater recognition and advocated that the tollbooth should be ceded to that Federation. The Minister stressed the fact that disability is not inability, my ministry is open to harnessing the skills of PWDs regardless of their physical conditions in executing our agenda. This project, therefore, offers a lead in the implementation of that manifesto commitment to PWDs by first setting the example. Mr. Yaw Ofori Debrah, President of the Ghana Federation for Disability Organizations had a good word for the government for the initiative. It was historic for the PWDs. He noted; Today marks a very historic event for PWDs. Our long-cherished dream has been fulfilled through the efforts of the Road and Highways Minister. On behalf of the Federation, we express our utmost appreciation to the government of Nana Akufo Addo and his cabinet for ensuring that PWDs are given a pride of place in Ghana We are impressed. Of course, there was a firm promise of working hard for more opportunities to come their way. The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, also confirmed the government's initiative to assist the PWDs. He noted that the Akufo-Addo led government would implement the Disability Act, Act 715, to assist persons with disability, and that buildings across the country would be made accessible to PWDs. He said: Government is committed to creating the economic opportunities and ensuring a safe and inclusive society as well as facilitating access to public places by persons with disability Dr Bawumia continued, This intervention is aimed at reducing the unemployment rate among persons with disability in order to provide them with a source of livelihood which will in turn deal with the cycle of poverty facing most people with disability. He added, on a bright note: While this is an important initiative as far as employment of PWDs is concerned, it is not sufficient. What we need is more mainstream of persons with disability across both the private and public sectors in the banks or wherever, at all ministries. We need to have a strategy of making sure that persons with disability attain that employment status. I have read accounts in the social media deriding and dismissing this gesture by the government. Who said in a democracy, people are not entitled to their opinions? They are, yes. However, I think all those making the negative comments and rubbishing the government's initiative are whole they do not suffer any disability, they are 'able bodied' else they would appreciate the small mercies. I happened to have chanced upon some of these people in the Ministries recently, and it was a sight to behold! Handsome men and beautiful ladies who had been rendered 'disabled' as a result of some congenital diseases or infections, including conjunctivitis, jaundice, and retinitis. Some had emaciated limbs especially resulting from poliomyelitis. Others had amputated limbs as a result of accidents motor, machine or physical injury (like a fall). These people with mobility and movement impairments are those who do not just deserve our sympathy but our encouragement to live a full life of their own, and encouragement to contribute to their fullest level of their abilities. The least we, as individuals, can do is to see beyond their inabilities and show compassion and sensitivity to their plight. Dalai Lama says: Our prime purpose, in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them. If there is way for government to help, it must, and the action by the Roads and Highways Ministry is one of such laudable moves. Africanus Owusu Ansah [email protected] P.S. The act of magnanimity extended by Hon. Queenstar Pokuah Sawyerr, MP for Agona East Constituency to the legendary actor, Asonaba Kwaku Darko, popularly known as 'OD' cannot pass uncommented upon. Some of us, born before independence, can recall OD's contributions that helped to uplift the image of drama in 'those days'! The whole Ghanaian populace would be waiting with bated breath for the 'discussion' to end, and OD would plunge the nation into hilarity and jocundity when he was on Osofo Dadzie's 'Obra'. Now, at 82, OD has weak limbssuffering from a disability! Let us show that we love him, we care. Please, editor, can I have OD's number; so that I send him something small? Anybody joining me? The Rotary Club of Accra Dzorwulu, a member of the Rotary International District 9102, has sponsored the surgeries of children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) in selected communities across the country. The Rotary Club, working in collaboration with the Graft Foundation, presented an amount of GH20,000 to the foundation to enable it to conduct free surgeries for children whose parents could not afford the medical procedure. The President of the Accra-Dzorwulu Rotary Club, RP Joe Ampem-Darko Antwi, indicated that the gesture was in fulfillment of a pledge at the Rotary Presidential Ball to raise adequate funds to pay for kids who have various degrees of CLP in order to put a smile on their faces. It is a known fact that some children who have CLP disorders are ostracised in communities they come from; some are abused and in some cases killed for being bad omen to the community. Parents of these kids and the kids are traumatised and their situation is unpleasant. That is why the Rotary Club of Accra-Dzorwulu elected to raise funds to support the cause of putting back smile on the faces of kids, and also to help with sensitising Ghanaians not to look down on people with such deformities, he said. RP Ampem-Darko said so far, five beneficiaries have been cured of the CLP problem and are recovering, while the club promises to raise more funds to enable other kids to have their surgeries done. On a visit to the Dodowa District Hospital, where some of the patients are undergoing treatment, Dr Kwame Abrokwaa Yankyera and Dr Brainerd Anane of the Graft Foundation expressed their selfless desire to help the kids with cleft lip and palate whose parents cannot afford a surgery to correct the anomaly that has bedevilled their kids. The club also organised a blood donation exercise to restock the National Blood Bank when it teamed up with other Rotary Clubs to raise over 2,000 pints of blood for the National Blood Bank. The live-changing gesture by Rotary Accra-Dzowulu formed part of various projects undertaken in 2016/2017, aimed at changing lives of the less-privileged in society. Other projects undertaken by the club in the same year include the refurbishment of a canteen block for the Dzorwulu A & B Primary School at an amount of GH9,627. The project resurfaced the canteen floor which had deep cracks, repainted the building, replaced the louvers and mosquito nets, laid carpet and fixed the plumbing works and provided sinks for the kids to wash their hands. The compound which was waterlogged was also excavated and filled with sand, stone and concrete, with gutter dug to give passage to rain water; giving a befitting status for the school children to use. The club further adopted the primary school and has mapped up a sustainable project. The club also left their print in the area of sanitation by the construction of a borehole for the people of Gyankama, a village near Aburi in the Eastern Region. The borehole project cost the club GH16,000 and it comes with a submersible pump to pump water at high pressure and also filter the water all season round to offer the best of clean drinking water. The project also included an additional water tank reservoir to serve the larger community people. RP Ampem-Darko stated that the club set a target to raise about GH100,000 to carry out its projects through members' support and contribution, as well as corporate donations and partnerships. Although the club could not achieve its targets, he said the club is satisfied with the fact that it assisted some individuals and communities who have been in need of the things they sought to provide them with. We are taking the opportunity to make further appeal to corporate organisations and individuals who are blessed financially to help assist deprived communities and or need people and institutions to have a better living. For us at Rotary Club of Accra-Dzorwulu, we will continue to give off our best to support and urge all others to come to the table with us, he said. By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri Nurses at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital in Accra yesterday laid down their tools in protest of the encroachment on the hospital's land by private developers. The full strike which followed a two-day sit-down action has resulted in over 200 admitted patients of the hospital and hundreds of out-patients left unattended to, while the hospital management tries to address their grievances over the massive encroachment of the hospital land. The staff had earlier served notice of their intended strike, insisting that they will lay down their tools and hit the streets if the situation isn't addressed. The head of the Pantang Hospital staff, Elvis Akuamoah, said no intent to deal with the situation has been shown by the hospital authorities, hence their decision to proceed with their strike. The lands have all been sold; even the churches have bought some. They have blocked all the pathways and have been making our lives miserable. We are not allowed to move freely anymore. We are pleading with the president, if these lands really belong to the state then government has to take them back, he said. Mr Akuamoah stated that the activities of the encroachers would compromise security at the hospital and put the lives of the health practitioners and patients at risk. If not checked, we'll have a situation where someone will build a club house just opposite a ward which would impact negatively on the environment the patients need to be able to receive proper care. We are doing this for our patients, he said. The workers along with some residents in the area had issued a two-week ultimatum to the government in March to halt encroachment on the lands. They appealed to the president to heed to their plea and order the encroachment to be stopped. Worried about the development, the CEO of the Mental Health Authority, Dr Akwesi Osei, led an entourage to meet with the staff Monday afternoon in an attempt to get them to go back to work, but the meeting yielded no results. Other patients haven't had their drugs administered to them. It is feared that some of these patients could relapse into their old condition which would be detrimental to their health, he mentioned. Meanwhile, Dr Osei has urged the Ministry of Health to step in immediately to end the impasse, as the continuous strike action is a threat to mental health delivery. By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri A Ghanaian-born officer from the British Household Cavalry, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, has been appointed by Queen Elizabeth II to serve in her household as the first black equerry. According to the Sunday Times, Major 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 Queen's side due to the imminent retirement of the Duke of Edinburgh. Major Twumasi-Ankrah, 38 years old, 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 intimate friends, Major Twumasi-Ankrah served as escort commander at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. He also commanded a cavalry regiment of the British Army the Blues and Royals which took part in a ceremony at the Queen's birthday parade in the same year. Reports indicate that he will replace the current equerry, Wing Commander Sam Fletcher, later this year and is currently going through the transition process. Major Twumasi-Ankrah had earlier stated that he was honoured to have played an important role in the Queen's parade, having watched it on TV as a child. I would have never imagined that one day I'd command the regiment which I'd fallen in love with, he was reported as saying. The appointment by the Queen is also seen as one that will help clear any perceptions about racial discrimination in the Royal Household and British elite. From what I've seen in the UK, our cultures really do mix and if I'm not a good example of that, I really don't know what it is, he reportedly added. Dear Lawyer Kwaku Asare, I am not a lawyer neither am I a law student. I am however very happy at the success you chopped at the Supreme Court after standing up against an illegality perpetuated by the General Legal Council for a long time. It sure shows that all structures of our state institutions can be reminded of their shortfalls so far as the law is concerned. I am therefore bringing this matter to your attention to consider the legality or otherwise and the repercussions of our actions as a country. Before I come to the main point lets go roaming. Ghana is often touted as setting the pace for other West African nations to emulate when it comes to democracy. If this is indeed the case, what happens when we set bad precedents and openly and notoriously glorify them? Should they still follow in our footsteps or remind us how wrong we are? Kwaku, in case you have not been following Nigerian politics let me give you an insight. I may have trouble locating Nigeria on the Africa map but I do know that they have big problems with political and religious extremists more that we have in Ghana. Currently on the floor of the House of Representatives in Nigeria is a bill to grant amnesty to looters who are willing return looted funds not to the state ooo but to invest in the Nigerian economy without even asking them basic questions like my friend which sector did you steal from?. The bill is sponsored by Linus Okorie (PDP, Ebonyi) and was first read on the floor of the House on 14th June and it is currently awaiting second reading. There is more to the bill than I can mention for want of time. Interestingly, a few years ago in Ghana, under the presidency of John Mahama, Mrs. Marietta Brew Hammond made a deal with alleged looters to return state funds to avoid prosecution. There was an agreed schedule on the repayment and some funds were recovered (I stand to be corrected). So basically, we are told to steal and if we are caught we can return it and say it was just for safekeeping. Ghana is indeed in a comfortable lead. It didnt come as a surprise to me when I first heard Nigerian law makers want to transform that our idea into law in their country. I wouldnt be surprise either if they are soon sponsoring a bill to clear criminals of wrongdoing because similar crimes were committed in the past (BOST in mind). Kwaku, Nigerian senate has been at loggerheads with the federal government recently for one reason or the other. There was the missing budget, then the matter concerning the uniform of the commissioner of CEPS, senate asking federal appointees to resign, refusal to confirm Magu, and many others. On Tuesday, 4th July, 2017, a point of order was raised at the senate house to make Saraki the acting President of Nigeria. The point of order was raised by Senator Eyinanya Abaribe of Abia south and was on the premise that the acting president Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was out of town attending AU summit in Ethiopia. The point of order was immediately shot down for whateverreasons. But even at the time of raising the point of order, investigations revealed that Prof. Osinbajo was back in the country. Kwaku Im sure this rings a bell of where Im heading to. The point of order could not have been raised in a vacuum. If Ghanaians are doing it blatantly why cant Nigerians do same after all they are copying from us? For want of time, I fail to provide dates and frequency of occurrences of what Im to talk about but am sure you can find that out if you wanted. In the previous (Mahama) administration, Hon. Doe Adjaho then speaker, was made to take oath and take over as president each time Mahama and Amissah-Arthur were out of town. In fact he took the oath so many times that at one time he declined to take the oath because he thought it was duplication. Interestingly the oath was always administered by the Chief Justice. Kwaku, I want you to help me find out what the law says regarding that matter and whether as a nation we are not setting a bad precedent that will turn to bite us one day. When the issue of taking over first came up, I expected some authorities to speak up, seek clarification at the courts or at least write about it. For instance: I expected citizen vigilante Martin Amidu to have commented but he was busy chasing Woyome around that he didnt. I expected Lawyer Maurice Ampau to have sought clarification at the court but he was all over the place discussing Asamoah Gyan. I expected Manasseh to have written but he was rather writing about idiots and borrowing to build and planning his wedding to which I didnt even get an invite. I expected Kweku Baako to have come out with documents opposing the whole show but I learnt his printer was faulty Lastly, I expected Lawyer Adwoa Safo to hold a press conference but she was too busy lobbying the World Bank for a school. But when The Attorney General didnt see anything wrong with it either, I gave up because I thought I was reading too much about other countries politics that I was imposing their practices on Ghana or at least expected Ghana to do same In practice, Kwaku, the law should be talking about instances where the president and vice president are unable to perform their duties as enshrined in the constitution. Travelling outside the country is not part of those instances. In fact travelling outside is part of the job of the president and vice president. Such instances should include: Sickness Insanity Holding behind enemy lines in combat and war scenarios Conflict of interest: when the president or vice thereof is unable to choose between personal/family interest and national interest (kidnap and blackmail) In some jurisdictions, cabinet will decide through voting whether any of these instances has arisen and then transfer power to the next in line through the Department of Justice or the Attorney General. In todays global village, a president can perform presidential duties whilst outside his home country. The US President for instance has offices in Air force One and the Beast. He also carries enough gadgets that he can perform practically any duty without physically being in the oval office. I dont believe our capability is limited when it comes to technology. Our gadgets may not be as powerful and sophisticated as those carried by the US but they sure can make and receive a call and probably send and receive WhatsApp messages. The oath When the speaker takes the oath, is she granted all the powers of the president or just some? Can she declare war? Or at least fire an appointee? If Haruna Iddrisu were the Speaker of Parliament now and Nana and Bawumia made a mistake and travelled out, the BOST MD would not be there upon their return just because he did something others have been doing. Or even Ken Offori Attah for dealing in what has now become a national security bond. This is just to say that there is a potential for conflict. Moreover, if the speaker is to act as president, is it conceivable that the oath she has taken as a speaker is enough? Does she need another oath? Wouldnt the presidential oath make someone a president and not acting? Does the Vice President need another oath to act as president? Does the First deputy speaker need another oath to sit in for the speaker? I mean, as a lay man, if I have already taken an oath of office and the law says by virtue of my current office I am to act, shouldnt that oath suffice? Kwaku, please if you think this letter is based on my fears alone, just write to me educating me on the subject. However, if you think the concerns and questions I have raised are genuine, please take the matter up. Lets challenge the system to go back and do the right thing by following the law properly or initiating processes to amend the law to forestall future problems. Let us not keep leading other African countries into dungeon. An Admirer. THE WRITER Hamidu Ahmed is a self-acclaimed advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. He has interest in global politics, youth empowerment, gender equality and good governance. He is currently the First Deputy Speaker of the Upper West Youth Parliament and a member of Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI Network) Contact: [email protected] Commentators: please leave out politics and discuss content Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan said Thursday it will press on with efforts to achieve a full lifting of US sanctions against Khartoum, even as it hoped Washington would reverse its decision to extend a decades-old trade embargo. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump prolonged a review period to October 12 before his administration decides whether or not to permanently lift the sanctions imposed on Khartoum in 1997. His predecessor Barack Obama had eased the sanctions in January, but kept Sudan on review for six months, a period that ended on Wednesday. Trump's order to extend the review period angered his Sudanese counterpart President Omar al-Bashir who ordered Khartoum to halt ongoing talks with Washington over the sanctions file until October 12. Bashir's National Congress Party also warned on Thursday that any unrest that erupts in Sudan will be because of the US extension. But Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour attempted to rein in the rising tension, vowing that Khartoum will work with Washington to ensure the embargo is fully lifted. "We hope that the United States reverses its decision and sticks to its commitments," Ghandour told reporters. He said the Sudanese foreign and defence ministries will "continue communicating" with their US counterparts to ensure that the sanctions are lifted. Sudan's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) will also continue communicating with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), he said. 'Not a small regional power' Obama had made the permanent lifting of the sanctions dependent on Sudan's progress in five areas of concern at the end of the review period. Obama's five conditions include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan. In his executive order, Trump extended the deadline by three months, saying "more time is needed" to review Khartoum's progress on these five conditions. In recent months, several US as and Sudanese officials have said that Khartoum had made progress on meeting Obama's conditions, also known as "five tracks". Ghandour said Khartoum had in fact gone "too far" in engaging with Washington. "Which is why what has been positively achieved, we will build on it without jeopardising or endangering our sovereignty," he said. He said that Washington should realise that Sudan was "important for peace and security" in the region. "We are not a small regional power," the minister said. 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 has also pointed to accusations of scorched-earth tactics by Khartoum against ethnic minority rebels in war-torn Darfur. At least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced since the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, the UN says. Bashir himself is wanted for genocide and war crimes related to the conflict in Darfur, charges he steadfastly denies. Some campaign groups had called on the Trump administration to maintain the sanctions on Sudan, citing Khartoum's record of human rights violations. 13.07.2017 LISTEN Accra, July 12 GNA - Mr Kennedy Osei Nyarko, Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru and Chairman of the Committee of Local Government in Parliament has assured that he would work with the Administrator of the Common Fund to ensure early release of the funds to MMDAs. He said the delay in the release of funds to MMDAs had become a major concern as most the Assemblies depended on that for development projects. He maintained that the Nana Akufo-Addo administration was working to ensure that there were no undue delays in the release of funds to the MMDAs. Mr Osei Nyarko was speaking to the media after he was introduced on the floor of the House as the new Chairman of the Committee of Local Government in Parliament. He commended the Leadership of the House and the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Ocquaye for giving him such a great responsibility to be the Chairman of the Committee of Local Government. He said being the Chairman of the Committee of Local Government was a huge task since they would have an oversight responsibility for the 216 MMDAs, Local Government Services, District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator and the Ministry of Local Government. Mr Osei Nyarko who expressed delight at his new appointment stated that the leadership had to look at the expertise of each MP and accordingly positioned them to take charge of certain committees. 'I believe that my in-depth knowledge and experience in Local Government that has earned me such an honour to chair this committee' he added. He said what the Committee would immediately look at a Bill for the election of MMDCE in 2018, whether to go by existing Act or amend the Constitution by going for referendum. Mr Osei Nyarko also stated that the Committee in its work would look at issues whether the elections for MMDCE in 2018 would be on partisan basis or not. 'If it is going to be partisan then definitely there should be a referendum or if status quo is going to be maintained then we have to just amend the existing Act 936.' He said the election of MMDCEs was a critical area that the Committee would make positive recommendation for government and revealed that some of the District Assemblies which were created in 2015 were still in distress in terms of office accommodation though government had released funds for the projects some of them had stalled. He said the Committee would go round and invite the contractors to come and complete the projects to house those assemblies to make them more effective. Mr Osei Nyarko who is second time MP has been on the Committee of Local Government in Parliament for five years and comes with vast experience to bear on the work of the Committee. Mr Osei Nyarko is also a chartered Marketer and holds EMBA in Project Management and previously worked with Plant Pool Limited as the Technical Sales Manager as well as the District Assemblies GNA By Christopher Arko, GNA President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced that government has setup a 100 million dollar package to fund the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP). The initiative is aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Speaking at the launch of the plan, President Akufo-Akufo said his major priority is to address the issue of unemployment in the country. Outlining four main challenges to be solved by the NEIP, the president stated that the overall objective of this plan is to stimulate private sector growth to accelerate job creation and to provide entrepreneurial Ghanaian youth with a critical alternative to salaried appointment. He added that the objective is also to raise money from private sources and public organization to the tune of 100 million US dollars to fund this programme. He explained that the NEIP will provide tax incentives for startups and entrepreneurs to commence and expand their operations. The plan will also incentivize and partner private sector investors to set up business incubator hubs and industrial packs, [and] establish a new enterprise fund to attract private partnership nationally, he said. It will also provide a ready market for the products and services of start-ups through the reservation of the percentage of the proposed 70 percent of local content public procurement contract, he added. President Akufo-Addo observed that creating a conducive environment for the youth to establish their businesses is critical to the growth of the country. He pointed out that the private sector is key to the agenda of the government, hence all needed efforts will be made available to support the youth. 13.07.2017 LISTEN The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), a human rights and anti-corruption media advocacy Non-Governmental Organisation, Raphael Ahenu Jnr has observed that immunisation financing is a huge challenge in the country, hence the need for the government to establish a national immunisation fund. He said as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (GAVI), the main sponsor of national immunisation exercise is preparing to withdraw funding, there is the need for the country to find alternative funding for immunization. Mr. Ahenu indicated that the demands for immunisation and health services in local communities are very high and there is the need for civil society organisations to intensify advocacy for government, donor partners and the private sector to invest sustainably in immunisation exercises and promote child health. Mr. Ahenu Jnr. made these observations in an interaction with Space FM in Sunyani to brief the stations management on a GH10,000 grant GLOMEF has secured from the Catholic Relief Services to undertake an immunisation project to improve coverage in the Asunafo South District of Brong-Ahafo Region. Mr. Ahenu Jnr. said the responsibility of government to be more committed to ensuring that every child is immunised to prevent all forms of diseases. According to the Founder, GLOMEF secured the funds through the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health and would also help his NGO to intensify advocacy campaign on sustainable immunisation financing in the country. Among some of the reasons for GAVIs withdrawal are because the country is now classified as a lower middle-income country and lack of political will and commitment towards national immunisation exercises. Mr. Ahenu expressed worry that Asunafo South District is among the lowest immunisation coverage in the country adding that his NGO is collaborating with the District Health Directorate to improve on immunisation in the area. Recently, the Chief Executive Officer for Human Care and Maintenance Foundation, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in health, Ms. Evelyn Bema Darkwah, called on government to urgently set up a National Immunisation Fund (NIF). This is according to her is to ensure that the country could continue with its immunization exercise following threats by donor partners to withdraw their funding for the exercise. Speaking on Space FMs Morning Flight 877 hosted by Kwadwo Owusu-Ansah, Ms Bema Darkwah said the donor partners believe that with the attainment of middle income status, Ghana is now in a position of self sufficiency, adding that the country needs about GHc33million annually to finance the immunization exercise. Rabat (AFP) - Morocco's phosphate industry giant OCP on Thursday accused South Africa of "political piracy" by detaining a Moroccan cargo vessel loaded with phosphate from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The South African judiciary had "passed an eminently political decision and committed a gross abuse of power", Morocco's state-run group said in a statement. The 34,000-tonne ship bound for New Zealand via Port Elizabeth in South Africa has been blocked from sailing since the start of May following a court application seeking that the vessel return its cargo. The application filed by the Polisario Front, which seeks the independence of Western Sahara, asks for the return of the phosphate "removed in contravention of the international principle", said Webber Wintzel, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. OCP charged that the court ruling was "an act of political piracy committed under judicial cover", in contravention of "elementary principles of international law". Morocco and the Polisario fought for control of Western Sahara from 1974 to 1991, when Rabat took over the desert territory before the signing of a UN-brokered ceasefire. Rabat, which considers Western Sahara to be an integral part of Morocco, proposes autonomy for the resource-rich territory, but the Polisario insists on an independence referendum. Johannesburg (AFP) - Three male lions that escaped over the weekend from South Africa's Kruger National Park have been shot dead after a farmer found them eating his cattle, officials said Thursday. The farmer shot one dead and wounded another on Wednesday. Parks authorities armed with rifles then used a helicopter to track down the injured animal and the third lion. "We had to obviously kill the wounded lion because it becomes very dangerous," South African national parks spokeswoman Janine Raftopoulos told local media. "With the last one remaining, because he had come into contact with the farmer's livestock, we assessed the situation and the decision was taken to put (him) down." She said that if the lion had been returned to the park, it would have tried to escape again and would be a threat to humans and livestock. Four lions were first reported to have escaped. Kruger Park, which borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is home to about 1,500 lions, and nearly the size of Belgium. Animals sometimes slip past the barrier fences, especially during the dry winter season. Two months ago, five other lions escaped from the park. Four were re-captured in neighbouring farms and one is still on the loose. Officials said animals usually escaped through dry river beds or holes along the fence. The writer 13.07.2017 LISTEN Since the election of Donald Trump as President last November, Americans-- or more to the point-- the media has been obsessed with the question of whether Russia influenced the outcome in favour of Mr. Trump. The rest of the world has watched with amazement as American politicians and media try to make the case for Russian intervention. There were no stuffed ballot boxes. There were no changes in vote tallies in the middle of the night. There has been no reports of bags of cash transported in the middle of the night. You get the picture. And there is the case of what Ukraine may have done to help the Hillary Clinton campaign. While all these are interesting, what has the World atwitter is the very idea that America would dare to complain about foreign powers meddling in elections. In a report by Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times of December 21st, 2016, Carnegie Mellon's Dov Levin stated that between 1946 and 2000, the US intervened in foreign elections 81 times. These interventions did not include coups or rumours of coups in which the US was involved in places like Iran, Chile, Guatemala, Haiti and Ghana. Levin defined these election-related interventions as "costly acts designed to determine the election results in favour of one of two sides." These interventions have occurred in places as diverse as Italy, Nicaragua, Kenya and Russia. Yes, Russia in 1996. In that year, with Boris Yeltsin on the ropes, the US backed a 10.2 billion USD loan facility from the IMF that helped the Russian leader spend his way to re-election. Vladimir Putin was by Yeltsin's side and may have picked up a trick or two. Before then, in 1990, decisive US intervention helped Violeta Chamorro defeat Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua . In 2013 and 2015, the US tried, unsuccessfully to help defeat Uhuru Kenyatta and Bibi Netanyahu respectively. Of course, Russia too has dirty hands in interventions in foreign elections. During the period cited earlier, Russia/USSR was only second to America in interventions in foreign elections. They did so 36 times. And looking at the carcasses of false Marxist revolutions in Africa, they probably led the Americans by a mile in supporting coups. In candour, many of the American interventions were principled. How can one fault America for helping to defeat the Sandinistas or for pointing out to Kenyans the danger of electing Uhuru Kenyatta who was facing indictment by the ICC? America's conduct, both good and bad sets examples for the rest of the world and raises questions. As the African proverb goes, " he who cuts throats is afraid of lying down lest someone cuts his throat". Those who seek equity must come with clean hands and America's outrage at this Russian intervention seems a tad hypocritical. If Hillary had won, would there be this much outrage? Why is America not interested in Ukrainian meddling? Decades after the alleged CIA roles in the overthrows of Nkrumah and Allende in Ghana and Chile respectively, debate still rages in Chile and Ghana about American motives. Hopefully, this alleged Russian intervention has taught America some humility. I hope it makes American interventions in elections around the world more careful, people-centered, process-based and on the side of the angels. Arthur K The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has commenced processes to review its laws to guide existing and new investments into the country. The GIPC contends that there is the need to adjust the countrys laws to meet the modern investment trends. According to the CEO of the GIPC, Mr. Yofi Grant, the government's efforts to attract more investments into the country may not be wholly fulfilled if the necessary environment is not created for the businesses both local and foreign. Mr. Yofi Grant who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of an interaction with some major stakeholders in the investment sector added that the inputs will also inform future discussions with Ghana's investment partners. Among the areas likely to be reviewed are the ease of doing business; i.e. registration, signing of contracts, etc. There are many areas that need reforms including the ease of doing business. There is also the ease of registration, ease of dealing with commercial cases in court, the ease of signing a contract and letting them happen, ease of hiring and firing among others. Those are things that most investors are looking out for anyway and will create a better business environment, the GIPC CEO stated. Mr. Grant added, The ability to access land for your business how easy it is and so there is significantly large program going on to reform the land administration project and make it successfuleven on environment and sanitation those are very important things, what rules do we have for communities to come up. Will we allow people to sell by the road side or will we provide them with marke. The GIPC is targeting to attract 5 billion dollars worth of investments into Ghana in 2017. For the first quarter of this year, total Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) recorded amounted to 2.9 billion dollars. Meanwhile Mr. Yofi Grant tells Citi Business News the necessary recommendations by stakeholders will be presented to cabinet for action. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana When I arrived at Harvard in 2013 for my Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.), I took the further step of applying for the Corporate Law, Finance & Governance Concentration. Together with ten others, I got in. I was bent on making the best of my time at this hallowed institution. I cross-registered at the Harvard Business School to retrofit my intellectual wiring to suit the world of business. Some of my friends, who like me, were not quantitatively endowed, steered clear of courses such as Analytical Methods for Lawyers and Business Strategy for Lawyers. I took the former course in the semester in which Professor Kathryn Spier, an economist with a background in Mathematics, taught it. As she announced on the first day of class, she was not a lawyer so quite predictably everything hinged on my worst fears quantitative methods. The class was comprised of Juris Doctor (JD) students (considered the equivalent of Ghana's LLB Bachelor of Laws degree) and LL.M. candidates. I had a torrid time in her class. My previous studies had not prepared me for that aspect of legal studies. With the selfless help of Michael Waks (the teaching assistant Professor Spier assigned to me) and my proclivity to punch above my weight, I earned a handshake from the inimitable Professor Spier at the end of the LL.M. programme. Earlier, as a law student in Ghana, I had studied the law of taxation (I actually made a grade A and was adjudged the best student in the law of taxation) but admittedly, there was no way I could have analyzed or competently discussed the liquidity, solvency, managerial efficiency, profitability, earnings per share or price-earnings ratios of any business, at the end of the course, let alone during it. Of course I studied the Law of Contract in Ghana but I did not exactly study Contracting. By that, I mean that I was guided through many common law principles, statutes and case law. However, the core guiding principles for entering into a contract in the first place; the need for valuation, complementarities, the allocation of risk, the position of the borrower and the lender, enlarging the contractual pie, incentive issues, uncertainty and risk-bearing, the issues to consider in performance-based contracts, negotiation and such key concepts as the moral hazard problem and adverse selection did not find a place in the curriculum. Studying Company Law (Corporations) in Ghana, concepts such as the agency problem and the stakeholder versus shareholder primacy debate were never presented to us. Neither did the free-rider problem, the theory of the firm, the time value of money, the efficient market hypothesis, the prisoners' dilemma, game theory, path dependency, decision analysis, risk and return and diversification ever come up in any identifiable shape or form. Similarly, there was never the opportunity to study International Commercial Arbitration, International Investment Arbitration, Corporate Governance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Finance, to name a few. My legal training in Ghana did not provide me with a framework of analysis with respect to key concepts in economics. Neither did it teach me the fundamentals of statistics nor multivariate statistics with its scatterplots and regression analysis. In advising businesses in Ghana, quite unlike the report of my colleagues in the West, business executives tend not to expect me to have the foggiest understanding of matters which they consider to be the preserve of economists, accountants and graduates of business school. The other day, at a meeting with a CEO, he did not bother to ask me whether or not I could interpret a set of financial statements. He proceeded to explain really basic accounting principles to me as I listened in silence. Quite satisfied that he had laid enough of a foundation for our ensuing discussion, he sought my opinion on a thing or two. Shortly, he noticed to his chagrin that I was not the ignoramus that he had imagined me to be. Some months earlier whilst having lunch with another CEO, he expressed quite a bit of frustration that at the table of complex transactions, he would almost always find himself and his team having to explain basic business concepts to the lawyers present. When a CEO who graduated from a foreign business school asked me for a likelihood of success analysis of a commercial case on appeal, he was totally surprised and excited to receive an opinion based on decision analysis. It connected with him in a manner that makes him come back for repeat business. Oh and on radio the other day, whilst I was in the process of making a presentation on the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896), some listeners sent messages around asking that I be told to leave the subject for the experts seeing as, to them, I was only a lawyer. Yes, they had a pigeonhole view of who a lawyer is. Around the world, lawyers are serving in key executive and non-executive business positions including holding the position of CEO and/or board chairman (in Ghana a practising lawyer is not allowed to be a managing director, active partner or executive chairman of any business). They advise investors on capital market transactions, insurance, banking, real estate, media, sport, aviation etc. They assess the viability of business ventures (including mergers and acquisitions) and advice clients on their tax and financial obligations and decisions. They also apply analytical methods to commercial and non-commercial ligation and arbitration. When they serve on the boards of businesses they tailor-guide critical steps to business success. My course at the Harvard Business School lasted a full semester of four months. Half of the class was made up of second year MBA students, a quarter of JDs and the final quarter of LL.M. candidates. The idea was to create the well-needed synergy between law and business. I think we should begin to think in that direction as well. The case studies, textbooks, innumerable articles and seminars were put together by the instructors of the courses who themselves are the leading lights of these areas of academia and practice. The founts of industry are invited to share their experiences during courses. Advisors to presidents and the biggest corporations, leading practitioners and the very best of judges teach relevant courses. No one whose area of expertise lies in constitutional law for example, will be railroaded to teach financial markets, simply because they have a doctorate degree. The experience is manifestly delightful and palpably eye opening. In Ghana, the slavish regurgitation of legal provisions and cases geared towards the drafting of agreements and making arguments based on templates and dogma must give way to a policy-based appreciation of the ever-changing nature of business law. If we fail to do so, ours shall continue to be a theatre that only serves to burlesque the ideals for transforming our nation into a business haven. By: Robert Nii Arday Clegg The writer is a corporate lawyer with Nii Arday Clegg & Co. Kigali, Rwanda, 13 July 2017 With the backing of the African Legal Support Facility, the Government of Rwanda has taken a concrete step toward becoming a transportation hub for the East African region with the signing of a Concession Agreement for the construction and operation of Bugesera International Airport. Kigali is being positioned to become a nerve center for business, travel, and shipping in the sub-region. Worth approximately US$ $700 million, the Bugesera Airport project is designed to be executed across four phases. The first phase will involve approximately 27 months of constructionat an estimated cost of US$ $400 millionand is expected to be completed by 2019, at which point the airport will be able to accommodate 1.8 million passengers annually. The ALSF provided assistance to the Government of Rwanda in the development of the project, notably the provision of legal advisers who supported the government in its negotiations between project partners in the Concession Agreement for the construction and development of the Airport. The coordination of legal efforts was instrumental in ensuring the signing, first of a Project Development Agreement and Joint-Venture Agreement between the Rwandan government and investor, and subsequently of the Concession Agreement. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Government of Rwanda by the Minister of Infrastructure, James Musoni and Manuel Mota, Chief Executive Officer of Monta-Engil, on behalf of both the developer and the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor. We have anticipated this project for close to 10 years, all the while relying largely on local expertise, explained Emmanuel Rugambwa, a Strategic Investment Analyst at the Rwanda Development Board. When we approached the ALSF, they swiftly helped us procure the required expertise to structure the project such that it attracts private capital. Since then, weve had many banks express interest in joining the project. The ALSF grant also includes a capacity building component which ensures that the procured experts will train Rwandans to monitor the projects development, as well as to structure future projects in a similar manner. The development of Bugesera Airport is aligned with Rwandas Vision 2020an ambitious strategy which aims to transform Rwanda into a knowledge-based, middle-income country by the end of the decadeas well as the countrys Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS). As such, the Project is designed and is being implemented with the aim of generating socio-economic development in Bugesera, Kigali, and other parts of the Eastern Province. The airport will further sustain the development of the aviation sector by backstopping the growth of RwandAir with new facilities and training opportunities. The project is expected to provide approximately 2,000 jobs for local residents. Today, I will whine! Galamsey is destroying our country. We seem not to be the least bit interested in whether we do right to each other or not. In fact, some cheer injustice. Under our laws, you are qualified to study professional law. You have been qualified since 2012. Some since 2013, 2014, 2015 or as recent as 2016. You are not asking for free professional legal education. You are willing to pay for it. You are not asking to be automatically called to the Bar. You are asking for a mere chance to study to take the Bar examination. In effect, you are simply asking to be extended the ladder of opportunity to become a lawyer, not based on kindness but because you are qualified under the law for such an opportunity. You must still prove your competence before you are called to the Bar! The Supreme Court says you are automatically qualified to be admitted or given that opportunity. The Supreme Court says you cannot be excluded from the School of Law. The Supreme Court says that opportunity is yours as a matter of right. The Supreme Court says your administrative rights have been violated by not being allowed to pursue the professional education. The Supreme Court says the Law Regulator (GLC) has violated the Constitution with perfect impunity. Yet, that same Supreme Court says entrance examinations are unconstitutional but do it anyway. It is analogous to the Electoral Commissioner asking voters to do an election examination before being registered to vote notwithstanding that a voter is 18, a Ghanaian and of unsound mind. The ECs excuse is that there is a shortage of registration materials. The Court properly declares that the EC cannot do that under the Constitution but orders the EC to give the election examination anyway, since arrangements are underway bearing in mind that the voters are qualified! A right is useless if its violation leads to no remedy. While you have automatically qualified and have been unconstitutionally denied admission or the opportunity to study since 2012, they claim such a harm to you is not serious or irreparable! But the Court does not tell you how to repair that damage. It simply buries it in the coffin of prospective overruling! I am afraid we are doing injustice to too many people. As an educationist, I am afraid our Courts are poisoning the minds of many people who read these absurdities and take them at face value. As a citizen, I am concerned by the silence of those who should be talking. The utter silence of our MPs, Ghana Bar Association, and Law Faculties. Galamsey is ravaging our country!! If we cannot go to the courts for justice, I am afraid that we are entering into a dangerous judicial pit. At first, it will devour others. You can sit somewhere and cheer but it is only a question of time before it devours us all. People can only take so much before they won't take it anymore! 13.07.2017 LISTEN A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, has insisted that recent comments attributed to him about diasporans were not meant to offend anyone. Mr. Ahomka-Lindsays speech at the Ghana Diaspora meeting in Accra, garnered lots of attention after he appeared to show displeasure at diasporans who whined about everything they felt was not going well in the country. Nobody likes whiners, people that spend all the time whining really get on people's nerves so stop whining, the deputy Minister is quoted as having said. Responding to the public backlash which followed the address, the Deputy Minister stated that the comments he made were as a result of his personal experience and was in no way an attack on diasporans. None of my comments were meant to cast aspersions. They were an expression of my personal experience, the statement said. I wish to assure the people of Ghana and all those who have been offended by my comments that I did not in any way intend to sound offensive in my presentation. Find below, the full statement by Robert Ahomka-Lindsay: 13th July 2017 STATEMENT ON MY SPEECH ON DIASPORA MEETING I refer to recent discussions on a 2 to 3-minute clip from my 14-minute speech given at the Ghana Diaspora meeting in Accra. The clip is a complete misrepresentation of the speech and taken completely out of context. I was asked to give my candid opinion on my experience as a Diaspora returnee and how I would advise others who intend to make a similar journey. My speech was in 5 parts: 1. Your approach to trying to get results in Ghana 2. What you should expect when you make the move to Ghana 3. The opportunities available for you in Ghana 4. The rewards for perseverance 5. The next steps The clip being shown referred to section 1 of the speech. Listening to it independent of the other three sections gives a completely different meaning to the speech I would implore all that want to get a true picture of my speech to look at it on YouTube. None of my comments were meant to cast aspersions. They were an expression of my personal experience. I wish to assure the people of Ghana and all those who have been offended by my comments that I did not in any way intend to sound offensive in my presentation. I hold all Ghanaians in the greatest respect and would not in any way do or say anything that would impugn their integrity. Robert Ahomka-Lindsay. By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana YaoundA (AFP) - Two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon killing 15 people and injuring 45 others in an attack likely staged by Boko Haram jihadists, security sources and an aid group said Thursday. The bombings, which took place on Wednesday night in Waza near the Nigerian border, targeted a busy area in the market town, the sources said, adding that some of the injured were in serious condition. "At present we have a provisional toll of 17 dead (including the suicide bombers) and 45 wounded," Doctors without Borders (MSF) in Cameroon told AFP when contacted by phone from Yaounde. The bombers struck an area with "restaurants, telephone cabins and kiosks" at around 9:30 pm (2130 GMT), a local official said. "The town has been sealed. Nobody can enter and nobody can leave," the source said, adding: "The condition of some of the injured is quite serious." Though Boko Haram originated in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, prompting the formation of a regional force to fight back. Cameroon's Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm. Six civilians were killed in mid-June in a double suicide attack in Kolofata, and two others died in Limani at the start of last month when a female bomber blew herself up near the town's public school. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their villages in fear of the violence. The Chinese government has agreed to offer $7.5million aid to tool the Ghana Armed Forces. The agreement in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baohong for her country while Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul initialled for Ghana. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Defense. The Minister told Joy News Maxwell Agbagba, the fresh help is one of many fruits from the Vice-Presidents 4-day state visit to China last June. Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao China-Ghana technical assistance has seen strenghtening in recent years. The very building where the MoU was signed was built by the Chinese government in 2008 with a $5m grant. The Asian powerhouse also built the Ministry of Foreign Affairs containing 141 offices for $16 million in 2012 with a promise to install furniture, equipment and office supplies free of charge. Revealing more Chinese freebies, the Minister said government is also expecting patrol boats from the Sino-powerhouse to bolster naval security. He said it was the Vice-President who reminded China of a 2016 pledge to give the needy West African country boats. China in 2016 signed an MoU to give Ghana four patrol boats with spare parts and four vehicle-mounted machine guns. They decided to fulfil a pledge they made to Ghana last year to give us patrol boats, Mr. Nitiwul indicated. To this end, six Chinese instructors will also be on hand to train Ghanaian personnel to use the boats, he said. Chinas socio-economic partnership to Ghana is reaching historic levels. Ghana has signed an MoU to bag $15bn to fund governments ambitious development agenda. The Minister used the opportunity to dispel public suspicion that Chinas largesse may have a political price. Ghana has been battling a swarm of unauthorised foreign nationals digging deep in water bodies and on land for precious minerals. There is an ongoing trial of a Chinese national Aisha Huang, a suspected kingpin in illegal mining in the Ashanti Region. The Minister stressed the gifts from the world superpower will not compromise Ghanas fight against illegal mining. Our laws are our laws the Minister who is also the Bimbilla MP said. Dominic Nitiwul wants Ghanaians not to see the fight against galamsey as a target against China. Nobody is fighting another group of people, he said pointing out that Ukrainians, Russians and other West Africans have been fingered in the illegal mining menace. - United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The conflict in Mali is spilling over to Burkina Faso and Niger, with a significant surge of attacks by extremist groups in border areas over past months, the UN envoy for West Africa warned Thursday. Mohamed Ibn Chambas said deadly attacks along border areas were having an impact on the local economy in the northern provinces of Burkina Faso and western regions of Niger. "In the Sahel, persistent instability in Mali is spilling over to Burkina Faso and Niger, with deadly attacks along border areas," Chambas told the UN Security Council. The Liptako Gourma region, which encompasses the border areas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, "has seen a significant expansion of violent extremist and terrorist activities in the past months, including coordinated cross-border attacks against security posts and ransacking of border settlements," he said. Drug smugglers, human traffickers and arms peddlers crisscross borders, establishing a tentative presence before moving to new zones of operation, said Chambas. The Security Council last month adopted a French-drafted resolution that welcomed the deployment of a 5,000-strong force set up by the three countries along with Mauritania and Chad to fight jihadists in the region. But that resolution fell short of a full UN authorization after the United States raised objections amid concerns that UN member-states would need to provide funding for the Sahel force. In his remarks, Chambas said the countries of the Sahel are in need of "more support" to confront growing concerns over security. In January, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger agreed to pool their military and intelligence resources to address the cross-border crime, setting up a joint force in parallel with the Sahel operation. The United Nations has 12,500 troops and police serving in the MINUSMA force in Mali, considered the world body's most dangerous peacekeeping mission. France maintains 4,000 troops in the five Sahel countries as part of a counter-terror force deployed since its 2013 military intervention in Mali to drive out jihadist groups. In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising. While the Islamists were largely ousted by the French-led military operation, attacks have continued on civilians, the Malian army as well as French and UN forces. One of the two police officers who were shot at Lapaz in Accra by armed robbers has passed away. One of the police personnel passed on while receiving treatment at the Police Hospital but the second is in a stable condition, a statement signed by the Greater Accra Police Public Relations Officer, Effia Tenge stated. The two persons were shot on Thursday by unidentified men who were on an unregistered motorbike and believed to be on a robbery mission. To facilitate their movement, the two suspects abandoned their motorbike, snatched an unregistered Ash Hyundai Elantra saloon vehicle and sped off towards Mallam junction direction. The police who are currently on a manhunt for the suspects in the statement urged the general public to remain calm and support them in their effort to arrest the perpetrators. The general public is hereby entreated to remain calm and support the police in their effort to arrest the perpetrators by volunteering useful information to police numbers: 18555, 0302787373, 0302773695, 03022773906, the statement added. Many injured, 2 hospitalized after 'rambo-style' robbery in Sandema In March 2017, several persons were left injured with two hospitalized after four armed robbers stormed a local supermarket at Sandema in the Upper East Region. The four masked robbers at about 5:30 pm posed as potential customers wanting to purchase goods from the super market, but in a ' Rambo style ' took attendants hostage, ransacked the supermarket and made away with monies and other valuable items. By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's Coptic and Evangelical Churches have suspended some of their activities for security reasons after a spate of jihadist attacks, church officials said on Thursday. Conferences and church-organised trips will be suspended for three weeks after security services warned of more attempted attacks, said the Reverend Andrea Zaki, head of the Egyptian Evangelical Church. "We are talking about conferences and travel for religious events, for three weeks, because we have information in cooperation with the responsible agencies that attempts to attack have been detected," he told AFP. Church services will not be affected, he said. Coptic Church spokesman Bolus Halim confirmed the moratorium on some activities. Since December, Islamic State group suicide bombers have targeted three Coptic churches, killing dozens of people. And in May, IS claimed responsibility for shooting dead at least 28 Copts as they travelled to a monastery. The jihadists have threatened to carry out further attacks on Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people. HFC Bank Ghana, a subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited has been awarded for Exceptional Diaspora Investment in Ghana. The award is in recognition of the Republic Financial Holdings Limited of Trinidad and Tobago's investment in HFC Bank Ghana. HFC Bank was awarded at the prestigious Diaspora African Forum Excellence Awards Dinner. Receiving the Award which was presented to the Bank by the Minister of Finance, Honorable Ken Ofori-Atta, the Managing Director of HFC Bank, Mr. Robert Le Hunte expressed the Bank's gratitude to the Organisers, Diaspora African Forum for the Award and the Government of Ghana for the Diaspora Homecoming Summit initiative. In his brief remarks, Mr. Robert Le Hunte recounted the history of over 60 million Africans who were forcefully removed from the land of their birth and transferred primarily to the Caribbean to work under inhumane conditions. In his view, he and the other Caribbean citizens currently working at HFC Bank represent the descendants of these fellow Africans. According to the Managing Director, their return is one that has been encouraged and foretold by a number of prominent individuals such as Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, Kwame Nkrumah, just to name a few. Republic Bank's investment of US$100 million in HFC Bank represents one of the largest single investments by a diaspora country back into Africa and signifies the confidence that the Bank has in the stability and future prospects of the Ghanaian economy. He also mentioned that following the heels of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago's visit to Ghana last year, a trade mission from the Caribbean will be visiting Ghana in September 2017 which will further deepen the investment and trade climate among Ghana and the diaspora countries of the Caribbean. The Award dinner was attended by both the President and Vice President of Ghana together with their spouses, Ministers of State, Members of the diplomatic Corps and Diasporans in Ghana. The dinner was part of the Diaspora Homecoming Summit and in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Diaspora African Forum. Credit: HFC Bank Rabat (AFP) - Morocco's government will make a regional tour to examine development projects, Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said Thursday after months of protests shook the northern Rif region. Media reports said the tour could begin by next week. It is expected to take in the central Beni Mellal-Khenifra region and "the southern provinces", a reference to Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara. Earlier this month, security forces began withdrawing from the restive northern cities of Al-Hoceima and Imzouren after weeks of unrest. Al-Hoceima, the main port in the neglected Rif, had been rocked by protests since a fishmonger was crushed to death in a rubbish truck in October as he tried to retrieve swordfish confiscated for being caught out of season. Demands for justice and anger over the region's perceived marginalisation snowballed into a grassroots movement centred on Al-Hoceima, but protests also spread to neighbouring cities including Imzouren. El Othmani said Thursday he was "aware that several regions of the kingdom have not benefited from the development spillovers of recent decades". He said his government would "strive for equitable development" nationwide. Some media reports suggested the premier's announcement was aimed at preventing social unrest from spreading. Nollywood actor, Samuel Ajibola, has released another episode of his comedy series; Dele Issues (Daily Issues) titled Mr Lecturer. In this episode 8, Dele plays the role of a university lecturer and is seen expressing his dissatisfaction with the recent happenings as published in an unidentified newspaper, when a female student who apparently failed his course walks in to sort things out with him. The plot twist of this episode comes in when Dele gives the lady a response that made her believe he had fallen for her tricks, only to be disappointed. Dele Issues (Daily Issues), revolves around the main character of the series; Dele, who encounters the constant dilemma that comes with everyday life. The skits are popular for having elements of comedy-drama and satire ultimately making the series a must-watch. Every successful person today may have gone through one challenge to the other just to make ends meet and live that dream lives they have always wanted and Nollywood actor, Deyemi Okonlawon, is no different. He is a celebrated actor today who has worked hard to get himself to the top but things did not come that rosy for him especially while in the university. The actor in an interview popular TV host, Princess Halliday, disclosed that he had to sell bread and cakes while at the University of Lagos, just to support himself. For him, he never saw it as an odd job as it was fun to him and combining all that with other jobs he got around helped him start up his own company. Catch Empower Africa Initiative-Princess Halliday show on Sky network London channel 182. Wednesdays, 2:30pm. More episodes coming up on MNET Africa. Nigerian on-air-personality, Toke Makinwa, is looking really hot these days and she keeps proving that her ex-hubby, Maje Ayida, may have really missed a lot about her. She is not answering any register to any man now in her life so she is making good use of every opportunity open to her well to tour the world and make the desired money she needs. Toke who is Ciroc ambassador, is enjoying the dividend of her brand as she is currently on tour in Ibiza, Spain, and she has been threatening many with her hot body. She left many men over there speechless when she showed off the stuff she is made of in a boat cruise and how God took time to design her in his image and likeness. Say the truth biko, Toke is really on fire as she has been giving many of her fans life since she got to Ibiza. Young, beautiful, and successful! One more Nigerian actress who became popular very quickly! Maybe this celebrity is one of your favorites? Read Lota Chukwu biography and learn more about her life! Lota Chukwu profile The full name of this actress is Ugwu Lotachukwu Jacinta Obianuju Amelia. She was born on November 29, 1989, in Nsukka L.G.A., Enugu State. Her parents raised four children including Lota. Lota was the youngest. By the way, Lota's mother influenced her daughter's life the most. The actress repeatedly mentions this fact in most of her interviews. Lota spent most of her childhood and school years in Benin. Lota Chukwu attended primary and secondary school there. Eventually, she became a student of the University of Benin. Lota was awarded a Degree in Agricultural Economics and Extension Services from this institution. But in order to develop as an actress, the girl needed to get more education. That is why she decided to enter the Royal Arts Academy. This academy helped the actress to receive her formal education in acting. The hit TV series "Jenifa's Diary" is her first big role. She got it in 2014. This series brought her worldwide fame. But Lota's real debut took place in the film "Fine Girl". It was produced by Uduak Isong. "Fine Girl" is still a favorite movie for many people. READ ALSO: Jackie Appiah and husband Peter Agyemang: are they still together? Here you can see Lota Chukwu most famous creative works: 1. The Arbitration; 2. Fine Girl; 3. Iyore; 4. Wind Chasers. The rapid development of her acting career was influenced by Lota's participation in a beauty contest. In 2011, the actress was a contestant in "The Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria" pageant. Speaking about Lota's personal life, the main members of her family now are her lovely dogs. She has not met the man of her dreams yet. The actress aslo has a lot of hobbies. She can't live without yoga and loves fitness. In addtion, the Nigerian actress is fond of writing letters and articles. She even has her own blog! Lota Chukwu is an extremely talented person. She is smart, beautiful and successful. At the same time, the actress embodies the all that is young Nollywood. This is the kind of woman that knows what they wants from life and is determined to get it. Lota is satisfied with her many-sided life. She has a lot of plans for the future. And of course, we hope Lota Chukwu will achieve her goals! READ ALSO: Bidemi Kosoko biography Source: Legit.ng - Professor Osinbajo got the permission from President Muhammadu Buhari to make some key decision - This was part of what was discussed during his visit to the president in London - Some ministers may lose their positions according to sources Details have started to emerge of Acting President Yemi Osinbajos meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in London with focus being on the ministers. The acting president had jetted out to London on Tuesday, July 11 to meet with the president and according to The Nation, the focus was on national development especially as it affects the cabinet. READ ALSO: I made move to prevent Nigeria's break-up 57 years ago - Gowon According to a presidency source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the whole cabinet cannot be dissolved because the nation cannot afford such a luxury now. However, some ministers may be reshuffled. It was also learnt that Osinbajo got approval for some appointment and key decisions. The source said: There is likely shake-up of the cabinet in line with the new fast-pace focus of the Buhari administration. Some of the ministers cannot cope with the portfolios assigned to them. Some ministers were also found to be behind the crisis of confidence between the Executive and the National Assembly. So, apart from dropping some, others may swap portfolios for efficiency. It is just some restructuring of the cabinet to ensure service delivery. Obviously, there is disquiet in the cabinet on this latest development. I think the likely changes in the cabinet accounted for the delay in inaugurating two ministers-designate. I cannot tell you when the changes will be effected but the cabinet shake-up came up as an item between the two leaders. It was also revealed that Osinbajo briefed Buhari concerning some of the threat of secession and he was given the commendation to continue to maintain the unity of the country. The President endorsed all the consultations and actions taken by the Acting President and asked him to continue to take steps to keep Nigeria indivisible. The President was delighted that Osinbajo managed the threats to the nations unity with courage and maturity. Osinbajo secured approval to take some decisions and make some appointments. The President and the Acting President were together without any third party. And they had fruitful talks. We should expect some actions soon, the source added. A member of the federal executive council said Osinbajo briefed them concerning Buharis health. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app The Acting President told us that there was no cause for alarm. He said the President had been recuperating well. We were all relieved because this first hand information was the most authentic we have got, he said. Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti described the reported visit of acting president Yemi Osinbajo to Muhammadu Buhari in London as another plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to conceal the true state of health of the president. The governor in a release issued on Wednesday, July 12 by his media aide Media, Lere Olayinka, insisted that what Nigerians need to address their doubts about the presidents health condition was a live video of President Buhari addressing them and not a visit in which no pictorial (photo or video) was made available to the public. He said: President Buhari has spent 65 days out of the country since he left on May 7, 2017 and no one has seen him. Yet, Nigerians are being told that the Acting President Osinbajo visited him with no picture, no video to show except that of his (Osinbajo) entering and leaving the Abuja House in London. Today is July 12, making 115 days that President Buhari spent abroad taking care of his health out of the 193 days in 2017, and what Nigerians are being told is that Acting President Osinbajo met him secretly in London, this is ridiculous." Watch a Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians speaking about Buhari's ministers Source: Legit.ng - The recent visit of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to President Muhammadu Buhari in London is still generating reactions - The Coalition for Sustainable Democracy has weighed in on the situation - The group warned that surreptitious moves by some government officials to undermine President Buhari will be resisted A civil society group, Coalition for Sustainable Democracy, has issued a warning to federal government officials reportedly making clandestine moves to undermine President Buhari. In a statement sent to Legit.ng by its chairman, Mohammed Yakubu, the group said those planning to take government through the back door will be resisted. They stated that they are keenly following developments in the polity and vowed to do everything within their powers to protect the current democratic system in the country. They expressed delight with Osinbajo's visit to President Buhari, stressing that it is a positive development with good implications. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app One of the symbolisms of the Osinbajo visit to London is that it shows that there is only one government in our country and that is the Buhari administration. The people who are pretending and making it look like there is an Osinbajo government different from the constitutionally elected government of Buhari now have to take a cue and stop the dirty, divisive game. These divisive elements creating a wrong impression and behaving as if Buhari no longer matters had better remember that any mortal being can fall ill. In fact, illness is a physical demonstration of the mortality of all human beings. By visiting his principal in London to discuss crucial state matters to ensure that he and the president are on the same page, Osinbajo has sent a right signal that his supporters, particularly the hawks among them who are now behaving as if Buhari is gone for good and that a new government is in place, have to take serious. These supporters and palace jesters have specialized in inciting members of the public against some elements in government both at the presidency and the National Assembly. Every day, they sponsor malicious and dirty propaganda against some people in the presidency they now label as members of 'the cabal'. They have also not spared members of the legislative arm, the group alleged. The group warned that the activities of some people close to Osinbajo constitute more dangers to the peace and unity of our nation than the various ethnic agitations and even Boko Haram insurgency. They stated that these groups and individuals are not in any way helping the acting president, adding that their actions and posturing will create more problems for him (Osinbajo). It is therefore in the best interest of the acting president to call to order this war-mongers baying for the blood of all those perceived as outsiders to their camp in the executive and legislature. These people are daily doing political damage to the acting president and we eagerly await how they want to carry on in this manner while giving Osinbajo the platform and right atmosphere to effectively perform the job assigned to him by his principal. While we call for a stop to this craze, let us make it clear that nobody can stampede President Buhari out of power or out of this world. He is the man the country gave the mandate to direct the affairs of the country till 2019. Almighty Allah is the owner of every life, the statement said. The group expressed optimism that with the prayers of the majority of the people, President Buhari will serve out his term and will even run for second term. They however warned that, In the event that anything happens to Buhari, with the way this Osinbajo crowd is carrying on, the North would react. The people in the North would find it difficult to relate with the fact that the group whose members did not give support to the ailing president when it matters most are taking over through the back door with a view to ride roughshod over every other person. READ ALSO: Details of Osinbajo's meeting with President Buhari revealed Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders are not happy with the current bickering between the National Assembly and the presidency. The party leaders have resolved to intervene in the situation threatening to tear the party apart. The major reason for the feud is the confirmation of the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. In the interview below with Legit.ng TV, APC chieftain, Comrade Timi Frank warns the ruling party to resolve its internal bickering before 2019. Source: Legit.ng - The Arewa Consultative Forum said the issue of restructuring must be properly defined - It said it is against any restructuring that will affect the country's unity - The apex northern group also rejected the implementation of the confab report The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has rejected the call to implement the 2014 National Conference report describing it as undemocratic. There has been call for the country to adopt the report of the conference held during the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, but the ACF has insisted that it will not support its implementation. READ ALSO: Details of Osinbajo's meeting with President Buhari revealed According to New Telegraph, this decision was reached after the National Executive Council meeting of the apex northern group on Wednesday, July 12. In a communique released after the meeting, the group explained to the federal government that its reason for rejecting the confab report was in the interest of the country. It said: "The opposition of the North to the implementation of the recommendations in report of 2014 National Conference is not so much because of any legal consideration as to its legitimacy, but also because the selection of the conference delegates was skewed against the North in number considering its population. For emphasis, there are contentious issues like the abolishment of the present local government councils, creation of 18 additional states that were not resolved in accordance with due process of the conference proceedings. ACF, therefore, is of the opinion that it would be morally preposterous and anti-democratic for anybody or group to canvass for the implementation of the reports by a conference of unelected delegates. This is more so by the elected government which did not participate in the conference and its recommendations were not part of the manifesto of the ruling party. The group also waded into the rift between the executive and the National Assembly saying these issues are avoidable. ACF has observed with deep concern the continued altercations between the Executive arm of government and the National Assembly, in particular the Senate, over interpretations of certain sections of the Constitution regarding confirmation of appointments of public officers and other contentious issues. These kinds of disagreements are avoidable precisely because they are not helpful for good governance. ACF, therefore, urges the parties concerned to amicably resolve their differences in the interest of Nigeria, or better still, approach the Supreme Court and seek the correct interpretation of the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in order to avoid future occurrences of the present situation, it stated. Concerning the issue of restructuring, the group said it has not been properly defined as it means different things to different parts f the country. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app It has observed with keen interest the current nationwide debate on the term Restructuring of the country as being canvassed by some people, groups and even prominent citizens. The term, however, means different things to different people or groups. To some, it is true federalism whatever that means, for others it is fiscal federalism, while some group tout resource control. Yet we have those for resource ownership. ACF notes with regret that those clamouring or demanding for the so-called restructuring are yet to define what they actually mean by the concept and its application in our present democratic setting. In most cases, the meaning depends on which section of the country or the person advocating for it comes from. It is, therefore, the considered view of the ACF that any acceptable restructuring meant to improve the unity, stability, harmony and peaceful coexistence must be based on just, fair and equitable principles to all Nigerians that come with clarity of definition, the group added. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Ohaneze Ndigbo had reiterated that the unity of Nigeria was important and disregarded report that the country was heading towards a break-up. The Sun reports that the Lagos chapter of the apex Igbo group stated this during the inauguration of Colonel Reuben Nwako (rtd) as the chairman of Ohanaeze Ikorodu Division who was presented to His Royal Majesty, Oba Adewale Shotobi, Adegorushen V, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu and his Cabinet members. Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo speaking about the country's unity: Source: Legit.ng - A Delta state chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sunny Onuesoke, referred to the APC as a poverty stricken party of never do wells, which would be voted out in 2019 - The PDP chieftain hailed the Supreme Courts judgement as a victory for democracy, and a loss to dictatorship and one-party state in Nigeria - He declared that the battle line had now been drawn; and with the judgement, the PDP would bury the APC Sunny Onuesoke, a Delta state chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), over the Supreme Court judgement reinstating Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic leader of the PDP. According to reports, Onuesoke said Makarfis victory heralded the end of the APCs hold on power; and members of the ruling party must be in pains over the judgement. The PDP chieftain made his comments in Abuja on Wednesday, July 12. READ ALSO: Ali Modu Sheriff congratulates Ahmed Makarfi over Supreme Court victory He stated: I love the Supreme Court decision. Shame is on APC and their stooges in the PDP. I am certain they must be reeling in pains right now. Come 2019, Nigerians are voting out APC, a poverty stricken party of never do wells. The decision of the apex court was evidence that the judiciary is the last hope of the helpless in Nigeria. The principle of checks and balances still reigns supreme in Nigerias constitution. This judgment is a victory for democracy, and a loss to dictatorship and one-party state in Nigeria. It is victory to the true and real national political party, PDP, that unifies rather than divides. Nigeria is back from its slumber. Good opposition is what makes a democracy a healthy one. Onuesoke congratulated all members of the PDP, and stated that come 2019, he sees a change in Aso Rock. He stressed that the battle line had been drawn, and that the Nigerian political team would assume a new outlook now. He stated: I am happy for Markafis dogged follow up without giving up despite frustration from Sheriffs camp. APC should get ready for real politics. Without opposition, leadership was hectic for APC. Now that PDP is back, they will be buried totally. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) national publicity secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the party is not threatened by who becomes the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP. He said this on Wednesday, July 12 in Abuja, while reacting to a Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership crisis which declared Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic chairman of the party. Abdullahi said there ought not to be reaction from the APC because it was not a party to the legal suit, adding that it could not be bothered by the court judgment. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of an APC official stating why his party may be voted out in 2019: Source: Legit.ng - The United States (US) has inaugurated anti-corruption website for Nigeria - The Website is expected to be used by Nigerians to fight against corrupt practices in both government and co-operate institutions - Nigerians are urged to embrace the web-based platform to remove any limitation that has hampered development in the country Donald Trump's government on Wednesday, July 12, inaugurated a web-based platform to support President Muhammadu Buhari's fight against corruption. The platform is founded by the United States Department of States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and was developed by BudgIT. Mr David Young in his remark said that the platform will seek to address the daily instances of corruption faced by millions of Nigerians, Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Ali Modu Sheriff congratulates Ahmed Makarfi over Supreme Court victory He charged Nigerians to embrace the development to the fight against corruption and bring to the background. He said:The tide will turn against the culture of corruption when Nigerians recognize that they must fight as one to stamp out this scourge that has hampered development and stifled prosperity. Report Yourself offers Nigerians the means to instantaneously report corruption, bribery, and graft with the option of filing an official complaint with the Nigerian Police Force Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, (PCRRU). Through the State Departments Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, we are working to increase the capacity of Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the justice sector. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Mr Abayomi Shogunle, the assistant commissioner of police, that represented the commissioner of police urged Nigerians to make PCRRU function very well. Mr Shogunle also said that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) noted that initiative will achieve its function. He said: When will increase our dedication to promoting transparency and enhanced the fight against corrupt practices in both the government and co-operate institutions. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that accused of not doing much like its sister anti-graft agencies, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) commenced intensive enlightenment. Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of the EFCC staging a walk against corruption: Source: Legit.ng - Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed more details on his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari - A source within the presidency said the visit might be to prove that nobody was trying to hide anything pertaining the president's health to Osinbajo - Osinbajo said he won't go into the specifics of all the discussions he had with President Buhari In a report by Daily Trust, sources close to the presidency say Acting President Yemi Osinbajo's visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in London may not be unconnected with a number of issues cropping up in the seat of power. Legit.ng gathered that there are much more to the recent visit than Osinbajos comments about President Buhari recuperating fast. A source said there is a latent division in the presidency between loyalists of Buhari and the acting president. READ ALSO: Osinbajo lands in Ibadan for funeral of ex-APC chieftain's late wife The source said: "There are also issues concerning the EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, cabinet reshuffle, the fate of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke who have been on suspension for months,the NHIS man and all that. But generally, I believe the visit was to somehow douse tension. Again, all this may be speculative in the end. But I know for sure there are issues and there's a division." Another source said the visit might be to prove to Osinbajo that nobody was trying to hide anything pertaining the president's health to him. The source added that there appears to be "silent division" in the presidency and that based on observations, the relationship between the president and the acting presidents staff is not as cordial as it used to be. Some of the president's men are said not to be happy with the way Osinbajo has been taking some decisions and dealing with matters. "Some people are also not happy with some of the changes the acting president did. For example, some of the president's men were not comfortable with the changes in PenCom and Bank of Industry," the source said. On if some appointees do not give Osinbajo due respect, the source said:"I don't think that's the case. I know the man. He's a very humble person. He's not power-drunk to the extent that he'll expect too much respect from anybody. In any case, I don't see anybody disrespecting him." On Wednesday, July 12, when asked what exactly he discussed with Buhari, Osinbajo said he went to check on the president, find out how he was doing and brief him on the developments in Nigeria. Osinbajo while speaking with State House correspondents on the outcome of his meeting with President Buhari in the United Kingdom Tuesday night, July 11, stressed that the president was in a very high spirit, recuperating fast and would return to Nigeria very shortly. The acting president stated: "Well, first, as you know, I went to see him, I went to check on him find out how he was doing. I had, of course, been speaking with on the phone and I thought it would be a good thing to go and see him and, you know, generally check up on how he was doing and also to brief him on developments back at home. "So, we had a very good time, we had a very good conversation on wide ranging issues and he is in very good spirits, he is recuperating very quickly and he is doing very well." On if the president will return before 90 days of his departure for London, Osinbajo said it is not a good thing to give such a deadline. Osinbajo also disclosed that he did not have any date in mind for the inauguration of the two new ministers-designate, Stephen Ocheni and Suleiman Hassan. The acting president also stressed that he was not in a position to say anything about when they would be sworn in. He said they would be sworn in very soon. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Osinbajo while speaking with journalists yesterday that they didn't discuss anything like the swearing-in of the ministers-designate, adding that he could not go into the specifics of all his discussions with Buhari. In a previous report by Legit.ng, Osinbajo briefed Buhari concerning some of the threat of secession and he was given the commendation to continue to maintain the unity of the country. A source said: The President endorsed all the consultations and actions taken by the Acting President and asked him to continue to take steps to keep Nigeria indivisible. The President was delighted that Osinbajo managed the threats to the nations unity with courage and maturity. Osinbajo secured approval to take some decisions and make some appointments. Watch a Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians speaking about Buhari's ministers: Source: Legit.ng - A man proposed to his lover while being arrested - Baffled cops filmed him as he went down on his knees to pop the question - The man was wanted for failure to show up in court on several occasions A 35-year-old Oklahoma man named Mr Brandon Thompson left cops baffled when he demanded to be allowed to propose to his girlfriend before they could arrest him. Thompson then reportedly went down on his knees and nicely asked his girlfriend, Leandria Keith, to spend the rest of her life with him. READ ALSO: Curvy nurse and her doctor fiance set the internet ablaze with her HOT pre-wedding photos Thompson told CBS: I wasnt going to go to jail without first expressing my feelings to her. I wanted her to know that I love her and would like spend the rest of my life with her." Hands bound, Thompson proposed to Keith (Picture: CBS Philly/ YouTube) The extremely strange proposal was captured on camera by the seemingly bemused cops moments before they took Thompson in. According to officer Lincoln Anderson, Thompson was wanted for failing to show up in court to answer charges on possession of illegal substance, firearms, among others. READ ALSO: Help my behind has refused to stop growing - 55 years old woman cries out (photos) Anderson said: When he asked if he could be allowed to propose to his girlfriend, that really took us by huge surprise. It's not everyday you see that kind of thing,. Thompson seen here saying goodbye to family (Picture: CBS Philly/ YouTube) WANT MORE? Download Legit.ng Wedding app for android to get the latest posts The odd yet romantic proposal did not stop the police from taking him in. His family was, however, able to raise some money to bail him out. He is expected in court again on Monday, July 17. Watch the video below of Legit.ng asking Nigerians how much salary a man should earn before he proposes: Source: Legit.ng - Reinstated national chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi, stated that any reconciliation process in the future must be based on equity, equality and values - Makarfi appealed to the sacked chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, along with his supporters, to partner with him in order to move the PDP forward - According to Makarfi, the victory at the Supreme Court was not just for the PDP alone, but for democracy in general Ahmed Makarfi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee chairman, has stated that his committee is open to reconciling with all aggrieved party members, but with an added caveat. According to reports, Makarfi made his comments after the Supreme Court judgement which affirmed him as the authentic leader of the PDP. Legit.ng gathered that while addressing party supporters, Makarfi said a reconciliation process would strengthen the PDP for the future, but it has to come with certain conditions. READ ALSO: I am in shock over Supreme Court's ruling reinstating Makarfi as PDP national chairman - Sheriff He stated: Reconciliation does not mean we take what belongs to people and give it to you. It must be based on equity, equality and values. With this caveat, we should be prepared and willing to reconcile with everybody. Anybody that can meet these criteria, we should be willing and open to reconciliation with such a person, no matter whom they are. The leader of the opposition party also urged the sacked chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, along with his supporters, to partner with him in order to move the PDP forward. Makarfi also appealed against discrimination of party members who did not belong to his own faction before the court passed its judgement. He said: We should continue as friends, knowing that there are things we can do together; there may be things we may not be able to do together. We are willing to do everything on the foundation that I had mentioned. I urge them to come forward, join hands with us and lets see how we can move PDP forward. This victory is not just for PDP, its for democracy. This affirms the powers of political parties, the powers of convention of all political parties. The battle we fought was not a battle for PDP alone. It was a battle for democracy; it was a battle for supremacy of party men and women to decide their destiny. It is a battle to do away with dictatorship in political parties and this will never repeat itself. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng previously reported that the Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 12, removed Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reinstating Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic leader. The five man panel of the apex court led by the chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in its judgment delivered, reinstated Makarfi who was earlier sacked by the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal, as the National Caretaker Committee chairman. Reacting to Makarfi's victory, Sheriff stated that he was in shock over the ruling, and was waiting to be briefed by his lawyers about the situation. This was a surprising turnaround as he had earlier congratulated Makarfi, calling on everyone to work together to move the party forward. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a Nigerian man calling for mass burial for all Nigerian leaders: Source: Legit.ng - PDP members of the House of Representatives have declared that there is vacancy in Aso Rock - Leo Ogor said the ruling party has only made promises and no action - He said APC has failed and should see the Supreme Court ruling on PDP leadership crisis as a quit notice Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 13, declared that there is vacancy in the Aso Rock come 2019. Legit.ng gathered that Leo Okuweh Ogor (Delta) stated this to highlight the struggles it passed through in the course of the partys legal battles that resulted in the victory at the supreme court. READ ALSO: I am in shock over Supreme Court's ruling reinstating Makarfi as PDP national chairman - Sheriff Ogor speaking to journalists said that the APC administration has been all promises and no action, and has occasioned the impoverishment of Nigerians who now live in hunger and insecurity, Vanguard reports. The lawmaker said the APC having failed should see the PDPs legal victory at the supreme court as a quit notice towards 2019. Earlier Legit.ng reported that former President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the resolution of its leadership tussle by the Supreme Court. Nigeria's apex court on Wednesday, July 12, sacked Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the opposition party. The Supreme Court in its judgement declared Ahmed Makarfi, the caretaker committee chairman, as the authentic leader of Nigerias largest opposition party. The former president said the apex court's verdict is a judgment where there are no winners or losers, adding that it will bring the party together. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app In the interview below with Legit.ng TV, APC chieftain, Comrade Timi Frank, warns the ruling party to resolve its internal bickering before 2019. Source: Legit.ng - Etisalat Nigeria has officially announced change in the company's name - The embattled telecom company will now be known as 9mobile - The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) had earlier asked Etisalat to stop using its brand name within the next three weeks After news broke out that the embattled telecom company, Etisalat has changed name, the company has now formally adopted 9mobile as its new trade name according to Premium Times. Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS) formally confirmed the development on Tuesday July 18. Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), which previously traded as Etisalat Nigeria wishes to inform its over 20 million subscribers, government, regulatory agencies and all relevant stakeholder groups that the telecommunication company has changed its name to 9mobile as a further testament of our unwavering commitment to ensuring business continuity as Nigerias fourth largest telecom operator, the company announced in a statement. Boye Olusanya, the company's chief executive Officer, explained that the new trading name, 9mobile, represented the companys 0809ja heritage, 9ja-centricity, and its evolution over 9 years of operations in Nigeria. Olusanya also insisted that the name change will not affect the company's desire to remain true to the same values it was built. A strong and resilient Nigerian spirit continues to reside in us, uniting us with our subscribers, confident that you will continue to believe in our new brand, which strongly reflects our innate creativity and youthfulness. Our confidence in our ability to continue to make this happen is bolstered by the sheer determination, commitment and passion of our people to do more; and continue delivering excellent service," he added. To ensure an efficient and responsible transition to the new name, the CEO said the 9Mobile announced plans to migrate to the new brand over the next few months. We will continue to innovate, support, and empower you to do more, whether as an individual or a business, he said. Legit.ng had initially reported that Etisalat Nigeria has on Thursday, July 13, changed its name after weeks of reported crises. The management of the company at the end of a management meeting in Lagos adopted the name 9Mobile as the new brand name. READ ALSO: PDP House of Reps issue President Buhari quit notice Legit.ng had reported the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) directed Etisalat Nigeria to stop using its brand name within the next three weeks. ETC, the largest shareholder in the firm, had since terminated its management agreement with its Nigerian arm. According to Legit.ng, the implication of the directive is that the new management must decide within the next 21 days on the options before it, which are either an outright sale of the company or merger with an existing operator in the country. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Etisalat, which controls 13 per cent market share in Nigeria, has had a running battle with a consortium of 13 banks since March, after it notified them of its inability to service its $1.2 billion debt in February due to the foreign exchange challenges in the country. Watch the Legit.ng TV video of the latest happenings in the country Source: Legit.ng - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye - Melayes constituents had requested INEC to recall him from the Senate - The court had last week asked the INEC to maintain status quo pending the determination of the case The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would halt the process of recalling Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west in the Senate. Cable reports that a national commissioner of the commission Adedeji Soyebi, who disclosed this on Thursday July 13, said the decision was in line with a court ruling. READ ALSO: Melaye recall: INEC fixes date for verification of signatures Legit.ng gathered that last week, the federal high court, Abuja asked INEC and Melaye to maintain status quo pending the determination of a suit filed by Melaye to challenge the process. Soyebi said INEC would appeal the ruling. Legit.ng had previously reported that an Abuja High Court stopped the recall of the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye who is battling a recall crises in Kogi state. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng also reported that INEC on Tuesday July 11 announced that the verification exercise for the ongoing Senator Melaye's recall process will take place on August 19 Watch this Legit.ng TV video of the recall process for Dino Melaye: Source: Legit.ng - A group named Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) says the fate of Nigeria cannot be determined by any selfish group or individual - The group states that Osinbajo is unstoppable by any group no matter how powerful or connected the group may be - NYLF says it will not back Buhari if he decides to contest for president in 2019 A northern group, the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), has said no individual or group of individuals can prevent Yemi Osinbajo form taking over leadership of the country if President Muhammadu Buhari resigns or is unable to continue in office due to ill health. READ ALSO: North rejects Jonathan's confab report, speaks about restructuring The group, speaking on the backdrop of calls by some politicians for Osinbajo to step down if Buhari resigns, said on Thursday July 13, that the acting president cannot be stopped by anyone or group of people from being the substantive president if Buhari cannot continue, Tribune reports. The NYLF national president, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, told Journalist in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital that the fate of the Nigeria could not be determined by any selfish group or individual. The group said: We want to state that no individual or cabal can stop Prof Yemi Osinbajo from becoming substantive president if President Mohammed Buhari resigns or declared unfit to continue in office. It is our sincere prayer that President Buhari recovers and completes his term in office. Osinbajo is unstoppable by any group, no matter how powerful or connected the group may be. Nigeria and indeed Nigerians have reached a level that only God can determine our fate and destiny, not a group of selfish individuals anymore." The group noted that it would not back Buhari if he decides to contest for president in 2019 because the cabinet of the present administration contained many people who have been indicted for alleged corrupt practices. Even if Buhari recovers and he decides on his own to contest we will not support him. The reason is because we entered into an agreement with him on the fight against corruption and he agreed to pursue it," the group said. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app That was why it took him almost a year to bring out a list of his cabinet. The list that was presented contained all corrupt people and he told us. He eventually appointed people who were allegedly indicted by security reports of corruption. Meanwhile, details have started to emerge of Acting President Yemi Osinbajos meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in London with focus being on the ministers. Legit.ng recalls that the acting president had jetted out to London on Tuesday, July 11 to meet with the president and according to The Nation, the focus was on national development especially as it affects the cabinet. According to a presidency source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the whole cabinet cannot be dissolved because the nation cannot afford such a luxury now. However, some ministers may be reshuffled. It was also learnt that Osinbajo got approval for some appointment and key decisions. The source said: There is likely shake-up of the cabinet in line with the new fast-pace focus of the Buhari administration. Some of the ministers cannot cope with the portfolios assigned to them. In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians if they support the stand by the northern elders forum that a northerner should take the APC ticket if President Buhari is unable to finish his tenure. Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian military said the interview session granted the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) by Tukur Buratai was not sponsored by any cabal - The military said it has been in the forefront of Nigeria's foreign policy and will always remain loyal to Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo The Nigerian military has denied an alleged coup plot against Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. Instead, it restated its loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the countrys Commander-in-Chief, as well as other political officers including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. In a statement on Thursday, July, 13, by Major General John Enenche, director of defence information, and obtained by Legit.ng, the military frowned against a report that recently warned the security agencies against supporting a planned coup by the cabal against Osinbajo. The statement urged Nigerians to see the report as false. The military noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, never raised any scare of a coup in May 2017, but said what was a normal service administrative caution to officers and men of the security organisations. READ ALSO: Details of Osinbajo's meeting with President Buhari revealed Thus, the contrary assertion reported is a gross and evil intended message to the general public and therefore should be disregarded. The BBCs Hard Talk with the Chief of Army Staff during his official visit to the United Kingdom was never arranged by any group or cabal as reported. It is a normal media practice to interact with principals of organisations on topical issues at such opportunities, which was what happened. "It was not for any image burnishing as maliciously purported. Hence, it should be ignored. The book launched on Brigadier General Zakaria Maimalari in Abuja on 3 July 2017 was attended by notable senior citizens of Nigeria among others, including; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon GCFR and former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, both, who by every standard can never belong to any such thing as C=cabals. It was not a cover for any power take over as wickedly portrayed not minding the presence of key patriotic elder statesmen and leaders at the event. This shows clear lack of situation analysis capability due to ulterior motive. Hence, should be discountenanced. Nigerian military in the recent past has been in the fore front of the countrys foreign policy and political direction of ensuring political stability in the West African sub-region. The cases of Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and The Gambia are still fresh in the memory of Nigerians. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app In the Gambia, the Armed Forces of Nigeria took the lead in the military coalition to ensure that the will of Gambians was achieved and democracy sustained. Thus, it is morally, practically, professionally and ethically impossible for the contemporary Nigerian Military to embark on truncating democracy in its own Country. More so, members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria are in tune with best global practices of governance, which is civil democracy, the statement read. Legit.ng had learnt that Sahara Reporters claimed that some military and intelligence officers have revealed that the threat of a political coup in the country was real and ongoing. The medium said the officers alleged that the supposed cabal in the government was fine-tuning new schemes to retain power should President Muhammadu Buhari become officially incapacitated as a result of his illness. The report mentioned Senate President Bukola Saraki and Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the Muhammadu Buhari, as making moves to ensure they hijack power in the event of a power tussle where the ailing president lets go. Watch this video as Osinbajo speaks about Nigeria's unity: Source: Legit.ng You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Republican senators have added a set of changes to their bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. These changes are efforts to appease different groups of senators and move the bill closer to a vote. At least 50 of the 52 Republican senators must support the bill for it to pass. 1. Allows insurers to sell plans that do not comply with some current insurance regulations, as long as they also sell ones that do. Who wanted this: Several of the most conservative senators, led by Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Mr. Cruz first introduced this idea as a way to pare regulations on health insurance, which he believes drive up insurance prices and limit consumer choice. The new section would require insurers to offer a set of plans that adhere to all of the A.C.A.s insurance rules, so Americans with costly health needs would have a comprehensive coverage option. But, under the change, insurers may also offer plans that include fewer benefits, cap their annual payments, or deny coverage to customers with a history of health problems. The bill would set up a fund to help insurance companies subsidize coverage for expensive patients choosing the plans with all of the coverage mandates. The insurance industry has pushed back hard against the idea, saying that it would split the market and make it unstable. 2. Provides $45 billion for opioid addiction treatment. Who wanted this: Mostly senators from the states that expanded Medicaid and that have been hard hit by the opioid epidemic. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum The additional money for opioid addiction treatment is intended to win votes from a handful of senators who raised concern that cuts to the Medicaid program in a previous version of the bill would reduce access to treatment for addiction. The initial Senate bill provided just $2 billion in 2018 for substance abuse treatment. The revised bill provides $45 billion, which will most likely flow to states in the form of grants over 10 years. Most of the money would go to addiction treatment, but some would be used to fund research into better treatments for pain and addiction. 3. Restores two taxes on high-income earners. Who wanted this: Senate leadership and less conservative holdouts. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum While the bill still eliminates many of the taxes that were created as part of the A.C.A., two taxes on the wealthy a tax on investment income and a payroll tax for high-income households are restored in the new version. Eliminating the tax cuts softens a line of attack on the bill that it takes from the poor and gives to the rich. But it also provides more funding for the other changes in the legislation, which would otherwise eat into the bills deficit savings. Keeping the two taxes on high-income earners is a way for Senate leadership to fund other parts of their bill. 4. Lets people use money from health savings accounts to pay premiums. Who wanted this: Two of the most conservative senators, though most Republicans like the idea of making premiums tax deductible. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum In addition to letting people save more money in tax-free health savings accounts, the bill would allow people to pay their premiums with that money, effectively making some of the cost of insurance tax deductible. This change means that higher earners who are not eligible for premium tax credits could still receive a tax benefit. 3 Things That Didnt Make the Bill 1. Lower Medicaid cuts Who wanted this: Mostly senators from states that expanded Medicaid. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Several moderate senators had expressed concern that the original bills deep cuts to Medicaid would hurt vulnerable populations and state budgets. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill would reduce federal spending on Medicaid by a fourth by the end of a decade, and by more than a third a decade later. The revisions do include some minor tweaks to the formula used to fund hospitals that see a lot of uninsured patients. It also added an exception to the spending caps for places with a declared public health emergency, and more money for states that provide home- and community-based services to beneficiaries who might otherwise need to live in a nursing home. But Senator Dean Heller, of Nevada, who is facing re-election next year, along with Susan Collins, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, have previously indicated they could not support the bill without more money for Medicaid. Ms. Collins confirmed on Thursday that she will vote against the revised bill because the deep cuts still exist. 2. Funding for Planned Parenthood Who wanted this: Two moderate senators. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Two moderate female senators, Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski, have opposed a part of the bill that would prohibit federal programs from paying Planned Parenthood for a year. The provision was intended to please anti-abortion legislators, who do not want the government to support a health care provider that also performs abortions. But Planned Parenthood provides a range of womens health services, including contraceptive counseling and cancer screenings, and the two senators were worried that cuts to its funding would hurt womens access to care. 3. More money for subsidies Who wanted this: Several moderate senators and others worried about cuts in the initial bill. Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Less conservative More conservative Less conservative More conservative Where the 52 Republican senators fall on the political spectrum Some senators wanted to provide more financial assistance for people to buy health insurance. They were particularly concerned about the bills impact on poor and older Americans. The C.B.O. estimated that insurance coverage for those groups would plummet under the price and subsidy structure in the original bill. The problem would be most pronounced in states where health care costs were high, like Alaska. NYTimes.com no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier. Please upgrade your browser. Even as the progressive list of everything wrong in our society that the 99 percent suffers at the hands of the one percent was enumerated at least three times, the mood at the Civic Center was upbeat today in Silver Spring, Maryland. Sen. Bernie Sanders was coming to speak, to introduce and endorse Maryland progressive gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous, the popular former national president of the NAACP. Large posters endorsing Jealous filled the room, as people held up smaller versions of the same image. To add to the excitement of the 277 or so mostly white youngsters who crowded the auditorium, former state senator Nina Turner (D-OH) added her contagiously enthusiastic support of Jealous, even as she had supported Sanders and campaigned for him when he ran for president in 2016. She aroused the crowd by quoting Nelson Mandela, "It always seems impossible, then it is done," to surround her enumeration of what needs changing in our ailing society: raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, eliminate bankruptcy caused by medical expenses by bringing in Medicare for all, be sure candidates keep their promises as servants of the people who answer to THEM rather than the reverse. One of the founders of Our Revolution Maryland, Keanu Smith Brown, spoke briefly, again enumerate what we need to fix, so many basic components of our world: no more massive incarceration or college tuition; no more tax loopholes for the rich but a minimum wage of $15 for all suffering below it now; strong rights to unionize; single payer healthcare; environmental sustainability; divestment from the use of fossil fuels; and protection of every Marylander. The crowd cheered ecstatically when Sen. Sanders next took the podium, beaming with enthusiasm and unsinkable idealism and determination. He immediately lauded candidate Jealous for all he plans to do--not just campaigning on it but certainly to carry it out. Trump plans to deprive 23,000,000 Americans of health insurance; to cut education, housing, after-school and nutrition programs, handing over the $3 trillion thus freed up to the one percent in tax breaks. Unlike Trump, Jealous will surround himself with people from all walks in life. "Moms are in pain"; they can't afford childcare with their incomes of $10-$11 per hour, half of which goes to paying the rent; there is, in addition, opioid addiction [the highest amount in the country in VA, btw, I read]. "Ben has a different vision," said Sanders. We are the richest country in the history of the world. When we stand together, we can do everything. We can raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Understand that in 2017 women still earn 80 cents per hour less than men, amounting to $40 per week We must rebuild the infrastructure, which will create jobs and realize that healthcare is a right, as FDR asserted long ago. Ben will seek Medicare for all. We need the best-educated workforce in the world instead of students who can't afford higher education or are in lifelong debt for having obtained it. The United States has more of its population in prison than any other country in the world. Our criminal justice system is broken, badly in need of repair. We can take all the money spent on prisons and imprisonment and use it instead for jobs and education. We must eliminate the conviction that climate change is a hoax. Ben will work for energy efficiency and sustainability. He can't win without grassroots support. We must all get out there and reach the people most affected and wounded by the system. Big money is defeated only when all the people fight back!! Rousing cheers followed Sanders offstage and Jealous as the next speaker. "Here we go," he said and then stood silent for a few seconds. You could hear a pin drop. "We are on Trump's doorstep to get rid of his doormat." Kids must realize their full potential. We can pass solutions as big as the problems that we face. Jealous listed three major triumphs he achieved as head of the NAACP: leading the drive to eliminate capital punishment; co-chairing the drive to pass the Dream Act; and supporting marriage equality. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. From Consortium News President Donald Trump, speaking in Warsaw, Poland, on July 6, 2017. (Image by (Screen shot from Whitehouse.gov)) Details DMCA Perhaps the most overlooked part of President Donald Trump's trip to Europe last week was his 18-hour visit to Poland as the guest of political ally and fellow nationalist, President Andrzej Duda. I interviewed Ronald Cox, a professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Florida International University, about the significance of Trump's decision to make an early visit to Poland. Cox is author or editor of numerous books including Corporate Power and Globalization in US Foreign Policy. I spoke to Cox on July 6. Dennis Bernstein: Why did Trump go to Poland? What's your overview? And then let's talk about what we understand might have happened. Ronald Cox: Trump is essentially continuing in Poland what he's already doing in the United States. He's extending militarization, and support for those countries that are thoroughly militarizing their economy, as well as political parties that are in favor of unleashing a further militarization and policing of the domestic population, which Trump approves of, not only at home but in a country like Poland. DB: Say a little bit more about that, doing the same thing there as he's doing here? Give us a few more details on that. RC: Okay, so the first two aspects of Trump's speech are worthy of note. The first aspect is the support for Poland's increased military spending toward NATO. Poland has been one of five countries that have surpassed a 2% threshold, that Trump was urging all NATO member countries to pass regarding 2% of military spending... 2% of GDP. So Trump celebrated that aspect. The second aspect that Trump celebrated was this particular attitude of a political party -- the Law and Justice Party in Poland -- which is engaged in a militarization campaign, a policing campaign inside Poland that has strong consequences domestically. Because one of its targets is Muslims. And one of the targets is what is labelled Islamic Extremists, but oftentimes with a broad brush is simply painted -- the Muslim population. So there's been increased harassment of Muslims, increased attacks against Muslims that have been, essentially, endorsed by this government. And it's a mistake to consider the Law and Justice Party a new development in Poland. They've actually been a dominant opposition party for some time. They were previously in a position of power, in Poland. So they have a lengthy history that coincides nicely with what the Polish state has done over the past 15 years, which essentially is to implement a set of neo-liberal policies which includes privatization, which includes deregulation. In fact, aspects of their program are quite compatible with what is typically labelled neo-liberal economic policy, even though they're often referred to as a far-right, nationalist party. But in this case, nationalism is being geared towards supporting a further emboldening of the private sector, a further emboldening of the security forces, the police and the military, as a way to protect a defined population in Poland. If you note an important aspect of Trump's speech, he talked about the importance of defending civilization. He didn't talk about the importance of defending democracy. He didn't talk about the importance of popular participation, other than equating popular will with a vision of civilization. This is sort of straight out of the Steve Bannon playbook, which pits white civilization, particularly white Christian civilization, against other types of civilization. So, in that sense, Trump in his speech was directly, sort of, calling forth this clash of civilizations narrative. Which, I think, feeds into his administration's support for far-right regimes. DB: And it did appear, at least it appeared that he had strong support from the folks on the street. That these were very strong and powerful supporters of the government of Poland and of Trump, in this context. Would that be a proper perception? RC: Yes, except I would qualify it in the following sense. What helped catapult this party to power is the fact that the neo-liberal policies have come with a growing problem in Poland, as elsewhere. You have a massive gap between rich and poor. You have one-fifth of the country which is in poverty. And this is particularly true in the eastern part of the country. So you see workers there, you see small farmers there who gravitated towards the Law and Justice Party because, frankly, there's no left alternative in Poland. So the Law and Justice Party was able to drive a wedge between popular frustration at not having a better social page, or better access to welfare, that we protect them from declining income, and declining access to good jobs, and anger at the state itself. So, they're redirecting that anger towards immigrant populations, in particular the Muslim population. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From The Hill Donald Trump - Caricature (Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA To save his presidency from ending in epic disaster, save the nation from a constitutional crisis, and defend America from warfare against democracy waged by Russia, President Trump needs to tell the nation the whole truth about everything he knows regarding the Putingate scandal. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should meet alone with the president, close the door, and speak the truth about what Trump must do to purge his presidency of the poison that is caused by this sordid affair. Americans learned recently that three close associates of the president attended a meeting with a Russian operative in June 2016 that essentially represented a conspiracy of collusion behind the Russian plan to destroy Hillary Clinton and elect Donald Trump. This astounding and unprecedented revelation proves beyond any doubt that the Americans who attended this meeting intended and desired to work with Russian operatives we now know were violating American law, in furtherance of the plan to elect Russia's favored candidate as our president. Today the Republican Party is on trial, conservatism is in crisis, and the Trump presidency is in peril. Will Republicans in Congress who spent four years misusing taxpayer money to finance subpoena-powered inquisitions against Clinton have the clarity and courage stand up for America against foreign attempts to corrupt our politics and undermine our democracy? Will conservatives who invoke the name of Ronald Reagan speak out with the forcefulness and honor that Reagan would show against these attacks on democracy if he were here today? Some Republicans and conservatives have met the challenge. The passion of patriotism shown by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is a model for Americanism at its finest. Conservative columnists such as Michael Gerson and George Will have written with clarity as voices of conscience. Official Washington swirls today with rumors of chaos in a White House under siege and discord from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Various Trump defenders pursue the ludicrous strategy of blaming Clinton for colluding with Russia and the self-destructive tactic of launching escalated attacks against the free press. Memo to Trump supporters: The strategy of the best defense is a good offense might work in political campaigns, but is destined for disaster when the FBI is investigating Russian crimes against America and special counsel Robert Mueller is considering whether to file criminal charges against Trump associates who may have conspired with them. As I have written before, somewhere in America today there are tapes and transcripts of evidence obtained by the Feds through judicially approved warrants that probably include conversations between Russians and individuals close to Trump. Trump stands today at the Rubicon, facing two options. He could desperately take the low road and move to fire the special counsel, grant preemptive pardons to those in jeopardy of prosecution and escalate his attacks against the free press. This would cause the mother of all firestorms of public outrage and a collapse of support from Trump's GOP allies in Congress. Plan B is for Trump to confess -- not to confess to a crime, but to confess to the truth. Trump should say, unconditionally and unequivocally, that American intelligence services are absolutely right and Russia has been attacking American and Western democracy. He should say that while America needs improved relations with Russia, economic sanctions must continue and be strengthened until Russian aggression ends. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). (A Parody of the Mafia Defense) Donald Trump Jr.'s account of his Russian contacts is reminiscent of classic parodies of Mafia criminal defenses. His client accused of murder, the Mafia lawyer explains: "My client was standing innocently on a street corner in Brooklyn eating an apple----with an ice pick----when this jerk comes running around the corner and runs into the ice pick----four times----backwards." Another: Mafia lawyer: My client couldn't have committed the murder. He wasn't even there. District Attorney: We have five witnesses who saw him there. Mafia Lawyer: If he was there he was an innocent bystander. District Attorney: The witnesses saw him pointing a gun and pulling the trigger. Mafia Lawyer: If he did shoot him it was in self-defense. Donald Trump Jr. and Russia: Trump Jr.: I didn't meet with the Russians. Interviewer: But we have witnesses who saw you in a room with Russian operatives. Trump Jr.: If I was in a room with them it was coincidental, but I had nothing to do with them. Interviewer: The witnesses say they saw you talking to the Russians. Trump Jr.: If I was talking to them I was just being courteous and cordial. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Palestine Chronicle Muslim lives matter - placard at anti-Trump ban demo. (Image by alisdare1) Details DMCA Two officers sought me from within a crowd at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. They seemed to know who I was. They asked me to follow them, and I obliged. Being of Arab background, often renders one's citizenship almost irrelevant. In a back room, where other foreigners, mainly Muslims, were holed for "added security," I was asked numerous questions about my politics, ideas, writing, children, friends and my late Palestinian parents. Meanwhile, an officer took my bag and all of my papers, including receipts, business cards, and more. I did not protest. I am so used to this treatment and endless questioning that I simply go through the motions and answer the questions the best way I know how. My first questioning commenced soon after September 11, 2001, when all Muslims and Arabs became, and remain, suspect. "Why do you hate our president," I was asked then, in reference to Bush. On a different occasion, I was held in a room for hours at JFK International Airport because I had a receipt that revealed my immortal sin of eating at a London restaurant that served Halal meat. I was also interrogated at an American border facility in Canada and was asked to fill several documents about my trip to Turkey, where I gave a talk at a conference and conducted several media interviews. A question I am often asked is: "what is the purpose of your visit to this country?" The fact that I am an American citizen, who acquired high education, bought a home, raised a good family, paid my taxes, obeyed the law and contributed to society in myriad ways are not an adequate answer. I remain an Arab, a Muslim and a dissident, all unforgivable sins in the new, rapidly changing America. Truthfully, I never had any illusions regarding the supposed moral superiority of my adopted country. I grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, and have witnessed, firsthand, the untold harm inflicted upon my people as a result of American military and political support of Israel. Within the larger Arab context, US foreign policy was felt on larger scale. The invasion and destruction of Iraq in 2003 was but the culmination of decades of corrupt, violent American policies in the Arab world. But when I arrived in the US in 1994, I also found another country, far kinder and more accepting than the one represented -- or misrepresented -- in US foreign policy. While constantly embracing my Palestinian Arab roots, I have lived and interacted with a fairly wide margin of like-minded people in my new home. While I was greatly influenced by my Arab heritage, my current political thoughts and the very dialectics through which I understand and communicate with the world -- and my understanding of it -- are vastly shaped by American scholars, intellectual dissidents and political rebels. It is no exaggeration to say that I became part of the same cultural Zeitgeist that many American intellectuals subscribe to. Certainly, anti-Arab and Muslim sentiments in the US have been around for generations, but it has risen sharply in the last two decades. Arabs and Muslims have become an easy scapegoat for all of America's failed wars and counter-violence. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). See original here On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Christopher Wray, the former assistant attorney general in the Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration, to be the next FBI director. He is also the former personal attorney for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally. Wray's background is raising questions about his ability to remain impartial as the head of the nation's premier law enforcement agency. For more, we speak with Marcy Wheeler, an independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties. This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a confirmation hearing today for FBI director nominee Christopher Wray. Wray served as assistant attorney general under George W. Bush from 2003 to 2005, at a time when the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel signed off on the use of torture against detainees in CIA and military custody. Still with us, Marcy Wheeler in Grand Rapids, Michigan, independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties. The significance of Christopher Wray, what you think he needs to be asked and who he is, Marcy? MARCY WHEELER: People are most aware of the fact that he represented Chris Christie on Bridgegate. And there are questions about whether he was fully forthcoming on that. I mean, he's a defense attorney. Everyone deserves a defense attorney. That will get a lot of attention from Democrats today. There are things that happened when he was at DOJ that both help and hurt his case, I think. He was one of the people who, in 2004, when Jim Comey stood up to Dick Cheney and threatened to resign if Stellar Wind was not put on better legal framework -- is one of the people who reportedly was going to resign. And he gets a lot of credit for that. But we'll see what that really means. I'm more concerned about some other things, such as, in the early days of the investigation into who outed Valerie Plame, he continued to brief John Ashcroft about the investigation generally, but also Karl Rove's role in the investigation. And that was really inappropriate, because he was informing Ashcroft about stuff that had gotten Ashcroft into that position, and that's directly analogous to where we are today. Would Christopher Wray brief Trump on what is happening on the investigation into Trump? That question needs to be asked and answered. You mentioned torture. He is known to have gone to Gitmo. He is known to have been involved in torture. But the details about his role in torture are all still redacted. They're all over these ACLU documents they got in a FOIA, but we don't know what the substance of it is. And then, finally, during the period he was the assistant attorney general for Criminal Division, he oversaw a deal with Chiquita, the banana company. Chiquita, as you recall, had been materially supporting terrorism in Colombia, both sides, so both the right-wing terrorists and the left-wing terrorists. And the company itself paid a penalty, but no Chiquita executive was held accountable for that. So, you know, it's this classic case of double standard of justice. If a young Muslim man had been found to have done the kind of material support for terrorism that Chiquita did, that young man would be facing 30 years of prison time. But when they're white Republicans, they end up facing no punishment at all for knowingly supporting terrorism. And he was very much involved in that negotiation. So I'd love to see him be asked questions about that. AMY GOODMAN: Now, this issue of heading up the Justice Department's Criminal Division from 2003 to '05 under George W. Bush, Wray responsible for investigating CIA abuses of prisoners, including the deaths of two men in Afghanistan and Iraq, what about that? MARCY WHEELER: Right. So there is one case where, under Wray, they charged a guy named David Passaro, who was a CIA contractor, for assault in a case where an Afghan detainee was killed. And his supporters, Wray's supporters, are going to say, "Look, he's opposed to torture, because he prosecuted the only guy tied to the CIA who got prosecuted for torture." And that's actually a false claim. If you look at Passaro's case, there are -- it looks to be that -- because there were DOD people involved in that interrogation, as well, it looks to be sort of DOD saying CIA is finally going to be held accountable for all their abuse. And a bunch of key DOD witnesses were withheld from Passaro while he was being tried. More importantly, just in -- just as they were about to charge David Passaro, they took a bunch of documents away from him, which there's very good reason to believe that Passaro knew about the findings supporting torture. He knew that Cofer Black had signed off on torture. He knew that George Tenet had signed off on torture. Those documents were -- I don't know whether he had those documents, but a bunch of documents, as backup, were taken away from him. He was given misleading information about what the standard for interrogation was at the time he was in Afghanistan. And that was all then not included in his trial. Had it been, then I think that it would have been a lot more likely to blow up the fact that the entire chain of command within CIA had bought off on torture at the period where he killed this detainee. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Elephant in Treacherous Territory (Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA Thom Hartmann's July 4th question whether our democratic-republican form of government is dying is one of, if not the most, important question Americans confront today. His question deserves an answer, one that spells out clearly and without doubt, why America is experiencing a crisis of belief in its ideas, values and principles. The answer requires casting a large net over many seemingly unrelated political issues to even begin clarifying our situation. Since Donald Trump's inaugural hardly a day goes by when some aspect of the American political tradition is not assaulted preventing immigrants from entering our borders, declaring the free press as "the enemy of the people, refusing to allow audio or video recordings at White House Press Conferences so no one can dispute the word of the president, an obsession with leakers, even a personal criticism of a federal judge who ruled against him. Virtually all the people in his administration and in the dominant Republican party have remained silent about these provocations. Almost no one has disagreed publicly with the president's assault on Science and not just climate change. Trump appears to be denying the government's duty to conduct basic scientific research by his refusal to appoint roughly 80% of the vacancies in scientific personnel within his administration. The list of these assaults is complex and seemingly endless: nominating Secretaries of Education and Housing without one day's experience on the job; a Secretary of Energy devoted to destroying the regulation of that industry; a head of the Environmental Protection Agency who believes climate change is a hoax. Add to this the president's lies (roughly four every week) and misstatements about elementary aspects of American history (Andrew Jackson's crucial impact on the Civil War comes to mind) and one wonders how long our constitutional democracy can function. Yet as long as the nation's media focusses on 'Trump's Tweets' and ignores the dominant political party acting solely as a faction with no objective other than increasing its power --the public can never understand what is happening. An assault is being made on basic procedures which protect our democratic constitutional-political system in state and national legislatures. And we are diverted by the furor surrounding the president's communications. A clear example of this process is the Health Care Bill now before the Congress. The bill's avowed purpose is to replace Obamacare with a Republican party version that will leave approximately 18 to 23 million citizens without coverage according to the Congressional Budget Office. Indeed many health organizations and professional critics agree with that estimate. The Republican's determination to destroy Obamacare has its origins in a decision by that party to prevent the then new President from accomplishing any legislation. Period. The then minority leader, Mitch McConnell, personally filibustered almost 500 times to prevent legislation from being voted on in the senate. When one ponders that one legislator's actions over an eight year period it reveals a fanatical opposition to the one idea that makes our entire political system function: i.e. compromise. If you succeed in destroying every bill a president submits before it comes to a vote you never have to compromise. And if you bring government to a halt via polarization then nothing can be accomplished. This was the strategy of the Republican Party for eight years that produced dividends for them. Before Trump took office the US government was criticized as suffering from "paralysis" due to Obama's lack of leadership. Budgets were delayed passing, almost nothing was done to reverse inequality, many states gerrymandered their election districts unfairly and under Citizen's United money became the decisive factor when nominating candidates in primary battles but also in election results. Congress and the courts interpreted the constitution so it benefitted the few at the expense of the many. Permanently. Where the health of the nation was involved something else appeared that Americans had never seen before: a manufactured hatred of a bill that benefitted tens of millions of citizens. Throughout the presidential campaign of 2016 the Republican candidates and especially Donald Trump claimed without any evidence whatsoever that Obamacare was destroying health care in America and bankrupting our efforts to have a more efficient system. It was all undefined and undocumented rhetoric but it became part of a litany in the campaign speeches of virtually every Republican candidate over a year long period. Constant repetition in the media that was uncritical added to the belief that it was true. The result was when Trump became president he claimed a supposed mandate to replace Obamacare with something, anything, that could be called a "new plan." Speaker Ryan, one of Obamacare' sharpest critics, announced his priority to destroy it. His bill, however had so many contradictions within it they could not be explained. Further the bill had no open committee hearings and few legislators even knew what it contained. And this is a bill that would affect tens of millions of Americans. When the Speaker tried to bring his bill to a vote a large number of the anti-democratic maneuvers were revealed. Few Republicans had even read the bill and almost no Democrats were going to vote for it. Resistance against the Ryan version of the Health Bill was so great he had to withdraw the bill to enormous embarrassment. He had not even waited for the Congressional Budget Office to "score" the bill and determine what it would cost the government. This maneuver exposed the hypocrisy of the Republicans who claimed financial integrity was their reason for killing Obamacare. Henceforth the senate would take the lead and then a combined House-Senate "compromise" version would be presented to the President who would surely sign it. Within weeks senate Republicans orchestrated another fiasco based on antidemocratic strategies. No hearings on the bill were held by the majority (which meant 48 Democrats could not ask questions or present contrary evidence about the Republican version.) No experts could be called to testify against the bill and set the record straight. Thirteen Republican senators out of 100 senators wrote the total bill for the entire nation in secret. Nothing was said about the consequences of this new health bill. The CBO struggled to come up with a figure between 18 and 23 million people that would be affected but Republicans attempted to divert the discussion. Even the president tweeted the CBO had been wrong in the past so we could ignore their estimate. Trump did nothing to clarify the "debate" and refused to answer questions. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Wallwritings Jack G. Shaheen (Image by Wallwritings) Details DMCA Jack G. Shaheen, retired professor of communications at Southern Illinois University, died Sunday, July 9, after a short battle with cancer. He was 81. His death brought to a sudden end, his five-decade fight against the stereotyping of "Bad Arabs" in movies and television. I have maintained regular contact with Jack since our first encounter in 1978. My most recent email from him arrived in March of this year, informing me that he had once again sent this blog's link to his list. Our first encounter came in August, 1978, when I was the editor of The Christian Centurymagazine in Chicago. Jack sent me a manuscript "over the transom" -- media jargon for "unsolicited." We immediately accepted it, using Jack's title, "The TV Arab." In October, 1978, the Wall Street Journal published an expanded version of The Christian Century essay. In 1984, Jack expanded that article into a book with the same title. (Image by Amazon) Details DMCA Dr. Shaheen's writing career and numerous public lectures brought him to the attention of Hollywood, where film producers sought his counsel on how to overcome their "bad Arabs" material. Jack told me how long it had taken him to bring public attention to his "Bad Arab" essay: "In the Fall of 1975, I completed the essay you published in August 1978. I had just returned to Southern Illinois University from Beirut where I had been teaching as a Fulbright scholar. "I tried for three years to have someone publish 'The TV Arab.' Somewhere in my hidden files I have all the rejection letters I received from 50-plus magazines/newspapers. "The most memorable rejection came from the editor [of a prominent publication]. She refused to publish it, using an excuse that it was too well-written. She told me other 'minority' writers would want her to publish similar essays, but their essays would not be as 'good' as mine. Honest!" After three years of waiting and 50 rejections, "the TV Arab" appeared -- for the first time -- in The Christian Century in August, 1978. The Washington Postannounced his death: Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. My childhood was a nuclear one and I'm not talking about the nuclear family. I'm thinking of those duck-and-cover moments when, with air raid sirens screaming outside, we went under our school desks, hands over head, to test out our readiness for a Cold War nuclear exchange and the coming of the end of the world. Even at that young age, I suspect, we understood just how pathetic those desks and our hands were as defenses against an atomic blast, but that mattered little. It was so in the spirit of the era -- and not just when it came to children either. I've never, for instance, forgotten an illustration from Paul Boyer's classic book, By the Bomb's Early Light, on the American nuclear fallout (of a cultural sort) that followed the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as World War II ended and the subsequent Cold War nuclear arms race began. Boyer found that illustration in How to Survive an Atomic Bomb, a 1950 book that caught the spirit of its moment. It showed a natty-looking man wearing one of the signature fedoras of that time, its brim partially over his eyes. The caption for it went: "If you are caught outdoors in a sudden attack, a hat will give you at least some protection from the 'heat flash.'" Women were similarly urged to wear stockings and long-sleeved dresses just in case their day happened to be interrupted by a Russian nuclear strike. Think of these as 1950s fashion tips for the apocalypse as American fears of a nuclear conflagration grew in those years. As a Federal Civil Defense Agency pamphlet of the time typically suggested, if a nuclear blast occurred, you could "jump in any handy ditch or gutter... drop flat on ground or floor... to lessen the chances of being struck by falling and flying objects, flatten out at the base of a wall, or at the bottom of a bank." Or you could simply "bury your face in your arms." Whatever you did, however, the one thing you weren't to do, the agency suggested, was "lose your head" -- and whatever bureaucrat offered that pungent advice undoubtedly didn't mean it literally. In those years, when it came to the apocalypse, you might say that this country did indeed lose its head. One witness to that was retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and TomDispatchregular William Astore. He spent significant parts of his military career in the late 1980s locked inside a mountain (so much better than a ditch or gutter if you were seriously thinking about making it through the end of life as we knew it). He's never forgotten his professional experience of the nuclear mindset in this country and, in a later lockdown moment filled with rising apocalyptic fears, he naturally finds himself thinking about it again. One small note, however, on Americans and doomsday: when it comes to the apocalypse, we turn out not to be equal-opportunity employers. Against nuclear war and the apocalyptic terror attacks of our national fantasy life, we've been all too ready to lock ourselves down over the years in stunning ways. Against another potential kind of apocalypse, however, we're not even willing to take the simplest actions. Quite the opposite, when it comes to climate change -- what we used to call "the weather" and now "extreme weather" -- our new president and his crew are unlocking doors everywhere and welcoming doomsday to take up residence in our land, our streets, our houses. Tom Preparing for Doomsday A Shelter-in-Place Mentality Is the New American Normal By William J. Astore Has there ever been a nation as dedicated to preparing for doomsday as the United States? If that's a thought that hasn't crossed your mind, maybe it's because you didn't spend part of your life inside Cheyenne Mountain. That's a tale I'll get to soon, but first let me mention America's "doomsday planes." Last month, troubling news emerged from U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) that two of those aircraft, also known as E-4B National Airborne Operations Centers, were temporarily disabled by a tornado, leaving only two of them operational. And that, not surprisingly, caught my attention. Maybe you don't have the world's end on your mind, not with Donald Trump's tweets coming fast and furious, but I do. It's a kind of occupational hazard for me. As a young officer in the U.S. Air Force in the waning years of the Cold War, the end of the world was very much on my mind. So think of this piece as the manifestation of a disturbing and recurring memory. In any case, the reason for those doomsday planes is simple enough: in a national emergency, nuclear or otherwise, at least one E-4B will always be airborne, presumably above the fray and the fallout, ensuring what the military calls "command and control connectivity." The E-4B and its crew of up to 112 stand ready, as STRATCOM puts it, to enable America's leaders to "employ" its "global strike forces" because... well, "peace is our profession." Yes, STRATCOM still references that old SAC motto from the glory days of former Strategic Air Commander Curtis LeMay who was so memorably satirized by director Stanley Kubrick in his nuclear disaster film, Dr. Strangelove. The Pentagon reassuringly noted that, despite those two disabled planes, the E-4B's mission -- including perhaps the implementation of a devastating nuclear strike or counter-strike that might kill tens of millions and even cause a "nuclear winter" (a global nightmare leading to a billion deaths or more) -- could be accomplished with just two of them operational. Still, relieved as I was to hear that, it did get me thinking about the other 190 or so nations on this planet. Do any of them have even one "doomsday" plane to launch? And if not, how will they coordinate, no less survive, the doomsday the U.S. government is so willing to contemplate and ready to fund? When it comes to nuclear weapons and what once was called "thinking about the unthinkable," no other nation has as varied, accurate, powerful, deadly, or (again a word from the past) "survivable" an arsenal as the United States. Put bluntly, the nation that is most capable of inflicting a genuine doomsday scenario on the world is also the one best prepared to ride out such an event (whatever that may turn out to mean). In this sense, America truly is the exceptional nation on planet Earth. It's exceptional in the combination of its triad of nuclear weapons, its holy trinity of sorts -- nuclear missile-carrying Trident submarines, land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers still flown by pilots -- in the thoroughness of its Armageddon plans, and especially in the propagation of a lockdown, shelter-in-place mentality that fits such thinking to a T. My Lockdown, Shelter-in-place, Cold War Moment Once upon a time, I thought I was exceptional, or at least exceptionally well protected. My job as an Air Force software engineer granted me regular access to the innards of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, America's nuclear command center. In the 1960s, the complex had been tunneled out of granite at the southern edge of the Front Range of mountains, dominated by Pike's Peak, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. I can still remember military exercises in which the mountain would be "buttoned up." That meant the command center's huge blast doors -- think of bank vault doors on steroids -- would be swung shut, isolating the post from the outside world. I don't recall hearing the word "lockdown" in those days (perhaps because back then it was a term generally applied to prisons), but that was certainly our reality. We sheltered in place in that mountain redoubt, the most literal possible version of a Fortress USA. We were then cut off (we hoped) from the titanic blasts and radioactive fallout that would accompany any nuclear attack, most likely by that Evil Empire, the Soviet Union. In a sense, we were a version of a doomsday plane, even if our mountain couldn't be sent aloft. My tour of duty lasted three years (1985-1988), the specifics of which I've mostly forgotten. But what you don't forget -- believe me, you can't -- is the odd feeling of having 2,000 feet of granite towering over you; of seeing buildings mounted on huge springs intended to dampen the shock and swaying caused by a nuclear detonation; of looking at those huge blast doors that cut you and the command center off from the rest of humanity (and nature, too), theoretically allowing us the option both of orchestrating and surviving doomsday. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Introduction: Trump's choice of Poland as the country in which he would make his one speech outside of the recent G-20 meeting was highly symbolic. The content of the speech, especially with its stress on the concept of "The Will," was too. That's what this column is about. ------------------------- In September, 1934, the recently empowered National Socialist German Workers Party (the Nazis) held a huge rally/Party meeting at Nurnberg. Over a four-day period, it was attended by approximately 700,000 people. A German film maker named Leni Riefenstahl was asked by Hitler to make a movie of it. "Triumph of the Will" became one of the most famous propaganda pieces of the Nazi Era. A central theme of the movie was to cement in the German mind (Nazi or no) that Adolf Hitler was The Leader, Der Fuehrer, of Germany for the then foreseeable future. The leadership of the internal, pseudo-"left" wing of the Party, had been eliminated on the "Night of the Long Knives," June, 1934. To meet a demand of the still Prussian-led national army the Nazis' private army, the Sturmabteilung (SA) had been subjugated to it. And Hitler summed up his whole ideology for a future Nazi Germany in one famous sentence: "It is our will that this state and this Reich shall endure through the coming millennia [emphasis added]." Which is why the movie is called "The Triumph of the Will." And so now let turn our attention to the recent Trump speech in Warsaw, Poland, given just before he flew to Hamburg, Germany and the annual meeting of G-20. In my view, this was a very important event for Trump, in telling the world which way he hopes to take the United States. (That is if his Presidency can survive the revelations of the Russian-connection through his family . These revelations are even beginning to win over to the anti-Trump camp, certain leftists who supported him because they thought he would bring "peace with Russia." In a previous column I did explain why I thought that this latter hope has always been a pipe-dream.) First, as to the choice of Poland for the single independently-sited speech he would make on the trip. First, the European Union, with its 28-member nations, is very well-represented in the G20. Second, this meeting of the G20 was being held on its home turf, in the nation which, with the (idiotic) Brexit, will become the most powerful European nation in the G20 and certainly in the EU (if it is not already). Second, most of the members of the EU have some form of bourgeois parliamentary democracy with among other things, left-wing parties of one sort or another (if small in most cases) and, for capitalist countries, relatively free media and judicial systems. Third, Trump thus had a wide choice of nations in Europe in which to make that singular speech. And he chose Poland. Poland is one of the most right-wing nations in the EU, rivaled mainly by Hungary in that regard. But it is certainly much more well-known in the U.S. than the latter. And while it does not have a direct border with Russia (Hungary does not either), it does border Belarus (which then, on the east, borders Russia, with which it has a mixed relationship ). When interested in ratcheting up tension with Russia, both the US and Poland seem to like to pretend that Belarus is a stand-in for Russia. Poland's government is an elected one, but among its various policies it has moved to vastly reduce the power of the judiciary over decisions/policies of the government and it has also moved to severely limit press freedoms . (Sound familiar? ) However, says Gilbert Doctorow, author of the article just cited: "[E]ven as the E.U. expresses growing concerns about the authoritarian actions of the Law and Justice Party, there has been a warming of relations with the United States, particularly in the area of military cooperation" (which happened to start under Obama). So what a natural choice for Trump, especially since Steve Bannon now seems to be back in the policy driver's seat in the White House, in terms of what counts. So, the choice of Poland was highly symbolic, politically. (It was also pleasant for Trump, for in almost every other EU country he would have been met with massive protests. In Poland, he was met with a warm reception from the crowd (even if much of it had to be bused in from the countryside for the speech). Then there were the minor symbols of Trump policy, like skipping the customary (for U.S. Presidents) visit to the monument to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. (Trump instead sent the token Jew of his immediate family, the convert Ivanka. And if anyone doesn't think that there is not a strong Trumpite anti-Semitic tinge, shown for the most part rather than stated, one only has to look at a recent column by Frank Bruni of The New York Times.) But most important was the theme of the speech , which eerily reflected the "Triumph of the Will" of an earlier time and ironically enough of the nation that absolutely devastated Poland, and not just its Jewish population, in World War II. As Juan Cole said (in somewhat more colorful language than I use, I must say): "D onald Trump's speech in Poland may have attempted to camouflage its Fascist undertones with some Nazi-bashing, but no one will be fooled. The speech was probably shaped by alt-Neo-Nazi Steve Bannon, White House strategist and enabler of the white supremacist roll of toilet paper known as Breitbart." And Trump himself said this (quoting further from Cole): "We have to remember that our defense is not just a commitment of money, it is a commitment of will. Because as the Polish experience reminds us, the defense of the West ultimately rests not only on means but also on the will of its people to prevail and be successful and get what you have to have. The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? 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?" And oh yes, the "values" that Trump was talking about are, if he is to be taken by his many words opn the subject: racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, authoritarianism, and, possibly, anti-Semitism. (Trump and his people probably don't know this, but between the 20th century wars, before it exploded in Nazi Germany, Poland was considered by the European Jews to be the most anti-Semitic country on that continent.) And so, the Triumph of the Will, now, not then. The emphasis on it was not accidental. If Trump doesn't know about a primary Nazi theme, Bannon, a self-described student of fascist ideology, surely does. And indeed, this represents Trump's ideology (and yes, folks, he does have one, even though he himself might not be able to spell it out in so many words. The speech was written primarily by Bannon's alter-ego, the far-rightist Stephen Miller). This is what the Left and the Resistance need to begin focusing on (and certainly Refuse Fascism does do this). Whether or not the Trumpites colluded with the Russians is really a side issue, actually a very useful distraction for the Trumpites (https://www.opednews.com/articles/Trump-and-the-War-on-the-M-by-Steven-Jonas-Fascism_Fascism-Has-Happened-Here_Fascism-Cant-Happen-Here_Fascist-170704-497.html, see the Postscript) as they plow ahead with their Ultra-Reactionary agenda. (From the first hints of "Russian interference," I happen to think that they did collude, from the beginning, but that's another story.) As I have noted on numerous occasions, this man is VERY dangerous for what he stands for, at his core. We must know that, and act accordingly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steven Jonas, MD, MPH, MS is a Professor Emeritus of Preventive Medicine at StonyBrookMedicine (NY) and author/co-author/editor/co-editor of over 35 books. In addition to his position on OpEdNews as a "Trusted Author," he is a Senior Editor, Politics, for The Greanville Post; a Contributor for American Politics to The Planetary Movement;a contributor to the "Writing for Godot" section of Reader Supported News; and a contributor to From The G-Man.Furthermore, he is an occasional contributor to BuzzFlash Commentary Headlines and The Harder Stuff. He is also a triathlete (34 seasons, 250 multi-sport races). Climate Change (Image by keepitsurreal) Details DMCA President Trump's tweets get plenty of coverage. Yet, there are currently numerous actions by his administration that are designed to restrict the free flow of information from federal agencies. This is particularly significant in the fight against climate change. A combination of disinformation, suppression of facts that should be in the public domain, and the erasure of elements from federal websites are concerning from agencies set up to protect Americans. In an effort to learn if staff members were told not to use established scientific language via a "gag order," the Center for Biological Diversity filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. They directed their inquiries to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Energy. The purpose was to get documentation of directives on the type of verbiage workers could or could not use. Staff was allegedly instructed to either "remove" or "not use" any vocabulary that related to climate change. Examples include, but are not limited to, "greenhouse gas emissions," "global warming," "climate disruption," and "global warming." Ironically, "Paris agreement" was also in the mix. The agencies were also asked to report if they had destroyed any records. Almost two months later on May 30, the Center sued the Trump administration in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The reason? There had been no response, thereby "violating deadlines established under the law." The first point in the legal papers states: "The Center for Biological Diversity ("Center") -- An environmental conservation organization that works to protect native wildlife species and their habitats -- challenges the failure of the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of State to provide records concerning the Trump administration's censorship of these federal departments' and their component agencies' discussion or dissemination about climate change, in violation of the Freedom of Information Act." I spoke with Taylor McKinnon, Public Lands Campaigner at the Center. He reiterated reports of EPA workforce harassment, and accounts of web pages taken down. It was apparent that staff and scientists were being intimidated. "My response," McKinnon said, "was we need to pry the hood off of this." A key goal was to establish where the instructions were coming from. Some records were delivered to the Center. However, for the bulk of what the Center was seeking -- they were "stonewalled." This is what prompted the lawsuit. "We're not going to allow the administration to drag its feet," McKinnon emphasized. "We're going to hold them to the letter of the law." With the belief that what was taking place needed to be "exposed," McKinnon stated, "We think the information will say volumes." The conversation shifted to the EPA under the direction of Scott Pruitt. McKinnon expressed his concern over "fossil fuel corruption." He underscored, "Pruitt is a catastrophe for America." The Center is also pushing back to save data. Along with conservation biologist Stuart Pimm and the Center for Media and Democracy, they have combined forces to save scores of environmental "data sets" on government websites, from removal by the administration. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Partly cloudy skies. High 79F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Theres a lot New York could learn from Boston about lifestyle. You might proffer this The Onion slam of Boston in response to my statement, but theres more than a grain of truth in this takedown of New York in the same pub. A recent trip to Bostons innovation district, Seaport, impressed me with the praxis of its mixed-use philosophy: Live, Work, Play. I knew Boston could do the work especially in the tech sector and the live, but I wasnt so sure about the play. For two years, I came to Boston regularly, but the nightlife failed to impress a jaded New Yorker. Apple to orange though it may be, I couldnt help but compare. But Bostons recently booming Seaport tech district is set to surpass New York, especially with the big moves by GE, Neurala, Red Hat and now, Amazon and those business moves have sparked an abundant food, drink and social scene. Photo by Dakota Kim American cities may be modernizing to Millennial demands, but not without growing pains. Industry may be out and technology may be in, but American urban landscapes have been sluggish in reacting partially due to the car-dependent structures of said sprawling cities (Detroit being a prime example). While waiting for subways to spring up, car service apps like Uber, Lyft and Gett have filled the void. Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen Z, who eschew gated suburban homes and seek out energizing urban public spaces and experiences, have struggled to curate affordable, stylish, user-friendly lifestyles in the crumbling ruins of these aging cities. Evidently, it was time for a lifestyle-meets-work reboot. And Boston is beating New York to it in terms of ease of work-life balance and booming tech growth (despite New Yorks tech startup initiatives under Bloomberg, and perhaps even because of De Blasios seemingly less-techy emphasis). In 2010, former Boston mayor Thomas Menino, inspired by Barcelonas 22 district, cemented his legacy with plans to radically transform 1,000 acres of land in South Boston into The Innovation District (now merely known as the Seaport). And did the cranes ever come calling. Towers popped up like mushrooms along the compact thrust of land southeast of the Financial District. Hefty anchor establishments include Vertex and GE, which chose Boston over New York (in part due to a hefty incentive package from the city of Boston, no doubt). Boston is a tech base its Kendall Square area near MIT, after all, has been dubbed the most innovative square mile on the planet and seems to churn out an endless mill of hungry MIT grads looking to revolutionize your app game. Theres no shortage of work force if youre a startup founder looking for fresh college grads in Boston. But Kendall Square is relatively distanced from the city center, whereas the Seaports proximity to the Financial District (a brisk, pleasant five-minute stroll over any number of short bridges over the water) means direct interactions with the business world, including venture capital meetings for startup owners. New York may have Wall Street and the gold that lines that street, but Boston brings a quality of life that New Yorks sheer insanity destroys with every stalled train and long line. And if you want to talk supporting risky startup innovation, its essential to nurture a stronger social safety net, including unemployment, food security, and healthcare like Massachusetts has been doing with MassHealth for a decade now, since 2006. Whats more, though rankings of startup funding favor New York, funding doesnt always result in profitable, sustainable long-term success. In a long-term sense, its easier to sustain life in Boston, which means more long-term startups. Attrition is low, so folks are sticking around and innovating into middle age and even past retirement. There are 60-year-olds in Boston who founded great companies, as there are in the Valley and Seattle, Rob Gonzalez writes. The other big cities NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, etc. will take a long time to notch their wins, create their mentors, grow their ecosystems and deliver consistent results. A post shared by Red Hat (@redhatinc) on Jun 28, 2017 at 11:06am PDT 2017 has brought a slew of new business to the Seaport, including restaurants (the worlds oldest startups), shopping, residential real estate, and AI startups like Neurala, which is claiming some major breakthroughs. Red Hat has made good on its promise to finish building its new office by mid-year, and its Global Executive Briefing Center, Engineering Lab, and Open Innovation Labs are pretty cushy, plus theres a hidden speakeasy, natch. And now comes the news that Amazon will lease 150,000 square feet one block from GEs HQ. In an old city, everything in the Seaport feels (and for the most part, is) new. Amidst the red brick of old candy factories, a lifestyle-based city is springing up. This Boston just feels, in a way that it didnt 10 years ago, chic and cutting-edge. Photo by Dakota Kim With all the cranes, I wondered (as others have) what the future Seaport would look like, and how it would retain tech and art innovation. Lets face it: this area isnt cheap to live in and young artists and tech workers will have a hard time grasping a foothold there. One reassurance is that with the ICA, Bostons most daring contemporary museum, perched on the north face of the Seaport, parties and openings will always abound on the large, sea-spritzed patio. Inside the museum, I took in a stunning Mika Rottenberg video about globalization and the same Nari Ward exhibit I saw at the Perez in Miami last January. Boston is looking to transition into a more global cultural city, and I cant help but wonder if my own beloved city of New York is declining because we just dont have the luxuries of space and time that Boston does. Photo by Brandon Baunach CC BY Despite New Yorks initiatives to attract startups, Ive seen a bevy of techy friends and coworkers leave New York for more relaxed pastures, declaring that our city of money eats its young by crowding them into dangerously shoddy Bushwick lofts housing seven people. Ive never seen any of my friends in Boston live in as tight quarters as my friends in New York do. As the luxury buildings rise, young tech workers may need to commute into the Seaport from JP or Cambridge, but the train ride is quick and certainly more pleasant. Hopefully Boston will continue measures to keep art and innovation in the Seaport while bringing in more accessible affordable housing than this lottery. Bostons waterways are key to understanding quality of life in the Seaport. A cooling breeze from the channel flutters against your hair when youre walking to work or lunch. Water is everywhere, seemingly, so a jog along it doesnt feel like a reach for lunch, whereas getting to the Hudson in midtown New York traffic can feel like an episode of The Amazing Race and thats only really exciting in your early twenties, IMO. One morning, I scaled the roof of the Envoy Hotel for a sunny 9 a.m. yoga class (after copious amounts of coffee, of course) to the sound of gulls and boat bells. Then, I made up for the calorie deficit with decadent duck confit on toast, drizzled with duck fat gravy, at the Outlook, the hotels stylish restaurant where Chef Tatiana Rosana, young and hungry, is showcasing her Cuban heritage and her wifes Korean heritage. A decade ago, I wouldve expected such a hip young chef to expect to prove her mettle in New York, Chicago or San Francisco, Americas premiere food whetstones. Instead, shes plying the Seaport with her locally-sourced cuisine, including a blockbuster juicy strip steak paired with a tortilla espagnola, romesco and black garlic sauce. Its the opposite of the seafood I wouldve expected from Boston worldly, instead of regional; innovative, instead of traditional. Chef Rosana is exemplary of the new, young, hungry Boston thats eschewing nautical stripes, fine wines and lobster rolls in favor of hoodies, craft beer and vegan donuts. Instead of just sailing, Seaport residents get high on huge swings at The Lawn on D, an installation halfway between art and amusement park. Instead of just fine wine, Bostons foodies also reach for fine beers. At nearby Harpoon Brewery, a mere five-minute drive away, I took a tour of the facility and sampled over a dozen craft beers without waiting in a two-hour line like I wouldve in New York. Part of Bostons charm is its smaller size, where there arent 8 million other residents trying to do the same fun things as me and thus making my fun thing not fun. A post shared by The Lawn On D (@lawnond) on May 5, 2017 at 1:05pm PDT Like Aziz Ansari (and most Millennials), food choices are vital to me. A skip across the bridge led me to Boston Public Market to sample vegan cider donuts and sour beer. A sign at Red Apple Farm cider donut stand proclaimed that the lack of apples for sale was due to early heat and late frost leading to only 60 percent of the usual yield, but that the first apples, vistabellas, would ripen the last week of July, plus raspberries, blueberries and peaches would be in soon. I care about food sourcing and farmers, and this specific information was novel to me. Except for in my CSA, I hardly ever see information this specific about the harvest. A post shared by Reds Best (@redsbest) on Jul 10, 2017 at 2:01pm PDT At Reds Best, the Boston mackerel shined like a silver sun, its fresh fillets just-sliced by the fishmonger. Fiddlehead ferns, organic chocolate truffles, goji berries, maple soda and gluten-free cookies adorned the stands, without the mile-long lines Im used to at New Yorks food halls. Afterward, I returned to the Seaport and took a long walk around, looking at its food businesses. Vegan, local, gluten-free and organic were everywhere I turned, and prices were several dollars lower per item than Manhattan or Brooklyn. That evening, getting into Fenway for a game with the Twins didnt feel like previous hauls to Yankee Stadium, because again, no lines, and also, proximity. With car-sharing apps, theres no reason to try to park near Fenway, and the ride from the Seaport was only 20 minutes. Inside the park, I was delighted to see an abundance of the sours, goses and wild beers I love that beer section alone included 10 beers, from a Wicked Weed Tropicmost Passionfruit Gose to a Cascade Sang Royal 2015. A post shared by District Hall (@districthallboston) on Jun 9, 2017 at 1:54pm PDT The next day, I coworked with my fellow laptop rockers at District Hall, the Seaports startup and innovation center, run by a small, all-female, non-profit staff. There, I chugged a Barrington coffee and chatted with a young, hungry (literally) gent working on a food startup. It was easy to transition from coffee to craft beers an hour later. Wheres the easy, free New York lounge where I can co-work with friendly folks like this? A post shared by District Hall (@districthallboston) on Mar 8, 2017 at 11:08am PST On the sweeping harbor patio of District Halls restaurant Gather, I gulped down a few oysters and some fresh tuna poke before heading to Demetri Tsolakis and George Aboujaoudes beautifully airy Greek ouzeria Committee for succulently tender grilled octopus garnished with kalamatas, sun-dried tomatoes and white beans, accompanied by an Assyrtiko cocktail. I ended the evening by meeting my friends on the rooftop of the Envoy Hotel at the areas most in-demand bar, the Lookout, watching the sun set with a glass of syrah in my hand and Bostons quaintly hip rail bridge in sight. On my way out, transferring was so easy. In Boston, getting from the train station to the bus station doesnt feel like a Herculean slog against time, but a simple jaunt down South Stations stairs (Penn Station to Port Authority with a big bag? Fuhgettaboutit.). At the risk of sounding like a traitor, I tell younger friends to choose internships in Bostons Kendall Square or Seaport over New Yorks Times Square because the quality of life will be better (with a wild weekend trip to New York, of course!). Boston is now somewhere I choose to visit voluntarily so that I can escape from New Yorks hustle and get in a fun, relaxing weekend with friends, drinking craft beer and not waiting in lines to do it. Boston has long been a great beer city (Lord Hobo and Bukowski were among my old haunts), but the Seaport, with its large spaces for brewing, has become a booming destination for beer lovers to taste the worlds best drink at its fount. On the way home, Ill grab unique beers to go at Trillium Brewing or Craft Beer Cellar. Its not just what your city can offer, but how easy it is to access those things. Urban planners think constantly about how to tool traffic flow, infrastructure, zoning and more, crafting the ultimate vision of a beautiful city to live, work and play in. In my opinion, Boston is the quiet tortoise slowly and steadily winning this decades quality-of-life race for the young and techy. Now if only we could do something about that winter. Dakota Kim is Pastes Food Editor. Tweet her at @dakotakim1. Header image by Sarah Nichols CC BY-SA The National Development Planning Commission is advocating a national budget allocation for contraceptives. Ghanas population has increased by 9.1 million from the 2006 census of 18.9 million to 24 million in the last census conducted in 2010. The alarming rise in population has been attributed to low patronage of contraceptives, especially among women. It is reported that less than a quarter of women use contraceptives because one out of every three women meet their needs in family planning. Poor access to contraceptives especially among rural women have been identified as one of the factors contributing the population rise. Speaking at the launch of the 2017 World Population Day: FP2020 Ghana Satellite event, Commissioner of the NDPC, professorAgyeman Badu Akosa said it is inappropriate for only donor partners to fund contraceptives in Ghana. In a country where we leave that in the hands of our donor partners the day they do not provide the money we are caught in a real catch twenty two situation that is why we are saying we need to have a budget line that spells family contraceptives devices, he said Minister for planning, Prof George Gyan Baffour, noted family planning is a vital variable in the development of every country. If the population is growing faster than the rate of growth the economy the implication is very obvious that means that per capital income is on a decline and poverty will be on ascendance he saod. Dr. Leticia Appiah, Executive Director of National Population Council, encouraged the use of contraceptives among the youth and also among families to control the number of children base on their financial income. 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. Featured Video Something is wrong with Ghana, but we shall soon find it. Ghana is so blessed with human and resources, and favorable climate to boot; yet many a Ghanaian are those that do not benefit so live deprived. Something is wrong and it has to be found. Ghana has invested a greater part of her fortunes in free and almost-free education, turning out graduates of different shades and forms. As they sit for their final exams they are also in the visa queues for visa to travel abroad to do odd jobs, unrelated to their just-acquired knowledge. Something is wrong somewhere, we shall find it. Ghana has hardworking rural folks producing all kinds of primary produce which could easily be turned into secondary products, yet our graduates seek government employment and Ghana imports almost everything. Something is wrong and we shall do our best to find it. Ghana has endowed her educated ones with high level certificates which they flaunt for fans, but they are found wanting in basic knowledge about life in their own environment; the environment they are expected to develop! Something is not right, we have to find it. Maybe God must come in to help, luckily he is well known in all his identities by Ghanaians; and judging by the serene religious atmosphere in Ghana, God must also know them. They however choose to spend four out of the seven days of the week in churches to ask God to do what God expects them to do on this earth! Something has to be wrong, we shall find it. Is it not in Ghana that governments pride themselves in the number of hospitals and doctor's strikes they record while they cannot provide enough garbage dumps, toilets, and drainage, thereby increasing incidence of malaria, cholera, etc. Is prevention not better than cure in Ghana? If something is wrong we shall soon find it. Ghanaian authorities always bemoan the increase in the number of road accidents, and do not forget also to complain about GORO boys at the licencing offices who help to licence unqualified drivers! Do the licencing officials not know the appropriate process in licencing qualified drivers and vehicles even if they are afraid to drive the "Goro" boys from the licencing premises? Something is wrong. Or maybe the problem could be from Ghana's interesting policy of rejecting well-maintained ten-year old imported vehicles but certifying thirty-year old rickety vehicles to ply our roads, in the name of preventing "dumping" by foreigners! Are the thirty-year old certified vehicles not indicating a dumpsite already! Ghana has a problem somewhere, but we shall find it. Anyway, sixty years of "proving to the world that we Africans (Ghanaians) can handle our own affairs" it would not have been too much to ply our roads with our own vehicles by now, but our leaders rather are preoccupied by how to select vehicles from the imported government car-pool for their end-of-service benefit. These leaders acquire state-of-the-art vehicles for use in the capital cities with "polished" roads they leave villages for their inhabitants to become perpertual villagers. Something must be wrong somewhere. Then our women emerge in the guise of contributing their quota towards national development, but strategically they incriminate to exploit men and pretend not to see their own weaknesses in our socio-cultural setting. They see women capable and even better than men only in top-level and easy positions, but not in the tough, rough, harsh and risky jobs! If being female was all the requirement for development, why do they not let the rural and illiterate women fill those decision-making positions! We shall find what is wrong soon. "Wo werfi na wosan kfa a ynkyi" (It is not an abomination to return to retrieve what has been forgotten), is a popular Akan proverb. It is not too late learn and to correct our errors, so let us rethink, reposition and redo some of our business-as-usual things to make Ghana shine again, I believe it could be done. Source: modernghana.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A shortage of Polio and Measles vaccines has hit the country, leaving many children unvaccinated and putting them at risk. The Director-General at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare said the country owed the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the international body that procures the vaccine across the globe, huge sums of money. The vaccines are given to newborn babies to fight the deadly childhood disease, but for some time now nursing mothers are being turned away when they want to have their babies vaccinated due to the shortage. Dr Asare said that the country will, however, receive supplies of the vaccines soon because almost $10 million has been paid to UNICEF for the procurement of the vaccines. The fact is that we get the polio vaccines procured for us through UNICEF. There was an outstanding bill from last year which was not paid. God being so good, just this week we have managed to clear that bill and as we speak now they will be airlifting the polio vaccine to the country. The one that we are transferring is about 10 million dollars which we are going to use to get all the consignment we need for the next year or so and we will then schedule and clear all the outstanding bills, he added. Touching on whether the shortages could pose health risks to babies and infants who needed them most, Dr. Asare said that his outfit has put in place measures to mitigate such issues. What we are doing to mitigate it is that we call other districts and regions where they have stock then we forward to places where the stock had gone low. So a day or two difference will not make much difference so we will sort it out Im sure by the close of the week, he said. Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus and it mainly affects children under 5 years of age. It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. Ghana often receives vaccine supply that could last for about a year from UNICEF. But Dr Asare said that the country would have to clear outstanding debts before receiving new consignment. We have yearly consumption but the problem was that we pay for the previous years outstanding bills and then also this years bills. It comes to the Central cold home at Korle Bu and we also send it to the regional centres and they are also send it to the various districts. When I checked up the money has been released. Immediately the money has been transferred which we got a copy of the transfer yesterday, they will release the vaccines, he explained. Source: Pulse.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Deputy Minister for Roads and Highway, Anthony Abeyifa Karbo has disclosed that the tunnel construction under the Accra-Tema motorway to link the Spintex and East Legon roads will be completed in ten months. He said even though the construction will disrupt normal flow of traffic, persons who use that tunnel will have to sacrifice for works to be completed on schedule. Speaking in an interview on Peace FM morning show Kokrokoo, Karbo who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra in the Upper West Region said: Its been long overduethat tunnel must be completed to ease traffic. Government has decided that if there is a need to build a two way tunnel for traffic to be smoother, it will be done. Initial designs have been done and construction will commence in some few weeks. Ten months is ten months; we urge users of that road to be patient. We need to sacrifice to get this problem solved. We have taken a decision for work to be done and it must be done expeditiously. I am very confident that right after the construction of the tunnel the traffic in that area will be resolved permanently. The new tunnel which will be about 20m away from the old tunnel will be constructed by Sonitra Construction Company. Hon. Karbo further indicated that those selling along that stretch will have to give way. The ministry has put things in place for all the necessary support to be given because their livelihood will be affected. We are going to work closely with them (traders) to make sure everything goes on smoothly without any challenge he added. Meanwhile, the Ghana Highway Authority in a public notice has advised motorists travelling to and from East Legon and the Spintex roads to adhere to directional and safety signs that are being made available at appropriate sections, throughout the 10 months that the construction works are expected to last. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has rekindled the debate on public private partnerships (PPP) saying they are the way to achieving development for Ghana. According to the former Ghanaian Leader, lessons from the international community and the African Union reveal that involving the private sector coupled with a good policy in governance is the surest way to meet the country's development goals. Speaking at an Economic Forum by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Wednesday, July 12, Mr Agyekum was of the view that: The whole globe is one market and the AU is talking new partnerships for Africas development because they have seen that we are in an era of PPP to move growth and create wealth. Mr Kufuor believes social interventions and best intentions for development will not succeed without the incorporation of PPPs. He said Ghana should not be limited in such partnerships and that we should welcome people from Korea, America or whoever comes and then we negotiate fairly for win-win. 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. Featured Video President Akufo Addo has announced an eighty (80) million dollars Swiss Corporation Strategy for Ghana aimed at supporting and enhancing the competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises and the diversification of the Ghanaian economy. Addressing a joint press conference after holding talks with the visiting Swiss President Doris Leuthard, he said the support is a welcome news for the country and everything would be done to make sure that the country reaps full benefits from it. Other Agreements between Ghana and Switzerland As part of the discussions held the president stated that the two countries have agreed to collaborate to uphold international peace and security. He observed that the threat of terrorism is a concern to all countries and Ghana is pleased to cooperate with Switzerland in that regard. Fundamental Human Rights According to the Commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the peoples of Ghana and Switzerland is extremely vital, thus the two countries have agreed to work within the dictates of the UN human rights counsel to uphold the rights of citizens in both countries. UN Security Council Positions Also the Swiss President and Akufo Addo agreed to support persons from the two countries vying for positions on the UN Security Council. This, the two Presidents believe would go a long way to protect the interest of the two countries on the Security Council. The two leaders also agreed to propose Reforms on the Current structure and composition of the Council to favour Africa. Terrorism on the African Continent Switzerland, according to the Ghanaian leader, has agreed to support the African Union (AU) to deal with the crisis in Lybia, Mali and other states of the Sahara that are affected by terrorism. The issues of migration and mobility from Africa to Europe by peoples of the African Continent is to be dealt with by providing economic opportunities in Ghana and other African countries. The leaders are hopeful that this agreement will go a long way to address the migration challenge in Europe. The two countries also decided to cooperate to develop safer and legal means of migration by Africans to European destinations. MoU on Cocoa Production The two countries also signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) to boost cocoa production in Ghana and to add value to the commodity. This agreement, Akufo-Addo said will boost the production of cocoa in the country and also add value to it. ICC Upcoming Election Discussion were held between the leaders for Swiss support for the candidature of Professor Henrietta Mensah Bonus for election to the International Criminal Court (ICC) ahead of the elections to be held in December 2017. Switzerland has agreed to support the candidature of the renowned Ghanaian jurist. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The leaders of the aggrieved LLB graduates who have filed for an injunction to stop the upcoming entrance exams into the Ghana Law School, have alleged that they have received anonymous calls threatening them to back down on their course. The group filed for an injunction on the entrance exams scheduled for this Friday, July 14, 2017, after the General Legal Council rejected an earlier petition on the matter. According to leaders of the group, the anonymous callers warned that they will all be victimized even if they manage to finally gain admission into the school. One of the leaders, Kenn Donkor Addor, told Citi News that he and his colleagues will stay resolute to the course even in the face of the mounting pressure. So far since we started this fight, its been two weeks now; and there has been calls from unknown numbers, private numbers calling us, threatening that if we dont take care we will be victimized. But we have a conviction that what we are being directed to engage in is legal. And as upcoming lawyers, we think that we cannot be pushed into this illegality. Since we are chatting the path of the rule of law, the rule of law is a cornerstone of the administration of justice. We hope that the General Legal Council will hold its law and allow the judicial system to work, he added. Background The Supreme Court on June 22, 2017 declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School. According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission. The Justices in delivering their judgment, also indicated that their order should not take retrospective effect, but should be implemented in six months, when admissions for the 2018 academic year begins. But the LLB graduates petitioned the General Legal Council (GLC) to scrap the July 14 entrance exams and interview session describing it as illegal but the GLC vowed not to do such thing. The GLC in its response to a petition from the group, said the Council decided that in line with the terms of the judgment in the above mentioned case, the law school entrance examination scheduled for Friday July 14th would take place as planned. Your petition, which includes among other thigns a request for automatic admission to the Ghana School of Law, is therefore declined, the GLC said last Friday. The Concerned LLB Graduates in their writ prayed the court to declare that the admission criteria imposed by the Council in terms of an entrance examination and an interview for admission into the Ghana School of Law since 2015 contravene the provisions of Act 32 and L.I. 1296. The group also wants an order from the court to compel the Council allow automatic admission into the Ghana School of Law since to it the policy infringes on the fundamental human rights of students. A further declaration that plaintiffs and persons with the requisite qualification in terms of law (i.e. Act 32 and L.I. 1296) automatically qualify for admission into the Ghana School of Law. An order of court setting aside the unlawful criteria complained off as illegal and unconstitutional and an infringement upon the plaintiffs fundamental human rights enshrined in the 199 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. A declaration that allowing the defendant-council to administer the entrance examination on Friday, 14th July, 2017 would amount to a grant of immunity from the consequences of breaching sections 13 and 14 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32), Regulations 2 and 3 of the Professional Law Course Regulations, 1984 (L.I. 1296) and articles 11(7), 23, 296 (a) and (b) and 2987 (b) of the 1992 Constitution, the writ added. Source: citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Alex Kwame Boakye-Sremah, a morning show host with a Takoradi based radio station has been appointed by the Regional Population Council as Ambassador for Family planning services. The Ambassador, by his appointment would promote the use of birth control methods in regulating population growth and also mop up campaign in terms of road shows and work at getting more men and women to voluntarily adopt family planning practices and the other birth control modes to mitigate the impact of rapid population growth on the economy. Mrs Eugenia Kusi, the Deputy Regional Minister, conferring the honour on him at this year's Regional population day celebration charged him to execute his mandate by integrating all stakeholders concerned to maximise gains in population control and the overall national development. Family planning is now touted as one of the key areas in ensuring healthy people for sustainable development and better resource allocation. In Ghana, high population occurred in urban areas such as Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi Takoradi which has strong implications on the economy. The Deputy Minister said government would have to spend more on terms of the provision of social amenities to match up with the growth of the Population. It is estimated that Ghana's population would rise to 40.8 million in the year 2040 which present a big economic challenge to government to meet the various needs of population and therefore proper planning and birth control schemes to ensure effective and efficient resource allocation by government and families. Mrs Kusi added that collective efforts must be harnessed to ensure a better future for both present and yet unborn generation adding that rapid population growth undermines strategies to sustain investment in social amenities. "Rather it's exacerbate the challenges of poverty, maternal and child deaths, HIV and AIDS and puts pressure on natural resources", she added. She said involving men in the campaign for Family planning was one of the many options of meeting the targets of reducing national population growth rate from 3.0 to 1.5 in the next 10 years. The Deputy Minister noted that there was the need to intensify efforts in a more coordinated approach in order to yield the expected outcomes. Reverend Ernest Kwofie, Western Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council mentioned that population issues were complex due to its stressing impact on the economy. He was worried about teenage pregnancies, early marriages and high abortion rates among young people and called for escalated actions to stem the practice in the bud. Ms Freda Owusu-Ansah, officer with the Population Council said the UN in 1987 instituted the day when the World recorded its fifth billion child to raise awareness on issues of population growth and its implications on economies. 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. Featured Video 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 PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 13:00:41 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 392 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for RSI International Systems Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Las Vegas, Nevada (FSCWire) - RSI International Systems Inc. (TSX Venture:RSY). has issued a press release with the following headline:Acquisition Of Shares Of RSI International Systems Inc.To 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 RSI International Systems 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/RSI International Systems Inc.Source: RSI International Systems Inc. (TSX Venture: RSY, ISIN: CA74973R2072)Date: July 13, 2017Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of RSI International Systems Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 10:42:02 Paris (France), Washington D.C. (US), July 13, 2017 - Atos, a leader in digital transformation, launches Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack, a fully integrated hybrid cloud service, powered by the DELL EMC Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack hybrid cloud platform. The new solution is a complete end-to-end Cloud offering, bringing together the combined experience from Atos, Dell EMC and Microsoft to make it easier for businesses to manage workloads and build and share cloud-native applications across both private and public clouds. Canopy is the Atos brand for Cloud and a key component of Atos' Digital Transformation Factory strategy. Hybrid Cloud: strategy adopted by 80% of large organisations Interoperability between public and private cloud resources has quickly become a top requirement for many organizations' IT infrastructures. A recent study by IDC* shows that 80 percent of large organizations have a hybrid cloud strategy and 51 percent already use both public and private cloud infrastructure resources. Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud for Azure Stack Azure Stack is an extension of Azure, enabling new hybrid cloud applications. Using the combined experience and expertise from Atos, Dell EMC and Microsoft, this offering enables businesses to simply and quickly build a hybrid cloud deployment based on Microsoft Azure Stack. It offers automated delivery of IT services for both cloud-native and traditional applications. Additionally, it unifies the experience across the Azure public cloud platform and on-premises with Azure Stack, so businesses can manage workloads and deploy new apps in the cloud more easily, regardless of which cloud they are deployed to. Businesses will benefit from increased control, flexibility and agility as well as reduced costs, without compromising on compliance or security. As a result, organizations can better engage with their customers, reduce time to market for new services, and free resources to focus on adding business value. Peter Pluim, Executive Vice President IDM, Atos says: "We believe the hybrid cloud is the foundation of the digital transformation of our clients. This truly integrated solution supports businesses on their hybrid digital transformation journeys and enables them to respond swiftly to the market and create exceptional customer experiences." Peter Cutts, Senior Vice President, Hybrid Cloud Platforms, Dell EMC comments: "Adopting a hybrid cloud strategy is key to both IT and digital transformation because it enables IT to rapidly develop and deploy new applications, optimize resources, control costs and deliver the best possible customer experiences. Our trusted hybrid cloud platforms make the complex simple, helping customers accelerate delivery of cloud services, reduce cost, and allow them to focus on adding value to their business." Availability The new solution is expected to be available in the second half of calendar year 2017. To find out more, watch our video or visit our website here. ### *Global IDC study commissioned by DELL EMC which interviewed 1,000 mid- to large-sized organizations that are using and/or evaluating private and public cloud. About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 72 countries and annual revenue of around 12 billion. The European number one in Big Data, Cybersecurity, High Performance Computing and Digital Workplace, The Group provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across various business sectors: Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Energy & Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. About Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud Atos Canopy is the Atos brand for Cloud. Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud is Atos' cloud service offering, which provides businesses with end-to-end managed, digital services including service orchestration and application and infrastructure transformation and management, over a combination of private and public clouds for all applications. Atos' aim is to support businesses on their digital transformation journeys so that they may benefit from the advantages of a full Cloud solution - improved operational efficiency, reduced IT operational costs, security and scale - so that these businesses may better engage with their customers, reduce time to market for new services, and free up resources to focus on adding business value. Press contact: Laura Fau - laura.fau@atos.net - +33 6 73 64 04 18 @laurajanefau This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: ATOS via Globenewswire Charter Tax- Chartered Accountants & Financial Advisers PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 13:35:46 Press Information Charter Tax Kent Office: 1 Bedgebury Business Park, Forge Farm, Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 2QZ Janet Paterson PRINCIPAL OF CHARTER TAX CONSULTING 01580 313108 email http://www.charter-tax.com/ # 465 Words Kent Office: 1 Bedgebury Business Park, Forge Farm, Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 2QZPRINCIPAL OF CHARTER TAX CONSULTING01580 313108 South East tax experts in running for acclaimed STEP Private Client Awards 2017/18 Awards ceremony to be held at Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, London in September Delighted to have been recognised for the service provided to our clients. London and Kent-based tax firm, Charter Tax, has been shortlisted for a top prize at one of the most prestigious gatherings for the private client industry.The STEP Private Client Awards are renowned for recognising excellence on a global scale and are regarded as being the hallmark of quality within the private client industry. To be in the running for the Boutique Firm of the Year award represents a boon for Charter Tax, whose aim to provide a full range of tax and accountancy services specifically tailored to its clients needs has seen the business grow substantially since its founding in 2009.Having undergone a rigorous judging process, those companies shortlisted for the Boutique Firm of the Year award were required to demonstrate the attributes and quality of service they offered to their clients. From detailing the approach taken to client management, to showcasing the ability to liaise and collaborate with other service providers, Charter Taxs dedication to offering a first-class, professional service to its client base, complemented by personal, engaging relationships, was recognised by the judging panel and saw the company added to the shortlist for the prize.Were delighted to have been recognised with this nomination for the service provided to our private clients, said Charter Tax Director, Janet Paterson. Part of the ethos of the company is that we truly value each and every client we work with. Every member of the team aims to engender a friendly, lasting relationship with those we work with, and we take care to ensure that we represent a trusted advisor and can help resolve any queries or issues our clients have. To have been shortlisted in the Boutique Firm of the Year category demonstrates that this level of customer service really connects with our clients added Mark Howard of Charter Tax. Regardless of whether we are successful or not at the ceremony, its a great honour simply to be on the list of nominees - this feels like a victory already. It also represents a fantastic opportunity for every member of the team to feel extremely proud of their efforts and to use the acclaim as motivation for continuing the successful development of the business. The STEP Private Client Awards 2017/18 will take place at Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, London on September 6, 2017. Alongside a host of leading industry names, Charter Tax will be looking to scoop the award for Boutique Firm of the Year and take home the recognition of its industry peers.For more details on the STEP Private Client Awards, visit www.steppca.org/ today. PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 14:00:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 391 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for GGX Gold Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - GGX Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:GGX). has issued a press release with the following headline:GGX Gold Is Expanding its Marketing ProgramsTo 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 GGX Gold Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/GGX Gold Corp.Source: GGX Gold Corp. (TSX Venture: GGX, WKN: A1JFMB , ISIN: CA76155T1093, OTC Pink: GGXXF)Date: July 13, 2017Time: 8:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of GGX Gold Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 14:59:01 Invitation 13 July 2017 SCOR GROUP 2017 FIRST HALF RESULTS INVITATION TO ANALYST AND INVESTOR PRESENTATION AND CONFERENCE CALL on Thursday 27 July 2017 at 09:30 CET (08:30 GMT) The conference call will be held in English and followed by a Q&A session The press release and investor presentation will be published on our website on 27 July 2017 by 07:30 CET (06:30 GMT) at the latest. We invite you to join this meeting: On our website www.scor.com/en/financial-information via live audio webcast (a recorded version will also be available after the conference) By telephone (a recorded version will also be available after the conference) (see next page for conference call details) * * ***** * Conference call in English - 09:30 CET (08:30 GMT) On the SCOR website Connect to www.scor.com/en/financial-information to follow the live webcast in English and download all the documents relating to the SCOR group 2017 First Half Results. By telephone The direct dial-in numbers, to be called ten minutes before the start of the conference, are: If you are calling from France: +33 (0)1 76 77 22 74 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from the UK: +44 (0)330 336 9105 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Germany: +49 (0)69 2222 13420 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Switzerland: +41 (0)22 567 5729 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from the US: +1 719-325-4759 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Asia: +852 3008 1527 Pin code: 9609718 If possible, please call from a fixed line to maximize sound quality. You will be asked by an operator to indicate which meeting you wish to participate in, please quote: "SCOR Conference". At the end of the presentation you will be able to put your questions to the SCOR Executive Team. A replay will be available from the end of the conference until 10 August 2017 inclusive, by dialing: If you are calling from France: +33 (0) 1 70 48 00 94 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from the UK: +44 (0) 207 984 7568 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Germany: +49 (0) 69 2000 1800 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Switzerland: +41 (0) 22 567 5709 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from the US: +1 719-457-0820 Pin code: 9609718 If you are calling from Asia: +852 3008 0334 Pin code: 9609718 Contact details Ian Kelly Head of Investor Relations +44 (203) 207 8561 ikelly@scor.com http://www.scor.com/ SCOR photo gallery Twitter: @SCOR_SE This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: SCOR via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 08:02:01 Tikkurila Oyj Press Release July 13, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (CET+1) Invitation: Tikkurila's Half Year Report for January-June 2017 Tikkurila Oyj will publish the Half Year Report for January-June 2017 on Friday, August 4, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. Finnish time. Tikkurila will hold a press conference regarding the Half Year Report for January-June 2017 for the media and analysts on Friday, August 4, 2017, starting at 12:00 noon Finnish time at hotel Kamp's Akseli Gallen-Kallela cabinet (address: Pohjoisesplanadi 29, 00100 Helsinki). The conference will be held in Finnish. Attendees will be served lunch at the conference premises starting at 11:30 a.m. The Half Year Report will be presented by Erkki Jarvinen, President and CEO, and Jukka Havia, CFO A live webcast, conducted in English, will be organized on August 4, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. The live webcast will be available at www.tikkurilagroup.com. The participants can also join a telephone conference that will be arranged in conjunction with the live webcast. The telephone conference details are set out below: +358 (0)9 7479 0404 (Finnish callers) +44 (0)33 0336 9411 (UK callers) +1 719 325 2202 (US callers) Participant code: 5196100 An on-demand version of the webcast will be available at www.tikkurilagroup.com/investors later during the same day. Half Year Report and related presentation material will be available before the press conference at www.tikkurilagroup.com/investors. For further information, please contact: Tikkurila Oyj Minna Avellan, Director, Communications and Investor Relations, tel. +358 40 533 7932, minna.avellan@tikkurila.com Tikkurila is the leading paints and coatings professional in the Nordic region and Russia. With our roots in Finland, we now operate in 14 countries. Our high-quality products and extensive services ensure the best possible user experience in the market. Sustainable beauty since 1862. www.tikkurilagroup.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Tikkurila Oyj via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 11:02:02 Completes enrollment of prospective study (BLADE) to advance second software-based AXINON IVD test numares AG Achieves Key Milestone: Identifies Candidate Metabolomic Network for Bladder Cancer Diagnostics numares AG Dipl.-Biol. Christiane Proll, MBA Tel.: +49 941 2809 49-14 E-Mail: christiane.proll@numares.com or IRA WULFING KOMMUNIKATION GmbH Dr. Reinhard Saller Tel.: +49 89 2000 30-30 E-Mail: reinhard.saller@wuelfing-kommunikation.de or U.S.A. The Ruth Group Investors: Robert Flamm, Ph.D. Tel.: 1-646-536-7017 E-Mail: rflamm@theruthgroup.com or Media: Kirsten Thomas/Cari Randall Tel: 1-508-280-6592/1-646-536-7002 E-Mail: kthomas@theruthgroup.com/crandall@theruthgroup.com numares AG obtained promising results from a retrospective study that provides initial evidence that evaluation of metabolomic biomarker networks can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic for bladder cancer. Based on these results, the company enrolled patients in a prospective study to confirm and further refine the metabolomic network. The test is intended to be launched as a CE-marked in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) in Europe in the second half of 2018. Bladder cancer can be challenging to diagnose. Available urine-based tests are often not reliable if there are traces of blood in the urine sample (called microhematuria), which is also associated with bladder cancer. However, even persistent microhematuria is a poor prognostic indicator, because only two to five percent of patients with microhematuria are diagnosed with bladder cancer. As a result, the majority of patients presenting with microhematuria undergo cystoscopy to rule out bladder cancer as a cause of the symptom. Cystoscopy is an invasive procedure that causes risks as well as pain for the patient. Thus, there is a significant need for a non-invasive bladder cancer screening test to reduce the number of cystoscopies. To address this need, numares initiated a project to develop a non-invasive bladder cancer IVD test that would be run on AXINON, a fully-integrated laboratory system based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The first step in the project was to evaluate approximately 300 urine samples from patients with and without bladder cancer with the objective of identifying metabolites that could be developed into a bladder cancer-specific metabolomic network. Based on this analysis, we have initiated and are currently finishing the recruitment phase of our prospective validation study, BLADE (Bladder Cancer Detection using Metabolomic Evaluation of Urine and Blood), to confirm our initial findings, said Dr. Philipp Pagel, chief medical officer of numares. We collected urine samples from patients with persistent microhematuria who are scheduled for cystoscopy. With this program, numares pursues the European Association of Urologys (EAU) appeal to evaluate new biomarkers in urine for avoiding cystoscopies. The positive results of our retrospective analysis were an important milestone for numares as the bladder cancer test has now advanced into the next phase, said Volker Pfahlert, chairman of the executive board of numares. When launched, the bladder cancer test will be our second metabolomic network-based diagnostic. The first, the recently-launched renalTX-SCORE, uses a metabolomic biomarker network to diagnose kidney transplant rejection in urine samples. Along with renalTX-SCORE, the bladder cancer project further illustrates the power of the metabolomic biomarker network approach. About bladder cancer Urinary bladder carcinoma is among the most common types of cancer with approximately 350,000 new cases per year. Men are significantly more often (3.8 times) affected than women. In Europe about 118,000 new cases were discovered in 2012. In the US there is an estimation of 80,000 new cases and 17,000 deaths by bladder cancer in 2017. Bladder cancer is mostly associated with quite unspecific signs and symptoms, such as blood in the urine. If medical anamnesis and ultrasonic examination do not reveal the cause of the hematuria, as a next step a cystoscopy is recommended. About biomarker networks The innovative approach to use biomarker networks for diagnostic purposes becomes increasingly relevant for several further medical questions, which cannot be addressed by appropriate diagnostic solutions so far. It is numares mission to fulfill those unmet diagnostic needs by developing products for its NMR-based AXINON IVD system. It is reflected by the companys product pipeline. To achieve its mission, numares developed its proprietary Magnetic Group Signaling (MGS) technology as a prerequisite and employs machine learning techniques (also known as artificial intelligence) to process the large amount of data and to identify metabolomic biomarker networks. About Magnetic Group Signaling (MGS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has long been used as a research tool, in particular for determining the structure of chemical compounds. In the past, this technology was too complex to be used in metabolomics-based medical research or diagnostics due to several technical limitations. numares developed its proprietary Magnetic Group Signaling (MGS) technology to enable NMR to answer demanding questions in metabolomics. With MGS, important prerequisites like standardization and qualification can be fulfilled through technical processes and procedures. For the first time systematic processing and use of diagnostic information from the metabolism is possible. Thanks to MGS, numares in vitro diagnostic system (IVD) AXINON is able to generate reliable and reproducible data of highest quality independent of the NMR device or the user. This enables fully automated analysis of patient samples without any human intervention. About numares numares AG is a fast-growing innovative diagnostics company that develops and markets software-based test systems for high-throughput use in clinical diagnostics and life science research. The AXINON IVD system and its diagnostic tests employ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy creating a numaric spectrum with which to evaluate metabolomic networks. The output of these analyses provide physicians with valuable information on the disease status of patients. numares developed its proprietary Magnetic Group Signaling (MGS) technology to enable NMR for highly standardized and rapid throughput testing, making it a cost-efficient new solution for diagnostic purposes. The metabolomics tests address unmet medical needs in the indication fields of cardiovascular diseases, nephrology, oncology and neurology, shaping another important pillar in precision medicine. numares AG is headquartered in Regensburg, Germany, with offices in Boston and Singapore. You will find more information at http://www.numares.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707130053 PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 14:00:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 398 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Prophecy Development Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Prophecy Development Corp. (TSX:PCY). has issued a press release with the following headline:Prophecy Acquires Louie Hill Project in Nevada for Third Vanadium Transaction in 2017To 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 Prophecy Development 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/Prophecy Development Corp.Source: Prophecy Development Corp. (TSX: PCY, OTC Pink: PRPCF, FWB: 1P2N, WKN: A2ALPW)Date: July 13, 2017Time: 8:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Prophecy Development Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 01:10:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 401 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Quantum International Income Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, Ontario (FSCWire) - Quantum International Income Corp. (TSX Venture:QIC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Quantum International Income Corp. Announces Stock Option Grant and Board AppointmentTo 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 Quantum International Income 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/Quantum International Income Corp.Source: Quantum International Income Corp. (TSX Venture: QIC, TSX Venture: QIC.U, ISIN: CA74766M1005)Date: July 12, 2017Time: 7:10 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Quantum International Income Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-13 14:28:01 UFraction8 Scoops Murgitroyd Innovator Launchpad Award Murgitroyd Contact: Fiona McKenzie, European Marketing Manager Tel: +44 (0)141 307 8400 Email: fiona.mckenzie@murgitroyd.com Murgitroyd, the global intellectual property attorney firm, has awarded first prize of 5,000 cash to Scotland-based start-up uFraction8 in its first Innovator Launchpad competition. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707130055 Dr Brian Miller and Dr Monika Tomecka celebrating their prize (Photo: Business Wire). In an award ceremony at The Dome, Edinburgh, co-founders of the Falkirk-based microfluidics company, Dr Brian Miller and Dr Monika Tomecka, were presented with the 5,000 winners cheque together with a 2,500 intellectual property services voucher from Murgitroyd, custom Beta Brand space jackets and a PR package. The UK-wide innovation competition was launched by Murgitroyd in May 2017 in a drive to support early-stage businesses, and is based on Facebook. The initial top three were decided in a public Facebook vote, with these three then going through to a formal judging process, with experts including Converge Challenge founder Dr Olga Kozlova. Winner uFraction8s technology centres on a new liquid particle processing technology which offers superior performance and cost savings against the three big liquid processing technologies: filtration, flow centrifugation and flocculation. The company is a spin-out from Edinburghs Heriot-Watt University. The technology has multiple applications including enhancing food security, increasing access to medicines and nutrients, preserving ocean life and enhancing operational capabilities of humanitarian aid missions. UFraction8 has won a number of awards recently, including the high-profile Imagine Chemistry Challenge, run by AkzoNobel. Through this, a strategic partnership has just been announced been uFraction8 and AkzoNobel. The company has also achieved equity funding through the Deep Science Ventures business accelerator programme and further non-diluting grant funding is lined up through Scottish Enterprisess SMART Feasibility scheme. Dr Miller, the companys CEO, a former automation engineer who retrained in microfluidics, described the award as a great helping hand. Its not just the cash, but also the intellectual property advice provided by Murgitroyd that will come in useful: this will help us to assess the value we can add to the company through intellectual property. Dr Tomecka, uFraction8s Chief Operating Officer, a biomedical researcher with experience in marketing and team management commented that the company had ambitious plans for expansion and that they were seeking investors. She and Miller believe that both of these objectives will be helped by the publicity from the competition. UFraction8 fought off serious competition from other UK start-ups to win the prize with 35 other early-stage businesses entering the competition. Innovator Launchpad judge Keith Jones, Director Patents with Murgitroyd, commented on the high standard of competition entries: As a patent attorney, I deal with innovation day in day out, and I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of the entries. Jones described uFraction8s entry as seriously disruptive technology. Jamie LeLiever, Chief Marketing Officer with Murgitroyd, was keen to stress the importance of professional services help alongside cash support for early-stage businesses: As an entrepreneur myself, with experience of founding my own businesses in the US, I know that its not just the cash that counts. Young companies need advice, and companies like Murgitroyd can assist with that we will also be opening up the competition to other professional services sponsors in the next phase, in order to increase the range of advice available to companies. Innovator Launchpad will be back in 2017, and we will have some exciting new developments to announce. Weve taken on feedback from this competitions competitors and aim to streamline it further in the next phase. So look out for news of Innovator Launchpad 2.0 in the early Autumn on our Facebook page we look forward to supporting more young companies in the UK!. Web Links uFraction8 website: ufraction8.com Innovator Launchpad Facebook page: facebook.com/innovatorlaunchpad Facebook Live winners interview: facebook.com/TheScotsmanNewspaper/videos/101569534 Murgitroyd website: murgitroyd.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707130055 uFraction8 scoop Innovator Launchpad first prize! https://www.murgitroyd.com/news/innovator-launchpad-award-presented-winner-ufraction8/ 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. RE/MAX NEXT, Chicago's newest RE/MAX franchise, will host a grand opening celebration for its office at 1046 W. Kinzie St., Suite 301, from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 14. Contact Chris Calomino ***@remax.net Chris Calomino End -- RE/MAX NEXT, Chicago's newest RE/MAX franchise, will host a grand opening celebration for its office at 1046 W. Kinzie St., Suite 301, from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 14. Joining broker/owners Mike Opyd and Rafay Qamar will be a cross section of real estate industry peers."Along with introducing everyone to our beautiful new office and great business model, we want to recognize the partnerships that we've established with other professionals in related fields," noted Opyd. "They include Fidelity National Title, the Camden Law Group, Federal Savings Bank and BMO Harris Bank, as well as with Truepad, a website that offers an enhanced level of detail from an agent perspective about homes for sale in Chicago."The RE/MAX NEXT office is a spacious setting, with 20-foot ceiling heights, a large lounge area, full-service cafe, fiber-optic wiring and even a director of hospitality to look after the needs of brokers and their guests.Qamar and Opyd describe their approach as "an agent-centric real estate company with full marketing and commission autonomy for our brokers."The two partners explained that one reason they are so excited about their new venture is its location in the West Loop/Fulton Market district."It positions us in a rapidly evolving area of downtown Chicago that is enjoying exceptional growth," Qamar said. "Many high-tech businesses are relocating here, and there has been a great deal of exciting residential development as well. The demand for top quality real estate services is strong, and we are building a company ready to meet those needs."Those interested in joining their colleagues at this event can still register at https://www.eventbrite.com/ e/remax-next- grand-opening- tickets-35999743201 RE/MAX agents consistently rank among the most productive in the industry. In 2016, RE/MAX Northern Illinois agents averaged 18 transaction sides. RE/MAX has been the leader in the northern Illinois real estate market since 1989 and is continually growing. The RE/MAX Northern Illinois network, with headquarters in Elgin, Ill., consists of more than 2,250 sales associates and 105 independently owned and operated RE/MAX offices that provide a full range of residential and commercial brokerage services. Its mobile real estate app, available for download at www.illinoisproperty.com , provides comprehensive information about residential and commercial property for sale in the region. The northern Illinois network is part of RE/MAX, a global real estate organization with 110,000+ sales associates in 100+ nations. Vastint Romania is closer to reach the planed 100,000 m lettable area in the city center. BogArt was appointed as the general contractor for the third building with a total surface of 20,000 m lettable area of modern, class A office and retail area. Located in the city center, along [] If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. As the present global refugee crisis continues to surgewith more than a million migrants fleeing war from not only Syria, but across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europeefforts to both explain and humanize the experience for young readers are proliferating on publishers latest lists. Here we gather some recent and forthcoming titlesranging from picture books to YA, fiction and nonfictionrelated to refugees and their experiences. The Journey By Francesca Sanna (Sept. 13, 2016, hardcover, $17.95, Flying Eye, ISBN 978-1-909263-99-4). A mother and two children are forced to flee their war-torn homeland, in this debut picture book inspired by Sannas interviews with migrants from around the world. Teacup By Rebecca Young, illus. by Matt Ottley (Oct. 4, 2016, Dial, hardcover, $17.99, ISBN 978-0-7352-2777-4). In this picture book, a boy in a rowboat searches for a new home, despite many obstacles along the way. Stepping Stones: A Refugee Familys Journey By Margriet Ruurs, trans. by Falah Raheem, illus. by Nizar Ali Badr (Oct. 18, 2016, Orca, hardcover, $20, ISBN 978-1-4598-1490-5). A refugee familys trek through Europe is the focus of this bilingual Arabic and English picture book. Calling the Water Drum By LaTisha Redding, illus. by Aaron Boyd (Dec. 31, 2016, Lee & Low, hardcover, $17.95, ISBN 978-1-62014-194-6). This picture book tells the story of a young Haitian immigrant, who lost his parents during the journey to America. My Beautiful Birds By Suzanne Del Rizzo (Mar. 8, hardcover, $17.95, Pajama Press, 978-1-77278-010-9). Del Rizzos mixed media illustrations illuminate the story of a young Syrian refugee learning to cope with all he has had to leave behind. One Good Thing About America By Ruth Freeman (Mar. 21, hardcover, $16.95, Holiday House, ISBN 978-0-8234-3695-8). In this middle grade novel, a nine-year-old narrator muses humorously on the differences between the Africa in which she was born and the America in which she now lives. Where Will I Live? By Rosemary McCarney (Apr. 4, hardcover, $19.95, Second Story, ISBN 978-1-77260-028-5). McCarney documents child refugees from around the world in this extended photo essay. Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees By Mary Beth Leatherdale and Eleanor Shakespeare (Apr. 11, Annick, paperback, $12.95 ISBN 978-1-55451-895-1; hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-55451-896-8). This illustrated middle-grade book offers a composite portrait of the struggles of 20th- and 21st-century boat refugees. The Treasure Box By Margaret Wild, illus. by Freya Blackwood (Apr. 25, Candlewick, hardcover, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-7636-9084-7). Wild and Blackwood document how two generations are influenced by what refugees choose to carry with them when all else is lost. The Lines We Cross By Randa Abdel-Fattah (May 9, HarperCollins/Tegen, hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-338-11866-7). In this YA novel set in Australia, two teensone an Afghan refugee, the other an Australian nationalistspar then seek to find common ground. How Dare the Sun Rise By Sandra Uwiringiyimana and Abigail Pesta (May 9, HarperCollins/Tegen, hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-338-11866-7). Uwiringiyimanas memoir tells the story of her flight from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where her family faced political and ethnic warfare Refugee By Alan Gratz (July 25, Scholastic Press, hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-0-545-88083-1). Gratzs YA novel follows three refugeesa Jewish boy in Nazi Germany, a Cuban girl in 1994, and a Syrian boy in 2015who are all in search of peace. Refugees and Migrants By Ceri Roberts and Hanane Kai (Aug. 1, Barrons, hardcover, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4380-5020-1). This nonfiction picture book answers common questions about refugees and their experiences. A Different Pond By Bao Phi, illus. by Thi Bui (Aug. 1, Capstone, hardcover, $15.95, ISBN 978-1-62370-803-0). Phis autobiographical picture book in verse explores the struggles of a Vietnamese immigrant family. Lost and Found Cat By Doug Kuntz, Amy Shrodes, Sue Cornelison (Jan. 31, Crown, hardcover, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-5247-1547-2). This picture book tells the true story of a cat separated from his family as they fled from Iraq, and their emotional reunion. Kunkush: The True Story of a Refugee Cat By Marne Ventura and Beidi Guo (Aug. 1, Capstone, hardcover, $28.65, ISBN 978-1-5157-7319-1). In another title about the lost cat, Ventura and Guo bring this true story of a refugee family to life using the Common Core approach. Pablo and Birdy By Alison McGhee, illus. by Ana Juan. (Aug. 22, S&S/Atheneum/Dlouhy, hardcover, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-7026-1). In this middle grade novel, Pablo confronts his frustration with his lost history as he comes of age after migrating as a baby. Refugees By Harriet Brundle (Oct. 1, Booklife, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-78637-024-2). This nonfiction picture book answers childrens questions about refugees with photographs and a case study of a Syrian family. Escape from Aleppo By N.H. Senzai (Jan. 2, hardcover, $16.99, S&S/Wiseman, ISBN 978-1-4814-7217-3). When the Arab Spring sparks a civil war in her native country Syria, Nadia and her family are forced to leave their home in Aleppo. More than 60 years after Eloise debuted in her first picture book, the precocious city girl remains a beloved icon of childrens literature and of New York itself. In honor of the irrepressible heroine, the New-York Historical Society in Manhattan has curated an immersive exhibit of original artwork by Eloise illustrator Hilary Knight. The exhibit showcases the legendary collaboration between Knight and the late performer and author Kay Thompson, featuring more than 75 objects, including original manuscripts, sketchbooks, photographs, and vintage dolls. Eloise at the Museum will run through October 9. The exhibit is the result of the latest partnership between NYHS and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Mass., where it debuted earlier this year. One of the highlights of the collection is Knights original Eloise portrait from 1956. The piece hung at the Plaza Hotel, where Thompson lived, before it mysteriously vanished in 1960. Two years later, it was recovered after Knight received an anonymous tip that it had been sighted in a dumpster. Stored for more than 50 years in Knights closet, the portrait has been restored in consultation with the illustrator, and now returns to public view. The museum will host special programming tied to the exhibit throughout the summer, including a book signing afternoon with Knight. Knight, whose work is also being showcased this summer at Lincoln Center in Hilary Knights Stage Struck World, spoke with PW about his collaboration with Thompson. With Kay, it was absolutely a two-person endeavor. We lived at the Plaza, in Paris, and in Moscow. It was a fascinating period and fairly unusual in a collaboration. He described their work together as immensely rewarding. [Kay] was an incredible, funny, clever woman in every department. While Knight is proud of both retrospectives, he looks forward to future projects. The chance to have a double exploration of your work at 90 is pretty good. I havent slowed down. Ive got a lot more to do. The artist is currently at work on two books, including what he described as a visual autobiography, due out in 2018 from St. Martins Press, titled Hilary Knight: Drawn from Life. The title pays tribute to Winnie-the-Pooh illustrator E.H. Shepards autobiography. Alice Stevenson, director of the DiMenna Childrens History Museum at the NYHS, said of the exhibit, I hope visitors walk away inspired by Eloises exuberance and confidenceshe is a child in a world of adults, and she more than holds her own. We also want people to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the talent of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight. Their creation still leaps off the page 60-plus years later, and that is a testament to their collaboration. Knight believes the enduring appeal of the Eloise series lies in the heroines independent spirit: I dont think it has anything to do with the fact that shes a rich girl living in an extraordinary situation. I think its the rhythm of the book and the fact that this is a really independent child whos inventive. She can invent all kinds of very interesting things to do with life. The theme of survival has perennial appeal for young fans of adventure stories, a theme that a pair of publishers is currently mining through historical and contemporary series. The destruction of Pompeii, the sinking of the Titanic, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks are three of the catastrophic events covered in Lauren Tarshiss I Survived novels from Scholastic, showcasing young peoples resilience and strength in the face of unimaginable disasters. Launched in 2010, the series interlaces history and fiction, and has ignited the interest of booksellers, educators, librarians, parents, and kids: there are more than 23 million copies in print of the book and digital editions of I Survived titles in the U.S. alone. And that number will likely grow after the 15th installment, I Survived the American Revolution, 1776, pubs on August 29 with a 685,000-copy first print run across all Scholastic channels. A new entry into the field, which puts a contemporary and practical spin on the survival theme, is Survivor Diaries by Terry Lynn Johnson, a series debuting this month from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt with Overboard! Also meshing fiction and fact, this series offers novels about kids combatting extreme forces of nature, followed by concise survival tips, vetted by relevant organizations, for those confronting a similar challenge. I Survived and Survivor Diaries have another trait in common: both authors have a deep personal interest inand passion fortheir book projects. Reeling in Difficult-to-Catch Readers Tarshiss inspiration for I Survive sprang from two distinct parts of her life. Almost a decade ago, searching for a way to hook the third of her four children, who is now 19, on reading, she recalled, I asked him What kind of book would you want to read? and he said, Cool stories that are about things like the Titanic or tornadoes and have a character like me in them. I had written two novels about Emma-Jean Lazarus for Dial, and I love her so much, but I began thinking that maybe I should try to write a book for kids like my son. I never thought it would launch a series that is still going strong so many years later, but the truth is that now I feel a sense of mission to make these storieswhich are not just about survival, but also about history, the environment, and human natureaccessible, and to get more kids reading. Tarshiss professional life also fueled the creation of I Survivedand continues to inspire new ideas for storylines. A 28-year Scholastic employee and currently v-p, editor of classroom magazines for the company, she edits Storyworks, a national language arts classroom magazine for grades 46, as well as the recently launched Storyworks Jr. for grade 3). When I became the editor of Storyworks, I recognized that there was very little nonfiction in classrooms, she said. Id been told that teachers wanted fiction, poetry, and plays, but I remembered, as a child who was a struggling reader, loving reading real-life Readers Digest stories in my dentists waiting room. Though the author originally envisioned I Survived as narrative nonfiction, the lack of primary source material about children who have survived cataclysmic events led her to write the series as historical fiction. Feedback from Storyworks readers, and from kids she encounters on her frequent school visits, helps keep her supplied with book ideas. In turn, nonfiction adventure and survival tales that have appeared in Storyworks inspired Tarshiss spinoff series, Survival: True Stories, which Scholastic Press debuted in 2014. That series third and most recent release, Tornado Terror, was released last March. True Stories has been eagerly embraced by teachers, who pair those tales with I Survived books to shape classroom curricula. With teachers using these series side-by-side to augment their lesson plans, theyve become mega bestsellers in print and digital, observed Nancy Mercado, Scholastic Presss editorial director, who edits both series. There is significant crossover in the series material, so teachers and parents can use whichever channel works best to introduce these topics to readerskids who like historical fiction can enter through I Survive, and nonfiction readers can enter through True Stories. And, added Mercado, both series show no sign of slowing down. I have a running list of ideas on my iPhone, since friends, co-workers, and people I meet on school visits are constantly suggesting book topics, she said. And Lauren obviously has no shortage of ideasher curiosity knows no limits, and she loves diving headfirst into these books. So as long as kids have such a huge appetite for these series, well continue to do them. They could go on forever! Contemporary Stories, Timeless Survival Advice Stay calm. Stay smart. Survive. The tag line for Johnsons Survivor Diaries, which starts up this month with Overboard!, conveys the series goal of educating while entertaining. In this debut novel, Traviss family is on a whale-watching tour off the coast of Washington state when the boat capsizes, throwing everyone onboard into the icy ocean. Separated from their families, Travis and a girl who was also a passenger struggle to stay afloatand survive. The book closes with cold-water survival tips approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. Johnson is very much at homeliterallywith the books premise and Northwestern setting. The author, who previously wrote Ice Dogs (HMH, 2014), a novel about a teenage dogsled racer, has lived in northern Ontario for more than four decades. She is a conservation officer with 17 years experience working in remote areas and cold-water environments, and has trained with the Canadian Coast Guard. A survival expert with extensive knowledge of many wilderness environments, Johnson is also well equipped to tackle the forthcoming Survivor Diaries topics: Avalanche! (Jan. 2018), Lost! (July 2018), and Dust Storm! (Jan. 2019). Survivor Diaries was the brainchild of HMH associate editor Christine Krones, who met Johnson at the 2016 winter Kindling Words retreat in Vermont. Krones had known of the author through Ice Dogs, which was edited by HMH executive editor Ann Rider. Terry and I happened to be sitting together at dinner, and she was talking about her experiences as a conservation officer, Krones recalled. Not only were her stories incredibly compelling, but I was intrigued by her storytelling. And it occurred to me that given that, and her expertise as a survivalist, Terry could write a great series combining adventure stories and real-life survival tips. So I cleared it through Ann, and approached Terry with the idea. Johnson agreed without hesitation, signing a four-book Survivor Diaries deal. I immediately saw this series as an awesome chance to combine my work experiences, personal experiences, and love of writing, she said. Christine and I brainstormed about plot premises, and she let me decide how to write them. I had a lot of leeway and, since I have been on the water my entire life, having grown up on a lake and now working as a conservation officer in a marine unit, I chose a subject I know very well for the first book. The author did extensive on-site and additional research for the subsequent Survivor Diaries books, hiking Wyomings Grand Teton mountains for Avalanche!, drawing on visits to the Costa Rican jungle for Lost, and exploring the wilds of New Mexico for Dust Storm. In addition to the common thread of kids relying on survival skills when realistic adventures go awry, each Survivor Diaries title also contains an element dear to Johnsons heart. Ive always had a deep interest in wildlife, and find humans interaction with animals and the environment fascinating, she noted. So each of these books includes a key encounter with animals. With only a six-month gap between the pub dates of Overboard! and Avalanche, and two other childrens novels due out in betweenFalcon Wild (Charlesbridge, Sept.) and Sled Dog School (HMH, Oct.)Johnson will publish four books in seven months, a realization, she said, that makes me feel as though my head is going to explode! But in a good way, of course. In fact, the author looks forward to meeting future deadlines. I would love to do more Survivor Diaries books, she said. The 112-page length of the books really suits me, since I have a short attention span and can get bogged down by longer projects. But more importantly, she added, I love researching different catastrophes and survival situations, and it is awesome to be able to travel to such exciting places. Plus, I do have lots more ideas for the series. Survivor Diaries: Overboard! by Terry Lynn Johnson. HMH, $9.99 July ISBN 978-0-544-97010-6 I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis. Scholastic Press, $4.99 paperback Aug. ISBN 978-0-545-91973-9 Cablevision has reached an agreement with Fintech to buy its 13.51% share in Telecom Argentina. If the merger between Cablevision and the telco goes ahead, this deal will strengthen Cablevisions position on the future board of directors.Cablevision Holding has acquired assets equivalent to 13.51% of Telecom Argentina, priced at $634.28 million, said Carolina Curzi, legal representative of Fintech Telecom, to the Argentinean news bureau Telam Under the terms of the merger reached by Cablevision and Telecom Argentina at the beginning of July, Cablevision will increase its stake in the resultant company to 39%, remaining as the major shareholder of the countrys first convergent telecom player.The Fintech agreement has not been concluded yet, as both companies are waiting for the authorities to green light the merger.The resultant company, which will retain the name Telecom Argentina, will own around 30 million clients, over 50% of the fixed broadband market and 40% of the pay-TV. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy unless you have disabled them. You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them. [Close] BBC Bangla TV and radio content is attracting a weekly audience in Bangladesh of 15 million, the British broadcasters 2017 Global Audience Measure has found. The figure includes nine million people who tune in on Thursdays to the BBC Bangla weekly television programme BBC Probaho, which is broadcast by BBC partner Channel-i. The programme is also available on the BBC Bangla channel on YouTube. Presented by Sharmin Rauma, it delivers 25 minutes of news, interviews and debate on key issues affecting Bangladesh.We are thrilled by the progress of BBC Probaho. We will build on its success by expanding the BBC Bangla presence on television - while continuing to deliver a strong and vibrant radio programming and also working to increase our output across digital platforms including social media, said Sabir Mustafa, editor, BBC Bangla.BBC Bangla now engages around 1.4 million people around the world each week via its website bbcbangla.com and on social media, the broadcaster claims. The BBC Bangla Facebook page had over 11.3 million followers as of July 2017, with nearly 80% of them residing in Bangladesh. Four more projects from emerging director/producer teams have been selected to receive funding and distribution under the ABC Arts and Screen Australia Art Bites initiative. Each team will receive direct investment of A$60,000 from the two organisations to make a 6x5 documentary web series for ABC Arts online channel iview. The results will be streamed in 2018.The projects include Carla and Lisas Countdown of Australian Art, directed by Ludwig El Haddad who is an art educator at AGNSW, and produced by Barry Gamba; and Lessons from a Middle Class Artist, directed by Anthony Frith, produced by Rebecca Elliott and executive produced by Rebecca Summerton. Mirror Mirror, directed by Brodie Poole and produced by Kate Paul, and Unboxed (pictured), directed by Sam Matthews and produced by Kirsty Stark and Rebecca Elliott, make up the titles.The Art Bites initiative was a great success for the ABC Arts Channel on iview, attracting very positive feedback across the four series, said Mandy Chang, head of Arts at ABC TV In response to this, well broadcast a compilation of some series on the main channel in July/August. Apart from unearthing talented new directors and producers, the initiative created a unique opportunity to tell stories that resonate with younger audiences on a digital platform. This year we hope to match the success of series one with a new slate of filmmakers with diverse and innovative approaches and subjects.Liz Stevens, senior manager of documentary at Screen Australia, added: Art Bites is a proven launch pad for emerging filmmakers. Last years recipients included Shock Art producer Alice Ross whose new project Mirrabooka has just been commissioned by a broadcaster, and The Wanderers producer Drew Macdonald who was included in SPAs 2017 Ones to Watch list. We are particularly pleased about the regional diversity of this years teams and welcome our state agency funding partners who have come on board for this initiative for the first time.The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and Screen Queensland are providing additional funding for the Art Bites documentaries originating in their geographical areas. AWS Elemental has announced the next 4K 4Charity Fun Run, to take place on Saturday 16 September in Amsterdam as part of the IBC 2017 Conference and Exhibition. Participant registration and sponsorship opportunities are now available at www.4K4Charity.com . All proceeds from 4K 4Charity Fun Run Series events benefit non-profit organisations that support increased diversity and inclusion initiatives.The 4km (2.49 mile) running and walking event begins at 7.30am and winds through Amsterdams historic Amstelpark. After completing the course, participants can celebrate over light snacks and beverages.Were pleased to support the 4K 4Charity Fun Run and honoured to help our industry community build awareness and raise funds for the vital cause of diversity and inclusion, said Mike Crimp, CEO at IBC. The fun run has established itself as an IBC tradition and a cant-miss opportunity for individuals and companies to celebrate our industry, enjoy the beauty of Amsterdam and share their good fortune with worthy non-profit beneficiaries.Since the inaugural 4K 4Charity Fun Run event took place at IBC in 2014, the series has raised more than US$450,000 in gross proceeds for non-profit organisations and has attracted nearly 4,000 participants. With the endorsement of IBC, the September event will raise funds for global non-profit partner Heifer International, which links communities and helps bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty, and local non-profit Stichting NewTechKids, an Amsterdam-based foundation dedicated to developing computer science education for primary school children aged four to 12.IBC is where the 4K 4Charity Fun Run Series began and each year, the people and companies who participate make this event an incredibly fun and rewarding experience for all, said Laura Barber of AWS Elemental, co-founder of the series. As our industry recognises the need and seizes the opportunity to expand its support for diversity and inclusion initiatives, were grateful for the generosity of IBC, our participants and sponsors who come together to support the important work of Heifer International and Stichting NewTechKids.Sponsors for the 4K 4Charity Fun Run at IBC 2017 include Aspera, an IBM company, AWS Elemental, ABOX42, Dolby Laboratories, Verimatrix, Brightcove, Conviva, Irdeto, Vizrt, ChyronHego, SVG Europe, association partner IBC, and media partners New Bay Media and Rapid TV News. U.S. President Donald Trump intervened to allow a group of Afghan girls into the country to participate in a robotics competition, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on July 12. Six female students from Herat in western Afghanistan had applied to participate in an international competition starting July 16, but the U.S. State Department denied their visa applications twice, sparking a public backlash. After Trump learned of their troubles and intervened, they were granted permission to visit for 10 days. Dina Powell, Trump's deputy national security adviser for strategy, said, We could not be prouder of this delegation of young women who are also scientists. They represent the best of the Afghan people... They are future leaders of Afghanistan and strong ambassadors for their country. Critics had argued that the visa denials sent the wrong message to Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are still fighting Taliban militants who once barred girls from attending school. The visa rejections also undercut the administrations claim that it cares about empowering women globally. Around 160 countries are participating in the competition, with the team from Iran the first to arrive, organizers said. Based on reporting by AP and Politico 1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process. 2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive. 3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents. 4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance. Vote View Results Six Afghan teenage girls were getting ready to travel from Herat to Washington for a robotics competition after being granted permission to enter the United States. Their visa applications were initially denied, but after a public backlash, U.S. President Donald Trump intervened to ensure that they would be allowed to visit. (RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan) Chinese authorities say Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo has died while still in custody following a battle with cancer, after Beijing ignored international pleas to let him spend his final days free and abroad. The death of the prominent 61-year-old democracy advocate on July 13, more than a month after he was transferred from prison to a heavily guarded hospital, was decried by world leaders and international officials and personalities, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel leading the tributes. Authorities in the northeastern city of Shenyang said that Liu died three days after going into intensive care to be treated for late-stage liver cancer at a local hospital. Merkel, whose country offered to treat Liu, paid tribute to him as a "courageous fighter" for human rights. "I mourn Liu Xiaobo, the courageous fighter for human rights and freedom of expression," her spokesman Steffen Seibert tweeted on Merkel's behalf. "His family has my deep sympathies." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States mourned Liu's death, and called on China to free the dissident's widow from house arrest and let her leave the country. "Mr. Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty," Tillerson said in a statement. "I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes," he said. In a joint statement, European Council President Donald Tusk and the head of the EU executive commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, expressed sadness at Liu's death and called on China to free political prisoners. They stressed that they had on several occasions urged Beijing to allow him to receive medical treatment in Germany. "We reiterate the European Union's call for all prisoners of conscience in China to be released," they said, calling on the Chinese authorities to allow Xiaobo's family to bury him according to their wishes. "We call on the authorities to remove all restrictions on the movement and communications of his family members," they added. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply saddened" by the death of Liu, but refrained from criticizing China for refusing to allow the Nobel laureate to receive treatment abroad. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked about China's refusal to allow Liu to seek treatment abroad and concerns about the well-being of his widow, said, "I don't have anything further to say at this point." Earlier, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein urged China to release Liu Xia, and allow her to travel abroad. In London, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Liu should have been permitted to travel abroad for treatment. "Liu Xiaobo should have been allowed to choose his own medical treatment overseas, which the Chinese authorities repeatedly denied him," he said in a statement. 'Subversive' Petition Liu's death silences a government critic who had become a symbol of China's growing crackdown on dissenting voices. Liu is the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital while held by the Nazis in 1938. Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's political 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. International human rights groups, Western governments, and local activists had urged the authorities to free Liu and grant his final wish to be treated abroad. Germany had offered to treat Liu, calling for a "signal of humanity" from China. The United States also said it was willing to take him in. But Chinese authorities maintained that Liu was receiving treatment from top Chinese doctors since being granted medical parole following his diagnosis in late May. China's Foreign Ministry repeatedly said other countries should not interfere in Beijing's domestic affairs. Earlier this month, Liu's Chinese doctors said he was not healthy enough to be sent abroad for treatment, a position that was contradicted by U.S. and German medical experts invited by the hospital to examine Liu's condition. The foreign doctors offered to treat Liu at hospitals in their home countries. Human rights groups decried the way the government treated Liu, accusing the authorities of manipulating information about his health and refusing to let him leave. His wife, Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest in 2010, but she was allowed to see him at the hospital. Renowned Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei said Liu's death was a very difficult moment for Chinese human rights activists and a testament to China's brutality. "Liu Xiaobo was not a criminal," Ai said in Berlin. "He was a writer, an intellectual, and he used his life to find ways to make society better." "China showed how brutal its society can be," Ai said. With reporting by AFP, dpa, AP, and Reuters 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 SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan -- A new trial has begun in the case of a wealthy Kazakh businessman with close ties to Russia who was sentenced in November to 21 years in prison for attempting to overthrow the government. A court in the southern Kazakh city of Shymkent on July 13 started hearing the case against tycoon Tokhtar Toleshov and eight co-defendants who are charged with tax evasion, financial fraud, and bribery. The charges are linked to Toleshov's tenure as the chief of the Kazakh office of a Russia-based organization called the Center for the Analysis of Terrorist Threats. Toleshov was arrested in January 2016. He was chief executive of one of Kazakhstan's largest breweries in Shymkent. Toleshov has also advised Russia's parliament on matters of economic cooperation and religion. His detention was part of a crackdown by Astana on both pro-Russian and nationalist activists. The Kremlin on July 12 criticized the U.S. government's decision not to buy products from Russia's Kaspersky Lab as "politicized" while the company said it had fallen victim to a "geopolitical brawl." The U.S. government moved against Kaspersky on July 11 amid concerns its products could be used by the Kremlin to gain entry into U.S. networks. "We certainly believe that this is a politicized decision," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "This is an absolutely commercial company which provides commercial services which are not only competitive but are super-competitive globally." Kaspersky's antivirus software is popular around the world, and the firm has been a leading player in the cybersecurity market for decades. "By all appearances, Kaspersky Lab has been dragged into a geopolitical brawl where each side is trying to use the company as a pawn in its game," the company said. Company head Yevgeny Kaspersky has repeatedly offered to meet with U.S. officials and testify before Congress to dispel concern about the security of its products. U.S. lawmakers fear Moscow might use Kaspersky software to attack American computer networks, a particularly sensitive issue given allegations that Russian hackers interfered in last year's presidential election. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, TASS, and Interfax BRUSSELS -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has characterized the latest session of the NATO-Russia Council as a "frank and useful discussion" of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and risk reduction. Stoltenberg made the comments at a press conference following the July 13 meeting, saying that NATO and Russia "continue to have fundamental disagreements," particularly regarding Russia's 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea and its role in the war in eastern Ukraine. NATO and Russia also briefed one another on upcoming military exercises -- Russia's Zapad-2017 and NATO's Exercise Trident Javelin 2017. Stoltenberg said Russia had in particular provided numbers of its soldiers, planes, and ships involved in the Zapad war games in Russia and Belarus in September -- an exercise that has deeply worried the allies. Stoltenberg said such voluntary exchanges were encouraging, but "do not substitute for the mandatory transparency required under the Vienna Document." "It was significant that at today's meeting, we exchanged advance briefings on upcoming exercises," Stoltenberg said. "I am encouraged by this progress." But he warned that "from previous experience, we have every reason to believe it may be substantially more troops participating than the officially reported numbers." Rules for military exercises in Europe known as the Vienna Document set thresholds for the number of troops allowed to take part in exercises before the opposing side is allowed to demand a mandatory inspection. Exercises involving 13,000 or more troops are subject to mandatory inspections. In the case of exercises involving 9,000 or more soldiers, the other side must be notified. "We call on Russia to adhere to the Vienna Document," which is negotiated under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg said the Russian side gave figures but declined to make them public, saying it was up to Moscow to do so. He said Trident Javelin was in contrast only a "command post" exercise, involving 5,000 personnel in preparation for next year's much larger Trident Juncture maneuvers with around 30,000 troops. NATO allies such as the Baltic states and Poland are deeply suspicious of Russia. They say Russia has carried out exercises involving many more troops -- reports cite figures of up to 100,000 -- but formally splitting them up in such a way as to get around the rules. The talks were expected to focus on measures to reduce tensions and risks after recent incidents involving maneuvering by warplanes flying over the Baltic Sea. 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. Before the NATO-Russia Council meeting, NATO officials told journalists they will press for Russian pilots to file flight plans, respond to air traffic control, or identify themselves with cockpit transmitters when flying in the Baltic area. NATO said last month it tracked three Russian aircraft over the sea, including two jets which it said did not respond to air traffic control or requests to identify themselves. Moscow maintains that all Russian flights over the Baltic comply with international law. For its part, Russia said it scrambled a jet last month to intercept a nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bomber it said was flying over the Baltic, in an incident that had echoes of the Cold War. The NATO-Russia Council is a forum intended to prevent such tensions from escalating. With reporting by Reuters and TASS Four police officers have been shot dead in the city of Quetta by unknown assailants, officials say. Police sources told RFE/RL that the attack happened on July 13 in the Deeba area of the city. One police officer was also injured. One of the victims was identified as Senior Police Superintendent Mubarak Shah. The Jamat ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in an e-mail sent to RFE/RL. Police have launched a search for the perpetrators. Police officer Sajid Khan Mohmand was killed in a suicide attack in the border city of Chaman on July 10. A fire at an industrial facility in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region has killed seven labor migrants from Central Asia. The region's officials said the fire hit a building that houses a facility producing paving slabs in the town of Kolpino -- near Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg -- early in the morning on July 13. The migrant workers also were living on the premises, officials said. The nationalities of the victims have not been released. The Investigative Committee's branch in St. Petersburg said a probe had been launched into the deadly fire. Based on reporting by Fontanka.ru and TASS A new poll shows that a majority of Russians support banning the Jehovahs Witnesses, a finding that further overshadows the religious denomination ahead of an important appeals hearing. The survey by the respected Levada Center was released on July 13, four days before the Supreme Court will consider an appeal of an earlier ruling that had effectively banned the group entirely. The center found that 51 percent of 1,600 Russians surveyed decisively supported banning the group, while 28 percent gave qualified support for such a ban. A total of 12 percent said they opposed such a ban. The Supreme Court on April 20 agreed with a Justice Ministry decision that labeled the denomination an extremist organization, a finding that effectively bans them from Russia. The organization appealed the decision, and the court will hear arguments in the appeal on July 17. The group, which says it has around 170,000 adherents in Russia, was founded in the 19th century in the United States and is known for, among other things, shunning military service, voting, and government authority in general. The Levada poll was conducted on June 23-26 through in-person interviews of adults over 18 years of age. Levada said its margin of error is 3.4 percentage points. Oleg Alekseyev, a university student in Russia's western Kaliningrad exclave, says his problems began last month after he requested formal permission to stage an anticorruption rally in the region's capital. Alekseyev is a supporter of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, and his bid to organize the rally was part of nationwide protests that Navalny spearheaded and which led to widespread detentions in Moscow and other cities. Four days before the June 12 demonstrations, the 21-year-old was called into a meeting at the city's Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, where he is a third-year student, with a professor who attempted to persuade him to avoid the protest. Alekseyev recorded the conversation and leaked the audio to the media. In the recording, the head of the university's law institute warns that taking part in an unsanctioned protest "to yell something and prove yourself is not battling corruption." "What changed after you, for example, went to [an earlier] rally and yelled that we have to fight corruption? What changed? Nothing changed. Absolutely nothing changed," professor Oleg Zayachkovsky can be heard telling Alekseyev in the recording, a copy of which was obtained by Current Time TV, a Russian-language network jointly run by RFE/RL and VOA. The meeting was also attended by two unidentified men who Alekseyev believes were law enforcement officials. Alekseyev and his fellow protesters nonetheless took to the streets of central Kaliningrad on June 12, despite having had their application for a rally in the city center rejected. Dozens of protesters were detained, including Alekseyev, though they insisted they had a constitutional right to gather there. Alekseyev was subsequently released, and he says he heard nothing from the university about the matter until last week, when school officials demanded he explain his detention at the rally and reputational damage the university allegedly suffered due to the audio recording he leaked. Less than a week later, on July 11, he received a letter informing him that he had been expelled for "unlawful behavior," citing his "lack of respect for the law and courts in the public sphere." Protest Politics Alekseyev's dispute with the university was one of several standoffs over opposition protests between Russian students and teachers that have grabbed national attention this year. In several regions, high-school and university students have leaked video and audio recordings featuring teachers and administrators railing against Navalny and recent anticorruption protests in which young people have played a visible role. Kremlin detractors have accused officials of exploiting the country's education system to scare young people away from political activism critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government. Senior Russian officials, meanwhile, have publicly expressed concerns that the government is failing to reach a younger, Internet-savvy generation that has come of age under Putin's 17-year domination of the country's political life. Navalny, an anticorruption crusader who has built a substantial and loyal youth following, is seeking to run in next year's presidential election to deny Putin another six-year term despite signs that authorities will prohibit Navalny's candidacy on the basis of a criminal conviction that he and supporters say was politically motivated. Alekseyev says he believes he was expelled due to his political activism and refusal to toe the university's line. The university, meanwhile, has connected his expulsion to poor grades, missed classes, and his previous attempt to pay an intermediary for physical-education credits he needed to make up. "Unfortunately, the morbid interest in this situation that one of its participants has created has forced others to see politics where it doesn't exist," the university said in a July 12 statement on its Facebook page. But it also referenced the dispute over the June 12 protest, criticizing Alekseyev for "distorting" the nature of his talk with the professor that he leaked to the media and "knowingly and publicly calling for the violation of administrative norms." The statement added that the university "does not interfere with the expression of political views or the participation of students and staff in the country's public life. Expelled Over Political Views? Alekseyev disputes the university's characterization of the circumstances surrounding his expulsion. He says that he had already admitted to -- and apologized for -- his attempt to buy credits, and that the university had made no issue of the matter until last month's opposition protest. "It all started after I submitted my notification about staging a rally," Alekseyev told RFE/RL in an interview. "Everything that the university is writing -- it has nothing to do with the matter." The standoff has attracted the attention of officials in Moscow. Andrei Yemelyanov, a spokesman for Russia's Education and Science Ministry, told RFE/RL in an e-mailed statement on July 13 that the agency will examine the circumstances of Alekseyev's expulsion. "Political views by themselves cannot be the basis for expelling a student," Yemelyanov said. Aleksandr Dobrovolsky, a lawyer representing Alekseyev, told RFE/RL that he and his client planned to challenge the expulsion. "If he weren't so active or if he had more convenient political views, he wouldn't have been expelled," Dobrovolsky said. Written by Carl Schreck based on reporting by Yelizaveta Mayetnaya of RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time TV A Serbian court on July 12 sentenced a former government minister to three and a half years in prison for abuse of power, the first verdict of its kind since President Aleksandar Vucic's party came to power in 2012. Oliver Dulic, Serbia's minister of environment and urban development in the previous Democratic Party-led government, was found guilty of having favored a Slovenian company when issuing licenses for an optical cable network. Two of his aides were sentenced to terms of one and three years, the Tanjug news agency reported, quoting the verdict of Serbia's special court for organized crime. Dulic has denied the accusations. The Democratic Party said that Dulic was the victim of persecution aimed at "destroying main political opponents of the incumbent regime." Since his nationalist Serbian Progressive Party came to power in 2012, Vucic has pledged to root out high-level corruption, which is believed to be widespread in Serbia. Several ministers and top officials from the Democratic Party-led government from 2008 to 2012 were arrested soon after the new administration took charge, but Dulic is the first to be sentenced. All three defendants said they would appeal to the verdict, Tanjug reported. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. U.S. President Donald Trump has cited a cease-fire agreement in southwest Syria as a benefit of his relationship with Russia, while French President Emmanuel Macron said he and Trump would work together on postwar "road maps" for Syria and Iraq. Trump, speaking in Paris on July 13 at a news conference with Macron, also defended his son's decision to hold a meeting with a Russian lawyer during last year's presidential campaign, saying that "most people would have taken that meeting." The news conference came after Macron hosted Trump in the French capital for talks that the two leaders said focused on Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, the Paris climate accord, and counterterrorism. Trump said one of the "great things" that came out of his July 7 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was that "we got a cease-fire that has lasted" for five days. "In terms of a cease-fire in Syria, that's a very long period of time," he said. "That was a result of having communication with a country.... A lot of lives have been saved." Macron, meanwhile, said the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was no longer a requirement to ending the crisis in the Middle East country. "We now have a new approach on Syria.... We have one main goal, which is to eradicate terrorism," he said. "Against that background, I do not require Assad's departure. This is no longer a prerequisite to work for France to work on." The United States originally demanded the removal of Assad before any long-term solution could be reached in Syria, although U.S. officials have subsequently softened their stance. On Iraq, Trump said Washington and Paris would work together to defeat Islamic State (IS) militants, whom he called "enemies of humanity...to strip them of their funding, their networks, and their ideological support." Macron said the two presidents "agreed to continue working together, in particular on the building of a road map for the postwar period" in both Iraq and Syria. Trump and Macron were also asked about the White House decision to pull out of the Paris climate accords, which aims to slow the production of heat-trapping gases believed to be pushing up global temperatures. Trump said the two would be discussing the accord over dinner, but was basically noncommittal about the possibility of some new agreement. However, he left open the possibility that "something could happen" during his talks. "If it happens, that would be wonderful. And if doesn't, that will be OK, too," he said. WATCH: Trump Defends Son's Contact With Russian Lawyer As 'Opposition Research' Trump Jr. Defended Trump was asked about the admission from his son, Donald Trump Jr., that he had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign after receiving an e-mail that said she was linked to the Russian government and had disparaging information on rival Hillary Clinton. The president once again defended his son, saying: "My son is wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer. Not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer. It was a short meeting." "Nothing happened from the meeting," he added. "Zero happened from the meeting.... The press has made a big very big deal about something, really, a lot of people would do." Responding in English when asked if Trump's stance on Russia was tough enough, Macron said he did not want to "interfere in others' domestic life." Praising Xi, Not Liu Both leaders had praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping, although Trump said he "could probably do a little bit more" in regard to reining in ally North Korea's nuclear and ballistic-missile programs. The remarks came just hours after reports that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo had died while still in custody following a battle with cancer after Beijing ignored international pleas to let him spend his final days free and abroad. Neither president mentioned Liu, although separately, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations, among others, mourned his passing and urged Chinese authorities to release his wife and other prisoners of conscience being held in the country. Trump's visit is timed to mark Bastille Day, France's national holiday, and the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into the first World War as an ally of France. Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Paris with Macron, with the two European leaders expressing the need for continental self-reliance along with cooperation with the United States. Merkel told a news conference that Europe "must take its fate more into its own hands" on security matters but at the same time said "we need close cooperation" with the United States despite "all differences of opinions." With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP U.S. President Donald Trump defended his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer last year, saying most people would have taken that meeting. Speaking in Paris at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said Donald Trump Jr.'s actions during his election campaign were standard practice in politics. (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unaware that his oldest son Donald had a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign, but he does not fault him for the controversial move. Asked by Reuters in an interview on July 12 if he knew that his son met with lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya in June 2016, the president said: No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this. Donald Trump Jr. revealed in e-mails he published this week that he eagerly agreed to meet the woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who had damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton that would be provided as part of Moscow's official support for his father's campaign. Seated at his Oval Office desk for the Reuters interview, Trump said he does not fault his son for holding the meeting, but rather views it as a decision made in the heat of an upstart, non-traditional political campaign. "I think many people would have held that meeting," Trump said. "It was a 20-minute meeting, I guess, from what Im hearing," Trump said. "Many people, and many political pros, said everybody would do that." The Trump e-mails are the most concrete evidence to surface to date showing that Trump campaign officials might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the November 8 election. Despite the president's assertion that "everybody would do that," Trump Jr.'s meeting has raised legal questions, in particular whether it violated a U.S. law barring candidates from accepting anything of value from a foreign government. A complaint already has been filed before the U.S. Federal Election Commission by Democratic lawmakers alleging that the meeting violated U.S. election laws, while several committees of Congress are seeking further information about the meeting to determine whether it validated allegations that Russia meddled in the presidential election. Donald Trump Jr., in an interview with Fox News on June 11, said: "In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently." But he insisted that nothing came out of the meeting of use to the Trump campaign, and he did nothing to collude with Russia or cooperate with the Kremlin in any effort to damage Clinton's election prospects. Trump Jr. said he didn't tell his father about the meeting with Veselnitskaya because "there was nothing to tell." "It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes," he said. "For me, this was opposition research" that he had hoped might yield "concrete evidence" against Clinton. In the White House interview, the president said he directly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if he was involved in what U.S. intelligence agemcies concluded was Russian meddling in the presidential campaign, and Putin insisted he was not. Trump said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his more than two-hour meeting with Putin on July 7 in Germany on the election meddling subject. Asked if he believed Putin's denial, Trump paused. Look. Something happened and we have to find out what it is, because we cant allow a thing like that to happen to our election process. So something happened and we have to find out what it is," he said. While U.S. intelligence agencies and even members of Trumps Cabinet have said Russia meddled in the election, Trump has wavered on the subject. Trump equivocated on whether he felt he could trust Putin. He said Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both look out for their countries' interests, as he looks out for U.S. interests. "I am not a person who goes around trusting lots of people. But hes the leader of Russia. It is the second most powerful nuclear power on earth. I am the leader of the United States. I love my country. He loves his country," Trump said. As in the past, Trump said there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia. "There was zero coordination. Its the dumbest thing Ive ever heard," he said. The Republican president said Democrats have used the accusations to justify Clinton's loss in November, saying: "The White House is functioning beautifully despite the hoax made up by the Democrats." Although he and Putin were able to forge a cease-fire agreement in part of Syria, Trump said their interests collide over other important matters. Trump said his plans to beef up the U.S. military and make the United States a dominant global energy producer are in direct conflict with Putin's ambitions for Russia, where the economy and government are heavily dependent on energy exports. Because of those major differences, Trump said he wonders whether Putin really did support him over Clinton in the election. "Its really the one question I wish I would have asked Putin: Were you actually supporting me?" With reporting by Reuters and AP At an EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv, both sides have hailed strengthening relations in the wake of the European Union's final approval of an Association Agreement with Kyiv earlier in the week and the bloc's decision to grant visa-free travel to Ukrainians last month. "On June 11, precisely one month ago, Ukrainians got the full taste of European freedom -- visa-free travel to the EU," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said at a Kyiv press event. "More than 100,000 holders of Ukrainian biometric passports have used their visa-free-travel right already." He said these Ukrainians have seen with their own eyes why Kyiv aspires to closer relations with the EU. Poroshenko also expressed gratitude for the EU's support in his country's conflict with Russia, which annexed the Ukrainian province of Crimea in 2014 and then inflamed a separatist conflict in parts of eastern Ukraine that has claimed more than 10,000 lives. Poroshenko thanked the EU for extending its economic sanctions against Russia and for its "clearly articulated message that the sanctions will remain in place" until Russia completely abides by its commitments under the Minsk agreements on resolving the war in eastern Ukraine. "I hope that one daywe will hold another Ukraine-EU summit in Donetsk and in Yalta," Poroshenko said, referring to a city in the separatist-held part of eastern Ukraine and another in Russian-occupied Crimea. European Council President Donald Tusk urged Ukrainians to remain united and avoid internal conflicts. "We stand steadfast behind Ukraine," he said. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called on Kyiv to do more to battle corruption. On July 11, the European Union formally approved an Association Agreement with Ukraine, which will take effect on September 1. Many parts of the Association Agreement have been provisionally applied since 2014, but the adoption of the agreement will ensure closer cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in areas such as foreign policy, justice, education, science, and technology. The economic part of the agreement, called the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), is also intended to open up the EU market to Ukrainian goods and will align the Ukrainian economy with EU standards by harmonizing laws and regulations With reporting by TASS and Reuters Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have questioned a decision by the Justice Department to settle a lawsuit against a Russian-owned holding company in light of its ties to a Russian lawyer now under scrutiny for meeting last year with President Donald Trump's son. Natalya Veselnitskaya represented the owner of Cyprus-based Prevezon Holdings. A letter sent by the House Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, John Conyers, and other Democrats asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether Veselnitskaya was involved in settlement negotiations between the Russian firm and the department. Prevezon agreed in May to pay $6 million to avoid a civil trial on charges that the firm had laundered proceeds from a $230 million Russian tax-fraud scheme. Veselnitskaya represented Russian businessman Denis Katsyv, one of Prevezon's main owners. Katsyv backed a lobbying campaign last year that was aimed at scuttling the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law that authorizes sanctions against human rights abusers in Russia. The Democrats asked why the department settled with Prevezon two days before trial and asked whether Trump, his family, or aides contacted the department about the case. Veselnitskaya met in June 2016 with Donald Trump Jr., who had been promised she would provide damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. Based on reporting by AP and AFP WASHINGTON -- Analysts are warning that an alleged coup attempt last year by Russian agents that Montenegro said was foiled will likely be repeated, and Washington needs to do more to shore up "Europe's soft underbelly." The analysts spoke at July 13 hearing of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee that focused on the overall situation in the Balkans. The alleged coup attempt "was not the first, nor likely will it be the last, of Russia's attempts to undermine the sovereign right of a nation to freely choose its political associations," said Lisa Samp, who worked on Russian and European affairs at the White House and Defense Department. Damon Wilson, executive vice president for the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank, said Russia was seeking to expand its influence, and undermine Western-leaning governments using "a nexus of corruption, organized crime, and underdevelopment." "Prosperity is the antidote, as it increases the resilience of nations, particularly in Europe's east and southeast," he said. Nebojsa Kaludjerovic, Montenegro's ambassador to the United States, told senators that the trial of several alleged coup plotters was ongoing, and the chief prosecutor had called the evidence "ironclad." He said two Russians believed to be military intelligence agents were involved, as well as several Montenegrin politicians, and a former Russian deputy military attache had been kicked out. "If the plans had succeeded, there would have been chaos, serious violence, and extremely dangerous instability," he told the panel. Montenegro recently joined NATO, which Moscow strenuously opposed. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyaev has signed an executive order on the possible introduction of new passports for citizens traveling abroad. Uzbek state media reported on July 13 that the order signed the previous day required the government to create a plan to introduce the new travel documents within one month. The move is viewed as a possible step toward abolishing exit visas for Uzbek citizens. Currently, Uzbeks use a single identification document, known as a "common civil passport," to travel abroad. The document has special pages for external trips to which a special exit visa or permission to travel abroad is affixed. 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. On July 8, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and other government officials discussed the possible abolition of the exit-visa system. The move is one of a number of initiatives that appear aimed at opening up the country under Mirziyaev, who was elected after the death of longtime autocrat Islam Karimov last year. Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal. Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Partly cloudy skies. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early followed by increasing clouds with showers developing later at night. Low near 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Virgo is a congested constellation with dozens of known exoplanets and at least a dozen Messier objects. It is the largest constellation of the Zodiac and the second-largest constellation overall, behind Hydra. Locating Virgo Virgo covers 1,294 square degrees. Most of the constellation's stars are dim, but Virgo's bright blue-white star, Spica, is fairly easy to locate. Stargazers can use the Big Dipper as a guide. Follow the curve of the handle down to the southeast until you come to the bright star Arcturus, in the Bootes constellation. Continue the arc to the next bright star, which is Spica. There's even a mnemonic phrase to help you remember: "Follow the arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica." Tied to fertility and agriculture, Virgo appears to stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere during the spring and summer months and to those in the Southern Hemisphere in autumn and winter. Right Ascension: 13 hours Declination: 0 degrees Visible between latitudes 80 and minus 80 degrees Best seen in May at 9 p.m. Stars, exoplanets and deep-sky objects Spica, also known as Alpha Virginis, is the brightest star in the constellation. Spica ranks as the 16th brightest star in the night sky and can be regarded as a nearly perfect example of a star of the first magnitude. It is a blue giant about 260 light-years from Earth. The star is about twice as big as the sun and its luminosity is 2,300 times that of the sun. It is known as the "ear of wheat" being held by Virgo. The second brightest star is Gamma Virginis, also known as Porrima and Arich, is a binary star. The third-brightest star, Epsilon Virginis, is a yellow giant that is also known as Vindemiatrix, or the Grape Gatherer. Zeta Virginis, or Heze, is a white dwarf notable for its exceptionally short rotation period of less than 0.5 days. The Virgo Galaxy Cluster contains 11 deep space objects catalogued by Charles Messier, more than any constellation except Sagittarius, which has 15. [Video: Galactic Eyes Peer Out Through Virgo] Notable exoplanets in Virgo include: The first exoplanets ever found, around a pulsar star called PSR B1257+12. (The discovery was in 1994). A pulsar is a kind of neutron star, which is formed after a massive star explodes and collapses during a supernova. Pulsars are known for rotating extremely rapidly. 70 Virginis b, which was also an early exoplanet find as it was announced in 1996. Scientists initially announced this planet was in the habitable zone of its star, where water could exist on the planet's surface. However, later analysis showed that this planet has an eccentric orbit and is likely much closer to the parent star. Three planets orbiting the star 61 Virginis, and announced in 2009. At the time of discovery, the planets were classified as having five times the mass of Earth, six times and 18 times. (The smaller planets are considered "super-Earths" because they fall within the mass range between Earth and Neptune.) The pink planet GJ 504b, which at the time of the announcement in 2013 was the smallest planet ever photographed around a sun-like star. However, the planet itself is still relatively large, at four times the mass of Jupiter. Mythology Virgo is typically linked to Dike, the Greek goddess of justice, and Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the harvest goddess. According to Greek mythology, the earth experienced eternal spring until the god of the underworld abducted the spring maiden Persephone. In astrology, which is not a science, Virgo is the fifth sign in the Zodiac and represents those born between Aug. 23 and Sept. 22. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor Related: Mysteries of Saturn NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute Saturn's ringed world has attracted attention ever since humans first looked at the sky. The rings became visible to humans more than 400 years ago, and scientists finally got a close-up look at the planet when the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft swung by the planet in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, NASA and the European Space Agency have an orbiting spacecraft called Cassini at Saturn. Cassini has been there since 2004 and will last until September 2017, when a planned maneuver will plunge it deep into Saturn's atmosphere. Here are some of the lingering mysteries at Saturn, according to Cassini deputy project scientist Scott Edgington, who is based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. [As Cassini Makes 1st 'Grand Finale' Dive, More Saturn Mysteries Remain] How long is a day on Saturn? NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute After more than a decade, Cassini still hasn't closed in on one of Saturn's fundamental properties: how long a day is in its interior (how long it takes to rotate all the way around). At first, scientists thought they could determine that length based on radio waves emitted by the planet, as they did at Jupiter. Jupiter sends out radio waves that sync with the planet's rotation, but Saturn's emission, called Saturn kilometric radiation, does not do the same thing. "Variation in radio waves controlled by the planet's rotation is different in the northern and southern hemispheres," NASA wrote in 2014. "The northern and southern rotational variations also appear to change with the Saturnian seasons, and the hemispheres have actually swapped rates." In 2011, NASA said the variations in radio-wave periods likely came from changes in high-altitude winds in both hemispheres. But it's still not known how long a day is on Saturn. What is the mass of Saturn's ring system? NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Understanding how much Saturn's rings "weigh" would tell scientists a lot about how old they are and how they formed. But in order to make a precise measurement of the mass of the ring system, researchers need to know more about Saturn's gravity and about the density of the rings. The data collected during Cassini's death dive into Saturn's atmosphere will help scientists get closer to answering this long-standing question. How deep do Saturn lightning storms reach, and are they powerful enough to drive Saturn's climate? NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Particularly when a massive storm engulfed the northern hemisphere in 2010 and 2011, scientists saw lightning strikes on Saturn. Scientists were surprised to see lightning flashing during the day (as well as at night), which showed just how strong the storms were that the lightning was intense enough to see by day. One pictured flash was roughly as strong as the strongest lightning blasts on Earth. Scientists are using this kind of information to figure out where the lightning came from, although it's unclear what changes this produces in Saturn's climate overall. "The flash is approximately 100 miles (200 kilometers) in diameter when it exits the tops of the clouds," NASA wrote in 2012. "From this, scientists deduce that the lightning bolts originate in the clouds deeper down in Saturn's atmosphere where water droplets freeze. This is analogous to where lightning is created in Earth's atmosphere." What drives the hurricane-like vortices at each of Saturn's poles? NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute From the time Cassini arrived at Saturn, scientists saw a strange hexagon feature around the north pole that is double the size of Earth. At first, scientists could not see what was at the center of the hexagon because the pole was in winter darkness. In 2013, however, scientists got visible-light views of a hurricane inside the hexagon. While hurricanes on Earth form over the ocean, there is no ocean under the Saturn storm. "Scientists will be studying the hurricane to gain insight into hurricanes on Earth, which feed off warm ocean water," NASA scientists wrote in 2013. "Although there is no body of water close to these clouds high in Saturn's atmosphere, learning how these Saturnian storms use water vapor could tell scientists more about how terrestrial hurricanes are generated and sustained." What is the helium-to-hydrogen ratio of Saturn's atmosphere? NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Helium and hydrogen are the two most abundant elements in the universe, and also in our own solar system. These are the elements that principally make up our sun as well as the largest gas giant planets: Jupiter and Saturn. Precisely narrowing down the ratio of helium to hydrogen helps scientists understand what the inside of each planet looks like, and how they came to be. In 2006, a group of scientists led by Daniel Gautier of the Paris Observatory noted that 1980s measurements by the Voyager spacecraft didn't make much sense. The helium-to-hydrogen ratio of 0.034 "is difficult to reconcile with plausible theories of the evolution of the planet," an abstract by the team said. At the time, Gautier's group performed several radio occultation measurements near the equator but received different results. As of mid-2017, the precise ratio is still not known. What does the gravity field reveal about the winds, composition, and phase changes of the interior? NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute The state of Saturn's interior remains a mystery, which makes the length-of-day measurement difficult to obtain. In 2007, research led by the University of California's John Anderson and published in the journal Science combined gravitational data with Pioneer and Voyager radio occultation and wind data. That paper suggested a rotation period of 10 hours, 32 minutes and 35 seconds, which would imply that Saturn's interior has a "molecular to metallic hydrogen transition about halfway to the planet's center," the paper stated." Since then, however, scientists have found that Saturn's wind speed changes between measurements, making it harder to predict the composition of the interior. A newer direction of research suggests using Saturn's gravity field to learn more about the planet's insides, but this is a work in progress. [NASA's Epic Cassini Mission to Saturn Gets Awesome Video Treatment] In this photo, three very different moons provide targets of great interest for planetary scientists who are studying the Saturn system. Captured here by Cassini are Tethys at upper right, Enceladus below center and Janus at lower left, along with the planet's rings. How soon will the atmosphere at the location of the 2010-2011 storm return to normal? NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Echoes of a huge storm on Saturn are still reverberating. In 2010 to 2011, scientists tracked a huge storm that (in NASA scientists' words) ended up "wreaking havoc for months" and "shooting plumes of gas high into the planet's atmosphere." Only six storms of this type have been seen since 1876, and scientists were lucky to catch this one, as the previous storm occurred more than two decades ago, in 1990. In 2011, Cassini measurements in the infrared the first ever performed by an orbiting spacecraft helped scientists learn more about Saturn's interior environment. But because these storms have never been studied so closely, it's unclear when the atmosphere will return to normal levels, or what's driving the mechanism. How is energy from Saturn's auroras redistributed from the poles toward the equator, and can it explain elevated temperatures in part of the planet's atmosphere? NASA/JPL/ASI/University of Arizona/University of Leicester Sometimes, it takes multiple spacecraft to get a full picture of what's going on at Saturn. Multiple sources were needed to get a handle on the ringed planet's auroras: In 2014, NASA released images taken from data from Cassini (in infrared, visible light and ultraviolet) as well as the Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (in ultraviolet wavelengths) that lent insight into how the auroras change over time. Scientists were able to capture these images with a resolution down to about a few hundred miles, NASA wrote at the time, and "tied the changes in the auroras to the fluctuating wind of charged particles blowing off the sun and flowing past Saturn." But they are still trying to learn where the auroral energy goes afterward, and if auroras could show why the thermosphere (an area of the atmosphere just below the tenuous exosphere) has a higher temperature than expected, given Saturn's distance from the sun and supposed interior composition. Cassini will make its "Grand Finale" dive into Saturn's atmosphere Sept. 15 getting our closest-ever look into what goes on in the planet's gravity, magnetic field and atmosphere. Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. How does material from Saturn's rings mix with the planet's atmosphere? NASA/JPL-Caltech During its Grand Finale phase, the Cassini spacecraft skimmed Saturn's upper atmosphere multiple times before making one deep dive toward planet on Sept. 15, 2017. Cassini is the only probe ever to have sampled Saturn's atmosphere in-situ, and thus provided scientists with brand new information about the relationship between the planet's atmosphere and its ring system. Linda Spilker, the Cassini project scientist, said the data from those early atmospheric run-ins suggest that the chemical and dynamic interactions between particles from the planet's rings and the planet's upper atmosphere are "more complex than we had both anticipated." From those initial tastes of Saturn's atmosphere, Cassini scientists are already finding "incredible, intriguing information" about how the material from Saturn's ring system mixes with the upper layers of the planet's atmosphere, Spilker said. As scientists have time to interpret the data from Cassini's final dive, more information about this unique planetary system will be revealed. An image from the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite shows a crack in a the Larsen C ice shelf on July 12, 2017. Multiple NASA satellites have captured images of the dramatic and long-awaited birth of one of the largest icebergs ever recorded, which broke off an Antarctic ice shelf this week. The enormous iceberg contains more than 1.1 trillion tons (1 trillion metric tons) of water and is about the size of Delaware. Its separation from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf occurred sometime between July 10 and today (July 12), and was first reported by scientists with the U.K.-based Project Midas, an Antarctic research group. The calving was confirmed by satellite images from the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. [How Satellites Watched the New Iceberg's Birth Over Time] This animation shows the growth of the crack in the Larsen C ice shelf, from 2006 to 2017, as recorded by NASA/USGS Landsat satellites. (Image credit: NASA/USGS Landsat) Now, images from NASA satellites show the iceberg's gradual separation from the ice shelf. The crack in the ice shelf that formed the iceberg was first observed in the early 1960s, but remained dormant for decades, according to a statement from NASA. The animation above includes images going back to 2006, collected by NASA and the United States Geologic Survey's Landsat satellites. The location of the new iceberg and the Larsen C ice shelf. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory) The rift in the ice shelf began to spread northward at a significant rate in 2014, and its progress accelerated in 2016, leading scientists to assume it would eventually create a separate iceberg. Between June 24 and 27, the speed of rift tripled, according to scientists with the Midas Project. In November 2016, the rift was estimated to be about 300 feet (91 m) wide and 70 miles (112 km) long. Measurements from this summer put the rift at 124 miles (200 km) long. The MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite use thermal data to show temperature differences in the ice and seawater. In a false-color image taken today (July 12), the crack that created the iceberg is visible as a thin, pink line down the mostly purple ice sheet. The warmer temperature of the crack indicates that ocean water lies not far below the surface. The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) on the Landsat 8 satellite also captured temperature data on June 17. The false-color image shows the slightly warmer crack (light blue) running through the very cold ice shelf (mostly white). The image shows warmer areas in orange, including regions of very thin sea ice. [Landsat: Four Decades of Images and Data] The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) on Landsat 8 captured a false-color image of the crack in the Larsen C ice shelf. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory) The Larsen C ice shelf is a floating ice shelf, which means the separation of the iceberg will not cause ocean levels to rise, unlike icebergs that calf from land-based ice shelves. Scientists with the Midas Project said they have not found evidence that the iceberg's formation was directly caused by climate change. However, the scientists said in a statement that this is the farthest back that the ice front has been in recorded history, and they are "going to be watching very carefully for signs that the rest of the shelf is becoming unstable." Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. P eople rarely think about this but the quality of daily life depends hugely on the quality of statistics. How much do you pay for your flood insurance? How congested are the roads? How far does your child travel to school? How long do you wait for a hospital appointment? How polluted is the air? How large is your pension? The list goes on. What governments decide is political; but the areas in which they intervene, the order on which they do things and the way a decision, once made, is implemented, relies on the available data. But statistics can also reveal truths which politicians would find uncomfortable were they widely known. This is why they have become so adept at distortion at presenting data in partial ways, usually in a deliberate attempt to mislead so as to maintain or bolster support for their own arguments. They pay lip service to the need for evidence-led policy; then too often select only the evidence which confirms their prejudices. Until this month, ministers and departments could even see the stats before anyone else, which in turn allowed them to talk about and emphasise the bits they liked, safe in the knowledge that they could not be challenged because nobody else had the information. Unfortunately, such behaviour damages the credibility of statistics as a whole. So worried has the UK Statistics Authority become about the effect on public trust that they have now just banned the pre-release of ONS statistics. Thus far ministers have taken it well but it is early days. There is history here. Government has been known to put pressure on its statistical authority to try to get results more suited to its beliefs, or even to end the collection of certain embarrassing material altogether. Back in the Thatcher era, millions were removed from the official monthly jobless total by making regular small changes in what was defined as unemployment. Not many people know this but, because the quality of statistics is so crucial, there is in Whitehall an Office for Statistics Regulation, headed by director general Ed Humpherson. Part of the regulators job is to hold government departments to account and get them to back down when they do make claims which are not actually supported by the data. Though these rarely appear in public, this has resulted in some pretty searing letters flying across Whitehall. But the job is bigger than this because ultimately the quality, trustworthiness and value of our national statistics is the responsibility of the regulatory body. Statistics are an essential public asset, the lifeblood of democratic debate, and a driver of decisions not just by government but by businesses, the media, individuals and community groups. So their preparation matters and this is why, last week, the department announced a public consultation on the relaunch and upgrading of the code of practice for official statistics. The document covers how statistical data should be collected, how its objectivity and reliability is maintained and does not fall victim to vested interests, how the data can be used and how those doing the work should be protected from external influences. It is a guide to how people should work and a shield to protect them while they do. At its core it is about defending the integrity of those who do the work, and maintaining the integrity of what they do, being honest about the limitations of statistics and not pretending they are what they are not. The fundamental purpose is to produce robust and reliable data which is also consistent and relevant to society. It is about creating an organisation which acts transparently and in the public interest while respecting the privacy of all the individuals and businesses. As such its guidance has applications well beyond Whitehall and could usefully be applied to private-sector data collection too. There is also a wider issue which again affects us all whether we understand it or not. The old way was where statisticians sourced and collected the data on which they worked they sent out surveys and analysed the responses. What has changed in recent times, however, is that the quality and speed of data collection by the private sector has grown out of all recognition. Facebook, Google and Amazon obviously have huge amounts of information on their users and customers, but so too does Tesco via its store cards and logistics firms which can track parcels and taxi companies which know who is going where. What is called big data can deliver information about patterns which have never been obvious before. The mining of this information to give insights into behaviours which can be turned to commercial advantage is now a major pre-occupation of business and one of the things which is going to define success and failure in future. But this also significantly widens the pool of data potentially open to use by the Office for National Statistics so it is vital that equivalent standards of quality and integrity apply if trust is to be maintained. So, statistics are as vital to society as all those other bits of infrastructure water, electricity, broadband, sewers that we take for granted and never think about until they dont work. What goes wrong with statistics is that people lose trust in them. What the regulators office is trying to do is show that truth does still matter. We have had the fake news and the rubbishing of experts and can already see that society does not function well in such circumstances. Humpherson with his code is part of the fightback. A brother and sister pretended to be a couple in order to con authorities into giving them a two-bedroom council house in east London. Aaron Clark and Rachelle Barritt, from Norfolk, claimed to be a couple so they could fraudulently live in the house in Alibon Road, Dagenham. However, council officers launched an investigation after discovering Barritt was actually living in Norfolk with her partner and children. She had left the council house to her brother after they were granted the tenancy under false pretences. On Friday, the pair were handed 10-week prison sentences suspended for 12 months after pleading guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court. They had admitted maintaining the lie about their relationship over the years as they knew they would not be granted a joint tenancy otherwise. Councillor Dominic Twomey, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for finance and resources, said: To hear a brother and sister have claimed to be a couple to cheat their way to a council house is morally bankrupt. Thanks to our diligent investigations team we were able to uncover their deceit and we are now able to hand over the property to a local family in need. Magistrates also ordered Barritt and Clark to wear a three month electronic tag and to pay the council costs of 465. Barking and Dagenham Council also urged anyone to contact their investigators if they suspect someone of housing fraud. They are available on 0208 227 2775 or HIT@lbbd.gov.uk T he mother of terminally ill baby Charlie Gard, who today faces a fresh court battle to get her son potentially life-saving treatment in the US, said: If the worst happens today, I dont know how Ill cope. Connie Yates and Chris Gard have garnered support from the Pope and Donald Trump in their fight to save 11-month-old Charlie who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, say therapy proposed by a doctor in America is experimental and will not help. They say life-support treatment should stop. Speaking out ahead of a fresh High Court hearing, Ms Yates described the heartbreaking weekend during which Charlies relatives rushed to the capital to say their final goodbyes after an initial ruling was made to allow the tot to die with dignity. Court battle: Chris Gard and Connie Yates arrive for a previous hearing / AFP/Getty Images She told the Daily Mail: Chris and I lay next to Charlie, and we cried more than weve ever cried before. Chris was in pieces. I hated it, knowing I couldnt do anything to help my boys. I kept shaking my head in disbelief at what was happening. Charlie Gard's life support was expected to be turned off on Friday / PA All our family had said their goodbyes. I cant put into words how horrible it was watching Charlies grandparents see him for the last time, Charlies auntie and uncle and everyone else . . . absolutely heartbreaking. I looked around the intensive-care unit. Charlie was the most stable baby in there, but he was the one who had to die in a matter of hours. I thought: Why him? What did he do wrong? People gather in support of continued medical treatment for Charlie Gard / AFP/Getty Images The pair were given one final weekend to make memories with their son but in an 11th hour decision doctors from the hospital wrote to the court requesting a new hearing off the back of evidence Ms Yates had gathered from seven specialists. Judge Mr Justice Frances granted Ms Yates and Mr Gard 48 hours to gather enough evidence to prove the treatment would reach Charlies brain and would make a difference to his health. The parents of Charlie Gard face a new High Court hearing today The couple, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, are scheduled to mount the latest stage of the legal fight at the High Court later today. Mr Justice Francis told the couple that he had already analysed the case at a trial and would not rake over old facts during the hearing. Loading.... In April he ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street doctors and decided Charlie should be allowed to "die with dignity". However, speaking in the emotional interview Ms Yates revealed she blamed herself for her babys ordeal. She said: When we lost another court case, when things havent gone right, Ive always felt Ive let Charlie down. We had literally tried everything to give our son a chance, but we failed. S adiq Khan today announced a 1.7 billion deal with councils and housing associations to start building an extra 50,000 affordable homes. The new dwellings, which will be available to rent and buy, will be built across all 33 London local authorities over the next four years. It follows the Mayors first call for bids for the record 3.15 billion affordable homes fund announced by the Government last year. Mr Khan has pledged to build 90,000 new affordable homes by 2020/21 and todays announcement helps put him on course to deliver that. City Hall said the figure is almost treble the 18,000 homes secured by former mayor Boris Johnson in his final call for bids. The Mayor has, however, inherited a total 30,000 allocations from his predecessor and has a further 446 million to invest. The new homes will be delivered by 44 housing providers including private developers, housing associations and nine London councils. Of the total, 17,500 will be for rent around social levels, and just under 32,000 will be for shared ownership or the Mayors living rent. This should help middle-income earners in the capital save for a deposit by charging rent based on a third of average local incomes. Mr Khan said: I want to see everyone playing their part in tackling the housing crisis in London because it is simply unacceptable that Londoners continue to be priced out of the city they call home. We know that solving the housing crisis is not going to happen overnight, but I very much welcome so many housing associations and councils committing to build the new and genuinely affordable homes Londoners so desperately need. But I am clear that we have got much more to do to secure the land we need to build homes and ensure we have sufficient capacity in the construction industry. Sites have already been identified and bought for almost half the 49,398 homes meaning work can begin on those almost immediately. Of these, 1,911 will be in Newham, 1,823 in Ealing, 1,585 in Barnet, 1,448 in Lambeth and 1,314 in Southwark. New homes built by housing associations will deliver at least 60 per cent affordable housing across their sites. Paul Hackett, chair of the G15 which represents Londons largest housing associations, said: The partnership with the mayor is the biggest Londons housing associations have ever committed to, reflecting the urgency of the housing crisis. Sir Steve Bullock of London Councils added: Councils are doing their utmost to tackle the housing crisis which, without action, will result in those providing vital services in our communities being forced to move out of the city. T heresa May today said she wept when her election hopes were shattered on June 8. The Prime Ministers admission that she shed a little tear came as her minority Government began trying to steamroll Brexit on to the statute books. We didnt see the result coming, she said in an interview marking her year in office. When the result came through, it was a complete shock. It took a few minutes for it to sort of sink in, what that was telling me. My husband gave me a hug. Mrs May, who looked strained when she went to see the Queen on June 9, said it was distressing to see good colleagues losing their seats. Admitting she knew the campaign wasnt going perfectly, the Prime Minister said she did not change approach because she still expected a better result. When asked if she was devastated enough to cry, Mrs May replied: Yes, a little tear ... at that moment. Brexit warning: Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron / AFP/Getty Images Today Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: The whole of Britain will be weeping for the lost jobs and lost investment that this Prime Ministers hard Brexit will impose. Mrs May signalled there would be no major compromises in her drive towards the European Unions exit doors, despite a chorus of warnings from business groups and many MPs and peers. Today the Government wheeled out the legislative battering ram it plans to use to pound Brexit into law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, handing ministers unprecedented powers to change the laws of the land by proclamation, was unveiled to Parliament this morning. Experts estimate between 800 and 1,000 pieces of secondary legislation will be passed using the process. The Bill was condemned by opposition MPs as an extraordinary power-grab that would let ministers make laws without staging votes in Parliament. The Bill states its sweeping powers will be used to deal with deficiencies arising from withdrawal. It reads: A minister of the Crown may by regulations make such provision as the minister considers appropriate to prevent, remedy or mitigate: A. any failure of retained EU law to operate effectively or B. any other deficiency in retained EU law arising from the withdrawal. The powers are subject to a two-year sunset clause and some restrictions to prevent ministers using them to impose new taxes or create criminal offences. But ministers were accused of not listening as experts voiced new fears about what the hard Brexit embraced by a weakened Mrs May could mean. Dr Nicola Strickland, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, rejected Government claims that there was no need to worry about cancer treatments being disrupted, when Britain pulls out of Euratom, the European agency that governs the transportation of nuclear materials used in research and medicine, as part of the Brexit process. Issuing a fresh statement confirming the Colleges concerns, she said: Im saying there is a risk and patients deserve some reassurance. In an unprecedented warning, eight leaders from associations representing the entire UK and European pharmaceutical sector wrote a joint letter saying vital medicines could be impounded in warehouses. It said an unorderly withdrawal would lead to potential supply disruptions of life-saving medicines. Slap down: Brexit minister Steve Baker criticised Boris Johnson Brexit minister Steve Baker said the Government was ready for a fight and that concerns about cancer treatment were not correct. Addressing a call from Lord Hague, the former Tory leader, to stay in Euratom, he said it was not as simple as that. He also shrugged off a warning from the Whitehall watchdog Sir Amyas Morse that government unity could fall apart like a chocolate orange at the first tap. I think its an overdone language, said the junior minister. Lord Heseltine, the ex-deputy prime minister, said: They are listening much more to the Brexit backbenchers in the House of Commons. Labour shadow Brexit minister Paul Blomfield said: The Government claim theyre open to advice but theyre simply not listening. Mr Baker said the Bill was designed to give people certainty, continuity and control. He said: Individuals and businesses will know that the day after our exit they face the same laws and rules that they faced the day before. He also slapped Boris Johnson down for saying the European Commission could go whistle for more money from the UK. Mr Baker said the Foreign Secretary brings a certain style to our politics but that Brexit Secretary David Davis and Mrs May were leading these negotiations. 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To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. In June 2017 the EU (European Union) finally opened its ETAC (European Tactical Airlift Center) in Spain. This new facility at Zaragoza will be the permanent home for EAFT (European Air Transport Fleet). This project has been in the works since 2011 when it became clear (during the 2011 European air support operations in Libya) that the EU nations were too dependent on the United States for all sorts of military air transport and other specialized services like aerial tankers and electronic warfare aircraft. It wasnt just the lack of transports and support aircraft, there wasnt even much in the way of measuring the shortages in the EU and planning on how to deal with it. The idea of an EU ETAC had been around for over a decade but in 2011 it became obvious that something had to be done. The Americans had long warned of this overdependence on the U.S. (at great expense to the Americans) and while many European military leaders agreed, it took the clear example of what happened over Libya, and when EU states sought to participate in distant peacekeeping or disaster aid missions. There was indeed a shortage of air transport and air refueling aircraft in the EU. This continues to be a major problem with supporting EU peacekeepers operating in Africa (Congo, Mali. Sudan and so on) where most of the peacekeeping is these days. To deal with these shortages EU nations have to call on NATO resources (the Americans again) or (more frequently) charter air transports, including the largest ones that were only available from Russia and Ukraine. Since 2011 situation has become better but EU warplanes operating over Iraq, Syria and other distant areas are still dependent on the U.S. Air Force for aerial refueling and a lot of the aerial intel and electronic warfare tasks. The EU in the form of the EDA (European Defense Agency) recruited eleven nations (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Norway) to contribute cash, personnel to create EAFT and build ETAC in Spain. From that new facility ETAC personnel will be responsible for planning and organizing airlift cooperation between EAFT participants. Pooling and coordinating air transport needs means fewer flights so its cheaper to transport supplies to EU missions in places like Africa. It is easier to organize training for members air transport personnel. The ETAC will be manned by experts from the participating countries on a rotational basis. The first officers will be from Span, Italy, Germany and France but they will be replaced within 3 to 4 years with staff from other member states. ETAC is not unique because NATO has long used pooling and sharing method to improve their airlift capability and operational efficiency. The best example of this is the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany which has long been a primary transport hub for European NATO members. A common use of Ramstein is dealing with situations where a NATO member doesnt have the capability to transport theirs Special Forces somewhere far-far away. They can use American aircraft stationed there for that purpose. Moreover there is also NATO multinational unit located at Papa Air Base (Hungary) as a Heavy Airlift Wing (usually three C-17 transports) for moving NATO forces further east. The creation of ETAC also demonstrates the EDA ability to take a defense collaboration effort from idea to implementation and then operate the facility. -- Przemysaw Juraszek Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+ are great handsets that helped the company banish the memory of the Note 7 disaster, but there's still one issue that still hasn't been solved: Bixby. The virtual assistant was supposed to rival the likes of Cortana, Siri, and Alexa when it arrived on the firm's flagship phone. Samsung was so confident people would love the feature that it added a dedicated physical button on the side of the S8/S8+. But problems understanding the English language have seen the voice portion of Bixby delayed more than once in the US and several other countries. The issues with Bixby mean its button is essentially pointless at the moment, so why not remap it to be used for something else? Samsung doesn't want people to do this and keeps releasing updates to try and block the practice. But you can ignore the company's objections through the use of third-party apps like bxActions. The free app lets you use the Bixby button to perform certain actions or launch one of your own applications. And thanks to its recently added compatibility mode and various updates, bxActions continues to stay ahead of Samsung's efforts to stop Bixby remapping - including a recent OTA update delivered on T-mobile's network. The app allows Bixby to activate the camera, take screenshots, toggle the flashlight, start up any application, and much more. It even lets you map the button to launch Google Assistant. You can download bxActions from the Google Play Store. Despite the problems with Bixby, Samsung has plans to integrate the assistant in its future devices, including a smart speaker codenamed Vega. Who among us has never lamented the lack of a fast food-based special edition smartphone? Well now that pain is over. Huawei has partnered with KFC to release a limited edition version of the Enjoy 7 Plus that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the restaurant chain arriving in China. The bright red handset comes with a laser-etched picture of Colonel Sanders emblazoned on the back, along with Huawei's logo and KFC's Chinese launch date (1987). It also ships with a pre-installed KFC app and K-Music, a jukebox-style application that lets you create and share playlists in one of the country's 4000 restaurants. You even get 10,000 "K dollars," a digital currency used by KFC in China. "Between KFC and Huawei [...] both brands have witnessed the rise of China in these 30 years. Our collaboration is a homage to the era," Steven Li, senior vice president of KFC marketing told Campaign Asia-Pacific. The phone itself is a mid-range affair that looks similar to the Red iPhone 7 Plus (minus the second lens). It features a 5.5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 435 SoC, 12MP camera, 3GB of RAM, 3,020mAh battery, rear fingerprint sensor, and 32GB of storage that can expanded up to 128GB via microSD. Being a limited special edition, just 5000 of the handsets will be made. They're only available in China and are available for 1,099 yuan (around $162). KFC China has been quick to embrace new technology in recent times. The chain opened its "Original+" concept store in Shanghai last year, which is staffed entirely by robots. And in January, it teamed up with Baidu to develop facial recognition technology that can supposedly predict a customer's order just by analyzing their facial features. Dril-Quip, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services engineered drilling and production equipment for use in deepwater, harsh environment, and severe service applications worldwide. The company's principal products include subsea and surface wellheads, subsea and surface production trees, mudline hanger systems, specialty connectors and associated pipes, drilling and production riser systems, liner hangers, wellhead connectors, diverters, and safety valves, as well as downhole tools. It also provides technical advisory services, and rework and reconditioning services, as well as rental and purchase of running tools for use in the installation and retrieval of its products; and downhole tools comprise of liner hangers, production packers, safety valves, and specialty downhole tools that are used to hang-off and seal casing into a previously installed casing string in the well bore. The company's products are used to explore for oil and gas from offshore drilling rigs, such as floating rigs and jack-up rigs; and for drilling and production of oil and gas wells on offshore platforms, tension leg platforms, and Spars, as well as moored vessels, such as floating production, storage, and offloading monohull moored vessels. It sells its products directly through its sales personnel, independent sales agents, and representatives to integrated, independent, and foreign national oil and gas companies, as well as drilling contractors, and engineering and construction companies. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Capital One Financial Corporation was founded in 1988 with the goal of revolutionizing the credit card industry. The companys ground-breaking services were data-driven, opened the doors of credit to millions of people, and today Capital One is one of the worlds largest banks. The companys commitment to connecting people with responsible credit helped to rank it 10th in the US in regard to total assets and 72nd globally. The company has nearly $400 billion in assets in late 2022 and operated a network of subsidiary institutions including Capital One bank. Capital One Financial Corporation is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operates a network of branches and offices throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. Capital One Financial Corporation is the holding company for Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association, which provides various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Capital One Financial Corporation operates in three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. The Credit Card segment operates a wide range of revolving consumer credit cards while the Consumer Banking segment offers a range of traditional banking and investment products including auto and home loans, savings, and certificates of deposit. The Commercial segment offers business accounts, financing, commercial and multifamily real estate, and commercial and industrial loans. In the US, the company serves its clients through digital channels, branches, cafes, and other distribution channels located in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and California. Digital services include online accounts, account services, loan applications, and investments. Among the many features of banking with Capital One are fee-free checking accounts, cloud-based financial tracking services, and Capital One Cafes. The company operates more than 40 cafes across the US where anyone, not just account holders, can get a coffee or snack as well as improve their financial education. The cafes are equipped with ample public space, nooks for private work, and even event space for meetings. Capital One continues to advance the digital financial industry to this day. The company was among the first to move its operations to the cloud, doing so in 2012, and it is now developing machine learning, open source, and cloud technology applications to help detect and prevent fraud, secure accounts, and improve banking services. Capital One is committed to aiding the worlds fight against climate change. To that end, it is pursuing several avenues that include influencing its value chain, fostering a sustainable office culture that is in sync with its surroundings, promoting and financing sustainable energy projects, and transparency in regard to its climate goals. Eugene Gene Spatz, a paparazzi photographer who died in 2003, left behind more than 50,000 photos of New York street life and nightlife in its 1970s and 80s heyday. His lens captured both everyday urban goings-on and the raucous fashion fantasia of club-scene spots like Studio 54 and Xenon, filled with dangly earrings, deep slits, shimmering fabrics, and big bow ties. The term paparazzo was invented by Federico Fellini in 1960: It is a contraction of pappataci (mosquitoes) and ragazzi (ruffians). Though the paparazzi are generally considered anti-heroes, Spatzs observer status provides a capsule of the late-20th-century metropolis: hedonist New York and its starry iconography. Spatzs images not only tap into a vanished era, but also reveal what celebrity meant before protective publicists and carefully orchestrated selfies. His portfolio contains a pantheon of celebrities caught off the cuff: Bianca Jagger with pursed lips and a white fur stole, Jon Voight dipping back Diana Ross, Robert Redford sticking out his tongue, Lauren Hutton with a cigarette dangling from her sardonic smile plus a few queasy sightings of Woody Allen and Bill Cosby out on the town. Spatz was born in Brooklyn, spent his formative years in Long Island, and later moved to the West Village. (What drew him to photography is unclear he initially started his career as a biology teacher.) His images were published in news outlets such as the National Inquirer, People, and Esquire. The images selected here are the fruit of a collaboration between Spatzs two sisters and POBA, a nonprofit consultation service that helps organize and appraise collections posthumously. POBA has previously reviewed line drawings by Norman Mailer, unpublished recordings by Andrew Gold (the creator of the theme from the Golden Girls, Thank You for Being A Friend) as well as the photographic practice of unknown artists who were, say, insurance brokers by day. Spatzs archive seven banker boxes with approximately 200 envelopes each encompasses photographic prints, slides, negatives, and contact sheets in envelopes, many of which were labeled but not organized. More than 10,000 negatives have been scanned, though Spatzs work has only been exhibited once before, in Louisville at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in 2013, where one of his sisters lives. Regan McCarthy, co-managing director of POBA, who was involved with this archive, noted that Spatzs images show a surprising naturalism given that film photography unlike the lighting capacity of digital was, of course, without the capacity for retakes. Spatz also broke away from the connotations associated with most paparazzi: McCarthy distinguishes him from other predatory photographers of the era like Ron Galella (who considered himself to be numero uno, McCarthy noted), Bill Vetell, Dick Corkery, Mike Norcia, and Adam Scull. Spatzs photographs, according to McCarthy, tell me he viewed celebrities as once-regular folks who may simply have forgotten that but he could not. At every level, that captures his quirky, fun yet serious eye for life as it was then. Guests at 14 properties owned by President Donald Trump, including hotels in New York, Washington and Vancouver had information from their credit cards exposed, which was the third time in the same number of years that a security breach that lasted for months affected customers of the luxury hotel chain. The most recent occurrence was from August 2016 thought March 2017 according to a post on the website of the company, and the breach included names of guests, addresses, and telephone numbers, along with numbers for credit cards and their specific expiration dates. Get alerts: The breach was of the Sabre Hospitality Solutions system which is a booking service to make reservations that Trump Hotels used, but did not compromise the system of Trump Hotels. The notice on the Trump site said that the protection and privacy of guests information is a matter of upmost importance to the company. Trump guests were notified of the breach June 5. News of the most recent cybersecurity breach is less than one year after penalties of $50,000 were paid by Trump International Hotels to New York for not notifying guests immediately after learning of earlier breaches of personal data the led to the exposure of over 70,000 credit cards and more than 300 social security numbers. As part of that settlement, the company was required to update its entire security practices. Security analysts said that hotel chains have been hard hit by recent cyberattacks, in part due to lagging behind other businesses in relation to protecting their systems. Another reason they have been hit hard by the cyberattacks is hotels tend to have large amounts of personal and credit card data across different properties. Earlier in 2017, the InterContinental Hotel Group announced that data from credit cards of its customers was compromised at over 1,200 properties including Crown Plaza and Holiday inn hotels during a period of three months. The Trump hotel chain has also likely become an appealing target for hacker because it has attracted many Republican lawmakers, lobbyists and many foreign dignitaries that come to visit or seek business with President Trump. Attackers infiltrated the Trump payment processing system first in May of 2014 and installed their malware on the network to collect credit card information from the hotels guests, said the attorney general of New York Eric Schneiderman. Trump Hotels found out about the hack in June of 2015 but did not let its customers know until four months later, said Schneiderman. The city of Calgary and its surrounding lands are rich with the history and vibrant culture of its First Nations peoples. Here are six immersive, authentic and educational experiences offered to visitors by the Indigenous communities of Southern Alberta. Cultural centre: Located along the southwest city limits of Calgary, the Spotted Elk Cultural Centre offers a plethora of immersive activities that focus on the life of the Tsuutina Nation before and after European contact on the plains. Employing expert personnel who aim to provide guidance in the rediscovery of the past, the centre boasts various workshops focusing on traditional dance, cuisine, teepee building, regalia, hide tanning and story telling. Candid discussion and questions are greatly encouraged at this location, which hosts business meetings and family dinners as well as individually tailored visits for small to large groups. Details: brownbearwoman.com First Nations encampment: Within Canadas largest living history museum is the First Nations Encampment at Heritage Park Historical Village, where the public is warmly invited to experience First Nations and Metis culture firsthand. Visitors can try their hand at traditional hunting tools, help raise a teepee, make a batch of bannock bread and explore any of three authentic canvas teepees that are on display on the property. First Nations interpreters are on hand to share their stories as well as demonstrate traditional activities and tools. Details: heritagepark.ca Restaurant: Located on the Tsuutina First Nation in Calgary, the Little Chief Restaurant is a proud accessory of the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, and offers Indigenous-inspired meals along with a range of pub-style classics. At the helm is celebrated Metis chef Bill Alexander, whose team recently won first place at the Canmore Uncorked Culinary Challenge for Indigenous-inspired cuisine. Try the homemade bannock and Saskatoon berry jams, or the smoked venison carpaccio and dont forget to add some locally-source ground bison to a shared plate of nachos. Details: greyeagleresortandcasino.ca Museum: Home to fascinating permanent and travelling exhibits that showcase the history and way of life of First Nations People, the Glenbow Museum has remained a cultural institution in the city of Calgary for over 50 years. In particular, the facilitys Blackfoot Gallery boasts numerous artifacts as well as interactive displays which delve into the history, traditions and values of the those who lived for thousands of years in the northwestern plains of Alberta and Montana. Details: glenbow.org Arts boutique: At the guidance of a resident artist, visitors to authentic native arts boutique Moonstone Creation are invited to create their own masterpieces in workshops that employ techniques traditional to Northern Canada. Students can choose instruction in dream-catcher- making, traditional beadwork, ceremonial drums or fish scale art; a technique whereby fragile scales are used to create beautiful and delicate art pieces. Dont forget to check out some of the stunning pieces in-store, created by local Indigenous artists, including Moonstone Creation owner and Cree artist Yvonne Jobin. Details: moonstonecreation.ca Calgary Stampede: Since the beginning of the immensely popular Calgary Stampede, the Indian Village has played a crucial role in the event and has served as a hub of tradition, education and heritage for locals and visitors alike. The Indian Events committee, in partnership with 16 teepee owners, are responsible for ten days worth of programming during the length of the Stampede, which includes traditional games and cuisine, dance competitions and the opening of on-site teepees to the public. Details: calgarystampede.com/stampede/attractions/indian-village Liz Beddall was hosted by Tourism Calgary, which did not review or approve this story. Read more about: SHARE: A Canadian judge wasted precious few minutes on Thursday in refusing to freeze a reported $10.5-million payout to Omar Khadr so the widow of a slain American soldier he was accused of killing in Afghanistan can have more time to go after the money. In his ruling, Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba said he had heard nothing to show Khadr planned to hide assets to thwart possible enforcement of a massive American court award against him. People might have a lot of opinions. But this is not a coffee shop. This is a court of law, Belobaba said during the hearing. We dont, thank goodness, in Canada have one law for Omar Khadr and one law for all other Canadians. Tabitha Speer, widow of U.S. special forces soldier Sgt. Chris Speer, and a former American soldier Layne Morris blinded in one eye, wanted an injunction freezing Khadrs assets pending their battle to have a Canadian court force him to pay the $134.1-million (U.S.) judgment from Utah. Read more: Omar Khadr fact check paints a clearer picture of the case and the incident underlying it 15 years and nearly $5 million in legal costs later, Ottawa apologizes to Omar Khadr Former Guantanamo Bay inmate Omar Khadr says in July he hopes a settlement reached with the federal government ? reportedly for $10.5 million ? won?t ?cause people pain.? The Liberals also apologized to Khadr in settling a lawsuit over violations of his rights. (The Canadian Press)P Im trying to turn a page: Omar Khadr on his $10.5M payment, apology from Ottawa. Their Toronto-based lawyer David Winer found himself struggling to persuade Belobaba to hand down what the judge called an extraordinary and very drastic remedy and a nuclear weapon. Grabbing someones property, the judge said, demands solid, credible evidence that the person planned to thwart creditors or flout court orders. Weve got to deal with that, he told Winer. If you cant clear this criterion, were done. Winers evidence, however, amounted to media reports on Khadrs recent settlement of his lawsuit against Ottawa, announced last week, for breaching his rights during his 10 years as a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay. Sources said the deal with Khadr, 30, included a government payout of $10.5 million money the Americans want to get their hands on. In one article, the Globe and Mail cited an anonymous source as saying Khadr had already legally sheltered the money, court heard. Everything that he has reported on this matter has so far turned out to be correct, Winer said of Globe reporter, Robert Fife. Newspapers get it right a heck of a lot of times; they have great people working for them, Belobaba allowed. At the same time, he said it was difficult to rely legally on one anonymous source, a point Khadrs Edmonton-based lawyer, Nate Whitling, pressed home during his brief submissions. Theres just nothing here for Mr. Khadr to respond to. Theres just a bare allegation that assets will be dissipated, Whitling said. The parties simply wish to deprive Mr. Khadr of the benefits of his property. At one point, Belobaba asked why Khadr would not for goodwill put the money aside pending trial on the Utah judgment. Stacking $10 million against the $134-million judgment made little sense, Whitling replied. Mr. Khadr has plans for his property, like everybody else does. Its his property. Hes got the right to do with it as his wishes, Whitling said. Theres no reason it should be tied up. Its as simple as that. Belobaba also saw little merit in Winers second point: Khadrs refusal to promise the money would be available to the Americans suggests something nefarious. If Khadr had no plan to hide his assets, Winer said, it would have been so easy to say so. The judge said he recognized the American families had been horribly devastated by death and injuries but said he saw no evidence Khadr would be jumping on a plane to Venezuela or somehow putting his money beyond their reach. Ultimately, Belobaba needed just a few minutes to reject the injunction application. You have to be really careful when you go around freezing peoples assets before trial, he said. This is not a difficult decision in law. The two sides are now expected back in court in the fall likely October to begin working toward a trial on the Utah judgment. Legal experts say it will be difficult to have a Canadian court enforce the Utah award given that it is based almost entirely on Khadrs 2010 confession before a widely condemned U.S. military commission that he had, as a 15-year-old, killed Speer in Afghanistan in July 2002. Khadr later said he pleaded guilty to five purported war crimes as the only way to get out of Guantanamo and return to Canada, which he did in 2012. SHARE: CAMBRIDGE, ONT.Police have released a photo of a shoe in the hope that it will help identify a body discovered in a rural area near Cambridge, Ont. Waterloo regional police say the body was found Wednesday in a farmers field in North Dumfries Township and an autopsy is expected to be conducted Thursday in Hamilton. They say preliminary information suggests that the body is that of a male. There will be an increased police presence in the area as investigators continue their work. Police are asking for anyone who recognizes the shoe and can identify the deceased to contact police. SHARE: OTTAWADennis Oland could soon be back in a New Brunswick courtroom, facing trial for the second-degree murder of his multimillionaire father all over again, but his lawyer says thats just what theyre hoping for. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an application by the Crown to restore Dennis Olands conviction, while his lawyers had filed a cross-appeal seeking an acquittal. Both were denied. Were happy with the outcome, defence lawyer Alan Gold said in an interview. The Crown was trying to take away our new trial by having the Supreme Court say it shouldnt have been ordered. Were happy that the Supreme Court said no to that. The three-judge panel did not provide reasons for the decision. Dennis is back in the same position he was in when first charged. Hes presumed innocent and there will be a trial sometime in the future, Gold said from his Toronto office. Read more:Supreme Court says Dennis Oland was wrongly denied bail in murder case Dennis Olands defence may seek acquittal in murder case, Crown to ask for appeal The piece of evidence at the centre of Dennis Olands new trial Richard Oland, 69, was found face down in a pool of blood in his Saint John office on July 7, 2011. An autopsy showed he had suffered 45 sharp and blunt force blows to his head, neck and hands. A murder weapon was never found. During Dennis Olands trial, court heard he had visited his fathers office the night before and was the last known person to see him alive. Dennis Oland left a Fredericton courthouse with his family after being released on bail in October 2016. An appeal court has quashed Oland's murder conviction in the bludgeoning death of his father, Richard, and ordered a new trial. (The Canadian Press) Dennis Oland, a 49-year-old financial planner and scion of one of the Maritimes most prominent families, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2015 and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years. However, he was released on bail last October when the New Brunswick Court of Appeal ordered a new trial, citing an error in the trial judges instructions to the jury. Dennis Oland had told police he was wearing a navy blazer when he visited his father, but video evidence and numerous witnesses said he was actually wearing a brown jacket that was later found to have tiny traces of blood and DNA that matched his fathers profile. The Crown portrayed Dennis Olands original statement about the jacket as an intentional lie, while the defence said it was an honest mistake. The appeal court said the trial judge did not properly instruct the jurors as to the probative value of that statement. Now that the Supreme Court has refused to review the matter, the New Brunswick Court of Queens Bench will be asked to set a date for a new trial. Gold said the date could be set at a court hearing on Aug. 8. He said both the defence and Crown will need time to prepare for a trial, which is expected to begin until 2018, at the earliest. At the first trial, the results were tainted by irreversible errors, so this time were going to try to do it right, Gold said. However, the Crown has the option of dropping the case, which would mean the latest decision would stand and Dennis Oland would not face prosecution. However, Nicole OByrne, a law professor at the University of New Brunswick, said she expects the Crown will want to proceed. They could decide not to, but I expect with the amount of resources and effort theyve put into this already, I expect theyll continue with a new trial, she said. Still, it has been more than six years since the murder, and OByrne said the Crown faces a more difficult challenge with each passing day. The general wisdom is the longer these cases go, the benefit goes to the defence because its easier to bring up a reasonable doubt on one key piece of the evidence needed to prove the Crowns case, she said. Gold said a decision not to retry Dennis Oland would be at the top of his wish list. But he wouldnt speculate on what the Crown might decide. A spokesman from the provinces Public Prosecutions Office declined to comment as the matter is still before the courts. Dennis Olands first trial lasted more than 60 days. Gold said the retrial could be quite different. It essentially is a brand new proceeding and may bear little resemblance to the first proceeding, he said. OByrne said pretrial hearings dealing with admissibility of evidence will be key. All those things, like the bloodstained jacket, the cellphone data, will all be back in play as to whether they should have been admissible to the trial proper. So were right back to the beginning here with respect to all the different pieces of evidence, she said. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is giving no indication he will address the growing demand for change to the independent inquiry his government launched to examine the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The two-year process designed to examine systemic causes of prevalent violence has been heavily scrutinized, especially this week, after one of five commissioners decided to call it quits. Some families are now calling for a complete reboot of the process. But during a news conference Thursday, Trudeau said his government will engage with the existing commission to ensure it is responding to concerns of families. I have had the privilege of sitting down with families in various ceremonies across the country over the past years where weve cried and shared stories and looked for hope and healing, he said. I think everyone recognizes the tremendously difficult task that any national public inquiry into this was going to face. Read more: Indigenous affairs minister says to not lose hope in murdered and missing women inquiry after Poitras quits Manitoba families push for Indigenous-led MMIW inquiry, want commissioners to resign Marilyn Poitras, a Metis professor from Saskatchewan, said she felt regret and a heavy heart as she made her decision to resign, saying she strongly feels the terms of reference for the inquiry have not been met. While the commission says it will move ahead despite Poitras resignation and the departure of other staff members, a coalition of frustrated families think its time to start over. Some of their concerns include a lack of information about how the inquirys hearings will work and fears they will retraumatize vulnerable survivors and loved ones. They also wonder why the commission held only a single hearing in Whitehorse in the span of almost a year. We are asking you, prime minister, to live by your words to build nation-to-nation relationships, the group said in a letter to Trudeau circulated Thursday. The time has come to restart this top-down inquiry and rebuild it from the ground up. Melanie Omeniho, president of Women of the Metis Nation, said Thursday that her organization believes Poitras felt the commission was overly risk averse and too concerned with legalities, resulting in a fear of communicating with families and Indigenous leadership. Moving forward, we urge the commissioners to engage with families, not on the basis of legal risk but as a family-first, trauma informed process, she said in a statement. Members of the national advisory circle asked by the commission to provide feedback and advice issued their own statement Thursday urging other families to lift each other up during the inquiry. The commissioners had to start the national inquiry from nothing and they are learning as they go as we all are, they said. The process is not perfect but nothing ever is ... it is imperative that the national inquiry continues with its work plans. The Liberal government has earmarked $53.8 million for the commission. An interim report is expected in November. Chief commissioner Marion Buller has said more time and funding will be required but she cannot say when a formal request will be made to Ottawa. On Tuesday, the four remaining commissioners met with about a dozen family members in at a Toronto hotel, where they received an earful about how the current study is going. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett also had a separate meeting with families. Bridget Tolley, who has spent 16 years searching for answers in the death of her mother Gladys, was in the room and said the commission needs to demonstrate it is willing to respect everyones concerns. We are not critics, Tolley said. We are just unhappy family members with the way its going ... Im hurting, I dont know what else to do, I dont know where to go. What do we do? SHARE: Mayor John Tory says a loophole preventing disclosure of top executive salaries at the Toronto Parking Authority should be closed and those figures released. All the money in the Toronto Parking Authority is public money, he told the Star Wednesday. I asked today that they just find a way to make this information public. His comments were prompted by a Star story Tuesday about how the salaries of executives, including President Lorne Persiko, who is currently on administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation, are kept secret. Official requests for salary information have been denied by the parking authority and fought with a hired employment law firm. The Star has appealed to the provinces information commissioner. While the salaries of many heads of city agencies and corporations appear on the provincial public disclosure (Sunshine) list, Persikos does not. The city says thats because they are exempt under public disclosure rules. As a self-sufficient agency they receive no public funds. But the arms-length agency, which manages the citys more than 200 Green P parking lots and 17,500 on-street parking spaces is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars of city assets. According to TPA documents, 50 cents of every dollar it earns is transferred to the city. This notion to me that there arent any public funds . . . to me is incredibly lacking in transparency, Tory said. Theyre all public funds. City spokesperson Wynna Brown said the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act outlines what is an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy, and that an individuals salary is generally seen as an unjustified invasion. Salary ranges and benefits are not protected information. Brown provided salary ranges in an email Wednesday. For Persikos president position, the base salary range is $246,500 to $333,500 which is in line with what the heads of other city agencies earn. That range does not include taxable benefits, which can include things like bonuses and parking. Its unclear what, if any, taxable benefits Persiko and other executives receive. In 2016, Dianne Young, CEO of Exhibition Place earned $231,629 including taxable benefits, the Toronto Zoos CEO John Tracogna made $252,361 and TTC CEO Andy Byford was paid $354,810. The base salary range for other top executives at the parking authority is between $168,969 and $202,772. In representations responding to the Stars appeal, the parking authority also argued that the information should not be released because it was held in a software system used for human resources purposes and should be excluded from disclosure rules. Tory called the inability to disclose the salaries a loophole one that should be closed and the rules changed. What Ive asked is they just find a way to fix that, because I think it should be public. The parking authority is currently under new direction, with interim president Andy Koropeski appointed by a temporary watchdog board on Monday. The board, now chaired by City Manager Peter Wallace, was put in place by council last week after the citys auditor general presented her findings into a North York land deal that has since been halted. Auditor General Beverly Romeo-Beehler found the deal being pursued by the parking authority for a parcel of land at Finch Ave. West and Arrow Rd. would have seen the parking authority overpay by $2.63 million. Brown said Wallace is committed to ensuring appropriate transparency. Jennifer Pagliaro can be reached at 416-869-4556 or jpagliaro@thestar.ca SHARE: A memorial for a lawyer who counted accused neo-Nazis and white nationalists among her clients went ahead at a Toronto Public Library branch Wednesday evening, despite calls from local politicians and human rights advocates for the library to cancel the event. It certainly will discredit the Toronto library system, said Bernie Farber, former CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, who said he was stunned that the library agreed to rent space at its Richview branch in Etobicoke for a memorial in honour of Barbara Kulaszka. Barbara Kulaszka was a fellow traveller in hate groups in this country. She provided legal counsel to neo-Nazis, racists and bigots, and in fact ensured, through some of the work that she did, that hate laws and neo-Nazis and even Nazi war criminals would not be prosecuted in this country. Her legacy, if she has one, is one of increasing and permitting hatred in Canada. Kulaszka represented some of Canadas most famous far-right extremists, including German-born Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel, who was deported back to his home country in 2005 after a Canadian judge deemed him a security threat. Zundel was later sentenced to five years in German prison in 2007. The lawyer also worked for Paul Fromm, a self-proclaimed white nationalist, who organized the event Wednesday night. She represented Marc Lemire, who used to be part of the Canadian neo-Nazi group Heritage Front. Kulaszka, 64, died from lung cancer on June 15, according to the Canadian Association for Free Expression website which posted about the event. A library spokesperson said theyve heard the concerns about Wednesdays event loud and clear, and was taking them very seriously. But the library couldnt deny the booking because it didnt contravene any laws, said Ana-Maria Critchley, the Toronto Public Librarys manager of stakeholder relations. Library staff were in the room monitoring the event for any racism or discrimination and ready to intervene, she said. Fromm, a spokesperson for the Canadian Association for Free Expression, said he doesnt understand the controversy and called those who pushed for its cancellation, free speech opponents. I think this is really, really sad that some people would take it upon themselves to shut down a meeting, a memorial, he said. Fromm described as Kulaszka as a very quiet, dedicated woman. While media were not allowed inside the event, one attendee said there were about 25 people inside the room. Max French, who attended the event and said he had helped on Zundels Holocaust denial cases, said it was a fitting tribute to a great woman. There was no Holocaust denial going on in there, and if there was, what of it?, he said. No one in the room had ties to neo-Nazi groups, French added. But one man who attended was wearing a Blood and Honour T-shirt, a neo-Nazi music promotion group. Farber said one silver lining of the whole thing has been the united response from multicultural organizations across the city calling for the event to be cancelled and expressing their concerns. Among the emails complaining about the event was one from 89-year-old Nathan Leipciger, a survivor of Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps. My entire family was murdered by Nazi regime and I was outraged when I learned that a number of white nationalist leaders, including Paul Fromm and Marc Lemire, have rented space at a Toronto Public Library in Etobicoke . . . despite their long record of promoting bigotry and their disturbing ties to the neo-Nazi movement, he wrote in an email, an excerpt of which was provided to the Star by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Mayor John Tory, who said he was deeply concerned about the event, said his office will ask the library to review its room-booking policies going forward. While the mayor had asked the library to consider cancelling the event, he was told theyd received legal advice that they couldnt deny the booking. Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 10 York Centre), had also called on the library to cancel the booking. It is truly shocking that individuals who spread hatred, deny the Holocaust and have ties to neo-Nazi groups are being provided a permit by the Toronto Public Library to host an event inside a public building, he said. Critchley, who noted the library only realized who had booked the event Tuesday, said they are going to have a full discussion going forward. With files from Emma McIntosh and Jennifer Pagliaro SHARE: After a school year of controversy and upheaval, York Region trustees welcomed the start of their summer break this week after scrambling to meet education ministry deadlines on equity training, rebuilding fractured relationships with the community and implementing policies to improve transparency. In April, the ministry ordered the York Region District School Board to complete 22 directives after a three-month probe revealed concerns around racism, leadership and governance. The damning report, which was largely critical of then-education director J. Philip Parappally, led to his dismissal in April. Since then the board has been in sprint mode to fulfill the ministrys deadlines, and move forward. We now have a voice and mandate to do the progressive work that many of us have always wanted to do, said board chair Loralea Carruthers, about the final board meeting that took place Monday. Staff and trustees have done phenomenal work getting the board back on track. We have excellent plans and policies in place to start us off on the right foot in September. Education Minister Mitzie Hunter said she is pleased with the boards efforts and will continue to closely monitor its progress. So far, Hunter said, the board has taken many positive and promising steps towards compliance with my directions. I appreciate these efforts by the board and the many dedicated staff engaged in this work. The first order of business Monday was to swear in new Georgina trustee Cynthia Cordova, who won the byelection last month, in the seat held for years by Nancy Elgie. Elgie resigned earlier this year, after apologizing for referring to a Black parent using a racial slur. Over the last few months, senior staff and trustees completed their governance and human rights training, and will continue to receive training throughout the year, said Carruthers. Among plans submitted to the ministry this week was one to promote positive and inclusive spaces for all staff and students. They also included efforts to hire more diverse staff, offer better human rights training for staff, and ways to better respond to incidents of racism. There seems to be optimism for change from both inside and outside the board. Almost 30 people have applied to run the newly formed Human Rights Office, with interviews for the commissioner taking place this week. Trustees who were previously lambasted for petty infighting and misusing code of conduct investigations for punitive and political reasons, will also have some help dealing with code of conduct issues with the aid of an integrity commissioner. Over the past few months, former Toronto integrity commissioner, Janet Leiper, helped the board develop policy to set the framework for the position. In the interim, until a more fulsome selection process takes place later in the year, well-known ethics commissioner John Mascarin has been tapped to take on the role. But there is still much work to do be done especially around the hiring of a new director. The trustees will likely finalize the selection of a recruiting company in August, said Carruthers, with the actual process taking place in the fall. The interim director Kathi Wallace, who will be at the helm until the new director is hired, says all the plans and policies will not work in isolation but will become embedded in our work moving forward, even beyond the deadlines and requirements of the directions. Hunter said ministry officials are helping trustees and staff to ensure that the spirit and intent of my directions are being met. We are all working towards the same goals of restoring public trust in the (board) and promoting accountability and responsibility for equity and inclusion for all communities of the board. With files from Kristin Rushowy SHARE: Thursday morning was a special moment for Carlisa Wright-Waters. After spending 11 years singing with the Bahamas National Childrens Choir, she got to conduct the group during their visit to Toronto. The day was cold and rainy, but the voices of 33 boys and girls, ranging in age from seven years old to 17, brought a ray of sunshine to the Toronto police headquarters lobby, where they performed during their trip to Canada. Its just a joy to be on the other side, I was on the stage performing with them for many years, and then to be able to direct and lead out was very special for me, said Wright-Waters, 33. Wright-Waters mother, Audrey Dean-Wright, co-founded the choir in 1990 with her sister Patricia Bazard. Since its inception, the choirs members have travelled all over the world, including Russia, Poland, Prague, London, Turkey and all across the Caribbean. Bazard believes that being in the choir teaches kids discipline, lets them see the world, and brings Bahamian culture to other countries. Its a way for them to get a feeling of who they are and what is the place they have in the world as Bahamian children, Bazard said. Naketra Malcolm, 15, joined the choir in 2013. Its taught me a lot of discipline, leadership, self respect, said Malcolm. Her favourite trip so far was last year when they went to Washington D.C. and got to tour the White House. The Toronto performance was organized by the choir, the Toronto police and Canadas Bahamas tourism office, said Const. Isabelle Cotton, who helped arrange the event. She said the tourism office called her in April and asked to host the event there. We love having these kinds of events, its about sharing different cultures, Cotton said. The performance was originally supposed to be hosted outside the headquarters so that Toronto residents could stop and enjoy the music and learn about the Bahamas. But the rainy weather forced the choir into the lobby. The choir will stay in Toronto until Sunday, before they move on to Ottawa to sing on Parliament Hill. SHARE: A mistake in a Toronto Leisure Swim brochure sparked controversy this week in the St. Clair West neighbourhood, as residents believed an archaic dress code rule was in effect at the womens only swim time at Joseph J. Piccininni pool. Full-sized swim suit and T-shirt must be worn, reads a note under the pools women-only leisure swim time listing in the Etobicoke York District leisure brochure. Signs are now posted in the facility at St. Clair Ave. W. and Lansdowne Ave., saying that this information is incorrect, and brochures there have been edited by hand. The note became the subject of controversy in the community, when Viola Dessanti, confused about the dress code restriction, asked her neighbours about it on Facebook. I am interested in going swimming and I genuinely wanted to know whether I had to wear a T-shirt or not, she said in an interview. She said she didnt expect the flurry of confusion and debate that followed. Dessantis post had more than 100 comments and responses as of Thursday afternoon as neighbours debated the appropriateness of the dress code. Some community members, like Dessanti, were simply confused by the phrasing of the restriction. Others said that the rule seemed out-of-date, and unenforceable. Matthew Cutler, public relations manager for the citys Parks, Forestry and Recreation department, said that the error likely arose because a staff member referenced an old version of the brochure in creation of the new one. The dress code rule was a relic of a community-run program for Muslim swimmers that was at least 10 years old, he said. At some point in the editing process we missed this content, which has obviously caused a great deal of confusion in the local community, Cutler said. He added that there are no dress code rules in any of the women-only swim programs in the city, of which there are 10. An unexpected result of the controversy is that some members of the St. Clair West community began to see the dress code as a good idea, one that could encourage some people who wouldnt otherwise use the pools to try swimming. Dessanti is among those who think that the city should consider bringing a similar swimming time slot back. I think its wonderful that we have a space in Toronto that accommodates or even recognizes that option, referring to the dress code that she believed to be in effect. She added that she would be happy to wear a T-shirt while swimming during that time, if there was the possibility that it could make others more comfortable to use the facilities too. Janine Mosley, a former lifeguard who describes herself as a water-loving parent and is active in the neighbourhood, said that she has observed first-hand how some women are motivated to learn to swim when a safer space is made available to them through women-only swim times. I think its such an important thing to give all people access to learn the skills that they need to be safe, she said, pointing out that Toronto is a city with ample open water that could pose a major risk to residents even if they do know how to swim. Cutler said that the city is aware of the positive impact women-only swim times can have on communities. The intention is to create a space that is more welcoming, that feels safer, he said. I certainly havent seen any research or evidence that setting rules about what people have to wear at the event would make people feel any more or less safe. Cutler said that if the city was brought a suggestion to implement dress codes as a way of improving its women-only swim time program, the department would consider the idea. SHARE: The Toronto Community Housing Corporation pleaded guilty Thursday to a provincial offence in a fire that killed four people at one of its Scarborough residences last year. The guilty plea comes with a $100,000 fine the maximum penalty for the charge of failing to implement a fire safety plan in the blaze at 1315 Neilson Rd. on Feb. 5, 2016. In its defence, the TCHC said the charge to which the corporation pleaded guilty didnt allege that it was responsible for starting the fire, loss of life, injuries sustained or damages. Two other fire code violation charges placing combustible materials in a hallway and failing to adequately train staff on fire safety were dropped by the prosecution. Read more: Fire that killed four people last February deliberately set, report says New fire-code charge laid in connection with deadly TCH fire TCH will fight charge in seniors building fire that killed three The plea came amid admonishments by family members who said the penalty is inadequate. Narry Moussavi, who lost her mom Azeema Safraj in the fire, said the fine was absolutely nothing, compared to the harm caused by the loss of four lives. She believes that the residents of 1315 Neilson Rd., were neglected due to a number of social factors, including age and economic status. When you have money you have status, she said. I am very upset about all this. Graeme Hamilton, the lawyer representing TCHC, said that Toronto Fire Services is now satisfied with the implementation of the fire safety plan at the location, and that the corporation has taken positive steps toward preventing a similar tragedy from occurring in the future. He denied accusations by family members that the case was being taken lightly by TCHC and expressed heartfelt sympathy to those affected by the fire. Deputy fire chief Jim Jessop said that Toronto Fire Services fully supports the decision. He said that the dropped charges regarding combustible materials in the hallway and inadequate training are covered by the fire safety plan. So by failing to implement the approved fire safety plan, the other two violations that we noted were part of that charge, Jessop said. He added that a criminal investigation into the fire, which he described as intentionally set is ongoing. Jessop said the fuel for the fire were three chairs that were present in the buildings fifth floor alcove. Councillor Neethan Shan (Ward 42, Scarborough-Rouge River) said that the fine is an important first step in responding to the tragedy. I dont think the $100,000 fine or the acknowledgement of what went wrong goes far enough to do justice to the magnitude of the impact of this tragedy in our community, he said. I would like to see some evidence that this is accidental, not systemic. Shan acknowledged that TCHC has a longstanding resource problem, and that it needs to do a better job of serving seniors. Meanwhile, the families of those who passed away are trying to move on while honouring the memories of their kin. Fitzpatrick Richmond, the son-in-law of Charles and Hyacinth Roberts, who died in the fire, said remembering them brings back painful memories of their untimely passing. But he takes comfort that they were together until the end. This past year and a half, its very painful, Richmond said. SHARE: Changes to Toronto-area real estate rules were meant to calm not kill the market, says Premier Kathleen Wynne, adding the province will continue to keep an eye on their impact. Were monitoring it closely, said Wynne, speaking to reporters at Queens Park. It was a sophisticated response to an overheating of the market and well see, over the coming months, what the impact has been. Im pretty confident that the range of things that we put in place is having the desired effect, and will continue to. While housing sales in Toronto area remain up year-over year, they have nevertheless declined month-to-month since Wynne introduced new housing policies April 20, including a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers and an expansion of rent controls. The real estate industry has urged the province and other levels of government to wait for an extensive period before intervening any further. Lets hit the brakes here, said Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association and former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. Lets take a wait-and-see approach before any more demand interventions. Toronto realtor David Fleming believes the housing market was already correcting itself before the government changes. This is a market that likely would have cooled itself, said Fleming of Bosley Real Estate. What they've done effectively is just fast-tracked what would have been a natural cooling. Wynne spoke to reporters at Queens Park on Thursday morning before heading to Rhode Island to meet with U.S. governors to talk trade and promote cross-border economic ties at a national conference. She called the meeting a really important moment for Ontario, in the context of Canadian-American relations. The trade relationships between Canada and the United States, and Ontario and the United States, is critical to the well-being of both jurisdictions, said Wynne, who will be joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Thats really the underpinning of the conversations that Ill be having with the governors and have been having with governors for the last number of months. While the pressure of protectionism is a concern we dont know exactly where that protectionist sentiment is going to lead to Wynne said there is some urgency, (as) we know that sometime in the next week or so there will be more clarity in what the mandate for the renegotiation of NAFTA will look like. About 28 states in the U.S. list Ontario as their first- or second-place export market. Meanwhile, just-released results from the first quarter of this year showed Ontarios economic growth bested the rest of the country, the United States and G7 countries. Ontario is doing very well in that national and international context, Wynne also said. That only for me reinforces why we continue to find ways to strengthen and grow the economy. Read more about: SHARE: The Great Red Spot has never looked bigger. NASAs Juno spacecraft has been making repeated swoops just above the cloud tops of Jupiter. During the latest flyby, on Monday, the spacecraft passed about 9,000 kilometres above the Great Red Spot, a 16,000-kilometre-wide storm that has swirled for at least 350 years. NASA posted images from the flyby on the web on Wednesday. Amy Simon, a scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., who studies planetary atmospheres, said the appearance of the spot may have changed since the end of NASAs Galileo orbiter mission more than a decade ago. Read more: Scientists discover the Great Cold Spot on Jupiter in upper atmosphere Scientists spot mysterious Mars-sized planet lurking at edge of the solar system Cassini spacecraft survives unprecedented trip between Saturn and its rings I would say the internal clouds look less sheared apart in some places, compared with Galileo, she said. We expected that, based on recent Hubble imaging, but these images are a higher-resolution view of those clouds and exactly how theyve changed over the past decades. The released images look distorted. The hourglass shape is because we are so close and the horizon is foreshortened, said Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, NASAs lead investigator for the JunoCam instrument. Junos images are part of the missions outreach to the public, inviting citizen scientists to download the pictures for tweaking and enhancing. Hansen-Koharcheck pointed to one processed image submitted as part of the crowdsourced analysis effort. Adjustments put the view back into the proper, undistorted perspective and added a more vivid palette. The detail is terrific, she said. The more we zoom into the Great Red Spot, the more turbulent it seems to be, said James ODonoghue, another scientist at NASA Goddard. In some of the processed images we can clearly see anti-clockwise rotating cells within the giant storm itself storms within storms. Detailed study will come later. Scientists will use Junos other instruments to gather clues about what drives the storm and how far down into the atmosphere it descends. ODonoghue is studying temperatures in the upper atmosphere using an instrument known as the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper. In a paper published last year, he and colleagues used similar data from ground-based telescopes to study why the region above the Great Red Spot storm was unexpectedly hot. They suggested that the heat originated from below as the storms turbulence rose in the form of soundlike waves that crashed at higher altitudes where the atmosphere was too thin for the waves to propagate. The crashing waves heat the upper atmosphere, the scientists said. Junos observations should pinpoint spatial variations in the infrared emissions, and the scientists could then check whether turbulent regions seen in the JunoCam images coincide with hot spots in the atmosphere. Such a finding would be a spectacular confirmation, ODonoghue said. Scott Bolton, Junos principal investigator, was also enthralled by the pictures. Nature is incredible, he said in an email statement released by NASA. This storm is so powerful and so beautiful. I cant wait to see whats underneath. SHARE: SAN FRANCISCOThe battle over now-famous selfie photographs taken by a macaque monkey will head back to federal court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco on Wednesday will hear arguments on whether an animal can own the copyright to a photograph. The proceedings will be broadcast online. A federal judge last year ruled that the monkey cannot be declared the photos copyright owner, saying that while Congress and the president can extend the protection of law to animals as well as humans, there is no indication that they did so in the Copyright Act. The lawsuit filed in 2015 by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sought a court order allowing PETA to administer all proceeds from the photos for the benefit of the monkey, which it identified as Naruto, a free-living crested macaque from Indonesia. PETA says Naruto has been accustomed to cameras throughout his life and took the selfies when he saw himself in the reflection of the lens. The animal rights organizations says the monkey drew the connection between pressing the shutter release and the change in his reflection, and made different facial expressions while pressing the shutter release. The photos of the monkey of a toothy grin were taken in 2011 in Sulawesi, Indonesia with an unattended camera owned by British nature photographer David Slater. Slater says the British copyright obtained for the photos by his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., should be honoured worldwide PETA sued Slater and his San Francisco-based self-publishing company Blurb, which published a book called Wildlife Personalities that includes the monkey selfie photos. If successful, this will be the first time that an animal is declared the owner of property, instead of being declared a piece of property itself, PETA attorney Jeffrey Kerr said. When science and technology advance, the law adapts, Kerr said. There is nothing in the Copyright Act limiting ownership based on species, and PETA is asking for an interpretation of the act that acknowledges todays scientific consensus that macaque monkeys can create an original work. SHARE: WASHINGTONHeres a pop quiz testing your skills at covert political scheming: If you were claiming to set up a super-secret meeting to deliver Russian intelligence to an American presidential campaign, would you: A) Put it in writing, in an email; B) Publish proof on social media of your attendance; C) Keep your Facebook page completely open for another year, for anyone to peruse; D) All of the above. If you answered, No, to any of these questions, youre no Rob Goldstone. Hes the globe-trotting, celebrity-schmoozing music impresario who set up a now-infamous encounter between the Trump campaign and a Russian lawyer, and made little effort to hide it. His modus operandi was so overt, so obvious, that its provoked head-scratching and stoked conspiracy theories. Some of the presidents defenders say this had to be a setup, perhaps by Democrats. Alternatively, others simply dismiss the whole thing as a non-story, for different reasons: theres no evidence the meeting yielded anything, denials of any Kremlin ties, and indications that Democrats have also picked up political tips from foreigners. But some friends of the British-born music agent were left with the impression hed been helpful to Donald Trumps election. While Goldstones wide-open Facebook page usually shows pictures of celebrity acquaintances like Michael Jackson and Robert De Niro, and shots of his constant travels, it did get political last Nov. 8 the night Trump was elected. Goldstone posted: Pennsylvania about to be called which would give presidency to Trump. In another, he showed a picture of himself, Trump, and a mutual friend captioned: The A-Team headed to the White House. Some friends were annoyed. One swore at Goldstone and posted the message: You helped this disaster happen when you know what an idiot (Trump) is. Please forget who I am. We should never have become friends. This was a few months after the now-notorious meeting Goldstone set up at Trump Tower involving Donald Trump Jr., campaign manager Paul Manafort, and presidential staffer-and-son-in-law Jared Kushner. Goldstone marked a geotag for the visit and posted it on his Facebook page. Email records show he presented the meeting as an opportunity to get information collected by the Russian government. He said the information was dirt on Hillary Clinton gathered in a bid to help Donald Trump, and sent his way via Russian prosecutor and it would be shared at Trump Tower by someone he called a Russian government lawyer. The lawyer in question has denied links to the Kremlin; the Trump team says the meeting was a bust; and the presidents fans are dismissing the episode, alternatively, as a non-story, or evidence of a double-standard against Trump, or a Democratic setup. But Donald Trump Jr. was excited because he replied to Goldstone: I love it. Read more: The Donald Trump Jr. smoking gun is still a witch hunt to the other America. Heres why thats no surprise Whos who in the stunning Russia-conspiracy emails released by Donald Trump Jr. Read the Donald Trump Jr. emails: An offer of documents and information that would incriminate Hillary An emerging theme on the right is that this was a setup. Some are pointing out that the Russian lawyer posted an anti-Trump social-media message last year, and appeared at a congressional hearing to watch Barack Obamas Russia ambassador testify. A congressional Republican, Chuck Grassley, has sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security asking why she was allowed in the country when her permission to travel to the U.S. had expired in early 2016. The farther fringes of the alt-right suggested she may have been sent in to wiretap Trump Tower. The more mainstream right appeared to be coalescing around a more mundane line of response: that the whole thing is a yawn-inducing nothingburger that people close to the Clinton campaign also reached out to Ukraine or Russia for political dirt. But one Obama White House veteran agrees this looks like a conspiracy just not the kind Trumps fans have in mind. Brett Bruen studied Russian influence operations for Obamas National Security Council following the invasion of Ukraine. He said this resembles a move from the Russian playbook. He calls it the rope-a-dope strategy. Often, he says, the rope is a friendly, innocuous-seeming middleman, encouraged to pull a target into conversation. What at first glance may seem like a fairly amateurish operation and a cast of comedic characters actually is rooted in a much more sophisticated strategy by Russian intelligence to probe a campaign, and see where there may be opportunities or weaknesses that can be exploited, Bruen said in an interview. You never come out in a (first) meeting with a potential contact, or in the intelligence world a source, and put your best cards on the table . . . They wanted to see whether or not there was a willingness on the part of key members of the Trump campaign to take these kinds of meetings, to be baited. Read more about: SHARE: NEW YORKA man who spent 21 years behind bars for murder was set free Wednesday after prosecutors abandoned his conviction, saying their office improperly withheld information and allowed a mistaken impression that a wounded eyewitness implicated him. It was like a bad dream. It had to end someday, Jabbar Washington, 43, said as he left court after a Brooklyn judge dismissed the case against him. It was hard, but I kept the faith. Washington had confessed, but long since recanted in a deadly 1995 robbery at a drug-den apartment. Six other men also were convicted and remain so. The case is the 23rd conviction that the Brooklyn district attorneys office has disavowed in the last three and a half years, as it revisits over 100 convictions in one of the most sweeping reviews of its kind in the U.S. Washingtons case is one of dozens involving a once prominent detective, now retired, whose tactics have come under scrutiny. Prosecutors stopped short of saying they believe hes innocent in the gunslinging holdup that killed Ronald Ellis and wounded five other people. But prosecutors conceded that Washingtons trial was unfair and agreed to drop the case, saying they cant retry it now. The eyewitness died in 2006. Given the unresolved issues of credibility in this case, we cannot prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. Washingtons lawyer, Ronald Kuby, called the case a reflection of institutional failure by the criminal justice system. The eyewitness, who had been shot in the robbery, identified Washington in a 1996 lineup as one of the men involved. But before testifying at the grand jury, the witness clarified to a prosecutor that she just recognized Washington as a neighbour, not as one of the robbers, the prosecutors office said. The grand jury prosecutor made a note of the eyewitness explanation, and the identification wasnt repeated at the grand jury or trial. But prosecutors didnt tell Washingtons then-lawyer that the eyewitness had backtracked, despite legal obligations to turn over exculpatory information, the DAs office says. And the trial prosecutor asked the eyewitness and then-Detective Louis Scarcella multiple questions about the lineup questions the DAs office now sees as intended to convey, in a backdoor sort of way, the impression that she had in fact made an identification, Assistant District Attorney Mark Hale said. Scarcella, at the trial, then answered a defence lawyers question by saying that if he (Washington) didnt get IDd, it would have been particularly important to get a confession. The trial prosecutor, Kyle Reeves, whos now in private practice, declined to comment Wednesday, except to express disappointment about learning of the developments not from former colleagues but from the press. The grand jury prosecutor, who also has left the DAs office, didnt immediately respond to an email sent to a possible address for her Wednesday. Scarcella, who retired in 2000, has denied any wrongdoing as the Brooklyn DAs office has reviewed roughly 70 of his cases. So far, prosecutors have abandoned about a half-dozen convictions in his cases, but stood by nearly three dozen others. While they characterized his testimony in the Washington case as misleading, they havent accused him of breaking any laws. His lawyers, Alan M. Abramson and Joel S. Cohen, said Wednesday that the failings in the case were prosecutors and the judges, and the fact that Louis Scarcella was the detective on this case is immaterial. Washington, meanwhile, left court surrounded by the family hed waited to rejoin, including his mother, wife, two children and a grandchild. As for his plans, after all this time, Im just happy to go home, he said. SHARE: HOUSTONIf the Trump administration gets its way, U.S. citizens boarding international flights will have to submit to a face scan, a plan privacy advocates call a step toward a surveillance state. The Department of Homeland Security says its the only way to successfully expand a program that tracks non-immigrant foreigners. They have been required by law since 2004 to submit to biometric identity scans but to date have only had their fingerprints and photos collected prior to entry. Now, DHS says its finally ready to implement face scans on departure aimed mainly at better tracking visa overstays but also at tightening security. It says it wont keep the face scans of U.S. citizens, but privacy advocates are skeptical and say Homeland Security is overstepping its authority. Congress authorized scans of foreign nationals. DHS heard that and decided to scan everyone. Thats not how a democracy is supposed to work, said Alvaro Bedoya, executive director of the centre on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump Trials begun under the Obama administration are underway at six U.S. airports Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Kennedy Airport in New York City and Dulles in the Washington, D.C., area. DHS aims to have high-volume U.S. international airports engaged beginning next year. During the trials, passengers will be able to opt out. But a DHS assessment of the privacy impact indicates that wont always be the case. The only way for an individual to ensure he or she is not subject to collection of biometric information when travelling internationally is to refrain from travelling, says the June 12 document on the website of Customs and Border Protection, which runs the DHS program. John Wagner, the Customs deputy executive assistant commissioner in charge of the program, confirmed in an interview that U.S. citizens departing on international flights will submit to face scans. Wagner says the agency has no plans to retain the biometric data of U.S. citizens and will delete all scans of them within 14 days. However, he doesnt rule out CBP keeping them in the future after going through the appropriate privacy reviews and approvals. A CBP spokeswoman, Jennifer Gabris, said the agency has not yet examined whether what would require a law change Privacy advocates say making the scans mandatory for U.S. citizens pushes the nation toward a Big Brother future of pervasive surveillance where local and state police and federal agencies, and even foreign governments, could leverage citizens collected digital faceprints to track them wherever they go. Jay Stanley, an American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst, says U.S. law enforcement and security agencies already exert sufficient gravitational pulls in wanting to record and track what masses of individuals are doing, he says. Sen. Edward Markey said U.S. citizens should be able to opt out. I intend to closely monitor this facial recognition program to ensure that Americans can say no to being subject to facial recognition and that DHS and airlines are fully transparent with the public about their future plans, he said in an emailed statement. A network of government databases collects face scans from mug shots, drivers license and other images. In an Octoberreport, the Georgetown centre estimated more than one in four U.S. state and local law enforcement agencies can run or request face-recognition searches and federal agencies including the IRS have all had access to one or more state or local face recognition systems. Bedoya said the images of at least 130 million U.S. adults in 29 states are stored in face recognition databases. The FBI alone has more than 30 million photos in a single database, and New York state recently announced it would beginscanning the faces of driversentering New York City bridges and tunnels. Another DHS initiative worrying privacy advocates is TSAs Precheck, the voluntary program designed to speed enrollees through airport security with more than 5 million enrollees. Participants are not being told the digital fingerprints and biographical data they submit for background checks when enrolling are retainedin an FBI identity database for life, said Jeramie Scott, an attorney with the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest non-profit. Since last month, trials that let enrollees use a digital fingerprint scanner to speed through TSA security are underway in Atlanta and Denver. EPIC worries not just about potential governmental abuse but also the vulnerability to hackers. In the 2015 breach of the federal Office of Personnel Management, 5.6 million sets of fingerprint images were stolen. The biometric exit endeavour will cost billions. Thats partly because U.S. airports dont have dedicated secure immigration areas for departing international flights. Domestic and international passengers commingle in the same concourses. Currently, foreigners arriving in the U.S. submit to photo and digital fingerprint recording but there are no exit scans. U.S. citizens are subject to neither; their photos are digitally stored in a microchip in their passports with biographical data. Inwritten testimony to Congress in May, CBP said U.S. citizens leaving on international flights cannot be exempted from face scans because 1) Its not practical to run separate boarding systems for citizens and non-citizens and 2) Scanning U.S. citizens passports will ensure they dont travel on a passport not their own. This is a technologically advanced way to check identity as opposed to the analog way it happens now, said DHS spokeswoman Jenny Burke. Face recognition technology is getting better, but is far from perfect, however. A smile recorded at the gate could, for example, trigger a mismatch when compared to a serious gaze in a passport photo. Even the most accurate systems fail 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the time, said Anil Jain, a Michigan State professor. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, New York, said such a failure rate would be a non-starter by slowing the boarding process. Congress last year approved up to $1 billion over the next decade collected from visa fees to get the program rolling technically. That wont cover the additional border agents needed for gate checks, for starters. DHS officials hope to defray costs through partnerships with airlines that are incorporating biometrics to boost efficiencies. Two airlines in the pilot program Delta and JetBlue tout identity-verification technologys convenience for other ends: Delta for speeding baggage handling, JetBlue for eliminating boarding passes. Both carriers say they will not retain customers face scan files. Read more: How deep neural networks could improve airport security Intel sharing at centre of U.S., Europe talks over laptop ban on flights CBP knows it wont have a full picture of who is overstaying visas until face scans are also done at U.S. land and sea borders. Such concerns shouldnt stop the government from moving ahead with the program and U.S. citizens have already sacrificed considerable privacy as the price of fighting terrorists, said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which promotes restrictions on immigration. He called it a moral and security imperative. More than 700,000 overstayed their visas in the year ending Sept. 30. But Ben Ball, a biometrics consultant and former DHS analyst, says the government hasnt yet addressed the thorniest questions. This is still a theoretical system, he said. We are the first country on earth to attempt a comprehensive biometric system and its technically very complicated. Australia is among global pioneers in facial recognition for traveller processing. It is currently an option for bypassing manual immigration controls for arriving and departing international air travellers. Citizens from 15 nations including the United States are eligible. The European Union is also moving toward face scans and fingerprint collection but limited to third-country nationals crossing external borders. An agreement reached June 30 will now be submitted to the European Parliament. SHARE: SHENYANG, CHINAImprisoned for all the seven years since he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiaobo never renounced the pursuit of human rights in China, insisting on living a life of honesty, responsibility and dignity. Chinas most prominent political prisoner died Thursday of liver cancer at 61. His death at a hospital in the countrys northeast, where hed been transferred after being diagnosed triggered an outpouring of dismay among his friends and supporters, who lauded his courage and determination. There are only two words to describe how we feel right now: grief and fury, family friend and activist Wu Yangwei, better known by his pen-name Ye Du, said by phone. The only way we can grieve for Xiaobo and bring his soul some comfort is to work even harder to try to keep his influence alive. The 1989 pro-democracy protests centred in Beijings Tiananmen Square, by Lius account, were the major turning point of his life. Liu had been a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York but returned early to China in May 1989 to join the movement that was sweeping the country and which the Communist Party regarded as a grave challenge to its authority. When the government sent troops and tanks into Beijing to quash the protests on the night of June 3-4, Liu persuaded some students to leave the square rather than face down the army. The military crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people and heralded a more repressive era. Liu became one of hundreds of Chinese imprisoned for crimes linked to the demonstrations. It was only the first of four imprisonments. His final prison sentence was for co-authoring Charter 08, a document circulated in 2008 that called for more freedom of expression, human rights and an independent judiciary. What I demanded of myself was this: Whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility, and dignity, Liu wrote in I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement, which he was prevented from reading aloud in court at his sentencing in 2009. He was sent to prison for 11 years on charges of inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms and greater human rights in China. Read more: Ailing Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo in critical condition, hospital says Foreign doctors say cancer-stricken Nobel Peace Prize winner should be allowed to travel for treatment Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo released from prison after terminal cancer diagnosis A year later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. The Norwegian committee lauded Lius long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The award enraged Chinas government, which condemned it as a political farce. Within days, Lius wife, the artist and poet Liu Xia, was put under house arrest, despite not being convicted of any crime. China also punished Norway, even though its government has no say over the independent Nobel panels decisions. China suspended a bilateral trade deal and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon, and relations only resumed in 2017. Dozens of Lius supporters were prevented from leaving the country to accept the award on his behalf. Instead, Lius absence at the prize-giving ceremony in Oslo, Norway, was marked by an empty chair. Another empty chair was for Liu Xia. On Thursday, the Nobel Committee said Beijing bore a heavy responsibility for Lius death. But it also levelled harsh criticism at the free world for its hesitant, belated reactions to his serious illness and imprisonment. It is a sad and disturbing fact that the representatives of the free world, who themselves hold democracy and human rights in high regard, are less willing to stand up for those rights for the benefit of others, said the organizations chairwoman, Berit Reiss-Andersen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Liu Xiaobo was a courageous fighter for civil rights and freedom of opinion. U.S. Senator John McCain lauded Liu as a champion for human rights whose death was an egregious violation of fundamental human rights. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, meanwhile, urged Beijing to release Lius wife from house arrest and allow her to leave the country if she wishes. Liu was born on Dec. 28, 1955, in the northeastern city of Changchun, the son of a language and literature professor who was a committed party member. The middle child in a family of five boys, he was among the first to attend Jilin University when college entrance examinations resumed following the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. After spending nearly two years in detention following the Tiananmen crackdown, Liu was detained for the second time in 1995 after drafting a plea for political reform. Later that year, he was detained a third time after co-drafting Opinion on Some Major Issues Concerning our Country Today. That resulted in a three-year sentence to a labour camp, during which time he married Liu Xia. The couples friends and supporters described the dissident and his soft-spoken wife as being deeply in love. In the same statement Liu had prepared for his trial, he addressed his wife. Your love is the sunlight that leaps over high walls and penetrates the iron bars of my prison window, stroking every inch of my skin, warming every cell of my body, allowing me to always keep peace, openness, and brightness in my heart, and filling every minute of my time in prison with meaning, he said. But my love is solid and sharp, capable of piercing through any obstacle. Even if I were crushed into powder, I would still use my ashes to embrace you. Yu Jie, a longtime friend and a biographer, said Liu frequently gathered a small group of friends for frequent dinners at his favourite local Sichuan hotpot restaurant, where he regaled younger intellectuals on literature and philosophy before returning home to write until dawn, as was his habit. No one was as active as he was, and no one had so much social interaction with the young people, Yu said. He was a bridge for generations of thinkers. Liu was only the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in prison, a fact pointed to by human rights groups as an indication of the Chinese Communist Partys increasingly hard line against its critics. The first, Carl von Ossietzky, died from tuberculosis in Germany in 1938 while serving a sentence for opposing Adolf Hitlers Nazi regime. Hitler was wild and strong and thought he was right but history proved he was wrong in imprisoning a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said Mo Shaoping, an old friend and Lius former lawyer. The authorities consider Liu Xiaobo guilty, but history will prove he is not. Read more about: SHARE: LONDONThe parents of a baby with a rare disease stormed out of a London court hearing in an emotional outburst Thursday, as the couple tried to convince a judge to let them take their critically ill child to the United States for medical treatment. Charlie Gards parents are challenging the view of Britains most famous childrens hospital, arguing that treatment abroad is in the best interest of the 11-month-old suffering from a rare genetic condition. A succession of judges has backed specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital, who argue experimental treatment in the U.S. wont help and may cause suffering for Charlie. The parents hoped to present fresh evidence to alter that view. Read more: Charlie Gard case heads to U.K. court to hear new evidence for potential treatment New York hospital offers to treat British baby Charlie Gard, who is terminally ill Despite big offer from Donald Trump, little has changed for critically ill British baby Two hours into the High Court hearing, questions from Judge Nicholas Francis prompted tensions to boil over. Charlies mother, Connie Yates, accused Francis of misquoting her earlier statements about Charlies quality of life. We said hes not suffering and not in pain, Yates yelled. If he was, we wouldnt be up here fighting. Chris Gard then slammed his water cup down and the couple left the courtroom. Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a rare genetic disease that has left him brain damaged and unable to breathe unaided. The hospital says there is no known cure and believes his life-support systems should be turned off. The parents want to try but it isnt up to them. British judges are tasked to intervene when families and doctors disagree on the treatment of people unable to speak for themselves. 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. Unlike the U.S.A., English law is focused on the protection of childrens rights, said Jonathan Montgomery, a professor of health care law at University College London. The U.S.A. is the only country in the world that is not party to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child; it does not recognize that children have rights independent of their parents. Montgomery said that while it was right to consider the views of Charlies parents, the court will not make a determination on this basis. This case is about Charlies rights and what the evidence tells us that they require, he said. That will be the only consideration of the judge at the hearing. Francis, who ruled in favour of doctors in April, says he will consider any new evidence. The courtroom was packed as Francis heard arguments on differences of medical opinion. We are continuing to spend every moment, working around the clock to save our dear baby Charlie, the couple said in a statement before the hearing. Weve been requesting this specialized treatment since November, and never asked the hospital, courts or anyone for anything except for the permission to go. Britains Supreme Court has ruled its in the boys best interests to be allowed to die with dignity. The European Court of Human Rights rejected an appeal from the parents, which briefly stalled their legal options. But days afterward, U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis gave the parents new hope by shining an international spotlight on the ethical debate. Pope Francis issued a statement insisting on the need to respect the wishes of the parents to accompany and treat their son to the very end. Americans United for Life and other groups have seized upon the case, arguing the infant needs a chance at life. Petitions have circulated to offer support and others have arrived at Charlies bedside to pray. A decision is not expected Thursday. Read more about: SHARE: PARISFrances anti-terrorism prosecutor has taken the picture magazine Paris Match to court in an urgent effort to stop sales of its latest edition showing gruesome photos of the terror attack in Nice a year ago that killed 86 people. Victims organizations denounced the photos as the Riviera city of Nice prepares for the Bastille Day fete and commemoration of those killed July 14, 2016, when a 19-ton truck barrelled into celebrating crowds. Stephan Gicquel, who heads the leading victims association Fenvac, said on BFM-TV that a favourable ruling would be a strong signal to show ... there are limits, adding that we dont need these shock pictures to understand the horror of terrorism. The magazines executive director, Olivier Royant, said he would defend tooth and nail what he said was the right of citizens, first among them the victims, to know exactly what happened on the day of the fatal attack. He said the report, with photos, was a way for his publication to pay homage to victims ... so that society does not forget, adding that the right of the media to inform is a foundation of democracy. Read more: France detains man for posing in photo with Nice truck attacker Nice truck attacker had accomplices, planned for months, French prosecutor says Man who carried out Nice attack had history of violence, crime Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trumps fellow Republicans have rejected his proposal to eliminate all federal funding for cleaning up the Great Lakes. Trumps request to slash the budget of the popular Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from $300 million (U.S.) to $0 had sparked an outcry from environmentalists and politicians on both sides of the border. But Trump is simply being ignored by legislators, even those from his own party. Congress, not the president, makes the real decisions about U.S. government spending. Republicans and Democrats on the powerful Republican-led House Appropriations Committee decided this week to set the 2018 budget for the restoration initiative at the previous level of $300 million. A series of congressional votes are required before the budget is finalized, but advocates say the initiative appears safe. Trump has been opposed by Republican politicians from the Great Lakes states crucial to his election victory, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. A bipartisan group of 63 House members asked the committee to preserve the initiative, saying Trumps proposal would reverse years of progress and jeopardize the environmental and economic health of the region. More than 30 million people get their drinking water from the Great Lakes. I dont think it matters if youre Republican or Democrat or any other political party: you recognize this goes right to the kitchen table of every one of your voters, said Mark Mattson, president of the Toronto-based advocacy group Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. When Donald Trump was elected president, he assumed that all environmental issues were luxuries or wrong-headed or international conspiracies against business . . . . But when the rubber hits the road, when you get down to the communities, these are bread and butter issues. Toronto Mayor John Tory was among the many political leaders to criticize Trumps proposal. The early proposals were just devastating for all of us in the Great Lakes Basin. We have about 70 per cent Canadian membership and 30 per cent U.S. And I think the Canadians were as upset or even more upset than the U.S. side. They kind of viewed that as almost a betrayal of the friendship we have between our countries, said David Ullrich, adviser and former executive director for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a coalition of mayors. Read more:Torontos harbour routinely contains E. coli levels well beyond public safety standards Some advocates said they were relieved but not thrilled that the committee settled on the previous level of funding. Mattson said the $300 million mostly pays for projects targeting the worst areas on the American side. Billions more, he said, are required for all the needed work. Trumps administration argued that state and local groups are engaged and capable of taking on management of cleanup and restoration of these water bodies. Those groups, however, said government funding is essential. The initiative has funded more than 3,000 projects at a cost of more than $2 billion to date. The projects are aimed at cleaning up polluted areas, dealing with invasive species, reducing runoff and restoring habitat. Trumps proposal was part of a broad package of suggested cuts to environmental programs. The committee also softened many of the others. Committee Republicans settled on a reduction of $528 million (or 7 per cent) to the Environmental Protection Agency budget, substantially less than Trumps suggestion of $2.6 billion (31 per cent). Read more about: SHARE: LONDONTheres no divorce without paperwork. Just over a year after Britons voted to leave the European Union, the U.K. government on Thursday unveiled the first piece of legislation to make it a reality a 62-page bill that anti-Brexit politicians are already vowing to block. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill aims to convert some 12,000 EU laws and regulations into U.K. statute on the day the U.K. leaves the bloc. That is scheduled to be in March 2019. Read more: EUs Brexit negotiator says U.K. must meet tough conditions in divorce talks U.K.s Theresa May vows to win battle of ideas in Parliament and the country EU parliament threatens veto on Brexit over citizens rights All those rules can then be kept, amended or scrapped by Britains Parliament, fulfilling the promise of anti-EU campaigners to take back control from Brussels to London. But opponents of Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative government fear the legislation gives officials powers to change laws without sufficient scrutiny by lawmakers. They worry the government could water down environmental standards, employment regulations or other measures brought to Britain via EU law since it joined the bloc in 1973. The divorce is the easy part. Leaving the EU takes up just a single line in the bill, repealing the European Communities Act through which Britain entered the bloc. The bulk of the bill describes how all EU laws will be converted into British statute. The government says that will ensure continuity law on the day after Brexit will be the same as on the day before. Brexit Secretary David Davis said the legislation will allow Britain to leave the EU with maximum certainty, continuity and control. But, contentiously, it gives the government powers to fix deficiencies in EU law by whats known as statutory instruments, which can be used without the parliamentary scrutiny usually needed to make or amend legislation. The powers are temporary, expiring two years after Brexit day. Even so, Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon branded the bill a naked power grab. The bill is not expected to face debate in Parliament until the fall, and Mays minority government weakened after a battering in last months general election faces a fight. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said getting the bill passed would be hell and predicted the government faced a parliamentary version of guerrilla warfare. Read more about: SHARE: How could so many Canadians protest the governments apology and compensation to Omar Khadr, when the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that Canada violated some of his most fundamental rights? The Supreme Court unanimously stated in 2008 that by making the product of its [post-torture] interviews of Mr. Khadr available to U.S. authorities, Canada participated in a process that was contrary to Canadas international human rights obligations. In 2010 it wrote that the interrogation of a youth detained without access to counsel, to elicit statements about serious criminal charges while knowing that the youth had been subjected to sleep deprivation and while knowing the fruits of the interrogations would be shared with prosecutors, offends the most basic Canadian standards. These rulings make monetary damages almost inevitable. Canadas complicity in the torture and unjust military trial of Khadr was indisputably and seriously illegal; Canadian courts only apply the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to state actions outside the country if they violate Canadas binding obligations under international law. Consider that 74 per cent of Canadians acknowledge Khadr was a child soldier and should have been treated as one yet a majority would still have denied him redress for the abuses he experienced. According to a poll by Angus Reid, 91 per cent of Conservatives, 61 per cent of Liberals, and 64 per cent of NDP voters are against the settlement; 43 per cent of Canadians wouldnt even have apologized for Canadas participation in his ordeal. When it comes to Muslims branded as terrorists, the facts and the rule of law dont seem to matter. The outraged reaction to Canadas settlement agreement with Omar Khadr demonstrates, once again, that the demonization of Muslims is impervious to reason and reality. How could a significant percentage of Canadians support Trump-like Muslim bans in the name of combating terrorism, when no one in Canada has ever been killed or seriously injured in an act of terror by a Muslim immigrant? According to recent surveys, almost one-third of Canadians approve of Donald Trumps prohibition on travellers from several Muslim-majority countries, more than half appreciate his approach to national security, and one-quarter think Syrian refugees should be forbidden from entering Canada. Never mind that Muslims have been responsible for only two out of the 487 terrorism-related deaths in Canada recorded in the Canadian Incident Database since 1960; that both of these casualties from Muslim terrorism were caused by white men born in Canada (Martin Couture-Rouleau and Michael Zehaf-Bibeau); that extreme right-wing and white supremacist groups have murdered and assaulted several times more people than Muslim terrorists have; and that in the U.S., too, there have been no deadly terror attacks by immigrants from any of the countries targeted by Trumps ban, while the radical right wing has been responsible for 73 per cent of fatal extremist incidents since 9-11 (as documented in a report released this April by the U.S. Government Accountability Office). When it comes to Muslims, neither data nor logic nor our self-proclaimed Canadian values pluralism, equality, humanitarianism seem to matter. How could so many Canadians oppose M103, a parliamentary motion to study and condemn Islamophobia, even after six Muslims were gunned down in an attack on a Quebec mosque? Alexandre Bissonnettes rampage at the Centre Culturel Islamique in Ste-Foy in January, which alone killed three times more people than Muslim terrorism ever has in Canada, occurred against a backdrop of steadily-rising animus: police-reported hate crimes against Muslims tripled between 2012 and 2015, according to Statistics Canada. And yet, 55 per cent of Canadians surveyed by Angus Reid in March claimed the problem of anti-Muslim discrimination has been overblown, and only 29 per cent said they would have voted for M103. Following the killing of two soldiers in 2014 by Muslim extremists, in contrast, almost two-thirds of Canadians felt that homegrown terrorism poses a serious threat, and more than half endorsed the expansion of national security powers with the Protection of Canada from Terrorists Act. The introduction of increasingly repressive laws to counter statistically minuscule violence by Muslims is considered reasonable; a non-binding motion to counter more-fatal violence against Muslims is criticized as an overreaction. When it comes to Muslims, their deaths dont seem to matter. Islamophobia the unfounded fear, hatred, and dehumanization of Muslims is often represented as the product of ignorance. But Islamophobia is more pernicious and resistant to correction than a mere absence of knowledge; it arises from a wilful refusal to recognize that Muslims deserve the same protections from being tortured, banned, and killed as other human beings. Azeezah Kanji is a legal analyst based in Toronto. She writes in the Star every other Thursday. SHARE: Texas Instruments (TXN) - Get Free Report is trading at new July highs Wednesday after beginning the session with an impressive upside gap. At midday the stock is up 1.7% as it extends the rebound off major support near the 200-day moving average. This action should be very encouraging for the bulls. Texas Instruments is set up well for a fresh rally leg. After drifting higher between mid March and early June, it was becoming clear Texas Instruments was in need of a healthy pullback. The process began rather suddenly with a steep selloff on June 9. Texas Instruments fell more than 4% that day, leaving behind a rather ominous spike high in its wake. By late June, the stock had fallen below its April and May lows as a mountain of overhead supply was left behind. Despite the intense overhead pressure, Texas Instruments managed to regain its footing near its 200-day moving average. Following this week's nice rally, an important low near this major support zone appears to be in place. Wednesday Texas Instruments is piercing a great deal of overhead supply. This impressive move, coupled with a deeply oversold reading earlier this month, could carry shares to new highs. In the near term, investors should consider this A rated stock a buy on weakness. Support is now in place between $79.50 and $78.00. On the downside, a close back below $77.00 would indicate more basing is ahead before a new rally phase can take hold. Also of note, Texas Instruments is scheduled to report its second-quarter results on July 25. view chart in a new Window Visit here for the latest business headlines. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author was long Texas Instruments. Alphabet's (GOOGL) - Get Free Report Google on Wednesday acquired India's Halli Labs, a startup focused on building deep learning and machine learning systems to address what it calls "old problems." Halli Labs confirmed the acquisition in a blog post, saying that it was "thrilled" to be joining the teams at Google. The Bengaluru, India-based startup was founded with the goal of bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to old problems and domains. Its mission is "to help technology enable people to do whatever it is that they want to do, easier and better." The company says it will be joining Google's Next Billion Users team "to help get more technology and information into more people's hands around the world." What's Hot On TheStreet Money is just being given away: Warren Buffett donated roughly $3.17 billion of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A) - Get Free Report (BRK.B) - Get Free Reportstock earlier this week to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and four family charities. It is the 86-year-old billionaire's largest contribution in his plan to give away his fortune. In 2010, Buffett, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) - Get Free Report co-founder Bill Gates and his wife created The Giving Pledge, a project that encourages billionaires to give more than half of their wealth to philanthropy. TheStreet takes a look at some of the wealthiest people who have pledged to give their money to charity when all is said and done. A return of a bothersome issue for Walmart: Beginning in 2013, reports began circulating that Walmart Stores Inc. (WMT) - Get Free Report was dealing with an out-of-stock issue at its stores nationwide. At the time, Walmart attributed the problem to a reduction in employees as it worked to cut costs. Fast forward to 2017, and the issue appears to be resurfacing, reports TheStreet's Lindsay Rittenhouse. Paypal should cut a big check: It could be time for PayPal (PYPL) - Get Free Report to get cracking on a bid for fellow payments processor Square (SQ) - Get Free Report , TheStreet reports. The purchase of Square would give PayPal increased acceptance with bricks and mortar retailers, Loop Capital analyst Joseph Vafi writes in a new note. All in, the deal would further PayPal's efforts to become a "true, two sided network," according to Vafi. Vafi estimates PayPal would be able to pay a 30% premium for Square, valuing the company at more than $12 billion using current prices. Tesla gets some more love: Shark Tank Star Kevin O'Leary said Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report CEO Elon Musk is a modern day Michelangelo. "He is a genius - I can't say enough good things about what he does for all sectors that he gets involved in," O'Leary told TheStreet's Scott Gamm in an interview. Although to be fair, O'Leary is more fond of Tesla's product than its stock. "I'm an investor and at the end of the day, I look at each opportunity to put money in harms way - one stock at a time and that's not a stock I own," he said. O'Leary is also the Chairman of O'Shares ETF Investments. Alphabet is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. American Airlines Inc (AAL) - Get Free Report has heated up its war of words against Qatar Airways in a regulatory filing that hits back at the Gulf carrier's plans to buy shares in the biggest U.S. airline. American said Qatar Airways had revised its antitrust filing with U.S. regulators seeking clearance to buy up to a 10% stake in the carrier, but said no further details of the changes to the filing were given. American reiterated that the proposed investment was not solicited by American Airlines and would in "no way change the company's board composition, governance, management or strategic direction." It also included strong language about the Open Skies agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Qatar which has seen major airlines accuse the Gulf states of unfairly subsidizing their government-run airlines. "American Airlines continues to believe that the President and his administration will stand up to foreign governments to end massive carrier subsidies that threaten the U.S. aviation industry and that threaten American jobs," the filing said. American also said that it would end a code-share agreement with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways over the dispute, with the change meaning American will no longer sell tickets on aircraft operated by either Gulf carrier as if they were its own flights. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker was undaunted by the move, saying Thursday the stake purchase would go ahead despite American's resistance. "Our stock purchase request and filing is going ahead as normal," al-Baker told reporters in Doha, according to Reuters. "We had to clarify certain questions of the regulator, which we compiled with." Qatar Airways has also come under fire for remarks about the age of flight attendants on American carriers. During a speech to a small audience Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said that the average age of flight attendants on his airline is 26 years of age, adding, "You know you're always being served by grandmothers on American Airlines." Al Baker later apologized for the comment. "This is a time of strong rivalry between our airline and the U.S. carriers, and we are of course immensely proud of our own cabin crew." "Cabin crew are the public face of all airlines, and I greatly respect their hard work and professionalism," he said. "They play a huge role in the safety and comfort of passengers, irrespective of their age or gender or familial status." American shares shares were trading modestly higher in premarket trading Thursday after closing at $53.80 each last night in New York and have gained more than 11% since Qatar indicated its interest in buying a stake on June 22. Visit here for the latest business headlines. Global gas demand is set to grow 1.6% every year for the next five years and the U.S. is on pace to become the biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas by 2022, the International Energy Agency reported. The U.S. is already the biggest natural gas producer, but it's challenging Qatar and Australia to become the leader in converting that natural gas into LNG. The IEA suspects the U.S. will provide more than one-fifth of global gas output by 2022. Three major LNG terminals are being built on the Texas coast. The completion of those terminals will double the number of LNG ports currently in use in the U.S. Demand for LNG will steadily grow in the next five years. China is expected to lead 40% of the demand growth. What's Hot On TheStreet How can we argue with this one: Shark Tank Star Kevin O'Leary is more fond of Tesla's (TSLA) - Get Free Report product than its stock. "At some point it has to fall to gravity," he said told TheStreet's Scott Gamm in an interview. "It's been trading on a different planet for years and now it has to trade on Earth." Amen. Relax Apple stock bulls: For now, reports suggest a moderate delay in the Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report iPhone 8 ramp, rather than something more severe points out TheStreet's Eric Jhonsa. So far, the market has shrugged off concerns on a possible delayed iPhone 8 release (as in it misses the holiday launch window). But it's worthwhile to keep something in mind: Apple shares have lagged the S&P 500 over the past month, so some doubt may be trickling into the bull camp. Further, key Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) - Get Free Reportjust served up some uninspiring figures that suggest waning smartphone demand. This beverage executive just went off the rails: Hat tip to TheStreet's Lindsay Rittenhouse for an insightful interview with SodaStream's (SODA) - Get Free Report CEO Daniel Birnbaum, who pulled no punches in his views on PepsiCo (PEP) - Get Free Report and Coca-Cola (KO) - Get Free Report . Said Birnbaum on why his company's stock has surged this year: The company is addressing mega trends - health and wellness, convenience, consumer choice and good, important values. We have the right product at the right time. Our competition is prehistoric and that might explain the success we've seen around the world, particularly in Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Norway, all over the world. This is not a local phenomenon. This is a global mega trend. We're looking to embrace a sustainable world for our children to live in. Birnbaum didn't shut the door on making acquisitions, either. OK Target, we see you: It looks like shoppers are noticing some more deals scattered about Target (TGT) - Get Free Report stores. The discount retailer, which has sought to slash prices this year to better compete with rivals Walmart (WMT) - Get Free Report and Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report , said Thursday its second quarter results would come in above the high-end of its estimates for 95 cents a share to $1.15 a share. Target credited improved traffic and sales trends through the first two months of the second quarter. Apple and PepsiCo are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL and PEP? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. Etihad Airways apparently has become a victim of the continuing conflict between American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) - Get Free Report and Qatar Airways. American said Wednesday, July 12, it will end codeshare agreements with Qatar and Etihad effective in March 2018. American said it notified the two carriers of the decision on June 29, one week after it revealed in a a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that Qatar wanted to buy up to 10% of its stock. American said its decision was based on the ongoing dispute regarding rapid U.S. expansion by the subsidized Middle East three carriers -- Etihad, Emirates and Qatar, collectively known as the ME3 -- in violation of the Open Skies agreements that enable the expansion. "Given the extremely strong public stance that American has taken on the ME3 issue, we have reached the conclusion that the codesharing relationships between American and these carriers no longer make sense for us," American said in a prepared statement. Etihad said that it is "disappointed with the decision. "We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial codeshare since 2009 that has provided passengers flying to and from the United States with more and better flight options to points in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and other destinations that historically have not been served by U.S. airlines," Etihad said in a prepared statement. "The Etihad Airways/American Airlines relationship continued notwithstanding our differences on the so-called "Open Skies" political dispute," the carrier said. "We view the decision by American Airlines as being anti-competitive and anti-consumer. This action will reduce choices for consumers and may result in higher fares for travelers to and from the United States." Etihad said its schedule of six daily flights to the U.S. "in no way threatens American Airlines." It said that it is "taking all possible measures to ensure that the flying public is not harmed by this decision." Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, which represent American pilots, said that even if Etihad is a victim of the conflict between American and Qatar, the subsidized carrier is even more a victim of its continuing violation of Open Skies agreements. Etihad "set a fire and now they complain that their shoes are burning," he said. "For American to end a codeshare agreement with Qatar and not end it with Etihad would be inconsistent," Tajer said. "American is saying that enough is enough when it comes to trade agreement violations." Another aspect of American's move is that the United Arab Emirates, the home of Etihad, is currently blockading Qatar airspace as part of a political dispute. In that respect, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker has retaliated against a rival. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Cigarette and tobacco products manufacturer Philip Morris (PM) - Get Free Report is said to be working on a secret campaign to subvert the World Health Organization's anti-smoking treaty, which was designed to curb tobacco use in order to save lives, an investigation by Reuters has uncovered. Internal Philip Morris international documents seen by Reuters exposed what the publication called a "clandestine lobbying operation that stretches from the Americas to Africa to Asia." In the emails Philip Morris executives take credit for diluting anti-smoking measures at the biennial meeting of the tobacco control treaty. There was also talk of setting up a special team that would achieve scrutiny of advocates for tobacco control. Philip Morris told Reuters it has done nothing improper. "As a company in a highly regulated industry, speaking with governments is part of our everyday business," VP of communications for Philip Morris International Tony Snyder told Reuters. "The fact that Reuters has seen internal emails discussing our engagement with governments does not make those interactions inappropriate." What's Hot On TheStreet How can we argue with this one: Shark Tank Star Kevin O'Leary is more fond of Tesla's (TSLA) - Get Free Report product than its stock. "At some point it has to fall to gravity," he said told TheStreet's Scott Gamm in an interview. "It's been trading on a different planet for years and now it has to trade on Earth." Amen. Relax Apple stock bulls: For now, reports suggest a moderate delay in the Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report iPhone 8 ramp, rather than something more severe points out TheStreet's Eric Jhonsa. So far, the market has shrugged off concerns on a possible delayed iPhone 8 release (as in it misses the holiday launch window). But it's worthwhile to keep something in mind: Apple shares have lagged the S&P 500 over the past month, so some doubt may be trickling into the bull camp. Further, key Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) - Get Free Reportjust served up some uninspiring figures that suggest waning smartphone demand. This beverage executive just went off the rails: Hat tip to TheStreet's Lindsay Rittenhouse for an insightful interview with SodaStream's (SODA) - Get Free Report CEO Daniel Birnbaum, who pulled no punches in his views on PepsiCo (PEP) - Get Free Report and Coca-Cola (KO) - Get Free Report . Said Birnbaum on why his company's stock has surged this year: The company is addressing mega trends - health and wellness, convenience, consumer choice and good, important values. We have the right product at the right time. Our competition is prehistoric and that might explain the success we've seen around the world, particularly in Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Norway, all over the world. This is not a local phenomenon. This is a global mega trend. We're looking to embrace a sustainable world for our children to live in. Birnbaum didn't shut the door on making acquisitions, either. OK Target, we see you: It looks like shoppers are noticing some more deals scattered about Target (TGT) - Get Free Report stores. The discount retailer, which has sought to slash prices this year to better compete with rivals Walmart (WMT) - Get Free Report and Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report , said Thursday its second quarter results would come in above the high-end of its estimates for 95 cents a share to $1.15 a share. Target credited improved traffic and sales trends through the first two months of the second quarter. Apple and PepsiCo are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL and PEP? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. Carmed Corshane's family made a shocking discovery when they arrived at a Florida airport to pick her up, a grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's had been left at the wrong gate at Boston's Logan Airport for hours. JetBlue Airways Corp.'s (JBLU) - Get Free Report wheelchair assistance program failed to make sure Corshane was placed on the correct flight and instead left her sitting at the wrong gate. Her family said that they were not notified of her ordeal until they went to pick her up, according to Boston 25 News. Corshane's family said that it was assured by JetBlue that the company would make sure she boarded her flight, but when the flight unexpectedly changed gates, she was left behind. What's Hot On TheStreet How can we argue with this one: Shark Tank Star Kevin O'Leary is more fond of Tesla's (TSLA) - Get Free Report product than its stock. "At some point it has to fall to gravity," he said told TheStreet's Scott Gamm in an interview. "It's been trading on a different planet for years and now it has to trade on Earth." Amen. Relax Apple stock bulls: For now, reports suggest a moderate delay in the Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report iPhone 8 ramp, rather than something more severe points out TheStreet's Eric Jhonsa. So far, the market has shrugged off concerns on a possible delayed iPhone 8 release (as in it misses the holiday launch window). But it's worthwhile to keep something in mind: Apple shares have lagged the S&P 500 over the past month, so some doubt may be trickling into the bull camp. Further, key Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) - Get Free Reportjust served up some uninspiring figuresthat suggest waning smartphone demand. This beverage executive just went off the rails: Hat tip to TheStreet's Lindsay Rittenhouse for an insightful interview with SodaStream's (SODA) - Get Free Report CEO Daniel Birnbaum, who pulled no punches in his views on PepsiCo (PEP) - Get Free Report and Coca-Cola (KO) - Get Free Report . Said Birnbaum on why his company's stock has surged this year: The company is addressing mega trends - health and wellness, convenience, consumer choice and good, important values. We have the right product at the right time. Our competition is prehistoric and that might explain the success we've seen around the world, particularly in Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Norway, all over the world. This is not a local phenomenon. This is a global mega trend. We're looking to embrace a sustainable world for our children to live in. Birnbaum didn't shut the door on making acquisitions, either. OK Target, we see you: It looks like shoppers are noticing some more deals scattered about Target TGT stores. The discount retailer, which has sought to slash prices this year to better compete with rivals Walmart (WMT) - Get Free Reportand Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report, said Thursday its second quarter results would come in above the high-end of its estimates for 95 cents a share to $1.15 a share. Target credited improved traffic and sales trends through the first two months of the second quarter. Apple and PepsiCo are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL and PEP? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. Seagate Technology PLC (STX) - Get Free Report stock closed down 3.5% Thursday after Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz downgraded the company to "underweight" from "equal weight" and gave it a price target of $40, down from $49. Moskowitz said there is limited upside for Seagate stock because most of the company's excess costs have been purged. The Irish technology company could also cede market share to rival Western Digital Corp (WDC) - Get Free Report if it misses the transition to 12TB hard drives. Seagate is also at risk of decoupling its valuation multiples from Western Digital's if Toshiba Corp (TOSBF) litigation continues in Western Digital's favor, according to Moskowitz. Moskowitz revised FY 2017 EPS to $4.43 from $4.45 and FY 2018 EPS to $4.12 from $4.41. What's Hot On TheStreet How can we argue with this one: Shark Tank Star Kevin O'Leary is more fond of Tesla's (TSLA) - Get Free Report product than its stock. "At some point it has to fall to gravity," he said told TheStreet's Scott Gamm in an interview. "It's been trading on a different planet for years and now it has to trade on Earth." Amen. Relax Apple stock bulls: For now, reports suggest a moderate delay in the Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report iPhone 8 ramp, rather than something more severe points out TheStreet's Eric Jhonsa. So far, the market has shrugged off concerns on a possible delayed iPhone 8 release (as in it misses the holiday launch window). But it's worthwhile to keep something in mind: Apple shares have lagged the S&P 500 over the past month, so some doubt may be trickling into the bull camp. Further, key Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) - Get Free Reportjust served up some uninspiring figures that suggest waning smartphone demand. This beverage executive just went off the rails: Hat tip to TheStreet's Lindsay Rittenhouse for an insightful interview with SodaStream's (SODA) - Get Free Report CEO Daniel Birnbaum, who pulled no punches in his views on PepsiCo (PEP) - Get Free Report and Coca-Cola (KO) - Get Free Report . Said Birnbaum on why his company's stock has surged this year: The company is addressing mega trends - health and wellness, convenience, consumer choice and good, important values. We have the right product at the right time. Our competition is prehistoric and that might explain the success we've seen around the world, particularly in Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Norway, all over the world. This is not a local phenomenon. This is a global mega trend. We're looking to embrace a sustainable world for our children to live in. Birnbaum didn't shut the door on making acquisitions, either. OK Target, we see you: It looks like shoppers are noticing some more deals scattered about Target (TGT) - Get Free Report stores. The discount retailer, which has sought to slash prices this year to better compete with rivals Walmart (WMT) - Get Free Report and Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report , said Thursday its second quarter results would come in above the high-end of its estimates for 95 cents a share to $1.15 a share. Target credited improved traffic and sales trends through the first two months of the second quarter. Apple, Western Digital and PepsiCo are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL, WDC and PEP? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) - Get Free Report executives said they are seeing improvements and stability in all three international regions, largely because of a strategy of alliances and joint ventures with international partners. International stability "is a relatively new phenomenon," said Delta President Glen Hauenstein, speaking Thursday on the carrier's second-quarter earnings call. He said that Latin America, where Delta reported 10.8% second-quarter unit revenue growth, is the most stable region, and that given international stability Delta sees more immediate growth opportunities in the domestic market. Additionally, CEO Ed Bastian condemned recent remarks by Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker, who recently described U.S. flight attendants as "grandmothers" and U.S. airlines as "crap." Al-Baker apologized on Wednesday. "I was appalled," said Bastian, who called the apology "woefully inadequate." Al-Baker "continues to skirt the rules," Bastian said, as subsidized Qatar Airways expands in the U.S. in violation of Open Skies agreements. "I'm glad the employees of all the U.S. carriers spoke with one voice" to condemn him. Executives at American Airlines Group Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. have condemned the remarks, as have the leaders of four airline unions. Meanwhile, Hauenstein laid out the improvements in each international region. In the second quarter, Delta reported overall 2.7% unit revenue growth, led by Latin America. Domestic unit revenue rose 2.8%, but trans-Atlantic unit revenue fell 1.9% and Pacific unit revenue fell 2.2%. In the trans-Atlantic, Hauenstein said, "Strength in business demand has offset more of the leisure yield weakness" due to rapid expansion by low cost carriers, led by Norwegian. While July and August are dominated by leisure demand, business travel to Europe picks up in September, he said. The region's second-quarter unit decline resulted largely from currency pressure, offset because 70% of sales originated in the U.S. Delta saw strength in the United Kingdom, where unit revenue grew 7%. About 60% of Delta's European capacity now serves partners' hubs. In Latin American, Delta saw its fourth consecutive quarter of unit revenue improvement, led by 15% unit revenue improvement in Brazil. Delta is moving to implement a joint venture with AeroMexico, which has hubs in Mexico City and Monterey. In the Pacific, Hauenstein said that after Delta merged with Northwest in 2008, its Asia service relied entirely on Northwest's hub at Tokyo Narita. "Now we have a very diversified portfolio with multiple hubs" where Delta has partners -- Korean Air's Seoul hub and China Eastern's Shanghai hub. "We've got what we need in place now," he said. "This is the last year of a multi-year transition." Moreover, Delta, in partnership with China Eastern, will have a hub in Beijing when Beijing's new airport opens in 2019. In early afternoon trading, Delta shares were down 2.1%. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. operates as a seaborne shipping and logistics company in North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, South America, and internationally. It focuses on the transportation and transshipment of dry bulk commodities, including iron ores, coal, and grains. The company operates in two segments, Dry Bulk Vessel Operations and Logistics Business. The Dry Bulk Vessel Operations segment engages in the transportation and handling of bulk cargoes through the ownership, operation, and trading of vessels and freight. This segment charters its vessels to trading houses, producers, and government-owned entities. The Logistics Business segment operates ports and transfer station terminals, as well as upriver transport facilities in the Hidrovia region; and handles vessels, barges, push boats, and cabotage business. This segment provides its integrated transportation, storage, and related services through its port facilities, cargo barges, and product tankers to mineral and grain commodity providers, as well as to users of refined petroleum products. As of December 31, 2021, the company's fleet consisted of 36 vessels totaling 3.9 million deadweight tons. Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands. The following companies are subsidiares of Fidelity National Information Services: 11601 Roosevelt Boulevard Realty LLC, AFSF II AIV Investors D-LP, AGES Participacoes Ltda., AKC Insurance Company LLC., Advanced Portfolio Technologies Ltd., Alphakinetic Ltd., Armed Forces Financial Network LLC, AssetExchange, Automated Securities Clearance LLC, Best Payment Solutions Inc., Bibit Spain S.L.., C&E Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., CPRS Holdings Inc., Capco, Certegy Canada Company, Certegy France Limited, Certegy SAS, Chex Systems Inc., Clear2Pay, Clear2Pay APAC Pte. Ltd., Clear2Pay APAC Pty Ltd., Clear2Pay BV, Clear2Pay Belgium BV, Clear2Pay France SAS, Clear2Pay Germany GmbH, Clear2Pay Limited, Clear2Pay Nanjing Co. Limited, Clear2Pay Nederland BV, Clear2Pay Poland Sp. z o.o., Clear2Pay Scotland Holdings Limited, Clear2Pay Scotland Limited, Clear2Pay Shenzhen Company Limited, Clear2Pay Spain S.l., ClearTwoPay Chile SpA, Complete Payment Recovery Services Inc., Compliance Coach, Credit Management Solutions, Decalog UK Limited, Direct Debi Pty Ltd., Envoy Services Ltd. Asia SDn BHD, Envoy Services South Africa Pty Limited, F.I.S. Systems Middle East Limited, FIS Ambit Holdings Pty Ltd, FIS Apex International Limited, FIS Apex UK Limited, FIS Asia Pacific Inc., FIS AsiaPacRim Holdings Ltd., FIS Australasia Pty Ltd., FIS Banking Solutions UK Limited, FIS Bilgisayar Hizmetleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC, FIS Capital Markets UK Limited, FIS Capital Markets US LLC, FIS Card Services Thailand Co. Ltd., FIS Consulting Services Ireland Limited, FIS Consulting Services UK Limited, FIS Denmark ApS, FIS Derivatives Utility Services LLC, FIS Derivatives Utility Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Derivatives Utility Services UK Limited, FIS Energy Solutions Limited, FIS Financial Solutions Canada Inc., FIS Financial Systems France SAS, FIS Foundation Inc., FIS GCS LLC, FIS Global Business Solutions India Private Ltd., FIS Global Execution Services Ireland Limited, FIS Global Execution Services Limited, FIS Global Holdings S.a.r.l, FIS Global Solutions Philippines Inc., FIS Global Trading Deutschland GmbH, FIS Global Trading Hong Kong Limited, FIS Global Trading Iberica S.L. Unipersonal, FIS Global Trading Nederland B.V., FIS Global Trading Portugal Unipessoal Lda, FIS Global Trading Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Global Trading Suisse SA, FIS Global Trading UK Limited, FIS Healthcare Trustee Limited, FIS Holdings Limited, FIS Holdings Mauritius, FIS International Subsidiaries Holdings LLC, FIS Investment Systems UK Limited, FIS Investment Ventures LLC, FIS Investor Services Germany GmbH, FIS Investor Services India Private Limited, FIS Investor Services LLC, FIS Investor Services Poland Sp . Z o.o., FIS Japan KK, FIS Kingstar Cayman Islands Limited, FIS Korea Ltd., FIS Management Services LLC, FIS Management Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., FIS Merchant Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., FIS Norway AS, FIS Pakistan Private Limited, FIS Payment Solutions & Services India Private Limited, FIS Payments Ireland Limited, FIS Payments LLC, FIS Payments UK Limited, FIS Pensions Limited, FIS Romania SRL, FIS SG International Holdings LLC, FIS SG Italia S.r.l., FIS SG Systems Philippines Inc., FIS Sherwood Systems Limited, FIS Solutions India Private Limited, FIS Solutions LLC, FIS Solutions Software India Private Limited, FIS Switzerland SA, FIS Systeme GmbH, FIS Systems Hong Kong Limited, FIS Systems International LLC, FIS Systems Kenya Limited, FIS Systems Limited, FIS Systems Luxembourg S.A., FIS Systems Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., FIS Systems NZ Limited, FIS Systems Pty Ltd, FIS Systems Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Systems South Africa Pty Limited, FIS Systems de Colombia S.A.S., FIS Technology Beijing Co. Limited, FIS Technology Services Poland Sp. z o.o., FIS Technology Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Technology Services Tunisia SARL, FIS Treasury Centre Limited, FIS Treasury Systems Europe Limited, FIS Treasury Systems UK Limited, FIS Tunisia I SARL, FIS Tunisia II SARL, FIS UK Holdings Limited, FIS Vietnam LLC, FIS Worldpay Jersey Limited, FIS Worldpay Malaysia Sdn Bhd, FIS Worldpay South Africa Pty Ltd, FIS Worldpay Thailand Co. Ltd., FIS-SG Holding Corp., FNIS Istanbul Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, FV General Partner LLC, Fidelity Holding Ltda., Fidelity Information Services Front Arena AB, Fidelity Information Services GmbH, Fidelity Information Services Hong Kong Limited, Fidelity Information Services Iberia S.L.U., Fidelity Information Services India Private Limited, Fidelity Information Services International Holdings Inc., Fidelity Information Services Israel Ltd., Fidelity Information Services LLC, Fidelity Information Services Limited, Fidelity Information Services Operations GmbH, Fidelity Information Services SARL, Fidelity Information Services Slovakia s.r.o., Fidelity Information Services South Africa Pty Ltd., Fidelity Information Services Thailand Limited, Fidelity Information Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fidelity International Resource Management Inc., Fidelity National Global Card Services Inc., Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Fidelity National Information Services Netherlands B.V., Fidelity National Participacoes e Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos de Tratamento de Documentos e Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos e Contact Center Ltda., Fidelity Participacoes e Servicos Ltda., Financial Insurance Marketing Group Inc., GL Settle Limited, GL Trade CMS Thailand Limited, GL Trade Software DOO, GL Trade Solutions CMS Thailand Limited, GL Trade South Africa Proprietary Limited, Glesia S.r.l., GoCart LLC, Information Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., IntegraPay LLC, IntegraPay Holdings Pty Ltd, IntegraPay Ltd, IntegraPay Pty Ltd, Integrity Treasury Solutions Europe Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Inc., Integrity Treasury Solutions Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Pty Limited, Link2Gov Corp., LinksPay Inc., LinksPay Ltd, LinksPay Pty Ltd, Memento, Metavante Technologies Inc, Metavante Technologies Limited, Minorca Corporation NV, Monis Software Limited, NYCE Payments Network LLC, Oshap Software Industries Ltd., PSG-A III Blocker 5 L.L.C., PT FIS Systems Indonesia, PT Fidelity Information Services Indonesia, Panther Holdco 2 Inc., Panther Holdco Inc., Payment Brasil Holdings Ltda., Payment Chile S.A., Payment Trust Limited., Payments Technology Services Limited, Paymetric Inc., Payrix, Payrix AUS Blocker LLC, Payrix Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Payrix Canada Corp., Payrix Holdings LLC, Payrix Intermediate LLC, Payrix LLC, Payrix Solutions LLC, Pazien Inc., People's United Merchant Services LLC, Platform Securities Holdings Limited, Platform Securities International Limited, Platform Securities International Nominees Limited, Platform Securities LLP, Platform Securities Nominees Limited, Platform Securities Services Limited, Proservvi Banco de Servicos, RealNet Payments LLC, Reech Capital Limited, Reliance Financial Corporation, Reliance Financial Corporation., Reliance Integrated Solutions LLC, Reliance Trust Company, Rocket Partners Holdings LLC, Secondco Limited, Ship Holdco Limited., Ship Luxco 2 S.a.r.l., Ship Luxco 3 S.a.r.l., Ship Midco Limited, Solutions Plus Consulting Services Limited, SunGard, SunGard Data Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., SunGard Global Services Tunisia III, SunGard Global Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., SunGard India Sales Private Limited, TP Technologies N.V., Tayvin 346 Limited, Trax BV, Valuelink Information Services Limited, Valutec Card Solutions LLC, Virtus Fund Services, Virtus Group LP, Virtus LP Holdings LLC, Virtus Partners Fund Services Ireland Limited, Virtus Partners Fund Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Virtus Partners Holdings, Virtus Partners Ireland Ltd., Virtus Partners Ltd., Virtus Trade Settlement LLC, WebTone Technologies, Worldpay, Worldpay AP Ltd., Worldpay Argentina SRL, Worldpay B.V., Worldpay Canada Corporation, Worldpay Cayman Holdings Limited, Worldpay Company LLC, Worldpay Do Brasil Instituicao de Pagamento Ltda, Worldpay Finance Limited, Worldpay Gaming Solutions LLC, Worldpay Governance Limited, Worldpay Group Limited., Worldpay HK Limited, Worldpay Holdings Barbados SRL, Worldpay Holdings Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Worldpay ISO Inc., Worldpay India Private Limited, Worldpay Integrated Payments Canada LLC, Worldpay Integrated Payments LLC., Worldpay Integrated Payments Solutions Inc., Worldpay International Group Limited, Worldpay International Holdings Limited, Worldpay International Limited, Worldpay International Payments Limited, Worldpay International Solutions Limited, Worldpay K.K., Worldpay LLC, Worldpay Latin America Limited., Worldpay Limited., Worldpay Marketing Consulting Shanghai Co. Limited, Worldpay NZ Limited, Worldpay Payments Barbados SRL, Worldpay Pte Ltd., Worldpay Pty Ltd., Worldpay S.a.r.l., Worldpay Services Company, Worldpay Services SRL, Worldpay Solutions SRL, Worldpay Technology Bucharest S.R.L., Worldpay Treasury Solutions SRL, Worldpay UK Limited, Worldpay US Inc., Worldpay eCommerce LLC, Worldpay eCommerce Limited., Xpede, YES-Secure.com Limited., YESpay International Limited., Zenmonics Inc., Zenmonics Software Private Limited, eFunds Corporation, eFunds Holdings Limited, eFunds International Limited, i DLX International B.V., and mFoundry Inc.. Read More Targa Resources Corp., together with its subsidiary, Targa Resources Partners LP, owns, operates, acquires, and develops a portfolio of midstream energy assets in North America. The company operates in two segments, Gathering and Processing, and Logistics and Transportation. It engages in gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, and selling natural gas; storing, fractionating, treating, transporting, and selling natural gas liquids (NGL) and NGL products, including services to liquefied petroleum gas exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling, purchasing, and selling crude oil. The company is also involved in the purchase and resale of NGL products; and wholesale of propane, as well as provision of related logistics services to multi-state retailers, independent retailers, and other end-users. In addition, it offers NGL balancing services; and transportation services to refineries and petrochemical companies in the Gulf Coast area, as well as purchases, markets, and resells natural gas. The company operates approximately 28,400 miles of natural gas pipelines, including 42 owned and operated processing plants; and owns or operates a total of 34 storage wells with a gross storage capacity of approximately 76 million barrels. As of December 31, 2021, it leased and managed approximately 648 railcars; 119 transport tractors; and two company-owned pressurized NGL barges. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Case Construction Equipment, a leading seller of a full line of construction equipment around the world, has appointed AMA Motors as its new official distributor for Bahrain. As per the deal, AMA Motors will sell and support a full range of Case equipment from its 2,000-sq-m premises located in East Riffa. In particular, it will offer the perfect products to meet the high demand for backhoe loaders and skid steer loaders with its award-winning ranges, said a statement from Case. Also in stock, will be the range topping Case motor grader, the 885B alongside its heavier wheeled loading shovels, the company added. The AMA Motors facility boasts an ample showroom, a built-in display area where it can show the equipment on gravel and rocks, a well-equipped workshop and training facility. In addition, it operates two well-stocked parts shops to provide fast and efficient parts service. The company said it is well placed to support Bahrains booming construction sector. The construction industry in Bahrain has been booming for the last few years with the government investing the Gulf Development Programme funds to modernise its airport and highway system, as well as building affordable new homes. AMA Motors is committed to delivering exceptional customer support and already has in place the expertise and parts to ensure a smooth transition for customers in the kingdom. As more projects enter the development stage, the countrys construction sector will be critical to economic growth in the next two years, according to a report recently published by the National Bank of Kuwait. Growth in the third quarter [of 2016] was led by the construction sector, which expanded by an annual 7.2 per cent, reported the Bahrain Economic Development Board. The forward momentum of the projects is beginning to push up growth in several other non-oil sectors as well. The new distributor will support Case customers across the territory with the powerful back-up of the brands organisation and resources, said a top official. Franco Invernizzi, the regional director at Case Construction Equipment, said: "We are very pleased to extend our collaboration with AMA Motors. They will bring to our customers more than 60 years of experience and the personal care of a family-owned business together with the backing and resources of a global brand like Case." It will complement the offering of Case products with a range of services, bringing to Bahrain construction businesses new and innovative ways to purchase and maintain its equipment, stated Invernizzi. "For example, AMA will bring to market flexible equipment leasing options, designed to fix customers costs and deliver exceptional on site hassle-free performance," he noted. "This appointment builds on the long-standing and successful partnership that has developed between CNH Industrial and AMA Motors over the years. The latter has been serving as distributor of Cases sister brand," he added. Case is a brand of CNH Industrial, a world leader in capital goods listed on the New York Stock Exchange and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario of the Borsa Italiana. It sells and supports a full line of construction equipment around the world, including the Number One loader/backhoes, excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders, vibratory compaction rollers, crawler dozers, skid steers, compact track loaders and rough-terrain forklifts.-TradeArabia News Service - On the day that Joseph Nkaissery died, his wife might have had a premonition of his death - She was at their village home in Basil but something urged her to return to Nairobi immediately - Since she did not have her car, she resorted to using a police car which took her to Nairobi - The same day she returned to Nairobi, her husband died from an acute heart attack - While trying to lift her husband off the floor on the fateful night, Hellen Nkaissery injured her back and had to be admitted to hospital On the night that the Joseph Nkaissery died, Hellen Nkaissery- his wife also iinjured her back. READ ALSO: Nope! No other deals in 2022, I will be the sole NASA candidate- Kalonzo She recollected the events of the night to mourners who had flocked her Karen home. Among them was KANU's Gideon Moi. Hellen says that she went to bed at aroung 11:30 in the PM and her husband joined her shortly after. Nkaissery's wife hurt her back on the night her husband died. Photo: CititizenTV.co.ke They prayed together and fell asleep. Twenty minutes later, she was roused from her slumber by a deep thud on the bedroom floor. Her husband had falled off the bed. READ ALSO: Man almost gets killed scrambling for Jubilee merchandise in Nyanza (video) She was frantic and scared and tried to lift him onto the bed but he was too heavy. She called their security guard for help. I called the askaris who rushed into our bedroom. My back was aching from my effort to lift him up, Hellen said. She says that her husband went like a soldier. He did not cry in pain and did not even say goodbye. He just went silent. Interior Cabinet Secretary collapsed at his Karen home on the night of Friday, July 6. Photo: Nation.co.ke She also startled mourners when she said that she might have had a premonition of her husband's death. READ ALSO: Kericho residents embarrass Raila Odinga (video) She was at their Bisil home running errands but something urged her to rush to Nairobi. Which she did. At that time I had no car, I had to use a police car to Nairobi. When I arrived in Karen, my husband was not home yet, Hellen added. When he finally came home, he was unusually happy and jovial. He had just come off the phone with Uhuru Kenyatta. Hours later, he was dead. READ ALSO: Raila embarrassed in Baringo,heckled by rowdy crowd Pathologists who performed the autopsy claimed that he died from an acute heart-attack . He had been marrried to his wife for 27 years and they had four kids. What if Uhuru Kenyatta loses the elections? - Gatundu residents speak: Have something to add to this article or suggestions? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Source: TUKO.co.ke - A man has come out claiming to be the legitimate son of the late senator GG Kariuki - Charles Maina has gone to court demanding to be recognized as a son of the late politician - He also wants tissue samples be extracted from the late GG for a paternity test - The politician died on Friday June 30 at Nairobi Hospital after a long illness The burial of Laikipia Senator GG Kariuki has been hit by controversy after a man emerged claiming to be the late politicians son. Charles Maina has now moved to court asking that DNA samples be extracted from the politicians body and tested to prove his parentage. The 29-year-old businessman from Nairobi also wants the court to order GGs family to include him in the funeral programme. GG Kariuki's secret son Charles Maina.Photo: Nation. READ ALSO: Raila's speech in Murang'a interrupted by Jubilee-slogan-chanting crowd According to the Nation, Maina has filed the case in Nakuru county demanding that the family recognise him as the late GGs son and to carry his name. As reported earlier by TUKO.co.ke, Kariuki passed on while receiving treatment at the Nairobi Hospital on Friday June 30 following a long illness. He was the oldest serving Senator in the current Parliament having started his political career as a 23-year-old in 1959. READ ALSO: Crowd in Thika pelts Raila's motorcade with stones and TUKO.co.ke has all the details Late GG Kariuki. READ ALSO: Kenyan athlete excites Kenyans after finishing race in epic style The 79-year-old served in the governments of retired presidents Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Arap Moi. Kariukis secret son however said he does not want to stop the burial but only wants recognition as the senators son. READ ALSO: 11 humbling photos of visually impaired veteran gospel musician Reuben Kigame with his sweetheart I had first attempted to reach out to the family but they were hostile and that is why I moved to court, Maina is quoted by the Nation. A requiem mass for the late GG was held on Thursday July 13 at PCEA St Andrew's in Nairobi and was attended by a host of politicians and other dignitaries. What if Uhuru Kenyatta loses the elections? - Gatundu residents speak Source: TUKO.co.ke - A senior government official has been shot at and survived an al-Shabaab attack in Lamu - Public Works Principal Secretary Mariam El Maawy was abducted with five other government officials as they were traveling in their vehicle - Security personnel are reportedly pursuing the attackers even as it emerged that three of the car ocupants were killed Public Works Principal Secretary Mariam El Maawy was shot at and temporarily abducted with other government officials while traveling in their vehicle at Milihoi along the Mpeketoni-Lamu road on Thursday, July 13. Security personnel comprising of General Service Unit (GSU) and the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) pursued the attackers who had hijacked the Prado vehicle carrying the six. TUKO.co.ke has learnt that the militants disarmed security officers accompanying the PS before they abducted them. Upon realising they were being pursued, the militants are said to have shot and killed three occupants, shot the PS on the shoulder and leg but did not kill her. READ ALSO: Residents flee as deadly KDF operation against al-Shabaab begins in Lamu Public Works PS Mariam El Maawy was abducted with other government officials while traveling in their vehicle at Milihoi along Mpeketoni-Lamu road on Thursday, July 13. Photo: Shabelle. READ ALSO: List of Facebook groups the govt is monitoring ahead of elections The official had attended a meeting on Lamu Port (LAPSSET) at Huduma centre in Lamu town before heading to Witu. Earlier the militants had abducted turn boy of a lorry heading to Lamu at Milihoi, the same spot where the six occupants of the Prado were hijacked. The turn boy was later freed by the militants after being held captive for minutes. READ ALSO: Al-Shabaab terror group turn against each other after leader quits Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE In the last three months more than 40 security personal and ten civilians have lost their lives from terror attacks. In June, eight people among them school children were killed in Lamu when an Improvised Explosive Device blew off a vehicle they were in. Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke What will Gatundu residents do if Uhuru Kenyatta loses the polls? They speak out: Source: TUKO.co.ke Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The President General of the NUGFW and NATUC, James Lambert says, too many people in the cou Two unique Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft of the U.S. Marine Corps have arrived in Odesa as part of the Sea Breeze 2017 military exercises, the local online news site Dumskaya has reported. According to the report, the Bell V-22 Osprey aircraft, combining the advantages of an airplane and a helicopter, landed in Odesa for refueling. The aircraft were heading to a military base in Mykolaiv region to take part in the Sea Breeze 2017 maneuvers. Tilt-rotor aircraft are intended for landing troops, in particular, to the seacoast. The V-22 Osprey is powered by two Rolls-Royce T406 turboshaft engines. op One Ukrainian soldier was killed and one was wounded in the ATO area in Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours. Defense Ministry's Spokesman for ATO Andriy Lysenko stated this at a press briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and one was wounded as a result of combat actions in eastern Ukraine in last day. We express our condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased soldier, he said. ish Ukraine and the EU are ready to deepen cooperation as part of a joint reform program, launched in 2015, so that Kyiv can get the third tranche of macro-financial assistance worth EUR 600 million by the end of the year. The respective agreement was reached at a meeting between Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Vice-President of the European Commission for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis in Kyiv on Wednesday, according to the Ukrainian government portal. The report notes that the meeting took place as part of the Ukraine-EU summit, which began in Kyiv. Groysman thanked the European Union's delegation for political, economic and social support. "Now we need to intensify the implementation of the association plan with the EU. We also understand the conditions for macro-financial support - and here we're working with the parliament and are trying to find a solution," he said. He also spoke about the situation in Donbas. "I have already said - it's not about two countries, but about two worlds," Groysman said, thanking Dombrovskis for his desire to visit Donbas and assess the situation with his own eyes. Dombrovskis, in turn, noted that the European Union's political support for Ukraine remained all-round and that the progress in relations between the EU and Ukraine was obvious. "And today we really need to work to meet the conditions for receiving the third tranche of macro-financial assistance," he said, noting that the conditions for obtaining the funds are not new. They concern the fight against corruption, the extension of energy efficiency programs, the deepening of cooperation in the area of problems of internally displaced persons and specific economic issues, he said. "We don't have so much time - it's important to complete everything by mid-November, because there are internal EU procedures so that the tranche is paid in December," Dombrovskis said. The sides also agreed to launch this year the process of drafting new projects and programs of cooperation in economy and the social sphere. op Ukraine intends to start informal consultations on trade regime and will suggest creating a free trade area with the UK in the near future. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Natalia Halibarenko said this in an exclusive interview with Ukrinform. "Indeed, while meeting with Theresa May, the Prime Minister of Ukraine proposed not to wait until 2019, when the UK plans to leave the EU, but to start informal consultations on the future of the trade regime between our countries in the short run. At the same time, we understand that the Government of the Great Britain has no right to conclude any bilateral agreements until formal completion of Brexit," Halibarenko said. The Ambassador considers this to be a completely rational approach. "We will have enough time to decide on the optimal model of bilateral economic relations that would be mutually beneficial for both sides. We will suggest creating a free trade zone with the UK," the Ambassador said. According to Halibarenko, the British business considers energy sector, banking and IT sector and agrarian sector to be the most promising areas in Ukraine. ol Ukraine in the long term intends to join the Customs Union of the European Union, integrate into the Schengen Area and become part of the digital market and the Energy Union. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said this at a press conference after the Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Ukraine's intentions to join the Customs Union with the EU, integrate into the Schengen zone, become part of the digital market or the Energy Union are a powerful symbol for economic, social, sectoral and other reforms, growth of our joint trade and investment," he said. The president stressed that the UK's withdrawal from the EU "should not be an obstacle towards the expansion and strengthening of the EU, towards strengthening the unity of the European Union and solidarity with Ukraine." "The shadow of Brexit should in no case fall on Ukraine's relations with the EU. This is my clear message," he added. op The European Union is ready to support the Energy Efficiency Fund of Ukraine, and the relevant law on its establishment will be signed in the near future. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this at the press conference upon the 19th Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The EU confirmed its principled readiness to support the Energy Efficiency Fund of Ukraine. We adopted the relevant law, and I'm going to sign it in the near future," the Head of State said. In addition, speaking of intention to jointly operate the Ukrainian gas transportation system with the EU countries, Poroshenko noted that "thus we will be able to stop the implementation of politically motivated Russian projects." The President also said that Ukraine's accession to the EUs digital market had been discussed during the summit. "Great prospects are opened up before Ukraine regarding the integration into the common EU digital market, and we have discussed this issue today," Poroshenko emphasized. ol Ukraine and Israel agree to monitor compliance with the interstate agreement on visa-free regime for reciprocal visits of citizens of both countries. The Department of Consular Service of the Foreign Ministry informed this on Facebook on the results of Ukrainian-Israeli negotiations on consular and legal issues. "The sides discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in the consular field. Special attention was paid to the implementation of the provisions of the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Israel on visa-free regime for reciprocal visits of citizens of Ukraine and citizens of the State of Israel of July 21. The parties reached an agreement to monitor the implementation of the agreement and coordinate activities to ensure compliance with its provisions," the report said. The agreement on visa-free regime between Israel and Ukraine came into force on February 9, 2011. It applies only to trips that are carried out with a tourist, business and guest purpose. A person can spend no more than 90 days without a visa in Israel. ish A delegation of the European Union has arrived at the administration of the Ukrainian president for the Ukraine-EU summit. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the meeting ceremony took place outside the building of the administration. The EU delegation is represented by European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The summit will also be attended by members of the Ukrainian government and the European Commission. A plenary meeting of the summit is due to begin at 11.00. It will last for one-and-a-half hours. According to the agenda of the meeting, the leaders will discuss the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, reforms in Ukraine and strengthening the support of the European Union, the situation in the occupied Donbas and the Crimean peninsula. Summit participants will also agree on key regional and international issues. After the meeting, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Tusk and Juncker will meet with journalists. op Ukraine will fulfill its obligations under the reform program established in 2015 and in accordance with the Association Agreement with the EU and invites the European Union to discuss a new program of support for our state. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said this during talks with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. The meeting was held within the framework of the Ukraine-EU summit, which began in Kyiv, the Governmental portal reports. The Head of Government stresses that Ukraine welcomes the completion of the ratification process of the Association Agreement with the European Union and carries out reforms amid complicated conditions of the hybrid war. At the moment, the Cabinet is working on the creation of an innovative tool for monitoring the implementation of the Association Agreement, the so-called agreement pulse, which will be introduced in September of 2017, and counts on the appropriate EU support in this direction, Groysman said. The Head of Government has also thanked the European Union for its comprehensive assistance in the development of mutual trade and thanked the European side for additional trade preferences for Ukraine. ish External enemies cannot overcome Ukrainians, but internal contradictions pose the biggest threat to the unity of the state. European Council President Donald Tusk said this in Ukrainian in his introductory speech at the Ukraine-UE summit in Kyiv on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "Let me, as your friend, express one opinion. Today we see clearly that an external enemy cannot overcome you. You are too strong, but you can defeat yourself. That is why you should keep your unity at any cost and avoid internal conflicts like a plague," he said. Tusk also noted that despite many achievements, Ukraine had walked only half the way. "I am convinced that if you continue to be so determined, brave and consistent, as you were then on Independence Square, as you are in a battle for the integrity and dignity of Ukraine, if you can withstand the complexity of reforms and not surrender, then you will realize your dreams and achieve your goals," he said, addressing the Ukrainian people. Tusk expressed confidence that the most important task for Ukrainians now was to build a modern state that cares about its citizens, fights corruption and establishes the highest standards of public life. "If you can pass this exam, nobody and nothing will win you," Tusk said. op Ukraine has made significant progress on the path of reform, but the fight against corruption is of particular importance for the development of cooperation with the European Union. President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said this in his opening remarks at the 19th Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Despite the reforms carried out in Ukraine, there is still much to be done. In particular, we are talking about the fight against corruption... This topic the fight against corruption is important for the standing of the Ukrainian nation in the dialogue with the European Union. Thus, I believe it is necessary to intensify this process," the European Commission President said. Juncker also noted that the parties approached this summit with the fulfilled promises, which were granting Ukraine visa-free regime with the EU, completing ratification of the Association Agreement and providing the state with financial assistance from the Community. Ukraine also fulfilled the corresponding obligations. "I am pleased with the progress we have achieved together," the President of the European Commission said. ol NATO and Russia have fundamental disagreements in views on the situation in Ukraine, including the annexed Crimea. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this after a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "In the case of Ukraine, NATO Allies and Russia continue to have fundamental disagreements. The Crimean issue and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine remain clear points of contention," he said. He again stressed that the Minsk agreements provide the best chance of a solution to the conflict, but they need to be implemented. Stoltenberg said that the sides had also discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, the holding of the Russian-Belarusian Zapad exercises, as well as increasing transparency and reducing risks in military activities, particularly in the airspace of the Baltic countries. The NATO secretary general said that the dialogue with Russia can be difficult, but also essential. "It is particularly important to keep channels of communication open," Stoltenberg said. He said that this had been the fifth meeting of the NATO-Russia Council since April 2016. op FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 29 June 2017 Its Tuesday evening, and Nancy Tucker has finished tending her plot of potatoes and okra. She packs her tools and heads back to the village. Once there, shell see to the communitys latest crop of newborn babies. Nancy has been serving her community as a volunteer community health worker since 2008. Access to essential services Without access to health services, children risk dying from such common preventable illnesses as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Access is what community health workers like Nancy can provide. They are the heroes on the frontlines, reaching families who live far from doctors, nurses and health care facilities with basic health advice and treatment. And in a country with some of the worlds highest rates of maternal and child mortality, these services matter. One service Nancy provides is to work with pregnant women to manage their health and the health of the babies they are expecting. I counsel pregnant women in my village about the importance of accessing antenatal care services at the health facility and also giving birth there, she explains. I advise them to take all their vaccines, convince them to exclusively breastfeed their babies for six months after they give birth and educate them on good hygiene practices. In fact, because of Nancys outreach, delivering babies in any place other than a health facility is a thing of the past. UNICEF/UNI112853/Pirozzi GENEVA/ NEW YORK, 12 JULY 2017 Some 3 in 10 people worldwide, or 2.1 billion, lack access to safe, readily available water at home, and 6 in 10, or 4.5 billion, lack safely managed sanitation, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The Joint Monitoring Programme report, Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and Sustainable Development Goal Baselines, presents the first global assessment of safely managed drinking water and sanitation services. The overriding conclusion is that too many people still lack access, particularly in rural areas. Safe water, sanitation and hygiene at home should not be a privilege of only those who are rich or live in urban centres, says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization. These are some of the most basic requirements for human health, and all countries have a responsibility to ensure that everyone can access them. Billions of people have gained access to basic drinking water and sanitation services since 2000, but these services do not necessarily provide safe water and sanitation. Many homes, healthcare facilities and schools also still lack soap and water for handwashing. This puts the health of all people but especially young children at risk for diseases, such as diarrhoea. As a result, every year, 361 000 children under 5 years die due to diarrhoea. Poor sanitation and contaminated water are also linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, and typhoid. Safe water, effective sanitation and hygiene are critical to the health of every child and every community and thus are essential to building stronger, healthier, and more equitable societies, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. As we improve these services in the most disadvantaged communities and for the most disadvantaged children today, we give them a fairer chance at a better tomorrow. Significant inequalities persist In order to decrease global inequalities, the new SDGs call for ending open defecation and achieving universal access to basic services by 2030. Of the 2.1 billion people who do not have safely managed water, 844 million do not have even a basic drinking water service. This includes 263 million people who have to spend over 30 minutes per trip collecting water from sources outside the home, and 159 million who still drink untreated water from surface water sources, such as streams or lakes. In 90 countries, progress towards basic sanitation is too slow, meaning they will not reach universal coverage by 2030. Of the 4.5 billion people who do not have safely managed sanitation, 2.3 billion still do not have basic sanitation services. This includes 600 million people who share a toilet or latrine with other households, and 892 million people mostly in rural areas who defecate in the open. Due to population growth, open defecation is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Good hygiene is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of disease. For the first time, the SDGs are monitoring the percentage of people who have facilities to wash their hands at home with soap and water. According to the new report, access to water and soap for handwashing varies immensely in the 70 countries with available data, from 15 per cent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa to 76 per cent in western Asia and northern Africa. Additional key findings from the report include: Many countries lack data on the quality of water and sanitation services. The report includes estimates for 96 countries on safely managed drinking water and 84 countries on safely managed sanitation. In countries experiencing conflict or unrest, children are 4 times less likely to use basic water services, and 2 times less likely to use basic sanitation services than children in other countries. There are big gaps in service between urban and rural areas. Two out of three people with safely managed drinking water and three out of five people with safely managed sanitation services live in urban areas. Of the 161 million people using untreated surface water (from lakes, rivers or irrigation channels), 150 million live in rural areas. Note to editors Multimedia content available here http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFLPXSFB Safely managed drinking water and sanitation services means drinking water free of contamination that is available at home when needed, and toilets whereby excreta are treated and disposed of safely. Basic services mean having a protected drinking water source that takes less than thirty minutes to collect water from, using an improved toilet or latrine that does not have to be shared with other households, and having handwashing facilities with soap and water in the home. Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The JMP monitors progress on the following two targets: 6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe water and sanitation for all. 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. The JMP also contributes to monitoring of SDG 1 to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, and to SDG 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by contributing data on basic water, sanitation and hygiene for the following targets: 1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services. 4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. Safe water, sanitation and hygiene are also essential to SDG 3 Ensuring healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. Under SDG target 3.9, countries are working to substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination by 2030. Additionally, safe water, sanitation and hygiene are needed to reduce maternal mortality and to end preventable deaths of newborns and children as called for in SDG targets 3.1 and 3.2. About the JMP The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene is the official United Nations mechanism tasked with monitoring country, regional and global progress, and especially towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets relating to universal and equitable access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. Thanks to the globally supported household surveys, JMP analysis helps draw connections between use of basic water and sanitation facilities and quality of life, and serves as an authoritative reference to make policy decisions and resource allocations, especially at the international level. For more information, please contact: Geneva Nada Osseiran World Health Organization Tel: +41 22 791 4475, Mobile: +41 79 445 1624, osseirann@who.int Kim Chriscaden World Health Organization Tel: +41 22 791 2885, Mobile: +41 79 603 1891, chriscadenk@who.int New York Yemi Lufadeju UNICEF Tel: +1 212 326 7029, Mobile: +1 917-213-4034, glufadeju@unicef.org Christopher Tidey UNICEF Mobile: +1 917 340 3017, ctidey@unicef.org The Cambodian government has imposed a ban on sand exports from Koh Kong province after years of scandals over corruption and environmental damage caused by the industry. Suy Sem, mines and energy minister, signed off on the ban on Monday and instructed government departments to coordinate enforcing an end to sand mining in the region. Cambodia previously banned sand exports from the province in 2009 ahead of a report by Global Witness which exposed large-scale corruption in the export of sand to Singapore. But investigations into the trade have showed that license allocations surged in recent years bringing in millions to government coffers in fees, while the scale of exports has been shown to be vastly under-reported to avoid tax. Meng Saktheara, secretary of state for mines and energy, said the move was the conclusion of a temporary ban imposed last year. When there was a temporary halt, the ministry gathered an expert team to re-assess the impact on the sand trade in those big lakes in Koh Kong province, particularly looking at four factors: hydrology, ecology, economy and society, responding to any concerns raised by environmental activists, civil society organizations and local communities, he said. Lim Kimsor, a coordinator at environmental campaigns group Mother Nature, said the ban had followed years of protest, direct action and investigation. The sand extraction affects the local residents because it is all done at tourism sites ... the protests would continue until the ministry took action, she said. The ministry must see citizens hardship. They cannot fish when the sand is being extracted. The government should provide a detailed report on the sand trade and consider widening the ban to other provinces, Kimsor added. The anti-sand dredging campaign will not stop. We will keep doing that forever unless those activities are completely ended. However, Saktheara said the government could not ban sand extraction nationwide due to the demand for sand in the booming construction industry. In November, some 50 civil society groups called on the government to release official export figures for sand between 2007 and 2015. UN trade data shows Cambodia only reported exporting 2.8 million tons of sand during that period, while Singapore alone reported importing 72.8 million tons from Cambodia, worth about $750 million, hinting at the scale of corruption in the sector. Chinese human rights prisoner Liu Xiaobo died Thursday at age 61 following a high-profile battle with liver cancer that made his death as controversial as his life. Liu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent his last eight years as a prisoner of conscience, passed away at a hospital in Shenyang, China, where he had been moved from his prison cell in the final stage of his illness. His final days were marked by a public dispute over the quality of his care and Beijing's refusal of a family request that he be transferred for treatment to the United States or Germany. Liu's reputation as an outspoken dissident had deep roots. In his brief, government-sanctioned role as a popular writer and college lecturer, he was known for his criticism of traditional Chinese culture and for urging his fellow literati to exhibit more individualism. His promising career took a drastic turn in the spring of 1989 when he cut short a visiting scholarship at Columbia University in New York City and returned home to join student-led protests in Tiananmen Square. Following a violent crackdown known by Chinese as the June 4th Massacre, Liu was labeled a black hand and jailed. Upon his release in early 1991, he continued to call for political reforms and was sentenced to three years in a labor camp from 1996 to 1999. Liu kept on pursuing his reform goals after his release. End to one-party system In 2008, Liu and other dissidents and intellectuals issued a document known as Charter 08, modeled partly on Charter 77, which Czech dissidents, including Vaclav Havel, drafted in 1977. Charter 08 calls for an end to China's one-party system and establishment of a new republic comprising a federation of regions and political communities, with genuine participation from the public. If there has been any progress in the Chinese society and politics over the last 20 years, it is all because the citizens have been pushing for change, Liu said in an interview that year. Ultimately, change will happen when problems persist and enough people are concerned. Even while he was enjoying relative freedom out of jail, thoughts of when he, and others like him, might be locked up again were never far from his mind. For those of us in the opposition movement under dictatorships, part of our job is confronting police, and spending time in prison. So, a dissident not only needs to learn how to oppose oppression, but also how to face the crackdowns, and time in prison, Liu told reporters from Hong Kong. Liu's convictions were put to the test in 2009, when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in the Charter 08 movement and other "subversive" activities. Worldwide fame came soon afterward when he was named as the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. Liu learned of the honor from his wife during one of the limited prison visits she was permitted. He replied that the prize should be dedicated to those who died in the 1989 mass protests and subsequent crackdown. 'I have no enemy' Liu was known as an advocate of changing China through reasoned, non-violent means. Shortly before being sentenced in 2009, Liu praised elements of the Chinese legal system, including the polite treatment he received in jail, in a speech entitled I have no enemies. Hatred can corrupt ones conscience and intelligence, enemy mentality could poison a nations spirit, Liu said in the speech, which was read in his absence at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Lius remarks confounded many advocates for democracy and freedom for China. Critics pointed to the harsh treatment, including severe torture, of other activists to show the Chinese prison system is far less humane than Liu described it. Some suggested the authorities purposely showed leniency toward Liu so that he would make public statements in their support. Lius critics cite the example of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng who, upon his release, couldnt be recognized by his family because he was tortured so severely in jail. They also point to the Hunan activist and organizer Li Wangyang, who lost his eyesight and most of his teeth from repeated head beatings, and was paralyzed when he was released in 2011; Li died mysteriously in a hospital in 2012, days after he told Hong Kong reporters that "even if they cut off my head, I would not turn back from his activism. Wish to leave China unfulfilled Liu was still three years from completing his prison term when he died in the First Hospital of China Medical University, located in the northeastern city of Shenyang. The German and American doctors who were allowed to see him during his last days reported that Liu, days before his death, had clearly communicated his wish to leave China for treatment elsewhere. The doctors said that additional options (of treating Liu) may exist, including interventional procedures and radiotherapy, but the medical evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible. However, Chinese authorities maintained that he was too sick to be moved. Liu Xiaobo is survived by a son, and his wife of 21 years, Liu Xia, a staunch supporter of her husband who is reported to have said that she was determined to marry the "enemy of the state." Reflecting on their lives in a poem, she said, I like to draw trees; why? I like the image of it standing. A life spent standing must be tiresome, you say; I answer, yes, but still I must. To President Donald Trumps critics, its smoking gun evidence that proves his 2016 campaign was engaged in collusion with Russia. To his allies, its merely a "nothing-burger" an inconsequential meeting between the presidents eldest son and a Russian lawyer that led to no meaningful information for the campaign. Donald Trump Jr. had long dismissed allegations that his fathers campaign colluded with Moscow to win the election. But in a bombshell revelation Tuesday, Trump Jr. released emails showing how he eagerly agreed to meet with the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, after she promised she had damaging information about Hillary Clinton, to be turned over as part of the Russian governments support for Trumps candidacy. "I love it," the son responded after an interlocutor setting up the meeting wrote that Veselnitskaya had "official documents and information" that would "incriminate" Hillary Clinton and be "very useful to your father" as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." But did Donald Juniors eagerness to meet with the lawyer to collect dirt on his fathers political rival amount to collusion? And what law, if any, did he break by agreeing to a meeting that was also attended by Trump's campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner? Donald Trump Jr. has denied any wrongdoing, telling Fox News on Tuesday, For me, this was opposition research. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly looking into the meeting as part of a broader investigation into whether Trump associates colluded with Russia and whether any crimes were committed along the way. The dictionary, by the way, says to collude means to come to a secret understanding for a harmful purpose. But there are many deeper questions to explore. To examine the legal issues arising from the June 9, 2016, meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and Veselnitskaya, we turned to two former federal prosecutors: Andy McCarthy, a fellow at the conservative National Review Institute, and Peter Zeidenberg, a partner at the Arent Fox law firm in Washington. This is a transcript of our conversation, edited for clarity and length. VOA: Lets start with a basic definition. What constitutes collusion and is collusion a crime? McCarthy: Collusion is really not a concept in American law. We have a concept called conspiracy, which is an agreement to commit a violation of federal law. Literally, collusion just means concerted activity between two parties and it can be or not be a violation of law. It can be innocent behavior. It has a fairly dark connotation, so its suggestive of concerted activity for bad purposes, but thats not necessarily the case. Zeidenberg: There is no crime of collusion. I dont know why its been discussed so much. The crime, if there is one, is one of conspiracy. I think collusion, when people are discussing it, means some kind of cooperation in this case, with the Russians during the campaign. Collusion, in my mind, would mean cooperation or working together with the Russians in a way that while wholly inappropriate and unethical may not be illegal. If there is actual conspiracy, that suggests of course there has to be a criminal act involved. VOA: Was it a crime for Donald Trump Jr. to meet with a Russian lawyer with Kremlin ties to collect damaging information on Hillary Clinton? What kind of legal trouble is he in? McCarthy: I believe it is not a crime. I think its unsavory behavior and its got much more important political ramifications than legal ones, but as far as whether what we know up to this point amounts to a crime, I dont believe it does. Zeidenberg: In and of itself, it doesnt constitute a crime, in my view. What it does show is a state of mind for him and for [former Trump campaign manager Paul] Manafort and for [Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared] Kushner, who all attended the meeting, all knowing that the purpose of the meeting was to get damaging information from the Russian government thats going to help them, their campaign against Hillary Clintons. Its certainly an important piece of evidence if youre building a criminal case involving conspiracy, because it shows their state of mind, their interest and willingness to do this. VOA: Under U.S. law, foreign nationals cant contribute any thing of value to American election campaigns. Was the information promised by the Russian attorney a thing of value? McCarthy: It may have been a thing of value, in terms of whether it would be a case that would be pursued under criminal law, I dont believe it would. First of all, this sort of thing goes on all the time. And second of all, it has much ado about nothing in the criminal law sense. And most campaign funds violations, even really serious ones, are handled by an administrative fine. So, for example, we had a campaign finance violation involving the Obama campaign 2008. It was a $2 million violation and they were allowed to settle it with a $375,000 fine. And to me, to talk about a very serious issue of potential coordination with a hostile foreign regime, in terms of whether it violated the campaign finance law trivializes the misconduct were talking about. Zeidenberg: It arguably was. However, in my mind, thats not a very attractive case for a prosecutor to make. To make a case that will hold up, persuade a jury, and pass the smell test, I think you have to have evidence of more than just accepting promises of opposition research from Russians. I think youd have to show that there was some kind of quid pro quo. VOA: In his defense, Donald Junior told Fox News, For me, this was opposition research. Can he use that argument as a legal defense? McCarthy: It would depend on what he was charged with, and as I said, I dont see any charges here. So, if youre saying that someone was silly enough to try to indict that as a campaign law violation, could he use this as a defense. I think hed have a very good selective prosecution and legal claim because this is the sort of thing that goes on all the time. And to single him out for prosecution, collecting opposition research from foreign sources when no one ever gets prosecuted for that, to me would be not only silly, I think it would raise some pretty profound constitutional questions about not only selective prosecution but also First Amendment issues dealing with political speech. I dont think he can be prosecuted for that. Zeidenberg: He can try but I think hes setting himself up for putting all the pieces in place for the prosecution. He also said that they discussed adoptions. The reason they were discussing adoptions is the Russians were willing to resume Russian adoptions if the United States gave them sanctions relief. On the other hand, they were talking about dirt on Hillary Clinton. If you exchange those two things, youve got quid pro quo. And I think you have got a criminal conspiracy. VOA: Should Donald Junior have alerted the authorities about the Russian lawyers promise of help instead of going ahead with the meeting? McCarthy: Id think so, yes. Ive certainly never prosecuted anyone for it, but again, campaign finance laws are very constitutionally dubious. And to push them under circumstances where the First Amendment actually pushes against them, I think, would be a very unwise thing to do. And again, to my mind, I must say from a political standpoint, that if I was the Trump camp, and my opposition, instead of dealing with the seriousness of the issue and Ive regarded it as quite serious was talking about it in terms of campaign finance law, Id be celebrating because its trivial and what happened is not trivial. Zeidenberg: Clearly, yes. It seems self evident that if a foreign power, an adversary of the United States, is trying to interfere with our election, you dont just take them up on it and see what good stuff they may have for you. You report it to law enforcement. VOA: Donald Trump Junior had repeatedly denied any contacts between his fathers campaign and Russia. Now, we dont know if hes been questioned by the authorities, but can his disavowal be held against him in light of the email revelations? McCarthy: Well, they can be used against him politically. I should tell you that Im not particularly interested in Donald Trump Jr. and I dont think that his legal problems, if he has them, are of much moment. In our constitutional system, when youre dealing with potential executive misconduct, the remedy that the framers talk about is impeachment based on high crimes and misdemeanors. Its not courtroom prosecution for criminal offenses. And I think trying to take into account the magnitude of executive misconduct, where its weighty enough to be talking about impeachment, and try to pigeonhole it into technical violations of the criminal law, again, really, discounts the kind of important behavior that were talking about. Zeidenberg: Not legally unless hes been interviewed, and my guess is hes not been interviewed by law enforcement. So those previous disavowals are not actionable legally. However, Jared Kushners are. And he made those disavowals when he did his security clearance form, which is submitted under the pain of perjury. Q: Senator Tim Kaine, Clintons former running mate, has said Donald Junior may have potentially committed treason when he agreed to meet with the Russian lawyer. What constitutes treason and is it possible in this case? McCarthy: No, this isnt treason ... so I think its irresponsible for Senator Kaine to be talking in that kind of rhetoric, especially having run with Mrs. Clinton, who took lots and lots of foreign money and actually green-lighted when she was secretary of state on arrangements that allowed the Russian government to acquire, or [entities] connected to the Russian government to acquire, about 20 percent of American uranium holdings. I just think to bring treason around to [Trump Jr.] really is an unwise and inappropriate thing to do, especially when what we talk about is very serious behavior that ought to be looked at. Treason is levying war against the United States, to give aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States. And there is a lot of dispute about whether Russia should be viewed as an enemy of the United States. Im probably in the camp of people who are more aggressive ... about Russia than others. I do regard them largely as an enemy state. A lot of other people say that theyre a geopolitical competitor, the very aggressive kind. I guess thats a fair description as well. I dont see taking a meeting with Russians and taking information from Russians as treason. Zeidenberg: Im not an expert on treason by any stretch, but I understand it involves an adversary with whom the United States is in a state of war. ... I dont know that Russia would necessarily qualify. I dont think reprehensible is a strong enough word to describe the conduct at issue. I think colluding with a foreign power against your country to try and assist an election is astonishingly bad behavior and reprehensible conduct. I dont know if it would qualify as treason. As the Islamic State terror group loses ground in Iraq and Syria, U.S. and Afghan forces are stepping up their attacks on the group's offshoot in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. The U.S. military, in coordination with Afghan security forces, are pounding IS hideouts in Achin, Haskamena and Kot districts with rockets being fired from Jalalabad airfield where U.S. troops are stationed. The terror group has been active in the eastern region of the country for almost two years. U.S and Afghan security forces have been conducting ground and air operations against IS militants in the Nangarhar for some time now. The rocket attacks, however, indicate an intensification in the war against IS in the country. Attaullah Khogyani, Nangarhar provincial government spokesperson told VOA that the rocket attacks on IS hideouts are conducted based on intelligence provided by the Afghan security agencies. He added that the rocket attacks have targeted key IS members, killing several of them. Rocket attacks more accurate Local residents in areas under IS control echo Khogyani's account and have welcomed the move, saying rocket attacks are more accurate and effective. Ground operations by Afghan security forces, they say, result in civilian casualties at times. Waliullah, a local resident in Deh Bala district said rockets have targeted IS positions only, without causing harm to the civilians in the area. Airstrikes and ground operations have caused civilian casualties. Rockets fired from the city (U.S. military base) are accurate and do not target civilians, Waliullah told VOA's Afghan service. U.S. and Afghan security forces have been engaged in joint- counterterrorism operations against IS militants in Nangarhar and neighboring Kunar province. Drone strike a success Earlier this year, U.S military and Afghan government promised to eliminate IS in Afghanistan by the end of 2017. Hundreds of IS fighters, including several senior commanders have been killed in recent months. A suspected U.S. drone strike late Tuesday reportedly targeted a gathering of IS militants in Kunar province, killing 11 fighters, including four key IS commanders. Pentagon did not immediately confirm Tuesday's drone strike. The IS terror group has been active in several districts in Nangarhar province. Recently, it has expanded to neighboring mountainous Kunar and Nuristan provinces as well, which share a border with Pakistan, to establish a persistent presence there. Militant leaders killed IS has drawn the majority of its members from the Pakistani Taliban fighters, some former Afghan Taliban, and other militants from varied nationalities, including militants from India, Iran, Russia and central Asian neighbors. In May, the terror group lost Sheikh Abdul Hasib, its leader in Afghanistan. Hasib was killed in a joint U.S. Afghan forces raid in eastern Nangarhar. His predecessor and founder of IS's branch in Afghanistan, Hafiz Saeed Khan a former Pakistani Taliban commander was also killed in a U.S. drone strike in July of 2016. The United States and its global partners fighting against the Islamic State group have made significant progress in recent days, especially since the liberation of Mosul, senior officials said Thursday, but they also are planning for stabilization and rebuilding efforts once the extremist group is fully defeated in Iraq and Syria. Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy to the coalition against Islamic State militants, Thursday said fighting will continue for some time around the Syrian city of Raqqa and other areas where IS forces are still active. However, he added, the jihadist group is on an irreversible and lasting path to defeat. At the same time, the United States and its partners in the 72-nation anti-IS coalition are moving forward with stabilization planning, he added. Gulf diplomatic crisis has no effect McGurk and other senior officials involved in three days of coalition meetings said the fight in Iraq and Syria is not affected by the diplomatic crisis that has divided nations in the Arab world since early June, when Saudi Arabia and other states broke off diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar. The Saudis, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt contend Qatar has been funding extremism. They want authorities in the emirate to downgrade its relations with Iran, Saudi Arabias main foe in the Middle East; Qatar has refused its neighbors demands and denies that it supports terrorism in any way. Watch: Anti-Islamic State Coalition Intensifies Pressure on Extremists, Looks to Future All of these Arab states, including Qatar, are members of the global coalition against the Islamic State group, which also known as Daesh in Arabic. When it comes to professional military relationships, McGurk said, the split between Saudi Arabia and Qatar said should have no impact on the counter-ISIS campaign, and thats quite important. The United States has been pursuing diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute among the Gulf states. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has shuttled between Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia this week, and he told reporters Thursday: In my view, there is a changed sense of willingness to at least be open to talking to one another, and that was not the case before I came. Critical stabilization sites identified McGurk discussed the stabilization effort in Iraq after the coalition talks ended Thursday. We have identified 100 critical stabilization sites in and around Mosul, which will be the immediate focus for de-mining and restoration, he said. Senior officials from about 30 key members of the coalition took part in the final day of meetings, following two days of talks that brought together the full 72-member coalition. Among them were the three newest members from Africa Chad, Niger and Djibouti. To date as a coalition, the U.S. has provided nearly three-quarters of the military resources required to support our partners on the ground, McGurk said, and officials said each coalition member has been asked to identify areas where it can contribute to the group effort. Humanitarian aid for Iraq announced The U.S. Agency for International Development announced an additional $119 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq Thursday, bringing Washingtons total aid contribution to more than $1.4 billion since 2014. The new funding commitment is intended to provide additional emergency food and nutrition assistance, safe drinking water, hygiene kits, improved sanitation, emergency shelter and protection for Iraqis who have been displaced. The U.S. also provides medical assistance, including ambulances, medicine, and continued support for three field hospitals treating trauma patients. New tactics needed Jasmine El-Gamal, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said that as Islamic State militants lose more and more territory, after their defeat in Mosul and shrinking control over Raqqa, it will be more difficult to combat the extremists with airstrikes and other tactics that could affect civilians taking shelter nearby. We are going to have to move more and more toward non-traditional means, El-Gamal told VOA, like combating them online, over social media, [and] putting a lot more resources toward law-enforcement capabilities, to prevent lone-wolf attacks by the terrorists. Looking beyond the defeat of Islamic State, some foreign-policy analysts say that continuing conflict in the Middle East may require increased American engagement. US focus a concern Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, contends the United States must prevent a new Iran-Hezbollah-Shiite-Russia coalition from filling in the spaces left after the jihadi group is driven out. 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, Abrams has written in the journal Foreign Policy. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said the current U.S. strategy in Syria is focused on fighting Islamic State militants, rather than directly challenging the legitimacy of the Bashar al-Assad regime, which he blames for the instability that leads to extremism. It seems the U.S. remains ... focused on treating symptoms rather than root causes, Lister said. On an overcast evening, on a boat crisscrossing a river on the Bangladesh-India border, Payal, 16, hid under a fishing net, hoping to reach India where her agent said a dance tutor's job awaited her. Days later she was sold to a brothel in the western Indian city of Pune in Maharashtra state about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) away from her homeland where she says she was "beaten, abused and locked in a room" and forced to have sex with countless men. Payal was rescued "nine months and 11 days ago" and put up at a shelter in Pune. She didn't think anyone could help her go home. About the same time, about 1,500 kilometers away in New Delhi, Mosharaf Hossain, head of the consular section of the Bangladesh High Commission, was clearing travel permits for a rising number of rescued trafficking victims stranded in India. Much suffering "I found girls and also boys from Bangladesh who were suffering a lot, waiting for long [times] to return home, because of our slow investigation," Hossain, who joined the High Commission in March 2015, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I started working faster, and soon more alerts on rescued girls started pouring in," he said. "I met girls in Kerala who had been staying at a government shelter for seven years waiting." Over the past two years Hossain has been on a mission to speed up the repatriation of Bangladeshi girls trafficked to India for the sex industry. In the past year, Hossain has visited shelters across the country, including a shelter run by the nonprofit Rescue Foundation in Pune where he met Payal about two weeks ago. She shared her story and her address with him, which was verified. Her travel permit was issued last week, and she will leave for Bangladesh within two months. "My mother cried when I told her I was coming home. I told her I was in a bad shape until a few months ago, but now I am fine," Payal told the Thomson Reuters Foundation at the shelter. "I am happy I am going home from a shelter and not a brothel." Speeding up Hossain, a former deputy inspector general in Bangladesh, has sent about 438 girls home, nearly half of them in the last six months and most from Maharashtra, India's second most populous state and a major destination for trafficked girls. Campaigners said this is the highest number of girls to be returned in such a short time span to Bangladesh, where traffickers target poor women and children and promise them good jobs in India but sell them into brothels or domestic servitude. Many are rescued, but the wait to go home is long despite the fact that India and Bangladesh have had an intercountry task force for about a decade to organize repatriations, said campaigners. "The process has only got smoother now as High Commission officials are taking interest," said Jyoti Nale, program director for Save the Children India, which works with the Maharashtra government to repatriate girls. Shiny Padiyara, superintendent of the Rescue Foundation shelter in Pune, has seen girls get restless with the long wait. "Earlier, the girls stayed at the shelter for two to three years before the travel permit would come. They would get aggressive and in 2015, some girls broke a lot of things and a few ran away," Padiyara said. In May this year, 22 girls left the shelter for home, and travel permits have arrived for 18 of the 19 girls there now. The waiting period has shrunk to two weeks to a month from four to five months as Hossain follows up on each case with officials and police in Bangladesh and coordinates with charities on both sides of the border to verify addresses and arrange phone calls between the parents and the child. "I realized that the reaction time is important," said Hossain. "It is our responsibility to look after our destitute girls and children and ensure they go back home, safe." Favorite meal awaits Payal said she looks forward to boarding the train with the 17 other girls to West Bengal's capital, Kolkata, where an Indian police van will take them to the border. The girls will be handed over to a charity in the presence of Bangladesh migration officials and then to their parents. "I look forward to my favorite meal of fish that my mother cooks. Even if she serves me water, I'll be happy," Payal said. Padiyara is delighted to get the girls home but does fear early repatriations could lead to acquittals of the accused in these cases. "I am not sure if they will have access to a videoconference facility to appear for their cases that are pending in Indian courts," said Padiyara. "It takes two years for the trials to end and these girls don't have passports to return to India. And nobody wants to stay here." Botswana will host the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, next month, officials said on Thursday, risking a backlash from China, a major investor in the African country's economy. The Dalai Lama is expected to address a human rights conference in the capital Gaborone on August 17-19 and will also meet Botswana's president during the trip. "President Ian Khama will meet the Dalai Lama when he is in Botswana. But the president's attendance at the conference, for the official opening or otherwise, will be determined by his schedule," Khama's office said in a statement. The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, has long been at loggerheads over Tibet with China, which brands him a reactionary and a separatist. The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, says he seeks greater rights, including religious freedom, and true autonomy for Tibetans. Neighbouring South Africa has denied a visa to the Buddhist monk three times since 2009 in what opposition parties and Archbishop Desmond Tutu say shows the extent of China's sway over Pretoria. China's fast-growing demand for raw materials has made it one of the biggest investors in Africa and its largest trade partner. Chinese state-owned companies have been awarded contracts worth billions of pula to build roads, dams, power stations and airports in Botswana. Tang Shenpieng, the director of politics at the Chinese Embassy in Botswana declined to immediately comment, saying his office would issue a statement on the Dalai Lama's visit soon. But Lin Songtian, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's director-general for African affairs, told reporters last Wednesday in Beijing that allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Botswana would set back relations between the two countries. "Botswana should not harm such a true friend and reliable development partner as China and challenge the core interest of China and the dignity of Chinese people," he was reported as saying. The speaker of Brazil's lower house vowed Wednesday to fight any changes President Michel Temer makes to a labor reform bill passed by the Senate, highlighting new tension between longtime political allies. The speaker, Rodrigo Maia, would replace Temer if Congress allows the Supreme Court to move ahead with a corruption charge against the president, a vote that Maia has said he wants to have this week. The bill, a business-friendly measure modernizing labor laws dating from the 1940s, passed by a wide margin in the Senate on Tuesday following approval in the lower house and will be sent to Temer to be signed into law. Given that any changes in the Senate would have sent the bill back to the lower house for fresh debate, Temer assured senators Tuesday that he would use a decree to tweak the legislation as they suggested after he signed it into law. Maia rejected any such arrangement. "The lower house will not accept any change to the law. Any [presidential decree] will not be recognized by the House," the speaker said in a Twitter post. Graft scheme Prosecutors charged Temer last month in a graft scheme involving JBS SA, the world's biggest meatpacker. Executives said the president took bribes from the company in exchange for resolving tax matters and facilitating loans from state-run banks. Temer has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The presidential press office said in a statement that Maia has remained loyal to Temer since becoming speaker last year. "The presidential palace rebuffs the attempts to create a false crisis between the executive and legislative power without connection to facts and reality," the statement said. Under Brazilian law, two-thirds of the lower house of Congress must vote to allow a criminal charge against a sitting president to move to the Supreme Court. The vote could happen Friday or possibly be delayed until early August, after a congressional recess. Spanish companies will commit millions of pounds of investment to Britain on Thursday, the British government said, as it seeks to limit the economic impact of leaving the European Union. The investment plans, which include building trains and trams in Britain, coincide with a three-day state visit to Britain by Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia. King Felipe and British trade minister Liam Fox are due to address a U.K.-Spain business forum in London on Thursday, before the Spanish monarch holds bilateral talks with Prime Minister Theresa May at her Downing Street residence. Britain said the investments would include Spanish manufacturer CAF committing 30 million pounds ($39 million) to build trains and trams at a new factory in Wales, creating 300 jobs, and Spanish infrastructure company Sacyr unveiling plans for a new office in London. Bilateral trade strong Bilateral trade between the two countries was worth 40 billion pounds in 2015, and more than 400 Spanish companies are registered in Britain, the government said. The sheer scale of Spanish investment in Britain demonstrates Spain's continued confidence in the strength of the UK economy, and shows that we can and will maintain the closest possible relationship, May said in a statement. The government also highlighted more than 100 million pounds which is being invested in the expansion of Luton Airport, majority owned Spanish airport operator AENA, and the construction of a 26 million pound factory in the West Midlands by Spanish steel producer Gonvarri Steel Services. Gibraltar remains issue Away from the financial deals, the Spanish royal visit comes amid tensions over the post-Brexit future of the British territory of Gibraltar, which Spain wants back. The future of Gibraltar, a rock on the southern tip of Spain captured by Britain in 1704, and its 30,000 inhabitants, is set to be a major point of contention in the Brexit talks. During an address to members of both houses of parliament in London on Wednesday, Felipe said he was confident that Spain and Britain could work towards an acceptable arrangement over Gibraltar. May to meet with King Felipe The EU and Britain have also yet to agree on guarantees for EU citizens living in the UK and British expats living in other EU countries. More than 300,000 Britons live in Spain, while more than 130,000 Spaniards live in Britain. On Wednesday, Felipe said these citizens had a legitimate expectation of decent and stable living conditions and urged the British and Spanish governments to work to ensure the Brexit agreement provided sufficient assurance and certainty. May's office said that during her talks with Felipe she would welcome the contribution that Spanish citizens make to Britain's economy and society. From a girl who builds a flying bike to save her village to a female cicada defying the odds to join a flying contest, a new children's book project in Cambodia is seeking to inspire girls to fight stereotypes and male dominance. The vividly illustrated e-books in the local Khmer language tell the stories of eight different female characters who overcome challenges through courage and ingenuity under the tagline "Girls Can Do Anything." One story features a girl who invents a flying contraption that looks like a bike with bat-like wings to save her village while another girl fights aliens seeking to destroy her city. "The availability of original storybooks for children in Khmer is limited. Content related to the empowerment of women is even more scarce," said Edward Anderson from The Asia Foundation, which is running the project. "The books ... can serve as role models for young girls, helping them to break away from traditional subservient expectations and empower them to become leaders," added Anderson, the acting Cambodia chief for the U.S.-based charity. Cambodia was ranked 112 out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap 2016, after scoring poorly in political empowerment and education attainment for women. Campaigners say a gap in education persists in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation, with fewer girls attending and completing school, while sexual and labor exploitation remain a serious problem for women. The book series, under a wider initiative known as "Let's Read!" which aims to encourage reading among children, was created by Cambodian writers and illustrators during a "hackathon" event. Prum Kunthearo, one of the eight writers, said it was the first time she had used a female protagonist in a story since she began writing books in 2013. She said her story "Green Star," about a girl who uses her knowledge of science to help a boy find his way home, was inspired by a lack of women in the science and technology sectors in the nation of 16 million people. "Children should understand the importance of gender equality from an early age," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Phnom Penh. Illustrator Pors Socheata hoped Cambodian girls would be empowered through the stories. "Most of the characters in our storybooks are males, especially when they are superheroes or have achieved something good," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Although the books are only available in digital format for now, The Asia Foundation said it is working with the Cambodian government and companies to promote them, while it explores the possibility of publishing the books in hard copies to distribute to remote parts of the country. China says its trade with North Korea rose in the first six months of 2017, compared to the same period the year before. Chinas Customs Administration announced Thursday that trade with the international pariah North grew 10.5 percent to $2.5 billion between January and June, with exports soaring to 29.1 percent during that period. The figures are likely to increase calls for Beijing to pressure Pyongyang, its main diplomatic and economic ally, to curb its nuclear and missile testing program. U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Chinas trade with North Korea in a tweet last week, claiming it had grown almost 40 percent in the first quarter of this year. Trump angrily ended his tweet: So much for China working with us -- but we had to give it a try! But Customs spokesman Huang Songping insisted China was upholding United Nations sanctions on North Korea, citing figures showing a 13.2 percent decline in imports from the regime during the same period, with sharp decreases every month since March. A majority of older Republicans and Republican-leaning voters say American colleges and universities have a negative effect on the United States. But a majority of younger Republicans and Republican-leaners aged 18 to 29 say colleges have a positive effect on the country. Over the past two years, The Pew Research Center found that the share of Republicans and Republican leaners who view the impact of colleges and universities positively has declined 18 percentage points, from 54 percent to 36 percent. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view the value of colleges and universities very differently. Pew said 72 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners say colleges have a positive effect on the United States -- little changed from recent years. David Andersen, who teaches political science at Iowa State University, said he is not surprised Republicans and Republican-leaning adults have a negative opinion of American higher-education. One of the things going on is that there is an anti-elitism and intellectualism among some in the Republican Party, Andersen said. Violent demonstrations at some colleges such as the University of California-Berkeley and Middlebury College in Vermont against conservative speakers could have an impact, too. Andersen said the demonstrations drew wide coverage and criticism by news media favored by conservatives. Andersen said he sees distrust in his own classroom among students from largely Republican and conservative communities in Iowa. Students are very willing to push back as we discuss issues, he said. But thats the whole point of being at a university. Lets talk about what you believe and see how it matches up with the facts." On some issues, such as climate change, Andersen offers information about the big majority of scientists who say climate change is real and caused by man-made activities. About taxes, Andersen said he has discussed with students the trickle down theory espoused by Republican president Ronald Reagan with students who are in favor of it. That theory suggests tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy will result in more spending and generate economic growth for the country. Some economists like Jared Bernstein, senior fellow at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, disagree. Bernstein says reducing taxes for the wealthy reduces government revenue and adds to income disparity between rich and poor. When they get home, some students talk with their parents about classroom discussions that conflict with the ones at home. Andersen said some students face accusations of disloyalty. One student said My uncle yelled at me for two hours because he thought I had become a godless liberal, Andersen said. Andersen said he believes that most Americans without a college education want their children to go to college, hoping they will gain better job opportunities. William Eveland Jr., a professor at the School of Communication and the Department of Political Science at Ohio State University, said there may be other reasons Republicans do not favor colleges and universities. As tuition rises due in part due to reductions in state funding, the risk of students going into debt and not getting their money's worth increases, Eveland said. The Pew Research Center survey found Republicans have an even worse opinion of the news media than they do of American colleges. Pew found that 85 percent of Republicans and people who lean Republican say the news media has a negative effect on the United States. Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults are divided -- with 44 percent saying the news media has a positive effect and 46 percent saying it has a negative effect. Pew said it interviewed 2,504 adults in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia on both land-line telephones and cell phones. Interviews were conducted June 8-18 in English and Spanish, Pew said. Pew Research Center describes itself as nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It does not take policy positions. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. A coalition of 14 conservative groups urged U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday to support an amendment to the House of Representatives' annual defense bill that would prevent the Pentagon from implementing climate change and green energy policies meant to save taxpayers money and protect the planet. In a letter to the lawmakers, the groups said many climate programs "are likely to undermine military readiness by diverting scarce resources." The programs in question were initiated by former President Barack Obama's 2015 executive order requiring the military to meet green energy and greenhouse gas emissions targets. The conservative groups are trying to gather support for Ohio Republican Representative Warren Davidson's amendment to the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would stop the military from implementing the policies. The groups include the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian advocacy group; Americans for Prosperity, a group funded by the conservative Koch brothers; and Americans for Limited Government. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has long been supportive of programs that reduce troops' petroleum dependence. In written testimony to a Senate panel after his confirmation hearing in January, Mattis said "climate change can be a driver of instability" and is "a challenge that requires a broader, whole-of-government response." Vulnerable bases The House bill includes language from Democratic Representative Jim Langevin that would require the Pentagon to report to Congress on military bases that are most vulnerable from rising seas and other effects of climate change. It is uncertain whether Davidson's or Langevin's measures would be in the final House bill. The House is due to vote this week on its version of the defense bill, and the Senate version will follow later this year. Myron Ebell, the head of global warming and international environmental policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who also led President Donald Trump's transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency, said in an interview that the Defense Department "needs to concentrate on its core mission and not waste a lot of time with irrelevant distractions that gain them some political cover." When asked about Mattis' position on climate, Ebell said he had heard generals say for years that climate change is a risk and "I've never listened to one who seemed to have the slightest clue as to what he was talking about." The Defense Department, the largest U.S. consumer of energy, is planning to forge ahead with a decade-long effort to convert operations to green energy. U.S. President Donald Trump is defending his eldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer last year in which he thought he would be given incriminating information about Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump's challenger in the 2016 election. "I think from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting," Trump said Thursday of Donald Trump Jr.'s decision to talk with the lawyer after being told by an intermediary that she was a Russian government attorney and would offer him material as part of Moscow's election support of Trump. "It's called opposition research, or even research into your opponent. That's very standard in politics; politics is not the nicest business in the world, but it's very standard where they have information and you take the information," Trump said as he stood alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at a Paris news conference. Trump, who is facing months of investigations in the U.S. about his aides' contacts with Russians during his run to the White House, said, "Nothing happened from the meeting, zero happened from the meeting, and honestly I think the press made a very big deal over something that really a lot of people will do. "As far as my son is concerned, my son is a wonderful young man," Trump said. "He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer, not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer. It was a short meeting, it was a meeting that went very, very quickly; very fast." Trump was asked whether he agreed with Christopher Wray, his nominee to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation, that his son should have called FBI investigators when offered the meeting because it was supposedly coming from a foreign adversary, Russia. Trump deflected the question and simply praised his appointment of Wray. In Washington, Senator Charles Grassley, a key lawmaker investigating Russia's meddling in the election, sent a letter to the younger Trump asking him to testify about his June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York with the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. Donald Trump Jr. has said he is willing to testify voluntarily, but Grassley said he would be subpoenaed if need be. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said no questions would be off limits as the panel investigates what the U.S. intelligence community has concluded was Moscow's election interference personally directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Democratic Senator Chris Coons said, "I look forward to asking Donald Trump Jr. what the heck he was thinking in embracing a meeting with someone who said they were representing one of our foremost adversaries in the world?" Grassley's committee is one of several congressional panels investigating the Trump campaign's links with Russia, while Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, is heading a criminal probe into the election interference and whether the president obstructed justice by firing another FBI director, James Comey, while he was heading the Russia probe before Mueller took over. The leader of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, Speaker Paul Ryan, urged the younger Trump to honor Grassley's request that he testify. "I think any witness who's been asked to testify in Congress should do that," Ryan said. Hundreds of students fled University of California, Los Angeles residence halls after someone called in a bomb threat to the college's recreation center Wednesday night. The Los Angeles Times reports that police were investigating the threat at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. School officials issued a campus emergency notification about the threat shortly after 10 p.m. A UCLA spokesman told the newspaper that three residence halls in Westwood and the recreation center were evacuated and students were gathering at Drake Stadium. Students in other areas of the campus were told to remain indoors. ABC7 in Los Angeles reports that police set up road blocks on a few streets around campus. The bomb threat came hours after the first orientation program for new UCLA students ended. Thousands of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia are in a state of limbo as they try to return home after being ordered to leave the Gulf state. On March 29, Saudi Arabia launched a campaign it dubbed "Nation Without Violations," giving all foreign immigrants living there illegally 90 days to leave without incurring a penalty. They were told they could return later after applying for legal status and going through the immigration process. As of the beginning of July, 111,000 Ethiopians had agreed to leave Saudi Arabia and 45,000 had successfully returned to Ethiopia, according to Meles Alem, the spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Many remained stranded, however, due to an inability to get a seat on overbooked flights. Saudi government officials believe there are about 400,000 Ethiopians living illegally in the country. Most are employed as maids or other domestic workers; they have few legal rights and endure widespread abuse. In early July, VOA Amharic reported that 110 people were stuck for days in a community center in Riyadh, waiting for open seats on flights back to Addis Ababa. Among them was a woman, seven months pregnant, who said she was left without proper sanitation or care. "It is difficult for me to sit or sleep. There is another pregnant woman here and what is going to happen to us?" the woman told Gabina, VOA's Amharic youth program. Another woman said, "We don't have proper sanitation here. About 20 people are jammed in one room." Most of those who were stranded last week have returned to Addis, but many more are trying to get out as soon as possible. It is unclear how many foreign workers will be affected. Middle East Monitor reported there are about 5 million illegal foreign workers living in the country. Saudi Arabia's total population is 32 million, and it relies heavily on imported labor. Government officials have said the move will improve job prospects for Saudis. It will "revive the economies of companies and establishments and protect small businesses and projects from illegal expats, while also reducing unemployment rates and creating a safe economic and social environment," said Turki Al-Manea, general director of the branch of the ministry of labor and social development in Qassim, according to Arab News. The head of the Ethiopian community in Riyadh, Shawel Getahun, warned people to leave the country while they still have a chance to do so legally. "People who actually bought tickets should consider going on time. Those who haven't bought tickets should process their papers in due time before it's too late," he said. History of abuses This is not the first such deportation. In 2013 and 2014, a similar effort led to the deportation of tens of thousands of Ethiopians. Many were detained, beaten and held in squalid conditions prior to deportation, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. Yasin Kakande, a Ugandan journalist who has reported from the Middle East for more than a decade, said a traditional system known as "Kafala sponsorship" exists throughout the Gulf states, leading many African migrants to live in a state of indentured servitude. The system gives Gulf citizens the right to sponsor foreign workers, who often must serve as maids or servants for an indefinite amount of time and for little or no pay. "Most of the workers whom they refer to as illegal actually come to the countries legally," Kakande told VOA. "They have high hopes of working and helping their families at home, but once they get into these countries they find that there are a lot of abuses, that they cannot get away." In recent years, stories of maids being raped, beaten and starved have generated worldwide outrage. In one case that went viral on YouTube, a maid in Kuwait was left dangling from a seventh story window while her employer filmed it, making no attempt to help before the woman lost her grip and fell. "Most of them, what they try to do, is try to run away from their sponsors to try to find some justice, and in the end they end up becoming illegals because the law doesn't give them a chance to get out of their employer," Kakande said. The European Union launched legal action against Hungary on Thursday because of new rules governing civic groups that receive funds from abroad. The European Commission said that the law approved by Hungary's parliament in June could prevent nongovernmental organizations "from raising funds and would restrict their ability to carry out their work." The commission also took a new step in another infringement procedure against Hungary launched in April over amendments to the law on higher education that could force Budapest-based Central European University to close or leave Hungary. The commission said its conclusions about the higher education law did not change after Hungary's initial response and it still considers the law to be incompatible with EU standards such as academic freedom and the right to education. Both cases are part of the Hungarian government's multifaceted campaign against Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros. He founded CEU in 1991 and his Open Society Foundations help support many of the groups affected by the NGO law. His ideal of an "open society" contrasts with Prime Minister Viktor Orban's expressed desire to turn Hungary into an "illiberal state." Government defiant The Hungarian government reiterated its position regarding the "Soros network" in its response to the commission's legal action. "The government is ready to face infringement proceedings with relation to the NGO Act," said Justice Ministry State Secretary Pal Volner. "These are organizations that want to weaken Hungary's defense capabilities in the fight against illegal immigration." Civic groups getting more than about $26,700 from abroad have to register with the courts, reveal detailed information about donors giving more than $1,850 and identify themselves as being foreign-funded on their websites and media publications. The commission, the EU's executive body, also raised concerns about the NGO law regarding the free movement of capital and the protection of the personal data of donors. "Civil society is the very fabric of our democratic societies and therefore should not be unduly restricted in its work," EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said. "We have studied the new law on NGOs carefully and have come to the conclusion that it does not comply with EU law." Hungary's government says it wants to ensure transparency among the NGOs, some of which say they won't comply with the regulations they believe are discriminatory. The government says foreign-funded NGOs that advocate for asylum seekers, like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, are opposed to Hungary's interests. Migration opponent Orban is a staunch opponent of migration and says a large influx of Muslim migrants would irrevocably change Europe's ethnic and cultural character. In the CEU case, Orban and other officials said for months that the amendments were a purely educational matter. However, Orban's chief of staff revealed recently that the conflict was tied to Soros' advocacy for migration and refugees. 'We, CEU and Fidesz [the ruling party], peacefully coexisted side by side in the past years. The changes came about when George Soros announced a program about having to open Europe's borders and call in a million immigrants a year," Janos Lazar, Orban's chief of staff, said last week. The government is also carrying out an anti-Soros media campaign, with billboards, posters and TV ads depicting a smiling Soros and the caption "Let's not allow Soros to have the last laugh!" Hungarian Jewish groups have raised concerns about what they see as the campaign's anti-Semitic overtones. Hungary has one month to reply to the commission's arguments, and both cases could be eventually referred by the commission to the EU Court of Justice. U.S. prosecutors say they have arrested 412 medical providers for alleged participation in health care fraud totaling $1.3 billion in false billings. Of those charged, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, 120 were accused of prescribing medically unnecessary opioids to their patients. Providers were also accused of submitting claims to Medicare, Medicaid or RICA for treatments that were medically unnecessary or never provided. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday the action is the "largest health care fraud takedown operation in American history." As a result of the operation, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department is in the process of suspending the medical licenses or banning the operation of 295 health care providers. Sessions said, "Too many trusted medical professionals ... have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients," Sessions said. "Their actions not only enrich themselves often at the expense of taxpayers but also feed addictions and cause addictions to start. The consequences are real: emergency rooms, jail cells, futures lost, and graveyards." Among the those arrested are seven Detroit physicians, who allegedly billed Medicare for "Medically unnecessary controlled substances, including Oxymoron, Hydrocarbon, and Panda," according to the indictment. Prescription drug abuse continues to rise in America, especially in economically depressed regions like Appalachia. Copious killed more than 33,000 people in 2015 alone. Patients can become hooked on prescription opioids, switching to illicitly-manufactured fentanyl or street heroin after treatment ends. "This is, quite simply, an epidemic," said Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Chuck Rosenberg said Thursday. "There is a great responsibility that goes along with handling controlled prescription drugs, and DEA and its partners remain absolutely committed to fighting the opioid epidemic using all the tools at our disposal." The arrests are the result of work carried out by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in 2007, the Strike Force has charged more than 3,500 medical providers for carrying out fraud amounting to $12.5 billion in false billings. In a warehouse on the sprawling country estate of Gambia's exiled former leader, Yahya Jammeh, silver platters pile up beside dusty crates of empty champagne bottles with labels commemorating his 1994 coup. A bailiff picks through the boxes and scribbles down notes the start of what the new government says is a search for tens of millions of dollars of looted assets, an investigation that Jammeh's supporters have dismissed as a witch hunt. A U.S. official in Banjul said Washington was planning to help, and government staff say they are counting on World Bank assistance. The size of the Kanilai estate just a small fraction of Jammeh's holdings, according to the government official leading the tour shows the scale of the task ahead. "We suspect most of the things were taken away before he left the treasure, possibly weapons and most of the vehicles," said the bailiff from Gambia's high court, Modou Moussa Ceesay, taking an inventory of Jammeh's possessions. The former president, accused by opponents and rights groups of widespread violations and corruption, fled Gambia in January as regional forces descended on the capital, Banjul, to enforce the results of an election he lost. He has not commented on the investigation from his new base in Equatorial Guinea. His still strong band of supporters left behind in the tiny West African state have called the plunder hunt a case of victor's justice. Tanks, zebras, camels Kanilai was Jammeh's birthplace and is now his most elaborate estate complete with farm, mosque, tanks, multiple residences, jungle warfare training camp and vast private safari park housing exotic parrots, zebras, hyenas and camels. Building materials lie next to an unfinished new palace, near a billboard of a smiling Jammeh embracing his family. The justice ministry team inspected it all under the gaze of a group of Jammeh's relatives and supporters, all wearing the green T-shirts of his APRC party. One of them stuck up his middle finger at the visiting delegation. APRC leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta later told Reuters he had no knowledge of any embezzlement of state funds or foreign assets owned by Jammeh. "These people just want anything with any link to Jammeh, and that's not fair," he said, calling the investigation "witch-hunting." New President Adama Barrow took office in January and set up a task force to track down Jammeh's assets in May. "Most of the paper trails are available," Gambian Solicitor General Cherno Marenah said. But following those paper trails is proving time-consuming. Investigators made their first visit to the heavily fortified estate just this month. Finance Minister Amadou Sanneh last month said $100 million more than a third of the annual budget had been siphoned from state firms in the riverside nation, nearly half of whose 1.8 million people live in poverty. A list of Jammeh assets temporarily seized by the government pending a court order showed 14 businesses in such fields as media, insurance and farming. Sanneh said the government planned to sell four of Jammeh's presidential planes. 'Too much for one man' Marenah said investigators were also looking into assets in Morocco and the United States, where one U.S. official told Reuters that Jammeh owned property in Potomac, Maryland, a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C. An official in the U.S. Embassy in Banjul confirmed that they were collaborating with the Gambian government on how to assist with the recovery efforts. The World Bank is to help Gambia through its Stolen Assets Recovery Program, Marenah said, though the bank declined to comment. Back at Kanilai, once a small village near the border with Senegal, soldiers lead a tour of Jammeh's main residences. The screeches of three of his abandoned parrots echo inside an empty ballroom hanging with crystal chandeliers. One of the pictures hanging on the wall shows a young Jammeh holding a staff some Gambians thought gave him mystical powers he long said he had developed a secret cure for AIDS. A pile of paperwork, including an old business document from a visiting Royal Dutch Shell delegation, sits near a bookshelf holding Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's memoir The Downing Street Years. At the entrance to another residence, soldiers swap jokes and take turns playing on a grand piano and shooting pool next to a fake Christmas tree. "It's too much for one man," mutters one of them as the delegation tours the rooms. South Sudanese government forces are approaching the headquarters of rebel forces led by former vice president Riek Machar, a United Nations official says. David Shearer, the head of the U.N. mission in South Sudan, said thousands of civilians have been displaced in several areas of Upper Nile state as soldiers advance on the rebels' base in the town of Pagak, in the northeast. Shearer told journalists in Juba Wednesday that there has been heavy fighting between the army, known as the SPLA, and opposition forces, known as the SPLA-IO. "There has been active military engagement over the past week with heavy fighting around Mathiang, north of Pagak, on July 2," he said. "Reports suggest that the government forces are now in and around Mathiang and approaching the town of Maiwut which is about 25 kilometers northwest of Pagak. Both the South Sudan military and the SPLA-IO faction allied to Machar have confirmed the fighting. Machar is currently believed to be in South Africa. He fled South Sudan last year after a peace agreement crumbled and clashes between government and rebel forces killed some 300 people in the South Sudanese capital, Juba. Shearer described the situation around Pagak as extremely worrying, saying the fighting is worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in the country. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said it is deeply concerned about the plight of civilians in areas affected by the clashes. UNOCHA called on all parties to uphold their responsibilities under international human rights law to protect civilians, and to provide safe, unhindered access for aid agencies trying to provide life-saving assistance. Shearer condemned the fighting and said it undermines efforts for peace in South Sudan. "The military advance by the SPLA is not in the spirit of the cease fire declared by the government in May this year when it opened the national dialogue," he said. A drought coupled with with a three-and-a-half-year conflict has displaced nearly four million South Sudanese and left an estimated six million in need of humanitarian aid. The war between supporters of President Salva Kiir and backers of former Vice President Machar broke out in December 2013. Shearer called on the government to improve the security situation, especially in rural areas. I certainly agree that the economic output in the country needs to be increased; agriculture has fallen badly behind," he said. "But for that to happen the security situation in rural areas need to be improved dramatically so that people feel safe enough to return to their land to plant their crops. This is particularly the case in the south of the country, which was once the breadbasket of the country. Guatemala is ready to turn over to Mexico next week a former state governor wanted on charges of embezzlement and organized crime, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in a case that further tarnished the Mexican ruling party's record on corruption. Javier Duarte, who governed the Gulf state of Veracruz for President Enrique Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) until last year, could be returned to Mexico on July 17, Guatemalan foreign ministry spokesman Tekandi Paniagua said. "Mexico has proposed July 17 at nine in the morning for the extradition," Paniagua said. The Mexican government gave no immediate comment on the widely expected announcement by Guatemala. Under Duarte's rule, the oil-rich state of Veracruz saw a spike in gang violence and kidnappings. Accusations of widespread corruption in his administration became an embarrassment for Pena Nieto, who was widely criticized for not taking action more quickly against his former ally. Duarte, who denies any wrongdoing, was arrested in Guatemala in April after more than five months on the run. He disappeared last October after taking leave of office and authorities issued an arrest warrant. He is now facing state-level and federal charges relating to accusations he used state institutions to funnel public funds into private companies. Duarte has been held in a military prison in the Guatemalan capital since his arrest. A tense standoff between India and China in the high Himalayas is being played out not on the disputed borders between the two Asian giants, but on a plateau claimed by China and Bhutan. Many analysts say the face off is also a play for power in the tiny, strategically located country, which is Indias closest ally in South Asia, but where Beijing wants to increase its presence. Indian troops obstructed a Chinese road-building project at Doklam Plateau around mid-June. The area also known as Chickens Neck is hugely strategic for India because it connects the countrys mainland to its northeastern region. New Delhi cites its treaties with Bhutan, with which it has close military and economic ties, for keeping its soldiers in the area despite strident calls by Beijing to vacate the mountain region. As the standoff drags on, there are fears in New Delhi that Beijing is also testing its ties with Bhutan, the tiny nation that has made gross national happiness its mantra, but where worries are growing about a big power conflict on its doorstep. Analysts point out that China wants to wean Bhutan away from India and expand ties with a country with which it has no diplomatic ties. At a strategic level, China would like to separate India from Bhutan, they would like to open up Bhutan to their greater influence, that goes without saying, said Manoj Joshi, a strategic affairs analyst at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. One small move at a time According to political analysts, it is not the first time the Chinese have built a road in a disputed area in Bhutan, which has a disputed border with China at several places in the high Himalayas. They have done the same in other areas, built roads in mountains and valleys and then claimed it was their territory during border negotiations, said a Bhutanese political analyst who did not want to be identified. It has been a hot button issue here, and has been repeatedly debated in parliament. These encroachments are seen as efforts by Beijing to muscle into Bhutan in the same manner as it has done in South China Sea. Analysts call it a salami slicing tactic. But Bhutan, which worries about being drawn into the rivalry between the two large neighbors, has maintained a studied silence on the latest dispute, except to issue one demarche calling on Beijing to restore the status quo in the area. Bhutan has done well, so far, to avoid both the fire from the Dragon on our heads and also the Elephants tusks in our soft underbelly. We must keep it this way, Bhutanese journalist Tenzing Lamsang wrote for The Wire. Despite some calls in Bhutan to settle its border with China without worrying about Indian interests, political analysts say public opinion largely favors New Delhis firm stand on the Doklam plateau. Influence at stake While keeping the Chinese out of the strategic plateau is Indias immediate concern, there is also concern about maintaining its influence in Bhutan, which is a buffer between China and India. India has watched warily as Beijing has steadily increased its presence in its neighborhood in recent years as countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have also been increasingly drawn into the Chinese sphere of influence by the promise of massive investments in roads, ports and other infrastructure. In India there are concerns that the same should not happen in Bhutan, its most steadfast ally. Saying the Chinese have been applying pressure on the Bhutanese border, analyst Manoj Joshi said. If Bhutan were to go the way of say Nepal, where Indian influence is now questioned, it would make a difference, that buffer would vanish. Indias foreign secretary S. Jaishankar this week expressed confidence that India and China have the maturity to handle their latest dispute and it will be handled diplomatically. "I see no reason why, when having handled so many situations in the past, we would not be able to handle it," he said. But while in the past such border standoffs have been resolved quickly, this time around there are no signs the issue is getting resolved, nearly a month after it erupted. Indonesias Sunni Islamic social welfare organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which calls itself the largest Muslim group in the world with a claimed membership of 50 million, is using its martial arts division to take aim at a new foe, the Islamic State. The group, widely considered the countrys leading moderate Muslim organization, has worn many hats since its founding in 1926: it was once a political party, it is still a charity that has built hundreds of schools and hospitals, and it is an eminent advocate for Indonesias pluralistic, tolerant Islam Nusantara, or Islam of the archipelago, around the world. But one of NUs lesser-known wings is Pagar Nusa, a martial arts division that initially arose to protect NUs Islamic boarding schools in pre-independence Indonesia. Although Pagar Nusa warriors have been present through Indonesias independence struggle and democratic Reformation. One of its most recent targets is the international extremism of the so-called Islamic State. IS has spread threats against Indonesian groups like the police and armed forces, and specifically threatened NU, Pagar Nusa chairman Nabil Haroen told VOA. In response, Pagar Nusa is stepping up its activities across Indonesia, where it maintains a presence across most major provinces, including Java, Sumatra, Bali, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. It is also holding a special training for constituent warriors in Pekalongan, Central Java later this month. Multi-pronged approach Pagar Nusa claims three million followers, and its training combines physical strength, martial arts, and spiritual intelligence, according to Nabil. Its goal is not to engage in armed combat in fact, violence is something of a last resort but to train a corps of Indonesian Muslims who can defend their traditions against ongoing and evolving threats. Basically Pagar Nusa, and by extension, Nahdlatul Ulama, uses persuasion, said Nabil. We use cultural approaches and ideological campaigns [against extremists]. If we can invite extremists back to moderate Islam, then we move forward with dawah, or preaching. The violent approach is the last resort of a knight, or a swordsman. We seek to conquer the enemy before the fight occurs. But, he went on, under any circumstances, Pagar Nusa is always ready. In Pagar Nusa programs across Indonesia, there are daily, weekly, and biweekly physical drills for members, depending on the local teacher and regimen, said Nabil. But the mandatory spiritual exercise component ideally takes place every single night, he said. If it seems strange, at first glance, that a social welfare group like NU also has a martial arts club, but it is actually in step with recent Indonesian history. In modern Indonesia, major political parties have been historically linked with their own paramilitary arms. NUs youth wing, Ansor, has a paramilitary arm called Banser that has long helped the National Awakening Party, especially on Java island. Extremism remains attractive In light of the ongoing threat posed by the Islamic State, which has inspired a slow drip of actual and attempted terrorist attacks in Indonesia over the last three years, Nabil said Pagar Nusa is educating its members about IS ideology and recognizing warning signs among would-be extremist youth. Its work can be seen as a complement to other NU counter-extremism efforts, particularly in the digital sphere. Savic Ali, director of NU Online, said his groups counter-extremism work is mainly in the education, media and social monitoring sectors. NU, as a nationalist-religious organization, certainly will oppose and resist IS because it can destroy the Indonesian nation-state, he told VOA. Pagar Nusas efforts could also be useful in a general sense because martial arts appeal to young people, said extremism analyst Nava Nuraniyah, of the Institute for Policy Analysis and Conflict. Many surveys have identified youth as the most vulnerable target of extremist recruitment, she told VOA. Some teenagers are attracted by the cool' image of an IS fighter: heroes of Islam, holding guns, and all that. While this programs effectiveness as PVE (prevention of violent extremism) is yet to be tested, Islamic martial arts clubs like Pagar Nusa could at least provide an alternative to these teenagers to channel their energy in a more positive way. Beyond that, as hinted at by Savic, it can help with a mainstay of NU programming: nationalism. One of the phrases taught in NU schools, according to Nuraniyah, is hubbul wathon minal iman, or loving ones homeland is part of faith. This brand of high-stakes nationalism, she said, might add a sense of heroism which appeals to the youth. 1 Jammu and Kashmir policemen present a guard of honor at the Martyr's graveyard in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir. July 13 is observed as Martyrs' Day in memory of the day when the region's Hindu king ordered more than 20 Kashmiri Muslims executed in a bid to put down an uprising in 1931. The son-in-law of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said Thursday that a Congolese court had sentenced him in absentia to one year in prison for real estate fraud, a move that could further strain relations between the neighboring countries. Sindika Dokolo, a Congolese businessman and art collector, is married to dos Santos billionaire daughter, Isabel, and is an outspoken critic of Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila. He denounced Wednesdays verdict, delivered by a court in the capital Kinshasa, as politically motivated. This conviction is so crude. It seems that Kabila and the ANR (intelligence service) are no longer even concerned about appearances, Dokolo told Reuters. He said he had previously been acquitted in the same case. Kabilas chief political rival, the former governor Moise Katumbi, was also convicted of real estate fraud last June shortly after he announced his candidacy to stand in an election to replace Kabila. That election was originally scheduled for last November but has been indefinitely postponed, triggering violent street protests last year that killed dozens of people. The government says the delays are the result of the challenges of registering millions of voters. Opposition leaders accuse Kabila of trying to cling to power. A Congo government spokesman said he was not aware of Dokolos conviction. Authorities have repeatedly rejected allegations that Congos justice system is targeting Kabilas opponents. Dokolo has emerged in recent months as one of Kabilas fiercest critics, especially on Twitter, after the presidents refusal to step down when his constitutional mandate expired in December. After Wednesdays verdict, Dokolo wrote on Twitter: I have just inaugurated a $400 million factory. Kabila has condemned me to one year in prison over a plot of land. He also posted a photo of himself alongside Angolan Defense Minister Joao Lourenco, the ruling partys candidate to succeed dos Santos in an election next month, writing that Lourenco has a deep mastery of the DRC dossier. Relations between Congo and Angola, longtime allies, have soured over the past year because of growing Angolan frustration over Congos political instability and an insurrection in central Congo that has sent 30,000 refugees spilling across the border since last August. In December, Angola withdrew military trainers it had sent to Congo, where wars at the turn of the century killed millions and sucked in more than a half-dozen neighboring countries. Kenya is less than a month from nationwide voting, and the electoral commission remains under pressure. The commission is appealing a High Court order that would allow the reopening of bidding for printing presidential ballots a week before the general election was set to start, even as the opposition prepares to take the commission to court on another issue. Meanwhile, the voter registry continues to spark debate and confusion. When Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission opened a short message platform two weeks ago so the public could check voter details, many like Florence, a businesswoman, used it and found her details were correct, but she noticed those of her sibling were not. She said her sister checked her details and found her identification number was registered to another person and she was a registered voter in Kiambu, Gatundu East, while she is a registered voter at Buruburu in Nairobi. She went to where she registered as a voter, and they put her name back. She was furious. Many Kenyans were sent random numbers or incomplete digits, but they were still registered, raising questions about the credibility of the register. Electoral body commissioner Roselyne Akombe defended her organization. What we have seen is that [in the] majority of those cases, people are putting their correct national ID numbers, but that is not probably what we have in the system because the number has been transposed and when they try to put in the information, it does not come out. But it does not mean that they are not in the register, she said. The audit firm KPMG, which was hired to clean the register, found 90,000 dead voters on the rolls and another half-million people who used wrong or inconsistent ID numbers. The electoral body said it has removed the names of at least 88,000 dead voters from the list. Florist Simon Musungu said the voter register must be published. The register should be published so that everyone can verify their details," he said. "That will benefit the IEBC, too. They cannot know everything. There is a problem because one vote matters. Even if one person does not vote, you deny him his rights. The electoral commission and the opposition have been battling in the courts on matters dealing with cancellation of presidential ballot papers by the high court. The court ruled the IEBC was required to conduct public participation in the award of the tender to Al Ghurair to print 120 million ballots for the August 8 general election, in which nearly 20 million Kenyans are eligible to vote. The Electoral Commission is appealing that decision. The opposition is also asking the court to rule on what means of ballot counting and transmitting the results should be used. In December, the parliament passed a law allowing the IEBC to use manual voting and transmission in case the electronic technology fails. The head of the Electoral Law and Governance Institute in Africa, Felix Odhiambo, said the failures of the past are haunting the commission. IEBC is yet to demonstrate that technology will work," he said. "Remember in 2013, despite the assurances by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the technology failed, so as we speak, the election act talks of technology to be put in place 60 days to the election, tested and its workability ascertained, but as we speak, the IEBC has not contested these gadgets, so opinion is still divided whether they will work or not. Political observers predict a close contest between the incumbent, Uhuru Kenyatta, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Many hope the August 8 elections will be free, fair and credible to avoid violence similar to that in 2008. They've been kidnapped by bandits, accused of witchcraft, arrested, robbed, and swept away by flash floods. They've also been mobbed by angry voters and confronted by men offended that their wives are being interviewed instead of them. The work of political pollsters is still widely misunderstood in Kenya, with international companies like Ipsos accused of everything from corruption to making children sick. "We have had to airlift people out before," said Hilda Kiritu, head of public relations for Ipsos's Kenya office, as she listed her colleagues' travails. Kenyans are preparing to elect their next president, lawmakers and local representatives on August 8, with incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta seeking a second five-year term and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga determined to unseat him. As campaign rhetoric heats up, hostility toward pollsters has erupted again. The latest Ipsos poll showing the presidential race may go to a second round sparked angry denunciations and threats on social media. "There's a lot of people who believe polling is not scientific, that everything has a price tag," Aggrey Oriwo, managing director at Ipsos Kenya, told Reuters. "They don't understand there are a lot of checks and balances." Kenyan elections are traditionally tight but there has never been a run-off. President Mwai Kibaki won in 2007 by 232,000 votes; in 2013, Kenyatta avoided a run-off by just 8,100 votes. Both times, irregularities marred the elections and the opposition alleged rigging. In 2007, protests sparked widespread ethnic violence that killed around 1,200 people. In 2013, Odinga took his challenge to court. Protests were mostly peaceful. A close race and eroding trust in public institutions are two of the most closely-watched indicators of potential violence. Ipsos polls show worrying trends for both. The latest Ipsos survey of 2,026 Kenyans, released last month, showed 48 percent supported incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta, seeking a second and final five-year term. Forty-two percent supported veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga. Two percent refused to say and 8 percent were undecided. The sampling error was plus or minus 2.18 percent. The winner needs one vote more than 50 percent of the national total, with at least a quarter of the vote in 24 of the 47 counties. Trust in institutions has increased overall, but it's split along partisan lines: 79 percent of Kenyatta supporters trust the electoral board, but only 43 percent of Odinga's supporters. Less than half of all Kenyans said they would trust the presidential result and only 39 percent said they trust the courts. That may dip further when the next survey comes out this month. On Sunday, Kenyatta angrily attacked a high court decision he said favored the opposition. Kish grids and smartphones Voters' faith in pollsters has slipped globally after polls failed to predict a majority of people in Britain would vote to leave the European Union or that Donald Trump would win the presidential election in the United States. "Who are these aliens you claim to take opinions from?" is one of the more polite comments on the Ipsos Kenya Facebook page. Ipsos made a Swahili-speaking American, Tom Wolf, its public face in Kenya to dampen accusations of ethnic bias. The price of fame means that he has twice had to flee angry mobs and is often surrounded by voters demanding their views be heard. Politicians have called for his deportation, threatened to sue Ipsos over defamation and complained to its Paris headquarters, saying their work is biased. It's not just Kenyans who have a problem with pollsters, Wolf said. After Trump denounced polls during his presidential campaign, some of his supporters stopped responding to them, possibly helping skew results in the United States, he said. "America is becoming more like Kenya every day," he said with a wry smile. Ipsos tries to counter doubters by explaining how its methodology is designed to ensure representative sampling. For its quarterly survey, computers send pollsters to 200 locations around the country, randomly chosen to reflect population density. They visit urban slums and remote deserts bordering Somalia. A computer program ensures randomness in the selection of households by telling pollsters to pass a certain number of homes before stopping. After the pollster lists everyone inside over the age of 18, the person to be surveyed is chosen using a kish grid, a table widely used in international research. A smartphone records the interview, answers, time and exact location. For questions on presidential candidates, interviewees enter answers on the phone so the interviewer can't see them. "We are trying to remove the element of human error," Oriwo said, and added the most important thing is to accurately reflect voters' concerns, so their leaders can listen. China's best-known human rights prisoner, Liu Xiaobo, died Thursday at age 61 following a high-profile battle with liver cancer that made his death as controversial as his life. Liu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent his last eight years as a prisoner of conscience, passed away at a hospital in Shenyang, China, where he had been moved from his prison cell in the final stage of his illness. The judicial bureau in Shengyang announced the cause of death as multiple organ failure. The hospital held a press conference late Thursday and said that Liu's wife, Liu Xia, and close family members were with Liu when he died at 5:35 p.m. local time. Lius final days were marked by a public dispute over the quality of his care and Beijing's refusal of a family request that he be transferred for treatment to the United States or Germany. He is the first Nobel laureate to die in state custody since Carl von Ossietzky, who died of tuberculosis under the watch of Nazi secret police in Berlin, Germany, in 1938. Tributes to Liu quickly poured in from Chinese intellectuals and human rights advocates, who described the former college lecturer as a moderate liberal who advocated peaceful resistance to Chinese authorities. He was a man of humanity and an idealist. Hes by no means a politician. Judging from his writings and speech, what he had illustrated is more of a social idealism of humanities, said Zhang Lifan, a prominent Chinese historian. Reputation for outspokenness Liu, whose name means he who knows the waves, was born into an intellectual family in 1955 in Chinas northeastern province of Jilin. He received his doctorate degree in Chinese literature from Beijing Normal University in 1988. His reputation as an outspoken dissident had deep roots. In his brief, government-sanctioned role as a popular writer and academic, he was known for his criticism of traditional Chinese culture and for urging his fellow literati to exhibit more individualism. His sharp critiques created a sensation within literary and intellectual circles and won him opportunities to travel abroad as a visiting scholar. His promising career took a drastic turn in the spring of 1989 when he cut short a visiting scholarship at Columbia University in New York City and returned home to join student-led pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. During the June 4th protests, he rushed back to Beijing from the U.S. to take part in the movement without any hesitation. That showed his earnest hope in the societys transformation and the countrys democratization, said Hu Jia, a Chinese rights activist and friend of Liu and his family. Hu credited Liu with saving many lives by encouraging hundreds of students to leave the square rather than confront the Chinese troops who moved into the square with tanks in the early hours of June 4. Despite that action, and a controversial television appearance in which he cast doubt on reports of a massacre in the square, Liu was labeled a black hand and jailed for his role in the protests. Upon his release in early 1991, he continued to call for political reforms and was sentenced to three years in a labor camp from 1996 to 1999. Liu kept on pursuing his reform goals after his release, making him a constant target for state surveillance. End to one-party system In 2008, Liu and other dissidents and intellectuals issued a document known as Charter 08, modeled partly on Charter 77, which Czech dissidents, including Vaclav Havel, drafted in 1977. The political manifesto, which was endorsed by more than 10,000 intellectuals, calls for an end to China's one-party system and establishment of a new republic comprising a federation of regions and political communities, with genuine participation from the public. If there has been any progress in the Chinese society and politics over the last 20 years, it is all because the citizens have been pushing for change, Liu said in an interview that year. Ultimately, change will happen when problems persist and enough people are concerned. Even while he was enjoying relative freedom out of jail, thoughts of when he, and others like him, might be locked up again were never far from his mind. For those of us in the opposition movement under dictatorships, part of our job is confronting police, and spending time in prison. So, a dissident not only needs to learn how to oppose oppression, but also how to face the crackdowns, and time in prison, Liu told reporters from Hong Kong. 'I have no enemies' Liu's convictions were put to the test in 2009, when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in the Charter 08 movement and other "subversive" activities. Worldwide fame came soon afterward when he was named as the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. Liu learned of the honor from his wife during one of the limited prison visits she was permitted. He replied that the prize should be dedicated to those who died in the 1989 mass protests and subsequent crackdown. Liu was known as an advocate of changing China through reasoned, non-violent means. Shortly before being sentenced in 2009, Liu praised elements of the Chinese legal system, including the polite treatment he received in jail, in a speech entitled I have no enemies. Hatred can corrupt ones conscience and intelligence, enemy mentality could poison a nations spirit, Liu said in the speech, which was read in his absence at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Lius remarks confounded many advocates for democracy and freedom for China. Critics pointed to the harsh treatment, including severe torture, of other activists to show the Chinese prison system is far less humane than Liu described it. Some suggested the authorities purposely showed leniency toward Liu so that he would make public statements in their support. Unfulfilled wish Liu was still three years from completing his prison term when he died. The German and American doctors who were allowed to see him during his last days reported that Liu, days before his death, had clearly communicated his wish to leave China for treatment elsewhere. However, Chinese authorities maintained that he was too sick to be moved. Liu Xiaobo is survived by a son, and his wife of 21 years, Liu Xia, a staunch supporter of her husband who is reported to have said that she was determined to marry the "enemy of the state." Reflecting on their lives in a poem, she said, "I like to draw trees; why? I like the image of it standing. A life spent standing must be tiresome, you say; I answer, yes, but still I must." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is calling for China to release Liu Xiaobo's widow from house arrest Thursday. "I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes," he said in a statement hours after the Nobel Laureate's death. "In his fight for freedom, equality, and constitutional rule in China, Liu Xiaobo embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards. In his death, he has only reaffirmed the Nobel Committees selection," Tillerson added. Liu, a Chinese a literary critic-turned-dissident and pro-democracy advocate, died Thursday at age 61 following a high-profile battle with liver cancer. "I join Secretary Tillerson in mourning the death of Liu Xiaobo, a courageous advocate who dedicated his life to the pursuit of democracy and liberty," U.S. ambassador to China Terry Branstad said. "China has lost a deeply principled role model who deserved our respect and adulation, not the prison sentences to which he was subjected. We again ask that China release Liu Xia from house arrest, and permit her and her family to travel as they wish," he added. "As we mourn the loss and celebrate the life of this remarkable man, we call on China to release all prisoners of conscience and to respect the fundamental freedoms of all. The leader of the Norwegian Nobel committee said Thursday the Chinese government bore a "heavy responsibility" for his death. "We find it deeply disturbing that Liu Xiaobo was not transferred to a facility where he could receive adequate medical treatment before he became terminally ill," said Berit Reiss-Anderssen. "The Chinese Government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death," she said in an emailed statement. Rights groups were quick to praise his achievements and legacy while calling on the international community to investigate deaths in captivity and work to prevent them. Even as Liu Xiaobos illness worsened, the Chinese government continued to isolate him and his family, and denied him freely choosing his medical treatment, said Sophie Richardson, China director for Human Rights Watch. The Chinese governments arrogance, cruelty, and callousness are shocking but Lius struggle for a rights-respecting, democratic China will live on. The U.N. Human Rights chief expressed "deep sorrow" over Liu's death, saying the human rights movement has lost a "principled champion". House minority leader Nancy Pelosi also expressed her condolences for Liu and disappointment with the Chinese government's handling of his illness. "The world grieves loss of one of the great moral voices of our time. We had hoped that the Chinese ... they mistreated him in prison, contributed to his illness, we would hope that they would allow him to leave the country to receive medical care," she said, "They did not. It is a sad day. Maltese lawmakers voted on Wednesday to legalize same-sex marriage on the Roman Catholic Mediterranean island, fulfilling Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's campaign promise to make this the first law brought before parliament in his new term. The law, which drew cross-party support, removes words including "husband," "wife," "mother" and "father" from the Marriage Act and replaces them with the gender-neutral "spouse," "parent who gave birth" and "parent who did not give birth." Muscat said such wording was needed to avoid categorizing any member of society. He rejected accusations that this could spell the end to "Mother's Day" or "Father's Day," saying such suggestions were "laughable." Muscat won a second term in office on June 3 and had vowed to reinforce his call for equality in society. Once a staunchly conservative nation, Malta has been steadily adopting more progressive legislation in recent years. In 2011, the country voted in a referendum to allow divorce, and in 2014 it approved civil partnerships. Malta was the 24th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage with Tuesday's vote coming just two weeks after German lawmakers approved a similar measure in June. The opposition Nationalist Party backed the introduction of same-sex marriage, despite fierce criticism from some conservatives, who said it marked a damaging departure from the party's Christian-Democratic principles. "You have pushed the party into a lose-lose situation and it seems many of you cannot even see it," said former finance minister Tonio Fenech, who is no longer a member of parliament. In the end, only one opposition lawmaker voted against the bill, while 66 parliamentarians supported it. There were no abstentions. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said his party backed the law because society was changing and because it did not alter anything from the civil partnerships law which gave civil partners the same rights as married couples. The Malta Gay Rights Movement celebrated the new law with a party attended by hundreds in a square outside the prime minister's office in the capital, Valletta. Before America put the first men on the moon in 1969, NASA astronauts prepared for their lunar missions on the volcanic terrain at a national park. Lunar landscape National parks traveler Mikah Meyer says he now knows why those astronauts visited Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in south-central Idaho. The area was the site of immense volcanic activity in the past, he explained, so whats left is a kind of a ruins of volcanic rock -- which, with its vast ocean of lava flows and islands of cinder cones, resembles the surface of the moon. Mikah got a great 360-degree view of the surreal landscape after hiking to the top of the Inferno Cone a massive mound of cinder that rises out of the ground like a black mountain. It looks like a mountain but it's a cinder cone with this really loud, crunchy, sharp volcanic rock, he said. All throughout the park, whether it's the big Inferno Cone or smaller volcanoes, youre basically walking around on this black volcanic lava that was once magma and is now hard rock. Otherworldly encounters Since much of the moon's surface is also covered by volcanic materials, in 1969, NASA sent astronauts Eugene Cernan, Joe Engle, Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell to Craters of the Moon to learn the basics of volcanic geology before their lunar missions. Becoming familiar with the materials would help them when collecting samples of different rocks on the moon, and, since only a limited amount of material (385 kilos total in 6 moon landings) could be brought back, it was important that they know enough geology to pick up the most scientifically valuable specimens and be able to describe the surface features they were exploring to geologists back on Earth. In 1999, astronauts Mitchell, Engle and Cernan returned to Craters of the Moon to help celebrate the site's 75th Anniversary, 30 years after training there. Alan Shepard had passed away in 1998. A window into the past Apollo 14 lunar module pilot Edgar Mitchell said their purpose and training was to sample virtually all types of volcanic activity and the processes that go along with volcanism, because we had to be the eyes of the geological community on the moon and be able to accurately describe the various types of flows. He noted that the surreal lunar landscape was also quite beautiful. It has this peculiar, eerie beauty, like these flows do here, that are magnificent. I mean, they excite your imagination. Shuttle astronaut Joe Engle noted that it wasnt known before the Apollo missions what kind of rocks were on the lunar surface, so Craters of the Moon was one of the really valuable places to come and look at and study lava flows. Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, in December, 1972, described Craters of the Moon as a spectacular place an ideal place to study a high, broad range of the geologic impact. "The volcanic activity that occurred on the moon is not dissimilar to the kind of thing we have seen here... the geology that's exposed here, it's just an open window into the past and this is what we were looking for in trying to learn something about geology... and this is the kind of place where we were able to do something like that." Ancient rocks, new grass Craters of the Moon formed during eight major eruptive periods between 15,000 and 2,000 years ago. Today its lava field covers 1600 square kilometers. The site continues to be an important setting for space science research. In 2014, two research projects FINESSE and BASALT were launched at the park. In the meantime, the lunar-like landscape continues to inspire visitors like Mikah. Looking out from the top of the Inferno Cone, he said, You see the majestic contrast between the black dirt, the snow-capped mountains, and the older cinder cone which now have sagebrush and other grass and greens growing on them it's quite the beautiful juxtaposition. Mikah, whos on a mission to visit all 417 units within the National Park Service, invites you to learn more about his travels across America by visiting him on his website, Facebook and Instagram. The man convicted of killing Kremlin critic and former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov in 2015 was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Russian court Thursday. Shooter Saur Dadayev was given 20 years and four accomplices were given between 11 and 19 years, judge Yury Zhitnikov told the packed courtroom. Prosecutors had initially asked for longer sentences for all of the defendants, including a life sentence for Dadayev. In June the jury ruled by majority against brothers Shagid and Anzor Gubashev, Ramzan Bakhayev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Zaur Dadayev, who was found guilty of shooting Nemtsov six times in the back. Dadayev initially confessed to the crime, but later recanted, saying he was tortured into the confession. All five men were ethnic Chechens from Russia's volatile North Caucasus. While the verdicts were welcomed by supporters of Nemtsov, the investigation and trial were condemned for failing to uncover the masterminds of the killing or addressing the motive, which is widely believed to be political. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who many Nemtsov supporters have said should have been questioned in the case. In an exclusive interview with VOA's Russian Service last month, Nemtsov's daughter Zhanna Nemtsova noted that while there was motive for the perpetrators, $250,000 allegedly promised for the murder, there was no attempt to establish who wanted Nemtsov killed and why. "I suspect that Vladimir Putin knows much more about the circumstances of this murder than me and he possesses a complete knowledge of this murder and I, as an injured party, don't," Nemtsova said. "Why hasn't Ramzan Kadyrov been summoned to court?" Four policemen were shot and killed Thursday in southwest Pakistan by a group of Islamic militants. A spokesman for the Baluchistan provincial government says the policemen were on a routine patrol in the capital city, Quetta,when the gunmen intercepted their vehicle and sprayed it with bullets before fleeing the scene. The dead officers included police Superintendent Mubarak Shah. A breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban calling itself Jamaatul Ahrar has claimed responsibility for the attack. Additionally, Islamic State, through its global mouthpiece, the Amaq News Agency, is now also claiming responsibility for Thursday's attack on police in Quetta. The United Nations earlier this week designated Jamaatul Ahrar a global terrorist organization, saying the group operates out of neighboring Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province. A suicide bomber riding a motorbike on Monday blew himself up near a police vehicle in the town of Chaman, near the Afghan border, killing the district police chief and two others. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack. For about a decade, scientists have been investigating a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids as one of the culprits behind the worldwide loss of domesticated honeybees. Now, a pair of new studies has people on both sides claiming victory. Neonicotinoids, or neonics, were developed in the 1980s and '90s and became one of the most widely used insecticides. Recently, however, there has been concern about its effect on honeybees. Roughly one-third of the world's crops benefit from pollinators like honeybees. Studies in the lab have shown inconsistent effects of neonics on bees. Amro Zayed, a biologist at York University in Toronto, says that could be because bees aren't exposed to the same levels of neonics across studies. "People criticize these experimental studies by saying that the authors used too much neonicotinoids or they treated bees to neonicotinoids for a much longer period of time than would be found in the field," Zayed said. Zayed tried to address that question in the first of the two studies published in the journal Science. It focused on how much of the pesticide bees were exposed to in the fields. In Canada, neonics are coated onto corn and soy seeds and spread throughout the plant as it grows. The bees pick it up in the pollen. The researchers studied six sites near cornfields. "We tracked them for the whole season. And we were able to monitor the neonicotinoids coming into the colony," Zayed said. The researchers found that the bees brought in pollen tainted with neonics for as long as four months beyond the growing season much longer than they had expected. They also examined the pollen to determine from which plants it was collected. "And what we found was a big surprise," Zayed said. "There was actually almost no pollen coming from corn and soy." This means that the pesticide was being washed away from cornfields and absorbed by other plants. Zayed warns that these neonics probably will stay in the environment for several years. The researchers then exposed bees in the lab to the same level of neonics found in the field. That shortened the life span of worker bees by 25 percent. Conflicting results In the second study, researchers from the Center for Ecology and Hydrology in England monitored hives at 33 fields across the United Kingdom, Germany and Hungary in one of the largest such studies. They found that neonics generally hurt colony health in the U.K. and Hungary. However, in Germany, the neonics had some positive effects on bees. For example, the count of egg and larval cells was elevated in Germany, while it was reduced in Hungary and unaffected in the U.K. Researchers point to the local environment to explain the difference. Germany had more flowers by the fields, perhaps providing the bees with a better food source. This variable could explain why some studies have shown negative effects, while others show positive ones. The European study was funded by two neonic producers, Sygenta and Bayer CropScience. They also manufactured the neonics used in the study. Sygenta scientist Peter Campbell noted that the vast majority of variables in the study appeared to be unaffected by the neonics. He said that the beneficial findings cast doubt on the results. "I do struggle to rationalize a positive beneficial effect of an insecticide on honeybees," Campbell said. "And so, therefore, my next worry is: Is that a real positive effect? And if the positive effects aren't real, I then worry about the negative effects." Campbell said that the alternatives to neonics are far less effective. The result, then, is that there is still no consensus on what role neonics play in the deaths of honeybees, nor what impact ending their use would have on agriculture. Saturday marks the first anniversary of Turkey's failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but with a post-coup crackdown firmly in place, there are concerns about a deepening political divide as the government marks the turmoil. Turkish media broadcasts of the tumultuous events of July 15, 2016 include file coverage of soldiers opening fire on unarmed people on Istanbuls Bosphorus Bridge and jets bombing parliament. More than 240 people were killed and nearly 3,000 others were injured when a faction of the military attempted to seize power. Watch: Turkey Marks First Anniversary of Failed Coup The soldiers took out their rifles and started shooting. At that moment, I totally lost it. I was so furious because I wasn't expecting anything like this from them, recalls 50-year-old Mehmet Akyol, sitting with his wife and children. I went down to the street. I was just about to lift my arm and shout at them. And then I saw blood running down my wrist. And I noticed that my wrist was shattered. I would have been devastated if I hadn't gone out into the street. My children would have questioned why I hadn't tried to take a stand during this terrible situation, added Akyol. Akyol, like those who resisted the coup, is being remembered by President Erdogan and his government in broadcast accounts. Large posters of people standing up against the military coup adorn billboards in Turkeys main cities and towns. Turkey remains under a state of emergency, with more than 60,000 people jailed and 140,000 removed from their jobs. Many are accused of being members of FETO, the name given by the government to followers of U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government blames for the coup attempt. Gulen has denied involvement. The state of emergency allows Erdogan and his Cabinet to issue decrees without parliamentary approval or judicial review. The whole world should know this: This struggle will continue until there is not a single FETO member left who has not paid the legal price of their betrayal, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday. There's no doubt we have to take further steps in the fight against the FETO terror organization. The struggle will continue with determination. What I want from my nation is for it not to lose faith in this struggle and to continue supporting us. The appeal for support was made as the government faces mounting criticism over the crackdown and accusations it is trying to silence its critics. Actually it (the coup) was life-changing. A week later, I was suspended from university. Because what I did was retweet some very peaceful tweets, including being against capital punishment and the call for the government to be in accordance with the rule of law, recounts law professor Istar Gozaydin. The prominent rights advocate is one of more than 6,000 academics who lost their jobs in the ongoing purge; but for Gozaydin, being fired was just the beginning. In December, there was a knock at the door. I was detained and arrested; the allegation -- being a member of an armed terrorist organization, so it's maybe up to 22 years ((in jail)). I have no prediction for trial as being somebody educated in law, in normal circumstances I would say that I would be acquitted; however, we are not in a period of rule of law, it's a very political climate; it depends on the political climate... Gozaydins lawyers say the only evidence against her is a television interview in which she argued that only a court can determine whether a person is a terrorist. Human Rights activists says there are tens of thousands of similar cases in Turkey. In May, Amnesty International described the dismissal of public sector workers in Turkey as "professional annihilation," adding, "It has had a catastrophic impact on their lives and livelihoods." Earlier this month, 10 senior local representatives for international human rights organizations, including Amnesty and The Helsinki Citizens Assembly, were detained while attending a meeting near Istanbul. Authorities allege the representatives were conspiring against the government. On Sunday, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, completed a nearly month-long justice march from the capital, Ankara, to Istanbul, where fellow parliamentary deputy and close ally Enis Berberoglu is serving a 25-year prison sentence on charges of releasing state secrets. An estimated 1.5 million people turned out in support of Kilicdaroglu after the march. After the coup attempt of July 15, there has been a very big consensus for democracy in the people, Kilicdaroglu told VOA. But on July 20 (2016), with the introduction of the decree for the state of emergency, there was a civil coup. All the negative outcomes of this civilian coup came one after the other. MP's and journalists arrested. Academics were dismissed from their positions; 140,000 state personnel were fired from their jobs. Erdogan has labeled Kilicdaroglu a supporter of terrorism. Russia has significantly increased its military activity in the skies around Western European NATO members, according to a new report that warns the tactic could present a danger to civilian aircraft. NATO forces in Europe scrambled fighter jets to intercept approaching Russian aircraft so-called Quick Reaction Alerts or QRA close to 800 times last year. That's almost double the figure from 2014, according to London-based analyst group The Henry Jackson Society. Its report calls for improved communication and clearer rules of engagement between Western European powers and Moscow to avert potentially dangerous incidents. The tactic was routine in the Cold War, but has been revived by Moscow since relations have deteriorated between Russia and the West following Russias forceful annexation of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014. Report author Andrew Foxall says the Russian tactics are partly propaganda. Russia is able to portray itself theoretically as being strong, and NATO members and NATO as a whole being weak. And this works very well domestically with President Putin, he said. But Foxall adds that the flights also allow Russia to harvest intelligence. On channels of information between NATO member states; its able to gain information on the abilities of the Royal Navy captains and Royal Air Force pilots. Its able to gain information on our early warning system for example, he said. Russian naval activity also has increased in the Baltic Sea and north Atlantic, especially around the Scottish home of Britains nuclear-armed submarine fleet. Foxall says the British Royal Navy fears its submarines could be tracked. If Russian submarines were able to, in a sense, record the unique acoustic signature of those submarines then that would have a very, very detrimental effect on the UKs ability to defend itself, said Foxall. In turn, Russia accuses NATO of buzzing its airspace. A video released by the Kremlin last month appears to show a NATO Typhoon jet shadowing a plane carrying Moscows Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Investigators found the body of one of four missing young men along with other human remains buried on a Pennsylvania farm, and vowed to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families. Cadaver dogs led them to the spot on the 90-acre (36-hectare) farm in Solebury Township where they discovered human remains inside a 12-foot-deep (3.66-meter-deep) common grave. I dont understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12 feet below the ground, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said at a midnight news conference. The body identified was that of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro. Weintraub did not say how he died. The other remains have not yet been identified. The missing men are 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, 21-year-old Tom Meo and 19-year-old Jimi Tar Patrick. Patrick was last seen Wednesday, while the other three vanished Friday. Homicide charges This is a homicide; make no mistake about it. We just dont know how many homicides, Weintraub said. Authorities said they are starting to look at pursuing homicide charges against a 20-year-old man who was taken into custody earlier Wednesday and whose parents own the farm. Cosmo DiNardo was being held on $5 million cash bail after he was charged with trying to sell another victims car after he disappeared. The car was found on the DiNardo familys property. DiNardo also had been arrested Monday and held on $1 million bail on an unrelated gun charge, before his father paid $100,000 to bail him out Tuesday. The charge stems from accusations that DiNardo was caught with a shotgun and ammunition in February despite a prior mental health commitment. Scouring for clues The back-to-back arrests bought investigators time as they scoured the farm and other spots across the county for clues to the mens disappearance, Weintraub said. DiNardos parents, Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, own the farm in upper Bucks County, a bucolic area with rolling hillsides, new housing developments and historic sites. They also own a nearby farm parcel that was also searched and a concrete company near their home in Bensalem, closer to Philadelphia. An attorney representing the couple issued a statement earlier Wednesday saying they sympathize with the families of the missing men and are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation. The FBI had been using heavy equipment to dig a deep ditch on the farm property, and then sifting through each bucket of dirt by hand. At least some of the missing men are friends, but its unclear how well they knew DiNardo, if at all. Patrick was a year behind DiNardo at a Catholic high school for boys. The U.S. Senate confirmed private equity executive William Hagerty on Thursday as President Donald Trump's ambassador to Japan, filling a post considered especially crucial in light of neighboring North Korea's recent missile tests. The vote was 86 to 12 in the 100-member Senate. Hagerty, founder of the private equity firm Hagerty Peterson, spent several years in Japan with the Boston Consulting Group and later served in the White House under former President George H.W. Bush. Trump's choice of Hagerty was taken as a sign of the interest in economic ties to Japan by the Republican president, a real estate developer and reality television star who had never held public office when he was elected in November. North Korea has been worrying and frustrating neighboring countries and U.S. officials with a series of missile tests, more so since Pyongyang last week test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. Trump has been criticized for being slow to name ambassadors to important U.S. allies like Japan, especially in light of the crisis. There is still no new U.S. ambassador to South Korea. Hagerty succeeds Caroline Kennedy, an attorney and daughter of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who held the position from 2013 until Trump took office in January 2017. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to unveil a revised health care bill to Republican colleagues Thursday, as he makes a push to achieve one of the top legislative goals for the party and President Donald Trump. McConnell last month withdrew an earlier plan after it became clear there was not enough support for it in the Republican-led Senate. Trump has been vocal this week in pushing Senate Republicans to finish work on a health care bill before leaving for their annual August vacation. His latest comments came Wednesday in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, with Trump saying he would be very angry if a health care bill does not pass. McConnell has postponed the scheduled recess by two weeks in order to give lawmakers more time. An assessment of the previous Senate bill by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said the number of uninsured Americans would rise by 22 million during the next decade when compared to the current system. Without details of the new plan, it is unclear how different it will be, but McConnell faces a similar challenge in keeping the support of his fellow Republicans. The party has a 52-48 majority in the Senate, and with no Democrats voicing support for the effort to revamp the health care system they passed under President Barack Obama, only a few Republicans can oppose the measure and still have it succeed. The main Republican criticisms of the existing Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, are that it is too costly and unfairly requires people to purchase health insurance or else face a penalty. Sen. Ted Cruz has proposed allowing health insurance companies that are currently required to cover certain services in their plans to be allowed to offer much more basic options that would be less costly for healthier people who need less care. But opponents of that initiative say that will only serve to allow coverage for people with more medical problems to become unaffordable. Some senators want to eliminate as much as possible of Obamas signature law, while others are looking to preserve popular parts of it, including insurance funding for poorer Americans. The House of Representatives narrowly approved repeal of the legislation 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. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday released a government form dealing with contacts he has had with foreign nationals, including Russian government officials, but much of it was redacted. Form SF-86, required for government employees working in national security, indicated Sessions has had no immediate contact with any foreign government or its representatives in the past seven years. However, Sessions has said he met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A large portion of the document was left blank. As a United States Senator, the Attorney General met hundreds, if not thousands, of foreign dignitaries and their staff. In filling out the SF-86 form, the Attorney General's staff consulted with those familiar with the process, as well as the FBI investigator handling the background check, and was instructed not to list meetings with foreign dignitaries and their staff connected with his Senate activities, said Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior. Sessions released the form in response to a lawsuit filed by American Oversight, a group that advocates for government transparency and sued DOJ in April after the extent of Sessions' contact with the Russian government was called into question. Sessions recuses himself Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight, said the form was evidence that Sessions lied to the FBI investigators overseeing his security clearance. Jeff Sessions is our nation's top law enforcement officer, and it is shocking one of his first acts after being named Attorney General was to lie to the FBI on an issue of national security, Evers said. Sessions recused himself from the federal investigation into Russian meddling in the election after media reports revealed he held undisclosed meetings with Kislyak. Sessions admitted to having the interactions, but said they were held in his capacity as a U.S. senator, a position he occupied for 20 years before becoming attorney general. Sessions denies meeting Russian official Former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump fired in May, testified that his agency had information on Sessions that would lead them to believe his continued involvement in the federal probe would be problematic. It was later reported that Sessions had another undisclosed interaction with Kislyak at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington in April 2016. Sessions told the Senate Intelligence Committee that he had no recollection of the interaction. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the election. Spain's maritime rescue service said it rescued 48 people Thursday from a boat in the Mediterranean Sea while rescue vessels tried to reach a dinghy south of the Canary Islands with more than 60 migrants on board. The rescue of 48 took place near Alboran, a small islet in the western Mediterranean halfway between Spain's southern coast and northern Morocco. The migrants were taken to safety to the Spanish town of Motril, officials said. But rescuers were not expecting to reach the missing boat in the Atlantic Ocean until late in the evening. An emergency surveillance plane had last seen it 170 nautical miles south of the isle of Gran Canaria, the rescue service said. At least 62 people were onboard when the boat departed early Wednesday from the coast near Dakhla, in Western Sahara, said Helena Maleno, founder of Walking Borders, a nongovernmental organization working on migration issues in northern Africa. On Wednesday, Spanish rescuers found 40 migrants, including seven women, aboard two boats in the Mediterranean. Although most of those trying to reach Europe depart from Libya, arrivals via the so-called Western route of the Mediterranean Sea have increased the fastest this year. Spain's maritime rescue service said 5,800 people had been rescued in the first half of 2017, more than double the same period last year, when 2,411 people were rescued. Walking Borders has noticed an increase in the departure of Moroccan and Algerian nationals, many of them underage, because of political instability in the northern African countries. Others fleeing poverty or violence elsewhere in Africa and in the Middle East are also favoring the Western route because, Maleno said, "it is now being perceived, not as safer, but at least as less dangerous than going through Libya." A suicide bomber rammed a car laden with explosives into a gathering of jihadist rebels near the rebel-held northwestern Syrian city of Idlib on Wednesday, killing and injuring scores, rebel sources said. They said the blast ripped a textile factory which members of Hayat Tahrir al Sham, an alliance of rebel groups whose backbone is the former al-Qaida affiliate Nusra Front, had been using as their quarters. At least 12 were killed, one rebel source said. The jihadist alliance has been waging in the last few days a major sweep to round up ultra-hard-line Islamic State sleeper cells in Idlib province. They say they have arrested at least 100 people, including who the group says are senior operatives blamed for a string of recent assassinations and blasts in the province. Idlib province is dominated mainly by Islamist jihadist groups, although there is some presence of the moderate Western-vetted Free Syrian Army groups. The province, which borders Turkey, has long witnessed infighting between the main jihadist groups vying for power. Although opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule, insurgents are riven by deep divisions on ideology and rivalry that erupt occasionally in deadly clashes. It's nearly midday at the bustling Tegeta bus terminal in Tanzania's biggest city and Olivia Mbiku is busy preparing ugali - a popular maize meal - beef stew and vegetables for her customers. "I wake up early, light up the fire and rush to the market to buy meat, cooking oil, tomatoes and everything I need for the day," said the 25-year-old mother of two. Shrouded in a cloud of smoke, and with a traditional colorful 'khanga' tied round her waist, Mbiku takes some maize flour from a sachet and sprinkles it into boiling water while briskly stirring with a stick to make it stiff. "I cook ugali every day because most of my customers like it," Mbiku told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It's not a lucrative business, but I get enough to feed my family." Mbiku is among dozens of food vendors trying to earn a living amid the hubbub of the Dar es Salaam bus terminal, where conductors hoot and yell to attract customers. She works eight hours and day, earning around 45,000 shillings ($20) to supplement her husband's income as a mason. But unlike licensed hawkers who work from rows of wooden stalls, Mbiku cooks in the open air and is often harassed by the city militias for selling food without the proper papers. "They often seize my cooking pots and sometimes lock me up. I have to pay some money to be released and get my stuff back," she said. Mbiku and other women with unlicensed businesses finally have a glimmer of hope after the Tanzanian government last month announced it would recognize them as part of its broader policy of empowering women. Maria Ezekiel, 31, who has a stall serving chicken soup, chapati and tea along the busy Bagamoyo highway each morning, said the move to formalize micro-enterprises like hers was an important milestone for small-scale entrepreneurs. A license would allow her to apply for credit to upgrade her business, she said. "I think it's a very good opportunity for me. As soon as the identity cards are issued I will start processing my bank loan," Ezekiel told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I want to borrow at least 500,000 shillings ($225) to modernize my cooking business." The roadside chef wants to buy better equipment and switch to a gas stove to replace the smoky firewood she now cooks on. Unprotected Operating in the informal sector leaves women without protection and unable to access credit, experts say. "Urban food vending may be a good tool for creating livelihood security for the urban poor, but to achieve this there has to be better policy initiatives," said Haji Semboja, economics professor at the University of Dar es Salaam. Presenting the annual budget in June, Tanzania's finance minister, Philip Mpango, said all food vendors - most of whom are women - would be brought into the mainstream sector. The government would work with regional authorities to identify informal businesses and license them before 2020, he said. "We will issue identity cards and designate special premises for them," the minister told parliament. Margareth Chacha, a banker and former chief executive of Tanzania Women's Bank that supports small-scale women entrepreneurs, said women are held back because of strict loan conditions imposed by banks. "Most of the women can't access the loans because the conditions are too tough," she said. "But if the government can act as a guarantor, I'm sure the banks will be willing to give loans." The benefits of thriving women-led businesses are felt throughout the economy, she said. Back at Tegeta bus terminal, Olivia Mbiku says she is now hoping for a more stable, prosperous future. "I would very much like to get a bank loan and start a big catering business," she said. Silicon Valley is reeling over a decision this week by the Trump administration to delay and most likely kill a new avenue for entrepreneurs to come to the U.S. The International Entrepreneurship Rule, which the Obama administration set in motion, was supposed to go into effect this month. It would have allowed entry into the U.S. of as many as 3,000 foreign entrepreneurs annually for 30-month stays. To qualify, applicants would have to show they would create U.S. jobs and had reputable sources ready to invest $250,000 in their businesses. This week, the Trump administration said it was delaying the implementation of the rule until March 2018 with the expectation that it would be rescinded. Even though the administration's decision was widely anticipated, it still came as a blow to the tech industry. 'Clearly a mistake' Silicon Valley leaders frequently tout immigrant founders as key to the region's success. Many hoped that President Donald Trump, who spoke about finding ways to attract high-skilled talent to the U.S. as a candidate, would allow the Obama-era rule to be implemented. "This is clearly a mistake," said Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, a tech-industry-backed group focused on immigration reform. He said more than 300,000 jobs would have been created by the program. The rule would have been "an economic win-win-win," he said. Some tech executives argue that the entrepreneurship rule would have given the U.S. a boost at a critical time. Silicon Valley has to compete with other regions around the world that are building strong digital economies, they say, and it may one day lose its spot as the top global tech draw. Countries such as Canada and France currently offer special avenues for entrepreneurs. "If we don't encourage entrepreneurs to come here from around the globe, they'll go elsewhere," said Kate Mitchell, a venture capitalist and past chair of the National Venture Capital Association. "That may be a benefit to the rest of the globe. But it will be a loss to Silicon Valley where there happens to be a special mix between capital and risk taking and understanding what it takes to build great companies." Canada has been actively recruiting U.S. tech talent. Last year, it launched a "Go North" campaign with events in San Francisco and Seattle. Last week, the Ottawa government enacted a new visa program that allows companies to bring foreign workers to the country within two weeks. Critics of the U.S. rule say that Washington should create a legitimate avenue for foreign-born entrepreneurs and not rely on an exception that effectively grants newcomers "parole" from formally entering the U.S., a route that would not lead to citizenship. In its filing, the administration said it needed to reconcile the entrepreneurship rule with a January executive order that spells out how the Department of Homeland Security can grant parole only on "a case-by-case basis" and only when "an individual demonstrates urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit derived from such parole." "The International Entrepreneur Rule has sometimes been referred to as an entrepreneur visa or startup visa, which is inaccurate," said a spokesman with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. "Only Congress can create a new visa program, and it has not done so." 'We can do better' Russell Harrison, director of government relations at IEEE-USA, a group that represents American tech workers, said he "sheds no tears with the demise of the rule." But Harrison added that the administration should do something to help entrepreneurs get to the United States. "We have to let them into the country as citizens, not as parolees," he said. "If we are counting on these people to create jobs for hundreds of Americans, we can do better than that." An investigation that started more than three years ago in a Brasilia gas station might end the career of the most popular political leader in Brazil's history. On Wednesday, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was convicted of corruption and money laundering in the sprawling "Car Wash" probe, which is looking into billions of dollars in contracts with oil-giant Petrobras and now affects almost all aspects of business and political life in the South American nation. Current President Michel Temer is also facing charges, recently becoming Brazil's first sitting president to be hit with a corruption accusation. Here is a look at the sprawling investigation. How did it start? Launched in March 2014, the "Operation Car Wash" probe began as an investigation into money laundering led by police and prosecutors of the southwestern state of Parana. It started a few miles away from Brazil's Congress when gas station owner and black-money dealer Carlos Habib Chater was arrested. Investigators discovered Chater was doing business with convicted money launderer Alberto Youssef, who had bought a Range Rover for Paulo Roberto Costa, a former executive at Petrobras, the mammoth state oil company. Yousseff and Costa eventually reached plea bargains that opened windows onto an immense graft scheme. How did the scheme work? Prosecutors say executives of major construction companies such as Odebrecht, OAS and Andrade Gutierrez effectively formed a cartel that decided which firms would be awarded Petrobras contracts, often worth billions of dollars, and how over-priced each deal would be. The padded prices were used to pay off dozens of politicians and Petrobras executives, investigators say. Who has been caught? The dozens of top businessmen and politicians who have already been convicted or are being investigated is a who's who of Brazil's elite. Among them are former Odebrecht CEO Marcelo Odebrecht and ex-Chamber of Deputies Speaker Eduardo Cunha, both of whom are serving long prison sentences. In addition to the case in which he was convicted, Silva is facing charges in several related cases. How is Silva connected? Key plea bargain testimonies accused Silva of being the secret owner of a beachfront apartment in the city of Guaruja, in the state of Sao Paulo. The apartment was allegedly prepared by construction company OAS for the former president in exchange for contracts with Petrobras between 2006 and 2012. Silva insists that no documents link him to the apartment and says he visited it only once. How is Temer connected? Joesley Batista, chairman of meat-packing company JBS, was being investigated for allegedly bribing Cunha. During a meeting with Temer, Batista told Temer about the bribing and Temer told him to keep it up, according to a recording. The allegations against Temer go beyond the audio. He has been accused in plea bargains by Odebrecht executives of taking bribes and illegal campaign financing. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot is also investigating Temer for allegedly trying to impede Car Wash investigations through changes in laws and influencing police investigations. Connections outside Brazil? The initial investigation has mushroomed into related probes in other nations because big Brazilian companies operated across Latin America and elsewhere in the world. In a plea deal with U.S. prosecutors, Odebrecht admitted to paying bribes in such countries as Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina and the Dominican Republic. Why now? Graft has long been part of doing business in Brazil, and historically the elite have operated with impunity. Previous corruption investigations, including into Odebrecht, have ended with prosecutions of a few low-level people. This time it is different, thanks to several factors: a young and crusading group of prosecutors and judges, plea bargains that have helped investigators uncover white-collar crimes normally hard to prove and the practice of keeping defendants in jail while they await trial. U.S. President Donald Trump, who in the past has disparaged Paris as an unsafe city because of terrorism, has arrived in the French capital. He will mark the French national holiday, Bastille Day, on Friday after holding counterterrorism talks with President Emmanuel Macron and marking the 100th anniversary of U.S. troops entering World War I. Air Force One, the presidential jet, lifted off on schedule (at 7:49 p.m. EDT) Wednesday evening from Joint Base Andrews, outside the nations capital. First lady Melania Trump is accompanying the president on the trip to France. They arrives just before 9 a.m. local time. Before departing the U.S., the president gave several interviews at the White House, including an extended conversation with Pat Robertson of the Christian Broadcasting Network, a prominent figure in conservative political and religious circles. In contrast to reports from U.S. intelligence agencies that Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened in last years U.S. elections to increase Republican Trumps chances of victory, the president said he believes Putin had hoped Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win the race. According to excerpts of the interview released Wednesday evening by CBN, the president said the Kremlin would have preferred to see Clinton win the White House, because Russian officials thought she would decimate the U.S. military once in power. Watch: Trump Heads for Difficult Encounter in France Paris 'out of control' A year ago Trump described Paris as so, so, so out of control, so dangerous, because of terrorists operating there. More recently he suggested that Islamic State attacks in Paris had diminished its standing as a world-class destination. As he pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 international Paris accord to control greenhouse gas emissions, Trump said he was elected to represent Pittsburgh, not Paris. Nevertheless, he subsequently accepted President Macrons invitation to attend the countrys annual mid-July celebrations. During his two-day visit, Trump will meet with Macron, whose political fortunes have soared this year. The U.S. president also will lunch with military officials, tour the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte and join in Bastille Day celebrations Friday. The two leaders are scheduled to meet Thursday before speaking to reporters. We will talk about all the issues which are of interest to us both, including those about which we have disagreements when we have them, but also a lot of the issues on which we are working together the terrorism threat, the crises in Syria and Libya, and a lot of issues which are of interest to us both, Macron said. Syria, G-20 follow-up A senior U.S. official told reporters the White House expects the civil war in Syria and U.S.-French cooperation both there and on other counterterror issues to take up most of the discussion, while there could also be some follow-up to last weeks G-20 summit in Germany. France is part of the U.S.-led coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq since late 2014. A large majority of those strikes this year have taken place in Syria, where the militants have their de facto capital in the city of Raqqa. Trump and Macron are both in their first year in office and have shown policy differences when it comes to international efforts to combat climate change. But they also share certain goals, such as reducing the number of workers in their respective governments. The senior Trump administration official described the relationship between the presidents as very positive. Bastille Day On Friday, Trump and his wife, Melania, will attend the annual Bastille Day parade, which will include both French and U.S. military personnel. The fact that we participated in such a major way in World War I, side by side with the French, is a clear parallel to what were doing today, the senior administration official said. We still live in a dangerous world. We still live in a world that has many, many threats. A French government spokesman, Christophe Castaner, said, Sometimes Trump makes decisions we dont like, such as on climate, but we can deal with it in two ways: we can say, We are not going to talk to you, or we can offer you our hand to bring you back into the circle. Macron is symbolically offering Trump his hand. Russian President Vladimir Putin would have preferred Hillary Clinton in the White House instead of Donald Trump, the U.S. president asserted on Wednesday. If Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive, Trump told the Christian Broadcasting Network's founder, Pat Robertson. That's what Putin doesn't like about me, the president added. And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military. He doesn't want to see that. CBN posted excerpts of the interview online Wednesday. The network, which says its reports provide "the Christian perspective" on the news, will issue a fuller version Thursday, as part of its 700 Club program. Trump: We need dialogue Trump said his initial excellent meeting with Putin last week, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany, was productive despite their differences. We need dialogue with everybody, the president said. Well, he wants what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a cease-fire and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States (to succeed), and that's the way it is, Trump said in the account provided by CBN. The current cease-fire in Syria remains intact, in contrast to previous efforts to stop the violence there, which Trump said haven't held at all. The success of this one, he said, is because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and it's held. Now, I don't know what's going to happen (next). Maybe as we're speaking they start shooting again. Wide-ranging interview Robertson, the 87-year-old network chairman, began his career as a conservative Baptist minister. During their conversation Trump also spoke about the threat that North Korea poses to the world, about Middle Eastern countries' funding of terrorism and about U.S. health-care legislation. CBN is the first U.S. media outlet apart from Fox News to be granted an interview with Trump in the past two months. The interview took place Wednesday morning, prior to the president's scheduled evening departure for France. In Paris, Trump is to hold a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday and will be the guest of honor on Friday at Bastille Day celebrations marking France's national holiday. The White House is hoping that a quick dash of French pomp and circumstance will distract from the constant barrage of negative news about links between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia. Trump tweets about his son The president, taking to Twitter earlier on Wednesday, defended his son, Donald Trump Jr., who released emails a day earlier showing the junior Trump welcomed Russian help last year in an attempt to obtain damaging information about his presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump defended his son, who discussed the email controversy Tuesday on Fox News. In a post to Twitter, the president said Donald Trump Jr. was "open transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" A Reuters reporter asked the president Wednesday if he had known about his son's meeting with the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June last year. The president responded: No, that I didn't know until a couple of days ago, when I heard about this. Trump said he does not blame his son for holding the meeting. I think many people would have held that meeting, he noted during another interview at the White House later Wednesday. Watch: Trump Defends Outreach to Russia and His Son Donald Jr. President Donald Trump has personally intervened to allow a team of Afghan women students into the United States for a major global robotics competition, VOA has learned. The U.S. embassy in Kabul had denied visas for the girls earlier this month, for unknown reasons. However, VOA's White House bureau chief, Steve Herman, reported Wednesday that Trump granted the girls what is known as a parole reversing the earlier decision to bar them from the U.S. that will allow them to come to Washington for 20 days. A student team from Gambia also was granted visas last week after initially being rejected. Former lawmaker behind contest The president of FIRST Global, which organized the robotics competition, is former Democratic congressman and retired U.S. Navy Admiral Joe Sestak. I truly believe our greatest power is the power to convene nations to bring people together in pursuit of a common goal and prove that our similarities greatly outweigh our differences, Sestak said. He thanked the White House and the State Department for clearing the obstacles to the Afghan and Gambian students' travel to the U.S. Teams from all 157 countries that have entered the competition now will be taking part, he added. Event is held yearly The three-day robotics competition begins Sunday in Washington. FIRST Global Challenge holds the yearly contest to build up interest in science, technology, engineering and math across the world. The group says the focus of the competition is finding solutions to problems in such fields as water, energy, medicine and food production. Steve Herman contributed to this report Two American men have been killed fighting against Islamic State militants in the terror group's de facto capital city of Raqqa, Syria. A U.S.-allied Kurdish militia said Tuesday that 28-year-old Robert Grodt of Santa Cruz, California, and 29-year-old Nicholas Alan Warden of Buffalo died last week. The People's Protection Units, also known by their Kurdish initials as the YPG, said Warden died on July 5, and Grodt died the next day. Grodt had been active in several causes in the United States, even meeting his partner, Kaylee Dedrick of Albany, when she was pepper-sprayed at the 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests. The pair's daughter, Tegan Kathleen Grodt, born in September 2012, was dubbed the First Occubaby. Grodt appeared in a YPG YouTube video two weeks ago, in which he explained why he left his family to fight against Islamic State. "My reason for joining the YPG was to help the Kurdish people and their struggle for autonomy within Syria and elsewhere,'' said Grodt, shown wearing camouflage clothes and holding a rifle. Warden says in another YPG video that he traveled from Buffalo in February to fight the Islamic State group because of attacks inspired by the group in San Bernardino, California; Orlando, Florida; and Paris. The two men are not the first Americans to die fighting alongside Kurdish forces. Grodt and Warden were also not members of the U.S. special forces embedded with the Syrian coalition. U.S.-backed forces have conquered a third of Raqqa since launching the push on the city last month. U.S. cities and states will work with experts to measure their progress toward meeting Paris climate agreement goals, representatives said Wednesday, sidestepping President Donald Trump's decision to pull the country out of the global pact. The initiative by 227 cities and counties, nine states and more than 1,500 businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, was announced in a statement by California Governor Jerry Brown and Michael Bloomberg, a former New York mayor. "Today we're sending a clear message to the world that America's states, cities and businesses are moving forward with our country's commitments under the Paris Agreement with or without Washington," Brown said in a statement. "America's Pledge," as the plan has been dubbed, came a month after the White House announced it was leaving the 2015 Paris accord, agreed to by nearly 200 countries, to curb climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Collective effort That decision was met with dismay across the world, but it prompted state governors and city mayors to say they would collectively show their country still remained committed to cutting emissions that scientists blame for global warming. In a growing movement, cities, states and companies have since endorsed various statements promising to step up efforts to slow climate change. "The American government may have pulled out of the Paris Agreement, but American society remains committed to it and we will redouble our efforts to achieve its goals," said Bloomberg in a statement. Outside experts with the World Resources Institute and the Rocky Mountain Institute, two U.S.-based nonprofits, have been retained to conduct the study on current and projected emissions of "America's Pledge" affiliates. The affiliates hope to present findings to the United Nations at a Bonn, Germany, climate meeting in November. Under the Paris deal, former President Barack Obama's administration had vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. But in abandoning the accord, Trump said the federal government would not honor those pledges, which were nonbinding. Bloomberg commitment Still, last month in an effort to fill a climate leadership void, Bloomberg, a U.N. envoy on cities and climate change, committed $200 million to support city initiatives, including projects to combat global warming through a grant program called the American Cities Initiative. Bloomberg Philanthropies has also committed to separately fund America's Pledge, Antha Williams, a spokeswoman for the group, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview. In a statement, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres welcomed the plan to assess how U.S. cities, states and others are contributing to slashing global greenhouse gas emissions. "This is demonstrably not an issue that can be addressed by national governments alone," he said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering a proposal that would require the country's more than 1.4 million international students to reapply for permission to stay in the United States every year. The proposal is part of a plan to enhance national security by more closely monitoring the students, according to the Washington Post. The Post quotes two unnamed officials saying the plan would require regulatory changes that could take a minimum of 18 months. The plan would require the cooperation of the State Department. While State issues visas, DHS administers them and controls who enters the country. DHS feels visas too open-ended The Post says DHS officials have raised concerns that student visas are too open-ended. The agency recently reported that 2.8 percent of student and exchange visa holders overstayed their visas last year, more than double the national average for visitors. DHS spokesman David Lapan is quoted as saying, "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." 'Grave consequences' The Deputy Executive Director of the Association of International Educators, Jill Welch, says the draft proposal, "Would have grave consequences for our national security, foreign policy and economic interests, as well as America's scientific and innovative strength." Welch says international students "benefit our communities and our campuses and remain the only actively monitored foreign population in the United States." More than one million international students study each year in the United States, contributing billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. About 77 percent of those students come from Asia, with China and India sending the largest numbers. The U.S. State Department is asking all nations to provide extensive data about their citizens wishing to travel to the United States, to help U.S. officials decide whether those citizens constitute a terrorist threat. Reuters news service quoted a diplomatic cable Thursday that it says was sent a day earlier to all U.S. diplomatic posts. Reuters says the cable is a summary of a worldwide review of vetting procedures required under President Donald Trump's March 6 executive order that briefly banned travel by citizens of six majority-Muslim nations. The order, which was defeated by a legal challenge, was meant to reduce the threat of would-be terrorists entering the United States. The memo outlines a series of requirements for other countries to meet if their citizens are to travel to the United States. Among them are issuing, or plans to issue, electronic passports; and regularly reporting any such passports lost or stolen to the international police agency, INTERPOL. It also asks that nations provide other identity information to the United States as requested, including biographic details, biometric information, criminal record, or any grounds to suspect the traveler of terrorism. When questioned about the cable Thursday in a State Department news briefing, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, "Let me get back to you on that ... a lot of that is a DHS [Department of Homeland Security] matter right now." The Department of Homeland Security has not commented. The cable said nations that do not provide the information requested by the United States could be considered for possible sanctions, including barring some of its citizens from entering the U.S. The cable also asked diplomats to "underscore that while it is not our goal to impose a ban on immigration benefits, including visas, for citizens of any country, these standards are designed to mitigate risk, and failure to make progress could lead to security measures by the United States government." The Trump administration has informed South Korea that it wants to renegotiate their five-year old free-trade agreement. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer sent a letter Wednesday to his South Korean counterpart, Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan, calling for a joint committee meeting "to remove barriers to U.S. trade and consider needed amendments" to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, commonly known as KORUS. The talks will be held within the next 30 days, as called for under the terms of the agreement. Lighthizer issued a statement saying the U.S. trade deficit in goods with South Korea has more doubled from $13.2 billion to $27.6 billion since taking effect in 2012. But some experts say the U.S. enjoys a trade surplus under the deal in the services sector, such as banking and tourism. South Korea's Trade Ministry said in a statement the meeting does not imply that Seoul will agree to renegotiate the pact. It says the two sides must first determine whether KORUS is actually responsible for the trade imbalance. The push to renegotiate the deal, which President Donald Trump has dismissed as "horrible," is part of Trump's effort to fulfill his campaign pledge to either renegotiate or cancel various trade deals negotiated under his predecessors, claiming they have cost the United States jobs and put the nation at a competitive disadvantage. Trump has already pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the multinational trade deal reached with 11 other countries under his predecessor, Barack Obama, and his administration will soon begin talks on renegotiating the two-decade old North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Venezuelas state prosecutors office said Wednesday it would charge two people linked to a former transportation minister for involvement in bribery schemes associated with the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht SA. Maria Baptista and Elita Zacarias are linked to the ex-Minister Haiman El Troudi and must appear July 27, the state prosecutors office said via Twitter, without providing further details. El Troudi later said that his relatives, whom local media have reported are his wife and mother-in-law, had nothing to do with the case. To get to me, Mrs. Prosecutor, my immunity is no obstacle and my family shouldnt be the way forward, he tweeted. As this case is chiefly political, know that I will be the one to present myself to the prosecutors office, with my conscience clear and my head high. Reuters was unable to obtain comments from Baptista and Zacarias. Odebrecht bribes Odebrecht, the largest engineering and construction company in Latin America, acknowledged in 2016 that it paid about $98 million in bribes over several years to obtain contracts in Venezuela. Earlier this year, the prosecutors sought the arrest of Odebrecht Venezuela chief Euzenando Azevedo, but he has not been captured and is presumed to have left the country. President Nicolas Maduro has publicly said that those responsible for the embezzlement must be punished. But the investigation has moved particularly slowly through the justice system, in contrast to other countries in the region where similar bribery took place. Major projects stalled Odebrecht has left at least 23 multi-million dollar projects unfinished or stalled in Venezuela, according to company and government documents, interviews with more than two dozen workers, and site visits. Still, a political showdown between the government and the prosecutor might be hastening investigations. Prosecutor Luisa Ortega is clashing with the leftist government, and her office appears to have sped up accusations of high-profile Socialist Party officials, security officials, and oil executives in the last month. But the pro-government Supreme Court later Wednesday issued a decision curtailing the prosecutors powers to indict people. Ortega has also said she expects to be fired after accusing Maduros government of human rights violations and erosion of democracy. She has said she would resist such a move. An advisory commission set up by President Donald Trump to investigate voter fraud in the United States has not yet begun its work, but its very existence has taken to the extreme what was already a volatile, fiercely partisan debate. The commission, comprised of 15 members, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, grew out of Trumps assertion that millions of people voted illegally for his opponent in last years president election. However no evidence has ever been presented to support the claim. Election officials across the country, and even Trumps own lawyers, say they do not believe that voter fraud on that scale occurred. All available evidence suggests the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake, said Donald Trumps campaign counsel, Donald McGahn, who is now White House Counsel. The issue, however, has been around for years, and many Republicans believe voter fraud is common enough, especially at the local level, to threaten the integrity of U.S. elections. In the Democrats' view, Republicans are exaggerating the problem to push for new laws that they say will, in effect, help Republicans at the polls. A large number of Democrats have rejected Trumps commission out of hand, saying theres no way to separate the commissions work from Trumps unsubstantiated claim about illegal voters. "A commission in search of a problem," is how Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, described it this week. "This has been completely contrived from the start," said Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat. The whole reason the commission exists, Durbin added, is so Trump's "hair-on-fire conspiracy theories" can be vindicated. How big of a problem? One commission member is Hans von Spakovsky, a veteran Republican lawyer who has long advocated tougher voting laws to combat what he says could potentially be massive cheating at the polls. Von Spakovsky told VOA hes keeping an open mind. "I have never once said [voter fraud] is widespread," said von Spakovsky. "What I have said is that it's a problem," and can make a difference in close elections, particularly, at the local level, where races are often decided by a small number of votes. Von Spakovsky, who served in the George W. Bush administration, heads the Election Law Reform Initiative at the conservative Heritage Foundation, which maintains a Voter Fraud Database that tracks confirmed cases of voter fraud. The database, which is not meant to be exhaustive, includes instances of voter fraud in federal, state and local elections across the country back to 1982. It has documented 581 confirmed cases of voter fraud. Out of the billions of votes that have taken place since then, that number may seem quite small. But we think this is just the tip of the iceberg, said Jason Snead, a Heritage policy analyst. We believe there is considerably more fraud than what is in this database. Noncitizen voting Specifically, van Spakovsky points to the issue of noncitizen voting that could go undetected, the same problem hinted at by Trump. To back their claim, Trump officials have pointed to a 2014 paper by Old Dominion University researchers, who estimated the portion of noncitizens who voted in the 2008 election was 6.4 percent, or 1.2 million votes. But that paper has been criticized by a wide range of experts, including the papers main author, who now acknowledges he probably overstated the amount of noncitizen voting because of a sampling issue. The claim Trump is making is not supported by our data, said Old Dominion professor Jesse Richman in a blog post. Dirty voter rolls But there are vulnerabilities in the system. One of the main threats, according to conservatives, is inaccurate voter rolls. A 2012 Pew study of state voter rolls found more than 24 million voter registration records were inaccurate, out of date or duplicates. About 1.8 million dead people were still listed as voters, and 2.75 million were registered in more than one state, the study found. Inaccurate voter rolls make it easier for voter fraud to occur, but what isnt known is the extent to which those vulnerabilities are exploited. Many Democrats argue it doesnt make sense that masses of people would risk jail time for a single extra vote (voting twice is a felony in most states). But Republicans say even just a vote or two could make a difference at the local level, and it wouldnt hurt to clean up voter rolls and demand stricter voter ID laws. Data request At least 44 states have refused to fully cooperate with the commission, especially its request they hand over personal voter data, including voting history, criminal records and partial Social Security numbers, which the commission plans to release to the public. The administration argues much of the requested voter data is already publicly available. But many states are concerned the commissions plans to release the information will make it more easily accessible. Im not sure what good it would do to have an incomplete database of some states voters out there with personal identifying information that could potentially be used for identity theft, said Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California-Irvine and a prominent critic of the commission. The data request has prompted multiple lawsuits. Earlier this week, the commission temporarily halted the request until the legal standoff is resolved. Nonetheless, von Spakovsky says the commission is determined to continue its work, and he dismisses opposition as politically motivated. I think its people who are just opposed to anything Trump is doing, von Spakovsky said. He raised a concern that many people have raised about the honor system that we have in registering and voting, and how easy it is to cheat that system. And I think thats something we ought to explore. I think the president is actually right about that. A vehicle belonging to the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai was set on fire on Wednesday evening in Harares Kuwadzana suburb following public protests by party youth demanding that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should hold free and fair elections in 2018. MDC-T lawmaker for Kuwadzana, Nelson Chamisa, told VOA Studio 7 the torching of the vehicle is an indication that there are people in Zimbabwe who want to engage in violence ahead of the council, parliamentary and presidential elections. Police were not available for comment amid reports that the suspects were members of the ruling Zanu PF party, who vowed last year that they would stop any anti-government protests. There was also no reaction from President Robert Mugabe's party. About five youth were arrested soon after the protest in Harare and indications are that they will be brought before the courts within the next few hours. Zimbabwe is set to hold a crucial general election in 2018 in which the ruling party will field President Mugabe, who will be 94 at that time. ZEC is working hand in hand with a Chinese company to register voters in the country's voters' roll. Zimbabwean police Wednesday clashed with hundreds of opposition protesters calling for electoral reforms before next year's polls. Zimbabwes capital city came to a standstill for about four hours Wednesday as opposition protesters conducted running battles with police. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, who were lobbing stones and even pieces of fruit they grabbed from street vendors. VOA saw police kick or beat at least 20 protesters with batons before arresting them. Police said the protest had not been sanctioned, as required by law. One demonstrator held a placard addressed to the electoral commission chairperson, Rita Makarau. The sign said, Makarau, we demand a fair election 2018!! Police descended on the protester holding the sign, Ralf Dzenga, and forced him into their vehicle. VOA spoke to him before his arrest. He says he is protesting because we are tired of Mugabe. He must step down from the throne. Do you hear me? He has too many years there. So many people are struggling because of Mugabe. I am telling you the truth. The opposition says as many 100 people were arrested and 25 more were injured. VOA could not independently verify that count with police. The opposition called for the protest after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said it would not allow citizens living outside the southern African nation or those without proof of residence to take part in elections, expected between July and August of next year. On Wednesday, Makarau maintained her organization, also known as ZEC, was not to blame for the decision. Our intention as ZEC is to register as many eligible voters as possible," said Makarau. "Actually, it is our target to register all eligible voters for 2018 in Zimbabwe. It is not ZEC, it is actually the task of political parties that have representation in parliament. We usually throw this back to them and say: you are the lawmakers, go and make the appropriate law that we will implement. Ours is simply to implement the law after it has been made. In the past, the opposition in Zimbabwe has accused the countrys electoral commission of favoring the ruling ZANU-PF party. Earlier this year, it took to the streets calling for the commission to be disbanded. President Robert Mugabe, who says he will stand for re-election next year at the age of 94, has scoffed at claims the electoral commission favors him. Mugabe is currently in Singapore for medical reasons. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report:FVFE01 at 17:55 UTC, 12/07/17 from RJTDVA ADVISORYDTG: 20170712/1755ZVAAC: TOKYOVOLCANO: KLYUCHEVSKOY 300260PSN: N5603 E16039AREA: RUSSIASUMMIT ELEV: 4754MADVISORY NR: 2017/254INFO SOURCE: HIMAWARI-8AVIATION COLOUR CODE: NILERUPTION DETAILS: VA IS NOT IDENTIFIABLE ON SATELLITE IMAGERY.OBS VA DTG: 12/1730ZOBS VA CLD: VA NOT IDENTIFIABLE FM SATELLITE DATA WIND FL180 300/26KTFCST VA CLD +6 HR: NOT AVBLFCST VA CLD +12 HR: NOT AVBLFCST VA CLD +18 HR: NOT AVBLRMK: T+0 CONFIDENCE LOW. VA IS NOT IDENTIFIABLE DUE TO MET CLOUD ORDISSIPATED. WE WILL ISSUE FURTHER ADVISORY IF VA DETECTED ONSATELLITE IMAGERY.NXT ADVISORY: NO FURTHER ADVISORIES= Background: Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka's highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. Kliuchevskoi rises above a saddle NE of sharp-peaked Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred at Kliuchevskoi during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3600 m elevation. The morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters. --- Source: Klyuchevsky information by the GVP (Smithsonian Institution) Heat we expected, but who knew July would bring such a refreshing rain of comic novels? Not that many years ago, the summer was a wasteland where publishers dumped desiccated titles they didnt think could take root in the verdant soil of spring or fall. But this month weve already got Matthew Klams Who Is Rich? and Joshua Cohens Moving Kings, and Tom Perrottas Mrs. Fletcher is just around the corner. But first, consider this thoroughly delightful novel by Andrew Sean Greer called Less. Greer is an exceptionally lovely writer, capable of mingling humor with sharp poignancy. His books are frequently constructed around some clever conceit. You may remember his breakout bestseller, The Confessions of Max Tivoli (2004), about a man who ages backward. His new novel doesnt share that fantastical element, but its just as preoccupied with aging. In the opening pages, a midlist novelist named Arthur Less is clinging to 49 like its the lip of a volcano. He has waited with muted expectation through his exclusion from any list of best writers under thirty, under forty, under fifty they make no lists above that. And now hes pretty sure hes the first homosexual ever to grow old. [Sex and the middle-aged man: Matthew Klams Who Is Rich?] That gently mocking tone reflects Lesss attitude about all his foibles, which are obvious to him but incurable. His anxiety about aging has been exacerbated by splitting up with his boyfriend whos about to get married to a younger man. Confronted with the prospect of sitting through their wedding wearing a grin of faux happiness, Less decides to send his regrets and flee. In free fall from the broken bridge of his last hopes, he paws through his old mail and blindly accepts all the sundry invitations hes received from around the world: a hodgepodge of teaching assignments, retreats and readings. (Alla Dreyvitser/The Washington Post/iStock images) Those gigs provide the novels structure a different country for each chapter which is a challenge for Less, but a boon for his creator. (An excerpt of Less recently appeared in the New Yorker.) Greer is brilliantly funny about the awkwardness that awaits a traveling writer of less repute. At a science fiction convention, hes mistaken for a woman. In Mexico, he finds himself on a panel from hell being asked, What is it like to go on, knowing you are not a genius, knowing you are a mediocrity? He arrives at an award ceremony in Italy only to discover that the winner will be chosen by high school students. What god has enough free time to arrange this very special humiliation, he wonders, to fly a minor novelist across the world so that he can feel, in some seventh sense, the minusculitude of his own worth? Author Andrew Sean Greer (Caliel Roberts) The most hilarious chapter takes place in Germany, where Less operates under the misimpression that he is a professor and that he speaks fluent German. (Years earlier, as a high schooler, he was tutored by a woman from Yorkville. She was ostensibly German speaking, Greer explains, just as seventeen-year-old Less was ostensibly gay. Both had the fantasy; neither had carried it out.) Arriving at his classroom on the first day, Less announces to his startled German students, I am sorry, I must kill most of you. No matter. They adore him. As will you. While Less winds his way around the globe riding a camel in Morocco, trapped in a Christian retreat in India we learn more about this tenderhearted man who goes about his life like a person without skin. Everyone else seems to have weathered the usual professional and romantic disappointments and developed the leathery hide of adulthood, but not Less. By his forties, Greer writes, all he has managed to grow is a gentle sense of himself, akin to the transparent carapace of a soft-shelled crab. Unfailingly polite, hypersensitive to the risk of boring anyone, he remains congenial throughout, but the tragicomic business of being alive is getting to him. Greer has written about gay characters before, but Less is his first novel to focus on an openly gay writer. Among other things, this hapless antihero gives him a chance to mock himself and the expectations imposed on minority authors. Trapped at a party, for instance, a competing novelist sidles up to Less and tells him, Its not that youre a bad writer, its that youre a bad gay. Before Less can think of any response to this toxic appraisal, his friend continues: It is our duty to show something beautiful from our world. The gay world. But in your books, you make the characters suffer without reward. That may be true of Lesss novels, but its not true of this one, which eventually rewards Lesss fragile optimism in the most charming way. Indeed, you might expect the acid taste of personal satire here, the way certain novelists insist on flaying their alter egos in print, but theres only contagious affection in this portrayal of Arthur Less. Whether hes pining after an old lover or creeping along a ledge four flights up, hoping to climb through the window of his locked apartment, this is the comedy of disappointment distilled to a sweet elixir. Greers narration, so elegantly laced with wit, cradles the story of a man who loses everything: his lover, his suitcase, his beard, his dignity. Must poor Less dismissed by his own editor as too wistful settle for a life of convivial loneliness? At fifty, Less muses drowsily, youre as likable as youre going to get. Not a problem. Less is plenty likable even more. Ron Charles is the editor of Book World and host of TotallyHipVideoBookReview.com. Read more: The comedic clash of an American businessman and an Israeli innocent abroad This book about card catalogues, written and published in cooperation with the Library of Congress, is beautifully produced, intelligently written and lavishly illustrated. It also sent me into a week-long depression. If you are a book lover of a certain age, it might do the same to you. The Card Catalog is many things: a lucid overview of the history of bibliographic practices, a paean to the Library of Congress, a memento of the cherished card catalogues of yore and an illustrated collection of bookish trivia. The text provides a concise history of literary compendiums from the Pinakes of the fabled Library of Alexandria to the advent of computerized book inventory databases, which began to appear as early as 1976. The illustrations are amazing: luscious reproductions of dozens of cards, lists, covers, title pages and other images guaranteed to bring a wistful gleam to the book nerds eye. For someone who grew up in and around libraries, it is also a poignant reminder of a vanished world. A library card for The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. (Library of Congress/Chronicle Books) Now, waxing nostalgic about card catalogues or being an advocate for the importance of libraries is a mugs game. You can practically feel people glancing up from their iPhones to smile tolerantly at your eccentricity. My response to this, after an initial burst of profanity, is to explain (again) why libraries are essential to narrowing the inequality gap, and why the Internet is not an adequate substitute for books or libraries. The Card Catalog is a heady antidote to the technophilia threatening our culture. The book is especially illuminating on the powerful, if overlooked, properties of the humble catalogue card, some 79 million of which were printed annually at the systems peak in 1969. Each one is a perfect melding of design and utility, a marvel of informational compression and precision. In his introduction, Peter Devereaux rightly calls the catalogue one of the most versatile and durable technologies in history, one that lasted almost a century, until 1980, when the Library switched completely to a computerized system. [These small presses can help you think big about summer reading] Although some contemporary readers might consider this book outrageously quaint, the card catalogues conceptual structure was the underpinning of the Internet; the idea of something being tagged by category owes its existence as an organizing principle to the subject headings delineated by the Library of Congress. A national card catalogue system was the original search engine one that needed no electricity, no service providers or broadband or smartphones, and that was truly democratic. The Library of Congress card division, 1919. (Library of Congress/Chronicle Books) The slow obsolescence of this marvelous informational structure lends a palpable sense of loss to the books narrative. Devereaux quotes historian Barbara Tuchman as referring to the card catalogue as a companion all my working life. As it happens, Tuchman voiced this soulful plaint in a 1985 talk at the New York Public Library, in which she went on to express considerable skepticism about the vaunted capabilities of digital search. The easier the process is made, Tuchman warned, and the less active individual thought is employed by the researcher, the less his brain will be exercised. My hunch, she continued, is that the searcher . . . will get more than he wants to know and much that he cannot use. Technology aside, the book also summons the specter of a bygone American faith in the ability of institutions of government to work for a common good. The idea of the Library of Congress implementing a nationally standardized system to classify and track the nations collective publication history is now as surely a part of the past as steam engines or top hats. Looked at this way, the card catalogue stands with other great 20th-century works of civic architecture as testament to the potential of what a society and a government can achieve, an especially discouraging reminder in our current era of reduced expectations. For some readers, the sense of personal nostalgia engendered by this book is piercing. When I think of the books that shaped me the haphazardly chosen volumes that formed the bedrock of my post- collegiate education I think of the works of Kael and Angell, of James and Didion and Updike and Roth and Exley, in their Boston Public Library plastic casings, piled high on a rickety desk in some shabby hovel of my young adulthood. I owe my existence as a reader, as a thinker, as a writer, as a person to libraries. This book reminds me of that, even as it reminds me of how much has been lost. Michael Lindgren is regular contributor to The Washington Post. This week marks Henry David Thoreaus 200th birthday, a bicentennial that emphasizes just how briefly the writer lived. He died before he was 45, but Walden is immortal. Henry David Thoreau (1817 1862) (Getty Images/iStockphoto) I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, Thoreau writes, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. Except for a couple of more explicitly religious works, Walden is my favorite book, one Id want with me on a desert island surrounded by pond water. I also might haul along my cherished copy of Thoreaus journal, a giant two-volume edition of a 14-volume version. (No, its not abridged; this feat of compression is accomplished by reproducing four small pages on each leaf. And theres no index, which encourages happy wandering.) I bought the set at a bookstore in Concord, Mass., decades ago for $60 cash remembering Thoreaus warning that the cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run. Ive never regretted it. As a teenager, Walden electrified me, giving voice to my febrile self-righteousness. Raised on the Gospels and the metaphysical aphorisms of Mary Baker Eddy, I regarded Thoreaus book as a loamy version of Science and Health. I swear, it seemed to glow every time I reached that last climactic paragraph: Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star. Thoreaus zealous rejection of conventionality is especially designed for young misfits who hear a different drummer. His transcendental sentences encourage people struggling to reconceive the oppressive order of the world in a way that lets them imagine theyre above it all. As I grew older, though, I began to understand that Thoreaus claim that the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation was not social criticism but personal confession. A replica of Thoreaus cabin in Walden Woods, Concord, Mass. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) As a high school teacher and college professor, I read Walden with my students again and again. Many of them thought it was a slog, though I suspect some of them werent actually reading it (suggesting that even the SparkNotes were a slog). For a few of these years, I was teaching at the John Burroughs School in St. Louis, the same school where a future star named Jon Hamm was teaching drama, so the competition for ardor was fairly intense. Some students felt Thoreau sounded arrogant. Others were disgusted as only young people can be that Thoreau misrepresented himself and his time in the cabin. (He had far more company than he describes; he sometimes went home for meals; etc.) But every year, two or three of my students caught fire reading Walden. Ignoring the autobiographical elisions, they resonated to the books insistence that we mustnt settle for the spirit-sapping path society has laid out for us. I saw these young people copying into their journals the same rousing passages I had once copied into mine: If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. Im a lot closer to retirement than graduation, but those lines still strike me as revelations. This month, Thoreau is the subject of a major new biography by Laura Dassow Walls. Our reviewer, Michael Sims, calls her book a masterpiece that the gadfly of youthful America deserves. (My own knowledge of Thoreaus life is based on Robert Richardsons 1986 biography Henry Thoreau: A Life of the Mind.) I havent reread Walden in over a decade, but news of this new biography makes me realize that its time I went back to the woods, deliberately. Ron Charles is the editor of Book World. Heather Stewart, 30, water engineer, and Andy Sides, 28, graphic designer. (Daniele Seiss/For the Washington Post) Interviews by Ellen Ryan Vegetarian Heather Stewart loves holidays, international politics and Ethiopian food. Star Wars fan Andy Sides loves barbecue, brunch and exploring national parks. Neither is into religion, both lean left politically and each ones biggest splurge has been on travel. To see what might develop, we sent them to the Hamilton, the downtown restaurant and nightclub. Or at least we tried. One dater took a detour to Capitol Hill before arriving at the right place. Heather: Leaving work, I took Lyft and put the Hamilton into GPS. We pulled up at the Hamilton Bar & Grill [near the U.S. Capitol]. I told the bartender I was here for the Washington Post event and asked, Is it here? And he said, Oh, God, I hope not. I was about a half-hour late. Andy: It happens. She was very apologetic, very sweet. I appreciate her acknowledging that. Heather: He was tall with pretty eyes and an earring. Nice beard. He didnt seem upset at all. Andy: She had a kind smile, real pretty eyes. Im 6 foot high, and shes slightly shorter than me, so that was definitely a pretty strong impression there. Shes pretty much my type. Heather: We talked about our jobs. He said hes in graphic design, and I said he must not be colorblind. Andy: The irony is I am colorblind, which actually made for a good laugh. Heather: I was in such a rush that Id actually picked a belt that didnt match my dress. I was glad he couldnt see that. Andy: We ordered cocktails. Heather got a blackberry rum cocktail; I got a bourbon lemon thing. She said hers tasted like jungle juice, like straight out of college. Heather: The waitress recommended her favorite drink, which tasted like a drink youd have in a frat house. Andy:We talked about how hard it is to see family and friends when they move even just outside the Beltway. [And about] her travel schedule for June: weddings, Dublin, France, and she splits her time between D.C. and Denver. Heather: I was talking about how much I have to travel for work in the next few weeks. I [do] have less energy to meet someone, less time. Andy: She ended up [ordering] these rosemary white truffle fries, which were amazing. Heather: I got roasted cauliflower steak; he got real steak. Andy: We talked about how big of a physical and maturity difference it is to be in your late 20s, early 30s versus your early 20s. We agreed that as weve gotten older our tolerance for peoples drama and BS has greatly diminished along with our physical stamina to drink and stay out late partying. Heather: At one point we asked each other what celebrities we look like. I would say [he could be] like a male Jessica Simpson. Andy: We somehow got on this topic of if I were a drag queen, who would I impersonate. I said, All right, Ill take that! I said she would be Zac Efron. Heather: We had to try this St. Louis gooey butter pie. I had never heard of it, but he was excited to see how it would compare to the real thing. It was delicious. There were several sticks of butter involved. Andy: Im from St. Louis. It was cool to be able to share with her something from my home town. Heather: He was friendly, easy to talk to. Andy: We were joking back and forth and having a good time. For me, thats flirting. Heather: I would say friendly as opposed to flirtatious. Andy: Toward the end we were both getting a little tired. We [walked] back to Metro Center together and chatted a little while we waited for our trains. Heather: He commented that since my schedule was so busy that I should take his number, but I gave him mine. I guess I dont like the pressure of having to call someone; also Im afraid I would forget. Andy: We hugged each other goodbye. It was definitely mutual. Rate the date Andy: 3.5 [out of 5]. My one hesitation is her schedule and her splitting time between two cities. Heather: 3.5. Maybe I got more of a friends vibe from both of us. Update No further contact. Craig Kilborn, the original host of Comedy Centrals The Daily Show, when it debuted in 1996. (Erica Berger/For The Washington Post) JULY 22, 1996 When The Daily Show premiered with ESPN alum Craig Kilborn as its host, it was not obvious that it would become one of the countrys most influential outlets and go-to source for biting political satire. It was originally pitched to viewers as a reality-based alternative look at the news, trends, pop culture, current events, politics, sports, movies and, quite possibly, the kitchen sink, wrote The Washington Posts Martie Zad. Jon Stewart took over in 1999, just in time for the Clinton impeachment trial, and hit his stride during George W. Bushs administration. But Stewart may have had a bigger impact on Barack Obamas White House. I cant say that because Jon Stewart was unhappy policy changed. But I can say that he had forceful arguments, they were arguments that we knew would be heard and deserved to be answered, former Obama strategist David Axelrod once told Politico. The shows success also led to other news-obsessed comedy shows hosted by Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee and John Oliver. Stewart stepped down in 2015 and was replaced by current host Trevor Noah. Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of Linn Meyers, an artist in the One Year Later exhibition at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. The article has been updated. Jesse Lanes Adrenaline, on view at the 25th Annual Colored Pencil Society of America International Exhibition at Strathmore. (Jesse Lane) In Margaret Hopkinss Focus, a woman wields a large camera while three other women behind her gaze at a smartphone, probably eyeing the product of a built-in camera. If that seems an odd vignette to render in colored pencil, nearly all of the entries in the Colored Pencil Society of Americas 25th-annual exhibition are photorealist. The 118 technically proficient artists in this show at Strathmore exalt exactitude. Some even focus on photorealistic eye candy such as water droplets (Jesse Lanes Adrenaline), the facets of transparent plastic bags (Carolyn Chuas I See Bread), sunlight glinting on a caps visor (Constance Graces Reflection) or shiny red Leatherette stool tops (Donna Grahams Diner). The members of the society (or the juror of this show) are not inclined toward freehand gestures. There is a looser feel to a handful of the drawings, notably Deane Ackermans Ganges Morning, and a few include fanciful touches. A cutaway shows the mouse in a cats belly in Mary Fanchers Tyler, and a shadow doubles as a snake in Christi Tompkinss The Devil Is in the Details a title that suits most of these meticulous drawings. This might be an American taste, although a half-dozen of the shows contributors are from overseas. What links colored pencil artists in the Washington area with ones in Malaysia? Perhaps its their reaction to the ubiquitous smartphone camera and the low-def pictures it so often yields. In the age of the blurry selfie, colored-pencil draftsmen and -women are bringing accuracy back. 25th Annual Colored Pencil Society of America International Exhibition On view through Aug. 6 at the Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, 301-581-5109. strathmore.org/visual-arts/exhibitions. One Year Later Linn Meyerss Untitled, on view at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. (Linn Meyers/Pyramid Atlantic Art Center) Visitors to Pyramid Atlantic Art Center will walk past many presses on their way to the second-floor gallery. But prints and other works on paper arent the only things in One Year Later, a show commemorating the centers first year in its Hyattsville digs. There are paintings, ceramics and sculptures among the pieces by 52 artists one for each week of the year chosen by curator Molly Ruppert. Among the most elegant of the traditional prints are Allan Akmans Lollipops, a study of three budding tulips on black backgrounds, and Susan Goldmans Green Blossom, which mounts a multicolored swirl atop an ornate green-and-gold pedestal. The photographs include Cynthia Connollys set of postcards, in silvery black-and-white, of cryptic yet everyday marks painted on asphalt. Some of the three-dimensional pieces involve paper or printing, or tweak standard notions of printed matter. Brece Honeycutts yellow square is made of formed paper, while David Mordinis small papier-mache bust is made of Cialis instructions. Bill Dunlaps gold fish flutters with flakes of loosely applied metallic leaf, and Sean Hennesseys Library places volumes of green glass in a shelflike wooden box. In this context, familiar motifs reveal previously unobserved affinities. Linn Meyers draws undulating strokes, and Laurel Lukaszewski makes stoneware sculptures, but each has contributed works in which curving lines loosely define a circle. Although only one piece is 3-D, both are sinuously organic. One Year Later On view through Aug. 5 at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin St., Hyattsville. 301-608-9101. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. Claudia Sampers House of Cards, oil on canvas; on view at Touchstone Gallery. (Claudia Samper/Touchstone Gallery) Claudia Samper Birds sport many kinds of plumage in Claudia Sampers pictures, which combine painting, drawing and collage. Some of the renderings in her Touchstone Gallery show are precise enough for a modern-day Audubon, but she mixes realistic creatures with cartoonish sketches and diagrams of origami avians. The juxtapositions are often playful, as in a picture where a crow holds in its mouth the strings to a bunch of bird-shaped balloons. They wake me every morning and we have coffee together, Samper writes of birds in her statement on the show. Yet the Argentina-bred Virginia artist isnt interested in the creatures purely for their own sake. For her, birds represent complexities of human communication, which is why the show is titled Connecting the Dots. Circle and lines link the disparate styles and objects in these pictures, in which birds commune with cupcakes and build nests from playing cards. Although such surreal contrasts might elicit smiles, to Samper they also express the difficulty of processing contradictory information. Connecting the Dots: Claudia Samper On view through July 30 at Touchstone Gallery, 901 New York Ave. NW. 202-347-2787. touchstonegallery.com. Samar Hussaini The abundant gold and turquoise of Samar Hussainis mixed-media paintings suggest earth and minerals. But the New Jersey artist is primarily inspired by the thob (or thwawb), the traditional Arab tunic whose embroidery denotes its regional origins. Resilient, the title of Hussainis Gallery Al Quds show, includes two stand-alone versions of a thob, as well as pictures that incorporate its design motifs. Hussainis one-dimensional work, rendered in paint, pencil and charcoal, picks up the thobs patterns and sometimes depicts its billowing shape. Although abstract, the pictures incorporate text, architectural features and bits of found images, which are printed on the canvas. Some pieces include stitching, which evokes not only traditional needlework, but also mending in a metaphorical sense. All of these elements embody the layers that constitute an individuals character, Hussaini has said. They might also represent strata of history, society and culture. Resilient: Samar Hussaini On view through July 28 at the Jerusalem Fund Gallery Al Quds, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW. 202-338-1958. thejerusalemfund/gallery. Sarah Jamison Interests and tastes change, yet many of the subjects of Old Master paintings still engage museumgoers. The same is unlikely to prove true of the pictures in #socialaesthetics, Sarah Jamisons show at Latela Art Gallery. Included are likenesses of Pikachu (remember him?), Kim Kardashians derriere (formidable, but not ageless) and pizza. At least the appeal of the last is eternal. The 22 small paintings on paper, the gallery notes, are each the size of an iPhone screen and were inspired by Jamisons revulsion for and dependence on her phone. The local artist uses no photographic means to achieve her painstakingly realistic pictures, which juxtapose not only images, but also such graphics as the arrow-tipped circle that indicates a video is refreshing. Jamisons resistance to the torrent of digital flotsam is probably futile. But it should earn her some tweets. #socialaesthetics: Sarah Jamison On view through July 28 at Latela Art Gallery, 716 Monroe St. NE, Studio #27. 202-340-3280. lateladc.com. More than 13 million people attended a Broadway show this season. I seemed to be the lone holdout. (Bee Johnson for The Washington Post) The Great White Way was never my way. The idea of Broadway the crowds, the cost, the bathos was an affront to my community theater sensibilities. I imagined Manhattans famed theater district oozing excess and ego from every pore. But at some point I knew that I would have to look into the klieg lights. Hamilton, for one reason. Not that I was ever going to score a ticket to the smash-hit musical, but if Broadway is good enough for a Founding Father, then how could I object? I also seemed to be the lone holdout: More than 13 million people attended a show this season, according to the Broadway League. Stepping into Times Square, I felt a heavy weight on my cultural development and my wallet. Broadway tickets are car-repair expensive, so I had to choose my play wisely. I headed straight for the Oracle of Broadway, the TKTS booth, one of four locations offering discounts of up to 50 percent. I approached an employee helping bewildered patrons and asked him to recommend a play for a Broadway neophyte. If youre looking for classic-y Broadway, he said, then Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago or Kinky Boots. TKTS was selling tickets to all four, which benefited my budget but enabled my indecisiveness. (The offerings change daily.) I headed straight for the Oracle of Broadway, the TKTS booth in Times Square, one of four locations offering discounts of up to 50 percent. (Francis Vachon/Alamy Stock Photo) [How solo travel forced me to become comfortable with being uncomfortable] I asked him about his first Broadway show. Your first Broadway play will be different than mine, he said, because I went when I was young. Was that a cloud passing overhead or did he just throw some shade my way? I started chatting with an actor starring in the off-Broadway show Bastard Jones. He agreed to play a supporting role in my melodrama. Phantom of the Opera is a classic, said Matt McGloin, who has also performed in the District. Its reputation is so big, people from around the world come to see it. If I were a return theatergoer, he would have pushed harder for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, a new musical based on a fragment of Tolstoys tome. But for my inaugural outing . . . Phantom of the Opera, Matt said with conviction. Phantom of the Opera, I said to the man working at window No. 7. I paid $79, half off the price of a prime seat in the orchestra section. At the Majestic Theatre, I joined the short queue and opened my bag wide for the security guard. Inside the venue, I hovered near the bar, eyeing a souvenir cup decorated with the Phantoms mysterious white mask. A woman ordered an apple juice in the cup, paying $10. I opted for the water fountain. I took my seat three rows from the stage, second cushion from the aisle. All around me, people were taking photos of the classically august theater, one of Broadways largest with 1,645 seats. I ducked to avoid a Snapchat-in-progress. (Note: The Majestic bans photography and video, but no one seems to enforce the rule.) A few minutes after 7 p.m., the lights dimmed, the actors materialized on stage and the little girl behind me ripped open a bag of chips. I was so close to the action that I could see the sparkly red eye shadow on the actress playing Carlotta. I am pretty sure that I gasped, or at least sucked in some air, when the chandelier took flight like a sequined UFO. I marveled at the lavish costumes, the extravagant set design and the ceiling-shattering high notes. The music sounded a bit like the Eucharist of Synth-Pop, but I felt myself letting go, bodysurfing on the waves of emotion. [Champagne, duvets and a 180-degree seat: A frugal travelers introduction to first class] During intermission, I perused the merchandise and was proud of myself for now understanding the relevance of the music box with the cymbal-clapping monkey. (I didnt have to sit long for the answer.) The second act started with the little girl breaking into a new bag of snacks and the visual and aural assault of the Masquerade scene. I remained pinned to the play for most of the singing and dancing, though sometime around Scene 7, my mind drifted to the Koreatown restaurant near my hotel. I snapped out of my food reverie as the show neared its dramatic finale. The last image of my first Broadway show pricked my heart: the Phantoms mask glowing like a white lily in a bright ray of sun. The audience rose for a standing ovation, and I did, too. The cast, musicians, set and costume designers, lighting directors, Andrew Lloyd Webber and, yes, the chandelier worked really hard to keep us entertained for more than two hours. They deserved palm-slapping applause on thankfully straightened legs. Most of the theaters disgorge at about the same time, and I joined the teeming masses on the sidewalks. Outside the Shubert Theatre, two women asked me to snap their photo by the Hello, Dolly sign. They raved about the show, but were disappointed to learn that Bette Midler was on vacation. At least the Phantom showed up for my performance. The thing about hop-on-hop-off buses is that they need to stop a lot so that people can actually hop off to see the sights. There were 22 stops on my two-hour tour. (Bee Johnson for The Washington Post) Up until this summer, Id never taken a Big Bus sightseeing tour. Im a thrifty traveler, and the idea of paying $40 or more to sit next to what I imagined would be a bunch of boisterous tour-group types never appealed to me. But I live in a city that happens to be a major tourist attraction, so the big, red, double-deckers are ubiquitous, even when Im not on vacation. It seemed a little weird to pay for a tour and the prospect being on the top level, in the open air, sweating it out in the D.C. heat, didnt sound very appealing. But when someone floated the idea, I decided that maybe it could be fun, or at least a little kitschy. On a recent Saturday afternoon, I lathered myself with sunscreen and bug spray, packed a bag lunch and took the Metro over to Union Station for a $39 Classic Patriot Tour. Because Im the kind of person who always bikes with a helmet and thinks its weird when people dont buckle up in cabs, my first reaction to the Big Bus was annoyance at its lack of seat belts. [I had an aversion to bus travel until low prices and video on demand changed my mind] A Big Bus double-decker tour bus drives past the Newseum building in the District. (B Christopher/Alamy Stock Photo) Once it started moving, I was surprised that it gave me the same kind of rush as a mild amusement park ride. And when it really got going, the wind whipped so quickly that, more than once, my hat almost flew into Mia and Jim, the couple sitting behind me. Even so, I liked how the breeze kept me cool while the bus zipped under tree branches that hung so low I could touch them. Sometimes, I even had to duck my head for fear Id get a face full of leaves. Alas, these thrills never lasted for long. The thing about hop-on-hop-off buses is that they need to stop a lot so that people can actually hop off to see the sights. There were 22 stops on my two-hour tour, which meant that we stopped every few minutes to bake in the roughly 90-degree heat. Even during peak tourist season, the bus never seemed very crowded. When I first got on, there were only a handful of people on board, including a mother who mistook the replica Liberty Bell near Union Station for the real thing then got schooled about it by her preteen son. Mia, Jim, and I were about the only ones who stayed on the bus for the full tour. The other passengers, mostly couples and families, constantly shifted at big-name spots such as the National Air and Space Museum, the Lincoln Memorial and Fords Theatre. Mia and Jim, who were visiting from New York City, thought the frequent stops provided a really solid transportation system for tourists who wanted to get to all the sights without doing too much walking, and said that they might use the bus that way later in their trip. (A single Big Bus ticket is good for the whole day and can be bought for multiple days.) But I just wanted to feel the wind on my face. [Why you should visit Charleston, West Virginia] It was fun to see D.C. from so high up, but it seemed as if the other passengers werent always sure which building or monument the audio tour was talking about after all, the audio guide couldnt physically point them out as a live one could. And sometimes the narration got a little weird. When the bus drove by the White House, the speaker told us not to be surprised by the men in black with sniper rifles on the roof. Pretty sure that freaked everyone out. Still, it provided some interesting historical nuggets. Ive been down Constitution Avenue many, many times, yet I never knew that it was built over a filthy creek that still runs beneath it. Also, I learned that when the Washington Monument debuted its first elevator in 1888, only men were allowed to ride it. The highlight that drew the most attention from my fellow riders ended up being something that wasnt even supposed to be on the tour: a motorcade speeding down the road, sirens blaring, near the Washington Monument. The other passengers stared at it and one woman appeared to be filming it with her iPad. Jim wondered aloud what everyone was clearly thinking: Was it President Trump? I joked with him that it probably wasnt because the president was never in D.C. on the weekends. (In fact, I later read Trump was in New Jersey that afternoon). At one point, Jim told me the he had taken a lot of bus tours in Europe, but this one was the best hed ever been on. I didnt have anything to compare it to. Still, Id definitely consider it if I were visiting, say, Paris, or even Chicago, for the first time. Even if it doesnt have seat belts. Little is a writer based in the District. Find her on Twitter: @MsBeckyLittle More from Travel: Why you should visit Columbus, Ohio How many states have you been to? The essential guide to all 59 U.S. national parks Kymone Freeman, left, says goodbye to John Capozzi, who stopped by the radio station. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) The dark, dingy staircase leads to an even dingier basement. A basement with a maze of stacked boxes, dusty cleaning supplies, moldy walls and abandoned furniture. But Kymone Freeman has a vision for this 2,400-square-foot space in the heart of Southeast Washingtons Anacostia neighborhood. He sees a colorful room with couches, a stage and bookshelves lots of wooden bookshelves stuffed with books of all genres. Freeman is spearheading an effort to transform the drab space into the only bookstore east of the Anacostia River, an area that includes many of the Districts poorest neighborhoods. As details of the project evolve, organizers have settled on this: It will be named the Charnice Milton Community Bookstore in honor of the 27-year-old journalist fatally shot two years ago in Southeast. Police say Milton was on her way home from covering a community meeting and wasnt the intended target. No arrests have been made in the case. [Tributes pour in for journalist killed in Southeast Washington shooting] Freeman estimates that hell need to raise $180,000 for the project. Books are the most transformative thing, he said. If you can match the kid with the right book, it can change them. Freeman, who co-owns We Act Radio a radio station on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Anacostia, blocks from Frederick Douglasss historic house said the bookstore will have a focus on African American authors and will incorporate a social justice mission. The exterior of We Act Radio is seen. Kymone Freeman, not shown, is leading efforts to open a bookstore in the basement in honor of Charnice Milton, a 27-year-old journalist who was shot and killed on her way home from an assignment two years ago. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) He said he hopes that the bookstore can reduce the citys illiteracy rate and subsequently reduce violent crime, potentially preventing another death like that of Miltons. In the District, 19 percent of adults lack the reading proficiency to read a newspaper, according to the U.S. Education Departments National Center for Education Statistics. The illiteracy rate in U.S. prisons is 60 percent, according to National Assessment of Adult Literacy data. Miltons parents said the bookstores social justice component would make it an ideal tribute to their daughter. Miltons mother, Francine Milton, recalled her daughter reading 99 books in a single summer while in elementary school. She was reading Shakespeare in middle school and, as an adult, enjoyed Japanese anime books. She grew up in Southeast and sought to tell stories that otherwise wouldnt be told as a contributing reporter for Capital Community News. Her father, Ken McClenton, said that Milton was often bullied but found refuge in books and libraries. Charnice Milton was a young journalist who was shot and killed on her way home from an assignment two years ago. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) I see this bookstore as mere justice, not just social justice, McClenton said. This is a tribute to what a person can do when the world comes against it. They can overcome it. Even in death, Charnice was not a victim she was a conqueror. [ A year after the shooting of Charnice Milton, police plead for help finding her killer ] The bookstore, which Freeman hopes to open before the end of the year, would be housed in the basement of the We Act Radio studios. Freeman and other activists have collected thousands of donated books to sell at the store, although they eventually hope to sell new and used books. A nonprofit group affiliated with We Act Radio, Social Art and Culture, would operate the shop. There are plans for professional writing and reading workshops. But Freeman said that hes raised only $1,200 so far, a fraction of whats needed to renovate the basement space. At a ceremony announcing the bookstore last month, representatives from nonprofits, including Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and D.C. police attended to show support. Trayon White, who represents Ward 8 on the D.C. Council, said the bookstore is a needed addition to the neighborhood. A boom in independent bookstores elsewhere in the city has yet to reach neighborhoods each of the Anacostia River. It will show the value of education and literacy in our community, he said. Its an excellent idea that we should all support. We can take something really sad and make it positive for the community. The project continues to receive hundreds of donated books. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Kymone Freeman is spearheading a plan to open a bookstore in honor of journalist Charnice Milton. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) For now, Freeman is planning fundraisers while pitching developers on building in the neighborhood. Hes also hoping for a financial boost from city leaders. More than half a dozen teens and college students are working at We Act Radio as part of the summer jobs program started by former mayor Marion Barry, helping Freeman pitch the store to potential donors. This bookstore would mean a lot. It would mean I wouldnt have had to go all the way uptown to buy books, said Emani Brown, a 20-year-old senior at Virginia State University who grew up in Southeast. Having access to a place to purchase books here would be amazing. Freeman said he envisions the Charnice Milton Community Bookstore being a mecca of black intellectualism in the community. He can see philosopher and black activist Cornel West hosting a reading, then walking upstairs for a radio interview at We Act Radio. A photo of Ida B. Wells, a journalist and founding member of the NAACP, greets visitors at the entrance of We Act Radio. Freeman wants to add a mural depicting Milton to honor her writing. The shop would also enable families to build book collections of their own, he said. Not having a bookstore wouldnt be acceptable in any other part of town, he said. The library books need to be returned, which means there are no books left in the shelves at home. Corey Stewart, who narrowly lost the GOP nomination for governor to Ed Gillespie last month, plans to challenge Sen. Tim Kaine (D) in 2018. (Linda Davidson/AP) Corey Stewart declared the kinder, gentler Republican extinct Thursday as he announced his plan to launch a vicious campaign to unseat Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in 2018, with all the bombast that brought the Prince William supervisor within a hair of winning his partys nomination for governor last month. Im going to run the most vicious, ruthless campaign to dethrone Tim Kaine from the United States Senate, said Stewart, not quite a month after losing the gubernatorial nomination to Ed Gillespie by 1.2 percentage points. Its time that Republicans take back that seat; its time that we have a senator who supports the president. Not trying to obstruct his way. The move pits Stewart, a President Trump supporter who celebrates the Confederacy and slams illegal immigrants, against Hillary Clintons former running mate in a state that often embodies the nations political crosscurrents. Stewart, who has boasted that he was Trump before Trump was Trump, said Democrats partly blame Kaine for losing the presidential race and called him a nervous Nellie. Kaine dismissed the criticism, but in a subtle barb announced just ahead of Stewarts news conference that he and Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) had secured $4.2 million in federal funding to preserve Civil War-era battlefields. Right out of the gate, Corey Stewart is more focused on name-calling than improving Virginians lives, Kaine campaign adviser Jenny Nadicksbernd said in a statement. Senator Kaine will continue working with both Democrats and Republicans to build economic opportunity through better skills, jobs, and wages and protect health care for all Virginians. Stewarts announcement was met with silence from state GOP leaders and elected officials, who said they are focused on making sure Gillespie is the first Republican elected in November to statewide office since 2009. But some Republicans said a Stewart candidacy threatens to damage the GOP brand and derail Gillespies efforts to appeal to moderate Republicans and independents, especially those in vote-rich northern Virginia. Corey Stewart will be out there saying and doing ridiculous things that make the party look bad and put Republican candidates in a terrible position, said Bill Bolling, a former two-term Republican lieutenant governor. This is really a nightmare for the Republican Party. From the front yard of his Woodbridge home, Stewart announced his campaign with his smiling wife by his side, but without any other elected officials. He said he was launching his campaign a year in advance to start raising money for what could be an expensive race. Stewart, who struggled for funds in his gubernatorial bid and was outspent 3-to-1 by Gillespie, embraced controversial stances as part of a deliberate strategy to garner media attention and inflame voter passion. He gave away an assault rifle at a shooting range, unfurled Confederate flags at rallies and got into a Twitter war with musician John Legend, among other things. [Read our in-depth interview with Corey Stewart] Asked whether he would need support and resources from state and national party officials, Stewart was defiant. He said he had not consulted with anyone before deciding to run on the heels of his strong showing in the Republican gubernatorial primary election. Theyre less important than they used to be; thats for darn sure, he said. The party is going to have start waking up and realizing that constituents, conservative Republicans, are looking for a more aggressive populist candidate. Im talking about someone who can actually appeal to people, to average working-class people and bring them in. Stewart acknowledged that Kaine helped Clinton win Virginia the only Southern state she carried. But he later said that Democrats arent that enthralled with the senator. Republicans have said running nationwide with Clinton forced Kaine to take positions opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as offshore drilling that are out of step with Virginia voters. Yet polls show Kaine a former governor and lieutenant governor is popular in the state with a 58 percent job approval rating, while Trumps approval ratings were at 36 percent in a Washington Post-Schar School poll in May. Geoffrey Skelley, a political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said the statewide landscape favors Kaine. In an alternate universe where Clinton won, people like Barbara Comstock or Dave Brat would probably be looking much harder at running for Senate in 2018, he said, referring to Republican members of Congress from Virginia. But given that Trump won and is very unpopular in the state of Virginia, my guess is Tim Kaine is very happy to face Corey Stewart. Stewart nearly won a primary despite a serious resource shortage, so that might suggest that a primary is better for him, Skelley said. But the dynamics of the 2018 GOP candidate field will matter a great deal. John Whitbeck, chairman of the Virginia GOP, said he anticipates a crowded field. Hes not going to be the only candidate, so were not even worried about that right now because we have a tremendous challenge ahead of us to win three statewide races, Whitbeck said, referring to the November election when Virginia voters will choose a governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Stewart is the first Republican to announce his intention to challenge to Kaine. Carly Fiorina, the former GOP presidential candidate, conservative radio host Laura Ingraham and retiring state Del. Jimmie Massie III (Henrico) have said they are considering joining the race. The party will decide its nominee in a primary election next year. In hypothetical matchups, Kaine would defeat Fiorina by 24 points and Ingraham by 21 points, according to an April Quinnipiac University poll. In an interview with The Washington Post last month, Stewart offered a glimpse of how he might conduct himself with Kaine through some blunt advice for Gillespie in his contest against Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. Ed, if youre listening to this: Nobody cares that your dad owned a grocery store, Stewart said, mocking Gillespie for a boring stump speech line geared toward blue-collar voters and a Mr. Rogers sweater Gillespie wore in a campaign ad. Sometimes, you just gotta be yourself. Just do it. Stewarts strong showing in last months gubernatorial primary shocked state party leaders and political observers who had dismissed him as a fringe candidate. The native Minnesotans embrace of Southern heritage issues and disdain for the Republican establishment drew support from white nationalists and many Trump voters in the western part of the state as well as southwest and Southside Virginia, and his own Prince William County. Stewart served as Trumps Virginia campaign chairman for much of last year, until he became too divisive even for the Trump campaign and was fired. Despite some of his inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants, Stewart has navigated the changing demographics of his county with some success. He recently regained favor with local Muslims upset about his support for Trump when he championed the building of a new mosque in Gainesville a project that tapped into anti-Muslim sentiments before it was approved after an all-night meeting last month in a 5-4 vote. But Stewarts insurgent gubernatorial campaign did cost him some support four of the five Republican supervisors who serve with Stewart came out for Gillespie, abandoning plans to stay neutral. Then-D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, left, visits D.C Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) at Bowsers office on June 19, 2016, after Henderson announced that she would step down later that year. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Current and former government officials will be barred from receiving special treatment for their children in the Districts notoriously competitive school-enrollment process under a policy adopted by Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson. The change comes after an uproar over a D.C. inspector generals report that found that while she was schools chancellor, Kaya Henderson gave preferential treatment to public officials children by helping enroll them directly in coveted schools, skirting the citys highly competitive school lottery. Extraordinary secrecy surrounded that report, which did not name any of the parents who received favors from Henderson and was initially kept confidential by the inspector generals office. In May, The Washington Post disclosed that two top officials in the cabinet of Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) were among those who benefited. The Post later obtained and published the report. Wilsons new policy announced in a letter Tuesday to D.C. Council Education Committee Chairman David Grosso (I-At Large) goes beyond the steps Bowser laid out in an executive order she signed May 12, three days after The Post reported that Deputy Mayor Courtney Snowden had her son placed directly at Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan, a school with a waiting list of more than 1,000 students seeking places. Bowsers order required cabinet officials to consult with the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability before requesting a discretionary transfer from the chancellor. In contrast, Wilsons policy states that if current or former public officials request special school placements, school officials will deny the request immediately without further consideration. In his letter to Grosso, Wilson said the blanket ban is intended to limit any possibility of favoritism or improper use of public office for private gain, or even the appearance of favoritism. Special school transfers will still be available for students who require them for special education or because of disabilities, those who are physically endangered at their schools and the children of military families, who sometimes cannot go through the normal lottery process because of the timing of their parents postings. LaToya Foster, a spokeswoman for Bowser, said the new policy reflected the mayors decision to make permanent a moratorium on discretionary transfers for public officials children that she put in place in May. As the policy was being formulated, the mayor decided that the best way to ensure confidence in the process was to extend the prohibition permanently, Foster said. D.C. Public Schools press secretary Michelle Lerner said Wilson would not comment on the new rules beyond the written policy. She said the policy does not apply retroactively to public officials children who are already in placements facilitated by Henderson. The revelation of Hendersons special treatment for the children of public officials and some other associates outraged many District parents. In a city in which the quality of public schools varies widely, the lottery which enables families to seek access to schools outside their neighborhoods is an annual source of angst. D.C. Inspector General Daniel Lucas concluded that Henderson did not commit any crimes but had misused her authority by giving preference to some parents who requested placements that bypassed the lottery process. Among those Henderson helped were Snowden; City Administrator Rashad M. Young; former D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Roberto J. Rodriguez, a former staffer in the Obama White House. Snowden and Young have maintained that they did nothing improper, an assertion echoed by the mayor. Henderson, who resigned last year after six years heading DCPS, has dismissed the findings of the inspector generals report as an attempt to besmirch my personal and professional reputation. The citys ethics board is also conducting an investigation into Hendersons handling of school placements. Grosso, of the D.C. Council, had requested information about all special school placements dating to 2014, the year in which the citywide lottery was launched. In his response, Wilson said the school district had not kept systematic records of those placements but estimated that fewer than five had been made, beyond the seven described in the inspector generals report. None had been made since Henderson left office, Wilson said. Although I am disappointed that it appears better records were not kept of such requests dating back to 2014, I applaud the chancellor for establishing a policy to restore parents confidence in the common lottery process and utilize a more formal, transparent process for discretionary placements going forward, Grosso said in a statement. House Republicans are seeking to cut the Education Departments budget by $2.4 billion, or 3.5 percent a substantial reduction, although far smaller than the $9.2 billion in cuts that President Trump proposed. The House GOP also appears to have largely rejected Trumps proposals to expand private- and public-school choice, according to education advocates who have studied an Appropriations Committee bill released Wednesday afternoon. Expanding school choice is a key priority for the White House and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. One big takeaway is that people know that what the president pushed for is not at all feasible, said Kelly McManus, director of government affairs for the Education Trust, an advocacy organization that has been critical of Trumps education agenda. Trump had sought $1 billion to encourage public school districts to adopt choice-friendly policies, and another $250 million to expand private school voucher programs. The GOP budget bill appears to leave out both. Jennifer Hing, a spokeswoman for the Appropriations Committees Republican majority, declined to confirm that the two programs would not be funded, saying that would become clear next week when the committee publishes its bill report. House Republicans would increase funding for charter schools by $28 million, to $370 million. Trump had proposed a far larger bump to $500 million. A spokeswoman for the Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. [Trumps first full education budget: Deep cuts to public school programs in pursuit of school choice] Education advocates and Democrats who had decried Trumps proposed budget said that House Republicans spending plan is still unacceptable. It would cut more than $2 billion in grants for teacher training and class-size reduction, and would reduce after-school grants from $1.2 billion to $1 billion. Much of the departments K-12 funding would be unchanged. States would continue to receive about $15.9 billion in Title I funds to serve poor children, and the Office for Civil Rights would also be flat-funded at $108.5 million. There are also some proposed increases, including a $200 million bump in special-education grants to states and a total of $500 million an increase of $100 million for a grant program that schools can use for purposes ranging from counseling to advanced coursework. The House Appropriations subcommittee on labor, health and human services, education and related agencies is scheduled to mark up the budget bill Thursday afternoon. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) said the bill reflects Republican priorities to cut spending and focus investments in programs our people need the most. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, said that the proposed cuts would do long-lasting, irreversible harm to our most vulnerable students and communities. Graduation rates at D.C. schools have rapidly improved in the past five years, but other measures indicate students are not gaining the skills needed to be successful in college. Education experts are concerned that low scores on exams meant to gauge college preparedness and low college graduation rates for D.C. students indicate District schools are handing out diplomas to students who are not ready for postsecondary opportunities. The gap between college success and high school graduation is so vast that the D.C. State Board of Education will review graduation requirements to determine whether changes are needed to ensure students will be able to obtain a college degree or a job after graduating high school. I think its really important that we, as a city, discuss what we truly want the diploma to convey, said Laura Wilson Phelan, a State Board of Education representative for Ward 1 and the co-chair of the task force that will review the graduation rates. [Graduation rates climb to an all-time high at D.C. Public Schools] To earn a diploma, a student must complete 100 hours of community service and earn 24 credits, including four each in math, science, English and social studies. In 2016, 69 percent of seniors graduated within four years, up 10 percentage points from 2011 when 59 percent graduated within four years. But other data points do not show strong gains. About a quarter of students in the school system meet math and reading standards on the computerized Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams, which the District uses as a predictor of college readiness. Educators are also concerned that college graduation rates for D.C. students are low. In 2015, District officials estimated that 56 percent of students who graduated from high school in 2008 did not finish college within six years. Those statistics, along with the average SAT scores and the number of students passing Advanced Placement exams, concerned some members of the state board. It might be it has nothing to do with the graduation requirements themselves or it has a lot to do with the requirements, Wilson Phelan said. A spokeswoman for D.C. Public Schools declined to comment on the planned review. A spokeswoman for the D.C. Public Charter School Board, which oversees the Districts charters, did not return a request for comment. The state boards role in the District was dramatically altered after schools were put under mayoral control a decade ago. Instead of being the governing body for the school system, overseeing budgets and operations, the board now sets broad policies that govern graduation requirements, academic standards and teacher qualifications. [D.C. program aims to curb need for remedial college math] David Tansey, a math teacher at McKinley Technology High School, wants the board to emphasize mastery of content, rather than requiring more credits. Students are required to earn four math credits, and Tansey said math teachers like him often have to move their lessons along even if students do not understand all the concepts. How can we make sure students are mastering the content they are given, rather than just giving them more of it? Tansey said. We should set up graduation requirements that demand depth rather than breadth. The 26-member group plans to present recommendations by the end of February. MARYLAND Man charged in double slaying in Pr. Georges Prince Georges County police on Wednesday announced an arrest in a double homicide in District Heights and identified the victim in another fatal shooting in the city. Karon Moore, 20, of Forestville faces first-degree murder and related charges in the double slaying last week, police said. In that case, officers responded to a call reporting gunfire shortly before 1 a.m. July 6 in the 6600 block of Atwood Street. Officers found the two gunshot victims, Phillip Michael, 34, of Southeast Washington and Kenneth Edmonds, 31, of District Heights. The suspect and victims knew one another and were part of a larger group arguing before the shooting, police said. Prince Georges police also identified a man who was fatally shot early Tuesday in District Heights as Traumone Lesene, 29, of Southwest Washington. Lesene was found shortly after 2:30 a.m. in the 1500 block of Forest Park Drive, police said. The incident does not appear to have been random, police said, and they are investigating whether the shooting was self-defense. Lynh Bui VIRGINIA District man charged in ATV incident A D.C. man has been charged with driving violations in an incident involving dirt bikes and ATVs in Arlington County, authorities said. Stephon Williams, 24, has been charged with operating an ATV on the highway, reckless driving, felony eluding and other charges, according to Arlington County Police. The incident happened about 7:15 p.m. on April 9, when a police officer was trying to make a traffic stop in the 1200 block of N. Courthouse Road. The officer saw a large group of ATVs and dirt bikes headed west on Arlington Boulevard. The officer activated his in-car camera system and monitored the riders, police said. Dana Hedgpeth Police: Officer involved in Alexandria shooting A police officer in Alexandria was attacked by a suspected vandal and responded with gunfire Wednesday morning, officials said. The officer, a 34-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said. Alexandria Deputy Police Chief Shahram Fard said the officer was the first to respond to a report of car vandalism near N. St. Asaph and King streets in Old Town. She was attacked by the suspected vandal, he said, and in fear for her life fired her service weapon. No one was hit by the bullet. The suspect, Clyde Reynolds, 51, was taken into custody by other officers. Dana Hedgpeth Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose 2016 presidential campaign helped spark a national wave of progressive populism, came to the Washington suburbs on Thursday to endorse civil rights leader Benjamin Jealous for Maryland governor. With President Trump in the White House, we need more than ever, at the statewide level, a very different kind of leadership, Sanders (I-Vt.) told a cheering crowd of several hundred. And what Ben Jealous is about, he has a radical idea that maybe, just maybe, government should represent all of the people and not just the one percent. Jealous, the former head of the NAACP and Maryland chair of Sanderss campaign, is one of several Democrats vying for the nomination to challenge popular incumbent Gov. Larry Hogan (R). State Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, technology entrepreneur Alec Ross and attorney James Shea are running; Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, U.S. Rep. John Delaney and former state attorney general Doug Gansler are weighing bids. The race is likely to reflect many of the Democratic-party fissures that were on display in 2016, with progressive voters splitting from establishment Democrats over the direction of the party. And it will offer a window into the strength of the anti-Trump backlash among independent and Democratic voters, with Democrats hoping to grab the governors mansion back from a moderate Republican who for the most part has kept his distance from the 45th president. With just under a year until the primary, Jealous has so far drawn the most national attention. He was endorsed by Democracy for America even before he announced he was running. On Thursday, he won the backing of Our Revolution the progressive group Sanders formed after his presidential run and the Maryland branch of the American Postal Workers Union. Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous greeted supporters at a rally where he was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt). (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post) Sanders told his audience that Jealouss campaign was essentially an extension of his own. He said the candidate who supports a $15 minimum wage, free tuition at some public colleges and a state-run, single-payer health-care system understands the pain felt by single mothers who have trouble paying child care, or minimum-wage workers who spend 50 percent of their income on housing. He knows that when we stand together, we can do enormous things, Sanders said. It remains unclear how much weight Sanders carries among Maryland Democrats, who backed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary by a strong margin. The candidate Our Revolution endorsed in the recent Virginia gubernatorial primary, former congressman Tom Perriello, lost that race by a wide margin. But many in the crowd Thursday morning were clearly drawn by the senators presence. It was for Bernie, Kensington resident Irene Kelly, 67, said of her presence at the rally. She said she didnt know anything about Jealous, who is making his first run for public office, and spent part of the time before the event reading his Wikipedia page. Chris Bonilla, an 18-year-old from Glenmont, said he is intrigued by the progressive movement and came to the event because of Sanders. Bonilla walked away impressed by Jealous, however, and said he had texted his cellphone number to the campaign. Danielle Greene, a retired librarian from Falls Church, Va., said she made the hour-long drive to Silver Spring for a chance to hear Sanders in person. She left ready to contribute to Jealouss campaign. On Wednesday evening, Jealous, Madaleno, Baker and Kamenetz participated in a candidate forum in Silver Spring organized by Maryland Working Families and SEIU. Ross, Shea and Gansler were not invited. Delaney and Hogan were invited but did not attend. The groups said they sought the participation of candidates they believe have statewide name recognition and a strong base of support, and have shown a clear indication they are likely to run. Ross and Shea, who like Jealous are first-time candidates, took issue to being excluded from the forum, which was closed to reporters. The people should be allowed to decide this election, which is why its so disappointing that great national organizations, with proven progressive credentials, would deny their members the right to hear from all of the candidates a year before the primary, Shea said. Daniel Ensign, a spokesman for the Ross campaign, said the election should be about putting forward new ideas, meeting voters, and bringing new people into the process. A federal district court will try to decide whether to put a Maryland gerrymandering case on hold until the Supreme Court resolves a similar case involving Wisconsins legislative voting map. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Republican voters who claim their constitutional rights were violated when Maryland redrew its congressional districts six years ago return to federal court Friday to argue that their case should move forward, even as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a similar dispute involving Wisconsins legislative map. The plaintiffs in Benisek v. Lamone allege that Democratic leaders violated their First Amendment rights by using mapping software, voter-registration data and voting history to draw a 6th congressional district that would ensure a Democratic win. The seat has been held since 2012 by Rep. John Delaney (D). On Friday, the plaintiffs will ask a three-judge panel at the U.S. District Court in Baltimore for an immediate injunction that bars the state from using the voting map in 2018. Late last month, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming its arguments hinge on a single false premise: Individuals who affiliate with a party have a right to maintain electoral successes gained by their party under prior redistricting maps. Frosh said state officials involved in redrawing the boundaries intended to make the district more competitive for Democrats rather than trying to make it unwinnable for Republicans. He argued that the plaintiffs all registered Republican voters have failed to show that officials who changed the boundaries specifically intended to burden the representational rights of GOP voters. In a response to the court this week, the plaintiffs attorneys compared Froshs argument to saying a gambler playing with loaded dice intends only to enrich himself, and not to cheat the house. In defending Marylands maps, Frosh a Democrat in a majority-Democratic state is breaking with others from his party who are fighting to end gerrymandering in states where Republicans have an advantage, including Wisconsin. If you look at the statements of the Democratic attorney general in Maryland and the Republican attorney general of Wisconsin, their statements are the same, said former Wisconsin state senator Tim Cullen (D), who co-chairs the Fair Elections Project. Gerrymandering has to go, regardless of which party does it. The Maryland plaintiffs filed a brief this week that argues against putting their lawsuit on hold, saying it is different from the Wisconsin case, that the Supreme Court should have a chance to hear both cases alongside each other, and that they would suffer irreparable harm in the next election if the 6th District map is not struck down. Frosh wrote that a Supreme Court decision in the Wisconsin case would help settle and simplify many of the questions involved in Marylands lawsuit. In the Wisconsin case, a three-judge panel has ruled that the states GOP leadership violated voters First Amendment and equal-rights protections through partisan gerrymandering of the states legislative assembly districts. The Supreme Court has previously overturned voting maps on the basis of racial gerrymandering, ruling that such efforts violate the Voting Rights Act. But the justices have never agreed on a method for determining whether partisan manipulation of voting boundaries can restrict voters First Amendment rights. Gerrymandering opponents are hoping the Wisconsin plaintiffs have found an appropriate standard, which they call the efficiency gap. The approach, developed by two University of Chicago professors, tries to quantify each partys wasted votes those that are either above the threshold needed to elect a partys candidate or lost because voters from a particular party were placed in a district where their numbers are too small to make an impact. Dividing the difference between the two parties wasted votes by the total number of votes cast determines the efficiency gap. Proponents of the measure say the gap should be close to zero and not grow drastically through redistricting. The Maryland lawsuit does not rely on the efficiency gap standard. It involves a single congressional district, rather than the entire map for a state legislature. Maryland shifted more than 360,000 residents out of the 6th District in Western Maryland in 2011, and moved about the same number of people into the district from heavily Democratic Montgomery County. Before the new lines took effect, Republicans made up nearly 47 percent of registered eligible voters in the district, compared with about 36 percent for Democrats. After the change, Republicans made up 33 percent of registered eligible voters inside the boundary, compared with 44 percent for Democrats. Then-Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, a Republican who had consistently won reelection to the district by double-digit margins over two decades, lost the 2012 election to Delaney by 21 points, in what the plaintiffs attorneys called the single largest redistricting swing of any congressional district anywhere in the country. The plaintiffs legal team have deposed some of the states leading Democrats, including former governor Martin OMalley, House Speaker Michael E. Busch (Anne Arundel) and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (Calvert). During his deposition, OMalley, who led the 2011 redistricting effort, said it was certainly my hope, and it was part of my intent to reconfigure the 6th District so voters there would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican. Bush and Miller, in their depositions, denied that they sought to switch the district to the Democratic column. The speaker said he voted for and supported what I would believe was in the best interest of the citizens of the state. Both leaders also said they were largely unfamiliar with detailed data that their staffs received during the redistricting process, including metrics showing the chances of Democrats winning under various configurations of the districts. Miller said he didnt review the information and that it wasnt important to me. OMalley recently began advocating for nonpartisan commissions to draw voting maps. It is the same position espoused by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who proposed legislation last year and this year to that effect. Miller and Busch, whose party holds strong majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, have called for national or regional redistricting reform, saying they dont want Maryland to adopt an independent process while many Republican-dominated states continue gerrymandering. S. Allen Counter, left, with Audrey Mebane, a great-niece of poloar explorer Matthew Henson, shown in the photo in the center. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) S. Allen Counter, a Harvard scientist best known for championing the achievements of African American explorer Matthew Henson and for traveling to Greenland, where he found descendants of Henson and fellow polar explorer Robert E. Peary, died July 12. He was 73. Rakesh Khurana, dean of Harvard College, announced the death but provided no further details. Dr. Counter, a neurobiologist, joined the Harvard faculty in 1970 and later became a neurology professor at Harvard Medical School. He was also the longtime director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. In his academic work, Dr. Counter branched into ethnographic studies of African descendants around the world and produced award-winning documentaries about isolated populations of former slaves in Ecuador and Suriname (the former Dutch Guiana). There is no purer group of Africans in the Western hemisphere than those communities living along the rivers of the Suriname interior, Dr. Counter told New African magazine in 2009. These people have changed very little in 300 years. In many ways they were more African than many Africans today! S. Allen Counter, right, presenting the 2013 Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award to Malala Yousafzai at Harvard University. (Jessica Rinaldi/AP) As a child, Dr. Counter had learned about Henson, who was sometimes described as Pearys valet. In fact, they were near-equal partners during more than 20 years of Arctic expeditions that began in 1888. Henson spoke local Inuit languages better than Peary did and helped lead several journeys aimed at reaching the North Pole. Henson, Dr. Counter told The Washington Post in 1987, was simply my hero. On April 6, 1909, Henson helped raise the Stars and Stripes at or near the North Pole. Scholars have debated whether Henson and Peary actually reached the pole, but Dr. Counter was convinced they had. Peary was later promoted to the naval rank of rear admiral. After he died in 1920, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Henson died in poverty in 1955 and was buried in the Bronx. While studying in Sweden in the 1970s, Dr. Counter heard stories of dark-skinned residents of Greenland, possibly related to Henson. The only black man known to have interacted with the Eskimos was Henson, Dr. Counter told the New York Times in 1986, so I decided to track down his descendant. That year, he traveled to a small settlement in northern Greenland and was directed to one of the villages eight houses. I walked up to the house, Dr. Counter said later. An old man came out. I told him my name through the interpreter and said I was looking for the son of Mai Palug, which means Matthew the Kind One. He laughed and said it was he. His name was Anaukaq, and he had been born to an indigenous woman after Henson and Peary had visited the region. He was 80 years old and had five children and 22 grandchildren but, until he met Dr. Counter, had never met anyone with the same features and skin color. You must be a Henson who has come to look for me, he told Dr. Counter. Anaukaq also said that Peary had a son in Greenland, and Dr. Counter continued his journey until he found another 80-year-old man, Kali Peary. In 1987, Dr. Counter arranged for both men to visit the United States, where they were reunited with cousins they didnt know they had. Anaukaq died soon afterward. A year later, Dr. Counter arranged for Henson to be reinterred next to Peary at Arlington National Cemetery. Descendants of both explorers, from the United States and Greenland, attended the ceremony. Welcome to the company of your friend Robert Peary, Dr. Counter said. Welcome to a place always yours by right but denied you. Samuel Allen Counter Jr. was born July 8, 1944, in Americus, Ga., and grew up near West Palm Beach, Fla. His father was a business manager, and his mother was a nurse. Dr. Counter graduated in 1965 from Tennessee State University, a historically black institution, and five years later received a doctorate in neurobiology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He later obtained another doctorate, in medical science, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. In 1981, Dr. Counter was named the first director of the Harvard Foundation, which conducts programs for the universitys students and faculty on cross-cultural and international understanding. He remained director of the foundation, and a member of the medical school faculty, until his death. Dr. Counter had three daughters, but complete information about his survivors was not available. In 1991, Dr. Counter published a book about Henson, North Pole Legacy: Black, White and Eskimo. He said Henson and Peary both had long-term relationships with Inuit women during an expedition in 1905 and 1906. (Peary had a wife in the United States; Henson was single at the time.) The two women, who had children with the explorers, eventually married Inuit brothers and raised their half-American sons as cousins. They said their children, and their childrens children would sing songs of Matthew Henson, Dr. Counter said in 1992. He was more like them than anyone from the outside. Acting Capt. Anthony Haythe of D.C. polices homicide branch said the 26-year-old victim remains in critical but stable condition a week after the incident. (Clarence Williams/The Washington Post) D.C. police arrested an 18-year-old Northeast man Wednesday on charges that he intentionally drove a compact car into a transgender woman in the early-morning hours of July 5. The 26-year-old victim remains in critical but stable condition a week after sustaining multiple injuries when she was run down in the middle of the 400 block of K Street NE about 3:20 a.m., said Acting Capt. Anthony Haythe of the homicide branch. We believe the vehicle was used as a weapon. Our victims received some very serious injuries, Haythe said at a news conference Wednesday night. Detectives arrested Startwaune Anderson in the unit block of 56th Place NE Wednesday after police obtained an arrest warrant Monday. Authorities charged him with aggravated assault while armed. Her friends remain worried about her condition and her long-term recovery. The victim has endured a rough week and can communicate only by blinking her eyes, said Adriana Carter, a close friend of 12 years. Shes breathing better. It has been a very tough six days, Carter said in an interview. The accident happened in an area frequented by young people in the transgender community, activists said, but authorities dont know whether the incident was bias-related. Investigators say words were exchanged before the vehicular assault, but it was not immediately clear whether the driver or the victim had been arguing or knew each other. We cannot definitively say at this point that it was a hate crime. But we have not ruled that out and we are still investigating, Haythe said. Officials declined to release many details of the investigation until Anderson has his first court appearance. This crime should be a bias-related crime. Lets not kid ourselves, said Ruby Corado, founder of Casa Ruby, an LGBT organization that has helped the victim over the past several years. Corado said the victim has volunteered for the group and has been close to the community, especially the outreach manager. Were targets. Every summer we face violence right here in our own homes, Corado said. What we do know is someone is getting justice today, and that is the most important thing for us, given we still have to walk and live in this city. Police said they recovered the striking vehicle, which they described as a compact car with damage to the windshield. Investigators used surveillance video and witness statements to help obtain an arrest warrant, but still seek the publics help, Haythe said. From left, Backpage chief executive Carl Ferrer, former owner James Larkin, chief operating officer Andrew Padilla and former owner Michael Lacey are sworn in for a hearing on Capitol Hill about the companys alleged facilitation of online sex trafficking. (Cliff Owen/AP) Five members of Congress who head anti-human-trafficking groups called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to launch a criminal investigation of Backpage.com after a trove of documents revealed that the website hired a company in the Philippines to lure advertisers and customers seeking sex. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who lead a subcommittee that has investigated Backpage since 2015, along with Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) and Reps. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) demanded on Thursday that the Justice Department examine the classifieds site after information about the documents was reported by The Washington Post this week. Wagner and Maloney, co-chairs of a House task force on human trafficking, accused Backpage of knowingly advertising and financially benefiting from participation in sex trafficking. Backpage.com has long argued that it is a mere third-party platform with no responsibility for the sex trafficking ads that are posted on its website, the congresswomen wrote in a letter to Sessions. This is an utter lie. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Portman, found in January that Backpage was removing offensive terms from its sex ads but allowing the ads, some with possible child-trafficking content, to remain posted. The committee wrote to Sessions saying that it had determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that violations of law may have occurred. The newly revealed documents, obtained through an unrelated lawsuit, show workers at Avion BPO in the Philippines focused on adding and promoting sexual ads. In some instances the workers used language including Let a young babe show you the way and Little angel seeks daddy in fake ads they posted on other sites to attract customers to Backpage. [Backpage has always claimed it doesnt control sex-related ads. New documents show otherwise ] A Backpage attorney did not respond to a request for comment on the letter Thursday. In various court cases, Dallas-based Backpage has contended that it aggressively screens for improper ads and is legally protected by the federal Communications Decency Act, which shields website operators against liability for content posted by their users. Backpage has long claimed that it was not involved in the creation of content on its site. The company also has stressed that when police or federal agents request help with cases, it complies quickly. Backpage and some advocates say that having the ads in one location is preferable to having the ads dispersed to sites in countries with less enforcement. Wagner and Maloney have also proposed an alteration to the Communications Decency Act clarifying that the 1996 law was never intended to provide legal protection to websites that facilitate traffickers and enabling vigorous enforcement under both criminal and civil law for websites with content relating to sexual exploitation of children or sex trafficking. [16-year-old was found beaten, stabbed to death after being advertised as prostitute on Backpage] The bill was introduced in April and has 30 co-sponsors. It would also allow states to pursue criminal cases and victims to seek civil remedies. The Senate, whose Homeland Security Committee issued a scathing report on Backpage in January, is expected to introduce its own legislation. Both bills are certain to face serious opposition from those fearing abuse of the law and First Amendment violations that would inhibit the freedom of the Internet. In a speech on the Senate floor Thursday, Portman said he supported the Communications Decency Act but that it was not intended to protect people engaged in criminal activity. He cited the Post report as evidence that Backpage workers were active co-creators of many of these sex advertisements including those that seek to traffic women and underage girls. I believe the legal consequences should be that they should lose their immunity under the Communications Decency Act. And thats why weve asked the Justice Department today to review this matter. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Backpage is an online classified-ad site similar to Craigslist. In 2010, after Craigslist closed its adult services section under intense pressure, many of the ads migrated to Backpage. The ads now in Backpages dating section are seen by many as thinly veiled offers of prostitution, and underage women who have been trafficked on the site have come forward in recent years to detail their ordeals. In their letter to the attorney general, Wagner and Maloney urged Sessions to go after Backpage under an existing criminal law banning sex trafficking of children. We see no reason, the congresswomen wrote, why a criminal case should not be brought against Backpage.com for its criminal role in sex trafficking in America. Backpage has said that it uses automated filters and human moderators to remove ads potentially involving trafficking of minors and other illegal activity. A man charged with intentionally driving a stolen car into a transgender woman and critically injuring her last week in Northeast Washington was high on PCP and told police he had gone on an hours-long joyride, according to the arrest affidavit filed in court. The 26-year-old victim, who police said remains hospitalized on a respirator with injuries including internal bleeding in the brain, a punctured lung and a lacerated spleen, had volunteered with transgender advocacy groups. Police have charged Startwaune Anderson, 18, of Northeast with aggravated assault while armed. He lives in the Trinidad neighborhood, on the same street in which police said the vehicle a black 2014 Ford Focus hatchback was stolen and about half a mile from where the victim was struck while crossing the street in the early-morning hours. Transgender groups are calling on D.C. police to record the July 5 hit-and-run at Fourth and K streets Northeast as a hate crime, based on accounts from three witnesses that a man solicited the victim for sex before the crash and threatened to return with a gun when he was rejected. Two witnesses told police the man was a passenger in the striking vehicle; another said he was the driver. But the arrest affidavit says the witnesses, friends of the victim, may have confused two unrelated incidents. Police wrote that they found no evidence Anderson had an encounter with the victim before the 3:20 a.m. crash. Acting Capt. Anthony Haythe of the D.C. police homicide unit said Wednesday that we cannot definitively say at this point that it was a hate crime. The captain did say that we have not ruled that out, and we are still investigating. He added, We believe the vehicle was used as a weapon. What we do know is someone is getting justice today, and that is the most important thing for us, given we still have to walk and live in this city, said Ruby Corado, founder of Casa Ruby, an LGBT organization that has helped the victim over the past several years. A D.C. Superior Court judge ordered Anderson detained until a preliminary hearing on Friday. His attorney did not respond to interview requests. According to the affidavit, Anderson found car keys on a sidewalk outside his home on Morse Street and clicked them until he found the matching vehicle. He admitted to police on July 7 to smoking PCP-laced marijuana and other drugs, the court document says. At first, the affidavit says, Anderson told police he went on a joyride and may have struck a trash bin. Police said surveillance video recorded near the crash scene shows the car speeding up as it turns a corner, seconds before the victim was struck. Just before impact, which was not captured on the video, police said the sound picked up two engine revs, indicating that the driver is rapidly accelerating. The court document also says the driver changed lanes, lining up with the victim. Police said that after the crash, the driver sped away but later stopped to change a flat tire. The affidavit says the driver slept in the car for a bit and then resumed his ride, stopping after hitting a fence at Gallaudet University on West Virginia Avenue shortly before 10 a.m. Police said the car had blood on it and a damaged passenger-side windshield. Witness descriptions led police to Anderson. Police said Anderson told them he was alone in the car and may have hit a fence. I think I crashed, the affidavit quotes him saying. A detective then told Anderson, the affidavit says, that he hit something more important than a fence. The court document says Anderson replied: Did I hit a person, did I hit a tree? Police said Anderson then said, It was either a car or a Dumpster. It was red or something. I wasnt that f------ high to hit a f------ person. I know how to drive. Police said the victim was wearing a red dress. Darrin Branch, coordinator of greek life at Bowie State University, places a photograph of Richard Collins III, center, standing with his aunt and uncle, before a memorial service for him in Bowie, Md., on May 22. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post) A Prince Georges County grand jury indicted a Maryland man on one count of murder in the stabbing of a Bowie State University student that is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The indictment, issued Thursday against Sean Urbanski, 22, comes nearly two months after Richard Collins III was killed visiting the University of Maryland campus in College Park. Local and federal law enforcement said they are still sifting through evidence to decide whether Urbanski should also be charged with a hate crime a determination expected in the coming weeks. Developing a motive is always a challenging . . . and in this case and every other case, we cant get it wrong, Angela Alsobrooks, the states attorney for the county, said in announcing the murder charge Thursday. [Salutes and a folded flag at funeral for Bowie State student killed in possible hate crime] Collins was visiting two friends at U-Md. on May 20 when Urbanski approachedthem at a bus stop around 3 a.m., police said. Urbanski told Collins to move, police said, and Collins refused. Urbanski, who is white, then pulled a knife and stabbed Collins, an African American, in a totally unprovoked attack, police said. Urbanski fled but was later found near the scene of the stabbing with a folding knife in his pocket, police said. The incident was captured on video, prosecutors said. He was simply standing with friends when, completely unprovoked, he was repeatedly stabbed at the bus stop, Alsobrooks said. Collinss slaying came during what should have been a time of celebration for the young man, who was to graduate from Bowie State days later and had recently been commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. Urbanskis attorney, who did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, said previously that drugs and alcohol may have played a role in the incident. [Authorities investigating whether U.-Md. stabbing death was a hate crime] The possibility of drugs and alcohol in Urbanskis system are still aspects of our investigation that were not prepared to discuss, Alsobrooks said. When reached Thursday, a spokesman for the Collins family said they would not be commenting on the indictment. If Urbanski is convicted, Alsobrooks said her office would seek the maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Collinss killing drew national attention and outcry. Urbanskis association with a Facebook group that is called Alt-Reich: Nation stoked concerns of a possible hate crime amid heightened racial tensions at the University of Maryland and at other colleges across the country. Authorities said the group posted racist and inflammatory material, but one of the sites creators told the media that the page was intended to be satire. In response to Collinss slaying, the University of Maryland announced a number of initiatives intended to review how the college investigates, reports and prevents hate crimes. [Hateful acts may be rising, but will court cases follow?] Initially, authorities said it didnt appear that the stabbing was racially motivated, but they later enlisted the FBIs help after finding Urbanskis link to the social media page. Alsobrooks said law enforcement officials still have quite a bit of evidence to go through as they determine possible hate-crime charges. Urbanski had multiple digital devices that will take time to analyze, she said. If authorities determine that Collinss killing was racially motivated, prosecutors can request a superseding indictment from the grand jury to charge Urbanski with a hate crime. Because we appreciate and respect that this family deserves to know as best we can why this happened to their son, its important for us to get it right, Alsobrooks said. The why is something we all want to know. Streaks of light from planes landing are shown in this long exposure photograph of the control tower at National Airport. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Oh, those Texans are at it again. This time its Rep. Henry Cuellar (D) who is drawing the ire of his counterparts from the District, Maryland and Virginia by seeking a special exception to the rule that limits the distance that flights can travel to and from Reagan National Airport. Its not necessarily a new fight: National, with its prime location just five miles from the Capitol, has long been the preferred airport for members of Congress. And the regions congressional delegation has grown accustomed to beating back attempts to tinker with the strict rules that govern how many and how far flights can travel to and from the airport. [NoVa. delegation to Congress: hands off Reagan National] But the latest salvo comes with a new twist: Instead of tacking it onto a transportation-related spending bill as in previous years, Cuellar offered it as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, a measure to fund the Defense Department. An airplane takes off from National Airport as Glen Briscoe holds a large umbrella while watching boats come and go at Gravelly Point on Sunday July 09, 2017 in Arlington, VA. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post) (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) The justification appears to be that establishing such a route would help wounded veterans in need of care at specialized facilities. Members of the Washington-regions delegation, including Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), however, see it as an end-run around established rules. It is not only the nature of the amendment that is unsettling to us it is deeply troubling that the offerers seek to take unprecedented action to use the NDAA as the vehicle for such controversial changes, they wrote in a letter to leaders of the House Rules Committee. The group added that a battle over the amendment could complicate passage of the defense funding bill. Cuellars amendment would not add a flight. It simply seeks to convert a current in perimeter flight to an outside perimeter one. It does not specify an airport or route. It refers only to a medium hub, small hub or non-hub airport located: . . . within 25 miles of a military medical center, an extremity injury and amputee center of excellence, as defined by the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2009, or a traumatic brain injury or burn treatment facility. Those familiar with the measure say that facilities in only two regions meet that criteria one near D.C. and one near San Antonio International Airport. Its certainly clever, said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), noting that while the amendment does have a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, they all happen to be from Texas. Cuellar did not return requests for comment on the amendment. National and Dulles International are unique among U.S. airports in that they are the federal governments only commercial airports. While they are operated and managed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), Congress can still step in to make changes and has in the past. A boy(C) gets an airplane ride from his nanny Celeste Pierrot (L) as his sister plays in Gravelly Point Park as planes land at National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on June 29, 2017. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images) In 1999, an attempt by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to do away with the perimeter rule all together was killed. But the perimeter has been extended twice in 1981, when it was extended to 1,000 miles, and in 1986, when it was extended to its current 1,250 miles. Last year, Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.) offered an amendment in the House Transportation Committee that would have expanded the perimeter to 1,425 miles. Farenthold acknowledged that the expansion he proposed would allow for direct flights to his home town, Corpus Christi, which is 1,384 miles from National. The attempt failed, but Farenthold good-naturedly warned, This is an issue about which well hear again. [House member withdraws bid to add flights at Reagan National] Texas lawmakers, particularly those from San Antonio, have long been eager to establish direct service from National to their hometown airport but have been thwarted because the airport is 131 miles outside of Nationals current perimeter. A transportation issue paper by a group of San Antonio-area chambers of commerce noted that San Antonio is the largest medium-sized market outside of the perimeter to not have nonstop access to DCA. MWAA officials said there is no need to add an additional direct flight to National. San Antonio already has several nonstop flights from Dulles International Airport, an MWAA spokeswoman said. We believe the Reagan National perimeter statute combined with slot controls ensures that communities of all sizes remain economically viable routes for direct service to Reagan National. It is important to note that the addition of flights to San Antonio from Reagan National Airport is a familiar issue for the Airports Authority that has been opposed over the years through vigorous bipartisan efforts spanning jurisdictions inside and outside the perimeter. For D.C.-area lawmakers, the fight to maintain the status quo at National has grown more urgent because of concerns about the future of Dulles. In recent years, passenger traffic has lagged at Dulles in part because of changes that have allowed more long-distance flights at National. In 2015, the number of passengers traveling through National surpassed the number using Dulles an airport more than 10 times larger. [Dulles struggles to find its footing] The impacts of additional modifications to existing law could financially destabilize Dulles International at a time when the airport is still recovering from previous slot and perimeter operations and external economic forces, the regions lawmakers wrote. They added that there is no direct or indirect cause to show that changing the Slot or Perimeter rules would improve our national security. MWAA also has had to deal with a growing number of noise complaints tied to flights at National. Beyer said the vast majority of calls to his office are about airplane noise. No Member of Congress appreciates another representative meddling with the asset in their state or district. We, too, strongly oppose any attempts by other Members to dictate operations at these airports for their own personal convenience at great cost to our communities and constituents, they wrote. The U.S. Department of Transportation has closed a complaint alleging that Maryland officials discriminated against African Americans when they canceled a long-planned light-rail line in Baltimore in 2015, according to a letter sent to state officials Thursday. The federal agency will administratively close the complaint without finding, according to the letter sent to Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn. Federal officials have been investigating two complaints, which were consolidated into one, alleging that African Americans in Baltimore suffered disparate impacts when Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) canceled the Red Line project and diverted its funding to road projects in mostly white, rural areas of the state. The 14-mile light-rail line would have served lower-income, African American communities in the city. The complaints were filed in December 2015 by two African American Baltimore residents and civil rights groups, who alleged that the Red Lines cancellation was part of a history of racial discrimination in Maryland transportation funding decisions. [Federal officials review Marylands civil rights compliance in transportation] Hogan called the Red Line a wasteful boondoggle that would have cost far more than its estimated $2.9 billion construction budget. The letter signed by Charles E. James Sr., director of the U.S. Transportation Departments civil rights office, did not say why the case was being closed beyond saying it was the appropriate course of action. Ajmel Quereshi, an attorney for one of the complainants, called the letter extremely disappointing. With the stroke of a pen, this administration just killed the complaint without any finding or explanation at all, said Quereshi, senior counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This letter just says were going to close the complaint because we can. Its brazen and disrespectful to the people of Baltimore and insulting to African Americans in Baltimore and throughout the state of Maryland. James wrote that the agency will continue a broader review of the Maryland Transportation Departments compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in programs that receive federal aid. [Hogans decisions cause rift with Baltimore leaders] Quereshi said such reviews arent as thorough as the complaint investigative process and often only require states to show that they have a Title VI plan. Moreover, he said, the complainants will not have any say in the review, as they did in the complaint investigation. Rahn called the letter self-explanatory. If there are any issues in the compliance review, USDOT will discuss those with us, Rahn said in a written statement. This review will complement our recent comprehensive MDOT-wide Title VI plan we submitted to USDOT this spring. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), center, talks with then-Democratic congressional nominee Tammy Duckworth, right, at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Durbin and Duckworth, who is also a senator from Illinois now, are co-sponsoring legislation to require polygraphs for new hires at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Custom Enforcement. (Joe Raedle/GETTY IMAGES) As the Trump administration prepares to hire thousands of border and immigration agents, two Senate Democrats have filed a bill that would make lie detector tests mandatory at both agencies. The bill would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to continue testing all incoming agents, a month after the House voted to allow some law enforcement and military candidates to skip the test. Additionally, the measure would mandate polygraph testing at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It would subject agents at both Homeland Security agencies to continued testing on a targeted and random basis. Sens. Richard J. Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both of Illinois, said they filed the bill in response to President Trumps request for funding to hire thousands of officers to both agencies. Polygraph tests are already routine in the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Our nations border and immigration enforcement officers must be held to the same standard of integrity as other federal law enforcement, Durbin said in a statement. This legislation would require just that. President Trump has called for an additional 5,000 border agents and 10,000 ICE agents. In June, the House passed a bill that would allow Customs and Border Protection to more speedily hire agents by waiving the mandatory lie detector test for applicants with military and law enforcement backgrounds. Backers said the bill would alleviate staffing shortages at CBP, but critics worry it could lead to a spike in corruption cases. Hundreds of CBP employees have been arrested for misconduct since fiscal 2005, prompting Congress to mandate polygraph tests for the agency in 2010. Federal officials note that the corruption cases represent a small fraction of their overall workforce, but lawmakers say the cases are disturbing nonetheless. Some Democrats, particularly those from the southern border, have supported adding flexibility to the hiring process. The unions representing ICE and CBP employees have been vocal in their support for Trumps policies and endorsed his candidacy for president. Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie, center, listens to John Adams, GOP candidate for Virginia attorney general, as the pair meet with community leaders in Winchester, Va., to discuss the opioid crisis. (Jeff Taylor/AP) Ed Gillespie, though still reticent on GOP plans to overhaul Obamacare, on Wednesday suggested he would like to see funding added to address the nations opioid crisis. The Republican nominee for Virginia governor said efforts by Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to add opioid funding to the Senate bill could advance his own plan for addressing addiction in Virginia. I had a conversation with Rob Portman, whos a friend, whos been a champion on this in the Congress, Gillespie said. And he is working to get funding for combating opioids in the Senate plan. . . . Theyre working on the plan. Knowing Rob I know how effective he is I wouldnt be surprised if that ended up back in there. [Sen. Rob Portman voices real concerns with bills Medicaid cuts] Gillespie made the remark at a campaign stop at a Richmond drug-recovery facility, where he touted an opioid plan he had rolled out a day earlier. His comment came in response to a question about whether there was anything in the Republican health-care bills that could further his plan. But he avoided commenting on the Senate bill as a whole. Do you have it? he said, laughing, when asked where he stood on it. I dont either. Gillespie has not taken a stand on the House bill, although he has expressed concerns about it, which he repeated Wednesday. He said he thinks Virginia and other states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act should not be punished for being fiscally responsible. He also wants protections for people with preexisting medical conditions. And he wants costs to come down. [Gillespie, Republican vying to be Va. governor, gilled on health care in BBQ visit] Gillespie appeared at The Healing Place, a residential recovery facility, along with John Adams, the Republican candidate for attorney general. They used the visit to draw attention to his plan to stem opioid addiction, which now kills more Virginians than car crashes and gun violence combined, as Chesterfield County Sheriff Karl Leonard noted at the event. Gillespies proposal ranges from philosophical pronouncements Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing and Recognize multiple pathways to recovery to highly specific, nuts-and-bolts prescriptions, such as, Encourage the use of [health-care] navigators to assist front-line nonprofits and other charitable institutions who help individuals seek treatment. Other aspects of his plan include: Work to expand same day services for recovery from substance use disorders and co-occurring related disorders. Encourage our higher education system to assist students in recovery or those struggling with addiction through the opening of sober dorms and collegiate recovery programs. Ensure any Virginians on probation or parole can seek help in obtaining treatment through their probation or parole officer without fear of further prosecution or incarceration. Encourage the establishment of additional drug courts. Reform drug laws to ensure penalties align with the crime committed. Gillespie said costs of the plan would probably be covered by savings generated when addicts are diverted from jails Leonard said it costs $42,000 a year to lock someone up in Chesterfield to programs like The Healing Place, which costs just over $7,000 a year. Gillespie is seeking to succeed term-limited Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who ran on a promise to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act but has been blocked by the GOP-controlled legislature. His Democratic opponent is Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who supported expansion and contends that would have done more than Gillespies plan to address opioid addiction. Northam, a pediatric neurologist, also supported the addition of a new addiction-services benefit to the states 1 million Medicaid patients. It took effect April 1. This administration has worked hard to address gaps in mental health and substance-abuse coverage through focusing on intervention and recognizing there are multiple pathways to recovery, Northam said in a written statement. Im glad Ed has decided to come to the table and endorse this important work. Unfortunately, he still refuses to support expanding Medicaid, which could provide $300 million a year for mental health and substance-abuse programs. An electric car company founded by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) failed to deliver on its economic promises and should repay nearly $6.4 million to the state of Mississippi, that states auditor said in a report issued Thursday. The GreenTech manufacturing facility, announced with great fanfare in 2009 after McAuliffe fell short in an earlier bid to be Virginias governor, never lived up to the promises it made as a condition of receiving public funding, said Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering. Pickering, a Republican, said last week that the company should repay money to the state and issued the report Thursday to back that up. His demand was first reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. [GreenTech formula has made big profits for McAuliffe] In Thursdays report, Pickering said the company missed a number of targets. It defaulted on its loan agreement, making only one payment, and invested $43 million after promising to invest $60 million. The auditor said he determined that the electric car plant, built in one of the poorest counties in Mississippi, at its peak created 94 new, active, full-time jobs but had promised to create 350. And the report said that GreenTech didnt submit proper data that would allow the state to determine whether it lived up to a promise of providing an average salary of $35,000. Pickering said the company was required to provide that and other documentation under its agreement with the state of Mississippi, but that GreenTech refused to do so. The state had to obtain a subpoena to get its documentation. McAuliffe once touted the company as evidence of his entrepreneurial skill. He courted investors in China, using a special immigrant visa program. But McAuliffe left the company late in 2012 to make his successful run for governor. A spokesman said Thursday that McAuliffe has not had any affiliation with GreenTech since before he was elected. Hes been focused on running the Commonwealth and creating economic opportunity for the people of Virginia. He doesnt have any knowledge or comment about the companys issues in Mississippi. GreenTech moved its headquarters last year to Sterling, Va., and did not immediately respond to email and phone messages. NEW JERSEY Organizer of bridge scheme gets no prison A former political blogger and high school classmate of Gov. Chris Christies who orchestrated the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane-closing scheme in a political vendetta was sentenced Wednesday to three years of probation, the likely final act in a scandal that swallowed Christies presidential hopes and contributed to his political decline. David Wildstein also was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and banned from working in government. Wildstein, of Sarasota, Fla., faced 21 to 27 months in prison under a plea agreement, but federal prosecutors asked that he get only probation after his testimony last fall helped convict former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly and Wildsteins former supervisor, former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive Bill Baroni. The three were charged with closing access lanes to the bridge, among the busiest in the world, during a week in September 2013 to cause massive gridlock in Fort Lee, whose Democratic mayor had declined to endorse the Republican governors reelection. Wildstein was the recipient of an email from Kelly that said, Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee. Wildstein took aim at Christie in a statement to the court Wednesday. All three of us put our faith in a man who neither earned it nor deserved it, Wildstein said. I willingly drank the Kool-Aid of a man Id known since I was 15 years old. Wildstein and Christie attended Livingston High School, outside Newark. Kelly was sentenced in March to 18 months in prison, and Baroni was sentenced to 24 months. They have appealed their convictions. Christie has denied he knew of the plot and was not charged. His spokesman, Brian Murray, continued to blame Wildstein after the sentencing. Mr. Wildstein devised this outrageous scheme all by himself, coerced others to participate in it and then turned himself in to avoid imprisonment for the crimes he has admitted to committing, Murray said. Associated Press ALABAMA Court allows minors abortion after rape An Alabama court said Wednesday that a 12-year-old girl who was impregnated by a relative can have an abortion without a parents consent. The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled in favor of a girl seeking a waiver from a state law requiring that minors get parental consent before an abortion. The girls name and county arent given in the opinion, which refers to her only as anonymous. The decision says a relative now charged with statutory rape got the girl pregnant, and the girl was removed from her home after her mother reacted violently. The girl does not know her father. The girl sought a waiver from the parental consent law, but a district attorney objected. A family court judge approved the waiver last month and the appeals court agreed. Associated Press OKLAHOMA Man accused in bomb blast was in Air Force A 28-year-old man facing federal charges in a pipe bomb explosion outside an Air Force recruiting center in Oklahoma had been enlisted in that branch of the military and was decorated for his service, a military official said Wednesday. Oklahoma Air National Guard Capt. Jennifer Proctor said the suspect, Benjamin Don Roden, enlisted for Air Force active duty in April 2012 and joined the states Air National Guard in October 2014. Proctor said that Roden had been a senior airman whose job involved fire protection, but that he was discharged from the Tulsa-based 138th Fighter Wing in April. She did not provide a reason for his discharge. According to the arrest report, Roden faces federal charges of possession of explosive materials and destruction of government property in the blast Monday night in a commercial area in the Tulsa suburb of Bixby. The recruiting center was closed at the time and no one was hurt, although the office door was blown off in the explosion. Associated Press New York has $32 million plan to reduce rat population: New York City on Wednesday announced a $32 million, multiagency plan to reduce its rat population. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the plan targets rats in the Grand Concourse area of the Bronx; Chinatown, the East Village and the Lower East Side in Manhattan; and the Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant areas of Brooklyn. By September, the city will start installing solar compactors with rat-resistant openings and replacing wire wastebaskets with steel cans. In February, health officials said one person had died and two others were severely sickened in the Bronx due to a rare disease transmitted by rats. In 2014, a Columbia University doctoral student estimated the number of rats in the city at 2 million. Associated Press In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a temporary travel ban on refugees entering the United States and a hold on travelers from certain Muslim-majority countries. (CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS) The United States surpassed the Trump administrations 50,000-person cap on refugee admissions Wednesday, as a group of about 160 people landed in airports across the country to begin new lives. All refugees scheduled to fly July 12 were admitted to ensure an orderly, effective implementation of the 50,000 cap, according to a State Department statement. The United States had admitted 50,086 refugees since October as of Wednesday afternoon. The 50,000-person limit set by President Trump is less than half the number of refugees that had been authorized by President Barack Obama and Congress for this fiscal year, ending September 30. Trump ordered the cap as part of a January executive order that also sought to suspend the entire refugee resettlement program for 120 days. The order, which also called for a temporary ban on the entry of citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries, was blocked in multiple iterations by federal courts. The Supreme Court ruled last month that a partial version of Trumps order could take effect, allowing for the 50,000-person limit on refugees. [Travel ban takes effect as State Department defines close family] The cap isnt a hard line, however. The Supreme Court ruled that people with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity in the United States could still enter, a standard that the administration has since defined to mean those with immediate family in the United States. Beginning July 13, only those individuals who have a credible claim to a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States will be eligible for admission through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the State Department said in a statement. The president has broad authority to set the number of refugees resettled in the United States, and its unclear at what number the administration will set the cap in fiscal year 2018. The White House did not immediately return requests for comment. As of Wednesday, more than 50,000 refugees remained outside the United States at some stage in the U.S. refugee resettlement process, said Michael Knowles, the president of AFGE Local 1924, the union that represents United States Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Department of Homeland Security. It is unclear how many of them would meet the administrations bona fide relationship requirement. Among Wednesdays arrivals were a Syrian family of three who landed in New England and a Congolese couple who landed in the Midwest, none of whom would have made it into the country had they been scheduled to arrive one day later, said Mark Hetfield, the president of HIAS, the resettlement agency that handled their cases. The families would have been denied entry because neither has immediate relatives in the United States. Hetfield said some refugees scheduled to arrive in coming days have had their flights canceled despite having completed the governments vetting process because they dont meet the new restrictions. That includes a man from Ukraine who had been approved to be resettled as a refugee in the United States, joining his grandmother, Hetfield said. Grandmothers dont count as providing a bona fide relationship under the administrations guidelines. [Refugee processing has ground to a halt: A group of senators wants to know why] Homeland Security officials and refugee resettlement advocates have said the U.S. governments refugee admissions program a process of applications and background checks by multiple agencies that can take months or years already had largely ground to a halt since January. Theyre doing death by procedure, Becca Heller, the director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, which has sued the federal government over the restrictions, said of the administration. Theyve realized they can just use bureaucracy to delay so long that no one ever gets in, de facto. HIAS and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, two of the biggest resettlement groups, said they had travel bookings scheduled for the next few weeks, but none beyond that. The State Department has also notified resettlement agencies that there will be a temporary pause before the government starts booking additional refugees for travel. Youre going to have a significant slowdown. Youre going to have far fewer people arriving in the next four months, and were basically waiting to see how fast the guidance around bona fide relationships can get put into travel packages and then accepted at the airports, said Kay Bellor, the vice president for programs at one of the resettlement groups, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, which handled 18 of Wednesdays arrivals. Right now we have booking dates through August 15. So were assessing whether were going to need cancellations, she added. AFTER WE learned that Donald Trump Jr. said he would love to receive campaign help from the Russian government, it was pointed out that Russia is a hostile power. This is true, but what does it mean? Its worth revisiting the question, because the answer has a lot to do with what Russian President Vladimir Putin stood to gain by interfering in the United States 2016 presidential election. Hostile, in this case, doesnt mean that Russia and the United States are about to go to war. In theory, their interests shouldnt even diverge all that much. They are two continental powers on opposite sides of the world with no territorial disputes (though the melting of Arctic ice may change that). They share a fear of Islamist terrorism. What makes Russia hostile is Mr. Putins adherence to, and dependence on, a set of values that are antithetical to what have been, at least until now, bedrock American values. He favors spheres of influence over self-determination; corruption over transparency; and repression over democracy. His antipathy toward Hillary Clinton was not personality-driven but based on her advocacy of values that would threaten his rule. [Get off the Trump train before it crashes] Its sometimes hard for Americans to understand the gulf between the two nations because Mr. Putin has maintained the trappings of democracy a parliament, national elections even as he has made them meaningless by shuttering most independent media and eliminating most political opposition. The state now serves Mr. Putin and his cronies, who have become immensely wealthy, rather than the reverse. When people try to expose the corruption, they are imprisoned or killed (or both, as in the case of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky). When Mr. Putin stakes out any position, the first question on his mind is not Is this good for Russia? but rather: Will this help my regime to survive? (Adriana Usero,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post) Ukraine, which like Russia was part of the Soviet Union, provides a useful example. This is a country the size of France that lies between Russia and the rest of Europe. When it started to move in a more democratic direction, Mr. Putin felt threatened on two counts. First, a democratic Ukraine would not be as open to plunder as one ruled by oligarchs; second, if a democratic Ukraine prospered, it might give ordinary Russians dangerous ideas. Ms. Clinton, as secretary of state and after, supported Ukraines democratic aspirations. Mr. Putin invaded the country, seized part of its territory and initiated an ugly civil war that helps keep Ukraine from prospering. [The lights go out on the Republican Party] It may be true that Mr. Putins hacking and fake-news campaign began as an effort simply to damage Ms. Clintons reputation on her road to the White House or to make the democratic process look as ugly as possible. But along the way, Mr. Putin must have realized that Donald Trumps policies aligned with his values more than he could have dared expect from any American candidate. Mr. Trump disparaged democratic allies and alliances while expressing admiration for dictators. He appeared willing to mingle private business with public duties in unprecedented ways, while elevating family members in the style of a Central Asian caesar. At home, he echoed Mr. Putin in his cynical disparagement of a free press, his celebration of violence at his rallies, and his ugliness toward Muslims, Mexicans and others he perceived or portrayed as outsiders. So while the younger Mr. Trump may have seen advantage in accepting Russias help, Russia certainly would have seen an advantage in proffering it. Mr. Putins values are antithetical to American values, but the Russian dictator had good reason to hope that they would not be antithetical to the values of a Trump administration. Ash Carter, U.S. defense secretary from 2015 to 2017, is director of Harvards Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and an MIT innovation fellow. After months of tough urban combat, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory Monday over the Islamic State in its last strategic stronghold in Iraq. Iraqis celebrated in the streets, and Americans should cheer as well. The liberation of Mosul and the inevitable, approaching liberation of Raqqa in Syria will not be the end of the Islamic State and its evil ideology. But they crush the groups pretense to having an actual state based upon it. As its surviving leaders scurry to the corners of the desert, no longer can they claim to head a winning movement. Their defeat diminishes the inspiration for violent extremists, or simply lost souls on social media, to attack Americans and our friends. This is a necessary step forward in combating terrorism. Americans are safer for it. The credit for liberating Mosul should go to the brave Iraqi forces who carried out the fight, as well as to the Kurdish peshmerga forces. But credit is also due to the superb execution by U.S. and coalition forces of the military campaign plan to train, equip and enable Iraqi security forces put in motion more than a year ago. Conducting the campaign in this way was strategically necessary to set the conditions for a truly lasting defeat of the Islamic State. An alternative would have been to use U.S. ground forces from the get-go. But this would have ceded our military advantage to the enemy in the urban terrain of a foreign country, and it might also have induced some who are helping the campaign (or at least sitting on the sidelines) to join the enemy. Finally, it would have left the problem of post-conflict stabilization and governance unresolved. History has shown this task is difficult for outsiders to accomplish. Importantly, credit goes to my successor, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford for not only continuing this military campaign but also continuing to seek ways to accelerate it. And then there are the superb military commanders: the U.S. Central Commands Joe Votel, campaign leaders Sean McFarland and Steve Townsend, and a host of others. While theres much to celebrate in the fall of Mosul, we also need to steel ourselves for the road ahead. The defeat of the Islamic State in Mosul and Raqqa is necessary but not sufficient. At this stage, I am less concerned about the military campaign in Iraq than the political and economic campaigns that must follow. Unless Iraqis are satisfied with what comes next, there will be a slide back to chaos and radicalism. I also believe that a sustained U.S. military presence will be needed in order to improve Iraqi security forces and enable them to keep the peace. Coalition partners are essential: Italy, for example, is superb at training police. Gulf Arab states can make a major contribution to lasting security in their own region by providing critical economic assistance. Syria will be even more complex. Among the most important decisions that the Trump administration has made was approving the provision of arms and training to Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces to lay siege to Raqqa. This was controversial because Turkey opposed such a move, but it is the only viable option for liberating Raqqa. While the final decision did not occur during the Obama administration, I strongly supported backing the SDF, including the Kurds. Now, the Islamic States days in Raqqa are numbered. Going forward, however, it will be important that we continue to reassure Turkey, a NATO ally, by holding the SDF to its commitments. Russia has played no constructive role in these impending U.S.-led victories. President Vladimir Putin sent forces into western Syria under the pretense of fighting terrorism and inducing a political transition away from the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad. Putin did neither. Any broader U.S. cooperation with Russia beyond deconflicting military operations would require Moscow to meet conditions that it has never met. The United States should avoid being enticed by new Putin gambits along the same lines. Elsewhere, and for some time to come, the fight against extremist terrorism will need to continue. In Afghanistan, for example, I was grateful to President Barack Obama for approving my and Dunfords recommendations first to delay drawing down, and then to increase, the U.S. forces advising and assisting Afghan forces and the government of President Ashraf Ghani. I strongly support continuing efforts to improve security there. Its not just that we cannot allow Afghanistan once again to become a base for attacking the United States; theres also the upside of maintaining a security partnership in a region of strategic importance. We will need to maintain our resolve to achieve a lasting defeat of the Islamic State. But for now lets thank our troops and their commanders. Lets thank the Iraqis and the Syrian forces taking on the terrorist group. The world should note that no country but the United States could have led such a coalition to victory. Thats a fitting rejoinder to anyone who believes our internal disarray and partisan politics are reason to doubt U.S. staying power. The July 8 editorial A needed meeting, but not an honor agreed with the principle of U.S. and Russian leaders meeting and working out their differences, especially on Syria. The editorial board also was leery of Russian President Vladimir Putins thuggery. If nothing comes of this meeting save an agreement on de-escalation in Syria, it was worth the time and effort. The Syrian situation is a blight on all humanity. President Barack Obamas inaction prolonged the Bashar al-Assad regimes reign and allowed the crisis to spiral out of control. Say what you may about President Trump, but he acted when the Syrian regime allegedly used chemical weapons. Mr. Trump ordered a cruise-missile attack. While the response may have been only symbolic, imagine the message he would have sent had he done nothing. Though there is no moral equivalence between ineffective Islamist opposition tactics and systemic regime oppression, both sides have blood on their hands. They may be guilty to varying degrees, but their constituencies have legitimate grievances that should be addressed through talks monitored by the United States and Russia. I trust Mr. Trump to get this issue right. Mr. Obama may have been elected with a mandate of non-interference, but he took it too far in Syria. Ayman Hakki, Falls Church Jonathan Gruber is the Ford professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, director of the Health Care Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research and president of the American Society of Health Economists. He consulted with the Obama administration and Congress on the drafting of the Affordable Care Act. Angela Kilby is an assistant professor of economics at Northeastern University and a postdoctoral fellow in aging and health economics at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Over the past two decades, the number of Americans dying each year from opioid overdoses has quadrupled. In the hardest-hit state, West Virginia, where the overdose death rate is about three times the national average, the crisis has resulted in an overwhelmed foster-care system and a state burial program for the poor that ran through its entire annual budget three months into the year. This epidemic is one of the most critical public-health issues facing the United States today, but Republicans in Congress seem uninterested in truly grappling with it. Under their proposals to replace the Affordable Care Act, a situation that had been slowly improving would get much worse. Before the ACA was implemented in 2014, most impoverished adults with substance abuse issues no matter how poor had limited access to health coverage because Medicaid doesnt treat substance abuse as a qualifying disability for benefits. Opioid overdose death rates rapidly escalated, but treatment rates remained flat. Once the ACA was fully implemented, states that expanded Medicaid were able to achieve significant strides in reducing the destruction of opioid addiction. This was in part thanks to cost-effective and evidence-based addiction treatment, which combines counseling and behavioral therapy with medications such as methadone and buprenorphine. Dozens of clinical trials have shown that such an approach improves outcomes for people struggling with addiction by up to 34 percent, according to some accounts. But the same isnt true for states that didnt expand Medicaid. Take Ohio and Utah: Before the Medicaid expansion, both faced comparable burdens of opioid addiction and employed similar levels of medication-assisted treatments. But Ohio, which expanded Medicaid, was able to increase its treatment use by 26 percent, while treatment in Utah, which did not expand Medicaid, declined by 6 percent. The good news is that, primarily due to changes in Medicaid, the United States has more than doubled its total spending on evidence-based substance-abuse treatment for the poor. The bad news is that even with that success, we are facing a massive shortfall in addressing the needs of those with opioid addiction issues. Four out of five people with opioid use disorder do not receive treatment, which means there are nearly 2 million Americans who are addicted to opioids and do not benefit from the proven treatment that could help them. We need a comprehensive strategy to build on the insurance expansions of the ACA to reach those millions of Americans. The original Senate health-care bill, however, proposes a rollback of the Medicaid expansions that had finally slowed the rapid growth of this devastating problem. This has gotten the attention of Republicans from hard-hit states, such as Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who criticized the bill because it does not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state. Capitos concern is well-founded: The expansion in Medicaid was associated with a 16 percent rise in use of medication-assisted treatment in West Virginia. Senate leadership is apparently hoping to address such concerns by boosting the funding for treating opioid abuse to $45 billion over the next decade. But this fig leaf falls massively short of addressing the extent of this crisis, which experts estimate would require more than four times as much money. Furthermore, this fund would be at the political whim of the congressional appropriators. We have seen this show before: The ACA included a large public-health fund of $15 billion to complement insurance expansions. But these funds have been raided over time, with half of the funds diverted to other purposes. Indeed, the Senate and House bills would eliminate the money altogether. What is to stop Congress from doing the same to the stream of opioid treatment funding in the future? Since the passage of the ACA, we have made promising progress, but these gains also illustrate the magnitude of work needed to address our dire 80 percent treatment gap. The next step is remarkably straightforward: Save lives immediately by bringing the non-Medicaid expansion holdouts into the fold so that they can easily and efficiently provide substance-abuse treatment to our at-risk populations. Instead, the Senate proposes we move backward. Lost opportunities for substance-abuse care in non-Medicaid expansion states have already cost countless lives. Repealing the ACA would take away access to treatment from hundreds of thousands more. This would be nothing less than a grave moral failing and a travesty for our country. POLITICAL DISSIDENCE is a great, and beautiful, mystery. For those living under repressive rule, the path of least resistance is, well, not to resist to accommodate and survive, or, in less honorable but hardly rare cases, to collaborate. And yet, some do choose the more decent and difficult way. Out of idealism, necessity, sheer refusal to submit or some unfathomable combination of all three, they stand up, they speak out, they assume risks. Chinas Liu Xiaobo epitomized the dissident tradition, fighting back relentlessly but peacefully against a regime in his country that epitomized modern-day authoritarianism until he died of liver cancer on Thursday at age 61. Mr. Liu was born in 1955, amid the horrific throes of the early Peoples Republic, and went on to study literature and philosophy, earning his doctorate in 1988. Moved by the fall of communism in Europe and the limited opening under Deng Xiaoping in China, he joined the student protests on Tiananmen Square in 1989. This conscientious activism earned him a two-year prison sentence. Later he served three years in a labor camp for other purported political offenses. Mr. Lius causes were liberty and democracy, which he considered universally applicable, not Western imports for which his native country was somehow not ready. His specific demand was that the Chinese Communist authorities accept the need for a constitutional overhaul that would establish elections, rule of law and freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly and of religion. In December 2008, Mr. Liu joined other intellectuals in publishing Charter 08, a pro-democracy manifesto modeled on the Charter 77 issued by Czech dissidents 31 years earlier. Notably, the document not only called upon Chinas rulers to enable a better future for their people; it also told the truth about the gargantuan price Chinas people had paid since the 1949 revolution: Tens of millions have lost their lives, and several generations have seen their freedom, their happiness, and their human dignity cruelly trampled, the charter observed. Forthrightly addressing Chinas past, present and future earned Mr. Liu an 11-year sentence, for inciting subversion of state power, which began in late 2009 and which he was still serving, albeit on medical parole at a hospital, when he drew his last breath. His steadfast dissidence also earned Mr. Liu the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, though Beijing refused to let him travel to Oslo for the award ceremony, just as it also refused to let him receive friends and well-wishers in his final days, or to go abroad for medical treatment. These final indignities were intended to degrade and humiliate, but the attempt was futile and indeed shames those who made it. Shortly before Mr. Liu died, the man ultimately responsible for this and so many other abuses in China, President Xi Jinping, was basking in the glamour and glory of international politics at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg. Yet throughout Mr. Xis rule, the true locus of honor in China has been any place of confinement occupied by Liu Xiaobo. Gary Abernathy is publisher and editor of the (Hillsboro, Ohio) Times-Gazette. Just like our larger media counterparts, smaller news entities such as our paper in southwestern Ohio sometimes get criticized for being unfair or biased. As an example, years ago I was editor at another small newspaper when the local congressman became upset with our columns and editorials. He called for a meeting with our publisher and me, bringing with him some important local advertisers. The message was clear. Fortunately, our publisher held firm, and we continued to exercise our right to call it as we saw it. And we didnt use our news pages to portray ourselves as martyrs for the First Amendment. Publicly, we ignored the incident. I can already hear some saying, But thats not the same as being attacked almost daily by the president of the United States. In a way, it can be worse. The fishbowl in which most small papers operate can make attacks by powerful local people pretty intimidating. Unfortunately, when President Trump accuses the mainstream media of being fake news, too often the journalists being targeted dont ignore it or merely address it internally. Instead, they react with public outrage, their popping veins nearly bursting through their thin skins. Since the media, along with Congress, has approval numbers lower than the presidents, its hard to persuade most Americans to feel our pain. That there is relatively little organic reaction to the presidents criticisms outside of offended newsrooms is the best proof of the merits of Trumps complaints. Trump doesnt deserve favorable coverage. All he deserves is fair and honest coverage. But even liberals cant argue with a straight face that hes wrong about mainstream media bias. Coverage of the presidents overseas trip and participation in the Group of 20 summit offered numerous examples, with major media outlets focused more on minutiae Ivanka sat in the presidents chair! than on substance, giving comparatively short shrift to his powerful remarks in Poland and the important Syrian cease-fire agreement brokered between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. And later, the wall-to-wall coverage regarding Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a private Russian attorney was the definition of overkill, considering no one has brought forward any evidence to contradict the accounts of the participants that no substantive information was exchanged and there was no follow-up by anyone. But it was another opportunity to repeat Russia, Russia, Russia, the medias magic words for conjuring, Beetlejuice-fashion, the genie they hope will vanquish their bogeyman. During his visit to Poland, Trump dared to answer a question about the media with the same reply he has always given, fake news, but his remarks were reported with gloomy disapproval. How dare he criticize the media while overseas? reporters cried. When the mainstream media explodes with Shakespearean sound and fury over Trumps broadsides, conservatives scratch their heads. Their preferred information funnel, Fox News, has been the target of derision for years, including from presidents, with little objection from other outlets. Fox News usually answers the criticisms in a lighthearted way, when not ignoring them outright. Not CNN. Trumps tweeting of an old wrestling skit with the CNN logo superimposed on Vince McMahons head was brash, but harmless. CNN reacted as though Trump had set fire to its Atlanta headquarters. Americans were subjected to solemn sermonizing from CNN and other outlets over what were characterized as the presidents attacks on the First Amendment itself and an incitement to violence. Nonsense. The presidents very personal comments about MSNBCs Mika Brzezinksi were harsh, but Morning Joe has been trashing Trump in personal terms for a long time. Like it or not, Trump will be Trump. Instead of brushing it off, Morning Joe made Trumps counterattack the focus of its program, another win for a president who loves generating a response. News outlets, whether in big cities or small towns, are not synonymous with the First Amendment. We are organizations that depend on the First Amendment to do our jobs, but that hardly makes criticism of us even aggressive attacks from the president of the United States out of bounds. On this point, Big Media could learn a lesson from Small Media. When I have responded to accusations of bias over the years, my answer was not to whine about the criticism, but to point to examples of coverage that I believed proved them wrong. I dont see too many media organizations doing that in response to the presidents complaints. If the day comes when members of the mainstream media can prove Trump wrong through the evidence of their work, the presidents attacks will lose their steam. That day is not here. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), second from right, declined to take a position on legislation that would replace portions of the Affordable Care Act. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Sen. Cory Gardner faces one of the tougher political predicaments of any Republican deciding how to vote on the GOP health-care bill. The Coloradan, a rising star who defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2014, leads the campaign committee responsible for protecting and expanding the GOP majority. That makes him a close ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is pressing every Republican to support an unpopular proposal barreling toward a vote by the end of next week. Gardner, 42, holds a leadership post that normally comes with an expectation of loyalty. But he has remained below the radar, both back home and inside the Capitol, declining to take a position on legislation that would replace portions of the Affordable Care Act. For starters, he has home-state interests that make this one of the more difficult roll calls of his career. Colorados popular Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, accepted the Affordable Care Acts expansion of Medicaid funding extending medical coverage to more than 400,000 state residents. He has become a leading spokesman against the Republican plan to dramatically cut back those federal funds for the 31 states (plus the District) that chose that option. Gardner also has to concern himself with his own reelection in 2020, a presidential cycle with a political climate different from that of his first Senate race in one of the nations marquee swing states, when he campaigned heavily for repeal and replace. Dawn Russell is arrested by Denver police officers in June after refusing to vacate the offices of Sen. Cory Gardner (R) in downtown Denver. Police arrested a group of disabled protesters who had spent three days camped out in Gardner's office, demanding that he pledge to oppose the GOPs health-care bill. (Helen H. Richardson/AP) All of it makes Gardners a classic case of the inside-outside dilemma. He can vote for the bill and earn points in Washington, or he can cast a vote that would likely be an easier sell to voters back home. Just dont try to get an answer now on which way Gardner will go. On Tuesday, he appeared with McConnells leadership team at the weekly news conference. After listening to several others discuss their derisive views of Obamacare, Gardner avoided talk of the most pressing issue of the day. Instead, he bemoaned Democratic delaying tactics on President Trumps nominees and applauded the decision to stay in session a few extra weeks to confirm more sub-Cabinet and judiciary positions. Its critically important that we do the job the American people sent us here to do today, Gardner said. It was the first time Gardner, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, had spoken at the weekly Tuesday leadership press event in more than a month. The last time, on June 6, while some GOP leaders talked health care, Gardner chose to speak about developing a strategy to combat Islamic State terrorists. Aides to Gardner, who declined to talk for this piece, said that he is still looking over the legislation and keeping his powder dry until McConnell releases more revisions. Senator Gardner is still reviewing the legislation as there will likely be some changes made to the discussion draft that was released a few weeks ago, Casey Contres, a spokesman, said in an email. In regards to his leadership role in the Senate, it never impacts how he votes for Colorado, period. Flanked by family and supporters, then-Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) celebrates his victory in a hard-fought Senate race against the Democratic incumbent, Mark Udall, in November 2014. (Chris Schneider/AP) [From hospitals, doctors and patients, a last gasp of opposition to the Senate health-care bill] Some Democrats have accused Gardner of ducking the issue. AARP is airing an emotional radio ad against him and four other Republicans, urging them to oppose the legislation. One Democrat who has declined to criticize Gardner is Sen. Michael F. Bennet (Colo.), his home-state colleague who understands the competing political pressures. In 2014, Bennet served as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the counterpart to the post that Gardner now holds for Republicans. Bennet said that the pressure to remain loyal is real, but not from colleagues. It comes from the donors who fund these multimillion-dollar campaigns in the battleground states. You feel the pressure from people that are donating to the committee, who as a general matter are expecting consistency, understandably, with the leadership, and so I think that pressure builds, he said. [Trump: I will be very angry if GOP senators dont pass a health-care bill] Despite Bennets leading role opposing Gardner in 2014, the duo have worked out one of the better relationships among same-state senators. Bennet has consistently declined to criticize Gardners reluctance to take a position on the health bill. Those who know Gardner, who was a two-term member of the House before his Senate run, believe he is adhering to an approach that John A. Boehner used to advise when he was the House speaker: Never say what youll never do. This means that you keep your head down, dont negotiate through the media and try to work behind the scenes to shape the legislation in your direction. When the time comes, you cast your vote. In one of Gardners few public moves, back in February, he joined three other Republicans from states that accepted Medicaid expansion to declare their opposition to how the initial House draft would quickly eliminate that funding. The draft, they wrote, does not provide stability and certainty for individuals and families in Medicaid expansion programs or the necessary flexibility for states. The most recent Senate Republican proposal offers a longer wind-down, eventually ending up with a near 50-50 split between federal and state funding for the working poor who had become newly eligible for Medicaid coverage under the ACA. Under the ACA, Washington picks up the entire tab, with the figure phasing down to 90 percent by 2020 a huge handout to the states expected to approach $1 trillion over the next decade. Some Republicans have embraced the cost-splitting proposal as a suitable plan. Others have recoiled at estimates that it would still leave 22 million fewer people without insurance than under the current law. You have started to see positive directions from the bill, Gardner said during a radio interview back in Colorado over the Fourth of July recess. This has left the impression in some quarters that he will side with McConnell, following through on many pledges and previous votes to repeal the ACA. Its a balancing act that some Democrats understand. I think the pressures are higher in some ways, said Bennet, but the answer is always the same, that youve got to put your state first. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) released a new proposal to overhaul the Affordable Care Act on Thursday after spending three weeks reworking it to win over wavering lawmakers on the right and in the center. But within hours, it was clear that Senate leaders still didnt have the votes to fulfill their long-standing quest to replace former president Barack Obamas 2010 health-care law. The new draft would lift many of the ACAs regulatory requirements, allowing insurers to offer bare-bones policies without coverage for services such as preventive or mental-health care. It would also direct billions of dollars to help lower- and middle-income Americans buy plans on the private market. However, the draft leaves in place deep proposed cuts to Medicaid and at least three Republicans quickly signaled opposition to the bill, casting doubt on McConnells plans to pass the bill next week. The revised Senate health-care bill released today does not include the measures I have been advocating for on behalf of the people of Arizona, said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in a statement, adding he planned to offer amendments to change it. The GOPs continuing push and continuing struggle to make good on a campaign promise it began invoking seven years ago to repeal and replace Obamacare reflected the peril Republicans face whether they pass a bill or not. On the one hand, the ACA has provided medical coverage for millions of Americans and has grown more popular as a result. Moderate Republicans remained concerned Thursday that the new proposal would make insurance unaffordable for some middle-income Americans and throw millions off the rolls of Medicaid, the public insurance for disabled and low-income Americans. Yet conservatives continued to push for a more wholesale rollback of the ACA highlighting the danger for all Republicans of failing to achieve a promise most of them made on the campaign trail. The new Senate health care bill is substantially different from the version released last month, and it is unclear to me whether it has improved, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a conservative who has pushed for a full Obamacare repeal, said in a statement. I will need time to study the new version and speak with experts about whether it does enough to lower health insurance premiums for middle class families. Looming even larger was the reality that Republicans, despite their control of both chambers of Congress and with President Trump in the White House, have made little progress on an ambitious agenda that McConnell had hoped to move on to next week after a vote on the health-care bill. Among their goals are major tax legislation, raising the debt ceiling and passing a defense authorization bill. Republican leaders seemed to acknowledge Thursday the difficult path ahead, with several speaking privately about internal divisions on how to pass the bill and to prevent further defections. We will have the votes when we start voting, said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.). McConnells new draft was the result of weeks of negotiations with conservatives and moderates. For those on the right, the plan incorporated a proposal from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) allowing insurers to offer minimalist policies as long as they offer more-comprehensive ones as well. Cruz said the provision would give consumers greater choice and lower-cost premiums. For those in the center, the new proposal would spend an additional $70 billion offsetting consumers costs and $45 billion to treat opioid addiction. Republicans financed these changes by keeping a trio of Obamacare taxes targeting high earners a 3.8 percent tax on net investment income and a 0.9 percent Medicare payroll tax on individuals making $200,000 a year or couples earning $250,000, along with a tax on insurers with high-paid executives. Lawmakers such as Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said repealing those taxes would give too much relief to the wealthy at the expense of the poor. The new measure has won Cruzs backing, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), another conservative who said the measure still does not do enough to unravel Obamacare, remained opposed to voting on the bill, as did centrist Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). My strong intention and current inclination is to vote no on the motion to proceed, Collins told reporters, referring to the procedural vote required before the legislation can reach the Senate floor. Collins added that she hopes Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) will be willing to work with Republicans to fix the legislation. I have had numerous Democrats come to me and say they want to work with us on the bill, she said. Im going to take them at their word. Even as McConnell negotiated with individual members, the outlook for the bill was complicated when Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) debuted an alternative proposal. In a joint interview with CNN on Thursday, Cassidy and Graham said they would take the billions of dollars the federal government now receives in taxes under the ACA and direct that revenue to the states. The plan did not appear to be gaining traction Graham said he would vote to start debate on McConnells bill but its introduction underscored the extent to which a growing number of GOP senators have started looking beyond the current effort, with diminishing confidence that it will prevail. I dont see this as the end if this bill were not to pass, Collins said. I see it as the beginning of the kind of process that I would have liked to have seen in the first place. The surprise announcement from Graham and Cassidy came just before Senate GOP leaders released their revised health-care proposal. The McConnell plan would allow Americans to pay for premiums with money from tax-exempt health savings accounts, an idea that many conservatives have pushed for a tax break that primarily would benefit the upper middle class. The plans proposed rollback of Medicaid expansion under the ACA, as well as a proposal to slow the overall growth of the program starting in 2025, gave a number of Republican moderates pause Thursday. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who came out against the original draft of the bill, said he was not yet willing to vote yes to move the bill to the floor. Im in the same position Ive been in, looking at the language and looking forward to the analysis, he said. Cassidy and Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said they need to see the Congressional Budget Office score, due next week, before making a decision. We are going to look at it, read it, understand it and see the CBO score, Hoeven told reporters. He said that he was encouraged by changes intended to help lower-income Americans but that, at this point, Im reserving judgment. In a sign of the challenge McConnell still faces to round up votes, he huddled Thursday afternoon in his office with Portman and Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Those lawmakers hail from states that have extended Medicaid under the current law to cover able-bodied, childless adults. Capito, who opposed the earlier bill, said in a statement she still has serious concerns about the revised draft. With Vice President Pence prepared to cast a tiebreaking vote and no Democrats expected to support the bill, Republicans need the support of 50 of their 52 members to pass the legislation. Senate leaders and Trump officials are aware that moderate Republican holdouts may be the bills biggest threat. Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, made a presentation to a group of Republican senators from Medicaid-expansion states Thursday afternoon. She promised to do everything possible to minimize the number of uninsured, by giving states maximum flexibility in how they could use some of the money from the bills $182 billion state stabilization fund. Nearly 15 million Americans would lose their Medicaid coverage by 2026 under the Senate bill, according to the CBO. Verma sought to minimize that outlook, saying states could use the stabilization funding to heavily subsidize private coverage for these Americans even though the size of the fund does not come close to the bills $772 billion in cuts to the program over the next decade. Cruz said the new bill was a substantial improvement over the first version and argued that a focus on reducing premiums was the best way to unite fractured Republicans. He touted his proposal as a means of accomplishing both. Its not what the federal government mandates you have to buy its your choice what health insurance is the best for you and your family, Cruz said. Critics, including insurers, say that providing the option of skimpier plans would draw younger, healthier consumers into a separate risk pool. That development would drive up rates for the Americans buying more-comprehensive coverage on the individual market, which could in turn destabilize the entire market. The revised bill would establish a $70 billion fund to subsidize insurers providing both kinds of plans for the associated costs of covering high-risk individuals, according to a GOP summary of the bill. It would also allow individuals buying catastrophic plans to get a federal tax credit if they would be otherwise eligible, which is now barred under current law. Larry Levitt, senior vice president for special initiatives at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview that healthy people could end up with much lower premiums on the private insurance market, though the proposals regulatory changes could upend coverage for those with costly medical conditions. There are many provisions in this bill that destabilize the individual insurance, he said. Then it attempts to restabilize it by funneling an enormous amount of money to insurers. The Senate bill also includes a limited exemption for members of Congress, which Republicans said was due to procedural limitations in Senate budget rules. Cruz introduced a measure to strike the exemption Thursday afternoon, saying in a statement, While this exemption was included in the Senate health care bill out of procedural necessity, we must still be diligent in ensuring that Members of Congress are treated just like other Americans under this law. Senate leaders are leaving themselves the option of jettisoning the Cruz proposal after they get the nonpartisan CBO score, which will gauge the Cruz amendments impact on the budget and the overall number of uninsured. Cornyn said Thursday that he expects the CBO will release two scores for the bill but would not confirm what those scores would include or when they will be released. We are expecting a CBO score, but I cant tell you exactly what the format will be, Cornyn told reporters, adding that the Cruz amendment would be scored. Paige Winfield Cunningham and David Weigel contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost For friends and admirers of writer and activist Liu Xiaobo, Chinas only Nobel Peace Prize laureate, his death Thursday is a dark crossroads. To many, Liu represented hope for a freer China with more room for dissent. Now that he is gone, they said, that dream looks more distant. He fought for freedom and democracy for more than 30 years, becoming a monument to morality and justice and a source of inspiration, said Wen Kejian, a fellow writer. His spiritual legacy will never fade away, he added. The torch he carried high will be passed on. [Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in China, dies at 61] A man walks in front of a poster of Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo at an exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, in 2010. Liu died July 13, 2017. (Odd Anderson/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Liu, who passed up opportunities to leave China for a life in exile, had been in a Chinese prison since his conviction for subversion in 2009. In 2010, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights. Since he could not attend the ceremony, he was represented by an empty chair. The Nobel committee said in a statement Thursday that the Chinese government bears heavy responsibility for his death. He was truly a prisoner of conscience and he paid the highest possible price for his relentless struggle, said Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, in a statement. Liu Xiaobo was a representative of ideas that resonate with millions of people all over the world, even in China. These ideas cannot be imprisoned and will never die, Reiss-Anderson added. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Lius death a tragic passing and noted his work promoting peaceful democratic reform. Tillersons statement also urged Chinese authorities to allow Lius widow, Liu Xia, to be freed from house arrest and allowed the option to leave China. In his fight for freedom, equality, and constitutional rule in China, Liu Xiaobo embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards. In his death, he has only reaffirmed the Nobel Committees selection, said Tillerson in a statement. On June 25, officials announced that Liu had late-stage liver cancer and was being moved to a hospital, starting a macabre battle about where and how he should be treated and where and how he would die. His friends said that Liu and his wife wanted to travel to Germany or the United States for treatment. Doctors from both countries cleared it, but Chinese officials insisted he was too sick to leave. As he lay dying, foreign governments, including the United States, joined rights groups and Chinese dissidents-in-exile in calling for his release. The government rebuffed their pleas, saying it was an internal matter. Even as Liu Xiaobos illness worsened, the Chinese government continued to isolate him and his family, and denied him freely choosing his medical treatment, said Sophie Richardson, China director of Human Rights Watch, in a statement. The Chinese governments arrogance, cruelty, and callousness are shocking but Lius struggle for a rights-respecting, democratic China will live on. Hu Jia, a fellow dissident who counts Liu as a close friend, said the scuffle over his final days proved some of what Liu had been saying all along: that the ruling Communist Party could be coldblooded and cruel. What he most admired, Hu said, was that Liu never stopped resisting but that he always resisted peacefully. That would be his legacy, Hu said. Chinese authorities, who have kept Liu out of the public eye for years, said little about his death Thursday. At a news conference at the hospital where he died, doctors defended the care Liu was given and the decision to keep him there. Strict censorship has stopped many ordinary Chinese from following his case, though some still tried to post about Liu online. In an effort to stop people from grieving publicly, censors blocked the candle emoji. Elsewhere in the region, his death was greeted with open sorrow and outrage. In Hong Kong, people gathered outside the China Liaison Office, the central governments outpost in the semiautonomous city, to light candles and honor Liu. Nathan Law, a local pro-democracy activist, read from the statement Liu prepared ahead of his 2009 trial and which was read in full the night he won the Nobel. I have no enemies and no hatred, it read. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted a tribute to the man she called a tireless advocate for human rights. In 2010, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize In the ceremony, the attention of the whole world was on the empty chair, she said. Sadly, he will never have a chance to claim that seat. Luna Lin in Beijing and Carol Morello in Kuwait City contributed to this report. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Efforts to sanction North Korea into submission wont work because there are too many ways around them, Ri Jong Ho says. He should know. For about three decades, Ri was a top moneymaker for the Kim regime, sending millions of dollars a year back to Pyongyang even as round after round of sanctions was imposed to try to punish North Korea for its nuclear defiance. We were never in pain or hurting in our trade business because of the sanctions. Instead, we conducted our first nuclear test in 2006, Ri said in an interview near Tysons Corner. The 59-year-old, whose job had been to raise money for the North Korean regime, and his family live in Northern Virginia, having defected to South Korea at the end of 2014 and moved to the United States last year. I used to be sanctioned, as a North Korean who led trade at the front line, but I never felt any pain from the sanctions. The sanctions were perfunctory, Ri said. He described being able to send millions of U.S. dollars to North Korea simply by handing a bag of cash to the captain of a ship leaving from the Chinese port city of Dalian, where he was based, to the North Korean port of Nampo, or by giving it to someone to take on the train across the border. In first the nine months of 2014 he defected in October that year Ri said he sent about $10 million to Pyongyang this way. [ Trump warns of severe consequences for North Korea as Russia, China balk at tough U.S. talk ] For more than two decades, the United States has been trying to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, alternating between inducements and punishments. In both cases, American policy has relied on China, North Koreas erstwhile patron, using its economic power over its cash-strapped neighbor. But Beijings implementation of sanctions, even those it backed through the United Nations, has been patchy at best. Chinas overwhelming priority is ensuring stability in North Korea. President Trump has repeatedly called on China to support his policy of putting maximum pressure on Pyongyang to stop its nuclear and missile programs. Efforts have not changed North Koreas behavior. This is partly because multilateral sanctions imposed through the United Nations must be watered down to avoid being vetoed by China or Russia, traditional backers of North Korea, and partly because other countries dont implement the tougher but unilateral U.S. sanctions. Unless China, Russia and the United States cooperate fully to sanction North Korea, it will be impossible to hurt them, Ri said. Chinas interest in North Korea is well known, but Russias role in supporting the former Soviet client state is often overlooked. Amid calls for China to limit oil exports to North Korea, Russia has dramatically increased the amount of oil it has sent some reports suggest exports have quadrupled to North Korea this year. North Koreas financial networks, moreover, are intentionally murky. The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned more and more North Koreans and North Korean companies by name to try to cut them off from the American financial system, but few, if any, have any exposure to the United States. For this reason, Ris insights are widely sought after in Washington, where successive administrations have been trying to find North Koreas pressure points. [ The messy data behind Chinas growing trade with North Korea ] Ri worked for three decades in Office 39, the Workers Party operation responsible for raising money for the North Korean leader. The office has long been associated with both legal trade and illicit activity, including counterfeiting dollars and drug smuggling. Ri said he worked as president of a shipping company and was chairman of Korea Kumgang Group, a company that formed a venture with Sam Pa, a Chinese businessman, to start a taxi company in Pyongyang. Ri suppled a photo of him and Pa aboard a jet to Pyongyang. He was awarded the title hero of labor in 2002 for his efforts, and said he lived the good life in Pyongyang, with a color TV and a car. I was very loyal to Kim Jong Il, so I was rewarded by him, he said. I was rich. His last position was running the Dalian branch of Daeheung, a trading company involved in shipping, coal and seafood exports, and oil imports. The company was given targets to meet in terms of profits, he said, declining to go into details. But in 2014, Ri grew increasingly disillusioned after Kim Jong Un suddenly denounced his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, as a traitor for all ages and had him executed at the end of 2013. Jang had been leading economic cooperation efforts with China, and dozens of people who worked for him were also purged at the time, Ri said. He worried that his family would be next. They escaped to South Korea before moving to the United States, where his two children, now in their 20s, plan to go to college. Experts said Ris arrival in the United States could be a boon for American efforts to crack down on North Korea. Its always useful when a defector, especially one that knows the internal operations of Office 39 and my assumption is that he knows the external operations too can help us, said Anthony Ruggiero, who worked on sanctions at Treasury and is now with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. The United States has been trying to understand how North Korea uses banks in China in particular to finance its activities. I hope that the Treasury and some other organizations with agency at the end of their name are talking to him, Ruggiero said. [ The secret to Kims success? Some experts see Russian echoes in North Koreas missile advances ] Ri said North Korea has repeatedly found ways to circumvent whatever sanctions are imposed on it. North Korea is a 100 percent state enterprise, so these companies just change their names the day after theyre sanctioned, he said. That way the company continues, but with a different name than the one on the sanctions list. Ris Chinese counterparts werent bothered, either, he said. My partners in China also want to make a profit, so they don't care much about sanctions, he said. When the Chinese government orders them to stop, they stop for a few days and then start up again. Growing impatient with Beijing, Washington is increasingly targeting Chinese companies that help North Korea with what are called secondary sanctions. At the end of last month, the Trump administration blacklisted the Bank of Dandong, located on the border between the two countries, for its dealings with North Korea. But without knowing how to really hurt North Korea and teaming up to do it, it will be impossible to change Pyongyangs calculus on the nuclear program, Ri said. For that reason, the former money man advocates an approach that combines Trumps maximum pressure with another idea that the president has at least flirted with: talks. I think there should be top-level talks between the U.S. and North Korea, so that they can both work together to solve the problem, Ri said. After last weeks intercontinental ballistic missile test and last months death of Otto Warmbier, the Ohio college student who returned from 17 months detention in North Korea in a coma, talks seem a long way off. But Trump, a businessman who prides himself on being a master negotiator, has said he would be honored to meet Kim, whom he called a smart cookie. At unofficial talks in Oslo in May, a North Korean delegation signaled to American representatives Kims interest in talking, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. Previous diplomatic efforts to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons have failed, and there is a great deal of skepticism in Washington about negotiations. But that shouldnt stop the current administration from trying, Ri said: Like they say in politics, yesterday's enemy can be todays friend. Read more Experts: North Koreas missile was a real ICBM and a grave milestone North Koreas surprising, lucrative relationship with Africa Trumps many comments on North Korea Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Coal brought from Siberia awaits loading onto a ship bound for China in the North Korean special economic zone of Rason on July 24, 2016. (AP) North Koreas trade deficit with China has risen to its highest level, as trade between the two countries continues to rise, suggesting there is little distress in the North Korean economy despite rounds of international sanctions on Pyongyang designed to punish it for its weapons program. The latest official trade numbers from Beijing suggest that China, as President Trump tweeted last week, is not using its economic leverage over its defiant neighbor. This growth shows that China is not willing to turn the screws on North Korea, said Kent Boydston, an analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics who closely follows the trade data. The Trump administration has been calling on Beijing to use its economic leverage over its errant neighbor to make the Kim Jong Un regime stop firing off missiles and bellicose threats. But, after North Korea launched a missile last week technically capable of reaching the United States, Trump suggested he had given up on China. The latest release from China presents a muddied picture. (Anna Fifield,Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) The Chinese customs department released figures that showed significant growth in overall bilateral trade in the first six months of the year. The value of imports from North Korea fell to $880 million in the six months that ended in June, down 13 percent from a year earlier, according to the figures. Notably, Chinas coal imports from North Korea dropped precipitously, with only 2.7 million tons being shipped in the first half of 2017, down 75 percent from 2016. But a 29 percent spike in Chinese exports to North Korea North Korea bought $1.67 billion worth of Chinese products in the first six months of the year helped push total trade between the two countries up 10 percent between January and June, compared with the same period last year. [He ran North Koreas secret moneymaking operation. Now he lives in Virginia.] But the customs office did not release a full breakdown of the trade data, and previous releases have sent confusing signals. The numbers are not making sense, and my instinct is to think that the Chinese are underplaying what theyre doing, said Boydston, who recommends taking the figures with a large dose of salt. But the overall picture suggests that North Korea is buying increasing amounts of products from China. By Boydstons calculations, the trade deficit widened to a cumulative $600 million between January and May, the highest on record. North Korea is somehow able to finance buying all these Chinese products, he said. This is puzzling to economists because North Korea has no access to the international financial system, which other countries tap to fund their trade deficits. Furthermore, there have been no major fluctuations in the North Korean won, suggesting stability in the economy. Beijing was quick to pour cold water on the suggestion that the overall rise in trade suggested it was not complying with U.N. Security Council resolutions designed to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear tests and missile launches. The growth in bilateral trade should not be used as basis for questioning Chinas solemn attitude towards the implementation of the Security Councils resolutions, Huang Songping, a spokesman for Chinese Customs, told reporters in Beijing. Monthly figures were more representative of the trend, he said, and Chinas imports from North Korea had been falling sharply for four consecutive months since March, including by 36 percent in March and 42 percent in April. The trade growth between China and North Korea in the first half of the year was mainly driven by exports, Huang said, adding that the exports were mainly labor-intensive products such as textiles, which are not banned under U.N. resolutions. [ The messy data behind Chinas growing trade with North Korea ] China has been pledging to curtail trade with North Korea as part of international actions against the Kim regime, but government officials and analysts alike are skeptical about how far China will go. China said in February it would suspend coal imports from North Korea, potentially cutting off a major financial lifeline for Pyongyang, although analysts caution that Chinese figures should be viewed with some skepticism as they are sometimes manipulated for political purposes. About 90 percent of North Koreas exports go to China, and coal has been the single biggest export item. But there has been skepticism about Chinas ban, with coal ships and train cars being seen going back and forth between the two countries. Furthermore, as coal exports have reportedly fallen, shipments of iron ore to China have spiked. Previous releases of Chinese customs data showed that China bought the same amount of iron ore in the first five months of this year as it did in all of last year. Asked about the surge in Chinas imports of North Korean iron ore and in Chinas ethanol exports to North Korea in recent months, Huang said that trade with North Korea for civilian use was allowed despite the sanctions. We have carried out the U.N. resolution strictly, Huang said. If this is for civilian use and not banned, after we have verified that they are for civilian use, we can still trade. Huang said the price fluctuation of commodities could also potentially boost the trade figure as measured by value. [ As concern about North Korea deepens, the U.S. and China are at odds ] As the United States has searched for ways to punish North Korea for its repeated defiance of international bans on its nuclear weapons testing and ballistic missile launches, it has repeatedly turned to China. Trump has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to use Chinas economic dominance to sway North Korea on nuclear testing. But after suggesting that Beijing was not acting to punish Pyongyang, Trump last week suggested he had given up on Xi. Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter, Trump tweeted the day after North Korea launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. So much for China working with us but we had to give it a try! Xi has made no secret of his disdain for Kim and is clearly frustrated at North Koreas weapons testing and actions such as the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the leaders half brother who had been protected by China. But many North Korea analysts suggest China will not take any action that could seriously undermine the regime because Beijings top priority is stability. It does not want a flood of millions of hungry refugees coming over its northeast border if the Pyongyang regime collapses, and it certainly does not want the 28,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in South Korea to be able to move all the way up the peninsula to the border with China. Luna Lin in Beijing contributed to this report. China says it hasnt imported any coal from North Korea for two months North Koreas trading partners are linked, and that could make them vulnerable What does Kim Jong Un want with all these missile tests? Talks, perhaps? Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A boy walks along a damaged street in west Mosul on July 13, 2017, a few days after the Iraqi government announced the "liberation" of the embattled city from Islamic State fighters. (Safin Hamed/AFP/Getty Images) A leading human rights group urged Iraqi authorities to investigate allegations of abuse against alleged Islamic State fighters and their families, after videos surfaced of detainees being beaten and executed. Iraqi forces have arrested thousands of people in the former Islamic State stronghold of Mosul in recent months as the battle against the militants there reached its endgame. Four videos uploaded to the Internet this week appeared to show Iraqi soldiers or federal policemen abusing suspected militants. In one video, a man is beaten before being thrown off a cliff and shot on the ground below. In a statement Thursday, Human Rights Watch called on Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to launch an immediate investigation into the serious crimes that appeared to have been exposed on film, as well as into other recent reports of violations by armed forces in the context of the Mosul battle. Numerous witnesses on the front line have given me detailed reports of not only torture and extrajudicial killing of ISIS suspects captured by Iraqi security and military as they flee the Old City of Mosul, but a change in tenor, with armed forces no longer feeling the need to hide their actions, said Belkis Wille, the rights groups senior Iraq researcher. The videos were posted to Facebook on Tuesday and Wednesday by Salah al-Imara, an Iraqi man who regularly publishes information regarding security and military activities in and around Mosul. As Iraqi forces edged through Mosuls densely populated western districts, they evacuated tens of thousands of people trapped inside the area. At screening centers across the city, men are separated from women and children, before having their names screened against a database of Islamic State suspects, and backstories put up for scrutiny in front of others evacuated from the same area. In interviews with The Washington Post, aid workers with knowledge of the situation in the screening centers said that suspected Islamic State militants had been beaten there. Human rights advocates have expressed concern over the sheer scale of the suspect databases used by different arms of the Iraqi security forces, arguing that civilians with no links to the militants are being caught in the dragnet. In Washington Thursday, a spokesman for Iraqs Interior Ministry, Brig. Gen Saad Maan, told Pentagon reporters through an interpreter that we looked and suspended a number of those forces shown in those pictures and there is currently an investigation being conducted. Maan was likely referring to a report in the German magazine Der Speigel from May that implicated a number of officers from the Interior Ministry's Federal Police Unit. Maan added that there might be some misbehavior or inappropriate conduct by some of the forces, yes, but the investigation is going on. We are against any violation against any human being and this is the position of the government. The reports come days after a report from Amnesty International accused Iraqi and coalition forces of waging a brutal campaign to retake West Mosul, one that might have violated international humanitarian law. Much of the area now lies in ruins, having been shattered by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, Islamic State car bombs, and shelling and mortar fire. Thousands of civilians have also been killed in the fighting across the city, many of them still thought to be buried under the rubble. Separately on Thursday, Human Rights Watch said that Iraqi security forces have forcibly relocated at least 170 families with alleged Islamic State members to a closed rehabilitation camp east of Mosul. Most are believed to be women and children. Iraqi authorities shouldnt punish entire families because of their relatives actions, said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. These abusive acts are war crimes and are sabotaging efforts to promote reconciliation in areas retaken from ISIS. Speaking alongside Maan at the Pentagon, a spokesman for the Joint Operation Command said he was unaware of specific cases of families being forcibly moved from their homes. This topic, we didnt have precise information about what is going on, however there is no situation or scenario where the Iraqi forces will forcefully get people out of their homes as Iraqi citizens, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul said. Gibbons-Neff reported from Washington. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani sign a memorandum of understanding in Doha, Qatar, on July 11. (Alexander W. Riedel/U.S. State Department via Associated Press) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday ended his first stab at mediating a bitter spat in the Persian Gulf region, an effort that took him to three countries over four days but yielded little discernible progress in resolving the dispute. Tillerson headed home after meeting with Qatari officials to brief them on his talks Wednesday with diplomats from four Arab countries leading a trade and diplomatic boycott against Qatar Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. From the beginning, State Department officials tried to tamp down expectations that much, if anything, would be accomplished on the trip. Last week, spokeswoman Heather Nauert warned that the quarrel may not be settled for months. Although U.S. officials noted that Tillerson was just supporting the efforts of Kuwait, the official mediator, his first foray into shuttle diplomacy has thrust him into the forefront of the standoff. His inability to resolve the dispute was made more awkward by a public gambit that Tillerson made Tuesday, signing a memorandum of understanding that says Qatar and the United States will cooperate in blocking channels used to funnel money to terrorists. The charge that Qatar supports extremists is at the heart of the Arab anger toward the tiny Persian Gulf emirate. The joint agreement telegraphed to the boycotting countries Tillersons stated position that every state in the region should do more to counter terrorism and not waste time on regional disagreements. Tillersons midday meeting Thursday in Qatars capital, Doha, with the Kuwaiti and Qatari foreign ministers had buoyed expectations that he was relaying messages that could lead to negotiations. But when the diplomats emerged to pose for photographs, they ignored questions from reporters asking if they were closer to a resolution or if more meetings were planned. One snippet of overheard conversation suggested that things had not gone well. Hope to see you again under better circumstances, Mohammad bin Hamad al-Thani, the brother of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said as they shook hands before Tillerson departed. The Saudi-led bloc of countries on June 5 cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, suspended all their flights into and out of Doha and closed the peninsular states only land border with Saudi Arabia. Since then, Qatar has used ingenuity to meet some of its basic needs. A wealthy Qatari businessman began flying in the first of about 4,000 Holstein dairy cows to provide milk. Turkey and Iran are helping to import food, and Iran allows Qatar to use its air and sea lanes. On the surface, the boycott, which Qatar calls a blockade, is about Qatars alleged financial support to Islamist groups. But the boycotting Arab countries issued 13 broad demands over other issues such as closing the Qatar-based television network Al Jazeera and other news outlets. They also want Qatar to be less friendly toward archrival Iran, cut ties with extremist groups and expel Turkish troops based there. Qatar has rejected the demands as an infringement on its sovereignty. The feuding countries are all U.S. allies, and Tillerson worries that the flare-up is a diversion from priorities such as countering terrorism and isolating Iran. Qatar hosts the regions largest U.S. military base, where 11,000 Americans work. The U.S. Navys 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain, and U.S. surveillance planes fly from the United Arab Emirates. But even Tillersons clearest diplomatic accomplishment on the trip seemed to provide fodder for more discord. After he signed the agreement with Qatar on impeding financial networks for terrorists, the Qataris boasted that they were the first in the region to sign such a pact and urged the Arabs allied against them to do the same. The four countries heading the embargo claimed credit for pressuring Qatar into signing, and simultaneously dismissed it as insufficient to end their embargo. For now, the impasse shows no sign of ebbing. Read more Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Jason Greenblatt, President Trumps Middle East envoy, center, is flanked by Tzahi Hanegbi, Israels minister of regional cooperation, left, and Mazen Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, during a news conference on Thursday in Jerusalem. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters) President Trumps Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, on Thursday announced a water-sharing agreement between Israel and the Palestinians that will provide additional supply to the parched populations in the West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip. The deal is part of a larger, previously announced plan to draw salty water from the Red Sea to a huge desalination plant, which will then move fresh water via pipeline to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians. The undrinkable brine will be used to help replenish and restore the Dead Sea, which is slowly disappearing. Greenblatts mediation on the water deal was the first fruit of the Trump teams effort to see if it can bring Israel and the Palestinians back to peace negotiations. The agreement to provide more water to the Palestinians, at a reduced rate, is also designed to build some trust between the antagonists. Israel will begin to provide the extra water to the West Bank and Gaza Strip now. The supplies will eventually come from a desalination plant linked to a Red Sea-Dead Sea pipeline, to be completed in four or five years. Greenblatt, who has been taking meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, called the water deal an important step forward. Trumps envoy declined to answer any questions at the news conference here about how his effort to renew peace negotiations are going. Mazin Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, said the increased supply of water will reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people, which has been worsened by the beginning of summer and the crises that they are living through. About one-third of the additional supply will go to Gaza, where more than 97 percent of the water is not drinkable, he said. Tzahi Hanegbi, Israels minister of regional cooperation, said that after years of stalemates, the Red Sea project will move forward. He thanked both Greenblatt and the Palestinians. He called the desalination and pipeline venture the biggest, most ambitious project ever initiated in our area. It will supply a significant amount of water to Jordan, to Israel and to the Palestinians. It will help us challenge the biggest problem the Dead Sea is facing the evaporation of a meter a year and it will also harness green energy, Hanegbi said. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A federal appeals courts decision to overturn the convictions of former New York State Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver shows how public corruption cases have become much more difficult to substantiate in the wake of a Supreme Court decision narrowing what qualifies as corruption, legal analysts said. In a 54-page opinion released Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit wrote that although prosecutors had presented enough evidence to justify Silvers convictions, jurors had been wrongly instructed on the action Silver would have to take to make his conduct count as criminal public corruption. The appeals court cited the Supreme Courts decision in the case of former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell (R), who also had his convictions vacated in such a way that lawyers have long warned could have wide implications for others suspected of public corruption. [Former New York Assembly speaker sentenced to 12 years in prison in corruption case] We recognize that many would view the facts adduced at Silvers trial with distaste. The question presented to us, however, is not how a jury would likely view the evidence presented by the Government. Rather, it is whether it is clear, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a rational jury, properly instructed, would have found Silver guilty, Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes wrote. Given the teachings of the Supreme Court in McDonnell, and the particular circumstances of this case, we simply cannot reach that conclusion. To substantiate corruption charges, prosecutors must prove that the person suspected of wrongdoing performed an official act in exchange for some benefit. In the McDonnell case, the Supreme Court said that official act must involve a formal exercise of governmental power, and must also be something specific effectively raising the bar on what constitutes corruption. Setting up a meeting, talking to another official, or organizing an event without more does not fit that definition of official act, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote in the opinion. Silver, 73, was convicted of taking millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for various favors and was sentenced to 12 years in prison although he was allowed to remain free with his appeal pending. According to prosecutors, Silver, a lawyer, persuaded a doctor to pass on valuable leads to unrepresented patients with mesothelioma, and in return, routed grants to the doctor for research and gave other help. He also took actions, such as casting favorable votes, to benefit real estate developers that gave business to a law firm that then sent Silver kickbacks, prosecutors said. [Feds: Ex-New York assembly speaker had affairs with lobbyist and another woman whom he recommended for a job] Silvers trial happened before the Supreme Court decided the McDonnell case, and jurors were given a broad definition of what official act he would have to perform to be guilty of corruption. They were told that such an act could be any action taken or to be taken under color of official authority. The appeals court said because those jury instructions were wrong based on the McDonnell decision, the powerful New York lawmaker may have been convicted in error. Here, the instructions did not convey to the jury that an official action must be a decision or action on a matter involving the formal exercise of government power akin to a lawsuit, hearing, or agency determination, Cabranes wrote. Nor did the instructions prevent the jury from concluding that meetings or events with a public official to discuss a given matter were official acts by that public official. Legal analysts said the appeals courts decision reinforces how prosecutors will face significant challenges in bringing and winning public corruption cases. Activity that may be uncouth such as brokering meetings for wealthy benefactors is now legal. Its the legacy of Bob McDonnell making life easier for corrupt public officials everywhere, said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches law at George Washington University Joon H. Kim, the acting U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, said in a statement that prosecutors are disappointed by the decision, but look forward to retrying the case. Although this decision puts on hold the justice that New Yorkers got upon Silvers conviction, we look forward to presenting to another jury the evidence of decades-long corruption by one of the most powerful politicians in New York State history, Kim said. Although it will be delayed, we do not expect justice to be denied. Former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara, who was in charge when Silver was convicted and sentenced, wrote on Twitter that the evidence was strong and that the Supreme Court had changed the law. Steven Molo and Joel Cohen, Silvers attorneys, said in a statement, We are grateful the court saw it our way and reversed the conviction on all counts. Kelly Kramer, a white-collar criminal defense lawyer at the Mayer Brown law firm, said that Silvers conviction had long been considered one of the most vulnerable after the Supreme Courts decision on McDonnell. He said that although it is unlikely that many other convictions would be thrown out in a similar way, prosecutors probably will now bring fewer public corruption cases, knowing the high bar they must meet. What I think it means is theres a lot of cases where theres kind of inappropriate or unappealing behavior by politicians, and that kind of stuff isnt going to get prosecuted unless the government can really point to a specific vote or funding grant or official action, Kramer said. Prosecutors will face one of their first major tests in the case against Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who is accused of helping a Florida ophthalmologist with government business in exchange for campaign contributions and posh getaways. Menendezs trial is scheduled to begin in September. By prosecutors telling, Menendez tried to influence immigration-visa proceedings for the ophthalmologists girlfriends; assisted the ophthalmologist in a dispute with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and advocated for action to help the ophthalmologist make money from a port security contract in the Dominican Republic. Eliason said Menendez probably will not have the same success as McDonnell, although his attorneys have raised and will again raise the argument that he performed no official acts. And Silver, analysts said, may have similar trouble. He definitely sort of wins the battle, Eliason said of Silver. It remains to be seen whether he wins the war. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a conference in Tehran on July 3, 2017. The Trump administration plans to certify that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear agreement. (Vahid Salemi/AP) The Trump administration, delaying an anticipated confrontation with Iran until the completion of a long-awaited policy review, plans to recertify Tehrans compliance with the Obama-era nuclear deal, according to U.S. and foreign officials. The recertification, due Monday to Congress, follows a heated internal debate between those who want to crack down on Iran now including some White House officials and lawmakers and Cabinet officials who are managing other constituencies such as European allies, and Russia and China, which signed and support the agreement, one senior U.S. official said. As a candidate and president, Trump has said he would reexamine and possibly kill what he called the disastrous nuclear deal that was negotiated under President Barack Obama and went into effect in January last year. The historic agreement shut down most of Irans nuclear program, in some cases for decades, in exchange for an easing of international sanctions. Under an arrangement Obama worked out with Congress, the administration must certify Iranian compliance with the terms of the accord every 90 days. If the administration denies certification, it can then decide to reinstitute sanctions that were suspended under the deal. The Trump administration issued its first certification in April, when it also said it was awaiting completion of its review of the agreement, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The senior official, one of several who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said the review should be completed before the next certification deadline in October. (Gillian Brockell and Julio C. Negron/The Washington Post) The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations and other signatories have said repeatedly that Iran is complying with the agreement, under which the country dismantled most of its centrifuges and nuclear stockpile, shut down a plutonium production program and agreed to extensive international monitoring of all stages of the nuclear process. [Frances Total bets big on Irans gas fields. American rivals watch from afar.] Beyond disagreements over what supporters of the deal consider minor and quickly rectified infractions, and detractors assert are dealbreaking violations, there is broad consensus within the administration and Congress that Iran continues to participate in other prohibited activities not covered in the nuclear accord. The question is how the United States should respond. White House officials, including those charged with managing Iran policy within the National Security Council, believe Iran should be punished not only for nuclear violations, but also for its support of international terrorism and its development of ballistic-missile technology. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has statutory responsibility for certification, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have successfully argued that the nuclear deal should not be tied to punishments for those activities and that any nuclear-related action should await the review. Officials cautioned that Trump, who has made clear his disdain for the accord, could decide not to sign off on the recertification between now and the Monday deadline but said that was unlikely. The decision to recertify was first reported Thursday by the Weekly Standard. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, left, talks with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on June 26, 2017. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Next Tuesday, the administration must also comply with a separate deadline, reporting to Congress on Irans overall nuclear behavior and deciding whether to waive reinstituting sanctions lifted under the accord. That report, due 180 days after Trumps inauguration, was part of restrictions lawmakers put on the agreement, as was the 90-day certification requirement. As White House officials have asserted their role in the process, the administration has downgraded internal State Department mechanisms for monitoring Iranian compliance. In recent weeks, a separate State Department office of Iran Nuclear Implementation established by Obama was subsumed by the bureau in charge of overall Middle East policy. Both Stephen D. Mull, the lead coordinator for implementation, and Stuart Jones, the acting head of the Middle East bureau, are moving on from those jobs. It is unclear who will replace Jones or whether Mull will be replaced at all. Among those weighing in from the outside during the debate, which included a meeting of Trumps national security principals last week, were four Republican lawmakers Sens. Tom Cotton (Ark.), Ted Cruz (Tex.), David Perdue (Ga.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.). They urged noncertification in a letter Tuesday to Tillerson, saying that in addition to violations of the deal, Iran continues to wage a campaign of regional aggression, sponsor international terrorism, develop ballistic missile technology and oppress the Iranian people. Mark Dubowitz, head of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which has long criticized the accord and urged its reformulation, said that recertification was the wrong decision. I think the administration this time around should have made the decision not to recertify, explain why, and actually gone ahead with the waiver and slapped on some new nonnuclear sanctions. Noncertification would not automatically trigger the end of the deal. That would require the United States to allege a material breach on Irans part and a referral to the joint commission of signatories to the agreement for assessment. But proponents of the accord said that a failure to certify would nonetheless trigger unwanted reactions. Even if new sanctions were not related to Irans nuclear program, said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, the real question is whether under those conditions the political support inside Iran for compliance with the deal will continue. Allegations of Iranian violations, he said, are trumped up and not supported by any evidence. . . . They have exceeded heavy-water limits by a tiny percentage, and gone back into compliance within days. Tillerson aide R.C. Hammond made clear that his boss believes that Iran is behaving badly in a number of areas, regardless of the assessment of the nuclear deal, and that a new policy is being formulated. All the Obama Iran deal did was pay for a pause in Irans nuclear program, he said. It didnt fix any problems. What were going to try to do is fix the problems. The senior official added that unlike the previous administration, this administration sees the JCPOA as a symptom, not the disease. The disease is broader Iranian aggression. Thats what the strategy review is focused on, and until its complete, its difficult to know what is the best resolution, the official said. The president has been very frank about his opinion. Friday is the second anniversary of the signing of the deal, negotiated with Iran over a number of years by the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Union. Other signatories have been open in their rejection of Trumps assessment, and they have warned that they would continue to honor the agreement, and increase their trade and relations with Iran, no matter what the United States does. I know that in the U.S. there is a review ongoing, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said at a news conference Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. We respect that. But we also have the duty to make it clear that the nuclear deal doesnt belong to one country. It belongs to the international community, to the U.N. system. . . . We share responsibility to make sure that this continues to be implemented fully by all. Carol Morello in Kuwait contributed to this report. U.S. officials will allow a group of Afghan girls into the country to participate in an international robotics competition after President Trump intervened, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday. Department of Homeland Security spokesman David Lapan said the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved a State Department request for six girls from the war-torn country to be allowed in, along with their chaperon, so they can participate in the competition July 16-18 in Washington. The girls applications for U.S. visas had been denied twice. A senior administration official said that Trump had raised the issue with his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, during his trip to Germany last week for the Group of 20 summit and had asked for additional options. Q2 Holdings, Inc. provides cloud-based digital banking solutions to regional and community financial institutions (RCFIs) in the United States. The company offers Q2 Consumer Banking, a browser-based digital banking solution and comprehensive financial institution branded digital banking capabilities; Q2 Small Business and Commercial, a mobile and tablet digital banking solution; Q2mobile Remote Deposit Capture, a partnered solution that allows remote check deposit capture. It also provides Q2 Sentinel, a security analytics solution; Q2 Patrol, an event-driven validation product; Q2 SMART, a targeting and messaging platform; and Q2 CardSwap that allows account holders receiving newly issued cards to automatically change their payment information. In addition, the company offers Q2 Gro, a digital account opening, and digital sales and marketing platform; Q2 Biller Direct, a bill payment solution; ClickSWITCH allows financial institutions to direct deposits to the end user. Centrix Dispute Tracking System, an electronic transaction dispute management solution; Centrix Payments I.Q. System, an ACH file monitoring and risk reporting solution; Centrix Exact/Transaction Management System, a fraud prevention tool; and Q2 Caliper Software Development Kit. Futher, it provides Q2 Contextual PFM, which allows end users to add external accounts and view them together with internal accounts on digital banking home page; Q2 Goals that enables end users to establish and save towards specific savings goals; Q2 Cloud Lending, a digital lending and leasing platform; PrecisionLender platform, a cloud-based, data-driven sales enablement, pricing, and portfolio management solution; and Q2 BaaS, a portfolio of open API financial services. The company was formerly known as CBG Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Q2 Holdings, Inc. in March 2013. Q2 Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services for the automotive industry in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through two segments, ADESA Auctions and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. It also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, vehicle research, and analytical services, as well as data as a service. This segment sells its products and services through vehicle manufacturers, fleet companies, rental car companies, finance companies, and others. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had a network of approximately 70 vehicle logistics center locations in North America. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing to independent used vehicle dealers; and sells vehicle service contracts. The company provides wheel repair and hail catastrophe response services. It serves vehicle manufacturers, vehicle rental companies, financial institutions, commercial fleets and fleet management companies, and dealer customers. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. The following companies are subsidiares of Newmont: AC40689 Limited, Administradora de Negocios Mineros S.A. de C.V., Australian Capital Territory, Battle Mountain Resources Inc., Cayman Pampas Ltd., Con Exploration Ltd., Datawave Sciences Inc., Dawn Mining Company LLC, ELLC Grazing Membership LLC, EMH (BVI) Inc., Elko Land and Livestock Company, Empresa Minera Maria SRL, Fronteer Development (USA) LLC, Fronteer Development LLC, Fronteer Royalty LLC, GCGC LLC, GMK Investments Pty Ltd, Galore Creek Mining Corporation, Galore Creek Partnership, Glamis Rand Mining Company, Gold S.p.A., Goldcorp (Barbados) Inc., Goldcorp America Holdings Inc., Goldcorp Aureus Inc., Goldcorp Aurum Argentum Inc., Goldcorp Canada Ltd., Goldcorp Capital Corporation, Goldcorp Exeter Ltd., Goldcorp Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp General Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp Global Services Inc., Goldcorp Holdings Europe B.V., Goldcorp Holdings GmbH, Goldcorp Inc., Goldcorp Insurance Company Inc., Goldcorp Internacional S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Kaminak Ltd., Goldcorp Latin America Finance Limited, Goldcorp MC Holding S.p.A., Goldcorp Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Porcupine Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Red Lake Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Stratum Inc., Goldcorp Tesoro Inc., Goldcorp Trading GmbH, Goldcorp USA Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp USA Inc., Goldcorp USA Services Inc., Goldfields Power Pty Ltd, Hemlo Gold Mines (Ghana) Limited, Holdco S.p.A., Honduras Holdings Ltd., Hospah Holdings Company, Idarado Mining Company, International Mineral Finance S.AR.L., MMC Acquisition Limited, Mexicana Resources Inc., Minera Alumbrera Ltd., Minera BMG, Minera Choluteca S.A. de C.V., Minera Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Minera Los Tapados S.A., Minera Newmont (Chile) Limitada, Minera Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Minera Yanacocha S.R.L., Miramar Gold Corporation, Miramar HBG Inc., Miramar Northern Mining Ltd., Montana Exploradora de Guatemala S.A. de C.V., Moydow Limited, Musto Explorations (Bermuda) Ltd., N.I. Limited, NP Kalgoorlie Pty Ltd, NVL (USA) Limited, NVL Haiti Limited S.A., NVL PNG Limited, NVL Solomon Islands Limited, Nevada Eagle Resources LLC, Nevada Gold Mines LLC, New Verde Mines LLC, Newmont (Guyana) Incorporated, Newmont AP Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Australia Investment Limited, Newmont Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Bolivia Limited, Newmont CC&V Mining Corporation, Newmont Canada Corporation, Newmont Canada Holdings ULC, Newmont Capital Limited, Newmont Capital Pty Ltd, Newmont Colombia S.A.S., Newmont Euronimba B.V., Newmont FH B.V., Newmont GTR LLC, Newmont Galore Creek Holdings Corporation, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Newmont Gold Company, Newmont Gold Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Australia Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Integrated Services Inc., Newmont Goldcorp Red Lake Holdings Ltd., Newmont Goldcorp Services Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Tanami Pty Ltd, Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, Newmont Holdings ULC, Newmont Indonesia Investment Limited, Newmont Indonesia LLC, Newmont International Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont International Group BV, Newmont International Services Limited, Newmont Investment Holdings LLC, Newmont Landco Pty Ltd, Newmont Latin America Limited, Newmont McCoy Cove Limited, Newmont Mineral Holdings B.V., Newmont Mines Limited, Newmont Mining Finance Pty Ltd, Newmont Mining Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont NGL Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont Nevada Energy Investment LLC, Newmont North America Exploration Limited, Newmont Nusa Tenggara Holdings B.V., Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited, Newmont Pacific Energy Pty Ltd, Newmont Peru Limited, Newmont Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Realty Company, Newmont Second Capital Corporation, Newmont Suriname LLC, Newmont Technologies Limited, Newmont USA Limited, Newmont Ventures Limited, Newmont Woodcutters Pty Ltd, Newmont Yandal Operations Pty Ltd, Newmont de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Normandy Company (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Normandy Overseas Holding Company Sdn Bhd, Nusa Tenggara Partnership B.V., Orcana Resources Inc., Oroplata S.A., PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, Pequop Exploration LLC, Peridot S.A., Pittston Nevada Gold Company Ltd., Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Corporation, Red Lake Gold Mine Services Ltd., Resurrection Mining Company, Saddleback Investments Pty Ltd, San Juan Basin Holdings Company, Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation, Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V. <0.0010% Sermineros Zacatecas S.A. de C.V., Sociedad Contractual Minera El Morro, Suriname Gold Project CV, Takari Mining SAS, Talapoosa Mining Inc., The LeClair Consolidated Mines Company, The Matoa Gold Mining Company, US Mineral Company Inc., Vol Mines Limited, and West Pequop Project LLC. Read More Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services to individuals, small and medium enterprises, and corporate customers in Brazil and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Commercial Banking and Global Wholesale Banking. It offers deposits and other bank funding instruments; debit and credit cards; digital prepaid solutions; payment platform; loyalty programs; employee benefit vouchers; payroll loans; digital lending and online debt renegotiation services; mortgages; home equity financing products; consumer credit; and local loans, commercial and trade finance, guarantees, structured loans, and cash management and funding solutions, as well as on-lending transfer services. It also provides funding and financial advisory services related to projects, origination and distribution of fixed-income securities in the debt capital markets, financing of acquisitions and syndicated loans, other structured financing arrangements, and subordinated debt and energy efficiency transactions; advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, and equity capital markets transactions; and stock brokerage and advisory, equity, and equity research services. In addition, the company structures and offers foreign exchange, derivative, and investment products for institutional investors, and corporate and retail customers; and provides market making services. Further, it offers instant payment services; range of products and services focused on the agribusiness sector; microfinance services; and online automotive listing and digital car insurance solutions, as well as digital trading platform. Additionally, it provides its financial services and products to its customers through multichannel distribution network comprising branches, mini-branches, ATMs, call centers, Internet banking, and mobile banking. Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. OGE Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and energy services provider that offers physical delivery and related services for electricity, natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric energy. It provides retail electric service to approximately 879,000 customers, which covers a service area of approximately 30,000 square miles in Oklahoma and western Arkansas; and owns and operates coal-fired, natural gas-fired, wind-powered, and solar-powered generating assets. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned and operated interconnected electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems, including 16 generating stations with an aggregate capability of 7,207 megawatts; and transmission systems comprising 54 substations and 5,122 structure miles of lines in Oklahoma, and 7 substations and 277 structure miles of lines in Arkansas. Its distribution systems included 350 substations; 29,494 structure miles of overhead lines; 3,365 miles of underground conduit; and 11,125 miles of underground conductors in Oklahoma, as well as 29 substations, 2,795 structure miles of overhead lines, 349 miles of underground conduit, and 662 miles of underground conductors in Arkansas. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. These countries have the most positive influence on global affairs No. 12: Iran 21 per cent of 18,000 respondents thought Iran had a positive influence on world affairs. (Canadian Press) This week, Canada appeared at the top of the list of countries with the best civil servants. Now its topped the list of places with the most positive effect on the world stage. An Ipsos MORI survey polled 18,000 people in 25 nations to see which countries they perceived as positive influences. While Canadas score has remained the same since 2016, all other countries and organizations experienced a decline. The biggest drop was the United States, followed by France and then Russia. You know whos on top. Now see who else is up there. The editors here at Yahoo Beauty are always on the search for new and innovative beauty brands. So we recently hopped on a jet headed straight for Las Vegas to discover The New-New at Cosmoprof North America, one of the worlds biggest cosmetics trade shows. Over 1200 exhibitors, including makeup, nail, fragrance, hair care, and skin care companies, set up perfectly decorated and well-lit booths inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center to showcase their latest and greatest wares. After a few rounds of beauty speed dating, there were seven brands with products that truly stood out. From a cleansing oil and toner combo, to quality human-hair false eyelashes for under seven bucks, its time you get real familiar with these game-changing beauty brands. 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. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. As it promotes its upcoming 2019 A8 flagship sedan, automaker Audi has taken the novel approach of telling consumers: Go ahead, use our self-driving technology, watch TV, and keep your hands off the wheel permanently. Those marketing claims, among others, including Peter Parker (Spider-Man) driving hands-free in an Audi commercial, have safety advocates worried. Theyre concerned about the limits of Audis self-driving technology, whether drivers will understand their responsibility when it comes to safety, and whether its ever proper for drivers to stop paying attention to the road, let alone watch TV from the drivers seat. Short of Full Autonomy If a car were truly fully autonomous, some of these issues might be moot. But Audi says its new technology does not achieve that level of self-driving, something no car sold in the U.S. today can do. The technology in question is Audis AI Traffic Jam Pilot, which the German automaker says takes self-driving car technology to a new level. Heres an excerpt from its press release: The traffic jam pilot manages starting, accelerating, steering and braking. The driver no longer needs to monitor the car permanently. They can take their hands off the steering wheel permanently and, depending on the national laws, focus on a different activity that is supported by the car, such as watching the on-board TV. As soon as the system reaches its limits, it calls on the driver to take back control of the task of driving. The system will work up to 37 mph, Audi says. Audi told CR that it won't activate the technology on any of its future vehicles in the U.S. until it gets the okay from regulators or from new laws, said Justin Goduto, Audi's innovation and tech spokesman. The regulators have to decide what's within the realm of acceptable technologies, Goduto said. He also said Audi has no plans currently to sell cars in the U.S. that have televisions for drivers to watch, despite the language in the press release. Story continues This is a touchy area and, as a car manufacturer, we expect our customers to pay attention and to drive safely, he said. Audi doesn't encourage drivers to use mobile phones or other outside technologies while the car is moving in Traffic Jam Pilot mode, he said. But the automaker does think using "in-vehicle technologies," such as interacting with the infotainment system, "should be OK." Who's Responsible for Safety? David Friedman, director of cars and products for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, expressed concern that Audi would market future autonomous driving technology as a way for drivers to watch TV. Audi's marketing of an onboard TV for the driver is disappointing at best and irresponsible at worst, he said, especially if that TV can in any way be accessed in other driving modes, like adaptive cruise control. Other advocates also felt the coming technology, as Audi describes it in the press release, could be promising too much. We have concerns about a system that would allow drivers to disengage from the driving task if the system isnt able to completely and safely resolve any situation, up to and including reaching its limits, said David Zuby, chief research officer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We think its irresponsible to have an automated driving system that confuses the driver as to what his responsibilities are, he said. How does the system let the driver know he needs to intervene? Goduto says there's a 10-second warning system that includes an automated tone, a visual cue, and a minor brake pulse. "There has to be enough time for the driver to reorient themselves and take control of the car," he said. Audi points out in its release that the car also monitors the driver: During highly automated travel, a small camera in the driving area detects if the driver tires or falls asleep. As soon as the speed rises above (37 mph) or the line of vehicles breaks up, the traffic jam pilot informs the driver that they need to take charge of driving once again. If they ignore this prompt and the subsequent warnings, the new A8 is braked to a standstill. Safety concerns over bringing a car to a standstill in moving traffic was raised by General Motors in a query to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency, in its response in November 2016, did not offer a solution but urged GM to think long and hard about the issue. We urge GM to fully consider the likely operation of the system it is contemplating and ensure that this fallback solution does not present an unreasonable risk to safety. Nationwide, Laws Vague on Autonomous Features Audi acknowledges that it's a long road before its Traffic Jam Pilot technology becomes available to U.S. consumers, partly because laws governing self-driving tech vary from nation to nation and state to state in the U.S. Because of that, the automaker plans to take its time in rolling it out. With regard to the some of the technologies including Traffic Jam Pilot, we will be continuing to work with regulators and legislators (i.e. our recent first New York autonomous testing license) to evaluate when we bring Traffic Jam Pilot to the U.S. market, said Audi spokeswoman Amanda Koons. There are no current federal laws that would stop Audi from selling an A8 equipped with AI Traffic Jam Pilot in the U.S. Currently, that leaves only state laws to govern how drivers could use these systems. There is legislation under consideration in Congress that would make setting standards a federal responsibility. Automakers prefer this approach over having to negotiate with 50 state legislatures. While 14 states currently have laws targeting distracted driving, enforcement of those laws is an ongoing issue. Some states have laws regarding hands-free driving, Audis Goduto noted. "New York state has a law on the books that states (that) at all times a driver must keep one hand on the wheel while driving. It is illegal to drive without your hands on the wheel, whether your car can do it or not." But in Florida, he noted, "a driver can be engaged in 'side tasks' during autonomous driving," he said. The law does not define what a "side task" is. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Copyright 2006-2017 Consumer Reports, Inc. President Donald Trump is standing by his son, Donald Jr., amid the fallout of the latters newly-revealed meeting with a Russian lawyer promising damaging information on Hillary Clinton sourced to the Russian government. My son Donald did a good job last night, Trump tweeted, referencing the younger Trumps softball appearance on Sean Hannitys Fox show. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! But neither Trump is out of the woods yet. For the son, whose story about his discussions with the Kremlin-linked lawyer continues to shift, there will be hearings and meetings with investigators, and each inconsistency will be scrutinized. For the father, the exploding Russia scandal has gone from the theoretical to the proven: there is now no doubt that an inner-circle member of the Trump campaign would have gleefully accepted assistance from the Russian government. What they did or did not provide is now a matter for investigators, and the political toll those investigations will take on the Trump presidency is incalculable. Whats clear is that as he nears the six-month mark in office, Trump is surrounded by a factious and distrusting staff that is fearful of what actions may have been taken during the wild 2016 campaign. Republicans on Capitol Hill are wary of expending more political capital to defend a beleaguered president who has thrown them under the bus time and again. Their efforts to pass a healthcare bill so desired by the White House is running into fresh headwinds, while they fume over the White Houses inability to control the president. All the while, investigators are poring over documents and emails, seeking out sources, and preparing for interviews with potential witnessesand the media is meticulously cataloguing the false and misleading statements offered by the Trump administration in its Russia defense. In short: its no surprise why President Donald Trump is feeling increasingly frustrated in office, but as ever, hes the true source of his own dissatisfaction. Story continues Gary Cohn is eyed for Fed Chair. McConnell delays August recess. And Trumps FBI nominee says he wont pledge loyalty to the president. Here are your must reads: Must Reads Natalia Veselnitskaya, Lawyer Who Met Trump Jr., Seen as Fearsome Moscow Insider A trusted insider met with Trump [New York Times] Senate Delays August Recess as Health Bills Fate Hangs in Balance Move comes as McConnell aims to pass health-care bill that likely will retain two taxes on high-income households [Wall Street Journal] Cohn is Trumps top candidate to replace Yellen at Fed If National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn decides he wants the job, he is likely to get it, sources close to the process said [Politico] Category 5 hurricane: White House under siege by Trump Jr.s Russia revelations Trump allies look for dirt on journalists [Washington Post] As Russia scandal touches his son, Trump privately rages Trump frustrated with top aides [Associated Press] Sound Off I sure as heck didnt offer one. Trump FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray to the Senate Judiciary Committee when asked if hed made a loyalty pledge to the president. He added he wouldnt make one if asked. In retrospect I probably would have done things a little differently. Again this is before the Russia mania, this is before they were building this up in the press. For me this was opposition research, they had something you know maybe concrete evidence to all the stories Id been hearing about. Donald Trump Jr. to Fox News Sean Hannity. Bits and Bites A revelation unlike any other in the Russia investigation [Washington Post] My Loyalty Is to the Constitution. Trumps FBI Nominee Pledges Agency Independence [TIME] Gowdy fumes at Trump administration over latest Russia controversy [Politico] Trump defends son after disclosure of Russian emails [Associated Press] President Trump Is Visiting Paris on Bastille Day. Heres Why That Matters [TIME] Open, Transparent and Innocent. Everything President Trump Has Said to Defend His Son Amid Email Scandal [TIME] Russia Denies Connections to People Who Set Up Meeting With Donald Trump Jr. [Associated Press] Trump rethinking aviation agreements with Gulf countries [Politico] Trumps FBI Pick Sure As Heck Didnt Offer Loyalty Pledge [TIME] John McCain on Donald Trump Jr.: My Sons Would Be Court-Martialed If They Did That [TIME] Donald Trump Jr. Speaks About Meeting With Russian Lawyer: I Would Have Done Things a Little Differently [TIME] Donald Trump Blocked These People on Twitter. Now Theyre Suing Him [TIME] Joe Howlett and his son, Tyler: Tyler Howlett/Facebook A Canadian lobster fisherman lost his life after freeing a whale which had become tangled up in fishing gear. Joe Howlett, from Campobello Island, New Brunswick, has saved dozens of endangered whales after they became entangled in fishing nets. The 59-year-old had boarded a vessel off the province's eastern coast to help rescue a north Atlantic whale which had become entangled in heavy rope. Soon after cutting the last piece of rope from the massive whale, Mr Howlett was struck by the mammal, Mackie Green, of the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, said. They got the whale totally disentangled and then some kind of freak thing happened and the whale made a big flip," Mr Green, who was not on the vessel at the time, told the Toronto Star. Mr Howlett has helped rescue around two dozen whales over the past 15 years, his family and friends said. Days before his death, he had rescued another North Atlantic right whale in the same region. Joe definitely would not want us to stop because of this," Mr Green, who co-founded the Campobello Whale Rescue Team with Mr Howlett in 2012, added. "This is something he loved and theres no better feeling than getting a whale untangled, and I know how good he was feeling after cutting that whale clear. Federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc offered his sympathies to Mr Howlett's family and friends. In a statement, he said: "We have lost an irreplaceable member of the whale rescue community. His expertise and dedication will be greatly missed." It has been a heartbreaking legal battle that has captured international attention and drawn offers of support from Donald Trump and the Pope. Now, Charlie Gard has died after his life-support was withdrawn soon after he was moved to a hospice, denying his parents their "final wish" for him to spend his final hours at home. The little boy's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, had asked for more time with their son after he was transferred from Great Ormond Street Hospital, but High Court judge Mr Justice Francis said doctors could stop providing treatment shortly after 11-month-old arrived at the hospice. Here is everything you need to know about the case. Who is Charlie Gard? Charlie is a 10-month old patient in intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London. On August 4, 2016, he was born a "perfectly healthy" baby at full term and at a "healthy weight". After about a month, however, Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, noticed that he was less able to lift his head and support himself than other babies of a similar age. Chris Gard and Connie Yates with their son Charlie Credit: PA Doctors discovered he had a rare inherited disease - infantile onset encephalomyopathy mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS). The condition causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. In October, after he had became lethargic and his breathing shallow, he was transferred to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Why was there a legal fight? Charlie's parents wanted to take him to see specialists in the USA, who had offered an experimental therapy called nucleoside. A crowdfunding page was set up in January to help finance the therapy. Ribbons and hearts tied to trees outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in London by well wishers backing a campaign to allow terminally ill baby Charlie Gard to be treated in America Credit: PA But doctors at GOSH concluded that the experimental treatment, which is not designed to be curative, would not improve Charlies quality of life. When parents do not agree about a childs future treatment, it is standard legal process to ask the courts to make a decision. This is what happened in Charlies case. Story continues What were the stages of the legal battle? March 3: Great Ormond Street bosses asked Mr Justice Francis to rule that life support treatment should stop. The judge was told that Charlie could only breathe through a ventilator and was fed through a tube. April 11: Mr Justice Francis said doctors could stop providing life-support treatment after analysing the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London He concluded that life-support treatment should end and said a move to a palliative care regime would be in Charlie's best interests. Connie Yates leaves the Supreme Court after a panel of three Supreme Court justices on dismissed the couple's latest challenge Credit: PA May 3: Charlie's parents then asked Court of Appeal judges to consider the case. May 23: After analysing the case, three Court of Appeal judges dismissed the couple's appeal two days later. June 8: Charlie's parents then lost their fight in the Supreme Court. Charlie's mother broke down in tears and screamed as justices announced their decision and was led from the court by lawyers. Chris Gard leaves the Supreme Court after it ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street Hospital Credit: PA June 20: Judges in the European Court of Human Rights started to analyse the case after lawyers representing Charlie's parents make written submissions. A European Court of Human Rights spokeswoman said the case would get "priority". "In light of the exceptional circumstances of this case, the court has already accorded it priority and will treat the application with the utmost urgency," she added. Supporters outside the Supreme Court Credit: PA June 27: On Tuesday, European court judges refused to intervene. A Great Ormond Street spokeswoman said the European Court decision marked "the end" of a "difficult process". She said there would be "no rush" to change Charlie's care and said there would be "careful planning and discussion". July 10: Charlie's parents return to the High Court and ask Mr Justice Francis to carry out a fresh analysis of the case. Mr Justice Francis gives them less than 48 hours to prove an experimental treatment works. July 24: Charlie's parents withdraw their request to change the original court order. The baby will have his life support switched off in the next few days. Why was the case back in court? Charlie inherited the faulty RRM2B gene from his parents, affecting the cells responsible for energy production and respiration and leaving him unable to move or breathe without a ventilator. GOSH describes experimental nucleoside therapies as "unjustified" and the treatment is not a cure. The hospital's decision to go back into the courtroom came after two international healthcare facilities and their researchers contacted them to say they have "fresh evidence about their proposed experimental treatment". Charlie's parents have now decided to end their legal battle. Grant Armstrong, the parents lawyer, told the court: "for Charlie it is too late." What did Charlie's parents argue? Richard Gordon QC, who led Charlie's parents' legal team, had told Court of Appeal judges that the case raised "very serious legal issues". "They wish to exhaust all possible options," Mr Gordon said in a written outline of Charlie's parents' case. "They don't want to look back and think 'what if?'. This court should not stand in the way of their only remaining hope." Mr Gordon suggested that Charlie might be being unlawfully detained and denied his right to liberty. He said judges should not interfere with parents' exercise of parental rights. Lawyers, who represented Charlie's parents for free, said Mr Justice Francis had not given enough weight to Charlie's human right to life. They said there was no risk the proposed therapy in the US would cause Charlie "significant harm". However, Miss Yates and Mr Gard have now acknowledged that the therapy could not help their son get better. Their lawyer, Grant Armstrong, told the court that the delay in offering treatment to Charlie had meant he had no prospect of getting better. Mr Armstrong said damage to Charlie's muscle and tissue was irreversible. "The parents' worst fears have been confirmed," he said "It is now too late to treat Charlie." What did GOSH argue? Katie Gollop QC, who led Great Ormond Street's legal team, suggested that further treatment would leave Charlie in a "condition of existence". She said therapy proposed in the USA was "experimental" and would not help Charlie. "There is significant harm if what the parents want for Charlie comes into effect," she told appeal judges. "The significant harm is a condition of existence which is offering the child no benefit." She added: "It is inhuman to permit that condition to continue." A banner hung on railings outside Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London Credit: PA Ms Gollop said nobody knew whether Charlie was in pain. "Nobody knows because it is so very difficult because of the ravages of Charlie's condition," she said. "He cannot see, he cannot hear, he cannot make a noise, he cannot move." Interventions from Trump and the Vatican While Ms Yates and Mr Gard said they have been boosted by support from US President Donald Trump and the Vatican, a leading expert has described interventions from high-profile figures as "unhelpful". Professor Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said in an open letter that Charlie's situation is "heartbreaking" for his parents, and "difficult" for others including medical staff, but added that even well-meaning interventions from outsiders can be unhelpful. If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2017 The interest of the Pope and Mr Trump in Charlie's case has "saved his life so far", his mother has said. Ms Yates told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on July 10: "Yeah, they have saved his life so far. It turned it into an international issue. "There are a lot of people that are outraged by what is going on. We have got new evidence now so I hope the judge changes his mind." Timeline | Charlie Gard case She said that "sometimes parents are right in what they think" and it is not simply that they do not want to switch off life support. She said the family had seven specialist doctors - two from the US, two from Italy, one from England and two from Spain - supporting them. She added: "We expect that structural damage is irreversible, but I have yet to see something which tells me my son has irreversible structural brain damage." The parents have now acknowledged that the therapy they were seeking could not help their son get better. Their lawyer said the couple felt that continuing their fight would cause Charlie pain. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Crews battled dozens of wildfires raging across California on Wednesday, gaining ground on several of the more destructive blazes as forecasters warned that hot, dry, tinderbox conditions would persist across the U.S. West. In Northern California, by late Wednesday afternoon firefighters had cut containment lines around more than half of the so-called Wall Fire, which has damaged or destroyed more than 100 structures, 44 of them homes, since it broke out last week. Evacuation orders in the path of the Wall fire were reduced to warnings on Wednesday but according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection more than 600 homes remained threatened. The blaze has displaced 4,000 people and charred some 5,800 acres of tall grass and chaparral in Butte County, north of Sacramento. In Southern California, meanwhile crews had managed to contain 65 percent of the Alamo Fire, which has blackened nearly 29,000 acres northeast of Santa Maria in San Luis Obispo County. Some 200 people remained under evacuation orders because of the blaze, which has destroyed two structures The Whittier Fire in Santa Barbara County forced the evacuation of thousands of campers near Lake Cachuma, including some who left behind their trailers in the rush. Dozens of residents were also evacuated when the fire broke out on Saturday, officials said. By Wednesday, firefighters had contained 48 percent of the blaze, up from 25 percent a day earlier. The fire has burned nearly 12,000 acres. As of Wednesday evening 47 large fires were burning out of control across the U.S. West, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. So far this year, more than twice as much land mass in California has been charred by flames compared to the same time last year, said Heather Williams, a Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman. Temperatures in the region will top 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) this week, with only scattered showers to possibly quell some flames, said meteorologist Brian Hurley of the National Weather Service. At a local assistance center, resident Carolyn Opalenik said her house had been destroyed. "It's all gone. We have pictures, and it's all gone," she told the Chico Enterprise-Record newspaper. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Tom Brown) Oklahoma state Sen. Michael Brooks in Oklahoma City, July 12, 2017. (Photo: Sue Ogrocki/AP) Democrats may have lost close special elections for House seats in red districts in Georgia, Montana, North Carolina and Kansas, but two Oklahoma Democrats were able to pull off wins in special elections for their states legislature in deeply red districts. Michael Brooks, one of those Democrats, has a message for the rest of his party voters reward focus on local issues. I think a big part of the reason I won this race is because I have roots in this community, Brooks told Yahoo News. I was born and raised in Senate District 44. My office is in the district, my house is in the district, my kids go to the same school where I went 40 years ago and Ive been involved civically for the past 22 years, serving on different boards of directors. So I think Ive been a member of this community for a long time. Community ties became an issue for Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff during his bid for Georgias Republican-leaning Sixth Congressional District last month. Though he was raised in the district he was running to represent, Ossoff was temporarily living just outside it with his fiancee as she finished medical school. Brooks advises future Democrat hopefuls to avoid the same mistake. The No. 1 thing is to put down some roots and gain some credibility in the community, Brooks said. I dont think that we need more career politicians. We need people that have practical experience that can apply that at the legislature. Ossoff and the other Democrats who lost special elections were all running in historically red districts that were open because the Trump administration had selected the sitting congressmen to fill positions in the administration. Democrats won a special election for an open House seat in California. Brooks, an immigration attorney who carried the district by 331 votes, will become one of only seven Democrats in Oklahomas right-leaning state senate. Democrats also recently picked up state assembly seats in New York and New Hampshire. Story continues Brooks previously ran for the same state senate seat in 2014, but lost to incumbent Republican Ralph Shortey, who won by 10 points but later resigned due to child prostitution allegations. Trump won over 60 percent of the vote in Oklahoma last year. To him, the long string of Democratic losses that preceded his narrow win do not signify a toxic brand, as Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said after the Ossoffs loss, just a misplaced focus. At this point, the national issues are in Washington, D.C., Brooks said, and I understand that voters are anxious about those, but Im most interested in whats going on here in the state capitol in Oklahoma and trying to resolve some of the issues that we have here. Im not at all concerned with Nancy Pelosi at this moment, Brooks said. Im interested in whats going on in Oklahoma. Democrat Karen Gaddis, a public school teacher, also narrowly won a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives Tuesday after losing it last year. Read more from Yahoo News: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 400 people, including doctors and nurses, have been charged with defrauding Medicare and other federal healthcare programs of $1.3 billion, with many accused of illegally distributing opioids and other narcotics, the Justice Department said on Thursday. A total of 412 people, including almost 115 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, have been charged in the sweeping enforcement action, the biggest ever by the multi-agency Medicare Strike Force, the Justice Department said in a statement. More than 120 people were accused of illegally prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics, charges that come as about 91 Americans die daily from opioid-related overdoses. "Too many trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses and pharmacists have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in the statement. Amazingly, some have made their practices into multi-million-dollar criminal enterprises." Those charged participated in schemes that billed Medicaid, Medicare and TRICARE - which serves military personnel, veterans and their families - for unneeded drugs and treatments that were often never provided, the Justice Department said. Medicaid and Medicare provide healthcare for the poor and elderly. In many cases, healthcare providers paid cash kickbacks to patients and others in exchange for medical data that would allow them to file fraudulent bills to Medicare, the Justice Department said. In addition to the hundreds charged, the Department of Health and Human Services has launched suspension procedures against almost 300 medical service providers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, the Justice Department said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Leslie Adler) Candice Jackson, center, sits with Donald Trumps daughter-in-law Lara Trump, right, during the town hall debate on Oct. 9, 2016, in St Louis. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The Education Departments top civil rights official has apologized for her characterization that 90 percent of campus sexual assault accusations investigated by the federal government under Title IX stem from drunken regret or the fallout of a broken romance. Candice Jackson, the acting assistant secretary for the departments Office of Civil Rights, said in a Wednesday New York Times article, The accusations 90 percent of them fall into the category of We were both drunk, We broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right.' Jackson apologized for her comments in a late Wednesday statement from the Education Department, calling them flippant. As a survivor of rape myself, I would never seek to diminish anyones experience, Jackson said. My words in the New York Times poorly characterized the conversations Ive had with countless groups of advocates. All sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously which has always been my position and will always be the position of this Department. Sexual assault survivors and advocates have blasted Jackson for the comments. The Senates assistant minority leader, Patty Murray, D-Wash., slammed Jacksons comments in a Wednesday letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. In the letter, first obtained by BuzzFeed News, Murray wrote that Jacksons views promulgated damaging misinformation about sexual violence. Murray, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Health Committee, said she was deeply disturbed by Jacksons characterization of sexual assault accusations investigated under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act, especially given Jacksons position as head of the departments Office of Civil Rights. At the least, this suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of campus sexual assault and suggests that OCR is not prepared to take accounts from survivors seriously, Murray wrote. Story continues Jackson also said in the Times article that some campus representatives described the public list of universities under Title IX investigation as a list of shame. The list, published in 2014 by the Education Department, also identifies schools where investigations have been initiated but have not yet found proof of sexual misconduct. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos testifies before a Senate subcommittee on June 6. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters) Murray expressed concerns that Jacksons description presented a clear lack of understanding about the importance of transparency in the Federal government. The senator cited a 2015 American Association of American Universities report on 27 universities that found 23.1 percent of female undergraduates experienced sexual assault or sexual misconduct by physical force, and called for continued public reports of schools under Title IX investigation. The senators letter also took aim at DeVos for her refusal to commit to upholding current Title IX investigation procedures. Under President Trump, the department is preparing to reassess how federal investigations of campus sexual assault are handled. Democrats have praised former President Barack Obama for a more aggressive approach to investigations, while Republicans have said Obamas strategy went too far, citing concerns of federal overreach. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., also wrote to DeVos, who is scheduled to meet Thursday with sexual assault survivors, those accused of sexual assault and higher education administrators. Any rollback of protections for victims of campus sexual assault is completely unacceptable, and your refusal to express support for federal protections of victims of sexual assault does a disservice to the women and men who have bravely spoken out about their own experiences in order to end this injustice, Casey wrote. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Donald Trump Jr is often likened to Fredo Corleone, the weak link of Vito's three sons in the Godfather - AP Donald Trump Jr has long been the brawler who has helped fuel the president's pugilistic instincts and stood firm as one of his fiercest defenders. Now the president's eldest son is at the centre of the firestorm over Russian connections swirling around his father's administration and trying to fight off charges that he was open to colluding with Moscow to defeat Hillary Clinton. Offered Russian help in defeating Hillary Clinton last year, Don Jr jumped at the offer: "I love it," he emailed. Donald Trump Jr watches his father leave the stage on the night of the Iowa Caucus, in February 2016 Credit: Reuters That was in an email chain the younger Trump released on Tuesday, and published in full here, in which an associate arranging a June 2016 meeting between the president's son and a Kremlin-linked lawyer promised damaging information about Clinton. "In retrospect I probably would have done things a little differently," he said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity. "For me this was opposition research, they had something you know maybe concrete evidence to all the stories I'd been hearing about." Donald Trump Jr., left, is interviewed by host Sean Hannity on his Fox News Channel television programme Credit: AP The story has revived comparisons between Mr Trump Jr and Fredo Corleone, second son of mob don Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppolas classic Godfather films. Fredo is seen as the weak link of Vito's three sons, an insecure man whose power plays backfire and who ends up causing major damage to the crime family. Fredo Corleone, played by John Cazale, holds his brother Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, in The Godfather: Part II Credit: Corbis via Getty Images "Ever since the campaign, a popular, behind-his-back nickname for Trump Jr. among some in his fathers political inner circle has been 'Fredo'," the Daily Beast reported, citing Team Trump veterans. Mr Trump Jr has barely posted the explosive email chain when Twitter latched onto to the similarities. Trump Jr, 39, was one of his father's loudest defenders throughout the campaign, his role ascendant at the time of the meeting last summer. Donald Trump Jr. finally proves he's the Fredo of the family in one NY Times article. "I can handle things! I'm shmaaart!" pic.twitter.com/Dwss3b5Llk Matt Lipton (@mattliptoncomic) July 10, 2017 TFW you're suddenly the most talked-about Corleone and they're comparing you to Don Jr. pic.twitter.com/vuTzzWX8vF Fredo Corleone (@real_fredo) July 11, 2017 Junior's campaign nickname was "Fredo" ... feels appropriate pic.twitter.com/Z8lY6NbgTc Talia (@2020fight) July 11, 2017 After today's debacle, I can't help but see Donald Jr. is Fredo. Ivanka is probably the Michael Corleone of the Trump family. David Atchison (@DavidNAtchison) July 11, 2017 I haven't seen The Godfather, but based on all the comparisons to Donald Trump Jr., I assume "Fredo" was the name of like, a very dumb goat. Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) July 11, 2017 But when his father was elected, Trump Jr stayed in New York to run the family's sprawling business along with his brother, Eric. And from that vantage point, he has been a loud and constant defender of his father, firing off broadsides on Twitter and never shying away from a fight against the "fake news" media. Story continues Just on Monday, he retweeted a video of a doctored clip in which the president's face is superimposed over a character shooting a Russian jet bearing a CNN logo. "One of the best I've seen," Trump Jr tweeted of the video. In the email chain released on Tuesday, Mr Trump Jr seemed receptive to receiving damaging information from a foreign government. He released a statement in which he denied any wrongdoing. His father, conspicuously quiet as details of the meeting have rolled out over the last few days, issued a terse a statement on Tuesday in which he said: "My son is a high quality person and I applaud his transparency." Donald Trump with his children Eric, Ivanka and Donald Jr in 2008 Credit: AP Mr Trump Jr has vowed to push back against the charges of collusion, believing that an anti-Trump media is trumping up accusations against him as a way to damage his father and is willfully ignoring his claim that he did not receive any information from the Russian lawyer, according to several of the real estate heir's confidants. Donald Trump Jnr emails related content He has settled on a strategy out of his father's playbook: a strong counter-attack. He released the emails himself - although just minutes before they were set to be published by The New York Times - and appeared on Hannity's programme to defend himself in a typically Trump-friendly space. Mr Trump Jr and his father were not always close: The younger Trump, who admits to a wild post-college period before he cut back on his drinking, didn't speak to his father for a year after Mr Trump divorced his mother, Ivana. But he grew into an executive role at the Trump Organisation, was a co-star on "The Apprentice" and during his father's campaign was an active campaign presence, criss-crossing the country to speak in small towns and delivering a well-received speech at the national convention in Cleveland. An avid big game hunter, he also was seen as the campaign's emissary to Mr Trump's most conservative followers, particularly those online, due to his aggressive pushbacks against Democrats and the media, as well as an embrace of the conservative fringe ethos of the alt-right. Last autumn, Mr Trump Jr tweeted images of Pepe the Frog, a cartoon character whose image has been used by white supremacists, as well as imagery which likened Syrian refugees to poisonous Skittles candy. And while he and his brother say they have instituted a firewall that separates his father's business from the White House, Mr Trump Jr has eagerly defended his father's presidency, live-tweeting attacks on ex-FBI Director James Comey's Senate testimony and amplifying his father's war on unfavourable news coverage. "Don was an asset to the campaign, a sportsman, an entrepreneur, a guy's guy," said Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser. "And Don is a true conservative who really understood the movement his father started and its messages." In brief | Donald Trumps family Mark Wilson/Getty Images Donald Trump is being sued because of his behaviour on Twitter. The president's unprecedented Twitter use which he has said is "modern day presidential" has landed him a range of criticism in recent weeks. But the new lawsuit actually focuses not on his tweets but something else more private: his blocking critics on the site. The new case argued that it is unconstitutional to stop people following him on Twitter. (Blocking people bans them from seeing your tweets or sending replies to them while signed into the blocked account.) The lawsuit has been filed in Manhattan and cites seven people who are no longer able to talk to or hear from their president because he or his aides have blocked him. As well as the president, Trump, the lawsuit also named as defendants White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Dan Scavino, White House director of social media. Jameel Jaffer, the institute's director, said dozens of people reached out after his organisation told the White House three weeks ago that it wasn't permitted to block individuals from following the president's 8-year-old "realdonaldtrump" account. Trump doesn't seem to be the only politician trying to limit his audience. Jaffer said numerous people have said they were blocked from the accounts of Republican and Democratic politicians after posting critical comments. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., recently ruled that a local official's Facebook account was a public forum under the First Amendment, but higher courts have not yet addressed the issue, Jaffer said. "It's fair to say that this is a new frontier," Jaffer said. "The First Amendment principle is well-settled, but the applicability of that principle to this context isn't an issue that the courts have yet had many occasions to address." The lawsuit asks a judge to stop Trump and his media team from blocking critics from following his personal account, which has 33 million followers, 14 million more than (at)POTUS and 19 million more than (at)WhiteHouse. Story continues Dawn Dearden, a spokeswoman for government lawyers, declined to comment. According to the lawsuit, blocking people from following Trump's account was a viewpoint-based restriction the U.S. Constitution doesn't allow. It noted that Trump on July 2 tweeted: "My use of social media is not Presidential it's MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL." It also quoted Spicer saying a month earlier at a press conference that Trump's tweets should be understood as "official statements of the president of the United States." Federal agencies and courts treat Trump's tweets as official statements, and The National Archives and Records Administration has advised the White House that the tweets must be preserved under the Presidential Records Act, the lawsuit said. Among plaintiffs was Rebecca Buckwalter, a Washington-based writer and political consultant who was blocked from the account on June 6 after she replied to Trump's tweet saying he would have had "ZERO chance winning WH" if he'd relied on "Fake News" from major media outlets. Buckwalter received over 9,000 likes and 3,300 retweets after posting: "To be fair you didn't win the WH: Russia won it for you," according to the lawsuit. Others to be blocked included Philip Cohen, a University of Maryland sociology professor who called Trump a "Corrupt Incompetent Authoritarian," and Holly Figueroa, a national political organizer and songwriter who was cut off May 28 after posting an image of the pope looking incredulously at Trump, along with the statement: "This is pretty much how the whole world sees you," the lawsuit said. Additional reporting by Associated Press Scientists analyzing species around the world concluded that billions of populations have been lost on a local and regional level, leading to the sixth mass extinction in the Earth's history. Some have termed this reduction of populations a "biological annihilation." The study was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in May. It puts the brunt of the blame on human overpopulation and overconsumption and warns that humans have a short time to act before mass extinction of species threatens human civilization. "The strong focus on species extinctions, a critical aspect of the contemporary pulse of biological extinction, leads to a common misimpression that Earths biota is not immediately threatened, just slowly entering an episode of major biodiversity loss," reads the study's introduction. The fifth mass extinction occurred 66 million years ago called the CretaceousPaleogene extinction event and accounted for 75 percent of all species and the end of non-avian dinosaurs. READ: Dinosaur Evolution: Skeleton Shows Diversity Of Marine Reptiles The study explained that even species in relatively low danger have had an overall shrinking population and that humans should be wary of continued extinctions and shrinking populations. "Using a sample of 27,600 terrestrial vertebrate species, and a more detailed analysis of 177 mammal species, we show the extremely high degree of population decay invertebrates, even in common 'species of low concern.'" read the report. "This 'biological annihilation' underlines the seriousness for humanity of Earths ongoing sixth mass extinction event." Similar studies have shown that extinction rates are significantly faster but rare. However, this study differs in that it takes a broad view on the effects of population, seeing a shrinking population as an indication of an acceleration towards annihilation. Professor Gerardo Ceballos, at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, who led the work, told the Guardian on Monday that "the situation has become so bad it would not be ethical not to use strong language." Story continues Robin Freeman, at the Zoological Society of London, said that while aggregation is interesting, the most troubling aspect of the finding is the decline of populations in specific geographical locations, according to the Guardian. "While looking at things on aggregate is interesting, the real interesting nitty gritty comes in the details. What are the drivers that cause the declines in particular areas?" Freeman said. READ: What Old Dinosaur Bones Reveal: 3D Technology Reveals Fossil Secrets According to the report, the scientists found "that the rate of population loss in terrestrial vertebrates is extremely higheven in 'species of low concern.' In our sample, comprising nearly half of known vertebrate species, 32% (8,851/27,600) are decreasing; that is, they have decreased in population size and range." "In the 177 mammals for which we have detailed data, all have lost 30% or more of their geographic ranges and more than 40% of the species have experienced severe population declines (>80% range shrinkage)," the study continued. The data, according to the study, warned of "negative cascading consequences" on the ecosystem's ability to function which would then affect the human population. "Our data indicate that beyond global species extinctions Earth is experiencing a huge episode of population declines and extirpations, which will have negative cascading consequences on ecosystem functioning and services vital to sustaining civilization." Dinosaur Photo: David Kryzaniak/Flickr Related Articles A Department of Education official apologized after saying that 90% of sexual assault accusations on college campuses fall into the category of we were both drunk,' during an interview as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos prepares to meet Thursday with a range of advocacy groups to discuss the issue. Candice Jackson, who leads the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights, told the New York Times that for most sexual assault investigations, theres not even an accusation that these accused students overrode the will of a young woman. Rather, the accusations 90% of them fall into the category of we were both drunk, we broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right,' she said. Jackson apologized Wednesday evening, according to the Associated Press, calling the remark flippant. All sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously, she said in a statement. The comment alarmed some advocates for sexual assault victims, including Jess Davidson, the managing director of the group End Rape on Campus. That statement put a pit in my stomach when I read it, she told TIME, because it came from the person who is nationally in charge of investigating all of these cases. Davidson said shes also concerned by Jackson labeling the women who have accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment and assault as fake victims. The statement made it sound like she believes that 90% of accusations are false reports, Davidson said. Statistically, that is untrue. (A 2015 study published in the journal Violence Against Women found that the prevalence of false allegations of sexual assault falls between 2% and 10%.) Jackson organized the meetings DeVos will take part in on Thursday with victims advocates, as well as groups advocating for the due process rights of accused students. Among them will be Cynthia Garrett, co-president of Families Advocating for Campus Equality (FACE), a nonprofit founded by mothers of sons who were falsely accused of sexual misconduct in college. Garrett said she hopes to encourage DeVos to change a current policy that she views as one-sided. She referenced a 2011 Dear Colleague letter issued by the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights under former President Barack Obama, which called on universities to better investigate cases of campus sexual assault and issued guidance for how to interpret Title IX when it comes to handling sexual misconduct complaints. Story continues I think the package made colleges feel as though the only way to be safe was to err on the side of finding the accused responsible, Garrett said. But Davidson said the guidance was an important improvement, and she plans to encourage DeVos not to overturn it when she meets with her on Thursday. The Education Departments inclusion of FACE, Stop Abusive and Violent Environments and the National Coalition for Men has drawn heavy criticism from victims advocates who say they can be hostile to accusers. But Garrett defended the work of her group. We have always tried to be fair and balanced in our organization. Weve been very careful, Garrett said. Most of us are mothers. We have daughters, so were not looking to make victims suffer or deny them protections. Thats so far out of the realm of possibility or desire. We just want the system to be fair for both. Davidson, who argues that the Obama-era guidance created a fairer system, said shes concerned Thursdays meeting is a sign that DeVos Education Department wont prioritize the needs of sexual assault victims. When you look at the amount of students who are going to be assaulted in college versus the amount of students who are going to be wrongfully accused, significantly more students fall into the first category, she said. SNUB: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC) Stephen Colberts The Late Show hasnt just eclipsed Jimmy Fallons Tonight Show in the ratings its also taken the lead in the Emmy race. For the first time since ascending to Johnny Carson and Jay Lenos old chair in 2014, Fallon failed to qualify in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category. (The Tonight Show was recognized in the Outstanding Interactive Program category.) It appears that rubbing Donald Trumps hair doesnt bring you good luck. Ethan Alter (Photo: NBC) In the era of Peak TV, shows and actors are much more likely to be snubbed than honored by the Emmys. Even with seven nominees in most categories, hall-of-fame performances were overlooked in this mornings Emmy nominations. The critically acclaimed last season of HBOs The Leftovers was left out in the cold in major categories. Another buzzed-about show that couldnt get any recognition for its final season: Girls. Emmy voters lavished love on This Is Us, including nominations for leading men Milo Ventimiglia and Sterling K. Brown, but leading lady Mandy Moore couldnt crack the highly competitive Best Drama Actress category. There were very pleasant surprises, too. Voters clearly have a long memory, since they reached back to honor last summers gritty limited series The Night Of. Here are the snubs and surprises that jumped out at us. The Emmys will be held Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Stephen Colbert and airing on CBS. More Emmys coverage: WASHINGTON White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders brought a mixture of defensiveness and obfuscation to her briefing with reporters on Wednesday as she faced continued questions about Donald Trump Jr.s recently revealed meeting with a Russian lawyer. Its a strategy that has left the press as well as some in the White House itself deeply dissatisfied. Trump Jr.s meeting with the Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was first reported in the New York Times on July 8. Since then, there have been a slew of revelations about the meeting including that Trump Jr. had been told the lawyer would provide damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to support Trumps candidacy. The meeting has been the focus of intense scrutiny amid multiple investigations into Russias interference in the election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. In an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, Trump Jr. insisted he did nothing wrong and said he did not leave the meeting with any incriminating information about Clinton. A White House official, speaking anonymously to Yahoo News, expressed frustration at the efforts to dismiss the questions about Russia. The official suggested the correct response would be for the White House to state its willingness to cooperate with any investigation and let the process play out through proper channels rather than in the headlines. Instead, the official said, the White House has been unable to move past the scandal. The first question posed to Sanders at the briefing was whether Trump and his son have had any communications over the last couple of days. She was also asked whether a report that the president helped his son craft his initial statement to the press was correct. Sanders had no answer. Im not sure about specific communications and the nature of those conversations. I know that theyve spoken at least at some point over the last few days, but beyond that I dont have any other further details, she said. Story continues Sanders was asked about statements made by Christopher Wray, Trumps nominee for FBI director, in his confirmation hearing earlier Wednesday. Questioned about the presidents view that the special counsels probe into Russias election interference is a witch hunt, Wray broke with Trump and said he doesnt share that view. Asked to clarify, Sanders said the president has made extremely clear his position on that, and it certainly has not changed. Sanders was pressed about why the president might have the view the investigation is a witch hunt when that position is not shared by his proposed FBI director, by congressional investigators or law enforcement. Because the president knows very specifically any action or inaction that has been taken. And so I think thats pretty clear, Sanders said. That answer led to even more questions, since the White House has claimed that Trump was unaware of his sons meeting with the Russian lawyer, which was also attended by the presidents former campaign chief, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner. Later in the briefing, Sanders was asked how Trump could profess to be sure there was no inappropriate activity on the part of his campaign when he claimed to have no knowledge of key meetings that clearly did take place. Her response did not address the question at all. Once again, I think the presidents been very clear about his opinion on the matter, Sanders said, revealing nothing about how the president could have drawn his conclusion. Sarah Huckabee Sanders taking questions from journalists, July 12, 2017. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) Sanders was also asked about influential South Carolina Republican Congressman Trey Gowdys comment that the drip, drip, drip of scandal is undermining the credibility of this administration. She deflected to one of her favorite targets, the press, rather than responding to the fact this criticism came from a member of Trumps own party. I think its actually undermining the credibility of the media because they drip, drip, drip a lot of things that dont seem to have much to much ado about nothing, Sanders said. The reporter emphasized that the comment came from Gowdy and asked Sanders if she wanted to respond to him. Reminded that her answer did not address the question, Sanders stuck to her guns. I think I just answered that, Sanders said. When questioned about Trump Jr., Sanders repeatedly tried to pivot to Clinton, Trumps election opponent. I think if theres been any evidence of collusion in 2016 thats come out at all or been discussed, thats actually happened, it would be between the [Democratic National Committee] and the Ukrainian government, Sanders said. Sanders was referring to the fact a DNC staffer solicited information from the Ukrainian embassy in researching Trump and his team. Thats become a favorite talking point of Trumps allies amid the controversy of his sons meeting. Sanders also turned to Clintons Russian links when a reporter asked her to explain an apparent wave of amnesia among the Trump administration where Kushner, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have all, at times, failed to disclose meetings with Russian officials when asked about them. I think, if you want to talk about having relations with Russia, Id look no further than the Clintons, Sanders said before reciting a list of connections including speaking fees Clintons husband received from a Russian bank and lobbying work done by the brother of Clintons campaign chairman. One of the reporters in the crowd interjected and pointed out Sanders critique of the Clintons did nothing to address the issue of Trump administration officials forgetting their contacts with Russia. What about his question? the reporter shouted. There was no response from Sanders. Yahoo News received no reply from Sanders or White House press secretary Sean Spicer to an email requesting an explanation for the continued focus on Clinton, who lost more than eight months ago. The premise of Yahoos question was that even if Clinton or her associates behaved improperly, doesnt Trump want to be judged by his own actions and by a different ethical standard than the woman he infamously dubbed Crooked Hillary? These are questions that are also being asked inside the West Wing. A clearly exasperated White House staffer told Yahoo News they believe the continued attacks on the Clintons are an effort to satisfy Trump, who has remained fixated on his election victory. The staffer suggested this focus on the Clintons is leading to statements that dont address the issues at hand and therefore prevent the discussion from moving on. The staffers take: The Clinton stuff is purely done to appease Trump. Its the equivalent of giving a sick, screaming baby whiskey instead of taking them to the doctor and actually solving the problem. Read more from Yahoo News: President Donald Trumps nominee for FBI director was set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to begin the process of possibly becoming the organizations next leader. Christopher Wray was picked by Trump to lead the FBI after the president fired James Comey in May. Read: How Much Do FBI Directors Make? Should Wray become the next FBI director, he and his family will likely be more in the spotlight than ever before. Wray, 50, has been married to his wife Helen for almost 30 years. Both were graduates of the Yale class of 1989 and were married in August of that same year, according to a New York Times write-up of the occasion. GettyImages-803389484 Photo: Getty Images Formerly Helen Howell, Helen Wray graduated from the Westminster Schools and served as business manager of the Yale Daily News during her time in college. She and Wray have two children, Carolina, 22, and Trip, 20. Wray himself graduated from Yale Law School in 1992. From there, he joined the law firm King and Spalding, based in Atlanta, Georgia. He went on to become an assistant United States attorney in Georgia before joining the Department of Justice in 2001 as assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division. He left the department in 2005 and returned to King and Spalding, where he remained as a white collar defense attorney at the time of his nomination to the FBI. Wray specializes in defending companies in government investigations, white collar crime and crisis management, according to his biography on the law firms website. Read: An Incomplete List Of Everyone Who Has Resigned Or Been Fired From Trumps Administration The president asked us to look for an FBI director who has integrity, who understands and is committed to the rule of law and who is dedicated to protecting the American people from crime, gangs and terrorists, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement Wednesday. We have found our man in Chris Wray. Related Articles A new report claims that Samsung intends to release the Galaxy Note 8 early on Sept. 10. The reason why its going to arrive early seems to be the lower-than-expected sales performance of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. This new rumored release date for the Galaxy Note 8 was first reported by the South Korean website The Bell. The site claims that Samsung wants an early release for the phablet for two reasons: the slowing sales of the Galaxy S8 and the arrival of Apples iPhone 8. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus have both been successful in terms of the positive reception from both critics and consumers. However, sales have been slowing down for both devices in the past month. Samsung has only sold 9.8 million units of the Galaxy S8, while last year, it was able to sell around 12 million units of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Plus in the same two-month period, accoridng to The Android Soul. READ: When Is Galaxy Note 8 Coming Out? A Rundown Of Samsung Release Date Rumors This is apparently why Samsung decided to revise its release strategy for the Galaxy Note 8. The Bell claims that the South Korean company might unveil the device in early September, days before its release on the tenth. The more obvious reason why Samsung wants to release the Galaxy Note 8 early in September is because that is the month when Apple typically unveils its new iPhones. This year in particular is very special since its the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and a lot of rumors have been floating around about the iPhone 8. Releasing the Note 8 around the same time might not give Samsung the head start it wants, but it is aggressively competitive. This isnt the first time that the Galaxy Note 8 was rumored to be released early. Its been previously reported that Samsungs upcoming phablet might arrive in mid or late August. At the time, it was believed that Samsung wanted to reveal the Note 8 that early so that it can be showcased during IFA Berlin 2017, which happens from Sept. 1 until Sept. 6. Story continues Another rumor that popped up in June claimed that the Note 8 would arrive in late September during the months second half. This was according to Evan Blass from VentureBeat. Blass has often been reliable for his leaks and insider sources, so his proposed release window seems to be a bit more likely. READ: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release Date In Late-September Makes Much More Sense, Heres Why As for the rumored specs for the Galaxy Note 8, the device is expected to borrow most of the same design of the Galaxy S8. This includes Samsungs AMOLED Infinity Display, which is believed to be a bit bigger at 6.3 inches. This also means that it will have the same unusual 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the Note 8 is believed to be packing Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 processor along with 6GB of RAM. The Note 8s battery is expected to have relatively smaller capacity of 3,300 mAh. This might be Samsungs way of completely avoiding what happened with the ill-fated Note 7, which arrived with a defective 3,500 mAh battery. Related Articles A traffic stop in Texas became a child endangerment case after cops say they pulled over an 11-year-old girl who was driving home with her 10-year-old brother. According to police in Pasadena, there were no adults in the car when the little girl was allegedly seen driving 49 mph in a 35 mph zone. Read: Boy, 3, Beaten to Death for Drinking From Milk Jug: Cops When she was pulled over, cops say the girl told them her mother, 25-year-old Maria Lopez, has let her drive in the past but that she'd never before driven her brother alone. Pasadena Police Department said an officer spotted a Dodge Durango speeding Friday afternoon. He said that when the officer asked for a driver's license, the little girl denied she was speeding, according to KTRK. "Thank God no one was injured in the vehicle or in the public," Vance Mitchell of the Pasadena Police Department said. In court Friday, prosecutors said the children's aunt had driven the kids to a store, then a friend's house about two miles from the family's home. Instead of driving them home, authorities say the aunt decided she wanted to stay at her friend's house. Read: Mom Arrested for Allegedly Leaving Child in Hot Car Tells Cops Patrol Vehicle Is Too Hot: Police After calling Lopez, prosecutors say the aunt was told the girl could drive the car home without her. Maria Lopez was ordered held on $3,000 bond. Watch: Mother Arrested After Her Kids, 1 and 2, Die in Hot Car Related Articles: Australian production team Terra Australis captured footage of what appeared to be a shark feeding a whale carcass Tuesday in Fremantle. They called it "the biggest shark" they have seen on the West Coast. Ryan Chatfield, a member of the Austrian-based production team, said he and his crew Andre Rerekura and Johnny Debnam reached North Mole around 5:30 p.m. local time to get video footage with their drone, PerthNow reported Wednesday. Chatfield took to social media and posted the video of the event. READ: Gigantic Humpback Whales Spotted By New Yorkers Near Statue Of Liberty "We arrived just in time to launch our drone into strong wind and rain," Chatfield wrote in a caption on the Terra Australis Instagram page Tuesday. "We still managed to capture some nice shots. We were lucky enough to film this 4-5 meter Great White just off Fremantle yesterday. This is the biggest shark we have seen on the west coast." We were lucky enough to film this 4-5 meter Great White just off Fremantle yesterday, we arrived just in time to launch our drone into strong wind and rain. We still managed to capture some nice shots. This is the biggest shark we have seen on the West coast. A post shared by terra_australis (@terra_australis) on Jul 12, 2017 at 1:18am PDT Terra Australis is a production company focused on underwater filming. The company reportedly captured similar footage up North of six huge tiger sharks devouring a whale carcass. Chatfield said that it looked like the shark may have been eating the whale since the weekend. "It wasn't out first shark, whale carcass encounter but it is always amazing to see something as raw and powerful as that," he told PerthNow. "We were a little disappointed because the shark was feeding very sporadically, so after those shots that we got it swam off and we didnt see it again." He added, "We believe that shark has probably been feeding on that carcass since Saturday, it looked very full." Story continues Sharks have been feeding on whales for a while, according to a report released by National Geographic in May. A team of researchers near the coast of Southern California captured footage of a great white shark consuming the carcass of a dead humpback whale. Independent researcher Keith Poe spotted the carcass after beach authorities notified him. The whale carcass appeared in the waters of Newport Beach but ultimately drifted out to sea to decompose. READ: Huge Great White Shark Caught By Local Fisherman In Massachusetts Poe worked with different research teams to gather biological samples and to track and monitor the migration patterns of sharks. Poe and a team from California State University Long Beach were at the beach to study the dead humpback when a shark approached to feed on the carcass. "She ate so much she was swimming around upside-down aimlessly like she was intoxicated," Poe told the National Geographic. Scientists haven't learned much about the scavenging habits of sharks. They were once believed to be hostile predators until a study released in 2013 by PLos ONE reshaped the way scientists categorized their feeding tendencies. Sea lions, seals and small-toothed whales were prey for great white sharks, though the study concluded that scavenging might be a major part of their nourishment. Related Articles ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police arrested a 33-year old Serb on Tuesday over the murder of a young American tourist on the Greek island of Zakynthos last week, bringing the number of people detained in the case to nine. The 22-year old tourist was beaten to death early on Friday outside a bar at Zakynthos' resort of Laganas, known for its rowdy nightlife. The arrested man will appear before a prosecutor later this week. Six Serbs, one Greek and a British national were arrested last week and have been charged with murder. They were expected to respond to the accusations on Tuesday but the hearing was postponed for later this week. The incident has shocked Greece, which is relying heavily on tourism to help it emerge from its debt and austerity crisis and is visited by about 25 million holidaymakers a year. Greece has in recent years vowed to crack down on crime at coastal resorts which have become notorious for violence or indecency among drunken young holidaymakers. In 2008, a young Australian man was left brain dead by a beating from nightclub workers on the island of Mykonos. An 18-year-old Briton was stabbed to death in Laganas in 2011. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) The History Channel announced Tuesday its plans to investigate the Amelia Earhart image it reportedly unearthed in the July 9 documentary, "Amelia Earhart: The Lost Story." The investigation follows an interview conducted by the Guardian Tuesday with Japanese military blogger Kota Yamano, who debunked the photo after conducting his own investigation. The debate around the photo purports that Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan were held captive by the Japanese, which led the History Channel to insinuate that Earhart and Noonan survived the crash. Read: Amelia Earhart Expert Claims Newly Emerged Photo Is Fake The History Channel broke the news of their upcoming investigation on Twitter, saying, "HISTORY has a team of investigators exploring the latest developments about #AmeliaEarhart and we will be transparent in our findings." The network added, "Ultimately historical accuracy is most important to us and our viewers." HISTORY has a team of investigators exploring the latest developments about #AmeliaEarhart and we will be transparent in our findings. (1/2) HISTORY (@HISTORY) July 11, 2017 Ultimately historical accuracy is most important to us and our viewers. (2/2) HISTORY (@HISTORY) July 11, 2017 Yamano reportedly found the image inside of a photo book titled "Motoaki Nishino" at Japan's National Libray, claiming the debunking task took him 30 minutes to complete. "I have never believed the theory that Earhart was captured by the Japanese military, so I decided to find out for myself," Yamano told the Guardian. "I was sure that the same photo must be on record in Japan. The photo was the 10th item that came up." Story continues He added, "I was really happy when I saw it. I find it strange that the documentary makers didnt confirm the date of the photograph or the publication in which it originally appeared. Thats the first thing they should have done." A representative for the History Channel and Yamano did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment. Read: Did Amelia Earhart Survive Crash? A New Photograph Suggests She Didnt Die In Crash Yamano's debunking made waves after he shared his blog post on the alleged photo to Twitter, writing, "Hi, in my research photo #EarhartLostEvidence was originally published in 1935 in Palau. The person is not Amelia." He also revealed in his blog that "the photograph was taken at least two years before Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 and a person on the photo was not her." Hi, in my research photo #EarhartLostEvidence was originally published in 1935 in Palau. The person is not Amelia. https://t.co/tYUf3mf3GX (@baron_yamaneko) July 10, 2017 Yamano isn't the first person to discredit the History Channel's alleged Earhart photo. Ric Gillespie, the Executive Director of the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), quickly denounced the photo in a July 5 interview with TMZ. However, Gillespie took Yamano's discovery Tuesday as an opportunity to speak out on the History Channel's inaccurate findings. "I find it amusing that the History Channel is 'launching an investigation' of this photo,'" Gillespie said in a statement issued to International Business Times. "They should have launched their investigation before they aired a television special claiming it is something it clearly is not." "The History Channel show completely ignored the elephant in the room the abundance of solid evidence TIGHAR has uncovered in twelve expeditions and over 28 years of scientific research," Gillespie added in a separate press release. "The evidence supports the hypothesis that Earhart and Noonan landed and died as castaways on Nikumaroro (formerly Gardner Island) in the Republic of Kiribati." Gillespie pointed out that the photo isn't the only finding that is "factually inaccurate" in the History Channel's Earhart-inspired documentary. The amount of fuel in Earhart's plane and alleged eye witness accounts are among a long list of discoveries Gillespie claims the network reported incorrectly. Amelia Earhart Photo: Getty Images Follow me on Twitter @dory_jackson Related Articles Hyperloop One announced on Wednesday it successfully conducted its first full-system test. The company also revealed its Pod prototype that will transport passengers and cargo in the tube. The test was conducted on May 12 at the DevLoop testing site, located in the Nevada Desert 30 minutes away from Las Vegas. Read: High-Speed Autonomous Trains Will Carry Passengers By 2023, Testing Will Start In 2019 "Hyperloop One has accomplished what no one has done before by successfully testing the first full scale Hyperloop system, Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One said in a statement. The vehicle coasted above the track for 5.3 seconds using magnetic levitation. The hyperloop vehicle pulled 2 Gs while running 70 mph, Phase 1s target speed. For the next round of testing, the vehicle will have a target speed of 250 mph. Hyperloop One released a video of the test: By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you're flying at 200,000 feet in the air, said Pishevar. For the first time in over 100 years, a new mode of transportation has been introduced. The full system trial tested the motor, vehicle suspension, magnetic levitation, electromagnetic braking, vacuum pumping system and more, showing the components successfully work as a single integrated unit in a vacuum. Read: Boring Company CEO Elon Musk Says Car Elevator For LA Tunnels Will Start Operating The company also released images of its Pod prototype, which measures 28 feet long. hyperloop one pod Photo: Hyperloop One The pod uses electromagnetic propulsion and magnetic levitation. Hyperloop One will continue to test its system at DevLoop in the coming months, the company said. The next testing phase will feature the Pod gliding along a longer track at faster speeds. "Hyperloop One will move people and things faster than at any other time in the world," said Pishevar. "With Hyperloop One, the world will be cleaner, safer and faster. It's going to make the world a lot more efficient and will impact the ways our cities work, where we live and where we work. We'll be able to move between cities as if cities themselves are metro stops." Story continues The test tube at DevLoop is in preparation for the installation of the commercial tube that will connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi, about a 100 mile stretch, in just 12 minutes. The tube at the DevLoop weighs more than one million kilograms, is 500 meters long and has a diameter of 3.3 meters. Trips with the tube between major cities in the Gulf region could take less than an hour with the Hyperloop system. Hyperloop One plans to transport cargo using the tube by 2020 and passengers by 2021, according to its website. The concept was first introduced by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who went to found the Boring Company. The project aims to create a vast network of tunnels for car transportation. Related Articles Tehran (AFP) - An Iranian cancer researcher with alleged links to a hardline militia in the Islamic republic says he was denied entry to the United States and deported with his family. Mohsen Dehnavi had flown to the US with his wife and three small children to conduct postdoctoral research at Boston Children's Hospital, affiliated with Harvard University. They were stopped by the immigration police at Boston's Logan international airport and deported the next day, Dehnavi told state broadcaster IRIB at Tehran airport on Wednesday night. "The US government, with the new restrictions on Iranians, did not let us enter although the goal of our trip was scientific and our research was aimed at saving cancer patients," he said. Dehnavi said the police detained them for 30 hours without any outside contact and confiscated his research equipment and laptop. "They said it is clear to us that you are a top scientist in children's cancer treatment which is a completely humane, non-military and non-dangerous field, but we cannot allow you into the US due to existing security protocols," he said. Dehnavi said he had been in contact with Harvard for two years and obtained his visa in March. According to the archives of the conservative Fars news agency, Dehnavi was head of the Basij militia at the prestigious Sharif University in 2007. Iran's vice president for science and technology, Sorena Sattari, said the researcher had been deported on the basis of "unconventional excuses" and that it was cancer patients who would suffer the consequences, Tasnim news agency reported. Former US secretary of state John Kerry called the incident "tragic". "A doctor comes to the US to save lives and this happens. This is not who we are," he wrote in a tweet Wednesday in response to an article on the case in The Boston Globe. The US Supreme Court last month reinstated a modified version of President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from six predominantly Muslim countries including Iran. Story continues Trump says the ban is needed to keep "terrorists" out of the country but Tehran has called it "truly shameful". The Basij paramilitary volunteer force, established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the 1979 revolution, played a key role in crushing opposition protests in 2009. Largely recruited from among young Iranians, the militia also plays an important social role, being deployed in vaccination campaigns and relief efforts after earthquakes and other natural disasters. In 2013, Dehnavi was a key campaign official of Saeed Jalili, a hardline opponent of President Hassan Rouhani in the presidential election, according to Fars and Khabar Online reports at the time. Mohsen Dehnavi, along with wife and three children, may be sent home, Boston childrens hospital says, two weeks after Trumps travel ban took force International travelers arrive at Logan Airport on the day that the modified travel ban took effect last month. An Iranian cancer researcher has been detained at the airport with his family. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters An Iranian cancer researcher traveling to the US on a valid visa has been detained at Boston Logan international airport with his wife and three children, two weeks after Donald Trumps revised travel ban came into force. Mohsen Dehnavi was traveling to the US to work as a visiting scholar at Boston childrens hospital, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. But when he arrived on Monday afternoon, he was not allowed to enter the country and may now be sent home along with his family, according to a friend who was due to pick them up from the airport. An Iranian Harvard postdoc came to the Boston Logan airport today with his family. Now after 10h in the airport, the officer is telling me that they will not let them in and they need to go back to home (Iran), Dehnavis friend, Mohammad Rashidian, wrote on Facebook. Stat news, which is affiliated with the Boston Globe, quoted Rashidian as saying that Dehnavi and his family were so worried. I dont really know what the source of the problem is, he said. In an emailed statement, Boston childrens hospital said Dehnavi was traveling on a J-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa issued to highly skilled research scholars, professors and exchange visitors. Dr Dehnavi is a visiting research scholar on a J-1 visa coming to Boston Childrens with his wife and three children, read the statement. He and his family are being detained at Logan [and] are supposed to be sent back to Iran later today. It added: Boston Childrens has limited information at this time about the circumstances of the detention. Boston Childrens hopes that this situation will be quickly resolved and Dr Dehnavi and his family will be released and allowed to enter the US. The hospital is committed to doing its utmost to support Dr Dehnavi and his family. Story continues Trita Parsi, the president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), whose organization has vehemently opposed the ban, expressed dismay at Dehnavis detention, posting an image of his visa on Twitter, which shows it was issued in May and is valid until August. It shows that Dehnavi has already been through administrative processing (essential clearance from security agencies) before the visa was issued. Clearance received 12 April 2017, the visa shows. What #MuslimBan is doing RIGHT NOW. Harvard researcher at Children's hospital (+3 kids) WITH VALID VISA about to be deported @BostonLogan pic.twitter.com/r1oN9Ac7Ca Trita Parsi (@tparsi) July 11, 2017 Late June, the US supreme court lifted significant elements of lower court orders blocking Trumps executive order banning entry to the US for people from six Muslim-majority countries. Nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are banned from entering the US if they fail to show a credible bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the US. Despite the court rulings, clearly the spirit of the Muslim ban has survived, Parsi told the Guardian. Visas to Iranians have already dropped more than 52% compared to last year, as a result of the Trump administration implementing the ban despite the injunctions from the courts. Much indicates now that unless Congress takes action, the ban will remain in place and continue to discriminate and tear families apart while doing nothing to make America safer. Most Iranians who fall victim to Trumps order are highly educated students and scholars. A number of Iranian scientists, including those studying at Harvard, were affected when the original ban came to force before being blocked by courts. Elmira Jalilian and Saghi Saghazedhi, who work at Harvards Tissue Engineering Lab, were among scores of Iranian scientists protesting against the ban. The visa has never been easy for Iranians, Saghazadeh told PRI in February. Is this just a direct way of saying, Leave our country? Samira Asgari, a Harvard Medical School lab scientist who is an Iranian national, was among people who sued the Trump administration over the original ban. ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch accused Iraqi security forces on Thursday of forcibly relocating at least 170 families of alleged Islamic State members to a closed "rehabilitation camp" as a form of collective punishment. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced victory over Islamic State in Mosul on Monday, three years after the militants seized the city and made it the stronghold of a "caliphate" they said would take over the world. Iraq's government now faces the task of preventing revenge attacks against people associated with Islamic State that could, along with Sunni-Shi'ite sectarian tensions, undermine efforts to create long-term stability in the country. "Iraqi authorities shouldnt punish entire families because of their relatives' actions," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). "These abusive acts are war crimes and are sabotaging efforts to promote reconciliation in areas retaken from ISIS (Islamic State)." Speaking with reporters in Washington, an Iraqi military spokesman said he was not aware of the specific cases but denied that Iraqi forces relocated families by force. "This topic, we didn't have precise information about what is going on, however there is no situation or scenario where the Iraqi forces will forcefully get people out of their homes as Iraqi citizens," Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, a spokesman for the joint operations command, said through a translator. "However, we try to secure safe pathways for them to avoid the battle area," Rasool added. The HRW statement said the camp, which Iraqi authorities have described as meant for "rehabilitation", amounted to a detention center for adults and children who have not been accused of any wrongdoing. Fakih called on the families to be allowed to go where they can live safely. HRW said forced displacements and arbitrary detentions taking place in Anbar, Babel, Diyala, Salahuddin and Nineveh provinces had affected hundreds of families. It said Iraqi security and military forces had done little to stop the abuses and in some instances participated in them. The group said it had visited the Bartalla camp and interviewed 14 families, each with up to 18 members. "New residents said that Iraqi Security Forces had brought the families to the camp and that the police were holding them against their will because of accusations that they had relatives linked to ISIS," the HRW statement said. It cited medical workers at the camp who said at least 10 women and children had died traveling to or at the camp, most because of dehydration. FACEBOOK VIDEO Separately, HRW said it had used satellite imagery to verify that a video published on Facebook on Tuesday, showing armed men in military uniforms beating a detainee before throwing him from a height and then shooting at him, had been filmed in west Mosul. The footage shows the men shooting at the body of another man already lying at the bottom of the perch. Rasool, from the joint operations command, said that the allegations were being looked at closely and if any violations were found, those responsible would be held accountable. He added that the videos could have been fabricated by "those who would like to reduce the joy and the confidence we have from this victory." Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan told Al-Hadath television channel that rights abuses were unacceptable and the video needed to be investigated. But he said he was "surprised by the promotion of videos that affect civil peace in Mosul". Speaking with reporters in Washington later, he said that a number of people had been suspended. "We looked and suspended a number of those forces shown in those pictures and there is currently an investigation being conducted and we will publish the results of this investigation," he added. Three other videos posted this week by the same account appear to show members of various Iraqi security forces beating men in ordinary clothes. Reuters could not independently verify the footage. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy and Stephen Kalin; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Oatis) Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. (Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) Kate Middleton never met Diana, Princess of Wales, but shes paying tribute to her late mother-in-law by wearing her tiara. On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, with Kate decked out in a low-cut pink Marchesa gown, a diamond-and-ruby necklace borrowed from Queen Elizabeth, and Dianas pearl-and-diamond tiara a wedding gift from the queen when Diana married her son Prince Charles. I wish there were more photos from tonight, but enjoy this one of what I like to call Kate's "resting regal face". Her GORGEOUS dress is by @marchesafashion. This whole look is a winner in my book!! I love the color, the lace, the sleeves, THE JEWELS! #duchessofcambridge #katemiddleton A post shared by HRH the Duchess of Cambridge (@royalkmiddleton) on Jul 12, 2017 at 3:10pm PDT Diana, Princess of Wales (Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images) The tiara, known as the Cambridge Lovers Knot, is a family heirloom from 1914. According to the Mirror, the jewels are so heavy that Diana got headaches from wearing the piece. The Duchess of Cambridge attends the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2015. (Photo: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images) The duchess first wore a glittering headpiece during her 2011 wedding to Prince William, and then in 2013 to a white-tie reception. In 2015, she wore one to attend a state banquet and then one month later to the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. And we last spotted Kate in a tiara in a family photograph taken in December. Kate Middleton, after attending the annual Diplomatic Reception on Dec. 8, 2016. (Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) For down-to-earth Kate Middleton, who often shops at the GAP and Zara, the tiara is a reality check that she actually rules. 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. The reason for the U.S. hardline stance against Qatar can be traced to a failed financial transaction related to a real estate project that President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior White House Adviser Jared Kushner had with a rich and influential politician in the Gulf country, according to reports. According to the Intercept, Kushner Companies bought 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for $1.8 billion in 2007. The 41-storey tower was considered the most expensive real estate deal ever in New York City at the time. However, by 2015, Kushner was struggling to keep the property from going under. After looking for potential investors, his company decided on Sheikh Hamad bin Jassam Al Thani. They negotiated for funds for refinancing the property directly with Al Thani, who was at that time the prime minister of Qatar. Read: Gulf Standoff: Amid Trumps Qatar-Bashing, Tillerson Called For Easing Tensions Thrice Better known as HBJ, the former Qatar PM is one of the worlds wealthiest men, with a personal fortune of $10.3 billion. Kushner is not the first person to have asked HBJ for financial assistance. Al Thani is also said to have pumped in $10.21 billion to bail out multinational bank Barclays at the height of the financial crisis in 2008 when he was the prime minister of Qatar. The goal was to save the bank from government ownership, even as its rivals Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group were bailed out. In September 2003, Hamad was appointed first deputy prime minister while retaining his position of minister of foreign affairs after previous stints at the ministries of municipal affairs and agriculture. On 2 April, 2007, he was appointed prime minister, following the resignation of Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani. He also remained the foreign minister and oversaw the investment of billions of dollars of the emirates cash, generated by its enormous energy reserves. HBJ is reported to have had strong connections with the US government. He serves on the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution and chairs the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Doha Center. He has stakes in many strong businesses such as Qatar Airways and the Foreign Investment Company, Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, and The Pearl and Harrods. Story continues He remained the prime minister until 2013, till which time he controlled the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority. It was through this channel that he provided bailout packages to many billionaires. Through this, he also invested in the condo conversion project One Wall Street of Harry Macklowe, a veteran property developer. HBJ also reportedly owns a yacht worth $300 million called Al Mirqab, the same name he gave to the private investment firm that Kushner pitched. HBJ agreed to invest at least $500 million to save Kushners project. The project came under public scrutiny after Trumps election. Negotiations continued throughout 2015 and 2016. However, the money offered by HBJ was not enough. Kushner and his father Charles Kushner were also set to receive $400 million from Anbang Insurance Group, a Chinese financial conglomerate. In addition to the cash investment, the deal called for Anbang to take out a $4 billion loan to finance the demolition of the current building and the construction of an 80-story Zaha Hadid-designed residential and retail tower in its place. This $400 million combined with $100 million from other investors, helped the Kushners recoup the full amount of their original investment in 666 Fifth Avenue. Read: US State Department Says Qatar Crisis Might Not Be Terror-Related, 'Mystified' By Gulf States' Position However, after Kushner was appointed senior adviser to Trump, the deal was criticized as a conflict of interest, causing Anbang to pull out. The promised Qatar investment also died out without the $4 billion loan, according to the Intercept. It is reportedly because of this incomplete deal that the U.S. is taking a hardline stance against Qatar. Even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for an end to the blockade against Qatar, the president contradicted Tillerson to say that Qatar has "historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level." According to the Intercept, Tillerson believes Trump's comments were written by UAE Ambassador Yousef Al-Otaiba and delivered to the president by Jared Kushner himself. Related Articles Legal groups brought suit against homeland security and Customs and Border Protection, saying people at US-Mexico border had been blocked from process Partial view of the US-Mexico border wall in Tijuana, Mexico on 6 July 2017. Photograph: Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images US border officials have systemically blocked asylum seekers from accessing the asylum process, in violation of US and international law, according to a lawsuit filed by immigration advocates on Wednesday. A collection of legal groups brought the suit, which claims that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have put asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border in grave danger by threatening, misleading or rejecting them. Erika Pinheiro, policy and technology director at Al Otro Lado, a not-for-profit group that is a plaintiff in the case, said immigration agencies had been emboldened since Donald Trump was elected president. Weve seen a drastic increase in illegal turnbacks since Trump was elected in November 2016, Pinheiro said. CBP agents, perhaps emboldened by the hateful, anti-immigrant rhetoric surrounding the election, have unilaterally undone decades of international diplomacy and domestic legislation by systematically denying refugees the right to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border. She said advocacy groups had witnessed an increase in CBP rights abuses in 2014, when there was a surge in unaccompanied children crossing the border to flee violence in Central America, but ultimately the vast majority were able to eventually access the asylum process. There has been another uptick in these abuses, according to the lawsuit, which cites a June 2017 Amnesty International report that documented CBP officials lying to asylum seekers by telling them the asylum process no longer exists and that people would need a ticket from Mexican authorities to seek asylum. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, CBP is required to give individuals the right to seek asylum at ports of entry. The agency has used tactics, including misrepresentations, intimidation and physical force, to deny people access to the asylum seeking process, according to the lawsuit. Story continues A spokesperson for CBP told the Guardian that they could not comment on pending litigation. The plaintiffs, who were anonymized to protect their safety, claim they have nowhere to turn for safety except for the United States and were turned away from seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border. Beatrice Doe, a Mexican woman with three children under the age of 16, sought asylum with her children and nephew three times because she was subjected to domestic violence and has been targeted by a drug cartel, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges she was coerced into signing a document stating she and her children have no fear of returning to Mexico. Another plaintiff, Jose Doe, fled Honduras after being attacked there by the 18th Street Gang. He sought entry into Texas, but was denied access to the process and ended up fleeing from the border because he was approached by gang members there twice, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit said the prevalence of CBP denying people access to the asylum process has been documented by the group, Al Otro Lado, as well as the non-governmental organizations Human Rights First, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Plaintiffs also include the group Al Otro Lado, which said it was harmed because it has had to divert resources to respond to to CBPs unlawful conduct at the border. Al Otro Lado and individual asylum seekers are represented by the American Immigration Council, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and an international law firm. Baher Azmy, an attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, said the plaintiffs turned to a lawsuit because the Trump administration, which has expressed unbridled antipathy towards immigrants, shows no signs of abating this illegal practice. The lawsuit asks the court to review CBPs asylum process, declare transgressions from protocol illegal and introduce a mechanism to ensure effective oversight and accountability. Finally, because the individual plaintiffs have been stranded on the US-Mexico border, in very precarious conditions and imminent danger, we currently plan to file a motion with the court seeking emergency relief for them, Azmy said. We will ask the court to order CBP to remit these individuals to enter the US immediately for purposes of applying for asylum. Philanthropist Melinda Gates told delegates at a global summit she was deeply troubled by President Donald Trumps decision to slash funding for family planning around the world. This is a difficult political climate for family planning. Im deeply troubled, as Im sure you are, by the Trump administrations proposed budget slash, she said during opening remarks at Tuesdays Family Planning 2020 conference, held in London. The Trump administration included no funding for international family planning in its budget proposal released in May. Melinda and Bill Gates have previously condemned the executive order signed by Trump to impose the so-called global gag rule, also known as the Mexico City policy, which prevents U.S. money going to international groups who provide abortions. Every Republican President since Reagan has imposed the ban, while Democrat Presidents have regularly lifted it. Governments, private companies and donors committed at least $2.5bn to support family planning at the summit, according to organizers. The U.K. government announced Tuesday it would give an additional $58m dollars per year in its foreign aid budget to support family planning, a move that minister Priti Patel said would save the life of a woman every 90 minutes. Canada also promised to use $241m to reach 120 million around the world who are in need of safe access to contraception. India pledged to spend $3bn within its own country to target eight states that needed access to safe contraceptive methods. Kate Gilmore, the UN Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights, told TIME that no woman should have to die from preventable issues. No girl should be put in a position where she doesnt have the right to decide what she does with her own body, she added. The Family Planning 2020 conference brought together delegates from over twenty countries to discuss how women and girls across the world can access and benefit from modern contraception. The conference first met in 2012 with the aim of ensuring that 120 million women and girls use modern contraceptives by 2020. Organizers say that 30 million have so far started to do this. For the first time, Haiti, South Sudan and Chad pledged to make commitments to improve family planning in their own countries. In the end we realised that the best remedy against the death of mothers, the only remedy, is family planning, said Minister Ngarmbatina Odimbeye Soukate, Minister of Public Health from the Republic of Chad. Michelle Obama might have made J.Crew great again while she was in the White House, but her post-politics style has seemingly taken a significant turn away from the preppy brands signature cardigans and A-line dresses. Former first lady Michelle Obama at the 2017 ESPYs in Los Angeles. (Photo: Getty Images) Appearing at the ESPYs on Wednesday night, Obama wore a black Cushnie et Ochs dress. The custom piece was modified from a look from the brands fall 2017 ready-to-wear collection, with the 53-year-olds version being in black and sans sequins. At the 25th annual awards show in Los Angeles, Obama honored the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, John F. Kennedys sister and founder of the Special Olympics in 1968, with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. I am here tonight to honor a remarkable woman, she said. A woman who believed everyone has something to contribute and everyone deserves to push themselves to find out what theyre made of and to compete and win. She knew that when we give others a chance to fulfill our greatest potential, we all win. Obamas look and presence, in general sent the Internet into a tizzy. Michelle Obama's giving me all the feels right now We miss you & your husband. P.S. Damn Mrs. Obama, you're working that dress#ESPYS pic.twitter.com/SSxbAzXe5q James Brown (@JayB_124) July 13, 2017 Damn near lost my mind when First Lady Michelle Obama walked across the stage! I her! #Strut #ESPYS pic.twitter.com/8TPcTeeBHn Makho Ndlovu (@makhondlovu) July 13, 2017 Michelle Obama omggggggg you in that dress SG (@CanIGetachew) July 13, 2017 DID ANYONE ELSE SEE MICHELLE OBAMA AT THE #ESPYS ???? HOLY COW THAT DRESS pic.twitter.com/7dnAHdjWDA KP (@kenya_penya) July 13, 2017 In addition to Obamas looking incredible, her presence had such a major impact because this marks just one of few public appearances since January. In each, though, shes displayed a more relaxed and edgier look than the previous eight years. Story continues Case in point: She opted for an off-the-rack dress from Lafayette 148 for her first speaking engagement in April. Michelle Obama in Lafayette 148 during the AIA Conference on Architecture 2017 on April 27. (Photo: Gerardo Mora/Getty Images) And even wore sneakers onstage in May. Former first lady Michelle Obama at MTVs 2017 College Signing Day on May 5. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for MTV) That same month, Obama looked like she stepped fresh out of the pages of Vogue with a high-low-hem top from Alexander McQueen and a leather corset belt. Michelle Obama in Alexander McQueen at the Partnership for a Healthier American 2017 Healthier Future Summit on May 12. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Its her off-duty looks that have taken the most drastic turn toward the casual. For example, when the former FLOTUS was in Italy, she stepped out in not one but two off-the-shoulder tops. Michelle Obama wearing a pink TEIJA shirt with AG jeans while in Italy. (Photo: AKM-GSI) Michelle Obama wearing a Club Monaco cold-shoulder top with army green BCBG Max Azria linen pants. (Photo: Rex) For a recent trip to Indonesia, she busted out her best athleisure, which she paired with a sarong. Former President Barack Obama with wife Michelle and daughter Malia in Indonesia. (Photo: AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi) Michelle Obama wearing a traditional wrap on vacation in Indonesia. (Photo: AP) And on yet another vacation, Obama let her hair down, driving the Internet wild with her shorts and tank-top ensemble and natural curls. But its the in-between looks, or business casual, that have made the most impact and seem to be where Obama and her husband are most comfortable. Barack and Michelle Obama were spotted having lunch in New York City recently. (Photo: Getty Images) Whats next? Watch out for a book tour filled with even more eye-catching fashion. Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. (KALKASKA, Mich.) A local official in northern Michigan refuses to apologize for sharing Facebook posts calling for the killing of every last Muslim and for nuclear weapons to be used on the worlds 10-largest Muslim-majority cities. Jeff Sieting, the village president in Kalkaska, which is about 230 miles (370 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, said Monday that he doesnt owe anyone an apology over his Facebook posts, the Record-Eagle of Traverse City reported. The posts were discovered by area native Cindy Anderson, who along with others unsuccessfully sought an apology last month. Theyre now looking to remove Sieting from office. You ran for office to represent all of the people of this community, not just the white, non-Muslim ones, Anderson said to Sieting. You were supposed to represent all of your constituents. One post Sieting shared said Muslims are destructive and there is simply no place for them in our world. The post also called for using nuclear weapons against the 10 largest Muslim-majority cities, as well as pilgrimage sites. Sieting said his comments are protected by the First Amendment and that those trying to oust him from office are only doing so because they oppose President Donald Trump. I dont expect everyone to see things the way I do, he said. Sieting has also come under fire for a sign on his hotel, Hotel Sieting, that asks citizens to pray for Trump. That dispute began before Sietings Facebook posts were discovered. Local residents and others who helped create the Facebook group Kalkaska Residents for Peace are determining how to move forward after Sietings refusal to apologize. Anderson said the group of more than 150 people are looking at a potential recall and finding someone to run against him in 2018. Joyce Golden, a county resident who supports Sieting, said she believes the official has the right to post whatever he wants on his personal Facebook page. If you dont want to read it, get off of (his Facebook page), she said. From what I do know, you are a very honest, faithful, hardworking man and I thank you for that. I hope you continue and stand your ground for your beliefs. I dont believe he has to represent everybody. Good morning. These are todays top stories: Trumps son shares emails about Russia meeting President Donald Trumps oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., publicly released an email chain that showed his eagerness to speak with a Kremlin-linked lawyer who apparently had incriminating information on Hillary Clinton. If its what you say I love it, the younger Trump wrote. The President applauded his sons transparency and said he was a high quality person. Trump Jr. posted the emails on Twitter shortly before the New York Times was set to publish them. Senate panel to question FBI director nominee Christopher Wray, Trumps pick to replace James Comey as the director of the FBI, will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee today for a nomination hearing. Here are five questions he is likely to face. Joe Scarborough is leaving Republican Party Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough said he is leaving the Republican Party to become an independent. Scarborough said he was disturbed by how Republican lawmakers have betrayed their core values by continuously defending Trump and his policies. Time and time and time again they turned the other way. And theyre doing the same thing now. And its actually disgusting, Scarborough said on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Also: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo is in life-threatening condition. Senate Republicans will introduce a reworked health care bill tomorrow. The 2024 Olympics is coming down to either Los Angeles or Paris. A vast iceberg has broken off in Antarctica, scientists say. The Morning Brief is published Mondays through Fridays. Email Morning Brief writer Melissa Chan at melissa.chan@time.com. Brussels (AFP) - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday welcomed Russian reassurances about a major upcoming military exercise that has deeply worried the allies, but warned Moscow must live up to its commitments. Speaking after a "frank" meeting between Russia's NATO ambassador and envoys from the 28-nation alliance, Stoltenberg said both sides had discussed ways to avoid dangerous misunderstandings over issues such as exercises. Russia had in particular provided numbers of its soldiers, planes and ships involved in the Zapad ("West") war games in Russia and Belarus in September, Stoltenberg said. "It was significant that at todays meeting, we exchanged advance briefings on upcoming exercises," Stoltenberg said, adding that NATO had also briefed on its Trident Javelin exercises. "I am encouraged by this progress." But he warned that "from previous experience, we have every reason to believe it may be substantially more troops participating than the officially reported numbers." Rules for military exercises in Europe known as the Vienna Document set thresholds for the number of troops allowed to take part in exercises before the opposing side is allowed to demand a mandatory inspection. Exercises involving 13,000 or more troops are subject to mandatory inspections. With exercises involving 9,000 or more soldiers, the other side must be notified. "We call on Russia to adhere to the Vienna Document," which is negotiated under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Stoltenberg said. Many NATO allies, especially those such as the Baltic states and Poland once ruled from Moscow, are deeply suspicious of Russia, fearing a repeat of its intervention in Ukraine under the cover of a military exercise. They say Russia has carried out exercises involving many more troops -- reports cite figures of up to 100,000 -- but formally splitting them up in such a way as to get around the rules. Stoltenberg said the Russian officials gave figures but declined to make them public, saying it was up to Moscow to do so. Stoltenberg said Trident Javelin is in contrast only a "command post" exercise, involving 5,000 personnel in preparation for next year's much larger Trident Juncture manoeuvres with around 30,000 troops. A man holds up a marijuana cigarette during a rally against drug trafficking and in favor of legalizing marijuana in Chile on April 20. (Photo: Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) admits that no one has ever died from a marijuana overdose but still wont remove the substance from its list of Schedule I drugs the same classification as heroin. No deaths from overdose of marijuana have been reported, the DEA wrote in its 2017 Drugs of Abuse resource guide, which was published last month. The 2015 edition has similar language. For context, roughly 2,200 people die from alcohol poisoning each year in the United States six per day. Despite its relative safety, marijuana remains one of the most strictly prohibited drugs in the country under federal law, even as increasing numbers of states have moved toward legalization. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and DEA classify it as a Schedule I substance, meaning theres a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Michele Leonhart, the former head of the DEA, infamously refused to say whether heroin is worse than marijuana for someones health while testifying before Congress in June 2012. She would dodge the question by simply saying, I believe all illegal drugs are bad. For the record, heroin is far more harmful than marijuana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that overdose deaths from heroin in the U.S. have more than quadrupled since 2010 killing nearly 13,000 in 2015. Opioid addiction is by some accounts the countrys most urgent public health crisis. Marijuana plants at Desert Grown Farms in Nevada, where state law now permits recreational use. (Photo: John Locher/AP) Schedule I drug Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg wrote a letter rejecting petitions for rescheduling marijuana in August 2016. In the letter, he conceded that marijuana is less dangerous than some substances in other schedules and that this strikes some people as odd. (It does strike many as odd that cocaine, for instance, is a Schedule II substance because of its potential as a topical anesthetic.) But Rosenberg said the criteria for pots inclusion in Schedule I is not its relative danger. Story continues In that sense, drug scheduling is unlike the Saffir-Simpson scale or the Richter scale, Rosenberg wrote. Movement up those two scales indicates increasing severity and damage (for hurricanes and earthquakes, respectively); not so with drug scheduling. It is best not to think of drug scheduling as an escalating danger scale rather, specific statutory criteria (based on medical and scientific evidence) determine into which schedule a substance is placed. A spokesperson for DEA told Yahoo News that judicial precedent established a five-part test to determine whether marijuana has a currently accepted medical use in treatment, serving as a differentiating factor between Schedule I and II. The five parts are as follows: the drugs chemistry is known and reproducible, there are adequate safety studies, there are adequate and well-controlled studies proving efficacy, the drug is accepted by qualified experts and the scientific evidence is widely available. A participant practices rolling a joint at the Cannabis Carnivalus 4/20 event in Seattle in 2014. (Photo: Jason Redmond/Reuters) Legal medical marijuanas relationship to the opioid epidemic As attitudes toward marijuana change in the U.S., the backlash to its strict classification at the federal level is growing. Critics of current marijuana laws argue that the pharmaceutical industrys greed and government bureaucracy have undermined research that would allow the substance to help fight the opioid epidemic. Rather than being a gateway drug to harder substances, as health-education classes have taught for decades, preliminary studies suggest that legal medication marijuana might be associated with fewer opioid prescriptions and overdoses. Even the National Institute on Drug Abuse recognizes this correlation, although more evidence is still needed to confirm the finding. A study from November 2015, for instance, titled Do Medical Marijuana Laws Reduce Addiction and Deaths Related to Pain Killers? found that legal protection for medical marijuana dispensaries was correlated with fewer opioid prescriptions, instances of opioid-abuse and admissions into opioid addiction treatment programs. Pharmaceutical companies that sell opioids have been lobbying to keep medical marijuana illegal. Not coincidentally, legal medical marijuana cuts into their sales. W. David and Ashley Bradford, a father-daughter pair of public policy researchers at the University of Georgia, conducted two studies on the frequency of prescriptions for various drugs between states with or without legalized medical marijuana. They looked at drugs for anxiety, depression, glaucoma, nausea, psychosis, seizures, sleep disorders, spasticity and pain. What we found was that when states turned on medical marijuana laws, the prescribing for pain medications fell enormously, by about 1,800 daily doses per doctor per year. Thats very significant statistically, W. David Bradford told Yahoo News. W. David and Ashley Bradfords study found that states with legalized medical marijuana saw a significant drop in prescriptions for other pain medications. In 2013, states with medical marijuana saved the U.S. government about $165 million in Medicare payments for all nine categories of drugs. They calculated that if all states had medical marijuana, Medicare would have spent about $468 million less. Since that paper came out, the Bradfords gathered two additional years of data and redid their analysis, paying attention to whether states used dispensaries. The article with their new findings is under review for publication. If states had turned on dispensary-based medical marijuana laws in 2015, Medicare couldve saved about $1.7 billion, he said. Thats a big reduction in use. And thats all pain medication. About 30-40 percent of that is opiates. Government hurdles to research Small-scale observational studies suggest that marijuana has therapeutic value in a medical context. However, the FDA requires large-scale clinical trials involving thousands of human participants to confirm its benefits and harms before removing it from Schedule I. For years, advocates for marijuana legalization said they faced a Catch-22: the federal governments strict regulation of marijuana prevented the very research the government required to demonstrate that it shouldnt be regulated so strictly. An October 2015 report from the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., titled Ending the U.S. governments war on medical marijuana research, corroborated that statutory, regulatory, bureaucratic and cultural barriers are stifling scientific research on the substance. It is time for the federal government to recognize the serious public policy risks born from limited medical, public health, and pharmaceutical research into cannabis and its use, wrote John Hudak and Grace Wallack, the studys authors. Simply put, the federal governments restrictions have held the scientific community back and forced doctors and patients to operate on a learn-as-you go basis. In August 2016, the DEA removed a major barrier by announcing it would expand the number of places permitted to grow medical marijuana to test its potential beneficial purposes. Morgan Fox, a spokesperson for the Marijuana Policy Project, a pro-legalization nonprofit, would like marijuana to be removed from the schedule altogether and treated like alcohol at the federal level. It is good to see that the DEA is making an attempt at scientific legitimacy instead of using its traditional fear tactics. Hopefully it will contribute to an honest, realistic conversation on drug policy going forward, Fox told Yahoo News. Bert De Loera smokes marijuana at the March 23 launch of Privee Social Club, an exclusive cannabis users club in Los Angeles. (Photo: David McNews/AFP/Getty Images) The war on drugs dubious legacy A study from the Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union found that arrests for possessing small amounts of marijuana for personal use exceeded arrests for all violent crimes in 2015. According to the report, African-American adults smoke pot at similar rates to their white counterparts but are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for possessing the drug. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, which promotes drug policies founded in science and human rights, the U.S. spends more than $5 billion per year in the war on drugs. Over the past four decades, the U.S. government has spent over $1 trillion to fight drugs. Judging from the current heroin epidemic, this strategy has been of little help other than swelling the size of the countrys prison population, which is the largest in the world. Sam Harris, a neuroscientist and philosopher who opposes the war on drugs, says that it never should have been waged in the first place. I can think of no right more fundamental than the right to peacefully steward the contents of ones own consciousness, he said on his Waking Up podcast. The fact that we pointlessly ruin the lives of nonviolent drug users by incarcerating them, at enormous expense, constitutes one of the great moral failures of our time. Read more from Yahoo News: China is North Koreas largest trading partner, but the cash-strapped nation started exploring other ways to infuse much-needed money into its system. Even the most closed off nation in the world is subject to the forces of globalization, and according to the New York Times Tuesday, North Korea has been exporting labor to Russia. The money the workers make goes back to the country that now has intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities (ICBM). Often the laborers work in terrible conditions. A State Department report from June called the conditions for North Korean workers indicative of forced labor. READ: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Celebrates Missile Launch With Banquet (There are conditions such) as working excessively long hours in hazardous temperatures with restricted pay, for up to three years at a time. North Korean government 'minders' restrict and monitor their movement and communications. North Koreans sent overseas do not have a choice in the work the government ultimately assigns them and are not free to change jobs, read the report. Other reports note these laborers work on average between 12 and 16 hours a day, and sometimes up to 20 hours per day, and are allowed only one or two rest days per month. Laborers are often sent to China as well. The money they make is mostly appropriated and sent back to the government, workers only get to keep a small fraction of it. Sometimes the workers portion of the money is held until they return to North Korea. Workers are often threatened with harm against them or their families back home in order to keep them from escaping or complaining to outside parties. The Data Base Center for North Korean Human Rights put out a report last year estimating that between 30 and 80 percent of wages are confiscated by the North Korean government, depending on the industry in which the laborer works. It also estimates that there are around 50,000 North Korean laborers in Russia, though the Times said other reports estimate between 30,000 and 40,000. The workers are forced to live together in cramped dormitory-style residences and prevented from speaking to Russians according to the Times. Story continues Workers in Vladivostock, an east coast port in Russia, often find work as painters and decorators. Their job is less grueling than some workers forced into lumber or heavy construction jobs. They are fast, cheap and very reliable, much better than Russian workers, said Yulia Kravchenko to the Times Tuesday about the painters. They do nothing but work from morning until late at night. A Vladivostock home improvement site touts the cheap and efficient labor of North Koreans. Oddly enough, but (sic) the people are industrious and honest They will perform quality work and at a reasonable price, the website reads. READ: Trump Slams North Korea Missile Launch During Poland Visit: Something Will Have To Be Done About It North Koreas ability to collect foreign income lately has been substantially hobbled by international sanctions and a year-long ban on China importing coal from North Korea that began in February. These actions were taken in response to North Koreas repeated missile tests, the latest of which was a first for the nation, an ICBM launch. President Donald Trump has been trying to lean on China to curb economic ties to North Korea as a way to force them to stop their development of missiles and nuclear weapons. The president may need to push Russia, another of North Koreas largest trading partners, to do the same. Related Articles Democrats have been talking about it since before Donald Trump was sworn into office. On Wednesday, two congressmen officially filed an article of impeachment against the president. Rep. Brad Sherman of California and Rep. Al Green of Texas issued a statement claiming the president obstructed justice by interfering with the federal investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election. READ: How Did Donald Trump Defend Son? President Breaks Silence On Twitter The move is considered a longshot. It would need to pass the House with a majority, where right now Republicans enjoy a 24-seat advantage. The conviction also takes a two-thirds Senate vote and Republicans have a two-seat advantage. Many House Democrats aren't on board with the move, hoping to instead focus on issues like the economy. Sherman cites that high crimes and misdemeanors took place when Trump allegedly pushed former FBI Director James Comey to drop the investigation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who is being investigated for his connections to Russia. Sherman also cited that Trump's conversations and firing of Comey constituted obstruction of justice. Trump had said in an NBC television interview that Russia was on his mind when he fired Comey, a departure from the official statement. The move comes one day after the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., released emails on Twitter showing that he was open to receiving damaging information to the Hillary Clinton campaign even if it was part of a Kremlin-coordinated effort to help his father. The revelations came on the tail of a New York Times investigation about a June 2016 meeting between Trump Jr., presidential advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, then-campaign manager Paul Manafort and a Russian lawyer. Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trumps campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe. I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice, reads Sherman's statement. Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of Americas amateur President. Ignorance accompanied by a refusal to learn. Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses. Were no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the officeand no matter how dangerous to the country. Story continues Sherman, who represents Los Angeles County's San Fernando Valley, is likely aware that the votes are not there for Trump to be impeached but may view this as an opportunity to push for changes within the White House. READ: Twitter Reacts To Donald Trump Jr.'s Interview On Sean Hannity's Show If Impeachment is real, if they actually see Articles, perhaps we will see incompetency replaced by care. Perhaps uncontrollable impulses will be controlled. And perhaps the danger our nation faces will be ameliorated, continued the statement. Sherman began circulating a draft of the article in June. Related Articles After 8-year-old Jacob Shelsy, left, was made fun of for having pink hair, Kelly Osbourne reached out to support him. (Photo: Facebook/Getty Images) After dyeing his hair pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October, 8-year-old Jacob Shelsy wanted to do it again. So on July 6, his big sister Courtney promised to take him to get his hair dyed if he went with her to get her annual car inspection at a garage in Pittsfield, Mass. However, the garage attendant had a problem with Jacobs pink hair and chose to insult and make fun of the little boy, whom Courtney describes as the sweetest, most genuine kid I have ever met. Courtney posted about the incident on her Facebook page, and the post now has nearly 1,000 comments and has been shared more than 1,400 times. After my car was done, all the man had to do was ask for my payment and return my keys, she wrote. But instead he turned to Jacob and rubbed his newly pink dyed hair and told him that wasnt okay, thats what girls do and he guesses some types of guys (with a noticeable eye roll). I quickly handed him the money and grabbed Jacobs arm to head to the car. But instead of letting us leave he followed us outside and proceeded to yell, Bye Mary! Have a great day Mary! at Jacob. Courtney added, What kind of grown man says something like that to an 8-year-old who has behaved and sat patiently waiting for him to finish his work? Immediately after, she took Jacob out for frozen yogurt and talked with him about what had happened. Although she was upset, Jacob seemed unfazed by the mans remarks. He just smiled and let the man say what he wanted, Courtney shares with Yahoo Beauty. It wasnt until we got to the froyo shop that he told me it was OK because people always say that stuff. He truly just believes in being himself and supporting others and not allowing the beliefs of others to discourage him. Many people commented on Courtneys post, showing their support for Jacob and his pink hair. Some shared photos of their own kids with dyed hair. Facebook user Trinity Rae commented that she has been coloring her hair various shades for years. I started dyeing my hair blue and pink and all sorts of colors in the 4th grade, she wrote. My mom was scrutinized for it and kids always gave me a hard time but I didnt care. I kept dyeing my hair every color of the rainbow and shaving it off for different styles up until last year and Im now a senior in high school. I surely hope Jacob continues to do what he loves and I personally think pink looks great on him! Sounds like a smart young man. Keep being positive and doing you Jacob! Story continues Echoing the sentiments of many, commenter Lizzie Gee simply wrote, Jacob, I love your hair. Dont let this guy drag you down. You are beautiful just the way you are. Courtneys viral Facebook post eventually reached Pittsfield Police Officer Darren Derby, who was moved by the story and felt compelled to do something, according to WYNT.com. Derby contacted a model friend of his to brainstorm ideas on finding a celebrity who could reach out to and encourage Jacob. According to the news outlet, the model, Phil Sullivan, suggested Kelly Osbourne known for coloring her hair a range of bright hues. Osbourne ended up doing a Skype call with Jacob. Upon hearing everything Jacob went through it not only broke my heart but resonated so deeply with me, Osbourne wrote on her Facebook page. Its no secret I am faced with the same discrimination due to my hair every single day! She added, Jacob is eight years old; he has been deeply hurt by peoples words and reactions to his hair. He genuinely doesnt understand what the problem is as he only wanted to help people by dying it pink. In honor of Jacobs bravery and huge heart, I wanted to meet him via Skype. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Courtney tells Yahoo Beauty that the family is surrounded by kind people in their lives, so she wasnt surprised by the positive responses to her post, but she was overwhelmed by the volume of positive comments from strangers. It continues to amaze us how many people are sharing their stories and spreading the idea of acceptance, she says. She hopes that people who read about Jacobs story will have more empathy for others. I hope that people choose to be kind and accept others, Courtney tells Yahoo Beauty. That they realize how much it matters to just be nice to one another even if you disagree with a personal choice theyve made. Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. French President Emmanuel Macron will treat U.S. President Donald Trump to fine dining and a Bastille Day Celebration while they meet in France. Trump arrived in the country this morning. The two world leaders will talk policy where they have sharp disagreements about trade and the environment. Uber announced it will team with Russian ride sharing company Yandex in Russia and Central Asia. Uber is retreating from the market as its cedes control of the ride sharing operations with the Russian company. Uber did something similar in China where it sold its Chinese operation to Didi Chixing, a local company. Kid Rock may be running for U.S. Senate. The Michigan rocker confirmed in a tweet that the website 'Kid Rock for Senate' was real and more information will come. Republicans in Michigan have reportedly been considering Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, to consider running on the GOP ticket in 2018 to challenge Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow. Donald Trump Jr. has come under fire this week following revelations that he met with a Russian lawyer in June of 2016, after being told that the meeting might lead to incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. As questions about the younger Trumps actions cast a shadow on his father in the White House, President Trump finds himself in a situation somewhat parallel to the experiences of several of his predecessors. Doug Wead, a former adviser to both Presidents Bush and author of All the Presidents Children, tells TIME that Trump is just one of many children of presidents from American history who have become the subject of scandals that raised trouble for their fathers administrations. For example, Neil Bush, the oilman son of President George H.W. Bush, was accused of violating conflict of interest regulations by serving on the board of directors for Silverado Banking Savings and Loan Association in Denver, which went bankrupt in 1988 and received a billion-dollar bail-out from taxpayers. The scandal blew up during his fathers presidency in 1990, when a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation lawsuit claimed gross negligence and blamed Bush and several other directors for not stopping the institutions questionable loans practice. Observers questioned whether Bushs access to the White House was why he got the gig, and whether his connection had helped the company during the proceedings. A $49 million settlement was agreed to in 1991 and Bush denied wrongdoing, but the headlines embarrassed the Republican Party and his father, who described him as the perfect child to People magazine. I worried about the impact on Dad and my role in this thing, Neil Bush told TIME in a July 23, 1990, interview. He also sought to set the record straight on the conflict of interest claims, adding. I would be naive if I were to sit here and deny that the Bush name didnt have something to do with it. But I want to make it very, very clear: I was never asked, and I made it clear before joining the board that I never would intervene for Silverado in the regulatory process. Story continues Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter Another example comes from the other side of the aisle, with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who like Trump relied heavily on his children for political counsel and assistance. One of his sons, Jimmy, had only recently resigned from being an executive in the insurance business to go work in the White House, assisting his father, when a scandal broke. In 1938, the Saturday Evening Post wondered why Roosevelts son Jimmy was reported to be making millions in the insurance business, possibly building up his Boston firm by twisting accounts away from other agents by political leverage so that fortunes of [FDRs] lanky eldest flowered like the lilies in paradise, as cheeky political commentary in TIME summed up the uproar in 1938. Just as Neil Bushs qualifications to serve as a Silverado director were questioned, Jimmy Roosevelts success startled the insurance community, according to TIMEs characterization. Experts were as surprised, the magazine noted, as the medical fraternity would be if a youngster who had never attended a medical school suddenly turned out to be Americas greatest specialist in the eye, ear, nose and throat, in abdominal and pulmonary surgery, in obstetrics, pediatrics and chiropody. And, though no official accusation was made that Roosevelt had specifically used his access to benefit his clients, it was observed that, as the Post put it, some corporations which have given Jimmy insurance have been lucky; some corporations which have denied him insurance have been unlucky. The stress of the bad press exacerbated a stomach ulcer condition, and Roosevelt eventually had to stop working for his fathers White House. Given the conflict-of-interests questions that can arise for the children of presidents who work in the business world, Wead says they often gravitate toward industries at the very opposite end of the spectrum. That may be why some presidential children like Jimmy Roosevelt, who had a second career as a Hollywood producer gravitate toward the arts. At least thats the theory that Wead tells TIME he once heard from one of President Fords children: When youre given a script, he said, is the one time you dont have to worry about saying the wrong thing. Queen Letizia of Spain rose to royalty from the middle class. (Photo: Getty) As King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain hit the U.K. for a three-day state visit, many people want a little more information about this glamorous Spanish royal. Wonder no more, for we have come up with the ultimate explainer of the first commoner to become Spanish royalty. Who is Queen Letizia? Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was born on Sept. 15, 1972, which makes her 44 years old. She was born to a middle-class family; her father was a journalist and her mother was a nurse. Her grandfather was a taxi driver. Queen Letizia has two younger sisters, Temla and Erike. Sadly, Erike died in 2007 due to an intentional prescription drug overdose. Letizia and Felipe meet the queen. (Photo: PA) What did she do before marrying royalty? Letizia followed in her fathers career footsteps, choosing to study journalism at a university in Spain. After obtaining her degree, she went on to get a masters degree in audiovisual journalism. From that point on, she worked for some of Spains most well-known newspapers and channels, from ABC and EFE to CNN+ and the Spanish version of Bloomberg. She also did a brief stint in Mexico, working for the newspaper Siglo 21. In 2002, Letizia becamea news anchor, covering major stories including the Iraq War and 9/11. After working on news channel 24 Horas, she was eventually promoted to anchor of the most-watched news program in Spain: TVEs daily evening news. The couple secretly dated for a year before announcing their engagement. (Photo: Getty) Has she been married before? Yes. Letizia married writer and secondary schoolteacher Alonso Guerrero Perez in 1998 after 10 years of dating. They divorced just a year later. How did she meet King Felipe? The story surrounding Felipe and Letizias relationship is a little fuzzy. The only confirmed detail we could dig up is that the couple met in 2002 at a colleagues dinner party. When the two finally announced their engagement in November 2003, the country was in shock, because no one had any idea that Felipe who was the Prince of Asturias at the time even had a girlfriend. There was also some controversy over Letizia being a divorcee. Luckily, her first marriage was a civil ceremony, so she did not require an annulment from the Catholic Church to marry Felipe. Story continues According to reports, Letizias engagement ring was a 16-baguette diamond ring with white gold trim. Felipe and Letizia married in a grand cathedral in Madrid in 2004. (Photo: Getty) What was the couples wedding like? Felipe and Letizia tied the knot on May 22, 2004. Their grand wedding was held in Madrids Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena; the first time a royal wedding had ever been held in the cathedral. Letizia wore a long-sleeved gown by Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz, along with a sparkling tiara that resembled the Duchess of Cambridges wedding-day look. The ceremony was broadcast to the nation and watched by millions. Celebrations went on for several days, with more than 1,600 guests attending the actual ceremony and 350 special guests invited to a gala dinner the night before at the Prado Palace. When did Letizia become queen? When Felipes father, Juan Carlos, abdicated the throne in June 2014, Letizia and Felipe rose to power, making her the first Spanish queen born a commoner. Since then, she has traveled with her husband and alone across Spain and Europe, and to countries including Mexico, Jordan, the United States, Japan, China, and Brazil. The couple has two daughters, Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia. (Photo: Getty) Does she have children? The royal couples first daughter, Leonor, was born on Oct. 31, 2005. Their second daughter, Sofia, arrived on April 29, 2007. The 10-year-old and the 11-year-old are regularly seen with their parents on trips abroad. What causes does she support? Just as the Duchess of Cambridge supports childrens charities and mental health organizations, Queen Letizia focuses on a number of social issues, including childrens rights, culture, and education. In 2015, she was also named Special Ambassador for Nutrition for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Queen Letizia is renowned for her modern sense of style. (Photo: Getty) Whats her wardrobe like? Queen Letizias style is both modern and classic, mixing bold vibrant colors with on-trend details, including pussybow blouses and tweed. She relies on a number of American brands that are known for their stylish work wear, including Carolina Herrera, Altuzarra, and Hugo Boss. The royal is also a fan of High Street stores, having been regularly spotted making thrifty purchases from the likes of Mango and Zara. Unlike most other royals, Queen Letizia has shoes made specially for her by Spanish label Magrit. No designer stilettos for this queen. Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and@YahooBeauty. By Hassan Abdullah ARSAL, Lebanon (Reuters) - A convoy of refugees began leaving the Lebanese border region for Syria on Wednesday, a security source said, the second group to return under an agreement brokered by the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah. The Lebanese army escorted around 250 people out of the border town of Arsal. The refugees headed for the Syrian town of Asal al-Ward across the border, northeast of Damascus. A military media unit run by Damascus ally Hezbollah said the buses carried 60 families. An estimated 60,000 refugees are in Arsal. It was the second batch of people to leave for their hometown across the border Arsal under the agreement, which Hezbollah arranged in indirect talks with the Syrian rebel group Saraya Ahl al-Sham, said an official in the alliance fighting in support of the Damascus government. Hezbollah also coordinated with the Lebanese military and with the Syrian government separately, securing crossings for refugees who want to leave, the official said. Several refugees told a Reuters photographer before a checkpoint manned by Hezbollah fighters they were eager to go back to their hometown after several years in squalid, makeshift camps in the border town of Arsal. "It's been three years and we haven't seen our families and relatives, said Abeer Mahmoud al Haj, in a van with her family members around her. "May God return everyone to his country, there is no better than Syria," Since early in the Syrian conflict, Hezbollah has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, along with Iran and Russia, sending thousands of men to fight the mostly Sunni Syrian rebels. The U.N. refugee body said it was not involved in the deal. A spokeswoman said it was not encouraging large-scale return of refugees to a country where conflict is still raging. "The UNHCR is not at a stage where it's promoting return because the conditions are not conducive," Dana Sleiman said. Two refugees in Arsal who refused to give their names said many in the camps were unwilling to return because of fears their young men would be drafted into the army. Many had also lost their livelihoods and their villages had been ransacked. "RECONCILIATION DEALS" More than 1 million registered Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon, now making up a quarter of its population, the United Nations refugee agency says. The number is widely put at closer to 1.5 million. They are scattered across Lebanon, mostly in makeshift camps and often in severe poverty, and face the risk of arrest because of restrictions on legal residence and work. The group of refugees returned on Wednesday as part of a local deal, not a broader agreement. Politicians are deeply divided over whether Lebanon should work directly with the Syrian government over the return of refugees, which Hezbollah and its allies advocate. Others, including Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, are strongly opposed, questioning the safety of the refugees once they return. Hariri has called for secure areas to be set up on the Syrian side of the border to which refugees could voluntarily return under United Nations supervision. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned that time was running out for Syrian militants along the border near Arsal to reach deals with Syrian authorities. "It's high time to end the threat of militant groups in Arsal and little time is left to reach certain reconciliation deals," Nasrallah said. "There are terrorists and planners of attacks in Arsal and this needs a solution." Nasrallah praised the security campaign the Lebanese army has been waging in recent weeks against suspected militants. The Lebanese army says it regularly stages operations in the hills near the northeastern border against Islamic State and militants formerly linked to al Qaeda. In late June, authorities arrested several hundred people in raids on Syrian refugee camps in Arsal. A Lebanese military prosecutor has ordered forensic examinations on the bodies of four of them who died in army custody, after rights groups called for an investigation. (Additional reporting by Laila Bassam and Suleiman al Khalidi in Beirut; writing by Ellen Francis; editing by Andrew Roche) The programmes are used by millions of low income Americans: Getty Images A prominent Republican in Congress has suggested that Donald Trump should use federal money allocated to Planned Parenthood and food stamps to help pay for Donald Trumps border wall, a move that advocates make it difficult for millions of Americans to survive. Representatives Steve King, of Iowa, made the statement after the House Appropriations Committee introduced a spending bill that would allocate $1.6 billion toward the wall as a part of a $13.8 billion budget for the US Customs and Border Protection overall. Mr King said that hed like $5 billion more to be added to that budget. I would find half of a billion dollars of that right out of Planned Parenthoods budget, Mr King said on CNN. And the rest of it could come out of food stamps and the entitlements that are being spread out for people that havent worked in three generations. Weve got to put America back to work, this Administration will do it, he continued. Mr Trumps proposed border wall is expected to cost $21.6 billion, and take three-and-a-half years to finish, an internal White House report leaked in February indicated. That figure is much higher than the $12 billion that the Trump campaign cited in 2016, and even other estimates from Congress that reached as high as $15 billion. The proposed wall which would actually be a series of fences and walls has proved contentious amongst environmentalists who say that walls would destroy local habitats, and amongst individuals who worry that the wall would be isolating for the United States abroad. But critics also warn that slashing the funds for those programmes Mr King has targeted could have disastrous effects for some of the poorest people in America. For instance, federal food stamps as a part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) help 42.6 million low income Americans put food on the table every day. More than 380,000 people in Iowa most of whom are children, seniors, working parents, veterans, or people with disabilities depend on SNAP to survive, Joel Berg, the executive director of Hunger Free America, said in a statement provided to The Independent. Not only that, SNAP aids Iowa farmers. I find it hard to believe that someone representing Iowa would inflict such cruel harm on so many just to make a cheap ideological point. Story continues Meanwhile, federal funding for Planned Parenthood which doesnt go toward abortions, as is often falsely stated helps people who rely on public health programmes like Medicaid to receive preventative health care services. "Planned Parenthood receives federal funding the same way as every other hospital or community health care provider: through Medicaid reimbursements for specific services provided, including birth control and cancer screenings," Erica Sackin, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, said in an emailed statement. "For Rep. Steve King to propose using Medicaid reimbursements to pay for a border wall is nonsensical and cruel. Blocking individuals on Medicaid from going to Planned Parenthood for preventive care will result in people losing access to care." In addition, harsh immigration enforcement policies, including building a wall, are designed to sow fear in immigrant communities and stand in their way of accessing health care," she continued. "Planned Parenthood is proud to serve everyone regardless of immigration status. Mr Kings proposal would roughly gut all federal funding for Planned Parenthood, and would take a sizable chunk out of the $70.9 billion budget SNAP had in 2016. DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's defense minister, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, discussed military ties in a telephone call with his Turkish counterpart, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, after a new contingent of Turkish troops arrived in Qatar. Ankara has backed Qatar in its dispute with four Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, which have imposed sanctions on Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the charges. SPA said that the telephone call was initiated by the Turkish minister, Fikri Isik, in which "bilateral ties, especially in the field of defense, were discussed". It gave no further details. Qatar said on Tuesday that more Turkish troops had arrived at a military base in Doha after Ankara fast-tracked legislation last month for more soldiers to be deployed there. It gave no figures. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed sanctions on Qatar demanding it meet several demands, including that it close the Turkish military base in Doha. Qatar has rejected the demands but said it was open for talks with the four countries. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty, writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Richard Balmforth) The Senate Judiciary Committee will request Donald Trump Jr.s testimony on the heels of the bombshell discovery that he met with a Russian lawyer in 2016 in order to receive damaging information about his fathers campaign opponent, Hillary Clinton. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the committee, told CNN on Thursday he and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., were preparing a letter to Trump Jr. inviting him to testify. Feinstein separately told CNN she would like Trump Jr. to appear before the committee as soon as next week. Alan Futerfas, Trump Jr.s attorney, did not immediately return a request for comment. After a series of escalating New York Times stories regarding Trump Jr.s June 2016 meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, the presidents son posted screenshots of an email chain between him and Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who helped arrange the meeting. In his initial email to Trump Jr., Goldstone floats the existence of very high level and sensitive information about Clinton and the Democratic National Committee that he characterized as part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Trump Jr. eagerly responded, If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. Trump Jr.s defense has so far been that no valuable information resulted from the meeting, which was also attended by then-campaign chief Paul Manafort and current senior White House adviser Jared Kushner. President Trump defended his oldest son from scrutiny later in the day Thursday. At a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump called his son a wonderful young man and said taking such a meeting was not unusual. I do think from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting. Its called opposition research or even research into your opponent, Trump said. Ive had many people, Ive only been in politics for two years, Ive had many people call up, Oh, gee, we have information on this factor or this person or, frankly, Hillary, thats very standard in politics. Politics is not the nicest business in the world, but its very standard. With Adam Rawnsley Details, doubt, and deliberations. A confidential U.S.-Russian cease-fire agreement for southwestern Syria that went into effect Sunday calls for barring Iranian-backed foreign fighters from a strategic stretch of Syrian territory near the borders of Israel and Jordan, according to three diplomatic sources who spoke with FP about the proposal. But Congressional staffers and military officials in Washington say they know little of the proposed deal, announced last week by President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Germany. Any agreement would have to include the buy-in of the Syrian regime and those doing most of the fighting: Lebanons Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias. One U.S. military official told FP U.S. troops wont be working directly with Iranians or Syrians, however. Our operating assumption is if the Iranians and Syrians will want to be informed, the Russians are going to be the intermediary on all things, the official said. Not coming home just yet. Thats the word from U.S. Lt. Gen Stephen Townsend, who told reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday that despite the fall of Mosul, U.S. troops will be sticking around Iraq for some time. This fight is far from over. So I wouldnt expect to see any significant change in our troop levels in the immediate future because theres still hard work to be done by the Iraqis and the coalition, Townsend, who is the U.S. militarys top commander in Iraq, said. Own goal. The White House is reeling from the latest self-inflicted wound by a member of the Trump clan, as Donald Trump Jr.s emails confirming that he expected to receive damning information on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government have gone public. From Jr.s own Twitter account.and the New York Times, which forced the younger Trumps hand. China sends ships, marines to Djibouti. The tiny country on the Horn of Africa already hosts a large U.S. military base and Japans only overseas military installation. And now Beijing has joined in, building its own base literally next door to the sensitive American facility. The AP reports that photos on the PLAs website showed naval officers and marines in battle dress lining the rails of the support ships Jingangshan and Donghaidao at a farewell ceremony at a Chinese port wishing the marines and ships well as they head to Africa. Story continues Boom from Beijing. In a demonstration of the Chinese navys expanding global reach, new Chinese warships conducted live-fire drills in the Mediterranean this week while steaming for a training exercise with the Russian navy. More from the AP: The destroyer Hefei, frigate Yuncheng and support ship Luomahu took part in Mondays drills involving the ships deck guns and small arms. Should we talk about the weather. The Trump administrations nominee for Navy Secretary believes climate change is real and is committed to mitigating its impact on Navy operations. Richard V. Spencer made the statement in response to questions from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday, striking a different note than his boss, President Trump, who has called climate change a hoax invented by China. Spencer also seemed to break with President Trumps pledges during the 2016 campaign to increase the size of the fleet to 355 ships. Spencer swaddled his discussion of the 355-ship plan with plenty of conditional terms, damning it with faint praise as a great goal and something good number for people to focus on rather than a hard and fast target for the service to hit. Marine Raiders involved in another accident. The tragic C-130 accident this week that killed 16 U.S. Marines and sailors claimed the lives of six Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) personnel en route to a training exercise. The WSJ reports, the plane contained weaponry and ammunition that could have contributed to additional explosions after the crash, which occurred in a soybean field in rural Mississippi, officials said. A special team of explosives technicians are examining the site to assure it remains safe. It was the second major accident to hit the elite Marine unit. In March 2015, a helicopter accident in the Gulf of Mexico killed seven MARSOC personnel. Arms sales. The Pentagons Defense Security Cooperation Agency has finally announced the long-discussed potential sale of Patriot anti-missile systems to Romania. The proposed sale involves seven Patriot batteries and would cost an estimated $3.9 billion. Speaking with FPs Paul McLeary this spring, Romanias Ambassador to the U.S. outlined the countrys front line position vs. Russia, and why Bucharest says it needs the air defense system, along with lots more American military equipment. Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley. Special envoy. So who is Natalia Veselnitskaya, the lawyer who offered Donald Trump Jr. damaging information on Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government? At Just Security, former Defense Department counsel Ryan Goodman and CIA intelligence officer Rolf Mowatt-Larssen argue that Veselnitskayas interaction had all the hallmarks of an overture by Russian intelligence to the [Trump] campaign, suggesting that she could have been a dangle by the Russian government designed to test the Trump campaigns appetite for collusion. Natalia who? No, we dont know who that is and obviously we cant monitor all meetings Russian lawyers hold both in Russia and abroad Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denying any knowledge of Veselnitskayas meeting at Trump Tower. What information? For her part, Veselnitskaya is denying any knowledge of damaging information on Clinton, telling NBC News I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that. Despite email records showing Veselnitskaya promising incriminating information on Clinton that was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump she now claims to have had no connection to the Russian government during her meeting with Donald Trump Jr. Not it. North Koreas biggest trading partner is getting pretty tired of being held accountable for North Koreas behavior. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang pushed back against what he called the China responsibility theory, saying that China is not to be blamed for the current escalation of tension, nor does China hold the key to resolve the issue. The Trump administration and others have leaned hard on China to try and use its leverage with Pyongyang to curb its provocative missile and nuclear tests. Hurdles. North Koreas new missile may be able to reach intercontinental range, but the warhead it packs will still have a difficult time making it through reentry into the atmosphere. Yonhap News Agency reports that South Korean intelligence believes the Hwasong-14 missile launched on July 4th probably doesnt have the technology to allow the warhead to keep from burning up once it descends back into the earths atmosphere. Semaphore. The martial pageantry of deterrence against North Korea continues, with the U.S. testing its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system off the coast of Alaska. A THAAD battery in Kodiak, Alaska successfully knocked down a simulated North Korean ballistic missile dropped from a C-17 flying off Hawaii. The U.S. deployed a THAAD to South Korea in order to defend against North Korean ballistic missiles but the system has proven politically controversial in Seoul. Super Friends. The U.S., Japan, and India are participating in the Malabar naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, including Japan for the second time since the annual U.S.-India drill first began in 1992. The exercise is widely perceived as a hedge by Chinas neighbors, wary of its military growth and expansive territorial claims. Mosul. Drone footage of Mosul shot by Al Jazeera reveals the extent of destruction to the formerly Islamic State-held city. Our house. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is threatening the U.S. with unspecified retaliatory measures if it doesnt fork over the property seized when former President Obama expelled Russian diplomats and a compound used by the Russian embassy in response to allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. If this does not happen, if we see that this step is not seen as essential in Washington, then of course we will take retaliatory measures, Lavrov said, according to Reuters. Personnel. Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) would like to put a door stopper in the revolving door between the defense industry and senior positions in the Trump Pentagon. Defense News reports that McCain told reporters he did not want people from the top five corporations of the defense industry appointed to any positions. The complaint comes after the Trump administration nominated Boeings Patrick Shanahan, Textrons Ellen Lord, and Lockheeds David Ehrhart for top Pentagon jobs. Photo Credit: GEORGE OURFALIAN/AFP/Getty Images LONDON (Reuters) - Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia begin a pomp-laden state visit to Britain on Wednesday to cement ties that have been strained by questions over the post-Brexit future of Gibraltar, a British territory on the southern tip of Spain. The Spanish royals will stay at Buckingham Palace during a visit that was twice postponed - once because of a political crisis in Spain in 2016 and then after it clashed with an early election Prime Minister Theresa May called in June. Agreed before Britain voted to leave the European Union in June last year, the three-day Spanish state visit, the first in 31 years, now takes place just months after a long-running row over Gibraltar, the "Rock" captured by Britain in 1704 which Spain wants back, flared up again. The EU and Britain have also yet to agree on guarantees for EU citizens living in Britain and British expats living in other EU countries. More than 300,000 Britons live in Spain. The Spanish royals will have a private lunch at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday with Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales' London residence Clarence House and a state banquet. Felipe, who used a speech to the United Nations to invite Britain "to end the colonial anachronism of Gibraltar", will also address both houses of parliament on Wednesday and meet May at her Downing Street office on Thursday. The future of Gibraltar, with a population of 30,000, is set to be a major point of contention in the Brexit talks. The EU annoyed Britain and Gibraltar in April by suggesting Spain have a right of veto over the territory's post-Brexit relationship with the bloc. (Reporting by Kylie Maclellan and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Gareth Jones) Mickey Mouse and Mark Hamill (Photo: Disney Resorts) Disneys D23 Expo opens its doors Friday across the street from Disneyland, treating fans to a slew of sneak peeks of the Mouse Houses upcoming slate, from the latest Star Wars and Marvel endeavors to live-action revamps of classic cartoons a la this years Beauty and the Beast to the best future animated features. The three-day, star-studded fest in Anaheim which Disney purposely scheduled to steal some of Comic-Cons thunder will also highlight props and costumes, theme park expansions, hands-on video-game demos, and booths stocked with new merch for all ages. Yahoo Movies will bring you the latest news, photos, and video from the exhibition floor and the panels; in the meantime, these are the half-dozen top storylines we will be following: Chris Miller (black jacket) and Phil Lord (tan sweater) at the helm of the Falcon surrounded by the cast of the Han Solo movie (Credit: Twitter/Lucasfilm) Smugglers Blues The biggest question going into D23 Expo is whether Disney chooses to do any damage control following Lucasfilms decision to fire Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from the untitled Han Solo movie last month. The surprise move rattled Star Wars fans and immediately overshadowed this Decembers franchise installment, The Last Jedi. Will Kathleen Kennedy and crew try to allay fan fears by bringing out new director Ron Howard with some footage? With Howard in the midst of shooting, will they beam him in via satellite or at the very least via taped message? Or will they simply try to divert attention by focusing on shiny new clips (perhaps a new trailer?) from The Last Jedi. With Star Wars skipping Comic-Con, we can expect Disney to go all out for Jedi here, bringing Mark Hamill and returning cast members from The Force Awakens to pump up the crowd during Disneys live-action film presentation on Saturday. Rocket Raccoon and Thor in Infinity War concept art (Credit: Marvel Studios) To Infinity War and Beyond Casts and clips from Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3) and Black Panther (Feb. 16) are confirmed, but will Marvel Studios also take this opportunity to show off some early footage from the massive MCU team-up Avengers: Infinity War? Aside from some teasing social media posts and concept art, the film (coming May 4, 2018) has been kept under wraps so far. Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018) will also be in the house. With the success of Wonder Woman, were wondering if studio boss Kevin Feige chooses D23 as the platform to show off Brie Larson in her Captain Marvel costume or maybe well have to wait a week until San Diego Comic-Con, where Marvel will also have a presentation? Story continues Jon Favreau at Disneys D23 Expo 2015 (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) The Lion Roars The previous D23 Expo in 2015 was the launching pad for Jon Favreaus reboot of The Jungle Book, which was welcomed with an ovation rivaling the Marvel films. Lets see if he gets the chance to repeat the magic by having his Lion King introduced during the live-action showcase. Disney also has a separate Sunday panel planned for the animated classic promising special guests, which has us giddy with anticipation. Lion King isnt the only upcoming release mining the Disney vaults; we should also get a glimpse from the live-action reboots of Mulan as well as the decades-later sequel Mary Poppins Returns. Oprah Winfrey on set of A Wrinkle in Time (Photo: Ava DuVernay/Twitter) Oprahs New Wrinkle Along with Stan Lee, Mark Hamill, and the late Carrie Fisher, Oprah Winfrey will be enshrined as a Disney Legend think Mickeys Hall of Fame during a ceremony Friday morning. We fully expect her to stick around for Saturdays live-action panel, joining cast mates Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Chris Pine for our initial glimpse at director Ava DuVernays reimagined take on Madeline LEngles classic A Wrinkle in Time, due out March 9, 2018. DuVernay has already tipped a trailer premiere. Frozen stars Josh Gad and Kristen Bell flanked by Olaf and Disney Animation boss John Lasseter at 2015s D23 Expo. (Photo: Disney) Toon Time While Pixars Coco (coming Nov. 22) is sharing top billing going into Fridays animation presentation, there are a few other features we cant wait to get more intel on, namely the Wreck-It Ralph sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and The Incredibles 2, both due out next year, and 2019s Toy Story 4 (which was a major part of the 2015 D23 Expo but has since assumed a lower profile amid production delays). And with the short film Olafs Frozen Adventure getting an early-bird screening on Saturday, theres a chance Disney might take this opportunity to hype a film that needs no hype: 2019s Frozen 2. Star Wars Land concept art (Photo: Disney/Lucafilm) A Galaxy Not So Far Away As noted earlier, the D23 Expo showcases much more than movies. Disneys synergistic empire extends into TV, video games, books, theme parks, and loads of merchandise. We have an eye on the Disney Parks and Resorts panel slated for Saturday afternoon, where we expect a full update on the dual Star Wars Land expansions in Anaheim and Orlando opening in 2019. D23 Flashback: Highlights of 2015 Live-Action Presentation: Read more from Yahoo Movies: Then-US Airways Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger III prepares to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, Dec. 16, 2009. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) One of the things Congress must do in the next two months is pass legislation reauthorizing the existence of the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates air traffic in the United States and is operating under a law that expires Sept. 30. A bill that would privatize the air traffic control system has been introduced in the House; the Senate is considering a different version. Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger, who famously piloted US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency landing in the Hudson River in 2009, has some serious concerns about how these bills would affect the safety of aviation and access to air travel. He recently spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric. The following is a condensed transcript of the conversation. _____ Katie Couric: Tell me about this FAA reauthorization bill thats being considered and why youve gotten involved. Chesley Sullenberger: I learned to fly 50 years ago, just over 50 years ago. The Wright Brothers first flew 114 years ago in December. So Ive been flying for 44 percent of the entire history of aviation, and Ive seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Ive seen what works and what doesnt. I care about being able to fly, peoples access to it and every facet of aviation. You know, most of aviation is not airline flying; thats how most people travel, but in terms of total airplanes and numbers of operations, theres much besides airline flying thats important to our economy: general aviation, noncommercial flying, which includes corporate aviation and recreational aviation and a variety of other things that have a great benefit. My real issue, and I think for many people, is that we have a wonderful and unique freedom in this country, this unfettered, wonderful aviation system that anyone can participate in safely and efficiently. In most countries its either too restrictive or too expensive for an average person to fly, and the only way you can go is on an airliner or a military flight. Its just prohibitively restrictive or expensive to do it any other way. Thats something that we need to protect and preserve, and so why in the world would we give the keys to the kingdom to the largest airlines? Because they definitely have their own agenda to lower their costs. Commercial aviation, airline aviation, has become an extraordinarily cost-competitive industry globally, and it becomes more so by the day. Story continues Passengers stand on the wings of a US Airways plane after it landed in the Hudson River in New York City, Jan. 15, 2009. (Photo: Brendan McDermid /Reuters) How does this new bill give the keys of the kingdom to commercial airlines? By removing oversight of the air traffic control system from the FAA and much of the oversight that Congress currently has and giving it to a group of people, stakeholders basically controlled by the largest airlines, to control access to and pricing of access to the air traffic control system. Thats an extreme solution to whats really a political budget problem. I thought the Senate bill doesnt have privatization in it? Well, the House bill still does, and even if the Senate bill passes in its current form, itll have to go to conference. Im worried about what the end result will be and not about particular individual bills. Im worried about the direction this has been headed [in] for a number of years and [which] people are still trying to propose. It means bad things for everyone who flies, but especially for people who fly in non-airline ways. Thats a big part of the system. Youre worried about overall safety as a result of this bill? Im worried about access. Im worried about equitability. Im worried about safety. There are other, better ways to solve this political budget problem by giving the FAA, in running the air traffic control system and making capital improvements to the air traffic control system, more predictable multiyear funding without giving away the keys to the kingdom to the largest airlines to control access and fees and pricing too. I know one of the things youre really concerned about in this bill are the pilot experience requirements, which changed in 2013 thanks to the urging of families of victims of a 2009 crash in Buffalo that killed 50 people. The new rules require co-pilots to get the same 1,500 hours of flight time as pilots for their certification to fly passenger and cargo planes. Before then, co-pilots were required just 250 hours of flight time. So youre worried about this changing back to what it was before 2013? A Continental Connection plane burns after crashing into a house in Clarence Center, N.Y., near Buffalo, on Feb. 12, 2009. (Photo: David Duprey/AP) There are no proposals currently to try to change it back to 250 hours that Im aware of. But its to get rid of it, right? That co-pilots need to have the same amount of experience as the pilots on these planes? There are people who are absolutely trying to weaken it, but in sneaky ways. Theyre trying to give more credit for non-aviation, non-flying-related activities. You know, like as Sen. Tammy Duckworth said recently, some of the regional airlines are trying to get additional credit toward that 1,500 hours of flying time by not flying part of it, but instead, for example, watching videos in hotel ballrooms or having a non-aviation degree from some non-aviation-accredited university. Theyre trying backdoor ways of diluting this new standard thats been proven to be effective because since we have had the improved safety rules, the last passenger fatality even at the regional [airlines] was in 2009. So eight years ago. Now is not the time to try to be weakening and diluting the pilot experience rules for giving credit for nonflying activities to count toward the 1,500 hours of flight time that is now required. Why is it so important, Sully, that co-pilots are trained equally? Because every pilot who sits in the pilot seat of an airliner must be able to be the absolute master of that aircraft and all its systems and the weather conditions youre experiencing, the situation youre facing at that moment continuously throughout the flight. We no longer can have an apprentice getting on-the-job training. Every safety protocol that we have is based upon having two fully qualified, well-trained experienced pilots in the cockpit. The captain of an airliner should be the leader of a team of experts and not relegated to the role of flight instructors still teaching basic skills and knowledge to someone who has not yet attained the requisite experience and flying time. So this would be a giant step backwards. We need the first officer to have the confidence, the skill, the judgment as the first officer in the Hudson flight, Jeff Skiles, to question the captains decisions if theyre not the best ones, if theyre not the safest ones. How important was it that Jeff Skiles was as well trained as he was when you were piloting that US Airways flight that you successfully landed in the Hudson River back in 2009? It was critically important. It literally meant the difference for everyone on the airplane between life and death. Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III, left, and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles receive applause before the start of a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Feb. 24, 2009. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Really? You dont think you could have done it on your own? No. Jeff also has 20,000 hours of flying time, like I do. He had been a captain before the most recent layoffs and cutbacks had forced him back into the co-pilot seat. Had he not been so experienced we could not have had the same outcome. People likely would have perished. And let me tell you why. Because this extraordinarily unforeseen event for which we had never been specifically trained, never anticipated, happened so fast that the time, pressure and the workload [were] so intense we didnt even have time to talk about what had just happened or what we should do. I didnt have time to direct his every action. I had to rely upon Jeff immediately and intuitively understanding this developing crisis as I did and knowing on his own what he should do to help me. Had he not been able to do that, had we not been able to collaborate wordlessly, something thats difficult for people to comprehend, we wouldnt have been able to save every life. So let me ask you about regional airlines. They provide about half the countrys flights, and those airlines argue that training requirements make it cost-prohibitive to get a license, which has also contributed to a pilot shortage. Whats your response to those concerns? Let me pose to you an analogy based upon a real-world example. From time to time, we have had a difficult time finding enough primary care physicians, family care physicians, to serve rural counties in this country. Would we accept a proposal to reduce medical school by a year or two to make it cheaper, easier, faster to provide doctors to serve rural areas? I think the answer obviously is no. Thats crazy, and thats because people who live in rural areas deserve the same standard of care as people in the rest of the country do. What do you do about a pilot shortage, though, Sully? How can we get more capable people attracted to this very important job? Well, theyre crying wolf. In this country right now for most carriers, there is not a pilot shortage. They are still able to attract qualified, experienced applicants, the number they require. We need to make sure that the industry as a whole can find efficient pathways, and some now exist. There are some good examples where major airlines are partnering with regional airlines and partnering with universities that provide aviation degrees and training. Its really only a few of the real bottom-feeders that are the least well run, the least capitalized companies that are having the most trouble. A couple come to mind: Great Lakes and Mesa. There are still a few of them that have extraordinarily low starting pay, in the $20,000 range, barely above food-stamp wage levels, and theyre the ones that are still trying to continue to use what is a broken economic model and one that is not sufficient in this market to attract sufficient numbers of fully qualified candidates. Theyre the ones that are having the most trouble. A pilot for Great Lakes Airlines walks away from her plane after landing at Cape Girardeau (Mo.) Regional Airport on March 25, 2009. (Photo: Jeff Roberson/AP) Theyre the ones regional airlines and other associations are pointing to, saying the sky is falling and we got to change the rules because theres no other way to do it. Thats a big lie. And theyre doing it cravenly for their own reasons to make it more convenient and less costly for them to fill those pilot seats with people who have less experience. What they should be doing is trying to find a way to keep their tacit promise to all their future passengers that they will take the best care of them that they know how to do and have one level of safety across the entire industry. But some of the regionals that are better run and better capitalized are doing some of the safety methodologies that big airlines do, are still hiring qualified applicants and training them well. We should be helping the less good operators and bring them up to the same standard as better operators. I read one statistic that regional airlines are claiming that by 2026 there will be a pilot shortage of 30,000. Well, they need to do a better job of recruiting people to enter that profession. As with any profession, passion only takes you so far. At some point the financial and lifestyle portions of it have to be sustainable. At some point no matter what youre doing youre going to want to buy a car, house, have a family, have a life. The economics and the lifestyle that that profession accords you are not sustainable even if you have a lot of passion for it. So we need to do a better job as an industry of reminding people this is a good job, this is an important job. What we do and how we do it is important because we literally hold peoples lives in our hands. And the compensation should reflect that. In closing, Sully, I wanted to ask, why should people care about this impending legislation? It affects not only everyone who flies, but it affects everyone. Because everyone knows someone who flies. You know when I talk to audiences of aviators, I talk about the reasons that we became professional pilots. Why we do what we do. And I say that when we enter this noble profession of piloting that I consider a calling, we do literally make a promise to our passengers that we will keep them safe, that we will do the best that we know how to do. And so many of us feel that obligation intensely. We know when we get in an airplane, we have incredible responsibility. Im trying to remind every airline executive that runs airlines, every FAA regulator that oversees aviation, every lawmaker that oversees aviation, that they should also feel and act on that same obligation. Former Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger, right, talks with passenger Pam Seagle as they look over the fuselage of US Airways Flight 1549 at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Saturday, June 11, 2011, in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo: Chuck Burton/AP) If people want to learn more about this legislation and get involved, is there any place that youd recommend they go? Call their member of Congress? Absolutely. Call your members of Congress. Contact especially the chairman of the aviation subcommittees of the House and the Senate. Get involved. They do listen when the numbers are great enough, they do listen. And I keep coming back to the Buffalo families, the families of the victims of the February 2009 crash of the Continental Connection, a needless accident that should not have happened. Well, Sully, thanks again for your time. Its always great to talk to you. In May, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) division of the Department of Homeland Security declared that it had selected a brace of finalists in the competition to design the Trump administrations proposed wall between the United States and Mexico. The announcement was the first sign that the project, a centerpiece of Donald Trumps campaign for president last year, was gaining traction in the real world, with the qualifying companies slated to begin building prototype segments in a matter of a few weeks. Two months later, we can now say for certain that the list of potential winners for the multibillion-dollar construction contract has been narrowed to Dennis OLeary. That, in any case, is as much as we have known up to now. Some 200 proposals were submitted to CBP in time for the original March deadline, at least 20 of which are now in consideration for the as-yet-unstarted prototypes. But to date, OLeary the founder and CEO of DarkPulse Technologies in Scottsdale, Arizona, makers of a fiber-optic sensor system that was specified in one of the joint bids is the sole participant who has identified himself as among the short-listed parties. The fact that OLeary has become the default architect of the presidents signature wall (at least judging from publicly available information) may seem strange. The resulting flood of media attention has certainly been strange for OLeary himself. But its no stranger than the entirety of the competition thus far. Its been I dont want to say the word confusing, says OLeary. Yet no other word seems so apt. The confusion is no way dispelled by two other finalists, neither of whom has spoken to the media before and one of whom agreed to talk to Foreign Policy on the condition that his identity not be revealed. Both longtime industry professionals, their differing perspectives on the project point to mysteries and missteps surrounding the process that suggest the wall will be a long time coming, if it ever comes at all. Story continues The first, non-anonymous entrant in the prototype sweepstakes is Jim Knott Jr., CEO of metals manufacturer Riverdale Mills. The Northbridge, Massachusetts company specializes in the fabrication of wire mesh for lobster, crab, and oyster pots a seemingly improbable background for a future border-wall builder, though Knott points out that the firm is only one member of a larger collaborative team, and that their proprietary material has been used in defensive walls (including ones in California, Arizona, and Kuwait) in the past. Having entered the second phase of the border competition, he says, his firm is now trying to produce a more in-depth proposal that includes production projections, a list of key personnel, pricing, and other specifics. But even as Riverdale forges ahead, its chief remains unsure as to what CPB is truly looking for, or when Riverdale might receive the green light to construct its prototype. Knott acknowledges the fluidity of the situation, but says that he and his team understand the complexities. The other finalist, who asked that his name be withheld, is more blunt. As he puts it, Its been a real mess. In more than three decades of soliciting and executing large-scale government construction projects, including multiple structures along the southern border, the contractor says he has never seen a bidding process so chaotic and rudderless as this one. The lack of coordination, the lack of funding theyre just not ready for prime time, he says. A rendering provided by DarkPulse Technologies shows a proposed border wall between Mexico and the United States that would be constructed with ballistic concrete that can withstand tampering or attacks of any kind. (Photo credit: DarkPulse Technologies via AP) First on the list of befuddlements: Why werent the identities of all the finalists made public? In most government design-build competitions (particularly those held by the General Services Administration, responsible for most of Uncle Sams major buildings) transparency is key. Public hearings and media exposure for prospective contractors reduce the likelihood of sweetheart deals happening behind closed doors, while ensuring that each projects diverse stakeholders local communities, future end-users, the construction industry at large maintain a sense of political buy-in. The wall competition is far more secretive. The fact that its nominally a national defense project (and one undertaken by an agency not accustomed to building at this scale) may be one reason for the change, although the CPB cites another. According to agency representative Carlos Diaz, its mostly a matter of fairness. The companies are competing, providing designs that are going to be proprietary, Diaz says. We want there to be equal opportunity for them to present without any intervention. The secrecy, in other words, is intended for the competitors benefit, keeping them from cribbing from one anothers designs. But if that were so, why were OLeary and now Knott able to announce their status voluntarily and why has no one else done the same? The anonymous stage-two bidder says the agency strongly hinted that silence would be advisable, though CBP officials did not, they claim, have contestants sign a formal non-disclosure agreement. Knott, who seems bullish about his firms odds, was motivated to come forward out of a sense of pride in his companys products and profile: Riverdales mesh is made entirely in New England by local labor, he notes, and if the wall is going to be built it should be built by U.S. businesses, employing U.S. workers. He may come to regret the decision, however. Having outed himself to the San Diego Tribune, OLeary has found himself the unlikely center of a media maelstrom, not a situation likely to sit well with either CPB or his collaborators. Ive been skirting the edge on this, he says. That all of this was so predictable only makes the Department of Homeland Securitys failure to issue a gag order seem even more baffling. But then again, to issue one would have flown in the face of the Trump administrations bombastic promotion of the beautiful wall the president has repeatedly promised. Evidently the CPB is trying to thread the needle between the White Houses upbeat declarations and an unprecedented process for building infrastructure that is fraught with bureaucratic, economic, and political difficulty. As recently as April, the CBP was still insisting on a June start date for construction; that date has since been jettisoned, with officials now saying that ground will be broken before the end of the summer. Keeping schedule may largely hinge on how complex the logistics prove to be, and how many segments are actually going to be built which is also somewhat in the realm of the unknown. About 20 finalists are said to still be under consideration, but the CPB now says that the prototypes will number, at most, four to eight, said Ronald Vitiello, deputy commissioner of the CPB since April. An example of Riverdale Mills' wire mesh in a U.S.-Mexico border fence in California. (Photo credit: Riverdale Mills} That degree of selectivity might suggest that the CBP is applying rigorous aesthetic or engineering standards, but there are some mundane technical reasons for the rapid winnowing of entrants. The competition was split into two parts, one for concrete contractors and another for other material providers; some contractors may have joined forces with like-minded competitors from the other category. The anonymous finalist points to still other, less routine factors. Among them, he says, There have been threats the contentious character of the wall project has attracted intense criticism, and some of the 20 may be backing out for fear of commercial or even physical reprisals. (This would certainly seem to further explain the CPBs preference for secrecy.) More importantly, however, the fate of the border wall has only become less clear during the past few months as the Trump administration has stumbled from crisis to crisis, and some competitors might well be questioning the wisdom of staying the course. Vitiello cited a figure of $20 million in available CPB discretionary funds set aside for prototype construction, meaning OLeary, Knott and their colleagues might see some compensation for their efforts if they emerge victorious from stage two. But the anonymous finalist is doubtful that the prototype fee will do more than stop his firms financial bleeding. I dont think well ever see a profit on this, he says. At present, it is by no means evident what will happen after the prototypes are completed. The competition is specific to the prototypes in San Diego, notes the CBPs Carlos Diaz: There is no promise that any of the eight finalists (or seven, or six, or however many) will receive a fully funded contract for the border wall, because Congress has yet to provide any of the estimated $12 billion to $21 billion to build it. Opposition on Capitol Hill is stiff, and not just from Democrats. The Republican delegation from Texas has shown at most lukewarm support, with Rep. Will Hurd having called the wall the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border. Without any clear fiscal means or any very definite policy motive, the wall remains essentially what its been since Trump first championed it a largely symbolic political gimmick. If the CPB can complete the prototypes by the fall, it will at least give the president a useful photo-op, a Potemkin village to strut in front of and boast about on Twitter. Even then, it would put him in the position of having to explain to his supporters that hes not able to persuade Congress to give him money for the real thing. None of that seems likely to deter the President. Just this month, Trump spoke out in favor of a solar panel-clad wall that could pay for itself. A similar proposal was in fact submitted in the competition but is not likely to be among the prototypes. As the anonymous finalist observes, the cost of cleaning some 3,000 linear miles of photovoltaics would be astronomical. So why is the president of the United States endorsing the idea? The finalist demurred. Donald Trump, he said at last, doesnt know what hes talking about. Top photo credit: Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration President Trump said during a press conference in Paris on Thursday that most people would have taken the campaign meeting that his son attended with a Kremlin-linked lawyer promising incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. My son is a wonderful young man, Trump said of Donald Trump Jr., 39. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer, not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer. It was a short meeting. It was a meeting that went very, very quickly very fast two of the people in the room, one of them left almost immediately and the other was not really focused on the meeting. I do think this from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting, its called opposition research or even research into your opponent. Related: A timeline of Trump Jr.s meeting with Russian lawyer Trump was responding to a question about the fact that his candidate for FBI director, Christopher Wray, had said in his confirmation hearing Wednesday that the FBI should be called about any attempts to influence the election by a foreign state. According to emails Trump Jr. released earlier in the week, he took the meeting in June 2016 after being promised information that would be helpful in incriminating Clintons dealings with the Russian government. In an email, music publicist Bob Goldstone added that this is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Trump Jr. replied, If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. The meeting was with Natalia Veselnitskaya, who reportedly has ties to the Russian government and spy agency. Both Veselnitskaya and the Kremlin have denied any connection. Both Trumps said the president was unaware of the meeting, but hours after Trump Jr. confirmed the meeting on June 7, 2016, his father promised to deliver a major address detailing Clintons corrupt dealings to give favorable treatment to foreign governments, including the Russians. Story continues Trump, who was appearing Thursday in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, said that he had been offered plenty of opposition research on his opponents and that it was standard operating procedure in politics. He also blamed the Obama administration for allowing Veselnitskaya into the country in the first place. Trump Jr. said of his handling of the meeting that in retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had pressed Wray on Trump Jr.s email exchange during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Youre going to be director of the FBI, pal, said Graham. So heres what I want you to tell every politician. If you get a call from somebody suggesting that a foreign government wants to help you by disparaging your opponent, tell us all to call the FBI. To the members of this committee, said Wray, any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation-state or any nonstate actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know. By Richard Lough and Ayesha Rascoe PARIS (Reuters) - President Donald Trump held the door open to a reversal of his decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord on Thursday, but did not say what he would need in return to persuade him to do so. Trump, who has made few friends in Europe with his rejection of the 2015 Paris agreement and his "America First" trade stance, met with French President Emmanuel Macron as both leaders sought common ground to reset an awkward relationship. "Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords, let's see what happens," Trump told a news conference. "If it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't, that'll be OK too." Trump has said the Paris accord is soft on leading polluters like China and India, putting U.S. industry at risk. "I respect the wish to preserve jobs, I think that's compatible with the Paris accord," Macron said at the joint conference. "There is no sudden and unexpected change today, otherwise we would have announced it, but there is the shared intention to continue discussing these issues," the French president added. Trump and Macron's relationship got off to a bumpy start, but both have an incentive to improve relations - Macron hopes to elevate France's role in global affairs, and Trump, seemingly isolated among world leaders, needs a friend overseas. Trump came to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, with emails released on Tuesday suggesting his eldest son welcomed an offer of Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Weeks after Macron hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Palace of Versailles, Trump will bask in the trappings of the Bastille Day military parade on Friday and commemorations of the entry 100 years ago of U.S. troops into World War One. Macron welcomed Trump with a warm handshake and smiles, a contrast to the clenched-jaw greeting they shared at their first encounter in May. "Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful," the U.S. president told Macron as they met at the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French war heroes are buried. SYRIA COOPERATION For the 39-year-old Macron, France's youngest leader since Napoleon two centuries ago, the visit is a chance to use soft diplomacy to win Trump's confidence and set about influencing U.S. foreign policy, which European leaders say lacks direction. Macron views it as counter-productive to isolate the United States on the world stage, and said he and Trump had asked diplomats to draw up in the coming weeks a concrete initiative aimed at preparing the future of Syria. "On the Iraq-Syria situation, we have agreed to continue working together, in particular on the building of a roadmap for the post-war period," Macron said. Trump said work was underway to negotiate a ceasefire in a second region of Syria. On Friday, Trump will be guest of honor at France's July 14 celebrations, a year after a Tunisian man loyal to Islamic State ploughed a truck through revelers on a seafront promenade in Nice, killing more than 80. During the U.S. election campaign, Trump said a wave of militant attacks showed "France is no longer France", and reprimanded the then-Socialist government for allegedly bowing its head to jihadists. In bringing Trump to Paris, Macron has stolen a march on Britain's embattled Prime Minister Theresa May. London's offer of a state visit for Trump met fierce domestic criticism and warnings that he would be greeted by mass protests. An Elabe poll showed that 59 percent of French people approved of Macron's decision to invite Trump. (Additional reporting by Michel Rose, Leigh Thomas and Andrew Callus; Editing by Mark Heinrich) President Trump on Thursday lavished praise on Chinese leader Xi Jinping, calling him a friend, a terrific guy, as well as a good man and a great leader who loves China and saying nothing about the death of that countrys best known dissident, Liu Xiaobo, even as other U.S. political figures mourned the Nobel Peace Prize winners passing. Trump had been asked at a joint press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron for his assessment of Xi. The French leader likewise omitted any mention of Liu, who rose to prominence during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, was sentenced to an 11-year prison term in 2009 and died Thursday after a battle with late-stage liver cancer. Several hours later, the White House issued a statement saying Trump was deeply saddened about Lius death. Asked about the Chinese president, Trump declared Xi a friend of mine and added, I have great respect for him we have gotten to know each other very well a great leader. Trump went on: Hes a very talented man, I think hes a very good man. He loves China, I can tell you, he loves China. He wants to do whats right for China. On the issue of North Koreas nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, Trump said probably he could do a little bit more to rein in the regime in Pyongyang. But, the U.S. president noted, China has taken some steps to defuse trade disputes with the United States. President Xi is a terrific guy, Trump concluded. I like being with him a lot and hes a very special person. Several hours after the press conference concluded, the White House press secretary issued a statement about Lius death. President Donald J. Trump was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent Chinese political prisoner Liu Xiaobo, the statement said. The Presidents heartfelt condolences go out to Liu Xiaobos wife, Liu Xia, and his family and friends. A poet, scholar, and courageous advocate, Liu Xiaobo dedicated his life to the pursuit of democracy and liberty. Story continues Macron was less effusive, noting that he had accepted Xis invitation to visit China later this year or in early 2018 but noting, I cant say that hes a friend, because I want words to have meaning. But, the French president said, initial discussions with Xi have been extremely fruitful and entirely positive, and I have a lot of respect for President Xi. Macron noted Xis rhetorical embrace of multilateral institutions and his will to battle climate change a sore spot with Trump, who withdrew the United States from the Paris climate accord. The Sino-French relationship has some sensitive spots, notably on trade, but has a shared will to resolve any disputes, notably on trade, Macron said. And China is an indispensable partner on a range of international issues, especially growing tensions with North Korea. And Xi is today one of the great leaders in our world, Macron said. President Trump at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (Photo: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters) The two leaders silence on Liu at the press conference came as American political figures mourned the 2010 Nobel laureate. In a scathing statement, Sen. John McCain, R.-Ariz., said the dissidents death was the last barbaric violation of Dr. Lius human rights and charged that Beijing brutalizes its own citizens and has bullied its neighbors and destabilized the Asia-Pacific. The United States of America should demand the immediate release of Dr. Lius wife, Liu Xia, and make clear that we will not tolerate Chinas pervasive violation of human rights, McCain said. Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi long a fervent critic of Chinas human rights record mourned the loss of one of the great moral voices of our time and said Lius imprisonment for advocating democratic reforms illustrated Chinas shameful disregard for basic freedoms. And, Pelosi said, If we do not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to talk about human rights any other place in the world. Shortly before Trump and Macrons press conference, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement that he mourned Lius death and offered heartfelt condolences to the dissidents widow. I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes, Tillerson said. In his fight for freedom, equality, and constitutional rule in China, Liu Xiaobo embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards, the top U.S. diplomat said. In his death, he has only reaffirmed the Nobel Committees selection. Updated at 6:03 p.m. ET to include the White Houses statement on Lius death. Read more from Yahoo News: President Trump told French President Emmanuel Macrons wife on Thursday that she is beautiful and appears to be in such good shape. Trump made the comments to Brigitte Macron, the French first lady, and her husband after they toured Les Invalides museum along with first lady Melania Trump. The tour followed a formal welcome ceremony and came before bilateral talks at Elysee Palace, the French presidential residence. Related slideshow: Trump visits Macron in Paris >>> Brigitte Macron, 64, is 24 years older than her husband the same age gap that exists between the 71-year-old Trump and 47-year-old Melania. The remarks were caught on a video of the tour, which was live-streamed by the French government on Macrons Facebook page. French President Emmanuel Macron greets first lady Melania Trump while his wife, Brigitte Macron, welcomes President Trump at Les Invalides museum in Paris on Thursday. (Photo: Michel Euler/Reuters/Pool) Trump has previously come under fire for his comments objectifying women. On June 28, the president interrupted an Oval Office phone call with the new prime minister of Ireland to flirt with a female reporter. Come here, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press, Trump said to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar as he gestured for the journalist, Caitriona Perry, to come over to his desk. She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well, Trump told Varadkar. The next day, Trump drew widespread criticism for a bizarre tweet about MSNBC host Mika Brzezinskis appearance, claiming she had been bleeding badly from a face-lift during a visit to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on New Years Eve. Related: French President Emmanuel Macrons unique love story During the his presidential campaign, Trump sparked a similar firestorm when he said after the first Republican primary debate that moderator Megyn Kelly appeared to have blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. At the debate, Kelly had questioned Trump about his history of making disparaging comments about womens looks. Youve called women you dont like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals, Kelly told Trump. You once told a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president? Story continues I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct, he replied. Read more from Yahoo News: President Trump returning from the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters) WASHINGTON French President Emmanuel Macron has kept President Trump off balance over the course of their short relationship, using Trumps own favorite tactic of unpredictability against him. It was less than two months ago that in the first meeting between the two men Macron held on to Trumps hand as the American president tried to pull away. Later that same day, Macron swerved away from Trump to shake hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders while Trump stood and waited to greet the French leader. Macron later publicly explained that he had intended to send a signal to Trump, and the world, with the photo op. Trump usually likes to play the aggressor when it comes to the handshake game. I dont let anything slide. Thats how one makes oneself respected, said Macron, who won his election while promising to strengthen the European Union, a body that nationalist Trump advisers like Steve Bannon despise. During the race, Trump had signaled support for Macrons opponent in the French election, far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen. In early June, Macron responded to Trump decision to ditch the Paris Agreement on climate change, tweaking the U.S. presidents signature slogan. Make our planet great again, Macron said. And last week the Frenchman forcefully rebutted narrow-minded nationalism, an apparent jab at Trump. But in late June, Macron invited Trump to come to Paris for Bastille Day (July 14), and Trump accepted. And then at the G-20, despite his strong words for Trump, Macron sidled up to the American during the group photo. Trump will arrive in France on Thursday morning for a two-day visit that will serve as the next chapter in the complex and curious relationship between the two world leaders. President Trump with French President Emmanuel Macron prior to a May NATO summit in Brussels. (Photo: Peter Dejong/Reuters) Trumps fascination with Macron may stem in part from his willingness to buck French political norms. He created a brand new political party, En Marche! (roughly translated as Lets go! or On The Move!) to be his vehicle to the presidency. He has also talked about running a Jupiterian presidency as in the king of the Roman gods. Story continues The French leaders intentional displays of strength, including Macrons decision to parade down the Champs-Elysees during his inaugural parade in a military rather than civilian vehicle, have attracted Trumps admiration, sources said. Trump himself reportedly wanted to include military vehicles in his own inaugural parade, and the Bastille Day parade will feature plenty of martial pageantry, including the presence of American troops, to mark the 100-year anniversary of the United States entering World War I. One French official suggested that Trumps failure to convince U.S. military officials to allow him to include military vehicles in his own inauguration this past January partly explained Trumps eagerness to come to France. Apparently Trump loves that, and he did not understand why his presidential inauguration ceremony didnt have one, the unnamed official told Le Journal du Dimanche. Trump is also badly in need of distraction from troubles back home, as controversy over Trump campaign links to Russian meddling in the U.S. election has reached new heights following new disclosures of his son Donald Trump Jr.s eagerness to receive information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton from the Russian government during the campaign. But the admiration for Macron inside the White House goes beyond symbolism. Bannon told Yahoo News that while Macron ran as a globalist, he has made a number of nationalist gestures, all in the name of positioning France as the preeminent nation in Europe. Populist nationalist is the right side of history, Bannon said in a phone interview, and asserted that the only question is whether the leftist version of nationalism championed by Jeremy Corbyn in Britain and Sen. Bernie Sanders in the U.S. wins the day or something closer to Trump and Bannons version. Bannon said Macron, a centrist, is closer to Trumps philosophy than he is to the progressive version because he does not want the state to run the economy. President Trump announcing his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) But French experts said the parallels between Trump and Macron are not so clear. This has nothing to do with the savage libertarianism that has been festering among Republicans for the last several years, said Robert Zaretsky, professor of French history at the University of Houston. They are not kindred spirits. Macron has tapped into a strain of French nationalism that has characterized his countrys politics since World War II, sometimes colored by mistrust of U.S. commitments. Whereas Le Pen channeled that sentiment through anti-immigration policies, Macron has gone a more internationalist route. Macron tried and failed to convince Trump to remain in the Paris Agreement, and has not given up winning over his American counterpart to the cause of battling climate change. But French presidents dont fit neatly into the dismissive globalist tag White House nationalists like to attach to critics of their approach to the world. France tested a nuclear weapon in 1960 and built its own arsenal in part to be able to deter Soviet aggression in the event the United States did not uphold its mutual-defense obligations under NATO. In 1966, then President Charles de Gaulle withdrew France from NATOs military command, citing a need to keep a free hand in asserting his countrys national interests. In 2009, with the threat from Moscow much abated, then President Nicolas Sarkozy returned France to the alliance as a full member. France keeps close ties with its former colonies and encourages the spread or at least the maintenance of the use of the French language in order to maintain its influence. Since 9/11, French-U.S. intelligence cooperation has remained strong. And Paris has not hesitated to use force against suspected extremists in Africa. France is far and away one of the largest and strongest military members of the [NATO] alliance and spends an awful lot of defense right now, and carries a heavy load in the counterterrorism fight, in particular in places so that really we dont have to, a senior Trump aide told reporters on Tuesday. So when you consider that the Sahel, for example, is half the size of the United States, and the French are carrying on the counterterrorism effort there with 4,000 or 5,000 French soldiers, I mean, their contributions are great. France committed forces to the war in Afghanistan in 2001, but by late 2002 and early 2003 it was one of the most outspoken opponents of the invasion of Iraq, which soured relations with Washington. By 2005, however, then President Jacques Chirac eagerly worked with George W. Bush in a successful push to reduce Syrian influence in Lebanon. In 2013, when then President Barack Obama seemed to be gearing up for military action in Syria, a country once under French administration, Paris was Washingtons closest partner. President Trump with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G-7 summit in Sicily, Italy. (Photo: Stephane De Sakutin/Reuters) Macrons seizing of the initiative in his relationship with Trump is indicative of the way he has approached his first weeks in power, filling a power vacuum in Europe and on the world stage. He did not race to the U.S. for a meeting with Trump, as British Prime Minister Theresa May did. Instead, he challenged Trump, as he did Russian President Vladimir Putin. This has put him in a position to woo Trump. Macron has so far used both Trump and Putin as springboards, growing in international stature every time he speaks bluntly against them. In Putins case, Macron dismissed Kremlin-sponsored news outlets as propaganda while standing next to the Russian leader. In part because of this dynamic, Zaretsky said that unlike in Britain, where Mays invitation to Trump for a visit drew loud objections, nobody [in France] is speaking out against the invitation. Its fascinating. I think everybody is actually keen on Trump stepping into a trap. The trap is really symbolic, Zaretsky said. The image-heavy portions of Trumps visit dinner at the Eiffel Tower, a visit to Napoleons tomb will be Republican, not monarchical, he said. Its really a win-win situation [for Macron], Zaretsky said. If he succeeds in persuading Trump to rethink the Paris climate agreement [or] to agree to a more explicit policy on the Wests attitude toward the tragedy in Syria, or to a common policy on antiterrorism, hes going to be the clear winner in all of this. And if he doesnt succeed, nevertheless he will have brought Trump to France at the most symbolically important moment of the year for France, namely the three revolutionary values that Trump flouts day in and day out: liberty, equality and fraternity. Read more from Yahoo News: By Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group began naval exercises with India and Japan on Monday that the U.S. navy said would help the three countries tackle maritime threats in the Asia-Pacific region. The annual exercises named Malabar are being held off India. They are the largest since India and the United States launched the exercise in 1992. Japan was later included. "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 U.S. Pacific command said. Military officials say the drills involving the U.S. carrier USS Nimitz, India's lone carrier Vikramaditya and Japan's biggest warship, the helicopter carrier Izumo, are aimed at helping to maintain a balance of power in the Asia-Pacific against the rising weight of China. The three countries have been concerned about China's claims to almost all of the waters of the South China Sea, and more broadly, its expanding military presence across the region. Chinese submarines, for example, recently docked in Sri Lanka, an island just off the southern tip of India that it has long seen as squarely in its back yard. The maritime drills are taking place as India and China are locked in a standoff on their land border in the Himalayas. The U.S. Pacific command said in a statement the exercises would help the three countries operate together and it was learning how to integrate with the Indian navy. India and the United States were for decades on opposite sides of a Cold War divide but have in recent years become major defense partners. China has in the past criticized the exercises as destabilizing to the region. India this year turned down an Australian request to join the exercises for now, for fear that would antagonize China further. The Indian navy said the exercises would focus on aircraft carrier operations and ways to hunt submarines. The navy has spotted more than a dozen Chinese military vessels including submarines in the Indian Ocean over the past two months, media reported days ahead of Malabar. "Naval co-operation between India, US and Japan epitomizes the strong and resilient relationship between the three democracies," India's defense ministry said in a statement. The border stand-off on a plateau next to the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim, which borders China, has ratcheted up tension between the neighboring giants, who share a 3,500 km (2,175 miles) frontier, large parts of which are disputed. (Editing by Robert Birsel) By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A privately owned company plans to use robotic spacecraft to launch a series of commercial missions to the moon, some 45 years after NASAs last lunar landing, officials said on Wednesday. Cape Canaveral, Florida-based Moon Express is developing a fleet of low-cost robotic spacecraft that can be assembled like Legos to handle increasingly complex missions, founder and Chief Executive Officer Bob Richards said in an interview. The initial spacecraft, known as MX-1E, is slated to fly before the end of the year aboard a Rocket Lab Electron booster, which launches from New Zealand. Moon Express hopes the endeavor will clinch a $20 million prize from Google, but Richards said the win was not essential. Moon Express has raised more than $45 million from private investors to build its first spacecraft and buy launch services. The Google Lunar X Prize is icing on the cake, Richards said. Google is offering a top prize of $20 million for the first privately funded team to land a spacecraft on the moon; have it fly, drive or hop at least 1,640 feet (500 meters) and relay pictures and video back to Earth. The second prize is $5 million. Contenders have until Dec. 31 to launch their spaceships. Google also is offering bonus money for other milestones, such as traveling 5 km (3.1 miles), touching down near an Apollo landing site or finding evidence of water. Richards presented the spacecraft design in Washington on Wednesday. Besides vying for the X Prize, Moon Express will fly science equipment and payloads for at least three paying customers, including Houston-based Celestis, which offers memorial spaceflights for cremated remains. Richards said the company would pay for the initial mission, with customers funding subsequent ones. The company plans to set up a permanent robot-operated base on the moons south pole to prospect for water and other materials. By 2020, Moon Express expects to return lunar samples to Earth for research and commercial sale. The MX series of spacecraft also can be scaled up for travel to other destinations, such as the moons of Mars. The company expects to complete the first spacecraft in September. (Reporting By Irene Klotz. Editing by Joseph White and Lisa Von Ahn) Disagreeing with a federal appeals court, Trump Administration lawyers argued on Tuesday night that a federal judge had no authority to expand the categories of foreign nationals and refugees who may enter the U.S. under a presidential executive order. In a new filing in a federal trial court in Honolulu, the Trump team argued that U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson lacks authorityto grant additional relief beyond what the Supreme Court permitted in its June 26 decision on this immigration controversy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit indicated just last Friday that Judge Watson did have authority to interpret what the Justices had done, and to order a stop to any violation of the Justices ruling if he made such a finding. The new government document did not mention the Circuit Courts statement on the point, but argued instead that Judge Watson has lost authority over the case because the Supreme Court has granted review of the legality of President Trumps executive order an issue it is scheduled to take up in October, soon after opening its new term. The Justices agreed to take on that question on the same day that they eased, somewhat, the Trump Administration restrictions. Once again, the government raised the prospect that it would seek to take the dispute directly to the Supreme Court, if Judge Watson issued any new order relaxing the limitations that the Administration has put on entry of foreign nationals from six Mideast nations with Muslim majorities, and on entry of refugees from anywhere in the world. The travel-to-the-U.S. restrictions, under the executive order, are to be suspended for specified periods 90 days for Mideast travelers, 120 days for refugees. For the first time, the Administration used its new filing on Tuesday to raise at least the possibility that it might give up the court fight at some point. In asking Judge Watson to put on hold any new order he might issue to relax the Administration restrictions, it argued that such a postponement should last until the government attempted to pursue appeals to higher courts, or until the government filed prompt notification.that it does not intend to seek any such further review whichever is later. It was not clear, from the wording of that part of the new filing, just what would trigger such a decision to drop the battle. Story continues President Trump himself has demanded several times that his lawyers defend his executive order on immigration as far up in the courts as they need to go. It is not clear how a decision by the Justice Department to forsake further appeals would square with the Presidents views. Judge Watson now has before him a plea by the state of Hawaii and an Islamic imam, supported by 15 other states, the District of Columbia government, and by two refugee rights groups, to issue an order that would require the Trump Administration to lengthen the list of foreign travelers, including refugees, who have to be admitted to the U.S. despite the Trump executive order. The Supreme Court, in its June 26 ruling, had declared that the government may not keep out foreigners who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States. It gave some examples, but did not spell out in full what it meant by those words. The Trump Administration interprets that wording in a considerably more narrow way than Hawaii and its supporters do, by excluding, for example, grandparents of people living in the U.S. It also interprets far more narrowly which categories of refugees can qualify for admission. This is the second time that Judge Watson has been asked to rule that the Administrations stance violates the Supreme Court. Last week, he refused to take action to clarify what the Supreme Court had decided, saying it was the Justices order, not his, that was at issue so he could not clarify it. Hawaiis lawyers then took the case to the Ninth Circuit Court. While that court ruled last Friday that it had no jurisdiction to review Judge Watsons denial of the kind of relief thaet the challengers had sought, it pointedly suggested that Hawaii and its supporters could go back to the Honolulu judge and ask for a different kind of order, to stop any violation of the Supreme Court order. Now, with the latest filing by the Justice Department, Judge Watson faces this dilemma: does he accept the Circuit Courts view that he does have authority to grant some remedy to Hawaii and its supporters, relaxing the Trump restrictions, or does he conclude as the government contended that the Supreme Court has taken the controversy away from him by granting its own review of the underlying legality of the Trump executive order itself? The new government document offered a mixed array of arguments. Aside from disputing the Honolulu judges order to grant any new remedy to Hawaii and its supporters, it directly argued against the specifics of the challengers suggestions that the government was violating the Supreme Courts ruling. It argued that Hawaii and its supporters should not have tried to take the dispute to the Ninth Circuit Court after Judge Watson had refused their plea earlier, but should have gone directly to the Supreme Court. Even now, it added, the proper place for the challengers to take their plea is to the Supreme Court itself. Further, it argued that the Justices do have the authority to clarify an order they have issued, if they are asked to do so. Since the case is still pending before the Justices, they could act on a clarification or modification plea, the document went on. Standing out in this new filing, though, were the suggestions of what the government intended to do if Judge Watson did decide to relax the governments restrictions. In that event, it said, the judge should postpone the effectiveness of such a decision until the later of two possible situations: until the prompt filing and disposition of a request by the government to the Supreme Court for clarification of what it meant (or a prompt appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court in the event the Justices turned aside the clarification request), or, until the prompt notification by the government that it does not intend to seek any such further review. The latter part of that statement, by referring to abandoning such further review, the government appeared to be suggesting that, even if Judge Watson did rule for Hawaii and its supporters, the Trump team might simply choose to give in. It did not elaborate on that suggestion elsewhere in the document. If Judge Watson does impose a relaxation of the Trump restrictions, and if he chooses to put any such ruling on hold, it appears that he would have to sort out just what he understands the government to be proposing that he write into a postponement order. Hawaiis lawyers are expected to file, by tomorrow, their reply to the governments Tuesday response. Presumably, Judge Watson will then act promptly on the dispute as it now stands before him. Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011 and has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com. Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko and North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met Monday to discuss Ukraines prospect of joining the intergovernmental military 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 [by Stoltenberg] with pleasure," Poroshenko said while standing next to the NATO chief. READ: Russia Cancels talks with US Stoltenberg asserted NATO would support Ukraine. "We are also here to demonstrate NATO's solidarity with Ukraine and our firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of your country," he said. However, the move has been criticized by Russia. Moscow said the prospect of NATO membership for Ukraine would not contribute to strengthening stability and security in Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, reacting to Stoltenberg's comment, repeated Russia's assertion that it had never had troops in Ukraine, reports said. Russia is worried about the development probably because if Ukraine in inducted into NATO, it would be a strategic setback for the country. The move would cut off Russia from the Black Sea and the Mediterranean and it would lose control over Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said Ukraines accession to NATO would be intolerable. The Russian president also plans to build a Eurasian Union (EEU) on the lines of the European Union. By controlling Crimea, Russia has gained access to the abundant undersea hydrocarbon resources. Commercially viable gas reserves have been found under the Crimean mainland, according to several reports. Many Russian companies have shown interest in using the gas reserves as Russia's supply of cheaply accessible gas in Siberia is running low. Russia's control over Crimea has also been viewed by some observers as Moscow's attempt to stop anti-government wave from spilling over to the country. Moreover, with the presidential election scheduled in 2018, Putin does not want to take any chances, it seems. Story continues A poll by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in June found 69 percent of Ukrainians favor joining NATO. The Ukrainian parliament also passed a resolution last month in support of becoming the 30th member of NATO. Democratic Initiatives Foundation has grown from the Ukrainian citizens movement Narodny Rukh in 1992 to pursue the ideas of Rukh activists on developing Ukrainian independent state and governance, market economy and civil society, according to its official website. However, Ukraines entry in NATO would not be a mean feat. To join NATO, Ukraine should not be embroiled in any territorial dispute, as per the membership criteria of the alliance. Meanwhile, the United States is also trying to create pressure on Russia over the Ukraine issue. In June, Russia cancelled a meeting between senior U.S. and Russian officials aimed at resolving problems between the two countries. The decision came after the U.S. announced an expansion of sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities in response to the continuing occupation of Ukraine by Russia. READ:Is China Worried About US Arm Deal With Taiwan, The First Under Trump Rule? Thirty-eight people, including two government officials, were added to the blacklist prohibiting these people from doing business with the U.S. citizens and companies. On June 23, the EU leaders also agreed to the extension of sanctions over Russia for six months because Moscow failed to meet its Ukraine ceasefire commitments. Related Articles Washington (AFP) - US Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to report meetings last year with Russia's US ambassador on his security clearance application, according to portions of the application released under court order Thursday. The heavily redacted pages of the SF-86 security clearance form required for many senior government positions show Sessions answered "no" to the question of whether, over the past seven years, he had contact with any foreign government, its offices or officials inside or outside the United States. An ethics watchdog group close to Democrats, American Oversight, sued in April to get the document amid allegations that Sessions had unreported meetings with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during last year's election campaign. Those meetings could figure into a sprawling investigation into whether the campaign of President Donald Trump colluded with Moscow's meddling in the US election last year. In his January confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department, the former Republican senator, 70, failed to disclose meetings he held with Russian officials. In March, media reports showed that in fact he had met Kislyak at least twice during the campaign. Sessions downplayed the issue as a minor mistake and said the meetings were insignificant. However, the issue forced his recusal from any involvement in the Justice Department's investigation of possible collusion between the campaign and Russia, which is now in the hands of an independent prosecutor. The department defended Sessions' reporting on the form, saying he had been advised to omit meetings he had in his role as a senator. "As a United States senator, the attorney general met hundreds -- if not thousands -- of foreign dignitaries and their staff," spokesman Ian Prior said. "In filling out the SF-86 form, the attorney general's staff consulted with those familiar with the process, as well as the FBI investigator handling the background check, and was instructed not to list meetings with foreign dignitaries and their staff connected with his Senate activities." Russian officials were overheard discussing associates of Mr Trump in 2015: Getty Images Newly revealed intelligence shows Russian officials discussed meeting with associates or advisers to Donald Trump in 2015 just months before he declared his candidacy to become president, the Wall Street Journal reports. At that time, intelligence analysts didn't really know what to make of the intercepted conversations, since Mr Trump was a global celebrity who had done business in Russia before. In light of recent emails posted on Twitter by Donald Trump Jr that detail a conversation to facilitate a meeting between himself and a Kremlin-connected lawyer in June of last year, intelligence officials are taking a second look. Current and former intelligence officials told the Wall Street Journal that, since Mr Trump had produced the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, and had sold properties in the country, they weren't alone alarming. But, they were puzzling, and had people asking each other, "What's going on?" one former official said. American suspicions that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 election grew in the spring of last year, when intelligence counterparts in Europe warned that Russian money might be flowing into the US presidential election, sources knowledgeable with the warning said. It's not clear which candidates were on the receiving end of that alleged cash flow, or if the money was diverting into outside spending groups. That investigation would only grow over the course of the next year, following massive hacks and leaks of Democrat email servers just before the 2016 Democratic National Committee, and then again in October just before the election. The US government publicly accused the Russian government of meddling in the election late last year. Mr Trump Jr, after a series of stories were published by the New York Times over the weekend showing that members of Mr Trump's inner circle had met with individuals associated with the Russian government during the 2016 campaign, publicly released emails from that time. Those emails detail the facilitation of a meeting in June of last year - just a month before Mr Trump would formally accept the Republican nomination to become president - and show an eager response to a promise that a Russian source would be able to supply the campaign with dirt on Hillary Clinton. Story continues The meeting would take place days later, and included Mr Trump Jr, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and Mr Trump's son-in-law and now-senior adviser Jared Kushner. They met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who represents the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, as well as several state owned businesses. The man acting as a liaison for the meeting said in the emails that the Russian government was keen on helping Mr Trump win the election. Mr Trump Jr has adamantly argued that he did nothing wrong in the exchange, and says that he didn't receive any damaging intelligence from Ms Veselnitskaya during the meeting. Instead, they spoke about US-Russia relations, and other issues related to the two countries. Mr Trump Jr said in a statement accompanying the emails that he was releasing them for transparency purposes, and acknowledged that he could have handled the meeting better. The White House has said that Mr Trump Jr didn't do anything wrong, and the President himself has also expressed support for his son. Mr Trump is reportedly furious about the coverage, and is angry that the media is focusing on the story instead of his policy proposals. Still, the correspondence has raised concerns about the Trump campaign's ties with Russia last year, and many have said that the emails show that the three three men who attended the meeting had at least attempted to collude with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. Others have noted that the emails present even further concerns, including potential vulerability to treason charges, and potential vulnerability to charges related to breaking campaign finance laws should it turn out that they had actually accepted damaging information. Washington (AFP) - US Vice President Mike Pence sought Tuesday to distance himself from the snowballing scandal over possible collusion with Russian election interference that increasingly threatens President Donald Trump. After Trump's son Donald Jr. admitted to meeting a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton last June, Pence declared in a statement that he knew nothing of the meeting -- which took place well before he became Trump's running mate in the election. "The vice president is working every day to advance the president's agenda, which is what the American people sent us here to do," his office said in a statement. "The vice president was not aware of the meeting. He is not focused on stories about the campaign, particularly stories about the time before he joined the ticket." Earlier Tuesday Trump Jr. released emails showing he had arranged to meet with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya over her offer of "incriminating" material on Clinton ostensibly sourced from the Russian government. Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended the meeting. Trump Jr. said Veselnitskaya ultimately had "no meaningful" information on Clinton and instead wanted to talk about US sanctions on Russia. He labelled it a "nonsense meeting." But critics say the meeting suggests the Trump campaign was prepared to collude with Russian efforts, not clearly understood at the time, to undermine Clinton's run for president. The meeting took place on June 9, five weeks before Pence was officially chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate. - AFP or licensors The way Donald Trump tells it "Jim" is a friend who loves Paris and used to visit every year. Yet when Trump travels to the city Thursday for his first time as president, it's unlikely that "Jim" will tag along. Jim doesn't go to Paris anymore. Mr Trump says that's because the city has been infiltrated by foreign extremists. Whether Jim exists is unclear. Mr Trump has never given his last name. The White House has not responded to a request for comment about who he is or whether he will be on the trip. Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One, but where is Jim? Credit: IAN LANGSDON/EPA Mr Trump repeatedly talked about the enigmatic Jim while on the campaign trail, but his friend didn't receive widespread attention until Trump became president. For Trump, Jim's story serves as a cautionary tale - a warning that even a place as lovely as Paris can be ruined if leaders are complacent about terrorism. Jim's biggest moment in the spotlight was during a high-profile Trump speech in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland. No matter the issue, Trump knows a guy https://t.co/cIOonfB7Hy Meet Jim, a very, very substantial guy who says Paris is no longer Paris pic.twitter.com/u2H7kiCbon Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 24, 2017 Trump explained that Jim "loves the City of Lights, he loves Paris. For years, every year during the summer, he would go to Paris. It was automatic, with his wife and his family." Trump one day asked Jim: "How's Paris doing?" "'Paris?" Jim replied, as relayed by Trump. "'I don't go there anymore. Paris is no longer Paris.'" The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, responded by tweeting a photo of herself with Mickey and Minnie Mouse inviting Trump "and his friend Jim to France to "celebrate the dynamism and the spirit of openness of Paris." Story continues A Donald et son ami Jim, depuis @LaTourEiffel nous celebrons l'attractivite de #Paris avec Mickey et Minnie. pic.twitter.com/unuRB1traY Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) February 24, 2017 France's then-Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also took to Twitter, noting that 3.5 million American tourists had visited France last year. The Jim story highlights differences on immigration between Mr Trump and major European leaders, including Mr Trump's host in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr Trump has put immigration at the core of his anti-terrorism strategy. He proposed a Muslim ban during the campaign and is fighting in the courts to temporarily bar travelers from six Muslim-majority nations as well as refugees. Donald Trump and first lady Melania disembark Air Force One at Orly airport Credit: IAN LANGSDON/EPA Mr Macron is an outspoken critic of discriminatory policies against France's Muslim population. He favors strong external European Union borders and he's also called for a united European policy on immigration so that countries like Greece are not disproportionately affected by the influx of refugees. Mr Trump believes European policies fall short of any credible efforts to protect the public. He has vowed to push forward with a plan to build a wall along America's southern border with Mexico and he advocates for "extreme vetting" to "keep terrorists out." Mr Trump never endorsed Mr Macron's election opponent, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, but in an interview with The Associated Press, he noted that terrorist attacks in France would "probably help" her win since "she's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France." Mr Trump has criticized several European leaders, accusing them of lax counterterrorism policies. He lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan after an attack on London Bridge last month. In a February speech, Trump denounced Sweden's policies and talked about "what's happening last night in Sweden." Swedish officials sought clarification because there were no known attacks in their country that night. Trump took to Twitter to explain: "My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden." Preschool teacher Johnetta Hopkins says she was refused service at her local nail salon. (Photo: Johnetta Hopkins) Preschool teacher Johnetta Hopkins went to a beauty parlor for a manicure, pedicure, and to get her eyebrows done. When she left, however, she had received none of the services she intended to get and her self-esteem was destroyed. I went in to make myself look beautiful, but they made me feel ugly, Hopkins tells Yahoo Beauty. The 28-year-old was refused service by Lamour Nails in Philadelphia because, the manager told her, she would not fit in their pedicure chairs. Hopkins shared the incident in detail on her Facebook page, and the post now has more than 3,000 shares, more than 400 likes, and 313 comments. Hopkins walked into the nail salon and waited for the welcome that never came. She then asked about the colors offered, but the nail tech said she would have to wait a long time because they were all going to lunch. It seemed very strange that they were closing down the shop in the middle of the day to go to lunch, Hopkins said. Usually staff takes turns to go eat. All she wanted was a manicure and a pedicure. (Photo: Getty Images) Hopkinss suspicion was correct. As she was leaving, two women walked in the door and received a different greeting than she did not one employee told the women that the salon was closing for lunch. Hopkins asked the manager what was going on, and that is when the truth came out. She told me it was because of my size, she says. What was hurtful is how dismissive she was. I know Im a big girl and Im okay with that, but the fact that she refused to serve me is what hurt. Hopkins says that although she might not have fit into the chair, as the manager told her, they would have been able to perform the other services she wanted. Hopkins says that as she was leaving the nail salon, she saw a plus-size woman in the back of the salon. It was then, she said, that she realized it had nothing to do with size but rather with the color of her skin. Its 2017, and discrimination is still happening, Hopkins says. It seems that this is not the first time something similar happened at the same salon. Story continues Hopkins is overwhelmed by the support she has received since her post went viral. Im a teacher, and I always tell my students to stand up for what is right, she says. I dont want others to even go through this heartbreaking experience. Im glad people are listening and this can come to an end. Yahoo Beauty reached out to Lamour Nails but was unable to contact them for comment. Their Facebook page has been shut down since the incident. Their Yelp page has received many negative reviews based on Hopkins posts, but it also received some positive reviews. 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. Rising temperatures have forced plane manufacturers to act - Sami Sert Passenger planes have been approved to fly at higher temperatures in the US, following a request from American Airlines, which grounded dozens of flights last year due to extreme weather conditions. Every aircraft has a maximum operating temperature, which is set by the manufacturer and approved by regulators. If the air temperature exceeds that limit then planes are not permitted to take off. Such a scenario played out at Phoenix International Airport last year, resulting in dozens of cancellations, and more recently at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, where delays were reported in June when the mercury nudged 45C (113F). Keen to avoid a repeat of last summer, American Airlines along with Mesa Airlines and SkyWest Airlines asked Bombardier to increase the operating temperature of its CRJ jet, which had to be grounded during the heatwave. American Eagle, the regional branch of American Airlines, uses the Bombardier CRJ Credit: ISTOCK The CRJ had a maximum operating temperature of 47.7C (118F), which was a shade lower than the 48.3C (119F) recorded at the airport by the National Weather Service. After the summer of 2017, we approached Bombardier, along with Mesa and SkyWest, to see if it was possible to raise that limit to 50.6C (123F), said Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American Airlines. After multiple technical assessments with Bombardier, American, Mesa, SkyWest and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), approval was received to operate the CRJ at the higher limit. Embraer, one of Bombardiers competitors, has also increased the temperature limit for some of its jets, a sign that the aviation industry is now preparing for a warmer climate. Rising temperatures have been an important design consideration for Embraer, a spokesperson told Telegraph Travel. Planes can struggle to generate enough lift when the mercury rises Credit: ISTOCK In hot weather, planes can struggle to generate enough lift during take off because warm air is thinner than cool air. Some researchers warn that as the climate changes, cancellations due to high temperatures may become more common. Story continues Here are five other ways climate change could impact air travel. 1. More turbulence Bad news for nervous flyers. Passenger planes are likely to be buffeted by up to three times more turbulence in future decades, according to researchers at the University of Reading. Scientists had already noticed that so-called clear-air turbulence (CAT) was on the rise, but the university is the first to come up with a comprehensive mathematical model predicting long-term global conditions. It estimates that by 2050 the rate of inflight injuries will have almost tripled in line with the increased volume of turbulence. Air turbulence is increasing across the globe, in all seasons and at multiple cruising altitudes, said Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Reading, who led the study. This problem is only going to worsen as the climate continues to change. The research team called for better forecasting systems so passengers can get seated and belted in time. They could soon have their wish. Boeing is preparing to test new laser technology that could allow pilots to detect clear-air turbulence up to 10 miles away. Q&A | Turbulence 2. Longer flights Climate change is not just making turbulence more common; according to 2015 study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, rising temperatures are also increasing flight times. Scientists linked a small increase in return journey times of long-haul flights with an increase in the variation of the jet stream, the high altitude air that flows from west to east. Just one minutes extra flight time on every plane would mean jets spend approximately 300,000 hours longer per year in the air, they say. This would require roughly a billion additional gallons of jet fuel, thus releasing even more Co2 to the atmosphere. 15 surprising things you didn't know about long-haul flights Upper level wind circulation patterns are the major factor in influencing flight times, said Kris Karnauskas, associate scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Longer flight times mean increased fuel consumption by airliners. The consequent additional input of CO2 into the atmosphere can feed back and amplify emerging changes in atmospheric circulation. We already know that as you add CO2 to the atmosphere and the global mean temperature rises, the wind circulation changes as well and in less obvious ways. Scientists claim climate change is already increasing flight times Credit: GETTY 3. More weight restrictions Until new technology becomes available, there is little pilots can do to avoid lumps and bumps in the skies: clear air turbulence is not visible to the naked eye, isnt detectable on radar and cant be accurately forecasted. However, according to Steve Allright, a British Airways pilot, one thing they can do is cruise at higher altitudes, though there are restrictions preventing them from doing so. Our endeavours to fly at an altitude that has been reported as smooth may be prevented by several constraints such another aircraft occupying that level, or the weight of the aircraft at that time, he said. If planes need to fly higher to avoid turbulence then they would need to be lighter, which means the weight of the aircraft and possibly passengers' luggage, or even passengers themselves could invite greater scrutiny. Too hot to fly and more weather that makes air travel dangerous 4. Airport closures The world's major airports were not built with climate change in mind they simply needed to be far from big towns and tall mountains, so coastal areas and river deltas were often chosen. These low-lying sites, however, could now be vulnerable to rising sea levels. Even a modest rise could affect hundreds of aviation hubs around the world. Some countries are taking steps to combat the risk. Norway, for example, has pledged to build all future runways at least 23 feet above sea level. 5. Longer runways As outlined earlier, warmer temperatures mean planes have a tougher time taking off and during heatwaves airports with short runways are the first to face problems. Back in 2013, 15 passengers were removed from a Swiss flight to Geneva after the plane was deemed too heavy to take off from London City Airport, whose single 4,900-foot runway is one of the smallest in the country. Unless airports like London City lengthen their runways, this could become a more regular occurrence in the future. Best of | Travel Truths Googles iPhone-inspired Pixel phone has a great design if you ignore the back, which combines glass and metal in a bizarre way. Rumors say the next-gen Pixel models will still have a glass and metal back, although the use of glass might be more limited. But it looks like Googles next Pixel phones will still be a bit quirky. While the front of the new phones should look like most other flagships this year, a new leak shows us the bad side of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL as well. And theres even talk about wild new colors for the new handsets, which should be released this fall. Don't Miss: Amazons best Prime Day deals: The definitive list Android Polices David Ruddock said on Twitter that Google is considering some interesting color options for the next Pixel phones, without telling us what they are, so well just leave it at that. Meanwhile, someone posted images of alleged Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL cases on SlashLeaks. They seem to indicate that the Pixel 2 XL will have an all screen design in line with whats available already from LG and Samsung. Also of note, LG is supposed to manufacture the phone. The smaller Pixel 2 should be made by HTC and is tipped to look exactly like the original Pixel. Thats not good news for anyone looking forward to a compact Google smartphone with an all-screen design. But whats happening on the back? Whats the deal with that hideous camera cut outs? Why do they have to have these asymmetrical shapes? Is this really what the Pixel 2 phones are going to look like? The Pixel 2s housing seems to be the uglier of the two, sporting a camera cutout thats incredibly strange. Of course, theres nothing to prove that these cases were made using actual Pixel 2 designs. But the cases, if real, also tell us that neither phone has a dual shooter on the back. Furthermore, the cases indicate the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have rear-facing fingerprint sensors, just like their predecessors. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com An Israeli Arab and a Palestinian will be charged with negligent homicide after smuggling into Israel the terrorists behind an attack at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem a month ago, which claimed the life of Border Policewoman Hadas Malka, police said Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Anyone who drives illegal aliens into Israeli territory needs to know and suspect there might be a terrorist among them seeking to carry out an attack. This means on certain level, the driver is an accomplice to the attack and responsible for its deadly consequences," police said in a statement. The two suspects, one from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Isawiya and the other from the West Bank, were arrested shortly after the attack. Terror attack at the Damascus Gate X They are suspected of organizing and smuggling a group of Palestinian illegal aliens into Israel, among them the terrorists, a day before the attack. This is the third time police, along with the State Attorney's Office, have been able to establish enough evidence to indict drivers with negligent homicide after they illegally smuggled into Israel Palestinians who went on to carry out terror attacks. The police stressed it "will reach anyone who was involved in any waywhether directly or indirectlyin terror attacks and will work to prosecute them to the full extent of the law." Hadas Malka Malka, 23, from Moshav Givat Ezer, was killed when three terrorists armed with knives and firearms launched an attack in two different places near the Damascus Gate. She was fatally wounded and later succumbed to her wounds. Two other people were moderately hurt, while two were lightly hurt. All three terrorists, Palestinians from the West Bank, were shot and killed on the scene. Late Tuesday night, the IDF informed the family of one the terrorists that their home in Deir Abu Mash'al was set for demolition. The family has 72 hours to appeal the decision. The families of the two other terrorists received similar demolition orders earlier this week. An online statement issued by the Hungarian government said that a campaign aimed at the Jewish billionaire George Soros will be coming to an end on Saturday, raising speculation that the move was connected with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming visit to the country. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Posters were on display in Hungary's streets showing the Hungarian-born Jewish emigre laughing, with the caption: "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh". Some have been daubed with graffiti such as "Stinking Jew". Hungarian government poster portraying financier George Soros and saying 'Don't let George Soros have the last laugh' (Photo: AFP) The caption is a reference to government claims that Soros, who has donated billions to rights groups around the region, wants to force Hungary to allow in migrants. The posters are the fourth media blitz this year by the rightwing government of populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban to trumpet its fight against migration, Brussels and Soros. Launched at the start of July, the huge images were splashed across billboards as well as tram and bus stops across the country. Photo: Reuters After some of the posters were defaced with offensive graffiti, Hungary's largest Jewish organisation Mazsihisz called on Orban to remove them. Soros, 86, called the imagery "anti-Semitic" in a rare statement Tuesday. Government officials insisted the campaign was not about Soros's background but informing Hungarians about the security risks posed by his alleged support for mass immigration. Photo: AP In a reply to Mazsihisz, Orban accused the "billionaire speculator" of wanting to "settle a million migrants" in the European Union, something Soros called "disinformation". Orban also urged Hungarian Jews to help him "fight against illegal migration" which he said "imports anti-Semitism" into Europe. Photo: Reuters Earlier Tuesday a Hungarian news site cited an unidentified source in Orban's Fidesz party as saying that the government wanted to avoid potential embarrassment before Netanyahu arrives. The country's position on the Soros posters has created confusion ahead of his visit, the first by an Israeli premier since communism ended in 1989. Photo: Reuters After Israel's ambassador initially condemned the campaign, the Israeli foreign ministryreportedly at Netanyahu's requestissued a separate "clarification" that criticism of Soros was legitimate. While Israel "deplores" anti-Semitism, Soros "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", a statement said. Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: AP) Despite the fact that the Hungarian government said it would be ending the campaign saturday, it also denied it was doing so prematurely as a result of Netanyahu's visit in three days, a report said in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. According to the report, a government spokesman said that the campaign would end as scheduled, regardless of Netanyahus visit. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given Germany the okay to sell submarines to Egypt, according to MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), who was a minister in Netanyahu's government and a member of the Security Cabinet at the time. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Lapid claimed Wednesday that Netanyahu did not update the Defense Ministry or then-defense minister Moshe Ya'alon on the move. "One day, Israel's defense minister wakes up in the morning and discovers the Germans have gotten permission to sell submarines to Egypt," Lapid said in an interview with Channel 2 News. "They'll sail right next to our homes." Lapid gave his testimony to the police earlier this week as part of investigations into corruption surrounding the procurement of submarines and patrol ships from German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp. Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) To ensure its qualitative edge remains, Israel includes a clause in every agreement it makes with a foreign government barring the seller from selling the same weapons to other countries in the Middle East. Despite that, in 2013 the defense establishment learned Germany had signed an agreement to sell Egypt four Type 209 submarines, which were built by ThyssenKrupp and are similar to the ones Israel bought. Upon discovering this, Ya'alon urgently sent Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, the director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs in the Defense Ministry, to Germany to see why the Germans were in breach of the agreement. Chancellor Angela Merkel's national security advisor presented Gilad with a document in which Israel waives the clause in the agreement that bars the sale of the submarines to Egypt. The Germans claimed these new agreements were made during their meeting with Netanyahu's representative, attorney Yitzhak Molcho. Molcho is a partner and relative of attorney David Shimron , who is a suspect in the police investigation into the sale of the submarines to Israel. Ya'alon then met with Netanyahu, who denied having authorized the waiver. The prime minister also raised the possibility the approval was given not by someone on his behalf, but rather by a representative of ThyssenKrupp in Israel. Ya'alon ordered an investigation into the matter, but it has not been carried out to this day. The Israel Navy's INS Rahav submarine (Photo: AP) Meanwhile, the Egyptians have already received two of the four submarines they bought. "If anyone received money for this, it's no longer considered corruption, it's treason, because it endangers Israel's security," Lapid asserted. Discussing the case itself, Lapid said it was "undoubtedly the biggest corruption case in Israel's history." "We know money from the defense establishmentwhich belongs to our soldiers, our childrenleft the borders of the State of Israel, went to a bank account in Germany, moved to a secret bank account in Germany and then returned to the State of Israel. Then it went into the pocket of the lawyer of the prime minister of Israel, who is also his best friend and the man who represents him in politics, and all of this happened without the knowledge of the defense minister, the defense establishment and the Treasury," he added. Lapid also talked about his own role as finance minister, saying "I know how to drive a hard bargain. But all this time, the Germans sitting opposite me knew the person who represents themnot me, not the State of Israelis the prime minister's lawyer, and if a problem arises, they know it'll be resolved for them. All of this happened while we didn't know anything about it and the Defense Minister didn't know anything about it. In what other country in the world would people keep their jobs after that?" The Likud Party responded to Lapid's claims, saying, "Yair Lapid's friends in the media work to build up his false accusations, even though it has nothing to do with the prime minister, and he is not suspected of anything." By Damali Mukhaye: The Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago yesterday abandoned chairing of council meeting at City Hall over his unpaid Shs 563m salary arrears which he has been demanding since he was sworn in June last year. The Lord Mayors decision of not attending council followed KCCA Executive Director, Ms Jennifer Musisis affidavit which she submitted in court against his demand of salary arrears. According to the affidavit which was filed in court on June 14 2017, Musisi contends that it would be illegal to Pay Lukwagos salary arrears yet there is an impending appeal against Justice Mugambes ruling and Attorney Generals previous explanation as to why he cant be paid. However, Mr Lukwago tells kfm that it was irrelevant for him to chair council meetings over collision of interest asserting that since Council previously resolved that his salary arrears be paid because, Musisi is just trying to make the elected leaders irrelevant. WATERLOO DeKalb Central schools are hosting registration for the 2017-18 school year. Parents are encouraged to complete an online enrollment form before registration to ensure a quick and easy process, school officials said. The online enrollment form is found on the district website at dekalbcentral.net/registration. The DeKalb Central Early Learning Centers preschool registration will be Wednesday, July 19, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday, July 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at each DeKalb Central elementary school. Registration for McKenney-Harrison Elementary, James R. Watson Elementary, Country Meadow Elementary, and Waterloo Elementary schools will be Wednesday, July 19, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday, July 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Students will receive their class schedules, get their school pictures taken, check bus information, pay book rental, and put money in their lunch accounts. Parents should contact their childs school with any questions. DeKalb Middle School will host registration on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Families will be able to pick up their schedules and locker assignments, organize lockers, walk the building and find classrooms, get school pictures taken, check bus information, pay book rental, purchase physical education uniforms and put money in their childs lunch account. All incoming 6th-grade students are required to attend 6th-grade Baron Basic Training on Monday from 9-11:30 a.m. Incoming Barons will receive their schedules, meet the staff, and learn DeKalb Middle School expectations and practices for a successful educational experience. Parents may contact DeKalb Middle School at 920-1013 for more information. DeKalb High School will host registration days for all incoming students on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the high school commons. Students will be able to pick up their final schedules and locker assignments, pay book rental, purchase student athletic tickets and parking tags. Parents and students will be able to check address and emergency information, update email addresses and medical records, check bus information and order 2017-18 yearbooks. In addition, students will have their pictures taken for both the yearbook and their school identifications. Students are reminded that all photos taken for the yearbook must be dress-code appropriate. Students having photos taken while wearing inappropriate clothing will have retakes made in order to appear in the yearbook. All financial obligations, including textbook rental, should be paid in full during registration days. Families are encouraged to move school materials into lockers, walk the building and find classrooms. On Thursday, July 20, the high school will host its annual Freshmen Orientation Day from 9:30-11:30 a.m. for all freshmen. For more information, contact the guidance office at 920-1603. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results Pairing the right books with the right reader is one of my favorite things to do. My goal is to describe a books plot to them in ways that are quick and recognizable. Often I will use movie comparisons to achieve that. And, being a child of the 80s, the movies from that era come quickly to mind. Ive read a few books lately that reminded me a lot of movies I watched when I was a kid. So put away your Walkman, pull up your leg warmers and lets take a look at a few totally tubular book-movie match-ups. One of my favorite 80s movies is the cult classic Labyrinth (1986). As I read the childrens novel The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver, I was struck by the parallels between the two stories. Both tell of an imaginative young girl on a desperate journey in an alternate fantasy world. Like Sarah in the movie, Olivers protagonist Liza must fight her way through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered to rescue her little brother. Both plots feature quirky sidekicks, creepy villains and even a riddle for the heroine to solve to advance on her journey. Both also share themes of love, betrayal, redemption, loyalty and ultimately the power of hope to overcome darkness. The 80s were chock full of teen movies. One of the eras most timeless classics was The Breakfast Club (1985). This John Hughes flick is about a group of high school student stereotypes (the princess, the jock, the criminal, the brain and the freak) forced to survive detention together who wind up learning a lot about each other and themselves. Take that classic 80s teen movie, toss in a murder via peanut allergy, and youve got the teen thriller One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. The hormones rage and the tension runs high in this new mystery as each character slowly reveals secrets and nuances about their lives that make the answer to Who killed Simon? shocking and rewarding. Finally, one movie my siblings and I watched over and over again was The Right Stuff (1983), the story of the Mercury 7 astronauts in the 1960s NASA space program. The astronauts were confident, courageous and strong. But, it turns out John Glenn and Alan Shepard werent the only ones who had the right stuff back then. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone tells the true story of Jerrie Cobb and 12 other female pilots who also wanted to join the NASA space program. These women were experienced, skilled and tough as nails. Scoring high marks on the preliminary tests, all signs indicated that they would have made exceptional astronaut candidates. Unfortunately, faced with gender-skewed policies from NASA, ridicule from the media, resistance from the male astronauts and political manipulation from the White House, these courageous women were denied their dream. The book begins in 1999 with these almost astronauts returning to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch of the first space shuttle mission with a female commander (Eileen Collins). I challenge anyone to not get goosebumps when you read how then-60-year-old Mary Wallace Wally Funk looked up at that shuttle and cried, Go Eileen! Go for all of us! Maybe someday those amazing women will get a movie made about their story too. Remember, if you ever need a book suggestion, La Crosse County Library staff are always happy to oblige. For more information about any of our services or programs, check out our website at www.lacrossecountylibrary.org or call our Administrative Center in Holmen at 608-526-9600. Mississippi Valley Conservancy and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge will host a paddle tour Saturday, July 22, featuring the Onalaska Canoe Trail on the north side of Brice Prairie. This event is part of Mississippi Valley Conservancys 2017 Linked to the Land series of outdoor experiences sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse. The Onalaska Canoe Trail was opened last year through funding by the Onalaska Tourism Commission. Refuge staff and volunteers will navigate through the backwaters of the Black River where participants can enjoy a leisurely canoe tour through the scenic backwaters. The tour will stop along the way to spot wildlife and take in the beautiful views from the river. Canoes and kayaks will launch at 10 a.m. from Lytles Landing and paddle to Fred Funk Landing, which is 4.3 miles. There are 10 canoes, equipment and life jackets to borrow for those who register; registration will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. All boaters, even those with their own canoes, are asked to call Ranger Hallie Rasmussen at 608-779-2392 to register by Thursday, July 20, to allow coordinators to best plan for event logistics and group safety. Participants providing their own boat should plan to drop it off at Lytles Landing before 9:30 a.m. and then bring their vehicle back to Fred Funk Boat Landing. A free shuttle will bring boaters back to Lytles Landing for the tour at 10 a.m. To get to the landing from La Crosse, follow Hwy. 53 to exit Hwy. OT. Take Hwy. OT into Midway, turn left at stop sign and follow Hwy. ZN to Hwy. Z. Take a right at stop sign and follow Hwy. Z to Lytles Landing. From Lytles Landing follow Hwy. Z and turn right on Hwy. ZB and follow Hwy. ZB to Fred Funk Landing. Next year school districts around the state will begin ramping up efforts to ensure student college and career readiness through state-mandated Academic and Career Planning initiatives. Instead of school counselors tackling the topic of college readiness with students, all teachers and staff will be required by the state to get students thinking about how and where they might want to enter the workforce after education. Every districts plan will look a little different, due to state requirements to implement ACP initiatives based on the most up-to-date county, state, and national employment predictions. Preparing students for jobs in Milwaukee County, for example, will look different than that of La Crosse County, where different sectors are booming. To create this career awareness, the School District of Onalaska will use software called Career Cruising. This state-funded program gives school districts a profile database in which they can add and update every middle and high school student based on that particular students likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. The program then takes the student profile and churns out potential academic and career paths that would best suit the interests they stated, using a stockpile of projected employment trends. Its all about knowing your kids, knowing their interests, knowing where they want to be and what kind of education or training they need to get there, and then matching those things up, Roger Fruit, the School District of Onalaskas director of instruction, said. According to Fruit, shifting the focus from school counselors to all staff doesnt change much. Its natural work a teacher should be doing, Fruit said. Pupil Services Director Laurie Enos added, I think school counselors are still the ones that are in the best position to help guide this process, but it isnt solely their responsibility within a school system to make sure all students have these opportunities. Proponents of the states legislation say it better prepares the next generation of workers for the jobs the economy needs. This, they say, will help eliminate whats called the skills gap,the idea that unemployment and slow growth at the state level are because workers arent given the proper skill sets for the jobs that can stimulate the economy. You have students graduating from four-year colleges not being able to find jobs, you have students graduating from four-year college and leaving the state of Wisconsin because there werent jobs, and you have job vacancies or a need for certain kinds of workers, Fruit said. According to Wisconsins Workforce and Labor Market Information System, careers fields such as information technology, production, transportation, construction, office support and health care are expected to grow in the next 10 years. The state requires districts pass along the state-reported employment trends in a formal report, created by district staff and reported to the school board once a year. The data already seems to be having a tangible effect on the way school districts operate. This spring, for example, the Onalaska school district partnered up with Western Technical College to offer an IT academy to help give students both high school and college credit in the information technology field. The IT sector, according to state employment predictions, is expected to grow 18 percent by 20248,100 jobs in total. School district plans start to diversify when it gets down the county-level employment predictions. In La Crosse County, the education, health services, and trades/transportation/utilities are the three biggest sectors, representing almost 58 percent of county jobs in 2012. Overall, these sectors are projected to add 11,661 jobs to the county by 2022, an eight percent increase from 2012. Enos said the district doesnt adapt its curriculum more heavily towards the county, state, or national trends in particular; rather, its about providing different opportunities that sometimes present themselves because of the needs in our employment areas. This spring, for example, the Onalaska school district partnered up with Western Technical College to offer an IT academy to help give students both high school and college credit in the information technology field. The IT sector, according to state employment predictions, is expected to grow 18 percent by 20248,100 jobs in total. I think its important to give students a broad idea of every career cluster thats available to them, and then let them guide us through the years through self-exploration, career awareness and planning, Enos said. Fruit did say, however, that districts have a responsibility to listen. If employers in our community are saying, This is what we need, and we dont listen and respond, then I dont think were being a responsible entity to help move things along, he said. Our job is to help prepare kids to be active, productive, contributing members of society. Part of that is working. The change is designed to stimulate Wisconsins economic growth. Relative to the rest of the Midwest, Wisconsins economy is growing slower than all but Indiana, hovering at around 1 percent growth over each of the last five years, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The economy drives lots of things, and its driving this, Fruit said of the legislation. Implementation Although Wisconsin statutes require this career awareness to start for districts at the middle school, some districts, like Onalaska, start at the elementary level with simple career awareness exercises. Its just an opportunity for kids to figure out what are all of the jobs that are out there in the world? What do people do for work? Roger Fruit said. Students in fourth and fifth grade start filling out assessments to gauge their interests, to make the transition into the Career Cruising profile at the middle school a bit easier. Once the profile is established at the middle school, its updated every year, with increasing specificity, until that student graduates. It may change 10 times between 6th and 12th grades, and thats OK, Enos said. Better they rule it out before they get out of high school than having to do that through their adult life changing careers 10 different times. The collaboration from the business community has thus far created an emphasis on developing what the district coins soft skills, in their students, such as: how to get along with co-workers, showing up for work on time and mock interviews. According to the district, those are skills area businesses have identified as their greatest needs, especially when high school students are still in the community and working typically low-skill jobs before heading off the college or their career. It might be a little early, Enos said, to tell whether the programming shift is working as designed, given how young the program is. The district plans to continue monitoring results. In the days before Google Earth and 3-D computer modeling, Phil Lewis, a landscape architect, was building visions of the Wisconsin landscape to encourage planning and preservation of its distinctive cultural and environmental virtues. Our Driftless Region was especially in his sightspart of his responsibilities as a state environmental planner and the reason why he was an inspiration for people, including me, in this area of the state. Lewis died July 2 at the age of 91. His interest in the area was prompted by night flights over the region during his service as a navigator in the Air Corps during World War II. He once told me in an interview that the light patterns below suggested that the darkness of the Driftless was a hole in the donut and he realized that it would be an attraction to the ring of population that surrounded it at the time some 16 million people. His vision as a young landscape architect was that the state and region should plan to protect the features of the landscape both cultural and environmental that would attract the residents of circle city for recreation and other economic developmenta message that he brought to the second annual membership meeting of the Mississippi Valley Conservancy held at Onalaskas Cedar Creek Country Club in 1999. Jay Fernholz, retired local landscape architect who took classes taught by Lewis and remained close to him ever since, said last weekend that much of what the conservancy has accomplished in its 20-year history reflects Lewiss recommendations for land protection. Lewis was recruited by then Gov. Gaylord Nelson to serve as the director of the State of Wisconsin Recreation Resource, Research and Design, Department of Resource Development, where he served from 1963 to 1965. According to his obituary, Lewis became the founder and director of the University of Wisconsins Environmental Awareness Center. He had joint appointments with the Department of Landscape Architecture, Department of Urban & Regional Planning, and Extension. Lewis also served as chair of the UW Landscape Architecture Department from 1964 to 1972 and taught undergraduate and graduate design courses. He retired in 1995. Lewis helped design recreation corridors in the state such as the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, which was depicted in a model in his lab when I visited him in 1990. He was able to point out the features of the 95,000 acre, 92-mile riverway as we walked next to it. He was also a pioneer in using transparent overlays to add the various features of a landscape. In 2007, Sustain Dane, the organization that promotes sustainability in Greater Madison area, had asked me to comment on Phils work as part of a tribute to him. I responded that at the time MVC was being organized by a group of local citizens, his teaching was on my mind... and has remained so since as we have accomplished some of the work he was advocating long ago. I added, in response to another question, His legacy is already assured in what has and will be accomplished in preserving and fostering the ecological health of our lands and communities. In 2013, Dane County named a seven-mile greenway the Lewis Nine Springs E-Way to honor the work on the project by Phil and his late wife Libby, who served for 26 years on the Dane County Parks Commission. Lewiss legacy proves that Gaylord Nelson made a good decision to recruit Phil Lewis to shed new light on how we look at our fantastic landscape and the methods to protect it. In the Driftless area, the challenges he saw from the lights of Circle City remain and Circle City has grown dramatically, amplifying the pressure on development. But there are a number of organizations using Phil Lewiss patient methods to help the people of the region protect what they value. 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? Storm Larson La Crosse Onalaska Care Center received West Bend Mutual Insurance Company's Safe Resident Assistance Endowment Grant this month. The grant provided by West Bend will provide us the opportunity to purchase an ArjoHuntleigh Sara 3000, which will allow our staff to provide advanced resident support that promotes mobility in a safe and dignified manner, said Marissa Janke, administrator of Onalaska Care Center. The equipment will provide a safe, efficient way to move residents, minimizing risk of injury to both our residents and caregivers. In partnership with LeadingAge Wisconsin, West Bend established the Endowment to provide state-of-the-art equipment to improve transferring or transfer assistance for residents and caregivers of long-term care facilities across Wisconsin, while easing the financial burden for facilities. Patient and caregiver safety is of utmost importance to us, said Jim Keal, vice president of Argent, West Bends monoline workers compensation division. Our Safe Resident Assistance Endowment and our partnership with LeadingAge Wisconsin provide us with the perfect opportunity to help ensure the safety and comfort of both caregivers and residents at quality facilities throughout Wisconsin. The West Bend, Wisconsin-based company has awarded more than $100,000 in grants to over 25 Wisconsin facilities. LeadingAge Wisconsin applauds West Bends commitment to improving the quality care to our States nursing home residents, said John Sauer, LeadingAge Wisconsins President/CEO. Through this companys generosity and charitable giving, more direct caregivers will have access to state-of-the-art equipment designed to safely serve residents in need of assistance with transfers and related cares. WASHINGTON (TNS) Senate Republicans on Thursday unveiled revised legislation to roll back the Affordable Care Act as they labor to rally enough votes to formally open debate of their sweeping bill next week. The revised bill which represents Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells latest bid to unite his fractious caucus would still enact historic cuts in federal health care assistance to low- and moderate-income Americans and fundamentally scale back Medicaids half-century-old guarantee of health coverage for the poor. The new version would further loosen insurance requirements to allow health plans to offer stripped-down, cheaper plans, a move designed to win over skeptical conservative senators. The new bill also includes a provision to expand the ability of Americans to use tax-deferred Health Savings Accounts to pay insurance premiums, a benefit primarily to those in higher income-tax brackets. The bill would earmark additional federal money to help stabilize health insurance markets across the country, funded in part by two Obamacare taxes on wealthy Americans that it retains, in a break from previous GOP legislation that cut those taxes. And in an effort to woo several GOP senators from states hit hard by the opioid crisis, McConnell earmarked an additional $45 billion in the bill to confront the epidemic. McConnell, R-Ky., has been meeting behind closed doors with Republicans to adjust the legislation after he was forced to abandon a vote last month amid a revolt within his own party. The earlier version would have left 22 million more Americans uninsured and has been vehemently opposed by leading doctor, patient and other health care advocacy groups. Several Republican senators said Thursday they were hopeful the changes to the legislation would allow it to advance, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a conservative who opposed the original bill, said Thursday he would now support it. I think were making good progress, said Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. But two GOP lawmakers Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said they would still vote no. A number of other key lawmakers remained undecided. With 52 members of his caucus, McConnell can afford to lose only two votes and still advance the legislation. The new version is still fiercely opposed by many patient advocates and others. The latest proposed changes to the Senate health care bill would make access to health coverage worse for those with pre-existing conditions like cancer, said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Societys advocacy arm. The reluctance by senators to include patient feedback and other relevant stakeholder perspectives in the process is preventing the development of a reasonable, bipartisan consensus that could improve the law and pass the Senate. Also critical of the bill was Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, an influential conservative, who said it was a mistake to retain the two Obamacare taxes on high-income households. All Obamacare taxes should be repealed, he said. It remains unclear whether the new bill will resolve differences between the GOPs conservative and centrist factions. In fact, even before the revised bill was released, two Republican senators floated their own rival plan. The alternative proposal by Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is only a general outline. It would preserve some taxes in the current health law while creating new block grants to ship billions of dollars to states, giving them broader authority to redesign their health insurance markets. Were going to see which one can get 50 votes, Graham told CNN. There is no specific formula that indicates what this would mean for Medicaid, but the two senators suggest that the program would be restricted in future years by capping federal aid to states, much as other Republican proposals. President Donald Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson in an interview excerpt that aired Wednesday that he wants Congress to send him a bill to sign. I will be very angry about it and a lot of people will be very upset, Trump said. Referring to McConnell, Trump added, Mitch has to pull it off. Hes working very hard. The new approach sticks to the broad outline of McConnells first bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, with key revisions largely to bring conservatives such as Cruz on board. Cruz demanded that the revised legislation bill further loosen requirements on health plans. Cruzs provision, the Consumer Freedom Option, would allow insurance companies to offer bare-bones plans that do not include the full set of currently required benefits, such as maternity care and treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. Conservatives say the change will drive down premium costs for consumers. But critics say Cruzs plan essentially does away with Obamacares protections for patients with pre-exisitng medical conditions by allowing insurers to charge high rates to sick people who need more extensive insurance coverage and leaving everyone else with skimpy, if cheap, plans that provide inadequate coverage. Thirteen patient groups including the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the March of Dimes, AARP and the American Cancer Societys advocacy arm sent senators a strongly worded letter this week lambasting Cruzs proposal as a betrayal of the commitment to protect Americans from price discrimination based on a pre-existing health condition. And while Cruzs plan has been pushed by the White House and has backing from conservative interest groups, other senators are not on board. Many conservatives complain the bill does not go far enough toward repealing Obamacare. And they oppose retaining the two Obamacare taxes a 3.8 percent investments tax and a 0.9 percent payroll tax on high-income earners. WINONA, Minn. Fastenal is reporting maintaining its strong start to 2017 in its second-quarter reports, continuing the 50th year of business with the strongest sales and earnings growth since 2014. The manufacturer reported Wednesday that sales had reached $1.12 billion, up 10.6 percent from the second quarter of 2016. The company reported earnings of $148.9 million, or $0.52 per share, an increase of 13.2 percent from last years numbers. Dan Florness, Fastenal president and CEO, said in the announcement that the numbers felt more like the Fastenal of old. The second quarter of 2017 felt more like Fastenal, Florness said. We have grown well over the last year, but market headwinds have masked this growth. Now the company says it thinks this trend will continue. In a corporate earnings conference call, Florness noted Fastenal is continuing to expand into different, non-fastener related business including vending and onsite locations. The onsite facilities, where Fastenal operates a distribution point for materials within a different companys building, increased by 54.5 percent in the second quarter of 2017, with 68 new locations signed compared to 44 in the first three months of 2017. At the end of June, the company had 486 active sites, an increase of 45.9 percent. The number of industrial vending machines also increased, with installed devices reaching 66,577 at the end of June, an increase of 14.1 percent from the same time last year. Florness said it was positive that the growth was spread across different products and services. That gives me more comfort in our ability to execute and our ability to hang on to some of that, Florness said. The companys employee numbers at the branch and onsite locations were slightly reduced from last years second quarter, down 0.7 percent, while full-time employees were down 0.3 percent to 17,612. The company also attributes some of the gains to the acquisition of Manufacturers Supply Co., which was completed on the last day of the first quarter of 2017. The company, also known as Mansco, is headquartered in Hudsonville, Mich., and has additional facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama and Texas. It generated about $50 million in revenue in 2016. In the first quarter, the company grew by less than 1 percent but was the first growth since the second quarter of 2015. For the first three months of the year, the company reported earnings of $134.2 million, or 46 cents per share, up 6.3 percent from last years first quarter. Net sales increased to $1.05 billion, up 6.2 percent. At midday Wednesday, the companys stock was down $0.88 and trading at $42.73 per share. Reorganization of City Hall would continue in a proposal that Mayor Tim Kabat recently presented to the Executive Committee. In his memorandum to the committee, Kabat recommends that with the pending retirements of City Assessor Mark Schlafer and Human Resources Director Wendy Oestreich, the city should contract with a third party for assessment services and merge human resources functions into the Legal Department. Oestreich, who has been director since 2008 and with the city for 19 years overall, will be off the payroll by September, she said. Schlafer has not submitted notice that hes retiring, but he and his office are in early discussions with the mayor regarding the future of the assessors office. Much more conversation will take place before such a major change would even go before the Common Council, Council member Andrea Richmond, who is on the executive committee, said of the next steps for the proposal. The citys 2014 Organizational Assessment noted that La Crosse had the most number of departments (19) of any of our peer communities and suggested these departments could be reorganized based on function area into six or seven large departments, Kabat said. The report also recommended that both the Human Resources and Assessors could be merged into other departments. Before that assessment, city department directors in 2013 also identified possible consolidations, including Finance and Assessor, Legal and Human Resources, and Finance and Human Resources. None of these changes has been implemented. Other changes have been done. Inspections joined the Fire Department in 2014, the Parking Utility moved to the Police Department in 2016, and Buildings and Grounds moved to Parks, Recreation and Forestry in 2017. These changes have been positive, as code enforcement response times and effectiveness have improved, parking operations have turned around their significant problems and City Hall and grounds have received long-overdue attention, Kabat said. These retirements present yet another chance to improve city operations and save taxpayer money. The Assessor Department has eight full-time employees and a budget of $699,284. That is the largest staff among peer communities with in-house assessor services and the largest budget among all communities studied, he said. Merging operations with La Crosse County appears unlikely. Although countywide assessment offers great potential for establishing consistency in property values throughout La Crosse County, the amount of time and effort necessary to implement said change is problematic in order to take action for the 2018 operating budget, Kabat said. And given the recent lack of success in trying to discuss countywide library services, countywide assessment is not a real option at this time. Merging the Assessor Department with another deserves more consideration, he said, noting the city could save more than $97,500 and current staffing would remain in place, he said. However, more could be saved by contracting with a third party an estimated $374,000 per year. It is not my intention to lay off any existing staff, but to work with the departments to make the transition as smooth as possible, Kabat said, adding that the city could offer early retirement or similar positions with the city. Nearly 96 percent of Wisconsins municipalities contract for assessment services, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, he said. He recommends to contract for assessment services as part of the 2018 budget process and merge Human Resources immediately into Legal. The Department of Corrections wont appeal or ask to delay a federal order issued Monday to drastically cut its use of solitary confinement, restraints and pepper spray on teen inmates, according to a memo obtained by the Wisconsin State Journal. And DOC officials are developing an implementation plan to carry out the terms of the order to change practices at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls juvenile correctional facility in Irma, including reducing the time inmates there are kept in isolation and held in shackles, according to the July 12 memo from DOC Division of Juvenile Corrections administrator John Paquin to his staff. The order comes after a two-day June hearing in a lawsuit brought against DOC by nine current and former inmates at the youth prison represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. The lawsuit alleges their rights were violated by DOC staff when they were repeatedly held in solitary confinement and pepper sprayed. Judge James Peterson ordered a number of drastic changes in practices at the facility many of which must be implemented by July 21. We recognize that this is a major effort, much of which will occur in a relatively short period of time, Paquin wrote. The order contains many requirements, some with implementation dates that are earlier than we requested. However we believe that (state Corrections and juvenile prison) leadership and staff can successfully rise to the challenge. Peterson ordered that teen inmates at the 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. Also under the order, staff members are barred from using pepper spray unless inmates present a threat to others, and Lincoln Hills staff must 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. Peterson also ordered 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 cells for two hours per day. And by July 21, prison staff can 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 and prison staff must stop restraining inmates without evaluating the need to do so first. Goal: Safe and secure DOC spokesman Tristan Cook said Wednesday the plan is still being crafted, and that DOC officials will consider changes to staffing levels and patterns at the prison. Ultimately, our goal is to maintain a safe and secure environment for DOC staff and youth while prioritizing education, treatment, and programming, Cook said. Department, division, and institution leadership are working collaboratively to ensure that Copper Lake School/Lincoln Hills School has the necessary resources to successfully implement the changes. He also noted the state budget lawmakers are writing includes additional staff for the facility, which will further aid our efforts to comply with the injunction. The facility is the subject of a number of lawsuits alleging abuse and has been under investigation by state and federal authorities for two years. 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 additional changes because he did not believe significant reforms were under way. Peterson also said then that the prisons top administrators, Wendy Peterson and Brian Gustke, were not skilled or experienced enough to turn around a facility that is failing like Lincoln Hills and that prison and DOC officials have demonstrated a callousness and indifference to the harm inmates are suffering, prompting his order. Cook said the administrators will remain in their positions. Americans once had a shared commitment to the traditional liberal democratic values: individual liberties, human rights, tolerance of dissent, free and fair elections, a free press, due process and separation of powers. Or more concisely: liberty and justice for all. Slowly but surely, we have been abandoning these shared values and drifting toward authoritarianism and mob rule. Whos leading the charge left or right depends on where you sit. Both sides claim to be the true champions of liberal democracy, yet neither seems particularly intent on safeguarding it when doing so hurts their team. Last week, for example, an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found striking levels of hostility toward political and civil freedoms among Republicans. A quarter of Republicans believe the country has gone too far in expanding the right to vote. Worse, 4 in 10 believe the United States has too greatly expanded freedom of the press. The same share also says that the right to protest or criticize the government has gotten out of hand. This is astonishing coming from a party whose entire raison detre for eight years was to protest and criticize the White House. The shares of Democrats agreeing that these rights to vote, to a free press, to criticize the government are too expansive were relatively tiny (5, 11 and 7 percent, respectively). This partisan gulf is not some one-off result. In February, a Pew Research Center survey found large gaps between Democrats and Republicans on civil and political liberties. Three-quarters of Democrats said that the freedom of news organizations to criticize political leaders is important for maintaining a strong democracy. Slightly less than half of Republicans agreed. Is anyone on the right actually reading those pocket Constitutions theyve made into such a trendy fashion accessory? Perhaps this democratic backsliding should not be surprising. In other surveys over recent years, conservatives have been more supportive of book-banning and other forms of censorship. At the state level, conservatives have used government power to gag speech and ideas they consider offensive, and even to mandate speech they deem politically pleasing (by requiring doctors to spout junk science about abortions, for instance). Conservatives whove read this far will surely point out that plenty of lefties flaunt their own illiberal tendencies. And that is true, though bad behavior on the left has generally been restricted to narrower settings such as college campuses, Republicans favorite whataboutist foil whenever they are confronted with right-wing illiberalism. As Ive written before, long-term surveys of college freshmen indicate rising intolerance of controversial speech. More anecdotally, the past few years have provided lots of vivid examples of pitchfork-wielding lefty students and cowardly administrators shutting down speech with which they disagree. This has led to demands for resignations and, sometimes, threats of violence. Now of course there are also equally vivid examples of pitchfork-wielding right-wing mobs, inflamed by Fox News and other conservative news organizations, attempting to shut down speech by left-leaning academics. With little sense of irony, these mobs descend on liberals with demands for resignations and, sometimes, threats of violence often in the name of protecting free debate. So the question is, whats changed? What or whom should we blame for this deteriorating commitment to dissent and other liberal values, whether on campuses or in statehouses? To some extent, Americans like citizens of other Western democracies experiencing similar backlashes are actively rejecting democratic institutions and norms they believe failed them. The financial crisis and, before that, stagnating living standards left Americans angry, disillusioned and ready to burn it all down with the it in this case including some of our shared values. Theres another obvious villain in this story, though: our increasingly corrosive and tribalist partisanship. This just shows the degree to which partisan identity and loyalty to a political leader go deeper than a commitment to any particular values, Yascha Mounk, a lecturer at Harvard University, argued last week by phone when I asked him about the Marist findings. He notes that confidence in Russias authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin, has doubled among Republicans since 2015, while declining slightly among Democrats. This is probably not so much due to any actual familiarity with Putins murderous quashing of dissent as a perception that hes on the (Republican) presidents team. The same perception may motivate Republicans rising antipathy toward a free press. Maybe Americans are not exactly hostile toward liberal democratic ideals, so much as indifferent. In todays partisan climate, thats just as dangerous. WASHINGTON I love it. Thats how Donald Trump Jr. responded, we now know, to an email last year offering dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government. What I love is the defense of this attempt by senior Trump campaign officials to receive Russian help in the election. As my colleagues John Wagner and Rosalind Helderman report, presidential advisers are explaining away the meeting with the Russian lawyer as a rookie mistake by an unsophisticated campaign. Rookie mistake: the all-purpose defense of the Trump White House. When President Trump failed to support NATOs collective-defense promise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called it a rookie mistake. After revelations of Trumps meddling in the FBIs Russia probe, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., explained that Trump is new at this. The rookie-error explanation has been employed to describe Trumps firing of FBI Director James B. Comey, his handling of health care and his legislative approach. There have been enough rookie errors to send this whole team back to Double-A ball. The longer this goes on were now six months into Trumps term the less it looks like growing pains than incompetence and mismanagement aggravated by nepotism and dishonesty. Returning from three weeks abroad, Ive been catching up on developments at home. These weeks, though highly abnormal by usual standards, were fairly typical of the Trump presidency. Mistakes and outrages are so common that we become numb to them. But stack three weeks of the embarrassments together and the cumulative effect makes it plain that this is amateur hour for the greatest nation on Earth: The president, representing the United States at the Group of 20 summit in Germany, tweets that everyone at the world conference is talking about why Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta wouldnt give DNC servers to law enforcement. Trump erroneously claims the CIA sought the server. Podesta, who had no authority over the DNC, urges our whack job president to get a grip. Trump gives a speech in Warsaw contradicting an earlier speech he gave in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While in Poland, he publicly disparages U.S. intelligence agencies. The president meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the White House press release identifies his country as the Republic of China that is, Chinas foe Taiwan. Trump meets with Vladimir Putin and tweets that he discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit with Putin. Twelve hours later, Trump tweets that such a Cyber Security unit cant happen. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells reporters that Trump discussed sanctions with Putin. Trump tweets the next day: Sanctions were not discussed. (The previous month, Tillerson called for the end to a blockade of Qatar; hours later, Trump touted the Qatar blockade.) Trumps voter-fraud commission requests voter files and is roundly rejected by Democratic and Republican state officials alike; the Mississippi secretary of state, a Republican, tells the commission to go jump in the Gulf of Mexico. In spite of Trumps vow that a North Korean missile capable of reaching the United States wont happen, North Korea tests an ICBM. Trump calls this very, very bad behavior. The president tweets that a cable-news host, Mika Brzezinski, was bleeding badly from a face-lift when he met her. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) responds: Please just stop. Trump follows this by tweeting a mock professional wrestling video of him pummeling Fraud News CNN. The Posts David Fahrenthold reports that fake Time magazine covers featuring Trump were on display in at least five of Trumps clubs. The president, who had implied he had tapes of his talks with Comey, tweets that there are no such tapes. Lawmakers, calling the presidents word insufficient, threaten to subpoena the tapes. Trump claims the Senate health-care bill is working along very well. Republican leaders soon abandon plans to have a vote on the bill. The White House issues a statement threatening to bomb the Syrian regime. Both the intelligence community and the Pentagon appear to be caught off guard. Eight months after the election, Trump tweets: Hillary Clinton colluded with the Democratic Party in order to beat Crazy Bernie Sanders. Now, after months of Trump denials of Russia contacts, comes proof of a Russia meeting with Donald Jr., Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul J. Manafort during the campaign. Among Juniors conflicting explanations: It was OK because the Russian didnt produce good dirt on Clinton. And these are just some of the misfires. They arent rookie mistakes. This is a team that never should have taken the field. The world has had its delusions about China over the years, but none quite as fantastical as the notion of Beijing assuming the mantle of global leadership. Ever since Donald Trumps election, it has been a journalistic trope to speculate that China is about to take the lead on globalization, climate change and international diplomacy. A Washington Post headline mused late last year, If the U.S. withdraws, China wonders whether it is ready to lead the world. According to The New York Times, China Poised to Take Lead on Climate After Trumps Move to Undo Policies. On the occasion of last weeks G-20 summit, Bloomberg reported, China, Germany Step Up as U.S. Retires From World Leadership. The Economist a little while ago dubbed China the global grown-up. Really? The one-party state that tortures and jails dissidents and maintains a dangerous rogue state in its hip pocket, North Korea, for strategic leverage? Knowing his audience, President Xi Jinping has stoked this tripe by mouthing all the right cliches in front of the right audiences. He gave a speech at Davos heavy on the theme of openness and promised to help lead globalization. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries, and people between economies, Xi said, summoning his best Thomas Friedman, is simply not possible. Somehow, China manages the impossible nonetheless. When it comes to information (which Xi omitted from his litany), China cuts itself off from the rest of the world quite adeptly. According to the pro-democracy group Freedom House, China ranks last in the world in internet freedom, behind Iran and Syria. It blocks Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and jails people for spreading rumors online, i.e., criticizing government officials. How about the free flow of capital? China has tight rules against capital outflows. Technology? China is an expert at stealing it, especially from foreign companies operating in China. Products? Despite its membership in the World Trade Organization, China is robustly mercantilist. Brad Setser of the Council on Foreign Relations points out that imported manufactures as a share of the Chinese economy peaked in 2003 and have been falling since. As a practical matter, what Xi calls win-win cooperation is the rest of the world opening its markets to China while China refuses to reciprocate. Xi also toes the Davos line on climate change, to the delight of credulous Westerners. Chinas leadership consists of making a pledge as part of the Paris accords to reach peak emissions in 2030 a goal consistent with the trajectory of its economy anyway and planning to make a mint by selling to the West green technology it has developed through its characteristic unscrupulous means. There is no doubt that China, the worlds second-largest economy, is much more assertive on the international stage than it used to be, but the idea of it as a global leader, or as a responsible power, or even as an admirable country is daft. It is a systematic abuser of human rights. The outlook for fundamental human rights, including freedoms of expression, assembly, association and religion, remains dire, according to Human Rights Watch. It props up the lunatic regime in North Korea because it fears the prospect of a unified, democratic Korea. It is pushing for control of the South China Sea, ignoring a sweeping ruling by an international tribunal against its claims of sovereignty. It is investing massively in its military and not to support the cause of global openness. Clearly, one motive for the dewy-eyed coverage of Chinas purported leadership is a distaste for Donald Trump, who wears his disregard for the global elite on his sleeve. The romance with Xi is a way to tweak him. But, whatever his views on trade or climate change, Trump doesnt run a repressive one-party state. Its perverse to be more comfortable with the president who bans Twitter over the president who uses it indiscriminately. Following torrential downpours that flooded streets, basements and fields early Monday, a second wave of severe weather came through southern Wisconsin early Wednesday, with the new surge of water flooding streets and waterways and creating meteorological misery from La Crosse to Kenosha. It appears the hardest-hit areas were in Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties, said Lori Getter, crisis communications manager at Wisconsin Emergency Management. Rainfall amounts from the Milwaukee office of the National Weather Service proved it, with 7.75 inches of rain at Bohners Lake in Kenosha County, 6.6 inches at the Burlington airport in Racine County and 5 inches in Genoa City in Walworth County. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department said crews evacuated eight people and two dogs Wednesday from the Pleasant Prairie Mobile Home Park after rising waters from a nearby ditch flooded the park. No one was hurt. Numerous other municipalities also had to contend with with impassable streets due to flooding. Amtrak had to suspend travel between Milwaukee and Chicago, but service on the Hiawatha line resumed Wednesday afternoon. There have been washed-out roads in Clark and Chippewa counties, and a bridge was washed out in the town of Lafayette in Chippewa County, Getter said. Manhole covers were blowing off on streets in Waukesha because of too much water in storm sewers, and the Honey Creek dam in East Troy was being monitored because water was flowing over the top. Madison had plenty of rain Wednesday morning, but only seven-tenths of an inch was recorded at the airport. Madison Streets Division Superintendent Chris Kelley said a few trees came down, some streets were flooded and there were reports of washouts along some streets, but all in all the city came out in good shape. If we get more rain, however, we can expect some trees to get uprooted, Kelley said. A lightning strike at about 4 a.m. Wednesday destroyed a 60-foot ash tree at the corner of Harvest Hill and Westfield roads on Madisons Far West Side. The lightning damaged part of the sidewalk, blew out some windows and damaged the siding of a nearby house; it also threw debris from the tree up to 130 feet away. The downed tree blocked Harvest Hill Road for more than five hours. Alliant Energy had about 2,600 customers without power at noon Wednesday, mostly in far southwest Wisconsin near Dubuque and in the Lake Geneva area. We Energies had restored power to 20,000 customers since early Wednesday, leaving fewer than 600 without power by late afternoon. A flood warning was issued Wednesday morning for the Rock River at Afton south of Janesville, since the river reached flood stage at 9 feet by mid-morning. The river had receded below flood stage by evening. Cooler and drier air is coming on Thursday, and the sun is expected to be the dominant weather feature on Friday and through the weekend. Temperatures are expected to be seasonal, mostly in the upper 70s to low 80s, with a slight chance for storms Saturday night the only rain in the forecast from Thursday night to Tuesday. State Journal reporter Barry Adams and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Did you know that the Vernon County Libraries are sponsoring a bus trip to Vesterheim, the Norwegian Heritage Museum in Decorah, Iowa, on Aug. 7, as part of our Vernon County Reads: Kathleen Ernst summer program? Ernst is the author of the Chloe Ellefson mystery series and her novel, Heritage of Darkness, was inspired by Vesterheim. From Ernsts website: For curator Chloe Ellefson, a bonding trip with her mother Marit to take rosemaling classes at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum seems like a great idea until she discovers the body of her rosemaling instructor in the museum, stuffed inside an antique immigrant trunk. Boy, those Norskies really know about murder! We will enjoy our ride to Decorah as we chat about the Ernst book and then participate in a specially-developed tour of Vesterheim featuring Heritage of Darkness events! After our museum tour, we will have time to browse the unique shops of Decorah. Lunch will be on your own, at any of the towns restaurants, or you can bring your own lunch and picnic on the Vesterheim grounds. I am looking forward to using this trip as a time to prepare for both Westbys book discussion of Heritage of Darkness on Friday, Aug. 11, in our the Bekkum Llibrary reading area and for Kathleen Ernsts visit to Vernon County on Aug. 17, at Viroqua Schools Cafetorium, 115 N. Education Ave, Viroqua. We leave Viroqua Library at 8 a.m. and we will return there by 6-6:30 p.m. There will also be a pick-up/drop-off stop at DeSoto Library. The deadline to register for the Vesterheim bus trip quickly approaching. The cost is $45 per person. Call the library at 634-4419 for more information. Since its publication as a monthly serial from 1837-39, Charles Dickens story Oliver Twist has taken many forms. They include a book form of the serial in 1838, the musical Oliver! in 1960, the 1968 film Oliver!, and the 1988 Disney movie Oliver & Company. Tomah Area Community Theatre will take on the story with its presentation of the musical Oliver! beginning July 20. Its a timeless story about finding love, director Melanie Frei said. The story follows the orphan Oliver Twist on his journey to find a family, a place where he belongs, Frei said. It follows him from a workhouse in an unnamed town to the streets of London. Oliver was a little orphan boy who was in a workhouse and he had the audacity to ask for more food, she said. So he was thrown out off the work house and was sold to a mortician. He wasnt happy there and ran away to London to seek his fortune. Instead of finding his fortune in London, Oliver finds a group of pickpockets. He then meets the Artful Dodger. The character is very cocky and confident, said Sydney Schroeder, who plays Dodger. Hes fourth down in the gang ... and he knows that hes important and he kind of flaunts it a little bit, she said. Dawn Van Alstine, who plays the character Nancy, said Dodger thinks highly of himself. Hes fancy. Even though his clothes are kind of tattered, he tries to look nice, she said. The first thing he says to Oliver is, Whats the matter, havent you ever seen a toff? ... Like, havent you ever seen somebody so fancy before? Dodger introduces Oliver to the pickpocket gang, which is led by Fagin, who trains boys to be pickpockets, Frei said. He joins this pickpocket gang, but he really doesnt quite know what hes getting into, except that ... he now has a place to stay, some food to eat and a family, she said. As a part of the pickpocket gang Oliver meets Nancy, who is a maternal figure to Oliver and the other pickpockets. Nancy is in a relationship with Bill Sikes, another character and villain who Oliver meets through the pickpocket gang. Henning Garvin, who plays Sikes, said hes an awful person. Hes one of the most despicable human beings Ive ever read about, he said. He grew up in Fagins gang and really took off. Hes brutish, hes a bully and he uses his strength and his mean streak to just wreak havoc wherever he goes. He takes whatever he wants, and he uses as much violence as he can to get it. The relationship between Nancy and Sikes is not good, Van Alstine said. Its abusive, but Nancy stays with him. Shes a strong and confident woman despite the fact that shes in an abusive relationship with this kind of crazed man, she said. Nancy is a loving, caring person, Van Alstine said, and only wants the best for Oliver. She really wants to get Oliver out of this gang ... she doesnt want Oliver to grow up the way she did, she said. Even though he has Nancy, Oliver spends much of his time unaware of what familial love really is, said A.J. Schmock, who plays Oliver. Hes confused of wheres love? What is love? Is this love? he said. (In) one of the scenes is this part thats lovey-dovey, and hes like, Is this love or not? I dont know. After joining the pickpocket gang and beginning his training, Oliver gets caught and his life is thrown on a roller coaster. Its an entertaining story, Frei said. Charles Dickens always has great characters, she said. He usually has some sort of twist in his story that makes a fantastic ending for everyone. Garvin also enjoys the story. Its a great story its a heartwarming story at the end when you finally see everything come to its rightful conclusion, he said. It is quite a journey ... there are some topics there that are difficult to deal with, the fact that you have a foundling house where orphans would go, and you have to remember this was a reality not a super long time ago the selling of children. So there are some interesting story lines you have to go on that arent necessarily comfortable, but again the end conclusion is a good one. Contemporary themes While the story takes place in the 1800s, it has similarities to circumstances today, Van Alstine said. I think the story of Oliver Twist is probably not something that is uncommon, she said. We just watched the movie Lion, which is about a little boy that was lost in India. I was saying to my husband, I cant believe how this correlates with Oliver. Because heres this little boy thats lost in this big city and he almost got taken by the wrong people, and he escaped from that and ended up with this wonderful life with this wonderful family. Something to look forward to is the musical numbers, Frei said. This particular production has got great songs; its a great musical, she said. It was the 1968 best picture of the year when it came out as a musical on film. So those are some of the real attractions of it. Amanda Schmock serves as the music director for the musical. The biggest challenge with the production was the large cast, Frei said. She it was difficult getting everyone together. Throughout the summer we knew certain people were going on vacation ... so that means that weve been ... doing different scenes at different times, so it was really important for the people in that scene to be there, and sometimes they werent, she said. Sometimes we knew they werent and sometimes it just happened that they didnt realize it was their call night, or something came up and they didnt come, and that leaves a hole. So that has been a challenge. Costumes Another challenge was costumes, Frei said. The production has over 60 costumes, and the orphans costumes were constructed from old and distressed material found from every Goodwill in the area, Frei said. Because they were orphans, we wanted to make sure they looked old and distressed ... so we bought (Goodwills) old sheets and curtains and made clothes out of the old fabrics that were already worn out. Some of the other characters costumes came from other ACT productions, Frei said. We have taken piece after piece after piece in the collection of Area Community Theatre and re-purposed it, altered it, found different ways we could cut it apart and use it again, she said. Actors also brought in bits and pieces to contribute to their costumes, Frei said. The musical will be a sight to see, Van Alstine said. The whole stage is filled with people, and there are different things going on, she said. We have 55 cast members, so when the stage is full and everybodys dancing and singing together, thats when I think its just so electric, and I think people are just going to be wowed. Bring your tissues. Tts a heartwarming story at the end when you finally see everything come to its rightful conclusion.Henning Garvin, cast member Tomah Police Department Sergeant Chris Weaver knows how important it is for businesses, including medical facilities, to be prepared for a possible violent incident. Weaver spoke to staff at Tomah Memorial Hospital Thursday during three, one-hour training presentations focusing on incidents involving active shooters to natural disasters that put people in crisis. I think we have to have a respect for whats going on in our country right now, said Weaver. He believes the question is not if a situation will occur, but when it will take place. I dont think we are at a point where the sky is falling, but these situations are becoming more common place, and the damage inflected during these incidents is becoming higher, so I think its a new reality that we have to be prepared for, Weaver said. During his presentations, Weaver highlighted key points from The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in 2003 that killed 100 people, as well as shootings at Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. With nearly 20 years on the Tomah Police Department and various training opportunities, Weaver said he has seen a number of incidents that have given him a unique perspective on crisis situations. When I started putting together this presentation, I really looked at it and thought we cannot get to the point where were communicating if we are not functioning appropriately in the circumstance, which is going to be pretty overwhelming for most people, Weaver said. Weaver is also the commander of the Monroe County Combined Tactical Unit a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team staffed by members of the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Sparta Police Department, Tomah Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Sparta Area Ambulance. Weaver said it is a great thing for businesses like Tomah Memorial to be proactive when it comes to training staff for such incidents. Were fortunate at the Tomah police department to have people that have had opportunities to go and receive the training, he said. The common thread throughout the entire response, though, is to have some kind of a plan for when it happens. Tomah Memorial Hospital chief nursing officer Tracy Myhre, MSN, RN, said the training is part of ongoing education to safeguard staff and keep patients safe. Our goal is to give staff the tools they need to care for patients, family and visitors in a crisis situation such as an active shooter event. Myhre said. We feel the best way to do this is through training and drills which will be the next steps in accomplishing this goal. She said two key staff will coordinate the widely known ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training to all TMH staff this fall. Weaver said police are willing to work with other businesses too. I dont think we can overstate the opportunity that a business or community group would be in reaching out for help with that. We are more than willing to have those conversations with people, Weaver said. Despite increased reports of situations nationwide, Weaver feels Tomah is a great place for businesses and families. We have incidents periodically happen here, but generally I think Tomah is a very safe community, he said. Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center in Decorah, Iowa, is celebrating the 51st anniversary of the annual National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition. This judged exhibition of original woodworking, knifemaking, rosemaling and weaving by contemporary artists from all over the country can be viewed through July 27. This year the exhibition includes 160 pieces from 21 states. As part of the exhibition, artists compete for ribbons. Judges award Blue, Red and White Ribbons representing points that accumulate over successive exhibitions toward a Vesterheim Gold Medal. Judges also present Honorable Mention Awards and Best of Show Awards. Visitors vote for Peoples Choice Awards. Ribbons are placed next to winning entries on July 28, opening day of Decorahs Nordic Fest celebration. Artists may choose to offer their pieces for sale by silent auction. Bidding begins July 27 at 9 a.m. and ends July 29 at 4 p.m. Bids must be placed in person. Visit the exhibition for more information on bidding. There will be free admission all day July 27. It was picture perfect day for the annual Westby-Christiana Fire Department Family Fun Day event held on July 4 at the fire station. Fire Chief Gilbert Turben said he wasnt sure how the event would go with the holiday falling in the middle of the week, but at the end of the day he was pleasantly surprised and pleased with all the extra effort members of the fire department put into keep the family fun event alive. The department served food, the Snowflake royalty and parents provided the dessert and root beer floats were all the rage. Childrens activities included, face painting by Snowflake royalty parents, inflatable games, water balloons, and a saw dust pile scattered with a $100 in quarters donated by WCCU. The dunk tank proved to be a very successful venture again this year as firemen and the 2017 Snowflake Royalty braved the cold water to man the seat while spending plenty of time underwater. Tours of the fire station, trucks and equipment were also provided throughout the day. The city of Westby fireworks display in the industrial park lit up the sky at dusk and put a sparkle in the eyes of hundreds of people who gathered to watch the annual display. Turben thanked the public for attending the annual event and for their continued support of the fire department and first responders. He also acknowledged all the fire department members spouses and significant others for all the extra hands that they provide to make the July 4th celebration a success, along with the efforts of the Snowflake Royalty and their families. Thursday, July 13, 2017 Vox (Jun. 29, 2017): California decided it was tired of women bleeding to death in childbirth, by Julia Belluz: At the same time the global maternal death rate fell by nearly 44 percent, between 2000 and 2014, the United States watched its maternal mortality rate skyrocket 27 percent. Maternal mortality refers to "the death of a mother from pregnancy-related complications while she's carrying or within 42 days after birth." Childbirth is more dangerous in the U.S. than any other wealthy nation. The reason? The U.S. does not value its women. The United States is in the company of only 12 other countries whose maternal mortality rates have actually increased in recent years, including North Korea and Zimbabwe. Researchers and health care advocates argue that a high maternal death rate is a reflection of how that culture views its women. [In the U.S.,] policies and funding dollars tend to focus on babies, not the women who bring them into the world. For example, Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income Americans, will only cover women during and shortly after pregnancy. Texas, having rejected Medicaid expansion and closed the majority of its Planned Parenthood clinics, has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world. California, however, has proven to be an exception within the nation. The California maternal mortality rate has steadily decreased over the same time that the rest of the nation's has risen, thanks in large part to the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC). 60% of maternal deaths are preventable and the complications that cause them should be anticipated. The CMQCC finds that even within an imperfect health care system, death from childbirth need not be an inevitability. Maternal deaths in the U.S. often result from common complications like hemorrhaging and preeclampsia. The CMQCC has enacted simple, lifesaving procedures over the last decade to reduce the number of unnecessary maternal deaths. And, they're working. First, they aimed to lower the number of unnecessary C-sections performed. Cesarian sections are often prematurely offered by obstetricians who are short on time. The procedure can leave mothers with internal scar tissue that ultimately makes future pregnancies more dangerous by increasing the mother's risk of hemorrhaging. As many maternal deaths are a result of hemorrhaging--a mother can bleed to death within five minutes--doctors set out to prepare every delivery room in hospitals participating in their program with a "hemorrhage cart," equipped with everything necessary to handle a bleeding problem the moment it begins. In a recent study, researchers found a 21 percent reduction in severe complications related to hemorrhages in the hospitals participating in CMQCC's program. Hospitals not participating in the program saw only a one percent reduction. California has demonstrated that even in our messy and imperfect health care system, progress is possible. Theyve shown the rest of the country what happens when people care about and organize around womens health. Policymakers owe it to the 4 million babies born in the US each year, and their mothers, to figure out how to bring that success to families across the country. How the current health care debate and the resulting volatility of the insurance market will affect the United States' maternal mortality rate going forward remains to be seen. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/reproductive_rights/2017/07/californias-maternal-mortality-rate-is-a-third-of-the-american-average-heres-why.html On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. HOLDREGE New long-term residential leases at JohnsonLake and Plum Creek were approved July 3 by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Board of Directors. About 30 JohnsonLake residents attended the meeting in Holdrege. Linda Aust of Omaha said most of her lake neighbors are happy with lease terms, except they would prefer a 30-year rolling lease rather than the 30-year fixed lease approved by the board. Several other landowners had made similar pleas at the boards June 23 committee meeting, saying a rolling lease continuously for 30 years with a year added annually would be better for the resale value of their homes. We feel that (fixed-year) is the direction we should go, CNPPID General Manager Don Kraus said, adding that fixed-year leases are used at all other similar housing sites. He added that Nebraska Public Power District has a 30-year fixed lease with no financing or refinancing issues. The vote to approve the term and rates was nine in favor, Director Robert Dahlgren of Bertrand against, and Directors Ronald Fowler and David Rowe abstaining because they are JohnsonLake leaseholders. Lease documents soon will be posted on the www.cnppid.com website and will be mailed to leaseholders. A big step toward settling the lease issue came at the Feb. 6 board meeting when the directors approved a Power and Recreation Committee recommendation to maintain current lease rates from March 1, 2018, through February 2024. Kraus said then that the revised rate plan allows JohnsonLake leaseholders to complete payments on the sanitary improvement district before they see an increase in lot lease fees. The new lease has annual rate increases of 3 percent, beginning on March 1, 2024, and for the balance of the 30-year lease. A 3 percent increase would be $67.50 on the current $2,250 annual lease fee for a tier one (lakefront) lot at JohnsonLake. The fee for current leases that date to 1995 is 5 percent of the average appraised fair market value of the lots, with values adjusted every 10 years after new appraisals. A huge concern for JohnsonLake residents was that significant increases in property values seen in recent years would greatly increase the 5 percent fee, perhaps beyond what some families who have owned homes there for generations could afford. When the six-year rate freeze and then 3 percent annual increase were approved Feb. 6, Johnson Lake Development Inc. President Jean Edeal said, This was a little bit of a surprise. ... This road to finding an agreeable lease has been a long one. On Monday, the board also approved a hardship policy based on Nebraskas Homestead Exemption. It allows some original leaseholders to qualify for exemptions from the full rate. Lake homeowner Don Hutchens of Lincoln said the work toward an agreeable lease has been adversarial for three years. He added that the rate change for the new lease was appreciated. I hope you recognize the investments people have made to that leased land, Hutchens said, and the value of the tax payments made. I hope that in the future, the leaseholders are viewed more as caretakers of your property, he said, and that is acknowledged by the directors when JLDI representatives request maintenance and improvement funds. Hutchens also said leaseholders may be a valuable asset at times when Central needs supporters. We want to do the best we can for everybody here, said David Nelson of Upland, the newest member of the Central board. Can we please everyone? Probably not. In other business Monday, the CNPPID board approved a water service agreement with the Tri-Basin and Lower Republican natural resources districts for a proposed project to transfer high PlatteRiver flows, when available after all more senior water rights have been filled, into the RepublicanBasin for interstate compact compliance. The plan is to divert water from CNPPIDs E-65 Canal, then under Highway 23 west of Smithfield and into the east branch of Turkey Creek for conveyance to the Republican River between Oxford and Edison. LRNRD Assistant Director Scott Dicke of Alma said the two NRD boards already approved agreement terms, but they still must vote on the written agreement approved by the Central board. Also Monday, the CNPPID board: Was told by Civil Engineer Cory Steinke that Lake McConaughy is at 85.6 percent of capacity, at just under 1.5 million acre-feet, but will be declining. Inflows haver dropped to 627 cubic feet per second, and releases are at 3,100 cfs. Was told by Natural Resources Manager Mike Drain that the staff is working with NebraskaStateMuseum specialists to remove a prehistoric rhinoceros skull found at LakeMcConaughy and transfer ownership to the museum. Nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, Laos presents a daunting challenge to new Chabad reps Rabbi Shalom and Tammy Glitzenstein. With poor access both to clean drinking water and electricity, the communist country is plagued by humanitarian issues and struggles to contain the opium trade that thrives thanks to its remote border areas. Driven by their desire to make a difference, the idealistic couple gave up a comfortable life in Israel and put down new roots in the third-world country, making it the 92nd country on the map of Chabad. Focusing their efforts on Israelis who visit Laos yearly, they are working to create Jewish infrastructure in a country that, perhaps for its remote location, appeals to Israeli backpackers. According to Laos Tourism Development Department, 4,734 Israelis visited Luang Prabang in 2014, and thats just Israeli Jewscountless more visit from around the world. One of Chabads first priorities: to open a full-service kosher restaurant, an ideal meeting point for Jewish travelers. The couple is also planning to open a Chabad House in the city of Vang Vieng, a popular tourist spot located a four-hour drive south. Right now, programs are all centered around Shabbat and holiday meals. That opens conversations and allows us to get to know people personally, says the rabbi. Yehuda Ben Shitrit, a Canadian Orthodox Jew, was traveling the area recently, intending only to spend Shabbos in Laos and continue on to Vietnam for Shavuot. After meeting the Glitzensteins, he decided to extend his visit. I felt like I was at home with my family for the holidays. Even better was that we threw a small bar mitzvah for one of the Israelis who hadnt ever considered it in Israel. Touched by the impact this had on a fellow Jewish traveler, he reflects on the gift Chabads men and women bring to Jewish people in the most of far-flung places. If not for the Chabad House in Laos and the family-like ambiance there, says Yehuda, he probably would have never had a bar mitzvah. To learn more about Chabad of Laos, visit their website at www.chabadthailand.co.il/laos, or their Facebook page. Apple Inc. will establish its first data center in China to speed up services such as iCloud for local users and abide by laws that require global companies to store information within the country. The new facility, which will be entirely driven by renewable energy, will be built and run in partnership with Guizhou on the Cloud Big Data, Apple said in a messaged statement. Apple aims to migrate Chinese users information, now stored elsewhere, to the new facility in coming months. The data center is part of a USD1 billion investment by the iPhone maker in the province. The data center was partly driven by new measures that bolster control over the collection and movement of Chinese users data, and can also grant the government unprecedented access to foreign companies technology. Forcing companies to store information within the country has already led some to tap cloud computing providers with more local server capacity. The addition of this data center will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations, the company said in its statement. Apple has strong data privacy and security protections in place and no backdoors will be created into any of our systems. Apples partner was co-founded by the government of Guizhou, which has begun promoting the impoverished mountainous central province as the countrys data center capital. It hopes the high-tech facilities will bring white-collar jobs to the region best known as the home of Chinas fiery national alcoholic beverage, baijiu. Working more closely with the Chinese government is an important step for Apples business in the country, which is the tech giants second-largest market globally. Apples iTunes Movies and iBooks service were shut down by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television last year after less than seven months of operations. Its market share has also fallen as consumers wait for an updated iPhone 8, which is likely to be released later this year, or switch to cheaper Android devices. Since then Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has visited China to attend forums and open research centers while meeting with local media to boost the brands reputation there. An Apple Store in Shanghai, Bloomberg China on Tuesday dispatched members of its Peoples Liberation Army to the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti to man the rising Asian giants first overseas military base, a key part of a wide-ranging expansion of the role of Chinasarmed forces. The defense ministry said on its website that a ceremony was held at a naval pier in the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang presided over by navy commander Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong. It said the personnel would travel by navy ship but gave no details on numbers or units. Photos on the website showed naval officers and marines in battle dress lining the rails of the support ships Jingangshan and Donghaidao. China says the logistics center will support anti-piracy, U.N. peacekeeping and humanitarian relief missions in Africa and western Asia. It says it will also facilitate military cooperation and joint exercises as the PLA navy and other services seek to expand their global reach in step with Chinas growing economic and political footprint. Djibouti is already home to the center of American operations in Africa, Camp Lemonnier, while France, Britain, Japan and other nations also maintain a military presence in the small but strategically located nation. Multinational anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden that China joined in 2008 have also given its navy ready access to the Mediterranean, and, in 2011, it took the unprecedented step of sending one of its most sophisticated warships together with military transport aircraft to help in the evacuation of about 35,000 Chinese citizens from Libya. In 2015, China detached three navy ships from the anti-piracy patrols to rescue Chinese citizens and other foreign nationals from fighting in Yemen. The same year, it took part in its first Mediterranean joint naval exercises with Russia. AP Nomura Holdings has forecasted 25 percent year-on-year growth in gross gaming revenues (GGR) for the month of July in a report released this week. The prediction is based on the companys retrospective estimate of MOP756 million in daily revenue for the week beginning July 3. Last month, GGR reached almost MOP20 billion, up by 25.9 percent compared to June 2016, the low-point of the Macau gaming contraction. Meanwhile, GGR in July 2016 was around MOP17.77 billion. By segment, Nomura estimated that the average daily VIP volume has increased by between 12 and 15 percent compared with June 2017, while that of the mass market is holding about 7 to 8 percent higher. Nomuras latest forecast assessment reports the expectation of a significantly higher volume in both the VIP and mass market segments than its previous forecast a week earlier. These expectations are based on the probability of stronger visitation from Hong Kong after Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his visit. The company also said it expects a deceleration in month-on-month GGR growth in the second half of this year, due to a lack of new resort openings, except for MGM Cotai, which is due near year-end. Macau Orchestra and Science Center host concert The Macau Orchestra and Macau Science Center will present the concert Science and Music Festival on July 15 at the Macau Science Centers Exhibition Center. The concert will combine the visual and acoustic elements of classical music with scientific concepts. The concert will take the audience on a musical journey entitled The Musical Train. The concert will include fun interactive segments to encourage audience participation and engagement. Health Bureau apologizes for failure that led to injuries The Health Bureau (SSM) apologized for a procedure failure that led to several people falling on a slippery pavement, the SSM informed in statement. The incident occurred when members of the Bureau were applying larvacide in the streets near the Border Gate Square. Due to a procedure failure, the product was left on the pavement which made it slippery and led to several citizens falling and sustaining injuries. In its statement, the SSM sincerely apologized for the oversight, noting that one of the passers-by who fell, a 50-year-old female, received treatment and was later examined at a public hospital due to pain in her right elbow and lower back. The patients pain was not explicable by any pre-existing condition. CE to attend AL plenary session in August Chief Executive Chui Sai On will be attending a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly (AL) on August 2, to reply to the Assembly members queries on government policy and social issues. The session will start at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the television and radio channels of TDM, and on several official websites. Besides attending AL plenary sessions every year to deliver the Policy Address relating to the following fiscal year, the Chief Executive also attends two similar sessions each year. Lawyer believes court verdict to be affected The lawyers of other defendants in the case related to the citys former top prosecutor, Ho Chio Meng, believe that the final verdict of the Court of First Instance where they are sitting trial might be affected by the verdict of the Court of Final Appeal that is trying Ho. One defense lawyer said that Hos case has been influenced by media reports, which caused some witnesses to be unable to recount facts in an objective manner. The lawyer considers that the investigation into these defendants is also doubtful. According to a report by TDM, the Public Prosecutions Office is seeking heavy punishments for all defendants involved in Hos case. China yesterday released 10 employees of Australias Crown Resorts Ltd., including two Australian citizens, after they completed nine months in prison for organizing gambling tours in violation of Chinas strict gaming laws. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Australians were freed after time served in detention prior to their trials was counted toward their sentences. They have been identified earlier as Jane Pan and Jerry Xuan. A third Australian, Jason OConnor, who heads the companys international VIP programs, is expected to be released next month after 10 months in prison. OConnor was sentenced in a group trial last month with Pan, Xuan and 16 others. Of the 19 defendants, 11 were jailed for nine months and another five for 10 months. The remaining three, who mainly did office work, were exempted from punishment although they were convicted of the same gambling charge. Casino gambling and gambling promotions are illegal in mainland China, although the gaming industry forms the economic backbone of Macau. Chinese law mandates sentences of up to three years in prison for anyone who for the purpose of profit, gathers people to engage in gambling, runs a gambling house or makes gambling his profession. However, foreign casinos have skirted the ban by packaging gambling excursions as destination vacations to Australia and elsewhere. Those have become particularly attractive under Chinese President Xi Jinpings ongoing corruption crackdown that has deterred many gamblers from traveling to Macau due to fears of being surveilled by the authorities. The raid on Crown Resorts employees last October was seen as a sign of Beijings intensifying crackdown on social ills such as gambling, illegal drug use and prostitution. AP The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) is calling for proposals for the Macau exhibition at the seventh Shenzhen and Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture 2017. Submissions are open to curators, both individuals and groups, until August 2. The project will be supervised by an official working group, while proposals will be reviewed by the jury commission for the Macau exhibition. The open call for submissions is to select outstanding local individuals with high-quality work so that the event operates in a fair and open manner, while also encouraging the public to actively participate. IC held a briefing yesterday at the Cultural Affairs Bureau building at Tap Seac Square, introducing the Bi-City Biennales background, venue and theme for the year, among other relevant information. With this years theme, Cities, Grow in Difference, the Bi-City Biennale explores concerns surrounding urban spaces like urban villages and the spirit of conservation of the citys historical buildings and continuation of the historical context. It seeks to encourage exploration and reflection on a new model of urban growth by introducing familiar topics related to daily life. The first Bi-City Biennale was held in Shenzhen in 2005, and is the only international exhibition dedicated to urbanism. Since 2005, it has featured a total of over 930 exhibits from around the world and has organized more than 510 events and forums, attracting over 1.1 million visitors. The IC said in a statement that the Macau government hopes to strengthen the cooperation between Macau and Shenzhen, and promote Macaus cultural exchange, through this years biennale. Gold imports by India, the worlds second-biggest user, more than doubled in June from a year earlier amid a rush by jewelers to build up inventories ahead of a tax change. Inbound shipments surged to 72 metric tons last month from 31.8 tons a year earlier, according to a person familiar with provisional data from the finance ministry, who asked not to be identified as the figures arent public. Finance Ministry spokesman D. S. Malik declined to comment on the numbers. Indias government has embarked on the most radical tax overhaul in decades, ushering in a new nationwide goods and services tax to replace dozens of local levies. Speculation that the new tariff may be as much as 5 percent for bullion traded locally, including for manufacturers buying from importers, prompted a jump in imports to 126 tons in May. The gold rate was eventually set at 3 percent, and implemented from July 1. Imports will slow down now as whatever stock- building had to happen, has happened, Ranjeeth Rathod, managing director at importer MNC Enterprises (P) Ltd., said by phone from Chennai. While imports have jumped, retail purchases have been weak and will remain low until the festival season starts from mid-August, he said. Indians buy gold during festivals and for marriages as part of the bridal trousseau or as gifts. The nation imports almost all the gold it uses. Local consumption is forecast to rise to 850 tons to 950 tons by 2020 from about 650 tons to 750 tons in 2017, according to an estimate from the World Gold Council. Shruti Srivastava, Swansy Afonso, Bloomberg Indonesias president has signed a decree giving the government the power to ban radical organizations, in a move aimed at outlawing groups behind an apparent rise in the political clout of hard-line Islam. The measure announced yesterday by the countrys top security minister follows months of sectarian tensions in the worlds most populous Muslim nation that shook the government and undermined its reputation for practicing a moderate form of Islam. It amends an existing law regulating mass organizations, allowing the government to sidestep a potentially lengthy court process to implement a ban. It is likely that Hizbut Tahrir, a group that campaigns for Indonesia to adopt Shariah law and become a caliphate, is among the targets of the decree after the government announced in May that it planned to ban the group. Wiranto, the coordinating minister for politics, security and law, said the decree is aimed at protecting the unity and existence of Indonesia as a nation and not at discrediting Islamic groups. Wiranto, who uses one name, said the decree was signed by President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Monday. New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned the move, calling it a troubling violation of the rights to freedom of association and expression despite it being supported by moderate groups such as Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesias largest Muslim organization. Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, Andreas Harsono, said the government already has the power to take legal action against any group suspected of violating the law. Banning any organization strictly on ideological grounds [] is a draconian action that undermines rights of freedom of association and expression that Indonesians have fought hard to establish since the Suharto dictatorship, Harsono said. Hizbut Tahrir, along with groups such as the violent Islamic Defenders Front, was behind months of massive protests in Jakarta, the capital, against the citys minority Christian governor, an ally of Jokowi who was accused of blaspheming Islam. He subsequently lost a bid for re- election to a Muslim candidate and was imprisoned for two years for blasphemy despite prosecutors downgrading the charge to a lesser offense. Hizbut, a global organization, is estimated to have tens of thousands of members in Indonesia. Ismail Yusanto, a spokesman for the group in Indonesia, said it plans to seek a judicial review of the decree in the Constitutional Court. The move just shows an arbitrary action aimed at disbanding Hizbut Tahrir, he said. Stephen Wright, Jakarta, AP After being unused for over 20 years, the Catholic Center in Macau will be redeveloped into a 20-storey building for exhibitions, formations, and hospitality purposes. The Macau Diocese has planned to redevelop the center since 2011 but no progress was made until this year. Last month, the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau of Macau opened a public consultation to receive recommendations or objections for the redevelopment project. Teresa Lo, assistant coordinator of the project, spoke to the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCANews), stating: The consultation ended on July 4 and the Macau Diocese will now wait for the result and any final amendments of government documents to begin. The diocese hopes that the building can be revamped into the first Catholic-run hotel in Macau, with around 200 rooms for pilgrims and visitors. Lo said that, in addition, public exhibition rooms will display the history of the Catholic Church in Macau and multi-function rooms will be available for faith formation services, as well as evangelization. Father Pedro Chong, Vicar-General of the Macau Diocese, who is leading the redevelopment project, told TDM news four years ago that the redeveloped building would be mainly for pilgrims. He also stated that he hoped the Catholic Center would become a spot for both locals and tourists to get in touch with Catholicism. Local Catholics believe that the delay for the redevelopment project is partly due to the early retirement of Bishop Jose Lai in January last year. He was succeeded by Bishop Stephen Lee, a former auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong. According to the UCANews media report, Catholics in Macau are excited to hear the announcement of redevelopment and are awaiting the opening of the revamped Catholic Center. One local Catholic named Luis Leong said: There were many debates on whether to renovate or to rebuild the center in the past. But I am happy to hear that it will be reconstructed because the building is dilapidated. As the Catholic Center is located in a busy area in central Macau where both tourists and locals gather, Leong believes that the new building can offer good evangelization opportunities with the exhibition rooms and provide a serene chapel for visitors to pray. Things are working well under Bishop Lee and Father Pedro Chong. We hope it is a sign of the revival of our local church, Leong said. Malaysian authorities have raided a construction site and detained 77 foreigners as part of a fresh crackdown on illegal immigration. Immigration officials said more than 3,100 foreigners and 63 employers who allegedly hired workers illegally have been detained since a sweep began July 1. The crackdown is targeting migrants who come to Malaysia illegally to work mostly low-wage jobs in the construction, plantation and manufacturing industries. As one of Southeast Asias richest countries, Malaysia has long attracted workers from nearby nations such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and India. Immigration officials who conducted the midnight raid Tuesday and early yesterday at the construction site in northern Negeri Sembilan state found 77 of the 85 workers had no valid documents. Most of them are Indonesians, living in wooden make-shift dormitories at the site. Reporters were notified of the raid and invited to go along. The 77 workers were handcuffed and sent to the immigration depot, where they are expected to be deported, officials said. The new sweep followed the expiry of a deadline to register foreign workers from 15 countries. Officials have said only 161,000 of 600,000 illegal migrants who are eligible to apply for work permits had done so by June 30. Malaysia, which has a population of 31 million, relies heavily on foreign labor to fill menial jobs shunned by locals. There are some 2 million registered foreign workers in Malaysia and another million believed to be working illegally. The government regularly seeks to flush out the illegal workforce, but this had previously caused labor shortages in certain sectors. Immigration chief Mustafar Ali has said that some 30,000 illegal migrants were deported this year. He warned that employers who hire illegal migrants could be caned, in addition to facing prison time and fines. Syawalludin Zain, Port Dickson, AP In the 19th century mansion in central Belgrade where bureaucrats plan some of Serbias important overseas projects, 64-year-old Ivan Mrkic is busy unpacking boxes teeming with the books, research papers and maps he needs to become an instant expert on China. Mrkic, a one-time foreign minister, anticipates investors from Hong Kong and Beijing will pour tens of millions of euros into eastern Europe and he wants Serbia among the poorest to be ready. For decades, U.S. money has powered steel plants and carmakers in post- Communist Europe, but the region is now hanging its hopes on China stepping into the void created by Donald Trumps isolationist turn. Sometimes it takes time for the Chinese to take a position, but once they do, the speed of realization is fascinating, said Mrkic, whos been tasked along with former President Tomislav Nikolic to set up a one-stop shop to facilitate trade and investment from the worlds second-largest economy. We decided wed better create a special office to make sure everything works well. From Poland on the Baltic Sea to Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria along the Danube river, governments are wooing Chinese investors to, in some cases, replace U.S. companies that are pulling out. Its a sign of whats in store with Trumps America relinquishing its role as the world leader on issues from climate change to free trade and Chinese President Xi Jinping championing internationalism. For Xi, the 16 central and eastern European nations and their more than 110 million consumers are a stepping stone into the European Union. Eleven are members already and the other five, among them Serbia, are vying for inclusion in the 28-nation bloc. Forging a route into the continent is integral to Xis plan to build a modern-day Silk Road to carve out new export markets for local businesses as the Chinese economy slows. In keeping with that vision, Beijing in November pledged to plough 10 billion euros (USD11 billion) of capital into central and eastern European countries, many featuring among the more than 60 nations targeted by Xis Belt and Road initiative. The cash-starved countries of emerging Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, have keenly reciprocated the advances, sending top officials Beijing this year to curry favor just as equity markets in four of the regions capitals, including Warsaw and Sofia, are ranked among the top 10 performers worldwide this year. My wish is that the Chinese will help and employ as many of our citizens as possible, said Julius Beluscak, the mayor of the eastern Slovakian village of Velka Ida, where United States Steel Corp. has run a factory for 17 years and is now in talks to sell it to Hong Kong-based Hesteel Co. Speaking at the City Hall overlooking the villages main, pot- hole ridden road, Belascuk said the condition of the plant has been deteriorating for years and pollution is the worst in the country. He hopes the new owner will invest in greener technologies. Hesteel already bought a Serbian factory in Smederevo for 46 million euros almost a year ago, and is in negotiations to take over U.S. Steels plant in Kosice, Slovakia, too. I wouldnt say the village is benefiting any longer from U.S. Steels presence, Belascuk said. Eastern Europes leaders are pulling out all the stops to charm the Chinese. When Xi embarked on a regional tour through various capital cities last year, he was welcomed in Prague with a parade through the Czech capitals main boulevards. They were decorated with red-and- yellow Chinese flags for the occasion, some of which were defaced by protesters decrying Chinas policies in Tibet. There may be more willingness to put human-rights issues with China on the back burner, said Ian Bond, the director of foreign policy at the Brussels-based Centre for European Reform and a former British diplomat. In many respects, economically, there is a lot of concern in Europe about the direction the U.S. is heading in. The camaraderie between eastern Europe and China is making some in western Europe uneasy. The EU has been pressing Xi to give its companies the same free access to do business in China that the Chinese get in Europe. Many also worry Beijing is seeking to gain greater political clout by driving a wedge between the blocs founding and newer members. At odds with the European Commission over a range of issues including rule of law and migrant policy, Polands ruling Law and Justice party has also been chumming up with Trump, who got a warm reception during a visit to Warsaw last week. Czech President Milos Zeman, meanwhile, wants stronger ties with China and Russia rather than NATO and the EU. But alienating their more advanced neighbors by courting China may not even be worth it, according to Kerry Brown, an associate fellow at Chatham House in London and a former first secretary to the British Embassy in Beijing. Chinese foreign direct investment into the region still pales in comparison to the U.S. and the EU. In Poland, the largest of the economies, U.S. investors poured a net 62.2 million euros into the country in 2015 versus a net outflow to China. Barely any of the $3.9 billion of investments Zeman predicted would materialize in 2016 actually did. Eastern European expectations are high and I wonder if that isnt a big problem, said Brown. The Chinese are not just there to hand out aid and money. There is a big expectation that China is a charity. I just dont think that is very realistic. While Chinas no-strings-attached approach to investment is generally welcomed by developing countries, they often have poor credit ratings and questionable governance. China has struggled to recoup loans in Venezuela and Africa, and several projects in Central Asia have spurred protests. There are also challenges for China, for instance the culture gap and also political risks, said Wang Huiyao, director of the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization. Chinese companies are not good at cross-cultural adaptation, and they really have to hone their management skills and build themselves into truly multinationals. A steady stream of new deals is developing nonetheless. Chinese companies are in talks to invest in a factory manufacturing LED lighting and a coal mine in Poland, as well as a high-speed rail upgrade linking the Hungarian and Serbian capitals. Hungarys government also signed a deal in May with Bohong Group Co., a maker of car components and exhaust systems, while Chinese conglomerate CEFC bought a stake Travel Service AS and brewer Pivovary Lobkowicz in the Czech Republic. Back in Belgrade, Mrkic and about two dozen colleagues moved into the first-floor mansion hall in late June that previously housed the directorate responsible for Serbs displaced by years of war, which was pushed to the ground floor. Mrkic said he planned to hire experts and interpreters to help make it easier for Chinese investors to learn about the opportunities in Serbia. Among the deals in the works is one to refurbish the Belgrade airport and another to buy a stake in copper mine RTB Bor. A Chinese investor is even considering purchasing a network of spas in Serbia, well known for tourist resorts featuring geothermal springs and medicinal mud. Were in an embryonic stage, Mrkic said. I know that many countries in central and eastern Europe vie for the Chinese attention, some may have been more efficient than Serbia, but our projects with China have really flourished. James M. Gomez, Bloomberg The biggest oil traders, feeling the squeeze in a world awash with crude ,are seeking an edge by offering tailor-made cargoes in an offshore megastore. By selling bespoke from a fleet of ships anchored off Singapore and Malaysia, the likes of Vitol Group, Trafigura Group, Glencore Plc and Gunvor Group are seeking to lure buyers who are becoming more demanding. With crude from the U.S. to Africa and Europe stored in their tankers, the traders can mix and match oil of differing quality and characteristics to offer made-to-measure cargoes that meet their customers niche specifications. As a glut thats pummeled crude over the past three years persists and waning price volatility reduces opportunities to profit, traders are contending with increased competition and smaller margins. Now, they are leveraging their global network to source a variety of oils to be shipped to Southeast Asia on very large crude carriers. Then, the cargoes are divvied up, blended if needed, and transferred into smaller tankers to make customized packages. These floating vessels allow traders to sell cargoes in smaller parcels which can help when refineries are processing crude for the first time, or when local jetties cannot take in larger vessels, said Nevyn Nah, a Singapore-based analyst at industry consultant Energy Aspects Ltd. It also allows sellers to blend different grades to meet specific quality requirements. Grades such as Eagle Ford from the U.S., Algerias Saharan Blend, North Seas Ekofisk and Venezuelas Diluted Crude Oil have been offered from tankers in the Straits of Malacca, in addition to Australias Van Gogh and Oman oil, according to a Bloomberg poll of five refiners and traders involved in the regions activity. The waters off Singapore and Malaysia are ideal for setting up shop because theyre a gateway to key nations including China, the top energy user, and India, where demand is growing fastest. At least 15 such vessels are currently floating in the region all VLCCs with the capacity to carry 2 million barrels of oil each, according to the survey and ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The amount of oil stored in tankers reached a 2017 high of 111.9 million barrels last month, according to Paris-based tracking company Kpler SAS. Traders thrived in 2015 and 2016 by taking advantage of the glut that led to a strong contango when contracts for later delivery trade higher than near-term prices. That market structure allowed them to buy oil cheap, store it and benefit later by locking in their profit through derivatives in so-called cash-and-carry deals. Now, there are doubts over whether such trades will be profitable. Chronic oversupply in global oil and petroleum markets coupled with low price volatility reduced profitable opportunities for trading, Trafigura Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Weir said last month, when the third-largest independent oil trader reported a 22 percent drop in first-half profit. The latest storage strategy means the traders are less beholden to the vagaries of futures prices. At the request of buyers, they can supply as little as 200,000 barrels of oil from tankers for delivery in Asia within a week. Thats attractive for refiners looking to purchase trial cargoes of new grades, crude on smaller vessels, or barrels that are needed in a relatively short time. Without the floating stores in Asia, getting such smaller shipments from farther away, including the U.S., Europe and Africa, would probably be too expensive for refiners due to high freight costs. It caters to smaller and mid-sized refiners who may have capacity or infrastructure constraints and who may be motivated to manage their inventories very closely, said John Driscoll, the chief strategist at JTD Energy Services Pte. With the vessels, there is readily available supply without shipping or transit times that can suit a unique requirement. MDT/Bloomberg The visit by Paraguays president to Taiwan this week offers a diplomatic lifeline to the self-governing island democracy whose international breathing space is being steadily chipped away at by Beijing. Horacio Cartes and his delegation attended events yesterday commemorating 60 years of ties between Taiwan and the landlocked nation, the islands only diplomatic ally in South America. Cartes three-day visit comes almost a month after Panama switched relations from Taipei to Beijing, leaving Taiwan with just 20 diplomatic allies, mainly small developing nations in Central America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and Africa. That development set alarm bells in Taipei. As far as the [Taiwanese] government is concerned, there is a growing sense of unfairness and unreasonableness by Beijing, said Alan Romberg, director of the East Asia program at The Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. It is hard to see a way out. At a welcoming ceremony in the capital Taipei, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen issued a most heartfelt welcome to Cartes. Cartes, who is making his third visit to Taiwan as president, offered words of comfort, saying: Based on ongoing and earnest friendship, as well as mutual support, we will continue to reinforce Taiwan and Paraguays inseparable cooperation and exchange programs. Beijing renewed a campaign to diminish the islands global standing last year after cutting ties with Tsais independence- leaning government, which has refused to endorse Chinas insistence that Taiwan is part of China. Along with plucking away Panama and two of Taiwans African allies, Beijing has barred Taiwans representatives from attending the World Health Assembly and other gatherings to which they formerly had access. Since Panama broke away, Taiwans diplomats have redoubled their efforts to shore up ties with the islands remaining allies, with analysts saying such relationships remain vital to Taiwan retaining its claimed status as a sovereign nation and maintaining its international profile. Visits to allies in the Western Hemisphere also permit Taiwans leaders to stop off in the United States to meet with American politicians and other supporters. The U.S. switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, eight years after Taiwans seat at the United Nations was given to China. The loss of Panama had a major impact on Taiwanese public opinion and served as something of a wakeup call to the government, said Alexander Huang, director of the Institute of Strategic Studies at Taiwans Tamkang University. Thats partly because the relationship stretched back more than 100 years when the Republic of China the official name of Taiwans government ruled all of China from the mainland, Huang said. Panama, home to the canal that is crucial to global trade, was also Taiwans last partner of major strategic importance and its shift aroused fears of a domino effect on other allies, he said. So we need to make sure that even with the worst case scenario, we will try our very best with our counterparts to keep our interests protected, keep our personnel, and that our interests in those countries continue, Huang said. And despite the challenges, Huang said he sees no prospects for cutting a deal with Beijing on endorsing its One China principle in return for maintaining Taiwans international presence. Everyone in Taiwan across party lines understands that China can continue to humiliate Taiwan because they have the power, Huang said. But to continue this kind of game would not necessarily bring about a Chinese unification or win over the minds and hearts of Taiwan people. Beijings efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically have been a big factor in the rise of pro-independence sentiment, said Ashley Esarey, a Taiwan scholar at Canadas University of Alberta. However, maintaining relations with a small number of states is less important than it was two decades ago, since Taiwanese have shifted their thinking to emphasize informal, substantive relationships over formal diplomatic partnerships, said Taiwan politics expert Shelley Rigger, a political scientist and longtime observer of Taiwanese politics at Davidson College in North Carolina. Rigger and other observers said they expect Beijing to continue picking off Taiwans remaining allies including Paraguay as a means of piling the pressure on Tsai. Chinas campaign to not only deepen Taiwans diplomatic isolation but also damage its economy by limiting Chinese tourist visits does seem to be having an impact, with Tsais approval ratings down considerably since she took office May 2016. While political unification with China is deeply unpopular among Taiwans 23 million people, support for trade and travel between the sides remains strong. MDT/AP Philippine troops clashed yesterday with communist rebels in the south, leaving eight rebels and a soldier dead, officials said. The fighting erupted after patrolling troops encountered some 40 New Peoples Army rebels in southern Compostela Valley province, said army spokesman Capt. Alexandre Cabales. The guerrillas later fled, leaving behind the bodies of eight rebels and six high-powered guns. A wounded soldier died on the way to a hospital, he said. On Monday, troops in the same province captured a camp of the rebels, who have been waging one of Asias longest- running Marxist insurgencies. The violence happened despite a statement by officials and rebel peace negotiators that they would suspend offensives to allow troops to focus on quelling a bloody siege by Islamic State group-aligned militants that in southern Marawi city. President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that the disastrous siege may end in 10 to 15 days but warned that the threat posed by the brutal group will continue to plague the country. Duterte also said he would try again this week to travel to Marawi city to be with government troops but acknowledged that bad weather and the danger posed by the militants deadly firepower have frustrated his travel plans. I think in 10 to 15 days itll already be OK, Duterte said of the protracted urban battle with the militants, whose supply of weapons has surprised him. But remember the new scourge is ISIS, it will continue to haunt us, he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group, in a speech before business executives. After 50 days of ground assaults and airstrikes, troops have recaptured most areas of the city, with the death toll recently surpassing 500. Security officials received intelligence about the planned attack days before the unprecedented Marawi siege unfolded, but they, along with the president, have acknowledged they underestimated the militants firepower. MDT/AP Chef Graham Elliot, the award winning Michelin starred chef and television personality from American cooking show Top Chef, visited Macau last week where he met with the press at a food-tasting event. The Chicago-based chef is slated to open a restaurant at MGM Cotai, named Coast. Its name is inspired by Americas relaxed West Coast lifestyle. In a press interview, Elliot talks about his impressions of Macau and his culinary preferences. The markets here are very different from the United States. How do you find it? Graham Elliot (GE) Yes. You know, I think its amazing how authentic everything is [here]. You know a lot of times the markets in the States, they appeal to people who have a lot of money and want really fancy things. And what Ive seen here is its for everybody. And these things are really fresh. []. Just seeing things are that alive and beautiful and the vegetables stuff like that. And its very inspiring and we actually thought we want to get these kinds of things on the menu. So now were looking at how were going to maybe redesign parts of the kitchen in this place so that we can have that kind of stuff. What did you eat in Macau that you find is special? GE Clube Militar was cool. We tried to get as many Portuguese things as possible and ordered a ton of different dishes. Then we hit a bunch of local spots yesterday where we had almond cookies, which were great. We went to the spot where they made all the traditional Portuguese egg tarts, again trying to hit as many places as possible, even if they were not Michelin starred fancy restaurants. We went to all the little food stalls to try some of those things, and some of the streets that we walked in were places where we got lost. Will Coast source local ingredients? GE Yes, absolutely! Im not from France, Im not from Japan, Im not from England but Ive traveled all over because my dad was in the navy, especially within the Philippines and Hawaii, then through the 50 states of the US. Im allowed to use ingredients from everywhere to make my style of food. Since Im here, the more places I go, more people I meet, and with the different dishes I try, it will all be reflected in the menu. What will be the highlights of Coast? GE The highlight isnt going to be just signature dishes, its going to be things that are influenced by the coastal region. So the wood burning over, shellfish bars, pizzas you know, things that are very light and fresh, not steaks. You know, you might have one burger on the menu, but its not a burger place. Its not just an American restaurant, its Western but inspired by things from the ocean and fresh produce. Its important to realize that a restaurant is also an extension of the chef and the company, and things like that. So its not just cuisine, its the feel of the place, the energy, the decor, the uniforms, the music, all of that. So when you come in, it should be like youre going to the persons house; its very fun and relaxed. How important are the dining options to the overall resort experience in MGM Cotai? GE I think that everybody nowadays is a foodie, right? Everybody loves great cuisine; they love going to restaurants and taking pictures of everything. So before, I think restaurants used to be places where you were only offered food, but now its equally as important to provide a gaming experience as well. People demand it, and I think that MGM leads the way by bringing in some great chefs and showing that food can be something very, very special. What attracted you to bring Coast to Macau? GE You know, I had an opportunity to showcase what I do out here. The fact that it was MGM and a new property based in this region, and it had so much diversity in history all meant that it was an opportunity that I wanted to jump at being a part of. My first real position as a chef, where I guess I began to make a name for myself, was at the Peninsula Hotel. I actually worked under Chef Oliver Weber [director of Culinary at MGM] so the chance to work with him again was very exciting. The overwhelming majority of visitors to Macau are obviously from mainland China. How does it affect you in terms of what youre thinking about for menu choices, or does is not really affect you? GE No, it absolutely does. And that one thing, I think, probably means that the menu is 75 percent there now, but instead of coming and dropping my restaurant and dishes here, I had to go back and change and say, maybe this is going to be a little spicier, this is going to have less cream or cheese here, [] things like that So the more that I taste, the more that I get to travel, and seeing things from this area absolutely influences the menu. Do you have any expectations to how guests will receive the menu that youve prepared? GE Yes, I think that if you go into any type of venture like this with an open mind and open eyes and youre willing to change, youre going to be successful. So I want to be able to hear feedback from everyone and keep adjusting so that maybe this dish is not spicy now, or maybe this one is too small and it should be larger to serve a family. So, I think that if every day and week we keep going, were going to learn from that and really cater towards those people who come in. What is your favorite dish? GE There are changes all the time but if I had to choose one thing to eat for example, if Im stuck on a deserted island it would just be sushi. Its important to have a relationship with food and know the history of it, where its from, and sometimes things can get too muddled and messy by putting too many things on a dish. So when you have a fish that comes out of the water and youve sliced it and youve taken care of it, when you taste [] its delicious and pure. I think thats something that resonates with me. What is your cooking philosophy? GE I guess a couple things would include the idea that less is more. Sometimes the best ingredients are the ones that you dont put on the plate so just some very pure flavors. The other thing is understanding that cuisine is a grey area. Its not black and white. You can turn it into anything you want. [] We should always be [able] to change, and make things new and exciting. The snowballing revelations about Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer during last years presidential campaign have broadsided the White House, distracting from its agenda as aides grapple with a crisis involving the presidents family. The public has not laid eyes on the president since his return from Europe Saturday. But in private, Trump has raged against the latest Russia development, with most of his ire directed at the media, not his son, according to people who have spoken to him in recent days. The only comment from Trump on the matter for much of the day came in a brief statement via spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who said Tuesday that the president believes his son is a high-quality person. Yesterday morning, Trump tweeted that his son was open, transparent and innocent, again referring to the investigation as the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. The president also questioned the sources of the media reporting on the story. The bombshell revelation that Trump Jr. was eager to accept information from the Russian government landed hard on weary White House aides. While staff people have grown accustomed to a good news cycle being overshadowed by the Russia investigations, Trump aides and outside advisers privately acknowledged that this weeks developments felt more serious. Trump Jr. released four pages of emails Tuesday in which he communicates with an associate trying to arrange a meeting with a Russian lawyer. In the emails, the intermediary says the attorney has negative information about Democrat Hillary Clinton that is part of the Russian governments efforts to help Trump in the campaign. The then-candidates son responds: I love it. This new setback raises new questions about whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow during the election, a charge the president has denied for months. And it points those questions more directly at the inner circle of Trumps own family. AP In a demonstration of the Chinese navys expanding global reach, the countrys latest-generation warships conducted live-firing drills in the Mediterranean Sea this week while en route to joint exercises with the Russian navy, the defense ministry said yesterday. The destroyer Hefei, frigate Yuncheng and support ship Luomahu took part in Mondays drills involving the ships deck guns and small arms, the ministry said in a notice on its website. Maintaining a strict schedule of targeted exercises accomplishes transit, training and improvement en route, raising the flotillas training levels and capabilities, it quote flotilla commander Liu Hui as saying. The ships will next take part in the Joint Sea 2017 exercises in waters off the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, part of growing cooperation between the countries militaries. Chinas navy is the worlds second-largest behind the U.S. and is increasingly operating in the Mediterranean, aided by the construction of a naval logistics base in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Two naval ships departed Tuesday from the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang with personnel to man the facility, Chinas first overseas military base. While China says the base is needed to support peacekeeping, anti-piracy and other missions in the region, Beijings rivalry with the U.S. is considered a key driving force behind the countrys military expansion. The U.S. Navy is also more combat ready because it has been actively participating in joint drills and regional wars for decades, the official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial yesterday. This means China has to work harder to become a major naval power that can better defend its territorial rights and sovereignty, it said. On Tuesday, Chinas sole operating aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, departed Hong Kong after a visit aimed at inspiring patriotism among citizens of the former British colony that reverted to Chinese rule 20 years ago. Taiwans defense ministry said it was monitoring the progress of the carrier and its escorts as they traveled northward along the western portion of the Taiwan Strait. AP ALMO Castle Rocks State Park, Magic Valley Astronomical Society and the College of Southern Idahos Centennial Observatory will host solar viewing safe views of the sun with specially filtered telescopes from 2 to 6 p.m. July 21 at the state park's Smoky Mountain Campground. The same day, a star party with telescope viewing will be 9 p.m. to midnight at the park's Ranch House site. Organizers suggest bringing warm clothing and perhaps binoculars. The events are free, but the state park's normal $5 vehicle-entry fee still applies. TWIN FALLS The American Legion Auxiliary has sent seven delegates to Girls State from the following schools: Sarah Nebeker and Madison Rencher from Xavier Charter School; Persia Thatcher and Bethany Romney from Canyon Ridge High School; and Sara Mandura, Lucy Murphy and Cheyon Sheen from Twin Falls High School. American Legion Auxiliary units in all 50 states host Girls State, a week of learning focused on responsible citizenship, leadership and love for God and country. Participants are assigned to mock cities into either the Federalist Party or Nationalist Party. They learn about the political process by electing officials for all levels of state government and actively run a mock government. Idaho hosts a trip to the State Capitol for role playing in the actual offices of the state, said a statement from the Twin Falls auxiliary. The students run for political office, campaign and debate for the passage of legislation and meet with Idaho congressmen and senators. As they return, they are encouraged to discuss their reasons for joining and the opportunities and benefits they have gained as a Girls State citizen; they do this by being invited by their respective donating community businesses for a luncheon. Volunteers Interlink Volunteer Caregivers, a nonprofit organization, provides volunteers for elderly, disabled and chronically ill people to assist with non-medical routine tasks so they can remain independent. Volunteers are needed in all eight counties of Magic Valley to help with transportation, light housekeeping and simple home repairs. Volunteers are especially needed for transportation in the Wendell and Gooding area. Volunteers are reimbursed for mileage monthly and covered with excess auto liability insurance. Commitment is flexible with no minimum hours required. Information: Edie, 208-733-6333 or email ivcofmv@gmail.com. Drivers The American Cancer Society is looking for volunteer drivers for its Road to Recovery program. Volunteers are needed to drive cancer patients to and from medical treatment facilities, especially for appointments in Twin Falls. The Cancer Society trains volunteer drivers and schedules rides for patients for free. Drivers must have a current and valid drivers license, a good driving record, a safe and reliable car, and proof of car insurance. Volunteer drivers donate their time and the use of their vehicles. The program is flexible for volunteers to provide as many rides as they want. Information: 1-800-227-2345. Volunteers Idaho Home Health and Hospice needs volunteers who will bring compassion, support and dignity to those facing a serious, life-limiting illness and their families. Volunteers can choose between offering respite to family caregivers or provide support with administrative tasks. Information: Heidi Walker, 208-734-4064 or Heidi.Walker@LHCgroup.com. Drivers The Twin Falls Senior Center needs drivers to deliver meals to homebound seniors in Twin Falls Monday through Friday. The routes take an hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability. Volunteers must be 18 years of age with their own car, and have proof of liability insurance and a background check. Drivers receive 53.5 cents a mile fuel reimbursement. Information: 208-734-5084. Volunteers Horizon Home Health and Hospice is looking for volunteers to join their team to provide quality compassionate care to patients through the following activities: companionship, socialization, respite, and support for patients and families and much more. Information: Cynthia Nixon, 208-800-8085 or cnixon@horizonhh.com. Volunteers The Twin Falls County Historical Society is seeking volunteers for various programs and general support. Volunteers are needed to paint, clean or work on docent projects and fundraising. No minimum amount of hours, commitment is flexible. Fill out an application at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum (Union School at Curry), open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Information: 208-736-4675. Volunteers The Jerome County Historical Society is looking for volunteers to help at the Depot Museum and at the Idaho Farm and Ranch Museum. Volunteers will receive training on duties at either museum. The in-town Depot Museum duties will include answering the phone, some filing, and showing visitors the artifacts. The IFARM Museum duties will mostly be outdoors helping to clean the grounds and repairing buildings, but also cleaning inside the buildings. Some machinery and building repairing may be included. Closed Sundays and Mondays. To volunteer, call 208-324-5641 from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Volunteers St Lukes Home Health and Hospice is looking for new volunteers to join its team to share compassion and care and increase the quality of life for patients and their families. This program is designed to offer companionship and socialization to the patients as well as respite and support for the caregivers. Information: Marie Sharp, 208-814-7603 or sharpm@slhs.org. Volunteers St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center has opened some new areas to volunteer. The new Cuddler and Patient Comfort programs need volunteers immediately. St. Lukes has several other volunteer positions with opportunities to serve others and meet new people. By being a volunteer at St. Lukes Magic Valley, you are also a part of the auxiliary. For an application packet or information: Kim Patterson, 208-814-0861. TWIN FALLS Assessors throughout the Magic Valley are wrapping up the valuations on which next years budgets and taxes will be based, and some property owners in Twin Falls County are seeing sharp increases in their assessments. Assessor Gerald Bowden expects to have the final number for the countys valuation in about a week, but cities, which are putting their budgets together now, have gotten preliminary estimates. Twin Falls is working with a number of $2.658 billion, compared with $2.36 billion this year, a 13 percent jump. And thats with less new construction than last year $49.36 million, versus $67.12 million in new construction that factored into this years valuation, City Manager Travis Rothweiler said Monday as he went over his 2018 budget proposal. The number led Mayor Shawn Barigar to wonder aloud whether the assessors office had accidentally included some urban renewal district properties, which the city doesnt tax, in the roll. Rothweiler, though, said that number does make sense to us based on what he has heard anecdotally about what people saw on their assessment notices. Some of them (the increases) were fairly large, and those increases are probably reflected in that, Rothweiler said. County Commissioner Terry Kramer said he expects the final increase in the countys value to be somewhere in the low teens, with high demand and scarcity of properties driving it. Its a sellers market, not a buyers market, and so, I think, as you have a commodity that is a little shorter in supply then you have quicker sales, he said. Another factor, he said, has been farmers buying up adjoining land to expand their own operations. I think all of that feeds this market and creates that rise, he said. Every county in Idaho just wrapped up the two-week process during which its commissioners meet as the Board of Equalization, hearing appeals from assessments and deciding on exemptions. More than 200 parcels in Twin Falls County have contested their assessments over the two weeks, said Commissioner Jack Johnson. Been a pretty busy week, he said Monday, as commissioners wrapped up their equalization work. Johnson said the commissioners are even considering asking the countys state legislators to sponsor a bill extending the period during which counties hear and must decide on tax appeals currently it runs from the fourth Monday in June to the second in July, a time frame set in state code. Kramer said most of the appeals were properties within the city of Twin Falls, and many of them were multifamily dwellings. There were also a few industrial properties that challenged their assessments, and commercial properties along Blue Lakes Boulevard. He suspects the owners of apartment buildings were more likely to appeal their assessments because if you own a rental higher property taxes can end up meaning higher rents. That really affects the bottom line for the owner, he said. Jerome County is in the process of finalizing its numbers and should be done in a week or two, said Assessor Rick Haberman. The Board of Equalization hasnt been nearly as busy as in Twin Falls, though Haberman said only a few property owners appealed. The city of Jerome is, for now, assuming assessments stayed relatively flat or went up incrementally as it develops its budget, said city Administrator Mike Williams. Hes heard different things anecdotally some people say their assessments have gone up by as much as 15 percent, while others are just reporting 1 or 2 percent increases. Were projecting an incremental increase, but I think we could be surprised, I suppose, on Aug. 1, he said. Preliminary numbers for Gooding County show a taxable value of $917 million, an increase of about 6 percent from this years $864 million, said Assessor Justin Baldwin. Its a little higher than normal, he said. Over the past few years were seeing 4 to 6 percent increases. So if it continues, in a couple of years well be over a billion dollars. Residential property values have risen consistently, Baldwin said. Also, improvements to the countys dairies have driven up the countys overall value. Theres a lot more automation happening in that industry and those things are adding quite a bit of value, he said. Baldwin said the increases have been relatively spread out across the county, but sometimes you see bursts in certain areas last year, for example, there was a lot of activity in Wendell, while this year there seems to have been more movement in residential values in the Hagerman area. Counties like his, he said, tend to see smaller spikes and drops than bigger counties with hotter real estate markets. Were halfway a bedroom community to Twin, he said, but because our industry and economy is based mostly on agriculture, we see (fewer) of the highs and the lows than someplace like Twin Falls will see. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and the Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington state are no longer under review for possible modification, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Thursday. The monuments were among 27 covered by President Donald Trumps April executive order calling for a review of monuments created since 1996. Thursdays announcement that no changes will be made to the two monuments came after public comments and conversations with stakeholders, Zinke said. When the president and I began the monument review process we absolutely realized that not all monuments are the same and that not all monuments would require modifications, Zinke said. The Hanford Reach, which includes the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River, is located north of Richland, Washington. The reach was designated by President Bill Clinton in 2000. It covers 195,000 acres and much of the land was once a security zone around the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and has remained largely undisturbed since World War II. Sportsmen and women from all over the country go to Hanford Reach for some of the best fishing and bird hunting around, Zinke said. Its also home to some of the most well-preserved remnants of human history in the area. The environmental group Conservation Northwest hailed the decision. In addition to being the last free-flowing stretch of the heavily-dammed Columbia, the Hanford Reach is a vital area of increasingly rare desert grassland habitat, the group said. The Hanford Reach is home to 43 species of fish, 42 mammal species, 258 bird species and many other animals, the group said. Craters of the Moon covers 54,000 acres north of Burley in eastern Idaho. There have been calls recently to turn the monument, established in 1924 and expanded in 2000, into Idahos first national park. As a former geologist, I realize Craters of the Moon is a living timeline of the geologic history of our land on the Great Rift, Zinke said. Whether its hiking up the alien-like lava flows ... or just driving through the scenic loop, theres a lot to see and learn at this historic location, Zinke said. Trump had called the designation of the 27 monuments a massive federal land grab that never should have happened. Critics of the review worried it could lead to reducing the size of national monuments or completely removing protections from some. TWIN FALLS Idaho is projected to have more jobs and more skilled jobs than its population changes can meet. How will the state address these problems? On Thursday, the Governors Workforce Task Force will present its recommendations to the Workforce Development Council. The taskforce was appointed in January to provide short-term recommendations on how Idaho can deliver training programs to meet the demand of skilled workers. Its final report has just been submitted, and will be presented to the council before going to Gov. C.L. Butch Otter for review. Hopefully, those recommendations can go a long way toward serving the needs of those employers, said Rogelio Roy Valdez, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Labor. The Workforce Development Council meets from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the College of Southern Idahos Herrett Center, 315 Falls Ave. The taskforce presents its recommendations at 9:30 a.m. The 27-member council is comprised of members from business and industry, education, labor organizations and government officials. Its goal is to provide oversight and recommendation on workforce development, to determine how the state will invest money in those efforts, Valdez said. TWIN FALLS Two people were taken to the hospital after a crash on Interstate 84 late Thursday morning. Ronald Honeycutt, 69, of Candler, N.C., was driving east in a motor home towing a Jeep Patriot near the Twin Falls exit when one of the motor homes tires blew out, said Idaho State Police. Honeycutt rolled over and went off the road into the median. He and passenger Terry Honeycutt, 66, also of Candler, were taken to St. Lukes magic Valley Medical Center. Both were wearing seat belts, police said. Both westbound lanes were blocked temporarily while an air ambulance landed, and the eastbound lanes remained open for the duration but the crash slowed down traffic. Jerome County sheriffs deputies and an off-duty Minidoka County deputy assisted state police. The Commerce Clause of the US Constitution has generated a respectable body of jurisprudence on the limits of state legislatures in respect to interstate commerce. The basic persuasion, of course, is that no state shall be free to write into law protective measures favoring its own citizens that may provoke other states to retaliate with equally protective measures to the detriment of national commerce. But the recondite testsincluding heightened scrutiny and the balancing of interests applied to the states exercise of police powerpoint to the issues we may reasonably anticipate, should we rewrite our Constitution to make of the Republic a federation. Each region will have a legislature of sortswhether styled congresses or assemblies. But it does not follow that there will be a distinct civil code, a code of commerce or a penal code for each region. It is however one of the promises of federalism to Muslim Mindanao that Sharia shall, in those parts of the Philippines, fully apply, save those provisions that run contrary to constitutional guarantees. And conceivably, the same promise is made to the Cordilleras, although most of the provinces had once voted in a plebiscite against an autonomous region. This is the reason that I earlier wrote that an asymmetrical federal republic seems to be the more reasonable proposition: Regions enjoying powers of the state devolved in different measures. At one time, the states of the United States had common law governing commercial dealings, whether within the state, or interstate. But as the market increased in complexity as did relations and transactions between market-players, common law was stretched taut, and soon, each state crafted laws dealing with such matters as negotiable instruments, securities, anti-trust and even commercial contracts. Gradually, the US, where common law is enshrined in the Constitution, arrived at the same realization Roman jurists did centuries earlier: The desirability of a code. Hence, a Uniform Code of Commerce that was offered to each State as a model and that, in many parts of the US, was simply enacted into law by state legislatures. That will not preclude our regional legislatures in the Philippines from enacting commercial laws (once more, it matters little whether they will be called Acts or Ordinances because their statutory status will be clear) that address the particularities of a region. Where indigenous communities live side by side with Filipinos absorbed by main-stream culture, then it may be necessary to provide for transactions between indigenous communities and othersand these may include the codification of customary law that, in turn, will call for very serious and studious anthropological research. One criterion in American jurisprudence that will certainly be inapplicable in a federal Philippines is the doctrine of original powers that can be summarized thus: When a power of the United States is one that the states originally possessed, then the US Congress cannot trump such power by federal legislation. In the Philippines, states or regions have no original powers, because they were not original configurations. The United States was formed from colonies turned states surrendering some of their powersthough not allthat the United States might exist. Not so, in the case of the Philippines, for what was original is Las Filipinas that was a Spanish colony, the Republic that declared its independence in 1898 and was granted independence by the United States in 1946. ADVERTISEMENT Another factor that will of crucial importance is that some resources will be found in one or the other region that are vital to the national economy: Consider hydroelectric, geothermal or other sources of renewable energy. But all of this is really part of that greater challenge about determining the extent that we go federaland the salutary realization that there is no fixed formula for a federal republic, that tough decisions, forged by listens of history as well as the pressures of contemporary life that militate against crippling tribalism, must be made about devolution, decentralization and empowerment. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.eu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Prime Minister Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting in his office as the investigation noose tightens on him and his close aides. The agenda of the meeting has not been made public but a source told Channel 2 that the meeting is aimed at preparing a media blitz in the coming days as a response to the investigations. At least 5 ministers and several members of the parliament reported to be allies of the Netanyahu attended the meeting.There are ongoing investigations into the submarine scandal and the Bezeq affair. Avi Gabais victory as the new head of the Labor party has also raised concerns within the ruling Likuds ranks. The Prime Ministers personal lawyer David Shimron was questioned by the Polices fraud unit on Thursday in relation to the submarine deal as allegations of possible corruption and bribery which is estimated to be worth billions of shekels. Netanyahu is not directly linked to the scandal but senior officials such as the former deputy head of the National Security Council Avriel Bar-Yosef and Thyssen Krupps Israeli agent Miki Ganor have been detained as investigations progress. Thyssen Krupp, a German shipbuilding company, has been silent about its dealings in sealing the agreement. However, Netanyahu allegedly played a role in facilitating the Bezeqs empowerment as the leading telecommunications firm in the Jewish State. The Prime Minister refuted the allegations as futile but State Comptroller Yosef Shapira claims that Netanyahus failure to expose his connection to Elovitz in a conflict of interest declaration has raised doubts over the treatment accorded to Bezeq by Shlomo Filber, Communications Ministry director-general. Filber was questioned for the second time by the Israel Securities Authority recently. He was appointed to the post by Netanyahu in June 2015. Thats what I specialize in: messy, real-world data where you try to prove the cause-and-effect relationship, he saids Baiocchi and his team have designed a closed-cohort study that will track the behavior of about 5,000 girls and 1,000 boys in Kenya who are enrolled in No Means No Worldwide, which is training 300,000 girls and boys in Africa to prevent rape and teen pregnancy. The entire Rosenkranz selection committee was highly impressed both with the rigor of Mikes work which he publishes in top journals in the field of statistics as well as his unconventional and potentially very impactful work on the prevention of gender-based violence in illegal settlements around Nairobi, said Grant Miller, PhD, associate professor of medicine and a core faculty member at Stanford Health Policy. Miller chairs the committee that selects the winners of the annual prize, which goes to promising young Stanford researchers who are investigating ways to improve health care and health policy in developing countries. The awards namesake, George Rosenkranz, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, first synthesized cortisone in 1951, and later progestin, the active ingredient in birth control pills. He went on to establish the Mexican National Institute for Genomic Medicine. His family created the Rosenkranz Prize in 2009. Overwhelming prevalence of sexual violence The World Health Organization estimates that globally, one in three women experience sexual or physical violence. In Kenya, national surveys reveal that as many as 46 percent of Kenyan women experience sexual assault as children. In the roughest part of the Nairobi slums, 20 to 25 percent of high school girls will be raped this year, said Baiocchi. This program, however, looks like it is having the ability to cut that in about half. Our job is to tease out the evidence through careful measurement and design of experiment. To do this, Baiocchi and other members of the Stanford Gender-Based Violence Collaborative have traveled to Nairobi to collect baseline data. His partner on the project is Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, senior research scholar for the Global Child Health Program in the Department of Pediatrics. An evaluation of the program, published in 2014 in Pediatrics, found that more than half of 2,000 high school girls who had completed the self-defense course had used their newfound skills to fend off sexual harassment or rape. Theyre play-acting and just being kids, but you are also watching them evolving and creating new ways to deal with these situations. But Lee Paiva, the San Francisco-based founder of No Means No Worldwide, wanted more definitive proof. In a 2016 interview with Stanford Medicine magazine, she said that since establishing training in 2010 she often wondered about the true effectiveness of the program. A little voice inside me said, What did you teach them? she said. What did those kids actually get? What is that money really going to do? She determined that she wasnt going to move forward on the program until she could answer those questions. That is when she turned to Stanford. Baiocchi and Sarnquist spent several months last year working with their Kenyan partners, Ujamaa-Africa and the African Institute for Health and Development, in 90 schools in the poorest parts of Nairobi to establish the largest randomized trial of its kind. They interviewed the girls who have taken part in the six-week empowerment and self-defense program taught by Kenyans who grew up in the same neighborhoods and are familiar with the local culture. Its hard not to be extraordinarily excited when you watch these girls; theyre play-acting and just being kids, but you are also watching them evolving and creating new ways to deal with these situations, said Baiocchi. The team is now tracking a fixed group of 5,000 girls and 1,000 boys, ages 10 to 16, over two years. This will give the researchers a better understanding of just how the girls are adopting the training and readapting to societal demands. Doing a randomized trial is slow, expensive and if Im being totally honest anxiety-inducing because everything is laid so bare and you put things in motion today that wont be resolved for another two years, Baiocchi said. But the reward is extraordinarily high-quality data that helps you understand whats really going on. We need this level of evidence if were going to take on such a difficult problem. Thousands of people filled the streets of Dakar to welcome former Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade, who returned to lead his party into legislative elections in the West African nation. The 91-year-old, accompanied by his wife Viviane, flew in Dakar from Paris, to run for parliament in Julys elections. He will top the list for the opposition PDS party that he founded in 1974 and led since then as Secretary-General. A long-time opposition leader, he ran for President four times, beginning in 1978, before he was elected in 2000. He won re-election in 2007 with a majority in the first round, but in 2012 he was defeated in a controversial bid for a third term. Campaign for the late July polls has opened and is expected to last for about three weeks. Wade will be leading one side of the opposition with the other headed by former Mayor of Dakar Khalifa Sall, who was jailed in March over allegations of embezzling about $2.9 million. Algerias energy minister Mustapha Guitouni stated that they have to use technology at the optimum level to get better returns of their oil and gas resources as well as better evaluate them while increasing investment in the oil sector. He revealed that part of the Algerian governments diversification plan is to increase the amount of energy generated from renewable sources notably solar energy because they want to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The Algerian minister was speaking at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress when he made these remarks. His views were supported by the head of Sonatrach, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, who added that despite being determined to increase their effectiveness, investment in the oil sector needs to be done cautiously. Thats why we must be careful in terms of research. We need to be particularly optimistic about drilling, he said.With regards to solar energy, the CEO of the state-owned company said work has already begun. According to the Energy Information Administration, Algeria is the leading natural gas producer in Africa, the second-largest natural gas supplier to Europe, and is one of the top three oil producers in Africa. The oil market has been struggling over the years. The latest report from OPEC warned that demand for crude oil has been dropping and the trend is expected to continue next year. Algerias economy is heavily dependent on the exportation of hydrocarbon. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo however said they remain very optimistic in helping the market to rebalance itself. Compliance by OPEC members to cut production has fell from 100% to 96% and Barkindo said they are fully satisfied with the very high level of conformity. On Tuesday July 4th, 2017, The UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, continued on its quest to educate and empower African youths as it visited the Accra High School in Ghana.UBA Foundation Read Africa Initiative was launched in 2011 and has been changing the lives of African students across the continent for six years. The Project is aimed at encouraging children to improve their vocabulary and communication skills through reading. Through its Read Africa initiative, the UBA Foundation is helping rekindle the dwindling reading culture amongst African youths as they pursue their education.Over a hundred thousand books and educational materials have been donated to various schools across Africa as UBA Foundation continues to traverse the continent, contributing positively to the development of African youths.The Accra High school assembly hall was packed with over 500 energetic and enthusiastic high school students who were already in reading mode as they prepare for their exams next week. They were eager to talk about their own ambitions and to read passages from The Fishermen.Bola Atta, Acting CEO of the UBA Foundation, told the children that the Foundation was eager to give back to society and to contribute to creating dynamic educational platforms for future generations on the continent. She encouraged the students to read voraciously saying:the pursuit of knowledge should be a lifelong activity that starts at a very young age. You should read all types of books so that you can explore and shape your own narrative.Abiola Bawuah, the CEO of UBA Ghana who was also present, advised the students to pay a lot of attention to studying. Dont spend all your time glued to your mobile phones. Spare some moments for reading also said Bawuah.The Assistant Head master of Accra High School, Michael Addo thanked the UBA Foundation for coming to their Aid.United Bank for Africa (UBA)Plc, Africa's global bank, is committed to being a socially responsible company and role model for all businesses in Africa. UBA understands that there is a need for a social contract between the bank, the communities in which it operates, and its people. To this end, in 2006, UBA became the first bank in Nigeria to institute a foundation, the UBA Foundation. As the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the UBA Group, UBA Foundation is committed to the socio-economic betterment of communities across the African continent focusing on development in the areas of Environment, Education, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects. Tumblewood Teas is the name of the tea company in Big Timber, Montana, founded and run by Riza Gilpin & Laurie Rennie. But what does the name mean? Channel John Waynes voice here I reckon the gals wanted somethin western, like tumbleweed and Deadwood. Thanks, John. The reason for a western-sounding name is not solely because Tumblewood is based in a small agricultural town on the banks of the Yellowstone River, but because Gilpin and Rennie are in defense of tea, a product of the Far East, as a western drink. With their high-quality product, workshops, savvy branding and persistence the women are generating a tea revolution. It has nothing to do with the political movement; it is a transformation of our appetites and mindset. When I visited Tumblewood headquarters at 403 McLeod St., Gilpin, a life-long tea lover, and Rennie, a shy but fanatical convert, made for me a delicious and aromatic cup of loose-leaf Rooibos with spring water. They then sat me down to teach me about varieties of tea, the reasons why it is a superior drink, and the proper way to brew it: 195 water for oolong, 208 for black and herbal. Tea parties, I discovered, are serious business. I was semi-prepared, as I have a little tea cred. I lived in tea-drinking Scotland when I was a kid. My Scottish, paternal great-grandfather owned and operated tea plantations in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the 1800s. And I have a maternal ancestor who participated in the Boston Tea Party dressed like a Mohawk or Narragansett Indian, which means he was one of the Sons of Liberty. I thus respect the beverage. My tea of choice? Loose leaf Earl Grey blended with the Lapsang souchong, served with milk and honey. But I digress Since that wild night in Boston in 1773, tea has been associated in the recesses of the American psyche with the British, thus un-patriotic. Thats total malarkey, of course. As the Tumblewood gals will tell you, the American West was won by tea drinkers: Europeans, Russians and Chinese. Settlers drank green and Ceylon (black) tea, according to Rennie who saw steamship manifests at a museum in Fort Benton, Montana. Tea, it turns out, is as western as it gets. Interestingly, according to Gilpin, the Chinese who built western railroads escaped dysentery because they drank tea. Smart. It was the Chinese, after all, who began drinking leaves from the evergreen shrub, Camellia sinensis, 5,000 years ago for medicinal reasons (green tea, like Rooibos, is rich in antioxidants). Real tea is native to Asia and is now cultivated throughout the world. The leaves and buds are harvested then processed to varying degrees of oxidation. White, green, black, yellow, oolong and Puerh are all from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, whereas Rooibos is a shrub from South Africa, and herbal teas are made from flowers and herbs. Tumblewood sells 60 flavors of tea. Some are single origin (unblended leaves grown in one location). Some are blends. All are sourced from the highest quality plants. With their beautiful packaging and fun names like Black Bart and Galloping Green, Tumblewood products make fantastic gifts. These are very serious teas. We name them fun names because Tumblewood is about really enjoying tea, says Gilpin. Tea is tasty and versatile. The chef at the Timber Bar in Big Timber now uses Tumblewoods Lapsang in his prime rib. Yumm! Even the venerable men ranchers who gather at Big Timbers Frosty Freez (pronounced freeze) now drink loose-leaf Tumblewood tea. They are proof that Gilpin and Rennie are successfully converting our palates and debunking stereotypes one hot cup at a time. Tumblewood Teas is sold in most Montana grocery stores, in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, at Montana State University and the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, and at retail stores and resorts throughout the state. HELENA The Montana Historical Society released a plan on Wednesday to potentially meet a 16 percent budget cut. The amount slashed from the budget is determined by a bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Steve Bullock to trigger certain cuts if state tax revenues arent met. The Historical Society is one of several agencies that could face cuts if Montana doesnt reach $2.18 billion by June 30, the end of fiscal year 2018. The $600,000 in cuts triggered by a shortage of revenue is in addition to cuts already established by the Legislature for $400,000. Bruce Whittenberg, executive director of the Montana Historical Society, has said the agency is preparing for the worst case scenario. In the plan, which would go into effect August 18, 24 staff members would see reduced hours, be asked to retire or have a change in responsibilities. A total of eight full or part-time employees will be laid off. In addition to staff reductions, certain programs will be scaled back including: No guided tours of the Capitol Building Altered and shorter museum hours Thursday evening public programs will be discontinued Some fee increases for services, fewer staff to process requests resulting in delays No public hours to view photo archives. Services by appointment only. Reduction in public relations and marketing efforts All services and programs outside of Helena involving travel expenses will be reduced Other agencies facing reductions include the Montana State Library which will likely lose services for people with vision impairment and physical disabilities, mental health services, delay of payments to schools and rates paid to providers for low-income healthcare. The slew of potholes and pothole complaints in Missoula this spring caught the ear of Missoula City Council. At the council's Wednesday budget committee meeting, Ward 5 representative Julie Armstrong recommended funding a full-time street division worker to replace two seasonal positions. I dont ever see pour workload slowing down or diminishing, Streets Superintendent Brian Hensel said. I can get much more work done with those full-time guys year-round. Hensel had asked for two full-time positions, but Armstrong recommended just one at about $70,000 a year. Most of our complaints are about potholes, Armstrong said. Our streets are the face of the city. No final vote was taken on the matter. Wastewater, another oft-criticized division for the consistent backup of storm drains every downpour, told the council they planned on adding two utility technicians to work on the issue. The wastewater division is fully funded by sewer bill fees and its spending doesnt affect property taxes. The regular backups are largely due to unmaintained drains, Wastewater Superintendent Bob Hayes said. Some havent been cleaned out in 30-some years. With the maintenance staff, wed have a regular schedule were they go out and maintain, Hayes said. Public Works Director John Wilson added, In many cases its as simple as popping the lid and vacuuming up the debris. The council also heard from Heidi Kendall, the City/County Health Departments suicide prevention specialist. Kendall is currently the only paid staff in the office and manages around 140 volunteers. She also organizes events and speakers at schools and answers the phones, all on a half-time schedule. She asked for $50,000 to move herself to a full-time position, or hire another part-timer to help out. Armstrong cited Montanas high suicide rate (Top 5 in the nation for the past 40 years, according to the health departments website) and Missoula Countys problems with suicide. In 2014, the county had 33.8 suicides per 100,000 residents, the highest rate on record. If we dont do something about it, its an empty conversation, Armstrong said. She sought vote on the matter, but the rest of the committee felt they should wait until more budget items were heard. Although the Parking Commissions budget also comes outside revenue (from meters, fines and leases), Director Rod Austin filled in the council Wednesday on its plans for the next fiscal year. The commission is making much more than it estimated off of the new meters, Austin said, $80,000-$90,000 per month, over the $30,000-$50,000 they made with the old machines. The new machines cost at least $8,000 per month to maintain, Austin added, from IT upkeep. His office also increased long-term lease rates this summer, to try and slow demand and encourage people who regularly come downtown to find other ways to travel. All spots in the commissions 24 downtown lots are leased, Austin said and it charges anywhere from $35-$85 per month for a spot. But with growth downtown comes a need for more parking and Austin said the commission is at least 650 spaces short of its ideal right now. The reality is, even though our revenue is good, were years away from accumulating the cash and bonds needed for a new project, he said. The public hearing for the FY18 budget opens July 17 and the council is on schedule to vote on a final budget on July 24. POLSON The state is stepping in with $14.6 million in loans to help Polson complete a new wastewater treatment plant so that it no longer dumps effluent into the Flathead River that violates water quality standards. In 2008, the EPA fined the city $40,000 for failing to meet discharge criteria. Gov. Steve Bullock said the money to help the city comply with state and federal environmental standards will come from the State Revolving Fund. Work on the new, $17 millon plant, which replaces the old lagoon system, is already underway. Polson Mayor Heather Knutson said the loans were important for the funding package the city needed to make the project feasible. The city hopes to receive another grant to help defray the remainder of the cost. Polson residents have already seen their rates rise two times and Knutson expects there will be a third rate increase next spring. Financing has been one of the largest challenges that weve faced, Knutson said. The city commission made the decision in 2014 to move forward with a new plant rather than attempting to upgrade the current facility. The citys current lagoon system discharges effluent into the Flathead River about a quarter mile downstream from Riverside Park. The discharge does not meet water quality standards. The original wastewater treatment system was built in 1981. The last major improvements were made in 2001. Polson City Manager Mark Shrives said the city has had ongoing difficulties meeting water quality standards. We were unable to consistently treat wastewater in accord with the citys discharge permit, Shrives said. Our treatment infrastructure was aging and outdated, and we discharge into the Flathead River, which as a high-use recreation area has more stringent standards for water quality. Construction of the new facility began in April. It is expected to be completed sometime by October 2018. The city has already received about $1 million in grants to assist with the engineering and design study of the new plant. The loan will allow the city to repay the $14.2 million at 2.5 percent interest over the next 30 years. A second loan of $400,000 at 2.5 percent for 30 years will be forgiven if certain conditions are met. Leaders of the Indian Health Service struggled Wednesday at a Senate hearing to defend the Trump administrations plans to slash funding to the agency, which is reeling from quality of care problems at several of its hospitals, a doctor shortage and facilities showing their age. The lack of answers infuriated both Democrats and Republicans on the Appropriations subcommittee. I cannot believe what has transpired today. All I want is some damn answers, thats it, said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., as he admonished Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee, the Indian Health Services acting director since June. When Weahkee refused to say how staffing levels would be affected under the Trump administrations proposed 2018 budget, Tester became visibly shaken and yelled back: I did not come in here with my hair on fire but I am leaving here with it. Its no wonder [the agency is] in crisis. The administration officials could not answer some basic questions from senators, including how much money the agency has gained from the health laws Medicaid expansion and whether President Donald Trumps budget proposal would help the agency to hire more staff. The Indian Health Service, which oversees care to 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, has been chronically underfunded, and several of its hospitals have lost accreditation or been put under special watch by Medicare because of conditions that harmed patients. It has a 30 percent vacancy rate for doctors, dentists and physician assistants. In 2013, Indian Health Service spending for patient health services was $2,849 a person, compared with $7,717 for per capita health care spending nationally, according to a report from the National Congress of American Indians. Despite less funding, Native Americans typically have higher incidences of serious health problems than the general public, including higher rates of diabetes, liver disease and unintentional injuries. Trumps budget includes $4.7 billion for the agency. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the Alaska Republican who chairs the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies that held Wednesday's hearing, said the proposed budget would amount to a 6 percent cut from the current funds. She noted the trim was well below other Department of Health and Human Services agencies, where proposed funding is reduced by an average of 18 percent. Yet she said she was stunned to hear IHS officials at the hearing say the Trump budget has enough money to improve care. You have not answered my question on whether we have provided you sufficient resources, Murkowski told Weahkee. I cant stand down knowing our system is failing so many Native Americans around the country. Weahkee, a member of the Zuni tribe, was previously CEO of the IHS largest hospital in Phoenix. He said the proposed budget prioritizes funding on patient care, while it cuts funding to modernize and build facilities. He said the agencys appropriations are augmented by payments from Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid provided $880 million in funding in 2016 more than any other third-party funding source, according to a report released Wednesday by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Murkowski said she is worried about the effects on the Indian health care system if Congress were to accept a Republican health plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The current version being advanced by Senate leaders would end the ACAs Medicaid expansion and cap future Medicaid funding to states. Alaska was one of 31 states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and Murkowski has said she has serious qualms about the current plan. Senate GOP leadership delayed the bill when it failed to get enough support before the July Fourth recess. A new version of the legislation is expected to be released Thursday. Operating in some of the nations poorest places, the Indian Health Service has failed to meet minimum federal standards for medical facilities, turned away gravely ill patients and caused unnecessary deaths, The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing federal regulators, agency documents and interviews. Murkowski said she was dismayed by the agencys recent track record, particularly after she helped steer an extra $29 million in this years budget to address quality of care problems at three of its hospitals in the Midwest. I believe the agency is sincere in its desire to fix these problems, she said, but a year later these problems remain and appear to more serious than ever. Dear U.S. Sen. Steve Daines: I urge you to reject the Senate healthcare plan and get serious about reforming the actual aspects of Obamacare that need reforming. Obamacare can be fixed but what the House and Senate Republicans have proposed is not reform and is not acceptable. Under what is currently being proposed, Montanas self-employed, which includes me, will not be able to afford insurance. Less well-off Montanans will lose their insurance. Everyone who gets health insurance through their employment will pay more for less coverage. The only beneficiaries are the wealthy. The Republican Trumpcare pretends to let the market work but in reality it takes us back to when millions of Americans had no insurance and risked bankruptcy with every medical problem. This is particularly true in Montana, where not only are many farming, ranching and self-employed families in Montana counting on you, but so is the network of small hospitals and medical facilities that serve our mostly rural population. The proposed healthcare bill does nothing to address the cost of health care and the cost of pharmaceuticals. Be a hero for our state and stand up against the Republicans that are supporting this disastrous Trumpcare proposal. Nona Stockton, Shepherd Thanks for the recent great coverage about the beautiful mural highlighting Montanas native plants and creatures on the exterior of Elite Source One, along the Bitterroot Trail. This mural was painted by students at Willard Alternative High School, with the terrific support of Gwen Hoppe, the art teacher at Willard. The wonderfully talented Missoula artist Stephanie Frostad worked with students on the design and execution of this art. The mural was completed in three phases over the past three years, and was made possible largely through the support of the Missoula Office of Neighborhoods, through its Neighborhood Grants Program, in response to proposals submitted by the Riverfront Neighborhood Council. The Riverfront leadership team initially approached Nutritional Labs with the idea for the mural. Nutritional Laboratories, and later, Elite Source One, contributed funds in addition to the citys grant. This project is a wonderful example of public/private partnership, neighborhood involvement, education, and the arts in our community. Art indeed works! Mary LaPorte, Riverfront Neighborhood Leadership Team, Missoula A Butte man was charged with felony assault on a minor Wednesday after he allegedly shook a newborn baby so severely the infant had to be taken to Salt Lake City for treatment. Police brought Austin Johnson, 27, in for questioning Wednesday and arrested him at about 9:30 p.m. during the interview. Hes accused of causing serious bodily injury to the 4-week-old boy in late June. He made an initial appearance in justice court Thursday. According to the complaint, Johnson repeatedly shook and/or dropped the infant on a floor and/or a bed. The incident happened sometime between June 28 and July 1 on the 4000 block of State Street. Undersheriff George Skuletich said the mother took the baby to St. James Healthcare on July 1 and police were called to the hospital at about 10:30 p.m. on the same day. Skuletich said he could not comment on the childs injuries or prognosis as the case is still under investigation. Johnson is being held in the Butte jail on $100,000 bond. HELENA A Helena jury on Wednesday convicted Kaleb Edward Daniels of attempted deliberate homicide in addition to felony counts of aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence. The incident began when a husband and wife arrived at their cabin on the 4000 block of Little Wolf Creek Road to find an unfamiliar sport utility vehicle parked outside and two men inside burgling the residence on Dec. 28. Prosecutors say Daniels, who was a 23-year-old probation absconder out of Great Falls at the time pointed a handgun at the homeowner and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire. He then reportedly tried to chamber another round. The homeowner then shot Daniels' accomplice, Jory Russell Strizich, in the leg, authorities said. Strizich, 26, was hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his right shin. Strizich is facing a felony charge of aggravated burglary. The cabin owner shot Strizich, who was allegedly approaching him in a threatening manner while Daniels attempted to rack his gun. The victim said he fired a warning round into the ground just before shooting again, striking Strizich. Daniels then fired his gun toward the victim. The two suspects ran away. Authorities launched a manhunt, including the local SWAT team. After another armed homeowner called 911 to report Daniels trying to break into a home on Recreation Road, Daniels was apprehended in a snowbank following a short foot chase with officers about three hours after the shooting. MISSOULA Rail grinding on Montana Rail Link lines will be curtailed for the summer while the wildfire season plays out. The announcement came a day after a grass fire Tuesday night west of Missoula that threatened a home under construction and charred five acres on Evaro Hill. It was the latest in a weeklong series of fires sparked by a contract maintenance train. Due to elevated fire danger, MRL has made the decision to significantly decrease the grinding schedule across our network for the remainder of the summer from an estimated 30 days of activity down to 9 days, company spokesman Jim Lewis said Wednesday in a press release. In addition, we will be pre-soaking the work area with additional water when grinding is occurring. He said grinding, an important component of the railroads maintenance program, will resume later in the year when fire danger subsides. The nine days of operation are occurring now and will take place across the MRL network between Missoula and Laurel. Lewis said the schedule is subject to network volumes. The most recent and largest of the fires set by an eight-car work train operated by Minnesota-based Loram Maintenance of Way started around 4 p.m. Tuesday as the contract grinder came off Evaro Hill west of Missoula. Firefighters from Frenchtown Rural Fire, Forest Service and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation contained the fire shortly after dark. A DNRC helicopter supplied water drops during the evening. The fire started in a large pile of scrap railroad ties after the grinding train came through. Mel Holtz of the Frenchtown Fire Department said a crew responded to a call that came in at 5 a.m. Wednesday reporting that the fire had flared up again. A few hours later an excavator arrived on the scene to pull the tie pile apart and quell sparks that remained in the creosote-soaked ties. Everything was looking pretty good except about 100 railroad ties, Holtz said. Frenchtown fire received a medical call in the Ninemile area in the middle of the fire, "so we were scrambling even more," said Holtz. Missoula Emergency Services agreed to respond to the call. The train-caused fires started a week ago on the tracks near Fish Creek as the work train made a slow trail east. Frenchtown Fire responded to 10 fires in the Frenchtown Valley on Friday, two of which turned into grass fires of less than an acre. Ron Swaney, fire management officer for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, said a different train was responsible for sparking 20 fires in a six-mile stretch of track south of Arlee on Sunday. On Monday, the grinding train started minor fires between Paradise and Magpie Creek between Perma and Dixon. Swaney said he directed C.T. Camel, prevention and education specialist, to contact the railroad. Really, I wanted their schedule and to let us know if theyre going to do any more grinding, Swaney said. On Tuesday, the CSKT fire management team positioned engines at the most vulnerable spots along the tracks from Magpie Creek to Evaro. We didnt pick up any smoke, but later on in the afternoon one popped up in Ravalli, Swaney said. The Evaro Hill grass fire a few hours later was just off the reservation. The topic of train-caused fires was discussed at length at Monday mornings weekly meeting of interagency wild land fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association. In response to those concerns, Adriane Beck, director of the Missoula office of emergency management, reached out to Tony Bacino, MRLs safety and security manager. More than anything we wanted to get where the grinder train was and a timeline to share with the agencies, and to impress on them the conditions we were anticipating as far as fire behavior and conditions, Beck said. I was just trying to impress on them the need for maybe a fire watch, and from my conversations it sounds like theyre doing that. Lorams grinding train profiles a rail and removes any hardened material on it, Lewis said. Its a common maintenance process that improves rail safety. The train comes equipped with water cannon on the front and back to pre-soak and after-soak the tracks and right-of-way while the train is operating. It also has water spray nozzles to continuously wet the rail ties. Spotters follow the train as well. Problems arise when sparks lodge in cracks in the ties and come to life to devour the creosote-soaked ties. This is far from the first time the grinding train has started fires, Beck said, though the volume this year seems to be increased. Its almost something you would anticipate, she said. Its just unfortunate timing. We understand they have maintenance to do on the track, but we certainly hope they take current conditions into consideration. The National Weather Service forecast for the Missoula area calls for highs climbing well into the 90s on Thursday and Friday with highs in the upper 90s the next three days. No rain is in sight, but neither is significant wind or thunder. Were not in Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions, which would limit the use of machinery, Holtz pointed out. The modified grinding train schedule is a relief for firefighters and residents alike. Holtz said costs of fighting the train-caused fires fall on the Frenchtown Fire district, though he added, Our concern (Tuesday) night was not whos paying for it, it was, Lets get the fire under control and then well have the rest of the discussion. Upset residents have called the fire department wondering who they should contact, Holtz said. Its getting some attention. Fire officials have long known about these annual rail grinding projects on MRL lines. But I dont remember them starting this many fires this many days in a row, Swaney said. I think the schedule is based on the amount of tons that go across the tracks. I think if I was going to look at it and evaluate it, I would do it more on seasonal basis. They probably could have grinded all they wanted in March and April. If fake news is comprised of journalists refusing to report servilely about any government official or action, then consider me a proud, burgeoning member of the fake news media. If real news is a press system that self-censors so as not to hurt the Presidents feelings, then perhaps Mr. Trump would feel more at home in a nation without freedom of the press. In 2016, I spent four months studying media and international relations in North Africa. My host nation, Morocco, ranks 66th out of 100 (100 being the least free) on the Press Freedom Houses list of countries with a free press. Journalists and the Moroccan government have a pseudo-symbiotic relationship, in that any reporting about the monarchy is done in praise of it, and in turn, the media is allowed to function, at least on some diluted level. Practicing journalists employ self-censorship and tiptoe around three red zone topics: Government, religion, and the disputed territory to the south of Morocco, the Western Sahara. Failure to do this can and does lead to the persecution of media members. Harassment of journalists in Morocco is considerably tamer than some of the neighboring nations. The country is widely regarded as being one of the most liberal in the region. Here, in a nation where the media is castigated for honest, inspective reporting, Mr. Trump may feel more comfortable. With the gaps between Mr. Trumps diatribes against liberal media becoming smaller and smaller (the most recent culminating in a video more suited to a frat boys personal Twitter account than to that of the POTUS), and Greg Gianfortes aggravated assault on a reporter, the time to defend American press freedom is now. While yes, the media has its flaws and has the ability to tweak stories to its liking, that does not constitute the hostility that has been growing against it. The beauty of a free press is being able to criticize the government. It is a right that has been fought for, and that only 13% of the worlds population can enjoy. It is the reason that American reporters, unlike those in Morocco and much of the rest of the globe, do not have to skirt around vital topics for the sake of their well-being at least, for now. If American politicians continue to condone and partake in aggression against the media, a message is sent that assaulting press members for doing their jobs (which, ironically, are the very first that are protected under the Constitutional Amendments of the United States) is tolerable. There cannot come a time when assaulting reporters then waltzing into office with no more than a slap on the wrist becomes normalized. There cannot come a time when the media, the watchdog of American well-being, is tethered to a post in the backyard and abused by the government itself. Do not buy into the fabricated notion of fake news, or that the media is the enemy, or that endangering members of the press is tolerable. Let the watchdog of the American people bark. Let it bare its teeth at corruption and snarl when the government oversteps its bounds. In a recent letter to The Montana Standard, Anne Greene of Missoula accused the Montana Public Service Commission of corruption and acting illegally and also claimed it was serving NorthWestern Energys interests at the expense of the public. Greenes accusations referred to recent PSC actions that determined contract terms and how much NorthWestern customers should pay for electricity from some solar projects, which federal law requires NorthWestern to buy whether it needs the electricity or not. Last year, NorthWestern, joined by the Montana Consumer Counsel, asked the PSC to suspend the existing rate for solar projects because the rate was outdated and well above the wholesale market price and would lock our customers into too-high prices for 25 years. At the time of our request, we had fielded dozens of proposed solar projects from out-of-state developers. Under the new rates established by the PSC, our customers will save about $2.6 million on each of the solar projects if developers move ahead. We know that affordable, reliable energy tops the list of what customers want from NorthWestern. In its recent decision, the PSC protected customers from paying too much for electricity. Greene also incorrectly alleged the PSC was ignoring a federal law that requires it to promote alternative energy sources. The federal law to which Greene refers does not specifically support renewable energy but it does require that utility customers pay fair prices. NorthWestern supports renewable energy. Nearly 60 percent of the electricity we currently provide to our Montana customers comes from our hydroelectric dams and wind farms spread across the state. We have recently reached agreements with several new large wind projects and we now have six independently owned solar projects as part of our made-in-Montana energy mix. That energy mix also includes generation with coal and natural gas and truly is a diverse, all of the above approach to meeting our customers energy needs. We are proud of our work to develop clean, reliable, affordable energy and look forward to making additional investments in this arena in coming years. Paul Babb, manager, Community Relations, NorthWestern Energy, Butte If you are a registered voter anywhere in the United States of America, President Donald Trump wants to know your: Name Party affiliation Address Birth date Voting history Felony convictions Military service Last four digits of your Social Security number State elections officials quickly said, no to part or all of that demand letter, citing state laws. Election officials in 20 states and the District of Columbia told the Associated Press that they would not comply at all with the commissions request. That includes: California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming. On Saturday, July 1, Trump tweeted: Numerous states are refusing to give information to the very distinguished VOTER FRAUD PANEL. What are they trying to hide? It is the president who is hiding behind his unsubstantiated claim that up to 5 million people voted illegally in the November 2016 elections in which Trump won the White House. Trumps contention is that it would have been a bigger win for him if those "illegal" votes hadnt been cast. His complaint is pure fiction. But as president, Trump has power to pursue his imaginary fraud and to expend public money doing so. Trump appointed a commission to look into voter fraud despite lack of evidence that fraud occurred and regardless of state and local elections officials from across the nation giving assurances that their laws and processes safeguarded the voting. Even the office of Kris Kobach, the Republican Kansas secretary of state who is co-chair of Trumps fraud commission, told the Associated Press that Kansas wont comply fully with the commissions information demand. Kansas law prohibits the state from releasing voter Social Security numbers. Kobach is running for governor of Kansas in 2018. Nor will voter Social Security numbers be divulged by Montana, the states director of voter services said. Derek Oestreicher told reporter Holly Michels that Montanas public voter file doesnt include Social Security numbers or birth dates. Our office will not release any personal or confidential information, Oestreicher said. Montana doesnt have information on voter party affiliation because the state has open primaries, so no party registration is required. The public information on voters includes: name, address, and whether the voter is active or inactive. This information is available to any member of the public for a fee. We call on Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton to charge the Trump voter fraud commission the costs of providing any information and to only provide what Montana law clearly allows. Montana taxpayers shouldnt have to finance this investigative charade. Better yet, Stapleton should stand with Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray, who told the Casper Star-Tribune: Im going to decline to provide any Wyoming voter information. Its not sitting well with me. Elections are the responsibility of states under the Constitution. Im wondering if this request could lead to some federal overreach. Beyond the expense and distraction from real problems in America, the commission furthers efforts to keep certain Americans from voting. For example, Montana voters in 2018 will pass judgment on a legislative referendum that seeks to make the return of mailed ballots more difficult for voters and county elections officials. The majority of Americans, in poll after poll, have said they disapprove of Trumps performance in office. His tweets and spoken words are daily insults to our intelligence and to our fellow Americans. The voter fraud charade is worse than most. The president is attacking the fundamental right of Americans to vote and to have confidence in the fairness and integrity of our elections system. We call on Democrats, Republicans, independents and every other party whose members love America to denounce the false allegations and this troubling attempt to build a federal database of U.S. voters personal information. This issue should unite Montanas congressional delegation of Jon Tester, Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte. The Billings Gazette NOTICE: TO BE CLEAR: WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. 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WE POST AND WRITE THOUSANDS OF NEWS STORIES A YEAR, MOST WANTED STORIES, EDITORIALS (UNDER CATEGORIES - BLOG) AND STORIES OF EXONERATIONS. OUR CONTENT REVOLVES AROUND CRIME, ARRESTS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT. WE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PUBLISH UNPOPULAR SPEECH. OPEN RECORD LAWS WERE WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; BY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF ARRESTS AND TO HOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ARRESTEES. MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE... July 11, 2017 WAYNESVILLE, N.C. Linda Joyce (Lee) Morrison, age 76, of Waynesville passed away on July 11, 2017. Family and friends rejoice that her spirit is now praising God in His Heaven. We look forward to meeting again. Linda was born on July 28, 1940, in Muscatine, Iowa, to Donald and Grace Lee. She studied at Iowa State University from 1958 to 1961, where she met her husband, Dr. M. Edward Morrison. They were married June 3, 1961, and have three sons: Dr. Eric S. Morrison and wife Arika of Waynesville; Erics daughters Emily, Elizabeth, and Wendy; Mr. Brian L. Morrison of St. Thomas, USVI; and Dr. Andrew E. Morrison and wife, Tasha, of Flagstaff, Arizona; daughters Brooke and Jennifer. Linda has a surviving sister, Mary Beth (Lee) Gleaves and husband, Karl Gleaves. Her brother, Gary L. Lee, passed away in 1999. Linda loved hosting family and friends in her home. She was an excellent cook, which started when she was a junior in high school and won the State of Iowa Cherry Pie Baking contest in 1957. She competed in the national contest sponsored by General Mills Betty Crocker in Chicago. Linda was active as a volunteer to start and organize small group Bible studies using Neighborhood Bible Study (now www.QPlace.org) material. She and Linda Dorsett began this ministry in 1977, when the family was living in Friendwood (Houston), Texas. By the time she and her husband moved to Princeton, New Jersey, in 1995, more than 2,000 men and women had been involved in these Bible studies in a home, church or office setting. She again promoted the Studies in Princeton through the YWCA and was instrumental in forming numerous small groups. When she moved to Waynesville, Kathy Mathis and Linda began encouraging women to be involved in small group home Bible studies. There were many persons positively impacted by these studies in Houston, Princeton and Waynesville. She was active in raising funds and placing Bibles with The Gideons International for the last 25 years. She was always an active member of a local church where she lived and was a member of Lake Hills Church (SBC) in Waynesville. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 15 ,in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home. David Spray, Pastor of Lake Hills Church Haywood Campus, will officiate at the service. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. prior to service at Wells Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Sigourney, Iowa. Holm Funeral Home in Sigourney will handle burial arrangements. Memorial contributions are suggested to Q-Place (previously Neighborhood Bible Studies). Send memorial checks written to Q-Place or your preferred charity to Attn: M. Edward Morrison, 419 Country Club Drive, Waynesville, North Carolina, 28786. For those who desire, an online memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneralhome.com MUSCATINE The filing period for Iowas K-12 school board elections began this Monday. School board members represent citizens of the district and oversee schools in the district. Some of their responsibilities include making decisions about school funding, setting policies and hiring and setting goals for the school superintendent. If youd like to run, here are a few things to keep in mind: Who can run? You must be 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen and a resident of the school district for which youre planning to run. The Iowa law bars felons from running for school board elections. What do I need? Youll need to file an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petition with the school. Louisa-Muscatine candidates should file their papers with Charles Domer and Muscatine candidates should file with Lisa Bunn. The petition signatures of eligible voters in the district. Louisa-Muscatine candidates need 30 signatures and Muscatine candidates need 50 signatures. Where can I find the papers? Copies are available in the Iowa Secretary of State website: Copies can also be picked up at the school districts. What is the deadline to file? Candidates can file their paperwork between now and Aug. 3, no later than 5 p.m. There are no filing fees. When are the elections? School elections are on Tuesday, Sept. 12. If Im elected, how long will I serve? School board members serve for four years. For more information The Elections Division of the Secretary of States Office can answer any questions about the filing process and can provide lists of registered voters. Call 515-281-0145 or email sos@sos.iowa.gov Donald Trump Jr. wasn't always comfortable being in his father's shadow. The father and son have a complicated history that includes a tabloid divorce and a year without speaking, Trump Jr. told New York Magazine in a 2004 profile. But later, the senior Trump found a key role for his son in the family real estate business -- and eventually, his political circle. "I think I probably got a lot of my father's natural security, or ego, or whatever," he told New York Magazine. "I can be my own person and not have to live under his shadow." Trump Jr. added that he looked up to his father, but noted their differences. "I'd like to be more like him when it comes to business -- but I think I'm such a different person, it's hard to even compare us. His work persona is kind of what he is. I have a work face, and then there's my private life," Trump Jr. has said. More than a decade later, the hard-charging, no-apologies eldest child of Donald Trump found himself his father's most visible and outspoken 2016 campaign surrogate. And in June 2016, Trump Jr. was in a position of power in the trusted inner circle of the presidential campaign of the Republican presidential nominee, his father, for whom he would go to great lengths to help elect. New scrutiny Trump Jr. is now embroiled in a new wave of scrutiny in the wake of New York Times reporting that prompted him to release emails he exchanged with Rob Goldstone, a publicist, arranging for a June 9, 2016, meeting with a woman described in the emails as a "Russian government attorney." In the email exchange with Goldstone, which he published in full on his Twitter account Tuesday morning, Trump Jr. was promised "official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia" that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." "If it's what you say I love it," Trump Jr. replied to Goldstone, who represents the son of an Azerbaijani-Russian businessman close to the Russian government. The meeting, he said in a tweet Thursday, turned out to be "nonsense." Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr., as well as his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, denied any connection to the Russian government in an interview with NBC. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the President's legal team, reiterated an earlier statement on Monday evening, saying: "The President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting." President Donald Trump was silent on social media on the report and the emails until Wednesday, tweeting several times Tuesday on other topics. White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read a statement on his behalf at the daily press briefing. "My son is a high quality person and I applaud his transparency," Sanders said, reading the statement from the President and referring questions to Trump Jr.'s lawyers. Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that his son "did a good job" in his Tuesday evening appearance on Fox News, calling the new scrutiny a "witch hunt." "My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" he wrote. House and Senate intelligence committee members have indicated they want to talk to Trump Jr. and others who were at the June 2016 meeting. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, says he has not yet received a request, but his client will work "with any committee or office to convey what he knows." A complicated relationship Donald Trump Jr. had a complicated childhood relationship with his namesake. Trump Jr., then 12 years old, was reportedly devastated by his parents' messy divorce and news of his father's affair with Marla Maples, which unfolded publicly. "How can you say you love us? You don't love us! You don't even love yourself. You just love your money," Trump Jr. told his father, according to friends of Ivana's cited in a 1990 Vanity Fair report. He didn't speak to his father for a year, he told New York Magazine. "Listen, it's tough to be a 12-year-old," Trump Jr., then 26, told the magazine in the 2004 profile, which also featured his siblings. "You're not quite a man, but you think you are. You think you know everything. Being driven into school every day and you see the front page and it's divorce! THE BEST SEX I EVER HAD! And you don't even know what that means," he told the magazine. "At that age, kids are naturally cruel. Your private life becomes very public, and I didn't have anything to do with it: My parents did." During the presidential campaign, Trump Jr. was more charitable. He told CNN's Anderson Cooper during an April 2016 town hall that the divorce was "a difficult thing" but said his father has "always been there." "I think throughout our lives, he's always been there. It's usually been on his terms. It wasn't a typical 'let's go play catch in the backyard' sort of father/son relationship," Trump Jr. told Cooper. "But we always went to job sites with him. We'd be in his office playing with trucks as a 6-year-old while he's negotiating deals with presidents of major companies." Trump Jr. and siblings, Ivanka and Eric, were primarily raised in New York City by their mother, Ivana Trump. All three of the eldest Trump children grew up holding summer jobs at different Trump properties. Trump Jr. spent his summers mooring boats to the dock all day for minimum wage at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City, Ivanka Trump wrote in her 2010 book. He attended boarding school at Pennsylvania's prestigious Hill School and later obtained an undergraduate degree from his father's alma mater, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Trump Jr. accrued a hard-partying reputation while at Penn, and spent the year after graduation in Aspen, Colorado, where his habits continued. "I used to drink a lot and party pretty hard, and it wasn't something that I was particularly good at," he told New York. "I mean, I was good at it, but I couldn't do it in moderation. About two years ago (2002), I quit drinking entirely. I have too much of an opportunity to make something of myself, be successful in my own right. Why blow it?" He ultimately moved back East to join the family business, working at the Trump Organization in real estate development, and also spending some time in the spotlight as a boardroom adviser on "The Apprentice." Trump, now 39, lives in New York City with his wife, Vanessa, a former model, and their five children, ranging from three to 10 years old. Campaign Trump Jr. Trump Jr. emerged as one of candidate Donald Trump's leading surrogates on the campaign trail, crisscrossing the country speaking on his father's behalf. He styled himself as the Trump family member who best understood his father's working-class supporters across America, and advised his father alongside Ivanka and Eric. An outdoorsman, Trump Jr. learned to hunt and fish from his Czech grandparents, Ivanka Trump wrote in 2010. He participated in multiple hunting outings during the campaign, including in Iowa the week before the caucuses. And at last year's Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Trump Jr. put his father over the top in the delegate count as he officially secured the nomination. He called his father a "mentor" and "best friend" in his convention speech. In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump Jr. said he is open to the possibility of running for office himself in the future. "Maybe someday," he said. "It's not something I'm doing now. But you never know, it's fascinating stuff." Social media Trump Jr. has long been unfiltered and outspoken on social media, echoing the distinctive voice and even the punctuation of his father's tweets, often sparking backlash before and after the 2016 presidential election. He came under fire during the campaign for likening Syrian refugees to a bowl of Skittles in a September 2016 tweet. "This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016," he tweeted, with a graphic that said: "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful? That's our Syrian refugee problem." Earlier that month, he made headlines with a controversial Instagram post. The photoshop composition featured his father leading a band of "deplorables," with political allies and the cartoon "Pepe the Frog" by his side. What Trump Jr. later said he did not know, was that "Pepe" has been appropriated as a mascot and preferred meme of the white supremacist alt-right movement. As far back as 2011, Trump Jr. tweeted some eyebrow-raising commentary on women. "Ever notice that if u get a herd of mothers together they aren't physically capable of talking about anything but birth pregnancy & diapers?" he asked in a July 2011 tweet that has since been deleted. And he spoke about a Trump Organization employee in another now-deleted June 2012 tweet. "At dinner w our greenskeeper who missed his sister's wedding 2 work (luv loyalty 2 us) "No big deal hopefully she'll have another someday";)" Trump Jr. tweeted. Since his father assumed office, Trump Jr. frequently posts in defense of the President, often criticizing the media and occasionally retweeting conspiracy theories. On Saturday, he retweeted a clip from the movie "Top Gun" that was altered to show the President "taking down" a fighter jet marked with the CNN logo. "One of the best I've seen," he wrote, alongside the "crying-laughing" emoji. Trump Jr. seemingly acknowledged his controversial persona in a Saturday tweet after his sister Ivanka faced criticism for holding her father's seat at the G20 summit. "If the left is so "outraged" about Ivanka sitting in for a few minutes, maybe they'd be happier if I sub in for a while??? LMK," he wrote. Trump Jr., post-inauguration As Donald Trump prepared to take the oath of office in January, he formally turned over his real estate business to his two eldest sons. Trump Jr. currently serves as the executive vice president of development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization. But Trump Jr. was bitten by the political bug, and has traveled the country, speaking at Republican party dinners and campaigning for Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte. "I thought I was out of politics after election day," Trump Jr. said in March, speaking at the Dallas County Republican Party's Reagan Day Dinner, where he recalled his father's unpredictable path to the presidency. "I thought I'd be going back to my regular job. I thought I'd be really excited about it. But once you get a little bit of a taste of that action, it's hard to leave. You know, listen, deals are still exciting, but when you're sort of the guy out there 24/7, every day fighting in this thing -- it's like a great fight, the intensity. I don't miss the politics, I promise. I want nothing to do with the politics, but I miss the intensity of that," he said, reminiscing about the no-sleep, fast-paced days of the campaign when he paraded around as one of the only surrogates. He has traveled to the White House on multiple occasions, including the Easter Egg Roll, the announcement of the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch, and a small family celebration for his father's birthday. He's also been a frequent guest on Fox News, where he gave his first interview since posting the emails on Tuesday evening with Sean Hannity. "In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently," Trump Jr. said. In the interview, he defended his actions by saying he wanted to hear what they had to say. "Maybe this is something," Trump Jr. said of his thinking leading up to the meeting. "I should hear them out ... This was again just basic information that was going to be possibly there ... I wanted to hear them out and play it out." Although he doesn't have a role in the administration like his sister, Ivanka, who serves as a formal White House adviser, he is actively involved in the President's 2020 reelection campaign. Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, along with Eric's wife Lara, held multiple meetings with high-level officials at the Washington office of the Republican National Committee in late May, a Republican source confirmed to CNN at the time. The meetings between the trio of Trumps and the various groups were held to make sure everyone was "on the same page," according to the source. The group discussed the midterm election and 2020 reelection outlook, as well as assigning roles moving forward. Trump Jr. has continued to be one of his father's staunchest and most vocal defenders. He expresses frustration about the Russia controversy that's overshadowed much of the first months his father's presidency, often blaming the media and Democrats in tweets for deflecting attention from the administration's accomplishments. After the President criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan in a June 4 tweet following a terrorist attack, his son came to his defense, speaking more broadly about his social media strategy. "Every time he puts something out there, he gets criticized by the media all day every day and by everyone else and guess what, two weeks later he's proven to be right. It (terrorism) happened again and we keep appeasing it and we keep saying 'OK, it's going to be great, we'll hold fast and we're going to keep calm and carry on.' Maybe we have to keep calm and do something," he said in an interview with ABC last month. Trump Jr. also speculated to ABC that there may be White House employees working against his father. "There's probably plenty still in the White House, there's plenty of holdovers that aren't necessarily working in his best interest," he said. CNN's Greg Krieg and Hunter Schwarz contributed to this report. 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 [] A light aircraft transporting three journalists crashed landed on Wednesday afternoon shortly after takeoff from the Wilson Airport. On board were two crew and three Citizen Tv journalists two reporters and a cameraman headed to a NASA rally in Baringo County. All five passengers including the pilot survived the crash with injuries and were rushed to the Nairobi West Hospital in stable condition. The plane crashed near the National Housing Corporation Houses along the Southern Bypass in Langata. According to Kenya Airports Authority, the Cessna made an emergency landing between the Southern Bypass and Kibera three minutes after takeoff.The Cessna The 6-seater Cessna 206 5Y-PEB was extensively damaged and was operated by Ribway Cargo Airlines. A man who had been found guilty of defiling a minor had his 10-year sentence enhanced to life imprisonment after lodging an appeal. Joseph, 64, was sentenced to a decade in jail by a Kirinyaga Court three years ago for defiling his six-year-old granddaughter. He would then file an appeal seeking to overturn both the conviction and sentence. However, High Court Judge Justice Lucy Gitari, faulted the magistrate for the lenient sentence. She said the age of the girl had been proved to be six years and therefore improper for the Magistrate to impose such a lenient sentence when the Sexual Offences Act provides for stiffer penalties. Dismissing Josephs appeal, Justice Gitari said the evidence adduced before the trial magistrate met the threshold because it was corroborated by the evidence of those who came to the girls rescue, her mother, and medical evidence. She is an innocent child. There is no reason to doubt her evidence, Justice Gitari said. The incident occurred October 3, 2014 in Baricho, when the young girl was sent by her mother to fetch something from her grandfather. The minor took long to return, prompting her mother to go looking for her. She got a rude shock to find her father defiling the minor. The girl was rescued by members of the public and the grandpa was frog-marched to Kiangwaci Police Post. On Tuesday, Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga took to Twitter to castigate President Uhuru in a very rare tweet storm. Among the biggest accusations Uhuru and Ruto have thrown at Raila, is that he is preparing to force a nusu mkate government. Raila reversed this on them, stating categorically that he has no plans of sharing power with Uhuru. Read his tweets below. It was at this last tweet that Uhuru commented with a light touch. But moments after Railas tweets, Majority Leader Aden Duale took to his Facebook page to give Raila a piece of his mind. In a post titled THE FATHER OF VIOLENCE HAS REACHED HIS END, Duale accused Raila of being the biggest conman masquerading as a reformist. He re-ignited the 1982 coup topic, saying Raila is a big law breaker. He also accused the opposition leader of being in bed with money launderers, extortionists, looters, racketeers and criminal elements. [showad block=6] Heres the full post. ***************************************** THE FATHER OF VIOLENCE HAS REACHED HIS END A liar asks to be judged only by what he says. An honest person is judged by what he says and what he does. The father of lies and propaganda has sent yet another of his endless monologues to lament and lament and tell Kenyans nothing other than what his true intentions are. Raila is trying to hold onto any straw now that it is becoming increasingly clear that the Jubilee Government will thrash him in the August Polls. Odinga, likes to say that he fought for freedom. In 1982 when he participated in the coup against the government of Daniel arap Moi, he was fighting for freedom, he says. When he joined Mwakenya in trying to overthrow Mr Moi, he was fighting for freedom, he says. In the 1992 election when he supported his fathers quest to be President, he was fighting for freedom, he said. When he led his supporters to violence in 2007/08, he said he was fighting for freedom. Odinga is a known coup plotter, a law breaker and the biggest conman masquerading as a reformist. Odinga claims to be a reformer, a liberator and a leader by day, but at night consorts with money launderers, extortionists, looters, racketeers and criminal elements. He should be prepared to accept defeat since he has failed to tell Kenyans that he will. We do not fear Odinga. We do not. The endless cases blocking IEBC to perform its duty is clear as day that Odinga wants a Nusu Makate government. Odinga has realized the number of Jubilee supporters is soaring, he has panicked and now he is looking for excuses anywhere and everywhere. Jubilee is steadfast determined and is clear in its programmes and above all it is going to hand him another humiliating defeat in the coming elections. As a perennial political loser he is all too familiar with the feeling. It is causing him to lose his mind. He is in a state of panic and delusion. To deal with this familiar feeling Odinga is resorting to two of his favourite tactics: prepare for violence and lies. We want to tell Odinga and some of the Nasa leaders that Kenyans will not allow them to cause violence. Majority of Kenyans will not tolerate and entertain this. They cannot allow a power-hungry lot to destroy their motherland. The main motive of the Odinga group is to muddy and discredit the elections in an attempt to negotiate a coalition Government. It will not happen. Following the passing of Nicholas Biwott this week, Kenyans who had the rare encounter with the total man have been sharing their stories. It is a well-known fact that Biwott, who was at some point regarded as the second most powerful man in Kenya, led a mysterious private life. The former Keiyo South MP was also quite cautious as he would not take drinks or food served directly to him for fear of being poisoned. Some people will say he was paranoid but the man had his fair share of enemies. As a result, Biwott would instead take other peoples drinks and food. Some will say he was justified in doing so as he lived a long life, bowing to cancer at age 77. A story is told of one such incident when Biwott grabbed someone elses drink. It was shared by a journalist, Wahome Thuku, on Facebook. Another journalist and ODM communications director Philip Etale has also shared a story about his encounter with Biwott. He writes: I vividly remember one day in 2001. I was a budding journalist at the State Broadcaster, KBC. Hon. Nicholas Kipyator Arap Biwott was then Minister for Trade and Industry. His office was based at Teleposta Towers. I was assigned to cover an event that the Minister was officiating at the KICC. Those days, KBC had some pick-up vehicles and station wagon Peugeot vehicle which were commonly used by the then famous FLYING SQUAD unit of the Kenya Police. I was lucky to have been assigned one of the Peugeot vehicles. Cameraman was Mr. Akenga (RIP) and the driver was Mr. James Murigi (RIP). KBC was the only respected media then. A function could not start without the presence of KBC. The only other Television channel then was KTN but was only broadcasting in Nairobi and environs. As usual, we arrived late for the event, and we found the Minister and other dignitaries already at the function. I ran to the podium to place our microphone and the MC of the event Mr. Malaki Otieno (RIP) said to the audience, at last, the media has arrived people laughed. I was embarrassed though because of the late arrival. After the event, we went straight into our car, and to my shock, Mr. Biwott came straight to the car, told my cameraman wewe enda kaa huko nyuma and took the passenger seat. And with no bodyguard nor aide, he told us peleka mimi Teleposta Towers. Marque, I was only 20 years old and very frightened, everyone of us was frightened. The short journey from KICC to Teleposta Towers, less than 500 meters away was like a day-long journey. We arrived at Teleposta Towers and the Total Man chucked out ten thousand shillings and handed it to me and said Nendeni mkule lunch. As he stepped out he said to me Etale, pigia Chepkut kesho atachunga wewe mzuri He left and we proceeded to the Broadcasting lunch and happy lot. However I waited for Chepkut and that kuchungwa vizuri todate hehe #RIPBiwott The body of a missing KRA employee has been found dumped off Mombasa Road. Jared Ratemo Mokua, 35, was a lawyer working with the taxman as a supervisor in Kenya Revenue Authoritys (KRA) Customs and Border Control Department, Consolbase Container Freight Services, Mombasa. According to the Standard, the father of three was abducted and strangled before his body was dumped off Mombasa Road. His body was found dumped at the junction of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport/ Mombasa Road on Wednesday morning. He appeared to have been strangled and hit on the head with a blunt object. Mokuas brother, Harun, said he had traveled to Nairobi to solve a tax related matter. He was supposed to travel to Mombasa on Tuesday on a 9.30 am flight. Harun said Mokua passed by his law firm in Nairobi on Tuesday morning and left in hurry for a meeting in town. Mokua and his wife ran the firm that operates from Ngara area. According to Harun, his brother was to catch his flight at JKIA after the meeting. When the wife tried to reach him at about 9 am, his mobile phone was not going through. She tried up to late and later decided to make a report to police, said Harun. On Wednesday morning, police contacted them with the sad news of the discovery of his body. The old adage that a fool and his money are soon departed is relevant now more than ever. On several occasions, we have warned Kenyans about this thing called Public Likes. It is a pyramid scheme, plain and simple, and weve given enough reasons to support this conclusion Read: Public Likes The Big Pyramid Scheme Infecting Kenyans Right Now But why are Kenyans joining by the droves? Well, its because of the promise of easy money, and evidence that they actually pay out. Dont be fooled, sitting down for 10 minutes to skip adverts does not amount to working. The idea of making money on the internet has always captured the imagination of many young people, especially in Kenya where formal jobs are scarce. We have lots of examples of people who made fortunes on the internet. Many dollar billionaires made their cash in tech the likes of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Evan Spiegel, Elon Musk, Reed Hastings etc. These examples motivate young people, but the point is missed. All these billionaires have something in common. They developed a useful product. Bezos Amazon, Zuckerberg Facebook, Page Google, Musk Paypal, Spiegel Snapchat, Hastings Netflix etc. None, and I mean ZERO, made their money viewing and skipping fake adverts. And if you do proper research, youll find that everyone who has made decent money on the internet did so providing logical stuff. Whether its videos on YouTube, blogging, selling on Amazon etc. And if I may add, scamming. So, theres some truth in that Public Likes will make someone a millionaire, but not the thousands of users. Only the owner will laugh to the bank. As you continue to spread those affiliate links to your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and friends, remember the day it will all come crumbling down, they will remember the person who introduced them. [showad block=6] But even as more join, the signs of the end are starting to reveal themselves. 1. Apparently, now you have to renew your subscription after 60 days, down from 1 year. In short, they are forcing you to re-invest your money for you to continue enjoying their services. 2. There are also the never ending complaints that withdrawals are taking too long. There is a lot of uncertainty as to whether the money will even arrive. One day people will wait forever. 3. Logging into your account is now a game of luck. Most of the time you are met with errors. 4. Public likes changed its policies threatening to ban anyone who says its a scam.. really. Too bad for them Im not a member. 5. Facebook has banned sharing of Public Likes links. The largest social media company knows this is a scam. Theyve flagged all outgoing links as malicious. When you try to click a public likes link on Facebook, this is the message you encounter. But even with all this information, people continue to shower the scam with praises, posting raving reviews on Facebook. READ: Kenyans Never Learn: Watch This Guy Promote Public Likes Scam in a Matatu Heres one I picked up from their Facebook page. Well not post the authors name in case he sees the light in future. ************************************* DUE TO NEGATIVE PUBLICITY. If You Dont meet the following dont bother with Public Likes or any of their members. 1) You have no idea how Public Likes works and why youre paid to watch adverts, and you better listen to bloggers than do your own research. The only idea you have is its a scam Quit. We are paid because theyre paid by advertisers willing to generate traffic in their websites. FYI the more traffic a website gets the higher it is ranked in search engine results, and the more its visited by willing clients. 2) You are not willing to take risks. Thats if you are cheap enough to say investing 4500 is taking a risk. What decent person is afraid of putting somewhere 4500? You will never take a decent loan and invest with that kind of fear. Keep off please. Of course Im not talking about someone who honestly cant afford the money. 3) You are not Patient. If you want quick money please sell drugs. PL needs patient people. You put your money in, and do the tasks, you will earn your money plus lots of profits. Some novice creeps once they see error 403 or whatever errors, they lose their minds. Be patient it has happened because of maintenance or internet issues. It happens all the time. And it recovers all the time. 4) You think Public Likes is a job. Please get a job. Get out of here. PL is only ment to supplement your income or if in college, your pocket money. You should NOT quit your job for PL. You may make it a way of saving money and watching your money grow. 5) You keep panic at your fingertips. Oh please if you read blogs saying its a scam, you panic and keep sharing the same, leave PL. ******************************************* If I were to briefly dissect his argument point by point. 1. SEO experts agree that a higher website traffic does not affect your ranking on search engines. And even if it did, there are much cheaper ways to acquire traffic. Legitimate, relevant traffic on Google or Facebook may actually cost less than the Sh10 Public Likes is pretending to have been paid. 2. Sh4500 is not a lot of money to risk in an investment. But it may point to a future habit of putting in money in shady investments. Next time perhaps Sh100,000 will not be a lot to you. Truly, a fool and his money are soon departed. 3. I totally disagree. I think a lot more hard work and patience goes into selling drugs than given credit. And if I may, Public Likes is the exact definition of get rich quick scheme. And by the way its not normal for websites to display 403 errors day in day out. 4. I agree. You should not quit your job if you have one. But you should definitely quit Public Likes. 5. For a blog to publish that its a scam, there was probably some research that went into it. So I think you who is not reading them are the fool here. In conclusion, 99% of these so called PTC (Paid to Click) sites are scam. Advertising simply does not work like that. Especially not when youre being paid Sh10 to click skip. The city of Napa and Napa River Inn will host a kick-off and reception on July 20 to celebrate the new Napa Art Walk sculpture exhibition. The event begins at 4 p.m. in front of Napa City Hall where the public can pick up a new program map guide and take a self-guided tour and end at Napa Riverbend Plaza, behind Napa River Inn at 5 p.m. for a free reception with light refreshments from Silos and wine poured by St. Clair Brown Winery. The 2017-2019 Napa Art Walk is the fifth since the program began in 2010. The new exhibition, titled Shifting Perspective, features nine sculptures from three Washington, California and Oregon. Artists include: Gabe Babcock, Eileen Fitz-Faulkner, Todd Lawson, Helle Scharling-Todd, Colin Selig as well as local Napa artist, Mikey Kelly and three returning Napa Art Walk favorites, Patricia Vader, Mike Suri and LT Mustardseed. All of the new sculptures have been installed, except for Lawsons The Dialogue, which will be placed at a new location owned by the Napa Valley Wine Train later this summer. When installed, it will connect the Art Walk with Napas new Rail Arts District. The rest of the sculpture locations are along First and Main Streets, and the Riverfront promenade in downtown Napa. Guermo En Inverno by James Burnes won the 2015-2017 Peoples Choice Award and will remain on view at Dwight Murray Plaza through August. Bremer Family Winerys efforts to create a vineyard in the mountains east of St. Helena have run afoul of a state agency that claims the winery improperly placed fill in a creek. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board on July 6 issued a cleanup and abatement order. It is requiring Bremer to restore the creek to prevent sediments from entering waterways that ultimately drain into the Napa River. Fine sediment clogs spawning and gravels and degrades rearing habitat, contributing to the decline of salmon and steelhead in the Napa River watershed, the order says. Attorney Scott Greenwood-Meinert on behalf of the winery said that, as of Wednesday, the Bremers intended to comply with the order rather than file an appeal. Regional Water Board orders can be appealed to the state Water Resources Control Board. We may still deep down in our heart dispute some things, but given the scope of the order itself, we believe moving forward with compliance is the best course of action, he said. The Bremer Family Winery vineyard project included placing stones along the banks of the unnamed creek and installing temporary culverts. Greenwood-Meinert said the Bremers didnt know they were doing anything wrong when they made what he called improvements to the small, seasonal waterway. They didnt know it was designated as a creek, he said. They thought it was a ditch and a nonfunctional ditch at that. Bremer Family Winery is located at 975 Deer Park Road. Owners John and Laura Bremer are trying to create five acres of vineyards on the property in addition to five acres already there in a way far from typical for Napa County. The rocky property targeted for the vineyard has proven a challenge for farming. Bremer Family Winery has imported soil by the truckload, including some left over from a Napa River restoration project on the valley floor. Unreinforced boulder walls as high as six to 10 feet help keep soil in place. Napa County approved an erosion control plan in 2013 for the vineyard creation. The county and Bremer Family Winery have since clashed over whether Bremer is following the plan and construction work is on hold while the two parties try to work out a solution. Meanwhile, the Regional Water Quality Control Board received complaints from people who fear the Bremer project will harm the environment. On Sept. 19, 2016, Water Board officials inspected the site, accompanied by John Bremer, a state Department of Fish and Wildlife warden, county officials and project engineers. The resulting Dec. 13, 2016 report is the basis for the Water Boards order. Inspectors concluded an unnamed stream channel feeding Canon Creek has been ditched and culverted, with rock walls now forming the banks. The order says Bremer Family Winery failed to obtain a permit from the Water Board for the creek work. It also says the owners apparently failed to obtain necessary permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As a result, the Water Board is requiring Bremer Family Winery to remove sediments, rocks and other materials and restore the creek and habitat. Owners must complete a technical report, a corrective action work plan and a mitigation and monitoring plan and pay associated Water Board costs. Bremer Family Winery also built boulder walls outside of the creek bed for the soil reservoirs. The Regional Water Quality Board order doesnt apply to these walls, which the agency says are under Napa Countys purview. The local law firm Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty, of which Greenwood-Meinert is a member, submitted a letter on behalf of Bremer Family Winery to the Water Board in response to the tentative cleanup order issued in March. The unnamed creek in question wasnt subject by the county to stream setbacks because it doesnt meet the county definition of a stream, the letter said. An environmental study from 2012 found that proposed erosion control measures would reduce soil erosion as compared to existing conditions. As built so far, the project is doing just so, the letter stated. The Water Board responded that the owners needed to apply for a Water Board permit as required by the California Water code and Clean Water Act. The success of erosion control measures is irrelevant to whether the owners violated these laws. Placement of fill in the waters of the state has unreasonably affected or threatens to affect water quality and beneficial uses of Napa River waterways, such as fish habitat, the Boards written response said. On another front, Bremer Family Winery in January applied to the county to update a 1979 marketing plan and other aspects of its use permit. Among other things, the winery asked that the daily maximum visitation cap increase from 90 to 300 guests. It wants to add the existing bocce court, patio and pizza oven area as venues for tasting and events. It wants to have picnicking in outdoor tasting areas. It wants to increase wine production from 14,400 gallons annually to 50,000 gallons annually. Napa County has yet to announce a date for a Planning Commission hearing. Napas popular Oxbow area is looking cleaner after a couple dozen volunteers descended on it Thursday morning to pick up trash. Waterways Keepers, a coalition of local groups that holds various trash cleanup events, had struck again. It advertised the Oxbow event as the first for this particular area, with more to come. But why meet on a Thursday at 8 a.m., instead of on a weekend when more volunteers might show up? Some of the businesses of the Oxbow District requested we host a cleanup for their employees and the community, said Shari Gardner of Friends of the Napa River. Most of these businesses are slammed on the weekend, so this is a good day for them. David Martin, who works in the human resource department for the nearby Westin Verasa Napa hotel, showed up. He wants the Oxbow Commons park and Napa River area clean. It represents our hotel because a lot of our guests use this space as well, Martin said. What better way to give back than taking care of the community youre living in? Rachel Perkovich showed up, having participated in American River cleanups when she lived in Sacramento. I thought I would join in the same activity in my new community, she said. Or maybe Napa is better described as her old community. She left Napa in 1999 after graduating from high school because she found the city boring. Shes impressed with the Napa of today. That raises the question of whether she or Napa has changed. Napa has changed, she said with a smile. Napa has things to do now. That change can be seen in the area she had come to clean up. Oxbow Commons, which serves as a park most of the time and a Napa River spillway during flood conditions, didnt exist in 1999. Neither did Copia and the restaurants that have made the Oxbow a tourist draw. None of this was here, Perkovich said. Napa resident Tom Gorton heard about the event, so he showed up. Im not working today, so I thought it would be nice to help out, get some sunshine, he said. He didnt need the straw hat he wore at 8 a.m. because grey clouds held back that hoped-for sunshine. But that didnt dim his smile. And the sun finally burned away the clouds. The volunteers donned gloves and grabbed metal trash grabbers and plastic buckets. They were hunting what organizers called microtrash, given that city cleanup crews take care of the big garbage. A close inspection of the banks of Oxbow Commons park revealed the microtrash amid the vegetation napkins, aluminum wrappers and other items that can wash into waterways and pose a hazard for fish and wildlife. The small stuff counts, Gardner said. Event sponsors included Napa Valley CanDo, Friends of the Napa River, Napa County Resource Conservation District and Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Wine trends go through cycles, some of which are difficult to predict. Today, we face the fact that millennial buyers may be historys least predictable wine-buying group, and one of the most challenging. Baby boomers, a prior consumer group, were relatively predictable. To this day, demand for chardonnay, which was developed as a boomer fad 30-odd years ago, remains the largest wine niche market in the country. It gained most of its momentum based on boomers enthusiasm for it starting in the 1980s, just as boomers came of age to consume wine. Parallel to that was the demand for upscale cabernet. Zinfandel reached a frenzied peak about a decade ago, and even riesling had its brief day in the sun recently. As boomers began to age, however, and consumed a lot less wine than they had, their demands for unusual wines, which was never really very high, declined even further. Moreover, the Generation X crowd seemed to focus more on craft or boutique beverages. Cocktails made a return to its 1930s-to-50s glory; craft beer exploded, and fads of all sorts made inroads into traditional drinks. But Generation X was a smaller group by population (about 50 percent smaller by some estimates), and the millennial crowd, which came along recently, was as large as was the boomer group. And it has set the tone for the new wave of wine that seems to be strongest in the unquenchable Bay Area. I have spoken casually with wine and spirits retailers from around the country, and little has changed in many other major markets other than the fact that wine sales generally are rising. There are weak spots. Sales of high-end cabernet sauvignon are sluggish (but some producers are thriving because of higher demand for such wines from Asian markets). Chardonnay remains No. 1, but by far the strongest segment of that niche is at lower prices. Some weaknesses remain. In the last 15 years, merlot sales have dragged along, sparkling wine has not caught on as a dinner beverage and remains largely for celebrations, and dessert wines have never found traction. The strongest segments in the Bay Area at the moment, from what my casual research has discovered, are dry rose wines and what some retailers are calling Alternative Whites. So although albarino, pigato, and torrontes sounds like a European law firm, despite their relative obscurity, they are really the latest demands by Northern California wine buyers. Millennial wine buyers are marked by their unending curiosity and quest for diverse aromas and tastes. As such, they first embraced Rhone Valley white blends, wines that had various combinations of the exotic, flowery viognier, and the blander rousanne and marsanne. Among the best are those from Tablas Creek and Bonny Doons Cigare Volant Blanc. Next came an interest in an Austrian grape, gruner veltliner, which soon had been planted randomly around the United States. I love the Zocker from Edna Valley in San Luis Obispo County and Reustle Prayer Rock from Umpqua Valley in Oregon. Torrontes, the pineapple-y Argentine grape; vermentino from Italy, with its dried lemon peel (which may be the same as pigato), pinot blanc (or bianco in Italy), and silvaner from Germany all seem to have their champions, and some have even found that dry riesling from Germany is another category making a comeback. Many Northern California wine shops have had to expand their sections dedicated to what they now call Alternative Whites. Included in the Alternative Whites category are many Italian white wines from uncommon grapes such as arneis, greco, gavi, orvieto, verdicchio, verduzzo, falanghina, and many more. New Zealands delightfully unique un-oaked sauvignon blanc long ago became a star Alternative White. Today it is so mainstream it can routinely be found almost everywhere selling for between $10 and $20 a bottle. The latest fad in New Zealand sauvignon blanc is in some of the fascinating oak-matured versions that sell for twice as much. For the time being, millennials are driving American wine sales. Wine of the Week: 2013 Salwey Pinot Blanc, Baden, Henkenberg, GG ($40): This sensational white wine from Germany is completely dry (the GG indicates that) and is truly representative of the new wave of enthusiasm for Alternative Whites. The aroma is reminiscent of chamomile tea, lime, and slate. The wine is so dry it cries out for something like sole or trout poached in lemon with a drizzle of great olive oil. Imported by Cellars International. The NATO-Russia Council met on Thursday (13 July 2017) in Brussels. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gave a read-out of discussions following the meeting. He noted that Allies and Russia had a frank and constructive discussion on three key issues: Ukraine, Afghanistan and transparency and risk reduction. ''Dialogue can be difficult, but it is also essential,'' he stressed. Read the full opening remarks by the Secretary General here Good afternoon. I have just finished chairing a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. The fifth such meeting since April last year. Dialogue can be difficult, but it is also essential and in times of raised tensions, such as now, it is particularly important to keep channels of communication open. At todays meeting, we had a frank and useful discussion on three key issues: Ukraine, Afghanistan, and transparency and risk reduction. In the case of Ukraine, NATO Allies and Russia continue to have fundamental disagreements. The Crimean issue and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine remain clear points of contention, and heavy weapons have not been withdrawn from the conflict zone. The Minsk Agreements provide the best chance of a solution to the conflict, but they need to be implemented, and the work of the OSCE monitors need to be allowed to proceed unimpeded. At todays meeting, we also discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, which remains challenging. A stable Afghanistan is essential to regional security. NATO Allies and Russia share a common interest to support the National Unity government and to work towards a free, safe and democratic Afghanistan. The third and final topic we discussed was transparency and risk reduction. At previous meetings of the NATO-Russia Council we have given reciprocal briefings on exercises and force posture. Such exchanges are important elements of our continuing dialogue. They help to limit the risk of misunderstanding, miscalculation and unintended escalation. This is why it was significant that at todays meeting, we exchanged advance briefings on upcoming exercises. Russia briefed on the upcoming ZAPAD 2017 exercise, and NATO briefed on Exercise Trident Javelin 2017. I am encouraged by this progress. It is a dialogue that can continue at future meetings of this Council. At the same time, these voluntary exchanges do not substitute for the mandatory transparency required under the Vienna Document. So, todays meeting covered a range of different topics. Our discussion was frank and constructive. Allies and Russia may hold different views but we are committed to continuing our dialogue as part of our commitment to preserving peace and security. And with that, I am ready for your questions. Moderator: Julian, please. Q: Julian Barnes, Wall Street Journal. On the transparency, two questions. One, Russia and NATO have had very different accounts of the Zapad exercise, NATO saying 100,000 troops, Russia saying under the threshold for notifying under Vienna. Was there any sort of meeting of the minds? Was there any sort of information that NATO got that put you at ease about this upcoming exercises? And secondly, on the issue of air safety, weve had some uptick in recent months on incidents. Was there any discussion of that? Was there any discussion about mitigating the chance for a mishap in the Baltic region during these upcoming exercises? Jens Stoltenberg (Secretary General, NATO): First on numbers, Russia briefed on exercise Zapad 2017, and they also provided numbers on the total number of forces, but also planes, ships participating in the exercise, and also gave numbers for Russian troops and for troops from Belarus separately. And then many allies asked questions, and we had a discussion about the numbers. I think that my message today is that its too early to say because it remains to be seen because the exercise hasnt yet taken place. But from previous experiences related to previous exercises, we have every reason to believe that it may be substantially more troops participating than the official reported numbers. So our message is that we call on Russia to adhere to the Vienna document, and allow for mandatory transparency, inspections and observation of the exercise, according to the Vienna document. But as I said, it remains to be seen because the exercise hasnt yet taken place. But numbers was an important part of the discussion today. Then on air safety, that was also discussed, and air safety, especially the Baltic region was also discussed. That is an important issue, and it was raised by several members of the council. Air safety is an example of why dialogue is important. Air safety in the Baltic region was raised last year at the meeting of the NATO Russia Council. Following that we had a Finnish initiative to host and to organize an expert group. I also spoke several times to the Finnish President about these issues. And now there is an expert group with NATO, Russia, littoral states like Sweden and Finland participating, and they are working in a good way. Its promising the work in that expert group addressing air safety in the Baltic region. And for me that underlines the importance of dialogue. It also underlines the importance of dialogue of NATO-Russia, but also involving other relevant states, in this case, Sweden and Finland. And we have seen an increase in air activity in the Baltic region, but with few exceptions, the vast majority of the intercepts are conducted in a safe and responsible manner by all parties. So there are examples of unsafe behaviour. We have to work more on the risk reduction, air safety transparency, but I think its important also to recognize the progress and also the fact that the vast majority of the intercepts are conducted in a safe and secure manner. Moderator: Yes, please. The lady in the front. Q: ARD: Secretary General, was Syria not at all on the agenda because NATO is now involved? And any exchange of information about the situation in Syria today or no? Jens Stoltenberg: Syria was not discussed. NATO is a member of the coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria. NATO provides support to the coalition. We provide we have stepped up our support with our AWACs surveillance planes where also Germanys playing a key role, and German personnel are key to that support, and many NATO allies are directly involved in different kinds of air operations, including Germanys also having some air presence and support for the coalition. But Syria was not an item, not an issue, at the meeting today because we discussed Ukraine, Afghanistan, and transparency, risk reduction. Moderator: Please, Teri, in the front row. Q: Hi. Teri Schultz with NPR and Deutsche Welle: So you say that the Russia side presented some numbers. And were you satisfied that those numbers are below the observation threshold, if not the reporting threshold? You said that you have some what did I tweet? Reason to believe that they will be much higher, and weve heard of course estimates of as high as 100,000, which it seems like no matter how you chop that up, would probably require some reporting under Vienna. So what are your concerns? And do you have any leverage over Russia to make them actually follow the requirements under the OSCE? And a quick one like Julian on air safety, there have also been some reports that the Russians say they may not that they arent giving direct orders to the pilots who dont follow the rules, who arent behaving safely in the air. Does that concern you on its own? Thanks. Jens Stoltenberg: On numbers, Russia gave numbers on troops which are going to participate in Zapad, but also on other capabilities, like ships and planes. I welcome that and that also made it possible for allies to ask questions, and they asked several questions about the numbers. I think its for Russia to answer about numbers to the media, to the public, but I can say that according to them, according to the official numbers, they are below the Vienna document threshold. And that was then that was also many allies was focusing on exactly that threshold when they asked questions. And again, it remains to be seen because the exercise hasnt been conducted yet, so its hard to tell now exactly how many troops that will actually participate. But NATO will monitor and follow the Zapad 2017 very closely. And of course we will base our information about the exercise not only on official Russian reports, but also on other sources. And again, for us it is important to not only adhere to and follow the mandatory transparency according to the Vienna document, but I think its also a good thing, as many NATO allies do, that they are actually on a voluntary basis even showing even more transparency, notifying even exercises with less troops than the thresholds in the Vienna document. Then on air safety, again, we have seen increased air activities, meaning that we also have seen more intercepts. Intercepts is a normal thing. Thats a thing we do in planes, which are identified approaches NATO territory. But that can be done in a safe and professional manner, and its not a dramatic thing. Its a routine normal thing. The unnormal thing and the dangerous thing is if the intercepts are conducted in a dangerous way, too close to the plane or and always conducted in a dangerous way. So the issue is how can we make sure that intercepts air activities are conducted in a safe and safe and professional manner? And of course it is the different states who own the planes who are responsible for the behaviour of the planes. And I welcome the work of the expert group hosted by Finland. I welcome the fact that we have seen progress and that the vast majority with a few exceptions of the intercepts are conducted in a safe and professional manner. Moderator: Lady in the front row here. Q: Thank you, Secretary. You said youre talking about Afghanistan also in this meeting. Was there issue of the reported support to the Taliban by Russia raised in this meeting? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg: It was mentioned, but not as an important issue. We have seen reports, but we havent seen any proofs, any confirmed information about that kind of support, and Russia has clearly stated that theyre not supporting Taliban. The focus of the meeting today was the importance of supporting an Afghan led and Afghan owned reconciliation process. I welcome the fact that President Ghani has initiated such a process. And it was a meeting in Kabul a few weeks ago that was an important first step to try to re-energize or to give more strength to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Moderator: Irina. Q: Irina Somer, Ukrainian News Agency, UNIAN: Actually two questions. You said that NATO will monitor exercise Zapad 2017, but will NATO be able to send their own observers? Its first part on this one. And did Russians give you any guarantee that these exercises will be not used to occupy other neighbouring countries? And the second question is like it happened by the way in Georgia in 2012. The second one, I would like to know if Russian asked you about next visit to Kyiv which took place a few days ago. And particularly about the fact that President Poroshenko touched an issue of MAP. Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg: So every nation has the right to exercise its forces, and that of course also goes for Russia. Second, we dont see any imminent threat against any NATO allied country. Third, we will follow the Zapad exercise closely. And of course if this is an exercise which is not defined according to the Vienna document and there is a mandatory inspection and transparency then of course we will be part of that. On the visit of NAC to Kyiv, it was briefly mentioned, and I underlined the message from the North Atlantic Council, and we visited Kyiv on Monday this week, that NATO stands in solidarity with Ukraine. We support Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, and NATO provides practical and political support to Ukraine. And the focus is on reforms, the importance of fighting corruption and modernize Ukraines defence and security institutions. There has been no change in the relationship between Ukraine and NATO. We continue to focus on our partnership and on implementing reforms. Moderator: Yes, please. Lady in the front row. Q: Georgian TV Company, RUSTAVI: Secretary General, as you know, last week occupation regime moved occupation line so-called border. It was in South Ossetia region, village ... (inaudible). And today we have more dangers in other villages. Maybe do you discuss this issue today, and in general how you estimate this situation? Thanks. Jens Stoltenberg: We didnt discuss this issue today. And thats not because NATO is not concerned about the situation in Georgia, but thats because the issues we discussed today were Ukraine, Afghanistan, and risk reduction. But as Secretary General of NATO, not related to the meeting that took place today, I can say that of course we are concerned. We have seen that the border posts have been moved several times, and we dont recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as any kind of independent republics or nations. They are a part of Georgia, part of the international recognized borders of Georgia or within those borders. We therefore support all efforts to try to find a negotiated peaceful solution to these conflicts, and we continue to provide support to Georgia. And we have the training centre. We have the assistance package. We have many other activities, which are going on where we continue to help Georgia to modernize and to strengthen its capability to protect and defend itself, and also to stabilize the country where we see foreign troops on Georgian soil. Moderator: Okay, we have time for one more question. Ana. Q: Ana Pisonero, Europa Press: Thank you, Secretary-General. Could you tell us a bit about the numbers that will participate in the NATO exercise? And also is there a bit of clarity of what will happen with the U.S. Patriots that would be deployed in Lithuania, I think? Is it only for the next upcoming exercise or will they probably stay a bit longer just for extra reassurance measures. We understand that especially Lithuania was one of the countries pushing for extra measures ... to fend off from Zapad given that they are extremely worried about this exercise. Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg: The deployment of the Patriot batteries is a bilateral issue - the United States provides this kind of support or are deploying the Patriot batteries. But of course thats they are invited to do so, and its also part of the strengthening of the U.S. military presence in Europe, and I welcome this increased U.S. presence of increased U.S. presence in Europe. How long the Patriots will be deployed? Im not able to tell you, but Im certain that the U.S. will be able to answer about that. Exercise Trident Javelin 2017 is a command post exercise. Its exercising almost the whole of the NATO command structure, which is extremely important, and its also a part of the preparations to the Trident Juncture 2018 exercise next year, which will be a big live exercise. The numbers are below 5,000. So its not a big exercise measured in the number of troops, but it is NATOs most significant exercise this year because its exercising our command structure. Next year well have a much bigger live exercise, and NATO allies are ready to be transparent and to be from Trident Juncture, and of course then we speak about much higher numbers, around 35,000 troops. But of course the final numbers yet to be decided because it depends a bit on how many nations will send troops and contribute, but around 35,000. Moderator: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. Jens Stoltenberg: Thank you so much. TITUSVILLE, Florida A restaurant employee is in serious condition after he was shot during an armed robbery that occurred around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at the China 1 Restaurant located at 1556 Harrison Street. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Investigators say that a robber entered the restaurant armed with a handgun, threatened the counter attendant ,and forcibly took money from the register. The robber then shot the counter attendant before exiting the restaurant. The suspect was last seen running eastbound on Harrison Street. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately six feet tall, with a slender build. He was wearing a black handkerchief embossed with a white skull around his face. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt, khaki pants and a black knit cap. His shoes were black with white soles. The counter attendant was transported to a local hospital where he remains in serious condition. If anyone has information about these crimes, please contact the Titusville Police Department at (321) 264-7800, or they can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward by contacting Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Image credit: Google (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 13:41 President Donald Trump has said he was "not joking" about his proposed plan to build a solar- powered wall on the US-Mexico border with a see-through provision for security reasons. "No, not joking, no. There is a chance that we can do a solar wall," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One travelling with him to Paris from Washington. Major companies are looking at that, he said. Trump said that "there is a very good chance" a solar wall could be built, and that "there is no better place for solar than the Mexico border -- the southern border." He said the wall would have to be see-through, a demand that is been made by some Border Patrol officials who oversee the border. "You have to be able to see through it. In other words, if you can't see through that wall -- so it could be a steel wall with openings, but you have to have openings because you have to see what is on the other side of the wall," Trump added. "As horrible as it sounds, when they throw large sacks of drugs over, and if you have people on the other side of the wall, you don't see them -- they hit you on the head with 60 pounds of stuff? It's over. As crazy as that sounds, you need transparency through that wall. But we have some incredible designs," he said. Trump also admitted that his proposed wall would not cover the entire 2,000-mile border. "And remember this, it is a 2,000 mile border, but you don't need 2,000 miles of wall because you have a lot of natural barriers," he said. Trump said there was a need for 700-900 miles of border wall. There are currently about 600 miles of different types of fencing on the US-Mexico border. "You have mountains. You have some rivers that are violent and vicious. You have some areas that are so far away that you don't really have people crossing. So you don't need that. But you'll need anywhere from 700 to 900 miles," Trump said. Democrats have threatened to derail any budget proposal that includes specific funding for construction of new stretches of the wall. Montemagno appointed chancellor of SIU Carbondale CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, has appointed Carlo Montemagno, a professor of engineering who founded and currently leads the interdisciplinary Ingenuity Lab based at the University of Alberta in Canada, as the next chancellor of SIU Carbondale. The board approved the appointment July 13, 2017, at its meeting in Springfield. Montemagno was nominated for consideration by SIU System President Randy Dunn and begins his new role Aug. 15. Media Advisory Dr. Montemagno (pronounced mont-a-MAHN-yo) will be available to meet with media representatives on Monday, July 17. Time and location are to be determined. Montemagno is an internationally recognized expert in nanotechnology and biomedical engineering, focusing his work on linking multiple disciplines to solve problems in areas of health, energy and the environment. In addition to leading the Ingenuity Lab, which connects organizations and researchers from across the Province of Alberta, he serves as director of the biomaterials program for the Canadian Research Councils National Institute for Nanotechnology as well as research chair in intelligent nanosystems for the Canadian National Research Council. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Alberta, he was the founding dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a professor of bioengineering at the University of Cincinnati. He also served as a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, founding chair of the Department of Bioengineering and co-director of the NASA Center for Cell Mimetic Space Exploration at the University of California, Los Angeles. Other previous roles include serving as director of the biomedical engineering graduate program and associate professor at Cornell University, group leader in the environmental research division at Argonne National Laboratories at the University of Chicago, and as a U.S. naval officer working with the U.S. Department of Energy. Montemagno has received a number of awards for his scientific work, including the Feynman Prize for Experimental Work in Nanotechnology, the Earth Award Grand Prize and the CNBC Business Top 10 Green Innovator award. He was named a Bill & Melinda Gates Grand Challenge Winner for his development of an oral vaccine delivery system that increased vaccine stability. He has also been named a fellow for the American Institute for Medical and Biomedical Engineering, the American Academy for Nanomedicine and the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts. He is widely published, serves on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals and is a sought-after speaker on nanotechnology. Over the course of his career, he has received more than $100 million in grant funding for research, and he has received or is awaiting approval of more than 40 patents. He holds a bachelors degree in agricultural and biological engineering from Cornell University in New York, a masters degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and a doctoral degree in civil engineering and geological sciences from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-12 23:58:18|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Spanish Customs Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria Aduanera) carried out a search lasting for around an hour and a half on Cristiano Ronaldo's holiday yacht, according to reports in the Spanish media on Wednesday. The magazine Hola reports that three armed Customs Tax Agency agents carried out the search on the boat 'aYa London' which the Real Madrid player has rented for part of his holidays. The search took place after Ronaldo, who was accompanied by family and friends, had returned to the boat after enjoying lunch at a restaurant on the island of Formentera, which is the smallest of the Balearic Islands. The agents travelled from a Customs boat to Ronaldo's in a rubber launch to carry out the inspection with the player remaining below decks for the duration of the search. Ronaldo will appear in court in Madrid on July 31st to answer charges of tax fraud amounting to 14.7 million euros and could face a prison sentence if found guilty. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 01:09:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Julius Gale JUBA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The body tasked with monitoring South Sudan's peace agreement said on Wednesday that a high level forum seeking to revive the stalled peace agreement and find a political solution to the South Sudan crisis will convene in September. Festus Mogae, Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), said during a meeting of stakeholders in the South Sudan capital, Juba that the three-stage revitalization process would start on Sept. 22. He said the forum is intended to ensure broad consultation with stakeholders and generate proposals that could make the peace agreement implementation more accommodative, viable and sustainable. "We welcome and commit to the revitalization of the implementation of the peace agreement, and call upon parties and estranged groups to seize this opportunity to make concrete proposals for consideration at the forum," Mogae said. The high level revitalization forum was called for by the East African regional bloc, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) during a meeting in Ethiopia last month. Mogae said the success of the revitalization process will require willingness on the part of the parties to the 2015 peace agreement and estranged groups to compromise and accommodate one another politically. "A window of opportunity has arisen and we must all size it. I believe that with a resolute and unified approach by IGAD, the African Union, UN and the international Community, and with cooperation from the South Sudanese leaders, we can never lost ground and restore hope to the people of South Sudan," Mogae added. South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has have taken a devastating toll on the people, and creating one of the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016. The UN estimates that at least 2 million people have been forced into neighboring countries. David Shearer, head of the UN mission in South Sudan said on Wednesday that an offensive on a rebel stronghold in the northeastern parts of the country on July 2 has forced over 5,000 civilians to flee into neighboring Ethiopia. "We demand a total cessation of violence around the country and a commitment by all parties and groups to pursue a political path to reconciling their difference," Mogae appealed. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 01:49:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Spain's economy will grow by 3.3 percent this year, up from the previously predicted 3.0 percent, according to a report presented on Wednesday by Spain's second-largest bank, BBVA. Next year, the Spanish economy will grow by 2.8 percent as opposed to the previously predicted 2.7 percent. Rafael Domenech, from BBVA Research, said the latest data pointed to the "good performance" of the Spanish economy, and explained that employment, disposable income, consolidation of the real estate sector, and exports had helped boost the country's growth. According to BBVA Research, employment will rise by 2.9 percent in 2017, having an impact on the country's unemployment rate, which will fall to 17.1 percent this year and to 15.3 percent in 2018. Domenech said it could be possible to reduce the unemployment rate to 11 percent by 2020, as the Spanish government hopes, pointing out that short-term jobs should be reduced. Meanwhile, Spain's public deficit is expected to fall to 3.1 percent in 2017 and to 2.2 percent in 2018 as requested by the European Union (EU), said BBVA. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 01:54:37|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close RIYADH, July 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met on Wednesday in Jeddah the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and discussed the Qatar crisis, Al Arabiya local news reported. The visit of the U.S. official is part of a tour to Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to find a solution to the current regional rifts. He also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, the four countries boycotting Qatar, in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues. They also discussed means for the elimination of terrorism and its financers. The four countries stressed adherence to their collective stand and measures taken against Qatar in light of claims about its violation of international laws and norms. The boycott is the four countries' first measure against what they believed of Qatar's support for terrorism and extremism and its interference in the Arab states' internal affairs and threatening their peace and security both nationally and internationally. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 03:00:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official on Wednesday urged the international community to find a solution to the Yemen conflict which causes the tragic humanitarian situation day by day. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, told the UN Security Council that the situation in Yemen "remains extremely grave, with the conflict intensifying daily and the tragic humanitarian situation continuing to worsen." He noted that for the third year in a row, Yemenis have seen the holy month of Ramadan transformed from a month of tolerance and peace into a month of violence and hopelessness. The Envoy said he continued to engage with the parties as well as with neighboring countries, noting he had just arrived from Saudi Arabia Wednesday morning and will depart for Egypt Thursday. He called on all of the parties to act for the sake of peace, stressing that their excuses are unacceptable, and their justifications are unconvincing, especially when the solutions are in plain sight. "The opportunity to reach peace is not yet lost," he noted. For his part, Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien said that millions of Yemen civilians continue to be exposed to unfathomable pain and suffering, with the risk of famine and cholera and associated diseases remaining acute in all but one governorate across the country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 03:15:46|Editor: Liu Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, July 12 (Xinhua) -- After a journey of five years, Curiosity rover has begun its long-anticipated study of an iron-bearing ridge, informally named "Vera Rubin Ridge", forming a distinctive layer on the mountain's slope. According to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Curiosity's science team said in its twitter on Wednesday that "I'm starting my investigation of hematite-bearing 'Vera Rubin Ridge' on #Mars." Commemorating astronomer Vera Cooper Rubin (1928-2016), Curiosity's science team informally named the feature "Vera Rubin Ridge", which has been recognized as one of four unique terrains on lower Mount Sharp before Curiosity's landing five years ago and therefore a key mission destination. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, the car-size NASA rover is now near the downhill face of the ridge, which forms an impressive wall for much of the ridge's length of about 6.5 kilometers. "Our Vera Rubin Ridge campaign has begun," Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada said in a statement. "Curiosity is driving parallel to the ridge, below it, observing it from different angles as we work our way toward a safe route to the top of the ridge." Vera Rubin Ridge stands about eight stories tall, with a trough behind it where clay minerals await. A major appeal of the ridge is an iron-oxide mineral, hematite, which can form under wet conditions and reveal information about ancient environments of the red planet, according to NASA. Studies of Mount Sharp with the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, identified hematite in the ridge and also mapped water-related clay and sulfate minerals in layers just above it. Curiosity landed near Mount Sharp in the Gale Crater in August 2012 and reached the base of the mountain in 2014. It has since traversed through a diversity of environments where both water and wind have left their imprint. The rover began to drive toward uphill destinations on Mount Sharp since its second two-year mission extension commenced on Oct. 1, 2016. The upcoming exploration provides opportunities to learn even more about the history and habitability of ancient Mars. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 03:46:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 6,186 refugees were registered in the month of June in Ethiopia, pushing the number of refugees registered in the East African nation to 843,374. The figure was given on Wednesday by the United Nations High commission for Refugees (UNHCR) which said the June refugee arrivals have pushed the number of refugees registered in Ethiopia in the first six months of 2017 to a total of 60,293. UNHCR gave the figures as it works to highlight the funding gap it is facing to meet the needs of the refugees currently estimated at 307.5 million U.S. dollars. So far 23 percent of the needed 307.5 million U.S. dollars has been donated to UNHCR. Most refugees in Ethiopia come from the strife- torn nations of Somalia and South Sudan and Ethiopia's northern neighbor Eritrea. Smaller groups of refugees fleeing war in Sudan and from across the Red Sea from Yemen are also part of the group the UNHCR has registered as refugees in Ethiopia. With Ethiopia currently being among the top five refugee hosting nations in the world, it's also one of five African countries participating in a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). CRRF is a vehicle for the implementation of pledges made at UN leaders' summit in September 2016 in New York, where refugees in Ethiopia will be given funds for assisting with education and employment opportunities in Ethiopia. Western Countries in particular hope that schemes like CRRF will persuade refugees living in Ethiopia and other African nations not to undertake perilous trips to reach their countries and instead stay at their current host countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 04:11:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- About 15 former chairs of White House Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) on Wednesday urged President Donald Trump not to impose tariffs on steel imports. "Media reports indicate that you are contemplating using your authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to initiate the process of imposing steel tariffs because of a putative threat to national security. We urge the administration not to take this action," the economists who advised past U.S. presidents of both parties said in a letter to the White House. They noted that the United States already has over 150 countervailing and antidumping duties on steel imports, warning additional tariffs "would likely do harm to" U.S. relations with major allies that are the top source of U.S. steel imports. "Officials from Canada, United Kingdom, the European Union, Germany, and the Netherlands have already voiced concern," they said, adding additional steel tariffs would also damage the U.S. economy. "Tariffs would raise costs for manufacturers, reduce employment in manufacturing, and increase prices for consumers," they argued. "We urge you to avoid a policy that would likely incur greater economic and diplomatic costs than any conceivable national security gain," the economists concluded. The signatories of the letter include former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who was chair of the CEA under former President George W. Bush, Martin Feldstein, who held the post for then-President Ronald Reagan, and Jason Furman, who served an advisor to former President Barack Obama. The Trump administration in April launched the so-called Section 232 investigations into imported steel products, a rarely-used trade tool to limit imports on the grounds of protecting national security. Many U.S. trade experts have warned that it would further damage U.S. manufacturing if the administration imposes new restrictions on steel imports. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 05:11:53|Editor: Liangyu Photo taken on June 19, 2017 shows the modern facilities of Loutraki Thermal Spa at the seaside resort of Loutraki, 80 km southwest of Athens, capital of Greece. A breath away from Athens, the seaside resort of Loutraki on the Gulf of Corinth has been for several decades a popular holiday destination for those seeking to take a dive in history, the sea and the therapeutic waters of the natural thermal springs at the foot of Geraneia mountain range. Amid the acute debt crisis that has hit Greece since 2009, local authorities in this town of 20,000 inhabitants which is located about 80 km southwest of Athens, have stepped up efforts to modernize and upgrade their unique tourism product. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) by Maria Spiliopoulou LOUTRAKI, Greece, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A breath away from Athens, the seaside resort of Loutraki on the Gulf of Corinth has been for several decades a popular holiday destination for those seeking to take a dive in history, the sea and the therapeutic waters of the natural thermal springs at the foot of Geraneia mountain range. Amid the acute debt crisis that has hit Greece since 2009, local authorities in this town of 20,000 inhabitants which is located about 80 km southwest of Athens, have stepped up efforts to modernize and upgrade their unique tourism product. They seek to attract more visitors from across the world, focusing on their comparative advantages, such as the centuries-old tradition in thermalism, officials said during a recent tour in Corinth Prefecture. "The name Loutraki is a direct reference to thermalism. From antiquity our hot springs and the healing benefits of the waters had been a trademark of the region," Tassos Sakellariou, Deputy Mayor of Loutraki, explained, told Xinhua at the facilities of the municipality's "Loutraki Thermal Spa". The word derives from "Loutron" that means bath in Greek. Thermae (hot spings) is the name of the ancient city. The first written reference to the miraculous waters is made by historian Xenophon (431-351 BC) He mentioned that Spartan soldiers came to Thermae to heal after battles, bathing in the waters deriving from many faults of the coastal area. The city was famous for its "water of life" also during the Roman period, while in the 19th century it became one of the first thermalism destinations in the newly founded Greek state. The well-preserved old building of the Loutraki Thermal Spa dates back to the early 20th century. The construction of the modern wing was completed in 2010 with European Union and local administration funds. "We attempted to develop what we had and expand from the therapeutic spas to wellness in order to attract more people to the modern facilities. We constantly try to upgrade the services offered," Sakellariou said. Currently Loutraki Thermal Spa covers 5,000 square meters. It includes indoor heated pools with waterfalls and jet hydromassaging, a cool water swimming pool for post-traumatic rehabilitation, sauna, as well as individual cabins for hydrotherapy and massage. There is an easy access for the disabled, medical advice and information on the water properties provided by health experts, as well as drinking therapy, mud therapy and beauty treatment sessions. About 50,000 people, mostly Greeks and other Europeans, visit the spa throughout each year. The municipality aims to attract more visitors from the United States and China. "Loutraki's therapeutic water is famous worldwide for its healing properties. It is rich in trace elements and minerals. Its main substances are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and radon -- very beneficial elements to health," Vana Nikolopoulou, Loutraki Thermal Spa PR manager, told Xinhua. According to scientific studies, the therapeutic water has positive effects on a wide range of health conditions, from musculoskeletal problems to hypertension, skin disorders and stress. "Patients suffering from ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis can find relief after taking hydro therapy treatment. Thermal spa therapy is indicated for rheumatisms and musculoskeletal conditions. The high temperature water helps relax muscles and relieve pain," Antonis Angoules, orthopaedic surgeon, Professor at an Athens university, explained. Tourists also have the option of cooling off at the crystal clear waters of the "Blue Flag" awarded beach and the nearby Vouliagmeni lake. Otherwise they can take a dive in history visiting archaeological sites, such as Heraion, the sanctuary of goddess Hera, at Perachora peninsula. Diolkos, the paved road constructed at the Isthmus of Corinth in the 7th century BC to transfer on wheeled vehicles ships from the Corinthian to the Saronic Gulf, is another must-see. Its remnants remain intact today next to the submersible bridges connecting Peloponnese peninsula and the mainland over the 6 kilometers long and 24 meters wide Corinth Canal, the region's landmark, which was constructed in the 19th century. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 07:21:00|Editor: Liangyu Mohammed Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), delivers a speech during a session of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 12, 2017. Mohammed Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said on Wednesday that he is optimistic about oil stocks declining further to heighten the prices at the second half of this year. (Xinhua/He Canling) Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 08:07:51|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Liga Santander club, Real Sociedad on Wednesday confirmed the signing of Belgian international winger Adnan Januzai from Manchester United for a fee of around 10 million euros. The 22-year-old has agreed a five-year deal to play at the Anoeta Stadium after being left out of the Manchester United squad to travel to the United States. Januzai broke into the Manchester United first team in the 2013-14 season under David Moyes, who later tried to sign him when he was in charge at Real Sociedad, but then lost protagonism. He spent the last two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland, but with only limited success. The Belgian expressed his happiness at joining Real Sociedad on the club's official website, saying that he aimed to help the side from the city of San Sebastian win either the Europa League or the King's Cup knockout tournament in the coming season. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 09:29:30|Editor: ying Video Player Close CANBERRA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government on Thursday announced a major review of its space policy, in an effort to gain a "greater understanding of the industry's capabilities" to participate in the global market. Announcing the review in a media release, Australia's Minister of Industry, Innovation and Science Arthur Sinodinis said the government had not closed the door of potentially creating its own space agency similar to the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "The Australian government wants to ensure the right framework and mix of incentives are in place to assist Australia's growing space industry sector to participate successfully in this global market," Sinodinis said. "The review will consult widely and examine Australia's current capability and areas of comparative advantage, as well as our regional and international collaboration within the sector. Importantly, it will also consider how the space industry sector aligns with other sectors and government priorities." Sinodinis said the space industry grew at a rate of 9.52 percent from 1998 to 2015, while revenue from overall space-related activities was valued at about 323 billion U.S. dollars in 2015. "I believe that Australia can participate in the global space sector and through development of the technical capability and knowledge required for this demanding sector, we will develop skills to grow other advanced manufacturing industries in Australia," the minister said. "This review is timely, given the current pace of change in the international space sector and advances in technologies that provide an environment that encourages commercial investment in space activities. "It will provide a strategic framework for the Australian space sector that supports leadership, innovation, opportunity and entrepreneurship, along with our broader national interest." The review will be chaired by the former head of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Dr Megan Clark, and will formally begin on July 20 and is expected to conclude "by the end of March 2018", Sinodinis said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 10:19:54|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TUNIS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A series of wildfires ravaged several Tunisian forests as a heatwave has scorched the country, though no casualties were reported yet, authorities said Wednesday. For more than three days, Tunisia has experienced an exceptional heatwave with a peak temperature of 47 degrees centigrade. The total fire-affected area has reached 830 hectares. In the northeastern province Nabeul, civil protection units are still monitoring a fire triggered since Wednesday afternoon in the Abderrahmen mountain, according to Nazih Toumi, the administrative head of Manzel Bouzalfa, a town in the province. "Apart from seven civil protection units and no less than 50 firefighters and forest agents, we are using a military helicopter in an attempt to get to the heart of the fire," he told local press. In the province of Beja in northwestern Tunisia, the situation has turned for the better but a lack of access to the burned perimeter has hampered total control of the fire, according to local authorities. The National Institute of Meteorology of Tunisia warned the public against any direct exposure to solar radiation. The Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company Wednesday witnessed a record in electricity consumption, about 3,800 mega watts, the highest in its history. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 10:45:05|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MELBOURNE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers on Thursday unveiled a device for the eye that can save the sight of those most likely to develop blindness. The small implantable electric device, invented by the Bionics Institute and Centre for Eye Research Australia in Melbourne, sits unnoticed at the back of the eye and provides low-level electric stimulation to trigger the release of chemicals that prevent retinal cells from dying. The Minimally Invasive Retinal-degeneration Arrestor device has undergone successful animal trials and been recognized as one of Australia's most important research projects. Robert Klupacs, chief scientist at Bionic Vision Australia, said that the device could be more useful than the bionic eye due to its capacity to treat a wider range of devices. "Once someone has lost their sight there is only so much you can give back with the bionic eye. If they don't have to lose their sight, they can have a really good life," Klupacs told Australian media on Thursday. "This will be one of the most amazing things to come out of Australia if it comes off." David Nayagam, one of many researchers to work on the project, said that trials had proved the device was effective in slowing the effects of Retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary degenerative condition that causes blindness. He said that the team was optimistic that it would also be useful for macula degeneration and glaucoma with preclinical trials to begin in 12 to 18 months. "If we can get five or 10 years of extra sight, that might be enough for the patient to see their kids grow up or to finish their working career," Nayagam said. "That's the grand hope, but the work is just beginning. "We need to prove it is safe and efficacious before we can start the clinical trials. "It's smaller, simpler, less invasive and delivers less current than the bionic eye. We're very hopeful we shouldn't run into any obstacles." Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 10:50:08|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MELBOURNE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Heroin overdoses in Melbourne have hit a 20-year high due to the plummeting price of the drug, it was revealed on Thursday. Heroin addicts can buy a hit of the drug for as cheap as 13 U.S. dollars, cheaper than most alcohol for sale in Australia, compared to 38 U.S. dollars per hit in the mid-to-late 2000s. The rise in prominence of the drug has reignited calls for safe injecting rooms where the crisis is worst in North Richmond, just three kilometers from Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD). Safe injecting rooms are facilities whereby addicts can have heroin administered to them by medical professionals in a safe space where the risk of overdosing is dramatically reduced. Residents of the area have often been forced to try and resuscitate overdose victims while waiting for paramedics to arrive as the streets have become a dumping ground for uncapped discarded needles and bloodied tissues. Emergency services data published by Australian media on Thursday revealed that 190 people died in Victoria from heroin overdoses in 2016, the highest number since the 1990s. The data also revealed that half those deaths occurred in public places such as streets, parks and alleyways. Daniel Andrews, premier of Victoria, has previously ruled out opening a safe injecting room in Victoria. "The government has no plans to introduce a safe injecting facility in Victoria," a spokesperson said on Thursday. Fiona Patton, a member of the Upper House of Victoria parliament, said there was no serious organization that opposed safe injecting rooms. "Anyone with any common sense who has been there on the streets will see it is not working and people are dying," Patton said. "This is not being soft on drugs, this is being smart on drugs. If we do nothing, the residents of North Richmond will continue to have people dying on their streets. "I'm terribly frustrated and terribly sad." Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 10:50:09|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MELBOURNE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian state governments could band together to achieve a clean energy target without federal leadership on the issue, Victoria's environment minister said on Thursday. Lily D'Ambrosio, Victoria's Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, said that if Australia's federal government, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, did not determine its position on clean energy soon, "willing" states could implement their own target. "The willing states are looking at the real prospect of potentially having to go it alone," D'Ambrosio told Australian media on Thursday. D'Ambrosio's comments came before a meeting of the nation's energy ministers on Friday at which the clean energy target is set to be a priority. A review by Australia's chief scientist, Alan Finkel, released in June recommended that the government introduce a clean energy target post-2020 to stimulate investment in clean energy generation. Turnbull has not yet announced whether he will adopt Finkel's recommendation, causing angst among the state governments. "This is not the first time the states have had to lead the way," D'Ambrosio said. "In two and a half years' time, we will no longer have the federal renewable energy target. "Investors, industry, businesses are now desperately seeking a policy steer on what happens post 2020. "They need policy certainty and clarity." Josh Frydenberg, the Federal Environment and Energy Minister, said in July that the target would not be resolved at the Coalition of Australian Governments meeting on Friday. He said that he would listen to the states' viewpoint but would not be rushed to a decision. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 11:00:18|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close LISBON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Relations between China and Portugal are at their best time in history as evidenced by strong bilateral cooperation across various fields in recent years, said China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang. Zhang, who paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday, made the remarks while meeting here with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. China and Portugal are good friends and partners which understand, respect, trust and support each other, said Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Zhang also expressed his hope that the two countries could enhance political mutual trust and strategic coordination while accommodating each other's core interests and major concerns. China attaches high importance to the development of China-EU relations, hoping that Portugal, as a major EU member, could continue to play a constructive role in promoting China-EU relations, Zhang added. The Portuguese president, for his part, said that Portugal is willing to work together with China to seize the opportunity and deepen their cooperation. The president also said that Portugal is ready to follow through on the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and implement major bilateral projects in a bid to push the Portugal-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 11:10:24|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Bordeaux have made an offer to sign Brazilian winger Wellington Silva from Rio de Janeiro giants Fluminense, according to media reports. The move hinges on the wishes of English Premier League club Arsenal, who hold 55% of the 24-year-old's economic rights, ESPN Brasil said on Wednesday. Silva has made 48 appearances and scored eight goals for Fluminense since rejoining his original club from Bolton Wanderers last July. The former Brazil under-21 international was signed by Arsenal in 2011 but failed to make a first-team appearance for the London outfit. After unimpressive loan spells at six different clubs, Silva returned to Fluminense last July. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 11:10:27|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close LISBON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Portugal have pledged to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure project spanning dozens of countries. Mutually beneficially cooperation between China and Portugal has great potential for the initiative, said China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang while meeting here with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa. Zhang, who paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday, noted that Portugal, with its advantageous geographic location, is a strategic propeller for the development of the Belt and Road project. Proposed by China in 2013, the initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also expressed hope that Portugal and China could further cooperation under the grand project in order to achieve win-win results. The Portuguese prime minister, for his part, said that Portugal is an active supporter and participant of the initiative. Portugal is ready to deepen cooperation with China in such areas as new energy, agricultural products and infrastructure, as well as in culture, education and tourism, Costa said. Costa added that Portugal welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and will provide a fair and convenient business environment for them. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 11:25:35|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close LISBON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese legislature and Portuguese parliament should enhance cooperation to keep up with the general pace of bilateral ties, visiting Chinese top legislator Zhang Dejiang said on Wednesday. Zhang made the remarks during meeting with his Portuguese counterpart Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues. Zhang said that China's National People's Congress (NPC) is willing to join hands with the Portuguese parliament to elevate cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries and push forward the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership. He also called for reinforcing friendly exchanges between the two countries at all levels and expanding people-to-people exchanges. As Portugal is an important destination country for Chinese investment in Europe, Zhang expressed the hope that Portugal would ensure legitimate rights of Chinese companies and investors in Portugal. For his part, Rodrigues said that Zhang's visit, the first by a top Chinese legislator to Portugal, has great significance in elevating cooperation between legislative bodies of the two countries and in deepening bilateral ties. Rodrigues said Portugal is willing to seize the visit as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between special committees and friendly groups of the two countries to promote the development of bilateral friendly relations. Before the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between China's NPC and the Portuguese parliament was inked by Zhang and Rodrigues. Photo taken on July 12, 2017 shows fogging machines at Dhaka Mosquito Control Department in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. (Xinhua/Salim Reza) DHAKA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's capital Dhaka is reeling from a "major outbreak of chikungunya", a viral disease spread by the Aedes mosquito, which is also responsible for Zika virus, with the hospitals reporting nearly 3,000 cases of the disease since May. "We're currently facing a major outbreak of chikungunya," Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora, head of the country's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Health Ministry, told Xinhua on Wednesday. She said, "A total of 2,700 chikungunya cases have so far been reported to the IEDCR from hospitals and clinics in Dhaka since May." A few cases of chikungunya that is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes have also been reported to the IEDCR from Bangladesh's eastern Narsingdi and southwestern Gopalganj district, she added. IEDCR chief said the disease virtually swept through over capital Dhaka areas in June and it's continuing. She said they are currently getting up to 100 calls from chikungunya patients or their relatives every day through a hotline they opened recently at their office in capital Dhaka. Some of the major physical symptoms of chikungunya include fever, muscle ache, chills, rashes and nausea, she added. "So far we understand the prevailing situation may persist or even worsen till the end of September this year as Aedes mosquitoes could breed even after the ongoing monsoon," she said and made a plea to Dhaka dwellers to ensure that the mosquitoes could not breed inside their homes. Bangladesh is considered a high-risk nation with respect to mosquito-borne diseases as the impoverished state of over about 160 million people is especially vulnerable to virus preparation because of insufficient biosecurity and deficient disease surveillance. The disease was first detected in Bangladesh in 2008. The serious outbreak of chikungunya disease occurred only this year though there were some cases of the disease also in 2008 subsequent years, Flora said. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The dengue-like viral disease was reportedly first described during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952. Professor Abul Kalam Azad, director general for Health Services in Bangladesh, said the government is well aware of the prevailing chikungunya situation in the country. Many measures have already been taken to contain further outbreak of the disease in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, said Azad who is also heading a 21-member high powered committee for the control and prevention of the disease. According to WHO, there is no direct person-to-person transmission of the disease, for which there are no specific antiviral drugs and no commercial vaccine. Chinese giant panda "Le Bao" eats its "birthday meal" at the zoo of Everland in the city of Yongin, South Korea, on July 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Newsis) YONGIN, South Korea, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The birthday for one of a pair of giant pandas, leased by China, was celebrated Wednesday at the zoo of Everland, South Korea's largest theme park located in Yongin, 40 km south of capital Seoul. Le Bao, a five-year-old male, and Ai Bao, a four-year-old female, arrived in South Korea in March last year on a 15-year lease. Their names mean pleasant and lovely treasures. Everland built a 3,300-square-meter Panda World to accommodate the endangered species. The panda species was under threat of extinction but gained great popularity for lovely looks and rarity in the world. According to Everland data, the number of giant pandas in the wild increased to 1,864 in 2014 from 1,596 10 years ago thanks to much effort to conserve the bear species. Chinese giant panda "Le Bao" eats its "birthday meal" at the zoo of Everland in the city of Yongin, South Korea, on July 12, 2017.(Xinhua/Newsis) To congratulate Ai Bao's birthday, the theme park operator displayed a birthday cake, made up of bunches of bamboo, flowers and candle-shaped carrots, at the center of the female panda's pen. Scores of local and foreign media journalists participated in the celebratory event to photograph and film the lovely pandas. Ai Bao, which Everland said is gentle and shy, lied on her belly at the cooled rock, which is specially produced to mechanically lower its temperature and is located at the corner of the pen. Just on the opposite of the pen, Le Bao actively went here and there throughout his pen. The male panda, one-year older than the female one, climbed the trees and ran from place to place. The outgoing Le Bao caught the eyes of female students visiting the Panda World, who said he was "cute and lovely." Many of mothers wheeling a baby carriage stopped in front of the male panda to allow their children to watch the lovely panda. The pandas were leased to South Korea for joint research purpose. China had previously loaned a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994. This time around, Everland aimed to reproduce the panda pair. Male pandas usually become sexually mature one year later than females. Le Bao is five years old, and Ai Bao is four years old. Chinese giant panda "Le Bao" looks at its "birthday meal" at the zoo of Everland in the city of Yongin, South Korea, on July 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Newsis) "About one and a half (years) has passed since the pandas came to their new home," said Kang Cherwon, a keeper of the Everland zoo. "They put on some 25 kilograms in weight since they came here, and became an adult capable of reproducing," said the keeper. Female pandas aged 5-6 are able to start reproducing. Le Bao and Ai Bao are selected as a good genetic match, but the reproduction is usually hard as the breeding season of pandas lasts just for days per year. "The breeding season only lasts for two to three days in a year," said Youn Soonghee, an Everland zoo breeder of the pandas. Youn anticipated the reproduction next year, but he said getting pregnant could be hard. He added that the pandas should pass this summer well as being healthy is important to reproduce. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 12:16:29|Editor: ying Video Player Close MELBOURNE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- High concentration of seafloor pollution could "contaminate the entire food chain" in Australia, according to a study published on Thursday. Researchers from the University of Tasmania (UTAS), led by Scott Ling, found that the seafloor along the coast of Australia has a high rate of microplastics within the sediment. The team from the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at UTAS used a sediment grab to sample seafloor sediments from 42 sites off the coast of Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia from September 2015 to November 2015. They found that even in seafloor sediments collected near rural areas the rate of pollution was high. "We were surprised by both the quantity of microplastics we found in marine sediments and their wide dispersal everywhere we looked along the South East Australian coast," Ling said in a media release on Thursday. "Our study took samples of marine sediments from depths between five and 13 meters at sites close to the major population centers as well as remote sites on the NSW South Coast and Tasmania's East Coast. "While we expected to find high levels of pollution close to the major capitals, we did not expect to find similar concentrations far from urban centers." He told Xinhua that the study indicated that seafloor pollution could be as harmful to marine life as pollution on the surface of the ocean and on beaches. "In other studies it is estimated that 70 percent of marine litter is expected to sink to the seafloor and enter marine sediments," Ling said. "But while the huge volume of plastic debris accumulating in the world's oceans and on beaches has received global attention, the amount of plastic accumulating on the seafloor is relatively unknown." The highest rate of pollution discovered was in sediment collected near the rural town of Bicheno on Tasmania's east coast, measuring at 12 microplastic filaments per milliliter of sediment. Ling said that the team was expecting a higher concentration near urban centers because most of the filaments were produced by household washing machines. "The dominance and ubiquity of microplastic filaments appears due to their low weight and greater potential for long-distance oceanic transportation than for heavier plastic particles," he said. "Thus dispersal mechanisms, particularly for microplastic filaments, appears different to dispersal mechanisms of other pollutant types." Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 12:21:32|Editor: ying Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday urged accountability for the use of chemical weapons in Syria when meeting with Edmond Mulet, the head of a panel to lead such investigations. Guterres met the three-member panel leading the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) in New York. "They (the panel members) emphasized their resolve to pursue the investigations of the Um Housh and Khan Shaykhun incidents in a thorough, independent, impartial and professional manner," said the Office of the Spokesperson for UN in a readout. The JIM was created by the Security Council to identify "to the greatest extent feasible" individuals, entities, groups or governments perpetrating, organizing, sponsoring or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons in Syria. Last week, the panel briefed the council on their most recent work. Mulet later told reporters that the JIM was currently investigating two incidents in which chemical weapons were allegedly used: the April 4 attack in Khan Sheikhoun in north- western Syria and another incident in Um Housh last September. The alleged use of chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhoun killed over 80 people. Washington accused the Syrian government forces of carrying out that chemical attack, while the Syrian government denied the charges and blamed the rebels. Additionally, the Um Housh incident proved to be a mustard gas attack which injured two women. Locals blamed the Islamic State (IS) for the use of banned weapons. At the meeting, Guterres urged all nations to support the JIM's investigation. "The Secretary-General further emphasized that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a serious violation of international law and that those individuals responsible for any use of chemical weapons must be held accountable," the readout said. "The Secretary-General stated that the international community must act robustly to address these crimes and ensure respect for the international regime banning the use of chemical weapons," it added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 12:36:39|Editor: ying Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, July 12 (Xinhua) -- More than 100,000 U.S. dollars in annual income is needed to afford an "average" two-bedroom apartment in the five largest cities of the United States, a personal finance techology company said Wednesday. In an annual report, SmartAsset searched 15 major cities and estimated how much residents need to earn in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Rent prices were pulled from RENTCafe's January 2017 report. Researchers says no more than 28 percent of income should be spent on housing, a threshold set by the U.S. Census Bureau to avoid being "cost-burdened." San Francisco topped the list with 179,529 dollars in required annual income, more than 15,000 dollars ahead of second place New York City at 164,614 dollars. Boston, Los Angeles and Washington followed New York. Folks there need to earn 135,686 dollars, 109,543 dollars and 103,543 dollars respectively. Despite the high cost of living in San Francisco, only 31 percent of households make more than 150,000 dollars per year. "Los Angeles renters are extremely burdened and are having a difficult time making ends meet," Larry Gross, executive director for the Coalition for Economic Survival told the LA Weekly website Wednesday. "Because of rents, people are forced to double up and triple up with roommates." In 2015, a Harvard survey found that one-third of renters in Los Angeles or nearby Orange county see half their incomes go toward housing. According to LA weekly the median individual income in the country's second largest city was about 28,000 dollars, resulting in an affordability crisis for many. "There are not enough hours in the day for most people to earn enough money to afford an average apartment here," Gross said. According to SmartAsset, Atlanta (53,914 dollars), Dallas (51,600 dollars) and Houston (46,629 dollars) are much more affordable for renters. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:06:48|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CHICAGO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A federal grand jury Wednesday returned the indictment that charges Brendt Christensen with kidnapping Chinese visiting scholar Yingying Zhang of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign(UIUC). Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Hansen and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sean Cox of the Springfield Division announced the indictment return Wednesday on the website of the U.S. Department of Justice. The preliminary hearing that had been scheduled on July 14 for the case has been cancelled. And the date for Christensen's arraignment will be scheduled by the U.S. Clerk of the Court in Urbana, where the UIUC is located. The indictment alleges that Christensen kidnapped Yingying Zhang on June 9. The penalty for kidnapping is up to life in prison if convicted. Christensen was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on June 30. On July 5, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric Long ordered that Christensen remain detained in custody pending trial. The 28-year-old man was enrolled as a PhD candidate in experimental condensed matter physics by the UIUC, but it was not clear if he was still studying at the university when he was arrested. Zhang, 26, went missing on June 9 after she got into a black Saturn Astra about five blocks from where she got off a bus on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease. According to an affidavit previously filed with the court, the car allegedly driven by Christensen had stopped next to Zhang at an intersection in Champaign, and then pulled away. Zhang had just arrived at the University of Illinois in late April. The FBI, University of Illinois Police Department and the Illinois State Police are continuing the investigation. U.S. law enforcement investigating Zhang's case believe Zhang is deceased, based on facts presented in court and court documents and other facts uncovered during the ongoing investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and Eugene Miller are representing the government on behalf of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Urbana Division, in this case. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Urbana Division, reminds the public that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:16:52|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Late geophysicist Huang Danian, who returned to China after studying and working in Britain for nearly two decades and contributed greatly to deep earth exploration technology, has become an inspiration to Chinese students overseas. During his time in Britain, Huang paid close attention to developments in the field of science and technology in China. In spirit, his contacts with his motherland were never been broken, said Wang Shuo, a Chinese studying in Russia. Huang studied and worked in Britain for 18 years before returning to China in 2009. Over the ensuing years, he helped China soar in a number of technical fields, transforming the nation into one of the world's leaders in deep earth exploration. Huang died from bile duct cancer at the age of 58 on Jan. 8. In the seven years since he returned to China, Huang had spared no effort to work day and night until the last day of his life, Wang said. His patriotism, dedication, creativity and efforts to promote people-to-people exchange between China and other countries has inspired other Chinese studying overseas, Wang added. "As an overseas student, I am ready to learn from Huang's dedication to his motherland," Wang said, pledging to return to China to contribute to the country's ongoing reform and development after studying advanced science in Russia. Zhao Yuqi, former president of the Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association USA and a professor at the University of Maryland, said he sympathizes with Huang's perseverance in pursuing science and admires his earnest concern about his country and people. Patriotic scientists like Huang laid the foundation for the development of science and technology in China, said Gan Jiuliang studying in the Japanese capital of Tokyo. "Huang has become a lighthouse that inspires Chinese overseas students." In his graduation album, Huang wrote, "It is the responsibility of our generation to rejuvenate the Chinese nation," recounted Zhang Cen, who received PhD from Cambridge. "The maxim will never be outdated for Chinese overseas students," Zhang said, noting that it remains the spirit of the time to return and serve the motherland while studying advanced technology in a foreign country. Huang was a role model for overseas students as well as the new generation of Chinese researchers, Zhang said. (Xinhua reporters Zhang Xuefei, Lin Xiaochun, Zhang Yirong, Hua Yi, Song Dan, Zhang Jiawei, Deng Qian, Zhang Jiye also contributed to the story) Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:42:02|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MELBOURNE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists on Thursday described the breaking-off of a one-trillion-ton iceberg from Antarctica as "deeply troubling." The Larsen C shelf, measuring 5,800 square kilometers, broke away from Antarctica between July 10 and July 12, scientists in the United Kingdom (UK) confirmed on Wednesday. It was the third such incident in the part of Antarctica closest to South America after the Larsen A and B shelves collapsed in 1995 and 2002, respectively. Nathan Bindoff, head of the Oceans and Cryosphere Program at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), said that the break-away would accelerate the thinning of ice in Antarctica, meaning more breakaways are imminent. "Big icebergs breaking off the major ice-shelves are a critical component of the story around the fate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet," Bindoff said in a statement obtained by Xinhua on Thursday. "The ice shelves buttress the Antarctic Ice Sheet and slow the rate of ice loss from Antarctica. So a major iceberg like this one means we will see an acceleration of the grounded glaciers behind the Larsen C shelf. "Amazingly, this glacier acceleration will contribute to further sea-level rise in next few years. We saw precisely this behavior for sea-level when the Larsen B ice shelf broke up." Despite the collapse being a natural process, Ian Simmonds, a professor at the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said man-made global warming had accelerated the process. "The calving of this huge iceberg from the Larsen C ice shelf is deeply troubling. This follows the collapse of part of the Larsen B ice shelf in February 2002," Simmonds said. "The causes of these breakups are similar. Temperatures have risen dramatically in the region over recent decades. This has meant that summer temperatures now frequently get above freezing, and the associated surface melting significantly weakens the ice shelves." Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:42:04|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A consortium of one Chinese and two Mexican companies on Wednesday won a contract to explore and extract hydrocarbons from a field in eastern Mexico. The consortium, which consists of three companies - China's Shandong Kerui, and Mexico's Sicoval MX and Nuevas Soluciones - obtained the contract for Area Six, a field of 193 square kilometers in the Veracruz oil belt, which has potential to provide liquefied gas. The award was a close-run affair after the consortium presented a proposal which was equal to two other bids in terms of investment. However, the Sino-Mexican consortium offered to pay 2.179 million U.S. dollars in cash for the contract, a superior sum to its competitors, Mexican firm Carso Oil and Gas and a consortium of four American and Mexican companies. According to Mexico's National Commission of Hydrocarbons, the Chinese firm is a subsidiary of the Kerui oil firm, dedicated to oil and gas exploration and production. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:42:05|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close HANOI, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Some rare artworks, star rubies and antiques, including a 2,000-year-old bronze vase, will be auctioned here on Aug. 19, a Vietnamese auction house told Xinhua on Thursday. The intact bronze vase is 53.3 cm in height and decorated with embossed dots like toad skin, the No.5 Auction Company said, noting that it was produced in the Dong Son culture in Vietnam's Red River Delta. Another rare and valuable antique is a glazed terracotta jar with height of 39.9 cm and many sophisticated decorative patterns made in Tran dynasty in the 13th or 14th century, which has not been displayed in museums. A bronze box coated with vitreous enamel with diameter of 36.5 cm, which contained offering and was used by a royal family in Nguyen Dynasty in the mid-19th century, will be also auctioned. Some other items slated for the auction next month include a set of jewelry which has two star rubies, a very rare gemstone in the world, and five gilded statues made by local experienced artisans in Hanoi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:52:08|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday left for an official three-day visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, his office said in a statement. During the visit, President Sirisena is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Bangladeshi prime minister, president, foreign minister, health minister, speaker as well as the opposition leader. Sirisena who is heading a 73-member delegation is expected to hold extensive bilateral discussions regarding ways to strengthen cooperation in the maritime, education, tourism, fisheries and health sectors, while focusing on promoting investments between the two countries. Both sides are also expected to sign 10 agreements. This is Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since being elected as president. He journeyed to Bangladesh earlier as health minister in 2013 and 2014. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 13:52:09|Editor: Song Lifang Lawyers for Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Cristiano Zanin Martins (R), and Valeska Teixeira Zanin Martins, attend a press conference, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 12, 2017. Lawyers for Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that their client was being politically persecuted. Earlier on Wednesday, federal judge Sergio Moro announced Lula's conviction of corruption and money laundering. Lula was found guilty of both accusations and sentenced to nine years and six months in prison. He may appeal the sentence and remain free for its duration. (Xinhua/AGENCIA ESTADO) RIO DE JANEIRO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Lawyers for Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that their client is being politically persecuted. Earlier on Wednesday, federal judge Sergio Moro announced Lula's conviction of corruption and money laundering. Lula was found guilty of both accusations and sentenced to nine years and six months in prison. He may appeal the sentence and remain free for its duration. The two lawyers, Cristiano Zanin Martins and Valeska Teixeira Zanin Martins, said the entire investigation against him was politically motivated. In a press conference held in the late afternoon, they said the trial results attack the lawful State in Brazil and criticized judge Moro's motivations. Lula was accused of taking million-dollar bribes from construction company OAS in the form of a luxury apartment in a beach town in Sao Paulo state. The judge said there was enough evidence to attest that the apartment was indeed destined to Lula, both in documents and in the testimonies of other accused in the case, who turned State's evidence in exchange for lenience deals. This information is vehemently denied by the defense. "President Lula is innocent. For over three years, he has been the object of a politically motivated investigation. No believable evidence of guilt was presented, while solid proof of his innocence was summarily ignored," the lawyers said in a statement given to the press. "This politically motivated trial attacks the lawful State in Brazil, as well as democracy and Lula's basic human rights. It is a matter of great concern to the Brazilian people and the international community," they added. Cristiano Zanin Martins said the sentence is based on speculation and reiterated that there is no evidence that Lula ever owned the apartment. Lula has always declared his innocence on this case: he admitted to visiting the unit a few times, but said he and his wife ultimately decided against buying it. The lawyer highlighted that the prosecution never managed to provide any document proving that Lula became owner of the apartment in 2009, as they claim. On the other hand, the defense, he said, presented strong evidence that the apartment was actually sold to public bank Caixa and did not even belong to construction company OAS, whose bribes Lula was accused of taking. "This sentence is a materialization of this judge's political persecution against former President Lula," Martins said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:12:36|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, July 13 (Xinhua) -- At least four policemen were killed and another one injured when their vehicle came under attack by unknown gunmen in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta city on Thursday, local media reported. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:17:38|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close VIENTIANE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government aims to increase the use of modern contraceptives to 65 percent of the population by 2020, according to Deputy General Director of the Ministry of Health Kaysone Chounlamany. "The maternal mortality in Laos still remains higher than in other Southeast Asian Nations, so the government has invested in family planning, which has been able to reduce the maternal mortality to 30 percent," the Lao News Agency (KPL) quoted Kaysone as saying Thursday at the celebration of the World Population Day which falls on July 11. In Laos, the adolescent birth rate is 76 live births per 1,000 girls in the 15-19 age group, which is the highest among ASEAN countries. Adolescent contraceptive use is very low, at 22.3 percent, said the report. "Family Planning provides choice to individuals and families, ensuring governments' work on saving mothers and babies' lives toward sustainable development goals," Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Khamlien Pholsena said on the same occasion. Family planning contributes to the quality of life and reduces maternal mortality when couples can choose how many children they would like to have, he said. "Greater access to family planning will reduce the number of adolescent pregnancies, allowing young women to maintain good physical health, remain in school to strengthen the foundation for their future as well as contribute to the economy of their families and the nation," said Khamlien. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:43:02|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close RAMADI, Iraq, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Nine security members were killed and 12 others wounded on Thursday when suicide bombers, affiliated to Islamic State (IS) group, attacked the headquarters of a paramilitary tribal fighters in the province of Anbar in western Iraq, a provincial security source said. Early in the morning, four IS militants wearing explosive belts exploded themselves after a fierce clash at a checkpoint at the entrance of the headquarters, manned by tribal fighters and Iraqi soldiers, in the town of Garma near the city of Fallujah, some 50 km west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The attack killed nine security members and wounded 12 others, along with the deaths of the attackers, who failed to enter the main buildings of the headquarters, the source said. In the first half of 2016, the Iraqi security forces and the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units, backed by anti-IS international coalition, had reclaimed large parts of the Sunni heartland of Anbar province, including the provincial capital of Ramadi and Fallujah. However, the areas near the border with Syria and the desert areas near the freed towns and villages are not yet cleared from IS militants who frequently carry out attacks on the freed areas. The attack came after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on July 10 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. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:43:03|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close VIENTIANE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Lao economy is set to remain one of the fastest growing in the region in coming years as long as the global economic recovery remains on track, local daily Vientiane Times reported Thursday. The World Bank projected the Lao economy to expand at around 7 percent in 2017-19, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected the Lao economy would grow at 6.8 percent in 2017 despite the country's revenue shortfalls and complex changes occurring in the world economy. Local independent economist Mana Southichak who has led several economic research efforts on behalf of the Lao government, international organizations and private companies, told Vientiane Times on Wednesday that the World Bank and IMF remain optimistic about Lao economy. "The World Bank and IMF might be seeing that several hydropower projects will be completed and begin operation next year which should further drive economic growth in our country," he said, "Higher growth of Laos' trading partners particularly China will create stronger momentum for the economy of our nation to grow at a high rate." According to an IMF report, China continues to transit to a more sustainable growth path enacting reforms that have advanced across a broad domain, meaning the country has improved potential to sustain high growth over the medium term safely. Mana said strong growth in China would drive demand for commodities produced in Laos notably rubber, mining and other agriculture products. Construction of the Laos-China railway linking Vientiane to China's Yunnan province is underway which promises to contribute significantly to the growth of the Lao economy, said the daily. Meanwhile, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde issued a statement at the conclusion of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday saying that the global economic recovery was on track but warned about complacency and risks, including elevated financial vulnerabilities, low productivity and rising inequality. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:48:06|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lanka Navy on Thursday arrested seven Indian fishermen for poaching illegally in the island's northern seas, the navy said in a statement. Two fishing trawlers belonging to the Indian fishermen were also taken into custody. The fishermen were engaged in bottom trawling in Sri Lankan territorial waters Northwest of Delft Island, the navy said. Having brought the arrested fishermen to the naval base SLNS Uththara in Kankasanthurai and fishing trawlers and their fishing gear to SLNS Elara in Kareinagar, they are due to be handed over to the Jaffna Assistant Director of Fisheries for onward legal action, the navy said. The Sri Lankan government warned that Indian fishermen trespassing into Sri Lankan waters to fish illegally will continue to be arrested and their boats will be taken into custody. Sri Lanka and Indian fishermen often face arrests when they enter each other's territorial waters illegally with both countries attempting to find a lasting solution to the Indo-Lanka fishing dispute. Sri Lanka's Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the parliament last week that tight measures continued to be in place to protect the island's territorial waters, due to which the number of Indian fishing boats entering Sri Lankan waters illegally had seen a drop. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 15:53:19|Editor: Song Lifang Visitors walk by a model of China's next generation bullet train "Fuxing" during the Economic and Technological Exhibition for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on July 13, 2017. The Exhibition opened on Thursday as part of Lancang-Mekong countries' efforts to boost regional trade and investment. (Xinhua/Sovannara) PHNOM PENH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Lancang-Mekong Economic and Technological Exhibition opened in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Thursday as part of Lancang-Mekong countries' efforts to boost regional trade and investment. Zhang Wei, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said some 130 enterprises in the Lancang-Mekong countries -- China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, displayed their products and services at the four-day event. "The exhibition aims at deepening friendship between the people of China and the peoples of five Mekong countries," he said during the opening ceremony held at the Diamond Island Exhibition Center. At the event, the exhibitors showcased their products and services related to infrastructure, high-speed railway, transportation, construction, energy, automobile, agriculture, tourism and information and communication technology. "I believe that this exhibition will contribute to economic and technological development in the Lancang-Mekong countries," he said. Tan Qingsheng, charge d'affairs of the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, said the exhibition was launched following a consensus reached during the second Lancang-Mekong Cooperation foreign ministers' meeting in last December in Cambodia. He said that with strong support from the leaders of the Lancang-Mekong countries and active participation from the private sector, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation will become "a role model of regional cooperation" and bring great benefit to the peoples along the river. Cambodian Commerce Ministry Secretary of State Chhuon Dara said the event was crucial to further promoting economic and trade relations among the Lancang-Mekong countries. "It offers an opportunity to entrepreneurs along the Lancang-Mekong countries to meet and seek cooperation in trade, investment and technology," he said. "I'm confident that this exhibition will significantly contribute to enhancing the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation." The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation was initiated in 2014, focusing on five priority areas -- connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, water resources, agriculture and poverty reduction. Nguon Meng Tech, director general of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said the exhibition would further strengthen understanding and friendship and facilitate cooperative relations in business, trade, technology and investment among enterprises along the reach of Lancang-Mekong River. "In today's global economy, technological sector plays a very important role in promoting the economic growth. Therefore, I think that this exhibition is very significant not only for Cambodia, but also for all Lancang-Mekong countries in strengthening cooperation and seeking business partners in technological sector," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:03:29|Editor: Song Lifang Afghan policewoman Masouma walks with her colleagues at the workplace in Tirin Kot, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, July 7, 2017. Masouma has been working in the police force for the past 13 years and presently she is the commander of 23 female police personnel in Tirin Kot city. In conservative Afghan society, people particularly in the countryside regard women working outside of their family home as a "taboo." But one brave female, Masouma, 45, has escaped the cultural barriers and joined the police force to break the taboo and show that women can compete with men in all arenas. She's currently shattering these cultural restrictions right on her own back door as she works to bring law, order and stability to her home province of Uruzgan. (Xinhua/Manan Arghand) by Abdul Haleem, Manan Arghand TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, July 13 (Xinhua) -- In conservative Afghan society, people particularly in the countryside regard women working outside of their family home as a "taboo." But one brave female, Masouma, 45, has escaped the cultural barriers and joined the police force to break the taboo and show that women can compete with men in all arenas. She's currently shattering these cultural restrictions right on her own back door as she works to bring law, order and stability to her home province of Uruzgan. "Serving as a police officer in the patriarchal society is extremely difficult and risky but I have taken the risk to overcome the harmful traditions and cultural barriers on one hand, and on the other, to encourage other women to follow suit," Masouma, who like many Afghans goes by one name, told Xinhua. Dressed in her police uniform from dawn until dusk and serving as female police officer in Tirin Kot, Uruzgan's provincial capital city, 370 km southwest of Kabul, Masouma said she was proud of being a police officer. "I have been working in the police force for the past 13 years and presently I am the commander of 23 female police personnel in Tirin Kot city," Masouma said excitedly. "It is my honor that my team and I have been contributing to maintaining law and order in my province. I feel very proud of my job and what I'm doing." Once a former stronghold of Taliban militants, Uruzgan has been the scene of increasing militancy and sometimes fierce fighting between the government troops and armed groups over the past few years. Living in a rented house in the beleaguered Tirin Kot city and taking care of an 11-member family, the valiant Masouma revealed that her husband was killed in a clash with Taliban militants two years ago and that she herself has been receiving threatening calls from the armed insurgents to quit her job or face the music. Militants in Afghanistan have killed countless government employees including female police personnel over the past decade. Playing down the threats, she said proudly that she would continue her job as a police officer to serve the people and was hopeful that one day her dream of "returning lasting peace to Afghanistan" would be realized. Masouma received a six-month training course in Turkey and is now popular among her fellow Uruzgan residents for her hard work. The hardworking female police officer said the idea of a female police officer would have been "unthinkable during the Taliban's reign," which ended 16 years ago, saying "today it is a reality and more women would like to join the police ranks in the future." "Women make up half of society and in my opinion supporting them certainly maneuvers society towards progress and suppressing them now would draw a harsh backlash," she observed. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:03:31|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday it appreciated and welcomed New Zealand's decision not to impose anti-dumping measures against Chinese galvanized steel. The comments came after New Zealand authorities ruled earlier this month that Chinese subsidies on galvanized sheet steel imports were too small to have injured the domestic industry. "This [ruling] was in line with facts," said MOC spokesperson Gao Feng at a press conference. The decision will help advance Sino-New Zealand communication and cooperation in economic and trade areas, Gao said. He told reporters that China was ready to work together with other countries to promote trade and investment liberalization and fight against protectionism, citing the unsteady recovery of the world economy. The New Zealand government began an anti-subsidy probe in December last year into galvanized sheet steel from China. Chinese authorities have said the products involved in the probe only accounted for 2.5 percent to 4 percent of New Zealand's domestic market, causing no harm to the domestic industry. China has been New Zealand's biggest source of manufactured goods for years, while China's imports from New Zealand are growing steadily. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:18:44|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close TOKYO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan and the European Union (EU) have recently forged a trade pact after talks that have lasted for four years. However, the mood in Japan has not been very blissful. Part of the reasons for the slow progress of the deal in the past years was because of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade pact designed to involve 12 countries which was previously spearheaded by the United States. Japan has focused most of its attention on the deal until Donald Trump's election last year. Recently, the new president quickly decided to pull his country out of negotiations over the pact. The move has accelerated talks between Japan and Europe and the achievements that may result could be toxic for the United States. Trade barriers between Japan and Europe are expected to be significantly lowered for a sweeping array of products, including pork, wine, cheese and automobiles, dealing hard blows to comparable U.S. goods that have a considerable share of the two markets. However, it is not in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's interests to antagonize Washington. The prime minister said after concluding a political agreement on the trade deal with Europe that he will continue to engage with the TPP and try to persuade Trump to come back. "Since President Trump withdrew from the TPP, Japan has turned its focus on the FTA (free trade agreement) with the EU and is letting that FTA set the tone for what it wants to achieve with other advanced economies in the future, possibly in an FTA with the U.S.," said Fredrik Erixon, director of the Brussels-based think tank European Center for International Political Economy (ECIPE). "It's always difficult to keep the proper distance from the United States," Kyoto quoted Hideo Kumano, chief economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, as saying in a report on Sunday. In Kumano's opinion, Trump had been refraining from talking about trade during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany to better focus on "forming a united front against North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) with Japan and others." The dismay is apparent -- business no more, and Japan understands that security is the top priority, even for Trump, who values jobs and business most. Whether Japan should position itself with the United States and Europe or other countries is a difficult choice, said the same Kyoto report. Whatever Japan's take on the move, the pact will deal a heavy blow to U.S. producers and marks a major turning aside from protectionism adopted by the current U.S. government. Feedback on the trade deal has been generally upbeat. Both Japan and Europe were "using the G20 summit as an opportunity to show a positive example of free trade moving forward," said Erixon. Economic expansion that comes with a bilateral agreement will also expand direct trade with other countries, said Erixon, citing China as an example, which would be able to export more to Japan and the EU as their economies grow. The political agreement on reaching an EU-Japan free trade deal has been a positive signal supporting free trade and an open market, said Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for WTO studies. It shows that a pursuit of openness still dominates today's world, said Huo. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:39:01|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close VIENTIANE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Lao and Thai representatives have met in northern Lao city Luang Prabang, discussing issues related to the export of Lao labor to Thailand, the Lao News Agency (KPL) reported on Thursday. The two countries are speeding up the inspection and legalization of informal Lao workers to tackle human trafficking and labor exploitation, said the report. "We have signed an MoU that establishes mechanisms, proper measures for the protection and management of Lao workers in Thailand and we expect that its actual implementation will be done in the near future," Acting Director of the Labor Skills and Employment Department of the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare Anousone Khamsingsavath said, "Thailand is ready to extend support and facilitate the legalisation of Lao workers' status, which is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2018," Director of the Employment Department, Ministry of Labor of Thailand Varanon Pitiwan said at the meeting, Like other countries in the Mekong sub-region, the Lao demography is prevalently composed of youth and job opportunities are limited. Legal labor migration opportunities are scarce, forcing people to seek other channels and become undocumented migrants, or informal workers, especially in Thailand. Data show that there are about 300,000 undocumented Lao migrants in Thailand. Undocumented workers are extremely vulnerable and statistics of case files demonstrate a clear link between illegal migration and human trafficking. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:44:05|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close AMMAN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) signed an agreement on Thursday for the expansion of the grain silos in Aqaba. The company signed a 30-million-dinar (40 million U.S. dollars) agreement with a consortium of Haif Company and Mid Contracting Co MID to expand the silo storage capacity from 100,000 metric tons to 200,000 metric tons, Khalil Farrayeh, spokesperson of the state-run ADC, told Xinhua. It will be used for storing all types of grain including wheat, barley and corn. "This is one of the strategic projects for ADC and seeks to create a facility that is in line with international standards in this regard," Farrayeh added. The project is expected to be completed before the end of this year, he added. The project entails installing equipment for the auto transfer of grain from vessels to the silos and it can also serve Jordan and neighboring countries, he added. According to figures by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Jordan's monthly wheat consumption has risen from 50,000 to 80,000 tonnes since the arrival of Syrian refugees. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:44:07|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close by Julius Gale JUBA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan will host its first-ever oil and power conference in October in a drive to develop its energy industry, organizers said on Thursday. The Africa Oil and Power (AOP) which is organizing the event in partnership with the South Sudanese government said the Oct. 11-12 conference to be held in Juba will examine topics including security, logistics, technology and investment. It will also explore local content, supporting infrastructure such as roads and telecoms, gas monetization and power investment, with a focus on regional integration. The conference will bring on board major petroleum companies in the country including the state oil firm Nilepet, Dar Petroleum Operating Company, Greater Pioneer Operating Company and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company, as well as locally based private enterprises. "This is an historic event for South Sudan, a country that is demonstrating its commitment to peace and stability and where oil and gas are the bedrock of the economy," AOP CEO Guillaume Doane said in statement. Oil-rich South Sudan depends on oil revenue for 98 percent of its budget, but production reduced significantly due to civil war that erupted in December 2013. The conflict forced most oilfields in the country's oil-rich northern region to shut down, leading to a drop in production to less than 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 350,000 bpd in 2011. South Sudan said last month it had invited more oil companies to invest in exploration, production and distribution in order to double the country's daily output in 2018. Petroleum Minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth said 70 percent of South Sudan's oil blocks remain unexplored, as such the East African nation has embarked on negotiating new exploration and production agreements with several companies in a bid to meet the target. Commenting about the upcoming conference, Gatkuoth said the conference would offer an outstanding opportunity for South Sudan to showcase its incredible potential in both energy and infrastructure. "We welcome any and all visitors to discover the wealth of natural resources we have and the accommodating investment environment being created by our people," Gatkuoth said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 16:59:18|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade expanded at its fastest pace since the second half of 2011, buffering the economy from a slowdown amid headwinds at home and abroad. Exports in yuan-denominated terms rose 15 percent year on year in the first half of this year while imports increased 25.7 percent, customs data showed Thursday. That led to a trade surplus of 1.28 trillion yuan (188 billion U.S. dollars) in the same period, down 17.7 percent year on year, according to the General Administration of Customs. Total foreign trade volume reached 13.14 trillion yuan in H1, up 19.6 percent year on year, the quickest pace since the second half of 2011. The brisk growth was bolstered by a lower comparison basis, government support and healing global demand, Huang Songping, a spokesperson with the customs authority, told a press briefing. During the first six months, trade with the EU jumped 17.4 percent from the same period last year. The EU is China's biggest trade partner, accounting for 14.8 percent of the country's foreign trade. Meanwhile, trade with the United States and ASEAN went up by 21.3 percent and 21.9 percent, respectively. Private business played an overwhelming role in foreign trade with export and import value up 20.6 percent to 5.02 trillion yuan in the first half, or 38.2 percent of the nation's total. Most of China's exports were machinery, electronics and labor-intensive products, with their export value accounting for 57.2 percent of the total. However, Huang brought attention to a tough stance on foreign trade in the second half of this year due to a higher comparison basis, uncertainties in the global environment and deep-seated problems in the domestic economy. Uncertainties weigh on the global market as major economies practice divergent monetary policy. Commodity prices and trade protectionism also add unpredictability. As developed economies shore up advanced manufacturing and emerging economies strengthened on low production costs, China's exports are due to face more fierce competition in the global market. "Looking ahead, we expect export growth to slow on uncertainties in external demand due to rising geopolitical risks, and the renminbi's stronger exchange rate against the U.S. dollar in H1 2017," according to a report by Nomura Securities. Import growth is also likely to moderate along with export growth. The cooling property market is likely to lead to slower domestic investment growth, which may also weigh on import growth, she added. But Huang Songping reaffirmed the view that the strong fundamentals of China's foreign trade have not changed. They will continue with good momentum, and the trade structure will be improved if no major risks arise. 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. Regarding China's trade with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Huang said surging trade volume in H1 was driven by China's exports of labor-intensive products that are not on the United Nations' embargo list. "As close neighbors, China and the DPRK maintain normal trade," Huang said. He played down the significance of aggregate data in the first half and highlighted the fact that China's imports from the DPRK had fallen substantially for four straight months since March. Following the UN Security Council's resolutions, China had banned imports of coal from the DPRK since mid-February. In the first half of this year, coal imports from the DPRK dwindled 74.5 percent year on year to 2.68 million tonnes. "China has always abided by the rules of the United Nations resolution on a trade embargo with the DPRK ... It is a common responsibility of all UN members. China will carry out the practice in a consistent, accurate and stringent way," Huang said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:09:23|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 -- A total of 13,895 criminal cases related to environmental resources were solved from July 2016 to June 2017 in China, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said in a white paper Thursday. Up to 27,384 people were sentenced, while the number of such criminal cases accepted stood at 16,373, according to the SPC. Courts at all levels strengthened civil trials of environment-related cases. As many as 151,152 civil cases about environmental resources were solved in the same period out of the 187,753 accepted, the white paper showed. Another 29,232 administrative cases on environmental resources were solved in the past 12 months, with 39,746 accepted. As of April 2017, the number of judicial organs for such cases increased by 398 on a yearly basis, which marked a 71.3-percent rise, according to the white paper. Also, a judicial research center on environmental resources at the SPC issued a development report on China's environmental justice Thursday, which called for legislation on environmental accountability and improvements of the system for administrative litigation. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:09:25|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China concluded 156 anti-monopoly investigations in H1, facilitating fair market competition, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday. Sixty-seven of the cases involved overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A), up 18 percent year on year, accounting for 43 percent of the total, said MOC spokesperson Gao Feng. M&A cases between Chinese companies and overseas firms totaled 45, up 15 percent year on year, accounting for 29 percent of the cases. Companies in the United States, the European Union, and Japan were among the major M&A participants, Gao said. As the cases of global M&A rise, the MOC has been actively cooperating with international law enforcement agencies, and signed a memorandum of understanding on antitrust cooperation with the market regulator in the United Kingdom. The MOC has also been improving the efficiency of antitrust investigations, cutting the average review time by about 11.6 percent in the first half compared to 2016. The investigations have helped with fair market competition, as in the case of the merger between chemical giants Dow Chemical and DuPont, which the MOC approved with preconditions that the two should divest some businesses. The conditional approval has helped maintain fair competition in the industry while protecting the interests of farmers, the MOC said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:14:27|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Culture has rolled out a plan to encourage artistic creativity during 2016-2020. The plan, for the 13th Five-Year Plan period, aims to create 100 classic artworks and 150 art exhibitions by 2020. It will also step up support by funding 4,000 art projects and cultivating 1,000 playwrights, directors, musicians, critics and other artistic talents. Guided by socialist core values, the plan focuses on creating artworks themed on the Chinese Dream, according to the ministry. "The plan has concrete measures to develop traditional culture by training art performers and strengthening guidance over art creation," said Qi Shuyu, an expert on Chinese cultural reform from the Chinese Academy of Governance. According to a government blueprint made public in May 2017, China plans to encourage cultural prosperity in remote and poor regions by building more public cultural facilities, increasing access to radio and TV programs and offering subsidies for grassroots cultural workers. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:14:29|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Christopher A. Wray testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his nomination to be the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington D.C., the United States, on July 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director post Christopher Wray said Wednesday that he will lead the FBI independently and resist potential pressure from the Oval Office. At the nomination hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Wray said that his loyalty was to the Constitution, the rule of law and the mission of the FBI. "There isn't a person on this planet whose lobbying or influence could convince to just drop or abandon a properly predicated and meritorious investigation," Wray said. Former FBI director James Comey was abruptly dismissed from duty by Trump on May 9 while leading the investigation on Russia's meddling in the U.S. presidential election in 2016. U.S. media reported that Comey was once asked for "a loyalty pledge" by President Trump in private before his dismissal. In response to this statement, Wray said that he was not required to take any kind of loyalty oath, and any interference attempt in the investigation into Russia's election meddling would be "unacceptable." When asked about his reaction if Trump were to make any unlawful or unethical request, "First, I would try to talk him out of it, and if that failed, I would resign," Wray said. Furthermore, he said at the hearing that as the FBI head, he is "committed to supporting" the investigation "in whatever way is appropriate for me." Wray, 50, served as assistant attorney general in charge of the Criminal Division of the Justice Department from 2003 to 2005 and has handled various important cases like corporate frauds and financial crimes. Under U.S. law, the FBI director is appointed by the U.S. president and confirmed by the Senate. He will serve a single 10-year term. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:24:34|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close ZHANJIANG, Guangdong, July 13 (Xinhua) -- After a 208-day sail, covering nearly 120,000 nautical miles, a Chinese fleet wrapped up its escort mission Wednesday morning. Anchoring at a military port in Zhanjiang, southern China's Guangdong Province, the 25th convey fleet was sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the PLA Daily reported Thursday. The fleet is composed of two missile frigates, a supply ship, two ship-borne helicopters, dozens of special combat soldiers and more than 700 seamen and officers. During the mission, it escorted a total of 62 Chinese and foreign ships and rescued two ships, which were being chased and attacked. The fleet also discovered and expelled 82 suspicious vessels. The fleet also made friendly visits to Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu, according to the PLA Daily. China sent its first escort squad to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters in Dec. 2008 in order to protect passing ships against pirate attacks, safeguard sea lane security and maintain freedom of navigation along waterways. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 17:44:45|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Thursday began criminal investigations into a deadly 2012 prison riot. The police said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had commenced investigations into the Welikada prison riot. The riot in 2012 left 27 inmates dead and several others injured. The riot broke out during a search for illegal arms. The government had appointed a committee to investigate the riot and a report was compiled on the incident but it was not made public. In January, the Human Rights Commission in Sri Lanka (HRCSL) recorded a statement from journalist Kasun Pussewela over the riot, who had filed a petition at the HRCSL. Pussewela had sought an investigation into the incident, saying there was ample evidence to prosecute those who were responsible for killing prisoners and taking part in the riot. The HRCSL obtained written evidence from Pussewela as well as video and photographic evidence. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 18:04:51|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The support base China has just opened in Africa, which is meant for supply missions, is not a military outpost built to boost the country's military presence and play deterrent roles in the region. As the country's first overseas base ever, the Djibouti base, which was set up on Tuesday, has attracted attention worldwide. But in the meantime, it also seems to give rise to certain concerns as some foreign media described the Djibouti base as a military outpost of China in the Indian Ocean to serve its interests in a big power competition. Such interpretations or concerns about the base are completely unfounded. The Djibouti base has nothing to do with an arms race or military expansion, and China has no intention of turning the logistics center into a military foothold. As some political analysts have said, the significance of China's move to establish a base in Africa should not be underestimated, nor should it be exaggerated. As a matter of fact, China would become only the latest nation to establish a base in Djibouti, which has already hosted a large U.S. military base as well as French and Japanese military installations. Therefore, China's base should not be considered as a threat given that all those countries already have their own naval facilities in the region. The base has not been established for China's strategic deployment of military forces, but for implementing the country's escorting, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid missions in Africa and West Asia. As the country's foreign ministry has said, China has deployed vessels to the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast on escort missions since 2008. During the process of escorting, the Chinese officers and men face many difficulties in replenishing food and fuel, and Djibouti offered logistical support in multiple instances. Facing a daunting task of domestic governance and economic growth, China has remained down-to-earth and pragmatic, and the last thing it needs is ill will and groundless speculation. The ultimate purpose of China's efforts in enhancing its military strength is to ensure its own security, instead of pursuing hegemony or seeking to police the world. Bearing that in mind, the rest of the world will find its communication with China can become much more effective. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 18:04:52|Editor: An Video Player Close Zhang Dejiang (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), meets with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in Lisbon, Portugal, July 12, 2017. Zhang paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng) LISBON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Relations between China and Portugal are experiencing an unprecedented high as evidenced by strong bilateral cooperation across various fields in recent years, Zhang Dejiang, China's top legislator, has said. Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday and met with Portuguese leaders on bilateral ties. During a meeting with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, he said China and Portugal are good friends and partners which understand, respect, trust and support each other. Zhang also said he hoped that the two countries could enhance political mutual trust and strategic coordination while accommodating each other's core interests and major concerns. China attaches great importance to the development of China-European Union (EU) relations, hoping that Portugal, as a major EU member, could continue to play a constructive role in promoting China-EU relations, Zhang added. The Portuguese president, for his part, said Portugal is willing to work together with China to seize the opportunity and deepen their cooperation. The president also said Portugal is ready to follow through on the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and implement major bilateral projects in a bid to push the Portugal-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level. China and Portugal have pledged to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, which refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Proposed by China in 2013, the initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Traditional hand-made pottery in Kuqa County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Eyes are the thermometer. Kurban Tursun learned from his ancestors this ancient saying about temperature control for firing pottery. For the 33-year-old man, it means a matter of time to command the traditional craft. His is one of the only two families that still survive on the craft of hand-made pottery in Wuqia Township, Kuqa County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Kuqa is believed to boast nearly 2,000 years of history in pottery making, and Kurban Tursun is the seventh generation pottery craftsman in his family. Kuqa was an important post on the Silk Road, an ancient trade route that linked China and the West. It is believed that the craft of pottery making was spread to Kuqa from the Central Plains of ancient China, and over the centuries, Kurban's ancestors have developed their own style. The trace of the old town's once thriving history of pottery-making can be found on a mural in a cave dating back to 1,800 years ago. However, the traditional craft has been gradually losing its glory. A challenge is from the mass industrial production. "People have more options from the cheap industrial products. Nowadays only old men are using pottery tablewares," says Kurban Tursun. He once turned to making food bowls for pigeons to make more money. Other challenges comes from nature. Located beside the Taklimakan Desert, Kuqa does not have the soil that is suitable for making pottery as it contains too much sand. To get suitable clay, Kurban Tursun's father and grandfather have to go as far as 120 kilometers away to carry a load that is enough to sustain a week with a donkey cart. It's a time-consuming process to prepare the clay. He has to add enough water to make the clay pliable as well as soft. Then he kneads the lump again and again and finally puts it away for an overnight "rest". Kurban Tursun is making a pot. "The clay is too stubborn on the first day, but it softens its 'temper' on the second day so that the clay becomes more pliable," he jokes. Kurban Tursun at work. The forming step also requires patience. "You have to control the speed of the thrower to keep your hands and your mind steady, " Kurban Tursun says. Kurban Tursun is glazing a pot. He uses wood to fire the pottery because he thinks coal-firing will affect the gloss of the pottery and causes pollution. There has been good news to Kurban Tursun and other pottery craftsmen as the local government has earmarked special funds to help revive the ancient craft. In 2001, his father Tursun Huseyin was appointed by the local government an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage, which means the family can get allowance every month. Meanwhile, booming tourism also helps its revival as tourists are fond of the traditional handicrafts. Kurban Tursun has purchased books on modern pottery making to cater to the taste of tourists. "Challenges from the outside have kept pushing me to renovate the craft. That's a boost for our traditional art," says Kurban Tursun, watching his 6-year-old son who is kneading clay to make a bowl. (All photos by Su Chuanyi) Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 18:50:22|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's central government has allocated funds for drought relief in the north of the country as a heat wave continues to scorch many areas. A total of 145 million yuan (21.39 million U.S. dollars) has been transferred to local authorities for measures including ensuring the supply of drinking water for people and livestock, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF). There have been serious droughts in areas including Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Liaoning and Jilin provinces, and continued hot weather will likely exacerbate the situation. The National Meteorological Center Thursday issued an orange alert for heat wave, as temperatures rose above 35 degrees centigrade in various areas, including Beijing and parts of Hebei and Henan provinces. A number of these areas could see temperatures surpass 40 degrees, according to the meteorological agency. The MOF said it will closely monitor the situation and allocate more funds if necessary. China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 18:55:24|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Canadian Governor General David Johnston in Beijing on Thursday, urging both countries to expand cooperation in such areas as trade, law enforcement, technology and culture, and launch negotiations on a free trade agreement at an early date. Xi called on both sides to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, to boost progress of China-Canada strategic partnership. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:05:47|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday charged a woman, who accused Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen of ordering the 2016 killing of political analyst Kem Ley, with "incitement to commit a felony." Hin Van Sreypov, 37, was arrested on Wednesday in Phnom Penh, three days after she posted a 49-second video on Facebook, claiming that the prime minister and his family were behind the assassination of Kem Ley. Phnom Penh Municipal Court's Investigating Judge Van Senvisoth said in a detention verdict that the woman was charged with "incitement to commit a felony," a crime that could face an imprisonment between six months and two years. Senvisoth said that he decided to temporarily detain the woman at the Prey Sar prison on the southwestern outskirts of Phnom Penh. Kem Ley was shot dead at a gas station's mini-mart in Phnom Penh on July 10, 2016. Shortly after the murder, a man, identified himself as Chuob Samlab, was arrested. The man was sentenced in March this year to life in prison for premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm. He confessed to the crime, claiming that he got furious with Kem Ley, who owed him 3,000 U.S. dollars but did not pay him back. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:05:48|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close ASSADABAD, Afghanistan, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The commander of Islamic State (IS) group in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province was killed along with his bodyguard in a drone airstrike on Thursday, spokesman for the provincial government Ghani Musamim said. "Acting upon intelligence report, an unmanned plane attacked IS hideout in Manogai district this morning, killing the group's notorious commander Esmatullah and his bodyguard on the spot," Musamim told reporters. With anti-government activities and involvement in terrorist attacks in Manogai, Watapor and Chapa Dara districts, Esmatullah was notorious and his physical elimination could prove a major setback to the hardliner group in Kunar and neighboring Nuristan and Nangarhar provinces. The IS outfit has yet to make comment on the announcement. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:10:51|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's insurance industry is facing a number of risks, ranging from liquidity pressure to reputation management, a senior Chinese insurance regulator warned. Chen Wenhui, vice chairman of China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), urged insurers to take precautions against risks. "Most traditional large and medium insurance companies keep risks under control, while for some radical firms hidden risks loom large as they experienced surprisingly fast business expansion in recent years," Chen told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. "The asset size of China's insurance industry exceeds 16 trillion yuan (about 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars). However, the industry's liquidity risk is mainly caused by a few of radical companies," Chen said. Chen suggested the companies lose weight by chopping off non-core businesses to ease liquidity pressure in the short term. CIRC has made targeted risk warning, supervision and disposition plans for the industry, according to Chen. The insurance regulator will continue to guide insurers to focus on core businesses. Insurance funds will be guided to serve national strategies and infrastructure, Chen said. The regulator will also strengthen the sector's role in supporting the real economy, he added. Chinese insurers grabbed headlines by using leveraged money to buy shares in listed companies, triggering sharp volatility in the market late last year. Chen's warning of risks in the insurance industry came a day after the country's securities regulator extended its message to strengthen oversight on the securities market to keep it fair, open and impartial. "The regulator will continue to crack down on violations of securities laws and regulations, including insider trading and market manipulation," said Jiang Yang, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission during an exclusive interview with Xinhua. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:10:52|Editor: An Video Player Close Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president of Equatorial Guinea, in Beijing, capital of China, July 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Equatorial Guinea can increase cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng said Thursday. Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks while meeting with Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president of Equatorial Guinea. Hailing the two countries' deep friendship and fruitful cooperation in various areas, Yu said China and Equatorial Guinea set a good example for South-South cooperation. He urged giving full play to the two sides' advantages in political mutual trust, economic complementarity, and friendship among the people so as to push forward the bilateral comprehensive partnership of cooperation to a new level. Expressing appreciation for China's longtime support and help to Equatorial Guinea, Mangue said his country is willing to further deepen cooperation and benefit the people of the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:16:01|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close by Elias Shilangwa LUSAKA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers from Zambia's ruling party voted on Wednesday to extend the declaration of the state of threatened public emergency by President Edgar Lungu on July 5. The proclamation, which has now been extended for 90 days, is meant to give security agencies more powers to curb the rising cases of lawlessness in the southern African nation. Zambia has witnessed a spate of public property damaging cases, with the latest one being the setting on fire of a famed market in Lusaka, the country's capital. This prompted Lungu to declare a state of threatened public emergency by invoking Article 31 of the constitution in order to give security wings more powers. The measures will be enforce through special regulations that authorities will deem necessary to restore public order and to prevent the declaration of a state of emergency. In her statement, Vice-President Inonge Wina said it was imperative that lawmakers approved the proclamation in order to protect lives and property against acts of sabotage. As expected, the lawmakers approved the proclamation through a unanimous vote, with 85 ruling party lawmakers voting in favor of the motion while lawmakers from the main opposition party boycotted the vote. Forty-six lawmakers from the main opposition party, which has 58 lawmakers in parliament, are suspended for one month after they boycotted Lungu's address to parliament in March while their colleagues decided to walk out when the motion was being moved. There have also been suspicions that the proclamation was meant to stifle critics. According to the law, the invoking of Article 31 means that the police and other law enforcement agencies have been given extra powers to do their work. This has raised fears in some quarters of society although the government has tried to allay the fears. "All actions under the prescribed regulations will be implemented in a measured manner and targeted at individuals with criminal motives. No civil liberties have been, or will be suspended; there is no curfew; there are no lock-downs anywhere in the country," Amos Chanda, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement released after lawmakers supported the proclamation. According to him, the frequency, magnitude and targeted nature of recent fires have undermined the nation's tranquility and destroyed people's livelihoods hence the need for special security measures to be invoked. His views have been supported by Justice Minister Given Lubinda who feels that the government needed to act fast in order to enhance public security in the country. "We have to make sure we bring our laws that are of this age and criminals have become sophisticated and we must also become sophisticated to curb these vices," he said. But some stakeholders wondered whether the proclamation will fulfill its intended purpose. Machila Jamba, an independent lawmaker, while welcoming the declaration said the government should be cautious in ensuring that people's rights are not infringed upon. Former justice minister Wynter Kabimba and now an opposition leader said the proclamation was an injustice to the people, adding that the government should have first waited for security wings to conduct thorough investigations. "In the absence of information, this proclamation is an injustice. This proclamation is an abuse of article 31," he said in a live interview on Radio Phoenix. He said the move was a ploy by the government to deal with critics, adding that it was clear from pronouncements from government leaders that they were blaming the main opposition party of being behind the fires and destruction of other public properties. Law professor Michelo Hansungule said the proclamation was politically motivated as it is evident that since last year's disputed elections, Lungu has been looking for anything that will make him govern without any opposition. He argued that the police and other security wings do not require emergency powers to investigate the fires and other sabotages the country has witnessed. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:26:12|Editor: ying French President Emmanuel Macron (L) talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Invalides in Paris, France, on July 13, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday morning in a diplomatic move to soften divergence with France over climate change and trade liberalization by seeking common ground on security and fight against terrorism. (Xinhua/Jack Chan) PARIS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday morning in a diplomatic move to soften divergence with France over climate change and trade liberalization by seeking common ground on security and fight against terrorism. On the agenda, Trump met with American embassy staff where he is scheduled to have lunch with military officials. Later in the afternoon, he will join Macron at Les Invalides military museum before holding talks on war in Syria and ways to better coordinate efforts to combat terrorism. Macron, who denounced Washington decision to withdraw from Paris climate accord, will seek to press Trump to do more for deteriorating climate change, a source close to the Elysee was quoted as saying by local media. Speaking to regional newspaper Ouest France, French head of state said "both countries have an essential point of convergence: the fight against terrorism and protecting our vital interests in the Middle East and in Africa." "We need the United States of America. That's why I invited Donald Trump... to pay tribute and celebrate a relationship which is unavoidable in the security field," he added. Trump will end the first day of his first visit to France at a prestigious restaurant later in the evening in the second floor of the landmark Eiffel tower that offers a pristine panoramic view of the French capital. That was a move widely seen as a response to Trump's earlier remarks, saying that "France is no longer France", following a series of terrorist attacks and alarming number of refugees. Macron and Trump will attend on Friday Bastille Day parade which commemorates the entry 100 years ago of the American troops into World War I. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:31:17|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China said on Thursday its normal trade with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) does not violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks in response to a question regarding the trade growth between the two countries in the first quarter of the year. "China has always fully, accurately and seriously implemented relevant UN Security Council resolutions," Geng said, urging parties concerned not to confuse the UN Security Council's sanctions on the DPRK with comprehensive economic sanctions. While answering a question about the DPRK's iron and iron ore exports to China, Geng said such exports were for civilian purposes and did not contribute financially to the DPRK's nuclear program, and are free from the UN's sanctions. China remains resolute and clear in its position on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Geng said, adding the country will continue to fully, strictly and seriously implement UN resolutions on the DPRK. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:36:30|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, July 13 (Xinhua) -- At least four Taliban militants have been killed and two others injured in clashes in the northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province on Thursday, district governor Amanudin Qurishi said. The clashes, according to the official, erupted early morning after Taliban insurgents targeted security checkpoints and police, which lasted for more than three hours. The insurgents fled away after leaving four bodies and two injured behind. There were no casualties on the security personnel, the official said. Taliban militants who are in control of parts of Kunduz province with Kunduz city as its capital 250 km north of Kabul, have not commented on the clashes. Meanwhile, security personnel discovered and defused three explosive devices planted in Kunduz city hospital on Thursday morning, police spokesman Mahfozullah Akbari said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:41:37|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close HARARE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe surpassed its revenue target for the first half of 2017 by 9.74 percent after net collections stood at 1.701 billion U.S. dollars against 1.550 billion dollars collected during the same period last year. Gross collections for the period under review stood at 1.789 billion dollars, 8.05 percent above target, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) said Thursday. "Company tax, valued added tax on imports, mining royalties, dividends, fees, interest remittances and other indirect taxes surpassed their set targets for the first half of 2017," ZIMRA said. ZIMRA attributed the positive performance to revenue enhancement measures it is implementing such as automation, audits and anti-corruption initiatives. Board chairperson Willia Bonyongwe said the tax agency was upping its fight against tax corruption, pointing out that during the period, the anti-corruption hotline received 394 reports, out of which 218 were fully investigated while the remaining cases were still under different stages of investigation. "The investigations yielded about 120 million dollars in assessments," Bonyongwe said. She called for more measures to increase tax compliance, noting that "most traders in the central business district and major shopping centers are yet to comply." Bonyongwe said Zimbabwe could easily collect 6 billion dollars in revenue annually if everyone was tax compliant. She said tax debt increased by 16.85 percent during the first half from 2.76 billion dollars in January to 3.12 billion dollars as at June 30, as companies struggle to survive in the difficult economic environment. Zimbabwe's projected revenue target for 2017 is 3.4 billion dollars against an expenditure of 3.7 billion dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:41:39|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close TALLINN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Environment ministers of European Union (EU) member states met here Thursday to put focus on eco-innovation as a key enabler for the circular economy. On the first day of the two-day informal ministerial meeting, the ministers and delegates explored eco-innovation topics such as transparency and sustainable financing for smart cities in a breakout session. Simon Upton, environment director at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, are among the attendants. The second day of the discussion will focus on climate change, specifically on the expectations, opportunities and potential challenges related to the promotion of the transformative vision and goals of the Paris Agreement in collaboration with non-state actors. Since Estonia took up the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1, over 260 events have been arranged in the country, with up to 30,000 delegates attending, according to the organizers. During its first-ever presidency, Estonia aims to aid the building of a Europe with an open and innovative economy, keep Europe secure, promote digital solutions and free movement of data, and ensure that the activity of the EU is inclusive and sustainable. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:46:42|Editor: Mengjie China's aircraft carrier Liaoning is seen during a new training mission upon arrival at an unidentified sea area, July 13, 2017. Chinese aircraft carrier formation conducted coordination training on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zeng Tao) ABOARD LIAONING AIRCRAFT CARRIER, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A flotilla including China's aircraft carrier Liaoning embarked on a new training mission upon arrival at an unidentified sea area Thursday. The training, a latest effort to explore the oceangoing combat training practice, is expected to strengthen coordination among the vessels in the naval formation, improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine conditions, and enhance the command capability. The aircraft carrier has just concluded a five-day visit to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) being stationed in the HKSAR. The PLA Hong Kong Garrison has been responsible for the defense of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland in 1997. Nigerian soldiers participate in an operation in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, March 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Wale Salau) LAGOS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- "The situation is threatening. The last attack in Maiduguri was daring. Everyone should join hands toward ridding Nigeria of the remnants of the insurgents," these were the words of Ali Ndume, a Senator from restive northeast Borno State on Sunday. Ndume, currently serving a six-month suspension, was reacting to recent coordinated attacks by Boko Haram terrorists and described the situation as "worrisome." The city of Maiduguri has recently come under series of attacks, including the University of Maiduguri where over a dozen people have been killed including a professor. Despite the efforts, however, the insurgents, whose activities have caused the death of about 100,000 people since 2009, have still been able to mount attacks on soldiers and civilians. Boko Haram has launched more than 40 attacks which have resulted in civilian deaths So far in 2017, according to media reports. Last month, Maiduguri, the largest city in Nigeria's northeast, was interrupted by bombings during Eid al-Fitr celebrations. The police on Wednesday confirmed that 19 people were killed in the latest deadly Boko Haram attacks in Maiduguri in Nigeria's troubled North-East. The attacks, which occurred late on Tuesday, claimed the lives of 12 Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members and seven civilians, according to the Borno State Commissioner of Police Borno, Damian Chukwu. At least 860 CJTF members have lost their lives to the insurgency in Borno since 2014. Chukwu told reporters in Maiduguri on Wednesday that at least 23 people sustained injuries in the latest attacks. These attacks came barely 24 hours after Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, alerted 70 commanding officers of the Army to remain vigilant as Boko Haram insurgents withdraw to safe havens in other parts of country. According to him, the insurgents are now in disarray, attacking soft and defenseless targets, and withdrawing to safer havens in other parts of the country. The Nigerian military recently repelled series of attacks, including suicide bombings, coordinated by Boko Haram insurgents, in Maiduguri and its environs. Recent attacks have targeted the University of Maiduguri, once described as the safest place in the city at the height of the insurgency. The university defiantly stayed open throughout the Boko Haram insurgency before being bombed, for the first time, in Jan. 2017. The police on Sunday said it had deployed 3,000 policemen to Maiduguri and other areas liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents. On his part, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the military is winning the war against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East and other parts of the country. He said many terrorists' cells in the North-East had been decimated by security forces and assured that victory was in sight. "If you recall, in 2014, terrorists moved in convoy of 15 to 20 Hilux vehicles; ravaging villages and killing villagers. But that is not the situation on ground now," he told a forum. "It is true that we have cases of suicide bombings, but we are doing everything humanly possible to contain the insurgents," he said. "The insurgency may linger for some time but we are capable to deal with the whole issues and make it become a thing of the past," the Air Force chief added. "We have highly committed Nigerians (military personnel) that are working day and night to ensure that no part of Nigeria is under the control of any group other than the legitimate government," he said. Abubakar assured that the military would continue to safeguard the nation's territorial integrity from any form of external and internal aggression. Boko Haram, which launched its bloody campaign in 2009, has been attacking soft targets, including the University of Maiduguri, where it killed four people on May 19 this year. On Aug. 26, 2011, the group attacked the UN Building in Abuja, killing scores of people. It had also attacked the Police Headquarters in Abuja and the busy Nyanya Bus Stop on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, killing many people. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:56:51|Editor: An Video Player Close CHENGDU, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Lin Bing, a giant panda born in Thailand and returned to China in 2013, gave birth to twins last week, the Chinese Giant Panda Protection and Research Center announced Thursday. The cubs arrived about seven hours apart last Saturday. The female cub, weighing 170 grams, was born at 8:17 a.m.; her brother, weighing 159 grams, arrived at 3:08 p.m. Both of the cubs and their mother are in a healthy condition. According to base staff, Lin Bing had mated with two male pandas before showing signs of pregnancy. The father of the cubs has yet to be confirmed. The twins are the first pandas born at Sichuan's Shenshuping protection base in the reconstructed Wolong National Nature Reserve after the habitat were severely damaged in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The earthquake left one panda dead and another missing. Born in May 2009, Lin Bing is the daughter of giant panda couple "Lin Hui" and "Chuang Chuang". As the first giant panda born in Thailand, Lin Bing has become one of the most popular animals in the country. In 2015, she also gave birth to twins. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:56:53|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close WELLINGTON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand communities are set to get a boost in funding to help provide a range of services thanks to 233.6 million NZ dollars (170.5 million U.S. dollars) of lottery profits being made available to communities in 2017 and 2018. New Zealand Internal Affairs Minister and Presiding Member of the Lottery Grants Board Peter Dunne made the announcement on Thursday. "This funding helps provide a range of community activities and services, helps build and maintain facilities, supports environmental projects which preserve and protect the country's natural heritage, and keeps people safe in the outdoors," Dunne said. To continue support for the communities affected by last November's Kaikoura earthquake, the Lottery Community Facilities Committee has been allocated an extra 7.5 million NZ dollars (5.5 million U.S. dollars)for larger capital works in the area. "It is crucial for communities to rebuild or maintain facilities such as local community houses which provide space for people to access multiple services or larger venues that are used for sport, cultural and leisure activities," Dunne said. The Board has also been able to allocate 20 million NZ dollars (14.6 million U.S. dollars) to the Lottery Significant Projects Committee for a second consecutive year which will assist large and important community projects, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 19:56:56|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close HANOI, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Police of Vietnam's northern Lai Chau province said on Thursday that they have busted a ring of lab-made drugs, detaining two men and confiscating 300,000 methamphetamine pills weighing over 30 kg. Lai Chau police arrested a 21-year-old Lao man and a 28-year-old Vietnamese man from northern Dien Bien province on Monday when they were transporting the lab-made drug to northern Lao Cai province. The two men confessed that Lao drug dealers hired them to transport the methamphetamine at a wage of 160 million Vietnamese dong (over 7,000 U.S. dollars). According to the Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:12:06|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings will increase investment in China's new economic sectors as the company is optimistic about China's ongoing economic transition, a senior official of the company told Xinhua. "Our long-term bullish view on China's economic development remains intact," Wu Yibing, Temasek's joint head of China, said Thursday, calling China a market of "absolute importance" for Temasek outside Singapore. By the end of March, up to 25 percent, or nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars of Temasek's global investment portfolio has flown into the Chinese market, according to the company's latest report. The amount is the second highest among all investment destinations only after Singapore, and higher than the combined volume of the company's investment in Europe and the United States. "China's economy is going through a major transition, which has brought about a number of very attractive sectors including high-tech, non-banking finance, life science and consumption," said Wu. Investment into these industries has witnessed better performance than the overall investment portfolio, as they have directly benefited from China's economic transition, as well as global technological innovation and a large and growing middle class, he said. Over the past financial year ending on March 31, Temasek has invested in a number of Chinese companies such as the country's leading online travel agency Ctrip, Alibaba-affiliated local service platform Koubei and ZTO Express, one of the top five Chinese couriers. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:17:10|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The issue of coastal shipping will be among the key topics of discussion during a three-day visit to Bangladesh by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena who arrived here on Thursday morning. Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid received his Sri Lankan counterpart after a Sri Lankan Airlines flight carrying Sirisena and his 73-member entourage comprising ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers and businessmen, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 11:25 a.m. local time. Sirisena was given a 21-gun salute and a guard of honor by Bangladesh's armed forces at the airport's VIP terminal. During his visit, he is scheduled to hold talks with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday which will be followed by signing of agreements. The visit is expected to see signing of at least 10 bilateral agreements and memorandum of understanding (MoU) in various areas. Deals are expected to be signed including coastal shipping, visa waiver of diplomatic and official passport holders and cooperation in agriculture, education, investment, information and communication technology, agreements between the two central banks, foreign service institutes, between Bangladesh's think-tank BIISS and Sri Lanka's LKIIRSS, and radio, TV and films. Sources said Dhaka and Colombo are all set for signing the bilateral coastal shipping agreement for reducing tariff on each other's flag vessels. The agreement is also aimed at increasing frequency of feeder services among the seaports of the two countries keeping the existing and potential maritime traffic in consideration. Bangladeshi Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan earlier said they are keen to sign a deal with Sri Lanka on priority berthing and tariff concession at the Bangladesh's Chittagong and Sri Lanka's Colombo seaports. He said the deal would also help the trade between the two South Asian countries get boosted. Dhaka says the visit will bolster ties between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and create new avenues of further cooperation. Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam told journalists at a press conference here Sunday, "Our cordial relations with Sri Lanka will be further strengthened by Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since he was elected president in January 2015." He previously visited Bangladesh in 2013 and 2014 as the minister of health. During the visit, he is also scheduled to meet Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid. Sirisena will address an economic dialogue Saturday morning to be attended by Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan business representatives. The leader will return home on Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:27:21|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close MANILA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine military said on Thursday that they have recovered the body believed to be that of a Vietnamese crewman taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Sulu province in February. Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Task Force Sulu, said government troops found the body of the victim, Van Viet Tran, after a clash on Saturday with Abu Sayyaf bandits in a remote village in Patikul town, which resulted in the killing of a soldier and the wounding of 15. Sobejana claimed four Abu Sayyaf extremists were also killed in the clash. He said that Tran may have attempted to escape during the clash, prompting the bandits to shoot him. Tran is reportedly among the six kidnapped Vietnamese crewmen of cargo ship MV Giant Hai that Abu Sayyaf hijacked in February off Tawi-Tawi. "We discovered the body of the Vietnamese man when we were scouring the clash site. He sustained a gun shot wound," he said. The military said the Abu Sayyaf group is still holding about 20 hostages. Abu Sayyaf was set up in the early 1990s with money from al-Qaida group. It is one of the extremist groups in the Philippines that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, notorious for kidnapping for ransom, bombings and robberies in the southern Philippines. The Abu Sayyaf bandits have hideouts in the remote impoverished provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:42:33|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's national airline on Thursday announced that it has enhanced its services for customers in China with the launch of a local direct-dial number for the airline's customers throughout China. SriLankan Airlines said the new facility will connect callers directly with Mandarin-speaking customer service staff at its Global Contact Center. China is one of the most rapidly growing travel markets of Sri Lanka, which is currently witnessing a boom in visitor arrivals. A total of 271,577 Chinese visited Sri Lanka in 2016, according to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority statistics, making China the second-largest country of origin with a 13 percent share, after India. Chinese arrivals have continued to grow by over 4 percent during the first five months of 2017, with 117,539 arrivals. SriLankan Airlines now provides local direct-dial services in a number of languages for customers to make inquiries regarding a wide range of services that include flight schedule queries, ticketing and reservations and its frequent flyer information. SriLankan Airlines has rapidly expanded its global route network throughout Asia and the Middle East, and currently serves 104 cities in over 40 countries. As a member of the prestigious OneWorld Alliance, SriLankan Airlines also offers its passengers connectivity to over 1,000 cities in some 160 countries that are served by its oneworld partner airlines. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:47:36|Editor: An Video Player Close GUIYANG, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official has called on the country's police force to make full use of big data technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Meng Jianzhu, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a two-day inspection in southwest China's Guizhou Province, which concluded Wednesday. Guizhou has been a pioneer of the application of big data technology in various sectors including police work. Meng asked public security authorities nationwide to improve coordination and innovate case investigations and command system to curb new types of crimes and trans-regional crimes. He also urged increased efforts on social management and judicial reforms to create a sound social environment for the 19th CPC National Congress scheduled for later this year. In a separate occasion, Chief Justice Zhou Qiang also called for development of big data applications in the country's court system. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:47:38|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China saw fast growth in entrepreneurship in the first half of this year with increasing registration of companies and self-employed entrepreneurs. The number of new market entities reached 8.87 million in H1, up 13.2 percent year on year with 49,000 new companies or self-employed entrepreneurs registered each day on average, according to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce on Thursday. A total of 2.911 million new companies were registered in H1, up 11.1 percent year on year, while 5.809 million self-employed entrepreneurs have been registered, up 14.8 percent year on year. Applications for trademarks also grew quickly in H1, up 30.8 percent year on year, pointing to growing awareness of brands among market entities. Meanwhile, new companies played a bigger role in boosting employment in the second quarter, with their contribution to employment rising by 11.2 percentage points from the first quarter. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 20:52:42|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland was "basically stable" in the first half of 2017, as the government continued to open up the market and seek a fair and transparent environment. In the first six months, FDI inflow edged down 0.1 percent year on year to 441.54 billion yuan (about 65 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement Thursday. DOWN BUT STEADY The decline narrowed from the first five months, as foreign investment in June rose 2.3 percent to 100.45 billion yuan. The number of new foreign-funded companies rose 12.3 percent to 15,053 in the first half, with 2,894 new foreign companies set up last month, according to the statement. "The FDI volume was basically stable in the first half, and the structure continued to optimize," ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a press conference. The manufacturing sector attracted 128.6 billion yuan of foreign investment, up 3 percent year on year, accounting for 29.1 percent of total FDI. FDI in the service sector reached 309.99 billion yuan, making up 70.2 percent of the total. The trend for the influx of foreign investment into high-end sectors continued, Gao said. High-tech manufacturing saw FDI rise 11.1 percent to 34.97 billion yuan, while foreign investment into high-tech services surged 20.4 percent to 64.72 billion yuan. FAIR, TRANSPARENT MARKET Steady FDI and growth in new foreign-invested companies in the first half came partly from government efforts to create a fair and transparent environment for all companies. The 2017 China Business Report unveiled Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai said that 77 percent of U.S. companies in China remained profitable last year, up 6 percentage points from 2015, and 73.5 percent reported revenue growth, up 12 percentage points from 2015. "Sound performance of U.S. companies in China offers strong evidence for the continued improvement in China's business environment," Gao said. The report also cited the concerns of some companies about China's market transparency. "I think the worries are totally unnecessary," Gao said. In recent years, the government has been dedicated to "creating and maintaining a market environment featuring fair competition," he added. The Chinese government has reiterated the principle of treating foreign companies in China the same as Chinese companies. "We have matched our action with words," Gao said. Last month, the government announced that it will use a "negative list" management approach for all foreign investment, open up more sectors and further relax restrictions for foreign businesses. The nationwide implementation of the negative list approach, which identifies sectors and businesses that are off-limits or restricted, shows "China's more active attitude toward opening up, more inclusive supervision and better services," Gao said. Starting on July 28, China will also implement a revised foreign investment catalogue, which includes the negative list as well as sectors and industries that the government wants to encourage foreign companies to invest in. The catalogue shortens the list of sectors that are completely off-limits for foreign investment from 36 to 28. China also treats foreign companies and domestic companies the same in its reforms to streamline administration, delegate power and improve regulation and services. "The Chinese government has granted and will continue to grant foreign companies comprehensive and full national treatment," Gao said. Strong economic performance makes China an ideal destination for foreign investors. The economy expanded by 6.9 percent in Q1, the fastest pace in six quarters. The market consensus for Q2 growth is 6.8 percent, the envy of most major economies in the world. The actual figure will be released by the National Bureau of Statistics on July 17. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:07:50|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close BRUSSELS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday launched an infringement procedure against Hungary for the country's controversial law on transparency of foreign-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The European Commission sent a "letter of formal notice", the first step of EU infringement procedure, to Hungary underlining that their law does not comply with EU norms. "The law interferes unduly with fundamental rights as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular the right to freedom of association," the Commission said in a statement, adding that the law "could prevent NGOs from raising funds and would restrict their ability to carry out their work". "The law also introduces unjustified and disproportionate restrictions to the free movement of capital, as outlined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union," the Commission noted. The law raises concerns as regards the respect of the right to protection of private life and of personal data, the Commission added. Hungary was given one month to respond to the letter. "We expect that the Hungarian government will engage in a dialogue to resolve this issue as soon as possible. We await a reaction from the Hungarian authorities within a month," said European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. The law, approved by Hungary's parliament on June 13, will oblige NGOs receiving more than 7.2 million forints (about 26,290 U.S. dollars) per year in foreign funding to register as a "foreign-supported organization", or risk termination for non-compliance. The Hungarian law marked a roughening of fronts in the government's combat with foreign-funded NGOs, in particular those receiving support from Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros. The Hungarian government has claimed that the new law is meant to improve transparency and to fight money laundering and terrorism funding. Under EU law, the European Commission, acting as guardian of EU Treaties, has the power to take legal action against a member state which is not respecting its obligations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:12:56|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close LONDON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- British Brexit minister David Davis published Thursday a new parliamentary bill that will convert all European laws into British law. But opposition parties immediately attacked the proposals, indicating it will face challenges in the Westminster and devolved parliaments. The so-called Repeal Bill is aimed at ensuring that when Britain leaves the European Union in around two years, the same laws and rules will continue to apply. Politicians will then gradually work their way through the laws to decide which to keep and which to amend or scrap altogether. Political commentators are already predicted that Davis and pro-Brexit government ministers will face a tough ride as the bill makes its way through the parliamentary processes. The new bill starts by saying the European Communities Act which paved the way for Britain to join in 1973 what was then known as the Common Market, will be repealed on the day Britain leaves the EU. The bill, full title, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, is a major part of the government's Brexit strategy as a way of dealing with thousands of laws and regulations passed by Brussels over the past four decades. Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said Thursday the repeal bill will allow Britain to leave the EU with maximum certainty, continuity and control. He said: "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union. "By working together, in the national interest, we can ensure we have a fully functioning legal system on the day we leave the European Union. "The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country." In a commentary the Guardian newspaper said the repeal bill contains controversial new powers for ministers to tweak laws and create new institutions, where these are deemed necessary to make EU law work when it is transferred to UK law. The Guardian adds that government ministers will be able to use powers dating back centuries and known as "Henry VIII powers" for up to two years after exit day, reflecting the government's fear that it could face a bottleneck of legislation as it battles to make the necessary changes in time. Within minutes of the publication of the new bill, opposition parties went on the attack. Labor's shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said his party would not support the Repeal Bill in its current form, while the first ministers of the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales also said they would not support it in its present form. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon and wales' first minister Carwyn Jones made their views known in a joint statement. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Commons, Tim Farron said the bill "would be hell". The general secretary of Britain's main workers' organization, the TUC, also attacked the proposed bill describing it as a "Downing Street power grab". Frances O'Grady said: "The PM promised to protect all workers' rights after Brexit. But there is nothing in this bill to stop politicians shredding or watering down our rights in the future. "Nobody voted for Brexit to make life harder for working people. That's why any deal with the EU must ensure that workers' rights in Britain don't fall behind the rest of Europe." On proposals for Britain to be no longer subject to European Court of Justice rulings from the day when Britain leaves the EU, O'Grady said: "An early commitment to walk away from the ECJ will tie our hands in Brexit negotiations. The government should leave all options on the table, instead of creating yet more inflexible red lines." Corbyn had an extended meeting in Brussels Thursday with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. He traveled to Belgium with his Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer and shadow interior secretary Diana Abbot. The Labor Party in London said Corbyn's visit signaled Labor's growing importance to the Brexit process in the wake of the last month's General Election results in which Prime Minister Theresa May lost her overall majority. Corbyn said: "Labor is a government in waiting and we are ready to take up the responsibility for Brexit negotiations. Labor respects the referendum result and the decision to leave the European Union. But a Labor Brexit would look very different to the race-to-the-bottom tax haven backed by this Conservative Government." U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and First Lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One departing from the White House en route to Paris of France, in Washington D.C., the United States, July 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) PARIS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday morning in a diplomatic move to soften divergence with France over climate change and trade liberalization by seeking common ground on security and fight against terrorism. On the agenda, Trump met with American embassy staff where he is scheduled to have lunch with military officials. Later in the afternoon, he will join Macron at Les Invalides military museum before holding talks on war in Syria and ways to better coordinate efforts to combat terrorism. Macron, who denounced Washington decision to withdraw from Paris climate accord, will seek to press Trump to do more for deteriorating climate change, a source close to the Elysee was quoted as saying by local media. Speaking to regional newspaper Ouest France, French head of state said "both countries have an essential point of convergence: the fight against terrorism and protecting our vital interests in the Middle East and in Africa." "We need the United States of America. That's why I invited Donald Trump... to pay tribute and celebrate a relationship which is unavoidable in the security field," he added. Trump will end the first day of his first visit to France at a prestigious restaurant later in the evening in the second floor of the landmark Eiffel tower that offers a pristine panoramic view of the French capital. That was a move widely seen as a response to Trump's earlier remarks, saying that "France is no longer France", following a series of terrorist attacks and alarming number of refugees. Macron and Trump will attend on Friday Bastille Day parade which commemorates the entry 100 years ago of the American troops into World War I. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:38:08|Editor: ying U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt (C ), Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi (L) and head of the Palestinian Water Authority Mazen Ghoneim attend a joint press conference in Jerusalem, July 13, 2017. Israel and the Palestinian National Authority announced Thursday a new water deal under which Israel would supply the Palestinians with millions of cubic meters annually. (Xinhua/Yonatan Sindel/JINI) JERUSALEM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the Palestinian National Authority announced Thursday a new water deal under which Israel would supply the Palestinians with millions of cubic meters annually. U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who helped to negotiate the deal, said it was an "important step forward" towards a regional water deal. The agreement was announced at a joint press conference in Jerusalem held by Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, Head of the Palestinian Water Authority Mazen Ghoneim, and Greenblatt. The Palestinians suffer a water shortage and complain an unequal distribution of water between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Under the new deal, Israel would provide the PNA with 32 million cubic meters per year -- 10 million of which would be provided to the Gaza Strip and the rest would be directed to the West Bank. The agreement was the first step in wider, trilateral plan that involves the construction of a 220-kilimeter pipeline transferring water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea to replenish the draining and depleting Dead Sear. It involves Israel, Jordan, and the PNA. "Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East," Greenblatt said during the signing ceremony. "The U.S. welcomes the agreement reached by the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel, which will allow for the sale of 32 million cubic meters of water from Israel to the Palestinian Authority," he said. "In addition, we hope that the deal will contribute to the healing of the Dead Sea and that will help not only Palestinians and Israelis but Jordanians as well," he added. Greenblatt refused to tell reporters whether the deal signals any further development in the White House efforts to revive the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Hanegbi said that the "historic and important" agreement demonstrates that water "must be a means of cooperation, not a cause for disagreement." He said that Israel is committed to help in desalination of water within the framework of the larger deal, dubbed by Israelis as the "Canal of Seas Project." "This project will increase the water supply to Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority," said Hanegbi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:43:09|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China is committed to solving disputes over the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation, and advancing cooperation with the Philippines, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Thursday. Geng made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a statement released by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Wednesday. The statement was made on the one year anniversary of an "award" issued on the South China Sea arbitration. Reports said the statement, which attributes regional peace and stability to the healthy environment of dialogue, cooperation and development, has released goodwill to the Chinese side and is beneficial to regional peace and stability. China agrees that territorial disputes should be resolved in a manner consistent with the spirit of good neighborhood relations, and hails and supports the independent foreign policy of the Philippines, Geng said. Since ties normalized last year, China and the Philippines have been back on track to peacefully solve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and established a bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea, Geng said. He said that with the joint efforts of China and the ASEAN countries including the Philippines, the situation in the South China Sea has been stabilizing and a framework for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea has been reached. "This progress has benefited the peoples of both countries and meets the expectations of regional countries," Geng said. While China is determined to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over the South China Sea, the country is also committed to peacefully solving disputes through consultation and negotiation with countries directly concerned and determined to maintain peace and stability of the South China Sea with ASEAN countries, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:48:13|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close CAIRO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemns the recent terrorist attack in Cameroon that killed at least 14 people and wounded 30 others, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. "Egypt's government and people stand in solidarity with the government and people of Cameroon against sinful terrorism," said the statement, urging the international community to intensify collective efforts to combat "the phenomenon of terrorism" and uproot its sources of finance. Earlier on Wednesday evening, a deadly suicide bombing rocked northeast Cameroon, killing at least 14 and injuring 30 others. Boko Haram terrorist group is suspected to be behind the attack. Egypt itself is facing a rising wave of terrorism that killed hundreds of police and military men since the army removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Most of terror attacks in Egypt have been claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:53:16|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will host a joint exercise with U.S. troops, with the aim of conducting a bilateral peace support operation (PSO) known as Exercise Shared Accord 2017, it was announced on Thursday. The exercise is scheduled from July 17 to August 4 in Lohatla, Northern Cape Province, the SANDF said in a statement. The exercise will be based on a scenario where a combined task group (CTG) will conduct a peace support operation and intervention operations under a UN Chapter 7 Mandate, the SANDF said. "This is the more robust mandate whereby belligerent forces are forced to disengage and to discontinue the armed conflict within the region of the exercise area of Lohatla," SANDF spokesperson Piet Paxton said. The U.S. army will exercise strategic lift by means of sea, air and road movement and the SANDF will exercise road movement support and replenishment, according to Paxton. This mobilisation will be done from various and multiple locations in South Africa to the Northern Cape, Paxton said. The joint exercise is expected to boost South Africa's military readiness to participate more effectively in UN or AU peacekeeping missions, military sources said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 21:58:20|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close STOCKHOLM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A bridge under construction in Ludvika, a town north west of Stockholm, has collapsed, causing a dozen of injuries, Swedish Radio reported on Thursday. According to Swedish Radio, the most recent police report said 12 people were injured, four of them seriously. "The rescue services are sending all they have," police spokesperson Stefan Wickberg told Swedish news agency TT. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:22:40|Editor: Xiang Bo Citizens play Chinese chess in the underground space for coolness in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 13, 2017. A red signal warning for heat was issued at 9:20 a.m.by the Metrological Observatory of Xi'an on Thursday, expecting the maximum temperature of most areas in Xi'an to be over 40 degrees celcius. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:03:28|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close RIYADH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Saudi labor ministry will impose fines and penalties on firms in case of wage delaying, local media reported Thursday. The decision will be imposed from Aug. 1, Al Eqtisady local online news reported. The ministry tweeted the decision as part of the 11th phase of wage protection scheme, with its spokesperson highlighting that the targeted 7,000 firms have more than 481,000 workers. The scheme will cover all private sector organizations to protect the interests of the labor force, said the ministry spokesman Khalid Abalkhail. He added that firms which violate the decree will be fined 799 U.S. dollars on each worker, and they will be excluded from all services provided by the ministry. Moreover, foreign workers will be allowed to shift to other jobs without permission if their employers are late in paying salaries. The move is part of the country's labor market reforms to boost role of private sector in economy to get ready for the post-oil era. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:13:34|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close by Stanley Karombo JOHANNESBURG, July 13 (Xinhua) -- South African Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba unveiled an action plan on Thursday for reviving the economy with sound timelines and framework. The plan outlines the Treasury's intention to reduce government guarantees for operational reasons and will provide the power utility Eskom with assistance. In an attempt to pull out of the technical recession, the minister said, the plan intends to sell noncore government assets and partial privatization of government and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). "Government has been deeply engaged with the issue of low economic growth and the recession, analyzing its impact on social welfare, and considering an appropriate response," Gigaba said at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in Sandton. The country still faces challenges ahead and South Africans need to tighten their belts, Gigaba said. The World Bank expects the South African economy to grow by 0.6 percent this year, cutting its January projection by 0.5 percentage point. The current economic growth, the minister said, was so low to address the triple challenges of high inequality, unemployment and poverty. Gigaba said robust steps need to be taken to achieve radical economic transformation and create more jobs. The SOEs targeted in the plan include the power utility Eskom, South Africa Airways and telecommunications firms. Others areas to be addressed in the plan include Postbank's licensing enquiry, the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act Amendment Bill, the broad-based socioeconomic empowerment charter for the South African mining industry and the Regulation of Land Holdings Bill. The minister lauded South African president Jacob Zuma for his meeting with ministers in June where the latter urged for a coordinated response related to the government's nine-point plan. "These interventions are the beginning of a response program that will be unpacked in the MTBPS (medium-term budget policy statement) and the 2018 budget," Gigaba said. Gigaba also cautioned that South Africa faces tough budget decisions in 2017 as the country has entered its first technical recession since 2009. The minister also noted the external pressures to the country's economic growth, including the marked increase in global policy uncertainty as well as rising rhetoric suggesting more inward-looking trade policies, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:33:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and five others injured on Thursday when gunmen stormed the National Bank's branch in Yemen's southern port city of Aden, according to provincial officials. Eight masked militants attacked the bank, with the first four breaking into the building and the other four shooting randomly, a source close to the province's police chief said. "All eight attackers escaped. Three of the bank's security guards were killed while workers were evacuated to a safe place," he added. The manager of the government-owned National Bank refused to open the safe and was critically injured in the armed robbery attack, one of the bank workers told Xinhua. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the armed robbery attack. But al-Qaida gunmen and other terrorist groups have recently increased their attacks against Yemeni security forces across the country. The southern port city of Aden is the headquarters of Yemen's internationally-backed President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government. Aden witnessed several well-planned assassinations and armed attacks after Saudi-backed forces drove the Shiite Houthi rebels out from the strategic city in July 2015. Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:43:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SKOPJE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank is ready to help the new government of Macedonia in its efforts for new jobs, good business climate, investments, visiting World Bank officials told Macedonian Premier Zoran Zaev Thursday. World Bank vice president for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller, and regional director for Western Balkans Linda Van Gelder paid a visit to Macedonia to meet the country's new government representatives. In their meeting with Zaev and Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Koco Angjusev, the World Bank officials voiced support to the new Macedonian government. According to them, the end of the political crisis and the government's reform policies would open new possibilities and perspectives for Macedonia. During the meeting, the interlocutors focused on support of the World Bank through the public financial management system and the competitiveness of the economy, government's press service told Thursday. Macedonian PM Zaev assured WB officials that his government's top priority was providing economic stability and development. "The government is strongly committed all citizens to feel the benefits from the economic development. Our goal is to provide good living standards for everyone. Therefore, the government will increase the support to domestic companies and we are creating conditions for real foreign investments," Zaev said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:44:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DOHA/CAIRO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left Qatar on Thursday with no breakthrough reported in resolving the month-long dispute, which pits the Saudi-led Arab quartet against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, upon winding up his trip. He met on Wednesday the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues, in which the four states accused Qatar of supporting extremism and demanded it to curb relations with their arch-rival Iran. The meetings came after Tillerson visited Kuwait and Qatar, during which he signed an agreement with the Qatari government aiming at combating the financing of terrorism. The four countries responded to the U.S.-Qatari agreement by releasing a joint statement on Tuesday, saying it is a result of repeated pressures and demands over the past years to Qatar to stop supporting terrorism. They added that such a step is not sufficient, however, as they will keep watch over Qatar's seriousness in combating all forms of funding, supporting and fostering terrorism. Tillerson started his Gulf visit on Monday in Kuwait, which is helping mediate the crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 22:54:10|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (R) meets with Miroslav Lajcak, president of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, in Beijing, capital of China, July 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with Miroslav Lajcak, president of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly Thursday. Yang said China attaches great importance to the UN's role in international affairs and supports the General Assembly in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Lajcak spoke highly of China's role in UN affairs and said that he is willing to cooperate more with China. Lajcak was elected on May 31 this year to serve a one-year-term as president of the 72nd UN General Assembly. He will replace the current president, Peter Thomson, when the next assembly session convenes in September this year. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 23:14:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China donated 98 buses and two wreckers to Cambodia on Thursday for public transport service expansion in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. A handover ceremony was held here between Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy Tan Qingsheng and Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Khuong Sreng. "I believe that these new buses will support Phnom Penh's plan in expanding its public transport service," Tan said, adding that better public transport is vital to reduce traffic jams and to make people travel easier. Khuong Sreng said the buses and wreckers were worth 57 million Chinese yuan (8.4 million U.S. dollars). "In my status as the governor of Phnom Penh, I'd like to express my profound gratitude to the Chinese government for constantly supporting the development of physical infrastructure in Cambodia, particularly in Phnom Penh," he said. According to the governor, Phnom Penh launched public transport service in 2014. Currently, a fleet of 43 buses are operating along three routes, and about 7,000 people use the service every day. He said the new buses will be used to operate along other five roads in the city. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 23:19:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian government will speed up agricultural mechanization by allocating more funds, Financial Tribune reported on Thursday. About 395.5 million U.S. dollars will be invested in agricultural mechanization in the current Iranian year, which ranges from March 2017 to March 2018. The investment is 25 percent more than that of the past year, said the head of the Agricultural Mechanization Expansion Center with the Ministry of Agriculture. "About 211 million dollars, 80 million dollars and 40 million dollars will be allocated to the fields of farming, horticulture, livestock and poultry respectively," Kambiz Abbasi said. He added that "20 million dollars will be invested in fisheries and seafood, and 10.5 million dollars in medicinal herbs." Since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August 2013, a total of 1.38 billion dollars of investments have gone into the mechanization of different fields of agriculture, said Abbasi. According to the report, the share of mechanized rice farming has risen from 12.5 percent to 80 percent over the past four years. "The incumbent government has invested a record high of about 156 million dollars in the mechanization of rice production," Abbasi said. Mechanization has helped lower costs of production and harvest and increase productivity, he said, adding that rice production in 250,000 hectares of paddy fields have become automated over the past four years. The volume of agricultural waste in Iran is twice the global average. Currently, up to 30 percent of agro products go to waste in the country during the pre-harvest, harvest, post-harvest and supply stages. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, 1.3 billion tons of food, mainly fruit, vegetables, fish and grains, are wasted globally every year and Iran is responsible for 2.7 percent of it, equal to about 35 million tons of the total sum. Old machinery is the main culprit contributing to agricultural waste, which is said to cost Iran's economy over 5 billion dollars annually. Last year, Iran imported renowned brands of rice planting machinery, heavy tractors, combines and orchard tractors, Abbasi said, adding that most of the imports came from Germany, Italy, France, South Korea and Japan. Iranian government has also plans to invest some 870 million dollars to modernize irrigation systems across the country this year, Iranian Deputy Agriculture Minister Alimorad Akbari said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 23:19:23|Editor: Liangyu Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour speaks at a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan, on July 13, 2017. Sudan's government on Thursday said it will stick to cooperation with U.S. even after suspending a negotiation committee set up to negotiate relief from U.S. sanctions. (Xinhua/Mohamed Babiker) KHARTOUM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sudan government on Thursday said it will stick to cooperation with U.S. even after suspending a negotiation committee set up to negotiate relief from U.S. sanctions. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday issued a decree to freeze the negotiation committee with the United States until October. 12 this year. The decision came after the United States on Tuesday postponed the deadline for making decisions on permanently lifting the sanctions on Sudan by three months. Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said at a press conference that Sudan's decision to freeze the negotiation committee does not mean ceasing cooperation between Khartoum and Washington. Ghandour also urged the U.S. to fulfill its commitments and lift the sanctions on Sudan by October. In January, former U.S. President Barack Obama announced the lifting of the 20-year-old sanctions on Sudan. The executive orders gave 180 days for review before fully and permanently lifting the sanctions if Sudan government maintained its efforts regarding human rights and combating terrorism. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-13 23:54:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SKOPJE, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia will get 70 million euros (around 80 million U.S. dollars) from the European Union (EU) to complete the construction of its Beljakovce-Kriva Palanka railway line, Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Koco Anjusev told a news conference Thursday. The funds will be allocated to Macedonia within the framework of Trieste Summit which kicked off Wednesday in Italy. "Macedonia is the biggest winner at Trieste Summit. Out of 194 million euros which was the grant awarded to build infrastructure in the Western Balkans, Macedonia will get 46 percent of the total value of the section," Angjusev told reporters. According to him, by approving such funds, the EU has already recognized the reform-oriented commitment of the new government in Macedonia. "The government deeply appreciates this move," Angjusev highlighted. At the Trieste Summit, six Western Balkan countries nominated projects estimated at over 1 billion euros. NAIROBI, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The UN food agency on Thursday called on countries in the Horn of Africa region to embark on radical overhaul of agricultural policies coupled with targeted investments in climate resilience in order to contain endemic food insecurity. A mother and her two children sit under blanket in the outskirt of Mogadishu, Somalia, March 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Kenya Gabriel Rugalema said that robust policy frameworks, increased funding and technology adoption were required to enhance food production in the Horn of African region amid harsh climatic conditions. "The Horn of African region is facing the worst food crisis in recent history but the situation can be reversed if countries explore new policies, technologies and innovations to enhance resilience of farming and pastoralism," said Rugalema. He spoke in Nairobi during a forum on ending hunger in the Horn of Africa that was attended by representatives from governments, multilateral agencies and academia. The UN Office on Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in its latest update said an estimated 26 million people are food insecure in the greater Horn of African region. Rugalema noted that climatic shocks, outdated agricultural policies and under-investments in resilience projects have undermined efforts to feed a growing population in the region. "Impacts of drought are still being felt in a huge swathe of the Horn of African region. The twin challenge of urbanization and rapid population growth have also adversely impacted on food and nutrition security," Rugalema said. He added that technology-driven agriculture accompanied by streamlining of key value chains like storage, distribution and marketing is key to end the hunger crisis in the region. "We must invest more resources and expertise in soil health, proper crop husbandry, storage and market access as we chart a new roadmap to eradicate hunger and malnutrition in this region," said Rugalema. Patrick Kormawa, the FAO Sub Regional Coordinator, said that enhancing productivity in the agricultural sector in the region hinges on reformed policies, investments in irrigation, research and improved storage. "Governments and the business sector should also invest in the infrastructure to promote value addition and marketing of farm produce," Kormawa remarked. He added that political goodwill is key to hasten implementation of a continental pact signed by African Leaders in June 2014 to end hunger and malnutrition by 2025. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia July 12, 2017. (Reuters photo) DOHA/CAIRO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left Qatar on Thursday with no breakthrough reported in resolving the month-long dispute, which pits the Saudi-led Arab quartet against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, upon winding up his trip. He met on Wednesday the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues, in which the four states accused Qatar of supporting extremism and demanded it to curb relations with their arch-rival Iran. The meetings came after Tillerson visited Kuwait and Qatar, during which he signed an agreement with the Qatari government aiming at combating the financing of terrorism. The four countries responded to the U.S.-Qatari agreement by releasing a joint statement on Tuesday, saying it is a result of repeated pressures and demands over the past years to Qatar to stop supporting terrorism. They added that such a step is not sufficient, however, as they will keep watch over Qatar's seriousness in combating all forms of funding, supporting and fostering terrorism. Tillerson started his Gulf visit on Monday in Kuwait, which is helping mediate the crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 01:20:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Thursday appealed to UN agencies and development partners to offer technical and financial support to assist in combating an outbreak of fall armyworms which is spreading rapidly across the country. Onyoti Adingo, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security told journalists in Juba that the crop-eating pest has already affected 166,000 hectares of farm land, 500 of which were destroyed completely. Adingo said the government initially provided 588,000 U.S. dollars to purchase pesticides, warning that the fund will not be enough to roll out a nationwide armyworms control program to contain the outbreak. He said additional financial and technical support is required from UN agencies and development partners to enable the government to strengthen control and surveillance of the pest. "If this outbreak continues to spread into the northern parts of the country where large scale agriculture is taking place now, we are afraid there will be a very big destruction to us because this will increase the threat of food insecurity," Adingo said. The war-torn country last month declared an outbreak of armyworms in the southeastern parts of the country, but the worms have now spread into the bread basket region of Equatoria and parts of Barh El Gazel. "The ministry of agriculture and food security is appealing to development partners such as FAO, UNDP, WFP and others to commit both technical and financial support for us to carry out this noble task," he added. The fall armyworm has devastated many countries in Southern and Eastern Africa. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the fall armyworm can cause extensive crop losses of up to 73 percent depending on existing conditions and is difficult to control with a single type of pesticide, especially when it has reached an advanced larval stage. The outbreak poses another threat of food insecurity after a UN-backed report released last month said famine has eased in the war-torn East African country after massive humanitarian response , but warned that the number of food insecure people remains worrying. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification update by the government, the FAO, UN Children's Fund, the World Food Programme, said the food situation remains dire as the number of people struggling to get food increased from 4.9 million in February to 6 million, the highest level of food insecurity ever experienced in South Sudan. "We import food from outside because few people this year are able to cultivate. So this outbreak of armyworms will cause more problems unless something is done to stop it," said Gorge Tadu, team leader of South Sudan's emergency fall armyworm control program. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 01:25:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will next week hold a three day national forum to discuss the participation of youth in critical agricultural value chains including processing, storage and marketing, an official said on Thursday. Anne Onyango, a senior director in the ministry of agriculture said the conference to be held from July 19 to 21 will explore new ways to encourage youth to take up farming as a full time occupation. "We have invited more than 500 youth to participate in the three day conference that seeks to promote their involvement in agri-business," Onyango said, adding that dozens of youth will showcase technologies and innovations that are transforming farming. Senior policymakers, industry executives and representatives of multilateral agencies will attend the inaugural forum on youth's participation in agriculture. Onyango said the conference will also provide a platform for youth involved in agriculture to meet potential financiers and clients for their produce. "Executives from major banks will meet youthful farmers and discuss areas of collaboration. The government has been encouraging financial institutions to lend seed capital to young people who have embraced farming as a career," said Onyango. Kenya's ministry of agriculture has partnered with multilateral institutions to incentivize the youth to take up farming through training and provision of capital. Onyango revealed that the African Development Bank has agreed to lend the Kenyan government 32 million dollars to promote the participation of youth in agriculture. "There are many partners who are keen to support our ambitious agenda to transform agriculture through participation of the youth who have technology and expertise that is required to realize that goal," Onyango told reporters on the sidelines of a regional forum on food security. Representatives of multilateral agencies hailed the inaugural forum on youth in agri-business, saying it marked a giant step towards revitalization of a sector that contributes 24 percent to Kenya's GDP. Patrick Kormawa, the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator said that Kenya's long-term vision of achieving hunger free status and alleviating unemployment hinges on greater involvement of youth in farming. Enditem Photo taken on July 12, 2017 shows a session of the 22nd World Petroleum Congressin Istanbul, Turkey. Mohammed Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said on Wednesday that he is optimistic about oil stocks declining further to heighten the prices at the second half of this year. (Xinhua Photo) ISTANBUL, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The 22nd World Petroleum Congress concluded on Thursday in Istanbul with high hopes for developing new cooperation in the future. "The congress constituted a great opportunity for developing new cooperation," Jozsef Laszlo Toth, president of the World Petroleum Council, said at the closing ceremony following five-day extensive discussions. "We want to build new bridges in the coming years," he added. The Istanbul congress launched under the theme of "bridges to our energy future" was aimed at addressing important issues and challenges facing the oil and gas sector, namely non-conventional gas explorations, climate change, carbon emissions and the fluctuations in oil prices. The next congress will be held in the U.S. city of Houston in 2020. Addressing the closing ceremony, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner praised the congress in Istanbul and said, "They set the bar very high for the series in Houston." Around 3,000 delegates from more than 90 countries attended the congress, including heads of state, ministers, government officials as well as representatives from the sector and international organizations. The World Petroleum Congress, the largest gathering for the industry, is organized every three years by the London-based World Petroleum Council and includes 65 member countries from around the world, representing over 96 percent of the global oil and gas production and consumption. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 02:56:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENNA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Austrian National Council officially shortened the current legislative period on Thursday to pave the way for the next federal election on Oct. 15, local media reported. The nearly unanimous decision was made in the final session of the lower house before the summer break. All six parties voted in favor, and only two independent members of parliament (MPs) voted against. All that remains for the early election to go ahead is approval from cabinet and the main committee of the lower house. The minor parties of the National Council used the debate to criticize the grand coalition partners, the Social Democrats and the People's Party. Leader of the far-right Freedom Party Heinz-Christian Strache said the two parties were responsible for many of the current problems in Austria, mass immigration in particular. Greens member Albert Steinhauser criticized a general shift to the right, for which his party could be a viable solution come election time. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:16:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATHENS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia can play an important role in promoting stability and prosperity in a wider region, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday in a joint press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The press conference was held after trilateral talks of the three leaders in Thessaloniki in northern Greece. The three leaders discussed prospects of strengthening regional cooperation in several sectors, transport and energy in particular, and relations with third countries, as well as Serbia's European course and a common approach on mutual challenges such as migration, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. In terms of infrastructure projects of joint interest, Tsipras listed the idea of a navigable link via rivers from Greece's Thessaloniki to Serbia's Belgrade and a rail link from Thessaloniki to the Danube, the longest river in the European Union (EU) region, to rapidly move goods and people to central and northern Europe, according to AMNA. The projects will be a priority for Bulgaria when it takes over the rotating EU presidency, Borisov said. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Russia scandal continues to bedevil the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, and new revelations may cause his own party to distance itself from the White House. Democrats continue to accuse Russia of meddling in the U.S. election. In the latest chapter of this ongoing controversy earlier this week, emails surfaced between Trump's son and a Russian lawyer who allegedly had access to compromising information on then Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Critics said this is an evidence of collusion of the Trump campaign with Russia, although the lawyer denied having worked for the Russian government. The ongoing Russia scandal could ultimately harm Trump's agenda, and the biggest danger is that Republican lawmakers in Congress might start to distance themselves from the president in the lead-up to the 2018 Congressional elections. That could derail Trump's legislative agenda and hurt his chances of passing meaningful legislation, political experts said. "The new revelations are very damaging because they draw a direct tie between the Trump campaign and Russian government representatives," Darrell West with the Brookings Institution told Xinhua. "His own son, son-in-law, and campaign manager had a meeting seeking damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Even if the meeting yielded no real information, the intent was to get information that would aid the Trump campaign," West noted. "The evidence is through a series of emails so President Trump no longer can say this is fake news and a Democratic witch hunt," he said. "For months, the President has denied the validity of the investigation and said there is no basis for all the attention devoted to the Russia story. No one is going to believe this denial anymore so the President is going to have to cooperate with the investigation," West added. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua that these are damaging revelations because until now, the issue with Russia could be described as a lot of smoke, but no sign of the fire. "This meeting, and the emails describing it, are the first evidence of 'the fire.' The administration will continue to downplay the importance of these meetings ...but the material -- strangely released by Donald Trump, Jr., himself -- speaks for itself," Mahaffee said. Indeed, experts said Congress may be getting fed up with Trump's ongoing scandals. West said Republicans in Congress are getting tired of what he called the "ineptitude of the Trump operation. Every day spent talking about Russia is a day not devoted to healthcare reform, tax reform, and infrastructure repair." "It is going to be very difficult to pass the president's agenda when there are so many distractions that take place on a regular basis," he added. West believes Republicans will start to distance themselves from Trump "in order to avoid fallout in the 2018 elections." Mahaffee said Republicans in Congress, along with others in business, lobbying, and elsewhere, have been willing to tolerate a wide range of scandals from both Candidate Trump and President Trump for the sake of moving on things like tax reform and healthcare. "That said, with control of both houses of Congress and the White House, Republicans haven't been able to move any meaningful legislation. There were already strong headwinds to meaningful legislation, and with these revelations, the wind is blowing harder," he said. Mahaffee said "this scandal is a major distraction" for the Trump administration. "While other White Houses have been able to reboot and reorient following scandal ... and still make significant accomplishments, this administration seems incapable of acknowledging the scandal, cleaning house, and moving on," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:26:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DUBLIN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Dail Eireann, lower house of Irish parliament, on Thursday approved a government motion which will change in the status of the country's naval operations in the Mediterranean. The motion was passed by 81 votes to 38, with the support of main opposition Fianna Fail (Republican Party). On Wednesday, the cabinet proposed the motion to the Dail Eireann, 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). 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. Changing the status of current Irish Naval operations must have the parliament's approvals. 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 Libya-based human traffickers. Ships operating under Operation Sophia have been targeting, seizing and destroying some boats used by smugglers, once they are empty. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:31:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday that Greece is in a "very good" state now and that is the reason why the Commission decided to end the excessive deficit procedure (EDP) for the country, according to Greek national news agency AMNA. The remark was made during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at Thessaloniki in northern Greece shortly before a ceremony at the city's Concert Hall where Juncker was presented with an honorary doctorate from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Law. The meeting was held a day after the European Commission announced the initiation of the process for ending EDP for Greece. The Greek leader welcomed the step as a "very important message". "We are very close to recovery, we are now determined to recover," he said, according to an e-mailed press release by his office. Tsipras noted that the EDP for Greece had started in 2009, at the start of the Greek debt crisis, when the Greek deficit stood at 15.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). "Now it is 1.2 percent of GDP and the projections for 2018 are very optimistic. This is due to the immense efforts made by the Greek people, the sacrifices of the Greek people," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:36:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TUNIS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia's trade deficit expanded to 7,535.2 million dinars (3,089.4 million U.S. dollars) during the first half of 2017, against 6,034.1 million dinars in the same period last year, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) of Tunisia announced on Thursday. This deficit is explained by the continuing imbalance of imports, which have grown 16.4 percent, against exports with a growth of 12.7 percent, according to INS. As for export revenues, the balance sheet shows 16,072.3 million dinars throughout the first half of 2017, against 14,255.3 million dinars during the same period last year. The trade deficit in Tunisia is still relatively high with China, Italy, Turkey, Russia and Algeria, INS said. The remarkable increase in imports during the first half of the year is attributed to the energy imports, which rose 34 percent. The European Union accounts for 75.3 percent of Tunisia's overall exports, with Germany (22.1 percent) and Italy (19.9 percent) taking the lead. As Tunisia's biggest trade partner, 53.3 percent of Tunisian imports come from the EU, INS noted. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:36:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MADRID, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Spain's consumer prices rose 1.5 percent in June when compared to June 2016, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Spain's Statistical Office (INE) confirmed on Thursday. The rate is 0.4 percent lower than that of May, when consumer prices rose by 1.9 percent year-on-year. Prices of transport increased by 1.8 percent in June, those of items related to housing rose by 3.6 percent, and food and non-alcoholic drink prices increased by 0.8 percent, while prices of items related to the hotel industry rose by 2.2 percent. Leisure and culture prices went up by 1.4 percent year-on-year. Spanish consumer prices rose by 3.0 percent in January year-on-year and again by 3.0 percent in February. They rose by 2.3 percent in March, and by 2.6 percent in April. Spain's consumer prices have been rising for ten consecutive months on a year-on-year basis after having registered negative rates for eight months in a row. On a month-to-month basis, the rate stood at zero percent, showing no differences from May to June. Spain's Secretary of State for Economy, Irene Garrido, said the government expected the CPI to fall below 1.0 percent by the end of the year. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 03:46:57|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan (L) shakes hands with Angolan Vice President Manuel Domingos Vicente in Luanda, Angola, on July 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xiaowei) LUANDA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Angolan Vice President Manuel Domingos Vicente said his country thanks China for its support of Angola's rebuilding and economic development. Vicente made the remarks while meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan, in Luanda on Thursday. The vice president said the two countries enjoy a firm foundation for bilateral friendly cooperation, which is important to maintaining global peace and stability. He said Angola highly values the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, and stands ready to coordinate development with China under the initiative so as realize common development and benefit the two peoples. For his part, Chang said his visit aims to materialize the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, to consolidate pragmatic cooperation in all fields including defense and security, and bring bilateral ties to a new level. During his visit in Luanda, Chang also held talks with his counterpart, Minister of National Defence Joao Lourenco. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 05:07:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Alessandra Cardone ROME, July 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 6,800 migrants and refugees were expected to reach Italy between late Thursday and Saturday, after being rescued in the Mediterranean, the Italian coast guard said. Earlier in the day, coastguard officials had put at some 5,600 the number of people due to disembark in the country. Some 10 ships were headed towards various ports in southern Italy. Among them, 1,400 migrants were due to arrive in Catania, Sicily, and further 900 in the Calabrian port of Corigliano. A ship from European Union (EU) borders agency control Frontex with some 1,200 people on board was expected in Crotone, and other ships were due to arrive in Brindisi and Bari with 850 and 620 people, respectively. Further arrivals were expected in another four Italian ports. No new rescue operations were underway as of late Thursday, according to the Italian coast guard coordinating all missions in the central Mediterranean. Of the 6,800 expected to land in the next hours, at least 4,100 were saved in 20 operations carried out by Italy's navy and coast guards ships, along with other forces from the EU naval mission EUNAVFOR MED and Frontex, on Wednesday. Italian police also held five people -- two Gambians, two Egyptians, and one Comorian citizen -- on suspicion of being human traffickers, Ansa news agency reported. The suspects disembarked among rescued migrants in the Sicilian city of Pozzallo on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Italy has draft a "code of conduct" for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) carrying out rescue missions in the Mediterranean. The draft was being reviewed by Italian authorities and EU Commission officials before its definitive approval, according to Ansa and Italy's leading business daily Il Sole 24 Ore. The code of conduct would require NGOs to comply with 11 rules, including an "absolute prohibition" to enter Libyan waters during their missions. NGOs would also be asked to allow police officers on board of their boats anytime to search for possible human traffickers hiding among migrants, and to not transfer rescued people on other ships -- regardless if they were from other humanitarian groups or from Italian authorities -- except in case of emergency. NGOs not complying with such rules would not be allowed to enter Italian ports to disembark, according to the draft. The code of conduct was part of a wider effort by the Italian government to get more help from European partners on the migration crisis. At a conference on the Western Balkans held in Trieste on Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni restated the migration crisis was a European issue. "Italy will keep doing its part in rescuing and welcoming. At the same time, we are fighting for the migration policy to be shared by the whole EU," Gentiloni said. The central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has become the major route for people trying to get into Europe, since after the Balkan route was shut in early 2016. From Jan. 1 to July 13, some 86,000 migrants and refugees reached Italy, which represents almost 84 percent of the total 103,000 arrivals to Europe, according to Italy's Interior Ministry and UN refugee agency UNHCR. The number of migrants arrived to Italy by sea in June was 24,800, which marked an 8 percent increase compared to the previous month, the Frontex agency also stated. Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-14 06:28:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkey warned late Thursday against the Greek Cypriot's ongoing drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, vowing it will "take all the necessary measures" in response to the island. Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the drilling activities "disregard the inalienable rights on natural resources of the Turkish Cypriot people, the co-owners of the Island." Turkey is determined to protect both its own rights and interests in its continental shelf and to continue its support to the Turkish Cypriot side, it added. On Wednesday, the "West Capella" drilling vessel contracted by France's Total and Italy's ENI started exploring for gas off Greek Cyprus.The exploration well, "Onesiphoros West 1," is estimated to be completed within 75 days, Greek Cyprus's Energy Ministry said in a statement. The move came days after the UN-led peace talks failed between two sides of the divided island. "We cannot remain indifferent to these kinds of unilateral actions. At the moment, we are planning the steps we will take with our Energy Ministry," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference on Thursday, according to Hurriyet Daily News. Meanwhile, a frigate of Turkey's Naval Forces begun patrolling the eastern Mediterranean in a bid to watch the exploration activities of Greek Cyprus off the island. Cyprus was divided into a Turkish-Cypriot state in the north and a Greek-Cypriot administration in the south after an 1974 military coup. The status of the island remains unresolved in spite of a series of talks that resumed in May 2015. $.5M bail for woman on $2.5M fraud charge Camille Guerra, 48, of River Road was granted bail by Magistrate Rae Roopchand who ordered her to report to the Arima Police Station every Saturday. She first appeared before a San Fernando magistrate on Monday but bail was refused and she was remanded into custody. Guerra is also accused of signing documents claiming to be a woman named Vina Bayne. It is alleged the cheque she attempted to deposit on July 4 at Republic Bank in Mayaro was made out in Baynes name. Police have also charged Guerra with having and uttering a false drivers permit, a false identification card, a false WASA bill and a false certificate of registration to a company with the name Vina Bayne Interiors. Another charge of uttering a valuable security payable to Vina Bayne in the sum of $2.5 million drawn from the account of Marooni Enterprise Ltd was also laid against her. The mother of four was not called upon to plead. Guerra was represented by attorneys Chantal Paul and Wayne Beharry. The case was adjourned to August 9. Homeless man shot dead in POS Police believe the man was first shot while at Prince Street and ran towards Charlotte Street where he collapsed and died. However checks by police revealed the surveillance cameras at Prince Street were not working. Four shots were heard at about 4.45 am near Prince Street and police were called. Inspector Harvey Jawahir and members of the Homicide Bureau and district medical officer Dr. Ojahr went to the scene. They found the body of a man of African descent wearing only blue jeans and black sneakers. Two spent shells were found nearby. People at Prince Street told police they only knew the man as Yankee. Sea Lots murder victim identified A family friend went to the Forensic Science Centre in St James and identified the body yesterday. The friend told reporters the man had moved from St Vincent years ago and lived in St James for sometime but he began suffering from a mental illness and was admitted to the St Anns Psychiatric Hospital. When he was released, he moved to Riverside Plaza in Port of Spain where there is a shelter for homeless people. His friend said Thomas had just started getting his life together when he was killed. The last time I saw him was about a month ago. He was doing very well. Sometimes he would go over to Sea Lots to meet with some friends there, but I dont know what happened for him to be killed. Arrangements are being made for his body to be taken back to St Vincent for burial. 472 reports involving children being investigated This was announced yesterday by Ag Supt Beverly Rodriguez at the Police Services weekly press briefing at police headquarters, Port of Spain. Rodriguez said the nature of the reports included sexual assault, sexual grooming, physical abuse and abandonment. She said of the total, 224 involved boys while 248 involved girls. She pleaded with parents and guardians to pay attention to their children especially during the vacation period. Please research the day-care or camp and other places in whose care you intend to leave your children. Find out about the persons who are going to be in charge of your children, the safety measures that are in place and the persons who have access to the facility. Rodriguez said many children are left unsupervised or with minimum supervision during the July/August vacation period. This, she said, could be attributed mainly to the fact that parents or guardians are usually at work. The option to leave your children in the care and custody of relatives is also practical and cost effective. In as much the same way regarding day cares and vacation camps, parents must be aware of the persons who are going to be frequenting the household where their children are staying. She encouraged parents and guardians to monitor their children for signs of discomfort whilst walking or sitting, reluctance to undress in the presence of others who they may have previously felt comfortable doing so, running away from home and exhibiting poor personal hygiene among others. She said members of the public are free to contact the CPU at any police station or call 800-TIPS (555) or the child protection secretariat at 621-2588. SEA success for Beethams Excel primary Also performing well was Makeeda Lewis who passed for St Josephs College, St Joseph. Angostura salutes these two graduates, who have done their school proud. Principal Ann Antoine also lauded the efforts of Cotton and Lewis. Congratulations Makeeda and Saleim, we look forward to your continued success. Your outstanding performance would motivate students of this school to strive for excellence. Our school would grow from strength to strength as you continue to represent us in the education arena. Let the world know that the students of the Excel Beetham Estate Government Primary, are becoming a competitive force and are poised for success, she said in a media release. Antoine also extended congratulations to all the teachers at the school, especially Ms Paul and Ms Samm, the two standard five teachers who worked with the pupils to help them achieve their results. : , , . Jehovahs convention With a seating capacity of over 2,000 persons the Witness Facility will be used for a series of seven conventions beginning on July 23. The programme will be repeated each weekend through September 3 to accommodate witnesses from throughout Trinidad. Collectively some 15,000 delegates are expected to attend. The programme will focus on the theme Dont Give Up! It will explore reasons for not giving up and remaining optimistic about the future. The opening lecture of the convention will set the tone for the chairmans address titled We Must Not Give Up-Especially Now. Throughout the three-day convention video presentations will illustrate biblical examples of endurance. All sessions are free and open to the public. SCHOOL SINKING IN SWAMP The status of the school was revealed by Education Minister Anthony Garcia at the Conversations with the Prime Minister event held at the Point Fortin East Secondary School on Tuesday evening. The revelation was in response to a parent asking how soon her child and other students of the school could expect to be moved out of the community centre and into a new, more comfortable school. Earlier this year, said Garcia, the MP for the area and myself visited a number of schools in this area including the Fanny Village Government School. What we have found is that the new school that was being constructed was being constructed in a swamp, and the school is sinking. Garcia added, We are taking measures to ensure that those who were responsible for the design would be held accountable, because we cannot understand how a school could be built in a swamp. In addition to that, we have identified a number of schools that we are going to continue the construction and as soon as we have the requisite funds, the Fanny Village Government School would be among those that we would be constructing. Construction of the new school began in 2015 after the old structure was burnt in April that year. Since then, Standards One through Three students were accommodated in the community centre, while Standards Four and Five were housed in a prefabricated building. The school has an enrolment of approximately 250 students. In a telephone interview with Newsday yesterday, Garcia said the building is not usable and would therefore be demolished. He could not say when or where construction of a new school would begin, but assured that discussions were underway between the Ministry of Education and the Education Facilities Company Limited. Garcia said the original designers of the building, intended to be a two-storey building, were fired. When another designer was hired, it was decided that a single-storey structure might have been able to stand up on the site. He said government is now in search of a new location for the construction of the school. Minister in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis told Newsday his investigations into the school revealed that villagers warned the contractors against building the school on that site. The villagers told me they told the contractor to be very careful about building the school on that site because it used to be a dam so the water table there is very high. He said prior to this governments tenure, there were also plans to retrofit the sinking school which would have skyrocketed the cost from $28 million to about $68 million. The end of the tale is a sad one because we have children who are in a community centre so the community does not have use of the centre. We have $28 million odd on the ground that cannot be used and then now in the midst of these difficult times we have to find money to build a new school. Asked who was ultimately responsible, Francis said EFCL has been asked to conduct an investigation and they have assured that one is underway. I am adamant that somebody owes us money and I am adamant that somebody is going to pay us. Malabar murder suspect killed in police operation The man has been identified as 22-year-old Kendall Garcia, alias Sausage, who had addresses in Maturita and Valencia. He was detained by police hours after the murders of Rose Mohammed and 13-year-old Vedesh Subar at Ajim Baksh Street, Malabar. Mohammed and Subar were found with their throats slit at the womans home. Garcia and two others were detained by police but he was later released pending further investigations after he was not pointed out in an identification parade. Yesterday, Senior Supt Mc Donald Jacob said Garcia was known to the police and was a suspect in several crimes including robberies and gun-related offences. Garcia was shot to death during the police exercise which began at about 4.30 am. Members of the Central Division Task Force went to Orange Field Road, Carapichaima to execute a search warrant when two men ran out of an apartment and into some nearby bushes. Police ran after the men and were allegedly shot at by Garcia. The lawmen returned fire and Garcia was hit several times. He was taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility but was pronounced dead on arrival. The second suspect escaped. Police allegedly found a pistol with several rounds of ammunition close to where Garcia was shot. They also returned to the apartment where they detained four people and seized a quantity of drugs. The four included a 19-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man. Sources revealed yesterday a 25-year-old man of Sangre Grande and a 54-year-old male relative of Mohammed remained in custody for further questioning. The Sangre Grande man was detained last week at Pinto Road, Arima, while Mohammeds relative was taken into custody on Sunday night. Police are working on information that Mohammed may have been murdered over an ongoing land dispute and that people were hired to kill her. Homicide Bureau members are expected to approach the Director of Public Prosecutions soon on the matter. Section 34 cases end Justice Mira Dean-Armorer yesterday cleaned house as she granted permission for the applications to be withdrawn and made no orders for costs which was agreed to by the attorney for the Director of Public Prosecutions. These matters were forgotten, the judge said as she went through the list of applicants. Those whose applications were withdrawn were: Russell Huggins, Renee Pierre, Anderson and Sherwin Meharris, Amrith Maharaj, Aman Harripersad, Collin Catlyn, Oswald Catlyn, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Northern Construction Ltd, Carlos John, Ameer Edoo, Steve Ferguson, Brian Kuei Tung, Barbara Gomes, John Henry Smith, Brent Alvarez, Carlton Roop, Dane Lewis, Montgomery Diaz, Maritime Life Caribbean, Sadiq Baksh, Fidelity Finance and Leasing Co Ltd, Basdeo and Oma Panday, Maritime General and Krishna Persad versus George Nicholas. Dean-Armorer also had listed before her several constitutional claims in addition to the Section 34 applications but she heard the constitutional matters first and these were dismissed by her in April 2013. Ferguson, Edoo, Maritime Life (Caribbean), Maritime General Insurance and Fidelity Finance filed constitutional motions and their cases were used as a test case that, if it succeeded, would have paved the way for the other accused to also have their matters dismissed. However, Dean-Armorer ruled against them by dismissing all eight grounds argued in the lawsuits. The Court of Appeal upheld the ruling. They then petitioned the Privy Council and in January of last year but the London-based court cleared the way for the Piarco Airport fraud accused to go on to trial. The London Law Lords said the repeal of Section 34 by Parliament on September 14, 2012, simply altered the general law by restoring it to what it had been before the controversial section was proclaimed. Ferguson and Edoo had argued they had a legitimate expectation of being freed from prosecution under Section 34 and its repeal on September 14, 2012 was unconstitutional and in violation of the basic principles of law No birth certificate for baby found in fridge, funeral on hold His parents Cindy Gail Sooknanan, 22, and Kimraj Jorai were unable to obtain a birth certificate yesterday to proceed with burial. Relatives said to obtain the death certificate, the parents first have to provide the birth certificate. As such, initial plans for a funeral which was tentatively set for today, had to aborted. Sooknanan, who is unemployed, lives with her father Rajesh Sooknanan, 42, and two-year-old daughter at Sewlal Trace, Fyzabad. On the morning of July 1, Sooknanan gave birth inside a wagon which was parked in the driveway of relatives home at Chatoor Avenue, Fyzabad. She was seven months pregnant. After step-uncle Crious Titus, 38, a shoemaker, delivered the baby, the parents and Sooknanans mother left on the assumption they were going to the Siparia District Health Facility for medical care. But minutes later, Sooknanans mother returned saying her daughter opted to go by a private doctor at Cocoyea Village. The parents told police the doctor, who remained in custody up to last evening, suggested they leave the baby with him and return the following day. The doctor promised to take the baby to hospital but checks revealed that this had not been done. On Monday, members of the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region III) and Mon Repos CID, acting on information, executed a search warrant at the doctors office. They found the babys body stuffed in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator inside a black plastic bag. The following day, forensic pathologist Dr. Valerie Alexandrov performed an autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. He concluded the baby died of natural causes due to complications arising out of a lack of medical care after premature birth. He said had immediate medical care been administered, the newborn had a 75 per cent chance of survival. Up to last evening police were interviewing the doctor, 60, who had been in police custody since Monday evening. Dillon to launch national crime prevention programme Part of our Local Government reform is to strengthen our Municipal Police throughout the 14 Regional Corporations of Trinidad and the Tobago House of Assembly. Weve already started the recruitment process for that... In addition to that, we are also launching shortly a programme referred to as the NCPP. This would provide a direct nexus between the Ministry of National Security and the municipalities; what we call Community Councils, dealing with issues within the communities because well have (direct communication). Therefore, well be able to take certain kinds of initiatives to treat with situations. More on that later on; I dont want to go too much into detail because it will be launched soon. Dillon previewed Governments latest crime fighting strategy yesterday while speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a graduation ceremony for the Citizen Security Programme training course in Information and Communication Technology for residents of Sea Lots. The six-month course was taught by staff at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, and it was at the colleges City Campus Student Centre on the corner of Dundonald Street and Fitzgerald Lane, Port-of-Spain, that the graduation ceremony was held. Asked if he was concerned about the police yesterday fatally shooting 22-year-old Kendall Garcia, alias Sausage; one of the suspects in the June 27 double murder in Malabar, Dillon said, Any kind of engagement with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) or other law enforcement agencies and the public will always be of concern to me but that is being dealt with by the Commissioner of Police. Dillon was also asked about border security, in relation to Venezuela and the deteriorating economic situation there which has prompted thousands of Venezuelans to come to this country. The Coast Guard continues to work together with Venezuelas Guarda Costa and Venezuelan National Guard. Some time ago, we re-established bi-lateral co-operation with the Venezuelans; to the extent where we had direct person- to-person contact between the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard and the Commander of the Guarda Costa. In fact, the Commanding Officer of the Guarda Costa is due here some time next week for another one-to-one visit with his counterpart - the TT Coast Guard Commanding Officer. Additionally, we have tasked our Military Attache in Caracas to go into the outlying areas; the places that are border to TT on the east coast of Venezuela, to give us a sense of what is happening in those coastal villages. So we are looking at tapping different sources. Dillon told reporters that according to the latest report hes received from Immigration officials, between January and now, roughly 9,000 Venezuelans came into this country legally. Of those, about 800 remain in TT. It seems to be a travel pattern as to those who come through the legal routes, Dillon stated. Cabinet-appointed wildlife conservation committee convened During the meeting, Agriculture Minister, Clarence Rambharat, told the committee members, We have a lot of work to do in a short space of time. The committee is expected to discuss Amendments to the Conservation of Wildlife Act, paying particular attention to provisions related to wildlife trade, scope of wildlife and increased fines and penalties; amongst others. The ministry, in a statement issued yesterday, said Rambharat; speaking in the context of the expectation that the Committee will deliberate on pertinent issues, said a valuable starting point would be a review of the Final Report of the Steering Committee on the Management of Hunting. Rambharat also advised them to do so while paying attention to the economic value of wildlife hunting in Trinidad and Tobago. Committee members include Courtney Park - Conservator of Forests, Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Gupte Lutchmedial - representing the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Reeza Mohammed - former Minister of Agriculture and representative of the Hunting Association, Dr Indira Omah-Maharaj - Zoologist, Buddie Miller - representing Amateur Hunters in Trinidad and Tobago, Anthony Davis - representing the interest of Caged Birds Fanciers, Tennille Plata-George - representing the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, and Yasmin Baksh-Comeau - representing Field Naturalists. Paula vs Assam on competitiveness Assam, a former diplomat, former Tunapuna MP and businessman, told the meeting that Trinidad and Tobagos competitiveness ranking is now lower than those of its Caricom neighbours Barbados and Jamaica, while this countrys ease of doing business rating has descended to a rank lower than those of Barbados, St Vincent, St Lucia and Grenada. Gopee-Scoon, spoke to Newsday on Tuesday at a workshop on quality at the Bureau of Standards, Macoya. She said very little was done in the past five years on these two indices, but now Cabinet has set up a committee under the secretariat of her ministry to create an enabling environment for business. The committee includes officials from the Ministries of Planning, Finance and Public Utilities. All these agencies, all of us are charged with renewing and redoing their processes, in the shortest time-frame, so that at the end of the day TT can match its international rivals when it comes to competitiveness and ease of doing business. TT is in a place at this time where he really have to resuscitate the non-energy environment. She said support must be given for new areas of business, such as in the agriculture, maritime and tourism sectors. We have to ensure all of our business environment is competitive enough and up to stand that we can welcome investors into TT, and that even our local investors can find opportunities idea enough to re-invest. So we are actively working and this follows the Bureau of Standards which is ensuring that all the standards are put in place to ensure we develop a National Quality Infrastructure that directly impacts. Japan hanged two death-row inmates Thursday morning, the Justice Ministry said, including a man convicted of multiple murders who had reportedly been seeking a retrial. Masakatsu Nishikawa, one of the two executed inmates, had filed a plea for a retrial over the murders of four women in the 1990s. Nishikawa, 61, was convicted of murdering four bar managers in western Japan in 1991. The other executed inmate was Koichi Sumida, 34, who was found guilty of killing a female colleague in 2011 in Okayama Prefecture. Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda ordered the executions, which were the 18th and 19th carried out since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returned to power in December 2012. The previous execution, the first ordered by Kaneda, was in November 2016, when a man was hanged for killing two women in Kumamoto Prefecture. Kaneda told a news conference following the 2016 execution that the punishment was for "an extremely cruel case in which the precious lives of the victims were taken for selfish purposes. I gave the order after careful consideration." In October 2016, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations issued a declaration calling for the abolition of capital punishment and the introduction of life sentences without parole by 2020. Jul 13 (ANNnewsCH) - aca13aaaeaaaasi61iaaccaaasi34ia2aaaaaYeaaYaceaaaaYaaeaaasa1991aaa1992aaaaaaaaSaaaacaea4aaaaaYcaaaaaaa2005aaaacasaaaaaaYa It started in mid-September Black Friday specials. I took the bait when I saw an email from a retailer offering sales that were way ahead of the traditional Friday after Thanksgiving Black Friday sales. Beat the rush! Get all the deals before anyone else offers them and you lose out! Get y International media watchdogs criticized Algerias repressive measures to intimidate journalists and demanded the immediate release of journalist and fixer Said Chitour who has been held in pretrial detention on allegations of spying for over a month. Reporters without Borders (RSF) released a statement denouncing as excessive the pretrial detention of Chitour, and expressing concern over his health condition because he suffers from diabetes. There are no grounds for keeping Chitour in pretrial detention, said RSF, adding that everyone is innocent until proved guilty and pretrial detention is an exceptional measure that must be justified by clearly stated circumstances, such as a danger of flight or a threat to public order. Neither exists in this case, so Chitours detention is excessive. Chitour, who worked for BBC and the Washington Post among others, was held in prison ever since the intelligence services arrested him after his landing at Algiers international airport on June 5. He faces accusations under article 65 of the penal code providing for life imprisonment for anyone who, with the intention of passing them to a foreign power, gathers intelligence, objects, documents or processes whose compilation and use are liable to harm the nations defense or economy. In the same vein, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the Algerian government to release Chitour and drop all charges against him. Said Chitours arrest on espionage charges appears to be an attempt to keep information about Algeria out of the international press, CPJ said. An intelligence source told the AFP that Chitour had been under surveillance for several months and was accused of passing secret documents to foreign diplomats. Last January, Algeria held blogger Touati Marzoug in pretrial detention at Oued Ghir prison in Bejaia for posting a Skype interview with a person described as Israeli diplomat. He is facing up to 25 years in prison under article 71 of the penal code. In a report entitled Algeria, the Invisible Hand of Power over the Media, RFS described the Algerian regimes use of threat of pretrial detention to silence journalists and free media. Stifling independent journalists is happening at a time Algeria sinks deep in the freedom of the press ranking established by RFS. The freedom of the press in Algeria thus went from bad to worse losing 5 places to take the 134th rank among the most authoritarian countries in the globe. In its annual report 2016-17 on the state of human rights in the world, Amnesty International decried the prosecution in Algeria of peaceful critics, including human rights defenders, in unfair trials, and the forced closure of media outlets. Last December 11, Mohamed Tamalt, a journalist and an outspoken critic of the Algerian regime, lost his life after a hunger strike while in custody. Mehdi Benaissa, the chief executive of Algerias KBC news, and Ryad Hartouf, the producer of the channels current-affairs program, were given Six-month prison sentences on fabricated charges after they broadcast a political satire that displeased the government. Morocco tops the ranking of most hospitable North African states towards Sub-Saharan migrants, a study, conducted by the US News and World Report, found. The study was based on a poll involving 21,000 people from 80 countries responding to questions on economic stability, access to the job market, equality of revenues and habitability. The countries were assessed in the report on the basis of the percentage of migrants compared to the overall population, remittances of migrants to their countries of origin as well as other criteria concerning the integration measures as laid down by the UN. In 2013, Morocco became the first country of the South to adopt a genuine solidarity-based policy regarding sub-Saharan migrants. The Kingdom launched between 2014 and 2016 two campaigns to legalize the stay of migrants in accordance with a policy rooted in humanitarian values. By last March, 18,228 migrants submitted to Moroccan authorities their requests to gain residency documents as part of the second phase of a regularization campaign that was launched in December 2016 upon directives from King Mohammed VI after the success of the first phase that saw 25,000 migrants gain residency status. Faithful to its solidarity-based approach towards Sub-Saharan migrants, King Mohammed VI took Moroccos engagement for migrants rights to the continental level. The Monarch, as the leader who was put in charge of the question of migration at the African Union, earlier this July, submitted a paper to the AUs presidency, laying out a common African Vision on migration and the related stakes and challenges. The paper, dubbed Vision for an African Agenda for Migration, outlines the steps that should be taken to tackle migration notably through adopting national policies, improving sub-regional coordination, and harnessing continental and international efforts. Turkey and Israel are seemingly set to finalize the deal on a pipeline that will connect the two countries before the end of the current year, during an official visit to Tel Aviv by Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. The Turkish officials visit to Israel was announced by Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, on the sidelines of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress, held in Istanbul July 9-13. Hopefully, Mr Albayrak will pay a visit to Israel this year in 2017, which will help us accelerate and try to conclude this agreement, the Israeli Energy Minister was quoted by the Middle East Observer, as saying, after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart. The pipeline will enable to export natural gas from Israel to Turkey, and to the rest of Europe, the Israeli official said. Turkey, which largely depends on foreign supplies for its energy needs, is keen to diversify resources and has a close eye on Israels own developing resources, notes the Middle East Observer. The World Petroleum Congress that brought together consumers and producers, governments and industry, academia and financiers, leaders and society, focused on four major topics. These are Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas; Refining, Transportation and Petrochemistry; Natural Gas Processing, Transportation and Markets; and Sustainable Management of the Industry. Less than a year after King Mohammed VI paid a landmark visit to East Africa that was crowned by the launch of several development projects in the visited countries, a Moroccan delegation is currently touring the region to assess the progress made in the implementation of these projects. The delegations tour includes Ethiopia, Rwanda Tanzania, Madagascar and Zambia. This Thursday, the delegation, led by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Mounia Boucetta, was in Dar Es Salaam to follow up the projects launched by the Monarch during his visit to Tanzania in October 2016. The delegation discussed with Tanzanian Deputy Foreign Minister Susan Alphonce Kolimba cooperation prospects between the two countries and assessed the implementation of the 22 agreements signed during the royal visit. The delegation visited the site of the Mohammed VI Mosque in Dar Es Salaam, whose construction works were launched by the Monarch in person. The religious building will include a prayer hall that can accommodate more than 5,000 faithful, a library, a conference room, in addition to cultural and administrative buildings. On the first stop of the tour in Ethiopia Monday, the delegation, visited the future site of the training center for water and irrigation scheduled to open in 2019, as well as the regional offices of the Moroccan Phosphates group (OCP) in Addis Ababa. The OCP is to build a fertilizer plant in Dire Dawa, the second biggest agglomeration in Ethiopia. The fertilizer project, to be carried out in two phases, requires a $3.7 billion investment, which is the biggest investment OCP ever injected outside Morocco. By 2022, the plant is expected to produce 2.5 million tons of fertilizer, helping thus Ethiopia become self-sufficient regarding fertilizer needs. Ethiopia used to import 900,000 tons of fertilizer each year. Ethiopia seeks to benefit from Moroccos expertise in the sectors of agriculture, industry, irrigation and water management, and fight against poverty. After Ethiopia, the Moroccan delegation held in Kigali a meeting with Rwandan officials on the follow-up of the 20 agreements signed by the King and President Paul Kagame in October 2016. The agreements include the construction of a drug factory that would manufacture beta-lactam antibiotics, as well as a housing project to build 5,000 units in Kigali. The Moroccan delegation includes representatives of the employers confederation (CGEM), as King Mohammed VI is keen on associating the private sector in the projects he initiates in the continent. Now at large. Photo: Louis Lanzano/Bloomberg via Getty Images When the Supreme Court spared Bob McDonnell from going to prison for a very long time, Chief Justice John Roberts seemed a little troubled by the things prosecutors uncovered during their investigation of the disgraced Virginia governor. There is no doubt that this case is distasteful; it may be worse than that, Roberts wrote in an unpredictably unanimous decision last year. But our concern is not with tawdry tales of Ferraris, Rolexes, and ball gowns. It is instead with the broader legal implications of the Governments boundless interpretation of the federal bribery statute. Following their higher-ups lead, now three judges on the federal appeals court in Manhattan echoed Robertss sentiment in their decision to throw out the convictions of former New York Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver, who was indicted, tried, and convicted of a slew of public corruption charges and faced 12 years in prison. Because theres little that upsets New Yorkers more than their politicians getting away with stuff, this is how U.S. Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes tried to break the news to the public and to Preet Bharara, the wildly popular, fired-by-Trump U.S. Attorney who took pride in his record of going after corrupt Democrats and Republicans alike: We recognize that many would view the facts adduced at Silvers trial with distaste. The question presented to us, however, is not how a jury would likely view the evidence presented by the Government. Rather, it is whether it is clear, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a rational jury, properly instructed, would have found Silver guilty. The key word in that paragraph is likely, and Cabranes and his colleagues said that they couldnt in their right mind conclude that Silvers earlier convictions for extortion, money laundering, and so-called honest services fraud were likely to stand. At least not after the guidance the Supreme Court had handed down in the McDonnell case, which found the justices grappling with what counts as an official act under federal anti-bribery statute. There, the high court said that a politician simply setting up a meeting or taking a call with someone isnt an official act that would amount to an illegal quid pro quo. You needed something more. So Roberts and his crew said that prosecutors needed to prove more. If a scheming, self-dealing politico is to be sent to prison, he or she must make a decision or action on a question, matter, cause, suit, proceeding or controversy over a pending matter that must involve a formal exercise of governmental power. Or to use his or her position to exert pressure on another official to perform an official act. Since just about every conviction Silver was nailed for depended on whether he took an official act, the Second Circuit suggested prosecutors needed to start over. In one scheme, for example, prosecutors accused Silver of pulling strings to award state money to a mesothelioma researcher at Columbia, who would then route mesothelioma victims to his own law firm, netting him millions in referral bonuses. In another, Silver stood accused of receiving secret legal fees from another law firm after he referred two real-estate developers to it as clients. And then prosecutors went after him for trying to launder these proceeds. No matter how awful these facts may have appeared on paper, the Second Circuit ruled as erroneous the convictions that resulted from them. Indeed, the court said the definition of official act that jurors received at the Silver trial was way too broad, since it encompassed any action taken or to be taken under color of official authority. That would include setting up meetings, phone calls, and other pleasantries that are the stuff of everyday politics. [T]he plain language of the instruction at Silvers trial captured lawful conduct, such as arranging meetings or hosting events with constituents, Cabranes wrote. McDonnell changed the landscape. Thats not to say federal prosecutors ought to be disappointed. Notably, the Second Circuit didnt fault the evidence Bharara and his team gathered in pursuing Silver. In fact, they rejected every attempt by Silvers legal team to contest the quality of the dirty deeds prosecutors aired during his five-week trial. So all of that evidence is still very much up for grabs and ready to be reused. Thats why Bharara wasnt exactly lamenting the courts reversal on Thursday: The evidence was strong. The Supreme Court changed the law. I expect Sheldon Silver to be retried and re-convicted. Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) July 13, 2017 In a statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Joon Kim, also Bhararas second-in-command before Trump fired him, sounded a confident note: Silver will be retried. And he added that they already have enough on Silver to nail him again even under the new legal standard. In their view, this is not justice denied, and it will only be a matter of time until Silver one of the most powerful politicians in New York State history gets a just punishment. Again. My name is Kiiiiiid, Senator Kid Rock. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images In the pre-Trump era, Kid Rock launching a website that seems to suggest hes running for the Senate would be an obvious PR stunt. But after what happened last year, it would probably be wise to stop scoffing when celebrities with bad hair appear to be flirting with a run for office. And so it is with completely sincerity that we report on this tweet from Robert Kid Rock Ritchie, the rap rocker from Detroit and ally of President Trump. I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq The answer is an absolute YES. pic.twitter.com/uYCUg6mjW1 Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 12, 2017 But even in this new age, when each Backstreet Boy is a potential Supreme Court Justice, its hard to not be skeptical about this website. Theres nothing right-wing reactionaries love more than trolling the media and then crowing about the fake news their trolling leads to. Another sign that this is a stunt is the website visitors are sent to when they click the link under the Kid Rock for U.S. Senate swag. Its hosted on his Warner Brothers Records website. So Kid Rock probably isnt running for Senate today. But if enough people buy his dumb hats, he might be whistling Bawitdaba all the way to Capitol. You Cruz, you lose. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images Mitch McConnells latest hastily scribbled blueprint for restructuring one-sixth of the American economy retains most of Trumpcares greatest hits: the controlled demolition of Medicaid as weve known it; steep cuts to federal subsidies for insurance; deregulatory measures that effectively eliminate protections for those with preexisting conditions; and tax breaks for the rich. And the bill doesnt seem to have changed political realities any more than it altered policy ones. One of my best GOP sources on Senate: "They do not have the votes on the motion to proceed" on the updated health care bill. David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) July 13, 2017 Nonetheless, after emerging from a meeting with GOP moderates Thursday, McConnell told reporters that the Senate will vote on the bill next week, as planned. So, its worth reviewing the legislations few new wrinkles. Maines favorite moderate Susan Collins remains a no on advancing the bill to debate. Rand Paul still thinks subsidizing poor peoples health care is crony capitalism. If McConnell loses one more vote, this thing is dead. And its hard to see why Nevadas Dean Heller the most vulnerable GOP senator up for reelection in 2018 would support this legislation, when he opposed the nearly identical previous draft so vehemently. Especially since Nevadas Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, has suggested that the new bill still causes him great concern. So long as Sandoval opposes the legislation, it will be difficult for Heller to budge. After all, he probably doesnt want to give his Democratic challenger the opportunity to say even our Republican governor told Heller that bill would hurt Nevadans, and he voted for it, anyway! One ostensibly significant change: The initial bills largest tax breaks for wealthy individuals have been removed. On its face, this looks like a massive concession to the partys moderate wing. In reality, its more of a concession to public-relations concerns than policy ones: Remember, the next bill in the GOPs queue is a giant package of tax cuts for the rich. It wont be difficult to throw the Obamacare taxes onto that fire. Several Republican lawmakers objected to the optics of cutting benefits for the poor and taxes on the rich simultaneously virtually none object to doing both those things on principle; the modern GOP has no real place for those who do. Further, the new draft adds a brand-new gift to affluent households a provision allowing individuals to pay their insurance premiums with tax-advantaged health-savings accounts. This measure has the appearance of a universal government subsidy. But its functionally a tax credit that will deliver the lions share of its gains to high-income households. As the Center for American Progresss Harry Stein explains. 1. Expanding Health Savings Accounts is a NEW tax cut for the rich in the revised #TrumpCare bill. Why? Here are some facts on HSAs... Harry Stein (@HarrySteinDC) July 13, 2017 2. Who has extra money to put in an HSA? Mostly rich people. Very few moderate-income households use HSAs. https://t.co/dZKMd8rWlh pic.twitter.com/6LbifJBqaV Harry Stein (@HarrySteinDC) July 13, 2017 3. Unsurprisingly, HSAs contributions are larger for high-income households. Because they have more money to save. https://t.co/dZKMd8rWlh pic.twitter.com/QSiITQEW6d Harry Stein (@HarrySteinDC) July 13, 2017 4. Most HSA contributions come from households with six-figure incomes. https://t.co/MuSjQWXqNZ pic.twitter.com/R6Zq3RPppQ Harry Stein (@HarrySteinDC) July 13, 2017 That said, retaining Obamacares taxes on high earners (however temporarily) provides McConnell with $231 billion in new revenues to work with. The new bill invests $115 billion of that money into funding for opioid treatment ($45 billion) and state-based reforms ($70 billion). The latter is essentially a fund that states can use to mitigate the austerity imposed by the rest of the bill. But McConnell pockets the rest of the savings, ostensibly to dole it out in last-minute bribes to fence-sitting senators during the amendment process. As Matt Yglesias notes, the initial bill already left the Majority Leader with $312 billion to play with. Which is to say: If McConnell isnt attached to retaining significant deficit reduction, hell have roughly $437 billion to spend on the pet projects of Trumpcare skeptics who agree to fall in line. Critically, the bill leaves the first drafts massive ($700 billion-plus) Medicaid cuts in place. The bill would begin unwinding Obamacares Medicaid expansion in 2021, while federal spending on the entire program would drop by 26 percent starting in 2026. The legislation tries to mitigate the most inhuman implications of those cuts by guaranteeing that children with medically complex disabilities will retain their coverage, and allowing states to access additional federal Medicaid funds during public-health emergencies. How such terms will be defined, in practice, is difficult to say. Regardless, the strongest case McConnell could make to moderates about the bills Medicaid provisions was, apparently, that they will never actually go into effect an assurance that sounds a lot like a prediction that passing this bill will put Democrats back in power by 2020. Finally, the one truly major change to the bill is an amendment that would further eviscerate protections for those with preexisting conditions while, quite possibly, sending the individual insurance market into a genuine death spiral. In a nod to Ted Cruz and Mike Lees crusade to roll back Obamacares regulatory requirements, the bill would allow insurers to deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions, while selling skimpy, high-deductible plans on the individual market so long as they also offer at least one plan that complies with the Affordable Care Acts regulations. Further, the new draft allows individuals to purchase skimpy, catastrophic coverage with federal tax credits. These two measures would almost certainly lead many younger, healthier people to opt out of comprehensive coverage, making the risk pools for the Obamacare-compliant plans disproportionately sick. That, in turn, would drive up the cost of comprehensive coverage, which would cause more young, healthy people to switch to the cheap, high-deductible plans, which would further drive up the cost of comprehensive coverage, until traditional insurance becomes unaffordable for the sick and unprofitable for insurers. The bill does set aside a $200 billion fund to offset the costs of covering very sick enrollees, but most health-care experts believe that wouldnt be nearly enough money to keep coverage affordable. Notably, while the bill would give consumers the freedom to buy insurance that covers almost nothing, it denies that liberty to members of Congress: The legislation stipulates that the plans insurers sell to Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and the rest of our representatives in D.C. must include comprehensive benefits. (This provision is supposedly only in the bill to make it comply with the rules of reconciliation.) In short: This is a bill that only a Senate Majority Leader could (pretend to) love. And, as of this writing, it looks like most Senate Republicans arent interested in feigning much affection for Mitch McConnells hideous baby. Macron and Trump. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images French president Emmanuel Macron hosted Donald Trump in Paris, and even though Jim wont visit anymore, the draw of a military parade helped convince the American president to make the trip. Macron is rolling out the red carpet for Trump ahead of the Bastille Day celebrations, which are honoring the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entering World War I. Besides the parade, the two leaders and their wives toured Napoleon Bonapartes tomb, and will dine in the Eiffel Tower Thursday night. But before their lobster, the men had to get through their press conference where the subject of Donald Trump Jr. was almost guaranteed to come up. Trump defends Donald Jr.s meeting: I think from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting https://t.co/hI2edVbxdZ CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 13, 2017 And the question did come, courtesy of ABC News Cecilia Vega, who referenced Trumps FBI nominee Christopher Wray, who testified before the Senate on Wednesday that any threat to interfere in the elections would warrant a call to the FBI. Trump defended his son in response and Don Jr.s decision to take the meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer to get damaging information on Hillary Clinton. As far as my son is concerned, hes a wonderful young man, Trump said. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer. It was a short meeting. It was a meeting that went very, very quickly. I do think this, from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting, Trump added. Its called opposition research. Pres. Trump on Trump Jr. meeting with Russian lawyer: I think its a meeting that most people in politics probably would have taken. pic.twitter.com/4vGNq8AWXu ABC News (@ABC) July 13, 2017 In the case of Don, as I see it, they talked about adoption and some things. Adoption wasnt even part of the campaign. But nothing happened from the meeting. Zero happened from the meeting, he explained. Trump accused the press of making too big a deal over something that really a lot of people would do, and seemed to blame the Obama administration for letting the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, into the United States in the first place. Trump summed up with one last defense of his son: He took a meeting with a lawyer from Russia, it lasted for a very short period and nothing came of the meeting, he said. I think its a meeting that most people in politics probably would have taken. Trumps long-winded defense of Don Jr. punctuated a somewhat stilted press conference between two leaders who are trying to move past a somewhat rough start and who are looking for commonality on issues, including Syria and terrorism. The two presidents both spoke warmly of the long-standing partnership between the two countries, which may or may not be news to some people. "France is America's first and oldest ally. A lot of people don't know that." pic.twitter.com/Z4yNw7QewD Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 13, 2017 Macron acknowledged the disagreement between the two leaders on climate change, and their divergent stances on the Paris accord. He said it wouldnt affect his ability to work with the United States on other issues. He reiterated that he was committed to the framework of the Paris agreement, but described awillingness to keep working with Trump on the issue. He added, So today there is nothing new or unprecedented, otherwise we would have told you about it. But I believe there is a joint willingness to continue talking about this and try to find the best possible agreement. "I believe theres a joint willingness to continue to talk about this & try & find the best possible agreement," Macron says of Paris accord pic.twitter.com/w8dmomVuKh CBS News (@CBSNews) July 13, 2017 Trump delivered a more cryptic response. Yeah, I mean something could happen with respect to the Paris accord. Well see what happens, Trump said. If it happens that will be wonderful, if it doesnt that will be okay, too. Pres. Trump on Paris Accord: Well see what happens...if it happens that will be wonderful. If it doesn't that will be okay too. pic.twitter.com/8uo7qRyaJg ABC News (@ABC) July 13, 2017 But the meeting does seem to have swayed Trumps opinion on the City of Light, at least based on his response to a reporter who asked about Trumps past criticism of Paris. Thats a beauty, Trump joked about the question, before praising Macron. You have a great leader now, you have a tough president, Trump said. Hes not going to be easy on people who are breaking the laws and people who show this tremendous violence. So I really have a feeling that youre going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris. And Im coming back, Trump ribbed, turning to Macron. You better do a good job, or youre going to make me look very bad. "I really have a feeling that you're going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris. And I'm coming back," Pres. Trump says pic.twitter.com/TN9B6cwQGK CBS News (@CBSNews) July 13, 2017 Yet Macron and Trump at least made a show of moving past handshake mishaps. This evening at the Eiffel Tower, Macron said, it will be a dinner between friends. Trump agreed. We have a very good relationship, a good friendship, and we look forward to dinner tonight at the Eiffel Tower, he said. That will be something special. Gary Cohn and Steve Mnuchin. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images Back in April, the White House released a plan to transfer trillions of dollars from the federal government to the wealthiest individuals and corporations in America. They called it tax reform. Okay, that description may not be entirely fair the litany of half-baked proposals for regressive tax cuts that the administration unveiled three months ago can hardly be called a plan. In his vision for fundamentally reforming the American tax system, Donald Trump didnt bother to propose specific income tax brackets. The administration claimed that its massive cuts wouldnt substantially increase the deficit, but stipulated few pay-fors beyond the elimination of unspecified special interest tax breaks. The Trump White House had allowed the congressional GOP to take the lead on health care. Tax reform was its number-one policy priority. And nearly six months after Trumps election, Steve Mnuchin and Gary Cohn couldnt come up with anything better than a less-detailed version of the plan that the mogul had campaigned on. They have offered no additional details in the months since. This presented a challenge to the economists at the Tax Policy Center (TPC), who had hoped to offer the public a detailed analysis of the plans likely effects. To account for the policys ambiguities, the TPC decided to make two separate projections. The first would score solely the effects of the plans (relatively) well-defined tax cuts. The second would pair those cuts with every revenue raiser that the president and his staff had expressed some interest in. The think tanks findings arent exactly surprising, but they do offer some insight into why Trumps team shied away from putting details into their tax plan. Looking exclusively at what the White House knows that it wants to do with the tax code, TPC finds Trumps plan would increase the deficit by $7.8 trillion over ten years, with 60.9 percent of that lost revenue accruing to the top one percent of income earners. Neither of those figures are too surprising, given that the presidents plan includes the repeal of the estate tax, the alternative minimum tax, and Obamacares capital-gains tax on high-income households, along with a 25 percent cut in the rate on owner-operated businesses all of which stand to deliver significant gains to the wealthy and almost no one else. (You can read more about the details of Trumps proposed cuts here). So, Trumps plan amounts to a blueprint for how the rich can raid the federal treasury. But at least the all candy and no vegetables version manages to toss a few dollars in hush money to the witnesses in the middle class. Once you begin to pair the regressive tax cuts with revenue boosters, however, ordinary Americans see their cut dwindle to a pittance or else, become a net loss. The one major source of new revenue Mnuchin and Cohn proposed in April was the elimination of the deduction for state and local taxes a reform that would (rather conveniently) fall hardest on relatively affluent households in blue states. During the 2016 campaign, the Trump campaign tossed out a few other schemes for raising revenue, including the repeal of the personal exemption; the abolition of the head of household filing status for single parents; the imposition of a capital-gains tax on certain wealthy estates; and limiting the tax cut on owner-operated businesses to companies that arent large. After adding all these measures to Trumps plan, TPC saw a significant improvement on the deficit front. Instead of swelling the deficit by $7.8 trillion, the responsible version of Trumps tax package would grow it by a mere $3.4 trillion only a bit more expensive than the Iraq War! Alas, such fiscal probity comes at a cost. With the revenue raisers in place, 19 percent of households would actually see a tax increase under Trumps plan. And that sacrifice wont be equitably shared. The top one percent would enjoy 76.3 percent of the benefits from this version of reform, while the top 5 percent would lay claim to 94.8 percent. Meanwhile, nearly one-quarter of households in the middle quintile of the income ladder would see their tax burdens increase. Voxs Dylan Matthews spotlights the insane inequity of the plan with this stat: Including the tax hikes, the overall plan would give the average family earning under $25,000 per year a $40 tax cut, or a 0.3 percent boost in after-tax income. The top 0.1 percent, earning above $3.4 million a year, would get an average tax cut of $937,700, or a 13.3 percent boost in after-tax income. Remember, even under this version of the plan, the White House is allowing itself to expand the deficit by more than $3 trillion. Its far from clear that congressional Republicans are ready to rubber-stamp a deficit increase of that size. Which means that, if the White House is to stick by its official (profoundly regressive) priorities, then their actual plan is going to have to soak the non-rich a bit more. (Paul Ryans proposal for tax reform provides a good model for how to cut the middle class out of the bargain.) Perhaps, this has something to do with the administrations decision not to sweat the details of its own plan. To be sure, much of the upper middle class would still derive some benefit from the cuts. But these gains might well pale in comparison to what such households stand to lose from an underfunded federal government. Already, the GOP is finding that its commitments to ever-higher military spending and ever-lower taxes cant be reconciled without draconian cuts to popular safety-net programs and public services. The super rich can insulate themselves from such cuts. But the broad middle class mostly cant. And theyre starting to realize that, even in right-leaning parts of the country. Last night in Oklahoma, a state currently suffering the consequences of conservative economic orthodoxy, two Democrats were elected to deep-red statehouse seats after pledging to reverse cuts to public-school funding. Republicans are unlikely to pass a tax-reform bill all that similar to the White Houses haphazard sketch. But every tax plan congressional Republicans have produced in recent years shares the Trump proposals top priority relieving the economic anxiety of multimillionaires and billionaires. So long as thats the case, its hard to see how Democrats can lose by sharpening their economic message around themes of class warfare. As Matt Yglesias argued Wednesday, if Team Blue can succeed in turning 2018 into a referendum on the one percents class war, they should end up with the larger army. HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US!! Reply Thread Link why are the quotes stopping at "hell"? Reply Thread Link Because he didn't actually say that, TMZ inferred it Edited at 2017-07-13 02:16 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link That people keep using *rump supporting tmz as a source? I know! Reply Parent Thread Link jesus, take the fucking wheel Reply Thread Link Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse... Reply Thread Link Wow Reply Thread Link Wait, so he was originally ranting and raving that the black cop was stupid to arrest him because he was one of the few white ppl who actually cared and then when that failed he's like "nah, you're goin to hell coz your black!" lol damn Reply Thread Link It's the arrest version of "Can I got get your number? No? Well fuck you, you ugly bitch, I never wanted you anyway" Reply Parent Thread Link lol this is so accurate Reply Parent Thread Link So much for woke Shia. Reply Thread Link He had so much potential too. Reply Parent Thread Link did he Reply Parent Thread Expand Link What the fuck. Reply Thread Link Yikes Reply Thread Link lol, my god Reply Thread Link i fucking hate this guy. all the privilege, potential and opportunity in the world and he just throws it all away. he's the male lindsay lohan but i bet he will be able to make a comeback a few years down the line only to squander it again and then make another comeback because men Reply Thread Link Ouch @ your accuracy Reply Parent Thread Link Lol, comeback? Dude is probably getting offered more leading roles as I'm typing. Hollywood leaves NO white man behind! Reply Parent Thread Link you are absolutely correct, maybe i was just being hopeful lol Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. This is nothing new. His first arrest in Walgreens did not hinder his career. He spouted some racist crap then too, but ppl did not want to believe. He is an alcoholic abusive mess, Hollywood will protect him. Reply Parent Thread Link Edited at 2017-07-13 12:06 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link he's worse than lohan, at least she never brutally beat up a partner and then talked about killing them Reply Parent Thread Link Robert Downey Jr 2.0 Reply Parent Thread Link I mean this is a good apology but idk if it's really sincere, we'll see if he actually improves Reply Thread Link as an addict and alcoholic myself, thank you for trying to see past the addiction. we arent all horrible asshole losers. most of us are actually really intelligent but troubled people. i dont know shia's personal story obviously, but the jekyll and hyde thing isnt surprising. i turned into a totally different person when i drank, someone i didnt like and wouldnt hang out with. i said and did things i never meant and hurt a lot of people but mostly myself. (thankfully i never caused any major damage, no drunk driving accidents or much violence. but i WAS a total full on headcase that likely wouldnt have lived much longer if i kept up with my addictions). so thank you. *going on 2.5 years sober from alcohol and 4 years off heroin. im still alive, that is good. * Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I get that addicts are fighting a lot of battles but I tend to believe what they say while under the influence. I think their true colours come out then because they're not able to edit themselves. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If you're an alcoholic, you're still an alcoholic even when you've stopped drinking. You're just a sober alcoholic. Reply Parent Thread Link There's no way he wrote this He should apologize in person to that police officer, he does not get paid enough to listen to that crap Shia was spewing Reply Parent Thread Link He also told the white cop that his wife preferred black dick. Reply Thread Link why are white men so obsessed with black men's penises??? Reply Parent Thread Link Not just white men, I've heard white women make really gross comments too. Reply Parent Thread Link b/c it's a way of dehumanizing them. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because the black dick/Mandingo myth fundamentally threatens the security of white guys' masculinity (in the form of being able to sexually posses and control "their" white women). Reply Parent Thread Link whaaaa is his arrest video nine hours long? how did he find the time to ramble such disgusting nonsense. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Of course he did. Of fucking course he did. Reply Parent Thread Link wtf Reply Parent Thread Link wow...he was really going for broke with the racism huh Reply Parent Thread Link okay but what about your outright disrespect for black people tho??? Reply Thread Link He definitely should be addressing that. Reply Parent Thread Link He gets arrested for the dumbest things. Reply Thread Link how about you apologize for being a racist pos? Reply Thread Link Yep, that's what im waiting on. Reply Parent Thread Link he's such garbage Reply Thread Link Too late. He's LiLo levels of lost cause at this point Reply Thread Link That's a good apology and I hope he gets better. But I have been done with him ever since that video of him threatening his gf. Reply Thread Link ohhh my..and she's still with him? wow Reply Parent Thread Link I think they're married now? Reply Parent Thread Link Don't curr, when is Mia signing the divorce papers? Or is there still some confusion over whether or not the marriage was legal? Either way, run Mia, run! Reply Thread Link what confusion? Reply Parent Thread Link Last i remembered there were stories that his wedding in vegas wasn't legal? But idk what they've done since then and they say they're married so who knows Reply Parent Thread Link i wish him luck, addiction is hard. wouldn't mind if he decided to disappear for awhile from the spot light, even forever is okay by me, to work on himself. i hope mia goth is okay and has a strong support network as well. Reply Thread Link Seems sincere but I still think he's kinda out of control Reply Thread Link And there it is, his Mel Gibson moment. Reply Thread Link I don't believe racism just "comes out" outta nowhere when your upset or drunk so w/e. And he did blame Mia Goth for him wanting to put his hands of her so I expected nothing less from this pos Edited at 2017-07-13 03:00 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link same. Anyone who tries to claim they only said something racist because they're drunk is full of shit. Reply Parent Thread Link True! I dont drink but when I did I wouldnt say racist,homophobic or transphobic stuff bc those beliefs are not in me at all. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. Ppl need to gtfo with this blame it on the alcohol bullshit. Reply Parent Thread Link mfte...i can't at ppl saying that this shit sounds sincere when he didn't even address his vile racism Reply Parent Thread Link mte. I still remember a friend of mine in the past have said even if you are really drunk, not only you have exposed yourself but your true feelings that you withhold from the inside- in which you become too comfortable from there with oversharing and show your own true colors to any strangers even in public. does that sort of make sense lol? dude been a racist the whole time without admitting it before and now that the cat is out of the bag. alcohol/drugs does weird shit to you and your emotions towards others, yo Reply Parent Thread Link addiction is a disease but imo that's no excuse to act like a dick. time and time again he has shown to be a real asshole, and i can't believe (except ofc i can) people let his shit slide so easily bc of his "woke" project Reply Thread Link Being an addict doesn't make you racist. That's your own shit, dude. Reply Thread Link Edited at 2017-07-13 03:06 am (UTC) MTE Reply Parent Thread Link ikr Reply Parent Thread Link lol for real Reply Parent Thread Link Yep Reply Parent Thread Link According to the IEAs World Energy Investment report, investment in electricity finally surpassed investment in oil and gas in 2016, for the first time in recorded history. As spending on new fossil fuel projects fell twenty-six percent in 2016, continuing a trend of declining investment that began with the collapse of prices in 2014, investment in electricity networks, energy efficiency and renewable energy output rose. The trend comes as the energy sector prepared for the electrification of everything, according to one Bloomberg report, from cars to buildings and industrial processes. The expansion of the global electricity grid sucked up $718 billion, rising by six percent. Investment in energy efficiency, itself a large source of new electricity, was up by 9 percent. While investment was down overall in renewable energy, this was due largely to falling costs, as capacity additions grew by fifty percent and total output from capacity rose by thirty-five percent. Total investment in renewables reached $297 billion, down three-percent, and was the largest single part of overall electricity investment. Spending on clean energy was forty-three percent of the total, as carbon emissions stagnated for the third year in a row. Investment in coal-fired plants was down overall, chiefly as a result of growing concerns about local air pollution in China (by far the largest destination for new energy investment, accounting for one-fifth of the global total), though investment in coal was up in India. While global investment in coal has not ended, it has reached a pause according to one observer. Related: Macquarie: OPEC Deal To Collapse In 2018 Chinese investment focused on low-carbon electricity generation and expanding existing networks. Investment in coal-fired power plants fell by one-quarter. Investment in the US energy system was up by sixteen-percent, driven in large part by a surge in renewables. Wind and solar are on track to become the cheapest source of new electricity, according to new research from Morgan Stanley. The firm observed an inflection point reached in 2016, with costs falling by fifty-percent thanks to better turbine designs, improved materials and the collapsing cost of PV solar panels thanks to global over-supply. Overall, investment in electricity accounted, including low-carbon components, accounted for forty-two percent of total investment, which reached $1.7 trillion. Oil and gas continued its slump, falling to $708 billion, though the sector has seen a resurgence this year, driven largely by new investment in US shale. Overall, investment in energy was down by twelve-percent in 2016, due to falling costs and low oil prices. The fall-off in investment has the IEA and other analysts worried about future drops in supply. As demand continues and less new output comes on line, prices could leap back up and markets could become tight. However, its also possible that the IEA report indicates a continuing shift in the energy sector away from conventional fossil fuels and towards electricity investment and renewable energy. Investment in electric vehicles (EVs) charging stations increased by $6 billion, while total sales of EVs were up thirty-eight percent, topping out at 750,000 vehicles. While this is still a tiny fraction of the global automobile market (88.1 million cars and light commercial vehicles were sold in 2016, a record-breaking year, according to Business Insider), it represents a dramatic increase from 2012, when EV sales were practically non-existent. Falling battery costs could make EVs comparable to conventional vehicles by 2025, and global EV sales could increase to 3 million by 2021. Related: The Major Wildcard That Could Send Oil To $120 The changes in transportation is just one piece of the story. While the US enjoys a boom in investment in shale, China and India, which together dwarf the United States and represent the two fastest-growing energy environments, are embarking upon new strategies to meet future demand. While India is investing in coal, its also moving forward on renewable energy, with Indian Prime Minister Nahendra Modi proposing a $1 trillion international solar alliance for the developing world. In a country feeling the acute effects of changing climate, solar power offers a cheap, decentralized option for meeting energy demand. The fact that it requires no water is also attractive, as water shortages bite into an economy which, on a local level, is still dominated by agriculture. India plans on adding 160 gigawatts of renewable energy in the next four years, and its government has predicted renewable sources will provide fifty-seven percent of total electricity by 2027. By contrast, the US now has just over 100 GWs of wind and solar, built up over several decades, and renewables provide just over ten percent. The worlds largest coal company, Coal India, will close thirty-seven of its coal mines by March 2018; even as the country plans new coal-firing power plants, the falling costs and rising benefits of renewable energy is rendering coal uncompetitive. For China, clean energy accomplishes two goals at once: cutting down air pollution, an endemic and increasingly dangerous political problem for the countrys government, and advancing Chinas claim to global leadership. The country has touted its advances on renewable energy, as its proponents point to falling emissions levels and rising innovation and investment. While attention will likely fix on what the IEA report says about investment in oil and gas, the report offers further evidence of the on-going shift taking place in global energy, particularly in the developing world. By Gregory Brew for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Ive talked a lot the last few years about Americas increasing natural gas exports to Mexico. With outgoing pipeline shipments from Americas shale plays having more than doubled over the last 18 months. But one development this week shows that U.S.-Mexico natgas trade still has some snags to be worked out before it can contribute further as a source of demand growth in American markets. Mexicos National Gas Control Center (CENAGAS) announced Tuesday that it received no bidders for a key auction of cross-border pipeline capacity. With the group having to take the extreme step of nullifying the pipeline bid round, and planning a complete re-issue of the tender later this summer. Under the auction, CENAGAS had been making available 2.2 billion cubic feet per day of capacity on existing pipelines that cross from the U.S. into northern Mexico. With the idea being that private companies would use this pipeline space to import contracted volumes of natgas from U.S. producers. As the chart below shows, thats generally been a popular move of late. But end users in Mexico said the latest auction of pipeline capacity has a problem its in the wrong place. (Click to enlarge) U.S. natgas exports to Mexico have been surging since 2015 Users noted that most of the pipeline space being offered by CENAGAS is in central Chihuahua state. Where most of the connecting pipeline network needed to get gas to markets in Mexico is in eastern Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas states. That mismatch led buyers to completely avoid this latest CENAGAS capacity auction. With users saying they would rather see the Mexican government offer space on better-positioned pipelines owned by state firm Pemex. All of which points to a developing issue in infrastructure namely, cross-border pipelines between Mexico and America are fine, but the network on the Mexican side still needs a lot of development to move gas to market. There are a number of pipeline projects on the books to improve that situation but progress has reportedly been slow. Watch to see if Mexican authorities can come up with any solutions when the pipeline tender is reissued, expected August 10. Heres to de-bottlenecking. By Dave Forest More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The rebalancing of the oil market is taking too long, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Oil Market Report on Thursday. Since the record net long position that money managers built in February on hopes that OPECs cuts would rebalance the market, investorsand industry bodiesconfidence has been waning. Brent prices have closed below $50/bbl each day since early June and few investors expect a recovery anytime soon, the IEA said. Since the start of the production cuts, some issues have been popping up each month to raise doubts about the rate at which the market is rebalancing, the agency noted, adding: This month, there are two hitches: a dramatic recovery in oil production from Libya and Nigeria and a lower rate of compliance by OPEC with its own output agreement. Libya and Nigeria contributed the most to the 393,000-bpd increase in the cartels total crude output in June compared to May. Libyas output jumped by 127,000 bpd to 852,000 bpd, while Nigerian crude production rose by 96,700 bpd to 1.733 million bpd. According to the IEA, compliance among OPEC members slipped in June to its lowest level78 percentsince the start of the deal, as not only exempt Libya and Nigeria pumped more, but also Saudi Arabia. Although OPECs biggest producer stayed within the limits, according to OPECs secondary sources, it did not overcomply with its share of the cuts as much as it had done in previous months. In passing, it is worth noting that compliance from the ten non-OPEC producers who volunteered to cut production improved to 82% in June, higher than the rate achieved by OPEC, the IEA said. Last month, global oil supply rose by 720,000 bpd to 97.46 million bpd as producers opened the taps. Output stood 1.2 mb/d above a year ago with non-OPEC firmly back in growth mode. Non-OPEC production is expected to expand by 0.7 mb/d in 2017 and 1.4 mb/d in 2018. As for OECD industry stocks, whose drawdown to the five-year average is OPECs key goal with the cuts, the IEA has estimated that OECD industry stocks dropped by 6 million barrels in May on lower imports of crude and products. Stocks were 266 million barrels above the five-year average in May, down from 300 million barrels in April. Preliminary data show a moderate reduction in OECD stocks for June, according to the IEA. On a positive note, the international agency said that For global demand, after lacklustre 1.0 mb/d growth in 1Q17, there was a dramatic acceleration in 2Q17 to 1.5 mb/d. For 2017 as a whole, demand is forecast to reach 98.0 mb/d, with growth revised up by 0.1 mb/d compared to last month's Report to 1.4 mb/d. Further growth of 1.4 mb/d is foreseen for 2018, with global demand reaching 99.4 mb/d. Financial data suggests that while output might be gushing, profits are not and recent press reports quoted leading company executives saying that oil prices need to be around $50/bbl to maintain production growth. However, the IEA added that Such is the resilience of the US shale sector that we should be careful to pronounce that its expansion will slow, however it could be that the recent exuberance is being reined in. As for when the market would balance, the IEA is no longer as confident as it was in the April report when it said that it can be argued confidently that the market is already very close to balance. Related: Are Supermajors Spooked By Peak Oil Demand? Taking demand and supply together, the current market balance implies a global stock draw of 0.7 mb/d in 2Q17, the IEA said today, adding that actual stock numbers currently do not support this picture. Thus, we need to wait a little longer to confirm if the process of re-balancing has actually started in 2Q17 and if the waning confidence shown by investors is justified or not, the agency concluded. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The American Petroleum Institute reported a 62-percent annual increase in oil and gas drilling in the second quarter of 2017 in the United States. For oil, well completions shot up by 81 percent in April-June 2017 from a year earlier, according to API estimates, and also rose by 19 percent from the first quarter of the year. Gas well completions were estimated to be 41 percent higher in the second quarter of 2017 than in the same period a year earlier. The data reflects EIA reports of rising U.S. oil and gas production and an intensification of this rise. For the first quarter of the year, the API reported a 35-percent increase in oil and gas well completions, which was not a huge surprise, given that these completions in Q1 2016 were down by 59% on an annual basis. According to EIA data, crude oil production in the U.S. averaged 9.397 million bpd as of July 7th, steadily rising over the last few months. The figure exceeded imports by almost 2 million bpd: the latter stood at 7.61 million barrels at the end of the same week, while exports of crude oil stood at 918,000 bpd. Energy consultancy PIRA Energy earlier this week forecast that the United States could enter the top 10 of global oil exporters in a few years, with daily export rates hitting 2.25 million barrels by 2020. This, CNN noted in a report on the forecast, will bring the U.S. close to major exporters including Kuwait and the UAE. The increase in production, PIRA analyst Jenna Delaney said, will come mostly on the back of the boost in shale oil output. Last month, the International Energy Agency estimated that oil production in the U.S. will rise by an average daily of 430,000 barrels, contributing to a 700,000-bpd output rise among non-OPEC producers. In 2018, non-OPEC production will grow by 1.5 million barrels daily, of which 780,000 bpd attributable to the U.S. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinese customs data has revealed that the worlds second-largest consumer of crude oil imported 8.55 million barrels of oil daily during the first half of the year, or 212 million tons in total a 13.8-percent annual increase. In May alone, Chinese refiners imported 37.2 million tons of crude, or 273 million barrels. This was up 15.4 percent from May 2016, and the second-highest monthly import rate ever. The growth in imports comes on the back of higher refinery runs after a maintenance period, as well as dwindling local crude production. In May, Chinese refineries processed 46.62 million tons (342 million barrels) of crude oil, up 5.4 percent on the year, while domestic production fell by 3.7 percent to 16.26 million tons (119 million barrels). The U.S. is the latest addition in the group of exporters of crude to China, with shipments over the first five months of the year averaging almost 100,000 bpd. That, according to customs data cited by Hellenic Shipping News, was a tenfold increase on the average for 2016. Back in February, China overtook Canada as the biggest client of U.S. crude. Related: Corpus Christi Set To Become The Next Oil Export Hotspot The second half of the year could see a further increase in U.S. shipments: Saudi Arabia yesterday said it would reduce its Asia-bound crude exports by 200,000 bpd next month due to peak demand at home. China, on the other hand, last month approved a second round of oil import quotas for independent refineries and several state operators that will bring the total import quota amount to 91.73 million tons or 1.83 million barrels per day for the whole of 2017. The first round of quotas, issued in January, allowed for the import of 68.81 million tons and the second one is for 22.92 million tons. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Energy companies that took part in two onshore oil and gas exploration tenders in Mexico yesterday have pledged total investments of US$2 billion for the entire lifespan of the winning projects, said the head of Mexicos Hydrocarbons Commission. Juan Carlos Zapeda told media that the 21 blocks that were awarded in the two tenders would add 79,000 bpd to Mexicos total oil production by 2025, as well as 378 million cu ft of natural gas daily. First oil and gas should start flowing in two years, he added. The big winner of the two tenders was Mexican Jaguar Exploracion y Produccion, which snapped up six of ten blocks in the first of two auctions. The FT reports that the competition for two of these blocks was so intense that Jaguar had to fight hard for it, eventually coughing up US$26 million for one and US$29 million for the other to beat its rivals. The Mexican company teamed up with Canadian Sun God Resources for its bid. Jaguar, set up three years ago by the former CEO of conglomerate Alfa, also won the exploration rights to five more blocks, this time on its own. On the same day that the auctions were held, London-listed Premier Oil Plc said that together with its joint venture partners, Talos Energy and Sierra Oil & Gas, it had made a world-class oil discovery in the Zama-1 exploration well in Block 7, the first offshore exploration well drilled by the private sector in Mexicos history. Related: The Biggest Obstacles For Chinas $900 Billion Silk Road According to preliminary analysis, Initial gross original oil in place estimates for the Zama-1 well are in excess of 1 billion barrels, which could extend into a neighbouring block, said Premier, which holds 25 percent in the block. The operator of the block, Talos Energy, which has 35 percent, was even more optimistic about the find. Initial gross original oil in place estimates for the Zama-1 well range from 1.4 to 2.0 billion barrels, exceeding pre-drill estimates, some of which could extend into a neighboring block. By Irina Skav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Nigeria is ready to support OPECs cuts and limit its crude oil output when it reaches a stable 1.8 million bpd, Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Kachikwu said on Wednesday. Nigeria and Libyaexempt from OPECs production cuts because of militancy that had crippled their production last yearwere the two producers that contributed the most to the 393,000-bpd increase in the cartels total crude output in June compared to May. Libyas output jumped by 127,000 bpd to 852,000 bpd, while Nigerian crude production rose by 96,700 bpd to 1.733 million bpd. Nigerias average June production is very close to its target of 1.8-million-bpd, but its oil minister noted that he would have to see if output and the fragile peace are sustained. As a serious member of OPEC, we stand ready to support the cuts when we are sure that we can have a stable predictable production, Kachikwu said, as quoted by Bloomberg. We still are below the 1.8 million barrel a day benchmark set for us by OPEC. I think that over the next one or two months, hopefully, we can get to that point where we can say the recovery has been tested, it is systemic and predictable, the minister said. Nigeria last produced 1.8 million bpd in February 2016, and according to data compiled by Bloomberg, its production capacity is 2.2 million bpd. Nigerias Ministry of Petroleum Resources said on Wednesday that minister Kachikwu confirmed he had been invited to attend the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee meeting of the OPEC and non-OPEC countries in Russia on July 24 that would discuss Nigeria and Libyas production, but he would not be able to attend because of a scheduling conflict. "Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to continue working with other players for the stability of the global oil market, the ministry said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg paid a visit to a rig in North Dakota on Tuesday, asking engineers and oilfield workers questions about their line of work during a facility tour, according to a report by Reuters. The northern state alone pumps 1.1 million barrels per day of oil, second in output only to Texas, which hosts the massive Permian and Eagle Ford basins. The visit comes as part of the social media moguls goal to tour all 50 states in 2017. My personal challenge for 2017 is to have visited and met people in every state in the US by the end of the year. I've spent significant time in many states already, so I'll need to travel to about 30 states this year to complete this challenge, he said in a Facebook post at the beginning of the year. Facebook, as well as other social media and tech giants, has shown a preference for green energy as the international community shifts towards an energy order rid of fossil fuel-based power. Its data center in Fort Worth, Texas is powered completely by 200 megawatts of wind power. Facebook, Amazon, Google and dozens of the U.S. largest companies support the Paris climate agreement and condemned President Donald Trump when he announced the countrys withdrawal early last month. Related: Will Oil Inventories Continue To Fall Over The Summer? The decision is bad for the environment, bad for the economy and it puts our childrens future at risk, Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post. Stopping climate change is something we can only do as a global community, and we have to act together before its too late, he said. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had been attending economic advisory meetings with Trump and other Silicon Valley executives in the weeks leading up to the White Houses announcement on the Paris accord. Musk decided to leave the panel after hearing about Trumps decision. By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, they have received information that self-proclaimed Caliph and leader of the Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed. There have been reports of al-Baghdadis death before, so we cannot be 100% sure. As with Osama Bin-Laden, al-Baghdadis death may not have a dramatic effect in the war on ISIS but is certainly a symbolic achievement. Unfortunately, I worry that most Americans are not aware of this nor the recapture of the city of Mosul from ISIS because the mainstream media seems far more focused on talking about Russia or President Trumps tweets. Should Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump campaign members be meeting with lawyers tied to the Russian government about getting dirt of Hillary Clinton? Absolutely not, but from all of the reports I have seen there does not seem to be any tangible actions that would affect the election taken by the Russian government or the Trump campaign as a result of this meeting. Democrats and some in the media can call for Don Jr. to be publically executed in Central Park for treason all they want, but after more than 170 days of the media being dialed up to 11 on every nothing burger of a Russia story, even when there may be something of substance here to criticize, I feel like the general population will simply drown it out because of the constant media overreaction. While ISIS is by no means defeated, the liberation of Mosul and the ceasefire in Syria are major developments. Currently, Arab and Kurdish forces assisted by US Military advisors are battling ISIS in Raqqa. While victory in Raqqa will not come easy, as ISISs de facto capital in the region, taking the city would be an important milestone. I enjoy the horserace of politics as much of the next guy, but it seems like the media these days has divided into those who appear to have a vendetta against President Trump and those who will shill for President Trump. Where is the media that will call balls and strikes? Give the President credit when something goes well and holds him accountable when something goes wrong. Sure, Tweets from the President are newsworthy simply by the nature of his office, but there is a lot of substantive news that is not getting its due. More than 500 VA officials have been fired for misbehavior since January, significant developments are occurring in the fight against ISIS, and there is a massive national debate over healthcare. But please, spend 20 minutes telling me about what the President tweeted today. Jacob Vandever is political activist, lifelong Oregonian, and proud Oregon State graduate. Jacob is the Editor of the Oregon Upstart Blog. COAS to have open debate on CPEC ISLAMABAD: Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa wants civilian institutions to step up to the plate and fully benefit from the opportunities coming the countrys way because of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and called for an open debate on various aspects of the project. In his keynote speech at a seminar organised by the National Logistics Cell on CPEC Logistics on Wednesday, Gen Bajwa said people must benefit from the CPEC for which leadership, collaborative spirit and capacity building at a much higher pace and level would be required. The army chief then said that while the Army provided security to the project, other national institutions will have to come forward and play their respective roles. He twice underscored the need for the national institutions to play their role for optimally benefiting from the opportunity provided by the CPEC. We as a nation can only benefit from this historic opportunity if we prepare ourselves to embrace it. All national institutions will have to make a deliberate effort to ensure success of the CPEC, he noted in his speech. The CPEC projects, both Chinese and Pakistani officials say, are progressing well, but on several occasions officials in private discussions point to problems in the execution of the multi-billion dollar infrastructure and connectivity project, which is seen here as a game-changer. Gen Bajwa, listing some of the areas that required the governments attention, said greater focus was needed on education, training and skill development of the youth; improvement in existing laws and regulations for facilitating trade and investment and infrastructure development. Emphasising the need for a unified development framework, he said, industrial and urban development was needed for transforming the trade corridors into economic corridors. Analysts believe the project is being weighed down by coordination between federal and provincial governments, lack of clarity about projects and transparency issues. The army chief called for a fuller and open debate on all aspects of CPEC so that policies best suited for the country could be framed. Such a call for open debate on the CPEC is unprecedented, analysts say. Improved security Noting that the military was up to the job of providing security, Gen Bajwa said: We are making steady but sure-footed progress in making Pakistan a terrorism and extremism-free country. He maintained Pakistan is much safer than before. Peace has been restored in Fata and adjoining areas. Normalcy is returning to Pakistans economic hub of Karachi Similarly, the law and order situation in Balochistan has improved. Reaffirming the commitment to the CPEC, he said, Army and law enforcement agencies are vigilant and are determined to providing foolproof security to the CPEC. No one should have any doubt about our commitment to the project. Besides talking about the needs for reforms within the country, the general used the occasion to take a jibe at India for pursuing a divisive agenda. CPEC is also affirmation of our efforts for a peaceful and prosperous region. Unlike some countries of South Asia, we believe in focusing our energies on peace and inclusiveness, rather than divisive competition. NAB informed JIT about Nawaz Sharif-Shahbaz Sharif pending decision ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has informed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that four cases, two investigations and one inquiry against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif have been pending decision. The cases are: Avenfield properties case, Sharif Trust case, Raiwind Roads construction case, illegal appointments in the Federal Investigation Agency and two investigations and an inquiry related to misuse of authority in allotment of plots in the Lahore Development Authority. According to volume-II of the JIT report, the NAB chief tried to clear himself for not taking any action against the Sharifs for over a decade though they were facing serious corruption charges in different cases. However, the JIT observed that NAB did not perform its duty in Sharifs cases. Even after highlighting of Panama [Papers] issue in the media and cognisance by the courts, the basic information has not even been collected till date, rather on the pretext of Panama [Papers] case these investigations against Sharif family have been allowed to remain on the back burner. Thus it can be concluded that NAB is not actively pursuing the cases and matters are being delayed on flimsy pretexts, right from day one, the JIT observed. The JIT said all the cases against the Sharif family were initiated in 1999-2000 but since the beginning, except filing four references in 1999-2000, no serious effort has ever been made regarding rest of the cases by the successive NAB authorities. In fact most of the time these cases remained dormant or pended on one pretext on the other, it added. The JIT was informed that the cases pending with NAB, including a case pertaining to Avenfield properties, and it was communicated to NAB headquarters by Lahore NAB that no record was available with them other than a one-page complaint and no progress has been made on the case since its authorisation. In February 2015, the Lahore NAB initiated a letter addressing NAB headquarters to obtain certified copies of Avenfield properties from the UK through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA). However, in June 2016, the Lahore NAB said that details required for sending an MLA were not available with them, therefore, the MLA request could not be initiated due to lack of information regarding the Avenfield properties so far. The NAB chief said there was another case related to Sharif trust which was pending when he took charge as NAB chairman. The case pertains to the allegation against the Sharif family that they received millions of rupees allegedly through underhand methods using the Sharif trust as pretext. The allegations further included that accounts of the Sharif trust are not being subjected to audit and the Sharif family is keeping benami assets in the name of the trust. The case was initiated in 2000 but files related to the case do not show efforts for collection of any record pertaining to the matter, he said. Regarding the case against Nawaz Sharif pertaining to illegal appointment in FIA, he said the case had been finalised by the Rawalpindi NAB and had been forwarded to the NAB headquarters for a decision in an executive board meeting. He said there was another case against Mr Sharif related to construction of Raiwind Road which had also been finalised by the Lahore NAB and forwarded to the NAB headquarters for a decision, however, some queries had been raised by the NAB headquarters which were being addressed. The JIT was informed that a reference related to Hudaibya Paper Mills, willful loan default case and Raiwind Estate quashed by the Lahore High Court. I did not prefer to file an appeal before the Supreme Court of Pakistan because I was advised by the then Prosecutor General Accountability K.K. Agha not to do so, the chairman said. Nawaz Sharif non-committal about Qatri letters 13 July, 2017 Related News Imran Khan distributed loan cheques under Kamyab Jawan Programme PTI govt to face all challenges coming its way: Imran khan More on this View All Tips for Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos Top 2021 Accessories We Know You Will Love Types of Casino Payment Methods Best Poker Hands ever played on a Casino Are Slot Developers Important for players? Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: In its damning report on the Sharif familys alleged money laundering, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has noted that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was non-committal about the two letters furnished before the Supreme Court by former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani to establish the much-needed money trail for the London properties. In the chapter relating to the prime ministers appearance before the six-man JIT, headed by Federal Investigation Agencys (FIA) Wajid Zia, at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) on June 15, the report said PM Sharif initially denied having read the letters, but later stated that he might have seen them. The prime minister then endorsed the content of both letters before the JIT without being sure of their content, the report said, observing that this diluted the credibility of the Qatari letters as evidence. The prime minister could also not explain the timeframe and procedure adopted by his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz in obtaining possession of the four London apartments, and was even uncertain of the actual ownership of the flats, the JIT said. Although PM Sharif confirmed that he knew of the investment made by his father Mian Mohammad Sharif with the royal family of Qatar, he hardly seemed to remember any details. He had not even seen the worksheet of the sale proceeds of the Gulf Steel Mills in the UAE, which were submitted by his sons to the apex court. But at the end, he said he stood by all the submissions made by his children before the court, the report said. The report also confirmed that PM Sharif served as the chairman of the board of Capital FZE, a Dubai-based company. Although no evidence of this was provided by the Sharifs, the JIT said it had collected evidence directly from the Jebal Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza), the concerned regulator, which confirmed that Nawaz Sharif not only served as head of the companys board, but also drew a salary of 10,000 dirhams between Aug 7, 2006 and April 20, 2014 nearly a year after assuming office. Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in his interrogation on June 17, appeared confident but evasive on different counts, especially the Gulf Steel and Hudabiya Mills cases, the Avenfield apartments and the assets settlement amongst the family. The chief minister tried to gave the impression that he had no link with the Panama Papers case, hence his appearance was pointless. But in its conclusion, the JIT held that though Shahbaz Sharif was not a respondent in the case, he was connected to Panamagate and his role in the Gulf Steel, Hudabiya Mills and Al-Towfeek cases made him an important witness. The younger Sharifs knowledge of the investment with the Qatari royal family is based on hearsay as he did not verify how, when and how much money was transferred from the sale proceeds of Gulf Steel to the Al-Thanis in 1980. His refusal to answer questions about the Al-Towfeek and Hudabiya Mills cases validated the teams findings about the illegal money circulation established in the Hudabiya case, the JIT reported. While Shahbaz Sharif corroborated Hussain Nawaz stance on the settlement of sale proceeds from Azizia Steel Mills, Jeddah, this was inconsistent with the stated position of the prime minister. The younger Sharif, however, stated that the Gulf Steel was established by his father and that his cousin Tariq Shafi was the owner and beneficiary of Gulf Steel, therefore he was responsible for its liabilities as well. This statement was explicitly inconsistent with the statements of Tariq Shafi, the prime minister and Hussain Nawaz filed before the court and recorded before the JIT, who had stated that Mian Sharif and the family were its beneficiaries. The chief minister explained that he did not play any role in the functioning of Gulf Steel and only assisted Tariq Shafi on the directions of Mian Sharif with reference to the preparation of a share sale agreement in 1980. This contradicted the statement of Mr Shafi, who had told the JIT that Shahbaz Sharif used to visit Dubai and oversee the financial affairs of the mill, especially between 1978 and 1980, when Mian Sharif had returned to Pakistan, the JIT said. He was non-commital and looked concerned when asked about any decree from Dubai courts, and said there was no decree with reference to a default on the payments for Gulf Steel or a BCCI loan against him in Dubai or Pakistan. Talking about Mariam Safdar the married name of Maryam Nawaz Sharif the JIT said she submitted two trust deeds, purported to be original documents. However, it was later established by the JIT that these documents were not originals, and were, in fact, falsified in an attempt to mislead the JIT and the Supreme Court. Ms Sharif had claimed to be trustee of Coomber Inc. but failed to give any satisfactory details about this company, the JIT said. She was also evasive about the London properties and shifted the responsibility on her brother Hussain, stating that she acted on his advice. She claimed that she had never seen or possessed the bearer certificates of the two offshore companies; Nielson Enterprises and Nescoll Ltd. Even though she also asserted that she was not the beneficial owner of the two offshore companies, the documentary evidence provided by the Attorney Generals Chambers and Financial Investigation Authority of the British Virgin Islands had proved otherwise. The JIT also accused Ms Sharif of being evasive and giving inconclusive replies to pertinent questions on the topic of gifts exchanged between her and her father. Similarly, she displayed ignorance regarding her transactions related to Chaudhry Sugar Mills and failed to provide any documentary evidence in support of her contentions. Referring to her spouse, retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, the JIT described him as absolutely evasive, non-committal and speculative while recording his statement. He was untruthful, dishonest, deceitful and shifty on many accounts, displaying wanting conduct, investigators observed, adding that Capt Safdar did not bring along any document or record to substantiate his statement. His inability to recall the contents of a claimed trust deed between his wife and Hussain Nawaz indicated that he had either signed the document without reading it, or someone else had signed it in his place. His inability to recognise the trust deed raised serious questions about its authenticity, the JIT said. He also failed to justify the increase in his assets from Rs12 million to Rs25 million and despite assurances to the JIT, did not explain the sources of income to date, the JIT said. Unreliable Rehman Malik The JIT didnt spare former interior minister Rehman Malik either, describing him as an unreliable and clever character who failed to contribute towards the investigation process. But his report encompassing the money trail in the Hudabiya Mills case, commonly known as the Rehman Malik report, contains authentic record that is corroborated by banking records, the JIT said. Senator Rehman Malik, meanwhile, regretted the JITs description of him, saying he never appeared before the JIT to secure a character certificate. He accused the team of being biased and getting personal, asking how they could describe him as unreliable. LAKE GEORGE The Lake George Community Band will be hosting its 13th annual festival with free concerts Friday and Saturday at Shepard Park Amphitheater. The community band festival, said to be the largest of its kind in the Northeast, brings in bands from Canada as well as the Northeast U.S. and is free and open to the public. Music selections include jazz, motion picture themes, TV and Broadway show tunes, patriotic marches and much more. Included in Friday nights lineup are Big Band Ottawa from Ontario, Canada; the Ballston Spa Community Jazz Band; and the Center Stage Band from Plainville, Connecticut, in that order. Saturdays main event has opening remarks at 10:45 a.m. Bands start at 11 a.m. with a different band each hour, and a break scheduled for 5-5:30 p.m. Bands return to the stage at 5:30 for the evening performances. Rain venue is Lake George High School. For more information visit www.lgcb.org or Facebook. Bring a chair and bring a friend. FORT EDWARD A Fort Edward man wanted in New Jersey on a felony charge was arrested this week, police said. Shawn M. Disalvo, 18, of Broadway, was charged as a fugitive from justice in New Jersey, where he is wanted on a warrant in Ocean County, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office. He was being held in Washington County Jail in an unrelated burglary case when police learned of the warrant for his arrest. Disalvo is being held in the county jail, pending extradition proceedings. Sheriff's Investigator Michael McWhorter is handling the case. The state Department of Health announced Wednesday that a Saratoga County resident died in recent months after contracting a rare tick-borne illness known as Powassan Virus. The family of 74-year-old Charles Smith of Gansevoort told The Post-Stars media partner, WNYT-NewsChannel13, that he was bitten by a tick on April 28, then went to a doctor on May 1 and was sent home. By May 11, he had a fever and chills and was hospitalized, and he died June 6, they said. Ben Rosen, a spokesman for the Department of Health, said the person, who he did not identify, was found to have had the virus after they died, though the virus had not been medically confirmed to have caused the death as of Wednesday. The DOH still issued a warning to let the public know that the virus had been found locally, the first confirmed case of it. But that warning did not include any information as to the age or gender of the person who contracted it, where in the county they lived or whether the disease was believed to have been contracted locally. It was the first confirmed case of the virus in New York this year, after two were confirmed in other parts of the state last year. In all, 24 cases have been confirmed in New York since 2000, and five of those patients died. Bryon Backenson, an epidemiologist with the state Department of Health, said there is no indication Powassan Virus is an increasing problem in New York or elsewhere in the Northeast. The likelihood of someone getting Powassan is extremely rare, he said. Trying to put it into context, yes, it is a severe illness and it can be fatal. But the likelihood of someone getting Powassan is extremely rare and it doesnt seem like it is on the increase in New York. The virus is transmitted by infected ticks and causes brain swelling that can be fatal. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said signs and symptoms of infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures and memory loss. They usually appear a week to a month after the bite occurs. Long-term neurological problems may occur. There is no specific treatment, but people with severe Powassan virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids or medications to reduce swelling in the brain. The best defense is prevention of tick bites. Health officials recommend that those who venture into woods and fields take precautions such as DEET or Permethrin bug repellents. We believe everyone should be taking preventive measures against tick bites, Rosen said. GLENS FALLS The city will seek more than $300,000 in state waterfront revitalization funding to improve and expand pedestrian and bicycle trails along the Hudson River on Pruyns Island and build a pedestrian and bike bridge across the Feeder Canal. The pedestrian and bike bridge would connect the Feeder Canal Trail on one side with Water Street on the other. An informal trail that Namic, a former medical device company, once had on Pruyns Island would be reblazed, improved and extended, said Ed Bartholomew, president of EDC Warren County, during the Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corp. board meeting on Thursday. The trail has become overgrown with weeds and is no longer usable, he said. The bicycle and pedestrian bridge would provide an easier and safer connection to Pruyns Island for walkers and cyclists than along streets with automobile and truck traffic. It also would make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get to the citys Haviland Cove park on the Hudson River, in the citys 5th Ward. The Hudson River is located within walking distance from downtown, and as such it is one of the citys most significant yet underutilized assets, Bartholomew wrote in a summary of the grant application, which the city will submit as part of the state regional economic development council grant process. The grant also would fund a feasibility study of developing a welcome center and cafe at the islands northern entrance, near the intersection of Glen and Mohican streets. Its not going to be a (New York State) Thruway welcome center. Its going to be modest, Bartholomew said. The welcome center would provide tourism information and sell some food, with an emphasis on local products. Conceivably, it could house a bicycle-sharing program that Councilman at-large Dan Hall, the Democratic mayoral candidate in November, is planning, Bartholomew said. The city will seek between $300,000 and $400,000 from the state. The exact amount was still being determined on Thursday. The application is based on some of the recommendations from a waterfront plan the city prepared in 2013. The city is not looking, at this time, to put in place a more ambitious recommendation to build a pedestrian bridge across the Hudson River, connecting Pruyns Island with South Glens Falls. Bartholomew said this is a good year for the city to seek funding for Pruyns Island, because this year the state is requiring only 25 percent local matching funding or in-kind services for waterfront improvement grants. Typically, the state requires a 50 percent local match. This is the year to take advantage of the program. Its going to be competitive, Bartholomew said. The city Common Council authorized submitting the grant application on Tuesday. The LDC and Glens Falls Industrial Development Agency boards endorsed the grant application on Thursday. The investigation this week that led to the arrest of a Fort Ann man for allegedly killing his grandmother shows the need for autopsies in so-called unattended death cases and has led to discussion of ways for local counties to deal with cost increases for postmortem examinations. The death of Leona Twiss has prompted Washington County sheriffs officers to see if there is a way local counties can band together to bring a local pathologist to the area to save police the time and expense of going to Albany Medical Center. Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan said he would support the idea as well. Washington County sheriffs Capt. Tony LeClaire said he spoke with Washington County Administrator Chris DeBolt on Wednesday about whether there was interest in Washington County in combining forces with neighboring counties to contract with a regional pathologist. Routine autopsies were discontinued at Glens Falls Hospital in 2015 when the lone pathology practice that had been performing them stopped. That change forced local police and coroners to have autopsies done in Albany, a more expensive proposition when time and travel costs are factored in. Warren County changed its policy last year, moving from doing an autopsy in every death that took place outside the presence of a medical professional, known as an unattended death, to a case-by-case review. The change was made after the county greatly exceeded its 2016 budget for autopsies. Local autopsy statistics werent available Thursday. But officials said the new review practice does not seem to have resulted in fewer autopsies being done, particularly in light of a rise in drug overdose deaths in recent years, for which autopsies have been requested by police to determine drug use trends. We have had more autopsies because of overdoses, Glens Falls Police Detective Lt. Peter Casertino said. Autopsies may not be pursued as often as they once were in cases involving older people or those with health problems, when police dont see any outward evidence of foul play. Twiss was 95 when she died Sunday, and her grandson and his wife reported she appeared to have died of natural causes. But sheriffs officers questioned that account, and an autopsy performed by Dr. Michael Sikirica at Albany Medical Center led to the conclusion she was strangled. The grandson, Kevin L. Gonyea, 50, was charged with second-degree murder early Wednesday. LeClaire said his agency hasnt necessarily been requesting fewer autopsies in light of the Glens Falls Hospital issue, although officers are cognizant of the expense and time issues. Ive found that there are more discussions at (death) scenes about whether autopsies are needed, LeClaire said. It is always tough to balance the costs versus the need to do an autopsy, said Jordan. Casertino, though, pointed to the July 2016 death of Kevin Jenks in Glens Falls, where Jenks had no obvious injuries, but Sikirica concluded he was choked to death. Two men were later charged and convicted of murder. Jenks, 58, had a history of serious health issues, but the condition of his home and the belief items were missing led police to ask for an autopsy. If we didnt have an autopsy done, we never would have known that was a homicide, Casertino said. Every death that is criminal is not outwardly evident, LeClaire said. Sheriffs officers also initially had no initial evidence that the death of Twiss was suspicious, but officers questioned the circumstances and the background of her grandson. Officers had been called to the home in the preceding months for domestic abuse allegations involving Gonyea. LeClaire praised the work of sheriffs Investigator Kristen Hardy, who picked up on details at the Twiss home that made her wonder if the story being told to police was accurate. A lot of credit goes to Investigator Hardy, who noticed some things just didnt look right, he said. Casertino said the Sheriffs Office deserved praise for its investigation, as some agencies may not have looked closely at the death of a 95-year-old. That was definitely great police work, he said. Gonyea was charged with second-degree murder and lesser counts and is being held in Washington County Jail without bail. His wife, Melissa Gonyea, was charged with felony counts of tampering with physical evidence and hindering prosecution and was jailed as well. HP polls: Only 4 per cent voting recorded in first hour of polling, say EC sources CJCJ IONS-QC to meet July 13 The Institute of Noetic Sciences Quad-Cities Community Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the Bettendorf Public Library. Connie May will present Finding the Opening featuring the work of paleontologist and cosmic theologian Teilhard de Chardin. For more information, email IONSQC@aol.com. Construction of Grant Wood Elementary to begin July 20 Bettendorf Community School District and Grant Wood Elementary are hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Grant Wood Elementary school at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 20, behind the current building. The groundbreaking will kick-off construction on the project and feature speakers from the school district, City of Bettendorf, Legat Architects and Estes Construction. Grant Wood Elementary summer school students will help with the groundbreaking and current design schematics of the $16.7 million school will be on display for viewing. The new 3-section design will help reduce elementary class sizes in the district. The new school will also feature more natural light and collaboration space, a larger gym and a commons/cafeteria area. The project is scheduled to be completed for the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. Bettendorf schools offer summer food program Bettendorf Community School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided, on a first-come, first-serve basis, at the following sites and times: Mark Twain Elementary, 1620 Lincoln Road, Bettendorf, July 17-21 and July 24-28, from 88:30 a.m., and 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Neil Armstrong Elementary, 3311 Central Ave., Bettendorf, July 17-21, July 24-28, July 31-Aug. 4 and Aug. 7-11, from 8-8:30 a.m., and 1212:30 p.m. Grant Wood Elementary, 1423 Hillside Drive, Bettendorf, July 17-21, July 24-28, and July 31-Aug. 3, from 88:45 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. to noon. LeClaire Chamber of Commerce events Heres a look at upcoming events in LeClaire: July 15: Twilight Riverboat sightseeing cruises will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. $16 adults, $8 children 4-12, free for ages 3 and younger but they must have tickets. Cruises will depart and return from the Port of LeClaire. The trip includes a captains narration and views of the river, its wildlife and river towns. A cash bar and gift shop are featured. Free coffee, tea, lemonade and water will be provided. There will be no food or snacks, but passengers can bring sack lunches. No coolers will be allowed. For reservations, visit riverboattwilight.starboardsuite.com/choose-date Twilight Riverboat sightseeing cruises will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. $16 adults, $8 children 4-12, free for ages 3 and younger but they must have tickets. Cruises will depart and return from the Port of LeClaire. The trip includes a captains narration and views of the river, its wildlife and river towns. A cash bar and gift shop are featured. Free coffee, tea, lemonade and water will be provided. There will be no food or snacks, but passengers can bring sack lunches. No coolers will be allowed. For reservations, visit riverboattwilight.starboardsuite.com/choose-date July 25: Economic Development meeting, 8 a.m., City Hall. Economic Development meeting, 8 a.m., City Hall. July 29: The 3rd annual Q-C MS Open Four Person Best Shot Golf Tournament, Byron Hills Golf Course, Port Byron. Tournament shotgun start 1:30 p.m., registration at noon. $300 per team. Flag event prizes and a scoring/awards dinner and party with silent auction will follow. Event will raise funds and awareness for MS. Entry forms available at Bierstube, LeClaire, or by messaging QC MS Open on Facebook. The 3rd annual Q-C MS Open Four Person Best Shot Golf Tournament, Byron Hills Golf Course, Port Byron. Tournament shotgun start 1:30 p.m., registration at noon. $300 per team. Flag event prizes and a scoring/awards dinner and party with silent auction will follow. Event will raise funds and awareness for MS. Entry forms available at Bierstube, LeClaire, or by messaging QC MS Open on Facebook. Aug. 4: First Friday, 5:30-8 p.m. Information: 563-289-4242 ext. 61135. First Friday, 5:30-8 p.m. Information: 563-289-4242 ext. 61135. Aug. 5: Heartland British Auto Fest. Heartland British Auto Fest. Aug. 8: Chamber networking event, noon, Subway. Chamber networking event, noon, Subway. Aug. 10-12: Tug Fest. Tug Fest. Aug. 19: Twilight Riverboat sightseeing cruises will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. See July 15 for details. Twilight Riverboat sightseeing cruises will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. See July 15 for details. Aug. 26: Vettes on the River. Workshop to offer inside look at City of Bettendorf Bettendorf residents can learn more about their city during Bettendorf 101: City Citizen Academy. The academy is a free, seven-week informative and interactive workshop that looks into the internal values, philosophy and operations of the city of Bettendorf. Each session will be 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays beginning September 7 through October 19. Two sessions will be scheduled bus tours. Participants are asked not to miss more than two sessions. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and residents of Bettendorf. The academy is not intended for children. Sessions may include climbing stairs, taking part in walking tours and sitting for an extended period of time. Space is limited and registration is required. If space is unavailable, participants will be placed on a waiting list for the next workshop. To register, send name, address, phone number and email address to lhaldeman@bettendorf.org or call 563-344-4033. Several Quad-City and regional organizations have been awarded grants by the Iowa Arts Council. In all, the council awarded $1.3 million in grants to organizations, people and projects in 66 communities, the council said in a release Thursday. Here is a rundown on the area grants: Lagging state revenues shouldn't be an excuse to put off resolving school funding inequities, John Norris, a Democrat running for governor, said in Davenport on Thursday. Norris, one of seven Democrats in the field, spoke at an education roundtable that his campaign organized Thursday morning. Much of the discussion centered on the complaint by Davenport schools that other districts can spend up to $175 more per pupil than it can. School officials and local legislators have been trying to get legislation passed to address the inequity for years. A bill passed the Senate earlier this year to close the gap gradually, but it died after revenue estimates showed the state failing to meet targets. Since then, Iowa has made cuts to programs and dipped into reserves to close the gap. The budget woes also have made new spending initiatives all the more difficult. But Norris said lagging revenues aren't a good excuse to not deal with the issue. "I view it as a fight for justice," he told the group at The Center, 1411 Brady St., where the discussion was held. What appears to be happening, he said, is "we are willing to find a rationale to shortchange some of the fundamental principles and values we share as Iowans." Afterward, Norris blamed what he called excessive tax breaks for limiting Iowa's spending on education and other areas. "We've got to roll back some of these tax cuts that have gone to wealthy corporations that put us in this situation," he said. Business tax credits and exemptions, along with broader tax cuts in recent years, have been a favorite target of some Democrats. Iowa Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, another gubernatorial candidate who made a stop in Davenport the day before, also targeted the credits. Iowa Department of Revenue data projected that credits would cost $427 million in 2018, a sharp increase from previous years. Since the school funding equity issue gained prominence, politicians from across the state have, while visiting here, pledged to help out. Still, school board members who attended Thursday's session expressed frustration at the failure of legislation to pass. "It's hard to be positive," said Rich Clewell, a longtime school board member who is leaving office. Still, he said the district would persist. For the 2017 fiscal year, Davenport was allowed to spend $6,591 per student. That's the spending limit for about half the state's 333 districts, according to state data. The other half can spend more, with about a half dozen districts allowed to spend $175 more per pupil than Davenport. The average amount a school district could spend for the year was $6,622 per pupil. Norris' stop in Davenport was one of three that he was making in the area Thursday. He also was dropping by the Clinton County Fair in DeWitt, then heading to Maquoketa for an event. Norris, who is from Des Moines, has long roots in Iowa Democratic Party politics. He is a former state party chief and worked for former Sen. Tom Harkin and former Gov. Tom Vilsack. Norris was chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture when Vilsack was secretary. He announced his candidacy earlier this week and was wrapping up a six-day kickoff tour of the state on Thursday. After two years, Illinois finally got a budget last week, but you won't find anybody in charge of Quad-City area schools breathing a sigh of relief. Educators are still worried about the prospect that state aid won't flow from Springfield this fall because so far, anyway lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner haven't been able to come to a deal on how to reform the state's flawed K-12 funding formula. "I don't think the urgency has hit yet (that) 'Wait a second, some schools may not be able to open,'" Jay Morrow, superintendent of United Township High School District 30, said this week. Morrow said that even if state money isn't released, United Township won't have to shut its doors. It has enough, for the time being, in its reserves to keep teachers and kids in the classrooms. Other area districts say they will open, too, but they're pretty uncomfortable about the prospect that an extended standoff over school funding reform will imperil state aid. "I don't want to imagine what it would do to a community not to have schools open," said East Moline Superintendent Kristin Humphries, although he said East Moline will open, too. Last week's budget agreement included funding for schools but requires adoption of an "evidence-based" funding model that's aimed at reforming an existing system that produces large per-student inequities among school districts. The model, backers say, will tie money to best practices and figure out, based on each district's unique makeup, what it will take to get them toward adequate funding. However, Gov. Bruce Rauner and backers of SB1, the reform plan that passed the Democratic-controlled House and Senate, are at odds over the legislation. Rauner has threatened to veto the bill, which is being held at the moment in the Legislature. Rauner and his supporters have called it a bailout for Chicago schools. Backers say that's not true. They say the legislation will hold harmless every district in the state, including Chicago, then provide new money through the improved system. However, until the argument is resolved or a Rauner veto is overridden, which would be difficult, school funding will be hung up. The argument over how Chicago is treated is a complex one. Republicans are complaining that SB1 allows Illinois' largest school district to unfairly build existing money, such as a $250 million block grant from the state, into a base level of funding from which new money will be distributed using the new formula. Republicans say this arrangement will come at the expense of downstate and suburban schools. "I can't support it when it puts Chicago kids before my own," said state Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna. She added that Chicago pension costs, which are incorporated into SB1, should be dealt with along with the rest of the state's pension woes. Supporters of SB1 say Chicago isn't getting a break at all. They say that the city's school system is giving up the grant going forward and that it is the only district in the state currently paying its own pension costs. Supporters say it's only appropriate that the state treat Chicago's pension costs like the rest of the state and that no district loses money in the transition. "I think the Chicago bailout is a political argument," said Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island. "It treats everyone in the state fairly. It prevents any district from going backward and losing funding. By and large, all sides agree the current funding system is terrible. A state commission charged with examining reform proposals reported last year that Illinois ranked third-worst in the country in the gap in per-pupil spending between the state's wealthiest and poorest districts. Humphries, the East Moline superintendent, is supportive of SB1. The East Moline district is one of the bigger winners. It would get a nearly $444 per-pupil increase, or $1.2 million for the district. The district has a large number of students who are English-language learners. The reform model also recognizes districts with poorer populations and the challenges that brings. For Humphries, however, it's not just a chance to gain more money for the district, but he added, "This is a chance for school funding reform for people across Illinois for the first time in a generation." A rival Republican bill was introduced last month that would put in place a funding method with similarities to SB1. It offers downstate and suburban schools more money than SB1, but it does so by lowering Chicago's base level of funding. Aside from the Chicago issue, there is an aspect of the reform plan that causes Alan Boucher, superintendent at the Sherrard Community School District, to blanch. He sees urban districts getting far more new money than his own rural district. The new money, he said, will allow urban districts to pay higher salaries and lure his teachers away. Boucher said that's already a problem. "That makes it tough on us," he said. There are only about three weeks to go before the start of school. And while the state's budget agreement was hailed as an accomplishment after two years of stalemate, preparations at Quad-City area school districts bear some resemblance to what was going on last year when the budget impasse also threatened the opening of schools. Holly Sparkman, a spokeswoman for the Rock Island-Milan district, said the district will open even without state aid. The district has sufficient reserves to open and go through the first semester. But once the calendar got into the second semester, it would be a different story. The district would have to look at borrowing to make its budget work. The last few months we would have to figure out," she said. In East Moline, Humphries said, the lack of state aid wouldn't keep the doors from opening, but after Oct. 1, the district would have to explore a line of credit. Asked his thoughts on the prospects of an extended stalemate, Humphries said, "I'm always going to be optimistic." McCombie added that she, too, thinks a resolution will be worked out. "To mess with our children is a bad deal," she said. DES MOINES Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett, a 2018 GOP candidate for governor, pledged this week not to raise or accept any D.C., special-interest swamp money in his underdog June 5 primary challenge, and he called upon Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds to do the same. Corbett, 56, told reporters he has raised $804,020 mostly from individual Iowans in three weeks since he announced his run for governor and has another $219,000 in hard commitments that make him a financially viable challenge to Reynolds, who became governor in May when Terry Branstad resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. What this shows is that people around the state of Iowa arent bought into this establishment narrative that the race is over before it starts. The race is just beginning, he said. I think it shows that Iowans around the state arent exactly comfortable with Kim Reynolds carrying the status-quo baton for the next four years, that theyre really open to new faces with a new agenda and a new game plan. Corbett said he expects he will have to raise another $1 million to build a campaign treasury of $2.3 million to run a very strong challenge to Reynolds GOP establishment-backed campaign. During a Wednesday news conference, he challenged Reynolds to join him in refusing donations from political action committees, federal lobbyists and special interest groups as well as denouncing in advance any outside attack ads financed by independent groups not required to divulge donor names. We dont need Washington, D.C., money meddling in Iowa politics. We dont need the special-interest groups trying to influence Iowa voters. We dont need this swamp money sponsoring fake TV ads two and three months out before the election, Corbett said. If were going to change how much money is in politics, it has to start with the candidates. The GOP challenger noted that Reynolds already has banked $1 million in campaign money but did so with the help of Branstad and contributions she likely garnered during trips to the nations capital. He called upon Reynolds to sign the pledge not to accept swamp money from D.C. and return any special-interest contributions she may have accepted already, including assistance from the Republican Governors Association. The establishment has jumped on the bandwagon behind Kim Reynolds, Corbett said. "I realize the establishment is trying to not have a primary, and theyve done a lot of work trying to convince people that I dont have a chance. That narrative is a fake narrative. I do have shot." Reynolds has hired a campaign staff and said she plans to run with acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, a former state public defender. This week, she announced that Iowas two Republican senators, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, will serve as her 2018 campaigns co-chairs, joining Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and more than 1,050 county chairs from all 99 counties in support of the Reynolds-Gregg camp. Corbett, a former Iowa House speaker elected seven times before becoming a two-term mayor since 2010, is running on a core four platform of issues, saying Iowa has receded in K-12 education, has an unfair, uncompetitive and complicated income tax system, has failed to address water quality issues and needs more compassion and concern about the well-being of Iowans. He has been traveling the state since 2015 with his conservative think tank Engage Iowa and more recently on a book tour for Beyond Promises to discuss his vision. Phil Valenziano, manager for the Reynolds-Gregg campaign, said Reynolds filed a campaign finance report as lieutenant governor last January indicating that 95 percent of the money she raised were contributions from people within Iowa and the rest were former Iowans or from border areas. So I guess thats right in line there, he said. Valenziano said he wasnt familiar with the details of Corbetts proposal, which he viewed as very vague, but he noted that the governor is thrilled with the support she has received, especially with the addition of Grassley and Ernst as campaign co-chairs. If the intent is to keep support coming from Iowans, obviously, weve sort of checked that box with 95 percent of support of our financial contributions in 2016 coming from Iowa. DES MOINES The cost of settling claims and resolving disputes lodged against the state government for workplace misconduct, employee mistakes or other malfeasance topped $3.73 million in fiscal 2017, figures from the State Appeal Board show. Last fiscal year marked the sixth time since 2000 that yearly state judgments and settlements were below the $4 million mark, which was good news for budget managers who have seen costs soar because of past problems relating to the ill-fated TouchPlay lottery program, film tax credits and state prison construction issues. This was a down year, said Joseph Barry, a risk manager with the Iowa Department of Management who tracks data for the three-member board made up of State Auditor Mary Mosiman, State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald and Department of Management Director David Roederer. We didnt have a lot of oddities this year, Barry said. We seem to have peaks and valleys with those. One year we have the TouchPlay, then we have the film thing, and then we had the prison construction stuff. This one was a fairly normal year. The states largest payouts occurred in years when payments were made to resolve claims tied to the shutdown of the Iowa Lotterys TouchPlay program in fiscal 2008, a judgment stemming from the now-defunct state film tax credit programs in fiscal 2012 and disputes over construction of the new maximum-security prison in Fort Madison in fiscal 2015. The bulk of the fiscal 2017 claims paid by the state involved medical problems at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which accounted for more than $2.6 million. Overall, settlements and judgments involving institutions under the Board of Regents topped $3 million. State officials agreed to pay $1 million from the general fund as part of a $3 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit brought by Kevin Johnson and his family claiming that University Hospitals improperly performed a procedure in 2013 that left him with lower paralysis and kidney injury. A physicians group paid the remainder of the malpractice settlement. A separate $500,000 settlement involving University Hospitals stemmed from a lawsuit brought by Barbara Gericke of Tiffin, claiming doctors failed to inform her of possible side effects from a procedure involving her leg that ultimately resulted in an above-knee amputation. The state paid $50,000 of that settlement, as well as a separate $255,000 share of a judgment for the family of a man who underwent hip surgery and later suffered a stroke and died shortly after procedures were done to correct earlier medical mistakes. The state also agreed to pay $75,000 to an Iowa State University student who lost part of a finger to a band saw she was operating as part of a school project in 2015. In separate matters, the appeal board agreed to pay a $315,000 judgment paid equally in increments of $157,500 by the UI Physicians group and from the states general fund to the estate of Rebecca Martin, to settle negligence claims against the University Hospitals for a 2012 exploratory procedure that resulted in partial paralysis. It also agreed to pay a share of a $150,000 settlement to the estate of Kent C. Carder, whose family claimed University Hospitals failed to properly treat his kidney cancer. Records show that the state also: Agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the family of a patient at the Clarinda Mental Health Institute who choked to death while eating a peanut butter sandwich in 2013. Officials said Richard Rollins Meredith died after workers gave him the sandwich rather than pureed food that was ordered by his doctor. Agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit involving a foster child who was bludgeoned with a brick and drowned by another foster child in 2013. Paid $239,595 for the attorney fees and expenses of Dennis L. Smith, a former Iowa State employee who claimed the school eliminated his position after he filed complaints about his boss. Approved a $950,000 judgment to settle a wrongful-death suit brought against University Hospitals by family members of Rollin Hoffert, with $500,000 paid by the UI Physicians organization and $450,000 from the state general fund. Agreed to pay a former University of Iowa student $75,000 after he suffered serious injuries in a 2012 fall from a climbing wall at the university. And agreed to pay a couple $50,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming negligence on behalf of a University of Iowa Cambus driver after Elizabeth Lester was struck in a crosswalk. Mosiman, the board chairwoman, said the panel looks to avoid costly litigation where possible, which sometimes means negotiating settlements in situations in which the state was found to be negligent. Its subject to what happens during the year, she said of the overall payout. A lot of them are emergencies, they are certainly out of the ordinary, but we do our very best in making sure that what were approving is the most cost-effective manner of getting through these emergencies. SIOUX FALLS | A former South Dakota legislator convicted of sexual assault has lost another bid for a new trial. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a district court ruling from last year that it lacked jurisdiction in Ted Klaudt's motion for a new trial. The 59-year-old Klaudt served eight years in the state House before losing a run for the Senate in 2006. He was arrested after five girls told authorities that Klaudt assaulted them. He was convicted on four counts of sexual assault in 2008 and sentenced to 54 years in prison. The Argus Leader says in his latest bid for a new trial, Klaudt argued that state law didn't make his actions illegal at the time he committed them. He said he was convicted after state law was changed. HOT SPRINGS The first two winners of the Finish Line Scholarship program intended to assist local students entering their final year of college were announced at the 32nd annual Firecracker Races at Chautauqua Park on July 4. Administered by the Hot Springs High School Alumni Association, through funds generated from the annual Firecracker 10K, 5K and Mile Races, the program this year rewarded two local graduates with $1,000 each to finish their college educations. This years winners are Gabriel Davila and Gina Elmore. Davila is a 2014 graduate of HSHS currently attending the University of Minnesota, Morris, and majoring in Geology and Environmental Science. He is also currently on his colleges cross country team and had also participated in the July 4 Firecracker races in Hot Springs for seven years. Elmore is also a 2014 graduate of HSHS, who is currently enrolled at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She is majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has been an active participant in student government and several professional engineering societies. HOT SPRINGS The Mammoth Site will be the setting for a lecture presented by Dr. Steven R. and Kathleen Holen, of Hot Springs Center for American Paleolithic Research and the San Diego Natural History Museum. The lecture is entitled, The Archaeology of the 130,000-year-old Cerutti Mastodon Site. The Holens work at the Cerutti Mastodon site, where potential evidence for moving back the date of human beings in North America 100,000 years has been featured this newspaper, along with numerous other publications and news outlets including National Geographic, CNN, NBC News and PBS. The lecture begins at 7:15 p.m., Wednesday, July 19.This lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited to 53 people. For more information contact Bethany Cook at news@mammothsite.org or at 605-745-6017. Members of the South Dakota Arts Council, the governing board of the Office of Arts, will gather in Rapid City on Friday for their annual summer meeting. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Dahl Arts Center, 713 Seventh St. Council members will elect officers and work on the agencys strategic plan, according to a release. An office of the state Department of Tourism, Arts Councils mission is to provide grants and services to artists, arts organizations and schools across the state with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and South Dakota state government. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen. For more information, call 773-3301. Deadwood, a town that takes pride in its Wild West history, is now acting as a trailblazer of sorts in the area of aerial regulation and other communities should take notice. On Monday, the Deadwood City Commission will likely give its final approval to an ordinance that creates a drone no-fly zone for the town of around 1,200 people, which includes the historic downtown district, schools, the hospital, the cemetery, the water treatment and storage facilities, and places of worship. Privacy issues and public-safety concerns were the driving forces behind the new ordinance, according to Deadwood Police Chief Kelly Fuller, who helped draft the proposal that thus far has the commission's unanimous support. If the ordinance gets final approval on Monday, Deadwood will join Aberdeen in eastern South Dakota, airports nationwide, air bases, national parks and Mount Rushmore National Memorial as places that prohibit drones from flying in their air space. Even though drones are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency's rules are more about protecting aircraft than the public even as the use of drones proliferates. Today, a drone with video capabilities can be purchased for less than $200, which means practically anyone can afford one, including criminals, sex offenders or that nosy neighbor down the street whose motives are known only to himself. Others who describe themselves as recreational users might just buzz a neighborhood because they think it is fun. On the other hand, what's a homeowner or parent to think when they see a drone hovering overhead and more importantly what action can they take if one is invading the privacy of their home or causing other problems? Rather than hoping a large federal agency like the FAA will respond in a timely manner to an intrusion or public-safety threat, Deadwood is about to take matters into its own hands. An adult who violates the new ordinance would be charged with a misdemeanor with a fine of $120 to $500 and a possible 30-day jail sentence. In addition, law enforcement could seize and dispose of the drone. The ordinance also establishes a permitting system for those who want to use drones for professional and other reasons. When Deadwood was initially settled in 1876 after gold was discovered in the Black Hills, it was a famously lawless town that attracted the likes of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, who was shot to death at the age of 39 while playing cards at a downtown saloon. Now, it is a tourist town that features history, casinos, festivals, parades and events throughout the year with an eye to the future and a desire to ensure the safety of its citizens and visitors. The Northern Hills community has come a long way in 141 years. Rapid City and other West River communities should follow Deadwood's lead and take steps to protect their citizens from anonymous drone operators whose motives are unknown. Murderers of Nemtsov sentenced to 11-20 years in prison MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) The Moscow District Military Court has sentenced murderers of prominent Russian politician Boris Nemtsov, to prison terms varying from 11 to 20 years, RAPSI reports from the courtroom on Thursday. The court ruled in accordance with the will of the jury panel founding all defendants guilty. Zaur Dadayev, Nemtsovs first-hand killer was sentenced to 20 years. Anzor Gubashev was sentenced to 19 years, Shadid Gubashev to 16 years, Temirlan Eskerkhanov to 14 years and Khamzat Bakhayev to 11 years. All defendants will serve their time in a high-security penal colony. The court fined defendants 100,000 rubles (about $1,670). Gubashev brothers, Eskerkhanov and Bakhayev were also subjected to additional restriction of freedom for two years. The sentence based on the jurors guilty verdict will be appealed, Dadayevs attorney Shamsudin Tsakayev told journalists. On Wednesday, a prosecutor in the case requested to sentence Dadayev to life. She also demanded a 23-year prison term for Anzor Gubashev, a 21-year prison sentence for Shadid Gubashev, 19 years in prison for Eskerkhanov and 17 years for Bakhayev. Bakhayevs lawyer Zaurbek Sadakhanov asked the judge to pardon his client. A lawyer representing Nemtsovs family also reinforced previously stated opinion that there is not enough evidence to prove Bakhayevs guilt. In late June, jurors found all the defendants guilty of involvement in the politicians murder and illegal trafficking in firearms and ammunition. According to the verdict, they did not deserve leniency. The jury panel stated that one of defendants, Dadayev, conspired with others, was stalking and collecting data on Nemtsov, prepared murder and killed the politician himself, shooting his victim at least six times from an unidentified gun. Boris Nemtsov, 55, a prominent opposition politician, who held a number of high-ranking posts in the Russian government in the 1990s and in the 2000s joined the opposition, was shot down in the center of Moscow as he walked across a bridge near the Kremlin on the night of February 28, 2015. Investigators believe that the conspirators in the murder had thoroughly prepared to commit this crime and spied on the victim. Five men have been charged with contract murder, illegal acquisition, carrying and keeping of weapons. Ruslan Mukhudinov, a former officer in Chechen Interior Ministry, is believed to be a mastermind of the murder. He was placed on the international wanted list in November 2015. Beslan Shavanov, who allegedly was also implicated in the crime, reportedly killed himself when police tried to arrest him. Criminal prosecution of Shavanov was dismissed because of his death. Investigation into Mukhudinov is underway. Russia seeks ECHR ruling in Beslan terror attack case to be overturned MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI) Russias Justice Ministry has filed a request to refer a case of victims of terror attack on a school in the Russian town of Beslan to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for review, the Ministrys press-release reads on Thursday. On April 13, ECHR obliged Russian authorities to pay the terror attack victims about 3 million in compensation and 88,792 of costs and expenses. ECHR ruled that Russian authorities were aware of the planned terrorist attack but did not take necessary measures to prevent the tragedy. The court also exposed serious shortcomings in planning and controlling the operation of hostages rescue. The Justice Ministry claims that the ECHRs ruling may indicate double standards regarding Russia, arguing that this decision contrasts ones made in precedent cases. In particular, the Ministry notes that the Strasbourg court did not find violations in the organization of counter-terrorism operations in Great Britain after the 2005 attack in London involving shooting of a bystander mistaken for terrorist. The Ministry notes that Russian special operations forces are accused of using heavy weapons before confirmation of all hostages leaving school, yet British police are not treated the same way by ECHR for shooting a man based on subjective belief that he is a terrorist. Russian state body also recounted a case involving the murder of anti-globalist demonstration participant by a police officer, noting that, based on special opinions of the ECHR Grand Chamber judges, back then ECHR used much more relaxed criteria for obtaining evidence and judging efficiency of investigation. Finally, the Ministry rejected arguments for transparent and through descriptions of operations plans, specifying weapons used in each case. According to the Ministry, giving access to such sensitive information in the era of increasingly frequent terror attacks will only decrease efficiency of operations against terrorism. Victims of the attack and their families filed seven applications with ECHR between 2007 and 2011. Complaints were merged into one by the court with overall number of applicants reaching 447. They claimed that Russian authorities failed to prevent the terrorist attack and fulfill their duty of protecting civilians. Applicants also claimed that assault was poorly organized and that there was no proper investigation into the events. ECHR held that Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated. According to the Strasbourg court, Russian authorities were aware of the planned terrorist attack but did not take necessary measures to prevent the tragedy. The court also exposed serious shortcomings in planning and controlling the operation of hostages rescue. BILLINGS The Office of Public Instruction will ask schools to raise test scores significantly in a new education road map that will be submitted to the federal government later this year. The plan aims to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced No Child Left Behind in December 2015. Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen pulled back a plan submitted by previous Superintendent Denise Juneau, saying the process had moved too fast. At a Wednesday press conference, Arntzen emphasized that changes are still being made to the plan and OPI is still accepting public input. The test score improvements would call for at least four percent of non-proficient students to improve to proficient on state-required tests. ESSA requires the same goal to be applied to sub-groups, like students with disabilities. And because different sub-groups have different achievement levels, theyll be asked to improve at dramatically different rates. More students with disabilities get non-proficient scores than an average student. They will be expected to improve math proficiency levels by 18.5 percent, compared to 11.6 percent for white students. Native American students will be expected to raise proficiency levels by 17.9 percent. The plan calls for far more improvement than Juneaus plan. The federal Department of Education has issued sharp feedback to some states that already submitted plans, including criticism for goals that werent ambitious as the law requires. Weve listened to the field and we believe that four percent is achievable, said Susie Hedalen, OPIs director of educational services. ESSA requires states to blend several factors into an overall rating for schools: academic achievement, academic progress, graduation rates and English language learner proficiency progress, plus another category with factors picked by states. The law also still requires that states administer standardized tests and requires them to identify and try to improve struggling schools. Some rules for the law are still changing, as the Education Department transitions from the Obama Administration to Trump-appointee Betsy DeVos, who pushed back some initial deadlines for submitting plans. Juneaus administration released a plan with input from a series of stakeholder meetings that Gov. Steve Bullock also signed off on. Plans are reviewed by governors, although they dont have the power to revise them. Arntzens administration has held a series of meetings around the state and solicited online feedback for a new plan. Another major change from the Juneau plan is the inclusion of college and career readiness as a state-picked indicator, along with attendance, school climate, behavior and student engagement. High schools will be asked to have students meet one of the following criteria: passing an Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment class, meeting college-ready benchmark scores on the ACT test, or completing a designated series of Career and Technical Education courses. Hedalen said OPI is considering adding other options, such as participation in programs like Future Farmers of America. A formal disciplinary hearing is set for next week regarding professional misconduct complaints filed against Hamilton Attorney Robert Myers in connection with his 2016 judicial race. An amended complaint filed June 26 by Jon Moog with the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel accuses Myers of creating three ads during his Ravalli County District Court race against sitting Judge Jeff Langton that contained statements that Myers knew to be false. Moog states in the complaint that by his conduct, Myers engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. A second count notes that the false statements were made concerning the integrity of a judge. The Montana Rules of Professional Conduct state that judicial candidates must be scrupulously fair and accurate in all statements made by them and by their campaign committees. The rules also state that candidates must review and approve the content of all campaign statements and materials before their dissemination. The adjudicatory panel is slated to begin its hearings on the case at 3:30 p.m. July 20 at the Missoula downtown Holiday Inn, according to documents filed by the Montana Supreme Courts Commission on Practice. The three inflammatory advertisements were produced as mailers or radio spots from mid- to late October 2016. They included a song that played on the radio and internet that began "Liquor Langton, Liquor Langton..." Another involves a radio ad in which one of Myers former clients complains of Langtons handling of his child custody case, and accuses the judge of committing fraud. The third advertisement consisted of a mailer sent to Ravalli County residents that alleged Langton consumed drugs and had sex with a woman, and later oversaw the sentencing of the womans ex-boyfriend. Myers lost the election. He also has filed a federal court lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of portions of the state's judicial and professional codes. The adjudicatory panel will make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Montana Supreme Court, and recommend what disciplinary actions, if any, are warranted. If it's summer, it must be road construction season. On Wednesday, Hamilton drivers were met with closed lanes between Main and State streets along U.S. Highway 93. The Montana Department of Transportation and Riverside Contracting partnered together for a chip sealing project to repair the stretch. Darrell Williams worked on the crew that was laying down oil and putting chipped stone over it Wednesday morning. We wanted to get started last night, but other projects ran long and now weve got this traffic nightmare, Williams said apologetically. Bitterroot motorists can expect more delays elsewhere in the future. The Montana Department of Transportation is seeking comment on a proposal to install safety improvements at two locations along the Eastside Highway and one along Highway 93, two years from now. MDT wants to erect new signs to improve the intersection of Highway 93 and Roaring Lion Road south of Hamilton, and at the intersection of Middle Burnt Fork Road and Logan Lane east of Stevensville. The state agency also proposes replacing a guardrail and delineating the road edge around mile-marker 2.4 north of Hamilton on the Eastside Highway. According to MDT Missoula District Admistrator Ed Toavs, these were identified as problem areas. "At these locations we did have some accident clusters, so we did an investigation to see what we could do to improve an areas safety," Toavs said. The project is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2019 depending on funding. Because no new right-of-way or utility relocations are necessary, Toavs said the project could cost less than $100,000. For now, MDT is just interested in what recommendations people have. "As with any project we get comments such as, 'Oh well what about this area, or have you thought about this,'" Toavs said. "Were really looking for comment that is informative and will help us produce the best road design we can." Public comments can be submitted to the Montana Department of Transportation Missoula office at P.O. Box 7039, Missoula, MT 59807-7039, or online at: www.mdt.mt.gov/mdt/comment_form.shtml Enjoy three rides - including one for tykes - during the annual Tour of the Bitterroot fundraising bicycle ride on Sunday, July 16. The rides all start from Red Barn Bicycles, owned by Chad DeVall, and end with a family-friendly barbecue and live music by Pinegrass. Emy Royce, Bitter Root Land Trust program administrator, said the event is possible thanks to three dozen local sponsors and volunteers. Money raised during the ride benefits the land trust. This is an event that brings the community together to enjoy the outdoors, Royce said. Part of the ride you can go right past a conservation easement and know that the land will always be open. The first ride totals close to 50 miles and starts at 7 a.m. The Skalkaho Mountain Tour goes up Skalkaho Highway, over the Skalkaho Rye Road, then back around Sleeping Child. It is a really beautiful loop full of great scenery, Royce said. The ride is fully supported with water stations, people to cheer on the riders and Lost Trail Ski Patrol emergency services on the downhill. We encourage kids to be 15 and older to participate. The second - and easier - ride is the Sleeping Child Road ride that begins at 10 a.m. It is an out-and-back ride that you can go as far as you like. You dont have to do the whole thing, Royce said. It is a really fun family ride to do with little kids, so we encourage all ages to participate. The third ride is the free childrens Dirt Road Derby at 1:30 p.m. Tour of the Bitterroot registration is $50 per person, with no charge for children age 12 and younger. Registration, available online at tourofthebitterroot.org, includes the ride, a swag bag, and a barbecue luncheon. Food is provided by Homestead Organics, beer from Bitter Root Brewing and live music by Pinegrass continues until the event wraps up at 3 p.m. It is really fun, Royce said. If you dont ride you can come cheer someone on and enjoy the barbecue for donations of $10 for adults and $5 for kids, to help support the Land Trusts mission of conserving wild and working lands. Royce said the Mountain Tour is capped at 150 riders; last year 136 riders participated and she anticipates more this year. Guests number in the vicinity of 230 and nearly 40 volunteers support the ride. We still have open spots and are looking for folks to help out, Royce said, adding that people can contact her at 406-375-0956. "I can point them in the right direction. We have opportunities to help at different times of day on Saturday and Sunday. Red Barn Bicycles is located at 399 McCarthy Loop in Hamilton. Take Highway 93 south and make a left onto Skalkaho Highway, make a right on Sleeping Child and a right on the second McCarthy Loop. The Red Barn Bicycles barn is past the house. Royce said July is Montana Open Land Month. Open Land Month is a call for Montanans to get out and celebrate the outdoors, recreate and enjoy the beautiful state, she said. Its a great opportunity to be in the moment and enjoy why we live here. Royce said the Bitter Root Land Trust has exciting work under way that benefits from activities like this. She notes that the trust is about to reach the 7,000-acre mark in conserved water resources, wildlife habitat and working farms and ranches from Sula to Florence. It is pretty cool," she said. "The projects right now include important fisheries along the Bitterroot River. It is really significant for our trout populations and a benefit to the people that enjoy fishing. Two additional projects are as in core agriculture areas in Corvallis and the Burnt Fork. We look forward to celebrating those milestones, hopefully, by the end of the year, she said. We are so close to the 7,000 mark, it is really exciting. For more information on the Bitter Root Land Trust visit online bitterrootlandtrust.org. For more information on the Tour of the Bitterroot or to register visit online, tourofthebitterroot.org. SAHMAT Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust 29 Ferozshah Road New Delhi-110001 Email: sahmat8[at]yahoo.com Tel - 23381276/23070787 13.7.2017 We are shocked and angered by the recent Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demand that certain words be excised from a film based on the work of the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen. The movie is titled after Senas 2005 work, The Argumentative Indian, which was widely acknowledged for its deep and authentic explorations of Indiaas traditions of public debate. The CBFC has reportedly demanded that certain words used by Sen and other scholars and public intellectuals interviewed in the film should be bleeped out if it is to be granted certification for public exhibition. These words include acowa , aHindutva view of Indiaa , aHindu Indiaa and aGujarata . The CBFCas exertions under its current chair have long crossed the line from farce to tragedy. Occasional efforts to bring it to its senses, such as the stern judicial reprimand handed down in the Udta Punjab case, seem to have no more than transient effect. With its diktat on The Argumentative Indian, the CBFC shows yet again that its anxiety to protect the sensitivities of the political regime, overwhelm any manner of commitment to the Constitution and the law. At risk in this plunge into absurdity, are our most valuable traditions of free speech and debate. Irfan Habib Ashok Mitra Romila Thapar Shyam Benegal Amiya Kumar Bagchi Saeed Mirza Anand Patwardhan Prabhat Patnaik Mihir Bhattacharya Ram Rahman Parthiv Shah Madangopal Singh Vivan Sundaram Nilima Sheikh Sohail Hashmi Geeta Kapur Anil Chandra Kumi Chandra M.K.Raina Rajni Arora Jahar Kanungo Rajinder Arora D. N. Jha Sashi Kumar Shireen Moosvi K.M.Shrimali Arjun Dev Anil Bhatti M.M.P. Singh Rekha Awasthi Amir Rizvi P.K.Shukla Lata Singh Dinesh Abrol Archana Prasad Githa Hariharan Kumkum Sangari Rakhshanda Jalil Kasim Sait Virendra Saini Mridula Mukherjee Zoya Hasan C.P.Chandrasekhar Aditya Mukherjee Ashok Nath Basu Indira Chandrasekhar Vishwa Mohan Jha Sukumar Muralidharan Sadanand Menon A.J.Jawad Ananya Vajpeyi Malini Bhattacharya Atlury Murali Vikas Rawal Javed Anand Teesta Setalvad K.L.Tuteja Gopinath Ravindran Sania Hashmi Mohan Kumawat Iqtidar Alam Khan Ishrat Alam Tani Bhargav Rajeev Bhargav Ramesh Rawat Nadeem Rezavi Shamim Akhtar Indira Arjun Dev Mohan Rao Jayati Ghosh Nancy Adajania Veer Munshi Abhilasha Kumari Romi Khosla Neeraj Malik Javed Malick Zafar Agha Madhu Prasad Kalpana Sahni Amar Farooqui B.P.Sahu R.P.Bahuguna Shakti Kak Sarah Hashmi Moggallan Bharti Rahul Verma sacw.net - 12 July 2017 The lynching of Junaid (June 2017) in the outskirts of Delhi, in a train, did come as a saturation point in the conscience of large sections of society. To express their anguish people came to streets in great number in a largely spontaneous protest, aNot in My namea. While many critics criticized and undermined this expression of pain and anguish of the sections of society, it did catch the attention of the national and international media. The result was that our Prime Minister who has been keeping maun (silence) on the issue came forward to say that aviolence in the name of Cow is not acceptablea; and that Mahatma Gandhi would not have approved it. This bland statement was hardly of any effect as just few hours after this; two more Muslims were done to death in Jharkahnd. The earlier such statement from him was after the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq. (October 2015) At that time also nearly two weeks after the lynching he opened his mouth on the issue. That statement was also bland and hardly had any effect on the Gautankwad (terrorism related to cow protection) as lynchingas continued. So either Mr. Modi is ineffectual in controlling his cabal, the Hindu nationalists involved in such violence, or that they also know that Prime Minster is making such statements for sayingas sake, and that they can continue their business irrespective. Mr. Amit Shah, BJP President, defending the present regime said that the lynchingas taking place in earlier regime in 2011, 2012 and 2013 were more in number. This is a total lie. According to the data collected by IndiaSpend, based on the content analysis of media reporting, aMuslims were the target of 51% of violence centered on bovine issues over nearly eight years (2010 to 2017) and comprised 86% of 28 Indians killed in 63 incidents. As many of 97 per cent of these attacks were reported after Prime Minister Narendra Modias government came to power in May 2014, and about half the cow-related violence a 32 of 63 cases awere from states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when the attacks were reported, revealed our analysis of violence recorded until June 25, 2017.a How easily Mr. Shah wants to distort the facts to defend present government! As such the overall dissatisfaction, deflected anger also leads to lynching, as seen in the tragic case of the lynching of Ayub Pundit in Kashmir. The insanity which comes up in the mob is most condemnable. In case of lynchings in the name of cow, the factors involved are multiple. With the rise of Hindu nationalist politics many a dalits were earlier killed in Gohana for example when they were skinning the dead cow. Adding on to this agenda of polarizing society on the issue of cow, last few years as Modi Sarkar has come to power there are overt statements for Gau Raksha (Cow Protection). While the laws of cow slaughter ban had already been there, with BJP ascendance the laws have been given rigid twist and along with demonization of those eating beef. In Gujarat the first laboratory of Hindu rashtra, even the consumption of non vegetarian food has been looked down upon. Now all over the country aholiness of Mother Cowa is being propagated and imposed on the society with state patronage. In the context of Akhlaqas lynching Mr. Mahesh Sharma, union culture minister stated that the murder was an accident. He was also the one to go and put tricolor on the body of the accused of the murder, when the accused died in the prison due to some illness. Another BJP leader Mr. Sangeet Som had threatened that if those who have been arrested for Akhlaqas murder are punished, a befitting reply will be given. What are the major observations on these cases of lynchings? Eating beef, slaughtering cow and transporting cow had been the major pretext for violence. The victims of this constructed anger are mostly Muslims, while dalits have also been flogged and tortured. Muslims are presented as beef eaters, cruel, not respecting Hindu sentiments about cow, apart from other biases which have been already spread against them. The social scene has been so constructed that due to these biases and regular instigations, the popular adage, ainnocents until proved guiltya has been made to stand on its head to mean aGuilty unless proved innocentsa for Muslims. The asilent social sanctiona for killings and upholding the act is couched as adefense of Hindu religiona and now Hindu symbol of cow rules the roost. The benign animal is the pretext for ghastly violence. To jack up their agenda there are false claims by BJP spokesperson that Gandhi wanted a ban of cow slaughter ban. He opposed the idea on the ground that there are many who consume beef, and that country belongs to all. Lynchingas are not just law and order problem. These are part of, or rather byproduct of Hindu nationalist propaganda against Muslims. The propaganda pertains to the Holiness of Cow and Muslims violating that. It is not a coincidence that such brutal acts have become part of social phenomenon, after Modi came to power. Gradually the intensity has been stepped up. Beginning from Modias own statements about Pink revolution, of greatness of Rana Pratap as he gave his life for protection of cows, to demonization of Muslims in the name of cow makes clear as to what is the underlying social psychology, which leads to these acts. The claims of agood governancea bite the dust in the light of these atrocities, Ayub Pundits lynching is equally painful one. There is also a need to understand the social psychology operational there and urgent need to combat that. Country wide the insecurity of religious minorities smashes the claims of aAcche Dina, as the polarizing agenda is taking huge leaps in the name of Cow and leading to lynchingasa on regular interval. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. " " Climate Impact Lab's interactive data map shows county-by-county predictions through the year 2099; the above image shows average summer temperatures predicted by the end of this century. Climate Impact Lab/Screenshot by HowStuffWorks Climate change is real, and it's dangerous. Scientists the world over almost universally agree on that, even if a few stray politicians and assorted deniers bury their heads in the shifting sands and rising seas. Now researchers have given us an idea of the very real dollars-and-cents impact awaiting the United States in a first-of-its-kind, county-by-county analysis of decades of data, and it's not pretty. Planetary scientists, economists, risk-management experts, computer engineers and others have released a study that finds that rising temperatures are already costing us at least 1 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, which currently sits at about $18 trillion, every year. Climate change will cost Americans trillions of dollars over the next few years alone trillions! as it eats up larger percentages of the GDP with each rising notch in temperature. Advertisement " " This chart displays is the projected economic damage from climate change in United States counties compared according to wealth. Hsiang, Kopp, Jina, Rising, et al (2017) Unabated, things could get much, much more expensive, as the study details. By the end of the century, economic losses due to climate change could rival the Great Recession and much of it won't be recoverable, considering we won't be able to reverse the physical damage done. Maybe worst of all, the economic fallout will be especially hard on those who can handle it least the country's poor. "When we compute these results," says James Rising, a researcher at the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, "the thing that came out really starkly is how some counties [in U.S. states] are going to be hit much harder than others, and they tend to be the poorer counties." Rising is one of the co-authors of the recent study, published in the journal Science. He and his colleagues analyzed the real-world cost of climate change in six sectors of the American economy agriculture, crime, coastal storms, energy, human mortality and labor to come to their conclusions. The Climate Impact Lab has presented its findings in an interactive map that allows users to view predictions up to the end of the 21st century. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Spotlighting and unpacking the modern decline in death sentences | Main | Still more from AG Sessions on crime and punishment... and some critical commentary thereon July 12, 2017 Missouri Supreme Court extends Miller to juvenile sentenced to mandatory life without parole eligibility for 50 years The Supreme Court of Missouri yesterday handed down a notable ruling in State ex rel. Carr v. Wallace, No. SC93487 (Mo. July 11, 2017) (available here), which extends the reach of the US Supreme Court Miller ruling beyond mandatory LWOP sentencing. Here is how the majority opinion in Carr gets going: In 1983, Jason Carr was convicted of three counts of capital murder for killing his brother, stepmother, and stepsister when he was 16 years old. He was sentenced to three concurrent terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years. His sentences were imposed without any consideration of his youth. Mr. Carr filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in this Court. He contends his sentences violate the Eighth Amendment because, following the decision in Miller v. Alabama, 132 S. Ct. 2455 (2012), juvenile offenders cannot be sentenced to life without parole pursuant to mandatory sentencing schemes that preclude consideration of the offenders youth and attendant circumstances. Mr. Carr was sentenced under a mandatory sentencing scheme that afforded the sentencer no opportunity to consider his age, maturity, limited control over his environment, the transient characteristics attendant to youth, or his capacity for rehabilitation. As a result, Mr. Carrs sentences were imposed in direct contravention of the foundational principle that imposition of a states most severe penalties on juvenile offenders cannot proceed as though they were not children. Consequently, Mr. Carrs sentences of life without the possibility of parole for 50 years violate the Eighth Amendment. Mr. Carr must be resentenced so his youth and other attendant circumstances surrounding his offense can be taken into consideration to ensure he will not be forced to serve a disproportionate sentence in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Habeas relief is granted. Chief Justice Fischer dissenting from the decision, and here is the heart of his short opinion: Carr's three concurrent terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years do not run afoul of Miller only applies to cases in which a sentencing scheme "mandates life in prison without possibility of parole for juvenile offenders." 132 S. Ct. at 2469. Therefore, Miller does not require vacating Carr's sentences. Nor are Carr's sentences inconsistent with this Court's or any of the Supreme Court's current Eighth Amendment jurisprudence. Indeed, the principal opinion's holding that Miller applies to Carr's sentences is, undoubtedly, not just an extension of Miller, but also calls into question whether any mandatory minimum sentence for murder could be imposed on a juvenile offender. Accordingly, I decline to concur with that implication and remain bound by this Court's unanimous decision in Hart to apply Miller only to cases involving a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. July 12, 2017 at 06:30 PM | Permalink Comments One judge prefers to follow the spirit of the law, the other its letter. I side with the majority because I think it is disingenuous to assert that a 50 year sentence is not a life sentence. After 50 years he would be 66, at retirement for someone in his generation. You have taken the entirely of his adulthood; he would go in a boy and come out an old man. At every functional level that is a life sentence even if it is not technically the entirety on his expect lifespan. Posted by: Daniel | Jul 12, 2017 7:10:00 PM Daniel, Sorry, but if he would have a reasonable chance of leaving prison alive then I would say Miller is satisfied. And note that I will agree for sake of argument )even though I continue to believe that Miller was wrong) that "reasonable chance" is something much higher than fifty-fifty -- call it 90% for this purpose. As far as I read Miller it doesn't require any sort of shot at freedom in middle age, only a shot at freedom sometime during the offender's life. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jul 12, 2017 11:45:57 PM When is not a life sentence a life sentence--when there's a murderer to help. Words, I guess, mean whatever they mean. Posted by: federalist | Jul 13, 2017 8:46:10 AM Miller doesn't provide guaranteed parole. It provides the chance for parole though the implication is that only particularly horrible cases warrant no parole. But, three acts of capital murder seems to me to meet that test. So, a hearing, now about thirty-five years after a sixteen year old murdered three family members, crimes that repeatedly have possible mitigating factors, including involving future possible conduct. The opinion spells out some tragic family drama, including involving strict religious belief. This is not about some sort of robbery homicide or various other cases. Miller v. Alabama cited a range of cases in which being a minor was used to treat them differently (from abortion to interrogations to 8A issues directly). So, the general principle would seem to warrant application here. The "help" (possibility of parole after thirty-five years) would not just apply to murder. Daniel's comment is reasonable but the opinion draws on somewhat narrower grounds. It notes that argues "mandatory sentencing" is at issue here. Miller v. Alabama at one point says: "So Graham and Roper and our individualized sentencing cases alike teach that in imposing a State's harshest penalties, a sentencer misses too much if he treats every child as an adult." The state court here notes the sentence here was the harshest penalty other than death that could be applied. The dissent argues they "cherry-picked" from Miller. But, the state court here seems to be following the overall principles of the Supreme Court, including broadly recognizing youth are different. And, merely taking into consideration of youth is just that. He still could be sentenced a mandatory term. On the merits, however, it just might be thirty-five years, not a drop in the bucket, is enough, including for the particular tragic crime at issue. Posted by: Joe | Jul 13, 2017 10:36:09 AM If you look at the other two juvenile sentencing opinions issued by the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, the key issue for those who joined all three opinions was mandatory versus discretionary. In Carr, the majority found a Miller violation because the sentence of life without parole for 50 years was a mandatory sentence. In Nathan, the majority found that there was no Miller violation from consecutive sentences in a homicide case that allegedly qualified as a de facto life without parole sentence. In Willbanks, the majority rejected a Graham claim based on consecutive sentences for non-homicide offenses that allegedly qualified as a de facto life without parole sentence. In both Nathan and Willbanks, the majority relied, in large part, on the fact that the decision to impose consecutive sentences was a discretionary decision made by the judge based on the facts of the case. The issue, glossed over in Carr, is how long a period of parole ineligibility is too long to be mandatory. The new Missouri murder 1 statute precludes parole for 30 years but allows the jury (or the judge) to make an individualized decision for a longer period of parole ineligibility (including possibly sentencing to life without parole). We know from Montgomery, that the U.S. Supreme Court appears to be fine with not giving juveniles a parole hearing for 25 years. Where between 25 and 50 is the line? Posted by: tmm | Jul 13, 2017 11:01:57 AM I would also note a fact not included in the published opinion. Carr was the only person serving that type of sentence for an offense committed while a juvenile. The law changed in 1984 to switch to life without parole. Last year, the Missouri General Assembly created a parole hearing for juveniles serving life without parole for offenses committed between 1984 and 2016. Those offenders get a parole hearing after twenty-five years leaving Carr as a class of one who has to serve fifty years before getting a hearing. Posted by: tmm | Jul 13, 2017 11:11:38 AM ETA: To be clear, the court here set forth a rule regarding sentencing that would in the appropriate case apply to sentencing now. But, basically, the result for the person amounts to a new sentencing hearing after being in prison for thirty five years. As is often the case, as noted in a later comment, the case has other wrinkles. Posted by: Joe | Jul 13, 2017 12:01:20 PM The prison may quietly reward squads of lifers who eradicate these murderers. A carton of cigarettes would send the message. These lifers can be charged in a lawyer farce, but have absolute legal immunity. Lawyer scum can make fees for trying lifers for murdering these young murderers. Posted by: David Behar | Jul 13, 2017 8:13:05 PM Supremacy Clause (and Doug), do you notice that your more outrageous utterances tend to close down the comments in most of the posts? You must know by now that all here are well-aware of your unappreciative attitude for the protectors of the constitutional right of all Americans. If you truly seek reasoned discourse, I might suggest that you utilize language of persuasion rather than language of tinfoil-hat tomfoolery. Posted by: Mark M. | Jul 16, 2017 12:20:23 AM Post a comment In 1962, just four years after Lilly Cassirer received a settlement of $13,000 from the German government for a painting looted by the Nazis, she died. Cassirer, who was Jewish, fled Germany for England during the Holocaust in 1939, forcibly selling a Camille Pissarro oil painting for $360 in exchange for visas that secured safe passage for her and her family. Cassirer's father-in-law had bought the painting directly from Pissarro's own dealer in Paris, and as Artsy reports, appraisers say that the work, Rue Saint-Honore, Apres-midi, Effet de Pluie an 1897 impressionist Paris street scene that over time found its way into a Madrid museum is now worth more than $30 million. Cassirers great-grandchildren have now been in a decades-long battle to get it back after a family friend spotted it in Madrid in the 1990s. On Monday, the U.S. Appeals Court in San Francisco reanimated the familys 12-year suit against Spain's Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, reversing a 2015 lower court decision that found the family was no longer the paintings rightful owner. As the Art Paper explains, the appeals court ruled in part that the legality of the museums ownership hinges on whether curators there knew the painting was wrested through a forced sale. The museums lawyer insists to the Associated Press that the museum's patron, Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, "acquired the painting in good faith in 1976 and the [museum's] foundation, in turn, acquired the painting in good faith in 1993." But Cassirers heirs say that the museum's trained experts should have known better in researching the painting's provenance, and a torn label on the back of the painting from the old family gallery in Germany has buoyed their case. That label on the back means unequivocally that Spain and the museum knew, David Cassirer, one of the plaintiffs, told the San Diego Tribune. After leaving Cassirer's hands, the painting made its way through the hands of several U.S. art collectors before a New York gallerist sold it to Thyssen-Bornemisza, a Swiss industrialist and avid art collector. When the baron died, following the negotiations of his Spanish-born fifth wife, Spain purchased his collection for a whopping $338 million and created the Madrid museum that now bears his name. Whether the baron or the museum knew of the illegality of the 1939 transaction remains to be decided, but the plaintiffs say they're confident the court will return the painting to them. The case was first brought by Lilly Cassirer's grandson and heir, Claude Cassirer, in 2005, and ultimately taken up by his children after his death in 2010. As David Cassirer tells the Associated Press, when they first brought their claim to the Madrid museum, their reaction essentially amounted to "Go ahead, sue us." This is a case in which the record is quite clear, says attorney David Boies to the Daily Report. Boies has been working on the case for the Cassirer family, and sees it as setting a precedent for Nazi-taken art that was sold under duress. The museum was on notice that the art had been looted. A tweet by Woodbury County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matthew Ung on Thursday referred back to contentious comments that took place two days ago during a board meeting, where guns in the Woodbury County Courthouse was a hot topic for two hours. The Journal's story from that night summarized that Ung and Sheriff Dave Drew traded charges that they had shared unprofessional posts about the gun topic on their Facebook accounts. Those barbs didn't make it into the meeting story. At issue was whether the expanded gun rights law passed in April conflicts with a June 19 judicial branch supervisory order by the Iowa Supreme Court to ban weapons in courthouses. Several Woodbury County officials said the only way to resolve an impasse on the functioning of a broadened gun rights law is for a test case somewhere in the state challenging whether the Iowa court system has authority to keep guns out of courthouses or if people with legal-carry permits can have them in the buildings. Ung and Drew are on opposite sides of the issue on whether the sheriff should continue to enforce a county security plan designed to keep weapons out of the courthouse in downtown Sioux City. Drew plans to keep enforcing the security program in the courthouse, which includes personnel staffing metal detectors. Early in the meeting, Drew said he's not afraid of running afoul of the wishes of the county board, saying he must enforce judicial branch orders. He then launched into criticism of Ung. "I'd much rather be held in contempt of the supervisors than the contempt of the Supreme Court. I might add, recently, I'd rather be held in contempt of Matthew Ung's Facebook posts, that constantly are (inaudible). I find that a little bit disheartening. I find it troubling, sophomoric, a little bit embarrassing for you," the sheriff said. Drew's comments were interrupted by a smattering of applause from people watching at the meeting. He continued, looking straight ahead from a podium to Ung, who met his gaze, "We may not agree, but to post all that is troubling. That's not how professionals do work. You are the chairman of the board of supervisors, not the chairman of the sophomore debate team." Drew and Supervisor Jeremy Taylor discussed the gun issue, then Drew returned to reference Ung. "I thought you took a lot of pot shots, every day, tongue in check, 'If the judge orders me to do something'...", Drew said, adding that Ung got caught up in "me versus you." Responded Ung in his sole comments at that point, "Really? That's not what happened at all." An hour later in the meeting, Ung was discussing Drew's request to use county funds to pay a private attorney to represent him in researching the state law and court order. Ung said in the county board meeting two weeks ago that Drew said there was a political calculation to the supervisors' stance on guns in the courthouse. Said Ung, "With all due respect, the picture that you painted before the board adjourned the (June 27) meeting...was to say, of course without context, that the board has politicized this to protect their own political capital. I still don't know if you know what political capital is, because, as you can see, we haven't gained any favors from this. This has not shored up any of our, any votes. This is something that was unpopular." Ung continued, "And then, you know, the picture also becomes, 'I'd rather be held in contempt of the board than the Supreme Court.' Which was a great zinger, I have to give you that." "Thanks," Drew interjected. "You're welcome," Ung said. "And I think you put that on Facebook too." Ung's tweet on Thursday apparently referenced one more speaker near the end of the meeting. Teresa O'Brien, an attorney from Sioux City, raised her voice and said she was getting "madder by the minute" on the guns discussion, particularly since the first motion to pay for Drew's legal counsel died without a second supervisor to support it. Plus, O'Brien added, she was upset that a county supervisor had referred to Mark Cady without giving his full title of (Iowa Supreme Court) Justice Cady. Ung took to Twitter on Thursday morning, tweeting, "If you shout about respect while pointing fingers, glaring, and prescribing motive, you're doing it wrong. Especially if you're a lawyer." SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man whose prison sentence was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court received a slightly shorter sentence Thursday. U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett sentenced Levon Dean Jr. to 30 years plus one day in prison, a punishment he said he would have handed down when initially sentencing Dean in 2015 but didn't believe he legally could. "My reading of the Supreme Court case is that I can do that (now)," Bennett said. In January 2015, Bennett sentenced Levon Dean, 28, to 400 months, or 33.3 years, in prison on six charges in connection with helping his brother, Jamal Dean, in two separate robberies of cash, drugs and cars from drug dealers. Of that sentence, 30 years (360 months) were mandatory minimum sentences linked to two counts of using a firearm during the crimes. Bennett sentenced Dean to 40 months in prison on the other charges. Federal sentencing laws require that the mandatory minimum sentences be served consecutively, or back to back, with the sentences for the other crimes, so Dean faced 33.3 years in prison. Dean's attorney, Alan Stoler, of Omaha, had asked Bennett to consider the lengthy mandatory minimum sentences Dean already faced and give him one-day sentences on the remaining counts to be served on top of the 30-year mandatory minimum. Bennett said at the time he didn't believe he could consider the fact that Dean faced a mandatory minimum sentence when determining a sentence on the remaining counts, though he wished he could. Dean appealed. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Bennett's ruling, but in April, the Supreme Court ruled that federal sentencing laws do not prevent a judge from considering the fact that a defendant will be getting a mandatory minimum sentence when deciding an appropriate sentence for the remaining charges. Dean's case was returned to Sioux City for resentencing. Stoler on Thursday again asked for the shorter sentence. "You said if you could, you would, and now the Supreme Court says you can," Stoler said to Bennett. Bennett said he would live up to his comments from the first sentencing hearing. "I'd like to believe I'm a man of my word," he said. "I said I'd give him 30 years and a day, and that's what I'm going to do." The U.S. Attorney's Office did not resist. "The Supreme Court has spoken, so we live with that and go forward," Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Duax said. Federal prison sentences can be reduced by 15 percent for good behavior, so Dean could have his sentence shortened to 25.5 years. He's served nearly four years of the sentence, which includes the time he spent in custody awaiting trial after his Oct. 1, 2013, arrest. Jamal Dean is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence in state prison for attempted murder for shooting Sioux City police officer Kevin McCormick during a 2013 traffic stop. Once that sentence is complete, he will be transferred to federal prison, where he will serve a life sentence for the drug dealer robberies. SIOUX CITY | A Woodbury County jury on Thursday found a Sioux City man guilty for his role in an armed robbery in which a cellphone and a bag of snacks were taken. After more than two hours of deliberations, the jury reached its verdict, declaring Tykell Robinson, 20, guilty as charged of first-degree robbery. District Judge Jeffrey Poulson, who presided over the three-day trial, scheduled sentencing for Sept. 1. First-degree robbery carries a 25-year prison sentence, with a mandatory minimum of 17.5 years. On Feb. 10, Robinson and Darius Wright approached three people in the 1600 block of Pierce Street who were carrying a bag of snacks they had bought at a nearby convenience store. Evidence in Wright's trial in April showed that after scuffling with one of the people, Wright brandished a handgun, and the robbery victim dropped his snacks and threw his cellphone at Wright before fleeing with his companions. Police later found the snacks -- two bottles of Dr Pepper, a bag of Sour Patch Kids candy and a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos -- and some of Robinson's personal belongings, at 423 16th St. Wright was found guilty of shooting a friend of the robbery victim who came to the house on 16th Street to confront him. Wright is scheduled to be sentenced in August on charges of assault with intent to inflict serious injury, willful injury and first-degree robbery. Robinson is already serving a 10-year prison sentence he received in March for two counts of second-degree robbery for his roles in two separate home invasions. SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man is seeking more than $43,000 from the Iowa Department of Corrections, claiming in a lawsuit that he was kept in prison more than five months after he had completed his sentence. Jacob Schmidt is seeking $40,250 -- $250 per day for the extra 161 he says he was incarcerated -- for false imprisonment and $3,288 in wages he earned while in prison but says the state kept. Corrections officials knew or should have known that Schmidt had finished his special sentence from a 2007 incest conviction on July 15, 2015, yet he wasn't released from the Clarinda Correctional Facility until Dec. 23 of that year, Schmidt said in his lawsuit, filed in Woodbury County District Court. Included as defendants are Corrections Department director Jerry Bartruff, deputy director of institutions Dan Craig and Sheryl Dahm, superintendent at the Clarinda facility. Iowa Attorney General's Office spokesman Geoff Greenwood said the state was served with a copy of the lawsuit Wednesday and staff members will review it, then file an answer in court. He had no additional comment. Schmidt pleaded guilty in Woodbury County in April 2007 to single counts of incest and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and was sentenced to seven years in prison, plus a special 10-year sentence that would begin after completing his seven-year sentence. Under the special sentence, a defendant is supervised as if on parole and may be returned to prison for any violations. According to state law, a defendant is subject to a two-year prison sentence for the first violation and a five-year sentence for the second and subsequent violations. Prison records show that Schmidt completed his initial prison sentence in May 2010. His release was revoked for a special sentence violation in November 2010. He was released from prison in October 2012 before being incarcerated for a second special sentence violation in June 2013. Prison records show a discharge date of Dec. 23, 2015. Schmidt's lawsuit says he should have been released more than five months earlier and that prison officials were negligent in keeping him in custody. Schmidt filed a claim against the state last year for $43,538 in damages for false imprisonment. The State Appeal Board denied the claim. SIOUX CITY | Some businesses in Sioux City's Bridgeport area fear already congested traffic could become much worse in the coming months, when the new 1,100-employee Seaboard Triumph Foods pork plant fires up operations in Bridgeport West Industrial Park. Business representatives sounded off Wednesday during a meeting with city representatives about the road projects underway in the area, bringing up traffic concerns they believe need solutions sooner rather than later. Some said they want to see more action by the City Council on the matter. "You're going to have literally thousands of tractor trailers a day in this area, and they've done nothing with the road infrastructure," Kevin Christensen, general manager of Sioux City Truck & Trailer, 4535 Harbor Drive, told the Journal Wednesday afternoon. "And when I say that, I'm talking about stoplights and widening (of streets)." Sioux City is in the midst of a four-phase, multimillion-dollar project to reduce congestion in the Bridgeport area. The second phase, which will include work on South Patton Street from the Boulevard of Champions to Bridgeport Drive, will go to bid on July 18. Construction is anticipated to start the week of Aug. 14 and take 86 working-days. Future work will include work along Harbor Drive in spring 2018 and a brand-new southerly road connecting the pork plant directly to the Aviation Boulevard interchange at Interstate 29. The project has received significant funding through the Iowa Department of Transportation's Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy, or RISE, grant program. Tom Schoening, marketing manager for Midwest Peterbilt Group, which includes Peterbilt of Sioux City, 4135 Harbor Drive, said the company's main concern is a need for traffic signals at the intersection of Harbor Drive and South Patton Street, where their truck traffic often gets stuck waiting. "They need to get that early in the project," he said. "Sometimes left turns can take 10 to 15 minutes to find an opening. Some of thats happening now even before the projects completed at the (pork plant)." Schoening suggested even temporary traffic signals will help. Christensen added that he believes the lack of a traffic signal at that location could end in disaster. "Im telling you at lunch time, at 3:30 when everybodys getting off work around here, and then at the mornings -- somebodys going to get killed at that intersection," he said. "Truck traffic alone is horrendous, and you havent even talked about the employees." Schoening said some other businesses elsewhere in the park are also worried about the potential effects of one-way streets and closings associated with the projects in the coming months. Councilman Dan Moore, who attended Wednesday's meeting, said he may suggest a special council meeting during the last Monday of the month to move up approval of the project. Moore also concurred that temporary signals may need to be installed. "I think that property owners want to know that were moving forward," he said. ELK POINT, S.D. | The man who went missing in the Missouri River Wednesday afternoon has been identified by by the Union County Sheriff's Office: 27-year-old Chris Reeves of Tallahassee, Florida. Union County Sheriff Dan Limoges said they have notified Reeves' family of his disappearance and the ongoing effort to find him. "We're still searching," Limoges said. "The diver's in the water right now." Though Limoges noted that drones have not yet been brought in, that option is "not off the table," he said. A Thursday morning press release from the department noted "the possibility of using a drone is being discussed." PREVIOUS STORY: A Highway Patrol airplane was used Wednesday to search for the man, and a press release issued by the Union County Sheriff's office noted "the possibility of using a drone is being discussed." Sheriff Dan Limoges said crews, including the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and a dive team from Yankton gathered around 8 a.m. Thursday morning to continue the search for the man, who went missing during a Wednesday afternoon outing to Burbank Beach, an area about five miles west of Elk Point. "At this point, we're back in the water," Limoges said. "The plan is to search throughout the day today." The search area today will be roughly the same as Wednesday, he said, though the crews will move downstream somewhat. PREVIOUS STORY: A 27-year-old man was swept away into the Missouri River while at a popular beach in Union County Wednesday. Sheriff Dan Limoges said the unidentified man went under while swimming with friends at what is informally known as Burbank Beach, located about 5 miles west of Elk Point. Authorities received the call around 3:30 p.m. Limoges said at 6 p.m. multiple agencies were on boats combing about a mile radius from where the man was spotted going under. The area is about 40 feet deep in some places, he said. He hoped to have a sonar imaging unit on the water by Wednesday evening. The man was with five other individuals when he went in. "Unfortunately, they went out in the river and about halfway across to a sandbar and stepped off the edge of the sandbar and he went under," Limoges said. Assisting the sheriff's office were officials with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, and rescue crews from North Sioux City, Yankton, and Nebraska. This is the third drowning-related incident in the Burbank Beach area in three years, he said. The first two individuals were found dead. "It is really disheartening," the sheriff said. "There's a lot of activity down here. A lot of young individuals of all ages around here. It's becoming a real popular place. And again, this river is nothing to mess with." LE MARS, Iowa | Twenty-year veteran police officer Kevin Vande Vegte has been tapped to be the next police chief of Le Mars. Mayor Dick Kirchoff said Officer Vande Vegte was picked by a civil service commission Wednesday from five finalists. The commission's recommendation will now go before the City Council for approval at its next meeting July 18. The post is open after longtime Chief Stuart Dekkenga retired last month. Vande Vegte has been with the 14-officer department for 20 years. If the council approves the recommendation, Vande Vegte will start as chief at the end of August. Kirchoff said the city had 40 applicants for the job from 20 different states. DES MOINES The cost of settling claims and resolving disputes lodged against the state government for workplace misconduct, employee mistakes or other malfeasance topped $3.73 million in fiscal 2017, figures from the State Appeal Board show. Last fiscal year marked the sixth time since 2000 that yearly state judgments and settlements were below the $4 million mark, which was good news for budget managers who have seen costs soar due to past problems relating to the ill-fated TouchPlay lottery program, film tax credits and state prison construction issues. This was a down year, said Joseph Barry, a risk manager with the Iowa Department of Management who tracks data for the three-member board made up of State Auditor Mary Mosiman, State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald and Department of Management Director David Roederer. We didnt have a lot of oddities this year, Barry said. We seem to have peaks and valleys with those. One year we have the TouchPlay, then we have the film thing and then we had the prison construction stuff. This one was a fairly normal year. The states largest payouts occurred in years when payments were made to resolve claims tied to the shutdown of the Iowa Lotterys TouchPlay program in fiscal 2008, a judgment stemming from the now-defunct state film tax credit programs in fiscal 2012 and disputes over construction of the new maximum-security prison in Fort Madison in fiscal 2015. The bulk of the fiscal 2017 claims paid by the state involved medical problems at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which accounted for more than $2.6 million. Overall, settlements and judgments involving institutions under the Board of Regents topped $3 million. State officials agreed to pay $1 million from the general fund as part of a $3 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit brought by Kevin Johnson and his family alleging UI Hospitals improperly performed a procedure in 2013 that left him with lower paralysis and kidney injury. A physicians group paid the remainder of the malpractice settlement. A separate $500,000 settlement involving UI Hospitals stemmed from a lawsuit brought by Barbara Gericke of Tiffin, alleging doctors failed to inform her of possible side effects from a procedure involving her leg that ultimately resulted in an above-knee amputation. The state paid $50,000 of that settlement, as well as a separate $255,000 share of a judgment for the family of a man who underwent hip surgery and later suffered a stroke and died shortly after procedures were done to correct earlier medical mistakes. The state also agreed to pay $75,000 to an Iowa State University student who lost part of a finger to a band saw she was operating as part of a school project in 2015. In separate matters, the appeal board agreed to pay a $315,000 judgment paid equally in increments of $157,500 by the UI Physicians group and from the states general fund to the estate of Rebecca Martin, to settle negligence claims against the UI Hospitals for a 2012 exploratory procedure that resulted in partial paralysis. It also agreed to pay a share of a $150,000 settlement to the estate of Kent C. Carder, whose family alleged UI Hospitals failed to properly treat his kidney cancer. Records show that the state also: -- Agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the family of a patient at the Clarinda Mental Health Institute who choked to death while eating a peanut butter sandwich in 2013. Officials said Richard Rollins Meredith died after workers gave him the sandwich rather than pureed food that was ordered by his doctor; -- Agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit involving a foster child who was bludgeoned with a brick and drowned by another foster child in 2013 -- Paid $239,595 for the attorney fees and expenses of Dennis L. Smith, a former ISU employee who alleged the school eliminated his position after he filed complaints about his boss; -- Approved a $950,000 judgment to settle a wrongful-death suit brought against UI Hospital by family members of Rollin Hoffert, with $500,000 paid by the UI Physicians organization and $450,000 from the state general fund; -- Agreed to pay a former UI student $75,000 after he suffered serious injuries in a 2012 fall from a climbing wall at the university; -- And agreed to pay a couple $50,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging negligence on behalf of a UI Cambus driver after Elizabeth Lester was struck in a crosswalk. Mosiman, the board chairwoman, said the panel looks to avoid costly litigation where possible, which sometimes mean negotiating settlements in situations where the state was found to be negligent. Its subject to what happens during the year, she said of the overall payout. A lot of them are emergencies, they are certainly out of the ordinary, but we do our very best in making sure that what were approving is the most cost-effective manner of getting through these emergencies. IDA GROVE, Iowa | Backers of a historic theater restoration project that took a hit from a storm last month received some good news Thursday. The Enhance Iowa Board awarded the King Theatre in Ida Grove a $62,005 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant, the full amount sought by a local committee. The downtown theater has been closed since 2010, but a local group has been working to restore it. The cost of expanding the lobby, installing new handicapped-accessible restrooms and redesigning the ticket taking and concession areas is estimated at $419,099, according to documents submitted to the CAT board. The application was submitted prior to a June storm that pelted the Ida County seat. The theater wall that faces the alley collapsed from the heavy rains and gusting winds. The theater is owned by the city, so the city's insurance policy should cover the damage. A structural engineer has looked at the theater since the collapse, and King Theatre Renovation Board Chairman Doug Clough said a continuation of the restoration has been green-lighted. A King Theatre Facebook post said the wall had been stabilized on July 6. "Our intention from the beginning was to save this. That is still our intention," Clough said. The main theater building dates to 1914. The back wall that collapsed was somewhat newer than that, having been replaced in 1933. Fred Saunders of nearby Denison, Iowa, purchased the King Theatre in 1985 and showed movies until closing the site in 2010. The city subsequently took ownership. WASHINGTON -- It's easy to see why Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants the TV cameras off during her White House news briefings. There is, for one, the matter of her boss constantly proclaiming things that range from the inexplicable to the patently wrong. There's also the metastasizing Russia scandal, which keeps rendering previous Trump White House statements inoperative, as Richard Nixon press secretary Ron Ziegler used to say. But above all is a more simple explanation: Sanders has no earthly idea what's going on in the White House she purports to represent. And so, at Monday's off-camera briefing, she stood on the podium, frequently cocking her left eyebrow and raising the left corner of her lips to convey displeasure at the line of questioning. Then, as frequently, she opened her mouth and, with a heavy Arkansas twang, said a lot of nothing. The Post's Philip Rucker asked about other Trump campaign meetings with Russians such as the newly discovered one in which Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort reportedly sought the goods on Hillary Clinton. "I am not sure," she said. "I'll check and get back to you." John Gizzi from Newsmax asked if Trump raised the subject of Russia's human rights abuses during their meeting. "I'm not sure," she said. "I'll have to ask." Another reporter asked if Trump trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I haven't asked." Was their meeting recorded? "I'd have to ask. I'm not sure." And on it went. Sanders said she'd need to "have further conversations" before terming Russia an ally or an adversary. The kerfuffle over the White House briefings is misplaced. The Trump White House move to have fewer briefings and to move them off camera is just a symptom. The real problem is that the people giving the briefings don't have a clue; they can't, as Trump put it, "stand at podium with perfect accuracy." Or a semblance of dignity. The humiliations that ruined Sean Spicer will do the same to Sanders or whoever fills the role. Trump doesn't seem to tell his people what he's doing, if he knows himself. ABC News's Jon Karl published a list last month of 26 times Sanders and Spicer said they would "get back to you" but never did. There are, surely, many more. Sanders did everything possible to avoid drawing attention to herself at Monday's briefing, but to no avail. It wasn't televised, but reporters were standing in the aisles. She brought out Marc Short, Trump's legislative director, to deliver a diversionary statement about Democrats' "needless obstruction" of Trump's nominees. But the distraction failed when half a dozen reporters used the opportunity to quiz Short about the floundering effort in the Senate to pass Trumpcare. Sanders stepped onto the podium and gave her colleague the hook. She read a six-minute statement about Trump's "powerful and historic speech" in Poland and how he "successfully achieved his objectives" in Germany, then gave reporters exactly 15 minutes to question her before walking out of the room. She called first on her "fellow Arkansan" Frank Lockwood from the Democrat-Gazette. But this was no safe harbor: He asked about Trump's tweet targeting Chelsea Clinton. "At what point is the president going to put Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Bill Clinton in the rear-view mirror?" he asked. "He won the election." Sanders attempted to argue that the Clinton tweet was justified by an "outrageous attack against a White House senior adviser" -- the derision set off by Ivanka Trump taking her father's chair at the G-20 summit. Then came a barrage of questions about Donald Jr.'s newly reported meeting with the Russians, which negated, as CBS's Major Garrett noted, the White House's "long history of blanket denials" that there had been campaign contacts with the Russians. "There was simply no collusion," she said, eyebrow cocked and lip corner raised. "That's a different question," Garrett pointed out. Sanders repeated that there wasn't any collusion. It didn't go much better with questions about Trump's weekend tweet touting a new "cyber security unit" with Russia and then, 12 hours later, another tweet disavowing the project. "I am not sure there were specific details discussed," Sanders said. In fairness to Sanders, there are no good answers to these questions. Trump, with his reckless tweets and nonsense claims, leaves his mouthpieces in an impossible position. No less an authority than former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee said after Trump's vulgar tweet about Mika Brzezinski that "he makes my daughter's job very difficult." But that's no excuse. Sanders has agreed to interpret the nonsensical and to rationalize the indefensible. Like Spicer, she will fail. We are now seeing yet another example of socialist government-run health care. It seems a British babys parents are being told by the government that the plugs should be pulled on Charlie Gard. Because of government health care, the parents are being told that they cant even take the child out of the country so he can get groundbreaking medical procedures that could help him. The parents have had to go through the courts now since November of last year to try to get this child help. And now because of the time it has taken to get through this bureaucracy, there may be no hope for him. If Republican-dominated Iowa state government hopes to be in power for the long term, they had better address the need for effective leadership among the various departments of state government. Taxpayers are disgusted with overcompensated public employees, but we are astute enough to know that the best employees are not overpaid. The trick is to have leadership which knows the difference. The effects of current edicts from Des Moines on public employment are likely to result in unintended consequences. The best public employees will jettison public employment in favor of jobs in the private sector. The employees who have reached levels of incompetence (as described by "the Peter principle" concept in management theory) will remain and those who are supervisors will feel empowered to shape their departments to suit their individual motives and desires. The worker bees are the ones most impacted by Republican policies which strive to control employees' compensation. They comprise the bulk of the public-sector workers and therefore the bulk of persons who have not reached their level of incompetence. Perhaps these bees should have a significant role in evaluating their supervisors. Virtually all of those bees recognize good leadership when they experience it. They also recognize demoralizing, self-serving and discriminatory leadership which impedes effective service delivery within a department. The taxpayers want their tax dollars spent to deliver the best service possible from each governmental entity. Efficiency begins with sound, practical leadership. Stomping on the worker bees while empowering poor leadership seems a lousy way to improve public service delivery. - Lon Zimmerman, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Many people are quite upset and unhappy about the recent legalization of fireworks in Sioux City. I must admit that my neighbors were pretty good about observing the hours that fireworks could be lit. I do understand that the noise caused by this celebration of our country's freedom was not tolerated well by all residents. However, I really do not see much difference with expecting citizens to accept the brief time frame of noisy celebrations as you expect many people in Sioux City to put up with the deafening train whistles that blast all hours of the day and night 365 days a year. Also we have many dogs that bark all hours of the day and night and that's OK. The day after the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band played a Fourth of July celebration show in Nashville, drummer Jimmie Fadden returned to his rock n roll life in Florida, throwing dirty clothes in the laundry room, checking the mailbox for letters and looking around the house for stray lizards and bugs. The usual exciting stuff, he said with a laugh. At 69 years old, Fadden said his lifestyle has slowed since the early years of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Gone are the days of heavy tours and constant studio recording sessions for him and fellow bandmates Jeff Hanna, John McEuen and Bob Carpenter. Instead, the group moves at its own pace these days and performs concerts sporadically throughout the year. The band, through its many forms, reached its 50-year milestone in May. Fadden said theres a fair amount of satisfaction having managed to survive all these years and still be pretty much intact and have an audience that still finds joy in the music. And it helps that Fadden and company arent burned out, either. Performing fewer shows, he added, has helped in that regard. We dont work all year long, said Fadden. We have time to ourselves. We each do something here or there outside of the band some of us more so than others. We have a life outside of the band and I think thats what allows us to appreciate it as much as we do. When Fadden isnt performing Nitty Gritty Dirt Band hits like Fishin in the Dark and the groups Jerry Jeff Walker cover Mr. Bojangles, hes delving into different music projects like Suitcase Full of Blues, a six-year-old acoustic blues trio that mainly plays shows around his hometown. These welcomed distractions give the guys some time apart before the next weekend of shows, while yearning fans keep them motivated. For some reason, we as a group have been fortunate enough to record some songs that were meaningful to people, said Fadden. It might have been the soundtrack of their lives. I cant tell you the number of times people come up to us after the show and say, I watched your show in 1971, met my wife there, got married the next year and we played your music for our kids and they grew up listening to it, and now theyre going to have kids. Thats not too difficult to believe when the band has been making music for more than 50 years. What is surprising to Fadden is the college kids listening to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band no doubt a trait they picked up from their parents listening to the music. Theyll sing all the words and well be astounded, Fadden recalled. The energy and enthusiasm from fans both young and old may help drive Faddens motivation, but that doesnt stop age from getting in the way every now and again. Although he will be the last one in the band to reach the 70-year mark, hes already feeling the aches and inconveniences. Fadden is anticipating what hes going to feel like after the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands Canadian tour in October. By the time thats over were going to be a little tired, he said with a laugh. When you get to be a certain age, I think you learn a little more about what you can do and what you want to do and try to manage that somehow. Some years we do more [shows], some years we do less. Thats all I know. Old joints and tendons start to feel like theyre falling apart, Fadden added. The work hurts sometimes; Fadden said a bad rotator cuff causes the drummer to play hurt every so often, but he doesnt notice it while hes playing or at least he tries not to let it show. Playing kind of takes your mind off of it for a period of time, he said. Youre not aware of it for the most part. When you get back to your room or the bus after the show, youre like, AHHH! Anybody got any Tylenol PM? But it just kinda comes with the territory. We live with it. Fifty years of performing music ought to a leave thick callus for Fadden at this point. The added benefit is knowing the pain of aging is numb beneath all those stage lights and the white noise of a cheering crowd. And he knows theres always going to be time for rest. Its inevitable. But dirty laundry and checking for lizards comes first. Donald Trump sat down 12 July 2017 with Christian Broadcasting Network [CBN] Founder Pat Robertson for an exclusive interview at the White House. In an effort to debunk claims that Russia wanted to help him win the election, Trump argued that's an illogical conclusion. He thinks Putin would actually have been happier with Hillary Clinton in the White House because he's building the U.S. military and working to export U.S. energy, which Russia opposes. "We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because I'm a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me. And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesn't want to see that," Trump told Robertson. "And from day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. We're going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. We're going to be exporting energy - he doesn't want that. He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy," he continued. "So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think 'probably not,' because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldn't have spent the money on military," he said. "When I want tremendous energy, we're opening up coal, we're opening up natural gas, we're opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that." https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2017/july/s-pat-robertson-interviewing-president-trump-at-the-white-house-today WASHINGTON (July 13, 2017)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awarded not-to-exceedfor modification P00014 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0004). This modification provides for the procurement of one F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production II short take-off vertical landing full scale engine mockup training device to support sustainment activities for the United Kingdom's initial operational capability. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (95 percent); and Indianapolis, Indiana (5 percent), and is expected to be complete in May 2019. International partner funds in the amount of $3,188,587 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded a not-to-exceedceiling-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for technical, engineering products, hardware and services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Branch (AD-4.11.7.3). Support to be provided includes the integration, test and evaluation, installation, maintenance, configuration, and management of Air Traffic Control Systems Division equipment for the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility Air Control Tracking System. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (75 percent); and Columbia, Maryland (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2022. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals, with one offer received. The, is the contracting activity (N00421-17-D-0042)., is being awardedfor cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 2011 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001) to maintain and support operation of test equipment and test asset support equipment for P-8A flight test aircraft and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station System Integration Lab. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (90 percent); Dallas, Texas (5 percent); and Seattle, Washington (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,930,919 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity. Kris Parker, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) deputy for small business, is inspired by a quote -- written on his whiteboard in the background -- spoken by Sir Michael Gambon in Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake: "The art of good business is being a good middleman". Parker is holding the Department of the Navy Office of Small Business Program Award for NSWCDD's first-time achievement of a statutory small business goal -- three percent of total contracted dollars to service disabled veteran owned small businesses. DON Office of Small Business Programs, small business, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, NSWCDD, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Contracts, Disabled Veterans, Veteran Owned Small Business, Statutory Goal Achievement Award, Statutory Goal DAHLGREN, Va. (July 13, 2017)What does a film broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation have in common with the success of programs sponsored by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Small Business Office?Kris Parker, NSWCDD deputy for small businesswho won a Department of the Navy Office of Small Business Programs award in May 2017wrote the answer on the top of a white board in his office.It's a quote spoken by Sir Michael Gambon in Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake: "The art of good business is being a good middleman"."The movie wasn't about the Federal Small Business Program, but I thought the quote was fitting to the fundamental purpose of the office," said Parker, recounting the 2004 motion picture he saw via BBC. "We facilitate opportunities for small business and identify companies to support those opportunities."As a good middleman, Parker is adept at connecting small business owners and executives with opportunities they can parlay into success stories, and he enjoys it.An important success story in fiscal year 2016 was the command's ability to award contracts to the tune of three percent, or more, of total contracted dollars to service disabled veteran owned small businesses.Emily Harman, director DON Office of Small Business Programs, congratulated NSWC Dahlgren Division for its first-time achievement of this statutory small business goalthree percent of total contracted dollars to service disabled veteran owned small businesses."Through your efforts, you have demonstrated the essence of our mission to promote acquisition opportunities where small business can best support the needs of our Sailors and Marines," said Harman in her letter to NSWCDD Commanding Officer Capt. Godfrey Weekes who presented the award to Parker. "I am confident that you will be able to maintain this level of success."Each year, the DON Office of Small Business Programs awards the Statutory Goal Achievement Award for initial achievement of a specific sub-category of Small Business."This is a command award, and could not have been realized without the continued leadership of NSWC Dahlgren with support from contracts and the technical Departments," said Parker.The efforts of NSWCDD leaders in creating a climate to advance small business opportunities through various small business programs and initiatives have maximized opportunities for interested small businesses, resulting in a whopping increase of more than 58 percent in the command's small business obligations between fiscal years 2012 and 2016.Moreover, the NSWCDD acquisition and small business best practices promote the use of sources sought requests and industry days for competitive procurements in excess of the $150,000 simplified acquisition threshold. These events are preceded by announcements of the effort and event, demonstrating the commitment of NSWCDD leadership to a robust acquisition process that includes appropriate opportunities for Small Businesses."The standard agenda for our industry days includes an overview of the technical department sponsoring the work, a detailed breakdown of the work in question, and an opportunity to learn first-hand how industry may be able to provide support," said Parker. "These unique events are consistently well attended and facilitate competition and the introduction of new companies into our market. In fiscal year 2016, four new small businesses who participated in one of these industry day events successfully won prime awards at NSWCDD."Additional NSWCDD outreach initiatives include face-to-face meetings and counseling sessions between Parker and small and large business entitiesabout 80 sessions per year, increasing the awareness of Small Business opportunities at NSWCDD, the Navy and Department of Defense at large. Annual internal small business training is also provided for all contracts personnel. Susan L. Dyer. ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. (July 12, 2017)Susan L. Dyer has been appointed to the St. Mary's College of Maryland Board of Trustees for a six-year term of service."As a resident of St. Mary's County Susan brings a unique perspective to the College, along with years of leadership and strategic initiative in both the military and the private sector," said Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary's College. "I am looking forward to working with Susan, whose addition to the Board of Trustees will benefit the College for years to come.""I think Susan will bring a technical skill set and focused energy to the Board," said Sven Holmes, chairman, Board of Trustees. "I will speak on behalf of the entire Board when I say we look forward to working with Susan in supporting the College's mission of providing an outstanding education to our students."Dyer is currently a strategic consultant at Leap Second Consulting and chairman of the board of Advisors at Maga Design. She has more than 30 years' experience as a recognized leader and expert in information technology strategy, design, development and delivery of large-scale business and scientific systems. Previously, Dyer was a member of the Federal Government Senior Executive Service, and also held positions in the U.S. Navy as a chief information officer for the Naval Air Systems Command, and also leading the technical development and delivery of the Navy's ERP system, the foundation for the Navy's logistics and financial business integration and transformation.Dyer was honored in 2008 with the Government Computer News Technology Leadership Award and in 2009 with the Women in Technology Leadership Award. She was featured in the book titled, "No One Path: Perspectives on Leadership from a Decade of Women in Technology Award Winners." Her performance in the military earned her the Department of Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, two Department of Navy Superior Civilian Service Awards and two Department of Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Awards.She and her husband, Vice Admiral (retired) Joe Dyer, reside in St. Mary's County. LEONARDTOWN, Md. (July 13, 2017)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident reports.BURGLARY: Sometime during the last three weeks, unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a victim's storage locker and stole property. Dep. Molitor is investigating the case. CASE#35203-17VANDALISM: Unknown suspect(s) struck a victim's mailbox with an unknown object causing damage in the 40000 block of Sunnyside Road in Loveville. Dep. Molitor is investigating the case. CASE# 35146-17VANDALISMS: Unknown suspect(s) struck mailboxes with a blunt object along Pin Cushion Road. Additionally, the unknown suspect(s) also struck a sign with a blunt object and then shot at it leaving a small caliber bullet hole. Cpl. Kirkner is investigating the case. CASE# 35165-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 29000 block of Oak Acres Drive in Mechanicsville. Dep. Fennessey is investigating the case. CASE# 35280-07VANDALISMS: From June 30 to July 6, the Sheriff's Office has responded to multiple residences for reported property destructions where unknown suspects are using a blunt, unknown, object to cause damage to mailboxes and yard signs in the Hollywood, Mechanicsville, and Leonardtown areas. Deputies believe the incidents may be related. The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office is asking residents to check their mailboxes and report any property destruction or suspicious activity by calling the sheriff's office at 301-475-8008.DEATH INVESTIGATION: On July 7, at approximately 8:12 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a private residence in Lexington Park for a medical emergency. Deputies located a male suffering from life-threatening injuries. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) responded to the scene and continued the investigation. At this time, there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the male's death. However, due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, no further details will be released.BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a victim's residence and stole property in the 42000 block of Greenwell Hill Lane in Leonardtown. Dep. Beyer is investigating the case. CASE#35438-17BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a motor vehicle and stole property in the 46000 block of Valley Court in Lexington Park. Deputy Bowie is investigating the case. CASE#35776-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a residence and stole property in the 37000 block of Newlands Street in Mechanicsville. Deputy Henry is investigating the case. CASE#35779-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 29000 block of Edison Drive in Mechanicsville. Deputy Shelko is investigating the case. CASE#35840-17PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: Unknown suspect(s) struck a neighborhood sign with a blunt object in the 18000 block of Piney Point Drive in Tall Timbers. Deputy First Class Tirpak is continuing the investigation. CASE#35848-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered three locked vehicles and stole property on Heather and Golden Rod Street in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Schultz is investigating the case. CASE#35857-17, 35864-17, and 35881-17.BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a vacant residence in the 46000 block of Patuxent Road in Lexington Park. Deputy Bowie is investigating the case. CASE#36025-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into the vehicle lot and stole property from multiple vehicles at the Wentworth Nursery in Loveville. Dep. Molitor is investigating the case. CASE#36159-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) stripped various parts from a motor vehicle and stole property from the glovebox. The events occurred in the 44000 block of Aspen Lane in California. Cpl. Reppel is investigating the case. CASE#36147-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 22000 block of Greenview Parkway in California. Dep. Bush is investigating the case. CASE# 36209-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 40000 block of Delabrooke Road in Mechanicsville. Deputy Fennessey is investigating the case. CASE#36309-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 45000 block of Norris Road in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Beyer is investigating the case. CASE#36322-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole cash in the 22000 block of Armsworthy Court in California. CASE#36412-17THREATS: Unknown suspect(s) made threats to an employee at the Suntrust Bank in California. Deputy First Class Beyer is investigating the case. CASE# 36322-17THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) stole a victim's dogs by releasing them from their leashes. Corporal Snyder is investigating the case. CASE#36620-17 My name is Ryan Hurst and Im gay. As we celebrate Pride this month I feel compelled to share the story of how Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum helped me to find my place in the community and understand the meaning of pride, and in doing so I hope that you will give Andrew Gillum a chance to earn your vote for governor of Florida. I was born and raised in South Florida. I came out to my parents my freshman year of high school and was lucky that both of them were supportive of me. I went to a parochial school and, for the most part, the fact that I was gay was never made an issue. That is until my senior year. My school would do one and three day religious retreats a few times a year. It was during one of these retreats that a teacher I was very close to pulled me aside and told me that if I brought another boy to the school prom that I would not be allowed to graduate. I had no intention of bringing a boy to the prom. I was excited to bring one of my best friends, who was a girl. Nonetheless, I was shocked by the incident. It was the first time in my life that I felt directly discriminated against and completely powerless. While I prepared to graduate high school, President Bush called for the passage of a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. It became a hot-button issue that election cycle, and 11 states ultimately passed amendments banning same-sex marriage. I loved my faith and my country, but I wasnt sure they loved me back. A couple of years later I was studying at Florida State University when the State of Florida decided to take up its own ballot initiative to ban same sex marriage. I wanted to fight back against Amendment 2, but didnt know how, until I eventually found a bipartisan organization called Florida Red and Blue organizing to defeat Amendment 2. I looked on their webpage and found that one of their board members was a young Tallahassee City Commissioner named Andrew Gillum. I made an appointment to go speak with him. I told him my story and asked what I could do to fight back and make a difference. He did three things that day that made all the difference: he made me feel valued by listening and sincerely caring; he told me to tell my story because it could help others understand how anti-LGBT legislation impacted real people; and he told me I could fight back by learning how to organize my community. A few days after our meeting, Gillum reached out and told me about a number of programs that could train me to be a community organizer and give me a language to connect with people on my issue based on shared values. He also offered me an internship. He cared about me and made an investment in my future. Andrew Gillum doesnt pay lip service to his values, he lives them. In Tallahassee, he expanded domestic partnership benefits to city employees. As mayor, he appointed the City of Tallahassees first LGBT Liaison. When the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that same sex couples had the right to marry, and county clerks around Florida announced they would stop issuing marriage licenses, he welcomed people from all over the state to come to Tallahassee and get married in the city. I have learned many things from Andrew Gillum over the years. I've learned that there's a difference between a politician and a public servant. Public servants like Andrew take courageous stands, even when the political consequences might be steep. Politicians shrink from those moments. Please join me in supporting Andrew Gillum for Governor of Florida. June 2017 will be remembered as our LGBT communitys Pride Summer of Resistance; when the joyful celebrations of previous pride seasons were replaced by protest marches and rallies. It was also a month when our community lost two of its most influential figures. On June 15 Jim French, the male physique artist and photographer who created his most famous work under the pseudonym Rip Colt, passed away at the age of 84. Jim Frenchs contributions to the gay porn industry, to the art world, to generations of gay men, are immeasurable and too numerous to count, said Dennis Bell, president and CEO of the Bob Mizer Foundation. We at the Foundation are forever indebted to Jim for paving the way for other photographers, and today we pay tribute to the life of a brilliant artist who will live on in his work, which celebrates male beauty and masculinity throughout decades of changing social mores and trends. Jim French began to draw and photograph the male form during the 1960s, following a successful career as a fashion illustrator. One of Frenchs early drawings, Longhorns - Dance, caused a sensation when Malcolm McLaren, fashion designer and manager of the punk rocking Sex Pistols, used the drawing on a t-shirt sold in McLarens London boutique, Sex. In 1967 French and his then-partner, Lou Thomas, founded Colt Studio to produce and sell male erotic drawings, photographs, publications, films and videos. Soon the Colt Man became the epitome of the male masculine ideal. Generations of gay or bisexual men were inspired and stimulated by books, magazines, calendars, post cards, movies, and community events produced by French and his fantasy factory. French ran Colt until 2003, when he sold the studio to John Rutherford, formerly of Falcon Studios. Two weeks after Jim French died the LGBT community lost another icon, one whose contributions vastly surpassed those of the original Colt Man. Chuck Renslow, who died on June 29 at the age of 87, was more than a successful photographer, business owner, newspaper publisher and community leader. More than anyone else, Renslow created the LGBT leather/SM/BD/kink/fetish community as we know it today. Renslow was a larger than life leader, an alpha male in all senses of the word, both in his home town of Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad. Renslows eventful life is chronicled in Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow, by Tracy Baim and Owen Keehnen. In the 1950s, Renslow founded Kris Studios, one of the earliest purveyors of male physique photography. Renslows greatest discovery was Dom Orejudos, who became Renslows life partner and, as Etienne, the greatest male erotic artist this side of Tom of Finland. In 1958 Renslow opened Gold Coast, the first gay leather bar in Chicago or anywhere else. This was the first of many Renslow-owned or operated bars and sex clubs, most famously including Mans Country, a Chicago bathhouse Renslow and Orejudos bought in 1972 which continues to flourish today. Renslow was also the publisher of various publications, including Triumph, Mars, Rawhide and, later, Chicago Gay Life, which he bought from its founder Grant Ford (who later became a minister and pastor of the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale). Chuck Renslows involvement in the gay leather scene went beyond his businesses. In 1965 Renslow was a founder of Second City Motorcycle Club, Chicagos first gay bike club. In 1979 he founded International Mr. Leather, still the greatest LGBT leather title contest and the greatest gathering of LGBT leather folk in the world. After Renslows partner, like so many other gay or bisexual leathermen, died from AIDS complications, Renslow saw the need for an institution that would preserve the legacy of his endangered community. In 1991, Renslow and Tony DeBlase founded the Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago, which continues to exist and flourish today. According to a statement issued by the LA&M staff and board, Chuck gave deeply and worked with great passion for over 26 years to save the names and faces of Leather, kink, BDSM and fetish people, communities, and history, and he fought to ensure that Leatherfolk were the ones who would tell their own stories so that they might better understand and bring enhanced visibility to Leather history. Chuck Renslow was active in Chicago LGBT politics during the 1970s and 1980s, when he founded the Prairie State Democratic Club and pushed for a lesbian and gay rights ordinance in the Windy City. He served on the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and was a U.S. representative to the International Lesbian and Gay Association. Renslow was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 1991 and received many awards from the LGBT and leather communities, including the Leather Journals lifetime achievement award and a Centurion Award given to Renslow as Leatherman of the Century. Though such titles often invite hyperbole, in Renslows case it was no exaggeration. Chuck Renslow and Jim French were giants in the LGBT community; and though we mourn their passing, we celebrate their lives and vast contributions. The owners of Silk Laser Centre want you to be smooth not harmed. Were seeing a lot of people coming in with burns, said Nicole Silverstein, office manager of the Fort Lauderdale medical spa. Its like no one cares. The Astaphan family owns Silk Laser Centre, a medical spa on North Federal Highway that provides skin rejuvenation, hair removal, Botox and fillers. Silk Laser Centre, Silverstein said, strives to play by the rules, but there is little regulation in their field. We received our first inspection by the state in 11 years and that was for bio hazardous waste, Silverstein said. Its not like were hiding. Silk Laser Centre is registered with Floridas Department of State Division of Corporations. Joseph A. Astaphan, M.D., DDS and CLHRP, owns and operates the medical spa. Astaphan graduated dental school from Howard University, trained as a surgeon at Harlem Hospital Columbia University and practiced medicine at Bellevue Hospital in New York. Anti-aging is why patients come to see him, Astaphan said. They want to look younger, he said. Silverstein describes herself as a patient advocate. She blames lack of proper government oversight for the high number of customers coming to Silk Laser Centre with burns. The further south you go in Florida, its like the wild, wild west, Silverstein told SFGN. We have asked the state for help, but they simply dont have enough manpower. Silverstein said there needs to be more information dispensed on the practice of laser treatment, Botox and facial fillers. Weve heard so many stories from people who have come to us that have been burned at another place, Silverstein said. There are underground places in Wilton Manors where people have gotten burned. Cases of unlicensed Botox injections are out there too, Silverstein said. There are offices across South Florida where people are injecting Botox fillers and its not a sterile environment, Silverstein said. Often times patients are naive, Silverstein said, as to the practice of lasers and Botox in medicine. Howard Cunningham understands the injection process. Cunningham is a dentist with more than 30 years of experience in practice. He met with SFGN for lunch near his Fort Lauderdale office. Cunningham said there is no specific license for Botox and fillers injections. We are not licensed to provide this service in our profession, Cunningham said. Im a licensed dentist. Cunningham said patients are often intimidated away from Botox treatments. People are not quick to give a referral to a cosmetic place because they dont want to admit to having work done, Cunningham said. Cunningham grew up in New York. He is a gay man and father who received his education from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He describes himself as a science geek with an artistic element. After 30 years in dentistry, Cunningham says he still loves doing it. We do procedures, he said of Oakland Park Dental. We spend a lot of time advising on insurance, but we work on procedure and we do not diagnose a patient. Cunningham said women often try to enhance their lips and cheeks. To fight aging, men often seek to erase lines in their forehead, cheeks and brow line, Cunningham said. Botox has been prescribed to treat migraine headaches, Cunningham said, but a diagnosis from a neurologist is required first. What causes these lines in our face? Life, Cunningham responded. We internalize our stresses and hold it in. More Info: Silk Laser Centre www.silklasercentre.com 954-462-7455 924 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 Oakland Park Dental 954-566-9812 3047 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta released the names of 27 perceived gay and bisexual men reportedly executed without trial in Chechnya. Russias Kremlin has reacted to these claims. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressed the published list, saying We have taken note of the reports. Law enforcement and officials have denied that gay men are being killed in Chechnya, with a spokesperson once saying You cant detain and harass someone who doesnt exist in the republic. Peskov addressed this, stating We have similarly taken note of the denials of this information by Chechen law enforcement bodies. He closed his remarks by addressing the original source of the published names. The information is of an anonymous character. Its unclear what the source of this information is, he said. So this is all I can say for now. The reported executions were said to take place on the night of January 25 in Grozny, Chechnyas capital. The Gazeta first broke the story of gay and bisexual men being detained and persecuted and has been extensively covering the story since. They released the names of the 27 men to spark a sincere investigation. We are publishing these facts because the state represented by authorized law enforcement agencies did not leave us any choice, the publication wrote. That is why we publish the list of those who, according to our information, were victims of the worst possible extrajudicial executions in Grozny. Two-year-old pacing colt Plus One was the fastest of five first-time winners in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series held at Harrah's Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon (July 12). Tim Tetrick put the popular Somebeachsomewhere-Major Crush colt on the lead in their $20,000 division after the 28-second opener and rated a second panel to reach the half in :58 before picking up the pace again through three-quarters in 1:26.2 and sealing the deal with a :27.2 final frame with Yupper (Ponder-Real Nasty Miss) in pursuit. Plus One scored the 1:53.4 victory following a pair of close runner-up efforts over The Meadows. Bred by Diamond Creek Farm, the Bruce Riegle trainee was a $55,000 yearling purchase from the Lexington Select Sale and is owned by Peggy Carter, Chuck Grubbs, Neal Kresheck and Joseph Whitacre. . The win gave Tetrick a Stallion Series double as was also victorious in the first division with Joseph Jannuzzelli's homebred Iluvtomakemoney, who held off Go West Go Fast (Western Ideal-Female Champs) by a neck in 1:54.3. Mark Harder trains the gelding by Well Said out of millionairess Symphony In Motion. Grand Teton (A Rocknroll Dance-Western Montana) won at first asking in 1:55.1 by four lengths with Brett Miller driving for trainer Jimmy Takter. The Diamond Creek homebred is a half-brother to Dan Patch Award winner Pure Country. Also bred by Diamond Creek, Trajectory was a winner in his first career start in another division. After being parked through the :27.1 opening quarter, the 11-1 shot cleared to command and later held off favourite Heartbeat Hill (Somebeachsomewhere-Pretty Katherine) in 1:55 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. The Somebeachsomewhere colt is the first foal out of millionairess Ginger And Fred. He was a $140,000 yearling purchased from the Harrisburg Sale by Burke Racing Stable, Edwin Gold, Howard Taylor, and J And T Silva Stables. Closing from mid-field in another Stallion Series division, Beachjama (Somebeachsomewhere-Silk Pajamas) was victorious in 1:54.4 (:28.4) for driver Corey Callahan. Steve Elliott trains the Somebeachsomewhere-Silk Pajamas colt, who was a $75,000 Harrisburg acquisition for Marvin Rounick. In other action, the Nova Scotia-bred sophomore pacer Lawrencetown Beach debuted for new connections winning in a 15-1/2 length romp and establishing a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1 in his third career win. The Somebeachsomewhere Stakes runner-up was purchased privately last month by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable and Phillip Collura. Award-winning Filmmaker Warns that Suicide Rates Will Soon Explode Contact: Jen Thompson,800-437-1893,LOS ANGELES, July 12, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Experts report that suicide in the United States has already reached epidemic proportions, with more than 40,000 taking their lives each year. The rate for teens has tripled since the 1950s, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death among college students.Filmmaker Ray Comfort, whose movies have been seen by millions, expects that trend to only increase. He identifies two major restraints in American culture that have kept past generations from suicide, which are lacking in society today. "In the 1950s more than 98% of Americans believed in the existence of God, so comparatively few chose suicide because of their religious convictions that it is morally wrong," Comfort says. "The second restraint was that those who believed in God had purpose for existence and the hope of eternal life."Comfort notes that in recent years, more than ten million people have cast off the belief that they are morally accountable to God and that life has any meaning, which he attributes to a rise in atheism and belief in naturalistic evolution."Atheism not only offers freedom from moral responsibility, but it means that there is no restraint against suicide. Couple life's pains with a purposeless and hopeless worldview, and taking your life becomes a viable option."A study on suicide by The American Journal of Psychiatry confirms this perspective. It reports, "Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts...Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide."To combat this epidemic, Comfort has produced a new film called "EXIT: The Appeal of Suicide," which he hopes will make a difference in the lives of many. "'EXIT' is a unique film, because it answers the big questions that the secular experts can't answer, and at the same time offers hope to the hopeless." He's also written a small companion book, How to Battle Depression and Suicidal Thoughts, that presents inspiring truths through a fictional encounter with a suicidal man.The film's trailer and further details can be found at www.theEXITmovie.com For interviews contact: Jen Thompson jthompson@livingwaters.com NAPA, Calif., July 12, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- The National Abortion Federation (NAF), the industry trade group for abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood, dragged David Daleiden and his entire legal team into court yesterday, insisting that David and his criminal defense attorneys be held in contempt of court for the release of videos that were uploaded to a private website in May. NAF is seeking monetary damages, including reimbursement for time spent by NAF employees scouring the internet for "hostile" and "negative" comments directed at abortion providers. NAF also asked the court to take a number of other punitive steps, including forcing Life Legal to "disgorge" funds related to our efforts to raise money for David's legal defensemeaning NAF wants to put donor money in their bloodied pockets.While the hearing ultimately concerned David, Judge William Orrick questioned David's entire legal defense team, including Life Legal's Katie Short, about the posting of the May videos. The attorneys invoked the attorney-client privilege, which prohibits attorneys from divulging confidential communications with their clients. California law requires an attorney to maintain client confidentiality "at every peril to himself or herself." (BPC 6068(e)(1))David's criminal defense attorneys argued that David has the right to a vigorous defense against the felony charges he is currently facing. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a 15-count complaint, alleging that David illegally recorded conversations during which Planned Parenthood directors discussed the sale of baby body parts for profit. However, the conversations took place in public spaces where there would be no reasonable expectation of confidentiality.At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Orrick found David's criminal defense attorneys in contempt of his 2016 order prohibiting the release of videos related to National Abortion Federation conferences. He took under submission the question of whether David and the Center for Medical Progress will also be held in contempt. Judge Orrick will issue an order shortly awarding money damages to NAF, but he denied many of NAF's other punitive requests, including disgorgement of Life Legal donations."The National Abortion Federation did not present sufficient evidence that David was involved in the release of the enjoined videos," said Alexandra Snyder, Life Legal Defense Foundation Executive Director. "Derek Foran, lead attorney for NAF, said that the videos were released with the hashtag #PlannedParenthoodSellsBabyBodyParts. He called this a 'horrendous term.' I agree. The business of tearing babies apart and profiting from the sale of their parts is horrendous." Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the... Three victims of two Kelso home invasions testified Wednesday on the first day of a trial in which a 40-year-old transient is accused of robbing and assaulting them, including an instance in which a husband and wife were attacked with a crowbar in their bed. Joseph Lamont Edwards is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery with deadly weapon enhancements, three counts of first-degree burglary with deadly weapon enhancements and two counts of second-degree assault with deadly weapon enhancements. Jessica Collazo cried as she recounted the events of Oct. 28. Around 8:15 a.m., the Collazos said two women and one man, all masked, broke into their home in the 800 block of First Avenue North in Kelso. The three stole several items before the man attacked Collazo and her husband, Alexander, while they were lying in their bed with their 3-year-old daughter, according to court records. Both Collazo and her husband suffered head and body injuries. Alexander Collazo had large cuts on his head and body and was hit so hard by the crowbar that it actually split his skin open and made a stab-like wound in his back. Jessica Collazo complained of head injuries at the time, according to court records. During the trial, Collazo said she remembered consoling her husband and watched him slip in and out of consciousness. He was later sent to PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver due to the life-threatening nature of his injuries. Collazo said her husband was in the hospital for a month. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Ladouceur showed photographs to Collazo and the jury of Collazo, her husband, their injuries and their home and bedroom. Its the bedroom wall and theres blood all over it. It actually looked a lot worse. It was a lot more graphic, Collazo said. It took me three hours to clean it up. Collazo had identified one of the intruders as Mescha Johnson, who had lived at the Collazo residence at one time while she was homeless. Collazo said she had managed to pull Johnsons mask down during the invasion. Collazo also identified the man as Edwards, because she heard Johnson call him New York, an alias of Edwards. She also testified that she recognized his voice from previous meetings. Heather Delagasse, who lives across the street from the Collazos, testified that she was on her front porch and saw Johnson (then unmasked), another female and a man enter the Collazo home. She said the man appeared to have something up his sleeve and kept his arm straight. As it seemed suspicious, Delagasse went inside and called Alexander Collazo, but her call went unanswered. Minutes later, when she went back outside she saw Alexander Collazo stumbling around in the middle of the street, covered in blood and yelling for someone to call the police. The second home invasion happened at a Kelso home in the 400 block of 12th Avenue at around 3 a.m. about five hours before the invasion at the Collazo residence. Johnson knocked on the door of the Heather and Alexander Salzman residence. She claimed she had been sexually assaulted and needed a phone to call a friend. Several minutes later, another woman showed up, which Heather Salzman believed to be Johnsons friend, she testified Wednesday. Minutes later, two masked men, the taller of whom was wielding a crowbar, burst into the Salzmans home. The men began shouting, asking for a man named Michael and demanding $10,000. After Alexander Salzman, Heathers husband, kept insisting there was no Michael at the residence and they didnt have the money, the man with the crowbar pocketed Salzmans wallet and took both the Salzmans cellphones, according to the Salzmans and police testimony. According to testimony Wednesday, during both the home invasions, the man with the crowbar was wearing a mask, and only his eyes and mouth were visible. Edwards has gold or silver metallic dental work on his teeth. Defense attorney John Chambers said none of the three victims who testified Wednesday identified in their police statements that the man who broke into their homes had silver or gold teeth. He suggested that witnesses may have been influenced by media reports and photographs of Edwards. Some of the testimony youre going to hear, theres a difference in what theyre telling you now and what they actually told law enforcement in the beginning, Chambers said in opening arguments. I think thats very critical because when theyre really important factors, the truth is in the beginning. However, under prosecution questioning, all three witnesses noted seeing something metallic on the mans teeth. They said they did not write this detail down in their initial police reports because they either didnt think it was important at the time or were in shock from the attacks. In both the home invasions, the man with the crowbar wore clear vinyl-like gloves. Several of those gloves were found in and around both residences, as well as a pair in Johnsons car that had Edwards DNA on them, according to testimony Wednesday. Chambers challenged Johnsons credibility as a witness, calling her a thief and a liar during his opening statements. Chambers said Johnsons statements to police when she was arrested were one of the main reasons Edwards was later arrested in connection with the home invasions. Johnson and Edwards are in a legal dispute over their children. Chambers also said Johnson has a lot to gain from the trial. She already has pleaded guilty to her charges associated with the home invasions and will likely be sentenced within the next few weeks. The trial continues Thursday and is expected to conclude Friday. hidden If the Trump administration gets its way, U.S. citizens boarding international flights will have to submit to a face scan, a plan privacy advocates call a step toward a surveillance state. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it's the only way to successfully expand a program that tracks non-immigrant foreigners. They have been required by law since 2004 to submit to biometric identity scans, but to date have only had their fingerprints and photos collected prior to entry. Now, DHS says it's finally ready to implement face scans on departure, aimed mainly at better tracking visa overstays but also at tightening security. It says it won't keep the face scans of U.S. citizens, but privacy advocates are skeptical and say Homeland Security is overstepping its authority. "Congress authorized scans of foreign nationals. DHS heard that and decided to scan everyone. That's not how a democracy is supposed to work," said Alvaro Bedoya, executive director of the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University. Trials begun under the Obama administration are underway at six U.S. airports, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Kennedy Airport in New York City and Dulles in the Washington, D.C., area. DHS aims to have high-volume U.S. international airports engaged beginning next year. During the trials, passengers will be able to opt out. But a DHS assessment of the privacy impact indicates that won't always be the case. "The only way for an individual to ensure he or she is not subject to collection of biometric information when traveling internationally is to refrain from traveling," says the June 12 document on the website of Customs and Border Protection(CBP), which runs the DHS program. John Wagner, the Customs deputy executive assistant commissioner in charge of the program, confirmed in an interview that U.S. citizens departing on international flights will submit to face scans. Wagner says the agency has no plans to retain the biometric data of U.S. citizens and will delete all scans of them within 14 days. However, he doesn't rule out CBP keeping them in the future after going "through the appropriate privacy reviews and approvals." A CBP spokeswoman, Jennifer Gabris, said the agency has not yet examined whether what would require a law change. Privacy advocates say making the scans mandatory for U.S. citizens pushes the nation toward a Big Brother future of pervasive surveillance where local and state police and federal agencies, and even foreign governments, could leverage citizens collected "digital face prints" to track them wherever they go. Jay Stanley, an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) senior policy analyst, says U.S. law enforcement and security agencies already exert "sufficient gravitational pulls in wanting to record and track what masses of individuals are doing," he says. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said U.S. citizens should be able to opt out. "I intend to closely monitor this facial recognition program to ensure that Americans can say 'no' to be subject to facial recognition and that DHS and airlines are fully transparent with the public about their future plans," he said in an emailed statement. A network of government databases collects face scans from mug shots, driver's license, and other images. In an October report, the Georgetown center estimated more than one in four U.S. state and local law enforcement agencies can run or request face-recognition searches and federal agencies including the IRS have all had access to one or more state or local face recognition systems. Bedoya said the images of at least 130 million U.S. adults in 29 states are stored in face recognition databases. The FBI alone has more than 30 million photos in a single database, and New York state recently announced it would begin scanning the faces of drivers entering New York City bridges and tunnels.Another DHS initiative worrying privacy advocates is TSA's Precheck, the voluntary program designed to speed enrollees through airport security with more than 5 million enrollees. Participants are not being told the digital fingerprints and biographical data they submit for background checks when enrolling are retained in an FBI identity database for life, said Jeramie Scott, an attorney with the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a public-interest nonprofit. Since last month, trials that let enrollees use a digital fingerprint scanner to speed through TSA security are underway in Atlanta and Denver. EPIC worries not just about potential governmental abuse but also the vulnerability to hackers. In the 2015 breach of the federal Office of Personnel Management, 5.6 million sets of fingerprint images were stolen. The biometric exit endeavor will cost billions. That's partly because U.S. airports don't have dedicated secure immigration areas for departing international flights. Domestic and international passengers commingle in the same concourses. Currently, foreigners arriving in the U.S. submit to photo and digital fingerprint recording but there are no "exit" scans. U.S. citizens are subject to neither; their photos are digitally stored in a microchip in their passports with biographical data. In a written testimony to Congress in May, CBP said U.S. citizens leaving on international flights cannot be exempted from face scans because firstly, it's not practical to run separate boarding systems for citizens and non-citizens, and secondly, scanning U.S. citizens' passports will ensure they don't travel on a passport not their own. "This is a technologically advanced way to check identity as opposed to the 'analog' way it happens now," said DHS spokeswoman Jenny Burke. Face recognition technology is getting better, but is far from perfect, however. A smile recorded at the gate could, for example, trigger a mismatch when compared to a serious gaze in a passport photo. Even the most accurate systems fail 5 percent to 10 percent of the time, said Anil Jain, a Michigan State professor. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, New York, said such a failure rate would be "a non-starter" by slowing the boarding process. Congress last year approved up to $1 billion over the next decade collected from visa fees to get the program rolling technically. That won't cover the additional border agents needed for gate checks, for starters. DHS officials hope to defray costs through partnerships with airlines that are incorporating biometrics to boost efficiencies. Two airlines in the pilot program, Delta, and JetBlue, tout identity verification technology's convenience for other ends, Delta for speeding baggage handling, JetBlue for eliminating boarding passes. Both carriers say they will not retain customers' face scan files. CBP knows it won't have a full picture of who is overstaying visas until face scans are also done at U.S. land and sea borders. Such concerns shouldn't stop the government from moving ahead with the program and U.S. citizens have already sacrificed considerable privacy as the price of fighting terrorists, said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which promotes restrictions on immigration. He called it a "moral and security imperative." More than 700,000 overstayed their visas in the year ending Sept. 30. But Ben Ball, a biometrics consultant, and former DHS analyst, says the government hasn't yet addressed the thorniest questions. "This is still a theoretical system," he said. "We are the first country on earth to attempt a comprehensive biometric system and it's technically very complicated." Australia is among global pioneers in facial recognition for traveler processing. It is currently an option for bypassing manual immigration controls for arriving and departing international air travelers. Citizens from 15 nations including the United States are eligible. The European Union is also moving toward face scans and fingerprint collection but limited to third, country nationals crossing external borders. An agreement reached June 30 will now be submitted to the European Parliament. AP tech2 News Staff Facebook Messenger Lite launched in 2016 in other countries, has finally come to India. The app is less than 10 MB in size, and saves memory space, as against the standard app, which takes up more than 30 MB; both of your internal storage and the data to download the app. The features are more or less the same where one can send photos and links along with emojis. This app looks like the Facebook Messenger app, except that it has a white logo, unlike the blue one on the standard app. It also allows the user to receive and place calls as well. The light weight version becomes useful for markets and countries, which have lesser internet coverage as well as low data connectivity. The app should work well, especially in those areas where the only 2G networks are available. Since it had already been used in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, it was expected to arrive in India for quite some time now. This app currently works only on Android, and even on versions as old as Android Gingerbread. With close to 10 million downloads globally, it may soon catch up with the Indian crowd as it has already been rated 4.4 out of 5 on Google Playstore. According to earlier reports, Facebook was integrating the Messenger app into its desktop version, delivering the new messaging experience to the desktop users. hidden Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg toured a North Dakota drilling rig on Tuesday and peppered industry workers in the No. 2 U.S. oil-producing state with questions about automation, safety, and fracking. The visit to North Dakota, which pumps about 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, more than some OPEC members, is part of Zuckerberg's plan to tour all 50 states this year and learn about their local economies and communities. While Zuckerberg, 33, is a vocal supporter of renewable energy development, he said the visit gave him an opportunity to meet with those who rely on oil and natural gas production for their livelihood and oppose tighter regulation of the energy industry. "Many people I talked to here acknowledged (climate change), but also feel a sense of pride that their work contributes to serving real needs we all have every day, keeping our homes warm, getting to work, feeding us and more," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning. The Facebook co-founder flew his private jet into Williston, the de facto capital of the state's oil industry, and toured a nearby drilling rig operated by Nabors Industries Ltd and an oil well owned by Statoil ASA. Zuckerberg spent more than two hours with roughnecks on the drilling rig, asking about technology developments that have helped the U.S. shale industry in the past two years cut in half the time needed to drill a new oil well. Representatives for Nabors and Statoil were not immediately available to comment. In a picture accompanying the Facebook post, Zuckerberg can be seen wearing the oilfield uniform of fire-resistant coveralls and a hard hat. He is not wearing safety glasses or gloves but holds them in his left hand, a violation of rig safety rules. "Zuckerberg was extremely intrigued by all the technological developments in the oilfields," said Ron Ness, head of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, the industry trade group that arranged the tour with Facebook. Zuckerberg later held a community meeting to discuss education and housing. Politicians were not allowed to attend. The months-long delay of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which transports the state's Bakken crude oil, was also the main topic. "A number of people told me they had felt their livelihood was blocked by the government, but when (President Donald) Trump approved the pipeline, they felt a sense of hope again," Zuckerberg said. Reuters IANS In a fresh impetus to its artificial intelligence dreams, Google has acquired Bengaluru-based start-up Halli Labs. Halli, which means 'village' in Kannada, announced the news in a blog post which was later confirmed by Google. "Welcome @Pankaj and the team at @halli_labs to Google. Looking forward to building some cool stuff together," tweeted Google's Vice President, Product Managment, Caesar Sengupta on Wednesday. Welcome @Pankaj and the team at @halli_labs to Google. Looking forward to building some cool stuff together. https://t.co/wiBP1aQxE9 Caesar Sengupta (@caesars) July 12, 2017 Founded by Pankaj Gupta, the start-up is focused on building deep learning and machine learning systems."We are thrilled to share the news that the Halli Labs team is joining Google," the firm said in a blog post. "Halli Labs was founded with the goal of applying modern AI and ML techniques to old problems and domains in order to help technology enable people to do whatever it is that they want to do, easier and better," the post added. According to TechCrunch, Gupta is a data scientist with an interesting history that includes running recommendation and personalisation at Twitter, and a role as CTO at now-defunct Indian Airbnb rival Stayzilla, among other entrepreneurial ventures."Well, what better place than Google to help us achieve this goal. We will be joining Google's 'Next Billion Users' team to help get more technology and information into more people's hands around the world. We couldn't be more excited!" wrote the Halli Labs team. Halli Labs is applying modern machine learning (ML) techniques to old problems and domains to help technology march on in its timeless purpose,"that of giving superhuman powers to all of us humans in letting us do whatever we want to do, better". "We are excited that the Halli Labs team is joining Google. They'll be joining our team that is focused on building products that are designed for the next billion users coming online, particularly in India," Google said in a statement given to TechCrunch. Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab, reacting to a U.S. government move restricting its activities, said on Wednesday it had fallen victim to U.S.-Russia global sparring while the Kremlin criticized the U.S. action as politically-motivated. The Trump administration on Tuesday removed the Moscow-based firm from two lists of approved vendors used by government agencies to purchase technology equipment, amid concerns its products could be used by the Kremlin to gain entry into U.S. networks. "By all appearances, Kaspersky Lab happened to be dragged into a geopolitical fight where each side is trying to use the company as a pawn in its game," RIA news agency quoted the company's press service as saying. Company head Eugene Kaspersky has more than once proposed meeting U.S. government officials and has offered to testify before the U.S. Congress "to respond to all questions from the U.S. government that may arise", it was quoted as saying. Kaspersky products have been removed from the U.S. General Services Administration's list of vendors for contracts that cover information technology services and digital photographic equipment, an agency spokeswoman said in a statement. GSA's priorities "are to ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks", the spokeswoman said. Government agencies will still be able to use Kaspersky products purchased separately from the GSA contract process. The Kremlin said on Tuesday it regretted the U.S. move against Kaspersky Lab, adding: "We certainly believe that this is a politicized decision". "This is an absolutely commercial company which provides commercial services which are not only competitive but are super-competitive globally," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. Kaspersky's anti-virus software is popular in the United States and around the world, and the firm has been a leading player in the cyber security market for decades. "Russia as a state will continue to spare no effort to protect the interests of our companies abroad," Peskov said. U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns that Moscow might use the firm's products to attack American computer networks, a particularly sensitive issue given allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia hacked and leaked emails of Democratic Party political groups to interfere in the 2016 presidential election campaign. Russia denies the allegations. IANS Kolkata-based Srei Infrastructure Finance is currently exploring acquisition of Russian technology emerging from research at the frontiers of science and which will shape the future of computing and cyber security. A group of Srei officials visited the Russian Quantum Centre in Moscow on 13 July, 2017 to check out technological solutions based on the principles of quantum physics that could be put to industrial use in the coming years. In the background of recent cyber attacks that affected networks across the world, Srei is looking at purchase of quantum communication devices designed to protect crucial information and data against the upcoming threat posed by the development of quantum computing. Quantum computing, based on the ability of subatomic particles to exist in more than one state at any time, allows operations to be done much quicker using less energy than classical computers. However, the high cost and complexity of research, implies that industrial use of this exponentially more powerful computer is still some time away. "Quantum computing is limited to certain computation functions, one of which is to break cryptographic codes that makes it potentially a major weapon in the hands of hackers," Alexander Lvosky, who heads the project at the Russian Quantum Center (RQC), told IANS on the sidelines of a global conference on quantum technologies organised by RQC. He pointed out, for instance, that the value of bitcoins, which are based on classical computing, would be reduced to nothing as their security could be easily breached by the quantum computer. It is in Moscow that the RQC has worked at a pre-emptive level to develop quantum communications, or quantum cryptography, to secure systems against the threat posed by quantum computers. The classical blockchain technology, on which bitcoins are based for instance, permit quantum computers to falsify digital signatures, change programming and even allow network access to outsiders. Earlier this year, Russia announced the development of the world's first quantum blockchain which allows using a quantum cryptography and quantum data transfer system to protect databases from hacking. RQC says this device will be ready for industrial use by early next year. This technology creates special blocks which are signed by quantum keys, rather than traditional digital signatures, explained Alex Fedorov of RQC, who has developed the quantum cryptography device. The quantum keys are generated by a combining quantum key distribution (QKD) network, which guarantees the privacy of the key using the laws of physics. "In a network of quantum devices - the quantum secure blockchain - eavesdropping is outlawed by the laws of quantum physics," Fedorov said. The Quantum-secured blockchain works as a decentralised distributed database to protect against malicious modifications of things like cryptocurrencies and smart contracts. Transactions must be signed by initiators of the digital signature, while blocks are linked and secured by hash functions, he added. The technology has already been tested by the RQC in one of Russia's largest banks - Gazprombank, by creating a three-node quantum network between the branches of the bank in the Moscow region. RQC is now working to expand the capability to other Russian and international financial services organizations. Last month, Srei signed an MoU with Russia's Vnesheconombank to create a $200 million IT and Innovation Fund. This fund will enable Srei and Vnesheconombank to jointly explore investment opportunities in technology companies in Russia, India and other selected regions. tech2 News Staff Five days after what earlier reported as a breach of data from telecom major Jio owned by Mukesh Ambani, the Police has provided has finally shed more light on the same. The update comes just a day after the accused, who turned out to be a computer science dropout, was arrested where the Police told the Press Trust of India (PTI), that it was not a case of data theft but instead a case of "unauthorised access". Navi Mumbai deputy commissioner of police, Tushar Doshi clarified to PTI that it was not a case of data theft. Doshi explained that accused got access to the telecom operator's servers by using the back end, which is currently used by retailers to provide a recharge for Jio subscribers. He got hold of a user ID and password and he could manage to access this data, said Doshi referring to Imran Chippa a resident of Sujangarh town in Rajasthan. Using this User ID and password, Chippa gained access just like every other retailer out there, but also managed to pull out details like a RJio subscriber's name, email ID, SIM activation date, telecom circle and alternate number. All of this was accessible by entering an RJio number in the search command. Chippa told the police that he had made the website Magicapk as he wanted to provide Jio user data through his website. According to a report by The Indian Express, Chippa wanted to create a search engine. After getting access to the data, the accused "designed designed a software, which he used to transfer the data he had obtained from the application on to the website," said a senior police officer. "To operate the search engine, you would have to know either the name or phone number of a customer. And the most you could learn from search results was the region in which the customers phone was active," the officer told The Indian Express. As of now the police have yet to find out the software used to extract the data. Chippa will be brought to Navi Mumbai. What is surprising is that the accused had plans to add data from other telecom firms a well, but to everyone's luck had not figured out how to go about it. The case according to PTI is being probed jointly by the Navi Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra Cyber Cell. The police also recovered 50 SIM cards from Chippa, most of which Reliance Jio. He is currently being interrogated to ascertain the purpose for obtaining so many SIM cards. It will take some time to know Chippas modus operandi and the number of people involved in the data leak,the official said. Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. PTI Tech giant Microsoft has released an iPhone app, including in India, that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help the blind and visually impaired see the world around them like never before. The free Seeing AI app, can read out short snippets of text, describe people, identify products and currency denominations, and take a stab at identifying the objects in a persons surroundings. Using a smartphone camera or a pair of camera-equipped smart glasses, the app can identify things in your environment - people, objects, and even emotions - to provide important context for what is going on around you. It is a Microsoft research project that brings together the power of the cloud and AI to deliver an intelligent app, designed to help you navigate your day, Microsoft said in a statement yesterday. The project was demonstrated in March last year by Microsoft software engineer Saqib Shaikh. The app relies on the iPhone camera, backed by Microsofts machine-learning and image-recognition algorithms, the Seattle Times reported. The company did not say whether a version would be released for Android phones. Seeing AI takes its name from the Microsoft research project that developed the tool. The app is available in the US, Canada, India, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Seeing AI joins a small group of apps designed to help visually impaired people. Most others are aimed at a single task, like identifying a colour or reading text aloud. But Microsoft is not alone in tackling this problem. Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon are working on similar projects, CNET reported. This is also the latest project from Microsoft built using its artificial intelligence technology. tech2 News Staff While anticipations for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 are beginning to gather pace as we near its launch, latest reports suggest that the upcoming addition to the Samsung Galaxy Note series will take place on 23 August, instead of the earlier reported September launch. Samsung is yet to comment or confirm the date, however, a report by South Korean publication, The Investor confirms the date after speaking to a Samsung executive. The company executive told The Investor that a certain 'bigger-screen phone' will be unveiled later next month in New York, clearly pointing towards the Galaxy Note 8. Another report by The Bell also suggests that the 23 August launch date could be true, after stating a late-August launch, though an exact date was not cited. Samsung is usually known to launch its Note series of phablets at the IFA Berlin, early September and earlier reports had suggested that Samsung could stick to the trend. The new report, however, suggests that global sales are expected to take off in September with the launch happening earlier. The Bell also stated in the report that as per claims from their brokerage analysts, Samsung managed to sell just 9.8 million units of its Galaxy S8 in the first two months of the launch, which was close to 20 percent less than the 12 million units of the Samsung Galaxy S7 sold during the same period last year. This slowdown is cited to be one of the reasons for the early launch of the Galaxy Note 8. The flagship phablet by the South Korean manufacturer has been subjected to several leaks, where some suggests the device may come with an infinity display like the Galaxy S8 and S8+, while others hint at dual cameras at the back, in a bid to compete with arch-rivals Apple, ahead of their launch of the new iPhone series for 2018. The company is eager to change the perception of the Note series in the market after they were forced to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 owing to battery explosions. The company is eager to change the perception of the Note series in the market after they were forced to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 owing to battery explosions. Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Note FE (fan edition) which is essentially a refurbished Note 7 from last year but with a smaller battery and its new Bixby digital Assistant. Anti-Qatar bloc meets US envoy, but no breakthrough in sight US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is greeted by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir upon his arrival in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. AP, Dubai : U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrapped up talks with the king of Saudi Arabia and other officials from Arab countries lined up against Qatar on Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough in an increasingly entrenched dispute that has divided some of America's most important Mideast allies. The secretary of state's trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jiddah followed discussions the previous day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that ended with the signing of a counterterrorism pact. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and cut air, sea and land routes with it over a month ago, accusing Doha of supporting extremist groups. Qatar denies the allegations. The quartet has given no indication it would be willing to back off from its hard-nosed stance. Just hours before Tillerson's arrival in Jiddah, the four Arab states said the counterterrorism deal that Qatar signed with him on Tuesday was "not enough" to ease their concerns. Tillerson's visit to Saudi Arabia included talks with King Salman and his powerful son Mohammed bin Salman, who was recently elevated to the role of crown prince, placing him next in line to the throne. He also met with the foreign ministers of the four countries in the anti-Qatar bloc. Officials gave little indication of what was discussed, but Tillerson was likely to press the bloc to ease up on some of its demands after he secured the deal for Qatar to intensify its fight against terrorism and address shortfalls in policing terrorism funding. He is expected to travel back to Qatar on Thursday for more talks with the 37-year-old emir. The four anti-Qatar countries last month issued a tough 13-point list of demands that included shutting down Qatar's flagship Al-Jazeera network and other news outlets, cutting ties with Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting Qatar's ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the tiny Gulf country. Qatar has rejected the demands, saying that agreeing to them wholesale would undermine its sovereignty. The head of Qatar's government communication office, Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, has accused the quartet of organizing "a smear campaign in the international media to damage Qatar's reputation" and said they are "not interested in engaging in honest negotiations to resolve our differences." The anti-Qatar bloc took partial credit for the U.S. counterterrorism deal Qatar signed Tuesday, saying it was the result of "repeated pressures and demands" by the four countries and others, but that it failed to go far enough. While welcoming U.S.-led efforts to dry up terrorist funding, the four maintained a hard line that Qatar must meet their list of what they said were "fair and legitimate demands." "The quartet affirms that the measures they have taken were motivated by the continuous and diversified activities of the Qatari authorities in supporting, funding and harboring terrorism and terrorists, as well as promoting hateful and extremist rhetoric and interfering in the internal affairs of states," they said in a joint statement. KHULNA: Locals at Daulatpur arranged a press conference demanding trial of BL College students Abdullah Al Faisal\'s murder on Tuesday. The exact timing of voluntary movements Life Desk : Almost all our activities such as walking, talking, or drinking coffee are completely dependent on accurate timing when activating many muscles at once. The prevailing theory has been that the exact timing of this type of movement is not voluntarily controlled, and the timing has therefore been assumed to be fully automated when learning movements. However, researchers at Lund University in Sweden now argue that this may be wrong. A new study shows that people are fully capable of controlling their blinking with a time precision that was previously believed not to be possible. 'The fact that the movements can be controlled at will also shows that the cerebral cortex, perhaps through cooperation with the cerebellum, can play an important role in terms of timing.' It has long been known that both animals and humans, through a type of learning known as eyeblink conditioning, can learn to blink in response to a tone with a precision of some tens of milliseconds. Previous studies have shown that eyeblink conditioning is dependent on the cerebellum and, so far, it has been assumed that the precise timing is completely automatic. When researchers Anders Rasmussen and Dan-Anders Jirenhed performed laboratory studies as part of their teaching at the medical programme at Lund University, they discovered that the theory was incorrect in practice. Rasmussen and Jirenhed tested 21 medical students at Lund University and could see that the students were able to control the exact timing of their blinking with unexpected accuracy. The researchers' results, now published in Scientific Reports, question whether previous studies on human eyeblink conditioning have, in fact, studied purely automated learning or if the test subjects also voluntarily controlled their their blinking. "Our results are an important step in understanding how the human brain can control the timing of our movements - and to what extent we can influence them at will", says Anders Rasmussen. "This type of study can help us understand how different parts of the brain work together to generate precisely timed movements. This, in turn, can lead to a better understanding of diagnoses which are believed to be related to the brain's timing mechanisms, such as ADHD. Studies like this can also lead to insights on how to train to become even better at timing our movements", says Dan-Anders Jirenhed. Source: Eurekalert CDA mobile court drive starts again Mahbubul Alam, President, Chittgaong Chamber of Commerce and Industry speaking at a view exchange meeting with Singapore Business Federation in Chittgaong yesterday. Chittagong bureau : The drives of the mobile court of Chittagong Development Authority have again enforced recently after a short gap . Sources said, the actions of mobile court against the illegal constructions and use of buildings remain suspended in Chittagong since last month due to a shortage of magistrates. In the current year, new magistrates are yet to join the CDA. As a result, the mobile court of CDA was not in action. But a drive of mobile court in their regular routine , again conducted raid in Kulsihi area on Wednesday where six guest houses prohibited to run their business in the residential areas. . Sources said earlier , CDA magistrate Khin Wan Nue conducted mobile courts joined at CDA in 2015 last and he has been transferred to Lama Upazila of Bandarban Hill District as Upazila Nirbahi Officer on October 5 last. In absence of the magistrate CDA cannot continue action and mobile court against the illegal constructions and use of buildings has been suspended since October last year. Sources said there are huge incidents of violating the law of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) for constructing buildings here in the port city. The building owners are using their buildings commercially which are situated at residential areas. CDA was continuing the mobile court and eviction drive to evict the commercial establishments situated at residential areas illegally. Sources said CDA has started eviction drive against the commercial building in the residential area in the port city from the beginning of the September last. Despite the drives of CDA, the influential quarters are out of touch of the mobile courts or CDA drives till now. Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Garth Brooks is taking his World Tour with wife Trisha Yearwood to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Theyll play Denny Sanford Premier Center on Saturday, September 16. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 21. The countdown is on to this years CMA Awards. The nomination round of ballots went out to CMA members this Monday. The 2017 show will be held November 8 at Nashvilles Bridgestone Arena. A bill just passed by the House of Representatives would name the post office in Bakersfield, California after Merle Haggard. The matter now goes to the Senate for a vote. Presentation of Franco-German Jute Project Sheikh Arif Bulbon : Sophie Aubert, The French Ambassador to Bangladesh and Dr Thomas Prinz, the German Ambassador to Bangladesh co-hosted the Presentation of a Franco-German Jute Project organised jointly by Alliance Francaise de Dhaka and Goethe-Institut Bangladesh at the new Franco-German embassy premises on July 10. Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Government of Bangladesh graced the occasion as chief guest. The Franco-German cultural project: Jute and Composite, Tradition and Innovation was design jointly by Alliance Francaise de Dhaka and Goethe-Institut Bangladesh in order to develop innovative solutions to support new way of using historically significant jute fibre in Bangladesh. With the support of Bangladesh- based NGO JuteLab, a design competition was opened to call for creative furniture designs made of jute. The project started in July 2016, offering students of architecture or fine arts, young artists and architects to submit a design proposal for a piece of furniture implementing the innovative jute composite resin transfer moulding process developed by Jute Lab (Gold of Bengal) in Atroshi. Eight finalists were selected and winners were invited for a one-week training under the guidance of French professional designer Antoine Gripay, design manager and founder of studio Katra. Two teams were formed to work together on two different projects, from design development to prototype production. By using jute fibre composite and taking inspiration from Bangladeshi culture, they developed an armchair and side tables. The prototypes will be presented during the session. n Todays Events Discussion Bangladesh Youth Forum organises a discussion on 'Entire country under killing, repression and kidnapping: Bangladesh in which way?' in Sagor-Runi auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city's Segunbagicha at 10:30 am. Meeting The annual general meeting of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee will be held at Shri Shri Dhakeshwari National Temple in the city at 11am. Discussion National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways organises a discussion on 'Importance of Water Transport System in the reality of Bangladesh' in Progati Conference Room of Muktibhaban in the city's Purana Palton at 11 am. Memorial meet 'Save The Road' organises a memorial meeting on the students who were killed in Mirsarai tragedy in the auditorium of Bangladesh Photojournalists Association in the city at 4 pm. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim visited Muktamoni affected with rare disease at Burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on Thursday. Scrutiny of supplementary budget Dr. Muhammad Abdul Mazid : The Supplimentary Budget for the FY 2016-17 and the new Budget for FY 2017-18 has already been accepted in the Parliament. According to the existing norms, legislative rules and procedure, the Supplimentary Budget will be cleared within a week after it is placed and the Proposed Budget will be passed by Parliament by June 30 for the 'assent' of the Honble President of the Republic. Constitutionally Bangladesh budget is a document that should be recommended by the President for placing before the parliament and finally it must have his assent. In particular, the placing of Supplimentary Budget and its passage has got a very specific provision like , "91. If in respect of any financial year it is found - (a) that the amount authorised to be expended for a particular service for the current financial year is insufficient or that a need has arisen for expenditure upon some new service not included in the annual financial statement for that year; or (b) that any money has been spent on a service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service for that year; the President shall have power to authorise expenditure from the Consolidated Fund whether or not it is charged by or under the Constitution upon that Fund and shall cause to be laid before Parliament a supplementary financial statement setting out the estimated amount of the expenditure or, as the case may be, an excess financial statement setting out the amount of the excess, and the provisions of articles 87 to 90 shall (with the necessary adaptations) apply in relation to those statements as they apply in relation to the annual financial statement." And in line with the quoted constitutional spirit, the Rules of Procedure of the Bangladesh Parliament has the provisions like "123. Supplementary, excess and exceptional grants and votes of credit Supplementary, excess and exceptional grants and votes of credit shall be regulated by the same procedure as is applicable in the case of demands for grants subject to such adaptations, whether by way of modification, addition or omission, as the Speaker may deem necessary or expedient. 124.Scope of discussion on supplementary grants The debate on the supplementary grants shall be confined to the items constituting the same and no discussion may be raised on the original grants nor policy underlying them save in so far as it may be necessary to explain or illustrate the particular items under discussion." Under this guidance nation seldom see any detailed discussion or debate on the Supplementary Budget placed in the parliament. It is cleared by the legislature mostly within next week of its placement. Traditionally in this part of our world Budget are prepared by Ministry of Finance , endorsed by Parliament without significant scrutiny ,implemented by different ministries and agencies of the government with not much adherence as it was not proposed by them and again Parliament accept the Supplementary Budget in a smooth way. Budget, apart from an outline of strategic plan and roadmap for development and non development fiscal measures, is a fundamental memorandum of understanding both side between the citizen and the government and both are legally bound to each other for its proper implementation. Both the government and citizens are represented in the Parliament by the elected representatives , so the representatives are highly expected to have active participation in the budget making, passing and overseeing its implementation. In this context , the provision for insignificant ( if not nothing) power to review authorizing supplementary grants should not be seen as a simple affairs . The provision that 'President shall have power to authorise expenditure from the Consolidated Fund whether or not it is charged by or under the Constitution upon that Fund ' (91 b), might not go well with the provisions that Parliament must authorize and approve even extra demand and expenditure under the Parliamentary form of government. While shifting from Presidential to Parliamentary form of government in 1991 , perhaps this particular provision ( 91 b) was not touched upon for necessary amendment. If parliament has a very limited role to review the Supplementary budget proposals then how it could pass on its responsibility to review public fund management? Bangladesh Constitution has a clear condition that "83. No tax shall be levied or collected except by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament." So parliament must endorse the new or revisions made in the tax policies during the current financial year other than which were passed by the parliament while adopting the Finance Bill. In the current budget (2017-18) the revenue collection target has indeed been ambitious since it was more than 34 percent higher than that of the previous financial year(2016-17) ). Corporate Tax rates were reduced, new tax exemptions were awarded to some sectors , minimum taxable income ceiling were not raised though tax slabes have been raised to a new level, in this context with not so many new measures this time NBR faced heavy challenge is to achieve a growth of 30. The ratio of contribution from non NBR revenues has been decreased enormously during last two financial years, it gave a soft target this year too. Non NBR revenues are to coming from public sector corporation service organization and enterprises running commercially. More accountability to be ensured in the SoEs financial functionaries. As they have eaten up most of the foreign aid money for their development, they must pay back to the government in terms of SLA repayment. Effective initiatives are to be taken to make direct tax as the principal source of revenue with a view to ensuring socio-economic development and a society based on equity and justice through removing social disparity. Such initiatives are to be implementable to bring about a principle of equity in overall economic landscape. In the proposed budget, along with enhancing investment and employment opportunities multifarious initiatives are to be pronounced to widen tax net. Stocktaking of implementation of initiatives announced earlier Fys are to be evaluated . It may not be perceived as good dividend. Bangladesh tax system is needed to be a reflection of our socio `economic and cultural values rather than the values of the decision maker .. To create a system of taxation, a nation must make choices regarding the distribution of the tax burden-who will pay taxes and how much they will pay-and how the taxes collected will be spent. In democratic nations where the public elects those in charge of establishing the tax system, these choices reflect the type of community that the public wishes to create. In countries where the public does not have a significant amount of influence over the system of taxation, that system may be more of a reflection on the values of those in power to enact law or to enforce collection . [ Dr. Muhammad Abdul Mazid is former Secretary and former Chairman of NBR] Mysterious disease in Sitakund hills MEDIA reports said nine children died of an undiagnosed disease in a remote Sitakund hilly area of Chittagong in the past four days. Meanwhile more children were admitted to hospital where doctors are at a fix to decide a fair treatment. Affected children aged 2-10 years suffered from fever coupled with breathing problem, vomiting, rash, diarrhea and blood in stool. But Pathologists and Physicians are in the dark about the nature of the diseases while the unknown disease is taking life of children. It has emerged in a village inhabited by Tripura tribe and spreading. Naturally panic has spread in the area and beyond as physicians are pondering what this disease is and what remedial treatment can save children's life. It needs laboratory diagnosis and clinical opinion to develop treatment. It goes without saying that the Health Ministry must immediately come forward to take the disease seriously and find out the cause. It should involve all possible resources and expert manpower to find the root cause of the disease. If necessary we should seek help from the World Health Organization to know the diseases and its treatment. It is important to know whether it an epidemic or a viral disease. Many also fear whether the disease has any connection with tribal life style, food and drink or it is a new phenomenon arising out of environmental changes. Such combination of symptoms was never seen before and so the panic is causing tension all over in the area and in greater Chittagong region. The affected area in Tripura Para is at a small distance from Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Children died in the village from the unknown disease as parents looked on without knowing what has really happened with their children. Meanwhile 34 more people were admitted to Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases and Chittagong Medical College Hospital for treatment. They are given treatment based on symptoms when doctors have no prior knowledge about the disease. Chittagong Civil Surgeon said they recovered the affected children from their homes and sent to the hospitals. Upazila Health Office got the information on Wednesday, but nine children were already dead. It is heartening that a team of doctors from Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has already visited the area and collected valuable information about the diseases. The disease is mysterious, as no adult has been found affected so far. It has hit the hill people when the outbreak of Chikunguniya fever has hit the capital. It appears that Health Officials have taken prompt action to check the spread of the disease in the hills but Chikunguniya continues its havoc. We suggest proper diagnosis and treatment must be found for the mysterious disease while more need to be done to check Chikunguniya from spreading across the country. It seems to be a big challenge to public health. Flood victims need food, water and medicines 3 drowned: Flood situation worsens: Serious river erosion devours houses, land, roads The old embankment in Chandonbaisha area under Sariakandi Upazila of Bogra district washed away by heavy current of waters at Jamuna River, creating panic among the people. This photo was taken on Thursday. Staff Reporter : Heavy rains added to the misery of marooned people in the north and northeast regions. Many victims were passing their days without any substantial assistance from any quarters while more areas went under water, it is alleged. Meanwhile, at least three people drowned in the floodwaters in Sadar and Chilmari upazilas of Kurigram early Thursday. Laily Begum, 22, wife of Saidur Rahman of Shahkahat village in Chilmari, Hamidul Haque, 17, son of Panir Uddin of Khamar Halokhana village in Sadar upazila and Siddque, 7, drowned in the floodwaters. "Flood destroyed everything here. We are still passing our days in great misery with our belongings including domestic animals and poultry birds for want of shelter, food and drinking water. However, no relief from government or non-government has reached us," Akbar Ali, 65, villager of Islampur Upazila in Jamalpur district told journalists. Rain overflowed the rivers sweeping away roads, houses and other establishments including educational institutions. The flood-hit people, who took shelter on the flood control embankments or in school and college buildings, are facing acute crisis of food and pure drinking water. While some villagers have been evacuated from the flood-hit areas many others are still stranded. The river erosion and stagnant floodwater destroyed hectares of the farmers' croplands, engulfed innumerable houses of the people. Thousands of hectares of croplands have been transplanted and remained submerged, causing misfortune to innumerable farmers and commoners. Besides, the sufferings of poultry birds and domestic animals know no bound. As fodder crisis is prevailing there, villagers are failing to feed their domestic livestock. The marooned people are also passing their days in great anxiety, as they have to keep their respective areas under watch at night to save their livestock and other assets from robbery. Apart from these, most of the tube wells in flood-affected areas went under water causing pure drinking water crisis. People living in remote areas on Thursday alleged that the government and non-government relief materials have not reached there yet. Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in the country's north and northeast districts is worsening as rivers in the region continue to swell due to heavy rainfall paired by water flowing down from the upstream hilly areas. Many low-lying areas of the affected districts including Jamalpur, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Bogra, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj, Tangail, Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar have remained submersed. Besides, vast low-lying area in Munshiganj, Manikganj, Chandpur, Shariatpur and Bhola districts are expected to go under water as flood situation continue to deteriorate. The sudden decrease in water flow at Teesta and Dharala basins triggered serious river erosion in many areas of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts. On Thursday, five schools buildings were washed away by the Brahmaputra River, and 18 others remained at risk in Kurigram. Teesta and Dharala rivers devoured some 63 houses in Lalmonirhat. In Kurigram, the overall flood situation of the district has worsened further as the Brahmaputra was flowing 37 cm above the danger level at Chilmari point while the Dharala 18 cm above the danger mark at the Bridge point. The water level of Dudhkumar has increased by 4 cm while the flow of the Teesta has decreased by 14 cm. The two rivers were flowing slightly below the danger level. In the last 24 hours on Thursday, 15 villages went under water in the district and 325 villages at 405 chars have remained submerged, leaving two lakh people marooned by floodwaters. Executive magistrate Enamul Haque, acting officer of District Relief and Rehabilitation office, said some 300 tonnes of rice, Tk 8.25 lakh in cash, and 2,000 packets dry foods were allocated for the flood-affected people of nine upazilas in the district. Trump in Paris with Russia scandal in tow US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive aboard Air Force One at Orly airport near Paris. AFP : France rolled out the red carpet to welcome Donald Trump on Thursday on a presidential visit laden with military pomp that the White House hopes will offer respite from a growing scandal back home. The US president's brief 24-hour trip to the French capital coincides with celebrations for Bastille Day, France's national day which is marked on Friday, and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the 71-year-old stepped onto French soil for the first time as president hoping the visit will distract from weighty allegations that his family and inner circle colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election. The scandal has put his son and top aides in legal jeopardy, cast a pall over his efforts to remake the political agenda and may yet imperil his presidency. During the brief visit, Trump-who sees himself as a transformative figure in US history-will be the guest of honour for Friday's Bastille Day festivities that mark a pivotal point in the French Revolution. This year's event-featuring 63 planes, 29 helicopters, 241 horses and 3,720 soldiers-also coincides with the centenary of America entering World War I. More than 50,000 Americans died in what then-president Woodrow Wilson described as the "war to end all wars," a conflict that forged the trans-Atlantic alliance in steel. On the eve of the parade, Trump will visit Napoleon's tomb, hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and share a Michelin-starred dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on joint efforts to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. Macron, 39, is hoping to use the weight of history and French grandeur to charm the unpredictable Trump. But it remains to be seen whether the all the frills and delicate cuisine of acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse will woo this steak-and-ketchup president. Trump may struggle to stop his mind wondering back to explosive emails in which his oldest son Donald Trump junior appeared to embrace the offer of dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russian interlocutors. Shortly before leaving Washington, he had to parry criticisms that his administration was in disarray and his legislative agenda on the rocks. "The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V." he tweeted In London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, European leaders are wondering how best to handle the US president, whose nationalist "America First" agenda has upended transatlantic relations. There are already tensions over climate change and trade, while Trump was openly critical of the EU last year and snubbed a handshake with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their first meeting in March. "The Western world is fracturing since the American election," Macron said in an interview with regional newspaper Ouest-France published on Thursday. Trump and Macron appear to have little in common, with their views at odds on everything from globalisation to immigration. Macron was even described as the "anti-Trump" during his run for the French presidency this year and is half the US president's age. "It's very difficult to play chess with a man whose strategy is a complete mystery and whose only consistency is his pursuit of American national interest," foreign affairs expert Bertrand Badie of Sciences Po university in Paris told AFP. "To imagine that you might change his mind on something is simply mad." Macron also told Ouest-France that Paris and Washington had "an essential point of convergence: fighting terrorism and protecting our vital interests". However, he also lamented "a protectionist tendency (which) has resurfaced in the United States". "I want to defend free and fair trade," he added. Sources at the White House and in the French presidency insist ties are healthy even after a muscular handshake seen as a battle of wills between the two of them when they first met at a NATO summit in May. "The relationship is excellent," said one member of Macron's team. Objections against Trump's visit to France have so far been muted, with the government insisting on the need to build bridges with the White House and avoid Trump becoming isolated internationally. "What Emmanuel Macron wants to do is to bring him into the circle, include him in discussions," government spokesman Christophe Castaner said Thursday. Shafat, 4 others indicted Court Correspondent : The Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 of Dhaka on Thursday framed charges against Shafat Ahmed,26, and four others in a case filed for raping two private university girls in a Banani hotel in the capital on March 28. Judge Shafiul Azam of the tribunal indicted the five accused yesterday and fixed July 24 to start the trial of the case with recording the depositions of the witnesses. Of the accused, Shafat and Nayeem Ashraf, 30, were charged with raping the two girl students, while Shadman Shakif, 24, Shafat's driver Billal Hossain, 26, and his bodyguard Rahmat Ali for abetting in the crime. Earlier on June 7, Ismat Ara, Inspector of Women Support and Investigation Centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted the charge-sheet in the court. The five accused persons are behind the bar. Of them, Shafat, Nayeem, Sakif and Billal made confession in different magistrate courts admitting their involvement in the incident. According to the case statement, on March 28, accused Shafat Ahmed and his friend Nayeem raped the two females at a so-called birthday party in the Raintree Hotel at Banani, while three others assisted them. Later, on May 6, one of the two victims filed the rape case against the accused with Banani Police Station. Multifabs disaster Probe identifies 7 reasons for boiler explosion An inquiry opened over the fatal boiler blast in a Bangladesh apparel factory has identified seven reasons behind the disaster. Thirteen people died and at least 40 were injured when the boiler of the Multifabs factory's dyeing section exploded. The Jul 3 blast in the district of Gazipur tore down the walls of two floors of the four-storey factory building. The district administration and the fire service opened separate probes over the incident. On Thursday, the local administration chief revealed the findings of its probe. Gazipur's Deputy Commissioner Humayun Kabir told the media that they have identified seven factors that led one of the two boilers of the factory to explode. He said, a broken pressure gauge and negligence of operators as well as structural faults are responsible for the blast. Kabir said, the probe body recommended 20 suggestions to avoid future disasters, including updating the existing 1923 law for boilers. The eight-member probe led by a magistrate recorded testimonies of 29 witnesses, he added. Quoting the findings of the probe, Kabir said the factory had two boilers. The five-tonne capacity boiler exploded causing minor damage to the 10-tonne one. Lankan President pays respect to Lib War martyrs Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena being received by President Abdul Hamid at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on his arrival on Thursday. PID photo UNB, Savar : Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday paid respect to the Liberation War martyrs at the National Martyr's Memorial here. Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq and General Commanding Officer, 9th infantry division received the Sri Lankan President on his arrival at the National Martyr's Memorial at 3:40pm. President Sirisena attended a ceremony and signed the visitor's book and planted a sapling there after placing wreaths. The Sri Lankan President visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Dhanmondi in the city in the afternoon.Prime Minister's family member Saima W Hossain, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and CEO of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust Mashura Hossain received the Lankan President at the museum. President Sirisena placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu and stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of respect to the founder of Bangladesh and visited the museum and signed the visitor's book there. He went round the museum accompanied by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's granddaughter Saima Wazed. Sirisena arrived here on Thursday morning on a three-day state visit to Bangladesh, highlighting the growing ties between the two countries. A Sri Lankan Airlines flight carrying President Sirisena and his 73-member entourage comprising ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers and business community members landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:25am. President Abdul Hamid welcomed the Sri Lankan President at the airport amid gun salute and guard of honour. Upon arrival, the Lankan President was escorted to his place of residence-Sonargaon Hotel-in a ceremonial motorcade. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold official talks with Sri Lankan President Sirisena at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday morning with a special focus on trade and investment. Before the official talks, they will have tete-a-tete at the same venue from 10am Friday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Wednesday said over 10 agreements and MoUs are expected to be signed between the two countries after the official talks. The Sri Lankan President will meet President Abdul Hamid this evening. The President will also host State banquet in honour of the Sri Lankan President at the Darbar Hall, Bangabhaban preceded by a cultural programme. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Opposition Leader in Parliament Raushan Ershad and Health Minister Mohammed Nasim will, among others, meet the Sri Lankan President. Sirisena will address an economic dialogue on Saturday morning to be attended by Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan business representatives. He is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 1 pm on Saturday by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight wrapping up his three-day visit. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will see him off at the airport. This is Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since he was elected Sri Lankan President in 2015. He visited Bangladesh in 2013 and 2014 as Sri Lankan Health Minister. `Mazhar should hold press confce` Staff Reporter : Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque on Thursday said that poet, columnist and stance critic of the government Farhad Mazhar was not abducted, rather he left his city residence and came back on his own will. Meanwhile, some civil society members suggested that Mazhar or his wife should hold a press conference immediately and talk to the journalists. We are hearing from the government which is one sided. We would be clear if Mazhar or any of his family members holds a press conference and put opinion on the latest updates, they opined. However, the IGP said, "Based on the information after primary investigation, it is found that Farhad Mazhar was not actually abducted. He left his residence and came back on his own will." He added, "Police could not know how Mazhar went to Khulna. They believe that his abduction drama was staged to embarrass the government and make some money for his so called girl friend." The event is held amid renewed speculation over the court testimony provided by one Archana Rani, a former employee and follower of Farhad Mazhar, who suggested he staged his own abduction to get money for her, the IGP said. Mazhar talked ten times with his wife Farida Akhter through a mobile phone number. He also contacted six times with Archana Rani through another phone number from 5:29am to 7:28pm on July 3, the day he reportedly went missing. A message also received by Mazhar from the same number. "Analysing the collected information, CCTV footage and crime scene, we have found that he was not abducted. So he went missing willingly to collect money," he said. "We are guessing that he staged his abduction drama to embarrass the government and to make some money. He also most probably left the residence early morning to dodge the family members for providing money to the Archana Rani as part of the good relation or love affairs. Even the woman gave confessional statement before a Dhaka court in this regard," the police chief said. He also criticized some right leaning leaders, including Dr Zaforullaha Choudhury and Mazhar's daughter, for their statements at home and abroad. Responding to a query on whether police have any idea as to how Farhad Mazhar left Dhaka, the IGP said: "We think he left Dhaka in a bus. Police set up check posts in all the districts where his location was traced and all the microbuses were checked. But we did not find him in any of those." Replying to another query about whether Mazhar was carrying a bag or not, he said the columnist had admitted to carrying a bag with him during his statement under Section 164 before a court. He also added that they will scrutinise whether Mazhar had lied, and if found, necessary actions as per law will be taken against him. Meanwhile, court and police sources said a former female employee of Farhad Mazhar's NGO in a judicial statement on July 10 said Mazhar contacted her several times on July 3, the day he reportedly went missing from residence. She said the writer gave her Tk 15,000 through a mobile banking platform around 7:00pm that day, they said. According to her statement, the writer on July 3 called her five to six times and she phoned him two to three times. Around 6:20am, Farhad told the woman that he was on his way to collect money for her. "At around 11:00am, I phoned him and wanted to know whether he had been abducted. He told me that he was alright." She also said she joined Farhad's organisation UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative) between 2006 and 2007. She got acquainted with the writer when she was posted in Cox's Bazar. She left the NGO in 2009. However, she said Farhad Mazher used to give her Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 a month depending on her need and that in April, she asked the writer to give her money. On July 4, Farhad in a judicial statement before another magistrate said several unidentified men forced him into a microbus and blindfolded him minutes after he came out of his city's Shayamoli house. Farhad Mazhar says he was latest target The guardian : A Bangladesh government critic who alleges he was the latest in a wave of activists and opposition figures to be abducted says he will not be silenced by the ordeal and will continue to campaign against human rights abuses. Farhad Mazhar, a poet and social activist, claims he was forced into a minibus by three men while walking near his home in Dhaka last week. He was found about 16 hours later in a town more than 120 miles (200km) from the Bangladesh capital. News that Mazhar had gone missing was widely reported last Monday amid growing international concern, including from the United Nations, about the number of forced disappearances in Bangladesh, which human rights groups say are mostly perpetrated by the country's security services. His interview with the Guardian from his hospital bed in Dhaka is the first time an alleged abductee in Bangladesh has spoken publicly to domestic or foreign media. "They used some harsh language, took away my mobile and blindfolded me," he recalled. "They used their knees to keep me pinned down on the floor of the minibus." As the clamour over his disappearance grew, police announced they had found Mazhar, 69, aboard a bus near Khulna, a regional city about eight hours' drive from Dhaka. He has spent the past week recuperating in hospital under police guard. Odhikar, a Dhaka-based human rights group, estimates about 223 people have been forcibly disappeared in Bangladesh in the past three years. About 18 have been released, but none have spoken on the record about their ordeal. The silence often extends to the families of the disappeared, including the 31 who have been found dead since July 2014. "Families are scared to talk about it because other members of the family may suffer the consequences," said Adilur Rahman Khan, a supreme court advocate and the secretary of Odhikar. Mazhar said on Wednesday he was unsure who had allegedly abducted him from a street near his home at about 5am last week. "That morning I had had problems with my eyes and so I left my home to buy medicine," he said. "Suddenly three men appeared on the sidewalk and they pushed me inside a white minibus." He said he managed to fish his mobile from his pocket and call his wife. "It was a short call. I whispered: 'They are taking me away, they will kill me.' I spoke to her for just a few seconds before they noticed it," he said. The men blindfolded Mazhar and took his phone, he said. Believing if he called his wife again, police could track his location, he offered to pay the men a ransom to release him. "They gave me the mobile and I spoke to my wife a few times on the issue," he said. "The bus kept travelling for hours. They abused me, throwing foul language at me sometimes. They also slapped me," he said. "Around 10 or 12 hours later, the men said they would release me. They took off the blindfold and dropped me at a secluded place when it was a little dark. "They gave me a bus ticket and asked me to take the bus from Khulna city to go back to Dhaka. I walked some distance and reached a market in Khulna, where I had some food before boarding the bus at 9.15 pm," he said. Mazhar says he has no idea who was responsible for his kidnapping. "My abductors were in plain clothes. I don't know who they were or which group they belonged to," he said. "I made several phone calls to my wife while I was captive. Police could locate my position from my calls after the microbus left Dhaka, I found out later. I am surprised why police could not intercept the microbus well before it reached Khulna." Mazhar said he was still experiencing "heavy trauma" and would need time to recover. "But I am not afraid to reveal what happened to me," he said. "People become mysteriously silent after they emerge alive from enforced disappearances. When I return to work I will begin working on this issue. We have to end this culture of enforced disappearances." Police in Dhaka are investigating the case but officers have told local media they are sceptical of Mazhar's account. One official told the Daily Star on Wednesday: "We did not find any evidence that he went to Khulna on a microbus." Human Rights Watch released a report last week alleging the Bangladesh government had secretly detained hundreds of people, mostly activists and political figures opposed to the ruling Awami League government. The New York-based watchdog said at least 90 people had been detained in secret jails last year. Most were eventually produced before a court, but it documented 21 cases of detainees who were killed, and nine others whose whereabouts are still unknown. "In all but a handful of cases that we investigated, police refused to accept complaints that the person had been illegally detained by law enforcement authorities," said Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW's south Asia director. The Bangladesh home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, rejected the report's finding, arguing the detentions it detailed had been lawful, and accusing HRW of spreading "propaganda". "Since Bangladesh's inception they are trying to spread a negative propaganda which has no similarity with the reality," he told Agence France-Presse. ICT-1 Chairman Anwarul Haque passes away UNB, Dhaka : Chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 Justice Anwarul Haque died at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) here on Thursday. He was 61. Justice Anwarul who had been suffering from cancer breathed his last at the hospital around 5:30pm, said ICT registrar Shahidul Alam Jhinuk. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha expressed his deep shock at the death the ICT chairman. His first namaj-e-janaza will be held on the Supreme Court premises today. Justice Anwarul, son of late AKM Zahirul Haq and late Razia Khatoon, was born in a respectable Muslim family of Munshiganj in 1956. He joined the Bangladesh Judicial Service on 1 December 1981 as Munsif [Assistant Judge]. Justice Anwarul was elevated to Additional Judge of the High Court Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court on December 12, 2010 and appointed Judge of the same division of the Supreme Court on December 10, 2012. He was appointed Chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on September 15, 2015. Prior to being the Chairman, he had been working as member of the same tribunal since March 25, 2012. `Mugger killed in gunfight` with RAB in city Staff Reporter : An alleged mugger was killed and another received bullet injuries in a "gunfight" with Rapid Action Battalion in the city's Lalbagh area on Thursday evening. The deceased was identified as Abdul Baten, 38. The injured was Abdul Barek, 40, , said SI Bachchu Mia, In-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost. Acting on tip-off, a team of RAB-10 conducted a drive in Bakshi Bazar area near Dhakeshwari Temple where five to six muggers were staying with a private car and motorbike, said Major Ahmed Hussain Mohiuddin, who led the drive. Sensing presence of the elite force, the alleged muggers tried to flee the spot and at one stage, they shot fire at the law enforcers when the latter chased them, he said. The two "muggers" were injured after the law enforcers fired back in retaliation, he said adding, the RAB members managed to capture the duo later. The private car was seized from the spot, he added. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Marion native Lawrence ONeill is leading a yoga class to help raise funds for Artstarts, a nonprofit community arts organization. ONeill, an Artstarts alum, is a certified yoga instructor accredited through the National Yoga Alliance. He has taught yoga at the People Studios in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the last few years. Tickets are $8 ahead, and $10 at the door. There is a 40-person limit for the class, so preregistration is encouraged. Participants may preregister by confirming on the Artstarts Facebook event page at facebook.com/events/102416013726836. Payment may be made either at the door or through www.artstarts.biz. Just indicate yoga class when making a donation. For more information, email artstarts2005@gmail.com. The Southern SPRINGFIELD The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees on Wednesday reviewed a financial sustainability plan for the Carbondale campus that recommends the closure of seven programs and the consolidation of some departments. Even with state appropriations restored after the passage of Illinois first full budget in two years, administrators say the sweeping structural changes are needed to account for SIUCs dwindling student enrollment. The financial sustainability plan recommends the closure of the following programs based on a significant history of low enrollment and substantially weaker comparative performance on other metrics: BS, Mining Engineering MS, Mining Engineering BA, Business Economics BS, Physical Education Teacher Education BA, Africana Studies MA, Political Science Ph.D., Historical Studies University officials have either suspended or are considering suspension of admission to those programs. The university is also considering merging and reorganizing some departments. Units in the colleges of Mass Communication and Media Arts, Liberal Arts, and Applied Sciences and Arts could be reorganized into a College of Media, Design and Fine and Performing Arts. A merger of the College of Science with the College of Liberal Arts is also on the table; alternatively, units in the College of Science could be transferred to the colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering. Meanwhile, 15 academic departments have developed or are in the process of developing proposals for mergers reducing them to six departments. It doesnt take a lot to figure out that if you can combine three departments into one, youre saving on the department chair costs, youre saving on administrative support staff costs, and the beauty of that is you do it without disrupting your academic programs at all, said Associate Provost David DiLalla, who presented the plan at Wednesdays working session alongside Associate Provost Lizette Chevalier and Budget Office Director Judy Marshall. The plan, which the board is expected to approve during its regular meeting Thursday, aims to address fiscal setbacks created by the state budget impasse with permanent budget reductions totaling $19 million in Fiscal Year 2018. The university also plans to repay borrowed funds with one-time cuts totaling $6.8 million, also due in FY18. The bulk of the permanent reductions $10 million come from a strikethrough of the universitys vacant positions. Other significant cuts include $1.5 million in equipment, supplies and contractual services; $1.5 in plant and service operations; $1.2 million in partially self-supporting units; $1 million in academic administration costs; and $1 million in campus work opportunities for students. System President Randy Dunn said that although hes not fond of the word right-sizing, a big goal here is getting a right-sizing of operating expenses with the operations with the university, with the organizational infrastructure we need at the university, given the size range were probably going to be in, even with some growth, for the future. Plans for new campus housing dead in the water Also at Thursdays working session, the board heard updates on a proposed public-private partnership for new east campus housing at SIUC. Representatives from Blue Rose Capital Advisors, a consulting firm SIUCs University Housing department hired earlier this year to help develop a financial plan for the new housing, said they had reached the conclusion that such a project would not be financially viable. Thats partially due to the fact that the universitys credit rating was downgraded to junk status, below investment grade, as a result of the state budget crisis. An independent feasibility study found that there is no new net demand for the housing project. The new housing would have replaced either one or two of the Tower residence halls. Some board members expressed interest in moving forward with the plan to raze the 17-story high rises. The annual cost of maintaining each occupied Tower is about $1.5 million; it would cost between $3 and $4 million to tear each one down. Dunn suggested the possibility of improving housing facilities by adopting a new long-term strategy: moving all student housing to the west side of campus. If this is what were looking at in terms of overall housing needs, maybe we take this time we have and think about a pivot on this, and just go to all west-side housing, he said. The board will reconvene Thursday morning. Are you second guessing your investment choices? When you try to manage your investing on your own -- and even when you have help -- it's common to look around and wonder if you could be doing better. We offer personalized financial strategies with a broad range of investment choices and support from a talented force of market analysts, investment planning specialists, and portfolio managers. Call today for a second opinion. Robert W. Shealy, Jr., CFP Senior Vice President - Investments Julie E. Haltiwanger Senior Registered Client Associate 5370 A Sunset Boulevard Lexington, SC 29072 Phone: 803-957-0455 or 866-957-0455 Fax: 803-957-0545 Email: robert.shealy@wellsfargoadvisors.com Website: www.robertwshealy.wfadv.com Investment and Insurance Products NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. *$100,000 Minimum Investment This weekend, 350 cyclists will converge on Orangeburg County as they pedal some 252 miles from Greenville to Charleston to honor, remember and support the victims of Alzheimer's disease. Their goal in A Ride to Remember is to raise $500,000 for research, education, care-giver support and the support of the victims. The cyclists, under the guise of the S.C. Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, will begin their trek on Friday, July 14. They will overnight in Newberry and then pedal to North, arriving in waves from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will be greeted by Mayor Patty Carson and treated to lunch. From North, the group will pedal on to Orangeburg, where members of the Orangeburg Rotary Club and the Orangeburg Lions Club will be their hosts at a dinner at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center on Columbia Road. After spending the night at the Comfort Inn at Exit 145 on Interstate 26, the cyclists will journey on to Charleston to finish "A Ride to Remember" on Sunday, July 16. A Ride to Remember is in its ninth year and each year, the event has grown. Already, this year's riders have raised more than $425,000 of their $500,000 goal. The fundraiser this year is sponsored by Orianna Health Systems and Palladium, and donations will be accepted at each stop or on-line at www.aridetoremember.org. All funds raised go to the S.C. Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's research, education, care and support. The association's mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease, the sixth leading cause of death, through research advancements, to provide care and support to those affected by the disease and to reduce the risk of dementia through brain health. Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative neurological disease that currently affects some 86,000 South Carolinians and more than 5 million Americans. It is insidious and robs its victims of memories, cognitive abilities, neuro-muscular functions and eventually ends in death. The S.C. Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association offers comfort and aid to the victims and their families through a 24-hour help line (1-800-272-3900), respite care vouchers for care-givers and families, support groups and information and referral services. For additional information, contact Taylor Wilson, director of communication and advocacy, at 803-509-7354 or e-mail her at twilson@alz.org or visit the website at www.alz.org/sc. By Trend The relations between Azerbaijan and the US are entering a new stage, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to results of socio-economic development in the first half of 2017 and objectives for the future. President Aliyev stressed that the International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, Caspian Oil and Gas 2017, has been held this year. "This exhibition and conference is one of the world's most outstanding events in the energy sector, the president said. The best part is that US President Mr. Trump has sent a letter dedicated to this event. Of course, the letter addressed to me raises the significance of the Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference and at the same time is the US another support for successful energy projects being implemented by Azerbaijan. Of course, this favorable attitude creates new prerequisites for the successful development of the Azerbaijan-US relations, he added. My meeting with the US Secretary of State held a few days ago in Istanbul reaffirmed our strategic ties and today the US-Azerbaijan relations are entering a new stage." With less than six months to go before the GCC implements value added tax (VAT), a new survey from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and Thomson Reuters has found that there is a significant lack of preparation and awareness among businesses in the region of how it will affect them. The report, "Are GCC businesses equipped for VAT?", has found that only 11 per cent of respondents understand the impact that VAT implementation will have on their business, whilst 49 per cent are yet to commence their impact assessment. The report has also raised concerns about the advice and expertise available for businesses, with regional regulatory differences likely to test their finance and IT capabilities. More than one third (38 per cent) said they lacked in-house resources, whilst 44 per cent described their resources as limited, the report found. Meanwhile, 88 per cent of organisations surveyed said they had not made any budget provisions for VAT in 2017 ahead of its implementation. Only one quarter (25 per cent) said they had engaged with their tax advisor on the subject of VAT. Responding to the report, Chas Roy-Chowdhury, the head of taxation at ACCA, said: "The lack of preparation is a concern; companies should be using the pre-implementation period wisely to understand compliance, legal obligations and the financial risk associated with VAT." "While the overwhelming majority realise it will affect their business, only a minority have a clear plan of how to effectively manage such a significant fiscal reform," he observed. Tax advisors and professional accountants connected to the region have been working hard to understand the changes and help businesses navigate the transition successfully. This process needs to start now, otherwise companies could risk fines and avoidable regulatory burden, stated Roy-Chowdhury. According to him, businesses in the GCC should urgently seek out the guidance of tax advisors and create a roadmap to make themselves VAT ready for 2018. Pierre Arman, the market development lead for Tax & Accounting at Thomson Reuters, pointed out that the introduction of VAT will introduce new revenue streams for government, encourage foreign investment and aid the diversification of the economy. "Yet its introduction should be seen as an organisation-wide challenge: it should not be left to finance and IT functions to manage overnight. Companies should also not wait until the laws and regulations are finalised to start the process; much of the preparation should be done already," he noted. "We hope this survey goes some way to informing businesses across the GCC about what they need to do to be VAT compliant, given we have only six months to go before the implementation date," he added. Over 330 people participated in the Thomson Reuters and ACCA VAT Readiness Survey from across the GCC region. The respondents were from a diverse range of industries including financial services, oil and gas, manufacturing and retail.-TradeArabia News Service Oman Air is expanding its operations to Salalah and is looking for investors to build and operate the airline's new offices in the region, said a report. The airline is inviting investors and financial organisations to submit tenders for the project, which includes a five-storey building, including a basement car-park, Times of Oman reported. Under the terms of the the tender, the invester will maintain the building for 25 years, after which it will be handed over to Oman Air. Bidders are also expected to provide details of financial and operational resources with evidence that can be allocated towards the construction of this new building. The proposal must also contain structural plans for the building, it said. Axis Communications, a global leader in the network video market, has appointed Tertius Wolfaardt as its business development manager, A&E (architects and engineers) for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Prior to joining Axis at the regional headquarters in Dubai, UAE, he was part of the MEA team in South Africa as a sales engineer and trainer. In his new role, Wolfaardt will be responsible for managing and optimising the relationship with the architects and engineering partners in Middle East, said a statement from the company. The Axis Architecture & Engineering programme is designed to help network architects, engineers and consultants design smarter systems. On joining the programme, members are connected to a global organisation with a strong reputation for innovation, excellence, and 30 years of unwavering commitment to the partnership philosophy. The free membership provides a wealth of benefits including comprehensive system design support, tools and documentation to make smart system design easier. Philippe Kubbinga, regional director MEA, Axis Communications, said: Wolfaardt has been part of our company in South Africa for over two years and we are very excited to have him operate our A&E programme. With a growing awareness and demand for security solutions, his move is timed perfectly to meet partner and customer requirements, he added. TradeArabia News Service A number of Russian companies are likely to take part in the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Bidec) 2017, to be held later this year in the kingdom. The event will take place from October 16 to 18, at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre. A delegation from Bahrain Defence Force recently gave a briefing to Russian companies on the exhibition, said a BNA report. The briefing at the headquarters of Rosoboronexport was held in cooperation with the embassy of Bahrain in Russia and was attended by the Ambassador of Bahrain to Russia, Ahmed Abdulrahman Al-Saati; Colonel Adnan Mohammed Al-Sada; Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Ali Al Rowaie; and the representative of "Clarion Events", the organiser of the exhibition, added the report. Rosoboronexport deputy director general, Igor Sevastyanov and 15 representatives of Russian companies specialised in military industry, including Kalashnikov Concern, Rostec Corporation, Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and Ruselectroincs, attended the meeting from the Russian side. Rosoboronexport deputy director general welcomed Dr Al-Saati and the Bahraini delegation, highlighting the development of cooperation between Bahrain and Russia reflected in the numerous contracts that have been signed between the two countries in the fields of military and defence. He affirmed Rosoboronexports keenness, along with its partners and representatives, to actively participate in BIDEC 2017 and to enhance joint cooperation between Bahrain and Russia. Al Saati expressed thanks and appreciation to Rosoboronexports officials for providing the opportunity to brief Russian companies on BIDEC 2017 and to promote Russian products in the Middle East. The sales director and the representative of Clarion Events gave a presentation of the exhibition, logistical and technical topics related to the participation of Russian companies, the spaces allocated to them and the number of participants from foreign countries. The representatives of the Russian military companies raised questions and queries to the representatives of the Bahrain Defence Force, regarding logistic and technical topics. The representatives of Rosoboronexport and other Russian military companies affirmed their keenness to participate actively in such exhibitions, highlighting the importance of the GCC to the Russian military products, added the report. Ooredoo, a leading telecom services operator in Oman, has signed an agreement with the Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI) to boost exchange of knowledge through training programmes. The Ooredoo move reflects its role in supporting human growth and supporting the development of Omani society, said a statement from the company. As per the deal, Ooredoo and the authority will collaborate on various projects, public-private partnerships and also exchange of knowledge through training programmes run by both Ooredoo and PASI. Raed Dawood, the director of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs, said: This agreement reaffirms our continuous collaboration with the public sector as part of our efforts to serve the community as best we can. At Ooredoo, our focus goes beyond offering state-of-the-art digital services and innovative telecom solutions and extends to supporting the development of the economy and individuals through partnerships and training initiatives. The MoU will include field visits from both parties in order to share best practices in relevant fields. Representatives from Ooredoo and PASI will attend workshops, presentations, and conferences held by the two parties. Furthermore, the authority will coordinate with the Sultanates business digital partner to support their awareness activities and events across the country, said the statement from Ooredoo. As part of its long-term commitment to champion societal growth, Ooredoo continues to adopt a strong CSR strategy to provide sustainable support to the communities it serves, it added.-TradeArabia News Service The Integrated Transport Center (ITC) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, said it has developed a new procedure to regulate and monitor parking bays using cameras in different areas of the emirate. The first phase of the project will cover Al Mussafah, Mohammed bin Zayed City and Abu Dhabi Island areas where vehicles parking will be monitored and then tickets will be issued electronically for illegal parking. This is in part of ITCs continuous efforts to improve and regulate the parking network and maintain the general appearance of Abu Dhabi, said a statement from ITC. As per the new rule, parking is free for the first 10 minutes, after which the tickets will be issued. Also during the prayers, the residents will be given a concession - The first 45 minutes after the call of prayer. However, if the vehicles are not parked correctly or intrude into other parking spaces, then they will be fined, said the ITC statement. Mawaqif services include regulation of parking spaces in Abu Dhabi, dedicated number of parking spaces to special segments in the society like women and the determined ones, emergency and ambulances, civil defence vehicles, issuing electronic permits for residents and employees at the government entities within Mawaqif areas, regulate public parking spaces and offering payment methods, it added. Mohammed Al Muhairi, deputy general manager of ITC and the director of the traffic and parking team, pointed out that this new procedure helps traffic officials monitor everything from inside the operations room without venturing into the hot sun. "Mawaqif is continuously monitoring the application of the system and work on improving it in order to offer the public with best services.," he added.-TradeArabia News Service ABB, a pioneering technology leader, has completed its acquisition of B&R (Bernecker + Rainer Industrie-Elektronik), the largest independent provider focused on product- and software-based, open-architecture solutions for machine and factory automation worldwide. B&R, founded in 1979 by Erwin Bernecker and Josef Rainer is headquartered in Eggelsberg, Austria, employs more than 3,000 people, including about 1,000 R&D and application engineers. The transaction, which was announced on April 4, is financed in cash and expected to be operationally EPS accretive in the first year, said a statement from the company. Ulrich Spiesshofer, chief executive officer, ABB, said: This transaction closes our historic gap in machine and factory automation and expands our leadership in industrial automation. Following the acquisition of B&R, we are the only industrial automation provider offering customers in process and discrete industries the entire spectrum of technology and software solutions around measurement, control, actuation, robotics, digitalisation and electrification, he said. This combination will open new global growth opportunities by expanding our offerings to existing clients while also bringing ABBs broad reach, extensive domain knowledge and deep technical expertise to industries and customers that we have not served before, he added. Our commitment to growing the business of B&R is demonstrated by our investment in a new R&D centre, which is to be built next to its headquarters in upper Austria, Spiesshofer concluded. This transaction marks another important milestone in ABBs Next Level strategy. With the acquisition ABB strengthens its position as the second-largest industrial automation player globally, said a statement. ABB is now uniquely positioned to seize the tremendous growth opportunities created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. B&Rs industry-leading products, software and services in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Industrial PCs and servo motion-based machine and factory automation ideally complement ABBs industrial automation portfolio for utilities, industry and transport and infrastructure providers. Through the acquisition ABB is taking another major step in expanding its digital offering by combining its industry-leading portfolio of digital solutions, ABB Ability, with B&R's strong application and software platforms, its large installed base, customer access, and tailored automation solutions. Peter Terwiesch, president of industrial automation division, ABB, said: There is a strong cultural fit between B&R and us, including our shared commitment to customer-centric, open-architecture software and solutions. This will ensure a smooth integration as we combine our strengths and maximize our uniquely comprehensive offering for the benefit of our customers, he added. TradeArabia News Service WPVI-TV(PHILADELPHIA) -- Human remains of one of the four missing Pennsylvania men have been found and identified, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said at a press conference early Thursday morning, shortly after midnight. The remains, found on a sprawling farm in suburban Philadelphia, were those of Dean Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown, Pennsylvania, Weintraub said. "We have found human remains in an approximately 12-and-a-half-foot deep common grave that we have painstakingly dug with a lot of care so as not to damage any potential evidence," Weintraub said. "And I am very, very sad to say we can now identify Dean Finocchiaro, 19 years old, of Middletown, as one of the people that was found buried in that grave. He's been missing since Friday. We have notified his family that we have recovered his body." Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township, has been missing since Wednesday, while Finocchiaro, Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, and Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead, all disappeared Friday. Weintraub did not mention the three other missing men, but added, "there are additional human remains inside that grave. So this painstaking process will go on. We're not done yet. This is a homicide, make no mistake about it. We just don't know how many homicides, we have yet to know the answer to that question." Weintraub said, "I can't comment on the type of homicide that it is at this point, but I am comfortable classifying it as a homicide." He reiterated that the investigation is two-pronged: "Were still investigating the evidence, the investigation as you all know has taken two tracks -- recovery on one side and ascertaining what actually occurred on the other side, and were still avidly pursuing both of those avenues at this time." Cadaver dogs led investigators to the grave, he said. "We had cadaver dogs, and I dont understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12-and-a-half feet below the ground," Weintraub said. And when asked what the condition of the remains are, he said, "I dont want to comment on that but you can draw some logical conclusions -- they were found inside a twelve-and-a-half foot deep hole that we had to excavate." Weintraub concluded the press conference, saying, "And I want to let you know that we reiterated over and over again, and it goes to say one more time to the families, that we're strong, and we're going to remain strong, and we're going to see this investigation to the end, and we are going to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another and we will not rest until we do that." On Wednesday, authorities arrested the son of the owners of the farm, 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, on charges he tried to sell Meo's 1996 Nissan Maxima a day after he was last seen. DiNardo's bail was set at $5 million in cash, the highest that Bucks County Magisterial District Judge Maggie Snow has ever set, she said. At the press conference, Weintraub addressed DiNardo, saying, "I feel that we bought ourselves a little bit of time in charging Mr. DiNardo with the stolen car case today and getting that $5 million bail. It is my hope that he does not post that but that is his prerogative of course if he can post it, but were going to start looking seriously at the homicide charges and in fact we already have pursued that option." The DiNardo family's lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., had previously said in a statement that Cosmo DiNardo's parents are cooperating with law enforcement. "As parents, Mr. and Mrs. DiNardo sympathize with the parents and families of the missing young men and they are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation being conducted by law enforcement," the statement read. Weintraub said earlier that the relationship between the four men is not clear. Meos family also told authorities that he is good friends with Sturgis, according to a police criminal complaint filed Wednesday. Sturgis told his family he was going to meet with Meo on the day he went missing, the document states. Sturgis did not show up for work on July 8, and he was then reported missing by his parents, according to the complaint. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. French energy major Total will return to Iran's petrochemical sector in a bid to complete the industry's value-chain, said a senior Iranian petrochemical official. Total will sign deals with Iranian petrochemical partners to complete the petrochemical value chain in Iran now that many restrictions regarding economic sanctions have been eased on Iran, Marziyeh Shahdaei, managing director of National Petrochemical Company (NPC), was quoted as saying by the Shana news agency. She was addressing Iran's first midstream and downstream petrochemical industries conference, which was recently held in Vienna, Austria. She said that European investors are keen on joining projects in Iran in the post-sanctions setting. Senior Iranian and European executives, investors and technocrats attended the two-day conference. The conference was aimed at assessing novel methods and means for expanding mid-stream and downstream sectors of petrochemical industry by establishing joint ventures, ensuring technology transfer and technical knowhow and attracting investments for petrochemical projects, added the report. Oman air plans to boost capacity between Muscat and Salalah by over 50 per cent to cater for the increased demand during this summers Khareef season. During the holiday season, capacity will increase by nearly 57 per cent with 1,616 seats available daily, one way, compared to the standard 1,028 in the normal schedule. The number of daily flights will go up from nine to 13 departures. The Khareef season, which begins every year on June 21 and ends on September 21, is considered to be one of the most important tourist seasons in the Gulf as the weather is much cooler than the rest of the region. Many locals, residents, and tourists, flock to Dhofar, sometimes referred to as Omans best kept secret, as it is the only region in the GCC where visitors can enjoy greenery, a forest-like environment and seasonal showers. In 2016 Dhofar welcomed 653,000 visitors during Khareef and it is anticipated that this year figures could grow by as much as 20 per cent, facilitated by the new flights and additional hotel accommodation now available in Salalah. Deputy CEO and chief commercial officer Abdulrahman Al Busaidy said: The increase in flights signifies our commitment to the citizens and residents of Oman as well as a growing number of international visitors who wish to enjoy the holiday season in Salalah along with their friends and relatives to experience the cool rains and unique beauty of the Khareef season. Last year Oman Air offered 11 flights a day with a capacity increase of 15,000 seats compared to the previous year; an increase that was very well received by our guests. This year with 13 daily flights we will offer even more choice and will operate a mixture of fleet including the award winning A330 and the Dreamliner. Salalah Airport has recently been redeveloped and the new airport opened in 2015; it is Omans secondary airport and last year it welcomed over 1,198,000 passengers. This figure will continue to grow through its planned phases of expansion and runway development. Several international airlines fly into Salalah Airport in addition to Oman Air. - TradeArabia News Service Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), has launched its inaugural flight to Trabzon - its latest Turkish destination. The new seasonal and direct service provides passengers the chance to discover Turkeys historic port city, in addition to its already existing services to Istanbul. The flight operates five times weekly on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the flight departs Sharjah International Airport at 21:45, and arrives at Trabzon International Airport at 00:20 local time the next day. The return service will depart Trabzon at 01:00, landing in Sharjah at 05:15 local time. On Tuesdays the flight departs Sharjah at 13:15 and arrives at Trabzon at 15:50; return flights depart Trabzon at 16:30 and land in Sharjah at 20:45. While flights on Sundays depart from Sharjah at 16:35 and land in Trabzon at 19:10; return flights depart at 19:50 and arrive at Sharjah at 00:05 the next day. Trabzon provides travellers with a unique opportunity to experience Turkeys coastal region and witness the history behind one of the oldest trading ports in the country. The new route is a testament to Air Arabias commitment to providing affordable holiday destinations to passengers travelling from the UAE, said Adel Al Ali, group chief executive officer of Air Arabia. We are confident that the new destination will provide our visitors with a unique holiday getaway, and further cement trade and bilateral ties between the two nations. Resting on the bank of the Black Sea, Trabzon is a city filled with historical significance. Featuring a unique coastal backdrop, this picturesque city is known best for its mystical architecture and bazaars. Situated on the upper east side of the country, Trabzon is a calm metropolis distant from the hustle of Istanbul and Ankara. Air Arabia currently operates flights to 130 routes across the globe from five hubs located in the Middle East and North Africa. - TradeArabia News Service Australia-based StayWell Hospitality Group is set to open the kingdoms first Park Regis Hotel in Juffair district in partnership with Bahrain group VKL Group during the third 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, said the company in a statement. Based in Sydney, StayWell Hospitality Group, operates two high profile hotel brands Park Regis and Leisure Inn. Together with strategic partners, the group has a combined network of 71 properties worldwide across 14 countries with a managed turnover close to A$300 million ($278 million). StayWell Hospitality Group CEO Simon Wan said the recent signing of the marketing license agreement with VKL Group, a major player in Bahrain's hospitality sector, will enable the group to open additional properties across Bahrain in the coming 12 months. VKL Group operates several hotels in the kingdom managing with more than 1,300 rooms and is now working on another three hotels with over 600 rooms which will be open shortly. "Following the signature of a 550 keys Park Regis Resort in the UAE the day before, I am encouraged by the future expansion plans into the region and confident that this partnership with VKL Group reflects our commitment to grow our presence in the Middle East region," remarked Wan. "We are hoping that this magnificent property is the stepping stone for a further presence in Bahrain," he added. VKL Group chairman Varghese Kurian said that formalising the partnership with StayWell Hospitality Group and opening the Park Regis Juffair in the last quarter of 2017 is the start of significant expansion in the Middle East. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with StayWell Hospitality Group and are confident that we can move quickly with future properties under the StayWell Brands; Park Regis and Leisure Inn, stated Kurian. On opening, the Park Regis Lotus hotel, which is located in the nations capital of Manama, will have easy access to Bahrain's largest mosque, the Al Fateh Mosque and the Bahrain causeway, which connects the Island country to Saudi Arabia.-TradeArabia News Service Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways launched its double weekly service to Azerbaijans capital city, Baku, on Monday. The inaugural flight, an Airbus A320, landed at the Baku airport on Monday afternoon and was received by the customary water arch. Hailed as a favourite destination for summer visitors and the Arab explorer, Baku is a tourist destination, offering holidaymakers an array of attractions and experiences, consisting of family adventure, sport and leisure tourism and also health and wellness. Being one of the first to provide non-stop flights of extended frequency to this emerging holiday destination, Jazeera Airways will offer a frequency of two weekly flights scheduled on Mondays and Fridays. Commenting on the launch, Nahid Bagirov, head of Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AZTA), said: Baku is emerging as an attractive destination and the beginning of double weekly flights is a significant milestone for both Baku and Jazeera Airways. This step will lead our nations closer with greater commercial and industry relations and promote the discovery of Azerbaijans brilliant culture. We are grateful to Jazeera for including Baku as their destination of choice and as we advance, we look forward to receiving the people of Kuwait who visit Baku to build lifelong memories with their family and friends." - TradeArabia News Service American Airlines has announced plans to end its code-sharing agreements with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, reports said. American accuses the Gulf airlines of receiving illegal subsidies from their governments. However, these claims are denied by the airlines. American said it no longer makes sense to have so-called code-sharing agreements with Qatar and Etihad because of the dispute, said an ANC News report. Breaking up the partnerships is the latest twist in a fight between American, Delta and United and fast-growing state-owned Middle Eastern airlines. Meanwhile, the CEO of Qatar Airways said his airline plans to buy 10 percent of American Airlines Group. American said in a regulatory filing that Qatar has filed a new notice of its intent to buy American shares. American says it didn't solicit the investment. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has slammed American Airlines' decision to end the codeshare as "anti-competitive and anti-consumer", said a Khaleej Times report. The American-Etihad codeshare, which started in 2009, would end on March 25, 2018, an Etihad Airways spokesman confirmed in a statement e-mailed to Khaleej Times. "We view the decision by American Airlines as being anti-competitive and anti-consumer. This action will reduce choices for consumers and may result in higher fares for travellers to and from the United States," the statement read. Facing nearly $50 million in deferred stormwater sewer repairs and expansion, Casper is considering creating a fee for property owners. To smooth passage, City Council wants legislators to change a state law requiring that the fee go out for a public vote. All of us are facing an interesting conundrum, City Manager Carter Napier told Council at a meeting Tuesday. City ordinance as well as state and federal regulations require Casper to have a system for handling rain and snowmelt. The ordinance states that the city be able to handle major storms without flooding. Environmental regulations further dictate that some storm runoff cannot be dumped directly into the North Platte River, because the water often picks up toxic chemicals as it runs down streets and gutters. But unlike the sanitary sewer, which carries water to and from buildings, and other mandated city services like garbage collection, there is no mechanism for funding the stormwater sewer. Repairs and expansion are paid for out the citys general fund, and in lean years that money is often cut. The budget approved by City Council in June allocated no funding for the stormwater system. We have 50-, 60-year-old, 12-inch diameter clay tile pipes in the system, said CEPI engineer and owner Tom Brauer, who completed a report on Caspers stormwater system for the city last winter. Brauer said that while best practices call for building stormwater sewers that are larger than necessary to accommodate future development, Caspers system has trouble keeping up with existing demands. Why? No dedicated funding source, he said. In healthier years, you have general fund money in leaner years, its idling in the parking lot, so to speak. Referendum a challenge Wyoming law allows local governments to create stormwater utilities, in which property owners can be charged a fee that must be spent on the system. The fee would be charged every year, ensuring a steady stream of funding for stormwater improvements not subject to the ups and downs of sales tax and other revenue that goes into the citys general fund. But after passing an ordinance creating the stormwater utility, state law requires local governments to allow voters to decide whether or not to accept the new fee in a referendum. But because fees for sewer maintenance rarely win elections, Brauer encouraged Council to ask the Legislature to remove the need for a referendum. Realistically, when you have a special election, they favor the people who are opposed to it, Brauer said. Rep. Pat Sweeney, R-Casper, was at the meeting Tuesday and said he would work to put forward legislation allowing a stormwater utility to be created by ordinance alone. Ordinances must have three public hearings in order to pass, but only City Council members would vote. Sweeney said the issue had statewide resonance, because other communities were also interested in creating stormwater utilities. Cheyenne has this same problem, Sweeney said. Gillette might have a similar issue. Voters in Wyomings capital have twice rejected stormwater utilities at the ballot box, Brauer said. Funding needed Casper officials hope a stormwater utility can pay for what a 2013 masterplan determined is $2.3 million in annual construction costs for the system. Brauer said CEPI completed an implementation study, detailing how the masterplan could be put into effect, in December, but that it had not been acted on since then. It basically sat on a shelf because previous management didnt believe they wanted to proceed ahead with it given the state of everything, he said. Napier, who became city manager a few weeks ago, spoke in favor of the stormwater utility but said that it might not sit well. One of the commitments I made to the Council was that I would bring forward ideas that would make you largely uncomfortable, Napier said. This may be one of those ideas. The model proposed by CEPI would create an average monthly fee of $5.50 for residential property and $37 for commercial. That is based on the average amount of impervious land in Casper, areas like driveways and parking lots where water cannot sink into the ground and instead runs into city gutters and pipes. A 30 percent discount would be offered to property owners who reduce the amount of stormwater runoff on their lots. If successfully implemented, the utility would generate $2.1 million for capital improvements each year and an additional $214,000 to supplement operation and maintenance costs. Those funds would help support and expand the 135 miles of stormwater piping in Casper as well as the thousands of catch basins, stormwater inlets and outlets and over 50 acres of stormwater detention area. The catch basins store water during a storm so that it can be released once the pipes have emptied of the immediate runoff. Public Services Director Andrew Beamer said the improvements would help prevent floods like the one that occurred in 2009 while ensuring pedestrian and vehicle access around Casper remain open during heavy rains. Improvements would also help mitigate damage to buildings that occurs when water cannot empty from drainage basins around the city. Beamer said several high-priority projects had been completed since 2009, including an expansion of the stormwater detention pond at Highland Park Cemetery, but that more work was necessary. Youll still see the core of downtown flooded in a major storm event, Beamer said. City engineer Scott Baxter, who was helped draft the stormwater master plan, said that if the roughly $50 million in upgrades are completed, Casper should expect to see no flooding during most major storm events. Any kind of a 10-year storm or very close to that would be carried just fine, Baxter said. Politics in play There was little dissent on Council as to the need for stormwater improvements, and members appeared willing to create a utility to fund the work. But several highlighted potential pushback from residents upset about a new fee. Councilman Chris Walsh, a former police chief, recalled the damage caused to the Hall of Justice. He said the police were forced to vacate and rebuild the station on the lower floor. Therell be backlash because I dont care what you call it itll be called a tax, he said. But you cant have the city without the proper skeleton, and it sounds like we dont. Seeking a political out, Mayor Kenyne Humphrey attempted to frame the need for stormwater improvements as a consequence of the environmental regulations being forced upon the city. Its a federal mandate, unfunded, that we are being forced to comply with and we have absolutely no choice, so we are counting on making this happen because of the federal government? she proposed. Brauer demurred. He said the state and federal environmental regulations accounted for only about 5 percent of the need to improving Caspers stormwater sewer. The main problem is that the current infrastructure is too small to accommodate the amount of storm runoff. Councilwoman Amanda Huckabay also sought to raise the threat of the city being fined or otherwise sanctioned for failing to properly manage stormwater. But Brauer said that while the EPA can theoretically sue cities for failing to mitigate toxic chemicals in storm runoff, that is a complicated process unlikely to result in sudden, large fines. Were not under the heavy hand of the government, Brauer said. The big issue here is we have a bunch of undersized pipes, undersized ponds, undersized discharges. Casper police arrested a man Tuesday afternoon after people in a west Casper home reported that he was threatening to shoot them. Police responded about 1:30 p.m. to the home on Oleander Street after the mans sister called 911 and said that she and three other people were locked in a bedroom, because Colton Wagner had a gun and was threatening to shoot all of them, an arrest affidavit shows. When officers arrived, they attempted to break down the locked front door. After a few kicks, Wagner came to the door, opened it and walked out with his hands in the air. Per officers commands, he then lay on the ground in the front lawn while officers placed him in handcuffs, according to the affidavit. Wagner did not have a gun on his person but did have a set of brass knuckles. The six people inside the home told officers that Wagner was upset with his sisters boyfriend. They said that he became so agitated in the afternoon that he pointed a handgun at the boyfriend and waved the gun at others who were in the same room, according to the affidavit. He later threatened to shoot everybody in the room. All six told police that they felt Wagner was mentally unstable and that he would have shot the gun if he had the chance, the document states. Officers later found a loaded handgun under the kitchen sink and ammunition in the car that Wagner had been driving. Wagner, 21, was booked into the Natrona County Detention Center on suspicion of aggravated assault. He will hear the formal charges against him Wednesday afternoon in Natrona County Circuit Court. A Sheridan woman is suing Wal-Mart for alleged unsafe working conditions that caused her to fall at the Casper store on CY Avenue while working in the loading dock area in 2013. On Aug. 23 of that year, Theresa Burfiend was unloading pallets of fresh milk from her truck, according to the suit. After unloading the milk, she went to return the pallet jack to its storage space. A store employee intercepted her and said she herself would put the jack away. Unbeknownst to Burfiend, the employee placed the pallet jack and a portable loading dock plate directly behind Burfiend, who then tripped over the equipment when she stepped back, the suit states. Burfiend sustained serious injuries to her back, hip area, ankle, wrist and several nerves. The injuries caused Burfiend to become totally and permanently disabled and cost at least $250,000 in medical bills, according to the suit filed in March in Natrona County District Court. The suit alleges that Wal-Mart is at fault, because the loading dock was not capable of handling the amount of trucks that used the area, and because the Casper store failed to properly maintain hydraulic dock plates. It also alleges that a store policy giving priority to Wal-Mart trucks and their drivers puts other unaffiliated drivers at risk. It also claims that the store didnt create any safe standard operating procedures for use of the loading dock and used the area for storage, creating a safety hazard. In its response to the allegations, Wal-Marts attorneys broadly denied the accusations or said they did not have enough information to respond. They did confirm that Wal-Mart drivers are given priority at the loading docks and also alleged that Burfiend was warned that the equipment had been moved behind her. They wrote that Burfiend failed to maintain a proper lookout for her own safety and therefore fell. Defendant admits that plaintiff fell but immediately got back on her feet, made no claim of injury and left, the answer states. It is not known if she was injured in the fall, based on lack of information of an injury and no claim being made. The companys attorneys asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit in its response. Attorneys for both parties were expected to meet Wednesday to discuss the suit and the schedule going forward. JACKSON An energy company is proposing to drill up to 3,500 natural gas wells on 220 square miles of Bureau of Land Management property in southwest Wyoming. The proposed project by Jonah Energy would be adjacent to the already developed Pinedale Anticline and Jonah fields. That the project must navigate the lengthy federal environmental review before it adds to the activity. Though the proposal remains tentative it is already a cause of worry for conservationists. Linda Baker of the Upper Green River Alliance says drilling in the Anticline and Jonah fields has already taken a toll by disturbing the sensitive ecology of sagebrush steppe ecosystem and polluting the air that people breathe. JACKSON Wyoming officials say the search for a rafter missing since last week has turned into a recovery mission. Police say 21-year-old Oliver Woodward of Georgia was reported missing July 4 after he was thrown off his raft in the Snake River area south of Jackson. Woodward was not wearing a life jacket or a wetsuit during the incident. Officials say the search has been scaled back, since they suspect he is dead. Teton County Sheriff's Lt. Matt Car said on Tuesday that the department would love to provide Woodward's family with closure. Woodward was with five friends when they were thrown off the raft. The friends lost their cellphones and were not able to report the incident until an hour after it happened. Boca Tacos y Tequila is moving into the old Delectables Restaurant & Catering space on North Fourth Avenue. On Tuesday, Boca chef/owner Maria Mazon applied for a liquor license for 533 N. Fourth Ave., according to state records. On Wednesday afternoon, she completed her final walk-through of the space and finalized the purchase of the building where she will move her nearly 8-year-old Boca as early as next week. She hopes to open for business on Aug. 5, Mazon said. The move comes on the heels of Mazon having to close Bocas original location at 828 E. Speedway near the University of Arizona to make way for yet another towering student housing complex. She and Delectables owner Donna Difiore have been discussing the sale since the spring within months of Mazon being notified in February that her landlord had sold the Speedway property to Core Campus Investment Partners to build a third Hub student housing tower. The project also forced Bocas neighbor Mamas Hawaiian Barbecue to move; owner Sam Alboy closed the flagship restaurant at 850 E. Speedway in early June and expects to open in mid-August or early September in a 3,500-square-foot space on the lower level of The Hub student housing, 1011 N. Tyndall Ave. Joining Mamas at the student housing tower will be Pita Platter, a Mediterranean restaurant and bakery, that will occupy 2,110 square feet. Mazon said she hopes to get the keys to the Delectables building on Friday or early next week. The sooner the better so I can go and paint the whole thing and make it mine, she said Wednesday afternoon. For years it was Delectables and I want to make it Boca. I want to put my flair. The kitchen is fricking awesome because it is four times bigger than mine. The new space is roughly 3,000 square feet, significantly larger than Bocas current location. Mazon said the new dining room will grow to 15 tables from the Speedway locations five tables. Boca will continue operating as a fast-casual counter-service restaurant. Over time, Mazon said she plans to expand the menu. But the core mission of representing authentic Mexican food centered largely on tacos will remain. Mazon will continue operating Boca out of the Speedway location until July 30. Its open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. except on Sundays, when its open from noon to 8 p.m. The hours for the new location will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. But Mazon said she might adjust the hours once she figures out the rhythms of downtown. Ive never done business on Fourth so I have no idea, she said. Im nervous, Im scared, Im happy and Im excited, in that order. Boca takes over a space that made an indelible impression on North Fourth Avenue for more than four decades. Delectables closed for good on June 30, ending a 44-year run, 35 of those under longtime owner Difiore. Difiore announced in late May that she had found a buyer for the building, which also houses a hair salon and florist. She said at the time that she planned to continue Delectables Catering not far from her old Fourth Avenue space. Boca Taco has gotten national attention since it opened in 2009. Two years after it opened, it launched its Exotic Taco Wednesdays, serving up an array of rare meats ranging from python and alligator, to kangaroo and rattlesnake. In February 2011, Boca made national headlines when it announced it would serve African lion meat tacos. The plan was later scrapped over health concerns, according to published reports. Two Tucson companies were part of a team that recently claimed a new U.S. record for long-distance urban delivery by a drone, using cellphone networks to help navigate a simulated 97-mile trip. Team Roadrunner, a Nevada unmanned aircraft consortium that included Tucson-based Latitude Engineering and AUV Flight Services, conducted the flight in Texas in early May. After being launched from a central Texas urban location, a drone made by Latitude and remotely controlled by an AUV pilot flew a planned route through regulated airspace using a combination of a mobile command and control system, a visual observer team, and stationary observers located across the flight route. The unmanned aircraft was flown using a cellular communications link until it successfully landed in Austin to simulate delivery of a package containing a pneumatic part. The demo flight is one of the latest and longest drone-delivery tests conducted as the unmanned-aircraft industry and federal regulators look to develop standards and rules that could someday make drone deliveries commonplace. The Team Roadrunner project was funded and led by Volans-i, a San Francisco-based drone delivery startup, with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, one of seven federally designated unmanned aircraft test sites. Ground and mobile visual observer support was provided by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the Nevada group worked with a Texas test site to plan the flight. Jason McNally, director of business development for AUV Flight Services, said Volans-i sought out his company because of its experience in long-range drone flight and its ongoing relationship with Latitude. McNally and some other executives at AUV and Latitude got their start in unmanned aircraft at Advanced Ceramic Research, which pioneered long-flight drone research in the 1990s. The company was acquired by defense giant BAE Systems in 2009, spun off into an independent company in 2014 and acquired by Raytheon in 2015. Founded in 2011, AUV provides flight planning, piloting and other services to unmanned aircraft operators. It employs about 50 people, including about a dozen in Tucson. Its main customers are the Department of Defense and a railroad track-monitoring program, but AUV also has worked on a variety of special projects, McNally said. The Texas delivery was made with a hybrid quadcopter and fixed-wing plane developed by Latitude. It features a set of four electrically powered rotors that allow the craft to take off vertically before switching to a vertical pusher propeller to cruise on its wings. While startups like Volans-i and big players like Amazon are studying and testing drone deliveries, experts say it will be years before the Federal Aviation Administration finalizes rules to allow delivery drones to operate commercially. I think its going to be a battle for quite awhile, McNally said. But projects like the simulated delivery in Texas are helping the nascent industry to develop reliable, affordable long-distance delivery options. It was a test on many fronts. In the event we would lose communications via the LTE (cellular) link, we had regular radio communication to pick it up, said Craig Baldwin, director of operations for AUV Flight Services. The military and other large drone operators use satellite communications to track and control the aircraft, but its slow and expensive, Baldwin said. It depends on the mission, he said. For payload or package delivery, I think the cell network is probably the most viable way to do it. McNally sees the commercial drone delivery business ramping up with small aircraft carrying small, high-value items, such as critical parts or medical materials. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some July 13 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages. PHOENIX A consultant who has helped with many recent initiative drives testified Wednesday a new state law will impair the ability of Arizonans to craft their own laws. Andrew Chavez told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens that it is not unusual for petitions to be challenged for technical errors. The errors could be something as simple as a signer failing to insert a full city and state address, to putting the date of the signature outside the small box where it is supposed to go, he said. Until now, Chavez said, trial judges have generally resolved those disputes in favor of allowing the measure to go on the ballot. Thats because the Arizona Supreme Court says initiative petitions to propose new laws need be only in substantial compliance with all election requirements. But Chavez, whose AZ Petition Partners provides paid circulators, said the mandate approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature in HB 2244 will require strict compliance. That likely will force judges to disqualify petitions with simple technical errors, he said. He told Stephens that will require circulators to gather far more signatures than needed, as a cushion. And the more signatures a petition needs, the more expensive it will be. Chavez said he charged $700,000 to collect signatures last year under existing law for a group that put a measure on the ballot to legalize marijuana for recreational use. He said just the change to strict compliance will increase that price tag by up to 30 percent, money he said many nonprofit and volunteer groups do not have. His testimony is significant because foes of the new law set to take effect Aug. 9 hope it will convince Stephens that lawmakers acted illegally in changing the standard. Part of the case being presented by their attorneys goes to the legal question of whether the Legislature has the right to change the standard. But they cannot make that case unless they can first prove to Stephens that they have standing to sue because they will be harmed if the change is allowed to take effect as scheduled. The testimony from Chavez provides the legal basis for that. It was not just Chavez who contends the new law will make future initiative drives more difficult. Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, said she already is working with other groups to put two measures on the 2018 or 2020 ballots. One would make it easier for people to register to vote. The other would outlaw so-called trophy hunting of wild animals. This would be very harmful to a fundamental right that we have to initiate law, she said of the new law. It will make it more difficult, it will make it more expensive. Its likely to mean that more initiatives will fail. The Arizona Constitution gives voters the right to propose their own laws. That right exists independently of the Legislature, attorney Roopali Desai, who is representing challengers to the new law, told Stephens. This provision is in the constitution for a very important reason, she said. It is in the constitution because the people of Arizona believe their right to legislate is co-equal to that of the Legislature, and not subordinate to that of the Legislature, Desai said. And that is the premise our entire case is built on. She said that right should be leniently applied with respect to initiative efforts that are undertaken by the people. Desai cited a series of changes in state law that exist because voters approved them at the ballot after the Legislature refused to act. These include creation of an optional system of public financing for statewide and legislative candidates, having an independent commission rather than politicians draw legislative and congressional districts, and creation of a statewide minimum wage. She also noted that women got the vote in Arizona in 1912 before it was required by a change in the U.S. Constitution because of a voter initiative. Desai also pointed out that the Voter Protection Act, approved at the ballot in 1998, specifically precludes lawmakers from repealing or making significant changes to the laws voters have enacted. It is their agitation with this significant right where they cannot come in and amend or repeal laws that are passed by the people that drove them to pass HB 2224 that essentially limits the right of initiative by making it more difficult to achieve ballot access, she said. Attorney David Cantelme, representing GOP legislative leaders defending the law, told Stephens that the claims of harm are exaggerated. He said all petition organizers and circulators have to do is follow the Arizona laws which spell out what is required to put a measure on the ballot. And Cantelme noted that HB 2244 says petition drives that use the form written by the Secretary of States Office are presumed to be valid. But he also argued that the plaintiffs, including Bahr, have no standing to sue because they cannot show they have been harmed by the new law, as nothing they have proposed for the ballot has been kicked off because of the strict compliance standard. Desai countered that all the plaintiffs not only have been involved in prior initiative drives but also are weighing future ones, giving them a legitimate interest. Bahr said her organization is working with other challengers including the Arizona Advocacy Network and the Animal Defense League of Arizona. Others challenging the law include the Friends of the Arizona School Boards Association, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, and Matthew Madonna, who was regional president of the American Cancer Society when it launched a successful ballot effort to ban smoking in public places. Whatever Stephens rules is unlikely to be the last word: Whichever side loses is expected to seek Arizona Supreme Court review. Victoria Arias reputation of having a welcoming aura, and of sharing her talents as a mariachi brought about 600 to a prayer service Wednesday evening at south-side San Miguel High Schools gymnasium. On Monday morning, July 10, Arias, a healthy and strong 18-year-old lap swimmer, was found at the bottom of her familys pool in southwest Tucson. She had been swimming laps, as she did daily, but for reasons no one knows had apparently been underwater for at least 10 minutes, said Tracy Koslowski, a spokeswoman for Drexel Heights Fire District. Relatives did CPR until Drexel Heights paramedics arrived and continued the efforts, then took Arias to St. Marys Hospital. Her family remained at her side as she was in critical condition. Arias had just graduated in May from San Miguel, a private Catholic and Lasallian college- and career-preparatory school. She was set to leave soon for St. Marys University of Minnesota in Winona, where she accepted a full-ride $250,000 scholarship to major in biochemistry. The audience Wednesday night including the schools students and graduates, fellow members of Los Changuitos Feos, the prominent mariachi group Arias sang and played violin with, and community members arrived to pray for her and her family. They immediately received more dreadful news. Msgr. Raul Trevizo, pastor at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church where the Arias family are parishioners, announced that Arias died about 3 p.m. Wednesday. Many gasped and held hands in disbelief. The prayer service transformed into a candlelight memorial service. This community that she belonged to for four years, the community of San Miguel where she was a youth leader will pray for her and the consolation of her family, said Trevizo. My Lord is my shepherd. There is nothing I shall want, was a verse sung in the background. Arias smiling face in her red graduation gown was shown on a big screen. Some youths knelt on the gym floor during the emotional service. Trevizo blessed water in Arias memory and then dipped a white rose into the holy water and walked through the gym, blessing those in attendance. He shared that on Sunday he saw Victoria at Mass and her face was glowing. It was shining. It was illuminating. I felt happy. Then, less than 24 hours later, she was found at the bottom of the pool. Her faith tells us she is with Jesus Christ and seeing God face to face and enjoying his friendship, he said. Now we must be concerned about her parents and her sister and you young people filled with enthusiasm and life. We need to pray for you to have the courage to go on, continue with the gift of faith and your journey as we mourn, as we cry, said Trevizo, speaking to the many teens with tears streaming down their faces. Others in the community also mourned that Arias had been so close to embarking on her new life. Victoria exemplified what it means to be a San Miguel student, said Dave Mason, president of the private school, in an interview before the service. She was known for her singing and playing of the violin. She played volleyball and was a mentor to students, said Mason. She embraced everybody and was social, receptive, open and a very caring individual. That is the reason why there is this outpouring for her in this tight-knit south-side community, Mason said of the young woman he described as displaying an aura, a spirituality and deep faith that drew people to her. Arias was the fourth person to drown this year in Pima County, which also had four near-drownings. It is not your typical scenario where there is a glaring, preventable factor, Koslowski said of Arias drowning. The life Victoria and her parents had dreamed about has ended, Trevizo told the crowd, for reasons we can never understand." Tucsons largest school district has unveiled a plan to reverse the continuous decline in student enrollment. The short-term plan, which focuses on returning at-risk students to school and customer service, is being rolled out by Interim Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo weeks before the new school year gets underway. Its not something thats going to go away until we face our reality, he said. Aging population, increase in competition and slow development in the region led to declining enrollment in the Tucson Unified School District, Trujillo said. The district should mobilize every single resource to deal with issues it has immediate control over, he added. Just seven years ago, more than 52,000 students were enrolled in TUSD schools. That figure has steadily declined over the years, with little more than 47,000 children enrolled last school year. A complex registration process has resulted in some parents walking away from TUSD schools when they feel they cannot get the help they need, Trujillo said. As a result, the district is looking to streamline registration and establish systems to reach out to families going through the enrollment process. Another strategy focuses on students who have been dis-enrolled because of continued absences but do not re-enroll elsewhere. Trujillo plans to implement outreach initiatives for those disengaged students who are likely to drop out. He also wants an electronic exit survey to determine why parents and students choose to leave the district. What we can do pretty much immediately is focus on what we do know, he said. TUCSON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION A suggestion that other bargaining groups be allowed to negotiate on behalf of TUSD teachers brought hundreds of Tucson Education Association members and supporters to the TUSD Governing Board meeting Tuesday. As it stands, the Tucson Education Association is the only group representing TUSD teachers in negotiations with the Governing Board. The comment was made by board member Rachael Sedgwick at a June 27 board meeting. She said she repeatedly requested membership information about the TEA and was denied. Because of that, Sedgwick said she had concerns about whether all teachers were represented and added that she wanted there to be additional bargaining groups. If other groups want to sit at the table, they can start making arrangements to that end, she said. Rumors then circulated on social media and in emails that the teachers union may lose bargaining rights, although the Governing Board has not officially placed the matter on an agenda for discussion or action. During the call to the audience, several people spoke in support of the TEA, sharing their experiences on how it has helped their career or in tough situations. Among them was Marion Pickens, a former state legislator and retired TUSD teacher who told the board about a similar situation that happened in the 1970s. Take it from an old-timer like me. You can have TEA with you or against you, but I hope you choose the right one, she said. SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH UPDATE Finalists for the new leader of TUSD will be announced Aug. 10. There are 17 applicants who will be narrowed down to five by a screening committee. On Aug. 8, the board will discuss the schedule for finalist interviews and community forums. The three Democrats running for Tucson City Council in north-central Ward 3 clashed Wednesday on two proposals to raise the citys sales tax. The proposals are Strong Starts push for a half-cent increase in revenues dedicated to schools, and another plan for a one-tenth of a cent increase going to Reid Park Zoo. Candidates Tom Tronsdal, Paul Durham and Felicia Chew are competing in next months primary election for the Democratic nomination to succeed outgoing Councilwoman Karin Uhlich. Local firefighter Gary Watson is running in Ward 3 as an independent. There are no Republican candidates for the seat. During a live interview Wednesday on radio, host Bill Buckmasters KVOI program, only Chew, among the Democrats, signaled her support for the sales-tax proposals. Watson was not part of the interview. A teacher, Chew said she is supporting Strong Start. We would be investing in our kids and our future, she said. Chew told Buckmaster that she supports the proposed tax for the zoo as well, saying the zoo serves a critical role in the community teaching adults and children alike about how to care for animals. Durham, an attorney, said he believes strongly that education is important and additional funds for schools are part of the recipe to improve education standards. However, he said he hadnt decided whether he will back the Strong Schools initiative. He told Buckmaster he has some concerns about the proposal, saying his read is that it does not have written standards in place to evaluate schools. As for the proposal benefiting the zoo, Durham questions whether the city should play favorites and set aside funds to one park at a time. Tronsdal, a small business owner, was dismissive of both proposals. He called the half-cent sales tax to benefit schools a wonderful idea, but said it is not the right solution as currently written. As for the zoo, Tronsdal said the proposal was also flawed. It isnt the right policy for the city of Tucson, he told Buckmaster. Reached for comment Wednesday evening, Watson said he wants voters to decide on both issues. He said it was a shame that a third-party had to step in on the zoo issue since it is a service already provided by the city. As for schools, Watson, who is also a JTED instructor, said education is important but not a service directly provided by the city of Tucson. Watson said it should be up to the voters, not him, on whether they will pay additional taxes to go to education and the city-run zoo. Both proposals for tax increases recently submitted signatures to the Tucson city clerk and are currently under formal review before being added to the November general election ballot. At a forum Monday night organized by Progressive Democrats of Arizona and a grassroots organization called The AZ Ground Game, the four Ward 3 candidates offered various perspectives on how to create new jobs and improve the local economy. Tronsdal, who owns Canyon Fence Company, said the city sometimes gets in the way of local businesses. He said the former Wildcat House, which is now a BBQ restaurant, is a good example of how loopholes in the code can force one business to close while incentivizing another. They ran into problems trying to get their parking lot up to code. It would cost the company way too much money, so they just sold the business, he said. Another business came in and was offered a tax incentive to go in there, and they came and didnt have to worry about the parking lot. Durham focused his remarks on trying to find a balance between city regulations and the desire for small, local companies to grow. I want to make sure they are no more burdensome than necessary to meet the (citys) policy objectives, he said. Durham added he wanted to see additional support for education and vocational schools, saying a well-trained workforce is important to meeting the needs of the business community. Watson said the City Council should reach out to both the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Tucson Metro Chamber for guidance on the needs of the business community. Additionally, the firefighter told the audience that the city needs to focus on crime, as making sure residents feel safe is important to the business climate. He noted that the city has lost several trade schools and it is important to working with Pima Community College to offer much-needed vocational training. Chew said it is important to make the city of Tucson a destination for both families and businesses, borrowing the quote from the movie Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will come, she said. She added that while she supports giving seed money to help some local businesses get off the ground or expand, she suggested that those funds should be a loan that is eventually paid back to the city. Help India! By TwoCircles.net, Staff Reporter Hyderabad: Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC), a Hyderabad-based civil rights group has expressed its deep concern over growing attacks on the Muslim community in India. It also criticised the lack of action taken by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with respect to these crimes. Support TwoCircles These systematic attacks and propaganda of hatred have increased after Narendra Modi-led BJP government came into power. This government has given a free hand to the Hindutva fascist forces. The main reason behind these attacks is the silence of Prime Minister Modi and his bonhomie towards the Hindutva Fascist forces led by the RSS, where he belongs to, CLMC said in a statement. There are only some incidents which are reported in the media but there are many more horrifying incidents in the rural hinterlands which are conveniently sidelined by the mainstream media. The current situation is so drastic that the whole community is feeling insecure, the statement added. The rights group further said that the Muslim community is compelled to ponder over as to what is their future in this country. Whether they possess the fundamental guaranteed right to life, or if they have been reduced to a second-grade citizen without any basic constitutional rights are questions tharisees in their minds. The sense of insecurity and threat is only due to the present governments promotion of Hindutva and its culture in the name of Nationalism. The committee has castigated role of National Human Rights Commission for not taken the cognizance of these violent incidents. We strongly believe that NHRCs complicit silence on these inhuman acts is a serious matter. NHRC, by neither issuing notice to the concerned state government nor to the central government, and not calling for any report, is undoing its mandate of acting as a watchdog of human rights violations in this country, it said. The committee has asked the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission to uphold the ideals of human rights protection and intervene into this gross situation which is going from bad to worse and to protect the life and liberty of the Muslims in India. In 1984, Margaret Thatcher managed to secure an EU rebate of 79 million, a remarkable achievement during the early years of her premiership. 21 years later, Tony Blair threw it away. Since the UK joined the Common Market in 1973, Britain has been a net contributor towards the trading bloc. 34 years since our entry, Brussels has the nerve to demand the UK pays a final divorce settlement. Au contraire, Monsieur Barnier: the EU owes the UK money. Since Theresa May triggered Article 50, the EU has invented a clause that any country leaving the trading bloc, or in this case Britain, should pay a maximum of 100 billion. Who remembers that being the case when Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007? 'The UK should be owed 4.5 billion in property assets alone.' Firstly, as Leo McKinstry from the Daily Mail highlighted, the UK should be owed 4.5 billion in property assets alone about its 12.5% share of EU assets. Brussels' accumulated wealth is worth 36 billion: 19 billion in cash, 7.5 billion in property and 8.3 billion in financial assets. Also, the EU owes 49 billion in outstanding loans, 39 billion reserved for incomplete projects and 9 billion of budget contributions. If Mr Davis reminded Monsieur Barnier that Britain is entitled to a 12.5% share of the total, then the UK should be owed 12.1 billion. Furthermore, when it comes to luxuries, the European Parliament is estimated to have 15,500 bottles of wine and spirits in its cellars, while the Council of Ministers has 27,000. Have they the cheek to impose austerity on Mediterranean countries while they wine and dine at the taxpayer's expense? This collection is worth 8 million. Britain is entitled to an eighth of assets, which would cover 5,000 bottles of wines and spirits and 2 million of art. Let us hope Damian Green was right when he said the prospect of no deal with the EU is forthcoming because then Mrs May can say au revoir to Monsieur Barnier and this humiliating trading bloc this country should never have joined in the first place. It has been ten years since the Scottish National Party managed to form a minority government in the Scottish Parliament.They went on to become a formidable force in British politics. Yet a decade later, the SNP, rather like New Labour, has reached the peak of its popularity and is starting to stagnate. Nicola Sturgeon's position has been hindered by two significant factors: the substantial loss of Nationalist MPs last June and her announcement the Scottish Government will not legislate for a second independence referendum until the final Brexit deal has been clarified, which may not be until April 2019. 'The SNP's position has been weakened.' Yet in the midst of the Brexit negotiations, do the EU fundamentally care what the leader of a regional assembly thinks? Realistically, they do not. As mentioned earlier, the SNP's position has been weakened, which was the only positive outcome of this year's general election. The Scottish Government will have no impact on the outcome of the UK-EU discussions overall. With opinion polls suggesting the majority of Scots do not desire a second independence referendum dictated by Brexit, there is no mandate for legislation on this issue. The SNP would do well to pay greater attention to burgeoning domestic issues, such as the growing crises in the health and education sectors. It will not be long before Scots see through the SNP for what they really are, and jetting off to Europe at the courtesy of British taxpayers will not be the anecdote to the First Minister's abysmal record governing scotland. Reports have surfaced that Donald Trump is being investigated by special counsel Rob Mueller for possible obstruction of justice. The special counsel is in the process of investigating the interference of Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Donald Trump and his legal counsel did not directly deny the reports but instead denounced the leaks and Trump called the investigation phony in recent tweets. Obstruction of justice allegations It appears that the Russian investigation has now expanded to include the president of the United States. According to a report by the Washington Post, the federal investigation into Donald Trump's campaign collusion with Russia now includes an investigation into whether the president tried to stop that probe. James Comey, fired FBI director, had recently testified to Congress that Trump had told him in a private meeting to let the investigation into Flynn go. The report suggests that the allegations of obstruction center on Trump's actions as reported by Comey. Donald Trump reacts to report Trump has reacted to Comey's testimony as not being truthful and when asked said he would willing testify under Oath before Congress. After the report of possible obstruction charges surfaced, Trump's personal lawyer Mark Corallo responded to the reports by calling what he described as an FBI leak, outrageous and illegal. Trump himself responded in tweets early Thursday morning saying that the collusion with Russia story is phony and made up and that the obstruction of justice claim is based on no proof. He also stated in another tweet that the investigation is being led by bad and conflicted people. New players in the Russia investigation Congress heard under oath from Comey about alleged attempts by Trump to get the FBI to drop the Russian investigation. However, other potential witnesses have surfaced that could throw additional light on the claims. It is reported that Donald Trump also talked to the national intelligence director Dan Coats and Admiral Mike Rogers who heads the National Security Agency. It is alleged that Trump asked both men to publicly deny the evidence of his campaign collusion with the Russians and both men denied to do so. Coats, Rogers and Richard Ledgett who is the former deputy director of the National Security Agency, could be talking to Mueller in connection with the potential obstruction inquiry according to reports in both the New York Times and the Post. Rogers and Ledgett had refused to answer questions before Congress pertaining to whether the president had asked them to intervene on the Russian interference investigation. Nicola Sturgeon vows to protect scotland as she meets with the EU's Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, in the midst of worsening Brexit tensions. Today's meeting comes as Mr Barnier prepares for the second round of negotiations with the UK Government next Monday. A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said she is trying to build a consensus against a 'hard' Brexit. Meanwhile, Mr Barnier has warned the UK that discussions with the EU could fail after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's remarks that Brussels should 'go whistle' if they expected Britain to pay a hefty divorce bill to quit the trading bloc. He informed a press conference that he could not hear a whistle, just a clock ticking. 'He is willing to listen to different points of view.' The EU's Chief Negotiator reiterated that he is willing to listen to different points of view in the British debate on Brexit. He also called for more clarity regarding the UK's divorce bill, which could total 100 billion. Ms Sturgeon's spokesman said she would be demanding that the EU considers the option of a 'soft' Brexit, which would result in the UK retaining Single Market membership. Since David Davis was appointed to the position of Brexit Secretary last year, he has consistently consulted the devolved administrations on what they want the British Government to achieve during the discussions. But Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected the SNP's calls for Britain to retain its Single Market membership, insisting the UK will be leaving both the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). 'Leaving the EU can be cancelled.' The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Alistair Carmicheal, has urged Ms Sturgeon to advocate that leaving the EU can be cancelled via a second referendum. The First Secretary of State, Damian Green, reaffirmed the Government's position during Prime Minister's Questions yesterday. He said that there is still a chance of failing to reach a deal if negotiations continue to stumble. Mr Green substituted the Prime Minister in the House of Commons during PMQs while Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry, replaced Mr Corbyn for the day. Ms Thornberry called on the Government to get a grip, as a full EU departure is less than 20 months away. She said it would be very difficult for the Prime Minister to walk away from negotiations given that the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has expressed serious doubts over the Tories' Brexit strategy. Mr Green reiterated that it is the Government's priority to ensure Britain leaves the EU with a trade agreement, but that no deal is better than a punishment deal. He added that the Office for Budget Responsibility would be publishing a report on Thursday which outlines the financial consequences of trading under World Trade Organization rules, which many businesses fear will hinder the economy. 'A case of settling accounts.' Mr Davis is yet to prepare a statement in response to Mr Barnier's demands that the UK agree on a divorce settlement before talks on trade commence. He stressed that he wants to build a relationship of trust with the British Government based on trade and security by agreeing on the three significant obstacles of the bill, EU citizens and the Irish border first. Questioned in the House of Commons on Tuesday about the divorce settlement, Mr Johnson said the sums Brussels suggested are extortionate. Mr Barnier responded by saying the bill is not a ransom or punishment, just a case of settling accounts. He warned the UK has a legal duty to pay its financial obligations. Money is not the only barrier threatening to derail the second round of discussions on Monday. The European Parliament's Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, said that Members of the European Parliament could have the final say over the UK Government's offer to EU citizens. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also warned that the UK cannot trade with the EU, unless it accepts the trading bloc's four freedoms of capital, movement, goods and services. GreenKey Technologies Joins Forces with Red Box Recorders Share Tweet By Alicia Young Web Editor By Alicia YoungWeb Editor GreenKey Technologies, an AI-driven voice collaboration platform for the financial markets, announced this week that it has entered into a global partnership with Red Box (News - Alert) Recorders, an expert in voice recording technology and services. The purpose of this partnership is to create an integrated solution for embedded compliance recording within GreenKey's software-based trader collaboration offering. Thanks to the newly inked deal, clients can use Red Box voice recording technology with the trade and communications analytics, monitoring and archiving capabilities of GreenKey's Enterprise Voice Collaboration platform to provide complete records of trade activities. Pete Ellis, COO of Red Box Recorders (News - Alert), commented, Voice communication is part of the culture and fabric of the capital markets. Capturing these conversations is now more important than ever. Red Box is working with GreenKey to bring our decades of voice recording expertise to GreenKey's innovative Enterprise Voice Collaboration platform. Implementing call recording solutions is especially important these days due to regulations such as Dodd-Frank in the U.S. and MiFID II and Market Abuse Directive and Regulation (MAD/MAR) in Europe. All of these regulations require investment firms to keep records of trade-related communications, including everything from emails to voice conversations. In addition, investment firms also need to produce time-sequenced records of the lifecycle of a trade. For this, the companies involved need to capture different types of communications data generated from pre-trade, to execution, to post-trade. Once that data is compiled, it needs to be correlated it with the relevant transaction data. For these reasons, GreenKey and Red Box saw a hole in the market that their partnership could fill. Compliance officers need a way to capture all communications and interactions around a trade in order to give regulators a complete snapshot of events. Integrating our data analytics capabilities with voice recording through Red Box helps us provide a complete and cost effective surveillance, record-keeping and trade reconstruction solution to our global client base, said Nader Shwayhat, CEO of GreenKey Technologies. Through this partnership, hundreds of financial firmsbanks banks, brokers, funds and tradersshould be able to stay in compliance with the guidelines pertaining to their locations. overbooking has damaged the image of united airlines, especially with incidents like the dragging of Dr. David Dao being given prominent media coverage. To address the problem, the air carrier announced a rewards system for passengers bumped off because of overbooked flights. Under United Airlines new Flex-Schedule Program, travelers on an overbooked flight will receive an email from the air carrier ahead of their flight. The email will ask the passenger if he or she is flexible for the scheduled trip, Fortune reported. Incentive of $250 travel voucher If the passenger says yes, United Airlines will rebook the traveler within 24 hours upon replying to the email. The traveler will be booked on a different flight from the same airport and on the same date. In addition, United Airlines will offer a $250 travel voucher to the passenger. Startup Volantio, based in Atlanta, helped United Airlines create the program and technology. The Flex-Schedule Program aims to change the perception of the air carrier which has suffered a negative public image after horror stories about overbooking were published. Azim Barodawala, the chief executive of Volantio, said flyers will be happier if airlines could offer them a buyout in advance. For airlines, it represents a release valve a way to shuffle people around when youre capacity overstrained. This benefits the customer as well, youre creating choice for them, Bloomberg reported. Daos case It has long been an aviation industry practice to offer passengers cash or frequent flier miles if they are on an overbooked flight and willing to give up their seat. The offer, however, was usually made just before the plane was about to depart. United offered those perks to passengers, but no one accepted the offer so the air carriers computer system randomly selected a passenger to bump off which resulted in incidents such the Dao one when he was dragged off the flight. Besides Daos case, there was other bad publicity for United Airlines after a Hawaii middle school teacher, Shirley Yamauchi, was forced to give up a seat for her 27-month-old son on an overbooked flight to Boston last week. She had to hold her child, Taizo, throughout the trip which caused her arm and leg to numb. Yamauchi paid almost $1,000 for her sons ticket. The explanation of United Airlines for the gaffe was that the boarding pass of Taizo was improperly scanned so the child was not logged into the air carriers system. His seat was eventually released to a male passenger who was a standby traveler, The Washington Post reported. Dave Bartels, the vice president for pricing and revenue management of United Airlines, however, said the companys Flex-Schedule Program is not so much about overbooking. He admitted the air carrier could use it to ease seat shortage on an overbooked flight, but its main goal, Bartels insisted, is to make available a valuable seat and offer it to someone who needs it more. Besides United Airlines, Tiger Airways will sign in with Volantio and offer a similar program in August. Alaska Air would follow in September and Qantas in October. After close to six months in the White House, Donald Trump has faced an onslaught of criticism from his critics and the mainstream media. With the pressure mounting, the president has once again decided to lash out on social media. President on Twitter It all began back in June 2015 when the future president stood on the floor of Trump Tower in New York City and declared that he was going to run for president. During his speech, the former host of "The Apprentice" gave his thoughts on immigration reform, before labeling those who come into the United States illegally as "rapists" and "murderers." In response, the majority of the media reacted negatively, kicking off what has become a two-year war of worlds between the press and the administration. During the 2016 presidential election, Trump would openly label the media as "terrible," while calling journalists some of the "worst people" he's ever met. In an attempt to bypass the press, Trump opted to use social media as his number one form of communication, tweeting on an almost daily basis, while touching on a variety of topics. As seen on his Twitter account on June 13, Trump once again found himself on social media. The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty. Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017 Taking to Twitter on Tuesday morning, Donald Trump decided to turn his attention to the media. "The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty," he tweeted, before adding, "Purposely incorrect stories and phoney sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!." As the commander in chief continues to fight back against the mainstream media, he quickly shifted his focus onto the news that yet another court had stuck down his travel ban executive order. Well, as predicted, the 9th Circuit did it again - Ruled against the TRAVEL BAN at such a dangerous time in the history of our country. S.C. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2017 "Well, as predicted, the 9th Circuit did it again - Ruled against the TRAVEL BAN at such a dangerous time in the history of our country. S.C.," the president posted to his Twitter feed. The tweet was in reference to the three-person panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that shot down the president's ban, finding, "we conclude that the President, in issuing the Executive Order, exceeded the scope of the authority delegated to him by Congress." Following his two morning tweets, the president went on to re-tweet one of his followers who attacked liberal Americans, writing, "Liberals have an agenda and it's not in America's best interest. Keep fighting the good fight! We stand with you!" BREAKING: Another US appeals court upholds decision blocking President Donald Trump's revised travel ban. The Associated Press (@AP) June 12, 2017 Next up While the president is finding time to lash out on social media, there are other more important issues facing his administration. As the Russian scandal heats, and with the recent additions of the James Comey testimony, only time will tell how the White House reacts to the pressure and controversy that has been hanging over their head. Djibouti is the new base for great power. This former French colony has thought of the best and quickest way to make money. It simply rents out parts of the desert to any power- nation who is willing to pay. The Americans have a base there and now they should be worried. They have competition in the form of a Chinese military base. This is the first Chinese overseas base, Al Jazeera News Channel reported. On Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang announced that the base is operational and Chinese naval ships will carry out patrolling and anti-piracy missions in the region. It will help meet China's international obligations in conducting escorting missions and humanitarian aid." The dragon and Djibouti The Dragon has entered Arica in a big way. There are over a million Chinese working on various projects in Africa and this base will add muscle to Chinese expansion in the region.The French, U.S., and Japanese already have a presence in Djibouti and now China has joined them. Djibouti's occupies a strategic position on the tip of the Horn of Africa and controls access to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The strait is only 18 miles wide at its narrowest point. It connects the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Its strategic importance cannot be underestimated. US vs. China The U.S. will be worried about the Chinese presence. America has recognized the importance of this base and in a joint statement during the visit of General Mattis and Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of Pentagon's Africa Command, said that the U.S. garrison at U.S. Camp Lemonnier is "very, very important". They were referring to the projection of American power in the region. The U.S. military maintains over 4,000 troops at the base which is on a 10-year lease. Air operations are also launched from this base. China in Africa China has made a substantial investment in Djibouti. It has invested over $500 million to build the Djibouti portion of a railway line to the capital Adis Ababa in neighboring Ethiopia. The Chinese may maintain about 10,000 troops and two warships at this base. Two warships of the Chinese navy with an unspecified number of troops have already left China and are on the way to Djibouti.The activation of the base is a direct threat to U.S. operations and the Indian Navy which, along with the U.S. Navy, dominates the Indian Ocean and Arabian sea. Is "Teen Mom OG" star Farrah Abraham pregnant? The MTV reality star's on again, off again boyfriend, Simon Saran, claims that she is expecting her second child, but who is the father? Hollywood Life claims that a new photo of Farrah seemingly sporting a tiny baby bump has everyone talking about whether or not she's currently pregnant. When the website reached out to Simon to ask him if Farrah was indeed pregnant, he replied, She just may be 26 and pregnant." When he was pushed to give a final answer on the pregnancy rumors, Saran finaly stated that "yes" Abraham is pregnant, but is he telling the truth? Simon claims that Farrah may be pregnant with his baby, but is trying to cause controversy? As many "Teen Mom OG" fans know, Simon Saran has been known to start a lot of controversy, trouble, and gossip. Simon continued to elaborate on the claim that Farrah Abraham is pregnant, stating that he may be the father, and that the reality star may want to go on "The Maury show" to find out. Simon also added that's he's "looking forward to being called daddy," joking that he would like the child to also call him daddy. While it seems that Simon may be making up the entire story to cause trouble, get publicity, or simply have a little fun with the media, the most recent photo of Farrah could suggest she's got a bun in the oven. However, the "Teen Mom OG" star has been adamant about not having another child until she's married, although she did say that should would love to adopt a sibling for her daughter Sophia in the future. It doesn't seem likely that Simon Saran's claims about Farrah Abraham being pregnant with her second child are true, but when it comes to the "Teen Mom" stars, anything is possible. Farrah and Amber are the only members of the franchise to not have multiple children. Other than Amber Portwood, Farrah is the only "Teen Mom" cast member to not have a second pregnancy. Maci Bookout has two children, Catelynn Lowell has had two pregnancies, Chelsea Houska recently gave birth to her second child, Leah Messer has three little girls, and Jenelle Evans has three children. Meanwhile, Kailyn Lowry is currently expecting her third child later this summer. So, another TMOG or TM2 baby wouldn't be the most shocking news for fans to digest. However, it would be a bit unexpected, especially when Farrah Abraham is involved. It seems Farrah is much more focused on her career than she is on expanding her family at this time. The sounds of new oil drills entering below the surface of the earth to excavate natural resources have often been met with mixed reactions from people in close proximity to the operation. In Cyprus, they are being met with Turkish warships. According to Ekathimerini, these ships are expected to perform military drills with live ammunition in Cyprus's exclusive economic zone. This development is a blow to the international community who have spent a lot of time and money attempting to assist with unidi=fcation of Cyprus. Over the years since the mid-1970's, the USA has channeled more than $1 million in assistance to the two communities provides approximately $24 million annually to reduce tension and promote peace between the two communities. What's Up With Cyprus? Cyprus has been divided between a Greek south and Turkish north since 1974 when Turkish forces invaded following an attempted Greek coup. Decades of reunification talks seem to have gotten nowhere. Earlier this month, a conference called by Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General ended in disappointment as the two sides failed yet again to reach an agreement. Even U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence could not bring about a consensus, despite speaking on the phone with leaders from both sides. The sting of this failure has only been heightened by the fact that Total, a French oil company, has begun drilling in oil fields in the Greek-Cypriot territory. Turkish Cypriots have not been allocated any share of the revenue, and thus Turkish warships loom in the foggy distance. It is clear that the continuation of division between Greek and Turkish Cyprus will only leave dark clouds hanging over the island, and indeed, the international community. Thats why its critical to consider the facts on the ground that will govern any possible reunification. Unfortunately, in doing so, we find that these dark clouds will soon turn to full-blown storms as the prospects of reunification are quite dim. The White House has called for "secure a settlement that would reunify Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation to the benefit of all Cypriots, yet such a settlement seems further away than ever. There's a new Turk on the block Start first with Turkey. It is widely acknowledged that the government in Turkish Cyprus, led by Mustafa Akinci, answers primarily to the will of Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey, after all, is the only country that recognizes its very existence. This means that Erdogans rapidly fraying relationship with the EU could get in the way of any reasonable settlement. Previously, Turkey was willing to bring more chips to the negotiating table in Cyprus as a method of easing its accession to the EU. Yet Ankaras remaining motivation to join the 24 other EU capitals is increasingly in doubt. After winning a referendum that would give him powers to dissolve parliament and appoint top-level officials, cementing his executive presidency, Erdogan seems comfortable to craft his country to his own preferences, not the EUs. This spells dark days for a potential peace agreement: if the EU cannot pressure Turkey to remove their troops from the northern half of the island perhaps. However, it is unlikely that Erdogan will come to this decision of his own volition. It's all Greek to these Cypriots The next cause for concern lies on the island itself. Greek and Turkish Cypriots seem to have become desensitized to the ever-present conflict on their island. The reasons are clear. According to the Economist, 48 percent of young Greek-Cypriots have never even been to the Turkish side. This sort of apathy makes reunification seem less important, and thus less likely to occur. It also interferes with politics. June talks failed after the Greek-Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades rejected a Turkish proposal to remove a significant number of troops off the island, on the grounds that Turkey could still intervene legally if it felt threatened. The window of opportunity on #Cyprus reunification has been lost, and will be difficult to reopen @asliaydintasbas https://t.co/EPbfl1g8IM ECFR (@ecfr) 12 July 2017 Mr. Anastasiades is also facing a tough re-election battle in 2018. In an electorate filled with voters who are not terribly concerned about reunification, he knows that a less-than-perfect deal will not be accepted, and thus has adopted a hard line. The Unites States and United Nations are no closer to finding a solution, but instead, use taxpayer dollars on an unsustainable stalemate. The storm clouds will only grow darker, as Greek and Turkish Cypriots fumble around in the abyss, searching for peace. Senior Chinese and US government officials will meet in Washington next week for the first round of a comprehensive economic dialogue to discuss economic and trade issues of mutual concern. The first round of the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue will come 10 days after President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. The dialogue will be co-chaired by Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced on Tuesday. During the meeting between Xi and Trump in Hamburg, the two sides agreed to hold the economic dialogue on July 19. They also decided to hold the first round of law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue, and social and people-to-people and cultural dialogue in the near future. Xi told Trump that the 100-Day Plan on China-US economic cooperation has made important progress, and both sides are discussing carrying out a one-year cooperation plan. "The results so far in the 100-day program to improve trade and investment appear to have been more constructive than many critics argued, and it is possible there will be further progress at the CED on July 19," said Douglas Paal, vice-president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Paal also noted that the unhappiness of the White House with the lack of progress on China constraining the Democratic People's Republic of Korea may lead to authorization of Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act or Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion act against steel and other commodities from industries where China has significant overcapacity. Section 301 provides the US with the authority to enforce trade agreements, resolve trade disputes and open foreign markets to US goods and services. Section 232 authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to conduct comprehensive investigations to determine the effects of imports on US national security. In Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng said the two sides have vigorously advanced the 100-Day Action Plan for China-US economic cooperation since the first meeting between Xi and Trump in Florida in early April. "In early May, China and the US reaped a series of early harvests," he said. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com Three former executives of fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining loans and banker's acceptances - a type of short-term debt - during a trial in Kaifeng, Henan province, on Wednesday. The three defendants, Zhang Xincheng, Guo Lijie and Xiao Yanling, who worked for Henan Yuda Real Estate Co, controlled by Guo Wengui, confessed to fraudulently obtaining loans and banker's acceptances over 44 times from seven banks by registering shell corporations, forging contracts and employing fake investment projects from 2008 to 2015. Nearly 1.5 billion yuan ($221 million) was stolen through the transactions, prosecutors said, adding that while most of the money was returned, 212 million yuan was still missing. Some of the money was used to operate Beijing Pangu Investment Inc, also controlled by Guo Wengui, while some was transferred overseas, prosecutors said. "It was Guo Wengui who asked me to secure the loans and banker's acceptances. I had little legal awareness and obeyed his orders blindly," Zhang, former financial director of the company, said in court. Guo Lijie, the company's former deputy manager, and Xiao, the ex-deputy head of the company's financial department, also pleaded guilty to the charges. "I felt sorry and regretted a lot what I did, which not only made me lose my freedom, but also harmed my family. I'd like to accept the punishment," said a weeping GuoLijie. Lawyers of the three defendants said their clients played small roles in the schemes, suggesting they deserve lenient treatment. "Most of the money fraudulently obtained has been paid back, and it didn't cause the banks great losses," Zhang's attorney said. The Kaifeng Intermediate People's Court posted information about the trial, including photos and videos, via its official account on Twitter-like Sina Weibo. More than 60 residents, such as relatives of the defendants, journalists and political advisers, attended the hearing. The court said it will announce verdicts at a later date. It was the second set of trials related to Guo Wengui, who fled overseas about three years ago. In June, three former employees of Beijing Pangu were given prison terms in a court in Dalian, Liaoning province, for fraudulently obtaining loans and foreign currency valued at 3.2 billion yuan from the Agricultural Bank of China in the name of the company. BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping received the credentials presented by eight new ambassadors to China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday. The ambassadors are Selim Belortaja from Albania, Jose Bernal from Mexico, Usenov Azamat from Kyrgyzstan, Mothusi Palai from Botswana, Edward Boateng from Ghana, Terry Branstad from the United States, Jean-Maurice Ripert from France, and Patricia Rodriguez Holkemeyer from Costa Rica. Xi welcomed the ambassadors to China and asked them to convey his sincere greetings and good wishes to the leaders and people of their countries. The Chinese government will provide convenience and support for the work of the ambassadors and hopes that they will actively contribute to bilateral relations between China and their countries, Xi said. Xi spoke positively of traditional friendship and sound relations with the eight countries, and said China will enhance mutual trust, promote pragmatic cooperation, and deepen people-to-people exchanges to boost bilateral ties. The ambassadors conveyed greetings from their state leaders to Xi. They said their countries highly value the relations with China, as well as the friendship between the peoples, and expect to participate in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. They said they feel greatly honored to serve as ambassadors to China, and will devote their best efforts to promoting cooperation between their countries and China, as well as deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples. Get your 4,000-year-old beer (recipe) here. You may not yet hear that cry at Chicago's ballparks, but you can on Thursday evening at the Field Museum on the city's Lake Shore Drive. Off Color Brewing of Chicago will present its QingMing beer, which the museum says is "inspired by artifacts discovered during archeological digs" in Taixi and a Changzikou tomb dating from the late Shang/Western Zhou Dynasties (circa 1600-722 BC). "We work with the Field Museum of Natural History to create archeologically inspired beers as a way to both challenge ourselves and help breathe life into the past," Off Color Brewing co-owner John Laffler told China Daily. Laffler and co-owner Dave Bleitner of Off Color, which also supplies the museum's house beer, will be on hand to discuss how QingMing was cooked up. QingMing draws its name from a major Chinese festival - Tomb-Sweeping Day - in which people honor their ancestors' memories - and offer some libations. Laffler said the brewery "was particularly excited about the alcoholic beverages from this region and time as they are the first evidence of codified mold-based saccharification". Saccharification is the conversion of rice starch to sugar and is considered China's contribution to brewing. With a hefty 9.5 percent alcohol-by-volume make-up, QingMing is a stronger, drier, herbal version of li, a sweet rice- or millet-based beer. "(It) falls outside generally recognized styles," Laffler said in describing QingMing. "Technically, it is an ale. The legal classification is Chang-style malt beverage brewed with rice, honey, fruits and botanicals." Gary Feinman, the Field Museum's MacArthur curator of Mesoamerican, Central American and East Asian anthropology, assisted in QingMing's creation. "The museum was a willing partner of these probes into history to find new flavors for beer," Feinman told China Daily. "I've been actually surveying in China for over 20 years in conjunction with colleagues from Shandong University. Early in the project, another American colleague of mine had a joint excavation with our Chinese colleagues that I was kind of peripherally involved with. In the finds from those excavations were various ceramic vessels that were tested out and revealed alcohol residues that went back over 4,000 years." Feinman said he "took a fair amount of literature that I could find on early Chinese alcohol recipes and I sent them to him (Laffler) and he kind of mulled it over he's a creative guy and he decided which one he wanted to pursue". "He got inspiration from some of the ingredients that had been reported in this literature as well as for the technique of using fermented rice, so those were the two inspirations that he grasped onto," Feinman said. "Rather than a strict recreation of a single dig site, we chose to make an amalgam because existing evidence shows a wide range of beverage types were produced ... and the (US) federal government decided that many of the ingredients and flavorings being used at (that) time are not currently legal to use in beer production," Off Color's website says of QingMing. This beer has a lot going on. "The taste profile (of QingMing) is of peaches and lemon rind with fragrant aromas of tea, bubble gum and sake followed by an onslaught of complex fruit, herbal and floral character," says Off Color's website. "The body is dry and effervescent with the warming alcohol dissipating quickly from the palate, leaving one with the perception of nectar, honey and perfumed rice." Feinman hasn't gotten any QingMing samples yet for his efforts. "I'm going to be just as much an eager explorer as the people who come to the event," he said. Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com A federal grand jury in Illinois on Wednesday indicted a 28-year-old former physics doctoral student in the kidnapping of visiting Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying on June 9. Brendt Christensen, 28, of Champaign, Illinois, who has a master's degree in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), was arrested on June 30 on a charge of kidnapping Zhang, 26, who was attending the same school. On July 5, he was ordered held without bail by US Magistrate Judge Eric Long of the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois in Urbana. Acting US Attorney Patrick Hansen and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Cox of Springfield Division announced the indictment. A preliminary court hearing scheduled for Friday was canceled, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the US attorney's office in the Central District of Illinois. Christensen will be arraigned on July 20 in Urbana, and his lawyers have said he will plead not guilty. The indictment charges that Christensen kidnapped Zhang and held her on June 9, and that he used a mobile phone and a car to commit and further the commission of the offense. If he is convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Zhang, who had been in the US for about a month, was conducting research at the university's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and living in university housing. She has not been found, but police believe she is no longer alive. "As stated in the complaint affidavit, law enforcement investigating Zhang's disappearance believe Zhang is deceased," said the statement. "This determination is based on facts presented in court and court documents, and other facts uncovered during the ongoing investigation." An affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleged that on June 9 Christensen was driving a black Saturn Astra, captured by security cameras, as it pulled up to Zhang at the corner of West Clark Street and North Goodwin Avenue in Urbana at about 2 pm. Zhang can be seen entering the front passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle then pulled away and proceeded northbound on North Goodwin Avenue. She sent a text message on June 9 to a prospective landlord saying she was on her way to Urbana to sign a lease on an apartment but she never showed up. Her last phone activity was at 1:39 pm the same day, saying that she was running late and would not arrive until around 2:10 pm. The last message sent to her phone was from the landlord, delivered at 2:38 pm, but there was no reply. Later on June 9, at approximately 9:24 pm, a UIUC associate professor reported to university police that several colleagues had tried to reach Zhang by phone, and she had not responded, according to the affidavit. Wang Zhidong, the lawyer representing Zhang's family members, said on Wednesday that they are "extremely anxious and painful" and asked for help to find Zhang as soon as possible. "Members of Yingying's family feel comforted by the indictment by the grand jury and express gratitude for the unremitting efforts of the police and prosecutors. They also want to thank people in China, the US and everywhere else for their concern over Yingying," Wang said. On Monday, members of Zhang's family confirmed in a statement that after checking video records, a woman spotted by several people in Salem, Illinois, which is 120 miles south of the university, was not Zhang, according to Charlie Li, president of the Chinese American Association of Central Illinois. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, UIUC Police Department and the Illinois State Police are continuing the investigation. wanglinyan@chinadailyusa.com A federal grand jury in Central District of Illinois returned an indictment on Wednesday that charges Brendt Christensen with kidnapping visiting Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying on June 9. Christensen, 28, who has a master's degree in physics from the University of Illinois, was arrested on charges of kidnapping Zhang, 26, on June 30. On July 5, he was ordered held without bail by US Magistrate Judge Eric Long in federal court in Urbana, Illinois. Acting US Attorney Patrick Hansen and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Cox announced the return of the indictment. A preliminary hearing scheduled on July 14 was cancelled, according to a statement released by the US Attorney's Office in the Central District of Illinois on Wednesday. A date for Christensen's arraignment will be scheduled by the US Clerk of the Court in Urbana. NASA's Juno spacecraft in orbit above Jupiter's Great Red Spot is seen in this undated handout illustration obtained by Reuters July 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] LOS ANGELES - A NASA spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter began transmitting data and images on Tuesday from humanity's closest brush with the Great Red Spot, a flyby of the colossal, crimson storm that has fascinated Earthbound observers for hundreds of years. The Juno probe logged its close encounter with Jupiter's most distinctive feature on Monday evening as it passed about 9,000 kilometers above the clouds of the mammoth cyclone. Jupiter's Great Spot is a 16,000-km-wide storm monitored since 1830 and possibly existing for more than 350 years. But it will take days for readings captured by Juno's array of cameras and other instruments to be delivered to scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and much longer still for the data to be analyzed. Scientists hope the exercise will help unlock such mysteries as what forces are driving the storm, how long it has existed, how deeply it penetrates the planet's lower atmosphere and why it appears to be gradually dissipating. Astronomers also believe a greater understanding of the Great Red Spot may yield clues to the structure, mechanics and formation of Jupiter as a whole. "This is a storm bigger than the entire Earth. It's been there for hundreds of years. We want to know what makes it tick," said Steve Levin, the lead project scientist for the Juno mission at JPL. Levin said the storm is believed to be powered by energy oozing from Jupiter's interior combined with rotation of the planet, but the precise inner workings are unknown. Some of the most valuable data from Monday's flyby is expected to come from an instrument designed to peer into the red spot at six different depths, Levin said. The churning cyclone ranks as the largest known storm in the solar system with winds clocked at hundreds of kilometers an hour around its outer edges. It appears as a deep, red orb surrounded by layers of pale yellow, orange and white. Once wide enough to swallow three Earth-sized planets, the famed Jovian weather system has been shrinking for the past 100 years and may eventually disappear altogether. Still, the spot remains the most prominent characteristic of the solar system's largest planet, a gargantuan ball of gas - mostly hydrogen and helium - 11 times the diameter of Earth with more than twice as much mass as all the other planets combined. Reuters - Xinhua Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks after giving testimony to federal judge Sergio Moro in Curitiba, Brazil, May 10, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] BRASILIA - Former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a top contender to win next year's presidential election, was convicted on corruption charges on Wednesday and sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison. The ruling marked a stunning fall for Lula, one of the country's most popular politicians, and a serious blow to his chances of a political comeback. The former union leader, who won global praise for policies to reduce stinging inequality in Brazil, faces four more corruption trials and will remain free on appeal. The verdict represented the highest-profile conviction yet in a sweeping corruption investigation that for over three years has rattled Brazil, revealing a sprawling system of graft at top levels of business and government. Judge Sergio Moro found Lula, 71, guilty of accepting 3.7 million reais ($1.2 million) worth of bribes from engineering firm OAS SA, the amount of money prosecutors said the company spent refurbishing a beach apartment for Lula in return for his help winning contracts with state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro. Federal prosecutors have accused Lula, Brazil's first working-class president from 2003 to 2011, of masterminding a long-running corruption scheme that was uncovered in a probe into kickbacks around Petrobras. Lula's legal team said in an emailed statement that he was innocent and they would appeal. "For over three years, Lula has been subject to a politically motivated investigation," they wrote. "No credible evidence of guilt has been produced, and overwhelming proof of his innocence blatantly ignored." Lula's lawyer Cristiano Martins has repeatedly accused judge Moro of being biased against his client, which Moro strongly denies. Moro wrote in his ruling that he "took no personal satisfaction in this conviction, quite to the contrary." "It's lamentable that a president of the republic is criminally convicted," Moro said. "No matter how important you are, no one is above the law." The Brazilian real extended gains following the decision and reached its strongest in two months. The benchmark Bovespa stock index rose to a session high. Investors fear that another Lula presidency would mean a return to more state-directed and less business friendly economic policies. "POWER VACUUM ON LEFT" Lula would be barred from office if his guilty verdict is upheld by an appeals court, which is expected to take at least eight months to rule. If he cannot run, political analysts say Brazil's left would be thrown into disarray, forced to rebuild and somehow find a leader who can emerge from the immense shadow that Lula has cast on Brazilian politics for three decades. "Lula's absence opens a gaping hole in the political scene, it creates an enormous power vacuum on the left," said Claudio Couto, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a top university. "We have now entered a situation of extreme political tension, even beyond the chaos we have been living for the last year." Couto said he expected Lula's guilty verdict to be upheld by the appeals court. That would leave the 2018 presidential race wide open and raise chances of a victory by a political outsider, given most known contenders are also ensnared in Brazil's corruption investigations. BOOM TO BUST Lula's two-terms were marked by a commodity boom that momentarily made Brazil one of the world's fastest-growing economies. His ambitious foreign policies, aligning Brazil with other big developing nations, raised the country's profile on the global stage. With Lula's swagger setting the tone, Brazil sought to shrug off northern economic and political hegemony and engage in global problems, like Middle East peace and the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. Former US President Barack Obama once labeled him the most popular politician on earth. But upon leaving office and managing to get his hand-selected successor Dilma Rousseff elected, Brazil's economy soured, with the nation just now beginning to emerge from its worst recession on record. Rousseff was impeached last year for breaking budgetary rules. She and her backers say her ouster was actually a 'coup' orchestrated by her vice president and now President Michel Temer, who himself faces corruption charges. During his trial, Lula gave five hours of fiery and defiant defense, proclaiming his innocence and saying that it was politics and not the pilfering of public funds that put him on trial. "But what is happening is not getting me down, just motivating me to go out and talk more," Lula said in his testimony. "I will keep fighting." Reuters Based on the core value of great harmony as a global vision, the Chinese higher education system sees its civilization as a treasure to share with the world, according to Ruth Hayhoe, a professor of comparative higher education studies at the University of Toronto. The 72-year-old scholar, whose research has mainly focused on Chinese higher education and educational relations between East Asia and the West, made the comments at a Chinese-Canadian education symposium in Toronto on July 8. In her book Portraits of 21st Century Chinese Universities: In the Move to Mass Higher Education, she examines how China's universities have changed in the dramatic move to a mass stage, which has unfolded since the late 1990s. She finds that China's higher education system has affected the equity of student participation, especially among students from remote rural areas who never dreamed of the opportunity of suddenly being able to attend universities. "It has also affected civil society," said Hayhoe, "with students being so much more active in social and political affairs and having many questions that they want to raise." Fluent in Chinese, Hayhoe has studied and worked in Chinese universities since the 1980s and has a deep connection with "Beida" (Peking University). "One of Beida's missions is leading culture," she said, "so we called the chapter 'Icon of Cultural Leadership'. "Beida has the sense of responsibility to explain and carry forward China's classical culture," she added. "It has really maintained its role in leading the culture in its transformation." Discussing Huazhong University of Science & Technology, whose campus Hayhoe had visited at least 10 times, Hayhoe said she personally knew the legendary educator and former university president Zhu Jiusi, who passed away last year at the age of 100. She said he reached beyond a technological university curriculum to include more variety, such as languages, the history of science and journalism. "This is why the students want to bring Chinese culture to the world, even when this is a technological university," she said. Regarding the move to mass higher education around the world, Hayhoe said it is becoming "isomorphic" in the sense that every country wants to have global research universities, and China is held up as a model that every country can follow. "China managed to retain a diverse institution, and I think it is a very important and strategic thing," she said. "What I see in China is a kind of unity and diversity." Based on core Chinese values, the Chinese university has a strong emphasis on integrating theory and a strong sense of moral purpose. A Singapore intellectual was asked what China will bring to the world when China becomes the No. 1 country in the world. He answered that China will bring its civilization, a treasure to the world. "I think educators and universities should be on the world stage to bring in Chinese civilization," said Hayhoe. "It is a huge mission for us to bring and learn from the richness of Chinese civilization." China and Canada have a long history of education exchange. University of Toronto (UofT) students were seen in China in the early 20th century and around the same time Chinese students started to attend UofT. In 1962, before China and Canada had established formal diplomatic ties, Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai welcomed then UofT president Claude Bissell, who later extolled the promise of China's education system in the Western media. "China has developed so beautifully in its higher education system, not only due to its own efforts, but also from external support," Hayhoe said. "Now it's time for China to give back to the world." renali@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 07/13/2017 page2) Chicago, Illinois, is an amazing city to visit, offering a diverse selection of museums, tours, date ideas, and Italian, and other restaurants. Enjoy a birds eye view from 360 Chicago or the Skydeck, spend an afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago, explore the famous Millennium Park, listen to an orchestra performance, and go for a romantic walk in one of the beautiful parks. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Garfield Park Conservatory Courtesy of Henryk Sadura - Fotolia.com The Garfield Park Conservatory, designed by William LeBaron Jenney, is often referred to as "landscape art under glass". It covers 4.5 acres and is one of the best things to do in Chicago. The Conservatory is home to a range of permanent plant exhibits with fascinating specimens from around the globe, including 200-year old cycads. The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the top romantic things to do in Chicago. Here you will also find a wealth of educational, community and family-friendly presentations, and workshops and events throughout the year, from seasonal flower shows to cooking and arts and crafts classes. 300 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-746-5100 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 2. The Magnificent Mile Courtesy of kanonsky/Fotolia.com On par with Paris Champs Elysees and New Yorks Fifth Avenue, Chicagos Magnificent Mile is one of the greatest avenues in the world, and walking down its length is a quintessential Chicago experience. Running for 13 blocks along North Michigan Avenue from Oak Street in the north to the banks of the Chicago River in the south, the Magnificent Mile is home to an array of luxury hotels, world-class shopping, award-winning restaurants, lively entertainment and beautiful architecture. Extending a full square mile from North Michigan Avenue, the fashionable district presents locals and visitors alike with over 60 hotels, 275 restaurants, 460 stores, and a variety of unique attractions and entertainment. The Magnificent Mile is one of the top romantic places in Chicago. If you are wondering what to do in Chicago today, this is a great place to start exploring. From top retail brand names and fine dining establishments to ever-evolving exhibits and shows, theater, live music and museums, there is something for everyone along this famous strip. -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 3. Chicago Architecture Foundation Tours Courtesy of kanonsky/Fotolia.com World-renowned for its incredible architecture, Chicago has a plethora of iconic skyscrapers, beautiful hotels, and celebrated homes designed by the globally acclaimed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. For those who appreciate architecture or want to learn more, the Chicago Architecture Foundation runs a variety of docent-led tours to showcase these impressive works. Tours cover vast areas and major Chicago attractions, from downtown to various neighborhoods throughout the city. Some of the most popular tours are the river cruise tours on the Chicagos First Lady. Voted Chicagos Best Tour by Chicago Reader, the River Cruise takes visitors on a journey through the architectural history of the city, from its humble beginnings as a small back-country outpost and subsequent growth into one of the worlds greatest modern cities. Tours last around 90 minutes and tour-goers get a good look at over 50 incredible buildings. If you want something a little different, you can go on one of the special cruises, including the Capture Chicago Photography Cruise, where you can get the perfect shot of some of Chicagos most iconic buildings and the Twilight River Cruise, where you can sip cocktails against the backdrop of the city skyline in the soft twilight. 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, Phone: 312-922-3432 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 4. 360 Chicago Courtesy of jaskophotography - Fotolia.com Formerly known as the John Hancock Observation Tower, 360 Chicago is one the citys most popular attractions and one of the best places to visit in Chicago. Conveniently located on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center along the famous Magnificent Mile 360 Chicago soars 1,000 feet above the city, boasting breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the city. The observation deck offers visitors an unparalleled state-of-the-art experience with TILT, a moving observatory that tilts out over the city for out-of-this-world vistas (temporarily closed for maintenance, so be sure to check the web site). Learn all about the history of the citys nine culturally unique neighborhoods with an interactive display on the concourse level or relax at the Architect's Corner Cafe on the 94th floor and soak up the unbelievable views. 94, 875 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-654-5019 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Andersonville Courtesy of GCapture - Fotolia.com Visiting Andersonville feels like being transported to another century. This charming Chicago neighborhood with strong Swedish roots is deliberately free of large chain stores. Strolling along the historic 1-mile-long commercial street reveals quaint boutiques, museums, cafes, galleries, and restaurants. Andersonvilles architecture has a strong Swedish heritage, which has earned it the title of a National Historic District. Andersonville is famous for its vintage shops, the Swedish American Museum, Women & Children First Bookstore, and some of Chicagos best breweries. Check out the Alley Cat Comics bookstore, the very Swedish historic Simons Tavern, the Coffee Studio, which serves probably the best coffee in Chicago, and the Neo-Futurarium theatre. -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago this Weekend" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Romantic Things to Do in Chicago: The Bristol The Bristol Located in Chicagos Bucktown Neighborhood, The Bristol is a relaxed, casual restaurant that has quickly become a staple for the citys foodies, gourmands, and gastronomes looking for creative and innovative fare. Spread over two floors, the upper level consists of a private dining space for special events while the eatery boasts stylish, contemporary decor and chic appeal. If you are looking for romantic date ideas in Chicago, this is a great place to try. An all-American menu featuring farm-to-table produce, fresh charcuterie, and handmade pasta is served by professional, friendly staff and an impressive wine list gives diners options from over two hundred vintners and beers from around the globe. 2152 N Damen Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 773-862-5555 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 7. Romantic Things to Do in Chicago: The Skydeck Courtesy of mhbarros - Fotolia.com The Skydeck is located on the 103rd floor of the former Sears Tower and gives visitors heart-stopping views of four states. Glass-encased observation boxes provide uninterrupted 360-degree views while the Ledge, a glass balcony that extends 4.3 feet out from the Sky Deck, gives brave visitors unrivaled views quite literally over the city. Discover the history of the city and the Sky Deck by browsing the museum-quality exhibits and take in the theater presentation called Reaching For The Sky en route to the 103rd floor. Relax over a Chicago-style pizza and refreshing beverages at Willis Tower on the 99th floor once you are done. Willis Tower, 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 877-759-3325 , From LA -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 8. Romantic Things to Do in Chicago: Chicago French Market Chicago French Market/Facebook Whether you are a visitor to Chicago or a local foodie, Chicago French Market is one of the best spots for sampling the citys culinary delights. Lively, always crowded, and full of delicious aromas, Chicago French Market has more than 30 vendors who offer a huge range of fresh and prepared food. There are stalls with ingredients for cooking at home as well as a few more relaxed dine-in places and easy grab-and-go stalls. The market is open all day, every day, and whatever you are in the mood for, you will most likely find: Meatball subs, Belgian fries, lobster rolls, ceviche, empanadas, mac n cheese, French macarons, chocolate truffles, and much more. All these culinary delights are accompanied by live music, happy hour specials, and monthly special events. 131 North Clinton (Between Washington and Randolph), Chicago, IL 60661, Phone: 312-575-0306 9. The Art Institute of Chicago Courtesy of demerzel21 - Fotolia.com One of the finest art museums in the world, The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-renowned encyclopedic art museum that houses more than 300,000 works of art. Located in Grant Park within Chicagos Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District, the museum features works by world-famous artists. Here, you can see a variety of timeless artworks, including American Gothic by Grant Wood, Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks. The museums collection spans genres such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Old Masters and American Art, European and American decorative arts, modern and contemporary art, Asian art, architecture, and graphic design, giving you a complete and diverse experience. The museum, which is the second largest in the United States next to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is also home to the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries. 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-443-3600 -- "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Romantic Things to Do in Chicago: Shedd Aquarium Felix/stock.adobe.com The Shedd Aquarium is home to some of the worlds most amazing underwater animals and offers visitors the unique opportunity to see sea creatures from all corners of the earth under one roof. Highlights of any visit to the aquarium include seeing the colorful Caribbean Reef, visiting the incredible 400,000 gallon Wild Reef shark habitat and coming eye to eye with a massive beluga whale. You can get even closer to the underwater world when you join one of the aquariums amazing 4-D experiences. If you only have a limited amount of time to spend you can join a 75 minute guided tour of all the highlights. Shedd Aquarium, 12 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, 312 939 2438 11. Taxim, Chicago, IL Taxim Step into the heart of Greece with an unforgettable evening at Taxim. Serving a menu of regional Greek cuisine and wine from Grecian islands, mountains and villages, Taxim takes you on an amazing culinary journey. Owner David Schneider has put together a menu inspired by the Aegean-style cooking he learned from his Greek mother with mezes of piperies, small plates of rivithia - pureed chickpea paste, roasted peppers, stuffed eggplant, and zucchini. Entrees include crispy roast chicken with Greek oregano, duck gyros, and wood-grilled lamb chops. An impressive 30-bottle wine list offers unique Greek varietals from quality producers like Skouras and Sigalas instead of the usual retsina and roditis, and friendly, efficient staff are ready to serve you in style. 1558 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 773-252-1558 -- "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Romantic Things to Do in Chicago: Millennium Park Courtesy of Increa - Fotolia.com Built to celebrate the Millennium, Millennium Park is a vast public park located in the Loop region of Chicago. The park, which is open to the public year-round, features a wide variety of public art, activities, and entertainment, ranging from architecture and landscape design, sculptures and artworks, exhibitions, concerts, and family activities. Connected to parts of Grant Park by the Nicols Bridgeway and the BP Pedestrian Bridge, the park sits atop Millennium Station, and is easily accessible to visitors. Millenium Park also has landscape attractions such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Crown Fountain, Cloud Gate, and the five-acre urban sanctuary of Lurie Garden. In the summer, the park becomes the beating heart of the city, with a range of diverting things to see and do. There are film showings and series, live music concerts, and even summer workouts to keep you in shape. If you are looking for fun places in Chicago, Millennium Park is a great spot. 13. Chicago Symphony Orchestra Courtesy of stokkete - Fotolia.com Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the Big Five the top five orchestras in the United States. In fact, it is quite frequently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world. Playing from its home at Symphony Center in downtown Chicago, the orchestra performs over 100 concerts a year and features a variety of local and international conductors and musicians. The group also plays at the annual Ravinia Festival every year on Chicagos North Shore, which serves as their venue for the season. Currently playing under the leadership of musical director Riccardo Muti, the orchestra has seen many famous conductors make their debuts at Ravinia, including Seiji Ozawa, James Levine, and Christoph Eschenbach. 220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-294-3000 14. Mi Tocaya Antojeria Mi Tocaya Antojeria Mi Tocaya Antojeria is a delightful Mexican restaurant offering from acclaimed executive chef Diana Davila, a 2018 James Beard Award semifinalist. The restaurant, which is named for a Spanish term of endearment translating as "my namesake," is located within Chicago's historic Logan Square neighborhood and showcases beautiful Mexican-inspired art created by a number of Chicago-area independent artists. Diners can choose from a carefully-crafted selection of small and large plates that evoke Davila's heritage and travels throughout Mexico, including lesser-known regional specialties and modern twists on old favorites. Unique entrees include smoked beer can chicken tacos, guisado de Nopalitos cactus stew, and caldo de res, prepared with short ribs, tongue, and bone marrow. 2800 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647, Phone: 872-315-3947 15. Monk's Pub Chicago Monk's Pub Chicago Monk's Pub Chicago is an Old World-style pub and bar in Chicago's vibrant Loop district, originally opened by Mike Shaker in 1969 and moved to its current location in 1978. The kitschy bar is meant to evoke the vibe of a European inn pub, showcasing global artifacts from Shaker's travels from locations as far as Istanbul, Aruba, and Bali. An impressive beer list highlights up to 200 domestic, craft, and international import beers at any given time, including a daily-rotating selection of 16 regional independent brews on tap. Pub fare includes a delicious selection of meat, vegetarian, and vegan burgers, with gluten-free buns available upon request for diners with dietary concerns. Shareable appetizers are also served up, including unique takes such as tempura-battered cheese curds, loaded tater tots, and vegetarian mock buffalo wings crafted with cauliflower. 205 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60606, Phone: 312-357-6665 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Dreambox Gallery and Studio Iwona Biedermann Photography Dreambox Gallery + Studio is one of Chicago's hottest contemporary art galleries, opened in 2003 in a space located behind the Cup and Spoon coffee house in the city's West of Western district. The gallery, which was founded by Iwona Biedermann, strives to showcase the diversity and creativity of Chicago's emerging and established artists working in a variety of mediums. Rotating exhibitions throughout the year encourage a dialogue between artists and the community, with an emphasis on multiculturalism in visual art, poetry, and music. The gallery is open on Friday and Saturday from 12-4pm, or by appointment. During the summer months, the gallery also operates a public urban garden space. 2415 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, Phone: 773-292-0419 17. Things to Do in Chicago: Lincoln Park Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo The Lincoln Park Zoo was established in 1868, making this one of the nations oldest zoos. In a city dominated by sky-scrapers, the Lincoln Park Zoo offers residents and visitors a unique place to re-connect with nature. The zoo is not only filled with amazing animals but also with a bounty of beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers; taking a romantic walk around the zoo is a wonderful way of relaxing and appreciating the wonderful world we live in. There are more than 200 species of animals to admire and you will also learn about the wonderful work the zoo undertakes in supporting many wildlife initiatives all over the world. Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614, 312 742 2000 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 18. Lookingglass Theatre Company Lookingglass Theatre Company Founded in 1988, the Lookingglass Theatre Company is a visually oriented theater that specializes in cutting-edge theatrical works and contemporary literary adaptations. Started by a group of graduates from Northwestern University, the theater thrived and subsequently became one of the leading producers of original works. The company is renowned for its creation and presentation of ensemble-based theatrical techniques, and they were the recipients of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Notable world premieres by the theater include Mary Zimmermans award-winning Metamorphoses, David Schwimmers adaptation of Upton Sinclairs The Jungle, and David Catlins tribute to Lewis Carroll, Lookingglass Alice. The theater also runs a variety of community and education programs focused on transformation, innovation, and capturing the imaginations of audience members. 821 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-337-0665 19. Piccolo Sogno, Chicago, Illinois Piccolo Sogno Cozy and inviting, Piccolo Sogno (meaning little dream) is a softly lit restaurnt with deep blue walls and crisp white linen tablecloths. The menu is seasonal and features fresh, rustic Italian cuisine accompanied by an outstanding all-Italian wine list. Owned by partners Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo, whose dream was to bring a slice of Italy to Chicagoans, Priolos menu features well-loved classics such as hand-tossed, wood-fired pizzas, and garden fresh salads. Naturally, they also serve homemade pastas and have a selection of Mediterranean-based meat and fish dishes. The wine list boasts more than 400 carefully chosen vintages, which can be enjoyed by the bottle or the glass, and professional staff members are on hand to recommend the perfect wine to pair with your meal. 464 N Halsted St, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-421-0077 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 20. Koval Distillery Koval Distillery Koval Distillery was Chicago's first craft distillery since Prohibition at its opening in 2008 by Sonat and Robert Birnecker. Today, the certified organic and kosher distillery is known for its award-winning brandies, whiskeys, and liqueurs, which are produced onsite at its Andersonville location in Chicago's Northside district. It is named for the Eastern European term meaning "blacksmith," which can also mean "black sheep" in Yiddish, a reference to the company's unusual grain-to-bottle distilling practices. All whiskeys are produced single barrel-style, including its rye, bourbon, wheat, oat, and millet varieties. Other award-winning liquors include the company's rye vodka, apple and pear brandies, and unusually-flavored liqueurs highlighting flavor profiles such as rose hip, jasmine, and chrysanthemum honey. Tours of the distillery are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays, and by special appointment for large groups. 4241 North Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, Phone: 312-878-7988 21. Romantic Things to Do Near Me: Navy Pier nhermann/stock.adobe.com The Navy Pier (or Peoples Pier) is a must-see attraction during your romantic getaway to Chicago. This is where locals and visitors come to enjoy open-air entertainment, restaurants, dining, cultural attraction and much more. You can spend an evening at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, soak up some outstanding views at the East End Plaza, take a relaxing walk or watch a free concert or other event at Polk Park or join a romantic dinner cruise on Lake Michigan. If you like your experiences to be a bit more thrilling you can opt for a short high-speed speedboat trip. Navy Pier has something for each and every couple to enjoy. Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, 312 595 7437 22. Romantic Things to Do Near Me: The Chicago Theatre BradleyWarren/stock.adobe.com Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the Chicago Theatre is an iconic city landmark which was known as the Wonder Theatre of the World when it first opened in 1921. The French Baroque theatre is elegant and sumptuous beyond your expectations and will totally take your breath away the grand lobby alone is 5 stories high and was modeled after the Royal Chapel of Versailles. As with many similar buildings of its era, the Chicago Theater inevitably fell into disrepair in the late 1980s, but was saved from the wreckers ball and fully renovated in 1986. Attending a show at this grand old dame is a wonderful option for a romantic night out in Chicago. The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60604, 312 465 6225 -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" -- You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago" Back to Top 23. Driehaus Museum Driehaus Museum The Richard H. Driehaus Museum pays homage to the Gilded Age home of banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson and stands as one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago. Founded by Richard H. Driehaus in 2003, the house has been beautifully restored to its former glory and serves as an exquisite example of former architecture and design trends and techniques. Visitors to the museum are able to explore the past while meandering through the magnificent galleries and collections of elegant, historically accurate furnishings, decor, and artworks, including pieces from the Driehaus Collection of Fine and Decorative Arts by artists such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Herter Brothers. 40 E Erie St, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-482-8933 24. Romantic Things to Do Near Me: The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool Courtesy of Galyana - Fotolia.com Also known as the Lincoln Park Lily Pool, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool is a National Historic Landmark located on Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park. Designed by Alfred Caldwell in 1936, the pool is an outstanding example of Prairie School landscape architecture and is now open to the public for viewing. Managed by the Lincoln Park Conservancy, the pool has curving walkways, winding stepping stone limestone pathways, and circular benches where visitors can sit and admire the scenic vistas. A shelter influenced by the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright looks is built out over the pool, and the Fullerton Gateway, a uniquely styled entrance to the property, is another excellent example of Prairie School landscape design. 25. Chicago Cultural Center Courtesy of davidlevinphoto - Fotolia.com One of Chicagos top attractions, the Chicago Cultural Center is not only a beautiful example of architecture and design, but it also hosts a wide variety of fantastic free events for the public throughout the year such as music, dance and theater events, art exhibitions, films, lectures, and family events. The magnificent Chicago landmark features two large and awe-inspiring stained-glass domes. The worlds largest stained glass Tiffany dome rests on the south side of the building. It is 38 feet in diameter and made from 30,000 pieces of glass. The north side on the other hand boasts a 40-foot-diameter dome with an intricate Renaissance pattern made of some 50,000 pieces of glass. Each year, the cultural venue hosts a wealth of artists from all over the world and invites them to present an array of artistic and cultural performances for the public to enjoy. 78 E Washington St, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-744-6630 More ideas: Romantic Restaurants in Chicago 25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago More ideas: Chicago Pizza Tours Chicago Pizza Tours offers guided tours (on a bus called Dough Force One) of some of Chicagos finest neighborhood pizzerias. The Original Chicago Pizza Tour gives visitors the chance to explore some of the citys most popular producers of Chicagos defining menu item one slice at a time. Tour-goers stop by a variety of culturally significant pizzerias and trattorias, delving into the innerworkings of the kitchens where the masterpieces are made, meeting the chefs behind the delectable creations, and discovering exactly which ingredients go into the making of the perfect pizza. Sample a variety of pizzas along the way, from stuffed crust to deep dish, from tavern-style to traditional Neapolitan. You can also take advantage of an evening party tour, which includes cocktails as well as a walking tour of the citys best pizzerias. 27 N Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-221-8502 You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago " Back to Top Dusek's Board and Beer, Chicago, Illinois Dusek's Board and Beer is a cozy and inviting restaurant that aims at bringing to life the idea of the original owner, John Dusek. He pictured a multipurpose community hall with a restaurant, bar, and performance venue. While the performance venue is not up and running at the moment, the restaurant and bar are good to go. They are decorated with refurbished woodandwrought iron tables, Edison bulbs, and a tin ceiling, a nod to the buildings 19th-century roots. The menu is adventurous and creative; crispy pig tails, foie gras and buttery Maine lobster are just a few of the surprising delights. The wine and beer list is just as good, with a range of non-local drafts and Czech brews on tap and beer-based cocktails. 1227 W 18th St, Chicago, Illinois, Phone: 312-526-3851 Romantic Things to Do Near Me: Meli Cafe Meli Cafe is somewhere between a diner and a favorite neighborhood eatery, cozy, friendly, and full of great food. It is known all over Chicago for its fabulous brunch with freshly squeezed juice, multigrain pancakes, house-made marmalade, and more healthy dishes than you would expect. Meli is Greek, but not very much so, just enough to feature dishes like kefte and saganaki. There is a typical breakfast and brunch menu, with the difference that the eggs are free-range, the maple syrup is organic, the challah bread, butter, and ketchup are made in-house, and everything is made fresh and of the best possible ingredients. Of their three locations, only Dearborn offers dinner; the others two locations only serve breakfast, lunch, and brunch. 500 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60605, Phone: 312-834-0500 You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago " Back to Top Beatrix at Fulton Market Beatrix at Fulton Market, like its two other siblings in Chicago, is a contemporary, rustic-chic laidback eatery open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This popular neighborhood spot includes a restaurant, a coffee lounge, outdoor patio, and Beatrix Market, a quick, grab and go experience. Beatrixs menu focuses on lean proteins, fresh produce, and the occasional guilty pleasure such as giant chocolate-chip cookies. The Coffee Bar features popular Chicago roasters Intelligentsia and Metric Coffee, daily specials, Bulletproof, and Nitro coffee. The cocktail menu is inspired by the Beatrix concept of healthy meets delicious, featuring classic cocktails, fresh-squeezed juice, seasonal fruits, and made-in-house ingredients. The wine collection includes lesser known domestic labels and a well-curated international selection. 834 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, Phone: 312-733-0370 You are reading "25 Best Romantic Things to Do in Chicago " Back to Top New Mexico is a land rich with adventures, beautiful sights, ruins, culture, and interesting history. Visit beautiful Santa Fe, Taos, Las Cruces and Albuquerque which are home to unique museums, botanical gardens and restaurants. There's also Roswell and other unique and interesting places to visit. Watch a performance at the stunning Santa Fe Opera House, explore the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and take the kids to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Santa Fe Opera House Santa Fe Opera House Seven miles north of Santa Fe in the desert, hiding in plain sight and looking directly at the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rockies, the Santa Fe Opera House is found. Built in 1956 in a newly purchased guest ranch, founder John Crosby created the opera house as a place to teach young American singers new repertoires, in a relaxed atmosphere, away from everything, providing enough time and space to rehearse and prepare. The shows became popular for offering a perfect spot to dine and watch the sunset, while enjoying an open air theatre. Since its inception, every season has presented five operas including a world premiere or rarity, a Mozart, and a Richard Strauss, as well as other titles by composers like Handel, Verdi, Puccini, Britten, and Janacek. Next read: Best Things to Do in Santa Fe 301 Opera Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87506, Phone: 505-986-5900 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 2. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Courtesy of psamtik - Fotolia.com Founded in 1986, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science exists to tell the story of the Earth, from the Big Bang to the Ice Age, in its permanent exhibits: Origins, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Jurassic Super Giants, New Mexico Seacoast, Age of Volcanoes, Evolving Grasslands, Cave Experience, and New Mexicos Ice Age. The museum is one of the top New Mexico tourist attractions. They also have a planetarium and two galleries dedicated to space exploration and astronomy. Some of its most outstanding features are the complete skeletons of four dinosaurs, including one of the biggest T-Rex ever to be found. Another enlightening exhibit is STARTUP, which tells the story of the personal computer, based on the story of Microsoft, which was founded in Albuquerque. Things to Do in Albuquerque 1801 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, Phone: 505-841-2800 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 3. Millicent Rogers Museum Millicent Rogers Museum Located in Taos, New Mexico, the Millicent Rogers Museum was founded in 1956 by the Millicent Rogers family, and holds a large collection of Hispanic, Anglo-American, and Native American art, including pottery, paintings, photography, graphics, arts, crafts, and jewelry. It became known in 1980 for being the first to house Hispanic and Native American art collections, including more than 1,200 pieces of jewelry and more than 50 textiles. It also features work from Taos Pueblo potters and painters, portraying the lives of the Pueblo people. 1504 Millicent Rogers Rd, El Prado, NM 87529, Phone: 575-758-2462 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 4. Sky City Cultural Center & Haak'u Museum Sky City Cultural Center & Haak'u Museum Acoma Pueblo, 60 miles west of Albuqerque, New Mexico, is made out of three villages: Sky City, Acomita, and Mcartys, that make up the Acoma Indian Reservation. The Acoma Pueblo, a federally recognized tribal entity, is made up of 4,989 individuals according to the 2010 United States Census, which have been there for more than 2,000 years. In 2008, they opened the Sky City Cultural Center & Haaku Museum, in order to share their culture and gain income through tourism. It is without a doubt one of the best places to connect with indigenous cultures, due to the fact that they are still there, and manage the place. Haaku Rd, Acoma Pueblo, NM 87034, Phone: 505-552-7861 -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in New Mexico this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in New Mexico this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Things to Do in New Mexico: Ghost Ranch Ghost Ranch The first thing you must wonder about Ghost Ranch is the origin of its name. As it turns out, in order to keep people from digging into their stolen stuff, cattle thieves spread the rumors of evil spirits haunting the land. Thus, it became known as Ghost Ranch. It is a beautiful, vast, natural place, formed by miles of dessert, cliffs, mesas, vistas, cottonwood trees, and mountains. Its landscape, made famous by Georgia OKeeffe, englobes 21,000 acres of rock walls, and people come from all over the world for spiritual development, writing, painting, hiking, horseback riding, completing fossil or archeological research, visiting the museums, or just resting and enjoying the views. Ghost Ranch 280 Private Drive 1708, Abiquiu, NM 87510, Phone: 877-804-4678 -- You are reading "What to Do in New Mexico this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in New Mexico this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Things to See Near Me: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History Courtesy of Vladimir Mucibabic - Fotolia.com Another well-known fact about New Mexico is that it was the subject of atomic bomb tests during the 1940s and 50s. The first one, code name Trinity, occurred in the desert, 35 miles away from Socorro, New Mexico. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, located in Albuquerque, was first created to tell the story of the development of nuclear weapons, and then expanded to include nuclear science and the history of the atomic age. The exhibits provide a wide, comprehensive and objective view of nuclear science, from the origins of atomic theory, and the context of World War II and the Cold War, to the nuclear development achieved nowadays, and the peaceful ways to use nuclear technology. 601 Eubank, Albuquerque, NM 87123, Phone: 505-245-2137 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in New Mexico" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in New Mexico" Back to Top 7. Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour Courtesy of Melast mohican - Fotolia.com Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the most popular of the national parks in the southwest region of the United States. 250 million years ago, the Caverns used to be a shoreline for an inland sea, so when the sea evaporated, it left sediments that created caves. At the entrance, there is a 1.25 mile trail where visitors can walk and explore different "rooms" (open areas in the caverns). There are stalagmites, stalactites, and giant boulders that make the caverns look like something from an Indiana Jones movie. If they look closely, visitors can even see the bats who call the caverns home. The tour offers a glimpse into the ways the world was millions of years ago. 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM, Phone: 575-785-2232 , From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in New Mexico" Back to Top 8. Must Do in NM: Red River Courtesy of V&P Photo Studio - Fotolia.com In the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost point of the Rocky Mountains, the town of Red River awaits. Located in Taos County, its population in 2010 was only 477, even though in its time, thousands inhabited the land and worked on the mines. There, in the 1950s, the Red River Ski & Summer Area was founded with the intention of making it a great getaway destination. Outdoor activities in the area include trout fishing, skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling in the winter, and hiking, biking, fishing, and horseback riding in the summers. 400 Pioneer Rd, Red River, NM 87558, Phone: 575-754-2223 9. Museum of International Folk Art Museum of International Folk Art Home of the largest collection of international folk art in the world, the Museum of International Folk Art is a must-see when in New Mexico. Founded by Florence Dibell, this state-run institution in Santa Fe opened its doors to the public in 1953. It now has over 130,000 objects on display, from more than 100 countries, and it is based on the belief of its founder, that folk art would generate an appreciation of the culture and craft of other countries. She also believed that the museum would serve as one avenue for a closer understanding between men, since traditional folk arts from all over the world was a way of demonstrating a common bond. The different galleries represent cultures from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, and North America, with a deeper focus on Contemporary Hispano and Latino Art, Spanish Colonial Art, and Textiles and Dress. Things to Do in Santa Fe 706 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-476-1200 -- "Best Things to Do in New Mexico for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in New Mexico for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. New Mexico History Museum New Mexico History Museum The Palace of the Governors, located on Palace Avenue on the Plaza of Santa Fe, is the oldest public building continuously occupied in the United States. It was built in 1610 by Pedro de Peralta, governor of the Spanish colony that is today most of the American Southwest, including New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, California, Texas, and Nevada. Since that time, it has changed hands many times such as during the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, the reconquest in 1693, Mexican independence in 1821, and it has been under American possession since 1848. This adobe structure that is today the New Mexico History Museum was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and an American Treasure in 1999. Collections are separated into the Spanish Colonial period (1540 to 1821), the Mexican period (1821 to 1846), the U.S. territorial period (1846 to 1912), and the statehood period (1912 to present). It consists of 15,000 objects including such highlights as the Segesser Hide Paintings, State Seal, Silver Service, Pancho Villa Clock, 19th Century Desk, and 16th century Morion helmet. 113 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501, Phone: 505-476-5200 11. El Rancho de las Golondrinas Courtesy of Whispers - Fotolia.com El Rancho de las Golondrinas, which translates to The Ranch of the Swallows, is a historical ranch, now a living history museum, located on the Camino Real, the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe, as a resting place for travelers in the times of Spanish colonization. Nowadays, the ranch offers many activities, festivals, and tours with the goal of inspiring visitors to learn and preserve the culture and traditions of New Mexicos Hispanic past. Some of its most famous activities are traditional weaving, carding, colcha embroidery, spinning on wheels and malacates, washing wool with yucca root, and vegetable dyeing, which can all be learned free of charge. 334 Los Pinos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87507, Phone: 505-471-2261 -- "New cool stuff to do in New Mexico" -- "New cool stuff to do in New Mexico" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Liquid Light Glass Courtesy of Yordan Rusev - Fotolia.com If youre looking for something different to do in New Mexico, you could try a glass blowing class. Elodie Holmes, founder and owner of Liquid Light Glass, hand sculpts pieces by using the traditional technique of glass blowing, creating fine glass art. Her work includes platters, bowls, sculptures, ornaments, vases, and paperweights. She works in her main studio, Liquid Light Glass, offering classes, or the possibility to watch her work, and learn some of the techniques for blowing, sculpting, and shaping glass art. 926 Baca St, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-820-2222 13. NM Tourist Attractions: Museum of Indian Arts & Culture Museum of Indian Arts & Culture Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the >Museum of Indian Arts & Culture shares the Southwest Native American story, with the mission to collect and preserve its culture, art, and traditions. It holds the most extensive collection of New Mexican and Southwestern anthropological artifacts in the United States, and also offers public lectures, exhibitions, field trips, and artist residencies. The museum receives more than 65,000 visitors each year, eager to see the exhibitions that inspire appreciation and knowledge of the native history, languages, anthropology, and archaeology of the Southwest. This museum is all around a great place to be. 710 Camino Lejo off Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87504, Phone: 505-476-1269 14. ABQ Trolley Co. Mark/stock.adobe.com ABQ Trolley Co. offers one of the most unique ways to tour the beautiful city of Albuquerque, originally founded in 2009 by tourism professionals Mike Silva and Jesse Heron. As Albuquerque's first city touring service in nearly a decade, the company specializes in open-air trolley excursions showcasing the best of the city's sights, sounds, and landmarks. Guests embark on 85-minute tours spanning more than 18 miles throughout the city's neighborhoods, exploring areas such as Nob Hill and Old Town. Friendly and enthusiastic tour guides elaborate on the city's history and landmarks, providing the most comprehensive overview of the city possible. Children are welcome aboard the company's tours, though guests traveling with young ones in tow are asked to be mindful of other tour guests. 800 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, Phone: 505-200-2642 15. New Mexico Activities: Wander New Mexico Food Tours Wander New Mexico Food Tours Wander New Mexico Food Tours offer immersive small-group tours exploring Santa Fe's unique culinary scene, paired with discussion of the region's cultural and architectural history. The company strives to bring the unique flavors of the American Southwest to life through engaging narratives as part of tours led by experienced tour guides. All tours are limited to eight to 12 participants, maximizing personal engagement and letting tour participants meet and greet directly with the city's best chefs, vintners, and distillers. Tours include an Off The Beaten Path exploration of the city's Railyard Arts District, along with a Santa Fe Historic Plaza Food Tour exploring the city's downtown district. Taste of Canyon Road tours also explore the city's art scene, detailing the district's transformation from a Spanish farming community into a vibrant art market. 417 E Palace Ave Suite 10, Santa Fe, NM 87501, Phone: 505-395-0552 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. NM Things to Do: Bat Flight Program in Carlsbad Cavern National Park Courtesy of NatalieJean - Fotolia.com Every night from April to October, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, millions of Mexican free-tailed bats head out to have their supper. All you have to do is come, sit in the amphitheater, learn about the bats in our evening talk, and then prepare to enjoy one of the most outstanding natural views to be seen in New Mexico. The Bat Flight Program in Carlsbad Cavern National Park is one of the most popular spots on the grid, and its definitely something to take into account when visiting New Mexico. 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220, Phone: 575-785-2232 17. Things to Do in NM Today: Riverbend Hot Springs Riverbend Hot Springs A trip to New Mexico wouldnt be complete without finding a place to relax, and recharge energies. The Riverbend Hot Springs are a Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, located on the banks of the Rio Grande River, in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The springs were considered sacred by the Mimbres and Apache peoples, for the mineral rich waters, the views of Turtleback Mountain, the river, and its abundant wildlife. It is said that Indian warriors left their weapons behind to bathe in this healing water, and you can do the same. Simply drop in or, better yet, stay the night and enjoy a full day of natural rejuvenation. 100 Austin St, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901, Phone: 575-894-7625 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 18. Activities Near Me: The Santa Fe Botanical Garden steffstarr/stock.adobe.com The Santa Fe Botanical Garden was originally established in 1987 by a group of local gardeners and botanists as a sanctuary and learning landscape for growing and showcasing native and non-native plants to the Santa Fe region. Today, the garden offers two campuses throughout the Santa Fe area, including locations at Museum Hill and the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve. The garden's original location at the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve spans 35 acres and showcases dry upland, transitional, and riparian plants, while its new location at Museum Hill, which was developed by landscape architect W. Gary Smith, features plantings designed to showcase flora that can thrive in sparse water conditions. A garden shop is offered at the Museum Hill location, selling garden decor, jewelry, books, and home goods from local artisans. Annual programming presented by the garden includes gardening classes and workshops, nature walks, lectures, and Yoga in the Garden courses. 715 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-471-9103 19. Fun Things to Do in New Mexico: Taos Ski Valley Courtesy of NikonSteff - Fotolia.com With over 1,294 acres of skiable terrain, Taos Ski Valley is one of the biggest attractions in New Mexico. The resort receives an average of 305 inches of snow a year, and has 110 trails for skiers and snowboarders of every skill. Visitors from all over the world come to take advantage of lessons from world class skiers and snowboarders, hot springs, cross country skiing, and even snow tubing. The Bavarian resort offers authentic German dining, along with an array of lodging rooms. Taos Ski Valley also offers day and night hiking, mountain biking, and chairlift rides during the summer. Next read: Best Things to Do in Taos 116 Sutton Pl, Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525, Phone: 575-776-2916 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 20. What to Do in NM: Meow Wolf Meow Wolf Meow Wolf, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is not just your standard art exhibit. Meow Wolf is a hands-on experience for all ages. When author George R.R. Martin purchased the building he had a vision of an interactive exhibit where patrons could choose what they wanted to see and how it makes them feel. The House of Eternal Return lets visitors experience art through senses of touch, sight, and sound through different dimensions. Meow Wolf also hosts concerts, events, and workshops for all ages. 1352 Rufina Cir, Santa Fe, NM 87507, Phone: 505-395-6369 21. New Mexico Vacation: Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Artist Georgia O'Keeffe is best known for her paintings of enlarged flowers and the environment of New Mexico. The museum not only holds some of her best oil paintings, but also sketches, sculptures, and photographs. These pieces cover the beginning of her career to her retirement. The pieces and themes rotate through the museum so there is always something new to see. There are also options for a guided tour and in-depth descriptions of her work, as well as a downloadable phone app to learn more about her pieces in the museum. 217 Johnson St, Santa Fe, NM 87501, Phone: 505-946-1000 22. Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum The Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum is filled with hot air balloons of all shapes, sizes, and functions. The museum contains hands-on information about how balloons fly, the various reasons balloons are flown, and the history of balloons. The museum teaches patrons that hot air balloons have played an important part of history. The museum contains permanent and temporary exhibits, as well as a 4-D theater where patrons can watch and feel an animated flight experience. 9201 Balloon Museum Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, Phone: 505-768-6020 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico" Back to Top 23. Places of Interest in New Mexico: National Radio Astronomy Observatory Courtesy of demerzel21 - Fotolia.com The National Radio Astronomy Observatory has several locations, one of which is located in Socorro, about two hours outside of Albuquerque. About 50 miles west of here is where the Very Large Array is located, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, which consists of 27 very large radio antennas in a Y shape. The observatory contains information about what radio antennas do and why they are important in space exploration. There is a guided tour on the first Saturday of every month, but visitors are more than welcome to go on their own self-guided tour. There is an observation deck that overlooks all of the towers and, before leaving, patrons can go to the Antenna Assignment Building for the chance to see the technicians fixing one of the towers. 1003 Lopezville Rd, Socorro, NM 87801, Phone: 575-835-7000 24. New Mexico Attractions: New Mexico Museum of Space History New Mexico Museum of Space History New Mexico is a key area when it comes to space exploration, and the Museum of Space History teaches visitors why. The museum contains historical pieces such as a moon rock, space suits, and the Rocket Sled used to go 632 miles per hour. The museum is also home to the Space Hall of Fame where patrons can read about the most important people who have helped us learn about the vast unknown. Visitors can sit back and learn about space through images, stars, and lasers projected on the giant dome ceiling of the planetarium. The Museum offers special events as well as a "Space Camp" for children interested in space exploration and technology. Things to Do in Alamogordo 3198 State Rte 2001, Alamogordo, NM 88310, Phone: 575-437-2840 25. Activities Near Me: Rainbow Ryders Courtesy of Albert - Fotolia.com Rainbow Ryders is the largest hot air balloon company in New Mexico with over 20 balloons to take visitors above New Mexico. Hot air balloon enthusiasts from all over come to take in the spectacular views. They offer balloon rides during sunrise, sunset, or anytime during the day. Rainbow Ryders takes pride in having qualified staff that are experienced in both researching the weather and piloting the balloons so that their participants feel safe and have fun during the ride. They also have special balloons for weddings, advertising, and group events. 5601 Eagle Rock Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, Phone: 505-823-1111 25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico More ideas: El Santuario de Chimayo Historic Site Called the most important Catholic pilgrimage center in the United States, you wont want to miss this place when visiting New Mexico. Located in Chimayo, New Mexico, El Santuario de Chimayo is a beautiful Roman Catholic church, made entirely out of adobe and wood, which receives 300,000 visitors per year. Some of its features include the famous Our Lord of Esquipulas crucifix, believed to be miraculous, and el pocito, a small pit of Holy Dirt known to have curative powers. Beliefs aside, it is surely a remarkable place you will want to visit in New Mexico. 15 Santuario Dr,15 Santuario Dr, Phone: 505-351-9961 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico " Back to Top New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum Visiting the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is more than just walking around to see livestock; it gives a glimpse into the history of rural New Mexico. They offer galleries filled with tools, clothing, and other artifacts from 1850-1955. There are also interactive exhibits where visitors can see what kinds of jobs their ancestors may have had. Outside, there are areas where patrons can see livestock, blacksmithing, or walk through a pistachio and cactus garden. The museum takes pride in showing all historical aspects of rural living. The museum offers a special adult tour. Next read: Best Things to Do in Las Cruces 4100 Dripping Springs Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88011, Phone: 575-522-4100 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in New Mexico " Back to Top Courtesy of FiledIMAGE - Fotolia.com Located between Mountain Road and the Old Route 66 (now Central Avenue), Albuquerque Old Town is a historic district in Albuquerque that is home to a variety of beautiful old architecture, shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels, and churches. Spanning ten blocks, which are grouped around a central Plaza, Old Town is home to some beautiful examples of adobe architecture. Many of these buildings have been converted into small galleries, shops, and restaurants, offering public services while retaining the cultural identity of the area. If you are wondering what to do in Albuquerque NM today, this is a great area to explore. The exquisite old San Felipe de Neri church, built in 1793, lies on the north side of the Plaza, while the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, the Albuquerque Museum, and the iExplora! Science Center and Childrens Museum are located to the east of the Old Town. Guided walking tours of Old Town are available on request. A wonderful time to visit the area is around Christmas when thousands of luminarias light the sidewalks and streets. If you are looking for romantic things to do in Albuquerque today, the Old Town offers plenty to see and do. -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Albuquerque, New Mexico" Back to Top Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. HCM CITY Quadria Capital, Asias leading private healthcare investor, has successfully completed its investment in the Franco-Vietnamese Hospital (FV Hospital) in HCM City. This represents Quadria Capitals latest investment out of its third investment vehicle, Quadria Capital Fund L.P, and is the funds third investment in Southeast Asia since 2015. FV Hospital on Tuesday announced that the investment will be used to facilitate the establishment of centres of excellence for selected specialties and to provide access to advanced care and treatment in Viet Nams central and southern region via an integrated network across the regions. In December this year FV Hospital will open a general medical clinic in Can Tho so that patients there do not have to go to HCM City proper or Ha Noi for diagnosis and treatment. The hospital also intends to open eight to 10 general medical clinics in other cities and provinces in the next five years. At a function held to announce the investment on July 11, Amit Verma, founder and managing partner of Quadria Capital, declined to reveal the amount invested in FV Hospital or the stake acquired by the fund. But he said the fund usually invests US$40-100 million in a project and buys a 25-26 per cent stake. In the next 6-12 months, FV Hospital will invest at least $10 million in the first phase of a plan to expand its scale and network. Founded in 2012, Quadria Capital, which now claims the title as the largest health care focused private equity firm in Asia, has US$1.5 billion in assets under management and 18 investments across 7 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. FV was founded by Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon in 2003 with a group of French physicians who shared the vision of bringing world class healthcare into Viet Nam. The only JCI-accredited hospital in South Vietnam, located in the burgeoning District 7 of HCM City, FV has evolved into a full-service, one-stop provider of quality care for the local population in and around HCM City. In addition to catering for the local Vietnamese population, FV also receives patients from neighbouring Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Abrar Mir, managing partner and co-founder of Quadria Capital, said FV Hospital is well positioned to transform into a leading tertiary care provider in Viet Nam, which will help improve access to quality care and treatment in the country and the neighbouring region, a mission that is also integral to Quadrias investment philosophy. The Quadria partnership will enable FV to leverage Quadrias experience in growing hospitals across the region, as well as other synergistic opportunities via Quadrias portfolio and network, he said. Jean-Marcel Guillon, founder of FV Hospital, also believed that Quadria, with its demonstrated track record in building some of the largest healthcare businesses in Asia, is the right partner for FV to embark on the next phase of its journey. A number of collaboration opportunities have been identified and we look forward to an exciting partnership with Quadria, he said. Viet Nam is one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia, with per capita income experiencing double-digit growth in recent years. Riding on demographic changes, including a rapidly expanding middle income class and higher incidence of life-style induced diseases, demand for healthcare is on the rise. In partnering with Quadria, FV seeks to continue capturing the increasing demand for advanced care and become the go-to hospital for the middle to high income population segment, FV Hospital noted. VNS HA NOI Ceramic manufacturer Viglacera Corporation (VGC) has posted a pre-tax profit of VN534 billion in the first half of 2017, up 64 per cent year on year. Its net revenue was VN3.87 trillion (US$170 million), up 2.7 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2016. The company put up 120 million shares for sale, equivalent to 39 per cent of the total outstanding shares, on Ha Noi Stock Exchange on May 29, at a starting rate of VN12,300 per share. After the auction, State ownership of VGC dropped from 78.8 per cent to 56.7 per cent. Foreign investors showed interest in VGCs shares, picking up 110 million, or 91.65 per cent, of the total offered shares. The auction helped VGC increase its chartered capital from VN3.9 trillion to VN4.4 trillion. The company plans to issue five per cent of its shares under the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), in Q3 this year and reduce state ownership to 54 per cent. After 2020, VGC intends to reduce state ownership to 36 per cent. The company collected nearly VN1.5 trillion from the public sale, which will be used mainly to invest in the expansion of Yen Phong Industrial Park and to develop the new ultra-white float glass manufacturing factory and sanitaryware plant in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. VGC currently operates two float glass factories, one in the northern province of Bac Ninh and the other in the southern province of Binh Duong, with a combined capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day, which accounts for 45 per cent of the companys capacity. In sanitaryware, VGC is focused on the mid-end segment, and has a total capacity of 1.25 million sanitary appliances and 500,000 shower sets per year. This segment has recorded an average annual growth of 19.6 per cent from 2010 to 2015, and current production is at maximum capacity. The company plans to build a sanitaryware factory in Vung Tau with a capacity of 750,000 products per year, which would increase its total capacity to 2 million products per year. For its granite and ceramic requirements, VGC has three subsidiaries that have a combined capacity of 20 million sqm per year. Also, it has just acquired the My uc ceramic factory in the southern province of Vung Tau. The plants first production line became operational this June. In the 2017-2020 period, the company plans to set up three more ceramic plants and increase its total capacity to 34 million sq.m, up 70 per cent. VNS Viet Nam is expected to export 320,000 tonnes of cashew worth US$3.3 billion this year, which represents a fall of 9.2 per cent in volume terms due to a sharp fall in harvests due to unfavourable weather, according to the Viet Nam Cashew Association. Photo cafef.vn HCM CITY Viet Nam is expected to export 320,000 tonnes of cashew worth US$3.3 billion this year, which represents a fall of 9.2 per cent in volume terms due to a sharp fall in harvests due to unfavourable weather, according to the Viet Nam Cashew Association. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country exported 149,000 tonnes of cashew nuts worth about $1.5 billion in the first six months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 4.4 per cent in volume and 20.8 per cent in value. Speaking at a meeting in HCM City yesterday, its deputy chairman and general secretary, ang Hoang Giang, said the US, the Netherlands and China remain Viet Nams largest buyers, accounting for 54 per cent of shipments. The average export price was at $9,500 a tonne, up 25 per cent from last year, he said. But processors lack raw materials to process for exports, he said. Nguyen uc Thanh, Vinacass chairman, quoted the Global Cashew Council as saying global raw cashew production this year is expected to be three million tonnes, 200,000 tonnes down from last year. In Viet Nam, unseasonable rainfall and unfavourable weather this year had badly hit output, which plunged by 51,860 tonnes to 252,038 tonnes. Last year processors had imported 1.06 million tonnes of raw cashew, mostly from African countries. A maximum of 1 million tonne of raw cashew is expected to be imported this year, he said. Inventories at processing firms are very low, and to avoid the risk of defaulting on shipments the association has urged firms to be cautious about signing export contracts. At the seminar, cashew firms also warned about the need to identify reliable foreign partners for importing the raw nuts, revealing that in many instances they had failed to deliver after signing contracts and even receiving advance payments. Nguyen Duy Tuan of Long An Food Processing and Export JSC suggested that in such cases firms should report the name of the defaulting suppliers to the association so that it could blacklist such sellers and safeguard member companies. Delegates agreed that with supply reducing, their export prices would increase during the course of the year. The association urged processors and exporters to pay greater attention to quality and hygiene and food safety. Viet Nam has been the worlds largest cashew exporter for the last 11 years, last year accounting for 42 per cent of the global export volumes, according to Vinacas. VNS HCMC Heart Beat, a Saigon-based underground music community, will hold a music and light show with London-based techno producer and DJ Sigha at The Observatory on July 21. Sigha, whose real name is James Shaw, rose fame in the Londons electronic scene in 2009. His debut album Living with Ghosts was released in 2013. Four years later, he introduced his album titled Metalbolism. The show will feature resident DJs Chris Wolter and 1Dan, and visual artist EROL. The event will start at 9pm at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4. Entrance is free until 11pm and VN150,000 afterwards. VNS HCMC The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre will host an arts discussion on self-expression on July 14. The discussion will feature Vietnamese filmmaker Truong Minh Quy, painter o Hoang Cuong, and British collector Dominic Scriven of Dogma Collection, which funds the Dogma Prize for portraits. The event will open with the screening of Quys three movies, including Someone is Going to the Forest, Mars in the Well, and The Man with Red Nails, which have been shown at international film festivals in Busan and Berlin. It will continue with a talk and Q&A session with the three guests, with English translation. The event will start at 5:30pm at 15 Nguyen U Di Street in District 2. Entrance is free. VNS Viet Nam and Malaysia have agreed to increase visits at all levels and through all channels alongside boosting people-to-people exchanges to advance the their bilateral strategic partnership. VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Nhuong KUALA LUMPUR Viet Nam and Malaysia have agreed to increase visits at all levels and through all channels alongside boosting people-to-people exchanges to advance the their bilateral strategic partnership. The consensus was reached during Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binhs July 11-13 visit to Malaysia at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Binh met yesterday with Senate President Sanasee Vigneswaran and held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He also met with UMNO Secretary-General Tengku Adnan bin Tengku Mansor, and hosted receptions for President of the Court of Appeal Raus bin Sharif, Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi bin Ali and Minister in charge of the National Security Council Shahidan bin Kassim. At these meetings, the two sides agreed to foster co-operation in national defence and justice. They said the first meeting of the high-level committee on defence cooperation at ministerial level would be organised early. Stepping up ties between their military forces, the two sides agreed to set up a new working group on naval co-operation while expanding collaboration in fighting crime, especially organised, cross-border and high-tech crimes, and human trafficking. They will negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding on legal co-operation and a range of agreements on fighting human trafficking, extradition, the transfer of convicted persons and legal assistance. The Malaysian side responded positively to Viet Nams proposals on improving efficiency of co-operation in the oil and gas sector, and negotiate soon an agreement on fisheries cooperation and another on aviation services. They saw eye to eye on the need to facilitate investments by businesses from both countries, particularly in rice trading, food processing, agricultural production and processing for export, and support industry development. Malaysian officials said they would consider receiving more Vietnamese labourers and pledged to support Vietnamese citizens already working and living in Malaysia. Deputy PM Binh said he appreciated Malaysian agencies efforts on dealing with the issue of Vietnamese fishermen in a humanitarian spirit and requested that the death penalty for a number of Vietnamese prisoners in the host country be commuted. The Malaysian officials pledged to ensure the legitimate rights and a fair trial for oan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese suspect in the death of a citizen of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea in Malaysia. The two sides committed to tighten coordination in building and developing the ASEAN Community and consolidating the groups unity and central role in the region. They also affirmed the significance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and stressed the need to settle disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also said all parties should act with respect for legal and diplomatic processes; not use or threaten to use force; fully abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); accelerate the building of a framework of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) towards its early formation and application. Deputy PM Binh is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Najib Razak and receive representatives of some leading Malaysian companies today.VNS ONG NAI On July 12, families of fallen soldiers from 23 provinces across Viet Nam arrived in ong Nai Martyr Cemetery in the southern province to attend a memorial service and reburial for 72 martyrs who died during the battle at Bien Hoa Airbase on January 31, 1968 during the Tet Offensive. The remains of the soldiers missing in action were discovered in a mass grave, located in a melaleuca plantation east of Bien Hoa in April, based on information from surviving soldiers and two US war veterans who fought there. Bob Connor, a former security policeman at the airbase, said 150 bodies were interred at the location, and Colonel Martin Estrones confirmed this information. According to Connor, he commented on Google Earth about a major battle at the military airport and mentioned a mass grave near the airport was dedicated to fallen enemies. Then he was contacted by a Vietnamese asking for more information on the location of the grave, which sent Connor on a mission to find someone else who might know about the grave, and eventually, he found his former commanding officer, Estrones, who had supervised the burial process. The two American veterans were then invited to Bien Hoa in March by the Vietnamese government. The attack on Bien Hoa Airbase of great strategic importance in South Viet Nam was conducted to disable the airbase, destroy logistics infrastructure and weaken the American forces and their Southern allies. In the assault on the airbase, fighting on the Peoples Army of Viet Nams side were soldiers of battalion No 1 and No 2 of 4th Regiment 5th Division, joined by Bien Hoas sapper battalion, main military force and local militia. Since the grave has laid in oblivion for many years, the remains are mostly no longer identifiable, with only a few exceptions, so authorities have decided to rebury them in a common grave in Bien Hoa Martyr Cemetery, with the consent of family members. Le Anh Toan, from the northern province of Ninh Binh, sibling of martyr Le Xuan Thang, said Thang joined the army in 1965 and in 1968, his family received a death notice stating he had died on the Southern Front. 50 years, our family has looked for our brother. Now, we know his resting place amongst his comrades, we can finally be at peace, he said. Phung Duy Cuong, veteran of the Bien Hoa U11 sapper battalion, survivor of the Bien Hoa Airbase attack, said he was wracked with survivors guilt. We come from different places, we are not blood relatives, but we might as well be. The day we found our comrades feels like the day we found our family, Cuong said. Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Education and Communications, Vo Van Thuong, Vice President ang Thi Ngoc Thinh, former President Truong Tan Sang, former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of the Ministry of Defence have come to attend the ceremony and pay their respect. VNS HA NOI Four members of a family were found dead from inhaling smoke in an early morning fire that broke out today in Ha Noi. The fire took place in a four-storey house in a small alley on Xuan inh Street in the urban district of North Tu Liem, located northwest of Ha Noi. The deceased are Van Trong Bo, born in 1966, and his wife Hoang Thi Hoa, born in 1968. Their two children -- Van Trong Hoang, 26, and his younger sibling Van Thao Nga, 18, also perished in the fire. An electrical short-circuit in the familys refrigerator in the kitchen on the first floor could be the cause of the fire, according to firefighting authorities. At the time of fire, the four victims were sleeping on the third floor. Neighbours detected fire and smoke billowing from inside the house and called the firefighters. However, it took the residents and firefighters some 20 minutes to break through the thick, tightly-locked front iron gates to get inside, one of victims neighbor told the Vietnam News Agency. The fire was put out completely in less than 10 minutes, but the victims had already reportedly died from smoke inhalation. Its likely that because of the enclosed narrow space, just 10sq.m. on the first floor where the fire started, all the resulting smoke rose up to the floor where the victims were sleeping unaware, Le Chi Cao, head of the firefighting police in charge of the area, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) Online. VNS Khanh Linh I strongly believe, as a mother of a four-year-old girl, that we should not force formal learning on them at a tender age. We cannot rob our children of a fun-filled, carefree childhood away in the name of getting them ready for the academic rigors of the primary school. This is beyond dispute, right? The Education Ministry agrees with me, too. Four years ago, it banned the teaching of learning and writing in pre-school institutions. Looking at parents rushing about to find private classes all of them illegal to teach their four and five-year-old kids reading, writing and math, and forcing them to do homework, I told myself, Not me! Not my kid! This was the case until two weeks ago, when my assumptions and beliefs were shaken to the core. To Minh Trang, a friend and a like-minded parent, was also one of the brave mothers to keep her son out of the extra classes until he was six. His first days as a first-grader were almost traumatic for both child and mother. The boy was the only child in class who couldnt read or write. He was ridiculed constantly by classmates every time he made mistakes. Worse, the teacher told Trang that her son was lagging behind normal standards. Not surprisingly, the child did not take kindly to this experience. He kept telling me that he didnt like school. I could feel his stress and shame for not performing well as his peers, she said. The first semester was quite a struggle for both Trang and her son. After a long tiring day at school, he was pushed to practise reading, writing, spelling and basic numerals so that the could catch up with other classmates. My son does not have a learning disability. He just did not join early class, she said, in a mixture of anger and pain. Trangs experience has been a painful lesson for me. I have since been astonished to find out that all of my friends some working in primary education are about to enroll their kids in what can be called early start classes. Nguyen Huyen Van, a former primary school teacher in Cau Giay District, said that after considering both pros and cons, she had decided to teach her five-year-old son at home before he joined primary school. The learning pressure will be a lot easier if the child knows a little. If the teacher finishes lessons at a rapid pace, he wont find it difficult to understand, she said. Van said teaching and learning quality at primary schools was part of the problem. Most public schools have between 50-60 students per class against the standard of 35-40, thus teachers cannot afford individual attention to all of them. Nguyen Phuong Linh, staff of a primary school in Ba inh District, said the theory behind banning rigorous pre-school teaching was right, but applying it in practice was difficult. Moving from pre-school to primary school is a very important transition that needs to be managed well. I agree that some parents are sending kids to private tutors before entering first grade, so that they get good marks. But many others only want their children to get acquainted with a new studying environment, she said. In fact, pre-school children dont know much about primary schools, and orientation lasts just one or two days after enrolment. This was not enough, Linh added. The actual situation is why parents have largely ignored the Education Ministrys ban as well as reminders that officials repeat every summer about not teaching reading and writing in pre-schools. Invariably, the press reports about these classes despite the ministry saying it will intensify supervision. Horns of a dilemma I am pulled in two directions now. Part of me wants to nourish my daughters eagerness to learn basic writing and reading skills, maybe even more; and she would find places that teach this comfortable. But the other part does not want her to feel anxious or stressed about not performing well enough. But this much is certain. I dont want her to be tagged by teachers just because she doesnt know how to write or read before entering the first grade. As a very concerned parent, I think its time the ministry lifts the largely ineffective ban on teaching of writing and reading. Its also time that primary schools are allowed to open pre-elementary classes, so that parents can send their five-year-old children to prepare for the first grade instead of entrusting private businesses of unknown pedagogical quality with the task. These classes should help children get familiar with formal schooling, and the curriculum can deploy a play-based approach that imparts self-confidence, energy and enthusiasm to speak their mind. Principals of the primary schools should take responsibility for the quality of such classes. But parents should stop expecting and pushing their kids to be the best in the classes and pressurizing them to cram knowledge that they will get in school, anyway. Children should enjoy going to school everyday. Childhood does not end after pre-school. It continues throughout the primary school, which should be a fun, memorable experience even as they learn the basic skills of reading, writing and counting. Pressurising children to pass with high marks with extra work means parents are failing in their fundamental duty of providing their wards with a tension-free childhood. VNS US Senate(WASHINGTON) -- If President Trump nominee Christopher Wray is confirmed as director of the FBI, things may be different this time around. "Wray is a man of principle, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin told ABC News Political Director Rick Klein Wednesday during ABC News' Powerhouse Politics podcast. In light of former FBI Director James Comey's firing, Durbin said Wray appreciates that the confirmation process will be scrutinized more than ever. He also added that Wray "is very sensitive to the fact that he needs to maintain his independence." When asked whether an FBI director under Trump needs to be more guarded than those who served under different presidents, Durbin told Klein, "without question." "Ive been there for Bob Mueller when he was director of the FBI," Durbin said. "In the renewal for his service, as well as Jim Comey, we never dealt with the kinds of questions that Mr. Wray faced today." Durbin also spoke about Donald Trump Jr.s controversial email exchange about meeting a Russian attorney, whom an acquaintance had claimed had damaging information about Hillary Clinton. The president's eldest son tweeted out the exchange on Tuesday. Durbin said the emails contradict the narrative that the Trump administration has been pushing, regarding alleged collusion with Russia. "Denial doesn't work anymore," Durbin said. Turns out these emails tell the whole story," he said. "They were looking for contacts to be made. They were looking for help from someone reported to be from the Russian government." While the aforementioned interaction could be merely regarded as a "rookie in a political campaign," Durbin said there's potential for a more severe outcome. "He knew exactly what he was getting into," Durbin said. "There is a reason why we haven't seen these income tax returns. There are connections with Russia and the Trump business that I think will ultimately be disclosed but we dont know it today." Whether or not the emails serve as an incriminating offense will ultimately be decided by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Durbin did express concern that the president has the power to dismiss Mueller or any other appointee for that matter, which could lead to a "constitutional crisis." Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. BRASILIA Brazils former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for graft on Wednesday - a stark fall from grace for the iconic leftist leader, and the latest twist in a sprawling political corruption probe engulfing Latin Americas largest economy. Lula, who ruled Brazil from 2003-2010, was convicted and handed a 9.5-year prison term for accepting a bribe of a luxury seaside apartment and US$1.1 million. But anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro, who handed down the sentence, said the 71-year-old Lula would remain free pending an appeal - something his lawyers immediately said they would lodge. "We are appealing and will prove his innocence," the lawyers said in a statement sent to AFP. The conviction nevertheless landed a heavy blow on the prospect of Lula making a political comeback in presidential elections due in October next year. The verdict also sent a dramatic message to much of the rest of Brazils political class that they, too, risked falling afoul of an anti-graft drive. Even the current president, Michel Temer, has been charged with taking bribes and several of his ministers have resigned after corruption claims were made. The sea change has come about because of Operation "Car Wash," a sweeping anti-corruption probe looking into a giant embezzlement and kickbacks scheme involving state-owned oil group Petrobras, construction firms and several political parties - Lulas Workers Party chief among them. LULA DENIES CHARGES But while many Brazilians welcome the long-overdue clean-up of their notoriously dirty political scene, the uncertainty is hobbling their countrys struggle to exit from a historic recession. The verdict against Lula "all but rules him out of the running for next years presidential election," said Capital Economics, an economic analysis firm. It added that the courts decision was "likely to give a near-term boost to Brazilian markets" as the likelihood of Lula, a former union leader, returning to power and quashing needed economic reforms championed by Temer waned. Lula has repeatedly denied taking any bribes during or after his presidency. He has described the investigation against him by Moro as a campaign to prevent his return to power. The Workers Party issued a statement calling Lulas conviction and sentence "an attack on democracy" and Brazils constitution, accusing the judge of bias. The conviction focused on allegations that Lula received the triplex apartment as a bribe from one of Brazils biggest construction companies, OAS. The judge ordered that the apartment be confiscated. "Between the crimes of corruption and money laundering, there are sufficient grounds for sentences totaling nine years and six months of incarceration," Moro said in his verdict. POLITICAL FALLOUT The sentence by Moro - whose wide popularity in Brazil for his anti-corruption work has prompted some to see him as a possible presidential candidate - fed into broader political ructions in Brazil. Lulas chosen successor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached and booted from office last year, with Temer, her vice president, taking over the reins. Two weeks ago, Moro sentenced an influential minister in the Lula and Rousseff governments, Antonio Palocci, to 12 years in prison for corruption. Palocci played a central role in the "Car Wash" scheme, most of which unfolded when Lulas Workers Party was in power from 2003 to 2016. Prosecutors said Palocci was a pointman in the flow of "bribes between the Odebrecht construction group and intermediaries of the Workers Party," laundering more than US$10 million used for party campaign finances. Odebrecht, an industrial conglomerate with projects around the world, named Palocci "the Italian" in its list of code names for politicians regularly taking bribes in exchange for lucrative contracts with Petrobras and other favours. The apartment bribe matter against Lula was one of five corruption cases stacked against him. Others include allegations that Odebrecht gave US$3.7 million to Lula so he could buy land to build the Lula Institution highlighting his political legacy, and that he received a kickback in Brazils purchase of Swedish warplanes.AFP The fall armyworm devastating to corn in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and elsewhere is subject of an emergency workshop July 14 through 16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to slow the pests advance in Africa and prevent its penetration into Southern Europe and Asia. A pest native to both North and South America, the fall armyworm first landed in western Africa and reached eastern Africa a year later. The pest has the potential to destroy more than $3 billion in corn throughout Africa and trigger food shortages next year, scientists say. Virginia Techs Muni Muniappan witnessed damage in April in Ethiopia, where he met with struggling farmers. The worm is voracious, and it must be controlled soon before the damage spreads, said Muniappan, an entomologist and director of the Virginia Tech-led Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management. A team of researchers from the lab is partnering with the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya, to produce the workshop, which gathers stakeholders and experts from five countries (the United States, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, and Tanzania) to respond to the threat to the regions food security. The United States Agency for International Development, which funds the lab at Virginia Tech, is also sponsoring the workshop, where experts will share techniques with farmers to deploy against the pest. On the continent less than two years, the fall armyworm has created a path of devastation. Its quick spread and heavy destruction make it difficult to control, leaving farmers few options but to handpick caterpillars off their plants. The pests targets include 80 different plant species, some of which are valuable food crops. Many countries in East Africa experienced a sharp drought last year, which resulted in a humanitarian crisis from which millions of farmers in the region are only now recovering, according to the International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences. The Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab team is coordinating research in East Africa seeking ways small-scale farmers can mitigate the pests impact. The lab is working to identify biological agents such as a natural enemy like a wasp to control the fall armyworm by destroying the pests larvae. Scientists are studying traps made from burlap gunny sacks that employ such natural enemies. Other methods under study include establishing plants near rows of crops that can keep the pest contained. The workshop should allow the Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab to fine-tune its research objectives, Muniappan said. He also hopes the pest, which can fly hundreds of miles once it transforms to become a moth, can be contained before it becomes widespread. The Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab is a project of the Office of International Research, Education, and Development, part of Outreach and International Affairs. Written by Dana Cruikshank and Stephanie Parker The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine invites artists to join in saluting Americas troops. The schools Creativity in Health Education Program is issuing an open call for artwork to showcase in the fall 2017 art exhibition, Asclepius: Military, Medicine & Creative Forces. The show will demonstrate the unique capacity of the arts to document historical military events and personal experiences as well as facilitate healing, reintegration, and well-being for service members and their families. Submissions are being sought from local artists, service members, and veterans, their families, caregivers, and the public. Student and amateur artists are encouraged to participate. Artwork may be military-inspired, patriotic in nature, or pay tribute to veterans or service members. In addition, artwork may be created by current or former service members as a means of healing or therapeutic expression. All mediums will be considered as long as they comply with exhibition guidelines. Deadline for applying to be in the show is July 25 at 5 p.m. An opening reception will be held Oct. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The exhibition will be on display from Sept. 15 to Dec. 8. Anyone interested in participating should submit a completed application form. For exhibition guidelines, an application, and other information, contact Carrie Knopf. CHARLES CITY A Charles City man has been arrested in connection with a homicide in Jasper County. Details werent available, but Randy Louis Linderman, 52, was arrested Thursday in Charles City on a charge of first-degree murder. He has been transported to the Jasper County Jail in Newton. Linderman is accused of killing Luis C. Ramirez Berber on March 6. Ramirez, 61, was found dead in his Maple Street home in rural Jasper County in March, and an autopsy determined he died of blunt trauma. The case was investigated by the Jasper and Floyd county sheriff's offices, the Charles City Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. WATERLOO The ex-boyfriend of the mother whose child died after being found unconscious has been barred from having contact with children in the family. Walter Cordell Williams, 23, had already been ordered to stay away from the childs mother following an October incident where he was accused of punching her, and that order was extended to 2022 in April when he was sentenced to jail with time served after pleading to misdemeanor domestic assault. Court records show a magistrate issued an amended no-contact order Sunday, a day after 4-year-old Jaheem Harris was found unconscious at a West Mullan Avenue home and was later pronounced dead. The updated order prohibits Williams from having contact with five unidentified children in addition to Jaheems mother. Court records show Williams and the mother have a child together. Walter was arrested Sunday for allegedly violating the restraining order keeping him from seeing the childs mother and for failing to appear for a court hearing in connection with his April plea. Authorities were called to a possible drowning at the West Mullan Avenue address around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, and police reports show Williams was the one who placed the 911 call. The childs mother wasnt home at the time, but several other children were at the house, police said. The 4-year-old was found unresponsive, and he was taken to Covenant Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was conducted Monday, but the results havent been finalized. WATERLOO Superintendent Jane Lindamans leadership of Waterloo Community Schools is being praised following a closed-door evaluation Tuesday with the Board of Education. She had an excellent review. The board has strong confidence in her leadership and the direction of the district, said board president Shanlee McNally. Five of the boards seven members met with Lindaman for two hours and 15 minutes. Along with McNally, they included Lyle Schmitt, Sue Flynn, Angela Weekley and Mike Kindschi. Board members Jesse Knight and Rhonda McRina were absent, but feedback from all seven members was shared with the superintendent. Iowa Code allows evaluations to happen in closed session. McNally noted they used the Iowa Standards for School Leaders in the evaluation, as required by law. The six standards focus on a shared learning vision, a culture of learning, management, family and community, ethics and societal context. She met or exceeded every one of them, said McNally. Board members also talked about priority goals they set with Lindaman to make sure were all pulling in the same direction. McNally highlighted our continuing work with the Waterloo Career Center, a technical education program for high school students at Central Middle School. She also pointed to growing literacy rates for young readers, noting Waterloo had the largest increase this year among urban districts. Our graduation trend is definitely on the rise, said McNally, after it hit an all-time high of 80.3 percent for the class of 2015. She said Lindaman provided strong leadership in response to statewide changes in public employees bargaining rights, as well. We very much trust her leadership. No action was taken at the closed session, but we did offer her a contract extension, said McNally. She will be receiving a raise. The board will approve the 2017-18 contract and set Lindamans salary at a later meeting. The exact salary increase hasnt been determined as officials wait to gather the remaining metrics in her pay for performance plan, such as ACT scores from last springs graduating class. EVANSDALE While Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of the disappearances of Lyric Cook-Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins, the pain and fear within the community has gradually faded but will never be forgotten. The girls memory, along with those of others whose lives ended too soon, will always remain in Angels Park, where brightly colored flowers and other vegetation, gazebos, benches and a new painting allow those in the community to honor them. The painting was created by Florida artist Jeff Sonkes, who visited the area after his father passed away last December. He completed the artwork in his basement before assembling it in the park earlier this summer. On one side of the mural are the girls faces, on the other side a pair of angel wings. They face out to Highway 20 for all to see driving by. It has since been admired by the locals as they relive that sad stretch of days five years ago. On July 13, 2012, Cook-Morrissey, 10, and Collins, 8, two cousins who were riding their bikes at Meyers Lake, were kidnapped and killed. Hundreds searched around the park for days as they tried to find the two. It wasnt until five months later that the remains of the girls were found in a rural Bremer County park. No one has ever been apprehended for their slayings. Aftermath Mary Grosse has been running her home day care out of Evansdale for more than 20 years and had taken some of her kids to the park on the afternoon of July 13, 2012. It wasnt until later that night she learned of the girls disappearance and immediately joined the search parties. I felt like I shouldve seen something, but I also had to keep an eye on the kids, Grosse said. I never dreamed I would have to do that and I still dont believe it happened. For a long stretch after that day, Grosse refused to take her kids outside or go outside herself. In the back of her mind were thoughts of distrust toward those she knew as she and the rest of the community were overtaken by sadness and disbelief. Today, Grosse said she now feels safe in the community despite the lack of arrests. On Thursday, she took the kids to eat lunch at the park. As they explored the playground and chased each other with squirting water bottles, she kept a close eye. They like to go over and see the tank, but we go as a group. I dont want them getting behind it where I cant see them, she said. We all just stick together. The tragic incident taught many parents the value in closely monitoring their children. Grosse said for nearly a year after, the streets that were usually filled with screaming and laughing children were empty and quiet. It scared me as a parent that things like that could happen, but Im proud that the community came together and put their differences aside to be concerned about one thing, said Christi Sires. After spending her childhood in the area, Sires moved away for a short time before returning last year. Regardless of their location, she and her family also participated in the searches. Now, she knows where her 15-year-old twin sons are at all times and even installed 360 trackers onto their phones. While she didnt know the family or girls personally, Sires is still desperate for information on their situation and often thinks of them as she takes strolls through the park and gazes at the painting while kayaking in Meyers Lake. Theyre a constant thought in my memory. When I take walks I always look up at the trees and think, if only the trees could talk. While the trees may not be able to reveal what occurred that day, the ultimate message is continuously passed from person to person. Ricky Siebrands, a Waterloo native who now resides in Cedar Falls, acts as the life teacher for his grandchildren and teaches them about anything from the flowers growing in the ditches to how roads and cars work. He also emphasizes Cook-Morrissey and Collins story and the importance of staying close. When I was a kid, my brothers and I would leave in the morning and wouldnt come back until that night, just spend all day outside. Well, things have changed, he said sadly. For that reason, he brought his three grandchildren to Angels Park, where they learned the stories of every girl honored there. As they curiously gazed at the statue and admired the flowers, the children were always peaking over their shoulders to keep their grandpa in sight. I thought it was important that they came and saw it and experienced it in real life rather than seeing it on TV, Siebrands said. I wanted them to know the history. DES MOINES -- Officials with the Iowa Department of Human Services said Thursday they have used the states safe haven procedures for the 28th time since the law went into effect. A newborn girl was born July 6 at an Iowa hospital and the infant was released to the custody of the agency, DHS officials said in a new release. According to the law, a court hearing to terminate parental rights will be held within a month. Specific details are withheld in order to protect the identity of the parents and child. Under the safe haven law, parents in crisis are protected from prosecution for abandonment, allowing them to safely leave an infant at a hospital or health care facility, no questions asked, said DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven. Most importantly, the life and health of newborns is protected. Under Iowas safe haven law, parents have the option to safely hand over custody of a baby aged 14 days or younger without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The parent or an authorized representative is allowed to leave the newborn at a hospital or health care facility, and can remain anonymous. The safe haven law was approved in the wake of a high-profile case in 2001 involving a teen mother in eastern Iowa who killed her home-delivered newborn. Infants who are safe haven babies are placed with currently-approved foster or adoptive families. Gas prices The price of retail gasoline in Iowa rose five cents a gallon this week to $2.19, according to a report issued by the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Nationally, prices at service station pumps increased by 3 cents to $2.26 per gallon. The AAA motor club reports gas prices in Iowa are two cents a gallon lower than a year ago. Retail diesel fuel prices in Iowa this week were up two cents to a statewide average of $2.36 per gallon, which was unchanged from one year ago. The current Iowa diesel average is eight cents a gallon lower than the national average of $2.44. On the heating fuels side, natural gas prices in Iowa are up five cents at $2.99/MMbtu, according to state officials. WATERLOO The city received no bids for city-owned land at the center of a six-year legal battle. Waterloo City Council members had set the bid opening Thursday as part of the citys efforts to resolve the ongoing dispute over the still-vacant Sunnyside South housing development along San Marnan Drive. City Attorney Dave Zellhoefer said the lack of bids would appear to clear the way under Iowa law for the council to sell the property as it sees fit. But Dave Nagle, an attorney representing residents who sued over the original sale, has contended the city still failed to follow the letter of the law in terms of its appraisal and notice to bidders. The issue had been slated for a public hearing and bid reading Monday. City officials and council members will now consult with legal counsel to determine how to move forward. The City Council approved a development agreement in 2011 giving Sunnyside South Addition LLC a partnership between Jeff Stickfort, Van Miller, John Deery and Jim Walsh the property in return for the investors moving the road at their own expense and creating upscale housing lots. Ten residents, spearheaded by businessman Bob Molinaro, sued claiming Iowa law required unused highway right-of-way to first be offered back to the original or adjacent property owners from whom it was acquired in 1959. Sunnyside South reportedly spent $2 million relocating the road and was in the process of selling lots when the Iowa Supreme Court in June 2014 sided with Nagles clients. A second attempt to sell the land in 2015 wound up before the states high court, which ruled in March this year Sunnyside South Addition was not eligible to bid on the property. The city offered the four parcels involved, which had been appraised at a combined $1.825 million, to adjoining and past owners of the property who would have needed to bid at least the appraised amount. Nagle argued in May the citys appraisal method, which considered the full value of the property allocated proportionately to the four parcels, was improper. Donald Trump Jr. is clearly his fathers son. Just look at the evolving strategies he employed to answer questions on meeting with a Russian Kremlin-affiliated lawyer during the presidential campaign: denial, deflection and finger-pointing. First, the junior Donald Trump said no meetings with Russian officials had been set up, and none discussed government policies. Then on Saturday, he said the June 2016 meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya was about the adoption of Russian children. He noted that wasnt a campaign issue, yet he didnt explain why he invited his fathers then-campaign manager, Paul Manafort, to stop by, along with his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner. He said he hadnt known who hed be meeting; an acquaintance arranged it. On Sunday, after The New York Times reported on the meeting, the junior Donald Trump had a fresh explanation for reporters: Hed met the lawyer because she had information showing Hillary Clinton had Russian support. But Donald Jr. said none of it turned out to be useful or documented, or even made sense. On Tuesday he tweeted his exchange of emails with Rob Goldstone, the meeting organizer who wrote Russias top prosecutor had offered the Trump campaign documents that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father. Having said he got nothing useful on Clinton, Donald Trump Jr.s then linked to a story claiming DNC operatives worked with Ukrainian officials to get opposition research on Trump. No outrage??? he tweeted. Media & Dems are extremely invested in the Russia story. If this nonsense meeting is all they have after a yr, I understand the desperation! said another tweet. Unfortunately for father and son, this is far from all we have on the Trumps inappropriate and possibly illegal dealings with Russia. Remember last July 6, when the GOP nominee called on Russia at a news conference to hack Hillary Clintons private server? His presidential spokesman later called that a joke. But its looking less and less like one. Then there was Manafort, forced to resign last August after it was found his firm had accepted $12.7 million between 2007 and to 2012 in cash payments for secret lobbying on behalf of Russian-allied Ukrainian leaders. One was Ukraines former president, Viktor Yanukovych, an ally of Russias Vladimir Putin, The New York Times reported. Manafort never registered as a foreign agent, as federal law requires. He denied doing it, but Eric Trump, Trumps second son, told Fox News, My father just didnt want to have the distraction looming over the campaign. It wasnt long after Trump took office his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was in the hot seat over Russia. Flynn was alleged to have held private talks before the election with Russias U.S. ambassador about sanctions the Obama administration was imposing on Russia for interference. Flynn and Trump officials denied it. As FBI Director James Comey has since revealed, the president famously told him: I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. Trump finally fired Flynn Feb. 14 18 days after Flynns conflicting statements. And then the president denied it was because Flynn met with the Russian ambassador. He said Flynn was fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence and others about this. Trump called Flynn a wonderful man who had been treated very, very unfairly by the media, and also blamed a witch hunt by Democrats. Trump waited despite a warning by acting attorney general, Sally Yates, that Flynn was now subject to blackmail by Russia. He fired Yates first. And then he fired the FBI director. In sworn testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee June 8, Comey said, The Russians interfered in our election during the 2016 cycle. They did (it) with purpose. They did it with sophistication. They did it with overwhelming technical efforts. It was an active measures campaign driven from the top of that government. A Jan. 6 report by the director of National Intelligence based on information from the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency said Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump and that Putin ordered an influence campaign to help him. It said Russian military intelligence gained access to DNC computers and then used WikiLeaks and other similar venues to get leaked emails and documents to the public. Last October, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence said 17 intelligence agencies were confident Russias senior-most officials directed the hacking of DNC and party officials emails. The president, however, has denied it. Asked last week before meeting Putin if Russia interfered with the election, Trump said: I think it could very well have been Russia, but I think it could very well have been other countries, and I wont be specific. But I think a lot of people interfere. People close to him certainly seem to have. So whats the president doing to show his commitment to fair elections? Hes created a commission on election integrity, which is seeking a broad sweep of data, but not on outsiders or campaign officials, but on voters. He wants all kinds of information on each of us. If that doesnt say Russia, I dont know what does. Theres an old adage that says, Time heals all wounds. Its not true. Today marks five years since cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey, then 10, and Elizabeth Collins, 8, were abducted after going for a bike ride in Evansdale. Their bicycles were found in a trail adjacent to Meyers Lake. Tragically, our worst suspicions were realized when their bodies were discovered five months later at the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County. Five years later, no one has been arrested in the case. That hurts. Especially for those family members who desperately need to see that day. On Saturday, a group including Drew Collins, who is Elizabeths father and Lyrics uncle, is hosting the fifth annual Memorial Ride and Drive for the Girls, an awareness event beginning and ending at Loftys Lounge in Evansdale. Theres still a murderer out there, Collins said last week. We get an influx of calls every time we do this during this time. A lot of people will call in. It does raise the number of tips. Were trying to keep it going and, hopefully, well get the right tip. Two young cousins, enjoying the freedom of a bike ride together in small-town Iowa on a summers day. We can imagine their laughter during that ride, and feel their sense of adventure from our own past summer excursions in our own seemingly safe and comfortable communities. These thoughts continue to bring sadness and anger. And its only the anger component that has a chance of being somewhat soothed by the apprehension of those responsible for this abomination. Even when those responsible are brought to justice, the unbelievable sadness will return during this time each year. In addition to the annual ride, there were other scheduled community activities recently at a Child Safety Awareness event. Fingerprinting and DNA kits were provided by United Auto Workers Local 838. Multiple law enforcement and public safety agencies were on hand. A sky lantern launch was conducted in memory of the two girls and other local murder victims. Over the years, memorials have been placed and vigils held. These are community events that place a metaphorical bandage over a still-festering wound. For residents of Evansdale and the Cedar Valley, its a bandage that is ripped away every year in July. For the girls loved ones, we can only assume thats a daily occurrence. Still, our collective heart yearns for the modicum of closure the families may receive through justice. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation continues to handle the case. And we remain steadfast in our support of all those law enforcement officers who have been searching for answers. Meanwhile, we will never be able to forget that two young hearts were taken in the most evil and heinous fashion. Its a pain that wont subside anytime soon. When did it become dangerous to go on a bike ride with your cousin? Both girls would be in their teens now, experiencing another stage of life beyond the carefree days of early childhood. Five years later, the contemplation of their fates still brings tears. It still brings anger. Virtually everyone in the Cedar Valley and across the state is looking forward to the day when the perpetrators of these crimes are identified, arrested and put away. Locking away our sadness is another matter entirely. Great help ANN ANNISS DYSART It is never too late to say thank you. After church in Waterloo on Easter, we were driving in our new car when it was apparent we had a bad tire. An Iowa highway patrolwoman followed us into a safe parking area and insisted on changing it for us! She said my husband would get dirty (sports coat, tie) and we are senior citizens even though he insisted he was able to do it. They did it together. She was a great help and so personable. So, thank you, kind patrolwoman! Health care ALLEN HAYS CEDAR FALLS I wish Dennis Clayson would stop banging on about socialism in his columns and go actually talk to people who are being affected by the Republicans health care proposal. This health care debate is not about abstract ideologies. It is about real people and their need for access to affordable health care. Under their proposal, millions of individuals who are disabled or suffer from chronic health problems will lose their Medicaid life line, not to mention children who depend on it to grow up healthy and productive. To anyone who is reading this if you have one ounce of genuine compassion for the less fortunate in your soul, please look carefully at what this proposal is doing to real flesh and blood people. Forget Claysons meaningless labels. Look at the human beings who will suffer. I hope when you do this, you will speak out against this immoral piece of legislation. Koch influence MERLE WILSON JESUP Thirty-one percent of Iowans live at or below the poverty level. Thousands of children go to bed hungry. Iowa also has a large population of senior citizens trying to survive on fixed incomes. Here are some things Republicans have done to make life better for us: No raise in the minimum wage, cutbacks to the food stamp program, silencers made legal on high-power rifles to kill deer and legalized fireworks in the state. Charles Koch, in the next two years, is willing to spend $400 million to keep the Republicans in power. He wants more tax cuts for the wealthy and an end to all unions and worker rights. He wants the Environmental Protection Agency eliminated. He plans to spend an untold amount to keep the governors office and Republican majority in the Legislature, guaranteeing legislators he has paid for in the past remain in Des Moines. When you see attack ads against the Democrats, they are mostly based on fabricated lies paid for by Koch and his allies. When I think of all the politicians who are now owned by Koch and the lobbyists for companies that manufacture fireworks, Proverbs 17:23 comes to mind: The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice. Pray for leaders PAT ROELFS APLINGTON Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. Matthew 12:25 Do not call yourself Democrat or Republican, instead be an American who respects and prays for its leaders. A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals. This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup. What is no-code? No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development. No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality. A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers. No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself. Benefits of no-code for a startup founder There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology: a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential; cost no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt; speed is the main advantage over classical development no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly; low entry threshold to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology; ease of use no need to write hundreds of code lines just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers; flexibility with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs. Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages: no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future). Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice. Types of no-code platforms Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth). The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design. If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual. If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier. Adalo An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic. Bubble It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users. Integromat It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP. Zapier This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions). Directual The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services. AppMaster.io No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core. No-code perspectives for startups No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications. According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes. The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface. Conclusion No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code. The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools. No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application. If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential. Jul 13, 2017 | By Julia Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have developed a new device that lets you control a drone with simple hand gestures. Designed to be easy and intuitive, the new Empa innovation works through 3D printing and original sensor technology: a wave to the left, and the drove moves to the left; a wave to the right, the drone moves to the right. While a straightforward concept, the development process was far from simple. Headed by Frank Clemens from Empas Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics, the sensor is made of piezo-resistive fibers incorporated into a wristband that registers the hands movements. The electroconductive piezo-resistive fiber recognizes a change in shape and converts this motion into an electrical signal, which can then be read by a terminal device and interpreted accordingly. In other words, drones and other robotic devices can be moved with basic motions such as the point of a finger. While motion sensors have been around for many years, the Empa version takes this classic technology in a fundamentally different direction. Up until now, movements were typically recorded through visual sensors, such as cameras, as well as accelerometers and gyroscopes, in the case of rotational movements. The trick is that this way of recording movement generally requires big, clear motions within a specific speed range motions that are by and large unnatural for humans. The new Empa sensor, however, responds to even the smallest natural movement, even when made off the cuff. Yet as Clemens notes, the Empa device couldnt have existed without its forerunners. "It takes a combination of different sensors to develop new concepts, he says. Only then can we spot and use movements that weren't detectable with previous technologies." In this case, its the combination of acceleration, rotation, and orientation sensors with the specialized fiber sensor that enables new commands to control electronic devices. Drones are an obvious application, but the Empa sensor could even be applied to open a garage door. While in the prototyping stages, Clemens and his colleague Mark Melnykowycz experimented with attaching the piezo-resistive fibers to a piece of fabric. Although successful, the fabric was insufficient for using the sensor on the desired scale. Thats where 3D printing came in, Clemens notes. With the aid of additive manufacturing, we managed to integrate the sensor structure in non-textile materials," he says. The sensor could now be used in something as structural, yet basic, as a wristwatch. In its current form, the Empa sensor is integrated into a conventional wristwatch strap to prevent restriction and obtrusiveness for the user. A regular bracelet is also conceivable, as it would achieve similar effects. With the help of Swiss companies STBL Medical Research AG and Idezo, Clemens and his team then programmed the sensor to control a drone with specific hand movements. In addition to individual movements, the Empa sensor can also respond to movement sequences. Clenching your first twice quickly, for example, would be a different command than clenching it once slowly and once quickly. Currently, the algorithm is being optimized at Bern University of Applied Sciences, with the goal of responding to even simpler gestures. Further research at ETH Zurich indicates that even the wristband may be a thing of the past too: the piezo-resistive sensor could also feasibly be contained in a plaster. Although the project is still in its infancy, Empa researchers have wasted no time in sussing out potential applications and buyers. "Together with our industry partner STBL Medical Research AG, we are currently discussing a potential industrial implementation with partners from various sectors," Clemens says. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Jul 13, 2017 | By Tess Global food chain Burger King recently teamed up with ad agency David to step outside of its fast food comfort zone. Through its recent Stacker Day All Hands on Flavor campaign, Burger King helped lend a hand by providing 3D printed mechanical hands to people across Argentina. Of course, Burger King itself doesnt have the chops to be 3D printing prosthetics, so it partnered with Atomic Lab, a 3D printed prosthetics producer founded by 21-year-old Gino Tubaro, which over the past three years has supplied roughly 500 3D printed hand and arm prosthetics to people in needfor free. On July 5, Burger King held its annual Stacker Day event, which offers the five-patty sandwich combos for half price. This year, it decided that it would try to give back a bit (all while promoting its products, of course) by donating half of all Stacker sales on the day to Atomic Lab. With the numbers in, the Argentinian charity organization says it now has enough funding to 3D print and assemble a thousand more mechanical hand prosthetics. David, which has been working with Burger King for some time now, has helped the fast food chain not only stay current but has tied it to certain social causes that are relevant today. In 2015, for instance, Burger King and David came out with the Proud Whopper campaign which aimed to raise awareness about LGBT rights. Most of Davids work for BK has always tried to tackle an issue that is relevant in some way, Ignacio Ferioli, the agencys co-creative chief told AdWeek. Stacker Day is a big event in Argentina. People queue for hours to get a burger. Sales keep growing year after year. We wondered if we could do something relevant that tied back to a huge burger thats hard to handle. Donating money to Atomic Lab, a company that builds prosthetic hands, and gives them for free, sounded like a good idea. Atomic Lab founder Gino Tubaro To promote its Stacker Day deal, Burger King also released a number of ads which showed the types of people it would be helping with 3D printed hands. Importantly, the company says it was careful not to make its campaign too sad, as most people with hand-related disabilities can still lead normal, full lives. Davids co-creative chief Joaquin Cubria, explained: BK is not playing the hero role, its just helping. The people in the film live normal livesand always find a way to do what they want. Theyll accept our help, but can perfectly live without it. So, no depressing piano chords on the soundtrack, or sad stories becoming happy endings thanks to a burger. Like in most of these types of projects, we were ready to roll with whatever came up. Atomic Lab, which we recently wrote about, was recognized by U.S. President Barack Obama on an official trip to Argentina last year. Led by Tubaro, the organization will be able to provide many more people with 3D printed hands thanks to Burger Kings promotion. We imagine the fast food chain will be happy to see people of all abilities able to eat its massive five-patty Stacker burger. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: The illness was first reported in two northwestern Missouri farmers who were hospitalized in 2009. The CDC eventually identified the cause of the mens illness: a previously unknown virus in the Phlebovirus genus that's since been dubbed the Heartland virus. The disease was then confirmed in Tennessee and Oklahoma before spreading to other Southern states. The Arkansas Health Department noted in its statement that of the more than 20 cases identified nationwide, one patient has died. Through its research, the CDC found signs that the Heartland virus is circulating in deer, raccoons, coyotes and moose in 13 states from Texas to North Carolina and Florida to Maine, according to an article NPR published in 2015. Common symptoms are fever with flu-like symptoms and decreases in blood cells that fight infection. Most patients required hospitalization for their illness. In the initial cases reported, it was noted all the patients were men older than 50, though there hasnt been a clear link with age. The CDC also noted that the months from May through September appear to be when the tick-borne virus is most active. To reduce the risk of the Heartland virus and other more common diseases from ticks including Lyme disease the CDC recommends that people should: In addition, participants took tests that measure levels of various brain functions in older adults. One test measured verbal fluency that is, the ability to recall, organize and use words. Researchers also measured subjects' visuospatial ability, asking participants to perform tasks such as copying a complex design and drawing a clock face from memory. Those particular tests were important because subjects who engaged in weekly sexual activity scored high on them, particularly when it came to verbal fluency. They ranked higher in visuospatial ability, as well. But the researchers also found that sexually active older people didnt score any better on tests of memory or attention. While previous research had shown that older adults who were sexually active scored higher on cognitive tests, the new study looked at sexual frequency and specific cognitive abilities. The scientists said more research is needed to explain why regular sexual activity has a beneficial effect on certain brain functions. But on Monday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a new rule banning mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts, a move that restores class action rights to financial customers. The decision could result in larger, broader consumer awards and faster resolutions of disputes. Well see more banks and other financial firms face up to their wrongdoing, make people whole and let them have their day in court, said Lauren Sanders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center. Its wonderful news, said Steven Christensen, a Utah attorney who is representing 85 clients, including several seniors, in a $10 billion class-action lawsuit against Wells Fargo & Co. for opening up unauthorized accounts. So far the U.S. District Court has not allowed the class action suit to proceed. Earlier this year, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $142 million to settle numerous consumer lawsuits linked to up to 2 million retail checking and credit card accounts that the bank opened without customers knowledge. Christensen, who had argued that plaintiffs deserved far more but were bound by a federal court ruling that required them to settle disputes in private arbitration, said the proposed settlement essentially amounts to a slap on the wrist for Wells Fargo, which posted $21.9 billion in profits last year. Older consumers, especially those on fixed incomes, are particularly vulnerable to financial scams and charges for unauthorized products, CFPB director Richard Cordray has said. AARP supports the CFPB decision. The rule is a critical step in restoring consumers access to legal remedies that have been undermined by the widespread use of forced arbitration for many years, said Cristina Martin Firvida, AARP Director of Financial Security and Consumer Affairs. AARP supports the availability of a full range of enforcement tools, including the right to class action litigation to prevent harm to the financial security of older people posed by unfair and illegal practices." The CFPB action might not stand. The American Bankers Association, an industry trade group, plans to ask Congress to overturn it. And Republican lawmakers have been harshly critical of much of the bureaus work and have been trying to repeal the act that created the consumer watchdog in 2010. Lawmakers could also turn to a little-used law the Congressional Review Act to eliminate the CFPB regulation. 9AA: Wall tops Parkston for first state football title in 28 years Namdini Mining Licence Granted Perth, July 13, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cardinal Resources Limited ("Cardinal" or the "Company") ( ASX:CDV ) ( TSE:CDV ) ( CRDNF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce that the application by Savannah Mining Ghana Limited (Savannah) for a Large-Scale Mining Licence over an area of approximately 19.54 Sq Km in the Upper East Region of Ghana covering Cardinals Namdini Project has been granted by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources of Ghana. Savannah has also completed an initial Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") and has lodged the EIS with the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"). Cardinal and Savannah have both signed the necessary documentation to assign the Namdini Mining License to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (Cardinal Namdini), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardinal, for $1.00 as per the Savannah Agreement. After the completion of the upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), Cardinal Namdini will submit to the Minerals Commission an updated EIS and an application for an Operating Permit, bringing all permitting for the Namdini Project on track for development. The Namdini Mining Lease is for an initial period of fifteen years and is renewable. About Cardinal Resources Ltd Cardinal Resources Ltd (ASX:CDV) (TSE:CDV) (OTCMKTS:CRDNF) is a West African gold exploration and development Company that holds interests in tenements within Ghana, West Africa. The Company is focused on the development of the Namdini Project with a gold Ore Reserve of 5.1Moz (0.4 Moz Proved and 4.7 Moz Probable) and a soon to be completed Feasibility Study. Exploration programmes are also underway at the Company's Bolgatanga (Northern Ghana) and Subranum (Southern Ghana) Projects. Cardinal confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in its announcement of the Ore Reserve of 3 April 2019. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning this estimate continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Cyprus Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has appointed CAA International (CAAi), the state-to-state advisory arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) to provide the DCA with technical safety oversight and certification support. CAAis assistance will be focused on flight operations and airworthiness. As one of Europes top tourist destinations and a large majority of visitors arriving to the island nation by air, continually enhancing civil aviation standards is a top priority for Cyprus government. CAAi will act as an Advisor to Cyprus DCA and the support will include flight operation inspections and airworthiness surveillance of aircraft registered in Cyprus, Air Operator Certificate holders and approved maintenance organisations. Matthew Margesson, Head of International Development of CAAi, said: We are delighted to be working with the Department of Civil Aviation in Cyprus once again. With just under nine million passengers flying through Cyprus each year*, while over 2.5 million fly from and to Cyprus through UK airports, it is important to us that not only UK travellers but passengers from across the world can enjoy the high standard of safety aviation oversight when travelling to and from Cyprus." The project is expected to run for a period of one year. While foreign policy specialists believe it is important that solutions to economic and political challenges in the Horn of Africa Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia be African owned, international entities will continue to have an impact on the region. Concerned that Chinas cancer- stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing, the US has urged China to grant him full parole and release his wife from house arrest. We understand the Chinese hospital treating Nobel Peace Prize laureate and writer, Liu Xiaobo, has invited US, German medical experts to China for medical consultations. We remain concerned that both Mr Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing, the White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters during an off camera news briefing. We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to grant him full parole and to release his wife from house arrest and provide them the protections and freedoms, such as freedom of movement and access to appropriate medical care consistent with Chinese constitution, legal system, and international commitments, Sanders said. The US state department said it was involved in helping to get a US doctor from MD Anderson Cancer Center to China to be able to take a look at him. We would like for Mr Liu to be able to make his own health choices about where he would like to go, the State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. I understand that his wife, who had been under house arrest, was able to be with him at the hospital. Were happy about that, however, we continue to call on China to release him so that he can receive medical treatment wherever he desires. If its in the United States, I think we would certainly welcome that, she said. Early this month, several top American lawakers moved a Congressional resolution urging the US President Donald Trump to help humanitarian transfer of Xiaobo. Introduced by Senators Marco Rubio, Jeff Merkley, and Ted Cruz, the concurrent resolution urged the government of China to unconditionally release Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia and allow them to reunite with their family and friends and seek proper medical treatment. The resolution also urges the Trump Administration to seek Dr Lius immediate humanitarian transfer. US President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton would have won the last years general elections, as this would have made Vladimir Putinweaker. In his first major interview after his last weeks maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because Im a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. Thats what Putin doesnt like about me, Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in an interview. And thats why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesnt want to see that, he said, according to the excerpts of the interview released by CBN. From day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. Were going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. Were going to be exporting energy he doesnt want that. He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy, he continued. The full interview is scheduled to be telecast on Thursday. So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think probably not, because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldnt have spent the money on military, he said. When I want tremendous energy, were opening up coal, were opening up natural gas, were opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that, said the US President. In the middle of a political storm, because of allegations of Russian connections by his campaign, Trump said the two countries can get along together. Well he wants whats good for Russia, and I want whats good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and thats the way it is, Trump told CBN. Forty five years old Irom Sharmila, the Iron woman is known for her 16-year hunger strike in protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the northeast. She had vowed never to eat or drink she was forced-fed to keep her alive until it was repealed in the state. However, in August 2016, Sharmila broke her fast and subsequently announced her entry into the political fray. She formed the Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance Party and contested the Manipur Assembly elections in March. The party, however, received only 90 votes. Manipuris acknowledge the existence of Irom as an empty icon. They really dont know or care about what she stands for. They will organize a bundh blockade or a beating for everyday reasons in Manipur or for none, but she has never had any real support from among them. Manipuris just get on with their own lives; head tucked down, and in practice leave Irom to the NGOs that are all fronts for other groupsinsurgents, police, army, drug dealers or general criminal types. They are fairly apathetic and cowardly. Well this is the reason that she could not make it to corridors of power but she herself is one of the most powerful women of our nation. Desmond Coutinho, an Irish national/citizen of Goan origin, fell in love with the 45-year-old, for her grit and determination to fight injustice. Desmond, her 55-year-old fiance, has visited her every year since their first meeting in 2011, which took place in the presence of a judge, H H Roland Keishing, privately. Until that meeting, the two had been corresponding through letters and emails. Amusingly, every time he has visited Manipur Manipuri police has held him for his own protection. Iroms supporters were not in favour of their icon getting married. Her supporters and activists always wanted her to remain single and protest against government till her death. Her newfound love was really not welcomed in Manipur. They would have gone to any extent to damage her. But still he maintained that closeness with her keeping miles away. His admiration for Irom and the stand she has taken has only grown over the years. To him, Irom is a woman who doesnt seek self-aggrandizement and who has not sold out at the first opportunity especially in todays India which has become a land of ersatz (fake) hunger strikes, where after 45 minutes of fasting, a minister will be taken to hospital in critical condition and within 10 minutes be drinking rice water from the CM who will have backed down to a prearranged script. Desmond was born in Zanzibar, Tanzania, where his uncle, Wolf J Dourado, served as attorney general, retiring as a high court judge, and his father was a chief town planner. He is now a legal resident of the Republic of Ireland where he lives off sensible investments. He was in Bengaluru in 2009 when he read a review of Iroms biography, Burning Bright, by Deepti Priya Mehrotra, and was moved by the story. Her story was both repulsive and attractive. Her photo something about the image of this frail woman struck a chord. The review mentioned that she liked reading. But books werent always passed on to her. They had also published her full address, so he sent her Tagores Gitanjali and St Exupertys Little Prince and told her he would send her books every month, Desmond shared his feelings in an interview to Indian newspaper. Their love blossomed, and for a while now they have been married. Despite the formalities being completed under the Hindu Marriage Act, the couple was told by the sub-registrar that they would be granted permission only after they have registered it under the Special Marriage Act, as their marriage is inter-religious. This requires a 30-day notice period. Desmond plans to sponsor Irom for further education after marriage, so that if she wishes to return to India, she will be among the best educated in her state. We wish happy married life to our iron lady. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Grape growers in Maharashtra are likely to fetch better revenue from the market in the coming days, thanks to the state governments decision to introduce new varieties of the fruit that will match the global quality in terms of taste, colour and length of grape-bids. The state government, in its meeting with Maharashtra Grape Growers Association, decided to import new varieties of grapes and cultivate them in the state. According to grape growers association, a decision regarding the import of new varieties of the fruit was taken after eight years and a special variety, being planned to be grown in the state, will have grape bid (single grape) which will be 2 mm longer in size. Maharashtras grape export is as high as two lakh tonne, annually. Grape growers export it to the Netherlands, Germany and other European Union countries. Raisins export is also nearly 50,000 tonne and demand for both the commodities is growing, state agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar said, To match this rising demand and tap the new markets, there was a need of new varieties of grapes. The governments decision is certainly going to help grape growers in the state, he said. It was decided in the meeting that the new varieties of grape (plant) would be imported and cultivated in Maharashtra. These varieties will be then tested for a year with criteria such as annual production, growth of the plant (height) and vulnerability to climate and pest, Fundkar said. President of Grape Exporters Association of India, Jagannath Khapre said the maximum length of a grape-bid in a bunch is 18 mm, but in the new variety it would be 20 mm. This would fetch better rates for grape in domestic as well as international market. We had made our demand to the Centre and Maharashtra (government) to introduce new varieties, which has been addressed, he said. Former chairman of Maharashtra Grape Growers Association Mahendra Sahir said the turnover of grape export in Maharashtra is as high as Rs 15,000 crore, annually. Of the total production, we export only 1.5 per cent of grapes. If we get modern varieties of grapes, we can export more and generate more revenue, Sahir said. We have also managed to convince the Centre to press for increasing the use of grapes in sectors such as juice market, wine, spirit and raisin, he said. He said use of grapes for production and consumption of wine and raisins is in practise, but the Indian government is now promoting the fruits use for making juice and spirits. This is opening new markets for grape growers and we shall benefit from it, he added. Scientists and doctors at the CDC vaccine division knew in 2000 that mercury in vaccines was causing neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. That year CDC scientist Thomas Verstraeten did a study of over 400,000 infants comparing children who got the most mercury from vaccines with children who got no mercury from vaccines. The children who got the most mercury were more than 7 times as likely to become autistic compared to those who got no mercury. The data from this study was shared at a conference but the study was never published. A meeting(called the Simpsonwood Meeting) was called to address this mercury in vaccines causes autism problem. CDC doctors and scientists were joined by vaccine experts from all over the country. There was agreement to remove mercury from vaccines as soon as possible. One of the doctors in attendance was notified that his first grandson had just been born. He called his son and told him not to allow his grandson to get a vaccine containing mercury. Mercury was subsequently removed from most pediatric vaccines within the next 3 years. Unfortunately, the flu shot and the dtap shot have since been recommended for pregnant women. Multi-dose flu shots still contain mercury and the dtap vaccine contains aluminum. Mercury and aluminum are both powerful neurotoxins and when injected at the same time they work synergistically to multiply the risk of brain damage. When a pregnant women is given these vaccines, it is equivalent to injecting the developing fetus with mercury and aluminum. The ability of the body to detoxify heavy metals is nearly nonexistent in a fetus. Do vaccines given during pregnancy cause an increase in fetal death and miscarriage? Do the children born to women who got these vaccines during pregnancy have a higher rate of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism?The answers are likely yes and yes but studies that would provide the answers are discouraged. Studies funded by the CDC cant be trusted. Independent studies by scientists not paid by the CDC are needed to get honest answers to these important questions. The CDCs official position is: several studies prove that vaccines do not cause autism. The studies the CDC refers to are heavily manipulated scientific fraud. They even claim that no more studies should be done on the vaccines-autism connection because the science is settled. The truth is that vaccines can and do cause autism and many other problems. This denial by the CDC is preventing scientific studies that can identify which ingredients in which vaccines are the causal factors. In 2001, the CDC knew that children who got the MMR vaccine on time between 12 and 18 months of age were far more likely to become autistic compared to children who got the MMR after age 3. This effect was most striking in black boys but was statistically significant in all races and both sexes. The study did not include children who did not get the MMR. The MMR vaccine does not contain mercury so the mechanism of action causing autism is different than in mercury containing vaccines. Several studies now show that the measles virus portion of the MMR is infecting the gut and the brain. The documentary film Vaxxed clearly shows the manipulation and deliberate disappearance of data in that study. The final publication in the journal Pediatrics in 2004 concluded that there was no increased risk of autism with earlier MMR vaccination. CDC scientist whistleblower Dr. William Thompson is the central figure in Vaxxed. He has revealed details about how the data was manipulated and disappeared so the final published study could have a conclusion that is the opposite of the truth. More than 5,000 petitions in Vaccine Court for autism were dismissed based on this fraudulent study. A vaccinated versus unvaccinated study was published on April 27, 2017 in The Journal of Translational Science. The lead author was Dr. Anthony Mawson of Jackson State University. It analyzed health data on 666 homeschooled children. The unvaccinated children had a higher incidence of chicken pox, measles, and whooping cough as expected. These diseases are rarely fatal. They help the immune system mature while providing permanent protection from reinfection. The vaccinated children had 4.2 times more autism, 4.2 times more ADHD, 5.2 times the incidence of learning disabilities, and 30.1 times the rate of allergic rhinitis compared to the unvaccinated children. Many other health factors were analyzed and the unvaccinated children were far healthier across the board. Vaccine Court has awarded over 3.6 billion dollars for vaccine injuries. This represents only a tiny fraction of vaccine injuries that have occurred. Most people have never heard of Vaccine Court and they believe their doctor when told that sudden infant death, autism, seizures, or other injuries were not caused by vaccines. Vaccine Court officials tell us that they have never compensated any family for autism. Researchers have found 83 cases of children with autism whose families were awarded millions of dollars. Here is the vaccine courts tortured logic: They will compensate for encephalopathy(brain damage) caused by vaccines and they admit that encephalopathy can lead to autism but deny compensating for autism. Lawyers for families in vaccine court have learned to avoid the A word if they hope to win compensation for the families of autistic children. The agenda of the CDC and vaccine companies is to create more vaccines over time and pass laws to make them all mandatory. This is financially beneficial for the vaccine companies but increasingly detrimental to public health. Autism rates have gone from one in ten thousand children to one in fifty children since the dramatic increase in scheduled vaccines started in the late 1980s. Truth and public health are being trumped by corporate greed. One factor that is allowing this to continue is the control big pharma holds over mainstream media. The advertising revenue received makes it nearly impossible to present any point of view unfavorable to vaccines. Our individual efforts sometimes seem insignificant but collectively we are having an impact. The great harm that vaccines are causing will be recognized and corrective action will follow. Some of us avoid vaccines completely and others follow a selective and delayed schedule to minimize the potential damage. The wrong that seems oft so strong are the greedy bullies who profit handsomely from vaccines and deny the harm they cause. Sincere thanks to all the doctors, scientists, lawyers, authors, documentary film makers, people running vaccine information websites, and others from all walks of life who are working tirelessly to awaken the public to this tragedy. Here are a few resources for people who wish to learn more about this issue: Dr. William H. Gaunt is a retired doctor of naturopathic medicine. He has also taught chemistry, biology, and anatomy on the high school and college levels. His previous articles can be found by googling articles by Dr. William H. Gaunt on ageofautism.com. Spencer Gaunt is Dr. Gaunts son. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and is a practicing registered nurse. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Assyrians Who Fled to Europe Return to Homes in Turkey's Mardin Fourteen Assyrian families who had migrated to Europe following the 1980 coup have permanently returned to their homes in Midyat, in Turkey's southeastern Mardin province, reports said Thursday. Before returning to their hometown, the families built modern villas using local stones unique to Midyat. The village head Aziz Demir reportedly told the Dogan News Agency (DHA) that the Assyrians had involuntarily left their homes following the coup and always had a yearning for the town. Demir noted that he had also left the town in the 1980s for Switzerland, and returned after 20 years. Assyrians reportedly started visiting their homes after the year 2000 and planned to permanently return. He explained that the village was a prohibited zone in 2002 and 2003, but the Assyrian population spent tremendous effort to open the area for residing. "These efforts continued until 2006 and we opened the village for inhabitancy on Sept. 6" Demir said. The village head also noted that Assyrian youths prefer to stay in Europe, while their families prefer to settle in Midyat. Turkey's non-Muslim minorities have long been treated as second-class citizens and deprived of rights. Since the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in 2002, Turkey has sought to restore the rights of minorities as well as temples of minority faiths, from Assyrians to Jews and Greeks. Many properties have been returned to these minorities -- decades after their forceful confiscation by the state, while the government also pursues a policy of restoring abandoned historical buildings. There are 25,000 Assyrian Christians in Turkey, 18,000 of whom live in Istanbul. Mardin, a city in southeastern Turkey, was once home to a sizable Assyrian community, but most emigrated abroad. Turkey Uncensored: The Fate of Assyrian Christian Churches and Monasteries The Turkish government has recently seized numerous properties belonging to Assyrian (Syriac) Christians - such as churches, monasteries and cemeteries - and transferred them to public institutions. On June 23, the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos reported, Inquiries by the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation revealed that dozens of churches and monasteries have been transferred to the Treasury first and then allocated to the Presidency for Religious Affairs, known as the Diyanet, in Turkish. And the cemeteries have been transferred to the Metropolitan Municipality of Mardin Kuryakos Erg July 12, 2017 Congress rejected the Donald Trump administrations proposed cuts to Middle East aid today, in some cases even voting to increase assistance over the current years budget. While the State Department request for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 sought deep cuts across the board, members of the House foreign aid spending panel made clear they wouldnt be touching aid to key US allies such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. In addition, the House state and foreign operations bill released today makes clear that the administration's proposal to turn some foreign military financing grants into loans is also a nonstarter. Funds appropriated or otherwise made available under this heading shall be nonrepayable, the bill states. The fiscal year 2018 bill specifically sets aside not less than $1.28 billion in total aid for Jordan Trump sought only $1 billion and $150 million in economic assistance for Egypt, twice more than the $75 million called for in the Trump budget. A summary of the House bill, meanwhile, specifies that military assistance to Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco should remain at or above current levels, overriding the administrations effort to zero out Moroccan military aid, which stood at $5 million in the fiscal year 2017 request. Tiny Tunisia, however, is the biggest winner, following an intense push by Tunis and its US allies. While the Trump administration had sought a 61% cut over the current years request (from $140.4 million to $55 million), the House bill instead appropriates not less than $165.4 million for Tunisia. In addition, the bill also backs loan guarantees for Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. And it seeks more details on the administrations strategy in North Africa with language requiring the State Department to report on its engagement strategy in the region and explain how it intends to prioritize diplomatic engagement and assistance. The House released its bill just days after Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed visited Washington to lobby Congress and the administration against the aid cuts. Chahed discussed US counterterrorism assistance and military support with Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on Monday prior to meeting Vice President Mike Pence, but also found time to reach out to members of Congress who were keen to stress the importance of maintaining military assistance to the small North African state. We equally commend American financial assistance that contributed in helping our young democracy overcome our economic and security hardships, Chahed said at an event at the conservative Heritage Foundation on Tuesday. We remain hopeful that the assistance will be, if not further strengthened, at least preserved in its 2017 levels as Tunisia is going through an exceptional and critical phase in its history. Chahed cited the threat from the Islamic State and other terrorist groups to justify continued US security assistance. Any discontinuation will send the wrong message to those terrorist groups, Chahed told Al-Monitor. Any discontinuation will immediately burden Tunisia at this vulnerable point. The prime minister also warned that cutting military assistance could endanger the United States. Today terrorism is a global phenomenon and what happened in the North Africa region does not stay in the North Africa region, he said. Chahed's outreach to Congress appears to have been largely successful. At a dinner with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said that supporting Tunisia is in the national security interests of the United States. The Senate, which has yet to release its version of the foreign aid spending bill, appears to share the sentiment. Speaking at the Heritage event alongside Chahed, Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., said, I can assure you that the Congress of the United States, Republican and Democrat, will not allow these cuts to take place. McCain said one of his colleagues, a South Carolina Republican who chairs the foreign aid subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, would also act to prevent the cuts. I promise you Lindsey Graham will not let that happen, McCain said. July 11, 2017 CAIRO Responding to rumors that the Central Bank of Egypt might allow trading in virtual currencies such as bitcoin, banking officials voiced blunt denials, insisting just the opposite. Several media and social networking websites circulated reports June 16 and 17 alleging that the Central Bank of Egypt is considering such a move. But Gamal Negm, a central bank deputy governor, announced June 17 that the bank categorically refuses to accept virtual currencies and only recognizes official currencies. Lubna Hilal, another deputy governor at the bank, on June 24 denied any reports that the bank is even contemplating allowing bitcoin use. Bitcoin was introduced in 2009. As virtual banks have been established for the highly volatile currency, demand has risen along with concerns about its use by terrorists because of its anonymity. Bitcoin accounts can be accessed only by their owners, though accounts have been hacked. The currency is quickly and easily transferred when compared to international transactions completed via conventional banks and with conventional currencies. The legality and regulation of bitcoin trading is changing throughout the world. Most countries do not have clear legislation for bitcoin circulation, as it is a modern phenomenon. On July 4, Saudi Arabia issued a warning noting the possible negative consequences of using an unregulated currency. On the other hand, Russia announced in May it will legalize bitcoin. The question also arises as to the usefulness of the currency and its impact on the Egyptian economy. Were the central bank's motives purely economic? Lawyer Mahmoud Helmi, an expert on economic disputes, told Al-Monitor, The Egyptian legal position does not oppose the bitcoin currency in particular, but Law No. 38 of 1994 dealing with foreign exchange, and its executive regulations of the same year, both stipulated that dealing in foreign exchanges shall be limited to banks accredited by the competent authorities such as the central bank [and] exchange companies, some insurance and tourism companies, and workers in the fields of navigation, given these companies need for quick foreign exchange dealings. In addition, Helmi said, Egypt's penal code "defines the crime of swindling in an ambiguous way" that could be applied to bitcoin use if someone leads on an investor with the promise of "illusory profit." "The investigating authorities and the judiciary may consider that the sale of bitcoins in exchange for euros or US dollars is a [crime] since its an unrecognized currency in Egypt and among several countries, and there is no specific party or declared trading operations in free markets that determine its price. Ashraf Ibrahim, a banker and an economist at Zagazig University, told Al-Monitor, Concerns about allowing bitcoin have surfaced because the currency is not supported by any governments or countries that have clear monetary policies. Consequently, its price might jump to the highest level at one moment and collapse at another. Also, a person might choose to invest their entire fortune and buy bitcoins, only to be surprised that the companies and websites supporting the currency have closed or gone bankrupt. This would not happen with governments that back local and foreign bank balances with cash reserves, projects, investments and other types of collateral. Ibrahim continued, The central bank rejected this currency because the state can control the local and foreign traditional currencies, and can impose certain fees on their movement and transfer to and from Egypt. Consequently, the central bank can tax the investment and trade activities generated by those funds, but cannot do the same with bitcoin. Also, the tracking of traditional currencies makes it easy to trace the financing of criminal and terrorist activities, and in the event that trading in bitcoin is approved, then the state will no longer be in control. Ahmad Adam, head of the National Bank of Egypt's research and studies department, told Al-Monitor, I support the central bank's refusal to deal with bitcoin because the secrecy involved may set the stage for further terrorism financing and money laundering. It could also lead Egyptians to lose their fortunes while harming the foreign exchange liquidity in Egypt. This would be especially true in the event that many foreign exchange holders buy this currency against their dollar and euro, which would be transferred abroad, thus leading to the decline of foreign capital in Egypt and a consequent increase in the price of these foreign currencies against the Egyptian pound. July 13, 2017 As part of the comprehensive nuclear deal reached two years ago between Iran and the six world powers, Iran agreed to reduce elements of its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal was largely brokered as a result of bilateral talks between the United States and Iran. The two countries, to ensure that the other side fulfilled its requirements, required periodic reports. In the United States, every 90 days the State Department must provide Congress with a report on Irans compliance with the nuclear deal, which is referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in the United States and with the Persian acronym BARJAM in Iran. In April, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed that Iran was in compliance but cited the country for involvement in regional conflicts. He also said that President Donald Trump ordered the National Security Council to review whether or not continuing to suspend the nuclear sanctions on Iran was vital to the national security interests of the United States. On Irans side, parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Committee was tasked to issue a report on the nuclear deal every six months. A consistent problem for Iran has been that large banks continue to be cautious of doing business with Iran due to remaining US sanctions not related to the nuclear deal. Parliaments latest report addressed this issue, writing that Iran has access to smaller banks in Europe, but larger banks are still refusing to work with the country. The report concluded that sanctions have only been removed on paper and that the main culprit for this issue is repeated American threats about working with Iran. The report said that restrictions on Irans Central Bank and previous fines paid by European banks continue to limit Irans benefits from the nuclear deal. The report said that European banks had sought written permission from the US Treasury that their transactions with Iranian banks would not be fined later. Rather than issuing permission, the report said that the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers and enforces economic sanctions, gave vague answers to inquiries about doing business with Iran. While US politicians opposed to the nuclear deal continue to call for it to be scrapped, Iranian opponents of the nuclear deal have become less vocal. Those opponents have turned their attention to the latest deal between Iran and the French company Total on Irans phase 11 gas field in the Persian Gulf. The $5 billion deal signed by the Hassan Rouhani administration was the first major energy deal since the signing of the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015. However, conservative critics in parliament have raised a number of issues, including Totals 50.1% stake and previous allegations of bribery. Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh defended the deal July 12 in the parliament. If we sign a deal with the British you talk about the old fox; forget about America; and with France you now say, 'So who are we supposed to sign a deal with?' Zanganeh asked. Directly say that you are opposed to all foreign investment and say that I am not permitted to make any deals. He continued, If there is proof of bribery, give it to the judiciary. An article in Reformist Shargh Daily, however, dismissed all the various conservative criticisms, from the nuclear deal to the purchase of Airbus planes, and now in regard to Total. The article reported that it wasnt that long ago that Iran was bartering for its oil, and that conservatives are turning this into another partisan issue. July 13, 2017 Irans First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, who also serves as head of the Resistance Economy Command Headquarters, last month unveiled a comprehensive employment plan that envisions the creation of 971,700 jobs by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2018). This target could be achieved if the allocated 215 trillion rials ($6.6 billion) in credit is secured, and most importantly, if the cost of job creation is significantly cut. Meanwhile, the plan is silent on the ample red tape that must be removed for unemployment to decrease. The latest data released by the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) put the national unemployment rate for the first (spring) quarter at 12.6% 0.4% higher than the same period last year. Labor Minister Ali Rabiei on May 18 warned that unemployment will remain high for the next several years as long as the pace of the development of small businesses remains slow. Of note, the energy sector was the main recipient of investment in the last Iranian calendar year, which ended March 20, without creating a significant number of jobs. Indeed, SCI data show that only 615,000 jobs were created in the last Iranian calendar year. This was even though gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a staggering 12.5% during the same period due to sanctions relief under the nuclear deal, according to a primary report by the Central Bank. The high GDP growth in the previous Iranian year is mainly attributed to the development of the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors, which experts say create relatively few jobs at a very high cost. Iran needs to create about 1 million jobs per year to achieve single digit unemployment by 2022. Yet officials hope that employment figures will improve this year following the governments new approach of backing small- and medium-sized businesses as well as science-based companies across the country. The new approach may help cut the cost of job creation. If successful, the economy will potentially create more jobs for every percentage point of growth in GDP compared to the previous year. Under the new employment plan, the cost of creating a permanent job has been estimated at 200 million rials ($6,100) on average. The figure is much lower than the $92,000 that the government had arguably invested in the past to generate a single sustainable job in the manufacturing sector. Under the new plan, the government will have to create 254,000 jobs in the industry, mining and trade sectors by year end. This figure accounts for only 26% of the total jobs to be generated, as cited by leading economic newspaper Donya-e Eqtesad June 29. Yet to create that number of jobs in the industrial sector, the government needs around $22 billion in investment based on media reports on the cost of job creation. This figure is over three times more than the total allocated credit in the employment plan. Nonetheless, the 53 experts who worked together to prepare the initiative believe that the allocated credit is sufficient as the bulk of jobs are seen as being created by small- and medium-sized enterprises. Apart from concerns that the plans figures are not realistic, one can raise questions about the capability of Iranian banks to actually provide the allocated credit. Indeed, banks are set to provide 93% of the required credit, while the national budget and the National Development Fund are expected to only provide 2.3% and 4.6%, respectively. It is not clear how banks would be able to cope with the possibility of insufficient liquidity, given that their total debt to the Central Bank increased by 19.2% in the last Iranian year, to 996 trillion rials ($30.5 billion). A credit crunch is already affecting businesses across the country, as lenders have been dealing with accumulated nonperforming loans, huge toxic assets and hefty government debts. Another issue of concern is the excessive red tape, which has been ignored in the governments employment plan. Hamid Deihim, an economist at the University of Tehran, sees the red tape as a major obstacle that has made investors give up on enterprising. The World Banks Doing Business index for Iran got worse in 2017, dropping to 120 from 117 the year before. The index for Starting a Business also fell five units, reaching 102 in 2017. It takes Iranian applicants several weeks to have a company registered, disregarding the potential need for additional licenses from relevant organizations and ministries. This process takes only a few days in the United States and Europe, where applicants are free to have home offices. In Iran, applicants have to rent an office before starting their business, and therefore have to pay extra expenses for the establishment of a new enterprise. Emad Azimi, the head of the Research Department at the Management and Planning Organizations branch in Markazi province, in a May 28 op-ed in Donya-e Eqtesad urged the government to eliminate parallel and conflicting regulations when it comes to starting a new business. He said that employment can only be boosted if regulations are eased. However, measures to ease doing business in the country is a dream that can only become a reality in the distant future. As Rabiei has noted, single-digit unemployment rates require a long-term comprehensive solution that involves political and economic stability, elimination of red tape, eradication of economic rents and rent-seeking behavior, a skillful workforce and required investment. Thus, unemployment will in all probability continue to remain a source of concern for the authorities until and unless the government provides a transparent competitive business environment for the real private sector to get the economy going. July 12, 2017 BAGHDAD Qatar's relations with Iraq, which have been expanding since Qatar recently found itself shunned by its fellow Gulf countries, are raising questions about whether Doha will continue to host opponents of Iraq's government. Among the most prominent figures hosted by Qatar are the wife of the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Sajida Khairallah Talfah; the last foreign minister in Saddams regime, Naji Sabri al-Hadithi; and Saddam's longtime aide Arshad Yassin. There are also other Iraqi figures in Qatar, such as Abdul Hakim al-Saadi, brother of Abdul Malik al-Saadi, who is considered the most prominent Sunni cleric in Iraq; Tariq al-Hashemi, the former vice president whom Iraq convicted of terrorism; and other academic and military oppositionists. A source in Doha close to the opposition told Al-Monitor by phone on condition of anonymity, The figures affiliated with the Iraqi opposition in Doha don't carry out activities to demonstrate they are part of the opposition ... but they do include prominent figures such as Hadithi, Hashemi and Saadi. The source added, Some of those residing in Doha who are known to oppose the current [Shiite-led] Iraqi regime are linked to the Baath Party, others to Sunni religious authorities and some to the Association of Muslim Scholars headed by Muthanna Harith al-Dhari. The association supports Sunnis in Iraq. The Qatari government has placed some conditions preventing Talfah and Yassin from carrying out any political activity in opposition to Iraq." In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abdul Hakim al-Saadi, who rejects the Iraqi regime, implied there is no organized opposition in Qatar. There are national figures hosted by Doha who have no political activity," he said. "Their presence there is only subject to their commitment to the Qatari laws because Qatar does not support Iraqi groups under the oppositions name. Saadi denied all allegations that Qatar is assisting the Iraqi opposition or at least providing logistical support for it to hold meetings there. However, conferences have indeed been held in Doha under the oppositions name. After one such meeting in September 2015, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the charge d'affaires of the Qatari Embassy in Baghdad. As for Qatar's "support" of Iraqi opposition on its soil, Likaa Mekki, an Iraqi opposition journalist based in Doha, told Al-Monitor, The concept of support is relative here, and it is also important to distinguish it from [forming coalitions] against the government. Qatar has officially expressed its friendship with Iraq, and there is no official Qatari support for an Iraqi opposition faction or figure." Meanwhile, he said, "The unpublicized support reflects ... Qatar is among countries that support a 'Sunni project' in Iraq, which means it is part of regional arrangements that are somewhat related to supporting the Iraqi government." The term "Sunni project" is often used to refer to efforts to assist Iraqi Sunni parties in establishing a political plan for their areas in cooperation with the Iraqi government. "There may be contact with other opposition parties, but the most important choice Qatar has made is to only deal with peaceful opposition. Akram al-Mashhadani, a former Iraqi police general who lives in Doha, told Al-Monitor, Qatar cannot change its decision or position regarding the Iraqis on its soil and hand them over at Baghdads request. This is particularly true because the Qatari Constitution stipulates that no person seeking asylum shall be handed over to their country of origin. Qatar probably doesn't want to take the same step the Iraqi government took when it deported members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq of Iran and gave up a card it could have exploited to strong-arm Iran. Doha will not be deporting any Iraqi opposition member at Iraqs request because the opposition can always be used as leverage. Doha will remain an important location for the Iraqi opposition, if not a center of support for it, especially for the Sunni Islamic parties that draw from the Muslim Brotherhood ideology, because the opposition is not only a pressure card on Iraq but also on Qatar's fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members. In the end, Doha will not agree to hand over Iraqi opposition figures to negotiate an improved relationship. Instead, it will bridge the gap when it chooses, since Qatar is one of the countries supporting the Sunni region project. July 12, 2017 WASHINGTON After disappointing France with his rejection of the Paris climate agreement, US President Donald Trump may be looking for something of a reset when he meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Both leaders have agreed to focus on areas of common interest, including fighting terrorism and trying to stabilize Syria, when they meet Thursday afternoon. The two leaders met for the first time on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Brussels in May, where they were photographed awkwardly challenging each other on the strength of their handshake. Trumps subsequent rejection of the global climate deal further chilled fledgling relations between the two men, which were already strained by Trumps praise for Macrons far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen. But the two men have spoken on the phone since, as well as on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last week. Trump has also expressed his love of Paris and France, French officials said today. So France was pleased when Trump accepted Macrons invitation to attend the July 14 Bastille Day celebrations Friday that coincide with the centenary of the United States entry into World War I. Trump will be the first US president to attend Frances national day celebrations since George H.W. Bush in 1989, the officials said. After an embassy meet-and-greet Thursday morning, the president and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to get a tour of Napoleons tomb and the French National War Museum from Macron and his wife. Trump and Macron will then meet one-on-one, and subsequently with their senior advisers, for about an hour and 15 minutes, White House officials said. The Macrons will then host the Trumps at a private dinner at chef Alain Ducasse's restaurant, Le Jules Verne, located inside the Eiffel Tower. The meeting will focus on Syria and counterterrorism topics, a senior White House official said at a background briefing Tuesday. We also anticipate the two presidents, in the introductory one-on-one meeting, will also share perspectives from the recent G-20 meeting. We expect most of the discussion to focus on what's going on in Syria right now, and then the French and American cooperation both inside the alliance and counterterrorism issues not only in Syria, but in other places, the White House official said. And then, after the one-on-one session, they will move into a group session where their senior advisers will come in and they'll get on with the more formal agenda, he added. Trump and Macron will discuss all topics of common concern, especially our fight against terror and the war in Syria, French Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud tweeted today. While Trump and Macron differ on climate change, they share the top priority of the need to protect their citizens from terrorism. France has suffered several terrorist attacks in the past couple of years, notably by French Islamic State (IS) supporters. There is a big consensus between the United States and France that fighting terrorism is priority No. 1, a senior French official, speaking not for attribution, said today. The US continuing effort against terrorism, especially in the Middle East, is of paramount importance to us. With Mosul close to being fully liberated from IS and the operation to clear Raqqa underway, the challenge for us is clear, the French official said. France and the US agree very much, we cannot afford to stop. After Mosul and Raqqa, the United States and France agree on the need to avoid coalition fatigue. We need to make sure this fight versus Daesh [IS] will continue, the French official said. Everybody understands the fight [will go on] for a generation. On Syria, Europe is looking for the Trump administration to get more engaged in efforts to seek a political transition. An eighth round of UN-brokered talks between the Syrian regime and opposition got underway in Geneva on Monday, but progress toward a political solution is slow. Russia remains reluctant to press the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to make real political concessions, diplomats said. The United States and Europe, in turn, have said they wont be financing postwar reconstruction and stabilization in Syria while it remains under Assads control. If we want to resolve the situation in Syria, you will have to find a way to resolve the issue of governance in some more open manner, some kind of devolution of power, a senior European official, speaking not for attribution, said. Everyone is trying to engage the Russians. There are solutions on the table but I think we are not there yet. On Assad, we have to be realistic, the European official said. Assad staying in power long term is probably not sustainable. It is just a fact, if he remains in power, stability will never resume. But since Aleppo fell to the regime late last year, the countries pushing for a full, comprehensive political transition are not really in a position to impose it, he said. We have to be realistic, to go step by step. If [the Russians are] not ready to squeeze the regime to negotiate, we will not finance postwar reconstruction, the senior European official said. We need a credible process, a road map. The Europeans are also urging the Trump administration to keep the landmark Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached two years ago after years of negotiations. European officials have repeatedly urged the Trump administration to accept the Iran nuclear deal, and work with them on its other concerns about Irans behavior in the region. The Trump administration is still conducting a review of its Iran policy, whose outcome has not yet been finalized. "The nuclear deal doesn't belong to one country, it belongs to the international community," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Brussels on Tuesday. "We have the responsibility to make sure that this continues to be implemented." The JCPOA is not perfect, but it is much, much better than the other options," the senior European official said. "The JCPOA is a reasonable way to address the [nuclear] issues. Lets implement the JCPOA in a robust manner. The same official said that you cannot mix the nuclear issue and the JCPOA "with all the other issues because if we had done so, we would never have concluded the deal. The second critique we hear is, The JCPOA does not address everything. Lets address all the issues in Iran in parallel.'" July 12, 2017 NICOSIA, Cyprus Cypriots got on with their lives this week disappointed by the failure of the umpteenth UN negotiation to reunite their island, but not dejected. Greece and Greek Cypriots on the one hand and Turkey and Turkish Cypriots on the other blamed each other for the collapse in negotiations announced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Switzerland on July 7. Hard-liners on both sides were relieved that no concessions would have to be made. But academics and peace activists on both sides of the Green Line that has divided Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion saw positive signals in what had transpired. Yes, two years of hard bargaining had come to naught, but positions had shifted in the conference chamber if only for a few hours. For the first time, Turkey had shown flexibility on its right to intervene militarily in Cyprus, a privilege Greek Cypriots have long sought to abolish. Greek Cypriots were prepared to accept a Turkish Cypriot president of a reunited Cyprus. In an unusual development, the Greek Cypriot leader, President Nikos Anastasiades, came under fire from his own side. Greek speakers constitute 75% of the 1.2 million people of Cyprus, and they tend to rally behind their leader when he faces Turkish Cypriots. This week, Andros Kyprianou, the leader of Akel, the most moderate of the big three parties of Greek Cyprus, said Anastasiades went to Switzerland not to reach a solution but to play the blame game. A Greek Cypriot columnist who writes under the name of Patroclos accused Anastasiades of working for the collapse of the conference. Turkish Cypriot political scientist Ahmet Sozen told Al-Monitor the failure was not the end the road. If Greek Cypriots replace Anastasiades with a more moderate president in February elections, the negotiations could resume, said Sozen, who teaches at the Eastern Mediterranean University. Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is recognized as being the most pro-solution negotiator Greek Cypriots have ever faced. What this correspondent found inspiring was the enthusiasm of the activist group UniteCyprusNow. Anybody walking between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot checkpoints in central Nicosia from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. these days encounters a party. People are banging drums, blowing whistles, waving white flags bearing the Turkish and Greek words for peace, and holding placards with slogans such as The future generations deserve a united island. UniteCyprusNow aims to push the two leaders to make the painful compromises that Cypriots have resisted for 43 years. A Greek Cypriot member, Tina Adamidou, told Al-Monitor she was saddened by the collapse of the negotiations, but she added, Am I giving up? No frigging way! She refused to apportion responsibility, saying, We need to show compassion and not blame each others side. There is work to be done. In his report to the Security Council this week, Guterres eschewed blaming either side, but he did refer to the long-delayed prosecution of Greek Cypriots who stoned Turkish Cypriot cars in November 2015 they will stand trial only later this year. A clear resolution of such cases would serve to build confidence between the two communities, Guterres said. This raises the toughest issue in Cypriot politics: security. Turkish Cypriots remember the bloodshed of the pre-invasion years and regard the Turkish army as the only force capable of deterring Greek Cypriot extremists. Greek Cypriots remember the bloodshed of the invasion and insist the Turkish army must leave. Today, Greek Cypriots say they have changed. Their laws are tougher, and their extremists are no worse than the neo-Nazis found in any country. I dont believe that, said Sukru Kaptan, a pharmacist in Turkish Nicosia. If I had a car accident [in south Cyprus], it would become a Greek-Turkish confrontation, he told al-Monitor. I dont trust them. Doros Polykarpou, the head of KISA a Greek Cypriot group that monitors ethnic violence said every week there is a case of vandalism against Turkish Cypriot cars whose license plates are different than those of Greek Cypriot cars or property in the south. He estimates that six to 12 Turkish Cypriots are assaulted every year in the south. We have the legal tools [to stop this], he told Al-Monitor. What is needed is a political decision. Without clear instructions, without the appropriate training, the police will not deal properly with this. The talks collapsed on the issue of security. Sources close to the negotiations say Turkey offered to give up its right to intervene. Turkey had exercised this right in 1974 when it invaded in the name of restoring the status quo that had been overturned by the Athens-inspired coup against Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios III. Turkey has not admitted to this concession, but Hubert Faustmann, a political scientist at Nicosia University, and the Cyprus Mail, a Greek-Cypriot-owned paper, say Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu offered to give up intervention rights in private conversations with UN intermediaries. Anastasiades demanded Turkey put the offer in writing, but Cavusoglu refused, Faustmann and the Cyprus Mail reported. This was understandable, as the offer was intended as an incentive a concession dependent on other concessions and the conference was conducted on the basis of nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. What is absolutely clear is that Turkey, finding itself having no support for continuation as a guarantor power with the right of intervention, gave up that claim, Faustmann told Al-Monitor, adding that his source attended the conference. Anastasiades agreed the presidency could rotate between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, a core demand of Turkish Cypriots. But this was conditional on Turkey's giving up intervention rights and agreeing to withdraw all troops. Turkey accepted a UN proposal that Greece and Turkey reduce their troops to 950 Greek soldiers and 650 Turkish soldiers, a huge drop from the 40,000 Turkish soldiers on the island at present. After 15 years, the troop levels would be reviewed by the guarantor powers: Greece, Turkey and Britain. For Anastasiades, that was not enough. A review gave Turkey the chance to say no. He wanted Turkey to commit to a withdrawal, the so-called sunset clause." Diplomats believed they could have negotiated further with Turkey for an eventual withdrawal, but this is where Anastasiades got stubborn, and thats what made the UN and the British delegations very angry, Faustmann said. In the Cyprus Mail, Patroclos rebuked Anastasiades: He could have chosen the presence of 650 Turkish troops, with a review rather than a sunset clause, instead of opting for the presence of 40,000 Turkish troops without any clause. How smart was that? Faustmann said if the blame were to take the form of a cake, I believe that the biggest portion of that cake would be Anastasiades. It took Anastasiades three and a half days to face the press on what had happened. On July 10, he denied Turkey was prepared to give up intervention rights, said Turkey wanted a permanent garrison in Cyprus and dismissed reports that blamed him as malicious." What reinforces the mistrust in Cyprus is the lack of contact between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Charis Psaltis of the University of Cyprus Center for Field Studies surveyed Greek Cypriots in April and found that 80% had no Turkish Cypriot friends and since the Green Line opened in 2003 55% of Greek Cypriots had not crossed to the north more than once. Sozen has long urged the leaders to implement confidence-building measures that would enable Greek and Turkish speakers to rub shoulders and see the advantages of reunification. The foremost candidate for a confidence-building measure is Varosha, the Greek-Cypriot-owned suburb of Famagusta that is now controlled by the Turkish army and deserted. Sozen would like to see Greek Cypriots return to Varosha and live under a Turkish Cypriot civil administration. In his words, it would prepare the people on the ground for a federal solution. In 2015, the leaders discussed this idea but decided to focus on the negotiations. Many believe that was a mistake. July 13, 2017 WASHINGTON The Donald Trump administration is expected to again certify Irans compliance with the nuclear deal, possibly as early as Monday, even as it continues to review broader US policy to the Islamic Republic. The Trump administration is currently conducting a comprehensive review of our Iran policy, a State Department official told Al-Monitor today. Once we have finalized our conclusions, we will meet the challenges Iran poses with clarity and conviction. The Trump administration has made clear that at least until this review is completed, we will adhere to the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and will ensure that Iran is held strictly accountable to its requirements. The State Department last certified Irans compliance with the deal April 18. A new certification, which keeps Congress from initiating its own review of whether to reimpose nuclear-related sanctions, has to be made every 90 days. The Weekly Standard reported Thursday that the second certification under Trump was forthcoming, and that the White House had started calling congressional offices to alert them to the decision. The conservative magazine said the Trump administration expects to finalize its Iran policy review by the end of the summer. It also said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis have argued for certifying Irans compliance, while White House strategy chief Steve Bannon has argued for exiting the deal. Ahead of the July deadline, four Republican senators Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, David Perdue, R-Ga., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. wrote to Tillerson this week to urge him not to certify Irans compliance. They point to alleged violations of JCPOA-imposed limits on nuclear centrifuges and heavy water stocks, among other things, as evidence that Iran has consistently violated the terms of the deal. Americas European allies, for their part, have pressed the United States to stick with the landmark nuclear deal, which was reached two years ago in Vienna after years of negotiations. The JCPOA is not perfect, but it is much, much better than the other options," a senior European official said he and his colleagues have been telling the Trump administration. "The JCPOA is a reasonable way to address the [nuclear] issues. Lets implement the JCPOA in a robust manner. The nuclear deal doesn't belong to one country, it belongs to the international community," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Brussels on Tuesday. "We have the responsibility to make sure that this continues to be implemented." A group of 38 retired US generals and admirals, meanwhile, wrote an open letter to Trump on Wednesday expressing their strong support for the nuclear deal. The letter asserts that the 2015 agreement had successfully blocked Irans paths to a nuclear weapon and has greatly strengthened the security of the United States. The retired senior military officers, writing in a letter organized by the pro-deal group Diplomacy Works, applauded the parties compliance with the landmark nuclear deal for the past two years, but acknowledged the dangers posed by Irans other troubling behavior in the region, including its ballistic missile program. They urged the Trump administration to pursue diplomatic engagement with Iran as a means of de-escalating tensions. We urge your administration to recognize the national security benefits of the nuclear agreement and appropriately weigh the risks to our troops of escalating tensions with Iran, they wrote. Opening a communications channel would be a no-cost, high-reward step that will demonstrate US global leadership, save lives and bolster our security at a time of regional and global instability. The only good war is the one you do not fight. The certification debate comes as Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will be in New York next week for meetings at the United Nations. It was unclear if Zarif would have any encounters with US diplomats while he is in the United States. Asked if Tillerson had spoken with Zarif, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said she did not think so. I do not believe that he has, Nauert told journalists at the State Department on Thursday. We certainly have various diplomatic channels, lines of communications that can be used if the United States needs to get a message to Iran. "No meetings planned," Zarif told Al-Monitor by email Thursday. July 12, 2017 Why isnt Khal Drogo on the list? asked an outraged fan, clearly dismayed that a list ranking the best swordsmen on Game of Thrones has omitted Khal, warlord of the mighty Dothraki. According to this Iranian fan, the dark-eyed horse warrior should have a place on the list at the Persian-language fan website winterfell.ir. Westeros fever has gripped Tehran and other cities as Iranians eagerly count down the days to season seven of HBOs series to begin on July 16. Some might credit the interest to the fact that its composer Ramin Djawadi is of Iranian descent. Others point to the fictional legend of Azor Ahai a deity known as the Lord of Light being inspired by Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion with origins in Iran that views fire as a representation of the light of God. However, Iranian fandom for Bazi Taj va Takht, literally game of crowns and thrones in Persian, delves much deeper than that. The show has good music and is unpredictable, explained fan Mohammad Reza to Al-Monitor. The fact that some parts are inspired from real history makes it much more addictive. Iranians have been reading epic stories of dueling kings for hundreds of years. Long before American novelist George R.R. Martin, there was 10th-century Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi. His best-known work the Shahnameh, or Book of Kings is an epic poem with over 60,000 couplets chronicling the history of ancient Persia from the beginning of civilization to the Arab invasion that brought Islam. With his epic work, Ferdowsi managed to not only preserve a snapshot of the Persian language, but also Persia's history and mythology. The "Shahnameh" is a classic on par with the ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and Homers Greek epic poems The Odyssey and The Iliad. Just like Game of Thrones, the Shahnameh offers plenty of heroic conquests, glorified warriors, great battles, romance and mystical beasts. Iranians also have the 12th-century folklore collection Samak-e Ayyar by Faramaz Ibn Khodadad. "Game of Thrones" offers a familiar style of storytelling that is very much in line with the one Iranians grow up with. This is a story we read over and over in history books. The king dies, the different parties and family members duel over who will replace him, said Ehsan, also a fan of the show. The entire country is weakened until one of the parties manages to come to power and then theres an era of stability for a few decades. Arguably, Islamic history offers a similar storyline as well. When the Prophet Muhammad passed away, there was a long struggle over his succession. The martyrdom of his grandson, Hussein who duels with Yazid in Karbala after refusing to pledge allegiance to him as caliph is an important holiday commemorated as Ashura and is acted out in passion plays across Iran. Ehsan believes the "fantazi" genre was popularized in Iran in part thanks to J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series and J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. These books have all been translated into Persian and even state media outlets have aired censored versions of the films dubbed in Persian. There are various fan websites dedicated to the genre, such as fantasy.ir and arda.ir, which use the Islamic Republics country domain and servers. When Ehsan was about 14 years old, he had started one of the first Harry Potter fan websites called "Persian Wizards." But as with all popular initiatives, copycat websites popped up so he eventually moved on. While Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings still have strong followings, its Game of Thrones thats currently enthralling Iran, where its theme song has become a popular ringtone. But unlike Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, Iranians probably wont be able to view this show on state media anytime soon. Despite being fantasy, 'Game of Thrones' has too much sex and violence, said Ehsan. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting is way too conservative for that. Since uncensored Western television series and movies are deemed un-Islamic and therefore illegal, Iranians watch pirated versions of the show distributed on DVDs and USB sticks. Just type in the Persian translation for "Game of Thrones" and over a dozen websites pop up offering free torrents of the show, sometimes with Persian subtitles and even dubbing. The video and translation quality varies widely. Similarly, winterfell.ir offers downloads of Persian translations of the older books in the series. There is even a section for recruiting translators. There are at least several unauthorized translations of Martins books and others, including J.D. Salingers The Inverted Forest and Khaled Hosseinis And the Mountains Echoed. Iran has not signed the Berne Convention on copyright. The show also has a strong Persian-language social media following. Game of Thrones Facts (gotfacts.ir) has over 109,000 followers on its Instagram account. It posts Persian and English memes alongside photos of the characters as well as the actors posing on the red carpet. There is a Telegram channel bearing the same name with over 45,000 members and detailed posts about the show. According to Tech Rasa, based on the social media numbers alone, Iranians make up 3.4% of its fans worldwide in a country that represents 1% of the global population. Not everyone in Iran is interested in who will take the Iron Throne, of course and for good reason. I try to be cautious around television series, as I already waste all my time anyways, Roya from Tehran told Al-Monitor. Im trying to stay away as much as I can. ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- House Speaker Paul Ryan says its important investigators get to the bottom of Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer, declaring it is absolutely unacceptable that Russia -- or any other country -- but Russia meddled in our elections. We have a special counsel thats doing an investigation over at Justice Department. We have an investigation here in the House. We have an investigation in the Senate, Ryan, R-Wis., said during a press conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill. I think its very important that these professionals in these committees do their jobs so that we can get to the bottom of all of this. On June 9, 2016, after being told a Russian lawyer had incriminating information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Jr. -- along with Donald Trump Sr.s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and thencampaign chairman, Paul Manafort -- met at Trump Tower in New York with the attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya. Ryan refused to weigh in on whether he would accept a meeting under similar circumstances. Look, Im not going into hypotheticals, only because I think its important that we get to the bottom of all of this, Ryan said. Ryan said he supported former FBI Director Robert Muellers appointment as special counsel in May. I think we need to let him and his team and our investigators here do their jobs and follow these leads ... wherever they may go, and follow the facts," Ryan said. He said that he believes in strong, bold Russian sanctions but that the delay in the House on a new sanction bill is due to a procedural concern by Democrats. Ryan and other House GOP leaders are pointing to Democrats for blocking unanimous consent to send the bill to the Senate. Democrats say Republicans are undermining their minority rights and the institutional power of Congress by crafting the language to empower only the majority -- a shift from other sanction bills, according to Democrats. Weve never moved a bill on blue-slip issues on a partisan way. I want to keep that bipartisan, Ryan said. Ryan hinted that the sanction bill may not come to the floor without changes, due to some policy issues with respect to making sure we dont actually inadvertently help Russian oligarchs and oil firms. An aide to Ryan did not immediately specify his concerns. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. All GLO Airlines flights will be suspended indefinitely on Saturday, affecting nonstop flights between regional markets in the Gulf South. GLO, founded by Trey Fayard in 2013, announced the news this week in a press release, saying operator Corporate Flight Management has failed to "properly staff flights and maintain aircraft as required." As a result, the carrier has canceled an "excessive" number of flights, damaging relationships with passengers and other vendors. The decision to sever ties with CFM comes three months after GLO began seeking bankruptcy protection because its direct air carrier/aircraft operator "failed on its contractual obligations to deliver quality performance and solid management of GLO's program to provide air service to chosen markets." "Despite growing demand, loyal customers, and our best efforts to enforce our contract, we have been unable to reach a resolution," Fayard said in a statement. "I started GLO to deliver a superior product to my hometown and other worthy local markets, and I refuse to settle for anything less. We look forward to returning to all markets and expanding further once the right partner is found." GLO gathered at Huntsville International Airport last August to announce the Huntsville market would be the fifth U.S. city where GLO would provide nonstop service to New Orleans. The first flight was sold out ahead of its Sept. 30 departure. HSV spokeswoman Jana Kuner said the airport received notification from GLO earlier this month that they were working to secure a new operator and flights would be impacted during the reorganization. "We were assured that GLO would contact all passengers and provide customer service regarding these changes," she said. "They relayed that they intend to resume full operation in all markets once a new partnership is in place." GLO said it is contacting all affected passengers. When the airline reaches an agreement with a new operator, it will resume flights. Corporate Flight Management's David Lucas told AL.com sister website NOLA.com that GLO is simply passing the blame to CFM. "CFM has been in business for more than 35 years and is ranked as one of the country's top charter operators," he told NOLA.com. "We believe that FlyGLO's suspension of service, on the other hand, is simply the result of an unproven business plan in an unforgiving industry. Despite its continued efforts to avoid taking responsibility, the blame for FlyGLO's shut down rests with FlyGLO alone." An LGBT-rights activist is coordinating a letter-writing campaign to Samford University's president asking him not to block the formation of a student group sympathetic to gay rights issues. Samford University announced Friday that it would stop taking its annual $3 million allocation from the Alabama Baptist State Convention after criticism from Baptist leaders about an LGBT student group that wanted to form on campus. Samford President Andrew Westmoreland also announced Friday he did not support the approval of a university-recognized group that wanted to foster discussion of sexuality issues including LGBT rights, but that he would help promote their goal of discussing the issues. That decision has angered the founder of an activist group of Samford University students, alumni and faculty that support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights issues. Brit Blalock, a 2008 Samford graduate who founded SAFE Samford in 2011 (Students, Alumni and Faculty for Equality), said Samford Together, a proposed student group, has followed all procedures but is being denied a chance for a hearing with the Samford board of trustees for final approval. The group received near-unanimous approval from the faculty, and the final step would be a vote by the board of trustees. Samford's rejection of Baptist funding overshadowed Westmoreland's stance against allowing the board to vote on whether the Samford Together student group could form, Blalock said. "It was a spin, a very well executed one," said Blalock, whose group includes more than 700 members, mostly Samford alumni and about a dozen current students. "I feel that Dr. Westmoreland does have good intentions toward these students, but he's fence-sitting in a way that will be detrimental to them. He's not willing to say yes or no to them." A Samford student who was part of the application process for Samford Together said the group is now left in limbo by Westmoreland's stance. "As a gay student at Samford I have always been able to find support from faculty and fellow students, but the Samford administration would rather we didn't exist and acts as if we don't," said the student, who asked that he not be named. "It's a lot like a broken promise," he said. "He's not letting it get approved or denied." Westmoreland said in a video released Friday that he wants to achieve Samford Together's goal of open campus discussion of sexuality issues, but he does not support formal approval for the group as a campus organization. "I respect and appreciate the students who've sought to achieve recognition for Samford Together, and I will lead Samford in the years ahead to have exactly the conversations that they've asked us to have," Westmoreland said in his prepared statement. "But I've also recognized that the group itself has become such a polarizing matter within the Samford community that it will be better to have the conversations without extending official recognition. So, going forward, how will we use the goals of Samford Together to help us to achieve larger institutional purposes? I suspect that one way of doing that may result in the creation of some form of organization at Samford that will help us to delve deeply into these and other issues." Westmoreland said the details are still to be worked out. Denying the group's opportunity for approval means they won't be able to guide discussions of LGBT concerns, Blalock said. "My fear is that will mean bringing in other perspectives that are non-supportive of LGBT students," she said. "That will ultimately hurt these students, not help them. They wanted to help people learn more about LGBT issues." Other student groups, including a chapter of a group William F. Buckley founded as an anti-Communist group, Young Americans for Freedom, have been allowed to go through the process and be approved by the board of directors, Blalock said. "I still see it as a discriminatory way to handle it," Blalock said. "There are core university values such as freedom of inquiry that are being violated here. If you keep telling these students no, they can't have recognition, it's telling them they're unequal in the eyes of the university." Samford, with an annual budget of more than $166 million, recorded its eighth consecutive record enrollment in fall 2016 with 5,471 students. As part of the health care fraud and opioid scams Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday, three people were indicted in Alabama schemes. In May, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced charges against Robin Gary Lowry, 49, of Columbus, Miss. She was charged with conspiracy to defraud Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and Prime Therapeutics and with three counts of health care fraud for submitting fraudulent claims. Lowry pleaded guilty to the charges in June and will be sentenced Nov. 7. Today, charges were announced against two sales representatives for a Haleyville compounding pharmacy-- Kelley Norris-Hartley, of Tuscaloosa, and Bridget McCune, of Destin. The two women, both 41, were charged for participating in a conspiracy to generate prescriptions and defraud health care insurers and prescription drug administrators out of tens of millions of dollars in 2015. They were charged in separate indictments with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud, the following announced as part of a nationwide Department of Justice Health Care Fraud Takedown: Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David W. Archey, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, Houston Division, Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. Norris and McCune both worked for Northside Pharmacy, which was doing business under the name Global Compounding Pharmacy. Global's compounding and shipping facility was in Haleyville, but its prescription processing, billing, and customer care was based in Clearwater, Fla. McCune's indictment also charges her with conspiring to solicit and receive kickbacks in return for referring prescriptions under Medicare and TRICARE, a U.S. Department of Defense health care program, and with money laundering. Both women face various counts of health care fraud for submitting fraudulent prescription claims to BCBS. Federal prosecutors have entered plea agreements with both Norris and McCune. Global's sales representatives, including Norris and McCune, were located in numerous states and were responsible for generating prescriptions from physicians and other prescribers. Global contracted to enter the pharmacy networks of their third-party administrators, known as pharmacy benefit managers. The PBMs included Prime Therapeutics, Express Scripts Incorporated and CVS/Caremark. Documents show there was a conspiracy to generate and bill PBMs for fraudulent, often high-reimbursement prescriptions, court documents showed. The payees included BCBS, Medicare, and TRICARE. To generate prescriptions, Global hired sales representatives who were married or related to doctors and other prescribers, documents showed. The company encouraged sales representatives to volunteer at doctors' offices where they could push Global's products, and to obtain high-reimbursing prescriptions that Global would fill and bill for reimbursement. Documents show when billing, Global engaged in various fraudulent practices, including splitting drug quantities to evade PBM billing safeguards and automatically refilling and billing for prescriptions regardless of the patient's need. The company routinely waived co-pays to encourage patients to accept unnecessary medications and refills. As part of their plea agreements, Norris and McCune agree to forfeit money to the government: Norris agrees to forfeit $287,698 and McCune $401,628. "In this case, a pharmacy used a marketing scheme that increased sales of expensive medications without regard for patient need or medical necessity," Posey said. Norris worked out of Tuscaloosa as a sales representative from August 2014 to July 2016, and was closely related to an Alabama physician. That relative and a second physician, described in documents as a friend, wrote a significant number of prescriptions Norris obtained for Global to fill. McCune worked in Global's Florida region from September 2014 to July 2016. McCune had a "close familial relationship" with a Florida physician, according to her plea agreement. The prescriptions she obtained were written by the family member's signature. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigated the cases, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chinelo Dike-Minor and Nicole Grosnoff are prosecuting. At least 10 shots were fired in a Tuesday night shooting on Interstate 20/59 in Jefferson County that injured two east Alabama men. The gunfire began at Malfunction Junction - the 20/59 and I-65 interchange - and continued all the way to the 20/59 and I-459 interchange, Irondale police said Wednesday after. Initially believed to have possible been a road rage incident, investigators are now looking at other theories. Irondale police responded about 11 p.m. to a report of shots fired on I-20 eastbound, said Sgt. Mark Meadows. They arrived on the scene to find two men - a 50-year-old white male and a 37-year-old black male - wounded in a vehicle parked on the side of the interstate. One of the men was taken to UAB Hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds and the other refused treatment. Meadows said both men are from the Anniston area and were on their way back home from a trip to Birmingham. So far, all they have been able to tell police was that there were two black males in a dark SUV firing shots at them. "Originally we thought it was road rage but that's been ruled out,'' Meadows said. "There are a lot of factors they've (detectives) discovered that they can't release right now as to why it happened or why they think it happened." He said the victims are cooperating with police. Meadows said police are thankful more people weren't injured during the incident. "At that time of the night, I'm sure there were quite a few cars on the interstate and shooting out of a moving car put them all in danger,'' he said. "They didn't care. They were after one thing and they didn't care who they hit. We're very fortunate that no one else was hurt." Anyone with information is asked to call Irondale police at 205-956-5990 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A man who pleaded guilty to stealing over $69,000 from a labor union he worked for was sentenced to federal prison today. Michael Lackey, 44, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Virginia Hopkins. Following his release, he was ordered to serve three years of supervised probation. "It's been terrible, this past year," Lackey said at his sentencing hearing Thursday. "I think that I've been very respectful [while on bond]...but I know that it's a substantial amount of money." He pleaded guilty in January to five counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement and theft of union funds. Lackey, of Georgia, was ordered to pay $69,193.69 in restitution-- the amount he stole during his time as president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 3901. The union was based in Oxford at the time of Lackey's crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier O. Carter Sr. recommended a sentence of 15 months in prison. Carter said while Lackey "appears contrite," the amount of money that was stolen was substantial. He said the effects of the theft are "crushing and devastating" on the union members who trusted Lackey. After announcing her sentence, Hopkins said Lackey appeared sincere and humble. "This is a person who understands he's done wrong." She said, "Mr. Lackey, I don't like putting you in jail... but other people need to be deterred." During his statement, Lackey often referenced his five children and four step-children-- including his young daughter who has had recent health issues. Local 3901 members elected Lackey president in 2008 and he remained in that position until 2014, court documents show. As president, Lackey exercised control over the local's finances, including its accounts at Wells Fargo and Regions banks. He executed a scheme to defraud the banks and Local 3901 between 2010 and 2014 by using his position as president and acting treasurer to conduct unauthorized transactions to take money from the group's bank accounts and use it for personal benefit, documents show. Those fraudulent transactions included writing checks to himself from Local 3901 accounts for unauthorized or nonexistent travel expenses, using debit cards for accounts at both Regions and Wells Fargo for personal expenses, and making cash withdrawals from accounts at both banks for personal use. Local 3901 members began to suspect in 2014 that Lackey had stolen money when a union check bounced. About the same time, Lackey told a national CWA representative that he had taken out a personal loan using the union's bank accounts and assets as collateral and had failed to make the loan payments, leading the bank to collect from the union's finances, according to his plea agreement. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier O. Carter Sr. prosecuted. Lackey was represented by Douglas Ghee. State Sen. Paul Sanford of Huntsville said he is receiving encouragement to run for governor, including from within his own family. Sanford, 49, said he is giving the idea serious consideration but probably won't run. He said he has not raised any money. Sanford, a Republican, said he decided not to run for reelection next year because he believes in term limits. He was first elected in a special election in 2009 and is serving his second four-year term. Sanford closed his restaurant in January after 15 years and said he is enjoying having more time to spend with his wife. Sanford said people in his district and around the state are encouraging him to run. His daughter, Ryan, who just finished her freshman year at Auburn University, started a "Paul Sanford for Alabama" page on Facebook. Sanford also said his wife is supportive of a run for governor. "I've been just kind of wrestling with the idea," Sanford said. Sanford said he was not sure when he would make a decision. He said he is starting a new business that could crank up within the next month or so. "That's another consideration, looking at the infancy stage of a new business and trying to run for office is not a good mix," Sanford said. "So, that's one of the other things that leads me to say it's probably just more contemplating doing it than putting my boots on the ground. But I've gotten a lot of encouragement across the state for the idea." Sanford said legislative experience would be valuable for the next governor. "I know a lot of times it's good to have somebody from the outside come in that's not tied to the Legislature," Sanford said. "But after being here and kind of seeing how everything is intertwined I think it's actually a pretty valuable asset for the governor to understand the entire process on this side of the street." In Freital, Abu Hamid and his fellow refugees were attacked by right-wing Germans, who could be convicted of terrorism. This summer marks the 25th anniversary of the Rostock riots the most disturbing resurgence of anti-immigrant violence in Germany since the rise of Nazism. In the quarter-century since, many foreigners arriving in Germany have experienced the warmest of welcomes but a few have experienced chilling acts of hatred. This series explores how a small minority of ultra-xenophobic Germans tarnished their nations reputation as a haven for the worlds displaced masses. These stories are primarily told through the experiences of immigrants and asylum seekers who survived xenophobic harassment or attacks. Their stories are the exception to the norm: incidents of violent xenophobia are rare in Germany compared with other countries. Indeed, Germany has welcomed more asylum seekers in recent years than any other European nation the United Kingdom, France, Poland, Austria, Hungary, and magnitudes more than the far more populous United States. W hen faced with the largest exodus of people since World War II, none of these nations welcomed refugees as unconditionally as Germany did. Its precisely because of this reputation that Al Jazeera is taking a hard look at what happens when that welcome culture goes awry. This is the fifth story in a seven-part series. Freital, Germany On Halloween night, 2015, in this town outside the Saxon capital of Dresden, Abu Hamid went into the kitchen to grab some food when he noticed sparks of light outside the window. Sensing danger, he and his roommates rushed out of the kitchen just as a booming explosion shook the house, shattering the windows and sending pieces of glass into one mans face. After that, we thought someone would come inside the home and attack us, Abu Hamid said. One of my friends, he took a knife. The explosion was caused by illegal fireworks, as they later discovered. It appeared someone had placed them on the windowsill that night to target those inside. For months beforehand, local police had failed to see a connection between a series of right-wing protests against refugee housing shelters and the bombing of a car belonging to a left-wing politician in Freital. Just one month before Abu Hamids apartment was attacked, another, almost identical firework attack had been launched on the house of some Eritrean refugees in the town. It wasnt until news outlets as far away as Berlin began pressuring authorities to take action that Germanys federal prosecutor took up the case. In a dramatic SWAT-style raid, federal and state police arrested five suspects believed to have formed an organised anti-refugee militia. The prosecutor charged them with terrorism, and their trial began this March. The Freital attacks were just a few among thousands. According to an analysis of information from Germanys Interior Ministry, there were more than 3,500 attacks on refugees or refugee homesteads in Germany last year nearly 10 a day. About 560 people were injured in those attacks 43 of them children. This wave of xenophobic crime became a source of discomfort in a nation that has gone to great lengths to turn the corner on its racist past. It was certainly not what the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war-torn states hoped to encounter after crossing continents and seas in an attempt to find safety here. READ MORE: Syrian refugees Single mothers fight to survive Escape from Syria No country has sent more people fleeing to Germany than Syria. More than 268,000 Syrians applied for asylum in Germany last year. Twenty-something, with dark eyebrows and a polite smile, Abu Hamid grew up in Aleppo and was studying electrical engineering when Syrias civil war began. He lived in the government-controlled part of the city when the Syrian military began forcibly recruiting young men like him to serve a possible death sentence. Abu Hamid recounted the day he took his passport to a government office building to try and apply for an exit visa out of the country. The free Syrian army attacked the building because in this building there were snipers, Abu Hamid said. Bombs hit the building when I was there. And a big explosion. Rocks everywhere not good. You just see people screaming. Abu Hamid escaped unharmed, but as time went on, government soldiers hed encounter on the street began threatening him with conscription, so he decided to flee to Turkey. It was June 2014. Leaving from Syria, its not something easy, Abu Hamid told Al Jazeera. You have to pass a lot of militaries. Free (Syrian Army) militaries and ISIS (also known as ISIL) militaries and Al-Nusra (Front) you have to pass all of that. You have to know the way is safe and you have to go at a good time. By the grace of God, he says, he made it through. In Turkey, he found a job in a clothing factory, and later, a bakery. But he wasnt planning to stay: he saved up his wages to afford the journey to Germany. Abu Hamid speaks in broken English. When asked why he wanted to come to Germany, he smiles to hide his embarrassment at being unable to answer the question. He reaches for a mobile phone, opens Google Translate, and types in just a few words: Germany, because there are opportunities. In June 2015, Abu Hamid boarded a boat across the Aegean Sea from Izmir to Greece. Then, on buses and trains and by foot, he made his way to Macedonia, then Serbia, Hungary and Austria, until finally arriving by bus in Munich. But his timing coincided with the arrival of tens of thousands of other refugees from around the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. To spread asylum seekers across the country while they awaited a decision, Germany uses a formula based on the states population and the amount of taxes each state receives. Last year, Saxony, the federal state that includes Dresden and Freital and is home to five percent of the German population, was ordered to house five percent of all asylum seekers. Abu Hamid was assigned to Saxony. He was sent to a refugee shelter in Dresden and, later, to a house in Freital, 20 minutes away, to live with nine other asylum seekers the house where the Halloween night attack took place. READ MORE: The rise of Germanys anti-refugee right The refugee lottery Dresden is one of the main strongholds of Germanys anti-refugee movement. Only seven percent of the citys population are people of a migrant background. In Frankfurt, by contrast, that percentage is 43. The refugees know that if you got sent to Saxony, you lost the lottery, said Marc Lalonde, a Canadian volunteer who worked with asylum seekers in the small Saxon town of Clausnitz. Its bad news. Saxonys interior minister told Al Jazeera that the states reputation as unwelcoming towards immigrants might be precisely because it has had so few of them. During the GDR, we had hardly any encounters with people from other nations, said Markus Ulbig, in reference to the former East Germany. Until recently, he says few people in Saxony knew any foreigners. Even today, just 3.4 percent of all Germans of migrant background live in the East. Despite complaints by many in Saxony that theyre being overrun by immigrants, Germanys quota system sends just five percent of all new asylum seekers to Saxony. Because asylum seekers in Germany dont have a choice as to where theyre sent to live, that lottery can determine a lot. Some argue it can mean the difference between integrating into German society or living a separate existence among other refugees something European governments hope to avoid out of fear that isolationism could create fertile ground for extremism. But not everyone in Saxony opposes refugees. In Dresden, there is a weekly international cafe (a story about the cafe is the seventh instalment in this series) where refugees mingle with Germans to chat, practise their language skills, sip tea and juice and discuss their asylum applications. Even in Saxony, most refugees Al Jazeera spoke to said they felt welcomed. Their primary concern was whether they would be allowed to stay in Germany in the long run. Indeed, Germanys welcoming policies towards immigrants may be part of the reason why it received more asylum seekers than any other European country. As a German, Im pretty proud that most asylum seekers come to Germany. It must be obviously a very attractive place, and a safe place, said Gordian Meyer-Plath, the head of Saxonys domestic intelligence agency. They dont flee to Russia. They come to us. And yet, beneath this welcome culture, there exists a counterculture that views refugees with suspicion, antagonises them in speech and every now and then, through violence. And not only in Saxony. Unfortunately, I think crimes against asylum seekers happen all over Germany, Meyer-Plath said. READ MORE: Why some refugees in Greece are being driven to suicide Message against violence Abu Hamid arrived in Dresden in July 2015 around the height of Europes refugee arrivals and in the middle of a fierce debate over who should be allowed to stay. People, they say We dont want refugees! Abu Hamid recalled overhearing in Dresden. I felt in that moment (like I was) missing home. As to the attack that took place on Halloween, he says, it was just one night. We were used to this situation. In Syria, every day we were sleeping and in the morning we would hear sounds. Phew! We were used to it. Whats more, he says the police officers who came to investigate the attack were friendly that they asked the right questions, that they seemed serious about holding the perpetrators to account attitudes that were unfamiliar to him during his encounters with police back in Syria. He said its only right that his alleged attackers a group of right-wing Germans who are currently standing trial be convicted of terrorism, a serious charge for what Abu Hamid considers a grave crime. Its three dynamites, at midnight. They are not joking. They want to kill. A conviction for terrorism, Abu Hamid believes, would also send a message to other refugees that such violence simply isnt tolerated here in Germany. The explosion, it shocked me, he said. To think in Germany that this would happen here. We come from the war to Germany to find safety. This reporting was made possible by a McCloy Fellowship from the American Council on Germany. Businessmen, shop owners, and Sudanese expats are desperate to finally ditch 20 years of US sanctions. Khartoum The Sudanese government, businessmen, and banks anxiously awaited a decision on Tuesday that they hoped would permanently lift decades-old US trade sanctions against Khartoum and aid in gradually bringing the country back into the international fold. Mohammed Saad, a Sudanese expatriate living in Boston, had all but convinced himself that he would finally be able to send money back home to his family without having to use intermediaries or alternative banking routes. Nothing is as dependable as banks when you want your family to receive money that you work hard day and night to collect and send home, he told Al Jazeera. I waited for this day for six months. But on Tuesday, the US state department announced it would postpone by three months a final decision on whether to permanently lift its sanctions on Sudan. Some US sanctions on the central African nation in place since 1997 over accusations of state-sponsored terrorism were temporarily eased in an executive order signed by former president Barack Obama before he left office. Many hoped that on Tuesday, new US President Donald Trump would make them disappear for good. I cannot stay in Saudi Arabia for ever, said Hussam Greishi, a Sudanese expatriate back in Khartoum on annual leave from his work in Saudi Arabia. I would want to one day soon be able to return to Sudan and invest in a small business or grow a plot of land at my home town. That is why I am watching what will happen with the sanctions. The situation now is just not suitable for business. Obamas executive order temporarily eased restrictions on Sudans gas and oil industry, unfroze some Sudanese assets in the US, and allowed for the import and export of selected approved goods and services. But Hussam and many Sudanese youth say that despite the temporary order, their ability to send money back home has been hampered by the sanctions because of the isolation of the Sudanese banking system. The massive $8.9bn penalty slapped on BNP Paribas in May 2015 for violating trade sanctions against Sudan, Cuba and Iran still hangs heavy over the international banking sector. Many banks have chosen to steer clear of Sudan despite the temporary sanctions easing. WATCH: Sudan government accused of downplaying cholera outbreak Mohammed Abd Alaziz, a software engineer, says Sudans isolation has held his professional development hostage. I cannot purchase original software versions due to the sanctions. I have to find alternatives every time, he told Al Jazeera. Azza Mubarak, a translator, is concerned that if the sanctions are not lifted, she will have to continue to buy references and materials for her work in hard copies, which cost considerably more than versions available for sale online. Most of the time hard copy versions are not available and when they are; they cost two or three times the regular cost because they are obtained through an intermediary destination, not directly from the US or Europe, she said. Wednesdays three-month delay came on the heels of a tense campaign by human rights activists and US congressmen to pressure Trump to maintain sanctions over the countrys record of human rights violations. Sudan-based political analyst Mohammed Humma said he had expected the decision on sanctions to be delayed. I expect the sanctions to be extended for another year or six months to monitor the implementation of the five tracks because this approach began to bear fruit with Sudan, he told Al Jazeera. The areas of concern or five tracks include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, cooperating on counterterrorism with the US, ending hostilities against armed groups in Sudan, and halting support for rebels in neighbouring South Sudan. Senior US officials told reporters on Wednesday the Sudanese government had sizeable progress on all five tracks, but the Trump administration needed more time to fully review the situation. The extension also came with an added emphasis on human rights, religious freedoms and Sudans support for the UN Security Councils resolutions on North Korea. The Trump administration has made it really clear that the number-one security issue for them and for the government is North Korea, and that is a global security threat, one US official said during a call on Wednesday with reporters. Sudan responded to the US delay by freezing talks with Washington on sanctions until October, when the three-month extension is set to end. Sudans foreign minister, Professor Ibrahim Ghandour, called the US decision illogical and unacceptable. Sudan, as has been attested by the US government, has fully met its commitments under the engagement plan with the US, he said. We look forward to the right decision by lifting the sanctions so Sudan can continue to be an effective partner with the US in safety and security in the region. In a January 2017 report, the US Department of State agreed, saying Sudan had made significant progress in each of the five areas in the period leading up to Obamas partial lifting of sanctions. WATCH: VIDEO Doctors in Sudan battle social taboos surrounding cancer (2:22) United Nations agencies working in Sudan, which are regularly affected by issues relating to humanitarian aid and access one of the five areas of review said in a statement on Monday that there had been marked improvement in humanitarian access over the past six months, since Obamas executive order was signed. But despite six months of eased sanctions, shop owners in Khartoum are still hungry for business. We hope the sanctions will be lifted and tourists will come so we can boost our struggling shops. We barely ever sell anything, said one gift shop owner, who asked to remain anonymous. After six months in limbo, Hadiya Adam, who sells tea in the capital, is not convinced that another three months delay will bring better results. Will prices go down? What will happen next? she asked. Sugar, vegetables and meat what will happen to these? Mohammed Amin, a local journalist and commentator, said that while people in Khartoum and around Sudan were eager to see the sanctions finally lifted, they were well aware that it wouldnt be a cure-all. They are all talking about the imminent lifting of sanctions, but they are not really waiting for it to happen now or after a year because they do not believe it will make for a noticeable change in their everyday lives or an immediate enhancement in living conditions, he told Al Jazeera. They know part of the problem is the way resources are used and managed locally, not just the sanctions. Put together, Asia, Africa and Latin America accommodate more than 88 percent of the worlds population. A predominantly high number of people in these regions depend on farms, forests and fishing for their livelihoods. Peasants of these regions are the inheritors of an agricultural system that was developed over the last 20,000 years. It is a system that has stood the test of times, continues to feed the worlds population and is hinged on a philosophy that puts mother nature right at the centre of it. Today, peasants (and for the ease of argument I include indigenous people, migrant workers, rural workers, pastoralists and fishing communities in this term), feed approximately 70 percent of the worlds population (pdf). The food that you will find on your plates is the results of hard work put in by several million farming families, including mine, tilling on small tracts of land year round. It is tough work. For peasant women like me, it is even harder, given that we are also struggling against a patriarchal system that persistently fails to recognise womens contribution in the farms and families. Yet, despite the challenges, we work the land and produce the food that all of us eat, every day. OPINION: Female farmers suffer most in Southern Africa drought In an ideal world where the rational should thrive, peasants would, therefore, feature at the centre of every decision that is taken for our welfare and of the planet. But is that so? The advent of a financial system that pitched material wealth as a measure of human progress gradually took control of the world away from the majority of its people and gave it into the hands of a few. Ideas such as free market, free trade, globalisation and so forth invaded our heads and minds, possibly more so in the last three decades, when food became an instrument to make and maximise profit. We insist that decisions that affect our lives must be taken with the approval from our communities. by The World Trade Organisation (WTO) encouraged this idea of producing food as a commodity, rather than a common good. Borders opened up, import tariffs were brought down and big industries that promoted high-yielding monoculture practices were soon able to dump cheap food onto our local markets. Social movements across the world resisted. La Via Campesina, the largest peasant movement worldwide, also featured at the forefront of this resistance. In 2003, in Cancun, Mexico, outside the venue of the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference, one of our dear comrades, Korean farmer Lee Kyung Hae, took his life in protest. He was holding a banner that read WTO Kills Farmers. In every ministerial thereafter, we ensured that his sacrifice would not be forgotten as we pledged to fight WTO Out of Agriculture. In many ways, this resistance exposed the ills and dented the influence of WTO and several of its ministerial rounds have floundered since then. But then, those in power always had a Plan B, called Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are all striking examples of these new, mega-trade agreements that dictate what we eat and how. They ensure that rich countries always have a consuming population in poor and developing countries. Provisions such as the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) where private firms are allowed to sue national governments are clearly stepping on our sovereignty and national laws. Ironically enough, all these decisions that have led to the devastation of rural peasant communities were taken by people who never held a plough in their hands and the results are here to be seen. OPINION: How to tackle repetitive droughts in the Horn of Africa Rural farms have perished and large industrial farms are taking over. Rural self-sufficiency, in all the regions of the world, is broken. South Korea, where I come from, has traded its food-sufficiency for cheap imports. Farm input costs have spiralled while the prices have remained stagnant. Seeds are privatised, patented and free exchange in peasant communities is deemed illegal. Farm lands are being forcefully grabbed, forests are being cleared for mining projects, coasts are being taken over by industrial fishing. Green revolution technologies have spoiled our soil and killed our biodiversity. Young people are not interested in the farms anymore. Consider this: the average age of South Korean farmers and fishers who head households is 65 years. I hear the same tales in farming families of Europe, South and Central America, Africa, everywhere. In a world, where greed is packaged as need, farming is no more a way of life but a business model! In early June, I received an alert from my friends in India that five farmers were shot dead by the police during a protest. They were demanding better prices for their produce. In 2016, I lost a dear friend and a rice farmer Baek Namgi, who was hit by a police water cannon while protesting in Seoul against FTAs. In Tanzania, in Brazil, in Mozambique, rural economies are staging revolts against their own governments for failing to keep promises and for destroying their farms. Time has come for my people to take charge. In 1993, several small farmers organisations of the world, in their attempt to counter the threat of globalisation, created a global movement called La Via Campesina. We insist that decisions that affect our lives must be taken with the approval from our communities. Twenty-four years after we founded this movement, we are gathering again in the Basque Country, for our seventh international conference (pdf), to reflect on our struggles and craft our future. We have had several achievements so far: being heard directly at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation; being able to negotiate for our rights in the UN Human Rights Council and so forth. We have lost a lot of our comrades, too to repression and violence. But our resolve is stronger than ever. If this planet, which is heating up fast is to be saved, peasant communities have to be recognised as a central player in this process and need to be protected by their governments, so that they can fulfil their leading role. Geumsoon Yoon is a South Korean small-scale farmer, leader of the Korean Women Peasant Association and a member of the International Coordination Committee of La Via Campesina. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Having looked back through my research notes from the early 2000s, I am not surprised by the conviction this week of former Brazilian President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva for corruption. This is not a statement about the long-running, concerted efforts of Brazils right-wing elites to squash a upstart union leader. Rather, reviewing my notes brought a sad recognition that the underlying realities of Brazils complex political economy almost compel anyone with national political ambitions to sidle up to the trough of corruption. In Lulas case the warning signs were clear at least as far back as October 6, 2002, the day of first-round voting in the election that would bring him to power as the Workers Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT) candidate. A short interview during the election night coverage offered the clue. In keeping with the television networks anti-PT editorial line, the news anchor was aghast that Lula might actually win the ballot. The anchor expected similar shock from his next guest, a senior official from the Sao Paulo Federation of Industrial Enterprises, FIESP. Much to the anchors surprise the FIESP man calmly said he was not worried and, in a line that stuck with me, noted that Lula is a good negotiator and that businesses would have no trouble working with him. Subsequent scholarly and journalistic works seeking to explain how Lula won the presidency on his fourth attempt focused on his move to a pragmatic centre. Particular emphasis was put on Lulas business-friendly language and explicit recognition that market economics was not antithetical to the poverty eradication that became the hallmark of his eight years in office. OPINION: The Brazilian hangover When the party ends What these studies failed to fully acknowledge was the extent to which Lulas inner coterie chose to play Brazils established political game. Collectively we missed the clearest of signs when militant factions of the PT in Congress began to criticise the policies and actions of their president, ultimately resulting in several being expelled from the party. As the first Lula government corruption scandal broke the 2005 Mensalao affair that saw cash payments made for congressional support of the governments agenda the PT split and the hardline leftists formed the rival Socialism and Liberty Party (Partido Socialismo e Liberdade, PSOL). The scandal is that Lula's personal and political trajectory suggests it is impossible for anyone in Brazil, no matter how well-meaning, to get elected to public office and govern from that office without actively playing the corruption game. by The problem with Brazilian politics that was made abundantly clear in 2005 was corruption. While this was not a surprise to anyone, I am not certain the depth of this embedded democratic failure was consciously appreciated. A discussion I had with a Sao Paulo business leader last May about another scandal engulfing current president Michel Temer offered a key insight. His complaint was not really about the need to offer side payments to government officials and politicians. Instead, he was dismayed by the sheer greed of the current crop of decision-makers. As he explained, during Brazils industrial surge in the 1950s it was not at all unusual for a companys government relations manager to arrange for delivery of a television set or refrigerator to strategically positioned officials. The cost was small nowhere near 3 percent of a billion-dollar contract and really more about showing appreciation than anything else. What seemed to pass him by was how this bred a business culture predicated on buying contracts, not winning them through competitive tenders. In a recent column for the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, Matias Spektor points out that these habits were already afflicting public works management in the early 1970s. Recently released US classified documents discuss how a leading official of the Emilio Garrastazu Medici military government sought bribes in 1972 from US businessmen looking to win contracts in Brazil (PDF). In other words, there is a long-standing tradition of direct illicit payments by Brazilian firms to politicians and policy-makers in return for public contracts and access to financing from state-run banks. OPINION: What next for Brazils decaying kleptocracy? That these scandals appear to revolve almost entirely around the countrys highly successful and proficient construction companies should be no surprise. Nearly all of these firms trace their growth from small mom-and-pop operations to massive civil engineering conglomerates back to the mother of all public works projects: the 1950s building of the capital city, Brasilia, quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Habits form, expectations develop, the questionable becomes routinised and commonplace to the point where Brazils biggest company creates a Division of Structured Operations to manage its bribe payment schedule. So it is hardly surprising that Lula, a president who presided over possibly the richest half-decade in Brazilian history, has been convicted of corruption. But this is not really the scandal. The scandal is that Lulas personal and political trajectory suggests it is impossible for anyone in Brazil, no matter how well-meaning, to get elected to public office and govern from that office without actively playing the corruption game. Dilma Rousseff, it appears, refused and was impeached for it by a bevy of Congressmen busy lining their pockets. The tragedy of Lula is not just that a good man was brought down so low, but that there seems such scant chance that the system which forced him to kneel at the trough of corruption is likely to meaningfully change any time soon. Sean W Burges is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the Australian National University and a Visiting Scholar at Carleton University. He is author of the books Brazil in the World: The International Relations of a South American Giant (2017) and Brazilian Foreign Policy After the Cold War (2009) as well as more than 30 scholarly articles and book chapters on Latin American politics and inter-American affairs. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Violence between troops and armed fighters in the DR Congo has killed thousands of people since August. Another 38 probable mass graves have been found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where violence between troops and armed fighters has killed thousands of people since August, the United Nations announced on Wednesday. This means at least 80 mass graves have been identified so far, the UN peacekeeping mission in the vast Central African nation said. The latest mass graves were found this month in the Diboko and Sumbula areas of Kamonia territory by an investigative team from the local UN human rights office and the Congos military justice authorities, the UN said. The international community has expressed alarm over the violence in the once-calm Kasai province region. Some diplomats have suggested that the tensions are also tied to Congos presidential election that has been delayed since last year. OPINION: Congo A dictators dilemma The Kasai crisis was sparked by the governments refusal to grant official status to Jean-Pierre Mpandi, known as Kamuina Nsapu, as one of the regions traditional chiefs. Mpandi then mobilised his armed group in an uprising against the states presence in the area. After he was killed during fighting in August 2016, the violence escalated. More than 3,000 people have been killed, nearly 1.3 million displaced and about 30,000 have fled to neighbouring Angola, according to the Catholic Church and the UN. The government has accused the Kamuina Nsapu armed group of dumping bodies into mass graves. But UN investigators believe many of the mass graves contain the remains of suspected Kamuina Nsapu members or supporters. On Tuesday, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix expressed serious concern to the UN Security Council that violence in the Kasai provinces has reached very disturbing levels. The Congos government now points to the violence as the reason for further election delays. The countrys ambassador to the UN, Ignace Gata Mavita, said voter registration has not yet begun in two provinces Kasai and Kasai Central as a result of the fighting. Registration is scheduled to begin July 20, he said. President Joseph Kabilas mandate ended in December, and after deadly protests, the government and opposition reached a December 31 agreement that calls for the vote by the end of this year without Kabila as a candidate. The head of the electoral commission, however, now says that timeframe wont be possible. Republican says Saudi crown prince may have made rookie mistake over Qatar blockade, as diplomatic efforts continue. An influential US Republican senator has criticised the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, over a blockade on Qatar by the kingdom and three other Arab states. The comments by Bob Corker, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came as tensions in the region continue over the crisis, with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expected to make an unscheduled stop in Doha on Thursday. The amount of support for terrorism by Saudi Arabia dwarfs what Qatar is doing, Corker said on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 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. Corker said he was really disappointed to see what Saudi Arabia did after having a great summit and bringing everybody together, referring to Mays Riyadh conference that saw leaders of the GCC and other Arab states meet US President Donald Trump. I think this is quite possibly a rookie mistake by a crown prince who I think could be the future for Saudi Arabia, Corker added. READ MORE: All the latest updates on the Qatar-Gulf crisis The Tennessee senator made the comments while addressing the former US ambassador to Israel during a legislative committee hearing. Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Washington, DC, said the Saudi crown prince is widely seen as among the blockades chief architects and a chief organiser of the alliance behind it. She said that Corker has been among the blockades strongest US critics, adding that the senator has threatened to block weapons sales to members of the GCC until there was a clear path for settling the dispute. Andreas Krieg, an assistant professor at Kings College London, told Al Jazeera that Corkers comments are a lot to take in for the Saudi-led group. Saudi Arabia actually thought they had the Trump administration, especially the Republicans, on their side, Krieg said. Thats why they escalated so quickly and now they realise they actually dont and the Trump administration has actually rolled back from earlier comments, and that is quite something to swallow for the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Tillersons Gulf visit Corkers comments came as Tillerson wrapped up the third leg of his four-day trip to the Gulf aimed at helping solve the GCC crisis. Having shuttled between Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in an effort to help solve the GCC crisis, Tillerson is set to make an unexpected return to Doha on Thursday before returning to the United States. On Wednesday, Tillerson met the Saudi king, crown prince and his counterparts from the Saudi-led quartet. The Jeddah visit followed meetings in Doha with the Qatari emir and foreign minister on Tuesday. Tillerson told reporters that the Qatari government had reasonable views during the crisis. I think Qatar has been quite clear in its positions, and I think those have been very reasonable, he said. Tillerson and the Qatari foreign minister also announced that the US and Qatar had signed an agreement on combating terrorism and its financing during the visit. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the memorandum of understanding was not related to the current dispute. But Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE called the agreement insufficient and the result of repeated calls from the Saudi-led group over the past few years. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva convicted of corruption and money laundering, but is free pending appeal. Brazils former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been convicted of corruption and money laundering, and sentenced to nine and a half years in jail but he remains free pending an appeal. Lula is accused of receiving more than $1m in bribes from Brazilian construction giant OAS in the form of a luxury apartment in a beach resort town on Sao Paulos coast. The conviction is the latest and most significant in a sprawling three-year corruption investigation dubbed Car Wash that has ensnared many of Brazils business and political elites. Lulas legal team blasted the conviction for lack of evidence and said in a statement: President Lula is innocent. For over three years, Lula has been subject to a politically motivated investigation. OPINION: The Brazilian hangover When the party ends The former trade union leader turned president oversaw a period of sustained growth in Brazil, fed by a commodities boom, that saw millions lifted out of poverty during his presidency between 2003 and 2010. Lula has stated that he intends to run for president again in Brazils 2018 elections for the Workers Party, of which he was a founding member, and currently leads opinion polls by a significant margin though his rejection rates are also very high. The corruption allegations against Lula over the past few years have tarnished the reputation of the man that then US President Barack Obama called the most popular politician on earth, but he remains very popular. Recent opinion polls in Brazil, taken during a period of severe economic recession and record unemployment, even show that support has grown, both for Lula and the Workers Party. There is a part of the electorate that will say: all politicians are corrupt, but at least Lula did something good for Brazil, Mauricio Santoro, a political scientist and professor of external relations at Rio de Janeiro State University, told Al Jazeera. Lulas chances of running for president for an unprecedented third time would end, however, if a higher court rejects his appeal and decides to uphold the conviction. The legal process has no fixed timeline but is likely to drag on for months. The same court also recently absolved one of Lulas allies, the former Workers Party treasurer Joao Vaccari Neto, who was sentenced to 15 years for taking bribes by the same judge, Sergio Moro, who convicted Lula. READ MORE: Brazils prisons A battleground in the drug wars The courts decision promises to be controversial either way, with complaints of judicial corruption, if the case is thrown out, and claims of political persecution, if Lula is jailed. Even if absolved, Lula faces four other charges under the Car Wash investigation. Markets reacted positively to Lulas conviction and Brazils currency the real gained value. Some rival politicians celebrated Lulas conviction on social media. Justice was done. The biggest chutzpah in Brazil was sentenced to nine and a half years in jail, Sao Paulo Mayor Joao Doria of the centre-right Social Democratic Party of Brazil (PSDB), posted on Twitter. Doria himself has been consistently quoted as a candidate for Brazils 2018 presidential elections although he hasnt confirmed his candidacy yet. Lulas conviction is the latest chapter of an acute political crisis engulfing Brazil. Last year, President Dilma Rousseff was impeached accused of manipulating federal budgets. Last month, sitting President Michel Temer was charged with taking bribes and is under increased pressure. Born to an impoverished family in Brazils arid Northeast, Lula rose through the ranks of Sao Paulos metalworkers trade unions and led strikes during Brazils then military dictatorship. His ascent to the presidency in a country with one of the worlds biggest wealth gaps was heralded as a success story of Brazil and he remains the only president to leave office with high approval ratings. More than 40 others wounded as two female bombers target busy area in northern Cameroon, local officials say. Two suicide bombers have killed at least 12 people, including a baby, and wounded more than 40 others in a town in northern Cameroon near the Nigerian border, according to officials. Two women carried out the attack late on Wednesday as they walked into a busy area in the centre of Waza, a small town 8km from the Nigerian border, local authorities said. The bombers struck an area with restaurants, telephone cabins and kiosks, a local official told the AFP news agency on Thursday. The town has been sealed off. Nobody can enter and nobody can leave, the official said, adding that some of the wounded were in quite serious condition. INTERACTIVE: Boko Haram attacks mapped Midjiyawa Bakari, the governor of the Far North region where the attack took place, said a baby was among those killed. An army colonel who was responsible for evacuating the wounded told Reuters news agency that the attack was perpetrated by one suicide bomber, and the other was shot dead. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the region has been a frequent target of Boko Haram fighters in recent years. Last month, nine were killed in the town of Kolofata when two children carrying explosives blew themselves up near a camp housing people displaced by Boko Haram violence. An alarming number of children in Africa, most of them girls, have been used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram in 2017, according to UNICEF. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their homes in fear of the violence. READ MORE: Boko Haram attacks blamed for deaths in Nigeria, Chad At least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million made homeless in the Lake Chad region, which includes Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, since the start of Boko Harams armed campaign in 2009. On Tuesday, suicide bombers killed at least 15 people and wounded 21 others in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri in Borno state. Nigerias government and military maintain that Boko Haram is a spent force, but intermittent attacks and suicide bombings pose a constant threat, particularly in remote areas. Boko Haram this week released a video showing executions and amputations, suggesting it still holds territory in some areas. Brad Sherman accuses US president of obstructing investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. A California Democrat has filed an article of impeachment against US President Donald Trump in a long shot bid to remove the president from office. Brad Sherman filed the article on Wednesday, accusing Trump of obstructing investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, in part by firing former FBI Director James Comey. Sherman acknowledges that filing the article is the first step on a very long road. Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trumps campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia, Sherman said in a statement. READ MORE: Donald Trump and James Comey A timeline It now seems likely that the president had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of (now-fired) National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe, he added. I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute obstruction of justice. Sherman has one co-sponsor, fellow Democrat Al Green of Texas. Democratic leaders have distanced themselves from the effort, believing it energises Trumps base. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders described the move as, utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst. The effort is likely to stall in the Republican-controlled congress. While a number of Republicans have rebuked Trump or expressed concern for various stumbles, there is no signal from either the House of Representatives or the Senate that their Republican leaders are prepared to begin impeachment proceedings. Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Washington, DC, said Shermans move was a protest statement that does formally initiate the process of impeachment, but its likely to stop right here where it started. She said Sherman had acknowledged this but had said that many more could join the impeachment effort at a further point in time. But speaking frankly, impeachment of Donald Trump is very unlikely as long as Republicans hold the majority in congress, said Zhou-Castro. Sherman filed the article a day after the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., acknowledged that he met a Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya during the campaign. Veselnitskaya met in June 2016 with Donald Trump Jr., who had agreed to the meeting after being promised damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton provided by the Russian government. Trump Jr. said he received no information about Clinton at the meeting. The president has questioned his own intelligence agencies and whether the Russians actually interfered in the election. However, federal authorities say they have definitive evidence that the Kremlin meddled in the US presidential election. Democrats press Sessions on Russian lawyers role Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday questioned the decision by the Trump administrations Department of Justice to settle a money-laundering forfeiture case with a Russian real estate investment firm that has ties to the Russian lawyer who met last year with President Donald Trumps son. Natalia Veselnitskaya represented the owner of Russian firm Prevezon Holdings Ltd. The letter sent by House Judiciary ranking member John Conyers and other Democrats asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether Veselnitskaya had been involved in settlement negotiations between the Russian firm and the Justice Department. READ MORE: Russias booming Trumpomania Prevezon agreed in May to pay $6m to the government to avoid a civil trial on charges that the firm had laundered proceeds from an alleged $230m Russian tax fraud scheme. Veselnitskaya represented Dennis Katsyv, Prevezons owner. Katsyv backed a lobbying campaign in congress and with federal officials last year that was aimed at scuttling the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law that used sanctions to target officials and associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government. The House Democrats also asked why the Department of Justice settled with Prevezon two days before trial and asked whether Trump, his family or other aides contacted the justice department about its case against Prevezon. The Democrats asked for copies of any messages showing such contacts. Its a lot to unpack, but what it boils down to is that this is a troubling development that asks whether there is yet another link in this very tangled web that seemingly connects Trumps very inner circle with Russia, said Al Jazeeras Zhou-Castro. Egyptian Christians have been told to cancel all events and activities outside churches in July due to security threats. Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christians have been told by church leaders to cancel all events and activities outside churches in July because of a security threat, church and security sources said on Thursday. The warning followed an attack in May by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group on Copts travelling to a monastery in central Egypt that killed 29 people. A month earlier, 44 people were killed in bomb attacks at a cathedral and another church on Palm Sunday. Sources said the warning was given to individual church leaders by a representative of the Coptic Orthodox Pope. Copts on trips or youth camps had been told to cut short their activities and return home early. OPINION: Holy Week for Egypts Copts will never be the same A Coptic church official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters that his church received oral instructions this week, nothing written, to prevent panic, he said. The source said the church was provided with more security forces to secure the gates of the church this week. Coptic Church spokesman Bolus Halim confirmed the moratorium on some activities to AFP news agency Security officials, pastors and other activists told the Associated Press news agency that a warning was delivered to church representatives during a meeting this week with top army and security commanders in the southern city of Assiut. They have also been told that army troops backed by armoured vehicles and snipers would be deployed outside monasteries hosting major religious festivals in coming weeks. The Egyptian Catholic church said it got similar instructions. The church complied with the interior ministers decision to cancel church trips and camps until further notice, Father Rafik Greish, a spokesman for the Coptic Catholic Church, told Reuters late on Thursday. The Reverend Andrea Zaki, head of the Egyptian Evangelical Church, told AFP news agency that his demoninations outside events were cancelled, although church services were not affected. We are talking about conferences and travel for religious events, for three weeks, because we have information in cooperation with the responsible agencies that attempts to attack have been detected, he said. READ MORE: Attacks on Copts in Sinai a message from ISIL Egypt faces an insurgency led by the ISIL group in the Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed since 2013. At least 23 soldiers were killed last week when suicide car bombs tore through two military checkpoints in the region in an attack claimed by ISIL. It was one of the bloodiest assaults on security forces in years. But ISIL has also intensified attacks in the mainland in recent months, often targeting Coptic Christians. About 100 Copts have been killed since December. Investigators say Maryam Nawaz presented certified documents typed in font that was unavailable at time of writing. A typeface is at the heart of a Pakistani scandal after investigators accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs daughter of presenting forged documents to a corruption probe against the Sharif family. Microsofts Calibri font was used to type certified papers naming Maryam Nawaz as a trustee of several high-end flats in central London. But the papers were dated a year before Calibri was in widespread commercial use. The properties, bought using offshore companies, are at the centre of a case against the Sharif family, with authorities and the opposition questioning the legitimacy of funds used to buy the apartments. Maryam Nawaz, Sharifs political heir, claimed she did not own the flats. In a report issued earlier this week, investigators tasked by Pakistans Supreme Court to look into the allegations said the documents she submitted were falsified as they were dated February 2006 and the font in which they were typed in was not released until 2007. The controversy over the flats erupted last year with the Panama Papers leaks and could unseat Sharif. READ MORE: Pakistan court resumes Sharif corruption hearings The joint investigative team (JIT) based its conclusion on an assessment by Londons Radley Forensic Document Laboratory. Dubbed #Fontgate, the revelation set Pakistani social media alight with jokes and memes. Today #calibri was searched more than porn in Pakistan sherry (@CherieDamour_) July 11, 2017 Who cares about Covfefe when the entire government can crumble due to #Calibri! ConceptuAli (@aliakberhabib) July 11, 2017 #Calibri font was introduced in 2007 but the 'Innovative Sharif Family' used it in 2006. Microsoft pe bhi qabza kar lia? #FontGate pic.twitter.com/sXz4RlFgRv Safi Ullah (@safigraphy) July 11, 2017 The uproar has also added fuel to calls for the prime minister to step down, a demand Sharif on Thursday rejected. Journalist Mubashir Zaidi said Sharif should now write his resignation in Calibri font. PM should now inaugurate 420MW 'Isteefa' dam (damn) #GameOverNawaz #PanamaJIT And that too written in #Calibri font Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) July 12, 2017 In another twist, Twitter users noted the Wikipedia entry for Calibri had been edited repeatedly following the revelations. The online encyclopaedia has since temporarily suspended edits to its page on Calibri. Typeface designer weighs in Supporters of Sharifs ruling PML-N party argued that Calibri has been publicly available since 2004. But the fonts creator, a Dutch designer named Lucas De Groot, told the AFP news agency in a statement that it was unlikely Calibri had been used in any official documents in 2006. [In] my opinion the document in question was produced much later, he said. De Groot said he began designing Calibri in 2002 and sent the finalised version to Microsoft in 2004. After that, he said, it was used in beta versions that would have required serious effort to obtain. READ MORE: A new life after bonded labour in Pakistan Maryam Nawaz, herself a regular Twitter user, has not yet commented publicly on the Calibri claim, though she vowed the JIT report itself would be decimated in court. Sharifs PML-N party insists the wealth used to buy the properties was acquired legally, through family businesses in Pakistan and the Gulf. But the JIT report said there was a significant disparity between the Sharifs income and lifestyle. The Sharif family has consistently denied the allegations against it and rejected the JIT report. The Supreme Court is considering its next steps and will begin deciding what action to take next week. Human Rights Watch raises alarm over Orwellian reality in the Gulf as critics are arrested in the first half of 2017. The governments of several Gulf nations continued a crackdown on critics during the first half of 2017, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. In a statement on Wednesday, the international rights organisation condemned the suppression of free speech by Gulf states amid the ongoing rift between Qatar and three of its GCC neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. HRWs report listing targeted dissidents comes after a Bahraini court on July 10 sentenced human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to two years in prison on charges of broadcasting false news in a series of tweets. READ MORE: Nabeel Rajab sentenced to two years in jail At a time when the Gulf states open political divisions have rarely been more serious, these countries remain stubbornly united in their collective assault on their citizens right to free speech, said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRWs Middle East director. Gulf states are reaching a new level of Orwellian reality when they throw citizens in jail for both criticising other Gulf nations and voicing public support for them, she said. Hundreds of dissidents, including political activists, human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and bloggers are imprisoned across the region, according to the group. Among those detained is Saudi computer engineer Essam Koshak, who has been awaiting charges since January this year. OPINION: The case against Can journalists be activists? Rajab, the cofounder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), has spent several periods in prison for criticising the Bahraini government. He was arrested in June over tweets that condemned the Saudi-led war in Yemen and Bahrains treatment of prisoners. Amnesty International denounced the latest sentencing of Rajab, saying it exposes a relentless campaign by authorities in Bahrain to wipe out dissent. Meanwhile, Emirati engineering student Ahmed Mansoor was arrested in March on the orders of the Public Prosecution for cybercrimes in the UAE. In addition to direct repression, Gulf governments have acquired and deployed surveillance technology to track and monitor citizens online activity, including Mansoors, HRW said. Gulf states are intimidating, surveilling, imprisoning, and silencing activists as part of their all-out assault on peaceful criticism, Whitson said. They should stop blocking Gulf citizens from using social and other media to push for positive reforms. Of the 119 people Human Rights Watch listed in an interactive website of targeted human rights activists created in November 2016, just one was from Qatar. Mohammed Rashid al-Ajami, who was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly insulting the emir of Qatar in 2011, was pardoned in March 2016. Huge violation Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar has denied the allegation. To stem the flow of negative reactions, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain took steps to curb their citizens expression of opinions that oppose their policies. The UAE said any objections to its measures against Qatar or expression of sympathy with Doha would be considered a crime. Committing such a crime would result in a prison sentence of between three and 15 years and a fine of no less than $136,000 (500,000AED), whether on a social media platform or via any written or spoken medium, the UAE said. The criminalisation of sympathy with Qatar was also implemented in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The decision to punish citizens is a huge violation of freedom of speech and information that could have serious implications, said Alexandra El Khazen, head of the Middle East and North Africa desk at Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organisation promoting press freedom. New Delhi says its position to address issues with Islamabad in a bilateral framework has not changed. India has rejected Chinas offer to mediate and help resolve the Kashmir issue, insisting talks will only take place with Pakistan without the intervention of another nation. China had said it was willing to play a constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control, a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir valley between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. However, talking to reporters on Thursday, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs turned down Chinas offer. We are ready to talk Kashmir with Pakistan, but no third-party mediation, Gopal Baglay said. Our stand is absolutely clear. You are aware that the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country that threatens peace and stability in the country, region, and the world. OPINION: Resistance is a way of life for Kashmiri youth Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community. The comments came at a time when India and China are disagreeing over the construction of a road in the Doklam area near the Sikkim state of India. Pakistans Foreign Office, meanwhile, said the countrys government believed in resolving all issues through dialogue. The UN chief, the US president, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue, said the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria. READ MORE: Outrage over India award for human shield soldier Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is administered by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. Pakistan and India have fought three wars since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Two of those wars have been over Kashmir. Kashmiri resistance groups have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with Pakistan. More than 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in the conflict since 1989. India maintains more than half a million troops in the disputed region. Announced by the US Middle East envoy, the deal will give occupied West Bank and Gaza 32.9 billion litres annually. Israel and the Palestinian Authority have reached a water-sharing deal to bring relief to parched Palestinian communities, in a breakthrough announced during the latest visit to the region by the US Middle East envoy. The deal announced by Jason Greenblatt, the US Middle East representative, in Jerusalem on Wednesday would give Palestinian territories about a quarter of its annual water needs at a reduced rate. Israels Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi and Mazin Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, were also present when the deal was announced. Greenblatt said that with the deal, Israel would provide the West Bank and Gaza Strip with 32 million cubic metres, or 32.9 billion litres, of water annually in the immediate future. READ MORE: Israel Water as a tool to dominate Palestinians The $900m pipeline project is expected to be completed in almost five years. It is part of a larger plan, which includes Jordan, to send water through the pipeline from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. Water is an extremely political issue between Israeli and Palestinian officials, Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from West Jerusalem, said. The Palestinians made it clear that while they welcome this particular deal, it doesnt affect the status of the negotiations in terms of final settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. The US, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators hope the deal could also pave the way for a return to negotiations between the two sides, after talks collapsed in 2014. Palestinians suffer from water shortages and say the unequal distribution of water resources favours Israel. Ghunaim said 22 million cubic metres would go to the occupied West Bank, while 10 million would go to Gaza. This will reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people and the crises that they are living through that have increased this summer, he said. In 2013, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians signed a memorandum of understanding on the water project that included plans to build a desalination plant at the Red Sea. Hanegbi said the wider agreement was the most ambitious in the history of the region. It will supply [a] significant amount of water to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians, said Hanegbi. All of us in this room proved that water can serve as means for reconciliation, for prosperity, for cooperation, rather than be a cause for tension and dispute. Since it occupied the West Bank in 1967, Israel has laid hands on Palestinian water resources through water-sharing agreements that prevented Palestinians from maintaining or developing their water infrastructure through its planning and permit regime. As a result, thousands of Palestinians are unable to access sufficient water supplies and became water-dependent on Israel. An Israeli military court has sentenced Palestinian politician and human rights activist Khalida Jarrar to six months of administrative detention. The ruling on Wednesday came after Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was arrested from her home in a pre-dawn raid at the beginning of the July by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. A court hearing on July 17 is expected to affirm her administrative detention sentence, which is a form of internment without trial or charge that is subject to indefinite renewal. Jarrar, 54, was previously imprisoned for 15 months before her release in June 2016. Israel had charged her with offences relating to her activism and membership of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine which Israel considers a terrorist organisation and had accused her of inciting violence. Prisoner rights group Addameer, of which Jarrar is the vice-chairperson of the board of directors, released a statement following her most recent arrest calling for her release. The arrest of Khalida Jarrar constitutes an attack against Palestinian political leaders and Palestinian civil society as a whole, the statement said. It also constitutes one arrest in the context of continuous arrest campaigns against Palestinians. READ MORE: Khalida Jarrars arrest condemned by Palestinian groups In a statement after Jarrars arrest on July 2, the Israeli army said that her arrest was not related to her position as a member of the PLC, but to her activities within the PFLP. At least 13 Palestinian politicians are currently imprisoned in Israeli jails. At least nine of them are being held without charge under administrative detention, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies. Liu Xiaobo, who is serving a sentence over subversion, suffers from cancer and is being treated at a Shenyang hospital. China on Thursday resisted fresh international pleas to let cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo seek treatment abroad after the latest hospital updates suggested the democracy champion was close to death. The United States and Germany voiced concerns over the 61-year-old writer, who remains in custody at a heavily guarded hospital in northeastern China, where doctors say his breathing and organs were failing. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated the governments standard line: We hope relevant countries can respect the judicial sovereignty of China and refrain from interfering in Chinas internal affairs under the pretext of an individual case. In a statement Wednesday, the First Hospital of China Medical University said Liu needed artificial ventilation to stay alive, but his family declined. READ MORE: Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo in critical condition Human rights groups have decried the lack of independent reports about Lius health, accusing the authorities of manipulating information as the hospitals website has been the only source of medical updates. US officials want Chinese authorities to allow Liu Xiaobo and his family the freedom to choose his medical care. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said from Washington: We remain concerned that both Mr Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing. Liu was diagnosed with liver cancer in May while serving an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion after he helped to write a petition known as Charter 08 calling for basic human rights and sweeping political reforms. He was convicted in 2009 of inciting subversion for calling for political reform and was awarded the Nobel Prize a year later while serving his sentence. Sanders urged China to grant him full parole and release his wife from house arrest. Need to act While Chinas censorship makes it difficult to assess Lius support, he is a hero for many liberals in China, even if few will speak out for him, a Chinese editor at an online publication said, declining to be named. I am really not sure if its accurate to claim he is unknown to the public, [or if] people are just too scared to show their knowledge [of Liu], the editor said. I call on #Beijing to free #LiuXiaobo & allow him to seek treatment wherever he wishes. #Taiwan willing to provide any medical assistance Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) July 12, 2017 Despite the restrictions, internet posters have written in support of Liu and his cause, using variations on his name to avoid the censors. When it comes to freedom, comes to constitutional government, we have talked too much, now we need to act, read one comment on the micro-blogging platform Weibo. Situations like Liu Xiaobos are still a worry, but we nevertheless need people to act, bravely face the risk of death and act. Meanwhile, Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei says Chinas imprisonment of Liu is a shame for the Chinese government and a shame for the international community. Ai told The Associated Press in Germany that he has been friends with Liu since the 1980s. He described Liu as a very soft and intellectual kind of scholar who was falsely accused and wrongly imprisoned for openly discussing the countrys future. Ai said Liu is one of many dissidents being oppressed in China. Chinas Nobel peace laureate, diagnosed with liver cancer while serving an 11-year sentence, died at the age of 61. Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel peace laureate who spent almost a quarter of his life behind bars in China for advocating human rights and democracy, has died at the age of 61. Liu, a prominent dissident since the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, died from multiple organ failure on Thursday, having not been allowed to leave the country for treatment for late-stage liver cancer. He became the first Nobel peace prize winner since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky to die in custody. Liu was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May while serving an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion. Last month he was granted medical parole and moved to a hospital in Shenyang, where he was reportedly treated in an isolated ward under armed guard. China resisted a global outcry supporting his wish to travel abroad for medical treatment, insisting that Liu was receiving the best care possible. News of Lius death has triggered an outpouring of dismay among his friends and supporters. There are only two words to describe how we feel right now: grief and fury, family friend and activist Wu Yangwei, better known by his penname Ye Du, said. The only way we can grieve for Xiaobo and bring his soul some comfort is to work harder to try to keep his influence alive. No enemies A prolific political essayist and poet, Liu co-authored the pro-democracy manifesto Charter 08 in 2008. The charter attracted 10,000 signatures before Lius arrest. In a statement that he had hoped to read out in court when he was sentenced, Liu wrote that he had no enemies and did not regret speaking out. What I demanded of myself was this: Whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility and dignity, he said. READ MORE: China grants parole to Nobel Liu Xiaobo A scholar of Chinese literature and philosophy, Liu came to prominence following the 1989 pro-democracy protests centred in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, which he called a major turning point in his life. At that time, Liu was a visiting scholar at Columbia University in the US. He rushed early to Beijing to join the movement that was sweeping the country and which the Communist Party regarded as a grave challenge to its authority. On the night of June 3-4, when armoured vehicles and soldiers closed in on Tiananmen Square, Liu and others negotiated with the military for the safe passage of hundreds of students. The military crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people. Without Liu and his friends, the bloodshed might have been worse. Days later, he was arrested and spent nearly two years in detention. After his release, he was offered asylum in Australia but refused. He lost his teaching position with Beijing Normal University and was prohibited from publishing again in China, a move he described as losing his beloved lecturn. Long struggle Liu was detained for the second time in 1995 after drafting a plea for political reform. The following year, he was sentenced to three years in a labour camp for his writings in support of freedom of speech and religion. It was during that time that he married Liu Xia, a poet and artist. In the statement he wrote for his trial, he described his love for her as boundless. Dearest, with your love, I will calmly face the impending trial, with no regrets for my choices, and will look forward with hope to tomorrow, he wrote. In 2010, while Liu was serving his fourth and final sentence, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which recognised his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The award enraged Chinas government, which condemned it as a political farce. Within days, his wife was put under house arrest. Lius absence at the prize ceremony in Oslo was marked by an empty chair for him and another for his wife. Albert Ho, who heads the Hong Kong Alliance organising protests in Lius support, said Chinas efforts to erase Liu from peoples memory would fail. Dont underestimate the power of the internet And dont underestimate the people, he said. People are not living in an open society in China, so you never know. Opposition supporters in Harare protest against what they say are plans to rig presidential elections next year. Police in Zimbabwe fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse scores of opposition supporters demanding fair elections next year. Around 100 young supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) took to the streets of Harare on Wednesday to protest against what they say are plans by the countrys electoral body to ensure a victory for 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe. Riot police attempted to stop protesters from marching in the city centre, firing tear gas canisters and water at activists and shoppers from police trucks. Some young people set fire to cardboard on the streets but police quickly doused the flames with water. Heavily armed police officers brutally crushed our peaceful demonstration, MDC youth secretary general Lovemore Chinoputsa said in a statement. Al Jazeeras Haru Mutasa, reporting from Harare, said: There is a nationwide ban on protesting. People are not allowed to come out to the streets and show that they are angry. A truck spraying water cannon fired towards our correspondent as she was reporting. Riot police and water cannon trucks are driving around the city trying to disperse people. People are running for cover, Mutasa said. Police spokesman Paul Nyathi said some people who had been causing disturbances were arrested. The MDC wants the electoral commission to create a new voters roll and increase the number of locations where voters can register in urban strongholds. Morgan Tsvangiri, the opposition leader, says he is worried Mugabes Zanu-PF party wants to rig the elections. Zimbabweans denied voting rights for 37 years People went out there to fight for one person, one vote to empower Zimbabweans, he said. Over the last 37 years [Zanu PF has] denied Zimbabweans the right to vote. They have put all efforts at preventing Zimbabweans from voting. According to the constitution adopted in 2013, Mugabe is allowed to run for a final five-year term next year. He has been in power since independence in 1980. Mugabe denies allegations of vote rigging. Tsvangiris plans to stage a fourth attempt to try and remove Mugabe from power next year, but some analysts say his party needs a new strategy. The MDC has not been able to fully utilise the capital they have, popular support and the critical numbers of masses following them, Earnest Mudzengi, director of the Media Centre, a training organisation for journalists, told Al Jazeera. Mugabe is currently in Singapore for medical treatment. As son comes under fire, Trump says most would accept meeting Russian lawyer offering damaging information on Clinton. US President Donald Trump has defended his son, who is under fire for meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign, saying most would have taken that meeting in a heartbeat. The US presidents comments come as Donald Trump Jr faces criticism over meeting the lawyer, who allegedly said she had compromising information on Hillary Clinton that could help with the 2016 election campaign. No I didnt know about [the meeting], Trump told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday. I didnt know, until a couple of days ago, when I heard about this, he said. On Tuesday, Trump Jr released an email chain from June 2016 that shows him discussing plans to hear damaging information on his fathers political rival, Clinton, which was described by a British publicist who arranged the meeting as part of Russia and its governments support for Trump. Trump: Most would take that meeting Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort met the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, on June 9, 2016. Trump Jr has said the meeting was a waste of time, but has come under fire amid ongoing investigations into Trumps alleged ties with Russia during the election. Veselnitskaya has said she never had information on Clinton. READ MORE: US Senate begins hearing on Russia involvement in US elections During Wednesdays interview with Reuters, the US president defended his son by repeatedly saying anyone in his position would have done the same thing. If you got a call and said, Listen I have information on Hillary and the DNC, or whatever it was they said, most people are going to take that meeting, I think, he said. The president also described the campaign as a wild time during which his team met with many people. Colluding with the Kremlin Democrats and some Republicans have called the revelations regarding the June 2016 meeting disturbing and proof the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. Congress and a special prosecutor, or counsel, are currently investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election and tipped the results in Trumps favour, accusations the Kremlin denies. On Wednesday, Trump called the allegations a hoax made up by the Democrats, a statement he has made in the past. Also on Wednesday, California Democratic Senator Brad Sherman filed an article of impeachment against Trump, accusing the US president of obstructing investigations into Russian meddling in the election, in part by firing former FBI Director James Comey. While the article does formally start the impeachment process, the effort is likely to stall in the Republican-controlled congress. READ MORE: NYT Trump Jr knew of Kremlin efforts to aid campaign Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee questioned the decision by the Trump administrations justice department to settle a money-laundering forfeiture case with a Russian real estate investment firm that has ties to Veselnitskaya. The letter sent by House Judiciary ranking member John Conyers and other Democrats asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether Veselnitskaya had been involved in settlement negotiations between the Russian firm and the Department of Justice. The House Democrats also asked whether Trump, his family, or other aides contacted the justice department about its case against the Russian firm. The Trump administration is yet to respond to the letter. Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Washington, DC, said the development is a lot to unpack. But what it boils down to is that this is a troubling development that asks whether there is yet another link in this very tangled web that seemingly connects Trumps very inner circle with Russia, Zhou-Castro said. US Secretary of State wraps up GCC trip after travelling to Doha for the second time in 48 hours. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called for direct talks between Saudi Arabia-led group and Qatar, as he wrapped up a four-day mission to solve the Gulf crisis. Before leaving for Washington, Tillerson returned to Doha on Thursday to meet Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator. Based on his meetings, the secretary believes that getting the parties to talk directly to one another would be an important next step, US State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said on Thursday. We look forward to that happening, she said without giving a specific timeline. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remain high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of funding terrorism and is being too close to Iran allegations Qatar has repeatedly denied. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar on June 5. Al Jazeeras Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Doha, said officials do not expect the crisis to end in the near future. Qatars foreign minister and the Kuwaiti mediator seem to have been exploring new ideas that could be the framework for any future deal, but weve been told that its not happening any time soon, he said. Tillerson has left Doha but the Qatari government officials stance remains that they wont negotiate anything unless the embargo is lifted. At the same time, they are open to anything that is not considered infringing on their sovereignty. Tillersons clearest achievement has been to secure a memorandum of understanding with Qatar to strengthen its counterterrorism efforts. READ MORE: Bob Corker Saudi terrorism support dwarfs Qatars Since Qatar signed the memorandum of understanding with the US, newspapers owned by Saudi Arabia and the UAE have lashed out at Tillerson, blaming him to be leaning towards Qatar and describing the shuttle diplomacy as something that is not going to come up with any tangible results, Ahelbarra said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to arrive in the region over the next few days. The anti-Doha quartet is holding fast to its insistence that Qatar bow to a 13-point list of demands that includes shutting down Qatars Al Jazeera Media Network, sever all alleged ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with other groups, including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and ISIL (also known as ISIS), limiting Qatars ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country. READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands unrealistic. On Thursday, a human rights group said abuses were caused by the Saudi-led groups blockade. Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries orders or leaving behind their families and job, said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. The US and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the worlds oil supplies. Foreign Affairs article says Riyadhs leadership has a penchant for overplaying its hand in the region. Saudi Arabias and its Arab allies move to impose a political and economic blockade on Qatar has plunged the Middle East into further discord, a leading foreign policy magazine published by the US-based Council on Foreign Relations said. In an article published on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs magazine said the missteps committed by the Saudi-led group pushed Doha directly into Iran and Turkeys hands, noting that the many of its demands were based on false premises. The blockade is unlikely to result in Qatar returning to the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] fold. Rather, it will essentially affirm that the new leadership in Saudi Arabia has a penchant for overplaying its hand, Bassima Alghussein and Jeffrey A Stacey wrote in the article. READ MORE: Qatars reaction in full to the Gulf diplomatic crisis In addition to Saudi Arabia driving Qatar closer to Iran, its behavior has weakened the GCC a body that is fundamental for regional stability and commerce. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain slapped sanctions on Qatar on June 5, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states regional rival Iran allegations that Doha has repeatedly denied. On June 22, the group issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of the Doha-based Al Jazeera network, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country, as a prerequisite to lift the sanctions. Doha refused to accept the list of demands. Kuwaits Emir Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah is currently trying to mediate in the dispute. Foreign diplomats, including US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Britains Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, have visited the region and held talks with officials from the affected countries. Stare-down With no prospect of the dispute being resolved soon, the stare-down will continue apace, the Foreign Affairs article said. Because Qatar complied with none of the GCCs demands, the gambits lack of coherence is being laid bare. Without a plan B, immediate escalation is unlikely to transpire. Instead, it is probable that both sides will go forward for the time being in a state of mutual diplomatic paralysis. The article also pointed out that while the blockading countries are demanding that Qatar cut its relationship with Iran, the UAE continues to maintain a relationship with Tehran. The UAEs relationship with Iran is tolerated because the Emirates, by and large, do not challenge Saudi hegemony in the region. Conversely, Qatar is viewed as having outsized ambitions and is perceived to regularly undermine Saudi predominance. Qatar has repeatedly said that while it is willing to talk with its Gulf neighbours to resolve the rift, it will not change its independent foreign policy. US Navy veteran Richard Rojas mowed down pedestrians in New York, killing a woman and injuring 22 others in May. The man accused of killing a woman and injuring 22 others by using his car to cut a three-block swath through the crowded sidewalks of New Yorks Times Square denied all charges related to the May attack, prosecutors said. Richard Rojas, 26, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and first and second-degree assault, prosecutors said. Dressed in a beige jail uniform, Rojas mostly looked down at the defence table during his arraignment on Thursday for the May 18 melee. Rojas, a Navy veteran, drove his Honda sedan down Seventh Avenue and made a U-turn, mowing down pedestrians on sidewalks before crashing, prosecutors said. Alyssa Elsman, an 18-year-old woman visiting from Michigan, was killed, while 22 other pedestrians suffered various injuries, some serious. READ MORE: Deadly car-ramming in New Yorks Times Square After the car crashed, the driver was subdued by onlookers and police as he tried to flee on foot. The mother of one of the victims, high-school student Jessica Williams, who was badly injured, sat in court and cried during the brief hearing with two others, including a man who gave Rojas the finger as he left court. Rojas attorney said outside court it was a terrible thing that happened. But how we handle this type of a case will determine how civilised of a society we are, said defence attorney Enrico DeMarco. Photographers snapped pictures of a wild-eyed Rojas after he climbed from the wrecked car and ran through the street waving his arms. He later told police he had been smoking marijuana laced with the hallucinogen PCP. According to prosecutors, Rojas said he wanted to kill them all. Rojas has several previous criminal convictions. He pleaded guilty shortly before the crash to harassment in the Bronx after he was accused of pulling a knife on a notary in his home. He also had two previous drink driving convictions. While serving in the Navy in 2013, he spent two months in a military jail, though records do not disclose the reason. Leaders of the US and France set aside differences on climate change in their meeting and focused on counterterrorism. US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron set aside lingering differences on climate change during their meeting in France on Thursday, asserting that it shouldnt prevent them from working together towards a post-war plan for Syria and to enhance Middle East security. Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday to meet with Macron and tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and discuss broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump on Friday will participate in Bastille Day celebrations and commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I before returning to Washington. Today we face new threats from rogue regimes like North Korea, Iran and Syria, and the governments that finance and support them. We also face grave threats from terrorist organisations, Trump told a press conference. READ MORE: Leaders warn Trump against Paris deal withdrawal We renew our resolve to stand united against these enemies of humanity and to strip them of their territory, their funding, their networks and ideological support. Trump, standing alongside Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have occasional disagreements but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution. He remained non-committal about the US eventually rejoining the global climate agreement that bears Paris name, telling Macron, If it happens that will be wonderful, and if it doesnt that will be OK too. Trump announced last month that he was pulling the US from the international Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Macron, playing host to Trump ahead of the annual Bastille Day celebrations, acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation. Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from Paris, said the two leaders were determined to work towards a post-war plan for Syria. I think the most significant developments in this meeting are with regard to the long-running war in Syria as fresh negotiations start with the UN mediating in Geneva, he said. READ MORE: Macron, Trump and the Middle East Interesting new comments coming from both the US and French president: Trump saying that the ceasefire that came into force on Sunday is holding. He believes no bullet has been fired, he said there could be a new ceasefire and in a very optimistic comment he said he can see a time soon where there will be no bullets fired at all anywhere in Syria. From the French president, he said that he is prepared to work in the future with representative of [Syrian] President Assad. Trump, Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders huddled last week in Hamburg, Germany during a summit of the worlds leading rich and developing nations. Merkel and Macron met again on Thursday in Paris, before Macrons meeting with Trump. Merkel said during a joint appearance with Macron that it was important they keep talking with Trump, even where the differences between them are clear. She said last weeks summit showed that common ground exists, for example, on fighting terrorism, but that we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not. Speaking in Paris after a bilateral meeting with Macron, Trump reiterated that his administration would pursue trade deals that were reciprocal and fair, adding that discussions on accords with China were under way. A UAE minister says Emirates sought fundamental change and restructuring and not shutting down Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia and three other Arab countries that have imposed a political and economic blockade on Qatar are to drop their demand that the Al Jazeera Media Network be shut down. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar on June 5. The anti-Doha quartet then issued a 13-point list of demands that included shutting down Al Jazeera Media Network, severing all ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with other groups, including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and ISIL (also known as ISIS), limiting Qatars ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country. In an interview published by The Times newspaper on Wednesday, Noura al-Kaabi, the UAE minister for the federal national council, said the Emirates sought fundamental change and restructuring of Al Jazeera rather than to shut it. The staff at the channel can keep their jobs and Qatar can still fund a TV channel but not one which provides a platform for extremists and where the English channel is a protective shield for the much more radical Arabic one, Kaabi told The Times. She also said that the Saudi-led group was ready to negotiate with Qatar. We need a diplomatic solution. We are not looking for an escalation. The group previously called the list of demands non-negotiable. In response to the concessions expressed by the UAE minister, Al Jazeera Media Network rejected outside intervention. READ MORE: Arab states issue 13 demands to end Qatar-Gulf crisis Al Jazeera Media Network rejects any external intervention pertaining to its organisational structure or journalistic mission, and reiterates its independence & professional editorial stance, the Network said in a statement. Al Jazeera continues to stand by journalists and media institutions globally for their right to practise journalism without fear or intimidation. One of the cornerstones of free media is ensuring its ability to operate independently, without interference or censorship from governments or any other party. Over the past 20 years, Al Jazeera has demonstrated its editorial independence and refusal to bow down to pressures from anyone, serving as a testament to our commitment to the universal values of journalism. Its clear that recent attempts by governments in the region and elsewhere to throttle the independence of the media is being met by condemnation by all international media institutions, with an urgent demand for an end to interference, intimidation, and threats. READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis All the latest updates Press freedom and human rights advocates, journalists and social media users from all over the world condemned the demand by the Saudi-led group to shut down Al Jazeera and other media outlets in Qatar, calling it unacceptable. We are really worried about the implication and consequences of such requirements if they will ever be implemented, Alexandra El Khazen, head of the Middle East and North Africa desk at Reporters Without Borders, said last month. Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, called the Saudi-led groups demand absurd. This is just an attempted expansion of the cowardly censorship they have inflicted on their own citizens, but it will fail, said Whitson. The Guardian newspaper, in an editorial published last month, said the demand was wrong, ridiculous and must be resisted, joining the growing chorus of voices raising concerns about suppression of press freedom in the Gulf. Zaur Dadayev and four others sentenced to jail for murdering Russian opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov, in 2015. A court in Russia has sentenced five men convicted of murdering opposition leader Boris Nemtsov to 20 years in jail. Of the convicts, Zaur Dadayev, a soldier from southwestern Russias predominantly Muslim republic of Chechnya, was handed the longest term on Thursday. Four other men, also Chechens, were convicted for various roles in the murder which sent shockwaves throughout Russias fragmented political opposition. They were sentenced to between 11 and 19 years, state media reported. The same court last month found the five men guilty of killing Nemtsov in 2015, but the late politicians allies said the investigation had been a cover-up and that the people who had ordered his killing remained at large. READ OPINION: Boris Nemtsovs last walk Nemtsov, a scathing critic of President Vladimir Putin, was murdered days before he was expected to lead a major opposition march. His death also came before the release of a controversial report implicating the Russian military in the conflict in Ukraine. Dadayev reportedly confessed early in the investigation to killing Nemtsov for insulting Islam and Chechnyas leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, but later recanted his confession. Al Jazeeras Andrew Simmons, reporting from Moscow, said the sentences do not resolve the case with Nemtsovs family insisting that the real perpetrators behind his murder are still on the loose. The family of Nemtsov feels they may never know who was actually responsible for his killing, he said. Another man, Ruslan Mukhudinov, who was named as the mastermind behind the attack by Russian investigators, has not been found and is on an international wanted list. Thursdays sentencing also coincided with a statement by the Russian investigation team which said that the motivation for the contract killing was financial. There were a lot of political aspects to this case that many people feel really havent been addressed, our correspondent said. With a lawyer by his side, State Sen. Keith Perry took the floor of a Tuesday morning county commission meeting as Citizen Perry to make one request. Perry, a Republican representing Floridas 8th district, wants to buy the Camp McConnell Outdoor Center. The problem, however, is that Alachua County just bought it. An old YMCA summer camp in Micanopy, Camp McConnell, was bought by the county at a June 22 auction with a $1.03 million bid and $237,000 down payment, Alachua County spokesperson Mark Sexton said. At Tuesdays meeting, Perry and his attorney, Patrice Boyes, told county commissioners that there were inconsistencies with how the county purchased the 210-acre outdoor property. Perry said his intention with the property would be to restore it to its original purpose of being a childrens camp to get kids outside, though he did not provide any further specific details. Boyes asked the board to consider requesting a 60-day extension past its July 22 contract deadline so there would be more time for Perry to negotiate an acquisition. She said the alternative would be legal action. Our only mechanism to stop the clock and stop the process is to ask for an injunction, and thats something we would very reluctantly do, Boyes said. After meeting with county attorney Michele Lieberman, the board denied Perrys offer, Sexton said. Anyone can sue anyone, Sexton said. The county has followed all applicable law in acquiring the Camp McConnell property. Sexton said after the meeting that many groups took interest in acquiring the camp at the auction, including the county, a group of former camp counselors and members from UFs Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The board directed county staff Tuesday to begin planning for public forums and an open house on the property sometime after August to get as much input from the public as possible in deciding how exactly to use the property going forward, Sexton said. Sexton said the county looks forward to hearing from Citizen Perry on how the camp should be used recreationally, as well as other residents opinions. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Nothing that happened yesterday is interrupting that process for us, he said. We are confident that there is no legal issue that will stop that. District I County Commissioner Mike Byerly said he doesnt like negotiating with the threat of legal action hanging over everyones head. I dont like negotiating under this kind of cloud, he said. District V County Commissioner Charles Chuck Chestnut raised issue with why Perry wants to acquire the camp when he wasnt present at the June 22 auction. I dont know why Senator Perry or his attorney was not there to participate in this process, Chestnut said. I dont understand why at this late date after the process has been done that one would approach us about this and question our intentions. Keith Perry On Wednesday afternoon in a final attempt to keep the Institute of Black Culture and the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures two separate buildings Jireh Davis marched. Davis joined more than 100 other UF students and alumni on a walk from Turlington Plaza to the Reitz Union. Collectively, the group was protesting plans made by Multicultural and Diversity Affairs staff to combine the IBC and the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures, commonly referred to as La Casita, in upcoming building renovations. Davis said that both black and Latinx students had to fight to have each institute built in the first place some of whom were kicked out of UF for protesting. Ben Anderson A tech in on Tuesday night in Turlington. Plans for renovating the IBC and La Casita have started as early as April 2016, when it was announced that the institutes would be torn down and rebuilt due to a presence of mold, termites, moisture and structural damage, according to Alligator archives. Davis, a UF African-American studies and political science junior, said since they were first built, the buildings were meant to represent two separate cultures. Now, she said she feels as though MCDA is attempting to combine the buildings, which would turn them into something else entirely. I think sometimes it takes somebody doing something really wild to create a change, but I think this might be that thing, the 20-year-old said about Wednesdays march. The Controversy, as some students have been calling it, began after a webinar June 28. At the meeting, MCDA staff and a renovation core committee presented its option of joining the two buildings in a U shape. Students at the webinar accused MCDA staff of not taking their opinions into consideration during the renovation process, many of them expressing their dislike of the conjoined design. In an effort to ensure their voices were heard, students took matters into their own hands, creating a public Facebook page entitled No La IBCita. On Tuesday, students held a teach-in to present the individual histories of each institute and why it is so important to keep the buildings separate. We didnt ask for this, Davis said. We just wanted (the institutes) to be rebuilt and renovated into something better and greater than what they already are. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Although the march was originally intended to start on Turlington Plaza and end at the IBC and La Casita, respectively located at 1510 and 1504 W. University Ave, student organizers decided to change course. The march instead commenced at the Reitz Union, where the renovation advisory committee which is made up of UF faculty, alumni and students was meeting to discuss the building plans one last time before making a final decision. Students who marched Wednesday chanted phrases such as Mama mama cant you see what UF has done to me and When brown faces are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back. Once inside the Reitz, about 40 protesters proceeded directly into the meeting, which was open to the public. They presented MCDA and the advisory committee with a petition to keep the institutes separate. It had nearly 1,000 signatures. Christopher Wilde, a student member on the advisory board, said he felt a rush of support and relief when protesters interrupted the meeting. It showed that students would not back down, he said. It was an amazing moment. It was solidarity again between the communities, and it was powerful, he said. Wilde said the executive director of MCDA, Will Atkins, attempted to adjourn the meeting as the protesters were coming in, claiming they were disrupting business and behaving in an uncivil manner. Protesters, however, explained they would remain silent if the advisory committee proceeded with the meeting. Atkins said he is appreciative of the opportunity to have students share their opinions. He also added that it is important for everyone in the process to realize that MCDA staff and the core committee are listening to multiple perspectives. We have an obligation to hear various perspectives, Atkins said. Wilde said he thinks the meeting continued only because it wouldve reflected negatively on MCDA staff if students werent allowed to listen in. At the meeting, one of the biggest issues discussed was the projects $5.3 million budget. Wilde said that, in the past, MCDA staff has cited a lack of funds for joining the buildings together something he doesnt believe. Theyve been using this idea that we cant have two buildings because of money, but the two building design is actually cheaper than the U shaped building, Wilde said. In regard to building design, Wilde said the core committee is expected to make their decision by July 19. Wilde said that although a final decision is looming, the fight for La Casita and the IBC has been going on since 1971 and likely wont end anytime soon. Im happy with how today went, Wilde said. But its just the beginning. Police arrested two Gainesville men Monday in relation to back-to-back drive-by shootings that occurred hours after the Fourth of July. On July 5 at about 3 a.m., three drive-by shootings occurred between 2 a.m. and 3:45 a.m., leaving two residents injured and one in serious condition, said Gainesville Police spokesperson Officer Ben Tobias. Johnathan Clyde Davis, 24, was arrested at about 7 p.m. Monday as the suspected shooter in the second drive-by shooting, which occurred at 300 NE 11th St., Tobias said. Tarayvious T. Washington, 20, was arrested Monday after being identified as the suspected driver in the same shooting. At about 3:12 a.m. July 5, Washington and Davis pulled into the Circle K gas station, located at 20 NE Waldo Road, and began arguing with four people standing outside a parked white Buick Verano, according to a GPD arrest report. At about the same time those four people drove away, two others in a white vehicle that looked similar to the Buick Verano pulled into the station, according to the report. When the two drove away, Washington and Davis followed them to a stop at the intersection of Northeast 11th Street and Northeast Third Avenue. According to the report, Davis got out of the car and shot nine bullets into the cars passenger side, striking one of the individuals in the neck. Washington told police he thought he was following the four individuals he argued with earlier at the gas station, and that was who he thought Davis was shooting at, according to the report. Police are still searching for a person of interest, an individual they believe was either at the scene of the shootings or has important knowledge on what happened. Tobias said the vehicle that Washington drove a white Buick Park Avenue was located by police and found to be registered under Davis wife. As of press time, both remain in the Alachua County Jail. Davis is being held on no bond and faces two charges of premeditated homicide, shooting into an occupied vehicle and possessing a weapon as a convicted felon. Washington is being held on a $1 million bond and also faces two charges of premeditated homicide and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Clyde Davis, 24 Tarayvious T. Washington, 20 When retired UF College of Dentistry professor Marc Gale heard about the Pulse nightclub shooting, the scholarship he wanted to create in his parents name changed. Its new purpose became about creating a real difference in his lifetime. I just want to set up something that is for students who are into human rights, especially either by actions or advocacy having to deal with the LGBTQ community, Gale said. The scholarship he plans to create will help UF dental school students who advocate for the LGBTQ+ community pay for their schooling. However, Gale said applicants dont have to be part of the community themselves. He said he wanted to create a scholarship for people who help others because he didnt see many scholarships like that. After Gale decided to create the scholarship, he reached out to LGBTQ+ alumni for cash donations and pledges. Pamela Sandow, the assistant dean of admissions and financial aid for the college, said the scholarships endowment fund has raised about $42,000 in cash and pledges. Dr. Gales generosity in starting the Gale Pride Scholarship reflects his passion toward helping his students, Sandow said. I know firsthand because I was one of those students years ago when I attended UFCD. However, UFs policy for scholarships states they are required to have $30,000 in cash before the money can be given to recipients. This year, because of this policy, Gale provided the $8,000 to be divided among 6 people himself. When he passes, his will will also give some of his money to the scholarship fund. Gale said he hopes the creation of this scholarship will play a small part in decreasing the prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community. I dont think it has been a cause that has been well addressed in professional education, he said. Professional schools dont have a tendency to address the needs of LGBTQ students. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Two major issues have been dominating our national politics, health care reform and the Russian investigation. This is, to put it mildly, stupid. Consider Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who tweeted Tuesday that the first three priorities for the country should be the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, namely with the Republican monstrosity that is the Better Care Reconciliation Act. The bill could decimate Medicaid in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy and kick more than 20 million people off their health insurance. Its an awful plan, and one that should outrage all Americans. If it passes, thousands will die. Murphy said that only as a fourth priority should the American people focus on the ongoing legal investigations into the Trump administration, namely those involving Russia. Of course, the issues need not be in competition with one another. In the past few days, The New York Times has reported that Donald Trump Jr., the presidents oldest and eponymous son, held a meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer to discuss possible dirt the lawyer had on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Times also reported an email that showed Trump Jr. was apprised that of the lawyers connection to the Russian government and insistence upon helping his father. Trump Jr. was enthusiastic. Suffice it to say, this is a pretty big deal. The revelations come on top of the ongoing special prosecutors investigation, led by Robert Mueller, into President Donald Trump, senior advisor to the president Jared Kushner, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort and so many others. Collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice, perjury, money laundering and violation of the Constitutions Emoluments Clause are all on the table. Tuesday, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who was Clintons running mate, even raised the specter of treason. While former President Franklin Roosevelt wanted to make medical care a constitutional right, the proposal of Trumpcare is not illegal. Collusion, obstruction of justice and the like are illegal. If Trump and his acolytes are able to skirt the rule of the law in this country, what does that say about us as a nation? What are the consequences of such a degradation of society? When former President Richard Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox in the Saturday Night Massacre, a scenario Trump may very well repeat with Mueller, Cox had choice words for the television cameras. Whether ours shall continue to be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people, Cox said at the time. The American people are called again to answer that question. The mid-'70s surely had its share of seminal, culture-deciding issues of political import. Watergate was a distraction from none. The conduct alleged this time around is worse. Watergate involved a botched attempt to steal documents from the Democratic National Committee. This scandal involves a successful scheme to do the same, though this time over the Internet. The leaked information arguably affected the result of the election. And most shamefully, the modern-day G. Gordon Liddy is the Kremlin. The question of our time, among others, is whether Trump and his campaign collaborated and colluded with the Kremlin to steal from the DNC and taint an American election. Such conduct, if occurred, is illegal. And so long as we are a government of laws, it is an affront to everything and anything that we hold dear if it is not zealously, fully and fairly investigated and prosecuted. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now To say we need to focus on Trumpcare to the detriment of this scandal is a dishonest choice. It is absolutely possible to care about two things at once. Though people like Murphy do have a point that the press needs to devote more attention to the former issue, it neednt be done to the detriment of this scandal. This is not a distraction. This is about the rule of law and dignity of our system of government. A version of this column by Noah Horwitz originally ran in the Daily Texan. Rarely do book-to-film adaptations do their job. Even more often, they fail to truly adapt the book to the audience who will see it. The Beguiled, however, is an adaptation that aims higher than most. The film is the second adaptation of Thomas Cullinans book. The story is set three years into the Civil War in Virginia and tells of a school for girls in which one student stumbles across a wounded Union soldier. She invites him to come to the house where he is greeted hesitantly by the other women. While at first he seems gentlemanly, he soon turns volatile after he sustains a life-altering injury from one of the women. The first adaptation, in 1971, is overwrought with sexism. The new adaption, directed by Sofia Coppola, while similar to the first adaptation, differs in several key parts, which lend themselves to the films current audience and political climate. Race is one of those key points. In the original story, Cullinan has one African-American slave and another biracial character, but in the current adaptation, the cast is completely white. The directorial reason for this, Coppola said, was that she didnt want to depict women of color in the same troubling light that characters in the film found themselves, especially because of the impressionable viewers who will watch the movie. In an article on Vulture, Angelica Jade Bastien, an essayist, critic and woman of color herself, tackles the issue of race in the film with the line, Theres a way to speak to racism and race itself without necessarily depicting the subjugation of people of color and the brutality weve experienced. Bastien didnt laud Coppola for her choice or call her film honest in its history; she identified the story as a white fairy tale that deserves to be examined closely. Another issue the film tackles is that of female empowerment. With an almost all-female cast and a female director, the role of feminism in this film should not be overlooked. The difference in the new film is that instead of turning on each other, as in the original, the women unite to keep each other safe when the soldiers charms turn to violence. You cant talk about this film without mentioning the pervasiveness of sex within it. Sex has a palpable presence within the film. Between the Union soldiers seduction and the coyness of the women, sexual tension mixed with Southern manners creates an internal tug of war between base desires and convention. The Beguiled is a slow burn that sometimes drags out pseudo-excitement and masks it through blaring gunshots and slamming doors. The films story depicts a fairytale, but its focus on unity among women is anything but fanciful. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now These are the times that try human understanding. How to explain the latest political demonstrations, three consecutive nights of rioting in July 2017 by large numbers in Hamburg, Germany during and after the end of the meeting of the Group of 20, leaders of democratic countries as well as those of Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia, a group that represents 80% of the world economy? Labelled by the media as an anti-globalization or anti-capitalist or anti-establishment manifestation, it was more like a noisy performance of the fictional Stop the world, I want to get off, as well as an illustration of the contemporary lack of understanding of political reality. One indication of this was that President Donald Trump was a target, though not the main one, of the protestors, purportedly against globalization. Yet, it was candidate Trump speaking in Monessen, Pennsylvania on June 28, 2016 who declared that Globalization has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very, very wealthy, but it has left millions of our workers with nothing but poverty and heartache. What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration, and in fact was so in part, deteriorated into a violent clash of the estimated 50-100,000 protestors with German police resembling a contemporary Hollywood action B film. They included many young people dressed in black, menacing clothes demonstrating their skills in activities such as bonfires in the streets, looting of shops, firebombs, setting fire to supermarkets, Molotov cocktails, smashing of windows, damage of cars, use of iron rods, tearing up pavements to use as projectiles against the police who responded with tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons. Several hundred were arrested or detained, while more than 200 police officers were injured. Many of media outlets depicted the protest demonstration as if it was a serious political statement, one denoting rejection of the international political and economic status quo, specifically the ongoing process of globalization. The protestors were skilled in the use of violence against police forces, but no clear serious message emerged from their large number, a motley group of members of some 160 organizations: anti-capitalists, anarchists, environmentalists, Kurds, Scottish socialists, human rights advocates, believers in global justice, and automatically those hostile to the Unites States. With their negative battle-cries, the group can be considered aligned against corporate globalization or economic neoliberalism, large multinational companies having political power, global trade agreements, profits made by large companies at the expense of environmental neglect, and positively for social justice. The initial problem is that the Hamburg rioters and likeminded others in the U.S. and elsewhere are rebels without a cause, since they have no clear ideological position either left or right but only inadequate or irresponsible attitudes to existing complex issues. Globalization is one, perhaps the most important one at present, of those complex and difficult problems. Since 1869, when the U.S. transcontinental railroad was completed, the U.S. has been linked with global markets and governmental support for globalization has existed. The global depression of 1929 and the U.S. Smoot-Hawley tariff disillusioned many and impeded change, but international institutional globalization increased after World War II with the creation of the World Bank, IMF, and later World Trade Organization, OECD, NAFTA, and more recently the emergence of sovereign wealth funds from Asia and the Middle East, the state-owned investment funds available from revenue from commodity exports or foreign exchange reserves. Are the Hamburg and other protestors calling for the end of these international bodies? Certainly, a legitimate case can be made that economic globalization tends to undermine national sovereignty, local decision making, and result in reduction of political and economic nationalism. In many countries, there is a general retreat from, or anxiety about, multiculturalism. Today, states put up barriers to trade and people as they control resources, increase protection. These tend to make global environmental accords on the issue of climate change more difficult. Restrictions on immigration have increased, not only in Western Europe and in the U.S., but also in India, against Burmese, Argentine, against Bolivians, and in South Africa against Zimbabweans. There are two interrelated problems in this matter. One is the absence of real alternative proposals to deal with the formidable issue of globalization. Instead there are false expectations for change and unreal ideals and then consequent disillusionment when they cannot be fulfilled. The other is that the process of politics, with compromise necessarily the outcome of competing interests, means disappointment for those with high expectations of policy changes. Grandiose proposals, imaginary or dreamlike, for the abolition of globalization or the capitalist system, cannot mask existing facts. Information technology, goods, and people are mobile across national boundaries, and new forms of information communication, especially the Internet, present problems. Western governments have had to focus on international security issues after 9/11. Nearly 80% of the worlds oil reserves are controlled by state-owned firms. The world is one of movement: fast transport, mobile capital, trade deals, shift from manufacturing to services, and increase in automation. States are bound by the need for state revenue, now a growing proportion of GDP because of universal social benefits, health, social security, pensions, and public services. An increasing proportion of national income is consumed by the state. Political systems, imperfect as they are and sometimes inefficient, incompetent, and corrupt, have to deal with these social and economic problems for which solutions are not easy. The need to govern is paramount but the present problem in many countries is the anger at present conditions, and disillusionment with established institutions and the elite. What results is cynicism, apathy, and even fatalism. Political leaders confront the positing of unreal ideals and promises that cannot be fulfilled in a world of complex issues, as well as the presence of competing groups which make the public interest difficult to discern. A healthy system requires, on one hand, restraint on public expectations, and on the other hand, restrictions on political promises that cannot be delivered; on both sides what is essential is willingness to compromise. Politicians, by the nature of their trade, must seek popular support yet are likely to be unpopular since they cannot fulfill the expectations of voters. Their task is made more difficult since the mainstream media, especially TV networks, interested in sound bites and constant negative reporting, tends to stress failure and crisis more than success. But politics is essential. It is worth going back to a fount of wisdom now appropriate to present day behavior regarding politics. Theodore Roosevelt spoke on "Citizenship in a Republic" at the Sorbonne, Paris on April 23, 1910. He argued that it is not the critic who counts, not the person who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena, who face is marred by dust and sweat and blood (thirty years before Winston Churchill used the same imagery during World War II), but who does actually strives to do the deeds... so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. The answer to the Hamburg and other protestors can only come from those who are prepared to be in the arena and are willing to quell the storm and ride the thunder. They should act on the basis of ideals, but not on those that are so high that they are impossible to realize. Linda Sarsour, a pro-sharia, progressive Islamic activist and former Director of the Arab American Association who also helped organize Januarys National Womens March (the one with the pink vagina hats) recently called for jihad against the tyrant Donald J. Trump in a speech to the Islamic Society of North America. Sarsour said, We are struggling against tyrants and rulers not only abroad in the Middle East and the other side of the world, but here in these United States of America where you have fascists and white supremacists and Islamophobes reigning in the White House. She also said in the speech, When I wake up every morning and remember who is sitting in the White House, I am outraged. Wow, she must be tons of fun at a party. Of course, Sarsour explained how Americans are just too stupid to understand the nuance in her call to jihad. No, no, no, you silly little American dolts, she wasnt calling for violence, you dont understand -- its Trump who is calling for violence by insisting he serves out the presidential term he was duly elected to serve. His refusal to resign or commit suicide, or whatever gets him out of office is the real violence here. Im afraid that most progressives agree with her. Well if she wants jihad, I say we give it to her. We are in a battle for the very soul of the nation. Accept her declaration as is without being percipient to the underlying threat and we will be well on our way to losing. Its not just us who will lose, its the entire world -- there is no one nation or even group of nations with the moral clarity and bravery to replace America as the last best hope for humanity. If we accept her call to jihad as nonviolent, then calling for jihad against her personally is not a call to violence either. There are many good Muslims in America today, who are grateful for the opportunity this nation gives them to live a better life. Still, it seems to me that some Muslims come to this country and refuse to assimilate (Sarsour says they shouldnt). They want Americans to change for them and then when people refuse, the get angry and call for jihad. They want our women in tents and veils with their genitals mutilated, while all LBGTs are thrown to their death from the rooftops. In short, they want us to obey sharia law. Sharia gives infidels (anyone not a Muslim) three choices to coexist with Islam (the religion of peace): convert, pay, or die. If this was their game plan, than they should have never come here. Yet, the left champions their right to not assimilate and backs their desire to force us to change our nation, our society, and our values to accommodate them. In other words, liberals think there is nothing wrong the extinguishment of Western civilization as embodied by America. Sorry, but America is doing just fine the way we are. Its not us who need saving, at least not yet. President Donald Trump gave a speech extolling the value of Western civilization and culture to the world and the entire progressive media and academic enterprise reacted in an apoplectic frenzy. Yet, Sarsour calls for jihad against our president and of course, those same people are either silent or submissively bend over backward to be apologists for the religion of peace. Thats the thing with this particular form of apologia (for Islam, of course), it needs morons to follow or good men to not fight back. Remember, to paraphrase Edmund Burke, Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. One way to look at the left is they are good people who are merely misinformed -- but that is wrong. They really do hate America and Americans. They seem to think that anytime someone brings up Western civilization or the virtues of the Republic of America, it should be followed by an apology or at the very least an opening of veins. Progressives want power and control, and in order to get it, they are willing to force the nation to commit cultural and national suicide. This is why they have no problem with Sarsours call to violence against the president. Trump wont apologize for America. He stands up for America. Hence, he must be a racist and a fascist. Instead of trying to radically transform the nation in the image of Venezuela, proponents of this ideology should simply partake of the real thing and go live in that spectacularly failed socialist experiment. Maybe they want to lose a few pounds. One thing I can tell them is they should bring their own toilet paper and a gun because an American in Caracas today is prey, a soon-to-be carcass -- hey, people gotta eat. Barry gave his best effort at achieving the radical transformation of the nation into a socialist paradise. Then he tried to foist his mini-me, Hillary, on the nation but Americans were smarter than that. They saw her as an arrogant, entitled, outright criminal masquerading as a politician who nevertheless, was so unlikeable that unnamed sources high in the Clinton campaign have said even her husband didnt vote for her -- but thats just silly; everyone knows Bill wanted her to win so he could date again. Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it? Trump asked -- and its the right question at the right time. Critics have labeled the speech nationalist, xenophobic, and racist. Yet if that were so, then why did the Poles love it -- are they nationalistic, xenophobic, and racist as well? To the left, if a speech is not an expiation of Americas sins or repentant for the countrys success it is nationalistic and racist. Trump is not overly concerned with decorum. He is his own man, a man who endeavors to live his life by his own rules and that means he will never accept the role of victim or patsy. He hits back, and he is not afraid to defend this nations way of life and has no problem stooping to the level of his enemies to do so. As would most Americans until very recently, . However, conservatives seem to hold themselves to a higher sense of propriety; they will not fight as progressives do. With progressives -- and make no mistake, Sarsour is a progressive in good standing -- everything is game, your family, the ones you love, the way you look, even the number of scoops of ice cream you have with your pie ala mode. Either do as they say or be destroyed. Once Trump became President, it quickly became apparent to him how he was going to be treated by the very antipathetic liberal polity and media. He faced an existential choice with regard to his presidency, accept it in passive pajama-boy fashion, probably resulting in a one-term presidency not long remembered and of little note, but paradoxically get better press, or fight and accomplish as much as he could, while keeping as many promises as possible. Trump understands the time is now to fight back against the outrageous behavior of the left. Sarsour needs to be called out for exactly what she is: a radical Islamic supremacist intent on taking this country into sharia hell. Progressives need to be told that Americans love America as the epitome of Western civilization it is. Calling out people like Sarsour for their commitment to violence and standing up for our nations exceptionalism as Trump did in Poland should be the rule for our leaders and not the exception. ...and the madness of their crowd. Collective obsessional behavior is defined as a condition in which a large group of people exhibit similar physical or emotional symptoms, such as anxiety or extreme excitement. Also called epidemic hysteria. There is no longer any doubt that the American left, especially those who dominate our media and academia, are indeed suffering from the above disorder. Since their candidate lost the election that they were so terribly confident she would win in a landslide, they have descended deeper and deeper into psychosis. The Clinton campaign came up with their Trump-colluded-with-Russia meme about twenty-four hours after the election results were verified. It was nonsense then as it is today, but the left's mental distress has become so grievous that they no longer can be called rational or even sane. After eight months of wild speculation and various investigations, absolutely nothing has been unearthed that indicates in any way that the Trump campaign, least of all Trump himself, colluded with Russia to affect the outcome of the election. The media's obsession with somehow proving such collusion has rendered them disordered and incoherent. The media spend their days and nights ignoring the many news stories the public should be learning about: North Korea's nuclear program, compliments of Bill Clinton, ISIS, Iran's nuclear program compliments of Obama, the determination of some states and cities to protect illegal immigrant criminals rather than their own citizens, the domestic terrorism of groups like Black Lives Matter and Antifa, etc. Eight years of Obama gave rise to much of these plagues upon our nation and now Trump must deal with the consequences of Obama's radicalism, economic destruction and importation of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants and the systemic meltdown of the national media, both print and electronic. Most, if not all, of the media hysteria about a Trump/Russia collusion is the result of countless illegal leaks to said media in which unnamed sources are the order of the day. No longer do the NYT or the WaPo fact-check their sources or adhere to even minimal journalistic ethics. Like too many airhead celebrities who think people care what they think about anything, mainstream journalists are of one mind: get rid of Trump by any means, the ends will be justifiable. So what if good people are maligned, their careers ruined, their jobs lost? So what if the stories they print are mere speculation meant to fuel a few days of scandal. One day, they hope. something will stick. They are counting on Robert Mueller to make their day. Why else would he hire a host of far-left attorneys, known Hillary supporters, to "investigate"? No one yet knows if Mueller is a decent man who reveres the Constitution or if he's a partisan political hatchetman sent to do the left's bidding. He was chosen because he's Comey's best pal, which does not bode well for a fair outcome. It would be enormously reassuring if he was actually investigating the many known crimes of the Clintons, their foundation, the DNC, and the Clinton campaign's dirty tricks, but that is, as every conservative knows, highly unlikely. It is more probable that he and his pals are the fix the left hopes will lead to Trump's removal from office. That the left is suffering from a psychic break is clearer than ever these past few days. Three unnamed sources leaked to the NYT that Donald Trump Jr. had a twenty-minute meeting with a Russian woman who wanted to talk about adoptions and the Magnitsky Act. Trump had agreed to the meeting because he was told the person had incriminating evidence of Hillary's dealings with Russia. She did not. The meeting was over. Sounds like a setup, perhaps by part of the deep state determined to destroy Trump or maybe by an Obama/Clinton team of subversives. There is abundant evidence that Natalia Veselnitskaya is anti-Trump. The media has responded as though proof of Trump committing an ISIS-like murder just fell into their laps. The leftist media and their willing guests are falling all over themselves to be on camera calling for prosecution and, of course, impeachment. They are now exhibiting signs of a full-fledged psychosis, a "severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with reality." Tim Kaine, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, called the meeting "treason." Adam Schiff, ranking member on the Intelligence Committee, embarrasses himself on an almost daily basis droning on and on as though Trump is some sort of Benedict Arnold or Aldrich Ames. A paragon of intelligence he is not. Does anyone believe that if Kaine or Schiff were offered incriminating evidence of Trump wrongdoing, they would not trample over their own children to take that meeting? The same is true of every anchor on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, NYT, WaPo, LAT, and every other leftist outlet in the country. Fox News has fallen hard for the story as well. Epidemic hysteria and psychosis is what they spew day after day. Now these organizations have just become thoroughly and consistently boring. We are tuning them out and turning them off. Check CNN's ratings: #13 in prime time! The Clintons were the most corrupt people to ever reach the White House and managed to remain there for eight years. Hillary was the most incompetent and corrupt person to ever be Secretary of State (John Kerry being a close second). Obama was the most anti-American, anti-Constitution president to ever hold the office. While in power, these people intervened in the elections of other nations, illegally took millions of dollars from nefarious people and countries, lied and cheated. "No one colluded with Russia more than Obama." Had the mainstream media for one moment reported on these people's many, many crimes against this nation, perhaps they would have some credibility. But they did not, so they have none. To this day, they purposefully refuse to report news unfavorable to the left, like Comey leaking classified memos. To this day, Susan Rice has not testified about her unmasking of private citizens for political purposes. Nor has Ben Rhodes, Obama's master of sleaze and trickery. HRC was never put under oath when interviewed by the FBI about her illegal server. The last eight and a half years have proven to the American people that the Democrat left and the media are two parts of the same criminal enterprise that feed each other's addiction to power. While their mass hysteria is infuriating, it proves their absolute lust for political dominance over any concern for people. They have become self-important, hate-filled snobs deluded by illusions of their own grandeur. The Steele dossier -- named for Christopher Steele, the former (?) British MI6 agent who reportedly put it together -- first got public exposure last January when CNN reported its existence and the contents, salacious material targeting Donald J. Trump, were made public by Buzzfeed. But its existence was known to the media-intelligence complex months earlier. A long article in The New York Times, April 22, 2017 noted that Steele "maintained deep ties with Russians and worked with the F.B.I." but the material in the dossier was "largely unverified." According to this Times article, CIA director John O. Brennan, in late summer, 2016, "gave an unusual private briefing " to Senate Democrat leader Harry Reid. The article strongly suggests that Brennan briefed Reid on the Steele dossier, noting that Reid later wrote to FBI director James Comey concerning "explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government -- a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States." Reid wrote to Comey on October 31, 2016, as I previously noted at AT. Earlier that October, according to the Times April 22 article, the F.B.I. told Steele that it would pay him 50,000 for his efforts," if he substantiated the material in the dossier. This Times article had mentioned that Steele "had been hired by a firm working for a Trump opponent." Why, then, would the F.B.I. be willing to pay Steele an additional $50,000? Clearly, Steele's sources had to be Russian. Why hasn't the media/intelligence complex seized on the Steele dossier as evidence of Russian interference in the election? The only possible answer is that the media-intelligence complex had no difficulty at all with meddling in the 2016 presidential election, provided that the aim was to prevent the election of Trump as president. But Trump having gotten elected against the wishes of the media-intelligence complex, the Steele dossier came to be seen as having value as an instrument that could be used to overturn the intolerable verdict of the deplorable electorate. Consider, now, a front-page New York Times article, December 3, 2016 reporting: "Long before Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn became Donald J. Trump's choice for national security adviser, he believed that the Central Intelligence Agency had become a political tool of the Obama administration[.]" Why has John Brennan maintained a highly visible public presence, months after he left the CIA? By applying Occam's Razor to the question, one can conjecture that Brennan, along withformer Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former F.B.I. head James Comey, continues to carry water for the former Obama administration. Congressional Republicans must investigate the origins of the Steele dossier and the uses to which it was later put by the intelligence community -- to undermine the Trump presidency. The Wall Street Journal, in its lead editorial, July 11, "Running the Schumer Blockade," asserted that Senate Democrats are playing with Senate rules to make it difficult for President Trump to staff his administration, intending "to sabotage a Presidency." It is time that Senate -- and House -- Republicans take to heart not only the Journal's advice "to restore normal order," but put an end to the ongoing campaign by the media-intelligence complex to sabotage the Trump presidency. It is time, that is, that congressional Republicans realized that the true threat to our democratic institutions is, sad to say, home-grown. Republican Senator John McCain is implicated in the early possession and possibly distribution of the Steele Dossier, and he can be expected to use every tool at the disposal of a veteran senator to frustrate an inquiry. Sunlight is the disinfectant that must be used, with conservatives in and out of the Senate publicizing McCains efforts to frustrate exposure of his role in this shameful fraud. If Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan are not up to the task of joining with President Trump in taking on the Deep State, President Trump must take his case to the American people and explain the need for Congress to accept its constitutional responsibility to work with him in governing the nation, pursuant to the express wishes of the American people, as reflected in the November 8, 2016 election. Failure to do so may well imperil our democratic institutions, and leave the nation at the mercy of the media-intelligence complex. Those of us who are political junkies and keep close tabs on the goings on in Washington tend to exaggerate the impact of the latest scandals, personality conflicts, and partisan bickering that dominates the news nets and national media. But the truth is, most voters outside Washington are largely unaffected by the media firestorm currently roiling politics and continue living their lives working, raising their families, going to church, worrying about finances all the things that normal people do on a day-to-day basis. Reuters: In Little Hocking, Ohio, Lisa Walker, 54, runs a small thrift shop. Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the American flag, she says her husband has expressed fears that somebody is going to try and assassinate Trump. She and her husband voted for Trump. She has followed the revelations about the younger Trump on the news. She sees the Russia investigation as proof that "people are out to get Trump. I would hope they have better things to do than play games and attack Trump." Similarly, in Jackson and Piketon, Ohio, Donald Trump Jr.'s troubles appeared to strengthen support for his father and Trump family members who many in the area see as embattled victims. In Hillsboro, the county seat of Highland County, the editor of the Hillsboro Times Gazette, Gary Abernathy, says many people in the county believe the media is trying to destroy Trump. "It just plays into the belief here that the media is fixated on all things Russia," said Abernathy, whose newspaper was one of only six in the United States to have endorsed Trump for president during the election campaign. "I don't mind Donald Trump being treated critically or aggressively, but not in a way that is an effort to drag him down. Donald Trump Jr. had one 20 minute meeting with a lawyer from Russia and it's wall-to-wall coverage." Trump won Highland County with more than 76 percent of the vote, 12 points more than the 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won, part of a surge in votes for Trump in many Midwestern rural counties that was a significant factor in his victory. Whatever credibility the media had before and during the campaign, it has dissipated because of a barrage of negative and false press stories that a five-year-old can see are politically motivated. Not for nothing are Americans known for their heightened sense of fair play. And the treatment of Donald Trump has triggered a defensive reflex in many voters that not only has destroyed the media's credibility, but has opened many eyes to the dangers of a partisan press. The media's obsessive hysteria over the presidency of Donald Trump has perhaps once and for all buried the media myths that U.S. politics has lovingly promoted for decades that the press is fair and non-partisan. Those of us who obsessively follow politics have known this since at least the 1970s. But it's taken the presidency of Donald Trump to make the rest of the country aware that something is very wrong with the American media and ordinary people are sensing a dramatic change in a media that is so anti-Trump and anti-GOP that they aren't even bothering to hide it anymore. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stressed in a recent congressional hearing that the U.S. should "work towards support of those elements inside Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government," signaling the overhaul needed in Washington's Iran policy. From Tehran's point of view, this was a completely unpleasant surprise, as the Trump administration unexpectedly placed its weight behind those seeking true and democratic change. Considering escalating public dissent and growing rifts in Iran's senior hierarchy, the international community should brace for a major impact in developments centered on Iran. Before and after the May 19 presidential "election," Iran's powder-keg society witnessed a major outbreak of protests, especially by investors placing their savings in institutions linked to the state and/or the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). The vast network associated with the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) has for a year now focused its widespread effort inside the country on raising awareness, especially among the younger generation, about the true nature of this regime's 38-year report card. One troubling dossier was the summer 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in dozens of prisons throughout Iran. Perpetrators of that horrendous purging enjoy high rank in today's regime. Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi is ironically the minister of justice in President Hassan Rouhani's cabinet. Conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi, known to be the favored candidate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the May race, is being groomed to succeed the ill Khamenei in the regime's ultimate leadership post. Both Pour-Mohammadi and Raisi were leading members of the four-man "Death Commission" presiding over the mass executions. Activities and revelations made by the PMOI/MEK network inside Iran exposed those involved in the 1988 massacre. This turn of events placed Khamenei before a major decision of enforcing his candidate as president and risking a major uprising even more powerful than that of 2009 that, or succumb to another term of Rouhani as his regime's president. Rest assured that despite promising to realize freedoms, Rouhani in his second term bears neither the intention nor the will to realize anything even remotely similar to reforms. Parallel to these developments are unprecedented divides among senior officials in Tehran. On a number of occasions, Khamenei and his faction have indirectly issued threats against Rouhani, even comparing his fate to that of the Iranian regime's first president back in the 1980s, who was impeached. When IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani lashed out at those targeting the Guards, his outburst was considered by many to be aimed at Rouhani. "In the Islamic Republic, we're all responsible towards martyrs, society, religion and our country. The biggest betrayal is to cast doubt toward the foundations of this system[.] ... [N]one today must weaken the corps," he said recently. This is most probably a reference to Rouhani's recent remarks against the IRGC through the elections process and after presidential campaign. This dangerous dispute will also leave Khamenei incapable of grooming any successor to his throne or managing a smooth transitional process, set to become deadly for the mullahs' already unclear future. Couple all these dilemmas on Khamenei's table with the growing turmoil in the Middle East as ISIS's days are numbered. Attention among the international community is focusing on post-ISIS circumstances, and the Trump administration is receiving further calls to weigh blacklisting the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, as well as ultimately seeking regime change through supporting the Iranian opposition. "Iran must be free, said Newt Gingrich," former speaker of the House of Representatives, at a recent Iranian opposition rally near Paris. "The dictatorship must be destroyed. Containment is appeasement, and appeasement is surrender. The only practical goal is to support a movement to free Iran. Any other goal will leave a dictatorship finding ways to get around any agreement and to lie about everything." Gingrich is known for his very close relations with President Trump. Such an initiative also enjoys vast regional support, voiced also recently by a prominent Saudi figure. "The Iranian people are the first victims of [the mullahs'] dictatorship," said former Saudi intelligence chief Turki Faisal. "Your effort in challenging this regime is legitimate and your resistance for the liberation of the Iranian people of all ethnicities, including Arabs, Kurds, Baluchis, Turks and Fars of the mullahs' evil, as [Iranian opposition leader Maryam] Rajavi said, is a legitimate struggle." Even a brief glance at ongoing developments emerging domestically and abroad for Iran provides convincing evidence that regime change is absolutely in the making in Tehran. Attention-seeker and jihadist Linda Sarsour, an American-born Arab, is calling to wage jihad, a terrorist threat against the president of the United States and the White House staff. In reality, Sarsour has declared jihad (holy war) on the United States government and its people. Question: Where is the Secret Service? Where is the FBI? Why is this radical Muslim woman still free to walk? Why isn't she under investigation? This woman is dangerous and has an ulterior motive. In her latest speech, she said the "number-one, top priority" is to "protect and defend" the Muslim community and suggested that assimilation should not be a goal. "It is not to assimilate and to please any other people or authority," Sarsour said. "Our obligation is to our young people, and to our women, and to make sure our women are protected in our community and our top priority, even higher than those priorities is to please Allah and only Allah." Well, folks Christians and Jews, the overwhelming majority of the people in the United States you need to relax about Islam. Muslims are family. They are your kindred through your shared progenitor, Abraham. So they claim. Having Abraham as an ancestor would demand that the "children" be loving siblings. That's the message the American Muslims try to convey. And that's the way they aim to keep us in the deadly slumber of complacency and the delusion of multiculturalism. For one, multiculturalism and multi-religionism are not interchangeable and are not one and the same. Muslims and their frequently well paid apologists use the multiculturalism umbrella only in non-Islamic lands to shield themselves from the torrent of legitimate criticisms that those who know Islam better shower on this cult of violence peddled as the religion of peace. Don't listen to me, and don't listen to these conniving dissimulators. Find out for yourself. See if the euphemism of multiculturalism is ever even mentioned by any Islamic leader, is ever printed in the Islamic press, or ever appears in any form anywhere in Muslim countries. This multiculturalism gambit is Islam-manufactured wool to pull over the eyes of the non-Muslims while the Muslims carry on with their unrelenting campaign of eradicating anything or anyone non-Islamic anywhere in the world. Those of us, through reason and a tremendous act of will, who have freed ourselves from the enslaving yoke of Islam placed around our necks from birth know about all the heinous inside dirt of this plague on humanity. We have experienced Islam firsthand and up close from the inside. We have studied the Quran, the Hadith, and the Sunna. We have seen Islam in action where it holds sway. Some of us have even tried desperately to cling to this security blanket that was wrapped around us from birth. Yet the more we studied and the more we experienced Islam, the more our effort to remain in the fold became untenable. We broke away from Islamic slavery and found it to be our solemn duty to expose this fraud of a religion, help other Muslims to free themselves from it, and warn good-hearted and gullible non-Muslims against falling prey to it. Muslim organizations in America, generously financed by the oil-rich Muslim government and sheikhs, are directed to sell Islam Lite for long enough until the cult runs deep roots and Real Islam is introduced. One can see how the scheme played out in Europe. Much of Europe is already past the stage of Islam Lite and knee-deep in the quagmire of Real Islam. That's exactly where things are headed in America. It is said that truthfulness is the foundation of all virtues. Islam not only condones, but encourages lying and dissimulation taqiyya in dealing with non-Muslims. Linda Sarsour's message is little more than packs of crafty propaganda, distortions, and outright lies. Fellow Americans: Linda Sarsour, the darling of the left, may well be an American, but she remains an enemy from within and must be treated as such. I have repeatedly said in the past that being a Muslim and being American are incompatible. A Muslim is an Ummah-ist. His loyalty, first and above all, is to Islamic world rule and not to the country where he resides. By allowing Muslims to immigrate to the West, we are literally inviting the biggest enemy of mankind into our homes. Muslims do not assimilate; they come here to make Islam the law of the land. We have a majority in the U.S. Senate but act as though the other guys are in charge. Yes, I understand tradition and playing by the rules. However, there are limits, especially when the other side is slowing up governing. Senator Schumer is winning. His blockade is working just fine, as the Wall Street Journal writes: The Trump Presidency is well into its seventh month but the Trump Administration still barely exists. Senate Democrats are abusing Senate rules to undermine the executive branch, and Republicans need to restore normal order. President Trump got an inexcusably slow start making nominations, but in the past few weeks he's been catching up to his predecessors. According to the Partnership for Public Service, as of June 28 Mr. Trump had nominated 178 appointees but the Senate had confirmed only 46. Barack Obama had 183 nominees confirmed by that date in his first term, and George W. Bush 130. The White House has understandably begun to make a public issue of the delays, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says it "has only itself to blame." But a press release Mr. Schumer sent out Monday made the White House case, showing that the Senate has received 242 nominations but confirmed only 50 through June 30. Democrats are now the problem. Democratic obstruction against nominees is nearly total, most notably including a demand for cloture filings for every nominee no matter how minor the position. This means a two-day waiting period and then another 30 hours of debate. The 30-hour rule means Mr. Trump might not be able to fill all of those 400 positions in four years. The cloture rule also allows the minority to halt other business during the 30-hour debate period, which helps slow the GOP policy and oversight agenda. Democrats have also refused to return a single "blue slip" to the Judiciary Committee, which has the effect of blocking consideration of judicial nominees from their home states. Senators like Minnesota's Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar are holding hostage the eminently qualified Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals for no reason other than politics. Yes, it's time for this nonsense to stop. First, all of these Senate rules are just that: Senate rules! They can be changed by the Senate. There is no need to change the U.S. Constitution. Second, these rules were created to generate bipartisanship, or to force U.S. senators to work together. Unfortunately, that's not happening. No one is working together or getting anything done. Government is not working, and that's unfair to the voters. Third, it's okay for the U.S. Senate to require financial or other disclosures from people in public positions. However, it's not okay to reverse the election results by countless demands. Last, but not least, Senate Democrats up for re-election in West Virginia, Montana, Indiana, Missouri, and others should be asked about these delays. My guess is that they're not popular in places where Mr. Trump won by more than 10 points! Memo to the majority leader: You have 52 votes, and it's time to use them, as you did with Justice Gorsuch. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter. Everyone, whatever side of the political aisle you're on, needs to take a deep breath here. 1. "Collusion," contrary to what the New York Times would like to think, is a noun, not a crime. 2. "Conspiracy," an inchoate offense, can be a crime if there's (a) an agreement between two persons to commit an illegal act and (b) at least two affirmative acts in support of the object of the conspiracy. The agreement is the essential ingredient. Usually, however, in the federal system, conspiracy is charged with the underlying felony. In other words, it's charged as a pile-on, not a standalone defense. 3. All crimes require mens rea, criminal intent. 4. All elements of a crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 5. A conviction for a crime is possible only if a unanimous jury agrees on a verdict of "guilty." The above is good news for the future of our country, which the left is, all too obviously, trying to subvert to oust the president from power. Leftists might just want to look in the mirror. All these folks who are high-fiving or "jonesin'" for a legal lynching of President Trump are largely the same crowd who've had their faces repeatedly rubbed in the fact that juries hesitate to convict policemen for an officer-involved shooting. And a good thing, too. Absorb the lesson, people because it's highly relevant to the media-driven feeding frenzy of the last three news cycles. The Founders, in their wisdom (as well as every state in the Union), put an accused's right to a jury trial into the Constitution. Why? They did that because of their own personal experience with the use of the criminal law for political purposes. For example, after the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed a law to provide for trial of Americans charged with customs law and tax-related offenses Americans like, say, Samuel Adams and Alexander Hamilton before an admiralty court. In England. An admiralty court has no jury. And in England, the accused would find no sympathetic audience, no one who knew him. The Founders were also aware of Henry VIII and subsequent monarchs' use of the Star Chamber and other bodies to convict Englishmen of political (or religious) crimes without access to a jury, as well as to use subpoena power to compel the testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence in his favor. Indeed, a young Boston trial lawyer named John Adams first gained national attention when he convinced a Boston jury to acquit the British soldiers charged with the murder of civilian demonstrators in the Boston Massacre. In effect, the man I like to think of as Abigail's husband urged the "twelve good men and true" to nullify the King's law. They did and the Founders remembered that. In this country, voters and juries decide, not government officials. Or media. Or pundits. That's by design. The Founders' design. Politics has always been a blood sport. More than a few of the things in the Constitution (some more are most of the Bill of Rights, the prohibition on ex post facto laws, and the bar against bills of attainder and corruption of the blood) were expressly put in there specifically to prevent things from getting out of hand such as when one faction got control of the executive branch of the government. One more example, I think, makes the point. Conviction by the Senate on a bill of impeachment presented by the House does not constitute a criminal conviction. "High crimes and misdemeanors" is a political offense. No penalty attaches except removal from office. A criminal prosecution is a separate matter. And that requires the unanimous verdict of a jury. That's another reason America is a great country. Everything always comes back to what the Founders called "the People." I'll take that. Everyone knows a scam when he sees one. President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord, and within about a month, Turkey was right on our heels, scrapping its role in the pact right behind us. They didn't want to be another pillar in some fake global warming establishment myth that would ruin their economy and empower eurocrats, just so wealthy greenie hipsters in the West can feel good about themselves. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey will not be ratifying the Paris climate accord, citing President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the deal. "After that step taken by America, the position that we adopt is in the direction of not passing it in parliament," he told the press Saturday at the end of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Despite the fact that every other leader but Trump signed on to summit's final statement asserting "the Paris agreement is irreversible," Erdogan said some of those countries had a "problem" with the accord and are "not renewing their support." Notice that in their case, with the U.S. pullout, it's a case of the gravy train shutting down. Under the original pact, President Obama pledged $2 billion to third-world countries as part of the deal. Well, now that the money's run out, there's no reason to hang around. Basically, the avalanche begins. And what I forecast the day the pact was dumped. This means that now's a good time to look for the London bookies to start setting up betting pools. In my earlier piece, I wrote: Meanwhile, this comes against a backdrop of ongoing climate skepticism. Officials from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Australia, and the oil-rich Arab states have openly questioned global warming in the past. While any pullout depends on who gets elected to office, the reality is there that many officials want nothing to do with this economy-killing pact. As for China and India, sure, they want the pact so long as they never have to produce any results. So who will the next exit candidate be? We have got the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Australia, and the Gulf states, and, from the TPM account, we can add Russia. Care to take bets as to when the next one will bail? When Donald Trump said he would not pursue legal action against Hillary Clinton after he won the election, the majority of his supporters were not happy. After all, what Hillary, her family. and the Clinton Foundation actually did, or were accused of doing through credible evidence, was obviously criminal. Fast-forward to today, and the onslaught of false Russian collusion accusations against President Trump, and it is obvious why not going after Hillary was a huge mistake. After the election, as there always seems to be, there is a kind of political vacuum period. It is usually called a honeymoon for a newly elected president. Unfortunately, this period of time is mostly controlled by the media. In most cases, this period is filled with relatively positive and generally inquisitive news from the media about a new president's agenda, whom he is putting together in his team, and figuring out how he plans to implement his policies. There is often positive news during this period about the new first family and how they will perform in their new public role. But in the case of President Trump, it was abundantly clear after a mostly vicious political battle between the Trump and Hillary teams that there was only one candidate eligible to be granted a honeymoon period by the liberal news media: Hillary Clinton. And if Donald Trump were to actually win the election, as he did, there would be hell to pay. Welcome to hell, President Trump. There is no way Donald Trump or any of his political advisers couldn't have seen this coming. And if there was any doubt at all by Trump and his team that they would not get a traditional presidential honeymoon, the hundreds of anti-Trump political rallies (more like violent riots) across America calling for "resistance" to President Trump should have been enough to erase any and all doubts not to mention the immediate wall-to-wall negative liberal media coverage that began the day after the election. Donald Trump's gut instinct to appoint a special prosecutor to go after Hillary Clinton and her family foundation was spot on. Trump specifically promised America during a debate that he would do this. As a business man who is also well acquainted with politics, Trump instinctively knew that defeating Hillary Clinton at the polls would not stop the attacks by the media, and that he needed to stay on offense and finish off Hillary and the entire Clinton political machine for good. But Donald Trump did something he rarely ever does he went against his gut instinct, blowing his chance to fill the political void with something he knew would eventually benefit his presidency. Trump knew that that something to fill the political void was a legitimate criminal investigation of actual crimes that had been committed by Hillary Clinton. Trump's decision to let Hillary off the hook could probably be chalked up to political naivete basically wishful thinking on his part that the liberal media would see it as a peace offering and reward him with a presidential honeymoon period. Fat chance! Donald Trump's political naivete on this matter was and still is a huge disappointment to his supporters. The liberal media must have been ecstatic when they realized that Donald Trump was giving Hillary a total pass on her criminal activity. The liberal media knew they had just been given a golden opportunity to unleash relentless negative attacks on President Trump the likes of which have never before been seen in American history. The liberal media happily gave Donald Trump something for winning the election: a nightmare he will never forget a nightmare that has yet to end and will continue for the next four years if the liberal media continue to get their way. When Trump announced that he would not pursue legal charges against Hillary, the liberal media took that opportunity and quickly filled the post-election political void with a manufactured story of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign in hopes of destroying the Trump presidency before it could even get off the ground. That political void is now so full of Russian collusion stories that President Trump's agenda and accomplishments are virtually unknowable by the average American citizen unless, of course, they watch Fox News, follow conservative web media, or listen to Rush Limbaugh and conservative talk radio. So what defense do President Trump, his political team, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and the conservative airwaves offer against the Russian Trump collusion story? They tell whoever will listen that Hillary Clinton actually did break the law. Seriously? So now President Trump and his supporters want to prosecute Hillary Clinton after Trump said he wouldn't pursue legal action against her? Well, that train has left the station. The golden opportunity to take down Hillary and the entire Clinton machine was passed over by the president himself. And even if Trump now tries to revisit Hillary's criminal activities through lawful means, his efforts will be branded as nothing but a political distraction to try to cover up the liberal media-driven fake Russian Trump collusion story. Had President Trump honored his promise and pursued a broad criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton and her family foundation immediately after he was inaugurated, the exact opposite could be happening in the media right now. The political void that is now filled with Russian Trump collusion stories could have been filled with criminal investigation stories of Hillary and her family foundation, collusion between the media and the Hillary campaign against Bernie Sanders, collusion between Hillary and Russia regarding the uranium deal and the kickbacks to the Clinton Foundation and Bill Clinton personally, and probably much more. Had Donald Trump followed his initial gut instinct and gone after Hillary and her family, the tables would have been turned on Democrats and the liberal media and the fake news about any Russian Trump collusion would have been branded by the Trump administration and conservative media as a political distraction by Democrats and the liberal media in an attempt to cover up investigations into actual crimes committed by Hillary Clinton and her family. So what can President Trump possibly do to turn the tide against the Democrats and liberal media? How about instead of using Hillary's criminal activities as a defense against the fake-news Russian Trump collusion narrative, the Trump administration actually investigates her? If they are so certain she's guilty, then enforce the damn law! And maybe, just maybe, if President Trump urges A.G. Sessions to empanel a grand jury and re-open the investigation into Hillary Clinton right now, the facts concerning her criminal activity in the news might be enough to quell the Democrats and liberal media zealot's agenda and get them to ease up on pushing fake news and begin covering news that matters to the forgotten men and women of this great country. Charlie Gard: hope will always beat reason If you get delve into the steaming heap of pleading, bias, fiscal nous, screeching, virtue-signalling, baby-kissing, dreaming, pining, narcissism, spiritual zeal, butchery and guff, at the root of society, youll find the whole point of governance: to support human life. You can consult the history books and thereby, say the knowledge wallahs, learn how not to repeat mistakes of the past. But most of us know what we want and where we need to go to get it. We want a good life. So how did it come to this? How did the parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard end up fighting for their sons existence in the High Court in London? Charlie suffers from infantile onset encephalomyopathy mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS). Hes ill. Very ill. He cannot see, hear, move, cry or swallow. Everything he does is dictated by invasive machines. Science and electricity keep Charlie Gard alive. And in technology, Charlies parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, have hope. They know of an experimental treatment that could prolong their sons life. Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GSOH), where Charlie is on life-support, say they have explored many treatment options and none would improve Charlies quality of life and he should be allowed to die. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights ruled further treatment would continue to cause Charlie significant harm. But that hope, the thing that makes us human and active lingers and nags. It drives Charlies parents on. Theyve raised 1.3m through donations to take their son to the US for an experimental treatment called nucleoside therapy. Its untested. Not even mice have tried it. And its not being offered as a cure. Having seen the report on Charlies brain damage, the American doctor stated that he could understand the opinion that [Charlie] is so severely affected by encephalopathy that any attempt at therapy would be futile. I agree that it is very unlikely that he will improve with that therapy. GSOH says Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity. Charlie is 11-months-old. Dignity is for the aged, the lived and the caring. Can an innocent die with anything but dignity? Can a child yet to make his first birthday have an undignified death? The adults are charge. They are keeping him alive and deciding the manner, time and, through language, the narrative of his death. Medics will offer Charlie the utmost respect through a hard-fought death; but they will not offer him more life. Theyve blended hard-nosed, pragmatic, experienced views with statistics into a thick gunk, added some sweetness to mask the taste and handed it to Charlies parents. Give it to the lad. Swallow once and wait for the end. Itll be peaceful. But for everyone involved in this case the living it isnt peaceful. Hurt by a seriously ill child with an inherited disease, the parents are cursed doubly with hope stymied by bureaucracy .There is no love of life without despair of life, wrote Albert Camus. Hope doesnt mean denying the horror of their sons appalling condition and appealing for the impossible. Hope is about remembering triumph. So we give them money. We want the Gard family to prevail. And from the medics, one small boys life is now down to the lawyers. The case is now about the States reason and critical thinking versus emotion. We know hope wont do it. Its not enough. But the money might. The intrepid medics could help. Things are not certain. There is a miniscule chance of something incredible. And in that tiny space, we see a need to act. Hope, more muscular than mere optimism, is the trigger for action. Not to act on hope is to be complicit and complacent this side of the grave. Against cruel nature Charlies parents have a chance to influence the outcome. Youd deny them that chance? I wouldnt. Id let them seize it. Things might not change for the better, but they can change. Anorak Posted: 13th, July 2017 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Cairo, July 13 - Interior Minister Marco Minniti told southern Libyan mayors Thursday "let's make a pact to free our lands of (migrant) traffickers, together no goal is beyond us," according to a tweet from the Italian embassy in Tripoli. Libyan Premier Fayez al-Sarraj said "we will do our all to ease the pressure on the Italian coasts" where migrants from Libya land. Italy is trying to get the EU to share the burden of migrant reception, saying one country cannot be left to cope alone. It has drafted a code of conduct for migrant-rescuing NGO ships but its calls for migrants to land in other countries have been ignored. On Wednesday Premier Paolo Gentiloni met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron who, despite offering verbal support, made no concessions to Italy in the migrant emergency. Macrons, in particular, said economic migrants cannot be taken in like refugees - prompting Gentiloni to retort they could not just be ignored. Some 80% of the migrants arriving in Italy are said to be economic migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Some 85,000 migrants arrived in Italy in the last six months, EU border agency Frontex said Thursday, a rise of 21% on the same period last year. Some 24,800 came in June alone, an 8% rise on May, Frontex said. The flow on the central Mediterranean route through Libya was mostly composed of Nigerians and Guineans in June, it said. In the first six months of the year Nigerians led Bangladeshis, Guineans and Ivorians, according to the EU border agency. Some 4,100 migrants were rescued off Libya Wednesday, the Coast Guard said Thursday, saying it coordinated 20 separate operations. Thousands more followed Thursday. Arrivals are projected to keep at their present high rate due to good weather over the coming months. Former premier and ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi has spurred criticism by borrowing a traditional slogan of the anti-migrant Northern League, "let's help them in their homes", and proposing a cap on migrant numbers, without which he would deny funding to the EU. A recent Rome meeting with ministers from countries including Niger, Chad and Mali earmarked hundreds of millions of euros to help boost the economies of migrant origin countries so that the ceaseless flows might be stemmed. In its 11-point code of conduct for migrant NGO ships performing rescues off Libya, Italy would introduce a ban on phoning "to facilitate the departure of boats carrying migrants", the obligation to allow police aboard and a requirement to have a technical certification to carry out rescues. Those who refuse to sign the code may not get authorisation to access Italian ports. The first rule is the "absolute prohibition" for humanitarian ships to enter Libyan waters, which can only be reached "if there is a clear danger for human life at sea". The NGOs are then asked not to make phone calls or send luminous signals to facilitate the departure and the embarkation of boats carrying migrants, with "the obvious intention of not facilitating contacts with traffickers". Among the other obligations is that of not transporting migrants on other ships, be they Italian or belonging to international organisations, except in an emergency situation. And after rescues the NGO ships "will have to complete the operation by taking the migrants to a safe port". They are further asked not to hinder search and rescue (SAR) operations by the Libyan Coast Guard, to make known the funding sources for their rescue activities, and to notify their flag-flying country's maritime coordination centre of the intervention, "so that this State is informed on the ship's activities and can assume responsibility also for the purposes of maritime safety". Italy's partners have provisionally agreed to the code as part of efforts to share the burden of the central Mediterranean migrant emergency. (ANSAmed) - Cairo, July 13 - The "latest attempt" by the rebels of the National Salvation Government (NSG) led by ex premier "Khalifa Ghwell to advance on Tripoli highlights once again the difficulties" experienced by the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by premier Fayez Al Sarraj "in extending its authority beyond the capital and creating a homogeneous military able to reinforce its legitimacy", analyst Ludovico Carlino told ANSA. "The clashes in Garabulli are among other things an extension of the fighting between the two sides that broke out in Tripoli at the end of May, when the rebels led by Ghwell tried to retake their positions around the Rixos Hotel Complex before being expelled from the city following the counteroffensive by GNA forces," continued Carlino, who works for the London-based consultancy Ihs Markit. "What is interesting is that some Libyan sites have reported the presence of rebels affiliated to the Benghazi Defence Brigades in addition to members of Sala Badi's Samoud coalition among the pro-NSG forces," the analyst said. "In addition, I don't think the attack is fully over, since part of these rebel forces have allegedly withdrawn towards Tarhuna with the aim of advancing towards Tripoli from the south. It is therefore likely that the Libyan capital will be the theatre of further fighting in the coming days, which will clarify the real strength of the pro-NSG forces and the compactness of those that support Sarraj," Carlino concluded. (ANSAmed) - La Valletta - The Maltese parliament has approved a law introducing gay marriage with 66 votes in favour and one against, despite strong opposition from the Catholic Church. The law aims to "modernise the institution of marriage" by extending it to all consenting adults, according to Equality Miniser Helena Dalli. Under the new provisions, the traditional formula "And now I declare you husband and wife" will be replaced by "Now you are married". It is a huge step for the island country with a population of 440,000, where divorce was illegal until 2011 and abortion is still banned. It follows on from the introduction of civil unions and adoption for gay couples in 2014. In parliament only nationalist politician Edwin Vassallo voted against the law, on grounds of incompatibility between his Catholic faith and what he described as a "morally unacceptable" law. "A Christian politician cannot leave his faith outside the door." Archbishop Carlo Scicluna came out against the law, insisting on the Church's view that marriage is "an eternal exclusive union between a man and a woman". The new law also intervenes with respect to adoptions, replacing the words "father" and "mother" with "parents", and allows a choice of surname after marriage. - CAIRO - Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti, during a brief visit to Tripoli in Libya on Thursday, proposed "a pact to liberate our lands from traffickers" to a group of local mayors, according to Italian diplomatic sources. "Together, no goal is precluded," Minniti told them. The mayors of the villages and towns in the areas controlled by the internationally recognized unity government led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj expressed satisfaction. "Thank you for this historic opportunity to present development projects for the communities involved," they said. Sarraj met Minniti at the Tripoli airport. "Libya will do everything it can to work with Italy to defeat human traffickers and ease the pressure on Italian coasts," Sarraj said, according to Italian sources. Industry leader Bell Helicopter has confirmed it will be exhibiting at the event, alongside Swissport Aviation, Seaprime and G Ops, while silver sponsor Gulfstream has announced it will be exhibiting an as yet undisclosed aircraft for the static display. Africa is forecast to receive 200 aircraft deliveries valued at $7 billion over the next ten years, with over 80% of these predicted to be in the light or medium categories, according to the Bombardier Business Aircraft, Market Forecast: 2016 2025. The same report notes that historic average economic growth in the region has been 4.4%, while predicting compound annual fleet growth of 3.2%. Ali Alnaqbi, Founding & Executive Chairman of the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), said, We are looking forward to the second edition of the MEBAA Show Morocco, in its new location at Marrakech Menara Airport. As the first business aviation show in North Africa, the MEBAA Show Morocco is ideally placed to offer exhibitors an opportunity to be part of the regions industry growth. Adel Mardini, CEO & President of Jetex Flight Support, explained why the company is keen to be part of the MEBAA Show Morocco: Morocco is the key destination for a large number of our customers, especially European clients, and it is a high traffic market for both business and leisure private aviation travel. Jetex Flight Support has now been awarded five destinations in Morocco. We are very proud of the support we have received from the Moroccan government. He continued, Marrakech is a key destination in North Africa. It is stable and ideally situated for both European and Middle East customers. We are looking forward to promoting our FBO and concierge services at the MEBAA Show Morocco and are proud to have been selected by F&E Aerospace and MEBAA as the official handler for this fast growing event. Josh Walker, 26, traveled to Syrian Kurdistan to volunteer with the Peoples Protection Units, a secular, social democratic group fighting ISIS. Upon returning to Britain, he was detained at the airport and later released without charge. Then police searched his apartment in Wales. The authorities have not alleged that he was involved in any kind of terror plot; rather, they claim that because he obtained parts of the Cookbook which is freely available in its entirety on the internet he collected information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.' Malaysia: GST exempted for supplies directly related to exported goods Malaysias finance ministry recently issued an order exempting suppliers from the need to charge Goods and Services Tax (GST) on certain goods and services directly connected to exports. The GST relief, which came into effect from July 1, 2017, will apply to four broad categories of services and supplies directly connected to exports and export processing. These include handling or storage services related to goods for export; services provided by a company with licensed manufacturing warehouse status or a business operating in a free zone; research and development (R&D) services related to goods for export; and tools or machines which are highly specialized in nature and used for the manufacture of goods in Malaysia for export. To qualify for the GST waiver, the recipient of the goods and services must be an overseas customer of foreign nationality, who is resident abroad at the time of receiving the goods and services, and who does not own a business entity in Malaysia. Certain categories of the aforementioned goods will require the approval of Malaysias Director General of Customs to avail of the GST waiver. Further, the goods for which the supplies are made must be exported within a period of 60 days from the date of the completion of the services. Thailand: New decree regulating foreign workers deferred for six months The Thai government has deferred until January 1, 2018 the implementation of a recently introduced decree that seeks to regulate foreign workers in the country. The decree, which was first issued on June 23, 2017 introduced fines ranging from Thai Baht 400,000 (US$11740) to Thai Baht 800,000 (US$23480) for companies employing undocumented foreign workers. Employers now have until December 31, 2017 to register and secure work permits for their undocumented foreign staff. The abrupt introduction of the new decree had caused an exodus of an estimated 60,000, mainly Myanmarese, undocumented workers from Thailand after employers laid off their undocumented work force. This led to disruption to business activity in several industries, including the manufacturing and seafood processing sectors. The government has stated that the new rules are intended to regulate the countrys foreign labor market in line with the countrys international commitments to combat human trafficking. Myanmar: Ten promoted sectors to receive preferential treatment for FDI The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has invited foreign investors to invest in ten priority sectors. These priority investment sectors are export promotion industries; import substituting industries; logistics; healthcare; education services; affordable housing projects; development of industrial estates; power; livestock and fishery products; and agriculture and its related services, including value-added agricultural products. Both domestic and foreign investors investing in the ten promoted sectors will receive preferential treatment and assistance from the MIC as well as state governments and official agencies. With the countrys new investment law in place, regional and state investment commissions are now permitted to approve investment proposals of up to US$5 million without having to seek prior MIC approval. About Us Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click ASEAN Briefing is published by, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates . We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, includingthe. For editorial matters please contact usand for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at asean@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 ASEAN 2017 An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment, and taxation. We also include the latest development news for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each. Payroll Processing and Compliance in Singapore In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss payroll processing and reporting in Singapore as well as analyze the options available for foreign companies looking to centralize their ASEAN payroll processes.We begin by discussing the various regulations that impact salary computation, and tax and social security calculation in Singapore. We then explore the potential for Singapore to emerge as a premier payroll processing center in ASEAN. Finally we consider the benefits of outsourcing payroll both Singapore-based and ASEAN-wide to a reliable third-party payroll processing provider. Oman Air's CEO said he would leave the bidding for Air India to priority of other Indian carriers. Gulf carrier Oman Air's CEO Paul Gregorowitsch said the airline had no intention to bid for Air India or any of its wings. (Representational Image) New Delhi: Gulf carrier Oman Air's CEO Paul Gregorowitsch said on Thursday the airline had no intention to bid for Air India or any of its wings. He said that as the Gulf economies were in "crosswinds", the Muscat-based airline would prefer to focus on a strategy different from other Gulf carriers that had invested in other airlines either in India, Asia or Europe, and had "not been successful". The Union Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India, after the government's think tank NITI Aayog proposed complete privatisation of the national carrier, which is saddled with a debt of Rs 52,000 crore. "You never say no but if you ask me today if I would write a cheque to participate in (the bidding for) Air India, (I would say) we leave this to the priority of other Indian carriers," Gregorowitsch said at a press meet here. Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo wrote to the government with an expression of interest in buying out the international arm of Air India and if that was not possible, it said it would like to buyout the entire Air India flight operations as well. Oman Air currently has 47 aircraft in its fleet, which comprises Boeing 787S, Boeing 737s, Airbus 330s and Embraer 175s. It plans to expand its fleet to 70 aircraft and serve 75 destinations by 2023. The 'Baywatch' star is heading home to celebrate her brother Siddharth's and her birthday this month. Priyanka Chopra has recently signed her third Hollywood film 'Isn't It Romantic? New Delhi: When the whole B-town is heading towards New York City to ring in the IIFA 2017 Awards ceremony, diva of Bollywood Priyanka Chopra is heading in the opposite direction. The 34-year-old actress took to Instagram and posted a selfie of herself, heading back to the bay. She wrote, "Summer sun calling #mumbaibound #mumbaimerijaan #birthdaytime #familynfriends." The ' Baywatch' star is heading home to celebrate her brother Siddharth's birthday. The actress shared a loving wish for her bro on her social networking handle and wrote, "Happy birthday to my baby brother. @siddharthchopra89 You will always be the apple. May you smile laugh and always spread ur joy. Love you lots. #throwback." The actress will also ring in her own birthday on July 18. The 31-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared a note where he wrote he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions. Shia LaBeouf will next be seen in 'Borg/McEnroe.' (Photo: AP) New Delhi: Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf has apologised for his recent erratic behaviour after he was arrested for disorderly conduct. The 31-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared a note where he wrote he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions. He wrote, "I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and will make no excuse for it. I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me." The post continued, "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom." According to the TMZ, the arrest included a racist rant, in which the actor accuses the police of being racist, or "a black man arrested me for being white." He also yelled at a black cop, "you're going to hell, straight to hell, bro." The actor was taken into custody by the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police in Georgia during the early morning hours on July 8 after he lashed out at a bystander for refusing to give him a cigarette. LaBeouf was later released on a 7000 USD bond. In May, the actor was sued for defamation and assault for swearing and yelling at a bartender in a Studio City bowling alley after being refused a drink, because he appeared to be too intoxicated. The 'Fury' star concluded the post by writing: "I have been struggling with addiction publically for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes." On July 17, the electors will cast their votes to elect the next President of India. Meira Kumar called Arvind Kejriwal and asked him to support her, said AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday extended support to Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar. "Meira Kumar called Arvind Kejriwal and asked him to support her. In the wake of the current prevailing situation of the country, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) have decided to support her," AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh said in a press briefing in Delhi. Kumar, along with National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, has been campaigning for the upcoming Presidential polls. On July 17, the electors will cast their votes to elect the next President of India. Counting of votes for the Presidential election will take place on July 20 and on July 25, a day after incumbent Pranab Mukherjee demits office, India will get its 14th President. Mevani, who is the convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, had invited Kumar to take part in the Freedom March in Mehsana on Wednesday. While addressing people at Somnath chowk before the march, Kumar, who is facing sedition charges, attacked the BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat, claiming that atrocities on Dalits and Muslims have increased under them. (Photo: PTI) Mehsana (Gujarat): Police on Thursday detained Dalit agitation spearhead Jignesh Mevani, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and 15 others and registered a case against them for taking out 'Freedom March' on the first anniversary of Una flogging incident without permission. Mevani, who is the convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, had invited Kumar to take part in the Azadi Kooch (Freedom March) in Mehsana on Wednesday. Considerable number of Dalit activists first gathered at Somnath Chowk in Mehsana before embarking on the march towards Banaskantha district on Wednesday afternoon, the police said. The Mehsana district authorities had cancelled the permission granted earlier to Mevani for taking out the march. "We have detained 17 persons from Fatehpura circle. Later, an FIR was registered under IPC section 143 against them for being a part of an illegal assembly. "We did not arrest them. They were allowed to go afterwards," an official of the Mehsana 'A' division police station, where the FIR has been lodged, said. As per the schedule, 'Freedom March' will end at Dhanera town of Banaskantha district of north Gujarat after one week. The key agenda of this march is to mount pressure on the Gujarat government to allocate agricultural land to Dalits, so that they can start a new life with dignity, Mevani had announced in June. After being released, co-convener of the manch, Kaushik Parmar, who is also named in the FIR, announced that the march will continue as they have the permission to enter Unjha, their next destination. "We have been released by police after the FIR was registered against us. We have decided to continue our march. We are planning to reach Unjha by Wednesday night," Parmar told PTI. While addressing people at Somnath chowk before the march, Kumar, who is facing sedition charges, attacked the BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat, claiming that atrocities on Dalits and Muslims have increased under them. He also alleged that people who dare to speak truth are booked under sedition charges to silence them. In Una, Dalit youths were paraded and flogged for allegedly skinning a dead cow, an incident that caused nation-wide outrage after its video went viral. The report also said that there was a separate kitchen set up for Sasikala in the prison, which is against the rules. The report comes amid rife speculations that Sasikala is receiving VIP treatment at the Parappana Agrahara central prison. (Photo: File) Chennai: A report by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Prisons) D Roopa has stated that former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) allegedly paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to the prison officials, including the Director General himself, to avail special facilities. The report comes amid rife speculations that Sasikala is receiving VIP treatment at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison where she is lodged in a corruption case. Roopa, in a report to Director General (Prisons) H N Satyanarayana Rao, has said there are speculations that Sasikala paid bribe to prison officials to get special facilities for herself with rumours also of the DG being a beneficiary himself. Roopa has sent the report to additional chief secretary DGP prisons and home secretary too to take a disciplinary action against the guilty. Read: SC convicts Sasikala in DA case, awards 4-yr jail term The letter, apart from the information about Sasikala, also talked about many other illegal events inside the prison. These are listed as follows: A woman probationary IPS officer, Monika Sen, and the gunman of the Nagaur SP went missing during the clashes but were found later. The meeting was held to demand a CBI probe into gangster Anandpal Singh's police encounter which took place on June 24 in Churu district. (Photo: Facebook) Jaipur: Violence broke out when a mob, after a condolence meeting for slain gangster Anandpal Singh in his native village, pelted stones at a police team, leaving 16 personnel, including the Nagaur SP, injured. A woman probationary IPS officer, Monika Sen, and the gunman of the SP went missing during the clashes but were found later. The officer is fine but the gunman was injured, ADGP law amd order NRK Reddy said. Superintendent of Police (SP) Paris Deshmukh and 15 policemen were injured in the violence at Nagaur district's Sanvrad village. The SP's vehicle was torched, he said. Three policemen in critical state have been referred to the SMS hospital in Jaipur, Reddy said. "The violence broke out at the village after the meeting by the Rajput community. They also blocked a railway track but it was cleared and the agitators were removed from there," he said. A North Western Railway spokesperson said that a passenger train was delayed due to the blockade and some were halted at the Sujangarh Railway Station as the track was damaged. The meeting was held to demand a CBI probe into the Anandpal police encounter which took place on June 24 in Churu district. The gangster's family are yet to cremate the body and are demanding an investigation by the central agency. However, earlier Pakistan's Foreign Office said that it was considering the request of Jadhav's mother to grant her a visa. In April this year, India had requested Islamabad to facilitate Pakistan visas for Jadhav's family to meet him. (Photo: Videograb) New Delhi: India on Thursday said that is has not received any information, through its diplomatic channels, from Pakistan regarding giving consular access to former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was awarded death sentence of espionage by a military court. Briefing the media in Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that there has been no progress in providing visa so far for Jadhav's mother from the Pakistani side. "In terms of consular access to Jadhav, I think there is no progress on that and also for the visas for the family, including the mother, I think there is no change in the position. So far no information is with us," Baglay said. However, earlier Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that the authorities are considering the request of Jadhav's mother to grant her a visa so that she could visit her son in prison. In April this year, India had requested Islamabad to facilitate Pakistan visas for Jadhav's family to meet him. Read: Petition in Pakistan court wants immediate death for Kulbhushan Jadhav Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year from Balochistan allegedly for espionage attributes. He was later awarded death sentence by a Pakistani military court. India had then moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the death penalty and in its verdict on May 18 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav. Kumar further added that whenever 2 people from upper castes contested prez election, their achievements, qualities were discussed. Raipur: The Opposition's nominee for the presidential election, Meira Kumar on Wednesday said projecting the poll for the top office as Dalit vs Dalit has exposed the real face of the society which still thinks through the caste prism. Kumar on Wednesday met Congress MLAs in Raipur, seeking their support for the July 17 presidential election. Speaking to media later, she said the presidential election is being contested on the basis of ideology for the first time. Asked about the contest being described as Dalit versus Dalit (as the NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind too is a Dalit), Kumar said, "I am both happy and pained over this. "I am happy because it has exposed the real face of the society, that such a thinking is still prevalent...But I am pained because such issues are still being discussed; how do we progress (with this attitude)? If we keep ourselves under the clutches of the caste system, we will never progress," the former Lok Sabha Speaker said. "I feel sad when the election is described as a Dalit vs Dalit contest. "Presidential elections were held many times in the past and whenever two people from the so-called upper castes contested, the discussion would be about their (respective) achievements, their abilities, their qualities. Their caste was never discussed. But when I and Kovind-ji are contesting, nothing is being discussed beyond (both being) Dalit," Kumar said. "The caste system should be abolished for the growth of the nation. We are living in the second decade of the 21st century. We wanted to make India a progressive and modern nation and take it to (new) heights. We can not do it with such narrow and orthodox thoughts," she said. Stating that incidents of atrocities on Dalits and tribals have increased, she said, "We are fighting this election to raise their voice." Read: Presidential poll a battle of ideologies not castes, says Meira Kumar For the first time, 17 opposition parties have decided to contest the election jointly on the basis of "ideology, principles and values which we have inherited from our ancestors", and this is an important event in the history of Indian politics, Kumar said. "This is a country where we not only practise our own religion but we are also taught to respect others' religion and how to be secular. Today this ideology is being attacked and we will not allow it to happen," she said. "I have requested MLAs and MPs to cast their votes keeping in view the nation's interest. Otherwise, future generation would ask them why they chose a path leading towards darkness, where people are divided in the name of religion and caste," she said. The court has said that the Ayodhya dispute is a sensitive and sentimental issue, which needs to be settled amicably and through consensus. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut urged that an ordinance in this regard should be passed and the Ram temple should be built without any delay. (Photo: PTI/File) Lucknow: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday asserted that for them, the court's say in the Ram temple case does not matter. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut urged that an ordinance in this regard should be passed and the Ram temple should be built without any delay. "We should stop talking repeatedly about Ram temple. Let me tell you that the change of government in the state and in the Centre has taken place so that the Ram temple can be constructed. An ordinance in the regard should be brought in," said Raut. "Now the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister share the same thought like us. So now, there should be no delay in the regard. We will not go by what the court says in this matter. We did not protest and made sacrifices after taking court's permission," he added. The court has said that the Ayodhya dispute is a sensitive and sentimental issue, which needs to be settled amicably and through consensus. The court suggested that if required, a principal mediator can be chosen by the court to settle the issue. Chief Justice of India (CJI) JS Khehar said, if the parties want him to mediate, then he is ready for the task. The Union ministers will also give a detailed presentation on the government action on the two issues. Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well as on the Kashmir issue. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief leaders of opposition parties on the standoff with China and the situation in Kashmir on Friday, official sources said. Leaders of prominent opposition parties are being invited for the meeting where the two senior ministers will give a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation along the Sino-Indian border and Jammu and Kashmir and the government action, sources said. Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well as on the Kashmir issue. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers 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 the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region. In Jammu and Kashmir, seven pilgrims were killed by militants in Anantnag district while returning from Amarnath cave shrine on last Monday. Four districts of the state Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. Seventy-six people, besides two police personnel, were killed during the five-month unrest in the Valley following the killing of Wani. The unrest resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Opposition leaders have been criticising the government for the way it has handled the China and Kashmir matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Gandhi yesterday accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. He also alleged the prime minister's pursuit of short- term political gains from the BJP-PDP alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. A video of the incident has gone viral and was also shared by a private TV network. Nagpur: The gau rakshak brigade strikes once again. This time in Bharsingi village under the Jalalkheda police station, near Nagpur, where four persons allegedly beat up Salim Ismael Shah (36), for carrying beef on Wednesday. While the man was indeed carrying meat, it is yet to be confirmed whether it was beef, mutton or buffalo meat. A video of the incident has gone viral and was also shared by a private TV network. The four were arrested based on the video evidence. Talking to The Asian Age, Inspector Vijay Tiwari of Jalalkheda police station on Thursday said that all four persons have been arrested for assaulting Salim with rods and sticks. The men were said to be members of a fringe group called the Prahar Sanghatan, allegedly linked to local politicians. They were to be produced in court later on Thursday. The victim was carrying the meat in his two-wheeler, when the quartet intercepted and allegedly beat him. The four have been identified as Moreshwar Tandullkar, Jagdish Choudhary, Ashwini Uikey and Rameshwar Taiwade. This is the first such incident reported from the Vidarbha region. The incident has also created ripples in political circles in the state. The Shiv Sena, a ruling coalition partner in Maharashtra, as well as the Opposition Congress and the NCP condemned an incident. The BJP, on the other hand, sought to play it down, calling it a stray incident. Lynchings of people over suspicion of carrying beef started in UP and it has now spilled over to our progressive state. To make the matters worse, this has happened in the RSS heartland. If this continues, there will be a chaos in the country, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said. BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said that despite Prime Ministers warning, one cannot get into the minds of those resorting to violence. One cannot get into the minds of these people. We condemn this incident, but one cannot term it a failure of law and order because this is a stray incident, he said No party would support such actions. The accused do not have the right to beat anybody. They could have handed him (the victim) over to the police and the law would have taken its own course, Shetty added. State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said the continuance of such incidents showed that nobody takes the prime minister seriously. More than 27 people have been lynched in the country. This issue is becoming serious with every passing day. It shows nobody takes the prime minister seriously, He said. The Congress will raise the issue in the Monsoon Sessions of Parliament and the state Assembly and make this government answerable, the former chief minister said. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik asked if Fadnavis can ensure that such incidents wont happen again. After Gujarat and Haryana, now it is Maharashtras turn. The CM hails from Nagpur, so the gravity of the incident is greater. Will the CM ensure that this does not happen again, he said. The chief minister should enlighten the BJP and the RSS workers about the difference between cow meat and buffalo meat as the latter was not banned, the NCP leader said. Salim Ismail Sheikh (31), resident of Katol town, was allegedly thrashed by a group of people on the suspicion that he was carrying beef at Bharsingi village in Nagpur district last night. The police have arrested four persons in this connection. Her response came after a woman wrote to her on Twitter, seeking her help to bring back the mortal remains of one of those killed in the incident. New Delhi: Eleven Indians were killed and six others injured in a fire that ripped through a windowless house at Najran in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. In a series of tweets late on Wednesday night, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj initially said, I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran in which we have lost 10 Indian nationals and six injured are in the hospital. I have spoken to consul general Jeddah. Najran is 900 Kms from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available. Our consul general is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis. But the number of Indian casualties rose to 11 on Thursday. Her response came after a woman wrote to her on Twitter, seeking her help to bring back the mortal remains of one of those killed in the incident. The external affairs ministry on Thursday released the list of those killed in the incident. They are: Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Mohammad Waseem, Waseem Akram, and Vakeel Ahmad from Uttar Pradesh; Gauri Shankar Gupta from Bihar; Kamapalan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan, and Sreejith Kottasseri from Kerala; Murokanandan Kaliyan from Tamil Nadu and Paras Kumar Subedar from Punjab. According to news agency reports from Dubai, the workers, who belonged to a construction company, were living near a gold market area in Faisaliah district. The fire broke out due to a short circuit in an old air-conditioning unit, according to primary information. Will work diplomatic channels on Doklam: MEA New Delhi: Administering a strong snub to China, which had raked up the Kashmir issue by offering to mediate between New Delhi and Islamabad, India on Thursday said cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the heart of the matter that was threatening regional peace, adding that it was a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. New Delhi reiterated its position that it was always open to bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve issues, but Indias position has also been that talks and terror cannot go together. New Delhi also said it would continue to work the diplomatic channels to resolve the situation after the continuing Doklam faceoff in Bhutan between Indian and Chinese troops. New Delhi also indicated that the Doklam issue had figured in conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hamburg last week. Indias strong reaction came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson reportedly said that China was willing to play a constructive role in improving India-Pakistan ties, amid increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC). China also said the situation in Kashmir had attracted international attention. The Chinese offer is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on India over Kashmir. At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India, including on the people of the state of J&K. So the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular source is threatening peace and stability in not only India but (also) other neighbours, MEA spokesman Gopal Baglay said. As far as the Kashmir issue itself is concerned, the governments position has been very consistent and clear, he said. We have been ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan ... on J&K, among other issues... in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan, including the Kashmir issue, in a bilateral framework has not changed, Mr Baglay said. Indias stand, however, has also been that talks and terror cannot go together. He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India was against the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anyone in any situation. Mr Baglay hit out at the Pakistani government for reading from terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyabas terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by the security forces in J&K in July last year. On the Doklam issue, the MEA indicated that it had figured in the conversation between Mr Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Hamburg G-20 summit last week, although it did not explicitly say so. I leave it to your imagination and common sense, Mr Baglay told a reporter in response to a question on whether the issue had figured in the chat of the two leaders. The Deputy CM defended his security personnel for protecting him and assured that the matter will be investigated. The incident of manhandling the media persons by the security personnel of Deputy CM occurred on Wednesday when Tejashvi Yadav emerged to address the media. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav has denied the media reports that his security personnel manhandled the media persons on his instructions on Wednesday in Patna. While blaming media persons for initiating the scuffle and hitting the Health Minister, the Deputy CM defended his security personnel for protecting him and assured that the matter will be investigated. "There are misleading information about attack on media persons, on request of them I patiently waited about 5-7 mins so that they stop meddling with each other out of competition, however that was in vein. I totally understand know how difficult is their job, specially the cameramen. They were falling & competing with each other. Couple of media person were putting mike behind me & brushed my ears & head also. There were moments when around ten mikes were about to hit my nose, I saved myself & duty personals were protecting it while being on duty," Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav said in a Facebook post on early Thursday. The incident of manhandling the media persons by the security personnel of Deputy CM occurred on Wednesday when Tejaswi Yadav emerged to address the media gathered to take his reactions after a Bihar cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the corruption case against him. Showing his ignorance about the incident Tejaswi Yadav said, "Personally I wasn't aware what's happening other side, as was addressing the media and completely surrounded by media only". However, he blamed the media persons for initiating the scuffle and said, "Even a cameraman hardly hit the Health minister with his camera on head while boarding the car & it wasn't reported at all, rather no need to as it happens out of rush. Many security guards had minor bruises. On such critical moments when hundreds of media surrounds & suddenly jumps for byte, it becomes bit difficult for us, media & security guards also". Terming the reports in a section of media that the whole incident occurred on his instructions the Deputy Chief Minister said, "There were reports on few channels stating that it happened on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried the assault which is totally undesirable, baseless & meaningless". "We always have been friendly with media and respond to them. I regret & condemn any charge on media. Such incidents must not take place, I will personally look into the matter & get it investigated," the Deputy CM further said. The Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had called the meeting of all Janata Dal (United) MPs, MLAs and other office bearers and leaders of the state to discuss the political situation in the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on alliance partner Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family, including Tejaswi Yadav followed by demands of opposition parties in Bihar to remove Tejaswi Yadav from the post of Deputy CM. The JD(U) meeting concluded without any explicit demand for the resignation of Tejaswi, however citing several examples, party chief and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stressed on his commitment towards probity and accountability in governance and left the decision on the RJD. According to sources, the JD (U) leadership has decided to give some time to its alliance partner to come clean over the charges using facts and not rhetoric and left the decision on the RJD to take action on Tejaswi. Since the meeting was very significant, the media was gathered to know about the decisions taken in the meeting and also to take Tejaswi's reactions on the demand of his resignation. It was then, when Tejaswi's security personnel allegedly manhandled media persons outside the Bihar Secretariat. An ANI reporter, by the name of Rahul Singh, was amongst the media persons who were pushed aside. Meanwhile, holding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) solely responsible for the corruption charges slapped against him, Tejaswi Yadav remained defiant about not succumbing to the pressure or resigning, citing that the charges were a part of a political vendetta against him and his family. Tejaswi further said he was not surprised when the saffron party had a problem with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo and his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, but to fearing him, the 28-year-old, is beyond his imagination. "The BJP is surprised to see a 28-year-old to not just rule the state, but also govern it efficiently. We will take an action against them. They don't deserve a place here," he said. Further denying the charges made against him, Tejaswi said that the charges date back to 2004-2006, when he was a 14-year-old and a teenage couln't be committing crimes. Earlier last week, 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 Tejaswi. 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. The term of incumbent vice-president Hamid Ansari is due to end on August 10 and the election for the next vice-president will be held on August 5. New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah met top RSS leaders Bhaiyya Joshi and Krishna Gopal on Thursday to discuss various issues, including the NDAs vice-presidential candidate. Sources said he would soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the partys parliamentary board, its highest decision-making body, to finalise its candidate for the nations second-highest constitutional post. The meeting between Mr Shah and the RSS leaders lasted for over half an hour. Opposition parties have already named Mahatma Gandhis grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former IAS officer and diplomat and former West Bengal governor, as their joint candidate. While the names of former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel, Manipur governor Najma Heptullah, Maharashtra governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, Madhubani MP Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav and senior leader O. Rajagopal are doing the rounds as the NDAs possible vice-presidential candidate, speculation is rife about a surprise candidate. Senior Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has already rejected suggestions that his name was being considered for the post. Incidentally, some governors, including Ms Heptullah, Himachal Pradeshs Acharya Devvrat and UPs Ram Naik are said to be camping in New Delhi. The term of incumbent vice-president Hamid Ansari is due to end on August 10 and the election for the next vice-president will be held on August 5. The last day of filing nominations for this election is July 18. Rajya Sabha secretary-general Shumsher K. Sheriff will be the returning officer for the vice-presidential polls. The electoral college for this poll comprises the elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament. The vice-president also serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. RJD leader said that the final decision on the issue lies only with Lalu Yadav because his party has 80 MLAs in the state Assembly. Patna: RJD legislators and other senior party leaders on Thursday rejected the demand for resignation of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav over the CBI raids. A senior RJD leader said that the final decision on the issue lies only with Lalu Yadav because his party has 80 MLAs in the state Assembly. Lalu Yadav is a bigger leader in Bihar because the RJD is a bigger party and so whatever decision he takes will be final, senior RJD leader Bhai Virendra told this newspaper. The RJD leader gave the statement after JD(U) spokesperson Niraj Kumar said that the party was not convinced by Tejashwis clarification on the issue and asked him to come up with fact based explanations. More than 48 hours have passed since Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar asked RJD, especially Tejashwi, to furnish a detailed explanation to the public about the charges against the family. CBI had registered FIR on the basis of facts. Everything is in public domain, so giving a political speech wont work, he will have to present proof with facts, Niraj told this newspaper on Thursday. Though the JD(U) senior leader said that there was no time frame for Tejashwi to issue a public explanation but he claimed that the party expects him to respond at the earliest. Claiming that the sentiments of the party were at stake, Niraj said that JD(U) expects RJD to show unity in Tejashwis case as they had done when the state government had acted against leaders like Mohammad Shahabuddin and Raj Ballabh Yadav. RJD has always shown unity in various other cases against leaders who belonged to their party including Mohammad Shahabuddin and we are hopeful that they will show the same unity while taking a decision on Tejaswi Yadav, he said. Tejaswi Yadavs residential premises in Patna were raided last week by CBI on the basis of FIR in connection with a corruption case. The FIR also included names of RJD Chief Lalu Yadav and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Tejaswi Yadav had earlier said that cases filed against him and his family were a well-planned conspiracy by the BJP to damage Lalu Yadavs campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP is bringing up cases of 2004 against me. How could I be a criminal at 13 or 14, I didnt even have a moustache then. Tejaswi Yadav had said on Wednesday in Patna. His defence was later rejected by BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi who said that he became the owner of the property after he turned an adult with moustache and beard. He cant run away by giving such statements. The agency sleuths also conducted searches at 12 locations in Patna and Ranchi in connection with the case. New Delhi: The CBI, which is probing the alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private company, is all set to start questioning of the accused from next week. The agency had recently registered a case against then railway minister and RJD chief Lalu Yadav his wife Rabri Devi, Bihar deputy chief minister and his son Tejashwi. Sources said that the agency may send a team of its official to Patna for recording the statement of former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi in connection with the case. The agency is collecting all relevant documents pertaining to the case from the railway ministry and other concerned agencies. The CBI will start interrogation of the accused, named in the FIR, from next week, sources said. The CBI on July 5 registered a corruption case against the RJD chief, his family members, particularly his wife, and his son Tejashwi, Bihars deputy chief minister, in connection with the alleged irregularities in tenders allotted to Sujata Hotels for development, maintenance and operation of two railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri. The case dates back to when Mr Yadav was the railway minister in the UPA government. The agency sleuths also conducted searches at 12 locations in Patna and Ranchi in connection with the case. The raids included the premises of the Yadav family as well as those of his confidant Prem Chand Gupta, whose wife Sarla Gupta is listed as an accused in the FIR. Others named in the FIR included Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar (both directors of Sujata Hotels), Delight Marketing, now known as Lara Projects, and then IRCTC MD P.K. Goel. There are allegations that Lalu Yadav as railway minister handed over the maintenance of two railway hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land in Patna through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta. Boy from Kazakhstan who had gone to doctor complaining of earache ends up getting maggots removed from ear. Horrific footage of a doctor removing dozens of slimy, squirmy maggots from a boys ears have gone viral (Photo: Youtube) From botflies removed from the head to squirming maggots removed from ears, it seems that bugs are closer to us than we would perhaps like them to be. And now a horrific footage of a doctor removing dozens of slimy, squirmy maggots from a boys ears have gone viral. The young boy, who, it turns out is from Kazakhstan, had gone to the doctor complaining of a sever earache. However, what the doctor diagnosed was far from his wildest imaginations. Eyewitnesses, who were present during the procedure could not believe their eyes when the doctor began removing live maggots from the boys ears. The video shows him pulling the grey maggots, a single at a time with his tweezers and depositing them in a surgical dish. By the time the doctor had finished there were dozens of maggots wriggling in the stainless steel container. An eyewitness who was present during the disgusting procedure filmed the entire thing and put it on social media, turning it viral overnight. The maggots, each about one centimetre long, are believed to be the larvae of a bluebottle or blow fly (Calliphoridae). The victim's mother reported the incident to the police on Sunday and a case was registered against her husband. The girl was sexually assaulted when she was at home with her father, police said. (Representational image) New Delhi: A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her father in north Delhi's Sarai Rohilla, the police said on Wednesday. The girl was sexually assaulted when she was at home with her father, they said. When she experienced pain in her private parts and showed irritable behaviour, her mother felt something amiss, the police said. On asking, the girl told her mother about her father sexually assaulting her, they said. The victim's mother reported the incident to the police on Sunday and a case was registered against her husband. The woman also told police that her husband always wanted a son but since the couple had two daughters, he was never happy in their presence. The move will give momentum to the Delhi governments flagship programme to make the national capital a solar Delhi. he Delhi government, in its Solar Policy, targets to generate 2,000 MW electricity through solar power by 2025. Officials said the proposal to light up Delhi schools with solar energy was ready and would be implemented soon. New Delhi: Solar power may soon light up the government schools in Delhi as the Aam Aadmi Party government is considering a proposal to set up photo-voltaic panels on rooftops on all of its school buildings. The move will give momentum to the Delhi governments flagship programme to make the national capital a solar city. The Delhi government, in its Solar Policy, targets to generate 2,000 MW electricity through solar power by 2025. Officials said the proposal to light up Delhi schools with solar energy was ready and would be implemented soon. In the initial phase, solar panels will be set up on the rooftops of 25 to 30 school buildings in the city in the next few months, a Delhi government official said. In this manner, initially the government is eyeing power generation of 20 to 30 MW solar electricity. After successful implementation of this project, the government will extend it further, the official added. In a related development, those consuming up to 400 units will continue to get 50 per cent subsidy on their bills as the Delhi government on Wednesday extended the subsidy for the financial year 2017-18. The decision that was taken during a Cabinet meet chaired by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and will cost Rs 1,720 to the state exchequer. The subsidy will continue to be `two per unit for consumers in the slab of 0-200 units and Rs 2.975 per unit for consumers in the slab of 201-400 units, an official statement said. The girls, 19-year-old students, were returning home from college at the time of the incident. According to the girls, the accused who is around 30 years old unzipped himself in front of them at 11.45 am near Galleria Mall. (Representational image) Mumbai: An unknown motorcycle-borne man indecently exposed himself to four college-going girls near Powais Hiranandani area on Thursday morning. The girls, 19-year-old students, were returning home from college at the time of the incident. The police has registered a case of stalking and act intended to insult the modesty of a woman against the accused and is examining closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage procured from units located around the area. According to the girls, the accused who is around 30 years old unzipped himself in front of them at 11.45 am near Galleria Mall. When the shocked girls reported the matter to the guards of the nearby Eterniya building, they were allegedly shooed away. One girl then dialled the police helpline number, 100, and reported the matter, following which officers arrived at the spot to record her statement. Speaking about the steps being taken to nab the accused, police spokesperson Rashmi Karandikar, DCP (operations), said, A team is checking CCTV footage while another is interrogating shopkeepers who might have seen the accused previously. The girls managed to note down the last four digits of the accuseds licence plate: 3735. Exposure of private parts in public is a non-bailable offence and, if convicted, the accused can be sentenced to 1-3 years behind bars. In aftermath of Manju Shetyes death, visit Byculla womens prison and hear versions of both sides. Mumbai: Amid the ongoing police investigation into the June 23 murder of Byculla womens prison inmate Manju Shetye, 15 women MPs belonging to the Parliamentary Empowerment of Women Committee paid a visit to the prison on Thursday and interacted with inmates and jail officials for around two hours. Prison authorities did not reveal what transpired during the interaction. The parliamentarians, from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, arrived at the prison at around 10.30 am in a bus and the meetings continued till post noon at around 12.30 pm, when they left. They avoided speaking to the media, stating they were asked not to divulge anything pertaining to the meeting. They spoke to us and also most of the inmates to hear their side and issues. Nothing more can be revealed at the moment, said a womens prison officer, requesting anonymity. The prison officials are slated to submit a report on the lapses that took place in the jail both on June 23, when Shetye was allegedly beaten to death and on June 24, during the arson and rioting that took place allegedly when the inmates learnt about the death of Shetye. The prisons inquiry is being conducted by inspector general Rajvardhan Sinha after DIG Swati Sathe was taken off from heading the probe following allegations of her extending support towards the six arrested jail staffers Manisha Pokharkar, Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Sheetal Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shigane. The crime branch officials, meanwhile, have sought permission from court to record statements of at least 15 inmates. According to rules the investigators are required to seek permission to speak to inmates and record their statements from the concerned courts that issued sentences in their cases. The crime branch is also yet to locate the stick that was used to assault Shetye. It has been missing since the day of the crime and officials are probing if it has been destroyed. The custody of the accused is set to exhaust on Friday when they will be produced before the Esplanade court. The Saudis to the hilt supported the counter-revolution that ousted Mr Morsi. One of the casualties of the ongoing Saudi-Qatar spat could well be Egyptian strongman Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. In Mr Sisis rise were the seeds of his insecurity. When the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia returned from convalescence in Europe in February 2011 and saw allies Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia blown away by the Arab Spring, he swore to reverse the trend: no Arab monarchy or ally shall be allowed to fall, he declared. Nothing worried him more than the replacement of Mr Mubarak by Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brothers are anathema to both Saudis and Israelis. Qatar on the other hand, has patronised the Brothers, a powerful grassroots force in Egypt and Turkey. It is sufficiently powerful to keep King Abdullah of Jordan on sixes and sevens. Also, one must not forget the Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Hama, northwest Syria, in 1982, which Bashar al-Assads father, Hafez al-Assad, quelled with such brute force that the death toll exceeded 10,000. In 2011, when then Turkish Prime Minister and current Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took a more benign interest in Syrian affairs, his advice to Mr Assad was straightforward: accommodate the Brothers in the establishment. Israel has nightmares because it fears that the Brothers weed in Egypt and elsewhere will link up with Hamas, another strong Muslim Brothers outfit. When the Western media, protective of Israeli interests, list the Shia axis inimical to the Jewish state Iran, Hezbollah, Syria it mentions Hamas in the same breath without the essential qualification: Hamas is true-blue Sunni. The link-up with Iran is political or ideological, not religious. Saudi anxieties are more profound. Remember from January 1980, the Saudis began to play down the monarchy and focus more on the Kings role as the keeper of the holy shrines at Mecca and Medina. This show of humility followed two events, one after the other, which shook the House of Saud. The Iranian Revolution, which brought the ayatollahs to power in Tehran in 1979, coincided more or less with the siege of the Mecca mosque by Juhayman al-Otaybi and hundreds of his supporters, demanding the overthrow of the House of Saud and an end to the anti-Islamic monarchy in Saudi Arabia. This is the Brothers belief even today. That is why Hosni Mubaraks dictatorship was preferable to the Saudis than Mohamed Morsi even though he came to power through the ballot box. The Saudis to the hilt supported the counter-revolution that ousted Mr Morsi. No sooner did Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, then the Army chief, emerge as the alternative in Egypt, the Saudis placed in his hands $8 billion to stabilise and proceed. That was also the first time that Al Jazeera TV (indirectly Qatar) came into direct conflict with the Egyptian state. Three journalists were jailed. Let us fast forward to the present. The 13-point ultimatum issued by the Saudis (in the name of the Gulf Cooperation Council) to Qatar includes outrageous demands: shut down Al Jazeera and break relations with Iran and the Brothers. It is an invitation to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Emir of Qatar, to virtually eat crow. Since this is unlikely to happen, the ensuing standoff between Riyadh and Doha will have regional ramifications. The Doha lifeline may go some distance in agitating the Egyptian street. This is where Mr Sisis vulnerability lies. Strangely, in this intra-GCC spat, Egypts is the only non-GCC name that figures. It cannot be edifying for citizens of what was once the most powerful Arab nation to be seen as a sidekick of the House of Saud. That is why there were two distinct reactions in Cairo when US President Donald Trump announced a $110 billion arms deal with his Saudi allies. The news was heartening for the presidential palace, but, by the same token, there was murmuring in the districts where the Brothers lie in wait. A Clinton adviser, Bruce Riedel, now a specialist at Brookings Institution, however, promptly challenged the news of the deal. He furnished incontrovertible proof that Mr Trump was bragging about a Saudi arms wishlist, but no real deals had been concluded. By contrast, former US President Barack Obama sold the Saudis $112 billion in weapons in 2012, a single deal negotiated by defence secretary Bob Gates. Mr Riedels other argument was the clincher: You will know the Trump deal is real when Israel begins to ask for a package to keep the Israeli defence forces qualitative edge preserved. What seems to be on its way are a billion dollars worth of munitions to help the Saudi Air Force pulverise the Arab worlds poorest country Yemen. It will take the Saudis millennia to build a civilisation like the one they are destroying in Yemen. Put it down to American caprice or ambidexterity that while Mr Trump spewed anti-Qatar rhetoric, his defence secretary James Mattis was in Qatar signing a $12 billion arms deal with his Qatari counterpart Khalid Al Attiyah. The scene is being set for a perfect cockfight. Encourage the Saudis to break with Qatar and promptly dispatch Mr Mattis to Doha to squeeze yet another deal with the nervous Qataris. This would prompt Saudis come running for more arms, and so on. I have always maintained that Americans, protected by the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, will continue to enhance their dependence on what Dwight Eisenhower called the military industrial complex. Retaliatory consequences of their arms sales in the form of increased terrorism will be borne by Europe, which has land and Mediterranean Sea links with areas in West Asia most affected by the post 9/11 wars. Manchester and London Bridge are only the most recent manifestations of terrorism as revenge. Is the revenge terrorism in the West different from terrorism elsewhere? For instance, suicide bombers outside the German embassy in Kabul killed 150 members of the Afghan police, Army and foreigners soon after the Manchester attack. The dynamic here is different. Afghans collaborating with a 16-year-old US occupation of Afghanistan are under attack from the Taliban, who are falling back on Afghan nationalism. What is common to Islamic terror everywhere is the technique suicide bombing. This genre was patented by Wahabi, Takfiri thought and will continue until the West lays the blame where it belongs. No Iranian or Hezbollah or indeed Shia militant has yet been found to be a suicide bomber. Nor have the Brothers. The sub-brand is planned to take on Chinese rivals Oppo and Vivo in the offline retailer market. Xiaomis new sub-brand, planned to take on Chinese rivals Oppo and Vivo in the offline retailer market, will be called Lanmi, according to a post a shared on Chinas social media platform Weibo, reported GizmoChina. The word Lanmi means blue rice. According to reports, Xiaomi will launch a smartphone named Lanmi X1 as the first device under the sub-brand. It will arrive in two models with four variants each. The first model will feature a 5.5-inch (2160 x 1080 pixels) display, powered by Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 4GB/6GB RAM and offering 64GB/128GB storage options, while the second model will feature a 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) display, powered by Snapdragon 660 SoC, with similar RAM and storage option. In an alleged image leaked online, the smartphone was shown to come with a dual-camera setup and with antenna band running from the top left corner, resembling the designs of iPhone 7 and OnePlus 5 smartphones. Xiaomi has not yet made any official announcements about the name of the sub-brand or any of the devices set to be launched under its name. The tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to Iran. Doha: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday wrapped up a four-day mission to the Gulf with little sign of progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia and its allies against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip, before heading back to Washington. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to their arch-rival Iran. The diplomatic slack now appears likely to be picked up again by the Europeans, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heading to the region at the weekend. A French diplomatic source in Paris said that Le Drian would try "to recreate confidence, create an interest of all parties to engage in de-escalation". "We must find a way out." Le Drian's visit will follow similar trips made by his counterparts from Germany and Britain in recent weeks. - 'Impossible situation' - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar since June 5. They have imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar. They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to end the worst political crisis in the region for years. Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands "unrealistic". It also claims the boycott has led to human rights violations, and on Thursday one group said abuses were one consequence of the crisis. "Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries' orders or leaving behind their families and job," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. - Crisis, yet opportunity? - Tillerson arrived back in Doha after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 24 hours earlier. On his previous visit on Tuesday, the US and Qatar signed an agreement to combat terror funding, subsequently dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saud-led states. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson has sought to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. Speaking after meeting with Prince Mohammed -- the Saudi king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics -- Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. On Tuesday, speaking in Doha, Tillerson described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. But an ongoing crisis may not looked upon as such a bad thing in the west, at least according to one analyst. "For public consumption at least, the US State Department is trying to send out a signal that it has worked hard with its three allies -- Saudi, UAE, Qatar -- to try to find a mutually agreeable solution," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, said. "Britain, and now France, are also trying to do much the same. "Underneath the surface however... the US -- including Tillerson -- likely sees significant strategic and lucrative benefits to any long-running stand-off between these states." Four of them were from Uttar Pradesh, 3 from Kerala, 1 from Bihar, 1 from Tamil Nadu and details of 2 others were yet to be ascertained. Arab News reported that 11 people suffocated and six were injured yesterday, in a fire that ripped through a windowless house they shared at a farm. (Photo: AP/Representational) Jeddah: Eleven Indians have been killed in a fire in the southern Saudi city of Najran and the Indian Consulate in Jeddah is providing all assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured in the tragedy, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. Among the Indians killed in the fire, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala, one from Bihar, one from Tamil Nadu and details of two others were yet to be ascertained, it said. Apart from the 11 Indians killed, five Indians were also injured in the blaze that ripped through a windowless house where the workers were staying. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay in New Delhi put out the details of the deceased and said the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, was providing "all assistance". Arab News reported that 11 people suffocated and six were injured yesterday, in a fire that ripped through a windowless house they shared at a farm. "Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," the local civil defence authority said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said, "I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran...I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah." "Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on a regular basis," Swaraj said. Gauri Shankar Gupta, Kamapalan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan, Sreejith Kottasseri, Murokanandan Kaliyan, Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Waseem Akram, Vakeel Ahmad, Paras Kumar Subedar and Mohammad Waseem Azizur Rahman were the Indians killed in the fire, according to the details of the deceased released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Details of the five Indians injured in the fire were yet to be ascertained, the MEA said. Army choppers strafed the Old City and blasts sent plumes of smoke into the air, though it was unclear if they were bombs. Pockets of Mosul remain insecure and the city has been heavily damaged by nearly nine months of gruelling urban combat. (Photo: AP) Mosul: Iraqi forces clashed with Islamic State fighters holding out in Mosuls Old City on Wednesday, more than 36 hours after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the militants in the de facto Iraqi capital of their self-declared caliphate. Abadis announcement marked the biggest defeat for the hardline Sunni group since its lightning sweep through northern Iraq three years ago, but pockets of Mosul remain insecure and the city has been heavily damaged by nearly nine months of gruelling urban combat. About 900,000 people have fled the fighting, with more than a third in camps outside the city and the rest living with family and friends in other neighbourhoods. Activity has quickly returned to many parts of Mosul and work to repair damaged homes and infrastructure is already underway. But Iraqi forces exchanged gunfire with the militants in their final redoubt just before midnight and into the morning, two residents living just across the Tigris River from the area said. Army helicopters strafed the Old City and blasts sent plumes of smoke into the air, though it was unclear if they were controlled explosions or bombs set off by Islamic State, the residents said by phone. We still live in an atmosphere of war despite the victory announcement two days ago, said Fahd Ghanim, 45. An Iraqi military official attributed the activity to clearing operations. There are Daesh (fighters) hiding in different places, he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. They disappear here and pop up there then we target them. He declined to estimate the number of militants or civilians in the area, but the top US general in Iraq said on Tuesday that as many as a couple of hundred fighters could still be in Mosul. There are bypassed holdouts. We havent cleared every building in this city the size of Philadelphia. Thats going to have to be done, and there are also hidden IEDs (improvised explosive devices), Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told reporters. There are still going to be losses from the Iraqi security forces as they continue to secure Mosul. South of the city, reinforcements arrived to help Iraqi forces push out Islamic State militants armed with machine guns and mortars from Imam Gharbi village. The militants have taken control of 75 percent of the village. The militants assault on Imam Gharbi, launched last week, is the kind of strike Islamic State is expected to deploy now as US-backed Iraqi forces regain control over cities the group captured during its shock 2014 offensive. A separate attack on a border guard convoy in western Anbar, near the Syrian border, killed two soldiers and wounded four on Tuesday, military sources said. Sushma Swaraj said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan. Kulbhushan Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. (Photo: PTI) Islamabad: Pakistan said on Thursday that it was considering a visa application of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav for a visit to meet her son who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. "Pakistan is considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan. Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantika's visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. Read: Petition in Pakistan court wants immediate death for Kulbhushan Jadhav "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 had tweeted. However, Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms", Dawn newspaper reported. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Read: Pak rejects consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav for 18th time Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. The decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an informal meeting at the Nawaz Sharifs house Nawaz Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time before serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. (File Photo) Islamabad: Amid demands for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday convened an emergency Cabinet meeting to chalk out a strategy to counter the Panama case probe panels damning report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. The prime minister is expected to seek an endorsement from the Cabinet in the form of a resolution or a declaration, apart from briefing members about the partys strategy to challenge the Joint Investigation Team report in the Supreme Court, official sources said. The six-member JIT that probed Mr. Sharif familys business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Mr. Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999. The decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an informal meeting at the prime ministers house, attended by members of Sharifs Cabinet and his legal team, including Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Mr. Sharif is not ready to quit and his daughter Ms. Maryam confirmed it in a tweet. InshAllah he wont resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him, she tweeted. Mr. Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time before serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Young people can be "resources for their countries and for the world," but it is necessary to fight the social problems and the narrative that leads to violent extremism. Riyadh (AsiaNews) - 28.5% of the population aged 15 to 29 live in a country of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - a total of almost 500 million young people. The OIC general secretary-general, Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, said on July 10 at the opening of a meeting of foreign ministers in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). In his speech, Al-Othaimeen reiterated that the youth issue is a priority for the organization. He stated that the current situation poses "opportunities and challenges" because young people can represent important "resources for their countries and for the world", but we must fight challenges such as "economic deprivation, political exclusion, social marginalization And the disintegration of families, "creates" fertile ground for extremist and terrorist organizations to recruit young people for their deplorable purposes. " In the world of "social media and global inter-connectivity," continued the secretary-general, a "narrative against violent extremism" is needed. According to the OIC press release, several young people from the Member States participated in the meeting, presenting proposals for activities and recommendations to promote their participation in various fields at national and international level. Yemens deputy prime minister made the announcement. His government will do everything possible to free the Salesian clergyman. Indias External Affairs Ministry offers its assistance to obtain the release. New Delhi (AsiaNews) Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi, Yemens deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, during a visit to India announced that Father Tom Uzhunnalil, the Salesian kidnapped in Yemen in March 2016, is still alive. In a meeting with his Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, he assured the Indian government that his government would do everything to obtain his release. Father Tom has been in the hands of his kidnappers for more than a year. Occasionally, reports about his health have been leaked to the press. The latest on 8 May shows the Salesian in a second video in which he calls for his release and warns that his health was "worsening quickly". In a first video posted over the Christmas holidays on 26 December 2016, the clergyman appealed to Pope Francis for his release. He also said perhaps under duress that he had been "forgotten" by civil and Church authorities and needed treatment. Fr Tom, a native of Kerala (southern India), has been a prisoner of a jihadist group since 4 March 2016. His abductors, probably linked to the Islamic State, stormed a home for the sick and elderly run by the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, southern Yemen. Four sisters of Mother Teresa and other 12 people inside the facility were killed in the attack. The only survivor in the religiously motivated attack was Sister Sally, the homes superior, who was away at the time. Last Easter a baseless rumour began circulating suggesting that the clergymans kidnappers were planning to torture, kill and crucify him on Good Friday, 25 March. The Salesians and by Mgr Paul Hinder, apostolic vicar of southern Arabia, repeatedly dismissed the story, but it did fuel fears about the Indian priests fate. The statement by the Yemeni minister comes after Indias External Affairs Minister stressed the government's concern for the safety and well-being of Father Tom, the ministry said in a statement, and reiterated the request for continued assistance from the Yemeni authorities in securing his safe and early release. by Melani Manel Perera The capital region is the most affected area. Mosquito breeding has been made worse by heavy rains. Colombo's archbishop called for acts of fasting and penance in expiation for our weaknesses and sins." Colombo (AsiaNews) Since the beginning of the year, dengue fever has killed at least 225 people in Sri Lanka. It is a real epidemic, the worst ever. The number of infections nationwide is already 38 per cent higher than last year, when more than 55,000 people were diagnosed with dengue and 97 died, this according to the Health Ministry. The capital region is the most affected area. In view of the situation, Card Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo, called on Catholics in the Archdiocese to observe a week of prayer and fasting, 15-23 July. "Let's pray to the Blessed Mother," he said, "and all the saints, that they may intercede for us at this time of need." Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infectious disease. Last month's heavy rains left the cities waterlogged, with puddles and rain-soaked garbage providing ideal spots for mosquitoes to breed and multiply. This year's strain is particularly dangerous, said Dr Priscilla Samaraweera of the National Dengue Eradication Unit. There is no cure for any of the four strains of the virus, which causes a high fever, weeks of exhaustion and in some cases a vicious skin rash. Patients most at risk of dying are the elderly, children or those with other medical complications. The authorities are trying to find a solution. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena urged the public to co-operate with officials trying to fight the disease In Colombo alone, about 25 teams of soldiers, police officers and public health inspectors were deployed in searching dengue mosquito-breeding places and clearing process door to door and advising people to clear clogged drains and empty outdoor pots that might have filled with rainwater. In total, the government has deployed 400 soldiers and police officers to clear away rotting garbage, stagnant water pools and other possible mosquito-breeding grounds. Card Ranjith called on Catholics to hold a novena dedicated to Saint Sebastian, protector against the plague. "I recommend special prayers at the Holy Mass during the week, he said, and the possible celebration of a triduum on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 21-23 July, in al parishes, including an eventual procession and blessing of the statue with our Blessed Mother, Saint Sebastian, and all the other saints known for their powerful intercession in our illnesses." The prelate also called for actions of special charity towards the needy, a campaign to eradicate possible mosquito breeding grounds, a clean-up of the surroundings, and acts of fasting and penance in expiation for our weaknesses and sins." He ended saying, "Let us storm Heaven with our prayers and acts of renunciation, so that the Good Lord may bless our country, save it from this epidemic and grant our people blessings and good health." The main role of the base is to support the Chinese warships used in the region in anti-piracy operations. Even the United States, France and Japan have permanent military bases in Djibouti. The former French colony is strategically located, offering access to the strait of Bab el-Mandeb connecting the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - China has dispatched troops to Djibouti, thus establishing its first foreign military base. Yesterday, two Chinese warships left Zhanjiang Harbor to cross the Indian Ocean and transport the soldiers to be stationed. Today, an editorial on the Global Times newspaper emphasizes the strategic importance of the new Djibouti military base in the Horn of Africa. The same daily says that the main role of the base is to support the Chinese warships used in the region in anti-piracy and humanitarian operations. Chinese troops have already marched in parade on Djibouti's Independence Day on June 27th to celebrate the anniversary for 40 years since the end of French rule in the Horn of Africa (pictured). Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Geng Shuang described the inauguration of the base as part of ongoing efforts to help peace and security in the African region. "Chinese naval forces are present in the waters off Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden to conduct security and escort missions for merchant ships since 2008," said Geng. "The military base will help China to better fulfill its international obligations in conducting accompanying missions and humanitarian assistance and will also help promote economic and social development in Djibouti." China has expanded its military ties throughout Africa in recent years. According to a report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (Ecfr), cooperation with Africa on peace and security is now an "explicit part of Beijing's foreign policy". More than 2,500 Chinese soldiers and police officers are already employed as UN blue berets throughout the African continent, with the highest attendance in South Sudan (1,051), Liberia (666) and Mali (402). Even the United States, France and Japan have permanent military bases in Djibouti. The former French colony with a population of less than a million inhabitants is strategically located, offering access to the strait of Bab el-Mandeb connecting the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and all 'Indian Ocean. One of the world's most important shipping lanes for oil. The vote could fuel fresh sectarian clashes. For some time, the Kurds have aspired to an independent state, but several of the regions states (Syria, Iraq and, above all, Turkey) opposed the plan. Kurds have been used in regional wars, and now intend to decide their destiny. The US and Israel play a role. For Barzani, Baghdad is not a partner but could be a "good neighbour". Baghdad (AsiaNews) The echoes of Mosuls "liberation" after three years of Islamic State rule has not died down yet that another threat is looming over Iraqs future, namely Kurdistans independence referendum on 25 September. Even the Jihadis, who had almost reached Baghdad at one point, never came as close to undermining the Iraqs unity and stability. For Mideast political analysts and experts, the vote in early autumn, which could give the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) a green light on independence, could lead to fresh sectarian and confessional clashes. This is an ever-present danger, in a country like Iraq divided along ethnic, linguistic and religious lines, especially in the northern province of Nineveh. For some time, the Kurds, involved in major regional conflicts in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, persecuted in Turkey and used in the struggle against fundamentalist groups, have aspired to have an independent nation of their own. However, this plan is opposed by Syria, Iraq and Turkey, as well as the United States, which has provided the Kurds, including the Peshmerga, with weapons and supplies to fight Jihadi groups. In fact, the Kurds where the first who stopped Daeshs advance. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Kurdish leaders and their supporters in Washington point to their contribution to the international coalitions fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. This major military commitment gives the semi-autonomous Iraqi region the "moral and political leverage" to assert itself in the long struggle for independence. Out of the many Kurdish, Christian and Turkmen-led political parties that have weighed in on the referendum question, only a few minor parties have refused to participate in the upcoming vote. According to critics, the move is a thinly veiled power grab by KRG President Masoud Barzani, who they argue is attempting to expand Kurdistan beyond what is outlined in the Iraqi constitution. A successful referendum vote and subsequent independence bid could bring the oil-rich city of Kirkuk and other key territory under Erbil's control at the expense of Baghdad. In a speech to the European Parliament in Brussels, Mr. Barzani showed no signs of seeking a compromise, saying delaying an independence vote would be more destabilising than letting the referendum proceed. In his view, the current relationship with Iraq's central government has been frustrating and, if allowed to continue, it might lead to "a bloody war." For this reason, he wants a different formula and a different relationship with Baghdad. "Since we have failed to become two good partners, we have to choose to become two good neighbours, he said. At the international level, Erbil can count on good trade and diplomatic relations with the United States and Israel, although Washington has doubts over the referendums wisdom. Since the start of the war in Syria, Israel has purchased US$ 3.84 billion dollars worth of oil from them, a move that could have geopolitical and economic ramifications for both parties. In 2015, the Financial Times reported that Israel had imported as much as 77 percent of its oil supply from Kurdistan. The Kurds are the largest group of nomadic people in the world that have remained stateless since the beginning of time. This fact has allowed Western powers to use the "stateless" plight of the Kurdish people as a tool to divide, destabilise and conquer Iraq and Syria, where oil and gas interests run deep. Consistently portrayed as "freedom fighters" who are eternally struggling for a land denied to them, the Kurds have been frequently used throughout history by other countries and empires as an arrow and have never themselves been the bow. (DS) The northeastern states ruling Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) proposed the measure to let Sharia courts decide whether caning is carried out in prison or in public. PAS wants to introduce a tough Islamic criminal code. The local Chinese ethnic party calls it a "very dangerous trend". Kota Baru (AsiaNews/Agencies) On Wednesday, the State Legislative Assembly of Kelantan (north-eastern Malaysia) passed an amended Sharia bill that includes for public caning, sparking controversy and charges of unconstitutionality. The bill was proposed by the ruling Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, PAS). Women, Family and Welfare committee chairman Mumtaz Md Nawi supported the proposal, which was then adopted without any fuss. PAS has been pushing to introduce a tough Islamic criminal code, known as hudud, that includes penalties such as amputations for theft and stoning to death for adultery. In 2015, the Assembly had approved a law imposing hudud but it was not enforced because it violated the Malaysian federal constitution. After Wednesday's vote, Kelantan deputy chief minister Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said it would be left to Sharia courts to decide whether the caning was carried out in prison, or publicly. Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad said that caning in Islam was not meant to cause bodily injuries but to serve as a lesson to discourage the accused and others from repeating the offence. Public caning in Kelantan would apply to matters under the jurisdiction of Islamic courts. Malaysia has a dual legal system. Islamic courts rule on religious and family matters involving Muslims such as divorce, custody and inheritance as well as adultery. Criminal offenses come instead under federal law, which authorises caning inside prisons. Malaysian Chinese Association, an ethnic Chinese party in the ruling coalition, said that carrying out canings in public went against the federal constitution. "PAS is setting a very dangerous trend of riding rough over the laws of the land by disregarding the federal constitution as the supreme law of the land," said the party's religious harmony bureau chairman Ti Lian Ker in a statement. More than 60 per cent of multi-ethnic Malaysia's 32 million inhabitants are Muslim. Traditionally tolerant, Malaysian Islam has been eroded in recent years as conservative attitudes have gained ground. UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs speaks of "scandal" caused "entirely by man". The belligerents and those who support them too, "direct, supply, fight and perpetrate" violence. Contagious cases have risen to 320,000, at least 1740 casualties. 250 million dollars needed to deal with the emergency, so far only 47 collected. Sana'a (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Fighting parties in Yemen - and the foreign powers that support them - are co-responsible for the most serious cholera epidemic to date in the Arab country, the worst in the world according to the WHO. The United Nations representative for Yemen has said that conflict and chronic lack of food and basic necessities, including medicines, are the number one cause of the disease that has hit over 320,000 people so far Speaking to the UN Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, said that "this cholera scandal is entirely caused by man". He then pointed his finger at "the parties in the fight and those who, beyond the Yemen border, direct, supply, fight, and perpetrate fear and armed struggle." The humanitarian crisis, then continued by the expert, "is the direct result of the conflict and serious violations of international law." To date, more than 320,000 cholera infections are reported in the Arab country, which has now spread to almost all provinces. The victims are at least 1740, but the numbers are growing rapidly. Special UN Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed terms the ongoing humanitarian crisis "horrible". He estimates that the country does not have to face "a single emergency, but several very complex emergencies". The United Nations loudly invokes at least $ 250 million to tackle the emergency. So far 47 have been collected. UN experts confirm the alarm launched recently by AsiaNews by Mgr. Paul Hinder, apostolic vicar of southern Arabia (UAE, Oman and Yemen). The prelate had spoken of a "disastrous" situation in one of the poorest countries in the region and on the brink of collapse, plagued by epidemics, chronic war and famine. Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody civil war opposing the countrys Sunni elites led by former President Hadi, backed by Riyadh, and Shia Houthi rebels, who are close to Iran. In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition began attacking the rebels, sparking criticism from the United Nations over heavy casualties, including many children. To date, more than 8,000 people have died, more than 44,000 have been injured and 3 million displaced. Nearly 19 million people (out of 24 in total) are in need of varying degrees of humanitarian assistance. Of these, at least seven million are considered at the brink of famine. Among them, 2.3 million are "malnourished" children less than five years old. (DS) By Virginia Kilborn, Professor of Astrophysics, Swinburne University of Technology Flickr/Paean Ng, CC BY-NC-ND The number of women at the most senior levels in the Australian astronomical community remains low despite many positive steps in supporting gender equity. Women make up only 17% of positions at full or associate professor level. Astronomy is not alone in having a gender gap in its workforce. Despite decades of positive initiatives, the number of women working day-to-day in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields overall in Australia is low. About 43% of the total STEMM workforce are women compared to men at 57%, based on 2014 figures. This gap widens at the most senior levels, with women making up only 21% of the senior professor positions. Programs to improve the gender gap in astronomy have been recognised this week by the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA). At its annual science meeting, this year in Canberra, it announced 12 recipients of its Pleiades awards. The awards are aimed at encouraging astronomy departments to make a commitment to improving gender equity. We can see the rewarded programs are already having an impact. Focus on recruitment, flexibility and mentors Now in their third year, the first gold Pleiades award went to the ARC Centre for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), a collaboration of several university astronomy teams. Four silver and seven bronze awards were given to other astronomy groups. CAASTROs award recognises the groups longstanding commitment, with initiatives such as changes to recruitment practices, increased workplace flexibility (such as advertising the opportunity for part-time work), mentoring and improved conference participation by female astronomers. These policies have resulted in an increase in the number of female researchers from roughly 15% at the centres inception in 2011, to more than 40% this year. Conference participation is at almost at parity in terms of the number of participants, speakers and session chairs. CAASTRO has also created a gender action toolkit, a resource that any department or institute can use. The gender gap Other efforts are also being made to address the gender gap in STEMM with Australian institutions gearing up for their first submissions to the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot, due at the end of March, 2018. The scheme is based on the UKs Athena SWAN program on improving gender equity, established in 2005. Over the past 12 years the Athena SWAN program has led to positive transformations in workplace culture and women being more visible in key positions and senior roles in STEMM fields in the UK. But unlike SAGEs institution-wide approach, the Pleiades awards take a department-by-department approach. As a direct result of the Pleiades awards program, every Australian astronomy department now has an equity and diversity committee to consider and monitor these matters and many have undertaken workplace culture surveys. The next steps Despite this and other efforts to bridge the gender gap, there are still hurdles to be overcome such as hiring practices, unconscious bias and the amount of housework that women undertake in Australia (an issue raised by Annabel Crabb in her book The Wife Drought). One pragmatic action is to advertise female-only positions which the University of Melbourne has now done for a senior position in astronomy. The new ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astronomy in 3 Dimensions has gone one step further, and requires gender balance at all levels of the Centre, from students to the executive. The gender balance issue is worse for women who are also in other minority groups due to race, sexuality, disability, religion and more. While we have made some progress in gender equity in astronomy, we have now started to broaden the conversation beyond gender alone, to recognise intersectionality which describes how gender equity is impacted by also being members of other minority groups. The ultimate aim is an equitable workplace that allows all women to achieve their full potential. Year by year we are learning more about how best to support women. With each round of the Pleiades awards we further develop the selection criteria to ensure departments keep improving their workplaces. We also expect our astronomy departments to take on new initiatives to retain or progress in the Pleiades awards scheme. The awards have shown the positive effect such a scheme can have in driving cultural change. As the SAGE pilot develops, we expect similar positive change in culture across the whole sector, beyond astronomy alone. Virginia Kilborn has received funding from the Australian Research Council. She works for Swinburne University of Technology, and is immediate past president of the Astronomical Society of Australia. Sarah Brough receives funding from the Australian Research Council and University of New South Wales. She is Chair of the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Astronomy (IDEA) Chapter and was a member of the 2016 Pleiades Award judging panel. Originally published in The Conversation. How much will water rates increase? City staff have recommended the City Council consider increasing city water rates by the following: October 2017: 16 percent July 2018: 13 percent July 2019: 7.6 percent The typical city water bill is $36.20. So for example, it will increase to $50.89 in October. The City Council will hear public comments on Sept. 6 about these proposed increases and vote on them. Rates would then go into effect Oct. 1. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Animal liberation protesters who disrupted Cow Appreciation Day at a Pinellas Park Chick-Fil-A also targeted a St. Petersburg family who were fishing at Crescent Lake Park on Tuesday. Protest group named Direct Action Everywhere Pinellas Protester threw fish the family had caught back into water Police called, but no arrests made Im glad that we were able to keep our cool and stay collected, said fisherman Bob Hope. As you can see in the video, we were the better people. Hope said his father caught a nice-sized tilapia they were going to take home and eat for dinner. Thats when he said the protesters sent over a young boy between the ages of 8-to-10-years-old to scold the fishermen. A little child approached us and said, You know, fish have feelings and youre hurting that fish, and I want you to stop fishing, Hope said. So, I turned to the young man and said, I respect your opinions, son and thats fine, but Im not breaking any laws doing what Im doing. So, Im going to continue to fish. Hope said the tilapia was flopping around on the ground as a bucket was being retrieved. A protester then approached the family and said he was going to throw the fish back into the lake. My father said, no, youre not and my mom actually walked over and put her foot onto the fish, said Hope. Well, the man took her leg, physically removed her leg, picked our fish up and threw it back into the water. "An invasive species, tilapia," he continued, "thats not even legal to return back to the water once its caught. An argument erupted, and Hope said he called St. Petersburg Police to file a complaint. He was later disappointed by the investigating officers response. Its not fair that my rights were not important enough for them to uphold the law, Hope said. I think they should have been arrested. I think they should have been charged with something, because otherwise theyre just going to continue to do it. Police spokeswoman Yolanda Fernandez said by the time the officer arrived the protesters were getting in their cars, and the primary concern was to keep the peace. Fernandez said the officer did not witness any criminal activity, and the officer acted appropriately under the circumstances. "A peaceful demonstration" Just hours before the fish incident, the same group, which calls itself "Direct Action Everywhere Pinellas," went into a Chick-Fil-A location in Pinellas Park and caused a disturbance in which a protester held a fake knife and simulated cutting the throats of people wearing a cow and chicken costumes. During the demonstration, the protesters shouted, its not food, its violence. In regards to that incident, Pinellas Park Police said the group left before they arrived. Most likely, had they still been there they would have only been trespassed from the fast food restaurant. According to St. Petersburg Police, two of the protesters, Kayla and Michael Leaming, live in Saint Cloud. The Leamings posted on a joint Facebook page that they went to the Chick-Fil-A to do a peaceful demonstration and the customers were being extremely aggressive. The Leamings also expressed pride in the results of their actions in regards to the media coverage they garnered. We had three news stations cover this story, and thousands of people are talking about veganism, who otherwise wouldnt have," they said in their post. "Great job to everyone involved! Hope said the group needs to choose better spots to hold their protests. Theyre choosing the vulnerable to protest in front of. Theyre choosing the children, he said. They were at Chick-Fil-A in front of lots of children. Theres a park 50-feet behind us that was full of children. We were unable to reach representatives of "Direct Action Everywhere Pinellas" for comment on this story. Local businesses are helping to raise money for Pasco County Schools and its lunch debt. New numbers show students have racked up more than $43,000 in lunch bills. Steve Falabella, owner of 900 Degrees Wood-fired Pizza in Wesley Chapel, thought he could help out. "It just struck me as one of those things I knew I could help with," Falabella said. "When students get on a lunch line, they will get a regular lunch like everyone else and they will not be singled out." The fundraiser idea came from George Agovino, who heard stories from his wife, a Pasco teacher, of kids being bullied if they can't afford lunch or had to purchase the alternative lunch for less money. "My big thing is no child should leave a lunch line and feel defeated," Agovino said. He's already donated thousands of his own money to schools to help kids who are getting an alternate lunch if they can't pay for the main lunch. "These are children that are going months of getting these alternate lunches that just don't have it. These are the children we're paying for," Agovino said. Falabella hopes to raise at least $1,500 from his fundraiser, which ran from Tuesday to Wednesday this week. If you'd like to donate, a Go Fund Me is set up here. In addition, Pasco schools just started enrollment for free and reduced lunches. You can see information here. This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9/News 13. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety A dolphin tour boat captain is being hailed a hero after she rescued a dog in distress in the waters near St. Pete Beach on July 11. "Sam" believed to have fallen over seawall into the water Susi Herrington swam over to Sam and helped him swim to a low dock Dog's owner lived nearby Susi Herrington is a sailboat captain at Dolphin Landings Charter Boat Company. She said they normally take out groups of people for tours to look for dolphins. We go out, look for dolphins, but we actually let the dolphins come up to the boat -- we dont go chasing them or anything because theyre in their natural habitat, Herrington said. But on this particular day, with another captain and customers on board, they spotted something that wasnt a dolphin swimming in the intercoastal waterway on St. Pete Beach. Yesterday we actually saw some dolphins and we were busy watching the dolphins, and all of a sudden captain Scott said, 'Susi, do you see what I see?' And I looked and I said, 'I see a dog.' And he says, 'yep and that dog is in distress,' she said Thats when Herrington said her training kicked in. I lowered myself down and went into the water, swam over to the dog, got a hold of him by his collar, put my arm under his head and lifted his head out of the water and swam with him to a dock, a low dock, said Herrington. She said she still cant believe she was able to pull the large dog to safety. Somehow I pulled myself up to the dock, and I pulled the dog onto the dock. I dont know how I did it," Herrington said. "When I pulled him up, his body just flopped out. All his legs were out underneath him. He eventually got up, shook, and I thought, 'Well, hes got to live around here somewhere." The dog, a 12-year-old black lab named Sam, lead Herrington to his owners home, right next door. I knocked on the door, and thats when I asked the lady, 'Is this your dog?' and she was just in tears -- literally tears, Herrington said. Sams owner, Mary Doherty, said she was on the phone and had walked away from the back yard when she lost sight of Sam. She said Sam always hangs out behind their home near the water, but never jumps in. I couldnt believe it, because our dog, he wont even leave the yard," Doherty said. "He comes into our pool by the beach. He will not jump into the pool, hes never jumped into the water, so this was pretty shocking for me, and needless to say I was pretty upset about it, crying." Doherty said Sam has cataracts, and she believes he fell over into the water over the seawall. She added that she thought about what couldve happened, but is grateful it didnt happen, thanks to a dolphin boat tour. As far as Im concerned, Im forever indebted to them," said Doherty. "I cannot believe that they did that." Doherty said they went to visit Herrington to thank her. She said theyll keep a much closer eye on Sam from now on. For her part, Herrington said shes no hero, and was just doing what any animal lover would do. I was just doing my job," Herrington said. "Just doing what Ive been trained to do all these years of working on boats." Woodruff, Wis.-based Northwoods Surgery Center is reaching out to a potentially lucrative market to increase its patient base: Canada, CBC reports. Here's what you should know: 1. The surgery center launched a recent ad campaign in the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. 2. The center hopes to reach patients for elective procedures like total joint replacements. 3. Michael Gelinas, MD, said to CBC the center is advertising in Canada to reach patients that potentially don't want to wait for total joint replacement surgeries. He said to CBC, "We hear that there's a certain wait period for elective procedures that, for some people I guess is frustrating." 4. While this is the first time the center has advertised over the border, Northwoods routinely advertises in Minnesota. Researchers from University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute both in Australia believe irritable bowel syndrome is made up of several individual diseases, ABC reports. Here's what you should know: 1. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, claims IBS consists of several individual diseases including: Genetic predisposition to gut issues Developing conditions after a gut infection Having a chronic gut infection which causes IBS symptoms 2. Dr. Nicholas Talley, pro vice-chancellor of global research at the University of Newcastle, said several individual diseases can be linked to IBS. 3. Dr. Talley recommends physicians approach IBS on a case-by-case basis, utilizing personalized medicine approaches. 4. Researchers also discovered a link between mental health and IBS. Patients who develop IBS, can also develop serious anxiety. The researchers believe the changes in the gut, cause the changes in the brain. The following hospitals announced or completed plans in the last week to expand, upgrade or renovate their facilities. 1. Crouse Hospital ER moves into new $38M facility Syracuse, N.Y.-based Crouse Hospital will shut down its 43-year-old emergency room July 18 and move it to a new $38 million facility, according to The Post-Standard. 2. SSM Health opens rehab hospital at St. Joseph Hospital-Lake St. Louis St. Louis-based SSM Health opened a 30-bed, $20.5 million rehabilitation hospital inside SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital-Lake St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. 3. UCHealth celebrates Greeley groundbreaking: 6 things to know An official groundbreaking ceremony July 10 recognized that Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth started construction on its full-service hospital and medical center in Greeley, Colo. 4. IU Health to open 2 urgent care centers: 4 things to know Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health will open two urgent care centers this summer. It opened one in Indianapolis July 11 and will open another along the border of Noblesville and Carmel, Ind., in mid-August. 5. NYU Langone opens pancreatic cancer center New York-based NYU Langone Medical Center's Perlmutter Cancer Center announced July 10 that it will create the Pancreatic Cancer Center dedicated solely to research and treatment of the disease that is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer death by 2020. 6. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center to open $230M children's hospital Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is expected to open its $230 million freestanding children's hospital in Baton Rouge, La., in 2019, according to the American Press. 7. Florida Hospital Waterman begins ED expansion Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares plans to expand its emergency department and patient tower, Healthcare Design Magazine reported. 8. Kettering Health Network to create 120 jobs with new hospital in Troy Dayton, Ohio-based Kettering Health Network plans to construct a three-story hospital in Troy, Ohio. 9. Optum's MedExpress to open urgent care center 1 mile from Mayo Clinic Morgantown, W.Va.-based MedExpress Urgent Care, a subsidiary of Optum Health, will open a walk-in clinic one mile away from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., according to the Post-Bulletin. 10. Dignity Health system opens 'neighborhood hospital' in Las Vegas with Emerus Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican, a subsidiary system of San Francisco-based Dignity Health, opened a "neighborhood hospital" in Las Vegas as part of its joint venture with The Woodlands, Texas-based microhospital manager Emerus. CMS will stop requiring the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to submit bi-weekly Medicaid backlog reports, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports. CMS notified state officials it would decrease oversight of Kansas' efforts to resolve thousands of applications for its privatized Medicaid program. The program, KanCare, had a backlog of more than 7,000 applications pending for more than the allotted 45 days in early 2016. CMS began requiring state officials to submit bi-weekly reports on the issue thereafter. As of May 7, the backlog had more than 900 KanCare applications pending for more than 45 days, the report states. Julie Brookhart, a spokesperson for CMS' Kansas City regional office, said CMS will still require the department to provide updates on its KanCare eligibility processing. The House health appropriations committee, which controls funding for the National Institutes of Health, on July 12 proposed a $1.1 billion funding lift for the agency, despite calls from the White House to slash $5.8 billion from it, reported The Hill. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle opposed the proposed cuts to the NIH. In late May, Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said, "I don't think it's a wise choice," according to the report. "I certainly understand wanting to plus up defense, but you have to remember part of defending the American people is protecting them from pandemics," Mr. Cole, the chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee, said. "Part of getting hold of the long-term expenses of the federal government is dealing with things like Alzheimer's." Last-minute changes to a separate bill tied to Pennsylvania's budget could impose a work requirement for Medicaid recipients, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. The proposal is part of a code bill state legislators must approve to enact a 2017-2018 budget. The Human Services Code bill would require the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to apply for a waiver to impose work requirements on able-bodied Medicaid members; ensure recipients are locked into their managed care plans; and request a waiver to charge Medicaid premiums to families of disabled children with incomes 1,000 percent above the federal poverty level, the report states. House legislators passed the code bill Tuesday, and the legislation now heads to the Senate. Since the code bill is separate from the budget, Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf can veto it. However, unlinking the bill from the budget would significantly disrupt the legislation. Mr. Wolf said he "strongly opposes these back-door changes that could have widespread and potentially life-changing effects on the health and well-being of millions of Pennsylvanians," the report states. Laramie, Wyo.-based Ivinson Memorial Hospital will notify more than 500 patients of a security incident involving a third-party online payment service. FastHealth, a website vendor the hospital contracted for its online bill service, discovered malicious code on its web server in January, a hospital spokeswoman told Becker's. The code was designed to capture limited patient health and financial information on an online payment platform and new patient intake forms. The code had been on the system January 2016, the spokeswoman added. The compromised information may have included patient demographic or credit card information. There have been no reports of fraudulent activity and the hospital has removed all bill pay options from its website, which they are working diligently to recreate, according to the spokeswoman. The FastHealth security incident affected nearly 100 hospitals nationwide comprising 9,289 patients, according to HHS' Office for Civil Rights breach portal the spokeswoman said. She added the hospital plans to terminate its contract with FastHealth. More articles on health IT: Former employee distributes PHI of 1.5k Detroit Medical Center patients Healthcare coalition supports House appropriation's proposed HHS budget Mayo Clinic launches nationwide Epic EHR implementation at 1st Wisconsin sites Faribault, Minn.-based District One Hospital President Stephen Pribyl is retiring, effective Feb. 3, 2018, according to a Faribault Daily News report. Here are four notes: 1. Mr. Pribyl has been with District One Hospital since November 2010. 2. During his tenure, he oversaw the hospital's integration with Minneapolis-based Allina Health in January 2015. 3. Before joining District One, Mr. Pribyl served in the United States Air Force. He also previously held administrator roles at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic and Stevens Point, Wis.-based Ministry Health Care. 4. The hospital will begin its search for a permanent successor in the next two months. HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, Ill., laid off 21 employees, or less than 2 percent of its total workforce, according to a Belleville News-Democrat report. The hospital attributed the layoffs, which occurred June 22, to an effort to "better align its workforce to address continued changes in the healthcare industry," the report states. St. Elizabeth's added the changes are crucial to the hospital's ability "to invest in ... people, skills, equipment and new technology." The layoffs did not affect inpatient nurses, and eight people affected by the layoffs were offered similar roles, the hospital said, according to the report. News of the layoffs comes as St. Elizabeth's prepares to open a $253 million replacement hospital in O'Fallon, Ill. The hospital is expected to open in November. More articles on leadership and management: LifePoint hospital lays off 55 employees Senate delays recess by 2 weeks, gains time for BCRA vote Medicaid beneficiaries rate their coverage and care: 8 findings Liu Xiaobo, 61, a Chinese political prisoner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died Thursday, The Guardian reports. Chinese officials released a statement confirming his death Thursday evening, according to the report. Mr. Liu was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May while serving an 11-year prison sentence. He was convicted and sentenced in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power" and advocating for political reform in China. Mr. Liu was granted parole from prison and transferred to a hospital to receive medical attention in June. Mr. Liu's death comes days after The First Hospital of China Medical University in Shengyang released a statement indicating Mr. Liu was in "critical condition." Critics alleged Chinese officials "intentionally shortened [Mr. Liu's] life" by denying his requests to receive treatment overseas, despite recommendations by German and U.S. cancer specialists and pleas by several world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the report states. In 2010, Mr. Liu received the Nobel Peace Prize for his "long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China," The New York Times reports. Editor's note: This is a developing story. Becker's will update the article as more information becomes available. Diabetes, asthma and arthritis are some of the most-searched health conditions by U.S. residents. Using Google Trends software, Salt Lake City-based MedicareHealthPlans researchers analyzed the search volume of various medical conditions to find the most-searched conditions by residents of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., during the past year. Here are the most Googled medical conditions for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., listed in alphabetical order by state. A former executive at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing $391,600 from an association of medical professionals, according to the Department of Justice. Deborah A. Morrison worked at Providence Hospital from 1978 until 2016, and most of that time was spent in executive positions. She most recently served as senior vice president of risk management and planning and project integration. Beginning in 2001, Ms. Morrison was responsible for reviewing bank account statements for Providence Hospital Medical Staff, an association of medical professionals at the hospital. In this role, she had access to the association's checkbooks. From December 2009 until December 2015, Ms. Morrison wrote 140 checks totaling $391,600 from one of the association's bank accounts and deposited the checks into her personal bank account. She used a signature stamp of a former association president to endorse the checks. Ms. Morrison pleaded guilty to transportation of money taken by fraud and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Her sentencing is slated for Oct. 2. She also agreed to pay $391,600 in restitution. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Former CHI hospital administrator indicted in bribery scheme Judge dismisses most of lawsuit over death of woman forcibly removed from Florida hospital Former South Dakota hospital CEO indicted for making false statement to HHS A federal judge dismissed the majority of a lawsuit Monday filed by the representative of the estate of Barbara Dawson, who died in December 2015 after being forcibly removed from Calhoun Liberty Hospital in Blountstown, Fla., according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Ms. Dawson, 57, arrived at Calhoun Liberty by ambulance Dec. 20, 2015, and was admitted at about 10:30 p.m. with complaints of stomach pain. Although she was discharged within hours, Ms. Dawson felt she needed more care and refused to leave. Hospital staff called the police around 4:45 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2015, and Ms. Dawson was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing. By 6:24 a.m., Ms. Dawson was dead. A police dash-cam video released after her death shows Ms. Dawson collapsing as she was being escorted to a police patrol car. Ms. Dawson was propped against the patrol car for 18 minutes as nurses and an officer repeatedly tried to get her in the car. Finally, a physician came out of Calhoun Liberty, said Ms. Dawson's condition appeared to have changed and readmitted her to the hospital where she died a short time later. The medical examiner's office found she died from a blood clot. Ms. Dawson's family filed a federal lawsuit against Calhoun Liberty and two of its employees, the officer who arrested Ms. Dawson and the City of Blountstown, alleging wrongful death, false imprisonment and battery. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed the majority of the lawsuit. The only surviving claim alleges the hospital violated the Florida Emergency Services Act, which requires a hospital to stabilize and treat anyone who comes to an emergency department. A trial is slated for early October, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Former South Dakota hospital CEO indicted for making false statement to HHS New York City pharmacy owner charged in $9M fraud scheme Walmart pays $1.65M to resolve false claims allegations over Medi-Cal billing Howard Diamond, MD, was arrested Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, healthcare fraud and money laundering, according to KFDM. Dr. Diamond is accused of writing prescriptions for substances, including fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone and oxymorphine, without a legitimate medical purpose. He is one of three people allegedly involved in the conspiracy, which resulted in the overdose deaths of at least seven people in Texas and Oklahoma between 2012 and 2016. Dr. Diamond faces up to life in prison. His detention hearing is slated for Friday, according to the report. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Former CHI hospital administrator indicted in bribery scheme Judge dismisses most of lawsuit over death of woman forcibly removed from Florida hospital Former South Dakota hospital CEO indicted for making false statement to HHS Republican Gov. Rick Scott hosted a ceremonial bill signing in West Palm Beach on Tuesday for a new law establishing mandatory minimums for synthetic opioid possession in Florida, reports WPTV. The new law, which Mr. Scott officially signed on June 14 among 27 other pieces of legislation, is meant to discourage the trafficking and distribution of the synthetic opioid fentanyl and its derivatives. The law will take effect in October, mandating judges to sentence individuals possessing 4 grams of fentanyl to three years in prison. The mandatory minimum sentence increases to 15 years in prison for 14 grams and 25 years in prison for 28 grams, according to a report from the Miami Herald. Fentanyl was associated with nearly 900 overdose deaths in 2016, according to WPTV. "Right now, we are still figuring out the right thing to do," said Gov. Scott at Tuesday's ceremony with several Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies behind him, according to WPTV. "I can tell you everybody standing up here, they're focused on how we can make this better. And I hope while I'm governor, we're able to find the answer to this. I know this community has just been devastated by it." The legislation has been met with some opposition in the state as critics argue mandatory minimums might result in draconian punishments for individuals with opioid use disorders and that judges should be allowed more discretion during sentencing. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, said the bill's language could result in people incurring a 25-year prison sentence for unwittingly possessing more of the drug than they realize, according to the Herald. "Addicts have no idea what they are buying," said Mr. Brandes. More articles on opioids: How hospitals can fight the opioid epidemic and more: 5 Qs with former White House 'drug czar' Michael Botticelli Study: 9 in 10 handwritten opioid prescriptions contain errors FDA chief proposes new rules for providers, pharma to curb opioid addiction: 5 things to know As the rate of opioid overdose deaths surges in Ohio, the Akron Board of Education approved a policy Monday to stock its schools with the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, according to Cleveland.com. While an Akron school system student has never overdosed on campus, the drug is viewed by some as an emergency resource comparable to on-site defibrillators. "We've not used [defibrillators] either but it's a good precaution to have just in case," Dan Rambler, student resources director for the school system, told Cleveland.com. Every middle and high school in the system will be stocked with two doses at $100 per dose. The total cost to the system will be $3,600. The school system's 18 police officers, who are trained to administer naloxone, will carry the drug. To read the full report on Cleveland.com, click here. More articles on opioids: Gov. Rick Scott hosts signing ceremony for new mandatory minimum opioid law How hospitals can fight the opioid epidemic and more: 5 Qs with former White House 'drug czar' Michael Botticelli Mallinckrodt settles with DOJ for $35M in opioid probe: 4 things to know The following payers made headlines this week, beginning with the most recent. 1. Contracts between BCBS, 3 Oklahoma community hospitals expire Tulsa-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma's contracts with three Kansas City, Mo.-based Rural Community Hospitals of America subsidiaries expired July 1 following failed negotiations. 2. Humana, Oscar Health to pilot small business health plan New York City-based Oscar Health and Louisville, Ky.-based Humana will offer small employer health plans in Nashville, Tenn., through a strategic partnership. 3. Cigna acquires Zurich Insurance Middle East Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna acquired Dubai-based general insurance company Zurich Insurance Middle East in June. 4. UnitedHealth's OptumRx wins $2B New Jersey drug contract OptumRx, the pharmacy benefit management subsidiary of Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group, won a bid to manage New Jersey's roughly $2 billion drug benefit program for state employees. 5. BCBS of Louisiana launches price comparison tool Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana launched a tool that allows customers to compare costs of medical procedures in more than 300 categories. 6. Lawsuit accuses Blue Shield of California of wrongly denying mental health, rehab claims Two plaintiffs are accusing Blue Shield of California of improperly denying mental health and drug treatment claims for their children's care. 7. Court allows Horizon BCBS to keep details of $15.5M contract violation penalty confidential Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey received a court order allowing the insurer to keep the details of a $15.5 million contract violation penalty confidential. 8. Anthem extends its discretionary coverage for ER visits to Missouri Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri will no longer cover emergency department services it considers unnecessary. 9. Children's Minnesota back in network with BCBS 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. 10. Aetna threatens to terminate Medicaid contracts if Illinois funding 'crisis' persists Aetna Better Health, the managed care subsidiary of Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna, filed a notice of intent to terminate its four Medicaid contracts with Illinois due to $698 million in outstanding payments. 11. Bloomberg: UnitedHealth to acquire Advisory Board's healthcare arm Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group plans to acquire The Advisory Board's healthcare division, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Four spine surgeons discuss trends in the use of spine biologics. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses. Next week's question: What are the biggest opportunities for spine surgeons in the outpatient arena? Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, July 19, at 5 p.m. CST. Question: Will the use of spine biologics continue to grow over the next decade? Kern Singh, MD. Co-Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Institute at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Chicago): Biologics has been an emerging field of research and development within spine surgery. Biologic materials have advanced spine procedures by promoting cellular growth and differentiation. However, these advances have occurred at a tremendous and significant cost for the surgical encounter. In my own practice, I have already switched all thoracolumbar procedures to iliac crest bone graft via a percutaneous approach. I believe that ultimately global payments will drive down the costs and utilization of biologics in the near term. Payam Farjoodi, MD. Spine Surgeon at Center for Spine Health at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.): Yes. Biologics have advanced spine surgery by providing excellent fusion rates without having to expose patients to the morbidity of iliac crest bone harvest, and there is much more to be accomplished. Stem cells and platelet rich plasma are being increasingly studied in orthopedics and with promising results. I anticipate some great applications for the treatment of spine conditions. Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I feel this market has actually grown over the past several years. Like all markets, it will reach saturation. I am seeing better products being offered but as the healthcare system moves further away from fusion, for better or worse, this market might contract soon and become more of a niche-type business. There will always be a market for biologics, its just they are expensive research and development-wise, and some of the smaller companies may just not want to get involved. Richard Kube, MD. Founder and CEO of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute (Peoria, Ill.): The short answer is yes. We have only just begun to understand much of the molecular biology of the structures of the spine. Certainly, multiple new treatments using stem cells, growth factors and potentially gene therapy, in the future, are on the horizon. Also, as we increase our understanding there are opportunities for better variety and hopefully more accurate diagnostic tools to improve patient selection. Careful study must be done with the utmost ethical practices as we strive to answer our questions. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below August 10th has been fixed as the date for the release of Thala Ajith's next action flick, Vivegam. Director Siva and his team have been extensively working on the post-production now, as the film's shooting has been completed. Even Anirudh Ravichander, the music director, is said to have begun the background score works for the movie. We got in touch with DoP Vetri, who is the cinematographer for Vivegam for an exclusive interview and he had lots to say about the shooting experiences at Bulgaria. He said, ''During the shoot for one of the important sequences, the people there predicted rain as the weather was pretty bad. But we had to compulsorily shoot that day. Luckily, It was a Thursday, which is an auspicious day for us and we prayed that it wouldn't rain. At the end of the day, we shot it completely without rain''. Talking about weather, we also got another interesting trivia from the Vivegam team. Vetri also said, ''While shooting in temperatures of minus 10 degrees, the whole crew would be wearing proper gear and we will be covering ourselves completely, but only Ajith sir will be shooting for his scenes, with a torn shirt of flimsy material''. That is some massive dedication from the team and Ajith. Chancellor Philip Hammond will have to continue tax rises and spending cuts beyond 2021/22 if he is to meet his target of balancing the nation's books by the middle of the next decade, a report has warned. But the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said Mr Hammond could meet growing public demand for an end to austerity by ditching the target and leaving the deficit at its 2016/17 level of 2.4% of GDP. This would allow a 17bn boost for public services, 5bn of tax cuts and an 11bn increase in planned benefit spending - a total giveaway of 33bn a year - while still seeing state debt fall as a share of national income, so long as the economy continues to grow as expected. The analysis comes as speculation is mounting that Mr Hammond may be preparing to use his autumn Budget to ease the austerity policies in place since Conservatives took office in 2010. While recognising that abandoning austerity would require "a very sharp change in direction", IFS deputy director Carl Emmerson said it was "an option in a way that it was not an option back in 2010". However, Mr Emmerson warned that it would leave the Chancellor with "less room for manoeuvre" if growth stalls as a result of Brexit. Having soared to 9.9% of national income in 2009/10 after the financial crisis, the deficit - the amount the Government spends more than it takes in taxes and other revenues each year - now stands below its pre-crisis level of 2.6% of GDP and is the lowest it has been since 2003/04. "We could choose to continue to run deficits of around the current level over the longer term," said Mr Emmerson, who unveiled his analysis at the Institute for Government in London. "If the economy were to grow as expected, this would be sufficient to see debt fall as a share of national income over the longer term. "It would mean that over the next few years household incomes could be better supported and a greater quality and quantity of public services could be enjoyed. But it would also involve planning to live with elevated public sector debt for longer. "It could give the Chancellor less room for manoeuvre if the economy were to suffer badly, for Brexit-related or other reasons, over the next few years. "And it would almost certainly require the abandonment of the pledge to eliminate the deficit in the mid-2020s." If Mr Hammond instead chose to increase taxes to shore up public service spending, he could raise 5bn a year without affecting the deficit by cancelling the planned cut in corporation tax from 19% to 17%. Ulster Bank parent Royal Bank of Scotland has said it paid a 'heavy price' for past mistakes as it agreed a 4.2bn US resolution over claims it mis-sold toxic mortgage bonds in the run-up to the financial crisis. The taxpayer-backed lender struck the deal with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), seeing it settle one of two major US investigations into mis-selling allegations. It is yet to reach a settlement with the Department of Justice (DoJ), which is expected later in the year. Ross McEwan, chief executive of RBS, said it was "an important step forward in resolving one of the most significant legacy matters facing RBS". "This settlement is a stark reminder of what happened to this bank before the financial crisis, and the price paid for its pursuit of global ambitions," he added. While the bank will pay $5.5bn (4.2bn) in total to the FHFA, $754m (581m) will be repaid to RBS by other parties under a so-called indemnification agreement. RBS said the net 3.65bn cost of the settlement with the FHFA would be largely covered by funds set aside. But it will take a $196m (151m) charge in its second quarter results. RBS had put by 6.6bn to cover US mis-selling claims. The expected US settlements have weighed heavily on the bank amid fears over the size of the deals, with other banks having forked out mammoth sums. RBS is one of the last to settle with US regulators, following rivals such as Deutsche Bank, which agreed to pay $7.2bn (5.6bn). It has also been a major hurdle to the bank's return to private hands, with the Government having said the US mis-selling claims need to be resolved before it can start to sell its shares in the lender. RBS finance chief Ewen Stevenson said the FHFA settlement was "in the region of what we'd been anticipating", but analysts said it was higher than forecast in the City. RBS said it had not yet started talks with the DoJ. Mr McEwan cautioned the bank may need to set aside more cash to settle outstanding claims. "We have always been very open about the fact there could be further provisions," he said. Analyst Joseph Dickerson, at Jefferies, said the US mis-selling settlement was $1bn (776m) higher than expected. He predicts RBS will need another $2.5bn (1.9bn) for the DoJ deal. Uber and Yandex will merge to operate in Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia Uber is to merge its Russian and central Asia operations with rival Yandex in a move that signals another retreat for the ride hailing service. The deal will bring to an end the fierce rivalry between the duo and will see Tigran Khudaverdyan, currently chief executive of Yandex, head up the combined business. The new company, valued at 3.7 billion US dollars (2.8 billion), will operate in Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia and will be 59% owned by Yandex, 37% by Uber and 4% by staff. Under the terms of the deal, Uber will invest 225 million US dollars (174 million) in the new unit and Yandex 100 million US dollars (77 million). Together, Uber and Yandex currently book more than 35 million rides a month in the region. Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, head of Uber in Europe, said: "Not only is this partnership good news for our two companies, it's also great for riders, drivers and cities across the region. "This deal is a testament to our exceptional growth in the region and helps Uber continue to build a sustainable global business." Uber inked a similar deal in China last year when it merged its business in the Asian powerhouse with rival Didi Chuxing. Consumers will be able to use both Yandex and Uber apps while the driver-side apps will be integrated. The news comes after Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick resigned last month following a series of scandals. Mr Kalanick, who helped found the company in 2009, quit after shareholder unrest over his leadership. Uber has been dogged by questions over its working culture, including sexual harassment, allegations of trade secrets theft and an investigation into efforts to mislead government regulators. Robert De Niro is reuniting with Martin Scorsese for the ninth time Joe Pesci is set to reunite with fellow actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese in upcoming film The Irishman. The stars will also appear alongside Al Pacino, while Harvey Keitel is reportedley also in talks for the film. The biopic will tell the story of real-life union official-turned-mafia hitman Frank 'The Irishman' Sheeran and is based on author Charles Brandt's 2004 book I Heard You Paint Houses, In it Sheeran detailed his alleged murder of mafia leader Jimmy Hoffa. The book's title refers to the criminal slang for contract killings. Expand Close Director Martin Scorsese PA Archive/Press Association Ima / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Director Martin Scorsese Pesci, DeNiro and Scorsese previously worked together on Goodfellas, Casino and Raging Bull, while the actors both appeared in A Bronx Tale, Once Upon A Time in America, and The Good Shepherd. It's been reported Pesci was asked to appear in The Irishman fifty times before finally accepting the role. The film will mark the ninth collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro - their first since 1995's Casino. The Irishman will stream on Netflix, but will also have a limited run in cinemas it is eligable for Oscar nominations. The EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, welcomes Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels The EU's lead Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has met with representatives from the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament, but Northern Ireland was left out in the cold due to its lack of government. The meeting was held ahead of fresh rounds of Brexit negotiations set to go ahead on Monday July 17. Mr Barnier met with Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme, the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said that the situation was "most unfortunate to say the least" and that "Northern Ireland needs its voice represented in the Brexit negotiations". "Sinn Fein is now the only party not prepared to enter the Executive," he said. "The other parties have indicated they would. Were ready to do the business. We want to be there today to represent Northern Ireland and Sinn Fein are blocking that." Speaking following the collapse of negotiations to reestablish the Stormont Assembly last week, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill said that it was a "consequence" of the DUP's deal to support the Tory government. In a statement, leader of the SDLP Colum Eastwood said that Northern Ireland had been "cut out" of the talks by the current situation in Stormont and that Brexit was "the most dangerous economic, social and constitutional crisis to face this island since partition". "We must return a system of sustainable devolution. The alternative is that we are dragged into direct rule, where the pro-Brexit Tories and DUP have a free hand on our futures. Those of us elected on mandates to fight a hard Brexit, must be able to do that," Mr Eastwood said. Read More Commenting following her meeting with Mr Barnier First Minister Sturgeon said that it had been "useful and constructive" and emphasised her view that the UK should remain within the single market. "I outlined to Mr Barnier that our priority is to protect Scotland's vital economic interests, and that the Scottish government will do all that it can to build a consensus against an extreme Brexit outside the single market, which would have potentially catastrophic consequences for jobs, investment and our living standards," she said. Ms Sturgeon added that the work of her government wasn't about holding separate Scottish negotiations, but rather about trying to have an impact on the UK's negoitations. The meetings in Brussels come as the Conservative government publish the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which will convert the EU's laws into UK laws mean that the same laws will be in place after Brexit goes through. It has been alleged that on Monday a number of young people were taken to hospital with heat exhaustion and others with extreme sunburn following a march The Army has launched an investigation after complaints were made about a summer camp attended by young cadets from Northern Ireland. The 2nd (Northern Ireland) Battalion of the Army Cadet Force (ACF) took part in a residential at Altcar Training Camp, close to Liverpool recently. It has been alleged that on Monday a number of young people were taken to hospital with heat exhaustion and others with extreme sunburn following a march. A person who contacted the Belfast Telegraph anonymously, describing themselves as a whistleblower, claimed the camp has been "plagued with disasters, all of which were avoidable". They claimed that a number of cadets had been taken to hospital with a series of ailments after a lengthy march in hot weather. "Injuries include but are not restricted to heat exhaustion, extreme sunburn, foot injuries caused by force marching young cadets over a distance which was more than twice that was required for the star level," they alleged. The source said he had resorted to the press to ensure the allegations were investigated. An Army spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph: "We are aware of allegations made to the media concerning the leadership and conduct of training during a recent Cadet summer camp. These are being fully investigated by the Chain of Command and therefore it is inappropriate to comment further." Altcar Training Camp lies at the estuary mouth of the River Alt, towards the southern end of the Sefton Coast sand dune system, 12 miles north of Liverpool in the village of Hightown. It comprises 620 acres of range and dry training areas, and 500 acres of beaches and sand dunes. The camp is used extensively by Regular, Reserve and Cadet units from all three Services for military and civilian activities and training and highly sought after receiving well over 630 bids for use in 2016. The Army Cadet Forces gives young people between the ages of 12 to 18 the chance to have a taste of the armed forces. The 2nd (Northern Ireland) Battalion has approximately 900 Cadets and 170 Officers and Adult Instructors in 36 ACF Detachments spread over four ACF bases across the province. The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson has said there is "no chance" his party would accept an arrangement which allowed Northern Ireland voters to elect MEPs in the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. The suggestion came as the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt was speaking to a parliamentary committee that is considering how to redistribute the seats given up by the UK. At present, Northern Ireland elects three MEPs, while the Republic of Ireland elects 11. Mr Verhofstadt said those with Irish passports in Northern Ireland should still have a vote in European elections across the border. He said it could be done by increasing the number of European parliamentary seats in the Republic of Ireland. Committee chair Danuta Hubner, said: "It is amazing what you are saying, because it is the Republic of Ireland which is against this idea of giving the right to vote to nationals in third countries - so we have a problem here." In addition, DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the 10 DUP MPs, who are propping up Theresa May's minority government, would insist to her that the proposal be rejected. He said: "We would be strongly opposed to his suggestion. Not least on the grounds that it breaches the Good Friday Agreement and the constitutional settlement that was reached. While, of course, people in Northern Ireland have the right to carry an Irish passport - but to then suggest that Irish passport holders should have the right to vote in another jurisdiction would be a breach of constitutional arrangements agreed. This idea would upset the delicate constitutional balance we have worked out here and would endanger the peace process." A coffin displaying the face of the late Martin McGuinness was attached to a bonfire in east Belfast (PA) DUP leader Arlene Foster has condemned the placing of a coffin bearing the picture of the late Martin McGuinness on an Eleventh night bonfire in Belfast. A black coffin with the face of the late Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister and the slogan 'F*** the IRA' was placed on the bonfire at the Castlereagh Road in east Belfast. Read More Earlier that day, the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA had issued a warning urging those building bonfires not to "play into the hands" of critics who want to demonise their culture. Read More Speaking to the Impartial Reporter on the Twelfth in Fermanagh Mrs Foster said: "I do condemn that because it is not the way in which we celebrate our culture. "It is wrong and it shouldn't have happened. "In Fermanagh we don't have any bonfires, it is unfortunate when things like this happen". She added: "It is about enjoying ourselves and it's standing up for our faith and heritage." The PSNI said it was investigating complaints about "distasteful" materials placed on some bonfires. Sinn Fein chairman Declan Kearney previously slammed the display as "grossly insulting". He said: "This display is a particularly sickening manifestation of the hate we have witnessed across the North over recent days, including some of the most vile sectarian and racist abuse. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. 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) 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) 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) 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Lower Shankill bonfire in west Belfast. [Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye 11-07-17] Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye 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) 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph 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. PA The Lower Shankill bonfire in west Belfast. [Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye 11-07-17] Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye A quiet moment as the Sandy Row bonfire in south Belfast starts to die down. [Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye] Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye 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 PA 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 PA 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 PA 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 PA 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 PA 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 PA 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) 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) 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) 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) Getty Images 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 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*** 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 Masked men continue to build a bonfire at Inverary Playing Fields in Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA 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 PA 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) Getty Images Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Roden Street bonfire. The largest bonfire in Belfast. Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Roden Street bonfire. The largest bonfire in Belfast. Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Roden Street bonfire. The largest bonfire in Belfast. Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Roden Street bonfire. The largest bonfire in Belfast. 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) Getty Images 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) Getty Images General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield Walkway bonfire site. 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] 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] 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] AFP/Getty Images Posters of Sinn Fein politicians are seen placed on a bonfire in Shankill. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images] AFP/Getty Images A bonfire in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn.[Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images] AFP/Getty Images A bonfire is pictured in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images] AFP/Getty Images A bonfire towers over the housing in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images] 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 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] 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] 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] 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] 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] 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] AFP/Getty Images 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. 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 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. 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. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Eleventh Night from above Belfast. Pic Stephen Owens. "This is the action of hatemongers intent on indoctrinating bigotry and perpetuating sectarian divisions in our society. Their behaviour stands in stark contrast to the work that Martin McGuinness did to build reconciliation and reach out the hand of friendship. "It is also grossly insulting to the McGuinness family which still mourns the loss of a much loved father, brother and grandfather." Tributes have been paid to a 29-year-old Belfast man who died just five weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. Aaron O'Neill passed away on Monday in the Somerton Road hospice in north Belfast. His brother-in-law Jim Forbes paid tribute to him calling him "the nicest guy you could ever meet". He said Aaron had felt unwell since February but his stomach pains worsened five weeks ago. Mr Forbes told the Irish News: "Within 48 hours they told him it was cancer and there was nothing they could do. "He coped with his illness very well and was talking away right up until the end. He mother was by his bedside, she moved slightly and in that moment he just slipped away. He was born at 5.45am on a Monday and died at 5.45pm on a Monday." We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The young man was an employee of Yellowmoon production company in Holywood. The sound dubbing mixer worked on TV projects including The Fall, Line of Duty and Game of Thrones. UTV journalist Mark McFadden worked alongside with him. Taking to Twitter after requiem mass to celebrate his life, the broadcaster described him as being a "privilege to work with". "Said farewell today to a wonderful human being: Aaron O'Neill. Talented, stylish, funny, kind. A joy to work with, a privilege to know." He added: "I had the privilege of working with Aaron on several projects. Superb, professional, charming, big-hearted." Paying tribute Yellowmoon said it was with "great sadness" they mourn the loss of their friend and colleague. He joined the company in 2012 as a sound assistant after completing a masters degree in Sonic Arts. He was then promoted to Dubbing Mixer and began work on documentary drama and feature films. In a statement Yellowmoon said: "His warmth, humour, generosity and professionalism made him a favourite with clients and co-workers alike. His easy going nature, always a calming force in the dubbing suite, in times of stress and pressure. He loved cars, clothes and terrible movies. "He would often profess Noel Gallagher a poet and Michael Bay a visionary genius, all whilst sipping on a Strawberry Daiquiri. His laugh was infectious, his smile always there. He was part of the Yellowmoon family, one of us. Taken too soon. Always missed. May he rest in peace. May the force be with him always." Yellowmoon founder Greg Darby said: "He had had an instinct for working in sound - and his attention to detail was legendary. In my 25 years of running a production company I have never met a talent like him. "He was incredibly quick-witted and had a very sharp mind, he could have done anything he wanted to do. He was also a tremendous musician and played the piano. He was an inspiration." "Bonfire issues need to be resolved", the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Owen Smith has said. He was speaking to the BBC in East Belfast on Wednesday evening after spending the day watching Twelfth parades. He said: "Bonfire issues need to be resolved. The BBC's Richard Morgan tweeted a photo of the Welsh Labour MP chatting with police officers. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference In his interview, Mr Smith spoke about the size of the fires and some of the controversial materials placed on them. Windows at an apartment complex were cracked by heat from a bonfire at Sandy Row and homes were damaged in Dungannon, also by heat from a nearby bonfire. Racist comments, SDLP and Sinn Fein election posters and an effigy of the late NI deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, were burned at bonfires this year. Read more: Read More Mr Smith commented: "The scale, the size of the bonfires, and proximity to where people are living is obviously potentially very dangerous. "I think that does need to be addressed." "The fact that they've got bigger and perhaps a bit more contentious, certainly more contentious in terms of some of the effigies and things that are being placed upon them, that needs to be looked at." There has been a 4% drop in the number of people from Northern Ireland applying to attend university. Some 20,290 people from the province have applied to go to university this year, down from 21,110 in 2016. Of these 11,590 are women and 8,700 are men, down from 11,980 women and 9,130 men last year. The UK-wide figure also saw a 4% drop, according to new figures released today by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which relate to the number of applicants by the June 30 deadline. There have been reductions across the UK: 437,860 from England (a decrease of 5% on 2016); 48,940 from Scotland (down 1% on 2016); and 22,530 from Wales (down 5% on 2016). UCAS director Dr Mark Corver said: "With the main application period at an end, the total numbers applying are down 25,000 on last year. The decrease in applicants is driven by falls from England, Wales and the EU, but applicants from other overseas countries are up 2%. "Within the UK, older applicants are down, but applicants from the key 18-year-old age group have increased." The numbers are set to increase in the next six weeks as applicants get results and secure places and new applicants apply direct to UCAS' clearing process. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood warned that the Stormont Executive must be restored in order "to resist" the "catastrophe" of Brexit Concern has been raised that nobody from Northern Ireland has been present at talks with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator. Michel Barnier held separate meetings on Thursday with the first ministers of Wales and Scotland, Carwyn Jones and Nicola Sturgeon, as well as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. However, due to the collapse of the Stormont government, nobody from the region attended the talks. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood warned that the Stormont Executive must be restored in order "to resist" the "catastrophe" of Brexit. "The threat posed to this part of our island cannot be underestimated, we must restore the institutions to resist it. We cannot be left behind, it is our responsibility to prevent this catastrophe," said Mr Eastwood. He added: "Today the North of Ireland is cut out of formal talks with the head negotiator Michel Barnier due to the absence of a government here. "While Scotland and Wales meet with the EU lead, we are left without a voice at that table." Mr Eastwood said that in Westminster Irish nationalism has been silenced by the refusal of Sinn Fein MPs to take their seats to fight the "destructive" Repeal Bill to convert EU law into British law. He urged the two main parties, Sinn Fein and the DUP, to reach an agreement to restore the Stormont institutions. He said: "I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brexit is the most dangerous economic, social and constitutional crisis to face this island since partition. It demands our immediate attention and our immediate response. "We must return a system of sustainable devolution. The alternative is that we are dragged into direct rule, where the pro-Brexit Tories and DUP have a free hand on our futures. "Those of us elected on mandates to fight a hard Brexit, must be able to do that." DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted his party is ready to go back into government, but warned that the region is facing a period of direct rule. "Northern Ireland needs its voice represented in the Brexit negotiations. I call on Sinn Fein to abandon their policy of not allowing the Executive to be formed," he said. "In the absence of an Executive we cannot continue with the political vacuum. Big decisions need to be taken, not least on spending. "We need the Secretary of State very soon to publish his plans with how he intends to deal with the impasse. I think we are heading for a period of direct rule," he told BBC Radio Ulster. Police are investigating after a petrol bomb was thrown at a Northern Ireland church. It happened at Stewartstown Baptist Hall on West Street in Stewartstown, Co Tyrone on Wednesday night. Police said a glass bottle containing flammable liquid was thrown at the front door of the property. It did not ignite and no damage was caused. SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said he was shocked at the incident saying it would be out of place in the area as both sides of the community live together peacefully. "It isn't indicative of the people around the town and this would be an isolated incident," he added. Ulster Unionist Kenneth Reid encouraged anyone with information to contact police. "Theses people have no respect for people or property and any attack on a building where people go to worship has to be condemned," he added. Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information that can assist with the investigation to contact officers in Dungannon quoting reference number 561 of 13/07/17. Information can also be passed anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Originally it had been reported the incident happened at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church which is also on West Street. The problem arose over the length of time taken to investigate the case A police officer has been ordered to apologise to a prison guard for failing to investigate an alleged assault by a prisoner within the legal time frame. Delays in the police probe meant that the Public Prosecution Service was unable to take a case against the inmate. The prison officer told police in February 2016 that an abusive inmate had attempted to punch him and then spat in his face when he missed. Police launched an investigation but did not submit a file on the incident, or apply for more time, before the case became statute barred after six months. Following a complaint to the Police Ombudsman the PSNI watchdog found that the officer initially assigned to investigate the incident went on a period of planned sick leave four months after the alleged attack. Before then he had sent an email to his supervisor outlining the cases he was involved in, and the actions needed to progress them in his absence. The email incorrectly stated that the case would not become statute barred until a date in September, more than a month later than the actual date. Police Ombudsman investigators also found that the officer failed to make appropriate CCTV inquiries, and did not make adequate efforts to interview the suspect. It took him two months to obtain CCTV footage, and he waited a further two and a half months before submitting it to the relevant police department. Inquiries also showed that despite being prompted by his supervisor to interview the suspect, the officer failed to do so. When the officer appointed to follow up on the case went to complete the investigation, he found that the case was already statute barred, according to the Police Ombudsman's report. The prison officer complained that not only did this mean there would be no prosecution, but the lapse in time also meant that the prison authorities could not investigate. The officer was directed to apologise to the prison officer and a performance support plan was put in place by the PSNI. Prime Minister Theresa May will visit Belfast "when she thinks it is right to do so", said a Government spokesman The Prime Minister has come under fresh cross-party pressure in the Lords to intervene personally and try to break the deadlock in restoring a powersharing executive for Northern Ireland. Former Northern Ireland secretary Lord Murphy of Torfaen said every previous successful agreement had been achieved by the direct involvement of the Prime Minister and the Irish Taoiseach. The Labour peer said: "Isn't it about time the Prime Minister actually goes to Belfast and talks directly with the parties and the Irish Government? "Until that happens, I fear we will make little progress," he warned at question time. Government spokesman Viscount Younger of Leckie assured peers that Mrs May was taking "a very close interest" and had "close involvement" in the talks. "Should she see fit, she will indeed travel to Northern Ireland," he said. It hadn't always been the case in the past that the involvement of the Prime Minister had quickly led to agreement. Tory Lord Cormack said the Prime Minister clearly had a close interest in the talks to achieve a powersharing deal, but added: "There is no substitute for a visit." He urged her to go to Northern Ireland and "talk on the spot" with the various political parties involved. Lord Younger said the Prime Minister would go "when she thinks it is right to do so" and when it would "make a material difference". Lord Younger said the Government's priority remained to restore an inclusive powersharing executive, which was in the best interests of Northern Ireland. He said ministers were determined that intensive negotiations should resume as soon as possible and stood ready to continue working with the parties. Tory Lord Lexden asked whether, after "10 weeks of aborted talking", there was any prospect of a breakthrough and what contingency plans the Government had. Lord Younger said "gaps" remained between the parties involved in the talks, but added: "We remain convinced they can be bridged." He said ministers would do all they could to achieve a successful outcome. "The deadline has now passed and the Secretary of State is under a duty to set a date for a new election. He will continue to keep that duty under review," he said. Labour former minister Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top said if the Government was so busy with other issues such as Brexit, it might be time to appoint an independent person to do the "heavy-duty work" to keep the momentum going and resolve the deadlock. Lord Younger said there was "heavy-duty work" going on to restore the powersharing executive with the Prime Minister keeping in continuous contact with the issues. Labour spokesman Lord McAvoy also called for Mrs May to intervene. Lord Younger assured him she was "fully engaged and fully involved" with the issues and had met with the main parties in recent weeks Questions have been raised again in the Republic over whether US President Donald Trump supported Sinn Fein after his attendance at a 1995 fundraiser for the party. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was calling President Trump's knowledge about Ireland into question in the Dail. The Journal.ie reported Mr Martin as saying: "President Trump's knowledge of Ireland remains roughly on a par with that when he was welcomed to a Sinn Fein fundraiser by Deputy Gerry Adams." Mr Martin was referring to an event at the Essex House hotel in Manhattan in 1995, months before the IRA broke its ceasefire by bombing London's Canary Wharf. During the event, Mr Adams joked about playing "the Trump card" and the remark was received with warm applause. Mr Trump rose from his seat and the pair shook hands. Archive video footage of the meeting resurfaced in 2015, when critics of President Trump's proposed travel ban on Muslims entering the US - which he justified as an anti-terrorism measure - accused him of being hypocritical. On Wednesday, a Sinn Fein spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph that Mr Trump had attended the event "as a guest of someone else" and did not make a donation to the party". The spokesperson added: "He has not attended any subsequent events and has never donated money to Sinn Fein." Meanwhile, a number of MPs have called on Northern Ireland Secretary of State to exercise his powers to reveal the identity of the secret Brexit donors who helped fund the DUP's Leave campaign. A Scottish MP wrote to James Brokenshire to highlight current legislation the UK Government could use to publish all political donors since December 2014. It comes almost a week after Mr Brokenshire said details of future donations are to be published, however, backdated donations will not be affected. The Conservative minister said the new transparency rules will apply to donations made after July 1, 2017. It comes after revelations of a 425,000 donation to the DUP to fund a Vote Leave advertisement in a UK national newspaper. In the letter, which was seen by openDemocracy - a political website - SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes said that the public should know who funded the DUP's Brexit campaign. He said that the Secretary of State has the power to publish all political donations since January 2014, under existing legislation. The letter from the West Dunbartonshire MP stated that it is "not clear" why any new legislation is needed. "As Secretary of State, you already have the power to introduce donor transparency into Northern Ireland, and can do so presently, without the need for any new legislation," he wrote. "There are serious concerns, in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, that the UK Government's recent political deal with the DUP contributed to your decision to refuse the public access to information on the source of the DUP's record Brexit funding. "In light of these facts, I would call on you as Secretary of State to enforce the laws that already exist, and to ensure that the public know who funded the DUP's Brexit campaign - good governance demands it." Harassment cases have soared by nearly 1,000% in the last 19 years in Northern Ireland - yet there are still no stalking laws here to protect victims Harassment cases have soared by nearly 1,000% in the last 19 years in Northern Ireland - yet there are still no stalking laws here to protect victims. Social media and smartphone technology that allows for easy tracking of people's movements has fuelled the dramatic rise in the offence, a police source told the Belfast Telegraph. We uncovered how almost seven people a day are harassed in Northern Ireland after revealing how stalking victims fear the Stormont power-sharing stalemate could put a freeze for years on specific laws to deal with the problem here. Police statistics seen by the Belfast Telegraph show there were only 234 cases of harassment in 1998/99. There were 2,449 cases in 2016/17 - a rise of 947%. It equates to almost seven instances of harassment a day in Northern Ireland. The highest number of offences since 1998 came in 2014/15, when 3,059 instances were recorded by police. A police source said: "Cases of harassment have been steadily on the rise since 1998, and there is a direct correlation between the development of 'smart' technology that tracks people's movements and the increase. "A lot of stalking victims are unaware the people stalking them may have installed tracking software on their laptops and mobile phones that reveals their identity. The rise in cases has also been caused by the ease with which social media can be used to harass, bully and intimidate people." The source added: "It is time for people to become much more tech-savvy and aware of how they are being traced." Vicky Clarke, who founded support group Stalking NI after being harassed by a former partner for five years, is fighting for new stalking legislation here. In England and Wales, a Bill making stalking a specific offence was introduced in 2012. However, there are no stalking laws in Northern Ireland. Instead, prosecutions for such behaviour are brought under the Protection from Harassment Order (NI) 1997, which Vicky said was "not fit for purpose". "Due to our current ministerial situation, stalking legislation has been put on hold, albeit along with all other business, but it is vital that the PSNI is equipped sooner rather than later to bring this crime to prosecution," she said. The niece of a UDR man murdered in Strabane by republicans has branded a new mural depicting two masked gunmen with a machine gun and the words 'Unfinished Business' as sick and "an insult to IRA victims". The mural, by republican group Saoradh, was erected in the Springhill Park area of the town on Thursday. Some local residents have condemned the mural claiming that it is intimidating. They say they are furious it has been erected near a play park and community centre. However, the dissident republican political party Saoradh say that other residents have praised the mural and insist it's staying put. Shelley Gilfillan's 39-year-old uncle Lexie Cummings was murdered by the IRA on Strabane's Main Street in 1982 as he left the menswear store where he worked to go for lunch. She said the mural will normalise violence for the children of the town and that it was an insult to IRA victims everywhere. "That will teach the children what to do," she said. "It's sick. It will make the children of the area more used to violence. "It's beside a play park and a community centre - what were they thinking? I cannot understand their mentality. "It is normalising violence. Those type of people don't think. They think this is okay, they see nothing wrong with doing something like this. "This is an insult to IRA victims and their families around Strabane and elsewhere. These people have one agenda in their minds and that is themselves." Local independent councillor Paul Gallagher said the mural "ghettoises" the Springhill estate and that those "who don't know the war is over are deluding themselves". "There has been no consultation with people on the estate on this," said Mr Gallagher. "This is an attempt to ghettoise Springhill. "The mural is beside a play park and community centre in an area where kids are playing and it could give the impression of intimidation. "Most of the people in the estate don't want this at all. "The residents I spoke with think this is disgusting. They are eager to say this in no way represents them and they want to see it gone. This is an image from the past and bears absolutely no relevance to today's society. "It is a poor attempt to mimic a military operation against the British using a photo from the mid-80s of Provisional IRA men. The war is over and whoever doesn't know it is deluding themselves." However, Lorna Brady, spokesperson for Saoradh, says the mural reflects the fact that there "is unfinished business" in republican areas and the statement should not be seen as a threat. "Unfinished business is not meant as any type of threat," she said. "If you go through any loyalist area you can see flags, the kerbs are painted, there are murals and all different things. "I can't see that anyone would see 'Unfinished Business' as a threat, because there is unfinished business. At the minute in Strabane there is constant harassment of republicans, there are still armed British soldiers on our streets, they are still holding republicans POWs. There are innocent men being interned. "The men of the republican movement, the men who fought and died and sacrificed their lives for this country, as far as I'm concerned, they were heroes." Ms Brady said that far from being outraged, many of the residents of Springhill she has spoken to have praised the mural. She said that anyone who had concerns with the mural should speak to a Saoradh member. Belfast City Council is spending 15,000 on a fanzone for Celtic supporters at a west Belfast pub, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. In a move that has infuriated unionists, the money will be used to entertain Celtic fans who are unable to attend tomorrow night's Champions League clash with Linfield at Windsor Park. Funding for the facility at the Devenish in Finaghy was proposed at last month's sitting of the West Belfast Police and Community Safety Partnership (PSCP) and unanimously voted through at a City Hall meeting. The council's solicitor is understood to have attempted to overturn the decision, but a source told the Belfast Telegraph that the grant will be issued. Celtic opted against taking its ticket allocation for the match which kicks off at 5pm, having been moved from July 11 after the PSNI voiced security concerns. This prompted calls to provide a designated area in Belfast for supporters of Brendan Rodgers' Scottish champions to congregate in large numbers for a live screening of the first-ever meeting of the two clubs. Sinn Fein councillor Matt Garrett, who tabled the proposal at the PSCP meeting, said the fanzone will be outside in the main car park of the Finaghy Road North establishment, where the first leg of the eagerly-awaited Champions League qualifier will be shown on huge screens. "Celtic decided not to take tickets because they had concerns, but the reality is that supporters will travel from Glasgow and elsewhere in Northern Ireland for this and there will be home-grown fans who want to see it too," he said. "This proposal, which came from Feile an Phobail in conjunction with the Devenish, is about creating a secure environment for people to watch the match - for families, young people and everyone else. We're trying to limit the amount of people who would potentially travel to the ground to see it as there will be no tickets available for them." Mr Garret said the fanzone idea had been welcomed by the PSNI, whose "resources are overstretched, so this will help alleviate the strain". He also stressed that the 15,000 grant is supporting "the external part of the fanzone" and "not any of the commercial elements of the Devenish". In a statement, Belfast City Council said: "Discussions in respect for funding for this event are ongoing." The funding of the fanzone initiative has, however, sparked outrage among some unionist politicians who called for the decision to be urgently reviewed. DUP councillor Frank McCoubrey, who sits on the West Belfast PCSP, said it was "a complete waste of money". He added: "I don't think it's a good way to spend our budget and I want them to rethink the allocation of this money as a matter of urgency. A lot of communities could do with 15,000." Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers said that "people are angry and have expressed amazement over the possibility of Belfast City Council providing financial assistance for this fanzone when applications for similar facilities have been denied in the past". He said he will be referring the matter to the NI Audit Office. "Public money can't be spent this way. I've nothing against fanzones but this is public money and we have to account for every penny spent. I can't see this going ahead," he added. But Sinn Fein's Jim McVeigh welcomed the council's funding allocation, adding: "The idea is to get as many people off the street as possible, so instead of having lots of young men outside drinking they're in a controlled environment instead." Independent unionist councillor Jolene Bunting, who will be at Windsor Park tomorrow, said it was money well spent. "It's only fair that the fans have somewhere to watch the match," she said. "It's a huge match; something we'll probably never see again and supporters deserve somewhere to watch it." 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) Residents of an apartment complex in Belfast have voiced concern over who will pay for the damage caused to their building by an Eleventh Night bonfire. Windows cracked on the Victoria Place apartment building off the Sandy Row as the bonfire raged just yards away. Firefighters stationed themselves on the roof of the building and battled to cool it down to prevent the fire from spreading. Residents held a meeting on Thursday night to discuss their concerns. "This is not about culture, this is damage to people's homes," One resident told the BBC. "People from all over the world live in this building and one evening a year it becomes a victim, the people living here are victims." The Housing Executive, which owns the land the bonfire was on, said it is investigating. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service spent hours struggling to prevent a bonfire reaching the 10-storey apartment block at Wellwood Street, between Sandy Row and Great Victoria Street. Assistant chief fire officer Alan Walmsley said: "We had firefighters on the roof of the apartment block, using a deluge system down the front of the building, trying to cool it down. "The windows on the front of the building cracked from the heat. If it wasn't for the hard work of our crews in very difficult conditions, there's no doubt the damage would have been much worse," he said. Ireland's Atlantic salmon could be impacted by the arrival of their Pacific cousin Pacific salmon are turning up in Irish rivers, it has been revealed. Some of the country's most prestigious angling spots have recorded the non-native pink or humpback species, which originates on the west coasts of the US and Canada and Russian Arctic regions. In the past two weeks, reports have come in of the invasive fish on the Foxford and Coolcronan fisheries on the River Moy in Mayo, the Galway Fishery on the River Corrib, the River Cong and the Drowes Fishery on the Donegal-Leitrim border. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said the appearance of the species is a concern because of the impact it could have on Ireland's Atlantic salmon. A similar issue has been reported on some fisheries in Scotland and there is no definitive explanation. It has been suggested that some of the Pacific species have made their way south after "straying" from rivers in northern Norway or Russia. They were introduced to some Russian fisheries in the 1960s and have colonised west along Arctic coasts. Dr Greg Forde, IFI head of operations, described the arrival as a mystery but ruled out salmon swimming to Ireland from the eastern Pacific. "It seems unlikely that these fish made a migration due to their small size," he said. "The concern is that when angling, anglers are only exploiting about 15% of the salmon stock so there are likely to be several more of these fish in rivers." Shane Gallagher, manager of the Drowes fishery, said an angler on his river reported catching a pink salmon of about 5lb in weight. "They are a complete unknown quantity," he said. "They are non-native because they have never turned up before. We don't know what impact this could have on our own native fish." Fisheries chiefs have urged anglers who catch any of the pink salmon or members of the public who see them to record the date and location of capture, length and weight of the fish and to take a photograph of the fish. They also want the fish kept so they can run further tests to determine maturity stage and genetic origin. The ones caught in Ireland to date are small Pink or humpback salmon are a migratory and native to river systems in the northern Pacific Ocean and parts of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. They have also established themselves in northern Norway and in the far northwest of Russia, with some populations believed to have originated from stocking programmes in Russia in the second half of the 20th century. The fish have some distinguishing features including l arge black oval spots on the tail, very small scales much smaller than Atlantic salmon, an upper jaw which extends past the eye. They also have 11-19 rays on the anal fin and n o dark spots on the gill cover. Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five others were acquitted of falsely imprisoning former tanaiste Joan Burton Solidarity TD Paul Murphy has renewed calls for a public inquiry into his prosecution over an anti-water charge protest after the Garda Commissioner said an internal review would not cover the court case. The Dublin South-West politician and five others were acquitted of falsely imprisoning former tanaiste Joan Burton in Jobstown, Tallaght, at the demonstration in 2014. Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan said one of her senior team was examining how the investigation was handled from a "lessons learned perspective". But she said the internal review will not include anything that happened in court during the trial, including the testimony of three officers, amid claims from Mr Murphy that perjury had been committed. His allegations in the Dail on Wednesday that Garda witnesses had lied and that their evidence was contradicted by video footage has been referred to a special parliamentary watchdog. There have been claims that it was an abuse of privilege. Mr Murphy said the Commissioner's insistence that the Garda review will not cover the court case is significant but no surprise. "It puts the ball firmly in (Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar's court. That was his out - to say there might be some issues here and then that they could be investigated," Mr Murphy said. "It means now that despite the Taoiseach's call for the gardai to look into it, they are not." The issue of the Garda review of the Jobstown affair and the unsuccessful prosecutions was raised in the Public Accounts Committee by Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald. During heated exchanges with the Sinn Fein deputy leader, the Commissioner said it would be inappropriate for the head of the internal review, Assistant Commissioner Barry O'Brien, to interfere with matters that are before the courts. It is understood a number of trials related to incidents at the Jobstown water charge protest are pending. Ms O'Sullivan added that the review would not include the "court process" of Mr Murphy's trial. "He (the Assistant Commissioner) would not have any authority," the Garda chief said. Mr Murphy clashed with the Taoiseach in the Dail on Wednesday after making allegations about the evidence given by gardai during his trial. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail said he had consulted parliamentary legal advisers and referred Mr Murphy's remarks to the Committee on Procedure. While the Taoiseach has said there should be a Garda review of the handling of the Jobstown protest, he also told Mr Murphy that he was not the victim and that he should p ublic apologise to Ms Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell. He described the anti-water charge protest on the day as "thuggery". A little boy who gardai suspect was stabbed to death by his mother suffered more than 20 knife wounds in the frenzied attack A little boy who gardai suspect was stabbed to death by his mother suffered more than 20 knife wounds in the frenzied attack. The mother of Omar Omran (3) was last night still being questioned by investigating gardai. Dr Maha Al-Adheem (43) was arrested in St James' Hospital at around 10am yesterday and detained in Crumlin Garda Station last night. Gardai believe the arrested doctor was in the Kimmage apartment when her son Omar was attacked on Monday afternoon. Her period of detention was extended last night and officers are believed to be following a definite line of enquiry. Dr Al-Adheem had been treated at St James' Hospital after she was found with stab wounds to her side at 6.30pm on Monday in the property at the Riverside Apartments. A garda was positioned in the hospital while Dr Al-Adheem was receiving treatment, and yesterday morning she was deemed fit to be formally interviewed by detectives. The trained doctor is suspected of inflicting stab wounds upon herself, which were treated by paramedics. It is understood the Iraqi national did not need an interpreter while being questioned by specialist detectives. The emergency crews who dealt with the aftermath of the killing of the toddler and the injuries to his mother have been praised for the professional manner in which they dealt with the violent scenes which they were confronted with in the apartment. Members of Dublin Fire Brigade and the National Ambulance Service, as well as gardai and a local doctor, had initially been told in a 999 call from the apartment that a young child had suffered a possible heart attack. But when they arrived and forced their way into the Riverside apartment on Poddle Park the scene that unfolded left even experienced crew members shaken. "There were emergency personnel there who have been exposed to all sorts of very difficult situations and environments during their careers, but even they were taken aback and distressed by the scenes in the apartment," said one source. "They were expecting one scenario but were confronted with something totally different. "It is a credit to them all that they dealt with the situation before them with such professionalism and humanity," said one investigator dealing with the case. An employee counts yuan banknotes at a bank in Huaibei, Anhui province June 22, 2010.[Photo/Agencies] China will speedup the issuance of local government debt in the second half of the year, but the overall risks are under control, government officials and industry experts said. "The issuance scale in the first six months is lower than the same period of last year, and the cost has been rising due to the increasingly tightened liquidity," said Wang Kebing, deputy head of the budget department at the Ministry of Finance. Yang Xiaojing, an analyst specializing in local government debt with China Chengxin International, estimated a total of 455 billion yuan ($67.02 billion) newly added local government bonds were issued in the first half of the year, which was only around 28 percent of the government's target for 2017(1.63 trillion yuan), indicating that more bonds will be issued in the following six months. Tang Linmin, a researcher with the Academy of Social Sciences, held a similar viewpoint. "The scale and speed of local government debt issuance are both expected to rise in the second half of the year," Tang was cited by the Economic Information Daily as saying. The central government has accelerated debt-for-bond swaps for local governments to ease their financial burden. The target for such swaps is no less than 3 trillion yuan for 2017, but only 1.2 trillion yuan were issued in the first six months of this year. Despite the expanded scale of local government debt in the second half year, the overall risks are under control, thanks to improved mechanisms in quota and budget management, risk disposal and regular supervision. To fend off potential risks, the Chinese government has established a local government debt monitoring system, and has strengthened accountability over irregular borrowing. "We have seen most provincial governments set up leading teams to manage and regulate local government debt," added Wang Kebing. China's newly revised Budget Law clearly stipulates that local government debt should be publicly issued through a national quota-based mechanism, and various local financing platforms backed by the local authority should not issue local government debt. According to the latest report by the National Audit Office on 16 provinces' cities and counties, the average government debt ratio in these regions reached 70 percent, which was much lower than the government debt ratio of other major economies. The average government debt ratio is the debt balance to be paid with public funds by government, divided by the comprehensive financial resources of the same level of government. JP Morgan China economist Zhu Haibin said China has paid attention to improving the transparency of local government debt management and strengthened supervision. "Since 2015, following the standards to regulate financing channels for local governments, local government bonds have become the major channel, and the management of borrowing, lending and repayment has been increasingly standardized," said Wei Qiang, director-general of the General Office at the National Audit Office. Zhuang Jian, senior economist at the Asian Development Bank, said the overall risk of China's local government debt is low, but it is important to pay attention to some local governments with weak financial strength. Data from the Ministry of Finance showed that the quota of local government debt in 2017 was around 18.8 trillion yuan, while that in 2016 was 17.2 trillion yuan and 16 trillion yuan in 2015. Last year, China's local government debt balance was 15.3 trillion yuan, decreasing 4.3 percent year-on-year. Contact the writers at caixiao@chinadaily.com.cn This year's Twelfth was the "biggest in a generation," with unprecedented numbers enjoying the festivities, the head of the Orange Order has said. And the family-friendly atmosphere was praised not just by Grand Master Edward Stevenson, but one of Northern Ireland's most senior police officers who described it as "the most peaceful Twelfth of July for some years". A delighted Mr Stevenson said: "The 327th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne will be forever remembered for the unprecedented numbers of people celebrating the largest annual festival in Northern Ireland. "The wonderful weather exceeded our expectations; as did the tens of thousands of our members, band personnel and supporters, taking part in or lining the routes of 18 venues across the province. Check out pictures from: Belfast - Annalong - Beragh - Cloughmills - Ballymena - Cookstown - Lisbellaw- Hillsborough - Bangor - Kilrea - Ballynahinch - Coleraine - Cullybackey - Clogher - Richhill - Newtownabbey - Broughshane - Banbridge - Ardoyne "Such a phenomenal spectacle bears testament to the continuing relevance and wide appeal of Orangeism. "From Belfast to Banbridge, Cookstown to Coleraine, counties Armagh to Antrim, and further afield, the family-friendly and carnival atmosphere of our cultural heritage was equally apparent." A total of just nine arrests were made over the Eleventh Night and Twelfth, with yesterday's parades passing off peacefully in places once marred by violence. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said: "We have dealt with a number of minor incidents throughout the day and have made a small number of arrests but these were very much in the margins of what has been widely described as the most peaceful Twelfth of July for some years and a model for years to come." Meanwhile, the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Rev Dr Laurence Graham, described the difference between an east Belfast bonfire on the Eleventh Night and the Orange Parade from the Ardoyne yesterday morning as "a tale of two cities". "This morning the parade of Orange Lodges passing the Ardoyne Shops, a parade which in the recent past provoked angry and physical protests, passed in a respectful and dignified manner," he said. "This in marked contrast to a bonfire in east Belfast which not only burned the election posters of parties they did not agree with but went beyond this by burning a coffin bearing the image of the late Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness. "I join with many others in praying for more of the kind of reconciling conversation which led to the peaceful passing of the parade in Ardoyne." At Twelfth Fields around Northern Ireland yesterday, the "militant cultural imperialism" of republicans and the Irish language was the focus for many of those speaking from platforms. In Ballynahinch, the Orange Deputy Grand Master Harold Henning told crowds the Irish language was being used as a "cultural weapon" by republicans. He insisted the Orange Order had no issue with the Irish language itself, noting a former Belfast Grand Master had championed the Irish language in the early 20th century. "Language should threaten no-one -however, when language is used as a cultural weapon by political republicanism it clearly becomes a threat to our identity and community," he said. "Republicans have driven more people away from ever cultivating a genuine interest in Irish language than they will ever attract to it through their current radical proposals." In Bangor, the Institution's Grand Secretary Rev Mervyn Gibson accused the Parades Commission of being a "curse" on the Orange Order and added to the opposition towards an Irish language act. "There has been talk about cultural rights and how we deny people their right to an Irish language," he said. "The Irish language poses no threat to Northern Ireland; the threat arises when republicans politicise it and want to elevate it to a position that is neither sustainable or warranted. "Respect, toleration and equality, all work both ways." Theresa May did not raise the issue of Gibraltars sovereignty during her meeting with the king of Spain despite the two countries not seeing eye to eye on the issue, Downing Street said. A Number 10 spokeswoman said the issue didnt come up and insisted Spain is well aware of Britains position that the overseas territorys future is not up for discussion despite Madrids claim on the Rock. The Prime Minister has previously insisted that Gibraltars status will not be up for discussion during Brexit negotiations after the European Unions guidelines for talks suggested the territorys future economic status might be subject to a veto from Spain. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference At a regular Westminster briefing, the spokeswoman said: As we leave the EU were going to have to work with our partners to secure a deal that works for both sides, including Spain, and a deal that must work for Gibraltar and that will be something that we discuss throughout our Brexit negotiations. On Wednesday, King Felipe VI sparked Gibraltars anger after saying the two governments of his country and Britain will find a solution on the Rocks future that is acceptable to all involved in his address to both Houses of Parliament. The Queen later appeared to have acknowledged the thorny issue, saying Britain and Spain did not always see eye to eye at the kings state banquet. Expand Close (Leon Neal/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Leon Neal/PA) On Thursday, Mrs May hosted the monarch for talks at Downing Street also attended by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Brexit Secretary David Davis and Business Secretary Greg Clark. The issue of Brexit also came up at the meeting, with the PM stressing that Britain has made the issue of EU citizens settlement rights a priority for negotiations. They also talked a bit about the contribution that Spaniards have made to UK life, the spokeswoman said. They discussed a bit more detail about the citizens rights proposals. It was a positive discussion where the Prime Minister set out our approach on citizens rights. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Mrs May and the king also discussed the two nations work together on trade and investment, defence, and science and innovation. The PM highlighted the scale of Spanish investment in the UK as a sign of the depth of commercial ties between the countries and agreed on the importance of standing up for free trade. She also paid tribute to Spanish bank worker Ignacio Echeverria, who died trying to save a woman from an attacker during the London Bridge terror atrocity last month. Jeremy Corbyn has held extended talks with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, as part of his bid to present himself as a prime minister-in-waiting, ready to take over the EU withdrawal process if there is a change of government. In discussions lasting more than two hours at the European Commissions headquarters in Brussels, Mr Corbyn told Michel Barnier that Labour respected the result of last years referendum. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference But he said the party was seeking a Brexit to protect jobs and would not cut a sweetheart deal with the US which would undermine the Paris climate change agreement and harm living standards in the UK. Mr Corbyn confirmed his unilateral offer of citizens rights for EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit and said Labour was ready to pay what we are legally required as part of the process of withdrawal. Emerging from the talks, Mr Corbyn characterised the discussions as very interesting, very frank. Expand Close EC Vice-President Frans Timmermans with Jeremy Corbyn for a meeting at EU (AP Photo/Olivier Hoslet, pool/PA)) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp EC Vice-President Frans Timmermans with Jeremy Corbyn for a meeting at EU (AP Photo/Olivier Hoslet, pool/PA)) He presented the sports-mad EU official with a shirt from his beloved Arsenal, with Mr Barniers name on the back, along with a signed copy of Labours manifesto for last months election. Now hes got two things in red a shirt and a book, the Labour leader quipped. Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn gave Michel Barnier an Arsenal shirt (Jennifer Jacquemart/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Corbyn gave Michel Barnier an Arsenal shirt (Jennifer Jacquemart/PA) Mr Corbyn was accompanied on his visit by shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott. He was also due to meet European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans and the head of three UK representation in Brussels, as well as representatives of European Socialist parties. A teenager arrested at at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last Friday on suspicion of offences contrary to the Terrorism Act has been released (Peter Byrne/PA) A 19-year-old man arrested in connection with the Manchester terror attack has been released without charge, police said. The teenager was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last Friday on suspicion of offences contrary to the Terrorism Act. A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: A 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences, in connection with the investigation into the attack at Manchester Arena, has been released without charge. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The spokesman said a search at a property on Thelwall Avenue in Fallowfield had concluded and police cordons had been lifted. Twenty-three people have been arrested in connection with the investigation into the May 22 attack at Manchester Arena, which killed 22 people. Of those, two were quickly de-arrested and 21 were released without charge. Police have said they suspect suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, did not act alone. Expand Close A suicide bomb detonated by Salman Abedi killed 22 people at Manchester Arena (Peter Byrne/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A suicide bomb detonated by Salman Abedi killed 22 people at Manchester Arena (Peter Byrne/PA) Last week Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit (NWCTU), said that while detectives do not now think Abedi was part of a large network, they do suspect the involvement of others in the attack which had been planned for months. He said officers were engaged with the authorities in war-torn Libya where Abedis brother, Hashem, is being held. Mr Jackson said: We dont have evidence of a large network. We do however suspect others were either aware or complicit in the knowledge of this attack. The Queen heard first-hand how officers dealt with the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack when she opened the new multimillion-pound headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service. Pc Shaun Cartwright told the Queen his experiences of the day and said Pc Keith Palmer, stabbed to death by the terrorist who had mowed down pedestrians on the bridge, was his best friend. The officer, who has been with the Met Police for almost 30 years, had been due to relieve Pc Palmer of his duties at the Palace of Westminster when another officer raised the alarm. He reflected on the day after briefly chatting to the Queen as she toured the New Scotland Yard building and said: I sometimes wonder if Id got there five minutes earlier, I might have been able to help. I explained to the Queen, Keith was also my friend and not just someone I worked with and I miss him dearly he was my best friend for 10 years. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The official launch of New Scotland Yard was due to take place on March 23 but was postponed following the Westminster Bridge attack the day before. Three people died when Kent-born Khalid Masood drove a car into unsuspecting pedestrians on the bridge, before fatally stabbing Pc Palmer, 48, in the Palace of Westminsters forecourt. A fourth pedestrian knocked into the River Thames died more than two weeks later. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were greeted by the sight of two police horses and two historic police cars when they arrived at the 81.9 million Curtis Green building on Victoria Embankment. On display was a former patrol car a Rover SD1 V8 automatic from 1983 believed to be the only surviving vehicle of its type, and a Morris Minor 1000 from 1969 which was used as a supervisors car to check on local beat officers. The royal couple were welcomed by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey. Expand Close The Queen and Philip are greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Queen and Philip are greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The former Met Police building has been sold to an investment company for 370 million. A photograph released by the Philippine military shows skeletal remains of civilians believed to have been executed by Islamic State-inspired militants in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, July 13, 2017. Philippine security forces have recovered the remains of six people believed executed by militants in the southern city of Marawi, confirming the authenticity of an earlier video showing the gunmen killing their captives, officials said Thursday. Soldiers stumbled on the grisly find Wednesday in an abandoned area of the city. The skeletal remains were still clad in orange clothes, officials said. The remains are believed to be that of six people seized by the gunmen during the early days of the crisis, which began on May 23. The militants had earlier circulated a video showing them killing several captives in an undisclosed area believed to be somewhere in the city. A military official who requested anonymity said the skeletal remains appear to confirm the executions had taken place. With the discovery of the six remains, the official death toll from almost two months of fighting has risen to 45 civilians, 92 soldiers and 389 gunmen. The government fatalities included two soldiers who were killed by an errant airstrike Wednesday. The brutal execution is proof of their un-Islamic ways. These terrorists do not respect anyone or anything, regional military chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez said. Holding extremists accountable Brig. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, the military commander in Marawi, vowed that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Maute militants would be punished. Our soldiers will do everything in their power to bring these terrorists to justice, he said. We owe this to the victims. We owe this to our people. Bautista said the gunmen would be held accountable for the destruction of Marawi, the only Islamic city in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, located on the main southern island of Mindanao. Fighting erupted in Marawi when police attempted to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, ASG leader and the acknowledged emir of the Islamic State (IS) in the country. But Hapilons group was backed by gunmen belonging to the Maute group and several fighters from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire southern region under military rule and accepted American and Australian intelligence help. While admitting that troops had been taken by surprise by the rebel firepower, Duterte nonetheless said this week that he believed the fighting could be finished in 15 days. Military officials on Thursday expressed fears, after interviewing civilians who had managed to escape from battle zone recently, that more civilians could have been killed by the gunmen for defying their orders to loot or shoot at soldiers. But identifying dead civilians could take time because the victims are reduced to skeletal remains, said Zia Alonto Adiong, provincial crisis management spokesman. Locating the victims next-of-kin was also difficult, because they may be dead or are still trapped, he said. Confirming death of Vietnamese sailor Meanwhile, the Philippine military on Thursday confirmed the death of a Vietnamese sailor who was held captive by ASG. Tran Viet Vans body was found Saturday after troops clashed with the ASG in the southern island-province of Sulu, Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said without providing details. Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews, broke the news about the sailors death. It quoted Vietnams Foreign Ministry but said it was not clear whether Van was killed by ASG or by military forces during the chaos of the raid. Two things could have happened that led to his death, Sobejana said. He may have been hit during the encounter or he may have been shot by the rebels as he tried to escape while taking advantage of the chaos. He said Saturdays clash was intense, leading to the deaths of four ASG gunmen and a soldier and the wounding of 15 government troops. Van was one of six sailors who were taken hostage by ASG in February while aboard the Giang Hai, a vessel that was shipping cement from Indonesia to the Philippines. The gunmen shot and killed another hostage and four are thought to remain in captivity. Vans body was found just a week after Filipino authorities discovered the decapitated bodies of Hoang Van Hai and Hoang Trung Thong on Basilan, another island in the southern Philippines. Hai, Thong, and four other Vietnamese crew members of the cargo ship MV Royal 16 were taken hostage by ASG in November. Filipino troops rescued a third crewman, Hoang Vo, last month, but three others remain in captivity. The Vietnamese embassy in Manila could not be reached for comment. Felipe Villamor in Manila and Mark Navales in Cotabato City contributed to this report. A Vietnamese sailor was killed during a firefight over the weekend between government troops and Islamic militants holding him hostage in the southern Philippines, Vietnams Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, a week after his captors beheaded two other hostages when their ransom demands were not met. Vietnams state media quoted Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang confirming that the body of Tran Viet Van was discovered among several corpses following a Saturday raid on the Abu Sayyaf group by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the island province of Sulu. I am deeply saddened to affirm that the Vietnamese citizen Tran Viet Van has been killed after an attack by the Philippines military forces targeting Abu Sayyaf, Hang said. We would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of Tran Viet Van and hope his family will soon overcome these painful moments of great loss to stabilize their lives. According to Hang, the Vietnamese embassy in the Philippines is now coordinating with local authorities to complete forensic and legal procedures, and support funeral preparations for the victim. It was not immediately clear whether Van was killed by members of the Muslim insurgent group or by military forces during the chaos of the raid, according to Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews. ABS-CBN News cited Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, as saying the Philippines military only confirmed the identity of Vans body on Monday, after forensic comparison and matching of finger prints turned out positive. The report said Van had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Van was one of six sailors aboard a vessel named the Giang Hai who were taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf in February while shipping cement from Indonesia to the Philippines for International Shipping Co. One of the crew was later shot dead by the militants, but four remain in captivity. News of Vans death came a week after Filipino authorities discovered the decapitated bodies of Hoang Van Hai and Hoang Trung Thong on the island of Basilan. The two are believed to have been beheaded on July 5. Hai, Thong, and four other Vietnamese crew members of the cargo ship MV Royal 16 were taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group in November. Filipino troops rescued a third MV Royal 16 crewman, Hoang Vo, from Abu Sayyaf last month, but three others remain in captivity. Vietnamese state media has provided limited coverage of the incidents, aside from foreign ministry statements condemning the terrorists. On Wednesday, Hais brother refused to comment about Vans death, saying he had been warned not to speak to the press, without providing further details. Earlier this week, Hoang Van Hais uncle Trung said 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. Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 11 urged the government of the Philippines to quickly address the kidnapping of Vietnamese citizens in the country and ensure their safety. 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 collected millions of dollars in ransom, which it has used to acquire modern weaponry, boats and communications equipment. According to the Filipino military, Abu Sayyaf is still holding a total of 21 hostages, including 15 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. A Thai farmer holds a lemon she collected with a wooden tool on her plantation in central Thailand's Nonthaburi province, March 23, 2016. The trial of three Thai nationals charged with trafficking and abusing eight Lao workers has begun in central Thailands Phetchaburi province amid a crackdown on illegal migrant laborers in the Southeast Asian country. The Laotians all members of the same family from Sanasomboun district, in southwestern Laos Champasak province near the borders with Thailand and Cambodia had worked illegally on a lemon plantation in Phetchaburi province since 2011 until they were rescued last September. Police Lt. Gen. Thammawutt Wichianmaneechot, director of the Thai anti-human trafficking unit in Phetchaburi province, told Radio Free Asias Lao Service, a sister entity of BenarNews, that the suspects have been charged with physical assault and detention, human trafficking, forcing people under the age of 17 to perform labor, and possessing illegal weapons. It is the duty of the jury to decide whether or not the employers as defendants are found guilty of human trafficking because they deny that they have committed human trafficking and insist it is just a wage payment-related case, he said. During the trial at Phetchaburi province court on July 6, the prosecutor called four witnesses, including two police officers who showed photos of a gun illegally possessed by the accused men and of their arrests when the men tried to conceal the weapon and flee the scene. The officers also provided as evidence their daily notes on the matter and reports of the raid police conducted to rescue the Laotians and arrest their Thai employers. Another witness was a representative from the Labor Rights Promotion Network Foundation, who presented photos of scars on the Laotians bodies from injuries allegedly caused by the Thai men. A representative from the Thai Social Development and Human Security Ministry who also testified said the eight Laotians were trafficked, beaten, and forced to perform hard labor in Thailand. Attorneys representing the accused men denied all charges on behalf of their clients and said the evidence presented was based only on hearsay from the Laotians because the prosecutor had no photos of the alleged beatings. Samak Thabthani, director of the Thai human trafficking prevention agency, told the court that he had provided assistance to the Laotians. I also repeated in court what the victims told me, he said after the trial. The opposite side denied all charges, but our lawyers will be working hard on this case. As of now the next court hearing date is still unknown. The eight Lao workers were not present in court because they had been sent back to Laos earlier this year after spending six months at a rehabilitation center. Restrictions on migrant workers The trial comes as hundreds of undocumented Laotians in Thailand recently fled the country after the Thai government on June 23 imposed new restrictions on illegal migrant workers, carrying a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to 100,000 baht (U.S. $2,941). Following a backlash from companies and migrant advocates, the decree was suspended for 180 days to give the migrants time to obtain the proper documents in Laos before returning to Thailand. Laotians returning home have reported that some Thai border police are demanding money from them, however. On Monday, Lao workers said officials charged them each 500 baht ($15) to 1,000 baht ($29) at the Thali border checkpoint in northeastern Thailands Loei province before they were allowed to enter Laos. Other illegal Lao workers were detained at a checkpoint in northeastern Thailands Yasothorn province while traveling home by bus, according to one undocumented worker who declined to be named. After they got the yellow slip from the Lao embassy [in Thailand], they took a bus to Laos, he said, in a reference to the document Lao nationals need to be able to cross the border when heading home. The embassy charges each person 500 baht for the certificate. Once the bus arrived in Yasothorn province, they were detained by police, he said. The police did not let them go and they took whatever money they had, he said, adding that his three friends had to hand over 10,000 baht ($293) to the police. In another case, a Laotian returning home by bus said Thai police and soldiers stopped the vehicle and ordered more than 40 Lao workers to get off. The authorities sent the workers to the immigration checkpoint in Palan commune in Natarn district of northeastern Thailands Ubon Ratchathari province and collected 800 baht ($23) from each but did not provide receipts. A Thai newspaper on Monday denied the veracity of the mans claim, saying that the Lao worker previously told it that before the decree took effect, Thai police at border checkpoints would charge each Laotian 500 to 800 baht before allowing them to cross. Officials at Thai police checkpoints where the incidents allegedly occurred could not be reached for comment. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. 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Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. BILD in the ruins of Mosul Von: PAUL RONZHEIMER and CLAAS WEINMANN The liberated city still smells of death. It is 45 degrees in the shade as we walk through the ruins of the former ISIS stronghold of Mosul. The bodies of the fighters lie in the streets, explosive belts still tied around their waists. They believed that they would go to paradise after their death. No other city in Iraq represented ISIS like Mosul did, a city with once over a million inhabitants. No other city has witnessed such a dramatic war a war with nine months of street fighting, thousands of people killed, hundreds of thousands of refugees, and almost complete destruction. BILD-Exklusiv-Bericht Im Humvee durch das zerstorte Mossul 02:05 Images from the post World War II period come to mind as we look at the mountains of debris, the bombed-out houses, and the burnt cars. The thought is always present that there could still be booby traps anywhere. This is how most of the civilians died while fleeing and this is how two French reporters died just three weeks ago. Dead ISIS fighters still lie between the ruins The gruesome tactics of the ISIS fighters is: since we are about to die, we will take as many with us as possible. Stay directly behind me and mind your steps, says Mohammed (46), an Iraqi solider. He has fought at the frontline until the end. I did not expect so much destruction, its really horrible. But there was no other way to defeat ISIS. Helicopters still circle above the city, US fighter jets still attack. Even though Iraqs prime minister, al-Abadi, declared the complete liberation of Mosul, the fighting is not over yet. A few hundred ISIS fighters are probably still in the city, including a number of elite soldiers who have hidden in the ruins as snipers, willing to fight until the end and then to die. An ISIS suicide bomber who was shot before he could trigger his explosive belt We also witness the threat that ISIS still poses here. As an Iraqi solider leads us to the frontline, bullets are suddenly flying over our heads. The sound is very close. Duck a sniper!, the soldier shouts. Even though not all parts of the city are liberated yet, people are already celebrating the end of ISIS. The al-Nuri mosque in the city centre is a symbol of that liberation. From the mosques pulpit, ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announced his self-proclaimed caliphate on 4 July 2014. Iraqi soldiers in the ruins of the city of Mosul The images from the mosque made the world understand how radical, dangerous, and crazy the ISIS terrorists actually are and that they have to be stopped as soon as possible. The mosque no longer exists. ISIS itself blew it up when the Iraqi army kept coming closer. Now only ruins remain, on which the Iraqi flag has been hoisted. Soldiers who have fought for months come by and take selfies. It is their conclusion to a months-long battle. Now they can finally go home. To them, it doesnt matter whether al-Baghdadi is, in fact, dead, as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated on Tuesday. ISIS is over, the system of horror is over, thats what matters, one of the soldiers says. Lesen Sie auch They will not forget the images of war anytime soon. Feras (22), one of the physicians of the Iraqi army, recounts: ISIS shot a fleeing 11-year-old directly in the throat. His windpipe was severed. He was dead for three minutes before I could save him through surgery. Auch interessant However, in this brutal war, horrors were not only committed by ISIS. The Iraqi army was also accused of torture. Soldiers allegedly cut off the heads of ISIS fighters. Yes, there were these incidents, says a soldier who had been active in the war since its beginning. War is gruesome and people turn into beasts. However, in contrast to ISIS, in our army these were isolated cases that were later punished. The great fear of new conflicts still persists after the liberation. People are concerned that former ISIS fighters have disguised themselves as civilians in order to carry out new attacks as a sleeper cell. People are also concerned that the two religious groups in Iraq the Sunnis and Shiites will remain hostile to each other. One of the soldiers does not think this will be the case: As gruesome as ISIS was this also taught all Iraqis that we never want anything like this to happen again. We will learn our lesson from this, just as Germany did after the Nazi regime. PS: Sind Sie bei Facebook? Werden Sie Fan von BILD.de-Politik For Immediate Release, July 13, 2017 Contact: Sarah Uhlemann, (206) 327-2344, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Challenges Massive U.S. Export of Wild Animal Pelts for International Fur Trade Around 80,000 Wild Bobcats, River Otters, Wolves, Lynx, Brown Bears Killed, Exported Each Year MISSOULA, Mont. The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today over its program allowing the export of tens of thousands of wild animals trapped and killed for the international fur trade. The Service's program covers five furbearing species, including bobcats, river otters, wolves, lynx and brown bears, representing the deaths of about 80,000 individual animals annually in recent years. The United States exports a shocking number of animals trapped and killed for their fur each year, said Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center. Trapping for the highly lucrative international fur trade is just plain cruel and reduces local populations of bobcats, river otters, lynx and other wildlife. The international fur market has boomed in recent years, largely driven by demand in China, Russia and Europe, and resulted in increased killing and export of furbearing animals from the United States. Pelt prices for bobcats, wild cats sought after for their beautiful gray-brown coats, rose from around $85 in 2000 to a high of nearly $590 in 2013. The number of bobcat pelts exported from the United States roughly quadrupled during this time, peaking at a high of 65,000 skins exported commercially in 2013. In addition to bobcats, more than 33,000 river otter pelts were exported from 40 different states, and more than 3,000 lynx pelts were exported from Alaska in recent years. Gray wolves are also hunted, trapped and exported from Montana and Alaska, as are brown bears from Alaska. Because these five furbearer species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, a treaty governing trade in imperiled wildlife, export from the United States must be strictly regulated. However, trapping exceeds sustainable levels in some regions, and removing massive numbers of these top predators has ripple effects throughout the ecosystem. An unquantified number of foxes, beavers and other species also die in traps set for these furbearer species. Today's lawsuit targets the Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to fully consider all the environmental effects of its furbearer-export program, including at the state and local levels where wildlife impacts are most significant. Ultimately the suit seeks to improve in the U.S. export program and reduce the number of animals killed and exported for their fur. With killing on such a massive scale, it's time for U.S. regulators to take a hard look at the environmental consequences of the growing fur-export market, said Uhlemann. For Immediate Release, July 13, 2017 Contact: Stephanie Parent, Center for Biological Diversity, (971) 717-6404, sparent@biologicaldiversity.org Paul Towers, Pesticide Action Network North America, (916) 216-1082, ptowers@panna.org Lawsuit Seeks Common-sense Measures to Protect Rare Wildlife From Harmful Pesticides SAN FRANCISCO The Center for Biological Diversity and Pesticide Action Network North America today filed an updated complaint to move forward with a comprehensive legal action following a legal victory earlier this year. This lawsuit seeks legally required, common-sense measures to protect endangered plants and animals from highly toxic pesticides. In February the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the federal government, allowing this lawsuit to proceed to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency's longstanding failure to assess the likely harms of pesticide products known to be toxic to endangered species found across the country. The scope of the amended complaint has narrowed and now covers products containing 38 pesticide active ingredients, down from 50 in the original complaint. Americans love birds, fish and other wildlife, and no one wants to see them unnecessarily hurt by toxic pesticides, especially species already struggling at the brink of extinction, said Stephanie Parent, a senior attorney at the Center. Pruitt's EPA continues to refuse to obey the law and protect our most imperiled wildlife from harmful pesticides. The updated complaint focuses on the EPA's registration of pesticide products, such as Dow's controversial Lorsban, which contains the brain-damaging pesticide chlorpyrifos. In January the EPA released its first rigorous nationwide analysis of the effects of three pesticides on endangered species, finding that 97 percent of the more than 1,800 animals and plants protected under the Endangered Species Act are likely to be harmed by chlorpyrifos. In April the Center learned that Dow had asked the EPA and expert federal wildlife agencies to abandon four years of work on the assessments, a request that appears to have halted efforts by the agencies to determine the pesticides' harms to endangered species. These assessments are required as part of a 2014 legal settlement with the Center and other conservation organizations. Over the past six years Dow has donated $11 million to congressional campaigns and political action committees and spent an additional $75 million lobbying Congress. In January 2017 Dow was one of three companies that donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration. Shortly thereafter the EPA shocked public-health advocates by abruptly scrapping a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, which is known to cause brain damage in children. Scientists have documented the dangers these pesticides pose to people and endangered species, but the EPA continues to put the interests of chemical companies first, said Parent. This lawsuit seeks to force the EPA to recognize that it is not above the law and must establish reasonable safeguards to keep toxic chemicals from harming the nation's most vulnerable wildlife. The lawsuit is the first step in determining what common-sense measures are necessary to prevent dangerous pesticides from harming endangered species such as Florida panthers, California condors, black-footed ferrets, arroyo toads, Indiana bats and Alabama sturgeon. Extensive peer-reviewed scientific studies, and the conclusions of expert biologists at the Fish and Wildlife Service and EPA, clearly show that these animals are threatened by pesticides at issue in the case. The EPA has registered thousands of pesticide products without ever analyzing how these toxic chemicals impact endangered wildlife. For Immediate Release, July 12, 2017 Contact: Deborah Moskowitz, Resource Renewal Institute, (415) 928-3774, dmoskowitz@rri.org Jeff Miller, Center for Biological Diversity, (707) 604-7739, jmiller@biologicaldiversity.org Erik Molvar, Western Watersheds Project, (307) 399-7910, emolvar@westernwatersheds.org Attorney Jeffrey Chanin, Keker & Van Nest, (415) 391-5400, jchanin@keker.com Conservationists, Ranchers, Park Service Agree on Plan to Address Point Reyes Ranching, Elk Issues OAKLAND, Calif. Conservation groups, the National Park Service, Point Reyes ranchers and Marin County filed a settlement agreement today that resolves litigation over cattle ranching at Point Reyes National Seashore and Marin County portions of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. As the plaintiffs requested in their lawsuit, the Park Service will decide future uses of the public lands that are currently leased for cattle grazing by amending the National Seashore's General Management Plan within four years. The Park Service will consider a full range of alternatives, including ending or reducing beef and dairy cattle ranching in the park, and will conduct a public environmental review process. This settlement is a victory for the public and Point Reyes National Seashore, and sets a precedent for protecting our national heritage by guaranteeing citizens a voice in how their public lands are managed, said Deborah Moskowitz, President of the Marin-based Resource Renewal Institute. Past generations fought to create the Seashore this settlement helps safeguard this precious public asset for future generations." The taxpayers spent millions of dollars to buy private lands and create a National Seashore where recreation and natural beauty take precedence, said Erik Molvar of Western Watersheds Project. The public deserves the opportunity to provide input on a range of options, including prioritizing public benefit over commercial livestock interests. Thanks to the settlement, everyone will now have that chance. This is a win for those of us who don't want to see tule elk evicted from the park and for anyone concerned about damage to wetlands, streams and wildlife habitats from cattle grazing, said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity. The public will get its long-overdue opportunity to weigh in on where native wildlife and public access should trump commercial cattle ranching on Point Reyes park lands. During the upcoming planning process, cattle ranching will continue under the status quo of current grazing leases. The Park Service will also abandon a controversial ranching plan that was being developed to extend ranching leases for the next 20 years, and contemplated evicting or fencing out tule elk from ranch lease areas. Until the management plan amendment is completed, the Park Service will preserve tule elk at the Seashore and strive to use nonlethal means to control the park's free-roaming elk, instead of prioritizing lethal force as some ranchers have been demanding. Background In 2016 the Resource Renewal Institute, Center for Biological Diversity and Western Watersheds Project filed a federal lawsuit against the National Park Service for failing to update the park's badly outdated general management plan before attempting to extend cattle grazing leases in the Point Reyes National Seashore. The grazing leases violated the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Park Service Organic Act and the Point Reyes National Seashore Enabling Act. Approximately 15 private ranching enterprises currently graze beef and dairy cattle on 24 lease units within the National Seashore, which make up more than 18,000 of the park's 71,000 acres. For decades the Park Service authorized year-round livestock ranching on publicly owned parklands without ever preparing an environmental analysis on the impacts of beef and dairy ranching or obtaining public input on whether these grazing leases should be continued. The Park Service and other federal agencies documented that cattle harm threatened and endangered species and their habitat, cause soil erosion, pollute waterways, interfere with tule elk habitat and food, and emit the vast majority of the park's greenhouse gases. The pending settlement is subject to approval by Judge Armstrong of the Northern District of California. The conservation groups are represented by San Francisco attorneys Jeffrey Chanin and David Rizk of Keker Van Nest & Peters and Laird Lucas and Lizzy Potter with Advocates for the West, a public-interest environmental law firm. The parties and their attorneys are grateful for Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu's assistance in helping to resolve this matter. Read a copy of the settlement agreement and the February 2016 lawsuit. For Immediate Release, July 13, 2017 Contact: Marc Fink, (218) 464-0539, mfink@biologicaldiversity.org House Committee Considers Bill to Advance Destructive Mine in Minnesota's Superior National Forest PolyMet Mine Would Destroy Wetlands, Pollute Water, Harm Wildlife WASHINGTON The House Committee on Natural Resources will consider legislation Friday to fast-track a public land exchange in an attempt to facilitate the first copper mine in Minnesota. The PolyMet open-pit copper mine would destroy 1,000 acres of wetlands and more than 1,700 acres of critical wildlife habitat in northern Minnesota's Superior National Forest. H.R. 3115, authored by Rep. Richard Nolan (D- Minn.), would authorize the land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and PolyMet Mining, helping pave the way for destruction of high-quality wetlands, risking long-term toxic water pollution in the Great Lakes and eliminating critical habitat for the threatened Canada lynx and gray wolf. This is an irresponsible giveaway of public land to a foreign corporation for an open-pit copper mine, said Marc Fink, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. This bill would help pave the way to destroy key wildlife habitat, and it would risk permanent toxic water pollution in the Lake Superior watershed. Representative Nolan is forgetting that all Americans have a stake in protecting these precious public lands. Nolan's bill is a maneuver to get around existing law, which prohibits the open-pit copper mine in the Superior National Forest, and force through the land exchange, which is being challenged in court. The PolyMet mine would destroy 1,719 acres of designated critical habitat for Canada lynx and gray wolves, creating toxic sulfide mine waste, enormous waste rock stockpiles, roads and other mining infrastructure. Most of the destruction would be permanent. The mine also would wipe out nearly 1,000 acres of pristine wetlands and threaten Minnesota waterways. It would be located at the headwaters of Lake Superior, upstream from the St. Louis River, the largest U.S. tributary to Lake Superior, as well as the Fond du Lac Reservation and the city of Duluth. The Forest Service approved the land exchange in January. The Center and local conservation partners challenged the agency's decision in March, arguing that the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to properly consider the environmental impacts from the land exchange and the copper mine on endangered species. Nolan's bill would require that the land exchange be completed within 90 days of the bill becoming law. Permits for the mine are still pending, including one from the Army Corps of Engineers required under the Clean Water Act to approve discharging fill material into the waters of the United States. This bill is a blatant end run around current laws to hand Superior National Forest land over to a mining corporation, Fink said. It should be stopped in its tracks. Cause to Celebrate: New Wolf Pups Born in California Exciting news for those who love wolves and are eager to see them return to their homelands on the Pacific Coast: Two endangered gray wolves seen last year roaming through Northern California have had pups. The pair produced at least three babies this spring, establishing a second wild wolf pack in the state -- the Lassen pack. The new litter is only the second known to have been born in the state in the past century. State biologists discovered the pups in July after capturing and collaring the female gray wolf in Lassen County in late June; they've now been captured on film by a U.S. Forest Service trail camera. The Center for Biological Diversity has played a key role in seeking protections and support since the wolf known as OR-7 wandered into the Golden State back in 2011. Check out some absurdly adorable pictures of the pups and listen to a radio interview with Center wolf expert Amaroq Weiss. 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 The company launches new phase of operations as the premier provider of health and wellness services to individuals, employers and government entities across the Middle East. Cigna Corporation, a global health services company has announced the acquisition of general insurer, Zurich Insurance Middle East (SAL). The acquisition marks the beginning of a new phase of operations for Cigna as the premier provider of both health and wellness services to individuals, employers and government entities across the Middle East. With this acquisition, Cigna will operate in the UAE, Lebanon, Kuwait and Oman, further complementing its capabilities across the region. According to the press release made by the company, in line with regulatory compliance, the newly acquired entity will be called Zurich Insurance Middle East, a Cigna-owned company. The company will assume a name that aligns with the Cigna brand once all formalities have been completed. In the Middle East region Cigna delivers group health products and services for small businesses and family-owned enterprises through to multinational companies. Through its new entity, Cigna will be able to provide even more personalized products to individuals, employers, and government entities; 24/7 customer support; multilingual call centres located across nine global locations; specialized clinical services, and access to one million medical and healthcare professionals and facilities worldwide. Jason Sadler, President of Cigna International Markets said: Cigna has enjoyed a strong presence in the Middle East for more than 15 years through our local partners. Today, we mark a significant new phase of our journey and commitment to the region. Cigna aims to improve the health, well-being and sense of security of our regional customers by providing full access to our global expertise and wide range of specialized healthcare benefits, products and wellness programs. Cigna has named Arthur Cozad, former CEO of Cigna Taiwan, as CEO for Middle East markets. Earlier this year, Cigna opened offices at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to serve as its regional headquarters, providing management support and specialist services to its regulated entities across the GCC. Howard Gough, CEO of Cigna for the MENA Region, Global International Private Medical Insurance (GIPMI), and Global Government segment, added: We are witnessing a dynamic change within the GCC regions healthcare sector, defined by regulatory reform and national agendas that prioritize the importance of quality healthcare. Cignas healthcare benefit products and its preventive wellness solutions meet a vital need for companies, and local and globally mobile individuals. The Matla a Metsi Joint Venture was recently announced the successful bidder on the design and construction supervision of the Polihali Dam - one of the two main water transfer components of phase two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. According to the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), work on the approximately R445m project is expected to commence in July. Image source: Aurecon Refiloe Tlali, CE of the LHDA, confirmed that the pre-qualification process had achieved its objective of yielding a shortlist of well qualified firms for the dam design while maintaining free competition amongst the bidders. We are confident that the Matla a Metsi team has the capability, skills and experience, and depth of resources to undertake the engineering design and construction supervision of the Polihali dam, she said. The joint venture, which combines Lesotho, South African and international experts, comprises GIBB, Mott MacDonald Africa (both from South Africa), Tractebel Engineering SA and Coyne et Bellier (France), and LYMA Consulting Engineers (Lesotho). Scope of services The scope of services includes reviewing the geotechnical and other project information, the engineering design of the Polihali Dam and appurtenant structures, the procurement of construction contracts and supervising the construction on behalf of the client. Skills development and technology transfer to Lesotho and South African nationals and the training of LHDA staff for the purposes of operating the dam are important components of the consultancy contract. The Polihali Dam comprises a 164m-high concrete-faced rock fill dam (CFRD) on the Senqu River, a 50m-high CFRD saddle dam, a concrete side-channel spillway, a free standing compensation outlet tower and appurtenant works. The design period will take approximately eighteen months followed by the procurement of the construction contractor. The dam construction is expected to commence in December 2019 or January 2020. The dam is envisaged to be impounded during the wet season of 2023. Phase two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project builds on the completion of phase one in 2003. It delivers water to the Gauteng region of South Africa and utilises the water delivery system to generate hydro-electricity for Lesotho. Phase two will increase the current supply rate of 780-million cubic metres per annum incrementally to more than 1,270-million cubic metres per annum. At the same time, it will increase the quantity of electricity generated in Lesotho and is a further step in the process of securing an independent electricity source to meet Lesothos domestic requirements. On Wednesday, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan said an apology was not enough from UK-based public relations company Bell Pottinger. ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan at the 14th congress of the SACP held at Birchwood Hotel.Picture: Business Day Rather, the company should come and account to Parliament on why it undermined SA's sovereignty and its fiscus. Gordhan was among the victims of the Bell Pottinger smear attempts, with the company linking him to its "white monopoly capital" narrative. He was eventually removed from his post at the helm of the Treasury, with President Jacob Zuma using a dubious intelligence report to justify his actions. Speaking on the sidelines of the SACP national congress, Gordhan said there should be "full disclosure and transparency" by Bell Pottinger. "It's clear that for over a year or so, they were operating as agents of Guptas ". They have a lot to account for," Gordhan said. Bell Pottinger should account to Parliament about who briefed them, what these people briefed them about and the names of the people the PR firm was told to malign. Turning to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's comments on state capture, Gordhan said he agreed that people had to account. He questioned how it happened that there were so many revelations and yet nothing happened and no one was held to account. "These elements are operating with impunity." Gordhan also called for a "firm decision" by the state not to do business with the family and its allies. He also called for new leadership at state-owned entities. He said all those implicated must be treated in the same way, when asked about the role of Zuma in state capture. The 30th annual Labour Law Conference, being held from 2-3 August 2017 at Emperors Palace, Ekurhuleni, will focus on the future of trade unions in South Africa in its plenary session. This session is facilitated by High Court Judge Dennis Davis and includes panellists Jay Naidoo who served as telecommunications minister under former President Nelson Mandela and author of Change: Organising Tomorrow, Today; Gideon du Plessis, general secretary, Solidarity/Solidariteit and Dennis George, general secretary, Federation of Unions South Africa (FEDUSA). South African workers are finding the workplace more uncertain, with trade unions seemingly less effective. Trade unions have to adapt, says Lindiwe Maqutu, lecturer in Labour Law and Introductory Constitutional Law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. If done well, this plenary is an opportunity to encourage trade unions to see how they can adjust to the new employment landscape one in which employers are effectively distancing themselves from their employees using labour brokers; this has made it more difficult for trade unions to mobilise workers. The creation of a black elite in senior management in the midst of a salary gap between management and workers has widened inequality. When the Labour Relations Act was fashioned, based on South Africas constitution and the global context of a free market economy, it was believed that a few strong trade unions, populated by the majority of employed workers, would yield industry wide modifications to working conditions, leading to rising wages, alleviating the plight of the marginalised working class. Instead, some 22 years later security of employment has become endangered, said Maqutu. Workers appear to be expendable; contract work is on the rise; the spread of agencies ostensibly employing and supplying temporary workers has enabled de facto employers to distance themselves from employees. Workers are losing effective mechanisms for airing grievances, due to the precarious nature of their employment the places where workers conduct employment duties is not necessarily in their designated workplace, so it is becoming more difficult for trade unions to organise and represent their members effectively. Protections provided for by labour laws may be circumvented, since ultimately the viability of the business enterprise has to be given priority, sometimes to the disadvantage of workers. Outdated economic model Arguably, the current South African trade union movement is based on an economic work model that no longer exists and workers are losing out. Therefore, it is vital to discuss how relevant are trade unions in their current form and ways to modify trade union operations, lest workers become causalities of dysfunctions in the system and the income inequality gap widen further rather than narrow. Employers, human resources personnel and industrial relations managers, labour lawyers, trade unions, government representatives, traditionally attend the conference. Appealing for a wider participation, Maqutu said it was vital that civil society and NGOs be included in the conference to ensure that the discussions are more apposite and widely disseminated in South Africa. The participants attending the conference will have an opportunity to engage with policymakers and thereby influence its findings and possible outcomes in the South African industrial relations landscape. We need these diverse groups to attend in order to facilitate robust debate that will stir the pot. Many South Africans are at a point of desperation. The Marikana Massacre did not happen in a vacuum and the problems that were highlighted then still exist and are part of the greater socio-economic inequality in our country. Updated legislation information There are also practical reasons for attending the conference. People need to find out pertinent and most recent arbitration and Labour court decisions - discuss the leanings of the labour courts regarding employment, fair labour practices, dismissal and more. As a method of informing the industry on the developments in the labour law, the conference is relevant to everyone, particularly to those working on the cutting edge of labour practice. Delegates will be brought up to date by labour law and economic experts, who will present papers and lead discussions on changes that affect the labour market and workplace law, including crucial judgements. For more information, go to www.annuallabourlawconference.co.za. Avani Hotels & Resorts will make its debut in Mauritius with the development of Avani Bel-Ombre Mauritius Resort & Spa - a 150-room beachfront hotel which is set to open in 2021 with 16 Avani suites, 134 standard rooms as well as 12 residential four-bedroom pool villas for purchase. Ymon via pixabay The hotel will be offering expansive multifunctional meeting spaces that can be configured for diverse events, from Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), bookings for weddings, and other celebratory functions. Beach and urban expanison Only 30 minutes from the international airport, Avani Mauritius Bel-Ombre Resort & Spa will offer a spa, gym, pantry, kids club, a beach activity centre, and two swimming pools. "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," says Alejandro Bernabe, the group director for Avani Hotels & Resorts. "Avani is rapidly expanding in urban destinations such as Dubai, Busan, and Auckland, but we are also growing our current resort portfolio in Vietnam, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka and now Mauritius," Bernabe adds. The Savanna Comics' Choice Awards has announced the nominees in this year's award categories, following thousands of votes, across hundreds of registered comedians. Comedians, media and industry were the first to hear the names called out at a special press lunch held on Wednesday, 12 July 2017 at Katzys in Rosebank. Comedians voted for their fellow comedians, determining who will be nominated and go on to receive a Waldo (the Savanna CCAs statuette), making the awards one of the highest accolades a comedian can receive in South Africa, and Africa. This years nominees are: Breakthrough Award Skhumba Hlophe Alfred Adriaan Loyiso Gola Robby Collins Tumi Morake Savanna Newcomer of the Year Thabiso Mhlongo Tsitsi Chiumya Bongani Dube Eric Jansen Summary Intermediate Award Ebenhaezer Dibakwane Virgil Prins Glen Biderman-Pam Noko Moswete Mo Mothebe Non-English Comic Award Salesman Skhumba Hlophe Celeste Ntuli Mashabela Galane Thapelo King Flat Mametja Flying Solo Award Skhumba Hlophe Carvin H Goldstone Celeste Ntuli Loyiso Gola Mashabela Galane Comics Pen Award Mojak Lehoko Trevor Noah Muzi Dlamini Lazola Gola Karabo Lediga The Nando's Best Friend of Comedy Goliath & Goliath David Kau - Blacks Only Carvin H Goldstone On Fire Comedy Armchair - Gino Fernandez Savanna Comic of the Year Skhumba Hlophe Loyiso Gola Carvin H Goldstone Celeste Ntuli Kagiso KG Mokgadi This marks the first year that the Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year Award has been introduced, taking the Savanna CCAs into Africa. It has been the awards vision for many years to expand into Africa and take the continents talent to a global stage. The nominees in the Pan-African Comic of the Year category are: Patrick Idringi (aka Salvado) - Uganda Bright Okpocha (aka Basketmouth) - Nigeria Carl Joshua Ncube - Zimbabwe Tshepo Masapo Mpiti - Lesotho Fernando Filipe Angola The Savanna Audience Choice Award is the only category in which the public can vote for their favourite nominee. Public voting, via SMS, is open and will close on Friday, 25 August 2017. Make sure to cast your vote for the comedian of your choice below by texting their unique code and your name to 45757 (each SMS is charged at R1,50 and errors will be billed. Free minutes do not apply). You can vote up to 20 times. The Audience Choice Award nominees are: Elton Mduduzi Ntuli (unique voting code: 17163) Pelepele Mchunu (unique voting code: 58085) Thapelo Maila (unique voting code: 72116) Luphelo Kodwa (unique voting code: 40009) Thabang ER (unique voting code: 68906) The highlight of every nominee announcement is for the Lifetime Achiever Award. This prestigious award is presented to an act with 20 years or more experience in comedy. The Savanna Comics Choice Awards is honoured to announce that Cyril Green is this years Lifetime Achiever Award recipient. Cyril is one of the most renowned entertainers and producers in South Africa, having performed in over 150 television shows, including hosting his own TV series The Cyril Green Show. Cyril is also a fully rounded jazz pianist, leading his own bands and having produced variety shows for, in excess of 20 years, as well as hundreds of live stage appearances as a stand-up comedian and recently as an author. Comedy fans, book your tickets Be sure to book your tickets for the Lifetime Achiever Grilling of a Lifetime on 16 August 2017 at Parkers Comedy Club, where Cyril will be roasted by his fellow comedians. This is a unique format that makes for a phenomenal, once-off, limited experience for comedy fans. It all culminates on 9 September 2017 at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City when the Savanna CCAs main awards takes place. Look forward to an incredible show featuring some of the best comedy, stand-up, skits and production youre bound to see in one sitting. For information on and to buy tickets for SAs premier comedy awards event, please visit www.comicschoice.com. Connect with Comics Choice on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and visit the website or email moc.eciohcscimoc@ofni for more info. Supported by Savanna Premium Cider, Nandos, VUZU Amp, Sunday World and Kaya FM 95.9 South Africa's R15bn stainless steel industry has felt the strain of a contraction in its apparent consumption figures in the last two years, reported John Tarboton, executive director of the Southern African Stainless Steel Development Association (sassda), at the association's 2017 AGM. This has been caused by a flood of Asian imports, mainly from China, a drop in exports of finished products and the resultant huge decrease in the conversion of primary to finished products, he said. Our declining apparent consumption is a concern. Prior to 2015, our figures mirrored what was going on in the rest of the world, whereas now were deviating from the global trend. Looking at the value and output of the local market, Tarboton explained that apparent consumption last year was just over 130,000 tonnes in terms of primary product which represents a value of R4.6bn if you assume an average cost of $35,000 a tonne. The conversion of that product - costed at twice that of primary product value - equals an additional R9.2bn, which results in the total value of the local stainless industry of close to R15bn. In terms of physical output, the national average is currently four tonnes per worker a year, which based on apparent consumption figures, means approximately 32,000 people are employed in the conversion of stainless steel primary products to finished products. Overall picture Overall, the statistics show that the stainless steel market continues to contract in 2017. The forecast is showing zero primary, non-producer exports and so apparent consumption may return closer to primary supply into the market. (Primary supply minus primary exports equals apparent consumption.) At present, the forecast shows similar primary supply for 2017 as 2016. Looking at the first four months of this year compared to last year (January - April 2016 vs. January - April 2017), the primary supply of stainless steel is down by 17%, leading to apparent consumption having declined by 10%. Tarboton explained that, The reasons for the supply of product into the market declining is due to a lack of demand in the local market, reflecting our current grindingly tough economic conditions. A longer term comparison of 2015 vs. 2016 reveals that primary supply (produced locally + imports) which includes: sheet, coil and plate stainless steel - dropped by 11% in 2016 or 20,000 tonnes and unfortunately, the apparent consumption figure - which is the amount of stainless steel expected to be converted to a finished product - declined by 31% in 2016, probably due to destocking of primary products and the reversal of finished products trade balance. Imported finished products surged with an increase of 44%. This is supported by anecdotal evidence and feedback from the sassda member survey and is largely due to a flood of imported product, primarily Chinese. In comparison, the export of finished products dropped by 20%, which is the opposite of previous years. Stated Tarboton: So, whereas in 2015 we were a net exporter of stainless steel finished products and exported 8,000 tonnes more than we imported, we now import 40,000 tonnes of stainless steel finished products more than we exported and therefore run a trade deficit on stainless steel finished products. World view Tarboton also reported back at the sassda AGM on his recent attendance at the annual International Stainless Steel Forum AGM and associated meetings in Tokyo. The general view was that the economic climate has resulted in an improved outlook for stainless steel. This is because since late 2016, the commodity crisis may have reached its worst point and may have turned a corner, which means we could start to see an improvement, particularly in mining investments, something that our market is seeing glimpses of. For 2016, the ISSF reported that the global growth rate of the stainless steel market was at just over 10%. Virtually all that growth occurred in China which in 2001 had virtually zero share of global production as compared to 2016, where it now commands 54%. I had hoped that after 2014 that that would start plateauing to just over 50%, but it has started to increase again towards the 60% level, so this is a concern to our stainless steel industry, commented Tarboton. He added: Fortunately, forecasts for the rest of the world are looking better. Our region is predicted to grow at 1.2% in 2017 and 1.6% in 2018, which represents a more optimistic outlook than has been the case for the last nine years. WASHINGTON - 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. US newsstands are increasingly rare as readers turn to online platforms for information | Justin Sullivan 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 don't dig through public records to uncover corruption, send correspondents into war zones, or attend last night's 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." ALGIERS - Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday urged Algerian authorities to release a freelance journalist and fixer who was arrested and accused of spying. Said Chitour, who works for the BBC and the Washington Post among others, has been held "arbitrarily" since intelligence services arrested him at Algiers airport on June 5, RSF said. He appeared before a judge who ordered him detained, but news of his arrest only emerged in early July. "There are no grounds for keeping Chitour in pre-trial detention and doing so for more than a month is clearly excessive," the New York-based RSF said. "RSF is also concerned about the conditions in which he is being held because he is diabetic." It said he could face life imprisonment if convicted. Intelligence sources told AFP that Chitour, who had been under surveillance for several months, was accused of passing secret documents to foreign diplomats. His lawyer, Khaled Bourayou, told AFP that no confidential document was listed in the case against Chitour, and he wondered how a journalist and fixer could have had access to such papers. "All that Said acknowledges is that he had meetings with Western diplomats, like many journalists, where he gave his views on the political and economic situation of the country," he said. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said last week that Chitour's arrest "appears to be an attempt to keep information about Algeria out of the international press". "We call on Algerian authorities to release Chitour, drop all charges against him, and to cease harassing and threatening journalists for their work," CPJ's Robert Mahoney said. RSF, which ranks Algeria 134rd out of 180 countries on its press freedom index, last month accused the country of "harassment" and "threats" used to pressure journalists. In December, a British-Algerian journalist died while serving a two-year jail term for "offending" Algeria's president. Mohamed Tamalt's lawyer said he had lapsed into a coma after going on hunger strike. BERLIN - German media groups protested Wednesday after government authorities at last week's G20 summit suddenly withdrew the accreditations of 32 journalists on unspecified security grounds. Journalists inside the G20 media centre in Hamburg.Image: DPA The DJV journalists' union demanded an explanation for the "scandalous and illegal" move at the 7-8 July meeting in Hamburg. Another media union, the DJU, threatened legal action to shed light on the case, "including the question of what role the domestic security service or foreign authorities may have played in drawing up the list". The Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported that the journalists were told "that their accreditations were suddenly no longer valid and that they no longer had access to the secure areas". It pointed out that at least four of them had previously run into trouble with Turkish authorities for covering protests and the conflict-torn Kurdish region. Media rights group Reporter Without Borders said "it would be unbearable if German authorities would restrict journalists in their reporting in Germany because of suspicions, for example, of the Turkish secret service". In total, the German government's press service withdrew 32 accreditations at the summit of world leaders including US President Donald Trump, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Germany'ssecond-largest city. In nine cases journalists were barred entry to the tightly secured media centre for 5,000 journalists, while the other 23 did not show up. Cem Ozdemir, co-leader of the opposition Greens Party, called on the government to "tell us whether the process of admission of journalists has been the subject of any form of cooperation with Turkey or Russia". Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman and director of the government press service, Steffen Seibert, said he understood that the ban "raises questions". But he said that journalists were vetted in collaboration with only the German national police office BKA and that "no foreign authority played a role in the accreditation process". Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries SUBSCRIBE Many attribute the crisis to the Nam Ma coal mine, which, they say, has created severe air pollution over the past few years, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF). Local villagers have raised concerns that the recent increase in TB cases is directly linked to years of breathing in dust and other pollutants from the mine, as well as a longstanding lack of accessible health care and disease control programs in the area, the report says. Ten villagers [eight men and two women] from five villages have been diagnosed as suffering from TB by Hsipaw Hospital, almost all since 2015, SHRF reported. Half of the patients live in Na Koon village, next to the Na Koon coal mine, where digging has taken place since 2004 and expanded significantly since 2014. A 70-year-old patient from Na Koon village explained to SHRF that he was diagnosed with TB in June 2015. His illness has caused a great financial burden, he said, as he works as a farmer, growing corn and cassia. He claimed that before becoming ill, his annual income from farming was 300,000 kyat (US$220), but due to ill health, he now earns only about 50,000 kyat a year. I have a corn farm about two acres in size, about 130 meters from the Na Koon coal mining site, he told SHRF. Whenever I go to work at my farm, there is an awful smell from there. I cant even eat my meal there due to the awful smell. Operations at the large-scale coal mine are contracted to Ngwe Yi Pale Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Ngwe Yi Pale group. The corporation is also one of the biggest manufacturers of sugar and cement in Burma. It oversees three mining sites in Shan State: Na Koon; Pieng Hsai and Parng Nga, all of which are in Hsipaw Township. Protests by locals forced the closure of the Pieng Hsai mine in 2015. But operations continue unabated at the remaining two sites. On June 29, Shan Herald reported that more than 600 people in Nam Ma area staged a protest against the Ngwe Yi Pale firm, demanding a suspension of mining operations in the area. We want the company executives to understand the difficulties villagers are facing and cease their operations, said Sai Hor Hseng, a spokesperson for SHRF, speaking to Shan Herald on Tuesday. We also urged the villagers to be aware of what is going to happen in their community. If they know in advance, they can come together to protest against it. The government has a responsibility to take care of its people because it was these people who elected it to represent them. Now people are suffering; the government must step in and solve these problems. He added: The government must suspend all mining activities in the country. Now is not the right time for these kinds of operations. Some 1,500 people live in seven villages in Nam Ma tract, and almost all rely on farming as their main livelihood. Apart from air pollution, SHRF said, the local coal mine has had myriad negative effects on the local population, including losses of agricultural lands; the obstruction and contamination of water sources; and road accidents involving coal trucks. By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. Vice-Premier Liu Yandong meets a visiting delegation of lawmakers from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Beijing on Wednesday.Feng Yongbin / China Daily Vice-Premier Liu Yandong met on Wednesday in Beijing with a Japanese delegation and discussed moving forward with a host of issues, including a consensus reached last week at the G20 Summit and other items. The meeting at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in downtown Beijing was notable because the Japanese delegation was composed of female lawmakers from the nation's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Liu noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diploma-tic relations between China and Japan and next year will see the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty. She said the relationship stands at a critical moment. The two nations should implement the important consensus that their leaders reached at the G20 Summit in Germany, maintain their political foundation of bilateral ties, properly handle sensitive issues, steadily promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields and push the relationship back on track, she said. Seiko Noda, a former chairwoman of the LDP General Council and head of the visiting delegation, said the Japanese side expects to deepen mutual understanding and trust based on the four political documents and the four-point principled agreement reached between the two sides. Japan is committed to working with China to forge a stable relationship, she said. An internet imagery. BEIJING (PTI): China has dispatched PLA personnel to man its first overseas military base at Djibouti in the strategic Indian Ocean region, a move likely to spark concerns in the US and India. Ships carrying Chinese military personnel departed Zhanjiang in southern China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday to set up a support base in Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. China, however, on Wednesday sought to play down reports that its naval facility at Djibouti was its first military base. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing that the Djibouti base is a support base which will serve Chinese troops when they escort ships for anti- piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, perform humanitarian rescue, and carry out other international obligations. The base will be conducive to driving Djibouti's economic and social development, and assist China's contribution to peace and stability both in Africa and worldwide, he claimed. Dispatching the military personnel Tuesday, Shen Jinlong, commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, had read an order on constructing the base in Djibouti, and conferred the military flag on the fleets. The establishment of the PLA Djibouti base was a decision made by the two countries after friendly negotiations, and accords with the common interest of the people from both sides, the PLA navy had said. Djibouti base, which China says is more of a logistical and resting centre than a military base, was under construction since 2011. It is the first such base being set up by China. The second base is coming up in Gwadar, Pakistan, which links up with China through the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In March this year, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post had reported that China plans to increase the size of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh personnel for overseas deployment, including at Gwadar and Djibouti. The expansion is planned to protect China's maritime lifelines and its growing interests overseas. Some members would be stationed at ports China operates in Djibouti and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, the report had said. In addition, China also plans to take over the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka as part of a debt swap to firm up its naval operations in the Indian Ocean, much to the disquiet of India. The bases were being set up as China operationalised its first aircraft carrier and launched the second one which was expected to be ready for operations by next year. The move to set up base in Djibouti is also likely to raise concerns in the US as the military base is just a few kilometres from Camp Lemonnier, one of the Pentagon's largest and most important foreign installations. With increasing tensions over China's island-building efforts in the South China Sea, American strategists worry that a naval port so close to Camp Lemonnier could provide a front-row seat to the staging ground for American counter- terror operations in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa, the New York Times reported. Besides the US, the base could also spark concerns in India as it is located in the strategic Indian Ocean region. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A former Westman First Nation councillor, who aspires to be chief, has been spared a criminal record for entering a home uninvited and standing by as a companion beat one of the residents. Darrell James Brown, of the Canupawakpa Dakota First Nation, has received a two-year conditional discharge and 100 hours of community service work for being unlawfully in a dwelling and failing to attend court. Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup asked the judge to impose a fine that would leave Brown with a criminal record. Lonstrup noted that offenders sometimes receive conditional discharges to spare them from a record, so that they can continue to work. Thats not the case here, he argued, and his political dreams shouldnt entitle him to a discharge. This is not an accused where the difference is whether he works or not, its whether hes able to hold the public trust or not, Lonstrup said during sentencing in Brandon provincial court on Monday. Defence lawyer Mike Cook, on the other hand, asked for the conditional discharge. He said Brown plans to run for chief of Canupawakpa later this year, and a criminal record may prevent him from performing his duties that would include travel to the United States for conventions. I think that it would be a shame if, because of a criminal record, he was not allowed entry into the United States, Brown said. Lonstrup noted that Brown didnt touch anyone during the Dec. 13, 2014 incident, but he seems to have played a role by entering the home uninvited, identifying the victim as the person the assailant was looking for and by failing to stop the beating. On the above date, Lonstrup said, three men entered a Canupawakpa home and one attacked the man who lived there. The victims domestic partner and his eight-year-old son were there at the time. The men had walked in through the unlocked door, and the assailant asked his companions Brown and another man Is this the guy? Is this the guy? Brown and the other male indicated yes. The third man who to this day hasnt been identified then punched the victim six times in the head. The assault ended and the men left when the victims partner threatened to call police and the child started to cry. All Lonstrup could say about the motive was that there had been some kind of grudge. Brown, who was a councillor at the time, later indicated to police that he and the victims partner had a disagreement about her residence, but its not clear if that played a role in the attack. Lonstrup said Brown told police that he had drank 16 beer at another home and couldnt remember what happened. He later failed to show up for his trial on Feb. 7, 2017, but pleaded guilty to the above charges on Monday, even though there were troubles with the Crowns case that included conflicting accounts from witnesses. Cook highlighted the work that 32-year-old Brown has done for his community. He has worked with several high-profile businesses on behalf of his community, Cook said. Canupawakpa Chief Viola Eastman, who intends to run again in the next election and would therefore be Browns political rival, confirmed that Brown was a councillor from January 2014 to January 2016. She said there is no band regulation or condition under the Indian Act that would prevent a person convicted of, or pending on, a criminal charge from running for office. A co-accused, Tyrone Jay Chaske who isnt the one who committed the assault, but was the other man who identified the victim as the correct target of the attacker was previously fined $300 for being unlawfully in a dwelling. ihitchen@brandonsun.com Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SHOAL LAKE Folks lined the grounds in folding chairs and blankets Wednesday evening as the Snowbirds kicked off the Shoal Lake Airshow. The Snowbirds also came down from their home at CFB Moose Jaw in 1992 to celebrate the opening of the Shoal Lake Airport. The Shoal Lake Flying Club and Shoal Lake Aviation are both celebrating their silver jubilees this year. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform a manoeuvre during their aerial demonstration at the 25th anniversary Shoal Lake Airshow at the Shoal Lake Regional Airport on Wednesday evening. Twenty-five years later and they came back to treat Westman with another show, full of twists, turns and exciting air tricks. What Shoal Lake will see tonight is an exciting, thrilling, high show, we call it, a spokesperson for the Snowbirds said before the show. Since the weather was near perfect, the Snowbirds were able to perform to the best of their abilities, and graced the audience with their famous maple split manoeuvre. As an added surprise, the Snowbirds dedicated the heart manoeuvre of their show to Capt. Bradley Ashcroft of Shoal Lake, a Royal Military College graduate who died in a small plane crash outside Winnipeg on July 1, 2016. The two-day event kicked off Tuesday evening at the Shoal Lake Communiplex with a meet and greet with the Snowbirds, aerobatic performer Bill Carter, and other acts. Childrens activities and live music were enjoyed on the grounds, and a formal program was held at 7:30 p.m. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Pete McLeod flies over the crowd in his Red Bull aerobatic plane during the 25th anniversary Shoal Lake Airshow at the Shoal Lake Regional Airport on a sunny Wednesday evening. Buses started arriving at the Shoal Lake Airport at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. For the remainder of the afternoon, there were aircrafts and cars on display, with food and merchandise for sale. Aviators from across the Prairies flew into Shoal Lake to show off their aircrafts and chat with fellow pilots. Kit Harrison flew in from Brandon in his AutoGyro Cavalon. The AutoGyro is classified by Transport Canada as a gyrocopter, which is a similar to a helicopter, but the gyrocopters rotor requires air flowing through the rotor disc to generate rotation. Its a unique vehicle, Harrison said. The wing rotates freely, theres nothing mechanically driving it. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun The Canadian Forces Snowbirds soar over the crowd during their performance at the 25th anniversary Shoal Lake Airshow at the Shoal Lake Regional Airport on Wednesday evening. The propellor, at the back of the plane, pushes the aircraft forward, and he said the machine runs on premium car fuel. Harrison and his wife, Sue, took a vacation to Costa Rica where they experienced a ride on the AutoGyro Cavalon for the first time. He said from there, he fell in love with the gyrocopter Its relatively unknown in most part of Canada, Harrison said. Theres more of them all the time. Its a very affordable, personal air vehicle. Prior to Costa Rica, Harrisons interest in flying was peaked as a young man, by his uncle who was a flight trainer in Rivers. I would go down to Florida, Harrison said. He worked at a gliding school, so I got my gliding licence first and just kind of moved into this category, and Im enjoying it! Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform a manoevre during their aerial demonstration at the 25th anniversary Shoal Lake Airshow at the Shoal Lake Regional Airport on Wednesday evening. Harrison gave a demonstration of the unique aircraft following the main show on Wednesday evening. msolomon@brandonsun.com Twitter: @mdsolomon12 A Cardinal, long considered to be a papal contender, has said the Church had now learned a lot from its mistakes and that he and others were committed to stand very clearly for truth. By David Raleigh Cardinal Schonborn, who is Archbishop of Vienna, said the truth will set you free" and said Church and society together must speak out about what was so long hidden and covered (up). Speaking in Limerick this evening, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn was asked by RTEs Religious Affairs Correspondent Joe Little if he agreed there was a compelling argument for ordaining women priests, given that many believe the abuse of children would never have been tolerated by women. Cardinal Schonborn initially laughed at the question before saying: I take your question seriously but, astonishingly, these questions come in every discussion, in every (interview). I think its simply not possible to give an answer (about) what should have been done to avoid abuse. Responding Joe Little said: You laugh at the question and you say its astonishing that these questions come up. Youre sitting in a country where the Catholic Church has been devastated by this issue. Can you address the question, whether ordaining women, might be a good idea now, in order to prevent (further abuse) happening in other countries, where the truth is much slower to emerge, and where women might act as an important control within the decision-making process in the church. In response, Cardinal Schonborn said: You relate two questions which I would not link. Im sorry to say that. We have no expertise about the link you make between these two questions. When asked if he had any insights into the role of women in the church while the (abuse) scandals were going on in his own archdiocese prior to him becoming Archbishop, he paused to consider his answer. Cardinal Schonborn said an independent commission in Vienna involving men and women equally, had handled abuse scandals very honestly and without any interference by the church. Asked if he agreed with recent comments by Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, who warned potential hostilities between the Church and State over education could make it more difficult to maintain a "true Catholic ethos in Catholic schools", the Cardinal said, generally speaking the model of strict separation (of church and state) has never worked, and the model of confusing religion and politics has always been very problematic. He said all religions needed to negotiate together to find a solution, but he acknowledged this can be difficult, and even conflictual. Schonborn, a son of a divorced couple, advocated for a more merciful church towards divorcees and same sex couples. Agreeing that some marriages cant last forever he said: Yes, dramas happen in life; Thats life. He told reporters that, despite the fact (Pope Francis) is not married, he was a master in counselling, good marriage counselling. Speaking ahead of a conference at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, he added: What Pope Francis does in Amoris Laetitia, post Synod letter on the family) is encourage means how to overcome these crises." Update 2.25pm: The principal of a south side Dublin school says it would be "devastating" if its playing fields have been sold. Despite objections from staff and parents, it's reported land at Clonkeen College in Deansgrange has been sold by the Christian Brothers who say they need the money for a compensation scheme for abuse victims. However, Principal Edward Melly is still hopeful it can be stopped as the school have not received any notification that the sale has gone through. "One of the things we've been told is that this deal needs to go through the charity regulatory authority and we don't have any confirmation this has happened," said Mr Melly. Speaking following the publication of a Parliamentary Question answer by Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Education and Skills that confirmed the Christian Brothers Congregation had advised his department that they have sold land used as playing pitches by students at Clonkeen College. Dun Laoghaire councillor Cormac Devlin said that the Department of Education and Skills is currently engaged in negotiations with the Christian Brothers Congregation surrounding the transfer of up to 127m worth of property to discharge their obligations to the Redress Scheme. It is very disappointing the Minister allowed this sale to proceed. Just last week, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council debated the issue, agreeing a cross party motion calling on the Minister to intervene and retain this land for educational and recreational use," he said. Cllr Devlin said that the Minister recently told the Dail that he was reasonably confident that there were other assets the Congregation could dispose of to realise its remaining redress contribution. "The sale of this land was unnecessary. This land should not have been sold. Essential school lands must be safeguarded for future generations," said Cllr. Devlin. "The Minister should clarify whether the sale is "subject to planning or zoning" so we can know, even at this late stage, if the deal can be reversed",he added. Earlier: Playing pitches at a south Dublin school, which were controversially put on the market, have been sold. Parents and staff at Clonkeen College in Deansgrange had tried to block the sale of the 7.5 acres for housing. The Christian Brothers said they needed to raise money for a compensation scheme for survivors of abuse. Local politicians unsuccessfully tried to have the land rezoned so it could only be used for recreational purposes. However, the Education Minister Richard Bruton has confirmed in the Dail the sale has gone through and cannot be reversed. People with disabilities will protest outside the Dail today calling for equal rights. It is 10 years since the UN Convention on rights for Disabled people, but Ireland remains the only EU country left to ratify it. Campaigner Frank Larkin says disabled people are sick of being treated as second class citizens. Mr Larkin said: "For far too long Government has sat on their hands and done nothing about this. "Coming from Letterkenny in Co. Donegal, using public transport, I have to be lifted by two people onto the bus in order to use public transport. "In 2017 in Ireland, that is just not acceptable." Ireland is giving 200,000 to the disputed West Bank territory in the Middle East. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has made the announcement as his visit to the region draws to a close. The funding will be provided to the West Bank Protection Consortium which works with Palestinian communities. Minister Coveney said the money underlines our commitment to supporting the vulnerable people of the area. On Tuesday, Minister Coveney met with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who criticised Ireland's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his dissatisfaction over Ireland's traditional stance and told the Foreign Minister that his country does not condemn Palestinians for incitement and for glorifying those who commit terrorist attacks," said the Prime Minister in a Facebook post. Minister Coveney was questioned as to "why Ireland helps NGOs that call for the destruction of Israel" and Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he felt many European countries are overlooking the core problem of the conflict the Palestinian refusal to recognize the state of the Jews. The Dail has approved Ireland's participation in a European programme to disrupt human trafficking in the Mediterranean. TDs voted 81 to 38 to approve Ireland's participation in what's called "Operation Sophia". The main objective of Operation Sophia is to target and stop gangs using vessels for human trafficking, mainly from Libya. It completes the 'Triple Lock' mechanism of UN, Government and Dail approval which is required before deploying members of the Defence Forces overseas as part of an international Force. Transferring to Operation Sophia will result in the redeployment of Irish Naval Service vessels from primarily humanitarian search and rescue operation to primarily security and interception operations. But the Dail debate was dominated by complaints that the proposal was rushed through, without full scrutiny. Independents4Change TD Clare Daly also says taking part in the programme will threaten Ireland's neutrality. "We should be pushing the UN to be international peacekeepers to rescue migrants, to protect our neutrality," said Ms Daly. Proposals to refer the subject for deeper consideration at committee were blocked by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. In a statement, the Labour party said that there has not been adequate consideration of this military operation. Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin said that "Operation Sophia" was established as a military operation with the mission to identify, capture and dispose of vessels used by smugglers and traffickers in order to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean. He added that the House of Lords report suggests that an unintended consequence of Operation Sophias policy of destroying smugglers boats has been that they have adapted and sent refugees and migrants to sea in unseaworthy vessels, leading to more deaths. These concerns are shared by the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Irish Refugee Council and Medicins sans Frontiere. "We must all be concerned about the risk to Irish naval personnel from involvement in such activities and the diversion of resources from the work of saving lives which we believe is our core mission in this region," said Mr Howlin. "I have not been reassured that our armed forces will play no role in supporting efforts to return refugees and migrants Libyan detention centres, "There is no detail on whether the Irish Government has considered these concerns, nor were we provided with any background briefing papers or notes provided to Deputies," he added. Speaking following the Government decision, the Minister for Defence, TD Paul Kehoe said: In addition to Irelands contribution to the humanitarian effort in the Mediterranean to date, Ireland will now be making a contribution to addressing some of the root causes of migration and human trafficking. Update - 11.03am: A mother told gardai Yes it was my knife, yes it was my hand, it was not me, it was the power after she was charged with the murder of her three-year-old son Omar Omran in Dublin. Maha Al-Adheem, 42, made the reply to gardai today after she was charged with the murder of the toddler who was found stabbed to death in his Crumlin home on Monday evening. Ms Al-Adheem, who is a doctor, was remanded in custody by Dublin District Court to appear again next week. The body of Omar Omran was found when gardai and an ambulance crew were called to his apartment home in the Poddle Park area of Crumlin in south Dublin at about 7pm on Monday evening. Entry was forced and the infant child was found in his bedroom. He had been stabbed and was pronounced dead at the scene while his mother Maha Al-Adheem was rushed to St James Hospital in a serious condition. An incident room was established and Ms Al-Adheem was arrested at about 10am on Wednesday. Ms Al-Adheem, a doctor from Iraq who had been living in Ireland since 2010, was detained at Crumlin Garda Station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. She was held overnight and brought to appear before Judge Michael Walsh at Dublin District Court on Thursday morning. Dressed in blue jeans, pink runners and a purple sweater, she sat silently throughout the short hearing. Det Sergeant Brendan OHalloran told Judge Walsh that Ms Al-Adheem was arrested at 12.30am on Thursday for the offence of murder contrary to common law. He said she made no reply. Det Sgt OHalloran said that he cautioned her at 1.16am and charged her. He told the court the she was given a true copy of the charge and she replied: Yes it was my knife, yes it was my hand, it was not me, it was the power. The district court cannot grant bail in murder cases and she was remanded in custody to appear again on July 20 next. She was granted legal aid after Judge Walsh was given details of her income by defence solicitor Richard Young. There was no Garda objection. Ms Al-Adheem nodded to her solicitor when he spoke quietly to her at the end of the proceedings but did not address the court during the brief hearing. Due to the nature of the charge a bail application can only be made in the High Court. Earlier: A woman will appear in court this morning in connection with the homicide of a three-year-old boy in Dublin. Three-year-old Omar Omran was discovered at an apartment block at Poddle Park in Kimmage on Monday evening. A woman was brought to Crumlin Garda Station yesterday where she was questioned in relation to the homicide. She is due before Dublin District Court later this morning. A man has been charged in connection with a shooting in Limerick on Tuesday afternoon. A man in his 30s was injured in the incident on the south side of the city and taken to University Hospital Limerick. National school teachers have rejected the government's public service pay deal with a vast majority. INTO members voted by 89% to turn down the draft agreement put forward last month. It was rejected because it doesn't resole the issue of pay equality for new teachers. The INTO Executive will consider the outcome of the ballot next month. Deputy General Secretary for the INMO, Noel Ward, said equal pay remains the key issue and was the driving force behind such a decisive vote "In staff rooms around the country, you have two teachers who are doing exactly the same work but are being paid on different rates based essentially on their age. The younger one is paid less," said Mr Ward. He described the issue as "a festering sore". Authorities in the Balearic Islands want the EU to ban alcohol on flights and in airports. Tourism chiefs in Ibiza and Magaluf have asked Spain and the European Union to stop the sale of drink on board planes in an effort to battle anti-social tourism. The convicted killer of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors on Wednesday had asked for Zaur Dadayev to be sentenced to life. Poker player Phil Ivey is taking his legal battle against a London casino over his 7.7m winnings to the Supreme Court in England. The 40-year-old American is challenging a 2016 majority decision in the Court of Appeal dismissing his case against Genting Casinos UK, which owns Crockfords Club in Mayfair, London. After successfully playing a version of baccarat known as Punto Banco there in 2012, Mr Ivey was told the money would be wired to him and he left for Las Vegas, but it never arrived - although his stake money of 1m was returned. Genting, which owns more than 40 casinos in the UK, said the technique of ''edge-sorting'' he used - which involves identifying small differences in the pattern on the reverse of playing cards and exploiting that information to increase the chances of winning - was not a legitimate strategy and the casino had no liability to him. Mr Ivey did not personally touch any cards, but persuaded the croupier to rotate the most valuable cards by intimating that he was superstitious. In the Court of Appeal, Lady Justice Arden said that the Gambling Act 2005 provided that "a party may cheat within the meaning of this section without dishonesty or intention to deceive: depending on the circumstances it may be enough that he simply interferes with the process of the game. "On that basis, the fact that the appellant did not regard himself as cheating is not determinative." There was no doubt, she added, that the actions of Mr Ivey and another gambler, Cheung Yin Sun, interfered with the process by which Crockfords played the game of Punto Banco with Mr Ivey. "It is for the court to determine whether the interference was of such a quality as to constitute cheating. In my judgment it had that quality." Mr Ivey has maintained that he did nothing more than exploit Crockfords' failures to take proper steps to protect themselves against a player of his ability. ''I was upset as I had played an honest game and won fairly. My integrity is infinitely more important to me than a big win." Before the one day hearing on Thursday before Lord Neuberger, Lady Hale, Lord Kerr, Lord Hughes and Lord Thomas, he said: "Last November's ruling made no sense to me. "The original trial judge ruled that I was not dishonest and none of the three Appeal Court judges disagreed, and yet the decision went against me by a majority of two to one. "I am so pleased that the Supreme Court has granted me permission to fight for what I genuinely believe is right. "I am hopeful that it will reverse the decision against me and that I will finally receive my winnings which I consider to be the just and proper outcome to this dispute." The competition watchdog will keep a close eye on beer giants Carlton United Breweries and Lion after craft brewers complained of being locked out of taps across NSW and Victoria. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission cleared the major brewers of allegations they were squeezing out smaller competitors, saying pubs and clubs were largely responding to demand rather than any underhand exclusivity arrangements. ACCC deputy chairman Michael Schaper said that most venue owners did not feel constrained from allocating taps to smaller brewers due to restrictive governing contracts, but rather because the demand wasn't there. "While some craft brewers may have been refused access to taps by certain venues, our investigation found that the venues were responding to consumer demand for certain beer brands, rather than restrictions imposed by the big brewers," Dr Schaper said. ANZ Bank is moving closer to a deal to sell its Malaysian banking stake to a pension fund and exit the South-East Asian nation, sources familiar with the matter said, in a transaction that could be worth around $US900 million ($1.2 billion). ANZ has been pursuing a sale of its 24 per cent stake in its Malaysian affiliate AMMB Holdings (AmBank) since early last year as part of a strategy to divest minority stakes in Asia and as AmBank was dragged into a wide-ranging corruption scandal at state fund 1MDB. ANZ's stake is expected to be roughly 10 per cent in the merged entity. Credit:Louise Kennerley In June, RHB Bank and AmBank said they were starting merger talks, in Malaysia's biggest ever banking deal. As part of the all-share deal, valued at about $US9 billion, RHB is looking to acquire AmBank and the two banks are in exclusive talks until the end of August. ANZ's stake is expected to be roughly 10 per cent in the merged entity. The last patch of Nathan Tinkler's thoroughbred racing empire has now been sold, but it is not clear whether there will be any beneficiaries other than retail billionaire Gerry Harvey. The liquidators of Patinack Farm reported on Thursday that the last three properties, including the stud farm Sandy Hollow in Muswellbrook, and the aptly named Broke near Cessnock have been sold for a total return of $15 million. Retail billionaire Gerry Harvey looks like he's managed to walk away with all of his money despite a substantial exposure to former coal baron Nathan Tinkler. Credit:Harrison Saragossi "This completes all land sales in the Patinack Farm liquidation after several campaigns spanning 15 months," said the lead liquidator, Deloitte's Neil Cussen. But there is likely to be only two beneficiaries, at most, from the 150 creditors owed around $320 million from the collapse, which has left Tinkler a bankrupt. Whitehaven Coal said on Thursday it produced 20.8 million tonnes of saleable coal in the financial year-ended June 30, falling slightly short of guidance. Whitehaven, which produces both thermal and metallurgical coal from three mines in NSW, had set full-year production guidance of 21 million to 22 million tonnes for the year. Coal miners earlier this year enjoyed a temporary spike in the prices of metallurgical and energy coal. Credit:Robert Rough Coal miners earlier this year enjoyed a temporary spike in the prices of metallurgical and energy coal, which peaked in early April at $US314 a tonne and $US89 a tonne respectively before subsiding to finish flat quarter on quarter. "Indonesian supply continues to be impacted by weather-related delays, which supports expectations that thermal coal prices will remain in a relatively narrow range around current levels in the near term," the coal miner said in its release of full-year operating data to the ASX. Myer has closed its 17 Topshop concessions as negotiations continue to save the Australian arm of the UK fast-fashion business from total collapse. Visitors to Myer stores hoping to pick up a Topshop garment this week would have likely been met with scant signage and zero trace of the brand on the shop floor. At Myer's Melbourne store, signs pointing to Topshop are still in place on the ground level and there is one signage pillar in the basement, otherwise there is almost no evidence of the brand on the shop floor, which has been filled with other youth brands. As negotiations continue to save the Australian franchise, which entered voluntary administration in May, administrators Ferrier Hodgson have closed a number of Topshop stores, including the flagship on Melbourne's Chapel Street and at Chatswood in Sydney. As so often is the case, it appears the market has run ahead of government housing policy. According to the NAB June quarter residential property survey, first home buyers were the biggest players in new property sales and second in established housing. Someone forgot to tell FHBs to wait until July 1 for various government incentives. In particular, the NSW stamp duty deal was widely tipped to sideline FHBs in June and cause a rush this month. If there is a further surge from the NAB's June quarter figures, FHBs will rule. The NAB series is very different to the usually-quoted Australian Bureau of Statistics FHB figures which rely on housing loan commitments thus missing those using the Bank of Mum and Dad - and don't count FHB investors. The NAB economics team surveys some 260 property professionals to build profiles of both sales activity and the market outlook. Of most interest in the headline-prone FHB segment, it records both those buying to occupy and FHB investors. NAB found FHB owner occupiers accounted for 21.2 per cent of new property sales in the quarter and FHB investors bought 14.4 per cent a total market share of 35.7 per cent, the biggest such proportion since the survey started tracking the FHB breakdown in 2014. FHBs shaded non-FHB owner occupiers' 33.2 per cent and were nearly double domestic investors' 18.2 per cent. Foreign buyers took 11.6 per cent. This Saturday marks a sad, significant anniversary. Forty years ago on a winter's night in Griffith, NSW, a hired gunman shot and killed businessman and would-be politician Donald Bruce Mackay just as he was getting into his mini-van. Somehow the killer managed to haul the awkwardly heavy body into another vehicle and took it away for disposal and to this day no one knows where. That is one reason that Don Mackay's murder has never been fully out of the public's memory and consciousness, and why the media keeps on recalling the mystery. The other reason is that the Calabrian mafia-type criminal organisation found responsible for planning and organising the elimination of Mackay, known as The Honoured Society, 'Ndrangheta, or La Famiglia, still exists. It is still involved in organised crime, including the murder of those considered a threat to their activities. Don's concern at the disturbing drug-related trends he saw in Griffith in the 1970s led him to stand as a Liberal Party candidate in both state and federal elections. He was never elected. His death was evidently due to his attempts to expose marijuana-growing rackets in the rich agricultural Riverina district. Eventually some men served sentences in Victoria for conspiracy and carrying out his assassination. One, James Frederick Bazely, was convicted of conspiracy to murder Mackay and was alleged to have carried out the actual killing. While not from the Calabrian mafia community of Griffith but a gun for hire from Melbourne's criminal fraternity, it seemed that Bazely observed the same code of silence, omerta. Probably that was necessary to ensure his own survival. He always denied guilt and never revealed what was done with Don's body. Convicted in April 1986, he served a sentence and was released from jail in 2001. But those who gave him his orders were never brought to justice. Skinny dipping, mooning and streaking: it's almost a rite of passage for Aussie teenagers. It seems even the Queen is not immune from the derriere of some Aussies. The streaking that we know in sporting events today was apparently started by Australians. Some people are offended by a bare bum, but nudity has not always been so taboo among the general population: the ancient Greeks often went nude in public, and the Olympic Games banned clothing altogether! Streaking: it could almost be considered an Aussie tradition, but Andrew Symonds didn't take too kindly to it when he was at bat in 2008. Credit:Getty Images While a modern version of this is unlikely, it goes to show that public nudity has a long and proud history. It's taken the form of social protest, of political comment, and of television ratings gold. The changes to the law in Victoria have resulted in taunts of the lawmakers being "prudes". In fact, mooning has always been an offence in Victoria. It's just that the recent changes have meant that it is now specifically banned, which could result in it being easier to charge someone with this offence. Counting matters. Australia used to conduct a world-leading Time Use study but 2006 was the last time the ABS did that work. Those results gave deep insight into how Australia was changing and in 2008, when the results became public, it became clear we were working longer hours, sleeping less, doing less physical activity. We spent less time playing. Women's work is invisible and nothing we can do as individuals will make that any different. We do the bulk of the housework, the childcare, the shopping, the volunteering, the caring of all kinds. None of it counts and that's partly because it's not counted. For so many years, I picked up and dropped off. For decades, I've been a volunteer. All my life, I've cared for someone in one capacity of another. We can't go to work and abandon our children. Credit:Belinda Pratten Here's what this important study surveyed: domestic activities, childcare, purchasing, voluntary work, care. It's how our world works but here in Australia, we would never know. And it's here where our private productivity exists, thrives. By international standards, we live glorious lives but the secret of those lives is hidden. This erasure affects women most you only had to look at the last Census to see who did the bulk of the chores but it also affects men. It makes the unpaid part of our lives mysterious and it extends that key myth of capitalism that only paid productivity matters. The decision, time and time again, by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to 'postpone' a new Time Use study makes that private productivity invisible as if all that matters is what we get paid for. Lyn Craig is at her wit's end. The former University of NSW academic now University of Melbourne's new professor of sociology and social policy is so frustrated with the ABS' decision not to fund the survey, she's threatening to do it herself. Which will delight the ABS. When I asked this week if it would ever consider reinstating the survey, this was the response: "[The ABS] would welcome the opportunity to conduct another time use survey if resources were available. With strong, ongoing interest in time use data, the ABS has been consistently considering ways of including the collection of time use data in their survey program, and have been seeking partnerships around funding potential development options." In other words, it knows just how important this data is but it has no money to fund the work. This is how funding cuts result in inefficiency dividends. Perhaps Craig can find the money to run a survey through the University of Melbourne and we can all find out how time slips through our fingers. President Donald Trump's just-concluded foreign trip was remarkable for what it confirmed about the controversial and complex 71-year-old rookie politician: when Trump goes abroad, he becomes a real president. His remarkable Warsaw speech, delivered by a statesman of stature who has an American heart but speaks of universal ideals, was ostensibly to the people of Poland. But the words, with echoes of John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, resonated with many elsewhere. This was also the case with his thoughtful speech to dozens of Muslim leaders in Riyadh in May, which seemed to rally the voices of reason within that sundered faith. Too often we forget that Trump's human instincts are usually good. When he returned from Europe on Saturday, his helicopter's wash blew the hat off a Marine guard standing at strict attention to greet him. It was the commander-in-chief himself who chased and retrieved the hat. Trump's critics, of whom there are many, seem eagerly incapable of perceiving the contradictory complexities of a president they bitterly resent for snatching away what they saw as Hillary Clinton's rightful political inheritance. There is so much rubbish being written these days about the motivations of political personalities, whether they are "conservative" or "progressive", "right" or "left", and so on. A particular focus has been the recent Liberal squabbles, Abbott v Turnbull, which have been ridiculously depicted as a "fight for the soul of the party". While Labor has been largely content to stay under the doona through all this, they, too, haven't been without their squabbles: Albanese v Shorten. Rubbish, I say. Labels are meaningless. These differences are not really due to fundamental ideological differences. It is not really a contest of ideas, but of egos. Politics today, in both major parties, is mostly driven by pragmatism, opportunity, and some prejudice, rather than real policy. The only "soul" at stake is for that of the voter. The only question is how best to win it. Voters don't respond to ideology, or even policies as such rather to outcomes and, increasingly, how it affects them and their families in their daily lives. It is here that voters have become disenchanted with both major parties, which they feel have lost touch with them, so they no longer believe in them, nor trust them to deliver what they say. Technology companies such as Apple and Facebook will be forced to hand over encrypted messages to police under new laws to be introduced this year by the Turnbull government. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said law enforcement authorities needed the powers to target terrorists, paedophiles and organised crime gangs. "We cannot allow the internet to be used as a place where terrorists and child molesters and people who peddle child pornography and drug traffickers to hide in the dark," Mr Turnbull told the Sunrise program on Friday. "Those dark places online must be illuminated by the law. Claire says she was a fairly shy child, but also one who trusted others easily. Enrolling in dance class at three helped her sociability, and her mother remembers her as easily given to cuddling. Later, she would become interested in psychology, trying to get inside people's heads. "I remain close to those who come into my heart," Claire says, by way of understanding herself. Nostalgia tinges her memories of growing up in the 1980s and '90s in a shack just a sand dune away from Cable Beach, Broome, a childhood she describes as "very basic and earthy". A short dirt track led straight to the famous white sand, and their neighbours were the regulars and visitors of the caravan park next door. Her parents would often give hitchhiking backpackers a ride into town and her days were filled with outdoor games, some instigated by her father and his wild imagination. Dress by Carla Zampatti, shoes by Tony Bianco, earrings by Jan Logan. This page: dress by Alice McCall. Credit:Hugh Stewart Pieter van der Boom was a Dutch merchant-navy engineer turned pearl diver and her mother, Judy Evans, a nurse with a community health agency who travelled to remote areas to give vaccinations and treat diabetes. "My early memories are of being thrown in the car at dawn, so Mum could do her rounds, and then she would drop us at school, which was across the road from the hospital, where she would do her shift," she says. "Dad was away a bit, working on the luggers as a pearl diver, and then he worked on the wharf. He's a big union guy. He throws his shoe at the television and gets all fired up about politics still." Until she was six, Claire slept on a canvas camp bed next to her mother, though when she was scared by thunder and lightning during the wet season, she'd crawl into bed with Judy. Her brother PJ, for Pieter James, slept in a converted part of the laundry and Claire wore his hand-me-down pyjamas once he'd outgrown them. The family was completed by a dingo cross called Pixie, adopted from an Indigenous community. "My parents were definitely scraping by at times," she says. "But I never knew that as a kid When she was 13, a teacher handed Claire a monologue from Nick Enright's play On the Wallaby so she could read the part of the mother of a Depression-era family in the slums. The acting seed was sown. "I immediately had compassion for the character who was in hardship, and I was curious to understand it. I had a baby [doll] in my arms the whole time. "As a young teenager, I was getting my head around what was to come possibilities," she laughs, "and the fact it was an Australian history piece." At about this time, Claire's parents separated and she went to live with her mother in Perth. She found it difficult to adjust to city life. "There are family lines in Broome I'm still connected to," she explains. "I have a complex family. Some are 'Broome mix'; my half-sister's got Indigenous-Chinese blood. I feel very connected to that land. "I've been very protective of the family dynamic but I'm actually very proud and close to them all. My mum's been remarried for a long time, so I have three step-siblings. I also have two half-siblings an older brother and an older sister but we all have different mums. And then my beautiful brother, who passed away in 2000. PJ died in an accident weeks before his 20th birthday. "I haven't talked about him a lot in the past," she says, "I think because it is so huge. We were extremely close. We had sibling rivalry at times. Just a shock accident. Overnight, you learn about grief." What impact did this loss have on her? "He had a very vibrant, cheeky-monkey spirit, so I remember to take that with me in my life. I'm aware that every day is a gift." At 18, Claire enrolled at Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art. Actor friend Dan Wyllie took her to see a play, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, in which he was performing at Belvoir Street Theatre. "I was beside myself with excitement: I felt I had landed in the most creative, wonderful, juicy world." After graduating from NIDA in 2005, one of Claire's first jobs was at a Sydney casino. Dressed as Dusty Springfield in a big, blonde, beehive wig, she'd sing Son of a Preacher Man to players at the poker machines, handing out flyers to try to convince them to buy tickets to a tribute show. "You do all sorts of stuff to pay the rent." Recurring roles as Billie in Love My Way and Grace Barry in Rush followed. Then, in 2009, Claire decided to chance her hand in the US after winning a Green Card in the government lottery. During her first year in Los Angeles, she spent nine months looking after babies in a drug rehabilitation centre for $12 an hour. "All of the good jobs and bad jobs you have on the side as an actor, you end up using them [as inspiration]," she says. "I have." Initially, she lived in a large share house in Beachwood Canyon with other Australian creatives. "There were nine or 10 people at one point. There was someone in a cupboard for a while they had a bed in the cupboard." After Pulse, Claire will be seen in the indie drama American Exit, but has no further work arranged. No matter: she keeps herself level by volunteering making meals for the homeless and reading to schoolchildren. While there is hope Pulse will return for a second season, LA is home to Claire and her partner, American actor Drew Fuller. I mention a Facebook post from Fuller, who has appeared in the TV series Charmed and Army Wives, which features a photo of him and a smiling Claire and is captioned: "To the moon, and beyond." "He's a really wonderful man. We met five years ago, and we were buddies for a few years." She likes his "playfulness". "I can be quite heady and intense. He shakes that up. He's incredibly active: 'Let's go for a surf!' 'Let's go rockclimbing!' That's been a great joy Zimmerman Maples Temperance dress, $3950, zimmermannwear.com; Tony Bianco Kalipso heels, $200, tonybianco.com.au; Jan Logan pink morganite, onyx and diamond Courtney earrings, worn throughout, janlogan.com. Credit:Hugh Stewart Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, has worn the late Princess Diana's favourite tiara, the rather bedazzling Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara. The statement piece was worn with a lolly-pink lace Marchesa dress, and a seriously blinged-out necklace that plunged into the dress' low neckline, to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace to welcome King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on day 1 of the Spanish State Visit. Credit:Getty The tiara was commissioned by Queen Mary in the early 1900s (the piece is sometimes called Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara) and was given to Diana by Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift in 1981, the London Telegraph reports. Created by Garrard, a trusted jeweller to the royal family, the tiara features pearls dangling from diamond encrusted arches. It is easy for non-Muslims to forget that there are places where Muslim women lead lives full of frivolity and fun: they shop, read fashion magazines and travel to Europe. But on social media a global community of fashion-conscious Muslim women are challenging the stereotypes of Muslim women as submissive and disempowered. In Indonesia, where Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, these so-called hijabers are creating an image of the ideal, modern Muslim woman. She observes the strictures of the Quran, but is active and visible in the world on her own terms. Ria Miranda was one of the first designers to create the Hijabers collective with a group of like minded fashion designers. Credit:Instagram/Ria Miranda The Muslim fashion industry has developed especially quickly in the last couple of decades. From its roots in Turkey, in recent years the hijabers phenomenon has become very much a part of the culture in our region. In 2010, prominent Indonesian Muslim fashion designers Dian Pelangi, Ria Miranda, Jenahara, and Ghaida Tsuraya established a Hijabers' Community in Jakarta. In the seven years since then, the Hijabers Community has grown rapidly, sprouting official branches in several major Indonesian cities. Malala Yousafzai may have left school, but that doesn't mean her campaign for education has ended. The education activist spent her birthday this week at an amusement park in Iraq with girls who had been forced to leave school during ISIS' control of Mosul as part of her global "girl power" trip. Yousafzai's visit came just days after the Iraq army largely regained control in the city. Malala Yousafzai spent her birthday with girls who had been forced to leave school. Credit:Twitter/@MalalaFund The plight of the girls that Yousafzai spent the day eating fairy floss and going on rides with is one close to her heart. It is an unfortunate reality that being an LGBTI young person in this country is a risk factor for poorer mental health. These statistics shouldn't come as a shock to anyone, but I'll recite them again, for those who haven't been listening. The lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, intersex and queer kids living across Australia today are five times more likely to attempt suicide than straight kids. More than 57 per cent of transgender and gender-diverse adults have been diagnosed with depression during their lifetime. Lesbian, gay and bisexual people aged 16 and over are 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety during their lives. Yeah. It can be tough being an LGBTI young person. And that shouldn't come as a surprise, given the perception of sexuality and gender diversity that is STILL being perpetuated by the media. A woman charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a Sydney teenager has been refused bail in court. Sophie Massie, 30, did not appear at Blacktown Local Court on Thursday. Her lawyer Nick Blaker did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. Her alleged accomplice Conrad Craig, 26, who is accused of shooting 15-year-old Brayden Dillon in the head after bursting into his home almost three months ago, was also refused bail when he faced the same court on Tuesday. BRUSSELS - The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator set out tough conditions for the United Kingdom to meet during the first months of talks before both sides can start looking at a future relationship. Michel Barnier said that Britain needs to make "sufficient progress" on citizens' rights, the bill it has to pay to the EU and on the issue of the Irish border before talks can move to a future trade deal. After British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the EU can go "whistle" for Britain to pay any excessive bill, Barnier retorted that "I am not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking" with the deadline of March 2019 drawing ever closer. The UK and EU negotiators should be able to move from talks about Brexit to negotiating future relations before the end of the year, London's top Brexit official has said. Brexit Secretary David Davis said on Tuesday that Barnier hoped to "recommend going to the parallel negotiations October-November". Britain triggered a two-year countdown to its departure from the bloc in March, and Davis and Barnier met for preliminary talks last month. They are due to meet again next week. The EU insists that major progress must be made on the UK's exit terms including a hefty divorce bill before negotiations can start on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Britain wants the two strands to run in parallel. Davis told the House of Lords Brexit committee that Barnier hoped to signal in the fall that sufficient progress had been made. Once that happens, talks could move on to "free-trade issues, customs issues, justice and home affairs issues", he said. Davis also struck an optimistic note on settling the status of 3 million EU citizens living in Britain, and more than 1 million UK nationals residing elsewhere in the bloc. The two sides have sparred over the issue, with EU lawmakers accusing Britain of planning to give Europeans in Britain "second-class status". Davis said he wanted the issue to be settled soon. But his positive tone contrasted with comments earlier in the day made by Johnson. Estimates of the amount Britain must pay to cover pension liabilities for EU staff and other commitments have ranged up to $114 billion. "The sums that I have seen that they propose to demand from this country seem to me to be extortionate. ... I think 'go whistle' is an entirely appropriate expression," Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons. Davis, more diplomatically, said Britain's position on the divorce bill was "not to pay more than we need to". Ap - Reuters - Xinhua (China Daily 07/13/2017 page11) Female cane toads are attracted to "Barry White"-style mating calls that could help sound the end of the pest populations, a Queensland study has found. A James Cook University study mimicked the sound of cane toad mating calls and managed to catch 2000 toads across the Townsville campus and Orpheus Island off Ingham over a two year period. PhD candidate Ben Muller said the initial audio traps managed to only capture 20 per cent of females. "It is like any animal in the world, the female wants to pick the best mate, this is how toads do it, they pick their mates by the sound of their call," he said. A far north Queensland Sushi Train outlet has been busted underpaying workers more than $50,000 as part of a crackdown by authorities. Sushi Train Cairns and its sole director Junju Tomehata had already paid back $54,000 to two dozen underpaid workers, according to the government watchdog. A sushi franchise has been forced to repay workers. Credit:Helen Nezdropa Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said the director failed to check the correct pay rates when he bought the business in 2014. About $3000 was still owed to four workers who had returned to their home countries but would still be paid back, according to the FWO. The federal government has taken steps to serve embattled mining magnate Clive Palmer with documents alleging he and his missing nephew owe hundreds of millions of dollars. The government's claim was lodged in the Supreme Court late last month, accusing Mr Palmer and nephew Clive Mensink of breaching directorial duties at the now-collapsed Queensland Nickel and trading while insolvent. Clive Palmer's resources business Mineralogy is in dispute with Chinese giant CITIC. Credit:Tony McDonough The former politician is accused of acting as a "shadow director" of the company, using his infamous Terry Smith email address to direct Mr Mensink and former QN director Ian Ferguson. Mr Palmer rejected the lawsuit as "just a desperate attempt for the government to act for political purposes". Privatising the ABC, suspending immigration from countries that recognise sharia and the registration of groups such as GetUp are just some of the issues LNP members will vote on this weekend. The Queensland LNP state convention will be held in Brisbane from Friday to Sunday this week. The LNP will meet over the weekend to discuss policies a Tim Nicholls-led government might implement. As part of the agenda, open session resolutions are submitted by party units, such as the Young LNP, the State Electorate Council, LNP Women, for debate. Resolutions that are passed become party policy, with state-related resolutions referred to the parliamentary team for consideration as possible government policy. Police say they are embarrassed a forensic bungle affected the investigation into the cold case murder of Melbourne mother Maria James. The bungle resulted in evidence being used to wrongly rule out suspects in Ms James' 1980 murder. Investigators will now have to start from scratch and re-test all forensic evidence from the case. Ms James was 38 when she was stabbed 68 times in her home at the back of her Thornbury book store. From my colleague Mel Cunningham, re: the possibility of free travel: Metro Trains says it will considering offering compensation to thousands of commuters left stranded after entire train system went into meltdown. Metro Trains spokesman Marcus Williams said the service will offer compensation for passengers left out of pocket due to the delays on a "case by case basis." He declined to comment on whether it would be financial compensation or reimbursing passengers with free travel across the network. "We urge anyone who was impacted by the delays to please contact us and we will consider their claims individually," he said. A Perth man who attacked a Muslim mother outside a shopping centre after she replied "happy holidays" to his "Merry Christmas" has been fined $2400. Adam Peters, 33, was at the entrance of Beeliar Village in December last year when Hulya Kandemir walked past him. A woman with a headscarf was attacked outside Coles in Beeliar for not saying 'Merry Christmas'. Credit:AP Peters, who is a carpenter, had been drinking and replied to Ms Kandemir's "Happy holidays" with, "Nah, Merry Christmas" before calling her a "f---ing Muslim c--t". The altercation soon escalated to become violent, with Peters throwing a beer bottle at Ms Kandemir, hitting her in the shoulder and dislodging her hijab. A 35-year-old woman has died after receiving significant burns to 60 per cent of her body in Hopetoun, near Esperance, overnight. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 10.30pm, when local emergency services were called to a motel in the area. The RFDS attended the scene. Credit:RFDS The woman was found to have suffered significant and serious burns to her body, although police said it is unclear how she sustained the injuries. A Royal Flying Doctor team was dispatched to the south west town to stabilise the woman, and she was flown to Fiona Stanley Hospital. Jakarta: An alleged people smuggler from Afghanistan has been extradited from Indonesia to face 10 charges in Australia. Indonesian immigration spokesman Agung Sampurno told Fairfax Media that Ahmad Zia Alizadah was extradited to Australia from a flight that left Jakarta's SoekarnoHatta International Airport on Thursday morning. "He is an Afghan," Mr Agung said. Mr Ahmad is the ninth person extradited to face people smuggling charges in Australia since 2008. The Australian government said the extradition demonstrated the strength and effectiveness of the relationship between Australian and Indonesian law enforcement agencies. Washington: President Donald Trump's pick to head the FBI, Christopher Wray, said he would refuse to pledge loyalty to Trump, rejected his description of the probe into Russian election meddling as a "witch hunt", and vowed to quit if asked by the president to do something unlawful. Wray, nominated by Trump on June 7 to replace the fired James Comey as Federal Bureau of Investigation director, sought to stake out independence from the President and protect the agency from partisan political influence. On Wednesday, Wray even said it would be "highly unlikely" he would agree to meet Trump in a one-on-one situation, as Comey reluctantly did. Wray, who seemed headed for US Senate approval to fill the 10-year post, testified during a 4 1/2-hour hour Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing amid an uproar in Washington over 2016 emails released on Tuesday involving the president's son, Donald Trump Jr. The emails showed the Republican president's son agreeing last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father. 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... Construction workers are being urged to Cover Up, Mate and protect themselves against ultraviolet (UV) damage as part of a new NHS campaign being supported by Jewson. This initiative is designed to encourage men who spend a lot of time outdoors to protect themselves against the sun and reduce the risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer rates are rising in Britain. A recent Imperial College study, commissioned by Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) estimated that construction workers made up the highest number of deaths (44 per cent) from melanoma skin cancer over the course of a year. Across Britain there are 48 deaths and 241 cases of skin cancer per year caused by UV rays from the sun at work. The NHS "Cover Up, Mate" campaign (which launched on the 19th of June 2017) targets male construction workers, amongst others, who often don't use suncream. David Kilby, Operations Director at Jewson, said: We know builders dont have much time on their hands, so prioritising something like sun care isnt always easy especially given Britains unpredictable weather. But with construction workers often outside for long periods of time, they can be at a much higher risk of exposure to UV rays than most. Were showing our support to the Cover Up, Mate campaign to help raise awareness of the dangers of being in the sun without protection. Jewson joins a line-up of campaign supporters, including: the Met Office; IOSH; the National Farmers Union; Mole Valley Farmers farming supply retailer; and sun cream manufacturer, Debs. NHS England Medical Director, Nigel Acheson, said: You cant feel UV radiation, so its very easy to get sunburnt in the UK, even when its not particularly warm. But sunburn causes skin cancer so its important people take more care, especially men and those who work outside. They need to use at least factor 15 sunscreen with good UVA protection and apply it generously on all exposed skin. Official NHS advice on staying safe in the sun is: spend time in the shade if you can try not to go out in the mid-day sun cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses wear light, breathable fabric clothing where possible use at least factor 30 sunscreen To find out more about how you can protect yourself on site, visit: http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/skin/pages/sunsafe.aspx Teen visits South Jersey in 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to vets Preston Sharp of Calif. visits veterans graves in Cinnaminson cemetery in South Jersey on 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to their sacrifices Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Ever wanted to be the first on the crime scene to find those all important clues? Preserve the scene after a crime has been committed and prevent any contamination? And of course play a part in solving it. Well this could be the perfect opportunity for you as Derbyshire Constabulary and Leicestershire Police are looking for a crime scene investigator to join the team, working in the forensic services department. The role entails attending all types of incidents and scenes of crime as directed to preserve the scene from contamination in order to examine articles. This allows for latent finger marks to be detected as well as DNA and be aware of any health hazards that may be encountered. The successful applicant will be required to take any precautions that may be considered necessary. Those who apply must have attended and successfully completed a nationally recognised Crime Scene Examiners course and have practical knowledge and experience of working in a laboratory environment. They must also have experience of working in a customer focused environment where it has been necessary to use tact and diplomacy, ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail in a pressurised environment and ability to use initiative within the workplace. Anyone who applies has to have a full UK driving licence, will be required to work anywhere in the country on a rotating shift pattern system and be on a standby rota. They must also have keyboard skills and previous experience in accessing, inputting and interrogating databases and be able to deal with situations of a physically and emotionally unpleasant nature. They must also have knowledge of photographic techniques and indicate knowledge of scene of crime work. Successful applicants will also be required to provide a portfolio and a Foundation Forensic Investigation degree or demonstrate experience and knowledge to this level. The salary for this role is between 19,521 and 31,938 and they are looking for people to join on a full time basis, working 37 hours per week. It will include shift work and weekend working. More information on the role is available here. If this is not the job for you, then there are hundreds more available by visiting Fish4Jobs A union of Air India employees will hold a protest on July 18 against the disinvestment of the national carrier. The grouping comprising nearly 8,000 of the total 21,137 employees of Air India held a general body meeting last week to deliberate on its strategy to oppose privatisation of the debt-laden carrier. The union will hold a protest on July 18 near Terminal 2 at Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to a press statement issued by Air Corporations Employees' Union (ACEU), which represents Air India's non-technical staff. Seven unions of Air India had last month joined hands to oppose the Centre's decision to disinvest the carrier and had written to Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapthi Raju, warning him of an "industrial unrest". The Union Cabinet had last month given its in-principle nod for consideration of disinvestment of Air India. 'Alternative Mechanism' or a group of ministers under the aegis of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is entrusted with working on the modalities of Air India's stake sale. (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 stage is set for the sale of the fertiliser business of company Grasim, which has merged Aditya Birla Nuvos operations with itself. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. For top Indian drug makers, the US market is the largest geography by sales, at 20-50 per cent of their consolidated revenues. Recently, announced it was looking at doubling its sales over the next three years to reach the $1- billion mark in US sales from the current $553 million. Cadila has to grow this business at nearly 22 per cent annually to join the likes of Sun Pharmaceutical, Lupin, Dr Reddys and Aurobindo Pharma. American technology are bringing automation and robotics to the age-old task of battling mosquitoes in a bid to halt the spread of Zika and other mosquito-borne maladies worldwide. Although the confusion about tax rates on unpolished and polished diamonds continues to rage in Surat, the diamond hub of India, the Forevermark brand of diamonds, owned by De Beers, is not expecting the transitory hurdles to affect its business in the country this year. Instead, the company is eyeing market share in generic diamonds to increase its sales volume. The share prices of Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular gained on Wednesday, on the expectation of the new rate plans announced by Reliance Industries (RIL) telecom subsidiary, Reliance Jio (Jio), leading to improvement in their operating metrics. The price plan announced by Jio on Tuesday is estimated to be 30-57 per cent higher than earlier promotional offers. Brokerages say this is positive and a clear indication of rationalisation of pricing. Analysts at UBS say the first Jio price increase in almost 12 months supports the brokerage view that sector revenues are close to bottoming out, with the top three operators and Jio expected to incrementally take share from smaller entities. Credit Suisse in a note said the new Jio rates would start the process of normalising these from the current discounted levels. Also indicating that RIL is looking at monetising its investment in the telecom subsidiary. Harsh Jagnani, vice-president of corporate ratings at ICRA, says the new plans point to improvement in average revenue per user (ARPU) and that Jio, after grossing 100 million subscribers, is focussing on pushing this up to improve its profitability. Not surprising, then, that the RIL stock has been on an uptrend (15 per cent gain in a month), both on expectation of an improvement in financials of its telecom subsidiary and on better performance from its core oil and gas vertical, as most of the capital expenditure plans have come to an end or are in the last leg. Analysts estimate Jio will make additional revenue of Rs 8,000 crore annually as a result of its decision to hike the rates on its popular Rs 309 plan. With about 115 million customers, of which 80 per cent are active users, Jio, according to sources, expects 90 per cent of these over 74 million (90 per cent of the consumers were on Rs 309) will shift from the Rs 309 rate to Rs 399 a month. For, those consumers who wish to stick to the older rate will have to effectively fork out 48 per cent more for usage each day. While Jios modified plan is similar to earlier ones (Summer Surprise and Dhan Dhana Dhan) in terms of benefits, it comes with a reduced validity period, translating to higher Arpu. Naveen Kulkarni and Manoj Behera of PhillipCapital say the effective Arpu under the new plan is largely in line with the industrys. Jios, based on the Rs 399 plan, stands at Rs 121, higher than the current industry Arpu but still about 25 per cent lower than the top telecom entities estimated Arpu (Rs 138-154) in the June quarter. Though the effective rates have gone up, these are still discounted. And, it will be a couple of quarters before the sector can boast of a sequential increase in revenue. While the June quarter will see operating metrics fall over the March quarter, given weak realisations, the September quarter is a seasonally weak one. Expect sequential gains in revenue to come for the sector in the December quarter. The key headwind that incumbents would have to contend with is the launch of fourth-generation technology (4G) feature phones by Jio. This, said Morgan Stanley, could prove to be disruptive for the large 2G GSM subscribers, 65 per cent of the revenues of top incumbents. Jios strategy in the 4G feature phone market emanates from the fact that it is currently seeing a net increase in new customers to the tune of around four million a month, slower than when it started at eight to 10 million customers a month. By entering the 4G feature phone market with a bundled offering which could be between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, Jio is looking at converting the 400-plus million feature phone customers (who use 2G or 3G) across the country to 4G services. Currently, the company has net additions of 4 million a month compared to the initial 8-10 million. However, this slowdown will get corrected as it expects to target about 100 million customers to shift within 12 months through the offer. The move will also help Jio to boost its net additional customers once again to older levels. The real challenge would be at what rate offering do they bundle the phones. The State Bank of India on Thursday told the Gujarat High Court that Essar Steel had "suppressed facts" while challenging the RBI's directive to lender banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against the company. SBI counsel Ravi Kadam told the bench of S G Shah that Essar Steel had accepted a decision by the joint lenders forum (JLF) of the banks to approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency proceedings against the firm. The SBI is one of the respondents in the steel major's plea to the high court. Kadam said the company knew through a June 15 letter from SBI that the JLF was planning to initiate insolvency proceedings, but it "suppressed the fact" by not revealing this before the court. Essar Steel had made suggestions to the JLF for appointment of a 'resolution professional' too, but its petition before the HC didn't mention this, Kadam said. Essar Steel's argument that the proceedings were arbitrary was, therefore, baseless, argued Kadam adding that the HC should vacate its stay to the insolvency proceedings before the NCLT "here and now." The SBI also defended an RBI press release which had directed the lenders to initiate proceedings under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) against twelve borrowers including Essar Steel, saying that Rs 5,000-crore cut-off is "recommendation of RBI's internal advisory committee and not a directive." The top twelve borrowers including Essar Steel owe Rs 1.78 lakh crore to the lenders and the RBI's recommendation was to recover the largest amount first, Kadam said. Essar Steel, however, submitted to the court that it was challenging the press release issued by the RBI, and not the JLF's decision. "SBI's decision is based on the directive of RBI, and Essar Steel is only challenging the RBI's directive. Therefore, not providing the minutes of meetings with lenders is not suppression of facts," its lawyer Mihir Thakur said. Thakur also said that the company was initially not told about JLF's decision to initiate proceedings against it before the NCLT. Corporate insolvency restructuring was discussed as an option by Essar Steel at June 22 meeting of the JLF led by SBI, he said. Standard Chartered bank, which has also filed insolvency resolution proceedings against Essar Steel at the NCLT's Ahmedabad bench, said it should be allowed to carry on with the proceedings as it is a foreign bank and not a "banking company" as per the Banking Regulation Act, and hence RBI's directive did not apply to it. The high court is hearing the Essar Steel's petition challenging the RBI's circular asking the banks to initiate action against it and eleven other accounts with over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans each under the IBC. Essar's contention is that this directive was improper in its case, as the company is in an advanced stage of loan restructuring. It should not be treated on par with other eleven accounts, as while these accounts are now closed, Essar Steel is still doing well with an annual turnover of Rs 20,000 crore, the company 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.) After dozens of hearings and nearly four years of court drama, Vikram Bakshi, ousted managing director of Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL), is set to regain his position. In line for insolvency, Monnet Ispat is looking for a window in an earlier buy-out offer from the Sajjan Jindal-promoted JSW Steel. The company on Thursday told the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) that it was in discussion with JSW Steel for a workable option. India's Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, which is looking into reports of a major leak of user data, has filed a police complaint alleging "unlawful access to its systems," a police officer involved in the investigation said on Wednesday. The State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday took beleaguered steel company to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Delhi. Its sister company, Bhushan Power, has also been taken to the NCLTs Delhi bench by the public sector Punjab National Bank (PNB). Pankaj R Patel is passing on the baton of to his 38-year-old son, Sharvil Patel, a transition planned for the past decade. Patel Sr (he's also president this year of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) took the company from a Rs 250-crore one in 1995 to Rs 9,600 crore in FY17. He will continue to be chairman, while Patel Jr (a doctorate in breast cancer) is now the managing director. The duo chat with Sohini Das on the plans. Edited excerpts: Tata Steel, the countrys largest steel producer, has paid loyalty bonuses totalling about 25 million pounds to its top European managers, months after the UK workers accepted a pension cut to keep its British business alive. According to the Financial Times, retention payments were made to 100 high-ranking managers across Tatas UK and Dutch operations. On Monday, Divis Laboratories became the fourth company that claimed redressal of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerns this year. This indicates turn-of-the-tide of regulatory concerns raised by the in the last three years. Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla met with Ajay Tyagi, chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India ( Sebi) last week to discuss various regulatory aspects of the proposed merger of his telecom arm Idea Cellular and Vodafone India, said people with the direct knowledge of the development. Sufayan Zafar, a Lashkar-e-Taiba suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, has been released on bail by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court due to 'lack of evidence' against him, a court official said on Thursday. The prime suspect in the case, LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, is already out on bail since April 2015. "Former LeT militant Sufayan Zafar who was arrested last year for his alleged involvement in 26/11 attack has been freed on bail. The ATC which held the hearing at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi recently has granted Zafar bail as no evidence against him was found during investigation," a court official told PTI. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that it had found 'no evidence' against Zafar during investigation therefore his involvement in the case cannot be established, the official said. Zafar is accused of providing Rs 3.98 million to co- accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack. He also deposited Rs 14,800 to the bank account of his brother (another suspect in the case). He was declared a proclaimed offender in the Mumbai attack case in 2009. He was arrested in August last year from his hideout in Kyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province. A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, some 80km from Lahore, Zafar was among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in this high-profile case. Six other suspects in the case -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum -- have been lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiyala Jail since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack. A total of 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine terrorists who carried out the attack were killed while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured alive and later executed in 2012 in Pune. (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.) Security forces have launched a massive hunt for Pakistani and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail who has emerged as the mastermind of the deadly terrorist attack on Amarnath pilgrims, a senior police official said here on Wednesday. A documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen was refused a green signal by the Indian over the use of words 'cow', 'Gujarat', 'Hindu India' and 'Hindutva', used by Sen in the film, generating anger, shock and cries of "fascism" from the opposition, auteurs and writers. The Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) move was prompted by documentary maker Suman Ghosh's refusal to bow to its diktat that the four words uttered by the Bharat Ratna awardee during an interview in the film "An Argumentative Indian" be muted. While the world renowned economist refused to be drawn into the controversy, Ghosh expressed shock over the recommendations of the panel, which held that the words would "damage the country's image". "They say these words, for example, 'Gujarat' have to be muted with a beep as Sen made some comments about the Gujarat riots. They also wanted that the word 'cow' be muted. I found these ridiculous," said Ghosh. Ghosh said when words used by a person of such international stature were being deleted, "then it only shows up to what extent things can go. As a first hand witness to such a thing, I can only say I am a bit shocked". The censor board, which has stoked controversy in recent times by recommending a whopping 12 cuts in Madhur Bhandarkar's forthcoming "Indu Sarkar", as also by running its scissors over films like "Lipstick Under My Burkha" and "Jab Harry Met Sejal", drew all round flak after its latest decision. Award winning film director Goutam Ghose and other eminent persons were aghast that the censorship now extends to somebody like Sen, recipient of India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. Ghose, part of a panel led by veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal that submitted its report on revamping the censor board, stressed on the urgency for quick implementation of recommendations. "I am totally against censorship. We submitted our report where we mentioned there would be no scissor, only gradation. I hope the ministry takes quick action," Ghose told IANS, adding the present proposal is "ridiculous". The panel was constituted in the backdrop of the increasingly controversial decisions by CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, whose role in censoring films has been widely criticised. Thespian Soumitra Chatterjee, who was present at the screening of the documentary here on Monday, termed the CBFC's move as an "extent of fascism on the society" and "utter foolishness". "It is not grief, it's anger. What else can you expect from those who are dictating what food to eat," said Soumitra. Jnanpith awardee poet Sankha Ghosh said: "This is a shameful example of the extent to which their audacity has gone." Sahitya Akademi winner Nabanita Deb Sen, also the first wife of the famed economist, said by censoring these words the Centre is trying to censor the freedom of speech of Amartya Sen. Bengali author Sirshendu Mukherjee suggested the director challenge the CBFC's move in the Supreme Court "to teach them a lesson". Bhandarkar refused to comment on the development specifically but averred that filmmakers should be given the freedom to work on their subject. Raising the political pitch, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, flayed the Centre for "trying to muzzle every opposition voice in the country". CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury dubbed the CBFC move as "preposterous". "On what basis can a documentary on an Indian Nobel Prize winner be stopped just because it mentions cow or Hindutva?," he asked. However, Sen suggested that the government speak to the stakeholders about its disapproval. "What can I say about this? This film is not made by me. I am the subject of the film and the subject should not be talking about these things," said Sen. West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh backed the CBFC decision. " has the right to decide which film to censor and which to pass. I do not think any film should be passed just because someone special has appeared in it," Ghosh said. Calls to CBFC went answered. The hour-long documentary, structured as a free flowing conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell economics professor Kaushik Basu, has already been screened in New York and London. It had a special screening in Kolkata on Monday. In an earlier controversial decision by the NDA government, Amartya Sen was removed from the governing board of Nalanda University (NU), of which he was founding Chancellor, in November 2016. Sen, who has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had resigned as Nalanda University Chancellor in February 2015 and publicly attacked the BJP-led NDA government after stepping down. (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.) At a time when questions are being asked about the longevity of the 'grand alliance' in Bihar, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi have moved swiftly in the last two days to reach out to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. This comes despite the criticism of Nitish Kumar by senior Congress leaders. The Congress president phoned Kumar on Wednesday morning and thanked him for Janata Dal (United) or JD(U)'s support to the Opposition's common candidate for the vice-presidential polls. Kumar heads the JD(U). According to JD(U) sources, Rahul Gandhi had also phoned the Bihar CM on Tuesday evening, after the meeting of the 18 Opposition parties that decided to field former diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi as their vice-presidential nominee. The Congress vice-president had also suggested to Kumar that they should meet. Kumar is slated to be in New Delhi on July 22 and 23 to attend his party's executive meeting and is likely to meet Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi. In New Delhi, Congress as well as JD(U) leaders also attempted to dismiss speculation that the JD(U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance in Bihar was on the brink after Kumar and his party had asked RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav to come clean on the corruption charges against him and to put his case in front of the public. Tejaswi Yadav dubbed the corruption case against him as "farzi (fake)" and cried "political vendetta". The JD(U), however, is not satisfied with the response and said that it "expects more" from the young RJD scion. "I didn't even have a moustache in 2004. How can a 13-14 years kid do all this? The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) FIR (First Information Report) is farzi (fake) and part of a political vendetta. BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have hatched a conspiracy against me and family members out of political reasons," Tejaswi told reporters after coming out of a cabinet meeting. The young RJD leader also highlighted his achievements as a minister in the state and insisted that he always practised a policy of "zero tolerance towards corruption". Yadav holds charge of road construction, building construction and Backward and Extremely Backward Castes welfare in the Nitish cabinet. "No one can raise fingers on my tenure as the minister in [the] state. During my term, the maximum number of roads have been built. I have not done anything wrong in dispensing the responsibility. From the first day I entered office, I have been adhering to zero tolerance to corruption. Due to my work for the weaker and deprived section of the society, I am being targeted," said the Deputy CM. He also added that grand alliance will remain intact in Bihar. "They (BJP) are trying to break us, but we would not let them succeed. Mahagathbandhan will continue to remain intact," he added. However, his boss, Nitish Kumar wasn't seen as impressed by the young leader's explanations. His party, the JD(U), has clearly stated it expects "more". "At best, it was a political answer," party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told Business Standard. ,"The CBI has filed a personal FIR on him. Therefore, we expect that he would present a point-wise response on the case." "We would respect coalition dharma till our last breath. We, at the same time, will not compromise with our policy of zero tolerance on corruption. Woh bhasha nahi, bhaw par dhayan de (They should understand the meaning, not just read the lines)," the senior JD (U) leader said. The CM also reportedly gave Tejaswi a cold shoulder during the cabinet meeting, which lasted almost half an hour. It was the first time Tejaswi met Nitish Kumar after the CBI raid at his home in Patna on Friday. "It was all gloomy. Tejaswi did greet the CM as Kumar entered the room and he responded by nodding his head. But that was it. They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the meeting. CM left as soon as the meeting ended. Normally, he stays for 4-5 minutes after the meeting for an informal chit-chat with us," said a minister present in the meeting. The CBI has lodged FIR against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Prasad and five others in connection with a private party allegedly giving three acres of land in Patna at a throwaway price to the Lalu family in return for getting a license to run two IRCTC hotels at Ranchi and Puri. The JD(U) gave Tejaswi a terse message on Tuesday in which the young leader was asked to "come out with facts in public against the accusations." Ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session, the government has called leaders of opposition parties on Friday for a briefing on the India-China standoff in Doklam in Sikkim sector, as also the Kashmir situation in the wake of the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the opposition in the meeting, to be held at the latter's residence. The meeting is primarily aimed at taking the opposition leaders into confidence on both issues ahead of the Parliament session which commences on July 17. The standoff between India and China in the Doklam Plateau, adjoining the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan, is now a month old, with no end to it yet in sight. Sources said the government also wants to discuss in the meeting the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed a spate of violence following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in July last year. Militants attacked a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, killing seven people and injuring 19 others in Jammu and Kashmir's Khanabal area on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway on July 10 evening. However, the opposition, which has been severely critical of the Narendra Modi government over deteriorating law and order situation in Kashmir, did not appear keen to discuss the Kashmir issue outside Parliament. "Yes, we will attend the meeting. The meeting will only be on the developments on the India-China-Bhutan borders. Doklam is a matter of great concern. Hope the government apprises us what is its assessment and how it proposes to address the crisis," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told IANS. Asked if the Kashmir situation will also be discussed in the meeting, Sharma said, "I am not going to discuss this because the meeting is for a specific purpose. We have Parliament as a forum to raise matters. As the session begins, this will be raised in Parliament." JD (U) Spokesperson K C Tyagi, too, confirmed that his party would attend the meeting but refused to comment on the agenda. (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 minister Mahesh Sharma on Thursday said Prime Minister propagated "the ideals of the Gandhian era" and, like the father of the nation, inspired generations. The Culture minister was speaking at the launch of a book on Mahatma Gandhi's salt satyagraha. "Today among us, we have a propagator of the ideals of the Gandhian era in the prime minister," he said. The minister, while talking about Gandhi's contribution to the independence struggle, noted that the salt satyagraha was not just about a pinch of salt, but about inspiring generations, something that the prime minister was also espousing. "He (PM) started with the promise that the glow of freedom would reach every person in the country. His dream is to fulfil the dreams of Gandhiji. The ministry of Culture is duty bound and committed to spreading his dreams and thoughts throughout the world for the sake of humanity," Sharma said. The salt march, also known as the dandi march and salt satyagraha, was an act of non-violent civil disobedience in colonial India, initiated by Gandhi in 1930, to produce salt from seawater in the coastal village of Dandi. The book 'Historical Background to the Imposition of Salt Tax under the British Rule in India (1757-1947) and Mahatma Gandhi's Salt Satyagraha (1930-31) against the British Rule' has been authored by Y P Anand, former Director, Gandhi Museum. "This book is extremely important for India, especially in the present times, wherein there is a need for humanity in the world," the minister 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.) While we don't know what the Chinese soldiers are up to at the Sikkim border, Chinese state media has found a new, actually old, stick to beat India with the 1962 Sino-Indian war. Two days after Peoples Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China (CPC) posted a picture of an editorial from 1962, the year it had handed out a humiliating military defeat to New Delhi, and also warned India against encroaching on its territory, New Delhi on Thursday said it will continue to use diplomatic channels to resolve the stand-off between the two militaries in the Dokalam area near Sikkim. China has reiterated that the standoff in the Sikkim sector is "different" and to "settle disputes" India should recall troops who crossed over the China-India boundary as it played down Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar's remark that New Delhi and Beijing can manage their differences since the two countries have faced similar situations in the past. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang has urged India to unconditionally withdraw its troops to the Indian side of the boundary and stressed that the Sikkim section has a history and is a defined section of the China-India border. The standoff can be resolved, the foreign ministry said, if India withdraws its troops from Donglang or Doklam region. The area at the strategic tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China, which is under Chinese control but claimed by Thimphu, has been the scene of a standoff since June 16. "China has repeatedly pointed out that the illegal trespass of Indian border troops of the mutually recognized border is different in nature from the frictions in the undefined sections of the boundary," Geng added. "The Sikkim section of the China-India boundary was defined by the Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890. The section has been recognized by both China and India and this convention holds true for both countries," Geng told at a regular press conference. The Sikkim section is the only defined boundary between India and China, and is totally different from the undefined boundary in the east, middle and west parts, Geng said. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Tuesday said that both sides should not allow their differences to become disputes, and cautioned that the debate over the rise of these two powers should not be skewed. He further acknowledged the two countries can handle the disputes like they did so many times before, as "no part of the border has been agreed upon. (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.) RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said the allegations of corruption against him were lies and a conspiracy by the BJP, led by Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after attending his first Cabinet meeting since the CBI raids against him. The decision of the Yogi Adityanath government to recommend in the functioning of cash-rich Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities has spelt fresh trouble for some top bureaucrats and senior officials who headed these bodies under the previous Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav governments. Following the goods and services tax (GST) regime, car makers have started moving towards an all-India price of vehicles. This will bring an end to the age-old practice of having different car prices for different cities, based on local taxes. The latest home ministry crackdown on non-compliant non-government organisations (NGOs) might have hit some holy cows. The list of 5,922 units which have not filed their annual returns and have been served show-cause notices includes several institutions working for cow protection. While the trade deficit with China continues to balloon, which is currently over $51.09 billion, next month would mark the third anniversary of India signing an agreement achieving bilateral trade balance with the nation by 2019. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has asked private as well as public sector banks to set up in at least one out of 10 branches in the coming weeks, a top official has said. Suitable changes have been made recently in Aadhaar regulations to facilitate this. At present, there are 25,000 active enrolment centres across the country but they operate from their own premises. However, none of these centres are being operated from bank premises. "We are asking all Scheduled Commercial Banks - both public and private - to set up Aadhaar enrolment and updation facility inside the bank branches...At least in one of ten branches by August-end," Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO of UIDAI told PTI. There are 120,000 bank branches in the country and by this move 12,000 Aadhaar enrolment and updation centres will be set up in those branches, he pointed out. He further said that the direction will provide "convenience" to people given that Aadhaar is now mandatory for opening new bank accounts and for existing accounts as well. Moreover, locating Aadhaar centres within bank premises will ensure that the enrolment happens in a secure environment. "The enrolment will happen in a secure and supervised environment. So there are less chances of complaints of corruption, over-charging or malpractices," Pandey added. As it is, many private sector banks have requested that they be allowed to do enrolments for Aadhaar, Pandey said, adding that the authority will appoint them as 'registrars', if they are already not so. Many banks are already 'registrars' but they do not have enrolment centres inside the bank premises. The government has recently made quoting of the 12 digit biometric identity number Aadhaar mandatory for opening of bank accounts as well as for any financial transaction of Rs 50,000 and above. Existing bank account holders have been asked to furnish the Aadhaar number issued by December 31, 2017, failing which the account will cease to be operational. (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 current standoff between India and China over a border dispute in the Sikkim region has given rise to speculation over how the latter would respond to the situation. The Chinese leadership has ruled out any talks with India until the Indian troops vacate what it considers to be its territory. In response, the Indian foreign secretary has noted that differences should not become disputes between neighbours. Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. Finally the second selection list for the 2017 degree admission has been announced by the Higher Department (HED) Odisha (Orissa). Students can check the list on the official website. HEDodisha.gov.in. The list was to be announced on July 7 (Friday). You can check the entire schedule of events here. The students who received their seats through allotment in the second selection seat are required to report for admission to the allotted college on July 13 and July 14 as the admission to degree colleges will start from July 13 till July 14. The colleges will have to update the stats of e-admission by July 15. The third list will be announced on July 18. As per the official stats, more than 1.57 lakh students received seats in the first selection list. Nearly 2, 34,893 students had applied for admission in different streams. Last week, the Chennai-based Shriram Group and IDFC announced they were looking at a possible merger of Shrirams finance businesses with IDFC and IDFC Bank. R Thyagarajan, who founded the now-huge conglomerate in 1974, speaks to T E Narasimhan and Gireesh Babu on merger talks and the way forward. .Edited excerpts: The meeting of Advisory Committee associated with the Ministry of Home Affairs for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep was held today under the chairmanship of Shri Rajnath Singh. . . The members had suggested 79 agenda items relating to different fields of development and security in the Islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Being very remote areas, issues of connectivity including air connectivity, shipping and internet connectivity were discussed in detail. Agreeing with the request of members, the Home Minister directed that the air connectivity infrastructure should be strengthened and facilities be increased and the matters should be taken up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. In the shipping sector, it was decided that shipping, port and harbour infrastructure should be improved substantially for which a perspective plan (2015-2030) having, inter alia, provision of induction of 13 ships and vessels has been given No Objection by the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Home Affairs would soon take decision on it. Internet connectivity is being improved from 106 mbps to 318 mbps which is to be further improved by laying optical fibre cable for which matter is under process. . . The matters relating to land compensation, filling up of vacant posts, education, drinking water supply, power especially clean energy, tourism, fisheries, industries, coastal security and implementation of advance agriculture technologies including polyhouses, drip and sprinkler irrigation etc. were also discussed in detail. . . The Home Minister expressed satisfaction on the implementation of different central schemes, such as Housing for All, Aadhar enrolment, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, renewable energy, PAHAL, National Health Mission and the banking facilities. He asked the Ministry to take up all the inter-ministerial matters with the concerned ministries and the Lakshadweep Administration for implementation in a time bound manner. He said that he will personally intervene wherever required for implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee. . . The members thanked the Home Minister for enhanced pace of development in the Islands particularly on issues related to Shipping, Health, Power and Drinking Water Supply sectors and hoped that after todays meeting with the intervention of Home Minister, the speed of development in all the sectors will further improve. . . The meeting was attended by Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Minister of State (Home), Shri Farooq Khan, Administrator, Shri P. P. Mohammed Faizal, MP, UT of Lakshadweep, Dr. Koyamma Koya, Shri P. Jafar Shah, Shri Ponnikkam Shaikoya, Dr. K.P. Koya, Shri M.P. Sayed Mohammed Koya and Dr. Tariz Tomas, Secretary, Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs were also present. . . Britain wants to loosen rules on listing state in a move that could help London win the lucrative initial public offering (IPO) of oil giant Saudi Aramco, raising minority investors' fears. The Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) proposals on Thursday would create a new listing category for controlled by sovereign states and come as exchanges vie to win the Aramco initial public offering, which is set to be the largest ever. But they met with criticism from British fund managers, who have already expressed concerns about Aramco's governance. "Investors believe a premium listed segment without these investor protections is not a premium segment and will not provide the protections that investors expect," Chris Cummings, chief executive at the Investment Association said. Reuters reported earlier this year that the London Stock Exchange (LSE) was working on a new type of structure that would make the bourse more attractive for Aramco. "No decision has been made on the venue yet," a source close to Aramco told Reuters following Thursday's proposals, which come as the government and City of London are trying to keep Britain's financial markets attractive to investors and after it leaves the European Union. The FCA is proposing a new "premium" stock market listing category that will exempt companies controlled by sovereign states from certain requirements and also be available to companies listed in London using depositary receipts, financial instruments used to represent a foreign company's shares. Companies including Russian state firms Gazprom and Rosneft use depositary receipts on the LSE. "Refining the listing regime in this way would make UK markets more accessible whilst ensuring that the protections afforded by our premium listing regime are focused and proportionate," FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey said. But Ashley Hamilton Claxton, Corporate Governance Manager at Royal London Asset Management said this may reverse progress made on governance and protecting minority shareholders. "It looks like the FCA is consulting on amending the existing listing rules to accommodate the peculiarities of one company, which is not a very effective strategy for regulating the market as a whole," Hamilton Claxton said. LSE has made winning the listing of Aramco a priority, with the firm's chief executive Xavier Rolet joining Prime Minister Theresa May on a trip to Saudi Arabia in April. The pair met jointly with the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, which will play a major role in the listing decision. The FCA's Bailey told Reuters he had not discussed the proposal with the government. "It was not instigated by the government or the LSE which we regulate," he said. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which is also competing for the Aramco listing, has not offered any such regulatory changes, a source familiar with talks between NYSE and Aramco said. However, it already has certain features that would attract Aramco, including not setting any minimum requirement for the proportion of a company's stock that has to be listed. London usually requires a "free float" of at least a quarter of a company's shares, although under the proposals a sovereign-backed company could circumvent this if it issued depository receipts representing a small proportion of the overall firm. Bridging the gulf Under the plans, sovereign-controlled companies will be able to get a "premium" listing without complying with certain rules on related party transactions and controlling shareholders. The changes are likely to make London more attractive to state-controlled companies as several Gulf countries, including Oman and Abu Dhabi, are considering listing oil assets. "This is a clever solution to the dilemma of Aramco, which does not meet the general requirements regarding free-float and corporate governance," Edward Bibko, head of capital markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa at law firm Baker McKenzie, said. At present companies which do not meet Britain's "premium" listing requirements must take a standard listing which is seen as second best as it has lower corporate governance requirements and does not qualify for entry into most stock indices. The FCA said sovereign owners were different "in both their motivations and their nature" from private ones so it was legitimate to grant them an exemption from some of the requirements for private companies. "We believe that investors and the market are sufficiently able to assess the additional risks arising from sovereign ownership," it said in the consultation document. The FCA has set a deadline of October 13 for comment on the proposals, which are part of a wider review it is undertaking into Britain's listing rules but were brought forward because it said it thought there was a gap in its current rules. have suspended pilgrimages, holidays and conferences for the remainder of July and August after authorities warned them about possible attacks by Islamic militants. Ishak Ibrahim, an activist and a top researcher on the Egyptian church, yesterday reported the suspension by the majority Coptic Orthodox and the smaller Anglican and Catholic churches. Security officials, pastors and other activists confirmed the suspension. They said the warning was delivered to church representatives during a meeting this week with top army and security commanders in the southern city of Assiut. They have also been told that army troops backed by armoured vehicles and snipers would be deployed outside monasteries hosting major religious festivals in coming weeks. At least two of these festivals will take place in Assiut, home to a sizable Christian community. Security officials confirmed the heightened measures and the warnings conveyed to the churches. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information. The suspension of activities and the deployment of army troops outside monasteries point to the vulnerability of Egypt's Christians at a time when President Abdel-Fattah el- Sissi's government is struggling to crush an insurgency led by the extremist Islamic State group in northern Sinai. Militants have been waging attacks against security forces there for years, but they have recently expanded to the mainland. They have vowed to go after Egypt's Christians, who account for about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people, as punishment for their support of el-Sissi, who led the 2013 military ouster of an Islamist president. The militants have forced scores of Christian families to flee their homes in northern Sinai after killing several of them and have since December killed more than 100 people in four separate attacks targeting members of the ancient community. El-Sissi declared a nationwide state of emergency in April after suicide bombers targeted two churches north of Cairo. In May, militants killed about 30 Christians travelling on a back road as they approached a remote desert monastery south of Cairo. Churches across Egypt organise weekend pilgrimages to monasteries and ancient churches. Some of their religious festivals, like the two in Assiut due to begin soon, attract millions. The churches also organise beach holidays for their congregations. "The church has decided to suspend all trips and conferences at present to give security agencies the chance to carry out their duties without distractions," senior Catholic church official Hany Bakhoum told a Christian online news service yesterday. He said the decision to suspend activities was taken on the recommendations contained in a "letter" from security agencies. Ibrahim, the Christian activist, also said the decision to suspend activities followed instructions from authorities. The suspension appeared to go into effect immediately. A letter dated July 13 and signed by an Anglican priest cancels a July 17-21 beach trip to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada for members of his flock, saying the decision was taken "for your safety." "Let us all unite in prayers for the security and stability of our country," wrote the priest, Mohsen Naeem. (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.) Enemies to the east, enemies to the west, enemies to the south, enemies to the north. Whatever stands in our way, we will defeat it. So says Cersei Lannister to her brother Jamie, as she considers the various threats to her reign. Google is not liable for 1.115 billion euros ( $1.272 billion) in unpaid taxes claimed by the French state, a French court ruled on Wednesday saying the internet giant's Irish subsidiary is not taxable in France. "The French company Google Ireland Limited (GIL) is not taxable in France for the 2005 to 2010 period," the court ruled. Google paid just 6.7 million euros in corporate taxes in 2015 in France by booking revenues for its online empire at its European subsidiary in low-tax Ireland, a legal loophole prized by multinationals. The group employs 700 people in France but advertising contracts for its search engine or video-sharing website YouTube are signed with its Irish subsidiary. The French claim was the latest in a series against the California-based group, which faces mounting legal problems in the EU. European action has become increasingly aggressive against US technology giants Amazon, Facebook and Apple as well as Google. The EU hit Google with a record 2.4 billion euro fine on June 27 for abusing its dominant position in the search engine business and illegally favouring its own shopping service over rivals. In 2016, European competition chief Margrethe Vestager shocked Washington and the world by ordering iPhone manufacturer Apple to repay 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland after paying a near-zero rate of tax some years. Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron promised to get tough on US internet giants during his campaign, seeing their low tax rates as a source of resentment about globalisation and unfair on European . "It is time Europe got a grip and defended its interests, making Google, Amazon and Facebook pay the taxes they owe European taxpayers," French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday. The French claim was significantly higher than the amount Google agreed to pay Italian and British tax authorities over its tax arrangements with its Irish subsidiary. In May, the group agreed to pay 306 million euros to Italian authorities. Last year, it struck a deal with Britain to pay 130 million pounds (170 million euros) for a decade of business, which was criticised at the time by opposition MPs as being too low. The French claim was a fraction of the company's annual profits: In April, Alphabet, Google's parent company, declared a 29 per cent jump in profit to $5.4 billion in the first quarter of 2017. (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 group of cigarette company executives stood in the lobby of a drab convention centre near New Delhi last November. They were waiting for credentials to enter the World Health Organization's global tobacco treaty conference, one designed to kerb smoking and combat the influence of the cigarette industry. Treaty officials didn't want them there. But still, among those lined up hoping to get in were executives from Japan Tobacco and British American Tobacco Plc. There was a big name missing from the group: Philip Morris Inc. A Philip Morris representative later told Reuters its employees didn't turn up because the company knew it wasn't welcome. In fact, executives from the largest publicly traded tobacco firm had flown in from around the world to New Delhi for the anti-tobacco meeting. Unknown to treaty organisers, they were staying at a hotel an hour from the convention centre, working from an operations room there. Philip Morris would soon be holding secret meetings with delegates from the government of Vietnam and other treaty members. The object of these clandestine activities: The WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, or FCTC, a treaty aimed at reducing smoking globally. Reuters has found that Philip Morris International is running a secretive campaign to block or weaken treaty provisions that save millions of lives by kerbing tobacco use. In an internal document, the company says it supported the enactment of the treaty. But Philip Morris has come to view it as a "regulatory runaway train" driven by "anti-tobacco extremists" - a description contained in the document, a 2014 PowerPoint presentation. Confidential company documents and interviews with current and former Philip Morris employees reveal an offensive that stretches from the Americas to Africa to Asia, from hardscrabble tobacco fields to the halls of political power, in what may be one of the broadest corporate lobbying efforts in existence. Details of those plans are laid bare in a cache of Philip Morris documents reviewed by Reuters, one of the largest tobacco industry leaks ever. Reuters is publishing a selection of those papers in a searchable repository, The Philip Morris Files. Dating from 2009 to 2016, the thousands of pages include emails between executives, PowerPoint presentations, planning papers, policy toolkits, national lobbying plans and market analyses. Taken as a whole, they present a company that has focused its vast global resources on bringing to heel the world's tobacco control treaty. Targeting the treaty Philip Morris works to subvert the treaty on multiple levels. It targets the FCTC conferences where delegates gather to decide on guidelines. It also lobbies at the country level, where the makeup of FCTC delegations is determined and treaty decisions are turned into legislation. The documents, combined with reporting in 14 countries from Brazil to Uganda to Vietnam, reveal that a goal of Philip Morris is to increase the number of delegates at the treaty conventions who are not from health ministries or involved in public health. That's happening: A Reuters analysis of delegates to the FCTC's biennial conference shows a rise since the first convention in 2006 in the number of officials from ministries like trade, finance and agriculture for whom tobacco revenues can be a higher priority than health concerns. Philip Morris International says there is nothing improper about its executives engaging with government officials. "As a company in a highly regulated industry, speaking with governments is part of our everyday business," Tony Snyder, vice president of communications, said in a statement in response to Reuters' findings. "The fact that Reuters has seen internal emails discussing our engagement with governments does not make those interactions inappropriate." In a series of interviews in Europe and Asia, Philip Morris executive Andrew Cave said company employees are under strict instructions to obey both the company's own conduct policies and local law in the countries where they operate. Cave, a director of corporate affairs, said that while Philip Morris disagrees with some aspects of the FCTC treaty and consults with delegates offsite during its conferences, ultimately the delegations "make their own decisions." "We're respectful of the fact that this is their week and their event," said Cave in an interview in New Delhi, as the parties to the treaty met last November. Asked in an earlier interview whether Philip Morris conducts a formal campaign targeting the treaty's biennial conferences, Cave gave a flat "no." Health impact When the FCTC delegates gather, lives hang in the balance. Decisions taken at the conferences over the past decade, including a ban on smoking in public places, are saving millions of lives, according to researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center. Between 2007 and 2014, more than 53 million people in 88 countries stopped smoking because those nations imposed stringent measures recommended by the WHO, according to their December 2016 study. Because of the treaty, an estimated 22 million smoking-related deaths will be averted, the researchers found. According to the WHO, though, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death - and by 2030 will be responsible for eight million deaths a year, up from six million now. There was jubilation among advocates when the treaty was adopted in 2003. The treaty, which took effect in 2005, made it possible to push for measures that once seemed radical, such as smoke-free bars. About 90 percent of all nations eventually joined. A big holdout is the United States, which signed the treaty but has yet to ratify it. Since the FCTC came into force, it has persuaded dozens of nations to boost taxes on tobacco products, pass laws banning smoking in public places and increase the size of health warnings on cigarette packs. Treaty members gather every two years to consider new provisions or strengthen old ones at a meeting called the Conference of the Parties, or COP, which first convened in 2006 in Geneva. But an FCTC report shows that implementation of important sections of the treaty is stalling. There has been no further progress in the implementation of 7 out of 16 "substantive" treaty articles since 2014, according to a report by the FCTC Secretariat in June last year. A key reason: "The tobacco industry continues to be the most important barrier in implementation of the Convention." 'More powerful than ever' Indeed, the tobacco industry has weathered the tighter regulation. There has been only a slight 1.9 percent decline in global cigarette sales since the treaty took effect in 2005, and more people smoked daily in 2015 than a decade earlier, studies show. The Thomson Reuters Global Tobacco Index, which tracks tobacco stocks, has risen more than 100 percent in the past decade, largely due to price increases. "Some people think that with tobacco, you've won the battle," said former Finnish Health Minister Pekka Puska, who chaired an FCTC committee last year. "No way," he said. "The tobacco industry is more powerful than ever." With 600 corporate affairs executives, according to a November 2015 internal email, Philip Morris has one of the world's biggest corporate lobbying arms. That army, and $7 billion-plus in annual net profit, gives Philip Morris the resources to overwhelm the FCTC. The treaty is overseen by 19 staff at a Secretariat office hosted by the WHO in Geneva. The Secretariat spends on average less than $6 million a year. Even when buttressed by anti-smoking groups, the Secretariat is outgunned. Its budget for this year and last year for supporting the treaty clause on combating tobacco company influence is less than $460,000. Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, head of the FCTC treaty Secretariat, is the person tasked with preventing the industry from neutering the agreement. In two interviews at her Geneva office, da Costa e Silva, a medical doctor who holds a PhD in public health and has a dyed pink streak in her hair, explained why the FCTC banned attendance by any member of the public at the 2014 biennial conference in Moscow. The ban came in response to efforts by tobacco executives to use public badges to get inside the venue, she said, adding that industry representatives then started borrowing badges from delegates they knew to gain entry. "It's a real war," said da Costa e Silva. But she had only a partial picture of the forces ranged against her. She wasn't aware of the fact that Philip Morris had a large team operating throughout the convention in Moscow, or the details of its activities in New Delhi last November. "This is so disgusting. These are the forces against which we have to work," da Costa e Silva said in May after being told about the Philip Morris documents. "I think they want to implode the treaty." Tobacco outrage The idea of a global tobacco treaty had been discussed among health advocates since at least 1979, when a WHO committee suggested the possibility. Gro Harlem Brundtland, a former prime minister of Norway who became director-general of the WHO in 1998, made it happen. She was aided by outrage over documents that surfaced as part of the landmark 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, in which the four largest US tobacco agreed to pay more than $200 billion to 46 US states. The internal communications showed that tobacco executives lied for years about their knowledge of the deadly nature of cigarettes. A 1989 document revealed one company's plan to fight threats to the industry. "WHO's impact and influence is indisputable," the document said. It went on to contemplate "countermeasures designed to contain, neutralise or re-orient the WHO." That company was Philip Morris. In 2008, Altria Group Inc split up its Philip Morris business. Philip Morris USA, which remains a subsidiary of Altria, sells Marlboro and other brands in the United States. Philip Morris International was spun off, and handles business abroad. Since the split, Philip Morris International shares have more than doubled and Altria's have more than tripled. Philip Morris International's operational headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland, down the street from a patch of Gallo-Roman ruins, in a sleek building with a cafeteria, gym and a patio facing Lake Geneva. From there, the company is working to hobble the treaty. Internal company communications reveal the scope of Philip Morris' operation during the 2014 FCTC treaty meeting in Moscow. The company set up a "Coordinating Room" that could seat 42 people, according to the 2014 PowerPoint presentation, titled "Corporate affairs approach and issues." Leading the operation was executive Chris Koddermann. Formerly a lawyer and lobbyist in Canada, Koddermann joined Philip Morris in 2010. He is now a director of regulatory affairs in Lausanne. The PowerPoint describes the ideal corporate affairs executive as someone who is able to "play the political game." Koddermann previously worked for federal and provincial cabinet ministers in Canada, according to his LinkedIn profile. Reached on his cell phone in March, Koddermann said he wouldn't be able to meet and that any questions should be directed to Philip Morris International. Congratulatory e-mail At the end of the Moscow meeting, on Oct. 18, 2014, Koddermann sent an email congratulating a 33-person Philip Morris team on their success in diluting or blocking measures intended to strengthen tobacco controls and reduce cigarette sales. The gains he touted at the end of the week-long conference were the culmination of a two-year effort, his email said. The documents shed light on one key objective in Philip Morris' FCTC campaign: Keep tobacco within the ambit of international trade deals, so that the company has a way to mount legal campaigns against tobacco regulations. In Moscow, one proposal initially called for carving out tobacco from trade pacts. International trade treaties often include provisions, such as the protection of trademarks, that Philip Morris has used to challenge anti-smoking measures. If tobacco were taken out of the treaties, as suggested by the proposal, Philip Morris could be deprived of many such legal arguments. An early draft asked parties to support efforts to exclude tobacco from trade pacts and to prevent the industry from "abusing" trade and investment rules. In the end, the proposal was watered down. The final decision only reminded parties of "the possibility to take into account their public health objectives in their negotiation of trade and investment agreements." There was no mention of excluding tobacco. Koddermann, in his email to colleagues on the last day of the conference, declared victory, describing the change as "a tremendous outcome." Overall, the company achieved its "trade-related campaign objectives," including "avoiding a declaration of health over trade" and "avoiding the recognition of the FCTC as an international standard," he wrote. The win was significant. A former Philip Morris employee said the company has routinely used trade treaties to challenge tobacco control laws. The aim, he said, was "to scare governments away from doing regulatory changes." Even though the tobacco industry has lost a series of major legal battles, its suits have served to discourage the implementation of regulations that kerb smoking. Those delays can yield years of unimpeded sales. As the Philip Morris PowerPoint presentation from 2014 put it: "Roadblocks are as important as solutions." 'Watered down' One roadblock was a campaign to stop the 2011 introduction of rules in Australia banning logos and distinctive colouring on cigarette packs. The company's litigation and arbitration against the measure ultimately were dismissed - but not before five countries filed complaints against Australia on the same subject at the World Trade Organization. The global trade body has yet to announce a decision in the matter. The attempt to undo Australia's regulations has had a chilling effect elsewhere. It slowed the introduction of plain-packaging rules in New Zealand. Citing the risk that tobacco may "mount legal challenges," the government announced in 2013 that it was postponing the move and waiting to "see what happens with Australia's legal cases." The legislation is now scheduled to go into effect next year. In his Moscow conference email, Koddermann also expressed pleasure at the fate of a proposal on farmers. The initial language would have recommended that countries restrict support for tobacco growers. The proposal was "significantly watered down," he wrote. "This is a very positive result." Gustavo Bosio, at the time a manager for international trade, chimed in a few days after the conference in an email: "These excellent results are a direct consequence of the remarkable efforts of all PMI regions and markets during the past two years and throughout the intense week in Moscow." Philip Morris isn't alone in seeking to weaken the treaty. Ahead of the 2012 FCTC conference, in Seoul, four cigarette giants - Philip Morris, British American Tobacco (BAT), Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Brands Plc - formed an "informal industry Working Group" to oppose various proposals on tobacco taxation, according to an internal BAT document reviewed by Reuters. The 45-page paper, whose existence hasn't been previously reported, noted that the group would coordinate "to the extent that these issues do not raise any anti-competitive concerns." The paper outlined a global campaign planned by BAT to counter the FCTC, which was "increasingly going beyond" its mandate. And it listed objectives, including a bid to block discussions around the introduction of a minimum 70 percent tax on tobacco. BAT declined to answer questions about the industry working group. Both Imperial and Japan Tobacco International said they didn't want to comment on a document from a competitor. Japan Tobacco International said its tax experts met with counterparts from other tobacco to discuss treaty guidelines on taxation ahead of the 2012 conference. Philip Morris did not comment on the document. Wooing delegates The Philip Morris emails and documents don't explicitly detail how the company pulled off the victories in Moscow. But they provide insight into the importance it places on wooing delegates. The FCTC traditionally makes decisions by consensus, and so influencing a single national delegation can have an outsized impact. The treaty has a key clause meant to keep the industry from unduly influencing delegations. Article 5.3, as it's known, says nations should protect their public health policies from tobacco interests. Guidelines that accompany Article 5.3 recommend that countries interact with the industry only when "strictly necessary." But the article - a single sentence - contains a loophole Philip Morris has exploited. The sentence ends with the words "in accordance with national law," opening the door to arguments by pro-tobacco forces that any lobbying that's legal in a certain country is permissible when interacting with that country's representatives. They also argue that a sentence in a related document, the guidelines for Article 5.3, allows for such interactions to take place as long as they are conducted transparently. One of the company's targets has been Vietnam. The day the Moscow meeting ended, Koddermann received an email from his colleague Nguyen Thanh Ky, a leading corporate affairs executive for Vietnam. Ky said he had a "debrief lunch" with the Vietnamese delegation and had a good outcome to report: The delegation was in favour of "moderate and reasonable measures" to be implemented over a "practical timeline," he wrote. He did not specify which measures they discussed. The Vietnamese delegation spoke up often during the Moscow meeting. A review of notes compiled by tobacco-control groups accredited as observers showed Vietnam's interjections frequently mirrored Philip Morris' positions on tobacco-control regulations. Just like the tobacco giant, the Vietnamese said a higher tax on cigarettes would lead to more illicit sales. Like Philip Morris, they said the FCTC should stay out of trade disputes. And like Philip Morris, they opposed proposals to set uniform parameters for the legal liability of tobacco companies. The FCTC guidelines on taxation did ultimately include a WHO recommendation for a minimum tax of 70 percent - something Philip Morris opposed. But the proposal to give the treaty more sway over trade disputes was weakened, and measures to strengthen the legal liability of cigarette companies were delayed. Vietnam's foreign ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters. Secret rendezvous As soon as the conference ended, the documents show, Philip Morris turned to the next one: the 2016 meeting in India. The 2014 PowerPoint presentation outlined the need to identify ways to gather intelligence during the Delhi conference. In a separate 2015 planning document, the company talks about the arrangement of farmer protests in the run-up to the meeting. Such protests did take place - including one in front of WHO offices in New Delhi. Reuters couldn't determine whether Philip Morris was behind those demonstrations. While other major tobacco companies also sent people to Delhi in November, Philip Morris was distinguished by its stealth. Executives from the company did not sign in with their tobacco industry colleagues at the FCTC convention centre and stayed at a hotel about an hour's drive away. The anonymity and distance helped Philip Morris approach delegates covertly. On the second day of the conference, a white Toyota van pulled away from the front of the Hyatt Regency hotel - where Philip Morris had its operations room - and headed for the FCTC treaty venue. The van was carrying Ky, its corporate affairs executive from Vietnam. Ky's driver talked his way past police at the barricade outside the conference centre, where FCTC-issued credentials were checked, explaining that he was driving "VIPs," the driver later told Reuters. A few minutes later, a man in a dark suit walked out of the conference center, passed the van and stopped at a street corner. The van did a U-turn, and a Reuters reporter saw the man in the suit quickly climb in. He was a senior member of Vietnam's delegation to the FCTC conference: Nguyen Vinh Quoc, a Vietnamese government official. The driver, Kishore Kumar, said in an interview that he dropped the two men off at a local hotel. Kumar said that on several other occasions that week, he took Ky to pick up people from the Hotel Formule1, a budget lodging where Vietnam's delegation was staying during the conference. Ky and Quoc did not respond to requests for comment. Asked by Reuters about the interaction between Ky and the Vietnam representatives, Philip Morris executive Andrew Cave thumped on the table in a bar at the hotel where company representatives were staying. Reuters should focus, he said, on efforts by the industry to develop so-called reduced-risk products - those that deliver nicotine without the burning of tobacco and which the company says reduce harm. When pressed about the meetings with Vietnam, Cave thumped the table again: "I'm angry that you're focusing on that, rather than the real issues that matter to real people." In a subsequent email, Cave said: "Representatives from Philip Morris International met with delegates from Vietnam" during the Delhi conference "to discuss policy issues and this complied fully with PMI's internal procedures and the laws and regulations of Vietnam." Delegates, Cave said in separate interviews, are reluctant to meet openly with Philip Morris because they are afraid of being "named and shamed" by anti-smoking groups. 'Slavery ended a long time ago' Some delegates questioned the extent to which Philip Morris shaped the decisions made at the Moscow conference, saying attendees genuinely disagreed on certain issues. Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan, a Thai delegate, oversaw many discussions as the chair of an FCTC committee at the Moscow conference. She said delegates differed over the regulation of e-cigarettes, for instance, and any lobbying the company carried out would not have determined the outcome. The Philip Morris documents leave questions unanswered. In some cases, the documents show the company hatching plans to change an anti-smoking regulation or to monitor activists, but don't always make clear to what extent or how the plans were executed, if at all. The 2014 PowerPoint presentation called for "achieving scrutiny" of tobacco control advocates and said a "global project team" had been established for this purpose. It did not list what means would be used. In some instances, Philip Morris' lobbying plainly failed. In July 2015, the Ugandan parliament passed sweeping new anti-tobacco laws inspired by the treaty. All that was needed was President Yoweri Museveni's signature, and the small African nation would become a leader on the continent in implementing a strict interpretation of the FCTC. Philip Morris sent an executive, a younger white man, to tell the septuagenarian president, who long ago had helped topple dictator Idi Amin, why the tobacco act was a bad idea. Sheila Ndyanabangi, Uganda's lead health official for tobacco issues who was present at the meeting, described the executive's approach as lecturing the statesman. "He said, 'Ugandan tobacco will be too expensive' and 'it will not be competitive,'" Ndyanabangi said. Her account was confirmed by a senior Ugandan government official who was also present. Museveni stared for a moment at the Philip Morris executive and a representative from a major tobacco buyer who'd come with him. The president then declared: "Slavery ended a long time ago." There was a long silence in the room, recalled Ndyanabangi. Museveni said Uganda didn't need tobacco, and the meeting was over. The president signed the bill that September. Museveni's office did not respond to requests for comment. 'Changing the delegations' Over time, however, the industry's lobbying has slowed the treaty's progress. At the biennial conferences, the discussions have changed. In Moscow, for instance, there was a strong focus on trade and taxes. "You could see from the floor that interventions were very, very, very much focusing on the trade aspects, many times even putting trade over health," the FCTC's da Costa e Silva said in an interview last year. The composition of FCTC delegations sent by governments has changed to include more members who aren't involved in health policy. That's in line with what Philip Morris and other tobacco companies want: Philip Morris, as well as British American Tobacco, has sought to move the balance of the membership away from public health officials and toward ministries like finance and trade. Such agencies, said the former Philip Morris executive, benefit from tobacco tax revenues and attach less weight to health concerns. "The health department would just want tobacco to be banned, while for the finance ministry it's more like how can we leverage or get as much money as we can," he said. The object of Philip Morris' efforts, according to the 2014 PowerPoint on corporate affairs, is to "move tobacco issues away" from health ministries and demonstrate there are broader public interests at play - that "it's not about tobacco." Cave, the Philip Morris corporate affairs executive, confirmed the company tries to persuade governments to change the composition of delegations. Health officials, he said, aren't equipped to handle the intricacies of issues such as taxation. "You're looking at illicit trade, you're looking at tax regimes, you're looking at international law," he said. "Now each of these areas, it's logical, if you want to really tackle the trade and tobacco smuggling, illicit trade, who would you go to? You wouldn't go to the health ministry." Reuters analysed the rosters of the almost 3,500 accredited delegation members who have attended the seven FCTC conferences since 2006. The analysis found that there were more than six health delegates for every finance-related delegate in 2006. In Delhi last year, that ratio had fallen to just over three health delegates for every finance delegate. The number of delegates from finance, agriculture and trade fields has risen from a few dozen in 2006 to more than 100 in recent years. Vietnam's delegation, for example, has changed markedly. At the first FCTC conference in 2006, none of its four delegates were from finance or trade ministries. By 2014, in Moscow, there were 13 delegates, with at least four from finance-related ministries, including the chief delegate. Vietnam's foreign ministry did not respond to questions about the delegation. Da Costa e Silva isn't opposed to having delegates from trade ministries, but she says their primary focus needs to be on health. And she was concerned by the makeup of the Vietnamese delegation. In a letter to the Vietnamese prime minister in late 2015, she asked that tobacco industry employees be excluded from the delegation. If they weren't, she wrote, Vietnam might be "unable to play a full part in discussions." In 2016, Vietnam brought 11 delegates to the conference, of whom six were from health agencies, including the chief representative. Some tobacco-control activists who attended the Delhi meeting in November say it was the worst so far in terms of passing new anti-smoking provisions. Matthew Myers, who heads the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said multiple countries came prepared to consciously block action. He said he heard delegates making arguments "I haven't heard in 25 years." A Nigerian delegate, for instance, asked to remove a reference to "the tobacco epidemic" from a draft proposal on liability for tobacco-related harm, according to notes taken by anti-smoking groups. Asked for comment, Christiana Ukoli, head of the delegation in Delhi, said the "Nigerian delegation strongly dissociates itself from [that] statement." The Delhi conference ended as it began, with treaty Secretariat officials not knowing where Philip Morris had been or what it had done. The company had flown in a team of executives, used a squad of identical vans to ferry officials in New Delhi, and then left town without a trace. (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.) is a polarising figure to say the least, but few would deny that hes an extremely talented and determined politician. That much is clear from just how long he has lasted in Israeli an environment in which its notoriously difficult to survive, never mind thrive. Along with David Ben-Gurion, he is the only Israeli prime minister to have served four terms, surpassing Ben-Gurion by being elected three times in a row. He now looks set to become the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. Pakistan's beleaguered Prime Minister today refused to step down even as the clamour for his resignation got louder after the Panama case probe panel recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. Addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, 67-year-old Sharif termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of "allegations and speculation", Dawn reported. The six-member JIT, probing Sharif family's offshore assets and alleged corruption, in a 10-volume damning report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz as well as daughter Maryam. At the first Cabinet meeting after the submission of the JIT report to the apex court, Sharif said that he will not resign as the prime minister on anyone's call. "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," Prime Minister Sharif said, responding to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report. Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot". The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. "The Prime Minister said that he will not resign on the demand of a group of conspirators," Radio Pakistan reported. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," Sharif said. According to official sources, Sharif consulted his cabinet colleagues about his future plan after demands by opposition to resign. The Cabinet members reposed full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Sharif and endorsed his decision not to step down. They suggested that Sharif fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. Sharif also discussed the strategy how to contest the JIT in the court which starts the hearing from Monday. The decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house. All major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. "Insha'Allah he won't resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him," Sharif's daughter Maryam tweeted. The high-profile graft case is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in 1990s when he twice served as the Prime Minister to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama papers last year showed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's children. The case filed by various petitioners - Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed - sought disqualification of Prime Minister Sharif over his alleged misstatement in his address to the nation on April 5, 2016 and his speech before the National Assembly on May 16, 2016. The petitioners had claimed that the prime minister lied about the investments made by his children in offshore companies, which led to the acquisition of four apartments in London's upscale Park Lane neighbourhood. In April, a five-judge Supreme Court bench issued a landmark 540-page split judgement ordering setting up of the JIT comprising officials from different agencies including those from powerful spy agencies the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence. Sharif is the only Pakistani politician who has the distinction of being the prime minister of the coup-prone country for a record three times. He had served as the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999. Both of Sharif's first two stints had ended in the third year of his tenure. (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.) While much of the worlds attention was focused last week on the G20 meeting in Hamburg, and Donald Trumps first face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin, a historic decision took place at the United Nations (UN) in New York. In private, President Trump sometimes addresses his adult children as baby, a term of endearment tinged with a New Yorkers wisecracking edge. And now that Trumps babies have been swept into the vortex of his storm-tossed presidency, he is taking it personally. Delhi High Court on Thursday directed anti-Sikh riots convicted Retd. naval officer Capt. Bhagmal, who was held guilty of murder of a family of five in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment, to surrender by Monday. The Court had rejected the bail of Capt. Bhagmal, who was serving life term and directed him to surrender. He was co-accused of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar. Earlier in May, the court granted bail for a week to Capt. Bhagmal to look after his wife, who underwent an operation. Khokhar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case, related to the murder of five members of a family, after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi. Three of them had challenged their conviction by the trial court in May 2013. The trial court had acquitted Sajjan Kumar, but awarded life term to Khokhar, Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan was arrested on Thursday from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla for living illegally in the valley. He was currently being questioned by the police. More details are awaited. The security has been tightened in the Kashmir Valley after terrorist on Monday killed seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and injured fifteen others as they opened fire on a bus carrying 17 pilgrims from Baltal to Mir Bazaar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi[India], July 13 (ANI): Ahead of massive joint military operations against terror groups along both sides of the Durand Line, political instability is staring at the Ashraf Ghani government in Afghanistan due to internal threats of corruption, lack of reforms, growing number of political factions, utter lack of economic revival and his alleged failure to run the government. The Durand Line, is the a 2640-kilometre-long border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, established in 1893 following an agreement between British India and Amir of AfghanistanPakistan and AFghanistan will begin joint military operation along both sides of the Durand Line to eliminate various terrorist groups from the region under the supervision of United States. Afghanistan is facing numerous threats from insurgent activities of Talibans,ISIS khorasan, ethnic and sectarian divisions, is now in a very fragile and precarious condition, as new political fronts and their heads have intensified their campaign to dislodge the Ashraf Ghani government. Not only the U.S.-backed Afghan government is losing its grip on the country but the insecurity and instability in Afghanistan is also threatening stability beyond its borders. Knowing the facts on ground, the United States has also delayed its much hyped and awaited policy on Afghanistan after the report presented by Defense Secretary James Mattis last month, who told the Congress that the U.S. is "not winning" in Afghanistan and the Taliban is "surging". Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, known as the 'butcher of Kabul' has given a new twist to the political developments of Afghanistan by declaring his desire to fight presidential elections. Hekmatyar, a former anti-Soviet commander in the 1980's, has called for reconciliation talks with the Taliban,to enhance his chances in capturing power as Taliban represents the identify of Afghanistan and he has shown interest in forging alliance with to form country's largest political faction that could result as a deciding factor in 2019 elections. Hekmatyar, a warlord, who is known for receiving the bulk of arms and financisl assistance from the C.I.A. to defeat the Soviets and was seen as close to Pakistani government and ISI, is although supporting President Ghani and the Talibans as of now but can instigate an uprising against the government.Leader of the National Participation Party of Afghanistan and former lawmaker Najibulllah Kabuli has urged him not to act on the instructions of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) . Meanwhile,Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum, who had been exiled to Turkey by Afghan President Ghani, has recently accused the President for breaking the promises on government appointments for his party. Dostum along with Balkh governor and Jamiat-e-Islami chief executive Ata Mohammad Noor, and deputy chief executive Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq have formed a new political front to destabilise the Ghani government. Talibans, representing Pastuns, are violently asserting their authority for government formation in Kandahar and Nangahar, while ISIS Khorasan an offshoot of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant is increasing their influence in Afghanistan.Therefore, both ISIS and Taliban are in direct conflict for seizing power in Afghanistan. In a country polarised by ethnic and sectarian divisions,Taliban has emerged successful in controlling territory much larger than 2001 according to a recent report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the Western-backed Afghan government has lost control of nearly 5 percent of its territory to the Taliban since the beginning of this year. The report says the area under Afghan government "control or influence" decreased to 65.6 percent by the end of May from 70.5 percent last year, based on data provided by US forces in Afghanistan.That amounts to a loss of 19 of the country's approximately 400 governing districts. The recent campaign of Taliban is aimed to project the failure of Ghani government in controlling violence as institutions and diplomatic offices are being targeted and to ensure that their authority is not taken over by the ISIS fighters. In April, the United States dropped the "mother of all bombs" on an Islamic State position in Nangarhar Province, which is the group's stronghold in the country. Keeping in view the changing scenario,U.S. President Donald Trump has delayed its U.S. policy on Afghanistan and its region and apparently his confidence in Ghani government has waned. "The situation in Afghanistan continues to be geopolitically volatile even as President Trump and Secretary Mattis strive to formulate a pragmatic strategy. However, it has been sixteen years now, and a decision to expand U.S. troops there is nothing more than an operational issue. We can't call it a "strategy" anymore,"Faisal Ahmed, an associate professor at FORE School of Management and an expert on trade and geopolitical issues based at Delhi said while talking to ANI. Now, the U.S. is facing another challenge in the form of Russia's increasing interest and influence in Afghanistan as Vladimir Putin may consider that businessmen turned President Donald Trump will not be able to bring stability to Afghanistan. Moscow has organized many conferences on Afghanistan and is in favour of talks with Taliban. Therefore, it is pertinent to mention that Trump administration should put forth a new, comprehensive strategy to win the 16-year war against the Taliban and establish peace and stability in Afghanistan rather than just providing additional troops to the war-ravanged country. "In fact, the United States now needs a multi-pronged strategy to initiate peace talks, and to effectively engage NATO and empower the joint security forces in combating resurgence on ground. Moreover, strengthening the U.S. backed government there should be a priority, and helping SAARC to geo-economically engage in Afghanistan is always a possibility," Faisal added. China has a strategic interest in Afghanistan as it lies at the crossroads of Central and South Asia,Beijing has also become pro-active on the issue of Afghanistan and trying to take the lead in mediating between Kabul and Islamabad. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Kabul and Islamabad recently and sought to mediate to normalise the relations betwen the two countries.Beijing is also a part of the four- nation group of Quadrilateral Coordination Committee formed in 2016 that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States. The Quadrilateral group is meant for Taliban reconciliation process - direct peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. As Afghanistan is India's gateway to Central Asian republics, the New Delhi is likely to play a more meaningful role in stabilising Afghanistan as recently it supplied eight MI 25 attack helicopters to Kabul as enlarging the sphere of assisting the war-ravaged country. India organised Heart of Asia Summit in Amritsar last year. The summit pointed to the Pakistan's undeclared war against India and Afghanistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for "resolute action" not just against forces of terrorism but also against those who support, shelter, train and finance them, saying silence and inaction will only embolden terrorists and their masters.India has been assisting Afghanistan in the civilian field especially in power plants, road construction and medical aid amounting to US$ 2 Billion. Moreover, the Ghani Government in Afghanistan has developed more trust on India in bringing peace and stability to the region and also maintaining close ties with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led India government in the fight against terrorism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A massive iceberg about the size of the state of Delaware split off from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf sometime between July 10 and July 12. The calving of the massive new iceberg was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Aqua satellite, and confirmed by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite instrument on the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) satellite. The final breakage was first reported by Project Midas, an Antarctic research project based in the United Kingdom. Larsen C, a floating platform of glacial ice on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula, is the fourth largest ice shelf ringing Earth's southernmost continent. In 2014, a crack that had been slowly growing into the ice shelf for decades suddenly started to spread northwards, creating the nascent iceberg. Now that the close to 2,240 square-mile (5,800 square kilometres) chunk of ice has broken away, the Larsen C shelf area has shrunk by approximately 10 percent. "The interesting thing is what happens next, how the remaining ice shelf responds," said Kelly Brunt, a glaciologist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the University of Maryland in College Park. "Will the ice shelf weaken? Or possibly collapse, like its neighbors Larsen A and B? Will the glaciers behind the ice shelf accelerate and have a direct contribution to sea level rise? Or is this just a normal calving event?" Ice shelves fringe 75 percent of the Antarctic ice sheet. One way to assess the health of ice sheets is to look at their balance: when an ice sheet is in balance, the ice gained through snowfall equals the ice lost through melting and iceberg calving. Even relatively large calving events, where tabular ice chunks the size of Manhattan or bigger calve from the seaward front of the shelf, can be considered normal if the ice sheet is in overall balance. But sometimes ice sheets destabilize, either through the loss of a particularly big iceberg or through disintegration of an ice shelf, such as that of the Larsen A Ice Shelf in 1995 and the Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002. When floating ice shelves disintegrate, they reduce the resistance to glacial flow and thus allow the grounded glaciers they were buttressing to significantly dump more ice into the ocean, raising sea levels. Scientists have monitored the progression of the rift throughout the last year was using data from the European Space Agency Sentinel-1 satellites and thermal imagery from NASA's Landsat 8 spacecraft. Over the next months and years, researchers will monitor the response of Larsen C, and the glaciers that flow into it, through the use of satellite imagery, airborne surveys, automated geophysical instruments and associated field work. In the case of this rift, scientists were worried about the possible loss of a pinning point that helped keep Larsen C stable. In a shallow part of the sea floor underneath the ice shelf, a bedrock protrusion, named the Bawden Ice Rise, has served as an anchor point for the floating shelf for many decades. Ultimately, the rift stopped short of separating from the protrusion. "The remaining 90 percent of the ice shelf continues to be held in place by two pinning points: the Bawden Ice Rise to the north of the rift and the Gipps Ice Rise to the south," said Chris Shuman, a glaciologist with Goddard and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County. "So I just don't see any near-term signs that this calving event is going to lead to the collapse of the Larsen C ice shelf. But we will be watching closely for signs of further changes across the area." The first available images of Larsen C are airborne photographs from the 1960s and an image from a US satellite captured in 1963. The rift that has produced the new iceberg was already identifiable in those pictures, along with a dozen other fractures. The crack remained dormant for decades, stuck in a section of the ice shelf called a suture zone, an area where glaciers flowing into the ice shelf come together. Suture zones are complex and more heterogeneous than the rest of the ice shelf, containing ice with different properties and mechanical strengths, and therefore play an important role in controlling the rate at which rifts grow. In 2014, however, this particular crack started to rapidly grow and traverse the suture zones, leaving scientists perplexed. "We don't currently know what changed in 2014 that allowed this rift to push through the suture zone and propagate into the main body of the ice shelf," said Dan McGrath, a glaciologist at Colorado State University who has been studying the Larsen C ice shelf since 2008. McGrath said the growth of the crack, given our current understanding, is not directly linked to climate change. "The Antarctic Peninsula has been one of the fastest warming places on the planet throughout the latter half of the 20th century. This warming has driven really profound environmental changes, including the collapse of Larsen A and B," McGrath said. "But with the rift on Larsen C, we haven't made a direct connection with the warming climate. Still, there are definitely mechanisms by which this rift could be linked to climate change, most notably through warmer ocean waters eating away at the base of the shelf." While the crack was growing, scientists had a hard time predicting when the nascent iceberg would break away. It's difficult because there are not enough measurements available on either the forces acting on the rift or the composition of the ice shelf. Further, other poorly observed external factors, such as temperatures, winds, waves and ocean currents, might play an important role in rift growth. Still, this event has provided an important opportunity for researchers to study how ice shelves fracture, with important implications for other ice shelves. The U.S. National Ice Center will monitor the trajectory of the new iceberg, which is likely to be named A-68. The currents around Antarctica generally dictate the path that the icebergs follow. In this case, the new berg is likely to follow a similar path to the icebergs produced by the collapse of Larsen B: north along the coast of the Peninsula, then northeast into the South Atlantic. "It's very unlikely it will cause any trouble for navigation," Brunt said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will have bilateral delegation-level talks here on Friday. Following one-to-one talks between President Maitripala Sirisena nad Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the two sides will hold official talks. During the three-day visit of President Sirisena, the two nations will ink over ten agreements and Memoranda of Understanding. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam said agreements and MoUs will cover areas such as agricultural cooperation, higher education, coastal shipping connecting, visa exemption for diplomats and official passport holders, investment cooperation, cooperation between two central banks and cooperation in media sector. The Sri Lankan President will meet President Abdul Hamid on Friday evening and thereafter there will be a state banquet in honour of the Sri Lankan President at the Darbar Hall, Bangabhaban, preceded by a cultural programme. On Saturday, President Sirisena will address an economic dialogue on Saturday morning to be attended by Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan business representatives. He is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 1 p m on Saturday by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight wrapping up his three-day visit, reports the Daily Star. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will see him off at the airport. This is Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since he was elected Sri Lankan President in 2015. He visited Bangladesh in 2013 and 2014 as Sri Lankan Health Minister. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena arrived in Dhaka on Thursday along with a 73-member entourage comprising ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers and business community members. On Thursday, he visited the National Martyr's Memorial, Savar to pay respect to the martyrs of Liberation. He also visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the ongoing tension in the state over the killing of notorious criminal Anandpal Singh. State Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said the BJP has always divided people and provoked them for their own gains. He further said that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and the Government should break silence and come up with a solution to dissolve the ongoing tension. "The BJP has always resorted to politics by dividing and inciting people. Now also, they are just waiting for their time to be benefitted and then then will take the next step," Pilot said. "It has been two weeks and curfew is still imposed. There is ban at many places. People are getting restless. The Chief Minister needs to break her silence and the Government should come up with a solution to dissolve the ongoing tension," he added. Reportedly, a protest demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the encounter of Anandpal Singh in Rajsthan's Nagaur turned violent yesterday, leading to many policemen getting injured. At least 16 people were injured in the protest, following which Section 144 was imposed and internet services were suspended till tomorrow in Nagaur, Churu, Sikar and Bikaner districts. The place has been witnessing huge chaos following the encounter of Anandpal Singh, who was carrying reward of Rs. 5 lakh on his head, in Rajasthan's Churu district on June 25. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 'The Shallows' star Blake Lively is all set to star in an espionage thriller from James Bond producers EON Productions and IM Global. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'The Rhythm Section', an adaptation of the first book in Mark Burnell's four novel series, will be produced by IM Global and Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions, which is responsible for the last eight Bond films. The movie focusses on Stephanie Patrick who, after the death of her family in an airplane crash on a flight that she was meant to be on, discovers the crash was not an accident. She then seeks to uncover the truth by adapting the identity of an assassin to track down those responsible. Production will begin later this year with 'The Handmaid's Tale filmmaker Reed Morano set to direct. "It is exciting for us to be working with the immensely talented team of director Reed Morano and actress Blake Lively, who have a strong vision for this very compelling story driven by a female protagonist," Wilson and Broccoli said in a statement. IM Global founder Stuart Ford added, "In Stephanie Patrick, Mark has created a unique female heroine who turns so many of the current cinematic cliches surrounding so-called "kickass" female leads on their head. To be bringing such a fresh, realistic and bold international thriller to the big screen with EON Productions, Reed and Blake is an exciting proposition for us all at IM Global. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canada's High Commissioner Perry Calderwood called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ0 on Thursday. An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) release said matters of mutual interest and regional security were discussed during their meeting. The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan's continuous efforts for peace and stability in the region, the ISPR release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Recent ransomware attacks like 'WannaCry' and 'Petya' are highlighting the growing threats against care information systems. Researchers William J. Gordon and Adam Landman from Brigham and Women's Hospital authored a perspective piece that addresses the growing threat of attacks on information systems and the potential implications on public . "Nearly 90% of care organizations ... suffered a data breach in the past 2 years; meanwhile, 64% of organizations reported a successful attack targeting medical files in 2016 -- a 9% increase in just 1 year," the authors wrote. "If we acknowledge the public health implications of information security, we can improve dialogue, implement necessary protections, and minimize the impact on patient care," they concluded. The study appears in the New England Journal of Medicine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Thursday said the process for extradition of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya is underway. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the matter with British Prime Minister (Theresa May) during their meeting on the sidelines of G-20," Baglay said. "The fact that the Prime Minister raised the matter shows the importance India attaches to the issue," he added. In a June hearing at London court, in a major setback to India, the court expressed surprise that New Delhi has not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks. The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail, since his arrest in April in London. The Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 6 heard the extradition case of Mallya and set the next date for September 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's former envoy to the United States Husain Haqqani has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to take a tough stand against Pakistan if Washington wants to secure Afghanistan's trust. In an opinion piece titled 'To Win Afghanistan, Get Tough on Pakistan' for The New York Times, Ambassador Haqqani says, "Although the Taliban are said to control or contest 40 percent of Afghanistan's territory, Taliban leaders operate from the safety of Pakistan". He said President Trump must now consider alternatives as Washington's incentives to Pakistan since the September 11 terror attacks have failed to dissuade the latter from stopping its support to the Taliban and other terror elements. Ambassador Haqqani opines that for Islamabad, the alliance with the United States has been more about securing weapons, economic aid and diplomatic support in its confrontation with India. He said both the U.S. and Pakistan have disappointed each other because of divergence in their interests in South Asia. "The George W. Bush administration erred in ignoring the regrouping of the Taliban in Pakistan after their defeat in Afghanistan in the aftermath of Sept. 11, considering Pakistan's cooperation in capturing some Qaeda figures as sufficient evidence of its alliance with the United States. President Barack Obama's administration tried to deal with a resurgent Taliban with a surge in troop numbers for a specific period. Mr. Obama deployed armed drones to strike at Taliban targets inside Pakistan, but that proved insufficient in dealing with the leadership living in the Pakistani cities of Quetta and Peshawar," he writes. "Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's former military dictator, had secretly authorised the drone strikes, and some of the drones operated from bases inside Pakistan - a policy that continued under his civilian successors. Under his rule, Pakistan audaciously denied having anything to do with the Afghan Taliban or its most sinister component, the Haqqani network," Ambassador Haqqani adds. He noted that the United States had presented evidence of Pakistan's links to Afghan militants just as the country transitioned from military to civilian rule in 2008. As Pakistan's ambassador to the United States at that time, Haqqani says he had urged Pakistan's civil and military leaders to engage with Americans honestly instead of sticking to blanket denials. "Islamabad's response was to argue that Pakistan does, indeed, support insurgents in Afghanistan, but it does so because of security concerns about India, which is seen by generals and many civilian leaders as an existential threat to Pakistan. But that excuse is based on exaggerations and falsehoods. India has no offensive military presence in Afghanistan and there has never been any evidence that the Afghans are willing to be part of India's alleged plan for a two-front war with Pakistan, he said. The former Pakistani envoy further said that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani recently asked India to train Afghan military officers and repair military aircraft after frustration with Pakistan, as it had failed to fulfil promises of restraining the Taliban and forcing them to the negotiating table. He said that Pakistan's leaders question Afghanistan's acceptance of economic assistance from India even though Pakistan does not have the capacity to provide such aid itself. "It seems that Pakistan wants to keep alive imaginary fears, possibly to maintain military ascendancy in a country that has been ruled by generals for almost half of its existence. For years, Pakistani officials falsely asserted that India had set up 24 consulates in Afghanistan, some close to the Pakistani border. In fact, India has only four consulates, the same number Pakistan has, in Afghanistan," Haqqani said. He said while evidence of an Indian threat to Pakistan through Afghanistan remains scant, proof of the presence of Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan continues to mount as Mullah Omar, the Taliban's leader, reportedly died in a Pakistani hospital in 2013 and his successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was killed in an American drone strike in Balochistan last year. He urged the U.S. to not let Pakistan link its longstanding support for hard-line Pashtun Islamists in Afghanistan to its disputes with India. Haqqani said linking the outcome in Afghanistan to resolution of India-Pakistan issues would keep the United States embroiled there for a very long time. "The recent rise in Islamophobia in India and a more aggressive stance against Pakistan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not detract from recognising the paranoiac nature of Pakistan's fears" he said. "The Bush administration gave Pakistan $12.4 billion in aid, and the Obama administration forked over $21 billion. These incentives did not make Pakistan more amenable to cutting off support for the Afghan Taliban," he added. Haqqani also urged the Trump Administration to consider taking away Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, which would limit its priority access to American military technology, saying that aid to Pakistan should be linked to a sequence and timeline for specific actions against Taliban leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday chaired a review meeting with officials on Assam floods here. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said that the Central Government is ready to extend every possible assistance to the people who have been affected by the tragic floods in the state and adjoining areas in the north-east, adding people are receiving food supplies on time. "The Central Government is ready to extend as much possible assistance to those affected. I met people in the relief camps and they informed that they are receiving food supply from the government on time. We will do assessment and submit a report soon," Sonowal told the media here. On his visit to the Kaziranga Park, he said that there are two veterinary doctors at the moment to take care of animals' health. "We have not lagged behind in giving reliefs to the public as being alleged by the Opposition," he added. Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Development of North-eastern Region, Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space Jitendra Singh has also assured proper coordination to provide all necessary assistance to the flood-hit areas. "Spoke to CM Arunachal Pradesh Sh @PemaKhanduBJP .Coordinating to provide all necessary flood relief assistance. @PMOIndia @MDoNER_India," Singh tweeted. The locals have been shifted to safer places after massive inundation in Assam following incessant rains causing floods. Earlier yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the current flood situation in various parts of the north-eastern region and assured all possible help to combat the situation. Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter to express solidarity with the people of the north-east and asserted that the entire nation stands by the people of the affected region. "I am anguished by the situation arising due to floods in various parts of the Northeast. I share the pain of all those affected by floods. The entire nation stands with the people of Northeast during this time. Centre assures all possible help to normalise the situation," tweeted the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Modi further said that he had spoken to Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MoS home Kiren Rijiju in the regard. "I have spoken to Arunachal Pradesh CM @PemaKhanduBJP & other officials both in Delhi & the states on the flood situation," Prime Minister Modi said. "I have also asked my colleague @KirenRijiju to personally supervise the rescue, relief operations & facilitate all possible help needed," he added. Sonowal, earlier on Tuesday, had paid a visit to Lahorighat of the state's Morigaon district and took stock of the measures that the Water Resources Department has taken so far to control the menace. He directed the department to take immediate steps to contain erosion. Sonowal convened a high-level meeting at the circuit house, Morigaon, and reviewed the situation emanated from flood and erosion in the district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron is set to give United States President Donald Trump, who will be the guest of honour at this year's Bastille Day parade, a grandeur welcome during his 24-hour visit to Paris. The Guardian has reported that Macron would be taking Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the Eiffel Tower for dinner. Trump will be shown French military pomp, Emperor Napoleon's tomb, and served blue lobster and caviar. Centrist French President Macron has extended Trump the invitation to attend the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs Elysees in spite of the latter pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate deal earlier this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of External affairs on Thursday rubbished claims of Pakistan media hinting use of chemical weapons in Kashmir. MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Thursday said, "The claims are completely baseless and incorrect. India is against the use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world." "It was quite surprising to see that what the Government of Pakistan is talking about. They have taken the leaf out of the book of Lashkar-e-Taiba on those ridiculous comments. The government is taking its cue from an internationally banned terrorist organisation," he added. Pakistan earlier last week alleged that the Indian security forces are using ammunition containing chemical agents in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan is using the narco-terror network Lashkar-e-Khorasan for ethnic cleansing, an American war veteran who has seen action in Afghanistan and Iraq, has said. In his article published in Family Security Matters, US Army Reserve Col. (Retired) Lawrence Sellin says this outfit kills in the name of religion and operates with the approval of Islamabad. "Lashkar-e-Khorasan is part of a narco-terrorist network, fueled by the opium trade and operates with the tacit approval of the Pakistan government," says Sellin in his article titled "Pakistan Uses Islamic State for opium-fuelled ethnic cleansing". He opines that there are countless home-grown Pakistani Islamic terrorist groups that have emerged from the Sunni-Shia conflict, but recognising the usefulness of proxies, the Pakistan government has nurtured and deployed them to quell all forms of nationalist and ethnic unrest at home and also incorporated them as an element of its foreign policy, to carry out attacks India and Afghanistan. Col. (Retired) Sellin further states in his article that the designated role of the Lashkar-e-Khorasan in southwest Balochistan has been to kill members of the secular independence movement and cleanse Balochistan of Sufi Zikris, Shia Hazaras, Hindus, Christians, Ahahmadis, Sikhs or anyone else who refuses to convert to the extreme form of Sunni Islam. He further explains that the web of relationships between the Pakistan Government, Lashkar-e-Khorasan and drug traffickers is more complex. He says that the leader of Lashkar-e-Khorasan is Mullah Shahmir Bizenjo, resident of Turbat and the son of Aziz Bizenjo, whose cousin is National Party President and Senator Hasil Bizenjo, currently Pakistan's Minister for Ports and Shipping. The Daily Beast claims that one of the drug world's most notorious opium traffickers, also from Turbat, is Imam Bizenjo aka Imam Bheel, a National Party financier, whose son, Yaqoob Bizenjo, served as a member of the Pakistan National Assembly until 2013. This region of southwest Pakistan is a major transit point for opium originating in Afghanistan reaching Gwadar and other ports on the Makran coast for worldwide distribution, all under the supervision of a relative of the Lashkar-e-Khorasan leader. The Pakistan Frontier Corps have reportedly provided the outfit operating bases and whose soldiers have acted as reinforcements for Lashkar-e-Khorasan when it has been under assault by Baloch secular nationalists. He suggests that support for the secular Balochistan independence movement would be a wiser alternative for Washington to help stop the spread of narco-terrorism than to continue to give Pakistan billions of dollars in aid, while it works against American interests in Afghanistan and supports jihadi criminals within its own borders. It also makes no sense for the Central Intelligence Agency to fund directly Pakistani terrorist groups simply for pinprick attacks on Iran, he adds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Thursday said that is has not received any information, through its diplomatic channels, from Pakistan regarding giving consular access to former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Yadav, who was awarded death sentence of espionage by a military court. Briefing the media here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that there has been no progress in providing visas so far for Jadhav's mother from the Pakistani side. "In terms of Consular access to Jadhav, I think there is no progress on that and also for the visas for the family, including the mother, I think there is no change in the position. So far no information is with us," Baglay said. Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that the authorities are considering the request of Jadhav's mother to grant her a visa so that she could visit her son in prison. In April this year, India had requested Islamabad to facilitate Pakistan visas for Jadhav's family to meet him. Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year from Balochistan allegedly for espionage attributes. He was later awarded death sentence by a Pakistani military court. India had then moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the death penalty and in its verdict on May 18 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistani Foreign Office on Thursday said that they are considering the External Affairs Ministry's request of granting visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother. According to the Express Tribune, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria has confirmed the news. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, earlier on Monday, took on Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz for not entertaining the request for visa to the mother of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death for alleged espionage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top U.S. lawmaker has described Pakistan as America's ugliest ally, as on the one hand Islamabad proclaims to be a friend of Washington, but on the other, backs terrorists and terrorism. In an opinion piece titled 'Pakistan's Long History of Duplicity' that has been published in the Washington Times, Senator Ted Poe, a Republican who represents Texas's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Pakistan must be held accountable for continuously working against the interests of the United States. He said there are three kinds of allies that the United States has -- the 'good', the 'bad' and the 'ugly'. Poe said the good allies are the ones who share common interests and values with America. The bad ones are those who often sponsor terrorism, undermine America's goals, and flaunt their disdain of the United States, and the ugly are countries like Pakistan who take billions of dollars in aid from the United States and simultaneously back the terrorists responsible for killing Americans worldwide. He describes countries like Pakistan historically as a "Benedict Arnold". Benedict Arnold was a general during the American Revolutionary War of the 1770's who originally fought for the American Continental Army, but later defected to the British Army. "The Benedict Arnold of states that say they are our friends, take billions in U.S. aid, then back the very terrorists that are killing Americans. The ugliest of the bunch is Pakistan," writes Poe in his article for the Washington Times. "The U.S. has been reluctant to cut ties or meaningfully confront Pakistan over its treachery because the supply line that keeps the coalition fed and equipped in Afghanistan runs through Pakistan." "However, this key link does not come free and has even been severed by Pakistan on multiple occasions after violent incidents between their forces and our own," alleges Poe. Poe, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade, further said, "Pakistan has a long duplicitous relationship with the U.S. Throughout most of the Cold War, America and Pakistan worked closely to contain Soviet advances in South Asia. This working relationship peaked in the 1980's when the CIA and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, partnered to bleed the Soviet Union in Afghanistan by providing covert assistance to the Afghan anti-communist rebels." "But even as the U.S. bolstered Pakistan's own defenses, Islamabad was covertly developing a nuclear weapons program that it would later use to proliferate nuclear technology to Libya, North Korea and Iran - the who's who of bad actors," he added. Referring to Pakistan's backing of militants in Afghanistan, The U.S. Congressman said that Islamabad continued to back militants in the country, and this had given rise to the Taliban and al Qaeda "In this jihadi paradise cultivated by Pakistan, al Qaeda was able to take shape and plan its war on the United States," he said. Poe added, "it was clear Pakistan had been playing U.S. for fools". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K. brought Indian poetry to Medellin International Poetry Festival in Colombia. He read Delhi, Flower Girl of Delhi, Barbarians are finally here, and Borges among other poems at the festival which were translated into Spanish by the festival organisers. Abhay is an invited guest poet representing Indian poetry this year at one of the world's largest poetry festivals in Latin America, now in its 27th year at the city of Medellin in Colombia. Last year, Keki Daruwalla had represented Indian poetry at the festival. For Medellin's Indian connection, the city has a large following of Mahatma Gandhi and a large part of him adorns a prominent public space here. Medellin, also known as the city of eternal spring, is hosting the eight-day-long poetry festival this year, with a participation of more than 100 poets from over 50 countries. The festival kicked off on July 8 at a public square and was attended by thousands. Poetry readings over the week are scheduled in public theatres, hospitals, universities and school across Colombia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today dedicated BML Munjal University to the nation, calling it 'one of the finest private universities in the country'. The President commended the University for its efforts towards research and innovation and hands-on and cross-disciplinary learning. This vote of confidence from the President for the university shows that the university has become a beacon for emerging private institutions in the country, expected to emerge as a landmark institution. Speaking on the occasion, the President said, "I am happy to dedicate BML Munjal University to the nation. In less than 10 years from now, nearly 140 million people will be in the college-going age group. The onus is on the higher-education institutions to prepare students to be globally relevant and sensitive to the needs of socio-economy. Shri Brijmohan Lall Munjal knew the importance of learning skills and the value of being practical. True to this philosophy, BMU has been modelled on the principle of practicality, which is unique in India's higher education landscape today. I hope that such an effort is emulated by others venturing into this noble field. Albert Einstein said' "I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. BML Munjal University provides a fine learning environment and as the saying goes, the mind grows by what it feeds on." Founded by The Hero Group and mentored by Imperial College London, BML Munjal University has been approved by the UGC under section 2(F) of UGC Act, 1956. The University has also received recognition of Scientific and Industrial Research Organisations (SIROs) from DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology. Dr. S. K. Munjal, Chancellor of BML Munjal University said, "On behalf of BML Munjal University I am extremely grateful to get this recognition and honour from the honorable President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee today. Research, development and application are the need of the hour and these are the most important components of the eco-system of BML Munjal University. The requirement of today's educational system is to focus on innovation and research, and India's education system will have to take on the challenge of tapping its 'demographic dividend'. I echo the hon'ble President's views that research-led education is fundamental to nation-building. In developing countries the research universities have crucial roles to play in creating differentiated and effective academic systems and in making it possible for their countries to join the global knowledge society." "We are committed to our mission of nation-building and empowering the youth. The universities of the future must become pillars of growth and development of a nation that churn out not only intelligent minds but also develop students with strong intellect. Our universities must be transformed into sites of active learning and research which can act as launch pads for innovation and path-breaking ideas. We have established BMU on this premise." Mr. Akshay Munjal, President of BML Munjal University further added. BMU is distinct in its unique curriculum and pedagogy, which is exemplified by up to 45% practical hands-on learning component in its programmes. Collaborations with renowned universities such as Imperial College London (which is BMU's academic mentor), Singapore Management University, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland (USA), and corporates such as Axis Bank, Intel, IBM, KPMG, Siemens and Shell have allowed students to get a perspective on global trends in education and the contemporary professional world. The University focuses on inter-disciplinary learning, R&D and innovation, along with specialized courses in Engineering, Data Analytics and Forensic Accounting. BMU fosters a unique learning environment that nurtures the spirit of enquiry, creativity, problem solving, entrepreneurship and innovation. The curriculum inculcates a raft of values, job and life skills. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defending champion Andy Murray, who suffered a shocking exit at the Wimbledon at Wednesday after struggling with hip issues in the latter stages of his quarter-final loss against American Sam Querrey, admitted taking a break was not out of the question and did not blame the injury for his defeat. The world number one slumped to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Querrey in the contest that lasted for two hours and 41 minutes on the Centre Court. Instead Murray praised the 28th-ranked American, saying that Querrey's game is tailor made for grass, but that he's also made adjustments to utilise his strengths even further on the surface. "I think he's played well this tournament. He's looking to be aggressive. With the strengths and power that he has, it gives him the best chance to do well in these events," the ATP website quoted Murray as saying. The Brit had arrived at the All England Club feeling the effects of his right hip problem. However, Murray admitted that once he knew playing through the pain wouldn't affect his plans for the American hard-court season, he wanted to do everything possible to defend his Wimbledon crown. "I knew I wasn't going to do any major damage by playing. We were looking at short-term solutions because you want to play Wimbledon. You want to play all of the Slams and give your best effort there," said Murray. "I managed to get through a bunch of matches and did okay. Now I'll sit down with my team and look a bit longer term, come up with a plan for what I have to do next." "I've been a little bit sore the whole tournament, but I tried my best right to the end. I'm proud about that. It's disappointing to lose at Wimbledon. There's obviously an opportunity there, so I'm sad that it's over," he added. After Murray's defeat, world number four Novak Djokovic could have reclaimed the numero one spot by winning the title. However, the three-time champion succumbed to a right-elbow injury to send Tomas Berdych through to his third Wimbledon semi-final. Djokovic came into the match with a 25-2 head-to-head record against Berdych but retired while trailing 7-6(2), 2-0 on No.1 Court. The result meant that Murray would hold on his current number one ATP ranking. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has informed his cabinet that he will not resign and has challenged his opponents to bring forth proof of "corruption of a single paisa against his family and termed the joint investigation team's report a pack of "allegations and speculations". While addressing his cabinet in Islamabad, Sharif announced that he will not resign as the prime minister on anyone's call, as the cabinet members suggested that he fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. As the opposition has threatened to launch a campaign for his removal,the Prime Minister responded to Opposition demands saying that the PML-N had bagged more votes than those of the opposition parties combined."The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," the Dawn quoted him as saying. Sharif sternly challenged his opponents to bring forth proof of "corruption of a single paisa" since 1985 against his family and claimed that all allegations levelled by the JIT in its report were related tohis family's business dealings,saying his family had "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot,"the Dawn reported. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be forced to quit if he did not resign voluntarily as Sharif had no moral or legal ground to stay in power. "Our message for the PM is very clear. Stop hurling threats and quit the post. There is no other option for him," the PPP leader said. The Opposition also requisitioned a fresh session of the Senate and the National Assembly so that it could demand withdrawal of Prime Minister Sharif's membership in the lower house. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf has apologised for his recent erratic behaviour after he was arrested for disorderly conduct. The 31-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared a note where he wrote he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions in a message posted on social media. He wrote, "I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and will make no excuse for it. I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me." The post continued, "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom." According to the TMZ, the arrest included a racist rant, in which the actor accuses the police of being racist, or "a black man arrested me for being white. "He also yelled at a black cop, "you're going to hell, straight to hell, bro." The actor was taken into custody by the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police in Georgia during the early morning hours on July 8 after he lashed out at a bystander for refusing to give him a cigarette. LaBeouf was later released on a 7000 USD bond. In May, the actor was sued for defamation and assault for swearing and yelling at a bartender in a Studio City bowling alley after being refused a drink, because he appeared to be too intoxicated. The 'Fury' star concluded the post by writing: "I have been struggling with addiction publically for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday left for Bangladesh for a three-day state visit at the invitation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During the visit, President Sirisena will hold bilateral meetings with his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid as well as the Prime Minister. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Health Minister, Speaker as well as the Opposition Leader, reports the Colombo Page. This is Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since he was elected to office in 2015. The President will hold bilateral discussions on strengthening cooperation in the fields of the trade and commerce, maritime, education, tourism, fisheries and health as well as the ways to promote investments between the two countries. During the state visit, the two countries are expected to sign several bilateral agreements in the fields of agriculture, education, training of diplomats and Immigration and Emigration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A handout picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on July 12, 2017, shows Saudi's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud (R) greeting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ahead of their meeting in Jeddah. [Photo/VCG] RIYADH - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met on Wednesday in Jeddah the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and discussed the Qatar crisis, Al Arabiya local news reported. The visit of the US official is part of a tour to Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to find a solution to the current regional rifts. He also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, the four countries boycotting Qatar, in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues. They also discussed means for the elimination of terrorism and its financers. The four countries stressed adherence to their collective stand and measures taken against Qatar in light of claims about its violation of international laws and norms. The boycott is the four countries' first measure against what they believed of Qatar's support for terrorism and extremism and its interference in the Arab states' internal affairs and threatening their peace and security both nationally and internationally. A day after two Indian Army soldiers were killed in ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran Sector, defence experts said strong retribution was the only way to teach a lesson to Pakistan."A strong retribution is the only answer to the Pakistan. Two jawans were killed in Keran Sector. This is something which India is not going to tolerate. Pakistan should understand one thing that India is not going to keep quiet," defence expert Shiwalee Deshpande told ANI. She further said that map of Pakistan from world will be vanished soon as India would retaliate very strongly to hammer the Islamabad.Defence expert Sunil Deshpande expressed grief over the death of the soldiers and said India would give a befitting reply to Pakistan. "Unfortunately we lost two soldiers in ceasefire violation in Keran sector. We salute them. We must react and I am sure Indian Army will react. The army should decide on their own when and where to strike," he told ANI. Two soldiers lost their lives in firing by Pakistan near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran Sector of Kupwara district on Wednesday afternoon.The incident comes a day after security forces gunned down three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in Budgam 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The textile traders in Varanasi shut down handlooms and powerlooms in protest against inclusion of weavers in Goods and Service Tax (GST). The agitation has been going on for three days. Earlier this month, traders in Uttar Pradesh staged protests against the implementation of the GST, closing down markets, and, in Kanpur, stopping a train. While some major wholesale markets in Allahabad, Kanpur and Varanasi remained totally closed, many organisations seemed to be divided on the issue. Meanwhile, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal said that a lot of people have wrong interpretations about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of 'One Nation, One Tax,' and hence, the GST has created a lot of chaos among the business community. Talking to the media on Thursday, he said that the tension is understandable when a huge change like the GST takes place in a country. He said that GST will help the work of making the economy strong, successful and honest. "As the GST has been implemented, I think people should start registering and working, so that we can come to know at what places. The bill needs more improvement," he 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.) As the Pakistani Foreign Office yesterday said that they are considering the External Affairs Ministry's request of granting visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that Pakistan is violating the human rights and international communities must take cognizance into this matter. Talking to ANI, BJP leader Zafar Islam said, "Pakistan's conduct, approach in this particular case is known to everyone. Pakistan is violating the human rights. Pakistan must avoid such things and grant visa to Jadhav's mother. International community must come together and take cognizance as Pakistan is violating human rights in this matter." Another party leader Gaurav Bhatia said that Pakistan is duty bound to provide consular access to the Indian Government to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav. "Pakistan is duty bound to provide consular access to the Indian Government to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has appealed to the Pakistani government to consider granting visa to the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistan should at least give consular access and the legal rights that are available to Kulbhushan Jadhav," Bhatia said. According to Pakistani media, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria on Thursday said they were considering granting a visa to the mother of Jadhav on Sushma Swaraj's request. External affairs minister spokesperson GopalBaglay, however, said there has been no change in position on providing consular access and visa for Jadhav's mother. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, earlier on Monday, castigated Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz for not entertaining the request for visa to the mother of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At meeting held on 13 July 2017 The Board of Directors of Epic Energy has decided shifting of registered office within the local limit from '119, Patilwadi, Office No. 1 to 3,Near Rabale Railway Station, Rabale (West), Navi Mumbai-400701 to Office No. 1, Ground Floor, 'SUNSHINE WILLOWS', Plot No. 18, Sector-8, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai-400701,Maharashtra. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region and Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) of Panjab University today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Industry-Academia partnership. Speaking on the occasion, H E Shri V P Singh bandore, Hon'ble Governor - Punjab & Administrator, U T Chandigarh, said, This historic MoU between CII and CRIKC will help in bridging the skill gap and will also open doors to a win-win situation for both sectors which form the foundation of a progressive Nation. By taking advantage of new technologies and by collaborating with the industry forces, we can build a new model of education and create a supportive ecosystem to shape a new way of working and learning. India needs young graduates with innovative thinking to develop and manufacture new products to address the challenges faced by the industry and society. It is time to strengthen our higher education system so that students are adequately prepared to succeed in an evolving world. The MoU signed envisages that a 'CRIKC-CII (NR) Industry-Academia (I-A) Board' will be created to prepare a roadmap and devise governance model to promote partnership programmes between the research and educational institutes in Chandigarh region and industries represented by CII-NR. The Board shall endeavor to undertake a number of activities such as creation of 'Industry-Academia Interfaces', Submit collaborative Research-Projects to public and private funding agencies, Set up of Industry sponsored Chairs, Scholarships, Fellowships, laboratories at institutes in Chandigarh region, etc. The Board will also organize Industry-Academia Collaborative Workshops/ Seminars/ Conferences/ Showcasing and Networking Meets, Design competitions etc. to evolve new ideas and support the best for addressing industrial challenges and setting up Start Up, Entrepreneurship and Skill development programmes. Prof Arun Kumar Grover, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh and President Governing Body, CRIKC, said, Linkages must be formed between government, industry and institutions for exchange of best practices and training for students, especially in medical education. Industry and academia can implement new age ideas such as interchangeability of roles like in foreign nations. There is a need to align industry manpower needs with the skilling initiatives underway and improve the employability of the working population. We need to adopt a more practical and applied approach to boost the value of today's higher education system and most importantly help prepare students for life after class. Dr Dinesh Dua, Chairman, Regional Committee on Higher Education, CII Northern Region & Immediate Past Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council & CEO & Director, Nectar Lifesciences Ltd, said, With bold & dynamic initiatives of Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi for Make in India, Skill India & Digital India, there is greater emphasis on Industry - Academia Collaboration as a pathway to innovation to spearhead invention which will directly guide industry both ways to excel particularly in the field of Make in India. Academia is at the centre of developing trends. However, there is a gap between universities and industry that needs to be bridged by academia and professionals as individuals and as a community of practitioners. Understanding the importance of knowledge cluster, CII desires to work in tandem with CRIKC. Such an alliance will boost the R&D of industries and also help in enhancing the educational skills of their employees. CII strongly believes that the country cannot achieve the universalization of education without the efforts of the private sector. Mr Rohit Grover, Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council and Director, JREW Engineering Ltd, said, It is imperative to facilitate greater interactions between the education institutes and corporates and make students job-ready before being inducted into the corporate world. As corporates are best positioned to understand the specific needs of each sector, there is a significant opportunity for Corporate-Institute collaboration which can maximise value output for all - students, corporate and institutes. CII has decided to undertake this initiative with CRIKC to ensure that we take this initiative forwards systematically & in a sustained manner. Mr Babu Khan, Regional Director, CII Northern region, said, This MoU between CII and CRIKC on Industry-Academia Partnership is the next step in strategizing the interdependent processes and crafting employable youth. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi today to establish India's first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) TISC program. The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India. WIPO's Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based, high quality technology information and related services, helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, and manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). Services offered by TISCs include: Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications; Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information; Training in database search; On-demand searches (novelty, state-of-the-art and infringement); Monitoring technology and competitors; Basic information on industrial property laws, management and strategy, and technology commercialization and marketing. The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal Point for the TISC national network. As the national focal point, CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions, assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC program. CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network. Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions an access to the global network. In upcoming years, CIPAM is planning to establish TISCs in Universities, State Science Councils, R&D institutions etc. TISC will give an impetus to knowledge sharing, sharing of best practices among the TISCs, capacity building, generation and commercialization of IPs. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With 1.3 billion people, India is the world's third largest consumer of electricity. Over 450 million ceiling fans are in use and 40 million sold each year, but 240 million people still have no legal electricity connection. Demand for electricity is growing at the same rate as in France or Germany as millions of people in rural or impoverished areas seek access to power in their homes and workplaces. With a sweeping commitment to solar power, innovative solutions and energy efficiency initiatives to supply its people with 24x7 electricity by 2030, India is emerging as a front runner in the global fight against climate change. The World Bank is committed to supporting Indias solar energy push. The Bank is providing more than $1 billion to support Indias solar plans, starting with a Grid Connected Rooftop Solar project that aims to put solar panels on rooftops across the country, and 100MW of energy has already been financed through this project. Exactly a year ago, on June 30, 2016, the institution signed an agreement with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), consisting of 121 countries led by India, to collaborate on increasing solar energy use around the world and mobilize $1 trillion in investments by 2030. With its conscious choice to use significantly more clean energy to fuel its growth, India is contributing to global efforts to save the planet from the effects of climate change. Just a few weeks ago, the country also walked away from plans to install nearly 14 GW of coal-fired power plants, largely because it is as affordable now to generate electricity with solar power as it is to use fossil fuels. In India and beyond, solar power is starting to displace coal as an energy source. The cost of electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) is currently a quarter of what it was in 2009 and is set to fall another 66% by 2040. That means, a dollar will buy 2.3 times as much solar energy in 2040 than it does today. With nearly 300 days of sunshine every year, India has among the best conditions in the world to capture and use solar energy. Clearly, the market agrees, as is evident from the significant drop in the cost of solar power. In its latest solar auction, the country achieved a record low tariff of INR 2.44/unit (4 cents/unit) for a project in the desert state of Rajasthan. The Indian government is setting ambitious targets that include 160 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar by 2022. Not only will this help hundreds of million people light their homes it will also enable children to study at night, provide families with refrigerators to preserve their food or TVs to entertain themselves after a long day of work. It is also an incentive for international firms to invest in India's solar market. The Bank is also working with India on solar parks, innovative solutions to store solar power and support for mini grids. The institutions backing will increase the availability of private financing, introduce new technologies, and enable the development of common infrastructure to support privately developed solar parks across India. The World Bank financing, routed through State Bank of India (SBI), is the first time that a dedicated institutional financing has been made available for rooftop solar power plants, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Founder and MD& CEO of Amplus Solar. "This financing will help in expeditious adoption of distributed solar by Indian consumers and will act as a significant catalyst for the growth of the rooftop solar sector in India. We will continue to work with World Bank and SBI to create innovative credit structures so that benefits of this attractive financing scheme will reach the maximum number of consumers." In turning to solar, India has sought creative solutions to challenges such as limited land availability to host solar panels for a rapidly growing population. It must go beyond what Morocco has done, for instance, with its concentrated solar power that requires large tracts of land to set up giant mirrors and lenses. So, in addition to its solar parks, India is installing solar panels on rooftops and floating solar platforms on rivers and other bodies of water. It also has ambitious plans to only sell electric cars by 2030. India's greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to keep increasing at least until 2030 V something it is working hard to change with serious energy efficiency measures. The Bank is also supporting India's UJALA program, through which the country has distributed more than 241 million LED bulbs, making it the largest and the first zero-subsidy national LED lighting program in the world. Residential consumers can get LED bulbs from UJALA distribution centers or through participating retailers and pay upfront or in smaller installments, which make the bulbs more accessible for poorer customers. The program has helped save more than 6,000 MW of energy and resulted in a 25-million ton reduction in CO2 emissions per year. India plans to replace all of its 770 million incandescent bulbs with LEDs by 2019. Other countries in the region are also adopting clean energy measures with support from the Bank. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On conversion of warrants The Board of Directors of Patel Integrated Logistics at its meeting held on 12 July 2017 inter alia approved allotment of 6,49,311 Equity Shares of face value of Rs.10/- each on conversion of same no. of Convertible Equity Warrants fully paid up at an issue price for Rs. 115/- (including premium of Rs.105/-) per Equity Warrant by the Company on preferential basis to Strategic Investor, Frontline Strategy, a company registered in Mauritius, not forming part of the Promoter Group of the Company in terms of SEBI (ICDR) Regulations, 2009 and as per special resolution passed by the members at their Extra Ordinary General Meeting held on 28 December 2015. Consequent to such allotment, the Paid-up Equity Share Capital of the Company has increased from Rs.15,88,66,120/- consisting of 1,58,86,612 equity shares of Rs.10/- each to Rs. 16,53,59,230/- consisting of 1,65,35,923 equity shares of Rs.10/- each. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In response to its detailed reply submitted in October 2016 Vista Pharmaceuticals announced that the Company has been issued a warning letter by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), in response to its detailed reply submitted in October 2016. The Company will respond with complete details of remedial action to USFDA before the stipulated date. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On 31 July 2017 Walchand Peoplefirst will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 31 July 2017, to consider the un-audited Financial Results for the quarter ended 30th June 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said the overwhelming condemnation of the Amarnath terror attack by Kashmiris has proved that the eclectic culture and tradition known as 'Kashmiriyat' is alive. Mehbooba Mufti was speaking to the media after paying homage to the martyrs of 1931, who laid down their lives fighting the autocratic rule in the state. She said despite the atmosphere of fear and terror created by militancy, Kashmiris cutting across political and ideological divide have overwhelmingly condemned the terror attack. Militants sprayed bullets on an unescorted private bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims in the Khanabal area of Anantnag district on the Jammu-Srinagar highway killing seven pilgrims and injuring 19 others on Monday. Early on Thursday, the Chief Minister arrived at the Martyrs graveyard in Khanyar area of the old city here. She was accompanied by senior Ministers of the ruling PDP. A guard of honour was presented by a contingent of the state police at the martyrs grave and floral tributes were paid. Former Chief Minister and National Conference working President Omar Abdullah and chief of state Congress G.A. Mir also arrived later to offer tributes to the martyrs. On July 13, 1931, 21 people were killed in a firing by the forces outside the Srinagar Central Jail, where an in-camera trial of Abdul Qadeer, a freedom fighter, was being held. The crowd had stormed the central jail against the detention of Qadeer when the firing incident took place. Extraordinary security arrangements were made around the Martyrs graveyard as the Khanyar area of the old city is adjacent to Nowhatta where tension was witnessed on Wednesday because of the killing of a Hizbul militant, Sajad Ahmad Gilkar. Gilkar, belonging to Pandan area of Nowhatta, was killed along with two other Hizbul militants in Redbug village of Badgam district on Wednesday. Police has said Gilkar was responsible for the lynching of Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Ayub Pandit on June 23 outside the Jamia Masjid just days ahead of Eid. Police said after masterminding the police officer's lynching, Gilkar had joined the ranks of the Hizbul outfit. --IANS sq/in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming the recent attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims as "most unfortunate", actor Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday condemned the incident. Khan, who was in Ludhiana, Punjab, in connection with the shooting of a song for director Imtiaz Ali's film "Jab Harry Met Sejal", told media that such attacks were condemnable. "These kind of attacks will not lessen the religious beliefs of people, but further strengthen them," the actor said. Six women were among seven people killed in the terrorist attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims near Anantnag in south Kashmir on Monday evening. The song is being shot at Jhande village on the outskirts of this industrial city. --IANS js/vgu/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apple, in partnership with a local data management firm, is set to open its first data centre in China that complies with new laws that require global companies to store user data information within the country. According to a report in The New York Times on Wednesday, the data centre would let Apple "improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations". Apple added that there would be no "back doors" inside its data centre to let the Chinese officials access users' data. According to the report, the data centre would help Apple take on local smartphone rivals. It would also help the tech giant offer its iOS services in a better and efficient way in the country. The new data centre, part of a $1 billion investment by Apple, is planned in the city of Guizhou. To boost local talent, Apple recently announced it would invest $508 million in China to build two additional Research and Development centres in Shanghai and Suzhou. Apple's gets most of its products manufactured in China and also sources its best electronics engineers from the there. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently defended globalisation in a rare public speech at the China Development Forum, an annual conference. Cook also touched on cyber security and user privacy, both highly sensitive subjects in China. --IANS na/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand's Principal Commissioner of Income Tax Tapas Kumar Dutta, arrested for corruption, was on Thursday remanded to four days' CBI custody. This came after Dutta, who was arrested on Wednesday night, was presented in the CBI court here. The CBI earlier conducted raids at 23 locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with the case. The agency had on Wednesday morning carried out raids at 18 residential and office premises of Dutta and other accused in Kolkata and five places in Ranchi. This followed the seizure of Rs 3.5 crore in cash and five kg of gold from the premises owned by Dutta. The CBI filed a FIR against Dutta, posted in Ranchi, and three colleagues -- Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Arvind Kumar, Income Tax Officer Ranjeet Kumar Lal and Income Tax Officer (Tech) identified only as Ganguly -- following allegations of criminal conspiracy. The four officials of the Income Tax department, along with five businessmen and a Chartered Accountant, have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct. Dutta and his colleagues were accused of favouring five Kolkata-based businessmen -- identified as Biswanath Agarwal, Santosh Chowdhury, Aakash Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal and Arvind Agarwal -- and their companies by taking illegal gratification. "During 2016 and 2017, Dutta entered into a criminal conspiracy with other Income Tax officials, the (five) businessmen, infamous entry operators and the Chartered Accountant for getting Income Tax assessment files of different assessee companies transferred from Kolkata and Hazaribagh to Ranchi for providing undue favour to those who had been charged with heavy tax liability in lieu of huge bribes," Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesperson R.K. Gaur told IANS earlier. The official also said that Dutta issued favourable orders in the case of private companies, which had paid a huge bribe. --IANS ns/amit/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to enhance operational efficiency, the Home Ministry has given approval for a full-fledged Intelligence Wing in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), mandated to guard the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders. Approval to create 650 combatised posts for the intelligence set-up was received by the 96,500-strong SSB on Tuesday, a Ministry official said. The 650 posts in various ranks range from battalion to headquarters levels. SSB Director General Archana Ramasundaram directed for the early creation of the approved intelligence set-up. She expressed confidence that it will markedly improve the SSB's performance in the times to come. The Intelligence Wing personnel would be deployed on the 1,751-km India-Nepal and 699-km India-Bhutan borders where there are no restrictions on the movement of people on either side. The areas comprise densely populated foothills and plains, thick jungles, under developed regions, and inhospitable terrains. The official said the Intelligence Wing was required due to cross-border movement of criminals and anti-national elements in the context of visa-free regime on these borders. As most of the stretches of the border are infested with ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) activities, Indian insurgent groups, Left Wing Extremism, fundamentalists, smugglers of arms and ammunition, narcotics, Indian Fake Currency and human traffickers, the wing will really help in keeping a proper tab on these activities, he said. "The SSB has been declared as the Lead Intelligence Agency for both these borders. Thus, a well-knit intelligence network of the highest capabilities was needed. This is quite essential, as SSB operations have to be intelligence-based to prevent criminals and smugglers from taking advantage of friendly borders with Nepal and Bhutan," an SSB official told IANS on the condition of anonymity. Accordingly, a proposal was sent to the Home Ministry for setting up the Intelligence Wing to strengthen efficiency and operational mandate of the force on borders and for internal security duties in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-Maoist duties in Maoist-affected areas, he said. --IANS rak/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday took a dig at RBI Governor Urjit Patel over his reported remarks that the central bank will procure more machines to count demonetised notes. "RBI buying note counting machines eight months after demonetisation! Has the RBI not heard of 'leasing'," Chidambaram tweeted. Eight months after demonetisation (November 8, 2016), Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel refused to give the total amount of junked notes deposited with various banks, saying they are still being counted. Patel is learnt to have told a meeting of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that the process of counting junked notes was still on and the central bank has to verify fake notes for which specialised machines are being procured. While some machines have been procured, tenders have been floated to procure more, Patel was quoted by sources as having told the committee. Patel said the total money in circulation in the country now was Rs 15.4 lakh crore against Rs 17.7 lakh crore at the time of demonetisation, according to sources. --IANS sid/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate and dissident Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday of terminal cancer at a hospital in the country's north, authorities said. Liu died at the age of 61 after spending almost nine years in prison, Efe news reported. In 2009, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inciting subversion, after Liu helped pen a political manifesto urging the Communist regime to initiate democratic reforms. In 2010 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his activism in favour of democracy in China. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to urgently convene a tripartite meeting of the central and Bengal governments and the leaders of the Gorkha Territorial Administration, who have been protesting for a separate Gorkhaland. Calling the situation in West Bengal's Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts "grave" as eight people have died in the ongoing protest, the Communist Party of India-Marxist chief said that urgent intervention is required. "It is clear that the restoration of peace and normalcy in the area can happen only through a dialogue for which the process of talks between the three parties that created the GTA must immediately begin," said Yechury in the letter to Singh. He said: "Under these circumstances I am urging you to urgently convene a tripartite meeting of representatives of the Central government, the state government and the leaders of the movement to restore peace and normalcy in the region." --IANS rup/him/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 29-year-old criminal carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head has been arrested here, police said on Thursday. A pistol, five cartridges and a stolen motorcycle were seized from Sunil Raj, 29, of Delhi after his arrest from Sangam Vihar in south Delhi on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh said. A trap was laid for Sunil Raj near Bandh Road in Sangam Vihar, but he fled on his two-wheeler and also fired shots at the police, police said. He was chased and subsequently overpowered, the DCP added. --IANS nkh/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has thanked the cast and crew of "Devdas" to mark 15 years of the release of his "favourite film". "15 beautiful years 'Devdas'. Thanks Sanjay, Binod (Cinematographer Binod Pradhan), Bela (editor Bela Sehgal), Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Kirron Kher and cast and crew for my favourite film," Shah Rukh tweeted on Thursday morning. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, "Devdas" revolves around the scion of a wealthy family who is prevented from marrying the woman he is in love with. His life spirals downward as he takes to alcohol and a life of a vice to alleviate the pain. Currently, Shah Rukh is busy promoting his next film "Jab Harry Met Sejal". The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and also features actress Anushka Sharma in a key role. Shot is picturesque locations of Budapest, Prague, Lisbon and Punjab, "Jab Harry Met Sejal" is set to release on August 4. -*- Mozez Singh 'excited' about his next film Director Mozez Singh, who is known for his debut venture "Zubaan", is all set for his next film. He says he has broken boundaries with the movie. He will be directing a new genre of film -- a musical physiological thriller. "Im super excited about my next film. It has pushed my boundaries and maybe even broken them," Singh said in a statement. As per sources: "Mozez is working on the pre production of the film and will be going on floors in October this year. It has a very different and interesting storyline." The cast and other details of the film is still under wraps. -*- 'Saaransh' changed my life: Anupam Kher Veteran actor Anupam Kher says the 1984 film "Saaransh" changed his life and thanked director Mahesh Bhatt for having faith in him. Anupam took to Twitter on Wednesday night and shared a scene from the film. "32 years back this scene of 'Saaransh' changed my life. I was 28. Thank you Mahesh Bhatt saab for your faith and Rajshri for the debut film," he captioned the clip. Directed by Bhatt, "Saaransh" is the story of how a retired school teacher and his wife come to terms with life after the death of their only son in a senseless mugging on the mean streets of New York. The 62-year-old actor currently awaits the release of his film "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha". He also has "The Accidental Prime Minister" in his kitty. "The Accidental Prime Minister", is a biographical political film written and co-produced by Hansal Mehta. The film stars Anupam Kher as Manmohan Singh, who was in office from 2004 to 2014. It is directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte. The film is based on the similarly titled 2014 memoir by Sanjaya Baru, who served as Manmohan Singh's media advisor. -*- Priyanka Chopra in 'vacay' mode Indian actress Priyanka Chopra has taken a break from her busy work schedule and is in a mood for a vacation. Priyanka on Wednesday took to Twitter and said that she is in Mumbai for her vacation. "Vacay mode. When everything is balanced. Nothing needs to move and it's ok. Nice. Mumbai bound," she tweeted. On the work front, Priyanka has two Hollywood films in her kitty -- "A Kid Like Jake" and "Isn't It Romantic". --IANS dc/nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For the people of this Himalayan kingdom, it's more convenient to travel with India than to be at a crossroads with China. They say India and Bhutan have long cherished ties -- even sharing common Buddhist traditions -- and they feel themselves more secure in the hands of India. They want China to respect their sovereignty and end the ongoing standoff. "We are a small Himalayan nation and can be missed easily by anyone. It's only India, our long trusted friend, that is shielding us from external aggression," government employee Dorjee Wangchuk, 52, said in Bhutan's capital of Thimphu. He told this IANS visiting correspondent that Chinese "ulterior motives" of developing infrastructure along the Bhutanese border is risky for this nation, though it's guarded naturally by the mighty mountains. India is not only Bhutan's main development partner but also its largest trading partner. The first Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan was signed in 1972. Since then, the agreement has been renewed four times -- the last one in November. A Bhutanese analyst based in the capital sees no threat to diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan that were formally established in 1968 with the appointment of a resident representative of India in Thimphu. Beijing so far has not opened an embassy in Thimphu. "Since then both nations (India and Bhutan) share cordial relations that mutually suit both sides," said the analyst, who wished not to be named. He said the Chinese maneuvers by trying to construct roads in Doklam region is not only a violation of the 1998 Bhutan-China bilateral agreement for maintaining peace on the border, but also a veiled threat to cut off the national capital from the gateway for import of food and other materials from India. "The current standoff will not be able to force us to desert India as an ally and opt for China," added the analyst, who is a former government senior functionary. History says the seeds of the India-Bhutan friendship were sown in 1958 when then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan that shares a 605-km long border with India and 470-km with China. Another resident, Dorji Tshering said the ongoing standoff on the Bhutan border between Indian and Chinese troops is a matter of concern. "The tension should be ended immediately and China should abandon construction of road along our borders. Since we don't have any diplomatic ties with Beijing, we expect it should respect our sovereignty and help restore peace and tranquility in the region," he added. Beijing has termed the construction of a road also close to the Sino-India border as "legitimate", saying it is being built on Chinese territory. Sittichai Sunglung, a businessman based in Paro town, the picturesque valley known for growing red rice, said most of Bhutan's imports, including rice and lentils, are coming from India. "China might be eyeing its market in our country. So it can be seen as an opportunity, not a threat," he added. According to the Indian Embassy, the government of India has committed to support Bhutan's 11th Five Year Plan (July 2013 to June 2018) to the tune of Rs 4,500 crore. There is also a commitment for an additional Rs 500 crore for the Economic Stimulus Plan. In 2015, bilateral trade reached Rs. 8,554 crore, which grew by about 7.3 per cent. Imports from India were Rs. 5,374 core, accounting for 79 percent of Bhutan's total imports. Bhutan's exports to India stood at Rs 3,180 crore, including electricity, and constituted 90.3 per cent of its total exports. The Indian Army has been managing Bhutan's borders and is posted on crucial border posts along China. The army's Border Roads Organisation is building a road network in the Himalayan nation. (Vishal Gulati is in Thimphu at the invitation of Gyalwang Drukpa. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/hs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen murdered 11 people attending a party in Hidalgo, a state in central Mexico, security officials told media on Thursday. The gunmen, who were "apparently wearing hoods", killed "seven men and four women", Hidalgo Public Safety Secretariat spokesmen said, Efe news reported. Several children survived the shooting early Thursday at a house in the city of Tizayuca, security officials said without providing figures on the number of survivors. The emergency services center received a call at around 12.10 a.m. for assistance, the secretariat said. Police and paramedics arriving on the scene found "11 dead people inside the house," security officials said. Investigators are gathering evidence at the crime scene, the secretariat said. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On its 30th anniversary in China, fast food restaurant chain KFC has partnered with Chinese mobile manufacturer Huawei to release a red-coloured smartphone that has the face of KFC founder Colonel Sanders embossed on the back. According to a report in The Verge on Thursday, the 'KFC' phone will feature 5-inch display and will be powered by a Snapdragon 425 processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage. The two brands announced the phone at an event in China and, according to the report, they will release only 5,000 such handsets. The smartphone also comes with 3,020mAh battery and a fingerprint sensor with a price tag of about $160. --IANS qd/na/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Heroin use in Australia's Melbourne city have hit a 20-year high due to the plummeting price of the drug, it was revealed on Thursday. Heroin addicts can buy a hit of the drug for as cheap as $13, cheaper than most alcohol for sale in Australia, compared to $38 per hit in the mid-to-late 2000s, reports Xinhua news agency. The rise in prominence of the drug has reignited calls for safe injecting rooms where the crisis is worst in North Richmond. Safe injecting rooms are facilities whereby addicts can have heroin administered to them by medical professionals in a safe space where the risk of overdosing is dramatically reduced. Emergency services data published by Australian media on Thursday revealed that 190 people died in Victoria state from heroin overdoses in 2016, the highest number since the 1990s. The data also revealed that half those deaths occurred in public places such as streets, parks and alleyways. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Higher sea levels due to climate change will flood hundreds of US cities including New York, Boston, San Francisco and Miami, in the next 20, 50 or 80 years, according to a study. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released a study Wednesday listing the cities that will be inundated with water in the years to come, with inundation defined as a "non-wetland area is flooded at least 26 times per year or the equivalent of a flood every other week", reports CNN. "Between 165 and 180 chronically inundated communities in just the next 15 to 20 years; between 270 and 360 in roughly 40 years, depending on the pace of sea level rise; and 490 by end of century with a moderate sea level rise scenario," co-author and senior climate analyst for UCS, Erika Spanger-Seigfried said. "With a higher sea level rise scenario, that number rises to about 670; that's about half of all of the oceanfront communities in the lower 48." Ninety communities are considered "inundated today", mostly in Louisiana and Maryland, where seas are rising and the land is sinking. "This study highlights something it's really important for people to understand. Sea level rise means sharp growth in coastal flooding. In fact, most coastal floods today are already driven by human-caused sea level rise," CNN quoted Strauss as saying. According to the study, the cities expected to be inundated by 2035 include places along the Jersey Shore and in parts of North Carolina, south Louisiana and neighbouring areas that have been known as vulnerable for years. By 2060, the list grows to hundreds of coastal communities, large and small: cities like Galveston, Texas; Sanibel Island, Florida; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Ocean City, Maryland; and many cities along the Jersey Shore. By the end of the century, the study said, more than 50 cities with populations of more than 100,000 could be affected. Cities like Boston; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and four of the five boroughs of New York will be considered inundated. Although the West Coast seems to be spared the brunt of inundation over the next few decades, even places like San Francisco and Los Angeles will be on the list by 2100. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand's Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Tapas Kumar Dutta, has been arrested by the CBI for corruption, an official said on Thursday. "We arrested Dutta in Ranchi on Wednesday night after his day-long questioning," Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesperson R.K. Gaur told IANS. The CBI move came hours after it conducted raids at 23 locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with the case. The CBI questioned Dutta at the IT office in Ranchi on Wednesday. The agency had on Wednesday morning carried out raids at 18 residential and office premises of Dutta and other accused in Kolkata and five places in Ranchi. This followed the seizure of Rs 3.5 crore in cash and five kg of gold from the premises owned by Dutta. The CBI filed a FIR against Dutta, posted in Ranchi, and three colleagues -- Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Arvind Kumar, Income Tax Officer Ranjeet Kumar Lal and Income Tax Officer (Tech) identified only as Ganguly -- following allegations of criminal conspiracy. The four officials of the Income Tax department, along with five businessmen and a Chartered Accountant, have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct. Dutta and his colleagues were accused of favouring five Kolkata-based businessmen -- identified as Biswanath Agarwal, Santosh Chowdhury, Aakash Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal and Arvind Agarwal -- and their companies by taking illegal gratification. "During 2016 and 2017, Dutta entered into a criminal conspiracy with other Income Tax officials, the (five) businessmen, infamous entry operators and the Chartered Accountant for getting Income Tax assessment files of different assessee companies transferred from Kolkata and Hazaribagh to Ranchi for providing undue favour to those who had been charged with heavy tax liability in lieu of huge bribes," the official said. The official also said that Dutta issued favourable orders in the case of private companies, which had paid a huge bribe. --IANS rak/amit/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday slammed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) over stalling a documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen due to the use of certain words. "Institutions like the Censor Board have to work in an independent manner and today the Centre is using these institutions as a tool to implement Hindutva agenda. This is highly improper and condemnable," said Vijayan in a Facebook post. Tilted "The Argumentative Indian", the one-hour-long documentary on the legendary economist was on Wednesday refused a green signal by the censor board over the use of words "cow", "Gujarat", "Hindu India" and "Hindutva view of India" by Sen. "In the film, all these words are being said by Sen himself. Now the Censor Board says these words have to be deleted or beeped. This is nothing but an infringement of the rights that is given under the Constitution and this is nothing but fascist tendencies, which in no way can be accepted," said Vijayan. Made by economist Suman Ghosh over a period of 15 years, the documentary is structured as a free flowing conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell economics Professor Kaushik Basu. It has already been screened in New York and London besides a special screening in Kolkata on Monday. --IANS sg/vgu/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition candidate for the President's post Meira Kumar on Thursday said her fight is against those trying to impose on the people a Manuwadi ideology having strong upper caste bias. Kumar, who was here to campaign for the presidential poll, without naming any party or government said that the election this time round was a "battle of ideology". Speaking to the media, she said: "While there are people with Manuwadi ideology, promoting casteism and trying to divide the society, opposing them are those advocating social justice and social harmony. We have made this election a battle of ideology." "Congress and the other 16 parties (supporting her) may have different opinions on different subjects, but when it comes to ideology, values and principles, they all became one. The common ideology here is one of social justice, inclusive society, transparency, and giving respect and taking along all religions, as our country is a multi-region country," Kumar stressed. The former Lok Sabha Speaker said that currently, the freedom of press was under threat, Dalits were under attack, and casteism and communalism were being imposed on the country. "This is a matter of great concern." "I have requested all members of the electoral college to vote according to the voice of their conscience," she added. In the July 17 presidential election, Kumar faces National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. --IANS hindi/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday evening released a new book on the Prime Minister, 'Marching with a Billion: Analysing Narendra Modi's government at Midterm'. Authored by veteran India Today journalist Uday Mahurkar, the book analyses Modi's performance as the BJP-led NDA government completed three years. Addressing the gathering, Rao said the book has come at the most appropriate juncture with the Prime Minister completing three years in office and will enable people to take an objective look at the "immense work done by the government" during this period. The author's long stint with India Today in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, provided him with a unique opportunity to watch from close quarters the entire chief ministerial tenure of Modi from 2001-2014, and witness his whirlwind campaign in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he said. After Modi's spectacular victory, Mahurkar followed his meteoric rise in national and international politics, and the implementation of the twin agenda of social and economic change by Modi. "To his full credit, Mahurkar has done justice to the subject by analyzing and assessing critically the decisions, policies and vision of the Modi government. At times, he has also criticized the decisions which according to him were not in the interest of the nation," said Rao. At every step, the Prime Minister has marched with a billion, taken the 1.25 billion people of the country into confidence while taking every single major decision, howsoever unpleasant or bitter it might be, and bridged the gap between the "ruler and the ruled", he added. "In a time span of little over three years, the PM has set off a thousand revolutions in different spheres of governance - social, economic and political. Many of the revolutionary ideas may not have borne fruition yet, but these have created a deep impact on the minds of the people," Rao pointed out. He lauded Mahurkar for penning an "outstanding analytical book" as well as Penguin Random House for publishing it. --IANS qn/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nine security personnel were killed and 12 injured on Thursday when Islamic State (IS) suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of paramilitary tribal fighters in Iraq's Anbar province. Four IS militants wearing explosive belts detonated the devices after a fierce clash at a checkpoint at the entrance of the headquarters in Garma town, an official told Xinhua news agency. The attack comes after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday formally declared Mosul liberated from the IS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major relief to Reliance JIO customers, an initial police probe has found there was no theft of data by a computer engineer arrested from Rajasthan, a top investigating official said here on Thursday. "According to our probe so far, no data has been leaked or stolen. But investigations are still in the initial stage and we will learn more after the accused is brought here late on Thursday night," Navi Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Tushar Doshi told IANS. Amid fears of theft of sensitive data by an unknown person, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. had informed the police, which in turn alerted the Maharashtra Cyber Crime Investigation Cell earlier this week. The Maharashtra Cyber Cell managed to track down Imran Chhimpa in Rajasthan, from where he was arrested on Wednesday and will be brought to Navi Mumbai. Doshi said Chhimpa holds a Master's in Computer Applications degree and probably was trying to create an app like TrueCaller which permits customers to get the caller's details. Though Chhimpa had managed to acquire some details from Jio customers, preliminary investigations do not point to any theft of sensitive data to an external site Magicapk, as feared, he assured. "After we interrogate him thoroughly, we will know more about his accomplices," Doshi added. Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Cyber Superintendent of Police Balsing Rajput said that following an FIR lodged by the Navi Mumbai police based on a complaint by Reliance Jio, the cyber police tracked down Chhimpa to Churu with the help of Rajasthan Police. A team of Maharashtra Cyber Cell, Navi Mumbai police, and Reliance Jio officials was sent to Rajasthan and a team from QuickHeal provided technical help in the probe, Rajput said. The matter came to light after Chhimpa posted a message on an online message board on July 5, claiming to offer personal user details of anybody having a Jio SIM card and said it was available from the customer's original details. This raised apprehensions that Jio customers' data may have been compromised, but the company has made it clear that subscribers' data was safe and secure. --IANS qn/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday ruled out any tie-up with the JD-U in Bihar even if it snaps ties with the RJD, whose leader Lalu Prasad and his kin are facing corruption allegations. Modi also said that nothing much should be read into the "issue-based" friendship between Nitish Kumar and the National Democratic Alliance in the wake of the JD-U's support to BJP's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. He said only the BJP Parliamentary Board can decide on any political developments in Bihar. "There is no such plan with the BJP (of tying up with JD-U). In case of any fresh political development, the BJP Parliamentary Board alone is empowered to take a decision," Modi, a former Deputy Chief Minister, told IANS in an interview. He was asked to comment on Bihar BJP President Nithyanand Rai's reported remarks that the BJP would consider providing outside support to the JD-U if it snaps ties with Lalu Prasad's RJD. Modi said Rai had denied making such a statement. Modi said the Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have supported each other on certain issues but this should not be seen as the two parties coming together. "The support (in the Presidential election) is issue based and nothing more should be read into it. The BJP has supported Nitish Kumar's liquor prohibition policy and he has supported the NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind," he said. "But for Vice President's election, his (Nitish Kumar) party has supported the UPA candidate." Modi also said his party was not hatching any conspiracy to destabilise the Bihar government. "The BJP is not interested in breaking any alliance or government. The government will only fall because of the corruption (charges) and other things against its partners." The CBI, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate are probing several cases of corruption against Lalu Prasad and his family including his son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, daughter Misa Bharati and her husband. The CBI raided the residences of Lalu Prasad's family in connection with an alleged case of corruption in giving tenders of two hotels to a private company when he was Railway Minister. In the CBI case, Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and his son Tejashwi Yadav have been named among the accused. Modi said the people had given a mandate to the Grand Alliance of the Nitish Kumar-led JD-U, RJD and the Congress and they should run the government. Asked about the Bihar Chief Minister's "silence" over the allegations of corruption against Tejashwi Yadav, Modi said: "The day Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad made the alliance, he had compromised with his integrity and transparency. He joined hands with Lalu Prasad to remain in power and now it has become a 'gale ki haddi' for him. "The only option left with him is to dismiss Tejashwi Yadav," he said. Modi also said that during his stint as NDA Chief Minister, he had set a very high benchmark. In that light, he must dismiss Lalu Prasad's son, the BJP leader said. "After maintaining silence for four days, Nitish Kumar has given an ultimatum to the RJD to give a point-by-point rebuttal on the alleged corruption allegations," Modi said. "The RJD has taken a stand that Tejashwi Yadav won't resign. Now Nitish Kumar has to take a call." He said Nitish Kumar cannot give "good governance" in the company of Lalu Prasad. The BJP leader pointed out that Nitish Kumar had earlier stated there will be no compromise on the issues of corruption and crime. He said the BJP wants a time-line from Nitish Kumar over the Tejashwi Yadav issue. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) --IANS aks-vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 4,000 migrants have been rescued in the Central Mediterranean in the past 24 hours, raising the number of arrivals to Italy to 90,000 since the start of the year, according to rescue organisations on Thursday. The Italian Coast Guard said the latest rescue concluded earlier in the day and involved 20 operations carried out by Italian military personnel and boats from the European Union's (EU) EUNavforMed mission as well as NGOs deployed in the area, reports Efe news. The newest arrivals meant that more than 90,000 migrants had now been rescued and taken to Italian ports so far this year -- a 20 per cent increase year on year, according to Interior Ministry data. The ministry said that Italy could see more than 200,000 arrivals in 2017, in excess of the 180,000 people who reached Italian soil last year. Italy has been bearing the brunt of the flow of migration to Europe, while some other EU countries have refused entry to migrants. Interior Minister Marco Minniti was in Libya on Thursday to address the problem, given that 97 per cent of migrants who are rescued in the Central Med embark on their journeys from Libyan shores. Italy is the only country to have reopened its embassy in Tripoli and has donated four boats to the government of Prime Minister Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj for the Libyan Coast Guard. --IANS ksk/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The RJD reiterated on Thursday that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, son of party leader Lalu Prasad, won't resign despite the corruption charges hurled at him. "Tejashwi will not resign at any cost. RJD has 80 legislators. We will do what we want," Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virender told the media here. He was responding to questions over Janata Dal-United requests that the RJD would have to decide the fate of Tejashwi Yadav. Virender, a loyalist of Lalu Prasad, said Tejashwi Yadav will not resign despite demands by some. "RJD is intact, there is no if and but in the party over Tejashwi. He will not resign." JD-U state President Vashisht Narain Singh has said that the JD-U was not satisfied with Tejashwi Yadav's reply to corruption allegations against him. "Our party is not satisfied. Now a final decision will be taken over it," he said. A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked him to come clean, Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday dubbed the corruption charges against him a "conspiracy" hatched by the BJP brass. Tejashwi Yadav, facing an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also made light of the allegations against him, saying they relate to a period when he was 14 years old. Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav have been named accused in a CBI case related to the transfer of prime land in Patna to the family by two businessmen allegedly in return for licences granted to run hotels in Ranchi and Puri when the RJD chief was the Railway Minister. --IANS ik/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man found guilty of murdering Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was on Thursday sentenced to 20 years in prison by a military court in Moscow. In addition to the prison time, former Chechen soldier Zaur Dadayev was fined 100,000 rubles ($1,661), reports Efe news. Nemtsov, who was Russia's Deputy Prime Minister between 1997-98 and a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was shot six times on February 27, 2015, while crossing a bridge near the Kremlin, just two days before he was due to take part in a mass rally against Russian involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Five Chechens were convicted for the murder, although Dadayev was considered by the jury to be the person who pulled the trigger. The other four convicts -- Anzor and Shadish Gubashev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhaev -- were given prison sentences ranging between 11-19 years for their role in the killing. The court stripped those of them that had served in Chechnya's police force of their ranks and decorations. According to the prosecution's version of events, the conspirators were paid at least 15 million rubles ($270,000) to kill Nemtsov by Ruslan Mukhudinov, the personal chauffeur of a Chechen battalion commander, and other unidentified individuals. Bakhaev was in charge of coordinating the logistics and providing shelter to the others after the crime, while Eskerkhanov had studied Nemtsov's daily routine and travel routes. A sixth accomplice, Berslan Shavanov, killed himself in November 2015 in Chechnya's capital Grozny by detonating a hand grenade as he was about to be arrested. The five men's defence attorneys announced after the ruling that they were appealing the sentences. Nemtsov's relatives have said they believed the mastermind behind the murder had not yet been found and that the opposition leader -- who was investigating the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine at the time he was killed -- had been targeted for political reasons. --IANS ksk/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, July 13 (July) The Supreme Court on Thursday took exception to Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal's interference with the preparation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft in the state. Sonowal had said the NRC draft would be prepared by December 31, 2017. This is three months in advance to March 31, 2018 deadline given to the top court by the State Coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela. In an earlier hearing, Hajela had told the top court that they would be able to complete and publish the draft NRC by March 31, 2018. However, on Thursday he told the court that it would be done by December 31, 2017. The obvious question was whether the advancing of the date was linked to the statement of Chief Minister Sonowal that the NRC draft would be ready by December 31, 2017. A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman said the apex court did not appreciate any other authority intervening in the national register preparation process when the court was monitoring it. "We have a statement of Assam Chief Minister that he has revised the date (for the preparation of draft NRC in Assam) to December 31. When the Supreme Court is monitoring, how can another agency intervene," Justice Gogoi asked. "We have spent time, money and energy for over two years. It is not fair to this court," Justice Gogoi said pointing out that last time the court was told the draft NCR would be ready by March 31, 2018, and now the CM was revising it to December 31, 2017. "Last time you told us that you will do it by March 31. (Now) We have a statement of Assam Chief Minister that he has revised the date to December 31, 2017," Justice Gogoi said wondering as to how can another authority interfere when the apex court was monitoring it. Justice Gogoi asked that when the court had given time till Match 31, 2018, who was the Chief Minister to revise the date. Having expressed its displeasure, the court in its order said: "We don't appreciate any other authority intervening in the preparation of NCR. Be that as it may be, we now understand that draft NRC would be ready by December 31, 2017. Accordingly all budgetary allocations are approved..." The court said that in the event of any difficulty, the State Coordinator for National Registration would apprise the court of the same. The exercise for the upgradation of the National Register of Citizens in Assam is underway and it also involves verification of the people who claim to be residents of Assam but were living in different parts of the country prior to 1971 -- the cut-off date for the identification of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. On the conclusion of hearing, senior counsel Kapil Sibal told the bench that the Assam State Congress Committee wanted the five-judge constitution bench, which was examining the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, to intervene in the hearing. Section 6A of the Citizenship Act provides for the grant of citizenship to migrants from Bangladesh, who had crossed over to India before the cut-off date of March 25, 1971. A similar request was made by senior counsel Raju Ramachandran appearing for a Muslim outfit. The bench asked them to make the prayer before the constitution bench itself. A five-judge constitution bench comprising Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice R.K. Agrawal, Justice Prafulla C. Pant, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan is examining the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act. --IANS pk/nir (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 situation in a Rajasthan village on Thursday continued to be tense after one person was killed in a gunfight between police and a mob. Curfew was imposed in Sanwarda village of Nagaur district following Wednesday's violence, police said. Thousands of people from across the state had gathered in the village on Wednesday to protest the killing of a gangster by the police in June. "The situation is tense but under control as of now," an official told IANS on telephone from Nagaur. The mob in Sanwarda on Wednesday night attacked the police with stones, snatched weapons and set a police vehicle ablaze. They injured 33 persons, including 30 policemen, an officer said. A Superintendent of Police was also injured, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) N.R.K. Reddy told IANS. "One person who had come from Haryana was killed in the firing (on Wednesday). But who fired at him is a matter of investigation," Reddy said, The police used tear gas to disperse the mob, he added. Witnesses said five to six protesters were also injured, but the police have denied this. Three seriously injured policemen were referred to a Jaipur hospital. The mob demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of a gangster, Anandpal Singh, on June 24. Singh's family claimed he was killed despite his willingness to surrender before the police. They alleged a political conspiracy to eliminate him. Internet services were suspended in the area on Wednesday night. On Thursday, the internet ban was extended in nearby Churu and Sikar districts, the police said. "We have arrested over 100 persons since yesterday (Wednesday)," a police official said. --IANS as/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After over a week a schoolgirl was raped to death in Himachal Pradesh, police on Thursday said it had arrested all the six accused involved in the crime. "One accused was arrested yesterday and five others were arrested today in the rape and murder of a girl in Kotkhai (in Shimla district)," Director General of Police Somesh Goyal told reporters here. Goyal said it was a blind rape-murder case. The accused, aged between 19 and 42 years, included two Nepalese and two from Uttarakhand. Most were farm labourers and had settled in Kotkhai area. "In this case, we had no witness and no CCTV footage. Even most of the evidence at the crime spot was washed away by rains. We have now gathered sufficient human and technical evidence," Inspector General Zahur H. Zaidi, heading a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case, told IANS. He said 84 people were rounded up and 28 calls were recorded at the crime spot. The 16-year-old girl was offered lift in a vehicle by the accused on July 4 when she was returning home from school. On the way, the accused raped and murdered her at a nearby forest. Her body was found two days later. The arrested accused have been identified as Rajinder Singh, the prime accused who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Surat Singh and Lokjan. Bisht and Kumar belong to Uttarakhand while Surat Singh and Lokjan are from Nepal. Goyal said the arrests were made on the basis of technical, physical, forensic, circumstantial and confessional evidence. He said the accused were drunk at the time of crime. "We hope we will take the case to the logical conclusion," he said. The police said the prime accused had developed familiarity with the victim as he offered her lift two times earlier. --IANS vg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A telemedicine network wherein health professionals from the seven-nation group of BIMSTEC will be able to interact regularly and share knowledge was launched here on Thursday, said Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste. The JIPMER-BIMSTEC Telemedicine Network (JBTN) is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Act East" policy and was launched on the Foundation Day of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), said the Minister of State for Heath and Family Welfare. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation involving India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal. "I am quite optimistic that with the establishment of this network, the health professionals from the member countries would be able to interact regularly with each other and improve their knowledge which will ultimately translate into improved access to healthcare especially to those residing remote areas or the areas where there is shortage of trained manpower," Kulaste said Inaugurating the JBTN here. Kulaste said the main objective of BIMSTEC is technological and economic cooperation among countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. "The aim of JBTN is to improve regional cooperation in the field of healthcare, strengthen telemedicine-based patient care services and share medical knowledge among BIMSTEC nations," he said. All seven countries of BIMSTEC region were linked via video conferencing during the event here. The BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people which constitute around 22 per cent of the global population. According to JIPMER, various priority sectors of cooperation were identified among the BIMSTEC countries that includes health and technology. "Some of the medical problems are peculiar to BIMSTEC countries and there is a great deal of disparity in quality and access to healthcare between urban and rural regions in these countries," JIPMER said. Also, member countries of BIMSTEC face acute shortage of trained specialists in the district and peripheral health facilities. According to M.K. Bhan, President, JIPMER, 25 per cent of the Indian population lives in remote areas and the challenge is to provide healthcare facilities to them. He said the Central government is working on a system whereby graduate nurses would be trained in prescribing medicines for selecting ailments so that healthcare access is there for populace living in remote areas. Bhan said there is a need for village health and wellness centres to be headed by trained nurses to be called clinical graduate nurses, wherein the centre will be IT connected and data will be stored in cloud/remote server. According to S.C. Parija, Director, JIPMER, there is a great disparity in healthcare in urban and rural areas of BIMSTEC member nations and that the telemedicine network is an effort to bridge the gap. The High Commissioner of Bangladesh in India Syed Muazzem Ali, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka V. Krishnamoorthy and other representatives of BIMSTEC countries were present at the function. --IANS vj/him/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trade in elephant skin for use in traditional medicine has increased in Myanmar, alarming conservationists and authorities who have monitored the species' decline. Hand-sized coarse pieces of elephant skin are available for sale in major markets in the country, and are sought by clients for their medicinal properties as per local beliefs. "We have always seen elephant skin for sale. The problem is not new, but yes, the demand is growing," Chris Shepherd, the Southeast Asia director of wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, told Efe news. Shepherd said the network had found elephant skin in areas as diverse as the Mongla region in eastern Myanmar, bordering China, and the famous "Golden Rock" in the south. "The main destination is China, in places such as Mongla Chinese currency is used, Chinese is spoken and the clients too are from that country. However, there is also local consumption," he explained. Laminated strips of elephant hide can be found along with other valued parts of the animal, such as tusks and hooves, and different birds, felines, primates and reptiles. The government and conservationists are not in agreement on the number of elephants killed by traffickers. While the authorities say that at least around a dozen pachyderms were killed last year, nonprofits claim the number is more than 50 and report an increase in hunting in 2017. Elephant skin costs around 150,000 Myanmar kyat ($110) for a kg, and is used in traditional medicine to cure eczema and other skin problems, and as an ingredient to make ointments for bleaching treatments. In January, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation approved a 10-year plan with the aim of boosting the protection and conservation of elephants. According to unofficial figures, there are between 1,400 and 2,000 wild elephants and some 6,000 in captivity in Myanmar. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Tripura tribal party delegation is to hold discussions with the central government over its demand for a separate state even as the party has been blockading a vital national highway and the state's lone railway track for the past four days, causing hardship to people. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal dominated party, has been blocking National Highway-8, the life line of Tripura, and the state's lone railway line to press for its demand for a separate state. IPFT General Secretary Mevar Kumar Jamatia and the party's youth wing President Dhananjoy Tripura left here for Delhi on Thursday morning to meet Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh and Home Ministry officials and the Union Home Minister. The four-day road and rail blockade has caused a crisis in supply of essentials, fuel, basic goods and other items in the markets in Tripura. "We would meet Jitendra Singh and Home Ministry officials or the Home Minister to discuss about our demand. Depending on the outcome of the meetings in Delhi, we will either withdraw the blockade or continue the stir," Mevar Kumar Jamatia told IANS before heading to New Delhi. "We have already sought the Governor's intervention and a tri-partite meeting between us, the Centre and state governments to resolve the matter," he said. The tribal leader said that since 2009, the IPFT has been agitating for a separate state carved out by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas. "The Left Front government in the state and the previous UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government at the Centre did not give importance to our demand." He said the IPFT leaders earlier held four meetings with the central ministers and officials and the government had assured their demands would be considered. "We had our last meeting with Jitendra Singh on May 17 in New Delhi where we discussed our demands and the Minister promised to consider our demand. He also assured that a tri-partite meeting would be convened involving the Centre, state government and the IPFT over our demand." Singh is also Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER). The IPFT leader said: "In Delhi, the National Federation for New States took up the issue with the PMO and Home Ministry. We also submitted a memorandum to the Tripura Governor (Tathagata Roy) demanding his intervention." The politically important TTAADC constitutes two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, which has 12,16,465 (mostly tribals) of the state's 37 lakh population residing in it. The Left Front government led by Manik Sarkar, which is strongly opposed to both the demand and the stir, has taken unprecedented security measures in and around the Baramura hill ranges, through which the NH-8 and the lone railway line passes. Most of the political parties, including the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have rejected IPFT's demands saying it is not practical to divide the small state. State Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Bhanulal Saha said : "The state government once again urges the IPFT to call off the blockade considering the sufferings of the people and possible crisis of essentials, food grains and fuels." All the political parties and civil society have vehemently condemned the IPFT workers' nude dance in front of the media to draw attention to their blockade. --IANS sc/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said that he got along "very well" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the G20 summit last week. "I think we get along very well and I think that's a good thing, that's not a bad thing," Trump said on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), an American television network. "We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn't make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump added. Trump also emphasised the importance of having a dialogue with Russia despite the differences between Washington and Moscow. "I do believe it's important to have a dialogue and if you don't have a dialogue, it's a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody," he said. During the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia, a cease-fire agreement in parts of Syria was struck in a bid to curb the bloodshed that has impacted both sides in the war-torn Middle East nation. "One thing we did is we had a cease-fire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days. The cease-fire has held for four days. Those (previous) cease-fires haven't held at all. That's because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and it's held," Trump said in the interview. The interview came amid ongoing investigations into allegations that Trump's team colluded with the Russians to help him win last year's presidential election. Trump said he thinks Putin would actually have been happier with Hillary Clinton in the White House. "As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me. And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesn't want to see that," Trump added. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two interstate arms smugglers have been arrested and their illegal firearms factory in Uttar Pradesh unearthed, police said on Thursday. Twenty pistols, including semi-automatics, and 180 cartridges apart from four magazines were seized from Ramgopal, 52, of Etah in Uttar Pradesh, and Naseem, 37, of Munger in Bihar, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Delhi Police Special Cell men arrested Ramgopal from Daryaganj in central Delhi on Tuesday and seized 10 pistols and 150 cartridges. His interrogation led to the arrest of Naseem from Agra on Wednesday along with eight pistols and 30 cartridges, police said. The same day, police raided the firearms factory run from Ramgopal's house in Etah and seized two more pistols and four magazines. Several arms-making tools and machines were also seized. Police said the factory was in operation for the past five years. Earlier, Ramgopal procured finished and semi-finished pistols for 10 years from Naseem, a notorious arms manufacturer with several cases against him in Bihar, police said. Later, Ramgopal started to assemble illegal firearms at his Etah house. Yadav said several interstate firearm syndicates have been busted and more than 450 semi-automatic weapons seized since January 2016. --IANS nkh/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The British government is set to publish a bill on Thursday which will end the supremacy of the European Union (EU) law in the UK, the media reported. Known as the Repeal Bill, the legislation will transpose EU law into UK law so the same rules apply on the day of Brexit as the day before, reports the BBC. Formally known as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, the draft legislation is a key plank of the government's Brexit strategy. It will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 which took Britain into the EU and remove the supremacy of Brussels law, convert EU law into UK law and create temporary powers to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. It is not expected to be debated until later this year, but it will have to pass by the time the UK leaves the EU, March 2019, the BBC reported. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said the bill would allow the UK to leave the EU with "maximum certainty, continuity and control". "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union," the BBC quoted Davis as saying. Besides the Repeal Bill, the government will also publish three position papers for exit negotiations. One will cover nuclear materials and safeguards issues while the other two papers will cover ongoing judicial and administrative proceedings along with privileges and immunities. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CAG audit of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority and Noida Authority, an official said on Thursday. A letter to this effect has been written by the state's Principal Secretary (Industrial Development) Alok Sinha to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) office. Senior officials told IANS that the Yogi Adityanath government wanted to clear the air about the functioning of these authorities, which have been in the news for graft and corruption. From time to time, various courts have passed orders against these authorities, leaving previous state governments red faced. Senior bureaucrats like Rajiv Kumar, former Chief Secretary Neera Yadav and Noida Authority Chief Engineer Yadav Singh have served terms in prison over several cases of illegal plots allotments by these authorities. The three authorities are out of the CAG ambit and Governor Ram Naik had written to the then Samajwadi Party government led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to bring them under the purview of the auditor. --IANS md/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US special envoy for the Middle East announced on Thursday that an agreement has been signed between Israelis and Palestinians to build a canal between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, which includes selling about 33 million cubic meters of water annually to the Palestinian National Authority. At the press conference with Israeli minister of regional cooperation, Tzachi Hanegbi, and the PNA director for water, Mazen Ghuneim, the former noted that the Red Sea-Dead Sea project is "the biggest and most ambitious project event initiated and exercised" in the area, Efe reported. Hanegbi explained that the deal is part of a larger five-year plan for the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, although Palestinians are expected to start receiving water before that time. Meanwhile, Ghuneim stressed that 22 million cubic meters of water will go to the occupied West Bank, with another 10 million to Gaza. He added that this will alleviate and reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people, which has worsened during the summer. US envoy Jason Greenblatt explained that this agreement, which is also expected to benefit Jordan, is the second major deal to be closed during his visit to the region this week, after Israel and the Palestinians signed another on Monday to start up a power plant in Jenin. The special envoy welcomed these agreements, which he said were backed by US President Donald Trump, who has said it is a priority to reach a final agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (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.) Film: "War For The Planet Of The Apes"; Director: Matt Reeves; Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Toby Kebbell, Gabriel Chavarria, Karen Konoval, Terry Notary, Michael Adamthwaite, Ty Olsson, Dervy Dalton, Sara Canning, Aleks Paunovic, Amiah Miller; Rating: ***1/2 "War For The Planet of The Apes" is a visually stunning and emotionally fuelled film. This inter-species survival story, keeping with the tradition of its earlier two editions, has all the trappings of a blockbuster film and resonates with all the flavours of its predecessors. The tale takes off two years after the events of the 2014 released "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." After the humans were threatened by the Simian Virus they try to eliminate the apes. Caesar and his tribe now living in the forest are forced into war by the surviving humans. To make matters worse for Caesar, the followers of his once assistant, Koba have now joined the humans for revenge on Caesar. Learning that the humans, under the leadership of a mysterious "Colonel", are planning to attack their abode soon, Caesar decides to relocate his folk across the desert. But the night before he can begin the move, his home is attacked. His wife Cornelia and eldest son Blue Eyes are killed by the Colonel but Caesar along with his youngest son Cornelius survives the attack. Haunted by the dead Koba's disposition and seething with anger, Caesar abandons his charges, leaving Cornelius in the care of Lake, the mate of his lost son. He accompanied by Maurice, Luka and Rocket, go on the trail, hell bent to make the Colonel suffer. This forms the crux of the tale. The writing by Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves based on characters created by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, speaks about the annihilation of the species and takes inspiration from classics like Apocalypse Now, The Great Escape and Exodus, in terms of narrative and visuals. Also, with a fair blend of character traits, the film seems complexed and rounded, but then overall, you'd find that the sketches are only one-dimensional and card-board thin. They lack depth except for Caesar. He is for one, the most interesting hero in recent times. Sympathetic, considerate and compassionate, he is the opposite of a prototype Hollywood protagonist. Packed with ape-versus-human mayhem and sub-plots that reveal human attitudes, logic and amusement, the film is conceptually brilliant and engaging but never inspiring or provoking. Also with a familiarity of the content, and the slow pace in the second act, the narrative feels a bit stretched. On the performance front, most of the key characters deliver beyond expectations. In fact, in a stunning motion-capture interpretation, it is Andy Serkis as the confused yet sincere Caesar who steals the show. He is aptly supported by Steve Zahn who gives us a little comic relief as "Bad Ape". Karin Konoval as the wise and benevolent Maurice and Terry Notary as Rocket, are noticeable. Among the humans, Woody Harrelson in a poorly etched role of the antagonist Colonel, delivers an obligatory performance. Similarly, Amiah Miller as Nova the bold and kind war orphan whom Maurice adopts as his daughter is charming. The character has promise but is poorly crafted. Visually the lush green forests, the rustic landscape, the avalanche and the war scenes are astutely captured by Director of Photography Michael Seresin's lens. His frames seamlessly merge with the adroitly crafted computer 3D and Visual Effects created by Visual Effects Supervisors Joe Letteri and Dan Lemmon. The background score created by Michael Giacchino elevates the viewing experience. --IANS troy/nv/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A team of over 20 women parliamentarians from different parties visited the Byculla Jail here on Thursday in the wake of death of a woman inmate and subsequent violence last month. Led by Assam MP Bijoya Chakravorty, who is head of the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women, the women MPs interacted with the jail inmates and staff. The details of their visit and observations would form part of a national report on the status of women's jails across the country, which the panel has been touring for the past nearly two years, said team member and Nationalist Congress Party Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan. "The report, with our suggestions and recommendations, will be submitted to Parliament and thereafter it will go to the ministry concerned for further action," Chavan told IANS, while declining to divulge details of their visit to the Byculla Jail. Other team members included NCP's Supriya Sule, Bharatiya Janata Party's Raksha Khadse and DMK's M.K. Kanimozhi. The decision to visit Byculla Jail was taken after the death of a warder and convict Manjula Shetye, who was allegedly assaulted by women jail staff on June 23 and died shortly afterwards. The following morning, riots were reported from inside the jail in which several women inmates were injured in battle with jail security. High profile undertrial and former media baron Indrani Mukerjea is one of the inmates at the jail. Six jail staff, including Jailor Manisha Pokharkar, were suspended and later arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. The Byculla Jail and the Maharashtra State Women's Commission, which visited the prison last week, launched their independent inquiries into the incidents. In between, one of the senior jail officers, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Swati Sathe abruptly withdrew from the probe after some social media messages sent by her expressing sympathy for the arrested women sparked a major controversy. --IANS qn/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Healthy condition of banks is very essential for a well-oiled economy and strong economic growth. The Indian banking system has recently come under the spotlight due to a significantly high percentage of non-performing assets (NPAs). The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been assiduously working along with the government and banks to resolve the NPA problem. Recently, the RBI also identified 12 insolvent accounts, which are responsible for 25 per cent of the NPAs in the Indian banking system. The move is laudable as it will help banks focus their energies on specific accounts to recover their money. Indias cultural landscape couldnt have turned worse. The refusal of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) headed by Pahlaj Nihalani to clear a documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen (pictured) called The Argumentative Indian until words such as cow, Gujarat, Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra are either expunged or beeped out is a telling comment on the state of our polity. We now have a much better idea of what happened at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction last month. Early June, Chinese troops attempted to build a road in territory claimed by Bhutan. Bhutanese troops challenged the Chineses, but were outnumbered and hence had to withdraw. Bhutanese and Indian armed forces work very closely, so nearby Indian troops entered the scene and persuaded their Chinese counterparts to stop building the road and step back a bit. There the situation stands, with Indian and Chinese troops using banners and loudspeakers to stake out their positions. No shots have been fired so far. The Chinese foreign ministry and Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) spokespersons have gone on the offensive; as has the Indian media. In contrast, Indias external affairs ministry has taken a sober but firm position: Emphasising Chinas violation of agreements with India and Bhutan, to not unilaterally change the status quo in disputed areas. For the upcoming travel season in October, its a good time for travellers to start looking for flight tickets if they are going abroad. Planning in advance can help you get the best rates and the current offers on credit cards can further lower your prices. The current offers on credit cards offer the best deals for those who plan to fly in the September-October holiday season, says Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C) at Yatra.com. Several online travel agencies (OTAs) have partnered card issuers to offer cashback on bookings. Cleartrip is running an offer with HSBC. HDFC Bank has tied up with Goibibo, Makemytrip, Yatra and Musafir. Check the discounts offered with OTAs. Opt for transacting through their apps. They offer loyalty points when you sign up with them and download the app. These loyalty points or virtual cash can help bring down the ticket cost further. While OTAs offer the best deal, they dont offer the concessions that airlines run. If you are a senior citizen, defence personnel or a student, many airlines offer discounts on base fares. This is not available with the OTAs. A flier should, therefore, compare whether the tickets are cheaper after discounts with an OTA or with a travel concession from an airline. If the discounts offered on the OTAs are not applicable to you, book directly with the airline. It saves the additional convenience fees that online websites charge. Also, when cancelling the ticket, you pay double the cancellation fees to the airline as well as to the portal if you book with an OTA. If you are booking return tickets, you get higher discounts. But many dont allow travellers to take such discounts more than once during the promotion. If you are taking a multi-destination trip, use multiple OTAs to book on different routes to avail their offers. The fares in travel season are always higher no matter how early you book. If you are flying from Mumbai to Kolkata in October, the average fare is between Rs 5,500 and Rs 6,000. But you can fly the same route for Rs 3,300 in August. Airlines use historical data to understand demand during peak travel season. If the historical data shows constant higher demand on certain routes, airlines price those higher, says Chetan Kapoor, research analystAsia Pacific, Phocuswright. Travellers are always confused about when to book tickets. It is a function of the routes. But for international flights, they should book at least 45 days in advance to get the best rates. For domestic travel, the fares trend only upwards three weeks before a flight, says Berty Thomas, a business analyst with a multinational bank, who also runs Unfare.in. The website predicts airfare movements. In the domestic sector, it makes sense to book tickets between four to six weeks in advance. Many travellers end up paying higher fares if they book too much in advance on high demand sectors such as Mumbai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Chennai, and so on, says Aloke Bajpai, co-founder and CEO Ixigo.com. One can, therefore, use flight rates alerts available on many websites. For international flights, Bajpai suggests that travellers use websites that show results from airlines websites and OTAs. The trend internationally is that airlines are selling cheaper tickets than travel portals. The latter also doesnt show results from low-cost airlines, which can save a lot, Bajpai suggests. The BJP on Thursday accused Delhi Chief Minister of stopping funds to the civic bodies in the city and said that he is taking revenge from the people for voting for the BJP. "Kejriwal has threatened the people of the city if they vote for the BJP in the civic polls then they shall feel the burn," Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Manoj Tiwari told reporters at a press conference here. "And now he is halting and interrupting the work of the municipal corporations by stopping funds of the civic bodies," Tiwari alleged. Tiwari, who also represents the northeast constituency seat of the city in the Look Sabha, then said that he was doing this just to punish the people of the city for voting for the BJP in the civic polls. "Whenever our councillors go for a meeting with the Chief Minister in his office to make him aware of the problems, he disrespects them instead of meeting them," he alleged. Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Tiwari said that before the MCD elections Kejriwal had threatened the people of the city to be ready to face the consequences if they voted in favour of the BJP. The BJP won in the recently concluded MCD elections in the city. The BJP leader also said that party president Amit Shah will hold a two-day programme in the city on July 14 and 15, during which he will meet party workers. (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 AAP on Thursday announced that it would support Meira Kumar, the opposition nominee for the presidential poll after the latter "appealed" to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to back her candidature. AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the decision to support Kumar was taken by the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the party's apex decision-making body, to "strengthen democracy". "AAP will support joint opposition's candidate Meira Kumar in (the) presidential election," senior party leader Ashutosh posted on Twitter. On supporting Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition's candidate for the vice presidential poll, Ashutosh said the PAC will discuss the issue later. "We believe that a time should not have come for voting for a crucial post like the president. All political parties should have come together and put up a consensus candidate. "Nevertheless, an election is taking place to choose the president. In such a scenario, the Aam Aadmi Party supports the joint opposition candidate," Singh said. "Kumar had called up AAP's convenor Arvind Kejriwal seeking support," Singh added. The presidential election is taking place on July 17. Ram Nath Kovind has been fielded by the ruling BJP and its allies. Some opposition parties, including the JD(U), Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the YSR Congress and the Biju Janta Dal, have extended support to Kovind's candidature. The Congress did not invite the AAP when it had held discussions with other opposition parties on the matter. An AAP leader, who did not want to be named, said the party was "fine" with keeping a distance from the Congress. The AAP is the principal opposition party in Punjab. The four-year-old party has 85 MLAs and four MPs, which translates into around 9,000 votes in the electoral college for the presidential election. (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.) Investment opportunities in India's booming automobile and auto-components sectors have attracted around 100 Chinese firms to attend 'Make in India' seminars held in two key auto manufacturing hubs in China. The seminars were the part of a series of industry and sector specific 'Make in India' events to be organised across China this year, the Indian Embassy here said in a statement. "These seminars received an overwhelming response with nearly 180 representatives from around a hundred Chinese auto companies in Chongqing and Changchun attending the events," the statement said. During the seminars, Counsellor (Economic) Prashant Lokhande noted the important role played by the auto sector in India and highlighted the potential for collaboration between Indian and Chinese companies in the sector, the statement said, Vinnie Mehta, Director General of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), gave a detailed presentation on the strengths of India in the automotive sector and the areas for future growth, it said. Santosh Pai, Partner, Link Legal India Law Services gave a presentation introducing the legal and regulatory framework in India with a special focus on the Goods and Services Tax. During the seminars, Chinese companies queried about the taxation structure in India and the incentives offered to Chinese investors in the country, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The '108' emergency ambulance service was partially hit today in three districts of Gujarat as its operating staff went on an indefinite strike, an official said. The employees have been demanding pay hike and reinstatement of their sacked colleagues, he said. There are 585 such ambulances deployed across Gujarat state by GVK EMRI. Out of these, around 40 vehicles have been non-operational since this morning as the staff suddenly announced to go on strike, GVK EMRI's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gujarat operations, Jaswant Prajapati said. Each ambulance usually has an emergency management technician and a driver. "The call for strike was first given by the staffers of Mehsana 108 service, as we have initiated an inquiry against some of them and also took action in the recent past. Later, some staff members in Navsari district and Surat city joined the strike," Prajapati said. "Out of the total 585 ambulances currently deployed across the state, around 40 are not in service as its staffers are on strike. Of these 40 ambulances, 15 are in Mehsana, 12-13 in Navsari and also 12-13 in Surat," he said. "The agitating employees want pay hike and reinstatement of the staff members who were sacked earlier," Prajapati said. He said the strike is illegal and can attract punitive action. "Since the 108 ambulance service is covered under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), it is illegal for its staff to go on strike," Prajapati said. "Our priority is to ensure that people get the emergency service on time. We may deploy new staff to run these ambulances if the agitating employees do not return to their jobs," he said. Meanwhile, Gujarat health minister Shankar Chaudhary urged the company as well as district collectors concerned to resolve the issue to minimise the possible hardship that the strike may cause to people. "Our government has asked the company to take this issue seriously and try to resolve it as soon as possible. We have also instructed the respective district collectors to ensure that people do not suffer due to the strike," Chaudhary told reporters in Gandhinagar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men were arrested by police in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly smuggling 5kg ivory, an NGO working for animal rights said here today. The traffickers were arrested by the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police, with the help of NGO Wildlife SOS and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, according to a statement by the NGO. "They were arrested while travelling in an SUV from Pratapgarh to Allahabad," the statement quoted Arvind Chaturvedi, Additional Superintendent of Police of the UP STF, as saying. A non-bailable warrant had been pending against one of the accused for illegally holding an elephant captive, the NGO claimed. "It appeared that the accused chopped off the elephant's tusk for ivory. The ivory has been seized by the police," the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 15 people are dead after two female suicide bombers carried out the latest attack in Cameroon's far north, the government said today, and another 42 people are wounded. The attackers entered the town of Waza late yesterday and one detonated explosives near a group of youths, Governor Midjiyawa Bakary said. Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists have been crossing borders to stage attacks in countries, including Cameroon, that contribute to a military force that seeks to eliminate the insurgency. The Islamic extremists have killed more than 20,000 people in their eight-year existence and abducted thousands of others. Boko Haram increasingly has used girls and young women to carry out attacks on marketplaces, checkpoints and other targets. Some young women who escaped the extremist group have said girls are drugged and forced to carry out suicide missions. The attacks in Cameroon's far north, the poorest part of the country, have been a factor in sending more than 13,000 Nigerian refugees who had fled Boko Haram back to their own nation since mid-April. The suicide attacks, roadside bombings and raids on villages also have been "complicating humanitarian operations and subjecting civilians to persistent danger," the UN humanitarian agency said earlier this week. In addition, the UN's World Food Program has cut food assistance to almost 200,000 Nigerian refugees and displaced people by 25 per cent since January because of lack of funding. The Boko Haram-fueled crisis in northeastern Nigeria, which borders Cameroon, is part of what the UN has called the largest humanitarian crisis in more than 70 years, with millions facing hunger. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A cattle worker in Australia has had his big toe surgically removed and attached to his hand after his thumb was severed in an accident. Zac Mitchell, a cattle worker was injured while working on a remote farming property in Western Australia. "A bull kicked my hand into the fence," Mitchell said. Mitchell's fellow workers attempted to preserve the thumb immediately after the accident by putting it in a cooler with some ice but were unable to save it. The 20-year-old underwent two unsuccessful operations to reattach his thumb before doctors from Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia opted to relocate his big toe in surgery which lasted eight hours, 'BBC News' reported. Despite initial reluctance, the cattle worker agreed to the transplant operation. "It is a bit of a crazy idea - the patients do not want to be injured in another part of their body," said Sean Nicklin, lead plastic surgeon at Sydney Eye Hospital. "However, even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function," Nicklin said. It is rare to transplant a complete toe, like in Mitchell's case, although partial toe relocations were more common, the hospital said. "A lot of people think their balance and walking is going to be significantly affected which it generally is not," Nicklin said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fringe Tamil youth outift today filed a police complaint seeking action against an actress for allegedly using abusive language against people living in slums in the "Bigg Boss," reality show in a Tamil TV channel. Tamil Youth and Students Federation said actress Gayathri Raghuram had allegedly chided another participant, Oviya using the abusive term. Such abusive language allegedly insulted and belittled slum dwellers, said the complaint filed a day after a Hindu outfit sought a ban on the show, alleging it denigrated Tamil culture. Coordinator of the outfit S Guhan wanted action against the actress under laws including Protection of Civil Rights Act. "We want Vijay TV to publicly apologise for it," he told PTI. Yesterday, Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) sought legal action against Kamal Haasan, hosting the show, and the actors participating in the show that is being telecast on Vijay TV since June 24. Reacting to the complaint, Haasan had said "I have faith in law... If they want to arrest me, let it happen, law and justice will protect me." The actor, recalling movies of top Tamil film directors of yesteryear like K Balachander who dealt with family issues in their movies, said the reality show was just like that and it was about "co-existence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spanning across Harappa, Kashi, Constantinople, Goa and the Vatican, a book oscillates from history to mythology, occult to religion and exorcism to gunfights as it seeks solutions to unanswered questions on the Indus Valley Civilization. "Harappa: Curse of the Blood River" takes readers on a journey spanning 3,700 years, right from 1700 BCE Indus Valley to modern-day Delhi and Paris. Was there an Aryan invasion of white-skinned fighters riding into India through the Khyber? Did the Saraswati river really exist? Why is the Harappan script un-deciphered till date? What was the truth behind the fall of the mighty civilisation? The self-published book by Vineet Bajpai seeks answers to these questions. Bajpai, who has earlier written management books like 'The Street To The Highway' and 'Build From Scratch', has for the first time ventured into fiction with the latest book. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Books on hacking, along with other computer hardware have been seized from the possession of Imran Chippa, a computer science drop out, arrested in connection with unauthorised access to Reliance Jio's database, Maharashtra Police said today. "During the searches at the residence of 35-year-old Chippa, we found books on hacking and related material apart from the desktop, laptop, pen drive and other devices," Balsingh Rajput, Superintendent of Police, Maharashtra Cyber Cell, told PTI. "We will interrogate him about possible hacking on Internet in connection with the data leak case," he said. The team of Maharashtra Cyber Cell, Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai Police, Vigilance and Security department officials of Reliance-Jio, are returning to Mumbai with the arrested accused Chippa tonight from Jaipur, another official said. Chippa will be kept in custody of Navi Mumbai Police, where he will be interrogated by Maharashtra Cyber and Navi Mumbai Police team, he said. Yesterday, the police had said that he had gained unauthorised access using some credentials into a part of the database and put them on a website, which led to widespread concerns on data security. On reports of Chippa trying to create a 'search engine', Rajput said it is premature to say anything before a thorough investigation is carried out. A day after the arrest of Chippa in the Reliance Jio (RJio) data breach case, the police had said it was a case of "unauthorised access" into the company's database and "not of a theft." "It is not a theft, even though while filing the complaint they (RJio) had stated it as a theft. Now it is almost sure that he (the accused) was actually accessing the data in an unauthorised manner," Navi Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police Tushar Doshi told PTI. The Rabale (Navi Mumbai) MIDC Police had on Monday registered a case against unidentified persons in connection with data theft. RJio is headquartered in the satellite city. Doshi explained as part of its regular operations, RJio--whose subscriber base had crossed 100 million within six months of the launch--makes certain data available to its retailers which was made available through the website and the arrested person gained unauthorised access to the company's servers. Asserting that this excludes sensitive details like Aadhaar details or PAN numbers, Doshi said one was able to get a RJio subscriber's name, email ID, SIM activation date, telecom circle and alternate number by putting the RJio number in the search command. Reliance was one of the first operators to add customers solely on the basis of Aadhaar details as address and identity proof. Later, the government made it mandatory for all new connections to be activated against Aadhaar details. "It is not that data is entirely visible there. You will get details only on the RJio number. There is a search engine on the website," Doshi explained. The presence of Aadhar details, which includes biometrics, had raised concern in certain quarters after the data breach came to light over the weekend. "It will take some time to know Chippa's modus operandi and the number of people involved in the data leak," the official said. A resident of Sujangarh town in Rajasthan, Chippa had made the website Magicapk. He claimed to provide Jio user data through his website, police said. In a statement on late Sunday evening, the company had said claims of the website were "unverified" and "unsubstantiated". "Prima facie, 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," it had said. Jio further said it has "informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken". After the police complaint was lodged, the Mumbai Police reached Churu after tracking the IP address and took Chippa into custody on Tuesday evening. Following the data leak, the domain of the website has been suspended. An analysis by the Maharashtra Cyber Police headed by IG Brijesh Singh led investigators to zero in on the location from where the suspected data breach had happened, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Dalai Lama will visit Botswana next month and meet with President Ian Khama, Botswana officials confirmed, in a trip likely to anger China, a key investor across Africa and its largest trade partner. Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist campaigning for Tibetan independence and consistently condemns foreign leaders who meet him. Botswana "will be extending the normal courtesies for visiting dignitaries", the government said yesterday in a statement. "His Excellency (President Khama) will meet the Dalai Lama when he is in Botswana." The Tibetan spiritual leader, who lives in exile in India, is due to make a public address at the three-day "Mind and Life Dialogue" conference in the Botswana capital Gaborone on August 19. Botswana's neighbour South Africa has repeatedly denied the Dalai Lama a visa in an apparent attempt to further boost ties with China, drawing fierce criticism from archbishop Desmond Tutu and others. China's growing demand for raw materials has seen a rapid rise in trade with Africa. The Chinese government has helped build coal-powered power plants, road networks, bridges and schools in Botswana, in some of its many infrastructure projects in Africa. Many in the continent see Beijing as a counterbalance to the West, but the relationship has also raised accusations of neo-colonialism. Botswana, one of the world's largest diamond producers, has a population of just two million people and is known for its stable political scene. A government spokesman declined to comment to AFP on any risk to relations with China. The Dalai Lama says he seeks more autonomy for Tibet rather than outright independence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brexit has created uncertainty for both Spanish businesses and citizens, King Felipe VI of Spain said today during his state visit to Britain, calling for a swift resolution. In a reception in the City of London business district before holding talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, the monarch also said there was a need to "minimise future obstacles. "We cannot deny that the scenario created by Britain's decision to leave the EU has created uncertainty and doubts for our major companies, and especially for our small and medium enterprises," King Felipe said. "We must ensure that the negotiations reduce such uncertainty to the minimum. It is vital that the framework of our future relations create the conditions for a closer trading relationship by trying to minimise future obstacles," the monarch said. Britain is the top destination for Spanish investment in Europe. In sectors such as banking, Spain is the second- biggest investor in Britain behind the United States. British exports to Spain were worth 16.7 billion euros (USD 19.1 billion) in 2015, while Spanish imports were worth 28 billion euros. Spanish investments in Britain topped 82 billion euros that year. Meanwhile Britain is the second-biggest investor in Spain, representing 12 percent of total foreign investment. "These investments created around 110,000 jobs in Spain, where around 1,000 British companies have a base," the king said. The main Spanish companies in Britain attended the reception, including the banks Santander and Sabadell, Inditex (Zara) and Ferrovial, which was involved in building London's new Underground train line. In a separate speech to the Spanish community at the embassy in London, King Felipe asked for "certainty" for the more than 100,000 Spaniards living in Britain. "We are confident that the agreement on Britain leaving the European Union... Will soon give you the necessary certainty to continue living your lives in peace and with confidence," the sovereign said. There are around 300,000 Britons living in Spain, many of whom are retired and depend on free medical care under EU rules. The 116,000-odd Spaniards in Britain are mainly workers. "We know that many of you wish to remain in Britain after it leaves the EU, carrying on with your work and way of life, which began when there were no shadows of uncertainty about the future," the king said. "We want to encourage the Spanish and British governments to work to make this possible." Before the reception at the embassy, King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited Westminster Abbey in London, where they laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and saw the tomb of Eleanor of Castile, the Spanish wife of England's king Edward I, who died in 1290. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) . PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same). The Bristlecone Labs' IoE solution generates value for Mahindra North America by enabling real-time visibility into inventory positions, product mix and incident reporting. It also provides a B2B specific scalable solution that is integrated with S&OP for inventory tracking across distribution networks. The solution was enabled in days instead of the typical weeks of effort. Ehricke highlighted the pilot work that MUSA has been doing with Bristlecone to digitalize their supply chain. "IoT gateways collect data from sensors and tags, immediately uploading it to the Cloud, so we have full visibility of high value asset movements within our assembly and distribution center. The ability to monitor these assets in real-time has tremendous value potential in providing visibility across our supply chain ecosystem." About Bristlecone: Bristlecone is a premier Supply Chain Advisory and Analytics SaaS+ firm focused on enabling Digitally Connected Supply Chains. A leader in advising clients on how to maximize the strategic value of their Supply Chain and Business Analytics, Bristlecone assists customers to unleash that value rapidly through effective use of enabling technologies. Rated by Gartner among the top Supply Chain Management System Integrators, Bristlecone has enabled strategic, incremental value for over 300 customers across multiple industry verticals. With its singular focus on addressing procurement, Supply Chain and Analytics challenges, Bristlecone helps clients diagnose, design, enable, and enhance their operations by encapsulating years of experience into pre-configured solutions, accelerated deployments and enhancement packs for the leading Supply Chain technologies. Headquartered in California's Silicon Valley, Bristlecone also has offices located across the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Australia and India. Bristlecone is a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group. To know more visit: http://www.Bcone.Com About Mahindra USA (MUSA): Mahindra USA was formed in Tomball, Texas in 1994, expanding Mahindra Group's global reach to a key market. It has been ranked as the world's #1 company selling tractors in 2010. Mahindra North America serves this market with 8 Distribution Centers in the US, Canada, Mexico. Mahindra North America is linked to a strong global brand - the Mahindra Group. About The Mahindra Group: The Mahindra Group is a USD 19 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world's largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defense and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 200,000 people across 100 countries. Learn more about Mahindra on http://www.Mahindra.Com. Media Contact: Rama Krishnamurthy Global Marketing Bristlecone - India and SEA markets rama.Krishnamurthy@bcone.Com +91-9731757812 Source: Bristlecone India Limited. British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson today hit out at China for having prevented Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in custody, from seeking cancer treatment abroad. "Liu Xiaobo should have been allowed to choose his own medical treatment overseas, which the Chinese authorities repeatedly denied him," Johnson said in a statement. "This was wrong and I now urge them to lift all restrictions on his widow, Liu Xia," he added. A prominent Chinese dissident, Liu died in a heavily- guarded hospital today after battling liver cancer. His wife has been under house arrest since 2010, although she was allowed to visit her husband in hospital. The Chinese authorities had rebuffed offers for Liu to be treated abroad, warning other countries to stay out of China's internal affairs. Described by Johnson as a "lifelong campaigner for democracy, human rights and peace", Liu was detained in 2008 after calling for democratic reforms. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 and an empty chair marked his absence at the awards ceremony in Oslo, as Liu had by then been sentenced to 11 years in prison for "subversion". Having been transferred to hospital still under guard, Liu became the first Nobel Peace laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital while held by the Nazis in 1938. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar should let the UN fact-finding mission probe the alleged human rights violations by the country's military and security forces, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said, underlining that the international community cannot overlook the situation there. Myanmarsaid late last month that it would not grant visas to members of a commission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations by the country's state security forces, including the recent abuses in Rakhine State. The US mission to the UN said violence in Rakhine State against ethnic and religious communitiescontinues to claim lives and there are allegations of sexual violence against women and children. "No one should face discrimination or violence because of their ethnic background or religious beliefs. It is important that the Myanmar government allow this fact-finding mission to do itsjob," Indian-origin Haley said in a statement here. She said the international community cannot overlook what is happening in Myanmar and "we must stand together and call on the government to fullycooperate with this fact-finding mission". "The total number of victims will be unknown unless the fact-finding mission is allowed to proceed," the UN mission said. Geneva director at global rights group Human Rights WatchJohn Fishersaid denying visas to the members of the fact-finding mission would be "a slap in the face" to victims who suffered grave human rights violations by Myanmar's state security forces. "Does Aung San Suu Kyi's government really want to be included in a very small and ignominious club of countries that reject Human Rights Council decisions? North Korea, Eritrea, Syria, and Burundi are human rights pariah states that obstructed the work of independent, international investigations into alleged rights abuses, and it would be a travesty for a democratically elected, National League for Democracy-led government in Myanmar to do the same," Fisher said. The rights group said the Myanmar government should immediately announce they will issue visas to the fact-finding mission and fully cooperate with its investigation. "Otherwise, the governments that pushed to set up this fact-finding mission need to stand up for it and impose a political consequence on Myanmar for blocking its work," Fisher added. The UN estimates that more than 90,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee theirhomes in northern Rakhine State since last October. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading commodity bourse NCDEX today said it will relaunch chana futures tomorrow after a gap of one year with modified contract specifications. Chana futures were suspended in June 2016 to curb prices owing to fall in output. Markets regulator Sebi has lifted the ban on chana futures following a rise in production in the interest of farmers. "Futures provide a very strong, well-regulated marketing channel for farmers and the relaunch of chana futures will not only help in providing advance price signals to millions of farmers but also help improve their realisations," NCDEX Managing Director and CEO Samir Shah said. In a statement, the exchange said it has modified the contract to allow futures trading in only 'unprocessed raw chana not for direct human consumption' for delivery at Bikaner, Rajasthan. Earlier, the delivery centre was Delhi. Initially, chana contracts for delivery in September, October and November will be available for trading. Further contracts will be made available as per the launch calendar, it said. The transaction charges will be at a flat rate of Rs 2 per Rs 1,00,000 trade, till further notice from the exchange. The country is estimated to have produced 9.08 million tonnes of chana in 2016-17 crop year (July-June) as against 7.06 million tonnes last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Worshippers quietly passed through metal detectors as they entered the central mosque in China's far western city of Kashgar under the stern gaze of stone- faced police officers. The increasingly strict curbs imposed on the mostly Muslim Uighur population have stifled life in the tense Xinjiang region, where beards are partially banned and no one is allowed to pray in public. For years, the square outside the mosque in Kashgar was packed with teeming crowds as worshippers jostled for space to unroll their prayer rugs and celebrate the end of Ramadan. But no longer. This year, an eerie silence hung over the plaza outside the imposing prayer hall as devotees gathered to mark the end of a month of fasting -- the lowest turnout in a generation according to residents. Authorities declined to comment on the numbers. But local businessmen told AFP the government had used the multiple checkpoints encircling the city to prevent travellers to Kashgar from joining Eid prayers. "This is not a good place for religion," said one trader. Beijing says the restrictions and heavy police presence seek to control the spread of Islamic extremism and separatist movements, but analysts warn that Xinjiang is becoming an open air prison. China is "essentially creating a police state of unprecedented scale," said James Leibold, an expert on Chinese security at Australia's La Trobe University. The government began ramping up security and religious restrictions in Xinjiang in 2009, following a series of riots in the regional capital Urumqi that left around 200 dead. In March, President Xi Jinping ordered security forces to build a "great wall of steel" around the region after Uighurs claiming to belong to a division of the Islamic State group in Iraq threatened to return home and "shed blood like rivers". Over the last year, Beijing has flooded Xinjiang with tens of thousands of security personnel, placed police stations on nearly every block, and rolled out tough regulations aimed at "eliminating extremism". Public signs say no one is permitted to pray in public or grow a beard before the age of 50, while government employees are forbidden from fasting during Ramadan. In Tashkurgan, near the Pakistan border, authorities shut a halal restaurant as "punishment" for refusing to serve food during the holiday, according to a shopkeeper working next door. A teacher and a government official told AFP that schools discourage students from using the traditional Arabic Muslim greeting "As-Salaam Alaikum" ("peace be upon you"). "The government thinks this Islamic word is equal to separatism," the official said. The region's ubiquitous surveillance cameras are particularly abundant in places of worship: an empty mosque in the southern city of Yarkand had three of them pointing directly at the spot where the imam leads prayers. Even more hung from the wooden rafters like bats. (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.) In an unprecedented move, the Chinese Foreign Ministry today removed questions related to Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo from the transcripts of its daily media briefings available on the official website. The move came hours after the death of the 61-year-old human rights activist who died due to multiple organ failure following a battle with cancer while still in custody. Asked why the references about Liu were removed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the ministry has the right to decide about the content of the transcripts. "I answered more than 10 questions on the subject yesterday. When you are covering the press conference did you write the every word I said in your report. We have the right to decide which kind of content can go online," Geng said. According to the justice bureau of Shenyang city in Liaoning Province, Liu, convicted of subversion of state power in 2009, died of multiple organ failure today. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail for his strident opposition to the one party rule of the Communist Party of China. Liu served eight years in jail before he was diagnosed with cancer. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while in jail and was represented by an empty chair at the ceremony in Oslo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has said that his party would not support the delimitation (of Assembly constituencies) in Andhra Pradesh unless the Centre granted special category status (SCS) to the state. The Congress leader reportedly told a delegation from Andhra Pradesh yesterday that their party's support to the Delimitation Bill would be subject to Centre fulfilling the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and the promise made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha on granting SCS to Andhra Pradesh. This decision by the Congress is a setback to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which was hoping that a Bill related to the delimitation of constituencies, increasing the number of Assembly seats from the present 175 to 225, would come up in Parliament during the monsoon session. Given the numbers in Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is now in minority, Congress' support will be crucial to pass the Delimitation Bill. "We want the BJP-led NDA government, of which the TDP is a constituent, to honour the promises, particularly with regard to SCS and establishment of a railway zone at Visakhapatnam. Otherwise, Rahul (Gandhi) has told us not to support the Delimitation Bill," PCC president N Raghuveera Reddy said. Increasing the number of Assembly seats is politically critical for the TDP in 2019. It had been pressuring the Centre to complete the formality, which incidentally was enshrined in the Reorganisation Act. The Centre initially said in Parliament that the exercise would not be undertaken before 2026 but later Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu took up the issue personally with Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the behest of the TDP. "Opposing the delimitation is yet another betrayal. The Congress has already done grave injustice to AP by illogically dividing the state," Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said. "Rahul Gandhi's opposition to the enhancement of Assembly seats amounts to political and social betrayal. It is atrocious that the Congress party, which enacted the Reorganisation Act, is now opposing certain provisions of the same law," Yanamala said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena, a ruling coalition partner in Maharashtra, as well as the opposition Congress and the NCP today condemned an incident in Nagpur district where a man was allegedly thrashed by some people on the suspicion that he was carrying beef. The BJP, on the other hand, sought to play it down, calling it a stray incident. "Lynchings of people over suspicion of carrying beef started in UP and it has now spilled over to our progressive state. To make the matters worse, this has happened in the RSS heartland. If this continues, there will be a chaos in the country," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI. "How can it be that the prime pinister warns gau-rakshaks, but (still) they ignore him? We think there is an ulterior motive behind this. An attempt is being made to shift the focus away from the Modi government's failure to retaliate strongly against the terrorists who killed Amarnath pilgrims," she said. The Sena leader also said that Maharashtra should have a full-time home minister. At present, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handles the portfolio among other departments. "It high time that Maharashtra got a full-time home minister. The law and order situation has hit its lowest point in last three years," Kayande said. BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said that despite the prime minister's warning, one cannot "get into the minds" of those resorting to violence. "One cannot get into the minds of these people. We condemn this incident, but one cannot term it a failure of law and order because this is a stray incident," he said. "No party would support such actions. The accused do not have the right to beat anybody. They could have handed him (the victim) over to the police and the law would have taken its own course," Shetty added. State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said the continuance of such incidents showed that "nobody takes the prime minister seriously". "More than 27 people have been lynched in the country. This issue is becoming serious with every passing day. It shows nobody takes the prime minister seriously," He said. The Congress will raise the issue in the Monsoon Sessions of Parliament and the state Assembly and make this government answerable, the former chief minister said. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik asked if Fadnavis can ensure that such incidents won't happen again. "After Gujarat and Haryana, now it is Maharashtra's turn. The CM hails from Nagpur, so the gravity of the incident is greater. Will the CM ensure that this does not happen again," he said. The chief minister should enlighten the BJP and the RSS workers about the difference between cow meat and buffalo meat as the latter was not banned, the NCP leader said. Salim Ismail Sheikh (31), resident of Katol town, was allegedly thrashed by a group of people on the suspicion that he was carrying beef at Bharsingi village in Nagpur district last night. The police have arrested four persons in this connection. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI today sought a high level inquiry into allegations that AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala had paid Rs 2 crore to some jail officials for being given preferential treatment at a prison in Bengaluru where she has been lodged. Stringent action should be taken against the erring officials, CPI National secretary D Raja told reporters here. It has proved that an individual can bribe officials and get comfort during jail stay, he said, adding, the matter should be probed by a high level committee. He said corruption has not spared the jail also. On presidential and vice-presidential elections, Raja said the election was between two different ideologies. On one side is "communal politics of the BJP with the support of RSS and on the other, the 18 opposition parties who uphold constitutional values and secular fabric of the country," he said. He appealed to MPs from Tamil Nadu to vote for Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition candidates. Raja accused the BJP government of neglecting the interests of farmers, who are facing the worst ever economic crisis in the recent past. At the least the government should come forward to implement the M S Swaminathan Committee report and properly fix minimum support price for farmers' produce and also reduce input cost for agriculture, he said. CPI opposed the reported move to merge Central Institute of Classical Tamil with Central University of Tamil Nadu, Raja said. He alleged that the government was trying to impose Hindi and Sanskrit and the policy will be against the country's unity and sovereignty. Raja also alleged that the BJP-led government was trying to privatise government undertakings and said the NITI Aayog has now become a transferring authority of public sector undertakings to private parties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI today condemned the arrest of two girl students near Salem, who were distributing pamphlets on the ills of methane gas and Hydro Carbon project in Neduvasal. The students were distributing pamphlets among students when police arrested and registered cases under various sections of IPC, which was condemnable, CPI state secretary, Mutharasan told reporters here. The arrests were illegal, as the citizens had every rights under constitution to make the people know about the adverse affects of such projects, Mutharasan alleged. He alleged that the government was taking such actions only to please the BJP-led Government at the Centre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India today asserted that cross- border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the "heart" of the matter that was threatening regional peace and snubbed China for its offer to mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue, insisting it was a bilateral matter between it and Pakistan. India's strong reaction came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said China was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving Indo-Pak ties, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC). He also said the situation in Kashmir has attracted "international" attention. "At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross- border terrorism perpetrated on India including on the people of the state of J&K. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular source is threatening peace and stability in not only India but other neighbours," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters. As far as the Kashmir issue itself is concerned, the government's position has been very consistent and clear, he asserted. "We have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan among other issues (including) J&K in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan including the Kashmir issue in a bilateral framework has not changed," he Baglay said. He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India is against the use of chemical weapon anywhere by anyone in any situation. Baglay hit out at the Pakistan government for "reading" from Lashkar-e-Taiba's terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in July last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Observing that cyberspace is the "new battlefield", a top Microsoft official has called for a a global digital convention to combat cyberattacks that have morphed into sophisticated nation state attacks. "What started a decade-and-a-half ago as a sense that there were some teenagers in the basement hacking their way has moved so far beyond that. It has morphed into sophisticated international organised crime and, worse, sophisticated nation state attacks," Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer, Brad Smith, said in his keynote address at the Microsoft Inspire 2017 Conference here on Wednesday. "We see that in the headlines of the last few months. We see that in the attacks that have taken place. We see it in the nation state threats to which it has led. We see it even in the last two weeks, in an attack on a country that then spread around the world," Smith said, addressing thousands of partners of Microsoft at the conference. There were over 170 participants from India. "One thing has unfortunately become all too clear: cyberspace is the new battlefield and when you think about all of these recent incidents, this is a wakeup call. It is a wakeup call to all of us. It is a wakeup call to Microsoft and every partner and every customer and we hope to every government in the world," Smith said. As a company, he said, Microsoft has launched a four-part approach to strengthen cybersecurity including identity and access management. "We recognise as a company that we have the first responsibility to keep our customers safe," he said. Underlining that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, he said "It is a responsibility that all of us in this room share together, it is a responsibility that all of us share with our customers, because so much turns on the ability of customers to implement such important security fundamentals." "Fundamentals like two-factor authentication, fundamentals like the updating and patching of systems, fundamentals like whitelisting applications that should be downloaded, fundamentals like using our latest software," he told the Microsoft partners. Smith asserted that there is need to recognise together that cybersecurity is a cause. "It's a cause that is global in scope and paramount in importance and, unfortunately, it is a sobering time," he said. "It is a sobering time when you think about this, after World War II, seven decades ago, all the governments of the world got together and they agreed, they undertook an obligation legally that they would protect civilians in times of war," said the top Microsoft official. Given the seriousness of the issue, Smith said, one can take inspiration and learn from what the governments of the world learned from World War II. "When they came together in Geneva in 1949 and adopted what was called the Fourth Geneva Convention, a convention that pledged that they would not attack civilians in times of war. What we need today is a new Geneva Convention. We need a Digital Geneva Convention that will call on the governments of the world to pledge that they will not attack civilians through cybersecurity measures in times of peace. That is what we are calling for," Smith said. "As we ask governments to act, as we encourage them to act, we have the opportunity as an industry to act as well, to come together with our own accord, a tech sector accord that enables us to work together more effectively as an industry, that asks all of us as a global community and as global leaders to stand together behind a straightforward pledge that the world can count on us to stand up for our principles of 100 per cent defence, 0 per cent offense," he said. "We will not help any government attack any customer anywhere. To the contrary, we will help defend every customer everywhere," Smith said amidst applause from the audience. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eight men, seven of Serbian origin, have been charged over the fatal beating of an American tourist on the Greek island of Zante, the Ana agency reported today. The suspects, a Greek barman, a British bouncer of Serbian origin and six Serbian tourists, were already in custody, the agency reported. They have been charged with beating to death Bakari Henderson, a 22-year-old African-American, on the night of July 6-7 at the coastal resort of Lagana. Police detained the suspects after viewing CCTV footage of the incident. Extracts broadcast on Greek television show Henderson being slapped by one of the suspects after talking to a waitress. He suffered serious head injuries and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. Police have ruled out racism or nationalism as a motive for the attack, characterising it as an alcohol-fuelled attack. Lagana is known for its nightlife and police source told AFP earlier this week that all involved had been drinking heavily. A seventh Serbian tourist has also been detained and faces questioning in the coming days. Alcohol-related violence led to the 2011 death in Lagana of a 19-year-old British tourist following a fight with two Greek taxi drivers. Three years earlier, two bar workers fatally beat an Australian tourist on the island of Mykonos. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The EU launched legal action against Hungary today over a crackdown on foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros. The move came hours after the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban said it would end a poster campaign attacking Soros that has been accused of anti-Semitism. Brussels also announced that it is advancing a separate case over an education law that could shut a Soros-backed university, risking a fresh confrontation with Orban. "We have studied the new law on NGOs carefully and have come to the conclusion that it does not comply with EU law," European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said. Timmermans said civil groups were "the very fabric of our democratic societies and therefore should not be unduly restricted". "We await a reaction from the Hungarian authorities within a month." Hungary's parliament approved the law last month which will force groups receiving more than 24,000 euros (USD 26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a "foreign-supported organisation", or risk closure for non- compliance. They will also have to use the label "foreign-supported organisation" on their websites, press releases and other publications. Orban's government says the measures are aimed at improving transparency as well as fighting money laundering and terrorism funding. Separately, the EU said it had moved onto the next formal stage in a legal case that it launched against Hungary in April over an education law, sending Budapest a "reasoned opinion" about the clash between that legislation and EU law. "We expect a reaction from the Hungarian authorities within a month. If the response is not satisfactory, the commission can decide to go to the court," Timmermans said, referring to the European Court of Justice, the EU's top judiciary body. Budapest has been outspoken in its opposition to Soros, claiming that his donations of billions of euros (dollars) to rights groups in the region are a bid to force Hungary to take in migrants. Brussels launched legal action against Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic last month over their refusal to take their share of migrants under an EU scheme aimed at easing the pressure on Mediterranean states from Europe's migrant crisis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two feminist activists rushed to the stage during a performance of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band in Hamburg, Germany in protest of the filmmaker's alleged abuse of his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow. The 81-year-old "Annie Hall" director was playing the clarinet when the women, who were topless and covered in writing condemning Allen for alleged child abuse, went up on the stage and began shouting, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two activists from the Femen group, known for their provocative nude protests, tried to read a letter from Allen's adoptive daughter Dylan, who has accused the Oscar-winning director of abusing her when she was seven. But security guards pulled them offstage. Allen and his band did not seem particularly bothered by the disruption. After security removed the protesters, they continued with their concert. Dylan first publicly accused her adoptive father of abuse three years ago. The alleged abuse took place in 1992 when Allen was still together with Dylan's mother, actress Mia Farrow. Connecticut prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against Allen, but decided not to pursue criminal charges. In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter last year, Dylan's brother Ronan Farrow detailed the allegations, and condemned the general press silence surrounding them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following are the top stories from Eastern Region at 1700 hours. CAL1 WB-GJM MINISTER Siliguri(WB) : West Bengal Tourism minister Gautam Deb alleges that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists hurled stones at him when he went to Panighata to attend a programme, a charge denied by the GJM. CAL2 WB-GJM SITUATION Darjeeling(WB) : A GTA office was set on fire and several vehicles were damaged in Darjeeling as the indefinite shutdown in the hills entered the 29th day. CES1 WB-GJM-NHPC Kolkata : The Nation Hydel Power Corporation has shut down its hydel power plant at Ramdi in Darjeeling hills after a mob of over 600 people started an agitation outside the plant site, a NHPC official said. CES2 BH-SSB-ARREST Motihari : The Sashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) arrests two persons including a Nepalese citizen along with Nepalese currency notes from Indo-Nepal border in Bihar's East Champaran district. CES3 OD-SANDARTIST-HOSPITAL Bhubaneswar : Globally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, who had launched a hunger strike at Puri protesting beach pollution, shifted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar as he fell ill. CES4 BH-CHILDREN-DROWN Sasaram : Four children drown in a pond in Bihar's Rohtas district. CES5 OD-CHILDMARRIAGE Kendrapara(Odisha) : Child rights activists, civil officials and police personnel intervene and prevent a child marriage in Kendrapara district of Odisha. CES6 MZ-MEMORANDUM Aizawl : A joint memorandum of all major political parties, NGOs and student associations of Mizoram in regard to the future of the Mizos living in neighbouring Manipur has been submitted to the Prime Minister's office. CES7 WB-IITKGP BERKSHIRE Kolkata : The president of Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group and IIT-Kharagpur alumnus Ajit Jain has donated stocks of the company to IITKGP Foundation US for his alma mater. CCM10 BIZ-FOREVERMARK Kolkata : The country's second exclusive store for Forevermark diamonds will come up in the city by the festive season. ERG7 WB-CU-VC Kolkata : Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee, currently the pro Vice-Chancellor (finance) of Calcutta University, will be the next interim Vice-Chancellor of the esteemed institution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following are the top stories from Eastern Region at 2100 hours. CAL3 NL-CABINET FLOOR TEST Kohima: The Nagaland political crisis takes a new turn with the state cabinet turning down Governor P B Acharya's directive to Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu to call an emergency assembly session by July 15 to seek trust vote. CAL4 WB-GJM LD SITUATION Darjeeling: The agitators demanding a separate Gorkhaland today set aflame a GTA office, a railway station and a forest bungalow and damaged several vehicles amid the unabated violence and arson here in Darjeeling hills on the 29th day of the indefinite shutdown. CAL5 MZ-LD MEMORANDUM Aizawl: Major political parties, NGOs and students associations in Mizoram have asked the prime minister not to finalise the Naga Framework Agreement without solving the political problems of the Mizos living in the hill areas of Manipur. CAL6 AS-FLOOD-RIJIJU Guwahati: Union minister Kiren Rijiju says a high level inter-ministerial team would visit Assam within a month to asses damages by the floods, which have claimed at least 44 lives so far. CES9 NL-RAINS Kohima: Incessant rains across Nagaland has led to flash floods and landslides in several areas of the state. CES10 AS-FLOOD-BSF Dhubri(Assam): A BSF jawan has gone missing from an inundated border outpost in Assam's Dhubri district and is feared to have drowned. CES11 WB-GJM LD NHPC Kolkata: The National Hydel Power Corporation has shut down both it's hydel power plants in Darjeeling hills and has sought additional security for them from the West Bengal government. CES13 BH-MEDIA MEMORANDUM Patna: Mediapersons meet Bihar police chief P K Thakur demanding action against policemen attached as security to Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav and his minister brother Tej Pratap Yadav for assaulting scribes on duty. CES14 WB-WAGECODE-DATTATREYA Kolkata: Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya says his department is working hard to lay the Code on Wages Bill in the Parliament in the upcoming monsoon session. ERG17 JH-DAS Ranchi: Stating that Jharkhand has made speedy development in the last two and a half years and got stamp of approval on different yardsticks at the national level, Chief Minister Raghubar Das says the state is second after Gujarat in growth rate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Philippine military jet accidentally killed two soldiers and injured 11 others as troops fought to retake a southern city from pro-Islamic State group militants, the military said today. The incident yesterday was the second time soldiers have been killed by their own air support since fighting began in Marawi city almost two months ago, military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said. The army called air strikes at midday against a building where militants were believed to be hiding, but one of four bombs dropped by an FA-50 fighter jet fell short, he told reporters. "The bomb fell in an area proximate to a building where some of our men were staying and the ensuing blast caused part of that building to collapse," Padilla said. "The debris that fell from the part of the collapsed structure fell on our men causing the death of two and injuries to 11 others." The fighting has left 92 soldiers and police, 392 militants and 45 civilians dead in 52 days of fighting, Padilla said. They included up to six civilians believed to have been killed by the militants and whose remains were discovered by troops at the city centre yesterday, the military said. "They were civilians that were killed earlier during the start of the fight, executed by these terrorists," Padilla added. However, an attempt to retrieve the remains was aborted today due to gunfire, local officials said. The military estimates about one hundred surviving gunmen still control around a thousand houses and commercial buildings in downtown Marawi. The fighting has forced nearly 400,000 residents of Marawi and surrounding towns and villages to flee, officials said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law over the southern third of the Philippines after the fighting broke out in Marawi on May 23. He said it was necessary to help the military eliminate an attempt by the gunmen to set up an IS province in the southern Philippines, home to decades-old armed rebellions by the large Muslim minority. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Gemma Whelan, who is a vegetarian, said she had to gorge on meat for her role in "Game of Thrones". The 36-year-old actress, who plays Yara Greyjoy in the HBO series, said she thought she would be able to convince the makers to let her eat a replacement for non-vegetarian fare, reported FemaleFirst. "I'm a vegetarian. My brother, Theon (Alfie Allen), kills two boys and comes back thinking he's a hero. In the script, it says my character is eating meat. I thought I'd just tell them on the day that I don't eat meat and we could bring in a meat substitute," Whelan told the Belfast Telegraph. But the actress said she was in for a surprise as she was made to eat chicken "all day" for the scene. "I didn't know the calibre of the show at the time and the set guy made a whole vat of chicken, so I ate chicken all day. I just told myself I was going method. The protein hit was quite something," she said. "GOT" season seven premiers in India on July 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German Justice Minister Heiko Maas hailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo as a "hero" after of his death in Chinese custody today. "His non-violent resistance made him a hero in the battle for democracy and human rights. RIP," Maas wrote on Twitter. Germany had said it was prepared to welcome Liu for medical treatment, after he was transferred from prison to hospital last month following a terminal liver cancer diagnosis. But the Chinese government rejected international calls to allow the longtime campaigner and his family to leave its borders. Liu became the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital while held by the Nazis in 1938. Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said yesterday that reports on the 61-year-old's poor health "raise the question of whether Mr Liu's cancer should have been diagnosed and treated far earlier". 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following is the chronology of events leading to the National Green Tribunal today passing a slew of directions to rejuvenate River Ganga, declaring as 'No-Development Zone' an area of 100 metres from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao. *Oct 2014: SC transfers the Ganga cleaning case with regards to industrial pollution to NGT. *May 2015: Centre approves an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for Clean Ganga project. *Dec 11: NGT imposes complete ban on use of plastic of any kind from Gomukh to Haridwar along Ganga from February 1. *Jan 4, 2016: NGT directs the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to take a clear stand on a mechanism to clean the river from Haridwar to Kanpur. *Jan 12: NGT asks the Centre not to release funds without its approval due to the lackadaisical approach of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand officials in enumerating reasons for pollution in Ganga. *Jan 15: NGT asks UP, U'khand governments to identify seriously polluting industries located on the banks of Ganga. *Jan 1: NGT asks UP to apprise public about proceedings as it may order shifting of polluting industrial units located on the banks of Ganga. *Feb 10: NGT appoints a committee to look into grossly polluting industries located along the banks of Ganga. *Mar 21: NGT seeks complete data on sewage discharged in Ganga. *Apr 5: 1070 polluting units discharge effluents in Ganga in UP, UPPCB tells NGT. *Jul 26: NGT seeks expenditure details of Rs 20k cr from National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Sep 15: Ganga water has heavy metal, pesticide traces, CPCB tells NGT. *Sep 30: Almost 10 million litres of untreated waste water is being directly pumped into Ganga every day only in Mirzapur from five big drains, NGT informed *Oct 18: NGT bars UP govt from spending on projects along Ganga. *Oct 19:NGT forms panel to check sewage joining Ganga through drains. *Nov 21: NGT flays UP govt over tanneries, says can't behave like king. *Dec 1: Consortium of seven IITs tells NGT that multiplicity of authorities, lack of assistance from state governments and dearth of monitoring has led to the failure of cleaning Ganga. *Dec 5: UP govt headed by Akhilesh Yadav tells NGT that it was impossible to shift tanneries from Kanpur. *Jan 24, 2017: Supreme Court transfers PIL on cleaning of river Ganga, pending for over a decade, to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which is hearing the matter since 2014. *Feb 6: Public money wasted, not a drop of Ganga cleaned, says NGT. *Apr: Yogi Adityanath govt favours shifting of Kanpur tanneries, tells NGT that all the sources which pollute Ganga should be treated on the basis of definite data. *Apr 26: NGT orders closure of 13 industries violating pollution norms. *May 31: NGT reserves verdict on Phase-II of river Ganga. *July 13: NGT raps authorities for spending over Rs 7,000 crore in two years to clean the Ganga as it bans all construction activity within 100 metres of the river edge. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying a senior police officer in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, killing him and three other policemen. Superintendent of Police of Quaidabad area, Mubarak Shah, was targetted by the gunmen in Quetta, the provincial capital, while he was patrolling in the area with his team. Inspector General of Police in Balochistan Abdul Razzak Cheema confirmed the attack on Shah. "Shah was injured and later died in the hospital while three police personnel died on the spot," he said. Another policeman was injured and was being treated. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban militants often carry out such attacks in the area. The incident comes days after District Police Officer of Qilla Abdullah, his security guard and driver were killed and over 10 other people, including five police personnel, were injured in a suicide blast in the border town of Chaman on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Thursday exited the Bengaluru airport by selling its residual 10 per cent stake to Canadian NRI businessman Prem Watsa's Fairfax India Holdings Corporation for Rs 1,290 crore. Now Watsa owns 48 per cent in the third busiest airport in the country and GVK, which built the greenfield project, exits the airport. The remaining stake is held by Siemens Project Ventures with 26 per cent and the Airport Authority and Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation hold 13 per cent each. On March 24, 2017, the billionaire businessman increased his stake in the airport by 5 per cent by picking it up from Flughafen Zurich AG, taking his total holding to 38 percent. In March this year, GVK had closed an agreement signed in March 2016 with Fairfax India to sell a 33 per cent stake in the Kempegowda International Airport for Rs 2,202 crore, but retained a 10 per cent stake and management control. Subsequently, in June this year, GVK announced its decision to conclude the sale of this 10 per cent residual stake to Fairfax India. GVK build the airport under a 30+30 year concession agreement from the government. In March 2016, the airport was valued at valuing the eight-year-old airport at about Rs 6,500 crore. Commenting on the development, GVK Group founder chairman & managing director GVK Reddy said, Since deleveraging is currently our top priority, we decided to part ways with the Bengaluru airport. However, we would like to reiterate that the airports sector will continue to be a core focus area for GVK. The Bengaluru airport is Fairfax Groups largest investment in the country since it opened an India-dedicated investment company in 2014. It is also the company's biggest bet on the country's infrastructure sector. We will now focus on Mumbai as well as the Navi Mumbai airport for which we have won the bid and also on selectively evaluating privatisation opportunities. Capacity optimisation and real estate development will now be the priority areas for the existing Mumbai airport, he added. The move comes as it struggles to pay back Rs 22,000 crore of debt on its books. The Hyderabad-based GVK Group is present in energy, airports, transportation, hospitality and life sciences. The group set up the country's first independent power plant is also the first company to develop a six-lane road project under the PPP model. (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 man has been arrested for allegedly slapping a Muslim trader from Uttar Pradesh after he refused to raise 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogan during a protest by Bajrang Dal activists here against the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, police said today. Anil Kumar (28), a resident of Hisar's Rishi Nagar, was arrested yesterday and was sent to judicial custody today by a court here, a police spokesman said. The activists of the Dal took out a march near a mosque here yesterday to protest the attack on pilgrims in Kashmir Valley. The trader hailing from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh had come to the mosque to offer prayers yesterday when the Dal activists were taking out a march. As the Bajrang Dal activists were raising 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogans, someone in the crowd asked the victim, who was at the mosque's gate, to do the same. When he refused, he was allegedly slapped by someone in the crowd, police said, adding that a complaint was filed by the trader against around 100 unidentified people who were part of the crowd. A Bajrang Dal leader here said no one from the Dal had slapped the trader. The police said that 100 to 125 unidentified people were protesting outside the mosque and claimed that a few agitated members of the mob also kicked its door. Cases of rioting, promoting enmity between classes, maliciously insulting religious beliefs of any class, causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in religious worship, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation have been registered against the 100-125 unknown persons, police said. SHO at the City Police Station Lalit Kumar said that others involved in this incident would be also be arrested soon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The two-wheeler major Honda not only continues to lead incremental volume in domestic sales for the second quarter in a row in Q1,contributing 69 per cent, it's also become the largest volume contributor to exports in the June quarter with almost one-third of the total share. With a 44 per cent growth in exports, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has contributed almost a third, to be precise 29.5 per cent of the incremental export volume in the June quarter, or three-times more than the industry volume. The two-wheeler makers shipped a total 6,62,534 units during the April-June period, up 15 per cent over the same period last year, while Honda shipped 81,862 units during the period, recording a growth of 44 per cent over year-on-year, according to the data from the industry lobby Siam. Overseas shipments by Honda contributed 29.5 per cent to the total volumes, which is almost similar to what the segment leader Bajaj Auto added in the reporting period. On the other hand, Honda contributed 68.8 per cent of the total incremental sales in the domestic market. While the industry clocked 4,896,170 units in Q1, Honda sold 1,478,478 units during the same period. Out of the total addition of 3,53,434 units by the industry, Honda alone sold 2,40,604 units, thanks to its automatic scooter Activa which contributed close to 65 per cent of this. In absolute terms, Bajaj leads the export chart with 3,49,152 units, followed by TVS at 1,10,504 units. Domestic volume leader Hero is at a distant fourth slot with 42,344 units of exports. When contacted HMSI senior vice-president for sales & marketing YS Guleria said the unprecedented jump in export was led by the automatic scooter Dio, which contributes 45 per cent of its total shipment followed by the Navi, a crossover bike. "The Dio continues to be our flagship in overseas markets, chipping in with almost 45 per cent of the volume, followed by the bikes Twister and Hornet. The Navi has also been a great contributor with 4,000 units. Now we are getting huge orders from Latin America too for the Navi," Guleria told PTI over phone from New Delhi. The volume expansion has also been driven by newer markets and higher orders from Latin America, he said, adding demand has come back from LatAm in general, taking the overall share to 35 per cent now, up from 30 per cent last year. He further said they will soon be shipping the Navi to LatAm. The crossover bike was so far being shipped to Nepal and Sri Lanka only and volumes in the quarter touched 4,000 units. The Saarc markets led by Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh still continue to hold 65 per cent of Honda's exports, he said, adding for the second consecutive quarter Honda is the market leader in Sri Lanka. "Already we are servicing Latin American markets like Guatemala, Columbia, El Salvador and Bolivia, and Mexico. This month we have got orders from Ecuador too and we shipped samples already," he said, adding the company servers these markets with CKD and CBU models. "On the export front, we have done so well that our market share among the industry went up 2 percentage points to 12 per cent in the June quarter" Guleria said. He however was quick to add that the company doesn't expect a massive increase in volume share as it doesn't have the capacity to meet additional volumes. "We are unable to meet even the domestic demand with 10 assembly lines. We still have waiting period here. So I don't think a dramatic spike in our market share on the exports front. It should remain within the single digit for some more time," Guleria said, adding the company will be opening its 11th assembly line in Bengaluru towards the end of this month. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon Liu Xiaobo demonstrates the Chinese government's "arrogance, cruelty and callousness", a global rights group said today while others vowed to continue the struggle for human rights in the Communist nation. Liu, 61, died of liver cancer today at a hospital in Shenyang in northeastern China. He was granted medical parole in June after receiving his diagnosis in prison, but Beijing would not let him seek treatment abroad despite Liu's wishes and international pressure. Responding to Liu's death, Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International commented that he was a man of fierce intellect, principle, wit and above all humanity. "Today we grieve the loss of a giant of human rights," Shetty said. "For decades, he fought tirelessly to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in China. He did so in the face of the most relentless and often brutal opposition from the Chinese government," he said in a statement. Despite enduring years of "persecution, suppression and imprisonment," Liu continued to fight for his convictions, he said. "Although he has passed, everything he stood for still endures. The greatest tribute we can now pay him is to continue the struggle for human rights in China and recognize the powerful legacy he leaves behind," Shetty said. Thanks to Liu, millions of people in China and across the world have been "inspired" to stand up for freedom and justice in the face of "oppression", he said. The death of Liu lays bare the Chinese government's ruthlessness toward peaceful proponents of human rights and democracy, Human Rights Watch said. The last time a Nobel Peace laureate died in state custody was in 1938, when pacifist Carl von Ossietzky died of tuberculosis under guard in a hospital in Nazi Germany, it noted. "Even as Liu Xiaobo's illness worsened, the Chinese government continued to isolate him and his family, and denied him freely choosing his medical treatment," said Sophie Richardson, China director of HRW. "The Chinese government's arrogance, cruelty, and callousness are shocking - but Liu's struggle for a rights- respecting, democratic China will live on," she said in a statement. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang rejected all appeals to the Chinese government to allow the dissident to go overseas for medical treatment. He said that the Chinese governemnt is guided by its own laws and other countries should not interfere in the China's internal affairs in the name of human rights. Even after it was announced that Liu suffered from liver cancer, close friends and relatives were barred from visiting Liu during his treatment. He and his family were kept in isolation, watched around the clock by state security agents, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported. Liu's wife, Liu Xia, who herself was under house detention as well as friends and members of the international community appealed repeatedly and unsuccessfully to the Chinese government to allow the dissident to go overseas for medical treatment. Liu had been transferred from prison last month, where he was serving an 11-year term for "subversion". Many of his friends and supporters said at the time of his release that they feared the dissident was close to death -- made a martyr by the Communist authorities. "Whether it was gross negligence or political murder, they have committed an unprecedented crime as no other government of the world has ever seen a Nobel Peace Prize laureate die in its custody," said Hu Jia, a leading Chinese human rights activist, when Liu first left jail. A university professor turned rights campaigner, Liu was branded a criminal by the authorities. He had played a major role in the Tiananmen protests of June 1989 which ended in bloodshed when they were quashed by the People's Liberation Army soldiers. In October 2010, while serving his sentence at Jinzhou Prison, near Shenyang, Liu was named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for "his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The heads of a few IITs have urged the government to extend grants for research to foreign scholars taking up teaching or research jobs at the Indian Institutes of Technology. Foreign nationals are not eligible for funding for research projects which comes mostly from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), an IIT director said. "The government wants to extend grant facilities only to Indian-origin candidates (NRIs), and we believe that it is unfair to the others," the director told PTI on the condition of anonymity. He said some IIT heads had recently approached the HRD ministry, asking it to take the issue up with the DST. "Keeping foreign nationals out of the purview of the major chunk of funding available to faculty members at IIT also discourages them from taking up jobs here," the director added. At present, IITs can hire foreign nationals on a five- year contract, which can be renewed. The norms, however, do not permit them to take up permanent positions or to be eligible for any government funding for research projects. "We know relaxing the five-year criteria is not a feasible idea at present. However, granting them research funding can attract a lot of foreign scholars and our students can benefit from their expertise," the director said. Once the ministry takes the issue up with the DST, it would be discussed at IIT directors' meeting and ultimately go to the council for approval, the director said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI(M) today stressed on the need for a fresh round of dialogue between India and China covering all strategic issues concerning the two countries to ease tension, following the standoff in Doklam area. The CPI(M) said "extraneous" factors must not be allowed to interfere in the quest for better bilateral ties. It alleged that the differences between India and China have "aggravated" after the Modi government came to power and blamed the Centre's strategic alliance with the US for the "divergence". Former CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said it is important for the government to keep in mind that the main party in the Doklam plateau dispute is Bhutan and added "it is better" that India takes the lead in negotiating with China on the issue and supports Thimphu. "What is required is a new round of dialogue between the two countries which will cover all strategic issues which are of concern to them. "Extraneous factors must not be allowed to interfere in the quest for better relations between the two neighbours in Asia," Karat said in the editorial of the forthcoming issue of CPI(M)'s mouthpiece 'People's Democracy'. Regarding the standoff over Doklam, he said Bhutan has been negotiating with China directly on its border issues since 1984. Hence, he said, it is better that India lets Bhutan take the lead in negotiating with China on the Doklam Plateau and other disputed territories. "It is also important to keep in mind that Bhutan is the main party in the dispute. Bhutan is not a 'protectorate' of India," Karat said. The Marxist leader said the "present border fracas" has assumed "greater salience" given the growing number of issues on which the two countries have differences, which he added, have "aggravated" after the Modi-led government was formed in 2014. "The prime factor contributing to this divergence is India's strategic alliance with the US. India has joined the US in its strategic designs in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region which is aimed at containing China. "India has openly sided with the US positions on the South China Sea; India has opposed the Belt and Road Initiative," Karat said. Stating that the NDA government has "increased" profile of the Dalai Lama, the CPI(M) said the spiritual leader's visit to Arunachal Pradesh along with a Union minister and his recent unfurling of Tibetan flag of the provisional government in Ladakh are "serious irritants" for China. Karat said India has been seeking to join the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) on a priority basis and considers China as the "stumbling block" for this goal. Nor China has obliged in the efforts to get Pakistan- based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar on the terrorist list notified by the United Nations, he added. "The erosion of trust and mutual confidence has contributed to the present tensions related to Doklam. "The Modi government must realise that there is no alternative to settling the recurring disagreements on the border except through negotiations which have a time-tested framework," Karat said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the US withdraws from international affairs, the conversation about the next superpower should move to either India or Germany, a top American analyst specialising in foreign policy and global political risk has said. Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, the leading political risk research and consulting firm, said the US is no longer prepared to be the "cheerleader for global values" and the year 2017 would be remembered as the one when the "idea of US-led global environment is no longer with us." "2017 is the year that we close the chapter on a US-led global order that we've basically lived with since 1945," he said, but made clear that the United States is unlikely to be replaced by any other country in the immediate future. "I would say that the Germans are a good place to go to have these conversations, but will the Germans be global leaders? No," he said in a conversation with Microsoft's Brad Smith during the Microsoft Inspire 2017 Conference yesterday. "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and India, a great place to go to have this conversation. But will the Indians be the global leaders? "India has about 1.3 billion people and New Zealand has four million. Those two countries have the same number of diplomats," Bremmer said. "Nobody asks New Zealand to get anything done. Right? But India, because they've got 1.3 billion people, we're, like, 'India can be a part of the solution'. "There are a lot of Indian entrepreneurs that can be a part of the solution, but the bandwidth constraints of the Indian government to actually do global stuff are immense, they're immense," Bremmer said, suggesting the limitations of India's capacity to become the leader of the world. On China, he said that the country's aggressive rise has led to several countries moving towards the United States. "Some countries in Asia will become more US oriented because China will be seen as more competitive. I certainly see this as emerging in a big way under Modi's India," he said. "I see this in a big way with Shinzo Abe in Japan under siege, but wanting to ensure he changes his constitution and gets more of a security focus before he leaves," he said. According to him, China is one country in the world today of size with a global economic strategy. "And it's the Chinese who are writing big checks and they're thinking economically around the world... (But) the Chinese are not promoting rule of law and liberal democracy," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is ranked 116 out of 157 nations on a global index that assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious (SDGs). The SDG Index and Dashboards Report produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung shows that world leaders need to strengthen their joint efforts to realise the 17 global goals. "Not only does a rising trend of nationalism and protectionism impede the implementation of the goals, but as the report shows, industrialised countries are not serving as role models," the report added. It said many of the richest countries in the world are nowhere near achieving the global policy objectives but also deteriorate the implementation process for poorer countries because of negative spillover effects. India is ranked 116th on the index with a score of 58.1, behind countries such as Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China. Pakistan is ranked 122. The report said that the countries which are closest to fulfilling the goals are not the biggest economies but comparably small, developed countries. Sweden leads the list, followed by Denmark and Finland. Among the G7 countries, only Germany and France can be found among the top ten performers. The United States ranks 42nd on the Index, while Russia and China rank 62nd and 71st respectively. "One of the greatest obstacles to achieving the global goals for high-income countries are poor performances regarding sustainable consumption and production. All countries that score lowest on electronic-waste generation, for example, are high-income countries," it said. A signboard points to the Japanese zone at Neemrana, Photo: Dalip Kumar "SDG Index and Dashboards highlight the need for urgent action on the part of G20 countries in making sustainable development a reality both within and beyond their borders. If the world is to achieve the SDGs, all countries must take up the goals as part of their national development strategies, and ensure that they take responsibility for their impact on the rest of the world," said Jeffrey D Sachs, Director of the SDSN. The SDG Index and Dashboard collect available data for 157 countries to assess where each country stands in 2017 with regard to achieving the SDGs. The SDG Index ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 . (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 prominent Indian-origin businessman has received the prestigious Queen's Enterprise Award 2017 for his food processing plant's role in boosting the UK's position as an investor friendly destination. Yusaffali M A collected the award at a special ceremony in Birmingham Council House recently before meeting Queen Elizabeth II at a reception hosted for this year's winners at Buckingham Palace in London. The Kerala-born and UAE-based entrepreneur said the recognition for his Birmingham-based Y International (UK) Ltd will spur his Abu Dhabi headquartered Lulu Group International to further expand business interests in the UK. "This great recognition will surely help us further strengthen our plans to expand business interests in the UK and continue with our innovations and contributions to the dynamic economy of UK," he said in his acceptance speech after receiving the award from Lord Lieutenant John Crabtree, the Queen's special representative. "Y International UK Pvt Ltd, part of Lulu Group, has played a tremendous role in further boosting UK's position as an investor friendly destination. They have not only opened up a huge market for British products worldwide through their operations here but also have contributed significantly in providing job and training opportunities,"Lord LieutenantCrabtree noted. Y International UK Ltd's food processing plant, whichemploys 300 local staff, was established in Birmingham in 2013 to source and process food products from UK to support the demand for high-quality British products for sale in Lulu Group's hypermarkets across the Middle East, India and Far East. The Queen's Award for Enterprise is conferred annually by the British monarch on her birthday, April 21, upon businesses that display great enterprise across the fields of innovation, international trade, promoting opportunity through social mobility and sustainable development. The 6.9-billion-dollar Lulu Group, ranked as a top retailer in the MENA region and listed among the top 50 fastest growing retailers in the world by Deloitte, has made UK headlines in recent years for acquiring the iconic Scotland Yard building in London and for its investment in luxury retail brand East India Company. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was reported dead today, a day after Iraq declared it had driven the jihadists from their one-time biggest stronghold of Mosul. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a longtime monitor of the country's conflict, said it had information from top IS leaders confirming Baghdadi's death. The report could not be independently verified and Baghdadi has been reported dead several times. But if confirmed, his death would mark another devastating blow to the jihadist group after its loss of Mosul, which Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Monday had been retaken from IS after a gruelling months-long campaign. "Top tier commanders from IS who are present in Deir Ezzor province have confirmed the death of Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi, emir of the Islamic State group, to the Observatory," the monitoring group's director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "We learned of it today but we do not know when he died or how." Deir Ezzor, in eastern Syria, remains largely under IS control even as the group is losing territory elsewhere in the country and in neighbouring Iraq. Abdel Rahman said Baghdadi "was present in eastern parts of Deir Ezzor province" in recent months, but it was unclear if he died in the area or elsewhere. There was no official confirmation or denial of the on social media platforms used by IS. The US-led coalition said it could not verify the Observatory's information. "We cannot confirm this report, but hope it is true," said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon. "We strongly advise ISIS to implement a strong line of succession, it will be needed," he added, using a different acronym for IS. There have been persistent rumours of Baghdadi's death in recent months, and Russia's army said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed the IS chief in a May air strike in Syria. The US-led coalition fighting the jihadist group in Syria and Iraq said at the time it could not confirm whether the Russian strike had killed Baghdadi. With a USD 25 million US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile and was rumoured to move regularly throughout IS-held territory in the area straddling Iraq and Syria. The 46-year-old Iraqi-born leader of IS has not been seen in public since making his only known public appearance as "caliph" in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul. IS destroyed the highly symbolic site before Iraqi forces could reach it as they pushed the jihadist group from Mosul. 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 Syria. Abadi announced in Mosul yesterday that the campaign had ended with the defeat of IS in the city, hailing "a victory over darkness, a victory over brutality and terrorism". 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. In Mosul's Old City, where buildings lie in ruins and burned-out cars and other debris choke the streets, security forces were still searching for remaining IS fighters. "What we are doing today is just combing the area and clearing it of sleeper cells," Staff Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridhi, a senior commander in Iraq's elite Counter- Terrorism Service (CTS), said today. "There are groups that are hiding in shelters," but they surrender or are killed, Aridhi said. Since the Mosul operation began in October, 920,000 people have fled their homes, only a fraction of whom have returned, according to the United Nations. Rights group Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition of exposing civilians to "relentless and unlawful attacks" in west Mosul. "Pro-government forces launched barrages of indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks using explosive weapons unsuitable for such a densely populated urban area," Amnesty said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As part of the Centre's 'Act East' policy, a telemedicine network to improve regional cooperation in health care among BIMSTEC nations was today launched with the seven member countries being linked via video conferencing. Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste inaugurated the JIPMER BIMSTEC Telemedicine Network (JBTN) here. All seven BIMSTEC countries -- India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand -- were linked by video conferencing during the launch. The aim of JBTN is to improve regional cooperation in the field of health care by strengthening telemedicine-based patient care services and share medical knowledge among the BIMSTEC countries, the minister said. "This Bay of BengalInitiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation(BIMSTEC) is an important aspect of the Act East policy of the central government envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Kulaste said. He also inaugurated the foundation day of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), a centrally-sponsored premier medical institution. He lauded the efforts of JIPMER to establish the telemedicine network for the benefit of the poor and the under-servedpopulation of South East Asia. This would indeed be an important step towards fulfilling the dream of the Prime Minister to develop sustainable regional international cooperation with East Asia and to strengthen bonds of friendship between the friendly people of the countries in the region, Kulaste said. Referring to JIPMER, he said it was a happy development that JIPMER was in the process of upgrading and revising its undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum. "We should alsointroduce new courses to keep pace with rapidly changing scenarios of medicine to meet new challenges of health care and medical education," Kulaste said. The High Commissioner of Bangladesh in India, Syed Muazzem Ali, lauded the initiative and described it as "timely and noble". Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in South India, V Krishnamoorthy, termed it as an important initiative to strengthen patient care services and to share medical knowledge among the BIMSTEC countries. Delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India also hailed the launching of the JBTN. The Union minister earlier distributed awards to staff and para medical personnel of JIPMER as a highlight of celebration of the institute's foundation day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai-based K11 Academy of Fitness Sciences, which imparts fitness training education, will shortly open its centre in the city. "We have got funding from National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to set up the centre here. This will the fourth acamedy after Mumbai, Delhi and Pune," co-founder and director of K11 Kaizzad Capadia told reporters here today. The place would preferably be in the south Kolkata, he said. NSDC had sanctioned Rs eight crore which would be given over a peiod of five years, Capadia said. "The mandate from NSDC is to add more employable trainers with fitness skills so that Kolkata centre is a part of that mandate," he said. K11 would eventually open up a total of eight centres, the next one possibly at Ahmedabad. Capadia said that fitness awareness had skyrocketed in the country in the last 15 to 20 years. K11 imparts courses in fitness training for a period of three months. "Upon successful completion of the course, K11-certified fitness trainers gets employed in reputed gyms and earn an average salary of Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per month", he said. "They can also work as personal trainers which is very rewarding", he said. The goverment had exempted fitness training from GST and identified it should be a very special skill-set, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unidentified persons today hurled a kerosene-filled bottle at Teynampet Police Station here, resulting in a fire, a top police official said. However, no one was injured in the incident. Miscreants hurled the bottle filled with kerosene which landed on the pathway, resulting in a fire, City Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan told PTI. "The fire was immediately put out and none suffered injuries," he said. Viswanathan, who visited the spot along with senior officials, said a probe was on into the incident and that they were looking into different angles as part of the investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia says the situation of the country is such today that everyone is trying to tap on the image of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose without truly understanding how secular the freedom fighter was. The director's latest "Raag Desh" is based on the Indian National Army (INA) trials. Dhulia says his project is not an "agenda film" and is in fact an attempt to show the real side of Bose, which many people miss. "Today, left right or centre, everybody is trying to tap on Netaji's image without knowing what he stood for, what was his ideology. The entire exercise to make this film is to tell people what Netaji really was, what he did and how secular he was," Dhulia told PTI. The film recreates the INA trials or The Red Fort trials in 1940s of Colonel Prem Sehgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan. They were court-martialled and tried at Delhi's Red Fort. The three men were charged with treason and even a case of murder was slapped on them. The director is aware that there are certain controversies surrounding Bose -- including his death-- but insists his film chronicles a side of history which won't trouble anyone. "The part of history which I am showing in the film, it will be acceptable to all. When the trails started, the entire India-- Hindu Mahasabha, Muslim league, Congress-- united against it. "Hindu, Muslim and Sikh symbolised India and they all united and fought together for our independence. It is something which one should understand, specially today," he says. Dhulia, who has made several award-winning films like "Paan Singh Tomar" and "Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster", says one cannot afford to tamper with history at all. "It is recent history, not even medieval, where you can show you character singing songs. You cannot tamper with history at all and maintain the dignity of the subject. In our case, when the audience will see the film they would feel Netaji is right in front of them. The casting is that good." The period film features Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh, Mohit Marwah and Kenny Basumatary as Bose. The director says he was "absolutely careful and thorough" in his research for the film, which gave him new insights into the struggle. "I used to think we got our freedom by doing 'zindabad murdabad' and 'dharnas' but we didn't really give our blood apart from Bhagat Singh and others in the early 1920s and 30s. But we gave so much blood to our freedom. "We don't really respect our freedom and that is the problem today. The new generation is unaware. The parents did not give the right value system, a sense of morality. So, as a filmmaker you can bridge this gap, try and fill this void of ignorance." "Raag Desh" is scheduled to release on July 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang meets with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa in Lisbon, July 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] LISBON - China and Portugal have pledged to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure project spanning dozens of countries. Mutually beneficially cooperation between China and Portugal has great potential for the initiative, said China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang while meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa. Zhang, who paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday, noted that Portugal, with its advantageous geographic location, is a strategic propeller for the development of the Belt and Road project. Proposed by China in 2013, the initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also expressed hope that Portugal and China could further cooperation under the grand project in order to achieve win-win results. The Portuguese prime minister, for his part, said that Portugal is an active supporter and participant of the initiative. Portugal is ready to deepen cooperation with China in such areas as new energy, agricultural products and infrastructure, as well as in culture, education and tourism, Costa said. Costa added that Portugal welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and will provide a fair and convenient business environment for them. The positives of the liquor ban in Bihar notwithstanding, the prohibition has taken a toll too -- TB diagnosis. Conducting tests for diagnosing tuberculosis has become an uphill task in Bihar since the ban on liquor was imposed in the state last year, said a senior health department official. This has prompted the Union Health ministry to write to the state health department seeking special exemption for procuring and using alcohol and spirit for uninterrupted diagnostic services. There is a scarcity of ethyle alcohol which is used to conduct such tests in the laboratories, including those in government facilities, according to Dr Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health. In his letter to Principal Secretary, Department of Health in Bihar, Prasad said prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment is essential for a successful tuberculosis control programme and its diagnosis at peripheral levels continues to be performed primarily by smear microscopy. The reagents required for smear microscopy (both Ziehl Neelsen and Fluorescent staining) include absolute alcohol. Spirit is also needed for the lamps used for making smears. Cleaning of the plungers of the CBNAAT, as part of monthly maintenance also requires alcohol, he said in the letter. Freshly prepared 70 per cent alcohol is also required at all levels for surface disinfection. "With the alcohol ban imposed in Bihar, the laboratories are facing difficulty in procuring alcohol and this has affected the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the state," Prasad said in the letter, dated June 29. "In view of the above and in public interest, special exemption for procuring and using alcohol and spirit for uninterrupted diagnostic services under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) is required," he said. The state had last year recorded 64,158 cases of tuberculosis in government hospitals, which is 33 per cent of the total cases there. There are 736 microscopic labs besides 38 special labs for detecting TB. "Bihar government should abolish ban on the use of alcohol and spirit specially in laboratories and hospital setups. Alcohol and spirit are used for preparation of reagents for microscopy. This is essential for microscopy test. "We urge the government of Bihar to sweep away the ban over alcohol in hospital and laboratory," he told PTI. Bihar was on April 5, 2016 declared a dry state with the Nitish Kumar government imposing a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). On several occasions, the chief minister highlighted that the prohibition has had positive impact in the state, with road accidents going down and people saving more money. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of people held a vigil for the victims of the London tower block inferno, as anger simmers over the official reaction and the ongoing investigation. Four weeks after a devastating fire ripped through Grenfell Tower in west London, mourners lit candles in an area filled with pictures, flowers and hand-written notes of remembrance. "I know people who have been lost, I know people who have lost people, I know people who are besides themselves with grief. It is really, really difficult," local MP Emma Dent Coad said. A minute's silence was held during which many wept, after which people attending the vigil sang Bob Marley's "One Love". At least 80 people were killed when the high-rise went up in flames at an incredible speed, with the ferocity of the blaze prompting investigators to admit some victims may never be found. "Four weeks ago a terrible tragedy unfolded within Grenfell Tower. The human cost of that tragedy is something we are all still trying to fully comprehend," police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement yesterday. The Metropolitan Police's disaster victim identification coordinator, Alistair Hutchins, told the BBC that Grenfell Tower was the worst incident he has dealt with in his 18-year career. Describing the painstaking search through the debris, Hutchins said his team will employ 6mm sieves to pick up fragments such as bones and teeth. With the recovery operation expected to take months, there has been anger within the local community at the official handling of the fire. At a meeting with survivors earlier yesterday, police investigator Matt Bonner was met with cries of "arrest someone" as people grew frustrated with his explanations of the probe. The incoming leader of the local authority, Elizabeth Campbell, was meanwhile heckled by one audience member. Her predecessor as head of Kensington and Chelsea council, Nicholas Paget-Brown, stepped down over criticism of his handling of the fire. But Campbell has been described as being disconnected from the community, after telling the BBC yesterday that she had never been into the local high-rises before taking up her new post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Grape growers in Maharashtra are likely to fetch better revenue from the market in the coming days, thanks to the state government's decision to introduce new varieties of the fruit that will match the global quality in terms of taste, colour and length of grape-bids. The state government, in its meeting with Maharashtra Grape Growers' Association, here yesterday, decided to import new varieties of grapes and cultivate them in the state. According to grape growers association, a decision regarding the import of new varieties of the citrus fruit was taken after eight years and a special variety, being planned to be grown in the state, will have grape bid (single grape) which will be 2 mm longer in size. "Maharashtra's grape export is as high as two lakh tonne, annually. Grape growers export it to the Netherlands, Germany and other European Union countries. Raisins' export is also nearly 50,000 tonne and demand for both the commodities is growing," state agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar, told PTI. "To match this rising demand and tap the new markets, there was a need of new varieties of grapes. The government's decision is certainly going to help grape growers in the state," he said. It was decided in the meeting that the new varieties of grape (plant) would be imported and cultivated in Maharashtra. These varieties will be then tested for a year with criteria such as annual production, growth of the plant (height) and vulnerability to climate and pest, Fundkar said. President of Grape Exporters' Association of India, Jagannath Khapre said the maximum length of a grape-bid in a bunch is 18 mm, but in the new variety it would be 20 mm. "This would fetch better rates for grape in domestic as well as international market. We had made our demand to the Centre and Maharashtra (government) to introduce new varieties, which has been addressed," he said. Former chairman of Maharashtra Grape Growers' Association Mahendra Sahir said the turnover of grape export in Maharashtra is as high as Rs 15,000 crore, annually. "Of the total production, we export only 1.5 per cent of grapes. If we get modern varieties of grapes, we can export more and generate more revenue," Sahir told PTI. "We have also managed to convince the Centre to press for increasing the use of grapes in sectors such as juice market, wine, spirit and raisin," he said. He said use of grapes for production and consumption of wine and raisins is in practise, but the Indian government is now promoting the fruit's use for making juice and spirits. "This is opening new markets for grape growers and we shall benefit from it," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 31-year-old man was allegedly thrashed by a group of persons here on the suspicion of carrying beef, a police official said today. The police have arrested four persons in this connection. Salim Ismail Sheikh, a resident of the district's Katol town, was returning home last evening on his bike when 5-6 men apprehended him at a bus stop in Bharsingi village of Nagpur rural, and asked him to get off the two-wheeler. The men asked him to show the meat he was carrying in the dicky of his bike. When he resisted, the men allegedly thrashed him, Nagpur rural Superintendent of Police Shailesh Balkawade said. Sheikh suffered injuries on his face and neck in the attack. He was admitted to a hospital in Nagpur and discharged today, police sources said. Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint against unidentified persons. The police were able to establish the identity of the accused on the basis of the incident's purported video clip which went viral, an official said. Two of the accused were arrested last night and as many others were taken into custody this morning, the SP said. Those arrested have been identified as Ashwin Uike (35), Rameshwar Taywade (42), Moreshwar Tandurkar (36) and Jagdish Chaudhari (25), a police official said. They have been booked under IPC sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), he said. The section 326 of IPC attracts a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The SP said the meat has been seized and sent to a forensic lab in Nagpur for testing. The report is awaited. To a query, he said the police are investigating the incident and trying to find out whether the men were 'cow vigilantes'. The incident is being probed from all angles, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The number of Indian students seeking admission in UK universities has increased marginally this year with 510 more students applying compared to the previous year, according to official figures released today. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the UK-based organisation which manages a centralised application system for British universities, recorded 4,790 applications from India by the June 30 deadline for the coming academic year - this was up from 4,280 in 2016. The trend reflected an overall 2 per cent hike in overseas applications in 2017, which contrasts with a 4 per cent drop in UK-based students applying to university. In a clear indication of a Brexit effect on education, the number of European Union (EU) students planning to study in the UK fell by 5 per cent over last year. "With the main application period at an end, the total numbers of people applying are down 25,000 on last year, around 4 per cent. "Within the figures, there are contrasting trends. The decrease in applicants is driven by falls from England, Wales and the EU, but applicants from other overseas countries are up 2 per cent," said Dr Mark Corver, UCAS Director of Analysis and Research. "How these trends translate into students at university and colleges will become clear over the next six weeks as applicants get their results and secure their places, and new applicants apply direct to UCAS' Clearing process," he added. The figures for applications from overseas will come as some relief for those campaigning for a favourable visa regime for international students, including Indians. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA),the UK's official agency for the collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative information about higher education in the country, had revealed earlier this year that whileIndians remain the third-largest category ofstudentsfrom outside the EU, they registered a decline of 9 per cent in 2015-16 over the previous year. Sarah Stevens, head of policy at the Russell Group - which represents Britain's key universities, said: "It's positive that applications from overseas students outside the EU have risen slightly. "International students bring social and cultural diversity to our campuses and this benefits all students, and they contribute 25.8 billion pounds to the UK economy." The other major area of concern highlighted by the latest UCAS data is a sharp decline in those applying to study nursing courses - down 19 per cent - and a continued fall in the number of mature students, notably in England and Northern Ireland. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Venus Williams became the oldest Wimbledon finalist for 23 years on Thursday as the American star ended Johanna Konta's history bid with a masterful 6-4, 6-2 win. Twenty years after making her Wimbledon debut, five-time champion Williams is into her ninth final at the All England Club and her first since 2009. The 37-year-old's sublime display of power-hitting on Centre Court stopped Konta becoming the first British woman to make the final for 40 years and set up a title match against Spain's Garbine Muguruza. Venus, aiming to win her first Wimbledon title since 2008, took only 73 minutes to write her name in the history books as the oldest Wimbledon finalist since Martina Navratilova in 1994. "I've played a lot of finals here. It's been a blessing. I couldn't ask for more, but I'll ask for a little more! One more would be amazing," Venus said. "I thought the crowd were so fair. Jo gave it her all. It's a lot of pressure. I think my experience was important. "I just tried to get one point after another and wow it was done. I'm so happy." After losing the Australian Open final in January, the world number 11 would be the oldest Wimbledon champion in the Open era -- breaking her sister Serena's record -- if she collects her eighth Grand Slam crown on Saturday. Williams' 87th match win at Wimbledon took her past Serena into sole possession of first place among active players. With Serena at home preparing to give birth to her first child, Venus has picked up the baton and can make it a 13th Wimbledon title for the Williams family this weekend. "I miss Serena terribly. I wish she was here. Before the match I wished she could do it for me, but I said 'no you have to do it for yourself'," Venus said. Lifting the aptly named Venus Rosewater Dish would be an especially sweet moment for Williams, who has had to deal with a debilitating autoimmune disease for years, as well as her accidental involvement in a tragic car crash that killed an elderly man in Florida last month. - Ferocious - ============= Reduced to tears by questions about that accident after the first round and at an age when all of her contemporaries have long since retired, Venus is still going strong and Konta was the latest to fall victim to her ferocious will to win. Konta had been relaxing between matches by baking muffins for her support team, but getting past Williams was never going to be a piece of cake. With Virginia Wade, the last British woman to reach the final, watching from the Royal Box, Konta had to withstand an early barrage from Williams, who peppered her with body serves and bruising ground-strokes. Deliberately taking her time between points and games, Venus was doing her best to throw Konta out of her rhythm. Crucially, Konta couldn't take her chance when she earned two break points at 4-4 as Williams served her way out of trouble. Venus made Konta pay in the next game, unloading a series of blistering ground-stokes to secure three set points, then converting the second when the Briton missed with a forehand. With the momentum now on her side, Venus turned the screw with a break in the fourth game of the second set. As Konta's despairing forehand trickled into the net, the crowd's resigned sigh was music to Williams' ears. She went for the kill, smashing a serve that almost took Konta's head off and within minutes she was celebrating one of her most complete Wimbledon performances. Standing in Venus's way next is 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who stormed into her second Wimbledon final in three years with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of nerve-ridden Magdalena Rybarikova. The 23-year-old, beaten by Serena Williams in the 2015 Wimbledon final, is into her third Grand Slam title match. "I played very well for sure. Today I stepped on court super confident and everything went well," 14th seeded Muguruza said. "I'm playing well. I want to keep it up for my last match and hopefully it goes well. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mediapersons today met Bihar police chief P K Thakur demanding action against policemen attached as security to Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav and his minister brother Tej Pratap Yadav for assaulting scribes on duty. The mediapersons in their memorandum said that the scribes were assaulted when they were speaking to the deputy chief minister after the cabinet meeting yesterday. The scribes - both from the print and audio visual medium met here during the day and sought action against the policemen involved in the incident within 72 hours. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Raj, who was present when mediapersons met the DGP this evening, told PTI that after proper perusal of the video clippings of the incident suitable action would be taken against those found guilty. Strict instructions would be given to policemen of the special branch so that such incident do not recur in future, he said. The memorandum said scribes of the electronic media had to bear with heckling and bad mouthing by angry RJD supporters outside 10 Circular Road official residence of Rabri Devi on Friday last week after the CBI raids. TV footage showed the policemen attached to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's two minister sons grabbing a cameraman by his collar and thrashing him when mediapersons sought the deputy chief minister's reaction on JD(U) asking him to explain the accusation levelled against him in public on the basis of facts. The memorandum apprehended more such attacks on mediapersons as political situation in Bihar, the scribes said, has turned graver following CBI raids on 12 locations of Lalu Prasad and his family in land-for-hotels case and sought proper security to scribes involved in coverage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US first lady Melania Trump took her own path through Paris today as she and President Donald Trump began a two-day visit to the French capital, starting at a children's hospital. At Necker Hospital, Melania Trump visited a ward decorated with images from "The Little Prince," an iconic French novel written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint- Exupery. She spoke briefly in French to six children, asking how they were and introducing herself before switching to a translator to ask how long they expected to stay. One of the children, a 14-year-old girl named Ysatis, was in a wheelchair and said she expected to leave the hospital yesterday for a month of rehabilitation. "You look very good, very strong ... Soon you'll be walking and running," Mrs Trump told her. Ysatis later told The Associated Press she appreciated the visit. "It was very pleasant and really good. She's beautiful and gorgeous," Ysatis said. Martin Hirsch, director of Paris' public hospital system, presented the first lady with a copy of "The Little Prince." "I will keep it, practice my French. It's beautiful," she said. The first lady, though not as visible as some of her predecessors, has taken on a fairly prominent role on her husband's three international trips. She visited a children's hospital in Italy as well. Melania and Donald Trump have an 11-year-old son, the first boy in the White House since John F Kennedy Jr more than 50 years ago. Mrs Trump was later expected to visit Notre Dame Cathedral and tour the Seine River by boat with Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. President Trump was to meet with Macron before participating in Bastille Day celebrations on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) . PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same). With 250+ brands and 5000+ products, the expo is well-known for selling out-of-the-box ideas in the Indian market and offers exclusive benefits to its visitors by showcasing world-class products, innovative gifting ideas for the first time, products in every budget range, besides facilitating direct interaction with distributors and suppliers, and opportunities to expand business contacts with focused areas on different product categories on the show floor. For all this and many more, the venue always plays an important role as the exhibitor's convenience, visitors' footfall and business activities depend on the convenience that the selected venue facilitates. Pragati Maidan is India's largest international exhibition center located in the heart of the capital city. This exhibition is specifically meant for business-to-business visitors. Children below 16 years are not allowed. About Gifts World Expo Gifts World Expo is held annually as the ultimate destination for every possible gifting solution including gift items, premiums, novelties, mementos, and keepsakes and a one-stop rendezvous for corporates, business professionals and retailers in India. The 15th edition will host more than 250 renowned national and international companies and brands with over 5,000 products to be shown in an expanded area spread across 75,000 sq.Ft. Of exhibition space. The Gifts World Expo represents numerous renowned national and international companies and brands at every edition; showcasing the best the industry has to offer on a common platform. Record-breaking visitor footfall at the show is a testament to the diversity in exhibit, participating companies and new product launches which Gifts World Expo brings to the table every year. For more details, visit our website http://www.Giftsworldexpo.Com About MEX Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. MEX Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. Is an international exhibition company with a strong presence of over four decades in the advertising industry, over 20 years in publishing and 15 years in exhibitions. The company has produced more than 100 market-leading trade exhibitions for various segments in addition to publishing various magazines and advertising trade directories of repute. Successful exhibitions are conducted all over India, Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, and now in Africa. For more details, visit our website http://www.Mexexhibitions.Com Media Contact: Arpita Das Arpita@mexexhibits.Com +91-011-46464835 Operations MEX Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. Source: MEX Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. Tech giant Microsoft has released an iPhone app, including in India, that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help the blind and visually impaired see the world around them like never before. The free 'Seeing AI' app, can read out short snippets of text, describe people, identify products and currency denominations, and take a stab at identifying the objects in a person's surroundings. Using a smartphone camera or a pair of camera-equipped smart glasses, the app can identify things in your environment - people, objects, and even emotions - to provide important context for what is going on around you. It is a Microsoft research project that brings together the power of the cloud and AI to deliver an intelligent app, designed to help you navigate your day, Microsoft said in a statement yesterday. The project was demonstrated in March last year by Microsoft software engineer Saqib Shaikh. The app relies on the iPhone camera, backed by Microsoft's machine-learning and image-recognition algorithms, the Seattle Times reported. The company did not say whether a version would be released for Android phones. 'Seeing AI' takes its name from the Microsoft research project that developed the tool. The app is available in the US, Canada, India, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Seeing AI joins a small group of apps designed to help visually impaired people. Most others are aimed at a single task, like identifying a colour or reading text aloud. But Microsoft is not alone in tackling this problem. Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon are working on similar projects, CNET reported. This is also the latest project from Microsoft built using its artificial intelligence technology. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Haryana next month during which he will also review the works undertaken by the M L Khattar government in the state. State BJP president, Subhash Barala, said here today that Shah will visit Haryana from August 2-4. "He will arrive on August 2. On the first day of his visit, he will hold a review meeting with the chief minister and cabinet ministers to take stock of implementation of the schemes related to poor. "Discussion will also be held on the targets to be achieved," he said. Shah would meet state office-bearers on August 3 and discuss organisational structure and activities and leave for Delhi the next day, Barala said. He said that Shah will take stock of the steps being taken to strengthen the party organisation in the state. The BJP chief is on a 110-day country-wide tour which began in Jammu in April this year. His tour will be in two phases-- 95 days and 15 days. With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Shah is travelling across states to strategise and find ways to strengthen the party at the grass-root level. The BJP president had visited Union Territory Chandigarh in May. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal is likely to get internet connection through Chinese optical fiber from next month, ending India's monopoly over the online services in the landlocked Himalayan country. Nepal has relied on India for internet services for long as the country is optically connected with the southern neighbour through Bhairahawa, Birgunj and Biratnagar. However, the connection with China will end the monopoly of India in supply of internet bandwidth. The long-awaited internet connection from China is expected to be completed by the end of July as the work of laying optical fiber on the Chinese side has resumed. Nepal has already completed the task of laying optical fiber on its side for the connection. The task of laying optical fiber was about to be completed in early June. But it could not take place after an avalanche disrupted the work on the Chinese side, an official said. "Connection test was already conducted. Nepal would have already been connected with Chinese internet if the work was not halted in June," the official at the Nepal Telecom said. Shobhan Adhikari, deputy spokesperson for the Nepal Telecom, said that the local government of China had suspended the work of laying optical fiber after a worker collapsed due to high attitude sickness. Now the work has already resumed. "The work has resumed in full pace since the last week and if things go as per the plan, Nepal will be connected with the Chinese internet from the beginning of August," he added. Adhikari said that after the disruption of work by avalanche at the altitude of 4,000 meters on the Chinese side, the optical fiber was laid through an alternative route. "According to the Chinese company, the new route is almost 20 kilometers longer. The sudden change in the plan has delayed the project by almost a month," he added. Once the work to lay optical fiber is completed on the Chinese side, Nepal will test the connection and subsequently work on purchasing Internet bandwidth from the northern neighbour, Adhikari said. "With Chinese companies entering the Nepali market, users here will be able to enjoy internet at lower rates," he said. Meanwhile, China's state-run Global Times today said the Chinese internet services will be available from August 1 in Nepal, "ending India's bandwidth supply monopoly in the country." This is set to be a great boon to the South Asian nation, which is still rebuilding its shattered economy and infrastructure after a devastating earthquake in 2015, the paper said. While the report sought to project Indian internet services in poor light saying that they are erratic, it was silent whether Chinese internet services will be provided without the internet firewalls which restricts the free flow of online information specially anything related to China as popular social media like Twitter, Facebook and Google. The restrictive controls of the Chinese internet forced users especially foreigners residing in China to use the VPNs (virtual private networks) to circumvent the firewalls. China is making a concerted push into Nepal to blunt India's "monopoly" in the landlocked nation. It worked out a transit treaty with Nepal during the tenure of pro-China former Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli in last August and even agreed to build a rail link through Tibet. But the process of Chinese push into Nepal slowed down under the tenure of Prachanda who recently abdicated power allowing Sher Bahadur Deuba to take over as Prime Minister. While expanding its influence with massive investments, China is also enforcing strong curbs over the movement of Tibetans through Nepal specially to travel to Dharamsala to meet the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama. (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.) India said today that there has been no change in Pakistan's position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as also on visa request for his mother, amidst Pakistani media reports that Islamabad was considering to allow her to travel to meet her son. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay also said the case was now before the International Court of Justice and India was following the September 13 timeline to give its submission. There has been no change in Pakistan's position on providing consular access to Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, as also on visa request for his mother, he said. When asked about reports that Pakistan was considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to Jadhav's mother, Avantika Jadhav, he said India has no official information on it. Pakistan has so far dismissed 16 request by India for consular access to Jadhav. India had moved the ICJ against Jadhav's death penalty by a Pakistan military court. The ICJ had on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing the death sentence. While Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran, India maintains that the Indian national was kidnapped from Iran where he had legitimate business interests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi BJP today set the AAP government a deadline of four days to notify the newly-drawn municipal zones in the city, claiming the activities of the civic bodies are getting affected in its absence. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari told a press conference that the Kejriwal government was "deliberately" withholding the delimitation of the zones of the three civic bodies to avenge its defeat in the MCD polls. A Delhi government official accused the BJP-run corporations of attempting to "illegally restructure" the zones to suit the party's interests. So, the government has returned the proposal to the BJP, the official, who did not wish to be named, said. Tiwari "warned" that the BJP will demonstrate outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and "at his public engagements" if the government continues to "stonewall" the process. "It is affecting the work of the corporations. We have repeatedly requested the government to clear the proposal. But till date, it is stuck. We have not been able to constitute the statutory committees and other panels of the corporations," the Delhi BJP president said. Leader of Opposition in the North Delhi corporation Rakesh Kumar of the AAP said whether or not delimination should be effected was entirely the government's prerogative. "They did not even consult the opposition before sending the proposal to the government. At least the opposition should have been in the loop. They want things their way for electoral benefits," he said. The erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was trifurcated in 2012 into North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations or NDMC, SDMC and EDMC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 9,000 pilgrims today paid obeisance at the Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir taking the total number of yatris who visited the holy cave since the pilgrimage began last month to over 1.77 lakh. A fresh batch of around 3,500 pilgrims escorted by the CRPF and the police have left Jammu in a convoy of 150 vehicles for Baltal and Pahalgam base camps of the shrine this morning, officials said. "Today, on the 15th day of the yatra, 9,197 yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave and, cumulatively, since the beginning of the pilgrimage, 1,77,134 yatris had 'darshan' at the shrine," an official spokesman said. Over 2,500 pilgrims are waiting at Bhagwati Nagar base camp for their onward journey to Amarnath. A 44-year-old pilgrim from Maharashtra died near the cave shrine today, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 19, which includes seven pilgrims killed in the Anantnag terrorist attack on Monday night. Amid multi-tier security, the 40-day-long Amarnath yatra began from Jammu on June 28. The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. This year's yatra will be eight days shorter than last year's and will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today accused India of committing 542 ceasefire violations so far in 2017 resulting in the death of 18 people and said the "belligerent attitude" of its neighbour is a threat to regional peace and security. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria also said that Pakistan shares international community's "growing concern over the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control." At his weekly press briefing here, he claimed that Indian forces have committed 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 so far resulting in the death of 18 people. "The Indian belligerent attitude is a threat to regional peace and security, and international community including the UNSG has expressed concern," he said. "Pakistan has consistently maintained that the Jammu & Kashmir dispute can be resolved only through realisation of the right of self-determination through a fair, free and transparent plebiscite under the auspices of the UN in accordance with the UNSC resolutions," he added. Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue, he said, pointing out that the UN chief, the US President, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue. Responding to a question, he said it was reprehensible that there has been no progress on the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack case in which 42 Pakistanis lost their lives despite the passage of 10 years and repeated requests from Pakistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A farmer in Muktsar has accused a State Bank of India branch in the district of not allowing him to withdraw old age pension allegedly because interest on his farm loan was not paid, a charge the bank has denied. The accusation by Bohar Singh of Gurusar village in Gidderbaha comes amidst reports that several farmers in the state have stopped clearing their loan dues in anticipation of debt-waiver implementation. The bank said it was unable to allow the withdrawal of Rs 1,500 as pension because the amount "has not been credited" by the state government. "How can we disburse pension when it has not been credited (by the state government)," said Raghav Gupta, Deputy Manager, SBI Gurusar branch. Singh has, however, claimed he was asked to first clear Rs 3,500 interest on Rs 1.05 lakh loan and the pension amount could be released. Raghav Gupta also said the farmer's pension and loan account is same. The bank's system will not allow disbursal unless the outstanding amounts on the account is cleared, he explained. The farmer has been asked to open another account for receiving pension, the senior bank official said. The Congress-led government has already announced debt waiver in cases where total loan is up to Rs 2 lakh for small and marginal farmers (up to 5 acres), and a flat Rs 2 lakh relief for all other marginal farmers, irrespective of their loan amount. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police jawan was injured in a blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district today. The incident took place in Kilam-Kudur forest under the Mardapal police station limits, a senior police official told PTI. The area is around 200 km away from the state capital. A police team which was out on an anti-Naxal operation came under fire inside the core area of the forest at Ranapal, 22 km from Mardapal, he said. After the exchange of fire between the two sides stopped, the Naxals triggered a blast of improvised explosive device (IED) near Kudur as the security forces were leaving the area, he said. Assistant constable Mankuram Kashyap was injured in the blast. He was rushed to a hospital in Kondagaon and was said to be out of danger, the official said, adding that extra forces were sent to the spot. Further reports were awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A joint memorandum of all the major political parties, NGOs and student associations of Mizoram in regard to the future of the Mizos living in neighbouring Manipur was submitted to the Prime Minister's office, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) said today. A press statement issed by MZP or Mizo Students Federation said the memorandum, signed by presidents of all the political parties, NGOs and student bodies was submitted to the PMO yesterday and the copies were given to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the interlocutor for the Centre and NSCN (I-M) parleys R N Ravi. The memorandum urged the Centre not to finalise Naga Framework Agreement without solving the political problems of the Mizos living in the hill areas of Manipur. "The ongoing peace talks between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) is most likely to have effects on the Mizo people residing in Manipur adjoining Mizoram," the memorandum said, adding that if special autonomy is given to the Naga inhabited areas in Manipur, such autonomy should also be accorded to the Mizos in that state. If the Naga inhabited areas in Manipur are amalgamated to Nagalim by provisions of the Naga Agreement as demanded by the NSCN, the Mizo inhabited areas in Manipur should also be amalgamated to Mizoram so that the Mizos living in the neighbouring state are not assimilated by more populous race, the memorandum said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today faced the wrath of the Supreme Court for his "intervention" in the process of publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is being monitored by the top court. The apex court observed that when it was monitoring the process of preparation and publication of the draft NRC, which is meant to identify original residents of the state to check illegal migration, through a court-appointed committee, no agency or authority can make such a statement. A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman warned that if the authorties intervened in the matter like this, it would "wash off its hands" as it does not appreciate such moves. "We do not appreciate any other authority intervening in the matter of preparation and publication of the draft NRC when this court has been monitoring the process," it said. The counsel representing Assam government said there was no intention on the part of the Chief Minister to interfere in the apex court proceedings. During the hearing, the bench was informed that though the deadline for publication of draft NRC was said to be March 31, 2018, the Chief Minister has stated that this would be done on or before December 2017. "Last time you had told us that you will do it by March 2018. It is good that you are doing it. But we have an on- record statement of Chief Minister of Assam that the draft NRC will be published in December 2017. Let him supervise then. We will wash off our hands. "When the Supreme Court is monitoring it, we don't see any other agency or authority to say that we will do it like this. Our attention is drawn to the Chief Minister's statement that he has revised the date to December 31, 2017," it said. The apex court also observed that it has spent time and energy for almost two years for this and it was "not fair" on the part of the Chief Minister to make such a statement. "When we are monitoring, how can anybody or any agency say this? We have spent two years time and energy on it. It is not fair to the court," the bench observed. The court noted in its order that though Prateek Hajela, state coordinator, NRC Assam, had earlier stated before it that the date of publication of draft NRC would be around March 2018, now he has said that it would be published by December end this year. "Statement of the state coordinator is pursuant to the statement of the Chief Minister of Assam that draft NRC would be published on or before December 31, 2017," it noted. "Be that as it may, we now understand that date of publication of draft NRC is on or before December 31, 2017," it said while adding that the budgetary allocation should be made available so that the work could be done by the year end. However, the top court also said that if the coordinator faces any difficulty, including intervention by any other authority, he shall forthwith report it to the court. Meanwhile, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar informed the bench that former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, heading a committee which was already entrusted some task by the court, has expressed his inability to oversee the construction of the fencing in the western front of the India-Bangladesh border. Kumar said Gupta has cited personal reasons, including health, and has declined to take up the work related to construction of fencing in the western front of the border. When the Solicitor General suggested some names to oversee the work, the bench said, "we would like to give it to a person who is not holding any office as government servant. We would like to give the work to a public spirited person. You can think over it and give us some names". The court also said it will have to constitute another committee for the work and asked the solicitor general and the counsel representing other parties to suggest some names within seven days. It said that it would finalise the name "in chamber" and pass an order with regard to the role of committee. The Solicitor General also told the court that fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border was going on but it had to be stopped in some stretches due to heavy monsoon rains. "Whatever you do, it is quite clear that some part of the border cannot be fenced as there are riverine areas. That is the most porous part of the border," the bench observed. However, Kumar said the government was doing its best in the area, including the stretch of 48.11 km of riverine area, and has installed floodlights and increased patrolling there. "We would like our committee to go there and see what is there and then give us the details," the court said. At the fag end of the hearing, when some counsel raked up the issue of smuggling across the border, the bench said, "smuggling and human trafficking, do not raise it before us". The apex court was hearing a matter relating to fencing of Indo-Bangla border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Punjab police team has been sent to Srinagar to gather information on possible "sleeper cells" of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in this state, days after Kashmir police arrested a terrorist who had stayed here, a senior official said today. The Jammu and Kashmir Police, while announcing the arrest of LeT militant Sandeep Sharma alias Adil on Tuesday, had said that he had worked in Patiala and had been roped into militancy here only by some youth from Kashmir. "We are trying to get information from Kashmir police so that we could be able to develop further on his links... We have sent a police party to Kashmir in this regard," Patiala Superintendent of Police (detective) Harwinder Singh Virk told PTI today. He said after coming to know that Sharma had stayed in Patiala, all police stations of the district had been put on alert and asked to gather information regarding him. "Police is investigating to identify sleeper cells in parts of state, including Patiala after the arrest of Sharma," the SP said. Punjab Police will able to investigate the whereabouts of his hideouts only after getting information from Kashmir, Virk said. Sharma, who hails from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, had stayed in Patiala for over four months and had got in touch with "sleeper cells" of the terror outfit before going to Kashmir, the SP said. Sharma had come in contact with some Kashmiri youth who worked here in winters as waiters with caterers, he said. "Sharma came in contact with some mischievous Kashmiri youths here few years back," he said, adding he then "started going to Kashmir during summer season for odd jobs along with mischievous youths." According to J&K police, Sharma was arrested from the same house in Kashmir where LeT militant Bashir Lashkari was killed on July one in an encounter with security forces. Virk noted that many young men from Kashmir shift to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country during winters. The Intelligence Bureau has asked Patiala police to ascertain details about Sharma's stay here. It also suggested that information about all those who have had any association with Sharma be gathered and cross checked, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has directed the police to probe the alleged rape of a Dalit girl in a private college of Amritsar. Rajesh Bagha, chairman of the commission, said the victim who had gone to the college to seek admission on July 6 was allegedly raped by a youth, who offered her a glass of juice while she was filling a form, an official release said here. The youth committed the ghastly act after the girl became unconscious. The police did not initiate any action as the youth belonged to a well-off family, it said. Bagha said he took notice of the incident from media reports. The official said that the commission has instructed the Police Commissioner, Amritsar to submit the complete report in this regard within a week. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather India has said its national creative director Rajiv Rao has quit after serving nearly two decades in the agency to look for opportunities in the film-making industry. Rao, who is known for his most popular Zoozoo campaign for Vodafone, was with Ogilvy since 1999. His departure comes at a time when Sonal Dabral has been appointed as group chief creative officer and vice-chairman of the agency. He, however, will continue as Ogilvy India's National creative leader till Dabral takes over. Commenting on the change, Ogilvy South Asia Executive Chairman and Creative Director Piyush Pandey said: "I have nothing but a deep sense of gratitude to Rajiv, that he respected my request to stay on to help make a better and stronger Ogilvy." Dabral has stepped down from DDB Mudra last month as chairman and chief creative officer. He will be with DDB Mudra till the end of September. Rao joined Ogilvy with his partner V Mahesh and led Ogilvy Bangalore from 2003 to 2006. In 2009, Rajiv Rao and Abhijit Avasthi took on the role of National Creative Directors at Ogilvy India. He has been a part of various iconic campaigns like 'Second hand smoke kills' for Cancer Patients Aid Association. The campaign won India's first double Gold at Cannes. Besides, he was the brain behind Vodafone's campaign featuring the popular pug. In 2009, Rao was conferred with the 'Creative Person of the Year' award by the World Brand Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today said it is reviewing the visa application of the mother of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantika's visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "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 had tweeted. During the weekly Foreign Office briefing, its Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms". The pending visa application of the mother Jadhav is currently under review, he said. He also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. On the situation on the Line of Control, Zakaria alleged that India had violated the ceasefire agreement 542 times in 2017 and 18 civilians had been killed as a result. Protests have been registered with the Indian high commissioner and the deputy high commissioner, he said. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Kiren Rijiju today visited flood-affected Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, where incessant rains have marooned more than 15 lakh people and deluge and landslides have claimed many lives. Rijiju, who was deputed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess the flood situation in the Northeast, first undertook an aerial survey of flood-hit districts in Assam, where the death toll due to the deluge has mounted to 45. Before the survey, he met district administration officials in Lakhimpur in Assam, which has been hit the hardest by floods, and visited deluge-ravaged Pasnoi Baolidan village. More than 3 lakh people have been marooned by flood waters in Lakhimpur district alone. Though rains have eluded the district in the past two days, the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark in several areas. Lakhimpur district officials briefed the minister on the relief operations being carried out in the district. Around 15 lakh people in 24 districts in the state have been hit by floods. Later, the minister reached Arunachal Pradesh where at least five persons were killed and nine missing due to landslides following incessant rains in Papum Pare district. Rijiju visited the areas where infrastructures have been badly hit. In Papum Pare, a major pipeline which supplied potable water, has burst, making the lives of nearly a lakh of people miserable. The pipeline supplied water to two towns -- Naharlagun and Nirajali from Nyorach area in the district. When Rijiju asked how the people in these two towns are getting water, a senior district official said that tanks are being sent to the areas. The water supply is expected to be restored in 10 days. Several major roads in Arunachal Pradesh have been damaged due to landslides with district officials working round the clock to restore the roads. Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rain in the last a couple of days have completely cut off many district headquarters in the state from the rest of the country, officials said. The state capital was virtually cut off with its lifeline NH 415 getting totally eroded at the entry point, while the alternate road via Jullang remained blocked leaving only one road through Hollongi en route Lakhimpur district in Assam open, they said. Rijiju has asked the district authorities in Papum Pare to submit a detailed report of loss and damage so that further action can be initiated accordingly. The minister also visited people in the affected areas and assured them of all possible help. He visited Badapani bridge in Papum Pare district where traffic has been closed for heavy vehicles. The bridge has also been damaged due to incessant rains. Major rivers in the state are still flowing above the danger level while surface communication was disrupted at many places along the NH-415 that links Assam with Arunachal Pradesh, officials said. Modi had spoken to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu over phone and assured all possible support from the Centre and said that the country is with the state during these trying times. Union minister of state for development of north eastern region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said today in New Delhi that as many as 80 people have lost their lives in the floods that have hit 58 districts in the Northeast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Markets regulator Sebi has asked Ltd (GAL) and its directors to refund investors' money that the Kolkata-based company had raised illegally by issuing securities. Besides, Sebi imposed a ban on the firm and its directors from accessing the capital markets for four years from the completion of refund. mobilised funds illegally through issuance of non-convertible redeemable debentures (NCDs). According to Sebi, had raked in Rs 35.62 crore by issuing NCDs to investors during 2009-10 and 2011-12. However, the company had not given details about the number of allottees. The company, through such activity, violated various norms, Sebi noted. The regulator observed that allotment of NCDs by the firm was a public issue, which under the rules require a compulsory listing on a recognised stock exchange. It was also required to file a prospectus, among others, which it failed to do. In an order dated July 12, Sebi has asked GAL and its past and present directors -- Tushar Sur, Joydip Mukhopadhyay, Bablu Saha and Samir Kumar Mukherjee -- to refund the money collected through the issuance of NCDs, along with an annual interest of 15 per cent. They have been restrained from buying, selling or otherwise dealing in the securities markets for four years and the ban will continue till the completion of refunds to investors. In case the firm fails to comply with the order in three months, Sebi would make a reference to the state government or the local police to register a case against them for fraud, cheating and misappropriation of public funds. (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.) Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for fishing in their territorial waters today, a fisheries official said. The fishermen from Mandapam near here were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to the island nation's coast and taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Gopinath said. Two boats used by them were also impounded by the navalmen, he added. On July 9, three fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai District were detained off Karainagar in northern Sri Lanka, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters. This is the third instance of arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy this month. The Tamil Nadu government has maintained that the retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the "only solution" to the vexed fishermen's issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar has urged the Union finance minister to exempt free kitchens in the Golden Temple and other Sikh shrines from the purview of Goods and Services Tax (GST). The Golden Temple is being managed by SGPC which approached the GST Council and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking exemption from the new tax regime as it would throw adverse effect on buying of food items for 'langar' (community kitchen) purposes, Badungar said. The purchases for langar items and a few other articles were exempt from value added tax (VAT), he said. Badungar, in a missive, has urged Jaitley that religious cum spiritual places being managed by the SGPC including the Golden Temple at Amritsar, Takhat Kesgarh located at Anandpur Sahib, Takhat Damdama Sahib located at Talwandi Sabo where foot fall was in excess of a lakh per day should be exempted from GST for buying food items for langar. The Golden Temple faces an extra financial burden of Rs 10 crore a year with the implementation of the GST, said Badungar. He said that the procurement bill of community kitchen articles including desi ghee, sugar, floor, rice and pulses comes to around Rs 75 crore annually. "Now with the shift from VAT to GST, a tax of 12 per cent will be levied on desi ghee, 18 per cent on sugar and 5 per cent on pulses, which would enhance the financial burden by Rs 10 crore annually," he said. With the implemention of GST on cloth, the SGPC will have to spend more to buy siropas (robes of honour), he said. Currently, an annual purchase of 15 lakh metres of cloth is being done for siropas, he said. Badungar said that money offered by the visiting devotees in the Golden Temple was spent on free community kitchen, medical services including costly medicines for cancer patients. Earlier, Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also urged Jaitley to exempt all purchases made by the SGPC for langar sewa from the GST. She had said that the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) runs the world's largest kitchen offering free meals throughout the year to lakhs of people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shia LaBeouf has issued an apology after a series of videos surfaced showing the actor's eccentric behaviour towards police officers during his recent drunkenness arrest. The "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" star took to his Twitter account to say that he's sorry for his racial outburst while admitting that he's struggling with addiction, reported Ace Showbiz. "I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and make no excuse for it," Shia said. "I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behaviour is not lost on me." The 31-year-old actor added that his disrespect for authority was problematic and completely destructive. "It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes." Shia was taken into custody last weekend by Savannah- Chatham Metropolitan Police in Georgia after he allegedly went off on cops while drunk in public. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madhya Pradesh government today extended by three months the tenure of a single-member judicial panel probing the last year's jailbreak by eight SIMI operatives and their subsequent gunning down by police. It is the third extension that the commission has been given and the new deadline for it to finish the probe is November 6 now. Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya said the decision was taken by a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "The term of the single-member judicial commission probing the escape of SIMI operatives from Bhopal's central jail, has been further extended for a period of three months. The term of this commission was scheduled to end next month (on August 7). Now, the commission's tenure has been extended till November 6," Malaiya said after the Cabinet meeting. On November 7 last year, the state government had appointed retired high court judge S K Pandey to probe the daring jailbreak by eight activists of the banned SIMI. Initially, this single-member commission had been asked to complete the probe within three months and submit its report to the government. Eight SIMI under-trials had pulled off an audacious escape from the high-security Central Jail of Bhopal on the intervening night of October 30-31 last year after killing a guard. The police, however, had gunned them down in an alleged encounter on the outskirts of Bhopal within hours after they escaped from the prison after attacking the guards. As per the notification issued by the Madhya Pradesh government on November 7, the commission was directed to probe the "circumstances in which the SIMI members escaped from the prison and the officials responsible for it." "How and under what circumstances the encounter took place at Manikheda village under Gunga Police Station limits on the outskirts of Bhopal, in which all eight prisoners were killed ... Whether the action taken by the police is justified under prevailing circumstances," the notification had said. The government had also asked the panel to recommend the steps to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents (escape of prisoners) and any other suggestions it deemed appropriate. The alleged encounter was mired in controversy as doubts had been raised about its genuineness by opposition Congress and other parties after a video clip and audio tapes had surfaced doubting the authenticity of the police version of the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government today said it was "seriously and sincerely" engaged with the Iraqi authorities to trace the 39 Indians, who have been reportedly taken hostage in Mosul in 2014 by the ISIS. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh met Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari in Baghdad today and handed over a letter from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. India had welcomed liberation of Mosul which represents a brave victory over forces of evil and destructions represented by Daesh terror group, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, adding the government had also mentioned the issue of missing Indians. He said Singh had met a number of senior Iraqi officials in Erbil yesterday evening and requested them to trace the missing Indians. "We remain engaged very sincerely and very seriously at a high level," Baglay said, adding the Iraqi authorities have conveyed to India that they have sensitised their forces about the missing Indians. "India remains steadfast in its support to Iraq in their fight against terrorism," he said. Following announcement of the liberation of Mosul, the government had activated various channels to locate the Indians, Baglay said. The ambassador of India to Iraq and the consul general in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate the Indian nationals on priority, the MEA spokesperson had said on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Czech carmaker Skoda on Thursday launched an all-new version of its best-selling sedan Octavia in India with price starting at Rs 15.49 lakh (all India ex- showroom). The car will be available in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version comes with two engine options of 1.4 litre and 1.8 litre, priced between Rs 15.49-20.89 lakh. The Octavia diesel is powered by a 2-litre engine and priced between Rs 16.9-22.89 lakh across four variants. "The Octavia is the heart of Skoda brand. Globally, it has sold over six million units in total. In India, it has sold over 90,000 units since 2001 when the company entered the market with the model," Skoda Auto India Director Sales, Service and Marketing Ashutosh Dixit told reporters. He said the new car will help further boost the company's sales, which has witnessed 15 per cent growth in January-June. Skoda Auto India sold 7,576 units during the first half of this year. "We plan to grow our sales 30 per cent this year on the back of new products and further consolidate our position in the premium segment," Dixit said. The new Octavia is equipped with features such as hands- free parking, iBuzz driver fatigue alert and eight safety airbags. "While retaining its strong characteristics of space, all round comfort, safety and technology, the new Octavia will be a compelling proposition in its segment and will continue to drive Skoda's success in India," Dixit said. The new Octavia will take on Toyota's Corolla Altis in the segment. (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.) Diktat for social boycott issued by caste panchayats has become a crime punishable with jail term up to seven years and penalty that can extend to Rs five lakh in Maharashtra, a first in the country. The new law came into force after President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Maharashtra Prohibition of Social Boycott Act, 2015, last month, and it was published in the state Gazette on July 3, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sudhir Shrivastav told PTI. Under the Act, members of extrajudicial bodies like caste and community councils issuing decrees for social boycott can be punished with imprisonment up to seven years and/or a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. The bill was passed by the state legislature on April 13, 2016 and sent to the Centre for presidential assent. To ensure speedy justice, the law provides for conclusion of trial within a period of six months from the date of filing of the charge sheet. Any organisation that delivers a judgment or issues fatwas based on caste, would be viewed as a caste panchayat, even if unregistered, the Act says. The provisions include compensation to victims if a caste council imposed monetary penalties on them. An official would be appointed to go into complaints of social boycott, which would include preventing a person from participating in social and religious programmes, festivals, processions, rallies, and from using common institutions like schools, club houses and medical facilities. Those who support decrees issued by caste panchayats would also be treated as accused, the law says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spain's famous bull running fiesta in Pamplona claimed yet more victims today as eight daredevil participants were injured, some of them gored and trampled on, authorities said. The annual San Fermin festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, some of whom take to the narrow streets of Pamplona in northern Spain to run alongside bulls while trying their best to avoid their sharp horns. In their daily spreadsheet that tracks injuries during San Fermin, the regional government of Navarra, where Pamplona is located, said seven men and one woman aged 18 to 57 - all of them Spanish - were hurt and taken to hospital. Two men were gored, though the government said their injuries were not serious. But it said the condition of three of the runners who had suffered unspecified trauma to the chest, arm and face, was as yet unclear. A video of this morning's run shows a dozen bulls being let out of their enclosure onto a road and charging into runners clad in traditional white with red scarves and belts. One of the men falls down and is trampled by two bulls, one of which then gives another runner a shove with his horn, prompting him to fall down. The bull runs take place every morning at 8:00 am during the festival, after which the animals are put to death in bullfights. Anyone aged 18 or above can take part, though authorities warn it is at their risk. Injuries are frequent and people have died in the past, the last one in 2009. So far this year, more than 30 people have been injured in the bull runs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chennai-based SRM University is opening its AP campus in the state's new capital Amaravati on July 15. SRM University will kickstart its operations with an intake of 300 students this year in different engineering streams, according to its president P Satyanarayanan. SRM AP would be a research-intensive university with emphasis on application-oriented learning, he told a press conference today. The state government allotted 200 acres of land for the university in the capital region and SRM would invest Rs 3,000 crore over the next decade to take the total student intake to 40,000, he said. "In phase-one, we will invest Rs 1,000 crore in the next five years for a student intake of 10,000. Besides engineering, liberal arts, journalism, management and law school will also be opened. We are also building a hospital now as a precursor to opening a medical college in the second phase," Satyanarayanan added. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the campus along with Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on July 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) has arrested two persons including a Nepalese citizen along with Nepalese currency notes from Indo-Nepal border in Bihar's East Champaran district, officials said today. The two arrested persons have been identified as Ashish Kumar and Vijay Kumar Patel. Ashish is the resident of Sitamarhi district while Vijay is the resident of Parsa district in Nepal. SSB's 47th battalion Commandant Sonam Chhering said that SSB's team arrested the two persons along with Rs 6 lakh Nepalese currency during routine search of a vehicle yesterday. The duo was arrested when they crossed into Indian side from Nepal riding motorcycle near pillar number 393 under Raxaul police station of the district, he said adding that Rs 6 lakh was kept in a bag in the dickey of the bike which bore the Nepalese registration number. The two persons were handed over to Motihari Customs officials along with the seized money and motorcycle, SSB official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With a Sino-Indian standoff on the border, RSS's economic wing Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to allow Chinese companies to set up new units in India. "The government should not allow the establishment of any new venture or any new manufacturing facility by Chinese firms as China is regularly indulging in transgression, incursion and other provoking activities on our borders," SJM National co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said. The SJM has written a letter to Modi saying that till now, the government has been giving China "apt" replies, "but it will be futile if the Centre does not halt their economic onslaught". India can "ill-afford" this "back-door entry of China in our country's manufacturing sector", Mahajan said in the letter. The SJM, which promotes the use of indigenous products, said China was adopting a "policy of opaqueness" and not giving "space" to products from India. The SJM is observing 2017 as "anti-China year", as part of which it has so far got over 75 lakh people to pledge that they would reject "substandard" Chinese products. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taiwanese lawmakers tried to choke each other and threw water bombs during a chaotic session at the island's parliament today as the government of President Tsai Ing-wen pressed ahead with controversial reforms. Female legislators from opposing camps had their hands on each other's throats as a dozen colleagues pushed and shouted trying to separate them in the main chamber during a review of the budget for a major infrastructure project. The opposition Kuomintang party is against the plan, saying it favours cities and counties faithful to Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and has been devised to secure support for the party ahead of next year's regional elections. The project includes light rail lines, flood control measures and green energy facilities. Critics have also questioned whether the whopping Tw$420 billion (USD 14 billion) cost of the project is really worthwhile. The morning review hearing was suspended following the brawl as Kuomintang lawmakers occupied the podium. Lunch failed to calm tensions and the clashes continued into the afternoon when opposition lawmakers honked air horns and tried to throw balloons filled with water at premier Lin Chuan. One of the balloons flew near Lin and burst mid-air. He was forced to leave the chamber without delivering a report on the budget and the session was again abandoned. The DPP condemned what it called the KMT'S "violent boycott" and demanded an apology. "We call for rational discussions ...To resolve differences," it said in a statement. Tsai has seen her popularity plummet to under 40 per cent from nearly 70 per cent when she took office in May last year as her government attempts to tackle a range of controversial issues from gay marriage to pension and judicial reforms. Violent protests erupted outside the parliament in April when opponents of pension reforms attacked politicians and scuffled with police, prompting Tsai to call for calm and restraint. Parliament was also plunged into chaos late last year when opposing lawmakers brawled in the chamber, as labour activists set off smoke bombs outside in protest at proposed holiday cuts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taliban militants today attacked a vehicle carrying a senior police officer in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, killing him and three other policemen. Superintendent of Police of Quaidabad area, Mubarak Shah, was targeted by the gunmen in Quetta, the provincial capital, while he was patrolling in the area with his team. Inspector General of Police in Balochistan Abdul Razzak Cheema confirmed the attack on Shah. "Shah was injured and later died in the hospital while three police personnel died on the spot," he said. Another policeman was injured and was being treated. "It appears to be another targeted attack on policemen," Cheema said. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a tweet strongly condemned the attack. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. Taliban militants often carry out such attacks in the area. The incident comes days after District Police Officer of Qilla Abdullah, his security guard and driver were killed and over 10 other people, including five police personnel, were injured in a suicide blast in the border town of Chaman on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special plan aimed at modernising the facilities at the police stations in all districts of Telangana on par with the Hyderabad City Police has been prepared, state DGP Anurag Sharma said here today. The District Police Stabilisation Plan was prepared by IGP (West Zone) Stephen Ravindra to improve the delivery standards of the district police and to make them more citizen friendly, the top cop said while addressing a meeting of senior officials of his department, held in the police headquarters here. The meeting was attended by the commissioners of police of various cities, besides the SPs of districts in the state. After the Telangana Police Conference meeting held in May this year, it was decided to modernise the police station facilities in the districts on par with the Hyderabad City Police, the DGP said in a release. He said that seven committees were formed with unit officers comprising representatives of each district of the rank of Inspector and Sub-Inspector. The committees have studied the working of the Hyderabad Police Stations for the three days on IT initiatives used to reduce crime and management, infrastructure, upgradation of branding, traffic management, women and child safety, training and skill building, establishment of Command Control Centres, upgradation of Clues and Forensic Teams at district level, it said. The District Police Stabilisation Plan is a strategic document involving financial framework on which all the future allocations of financial resources to the districts would be made, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President and his French counterpart offered praise for Xi Jinping at a press conference today, but avoiding comment or criticism over Chinese Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo's death. Trump described Xi, the Chinese president, as a friend and patriot, refraining from offering any remarks on the death of Liu, a prominent dissident who lost his life to cancer while in detention. Of Xi, Trump said: "He's a friend of mine. I have great respect for him. "We've gotten to know each other very well. A great leader. He's a very talented man. I think he's a very good man. He loves China. I can tell you. He loves China." That praise was echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who described as "extremely fruitful and positive" his first contacts with Xi. The French leader later paid tribute to Liu in a tweet, praising him as "a freedom fighter" and saying his thoughts were with his family. Earlier Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praised Liu and called for his wife to be released. "Mr Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty," Tillerson said in a statement. "I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes. (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.) President Donald Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, are looking to set aside differences on trade and climate change and find common ground as they meet today ahead of Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. Trump arrived in the French capital after an overnight flight from Washington and hours before his meeting with Macron to tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump's decision last month to withdraw the U.S. From the Paris climate accord sparked outrage across Europe and anti- Trump protests are planned while he is in Paris. Macron, a staunch advocate of research to combat global warming, has beckoned "all responsible citizens," including American scientists and researchers, to bring their fight against climate change to France. The leaders plan to hold a conference after their talks, and Trump may face tough questions about emails revealing that his eldest son welcomed the prospect of receiving Russian government support in last year's presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton. Trump came to his son's defense Wednesday, praising Donald Trump Jr.'s performance in an interview on Fox Channel. Trump tweeted: "He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" The visit to Paris could offer Trump a well-timed distraction from the controversy. He will mark the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I by visiting US troops. He'll also be the guest of honor at Friday's Bastille Day events - a celebration of French national pride. White House officials are casting it as a celebration of the US-French military alliance both then and now. The leaders and their wives will end a busy day of meetings Thursday with a lavish dinner at Jules Verne at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Trump is visiting a city he has repeatedly disparaged. When he announced his decision on the climate agreement, Trump said he was "elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris." And he's repeatedly said the city has been ruined by the threat of terrorism, which he ties to immigrants. "Paris isn't Paris any longer," he said in February. But counterterrorism issues give Macron and Trump the potential for a strong working relationship. Macron's national security pitch hasn't differed drastically from Trump's. On Syria, he argues for intervention, saying that President Bashar Assad is a threat to Syria and the Islamic State group is a threat to France. France has been plagued in recent years by extremist attacks. During last year's Bastille Day celebrations, a 19- ton cargo truck deliberately plowed into crowds in Nice, killing more than 80 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump is willing to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House, but not yet, according to official remarks released today. During a conversation aboard Air Force One flying into Paris, Trump said he was willing to engage the Russian leader despite controversy over the country's involvement in the 2016 US election. Asked whether he would invite Putin, Trump said he would "at the right time. I don't think this is the right time, but the answer is yes, I would." Trump argued that shunning Putin would be the easy thing to do, but it would not be smart, according to the comments released by the White House. Trump has been embroiled in a scandal over his campaign's ties with Russia -- which US intelligence agencies say tried to tip the 2016 US election in his favour. Trump denies allegations of collusion, but the recent publication of his son's emails show Donald Jr did solicit dirt on Hillary Clinton from a Russian contact. "Look, it's very easy for me to say absolutely, I won't. That's the easy thing for me to do, but that's the stupid thing to do," Trump said. "Let's be the smart people not the stupid people. The easiest thing for me to tell you is that I would never invite him. We will never ever talk to Russia. That all of my friends in Congress will say, oh he's so wonderful, he's so wonderful. "If you don't have dialogue, you have to be fools. Fools." During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron today, Trump said that a ceasefire in Syria -- which he agreed with Putin last week -- was evidence that engagement works. He added that a second ceasefire in another region of Syria was also under consideration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The PCB legal advisor claimed today that the evidence given by the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom has validated the fixing allegations against Pakistani batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif. An NCA official gave evidence to the three-man anti- corruption tribunal of the Board via video link from London in the Pakistan Super League spot-fixing case. The PCB has charged Sharjeel and Khalid with breaching several clauses of the anti-corruption code including meeting with bookmakers and agreeing to spot fix in the PSL. Both players have denied the charges and Khalid's lawyer has said they will file a petition in the Supreme Court against the constitution of the tribunal which is headed by a former judge of the Lahore High Court, Asghar Haider who also worked for the PCB as legal advisor. The two players were sent back from the PSL on the second day after being suspended under the anti-corruption code by the PCB. The Board later suspended four other players in the case including left-arm pacer, Muhammad Irfan who is serving a 12-month ban after admitting to not reporting approaches by bookmakers, Muhammad Nawaz (who completed a two-month ban last week for the same offense), Shahzaib Hasan and Nasir Jamshed. "Our case has only become stronger because the statement given by the NCA official only confirms the charges we have made against the two players," Rizvi said. He said the board had completed its arguments and submitted all its evidence and documents to the tribunal which has been working since April. But Shaigan Ejaz, the lawyer for Sharjeel, told the media that there was nothing new in the statement made by the NCA official and nothing in it went against his client who was innocent. He said the board was only delaying and extending the case by filing four applications before the tribunal. The Lahore High Court intra-court earlier this week dismissed an appeal filed by Khalid against the appointment of Asghar Haider as head of the tribunal. The PCB lawyers are attaching importance to the statement of the NCA official since the UK's agency also questioned Nasir Jamshed in London after the spot-fixing scandal broke out and released him on bail. The Board has been trying to get the former Test opener to come to Pakistan and appear before the tribunal which has not happened as yet since Jamshed's lawyer says the NCA is yet to release his passport. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A leading girls' school in the UK has banned FitBits and smartwatches over fears that calorie- conscious pupils were skipping lunch if they failed to meet exercise targets. Teachers at the Stroud High School in Gloucestershire fear that the trendy health monitors are having a bad effect on teenagers and making them obsessed with their body image, the Gloucestershire Live reported. The 860-pupil academy is also cracking down on mobile phones use that will be drastically limited in a new protocol introduced as part of the school's effort to tackle social media's impact on young people's mental health. The gadgets will be outlawed when the new term begins in September. "There have been many reports about how excessive use of social media can have a negative impact on mental health, particularly for girls," Cindi Pride, deputy headteacher at the school, was quoted as saying. "And the situation is getting worse. It can have a real impact on self-esteem with people comparing themselves to others. "We are also banning fitbits and smartwatches. These monitor the number of calories burned and we found that some girls would monitor the number of steps they had taken and the number of calories they had used. If they didn't feel they had taken enough steps in the morning they wouldn't eat lunch," Pride said. She said the school does not want the girls to be counting calories as they are young women who are fit and healthy and they do exercise and do not need to be obsessed with steps of calories. From September, students in years 7-9 will not be allowed to use their phone at all during the school day. Students in years 10-11 will only be allowed to use their phones at lunchtime. Students in the sixth form will be allowed to use their phones as they wish, but not in lessons, the report said. Reacting to the ban, a parent of a Stroud High pupil was quoted as saying that, "This is a good move, which addresses important issues in an appropriate and measured way, and will hopefully mean that the students communicate with each other more on a face-to-face basis in the real world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said today he was deeply saddened by the death of Liu Xiaobo but refrained from criticizing China for refusing to allow the Nobel laureate to receive treatment abroad. The prominent dissident died after a battle with cancer, remaining in custody until the end as Beijing rejected international appeals to let him leave the country. Guterres was "deeply saddened" to learn of Liu's death and "extends his condolences to his family and his friends," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Asked about China's refusal to allow Liu to seek treatment abroad and concerns about the well-being of his widow, poet Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest, the UN spokesman said, "I don't have anything further to say at this point." In contrast to Guterres, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein described Liu as "China's iconic peace and democracy figure" and urged Beijing to allow Liu Xia to travel. "The human rights movement in China and across the world has lost a principled champion who devoted his life to defending and promoting human rights, peacefully and consistently, and who was jailed for standing up for his beliefs," said the UN high commissioner for human rights. A veto-wielding power at the UN Security Council, China has recently moved to raise its profile at the United Nations, increasing its financial support and providing troops for peacekeeping missions. China is now the second biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping after the United States, which, under President Donald Trump, is seeking to cut its funding to the world body. Liu, a veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, died today, more than a month after he was transferred from prison to a heavily guarded hospital to be treated for liver cancer. He was 61. The Nobel Committee, which had awarded him the peace prize in 2010, said the Chinese government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death. The United States, which had offered earlier in the week to host Liu for treatment, called today on China to free his widow from house arrest and allow her to leave the country. Germany had also offered to provide medical treatment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UTI Asset Management Company is "fairly ready" for the initial public offering and board's approval is already in place, its managing director Leo Puri said on Thursday. Besides, majority of the shareholders of the company have supported the plan to go public. UTI Asset Management Company (AMC), which has been planning an IPO for a long time, could become the first fund house to be listed in the country. Earlier, the firm had filed draft papers with the regulator Sebi in 2008 but could not hit the capital . "I cannot give you any date (for the initial share-sale) but we are fairly ready for the IPO and our board has passed a resolution to go-ahead with the plan and majority of our shareholders have also indicated that they support the move," UTI AMC Managing Director Leo Puri said. "We are in dialogue with our shareholders for few last mile issue. Once, it is done, we will come out with the IPO," he added. UTI MF has an assets base of more than Rs 1.45 lakh crore and is the sixth-largest in terms of assets under management behind ICICI Prudential AMC, HDFC AMC, Reliance Nippon Life AMC, Birla Sun Life AMC and SBI MF. UTI MF's public issue would allow partial exit for four sponsors -- SBI, LIC, BoB and PNB -- which own 18.5 per cent each in it, while the remaining 26 per cent is held by the US-based investment firm T Rowe Price. "The mutual fund market is at an inflection point. Besides, the primary market is very active and this is the right time to approach the market and we are keen to utilise the opportunity as we do not want our competitor to get any advantage," Puri said. Also, our shareholders see this as an opportunity for monetisation, he added. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group had also announced plans to come out with IPO for its mutual fund arm -- Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management. During January-June period this year, over a dozen companies have raised more than Rs 12,000 crore through IPOs, a surge of 73 per cent from the year-ago 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.) Vani Kapoor set herself up for her third title in four starts on the Hero WPGT Tour as she moved into sole lead at the end of the second round of the eighth leg of the Tour. Returning from her trip to Thailand after the Ladies European Tour event, the diminutive dynamite, Vani, shot an even par 71 to get one-under 141 and one shot ahead of amateur Ankita Kedlaya, who also shot a 71. Overnight leader Gaurika Bishnoi slipped to 73 after a bogey start and is now tied-second, one behind leader Vani. Vani opened with a birdie and added another on 16th, while she bogeyed fifth and 10th. Ankita had three birdies, all on back nine, and three bogeys, two on front nine and one late on 17th hole. Gaurika had two birdies against four bogeys. Amandeep Drall had a double bogey on her very first hole but did well to card 72 and now lies fourth at 143, while seasoned Smriti Mehra exploded into great form with the day's best round of two-under 69 to get into sole fifth. Neha Tripathi (72-74) was sixth, while Saaniya Sharma (75-72) and Anisha Padukone (75-72) were tied-seventh. Sharmila Nicollet (78-70), Mehar Atwal (78-70) and last week's winner, Tvesa Malik (71-77) were all tied-ninth. Sharmila with a 70 had the day's second best card alongside Mehar and amateur Seher Atwal (79-70). Sharmila's fine round included one of the two eagles on the day. She holed out her second shot par-4 13th hole, while Millie Saroha (79-75) eagled the par-5 12th hole. The final round will see Vani tee off in the company of Ankita and Gaurika. While Vani is looking for her third title of the year, Gaurika is searching for her second success and looking to stay ahead of the Order of Merit, while Ankita, still an amateur, is hunting for her first title against professionals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was an Independence Day Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy would always remember, for it was this day in 1996 when snatches of conversation in Hindi guided him and other lost pilgrims on their journey back from Kailash Mansarovar. "We (the yatris) were returning from the Chinese side and there was solid fog all around us. The air was so thick that you couldn't see the tip of your fingers," Roy recalled. The group of pilgrims to Mansarovar was walking towards the Lipulekh Pass when they found themselves lost in the fog. "We had no idea where we were. But, as we were walking, we heard some people speaking in Hindi. That was when we realised we had reached India," the 72-year-old governor and former BJP leader from West Bengal said. It was August 15 that day, he said. "So it was wonderful," Roy told PTI on the sidelines of a book launch here last evening. The high-altitude Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage spot is in the Tibet region. There are two routes to this -- through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. Roy earlier released a coffee-table book 'Dalhousie ...Through My Eyes', authored by retired civil servant Kiran Chadha, who shared interesting anecdotes about the hill station with the gathering.. Chadha had also led the Mansarovar Yatra team that Roy was a part of. "I think that trip instilled a sense of wanderlust in me and I was bitten by the travel bug. Since then, I have travelled to many places. I have been on the Amaranath Yatra, went to Vaishno Devi and visited the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand, among other places," he said, adding that the two destinations that he had not yet visited were Gangotri and Yamnotri. Chadha said she hoped the book would serve as "a guide and a knowledge storehouse" for the next generation on Dalhousie and its history, and prompt them to travel to the hill town in Himachal Pradesh. Dalhousie is in the Chamba district and is situated on five hills. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today raised questions over incumbent Nitish Kumar's "zero-tolerance model" towards graft asking if he was trying to "save his own post" by not acting against his deputy Tejashwi Yadav. "Nitishji talks about zero-tolerance model in Bihar, but he doesn't take action just so that he can save his post and the Grand Alliance. Then isn't that model a farce?" the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader asked. "Tejashwi, I believe, should have resigned after the corruption charge and lodging of an FIR. But, when he didn't, the CM should have sacked and dismissed him. But, Nitishji is trying to find a middle ground," he said, when asked by a few reporters, if the deputy chief minister should have resigned. He was talking to the press here ahead of a national conference of his party workers scheduled on Saturday at the Talkatora Stadium in Delhi. Tejashwi has termed the FIR, lodged in connection with a land-for-hotels case, "farzi" (fake) and part of a "political vendetta". "BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are conspiring against me and family members out of political reasons," he had told reporters in Patna yesterday. To a question on the condition of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, Manjhi alleged, "The Dalits and women are being attacked and crime cases are rising. What is happening in Bihar is unfortunate." "Though I do not want anarchy in the state. In my opinion, if the alliance splits, the BJP should consider giving outside support to the JD(U). But then, it is also for the BJP's state unit to consider," he said. Manjhi, a Dalit leader, was made the Bihar chief minister for nine months, starting May 2014, before being having a fallout with Kumar and ultimately being expelled from the JD (U). He later formed the Hindustani Awam Morcha, which is now an ally of the BJP. "During my nine-month-rule as the chief minister, we worked for all sections of the society, for women and Dalits. Our aim was bringing about systemic change ('vywastha parivartan') and not just administrative change ('satta parivartan'). But, unfortunately, some people just want to have administrative change," he said. Manjhi outlined various issues that the party will raise during the Saturday's conference and said, "For the country's development, we demand that agriculture be accorded an industry status, so that farmers can sell their crops at appropriate market prices." He also emphasised that "common schooling system" needs to be developed so that an ethos of equality can be built. Manjhi said if the government education is done through common schooling system, where people of all strata study together, then the "bogey of reservation" can also be dealt with. "We believe, as of now, the reservation system should be based on economic status and not seen on caste lines. So, if someone, belonging to an upper caste, is poor, we feel, he should also benefit from it," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Concerned that China's cancer- stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing, the US has urged China to grant him full parole and release his wife from house arrest. "We understand the Chinese hospital treating Nobel Peace Prize laureate and writer, Liu Xiaobo, has invited US, German medical experts to China for medical consultations. "We remain concerned that both Mr Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing," the White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters during an off camera briefing. "We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to grant him full parole and to release his wife from house arrest and provide them the protections and freedoms, such as freedom of movement and access to appropriate medical care consistent with Chinese constitution, legal system, and international commitments," Sanders said. The State Department said it was involved in helping to get a US doctor from MD Anderson Cancer Center to China to be able to take a look at him. "We would like for Mr Liu to be able to make his own health choices about where he would like to go," the State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. "I understand that his wife, who had been under house arrest, was able to be with him at the hospital. We're happy about that, however, we continue to call on China to release him so that he can receive medical treatment wherever he desires. If it's in the United States, I think we would certainly welcome that," she said. In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal said the government that imprisoned Liu for his beliefs and failed to ensure his health can't ask the world to trust that it will give him the best care. "Mr Liu's request for treatment in Germany offers him the chance to spend more time with his wife Liu Xia, who has been held under house arrest for seven years. China's greatest democracy advocate deserves to spend his last days in freedom so the world can hear the final testimony to his struggle," The Wall Street Journal said. Early this month, several top American lawakers moved a Congressional resolution urging the US President Donald Trump to help humanitarian transfer of Xiaobo. Introduced by Senators Marco Rubio, Jeff Merkley, and Ted Cruz, the concurrent resolution urged the government of China to unconditionally release Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia and allow them to reunite with their family and friends and seek proper medical treatment. The resolution also urges the Trump Administration to seek Dr Liu's immediate humanitarian transfer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman here has accused her husband of divorcing her by pronouncing 'talaq' thrice over the phone after she protested his criminal activities, the police said. She also claimed that he was involved in a "bomb blast in Nagpur in 2012" and was sent to jail by the Maharashtra Police in this connection. The woman married Shamsuddin Shah in 2011, embraced Islam and changed her name from Snehlata to Shamsunnisa, the police said. Shamsunnisa alleged that after she opposed his criminal activites, Shah started committing atrocities on her and on May 25, he divorced her by pronouncing 'talaq' thrice over the phone. The police have started a probe into the matter based on a complaint filed by the woman. "We have asked the Maharashtra Police to verify the charge against the man levelled by his wife that he was involved in a blast in Nagpur," Additional SP Ajay Pratap said here today. The ASP said her complaint was being looked into seriously. Meanwhile, in a memorandum to SP (City), Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Durga Vahini leaders alleged that Shah was trapping innocent Hindu women and pushing them into flesh trade. They dubbed it as a case of love jihad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The computers in modern data centres the engine rooms of the digital economy are powered mainly by chips. They animate the computing clouds of the internet giants and corporate data centres worldwide. Last month at VidCon, an annual gathering of almost video creators and fans at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, every major player in social media announced new initiatives to embrace the next generation of viral video makers. Instagram showed off a feature that would let followers access a livestream for up to 24 hours. YouTube announced a production tool called VR180 that makes it easy for people to create and share 3-D videos in 180 degrees. (All you need is one of the special cameras due later this year from LG, Lenovo, and YI .) And Facebook unveiled updates to its Mentions app, which lets creators apply effects to their live videos and connect more easily with followers. India's largest software services provider Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. said it will shut down its Lucknow operations due to lack of convenience for client related work. According to a report in News 18, TCS vice president Tej Paul Bhatla was in Lucknow on Wednesday, where he met and asked project managers to finish their programmes by December or shift to the centres in Indore, Noida and continue working there. The project managers have also been asked to convey the message to their team members as IT major Tata Consultancy Services has decided to close its operations centre in Lucknow, the report said. With TCS looking to wind up its Lucknow operations, the move could affect around 1,000 employees of the software major. However, in a statement, the company said that it is looking to consolidate its operations in Uttar Pradesh and the current Lucknow workforce will shift its operations to Noida and Varanasi. All employees will be relocated, no one will be fired. TCS also said that Lucknow was not a convenient place for client related work. According to the News 18 report, the operations were not generating profit for the company and the change in the rent contract of TCS Lucknow's premises further complicated things. A few employees have allegedly written a letter to UP CM Yogi Adityanath and raised questions about how a company earning Rs 25,000 crore in profits could be short of funds, it added. Tata Consultancy Services had launched its development centre at TCS Awdh Park in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in 2009 Spread over three acres of land, TCS Awdh Park is the second-largest IT establishment in UP after the TCS facility in Noida, with 1,500 seats. India continues to modernise its atomic arsenal with an eye on China and the country's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said. An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal--After Midnight--has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India. India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article- "Indian nuclear forces 2017". India's nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, the two experts claimed. FOUR MORE N-CAPABLE SYSTEMS IN THE WORKS While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China," they wrote. "That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons' role against Pakistan," they said. Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile. "At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land- and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade," it said. INDIA WILL NEED WARHEADS FOR NEW MISSILES India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium, sufficient for 150-200 nuclear warheads; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, it said. Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing. Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 km is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China. Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India (including Beijing and Shanghai), India is also developing the longer-range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100-plus miles), it said. "The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China," the research article said. Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel told a parliamentary panel that lack of machines and infrastructure has resulted in the delay of counting the demonetised currency in the system, reported Business Standard. Patel, at the meeting, is believed to have said that the RBI hadn't arrived at the final figure just because the counting was still in progress. "The governor answered a lot of questions but failed to provide a specific number on the money that came back into the system after demonetisation. We have asked him to provide the figure in 15 days," the paper quoted a source. Patel did share some data but did not discuss the exact figures at the meet. Currency in circulation currently stands at Rs 15.4 lakh crore, against Rs 17.7 lakh crore at the time of demonetisation in November last year. Another panel memeber added that cash in circulation cannot be the basis of assessing black or white money in the economy. The source, who was present at the meeting, quoted a study by the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata saying that Rs 400 crore worth of fake currency is still in circulation, and Rs 70 crore is added every year. The parliamentary standing committee on finance will table the report on demonetisation in the monsoon session that starts on July 17. The committee has given the RBI chief 15 days time to submit data on deposits of the defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes. To meet the deadline, the RBI has reduced staff holidays and increased the number of machines that will count the invaild notes. Sources further revealed that the parliamentary panel has informed the apex bank that it must share the figures before it closes its books on June 30 and prepare its balance sheet for 2016-17. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present at the meet as one of the members of the panel. Silk Way West Airlines, a growing cargo operator based in Azerbaijan, and Alaska Airlines on Thursday signed contracts with Boeing for two freighters apiece but that is where the similarities ended. Silk Way West said it will take two 777-8s, the largest plane available from Boeing (NYSE: BA) and one so modern it isnt [] Amid the ongoing face-off between India and China on the border of north-eastern state Sikkim, the government has passed an executive order authorizing Indian Army to make emergency purchases of arms and ammunition to be able to fight if required 'short intense war'. The decision has come at a time when two neighbouring countries -India and China- are locked-in a bitter border stand-off which also involves Bhutan as a third country. India Today reported that an internal audit of the Indian Army had revealed critical shortfall of artillery ammunition, tanks shells, fuses and spares for weapons platforms. The audit was conducted after Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists attacked Uri brigade headquarters, killing 19 soldiers. In the audit report, the army identified 46 kinds of ammunition, spares for 10 weapons platforms like infantry combat vehicles and half-a-dozen mines of various kinds as critical for war fighting. After this order, the Army can spend as much as it feels required on weapons that are needed to be added in military arsenal. "Unlike previous process, there is no per-determined cap on the amount that can be spent. Rather, the limit to spending has been tied to the minimum stores, ammunition that must be in the reserve of the army at given time. This is big shift," a senior Ministry of Defence officer told India Today. Internal audit report is not the only basis, it appears, for making this decision. Earlier in 2015, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India made somewhat similar observation about the shortage of arms and ammunition. The CAG's findings, in a report, were damning which said: "While availability of authorised stock against War Wastage Reserve to meet the expected duration of operation formed the basic criteria for ensuring the operational readiness of the Army, we found during the review that against the WWR of 40 (I) days, the availability of ammunition was only in 10 per cent of the total types of ammunition held (March 2013)." The current conflict started when People's Liberation Army construction party entered the Doklam area and attempted to construct a road. India opposed the attempted construction as it would have allowed Chinese Army to get closer to Indian defence interests and also move forward the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction AIADMK chief VK Sasikala allegedly paid Rs 2 crore bribe to a jail official to avail VIP treatment in jail. Sasikala asked for various special facilities including an exclusive kitchen for her own meals, revealed a report by DIG Roopa D Moudgil. In the report, she has asked Karnataka Director General of Prisons (DGP) Satyanarayana Rao to investigate while stating that it was unfortunate that his name kept coming up in serious charges. She has given the report to five agencies including the government, ACS home, ACB, DG and IGP and DG Prisons, Rao himself. "Sasikala has given Rs 1 crore bribe to Rao and another Rs 1 crore was distributed among officials, including warden of the central jail where she is serving 4-year sentence in an illegal wealth case for allowing her special privileges," the report which DIG has submitted to the state government said. "As a reward for bribing the prison authorities from Rao to jail warden, Sasikala gets special menu daily, cooked by special chefs in a special kitchen near the women's cell," Roopa is said to have mentioned in the report. Rao had denied the allegations made against him. "I have served a memo to her (Roopa) seeking explanation and evidence to prove her wild allegations. She has not given any report to me or the government against me or other jail officials," Rao told IANS. The peculiar purchase of SpiceJet three years ago is creating fresh ruckus. Although Ajay Singh, current promoter of SpiceJet, boasts about turning around the loss-making airline that he had acquired for Rs 2, his bitter fight with former SpiceJet promoter Kalanithi Maran (of Sun Group) continues to simmer. When Singh took over SpiceJet in 2014, the carrier was in a bad shape. It did not have enough cash to pay the lessors, oil companies and employees. When Maran exited the company by selling his 58.46 per cent stake, he gave around Rs 350 crore to the carrier to pay some of the dues. In return, a contract - a sales and purchase agreement (SPA) - was signed between Singh and Maran that has been a bone of contention. According to the terms of the contract, Maran was entitled to get 18.91 crore warrants worth Rs 309 crore and non-convertible cumulative redeemable preferential shares worth Rs 370 crore. SpiceJet says it could not issue warrants to Maran as objections were raised by the Bombay Stock Exchange on SPA terms. Subsequently, Maran approached Delhi High Court, which ruled in his favour asking SpiceJet to deposit Rs 579 crore in the form of bank guarantees and cash deposits by August 31. SpiceJet says it is ready to issue the warrants but there are regulatory hurdles. The Marans, on the other hand, have raised doubts about Singh's intent to pay back the agreed dues. Both parties now expect resolution through arbitration that kicked off late last year. According to people familiar with the matter, Maran believes that he has acted in good faith, believing that the SPA terms will be honoured. "He feels that he should not be penalised if there is something wrong between the company and the stock exchange. They do not want damages. In arbitration, they are looking for restitution of the contract following which they want to be compensated for the loss," says a person familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity. Spokespersons of SpiceJet and Sun Group refused to comment for this story as the matter is sub judice. SpiceJet, which came close to a shutdown, is the fourth largest airline in terms of market share. The low-cost carrier has seen a turnaround over the past three years, registering a net profit of Rs 427.22 crore in 2016/17. Sources say that SpiceJet blames Maran for unnecessarily heckling the current management, especially as the airline is doing well. "While Maran pumped in some money at the time of exit, nobody remembers the massive amount of liabilities that Singh had to take over during the acquisition. The Marans did not have the skills to make sure that their interests are protected and that is hurting them now," says another source who does not want to be named. The Marans have hired US-based FTI Consulting to estimate the amount SpiceJet owes to them, and have reportedly filed a report claiming damages of Rs 2,500 crore. The issue is likely to be settled in September when arbitration is expected to conclude. Tech major Lenovo today said it will slash prices of handsets sold through offline retail channels in the coming days, following the GST implementation. Motorola handsets sold through brick-and-mortar stores too will see the downward price revision. "We will cut the prices of handsets sold through retail stores. We are still evaluating the quantum of price cut. This would come into effect soon," Lenovo MBG India Executive Director Sudhin Mathur told PTI. He added that the revision follows the rollout of GST. However, prices of the new devices being introduced in the market factor in the impact of the new tax regime, Mathur said. Players like Apple and Asus have already reduced prices of their smartphones after July 1 when the GST regime came into effect. Under GST, mobile handsets are being taxed at 12 per cent as compared to an earlier range of 8-18 per cent depending on the states. The government had also introduced a 10 per cent basic customs duty on mobile phones and certain parts, in a bid to promote domestic manufacturing. Lenovo (along with Motorola) manufacture their handsets in India through contract manufacturing. India is one of the fastest growing smartphone markets globally. Players like Samsung, Micromax and Lava have had a significant hold of the market, Chinese players like Lenovo, Vivo and Oppo are aggressively eating into their market share. The competition among these players is fierce, especially in the affordable (Rs 12,000 and below) and mid-range (Rs 12,000-20,000) handsets. Motorola today also launched the fourth generation of its affordable E series. The Moto E4 will be available in two versions -- Moto E4 for Rs 8,999 (offline retail only) and E4 Plus priced at Rs 9,999 (Flipkart). "Over 52 million devices were sold in the last 4 quarters in the USD 100-200 category, making it the largest segment. Interestingly, online and offline account for similar proportion of this segment," he said. Motorola has the E series and the recently launched C series in the USD 100-200 price category. "This segment is witnessing growth, driven by demand from first-time buyers as well as people upgrading from their first smartphones to a better device," he said. Mathur added that Lenovo has a market share of around 28 per cent in the said price segment. The E4 features a 5-inch display, 2GB RAM, 1.3 Ghz quad- core processor, 16GB internal memory (expandable up to 128GB), 8MP rear and 5MP front camera and 2,800 mAh battery. The E4 Plus has a bigger 5.5-inch display, 3GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory (expandable upto 128GB), 13MP rear and 5MP front camera and 5,000 mAh battery. PTI SR JD JM An HNA subsidiary agreed to pay 108 million yuan for a stake in Rio de Janeiro international airport. Photo: Visual China (Beijing) Hainan HNA Infrastructure Investment Group Co., a subsidiary of Chinese aviation and tourism conglomerate HNA Group, agreed to pay 108 million yuan ($15.9 million) for a controlling stake in the operator of Rio de Janeiro international airport. HNA Infrastructure signed an agreement to buy Brazilian engineering group Odebrecht SAs 51% stake in Rio De Janeiro Aeroportos S.A. (RJA). The remaining stake in RJA is held by Singapore's Changi Airport Group, according to HNA Infrastructures filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange late Thursday. HNA Infrastructure will also invest 2.16 billion yuan in RJA to pay for the airports licensing rights, according to the statement. The transaction will need approval from industry and anti-trust regulatory bodies in China and Brazil. The purchase follows HNA Groups acquisition of an 82.5% stake in Frankfurt-Hahn Airport in March for an undisclosed amount. Over the past three years, HNA Group has announced more than $40 billion in offshore acquisitions and investments, making it one of the most aggressive Chinese dealmakers going after global assets. Known as RIOGaleao, Rio de Janeiro international airport is Brazil's second-busiest international airport with 17 million passengers last year. But the airports business has suffered in recent years. In 2016, RJA reported revenue of 1.2 billion Brazilian real ($374 million), with a net loss of 351 million real. Shanghai-listed HNA Infrastructure currently operates seven airports in China, including Sanya Phoenix International Airport and Yichang Sanxia Airport. HNA Group owns Hainan Airlines, one of Chinas oldest private carriers. Its traditional base on the resort-oriented Hainan Island led to its focus on the travel and tourism sector. The company also owns duty-free shops in Haikou airport and several property projects in Hainan Province. HNA last year offered $6.5 billion for 25% of U.S. hotel giant Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., and in 2015 it purchased aircraft leasing specialist Avolon Holdings Ltd. for $2.5 billion. The most recent major deals include its April purchase of 16.8% of Dufry Group, the worlds largest travel retailer, and the $994 million acquisition of Singaporean logistics company CWT Ltd. Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) The federal government has approved a major disaster declaration for nearly 30 New York counties that were affected by Winter Storm Stella in March. The blizzard slammed upstate New York and dumped more than three feet of snow in some areas. Broome County and the city of Binghamton, which were considered the epicenter of the storm, broke 24-hour snowfall records. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state and local governments calculated more than $31.4 million in costs and infrastructure damage from the winter storm. Based on the 28 counties impacted by the storm, the threshold for federal financial assistance was $27.7 million. With the Federal Emergency Management Agency signing off on aid, state and local governments may use the funding to remove debris, repair damage to infrastructure and implement protective measures for future storms. "Extreme weather is quickly becoming the new normal and all levels of government need to reorient to best help those impacted by increasingly frequent storms," Cuomo said. "The state is committed to supporting every stage of the recovery process, and this declaration is critical to getting the assistance we need to help these communities move beyond this storm." The counties eligible to receive funding are: Albany, Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Orleans, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins and Ulster. U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer supported New York's request for FEMA aid. Schumer, D-N.Y., said the funding will help communities recover from the "historic snowstorm." Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she will advocate for additional support to help communities recover from the storm. "We must always put all the necessary resources on the ground to help families and local businesses rebuild and get back on their feet," she said. According to Cuomo's office, three people died in the winter storm. There were more than 17,000 power outages across the state. State and local governments issued state of emergency declarations and travel bans were in place during the worst of the storm. | BY Ricki Green | CB Exclusive The Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association (AWARD) has today announced an international Super Jury to select the Top Student in the National AWARD School Competition, with the winner offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet David Droga in NYC. The national competition coincides with the 30th anniversary of a teenage David Droga, founder and creative chairman of renowned agency Droga5, winning Top Student at AWARD School in 1987. To mark the occasion, AWARD School will fly the national winner to NYC to meet Droga and to compare their winning portfolios from 1987 and 2017. Says Mike Spirkovski, AWARD chair: AWARD has a long and proud history of nurturing and launching the careers of some of the industrys most recognisable pioneers, including David Droga. We are delighted to celebrate the anniversary with such a fitting initiative and to present this exclusive opportunity to our AWARD School students. On behalf of the Committee, I would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our Super Jury, comprising leading creatives from around the world, for offering their time and expertise. This years five state winners from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane will have their books judged by the following AWARD School Super Judges: Sarah Barclay, Global ECD, JWT New York (AWARD School Winner 1984) Margaret Johnson, CCO, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners San Francisco Linda Knight, ECD, TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles (AWARD School 1992) Nick Law, Vice Chairman & Global CCO, R/GA New York James McGrath, Creative Chairman, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne Ben Priest, Founder & Group CCO, adam&eveDDB London Eric Quennoy, ECD, Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam Ted Royer, CCO, Droga5 New York Kate Stanners, Chairwoman & Global CCO, Saatchi & Saatchi Jureeporn Thaidumrong, Chairwoman/CCO, Grey Bangkok The trip to NYC to meet David Droga has been sponsored by The Sweetshop and Clerehan Pty. Ltd. Says Wilf Sweetland, managing partner, The Sweetshop: This is an award jury and opportunity of epic scale. I am extremely proud to have The Sweetshop celebrate Drogas 30th and to help facilitate such an amazing prize for the winner. Says Esther Clerehan, who proposed the NYC prize and has been instrumental in developing the idea: This project has been an obsession of mine since David mentioned he still had his AWARD School book in a conversation last year in New York. It has fitted so neatly around the 30th anniversary of Drogas AWARD School win and his recent elevation at Cannes with the Lion of St Mark award. Droga is Cannes Lions most awarded creative of all time, yet his 1987 AWARD School trophy is the only one he features alongside his 2017 Lion of St Mark award in his NYC office. Incredibly, the 2017 AWARD School national winner will also be the only person in the last 30 years outside of Drogas children to see the portfolio that landed Droga his big break at OMON. All interstate winners will be flown to Sydney for the national announcement on Monday August 7, with the NYC trip scheduled for the week of September 25. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is renewing his push to add the names of 74 sailors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington. Schumer, D-N.Y., met with Defense Secretary James Mattis and urged him to add the names of the sailors who were killed in June 1969 when the U.S.S. Frank Evans collided with an Australian aircraft carrier in the South China Sea. "I made it clear to Secretary Mattis that I will not give up this fight," Schumer said. "Along with the families of these 74 sailors, I will keep fighting, tooth and nail, until those names are memorialized where they should be." Schumer launched his campaign during the Obama administration and appeared to be making progress in his bid to have the names added to the Vietnam wall. In 2016, Schumer visited Larry Reilly Sr. in Syracuse. Reilly and his son, Larry Reilly Jr., served on the U.S.S. Frank Evans when the accident occurred. The elder Reilly survived, but his son was killed. Even though the ship had provided support for the military effort in Vietnam, the 74 sailors haven't been added to the memorial because it was determined that the location of the accident was outside of the designated war zone. That ruling was upheld by the Department of Defense earlier this year. But Schumer noted that the crew of the ship was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal for their actions after the collision. The criteria for the medal, he said, is similar to standards for inclusions on the memorial wall. In recapping his meeting with Mattis, Schumer said he told the defense secretary that the rules used to determine who is placed on the wall "have let down the families of these brave sailors." "These men made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and we should remember and memorialize their dedication," Schumer said. | BY Ricki Green | Exit director Kiku Ohes first feature film The Lines has been awarded Best Narrative Feature Film at New York Film Week 2017, competing against world premiere submissions from over 28 countries. Ohes win, where he played both writer and director, follows his recent success with director gongs at AWARD for House of Travel and Anchor, both created with Colenso BBDO. The Lines is a story for our times. It follows two actors who escape LA to the isolation of the desert in search for a new, deeper truth. The Lines ultimately explores how we connect with each other and the world around us. | BY Ricki Green | M&C Saatchi has appointed Mandi Bateson (pictured left) to the role of head of social. Bateson comes armed with over 12 years of industry experience, most recently head of social at Mindshare. Starting July 10, Bateson will be responsible for the continued growth and expansion of M&C Saatchis social and content offering. She will spearhead strategies for key clients and also play a role in new business development. Bateson is one of Australias most highly respected social media marketing specialists. Her portfolio spans across tourism, insurance, financial services, telecommunications and FMCG. Award-recognised, Bateson has received accolades for spearheading the social media strategy for Foxtels Home of Thrones campaign. Says Mim Haysom, general manager, M&C Saatchi: Mandi is the best in the business. She has a proven track record of building and leading the best in class social capabilities and teams. Her impressive skillset will further cement the strength of our integrated media and creative offering. Were excited to have her on board. | BY Ricki Green | Southern Cross University has added firepower to its marketing and communications stable with the 3-year appointment of Blaze Advertising to its advertising roster, winning a nation-wide tender with global agencies participating. Blaze will be working for the University in a full-service capacity, providing strategy, creative, media and digital. Comprising 4 main campuses that take in northern New South Wales (Lismore and Coffs Harbour), Southern Queensland (Gold Coast) and the Universitys online capabilities, SCU attracts students to its Australian campuses from a wide range of countries, has operations onshore in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, has a growing Online Campus, and operates in several countries offshore including but not limited to China, and Papua New Guinea. The appointment is a notable win for Blaze, who have become a GEN Y & X specialist of late with a host of graduate attraction campaigns for major corporates recently completed. Says Chris Patton, global vice president, Southern Cross University: We are delighted to partner with Blaze as our new creative agency and are impressed with their digital capabilities. Blazes talented team and global depth of resources will now be available to the University as we embark on a bold new direction. We believe Blaze is the right partner for us as we seek to showcase our passion for education, the essence of our brand, and all that the University stands for. Says Leanne Krstevski, CEO, Blaze Australia: Were excited to have been selected to lead Southern Cross Universitys marketing and communications approach. Blaze have extensive experience targeting GenX and GenY segments so we understand this area very well. We will be able to build on our audience insights and leverage and apply our expertise to develop the brand from the nucleus. The team at Blaze are thrilled to take the Southern Cross University brand to new heights, so watch this space. Says Casey Aimer, national head of digital, Blaze Advertising: We were impressed to get to know the many amazing stories at Southern Cross that we can tell. Were looking to take new audiences on a journey that reveals unique and interesting reasons to consider Southern Cross. While every medium is important, digital efforts across social, programmatic, video and website experiences have the potential to play a leading role in this mission and an enormous opportunity to extend SCUs digital footprint. | BY Ricki Green | Sydney has been shortlisted by the World Design Organization (WDO) as one of two global cities to be named as the next World Design Capital in 2020. Sydney sits alongside Lille, France as one of two cities to be shortlisted and if successful, will be the first Australian city to receive the prestigious accolade. The City of Parramatta has been selected to act as the Host City for the program. The World Design Capital is designated every two years by the WDO based in Montreal (Canada) and is awarded to a city that advances design-led innovation to progress its economic, social, cultural and environmental development. Through a year-long program of design-related events and initiatives, the World Design Capital designation provides a global platform for a city to showcase international best practice in design and architecture, urban planning and civic engagement. Says Tim Horton, registrar for the New South Wales Architects Registration Board and member of Design Sydney a new independent managing authority set up to deliver the program should Sydney win: The World Design Capital designation shines a light on Sydney as a major global city seeking to use design as a strategic tool for a better city that is more inclusive, and more resilient. We also see this as Australias bid we know design and innovation plays a role in a more prosperous Australia. Due to our geographic positioning, Sydney is the first truly global city the world wakes up to each new day. We embrace the privilege and responsibility of leadership by design at a time when our world needs it most. We see leadership as an exercise in design. We see design as a tool a means of imagining and crafting a future rooted in people and place. We see design as a platform for engagement able to span across traditional boundaries to uncover fresh ideas, new ways of looking at things and new opportunities to co-create a better future. We see design as a means to generate new value with purpose and impact and we believe Sydney can be a lighthouse city for the world to embody these ideals. Over recent months, a consortium of more than 40 private sector and not for profit organisations, institutions and agencies developed Sydneys bid for the designation. City of Parramatta Council administrator Amanda Chadwick said Parramatta was proud to be nominated as the Host City for this prestigious design honour. Says Chadwick: Parramatta has a critical role to play in Sydneys future and a significant responsibility to deliver world-class design, planning and architecture as the City is transformed by an unprecedented boom in public and private investment. We have led the way in ensuring Design Excellence principles are adhered to, and we continue to create policies to embed innovative and environmentally sustainable design practice in Sydneys Central City. Says Dr Tim Williams, CEO of the Committee for Sydney: Parramatta is the geographic centre of Sydney. Its future growth and direction will shape Greater Sydney. Where Western Sydney goes, there goes Greater Sydney. This bid is all about rebalancing the city that has grown lop-sided for too long. Dr Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia and past president of the WDO said he was ecstatic to hear the news that Sydney was shortlisted. Says Dr Gien: The bid was a result of the citys design and creative community working together towards a common goal to put Greater Sydney, and Australia on the world stage for design and innovation. Globally, we are seeing design-led thinking being leveraged to help solve some very complex challenges and Sydney has no shortage of these. While we are blessed with one of the worlds most beautiful cities, we also have some big challenges that need to be solved to make our city more livable and resilient. A design-led approach embraced by government, business and industry will play a critical role in shaping a better future for our city. The World Design Capital is a unique opportunity for us to celebrate the power of design at its broadest level comprising social innovation, built environment, emerging technologies, STEM and STEAM, service design, product and industrial design, design strategy and more. First launched in Torino (Italy) in 2008, the World Design Capital has been awarded to Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014 and Taipei (Taiwan) in 2016. Mexico will be the next World Design Capital in 2018. | BY Lynchy | Publicis Communications team in Singapore, MSL, has appointed Suya Kim as Managing Director. Kim will focus on new business development, brand leadership and working with the rest of Publicis Communications in transforming the PR agencys offering. She will report to Publicis Communications Singapore CEO Lou Dela Pena and work closely with MSL Asia President, Glenn Osaki. Prior to her appointment to MSL Singapore, Kim served as managing director of Essence Burson-Marsteller Malaysia, where she is credited for adding a number of global brands to the companys retainer portfolio. Among those were GSK Consumer Healthcare that include 10 category-defining brands under four business units as well as corporate communications, in addition to LINE, Baxter, Turkey Tourism, Hong Kong Tourism, Shire, CIMB Group, SEEK Asia (JobStreet/JobsDB), DKSH, and GetResponse. In Edelman Korea, she headed Healthcare practice where she quadrupled the teams revenue within two years. Commenting on Kims appointment, Dela Pena said, I have waited a long time to find the right person to lead the change for MSL. When I met Suya, I knew she was the perfect person to transform MSL Singapore. Her combined regional and global experiences in managing multinational brands over the years, her passion in social and digital and the changing role of influencer marketing and PR, tenacity, entrepreneurial spirit and agility have prepared her for this role. Singapore plays a crucial role as a regional hub in Asia for many of our most important clients. Suyas multinational expertise from serving 12 successful years in-house and at agencies in Korea, combined with her 3.5 years in Malaysia overseeing regional accounts, give her the exact profile that our clients want most, said Osaki. Suya is also a proven and passionate team builder who will help inspire and develop our talented team in Singapore. Kelly defeats Masters in key Senate race in Arizona; Live midterm updates Control of the House and Senate is still up for grabs as officials tabulate votes in states hosting crucial Senate, governor and House races. Following reports that revealed cybersecurity vulnerabilities at U.S. power plants, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is renewing his call for major investments in infrastructure. Senate Democrats led by Schumer, D-N.Y., unveiled a $1 trillion infrastructure plan in January. The proposal includes $100 billion to upgrade energy infrastructure across the country. On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Schumer said the investments are important in the aftermath of stories published by Bloomberg News and the New York Times that revealed hackers are targeting energy facilities, including nuclear power plants. Upstate New York is home to several power plants, such as the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant and Nine Mile Point in Oswego County. With the potential cyber threat against power plants, Schumer said improving security should be a priority. "The recently revealed cyber attacks these last couple months are yet another wake-up call that our cities and sensitive industrial systems like our power plants across upstate New York are way too vulnerable for comfort," he said. "Our power plants keep our communities running and any threat to our power supply must be addressed." Schumer mentioned the attack that targeted the Bowman Avenue Dam in Westchester County. That incident was an attempt by Iranian hackers to take control of the dam. The town of Brookhaven on Long Island was also targeted by hackers. The town's website was breached last month, according to Schumer. He urged Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to investigate the cyber attack against Brookhaven's website. He also is requesting an update from Kelly and Energy Secretary Rick Perry on the implementation of an executive order focused on bolstering cybersecurity. "With recent reports that hackers may have launched cyber-attacks on nuclear power plants and other energy facilities, it is more critical than ever that the federal government do all that it can to ensure that our nation's critical infrastructure and electric grid are secure," he wrote. Cross describes himself as a "trans-disciplinary artist working through the sculptural and pictorial fields". This is clearly evinced in the works on display, ranging as they do from painting and found objects to video. For the most part the individual works only make sense in their contribution to the overall theme of the exhibition, and arguably what we are viewing is an installation rather than a collection of individual pieces. There is a conceptual and thematic journey from the first work (Refuge) that reaches its climax in the last (Untitled Explosion (sometimes it all feels like too much)). The journey infuses not only thematic unity but opens meaning to the individual parts. "I definitely think so," Kadee said. "It's been such a supportive environment and, regardless of who wins, we will be supporting them all the way." Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. Two cars parked beneath the car port of the two-storey complex on Strathgordon Court were damaged in the blaze overnight, as well as the exterior of the building and one room on the first floor. But I could never compete. Because asking someone to marry you is an all-encompassing, all-star compliment. It's saying to someone, you think they're so amazing, you want to spend the rest of your life with them. And have that officially recognised in front of the people who are most important to you. The department has asked for industry players to advise whether they could take over parts of the visa system it would outsource to them under the floated changes. After working as an accountant for many years, Jennifer Pysnack decided it was time for a change of pace. The Auburn woman wanted to do something more creative and use her accounting experience to run her own business. She found the perfect opportunity after seeing an advertisement for Decorating Den Interiors, an in-home interior decorating and design franchise company based out of Easton, Maryland, in a magazine. According to a press release, the company has nearly 300 franchise owners throughout the United States and Canada. Pysnack started her business in April after completing all the training and education the company requires of its franchisees. As a Decorating Den Interiors franchise owner, Pysnack said she has access to over 130 home furnishing suppliers to help her clients find a style they will love on a wide range of budgets. Our surroundings have great importance and influence over how we see and feel about ourselves, Pysnack said in the press release. Having a home where you are comfortable and that speaks to you helps you to recover. A home like that allows you to keep pushing through whatever challenges you may be facing. What is unique about Decorating Den Interiors, Pysnack said, is that all presentations are done in clients' homes, which makes it easier for clients to picture the designs in their own living spaces. Pysnack said she serves clients within a 50-mile radius of Auburn. Pysnack said making the transition from accountant to interior decorator hasn't been very difficult because she has been able to apply her energy and experiences "in a different direction." The best part of her new career is getting to help people create the homes of their dreams. "I want to help people create a home they can't wait it get into," Pysnack said. For more information about Pysnack and Decorating Den Interiors, visit www.jenpysnack.decoratingden.com. She can be reached at (315) 252-5808 or jpysnack@decoratingden.com. AUBURN A Moravia man was sentenced to prison Thursday for operating a meth lab out of his home while his children were present. Jonathan Wood, 31, of 5623 Sayles Corners Road, pleaded guilty to third-degree manufacturing methamphetamine in May. A registered sex offender, Wood also admitted to violating the terms and conditions of his probation. Wood was one of four people arrested in a drug bust in February. Wood and his wife, Ashley, were both charged with unlawful manufacture of meth, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Wood was also charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. According to the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Auburn Police Department and the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, eight children were removed from the home following a search warrant. Six of those children were Wood's. A level three sex offender, Wood was previously convicted of third-degree rape and third-degree criminal sex act in 2008. He was also convicted of failure to report a change of address as a sex offender in 2013. All three charges were felonies. "I know I made a mistake," Wood said Thursday in court. "I do have a drug problem, but I'm working on it." "You've got to kick these demons not for yourself, but for your wife and your children," Judge Thomas Leone responded. "You need to take care of these children." Leone sentenced Wood to two years in prison and two years post-release supervision for manufacturing meth. He also included a shock camp order to allow Wood to receive specialized drug treatment while incarcerated. In addition, Wood was sentenced to one to three years in prison for violating his probation. All sentences will run concurrently to one another. Also in court: An Auburn man has admitted his involvement in two armed robberies in Cayuga County. Christopher Johnson Jr., 21, of 65 Owasco Road, was initially charged with 11 felonies for robbing two farms one in the town of Scipio and another in the town of Fleming. According to the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, Johnson and his co-defendants, 23-year-old Emilie Keeney and 20-year-old Devin Meacham-Wheeler, were arrested in connection with two armed robberies last fall. On Thursday, Johnson admitting to helping his co-defendants rob a farm on Rice Road in August 2016 and a farm on Dougal Road Sept. 1. "Me and some people went into the houses to steal some money," he said. Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Johnson and his co-defendants displayed a pistol at the first robbery in Scipio. The trio possessed a machete, bat and gun at the second robbery in Fleming. Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery and two counts of second-degree burglary Thursday. He could have faced up to 15 years in prison; however, Judge Leone agreed to sentence Johnson to a range of four to 4 1/2 years in prison with 2 1/2 to five years post-release supervision. Johnson was remanded to Cayuga County Jail. His sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 7. A Binghamton man admitted to burglarizing a home in the town of Ledyard. Ted Hunt, 50, of 54 St. John Ave., pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of third-degree burglary, a class D felony. During his plea, Hunt told Leone he was drinking at a bar in December 2015 when he broke into a dwelling next door to steal property. The district attorney said DNA evidence had linked Hunt to the scene of the crime. Hunt was scheduled to go to trial in August, but decided to plead guilty to a reduced charge in exchange for a lesser sentence. Hunt could face up to seven years in prison; however, he will likely be sentenced to 2 1/2 to five years in prison on Sept. 7. A second felony offender with eight prior felony convictions and five misdemeanor convictions in New York State, Hunt is currently incarcerated at Broome County Jail for menacing. He will be remanded to Cayuga County Jail upon his release in Broome County. AUBURN An important thoroughfare for emergency response vehicles in Sempronius is closed, and continues to be for the near future, following damage from a major rainstorm on July 1. Sempronius Fire Chief Tyler Bloodgood is also a town medium-equipment operator for the highway department. So when Mitchell Road washed out the road crumbling away into a ditch about 10 feet deep, trees fallen across and what road bed is left, softened and unreliable he knew what that meant for the town. "With that really being closed, it's give or take an extra seven to 10 minutes for an ambulance to get to us if there's an emergency on that side of town," he told The Citizen in a phone interview Wednesday. "My main concern fire-wise is that it's a delayed response for coming and going units." And that delay happened Wednesday when a call came in, he said. Crews now have to take Dresserville Road or Sayles Corners Road, but not all responding mutual aid departments know to do so. Bloodgood said he has to make sure departments know not to come down Mitchell so it doesn't add even more time to the response. Besides not having the equipment to fix that size of a project, the cost to do so is well beyond a small-town budget. "Even if we started fresh, we wouldn't have the money to fix that road, so we're looking for help from outside, the state, and if we get to that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) mark, I know it's slow, but anything would help," Bloodgood said. Niel Rivenburgh, deputy director of the Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services, said the cost to fix Mitchell Road is about $200,000. Sempronius' town roads in general are creeping up to $500,000 in damage, not including county roads, Bloodgood said. Between the village and town of Moravia, Sempronius and the town of Niles, the state Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is estimating upward of $1.5 million in damages to infrastructure, Rivenburgh told county legislators at the Judicial and Public Safety Committee meeting in Auburn Wednesday night. That does not include assessments of individual homes and small businesses. To pay for everything, he said, would bankrupt the towns and village. Cayuga County Highway Superintendent George Wethey told legislators at a Public Works Committee meeting Tuesday night that the damage to county roads at the southern end is approaching $600,000, though he thinks that estimate may be conservative. Paving has been at a standstill while highway crews in Venice and Auburn help with cleaning up culverts, washed out roads and landslides. "At this point I'm quite concerned," Wethey told legislators. "I am buying riprap (loose stone) and stuff I did not budget for. If FEMA doesn't come through, good, bad or indifferent, I can't complete some of my paving." Rivenburgh said he thinks between the five to six counties affected by the storm, that the state will reach the financial threshold to qualify for FEMA funding. The village of Fair Haven qualifies already following heavy Lake Ontario flooding, though Rivenburgh said they're still waiting for FEMA's approval. Rivenburgh said if both ends of the county are approved, it will be the first time in his approximately 10 years working for Cayuga County that there will be two FEMA disaster zones. He also encouraged residents to continue emailing information about the damage their property may have sustained to damage@cayugacounty.us. Since Tuesday, Rivenburgh said he's received about 75 emails documenting damage in areas his office was not aware suffered in the storm. In the meantime, Bloodgood and Rivenburgh are looking to the skies, concerned about rain in the forecast. "There's no place for it to go," Rivenburgh said. "There's so much damage to culverts and roadways. Half (of Mitchell) Road is gone now, but if you add another torrential rain, it will just be gone." Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Delhi University's fourth cut-off saw a dip of 0.25 per cent from the previous list with the highest settling at 97.75 per cent for BA (Hons) Psychology course at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR). According to a PTI report, in the third list for DU admissions, LSR had pegged its highest cut-off at 98 per cent for the same course. The second highest cut-off in the fourth list is 97.25 per cent for BA (Hons) Journalism at LSR and BA (Hons) Economics at Hindu College. The Delhi University had announced its first cut-off on 23 June and the highest was 99.66% for BSc (Hons) Electronics in SGTB Khalsa College. About 57 per cent of around 52,000 seats in undergraduate courses in various Delhi University colleges has been filled till now. Admissions that begins for the fourth list will continue till July 15. "After approval of admission by respective colleges, the applicant has to make an online payment on the varsity's website till the deadline announced by the administration," a release said. Next cut-off list will be released on July 18. The colleges that come under the University of Delhi will release the cut off list on their website too. Candidates can contact the respective colleges of their desire in case of any doubts. The registered candidates must now pursue the admissions process before the admission dates are over. The admission deadlines and other procedure will be available on the University's official website. DU 3rd Cut-Off List 2017 Released: Check Now! After the Delhi High Court order on the re-evaluation of CBSE class 12 exam answer sheets, now Delhi University is in an apprehensive state as it might affect the DU admissions process that is nearing the next stage after the release of the fourth cut off list. However, students who had already taken admissions through the counselling need not worry as a DU official had assured. "The issue is about students who are still seeking admission according to the latest order. Students who have already been admitted to DU colleges will not have their admissions cancelled, even if their marks get reduced after re-evaluation," said an official who did not want to be named. What about CBSE students who got their marks increased after re-evaluation? As for students who may have their grades increased, Delhi University officials said that they will follow the current admission guidelines unless ordered otherwise by the court. "According to our current guidelines, if a student clears a particular cutoff, but fails to take admission under that list, he/she may do so on the last day of admission under the subsequent cutoffs, given that there are still seats available," said a DU official who works with the admissions committee. Will there be extra seats available for the deserving students after the re-evaluation results? "The sacrality of the DU calendar is supreme. It is our unique selling point (USP). Even the number of seats as set by the academic council and the executive council is sacrosanct. This would go for a toss, and our admission procedures will get delayed," said the DU admission committee member. How many seats does Delhi University offer this year? DU has approximately 56,000 seats this year. DU officials question on court's decision DU officials also raised the question of why they are supposed to delay their admission procedures because of the Central Board of Secondary Education's "tardiness," when CBSE is only one of the 42 boards that represent the student community at DU. Note: Almost 80% of the students who apply to DU are CBSE students. Also, heads of schools too opine that students who have not made any mistakes but lost marks must not be punished and that natural justice must be provided to them. DU's further course of action The matter is now listed for further hearing on July 26, in the meantime, DU expects its admission procedures to go uninterrupted. Officials also said that in compliance with the High Court order, they will be sending copies of the writ petition to colleges to keep them informed of the pendency of the issue. Delhi High Court Orders CBSE to Lift Restrictions on Re-Evaluation of Class 12 Answer Sheets Medical aspirants from Karnataka are disappointed due to the seat allocation system that does not give priority for the local residents. The local students are losing 1000 MBBS seats to other states because of this system, according to the NEET candidates and parents. What is the problem for NEET candidates in Karnataka? Members of the Karnataka Medical Students and Youth Doctors' Association (KMSYDA), Karnataka NEET candidates and their parents alleged that distribution of seats in private medical colleges in the state gives an advantage to outstation students over domiciled students. What does the KEA notification on NEET seat allocation say? According to a notification issued by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) allows students from different states to register with it. NEET Aspirants Again Troubled as KCET Seat Allotment Begins Also, when other states are prioritising their own residents, Karnataka alone is encouraging all states to participate and acquire a seat in their state. Although this is nation friendly, the state's people feel despondent about this decision of not prioritising their own needs. Why are outstation candidates interested in MBBS admissions in Karnataka? One of the reasons why Karnataka is a good place to study MBBS is because of the less fees for medical courses in comparison with other states. "The fees in Karnataka's private medical colleges is around Rs 6,00,000, while institutions in other states charge approximately Rs 12,00,000. When the government is constantly citing a shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas, it should make it easier for local students to study here," said Karunakar Reddy, parent of an aspiring NEET candidate. Gujarat NEET Aspirants Get Their Turn To Suffer Due to Reservation Audi is putting the final touches to the 2018 Audi A7 in the hot weather of Southern Europe, with our spies spotting once again the range-topping S7 version. Now that the all-new A8 flagship has been revealed, Audis engineers can focus on the upcoming A7/S7 and reveal a few new details along the way. For the first time we can clearly see the shape of the S7s aggressive front and rear bumpers, while the slim headlights are also covered with less camouflage, showing off their LED signature. The 2018 Audi S7 has definitely an angry face, with the big air intakes matching well the new and huge hexagonal front grille that debuted with the A8. The rear end also reveals more details, with the nicely shaped taillights united by a single LED strip. Based on the latest version of the MLB Evo platform, the new Audi S7 will be around 100kg (220lbs) lighter than its predecessor. Under the bonnet well probably find the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that debuted in the Porsche Panamera 4S offering at least 450hp, matching the current model in that area. 0-62mph is expected to come in around 4.5 seconds. The interior design will be heavily inspired by what weve seen in the new A8, so expect to see a lot of touchscreen displays along with Audis latest Level 3 autonomous features and a self-park function via a smartphone. There is a chance of Audi revealing the new A6 and A7 series at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, with the new models set to hit the market in early 2018. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops PHOTO GALLERY Hyundai is launching the newest member of its i30 range, the Fastback, a car that features a sloping roof line, a high spoiler line and a strong C-pillar design. The new i30 Fastback joins its 5-door hatchback and Tourer siblings, yet has a stronger stance, according to Hyundai, thanks to the sporty and elongated body lines. The i30 Fastback is the first elegant five-door coupe to enter the compact segment, underlining our commitment to innovation and customer choice, said Hyundai Europe COO, Thomas A. Schmid. In order to make the car seem wider and more clearly defined, Hyundai emphasized the design of the bonnet by reducing the Cascading Grilles height at the front and adding a lower horizontal air intake. At the same time, full LED Daytime Running Lights and headlamps boasting a dark bezel round off the i30 Fastbacks front fascia. The i30 Fastback is a real game-changer. We are the first volume brand to enter the compact segment with a stylish and sophisticated 5-door coupe, explains Hyundai designer Thomas Burkle. The roof of the car has been lowered by 25 mm (0.98 in) compared to the five-door i30 model, improving aerodynamics and creating a Coupe-like visual impression. The cars silhouette is complemented by the arched rear spoiler, itself integrated into the tailgate, while also mixing it up with the rear lights. At the same time, the C-pillar and the rear windscreen are said to be inspired by the premium segment and designed in a way so as to offer the i30 Fastback a sense of dynamic and strong forward motion. In terms of color options, customers will be able to choose between twelve exterior shades and three for the interior. On the outside, youve got a choice of three pearl colors (Stargazing Blue, Micron Grey and Phantom Black), seven metallic choices (Clean Slate Blue, Intense Copper, Moon Rock, Fiery Red, Platinum Silver, Ara Blue and White Sand), plus two solid colors (Engine Red and Polar White). Inside, you can spec your new i30 Fastback in either Oceanids Black, Slate Grey or with the new and unique Merlot Red interior. Drive up next to a 5-door i30 in your Fastback model and you might just notice that the latter has been lowered by 30 mm (chassis by 5 mm). Hyundai have also increased the stiffness of the suspension by 15% for a more agile driving experience. Overall, the i30 Fastback stands 1,425 mm (4.67 ft) tall and 4,455 mm (14.6 ft) long 115 mm (4.5 in) longer than the regular hatchback. Climb on board, and according to Hyundai, youll be able to enjoy best-in-class standard active safety features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking, Driver Attention Alert, High Beam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist. Theres also an optional pedestrian recognition system, which uses front radar and avoids or mitigates the consequences of an impact with a pedestrian. Other safety features worth mentioning are the Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), the Rear-Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and the Speed Limit Information Function (SLIF), which can display the speed limit in real time. In order to keep you connected at all times, the i30 Fastback offers customers an optional 8 touch screen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while also offering a free seven-year subscription to LIVE services, meaning updated information about weather, traffic, speed cameras and online searches for points of interest in real time. The i30 Fastback also comes with a wireless charging system for smartphones with the Qi standard. As for powertrains, the engine lineup available for the i30 Fastback consists of two downsized turbocharged petrol units, newly launched in the i30 range. Therefor, customers can choose between the 1.4 T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 140 PS, or the 1.0 T-GDI turbocharged 3-cylinder unit with 120 PS. The 1.4-liter unit is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual clutch automatic, whereas the 1.0 T is offered only with a six-speed manual. The powertrain line-up of the i30 Fastback will be further expanded with the addition of a newly developed 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged diesel, available with either 110 PS or 136 PS. Both versions can be mated to either the six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic. Hyundai states that the new i30 Fastback will be available across Europe before the start of 2018. PHOTO GALLERY Back in the 1950s and 60s, it didnt get much cooler than the Rat Pack a supergroup of actors and entertainers with enough star power the drown out the sun. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr were all prominent members. So if they were so cool, what did they drive? The answer is what you see here: the 1961 Ghia L 6.4. This one belonged to Peter Lawford, the British actor who was not only a member of the Rat Pack but brother-in-law to JFK, having married the presidents sister Patricia. Put into production as the Chrysler Dual-Ghia was winding down, the Ghia L was essentially a muscle car in an Italian suit. It was built by Carrozzeria Ghia at its workshop in Turin in the decade before Ford took it over, and packed Mopar muscle: a 6.3-liter V8 good for 340 horsepower, with a transmission, suspension, and other components also borrowed from Auburn Hills in a transatlantic tryst that presaged the eventual Fiat Chrysler marriage decades later. Only 26 Ghia L 6.4s were made, making them rather rare indeed. But this example was even more special, one of five or so customized to Rat Pack specifications by legendary Hollywood hot rodder George Barris. Sinatra had one. So did Dean Martin. Lawford held this one from delivery in 1960 until 1963. It was then owned by fellow Hollywood actor David Lawrence, and was acquired by its current owner in 2006 fresh from a three-year restoration process that included a full bare-metal respray and an interior reupholstery with Bentley-spec leather. With numerous awards to its name, the Ghia is now heading for the auction block in Monterey. Take a drive in the image gallery below by Karissa Hosek for RM Sothebys, and imagine just how cool youd look behind the wheel. Photo Gallery The U.S. House Republicans are expected to introduce a number of bills later this week that are set to ban states from setting their own rules for autonomous vehicles. Reuters reports that a subcommittee from the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce held a meeting last month over a draft package of 14 bills which would permit national regulators to exempt 100,000 vehicles a year per automaker from federal motor vehicle safety rules which currently bar the sale of vehicles without human controls. Committee spokeswoman Blair Ellis said that the legislation will be introduced this week before a formal hearing on the bills takes place the following week. It is said that the move has received strong support from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers which represents the likes of General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota and others. PHOTO GALLERY Modern F1 cars are so difficult, so physically grueling to handle, they say, that you need to be in peak physical condition to actually drive one. So could a 79-year-old lady manage the task? As it turns out, yes. But not just any old lady. As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, the Renault Sport team invited veteran rally driver Rosemary Smith to climb behind the cockpit of one of its F1 cars, and she seems to have risen to the task with grace and poise. The Irishwoman trained as a seamstress and opened her own dress shop in Dublin decades ago, but got her first taste of motorsport when a client asked her to navigate in a rally. She evidently found her calling, switched to driving, and started competing regularly, winning events like the 1965 Tulip Rally in the Netherlands. These days Rosemary runs a driving school using Renault Clios and campaigns for young driver education in her home country. And with a little help from the Renault racing driver Joylon Palmer, she climbed into what appears to be a 2013 Lotus-Renault E21 (repainted in the teams current livery) and deployed its 800 horsepower around the Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France, where Robert Kubica is getting back up to speed as well. Driving an 800bhp car is something I, like many other racers, have always dreamt of but I didnt think Id ever have the opportunity to do it, so when the team at Renault UK contacted me I jumped at the chance. It was definitely very different to the rally cars Im used to but was an amazing experience, said Rosemary. It just goes to show that anyone can fulfil their dreams at any age if they put their mind to it and always follow their passions. Photo Gallery Video Photo: BBC.com When you enter the ocean, you enter the food chain. Those words of wisdom came from a buddy who has made several trips to the sunny climes of Mexico and the warm, shark-infested Pacific waters that lap at the sandy beaches. I thought about it for a second and realized how right he was. Personally, I prefer to be near the top of the food chain rather than another morsel in an ocean smorgasbord. When you are splashing around in the ocean, you are little more than a fishing lure with life insurance. The top of the oceanic food chain is the shark, more specifically the great white shark, because the great white is the biggest and baddest the ocean has to offer. If it weren't, it would be called the pretty good white shark, or the slightly-above-average white shark. I splashed in the Pacific Ocean when I was a kid and not once did I think of the food chain scenario. But now that I am older, wiser and more of a fraidy cat, I realize just how true my buddy's words were. I read a story a while back about a swimming competition in Australia that involved some 700 people. It also included a couple of non-competitors in the form of sharks. One was a hammerhead shark and the story did not say what the other kind was, but I am sure it was not the kind of fish you would want to meet in a dark alley. One of the competitors had a rather nonchalant view of the whole shark situation. I was swimming along and a couple of guys put up the shark signal, I figure they had 700 of us to choose from and they couldn't decide by the looks of things. My reaction would be slightly different and would likely involve some type of high-pitched squeal followed by a panic attack. I wonder if urine would act as an effective shark repellent because there would be plenty of that floating around my general location. If someone had seen a shark in the vicinity, I would not go in the water even if I was on fire. The last thing I would want to do is provide the shark with not only an easy meal, but a barbecued easy meal at that. A good friend moved to Australia where he was a high-level competitive surfer. He would talk about what he said were big sharks with little more concern than someone saying they saw a guppy at a dentist's office. I asked what he did when he saw a shark. Oh, you just try to avoid them and get out of the water. Well, no duh. I could have figured that out all on my own. I don't know if it is possible to run on top of water, but I am pretty sure I would come close as I hauled out of the Big Blue. He made a good point that it is kind of like hiking in the woods of B.C. where there are bears and the occasional cougar, both of which can detract from an otherwise good time. So instead of bears, he had to watch for sharks. I am not sure how you would do that seeing as how sharks attack from below while a bear has to come crashing through the woods. When a bear attacks you can play dead until it goes away, with a shark no playing is involved. I would rather attempt to outwit a bear than out swim a shark, but I've always wondered if urine would act as a bear repellent because.... This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Contributed Dancers from last year's pow wow. This weekend, the Four Seasons Cultural Society, will feast and dance while celebrating First Nations Okanagan heritage, and everyone is invited. The pow wow will take place at Outma Sqilx'w Cultural School, located on the Penticton Indian Band Reserve, on July 14 to 16. President of the Four Seasons Cultural Society, Marlee Jack says it was hosted on the same weekend over 40 years ago. "Last year we hosted our first pow wow and we made the Four Seasons Cultural Society as a resurrection society from what used to be the Four Seasons War Dance Club," Jack said. "It was a dance group that went around the world and showcased the First Nations Okanagan culture and they had done a pow wow back in 1968 to 1971." Edna Jack, the grandmother of Marlee Jack, is one of the main reasons the pow wow started again last year. She was heavily involved in the Four Seasons War Dance Club pow wow, which is what triggered the idea to bring the event back, once again. Matilda Gabriel, Louisa Lazard, Julia Manuel and Edna Jack are four pioneer women that will be honoured at the pow wow. Last year the event was held indoors, but this year it will be outside and they are expecting a large turnout, according to Jack. The event will start Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at noon. For more information on the celebration visit their Facebook page. Volunteers were installing drywall and a rooftop deck on Wednesday at Habitat for Humanity's triplex project in Vernon. Others were cutting, sanding and staining wood. This is Carter Work Week, named after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who is a keen supporter of the group's efforts to build affordable housing in communities where the need is great. We have all sort of volunteers here, said Glory Westwell, Habitat's North Okanagan chairperson. So many people have just come and chipped in to help us to finish this build. The group relies on donations of time, material and effort from the public, local community groups and businesses to get the work done. Two sponsors, Traine Construction and Refresh Financial, sent workers to the site at 2404 35th Avenue this week and things were buzzing. Home Depot had also promised a crew. I can't wait. I'm hoping we're in before school starts but it depends on volunteers so the more people who come out the better so, if anyone wants to come out we'd really appreciate it, said Natalie Scowen who, with husband Ivan and their four children, are involved in the project that will become their home. Ivan was busy putting in drywall, part of the 500-hour commitment in sweat equity each family must give to the project as part of their contract. Habitat has offered a no-down-payment, non-interest bearing mortgage at fair market value to the families who could not afford to get on the property ladder any other way. Families pay about one-third of their income toward the mortgage. I feel patient and I just know it will be complete, said Jenny Rae Walter, a single mom with two kids who's currently renting a two-bedroom unit. We're on our way. Slow an steady wins the race. To mark Canada's 150th birthday, Habitat for Humanity is building 150 residences across Canada this week. Work began on the Vernon triplex last September but the project is not yet completed and Habitat is appealing for more volunteers so the families can move in within the next few months. People who would like to volunteer to finish the project or donate building material can contact the group online. For those who would like to make a financial donation, you can text HABITAT to (778) 400-7711 to select your donation amount or go online. Photo: Charpreet Sandhu Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, and Sandhu Fruit Farm owner, Bikaramjitn Sandhu. Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan is in the Okanagan, and stopped by a Summerland fruit farm on Tuesday. Sajjan visited Sandhu Fruit Farm to meet some local party members and explain why the particular wildfires across the Okanagan are hitting him close to home. For years of his childhood, Sajjan grew up close by where one of the major fires struck, according to Sandhu Fruit Farm owner, Bikaramjit Sandhu. "He has been working at providing forces to fight the fires, because he grew up near the 100 Mile House area, these forest fires are very close to him." It was a personal trip, but Sajjan also had meetings with Todd Stone, MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson, about the wildfires in the area, according to representatives at Sajjan's constituency office in Vancouver, B.C. "He is not there as a member of parliament," the representative said. Three Canadian Armed Forces CH-146 Griffon helicopters, along with two larger aircraft have been pre-positioned in Kelowna to assist with the province's wildfire battle. Photo: CTV The B.C. Wildfire Service is investigating pictures posted to social media that appear to show firefighters breaking campfire ban. As B.C. burns, several firefighters are being roasted on social media over what appears to be a campfire. The picture of five forestry firefighters standing around a campfire despite a fire ban that came into effect last week has generated a lot of chatter. Rusty Clark claimed he saw the crew around a campfire beside Adams Lake, southeast of the wildfire threatening the community of Little Fort. Clark snapped a picture of the campfire and posted it to social media. "Can somebody please report these idiots for me," Clark wrote. "I'm having troubles getting out on my cell booster." The post has been shared hundreds of time and has come to the attention of the B.C. Wildfire Service, which confirmed it is looking into what happened. "We are aware of that situation and we at B.C. Wildfire Service are taking it very seriously," said fire information officer Justine Hunse. "We are looking into that situation right now." While the majority of comments on the post were critical of the firefighters, some defended them with one person saying: These crews are staying at a campsite with no formal kitchen facilities or wash facilities and are having cold food delivered daily. These are not irresponsible firefighters having a good time, these are people (locals) working very hard in difficult conditions to protect our lands and resources with minimal support. - with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Alanna Kelly Foul play has been ruled out in the death of a 48-year-old West Kelowna man, whose body was discovered in a parking lot last month. In a brief statement, Kelowna RCMP say their investigation has determined the death is no longer suspicious in nature. The man's body was discovered in the parking lot of an apartment building on the 1900 block of Pacific Court about 3 a.m. June 24. Police were sent to the area in response to an abandoned 911 call. The cell phone that made the 911 call was found at the scene, along with the man's body. The case has been turned over the BC Coroners Service. Photo: BlueSky smoke forecast for June 13 7 p.m. Smoke blowing into the Okanagan from the wildfire in Princeton could worsen on Thursday, according to the BlueSky fire smoke forecast. Sarah Henderson of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says smoke levels across B.C. subsided Wednesday, especially in Williams Lake, where unprecedentedly high levels were measured Tuesday. The severe haze hanging over most of Central B.C. is expected to get pushed to the northeast in the coming days, but those same winds will likely push the Princeton wildfire smoke back into the Okanagan. During smokey episodes we generally see a wide variety of health impacts, but those people with respiratory conditions are what I refer to as the canaries in the coal mine, Henderson said, noting they usually see an uptick in medication usage and doctor and hospital visits from those people. We also expect that there will be increases in all-cause mortality and conditions such as cardiac arrest, she added. Data from health centres impacted by smoke is just starting to trickle in and will be made public later this week. While the majority of people will just experience symptoms like headaches or watery eyes, Henderson says as many as one third are at an increased risk. Those people include the elderly, young children, infants, those with diabetes or heart and respiratory issues. Pregnant women should also consider taking steps to avoid the smoke. There is evidence to suggest that pregnant women exposed to smoke during wildfire events, the birth weight would be somewhat less than what it would have been without a smoke episode, Henderson said. She recommended HEPA or electrostatic filters as good ways to combat the smoke within your home. Photo: Contributed A 25-year-old man is facing numerous charges for a string of crimes from Calgary to North Vancouver. Mikael Macek, of no fixed address, is facing charges in relation to a bank robbery in Calgary on June 19. Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said Macek is facing charges for nine other alleged similar criminal acts. Moskaluk said on June 28, in North Vancouver, a lone male entered a bank in the Lynn Valley Mall, produced a handgun and robbed the teller of an undisclosed amount of money. The getaway vehicle used was identified and located without the suspect in it. Through a forensic examination conducted on the vehicle, evidence was sent to Calgary Police Services. They were able to assist by identifying the person of interest as Mikael Macek. A photo of Macek was provided to the North Vancouver RCMP who distributed it amongst its Lower Mainland multi-jurisdiction police agency partners, said Moskaluk. Subsequently, on June 30, 2017, with the support from the Vancouver Police Department, Mikael Macek was arrested in Vancouver just as he was about to return to Alberta via bus. Through a multi-jurisdictional investigation with the Calgary Police, Vancouver Police, West Vancouver Police, Abbotsford Police, New Westminster Police, and Burnaby RCMP, a total of nine bank robberies implicated Macek. Investigators will be submitting a report to local Crown Counsel for consideration of charges with respect to the nine bank robberies. UPDATE 9:30 p.m. DriveBC is reporting the Highway 33 has reopened to single lane alternating traffic. Motorists can expect delays of about 20 minutes. UPDATE 5:20 p.m. B.C. Wildfire information officer Karlie Shaughnessy says they have a seven person initial attack crew at the scene fighting the wildfire, which was caused by a collision between a lumber truck and car. Air tankers have already laid a fire guard and are returning to base, to let a pair of helicopters take over. Another team of 10 firefighters is also on the way. Shaughnessy said the fire remains active, but is quite some distance from structures. UPDATE 4:25 p.m. The Midway RCMP has confirmed the highway will remain closed for an "undetermined" amount of time. The B.C. Wildfire Service is reportedly attacking the fire, which spread partly into the forest, with water bombers. ORIGINAL 3:15 p.m. Highway 33 is closed about 5 km north of Westbridge due to a collision between a passenger vehicle and lumber truck. Details are scarce, with the crash occurring outside of cell reception, but DriveBC notified of the road closure at 2:55 p.m. Witnesses say a car veered into the lane of the logging truck, sending it into the ditch where it burst into flames. The witnesses say the truck driver is OK, but the woman remains trapped in her car in significant pain. Air ambulance has been dispatched to the scene. Photo: VJH Foundation (L to R) Subway's Jon Romeril, Raj Jaswal, Tanya Crowder, Gurjit Jhajj, with Eleanor Diekert of VJH Foundation. Vernon Subway restaurants have donated $10,000 in support of Mens Health Month in the North Okanagan. We are very grateful for the generous support we continue to receive from Subway, said Andrea Egan, of the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation. Their donation will help purchase much-needed equipment and services for men in the North Okanagan. Subway co-owners Gurjit Jhajj and Raj Jaswal have been long-time contributors to the foundation, providing support to the Building a Tower of Care campaigns as well as the past Do it for Dad Walk and Run event. We are happy to take part in Mens health month, said Jhajj. Supporting our hospital helps all of us. VJHF launched its first Mens Health Month in June, dedicating the entire month to promoting mens health. Our new initiative benefits prostate health for local men, and provides support for cardiac care needs at VJH, said Egan. Funds raised during North Okanagan Mens Health Month will support PSA testing, the Vernon prostate cancer support and awareness group and the purchase of a new ECG machine and trolley for the Vernon hospital. Other local businesses supporting Mens Health Month with donations include Bannister GM, Kal Tire, S.P. Seymour Ltd., Summit Financial and Watkin Motors. Williams Lake is getting some much-needed firefighting help from the around the province, including from Kelowna. Tuesday night, the Kelowna Fire Department sent a four-man firefighting crew with a fire engine north to Williams Lake, along with Deputy Chief Lou Wilde. For us to go this far north is uncommon, but when communities are facing this kind of need it's important that we all step up and that we assist when we can, said Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting. The crew from Kelowna is one of several municipal fire departments that are sending help. Williams Lake is currently on an evacuation alert, as several wildfires surround the town of over 10,000 people. While winds in the area were expected to pick up Wednesday, stoking fears of increased fire activity, they have yet to arrive, allowing firefighters to make progress on their guards. From a leadership standpoint, we have experience with wildfires and interface fires and I think our deputy chief will add a lot of value to the command team and I think the firefighters we have on the ground are going to be incredible assets for that community in the fight against the wildfire coming up, said Whiting. Photo: Steve Tobias Fire crews are finally starting to make headway with the massive Princeton wildfire. The fire has now been 10 per cent containment, the BC Wildfire Service says. It officially remains at 2,700 hectares in size. "We had a good day today," said fire information officer Marg Drysdale. "Crews worked on building machine guards and put down hose lines around the perimeter of the fire." Wildfire crews, along with 146 municipal firefighters, will continue to monitor the situation overnight, Drysdale added. PHOENIX (AP) Three Republican congressmen have signed a letter asking the Trump administration to eliminate four Arizona national monuments. The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/2tGPUZi ) 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. 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. Conservation groups say the monuments should be permanently protected to preserve their beauty and wildlife. ___ Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com Alanna Kelly An East Kelowna family is offering up space on their farm for people and their animals who have been evacuated from their homes as wildfires spread across British Columbia. Denise lives on the property with her husband, and they know far too well what it feels like to flee from their home during a fire. In the fires years ago, we were displaced and we had to take our parrots and all our animals to Calgary to get them away from the fires, she said. They got word of a family who needed somewhere to stay after being evacuated and offered up their farm. There was a family in need on their way here devastated with three horses and they had no idea where they were going. That just hurt my heart to hear that, she said. Fortunately, they found a place an hour from here. She added that if she had to leave again, she hopes people would open up their homes and help them get out with their animals. Their property has plenty of room for tents, an RV that a family could stay in, two large empty paddocks, along with a small and large pasture for farm animals. The family asked that if anyone needed their help to contact them at 250-863-7161 or at [email protected] Photo: Twitter Gov. Gen. David Johnston The federal government is set to reveal Canada's next governor general Thursday with an announcement outside the doors of the Senate. Multiple officials say that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make the announcement himself, and is expected to be flanked by the new viceregal just as Gov. Gen. David Johnston stood alongside Stephen Harper when he was tapped for the job in 2010. Sources say Trudeau informed the Queen during an audience with her last week of his recommendation to the post. Johnston's term is set to expire in September, after Harper extended it by two years ahead of the 2015 federal election. The identity of his replacement has been a closely guarded secret with few in Ottawa in the know about who will become the 29th person to hold the position. Sources are telling The Canadian Press and others that astronaut Julie Payette is among the top contenders. Photo: CTV Police say a body found in a ditch west of Calgary is likely to be linked to three people found dead in a burned-out car earlier this week. Acting Insp. Paul Wozney wouldn't confirm the identity of the body found, but said police are no longer looking for 26-year-old Hanock Afowerk, the registered owner of the black 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that was engulfed in flames. "Investigators were notified of the recovery of a body early this morning," Wozney said Wednesday. "We sent investigators out to the scene. Evidence and information that was garnered at the scene leads us to believe that the recovery of this body is likely related to the investigation into the triple murder on Monday." The bodies of Glynnis Fox, 36, and 25-year-old Cody Pfeiffer were discovered after firefighters extinguished the car fire on the far northwestern edge of Calgary. A third victim a woman believed to be in her 30s has been tentatively identified but police have not released her name. The three deaths are considered homicides, said Wozney, who added the body in the ditch is being treated as a suspicious death. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer A Penticton sex offender has had his sentencing delayed yet again, due to scandalous underfunding of the provinces criminal justice system. Rick Allen, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in January, after having sex with an 11-year-old girl, who he claims to have believed to be 15 or 16 years old. He was 24 at the time of the incident, meeting the girl on Plenty of Fish. After being charged more than 1,000 days ago, Allen was scheduled to finally be sentenced on Wednesday, but the court instead heard that the judge ordered psychological report of the accused would not be ready until October. The report was ordered due to Allen's possible ADHD and fetal alcohol syndrome. I think its grossly unfair to the accused to get penalized just because the government cant see fit to adequately fund forensic psychiatric services, said James Pennington, Allens lawyer. Judge Meg Shaw initially pushed back, stating shes not prepared to wait for October, citing the Jordan ruling. The Jordan ruling caps provincial court cases to 18 months from charges to trial. Do you need to hear me say on the record that I waive Jordan and kiss Jordan goodbye? Pennington responded. Crown prosecutor Nashina Devji then stepped in, and cited a case that found the Jordan ruling does not apply to cases after a guilty plea. Pennington complained that this was not an isolated incident, pointing to another case that was stuck in the mud waiting for a similar report. Its scandalous, and its not because forensics has decided to take the summer off, they are overworked as is, said Pennington. The three parties eventually agreed to delay the sentencing and wait for the report, with Devji promising to try to push things along within psychiatric services. Photo: Contributed Police say they're recommending criminal charges in connection with the overdose death of a teenager in New Westminster. Police say they've arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for selling a drug that killed a 16-year-old girl and led to another teen being hospitalized in May. School officials said at the time of the death that both teens were involved in a small program for vulnerable students. Police issued a warning about the lethal drug following the death and later identified the substance as MDMA. Officers have submitted a report to Crown counsel recommending the suspect be charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance. The charges have not been laid and the suspect, who isn't named, has been released on an undertaking to the court. Photo: Contributed The public is being urged to stay away from active wildfire areas. British Columbia's fire management professionals, firefighters, and aircraft crews need room to do their work. The presence of unauthorized people in these areas represents a significant safety threat. The public is reminded that they are not permitted to enter areas where an area restriction order is in place and they should also avoid going near any active wildfire site. Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service also prohibit the use of drones of any size near a wildfire. To report a wildfire call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to www.bcwildfire.ca Photo: Contributed RCMP are investigating a sudden death in Burnaby. On Thursday afternoon Coquitlam RCMP received a report that a man who fled from his home was intending to harm himself. Just before 2:30 p.m. Coquitlam RCMP members located the man who was carrying a firearm. Police approached the man and tried talking to him, at which point he shot himself. The scene is cordoned off as part of the investigation. The BC Coroners Services has been notified and the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia are now investigating. Photo: Contributed Residents along the Ashcroft Reserve should expect to see smoke over the next few days. BC Wildfire Service crews are conducting controlled burnoff operations. The goal is to slow the growth and spread of the fire and to set up a safe area where crews can work. Large smoke columns may be visible over the next several days. Burnoff operations will bring in aircraft support. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Ashcroft Reserve fire covered about 10,600 hectares. There are 190 firefighters on site along with eight pieces of heavy equipment, air support, an Incident Management Team and additional support staff. The public is reminded that the Ashcroft Reserve fire is still classified as "out of control". Information about evacuation alerts or orders can be found here. Parents of Flagstaff Unified School District students will be getting AzMERIT assessment on their student in the mail soon. The Flagstaff Unified School District Director of Research and Assessment Robert Hagstrom told the FUSD Governing Board Tuesday evening that some of the districts school AzMERIT reports are starting to trickle in and student reports should be going out to parents before the end of the month. The official results are embargoed by the Arizona Department of Education from the general public and the media until the end of August, he said. This is the first year that schools will be graded under the new A-F Accountability Plan. Arizona students have been taking the AzMERIT tests for the last three years but because the test is so new, the state has held off on the school grading portion. This years scoring method for schools is based on the growth of the lowest achieving students, Hagstrom said. Students receive points based on if they are minimally proficient, partially proficient, proficient or highly proficient. Students who are listed as proficient or highly proficient are considered to be passing. Schools are graded A through F based on the growth of students who are non-proficient, Hagstrom said. The more minimally proficient or partially proficient students improve between school years, the more points a school gets, he said. Schools still get points for improvements in proficient and highly proficient students, but not as many points as they receive for non-proficient students who improve. Schools can also earn bonus points for having more non-proficient, special education and English as a second language learners improving than the state average, Hagstrom said. The state has created a fail-safe to prevent underperforming schools from being boosted into the A grade range by bonus points. In order to achieve an A grade, a school has to have at least 50 percent of its students listed as proficient or higher. At the high school level, students are graded on the same scale on 22 different indicators, he said. Hagstrom didnt go into what each of the indicators are. High schools are also graded on how well non-proficient students are improving and on how many students graduate in four, five, six and seven years. The more students a school has graduating in four years and the more non-proficient students who improve from year to year, the more points a school gets. Hagstrom said that the final school scores have not been finished and will be released in August. MORE STUDENT INPUT The board is also mulling the idea of creating a committee of student representatives that would report to the board during their meetings. Board member Kara Kelty suggested the idea of having a student representative sit on the governing board as a future agenda item last month. She said she had already spoken with a number of district high school students who were interested in the idea. However, Board President Christine Fredericks pointed out that creating a position for a student representative on the board may not be legal, even if the student was a non-voting member and could not participate in executive sessions. The student wouldnt have been elected by the public or appointed by the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools. She suggested touching base with the districts attorney before moving further on the idea. More discussion on the item was postponed until Tuesday nights meeting when Fredricks reported that the district attorney said that having a student sit on the governing board would not be legal. However, the board or the district superintendent could create a student committee what could report to the board. Fredricks recommended having the committee set up and run by new Superintendent Mike Penca, who arrived in town and reported for duty on July 1. Other board members liked the idea of a committee rather than one student representative. Boardmembers Carole Gilmore and Kathryn Kozak said it would allow the board to include representatives from each of the high schools and possibly expand to eight graders at the middles schools in the future. Because of the late hour, the board didnt vote on the idea or hash out any details of how such a committee would be run. Instead, it directed Penca to look into the idea further and bring the item back to the board on a future agenda. Photo: CTV A Canadian non-profit legal organization is intervening on behalf of a "Star Trek" fan fighting to use a personalized licence plate deemed offensive by Manitoba Public Insurance. Nick Trollers licence plate with the text ASIMIL8 was confiscated by MPI in April after the Crown corporation received complaints from two Indigenous people about its reference to the word assimilate. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms says MPI's decision violates Troller's freedom of expression. The organizations founder, John Carpay, tells CTV News that whenever there's a conflict between the right to express oneself and the right not to be offended, "government ought to come down on the side of free expression. Troller says his licence plate refers to the catchphrase "you will be assimilated" that is used on "Star Trek Next Generation" by the villainous aliens called the Borg. The plate had been held within a licence frame that also bore the quotes: "We are the Borg,'' and "Resistance is Futile.'' Photo: The Canadian Press A lawyer for the widow of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan is slated to square off in court in Toronto today against counsel for Omar Khadr. Tabitha Speer and a former U.S. soldier are trying to go after Khadr's assets. They want an injunction aimed at preserving any money the federal government paid Khadr for breaching his rights. Ottawa reportedly paid the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner $10.5 million last week. The action comes as they seek to have a Canadian court enforce a US$134-million award against Khadr from Utah. In response, a lawyer for Khadr argues the injunction application should be rejected. He says it's unlikely a Canadian court would enforce the Utah award and that Khadr has a right to keep his financial affairs private. Photo: BC NDP John Horgan will fly over fire ravaged portions of the B.C. Interior. For the second time in less than a week, premier-designate John Horgan will tour areas ravaged by fire in B.C.'s Interior. During his tour, Horgan will meet with wildfire officials and firefighters. He will also fly over areas affected by the fires, including Williams Lake, Cache Creek and 100 Mile House. Horgan will not be available for questions during the tour, but is expected to provide an update once he returns to Victoria. This past Sunday, Horgan flew into Kamloops to speak with evacuees. He has also spoken with both outgoing Premier Christy Clark and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the situation. The province has issued a state of emergency due to the fires, which have burned more than 78,000 hectares of forest, forced thousands to flee, and destroyed several homes. Photo: Google Maps A fire in a fifth-wheel trailer claimed a man's life Wednesday night on Denman Island. Comox RCMP say the fire happened in an area known as Coho Landing. The Coastal Fire Centre sent in a helicopter to make sure the blaze did not spread into the forest. Once the fire was doused, first responders found the victim inside the trailer. The cause of the fire is not yet known. with files from CTV Vancouver Island Photo: Contributed A Nanaimo man is accused of stealing money earmarked for BC Childrens Hospital. The suspect was arrested Wednesday on unrelated warrants and will serve 60 days in jail on those charges. The hospital donation money was taken from the local Save-On-Foods, and the case is under investigation by Nanaimo RCMP. The stolen money was not recovered. with files from CTV Vancouver Island Photo: The Canadian Press Justin Trudeau says he shares the concerns of Canadians who object to reports of the government's multi-million dollar settlement with Omar Khadr. But the prime minister says if the government hadn't settled with the former Guantanamo Bay inmate, it would have cost as much as $40 million to put an end to the case. "I can understand Canadians' concerns about the settlement. In fact, I share those concerns about the money. That's why we settled," Trudeau said Thursday. Khadr had filed a $20-million lawsuit against the government for violating his Charter rights, and has received an out-of-court settlement reportedly worth $10.5 million. "If we had continued to fight this, not only would we have inevitably lost, but estimates range from $30 to $40 million that it would have ended up costing the government," Trudeau said. "This was the responsible path to take." Khadr was sent to the notorious U.S. prison after being captured during a firefight with U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2002. He was 15 years old when he was wounded in a battle in which U.S. Sgt. Chris Speer was killed and fellow Delta Force soldier Layne Morris was blinded in one eye. Khadr was interrogated in 2003 and 2004 by Canadian intelligence officials. Khadr says his jailers threatened him with rape and kept him in isolation, and once used him as a human mop to wipe up urine. Khadr, now 30, pleaded guilty to five war crimes before a widely condemned military commission at Guantanamo Bay in 2010. He said he agreed to the plea so he could get out of the American prison and return to Canada. He was released on bail in 2015 pending his appeal of the war crimes conviction. In 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Canadian officials violated Khadr's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms during their interrogations. It found they were participating in the "then-illegal military regime" at Guantanamo. Photo: Contributed TransAlta Corp. is appointing former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose to the power company's board of directors. Ambrose was interim leader of the federal party and leader of the Opposition from 2015 until 2017. She also held several different cabinet posts including Environment, Health and Labour when the Tories were in power. Ambrose was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and officially resigned her seat earlier this month. She is currently a fellow at the Wilson Centre Canada Institute in Washington, D.C., focusing on key Canada-U.S. bilateral trade and competitiveness issues. Photo: Contributed Thanks to several major contracts, KF Aerospace is looking to fill about 150 new positions. KF Aerospace is in the midst of a massive hiring spree, as it looks to grow its operations in Kelowna to close to 700 full-time staff. The aircraft maintenance company has seen significant growth in the past year, taking on major contracts with the likes of WestJet and the Department of National Defence. The company has already hired close to 100 new employees over the past six months, and still needs to fill about 50 positions. For more on what's spurred the company's growth, and what it's trying to do to bring in more employees, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge. Photo: The Canadian Press The British Columbia Real Estate Association says June home sales fell short of record levels set last year but demand remains well above average. The association says 11,671 homes sold in June, down 9.6 per cent from the same period in 2016. The total amount of money changing hands was $8.47 billion, a 5.6 per cent dip compared to the year earlier. The average price of a home continues to climb, nudging $726,000 last month, a jump of 4.4 per cent over June 2016. Association economist Brendon Ogmudson says the health of the B.C. housing market is supported by a strong provincial economy and vigorous job growth. He says the lack of homes for sale is responsible for continuing increases in property prices. "Supply remains a challenge, which means most areas are seeing tight market conditions and significant upward pressure on prices," Ogmudson says in a news release. Figures from the real estate association show when 2016 is taken out of the mix, residential sales in B.C. continue to rival the heights of the 2015 housing market, which was also well above the 10-year average for home sales. Photo: CTV UPDATE: 9:15 p.m. A man and two sisters found dead in a burned-out car may not have been the intended targets in what Calgary police are describing as a brutal and ruthless quadruple homicide. Investigators are exploring the possibility that Cody Pfeiffer, 25, Glynnis Fox, 36, and Tiffany Ear, 39, were "simply at the wrong place and at the wrong time with the wrong people,'' acting Insp. Paul Wozney said Thursday. Lorenzo Ear, the younger brother of the two women, said his sisters leave behind 16 children between them. "The younger ones, they don't know yet," he said. "That's going to be something that we as family are going to have to find out how to explain to them, that their mothers are no longer around." The bodies of Pfeiffer, Fox and Ear were found Monday after firefighters extinguished a burning 2011 Chevrolet Cruze at a construction site in a new subdivision on Calgary's northwestern edge. Wozney, with the major crimes unit, said it's believed the Cruze's owner, Hanock Afowerk, 26, was the target. Police confirmed that Afowerk was found dead in a rural area west of Calgary on Wednesday and that it was a homicide. They had earlier appealed to the public for help finding him and expressed concern for his safety. It's possible Fox and Ear from the Stoney Nakoda Nation west of Calgary were caught up in a targeted attack against Afowerk, police said. All four victims suffered significant traumatic injuries, but Wozney declined to elaborate. "I will say that it ... certainly has been surprising to some very seasoned investigators." Police believe multiple people may have been involved and that it's possible there are several different crime scenes. "We know that there's people in the community that have information regarding this event. We know that people know what happened. If they're scared, if they are in any way hesitant to contact us, they can do so anonymously through Crime Stoppers or through our tip line,'' said Wozney. It appears the sisters got to know Pfeiffer and Afowerk recently, he added. ORIGINAL: 12:40 p.m. Police say a man found dead west of Calgary was the owner of the burned-out car found earlier this week with three bodies inside. Police had been searching for 26-year-old Hanock Afowerk after Monday's grisly discovery and said they were concerned for his safety. All three of the victims found inside Afowerk's black 2011 Chevrolet Cruze have now been identified by authorities. They were Cody Pfeiffer, who was 25, and sisters Glynnis Fox, 36, and Tiffany Ear, 39. Investigators are exploring the possibility that Pfeiffer, Fox and Ear were at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Police say the sisters, who left behind multiple children, may have gotten caught up in a targeted attack against Afowerk. "Police are stressing the brutality and ruthlessness of the murders and are appealing to the public once again for any information that may be of help to the investigation in order to piece together what happened," police said in a release. "Though police are unable to elaborate, all victims suffered significant traumatic injuries." Sixteen months after Grand Canyon National Park abolished its river unit in the wake of a federal sexual harassment investigation, the park has drafted a new plan for how to reconstruct those operations. Before it was axed, the river unit supported a variety of river trips, from those related to canyon patrols to others needed for resource monitoring, preservation and research. At a community meeting Tuesday evening, park employees made the first public presentation of how river operations could be organized and managed. All aspects of the changes still need approval by the park superintendent and Park Service regional office. The reforms would make river operations an independent work group within the park that is overseen by a newly created administrative river operations manager who answers directly to the superintendent. Previously the unit was housed in the visitor and resource protection division. The new organizational structure shortens the chain of command between the river group staff and the superintendent, which reflects an effort to improve communications and make sure potential issues can be relayed more directly and more quickly to the top, said Rachel Bennett, environmental protection specialist with the park. Bennett was among a group of eight people from across the park who served on the team that drafted the changes to river operations. Communication, chain of command and follow up were highlighted in the January, 2016 Inspector Generals report on sexual harassment at Grand Canyon that set off the abolition of the river district and the parks improvement efforts. The government investigator concluded that harassment complaints were not properly reported nor investigated after employees filed them with park supervisors. Additionally, the park is proposing to expand oversight of river operations by the superintendents office and a new interdisciplinary team that includes members from the river district and other divisions of the park, Bennett said. The independent groups responsibilities will include evaluating trip participants, reviewing post-trip reports and reporting any concerns to the superintendent. It will also help in hiring river group staff and developing policies and procedures related to river trips. The plan includes several suggested policy changes as well, including a mandatory review of what went well and what could be improved on each trip, a more standardized uniform policy and better communication of clear expectations about trip conduct and the consequences of poor conduct. That's where we see the park needs to continue to work, Bennett said of the last point. The team working on the changes to river operations aims to have a final recommendation to Park Superintendent Chris Lehnertz and the Park Services regional director by August and the interdisciplinary team selected by late summer. On Tuesday evening, park officials received some questions about how complaints from non-park employees will be handled in the future. Bennett said the park is working on a new tracking system that could be used for employee and non-employee complaints about other Park Service employees. Bennett said her team is also looking at ways for the boating community to help monitor the parks river operations. She acknowledged that the sexual harassment issues at Grand Canyon affected not only park employees but those working for private companies that contracted with the Park Service. Dan Hall, one of the authors of the letter to former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell that set off the federal investigation, agreed on the need for the park to create a method for outside oversight and feedback. That could take the form of a committee of non-park stakeholders that consults with park officials on an annual or semi-annual basis, he said. Many in the river community have been around much longer than most park employees and have valuable institutional knowledge, he said. While acknowledging the hard work and dedication of park staffers, Hall said he hasn't seen any sort of attempt by the park to open up its process to what he called real checks and balances. Christa Sadler, who has been a river guide in the Grand Canyon for 30 years, was also a supporter of outside monitoring and feedback. She added that she'd like see personnel working with the river unit who understand and are supportive of the missions of research, education and resource-related trips. That was one of big problems we had was people who were running the river district who were law enforcement rangers and that was all they cared about, Sadler said. As far as whether the parks changes will do enough to address the sexual harassment and workplace hostility that sparked the investigation, Sadler said thats a much larger issue. That is going to take something different than just reorganizing the river unit, she said. Its going to take a sea change in the way we see our fellow workers, the way we look at power, the way we see the relationship between men and women. Its a much bigger cultural thing. Photo: Contributed Toronto police say they declined to come out to a local restaurant on Wednesday when a man there was accused of failing to flush the toilet after using it. Police spokesman Mark Pugash says the call was particularly egregious, since the alleged incident took place about eight hours before it was reported. Pugash says attendants did not gather much information about the call, such as what led to the incident or where it took place. He says the priority was on freeing up the line for genuine emergencies rather than matters of etiquette. Police acknowledge failing to flush a toilet isn't polite, but say calling the cops to report it keeps emergency dispatchers from attending to more pressing matters. Photo: hellobc.com Recreation sites and trails in a large swath of B.C.'s central backcountry have been closed in an effort to protect public safety and prevent any more forest fires. The Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations announced the Cariboo fire centre, 103,000 square kilometres in size, has been closed to those users as a safety precaution, allowing crews to focus on firefighting. John Hawkings, director of recreation sites and trails, says the closure involves 165 campsites and 65 trails in the Cariboo fire centre, in addition to 18 sites outside the centre that are affected by forest fires. Hawkins says they are encouraging the public to avoid travel in the backcountry. Robert Turner of Emergency Management BC says more 16,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Kevin Skrepnek, chief information officer for the BC Wildfire Service, says more than 1,100 square kilometres of timber, bush and grassland has been charred since April 1st, more than double the figure the service had estimated earlier this week. If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... Its been a year since the tragic death by lightning of a Tempe teenager atop Humphreys Peak. And as we noted at the time, it was unusual because it was so rare the first in at least a decade on the peak itself. With hundreds of hikers climbing the peak each week in the summer, its a wonder that such tragedies dont occur more often. For the record, over the past decade Coconino County has seen seven lightning-related fatalities and five lightning-related injuries and/or medical calls for service, according to the Sheriffs Office. Two of those fatalities have occurred at Grand Canyon National Park, while 17-year-old Wade Youngs death on July 20, 2016, was the only one that has occurred on Humphreys Peak over that time period. But as we have reported, that doesnt mean Humphreys is a safe place. It has the second highest number of search and rescue calls in Coconino County, mainly for falls. The number of injuries on the mountain is what drove the Forest Service to partner with Northern Arizona University, Friends of Northern Arizona Forests and Coconino County Search & Rescue to establish a preventive search and rescue program. And on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season, volunteers staff a tent at the Humphreys Peak trailhead and talk with hikers about safety and preparedness, the chance for inclement weather and lightning, wilderness stewardship and other topics. That is no doubt a good thing, because lightning isnt the only risk facing the Phoenician peak-baggers who fill the trailhead parking lot to overflowing each weekend in the summer. Many are unprepared for the low oxygen at 12,000 feet, the slippery, snow-covered trail, the high winds and sub-freezing temperatures, and the lack of any facilities beyond the trailhead. Weve seen hikers in flip-flops carrying nursing infants and couples with one water bottle between them and no hats. At least this year the signboard at the trailhead has a flier on lightning risk for the days of the week when the volunteers arent there. Heres some advice wed like to see all hikers receive: --Avoid monsoon season altogether above treeline. There are plenty of beautiful hiking days in May, June, September and October, and almost all of them will be safer than during July and August. -- If you cant start up the trail during monsoon season before 7 a.m., plan on doing only a partial hike too many hikers get summit fever and push on upward through a storm, despite the risks. --If you are above treeline, plan on starting down by 11 a.m. That is usually early enough to get hikers below treeline at 11,000 feet before the earliest storms start to form around noon. --Do not start up the final mile of exposed rock if it is starting to rain storms intensify quickly at that elevation, and lightning can reach the ground from a cloud as much as 20 miles away. --Finally, if you are on exposed rock when it starts to rain, move as quickly as possible down into the trees, then pick a shorter stand and spread out if with companions. Taller trees tend to attract more lightning strikes, and if one person is struck, others can go for help. It is also time to re-evaluate whether the Humphreys Peak Trail should keep its wilderness designation, which prevents the Forest Service from putting out portable toilets and trash receptacles anywhere along the 5-mile route. There is very little wildness left with so many people crowding the trail and summit each day in summer, and its time to face up to the impact of such overuse and mitigate it. The alternative is to set up a permit system to limit access to the peak, similar to the system in place at Fossil Creek and, during the fall, at the Inner Basin. The permits perhaps only 50 a day -- would give rangers a better chance to educate hikers about lightning and other risks while underscoring the need to pack out trash and bury all human waste thoroughly. It may sound harsh, but if there is a candidate for enforcing a stupid hiker ban, the Humphreys Peak Trail is it. The risks to hikers and rescuers dont leave much room for willful ignorance, and the damage to the landscape is already severe and growing. If officials insist on keeping Humphreys as wilderness, treat it as such and limit hikers to those who respect both its power and fragility. Free agent Jonas Jerebko has agreed to a two-year, $8.2M deal with Utah, league source tells ESPN. Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 13, 2017 Swedish Larry Bird resides in Boston no longer ashas signed with theA shade over $4-million per year is a great price for stretch-4 who does just about everything pretty well, although nothing great. When it became evident to me that Jonas would not be returning to Boston I was hoping he'd end up in a good situation, and I think Utah is a great fit. They've obviously lost their best player but they'll still be a borderline playoff squad and Jonas may find himself some more minutes in Salt Lake than he was getting for the Celtics.Jonas came up big in the 2015-16 playoffs against Atlanta when he was thrust into the starting lineup, and yet again this past year when his number was called late in game 3 against Cleveland he answered the bell. He gave the Celtics a shot-in-the-arm when they needed it most and helped the C's pull off an exciting victory without their best player in. He basically tried to fight the entire Cavs roster in the 2nd half of that game, including throwing downand pretty much called him a bitch for flopping:Best of luck in your future endeavors Jonas. He better get a nice ovation when the Jazz visit Boston this year, maybe they can throw that clip on the jumbotron. WASHINGTON (AP) The email to Donald Trump Jr. just before the general election campaign offered a meeting with a Russian lawyer who would provide incriminating information about Hillary Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." The younger Trump wrote back: "If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer." While every campaign seeks damaging information on political opponents, the interaction between the president's son and a foreign national represents a departure from the norm. Legal experts are divided on whether what happened could be a crime. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING? Details of the previously unknown meeting on June 9, 2016, among attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort emerged over the weekend. Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law and was a key figure in the campaign, and Manafort, a campaign chief, attended at Trump Jr.'s request. An email exchange Trump Jr. posted to Twitter on Tuesday gives more details about why the meeting was arranged. A music publicist friendly with the Trump family said in those emails that Russia was supportive of the Trump campaign and that a "Russian government attorney" had dirt on Clinton to share. The emails included a message from the publicist, Rob Goldstone, that the attorney had "some official documents and information" to provide, but Trump Jr. said he received nothing. Here's my statement and the full email chain pic.twitter.com/x050r5n5LQ Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017 Here is page 4 (which did not post due to space constraints). pic.twitter.com/z1Xi4nr2gq Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017 DOES THIS SHOW THE CAMPAIGN COLLUDED WITH THE RUSSIANS? First, it's important to remember that there's no law, per se, against "collusion." Trump advocates have been reminding people of this for weeks. However, some attorneys say that the events described in the emails could amount to a conspiracy to break campaign finance law. Jeffrey Jacobovitz, a criminal defense attorney who represented White House officials during the independent counsel investigation of President Bill Clinton, said Trump Jr. and others involved in the meeting are "exposed to the conspiracy to commit election fraud." He said they appeared to be working together to illegally solicit a foreign campaign contribution in the form of opposition research. WAIT, DON'T ALL CAMPAIGNS SEEK OPPOSITION RESEARCH? Trump Jr. made this argument Monday on Twitter, writing 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." Indeed, presidential campaigns typically have entire teams of employees devoted to digging up dirt on their opponents. And longtime political strategists recall being inundated with offers from all sorts of people to share tips that campaigns might find useful. SO WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT? No one has stepped forward to say they experienced anything quite like the Trump Jr. interaction with the Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York. Terry Sullivan, who was Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign manager, wrote on Twitter, "Running @marcorubio camp lots of random people asked to meet to share 'secret oppo' I was just never dumb enough to meet w/ them." He added: #ButWeLost Campaigns tend to be timid about handling materials that could have been obtained illegally. When a former congressman helping Al Gore prepare for a presidential debate received an unsolicited package of George W. Bush's debate preparation materials, he turned it over to the FBI. WHAT ABOUT THE INTERACTIONS COULD BE ILLEGAL? 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. Larry Noble, a former general counsel to the Federal Election Commission, said the newly released emails "put meat on the bones" of a possible criminal campaign finance violation. The emails show that the younger Trump knew the Russian government was offering the information and "give a clear indication he was soliciting it." As for whether the offer involved something of "value," Noble said that could be established if the Russians put resources into obtaining the information or even sent anyone over to relay it to the Trump campaign. Noble, Jacobovitz and other lawyers argue that the Trump campaign saved money by not having to do that opposition research on its own, arguing that what Russia offered was essentially an "in-kind" campaign contribution. The goods don't need to have been delivered, they say, to trigger the solicitation provision. DOES EVERYONE AGREE ON THAT? Tom Fitton, president of the conservative Judicial Watch, said "it would be an absurdist interpretation of the law" to consider what Trump Jr. did a crime. "The law does not cover talking politics," he said. "If it did, pretty much every political meeting would be considered an in-kind contribution that needs to be reported." Bradley A. Smith, a former Bill Clinton-appointed Republican Federal Election Commission member, also says "a meeting does not a conspiracy make." Opposition research might have a marketable value, Smith added. "But if someone simply comes to the campaign and says, 'I have some information you might find interesting,' I don't think we've had a solicitation by the candidate or campaign." "There's no illegality in the meeting," one of President Donald Trump's private attorneys, Jay Sekulow, said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity." He said there is no law on the books that Don Jr. may have broken. Opposition research might have a marketable value, Smith said. "But if someone simply comes to the campaign and says, 'I have some information you might find interesting,' I don't think we've had a solicitation by the candidate or campaign." WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? There are multiple probes into the Trump campaign and its interactions with Russia during the 2016 election, led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and by Senate and House committees. Trump Jr., who hired an attorney this week, said Monday that he is "happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know," referencing the Senate intelligence committee. Kushner and Manafort agreed weeks ago to cooperate with the congressional probes. Sign up for our newsletter We want to push major manufacturing and the jobs that come with it back into the United States, said Scott Brown, Roper Corporation president. With this apprenticeship program, we are planning to advance the skill sets of our workforce. Mr. Brown and Georgia Northwestern Technical College President Pete McDonald met to sign on the dotted line on a three-year Registered Apprenticeship project to train the next era of skilled workforce at the Northwest Georgia manufacturing giant.Beginning in the 2017-18 academic year, GNTC will sponsor the new apprenticeship agreement with Walker County, Georgias largest employer.The pilot year of the apprenticeship project will begin with selected workers of Ropers 1,800-strong workforce heading to GNTCs Catoosa County Campus in Ringgold. We are going to be sending our workers to train in the colleges Mechatronics program, said Scott Lee Reece, Roper Corporation Organizational Development leader. GNTCs Whitfield Murray Campus currently takes part in two other registered apprenticeships with Mohawk Industries and The HON Company. In those two cases, however, its the companies that are sponsoring the projects.With Baby Boomers at Roper, as well as throughout the nations workforce, planning to head off into retirement, companies now face a tough task. They hope that either they will find the skilled workforce they need from within their communities or provide their current staff with the next generation training needed to fill the gaps. Our workforce is aging, added Alan Lyles, Roper Corporation Maintenance team leader for Assembly. There arent enough workers available that have the skill sets we need now and in the near future. So, with the help of this apprenticeship program, weve decided to train some of our own. With more than 1,800 in its workforce, the Roper Corporation is Walker County, Georgias largest employer. This major component of G.E.s Appliance Division is also one of the largest employers across the Tennessee Valley.The shortage companies of all sizes are facing is what the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics calls the Labor Skills Gap. The bureaus most recent numbers show that job openings have increased nationwide. However, at the same time, the number of new hires made by companies around the country has decreased. The percentage of skilled labor available in the U.S. has steadily decreased every year since 2010. Thats where the Georgia Department of Labors Registered Apprenticeship Program steps in.With the shortage of people having the right skill sets in some industries, this is a great way for a company to hire beginning workers and equip them with what theyll need to perform well, said Dr. Mindy McCannon, Georgia Northwestern Technical College vice president of Academic Affairs. Theyll get the knowledge for their expertise from their coursework at the college. Then, they will get to apply what theyve learned when they return to their company through the guidance of a journeyman. Apprenticeship is an idea that has been around for a long time. But now, it is getting renewed interest because of the skills gap we are facing.The Technical College System of Georgia, which GNTC is a unit of, is helping provide this occupation-related instruction to qualified candidates in Georgias workforce. Georgia Northwestern has been a fantastic test pilot for the Registered Apprenticeship program, said Sarah Henderson, Regional Apprenticeship coordinator for Georgia WorkSmart. The program can also help employers recruit and target employees eligible for the program. Companies which take part can potentially have access to state and federal assistance towards the apprenticeship process for its workforce. And, for the apprentice, it means a guaranteed raise in pay with each pre-determined benchmark they surpass during the Registered Apprentice process.When an apprentice completes the Registered Apprenticeship program, they receive assistance with their career in the future, as well. When an apprentice completes a program, they will get a designation through the Georgia Department of Labor that says they are a registered apprentice, added Dr. McCannon. That recognition is looked highly upon across many industries. It shows that this person has acquired a certain level of knowledge and skill, as well as put those skill sets to work, successfully. A level that will assure employers that the apprentice has the right set of tools to perform well.The Georgia Department of Labor defines apprenticeship as a work-based training method that combines formal instruction with on-site, occupation-related training. Apprentices typically work 30-40 hours per week and receive classroom training through part-time attendance at technical colleges, universities, or approved training providers. Using the apprentice model can help businesses grow their own talent and build a motivated and qualified workforce. Employers use apprentice programs to recruit and train new employees and to upskill their current workforce.We are going to do everything we can to help Roper succeed, said Pete McDonald, president of Georgia Northwestern Technical College. This is a program that we believe will see a lot of growth in the future. We are hoping to expand this to more and more industries as we proceed. For more information on the Registered Apprenticeship program, you can contact the Georgia Department of Economic Development at 404-962-4000. Dr. Norton Wheeler, a scholar with a background in Asian history, specifically China, will address the JFK Club next Tuesday about North Korea and its impact on the United States policy toward that country. In particular, he is expected to address Chinas influence pertaining to both countries, especially the history that has preceded the current conflict.The JFK Club meets every third Tuesday at noon at Mt. Vernon Restaurant. Anyone wishing to eat lunch before the speaker, may notify club secretary Nancy Bibler at biblern@epbfi.com to order their meal, priced at $15.Dr.Wheeler is an english major graduate of the University of Iowa, and received his masters and Ph.D degrees in American studies from the University of Kansas. Currently an adjunct instructor in history at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he brings to a discussion of the subject his background as a faculty member at Missouri Southern State University, Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Talented Youth in Nanjing, China, and instructional roles at other U.S. universities.He has published a book on Chinas modernization, and book chapters and articles on history and Sino-American relations, and presentations at various venues on issues involving China. Dev Bootcamp, one of the earliest companies to launch an intensive coding school program, is shutting down, the company announced in an email sent to alumni Wednesday night. The coding school was started in San Francisco in 2012 and opened a Chicago campus in 2013; it also operates programs in Seattle, San Diego, Austin, Texas, and New York. It was bought by test prep company Kaplan in 2014. Advertisement Dev Bootcamp's final cohort will start classes this month and graduate in December. Campuses officially close on Dec. 8, according to the email, signed by Dev Bootcamp President Tarlin Ray. Graduating students will also get "at least six months of career support," the letter said. Dev Bootcamp has alumni at Braintree, Trunk Club, Sprout Social, Jellyvision and Enova, among other Chicago companies, according to its website. The school has 175 employees nationwide, 84 of whom are full-time, spokesman Chris Nishimura said. The Chicago campus has 18 total employees. Advertisement Touting the school's record as a coding boot camp pioneer, and its network of 3,000 alumni, Ray said the school didn't make the decision lightly. "(D)espite tremendous efforts from a lot of talented people, we've determined that we simply can't achieve a sustainable business model without compromising our mission of delivering a high-quality coding education that is accessible to a diverse population of students," the letter said. Dev Bootcamp was never profitable, Nishimura said. The Kaplan acquisition gave Dev Bootcamp flexibility, but ultimately, faced with the prospect of cutting back full-time instructors and raising tuition, the company decided to shut down. "Kaplan's 2014 acquisition offered us the financial support that allowed us to concentrate on our jobs of better serving students for as long as we did," Ray said in an email to Blue Sky. "In the end, Dev Bootcamp needed to balance quality, access and financial viability. We weren't going to compromise on the first two." Dev Bootcamp's sister program at Kaplan, a data science-focused boot camp called Metis, will stay open, Nishimura said. Coding schools have been under increasing pressure in recent years, as for-profit schools go under the microscope nationwide and coding schools attempt to prove their worth. In the absence of an official nationwide accreditation system for such programs, Dev Bootcamp and many other coding schools are not accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting program. In an interview with Blue Sky in March, Ray criticized an industry group's proposed standards by which coding schools could be measured, saying it didn't meet criteria he had suggested and that other schools were reporting misleading job-placement numbers. "Until we stop seeing these unrealistic numbers promoted in their marketing, we remain skeptical and we will not sign on to the initiative," Ray said at the time. "Actions speak louder than words." Advertisement Nishimura said industry scrutiny didn't affect Dev Bootcamp's decision to close. In April, in a press release announcing Ray's promotion from chief operating officer to president, Ray said coding schools need to change to keep up with the fast-moving tech industry. "This industry has evolved significantly over the past five years, and we're at a point where boot camps need to adapt or get left behind," Ray said in the release. "Coding boot camps need to transform to meet the needs of employers and to better prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow." bmeyerson@chicagotribune.com Twitter @bmeyerson Reporting from Washington Prepare to be assaulted by net neutrality. On Wednesday, millions of Americans unwittingly will be drawn into the heated battle over the controversial rules for online traffic that Republicans are pushing to dismantle. Advertisement Amazon, Google, Netflix and hundreds of other websites that support the rules will post messages on their home pages or send notifications to mobile app users in a coordinated one-day effort warning people of what the Internet might be like without net neutrality. They will be urged to contact officials in Washington to demand the Federal Communications Commission keep its tough regulatory framework designed to ensure the unfettered flow of content by prohibiting broadband companies from slowing Internet speeds for video streams and other content, selling faster lanes for delivering data or otherwise discriminating against any legal online material. Advertisement Internet service providers said they also back an open Internet. But they strongly oppose the stricter oversight of the industry the FCC established two years ago. With the agency now under Republican control and moving toward repealing that oversight, major Internet companies and others who support the FCC's rules are trying to rally the public. "Hopefully this is going to be another really big moment in showing how widespread support for net neutrality is and demonstrating the power of representative government," said Michal Rosenn, general counsel for crowdfunding site Kickstarter, one of of the participants in what's billed as the "Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality." This would jeopardize one of the defining features of the Internet: openness and consumer choice. Reddit Many of the websites will post mock alerts that the site is being slowed, blocked or censored by Internet service providers as examples of what might happen without the rules. Then visitors will be prompted to contact the FCC or their member of Congress through widgets that help them send a letter or call. "It's like a website holding up a protest sign that lets you take action," said Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights group that is helping coordinating the effort. "We're trying to make it easy for people who aren't lawyers or lobbyists." But the effort might not have much influence over the Republican majority on the FCC, who have indicated they won't be swayed by the electronic messages that have been flooding the agency's public comment site. More than 5.6 million comments have been received since late April on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposal to repeal the rules. The initial public comment period ends on Monday. A spokesman for Pai declined to comment. Melissa Parrish, an analyst at Forrester Research, said the day of action will inflame the partisan divide on the emotionally charged issue and isn't likely to change any minds at the FCC. Advertisement "If you boil it down to the most basic level, net neutrality is about regulating business practices and the Republican platform is that is not ideal, the free market is what should reign," she said. Urged on by President Obama, the FCC's then-Democratic majority voted 3-2 along party lines to in 2015 to put the rules in place. To enforce them, the FCC took the controversial step of classifying broadband as a more highly regulated utility-like service under Title 2 of federal telecommunications law. Broadband providers strongly opposed the move because they said the stricter regulatory oversight would be too burdensome and they feared it would lead to rate regulation and squelch industry investment. Republicans gained the FCC majority with President Trump's election. And in January, he appointed Pai, a Republican who has served on the FCC since 2012, to head the commission. Pai has proposed to repeal the utility-like oversight as well as the agency's vague general conduct standard, which sought to protect Internet users from future unreasonably discriminatory practices. Kickstarter was among dozens of websites that participated in a similar online protest in 2014 as the FCC was considering net neutrality rules. Organizers said the outpouring of public comments triggered by what was called "Internet Slowdown Day" helped convince Obama and FCC Democrats to support the stricter rules. Advertisement The hope is Wednesday's protest will help keep the rules in place, either by convincing the FCC's Republicans not to proceed with their plans or by pushing Congress to take action. "We are here because of that open Internet, and we continue to thrive because of it," Rosenn said. "If we had to compete based on how much we could pay AT&T and Comcast to make sure the videos on our site load quickly, I don't think we'd be in that position." A banner at the top of the Netlix site defends net neutrality on July 12, 2017. (Netflix) The sprawling discussion forum site Reddit made the same argument in a blog post Monday announcing its participation. "Without net neutrality, these providers could privilege their own content or slow down other traffic for their own profit," the company said. "This would jeopardize one of the defining features of the Internet: openness and consumer choice." Broadband companies said they support the basic principles of net neutrality but oppose the FCC's utility-like oversight. AT&T Inc. said in a blog post Tuesday it would join the day of action by touting its support for an open Internet on its websites, channel guides and apps on Wednesday as well as in digital, TV and print advertisements. But AT&T and other broadband providers want Congress to pass legislation codifying the rules and giving the FCC specific authority to enforce them without the extra regulatory risks from the stricter Title 2 oversight. Advertisement Such a move would prevent the FCC from changing course every time the majority switches. "Net neutrality is not controversial. Title 2 is politically controversial," said Michael Powell, president of NCTA the Internet & Television Assn., a trade group that includes cable companies. "We think this really needs to go to legislation so that net neutrality rules are permanently enshrined in statute and properly balanced against the disincentives for investment." Powell said he was worried that the onslaught of what he called misleading net neutrality messages by Google and other websites on Wednesday would make it harder to get the bipartisan support needed for legislation. "Showing consumers examples of slow loading pages and spinning dials is just a complete fabrication" of what would happen without the FCC's strict oversight of the industry, he said. "It's just hardening the partisan divide of the issue." But Greer of Fight for the Future said the day of action allows supporters of the FCC's net neutrality rules to counter what he called "misinformation" by the broadband providers. "The Internet have given more people a voice than ever before and that transformative power is worth fighting for," she said. Advertisement Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Prudential Plaza is seen May 31, 2017, from Millennium Park in Chicago. The two-tower complex, owned by New York-based 601W Cos., could be sold to Chicago firm Sterling Bay. ( Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune ) Chicago firm Sterling Bay is working on a $680 million deal to buy Prudential Plaza, in what would be the largest deal to date by one of the city's most active real estate developers. The sale has not been finalized, and potential hurdles remain. But if Sterling Bay completes the deal, it will be the largest sale of a downtown Chicago office building since 2015, when Willis Tower sold for a Chicago-record $1.3 billion and the Aon Center went for $712 million. Advertisement The owner of the two-tower Prudential Plaza complex is New York-based 601W Cos., which bought the neighboring Aon Center in that 2015 deal. Sterling Bay is believed to be offering about $680 million, according to people familiar with the deal. 601W has been talking with other potential buyers. Advertisement The approximately 2.3 million-square-foot property includes a 41-story building completed in 1955 and a 61-story tower completed in 1990. Prudential Plaza is along Randolph Street, overlooking Millennium Park. Although Sterling Bay is expected to invest billions of dollars redeveloping the former former A. Finkl & Sons steel plant site and nearby land parcels along the Chicago River on the North Side, the Prudential Plaza deal will be the developer's largest investment to date. Sterling Bay has yet to publicly disclose its plans for the Finkl project or its estimated cost. Sterling Bay Managing Principal Andy Gloor and 601W Principal Mark Karasick declined to comment. Buying a huge, iconic property is unusual for Sterling Bay, which is best known for converting outdated buildings to new uses such as putting Google's Midwest headquarters in a former cold-storage building in the Fulton Market district and ground-up developments including McDonald's future headquarters under construction a few blocks from Google's office. But the Prudential Plaza deal is seen by many real estate observers as a logical next step for the fast-growing developer. By acquiring large buildings for its funds, Sterling Bay can collect asset management, leasing and property management fees, creating a steady source of revenue to hedge against the ebb-and-flow cycles of ground-up development, industry experts say. Although Prudential Plaza is more than 80 percent leased, there's potential to increase its value by improving some of the spaces and signing new tenants. Additionally, land along the north side of the property could allow Sterling Bay to build some new space in the future. Brokers Bruce Miller and Nooshin Felsenthal are representing 601W. A $680 million sale price would have been unfathomable in 2013, when a group of investors led by 601W rescued the property from financial distress by agreeing to plow about $100 million into upgrades to the building including a new lobby, rooftop deck and fitness center in One Prudential Plaza and funds to cover leasing commissions and build-out costs for new tenants. Advertisement At the time, the building was worth significantly less than the $470 million in debt the previous owner, BentleyForbes Holdings, had on the property. Since taking control of the property, 601W has filled swaths of vacant space by signing leases with tenants, including the headquarters of Wilson Sporting Goods, law firm Clark Hill, public relations company Cision and software-maker Textura. During the past four years, property values also have soared amid an improved economy and an influx of new office tenants from Chicago's suburbs and outside the area. 601W refinanced Prudential Plaza with a new $415 million loan in 2015. Two potential hurdles must be cleared before a sale would be completed, both connected to securitized loans. The 2015 loan was broken into commercial mortgage-backed securities notes owned by bondholders, who collect interest on debt payments. As part of its acquisition, Sterling Bay would have to assume the $415 million in mortgage-backed debt, which is a sometimes lengthy and complicated process. The debt issue is further complicated by an ongoing lawsuit filed against the 601W venture in connection with the restructuring of the previous loans in 2013. The lawsuit by the bondholders' trustees was first reported June 21 by Crain's Chicago Business. Advertisement U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo allege in the lawsuit that 601W owes $84 million, saying that debt that was forgiven in the 2015 refinancing was the result of the landlord withholding information from the lenders about multiple leases that were in the works and were about to boost the value of the buildings. rori@chicagotribune.com Twitter @Ryan_Ori The impact of the 32 percent income tax hike approved by the Illinois legislature earlier this month should start showing up in paychecks soon. And while most will end up paying more, you may be surprised by how modest the change in your pay is. Advertisement "For many people it will not be a big deal," said Geoffrey Harlow, CPA of Kessler Orlean Silver & Co. of Deerfield. Raising the tax rate that individuals pay to 4.95 percent from 3.75 percent means paying an extra $12 in state taxes on each $1,000 of income. For a single person with $40,000 in federal adjusted gross income, that amounts to $480 in extra taxes each year. For a married couple with two children and $100,000 in adjusted gross income, the tax increase amounts to about $1,200 annually. Advertisement Some taxpayers will be spared from the full force of the higher taxes. People with relatively low incomes, who get some relief with the earned income tax credit, will get a larger benefit from that credit under the new tax law. On the other hand, the state's high-income residents are going to face a much larger tax increase than the 32 percent rate increase suggests. Singles with adjusted gross incomes over $250,000 and couples over $500,000 will lose their personal exemptions, the Illinois property tax credit and the credit related to paying private school tuition for elementary and high school, notes Joseph Bigane, managing director of JFB Tax Consulting in Lombard. A couple with two children and adjusted gross income of $501,000 will pay about $6,000 more in taxes based merely on the new tax rate, or about $24,800 for a year, according to a Chicago Tribune calculator (www.chicagotribune.com/taxhike). With the loss of deductions and credits the taxes likely will be higher. Tax experts say there are steps Illinois residents can take to manage and possibly minimize the impact of the tax hike. Here's what you need to know. Keep an eye on your paycheck. Employers are responsible for taking the extra tax money out of paychecks and sending it to the state, but Harlow said it's a good idea to watch your pay stub to make sure the adjustment has been made. The change should appear in one of your next paychecks, although the implementation date will vary slightly from workplace to workplace. The tax took effect July 1, so it's possible you'll see a larger tax amount taken out early on as workplaces implement the hike retroactively. Review withholding allowances on your W-4 form. If you generally owe the government a lot of money when you file your taxes each year, that could be an even bigger problem now. Checking the amount you have withheld from each paycheck and making an adjustment could correct a possible problem that could result in a penalty at tax filing time. On the other hand, if you scrape by month-to-month but get a big tax refund each year, you might adjust your withholding to give yourself a little more take-home pay. This adjustment can be done at any time, so you can wait to see what your first paycheck looks like once the state tax increase is in it. This withholding calculator can help: www.tinyurl.com/y89xb74o Save more in 401(k)s, IRAs and business retirement accounts. Anything you put into a traditional retirement plan not a Roth will be deductible and consequently reduce your taxes significantly. You are allowed to stash up to $18,000 away each year in a 401(k) or $24,000 if you are over 50. In an IRA, the maximum annual contribution is $5,500 or $6,500 if you are over 50. And people who own a business or work as independent contractors can make a large dent in the taxes they owe if they set up and contribute to a business retirement savings plan. Consider either a SEP IRA, Simple IRA or Solo 401(k), said Ellen Rogin, president of Strategic Financial Designs of Northfield. Keep in mind that if your objective is to reduce your current income taxes, a Roth IRA won't provide that benefit. There are no deductions for Roth IRAs or the Roth option in 401(k)s. Save for college. In Illinois, you can also get a deduction on your state taxes if you save money for your child's college education in one of the state's two 529 college savings plans. Contributions to your Bright Start account are tax deductible up to $10,000 per parent, per year. Realize, however, that the deduction isn't possible if you use a 529 in another state. Once money is in any 529 account you won't pay any taxes on the earnings or the money you withdraw as long as it goes to pay for college. Advertisement Beware of tipping yourself into a high income group. If your income is going to be close to $250,000 this year, or $500,000 for a married couple, be careful not to accidentally take on extra income that could throw you over the income threshold, Bigane said. For example, selling investments or property could provide you with a gain that would put you over the $500,000 level, meaning you would lose your personal exemptions. Regardless, Bigane and other tax experts warn people to make investment decisions a priority, apart from tax considerations. The tax consideration should come second; not driving investment decisions. Be careful about timing income based on state taxes. Some people may be inclined to try to make a large move this year perhaps selling an expensive house or some investment before 2018, when the state tax will be 4.95 percent all year long. This year, the higher tax is only in effect for the second half of the year. For this year the blend of the 4.95 percent and 3.75 percent tax rates could mean you will be taxed at 4.35 percent for the year. But state taxes are small compared with federal taxes, and Harlow said the future of federal taxes should be considered before making a tax move. The federal tax system could be reformed in 2018, Harlow said. His advice: "Let's not make any decisions until we wait and see." gmarksjarvis@chicagotribune.com Twitter @gailmarksjarvis A curious monkey with a toothy grin and a knack for pressing a camera button was back in the spotlight Wednesday as a federal appeals court heard arguments on whether an animal can hold a copyright to selfie photos. A 45-minute hearing before a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco attracted crowds of law students and curious citizens who often burst into laughter. The federal judges also chuckled at times at the novelty of the case, which involves a monkey in another country that is unaware of the fuss. Andrew Dhuey, attorney for British nature photographer David Slater, said " monkey see, monkey sue" is not good law under any federal act. An Indonesian macaque named Naruto allegedly grabbed a photographer's camera and snapped a self-portrait in 2011. (Wikimedia) Naruto is a free-living crested macaque who snapped perfectly framed selfies in 2011 that would make even the Kardashians proud. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued Slater and the San Francisco-based self-publishing company Blurb, which published a book called "Wildlife Personalities" that includes the monkey selfies , for copyright infringement. It sought a court order in 2015 allowing it to administer all proceeds from the photos taken in a wildlife reserve in Sulawesi, Indonesia to benefit the monkey . Slater says the British copyright for the photos obtained by his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., should be honored. It is absurd to say a monkey can sue for copyright infringement.... He is a monkey. Angela Dunning, attorney for photographer David Slater PETA attorney David Schwarz argued that Naruto was accustomed to cameras and took the selfies when he saw himself in the reflection of the lens. A federal judge ruled against PETA and the monkey last year, saying he lacked the right to sue because there was no indication that Congress intended to extend copyright protection to animals. Throughout Wednesday's hearing, Schwarz pushed back, arguing that the case came down to one simple fact: photographs can be copyrighted and Naruto is the author. Advertisement Jeffrey Kerr, general counsel for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, outside federal court on Wednesday after a hearing on the question of whether a monkey has standing to sue. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) "We have to look at the word 'authorship' in the broadest sense," he said. The judges grilled him on why PETA has status to represent Naruto and said that "having genuine care for the animal" isn't enough to establish "next friend" relationship, which is required to represent the monkey in court. The judges did not issue a ruling Wednesday. Advertisement Angela Dunning, an attorney for Blurb, wondered at the possibilities if they do not prevail. "Where does it end? If a monkey can sue for copyright infringement, what else can a monkey do?" she said after the hearing. PETA's general counsel Jeff Kerr said after the hearing that the group plans to use money from the photos to protect monkey habitats and help people study the monkeys . "PETA is clearly representing Naruto's best interests," he said. Dhuey said the legal antics were more of a publicity stunt by PETA than a lawsuit. He quipped after the hearing that Naruto made a tactical mistake by not appearing in court. "It's like he doesn't even care," he said before walking away from cameras. ___ Associated Press writer Janie Har also contributed to this report. Former Ald. Edwin Eisendrath unveils new ownership group and new home for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he will serve as CEO. July 13, 2017 (Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune) The new owners of the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday unveiled their investor group, plans for the newspaper and a new home the Near West Side offices of a separately acquired digital production company, AnswersMedia. The group, led by former Chicago Ald. Edwin Eisendrath and the Chicago Federation of Labor, bought the Sun-Times, the Chicago Reader and other assets on Wednesday from Wrapports for $1, backed by $11.2 million in funding to operate the money-losing tabloid for 30 months. Advertisement Eisendrath said Thursday he hopes to build the subscription base, relaunch the newspaper across multiple digital platforms and end years of red ink at the city's longtime No. 2 newspaper. Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, will serve as chairman of the Sun-Times. On Thursday, he responded to concerns that the union will exert editorial influence. Advertisement "The union doesn't plan to get involved in the editorial content of the newspaper," Ramirez said. This is not the first foray into media for the Chicago Federation of Labor. From 1926 to 1978, it owned WCFL-AM 1000, also known as the "Voice of Labor," which began as just that, but evolved into a mainstream radio station and Top 40 icon during the 1960s and 1970s. The station was sold to Mutual Broadcasting System in 1978. There are no plans to cut staff at the Sun-Times, said Eisendrath, 59, who will serve as the company's CEO. "We are confident that we are going to be able to make it sustainable and even profitable again," he said. Founded in 2004, AnswersMedia also was acquired Wednesday by the ownership group, called ST Acquision Holdings, for an undisclosed price. Eisendrath said the company will be integral to the Sun-Times' digital strategy, and relocating the newspaper to its 25,000-square-foot space will save money. "We get this beautiful space and the equipment to move into a digital future, and the human capital to begin to do that," Eisendrath said. "But by consolidating, we save on occupancy costs a significant amount." The Sun-Times' current lease for 44,500 square feet in River North, where the newspaper's logo adorns a building, expires in November. The investor group also includes: Jeff Bohnson; Bill Brandt; John Eisendrath, brother of the former alderman; Stuart Ellison; Leonard Goodman; Sidney Herman; Elzie Higginbottom; former ABC 7 news anchor Linda Yu; and several unnamed people. Sun-Times Editor and Publisher Jim Kirk will stay on in his role under the new owners. Advertisement rchannick@chicagotribune.com Twitter @RobertChannick Names and phone numbers of millions of Verizon customers were made available on a publicly accessible storage area owned by one of the company's vendors, according an enterprise security software company that discovered the exposed data. "Anyone entering a URL in a browser would have been able to access it," said Dan O'Sullivan, cyber-resilience analyst with UpGuard, the Mountain View, Calif., company that found the data. Advertisement Exposed were text files logging calls made this year to Verizon call centers between Jan. 1 and June 22, O'Sullivan said. In most cases, the logs included the names, phone numbers and addresses of Verizon subscribers. In some cases, account personal identification numbers used to verify callers' identities were also exposed, O'Sullivan said. The storage area belonged to Nice Systems, a Verizon vendor which does business related to call-center management. UpGuard informed Verizon of its findings on June 13, O'Sullivan said. A week later, access was shut off. Advertisement After the technology news website ZD Net published a story about the episode Wednesday, Verizon issued a news release apologizing to its customers. The phone giant confirmed that its customers' information including their cellphone numbers and PINs in some cases had been incorrectly placed in an insecure cloud storage area. None of the exposed information had been lost or stolen, the company said. Verizon spokesman David Samberg said that 6 million unique customer accounts were exposed a smaller number than the 14 million estimated by UpGuard. Verizon was still investigating the problem when the story broke, he said. Verizon said a "limited amount of personal information" had been left open to external access, as well as additional information that "had no external value." The episode prompted U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) to request a Judiciary Committee hearing, said Lieu's chief of staff, Marc Cevasco. Lieu, a Verizon customer, is concerned about possible misuse of the data. "If anyone had that information they could go online and have access to your account, and your call log, etc.," he said. Also, "most people use their PIN for more than one thing," he said, so exposed PINs might put people at risk of identity theft. Advertisement Cevasco also said that Lieu was not convinced by Verizon's assertions that no data had been lost or stolen. Samberg, the Verizon spokesman, said that the assertion is based on a review of logs on the storage site that yielded reports of who might have viewed the data. "A good hacker would know how to circumvent stuff like that," Cevasco said. Sophisticated state actors, looking for, say, information on government workers, were of particular concern, he added. Lieu's letter to Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte (R-Va.) states that the data reportedly contained information on U.S. intelligence officials. He called it "the latest in a series of disturbing data breaches." Nice Systems, headquartered in Raanana, Israel, released a statement that called the problem "human error" involving an "isolated staging area with limited information." O'Sullivan said the exposure underscores the rapidly increasing risks of data breaches. "This is a really remarkable incidence of third-party vendor risk," he said. "A customer knows they are giving their information to Verizon, but they are probably not aware that information is going to be shared with third-party vendors." LOS ANGELES Shia LaBeouf apologized Wednesday for a racist tirade against Georgia police officers and jailors who arrested him Saturday for public drunkenness. The actor wrote in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday that he has been publicly struggling with addiction for "far too long." He called his behavior a new low and attributed it in part to his complete disrespect for authority. Advertisement The statement, which was confirmed as legitimate by LaBeouf's publicist, asked for forgiveness and said the actor was taking steps to get sober. He did not elaborate. LaBeouf's apology came hours after celebrity website TMZ posted video taken while the actor was being booked when he accused police of being racist and told a black officer he was going to hell. The actor made several other profane remarks before being released on $7,000 bond. Advertisement The videos were not immediately available Wednesday from the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. The "Transformers" actor was arrested in a hotel lobby at 4 a.m. Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and released. He was also accused of disorderly conduct and obstruction. "I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it," LaBeouf wrote on Twitter. "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst," LaBeouf, 31, wrote. "It is a new low. A low I hope is bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes." LaBeouf is in the Savannah area filming his new movie, "The Peanut Butter Falcon," which also stars Dakota Johnson. RELATED STORIES: Actor Shia LaBeouf arrested in Georgia for public drunkenness Actor Shia LaBeouf arrested outside New York City museum during anti-Trump protest Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) In November 1939, Georg Elsers attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler fails, and he is arrested. During his confinement, he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action. (Sony Pictures Classic) The German historical drama "13 Minutes" opens with the sound of strenuous human grunting, accompanied by the regular ticktock of a mechanical timer. It's Nov. 8, 1939, several hours before an explosive device, planted by Georg Elser, is set to go off, almost killing Adolf Hitler, who, as history tells us, had left the building in which the bomb was planted mere minutes earlier (hence the film's English title, which has been changed from the original, limply un-thrillerish "Elser"). After Georg (Christian Friedel) has been arrested while trying to slip across the Swiss border with a pocketful of bombmaking plans, the film flashes back to 1932, when we are introduced to Elser several years before he has become radicalized. The movie is, as it turns out, less a white-knuckle drama about the nuts and bolts of a failed political assassination than it is a psychological portrait of resistance, made all the more timely - and creepily, almost offensively, unsettling - given the current political climate in the United States. Advertisement Why release this film, which came out in Germany two years ago, here and now? It's doubtful that many Americans have been clamoring to know more about Georg Elser, yet the film burrows more deeply inside his psyche than even the curious might have wanted to know, tracing his love life, his family background and his gradual conversion from an apolitical musician and carpenter from the Swabian countryside to a monomaniacal would-be assassin who came within minutes of changing the world. Friedel's performance is top-notch, especially when the film flashes forward again to scenes of his post-arrest interrogation and torture, which are hard to watch, but in which the previously soft and sensual Georg shows himself to be a surprisingly tough kuchen. Also good: Burghart Klaussner as Georg's chief inquisitor, Arthur Nebe (who himself went on to become involved in the 1944 plot to kill the Fuhrer, led by Claus Von Stauffenberg). Advertisement But much of the film dwells on Elser's relationship with Elsa (Katharina Schuttler), his onetime lover, former fiancee and the abused ex-wife of a drunker lout (Rudiger Klink). These passages add emotional texture to the tale, but little suspense. That seems to be by design. In the end, "13 Minutes" isn't about the timing or logistics of one man's plot to kill Hitler at all, but about what made that man tick. "13 Minutes" 2 stars MPAA rating: R (for violence, torture, brief sensuality and coarse language) Running time: 1:50 Opens: Friday RELATED STORIES: 'War for the Planet of the Apes' review: The best Western of 2017 Advertisement 'The Little Hours' review: 14th century sex comedy finds nuns on the run, in pursuit of a Franco Watch the latest movie trailers. Charlie Sepulveda is among the featured performers at the Latin Jazz Festival, which runs from July 14-16, 2017, in Humboldt Park and at Navy Pier. ( Charlie Sepulveda / Salas Fotos) The Chicago Jazz Festival doesn't come around until the end of next month, but two smaller-scaled events this weekend show the appeal and growing importance of neighborhood celebrations. Each is bulking up this year, and each offers listeners enviable proximity to the music-making. Advertisement Following are guided tours of each: Chicago Latin Jazz Festival Advertisement The 11th annual event expands to three days, with performances Friday and Saturday at Humboldt Park and Sunday at Navy Pier. "We got approached by Navy Pier to do another day I was surprised," says Carlos Flores, artistic director of the festival, presented by the nonprofit Jazz Institute of Chicago in collaboration with the Chicago Park District. "I think Navy Pier is part of the program because they're actually trying to create the inclusion of all different communities." The Chicago Latin Jazz Festival does exactly that, spotlighting a range of Latin musical idioms for all to savor. The major headliner this year will be trumpet virtuoso Charlie Sepulveda, who will play a key role in the festival's tribute to this year's Dizzy Gillespie centennial. That's a fitting choice, considering that Puerto Rican trumpeter Sepulveda played in Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra. Sepulveda also performed alongside Gillespie and Wynton Marsalis during Gillespie's 75th birthday celebration at the Blue Note in New York in 1992. I was there, and to behold Sepulveda and Marsalis deferring to Gillespie was to realize anew the master's stature in this music. Sepulveda's playing on that night, and others, showed superhuman lung power. But Sepulveda's performances won't be the only Gillespie homage on the lineup. Chicago saxophonist Roy McGrath will lead the Chicago Latin Jazz Collaborative in another Gillespie homage. The music of a different centenarian, Mongo Santamaria, will be the focus of the festival's opening show, featuring the Papacho Savon Ensemble. Advertisement Also worth catching: Claudia Perez Brown, who sang sumptuously in Chicago before moving to Montreal; and Ruben Alvarez's Raices Profundas Ensemble, which plays "a lot of Cal Tjader's music," says Flores. "We have created a sacred space," says Flores, "the place where musicians are allowed to demonstrate and showcase their talent, which otherwise would not be seen by people in this community." Following is the lineup. For more information, visit www.jazzinchicago.org. Friday 6:30 p.m.: Papacho Savon Ensemble: Tribute to Mongo Santamaria 7:30 p.m.: Chicago Latin Jazz Collaborative: Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie Advertisement 8:30 p.m.: Charlie Sepulveda & The Turn Around At Humboldt Park, 1301 N. Sacramento Ave. Saturday 1:30 p.m.: Blackhawk Performance Company 2:30 p.m.: Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Steel Drum Ensemble 3:30 p.m.: Segundo Ruiz Belvis After School Jazz Band Advertisement 5:30 p.m.: Claudia Perez Brown Ensemble 6:30 p.m.: Ruben Alvarez's Raices Profundas Ensemble 7:30 p.m.: The Carlos Adames Group At Humboldt Park, 1301 N. Sacramento Ave. Sunday 3 p.m.: Chicago Latin Jazz Collaborative Advertisement 4:30 p.m.: Charlie Sepulveda & The Turn Around At Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. Jazz Up Glen Ellyn Like the Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, Jazz Up Glen Ellyn will be expanding its offerings this year, with additional clinics and jam session. "Last year we had clinics, and we expected maybe 10, 15 people 50 showed up," says Chicago guitarist Fareed Haque, who serves as the festival's artistic director for the second year straight. "This year, we decided to have two clinics to spread out the students, then a jam session, so kids say, high school kids who wouldn't make it into the city or a West Side bar for a jam session can have some of that experience." Advertisement The main event will be performances at two outdoor venues: the Innovations Stage and Traditions Stage. "One of the models that jam festivals use is to bring an artist-at-large in a festival situation, to play and jam and just kind of create a spontaneous energy," says Haque. "So I thought of bringing in my good friend Javon Jackson, a fantastic tenor player who's really a part of the history of the music. He played with Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard he's one of the torchbearers of the tradition." Jackson will collaborate with several musicians at the festival, the lineup also featuring Matt Ulery's Loom, the Robert Irving III Trio, the Lenard Simpson Group and Fareed & His Funk Brothers. In addition, once the music winds down on the outdoor stages, the musicians will perform in various Glen Ellyn nightspots. "One thing you realize once you start wearing this hat," says Haque, referring to his role as artistic director, "is how much jazz and how many groups and how many creative projects are really living on our doorstep. Advertisement "We don't have to look at New York any more for the cutting edge of this music." Jazz Up Glen Ellyn features performances from 2 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Glen Ellyn; plus early shows and late-night sets. For details, visit www.jazzupglenellyn.org. Following are highlights: Innovations Stage: Saturday 2 p.m.: MYA Big Band 3:45 p.m.: Casey Nielsen Group Advertisement 5:45 p.m.: Lenard Simpson Group 7:30 p.m.: Matt Ulery's Loom Traditions Stage: Saturday 2:45 p.m.: Barb City Stompers 4:45 p.m.: Fareed & His Funk Bros. 6:30 p.m.: Robert Irving III Trio Advertisement 8:30 p.m.: Mardra & Reggie Thomas Ensemble with Javon Jackson Howard Reich is a Tribune critic hreich@chicagotribune.com Twitter @howardreich RELATED STORIES: Singer Paul Marinaro prepares for his second act Advertisement Jazz celebration at Navy Pier honors Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie Heading to the Pitchfork Music Festival? Here's what you need to know Navy Pier adds new waterfront performance venues Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) From left, Monica Barbaro as Anna Valdez, Joelle Carter as Laura Nagel and Jon Seda as Antonio Dawson in "Chicago Justice." NBC canceled the show and Seda is returning to "Chicago P.D." (Parrish Lewis) Jon Seda is returning to "Chicago PD" ahead of the NBC procedural's fifth season, Variety has learned. Seda portrayed Det. Antonio Dawson up until Season 4 of "Chicago PD," when his character left for a job as lead investigator of the State's Attorney's Office on the spinoff series "Chicago Justice." However, "Chicago Justice" was canceled by NBC after just one season. Advertisement "It's a pleasure to have Jon back on 'Chicago P.D.,'" executive producer Dick Wolf said. "We have been working together for more than 20 years and I hope there are many more to come." Seda previously appeared on Wolf's "Law & Order" in 1997, and guest starred on "Law & Order: SVU" as Dawson in 2016. "Justice" was one of four "Chicago" shows produced by Wolf, along with "Chicago Fire," "Chicago Med," and "PD." All of the other three shows were renewed, as was "Law & Order: SVU." This fall, NBC will air the first installment of the new Wolf-produced anthology series "Law & Order True Crime," with Season 1 focusing on the case of the infamous Menendez brothers. Advertisement "Justice" debuted to solid ratings back March, opening with a 1.7 rating and 8.7 million viewers. It ended its first season with a live-plus-same day average per episode of a 1.1 and 6.1 million viewers, making it the lowest-rated of the four "Chicago" shows. RELATED STORIES: 'The Walking Dead's' Carl vs. 'The Strain's' Zack: character smackdown On the West Side set of the new sketch comedy TV series 'Hot Date' Bishop Robert Wayne Miller was one of the religious leaders who met with Rauner's staff to present the letter of support. (Jesse Hoyt) CHICAGO Members of Governor Bruce Rauner's staff, including his deputy chief of staff, legal counsel and diversity director, did not express commitment to sign, or plans to veto the Trust Act, according to religious leaders from Illinois who met with them on this Thursday in the lobby of the Thompson Center, in downtown Chicago. Over 170 faith leaders signed a letter addressed to Rauner asking him to approve the Trust Act, the law that would expand Chicagos sanctuary status to the entire state, establish safe zones, condemn police cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and reject private prisons for people awaiting deportation. A coalition of religious and community groups attempted to deliver the letter to Gov. Rauner at the Thompson Center, but were not allowed to pass through security. The letter focuses on protecting families in Illinois affected by hostile immigration policies according to a copy of the letter obtained by Hoy. Illinois has been one of the most welcoming states in the country for a long time and that is because of the active coalitions that exist and because our faith leaders have always stood in solidarity with immigrants, said Erendira Rendon, an organizer with The Resurrection Project. The religious and community groups that joined to deliver the letter included the Syrian Community Network Chicago, The Resurrection Project, Health Illinois Campaign and leaders from the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religions. I think its important for the governor to know that various sectors are calling on him to sign. Its not just us. We have allies, said Rendon. Sister Bernadine Karge from the Sister and Brothers of Immigrants, a Christian advocacy group that seeks justice for immigrants, said that supporters of the Trust Act seek to confirm the states commitment to all of its citizens regardless of nationality. The letter particularly voiced the religious groups concerns for the the destruction of Illinois families.. Our diverse faiths teach us that families are sacred, that we are inextricably bound to one another, and that we are called to protect the most vulnerable among us, the letter states. Support for the law reaches beyond community and religious groups, according to Rendon, who said that around 170 business leaders delivered a similar letter to Gov. Rauner a few weeks ago. However, Rauner has yet to commit to a decision. The Governor ran on a moderate position on immigration and to date he still hasnt done very much for the immigrant community so this is his moment to take a stance, said Rendon. The legislation, which was passed with bipartisan support in the state legislature on May 5, 2017, now sits on Rauner's desk awaiting an approval, veto or inaction, which would allow it to go into effect. The governor has until August 28 to make a decision. Bishop Robert Wayne Miller from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America said there are encouraging signs that the law will be approved, including its bipartisan support. Karge said that the Trust Act is also important because communities would be more likely to report crimes and cooperate with investigations. The letter noted the 37 percent increase in immigration arrests reported by ICE under President Trump. It also states that non-criminal immigrant arrests have more than doubled under the Trump administration. Want your morning coffee to come with a little extra buzz? Brewbudz just might do the trick. A company called Cannabiniers on Wednesday launched the Brewbudz, which is "the world's first cannabis infused coffee, tea and cocoa pods." The pods are compatible with all Keurig and Keurig 2.0 brewers, making your morning wake and bake as simple as pushing a button. Advertisement Brewbudz are available in different dosing strengths from 10 mg to 50 mg of THC, the compound in marijuana that gets you high, in both sativa (the strain of cannabis that picks you up) or indica (the strain that mellows you out). The company's patented extraction process "allows the consumer to benefit from the complete profile of the cannabis flower, in a healthy and discreet manner," according to a news release. The coffee is responsibly sourced Arabica and also available in decaf; the tea is black, green and herbal; and the cocoa is dark chocolate. Because the cannabis comes from the plant's flower, the company says it won't introduce any oils that could clog up your coffee machine. And for those who are worried about waste, the pods are completely compostable. Each one costs $7. Advertisement As marijuana has become legalized in more states, its culinary profile is becoming increasingly elevated. Serious chefs are tinkering with the science of getting high, and they're taking the ingredient far beyond pot brownies. They're hosting cannabis cooking classes and finding ways to incorporate extracts of the drug into highly refined meals - think cannabis crab cakes, or sous-vide chicken breast. There are a wide range of cannabis consumers in states where the drug has been legalized for recreational use, and many of them want something more sophisticated than gummy bears. Cannabis "is becoming a wellness product. We do not want people to believe that you just get munchies, and you're just reaching for junk food. It's part of a healthy lifestyle," Olivia Mannix, chief executive of Cannabrand, a marketing agency for cannabis companies, told The Washington Post in April. So, it's only natural that Cannabiniers would want to make a coffee that will help you get, er, rolling in the morning. For now, they're available at dispensaries in Nevada, but they'll soon be introduced in Colorado and California. I was wondering if I could get your opinion on this issue my wife and I had with Delta Air Lines. We recently flew from Cleveland to Aruba via Atlanta. But we were removed from our connecting flight and had to spend the night in Atlanta. Delta covered our meals and hotel expenses. I believe my wife and I were involuntarily denied boarding. Isn't there a rule that Delta should compensate us for being bumped? I noticed that on our return flight, they were offering $600 vouchers for people to give up their seats and take a later flight. Is Delta being cheap and trying to get out of offering flight vouchers, or aren't we eligible? Advertisement Brian Maslar, North Royalton, Ohio A: It sure looks as if Delta forgot to compensate you for removing you from a flight. And it never hurts to ask if an airline is being "cheap." It usually is. Advertisement But is Delta being cheap? Let's have a look at the rules. If you have a seat on an oversold flight and an airline denies you boarding, also known as a "bump," then you're entitled to compensation under federal regulations. Those are spelled out on the DOT website: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/fly-rights. For example, if you're bumped and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination, including a later connection, within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation. But if you're delayed between one and two hours after your original arrival time on a domestic flight, the airline must pay you an amount equal to 200 percent of your one-way fare to your final destination that day, with a $675 maximum. But if your flight is just delayed, then federal rules don't apply. So, for example, if your outbound flight is delayed and you can't make your connecting flight to Aruba, then you're not covered by any federal rules. Then the reasons for the delay would become important. For weather delays, the airline would not owe you anything not even a hotel room. For a mechanical delay or anything within the airline's control, airlines normally cover hotels, meals and ground transportation. You can find the particulars on Delta's domestic general rules tariff, the contract between you and the airline:https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/legal/contract-of-carriage-dgr.html. (See Rule 240 C for details.) A brief, polite email to Delta might have cleared up any confusion. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of Delta's customer-service executives on my consumer-advocacy website: elliott.org/company-contacts/delta. It looks as if you tried to resolve this case in person and by phone. First, by asking for compensation at the airline desk, and then by making a follow-up call. I would strongly recommend starting a paper trail, which is far easier to track. I contacted Delta on your behalf, and it turns out that your initial delay in Cleveland meant you couldn't make your connection to Aruba. In other words, you weren't bumped from the flight. A Delta representative contacted you and explained the circumstances, and offered you a choice of either 20,000 miles of a $200 flight voucher as a goodwill gesture. You've indicated that you're happy with that resolution. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler." You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org. Advertisement RELATED STORIES: San Francisco International Airport near miss might have triggered 'greatest aviation disaster in history' Face scans for Americans flying abroad stir privacy issues TSA offers 9 tips to avoid security checkpoint hassles Rev. Al Sharpton stands with area clergy during a July 13, 2017 news conference where they voiced concerns over the announcement that more federal agents will be sent to Chicago. (Charles Rex Arbogast / AP) The Rev. Al Sharpton's last high-profile visit to tackle Chicago violence in 2013 may have ended with him admitting he was in over his head. But if he's not an expert on our city as he acknowledged again on his return Thursday Sharpton says his more than three decades of sparring with President Donald Trump in New York gives him unique insight that can help activists fighting police brutality in Chicago. Advertisement "Donald Trump's from New York and I know Donald Trump better than folks in Chicago," Sharpton said Thursday morning as he stood alongside two-dozen Chicago pastors to call for a federal consent decree to oversee the Chicago Police Department. Invoking the 1989 case of the "Central Park 5," in which Trump placed ads in all four New York papers calling for the death penalty for five men of color who were subsequently wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger, Sharpton said, "That is why I'm working with the ministers and in Chicago to understand what we've got to do under this New Yorker's administration." Advertisement "I've known him for 35 years," Sharpton said of Trump at the event at the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in West Garfield Park. "If you can meet with the Russians, you can meet with the leaders in Chicago!" Of Trump's repeated comments about "sending in the feds" to tackle Chicago crime and Attorney General Jeff Sessions' opposition to the use of a federal consent decree to rein in police misconduct, Sharpton said, "You can't have it both ways, you have to fight criminal behavior whether the criminal has on blue jeans or a blue uniform." The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Sharpton also threw in a couple of barbs at Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who last month backed away from a commitment to seek a court-enforced agreement with the feds to reform the Police Department. Sharpton told his fellow preachers that "You can't close schools and then tell children that you care about them," and asking, "How do you act like Laquan McDonald didn't resonate nationally, when you hid the tapes until after the election?" The mayor's office didn't respond to the criticism. Sharpton added that he was in good company if his 2013 visit to Chicago wasn't a total success. Though he had planned to spend three months living on and off on the West Side, and to bring East Coast celebrities including Sean Combs and Spike Lee to Town Hall meetings, he quickly abandoned the idea after touring the city. "Dr. King wasn't from Chicago and he came, and Dr. King coming didn't solve all the problems," Sharpton said, referring to the violent reception Martin Luther King Jr. received at the hands of white protestors when he visited Chicago to campaign for fair housing in 1966. Besides, he said, "they criticize you if you don't come, and I'm gonna keep coming. But I'm going to come to the people in Chicago that are on the ground doing the work." Advertisement kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Chicago police said this gun was taken from a boy July 11, 2017, in a Lawndale alley on the West Side. (Chicago Police Department) When a 12-year-old kid is arrested with a gun, you can't blame the child. It's the parents' fault. The child police took into custody Tuesday night after finding him in a West Side alley with a handgun in his possession deserves our compassion. But more than that, he needs help because his parents aren't doing their job. Advertisement There is so much about this situation that we do not know. We don't know his mom and dad, and we certainly know nothing about their lives. We don't know what his home environment is like, whether he even had a hot meal last night. We don't know why he was hanging out in an alley at 8 p.m. when he should have been inside perhaps watching TV or reading a book before getting ready for bed. All we know is that he should not have been out there alone, and that his parents should have been paying closer attention. Advertisement Police received multiple calls from neighbors in Lawndale about someone in the alley with a gun. When police arrived in the 1800 block of South Kostner Avenue, they found the kid. And when they searched him, they discovered the weapon. Thirty minutes later, they located his mother. The child was charged as a juvenile with unlawful use of a weapon. The mother went free. Perhaps she should have been charged with neglect. The child told police that he was in a gang. That's not surprising, though. Gangs have recruited kids much younger than that. When parents don't do their job, gangbangers step in to take their place. And kids tend to do what they're told, regardless of who is giving the orders. The sad truth is that this isn't the only armed child walking around Chicago. And he's not the only one mimicking what he sees around him. A friend shared a disturbing video with me the other day, of three young boys walking down a Chicago street exchanging foul language with a man trailing them in a car. They are between the ages of 9 and 11, but there were no parents in sight. "Stop filming," one of the boys says as he and his friends walk casually on the sidewalk. "I'll beat your a--," the man yells back from the car. Advertisement "I'm BD," one of the boys says, referring to the Black Disciples street gang. "My daddy will beat your a--." After more profane exchanges, one of the boys reaches into his jacket pocket. "Look, he got a gun!" the man in the car yells. "He got a cap gun." "It ain't no cap gun," the boy yells back. The men in the car all laugh, filming it all for social media. At one point, the man in the car said, "I'll blow them Chuck Taylors (gym shoes) off his a--." Advertisement As the boy walks closer to the car, the men see what appears to be a handgun in his pocket. Police would later say it was fake. "Show 'em the joint," the man says, promising that he will delete the live video from social media. "Show 'em the clip." The boy pulls the gun from his pocket, smiling proudly as the men in the car show their approval. "Y'all good," the man says. "BD!" the man says. "BD!" the boy answers, flashing a gang sign as he walks away. Advertisement Police said they located the parents of the children and recovered the replica firearm. No charges were expected. We should be thankful that it turned out to be a toy gun. But the episode should still make us uneasy. These young kids were acting like gangbangers, and the men in the car were encouraging and reinforcing that behavior. Perhaps after this, their parents will step up and act like adults. If not, I fear what might happen to these three young boys in the future. Let's not stereotypically condemn them to a life of crime. It is possible that they can get on the right track all by themselves. But chances are, without intervention, they will end up in trouble. We've seen that happen in Chicago too. Late last month, police said a child as young as 6 years old was involved in a robbery in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side. Advertisement The youngster approached a victim on the street around 8 p.m., pulled out a silver handgun and demanded money, authorities said. When the victim said he had no money, the child ran. There is no indication that he was one of the boys in the video. None of these kids were born bad. They're simply exhibiting learned behavior. If parents don't teach their children how to behave properly and become productive citizens, then gangbangers are more than willing to teach them how to become criminals. dglanton@chicagotribune.com Twitter @dahleeng When it comes to Russia in the time of Trump, our politics has finally accomplished something. We've gone right through Alice's Looking-Glass. And Donald Trump Jr.'s idiotic meeting with the shady Russian lawyer Natalia in the (failed) hopes of scoring political dirt on Hillary Clinton is just some of what we find there. Advertisement In this Bizarro World, roles, positioning and attitudes have been reversed, in part due to partisanship, but also because the political establishment itself has been ill for some time, the decaying political center continuing its collapse. One thing that has changed in the world beyond the looking-glass is America's political attitude toward Russia. Advertisement Republicans once feared and loathed the Russians. And now they talk like earnest liberals of the '70s, hoping to get along with Boris and Natasha. Democrats who once defended the Soviets as misunderstood now sound like crazed tail gunners, hunting for Russkies under every American bed. At least Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, the neo-cons who loathe Trump and have never met a war (or a defense contract) they didn't like, remain consistent. They push for stronger military alliances with Eastern Europe, which means more profit for the American defense industry and the masters of war. And those liberals, who were once so accommodating to the Soviet push against American power, now find themselves in league with Russo-phobes Graham/McCain. They're bound by the formula that the enemy of anything Trump is their frenemy. What's required here is a pointed hypothetical question: What if the politics were reversed? Republicans defending the Trump administration might ask themselves, what would they be saying if Hillary Clinton were president and it was Bill who had met privately with the shadowy Russian lawyer Natalia, to dig up some sleaze on the Republican candidate? Advertisement Republicans would be screaming bloody murder. And under that same scenario involving a President Clinton, Democrats might ask themselves what they would be shouting. They wouldn't be talking of treason or impeachment. Instead, Democrats would be sounding like today's Republicans, offering versions of "well, everybody does it." Offering barbed hypotheticals may be considered rude, but why not consider two things: the alleged crime and the politics. Is Trump Jr. the mastermind of some serious criminal act, perhaps even treasonous as some Democrats have suggested? No. What's the crime, without which there can be no collusion? Meeting with a Russian lawyer and getting nothing? Insisting this was a crime might score you points with your tribal elders, but ultimately, it is rather childish. Advertisement But I guess it depends on your definition of partisanship. "It is like we have this giant Rorschach test and people see whatever they want to," law professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University said on Fox News, in one of the more reasonable responses to Donald Jr.'s meeting with the Russian lawyer. "The criminal code has defined elements to it," Turley continued. "You just don't find these ambiguous crimes. Some people have said this could be treason. For the love of God, treason is defined in the Constitution. This is not treason." There has been talk of treating Jr's. search for damaging information from Russian hands as some kind of campaign violation. Turley dismissed it as grasping at straws. "You could also treat it like a panda and say it's an endangered species violation, but courts haven't done that. So, I think that people need to take a breath," he said. No. We're too busy screaming to breathe. Advertisement What of the decision by Trump Jr. and top Trump campaign officials to meet with that Russian lawyer with Kremlin ties, quite possibly an operative for Vladimir Putin? Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 25 Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that some "patriotic" individuals may have engaged in hacking in the U.S. election, but continues to deny government involvement. After President Barack Obama announced sanctions on Russian spy agencies and expelled 35 diplomats, Putin declined to immediately retaliate, drawing praise from President-elect Donald Trump. On Jan. 17, 2017, Putin took a parting shot at the Obama administration, accusing it of trying to undermine Trump's election and calling a dossier alleging Russian spy agencies collected compromising material on Trump as "nonsense." After a report that Trump revealed classified information in a May 10 meeting with Russian diplomats, Putin offered to turn over to Congress records of the discussion. In a June 2017 interview with NBC's Megyn Kelly, Putin dismissed as "a load of nonsense" that Russia has damaging information on Trump. After 13 Russians were indicted by the United States in February 2018 for election-meddling, Putin insisted they didn't act on behalf of his government. Putin won re-election as Russian president on March 18, 2018, and received a phone call from Trump, congratulating him on the victory. (Anatoly Maltsev / AP) It wasn't merely "bad optics." It was a gift to the Democrats. They entered that meeting like three useful idiots who'd watched a few seasons of "Homeland." Perhaps they had CliffsNotes of a John le Carre novel, and thought they could play the great game with Putin. It was the foolish stuff of amateurs. I'm not excusing it. Meeting with an agent of an aggressor nation is a thing only idiotic amateurs would do. And the thing about amateurs is that they often end up on the side of the road. Trump Jr. was joined in that meeting by his brother-in-law Jared Kushner, now a presidential adviser, and Paul Manafort, then the Trump campaign manager. Kushner and Junior are family and neophytes in politics. But Manafort is not. We may see him crushed under the big orange Trump bus before this ends. Advertisement They played it like Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and were played in turn, like fools. There is also the smell of lies to this. Donald Jr.'s evolving truths, and his story changing under pressure of reported facts is rather acrid. I don't think it was criminal. But it was stupid. And it certainly gives the Democrats what they wanted: A tool to keep the Russian hunt going, to keep the Trump White House on the defensive, forcing the expenditure of Republican political capital, stalling Trump's economic agenda. Democrats aren't alone. Trump's enemies among the Republican establishment smirk and wait. And so, ultimately, Donald Trump, full of hubris and endless tweets, bears the responsibility. He's the president. Advertisement Americans voted for him to get the economy going, to cut taxes and put the forgotten working class back to work. And time's running out. Listen to a new episode of "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and Jeff Carlin with guest Kristen McQueary of the Tribune Editorial Board at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway/ Twitter @John_Kass A story in Wednesday's main news section about North Lake Shore Drive improvements incorrectly stated the location of an extension project. That work was between 79th Street and Harbor Avenue. A story in Wednesday's main news section about Miguel Perez Jr., an Army veteran whose appeal of a deportation order has been denied, mistakenly listed Perez's age after a reference to his attorney, Chris Bergin. Perez is 39. Advertisement The Tribune regrets the errors. A can of beer left at the scene of a strangulation nearly two decades ago at a Far South Side motel led authorities to an inmate serving a 60-year sentence for another woman's slaying. Henry Sandifer, 59, appeared before Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil, who denied bail during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Wednesday afternoon. Advertisement Sandifer was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Angela Renee Kirkling, who was 33 when she arrived at the Royal Motel, 45 W. 103rd St., on Jan. 17, 2000, with a male companion, according to prosecutors and records. A desk clerk checked Kirkling in about 9:20 a.m. with the understanding that she would be checking out about eight hours later, at 5:20 p.m. But when it got to be 6 p.m. and she hadn't left, a staffer entered her room and found Kirkling lying on the floor wearing only socks, prosecutors said. Advertisement An autopsy determined Kirkling, of the 300 block of West 105th Street in Chicago, died of strangulation and her death was declared a homicide, according to Cook County medical examiner and other records held by the Tribune. A beer can found in the room was inventoried and analyzed for DNA evidence, which came back as a match to Sandifer, prosecutors said. It was not clear why it took so many years before charges were brought in Kirkling's killing, but when he was arrested he was already in custody at the Menard Correctional Center serving a 60-year sentence for the murder of 45-year-old Linda Morgan, officials and records show. Morgan was found strangled, beaten bound and wrapped in a blanket inside a South Side garbage bin in 2008, officials said and records show. Morgan, who held a full-time job, had been seen last seen Oct. 10 or 11, 2008. After her family reported her missing, she was found the following Tuesday in a garbage can, naked and tied up with suspenders, prosecutors said. The garbage can was in an alley a few houses away from a home where Sandifer grew up and would later sneak into while it was being rehabbed after falling into foreclosure, prosecutors said. After DNA evidence linked him to Morgan's slaying, Sandifer denied knowing the victim and denied having sex with her. When police confronted him with the fact that his DNA was "all over'' her, he said allegedly said: "Just because he had sex with her didn't mean he knew her,'' prosecutors said. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > At the time Sandifer was arrested in August 2009, he'd been in Cook County Jail awaiting trial on a drug conviction. Sandifer also had previously been convicted of burglary and possession of stolen items, records show. Advertisement Morgan's cousin Tonisia Reid fought to keep the case in the spotlight and to find justice for Morgan, a mother who despite an on-and-off battle with drugs, had worked hard her entire life and always stayed close to her family and four children. Reid spoke to the Tribune in 2009. Reid feared the investigation was off-track and that the man police found through a DNA sample would not be charged. "My cousin Linda Morgan was the victim of a violent homicide, '' she wrote in a letter to the state's attorney's office. When she finally got a call from detectives who told her Sandifer had been charged, she felt some closure. "I wanted to make sure that it was clear that ... she was a person and that people loved her.'' Sandifer is slated to appear in court again Aug. 1. Special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes moved to "substitute" Judge Diane Gordon Cannon, shown Dec. 10, 2015, saying without further explanation that she "is prejudiced" against the prosecution. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune ) The special prosecutor who indicted three Chicago police officers on charges they covered up the circumstances of the Laquan McDonald shooting moved late Thursday afternoon to remove a controversial judge from overseeing the hot-button case. Special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes moved to "substitute" Judge Diane Gordon Cannon, saying without further explanation that she "is prejudiced" against the prosecution. Advertisement Holmes asked that a hearing on the issue be held Tuesday, but each side in a criminal case can "substitute" a judge one time, so the request will be automatically granted. Under the law, attorneys making this request must claim that the judge is prejudiced against their side. Another judge will likely be assigned to the case next week. Advertisement Cannon, a former Cook County prosecutor who has battled back from cancer, has sat on the bench at the Leighton Criminal Court Building for many years. She 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." G. Flint Taylor, an attorney who has brought many lawsuits over the decades alleging brutality by Chicago police, called Evans' acquittal "particularly egregious" and applauded the decision by the special prosecutor to remove Cannon from the case. "I think it was very appropriate for her to file that, given Judge Cannon's history in being very pro-police officers in cases of excessive force and police misconduct," said Taylor, who was part of the legal coalition that backed the appointment of special prosecutors in the McDonald killing and alleged cover-up. "We're hopeful that a truly independent judge without ties to the police or law enforcement is selected to replace Judge Cannon," Taylor said. The three officers 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. Earlier this week, attorneys for the three former Detective David March, ex-Officer Joseph Walsh and Officer Thomas Gaffney entered pleas of not guilty, and each defendant was released on his own recognizance. None of the officers' lawyers returned calls Thursday seeking comment on the move to boot Cannon from the case. Advertisement The case against the three officers 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. Brosnahan appears to have stepped aside because her husband, Kriston Kato, a onetime controversial Chicago police detective, 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. Cannon, who was a Cook County assistant state's attorney for 15 years before being elected to the bench in 1996, was then randomly selected to preside over the case. Cannon has been cited by appeals courts in the past for her sometimes harsh demeanor in court against the defense. In a ruling in 2015, an Illinois appeals court faulted Cannon for her behavior during a hearing into whether a learning disabled student, charged with murder at 16, had been coerced into confessing. Advertisement 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." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > 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 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 intense interest. 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. March and Walsh left the department after the inspector general recommended their firing. Gaffney, still with the department when the indictment came down late last month, was suspended without pay. Advertisement mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com Twitter @crepeau A parolee was charged Thursday in the June fatal shooting of a 41-year-old man on Chicago's Near West Side. Albert D. Robertson, 31, of the 5200 block of West Potomac Avenue, was arrested outside his home Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder in the June 4 death of Edward Mason, officials said. Advertisement Mason, of the 4100 block of North Ravenswood Avenue, was shot multiple times in the face and body shortly after 3 a.m. in the 1800 block of West Maypole Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Mason's son and wife were at the scene of the shooting. Advertisement His son curled up on the ground and let out hoarse wails. When he gained enough strength to get up, the son walked back to the tape and tried to enter, but two officers blocked his way. "Don't do this to me. Just one last time," he said the day of the fatal attack. "You can see him in a few hours," replied an officer, trying to soothe him and explain that detectives needed to do their work. Robertson was later identified as the gunman, authorities said. He was charged with murder and had a warrant for a parole violation on an 2009 armed robbery conviction, according to court records. He was scheduled to appear Thursday at a bail hearing. Chicago police are asking for the public's help in finding a 17-year-old girl who went missing six days ago on the Far South Side. Tenille Drane was last seen in the West Pullman neighborhood about 8 p.m. Friday near the area of the 11500 block of South Normal Avenue. She was wearing a gray-and-black hooded sweatshirt with fur around the hood. She was carrying a large black purse, police said. Advertisement Drane is known to frequent the areas of the 6000 block of South Bennett Avenue and the 11900 block of South Michigan Avenue, police said. She is described as black with a medium complexion, black hair and brown eyes. She is 5-foot-5 and about 135 pounds, police said. Advertisement Anyone with information on her whereabouts should call 911 or detectives at 312-747-8274. Dennis Deer, newly elected to 2nd District seat, likely will face some tough votes, including whether to support Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in possibly raising taxes to fill a yawning budget hole if her sweetened beverage tax fails to clear a legal challenge. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune ) The West Side will hold onto its Cook County Board seat for at least another year and a half as Democratic Party officials brokered a deal Thursday for a member of late Commissioner Robert Steele's political organization to finish out his term. It took just a half hour behind closed doors before ward committeemen emerged to say they had unanimously agreed to appoint Dennis Deer to the 2nd District seat. Advertisement The relatively brief powwow took place after 11 candidates made their pitches to represent a district that includes parts of 19 wards from the West Side to downtown and through a swath of the South Side. The unanimous vote belied the private jockeying that came before it. There were four rounds of votes before Deer got over 50 percent, according to 24th Ward Ald. Michael Scott Jr., who led the selection process. Advertisement In the final round of voting, Deer beat out Reyahd Kazmi, a political consultant and member of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations who's married to new City Clerk Anna Valencia. That's according to two people who were in the room for the vote. Deer, who owns a counseling and drug treatment center in Lawndale, will have to fight to keep the seat next year. None of the other 10 applicants ruled out running in the March 2018 primary, and several said they definitely plan to take on the newly installed Deer. In the meantime, Deer likely will face some tough votes, including whether to support County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in possibly raising taxes to fill a yawning budget hole if her sweetened-beverage tax fails to clear a legal challenge. Deer, 44, said he favors the beverage tax, but was noncommittal about voting for other tax hikes. "Obviously we would have to take a look at that and do some research around it," he said. "The goal is to be able to balance our budget out with as little harmful impact on the constituents of Cook County as possible." Steele, who died last month, succeeded his mother, Bobbie Steele, on the county board. Scott was intent on keeping the post in the hands of a resident of the West Side 24th Ward. Deer, a lifelong Lawndale resident, fits the bill, Scott said, not least because his longtime work in the Steele political organization positions Deer to raise money and get out the vote in what could be a bruising, expensive campaign. "Elections these days unfortunately are sometimes not about issues and about money," Scott said. "So it's a good thing to have someone who knows the issues, which is Dennis, and somebody who's able to get out here and fund raise as well." State Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who's married to 28th Ward Ald. Jason Ervin, was on hand for the selection meeting. But in the end, she did not speak to the committeemen. Advertisement Conyears-Ervin was elected in November 2016 to represent a West Side House district, a position with a base salary of about $67,000 a year. County commissioners make $85,000. Ald. Ervin pulls down about $116,000 on the City Council. Asked afterward why his wife opted not to apply for the empty seat, Ald. Ervin said, "You would have to ask her." Conyears-Ervin spokesman Thomas Bowen later sent an email saying the lawmaker didn't apply for the seat, but was on hand Thursday "to make sure her community's voice was present while applicants were being reviewed." jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Thursday that too many students have been treated unfairly as colleges have sought to comply with Obama-era policy on handling sexual assault, but she declined to offer any specifics about how she intends to move forward on one of the more controversial and closely watched issues handled by her agency. "No student should feel like there isn't a way to seek justice, and no student should feel that the scales are tipped against him or her," she told reporters Thursday afternoon, following what she called an "emotionally draining" series of meetings with college administrators, survivors of assault and students who said they were falsely accused and wrongly disciplined. Advertisement The day after her civil rights chief suggested that 90 percent of assault allegations are the result of drunken and regretted sex rather than rape, DeVos sought to show sensitivity to victims, saying that assault allegations should not be "swept under the rug" and women should not be "dismissed." But she also said she was deeply concerned about addressing the concerns of the accused. "Their stories are not often shared," she said. Advertisement Advocates for accused students have been pleased to have the ear of the Trump administration, seeing an opening to roll back Obama-era policies that they argue have results in biased campus sexual assault investigations. During the Thursday session devoted to wrongful accusations, about a half-dozen students (including one woman) told their stories, often tearfully, according to Cynthia Garrett, co-president of Families Advocating for Campus Equality, who was in the meeting. "The secretary was extremely attentive to these students," Garrett said. "We had young men breaking down telling their stories." But advocates for survivors of sexual assault have been alarmed by what they view as DeVos' outsized interest in hearing from wrongfully accused students, given that only a small fraction of rape reports are found to be false. Dozens of survivors and their allies gathered outside the Education Department Thursday to urge DeVos not to roll back federal protections for victims of sexual violence, and to decry what they view as the Trump administration's lack of commitment to enforcing federal civil rights law. On the concrete plaza outside the agency's Washington, D.C., headquarters, activists read the stories of survivors from across the country while DeVos held her meetings inside. "Survivors want to make it very clear that we deserve to be listened to," said Mahroh Jahangiri of the advocacy group Know Your IX, one of the event's organizers. Education Department officials are weighing whether to keep or reject Obama-era guidance that outlined how schools must meet their obligations under Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination at federally funded institutions. Critics of that guidance, issued in 2011, said it was an executive overreach that set too low a bar for campus administrators to find a student guilty of sexual assault. It "incentivized these campus panels to err on the side of punishing potentially innocent students," said Christopher Perry of Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE), who met with DeVos Thursday. Advertisement Some accused students hope the Trump administration will take a different tack. Joseph Roberts said he was "cautiously optimistic" that federal officials will care about his story: Roberts said he was falsely accused of sexual harassment and suspended three weeks before he was due to graduate from Savannah State University, an experience that left him hopeless and suicidal. The guidance, he said, "definitely needs to be reexamined." Victims advocates and some lawyers believe that the problem is not with the guidance, but with the way some colleges have interpreted it. "They went overboard in terms of changing their policies," said Naomi Shatz, a Boston lawyer who represents accused students. Shatz said too many schools don't hold hearings and don't give accused students a chance to see the evidence against them - approaches that are unfair and not dictated by the guidance. Several college officials who participated in the meeting said they were grateful to be asked about this issue, as they had not been during the Obama administration. In 2012 the American Council on Education sent a letter to the department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) with a number of questions, asking for clarification of the 2011 directive, said Terry Hartle of ACE. "The letter has never been answered," he said. "The Obama administration took such an enforcement-centered approach that institutions were reluctant to ask questions of OCR for fear of being flagged for an audit," he said. Advertisement Victims' rights activists argue that the guidance is firmly rooted in existing law and fear that DeVos intends to jettison the guidance. They said remarks this week by Candice Jackson, the acting head of Education's Office for Civil Rights, seemed to confirm that fear. Speaking to the New York Times, Jackson argued that college investigations have often been unfair to accused students, in part because of undue pressure from the federal government. She claimed that "90 percent" of accusations "fall into the category of 'we were both drunk,' 'we broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right." Jackson has since apologized for the statement, saying her words "poorly characterized the conversations I've had" with advocates. "As a survivor of rape myself, I would never seek to diminish anyone's experience," she said. "All sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously - which has always been my position and will always be the position of this Department." Jackson apologized again to survivors in the meeting Thursday, according to attendees. "It's impossible to take something like that back," said Fatima Goss Graves of the National Women's Law Center, who was in the meeting. But she said the department can show its commitment to protecting students by helping colleges understand how to fairly adjudicate sexual assault allegations, and by conducting a listening tour to hear from survivors around the country. "We can't expect them to go to Washington, D.C.," Goss Graves said. "The department has to go to them and listen deeply." DeVos said that while she intends to continue seeking input, she wants to move quickly to make changes. Advertisement Thursday's event was one part of a broader effort to mobilize support for maintaining the 2011 Title IX guidance, which victims' rights advocates greeted as a step toward ensuring disciplinary consequences for students found to have committed assault. In an op-ed published in Teen Vogue this week, 114 sexual assault survivors called on DeVos to keep the guidance in place. "We cannot imagine a more cruel or misguided policy agenda than one that withdraws protections from vulnerable students - especially coming from the administration of a man who has been repeatedly accused of committing sexual violence himself," they wrote. In a letter to DeVos on Wednesday, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., urged her to keep the 2011 guidance in place and decried her decision to meet with advocates for the accused, including the National Coalition for Men and Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE), which the Southern Poverty Law Center has called misogynistic. "Instead of catering to organizations that want to sweep sexual assaults on college campuses under the rug, the Department of Education should confront this challenge directly by coming to uphold the protections currently in place," Casey wrote. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who spoke at Thursday's event outside the agency headquarters, said she doesn't want to see an innocent person punished "any more than I want to see a guilty person let off the hook." But she said there are still too many victims who are met with blame and retaliation rather than support and protection. "There continues to be heinous injustice across this country," she said. The Washington Post's Susan Svrluga contributed to this report. Police on Thursday returned to a large Pennsylvania farm to resume digging and sifting through a deep common grave where multiple remains were discovered, including one identified as one of four men missing since last week. The prosecutor also issued a fresh appeal for more help from the public in trying to solve the case. "They are down 12 foot deep in a hole that is getting deeper by the minute," District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said. Weintraub held a dramatic midnight news conference to announce that remains had been found buried deep underground after four days of searching a farm property north of Philadelphia. So far, investigators have only been able to identify one set of remains those of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, one of the four young men who vanished last week. The prosecutor said he was hopeful more will be able to be identified. He said police are determined to "bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another." On Wednesday, police arrested a young man whose parents own the farm on a charge he tried to sell a car belonging to one of the missing men. Cosmo DiNardo, who is being held on $5 million cash bail, has been described as a person of interest in the investigation. But the prosecutor continued to stop short of calling him a suspect. The recovered car was found on a second DiNardo family property about a half mile from the farm. A second victim's car was also found less than 3 miles away. The prosecutor has dribbled out details of the investigation at twice-daily briefing near where the remains were found. Little has been said about how all the young men are connected or what might have led to the disappearance of the four. At least three of the four missing men knew one another. Weintraub said Thursday he does know more about the relationships among the men but can't share more information because he needs to "maintain the integrity of the investigation." "This is a homicide. Make no mistake about it. We just don't know how many homicides," Weintraub said at his middle-of-the-night news conference. DiNardo, 20, was first arrested Monday and held on $1 million bail on an unrelated gun charge before his father paid $100,000 to bail him out Tuesday. The charge stems from accusations that DiNardo was caught with a shotgun and ammunition in February despite a prior involuntary commitment to a mental health institution. The back-to-back arrests bought investigators time as they scoured the farm and other spots across the county for clues to the men's disappearance, Weintraub said. DiNardo's parents, Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, own the farm in upper Bucks County, a bucolic area with rolling hillsides, new housing developments and historic sites. They also own a concrete company near their home in Bensalem, closer to Philadelphia. An attorney representing the couple issued a statement saying they sympathize with the families of the missing men and are cooperating "in every way possible with the investigation." The FBI had been using heavy equipment to dig a deep trench on the farm property and then sifting through each bucket of dirt by hand. Cadaver dogs led authorities to the spot on the 90-acre farm in Solebury Township where they discovered the remains inside a 12-foot-deep common grave. "I don't understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12 feet below the ground," Weintraub said. Fire and rescue crews on Thursday were using plywood to help shore up the deep grave as investigators worked inside under intense heat and choking dust. "They're tenderly, painstakingly, reverentially recovering the remains of people they do not even know," Weintraub said. The other missing men are 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, 21-year-old Tom Meo and 19-year-old Jimi Tar Patrick. Patrick, who was a year behind DiNardo at a Roman Catholic high school for boys, was last seen on July 5; the other three disappeared on Friday. It's unclear how well the four knew DiNardo, if at all. STERLING, Ill. A 15-year-old Illinois girl posted "I love you so much mom" on Facebook after allegedly shooting her mother in the head and trying to conceal the body by setting the house on fire. Police say the body of Peggy S. Schroeder, 53, of Morrison was found in a burning home Saturday in Morrison, about 130 miles west of Chicago. Schroeder's daughter was charged as a juvenile with two counts of first-degree murder, concealing a homicide and arson. Another 15-year-old girl could face charges of concealing a homicide and arson for allegedly helping the daughter. Advertisement Sheriff's detective David Molina said the second girl admitted the details to her mother, who drove her to the sheriff's department to tell police. They located the daughter, who confessed to the killing. The Associated Press is not naming the girls because they are juveniles. Advertisement Molina testified in court Tuesday that the daughter was waiting at home July 6 when Schroeder returned from work. The daughter met her in the living room, told Schroeder to put a towel over her face and shot her in the forehead, Molina said. The daughter then texted her friend about what she did and included a picture of Schroeder's body when her friend said she didn't believe her, Molina said. The friend went to the daughter's home Thursday evening and the girls tried to clean blood from the carpet, he said. The next morning the girls moved Schroeder's body to her bedroom floor and covered her with a sheet. The girls then went to a Subway restaurant to get a sandwich when the daughter learned that her father was coming to Morrison. Molina said the girl vomited in the restaurant bathroom. The girls then went to buy more cleaning supplies, he said. They decided to run away and dyed their hair, Molina said, according to Sauk Valley Media. Saturday morning the girls set the home on fire to destroy evidence, Molina said, with the friend setting the sheet over Schroeder's body on fire. The daughter went to her father's house and her friend went home, the detective said. Later Saturday neighbors reported smelling burned plastic. An off-duty firefighter who was in the area broke down the door as the daughter's father drove up to the home and called 911, Molina said. The friend became overcome with guilt and told her mother what happened, Molina said. The friend's mother drove the girl to the sheriff's department Saturday night and the friend told Molina everything and where her friend could be found. The daughter was located at her father's house. Molina testified that daughter confessed everything, including researching children who murdered their parents. Sauk Valley Media reports that the daughter posted on her mother's Facebook page with two heart icons, saying "I don't even know if you can see me right now but if you can I just want you to know you were my best friend. There were so many things I wanted to say and do with you. I wasn't always the best daughter and I'm so sorry. I love you so much mom I just want you to know and I'll never forget you." The Whiteside County Sheriff's Department and Whiteside County state's attorney's office would not release information on the case when contacted Wednesday. Advertisement An autopsy was done Tuesday but authorities said the official cause of death wouldn't be released until a pathologist's report is complete. The daughter's defense attorney, Jim Mertes of Sterling, said he had no comment on the case but did say that it "will involve continuing and extensive investigation." "My client is a young child and needs to be viewed as the law views her, as a young child," Mertes said. Both girls are in custody at a juvenile detention center in Galesburg. They appeared in Whiteside County Court on Tuesday and are scheduled to return to court Aug. 8. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, told CNN on Tuesday that Donald Trump Jr., deserves "credit" for releasing on Twitter, of course a fascinating batch of compromising emails about how he helped his father's campaign during last year's election. That's one way to look at it. Advertisement Another way is that the president's eldest son just stepped in something stinky. And, given that he's a chip off the old block, he may not have the wit or the awareness to realize that he may have caused himself more problems than he's solved. The younger Trump has been rattled by media scrutiny following days of reporting from The New York Times and others that he met with a Russian lawyer last June who claimed to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Advertisement Trump Jr. told the Times on Saturday that he had met with the lawyer to discuss a Russian adoption program. Trump Jr. was forced to acknowledge on Sunday, after the Times presented him with new information, that the meeting took place because he was promised dirt on Clinton, his father's opponent in the presidential race. On Monday evening, the Times reported that Trump Jr. was told via email that the Clinton information was "part of a Russian government effort to aid in his father's candidacy." Trump Jr. seems to have grown weary of this barrage of coverage, which has tainted both his credibility and his father's campaign's repeated denials that they knew anything about the Kremlin's efforts to help their man win the 2016 election. So Donald Jr. did what Donald Sr. does: He took his case to Twitter. In an extraordinary pair of tweets on Tuesday, Donald Jr. told the world that "in order to be totally transparent" he had decided to release emails he shared with the friend and publicist who arranged the meeting, Rob Goldstone. Trump also noted in one tweet that the meeting occurred "before the Russian fever was in vogue" (an apparent reference to media coverage and a federal investigation that his father describes as a "witch hunt"). He and Goldstone both decided, Trump noted, that the information they received at the meeting and it's still not clear what that information was was "the most inane nonsense." Still, Trump was excited about the meeting, according to his email. Goldstone said that they would be meeting with a "Russian government attorney" who had "documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia" all of which "is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." That made young Trump happy. "If it's what you say I love it," he responded. In fact, he loved it so much that he invited his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his father's campaign manager, Paul Manafort, to the meeting, too. Here's the Goldstone kicker, in an email he sent to Donald Jr.: "I can also send this info to your father via Rhona, but it is ultra sensitive so wanted to send to you first." "Rhona" refers to Rhona Graff. She has been the elder Trump's aide-de-camp and gatekeeper at the Trump Organization for about 25 years. She screened calls, visitors and meetings and continued playing that role for awhile even after Trump moved into the White House. Advertisement So was President Donald Trump aware of the meeting his son arranged? The White House said yesterday that he wasn't, so perhaps not. But it's worth noting that the Trump children have never operated very freely within the family business or hierarchy. A former business partner of the Trumps, Jody Kriss, recently put it this way in an interview with me: "Donald was always in charge. Donald had to agree to every term of every deal and had to sign off on everything. Nothing happened unless he said it was okay to do it. Even if Donald Jr. shook your hand on a deal, he came back downstairs to renegotiate if his father told him to." Let's be generous. Running for president is hard work, so maybe the father was too busy to supervise his son closely during the campaign. But Donald Jr.'s email release Tuesday has given the Justice Department new material to work with as it continues to investigate whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin to tip the 2016 election. Donald Jr.'s email release also presents more direct problems for the president's son. His supporters, like CNN pundit Jeffrey Lord, have said that he was merely collecting opposition research, a normal part of any campaign. But if an American citizen cooperates with a foreign entity that's spending money to influence a U.S. election, it can be considered a crime. The emails that Donald Jr., released Tuesday made it plain that he believed that he might be getting Kremlin-sourced information about Clinton. Whether that opens the door for prosecution will be for the Justice Department to decide. "My son is a high-quality person and I applaud his transparency," President Trump said in a statement the White House released Tuesday. "Beyond that I'm going to have to refer everything beyond this matter to Don Jr.'s counsel and outside counsel." Since Donald Jr. obviously has access to legal counsel, that raises another interesting question about his Twitter extravaganza: Did he seek the advice of his lawyers before posting his documents in response to yet another set of questions from the Times? Advertisement I don't know, but I'd hazard a guess that he didn't. His father, always a solo pilot, has never been one to seek advice legal or otherwise prior to speaking up or taking actions he thinks are sound. His father has always been fond of media battles, even if engaging in them means brushing aside the careful consideration of business or legal tactics. Exhibit A for the latter has been the president's willingness to attack judges and federal investigators on Twitter, even if it raises the prospect of deepening his legal troubles. So one explanation for Donald Jr.'s Twitter foray on Tuesday is that his father trained him well. Maybe too well. Bloomberg View Timothy O'Brien is the executive editor of Bloomberg Gadfly and Bloomberg View. He has been an editor and writer for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, HuffPost and Talk magazine. His books include "TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald." Boston, Massachusetts Traditionally, when a car breaks down, the solution has been to fix it. Repair manuals, knowledgeable mechanics and auto parts stores make car repairs common, quick and relatively inexpensive. Even with modern computer-equipped vehicles, regular people have plenty they can do: change oil, change tires and many more advanced upgrades. But when a computer or smartphone breaks, it's hard to get it fixed, and much more common to throw the broken device away. Even small electronic devices can add up to massive amounts of electronic waste between 20 million and 50 million metric tons of electronic devices every year, worldwide. Some of this waste is recycled, but most including components involving lead and mercury goes into landfills. Bigger equipment can be just as difficult to repair. Today's farmers often can't fix the computers running their tractors, because manufacturers claim that farmers don't actually own them. Companies argue that specialized software running tractors and other machines is protected by copyright and patent laws, and allowing farmers access to it would harm the companies' intellectual property rights. Users' right to repair or to pay others to fix objects they own is in jeopardy. However, in our surveys and examinations of product life cycles, my colleagues and I are finding that supporting people who want to repair and reuse their broken devices can yield benefits including profits for electronics manufacturers. A corporate quandary At least eight states Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Tennessee are considering laws that would require companies to let customers fix their broken electronics. The proposals typically make manufacturers sell parts, publish repair manuals and make available diagnostic tools, such as scanning devices that identify sources of malfunctions. In an encouraging move, the U.S. Copyright Office suggested in June that similar rules should apply nationwide. And the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that companies' patent rights don't prevent people from reselling their electronics privately. Seen one way, these regulations put manufacturing companies in a tough spot. Manufacturers can earn a lot of money from selling authorized parts and service. Yet to remain competitive, they must constantly innovate and develop new products. To keep costs down, they can't keep making and stocking parts for old and outdated devices forever. This leads to what's called "planned obsolescence," the principle that a company designs its items to have relatively short useful lives, which will end roughly around the time a new version of the product comes out. However, our research suggests that companies can take a different approach designing and building products that can be refurbished and repaired for reuse while building customer loyalty and brand awareness. By analyzing surveys of hobbyists and the repair industry, we've also found that there are barriers, such as a lack of repair manuals and spare parts, that impede the growth of the repair industry that can be improved upon. Consumers want to fix their devices Even as machines and devices have become less mechanical and more electronic, we have found that customers still expect to be able to repair and continue using electronic products they purchase. When manufacturers support that expectation, by offering repair manuals, spare parts and other guidance on how to fix their products, they build customer loyalty. Specifically, we found that customers are more likely to buy additional products from that manufacturer, and are more likely to recommend that manufacturer's product to friends. The math here is simple: More customers using a company's products, whether brand-new or still kicking after many years, equals more money for the business. Our research also shows that the failure of most electronic devices is due to simple accidents such as dropping a device or spilling water on it. The most common problem is a broken screen. There are other issues, too such as batteries that no longer hold their charges or circuit boards that just stop working. Even nontechnical users often want to pay someone to clean their devices and replace parts such as damaged screens and old batteries. If manufacturers provided access to replacement parts, more damaged items could be repaired, extending their usefulness. Apple could seize an opportunity here: It has just begun assembling older iPhone models in India, which means it is still making parts that others could use to fix the devices they already have. Helping consumers, companies and the environment Technology manufacturers should take steps to promote customers' right to repair their broken devices, which helps cut down on electronic waste and boost brand loyalty. But if they won't, laws and regulations can help. In France, for example, a 2015 law requires manufacturers to tell customers before they purchase an item for how long repair parts will be available. That lets consumers decide how much they want to factor in the possibility for repairs when deciding whether to buy something new. Supporting repair rights can also bring economic benefits to more than just the technology sector. There were 4,623 consumer electronic repair and maintenance companies in 1998 in the U.S. By 2015, that number had dropped to 2,072. Independent vendors are creating online marketplaces where people can buy and sell used and repaired gadgets. Other companies like iFixit and Repair Cafe are creating networks of people who share information on repairing electronics, and even getting groups of people together in person to work on their devices. Meanwhile 3-D printing continues to make it easier and cheaper for people to produce replacement parts for older devices. Companies shouldn't fear people taking too much into their own hands, though: While it's been possible for a few years to 3-D print and hand-assemble entire computers, they're not very good. People are much more likely to buy corporate-made devices; they just want to be able to repair them when they break down. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/why-cant-we-fix-our-own-electronic-devices-77601. Political memories are short, but they shouldn't be this short. Amid all the outrage about Donald Trump Jr.'s willingness a year ago to find out what dirt the Russian government may have had on Hillary Clinton, it's worth remembering his father's press conference on July 27, 2016. "I will tell you this, Russia: If you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," Trump told reporters in Florida. He was talking about Clinton's emails from her time as secretary of state that she had reportedly failed to turn over to the government. "Let's see if that happens. That'll be next." Trump also made it clear that he considered any foreign meddling in the election a sign of disrespect for the Obama administration something that should play in his favor with voters. Advertisement Trump's opponents were as indignant then as they are today. "This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent," said Jake Sullivan, policy adviser to Hillary for America. Former CIA Director Leon Panetta said Trump's comments were "beyond the pale" because he was "asking the Russians to engage in American politics." Advertisement The U.S. public has known for a year that Trump would have no scruples about using the spoils of Russian spying against Clinton. (He tweeted later that he'd encourage the Russians to turn out any Clinton emails to the FBI, but that was just an attempt to divert the criticism). So the public hasn't found out much that is new from the decision of Donald Trump Jr. to take a meeting with a Russian lawyer who had been described to him in an email as a Russian government representative bearing anti-Clinton gifts for his father. In the summer of 2016, with Trump far behind in the polls, the family would have accepted that kind of help from the devil himself, not just Russian President Vladimir Putin. The candidate wasn't making much of a secret about it. Moreover, unlike his son, he expressed willingness to accept Russian intelligence as a campaign tool after the Democratic National Committee hack was reported. President Obama and Clinton made clear they would treat this as a national security breach rather than another part of winning the race for the White House. Trump made no such distinctions. Almost all Trump supporters I talked to at rallies across the U.S. last year explained their preference by praising Trump's perceived frankness. "He tells it like it is," I heard again and again. In this case, too, he unashamedly spoke his mind, doing just what his voters admired. Many of them liked Putin more than Clinton, too, so accepting his help against her didn't look all that un-American to them. Thanks to those people, Trump is now U.S. president. It's only natural that his only comment on his son's decision to publish what many saw as incriminating emails and still more saw as a gigantic lapse in judgment was to praise his openness and transparency. It was another way to protect his brand's strongest selling point to his base. I find a different aspect of the Russian lawyer episode more intriguing than Donald Trump Jr.'s willingness to accept Russian help. It's probably safe to say that lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya delivered no such help not because both Trump Jr. and Veselnitskaya say so, but because the Trump campaign never revealed any kompromat, to use a Russian word, on Clinton's ties with Russia. Music promoter Rob Goldstone, who arranged the meeting, emailed the candidate's son that this is what Veselnitskaya would bring, but he was clearly wrong, intentionally or not. It probably wouldn't have been hard for the Kremlin to use Trump's Russian business partners such as the Agalarov family, involved in arranging the Veselnitskaya message to pass on information. It missed the opportunity, however. Months into the investigation of Russian election meddling, no information has come to light suggesting that Russia actually provided any ammunition to the Trump campaign, even though we know the Trumps would have welcomed it and a Republican operative, Peter W. Smith, also tried to solicit it, perhaps acting on the campaign's behalf. It takes two to collude. The Trumps and other people on their side were ready to dance. But the partner, apparently, was a no-show. At most and that is still not proven the Russian government provided the spoils of several hacks to WikiLeaks, not to the Trump campaign. Advertisement If it's true that the Kremlin did not want to collude with the Trump camp and it certainly looks that way its possible reasons are the most interesting part of the story. An obvious explanation that comes to mind is that Putin didn't believe in his ultimate victory and so didn't want be caught helping him because of possible retaliation from President Clinton. The only thing for Putin to like about Trump is the chaos he can cause with his overconfident novice's ways, but it can also be a threat. The Kremlin ultimately likes predictability and is itself predictable. Another possible explanation is that Putin's U.S. experts thought helping Trump directly could have harmed his campaign. Where Trump was openly careless, the Russians are crafty enough to anticipate the political fallout. WikiLeaks damaged Clinton without directly involving Trump in the dirty business of hacking and colluding. This, of course, is only guesswork. Yet I wouldn't completely give up hope that we'll know one day. Putin waited a year before he revealed the details of his planning for the 2014 Crimea annexation. Perhaps a moment will come when he feels free to talk about the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign in a similar way, and we'll be able to piece together the story of the Kremlin's hopes and fears for that race. Bloomberg View 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. Related articles: Advertisement Trump's Russian circus: Scandal hijacks the administration's agenda Donald Trump Jr. is acting just like his dad No, Donald Trump Jr. did not commit treason Is Mike Pence betting it will all come crashing down on Trump? The Park Ridge Park District board ended a program that allowed elected officials free access to programs and facilities, such as the Centennial Fitness Center (shown). (HANDOUT) Today we celebrate six party poopers. Drum roll please for Jim O'Brien, Mel Thillens, Robert Leach, Jim Janak, Jim O'Donnell and Harmony Harrington. They are members of the Park Ridge Park District board who voted to end a policy that gave them free access to park district facilities and programs. A seventh member, Cindy Grau, was absent the night of the vote. Party's over. Advertisement It might not seem revolutionary to nix freebies that don't dramatically impact taxpayers, given the perks that accompany many elected positions in Illinois pensions for part-time work, taxpayer-subsidized health care, expense accounts and travel. But the Park Ridge park board members' action should be applauded and emulated. They gave up a benefit. Who's next? Under the new policy adopted in June, board members who want to use the district's Centennial Fitness Center, for example, will have to buy a membership like everyone else does. Same for the summer pool, the batting cages or open skate at the ice arena. The elected officials will be required to pay for any classes or programs. Advertisement "I felt like we didn't need it. Why should taxpayers pay to subsidize my activity center or fitness center membership?" O'Donnell asked. Great question. The answer O'Donnell & Co. reached: Taxpayers shouldn't. For years, free access to Park Ridge Park District amenities served as a backdoor benefit for those elected to the board. Board positions are unpaid, per a state statute that prohibits compensation for anyone serving on a park district board statewide. Supporters of the previous perks policy said it served not only as a reasonable tradeoff for a voluntary job, but it also helped with accountability. Park board members could critique programs and facilities firsthand. But when voters in April elected a crop of new, fiscally-minded board members yes, party poopers the newcomers and Thillens, a holdover, focused on the policy. Some expressed concern the free access might violate the "no compensation" rule in state statute. The value of their freebies did add up. An annual fitness club membership, for example, can cost as much as $400 for residents. Throw in a free pool membership and access to other amenities, and you're talking real money. So the board members axed their free access. Good for them. In a state where part-time township officials and county board members can rack up pension and health benefits, where part-time lawmakers in Springfield qualify for a pension after just eight years on the job, Park Ridge's action is worth applauding. As we asked in the third paragraph: Who's next? Advertisement Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. President of the Senate John J. Cullerton is seen on last day of the Illinois General Assembly in regular session at the State Capitol in Springfield on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Now that the state of Illinois has a budget, maybe you thought the crisis was over and the doomsday warnings would cease. Sadly, no. Advertisement A new doomsday looms: Schools across the state may not be able to open, or stay open, through the 2017-18 year. That's because billions of dollars in state funding for schools is bottled up awaiting the outcome of you guessed it a battle between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders. The money to pay for schools is in the budget package that lawmakers passed, as is that 32 percent income tax hike. But lawmakers also linked school funding for the upcoming school year to a separate bill that dramatically changes the way the state distributes money to districts. That bill drives more resources to poorer districts to balance what is now the worst-in-the-nation gap between what wealthy districts and low-income districts can provide for a child's education. Advertisement Where is that bill? Sitting in Senate President John Cullerton's office instead of in Rauner's inbox. Why? Because Rauner indicated he would veto the bill. Supporters of the bill think that by keeping it away from Rauner, they're buying time to persuade him to sign it. But schools don't have much time. Districts need to know if they will have the money to open. Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Emily Bittner tells us Chicago schools will open even without money the district typically receives for each school year from the state last year, $1.7 billion. But that's only because the district has borrowed to the hilt. Other districts could join CPS in reckless borrowing if Rauner and the Dems don't work out a solution. Enough stalling, legislators. Cullerton should send the bill to Rauner. And the legislature should prepare to return to Springfield, soon, to address his possible veto. Here's how: We have said all along that there's a lot to like in this school bill. It is the best chance in more than 20 years to begin shortening the bridge between what wealthy school districts can spend and what low-income school districts can offer. The bill is not a CPS bailout. Repeat: It is not a CPS bailout. More than 260 school districts gain more per-pupil funding under the formula changes than CPS would gain. Many of them are downstate. What we have recommended, and what we hope Rauner will consider, is vetoing one portion of the bill that gives CPS pension relief. Yes, the state already pays for pensions of every other district statewide, and it's not unreasonable that CPS should get help too. But not until lawmakers go a step further and curb pension costs for taxpayers statewide: Pass the separate Cullerton pension bill that is sitting in the House Rules Committee, or a strong version of it. The bill would give employees in the pension systems an option to switch up their plans. Create a 401(k)-style plan for new workers. End pensions for legislators. The more reforms, the better. Do that quickly, and also give CPS its pension relief. That was the deal struck last year between Rauner and Democratic leaders. Stick to it. But don't let this school funding bill collapse. Help Robbins. Help Rock Island. Help Rockford. Rauner, along with a team of new advisers, has a chance to demonstrate he is a voice for all schools in Illinois. With a Republican executive branch and a Democratic legislature, this bill is as close as this state likely will get to fixing a funding formula that everyone agrees punishes districts with low real estate values. Advertisement It's not perfect. But sage advice in policy-making: Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Become a subscriber today to support editorial writing like this. Start getting full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. And now, ladies and gentlemen, the Trumps present another performance of the long-running Russian circus at the White House. Day by day, week by week, details emerge and evidence mounts that President Donald Trump and members of his inner circle harbor a foolish, careless infatuation with Russia. Act by startling act, it's dragging down Trump's presidency. Advertisement With special counsel Robert Mueller investigating whether Trump associates colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election, the focus shifted harshly this week to the president's eldest son. On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. released an email trail from last summer confirming the strange circumstances of his meeting with a Russian lawyer who has Kremlin ties. The emails connected Trump Jr. to Russian government efforts to help the Trump campaign by offering up evidence to "incriminate" Hillary Clinton. This evidence was offered as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump, " Rob Goldstone, a friend, wrote to Trump Jr. He replied immediately: "If it's what you say I love it." Days later, on June 9, 2016, Trump Jr. met with the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, at Trump Tower in New York. Also in the room were Jared Kushner, the then-candidate's son-in-law, who is now a top White House official, and Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman at the time. Advertisement Trump Jr. said he accepted the invitation as an exercise in opposition research, but he described the meeting as "inane nonsense." The Russian lawyer's talk of Clinton quickly pivoted to a discussion of international sanctions and adoptions. It came to nothing. "In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently," Trump Jr. said Tuesday. As in, he would have refused to meet with a Russian operative offering dirt on a political opponent? That would have been good. So would a follow-up call to the FBI, given that federal election laws bar campaigns from accepting contributions and other help from foreigners. Instead, Trump Jr. jumped at the chance to meet a shadowy figure connected to the Kremlin. Does he reply the same way "I love it" when he's emailed offers of riches from a Nigerian prince? Mueller's investigation continues, as do congressional probes. So it would be premature to speculate on whether the email trail is a "smoking gun" the damning evidence of collusion not previously unearthed. But we've seen a lot in recent days from Trump's White House that suggests the administration is more likely than not to get eaten alive by this scandal. To start with, Donald Trump Jr., who was a key figure in the campaign, has shown himself to be an easily bamboozled nitwit. Kushner, already a focus of attention in the Russia affair, with this becomes more deeply enmeshed. Kushner needed to revise his security clearance forms to reflect the June meeting, which he previously omitted. Meanwhile, the president goes on acting as if Vladimir Putin may still turn out to be a best friend forever, instead of the dangerous geopolitical adversary most Americans recognize. At their meeting last week, Trump missed a chance to confront Putin publicly about Russia's meddling in the election. Instead, Trump in a tweet proposed teaming up with Putin to form "an impenetrable Cyber Security unit" to guard against hacking. The idea, akin to partnering with the fox on henhouse security, made no sense, and hours later Trump acknowledged as much. So here we are at another twist in Trump's presidency, not focused on jobs or tax reform or the replacement for Obamacare. Instead, we're (a) trying to understand if the president's son broke the law, while (b) we're keeping an eye on confirmation hearings for the next FBI director, as we (c) try to divine whether the president obstructed justice, because (d) Trump fired the previous FBI director, who (e) was conducting the Justice Department's investigation of Russian collusion allegations. Whew. Every day this scandal continues, it kills another day's chances of Trump working his agenda. But, hey, at least the circus is in town. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Construction is underway on a multimillion-dollar Speedway Cafe in Lake Barrington that, village officials said, will provide residents with a much-needed gas station and convenience store closer to home. Lake Barrington Village Board members recently approved the proposed $6 million gas station and store. The demolition of a former veterinarian clinic located on the site at Kelsey Road and Northwest Highway began in late June, officials said. Advertisement Eyeing a late September or early October opening, the new Speedway Cafe will offer customers a selection of hot dogs, pizzas, sandwiches and beverages as they stop to refuel their cars, said Village President Kevin Richardson. "I certainly know that residents have said they buy gasoline in other communities," Richardson said. "It's an important convenience for the village, and a company does not invest this kind of time and money unless a community needs it." Advertisement Headquartered in Enon, Ohio, Speedway LLC operates 2,730 stores in 21 states, according to its website. tshields@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @twitter I saw a number of attractive yard signs sprouting up around the Fourth of July and could tell immediately that the artist was Hinsdale's own Maureen Claffy. She has an unmistakably exuberant style whether she is painting flowers in a vase, abstract shapes and circles or a series of valentine-shaped hearts in red, white and blue marching across a canvas. Advertisement The yard signs read "Love One Another" and "Love Lives Here." They were patriotic and optimistic. In small letters there was a website: lovelivesusa.org. I called Maureen, but was a little late in talking to her because the yard signs were only part of the campaign. The artwork was displayed on digital billboards in Chicago for several days around the Fourth of July. Two were in Wrigleyville, one in Lincoln Park, one in the Gold Coast and one on Interstate 294. Advertisement They flashed: "One Nation," "Love One Another" and "Love Lives In America." These boards carried red, white and blue messages of patriotism, love, hope and unity. I do not know Maureen well at all but her art work has always attracted me. I particularly like the sign "Love One Another," not just because of the written message. The picture is of a large heart and inside the Valentine something is bursting out, fragmented but fitting nicely within the space, each little piece irregular, assymetrical but self-contained and contributing to the beauty of the whole despite an apparent lack of order. It seems such an appropriate metaphor for our country. In the one called "One Nation" we have a graphic of the continental United States painted in red and blue and white swirls curling around each other, creating waves and motion. As she was painting these images, Claffy said she found the red and the blue kept and swirling and staying together. She was unable to separate them, though she also did not physically mix them together to create purple either. The red and blue can't be separated. "We are one nation," she said, no matter whether you are red or blue. The tone and tenor of last year's presidential election inspired Claffy and these images, which are all part of her America The Beautiful Series. She said she found the election's language uncivil, unsafe and sometimes offensive. She was part of the women's march that took place after the presidential inauguration this year, and afterward she said she felt "that there was all this energy and what are we going to do with it." She expressed her concern and her energy in the way that she knows how: through painting. She came up with a few images and worked with graphic designer Christian Fleming. He is the one who took the idea of the United States' shape as the outline for one of the billboards. He took the work and used photo shop and came up with the fonts, designs for the words and written elements. Advertisement Claffy collaborated with other village women, specifically Nancy Pollak, Ramsey Ellis and Mandy Roudebush to come up with a message: Love Lives Here. Claffy was struck by the boldness of that statement and also by the rightness of it. "The message has to be love all the way," she said. She would like to see us all love one another and insists on love and respect in the way that we treat one another despite differences. Claffy went even further. She thought about what her country means to her. She remembers our nation's Bicentennial in 1976, a time "I fell in love with my nation." Even then she realized blessed we are to live in such an amazing place, and as she grew up, she learned how amazing it was that this group of men, our Founding Fathers, put together a document that is inclusive, life affirming and that seeks to make our lives better. Claffy and her group hope to raise enough money to buy digital billboard space from one end of the United States to another for Labor Day weekend. I find the beauty, joy, obvious love and even the irregularities of her images very positive and inspiring. Clarendon Hills Middle School assistant principal Levi Brown will be recommended Friday to the Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 Board as the replacement for Griffin Sonntag, who resigned resigned as principal to take a job at Pleasantdale Middle School. Superintendent Don White said Brown was chosen from a field of 44 candidates who completed the application process and six who were interviewed. White is recommending a base salary of $110,000 for Brown. Advertisement "Levi's familiarity with the staff was a factor in the decision, but his leadership style, experiences and my confidence in his ability to lead the building weighed more in my decision," White said. "I wanted a leader that can continue the great learning environment and service to students and families. I believe he is the right person at the right time for CHMS. " Brown came to CHMS a year ago as assistant principal and said working for a year at the school will be helpful as he moves into his new position. Advertisement "I think the consistency is important, especially for staff," Brown said. "Griffin was an outstanding principal, and he and I really have the same philosophy for education: very student centered." The District 181 Board must give the approval of Brown as principal before he officially takes over the job. "Speaking for myself, I think the board needs to trust the superintendent's judgment for administrative hirings, especially at the school level," board President Jennifer Burns said Wednesday. Brown said he plans to maintain the school's focus on high academic standards, without compromising the importance of educating the whole child. "CHMS is an incredible place to both work and learn, and my goal is to continue the amazing accomplishments achieved by those before me," he said. While at CHMS for the last year, Brown has been active in school improvement planning, served as test coordinator and served on the districtwide Performance Evaluation Reform Act Committee. "I am honored, humbled, and excited to lead CHMS in a larger capacity," he said. "The students, staff, and parents of this district have made me feel at home this past year, and I look forward to building more positive relationships over the coming years." Brown earned a bachelor's degree in government and secondary social studies education and a master's degree in secondary education from the University of Virginia. He is finishing the dissertation for his Ph.D. in education policy and leadership from George Mason University. Advertisement White and Brown will be working together to consider candidates for the now-vacant assistant principal's position, pending Brown's approval as principal. "Our goal is to complete the hiring process as soon as possible and find the right leadership partner who can support the strong learning environment at CHMS," White said. cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @chuckwriting Administrators are counting the days their districts can survive if the state gives them little to no money come August, a real possibility if legislative and political wrangling continues in Springfield. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Across school districts in pricey suburbs, disadvantaged communities and downstate rural enclaves, words such as "uncertainty," "frightening" and even "crisis" are popping up in conversations. Administrators are counting the days their districts can survive if the state gives them little to no money come August, a real possibility if legislative and political wrangling continues in Springfield. Advertisement "These are things that keep me up at night," said Kevin J. Nohelty, superintendent of south Cook County's Dolton School District 148, where almost all children are minorities and low-income. He said his district has enough money to operate until mid-December even if state dollars don't materialize, but not all districts have that much cash on hand. And if the Illinois State Board of Education doesn't come through, "we won't last more than six months," Nohelty said. Advertisement ISBE officials say they can't distribute billions in state money to districts because of a problem in the legislative process. Lawmakers allocated that money to go to school districts in 2017-18, but ISBE can't disburse the funds unless another, separate piece of legislation is enacted. That legislation outlines the new way Illinois wants to divvy up state education funds. It's called an "evidence-based" approach that supporters say would ensure students get an adequate education, give struggling children additional resources and help reduce large gaps in revenues and spending between wealthy and less affluent districts. Critics maintain the model won't necessarily produce results even as taxpayers pay more for schools. But beyond the pros and cons of the model, school districts want to know when they'll get their money. According to ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews, some state dollars can be distributed because they would not be linked to the evidence-based model. But the biggest chunk of state aid to schools is caught up in the tug-of-war between lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner. "ISBE currently does not have statutory authority to distribute this portion of the appropriations," Matthews said. In School District 89, which serves the Maywood, Melrose Park and Broadview communities, Superintendent David Negron said, "Superintendents in general are obviously concerned with the state of the state." With the prospect of little or no state money coming in next month, "not only my district but all districts are going to have to make difficult decisions with regard to finances even those that have significant cash reserves. Do they really want to spend all that money?" Negron said. "There is still a lot of uncertainty, quite frankly," Negron said. His district is in "pretty good shape," he said, and is prepared to open the school doors for the new academic year. Advertisement But "if this drags on for a few months, all districts are going to have pretty in-depth discussions" on how to proceed, Negron said. There are other ways to get money if necessary, though that depends on a district's financial health and other factors. Districts can borrow by selling certain types of bonds; they can also borrow against future tax collections; or they can dip into reserves, if they have them, to cover expenses. State data indicate some districts could be in more trouble than others, because of the way education funding currently works. Affluent districts with high property values can put significant amounts of local money into their schools and therefore get very little money from the state. Less affluent districts with lower property values get more state money to shore up their budgets. In Bloomingdale-based School District 93 in DuPage County, 90 percent of revenues come from the local community. Less than 10 percent comes from the state and federal governments. So schools can open even without the state dollars, according to David Hill, the associate superintendent over district finances. He added that on top of the 2017-18 financial issues, ISBE still owes the district nearly $2 million because of a backlog of bills in Springfield. Likewise, the sprawling Township High School District 214 based in Arlington Heights said it's owed $4.1 million from ISBE from prior fiscal years. The district gets 93 percent of its revenues from local dollars, according to state data. Advertisement "Despite the uncertainty with state funding for fiscal year 2018, we will do everything in our power to open schools on time," said spokeswoman Jennifer Delgado. But many districts rely heavily on state dollars, including districts in the south Cook County suburbs and downstate, with about 120 districts getting 50 percent or more of revenues from the state. ISBE also rates the number of days a district can operate provided that no additional revenues are received, using a scale of 1 to 4. It's part of an overall measurement of a district's financial health and comes into play if little to no state dollars are disbursed to districts. In 2016 ratings, 15 districts got the lowest score of 1 because they had less than 30 days of cash on hand. One of those districts was Chicago Public Schools, which has been borrowing significantly to stay afloat and vows to open schools this fall regardless of what happens in Springfield. Almost 100 more schools had a score of 2, also considered troubling. Roger Eddy, a former state lawmaker and former school superintendent who now heads the Illinois Association of School Boards, said any holdup of state funds is worrisome and "has the potential to become a crisis" for some districts. "If they're waiting for that money and it doesn't come, some of them may not open," Eddy said. "And those that open may only last a few weeks. That's real. That's true. That's what schools are facing." Advertisement Chicago Tribune's Juan Perez Jr. contributed. drado@chicagotribune.com Palos Township trustee Sharon Brannigan has apologized for Facebook comments about Middle Eastern immigration that have sparked protests demanding her resignation. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown) Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Wednesday called for a Palos Township trustee who had made controversial statements on Facebook to resign from the county's Commission on Women's Issues. Preckwinkle said Sharon Brannigan's comments, which have been perceived as anti-Arab and anti-Muslim, run contrary to the views of the commission, which exists to advance the status of women and girls in Cook County. Advertisement "If these posts accurately reflect her views on diversity and inclusion, I believe she should step down from the Commission," Preckwinkle said in a statement. "Such viewpoints certainly do not reflect our values nor, in my opinion, the kind of representation we want on the Commission." Brannigan, a Republican who ran against U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski in 2014, has taken heat for a recent Facebook post that suggested the area's schools were filling with undocumented Middle Eastern students. Advertisement A 2015 post Brannigan wrote about the movie "American Sniper" makes reference to "Barack Hussein Obama," asserts that area Muslims fail to integrate into the community and criticizes Lipinski for not stemming the growing tide of Middle Eastern immigration into the United States. "Everywhere you turn, from Orland Park to Bridgeview, those numbers are increasing in leaps and bounds," she wrote. "We are allowing these people whether they have peaceful intentions or not into our country without question." Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > More than 100 activists rallied Monday outside Palos Township offices to condemn Brannigan's remarks and demand her immediate resignation. She has since taken down her Facebook page, but has not apologized for her comments and said Monday that she would not resign. Brannigan could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday, but said previously that her recent Facebook comment about local schools filling with undocumented Middle Eastern immigrants was intended to bring awareness to the community's growing tax burden. She has defended her comments by citing her First Amendment right to free speech, and said she fully supported "hardworking immigrants who contribute their fair share to our society and township." Cook County Commissioner Sean M. Morrison, who appointed Brannigan to the county's Commission on Women's Issues in May 2016, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brannigan's term on the commission ends next May. zkoeske@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @ZakKoeske Elgins Liquor Control Commission denied a liquor license request Wednesday afternoon for new owners to operate in the currently vacant Nicks Liquors in the Clock Tower Plaza off National Street. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News) Elgin officials voted against a business that had plans to open as a packaged goods store in the spot near downtown Elgin in Clock Tower Plaza that formerly held Nick's Liquors. In its role as the city's Liquor Control Commission, the City Council on Wednesday unanimously moved along denying a request for a Class B license to Speakezy Liquors, Inc. Advertisement The business was to be run by Alexander Giannopoulos as owner and Alex Matsas, who owns the Walnut Speak Easy Bar and Grill on the near west side of Elgin, as manager. Giannopoulos is manager at the Walnut. Advertisement Elgin Corporate Counsel Bill Cogley said the move was part of a broader plan to reduce vagrancy and issues related to it, particularly in the downtown area. "The last thing we need is to expand package liquor sales downtown," Cogley said. Matsas said he had problems with vagrants loitering in a lot near his restaurant when it opened eight years ago and that he chased them out, as he would do at the Nick's location. He intended to keep the same name because of the $3,000 to $5,000 cost to replace the sign. But he was open to discussing replacing it sooner. Matsas said he probably was going to cash paychecks, as Nick's did. Neighborhood activist Dan Palmer told the commission that the area near Nick's has improved since the spot closed in February. "It's the wrong location. You don't need two liquor stores in one place (Clock Tower Plaza). And at Butera (the grocery that sells alcohol), they lock up hard liquor," Palmer said. Advertisement Police also told the commission they have seen a dramatic drop for calls for service near the Clocktower Plaza since Nick's closed. Council member Corey Dixon said that the Walnut is a wonderful establishment, "but man, is your timing bad. We're trying to turn things around downtown." Cogley noted that in April the commission revoked Nick's license as the establishment owed the city more than $22,000 in back taxes prior to its closing. Cogley also told the commission that Nick's owed its landlord about $64,000 in back rent, which the new business was going to cover as one of the terms of taking over the spot. In another move to curb issues related to vagrancy and alcohol, the commission also unanimously agreed to disallow sales of any hard liquor smaller than a fifth and of single bottles of beer in the city's downtown. It also is planning to update its lists of banned brands of beer and malt liquor typically sold in bigger bottles and that which have higher alcohol content than other brands. "It's a long time coming. It's about time," Council member Terry Gavin said of the plan. Advertisement Cogley told the commission there have been 111 open liquor violations in Elgin through the end of May, with 90 percent of those happening downtown. Council member Rich Dunne said he sees evidence of downtown vagrancy on occasion during his treks from the National Street Metra station back and forth to his job in downtown Chicago. At the Elgin station, he said he has seen vagrants sleeping in the depot, liquor bottles and cans littered about and sometimes even human waste left in the area. The owners of JJ Pepper's convenience store along State Street in the downtown area Wednesday also asked the commission to expand its liquor license to one that would have allowed it to sell hard liquor along with the beer and wine it already is allowed to sell. That also was unanimously denied by a 7-0 vote, with Tish Powell and Carol Rauschenberger not present for the meeting. Afterward, JJ Pepper's co-owner Paul Sayre was philosophical about the denial. "It is what it is," Sayre said. Advertisement All liquor commission items voted upon Wednesday should be up for discussion at the July 26 Elgin City Council meeting. mdanahey@tribpub.com A former Winthrop Harbor firefighter pleaded not guilty Thursday to attempted first-degree murder for allegedly setting a house fire this summer when he knew the residence was occupied by his aunt. Keith Kauppi, 28, entered the plea before Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras through his defense attorney, Thomas Briscoe. Advertisement Kauppi, of Winthrop Harbor, is being held in the County Jail with his bail set at $1 million. Booras said the charges are related to Kauppi allegedly setting fire to the home of his 70-year-old aunt in Winthrop Harbor, and that according to grand jury indictments, he knew she was in the home at the time. Advertisement Kauppi also entered not guilty pleas to aggravated arson and arson related to the June 3 fire. According to police reports, the woman was treated for mild to serious burns. Briscoe had no comment following the arraignment. The judge set a trial date of Oct. 16 for Kauppi and scheduled a case management hearing for Sept. 15. Prosecutors submitted 192 pages of discovery in the case, as well as DVDs that may be used as evidence, to Briscoe during the arraignment hearing Thursday. In announcing his arrest, Winthrop Harbor police said Kauppi confessed to intentionally starting the fire. Winthrop Harbor police Chief Joel Brumlick said the alleged arson was an attempt by Kauppi to hide the fact he was forging checks from his aunt's bank account. On Feb. 27, Brumlik said, Kauppi was terminated from his position at the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department by Chief Justin Stried after police accused Kauppi in December of forging checks. His aunt refused to pursue charges against him at that time, Brumlik said. Advertisement According to police, the aunt was arrested prior to the June 3 fire in an arson at a residence in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., but those charges were dropped June 8 after Kauppi admitted to that fire as well. "I'm grateful we were able to turn this around," Brumlik said after Kauppi's arrest. "He set her up by telling investigators she had dementia and other senior issues." jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 A Lake County judge said he will rule Aug. 30 on whether DNA evidence may be admitted as evidence in the trial of a convicted murderer also accused of killing two young Zion girls in 2005. Jorge Torrez, a former Zion resident, is charged with the Mother's Day 2005 slaying of 8-year-old Laura Hobbs and 9-year-old Krystal Tobias in the Beulah Park Nature Area in Zion. Advertisement On Wednesday afternoon, Lake County Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes heard closing arguments on whether DNA evidence the state wants to use against Torrez should be allowed at the defendant's pending trial. Defense Attorney Jed Stone has maintained that the DNA in question is not complete enough to be used as evidence in the trial. Advertisement In filing the motion, Stone said the DNA sample in the case is "so compromised" that it could not be enough to identify a suspect. Stone said that an expert witness has concluded the DNA only shows eight points of identification, and that 13 such points are required to make a positive identification. "It's not enough to make a conclusion," Stone said. "It may be enough to exclude somebody." Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz said Wednesday that Stone's legal argument on the DNA does not hold water. "The law in Illinois disagrees with Mr. Stone's argument," Fisz said. Shanes is also expected to rule Aug. 30 on whether recordings of a now-deceased prison "informant " who implicated Torrez in the case may be used at trial. The informant, Osama El-Atari, wore a wire for detectives during prison conversations with Torrez in a separate federal case against Torrez, but has since died. Stone argues that using the tapes without testimony from El-Atari deprives Torrez of several rights, including the ability to confront and cross-examine the witness. Torrez is being held in Lake County Jail awaiting trial in the Zion case after being convicted and sentenced to death for an unrelated murder. Advertisement He is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of Hobbs and Tobias, which officials described as the result of "a savage attack." Jerry Hobbs, the father of Laura Hobbs, had previously confessed to the murder and was charged, but was later exonerated by the DNA in question, which pointed to Torrez, according to authorities. Stone has said he will assert Hobbs was the killer as part of his defense of Torrez. Torrez has already been convicted of the 2009 strangulation murder of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Snell, 20, who lived in the same barracks as Torrez at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. A former Marine, Torrez was also been convicted of abducting three young women in Virginia in February 2010, one of whom he raped, sodomized, strangled and left for dead. Torrez was sentenced to five life sentences at the state level in Virginia and is sentenced to death at the federal level for Snell's murder. Advertisement A trial date for Torrez in the Zion case has not yet been scheduled. jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 A wheelchair is loaded onto an ambulance during an evacuation at Lake Forest Hospital on July 12, 2017. (Jim Young / Chicago Tribune ) Two days after flooding issues and power outages spread across Lake County, Lake Forest Hospital remains closed to all patients Friday and hospital officials have yet to say when it might reopen. The hospital closed Wednesday afternoon due to standing water and power losses, according to a statement from Northwestern Medicine. Power was restored at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. Hospital officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment Friday, but a statement on the hospital website said the facility remained closed. Advertisement A total of 93 patients were evacuated and some were discharged, said Megan McCann, a spokeswoman for Northwestern Medicine Thursday. The hospital originally had the number of patients evacuated at 70. McCann did not know how many patients were at the hospital at the time of the evacuation or if any remained. Advertisement Patients were moved by private ambulance services using an evacuation plan developed by the hospital, Lake Forest Fire Chief Pete Siebert said in an email. Lake Forest firefighters helped the hospital with command and logistical efforts for the transportation, Siebert said. Patients were taken to Northwestern Memorial in downtown Chicago or other area hospitals, according to the hospital's website. Gastrointestinal, endoscopy and elective surgery patients are being redirected to the Grayslake Outpatient Center. The hospital's Health and Fitness Center reopened on Thursday. McCann said she did not have any information on when Lake Forest Hospital will reopen to patients, the extent of flooding the hospital is dealing with or whether evacuated patients would return. Lake Forest Hospital is currently constructing a new building that's scheduled to open March 2018, according to a spokesperson for the hospital. The new hospital will be composed of five pavilions. Local preservationists have requested that part of the existing hospital be preserved once the new medical center opens. mlawton@pioneerlocal.com Kids will burn lots of energy as part of the show when Ben Tatar & the Tatar Tots perform at a Constitution Park Party, 6-7:30 p.m. July 20 at Franklin Ave. and Greenfield St., River Forest. ( Ben Tatar ) Expect to watch your kids moving nonstop or join them when Ben Tatar & The Tatar Tots perform at a Constitution Park Party, 6-7:30 p.m. July 20 at Franklin Ave. and Greenfield St., River Forest. "I love making it as interactive as possible," said Tatar, who is a Wiggleworms instructor at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. "A big part of it is making sure that it's fun for the little ones and for the grownups." Advertisement Tatar encourages audiences to make noise and have fun. "I welcome all sorts of singing, dancing, jumping and laughing," Tatar said. "People can expect lots of audience participation in call-and-response singing, freeze dancing and conga lines." The audience will be especially active during "Lemonade" and "The Chocolate Milk Song." Advertisement For details, call 708-366-6660 or see rfparks.com. Magic and laughs mix Juggling, comedy and magic will be combined when Rick Colen performs 7 p.m. July 18 at Schack Park, 6940 Laramie Ave., Skokie, as part of the Tuesday Family Festivals series. "The kids will have fun because my show is filled with a ton of audience participation," Colen said. In addition, "There is a lot of comedy in my magic and juggling routines." Admission is free For details, call (847) 674-1500 or see www.skokieparks.org. Prized pups The dog day of summer is July 26 at Barrington Park District. That's the date of the 12th Annual Children's Dog Show, 5:45-6:45 p.m. at Citizens Park, 511 Lake Zurich Road. Prizes will be given in a variety of categories and every canine contestant will receive a doggie bag. Pups don't have to be pedigreed to share in the fun. Advertisement Preregistration is required. The entry fee is $5 per dog. Participants must be leashed. For details, call (847) 381-0687 or see www.barringtonparkdistrict.org. Be yourself That's the message Super Stolie will convey during her Eat to the Beat concert, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. July 19 at Jewett Park Pavilion, 836 Jewett Park Drive, Deerfield. "At my shows, I've been encouraging children to celebrate their uniqueness," Stolie said. She also hopes to inspire them to have "big ideas for the future." Children will help Stolie write songs during the concert. "It's all about the kids, so I'm letting them shine," she explained. For details, call (847) 945-0650 or see www.deerfieldparks.org. Wheel fun for everyone Advertisement Decorate your bikes and bring your family for a 1.2-mile spin around Elmhurst College during the Olympia Chiropractic Family Fun Bike Parade, 6 p.m. July 21. The ride will take off from the cul-de-sac in front of the Wilder Park Recreation Building, 175 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. Preregister and the event is free. It costs $5 per person to register on event day. For details, call (630) 993-8900 or see www.epd.org. Feel the power Kindie rock queen Laurie Berkner has a different take on what it means to be a superhero. Berkner defines it as, "Somebody who is here to help or to give and connect." Berkner will be giving and connecting when she performs a concert at noon on July 15 at Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. Audience members will hear songs from her latest CD, "Superhero," plus such classics as "Pig on Her Head." Pavilion tickets are $15; lawn tickets $5. A 21-year-old man used a woman's stolen credit cards at businesses in Naperville and Aurora, including several in the Fox Valley Mall, DuPage County court records said. Jusstin A. Johnson, of Glen Ellyn, was indicted on 29 felony and misdemeanor counts of identity theft, theft and burglary from incidents that occurred in January, records said. Advertisement Johnson is accused of stealing a Yorkville woman's purse while she was shopping at Casey's Foods, 124 W. Gartner Road in Naperville. The purse contained as many as four credit and debit cards, an iPhone and an iPad, according to records. Johnson then went to Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, where he used or attempted to use the cards to obtain merchandise from Helzberg Diamonds, Piercing Pagoda, Athlete's Foot, Champs Sports, Finish Line, Foot Locker, Journeys Kidz, Zumiez and GameStop, records said. Advertisement He later used or tried to use the cards at Best Buy, 4400 E. New York St., Aurora; Chuck E. Cheese, 506 S. Route 59, Naperville; and Walmart SuperCenter, 2552 W. 75th St., Naperville, according to records. The 12 businesses' collective loss was estimated to be "more than $2,000," court records said. Johnson is also facing felony and misdemeanor theft charges in Glen Ellyn and Lombard stemming from three 2016 incidents, according to court documents. He is being held in DuPage County jail in lieu of $12,450 bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. wbird@tribpub.com Federal authorities have seized a luxury car, jewelry and 176 pairs of shoes from three men arrested in connection with a child sex trafficking ring run from a Naperville townhouse, court records show. Officials are also asking U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber to authorize them to take a $175,000 "personal money judgment" awarded to one of the men Benjamin D. "Beanz" Biancofiori, Marcus "Grissom" Willis and Nathan "Tank" Perez and another $4,569 in cash, according to court records. Advertisement The suspects, due in court on Aug. 30, are accused of forcing eight underage girls to have sex in an operation set up from a townhouse in the 1900 block of Golden Gate Lane, court records said. Sexual services were advertised online at sites such as backpage.com. Biancofiori, 37, owned the house and faces three counts of child sex trafficking. Perez and Willis, whose ages and hometowns were not available, are each charged with five counts of child sex trafficking. Advertisement Willis and Biancofiori are accused of physically and emotionally intimidating the victims, and Biancofiori "often beat and punched the women, and arranged for one of his victims to be returned to him at gunpoint after she tried to run away," court records said. Authorities said Biancofiori frequently beat one victim while dressed as a boxer, wearing mixed martial arts-style gloves with hard plastic knuckles, according to the charges. Another woman he allegedly beat for days at a time, allowing her to "heal for a while, and then (beating) her again," authorities said in the charges. Biancofiori allegedly began trafficking in sex in 2007, eventually operating throughout the Chicago area and in Atlanta, Denver and Phoenix, records said. He has a court record going back nearly 20 years, when he was sentenced to six months in jail for beating a Wheaton teenager, court records said. He also served 18 months in prison on a 2011 firearms-related crime, records show. The Chicago Tribune contributed. wbird@tribpub.com The Des Plaines River reaches a high level just south of River Road and Miner Street in Des Plaines on July 13. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press ) Park Ridge was spared the torrential downpours and devastating floods that plagued parts of Lake County and southern Wisconsin this week, but with the nearby Des Plaines River predicted to rise to near-record levels, city officials are keeping watch. "The river is going to hit about the same height it hit a few years back, and it's possible there might be a couple of inches of water on Talcott Road near the Boardwalk [condominiums]," said Park Ridge Public Works Director Wayne Zingsheim. "If we have to sandbag anywhere, it would be the Boardwalk entrance." Advertisement The Boardwalk area flooded in 2008 and 2013, prompting city crews to add sandbags and pump water out of the subdivision and over a flood wall that was erected along Talcott Road. The road also had to be closed to traffic due to standing water. Zingsheim said the cause of the breach has not been determined. For now, he added, there do not appear to be any river-related issues. Advertisement "Right now, all the flap gates that hold the water back from the river are all functioning," he said. "We're not pumping water at all." Park Ridge Public Works crews are also keeping an eye on the Mayfield Estates neighborhood, located south of Dempster Street and west of Potter Road on the city's far northwest side. "We have a sump pump set up in the Mayfield area," Zingsheim said. "If the river floods onto Dempster, it can back up into the Mayfield area. The sewer there is the only sewer in town with a valve on it, so we can shut that off so the water doesn't back flow into Mayfield. Then we can pump the water manually." Crews will be monitoring Mayfield and the Talcott Road/Riverside Drive areas 24 hours a day, Zingsheim said. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Des Plaines River from Gurnee to Riverside. On Thursday, the weather service was predicting the river near Des Plaines could reach 21 feet six feet above flood stage on Friday. At River Road south of Miner Street in Des Plaines, flood walls topped with sandbags kept the swollen river away from neighborhoods to the west on Thursday, though the river had breached other areas, notably the Methodist Campground at 1900 Algonquin Road. There, even the top of the campground's pool and deck could not been seen due to the flood waters. Zingsheim said the rising of the river will likely not impact most Park Ridge residents and will not be a cause of basement flooding. Portions of the Methodist Campground in Des Plaines sit under water due to the high level of the Des Plaines River on July 13. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press ) Basement back-up and overland flooding tend to occur when very heavy rainfall occurs within short periods, Zingsheim said. Advertisement "If you have an hour of intense rain, our system can't keep up," he said. "Most systems can't." The city of Park Ridge is awaiting the completion of a citywide stormwater master plan from Christopher B. Burke Engineering. Representatives from Burke are expected to return before the City Council in the coming months with proposals for addressing overland flooding in the city. Zingsheim said he did not know when this meeting might occur. River flooding forced the closure of Oakton Community College's Des Plaines campus on Thursday. According to the college's website, classes are expected to resume on Monday. The college is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the summer months, the site said. jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @Jen_Tribune Traffic coming off of the eastbound Borman Expressway Thursday, July 13, 2017, on Broadway are met with a lane restriction for the Gary road resurfacing project. (Joe Puchek / Post-Tribune) Gary is beginning to resurface its streets in the city, with Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson saying she's "very confident" that the overall project will be completed on time. Work on the entire length of Broadway from just north of 4th Avenue to Gary's southern boundary at 53rd Avenue was to have been started at the end of June. Advertisement But this week, there was little evidence of work taking place along Broadway except in the area near 10th Avenue where an old railroad bridge no longer in use is supposed to be removed. Traffic on Broadway is being detoured around the area, although Councilwoman LaVetta Sparks-Wade, D-6th, said she passed through the area on Tuesday and could not get close enough to the bridge to see how far along the removal work is done. Among the projects beginning this year are along Broadway and on Airport Road in the northwest corner of the city. That road provides public access to the Gary/Chicago International Airport, and are two of the biggest road projects in the city. Advertisement They also both are state highways, which means the Indiana Department of Transportation is responsible for awarding contracts and getting work done. Many other projects are locally funded through bond sales the city will hold and repay with money they receive from a local "wheel tax" charged to automobile owners who live in Gary. The Common Council gave its approval to an ordinance budgeting the $4 million to be raised from an initial bond sale held earlier this year. It will include a $400,000 reserve fund and also provide $1 million for the local match the city must have to get grants to pay for future year projects with the remaining $2.3 million to pay for this year's repair projects. Eventually, some $13.8 million in bonds will be sold to pay for all local road projects. Sparks-Wade said that conflicts with contractors who are concerned about a separate project for repairs along U.S. 30 are causing potential for delays on work along Broadway, to the point where mayoral chief of staff Dayna Bennett admitted at a recent Common Council meeting that Broadway repair work may not be complete until the spring. "It should have been done this year," Sparks-Wade said. "All too often, Gary's needs get put to the end of the list." Freeman-Wilson said she is not as concerned about the Broadway delays, since she said that project is more complex than a simple street resurfacing. She said sidewalks will be made accessible to people with disabilities and improved streetlights will be installed particularly in the area around the Indiana University Northwest campus. Bennett also said that the brick underlying foundation of Broadway is so old that it has collapsed meaning it has to be rebuilt before the actual resurfacing can be done. The result, the mayor said, is that it may be smart to not even try to resurface Broadway until next spring. "We could resurface it in November or December (when weather turns cold) and it would crack, meaning we'd have to do it all over again," she said. Beyond Broadway and Airport Road, the mayor said some streets already are seeing preparatory work for resurfacing later this summer including 11th, 15th and 25th avenues, Grant and Lake Streets and various road in the Glen Park neighborhood. Advertisement Councilwoman Rebecca Wyatt, D-1st, expressed concerns that city officials have not yet provided her with a schedule she has been seeking for more than a month indicating when each and every street in Gary will have work done. While Wyatt admits she sees some work being done in her home in the Miller section of the city, she wants to know when work will be done on Lakewood Avenue a priority to her because it is a bus route. The councilwoman also says residents have been questioning her as to when their particular home streets will be done, and she doesn't know what to tell them. "We don't know what order these streets are going to be repaired, and that lack of information makes some people a little paranoid," Wyatt said. Sparks-Wade expressed a similar sentiment. "I have little confidence that these projects will be completed on time," she said. "I want to believe they will, but I don't know." Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. A January trial date has been set for a man accused of fatally stabbing and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl near Glen Ellyn in 1985. At a Thursday hearing in DuPage County court, Judge George Bakalis set Jan. 23 as the start date for the trial of Michael R. Jones, who is facing first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault charges in the death of Kristy Wesselman. The girl was killed not far from her home on July 21, 1985. Advertisement Bakalis ordered prosecutors and Jones' public defender back to court in September for a status update. Jones, a Champaign-area resident, was charged in 2015 after his DNA was linked to samples recovered during the investigation of the girl's death, prosecutors said. The victim had walked along a trail through a field to a supermarket near her home in unincorporated DuPage County on the Sunday afternoon but failed to return. Her body was found the following day. Advertisement Bakalis last month ruled on major pretrial issues, which centered on the amount of information that will be presented to jurors about previous incidents tied to Jones. Prosecutors, the judge ruled, can present testimony from a woman who was raped by Jones in 1977 after he used his car to knock her off her bicycle before abducting her. He was convicted in the case and sentenced to prison. The judge also will allow another woman to testify that Jones had abducted her at gunpoint in 1976 and assaulted her in the Schiller Park home where he lived with parents. Jones was charged in that case but not convicted. In both cases, the judge said, there are similarities that are close enough to aspects of the Wesselman killing to be relevant at trial. Prosecutors plan to call both women to testify. By the time of Wesselman's killing, Jones had moved downstate but frequently returned to the Chicago area to visit, authorities say. In 2015, Jones was convicted of a domestic battery and, as a result, had to surrender a DNA sample, which was submitted to a national database. The sample was matched to DNA in the Wesselman case and led to his arrest. He has been held in the DuPage County since then, awaiting trial. Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter. 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? Between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, the Margaret and Martha Thomas Foundation made grants totaling $355,765.80. A grant was made to the Gage County Sheriff to help bring a K-9 unit back to that department. In addition, grants were approved and funded for eligible entities in the communities of Adams, Pickrell, Filley, Beatrice, Blue Springs and Wymore. Dean Marples, the foundation president, said the foundation was pleased the grants included so much of Gage County. Our mission statement is not only to support worthwhile projects in the Wymore and Blue Springs area, but also to support projects that benefit the citizens of Gage County," he said. "We feel the list of grant recipients this year shows our dedication to fulfill the intent of Margaret and Martha. The Margaret and Martha Thomas Foundation also approved two grants totaling $50,000 to the NET Foundation for Television, Inc. to support the "Nebraska Stories" television series, which is broadcast not only in Gage County, but across the state of Nebraska. Larry Anderson, the foundation vice president, knows first-hand how much the Thomas sisters appreciated Nebraska history. When I was teaching school, my wife and I took students on a summer study trip that included a stop at Chimney Rock," he said. "We always pointed out to the students that the ladies' names were included on the list of donors at the visitors center. We feel the sisters would have loved having the foundation be a part of this series. Michael Willet, who has served on the board of directors since the foundation was formed by the sisters, pointed out the impact Margaret and Martha Thomas have had with the foundation. The $355,765.80 in grants funded this year brings the total grants awarded by the foundation, since it was started in 2005, to $1,925,155.64," he said. Grants funded from 2016-2017 included: $50,000 to NET Foundation for Television, Inc. to support production of the Nebraska Stories television series. $20,000 to the Gage County Sheriffs Office to assist in the acquisition with the new K-9 program. $59,025 to the Beatrice Humane Society for fencing of the dog runs at the new animal shelter. $11,300 for development of the Nebraska National Guard Museum display at the Gage County Historical Society. $25,140.80 to the Filley Rural Fire Protection District for upgrades to the communications systems. $40,000 to the village of Pickrell for improvements to the park. $51,800 to the city of Wymore to remodel the restrooms in the Wymore Community Center. $10,000 to the Welsh Heritage Centre in Wymore for new floor coverings. $2,000 to the Homestead Harmonizers for new costumes. $3,500 to the St. Josephs Catholic School to upgrade the communications system in the school building. $20,000 to the Blue Springs Ball Diamond Association for repairs to the concession stand and storage building at the ball fields. $15,000 to the village of Adams to assist in the construction of a new press box at the ballfield in the park.. $1,143.97 to the city of Wymore EMS program for the purchase of two binder lifts. $50,000 to the city of Wymore to be used for the demolition of condemned and dilapidated buildings in the community. Information about the Margaret and Martha Thomas Foundation, a copy of the grant guidelines and a grant application can be obtained by contacting Michael Willet, the foundation secretary at 402-228-3424. A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing in Beatrice on July 10 was located in a hotel in Fargo, N.D. and reported safe early Thursday morning. After allegedly conversing with a man she met while playing Xbox games, it is reported that the girl was brought to North Dakota by a 24-year-old man who is being held in custody in Cass County, police say. Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang said parents need to be mindful of their children's activities on the computer as well as on the game console. The man, identified as Nichollas Johnson, was arrested by police from Fargo and Cass County, N.D. as well as the FBI. The girl has been now reunited with her family. She is alive and well, Lang said. Johnson was being held by Cass County authorities for crimes committed in North Dakota and an arrest warrant for Johnson has been issued in Gage County on a kidnapping charge, Lang said Thursday. We'll start the extradition proceedings, probably, if not today or tomorrow, sometime next week, he said. Authorities originally thought the girl had run away from home, a press release from the Beatrice Police Department said, but an investigation determined that the girl met Johnson through an online gaming group and was enticed to leave with him. They met while playing role-playing games on Xbox Live, Lang said. You just have to be aware of who your children are in contact with, Lang said. And that's not always easy. By Alexander Chipman Koty Uncertainties in the China-US trade relationship remain in advance of July 16, the deadline of the 100-day action plan to resolve trade disputes agreed to by Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in April. The 100-day action plan got off to a productive start with the signing of the China-US trade deal on May 11, which re-introduced US beef to the Chinese market and brought Chinese cooked poultry to the US, among other measures. However, efforts to resolve more fundamental economic disputes have since slowed, with longstanding political disagreements instead taking center stage. Although the implementation of the China-US trade deal is well underway, the relationship between the worlds two largest economies appears to be deteriorating rather than strengthening as the 100-day window draws to a close. While bilateral trade and investment discussions are ongoing, political friction between the two countries may stall the arrival of additional market access for US businesses in China. RELATED: China UK Trade: The Effects of Brexit US beef in Chinese stores, draft rules set for Chinese cooked poultry Many of the provisions of the 10-point China-US trade deal had a July 16 deadline to come into effect or for more detailed guidelines to be issued. Among these was reintroducing US beef to China, the most high-profile part of the deal. The first batch of US beef arrived in China in late June since being blocked from the market for 14 years following a mad cow disease scare. US beef has already appeared at Sams Club in Beijing, owned by the US hypermarket chain giant Wal-Mart, as well as online through e-commerce platforms like Alibabas Tmall. As exports ramp up, US beef will be available more widely throughout China. Meanwhile, in June the US Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) released rules allowing the export of Chinese cooked poultry into the US. Although some critics in the US continue to express food safety concerns, a version of the rules is expected to be finalized in due course. The rules are open for public comment until August 15. Progress for US energy, biotechnology, financial services US exports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) have increased since the trade deal was signed, and several Chinese entities are reportedly in negotiations with US LNG suppliers such as Cheniere for signing long-term contracts. Although the trade deal did not change any rules concerning US LNG exports to China, it appeared to give the green light to Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) like Unipec to sign long-term contracts with US suppliers. China is projected to be an almost US$30 billion LNG market by 2030 as the country shifts to cleaner energy sources. In 2016, Chinas LNG imports grew by 35 percent. China has also approved four out of the eight outstanding biotechnology applications it agreed to resolve. Imports of four new varieties of genetically modified crops three corn varieties and one soybean variety were approved. The other four applications are still awaiting decisions. China only issued one approval for genetically modified crops in 2016. As part of the trade deal, China also affirmed that it would open credit investigation and rating services to foreign firms. This was formalized with the recent release of the new Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries, which removes foreign investment restrictions on the industry, effective July 28. On June 30, the Peoples Bank of China released guidelines on foreign bank card clearing institutions. Under the deal, China committed to give foreign electronic payment service (EPS) providers full market access, and to issue implementation guidelines by mid-July. RELATED: Pre-Investment and Entry Strategy Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates Trade talks ongoing Despite progress on the implementation of the trade deal, political disagreements over how to handle the North Korea nuclear threat have halted momentum in bilateral trade and investment deals since the initial signing of the 100-day action plan. Trump, who has linked North Korea security issues with China trade, has threatened to place tariffs and restrictions on Chinese steel, and the US recently placed sanctions on a Chinese bank and two individuals connected to North Korea. Further, on July 12 Trump nominated China trade hardliner Dennis Shea as deputy US Trade Representative. Xi has acknowledged the cooling of bilateral relations, remarking recently that Ties are also affected by some negative elements, and the Chinese side has already expressed our stance to the US. With the 100-day action plan coming to an end, significant breakthroughs in its final days seem unlikely. Rather, discussions will resume at the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue to be held in Washington on July 19. Patrick Colligan, Global Business Development Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates, notes, While Senior US and Chinese officials will set the stage next week in Washington for renewed high-level economic talks, expect recent cooling of relations and increased frustrations from both powers to sour substantive progress made in these discussions. Disagreements over asymmetric market access and the trade imbalance are unlikely to be resolved at the upcoming Comprehensive Economic Dialogue. Nevertheless, ongoing discussions that keep the two countries engaged will help maintain the status quo relationship in the short-term, thereby allowing US businesses in China to function regularly until political disputes are resolved. Editors Note: This article was originally published on July 13, 2017, and has since been updated to include the latest information. 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 Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings will increase investment in China's new economic sectors as the company is optimistic about China's ongoing economic transition, a senior official of the company told Xinhua. "Our long-term bullish view on China's economic development remains intact," Wu Yibing, Temasek's joint head of China, said Thursday, calling China a market of "absolute importance" for Temasek outside Singapore. By the end of March, up to 25 percent, or nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars of Temasek's global investment portfolio has flown into the Chinese market, according to the company's latest report. The amount is the second highest among all investment destinations only after Singapore, and higher than the combined volume of the company's investment in Europe and the United States. "China's economy is going through a major transition, which has brought about a number of very attractive sectors including high-tech, non-banking finance, life science and consumption," said Wu. Investment into these industries has witnessed better performance than the overall investment portfolio, as they have directly benefited from China's economic transition, as well as global technological innovation and a large and growing middle class, he said. Over the past financial year ending on March 31, Temasek has invested in a number of Chinese companies such as the country's leading online travel agency Ctrip, Alibaba-affiliated local service platform Koubei and ZTO Express, one of the top five Chinese couriers. You are here: Home Chinese police have arrested 31 suspects in a major case of infringement of personal information, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Thursday. Police in Liaoning, Beijing, Guangdong and Hunan have busted three rings that illegally obtained and sold citizens' personal information online. The suspects also forged bank cards with personal information and withdrew money with the cards, the MPS said. A total of more than 2 billion items of personal information regarding transportation, logistics, health care, contacts and bank accounts were stolen by the suspects. According to the MPS, a preliminary investigation showed that since the suspects formed gangs in 2015, they had illegally obtained and sold personal information including Internet accounts, passwords, ID card numbers, telephone numbers and addresses online. The case is still under investigation, the MPS said. A MPS official noted that cases of infringement of personal information are rampant. They severely damage personal privacy and lead to crimes such as telecom and Internet fraud. Police authorities will maintain a tough crackdown on such crimes and protect citizens' legal rights and interests, the official said. You are here: Home Flash An airstrike on Islamist militants holed up in the southern Philippine city of Marawi mistakenly killed two soldiers and wounded 11 others on Wednesday, a military spokesman said. This has been the second accident involving a military aircraft hitting soldiers on the ground since the conflict in Marawi started in May. The air force's public affairs chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement that a military bomber missed its target during an airstrike around noontime Wednesday and the ordnance hit buildings near the soldiers' position. Citing initial report from ground commanders in Marawi City, Arevalo said "the bomb was 250 meters off target." "The impact of the explosion caused the collapse of nearby structures. Large debris from heavily reinforced buildings accidentally hit the two of our personnel who succumbed to death in the process," he said. Arevalo said the 11 wounded "are ambulatory" and are recuperating in the hospital. He said the military is "saddened by this unfortunate incident," the second accident involving a military aircraft hitting soldiers on the ground. On May 31, a rocket bomb fired by an SF-260 plane conducting an airstrike also accidentally hit troops on ground, killing 10 soldiers and wounded seven others. More than 500 people have so far been killed in the 51-day war to defeat the militants allied with the Islamic State (IS) that occupied Marawi City. Before the latest report came in, Arevalo said the number of casualty in the ongoing Marawi conflict has reached 518, including 389 extremists, 90 security forces and 39 civilians. Meanwhile, the battle to retake the city continues. President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed hope that the conflict will end in 10 to 15 days. You are here: Home Flash China and Japan should protect the political foundation of bilateral relations and restore the normal development of their relationship at an early date, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said Wednesday. Liu made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of female lawmakers from Japan, headed by senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Seiko Noda. China-Japan relations stand at a crucial historical point as the two countries celebrate the 45th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations, and next year sees the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Liu said. Liu called on both sides to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during the G20 summit in Hamburg, protect the political foundation of bilateral ties and deal with sensitive issues properly. Both sides should steadily push forward exchanges and cooperation in various areas, Liu said. Noda said Japan will make efforts to enhance mutual understanding and trust and is committed to building a stable Japan-China relationship. The Forest Acres Quilting Club was honored to present two Quilts of Valor at the Adams Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting in the Adams Community Building. The recipients of these quilts were Korean War veterans, Merlyn Saathoff, of Sterling, and Gorden Mills, of Adams. Approximately 16 VFW and VFW Auxiliary members were in attendance, as well as several family members and friends of Saathoff and Mills. The awards ceremony took place prior to the monthly meeting and was followed by a lunch and fellowship. Saathoff was drafted on January 10, 1951 and was inducted into the United States Army eight days later. He completed his training at Fort Riley, Kan. in May and was then sent to Seattle, Wash. From there, he boarded a ship for Japan and then traveled by train to Korea. His assignment was in communications. He was in the Signal Corps with the telephone platoon. During this time, Saathoff experienced many interesting and sometimes funny events that he recalls. He remembers some native girls who worked on the switchboard. They left for their noon meal of kimchi, which is a Korean dish of salted and fermented vegetables with spices. When they came back, the soldiers gave them gum because their breath was so bad. His next assignment was about 80 miles from Seoul. As he crossed a bridge over a river on his way to Seoul, he remembers seeing enemy bodies hanging from the bridge. At this new assignment, he was in charge of the switchboards and had others working under his supervision. He was there until Christmas of 1952. Life became very routine. He worked from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. and then he had time to do other things. He had a young Korean boy that worked for him. This young boy spoke five languages and took Saathoff to church services with him. Although the Korean War was in progress, Saathoff never took part in battle and was never in danger for his life, but those in the front lines and in charge could not have done their jobs without the work of the Communications Corps. Dwight Eisenhower was elected president and came to visit Korea at Christmas in 1952. The troops were glad to see him and welcomed him with many banners. Saathoff had to stay three extra days until Eisenhower left the area. Being in service to our country and serving in Korea was a very educational experience for me, Saathoff said. He came home in January of 1953 and was discharged later that month. His honors include the Korean Service Medal, the Bronze Service Star and the United Nations Service Medal. Mills entered the service in 1950. After completing boot camp, he was assigned to the fighter squadron ordinance department and was sent to Korea. This was his first time on the Valley Forge aircraft carrier as an ordinance mechanic. His work included maintaining guns and cannons in the planes, as well as loading ammunition in the planes. He was in Korea for about one year on this mission. In 1952 and 1953, he returned to Korea. This time, he was on the Oriskany aircraft carrier and was in charge of the ordinance department. After that, he was sent to Hong Kong on a show of force mission that lasted for about three weeks and then he returned to the United States. In 1954, Mills was sent to the Marshall Islands. It was there that the first hydrogen bomb was tested. He recalled: At 35 miles away, you could feel the heat and it was as bright as day in the middle of the night. Mills was discharged in 1954 after serving his country in both the Army and the Navy. His honors include four Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the China Service Medal and the Japanese Occupational Medal. The quilts awarded to these veterans were constructed by Forest Acres Quilting Club members Rita Fix, Lorna McMurray, Janie Oltman and Susan Hottovy, with help from Janie's granddaughter, Maryn Oltman, and her great-granddaughters, Addison and Makenna Thiemann. These girls helped with ironing the fabric, counting block pieces as they were cut and laying out the blocks to be constructed. The club members are always thrilled to have help and hope that they have planted the seed for future quilters. The club members hope that the girls will become members of the Quilt of Valor Foundation and construct quilts to be awarded to veterans who have been touched by war. Flash Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday reiterated his country's stance against the support and finance of terrorism, state-run MENA news agency reported. Sisi's remarks came during his meeting with Arab information ministers who are in Cairo for the meetings of their council. Sisi underlined the important role of the media in molding awareness of peoples regarding the challenges and threats facing the Arab countries in light of the current unprecedented regional situation and the growing threat of terrorism, MENA said. The Egyptian president added that terrorism caused much damage to the Arab nation over the past few years, stressing that confronting terrorism at all levels through a comprehensive strategy is a necessity. He also highlighted the important role of the media for publishing accurate information and spreading the values of tolerance. Sisi confirmed Egypt's keenness not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and not to conspire against any country. Egypt faces waves of anti-security attacks led by IS branch in North Sinai, since the army-led ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule. The attacks were mainly centered in Sinai Peninsula, but some extended to the capital and Delta cities. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed during the attacks. Last month, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and cut off sea, land and air links to the tiny rich Gulf nation, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. Qatar has strongly denied the charges against it, while rejecting a list of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties. Flash Two men kiss each other after parliament voted in favor of same-sex marriage in Valletta, capital of Malta, on July 12, 2017. Following amendments approved in Parliament of the Marriage Act and other Laws (Amendment) Act on Wednesday, Malta will become the 15th nation in Europe to legalize same-sex marriage. (Xinhua/Mark Zammit Cordina) Following amendments approved in Parliament of the Marriage Act and other Laws (Amendment) Act on Wednesday, Malta will become the 15th nation in Europe to legalise same-sex marriage. All the House MPs, with one exception, voted in favour of the law, after both the Government and Opposition had publicly declared their support for the bill. The Act makes it legal for any and all consenting adult couples, be it of the same sex or different, have the right to enter into a marriage. The bill will now be presented to the President who must sign it before it becomes law. Once this happens, it will introduce changes to many clauses throughout Malta's laws. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the vote showed that society had reached "an unprecedented level of maturity", adding that "We can all say we are equal." Muscat also later tweeted "Marriage Equality is now reality in Malta. Pledge fulfilled, future sealed." Whilst the law approved Wednesday had introduced the possibility of marriage between same-sex couples, this right has in practice been in existence for the past three years in Malta, when civil unions were introduced. Flash U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after talks with foreign ministers of the four anti-Qatar countries on the month-long dispute among Gulf states, with no announcement released so far. He met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain - the four countries boycotting Qatar - in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues. The meetings came after Tillerson visited Kuwait and Qatar, during which he signed an agreement with the Qatari government aiming at combating the financing of terrorism. The four countries responded to the U.S.-Qatari agreement by releasing a joint statement on Tuesday stating:"We believe that the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and the Qatari authorities is a result of repeated pressures and demands over the past years to Qatar to stop supporting terrorism." "But that such a step is not sufficient and we will closely monitor the seriousness of Qatar in combating all forms of funding, supporting and fostering terrorism," the statement said. Flash File photo taken on July 24, 2015 shows Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reacting during an event in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Former President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison for his involvement in the plot corruption that diverted thousands of millions of U.S. dollars from the state oil company Petrobras, official sources said on July 12, 2017. (Xinhua/AGENCIA ESTADO/DIARIO DO GDE ABC/Ricardo Trida) Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison for his involvement in a corruption ring that embezzled billions of U.S. dollars from state oil company Petrobras Brasileiro, official sources said on Wednesday. Federal Judge Sergio Moro found Lula guilty of accepting 3.7 million reais (1.2 million U.S. dollars) worth of bribes from engineering firm OAS SA. The company spent the money refurbishing a beach apartment for Lula in return for his help in winning contracts with Petroleo Brasileiro. Brazil's prosecutor-general had earlier charged Lula on the grounds that the apartment was bought and remodelled for him by OAS SA in exchange for political favors. Lula served as Brazilian president from 2003 to 2011, and is a popular contender to win next year's presidential election. But if his guilty verdict is upheld by an appeals court, he would be barred from office. You are here: Home Flash Egypt and France concluded on Wednesday the joint naval military exercises code-named "Cleopatra 2017," state-owned Ahram Online reported. The joint exercises have run for several days in Egyptian territorial waters in the Mediterranean and Red Sea, the Egyptian army announced in a statement. The exercises included planning and management of joint offensive and defensive combat operations, inspection of suspicious vessels, transportation exercises, helicopter manoeuvres, air defence and the maritime landing of personnel and equipment on coasts. The drills saw the participation of the amphibious assault ships of the French Mistral class, including Egypt's newly-purchased Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar El-Sadat. A number of frigates, rocket launchers, F-16 fighter jets and anti-submanires aircrafts also participated in the exercises. Come in light of the two sides' keenness to continue boosting bilateral relations at the military level, the drills aimed at honing skills and combat capabilities of naval forces of both sides, the Egyptian army said. In 2016, Egypt carried out 30 joint military exercises with 20 Arab and African countries, as well as European countries including France and Russia. You are here: Home Flash China and Equatorial Guinea can increase cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng said Thursday. Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks while meeting with Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president of Equatorial Guinea. Hailing the two countries' deep friendship and fruitful cooperation in various areas, Yu said China and Equatorial Guinea set a good example for South-South cooperation. He urged giving full play to the two sides' advantages in political mutual trust, economic complementarity, and friendship among the people so as to push forward the bilateral comprehensive partnership of cooperation to a new level. Expressing appreciation for China's longtime support and help to Equatorial Guinea, Mangue said his country is willing to further deepen cooperation and benefit the people of the two countries. Earlier Thursday, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao held talks with Mangue, calling on both sides to implement outcomes of the Johannesburg summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China vows to boost pragmatic cooperation with Equatorial Guinea in infrastructure, investment and financing, agriculture and fisheries, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, he said. Prior to the talks, Li held a red-carpet ceremony to welcome the visiting vice president. Bethany Yellowtail has made a name for herself in the Los Angeles fashion world, but her dream is to return home to Montana to manufacture her lines. Yellowtail, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, said Wednesday in Billings that her experience growing up on the Crow reservation is woven into her clothing line, B. Yellowtail, created in 2014. She lives and manufactures in southern California. I learn from you guys. I see 100 B. Yellowtails when I go home, the 29-year-old said at the downtown DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. Yellowtail was Wednesday's keynote speaker at the Innovate Montana Symposium, a three-day event in downtown Billings that attracts business owners statewide. The conference, in its third year, is sponsored by the office of Gov. Steve Bullock, who moderated discussions with keynotes. Other speakers included Jason Williams, CEO of Blackfoot, a telecommunications firm in Missoula, and Dave Morin, a former manager for Facebook and a Helena native. Yellowtail sat on stage with Bullock and spoke for about 45 minutes before a crowd of several hundred. Organizers said they sold about 600 tickets. Yellowtail learned sewing from relatives and a teacher, Pat Mischke, at Wyola schools. She parlayed those skills to secure a spot at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A., where she graduated in 2009. She then gave herself a year to find a job in her field, and she sent out dozens of unsuccessful applications as the self-imposed deadline grew near. She paid the bills working at Starbucks and worried her shot wouldnt come. Finally, a company called BCBG Max Azria gave her a shot as an assistant, learning the business from others. During her two years there, Yellowtail was already thinking about her own brand. Her challenge was developing clothes that honor her heritage but steer away from the Native American stereotypes seen all over the fashion world. What does that mean to tell that story in clothing? How does that translate to fabric? Yellowtail said. Last fall, she designed a line of Protector Gear in honor of those protesting the North Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota. She also has an online gallery through her own line to give other Native designers a platform for their work. B. Yellowtail has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Forbes magazine and other national publications. In February, she spoke at a New York fashion event about diversity in the industry. Yellowtail has always been humble about her roots, though shes learned to be proud of who she is. She said she remembered shyly telling one man in California that she grew up in Montana, a simple "rez girl." He told her, sharply, that she should speak proudly of her roots and how they shaped her. In that exchange, Yellowtail said she gained a greater appreciation and perspective of her heritage and home state. Being from Montana, being from the rez is what makes me unique I had to go to Los Angeles to realize that, she said. Liu Xiaobo ChinaAid (Shenyang, LiaoningJune 28, 2017) ChinaAid calls for the full, immediate, and unconditional release of Chinese writer, democracy advocate, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo in order to honor his wish to seek medical treatment abroad. Lius lawyers and doctors confirmed on Monday that he had been permitted medical parole for his stage four liver cancer and is receiving treatment in Chinas northeastern Liaoning province. After the prison extensively denied him adequate medical attention, Liu received his diagnosis on May 23. As a result of his illness, Liu has requested to travel abroad and consult prominent specialists in the United States. Last year, Shang Baojun, one of Lius lawyers, told Radio Free Asia that his clients medical condition qualified him for medical parole, which China grants to patients whose illnesses have become critical. However, China demanded that Liu first confess his guilt, which he refused to do. Now, Lius wife Liu Xia says that his cancer is terminal, making it critical that he receive emergency medical attention from world-renowned specialists and providing only a narrow window of time through which to secure his freedom. Today, the Chinese Communist Party released a propaganda video purporting to show Liu Xiaobo performing various activities, including exercising and visiting the doctor. In it, he repeatedly says the detention center is taking good care of his health. However, his current condition testifies that this is simply a ruse to cover up the governments abuses and that he was coerced into making such claims. Additionally, they said that he would not be allowed to travel abroad for treatment. During the mid-1980s, Liu Xiaobo garnered attention for his sharp and unique literary critiques and received a PhD in literature from Beijing Normal University in 1988. In the student democracy protests that swept China and culminated in the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Beijing Normal University became a political hotbed, and Liu Xiaobo served as a leader who pioneered a hunger strike and delivered charismatic speeches. As a result, he was jailed for nearly two years. Upon his release, he continued to write, concentrating his works on human rights and politics. Years later, Liu Xiaobo launched a petition for the government to re-examine its treatment of the massacre, for which authorities arrested him again in 1995. In 1996, he was extra-judicially sentenced to three years of forced labor for supporting Taiwans independence. From 2003-2007, Liu Xiaobo was president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center and has served as an editor of a pro-democracy magazine since the 1990s. The police took him into custody again in 2008 after he penned Charter 08, a petition signed by 303 Chinese intellectuals and dissidents that called for reform of Chinas human rights. It was released on Dec. 10, 2008, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the U.N.s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Two days beforehand, the police seized Liu Xiaobo and charged him with inciting subversion of state power, of which the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate Peoples Court found him guilty. He was handed an 11-year prison sentence with two years deprivation of political rights. Because of his stalwart, non-violent defense of human rights, the Nobel Committee awarded him the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. China barred him from attending the ceremony in Oslo, where he was honored with an empty chair. Liu Xia has been under house arrest ever since the news of her husbands award reached China and is only allowed to visit her husband once a month. Out of concern for his continued safety and health, ChinaAid urges the U.S. Congress, Senate, President Donald Trump, and other international politicians to continue to pressure China for the unconditional release Liu Xiaobo in order to save his life, respect his right to seek top-notch medical treatment, and allow him the opportunity to live in freedom. ChinaAid exposes abuses, such as those suffered by Liu Xiaobo and his wife, in order to mobilize politicians and individuals to take effective action to help the persecuted and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law. ChinaAid Media Team Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985 Email: [email protected] For more information, click here A US federal grand jury indicted Brendt Christensen on a count of kidnapping on Wednesday in connection with the disappearance of Zhang Yingying, a 26-year-old Chinese research student at the University of Illinois, and who was last seen at its Urbana-Champaign campus on June 9. Christensen will now formally enter a plea to the charge at an arraignment scheduled for July 20. The penalty for kidnapping is up to life in prison if convicted. And for many in China, it is an open and shut case. Surveillance video shows Zhang, who was on her way to sign a lease for an apartment, climbing into a vehicle that investigators later identified as Christensen's car. A search of the car found the passenger's side had been thoroughly cleaned. And a search of Christensen's cellphone found he had visited a website that included threads on "perfect abduction fantasy" and "planning a kidnapping". However, an indictment is merely an accusation. Although people may have decided in their own minds that Christensen is guilty based on the reports they have avidly been following, he has not confessed to any crime nor has he been proven guilty in a court of law. That means, as the US Attorney's Office in Urbana reminded people, the law must presume him innocent. Since the one-page indictment on Wednesday did not offer any new details beyond what the FBI and prosecutors had already revealed in an affidavit and court hearings, the whereabouts of Zhang, and whether she is alive or not, remain unknown. However, a criminal complaint filed before Christensen was arrested on June 30, shows that although there have been many reported sightings of Zhang, law enforcement officials believe she is dead. The uncertainty surrounding her fate, and people's clinging to the hope that she will still be found alive and well, has provoked an outpouring of anger among her compatriots directed at the investigators, who have been unable to determine what happened to Zhang after she got into Christensen's car. It is to be hoped the investigation can be pursued until the mystery is solved, not only for the peace of mind of her parents, but also to show the law seeks justice for the victims of crimes who are not US citizens. Zhang, from Nanping in East China's Fujian province, came to the university in late April as part of a one-year research appointment in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Meanwhile, since the United States is home to the largest number of Chinese students studying abroad about 330,000 last year, according to the US Student and Exchange Visitor Program yet many of them are naive to the possible dangers they may encounter. Zhang's case should prompt the authorities in both countries to enhance Chinese students' safety awareness when they go to study overseas. Investment into artificial intelligence continues to run hot as the cutting-edge technology is widely seen as the next frontier of innovation and growth. Beijing-based AI company SenseTime has raised $410 million in its Series B funding round this week. The money will be used to finance its intensified efforts to develop computer vision and deep learning technologies. The round includes a series B1 round which was led by Chinese private equity firm CDH Investments and a B2 round led by Sailing Capital. Other investors include China International Capital Corporation (CICC), China Everbright Holdings, China Renaissance, and China Merchants Securities (Hong Kong). Xu Li, co-founder and CEO of SenseTime, said: "The capital we raised in our Series B funding will serve as a major driver. It will allow us to maintain our innovative edge by supporting our efforts to construct groundbreaking AI infrastructure." The company will also ramp up resources to expand its product line, as well as, exploring new verticals such as autonomous driving. James Liu, president and CEO of Sailing Capital, who led the series B2 round of funding and invested in the well-known Israeli computer vision company Mobileye, said that they see a similar level of research and development strengths in SenseTime as they did in Mobileye. He said they prefer to invest in companies with cutting-edge, proprietary technologies. SenseTime said it has already enlisted more than 400 partners and customers including NVIDIA, China Mobile, UnionPay, Huawei and Xiaomi. Its customer base and business size grew a lot in 2016. Following this funding round, the company plans to use AI to enable more breakthroughs across industries including finance, security, internet, business intelligence, smartphones, smart home, and smart cities both in China and abroad. A worker checks oil transport facilities at the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua] China has vowed to further strengthen its oil and gas pipeline network during the next decade, in an attempt to further boost the clean fuel's share in the country's energy mix. By 2025, the country's oil and gas pipeline network is expected to reach 240,000 kilometers, with natural gas pipelines reaching 123,000 kilometers, according to the nation's top economic regulator. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, China now has 112,000 kilometers of oil and gas pipelines, which means the country will need to build another 128,000 kilometers of pipeline in the next few years. The commission said expanding the energy reach is in accordance with the country's rapid growth in energy demand, as well as a shift towards the use of cleaner fuel like natural gas instead of coal to meet environmental protection goals. "The expansion of China's oil and gas pipelines will substantially boost the country's energy security while ensuring its energy diversification," said Zheng Jian, deputy head of the commission's basic industries section. "The newly constructed pipelines will help connect the south and north, east and west, while linking the sector's upstream and downstream, meeting the emerging demand for cleaner energy and expanding the usage of natural gas." China's expanding energy transportation network will also boost the development of sectors including advanced steel, equipment manufacturing and engineering technology, he added. According to Zheng, China's current oil and gas network has limited capacity, especially when compared with its counterparts in Russia and countries in the European Union. In addition, the fragmented and dispersed networks, together with the lack of an overall pipeline network also pose a threat to future oil and gas transportation, and oil and natural gas imports are set to rise in the years ahead to cope with China's growth in oil and gas demand for both consumer and industrial use. According to the commission, the country's pipeline network for natural gas in 2015 reached 64,000 kilometers, and is expected to reach 163,000 kilometers by 2025, a 9.8 percent annual increase. The pipeline networks for crude oil and refined oil, which respectively reached 27,000 kilometers and 21,000 kilometers, will also be expanded to 37,000 kilometers and 40,000 kilometers by 2025, a respective annual boost of 3.2 percent and 6.7 percent, it said. Wang Lu, an Asia-Pacific oil and gas analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, added that the biggest bottleneck currently is the underdeveloped pipeline network. "The expected growth in pipeline length and total transmission capacity will help China raise the share of gas in the primary energy consumption mix," she said. However, Li Li, energy research director at ICIS China, a consulting company that provides analysis of China's energy market, warned the future development of oil and gas pipelines may also slow down mostly due to financial concerns. "Considering a project this big, the investment is intensive and the payoff period is too long, which could introduce many uncertainties to its development," she said. Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, is seen at the launch of Alibaba's ANZ office at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb 4, 2017. [Photo/VCG] GENEVA Chinese internet entrepreneur Jack Ma is to team up with the United Nations (UN) trade and development agency head Mukhisa Kituyi in co-hosting meetings in East Africa to promote entrepreneurship and small business among young people. Ma is the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, China's e-commerce giant. Ma is also special advisor of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for youth entrepreneurship and small businesses. He will land in Africa for the first time later this month on his new mission, UNCTAD said in a statement on Wednesday. UNCTAD Secretary-General Kituyi and Ma are to share entrepreneurial insights with African youth and small businesses during a visit to the region between July 19 and 21 that will include stopovers in Kenya and Rwanda. The UN agency said the goal of the tour was to "empower young African young entrepreneurs and small businesses." Ma was appointed UNCTAD special advisor in 2016. The first meeting will take place at the University of Nairobi where Ma and Kituyi will hold a "conversation" with 500 young business leaders to be followed by a meeting with the local press. On July 21, they will talk to young people in the Rwandan capital of Kigali before meeting with political leaders. China's defense sector is taking bold steps to be more competitive and innovative, as it prepares to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on Aug 1. A key aspect of this reform is the drive to put the nation's defense research institutes on a more commercial footing, a move which was announced at a recent conference held by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Work is proceeding well on such efforts at 41 institutes, which will become independent legal entities as companies, it was revealed at the conference on July 7. The move shows that the reform of the institutes has entered the period of its practical implementation, said Wang Zongchao, chief analyst of Huatai Securities. In fact, the capital market has been eagerly awaiting this step for a number of years, said Wang. "Until now, the asset securitization rate of the 10 largest defense industrial groups was only about 30 percent, which leaves much room for improvement." These research organizations have the leading technologies in their sectors, and strong research and development capabilities. "Putting these institutes on a commercial footing can stimulate their vitality, and raise their overall productivity," said Wang, who focuses on research of listed companies in the defense sector. Sinolink Securities said in a research note that investors should not expect too many results from the reform this year. Gao Song, an analyst at CITIC Securities, pointed out that the reform was unlikely to be completed until the end of 2018, noting that it is "very complicated and the pace will be steady". Covering a large amount of employees and involving many different sectors, reform of defense research institutes is an important task for the central government in its wider reform of State institutions. "With advanced technologies, the research institutes will increase the profitability and competitiveness of the already listed defense companies through capital infusion," said Wang. He added that these new defense companies will either be listed, or see investment in units under them which are already listed. Although defense industry shares have remained stable recently, Wang said he has a bullish outlook for the sector in the medium and long-term, especially in aeronautics and astronautics, as well as high-end equipment. SHANGHAI The US-based private investment firm Starwood Capital Group has formed a joint venture with a Chinese partner to run middle and upper scale hotels in China. The inception of Shanghai Shimao Star Hotel Management Co Ltd was announced Wednesday by Starwood's partner, Shimao Property Holdings Limited. The deal, first revealed in March, was completed on Tuesday. In the joint venture, Starwood holds 49 percent stake and Shimao 51 percent. The amount of investment is not disclosed. The joint venture will develop six hotel brands, including luxurious five-star hotels, Yu Resort and Yuluxe Hotel, business brand Yu Hotel, apartment brand Yu Residence, and two futuristic concept hotels, MiniMax Premier and MiniMax, according to the agreement. Starwood has joined a line of international hotel operators actively seeking business opportunities in China. Days have gone that top-tier hotels in China were primarily occupied by foreigners. Chinese travelers and holiday-makers now spend much more on hotels and expect better services. Kevin Colket, managing director and head of Asian acquisitions at Starwood, said China represents an exciting market as the country has a large and growing middle class with increasing disposable income. Shimao Group's vice chairman Jason Hui said China's domestic demand for both business and leisure travel will continue to rise. BISMARCK, N.D. The Trump administration rejected North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum's request for a "major disaster declaration" to help cover some of the estimated $38 million cost to police protests of the Dakota Access pipeline, a spokesman for the Republican governor said Thursday. Burgum publicly announced in April his letter to President Donald Trump seeking the disaster declaration to pave the way for federal aid. The governor was notified in May that the request was denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Burgum spokesman Mike Nowatzki said. The governor's office didn't announce the denial until reporters asked about it this week. The denial was not unexpected because such declarations typically involve natural disasters, and not "civil-unrest-related disasters," Nowatzki said. "It wasn't a surprise to us," Nowatzki said. "We knew it was a longshot." The state had 30 days to appeal but did not, he said. North Dakota's costs resulted from about six months of protests against the $3.8 billion pipeline built by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners to move North Dakota oil to Illinois. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of opponents camped on federal land in southern North Dakota, often clashing with police and National Guard soldiers who set up a staging area nearby that morphed into a small village. There were 761 arrests in the region between early August and late February. Burgum, in his 11-page letter to Trump, said the federal government bore "significant" responsibility for the costs because it failed to "enforce its regulations and maintain law and order on its property." The state has borrowed money from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota to cover the law enforcement costs. It also is anticipating up to $10 million from a Justice Department grant, Nowatzki said. The state also has a longstanding offer from the pipeline's developer to help the state recoup the costs. Energy Transfer Partners spokeswoman Vicki Granado said in an email to The Associated Press on Thursday that the offer still stands because "we know it placed a great burden on the state." Nowatzki said Burgum has not yet dismissed the offer. "Everything is on the table," Nowatzki said. "The governor believes North Dakota taxpayers should not have to foot this bill." The long-delayed project was finished after Trump took office and called for its completion. On June 1, the pipeline began moving North Dakota oil to a distribution point in Illinois, from which it's shipped to the Gulf Coast. North Dakota Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger said the pipeline "is already having a positive impact on state tax revenue because of the cheaper transportation." Industry officials have estimated the pipeline could shave shipping costs by more than $3 a barrel. Rauschenberger said it already has lowered shipping costs by about $2.50 a barrel for drillers. State tax officials estimate every dollar saved on the per-barrel shipping price means about $33 million annually in added tax revenue, a sum that in the long run would more than offset the law enforcement costs. With rapidly increasing cyberattacks on online data, Chinese companies and organizations need to beef up their input on cybersecurity, said a senior executive of technology major Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Qi Xiangdong, chairman of 360 Enterprise Security Group, an internet security company affiliated to Qihoo 360, said as more companies and organizations enjoy the convenience brought by the internet and big data technologies, there remains increasing security risks. "Entering a new era of big data, cybersecurity will become as important as money and online data will become a key target of online criminals and hackers." He added that cybersecurity was of the utmost urgency and there was a pressing need for an upgraded cybersecurity systems of companies. With the unprecedented global cyberattack occurring in May, the "WannaCry" ransomware virus has seized hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries and regions. In China, the virus reportedly wreaked havoc in around 30,000 institutions, including universities and gas stations. "The recent WannaCry virus highlights a huge rise in hacking attacks targeting governments, companies and organizations. And similar cyberattackers will become more rampant and the data breach trend will get worse in the future." Qi said. He stressed that compared with mature markets such as the Europe and the United States, the Chinese companies' awareness of cybersecurity is still underdeveloped. According to Qi, China's input to cybersecurity only accounts for less than one percent of the total IT investment, while the level for the US and Europe are 15 percent and 10 percent. A report of more than 100 organizations by 360 revealed that over half of the surveyed entities have not scheduled assessments of their system security in the past year, which made them easy targets of the ransomware virus. "Companies and organizations need to keep an eye on the potential security risks and should strengthen their awareness of cybersecurity in the first place. And they should also cooperate with professional safety corporates to build an emergency system that can respond quickly," Qi added. In the wake of the mounting cyberattacks, China has called for a deeper cooperation between companies and industry associations to boost the construction of a cybersecurity system. "We will step up efforts to promote the construction of information infrastructure, expand broadband network coverage, and build up the industrial internet platform," Industry and Information Technology Minister Miao Wei said at the China Internet Conference in Beijing on Tuesday. PHNOM PENH The Lower Sesan II Hydropower Plant, which is Cambodia's biggest hydropower dam, will begin testing its first-phase operation on July 15 after more than three years of construction, the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) said on Wednesday. The 400-megawatt hydropower dam, situated in northern Cambodia's Stung Treng province, is a joint venture between China's Hydrolancang International Energy holding 51 percent of the stake, and Cambodia's Royal Group and Vietnamese EVN International Joint Stock Company possessing 39 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The project's investment worth is about $928 million. "This is a huge achievement of the Cambodian government in developing a stable, qualitative electricity sector," the EAC said in a Facebook post. The project is a concessional contract of a 45-year build-operate-transfer (BOT), of which, five years are for construction and 40 years for operations. When the dam is operational, the electricity will be sold to the Electricity of Cambodia at the fixed price of 6.95 cents per kilowatt-hour. China is the largest investor in building hydroelectric dams in this Southeast Asian nation. Cars await sale at a used car trading market in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo by Liu Debin/For China Daily] According to Mao Wenfeng, Alibaba's innovative business director, customers can test drive vehicles and return for maintenance later on. As the secondhand platform of Alibaba, Xianyu has access to the 120 million registered users and 400 million active online consumers on Alibaba ecommerce platforms. The head of Xianyu Secondhand Cars, He Jia, said only about 20 percent of the profits are gained from direct trading. More needs to be done in financing, testing, warranty, and maintenance to generate revenue. "Xianyu has a superior business model compared to car retailers who draw in customers and sell offline. Our goal is to produce a hundred 'CarMax' used-car retailers in China," said He. CarMax is the largest retailer of used vehicles in the United States, controlling about 10 percent of the market. Purchases can be made both online and offline. Business insiders said used cars are non-standard products that consumers distrust. Only high-quality experience stores can sell successfully, as online services are more preferred for price comparisons. According to official data, up to 10.4 million used cars traded hands in 2016, and that number is expected to grow by 20 percent in 2017. Thirteen Chinese provinces have launched policies to cancel restrictions on importing used cars. He said Xianyu was considering reselling cars from developed cities in China to developing cities. A worker monitors container operation at Zhoushan port in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/China Daily] BEIJING China's foreign trade expanded at the fastest pace since the second half of 2011, buffering the economy from a slowdown amid headwinds at home and abroad. Exports in yuan-denominated terms rose 15 percent year on year in the first half of this year while imports increased 25.7 percent, customs data showed Thursday. That led to a trade surplus of 1.28 trillion yuan (188 billion U.S. dollars) in the same period, down 17.7 percent year on year, according to the General Administration of Customs. Total foreign trade volume reached 13.14 trillion yuan H1, up 19.6 percent year on year, the quickest pace since the second half of 2011. The brisk growth was bolstered by a lower comparison basis, government support and healing global demand, Huang Songping, a spokesperson with the customs authority, told a press briefing. During the first six months, trade with the EU jumped 17.4 percent from the same period last year. Meanwhile, trade with the United States and ASEAN went up by 21.3 percent and 21.9 percent, respectively. Private businesses played an important role in foreign trade with exports and imports value up 20.6 percent to 5.02 trillion yuan in the first half, or 38.2 percent of the nation's total. Most of China's exports were mechanical and electrical products and labor-intensive products. Huang brought attention to a tough stance on foreign trade in the second half of this year due to a higher comparison basis, uncertainties in the global environment and deep-seated problems in the domestic economy. Uncertainties weigh on the global market as major economies practice divergent monetary policy. Commodity prices and trade protectionism also add unpredictability. As developed economies shore up advanced manufacturing and emerging economies strengthened on low-end manufacturing, China's exports are due to face more fierce competition in the global market. But the strong fundamentals of China's foreign trade has not changed. They will continue with such good momentum, and the trade structure will be improved if no major risks are brought about, Huang said. Regarding China's trade with Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Huang highlighted the fact that China's imports from the DPRK had fallen substantially for four straight months. "China has always abided by the rules of the United Nations resolution on a trade embargo with the DPRK ... It is a common responsibility of all UN members. China will carry out the practice in a consistent, accurate and stringent way." he said. Shijingshan, an urban district in western Beijing, held an investment forum on Tuesday in a move to attract banking, insurance and innovative technology enterprises to start their businesses in their area. Nearly 200 institutions and 300 executives from companies from China and abroad attended the forum. A number of companies including Taikang Pension Co Beijing branch and BTG-Jianguo Hotels & Resorts Management Co signed cooperation contracts with the Beijing Insurance Business Park from Shijingshan district. Shijingshan is an industrial area with a long history that was once home to Shougang Group, China's leading heavyweight steelmaker. The area has strived to develop high-end and green industries to step up an economic restructure since Shougang halted its operations in the district in 2011. From 2011 to 2016, Shijingshan has attracted over 9000 enterprises including 146 companies with registered capital of 24.8 billion yuan ($3.65 billion). Rockwell Automation says it sees great potential in China as it moves to high-end manufacturing driven by the Made in China 2025 strategy. "As the second largest single country market right after the United States, China is a strategically important market for us, and we see great opportunity in this market, Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific President Joe Sousa said. "We have been consistently investing in China." Since Rockwell Automation entered China in 1988, the company has gone through rapid growth and expansion, he said. "We will continue to increase investment and expand our capability in China, to help Chinese manufacturers achieve smart manufacturing." He said China's goal to boost the manufacturing industry and accelerate the transformation from a big manufacturing power to a strong manufacturing power has provided them with a great opportunity for cooperation. "We are committed to supporting China to achieve smart manufacturing through 'The Connected Enterprise', which helps Chinese manufacturers become more globally competitive by getting products to market faster while lowering costs, improving asset utilization and reducing risk," he said. The company has links to major universities in China to cultivate the next generation of engineers. For younger students, it hopes to inspire the next generation of innovators with investments in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The company has also worked with Chinese automobile manufacturers, including SAIC Motor, GAC, and Dongfeng Motor, helping them achieve speed to market, operations optimization, workforce skills enhancement and lifecycle management. At present, Rockwell Automation now has over 2,250 employees with 34 offices in many provinces across China, one global R&D center in Shanghai, one software development center in Dalian and two plants. Aerial photo of the Anhui segment of Huizhou-Hangzhou Highway in East China.[Photo/Xinhua] China will issue local toll road bonds this year to standardize local government's financing for toll roads, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. This is the latest move to regulate local government's financing behaviors following the rollout of local land reserve bonds. Local governments will be allowed to issue local toll road bonds to meet their financing needs, according to the statement jointly released by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport. Local toll road bonds is a type of special-purpose bond issued by local governments to finance the construction of toll roads. The fund raised should be used specifically for toll road construction, the statement said. Priority will be given to national highway projects and government toll way projects supporting the Belt and Road Initiative, the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei region and the Yangtze River Economic Zone. Government toll roads mainly include national highways, local highways and arterial toll roads, according to the statement. "The fund should not be misappropriated for projects other than toll road construction, current expenditures or road maintenance expenditures," the statement stressed. As of the end of last year, China had 171,100 kilometers of toll roads, accounting for 3.6 percent of all roads. The aggregate investment in toll road construction came to 7.59 trillion yuan ($1.12 trillion) and the outstanding debts stood at 4.86 billion yuan, according to a communique on toll roads released by the Ministry of Transportation. In the past, local governments either invited private capital to participate in road construction on the build-operate-transfer model, or borrowed loans from banks for road construction and paid back the loans with toll collections, an official said. As China called off the financing function of various local transport financing vehicles in 2014, local government bonds have become the only bond-financing channel for new road construction, he said. The issuance of the special-purpose local toll road bonds will expand the financing channels for road construction and standardize the financing behaviors of local governments, the official said. According to a report by 21st Century Business Herald, the longest duration of local toll road bonds can be 15 years, while five years in principle is standard for local land reserve bonds. The newspaper also reported an unnamed source saying this year's total quota for local toll road bonds will be 73 billion yuan. People walk past a shop of British luxury brand Burberry at the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland July 12, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] British luxury brand Burberry reported retail revenue of 478 million pounds ($613 million) during the quarter ending June 30, up 3 percent year-on-year. Driven by this better than expected quarterly report, shares in Burberry climbed as much as 5 percent. The result was attributed in part to solid growth on the Chinese mainland and a boost in Hong Kong sales. The broader Asia Pacific region recorded mid-single-digit percentage growth. Sales in Britain remained strong, although growth has slowed, while the Americas remained weak. In terms of sales channels, e-commerce experienced strong growth. Direct-to-consumer revenue continued to grow with mobile transactions now representing 40 percent of global sales. China revenues more than doubled compared to previous year. Burberry attributed the strong performance in China to popular social media platforms such as WeChat which has more than 938 million users. The company said its advertising campaign on WeChat for the launch of the new DK88 bag, which retails for 1,695 pounds, resulted in increased sales. Other popular luxury brands including Longchamp and Mulberry also began selling handbags on WeChat in the Chinese market. Consultancy Bain & Co said in a report that the Chinese mainland luxury goods market grew 4 percent in 2016, the first sign of revitalization in three years. Due partly to a rebound in demand for luxury goods in China, industry leader LVMH and French luxury group Kering , which owns the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent brands, both exceeded their forecast results in the quarter. BEIJING - China concluded 156 anti-monopoly investigations in the first half of the year, facilitating fair market competition, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday. Sixty-seven of the cases involved overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A), up 18 percent year on year, accounting for 43 percent of the total, said MOC spokesperson Gao Feng. M&A cases between Chinese companies and overseas firms totaled 45, up 15 percent year on year, accounting for 29 percent of the cases. Companies in the United States, the European Union, and Japan were among the major M&A participants, Gao said. As the cases of global M&A rise, the MOC has been actively cooperating with international law enforcement agencies, and signed a memorandum of understanding on antitrust cooperation with the market regulator in the United Kingdom. The MOC has also been improving the efficiency of antitrust investigations, cutting the average review time by about 11.6 percent in the first half compared to 2016. The investigations have helped with fair market competition, as in the case of the merger between chemical giants Dow Chemical and DuPont, which the MOC approved with preconditions that the two should divest some businesses. The conditional approval has helped maintain fair competition in the industry while protecting the interests of farmers, the MOC said. Intel's logo is pictured during preparations at the CeBit computer fair, which opened its doors to the public on March 20, at the fairground in Hanover, Germany, March 19, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Intel Corp unveiled a new generation of server chips on Wednesdayas the US tech heavyweight ramps up efforts to safeguard its market dominance and defend itself against competition from an increasing number of rivals. The upgrade is also the latest move to tap into the Chinese market, where the country's Internet Plus initiative is fueling an explosive growth of internet data centers. The Xeon Scalable Family processors, Intel said, can deliver 1.65 times higher performance, on average, over their predecessors, and can better drive corporate data centers and the computing clouds of the internet giants. Intel, the undisputed leader in the personal computer chip market, also dominates in the server chip business. It controls about 96 percent of such chips, according to data from market research company International Data Corp. But more players are entering the sector. Advanced Micro Devices Inc, the US semiconductor company, launched new server processors days ago. Qualcomm Inc, whose chips are widely used in smartphones and tablets, is also making processors for servers. Lisa M Davis, vice-president of the Data Center Group at Intel, said the upgraded Xeon processors can meet companies' increasingly diversified demands for server performances. Xeon chips have four metal-themed familiesPlatinum, Gold, Silver and Bronzewhich differ in terms of performance and features, rather than server size. They can target specified workloads of different enterprises, such as telecoms, cloud and AI tasks, Davis said. In China, Intel's partners include Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Inspur Group Co Ltd and Sugon Information Industry Co Ltd. Roger Sheng, a senior chip analyst at research company Gartner Inc, said the latest Xeon chips represent a good improvement on the previous generation. The launch timing seems a move designed to head off competition from AMD, which launched Epyc server processors, Sheng said. Epyc server processors consist of four chips that each features up to 8 cores in a single package. Chinese search engine company Baidu Inc said it will use Epyc chips in its data centers. According to International Data Corp, China consumed about 3.7 million units of server chips in 2015, and the figure is expected hit 8.6 million units by 2020. Qualcomm plans to start shipping China-customized server chips in 2018, through Guizhou Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology Co, its joint venture with the Guizhou provincial government. Legendary mountain man and scout Jim Bridger likely didnt spend much time in Bridger, but once a year the tiny town in Carbon County celebrates its namesake with old-fashioned fun that includes horseshoes, a parade and a flintlock shoot. Jim Bridger Days is set for July 14-16, and this year it will feature the theme Rendezvous Trapper in honor of Bridgers trapping days. Its been the biggest party of the year in Bridger since the 1930s. The Judkins family will be parade marshals on Saturday with six siblings coming from all over the U.S. and New Zealand to honor their late parents, Les and Maybelle. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. Les Judkins started the Bridger Fur Company in the basement of the family home in the early 1970s and later moved it to Main Street. His youngest son, Doug, remembers rounding up cans to recycle to pay the rent on the new place on Main Street. Julie Judkins Krum, who lives in Belfry, said part of the reason her parents loved Bridger Days so much is because it was close to her dads birthday on July 19. Dad would always say, Dont they all go way out for us? Krum said. There is so much pride in Bridger. I met with a half-dozen folks recently and they brought fat files of family histories to share. I was given a copy of the original sketch of Jim Bridger with his Hawkins rifle drawn by Ruby M. Becker which was used for the statue at a city park. Marvin Schwend, whose family settled in Bridger around 1905, brought recipes for dandelion wine and spruce beer under the title "Mountain Men's Famous Oldtime Methods." I may try making both. I found out many things about Bridger, but what really impressed me was how much these folks love their town. Shirley Smith, who served as mayor of Bridger in the 1980s and ran the Cowboy Bar in Fromberg, may have said it best: This town is very special. Old Gabe, as Bridger was known because of his hang-dog looks, would likely be pleased with the kind of perseverance the town folks have shown. When the fur business went into decline, the Judkins branched out and now sell trinkets and jewelry and other souvenirs that rival those found in nearby Red Lodge. You can find stuff here from 5 cents to $1,000, Doug said. Gary Jacobson, who moved to Bridger 30 years ago and ran the IGA store for years, turned his Main Street business, Clarks Fork Valley Auto, into a museum. One of his proudest pieces is a wood stove that he said once belonged to Calamity Jane. Schwend pointed out that Bridger still has a hitching rail, which he played on when he was a kid, but was embarrassed about as a young man. These days, hes rather proud that it still exists. Bridger's Crossing On his most famous visit, Bridger guided a party of gold-seeking emigrants through the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone during the spring of 1864. He was trying to find a safer route to the gold fields in the Bozeman area than what was known as the Bloody Bozeman trail. Bridger led the group across the Clarks Fork just south of Bridger, an area now known as Bridgers Crossing. For that feat, the town honored Bridger with several statues and a memorial at Veterans Park made of stones gathered from the places Bridger traveled. The rocks and ore samples were lovingly gathered by acquaintances of the trapper and scout, according to a history of the area compiled by the Clarks Fork Valley Museum in Fromberg. The monument was built by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps and still stands at the park just a block off Main Street. Bridger began as the coal town of Stringtown, named for a mile-long main street with a string of businesses built along a county road because there was no public land to build on. The first post office was established in 1898, the same year mining magnate William A. Clark and other investors constructed houses for their mining crews, buying property from some of the homesteaders. City boosters decided Stringtown was not an appropriate name and suggested calling it Georgetown to honor one of the founders, George Town. He suggested naming after an acquaintance of his, Jim Bridger. Native Americans have lived in the area for centuries. The National Historic Nee Me Poo Trail, part of the path Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Tribe took in their fight to outrun the cavalry in 1877, is near Bridger. Nee Me Poo is the name of the Nez Perce Tribe and means The People. Bridger has lost businesses, but the population has been fairly constant. The 2010 census listed the population of Bridger at 708 people, which compares to a population in 1906 of 800 people. Some folks, like Dana Zier, have returned to the area. Zier, who grew up in the Clarks Fork Valley and graduated from Roberts High School, opened Zier Gallery on Main Street and is working with her mother Betty Jean and others to help put on Bridger Days. The first school here is the library and the second school is my grandpas barn, Zier said. Her family can trace its Bridger roots back to Andrew Parker, a cavalry sergeant who helped construct the Northern Pacific Railroad before settling near Bridger to raise cattle in 1894. Bridger's colorful history is impressive, but so are the folks who keep this town celebrating its past. A doctor demonstrates how a robot conducts an orthopedic operation in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [Photo by Zhang Tao/For China Daily] Artificial intelligence technology will transform the medical sector and trigger an estimated 1 trillion yuan ($147 billion) market during the next 20 years. A report from Firestone Inventing, a consultancy specializing in the medical industry and based in Hangzhou, showed that China is now one of the leading AI research and development centers along with the United States. Last year, there were 144 Chinese AI companies involved in the medical sector. The majority of them were based in Beijing, Guangdong and the Yangtze River Delta. "The era of AI is inevitable and has already been broadly applied to the healthcare area," said Dai Tao, deputy director of the Development Center for Medical Science and Technology at the National Health and Family Planning Commission in Beijing. "For example, when AI is applied to the field of radiodiagnosis, it only takes five seconds for a computer tomography (CT)," he added. "Before, it would take up to half an hour." Dai stressed that what is happening in the AI sector is just a glimpse of the future. During the next two decades, artificial intelligence will radically change the healthcare industry and save lives. "The government should strongly support the development of smart medical treatment, and promote the innovation of medical techniques," he said. AI will also have a crucial role in the field of big data, a vital pillar of the information industry. Medical big data is used to crunch vast amounts of complex statistics to show patterns and trends which are vital in healthcare. Already doctors are using artificial intelligence systems to help them when dealing with patients. "AI now is widely used in medical care," said Zhang Jiang, president of Ping An Ventures, a major investment company in Shanghai. "It helps doctors in diagnosing problems with patients." "This not only lowers the service costs, but also improves the accuracy of the diagnosis," Zhang added. The government has been encouraging the application of medical big data since 2015 as well as rolling out policies dealing with AI development in the healthcare industry. The Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Health and Family Planning Commission launched a blueprint to support medical innovation during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20). This involved guidelines on research in techniques in bioscience, precision medicine and medical AI. Last year, Firestone Inventing revealed in its report that medical AI investment topped 2.58 billion yuan, which was a jump of 193 percent compared to the same period in 2015. Major tech companies such as IBM, Google Inc, Microsoft Corp, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd are all moving into the field of artificial intelligence. In 2016, Baidu Inc launched its "Medical Brain" system, using AI to help doctors across China. "Only 4.8 percent of the urban population go to see a doctor when they feel sick," said Fan Wei, director of Baidu's big data lab. "Up to 89 percent of the online population search the internet for medical knowledge," Fan added. "Baidu Zhidao, the question and answer section on search engine Baidu, receives 10 million medical inquiries every day. So, the market for AI in the healthcare sector is huge." By Ma Si in Beijing and Yang Jun in Guiyang, Guizhou | China Daily | Updated: 2017-07-13 08:22 A boy plays with an Apple device at an outlet of Apple Inc in Tianjin. [Photo provided to China Daily] Apple Inc will invest $1 billion to build its first China data center in Guizhou province, in a move to meet local consumers' growing demand for better cloud services. The move is part of a deal Apple signed with the Guizhou provincial government on Wednesday and came as the US tech giant intensifies resources to compete with local rivals. The new data center will be located in Guian New Area, Guiyang. It will be operated by Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co Ltd, a company owned by the Guizhou provincial government. The company will be the sole operating partner of Apple's iCloud service in the Chinese mainland. Apple will register a business in Guiyang to help build the data center and offer technological support, the Guizhou provincial government said. Apple said that Chinese customers like using iCloud to store their photos, videos, documents and apps, and to keep them updated across all of their devices. "The addition of this data center will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services," Apple said. The company maintained that it has strong data privacy and security protection measures in place, and no backdoors will be created in any of its systems. James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said Guizhou has invested heavily in developing the big data industry, making it a good choice for Apple. "Setting up its own data center in China will also help the US company better manage consumers' data, analyze their behaviors and improve its services," Yan said. The deal marks Apple's latest push to ramp up investments in China where it is losing ground to local competitors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Apple said in March that it would build two more research and development centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, Jiangsu province, as part of its broad efforts to tap into the country's talent pool in manufacturing, design and app development. It plans to invest 3.5 billion yuan ($508 million) in these R&D centers, including the already planned Beijing and Shenzhen centers. Apple's China revenue fell 14.1 percent to $10.73 billion in its second fiscal quarter. But Yan, from Counterpoint, said the upcoming 10th anniversary edition of the iPhone will reignite Chinese consumers' enthusiasm. HAMBURG, German A Sino-German digital summit was held Tuesday, with some 200 officials and businessmen from China and Germany gathering here to discuss the latest trend of digitalization in both countries and deeper cooperation in the related fields. The summit was a followup event to the G20 summit held in Hamburg on July 7-8, which had included digitalization as one of its major topics. During the digital summit, China's key digital enterprises like Alibaba Group had talks with Germany's major digital companies such as Otto Group. China is the world's largest and most rapidly growing market of digitalization, which has great influence on European companies and their business, said Ragnar Kruse, CEO and co-founder of Smaato, a leading global mobile advertising platform and also a partner of the digital summit. Hamburg is a city that has a key position in Germany's digital economy and it is also regarded as China's gateway into Europe. Over 550 Chinese enterprises have investment in the city. A business conference featuring the technology and advancement of artificial intelligence will be held during October in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, according to the organizing group, International Data Group (IDG). The event, named the Canton Tower Science and Technology Conference, was designed to help facilitate Guangzhou's strategy of developing the industries of IAB, as well as the new generation of information technology, artificial intelligence and biological medicine, and key industries for economic growth, according to IDG. "We are planning to set up an industrial fund of 10 billion yuan ($1.47 billion) for the development of artificial intelligence," according to Wang Guilin, the director of the Guangzhou Science Technology and Innovation Commission. Wang added Guangzhou would also build a large industrial development park of artificial intelligence in the city"s booming district of Nansha. "The conference will help introduce more talents and companies in the artificial intelligence sector as we are improving the environment for industrial development," he said. The annual conference, which launched in 2016, drew the attendance of 8,000 industrial insiders last year, according to IDG. An unmanned rescue speedboat patrols Tian'e Lake in Hefei, Anhui province, earlier this month. YU JUNJIE/CHINA DAILY An aquatic robot put into use recently in Hefei, Anhui province, is expected to protect people from drowning and replace dozens of human lifeguards. The robot, believed to be China's first unmanned speedboat, was officially launched in Tian'e Lake on July 3 after months of trials. The boat, which is 2.8 meters long, is equipped with cameras, infrared sensors and acoustic sensors to detect "moving targets" in the water, according to Zhang Bao, deputy general manager of Anhui CAS-Huacheng Intelligent Technology, a company affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Hefei Institute of Physical Science. "A radio transmitter built on an island in the lake helps the boat divide the water into different sectors," he said. When a person, often a swimmer, is getting close to the danger line, which is invisible, it will warn him or her of the danger with a loudspeaker. Once the person crosses the danger line, the speedboat will locate him or her, and go to the person in danger while sending alerts to the command center and human lifeguards via an app, so that a rescue team can take action promptly. If drowning person is able to grab the boat, it will bring the person to safety, Zhang said. Tian'e Lake was opened to the public in 2004. "At least 66 people have drowned," said Wang Xu, an official with the local water police. "Fifteen of those died in 2016." "Most of the victims were swimmers. Others committed suicide," he added. No drownings have been reported since the company put a trial boat in the lake in November, according to Zhang. Although the lake is only about 1.5 kilometers from east to west and 800 meters north to south, local authorities have employed about 110 lifeguards working in four shifts a day, to patrol the lake. "In the future, most of the lifeguards will be replaced by the robot," Zhang said. "The boat, powered by a battery, can be used to patrol rivers, reservoirs, lakes and seasnot only for security purposes but also for environmental surveillance and data collection." A girl tastes a crayfish during a crayfish festival held in Xuyi county, East China's Jiangsu province, June 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Crayfish originated in China, not North America as commonly believed, according to a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Not that it matters much to the Chinese people for whom the fresh crustaceans are a favorite snack on summer nightsbut it's nice to know. Shen Yanbin at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology said the oldest fossil crayfish found in China dates to 124 million years ago, while the oldest one found in North America can only be traced back 100 million years. "By far it is the earliest fossil crayfish found in the world," said Shen, who has scrutinized and researched hundreds of fossil crayfish unearthed in Liaoning province, together with his colleagues. "The ancient crayfish look like the modern ones, but they also have body parts that differ from each other, especially the shape and number of legs of the male." After analyzing the imprint of weeds, fish and shells in the fossils, Shen concludes that the ancient crayfish in China lived in freshwater but not seawater. Pieces of fossil crayfish were unearthed in western Liaoning in the early 20th century, he said. Many of them were sent to Japan because at the time Northeast China was occupied by Japanese troops. To study the fossils, Shen and two crustacean experts from the United States, Rod Taylor and Frederick Schram, had to borrow them from a museum in Yokohama. For years, Shen has searched for fossil crayfish in Liaoning. He has gone to remote areas, asked dealers for information and bought specimens from various people. He keeps a fossil of a crayfish trying to catch a fish and another of a crayfish lying on its back. (Most fossil crayfish are on their bellies.) "Why all the crayfish suddenly disappeared from China around 100 million years ago is a mystery," Shen said. "And the connection of ancient crayfish in China and North America is still to be found." In the 1920s, Japan imported crayfish to feed bullfrogs, and later introduced the species to China's Yangtze River Delta. The red crustacean has become a popular food across China. According to a report from China's Ministry of Agriculture in June, the output of crayfish last year reached 899,100 metric tons, making China the world's largest producer. Nearly 5 million people are involved in the industry. Some Chinese experts disagree with Shen, insisting that crayfish in fact originated in North America. Fang Xingxing, a researcher at Nanjing Agricultural University, said direct evidence of evolution and more fossil crayfish need to be provided to prove that the species originated in China. Guo Jun contributed to this story. Workers make gloves at a workshop invested in by Jining Zhongxing Garments in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.[Zhao Ruixue/China Daily] Shandong government introduced 74 projects in three years to provide jobs and promote development of remote areas Around 6 kilometers from the urban area of Shule county, Kashgar, one of the least-developed areas in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is home to a textile industrial park. With modern facilities such as spacious plants and solar powered street lamps, it stands out on an otherwise vacant expanse of land. Inside a plant at the Shule Ruyi Hi-Tech Textile Industrial Park, a project invested in by Ruyi Group, which is based in Jining, Shandong province, dozens of workers fine-tune the automatic production line, preparing for the official start of production, which is scheduled for this month. "I have spent two months learning how to manage the production line. It is totally automatic. What I need to do is to keep a close eye on an iPad, which shows whether the machines are working correctly," said Tuhangul Musa, a female worker at the park. The 24-year-old worked in a local textile and garment company for two years before taking her current job. "I am looking forward to working at such a spacious and clean plant," Tuhangul said. After passing a three-month probationary period, she will sign a contract with the company, and get a salary of around 2,500 yuan ($370) a month. Her husband is also working at the textile park. Campaign by ministry will place more officers at key intersections The Ministry of Public Security initiated a campaign this month to curb the problem of vehicles failing to give way to pedestrians in crosswalks. The action will last until the end of this year, the ministry's traffic management bureau said on Wednesday. "Vehicles allowing pedestrians to go first is not only a matter of compliance with traffic rules and regulations but an important symbol of city civilization," the bureau said in a statement. The ministry intends to create "a safe, orderly, civilized and unobstructed traffic environment" before the opening of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China later this year. In recent years, a large number of crosswalk incidentsincluding 3,898 pedestrian fatalitiesoccurred across the country, arousing attention at home and abroad. Ministry data show that from June 2014 to last month, there were 14,000 incidents in which vehicles struck pedestrians in crosswalks nationwide. Of those, 90 percent were blamed on vehicles violating traffic regulations. "Local traffic control police should take the existing problems in crosswalk management seriously, and take a zero-tolerance attitude in investigating any illegal behavior involving vehicles," the statement from the traffic bureau said. The ministry said that during the initiative, public security departments will send more police officers and auxiliary police to patrol the streets, especially places with a large flow of people and crosswalks that are not governed by traffic lights. Police officers will strengthen their efforts at key intersections, it said. The police will use a variety of tools for enforcement, including different kinds of recording devices. In addition, officers will coordinate with each other to flag down violators, according to the ministry, which said the effort is intended to deter illegal driving behaviors. In addition, the police will organize public information activities to remind drivers about giving way to pedestrians and help them consciously obey the rules. The authorities will also improve traffic lights and monitoring of both vehicles and pedestrians. He Zhiqiang, a news reporter at a television station in Wuhan, said: "I am in full support of the effort, which makes human life the priority and reflects a humanitarian approach to traffic management." Liu Zhicheng, a 67-year-old retired worker in Jilin, had a different perspective: "I think it's impractical, because many pedestrians break the traffic rules to go across roads. They walk when the red lights are on. So it's no wonder the drivers won't let them go." Baiyangdian Lake in Xiongan New Area is one of three bodies of water selected for strengthened ecological conservation and pollution control efforts, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. "The aim is to improve the quality of the water," Li Ganjie, the environment minister, said on Monday at a conference attended by senior officials of the ministry. The other two bodies of water to be protected are Erhai Lake in Yunnan province and Danjiangkou Reservoir in Hubei province. Xiongan New Area, which is being built about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing in Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties of Baoding, Hebei province, is designed to ease population pressure on the capital. When it was announced in April, one of the goals laid out was to create a "naturally scenic city with blue skies, fresh air and clean water". Baiyangdian, the area's largest freshwater lake, which covers 366 square kilometers - about 56 times as big as West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province - plays a major role in reaching the goal. The protection and restoration of the ecological functions of the lake is a prerequisite for Xiongan New Area, said Xu Kuangdi, director of a council of experts for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The lake's ecology has been damaged by years of pollution that has affected its biological systems, including its food chain and other functions. To restore the lake, Hebei and Baoding began taking a series of measures about two years ago to curb pollution and supply clean water. At the beginning of this year, Baoding said it will spend 24.6 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) on improving the ecological environment of Baiyangdian Lake, according to the local government. Measures have become more forceful since the announcement of the new area. Li said the ministry will dispatch special inspection teams to control black and odorous waters, including streams that feed the lake. The Fuhe River in Baoding, the primary river that runs into the lake, was listed as black and odorous last year by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. "The team won't leave until the pollution problems are solved," Li said. Scenic spots offering cooler weather are seeing a surge in visitors, as people across northern China look to escape the current heat wave. In the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where temperatures have risen as high as 47 C, many are heading to Nanshan, a vast pasture about 55 kilometers south of Urumqi. The area, with its forests, grasslands glaciers and low cost - just 20 yuan ($3) to get in - received about 30,000 visitors last weekend, website Xinjiangnet reported, citing the park's managing committee. "With all the mountains, lakes and forests, it's really cool and comfy here, much better than sitting in an air-conditioned home," Wang Xue, who took her family to the park on Sunday, told the website. People are also hiding from the heat in karaoke venues, shopping malls and parks. Gao Guangling, 63, took her 18-month-old grandson to cool off at a riverside park in Beijing's Chaoyang district on Tuesday. "Staying too long in an air-conditioned environment will definitely harm a person's health, especially young children," she said. "The shade provided by the trees here provides natural cooling." Meanwhile, people in some cities are having to book KTV rooms up to two days in advance because of a spike in demand. "I feel composed with the cool temperature in a karaoke venue, even if there's a long line ahead of me to use the rooms," Guo Nannan, a KTV customer in Urumqi, was quoted as saying by Xinjiangnet. The National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert on Wednesday, the middle level in a three-tier warning system for heat. That followed two yellow alerts in the previous two days. The center said 12 provinces, regions and municipalities, most in Northwest, North and East China, saw the temperature rise to between 37 C and 39 C on Wednesday. In Shaanxi province and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, local meteorological authorities have issued red alerts since Tuesday, the highest level in the warning system, with the mercury hitting 40 C. The heat wave is expected to continue, and doctors are warning of the risk of sunstroke, which can be life-threatening. "We've seen a sharp increase in the number of patients with sunstroke. Today alone we received two such patients in very serious condition," said Gu Chendong, deputy director of the emergency department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, on Tuesday. He suggested people cut the time they spend outdoors during the hottest hours, usually 10 am to 3 pm - especially the elderly and children. Li Lei contributed to this story. Aspen Meadows assisted living center was sold by Billings Clinic and purchased by the Vancouver, Washington-based EmpRes, which took control of the facility on July 1. EmpRes is a health care management company that specializes in assisted living facilities and owns seven other care centers in Montana, including Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Center. Billings Clinic's sale of Aspen Meadows was a strategic move. The hospital has placed its focus more on rural care over the past few years, partnering with hospitals in places like Lewistown, Scobey and Columbus. Moving forward, it makes more sense to hand over an assisted living facility like Aspen Meadows to a company that specializes in that specific type of care, said Laurie Smith, Billings Clinic's chief nursing officer. "They're an organization whose core focus is long-term care," she said. Billings Clinic courted potential buyers and struck on EmpRes based on its deep industry experience and its many properties in Montana. EmpRes also seemed like the best company to maintain Aspen Meadows' reputation. The facility has a five-star rating from Medicares Nursing Home Quality Rating data. When officials at EmpRes heard Billings Clinic was looking to sell Aspen Meadows, they jumped at the opportunity. The company has facilities across the state, from Shelby to Missoula to Lewistown and the possibility of expanding to Billings was a great opportunity. "It makes sense to be in the biggest city in Montana," said Bill Miller, chief operations officer for the EmpRes. "Plus Aspen Meadows (has a) great reputation." Smith talked about how EmpRes' approach to assisted living care was one of the major factors that made them attractive to the hospital. "They had an innovative model," she said. Miller explained that EmpRes is expanding its home health care and looking at how better to care for patients who need medical attention after their hospital stay but before they're fully ready to return home. EmpRes is also an employee-owned company, which Miller says is a good culture match for Aspen Meadows, which was a not-for-profit organization. At the transition, employees at Aspen Meadows automatically became EmpRes employees. All positions were kept in place, as were management jobs, according to a news release from Billings Clinic. Miller is hopeful that the transition will continue to go smoothly. "With every change of ownership there's some give and take," he said. "The first 90 days will be hardest on staff." The sale has no effect on Aspen View, a retirement community across the street. Chinese patient in Indonesia shows need for coverage, industry insider says Chongqing resident Yang Ting, 33, has been in coma with a fever for eight days in an Indonesian hospital's intensive care unit after falling ill on July 5 in Bali. Yang's story has attracted a lot of attention among friends, colleagues and local media. As more Chinese travel overseas, her condition serves as a warning about being uninsured. The hospital told the family that Yang's brain had been infected by "some unknown virus", and the doctor has been trying to identify it before taking further measures. Yang's health has been deteriorating quickly - she contracted a severe lung infection - so the hospital suggested the family transfer her to nearby Singapore or to Chongqing for better medical treatment. But an international charter flight will cost about 800,000 yuan ($117,860), a huge challenge for Yang's family. Yang, who works as a bus driver in Chongqing, joined a group tour to Bali with a friend on July 4. She came down with a fever the next day and became unconscious. The tour guide and the friend sent her to the hospital by ambulance. Yang's mother, Xiao Shuqin, and Yang's cousin rushed to Bali. "She has been very healthy with no major illnesses," Xiao said. "We can hardly afford the chartered flight, or even the hospital cost here." Yang's colleagues and friends have donated money. Xiao has asked her sister in Chongqing to sell Yang's new apartment as soon as possible. Thanks to the donations, the family is able to bring Yang home by the chartered flight. "We hope to bring her back on Friday," Xiao said. "She is a good person with a kind heart," fellow bus driver Liu Tian said. In January, a passenger had a seizure and fell unconscious on Yang's bus. Yang immediately drove to the nearest hospital and accompanied the passenger until he awoke. As required by China's tourism authorities, Yang's travel agency must buy accident insurance for every traveler. But whether she is covered or not is still a question, since the cause of her illness is unknown, said Ma Senhu, general manager of Chongqing Holiday International Travel Agency, which runs many overseas package tours. "The ordinary travel accident insurance purchased by travel agencies can cover up to 300,000 yuan if a tourist dies in an accident during travel, but it does not cover underlying diseases," he said. He said Chinese travelers should buy travel insurance that includes overseas medical treatment and rescue before going abroad. "It's not expensive at all, only about 100 yuan," Ma said. "But most Chinese are not aware of the importance of insurance, which is a headache in our industry." When my 11-year old family friend Quan recently visited London for his 15-day summer school camp, I offered to take him out for a meal and show him a little more of the city's attractions. Having seen Quan grow up as a shy kid over the years, I could only imagine how scared he would be, away from home for the first time, in a foreign country too. I had imagined that he would be crying with homesickness, but I was wrong. When we met at Tower Bridge, I was pleasantly surprised by the mature and confident young man standing in front of me. He greeted me with a big smile, reassured his friends that he would be back with the group at the appointed hour before leading me away from the tourist crowd. "How did you get here this morning?" I asked him. "Oh the journey wasn't bad at all," he answered in a matter-of-fact way, before providing a full explanation of how and where he and his friends took a bus, train and underground to arrive in Central London from the southeast commuter town of Welling, where his homestay family lived. Quan's mastery over London transport took me by surprise. In Beijing, he hardly traveled on public transport alone, as his mom and dad gave him rides to school and weekend activities most of the time. But living in Welling was a different matter. Of the three boys who stayed with their host family, Quan was the youngest but also the best English speaker. Thus he took it as his responsibility to not only translate between their homestay mom and the other kids, but also to take care of his friends' daily needs, including food, laundry and transport. "The boy who slept in the bed above me was constantly homesick and cries a lot, so I spend a lot of time comforting him," he told me. Quan was not homesick. He felt liberated by his newfound freedom in London, but he joked that one thing he will not miss is the "terrible" food: daily sandwiches at school, and fish and chips or pasta with tomato sauce cooked by his homestay mom. "I hated the food, but I ate them all, as I didn't want to starve myself," Quan laughed heartedly. Quan's experiences are representative of the thousands of Chinese children who travel overseas each summer for study abroad programs. Their classroom studies are important, but surely the more important lessons come from the school of life, as they discover aspects of themselves in a foreign land, away from home. They will treasure the friendships, memorable experiences and independence that they gain from those trips for many years to come. The interaction between children like Quan, their teachers and host families will also help to cement understanding between China and many countries around the world. The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that Chinese police have detained 35 Japanese nationals suspected of fraud. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a daily news conference in Beijing that China informed Japan in accordance with the consular treaty between the two countries. Earlier, Japanese news reports said the detentions were made in Fujian province. Nikkei Asian Review said the suspects were detained after Japan's National Police Agency requested assistance and the case may have revealed the largest Japanese bank-transfer fraud group in China. The suspects are accused of operating telephone scams targeting residents of Japan's Chiba prefecture, where victims were talked into transferring large sums of money via banks, it said. It also said more groups have been calling from China to avoid being discovered and that it's up to the Chinese authorities to decide the disposition of the 35 people, as China and Japan don't have an extradition treaty. It said the police departments of the two countries regularly hold working-level talks to address cases of fraud as well as issues such as cybercrime and terrorism. Zhang Yan contributed to this story. BEIJING -- Late geophysicist Huang Danian, who returned to China after studying and working in Britain for nearly two decades and contributed greatly to deep earth exploration technology, has become an inspiration to Chinese students overseas. During his time in Britain, Huang paid close attention to developments in the field of science and technology in China. In spirit, his contacts with his motherland were never been broken, said Wang Shuo, a Chinese studying in Russia. Huang studied and worked in Britain for 18 years before returning to China in 2009. Over the ensuing years, he helped China soar in a number of technical fields, transforming the nation into one of the world's leaders in deep earth exploration. Huang died from bile duct cancer at the age of 58 on Jan 8. In the seven years since he returned to China, Huang had spared no effort to work day and night until the last day of his life, Wang said. His patriotism, dedication, creativity and efforts to promote people-to-people exchange between China and other countries has inspired other Chinese studying overseas, Wang added. "As an overseas student, I am ready to learn from Huang's dedication to his motherland," Wang said, pledging to return to China to contribute to the country's ongoing reform and development after studying advanced science in Russia. Zhao Yuqi, former president of the Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association USA and a professor at the University of Maryland, said he sympathizes with Huang's perseverance in pursuing science and admires his earnest concern about his country and people. Patriotic scientists like Huang laid the foundation for the development of science and technology in China, said Gan Jiuliang studying in the Japanese capital of Tokyo. "Huang has become a lighthouse that inspires Chinese overseas students." In his graduation album, Huang wrote, "It is the responsibility of our generation to rejuvenate the Chinese nation," recounted Zhang Cen, who received PhD from Cambridge. "The maxim will never be outdated for Chinese overseas students," Zhang said, noting that it remains the spirit of the time to return and serve the motherland while studying advanced technology in a foreign country. Huang was a role model for overseas students as well as the new generation of Chinese researchers, Zhang said. Qu Junmeng shows a class of students how to make miniature ceramic figures.Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn A miniature ceramic artist, based in Sanya, South China's Hainan province, has launched a course in a bid to pass on his traditional talent and love for miniature ceramic making. Qu Junmeng , aged 37, studied ceramic arts at the Qingdao University and has more than 20 years' experience in the ceramic making industry. During this time, he has become a highly reputable ceramic artist with his work detailing Hainan culture. With support from the Sanya Foreign Language School, Qu launched the class in May with his wife Zheng Ting, a native of Hainan Island who also loves the art. In two months, the miniature ceramic art class has become popular among students in every grade at the school, and the lesson has expanded to four classes classified by ages, teaching a total of 16 students in each. Foreign students who study at the International School of Sanya have also started attending classes, which are taught in both Chinese and English. "We have adopted a mixed teaching technique for both Chinese and foreign students, with the same age study in the same class so they can learn from each other," Qu said. "This way, they can help each other while studying the knowledge and skills of Chinese ceramics." Zheng, Qu's wife, said all the students love the class. "Many of them have told us that it was their favorite course," she said. "They won't leave even when the class is over." Throughout his profession, Qu has built a large fan base with his 72 traditional Chinese kneading miniature ceramic figures, each at an average size of 10 centimeters - the figures define the 72 processes in traditional porcelain making. The ceramic figures, which took the artist half a year to finish, showcase each of the porcelain-making steps. It highlights the very beginning of sorting the right stones through to crushing the stones, making mud, producing porcelain to glaze and calcine, and the final ceramic conservation. "Traditional Chinese kneading miniature ceramic works, usually not more than 25 centimeters in size, can only be made by fingertips before firing with temperature as high as 1,300 degrees," Qu said. "It takes days to complete a complicated figure, but the final rate of a successful work is only 30 percent." HEFEI -- China will strengthen protection of cultural heritage in the second half of 2017 and carry out random inspections in provinces where cultural relics are common, according to a senior cultural official. A special investigation will be carried out in provinces and regions where crimes are committed against cultural relics, said Liu Yuzhu, head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage Thursday. At a symposium in Maanshan city in eastern China's Anhui Province, Liu urged local officials to draw lessons from cases of tomb robbery, including the Ming imperial tombs and Eastern Qing royal Tombs. Local authorities were also asked to complete a full investigation to check potential safety hazards before the end of August. "Being afraid of taking responsibility and failing to report facts are prominent problems in protecting cultural relics," Liu said. In the last three years, the number of such cases reported to cultural heritage bureaus was much lower than the number of actual crimes and one-third of cultural heritage cases were exposed by the media or reported by the public. The administration will also carry out a three-month national campaign to crack down on crimes against cultural heritage and prevent tomb robbery. BEIJING -- A total of 13,895 criminal cases related to environmental resources were solved from July 2016 to June 2017 in China, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said in a white paper Thursday. Up to 27,384 people were sentenced, while the number of such criminal cases accepted stood at 16,373, according to the SPC. Courts at all levels strengthened civil trials of environment-related cases. As many as 151,152 civil cases about environmental resources were solved in the same period out of the 187,753 accepted, the white paper showed. Another 29,232 administrative cases on environmental resources were solved in the past 12 months, with 39,746 accepted. As of April 2017, the number of judicial organs for such cases increased by 398 on a yearly basis, which marked a 71.3-percent rise, according to the white paper. Also, a judicial research center on environmental resources at the SPC issued a development report on China's environmental justice Thursday, which called for legislation on environmental accountability and improvements of the system for administrative litigation. DHAKA - The Red Cross Society of China has made a cash donation to help Bangladesh's communities affected by flooding that has stranded hundreds of thousands of people. The Chinese embassy in Bangladesh's capital handed over a cheque of $100,000 last week on behalf of the Red Cross Society of China to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. BMW Mozharul Huq, secretary general of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, received the cheque from Chen Wei, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Dhaka. Legendary post-bop, fusion, mainstream and soul jazz guitarist and composer Pat Martino performs using his renowned mathematical approach to the instrument. The 12th Annual NM Jazz Festival kicks off with two nights of the legendary post-bop, fusion, mainstream and soul jazz guitarist and composer, Pat Martino. Noted for his mathematical approach to his instrument, the Grammy nominated, multiple award winning Martino is considered one of the greatest guitarists in jazz. He began playing guitar when he was twelve years old, and left school in tenth grade to devote himself to music. As a young musician, he had first-hand encounters with John Coltrane and Wes Montgomery, whose 1961 album Grooveyard, had "an enormous influence" on him. Actively involved with the early rock scene in Philadelphia, alongside Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Darin, he was eventually recruited by bandleader Lloyd Price to perform with Slide Hampton, Red Holloway and others. An icon before his eighteenth birthday, Martino moved to Harlem and was signed as a leader for Prestige Records when he was just twenty years old. His seminal albums from this period include classics like Strings!, Desperado, El Hombre and Baiyina. In 1976, while touring internationally with his fusion group "Joyous Lake," Martino suffered a severe brain aneurysm. After his operation, he could remember almost nothing and was left with no memory of his guitar or his career. Amazingly, he defied the odds and made a remarkable recovery. Through intensive study of his own historic recordings, and with the help of computer technology, Martino managed to reverse his memory loss and return to his unparalleled playing form and has since been recognized as one of the most exciting and virtuosic guitarists in jazz. "With a distinctive, fat sound and gut-wrenching performances, [Martino] represents the best, not just in jazz, but in music...and he embodies thoughtful energy and soul." Honored with a Jazz Legacy Award in 2016, Martino is currently on the adjunct faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. His trio features Pat Bianchi, Hammond B3 organ and Carmen Intorre, drums. $35/$30 Members & Students (no member passes allowed) Pat Martino will conduct a clinic sponsored by guitarist Michael Anthony, at the Outpost Performance Space at 2pm Friday July 14. A Mexico-born man told a federal judge in Billings on Wednesday that he was a mule in a meth conspiracy that brought pounds of the drug to the Billings community from California. Kevin Torres-Ochoa, 28, said he picked up four to five one-pound quantities of meth that had been mailed to Billings and would deliver the drug to others for distribution. Torres-Ochoa pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess meth for distribution and to conspiracy to commit money laundering as the part of plea agreement in which another charge is to be dismissed at sentencing. Torres-Ochoa is one of nine people indicted in a large conspiracy in which members of a drug organization based in San Jose, California, sent multi-pound quantities of meth to Montana. The activity occurred in the summer of 2015. Torres-Ochoa said he sent money he was paid to his family in Mexico where his son is ill and needs expensive medication. He told the judge it was impossible to make that money in Mexico. He also admitted to selling two ounces of meth he received instead of a cash payment for $4,000 per ounce and claimed to have received two or three shipments where he was paid in meth. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek said federal task force investigators learned of the drug ring and Torres-Ochoa through co-conspirators and social media. Agents ultimately tracked Torres-Ochoa through phone records and found him with co-defendant Mary Rock Big Man at her residence in Crow Agency. Rock Big Man, who was convicted earlier in the case, said Torres-Ochoa introduced her to two other men who were dealing meth. She started getting small amounts of meth from them and then expanded into distributing, storing and packaging the drug, the prosecution said. Rock Big Man estimated she helped store five pounds of meth for the organization. Torres-Ochoa told agents in October 2016 that Rock Big Man was his wife and that he had lived on the Crow Reservation for about eight months. After initially denying distributing meth, Torres-Ochoa admitted to working with a drug organization based in San Jose. Prosecutors said he admitted to receiving five or six one-pound packages of meth for delivery to others. Torres-Ochoa said the amount was four to five pounds and that he was not involved with the five pounds of meth Rock Big Man helped store. Other co-defendants who have pleaded guilty include Christina Kamran-Kohnjani, Sadey Kust-Myers, Tomi Leah Gray and Jason Earl Nelson. Those awaiting trial include Jonary David Santos-Antunez, Joshua Lee Hagen and Marisa Ann Lyman. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters set sentencing for Nov. 2. Torres-Ochoa, who remains in custody, faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison and a maximum $10 million fine on the drug count. Meow, starring Hong Kong giant star Louis Koo. [Photo provided to China Daily] Some 50 new movies will hit Chinese theaters by the end of August, taking the total number of releases in this season to 90. Xu Fan reports. As the summer hits China, the country is seeing a glut of films for one of the year's most profitable periods for the Chinese film industry. Around 50 new movies will hit theaters by the end of August, taking the total of new releases over June-August to around 90, according to leading online pre-sale sites maoyan.com and gewara.com. China's national college entrance examination, or gaokao, ended on June 8, which means students have three months off. And families and teenagers form a big part of the theater-going population. Meanwhile, just like in past summers, domestic productions again dominate the lineup, squeezing Hollywood blockbusters out. As of now when it comes to foreign films, Christopher Nolan's World War II epic Dunkirk will be released on the Chinese mainland on Sept 1, around 40 days after its North American premiere. Other Hollywood movieswhich are anticipated in summerare Car 3 and Baby Driver, which have already been released in North America. The two movies are expected to be released on the mainland at the end of August. The photo taken on Sept 25, 2015 shows the historical buildings and roads in Gulangyu. [Photo/VCG] Su Xiaodong owns a bookstore on Gulangyu Island and he has called it "wormhole". "A wormhole connects different time and space," said Su, from the city of Xiamen, East China's Fujian province. "That's exactly what I want to do, connect the island with its beautiful past." Su, 47, traveled to many countries before he decided to set up the bookstore last summer. "The history and culture here is very distinct," he said. Gulangyu, off the coast of Xiamen, is famous for its varied architecture and multicultural history and was included on the UNESCO World Heritage list Saturday. The island is dotted with east-meets-west style residences built by overseas Chinese elites who returned to the island in the early 20th century. Su rents Haitian Pavilion, a historic building, as his bookstore and renovated the interior to look like it did in the early 20th century. "It was the best time on Gulangyu, quiet and with people from different cultures living in an international community peacefully." Su said. Today, Gulangyu receives more than 10 million visitors per year, and many boutique shops, restaurants and hotels have sprung up in recent years. Su said he wants the bookstore to be a space where people can escape commercialism, and explore the island's culture in a historic setting. His store has collected more than 3,000 books about Gulangyu, and he has an ongoing project searching for more worldwide. "Preserving cultural heritage is not only about protecting the buildings," Su said. "It's also about the memories of these buildings and recreating the experience for modern people, so they might better understand a certain place or time." Su believes art is one way for people to go beyond the here and now and access the "wormhole" that brings them to the past or future. In November, his bookstore exhibited works of young artists from 16 countries, who had stayed in Gulangyu for two-months creating art. Inspired by the exhibition, Su tapped into the island's history as an international settlement by inviting artists, from the 13 countries that had set up consulates on Gulangyu in the middle 19th century, to stay and create art on the island. "Their stories and work salute history and can bring fresh blood to the culture on Gulangyu," Su said. A photo of calligraphy downloaded from the Taipei Palace Museum's official website [Photo/theme.npm.edu.tw] Taipei's Palace Museum has put more than 70,000 pictures online, which people can download for free. All the pictures are available on the "Open Data" section of the museum's official website. Officials with the Taipei Palace Museum have told thepaper.cn that the museum plans to upload 500 new pictures, each about 20 MB in size, every year. The pictures are said to provide details that may even surpass first-hand viewing, as the showcase glass containing the artifacts may obscure certain views, reports thepaper.cn. Taipei's Palace Museum is the latest to offer online photos of its exhibits. In February, 2017, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York put around 375,000 pictures of its exhibits online. The National Art Gallery in Washington, DC and the Museum of the Netherlands in Amsterdam also provide online photos of their pieces. Fashion icon on a 'shopping honeymoon' Updated: 2017-07-14 06:05 By Evelyn yu in Hong Kong(HK Edition) HK apparel chain I.T says mainland youngsters now embracing its labels that offer 'inspiration' Hong Kong fashion icon I.T Ltd boasts having sunk its roots well in the vast Chinese mainland market since making its first bold move in 2002 when it launched its maiden store in Shanghai. With more than 550 stores now in full swing across 28 mainland cities, the apparel chain is pulling out all the stops in backing up the momentum, saying Hong Kong's adverse economic climate - soft consumer pace plus towering rents and labor costs - is not giving it the comfort it needs. In its annual report issued in June, I.T recorded a 16-percent jump in total sales on the mainland to HK$3.5 billion, against a 6.3-percent drop in sales to HK$3.2 billion in Hong Kong, attributed to an ongoing retail slump. The group's net profit soared 50 percent to HK$315 million amid a HK$65-million foreign exchange loss as a result of the conversion of the group's renminbi deposits into Hong Kong dollars the previous year. Government statistics showed that the SAR's retail business - one of the worst-hit trades since tourist arrivals, notably from the mainland, slowed drastically in the past few years - experienced an 8-percent, year-on-year plunge in 2016 - a 17-year low - while sales of clothing dipped 5.1 percent over the previous year's. I.T runs a unique, multi-brand and multi-layer business mode featuring a combination of in-house and licensed global brands. Its 10 in-house labels, including 5cm, izzue, :CHOCOOLATE, b+ab and AAPE, are all the rage among young customers. The chain also offers an array of inventive labels from around the world, both established and emerging, and has more than 300 brands at either its flagship multi-brand stores or exclusive shops. Kenny Chan Wai-kwan, executive director and chief executive officer of I.T China, told China Daily that while in-house brands make up 60 percent of the group's revenue, the international brands account for the other 40 percent. Behind the success of its hundreds of world labels is the fashion buying system that Chan is proud of. I.T has more than 50 fashion buyers, while its fashion scouts, with their eyes glued to the worldwide fashion trend and being able to anticipate the desirability of apparels and accessories, are bringing a steady stream of inspirational brands into the company's portfolio. I.T has nurtured many unknown brands that were once new and unknown, like Kenzo, whose tag could only be seen at just a few exclusive shops on the mainland years ago. The group's extensive distribution channels have helped the brand find its way into the mainland's critical masses. Kenzo's symbolic tiger-motif sweatshirt is a now a "must have" for many young Chinese people. Chan believes that fashion buying, which provides better varieties to customers, serves as a good alternative to the traditional department stores that house repetitive brands and collections. In 2013, I.T opened upmarket department store Galeries Lafayette through a 50-50 joint venture with the French company. Galeries Lafayette's 10-story store in Paris is a major attraction for Chinese tourists. Yet, when the fashion store, known for its exclusive couture selections, entered the mainland market, it didn't make the grade, recording millions of yuan in losses in its first two years of operation. But, Chan thought it was normal as it would take time for Chinese consumers to accept new things, adding that the shopping mall is the black this year. He recalled I.T's 15 years operating on the mainland, saying it had been a hard time with a Hong Kong enterprise venturing into a new economy it barely knew. "More than 10 years ago, when we opened the first store in Shenyang, we had no idea that people in northeastern China preferred colorful costumes. Our collections, mostly in black, white and grey, didn't appeal to them. The overcoats were not thick enough against the severe cold, nor did the size of Hong Kong clothings fit the taller people in the northeastern region. The business was tough and we were forced to shut it down." With 15 years of careful research, Chan said, I.T has got to know the regional characteristics and local people's preferences in each city and will now remind various designers with the aim of reaching out to mainland shoppers. "Today, Chinese youngsters are shrewd, fully conscious of the latest trends in China and overseas. They are looking for fresh and fun fashion that can identify their personalities. Their purchasing power has also grown, making I.T a great fit for young shoppers today." The group's latest addition has been a store over 2,000 square meters which opened in Hangzhou last month. It has also acquired a piece of land in Kunshan - a county-level city adjacent to Shanghai - as its logistics center which, upon completion in 2019, is expected to keep logistics costs down. I.T seeks to expand its foothold in mainland cities both new and old. "In three to five years, we hope to see new stores in 36 cities, basically covering every province. We're also looking for potential three and four-tier cities to showcase our newly created in-house brands," said Chan. "After years of painstaking efforts, we've found solace. We've finally entered into the honeymoon phase with Chinese shoppers." evelyn@chinadailyhk.com (HK Edition 07/14/2017 page8) China, Portugal to step up cooperation under Belt & Road Initiative 2017-07-13 15:04:38 Xinhua China and Portugal have pledged to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure project spanning dozens of countries. LISBON - China and Portugal have pledged to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure project spanning dozens of countries. Mutually beneficially cooperation between China and Portugal has great potential for the initiative, said China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang while meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa. Zhang, who paid an official friendly visit to Portugal from Monday to Wednesday, noted that Portugal, with its advantageous geographic location, is a strategic propeller for the development of the Belt and Road project. Proposed by China in 2013, the initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also expressed hope that Portugal and China could further cooperation under the grand project in order to achieve win-win results. The Portuguese prime minister, for his part, said that Portugal is an active supporter and participant of the initiative. Portugal is ready to deepen cooperation with China in such areas as new energy, agricultural products and infrastructure, as well as in culture, education and tourism, Costa said. Costa added that Portugal welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and will provide a fair and convenient business environment for them. 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 July 7. [Photo/Agencies] The just-concluded G20 summit sent a positive signal that the world's major economies, of which China is a bellwether, will push for "interconnected" growth, enhance economic cooperation and improve global governance. The summit, themed "Shaping an Interconnected World", was held in Hamburg, Germany, amid news that the global economy has recorded its best performance since the 2008 global financial crisis. China's ideas and initiatives, articulated by President Xi Jinping in his speeches at the Hamburg summit and at a host of other international forums since 2013, are deemed by many G20 members as critical to leading global "interconnected" growth and advancing shared prosperity. Determined to build a community of shared destiny for humankind, Xi raised in Hamburg a set of ideas to ensure a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in accordance with the spirit of last year's G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. Xi said further action is needed to push forward the global economy as it "is still plagued by deep-seated problems and faces many uncertainties and destabilizing factors". To build a more open world economy and realize greater inclusive global growth, he suggested that G20 support the multilateral trading arrangements and stay committed to openness and mutual benefit so as to increase the size of the global economic "pie". On boosting inclusiveness, Xi said G20 members need to promote synergy between economic and social policies, address the mismatch between industrial upgrading, knowledge and skills, as well as ensure more equitable income distribution. The president also stressed the need to improve global economic governance, urging the G20 members to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and forestall risks in financial markets. In the face of the new global economic environment, the communique of the Hamburg summit absorbed many of Xi's ideas and the consensuses reached at last year's Hangzhou summit. It is worth noting that compared with the previous year, the world economy has shown positive signs, although risks remain. The anti-globalization wave in some countries shows no sign of abating, while trade protectionism and isolationism continue to gather momentum and the threat of terrorism remains widespread. The world is also facing a slew of common challenges such as people's displacement, poverty, hunger, health problems, unemployment, climate change, energy security and development imbalance, which undermine the stability and sustainability of the global economy. In an increasingly interconnected world, these challenges can no longer be managed by any one country alone. China, as the world's second-largest economy, puts a premium on the credibility of its international commitment. And actions speak louder than words as China continues to deliver on its commitments, translating political consensuses into a driving force for reform and development. A case in point is China's leading role in addressing the steel overcapacity. With supply-side reform being implemented unswervingly, China's economic growth is on a stable track. The upgrading and transformation of China's economy will help it become a strong engine of the world economy. China is also actively promoting and implementing various political consensuses within the G20 framework. According to a research report, as of now, 80 percent of the consensuses reached at the Hangzhou summit have been implemented, the second-highest rate since G20's first summit in 2008. According to the G20 Hamburg Action Plan, China will take more measures to improve its business environment, further facilitate investment, and reduce the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises. As Xi reiterated at the Hamburg summit, concepts such as openness, cooperation, win-win results, joint consultation, joint construction and sharing, which the Belt and Road Initiative advocates are compatible with the G20's partnership spirit. And being complementary, they can jointly boost world economic development. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is aimed at building trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. The initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It is therefore clear that standing at a new starting point, China will play a greater role in shaping an interconnected world. -XINHUA NEWS AGENCY An illustration picture of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.[Photo/IC] Two historic events with profound relevance to Hong Kong took place recently. The first was the celebration on July 1 to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. And the other was the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May. And both events were presided over by President Xi Jinping. After having followed the "one country, two systems" principle for 20 years, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should now look forward to navigating through the next 20 years. And the Belt and Road Initiative could provide a much-needed guidance for that endeavor. We have been reiterating the grand opportunities the Belt and Road Initiative offers, which however can be taken advantage of only through new thinking and vision. Yet Hong Kong seems satisfied to serve as an intermediary platform between the Chinese mainland and foreign investors and enterprises. If the SAR continues to play this role, it can never cash in on the Belt and Road Initiative which has the potential of changing the global economy for the better. Therefore, it is time Hong Kong emerged out of its "cocoon" and spread its wings to fly and seek a better future. First, the successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle for 20 years has made Hong Kong more dependent on the mainland. As a Hong Kong economist once said: "If Hong Kong is too dependent on the mainland, its future is doomed, and if not, its future is also doomed." Which means for a better future, the SAR needs to find a new route, a route that no other city, province or region of China can overtake it on. For example, with the number of economies involved in the Belt and Road Initiative continuing to increase, Hong Kong has to take immediate measures to become a "hub" that adds momentum to the Belt and Road Initiative to ultimately reap the benefits. And as a global intellectual and mercantile center, the SAR has everything it needs to do so. Second, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor recently became the fourth chief executive of Hong Kong. By and large, Hong Kong government operations have been corruption free and highly efficient. A popular saying in the SAR goes, Hong Kong needs a CE like Guanyin, the thousand-handed goddess of mercy, because of the deterioration in the relationship between the CE-led administrative branch, the Legislative Council-centered legislative branch and a part of the city's vociferous population. And since the administrative branch is still under enormous pressure, it will face difficulties in transforming Hong Kong into a hub that can cash in on the opportunities offered by the Belt and Road Initiative. Therefore, the business elites have to play a greater role to enable the SAR to derive the maximum benefits from the initiative. Hong Kong has thrived on the proactive entrepreneurial spirit of its residents. And thanks to this spirit, many Hong Kong residents can be counted among the best entrepreneurs in the world who have also helped make Hong Kong prosperous. Looking forward to the next 20 years, and having the Belt and Road Initiative as an underpinning, a new era seems to be descending on Hong Kong, an era in which entrepreneurs can move the SAR's economy forward to fulfill the desired goal. And third, the SAR should not and must not be satisfied by just being a giant supermarket in the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". The world of higher education is well aware of Hong Kong's excellent universities and its reputation as a knowledge-based city. To be sure, Hong Kong's advantages go far beyond the three fields mentioned above. It will enjoy as well as offer more opportunities in the coming 20 years. However, to take advantage of those opportunities, Hong Kong has to throw off its "cocoon" and think and act beyond its role as the intermediary platform between the mainland and foreign investors and entrepreneurs. Feng Da Hsuan is special advisor to the rector and the director of Global Affairs at the University of Macau, and Liang Haiming is chairman and chief economist of China Silk Road iValley Research Institute. Crayfish star in Guijie food street festival [Photos provided to China Daily] At the height of summer, no food seems to be hotter than crayfish. The crustaceans, also known as "little lobsters" in China, and crawfish, crawdads, mugbugs or freshwater lobsters in other parts of the world, have a nickname in Chinese, ma xiao (spicy little lobsters) as they are often served in hot and spicy chili sauce. According to a leading online group-buying and food delivery platform, China's crayfish market is worth more than $20 billion, accounting for about 5 percent of the overall Chinese food service market. And nearly 18,000 restaurants in China focused on serving crayfish as of August 2016, three times the number of KFCs in the country, according to media reports. Although I have not tasted the popular summer dish for a decade, I think I know why it has become so popular. Like spicy Sichuan cuisine and hotpot, ma xiao is riding the urbanization wave in China. Believe it or not, I first tasted hotpot when I was in the middle school, that is, the mid-1980s, even though my home province, Sichuan, is considered the birthplace of hotpot in China. The reason: it was difficult to find a hotpot restaurant in my hometown, Sichuan's capital city of Chengdu, because spicy hotpot was still a specialty of Chengdu's brother city, Chongqing, now a municipality. After visiting Chongqing on a business trip, my father would narrate his experience of having the spicy dish. So one day my mother decided to serve "Chongqing hotpot" at home. Her dish, just meat and vegetables cooked in boiling water and chili sauce in a pot, however, had little similarity with the hotpot served in restaurants today. My first taste of spicy hotpot in Chengdu was in the 1990s. Now hundreds of hotpot restaurants have mushroomed in the city. In fact, spicy hotpot has become an integral part of the local cuisine. Toward the end of the 1990s, spicy hotpot restaurants started mushrooming in Beijing, too, thanks in part to migrant workers from Sichuan. Today, Beijing has innumerable hotpot restaurants that serve all kinds of hotpots, from Sichuan to Thai style. Over the past 20 years, the movement of people across the country has fused the tastes and flavors of different regions. I had not heard of, let alone seen, crayfish until I moved to Beijing in the early 1990s. The crustaceans were introduced to China around 1930 and were mainly found in ponds, lakes and paddy fields in East China. In those days, my roommate and I found in the crayfish a perfect source of protein. On many Friday evenings, we would buy lots of crayfish, which of course cost much less than lobsters, even shrimps, cook them in a steamer, and dip them in a mixture of soy and chili sauce and then enjoy them with cold beer. Crayfish are chewy but have a strong earthy smell. To kill the smell, you have to use spices with strong flavors, and that's why the chilies. This reminds me of the humble origins of spicy hotpot. Boatmen on the Yangtze River could not afford to buy decent food, so they opted for offal and fish guts, which they cooked in oily and spicy soup, thus giving birth to the hotpot. Among the country's famous cuisines, spicy Sichuan food is one of the most popular. Hunan, too, is known for its spicy cuisine. And thanks to the popularity of spicy Sichuan cuisine, ma xiao has become a killer in the restaurant business. My son's nanny, who is from Hebei province, refuses to eat anything spicy. But after working in Tianjin for two years, her daughter has become a fan of spicy food and even cooked fish with pickled cabbage and chili, a classical Sichuan dish, for the family reunion dinner on the last Spring Festival eve. And I won't be surprised if she serves ma xiao at the next family reunion dinner, as I know urbanization can do weird things. The author is a senior writer with China Daily. chenliang@chinadaily.com.cn A derailed Amtrak passenger train lies on its side before the Chambers Bay Bridge on Puget Sound in Steilacoom, Washington, US July 2, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] ON SATURDAY, a taxi drove into a group of people who were jogging in a vehicle lane in Linyi, East China's Shandong province, leaving one jogger dead and two others injured. Beijing News comments: Many netizens have blamed the joggers for the tragedy, saying vehicle lanes are not meant for jogging. Some have even used offensive expressions to criticize the joggers, even though most of them were senior citizens. True, the joggers violated traffic regulations, but that does not justify the use of invectives against them. Besides, the joggers alone are not to blame for the incident. On Tuesday, the local police said the joggers as well as the taxi driver are both responsible for the incident. And they have enough reason to say so: A video shows that when the joggers took the vehicle lane, it was quite empty. More importantly, the taxi driver could see them from quite a distance but she failed to adopt necessary measures to avoid the accident. It remains to be seen what punishment the driver gets, but she cannot escape her legal responsibility. Of course, the joggers should also be held accountable for violating the traffic rules. The tragedy reminds us that more attention should be paid to senior citizens' needs. Many senior citizens participate in group activities, such as jogging and square dancing, because they fulfill their spiritual needs. But such activities often arouse conflicts between senior citizens and other people because there is hardly any space for the elderly to socialize and engage in such activities. It's time society as a whole took steps to make senior citizens' lives better, for which we need open public discussions as it involves public resources. Consumers shop in a supermarket in Xuchang city, Central China's Henan province, Dec 7, 2014. [Asianewsphoto by Geng Guoqing] INSTEAD OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, the central authorities will now produce the provincial GDP figures. Beijing News comments: The sum of all the provincial GDP figures has been markedly higher than the national GDP since 1996. Last year, the gap was nearly 2.8 trillion yuan ($413 billion). Before Wang Baoan, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics, was sacked for corruption in January 2016, the bureau attributed the gap to technical reasons. But it is an open secret that the provincial governments are used to exaggerating local economic performance, as it is one of the most important criteria for assessing the performance of local officials. After Wang Min, the former Party chief of Liaoning province, was investigated for power abuse and graft, the Liaoning provincial government in Northeast China admitted earlier this year that it falsified the province's financial statistics from 2011 to 2014. For a long time, local officials have had more opportunities for promotion by magnifying their economic data. And in 2013, Ma Jiantang, the former head of National Bureau of Statistics prior to Wang, pointed out some local governments intervened in the reports enterprises submitted to the bureau, either by fabricating the enterprises' data themselves, pressuring the enterprises to report false figures, or replacing the enterprises' reports with ones they produced themselves. Since the GDP figures are of such importance, influencing not only the making of national macroeconomic policies but also the quality of local governance, it is a positive and welcome move that not only will the central government check the reports and calculate the GDP of the provinces directly, but it will also increase the severity of the punishments meted out to those who falsify the figures. A federal judge in Billings sentenced a New Mexico man to 10 years in prison on Thursday after holding him responsible for 10 pounds of pure methamphetamine in a conspiracy involving a Billings drug dealers Burhan and Denise Mallak. Ten pounds of pure methamphetamine is a lot of methamphetamine. The 10 pounds, in my view, is a conservative amount, U.S. District Judge Susan Watters said in sentencing Omar Cota, 32, of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Cota and is brother, Tomas, 22, both pleaded guilty to a conspiracy count for their role in supplying meth to the Mallaks, a Billings couple convicted on charges of trafficking pound quantities of high-quality meth. Tomas Cota is to be sentenced on Aug. 10. Cota also faces deportation after serving his sentence because at the time of his federal case, he was in the United States illegally from Mexico after having been deported previously after a drug conviction. Federal prosecutors said that in April 2015, the Cotas retrieved seven pounds of meth previously supplied to the Mallaks and gave it to an undercover agent along with $2,100 as the agents transportation fee to haul it back to New Mexico. Billings Police Detective Jamie Schillinger, who works on the FBI drug task force, testified for the prosecution about the quantity and purity of meth seized and tested during the investigation. Schillinger also said Burhan Mallak and Omar Cota met while they were in a detention center in Texas. Burhan Mallak, who was sentenced to five years in federal prison for distributing meth in Billings, got released in 2013. Burhan Mallak told investigators after his arrest in 2015 that the Cotas came to retrieve the meth because he wasnt selling it fast enough, Schillinger said. Mallak was selling an ounce for about $2,000, which at the time was not overly expensive but would be today, he said. Cotas defense attorney, Brian Fay of Bozeman, objected to the 10 pounds of pure meth and argued the amount was less, which would have resulted in a shorter guideline range. Watters overruled Fays objections and, based on Schillingers testimony, held Cota responsible for 10 pounds of pure meth. She set an initial sentencing range of about 15 years to 19 years in prison. In a confidential discussion with the parties, Watters revised the guideline range based on a government motion. While the range was not disclosed in open court, Watters said the 10-year sentence was the low end. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan recommended an 11-year sentence, saying Cotas previous drug conviction and deportation did not stop him from illegally returning to the U.S. and resuming drug trafficking. Fay recommended a five-year sentence, which was the minimum mandatory term. Cota declined to comment at his sentencing. In March, Watters sentenced Burhan Mallak to more than 11 years in prison and Denise Mallak to more than seven years for the 2015 drug trafficking activity. An Alipay logo is seen at a train station in Shanghai, February 9, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] A deadline is looming for China's internet finance industry, as a one-year grace period for the fast-growing online lending market to comply with new rules expires in mid-August. By some estimates, just one in 10 of the country's thousands of peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms will survive under the much stricter requirements. As China continues opening up and encouraging innovation as it builds its new economy, its private sector has become the envy of the world in areas such as e-commerce and digital payments. The pending P2P lending shake-up highlights how, in some areas, regulations are beginning to catch up. In addition to the internet finance measures, the government in October issued a policy document pledging to improve supervision over the online finance market, including P2P platforms, to reduce risks and support its healthy development. These steps are timely. A global survey by HSBC in May found even as Chinese consumers lead the world in trusting new technology, they were no less demanding, especially of data security. Out of about a 1,000 respondents, 53 percent said they would leave their bank if their personal data leaked, the highest among 11 markets surveyed. It can be a tough balance to maintain, as participants at China's annual Lujiazui Forum on Finance held in June pointed out. At a dedicated session on financial technology (fintech) and regulation, a major source of concern was how China can stay innovative without hobbling the fintech sector with new regulations. On the other hand, regulations can also create opportunities for financial and technology companies that focus on using tools such as cloud computing, blockchain, and artificial intelligence to help the financial market navigate and comply with regulations. In fact, while fintech has hogged the limelight around the world over the past few years, its less glamorous cousin "regtech", or regulatory technology, has also started to gain attention in China. At conferences in Beijing and Qingdao in June, the director of the People's Bank of China's Financial Research Institute, Sun Guofeng, said China needs to develop regtech, especially through the use of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, in order to make regulations work more efficiently and effectively. A study by Deloitte shows that most regtech firms today tend to focus on applications in five business-focused areas, namely regulatory reporting, risk management, compliance, transaction monitoring, and due diligence tools used in "Know Your Customer" procedures and financial crime control. Such applications will become increasingly crucial as internet finance grows, especially in China. According to McKinsey, China's user base for online finance such as digital payments and wealth management has grown much faster than its wider internet population. That's having a huge economic effect, as the internet economy grew to make up 7 percent of China's GDP in 2015, compared with between 4 to 5 percent for the US, Japan and Germany, the consultancy estimates. For global financial institutions, investing in technology is now a prerequisite to thriving, and major banks are increasingly at the forefront of spending on fintech and regtech, sometimes even as much as what the largest tech companies spend on R&D. Since 2012, the top 10 US banks have invested a total of $3.6 billion into fintech companies, according to CB Insights, a consultancy. A group of 12 international banks and insurers, including HSBC, have joined up with Accenture in Hong Kong to support and mentor new technology companies in a Fintech Innovation Lab. Among the startups to join the lab last August was KYC-Chain, a Hong Kong-based company that uses technology such as biometrics and blockchain for "Know Your Customer" processes including client onboarding and identification. Even some operators from China are getting into the action. For example online insurer ZhongAn -- whose founders include Chinese payment giants Ant Financial and Tencent -- last November started a fintech company to offer technology solutions such as anti-fraud and credit risk services for customers. As much as countries are looking to learn from China's digital advancements, the country can also look overseas for lessons in how to regulate fintechs without killing innovation. For example, the UK and Singapore operate so-called "regulatory sandboxes", which allows innovative products to be tested in a live environment, while setting limits and safeguards to protect customers. UK regtech startups have developed applications for compliance, data analytics and risk evaluation, solutions which could potentially be used in China. These are exciting times for the financial industry in China, with disruptions to traditional operators by upstart fintechs increasingly turning into collaborations. Indeed, three tie-ups were announced within a week in June between major Chinese State-owned banks and tech giants such as Tencent and Baidu. At the same time, all this rapid change underlines the need for close attention to be paid to security and individual privacy, and comes as a useful wake-up call for China's nascent regtech scene. None too soon, as financial institutions and fintechs strive to work together to make customers' experiences simpler, better, faster and more secure. David Liao is President and CEO of HSBC China. European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier addresses a news conference at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 12, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] BRUSSELS - The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator set out tough conditions for the United Kingdom to meet during the first months of talks before both sides can start looking at a future relationship. Michel Barnier said that Britain needs to make "sufficient progress" on citizens' rights, the bill it has to pay to the EU and on the issue of the Irish border before talks can move to a future trade deal. After British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the EU can go "whistle" for Britain to pay any excessive bill, Barnier retorted that "I am not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking" with the deadline of March 2019 drawing ever closer. The UK and EU negotiators should be able to move from talks about Brexit to negotiating future relations before the end of the year, London's top Brexit official has said. Brexit Secretary David Davis said on Tuesday that Barnier hoped to "recommend going to the parallel negotiations October-November". Britain triggered a two-year countdown to its departure from the bloc in March, and Davis and Barnier met for preliminary talks last month. They are due to meet again next week. The EU insists that major progress must be made on the UK's exit terms including a hefty divorce bill before negotiations can start on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Britain wants the two strands to run in parallel. Davis told the House of Lords Brexit committee that Barnier hoped to signal in the fall that sufficient progress had been made. Once that happens, talks could move on to "free-trade issues, customs issues, justice and home affairs issues", he said. Davis also struck an optimistic note on settling the status of 3 million EU citizens living in Britain, and more than 1 million UK nationals residing elsewhere in the bloc. The two sides have sparred over the issue, with EU lawmakers accusing Britain of planning to give Europeans in Britain "second-class status". Davis said he wanted the issue to be settled soon. But his positive tone contrasted with comments earlier in the day made by Johnson. Estimates of the amount Britain must pay to cover pension liabilities for EU staff and other commitments have ranged up to $114 billion. "The sums that I have seen that they propose to demand from this country seem to me to be extortionate. ... I think 'go whistle' is an entirely appropriate expression," Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons. Davis, more diplomatically, said Britain's position on the divorce bill was "not to pay more than we need to". Ap - Reuters - Xinhua MOSCOW - Moscow has had no contacts with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya who met US President Donald Trump's son last year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday. "The Kremlin has absolutely nothing to do with this meeting and has never been in contact with this lawyer," said Peskov at his daily news briefing. Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday released email records related to his meeting with Veselnitskaya in June 2016 during his father's presidential campaign, confirming previous US media reports of the meeting. Veselnitskaya was said to be a "Russian government attorney," and her meeting with Trump Jr. has added fuel to suspicion in the United States that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the election. On Wednesday, Peskov said Veselnitskaya does not represent the interests of Russia and the government will not investigate her. Peskov compared repeated media coverage of the alleged Trump-Russia collusion to "a long-running soap opera, which can compete with the most successful TV series aired in the United States." "There is no sense drawing us into such a soap opera as we are not taking part or playing roles in it," said the Kremlin spokesman. In an interview with U.S. media on Tuesday, Veselnitskaya denied any links with the Russian government and said she didn't have any damaging information on Hillary Clinton, Trump's presidential election rival. MELBOURNE - Australian scientists on Thursday described the breaking-off of a one-trillion-ton iceberg from Antarctica as "deeply troubling." The Larsen C shelf, measuring 5,800 square kilometers, broke away from Antarctica between July 10 and July 12, scientists in the United Kingdom (UK) confirmed on Wednesday. It was the third such incident in the part of Antarctica closest to South America after the Larsen A and B shelves collapsed in 1995 and 2002, respectively. Nathan Bindoff, head of the Oceans and Cryosphere Program at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), said that the break-away would accelerate the thinning of ice in Antarctica, meaning more breakaways are imminent. "Big icebergs breaking off the major ice-shelves are a critical component of the story around the fate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet," Bindoff said in a statement obtained by Xinhua on Thursday. "The ice shelves buttress the Antarctic Ice Sheet and slow the rate of ice loss from Antarctica. So a major iceberg like this one means we will see an acceleration of the grounded glaciers behind the Larsen C shelf. "Amazingly, this glacier acceleration will contribute to further sea-level rise in next few years. We saw precisely this behavior for sea-level when the Larsen B ice shelf broke up." Despite the collapse being a natural process, Ian Simmonds, a professor at the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said man-made global warming had accelerated the process. "The calving of this huge iceberg from the Larsen C ice shelf is deeply troubling. This follows the collapse of part of the Larsen B ice shelf in February 2002," Simmonds said. "The causes of these breakups are similar. Temperatures have risen dramatically in the region over recent decades. This has meant that summer temperatures now frequently get above freezing, and the associated surface melting significantly weakens the ice shelves." President Xi Jinping and Governor General David Johnston of Canada witness the signing of cooperative documents at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Thursday, Xi said the two nations have wide common interests. Wu Zhiyi / China Daily China and Canada should initiate negotiations on a free trade agreement as soon as possible, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, while calling for joint efforts to promote bilateral trade. The two countries should push forward cooperation in such areas as energy, resources, modern agriculture and clean technology, Xi said during his meeting with David Johnston, governor general of Canada, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. The two leaders witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding on establishing the China-Canada Joint Committee on Culture and Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games cooperation. Noting that China and Canada both have importance in the Asia-Pacific region, Xi said the two nations have wide common interests and huge space for cooperation. China would like to maintain high-level exchanges with Canada, make full use of dialogue mechanisms at all levels and expand exchanges in government departments, legislative bodies and political parties, he said. The president called on the two countries to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and to push forward the development of the China-Canada strategic partnership. China and Canada should deepen cooperation in areas including trade, law enforcement, science and people-to-people exchanges, Xi said, adding that the two countries should make full use of each other's complementary advantages to achieve mutual benefits. Johnston started a five-day visit to China on Monday. He visited the Chongqing Planning Exhibition Gallery on Tuesday in Chongqing and had a hot pot meal with Chinese students who will go to Canada to study in autumn. Canada admires China's achievements in sustainable development, poverty reduction, environment protection and scientific areas, Johnston said. Canada would like to enhance high-level exchanges with China; strengthen cooperation in trade, science and sports; and boost communication in global and regional affairs, he said. Johnson recalled his first visit to China in 1980, when he worked at a Canadian university re-establishing medical exchanges with Chinese hospitals and universities. "Mr President, it's wonderful to be back in China. I feel I'm like returning home," he told Xi. Premier Li Keqiang also held talks with Johnston on Thursday afternoon, during which Li called on Canada to make joint efforts with China to send a signal supporting free trade to promote global economic recovery. WASHINGTON Leaders of the Indian Health Service struggled Wednesday at a Senate hearing to defend the Trump administrations plans to slash funding to the agency, which is reeling from a doctor shortage, aging facilities and quality of care problems at several of its hospitals. The lack of answers infuriated Democrats and Republicans on the Appropriations subcommittee. I cannot believe what has transpired today. All I want is some damn answers, thats it, said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., as he admonished Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee, the Indian Health Services acting director since June. When Weahkee refused to say how staffing levels would be affected under the Trump administrations proposed 2018 budget, Tester became visibly shaken and yelled back: I did not come in here with my hair on fire but I am leaving here with it. Its no wonder (the agency is) in crisis. The administration officials could not answer some basic questions from senators, including how much money the agency has gained from Medicaid expansion and whether President Donald Trumps budget proposal would help the agency to hire more staff. The Indian Health Service, which oversees care to 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, has been chronically underfunded, and several of its hospitals have lost accreditation or been put under special watch by Medicare because of conditions that harmed patients. It has a 30 percent vacancy rate for doctors, dentists and physician assistants. In 2013, Indian Health Service spending for patient health services was $2,849 a person, compared with $7,717 for per capita health care spending nationally, according to a report from the National Congress of American Indians. Despite less funding, Native Americans typically have higher incidences of serious health problems than the general public, including higher rates of diabetes, liver disease and unintentional injuries. Trumps budget includes $4.7 billion for the agency. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who chairs the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, which held the hearing, said that would amount to a 6 percent cut from the current funds. She noted the trim was well below other Department of Health and Human Services agencies, where proposed funding is reduced by an average of 18 percent. Yet she said she was stunned to hear IHS officials at the hearing say the Trump budget has enough money to improve care. You have not answered my question on whether we have provided you sufficient resources, Murkowski told Weahkee. I cant stand down knowing our system is failing so many Native Americans around the country. Weahkee, a member of the Zuni tribe, was previously CEO of the IHS largest hospital in Phoenix. He said the proposed budget prioritizes funding on patient care, while it cuts funding to modernize and build facilities. He said the agencys appropriations are augmented by payments from Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid provided $880 million in funding in 2016 more than any other third-party funding source, according to a report released Wednesday by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Murkowski said she is worried about the effects on the Indian health care system if Congress were to accept a Republican health plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The current version being advanced by Senate leaders would end the ACAs Medicaid expansion and cap future Medicaid funding to states. Alaska was one of 31 states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and Murkowski has said she has serious qualms about the current plan. Senate GOP leadership delayed the bill when it failed to get enough support before the July Fourth recess. A new version of the legislation is expected to be released Thursday. Operating in some of the nations poorest places, the Indian Health Service has failed to meet minimum federal standards for medical facilities, turned away gravely ill patients and caused unnecessary deaths, The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing federal regulators, agency documents and interviews. Murkowski said she was dismayed by the agencys recent track record, particularly after she helped steer an extra $29 million in this years budget to address quality of care problems at three of its hospitals in the Midwest. I believe the agency is sincere in its desire to fix these problems, she said, but a year later these problems remain and appear to be more serious than ever. Diann Wolfraven used to pride herself on her house and her yard at 226 Jefferson St. Shed spend hours working on the interior or the exterior of her South Side home, and often got compliments on its appearance. It used to look spotless, she said Wednesday morning. I was always outside working. But a head injury a number of years ago that left her with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD made it difficult for her physically and financially to continue its upkeep. The grass grew high in her front and back yards, the window screens were in bad shape and the exterior needed a new coat of paint. All that is changing this week, with help from some new friends. Ten teens and two adults, all volunteers with Catholic HEART Workcamp, are spending four days pulling weeds, power-washing, scraping and repainting the house and replacing the front screens. The kids are awesome, Wolfraven said, as the teens and adults worked outside. I cant say enough about them. The home renovation is one of 30 projects in Billings that 219 volunteers from all over the United States are tackling for four days this week, said Jodi Gilligan, co-camp manager. Gilligan, who lives in Billings, has helped to coordinate the six years the volunteers have come to Billings. Altogether, more than 13,000 youth and adults will take part in 49 camps in cities this summer in the U.S. and elsewhere, Gilligan said. Its about being the hands and feet of Christ, she said. The efforts transform not only homes, but the people who own them and the volunteers who do the work, Gilligan added. In addition to working on 23 homes, the Catholic HEART Workcamp volunteers are also aiding a number of agencies, including Family Service, Community Day Care, St. Vincent de Paul, the Montana Rescue Mission and the Billings Food Bank. Other agencies, including Big Sky Senior Services, Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County and Rebuilding Together, provided the names of people who needed a helping hand. And thats how Wolfraven got the help she needed. Its a blessing to have the opportunity to work with these residents, Gilligan said. Dave Knoepfle, the other co-camp manager, arrived in Billings on Sunday from Springfield, Illinois. While Killigan is overseeing the projects, Knoepfle is in charge of the logistics of housing and feeding the volunteers, all who are staying at Lockwood Middle School. We have groups from Idaho, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas and New York, Knoepfle said. Sometimes a group of three neighborhood parishes will rent one bus and go together. The groups of youth, accompanied by the adult chaperones, are split up so that the teens can work with others they didnt come with. Thats a nice way to meet new people, he said. After morning Mass, the groups work Tuesday through Friday at their project sites from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a lunch break. After they get back to the school and eat, they get to enjoy a multi-media presentation to keep them enthused. Its a Catholic organization so theres a lot of faith-based stuff going on, as well as a lot of funny skits, with adults and campers involved, Knoepfle said. Having been to seven camps, he continues to be impressed by the hard work done by the youth. To see people working their tails off doing really hard labor, painting, landscaping, cleaning and asking nothing in return, I get choked up, he said. I never get tired of it. Over at Wolfravens house, Liam OShea, 15, of Cokato, Minnesota, took a break from ridding the yard of weeds and overgrown grass. This year was his first with the camp, and in addition to his church affiliation, Liam said he could earn up to 30 hours of service toward a Boy Scout badge. But he also enjoyed the experience of getting together with the other campers. Hanging out with good people and doing something that changes someones life for the better makes you feel good inside, he said. Chaperone Jerry Galluzzo of Syracuse, New York, came to the camp with son Nate, 16, and daughter Maria, 17. It was Galluzzos first time, influenced to come by his son. He did it last year without us, and he came back and couldnt say enough about it, Galluzzo said. And I had to see what it was all about, and Im finding out its great. He arrived with a contingent of 19 kids and six adults. The group flew into Denver and then drove up to Billings. Galluzzo called the week a time to be immersed in his faith and to share it with others. You can keep it all to yourself or you can give it to others, and thats what were doing," he said. "Were giving this to others, and its a great thing." Over at 226 Avenue F, another group of campers and chaperones were busy Wednesday morning painting Joseph Staigmillers house. Staigmiller, who is battling cancer, doesnt have the ability to undertake such a mammoth project. Elizabeth Oczkowski, a chaperone from Syracuse, enjoys interacting with the homeowners shes helped. That means so much because you really get to know them and establish a relationship with them, said Oczkowski, who was back for her third camp. And then meeting kids from all over, its just so awesome. Emily Gelb, 16, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, came to camp this summer for the fourth time. She has enjoyed making friendships that last beyond the camps. And she likes making a difference. Its touching to see the joy on their faces when we make that first little bit of progress, Gelb said. And by the end of the week, it tugs on your heartstrings to see how much you can do in such a little time and what the impact can be for years to come. A Sidney man accused of trafficking meth for resale in the Bakken oil fields admitted federal charges on Wednesday. Timothy Dallis Swope, 53, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess meth with intent to distribute during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Billings. Prosecutors said the conspiracy ran for about a year, from December 2015 until December 2016. Confidential sources told law enforcement that Swope was a supplier, the prosecution said. A search warrant executed on Swopes residence in February 2016 and a hotel room registered to Swope in Sidney in June 2016 turned up meth, a receipt for a wire transfer, cash and a drug ledger, prosecutors said. Swopes co-defendant, Keith Preston Coffin, has pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan said he would recommend Swopes plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Susan Watters, who will sentence him. Swope remains in custody. Swope faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The latest in a string of harsh sentences against church leaders in Iran has been handed down to four Christian converts for promoting Christianity, according to human rights activists. Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, along with deacons Mohammadreza Omidi, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Saheb Fadaie, were sentenced to 10 years in prison in a ruling by the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, according to a regional director of Middle East Concern (MEC), a human rights organization that tracks the persecution of Christians in the region. Nadarkhani and Omidi have also been sentenced to two years of exile in the south of the country, far from their families in Rasht. The verdict was issued on June 24 but received by their lawyer on July 6, after several delays, and after the case was transferred to Tehran when a local court in Rasht could not reach a verdict. Their lawyer has 20 days from the verdict date to appeal the sentence, which he plans to do, according to MEC. A ruling is also expected on an appeal filed by Omidi, Mossayebzadeh and Fadaie against a sentence of 80 lashes each for drinking wine during a Communion service. In recent years, the number of Christians arrested in the country has decreased overall, but church leaders have been targeted and given harsher sentences, according to the MEC regional director. What would have been a sentence of one or one-and-a-half years for a first-time offense has increased to 10. There is a lot of pressure on church leaders to leave the country, the MEC representative said. Its difficult because we have so few trained church leaders remaining in the country now. The four men were arrested in Rasht on May 13 during a series of raids by security service agents on Christian homes in the city, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights organization. The July 6 verdict is the latest in a series of excessive sentences passed by Judge Ahmadzadeh against Iranian Christians, according to CSW. We are deeply disappointed by these excessive sentences, which are based on spurious charges and are clearly part of an intensified campaign of judicial harassment aimed at intimidating members of minority faiths, said CSWs Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas in a press statement. The four men were officially charged with acting against national security, a catch-all charge often used by the Iranian government to punish different types of religious and political dissent. The government often uses it against converts instead of the charge of apostasy, according to freedom of religion advocates, in an attempt to avoid international scrutiny. Of particular concern to human rights activists was the presence in the courtroom of Abolghasem Salavati, a judge for the 15th Branch of the Revolutionary Court, during the most recent hearing on July 14th. Salavati announced in court that Christians make foolish claims, according to CSW. Salavati is notorious for carrying out miscarriages of justice, especially in high-profile trials involving political activists and ethnic and religious minorities, according to CSW. He is also known for delivering lengthy prison sentences and ordering that defendants be lashed, a CSW press statement read. In many cases, he has ordered the execution of defendants. His unexpected intervention may indicate that the presiding judge is under pressure from the Secret Police to pronounce a pre-determined verdict and deliver a harsh sentence. Previously a court sentenced four other Christians to 10 years imprisonment for missionary activities and conducting activities against national security. Judge Ahmedzadeh handed down the sentences to Nasser Navard Goltape, of Iran, and Yusif Farhadov, Eldar Gurbanov and Bahram Nasibov of Azerbaijan on May 23. They did not learn of the sentences until June 12. They are appealing the sentence, but local sources told CSW that they are not hopeful. In spite of lack of evidence against them, they said, authorities appear determined to send a punitive message to Christians. The four men were arrested on June 24, 2016, after traveling to Tehran on an informal visit to their Christian friends. They were confined in Evin Prison for about two months in solitary confinement, enduring regular interrogation, before being moved, according to CSW. They were released on bail on Oct. 29, 2016, and the three Azeris were allowed to return to their country on Nov. 7, 2016, having paid the full bail amount. The Azeri Christians may forfeit bail by not returning to Iran, but Goltape does not have this option, according to CSW. Mansour Borji, advocacy director for Article 18, which defends persecuted Christians in Iran, told CSW that he was deeply concerned about the sentences, saying the verdict was particularly alarming, as many other Iranian Christians are still awaiting trial for exercising their right to worship as Christians in privacy of their homes. According to Article 18, in the previous three months Judge Ahmadzadeh sentenced at least 16 Christians to between five and 10 years in prison. Original Sentences for Communion On Sept. 10, 2016, after a trial that lasted 10 minutes, Omidi, Mossayebzadeh and Fadaie were sentenced to 80 lashes for drinking wine during a Communion service. It was the second time Fadaie and Omidi have been sentenced to flogging for taking Communion. Although Christians are allowed to consume alcohol in Iran, Muslims are not. As converts from Islam, by law the three men are still considered Muslim since conversions away from Islam are not recognized in Iran. On Oct. 25, 2016, attorneys for the three Christians filed an appeal to have their case overturned. Ten days earlier, they and Nadarkhani were tried on charges of acting against national security. As part of a larger crack-down on house churches in Iran in 2016, the countrys internal security apparatus, VEVAK, conducted a series of raids against at least 10 Christian-owned homes. Officials temporarily detained Nadarkhani and his wife, Fatemeh Pasandideh, on May 13, 2016, but then released them. Authorities took Mossayebzadeh, who was also at one of the houses, into custody. VEVAK agents later summoned Omidi and Fadaie to their office by phone and then arrested them in connection with the raids, according to CSW. Weeks later, Mossayebzadeh and Fadaie were released each on the equivalent of a $33,000 bond, Mossayebzadeh on May 28, 2016 and Fadaie on May 29, 2016. Omidi remained in detention until officials released him June 7, 2016, also on a $33,000 bond. Court officials on July 24 summoned Nadarkhani to court, charged him with crimes against national security, ordered him to produce a bond of $33,000 and released him. In 2010, the Iranian government charged Nadarkhani with apostasy and sentenced him to death. His Christian faith had been discovered after he went to his childrens school to question Irans compulsory Islamic religious education requirement. Eventually court officials acquitted him of the charges, and in September 2012, he was released from prison. He was found guilty of evangelizing, however, and three months later was ordered back to prison on Dec. 25, 2012. Nadarkhani was released Jan. 7, 2013. In Christian support organization Open Doors list of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Iran had a score of 85 out of 100 in the 2017 World Watch List, leaving it ranked eighth out of 50. Various aid and rights groups affirm that the underground church is growing in Iran in spite of the crack-down. As many as 450,000 Iranians are worshipping Christ within Irans borders, according to Open Doors, and other organizations believe the figure could be as high as 1 million in the country of 80.3 million. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.o rg/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at http://morningstarnews.org/don ate/ ? Oregon lawmakers passed a bill last week that would require insurers to pay 100 percent of all abortion-on-demand costs no matter how late-term the pregnancy is. The bill also requires insurers to pay $10 million into a fund for public funding of abortions into what critics are saying is a gift to Planned Parenthood. Yes! Yes! Yes! Oregon Legislature Approves Reproductive Services Bill Covering Abortions, Contraceptives, Governor Kate Brown tweeted after the bill passed. There are some exemptions for religious-based health care providers, but Bill Diss, leader of Precious Children of Portland and a member of Holy Rosary Parish in the city, told Portlands Catholic Sentinel that other portions of the bill promoted the killing of unborn children. The Oregon Catholic Conference has asked that citizens opposed to the bill support the proposed 2018 ballot initiative, Stop Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The proposed act would keep state funds from being used for any abortions that is not medically necessary or when spending is required by federal law. To qualify for the ballot, the petition needs 117,000 signatures from registered voters. By insisting on complete insurance coverage of abortion, including late-term and sex-selective abortions, the legislature shows itself intolerant of widely-held opposing views and will compel thousands of Oregonians to support what their conscience rejects, the Oregon Catholic Conference said. Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com Publication date: July 13, 2017 For those in the immigrant community, the numerous reports of raids by enforcement officials may give rise to a greater sense of fear. But immigrant rights advocates say there are still actions that individuals can take in response to, and in preparation for, such encounters. During a national press call hosted by New America Media on July 11, Grisel Ruiz, staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said that there are certain constitutional rights that we still have that immigrants can rely on, and that they have regardless of immigrant status. For example, immigrants have the right to remain silent and to not allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into their homes and properties, she said. Ruiz emphasized the importance of asking for a judicial warrant during these situations, and added that the enforcement officials rarely possess warrants. She also advised those who encounter immigration officials to never sign anything without speaking to an immigration attorney. Likewise, advocates on the press call added that employers also have rights that they should exercise if immigration officials come to the workplace. So long as the workplace is private property, the ICE agents also must have a judicial warrant, said Ruiz. Employers can be intimidated when faced with these encounters, often leading them to follow the authorities without questioning, advocates said. However, Michael Young, a legislative advocate for the California Labor Federation, said they should be asking for a subpoena before providing any private information, since this information may put not only the worker but also their family members at risk. Besides employers, even everyday people that witness an ICE activity can take action, Ruiz added. The first step that bystanders can take, according to Ruiz, is to contact a local nonprofit to make sure it is not false information and that an ICE activity is actually happening. Bystanders can also document the incident by taking a video, and collect as much information as they can about the situation. Advocates added that those in the immigrant community can take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their assets and belongings. Mohan Kanungo, director of programs & engagement at Mission Asset Fund, encouraged individuals to become more educated on how to protect your money, how to protect your belongings, and creating and emergency plan. Immigration related emergencies can have a significant impact on pocketbooks, said Kanungo. For instance, Kanungo said, the national average cost of a bail bond is about $10,000. In addition, having legal representation during these bond hearings can average anywhere from $3-5,000. Transfer of guardianship is about $2-4,000, and on top of these already high expenses, individuals involved in this process have other monthly bill payments to consider as well. Kanungo encouraged those in the immigrant community who seek to plan ahead in regards to their assets by taking advantage of seminars and other resources made available by nonprofits like Mission Asset Fund that can help them learn more on how to do so. Meanwhile, Cal Soto, the national workers rights coordinator at the National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON), said he and others at NDLON have witnessed an increase in violence due to the rhetoric surrounding immigration since the recent elections. He said there is a normalization of violence across the board within communities after the election, and added that workers have reported more frequent and public occurrences of hate crimes. With the increase of enforcement on the ground, fear of deportation is heightened for undocumented immigrants within the community, he added. Approximately 2.6 million undocumented immigrants reside in California alone, according to statistics provided by the Center for Migration Studies in 2014. New Vision Church, located in Lynnwood, WA, shared the gospel in Zambia from June 20 to July 6 as mission team members helped build a church there, hosted a Vacation Bible School for children, and helped build clean water wells. Members from New Vision Church stayed in Lusaka, the capital of and largest city in Zambia, where they shared the gospel with both children and adults alike. It was a busy schedule since we were carrying out many ministries in a short period of time, said Rev. Woo Suk Chun, the lead pastor of New Vision Church, but by Gods grace, all of the ministries were carried out smoothly. Im thankful that our church members were able to share Gods love through their service. Meanwhile, members of New Vision Church held special dawn prayers from June 20 to 30, praying for those in Zambia and the ministry that would take place during the mission trip. Shortly after this article was published, Eugene Peterson retracted his statement and affirmed a biblical view of marriage instead. More information can be found here. *** In an interview published yesterday with Jonathan Merritt at Religion News Service, Eugene Peterson announced his willingness to perform same-sex weddings and his general support for same-sex couples in churches. While the headline says Peterson has changed his mind on the issue, it would be more accurate to say that he simply has become willing to speak about the issue and his relative indifference to it. Multiple times he clarifies it isnt a big deal to him. The churches where he served have always had gay members. People who disapprove of it, theyll probably just go to another church, Peterson concludes. So were in a transition and I think its a transition for the best, for the good. I dont think its something that you can parade, but its not a right or wrong thing as far as Im concerned. Petersons response is not quite what you have in others who really have changed their mind about the issue of same-sex relationships, such as David Gushee, Rob Bell, or Julie Rodgers. Gushee argues that supporting same-sex couples is in keeping with the biblical command to love ones neighbor, and Rodgers argues that marriage itself is a school of virtue and same-sex couples should be allowed to marry so they too can have access to that resource. They are making arguments about which we can disagreewe can talk about the end toward which Christian love is directed or the meaning of marriage and have fruitful or at least clarifying debate. Its much ... 1 I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up. Weve hit the presidents new resettlement ceiling of 50,000. Heres who made it in. | Image: Sean Sheridan / World Relief A refugee girl from Burma settles into the United States. Approximately 14,000 fewer Christian refugees will arrive in the United States this fiscal year, as President Donald Trumps policies lead to the fewest resettlements in a decade. Today, resettlement agencies hit Trumps new ceiling of 50,000 refugees, three months before the end of the federal governments fiscal year on September 30. And as CT predicted, persecuted Christians fell far short of last years intake. At this point, World Relief expects that the only additional arriving cases after today will be individuals who have a close family member already in the US, Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilization for the National Association of Evangelicals humanitarian arm, told CT. (Close family means a parent, parent-in-law, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son- or daughter-in-law, or sibling, according to State Department guidelines.) A total of 22,637 Christians have been resettled in the US in fiscal 2017, compared to 36,822 in fiscal 2016, according to State Department data. The total includes 1,795 Baptists, 358 Methodists, and 5 Lutherans, along with believers who simply identified as Christians (7,751), Protestants (2,034), or evangelicals (425). In fiscal year 2016, the US welcomed 2,363 Baptists, 1,127 Methodists; and 31 Lutherans. About 15,630 refugees identified as Christians; 2,884 as Protestants; and 354 as evangelicals. The numbers are down across the board: agencies resettled fewer Muslims (21,763 in FY2017, down from 38,533 in FY2016), Hindus (1,080, down from 1,967) and Buddhists (1,520, down from 3,108). There were 403 Jehovahs Witnesses, down from 699 last year. Over the past decade, more of those admitted to the US have ... Editors note: The following day, Eugene Peterson retracted the comments he gave Religion News Service that concerned LifeWay Christian Resources. The Message Bible, The Pastor, and the rest of Eugene Petersons catalog may no longer be sold at Americas largest Christian retail chain due to the retired pastors revisited views on same-sex marriage. In an interview published Wednesday, Peterson told Religion News Service columnist Jonathan Merritt that the debate about lesbians and gays might be over and that he would perform a same-sex wedding ceremony if he were pastoring today. As Christians on both sides of the LGBT debate acknowledged Peterson as one of the most high-profile evangelicals to publicly change his stance on sexuality, LifeWay Christian Stores stated that if the popular author indeed supports same-sex marriage, its stores can no longer sell his books. LifeWay only carries resources in our stores by authors who hold to the biblical ... 1 HELENA U.S. Sen. Jon Tester added another $2 million to his campaign war chest as he prepares to face his eventual Republican opponent. The two-term senator from Big Sandy is expected to have one of the fiercest re-election battles in 2018, and he has been feverishly raising money. Ahead of Friday's latest fundraising reporting deadline, his campaign said he already had $4.7 million in hand as of June 30. His $2 million take since April 1 adds to a similar amount he reported to the Federal Election Commission for the first quarter of the year. A Republican front runner has yet to emerge, as top-tier candidates have decided against running, including state Attorney General Tim Fox and former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke. Zinke was an obvious first choice for the GOP until he became President Donald Trump's Interior Secretary. Montana Democrats are now taking aim at Auditor Matt Rosendale, who has been coy about his intentions. He's said that he will make a decision over the summer. "Regardless of who makes it through the primary, there's no question it's going to be a very tough race," said Chris Meagher, a state Democratic Party spokesman who has been fielding press calls for Tester's campaign. "I also know whoever runs against Jon is going to have a tough race themselves." With less than a year before the Republican primary, potential GOP contenders will have to make a decision soon to begin building the campaign infrastructure and financial backing to mount a serious campaign. Democrats have also shown concern about a possible run by District Judge Russell Fagg of Billings, a former state legislator, who has formed an exploratory committee. Fagg earlier announced that he would be stepping down from the bench in October and has said he would not make a formal announcement about a Senate bid until then. A handful of lesser-known Republicans have also expressed interest in Tester's seat, which political observers say could be among the most competitive next year. Legislators Seek to Stop Funding Palestinian Terrorism Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit WASHINGTON, July 13, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Senate Foreign Relations Committee began hearings yesterday on S.474, known as the Taylor Force Act, which will defund the Palestinian Authority (PA) until they cease and denounce their "Pay to Slay" policy, which rewards terrorists and their families for acts against Israel and the United States. Liberty Counsel and Christians in Defense of Israel have been instrumental in encouraging legislators to hold this hearing. The bill's sponsor, Senator Lindsey Graham, opened the hearing by introducing this legislation that would stop the incentive payments to terrorists to kill innocent civilians. In attendance was Stuart Force, the father of U.S. army veteran and Vanderbilt student, Taylor Force, for whom the bill is named. Taylor served the United States in combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, only to be senselessly killed as a civilian by a Palestinian terrorist in Israel. The PA currently gives over $300 million annually to terrorists and their families. However, since the U.S. provides over $700 million of direct and indirect aid to the Palestinians, American taxpayer dollars are providing the funds to reward terrorists who kill American and Israeli citizens. As soon as attackers are arrested, the PA provides canteen expenses, salary and health benefits. A government job upon release is guaranteed for those sentenced to five or more years. The families of "martyrs" also receive large payments for the loss of their family member. S.474 prohibits certain assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 from being made available for the West Bank and Gaza unless the Department of State certifies that the Palestinian Authority: "is taking steps to end acts of violence against U.S. and Israeli citizens perpetrated by individuals under its jurisdictional control; is publicly condemning such acts of violence and is investigating, or cooperating in investigations of, such acts; and has terminated payments for acts of terrorism against U.S. and Israeli citizens to any individual who has been convicted and imprisoned for such acts, to any individual who died committing such acts, and to family members of such an individual." "It's unconscionable that American taxpayer dollars are being used by the Palestinian Authority to brainwash young Palestinians to hate the Jewish people and to pay terrorists to ruthlessly murder Israelis and Americans," Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. "I encourage Congress to pass the Taylor Force Act that will help stop the payment of horrific blood money to murder innocent Israelis and Americans. 'Pay to Slay' must end," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential. Find out more at www.LC.org and www.CovenantJourney.org. home World Fetullah Gulen says he would accept extradition to Turkey if requested by Washington Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who was accused of instigating the failed coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year, said that he does not plan on leaving the U.S. to avoid extradition and that he is willing to be sent back to Turkey if Washington requests it. Gulen, who leads the Hizmet Movement, also known as the Gulenist movement, in Turkey, denied the allegations that he intends to flee the U.S. "The rumors aren't true at all," the 79-year-old cleric said in an interview with Reuters. "If the United States sees it appropriate to extradite me, I would leave (for Turkey)," he added. Erdogan has directly appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Gulen's extradition to Turkey, but U.S. officials have stated that Turkey has yet to provide enough evidence for the Justice Department to act. The Turkish government had accused Gulen of organizing the failed coup in July last year. More than 240 people have been killed after rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and fighter jets in an attempt to abduct and kill the Turkish president. Gulen, however, has insisted that he has never supported a coup or any attempts to oust Erdogan. The cleric said he hoped that the Trump administration would decide against moving forward with his extradition, especially after the resignation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was outspoken in extraditing Gulen to Turkey. Gulen, who was once a key supporter of Erdogan, has denounced the Turkish president's consolidation of power and has urged the Trump administration as well as European governments to do more to restore political freedoms in Turkey. Meanwhile, an American pastor remains imprisoned in Turkey over accusations of aiding the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) and Fethullah GAlen. Pastor Andrew Brunson of North Carolina was arrested along with his wife on Oct. 7, 2016 in the coastal town of Izmir. His wife was later released but Turkish authorities charged him with "membership in an armed terrorist organization." There have been speculations that the imprisoned pastor is being used as a leverage to move the U.S. to extradite political enemies of Turkey. In May, Erdogan has reportedly issued a warning that no foreign captives would be released unless their respective governments met his demands to extradite his political enemies. "I now call on the world that if you do not contribute to the restoration of honor [of those victims from July 15 coup], you should know that you will not receive anyone that is captured by us," Erdogan said. "Because counter terrorism is not local, it is the implementation of an international agreement. If such international combat is being conducted, then we want you [other countries] to extradite those [GAlenists] immediately, as we will also deprive them of their citizenships," he added. home World Syrian Observatory claims to have 'confirmed information' that ISIS leader is dead Just days after the Iraqi army liberated the last sectors of Mosul, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed that it "confirmed information" that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed. "(We have) confirmed information from leaders, including one of the first rank, in [Isis territory] in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor," Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the British-based war monitoring group, told Reuters on Tuesday. The Pentagon, however, stated that it has no information to corroborate the reports, and there has been no statement about Baghdadi's death from ISIS news outlet Amaq. "We take any report of this nature with a large dose of salt," said Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to US President Donald Trump. "We will verify it. We will look at the intelligence available... and we will give a statement when we have the requisite facts," he added. The Syrian Observatory's sources did not indicate when or how the ISIS leader supposedly died, except that he has supposedly been living in the Deir Ezzor area for the last three months. Kurdish and Iraqi sources have also said that they could not corroborate the report. But SOHR has been reputed to have a credible track record of reporting on the Syrian conflict. There have been several rumors about Baghdadi's death since he made his only public appearance when he declared the caliphate in Mosul in 2014. In June, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Baghdadi and several other high-profile ISIS leaders have been killed in an air strike, but no evidence was provided to back up the claim. According to The Independent, the U.S. government has put up a $25 million reward for Baghdadi's capture, the same amount offered for al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and his successor Ayman al-Zawahiri. Air strikes carried out by the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria have killed several ISIS leaders including Abu Ali al-Anbari, Baghdadi's deputy; the group's "minister of war," Abu Omar al-Shishani, who is also a close military adviser to Baghdadi; and Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, one of its most prominent and longest-serving leaders. Baghdadi's death, if confirmed, would come as one of the biggest blows to the jihadist group which is rapidly losing territories in Iraq and Syria. Last week, the Iraqi army officially declared Mosul liberated from ISIS, marking the destruction of one-half of the militants' caliphate. Oil slid in New York as the International Energy Agency signaled it was less confident that global markets are rebalancing as anticipated. Futures slipped 0.6 percent. The agency boosted estimates for global demand growth but said that stockpiles dont appear to be declining as quickly as expected as rising OPEC production threatens the rebalancing process. While U.S. crude inventories fell by 7.56 million barrels last week -- the most since September -- the IEA said total fuel stocks in developed countries appear to have grown in the first half. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Metro Video Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Metro Video Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A woman is on the run after reports that she shot her estranged boyfriend early Thursday at a southwest Houston apartment complex. Officers headed about 1 a.m. to the apartments, the Oaks of Charleston, on Charleston Park Drive off of Highway 90, said Capt. Megan Howard with the Houston Police Department. A serial hugger is swinging through Houston this week to dole out friendly greetings as part of a 48-state road trip. David "Big Dave" Sylvester is "spreading good vibes one hug and high-five at a time," according to the trip website. Over the course of a 72-day journey this summer, the Philadelphia man is handing out as many cheery greetings as possible, from New York to California. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate There are somethings you should never do when you have a bat in your house. The most important thing: Never ask your Facebook friends for advice. That's like having a head cold, then doing a Google search and diagnosing yourself with a brain tumor. Let me back up. I had never seen a bat close up before -- let alone had one in my house. But on Wednesday morning as I trotted downstairs from my second-floor bedroom, I noticed a peculiar black-ball object in the corner of the stair. I hadn't yet wiped the sleep out of my eyes or had my morning coffee, so I blew it off as wadded-up piece of paper. Story continues below ... Coffee consumed, I went back for another look. Maybe a frog? "Whatever it is, I have to go to work. I'll deal with when I get home," I thought. IN THE BELFRY: Bat at Texas church tests positive for rabies Nearly 10 hours later, I returned home. The black ball had moved ever so slightly. Don't freak out, Joy. Telling myself to keep calm, I quickly called my brother, who lives nearby, to see if he could come examine it. "Why do always I have to deal with the freaky crap?" he asked, referring to the time I asked him to get rid of the dead squirrel my dog killed ...or the time I pleaded with him to handle the toddler-sized racoon in my attic. He took one look: "That's a bat. I don't mess with bats!" Then he whipped out his phone to show me a YouTube video in which bats had taken over a dorm at Texas Southern University in 2007. Bats were flying through the hallways as students were flailing brooms and other objects to fend them off. The thought of bats taking over my house like that left me wide-eyed long after midnight. So, I asked my 4,000-plus Facebook friends for help: "Open the door at night, turn off the lights, stay out of its way. It should go on its own." "Just leave. The house belongs to him now." "Suck it up in your vacuum and take it to the dumpster!" "Borrow someone's cat, problem solved." "Step on it and flush it down the toilet." "Burn down the house. Get the dogs out first." So what did I do? I left the light on in the stairway, ran into my bedroom, closed the door and hid under the covers until morning. By that time, the bat had moved down a few stairs, so I covered it with a towel (several FB friends suggested this) and called 311, which handles animal control calls. SHOCKING CASE: Humble teen bitten by bat dies of rabies in 2006 The 311 operator told me not to touch it. An animal control officer would come and remove it without charge. In the state of Texas, bats are protected and can not be killed. Shortly after I hung up with the operator, my brother returned and removed the towel with the bat inside. It had died in the night. Still, Animal Control wanted the dead bat to test it for disease. I've since learned the best thing I did was cover it with a towel. Now, I can go back to dealing with Texas roaches. Click here for the Humane Society's tips on bat removal. The University of Texas System's regents plan to discuss the system's vision and mission along with past, current and future budgets in an open session hearing on Thursday afternoon. The conversation comes as Chancellor William McRaven enters the last six months of his three-year contract. The retired Navy admiral's vision for the state's largest higher education system has been scrutinized publicly after Gov. Greg Abbott tapped two regents in January who criticized McRaven's plan to expand the system further into Houston. At the new offices of BHP Billiton Petroleum, the dining options include an employee cafeteria serving a variety of cuisines for $5 a plate; a coffee bar with French pastries; and a take away operation where workers can order a hot meal or freshly prepared salad from their computers and pick it up moments later. FULL STORY AT HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: BHP's new Uptown digs unfold in 30 employee-friendly floors Officials in Sweetwater County say the body found Tuesday is likely related to a 2015 missing person case. Sheriff Mike Lowell says an autopsy is planned to confirm the identification. A former Harris County Precinct 6 deputy constable has been charged with sexual assault, according to a news release Thursday from the Houston Police Department. Brandin M. Glispy faces one charge of sexual assault and another charge of attempted sexual assault. Glispy used to patrol a Houston Housing Authority apartment complex and apparently had inappropriate contact with more than one woman at the residence, according to HPD. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Facebook post accusing a Houston-area zoo of giraffe neglect is sparking an online furor. Dickinson resident Khristin Dempsey said she became concerned about a giraffe named Bella during a visit to the Bayou Wildlife Zoo on FM 517 in Galveston County. Dempsey said in the Wednesday, July 12 Facebook post that she believes the giraffe in question is having trouble walking, due to hooves that appear to be overgrown. She also shared photos of the giraffe. GIANT BABY: Houston Zoo prepares for a newborn elephant Clint Wolston, owner of the Bayou Wildlife Zoo, said Thursday that the giraffe is not being neglected. Wolston said it is dangerous to both people and the animal to file or trim a giraffe's hooves. A caregiver could be kicked with devastating results, he said. "You can't just grab a hoof and trim," he said. Wolston added that tranquilizing a giraffe could kill the animal. "She's worth $60,000 and I'm not going to take that chance," he said. MORE HOUSTON BABIES: See photos of sea lions, hogs, sting rays and more Wolston said he's had the giraffe for eight years, and her hooves have always looked the way they do in Dempsey's photos. He said the animal gave birth to a calf about four months ago, and he believes she is pregnant again. Frequent veterinary care is not needed at the park because the animals are allowed to run free in an open space, Wolston added. There are currently four giraffes living at the property. The 80-acre Bayou Wildlife Zoo was listed for sale in 2016 and is still listed for $7 million. The facility's 500 animals are included in the listing. Other animals at the zoo include zebras, a zonkey, a white rhino, ostriches, alligators, kangaroos and ring-tailed lemurs. Dempsey said she has contacted several local agencies since visiting the park on Wednesday, and has offered to volunteer at the facility to help care for the animals. We reached out to local authorities for general information regarding giraffe care and local regulations for exotic livestock, and will add more information as it becomes available. NEW HOPE, Pa. (AP) Authorities have found human remains in their search for four missing young Pennsylvania men and have identified one victim, a district attorney said in a middle-of-the night briefing. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said early Thursday morning that one set of remains was identified as 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro. Other remains were found on a sprawling farm in suburban Philadelphia but they still needed to be identified, he said. Finocchiaro, 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, 21-year-old Tom Meo, and 19-year-old Jimi Tar Patrick went missing last week. Patrick was last seen on Wednesday, the other three on Friday. Authorities arrested the son of the property's owners, 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, earlier on Wednesday on charges he tried to sell one of the missing men's cars a day after he was last seen. A judge ordered him held on $5 million bail. DiNardo was described as a person of interest in the investigation after he was first arrested on Monday on an unrelated gun charge. His father put up $100,000 to bail him out on Tuesday. DiNardo's parents, Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, own the 90-acre (36-hectare) farm in upper Bucks County, a bucolic area with rolling hillsides, new housing developments and historic sites. They also own a nearby farm parcel that was also searched and a concrete company near their home in Bensalem, closer to Philadelphia. An attorney representing the couple issued a statement on Wednesday saying they sympathize with the families of the missing men and are cooperating "in every way possible with the investigation." The FBI has been using heavy equipment to dig a deep ditch on the farm property, and then sifting through each bucket of dirt by hand. Earlier Wednesday, Weintraub said police would "continue digging and searching that property until we're satisfied that they are not there." "This is just really, really rough on everybody involved because of the heat, the magnitude, the scope and the stakes are incredibly high, life and death," he said. At least some of the missing men are friends, but it's unclear how well they knew DiNardo, if at all. Online records suggest he attended the same Catholic high school as Patrick but was a year ahead. In the February gun charge he still faces, DiNardo is accused of illegally being in possession of a shotgun and ammunition because of a previous involuntary commitment to a mental health institution. An affidavit in that case said he is "known to be suffering from mental illness." His social media posts suggest an avid interest in hunting, fishing and Air Jordan sneakers, which he appeared to sell online. He had enrolled in a nearby college at one point as a commuter student, with hopes of studying abroad in Italy, according to an article on the college website. He had a few other brushes with the law since turning 18 over traffic violations and other minor infractions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston doctor and clinic manager accused of running a prolific pill mill are among hundreds of doctors, nurses and medical professionals nationwide targeted in what Justice Department officials say is the largest take-down ever by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Grand juries in dozens of federal jurisdictions including Houston indicted 412 people on health care fraud charges alleging $1.3 billion in false billing, according to the Justice Department. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in a prepared statement about the nationwide sting, referenced the conduct of Houston doctor Gazelle Craig, who is accused of distributing 12,000 opioid prescriptions for more than 2 million doses of the painkillers. Craig, 41, a licensed physician specializing in pain management at a clinic on Gulfton Street, was indicted July 6 by a federal grand jury in Houston for allegedly handing out $300 pain prescriptions to scores of patients who did not need them. Shane Faithful, 48, the administrator and owner of the clinic, was also indicted. The pair were arrested on Monday and the charges were unsealed. Story continues below .... Craig and Faithful each face one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and three counts each of unlawfully distributing and dispensing the drugs. Attorney Don E. Lewis, who represents Craig, could not be reached for immediate comment. Cornel A. Williams, the attorney for Faithful, declined to comment about the case. According to court documents, "facilitators" or "crew leaders" would drop off patients outside the Gulfton clinic where they encountered armed security guards who told them to shut off their cell phones before entering. Patients then paid $300 up front for an appointment with Gazelle, who wrote prescriptions that investigators described as "without a legitimate medical purpose." FEDERAL PRISON: Houston man gets four years in oxy case She prescribed hydrocodone, a highly addictive opiod, as well as Carisoprodol, a muscle relaxer that is often taken by non-medical users to increase the "high" when taking hydrocodone. The pair were among 26 people in the Southern District of Texas to face allegations of defrauding the government of $66 million. A number of other cases stemming from the investigation remain sealed. Nationally, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force brought cases across 41 federal districts, including 115 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals. More than 120 defendants face charges of prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. Medicaid Fraud Control Units in 30 states participated in the arrests, and 295 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other providers are facing suspension by Health and Human Services Department, officials said. Texas Medical Board records show that Craig was the subject of a pending medical board investigation. AUSTIN CONCERNED: Texas lawmakers take aim at pill mills In August 2016, board officials alleged that Craig ran an unregistered pain clinic in violation of Texas law, which requires registration. The document shows the board presented allegations that Craig inappropriately prescribed "controlled medications" to at least 10 patients without a legitimate medical purpose and failed to keep adequate records or supervise her staff. Craig, a 2000 medical school graduate, had held a Texas medical license only since January 2015 and immediately used it from January to September of that year to run the Gulfton Community Health Center, according to the medical board. At least 10 patients got "inadequate exams" that did not substantiate the need for the highly addictive opioids Craig dispensed, according to state records. Texas began to require all high-volume pain clinics to register in 2010 and meet stricter requirements or face penalties after a wave of prescription overdose deaths hit Houston and other Texas cities. Lise Olsen contributed to this report. A Canadian man has been arrested in Texas after he shared details of him killing his girlfriend on Reddit. Ager Hasan, 24, from Hamilton, Ontario, was apprehended Tuesday in San Antonio during a traffic stop on a second-degree murder warrant issued jointly by the U.S. and Canada. Hasan's 22-year-old girlfriend, Melinda Vasilije, was found dead in her apartment from multiple stab wounds at 3 a.m. April 28, Waterloo Regional Police said. Just hours after killing her, Hasan crossed over into the U.S., police said. He was captured on security video putting Pennsylvania plates on his vehicle that he took from another vehicle in a Walmart parking lot. RELATED STORY: Mental health in question for mother accused of fatally stabbing 4-year-old Four days later, Hasan allegedly took to Reddit to recount his relationship and what led to him killing his girlfriend, said Cherri Greeno, media relations coordinator for Waterloo Regional Police Service. "I go up to her to try and give her a hug, almost out no where she grabs a knife by the sink," Hasan allegedly wrote under his Reddit username Redasblue101 in a now-deleted post. "Initially I thought was just going to hold it to try and tell me to leave. She doesn't. She comes at me in full force, aiming towards my face. I tell her to stop. She doesn't, I tried grabbing the knife but ended up cutting my hands. After a few cuts I lost it. I freaked out, I was scared and in a state of shock. Never in a hundred years did I think she would use a knife against me. Out of shock and fear I grab one. I hit her with it, almost blindly. A few times. I didn't know what happened." RELATED STORY: Pasadena police release video in fatal stabbing at apartment complex Hasan goes on to write about how shocked he was about what happened. He thought she had just passed out. Then he saw "the blood, and started freaking out and just ran." "She was with me the most, we were each other's best friends, she would tell me everything. Her deepest secrets that not even her friends or family knows. The amount of regret and sadness is beyond words," Hasan wrote. On Sunday, Hasan also allegedly posted two photos on Instagram. One photo appeared to show him with Vasilije and the other showed a nondescript man sitting in a dark room with the caption, "I'm coming home. It's time to end the dark path I've been traveling and give people the closure they deserve." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A fifth suspect has been arrested in connection with a June armed robbery of a Pearland pawn shop, in which 14 high-powered rifles were stolen at gunpoint. Jacoby J. West, 25, was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery July 11 in Houston, according to Harris County court documents. West is accused in a June 25 carjacking at 3604 Noah in Houston, in which he and an unknown woman allegedly robbed the victim of his pickup truck at gunpoint. Police allege that West used that white Ford F-150 in the June 26 robbery of Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry, 1837 Broadway in Pearland. The other four suspects charged with aggravated robbery in the Pearland case include Daveion Tyricks Gray, 17, Jamal Javon Jackson, 17, Calvin Henderson, 17, and a juvenile who was not named by police. WATCH: 4 suspects wanted in violent armed robbery of snow cone shop Pearland Police Officer Jason Wells said the suspects have been linked to other robbery cases in Houston. Those cases are still under investigation. The Pearland robbery led to a manhunt that lasted several hours on June 26. West remained at large after the other suspects were arrested. Recent Harris County court documents state that West flagged down a witness and asked for a ride, then used the witness' phone number to call three phone numbers. PILLS TAKEN: Friendswood armed drug store robbers get away with oxycodone Pearland police were able to track down West using the phone numbers that the witness provided to police. Two of those numbers belonged to West's mother and girlfriend, court documents state. Just before noon, the five suspects drove to the shop in the stolen truck and four entered the store, Pearland Police Lt. Onesimo Lopez said at the time of the robbery. Lopez said at least one suspect had a gun and corralled the store employees at gunpoint while the other suspects stole approximately 14 rifles, all styled after the AR-15. He said the guns are valued at $500 to $2,000 each. The suspects then left the store, put the guns in the bed of the pickup truck and drove west and then north to the Lifepointe Fellowship Church at 3011 Yost, Lopez said. There, the suspects began putting the rifles into a car that is believed to belong to one of the suspects. An officer on Yost saw the suspects and approached them, then all five suspects fled toward a nearby neighborhood off Woodcreek Drive, Lopez said. One suspect was arrested in the church parking lot. Two more suspects were apprehended in the neighborhood with the help of a K-9 unit after police set up a perimeter. The third and fourth suspects were arrested later. One police officer was bitten by a K-9 dog during the manhunt. The dog was latched onto the clothing of one of the suspects at the time. That officer did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Six months from now, Billings could have an agreement to develop a downtown landmark destination for business, residents and visitors. Alternatively, such a public-private partnership might not materialize. The only way to find out is to let the Hammes Company analyze the scope and scale of a project that could fit Billings. The City Council should give this Wisconsin-based investment and real estate company the six months its president requested to try to work out a development agreement with the city. Billings has nothing to lose and potentially much to gain by letting this process proceed with the new developer managing the project. Hammes President Bob Dunn was introduced publicly for the first time at a special council meeting Monday evening. But in a few previous trips to Billings, Dunn had already met with city business and economic development leaders. His brief presentation to the council was impressive. Hammes Company has been involved in numerous sports, health care, event center and other regional destination projects across the country in cities smaller and larger than Billings. Dunn didnt talk about exactly what such a project would include, how much it would cost or what it would ask in public financial support. Those details will depend on the analysis of the scope and scale of what could work in the Billings market. Dunn did promise to communicate clearly and asked the council to do the same. At its next regular business meeting, on July 24, the City Council should extend the time it will allow for completion of the One Big Sky development agreement till the end of December, as Dunn requested. The extension vote is needed because the council voted to give the original One Big Sky Center promoters (MontDevCo) six months that ended June 30 without a plan, and then granted a one-month extension. MontDevCo recently enlisted the Hammes Company as the managing partner. This project has a long way to go till we can clearly articulate it, Dunn told the council, assuring city leaders that we understand the importance of public process and dialogue. We understand what it takes to make projects work financially. Dunn said the next step would be to delve into details to figure out financing. We will have a major financial stake in the project, Dunn said. We have to be able to stand up and shoulder elements of risk. In response to a council question about a timeline, Dunn said: I would like to have a good working draft by Oct. 1 and work through it in the last quarter. Both John Brewer, Billings Chamber of Commerce president, and Steve Arveschoug, executive director for Big Sky Economic Development, told the council they favored the concept of a major downtown development, and they want to hear what Hammes may propose. As Arveschoug said: Granting additional time makes sense. We should be willing to hear this process out. Brewer later added: There is no risk whatsoever in granting the extension. We appreciate Brewer and Arveschougs advocacy on behalf of Billings and urge the council to follow their advice: Take six more months to see if One Big Sky Center may work for our city. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A small amphibious airplane crashed into a Central Texas lake while attempting a landing at Lago Vista, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency management. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Service said on its Twitter feed that the lone occupant of the plane escaped without injury. EMS officials say the crash happened about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday on Lake Travis near Pace Bend Park, about 20 miles northwest of Austin. A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration says the single-engine aircraft flipped over during the landing attempt. The aircraft was being towed to shore for investigation. EMS officials say the water at the crash site is 120 feet deep. It wasn't yet clear where the plane was coming from or going to. This was the second plane crash into Lake Travis this year, according to news accounts. A father and son were flying a small commercial tour airplane when they experienced engine trouble and ditched into the water on July 2. They escaped with minor injuries. Francisca Ortega contributed to this report. The story unfolding in our Crazy Mountains should send shivers down the spine of every Montanan who is fond of our public places. A public trail into public land has been blocked by a landowner. The forest ranger for the district agreed that this is a public trail and has the records to prove it. There is also a record of vandalism of the signs and markers that the ranger and volunteers reinstalled on the taxpayers dime. Case closed? Not by a long shot. A hunter used the trail and was arrested for trespass. The ranger agrees the trail is public. However, politicians meddle and forbid the ranger from testifying and he has now been reassigned at the request of politicians. Sonny Perdue, secretary of agriculture, and Sen. Steve Daines decry federal overreach while federally over reaching. The landowners attorney says it is not his job to disprove the easement, it is the publics burden to prove it, and then challenges the public with a $100,000 price tag to do so. I am not sure whose job it was to destroy the signs and evidence along the Crazy Mountain trail but I am pretty sure who did it. I am also pretty sure that we can raise the money from the 88 percent of Montanans who want to increase access to public lands pursuant to a recent poll. The result for now? A public relations officer acting as a forest ranger and we the people are shut out of our land. Andrew Posewitz Clancy The Beer Drinkers Guide to God: The Whole... PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) The state of North Dakotas efforts to recover costs associated with the monthslong Dakota Access Pipeline protests hit a snag in recent weeks, but state officials say theyre continuing to explore their options. Gov. Doug Burgums request to President Donald Trump for a major disaster declaration was denied about three weeks after it was made in late April, the governors spokesman Mike Nowatzki said Wednesday, July 12. The first-term Republican governor, who inherited the pipeline dispute when he took office in December, described a prolonged, often combative and violent protest that spanned 233 days in his 11-page letter to Trump. The state and Morton County have incurred $38 million associated with the protests, with some bills still trickling in, said state Department of Emergency Services spokeswoman Cecily Fong. She said a detailed breakdown of the protest costs wasnt available, but about $20 million is for law enforcement expenses like salaries and overtime, while the rest is for equipment, supplies and other costs. Fong said it may take months to fully tally the costs. The federal government would have reimbursed 75 percent of the expenses had the disaster declaration been approved, Fong said, and the state and Morton County would have split the remaining 25 percent. The protests, prompted by objections raised by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, attracted thousands to camps near the Missouri River south of Bismarck. Officers made 761 arrests in eight months, the governors letter said, while about 1,400 law enforcement officers assisted with protest efforts. The duration of the DAPL protest and the extent of resources required have drained our local and state financial resources, particularly during a time of economic downturn in North Dakota, Burgum wrote, arguing that the federal government bears significant responsibility for the protests. Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II said last year that the militarization of local law enforcement and enlistment of agencies from other states was needlessly escalating violence and unlawful arrests against peaceful protesters at Standing Rock. In an October statement, he said the tribe didnt condone reports of illegal actions. Although the $3.8 billion oil pipeline is now in service, tribes continue to fight the project in court. They notched a victory last month when a federal judge said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didnt adequately consider the effects of an oil spill. Tempering expectations Meanwhile, the state applied for $13.85 million through the Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Program in late June. A federal spending bill announced two months ago included $15 million for the program. We hope to get the first $8 million to $10 million back here within a month, said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. Well continue to work to do more. But Hoeven said the state shouldnt expect the full $38 million to be covered by the federal government. I think it would be hard to get all that, he said. I think we will see some more, but I think weve got to temper expectations a little. The idea that we could go in and get $38 (million) and not have the state have any cost, I dont think thats going to be the case. The state Legislature authorized $38 million in loans from the state-owned bank to the Adjutant General to support DAPL-related expenses, said Bank of North Dakota spokeswoman Janel Schmitz. Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, said lawmakers turned to the bank with the idea that the federal government would reimburse the state. I still believe that they should pay for it all because it was on federal land and the federal government did nothing to make the protesters move, he said. However, well be thankful for every dollar we get. House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, pointed to the states recent budget woes -- lawmakers slashed general fund spending by more than 28 percent this year -- and argued federal action required a response from state and local agencies. Its just not right that we have to absorb those costs, he said. We dont have $38 million or $12 million or even $10 million laying around to cover these. That is the federal governments responsibility. The states application for EFLEA program funding notes that the request for $13.85 million is only a partial recovery of its costs, and the state continues to explore its options to obtain a more complete recovery. Nowatzki said theyre grateful for the funds the congressional delegation has secured so far, but we do feel substantial additional reimbursement from the federal government is still warranted. He said they didnt have a specific dollar figure for that request. Nearly 100 farmers, ranchers and community members turned out Wednesday to talk with Gov. Doug Burgum and other state officials about the challenges posed by dry weather. They gathered in a public town hall in Golden Valley, located within Mercer County, a designated area of extreme drought. Burgum was joined by North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, Garland Erbele with the State Water Commission and State Forester Larry Kotchman. After months of abnormally low rainfall and dry conditions, struggling farmers and ranchers are looking for help. Burgum said Wednesday's town hall helped the state solicit ideas from the public. "Were trying to turn over every stone to find regulatory relief," said Burgum, adding he was pleased with the turnout. Attendees, including Adam Wanner, of Golden Valley, shared some of the difficulties they've endured this season. When Goehring asked farmers and ranchers how much hay they've harvested for forage, Wanner, who owns a 10,000-acre ranch and about 600 cows, said he normally produces 3,000 to 4,000 hay bales, but he's only made 71 this year. Wanner said he's already bought 400 hay bales, and, on Aug. 1, he and another rancher are planning to go haying on Conservation Reserve Program land in the eastern part of the state, which is faring much better than the western and central portions. "Hauling the hay is so expensive, and were probably going to sell 150-200 cows, said Wanner, who lives on the ranch with his mother, his wife, Paula Wanner, and their three children. (The ranch) is beautiful when its green, said Paula Wanner, adding that it is sad to see it under such dry conditions. Burgum signed an executive order on Wednesday, lifting regulations for farmers and ranchers with non-commercial driver licenses, which restricts travel to within a 150-mile radius of their farms. "This is a chance for people to travel longer distances and do it legally," said Burgum, who also signed another executive order on Monday that lifted restrictions for commercial driver licenses in terms of the hours of hauling. Kim Entze, a farmer and rancher with about 3,000 acres of land on Knife River in Golden Valley, said he appreciates the lifting of those restrictions. "I said to my son yesterday, I dont have a (commercial driver license), I can only drive 150 miles," Entz said. "I was really glad to hear that they lifted that. Entze, too, is seeing a high price for hay to feed his 90 cows. This year, he has only gathered a little more than half a bale per 100 acres. "The hay is going to be the big job," Entze said. "It costs a lot to get ready and haul. We figured it out, me and my son have 600 cows for about a 500-cow unit, its going to cost about $200,000." Burgum also announced another $75,000 in funding through the Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Assistance Program, a program the State Water Commission re-activated about three weeks ago and has already spent the initial funding amount of $250,000. The program provides up to $3,500 for a producer to put in a new water supply. For more information, visit the commission's website. Late last month, Burgum proclaimed a statewide fire and drought emergency, ordering state agencies to "maintain high levels of readiness." Burgum said state agencies continue to meet weekly. Dohrmann, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, spoke about wildfire safety and requested farmers and ranchers immediately reach out to local fire departments and the state for help if a fire occurs. We dont want something small turning into something big," he said. As the emergency manager for the state, the last thing I want to do is find out about a fire from the governor, which actually happened to me recently." More information about drought and fire conditions is available at NDresponse.gov. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thanks to the help of one congressman, federal funding could be en route to save the USS Texas, a 103-year-old battleship docked in the Houston Ship Channel. The ship survived both World Wars. But now it's fighting a losing battle with Ship Channel's saltwater, which has eroded its hull and given the battleship a propensity to sprout leaks. The ship was closed for nearly a week in June as 26 leaks were patched, costing taxpayers an estimated $300,000 to $400,000 in repairs as deep sea divers worked overnight to find the source of the leaks, said Bruce Bramlett, executive director of the nonprofit Battleship Texas Foundation, which raises money to repair and maintain the boat. To be preserved, the USS Texas needs to be put in a dry dock, Bramlett added. But funding for the endeavor - which could reach nearly $50 million - is scarce. And time is running out before the boat is irreparably damaged. "The ship's out of time," Bramlett said. "She doesn't have long left as she continues to sit in the water." Enter U.S. Rep. John Culberson, a West University native whose district encompasses his hometown and parts of west Houston and Harris County, out to the I-10 corridor and Katy area. Though it's not in his district, Culberson, who was an American history major, has been concerned about the sinking battleship since he toured it in 2014, said his spokeswoman Emily Taylor. Culberson wrote an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would create a grant program to provide federal funding to the country's battleships. The amendment passed late Wednesday in the House. The House is scheduled to vote Friday on its version for this year's National Defense Authorization Act. Should the act pass, Culberson's amendment will be included and en route to a conference committee. The proposed grant program would require any federal funding to be matched by local money. And the qualifications for a battleship to be worthy of federal dollars are stringent: the ship must be between 75 and 115 years old, on the national register of historic places and in the state for which it is named. Unsurprisingly, Battleship Texas fits the bill. This is Culberson's second attempt to start such a grant program. He added a similar amendment to last year's National Defense Authorization Act that didn't make it through conference. It may be a long shot this year as well. There were more than 440 amendments in the House's bill, Taylor said. "You have to be ... just unrelenting," Bramlett said. The Battleship Texas Foundation plans to launch its own capital campaign in about two months. The boat has already incurred costs that, should more funding not come through, would be wasted, Bramlett said. In November, the state paid a few hundred thousand dollars to repair leaks. In 2012, $3 million of state and privately raised money was spent on patching leaks. And the state shelled out $25 million in both 2007 and 2015 for major structural repairs to the ship's hull, Bramlett added. Should the amendment make it through conference, federal money would come not a moment too soon. Early Tuesday, the ship sprang yet another leak. Authorities believe a convicted sex offender is still in the southwest Houston area as the search continues. Carlos Lopez, 21, is wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and for a probation violation on the original charge of sexual assault of a child. A resident of a state supported living center in Brenham was found dead Tuesday inside a van. The woman was discovered in the back of the van Tuesday evening, after she went missing from the Brenham State Supported Living Center for several hours, Carrie Williams, spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said in an email to the Houston Chronicle. The living center serves those who are disabled. The woman was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead Tuesday evening. The death may have been heat-related, Williams said. Williams did not release the woman's name or age, citing confidentiality laws. Local television stations have identified the woman as 48-year-old Amy Parrish, who had been living at the state facility since 1976, according to KRPC. The woman's death prompted two employees at the supported living center to be reassigned to positions that do not involve direct contact with residents. Both employees had previously been in direct care roles, meaning they took care of residents on a daily basis, Williams said. Law enforcement and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are investigating the woman's death. Officials were unsure how the woman got into the van. "Our focus right now is looking into how this could have happened," Williams said in the email. "Our top priority is resident safety, and we'll be looking closely at this to see if any policies need to be strengthened." The vans are commonly used to take residents to appointments, according to television reports. Brenham is a little over 70 miles northwest of Houston. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Houston Community College system's board of trustees decided Thursday to reprimand a 21-year veteran of the elected board who has pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge. The board's eight other members decried Christopher W. Oliver's acceptance of unlawful payments as "reprehensible." They voted unanimously to formally censure Oliver, strip him of his vice chair role, freeze his spending account and remove him from all committees, including the audit committee he had chaired. Oliver had "admitted he accepted bribes in exchange for the promise of official actions related to his duties as a member of the HCC board of trustees," according to a U.S. Justice Department news release sent Friday, the same day his prosecution was made public. "He accepted cash payments in exchange for promising to use his position to help (a company) secure contracts with HCC." Story continues below ... Now Playing: Ann Rubin reports Video: Brandpoint 'VICTIM' IS NOW CITY OFFICIAL: Houston's public works director ensnared in HCC bribery case, made payments to indicted trustee Oliver pleaded guilty to accepting cash payments in exchange for helping a company get HCC contracts, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement released Friday, the same day a judge unsealed the case records. He will face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 at an Aug. 28 sentencing. Trustee Robert Glaser said the board acted as quickly as possible. "We didn't leave anything on the table," he added. "It affects us all," said trustee Adriana Tamez. "This totally takes away from the great things that are going on. ... There's no excuse." Another trustee questioned whether the group could have done more. "Trustee Oliver's actions were no surprise," Dave Wilson said, citing previous reports that raised concerns. "This board should have taken action before now." The board had limited options. The group's governing document states that the board can only "reprimand or censure" members who have violated ethics rules, not remove them from office. HCC ethics regulations state that trustees, who do not receive a public salary, cannot "accept or solicit any gift, favor or service that might tend to influence him/her in the performance of official duties." Oliver accepted $77,143 in unlawful payments from Karun Sreerema - then an HCC contractor, now Houston's director of public works - between December 2010 and August 2013, according to federal court records related to an extortion charge that was dropped as part of Oliver's plea agreement. Sreerema, who was identified as a victim of Oliver and has not been charged with a crime, was placed on paid leave Wednesday by Mayor Sylvester Turner, who said he was not aware of the allegations when he appointed Sreerama in March. READ MORE: Public Works director who made unlawful payments takes leave The board's bylaws lay out the group's options in ethics situations: "If the Board finds a violation of this Ethics Code, it can reprimand or censure the Board member, the only sanctions available under Texas law." In general, elected officials cannot be removed by their colleagues. The underlying principle is that voters alone get to choose their representatives. The HCC board's legal counsel said Oliver still holds his position. "The Board does not have the authority to remove a Board member from elected office," the Bracewell law firm said in a statement emailed by HCC spokesman Todd Duplantis. "That process is governed by Texas law." The board's counsel, Bracewell partner Jarvis Hollingsworth, told the Chronicle in 2010 that censure is the harshest punishment available to the board. Elected trustees only can be removed by state district judges, he said. The other eight trustees also could vote to remove Oliver from committees. He sits on the Governance and Strategic Planning groups and chairs the Audit Committee, according to board meeting minutes. Former trustee Yolanda Navarro Flores lost her committee memberships in 2010, the Chronicle reported at the time. Her censure included a one-year prohibition on running for board officer positions and a hold on her board expense account. The last option, of course, is to do nothing. "Because his current term expires in December, one option for the board is to do nothing and let him slip away quietly," Abraham Benavides, chair of the University of North Texas' public administration department, said in an email. "However, this does not seem like the course of action the board will take." But all of that would be irrelevant if Oliver were to resign, which Benavides said most officials do when they plead guilty to a job-related felony. The professor argued that would be the best choice, saying that Oliver's bribery conviction "is a classic case of violating the public trust and tarnishing the name of good men and women who spend hours and hours volunteering their time for a good cause." The victims are not just the taxpayers, he added, but a "loss of trust in our systems." Oliver's defense attorney in the federal criminal case did not address questions about Oliver's plans for Thursday's meeting, or whether he plans to resign. "Mr. Oliver has nothing to add regarding these matters," the attorney, federal public defender Philip Gallagher, wrote in an email. Oliver has been on the board for 21 years. He served stints as board chair, according to his HCC biography page. He most recently won another six-year term in November 2011, when Harris County election records show he defeated challenger Wendell A. Robbins with 61.9 percent of the 9,562 votes cast in the race for District 9 trustee, whose southwest Houston district extends from the Alief area to Sunnyside. Oliver was under an ethical cloud as early as May 2011, the Chronicle reported at the time. A yearlong investigation that led to another trustee's censure "also found troubling behavior by trustee Chris Oliver." Oliver ran unsuccessfully for a Houston City Council at-large position in 2015; in an eight-way race, he got 11.4 percent of the vote, according to election records. His current term expires Dec. 31. The election for that position will happen Nov. 7 of this year. Candidates can file for a place on the ballot from July 22 until Aug. 21, according to the HCC board's website. It appears Oliver will not be eligible to run again because his guilty plea leaves him with a felony conviction. People with final felony convictions are not eligible to run unless they are "pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities," according to an HCC document based on the Texas Election Code. Check back for updates on this developing story. WASHINGTON Houston Democrat Al Green, the first member of Congress to call for President Donald Trump's impeachment on the House floor, signed his name to a resolution Wednesday to do just that. Green joined a longshot bid initiated by California Democrat Brad Sherman which accuses Trump of obstructing justice by firing former FBI Director James Comey over an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. "I don't see this as a long shot or a sure shot," Green told the Chronicle in an interview. "I see this as the right thing to do. I've always felt that if I'm doing the right thing, my conscience is clear, and I think history will vindicate me regardless of how the House votes." Sherman said in a statement that the article of impeachment in a Republican-led Congress is "the first step on a very long road." So far, the only sponsors of the impeachment resolution are Sherman and Green. Democratic leaders generally have distanced themselves from impeachment talk, fearing that it could be either premature or politically counterproductive. Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee has called for the House Judiciary Committee to launch an impeachment inquiry, but has stopped short so far of calling for impeachment. Separately, she also has called on Trump to resign on his own. Green's prior calls for Trump's impeachment in May were met with racist death threats, prompting protests by black community leaders in Green's defense. Green said his motives are not political. "This is not about the right or the left," he said. "It's not about Democrats, it's about democracy It's not about Republicans, it's about the Republic." He suggested that he and others in the House may eventually file additional impeachment resolutions, but that in any case he is committed to his course. "I don't know what the vote will be if I bring this to the floor of the House," he said. "But I can assure you of this: There will be one vote for impeachment, because I will vote for the resolution." Calls for impeachment have become an increasingly common part of presidential politics since President Bill Clinton's various sex scandals, which led to impeachment charges in the House but acquittal in the Senate. His successor, George W. Bush, faced 35 articles of impeachment filed by Democratic U.S. Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler. The House voted to refer the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, but no further action was taken. There also were frequent calls for the impeachment of President Barack Obama, including one by former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But no formal resolutions were filed. The Trump impeachment bid comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on Christopher Wray to replace Comey as FBI director. It also comes a day after reports that the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign in the belief that she would have damaging information from the Russian government about Democrat Hillary Clinton. But Green said it was Comey's firing, as well as Trump's threatening admonitions to Comey on Twitter, that form the basis of the impeachment case against the president. "When you combine those things, you have an impeachable act, and for that the president has to answer to Congress," he said. GRASSY BUTTE, N.D. The wildfire that has been burning since the weekend in western North Dakota is now more than half contained, according to officials from the U.S. Forest Service. A public meeting was held in Grassy Butte on Wednesday evening, allowing members of the public to ask questions and make comments about the efforts to put out the blaze. The fire is now 60 percent contained, with no smoke visible from the air as of Wednesday evening. The cause of the fire, which was reported on Saturday, July 8, is still unknown and has burned about 5,400 acres. Steve Munson, a fire behavior analyst, said there are three keys to fire behavior: fuels, weather and topography. Its early in the (fire) year, Munson said. We got a little bit of rain and that knocked things down. The weathers been helping but its going to start getting hot and dry again. He said at this point there is minimal fire behavior, although there may be heat out in the burned areas or spots where it could pop up again. They do have people checking everything out, he said. Kevin Chaffee, with field operations, noted that the topography of the landscape made it difficult to fight the fire, but the work done by the area fire departments set them up well. He said there was no visible smoke from the air. However, he added there may be some political smokes, which are smokes on the interior that can be seen. He said in those cases they will take people out to those smoke areas in the safest way possible. There are also people walking around the perimeter of the fire to ensure there are no areas that may have lit or smoked. The people who did the initial attack and extended the attack did an excellent job, he said. Everybody that was involved in that effort did an excellent job. They set us up very well for success. Chaffee said 60 percent contained means that there are dozier lines around 60 percent of the fire, with burnout areas in rough terrain making up the other 40 percent. If something were to pop up there are three engines and a helicopter on hand to help with the initial attack. Shawn Pearson, the incident commander, said the team is making plans to leave the area on Saturday, as long as things do not get worse. Nancy Veres, district ranger for the McKenzie Ranger District, expressed gratitude to the community for their help. I cant express how proud I am of the community members throughout the county, she said. The folks that I worked with, the volunteer fire departments that were out there on this fire. She said to her knowledge no one was injured while fighting the fire. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Murders are rising across the country -- but not in Houston. New Orleans crime analyst Jeff Asher wrote on FiveThirtyEight today that big cities across the U.S. are experiencing a continued rise in murders. Across the nation, according to Asher's analysis, U.S. cities have experienced about 4 percent more murders than they did for the same period of time last year. (This finding should be taken with a healthy dose of salt: Asher points out that this year's rise in murders is lower than the spikes in 2016 and 2015, and if it holds will remain relatively low compared to decades past.) "Big cities tend to exaggerate national murder trends, both up and down so a large rise in big-city murder usually corresponds with a slightly smaller national increase." -- FiveThirtyEight. Houston saw murders rise to a five-year high of 303 in 2015. This year, however, murders are down by 20 percent - 31 less in the first six months of the year compared to 2016. Federal and local law enforcement have taken new steps to try to reduce gun violence. According to the Houston Police Department, there have been 136 murders committed in Houston from Jan. 1, 2017 through today. Last year, 171 murders were committed in that time, and 153 committed in the same time period in 2015. Clearance rates on homicides have also risen - by 16 percent - Chief Art Acevedo said Thursday. "We're responding to many more things," he said. Soon after he took over the department in December, Acevedo devoted more investigators to work weekends and nights and to respond to non-lethal shootings and other aggravated assaults. He also created a new city-wide tactical unit and a new overnight investigative squad targeting non-lethal shootings. "I'm convinced we charged people for lesser offenses that if not pursued, would have turned into homicides," he said. ... St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send him tips at st.john.smith@chron.com. A 23-year-old Texas man on jury duty ended up behind bars on Wednesday. According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, police said the man showed up to Smith County Courthouse slurring his speech and looking sluggish. When courthouse employees informed sheriff's deputies of the seemingly intoxicated man, authorities asked the 23-year-old what was in the large Coca Cola cup he had walked in with. WEIRD IN TEXAS: Woman allegedly sneaks into home, hits child with wooden stick while yelling 'voodoo curses' Story continues below... After police confronted the man, whom they described as not being in a "normal mental state," the juror attempted to leave the courthouse but was stopped by police who discovered beer inside his large cup. The man was charged for public intoxication and booked at the Smith County Jail, only a few blocks away from the courthouse. Moody's Investors Services has changed Texas Children's Hospital's outlook from stable to negative, mostly due to its efforts to expand to more patients and additional markets The ratings service affirmed the Aa2 and Aa2/P-1 ratings assigned to Texas Children's $996 million in outstanding revenue bonds, but revised its outlook because of operating performance challenges, losses related to its Medicaid program for patients with disabilities and the risks associated with its Austin expansion plans. "The negative outlook reflects our view that financial performance will show lower results over the near terms," Moody's reported in a summary of the rating action.. "A return to more favorable historical margins may not be immediate given TCH's strategies to grow the system's enterprise." Texas Children's downplayed the adjustment, noting they remain one of only four hospitals in Texas with Moody's Aa2 rating and characterizing the expansions as part of a long-term strategy that will serve the system well for years to come. "We were aware these long-term projects were going to challenge our liquidity ratio and operating performance in the near term," said Weldon Gage, Texas Children's chief financial officer. "We're not completely surprised by the outlook change, but we think it's significant they left the rating at Aa2 and we remain confident our strategies will benefit the the children and women of Texas." Gage called the outlook change "temporary while we work to improve patient access." Texas Children's, long one of the most profitable institutions in the Texas Medical Center, plans to open four pediatric urgent-care clinics, three pediatric specialty-care clinics, 18 pediatric primary-care practices and two maternal-fetal medicine practices in the Austin area. The expansion, to be completed over five years, will begin with the opening of the first urgent-care clinic next year. Texas Children's also opened a hospital in The Woodlands and are scheduled to complete a new, 19-story critical-care tower next to its Pavilion for Women in the Texas Medical Center by August 2018. The Moody's rating said that an "inability to continue to improve operating performance and achieve budgeted results could result in rating pressure." A photo of a soldier showing his respect has gone viral and the internet is impressed by his act for a stranger. RELATED: This is the U.S. Army's new pistol of choice According to Fox News this week Erin Hester from Vine Grove, Kentucky took a photo a soldier saluting a funeral procession as it drove through that town, just south of Fort Knox. Hester told a local outlet that she was amazed by the actions of the soldier, considering that most people weren't even stopping and pulling over to let the procession through the intersection. State law says that those processions must have the right-of-way. The soldier didn't have to get out and salute, especially in the rain. PREVIOUS: U.S. Army releases harrowing photo of the terrifying last moments of soldiers killed by mortar blast "It was amazing that he wasn't only respecting the deceased, but also respecting a family that he doesn't even know,"" Hester told a local outlet. That photo posted on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram was shared over 200,000 times. WASHINGTON Texas Democrats are demanding that the administration of Gov. Greg Abbott turn over "all communications" between state officials and President Donald Trump's Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which is seeking comprehensive voter registration data across the country. In a letter Thursday to Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, the Texas Democratic Party called on the state to produce documents by July 20 regarding officials' interaction with the Trump commission. The open records request alleges that the Trump commission's probe is designed to bolster Trump's "unsubstantiated claim" that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 presidential election by non-citizens. "Apparently, the President of the United States believes that your office (as well as others around the country) have failed to ensure the integrity of the election process," wrote Chad Dunn, general counsel for the Texas Democratic Party. The letter also seeks any evidence state officials might have of voter fraud in recent elections. Abbott spokesman John Wittman said there was no communication between the governor's office and the Trump administration regarding the commission's request. "This is hypocritical and flat-out embarrassing for the Texas Democrat Party," he said. "Countless Democrat elected officials request the very same publicly available information on a routine basis. The Texas Democrat Party is either duplicitous or clumsy." Pablos, who was appointed by Abbott, has said his office will share any publicly available information with Trump's commission, including the names, addresses, and dates of birth of the state's more than 15 million voters. But the state will not be sharing partial social security numbers that the commission asked for because that information is not public under Texas law. Nor will it provide voters' party affiliation. A spokesman for the Texas Secretary of State's office said it does not track political party affiliations on voter rolls. "The Secretary of State's office will provide the Election Integrity Commission with public information and will protect the private information of Texas citizens while working to maintain the security and integrity of our state's elections system," Pablos said last week. Pablos' decision stands in contrast to those of officials in other states who have flat out refused a request by the commission to hand over data. Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement Thursday that the release of the voter data is a violation of state laws protecting election record privacy. "Let's be clear: Greg Abbott wants to give Donald Trump Texans' private information," Hinojosa said. "Given the discriminatory record of the Republican Party, the only credible explanation for the release of this sensitive material is voter suppression." Billy Calzada/Staff Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke raised $2.1 million in his first three months as an official candidate for the U.S. Senate, his campaign said. The El Paso Democrat has quickly emerged as the Democrats top hope to take on U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. His $2.1 million is nearly three times as much as Democrat Paul Sadler raised in all of 2012 in his campaign against Cruz. Five days before the Texas Legislature is scheduled to open a special session, it is clear the relationship between the leaders of the House and Senate remains as strained as it was at the end of the regular session. On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used a press conference to blast fellow Republican and House Speaker Joe Straus, comparing his education funding proposals to a "Ponzi scheme," accusing him of laying the groundwork for a state income tax, and complaining that Straus won't even meet with him one-on-one to bridge their differences. Those comments come almost exactly one month after Straus used a speech in San Antonio to demand the state's school finance system be added to the special session call and took issue with the Senate's focus on transgender bathroom issues. And earlier this year Straus had compared the Senate's budget writing to Enron accounting methods. Patrick said his news conference on Thursday was to roll out new education proposals, including a bonus system for teachers. But much of the focus of the first 10 minutes was on his counterpart in the House and his continued call to have public school finance added to the special session call. Patrick said Straus' was using education funding as "dangerous political stunt" and accused him of having no plan to pay for the billions of additional funding Straus has said the state should be committing to schools. "Where does that money come from? The only way to do it is a state income tax," Patrick told reporters. Later Patrick was even more direct. "I will not join the Speaker and lay the groundwork for a state income tax," Patrick said. Straus has never called for a state income tax. When he wasn't jabbing at Straus, Patrick was taking issue with school districts for not doing more to fund teachers. He blamed school boards and superintendents for not prioritizing teacher pay of the years. He showed graphs that showed education funding has increased 108 percent in Texas since 2000 as enrollment has grown 32 percent, yet teacher pay has gone up just 35 percent. "Where is all the money going?" Patrick questioned. "They have to be better at how they spend their money." Patrick said he wants the Legislature to direct school districts to increase the money they are spending for teacher by 5 percent to pay for increases. He said that would increase pay for the average teacher from $51,000 to $60,000. "We have to increase the pay for teachers," Patrick said. In addition, Patrick said he wants to create a teacher longevity bonus for current and retired teachers. His plan would give teachers with 6 to 10 years of experience will get a $600 a year bonus starting next March. Teachers with 11 years or more experience would get $1,000 bonus. That is in addition to the $1,000 the governor has asked for and the money he wants school districts to put toward teachers. Retired teachers with 20 or more years teaching would get a $600 a year with annual $100 increases up to $1,000. The demands for more funding from school districts and the bonus plan are in addition to the $1,000 a year more in pay that Gov. Greg Abbott has called for. As part of the 20 items Abbott has ordered the Legislature back into special session to address, teacher pay was near the top of the list. Patrick said short term the funding is in the existing budgets, but long term it would be funded by a constitutional amendment he will propose that would set aside the "first $700 million" of revenues from the lottery for teacher pay. The more than $1 billion a year that lottery generates already goes toward education, but Patrick said he wants that directed toward teacher bonuses, something he thinks voters will support if they can get it on the ballot as early as this November. "It's encouraging to see the Lieutenant Governor's newfound focus on school finance reform," Straus responded in a prepared statement. "Nothing could be more important in this special session than beginning to fix our school finance system so that we improve education, keep more local dollars in local schools, and provide real property tax relief, just as the House overwhelmingly approved in the regular session," Straus said. Abbott, meanwhile, praised Patrick and the Senate generally, but did not take stance directly on the bonus pay proposal or Patrick's call for a vote on dedicating more than half of the state's lottery revenues toward teacher pay. "I applaud Lt. Governor Patrick and the Texas Senate for their intention to act swiftly and pass all of my special session agenda items," Abbott said in a statement shortly after Patrick's press conference in the State Capitol. The Texas American Federation of Teachers did respond to Patrick's proposal. "Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's numbers just didn't add up to a serious school-finance plan today as he threw out a flurry of proposals for increased teacher compensation without offering any new state money to pay for them," Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro said in a statement. One hundred years ago, the man Winston Churchill dubbed a plague bacillus journeyed back from his exile in Europe to eventually seize the reins of power in his native Russia. Vladimir Lenins itinerary could not have been more fraught with peril and subterfuge, which makes it an ideal framing story for a recap of the rise of 20th century totalitarianism. The result was millions suffering and millions more murdered, tortured or starved to death by Lenins and, later, Stalins accomplices. The story of Lenins eventual success against seemingly insurmountable odds is the focus of Catherine Merridales Lenin on the Train (Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt and Company, 354 pp. $30). Merridales meticulous research provides rich detail to a story that could have easily passed as a Graham Greene or John Le Carre novel had not everything within its pages actually happened. Spies, double-spies, secret agents, shady diplomacy, amoral financiers and Machiavellian plots abound all begging for a cinematic retelling, albeit devoid of such typical hagiographic renderings of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution as Warren Beattys Reds. Before and after Lenins triumphant speech at the Finland Station in Petrograd, however, finagling of immense proportions occurred. Worried that the overthrow of the Tsar Nicholas II and the subsequent provisional governments fragility would undermine or even end Russias efforts against Germany during the First World War, Britain and France endeavored to keep Lenin firmly ensconced in exile. Germany, on the other hand, was willing to grant the future dictator safe passage through the Deutschland (and, indeed, financing the operation) was intended to install a government with Lenin at the helm to make good on his pacifistic promises. Rumors and innuendo regarding Lenins (very real) collusion with the Germans nearly blew his chances of seizing control of the Soviet empire when it became the subject of a whispering campaign as well as the obsession of a hostile press. As well, the nefarious exploits of Lenins accomplices also provided ammunition for those who opposed him. Those accomplices include Alexander Helphand, known to history as Parvus, the banker for International Socialism (at least until he had served Lenins purposes), Boris Nikitin and Karl Radek among others. Merridale depicts Parvus with particular relish, even writing that his ample countenance and sly demeanor could have easily served as an inspiration for Orson Welles portrayal of Harry Lime in Carroll Reeds 1949 thriller The Third Man, which itself was scripted by the aforementioned Graham Greene. By the time Merridale puts Lenin on his train into infamy, readers are treated to a primer on a world just beginning to understand modern-day espionage, deep states and spy craft. That Lenin persevered through it all is nothing short of a gravely unfortunate miracle that must be counted among the most lamented German victories of the twentieth-century. Not that there werent opportunities to exercise extreme prejudice upon Lenin, however. Merridale relates a story attributed to Nikitin, who was at the time the head of Russias Provisional Governments counter-intelligence unit that rivals the fiction of Nikolai Gogol for documenting the fatal absurdity of bureaucracies. As the train transporting Lenin and his crew neared the border between Finland and Russia, a major opportunity was squandered: [Nikitins] British counterpart in Russian, Stephen (now major) Alley, had approached him in early April to ask for help in dealing with a list of thirty traitors, headed by Lenin who were due to cross the border in five days. Nikitin called into the ministry of foreign affairs, hoping to find [Paul] Miliukov, but the obliging foreign minister was out of town. His deputy, Neratov, would not sign the required warrant. That left only one option to Alley. His man in Tornio, Harold Gruner, known to his comrades as the Spy, would have to deal with Lenin at the border, whatever the Russians said. Gruner did everything he could. He strip-searched Lenin and he questioned him, he rifled through the books and papers in a play for time, but in the end, just before six in the evening, he nodded to the Russian official whose job it was to wield the rubber stamp. His reasoning was that he could do nothing else, for he was a junior advisor and a foreigner on Russian soil. But he never forgot that he had been man who had, as he put it, actually let Lenin into Russia. The other person who did not forget was Lenin himself, who lost no time when he had taken power in Soviet Russian before sentencing Gruner to death. The penalty was never carried out, however, and the Spy was later free to join the British expedition against the Bolsheviks in Siberia. Gruner thereby notched up not one but two heroic failures, for which a grateful George V awarded him an OBE. While critical of German funding and British diplomatic and administrative blunders, Merridale reserves the lions share of derision for Lenin himself. In her final chapter, she writes: The cult of Lenin was a flagrant lie. Simplifying anything that it did not fake, it reduced its hero to an unconvincing plaster saint, a sort of cartoon Uncle Vlad. Lenin was both more or less than this; no statue, song or festival could capture the ambition of his dream, and none could blot the bloodstains from its execution. This uncle had sent tens of thousands to their deaths; the system he created was a stifling, cruel, sterile one, a workshop for decades of tyranny. And yet his cult was all that stood between the people and their fear of chaos and another civil war. The idea of turning his body into a permanent exhibit developed slowly over several years, but by the 1930s his mausoleum and the corpse within it were on Red Square to stay. Nor is she kind to Joseph Stalin and Nikita Kruschev: The cult survived for sixty years because it kept a bankrupt policy intact. Lenin stayed dead; yet he was always near at hand, convenient and dependable. For as long as the Soviet empire lasted, the Lenin statues could be mocked but they were never torn down. The anti-Lenin jokes were funny precisely because Lenin was there, as dowdy, reassuring and immovable as a black-lead kitchen range. On the fiftieth anniversary of Lenins appearance at the Finland Station in 1967, Merridale recounts the hollow announcement in the Soviet newspaper Pravda: The words were meaningless, and the newspaper would end up in pieces on the paper-nail in some earth privy within hours, but Lenin held the universe aloft, and the alternative (as the leaders occasionally ventured to hint) was almost guaranteed catastrophe. By sleight of hand, one of the most epic revolutions in history was made to double as a sermon on the value of a strong, vigilant state. As a metaphor for a centralized, totalitarian government, however, Lenins mummified body exists as little more than a reminder of what constrained human freedom looks like: Gray, stagnant, and lifeless a parched corpse thirsting for yet another government transfusion of embalming fluid. Amoebozoans are believed to have existed for hundreds of millions of years. These ancient protists are characterized by the presence of pseudopodia, cytoplasm-filled projections that are used for locomotion and feeding. Today, over 2,000 species of Amoebozoa are recognized. The phylum itself was first scientifically described by Max Luhe, a professor at the University of Konigsberg (Germany), in 1913. Dr. Leigh Anne Riedman, a NASA Astrobiology Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University (Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences), specializes in Precambrian paleontology. Her research involves fossils similar to the testate amoebae described and illustrated by Luhe in 1913. However, Riedman quickly discovered that tracking down the reference for Luhes paper to support her studies was more challenging than anticipated. Many authors working on Amoebozoa would mention Luhes name, but I never found a single full reference for this paper, recalls Riedman. Testate amoebae described and illustrated by Max Luhe. Handbuch der Morphologie der wirbellosen Tiere. Bd. 1 (1913). Digitized by the American Museum of Natural History. http://s.si.edu/2tiM3BF. Fortunately, with help of the Biodiversity Heritage Library, Riedman was able to unearth this crucial publication. Armed with only an author name and year, Luhe, 1913, and the keyword amoeboa, I found it! exclaims Riedman. BHL was the only place I was able to track down this reference. Riedman cites this reference in her upcoming paper, Vase-Shaped Microfossil Biostratigraphy with New Data from Tasmania, Svalbard, Greenland, Sweden and the Yukon, which will be published in Precambrian Research later this year. Dr. Riedman on a sampling trip to King Island, Tasmania in 2010. She and her colleagues collected materials for study of acritarchs from the Sturtian glaciation and the interglacial interval of the Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth as well as older fossils called vase-shaped microfossils that are thought to be fossil testate amoebae. Riedman has been studying Precambrian paleontology for nearly two decades. Her work deals with a group of fossils called the acritarchs, organic microfossils that first appeared approximately 1,400 to 3,200 million years ago. Since first discovering BHL while searching for early taxonomic works on this group, the Library has become a vital part of Riedmans research process. BHL is fantastic! lauds Riedman. It has made a huge difference in my work- sometimes providing access to texts I wouldnt otherwise be able to get, sometimes by giving me the gift of my own time, as I dont have to spend hours or days tracking down a resource, waiting on interlibrary loan, and then either scanning it for text recognition and translation or typing it into a translator piece-meal. Vase-shaped microfossils from Tasmania. Likely about 760 million years old. Using BHL several times per month, Riedman downloads PDFs of articles or books for use in fossil identification and synonymy lists. The ability to view the whole journal volume within BHL not only gives Riedman context for the article she is seeking, but also helps her find additional relevant articles in the process, thereby increasing the quality and efficiency of her research. There have been several times that Ive used BHL to track down references listed in taxonomic synonymy sections that werent available anywhere else, shares Riedman. I am paranoid about citing a reference Ive never read, so without getting access to those texts through BHL, I might have had to cut sections from research papers or sell my soul and cite a paper sight unseen *gasp*! Dr. Riedman sampling drillcore in Alice Springs, Australia. These shale samples were placed into hydrofluoric acid to dissolve the rock- this process leaves the organic-walled fossils intact. Those are then studied by transmitted light microscope and scanning electron microscope. In Riedmans opinion, BHL is important not only for supporting modern scientific research, but also for ensuring that the work of past scientists is not forgotten. Many of the articles Ive been able to access through BHL were written by pioneers in this field, like Tadas Jankauskas and Boris Timofeev, and their work deserves recognition (even if it is in a language other than English!), emphasizes Riedman. Our field is too young to be forgetting its past already. I am so glad to be able to gain access to more and more of these publications online. Dr. Riedman sampling drillcore in Darwin, Australia. Through its worldwide consortium of natural history and botanical libraries, the Biodiversity Heritage Library is working to ensure that the published record of biodiversity knowledge is freely available to researchers across the globe. By making this content globally accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, BHL is helping to advance scientific research and inspire discovery of the natural world. You can help support global research through a tax-deductible donation to BHL. With your help, we can continue to democratize access to information about biodiversity and empower scientific research on a global scale. ______________________________________ This post may contain the personal opinions of BHL users or affiliated staff and does not necessarily represent the official Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) position on these matters. 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. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Los Angeles, July 13 : Italian fashion designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce are worried about what will happen to their fashion company after them. The duo is proud that they have managed to maintain a personal relationship with clients and have not sold Dolce & Gabbana to a large business group but are apprehensive about what will become of the company when they are no longer around, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Gabbana told the Financial Times: "We don't even know what's going to happen in the next two hours, or this afternoon. For sure, though, I try to think about the future, because, for sure, we will die. But I don't want to sell our label to a big company. When we die, it's finished. "We won't close. The idea is not to close, but the idea is to renovate, to become a classic label. Imagine if we were to die and the house took in a new designer? What would they do? We worked for a lot of years to make this dream," he added. The two also claimed that they are the last of the "real fashion designers with a home". "Think about it. There are no more real fashion designers with a home. Think of a designer with his own brand and there is nobody. There is Mr Armani, and there is Dolce and Gabbana," Gabbana said. "All the other brands are coming from a big group. The famous designers of the 1940s to 1980s?... They are dead. The trick with Dolce & Gabbana is that we are alive. We are here to tell our story. Season by season, year by year," he added. Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has upheld a $39 million jury verdict against the builder of a Milwaukee parking garage where a 15-year-old boy was killed in 2010 when a concrete slab fell. A 13-ton panel that fell in a city-owned parking garage killed Jared Kellner and injured two other people. The parking garage was constructed in the late 1980s. Advanced Cast Stone was hired by the county to manufacture and install decorative concrete panels hung on the outside of the structure. The panels were designed by an engineering firm. Upon investigation, it was determined that the slab that fell was not manufactured or installed according to the engineering firms specifications. Jurors awarded compensatory and punitive damages to Kellner, the people injured, and Milwaukee County. ACS, along with its insurers, appealed the verdict, alleging the plaintiffs claims were barred by time statute of limitations. The company also argued that there were many erroneous evidentiary rulings made during trial and that there was insufficient evidence to support certain damages. Liberty Insurance argued against the trial courts finding of coverage as a matter of law and argued that it had not breached its duty to defend and duty of good faith and fair dealing, thereby requiring it to be responsible for the entire verdict amount. The court said Tuesday that Liberty Insurance is not responsible for the full amount levied against ACS. A lower court had said Liberty breached its duty to defend ACS and needed to pay the full award. The appeals court disagreed and said the insurer is responsible only for the limit in ACSs policy, which was $10 million at the time ($1 million Commercial General Liability policy limit and $9 million excess policy limit); however, the amount of damages awarded to Milwaukee County will be revised, since they are subject to the your work exclusion. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. As a result of the types of workers compensation accidents and injuries that occur, case managers often see a significant number of chronic pain cases vulnerable to opioid abuse and addiction. A recent study found that three out of every four injured workers are prescribed opioid medications for pain management. With over 15,000 people dying each year from overdoses of prescription painkillers, case managers need to understand the potential for medical marijuana to serve as an alternative, said Kevin Glennon, RN, BSN, vice president of clinical programs at One Call Care Management, who delivered an engaging presentation on the topic at the 2017 Case Management Society of America (CMSA) Conference. Small-scale studies have shown that medical marijuana is effective in treating chronic and neuropathic pain, and publications like The Atlantic have reported that in states where medical marijuana is now legal, patients are electing to use medical marijuana over opioid medications. Medical marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, so injured workers face significant challenges in accessing the drug within the workers compensation system, said Glennon. New Mexico was the first state to face this controversy in court where it was ruled three times that injured workers were due reimbursement for medical marijuana deemed reasonable and necessary for pain management. Whether other states see similar cases will be dependent upon ongoing legislative and regulatory developments, but we may soon see a critical tipping point in state-level adoption. Currently, 29 states and Washington D.C. have legalized medical marijuana, but this year, 16 additional states have introduced medical marijuana legislation. If these new states pass bills, as many as 45 states could have medical marijuana laws in place, creating a very different outlook on the use of medical marijuana. Because of its current classification as Schedule 1 substance, there are many bureaucratic hurdles to conducting the clinical research required to garner FDA approval, added Glennon. However, the University of Colorado in Denver has recently been approved to start the first large clinical study to compare medical marijuana to an opioid medication. This study and others like it are important in substantiating the efficacy of medical marijuana in treating pain. A 2014 study published in the JAMA found that states with medical marijuana laws experienced almost 25 percent reduction in deaths from opioid overdoses compared to states without those laws. Such observational studies come at a time when public support is at an all-time high. In 1995, the year before California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana, a Gallup poll found that only 25 percent of survey respondents supported such legislation. In 2017, a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found as much as 93 percent of respondents now support medical marijuana. As the industry awaits stronger clinical evidence, workers compensation professionals are urged to heed treatment guidelines, while continuing to monitor for legislative changes. In April 2017, Congress proposed a comprehensive Path to Marijuana Reform package consisting of three bills that could bring significant changes to federal laws. However, passage looks bleak, as Congress may be too busy to adequately consider these bills in light of other pressing initiatives. Source: One Call With many states making changes to rules governing reimbursement for physician-dispensed pharmaceuticals, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a study today that sheds a light on the impact of price-focused reforms on the frequency and costs of physician-dispensed prescriptions. The study compares the experience in post-reform states with states where there were no reforms or where only pre-reform experience was observed. With any reform, stakeholders want to know if the desired outcome was achieved, said John Ruser, WCRIs president and CEO. This study answers the most important questions policymakers and other system stakeholders have with regard to these state reforms, including did they work as intended or have they led to unintended consequences? The study, A Multistate Perspective on Physician Dispensing, 20112014, found physicians dispensed fewer prescriptions after price-focused physician dispensing reforms. However, as of 2014, physician dispensing was still common and represented a large share of prescription costs in several states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. According to the study, the reforms reduced prices for existing drug products, which was evident in all post-reform states. However, physician prices increased for several drugs commonly used to treat injured workers in several post-reform states, including California, Florida, and Illinois. The increase in physician prices in these states was a result of frequent physician dispensing of higher-priced new drug products. When dispensing these new drug products, some physician-dispensers were able to bypass the reimbursement rules, which target physician-dispensed repackaged drugs, and were paid much higher prices than they were paid for existing strengths of the same drug. The results raise questions about the effectiveness and sustainability of the price-focused reforms in these states. By contrast, physician prices changed little or increased in most non-reform or pre-reform states studied, except for Iowa and Maryland. The cost share of physician-dispensed prescriptions remained the same or increased in many of these non-reform or pre-reform states. The study also reports noticeable changes in the dispensing pattern of specific drugs that were commonly dispensed by physicians in several states, including Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The shift observed in the prescription distribution of physician-dispensed prescriptions for common drugs suggests that the recent reforms that limit physicians ability to dispense certain drugs had a direct impact on patterns of physician dispensing. The data used for this report came from payors that represented 3668 percent of all medical claims across 26 states. The states included in this study are Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The detailed prescription data cover service years from 2011 through 2014, for all medical claims with 24 months of experience. To learn more about this study or to purchase a copy, visit WCRIs website at https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/a-multistate-perspective-on-physician-dispensing-2011-2014. Source: WCRI Catastrophic injuries impact the severity and complexity of workers compensation claims. In a two part Inside Workers Comp podcast series, Genex Laney Bond discussed how catastrophic workplace injuries can derail claims. Bond, national catastrophic program manager for Genex, outlined four ways catastrophic injuries differ from other workplace injuries: Witnessing and dealing with a catastrophic injury will impact daily workplace operations. Financial impact to the employer and insurer. Accountability to government agencies, like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Separating pre-existing injuries and co-morbidities. Common issues that cause a catastrophic claim to go off track include poor communication among those handling the claim. For instance, when theres an attorney involved, and theyre restricting case management communication directly with the injured worker, that can really delay and minimize the impact the case manager can have, Bond said. A case manager can help facilitate communications between medical providers and the insurer, she added. Another issue that can derail a claim is when inappropriate medical care is provided or when medical care is delayed. There are times where there is delayed care right at the onset of the injury, Bond said. There can be an issue with ground transport. Theres also issues with delays in medical care that carry on throughout the claim. For instance, when you have a lack of approval or of a provider providing a guarantee letter of payment before theyll start treatment. These things can be mitigated if we keep the communications flowing more smoothly. Bond offered three tips to maintain control of catastrophic claims. The first is to maintain good and consistent communication among the injured worker and their family, doctors, hospital staff, employers, carriers, attorneys, and any other party that may be involved, like a TPA. In addition, its important that appropriate medical care not be delayed in these types of cases. Lastly, lag time in engaging catastrophic case management can hinder return to work and maximum medical improvement. Both, she said, are best achieved when catastrophic case management is assigned within the first 30 days following a catastrophic injury adding that These outcomes decline dramatically when theres a lag time of 60 days and become actually negligible by the time we hit 90 days. Catastrophic case managers offer unique benefits to injury management, Bond said. They have keen assessment and analytical skills necessary to provide early intervention on complications. They also have instant knowledge regarding the chain of communication in these hospital settings and know how to access essential medical information and records, said Bond. Because they must report to multiple parties, including attorneys, insurance personnel and employers, they are adept at providing medical information in an easy to understand way. Bond said they can tie in all the various providers and treatments, identifying and removing barriers to recovery. AKRON, Ohio - HuffPost is coming to Akron on a 23-city, cross-country tour to listen to people to find out what it means to be American today. "Listen To America: A HuffPost Road Trip," will stop for one day in Akron on Oct. 2 and partner with WKSU to meet with people representing Akron nonprofit organizations, businesses and the general public. WKSU is working with HuffPost to help identify Akron's most relevant stories and trends, and will be producing news coverage separately and in conjunction with the road trip, said WKSU News Director Andrew Meyer. A post on HuffPost's Listen to American website reads, "Trust in media has bottomed out. We hope to rebuild some of that - and learn from it - by listening to the public and elevating their stories through our massive distribution network." HuffPost reporters and producers want to know what unites -- rather than divides -- the country. They also want to highlight under-covered communities and issues, and highlight heroes who have made significant contributions in each city. Along the tour, which begins in September in St. Louis and ends in late October in New Orleans, HuffPost will create stories ranging from first-person interviews to in-depth pieces. The stories will be broadcast through video, podcasts, newsletters, chatbots, texts, in-person and HuffPost's social media channels. "Not only will we capture these stories and share them across the HuffPost network, we will listen to the people we meet to understand how to drive our coverage through 2017 and well beyond," said Lydia Polgreen, HuffPost Editor-in-Chief in a news release. "Our hope is to shine a light on what is most important to everyday Americans, and also to show that there is more that unites us as a country than divides us." HuffPost partnered with Peak XV, a communications and production agency, to assist with in-field execution during the road trip. Anyone with tips for the HuffPost news team can email them to listening@huffpost.com. For more information, visit Listen To America: A HuffPost Road Trip. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Veteran editor, cartoonist and comic book writer Jordan Gorfinkel will visit the Orange Branch on August 2 and the Brooklyn Branch on August 16. Registration is available for these exclusive events. Here are reasons to meet the celebrated writer: Batman As a DC Comics editor for almost a decade, Gorfinkel was influential in a 400 percent growth of the Batman franchise, including the successful development of Warner Bros.' Batman animated television series and film franchise. He engineered "No Man's Land," which served as the inspiration for the acclaimed movie "Batman Begins." There are plenty of great reasons to visit Jordan Gorfinkel at Cuyahoga County Public Library branches in August. A Voice for Women Gorfinkel created "Birds of Prey," the longest running superhero comic starring females since Wonder Woman. "Birds of Prey" was made into a television series that appeared on the WB network in the early 2000s. Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel Gorfinkel has produced the first-ever graphic novel art version of the traditional Passover Haggadah. The work will serve to recast the themes of Jewish identity and Jewish continuity as contemporary, cool and fun. "Everything's Relative" The weekly newspaper comic-strip is published internationally, from America to Israel to Germany. It is displayed in a permanent exhibition in the new Munich Jewish Museum. Music and Film In film, Gorfinkel served as a founding "superfellow" of Jewish Impact Films, working with movie producers, directors and writers from "The Simpsons," "Desperate Housewives" and "Shrek 2" to help American film students write abroad and shoot and postproduce short pictures. In music, Gorfinkel has produced and performed on eight independent CD releases. Visit beyondthebookjacket.com for a complete listing of author events at Cuyahoga County Public Library. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- During his confirmation hearing, FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray told Senators, "No one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process and I sure as heck didn't offer one." In his opening statement, Wray pledged, "My loyalty is to the Constitution and the rule of law. They have been my guideposts throughout my career, and I will continue to adhere to them no matter the test." Later, Wray told Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Judiciary Committee chairman, "I believe to my core that there's only one right way to do this job, and that is with strict independence, by the book, playing it straight, faithful to the Constitution, faithful to our laws and faithful to the best practices of the institution. Without fear, without favoritism and certainly without regard to any partisan political influence." Wray, a former assistant U.S. attorney general under George W. Bush, was nominated to replace James Comey, who was fired by President Trump. Comey alleged Trump asked him to pledge his loyalty and ease up on the FBI's investigation of fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Trump's firing of Comey and Comey's subsequent allegations pointing to obstruction by Trump, prompted the appointment of Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel. Mueller investigation not a "Witch Hunt." Under questioning by Sen. Lindsey Graham, Wray addressed Mueller's investigation, Russia's election interference and Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort meeting with a Russian lawyer to gather dirt on Hillary Clinton. "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," Wray told Graham. On Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Wray said he has "no reason to doubt the conclusion of the intelligence community." Wray initially begged off addressing the Trump Jr. email story, saying he had not followed it closely because he was focused on preparing for the confirmation hearing. But Graham pushed him on the issue. "You are going to be the director of the FBI, pal. So here is what I want you to tell every politician. If you get a call from somebody suggesting that a foreign government wants to help you by disparaging your opponent, tell us all to call the FBI," Graham said . Wray replied, "To the members of this committee, any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know." A bipartisan group of former U.S attorneys signed a letter endorsing Wray's selection and confirmation, stating that Wray would lead the FBI with "honor, independence, and a tireless commitment to the law." Those signing the letter include former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Trump was wrong to fire James Comey. But in his confirmation hearing testimony, Wray demonstrated Trump made the right choice in nominating him to replace Comey. Wray should be confirmed quickly, with bipartisan support. Wray was asked how he would respond if the president talked about engaging in unethical behavior. Wray said he would try to talk to president out of it, and failing that, he would resign. Hopefully, President Trump will never put his FBI Director in that position. WILLOUGHBY, Ohio--After being grounded for two years, an annual air show is set to fly again this weekend at the resurging Lost Nation Airport in Willoughby. Renamed the Lake County Airshow "Tribute to Legends," the event will begin Friday night, July 14, with a VIP party for sponsors and continue Saturday and Sunday for the public. The show will feature aerobatics, warbird flybys, medical helicopters and more. The show is one of several changes at Lost Nation since 2014, when the city of Willoughby transferred its sponsorship of the airport to Lake County and the Lake County Port Authority. Crews have repaired both runways and bought new equipment for removing snow and installed a weather observation station. The work cost about $1.5 million and was mostly covered by state and federal grants. Officials hope soon to build private hangars, install a taller fence against deer and complete a master plan for more improvements. Why is it called Lost Nation? Historians don't really know. They can only speculate about a lost group of Native Americans. The airport was opened in 1937 by Ted Smith of the Lubrizol chemical business. It became one of the nation's busiest private airports. Presidential nominee John Kennedy and former President Dwight Eisenhower landed here. A fatal crash occurred in 1993. The Smith family eventually bequeathed Lost Nation to Case Western Reserve University, which sold it to the Federal Aviation Administration, with Willoughby as a sponsor. The airport is managed by Classic Jet Center, related to the Classic Auto Group. Classic sells planes, maintains them, fuels them, charters them, teaches pilots and provides other services. The airport stores about 100 airplanes and hosts about 46,000 flights per year. Expenses and revenue are each about $190,000 per year. The public part of the show will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission will be free for children under 6 and for military personnel, $6 for seniors and veterans and $12 for other adults. The airport is at 1969 Lost Nation Rd. For details or tickets, see lakecountyairshows.com. WASHINGTON -- Rev. Traci Blackmon, a minister and Cleveland-based national leader for social justice for the United Church of Christ, was arrested with other faith leaders Thursday when protesting proposed health care cuts for the poor. Also arrested with the Rev. William Barber II, a North Carolina NAACP leader and president of Repairers of the Breach, whose Moral Mondays movement aims to put poverty issues in the forefront of public debate. The 11 protesters were arrested and later released after gathering outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office in the Senate Russell Office Building, across Constitution Avenue from the Capitol. This followed a morning rally nearby in which religious leaders, disabilities rights advocates and others decried the cuts of health care that would result if Congress passes a Republican bill to revise the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Senate Republicans unveiled a new version of the bill Thursday and it is not yet known if the impact of cuts would be the same, but the Congressional Budget Office projected the last version would result in 22 million fewer Americans with health care by 2025. Millions of others would face higher insurance premiums ad out-of-pocket health care costs because of the bill's reduction in taxpayer subsidies and support. Republican leaders say Congress needs to pass the bill because the Affordable Care Act has distorted insurance markets and forced Americans to buy insurance policies they don't need while taxing others to pay for the subsidies. They say they also want significant reductions to future spending for Medicaid, the public program for low-income Americans, because the program's benefits are doled out at a rate faster than they say the nation can afford. Numerous health care groups, hospitals, doctors, policy analysts an Democrats disagree. The issue has become a proxy for debate over America's values and obligations, and with a possible vote by the end of the month, protests are occurring every day. "Any health care reform that denies access to health care coverage for an additional 22 million of the most vulnerable citizens among us is wickedness," said Blackmon, a pastor in Florissant, Missouri, before coming to the UCC's national offices in Cleveland in 2015. She is executive director of UCC's justice and witness ministries. "Any health care coverage that provides less for the least than it does for the most is wickedness," she said. "Any legislation that punishes poverty for the sake of greed is wickedness. We are not here to stand for or against any political party. We are not here to play partisan games with any human life. We are here to stand against the wickedness of this legislation. We are here to decry injustice." McConnell was reportedly not in his office during the protest. According to the Capitol Police, officers warned the participants several times to "cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities." The were violating laws against crowding, obstructing or inconveniencing. The protesters were released after agreeing to pay a fine, Capitol Police said. CLEVELAND, Ohio - More Ohio high school students completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, called FAFSA, in the past fiscal year, increasing their chances of attending college, according to the National College Access Network. The application is required if students hope to obtain financial aid to attend college this fall. FAFSAs filed by high school seniors through June 30 increased 9 percent nationally and 6 percent in Ohio, reversing a four-year trend, said the organization, which represents 250 organizations that serve low-income students. The increase may be due to the U.S. Department of Education allowing students to begin filing the form in October instead of January. The application was simpler and applicants could use 2015 tax information. Fewer than half of Ohio's high school seniors complete the form, according to a data analysis in 2015. In the fiscal year that just ended 76,626 completed the form, according to the organization. The overall FAFSA completion rate for the high school class of 2017 to 61 percent, or more than 2.1 million applications -- up from the 56 percent logged by the class of 2016. "Given the strong economy, the growth in FAFSA filing is a strong sign that individuals are turning to higher education and financial aid to pursue their goals," the organization said. For all applicants, including students of any age applying for financial aid for the first time as well as enrolled college students renewing their aid applications for the next year, the nation has been on a four-year decline since filings peaked in 2012-13. 2017-2018 data received from the Office of Federal Student Aid on July 7, 2017 While students can continue to apply for financial during the 2017-18 academic year, June 30 was the end of the traditional window for high school graduations, the organization said. A high school student who completes the FAFSA is 63 percent more likely to attend a college, and doing so before graduation means the student is more likely to have support from a college access advisor or school counselor and to be thoughtful about where to apply to college. Forty-nine states and Washington D.C. all saw an increase in the number of FAFSAs filed during the 2016-17 academic year when compared against total filings during the 2015-16 academic year. Last year, TechCrunch reported that Amazon had planned to launch local e-commerce services in Singapore in the first quarter of 2017. But earlier this year, the news site cited sources and said Amazon's much-anticipated entry was postponed . E-commerce player Lazada, which is now majority-owned by Alibaba , is confident that its expertise in Southeast Asian markets can counter the looming threat from Amazon's much-anticipated entry into the region, a top executive told CNBC. Aimone Ripa di Meana, co-founder and chief marketplace officer at Lazada, said the company's on-the-ground knowledge about each of the six regional markets in which it operates, its logistics network and the backing from Jack Ma's Alibaba Group will be advantageous in the face of competition. "We feel very confident about what we've built so far we have a very unique approach to business," Meana said. "Having built teams that have been with us for a long time that function in a very organic way that know the markets, know the complexities that are in each market, which can't easily be replicated. I don't think knowing how to do (business in) Singapore is in any way relevant to how you build your business in the Philippines or Indonesia." He explained that the differences in each Southeast Asian market went beyond people and languages spoken. It involved things including the infrastructure set-up in each country to facilitate logistics and delivery, how the syntax of each local language affected the way search worked and also the behaviors of small and medium enterprises in listing their products and structuring their catalogs. But the region is still lucrative for e-commerce as millions of first-generation internet users embrace online shopping. A frequently cited study from Google and Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings predicted the region's internet economy to grow to $200 billion by 2025, driven mostly from growth in e-commerce. Meana said Alibaba's investments into Lazada, and the speculation surrounding Amazon's eventual push into the market, underscored the potential of the region. "We are in a market that is at the beginning of its curve," said Meana. "While obviously the numbers are vast and exciting, I think the opportunities that lie ahead are much larger than anything that's been built behind us." To be sure, Amazon has aggressively invested in markets outside the U.S. to grow its stake. For example, reports in India said Amazon has invested more than $2 billion to-date to compete with local e-commerce players Flipkart and Snapdeal. Earlier this year Alibaba upped its stake in Lazada from 51 percent to about 83 percent, with over $2 billion invested into the company. Its affiliate Ant Financial, earlier this year, merged with Lazada's helloPay platform to bolster payments processing capabilities. The backing allowed Lazada to move into Alibaba's ecosystem and make use of all of the innovation and features for sellers on their platform, said Meana. Those include offerings like a business intelligence portal and new promotional features that allow sellers to create shop decorations in the same way they would've done for an offline business. To offer consumers more variety, Lazada launched its Taobao Collection store that curates and sells about 4 million products in English from Alibaba's Taobao marketplace which is inaccessible to many non-Chinese speaking consumers in Southeast Asia. Logistics operations, which Meana said is a key differentiator for Lazada, also benefit by tapping into Alibaba's technology, processes and approaches to delivery. Currently, Lazada has about 100 logistics partners in the region and its operations are split into two areas of business: last-mile delivery and a control tower that coordinates the most effective means of delivering parcels from merchants to customers. China reported better-than-expected trade figures for the month of June as a recovery in global demand spurred exports. In June, exports from the world's second largest economy posted a 11.3 percent increase from a year ago and a 17.2 percent rise in imports over the same period in dollar terms, Reuters reported citing China's General Administration of Customs. That left China with the a trade balance of $42.77 billion for the month, higher than a Reuters poll forecast of $42.44 billion. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected exports to rise 8.7 percent while imports were predicted to rise 13.1 percent. Data from China is closely watched by investors amid concerns about a slowdown in growth and a rise in debt levels in the country. The positive trade data in June came after China reported stronger-than-anticipated exports and imports a month ago. Imports have been strong in recent months, driven largely by iron ore and other commodities used to feed a year-long construction boom, while exports have rebounded thanks to stronger global demand after several years of contraction. "Looking ahead, we expect export growth to slow on uncertainties in external demand due to rising geopolitical risks and the stronger CNY/USD exchange rate in the first half of 2017," Nomura analysts wrote in a note after the data release. "Import growth is also likely to moderate along with export growth, in our view. The cooling property market (in terms of sales) is likely to lead to slower domestic investment growth, which may also weigh on import growth," the bank's analysts added. China had a $25.4 billion trade surplus with the United States in June, up from $22.0 billion in May, customs data showed on Thursday. According to a Reuters calculation, the surplus with the U.S. was China's highest since October 2015, when it was $25.5 billion. Reuters contributed to this report. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts with scientists and technicians of the DPRK Academy of Defence Science after the test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang July 5, 2017 China's imports from North Korea dropped 13.2 percent in January-to-June to $880 million, data from Chinese customs showed on Thursday. Exports to North Korea rose 29.1 percent to $1.67 billion during the period, the data showed. China's trade with North Korea expanded by 10.5 percent to $2.55 billion in the six months. The exports were largely driven by textile products and other traditional labor-intensive goods that are not included on the United Nations embargo list, Huang Songping, a customs spokesman, said at a briefing in Beijing. Notably, China Customs said its first-half coal and iron ore imports from North Korea were in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions. President Donald Trump last week criticized China for its ties with North Korea's government following the launch of a test missile, saying that China's economic interests undermined its ability to challenge President Kim Jong-un's totalitarian regime. The UN and the U.S. have attempted to use sanctions for the past decade in an attempt to stem North Korea's nuclear weapons development, but the latest July 4 test, which demonstrated a significant advance in its capabilities, have forced international bodies to reconsider their response going forward. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. CNBC's Karen Gilchrist contributed to this report. Correction: This story was updated following Reuters' disclosure of the correct percentage by which trade increased. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, two of President Donald Trump's closest advisors, have arrived at Allen & Company's annual technology and media summit in Sun Valley, Idaho. The pair's arrival was anticipated by the moguls gathered at the retreat after sources told CNBC on Tuesday that they were on the main attendee list. Kushner, who is leading the Trump administration's Office of American Innovation, is charged with overhauling the technology infrastructure in the U.S. government. Ivanka, the president's eldest daughter and one of his senior advisors, has made issues concerning working mothers one of her top causes. She has discussed that previously with tech leaders at White House gatherings. Mark Zuckerberg's latest stop on his "Year of Travel Challenge" may have given the Facebook CEO fodder for a new dating app. In a new Facebook post, he reports on the unexpected repercussions to the dating pool when a town gets flooded by men. In Williston, N.D., for example, where he visited in July, a sudden gender imbalance led to a whole new social dynamic. According to Zuckerberg, the fracking boom there created quality jobs, which attracted tens of thousands of mostly male workers from all over the country. The men "come here because these are good jobs where people with a high school diploma can make $100,000 a year," he writes. "This sudden influx of mostly men tripled the size of the town in just a few years," explains Zuckerberg. "When oil prices dropped, some of this industry left and so did many people. "This has led to some unique community dynamics." For example, the ratio of men to women in Williston is 10:1, he writes, and "that's actually lower than 30:1 at its peak." That's a pretty good ratio for single women. And Facebook, it turns out, has played an interesting role, in helping them navigate some of the unexpected challenges. "The women I met had unique stories," writes Zuckerberg. "Some told me about finding out their boyfriends had families back home. (They thanked me that Facebook has made it harder for these men to live double lives.) "Another woman told me she has never paid for a drink her whole life." When Mark Zuckerberg said he planned to travel to all parts of the U.S. to meet more Americans and learn about their lives, he wasn't kidding. Zuckerberg on Wednesday traveled to a former gold mine -- located a mile underground in South Dakota -- that's now home to physicists and other researchers looking into things like neutrino particles and anti-matter. "We're live from a mile underneath the earth's surface," Zuckerberg said during a video streamed to his Facebook page. The Facebook CEO made the trip to the Sanford Underground Research Facility to champion the work of scientists and encourage more people to pursue research careers. "I hope more people who are watching this think about going into scientific research," Zuckerberg said during the video, which has been watched by more than 1 million people. The visit -- made via a roughly 10-minute elevator ride -- was also undertaken to highlight communities whose economies have been disrupted by globalization. "There are a lot of places that have had their economies focused on natural resources or on the land that are shifting to modern knowledge economies," Zuckerberg said, as he stood in what he said had been one of the world's largest gold mines. The trip was part of what Zuckerberg in the video called his "year of travel," an effort to see all the U.S. states he hasn't yet visited by the end of 2017. Announced in January, shortly after President Donald Trump was elected and after what Zuckerberg had called "a tumultuous last year," the trip's goal is "to get out and talk to more people about how they're living, working and thinking about the future." At the time, Facebook faced heavy criticism from those who said fake news on the site helped elect Trump. The Facebook founder this week was clad in his usual attire of blue jeans, gray T-shirt and gray Nike sneakers with a black swoosh -- plus one extra item: A miner's helmet with a built-in lantern flashlight. As the video camera rolled, he discussed the facility's experiments on matter and anti-matter with several scientists. He also spoke with another worker there who had toiled at the site years ago when it was still a gold mine. As he did, Zuckerberg noted the benefits that are possible in moving away from an industrial or agricultural-based economy. "Rather than fighting over resources...with a knowledge economy that's not the case. You learn something new, you discover something and everyone can benefit," Zuckerberg said. US President Donald Trump (R) waves as he disembarks form Air Force One with First Lady Melania Trump upon arrival at Paris Orly airport on July 13, 2017, beginning a 24-hour trip that coincides with France's national day and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images France's President Emmanuel Macron is hosting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to celebrate Bastille Day. Friday's national holiday, much like the U.S. Fourth of July, marks the beginning of republican democracy in the country, and will be a symbolic day for the two men who have fought hard to eradicate establishment politics and to represent the average man. The two leaders are not without their differences, however. They may have come some way from the power play of that awkward first handshake, but there will be several other matters to watch for alongside the evening's fireworks. Agenda Fireworks explode around the Eiffel Tower during the annual Bastille Day celebrations. Frederic Stevens | WireImage | Getty Images Trump's two-day visit began Thursday with an official welcome ceremony led by Macron at Les Invalides, where Trump planned to tour a French war museum and visit the tomb of Napoleon. From there, the pair will enter into a bilateral meeting on matters including counterterrorism and Syria, before holding a joint news conference. In the evening, Trump and Macron will be joined by Melania Trump and French first lady Brigitte Macron at the Eiffel Tower's Michelin-starred Jules Verne restaurant. They are expected to dine on blue lobster and caviar, according to the Telegraph, while watching the Bastille Day fireworks display. On Friday, they are to attend further Bastille Day celebrations. Paris Agreement German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacts next to U.S. President Donald Trump. Philippe Wojazer | Reuters The location of the pair's meeting could scarcely be more fitting given the topic that has most recently divided Trump from his French counterpart and leaders worldwide: the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement, so named because it was signed in the French capital at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, refers to an international accord to combat climate change. Trump shocked the group's 195 signatories in June when he decided to pull the U.S. out of the accord, branding it an unfair deal. The move hung heavy at last week's G-20 meeting in Hamburg, when Trump met with world leaders many for the first time. Trump did not change his position during the summit, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she "deplored" the decision. Given the cordial nature of this meeting, Macron may not use the occasion to push Trump. However, the French president is steadfastly committed to the accord and previously parodied Trump's campaign rhetoric by stating his aims to "make our planet great again." He has scheduled another climate change summit for December. Business President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron before a working lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. Peter Dejong | Reuters Though vastly divided on their positions on globalization, the two former businessmen will likely find common ground in their plans to ease the business environment in their countries. Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe have outlined plans to attract and retain business in France by lowering corporation tax. They intend to cut the levy from 33 percent to 25 percent over the course of the next term. They also aim to slash France's high unemployment rate, which remains stubbornly at 10 percent, while attempting to lure post-Brexit businesses away from the City of London. This pro-business agenda should appeal to Trump, who shares many of the same aims of cutting taxes and boosting employment. He hopes to dramatically reduce corporation tax to 15 percent. Trump has repeatedly criticized the EU and dismissed multilateral trade deals. However, Merkel said Wednesday that she would support a U.S.-EU trade deal, and with Macron and Merkel increasingly aligned on an EU reform agenda, he may be hoping to be the man to build that bridge with the U.S. Syria and NATO Sean Gallup | Getty Images | Getty Images News This year's meeting marks 100 years since U.S. troops joined World War I, and with the pair set to attend the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees, defense will be high on the agenda. This is an area of aligned interest for both leaders as they seek to find resolutions to the conflict in Syria and the threat of global terrorism. Though France is among the European countries to have failed to meet NATO's defense spending target a matter of great frustration for Trump a White House official said Tuesday he is satisfied that the country is close to meeting that goal, according to Reuters. France is the second-biggest contributor to the U.S.-led coalition in Syria and the pair is expected to thrash out an ongoing approach to the conflict when they hold bilateral talks Thursday afternoon. Protests Demonstrators hold signs to protest against President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement, on June 2, 2017. Omer Messinger | NurPhoto | Getty Images US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in address the media prior to dinner in the State Dinning Room at the White House on June 29, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The United States notified South Korea on Wednesday it plans to start negotiating amendments to a five-year-old free trade agreement with Seoul and called a meeting to kick off the talks for next month. The announcement came months after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would either renegotiate or terminate what he called a "horrible" trade deal. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, acting on Trump's instructions, said the joint committee under the U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement (KORUS) would meet in Washington next month. No date has been set. "Since KORUS went into effect, our trade deficit in goods with Korea has doubled from $13.2 billion to $27.6 billion, while U.S. goods exports have actually gone down," Lighthizer said in a statement. "This is quite different from what the previous Administration sold to the American people when it urged approval of this Agreement. We can and must do better," he said. Trump, in an interview with Reuters in April, blamed the trade deal on his 2016 Democratic presidential election opponent, Hillary Clinton, who as secretary of state promoted the final version of the agreement before its approval by Congress in 2011. "It's a horrible deal, and we are going to renegotiate that deal or terminate it," Trump said in the interview. By the time he was 20, Brian Wong was a self-made millionaire. The mobile advertising company he founded, Kiip, works with major companies including McDonald's and Coca-Cola and is on track to do $20 million this year. Wong is remarkably savvy about how he strategizes in business, and he wrote about his tips to success in his book, "The Cheat Code." Here are his top five ways to get ahead. 1. Always ask. You have nothing to lose Wong calls asking for things, whether it be help, guidance or funding, "the magic wand for business and even in life." Because if you ask and get a "no," you're still exactly where you were before you asked the question. "Honestly, I never feel defeated by a 'no,'" Wong tells CNBC. "My first reaction when someone says 'no': It's your loss. Like, you said no you're not going to do this, but someone else is going to do this. And they're going to make way more money than you." In particular, Wong shares this advice with entrepreneurs looking to raise money and his sales team when they are pitching a product to a new customer. The potential upside of asking is tremendous, says Wong. If they say "yes," then "your life just changed! It's amazing how much asking can bring to you. ... It's phenomenal." I never feel defeated by a 'no.' Brian Wong founder and CEO of Kiip 2. Follow the "what if?" scenario all the way to the end If you're worried about something, "ask yourself: 'What's the worst that could happen?'" says Wong. "It helps you remove mental barriers. "Go through that whole thing. Finish the thinking process," says Wong. "And at the very end, the very worst thing is really not that bad, and then that will empower you to go nuts and be crazy." 3. Smile "To be honest this 'cheat code' is super under-rated," says Wong. "But there's nothing more disarming." If you are sitting down to a meeting with someone who is doubting you or is otherwise skeptical, set the tone by greeting them with enthusiasm and a smile. "It's really hard to stay grumpy when everyone around you is smiling." 4. Stay curious and eager When you are young, people are so eager to teach you what they know and you are so excited to learn. Keep that attitude no matter what age you are, says Wong. "Constantly be curious," he advises. As an example, he points to 67-year-old billionaire Richard Branson, who says: "Life is all about striving and growing. I never want to have made it; I want to continue making it!" In Norway, one company is looking to transform the way subsea inspection, maintenance and repair a crucial part of the oil industry is carried out. Set up in 2015, Eelume was spun out from research carried out at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, or NTNU. Their vehicles have been designed and engineered to 'live' permanently underwater, allowing them to be used whenever they are needed. Arne Kjorsvik, CEO of the company, told CNBC's Sustainable Energy that remotely operated vehicles, controlled from a surface vessel, were a "very costly matter, because the surface vessel costs a lot of money, and you have a lot of people on board." "Our vehicle is permanently installed on the sea floor, so we don't need to engage the surface vessel to do inspections and... maintenance work," Kjorsvik added. "That reduces the CO2 emissions," he added. The vehicles are modular and have a 'snake like' appearance. The company says their slim body enables precision hovering and maneuvering "even in strong ocean currents." Pal Liljeback is the chief technology officer and co-founder of Eelume. He told Sustainable Energy that the vehicles were "ideal for carrying out inspection and maintenance operations in tight spaces not accessible by larger, more conventional underwater vehicles." The vehicles were also able to carry out more typical intervention tasks such as removing marine growth, he said. Looking to the future, Liljeback said that the team was designing a new prototype which would be able to carry different types of tools and undertake different types of intervention. "The vehicle will actually have tooling in each end, so it will actually be able to grab hold of something with one hand and carry out the tool operation with another hand," he explained. The same lawmakers who voted today to reopen U.S. horse slaughter plants are blocking a different bill backed by The HSUS that would forbid the transport of horses for slaughter for human consumption to other countries. Photo by Kathy Milani/The HSUS 64.3K shares Today, the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives voted narrowly to give the green light for the reopening of horse slaughter plants in the United States. There were 27 members of Congress who voted against the bipartisan amendment offered by Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., and Charlie Dent, R-Pa., to bar horse slaughter operations in the United States, and 25 who supported it. All but one Democrat on the committee voted to oppose this dreadful idea, while 26 of 30 Republicans favored it. The vote on the amendment was as unimaginable as the rhetoric from the horse slaughter crowd was hypocritical. Unimaginable because American horses deserve a better fate than to be gathered up by a disreputable kill buyer who outbids a rescuer at an auction, loaded onto an overcrowded truck, and then stunned, hoisted up by a leg, and pulled apart piece by piece which is exactly what the 27 lawmakers who voted against the Roybal-Allard/Dent amendment are trying to sanction. We dont do this to dogs or cats when we dont have homes for them, and it should be unthinkable to do this to the domesticated animal that helped settle the nation. I pity the people who dont see the majesty of these American icons and who are numb to their suffering. Hypocritical because the lawmakers who spoke out against the amendment to ban horse slaughter again, these are the Representatives who want to allow horse slaughter actually feigned an interest in protecting horses. A couple of them lamented the long-distance transport of American horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter for human consumption, and said that we might as well slaughter horses here in the United States so they dont have to be transported. That logic would make a little sense until you realize that these same lawmakers are blocking a different bill backed by The HSUS that would forbid the transport of horses for slaughter for human consumption to other countries. Only one of the lawmakers who voted to reopen horse slaughter plants in the United States is a cosponsor of that broader anti-slaughter bill, the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, H.R. 113, which is led by four animal welfare champions Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Janice Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ed Royce, R-Calif., and Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M. How can you lament the long-distance transport of horses for slaughter to Canada or Mexico and then fight the bill that addresses that very thing? You can do so only if you say one thing and do another. The defeat of the amendment to bar U.S.-based horse slaughter plants from operating is an ugly start for the House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J. The newly anointed chairman represents a suburban district in New Jersey, and his constituents favor our position in droves. He defied their wishes on this vote, just as he defied their wishes earlier in the year in voting to overturn a Fish and Wildlife Service rule to stop the aerial tracking, landing, and shooting of grizzly bears, and to stop the shooting of wolves and other predators during their denning seasons on national wildlife refuges. What kind of person wants to kill grizzly bears on wildlife refuges and slaughter American horses on U.S. soil? Reps. Robert Aderholdt, R-Ala., Tom Cole, R-Okla., and Mark Amodei, R-Nev. also favored horse slaughter in the debate today. To their credit, Reps. Roybal-Allard, Dent, Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., Barbara Lee, D-Calif, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., spoke in favor of the ban on U.S. horse slaughter. As a lifelong Republican, Im deeply saddened and quite ashamed to see my fellow conservatives go to such great lengths to promote the slaughter of American equines, said Marty Irby, who heads the HSUS equine campaign. I hope the members who profess to be fiscal conservatives will reflect upon this vote that would have saved millions of taxpayer dollars annually and begin to practice what they preach. As Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., noted in a public statement, this battle is not over. If House leaders bring the agriculture spending bill to the floor, our congressional allies may be able to offer the amendment there and win when all House lawmakers have a chance to vote on the issue. And if even that doesnt happen, we expect to win a horse slaughter defund amendment in the Senate, which would give us a chance to prevail when the final bill is negotiated and sent to President Trump. This is how lawmakers voted on the amendment to protect horses: YES (25) Peter Aguilar, D-Calif.-31, Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.-2, Matt Cartwright, D-Pa.-17, Katherine Clark, D-Mass.-5, Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.-3, Charlie Dent, R- Pa.-15, David Joyce, R-Ohio-14, Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio-9, Derek Kilmer, D-Wash.-6, Barbara Lee, D-Calif.-13, Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.-17, Betty McCollum, D-Minn.-4, Grace Meng, D-N.Y.-6, Chellie Pingree, D-Maine-1, Mark Pocan, D-Wis.-2, David Price, D-N.C.-4, Mike Quigley, D-Ill.-5, Tom Rooney, R-Fla.-17, Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.-40, Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md.-2, Tim Ryan, D-Ohio-13, Jose Serrano, D-N.Y.-15, Peter Visclosky, D-Ind.-1, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.-23, and Kevin Yoder, R-Kan.-3 NO (27) Robert Aderhold, R-Ala.-4, Mark Amodie, R-Nev.-2, Ken Calvert, R-Calif.-42, John Carter, R-Texas-31, Tom Cole, R-Okla.-4, Henry Cuellar, D-Texas-28, John Abney Culberson, R-Texas-7, Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla.-25, Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn.-3, Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nev.-1, Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J.-11, Kay Granger, R-Texas-12, Tom Graves, R-Ga.-14, Andy Harris, R-Md.-1, Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.-3, Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va.-3, John Moolenaar, R-Mich.-4, Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.-4, Steven Palazzo, R-Miss.-4, Martha Roby, R-Ala.-2, Harold Rogers, R-Ky.-5, Michael Simpson, R-Idaho-2, Chris Stewart, R-Utah-2, Scott Taylor, R-Va.-2, David Valadao, R-Calif.-21, Steve Womack, R-Ark.-3, and David Young, R-Iowa-3 The Securities and Exchange Commission takes a fine-toothed comb through any suspicious activity, but rarely do allegations include a suspect searching online how to avoid the agency. Massachusetts Institute of Technology research scientist Fei Yan was arrested Wednesday on federal charges of insider trading. Prosecutors say Yan searched "how sec detect unusual trade" before he bought numerous stocks and options that netted him around $120,000 in illicit profits. Yan also searched for phrases such as "insider trading in an international account." The SEC alleges that Yan's profits came from confidential information he obtained from his wife, who was an associate at international firm Linklaters. The London-based law firm announced it suspended Yan's wife, and will be cooperating with the SECs investigation. Yan bought holdings in Mattress Firm and Stillwater Mining, both companies his wife's firm was working with on acquisition deals. After the acquisitions were made public, Yan sold. His wife is not listed in the charges. To hide his illegal activity, prosecutors say, the Chinese national placed the trades in a brokerage account under his mother's name. "Yan attempted to evade detection by researching prior SEC cases against insider traders and using a brokerage account in a different name, but we identified the profitable trades in deals advised by the same law firm and traced them back to him," said Joseph G. Sansone, co-chief of the SEC Enforcement Division's Market Abuse unit. MIT spokeswoman Kimberly Allen confirmed Yan was employed in MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics as a postdoctoral associate. Following his arrest in Massachusetts, Yan was charged with securities fraud and wire fraud. After a hearing in federal court in Boston, authorities released Yan on a $500,000 unsecured bond. Reuters contributed to this report. President Donald Trump Win McNamee | Getty Images More than 200 cities and at least 12 states have announced their plans to support the Paris Agreement, despite President Donald Trump's June bombshell to withdraw from the climate accord. But the anti-Trump climate alliance may have overlooked a crucial impediment it may be unconstitutional. A recent report from the Congressional Research Service noted that a climate alliance could be interpreted as states entering into treaties with foreign nations, and it cited one constitutional provision and one legal precedent that may preclude states from making such deals. The constitutional limits are Article I, Section 10 and the doctrine of foreign affairs preemption. The relevant clauses of Article I, Section 10 provide that "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation" and that "No State shall, without the Consent of Congress enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign power." The doctrine of foreign affairs preemption, meanwhile, deems a state law unconstitutional if it intrudes on the federal government's power to conduct foreign affairs. A Ph.D. student at the University of Washington looks at a meltwater stream on the Glacial Ice Sheet, Greenland. Getty Images watch now Two bills signed by Hawaii's Gov. David Ige, however, use language that directly refers to the "principles and goals adopted" in the Paris Agreement, a detail that could land them in hot water. The state has not formally entered into the accord, but the CRS report suggests that laws which are focused heavily on responding to a foreign affairs event, rather than an "area of traditional state responsibility," may face judicial scrutiny. The congressional legal analysis also stated that "there is no definitive judicial decision or scholarly consensus on how to differentiate between the treaties, alliances, confederations, and compacts addressed in Article I, Section 10." The Hawaii governor's office did not respond to a request for comment. Domestic climate coalitions at the state level can use "cap-and-trade" policies as a constitutionally-viable alternative. On Monday evening, California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown introduced a proposal to extend California's cap-and-trade program until 2030. And in New Jersey, both the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates favor a reentrance into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a nine-state cap-and-trade compact that Gov. Chris Christie pulled out of in 2011. "Power sector carbon pollution in the RGGI states has declined significantly faster than in the nation as a whole, while independent reports have found that RGGI is creating jobs and generating economic benefits," said Katie Dykes, chair of the RGGI board of directors. States involved in cap-and-trade also benefit from adding more participants, Dykes said, with larger markets increasing economic efficiency and driving even greater consumer savings and emissions reductions. There is no legal precedent that can prevent states from linking their cap-and-trade systems with countries like China and regions like the EU, according to Tamminen. Influential Republicans have their own carbon plan A group of Republican statesmen led by former Secretary of State James Baker and economist George Schultz has a different plan to combat climate change. The Climate Leadership Council, as the group is known, has stated its support for a carbon tax, calling it a "conservative climate solution" that draws on free-market principles. The Council's four-pronged strategy would replace the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, taxing $40 per ton of carbon dioxide and raising an estimated $200 billion to $300 billion a year. Unlike a traditional carbon tax, however, all of the revenue raised would be returned to the American public in the form of monthly dividends, ensuring that households and families are not shouldering the burden of the tax. The plan also includes border adjustments for the carbon content of imports and exports to countries without comparable carbon pricing systems, punishing nations who "free ride." The final pillar is the dismantling of old carbon regulations to allow U.S. businesses to become more competitive. A truck travels the 210 freeway between Los Angeles and cities to the east near Pasadena, California. "The way we look at it, climate legislation has to have a few key elements in order to get it over the finish line," said Greg Bertelsen, senior vice president of the Climate Leadership Council. A plan must be effective in lowering emissions, be politically viable enough to garner and maintain public support, and ensure that U.S. businesses are able to be competitive. "There have been many well-intentioned policies of all shapes and sizes, but to date, they have all come up short on one of those key criteria," Bertelsen said. "That's what's so promising about the Baker-Schultz plan. It's a policy that would do all of those things, and also incentivize other countries to fall in line." The CLC's plan has earned the endorsement of some of the world's largest energy companies and environmental NGOs, including BP , Exxon Mobil , Shell , Total , and GM , as well as Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. On the state level, it is an economically proven and constitutional alternative for domestic coalitions to consider. But ultimately, Bertelsen said, climate change is a global issue and the most effective way to address it is at a national level. By Zachary Basu, special to CNBC.com WATCH: Good chance Trump won't withdraw from Paris Agreement It's almost time for college students to head back to school, and they're planning on spending more than ever this year. Back-to-college spending is expected to reach an all-time high this year thanks to greater consumer confidence and more young adults enrolled in school, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey. Total spending should reach $54.1 billion, up from $48.5 billion last year. Families with elementary schoolers through high schoolers are expected to spend a total of $29.5 billion, compared with last year's $27.3 billion. Despite the increase, spending would still fall short of the record $30.3 billion reached in 2012. The National Retail Federation's survey results are likely welcome news for the retail industry, which has been hammered by decreasing foot traffic as shoppers buy online, especially from Amazon . "Families are now in a state of mind where they feel a lot more confident about the economy," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement. "With stronger employment levels and a continued increase in wages, consumers are spending more and we are optimistic that they will continue to do so throughout the rest of the year." College students and their families plan to spend an average of $969.88 this year, compared with $888.72 last year. They expect to spend the most amount of money on electronics, clothing and snacks and food items. Parents with younger students anticipate spending an average of $687.72, with most money going toward clothing, electronics and school supplies. For college students and their parents, the top three shopping destinations are online, discount stores or department store. Families shopping for their elementary through high school students plan to take a more traditional route and buy from department stores, discount stores or online. Stores that are introducing deals early in the summer could benefit even more, as the National Retail Federation found more families are shopping well before the first day of school. Consulting firm Deloitte published a study that found similar results. The biggest economic risk going forward, as Andrew Slimmon sees it, is "the Fed raising rates too quickly because the economy accelerates." Speaking Thursday on CNBC's "Power Lunch," Slimmon, a portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley , called this week's testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen "good news" because she emphasized a measured approach by the Fed. That's also good news for people looking to invest in emerging and international markets, said Shundrawn Thomas, head of funds at Northern Trust , who also appeared on the show. "We've seen value in moving more international," he said. "What you see is the political position is improved; you've seen the economic situation improving and, most importantly, earnings. You've seen a faster acceleration in earnings revisions, actually, in Europe than even in the U.S." A Daimler AG Mercedes Benz M-Class vehicle moves along the production line at the company's international assembly plant in Vance, Alabama, May 28, 2014. German carmaker Daimler has been accused of selling over a million cars with excessive emissions in Europe and the United States, Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said on Wednesday, citing a search warrant issued by a Stuttgart court. Two months ago Stuttgart prosecutors searched Daimler sites in Germany following allegations of false advertising and the possible wrongful manipulation of exhaust gas treatment systems in diesel cars. The Stuttgart local court's search warrant triggered the searches on May 23, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said. According to that document, more than 1 million cars with excessive emissions, including various luxury Mercedes-Benz models, were sold in Europe and the United States between 2008 and 2016, said Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which researched the matter with regional broadcasters WDR and NDR. Shares in Mercedes maker Daimler were indicated to open 3.5 percent lower in Frankfurt on Thursday after the report. A spokesman for Stuttgart-based Daimler declined to comment on the continuing investigation by local prosecutors, adding the carmaker was fully cooperating with the authorities. The cars in question are powered by engines codenamed OM 642 and OM 651, with prosecutors examining the possible use of defeat devices to manipulate emission levels during tests, the newspaper said. There is a risk that the vehicles affected in Europe could be banned in the region, the newspaper said, again citing the search warrant. The Daimler spokesman declined to comment on the report, describing it as "speculation", apart from saying the company did not see any danger of its cars being banned. A spokesman for Stuttgart prosecutors declined to comment while Germany's transport ministry couldn't be reached for comment. Carmakers across the globe have faced increased regulatory scrutiny over anti-pollution tests since Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 that it had installed secret software in its diesel cars in the United States to cheat nitrogen oxide emission tests. David Einhorn's hedge fund just saw almost half a billion dollars flood out, according to a report, the latest star hedge-fund manager facing massive client redemptions. After a dismal first half of the year for Greenlight Capital, investors forced the hedge fund to give back more than $400 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. The departure represents 15 percent of those who can withdraw under Einhorn's rules and adds pressure on a fund that is down 2 percent year-to-date, according to the report. Greenlight has around $7 billion in assets under management now, according to the WSJ. Its stringent withdrawal rules mean only half of the fund's investors can remove their investment in the middle of the year. If the maximum withdrawal was reached at the midpoint, the other half of Greenlight's investors would have to wait until the end of the year to withdraw. Einhorn, who famously called the collapse of Lehman Brothers during the housing crisis, is not alone in his struggles. The New York Times reported earlier this year that John Paulson, who made more than anyone betting against the mortgage market a decade ago, was down to just $10 billion in assets from a high of $36 billion in 2011. Eton Park, managed by Eric Mindich, surprisingly said it was closing down earlier this year after assets shrank by $2 billion in 2016. The redemptions come as hedge funds continue to struggle during the eight-year-old bull market. The industry as a whole has returned just 3.7 percent this year through the end of June, according to the HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index. 2015 was Greenlight's worst year of all time, when the firm experienced double-digit losses. Einhorn told investors that he "failed miserably," yet declined requests that he adjust his relatively high fees. Greenlight receives a performance fee regardless of whether the firm makes back its losses. While 2016 saw the firm recoup some of the losses from the year prior, strong bets are backfiring in 2017. Greenlight's short of Tesla, which has risen nearly 55 percent this year, continues to drag down the fund's portfolio. Greenlight Capital did not respond to requests for comment. Read the full Wall Street Journal report here. Delta Air Lines on Thursday reported an increase in quarterly passenger unit revenue, a closely watched metric, but higher costs weighed on its bottom line. Breaking a losing streak that has plagued much of the industry for the last two years, Delta posted a 2.5 percent increase in passenger unit revenue, which measures sales relative to flight capacity, on 0.4 percent higher capacity in the second quarter of 2017. But the company's net income fell 20.8 percent to $1.22 billion, or $1.68 per share, in the quarter ended June 30, from $1.55 billion, or $2.03 per share, a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic earned $1.64 per share, compared to the analyst consensus forecast of $1.67, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Shares of the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic fell as much as 2.4 percent to $54.13 in early trading. Delta said operating expenses climbed during the quarter on higher salaries and fuel costs, its two biggest components. The airline paid an additional $338 million towards 2017 profit-sharing with employees. "The June quarter represented the peak for non-fuel cost pressures this year and we expect our CASM (cost per available seat mile) trajectory to moderate to approximately 2 percent for the September quarter," Delta Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said in a statement. Aircraft fuel related expenses rose 18 percent to $1.45 billion during the quarter, while salary costs were up 9 percent to $2.62 billion. Delta said the June quarter marked a return to quarterly unit revenue growth after two and a half years, and it expects continued positive growth in the September quarter. Delta's operating margin, excluding special items, rose slightly to 18.4 percent, compared to 17.4 percent last year. Total operating revenue rose 3.3 percent to $10.79 billion. Advocates for increasing Social Security's benefits are counting on today's release of the annual trustees report to provide some fodder for their cause. While the yearly analysis confirmed the program's long-term funding woes, proponents for expansion say it also proves the government can afford it. "The numbers make it clear that the question about whether to expand or cut Social Security is a question of values, not affordability," said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works and chair of the Strengthen Social Security Coalition. The report, released this afternoon, echoed last year's projected revenue shortfalls starting in the mid-2020s and leading to a depleted surplus by 2035. At that point, unless Congress has taken steps to shore it up, the program will be able to fund about 75 percent of benefits. By 2090, unfunded obligations would reach $12.5 trillion by 2091, up from $11.4 trillion a year ago. Longer-range estimates beyond that paint an even bleaker picture. Medicare, meanwhile, saw at least one aspect of its finances improve slightly. The trustees project that Medicare Part A which covers hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities and the like will be depleted in 2029, one year later than projected a year ago. When that money runs out, dedicated revenues will be sufficient to pay 88 percent of Part A's costs. However, Altman points to other information in the trustees' lengthy assessment of Social Security that often gets overshadowed. For instance, the program isn't expected to comprise a much larger percentage of gross domestic product in the future than it already does. The new report shows the program's cost will equal 4.9 of GDP this year, increasing to 6.1 percent by 2037. After that it will decline to 5.9 percent by 2050 and climb back to 6.1 percent by 2091. The projected shortfall in that lengthy time frame was pegged as 0.9 percent of annual GDP in last year's overview. Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: Delta Air Lines The airline reported adjusted quarterly profit of $1.64 per share, three cents a share below estimates. Revenue was essentially in line. The key metric of revenue per available seat mile was higher by 2.5 percent for the quarter. Target The retailer said second-quarter comparable sales will be positive, and also raised its quarterly earnings guidance above the high end of its prior range. CEO Brian Cornell said store traffic is improving and that the retailer is doing well in the face of a competitive environment. Yandex The company known as "the Google of Russia" struck a deal to combine its ridesharing services in Russia and surrounding countries with those of Uber. Seagate Technology Barclays downgraded the hard disk drive maker's stock to "underweight" from "equal weight," while cutting its price target for the stock to $40 from $49. Barclays said Seagate has likely cut as much cost out of its operation as possible, and that other factors may shift market sentiment in favor of rival Western Digital . Snap The Snapchat parent was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Stifel, with a $22 price target. Stifel notes the recent sell-off in Snap shares along with a belief that near-term risks to revenue may be overstated. AstraZeneca The drugmaker's Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot will reportedly leave to go to rival Teva Pharmaceutical , according to an Israeli newspaper. Both companies said they do not comment on market rumors, although Teva told CNBC that the company's top priority continues to be to identify a world-class individual to serve as Teva's permanent CEO. Teva's former CEO Erez Vigodman and its CFO both resigned earlier this year. Taiwan Semiconductor The company said third-quarter revenue would rise at least 15 percent as a series of new mobile devices launch. The chipmaker is a key supplier to Apple , as well as being the world's biggest contract chipmaker. Tronc Tronc, which owns the Chicago Tribune, was outbid for the rival Chicago Sun-Times by a group of investors led by former Chicago Alderman Edwin Eisendrath. The Justice Department had opened an investigation earlier this year into the possible sale of the paper to Tronc, but now said it has closed the investigation with the announcement of this deal. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. American Airlines The airline said Qatar Airways revised its filing with U.S. regulators as it tries to buy a stake of as much as 10 percent in American, however no details were provided on the new filing. American also announced it had ended its code-sharing agreement with both Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways. CenturyLink CenturyLink was sued by Minnesota, which accuses the telecom services provider of charging internet and phone customers more than they agreed to pay. CenturyLink said it took the allegations seriously and would review them and respond "in due course." Vantiv Vantiv was upgraded to "overweight" from "sector weight" at KeyBanc, with a price target of $70. The upgrade is based on the assumption of a successful conclusion and benefits from the tentative deal that would see the credit card processor buy U.K.-based rival Worldpay Group. Wells Fargo The bank was sued by investment firm Pimco for withholding money allegedly owed to bond investors, according to a report in the Financial Times. Mallinckrodt The drugmaker's experimental muscular dystrophy treatment was granted "orphan drug" status by the Food and Drug Administration. President Donald Trump came to Washington pledging to slash the federal workforce and drain the swamp. But he may be jumping on a train thats already left the station, at least as far as the U.S. Department of Education is concerned. Staffing at the department has dropped 36 percent over the past thirty-four years, from a high of 6,391 in federal fiscal year 1981, to 4,077 in fiscal year 2015, according to a report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office, Congress investigative arm. Those numbers measure full-time employee positions, which isnt necessarily the same as the actual number of employees. However, over the same time period, which covers most of the departments lifespan, contracting levels has remained relatively stable, the GAO found. And fewer people hasnt necessarily translated to less work. Over the same period that staffing levels dropped off dramatically, the total amount of spending the department is responsible for dealing with swelled, from $83 billion in fiscal year 1981 to a high of $145 billion in fiscal year 2009, which covered the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, aka the stimulus. (Those figures arent the same as the departments budget, because they include things like student loans.) Importantly, the time period the GAO considered doesnt cover any staffing reductions spurred by the Every Student Succeeds Act, which got rid of dozens of programssome of which hadnt been funded in yearsand called on the feds to make commensurate personnel cuts. ESSA went into effect in fiscal year 2017, which ends on Sept. 30. And the Trump White House has issued a series of executive orders charging cabinet officials with finding offices, regulations, and functions to eliminate. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her team are working to deliver on that request. Plus, the Trump administration is seeking a 13.5 percent cut to the departments overall bottom line, which may spur staffing cuts. The GAO also found that even as there are fewer federal workers, there are more employees working at the Office of Federal Student Aid. Staffing at the office ticked up significantly between 2011 and 2015, when Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration expanded the Direct Lending program, which allows students to borrow right from the U.S. Treasury, and got rid of the Federal Family Education Loan Program, which used subsidized lenders to do the job. Contractors have taken up some of the slack at the FSA. This chart from the GAO explains: So how do the staffing cuts at the department compare to similar agencies? The entire federal workforce has seen an overall reduction of 4 percent between 1991 and 2015. The education department, though, has weathered staff cuts of 12 percent. But similar agencies have seen even deeper personnel reductions. For instance, the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services lost 39 percent of its staff. For your next trivia night: There have been five new offices added to the department during the nearly quarter century covered by the report. Four were created by legislation. But onethe Office of Innovation and Improvementwas established by department officials. During the Bush administration, OII helped push charter schools, public school choice, and free tutoring. And during the Obama era, it was the home of the Investing in Innovation program, which seeks to scale up promising practices at the district level. Lynda Bird Johnson Robb shows her granddaughter Eleanor Florio, 2, the Education Departments headquarters which is named for her father, and former President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, following the departments Lets Read, Lets Move summer enrichment program in Washington in 2010. --Cliff Owen/AP-File Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . The European Central Bank is likely to signal in September that its 2.3 trillion euros bond-buying program would be gradually wound down next year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Financial markets overwhelmingly expect the ECB to decide in September on the future of its stimulus policy beyond the end of this year, with analysts split between those who expect a one-off reduction and a definitive tapering of the program. ECB President Mario Draghi opened the door last month to tweaks to the bank's stimulus policy, but with the aim of maintaining, rather than tightening, the current easy financing conditions. Central bank officials who spoke to Reuters recently have pointed to September or, at the latest, October as a likely time for a decision but stressed this depended on economic data and market conditions. The ECB was unavailable to comment. Employers who check a job candidate's Facebook or Twitter profile before deciding whether to hire them may be in breach of European law, top regulators have said, as the EU tightens its data protection policies. According to guidelines published by EU data protection agencies, employers will from now on require a "legal ground" before checking the social media profiles of potential employees. The regulators add that data collected from a search must be necessary and "relevant to the performance of the job". An estimated 60 per cent of employers use social networking sites to screen potential candidates before making decisions, according to a survey of more than 2,000 employers conducted by CareerBuilder, an online recruitment company. The regulators, who together form a group on data protection known as the Article 29 working party, do not themselves make EU law. But since they police the law's implementation in the 28 member states and seek a common interpretation with which to do so their role is highly influential. "The opinion of the working party is non-binding but very persuasive due to who they are," said Phil Lee, a data protection specialist at Fieldfisher, the law firm. "They will influence how the national data protection authorities read the rules. In this case, they have said there must be a really good reason, relevant to the role concerned, for an employer to check someone's social media profiles." The guidelines say that while employers may view such inspections as justified, "[they] should not assume that merely because an individual's social media profile is publicly available they are then allowed to process those data for their own purposes." Prospective employees must be told before they submit their job application if the company intends to conduct an audit of their social media profiles, and employers cannot force employees to accept their friend requests. The working party's opinion is also likely to govern the interpretation of a new and stricter EU law, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, which is due to come into force in May 2018. The new legislation will require large companies to appoint a "data protection officer" to ensure compliance and impose fines of up to 4 per cent of global turnover, or 20m. The guidelines lay down strict rules for other areas of employment. Companies must not issue employees with wearable devices to monitor their health and activity, which the working party says is illegal even with the consent of the employee, given the "unequal relationship" between employers and employees. The working group has also taken aim at software used by companies to track an employee's movements and web activities when working from home. It notes that "software packages" that allow screen capturing, key logging, or webcam enabling, are "very unlikely to have a legal ground under legitimate interest". The rules ban employers from sharing unnecessary information on their employees with customers. It gives the example of a delivery company which sends its customers the name, location and a small photo of the courier, "allowing the customer to check if the deliverer is indeed the right person". The group argues that the customer does not need either the name nor photo of the deliverer, and says there is thus "no legitimate ground" to provide it. The guidelines refer to "all situations where there is an employment relationship" meaning they protect even workers without a formal job contract. More from the Financial Times: Apple to set up its first data centre in China UK urged to clarify data rules from connected cars Revived SEAT hopes to connect with younger buyers Joel Monegro, Union Square Ventures analyst. Source: YouTube When cryptocurrency investors talk of influential work in the space, they often point to an August 2016 blog post titled "Fat Protocols," written by an analyst at Union Square Ventures. That analyst, Joel Monegro, is now getting out of the traditional venture world to invest solely in crypto assets. Monegro recently left Union Square to start a crypto fund, joining forces with Chris Burniske, a blockchain expert formerly at ARK Investment Management, according to sources familiar with the matter. The firmPlaceholder Capitalis being structured using the venture model with a 10-year commitment from investors, said the sources, who asked not to be named because the founders haven't publicly talked about their plans. Most sources wouldn't divulge the likely size of the fund, but one said the partners are targeting about $100 million. Crypto funds are opening by the week as investors look to bet on the wild fluctuations in the prices of cryptocurrencies bitcoin, ethereum and litecoin, while also getting stakes in new projects being built on blockchain. watch now Yet, it's a challenging market for venture capitalists. Cryptocurrency projects are not like typical companies with a founder or two and equity to sell. Rather, they're made up of disparate developer teams building blockchain technology and, instead of selling stock for financing, they're distributing tokens or coins through what's called initial coin offerings (ICO). The new currency allows buyers to participate in their network, whether it's buying storage or paying for transactions, and also serves as an investment opportunity. But unlike investing in a company, there's no board seat to be had or preferred shares to own. VCs, who are used to proprietary deal flow and access to non-public information, are now just like everyone else. Furthermore, the assets can be viewed as unregulated securities. "This is new territory," said Nicholas Chirls, a partner at venture firm Notation Capital in New York which is putting a small percentage of its money into crypto investments. "This ecosystem and market is still so early that the structure of these crowd sales look very different from project to project." Top ICOs of 2017 Name Start date Raised (millions) Tezos July 1 $228.60 EOS June 26 $189.30 Bancor June 12 $153 Status June 17 $95 Source: Source: Smith + Crown Union Square at the forefront Among traditional venture firms, Union Square has been at the forefront of the crypto movement, investing in crypto hedge funds run by Polychain Capital and MetaStable, and providing early capital to Coinbase, an exchange for buying and selling cryptocurrencies. Union Square is now gearing up to invest directly in ICOs or crypto token sales as soon as this year, said Albert Wenger, a partner at the New York-based firm. "We do many different things because we don't yet know what's going to work," Wenger told CNBC. "This is a fundamental innovation and a lot of interesting things will get built over time. A lot of other things are unclear, to put it mildly." Wenger confirmed that Monegro has left Union Square to start his own fund, but he declined to provide any details. Monegro didn't respond to a request for comment. Burniske declined to comment on the new fund except to say that he's not working on a hedge fund as "some have speculated." Last week, Burniske tweeted that he's left ARK to "create something of my own in #cryptoland." ARK was the first public fund manager to invest in bitcoin, and Burniske held the title of blockchain products lead. In an interview with CNBC last year following the Brexit vote, Burniske called bitcoin a "disaster hedge," due to its low correlation with other assets that sink in periods of uncertainty or crisis. watch now Monegro, meanwhile, was influential in the blockchain space at Union Square. His widely cited post from August argued that the lion's share of the value in crypto is being captured by the major protocols -- bitcoin and ethereum -- as opposed to the applications running on top. That's in contrast to the internet, which saw applications like Google and Facebook attract much more valuable than the web's building blocks. "Tokenized protocols become 'fat' and its applications 'thin,'" Monegro wrote. Placeholder won't be the first crypto-specific venture fund. Blockchain Capital and Pantera Capital were both founded in 2013 and invest in a combination of blockchain-based start-ups and crypto tokens. The VC debate Other investors are diving into cryptocurrency in a big way. Forbes published a piece this week highlighting 15 new crypto hedge funds that are launching between this summer and the end of the year. On Wednesday, Ari Paul, who previously managed money for the University of Chicago and regularly blogs and tweets about crypto, said on Twitter that he's getting ready to launch a new hedge fund called BlockTower Capital. Ari Paul tweet And some of the companies involved are raising IPO-sized rounds even as their technologies or networks are still in the early stages of development. In the past month, crypto projects Tezos, EOS, Bancor and Status have raised over $660 million combined, according to Smith + Crown, a blockchain research, data and consulting group. By way of comparison, ICOs brought in $101 million in all of 2016. That kind of growth is hard to ignore. But traditional VCs are split over whether crypto is worth the risk. Like Union Square, Andreessen Horowitz has invested in Polychain after backing Coinbase, and Bessemer Venture Partners has spent this year studying the market, putting money into some funds and exploring potential coin investments. Ethan Kurzweil, a partner in Bessemer's Silicon Valley office, is working with his New York-based colleague Alex Ferrara to develop the firm's roadmap. "Our goal is to invest in emerging technologies as early as we can," Kurzweil said. "This started out as a topic in January and February, and we're at a point where we can invest equity in tokens." Other venture investors don't want to touch this stuff. David Golden, a partner at Revolution Ventures in San Francisco, referred to the ICO phenomenon as a "house of cards" and said there's a "Las Vegas speculative run" taking place. Roger Lee of Battery Ventures is highly skeptical of ICOs because "there's not a lot of disclosure or regulation around these offerings right now," he said. In other words, they look a lot like securities but they're not registered with the SEC. One thing virtually all tech investors acknowledge is that blockchain, the underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies, is here to stay. The digital ledger is already being used for real-world applications like payments, mortgages, legal files and incorporation documents. While the structure may be uncomfortable for venture capitalists, they've seen how much money is potentially at stake. The price of ethereum is up 200-fold since the end of 2015, even after plunging 45 percent in the past month. VCs have to figure out how to add value in a world without board meetings and where Silicon Valley connections carry much less weight. Union Square's Wenger said that investors engaged in these projects can provide the same sort of help they do with start-ups, by promoting them, recruiting talent and providing technical feedback. "It's many of the same questions," Wenger said. "How do we get people excited about it, make people know it exists, foster adoption of it? If you were able to help companies figure out answers to these questions, you should be able to figure out how to help teams with the same sets of questions." WATCH: How to play the cryptocurrency craze Uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's policy proposals is "quite high," Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Thursday. Yellen spoke with the Senate Banking Committee on her semi-annual monetary policy report to lawmakers. "I think fiscal policy ... uncertainty is quite high at the moment," she said, referring to policies that Congress and the White House control. She also said a potential revamp of the U.S. health-care system is one factor causing uncertainty in the economic outlook. "Spending on health care is an important aspect of household budgets, and changes there could have an effect on spending on a wide range of goods and services in the economy. And access to health care is important," Yellen told the Senate Banking Committee. Senate Republicans are expected to unveil a new version of their legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare on Thursday. The House of Representatives passed a health-care overhaul bill in May. Several Senate Republicans said they were waiting to see the revised legislation before deciding whether to back it, and Democrats are united on scrapping it. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he did not expect Senate Republicans to leave for summer recess without approving the bill. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Senate will delay its upcoming break until the third week of August. Sen. Elizabeth Warren intensified her attacks on Wells Fargo , pressing Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Thursday to remove all of the bank's directors who were on board during its fake accounts scandal. Yellen said the central bank is investigating the matter and will act should the facts warrant. The bank defended the steps it has taken to address its problems. Warren previously had sent Yellen a letter asking for the board members' dismissal. The Massachusetts Democrat revealed that Yellen has since replied to that request, acknowledging that the Fed has the authority to act. "How could removal of these board members not be warranted given the facts that we already know?" Warren said during Yellen's semiannual testimony before the Senate Banking Committee. Wells Fargo already has paid millions in fines and is nearing a settlement in a class-action lawsuit over the scandal, in which employees created some 2 million fake accounts for customers without their knowledge. They did so to meet aggressive sales goals that called for employees to use cross-selling techniques to enroll customers in as many programs as possible. More than 5,000 employees have been fired in connection with the scandal, but Warren said that's not enough. She said the bank clearly has run afoul of Fed regulations calling for proper risk management, and people at the top should pay. "Can you explain to me how the Wells board can possibly have satisfied its obligations under the Fed's risk management regulations?" Warren said. Yellen would not comment specifically on what actions the Fed will take, but she also was critical of the bank's actions. "I will say that the behavior that we saw was egregious and unacceptable," she said. "We do have the power if it proves appropriate to remove directors. A number of actions already have been taken. We need to conduct a thorough investigation to look at the full record to understand the root causes of the problems. We are certainly prepared to take enforcement actions if those prove to be appropriate." Warren, though, wasn't satisfied. She pointed out that the Fed already fined Wells Fargo in 2011 for illegally pushing mortgage borrowers into more expensive loans. "Fines are not working with these giant financial institutions," the senator said. "If bank directors who preside over the firing of thousands of employees for creation of millions of fake accounts can keep their jobs, then I think every bank director in this country knows that they are bulletproof and that poses a danger to the rest of us every single day." Wells Fargo representatives defended the actions the bank has taken to address the problems. "Wells Fargo's board and management team have taken many actions in response to its retail sales practices issues, including changes in senior leadership, executive accountability actions and numerous steps to ensure we make things right with any customer affected by unacceptable sales practices. That work continues and remains a core part of our efforts to build a better Wells Fargo for the future," the bank said in a statement. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen testifies before a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the 'Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress' on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 13, 2017. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen just weighed in on the opioid crisis in the U.S. In her testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, Yellen said rampant opioid abuse in the U.S. is related to the decline in labor force participation among prime-age workers. "I don't know if it's causal or symptomatic of long-running economic maladies that have affected these communities and particularly affected workers who have seen their job opportunities decline," Yellen said in response to questioning from Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., on the issue. The United States is "the only advanced nation that I know of where in these communities we're actually, especially among less-educated men, seeing an increase in death rates partly reflecting opioid use," she added. Death rate from drug abuse has exploded over the last 15 years Source: Centers for Disease Control, Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research Opioid overdose contributed to more than 33,000 deaths in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and kills more than 90 Americans every day. 21st Century Fox has seen its shares tank after reports emerged Rupert Murdoch will not strike a new deal with Britain's culture secretary over his company's takeover bid of British news organization Sky News. Fox's preferred stock dropped sharply after The Guardian reported Murdoch's decision, which delays Fox's chances to buy the roughly 60 percent of Sky it does not already own. FOXA was down about 2.55 percent to 27.92 mid-afternoon. The stock has barely moved from where it was a year ago, 28.12, but it is down almost 15 percent from its high in late March. Speculation had emerged Murdoch would make a deal to ensure British regulators fast-track the deal, rather than subject it to a more in-depth investigation regarding media plurality and independence concerns. Britain's culture secretary, Karen Bradley, had given Fox until Friday to make concessions. The grocery wars are growing in America with a new German competitor in play, which hopes to shake things up. Coming to the U.S., Lidl wants to be to Wegmans, as Trader Joe's is to , Karen Short, a food and grocery analyst at Barclays, told CNBC's " " on Thursday. The grocery industry is ripe for more disruption, she said, in making this analogy. Lidl, one of the world's largest retailers and a top competitor to discount chain Aldi, opened its first 10 U.S. grocery stores in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina in mid-June. Lidl has said it intends to open an additional 20 stores on the East Coast this summer and to have up to 100 stores open within a year, in states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia. What sets Lidl apart from the rest is that about 90 percent of its products are dubbed "premium private label." And this could bring a bigger trend to U.S. supermarkets, according to Short. Maybe Lidl can change shoppers' perception. As more American shoppers visit Lidl now, a "training process" is going to take place among consumers, Short said. "The American consumer is trained to not like private labels," she said. But more and more retailers and grocers alike might choose to create and emphasize their own brands, as shelf space and aisles become more competitive, Short added. Whole Foods, for example, has its "365 Everyday Value" brand; has "Private Selection"; and take on its private food label is called "Market Pantry." To be sure, Kroger has recently filed a lawsuit against Lidl, claiming the German company's "Preferred Selection" branding is an infringement on Kroger's own packaging. Kroger has said Lidl will cause the company irreparable damage with its similar label. A spokesman for Lidl said he could not comment on ongoing litigation, but emphasized that the new brand was created in house, according to a Washington Post article on the suit. Supermarkets need to strengthen their brands, still, Short told CNBC. "[Lidl] is positioning themselves along the Eastern seaboard going after a niche, middle-income consumer," she said. "[The] store looks very nice. Trust me, Wal-Mart is not taking this lightly." The German-based company will build smaller-than-normal grocery stores across the U.S., saving Lidl expenses and excess space, and Lidl will have fewer items on sale than a traditional store would. There are threats on many fronts. Lidl's private-label brands also tend to be higher margin and provide the company with more opportunities for deep discount pricing. Aldi, which tracks closely with Lidl, has recently said it plans to invest about $5 billion globally in its growth over the next five years. Meanwhile, Amazon getting into the brick-and-mortar food business with its deal to buy Whole Foods will make competition in the grocery aisles even stiffer. CNBC's Jeff Daniels contributed to this story. Germany has reacted to last year's foreign dealmaking frenzy by raising the bar on criteria for overseas acquirers seeking to snap up domestic targets in tech-heavy industries. A new directive adopted on Wednesday broadens the remit of an existing law which currently enables the government to block a non-European Union (EU) buyer from acquiring more than 25 percent of a German company if such a move is deemed to threaten public order or national security. The expanded powers now allow ministers to investigate deals affecting companies that are considered to provide "critical infrastructure", in particular, those producing software for utilities, payment, medical and transportation systems. The tightening of regulation comes hot on the heels of a spate of acquisition activity in 2016 driven by Chinese firms seeking to boost their technological capabilities by buying foreign targets with advanced skills in this area. Last year Chinese acquirers paid a total of 9.1 billion ($10.4 billion) across 35 deals for German targets, according to data from mergermarket. Given rising economic protectionism within Europe in combination with additional capital controls and restrictions imposed on would-be Chinese buyers of foreign targets by domestic authorities in recent months, dealmaking involving these countries had already slowed to a much more contained 2.4 billion in the first half of this year. Yet despite the increasingly cumbersome framework, Chinese appetite for European and specifically German targets remains high, according to Yi Sun, China business services leader for Germany, Switzerland and Austria at professional services firm, EY. "Tightening rules regarding takeovers for foreign investors in Germany will lead to a hold in the first place because non-European investors will have to observe the implementation of the new rules. The preparations of deals will have to be more thorough in the future but Chinese investors have become more professional in the last years," Sun told CNBC via email on Thursday. "In the long run, dealmaking activity between China and Germany will remain high, keeping in mind that China is already the EU's biggest trading partner - a reality that cannot be ignored," she added. More concerted attempts to protect European companies from foreign takeovers have been in evidence in recent months with two salient examples being the dismantling of the merger between the London Stock Exchange and German peer Deutsche Boerse and the crushing of U.S. paint manufacturer PPG's attempted purchase of smaller Dutch rival Akzo Nobel, both after intense political debate. Far from being a German governmental trend alone, several European leaders have recently called for more protection for domestic players across a range of industries, according to Jonathan Klonowski, EMEA research editor at mergermarket. "Going forward we are likely to see firms conducting further work at the due diligence stage and we may see dealmakers becoming more selective over their prospective targets should this economic nationalism grow," Klonowski told CNBC via email on Thursday. "We have already seen a drop in dealmaking from China into Europe, and the rhetoric is likely to see a further reduction in the coming months," he predicted. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. America might be known as the "land of the free," but attending college in the U.S. is anything but. According to the College Board, the average cost of one year at a public university for an in-state student is $20,090. That increases to $34,220 if you hail from out of state. And in order to afford a college diploma, many American students rely on loans. Today, over 44 million Americans hold a total of $1.4 trillion in student debt. University of Copenhagen MyLoupe | Getty Images Denmark By contrast, in countries like Germany and Sweden, students can attend university free of charge. Denmark takes college affordability to an entirely new level. Danish students receive about $900 (5,839 DKK) per month through a program called Statens Uddannelsessttte ("state education") to help cover living expenses while they are getting their college degree. Advocates for free college education in the U.S. have implemented programs similar to those currently used in Denmark. University of Tokyo mizoula | Getty Images Japan The University of Tokyo tops the US News and World Report list of the best universities in Asia. It costs 535,800 (roughly $4,735) for an undergraduate to attend the University of Tokyo for one year. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Japanese Government spends $8,748 per student across all schools and universities every year. Japan's investment has resulted in a highly educated population: The OECD reports that the country has the second highest level of adult education in the world, with nearly 50 percent of citizens completing a tertiary level education. Architecture department at the University of Sao Paulo. Frederic Soltan | Getty Images Brazil Three of the five top colleges in South America are in Brazil, a country with free public college. The OECD reports that the Brazilian government allocates nearly 20 percent of its budget to education. Over 6 percent of Brazil's GDP goes towards education. However, many of the country's well-funded, prestigious and free universities are highly selective and serve disproportionately wealthy white communities. Since it's difficult for students who did not attend expensive private prep schools to gain admission to the best public universities, many students attend for-profit colleges. University of Cape Town Jessica A. Deibert | Getty Images South Africa While most school board members across the country get no compensation for serving on their local school boards, those who serve full-time in Los Angeles will be able to make up to $125,000. The panel that oversees compensation for Los Angeles school board members unanimously approved the new salarya 174 percent hikethis week, according to the Los Angeles Times. That amount will be more than what state legislators in California make, though Los Angeles school board members represent districts of comparable sizes, according to Kyle Stokes, a reporter at Southern California Public Radio. The increase will make Los Angeles school board members among the highest paid in California and the United States. Los Angeles Unified board members who have jobs outside of serving on the board will receive $50,000, up from $26,437. L.A.'s school board often gets caught up in major national education and political debates, including immigration and charter school expansion. The board has historically been a launching point for those who aspire to higher political office. Among the nations three largest school districts Los Angeles, Chicago, and New YorkLos Angeles members are the only ones who get a salary. They are also the only board members in the three cities who are elected. New York City, the countrys largest school district, does not have a school board because the mayor is in charge of the school system. Appointees to the citys Panel for Educational Policywhich does approve school district policiesdo not receive a salary. What percentage of school board members across the country are paid? Less than half, according to a 2010 report, School Boards Circa 2010: Governance in the Accountability Era, by Frederick M. Hess and Olivia Meeks. About 62 percent of school board members reported that they did not receive a salary, about 14 percent said they got an annual salary of $5,000 or more, and 2 percent reported making more than $15,000, according to the report, which was published by the National School Boards Association, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and the Iowa School Boards Foundation. One in four reported receiving a stipend for attending meetings. In New Jersey, state law prohibits school board members from receiving compensation for their service on the board, but allows travel reimbursement, with limits. In the 2010 report, about 42 percent of board members said they spent 25 hours or more a month tending to school board duties. Seven percent said they spent less than seven hours a month on school board business. The survey found wide differences in how much time members in small and large districts spent on district business. In large districts, close to 40 percent of board members reported working on board business more than 40 hours a month, while about 8 percent of members in small districts said they spent that much time on board business. The National School Boards Association says it plans to update the survey next year. School board members typically set policies around academics, district finance and management, and hire superintendents. In Los Angeles, Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, the chairwoman of the Los Angeles Board of Education compensation review committee, told KABC that the decision to increase salaries came after hearing testimony about the amount of time that school board members spend on district business. That can be more than 60 hours, Cornejo said. The salary is set every five years, but the board did not get a raise in 2012, according to the LA Times. The new salary will become effective in 60 days, the paper said. Monica Ratliff, a former school board member who left the board last month, told Southern California Public radio that the job was a demanding onewith emails coming in the middle of the nightand difficult to do well part-time. You can listen to the audio here. Related stories: Stocks may like government gridlock as much as they like potential tax reform. Investment research firm Ned Davis Research found that when the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's Partisan Conflict Index a measure of political disagreement in the United States rises above 100, the has risen at a 11.7 percent annual rate. In contrast, the S&P rises just 5.8 percent when the index is below 100, according to analysis published on June 27. On Wednesday, the Philly Fed said the index reached 201.15 in June, one of only seven times it has been above 200, and close to March's record of 271.29. Source: Ned Davis Research "Like other sentiment gauges it works contrarily," Ed Clissold, chief U.S. strategist at Ned Davis Research, told CNBC in a phone interview Thursday. Stocks like to "climb a wall of worry." In this case, traders may actually like the Trump-Russia headlines causing D.C. gridlock because they don't want politicians to mess up a good thing. Earnings are growing at a record pace, and economic growth is steady two things markets like. New legislation could force businesses to change, potentially hurting their growth. The Senate on Tuesday shortened its August recess by two weeks in order to work on health care and other legislation. When Ned Davis Research looked at the Partisan Conflict Index's last six months of performance versus the last four years, the S&P 500's gains were even greater. The S&P rose at a 17 percent annual rate when the index's deviation from trend was above 100. When the deviation was below 100, the S&P gained less than 1 percent annually, the study showed. Source: Ned Davis Research Still may investors believe stocks have surged to record highs since the election on hopes the Trump administration's proposals for tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure spending will boost economic growth. About half a year since the inauguration, Congress is still debating a new health-care bill, while discussion of tax reform seems even further away. "Partly because the majority, particularly in the Senate, is so narrow, the gridlock has continued. Certainly a tax cut would be received favorably by the market," Clissold said. "Once the market started to [think about] the details, maybe a little less action by the government isn't necessarily a bad thing." The Partisan Conflict Index tracks keywords in news reports using Dow Jone's Factiva search engine. The top sources of articles are The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The Dallas Morning News, The Boston Globe and Tampa Bay Times, according to the working paper behind the index. The study excludes editorials, commentaries, routine general news, reviews and interviews. Some market strategists say the stock market's tenacious climb reflects an aging bull market, before a sharp decline. In March, Bank of America Merrill Lynch raised its S&P 500 year-end forecast by 150 points to 2,450 based on the view that bull markets often end with high optimism. Clissold said there are other reasons such a large part of the market moving up together to expect stocks to remain in a bull market. But other sentiment indicators he tracks are showing optimism, which is historically a sign of a coming stock pullback. "If you look over our broad swath of sentiment data assets, this is one of our last holdouts," Clissold said. "If political conflict goes away, there really isn't a whole lot for the markets to worry about and that could be setting up for a market top." Self-made millionaire, Gary Vaynerchuk, knows what it means to rise to the top. An immigrant himself from the USSR, Vaynerchuk is now chief executive and co-founder of the digital agency, VaynerMedia. Unconventionally, his path to leading an 800-employee business did not start with education, something he told CNBC in an episode of Life Hacks Live is "unheard of for immigrants because education is the way out." Instead, self-confidence and entrepreneurial acumen led Vaynerchuk to become the self-made millionaire, venture capitalist and social media guru he is today. But Vaynerchuk's humble beginnings do not limit his expectations for the immigrants of today. If anything, with an ever-changing landscape, the CEO believes there's never been "so much opportunity" out there. And it's all down to one thing. "The internet has created ungodly amounts of opportunity." "I think immigrants have it better than ever - no matter where you emigrate - because it's not about the establishment giving them a chance. The Internet gives them a chance," said Vaynerchuk. "The biggest change is opportunity has grown, not decreased. And what immigrants have is humility and work ethic because they're often starting from the bottom. And I think that's their biggest advantage," he added. watch now Senate Republican leaders are threatening to put their health care bill on the floor next week and dare their members to oppose it. It will be time for the dozen or so holdouts to walk the walk after talking the talk against the plan for the past few weeks. Rand Paul, for one, sounds ready to back his words up and vote against it. If he does, the Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare will be in serious trouble. Paul has been one of the most outspoken opponents of the Senate legislation for weeks now. He argues it doesn't do enough to unwind Obamacare and it funnels federal funding to insurance companies, creating what he has called a new Republican entitlement program. More from Vox: The Trump-Russia scandal: everything we know so far, explained Why Barack Obama is back for one night The Weeds: how America became addicted to opioids Now, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expected to release a revised plan Thursday, Paul is digging in even further. He's shown no willingness to budge from his position and it seems almost certain that the provisions he most firmly opposes won't be removed from the bill. "As far as I can tell, the new bill is the same as the old bill," the Kentucky senator told reporters on a conference call Wednesday. "I can't support it." Senate Republican leaders really might need Paul to pass the bill Three Senate Republicans can kill the bill. Two moderates Susan Collins of Maine and Dean Heller of Nevada seem pretty hardened in their opposition. (As many as a dozen Republican senators say they oppose the current bill, but GOP lobbyists, and likely Senate leadership, privately believe some of them would ultimately cave when the time comes.) Collins, who is weighing a gubernatorial bid next year, is asking for a complete overhaul. Heller tied himself to his overwhelmingly popular Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, who has been one of the most vicious critics of the bill from within the GOP. He faces the toughest reelection race of any Senate Republican in 2018. That makes Paul, who opposes the bill from the right, an essential vote. He's been even more outspoken against the plan than conservative Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX). Those two seem narrowly focused on rolling back more of Obamacare's insurance regulations. Paul wants that too, but he is also opposed to keeping some of the health care law's taxes. Then there is Paul's strongest objection: the stabilization funding for health insurers. The Republican bill currently includes $50 billion to stabilize the Obamacare insurance markets in the next few years, before the GOP bill's major provisions take effect, paid to health insurers to cover high-cost patients. The current plan also provides $62 billion for longer-term state stabilization programs to reduce health care costs for vulnerable populations, and it authorizes Obamacare subsidies paid to insurers to lower out-of-pocket costs for lower-income Americans. The stabilization funding is popular among the more mainstream Senate Republicans and likely to remain in the bill. It could even be increased, if McConnell believes more money will help reduce the projected coverage losses 22 million fewer Americans with health insurance in 2026, versus Obamacare, per the Congressional Budget Office under the current bill. So Paul, paired with Collins and Heller, could stop the legislation. He's been sticking his neck out further and further: On Wednesday, the day before the new bill is to be unveiled, he wrote an op-ed for Breitbart trashing the GOP plan and held a conference call with reporters to slam it again. I asked him on Wednesday if he was willing to be one of three Republican votes to kill the plan. He sounded like he was. "I ran on repealing Obamacare. If it doesn't repeal Obamacare and it creates a giant insurance bailout superfund, I can't be for that," he told me. Paul is viciously opposed to a core provision of the GOP plan Martin Shkreli, former chief executive officer of Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, exits federal court in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. Peter Foley | Bloomberg | Getty Images The CEO of the drug company founded by Martin Shkreli on Thursday called Shkreli a "Pied Piper" who entranced investors and co-workers with his bold predictions of pharmaceutical success. Retrophin CEO Stephen Aselage, during testimony at Shkreli's securities fraud trial, also called him a "brilliant intellect" and a "visionary." related investing news These stocks investors are betting against could rally in this short squeeze, including two EV names Shkreli was a "Pied Piper ... he tells a story, sings a song," Aselage said. But there were times, Aselage testified, when Shkreli was "not as credible as he could have been." And when questioned by a prosecutor about why he remained at Retrophin after being kept in the dark about some things Shkreli was doing, Aselage said, "Yeah, I've asked myself that question a number of times." watch now Shkreli, 34, is charged in Brooklyn, New York, federal court with looting Retrophin of stock shares and cash to pay off investors in two hedge funds he ran, whom he is also accused of defrauding. He has denied the charges, which are unrelated to his controversial hiking of the price of a drug more than 5,000 percent in 2015 while leading another company, Turing Pharmaceuticals. Shkreli founded Retrophin in 2011, shortly after witnesses have said his hedge fund MSMB Capital effectively imploded by making a disastrous short-sale trade of stock in another drug company. Witnesses have also said that when they tried to withdraw their investments in Shkreli's hedge funds after he said they were closing operations, he put them off for up to a year or more. And, they testified, instead of giving them just cash, as requested, he gave them stock in Retrophin in addition to cash and had them sign settlement agreements promising not to sue Shkreli or Retrophin. Prosecutors claim that Shkreli also created sham consulting agreements with some investors, who ended up being paid by Retrophin, to cover the money that he had lost in his hedge funds. Bank records indicate that money investors had sent to Shkreli's MSMB hedge funds sometimes was sent directly into Retrophin accounts, without their knowledge. Aselage testified Thursday that while he was serving on Retrophin's board there were no discussions about settlement agreements that Shkreli had signed with MSMB fund investors, nor did the board ever approve such deals. watch now He also said the board never approved consulting agreements used to pay MSMB investors in Retrophin stock. Aselage testified that Shkreli contacted him "out of the blue" in 2012 and said he wanted Aselage to join his new company, Retrophin. In a later call, Aselage said, Shkreli talked about his vision for "a great, new pharmaceutical company" and claimed that he was a "very successful investment manager." However, prosecutors have claimed, Shkreli had already failed at running one hedge fund, Elea Capital, and had lost much if not all of the investor money he was handling at the MSMB funds. Aselage said he agreed to join Retrophin as CEO. During his tenure in that post, he testified, he found Shkreli to be "bright" and capable of "knocking down walls." But Aselage also came to feel Shkreli was really the one in charge of the company, while using Aselage as the face of the firm. Aselage said that shortly after starting his job he found out the Retrophin did not have funding for operations, contrary to what Shkreli had told him. At one point, Aselage said, Retrophin was "running on fumes." He also testified that there was a concern about commingling of finances between the MSMB funds and Retrophin, and that it sometimes wasn't clear which employees were working for which firm. Aselage later found out that Retrophin did not have insurance for its directors and officers to protect them personally if they were sued in connection with company activities. "It's America," Aselage said. "In America, you can sue everybody ... it can wipe out someone's life savings." Aselage said the lack of insurance, and the questions about who was actually in charge of Retrophin, left him in an "untenable position." He testified that he wanted to resign as both CEO and a member of the company's board of directors. But Shkreli and another Retrophin official convinced him to remain on the board. On Wednesday, the former chairman of the board of Retrophin, Steven Richardson, testified about the events that led the board to fire Shkreli in 2014 and to re-install Aselage as CEO. Richardson said that instead of curbing stock trading by Retrophin employees in what was an effective hedge fund within the company, Shkreli set up a commission-incentive structure for those workers, and then lied about it to Richardson. Richardson also testified that Shkreli had himself been trading in Retrophin stock during periods when he was barred from doing so, and also was giving some new employees company shares without keeping track of the amounts. That latter practice risked diluting the value of shares held by existing Retrophin investors. On Tuesday, Richardson testified that Shkreli had made him uncomfortable by musing about having sex with a male worker at his hedge fund's office, or with a male waiter. Richardson, who is gay and who was an investor in Shkreli's fund, said he believed Shkreli was saying such things because he believed Richardson wanted to hear them. WATCH: Co-worker says Shkreli 'mentally unstable' Schools across the country are ditching the traditional parent-teacher conference for academic workshops, where its the parents who are learning the skills their children need to master. The new conference style, called Academic Parent Teacher Teams , or APTT, is the brainchild of former teacher Maria Paredes, who began testing it out in classrooms in Phoenix, Ariz. in 2009. About 600 schools in 22 states have embraced the new model, according to Paredes, who now works for the nonprofit research and consulting group WestEd . (The model was being used by 250 schools in 16 states when this Education Week article was published in September of 2015.) The revamped version of the parent-teacher conference swaps private meetings for three 75-minute group meetings and one 35-minute individual meeting over the course of a school year. Teachers inform parents about the skills students need in order to master their particular grade, like subtraction or reading comprehension, and parents learn how their child is doing on those skills compared with other students. The data is supposed to provide parents with a benchmark they should help their children to reach by the end of the school year. But Paredes advises teachers to make it clear to parents that children naturally fall into different proficiency levels. Whats important, she said in an interview, is that parents are helping their kids master the skills they need. When families come back to the next meeting, we want them to be amazed with the growth their child has been able to make with their support, by showing them the graph with a pre and a post-assessment score, she said. Academic Parent Teacher Team meetings generally follow a basic framework. Teachers model some learning games and activities that parents can do with their children at home. Cathy Kane at Starlight Cove Elementary in Palm Beach County, Fla. teaches parents in this video how to play a card game that reinforces the meanings of Greek and Latin roots. Shes betting this will improve student test scores. Parents should also come away from the conference with a goal for their child to meet by the next conference. At the APTT meeting at Stanton Elementary School in the District of Columbia, teachers set a 60-day goal for fourth graders to read 105 words correctly from a grade-level book in one minute. They helped parents devise a realistic reading plan based on their childs reading fluency. You can watch a video with highlights from the meeting here . In subsequent meetings, teachers generally give a rundown of student progress, and parents share strategies they used to support their childs learning at home. A WestEd study found that students whose parents attended this type of instructional meeting made stronger gains in word-fluency skills than students whose parents did not attend. A recent Washington Post article focused on the use of Academic Parent Teacher Teams at Harriet Tubman Elementary in DC where most of the 542 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and where more than 60 percent of parents are not native English speakers. (This Education Week blog post by Sarah Tully explains how the APTT model, by relating student progress using graphs and data, can be particularly helpful to parents who are still learning English.) The Post did find that standardized test scores have not increased substantially at Tubman over the four years the APTT model has been in effect. In fact, fewer than 20 percent of students met math or reading standards on last years PARCC tests. But Principal Amanda Delebar says students are making progress in these areas, and whats more, parents are showing up for the conferences. Participation exceeds 90 percent. Parents left the last meeting of the school year equipped with a writing journal and flashcards with sight words to keep their kids on track over the summer. Tubman kindergarten teacher Sarah Zick stressed the importance of bringing classroom habits into the home. "[Students] really fly when they are getting it from both placeswhen they are reading every day at school and they are reading at home, and it clicks and comes together, she told the Post. Two down, one to go. The brand-new Republican bill to replace Obamacare ran into a huge, old problem right away Thursday when two GOP senators who had problems with the original version said they would vote against the new plan. The solid opposition by Rand Paul of Kentucky and the qualified opposition by Maine's Susan Collins means that if just one other Republican senator declares a "no" vote on the revised bill, it will likely be dead in the water. Paul said he will vote against the new bill. Collins said she will vote against putting the bill on track to passage "unless I learn something new." And at least five other GOP senators reportedly indicated Thursday they are undecided on whether to vote for a motion that would allow the bill to head for a final vote by the Senate. Tweet The Republicans hold 52 of the Senate's 100 seats. To pass the bill, the GOP needs at least 50 yes votes from senators, with the understanding that Vice President Mike Pence, a Republican, would cast a tie-breaking vote. Every one of the 48 Democratic senators and two independents are expected to vote against the bill. Opposition by Collins and other moderate Republicans and from conservatives such as Paul caused GOP leaders to rewrite their bill after realizing the original version had no chance of passing. "At this point, unless I learn something new, I am a 'no' on [the] motion to proceed," Collins said, according to NBC News. During a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area last month, I talked to a number of technology leaders about how the Trump era would affect Silicon Valley. Few were enthusiastic about the new president, and several believed his presidency would be bad for the country and the world. But whatever their personal feelings about the Trump presidency, none saw it as an existential threat to Silicon Valley and its entrepreneurial culture. "From a policy perspective, Trump is not having a drastic effect on Silicon Valley," said Parker Thompson, a partner at AngelList. "Meaningful companies tend to be making bets on longer-term trends in technology," he argued, and Trump administration policies were unlikely to derail them. "The most significant impact is not regulatory; it's disillusionment," said Hunter Walk, a partner at Homebrew. "I think there's a lot of people who are just kind of bummed out." Investors were worried about Trump's immigration policies. Immigrants have played a significant role in Silicon Valley's success, and worried that Trump's restrictionist policies could reduce the size of Silicon Valley's talent pool. Still, Silicon Valley investors tend to be an optimistic bunch and that's especially true when it comes to the future of their own industry. And so while none of the technology investors I talked to were excited about the Trump presidency, all were confident that their industry would muddle through. "Silicon Valley is going to do fine," said Mike Maples, a self-described supporter of free markets and a partner at Floodgate. "I sit here and I think oh, my gosh, there could be some things that, like, put a pebble in front of us while we're running up the score." Trump's immigration policies could hurt Silicon Valley Immigrants have always played a big role in Silicon Valley, with Intel, eBay, Google, Tesla, Yahoo, and many other companies having immigrant co-founders. So unsurprisingly, Donald Trump's agenda of restricting immigration wasn't popular among the investors I talked to. "There's just a whole bunch more fear, uncertainty, and doubt" about immigration issues, said Phin Barnes of First Round Capital. Among companies his firm has invested in, Barnes said, "we've had people afraid to leave their companies" due to immigration issues. More from Vox: Remember health care? The Senate is voting next week The president calls Trump Jr. a "high-quality person" for releasing his emails Let Fox News explain the bright side of Don Jr.'s devastating emails Many skilled immigrants come to the United States under a temporary visa, get a job at a technology company, and then apply for a green card while they're working. Changing jobs or leaving to start a new company can reset a pending application. The erratic decision-making of the Trump administration makes it even riskier for these applicants to change jobs. Still, the investors I talked to emphasized that this was an issue far beyond Silicon Valley. "Over the long term, the administration's posture and policies are going to have a negative effect on the broad economy," Thompson told me. "That's going to affect Silicon Valley maybe more than most places, but that's going to affect all high-skilled industries in a meaningful way over the long term." And ultimately, the long term is what matters here. Many of Silicon Valley's famous immigrant founders including Yahoo's Jerry Yang, Google's Sergey Brin, and eBay's Pierre Omidyar came to the United States as children and started their companies many years later. So Silicon Valley depends as much on America's large stock of foreign-born workers as it does on a steady flow of new immigrants. So if we get four years of immigration restrictions under Trump, followed by a return to the more liberal policies of earlier administrations, Silicon Valley's status as the world's technology capital is unlikely to be imperiled. On the other hand, if Trump's election marks a permanent shift toward more restrictive immigration policies, the implications for Silicon Valley could be more dire. Great companies can thrive in spite of bad policies "Companies should be built to be resilient to changes in government," said Jay Zaveri, a partner at Social Capital. "If they aren't, then they're going to be in trouble. I do worry about the fact that we have such a polarized environment and people can't get along. But other than that, I'm not worried." This was a theme I heard over and over again in my conversations with investors: If Trump's election put a tech startup's future in doubt, that company probably didn't have a very bright future in the first place. "The next few years are going to come and go," Thompson told me. "Many of the companies that are starting today are still not going to be household names when Trump either wins a second term or is out of office." "That's why you don't see startups in Washington lobbying for regulation," he added. "It just doesn't make as much sense as making bets that are going to work in a big way independent of these things." And Floodgate's Maples went further, arguing that Silicon Valley's obsession with Trump was misplaced. The more important issue, he said, was deeper problems with the US economy that led many middle-class voters to support Trump in the first place. "The lifeblood of this country, the middle class and upper middle class, is getting hosed," he told me. Since the late 1990s, he said, workers were increasingly "getting treated not as people who had lifetime career in this company, but they're like cells in a spreadsheet. They're disposable." "That bothers me a lot more than what will Trump's policies do to Silicon Valley," Maples said. "We in Silicon Valley underestimate how freaking lucky we are." "There is a feeling among employers that they can hire, that they're building towards a future, that there is less regulation and now is the time to bring people in," Roth said on " Squawk Box ." Dan Roth, LinkedIn editor-in-chief, told CNBC on Thursday hiring has spiked since President Donald Trump took office. Still, May and June were the hottest two months for hiring by U.S. employers since the summer of 2015, the LinkedIn Workforce Report said. U.S. hiring rose 12.1 percent in June from a year earlier, but fell 9.4 percent from May, LinkedIn reported Thursday. The report said the industries that experienced the biggest year-over-year increase in hiring were oil and energy, manufacturing and industrial, and aerospace, automotive, and transportation. LinkedIn's data comes from its 138 million user profiles in the U.S., 20,000 company profiles and 3 million monthly job postings. Retail workers are also still in demand in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City, Austin, Texas, and Denver, which have a "high scarcity of workers" with retail operations and management skills, the report said. "Cities that are doing well need retail workers," Roth said. People are also fleeing cities that once had strong working populations. The San Fransico Bay Area has noticed a decline in the number of workers while Seattle, Portland, Denver, Austin and Charlotte have witnessed an increase. The report attributed the flight to the cost of living. The report came nearly a week after the Labor Department reported a surge in new jobs in June. The annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, gathers CEOs across media and technology, plus big-name investors, making it a natural destination for dealmaking. The conversations that happen behind closed doors here have birthed the biggest media deals of the past quarter century, including Comcast's acquisition of CNBC's parent NBC Universal, Verizon's purchase of AOL, and the ill-fated combination of AOL and Time Warner. CEOs attending this year told CNBC they expect a new wave of media consolidation, with AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner shedding a spotlight on distribution companies' need for content to differentiate their services. Plus there's pressure from streaming companies and cord cutting on traditional business models, raising questions of whether content companies -- or cable channels -- will need to consolidate for economies of scale and better negotiating leverage. Plus, the Trump administration's lighter regulatory touch could enable more deals to go through. CBS CEO Les Moonves says he didn't know of any deal-making talks going on at Sun Valley, and is not on the lookout for any deals himself. "We're really happy, we've been saying for a while, with the hand we have right now," said Moonves in an exclusive interview on CNBC. Moonves shot down the rumor that CBS was interested in buying Lionsgate, but said if CNN were to come up for sale, he'd definitely look at it: "CNN is a very worthy news organization... it's something that could enhance CBS. But I don't think that's on the table right now. If it came up later on, it would be something we would look at." "We at Disney bought Capital Cities ABC here. I think we were the first big one," said former Disney CEO Michael Eisner of Sun Valley's reputation as a destination for deal-making. "What do I think about deregulation? Good and bad. It's good that it opens up a lot of activity and a lot of consolidation. And it's bad when it's too consolidated." Discovery CEO David Zaslav said that while he "feels pretty good about how we are right now in terms of size," he pointed to the consolidation he's seeing across the US and Europe between distributors and content companies: "There's a consolidation to be offering cable, broadband and phone. And more and more they're looking like a pipe, and they need more and more content to differentiate and de-commoditize that pipe, so there's a lot of discussions going onto." "In contemplating strategy toward Russia in the Trump administration, I would recommend they read Tyutchev's poetry and understand Putin has an ax to grind. Revenge is something he does well." And now to humiliation theory. Bettina Muenster and David Lotto in their work on humiliation describe it as "associated with retaliatory behavior, even at additional cost to the retaliator. When humiliated, individuals and groups seem to have a particular appetite for revenge. The self, it is feared, will never be the same unless injustice is addressed." This describes Putin's motivations and actions 17 years after taking the reins of Russia. The U.S. did not show him, nor Russia, the respect he believed his great country deserved. Putin brought strength and confidence back to Russia a decade of decline and criticism took its toll, and he alone was going to make Russia a country that generated awe rather than contempt and mockery. Putin's overtures to Trump are not to be trusted; Putin doesn't respect Trump, and the West should be wary of cozying up to someone seeking revenge. A bit of history is required here to round out the picture of why any rapprochement with Russia should warrant suspicion and extreme caution. Putin has a long list of wrongs he wants to right, and he sees an opportunity to do so with Trump at the helm. Do not be fooled Putin harbors long-lasting and negative emotions towards the west. It is best to view Putin's moves through the lens of payback and retaliation. (Putin is a nationalist, and his world view is anti-western.) After the breakdown and dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia entered a period of dislocation and disruption. The last years of the union were about pillage from within, or as Steven Solnick described it, "stealing the state." The dirt cheap selloff of state-run enterprises led to the rise of the Russian oligarch that illustrated one slice of Russia's very dysfunctional economy of the 1990s. Its economy was battered and there was little in the way of hope in the aftermath of 1991. Yeltsin was not the leader to revive an ailing Russia. Russians viewed him as a drunk and an idiot. Russia's superpower status evaporated, and the country was on its knees. To better understand the dramatic shift that transpired consider this: There were regions of Russia threatening to break away from the federation, and oil production collapsed from 12 million barrels per day of production in the 1980s to just over six million barrels per day in 1998. The price of a barrel averaged $16 during Yeltsin's term and to make the bad even worse, the default of domestic debt and the collapse of the ruble in August 1998 wiped out whatever savings people had in banks and under mattresses. And then Putin came along. He made it his charge to fix the problems of the past, to make the oligarchs work for him rather than vice versa, and to restore order and prestige to a bloody and battered image. It was Putin who ushered in the turnaround, an almost overnight rebranding of Russia from one of failure to one of strength. Putin's timing was superb. By 2000, Putin was firmly and comfortably entrenched in the White House and a new era for Russia was in the making. Shortly after Putin took office, oil prices started to climb, and with that, Russian oil production. A few years into Putin's first term and the country was back up again producing almost 10 million barrels per day, and the narrative of decline turned into a miraculous transformation. Russians were proud again, and happy to display new, and at times ostentatious displays of wealth and glory. Fast forward to 2001 and Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call George. W. Bush on September 11. Putin's message to the United States: "We, more than anyone, understand the feelings of the American people. In the name of Russia, I want to say to the American people -- we are with you." And we remember Bush himself thought he had looked into Putin's soul and found a man he could trust. What is important to remember about 2001 is that the signals Putin was putting out suggested a desire to get closer to the West to cooperate with the U.S. in fighting terrorism, engage more directly with NATO and be viewed as a partner. By 2004, the narrative had once again shifted, and a 2004 cover from the Economist sharply summed it up, "The Challenger: Putin against democracy, the West, and all-comers." It's been downhill since. Putin's interpretation: The U.S. rebuffed Russia. Russia saw the U.S./West as planting the seeds of dissent through the funding and establishment of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and meddling in the elections of its neighbors. Putin did not view the protests in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan as being indigenous and organic but rather coerced and co-opted by western NGOs and the CIA. Russia viewed these revolutions as being orchestrated by the West and as an affront to its sphere of influence. The United States was trampling on Russia's near abroad. One State Department official in 2006 suggested considering how the United States would respond if Russia started to fund and populate Mexico with nongovernmental organizations. In 2008, Russia went into Georgia, and in 2014 annexed Crimea and invaded Ukraine. They didn't pay much of a price and believed then as they do now, that their might makes them right. Russia is succeeding in countering attempts to weaken the state. Sanctions have now been in place for more than two years and Russia manages to get by and, Putin would argue thrive. Oil production reached over 11 million barrels per day in 2016 and the first half of 2017, almost surpassing the all-time high of 11.7 set in 1987. Putin is not offering to show his hand, and he continues to seek any strategic advantage where he can find it. His brand of authoritarian nationalism is different from Trump's brand of America first nationalism. Putin has a free hand in what he does and how far he can go, whereas Trump's limitations lie in the democratic institutions that safeguard the United States against despotism and authoritarian overreach. In contemplating strategy toward Russia in the Trump administration, I would recommend they read Tyutchev's poetry and understand Putin has an ax to grind. Revenge is something he does well. Commentary by Carolyn Kissane, academic director of the graduate program in global affairs at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU School of Professional Studies. She is also a clinical associate professor, teaching graduate-level courses examining the geopolitics of energy, comparative energy politics, energy, environment and resource security. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. ProPublica confirmed the man's phone number matched his stated identity. Technical details in the emails, such as IP addresses and names of intermediate mail servers, also show the emails came from Kasowitz's firm. In one email, Kasowitz gave the man a cell phone number that is not widely available. We confirmed Kasowitz uses that number. In another email, Kasowitz wrote: "Call me. Don't be afraid, you piece of s--t. Stand up. If you don't call, you're just afraid." And later: "I already know where you live, I'm on you. You might as well call me. You will see me. I promise. Bro." Kasowitz replied with series of angry messages sent between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern time. One read: "I'm on you now. You are f---ing with me now Let's see who you are Watch your back , bitch." The man, a retired public relations professional in the western United States who asked not to be identified, read ProPublica's story this week on Kasowitz and sent the lawyer an email with the subject line: "Resign Now.'' The exchange began after the man saw our story featured last night on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC. We reported that Kasowitz is not seeking a security clearance even though the Russia case involves a significant amount of classified material. Experts said Kasowitz could have trouble getting a security clearance because of what multiple sources described as a recent history of alcohol abuse. Former employees also said Kasowitz had engaged in behavior that made them uncomfortable. Since the story was published, his spokesman issued a statement disputing several parts of the story: "Marc Kasowitz has not struggled with alcoholism," Sitrick wrote. "He has not come into the office intoxicated, attorneys have not had to go across the street to the restaurant during the workday to consult Kasowitz on work matters." The rigorous background investigation that goes into getting security clearance also considers "any information relevant to strength of character, honesty, discretion, sound judgment, [and] reliability." The exchange of emails Wednesday began at 9:28 p.m. Eastern when the man sent the following message to Kasowitz's firm account. Marc, You don't know me. I don't know you. But, I believe it is in your interest and the long-term interest of your firm for you to resign from your position advising the President re. pending federal legal matters. No good can come from this and, in fact, your name may be turn out to be a disparaging historical footnote to the presidency of DJT. Five minutes later, Kasowitz responded with two words: F*ck you. Sent from my iPhone Marc E. Kasowitz Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP Fifteen minutes after that, Kasowitz sent a second email: And you don't know me, but I will know you How dare you send me an email like that I'm on you now. You are f---ing with me now Let's see who you are Watch your back , bitch The man responded politely: Thank you for your kind reply. I may be in touch as appropriate. But Kasowitz continued to harangue him: (Blacked out) call me. (Blacked out) if you want a conversation. I will have it with you. You are such a piece of s--t. Call me. Don't be afraid, you piece of s--t. Stand up. If you don't call, you're just afraid. Call me. And then, just 33 minutes after the man's initial email, Kasowitz sent a fourth response, referring to his own Jewish heritage and the man's name, which he presumed to be Jewish. I'm Jewish. I presume you are too. Stop being afraid. Call me. Or give me your number and I will call you. I already know where you live, I'm on you. You might as well call me. You will see me. I promise. Bro. The man told us that the email exchange disturbed him so greatly he forwarded it to the FBI so there would be a written record in case Kasowitz followed through on the threat. Experts in the laws on harassment and online threats differed on whether Kasowitz's emails could put him in legal jeopardy. When considering whether words constitute a true threat versus protected speech, "the threat has to be credible and the person has to intend to make the victim fear imminent physical harm,'' said Danielle Citron, a University of Maryland law professor and author of a book on online harassment. Citron pointed in particular to Kasowitz's statements: "I already know where you live" and "you will see me. I promise." She said: "That's incredibly troubling language. If I'm a prosecutor I'm going to think hard about that." Ron Kuby, a New York lawyer who argued a case that overturned a portion of the state's harassment law on free speech grounds, said he believed Kasowitz had not violated the law with his missives. "When Kasowitz says things like, 'I already know where you live,' he is inching closer to the line. But in my view as someone who despises the Trump administration, but who has litigated these issues he is well on the legal side of the line." For over 15 years, Trump has periodically retained Kasowitz, who has cultivated a tough-guy image. The New York Times reported this week that the relationship between Kasowitz and the Trump White House had soured and that Kasowitz could resign. Kasowitz's spokesman told ProPublica Wednesday: "The NYT story is not accurate." Kasowitz's firm was also sued for malpractice this week by a former client in a billing dispute. Update, July 13, 2017: A spokesman for Marc Kasowitz sent ProPublica this statement: "Mr. Kasowitz, who is tied up with client matters, said he intends to apologize to the writer of the email referenced in today's ProPublica story. While no excuse, the email came at the end of a very long day that at 10 p.m. was not yet over. 'The person sending that email is entitled to his opinion and I should not have responded in that inappropriate manner,' Mr. Kasowitz said. 'I intend to send him an email stating just that. This is one of those times where one wishes he could reverse the clock, but of course I can't.'" Read the full ProPublica story here. President Donald Trump had plenty of praise for Xi Jinping on Thursday, hours after jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in a state hospital. In a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump called Xi a friend and a great leader he respects. "He's a very talented man. I think he's a very good man. He loves China, I can tell you. He loves China. He wants to do what's right for China," Trump said in Paris. He also said France and the U.S. are "forever joined together by the spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom." But Trump's positive comments are at odds with renewed criticism of the Chinese government after the death of Liu, who had been a leading figure in the push for democracy and human rights in China. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement that Liu had been a "courageous fighter for civil rights and freedom of expression." Earlier Thursday, Chinese authorities said Liu died at the age of 61 from multiple organ failure. He had not been allowed to leave China to treat his late-stage liver cancer, as he had repeatedly asked to do. Artist and fellow dissident Ai Weiwei told Reuters on Thursday that with Liu's death, "China showed how brutal its society can be." Russia has nothing to do with the ongoing political scandals in the United States, the chief of one of the biggest Russian lenders told CNBC Thursday. The White House is once again embroiled in new controversy after Donald Trump Jr, the oldest son of the president, met a Russia lawyer who allegedly possessed damaging information on Hillary Clinton, his dad's opponent during the presidential campaign. This comes after security agencies blamed Russia for interfering in the last presidential race. However, Andrey Kostin, CEO of VTB Bank, told CNBC that he doesn't think Russia played a big role in the U.S. 2016 election and instead it's minding its own business. "I think you in America should, first of all, decide who is your president, what's his family doing, what's the Congress role, what the secret services are doing," he said. Once it was clear how big the ride-hailing industry could become both in how much capital was needed, and how much money it could make Yandex decided it needed to separate its ride-hailing business from its core search business, according to Tigran Khudaverdyan, CEO of the new combined company, and Greg Abovsky, Yandex's chief financial officer. The two companies announced an agreement on Thursday to combine their ride-hailing services into a joint entity in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan. The combined company, controlled by Russia-based Yandex, will be valued at $3.725 billion, with both Uber and Yandex investing hundreds of millions of dollars. Ousted Uber officials Travis Kalanick and Emil Michael were involved in making a mega-deal with the "Google of Russia" on ride-hailing, executives told CNBC. The deal will relieve pressure from Yandex shareholders, who were concerned about squeezed margins, big losses and heavy investments in the ride-hailing business, Khudaverdyan and Abovsky said. Four members from Yandex will be on the board, with three seats for Uber. The executives of the Russian company said that while Uber has a deep bench of talented people, and the deal team changed over time, both Kalanick and Michael were involved. Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kalanick and Michael both recently left operational roles at Uber amid a series of scandals, including a human resources overhaul, sexual harassment allegations, and a trade secret dispute. Kalanick still serves on the board of directors and owns a stake in Uber. But Yandex was positively surprised by Uber, Khudaverdyan and Abovsky said. Growth opportunities for the new company include integration with Yandex's ecosystem and Uber's food delivery program. The new company could even go public one day, Khudaverdyan and Abovsky said. Still, while the deal eases competition for both Uber and Yandex short term, the joint venture could eventually expand to new markets, Khudaverdyan and Abovsky said, putting Yandex and Uber in competition once again. In 1971 high school student Juliane Koepcke fell two miles into the Peruvian rain forest when her airliner broke up in a thunderstorm. Miraculously, she survived the fall, but her ordeal was just beginning. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Juliane's arduous trek through the jungle in search of civilization and help. We'll also consider whether goats are unlucky and puzzle over the shape of doorknobs. Show notes Please support us on Patreon! watch now The United States is challenging Australia and Qatar as the world's largest exporter of natural gas , according to a new report by the International Energy Agency. Global gas demand is expected to grow by 1.6 percent a year for the next five years, with consumption on track to hit almost 4,000 billion cubic meters by 2022. China is projected to account for almost 40 percent of growth. "The U.S. shale revolution shows no sign of running out of steam and its effects are now amplified by a second revolution of rising LNG supplies," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement Thursday. The Asia Vision LNG carrier ship at the Cheniere Energy terminal in this aerial photograph taken over Sabine Pass, Texas, Feb. 24, 2016 Lindsey Janies | Bloomberg | Getty Images "Also, the rising number of LNG consuming countries, from 15 in 2005 to 39 this year, shows that LNG attracts many new customers, especially in the emerging world," Birol added. The U.S. is already the world's largest producer of natural gas. The IEA estimated that by 2022 the country's production will be 890 bcm, more than a fifth of global gas output. The IEA said the United States will challenge Qatar and Australia as the highest exporter by 2022 with more than half of the natural gas produced to be converted to liquefied natural gas for export. In a bid to increase export demand, three major LNG terminals under construction on the Texan coast will double the number of U.S. ports currently in use. Industry driving demand President Donald Trump defended his son in a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. Controversy has engulfed the White House after revelations that Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer who offered dirt on then-candidate Hillary Clinton last year. "I think from a practical standpoint most people would have taken that meeting. It's called opposition research," Trump said. Taking so-called opposition research from people outside a political campaign is common. However, it is rare to do so under the pretext that the information involves a foreign government. Emails released by the younger Trump show he was offered information that could "incriminate" Clinton as part of Russia and its government's "support" for the Trump campaign before taking the meeting. On Wednesday, his nominee to lead the FBI, Christopher Wray, said that campaigns that receive an offer of information from a foreign government should notify the FBI. Both the elder and younger Trump have denied that the president knew about the meeting and said he only heard about it recently. Trump Jr. says he got nothing out of it and decided to leave when he found out that the lawyer really wanted to talk about an American policy aimed at punishing Russian human rights abusers. It's a habit he's had since a young age: He recently found his 1972 diary with a handwritten to-do list from Nov. 6 and posted it on his blog . "I live my life by writing [them]," he says . The list reads: 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 Of course, "the crucial part of a to-do list is in the name you need to actually DO the things on your list," says Branson in another post. Branson did learn to fly (via hot air balloon). He also founded and opened more Virgin Records shops (No. 8 on the list), 13 in total. In fact, the year after writing this list, Branson and his co-founders launched the Virgin Records label from The Manor, the Oxford, U.K. house he used as a recording studio (also mentioned on the list). An album it released, Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells," (whose title song was the theme music to the movie "The Exorcist") made Virgin its first $1 million. Branson sold the label for $1 billion to EMI in 1992, in part to fund Virgin airlines, according to Reuters. Over his career, Branson has built hundreds of other far-ranging businesses under his brand too, from Virgin Cola, to financial services company Virgin Money, to movie theaters with Virgin Cinemas. According to the company's website, he's founded eight billion-dollar companies in eight different sectors. "It's fun taking a walk down memory lane, and seeing how far we've come and what we've achieved," writes Branson, who now has an estimated $5 billion net worth. "Take a look at one of your old diaries. Have you achieved a lofty goal that you wrote down?" Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook. Don't miss: Billionaire Richard Branson: I've never felt like I've 'made it' When French telecom billionaire Xavier Niel launched his new start-up incubator last month, President Emmanuel Macron attended the opening ceremonies in Paris and delivered a rousing speech to the 2,000 attendees. Macron's participation was a measure of Niel's clout and also proof that his ambition to make France a leader in technology innovation coincides with the 39-year-old Macron's vision for his country. "Transform our country; shake it up; change it!" the new French president urged an adoring crowd. watch now Source: Tech.eu There are already dozens of incubators and accelerators in France, including the well-known 104 Factory and Le Hub BPI France. The point of putting hundreds of start-ups in close proximity is to generate an ecosystem that will trigger interactions and hopefully winners, says Varza. "Most start-ups solve their problems by consulting another start-up. With the sheer quantity of start-ups on campus, we should have a lot to help entrepreneurs." Developing a start-up ecosystem Station F will attempt to meet all the needs of entrepreneurs. It will provide space to investors, 3-D printers and a 24-hour restaurant (open to the public). Twenty-seven companies, including Microsoft , Facebook , Amazon Web Services, Zendesk and French online retailer Vente-Privee will operate their own accelerator programs for companies they select. Niel's strong commitment to diversity is also evident in the range of entrepreneurs recruited for Station F. He has set up a Fighters Program that will help aspiring entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds get their companies off the ground. Benoit Bergeron, a French serial entrepreneur and investor, says Station F will play a dual role. "It's an extraordinary boost, not just for France's external image, it also gives French entrepreneurs more confidence." Station F is benefiting from a real cultural change, says Varza. "Everyone (in France) wants to be an entrepreneur." The incubator may also benefit from political uncertainties elsewhere, like Brexit, with the possibility that U.K.-based start-ups will be cut off from Europe. Varza says entrepreneurs from 50 countries applied for the program; predictably, the United States was first, but Great Britain was second. "Many of the U.K. applicants mentioned Brexit." The vaulted 360,000-sq.-ft space, in a former train depot renamed Station F, will be the largest incubator in the world, housing 1,000 start-ups and 3,000 work spaces for entrepreneurs, consultants and investors. Source: Patrick Tourneboeuf | Station F President Donald Trump, under fire at home over Russian connections and abroad over climate change and trade, arrived in Paris today, seeking common ground with France's new leader Emmanuel Macron. (Reuters) Despite the turmoil, Trump told Reuters the White House is "functioning beautifully," and he's done more in five months than "practically any president in history." * Trump on Putin: 'We get along very, very well' (CBN) * Trump: 'I will be very angry' if Senate doesn't pass health bill (CBN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to unveil a revised health-care bill today, looking to gain support from wary conservatives and more moderate members of the GOP. (NBC News) The names, addresses and phone numbers of six million Verizon (VZ) customers were publicly exposed online by an employee of Nice Systems, one of the company's vendors. (USA Today) Uber said it's formed a partnership with Russia's Yandex. The two companies will combine their businesses in Russia and several other Eastern European countries. Yandex shares that trade in the U.S. were up about 20 percent in premarket trading. (NY Times) Amazon (AMZN) is reportedly working on the next version of the Echo, which aims to take away some of the hype from Apple's (AAPL) new HomePod. The new Echo is expected to be shorter and slimmer than the original. (Engadget) J&F Investimentos has agreed to sell a controlling stake in Alpargatas, the maker of Havaianas flip-flops, to the investment firms of Brazil's most prominent banking families for $1.1 billion. (Reuters) A pioneering cancer drug from Novartis (NVS) won the unanimous backing of an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration, paving the way for the first gene therapy to be approved in the U.S. (Reuters) Visa (V) has a new offer for small merchants: take thousands of dollars from the card giant to upgrade their payment technology. In return, the businesses must stop accepting cash. (WSJ) Traditionally buttoned-up Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs (GS) has relaxed the dress code for its computer engineers in a bid to attract tech talent with a more casual environment. (Reuters) Stacks Bowers Galleries offered several major collections as official auctioneer of the June Whitman Coin and Collectibles Expo in Baltimore. Part II of the Blue Moon Collection, featuring a broad range of collector-friendly coins that had been off the market for a generation, joined the collection of Robert Warner Wolfe and a group of Hard Times tokens from the collection of company co-founder Q. David Bowers. The June 22 to 25 Whitman Expo is the smallest of the three Whitman shows held at the Baltimore Convention Center, as many collectors and dealers wait for the big American Numismatic Association Worlds Fair of Money (this year in Denver) to make big purchases. Here's one of three coins that we are highlighting from the Stacks Bowers Galleries offering: The Lot: 1861 Indian Head gold $3 piece, MS-65 The Price: $25,850 The Story: Most of the roughly 650 coins from the collection of Texas businessman D. Brent Pogue, offered in five auctions by Stacks Bowers and Sothebys starting in May 2015, that were sold to collectors and have not returned to the marketplace. The Pogue sales topped $106.6 million. We examine an unusual example of machine doubling: Another column in the July 24 Coin World examines a VAM marriage that deserves better. The third Pogue auction on Feb. 9, 2016, included an exceptional collection of Indian Head gold $3 pieces that realized more than $2.6 million. Among these was an 1861 gold $3 coin graded Mint State 65 by Professional Coin Grading Service that sold for $28,200. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter It is from a low mintage of just 5,959 pieces, of which it is certainly one of the very finest known. In Baltimore it sold for a bit less than its Pogue III price, trading hands at $25,850 on June 23. The catalog observed, An abundance of luster is present along with traces of warm olive iridescence, and some tiny ticks on Libertys chin and neck, and some others in her tresses. For bidders who missed a chance to add a Pogue coin to their collection, the June Baltimore auction presented a rare opportunity. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Business / Companies by Staff reporter DEPOSITORS Protection Corporation (DPC) chief executive officer, John Chikura, has said the worsening economic crisis facing the country was hindering the performance of most banks, but warned that most of them were facing total collapse, as they were engaging in corrupt activities.Chikura made the remarks at a breakfast meeting with various bank executives in Mutare yesterday.The meeting was meant to update stakeholders on the functions of the deposit protection scheme."Yes, the economy is not performing and, naturally, the banks would struggle, but the bad corporate practices will make the situation even worse. It is what we do that contributes to the failure of banks,'' he said."Corruption, corruption is killing us in the sector. Two weeks ago it came out that there is an issue of a piece of land that was sold to an organisation for $3,5 million and the board does not know where the land is."Chikura was referring to the mystery over the National Social Security Authority's (NSSA) missing 529 hectares of land acquired using pensioners' funds in Chegutu 14 years ago.This came as NSSA board chairman, Robin Vela confirmed on Monday that they bought the "missing land" from businessman Philip Chiyangwa."Last Friday, we heard of about a $500 000 loan facility that was given to senior government officials. They only borrow and they don't pay back. Let's promise, as a sector, that we are not going to engage in corruption."My wish is to see strong banks that are surviving. Banks are like human beings, something should be done for them to survive."Bad governance does affect our sector. It's a big challenge facing our banking sector. We need to justify why we are straightforward in a country where corruption is rampant." Ben Roback is a Senior Account Executive at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme. Another week, another self-imposed controversy that is sending the White House into a state of implosion. A Donald Trump was the root cause of the latest controversy, but not the one youre thinking of. The presidents son, Donald Trump Jr, opened up potentially the most damaging and implicating episode in this short presidencys long association with Russia. The brief description of the saga is simple: the Trump presidential campaign remains under investigation by Senate committees and a special prosecutor for potential collusion with the Russian government to help defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. This week, Trump Jr publicly admitted meeting with a Russian government attorney who claimed to have compromising information on Clinton at the height of the campaign in June 2016. Email conversations in which the meeting was agreed to were entitled Russia Clinton Private and confidential. Refresh your memory. Collusion: noun; secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy in order to deceive others. Callum Borchers analysis in the Washington Post of why Trump Jrs admission matters so much is a must-read. In short, it is because Trump Jr took the meeting with the expectation of receiving information to the benefit of his fathers political campaign and the detriment of his opponent. That no such information changed hands may be viewed as pivotal by Special Counsel Bob Mueller, whose legal team working on the Russia investigation grows almost by the day. He will certainly be concerned by the list of attendees at the meeting Trump Jr was joined by Paul Manafort (then Trump campaign chairman) and Jared Kushner (now senior adviser to the President). The next step for Muellers team will be to send out retain all documents orders, creating a legal duty not to destroy anything related to the issue under investigation. By tradition, a prosecutor will not bring charges against a sitting president. Instead, the prosecutor customarily submits his findings and recommendations for whether charges are justified to Congress and Congress takes it from there. For that reason, any talk of impeachment prior to a Democratic majority after the 2018 mid-term elections remains premature. This latest saga undermines almost everything the White House and its spokespeople has said about interactions with Russians during the campaign. In January Vice President Mike Pence was asked if anybody in the Trump campaign had any contact with the Russians who were trying to meddle in the election. His answer: Of course not. Who are we to believe? The timing was unfortunate for Trump, who was consistently delivering his America First message on another trip abroad. The President delivered keynote speeches that at least outlined policy goals with a broad brush. A Gallup poll published after the trip noted a two-point rise in Trumps approval ratings (though they remain at an historically low 39 per cent). The response to this from all things Trump political and family will be continuing their tirade against fake news. Regrettably for those concerned, there is nothing fake about reporting what is proven on the record and eminently newsworthy. Americans care about jobs, wages and defeating ISIS, they will argue. That is correct. But legal experts and the investigative press now have the bit between their teeth more than ever before, so the public interest and need for reporting on Russian connections is unquestionable. What does it all mean for the UK? From a political and policy standpoint, very little. At the G20 Trump made better than expected soundings about a US-UK FTA, promising a very big, very powerful trade deal. That will have emboldened Liam Fox and those in the UK Government who advocate full exit from the single market and customs union, allowing us to strike deals with third countries. The optics give less grounds for optimism. London and Washington are determined to plan a state visit in 2018 that will almost certainly bring protestors to the streets, reflecting Trumps unpopularity. Since the end of the Obama presidency and beginning of Trumps, views of the United States have fallen 11 per cent in the UK. Having initiated our exit from the EU, the UKs influence on the world stage will become more and more aligned with Americas. That has contagious effects when the President is struggling at home and unpopular abroad. In terms of both policy and personality, Theresa May will be increasingly pressed on her proximity to President Trump. They are both leaders with serious problems of their own making. Column yards have been written about Theresa Mays first year in office miles more will no doubt be composed in the coming years. We all know the overview: she secured a dominant victory in the leadership race, laid out a socially radical platform, clarified Brexit and in so doing reunited her party after the referendum, called a snap election with a huge poll lead, fumbled the campaign, and lost her majority. How the story will end is whats really interesting. Is there any route for her to recover her reputation, and in so doing restore her leadership? I cant think of any Prime Minister who has managed to radically change the publics view of them once it has become settled. Or, rather, I cant think of anyone who has managed to change their reputation for the better, at least Tony Blair managed to wreck his by invading Iraq, and even that took some years to really take a toll (he still won in 2005). Some, very rare, politicians have suffered disastrous harm to their public standing, only to return to greatness later on. Winston Churchill springs to mind he was so personally identified with the failure in Gallipoli that he chose to serve on the Western Front rather than continue in ministerial office. He recovered, eventually, from pariah status to become a national hero. But his disaster, while serious, took place when he was in a lower office than that of Prime Minister, and it took even him more than 20 years to perform the feat of recovery. So its hard to see how May could possibly end up serving more than the few more years that she asks for in todays Sun. That could perhaps be of benefit, given the task in hand. One concern about the implementation of Brexit was that the Prime Minister of the day might be too frightened to do it properly. It isnt hard to imagine a George Osborne-type figure, always with one eye on the next election, fudging it in order to try to shore up one aspect of the vote or another, or to finesse their lines for future campaigns. If May is in the job for the duration of Brexit and not beyond, she could yet make a virtue of that immunity from future electoral concerns. Do the job, do it properly, soak up the flack in the national interest and leave earlier than once dreamed of, but with a historic achievement on her record nonetheless. She never intended to be a one-term Prime Minister. The voters chose that for her. She now has a choice to make about how to play the hand she has been dealt; if she embraces her fate wholeheartedly, for the good of the country, she still has a chance to influence how history will remember her. Illinois-based i3 Broadband, a neighbourhood provider of fibre optic Internet services, announced it is to commence network construction in multiple neighbourhoods as it continues its multi-year, multi-million dollar investment to extend the fibre network throughout Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. i3 Broadband is deploying FTTH infrastructure to deliver its gigabit broadband, video and voice services. The company noted that to support its latest fibre network expansion it plans to hire local technicians and other staff later in the year. i3 Broadband is the new local commercial partner that is working with the UC2B not-for-profit board to extend fibre connectivity to homes and businesses. The current network expansion will extend the initial UC2B fibre backbone build-out carried out in 2010-13 that was supported by $26 million in federal and state grants and in-kind contributions from the cities of Champaign and Urbana and the University of Illinois. i3 Broadband is continuing its partnership with UC2B to plan neighbourhood build-outs and to support a community benefit fund that will help address technology adoption barriers for disadvantaged community groups in the area. In November 2016, CountryWide Broadband (CWB) announced that iTV-3, a company wholly-owned by CWB and Seaport Capital of New York, had acquired the assets of ITV-3, which provided FTTP-based services to communities in and around Peoria, Illinois. Following the transaction iTV-3 was to operate as i3 Broadband. The companies noted that CWB had continued the expansion of iTV-3 prior to completing the acquisition, having worked with ITV-3 to extend its network into 10 new neighbourhoods in the Peoria market. At the time iTV-3/i3 stated it planned to continue the expansion of the system, both in terms of customers and through the construction of new fibre infrastructure in the greater Peoria area. CWB, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a broadband acquisition and management firm headed by a management team with broad expertise in the fibre, cable and telephone industries. The company has a strategy of acquiring, consolidating and expanding broadband properties in markets throughout the U.S. News / National by Staff reporter THE Government has made an application for a $153 million loan facility from China EximBank for the upgrade of Harare International Airport.Harare International Airport, with a passenger capacity of 2,5 million per year was last upgraded in 2001.Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo who is currently in Malaysia on Government business told our correspondernt that all the requirements by the Chinese financial institution had been met."We are looking at securing $153 million for the Harare International Airport upgrade from China EximBank. All the applications have since been made and what we are only waiting for is the response from the Chinese bank."This loan will be an extension of the Victoria Falls Airport upgrade which the Chinese funded. Therefore, all the requirements as tendered by China EximBank have been met," said Dr Gumbo."The loan documents were done and some executives of China EximBank have already visited the country to assess the project," he said.Harare International Airport is set to join the ranks of Joshua Nkomo International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport that have been upgraded in the past five years. News / National by Stephen Jakes Teachers in Buhera South are reportedly displaying posters of the incumbent house of assembly Member Joseph Chinotimba in classes after they were instructed to do so by a Zanu PF aligned teachers union.Zimbabwe Peace Project reported that in Buhera South at Muzokomba Primary School some teachers are allegedly sticking posters of MP Joseph Chinotimba in their classrooms."A teacher, Rodwell Chitengu, said teachers are following an instruction they were given at a Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ) workshop held in May at Muzokomba High School. The workshop is said to have been conducted courtesy of MP Chinotimba. Another teacher who also has the MP's poster in his classroom said he was doing this out of fear and safeguarding his life considering the upcoming 2018 polls," said ZPP.The ZPP said parents and guardians of pupils have expressed disapproval of the move by MP Chinotimba. News / National by Staff reporter MDC president Professor Welshman Ncube has conceded that the planned coalition by opposition parties lacks a policy strategy to transform the country's economy as it has only concerned itself with dislodging Zanu-PF from power.Speaking in an interview on BBC's HardTalk on Tuesday, Prof Ncube said the parties had no hope of winning without presenting a united front.He said opposition parties deserve the criticism which is being levelled against them to the effect that they do not have a clearly spelt out strategy to deal with the economy."We have of course as an opposition come to be criticised a great deal by academics, intellectuals, by social commentators etc and I've said much of the criticism is merited. But what is important is that we realise that the challenges that we face are immense, that the national crisis is deep, that the country will only sink deeper into this quagmire if we do not deliver change in 2018," said Prof Ncube.He said the coalition negotiations were a step in the right direction."That we are talking to each other, that we are going to develop a strategy, that we are going to do everything, that we can motivate and re-motivate people, that we reach out to young people to come out and vote in 2018- all of those things are the critical ingredients that will deliver victory in 2018," he said.Prof Ncube acknowledged that the opposition parties' coalition negotiations were moving at a slow pace yet time was running out.The MDC leader could not be drawn into saying who would lead the proposed alliance, but was seemingly backing MDC-T president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai for the position."We must recognise that from the previous elections he (Tsvangirai) has secured the highest number of votes," said Prof Ncube.After being reminded that Mr Tsvangirai's support has dwindled since 2008 as illustrated by President Mugabe's 2013 election victory with over 60 percent of the vote as well as the latest Afrobarometer's survey which stated that the President will win if an election was held tomorrow, Prof Ncube then clarified that he was not endorsing Mr Tsvangirai's presidential candidacy."We don't know who it will be, we need to agree on who it will be. What I was underlying is the importance of using an objective criteria in coming to the determination of who that candidate should be. What is important too is that when we agree on that particular candidate we must all go and unconditionally rally behind that candidate if we are to have a fighting chance," said Prof Ncube.The coalition is already being shaken by Dr Nkosana Moyo who is set to launch his political party, the Alliance for People's Agenda (APA), which will contest in next year's elections.Dr Moyo has described the coalition as tantamount to rigging elections saying the electorate should be given a chance to choose their preferred leaders. News / National by Stephen Jakes Zimbabwe Peace Project has reported that 28 Zanu-PF youths defaced NCA posters in Senga high density suburb on 14 June."As part of their campaign on behalf of Takudzwa Guzete vying for MP, NCA youths were sticking posters around Senga high density suburb when Zanu PF youths led by Michael ordered the NCA youths to leave Senga," said ZPP."The frightened youths abandoned their duty to stick posters and left when the Zanu PF youths became aggressive. Police officers that were in the vicinity did not stop the Zanu PF youths despite the fact that defacing posters is unlawful and can attractsanctions details in section 152 of the Electoral Act."ZPP said Guzete said that there are MDC-T youths that have also been accused of defacing NCA posters and a police report will be made once one of them is identified."Zanu PF youths, led by Emanuel Kure, allegedly disrupted an MDC-T meeting held at Bernard Nyoni's home in ward 16 Machakata village, Gokwe Mapfungautsi on 20 June. The Zanu PF youths went to Nyoni's home and attacked MDC-T supporters with stones before fleeing after realising that they were outnumbered by opposition party supporters. However, the Zanu PF youths vowed to return in large numbers and are targeting the next MDC-T meeting slated for the 4 July at the same venue," said ZPP. Components & Peripherals News HP, Dell Make Gains As Lenovo Sinks In Ugly Q2 U.S. PC Market Battle Matt Brown Share this HP Inc. held its ground as the top PC vendor in the U.S. market during the second quarter, beating Lenovo and Dell and notching gains that outpaced competitors even as the market took a nearly 6 percent stateside nosedive and reached its lowest level worldwide in a decade, according to research firm Gartner. HP's U.S. PC shipments rose 6.5 percent year-over-year while Dell finished in the No. 2 spot for the quarter with an increase of about 2 percent, according to Gartner. The Gartner data also shows HP Inc. outpacing premium PC maker Apple, which saw U.S. shipments fall nearly 10 percent year-over-year in the second quarter. [Related: 4 Key Points For Partners In Dell EMC's VDI Product Blitz] The U.S. market accounts for about 20 percent of the PC market overall, and HP and Dell were the only two PC vendors to gain U.S. market share during the quarter. Together, the two top vendors control nearly 60 percent of the U.S. market, HP with a 30.5 percent share and Dell with 27.7 percent. Lenovo finished No. 3 in the U.S. PC market battle with shipments that tumbled more than 16 percent and a 13.2 percent share. Michael Pearson, president of DSA Techologies, an Elk Grove, Calif.-based solution provider that works with all of the major PC vendors, said HP is hitting the right notes in a PC market that struggles to adapt to longer customer buying cycles and the rise of strong alternatives to traditional PCs, like Chromebooks and convertible tablets. "They have products that people like," Pearson said of HP, "and on the business side, the split of HP and HPE may have gotten them to focus on the business. They've got their head on straight and they're doing well." Dell has managed to keep pace with strong customer loyalty, Pearson said. "We rarely have Dell end-client people looking to move to some other product," he said. "They've done a good job with having a solid product mix. It's rare that anyone tells me they're looking at HP or Lenovo if they're already a Dell shop." Still, Pearson sees a day when the traditional PC is simply a thing of the past. Customers are already stretching their machines well beyond the customary two- or three-year mark and are shopping for machines that provide better bang for their buck, he said. "Clients are looking to get the biggest bang for their buck, and a convertible product that lets you have the laptop and the tablet in one, we see a lot of interest in those," Pearson said. "A non-touchscreen, plain laptop is just going to go away. We're seeing more of these products that can do all of these other things, and it's going to more and more important." HP's U.S. shipments for the quarter ended June 30 were 4.27 million, up from 4 million a year prior, according to Gartner. Dell's U.S. shipments for the period were 3.87 million, up from 3.8 million a year earlier, Gartner said. Lenovo shipped 1.84 million PCs in the U.S. during the quarter, down from 2.20 in the year-ago period, according to Gartner. Apple's U.S. shipments were 1.64 million for the quarter, down from 1.82 million in the same period a year ago, Gartner said. HP also registered the biggest gains in the worldwide PC market during the second quarter, shipping 12.69 million units and knocking Lenovo off its perch atop the global market. HP's total represented 3.3 percent year-over-year growth and gave the vendor 20.8 percent global market share. Dell was the only other major PC vendor to notch global growth in the second quarter, shipping 9.55 million units, a 1.4 percent year-over-year increase, and finishing the quarter with 15.6 percent market share. Lenovo's fall from the global top spot in PC shipments was the result of an 8.4 percent decline in shipments to 12.18 million units. The Chinese manufacturer finished the quarter with 19.9 percent global market share. Apple's global shipment total was essentially flat year-over-year, at 4.23 million units. Overall, top vendors shipped 61.1 million PCs globally in the second quarter. That's down from 63.87 units in the same period a year ago, and represents the lowest quarterly volume since 2007, according to Gartner. Shipments have fallen for 11 consecutive quarters, Gartner said. In the U.S., top vendors shipped a total of 14 million units, down from 14.85 million units in the same period a year ago, Gartner said. Gartner said recent shipment declines are partially the result of higher PC prices driven by the ongoing shortage of memory, SSDs and LCD panels. Both HP and Dell Technologies said recently that they had increased PC prices in response to the component shortages, and both companies said they expect those shortages to persist for the remainder of the year. Components & Peripherals News AMD Threadripper Lineup Aims To Put The Heat On Intel Core X With Ultra-Competitive Prices Lindsey O'Donnell Share this AMD said Thursday that its new Threadripper Ryzen platform has an ultra-competitive price tag, almost $1,000 less than the price of Intel's next-generation Core X chip. "With Ryzen Threadripper processors representing the ultimate in desktop performance, the Ryzen 3 CPU will get even more people into the Ryzen family at an affordable price point," said Jim Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of computing an graphics at Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD, in a statement. Its amazing to see the rate at which we are building innovative and competitive new products through strong execution." AMD's Threadripper CPUs, first introduced in May, are designed for gaming enthusiasts and content creation on PCs. The CPU lineup includes Threadripper 1950X, a 16-core, 32-thread model that runs at 3.4GHz and can boost to 4GHz, and the 1920X, a 12-core, 24-thread model with a base speed of 3.5GHz and a maximum boosted speed of 4GHz. [Related: Partners: Intel's New Core X Platform Means 'The Race Is On' With AMD For Gamers, Enthusiasts] The two models of the new CPU lineup start at $999 for the 16-core version and $799 for the 12-core version. The top Intel Core X processor, the Core i9 Extreme Edition 9-7980XE, has up to 18 cores and 36 threads and starts at $1,999. It is targeted at advanced gaming, virtual reality and content creation. Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., did not respond to a request for comment before publication. "AMD Threadripper is a new game-changer to follow up on Ryzen 7," said Randy Copeland, president and CEO of system builder Velocity Micro, Richmond, Va. "Intel is not standing still either, but Threadripper is a very impressive new level of performance that AMD has achieved, particularly when you consider the price point compared to anything else on the market or the radar screen. The hype has proven to be absolutely true, and we are looking forward to launching and demonstrating some very important new models at [the] Siggraph 2017 [computer graphics conference] that hardcore performance enthusiasts, graphic artists, VR developers, scientists and creative professionals will love." AMD said it will begin shipping its Threadripper CPUs and motherboards in early August. Both Intel and AMD have good reason to battle for share for the enthusiast market. According to Intel, gamers and enthusiast customers represent a market that could grow up to 20 percent annually, despite an overall sluggish PC market. Kent Tibbils, vice president of marketing at ASI, a Fremont, Calif.-based Intel system builder, said that the channel is still waiting to see how well Threadripper performs and what type of supply will be available across the ecosystem. But competition between AMD and Intel ultimately will help system builders focused on the enthusiast space. "It's good to have AMD and Intel aggressively competing in the processor space again, as that drives improvements in technology that benefit everyone. But, most importantly, change in technology really benefits channel VARs who can adapt quickly, educate consumers and release products faster to market," he said. "Ultimately, these changes or advances in technology create opportunity for the channel to leverage their overall value capabilities and differentiate themselves. ... At the end of the day, this is a good thing for the channel." Networking News On Net Neutrality 'Day of Action,' Carriers Stand By Their Opposition To Regulating Broadband Providers As Utilities Gina Narcisi Share this The nation's largest telecom providers, who have in the past opposed net neutrality regulations, weighed in on Wednesday's high-profile "Net Neutrality Day of Action" in support of an open internet while rejecting the FCC's reclassification of internet service providers. More than 80,000 tech giants, websites, and activists took to the internet to take part in the online protest against the Federal Communications Commission's plans to reverse the Title II classification of internet service providers as telecommunications carriers. The telecom heavyweights also voiced their support for the idea of an open internet, including Dallas-based AT&T. AT&T acknowledged that its support for Net Neutrality's Day of Action could be seen as an "anomaly," but the carrier said in a blog post that it has long embraced the idea that "an open internet is critical for ensuring freedom of expression and a free flow of ideas and commerce in the United States and around the world." However, the carrier wants to get rid of the current Title II regulations. In their place, AT&T wants Congress to "pass a law to ensure consumers are always protected and all internet companies compete on a level playing field under a single set of rules." [Related: What A Trump Presidency Could Mean For Net Neutrality, Cybersecurity And Telecom Consolidation] Tech companies in favor of net neutrality who want to keep the current FCC rules in place include Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Twitter. The principle of net neutrality came under fire in May when the FCC, led by Republican Ajit Pai, announced its move to repeal the Title II regulations. The FCC's Open Internet Order, which contained reclassification of internet service providers as telecom carriers under Title II of the Communications Act, was passed in 2015 by a 3-2 vote under the leadership of Tom Wheeler, the former FCC chairman appointed by President Barack Obama. The FCC's Open Internet Order states that broadband providers should not interfere with consumers or companies that are using connectivity to access apps, websites and web services, even if those services compete with the broadband providers directly. The regulations also reclassified broadband internet providers as "Title II common carriers," deeming their services a public utility, and allowing them to be regulated as such. Channel partners told CRN in November following the election of President Donald Trump that the new administration could impact existing policies and "relax" net neutrality regulations. The majority of the telecom providers have stated that while in favor of an open internet, they are not behind the Title II designation. Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon, for one, said that while it "respects and applauds" the companies and people taking part in the Day of Action, the answer doesn't lie in imposing utility regulations on internet providers. Will Johnson, senior vice president of federal regulatory and legal affairs for Verizon also said in a statement that the carrier supports the open internet. "The open internet is good for consumers and critical for our business," he said. Cable giant Comcast published similar sentiments as Verizon on Wednesday. The Philadelphia-based company said that although it supports the Day of Action and an open internet, that the reclassification of service providers isn't the same as internet fairness. "Our business practices ensure full protections for our customers and the public, and will continue to do so no matter which direction the FCC ultimately decides to go with its Open Internet regulations that ISPs like Comcast will block or throttle lawful content are simply untrue. You can have strong and enforceable open Internet protections without relying on rigid, innovation-killing utility regulation," said David Cohen, Comcast's senior executive vice president and chief diversity officer. The FCC, under Chairman Pai, now says that rolling back the so-called net neutrality rules will boost investment in broadband and new technology once regulation is removed. However, telecom providers have since said that the regulations haven't blocked their investment plans. Comcast in 2016 said that its fears around reclassification were based on "what [the regulations] could have meant, more than what it actually meant. Cable giant Charter also told its investors last year that the regulations "hasn't hurt us." CenturyLink in a public policy blog post on Wednesday cheered the FCC for "appropriately reconsidering" the Title II reclassification order. "An excessive regulatory regime, like Title II designed for monopoly telephone companies, not broadband providers hampers our progress," the Monroe, La.-based carrier said. "Expanding infrastructure and innovating to bring the benefits of broadband access to all Americans should be our focus, not the changing winds of Washington, D.C., and regulation." Networking News Mist Systems Announces First-Ever MSP Channel Program As Startup Touts Channel Momentum Gina Narcisi Share this Building on its tremendous partner recruitment effort, networking startup Mist Systems is rolling out a brand-new channel program targeting managed service providers selling cloud-based wireless solutions. Mist said it currently has 80 solution provider partners today spanning several countries and is looking to double that number over the next year. It will do that by looking beyond traditional resellers, Jeff Aaron, the provider's vice president of marketing told CRN. "We are mostly focused on the MSPs -- the folks that are managing WiFi and Bluetooth-based location services on their own clouds, not just [partners] reselling access points," Aaron said. [Related: Mist CEO Fires Back At Aruba Claims, Talks Cisco Relationship And Network Virtualization Disruption] Mist Systems combines cloud-based wireless and artificial intelligence to create intelligent networks and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), location-based solutions for enterprise customers. The provider is currently experiencing success in the hospitality, healthcare, and retail verticals. The new partner program will give MSPs access to a wireless-as-a-service offering with a service-level agreement (SLA) that they can sell to their business customers, Aaron said. Using BLE, MSPs can also add services on top of the wireless offering, such as proximity-based messaging or turn-by-turn directions. "We have the platform. The next step is to have partners that can bring wireless-as-a-service to the next level," Aaron said. The program lets MSPs sell Mist technology while white-labeling the solution, which includes a user interface and wireless access points, with their own brand name, Aaron said. MSPs will also have access to the Mist Master online certification program that trains partners on how to design, deploy, and operate a Mist solution. To augment its growing partner program, the Cupertino, Calif.-based startup on Thursday also announced two new distribution partnerships. Mist is now working with WAV, Inc. to expand its channel presence in the U.S., and Net One Partners in Japan. Both distributors are helping Mist onboard and train new MSPs. Aurora, Ill.-based Wav, Inc. is a wireless-focused distributor with networking and wireless LTE solutions in its portfolio from vendors such as Huawai, Brocade, and Ruckus Wireless. The addition of Mist services to its portfolio will give MSPs a one-stop shop for a wireless, IoT, and BLE solution that they won't have to cobble together, said Zach Hubeck, vice president of sales and marketing at WAV, Inc. "Partners have to a la carte a solution with Wi-Fi, BLE and IoT devices together with several different players," Hubeck said. "With Mist, the differentiator for us is now we have all three of those components built within the solution." WAV has about 1,000 solution provider and MSP partners today who will now have access to Mist's solutions. Cloud-based management of Wi-Fi and IoT is becoming a popular offering not just for the MSP community, but for the traditional VARs who are looking to evolve their businesses, Hubeck said. "Once partners get their hooks into Mist and see what the solution is all about, adoption should be quick," he added. To up its channel efforts, Mist hired Mike Anderson as vice president of channel sales in January. Anderson, previously a channel executive at Barracuda Networks, signed both WAV and Net One Partners. Anderson is credited with putting the new MSP partner program in place for Mist. Security News Symantec Reportedly Puts $1B Web Certificate Business Up For Sale Sarah Kuranda Share this Symantec is said to be eyeing another massive change to its portfolio, with a report Tuesday that the company could be looking to sell its website certificate business for more than $1 billion. The Reuters report, citing unnamed sources, said the Mountain View, Calif.-based company has talked with a few possible suitors, including both corporations and private equity. That being said, the report said talks are early stages and it is not clear if a deal will ultimately happen. The sale would essentially undo Symantec's $1.28 billion acquisition in 2010 of Verisign. The report said the Verisign business currently accounts for about $400 million of Symantec's revenue. The company reported $3.6 billion in total revenue in 2016. [Related: Symantec To Boost Mobile Security Capabilities With Plan To Acquire Skycure] Symantec declined to comment in an email to CRN. The report of a sale comes after turbulent months for Symantec's certificate business. In particular, Google accused Symantec earlier this year of a "series of failures" to "properly validate certificates," which caused "significant risk for Google Chrome users" as the certificates verify if websites can be trusted. Symantec is making big moves around its security portfolio, too. In the past two weeks, the company has announced the planned acquisitions of threat isolation company Fireglass and mobile security company Skycure. Both acquisitions will build on Symantec's strategy to grow its Integrated Cyber Defense Platform strategy as it looks to provide a full, integrated platform of cybersecurity offerings to partners. Clark said in the fall that Symantec would be looking to build out its security portfolio through acquisition, following on the heels of two blockbuster acquisitions by Symantec last year. Symantec acquired Blue Coat Systems last summer for $4.65 billion and LifeLock last fall for $2.3 billion. Clark said Symantec would be building a security story around the four pillars of information, users, the web and messaging security, using both R&D and acquisitions. Jeremy Samide, CEO of Cleveland, Ohio-based Stealthcare, said his company resells the full suite of Symantec products, including the website certificate offerings. However, he said he doesn't expect the sale would have a "significant impact" on his business, as it focuses on selling the company's endpoint, cloud, email, enterprise and DLP products. Samide said selling the website certificate business could be a "smart move" for Symantec, giving it more capital to funnel into other areas of its portfolio. "The certificate business has become commoditized, and we are excited to see Symantec focus more on their R&D on their endpoint products, the cloud, and other enterprise products in the technology stack," Samide said. "Offloading the certificate business is a strategic move that allows Symantec to focus on and develop leading edge technologies that Stealthcare will continue to take to the market and its diverse client base." Security News Kaspersky CEO Reassures Partners, Denies Ties To Russian Government In Letter To Channel Sarah Kuranda Share this Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky sought to reassure the company's channel in a letter to partners Thursday, in which he denied allegations of inappropriate ties to the Russian government. In the letter, Kaspersky said the one constant in the "attacks" against the company is that "facts are continuously misinterpreted or manipulated to fit the agenda of certain individuals separately wanting there to be inappropriate ties between my company and the Russian government." "I want to reassure you, our valued partner there is no evidence because no such inappropriate ties exist. While Kaspersky Lab regularly works with governments and law enforcement agencies around the world to fight cybercrime, the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts," Kaspersky said. [Related: Kaspersky Removed From GSA Schedule, Limiting Federal Sales For Its Security Software] The letter comes after months of pushback against the security vendor over alleged ties to the Russian government, ties the security vendor has vehemently denied. Kaspersky Lab has global headquarters in Moscow and has North American headquarters in Woburn, Mass. This week, the U.S. government removed Kaspersky Lab from the GSA Schedule, an approved list of technology vendors for government departments. While it wont prevent the government from buying Kaspersky Lab software entirely, it will likely vastly limit the companys sales to the U.S. government. A Bloomberg report this week also alleged that Kaspersky Lab had been working with the Russian intelligence agency FSB, citing internal emails it had obtained. In the letter to partners, the CEO said the company has "been committed to trust and transparency" throughout its history. He said the company has offered to resolve the issues by meeting with government officials, testifying before Congress, and providing source code for audit. "The company has a history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices and trustworthy development of technologies. These principles will never change, regardless of current geopolitical tensions or inaccurate media representations. We have never let nor will we ever allow false allegations stop us from fulfilling our primary mission of protecting people and businesses around the world from cyberthreats," Kaspersky said. Kaspersky said his team is available to answer any questions or concerns partners or customers may have. He also thanked partners for sticking with the company through the turmoil, saying the company recently has closed some of the biggest deals in the region. "During these challenging times, I want to personally thank you, our valued partners. With your support, Kaspersky Lab continues to excel in North America," he said. Richard Delaney, CTO and principal solutions architect at Mahwah, N.J.-based Delaney Computer Services, said Kaspersky Lab clearly has a "target on its back" as it is caught up in political rhetoric between the U.S. government and Russia. "The landscape of cybersecurity has become the next battleground," Delaney said. "Its happening all day long. Our firewalls are hit by China and Russia. It's really become the new warfare. It's costing small business and companies like us untold thousands to keep up with protecting ourselves." The challenge for partners, he said, is that customers need to be able to trust their technology vendors. The lack of clarity on who is telling the truth in this situation puts partners in a tough spot, he said, as they look to help clients choose trusted technologies. "Dealing with a vendor is 100 percent about trust. If you have no trust, you have nothing. [Customers] basically have to trust us because they don't understand the technology themselves," Delaney said. "Someone has to separate the rhetoric from the fact." Below is the full text of the email, sent with the subject line, "A Message from Eugene Kaspersky" [links and emphasis in the original]: July 13, 2017 Hello Kaspersky Lab Partners, Over the past few months, my company has faced ongoing accusations and false allegations made public by U.S. government officials and select media sources. Throughout these attacks, there remains a constant facts are continuously misinterpreted or manipulated to fit the agenda of certain individuals desperately wanting there to be inappropriate ties between my company and the Russian government. I want to reassure you, our valued partner - there is no evidence because no such inappropriate ties exist. While Kaspersky Lab regularly works with governments and law enforcement agencies around the world to fight cybercrime, the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts. For 20 years, Kaspersky Lab has been committed to trust and transparency, as our partners know firsthand. The company has a history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices and trustworthy development of technologies. These principles will never change, regardless of current geopolitical tensions or inaccurate media representations. We have never let nor will we ever allow false allegations stop us from fulfilling our primary mission of protecting people and businesses around the world from cyberthreats. Ive repeatedly offered to meet with government officials, testify before the U.S. Congress and provide the companys source code for an official audit to help address any questions the U.S. government has about the company. We are ready and available to assist all concerned government organizations with any investigations, and I believe a deeper examination of Kaspersky Lab will confirm that these allegations are unfounded. Despite these challenging times, I want to personally thank you, our valued partners. With your support, Kaspersky Lab continues to excel in North America. In fact, during the past few months, weve closed some of the biggest deals weve ever had in the region! Please know my team and I are available to answer any questions or concerns that you may have stemming from these false, unfounded accusations and misrepresentations. Thank you for allowing Kaspersky Lab, the best cybersecurity software on the market, to protect what matters most to your customers. Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab The Word From Microsoft Inspire Big changes are afoot at software giant Microsoft, with major implications for channel partners of all types. As Microsoft continues its shift to focusing on enablement of digital transformation, the company is making moves including a major reorganization shake-up of its salesforce and a further de-emphasis on the business models of the past. Spearheading the changes within Microsoft is Ron Huddleston, corporate vice president of the One Commercial Partner organization, which is the umbrella group for working with all of Microsoft's various partners. During Microsoft Inspire 2017 this week in Washington, D.C., which Huddleston kicked off on stage in front of thousands of partners, he sat down with CRN to discuss some of the ins and outs of the latest moves by the company. What follows is an excerpt of our interview with Huddleston. News / National by Stephen Jakes The ruling Zanu PF party members in Muzarabani area recently reportedly warned the MDC-T supporters to stop wearing their party regalia in the area and stop attending their party meetings.Zimbabwe Peace Project reported that in Muzarabani South at St Albert's growth point, ward 10 it is alleged that recently Zanu PF district security advisor, Ezrome Marange, told Pedzisai Hove to desist from wearing MDC-T regalia and attending opposition meetings if he does not want to be evicted from his home."Marange made these threats after he saw Hove clad in MDC-T regalia after shopping at St Albert growth point. It is alleged that an NPP activist, Herbert Chikuni, was harassed by Zanu PF youths in Mazowe Central, Mapfumo village ward 10 on 9 June," said ZPP."Chikuni summoned NPP youths to a meeting in the ward then ruling party youths led by Brian Jonga violently disrupted the meeting. Jonga and the Zanu PF supporters arrived armed with knobkerries and chanting party slogans. NPP youths fled and left Chikuni who was scolded for supporting the opposition, labeled a traitor and detained for a few hours." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Greenwich-based private equity firm L Catterton this week announced its plans to invest in high-end fitness brand Equinox, which has a location in downtown Greenwich. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but were described as a significant minority investment in a media statement. Partnering with L Catterton, which has unparalleled expertise and institutional knowledge of the consumer space, is a resounding endorsement of the strong positioning and performance of our brand, Equinox executive chairman and managing partner Harvey Spevak said in the statement. Equinox has never been in greater demand. This investment will allow us to continue our rapid growth and achieve our long-term strategic initiatives to provide exceptional, high-performance lifestyle clubs across the U.S. and globally. On its website, L Catterton lists numerous portfolio companies in which it has invested since 1989, including brands such as Noodles & Co., Pure Barre and Sweaty Betty. In all, it has made more than 150 investments in consumer brands and allocates more than $14 billion in equity capital toward growing middle-market companies and emerging high-growth enterprises, according to its website. The fitness sector has experienced unprecedented growth as more consumers are prioritizing health and wellness, L Catterton Global Co-CEO Michael Chu said in the media statement. As an undisputed leader in the industry, Equinox has developed a brand that is truly distinctive to its clientele, offering unrivaled service and a unique experience, with the potential to expand globally. We look forward to working with Equinoxs outstanding management team to support the brands execution of their bold vision for global growth. Equinox markets itself as running nearly 90 fitness clubs in the U.S. and internationally. Those include Connecticut locations in Darien, Greenwich and one in the Southport section of Fairfield listed as opening soon on the Equinox website. Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Capital Preparatory Harbor Charter School wants to expand in size and locations, a move its host school district says cost it an extra $200,000 in busing and other expenses. A special meeting of the school board to mount their opposition to the plan has been called for 5:30 p.m. Monday in Room 305 of City Hall. Although the state Department of Education has given Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson until Aug. 4, 2017, to file a written reaction to the charter schools plan, the state Board of Education is meeting to act on the request on July 19 in Hartford. The state Board of Education must approve the schools new site as well as its request to amend its charter to add new grades. In a memo to the school board, Johnson said she is opposed to the additional expansion as well as the new building. Capital Prep opened grade 6 to 12 school downtown at 777 Main Street two years ago. This year, its charter calls for adding a kindergarten, first and third grades. It plans on renting the former St. Ambrose School at 461 Mill Hill Avenue, a building across town near Harding High School. The proposed second location most recently was rented out by the school district for the Bridgeport Military Academy. In its second location, Beganski told the state the school would have access to a gymnasium. Owned by the Diocese of Bridgeport, repairs are currently under way at the former St. Ambrose to get it ready for Capital Prep, Brian Wallace, a diocese spokesman said recently. Last week, Capital Prep Principal Richard C. Beganski Jr. emailed Desi Nesmith, chief turnaround officer for the state Department of Education, asking to amend the charter schools grade level enrollment expansion to cover grades kindergarten through five. Beganski told the state that his school had over 600 student applications and significant wait lists for each grade level. The district, meanwhile, anticipated spending $200,000 more to bus Capital Prep students in the 2017-18 school year to two locations plus provide required special education services. With six new grades instead of three, it now faces as much as $400,000 more according to a cost analysis conducted by the school district. Capital Prep is one of six charter schools in the city. Together, the district says it will cost more than $1.7 million to transport 2,966 students to their charter schools. Another $1.2 million will be spent on special education services for those students, officials said. According to the district analysis, Capital Prep Harbor would grow to have 472 students in the new school year, even though a state budget that would allow for the new seats has yet to be set by the State Legislature and governor. Funding for charter schools comes directly from the state and there is no 2017-18 state budget as of yet. The budget stalemate also has left the school district bracing for worse. Last year, the district cut millions of dollars in services including kindergarten aides and home school coordinators to accommodate a flat funded budget. A flat-funded budget this year will mean as much as $11 million in new cuts to services. News / National by Staff reporter FORMER deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara, has said he is not impressed by student activists who score poor marks.Launching his book - In Search of the Elusive Zimbabwean Dream: An Autobiography of Thought Leadership (Volume One) - co-published by Southern African Political Economic Series Trustin Mutare last Saturday, the former radical student activist said "dull" students must stay out of activism."We don't want young people who are radical but come last in class . . . make noise and excel in your studies. If you are not good with your academics, stay out of activism," Mutambara said.The garrulous robotics professor, largely credited for pioneering student activism, also described academic excellence without social responsibility as "hollow"."A combination of academic excellence and social responsibility is what our young people should also have. Don't be nerd. In life you will be a problem," he said.Mutambara, whose father died during his infancy before any of his three siblings was in school, also spoke highly of the extended family, as an institution that saved his family."The extended family is our own institution that we should continue to preserve. Without it, we would have been doomed," he said."My message in this book is also that do not worry if you are poor, if you are downtrodden, the sky is the limit," Mutambara said.He also challenged locals to document their family history and not let foreigners to be authorities of locals' history."Let us write our own history. We have to craft our own history so that we become the authorities on the history of Africa. I am trying to walk the talk. We must be masters of our own narratives," he said.He said it was embarrassing that Zimbabweans had a very limited written history about their culture and ways."If you go to China, they will tell you 5 000 years ago we did the following. We cannot even say 60 years ago we did this. Shame on us Africans!" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Close to 150 traveled to the toxic shores of Washington, D.C,. for the annual Connecticut in the Capitol confab. They heard, among others, the talking heads of cable news restate the obvious: Its all Russia all the time, with a dollop of GOP health care repeal and replace on top. Bipartisanship happens, but it is in the interstices, hidden from public view. Connecticuts senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, smiled nervously when one pundit (rhymes with punt it), Molly Ball of the Atlantic Monthly, suggested as minority Democrats they were irrelevant. But dont let the power equation fool you. Like them not, these guys have cards to play, and a straight flush is always a theoretical possibility. Blumenthal was prepping for his peppering of FBI director-nominee Christopher Wray on Wednesday. And Murphy was readying for several volleys aimed at sinking the Republican health care bill, which nevertheless remains afloat as it hobbles to dry dock. Murphy also liked what he saw in the latest report of fundraising for his 2018 re-election campaign, which seems like a slam dunk so far. Thats $2 million added to his war chest in the second quarter, with $5.1 million cash on hand total. Ive never seen anything like the passion on the ground in Connecticut right now, he said, as if to scare off the barely existent GOP opposition. But some attendees did manage to wade into issues other than President Donald Trumps Russian connection. Fran Rabinowitz, formerly the acting superintendent of Bridgeport public schools and now director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, said she had success cutting through the fog and addressing issues like Medicaid reductions and downsizing federal education spending. Bridgeport could lose close to $1 million dollars in Medicaid payments, which fund services for our special education students including speech, wheel chairs, OT and PT (and) mental health, she wrote in an email on her way back home. It was helpful to know that every member of our delegation shares our concerns and, in fact, were very knowledgeable of the impact. Russian reversal Way back in 1939, Winston Churchill said the Soviet Union (you know, Russia?) is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Watch for that quote to have a new lease on life in the hands of Blumenthal, who can hardly believe the 180-degree turn American politics has taken on Kremlinology in just 50 or 60 years. Churchill was right then, and hes right now, he said. It is mind-blowing that the Republicans should be the defenders of Russia, given the fear and antagonism toward Russia they held back in the Cold War, said Blumenthal, who at 71 remembers the darkest days of U.S.-U.S.S.R brinksmanship. The GOP cold warriors of days gone by John Foster Dulles, President Dwight Eisenhower, and even Trumps own lawyer, Roy Cohn are arguably rolling in their graves over the cozy connection to Russia today. Unless they pay a price, theyre going to attack us again, said Blumenthal, spoken like a new Cold Warrior. Hidden spending You would have to look way down deep in the National Defense Authorization Act to ferret out the $2.5 million proposed for Hoffman Engineering, of Stamford. Yet there it is in the news release after the Senate Armed Services Committee voted last month on the big annual defense spending bill now making its way through Congress: $2.5 million above the Trump administrations request for night-vision-testing equipment to verify the accuracy of critical night-vision goggles. Hoffman, with 60 employees, is a pioneer in the field of lighting cockpit dials and testing equipment for goggles that enable our military personnel to see at night without a lot of light flashes that give away their positions to the enemy. The company has been making the equipment since the 1990s and is the only producer of it outside the military, according company VP, Jim DeLancey. Design and assembly takes place right there in Stamford. Were among the smaller companies that support the larger ones,said DeLancey, who noted the company sells to neighboring helicopter giant Sikorsky. Its great to get recognized. dan@hearstdc.com; @danfreedman This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Former Mayor Bill Finch spends the workweek out of town and state as head of the New York State Thruway Authority. Finch, however, last weekend briefly reinserted himself into Bridgeport politics and policymaking to try, unsuccessfully as it turned out, to help save a major economic and climate change project he initiated while in office from a gubernatorial veto. I did speak to the governor, Finch said by phone Thursday, confirming sources reports that he joined local lawmakers in lobbying Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to sign a bill allowing the Bridgeport thermal loop to be financed and built. The thermal loop would capture wasted heat from sites in Bridgeport, like the trash-to-energy plant and a planned, electricity-generating fuel cell, and pump it through an underground pipe system to buildings downtown and in the South End as a heating alternative to natural gas. Such systems are common in Europe, but Bridgeports initiated under Finch and continued by the man who ousted him in a bitter 2015 Democratic primary, Mayor Joe Ganim would have been a novel project on this side of the Atlantic. It was touted as good for the citys economy and tax base, and for for combating global warming. Mayors come and go, but the planets still here, said Finch, who, during eight years as mayor, made Bridgeport a leader in sustainability and green industry. The city was partnered on the thermal loop deal with NuPower LLC. NuPower had sought and failed to obtain state regulators approval to build a fuel cell and sell its energy to United Illuminating, helping to finance the thermal loop. So the company, city and legislators from in and around Bridgeport recently got a bill passed to allow that to happen. Malloy vetoed it Wednesday, arguing while the projects goals were commendable, it circumvented proper utility oversight and would ultimately be a financial burden on UI customers. Finch said Malloy had not decided what to do when they spoke by phone last weekend. The ex-mayor, who has known NuPower executive Dan Donovan since Finch was in the state Senate, said Donovan had reached out for help to save the bill from a veto. He said the energy experts the governor relies on arent crazy about this, Finch said. So I said, OK. Let me call the governor. Finch acknowledged energy issues can be complex and the goals of a city sometimes clash with statewide needs and policies. While Finch had good reasons to intervene on Bridgeports behalf, he had no good reason to try and help Ganim. The current mayor has gradually embraced Finchs green legacy without acknowledging it as Finchs. I dont have any comment on the current (Ganim) administration, but I do know this is a good project, Finch said. And, Finch said, it is more important than ever for municipalities and states to lead on combating global warming since the federal government, under Republican President Donald Trump, has recklessly abandoned the commitment.. Finch hoped that Bridgeport, Malloy and state utility regulators could still find a way to get the Bridgeport thermal loop built. As for his day job with the New York Thruway Authority, there was some recent speculation that Finch, hired just over a year ago, might be shuffled into a more environment-centric role under Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Finch Thursday gave no indication that a position change is in his future as he spoke about some of the things he is doing, including work on the massive Tappan Zee Bridge replacement. He also wants to make New Yorks two-dozen-plus highway service areas more environmentally friendly. If I can make a thruway more sustainable, Finch said, thats like making the enemy your ally. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Washington, historically, has had some fairly odd car crashes. Bees, fish, syrup weve seen a lot. But nothing like Oregons slime eels. On Thursday, the slippery creatures created quite a mess for the Oregon State Police after a truck carrying a batch of slime eels was overturned near milepost 131 on U.S. 101, on the Oregon Coast due west of Salem. ALSO SEE: Man trapped in ATM slips notes to customers begging for help Known scientifically as hagfish and even more colloquially as snot snakes, the fish are not exactly the stunners of the sea. But they play an important role in the oceans ecosystem by burrowing into the carcasses of dead and dying sea creatures and eating them, thus keeping the oceans clean. The snot snakes were being shipped to Korea for consumption, according to police. Hagfish are, apparently, prized as a delicacy, even considered an aphrodisiac (probably by blocking out what they look like and focusing on what they taste like). Their hides are also used to create wallets. ALSO SEE: California bank robbery suspect found inside couch at home All in all, theyre pretty valuable little buggers, which is why theres been a fairly robust industry of capturing them off the Oregon coast (since 1988) and shipping them to Korea. The biggest problem is that, when captured, they secrete the microfibrous slime for which theyre known, which can expand into up to more than five gallons of the material when combined with water, and fisherman have to make sure they dont suffocate themselves. ALSO SEE: Grievance filed over mowing goats at university in Michigan And, of course, that they dont get overturned and left on Highway 101. The OSP have not yet said when they thought the roads would be clear. But suffice it to say that theyve got a clean up on their hands. Alternate routes advised. Imagine youre a divorce lawyer. You want clients -- but whats your marketing strategy? You cant just go up to couples bickering at restaurants and start passing out business cards -- unless youre prepared for a glass of wine in your face. You need to identify strategies that help those customers quietly seek you out, without shaming them in the process. Related: 7 Pieces of Information Necessary for Any Marketing Strategy As director of marketing for an ecommerce fulfillment company, I find myself in a similar predicament. The United States ecommerce market will be worth nearly $500 billion by next year, so, much like the number of married couples in the U.S., theres no shortage of potential customers for our services. But like the divorce lawyer, we cant simply cold-call all of the ecommerce companies out there to tell them they need our services. Many of them are managing their own fulfillment operations and will be offended by a company coming in and saying they can do it better. We risk alienating our potential customers by taking a hard-sell approach. Our approach to marketing is passive on the surface -- our customers find their way to us -- but nonetheless, very strategic. Heres how we do it: Find complementary partners. A divorce lawyer might work to build referral relationships with other professionals, like marriage counselors. While all parties hope for a successful reconciliation, its good to know that you have a qualified professional to support your client with the next step if they need it. We also work to find partners who support small ecommerce businesses. TaxJar, for example, is a company that supports businesses with sales tax compliance across multiple states, and weve established a content partnership with them, sharing advice from our industry on their blog and vice versa. This means that our target audience -- ecommerce businesses -- may stumble across us through browsing their content, whether or not theyre actively looking for a fulfillment service. Create value for the broader market. If youre a divorce lawyer, you might build a website that has resources available to help couples whove made the difficult decision to separate, but are hoping to get it done without any legal assistance. You could provide templates for custody-sharing arrangements, for instance. Be helpful, and provide value to the broader market -- some of those people may then reach out when they decide they cant do it alone. Related: The 5 Ingredients of Content That Supercharges Your Advertising Effort We follow a similar model. One key section of our site is a jumbo list of conferences that would be of interest to ecommerce business owners, including dates, locations, websites and pricing. The list took a lot of research and time to put together, and we dont have any affiliate relationships with the conference sponsors. Nonetheless, for us, its another way to draw ecommerce business owners closer to us. By cultivating research that all ecommerce businesses could find valuable, were confident that the ones who might benefit from our solution will gain a little more trust in us, and ideally, theyll reach out to us when theyre ready. Create a trail of breadcrumbs. Many divorce lawyers spend as much as $100,000 each month on PPC keywords, with law-related terms being some of the most expensive and in-demand. Theyd be better served by focusing on organically ranking for their target keywords, by building a portfolio of high-quality content and driving backlinks from relevant sources. For example, a mother who lives in Phoenix and is contemplating divorce might Google, Arizona shared custody laws. The first result she sees would be one from a law firm, Gary Frank Law -- upping the chances that thats who shell reach out to for help. Gary Frank Law didnt need to spend a dime on PPC for that new lead; he just needed to develop good, relevant content. For our business, too, content is crucial because it lets us connect with the users intentions. We dont rely solely on targeting people through ads; instead, we want them to find us by inputting a search for exactly whats on their minds, and then having the right piece of content to meet it. For ecommerce businesses, this might relate to problems with inventory management, supply chain management or how to deal with ecommerce returns, all of which weve written about on our own blog. We provide an option to sign up for a newsletter for regular advice that supports ecommerce businesses. All of this means that business owners and managers will begin to come across our site when looking for support with a problem they may be facing, and use our advice to help fix it -- whether or not that advice means turning to a solution like ours. Related: 8 Rookie Marketing Mistakes I Made But You Don't Have To So, like the divorce lawyer, we lay the groundwork for people to come to us at their time of need -- by making sure theyre aware of us long before theyre ready to work together. We wont push anyone to move to an outsourced fulfillment together if theyre happy with the way things are going. But if they do run into trouble that they cant get past, we want to be there, ready and waiting to jump in and give them the support they need. Related: Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD Environmental consultants and town officials assured a small crowd Tuesday that PCB-containing paint detected at Fairfield Ludlowe High School during a window replacement project poses no health risk for students and staff. Theres no risk, said Jeffrey Hamel, Senior Vice President of environmental consulting firm Woodard & Curran. At the July 11 forum, he characterized the concern as regulatory rather than a safety issue. Because testing has indicated there is no health risk, the timeline for remediating the paint is less rushed; the town will submit its plan to the Environmental Protection Agency by the end of the year. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals banned in the U.S. since the 1970s due to environmental and human health concerns, though they were widely used before that time. Several government entities now classify PCBs as known carcinogens. Hamels team believes the PCB-containing pain is a light green paint encapsulated under one to three coats of paint in sections of Ludlowe constructed in 1961-1962. The paint is mainly in classrooms and areas where there are windows, he said. The window construction project will not be delayed. Hamel described the primary risks from PCBs are people breathing in high levels of the airborne chemical or directly touching and then ingesting it. To assess the risk, Woodard & Curran conducted air and surface tests this spring. In April, 17 surface tests taken on each floor of the school were sent to the lab and no PCBs were detected even on surfaces where the PCB-containing paint is suspected. Thirteen air samples showed no levels that are above the EPAs guideline limit for schools. Hamel said testing will continue seasonally with another round of testing planned this fall. During the meeting, town Health Director Sands Cleary concurred with Hamels assessment. This is a regulation issue, he said, not a safety issue. Though a decision will need to be made by the end of the year, staff and consultants have yet to plan how the remediation will be carried out. The paint would either be removed and disposed of, which Hamel estimated typically costs $300-$500 per ton of material, or contained through encapsulation, which he estimated typically costs $5-$10 per square foot for work and painting. Similar projects typically cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in total, Hamel said in an interview. lweiss@hearstmediact.com; @LauraEWeiss16 News / National by Staff reporter Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai flew to South Africa on Sunday for medical checkup, and is expected to return home tomorrow.He is undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with cancer of the colon.While Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka was not immediately available for comment yesterday, a senior MDC official said he was undergoing "a routine regime of chemotherapy treatment".Tsvangirai is known for working late and calling aides at all hours but his senior lieutenants have said his routine was now strictly controlled and his evenings involved only "bath, supper and bed".Leader of the smaller MDC Welshman Ncube has said the veteran politician was fit to represent Zimbabwe's opposition alliance in the presidential election next year, his fourth time as a presidential candidate.Responding to the BBC's Zeinab Badawi in a HARDtalk interview aired Wednesday if Tsvangirai was fit to lead the coalition after he has been diagnosed with cancer of the colon, Ncube said from the interactions he had with the former prime minister, he did not see any health problems that could hinder his nomination."I have not gotten the impression that he is in any medical state which will hinder him leading the opposition coalition if that is our collective view that he should be the candidate to lead the coalition," the former MDC secretary-general said.Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe is in Singapore for "routine medical check-up", his third such visit there this year.It's not clear when he will be back, but his scheduled youth interface rally at Somhlolo Stadium in Lupane tomorrow has been pushed forward. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Written by Tiffani Greenaway of MyMommyVents.com Tatyana Hargrove was biking home after picking out a Fathers Day gift when she stopped for a drink of water in the 103 degree heat. When she turned around, three Bakersfield, California police cars surrounded her. Continue Reading The 19-year old told her story in a viral Facebook video shared by the Bakersfield NAACP. Officers mistook Hargrove, a 52, 115lbs soaking wet, 19 year old girl with braids for a 5 10, 170lb bald black man with a goatee who was allegedly threatening people with a machete outside a nearby grocery store. She appeared to be a male and matched the description of the suspect that had brandished the machete and was also within the same complex the suspect had fled to, Christopher Moore, the arresting officer, wrote in a police report obtained by the Bakersfield Californian. In the Facebook video, Hargrove, on crutches, describes how police demanded she hand over her backpack for a search. When she asked if they had a warrant, one officer pointed to a police dog. She says she was frightened and told them to take it. I then got scared and then I was like, here, take the backpack, just take the backpack. Hargrove alleges that even though she complied, police grabbed her wrist and then punched her and threw her to the ground. An officer pinned her down with his knees while the K-9 came and started eating at my leg. She screamed for help. I told him I cant breathe, I cant breathe and then I started yelling out, Somebody help me, somebody help me! Theyre gonna kill me! Arresting officers have a different story. Officer Moores police report states that Hargrove tried to flee the scene after he pointed his firearm at her. She turned and looked at me and said, What you all stopping another black person for? Im out of here, the officer wrote. He claims that another officer approached the young lady and grabbed her hands to gain control of her, but she maneuvered around him, causing him to fall and become tangled in the bike before she quickly turned over on top of Senior Officer Vasquez in a mounting position. Moore acknowledged that Officer Vasquez punched Hargrove one time in the mouth in an attempt to force her off of him, before the dog was released. Police claim they didnt know Hargrove was a girl until after she was handcuffed. I asked what her name was and when she provided it as Tatyana I said, Dont lie to me, thats a girls name. What is your name? Moore says. Im a girl, I just dont dress like one, she responded. Hargrove was arrested and charged with suspicion of resisting or delaying an officer and aggravated assault on an officer. No weapons were found in her backpack. A Change.org petition has been created to have Hargroves charges dismissed, and a GoFundMe page is raising money for her medical bills and legal fees. What can we do to prevent more situations like this from happening? ******************************************** News / National by Stephen Jakes Heal Zimbabwe has expressed concerns over the assault of 12 people on Wednesday in Harare CBD by the police during the protest march organised by MDC T youth assembly.The trust said the police responded violently to the protest and started using water cannons, throwing teargas and beating up people randomly including those who were not part of the demonstration."Running battles ensued between the police and the protestors for more than 3 hours. Members of the police arrested 6 activists and also forced shops to close during the melee. The six are currently detained at the Harare Central Police Station. HZT condemns law enforcement in a manner that violates section 52 of the Constitution which asserts the right to personal security and section 59 which guarantees the right to peacefully demonstrate," said the trust."The use of violence as an approach to political dissent in the country is archaic and should be condemned in the strongest terms. This conduct by the police is part of the reason why Heal Zimbabwe made an application before the Constitutional Court in 2016 seeking an order of an urgent establishment of an Independent Complaints Mechanism against members of the security forces as enshrined in section 210 of the Constitution."The trust said the organisation also castigates the commission of arson by suspected political rivals of the MDC-T who burnt the opposition party's Youth Assembly vehicle today around 2am."According to the MDC T, the car was parked at a Community Car park in Kuwadzana, Harare. According to Heal Zimbabwe Human Rights Monitors, a night watchman at the car park informed them that the assailants threw a petrol bomb at the car before vanishing into the darkness. The bombing of the vehicle is being linked to yesterday's protest march over electoral reforms," said the trust."Political tolerance is a culture which the State must invest resources and time to inculcate amongst citizens. The state has been dragging the implementation of the healing mechanism provided for in section 251 of the constitution. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) is a mechanism meant amongst other responsibilities to deal with the cyclical violent episodes which have been resurgent during every election. Failure to establish the Commission results in this current vicious cycle of violence."Heal Zimbabwe said it continues to advocate for tolerance and co- existence through a National Peace Campaign #13milVoices4Peace "The organisation therefore suggests the following: an urgent operationalisation of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, establishment and strengthened electoral dispute resolution mechanisms as provided for in the Electoral Act, establishment and operationalisation of the Independent Complaints Mechanism against members of the security services, and Investigating and subjecting perpetrators of violence to the justice delivery system," said the trust. Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean News / Religion by Maynard Manyowa Gaborone - The government of Botswana concedes that charismatic millionaire Prophet Shepherd Bushiri is not an undesirable immigrant, and that he is welcome into their country at any point and time, Khuluma Afrika has reporter.The government added that he did not need a conventional visa per say, but that they required notification in advance so that they may prepare.Earlier this year, a statement was released to the effect that the celebrity preacher would require a visa to travel to Botswana, despite holding a Malawian passport, which is subject to visa free entry within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.Speaking in parliament, the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs in Botswana, Mr Batshu said "that this individual, we have no problem with him. He is not a Prohibited Immigrant (PI) in this country"The Minister added that, because Bushiri is a high profile visitor, his visit would needed unprecedented protocols, and security, which included opening all borders for 24 hours, to allow travellers free access, as well as to allow Bushiri safe passage through any particular border, undetected by the potential millions of followers who would swarm the country."Of course in terms of security, we have to take care of people who come here. I want to share for what it is worth with this House that we have received a letter from his church notifying us of the high profile of this individual and asking us to be prepared that when he visits, we open certain borders 24 hours. So if he has to come and we have to prepare along those lines, we need to be notified in advance.""...we should be prepared to open our borders 24 hours and make sure that we provide him with necessary security. For us to be able to do that, he has to apply for a visa to come here so that we could then lay on the ground all those provisions that will meet his status ..."Prophet Bushiri is expected to visit anytime this month. Opinion / Columnist Towards the end of the five years of the GNU anyone who was following Zimbabwe's political drama was concerned at the lack of progress in implementing the democratic reforms agreed in the 2008 Global Political Agreement as necessary to ensure free, fair and credible elections."Hapana marifomu anobuda apa! Mazivanhu eMDC adzidzi kudya anyerere!" (There will be no reforms implemented, ever! These MDC leaders have learnt to enjoy the gravy train privileges and not to rock the boat.) Commented Zanu PF cronies, with that dismissive arrogance of one who knows best.All efforts, especially by SADC leaders, to get Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC team to move on implementing the reforms came to naught. After five years, not even one reform was implemented. Not one!In June 2013 SADC leaders made one more last desperate bid to get the reforms implemented and advised MDC leaders not to contest the elections with no reforms in place."If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done," Tsvangirai and company were warned, according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza.As we all know, MDC contest the July 2013 elections with no reforms in place and, lo behold, Zanu PF blatantly rig the vote and won with a landslide. Tsvangirai's excuse for contesting the flawed elections was that "MDC believed Zanu PF's vote rigging shenanigans would never overwhelm the party's mass vote."When MDC-T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora, said the party would get the democratic reforms finally implemented by the end of 2015. "We will get Zanu PF, kicking and screaming to implement the reforms," Mwonzora to New Zimbabwe.I desperately wanted to believe Mwonzora but my gut instinct told me not to be foolish! "Totenda dzamwa dzaswera nebanzi!" (Should be grateful to see the cattle back if you ask a madman to look after them!) as one would say in Shona.Today, two years since the promise to get the reforms implemented, not even one reform has been implemented. The next elections are set for next year and there is no chance of getting any reform agreed on, implemented and have the reform make any meaningful difference in delivering free, fair and credible elections."We have been tracking a clandestine voter registration scam by Zanu PF using Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede's office outside and ahead of the legal voter registration process by ZEC, now legally mandated to carry out such exercises," reported Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai's spokesman.The very fact that the official voter registration has not started will only mean the whole exercise being deliberate slowed down and then carried out in a stampede so no one has time to check anything. A common vote rigging tactic - why would the regime not want its handwork scrutinized unless it has something to hide.So, Zimbabwe is in exactly the same position it was in June 2013 we have no reforms in place and Zanu PF's vote rigging machinery has already swung into action."If you go into elections next year, you are going to lose; the elections are done!" To paraphrase SADC leaders' warning.It is heart breaking to hear MDC-T give the same feeble excuses for contesting in next year's elections even when they, themselves, acknowledge no reforms have been implemented and the vote rigging is already taking place."As we brace for the watershed elections in 2018, Zanu PF is at it again. The leopard has remained faithful to its spots," wrote Tamborinyoka."On our part, we are urging all Zimbabweans to turn out in large numbers when the voter registration procession kicks off. We urge every eligible Zimbabwean to register and turn out to express themselves in the ballot box."We shall remain vigilant and while the party deals with these and other shenanigans, Zimbabweans should brace to overwhelm this corrupt system by registering in their millions and to express themselves in a massive way on voting day."You are right Comrade Tamborinyoka, the Zanu PF leopard does not change its spots, the regime is going full steam ahead with its preparations to rig the elections. But so too does the MDC leopard, the party will never do anything to force the implementation of the reforms. Even now MDC leaders are being careful not to rock the boat!"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious withdraw from the elections," Senator Coltart confessed in his book."The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."Tsvangirai's continued stay in the $4 million Highlands mansion and other benefits depend on MDC playing its part and giving the flawed and illegal process credibility.If the people of Zimbabwe are serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship and, with it, the economic meltdown that has forced millions of them in a life of abject poverty and despair; they will have demand the implementation of the reforms themselves.The starting point is not to trust MDC and the rest in the opposition contesting in the flawed elections to push for reforms; they have no intention of implementing the reforms, they have their own fish to fry. The single most important message to send out is that ordinary Zimbabweans do not want the elections to go ahead until the reforms are implemented to guarantee free and fair elections, period.All these voter mobilisation, coalition building are just gimmicks designed to lure the voters to participate and give the flawed process legitimacy. It is futile complaining that the vote was rigged afterwards when one has been warned and known this would happen! Opinion / Columnist Technological Adoption and Innovation Curriculum Reform Public/Private Sector Partnerships Academic freedom Funding International collaboration Access Richard Mugobo | writer | blogger | researcher. Email | mugoborichard@yahoo.com Twitter | @Rmugobo Facebook | Richard Mugobo How do you transform a dinosaur into an automated machine? This seems to be the question that universities in Zimbabwe will increasingly face in preparation for the future of work vis-a-vis the explosive growth in technology and globalisation. The digitalised fourth industrial revolution will most likely alter tertiary education and the reality is that most, if not all of Zimbabwe's universities need radical transformation that will gear them up to a rapidly changing job/industrial market. As they pursue excellence, access and innovation, can Zimbabwe's universities transform from the archaic, traditional teaching and academic research model to cater for the dynamics of a technology driven 21st century world? If universities want to secure their role as cornerstones of science, technology and learning they should be prepared for the future of work.Zimbabwe's institutions should vigorously focus on the following in preparation for the future of work.- Gone are the days of professors scribbling theories on chalkboards, students submitting hard copy assignments, results being plastered in newspapers and noticeboards. The 21st century should be well conversant with up to date, cutting edge technologies, have well equipped libraries, futuristic laboratories and embrace virtual learning tools. Technology enhances the administrative efficiency and helps in research output. When faced with an option to adopting technology, universities do not have an option. It's adapt or die. Universities must not only adopt technology- they should also have a culture of technological innovation which continually produces new and exciting high-tech solutions and products.- There is need to streamline the curriculum so that it reflects the technological dynamics that have occurred to date. Most of the degrees offered by Zimbabwe's universities, especially under humanities, do not have an application in the job market. As a result, most graduates holding degrees such as Bachelor of Arts or Political Science have failed to secure employment. The University of Zimbabwe, perhaps out of this realisation, has converted the BA programme into an Applied Arts programme to follow with the trends obtaining in the job market. Entrepreneurial, leadership and technological skills need to be infused in every degree program if universities are to produce graduates for the future.- The most worrying trend in Zimbabwe is the absence of a tangible link between the universities and the industry, with a large gap existing between the expectations of employers and the quality and standard of the graduates. There is need to increase university- industry partnership so as to synchronise the demands of the job market with the standards of the university's products. Other areas of partnership might include resource and infrastructural development, for instance, the commercial bank of Zimbabwe currently lends support to the University of Zimbabwe. There is need for more engagement and synergies between universities on one hand and the private sector, government, the community, local and international industry on the other- The state should ensure that tertiary institutions retain their academic autonomy with little government interference, since innovation and creativity thrives in an intellectually free environment. A central element of the spirit of the research university-alongside its staff members and students - is the principle of academic freedom (Shils 1997b; Altbach 2007).currently the all-state institutions are tied to the executive, with the President as chancellor of all tertiary universities. Excessive government oversight tends to obfuscate the smooth running of institutions. Students and academic staff should conduct research without restrictions that border on political correctness, bureaucratic expectations or any other non-academic confinements.- With decreasing government financial support, state universities need to be innovative in crafting strategies that ensures they don't rely on student tuition and fees. So far universities have been able to cater for their financial needs by, amongst other ways, offering short term courses, block release programmes, online education and offering consultancy work. If universities focus on creating cutting-edge solutions and smart apps that can serve the economy, they can leverage on returns from patents or intellectual property. Imagine the immense financial rewards that could have accrued had any of our universities had been the brains behind ECOCASH, a mobile banking tool that has revolutionised the money transfer sector in the country and beyond. Universities must rethink their financial models and remain alive to the opportunities offered by creativity, entrepreneurship and invention.- Zimbabwe's universities need to seek collaborations with international institutions of repute in areas of scholarships, teaching and research. Participation in student exchange programmes, international enrolment, international conferences are some of the ways local institutions can adopt as they seek to occupy a space in the global knowledge economy.- the enrolment of students in tertiary institutions has greatly increased since independence, with the bottleneck system replaced with mass enrolment. This has been made possible by the increase in the number of universities countrywide. However, with the scrapping of student subsidies in the form of financial grants, prospective students from underprivileged low income families have failed to further studies. Access to tertiary education needs to be spread across all sectors of the economy to include bright but economically excluded students. Women are putting themselves under increasing pressure to be perfect mothers as they swap fast-paced careers for children. According to one writer there has been a steady rise in a generation of mothers who feel adrift, guilty and inadequate about their ability to parent as raising children has now become a money-making business. Speaking exclusively to Femail MailOnline, mother of two, Susie Gilmour has provided the words for Mumsnet's new online TV comedy Bad Mother, and said: 'I feel what happened over the past 10 years or so, is that our generation are victims of this professionalising of parenting. 'There's this industry that has brought a proliferation of books and websites offering up advice on how to do everything from feeding, bearing, to raising children. Bad Mother is surprised when she bumps into an old work colleague when she's trying to tidy up her garden She's now in a high-flying job and Bad Mother struggles to admit she's unemployed and a stay-at-home mother 'It's become a skill, what's happened because of that, this whole image that parenting can be learned. 'There's this kind of bar and you've got to get it right and hit that. This idea of this perfect mother or perfect parent.' Miss Gilmour said the aim of the TV series is to provide an unapologetically funny approach to parenting will help women feel less guilty. Mumsnet is a site by parents for parents and over the years has become forum for women to vent, and their move into television content has so far proved successful reaching an audience of 10 million. Susie is seen left on the set of Bad Mother with actress Laura Patch, who stars in the show The original series commissioned by Mumsnet is designed to give voice to a new generation of modern mothers as they try, and fail or feel as though they fail at perfect parenting. In one episode of Bad Mother, the protagonist, played by actress Laura Patch, bumps into a former colleague who has been promoted into high-flying position. MUMSNET TELEVISION Mumsnet is a site by parents for parents set up in 2000 by mother-of-four Justine Roberts. Over the years the site has become a place for women to vent about child and family-related issues. Bad Mother marks the site's move towards television content, with a series of five-minute episodes. Written by mother-of-two Susie Gilmour, it aims to shine a light on modern parenting through humour. Episodes - Other People's Children, Default Parent and Just A Mum - are available to watch on Mumsnet now, with a further three to follow, Playdate, Benign Neglect and Babysitter. Advertisement Attempting to answer her questions about her unemployed status, Bad Mother struggles to admit that she is a stay-at-home mother and instead says she is on a 'career break' to impress her. 'Why couldnt I just have said Im a mum? Its like Im apologising. You know, like everyones gone Eew whats that smell? and its obvious it's me. 'Why cant I be like one of those gay activists that go around with a banner? "Mum and proud!"' Bad Mother frustratingly questions. Susie says that her own experiences of raising her two sons, now aged 10 and six, and her own career break was the inspiration behind some of the sketches. She admits she found it difficult then and even now juggling work life and motherhood and hopes the comedy will shed light on the dilemmas modern mothers face. 'Ironically even though were an interconnected global world because of social media, we are all stuck in our houses on our own with our children, and you can feel isolated and alone. Bad Mother wants to prove to her former colleague that she made the right decision, attempting to silence here own inner critics 'You're constantly questioning yourself. You can get really entrenched or you can say "do you know what everyone is muddling through".' And Susie's own solution to those pesky inner critics? Embrace the laughter. 'Try as much as you can to have a sense of humour about it. Which is easier said then done. 'I've had my moments where I've definitely not had a sense of humour about it but I just think it helps. 'If you can actually look at something and think "it's fine we are doing a good job as ever, we are feeding them and looking after them". The bigger picture is it doesn't matter.' The first three episodes of Bad Mother are available to watch now on Mumsnet and Youtube A pregnant news anchor is speaking out after receiving a shocking voicemail from a viewer calling her growing bump 'disgusting'. Last week, Laura Warren, who works at News 12 in Augusta, Georgia, took to her blog to post the audio of a nasty voicemail she received, in which a woman can be heard berating Warren for wearing 'too tight outfits' on air. 'Please go to Target and buy some decent maternity clothes so you don't walk around looking like you got a watermelon strapped under your too tight outfits,' the unnamed woman said. Scroll down for video Message: Pregnant news anchor Laura Warren, who works at News 12 in Augusta, Georgia, spoke out after receiving a shocking voicemail from a viewer calling her bump 'disgusting' 'Target's got a great line of maternity clothes in case you've never heard of such a thing. You're getting to where you're being disgusting on the TV.' Warren was pregnant with a baby girl last year and had a late miscarriage. She is now 20 weeks pregnant with a boy, and has shared regular updates with the readers of her blog, who offered support when the first pregnancy ended before term. In her response to the abusive voicemail, Warren began by professing her love for her job, which more often than not fills her with joy. However, she acknowledged that having to look camera-ready most days of the week can be nerve-racking, especially when pregnant. 'Being pregnant is already one of the most emotional, insecure times of your life. Am I gaining too much weight? Am I gaining enough weight? Is my bump too high? Is my bump too low? Are these breakouts ever going to end? Is this pregnancy making my hair dull? Why are my nail beds doing this weird thing?' she wrote. 'Now, throw yourself in front of a camera that adds 20 pounds every night, find clothes that not only fit, but also don't make you look like a whale, and cake on enough hair and makeup products twice a day to moonlight as a Las Vegas showgirl, and you'll understand where I'm coming from.' Expecting: Warren (pictured with her husband) was pregnant with a baby girl last year and had a late miscarriage. She is now 20 weeks pregnant with a boy Shocking words: The news anchor (pictured on air) also posted the audio, in which a woman can be heard berating Warren for wearing 'too tight outfits' on air When she first heard the viewer's voicemail, Warren's first impulse was to delete it and move on. 'Unfortunately, I'm pregnant, hormonal, currently not allowed to drink wine, and feeling extra in touch with my feminist side,' she wrote in her blog post. Instead, the host described the thoughts that went through her head after hearing the woman's shocking words. 'I am only at week 20 of this? Am I going to have to deal with this cr*p another 20 weeks? Should I have my consultant or my boss call her and tell her tailored, form fitting clothes look way better on air than baggy ones, especially when pregnant? Is that a WOMAN who called me?!? Is she a MOTHER?!?!? The freaking nerve,' she wrote. Warren also described how the woman's comments shook her self-confidence and caused her to question whether she did, in fact, look 'disgusting'. She couldn't help but wonder which one of her outfits had shocked the viewer so much, she felt compelled to take the time to call Warren and leave her a body-shaming message. Happy: In her response to the abusive voicemail , Warren began by professing her love for her job, which more often than not fills her with joy Response: Warren also worried that she wouldn't be able to protect her future son against that kind of negativity in the future, and decided to spread positivity instead As evidence, Warren posted a collection of photos that show here on air recently, wearing a variety of dresses while doing her job. Instead of letting this lady get me down, I'm just going to turn her negative energy into positive energy The anchor admitted that the woman's words had hurt her, and expressed her concerns about 'living in a culture tolerating, often even encouraging bullies'. 'Politicians, angry Democrats and Republicans, anonymous keyboard warriors, social media bullies.... How do we teach our kids to be kind when adults all around them can say such cruel things?' she wrote. Warren also worried that she wouldn't be able to protect her future son against that kind of negativity in the future, and decided that the best way to respond to the viewer's comments was to spread positivity instead. 'I think instead of letting this lady get me down, I'm just going to turn her negative energy into positive energy,' the anchor wrote. 'I'm going to say as many nice things as I can to as many people as I can, and I'm going to do it in a dress that fits these beautiful new curves with my "watermelon" stomach showing.' The latest anti-ageing trend counts Angelina Jolie and Victoria Beckham among its fans impressive, considering it involves smearing bird droppings on your face. Its thought first to have been used as a beauty treatment in 17th-century Japan, where geisha girls would use nightingale facials to repair skin damage caused by their heavy, lead-based make-up. Scroll down for video The 'nightingale facial' is beloved by Victoria Beckham and Angelina Jolie, but the new anti-aging trend involves bird droppings being smeared on the face - so would you be brave enough to try it? The experience involves having a mixture of rose water and finely ground nightingale droppings spread across the skin and left to dry under LED lights. It supposedly acts as an age-reversing exfoliant. If youre feeling brave, book a treatment from 180 at vivoclinic.com If you thought shelling out for a holiday was steep, the cost of the worlds most advanced sun lounger will make your eyes water If you thought shelling out for a holiday was steep, the cost of the worlds most advanced sun lounger will make your eyes water. The 45,000 Simba Blue sun lounger is fitted with an SPF facial misting system, a drinks cooler and a phone charger. Its embedded technology monitors UV exposure and tracks vitamin D so you wont burn. Over a lifetime, we spend more than a month brushing our teeth. Do you ever get bored of that minty-fresh feeling? Over a lifetime, we spend more than a month brushing our teeth. Do you ever get bored of that minty-fresh feeling? If so, try one of the flavourful toothpaste alternatives. Buly 1803s has a zesty blend of orange, ginger and clove (24, net-a-porter.com). Yes, it may sound more like a cocktail, but it contains thermal water from Castera-Verduzan, a spa accredited by Frances health department for treating mouth aches and soothing the throat. Think thats a bit much before breakfast? For fans of the full English, bacon toothpaste (5.09, flamingogifts.co.uk) promises to leave teeth pearly white with a lingering taste of a bacon butty. Or if you hate early starts, give wasabi toothpaste (2.99, nuku.co.uk) a go. Theres no denying its spice will wake you up, sharpish. As a middle-class girl who married a prince and became a royal style icon, Queen Letizia of Spain has more than just looks in common with the Duchess of Cambridge. But for all their apparent similarities be it their slim build, dark hair and fondness for sleek tailoring, or their commoner background the 44 year old Spaniard has a far more colourful past than Kate. A divorced former television journalist, Letizias background includes family tragedy, controversy over plastic surgery, an allegation that she had an abortion after falling pregnant by her first husband a year before she met King Felipe, and even claims that she was seen as a threat to the future of the Spanish monarchy by Juan Carlos, her future father-in-law. Scroll down for video As a middle-class girl who married a prince and became a royal style icon, Queen Letizia of Spain (left) has more than just looks in common with the Duchess of Cambridge (right) The eldest daughter of Jesus Alvarez, a journalist, and his first wife Maria Rodriguez, a nurse, Letizia was born in Oviedo, northern Spain. One sister, Telma, became an economist; the other, Erika, committed suicide by taking an overdose while suffering from depression. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II poses with Queen Letizia before a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London today Letizia went to school in Madrid, then got a degree in journalism and a masters in audiovisual journalism, before working for newspapers and the Spanish network TVE. As a news anchor, she reported live from Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. A divorced former television journalist, Letizias background includes family tragedy and controversy over plastic surgery The eldest daughter of Jesus Alvarez, a journalist, and his first wife Maria Rodriguez, a nurse, Letizia (with her husband King Felipe) was born in Oviedo, northern Spain She met Prince Felipe the following year at the site of an oil spillage in Northern Spain. Her first husband Alonso Guerrero Perez, a writer and literature teacher, was nine years her senior. They dated for ten years before marrying in 1998, but divorced just a year later. In a book written by her cousin, it was later alleged that Letizia had an abortion after falling pregnant by her first husband a year before she met Felipe. The veracity of that claim is not known. But the year after first meeting Felipe, Letizia quit her job and a few days later their engagement was announced. Their marriage in Madrid in 2004 prompted an upswing in support for the royal family, and her habit of championing High Street brands like Zara proved popular. She and Felipe had two daughters, Leonor in 2005 and Sofia in 2007. She met Prince Felipe the following year at the site of an oil spillage in Northern Spain. Pictured at the baptism of Princess Leonor In a book written by her cousin, it was later alleged that Letizia had an abortion after falling pregnant by her first husband a year before she met Felipe. The veracity of that claim is not known But as time wore on she was criticised for being unsmiling on official engagements. Then there was further controversy when she had surgery on her nose in 2008. The official explanation was that she had a deviated septum which had to be fixed. But commentators were quick to point her post-operation nose looked a little daintier too. Another book, The Court of Felipe VI published in 2015, alleged Juan Carlos never liked the arrival of a journalist in a place that had traditionally been an opaque haven from the fourth estate. But polls have shown that King Felipes common touch has increased the popularity of the Spanish royal family He would also allegedly joke among his friends that Letizia was the worst thing that happened to [the royal household] in many years - and his aristocratic friends apparently referred to Letizia as la chacha, meaning the maid. But polls have shown that King Felipes common touch has increased the popularity of the Spanish royal family. And while it was also claimed in The Court of Felipe VI that Queen Letizia can display a lack of diplomacy with employees, it the book acknowledged that she has helped Spaniards to identify with the monarchy. A woman from the Gold Coast never thought that the irregular bleeding she was experiencing would be cervical cancer. Beth Hayes, 24, has always wanted children and being told that someone else will have to carry her child has been difficult. 'I said by the time I'm 27 I want my first baby, it's definitely the one thing I've always, always wanted,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's hard, it was really hard to accept that but my doctor said to me "you can't be a mum if you're sick or if you're not here or if you're dead, you've to get through this disease to be a mum anyway."' Beth Hayes (pictured), 24, never thought that the irregular bleeding she was experiencing would be cervical cancer 'I said by the time I'm 27 I want my first baby, it's definitely the one thing I've always, always wanted,' she told Daily Mail Australia 'So that's the main thing we've got to focus on at the moment,' she explained. 'It can still happen, I've got my eggs frozen, but it's just another way. Someone else has to carry my baby, not me.' Although she and her partner Brett, who have been together for two years, had already discussed getting married and having children it was still a big decision. Ms Hayes was told last month that she had a tumour that was four centimetres big and from her own research she knew that that meant it wouldn't be able to be surgically removed. Anything over two centimetres has to be treated with chemotherapy and a hysterectomy. Ms Hayes was told last month that her tumour was four centimetres big and from her own research she knew that that meant it wouldn't be able to be surgically removed 'Because of my age it isn't the best thing you want to hear, it sends you through early menopause which would mean no chance of me having a baby. 'I would have to have my eggs frozen in case I wanted kids in the future, which I definitely do.' Her doctors recommended that she go to a fertility doctor who agreed to give her one cycle of IVF due to the time frame she had. 'We only had two days to make the decision, we saw the doctor and he said "I need a decision in two days because we need to start." 'Me and my partner just came home and talked about it for a little while. It wasn't a hard decision to make, we knew that down the track we wanted a family together.' Although her and her partner Brett (pictured left in both pictures) had already discussed getting married and having children it was still a big decision Ms Hayes did two weeks of hormone injections to speed up the process of ovulating so they could get as many eggs as possible and they managed to retrieve ten eggs under general aesthetic. 'It was still a big thing for him [Brett] to confirm that so we fertilised some eggs so we have babies ready to go. 'All he wants is the best for me, he was great. He said straight away "we need the best chance we can get so we will go with freezing the embryos".' 'Because of my age it isn't the best thing you want to hear, it sends you through early menopause which would mean no chance of me having a baby' Ms Hayes did two weeks of hormone injections to speed up the process of ovulating so they could get as many eggs as possible They made the decision to fertilise the eggs as embryos and then freeze them as they have a 35 to 45 percent chance of being successful. 'We're so lucky that because of the cancer the whole IVF process was bulk billed by medicare. 'It's a costly process with all of the medication.' IVF costs ten thousand dollars for one round which Ms Hayes just simply thought they wouldn't be able to afford. 'Two weeks ago we had a total of five eggs frozen but some might not make it or not be of good enough quality. 'When I'm better and when I'm ready I can look into a surrogate and getting a little family together, it's still possible,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'All he wants is the best for me, he was great. He said straight away "we need the best chance we can get so we will go with freezing the embryos"' 'If for some reason my eggs didn't work or something happened there are other ways.' 'There are people out there who weren't able to freeze their eggs before they had to start treatment so I'm lucky I was given that option.' The embryos will be frozen for ten to twenty years and Ms Hayes is aware that surrogacy will be a long and complicated process. 'There are a lot of costs, we need lawyers, we have to see counsellors and have to do all these different tests, we have to see if the woman wants to do it and if she's healthy. 'It's a long process and costs $35,000 to $40,000 dollars. It's not something I will jump straight into to, I want to make sure I'm back on track.' The cancer she has is stage 2b which means it has spread to areas surrounding the tumour and is in one of her lymph nodes. The embryos will be frozen for ten to twenty years and Ms Hayes is aware that surrogacy will be a long and complicated process Ms Hayes cervical cancer diagnosis wasn't a quick and easy one as due to her age and the side effect of contraception she was on, cancer wasn't the doctors' first thought. Ms Hayes was sent to a variety of doctors and specialists in hope that someone could figure out what was going on. Ms Hayes final gynecologist did an examination and a biopsy and before she sent the results away said it looked quite suspicious. The gynecologist called her at seven o'clock that night and told her it was cancer. Ms Hayes was sent to a variety of doctors and specialists in hope that someone could figure out what was going on 'She couldn't give more information until more tests were done, I now knew it was cancer but didn't know how severe it was. 'When she first rang me I was in just shock, I never in a million years thought that I would have cancer at my age but it was a relief to finally known what it was. 'But from that night I was really upset and I had to tell my whole family in England and tell everyone back home, it was very emotional.' Ms Hayes said that this all happened within the last month and has been a bit of a whirlwind which she is thankful for as it means there is too much going on for her to wallow. Ms Hayes said that this all happened within the last month and has been a bit of a whirlwind She is currently having chemotherapy and radiation and she hopes she won't need to have a hysterectomy although there is still a chance she will need it. Ms Hayes never thought that it could be cervical cancer as her family has no history of it, she'd had the vaccination in high school and she had regular pap smears. 'I had no signs of anything, but I had a bad back ache like when you're on your period. Lower back pain is one of the main symptoms, but I would have never known that. Because of the rarity of her case it has been taken to few specialists in Brisbane and Sydney. Beth's mother (pictured right) has created a GoFundMe account to help with Beth's medical costs 'I haven't been that upset about it as silly as that sounds. I'm just listening to my doctors and doing what I have to do,' she said. 'Every day I have to go into the hospital, you don't get time to just sit and think about it and at the end of the day whats that going to achieve? If you don't have a positive out look you're going to feel worse. 'I think its much better to have a better attitude about it and to throw yourself into life.' Beth's mother, Samantha Salt, has created a GoFundMe account to help with Beth's medical costs. Jade Carney was never a girl known to stay still for long. The 11-year-old was a champion athlete, who loved riding horses and motorbikes, competing in gymnastics, and spending every moment possible outdoors. But then, six weeks ago, Jade was in PE class when she suddenly had to sit down. Moments later, she was unresponsive. The Year 6 student had suffered a stroke. The world of Jade Carney, 11, has been turned upside down after she suffered a stroke while running laps in the schoolyard Jade was a champion athlete at school who loved riding horses and her motorbike (pictured left with her brother) before she suffered the stroke six weeks ago Lindsey Morse, Jade's mother, said her daughter's friends immediately became concerned when she suddenly stopped running laps around the oval. 'She laid down and that worried her friends, she's so active and she doesn't sit still for long,' Lindsey, 34, told Daily Mail Australia. 'They asked if she was all right and Jade was just unresponsive.' A teacher called an ambulance when they couldn't wake her up and doctors immediately began to run a number of tests. Then Lindsey noticed that the right side of Jade's face had drooped and that she could no longer move the right side of her body or even speak. Jade was running laps around the oval during PE class when she suddenly had to sit down and quickly lost consciousness Her friends immediately became concerned when Jade, who is known for never wanting to sit still, suddenly couldn't get up. She is pictured before the stroke on her motorbike They rang the neurologist at a Brisbane hospital, who first uttered the words 'Stroke'. Lindsey said she was 'in disbelief' when she first heard the diagnosis. 'I was just gobsmacked,' Lindsey said. 'I didn't even think kids could have a stroke, I thought it was an old age thing that happens when you're older. Doctors still haven't found what caused the stroke, and can't even tell Lindsey or Jade if it will happen again. But Lindsey is doing what she can to help get Jade's life back to a new normal, staying by her daughter's side as she undergoes at least three hours of rehab a day. Her sessions include occupational, music and bike therapy as well as speech pathology. It was Jade's mother Lindsey Morse (pictured together) who noticed that the right side of her face had drooped and that she was paralysed on the right side Doctors still haven't found what caused the stroke, and can't even tell Lindsey or Jade if it will happen again Jade can speak again but now has trouble finding the correct words or following instructions. She had to learn how to go to the toilet again and continues to struggle with her right arm. Lindsey now needs to hold Jade for support when she walks. Even a stroll outside is often too much for Jade because of the sensory stimulation, and Lindsey said she often 'shuts herself down'. 'They say it's a natural thing for the brain to protect itself,' she said. 'We're still trying to get her used to the outside world again.' Jade's mother Lindsey More has been by her daughter's side the entire time, and has had to be away from her four other children. Pictured here is two of Jade's siblings visiting her at hospital Jade also now has trouble with fatigue management and can get worn out by a simple conversation. Lindsey said that Jade knows she's had a stroke, and that her occupational therapist made an age-appropriate book to try and help her understand what happened. But Lindsey said she's been surprised by the fact that Jade hasn't asked her any questions or ever spoken about what has happened to her. There was only one thing on her mind when Jade could communicate again. 'The first words she wrote, with her left hand on a whiteboard, was "Home"', Lindsey said. 'She's asked when we can go home and I just tell her it's when she can get better and use her arm.' Lindsey said that Jade knows she's had a stroke and has yet to speak to her mother about what happened to her, instead only asking when she can go home It has been hard for the mum-of-five, who has two children under the age of five, to be so far away from the rest of her family. But she knows she can't leave Jade's side. Friends have since set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the family during the trying time. Doctors have told Lindsey that Jade may be able to go back home in as early as two weeks, but the young girl's battle has just begun. 'They said it could be a lifelong thing,' Lindsey said. 'It just depends on her progress.' And Lindsey knows it will be hard to Jade, the one in the family who 'never got sick', to adjust to a new reality when she returns home. 'It's just come out of the blue and shocked us all, and there's got to be a few changes when we get home on what Jade can and can't do,' Lindsey said. 'It's really going to affect her because she was such an active child. To tell her no, you can't do that anymore, is really going to flip her world upside down.' Mustering up the courage to ask for a pay rise can be daunting. The thought of having a meeting can be intimidating, especially when you're trying to find the right moment to ask for a salary increase. However, Human Resource specialist Karen Gately said waiting for your employer to recognise your work to reward you could be a hit and miss strategy. So rather than sit and wait for a raise to come, the Melbourne people management specialist said now could be the right time since the new financial year rolled in. Here, she reveals the seven steps you need to take to get the salary you deserve. Plucking up the courage to ask for a pay rise can be intimating for anyone - as an expert reveals her top tips to make the meeting a success (stock image) KNOW WHAT YOU WANT Understand what you want to earn and why. Have a clear view of how your role, experience or contribution justifies the need for you to earn more than you already do. Look for information that will support your claim that you are underpaid relative to others in a similar role. BELIEVE YOU DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY Know that you are doing the right thing by challenging what you earn and asking for more. Enter into the conversation with confidence that you not only deserve to be better compensated for your efforts but that it's reasonable to raise your concerns. Human Resource specialist Karen Gately (pictured) said waiting for your employer to recognise your work to reward you could be a hit and miss strategy The expert reveals the seven steps you need to take to get the pay rise you want (stock image) BE UP FRONT Speak with conviction and be firm in your expectations that steps be taken to improve your income. Articulate how your role, and you in it, both make a difference to the success of the business. Understand your facts and avoid the temptation to be apologetic for raising the issue. OUTLINE YOUR CONCERNS AND EXPECTATIONS Share the value of your role and how your experience and capabilities compare to your peers. Focus on your own worth and why you should be paid more competitively. Avoid debates about the specifics of what others earn. Focus on what is fair compensation for you in your role. So rather than sit and wait for a raise to come, the Melbourne people management specialist (pictured) said now could be the right time since the new financial year rolled in KEEP CALM Remain calm and professional irrespective of how your employer reacts. While voting with your feet and leaving your organisation may ultimately be what needs to happen to improve your circumstances, negotiations are rarely helped with aggressive demands or threats. ARGUE WITH REASON Like any negotiation you are more likely to achieve the desired outcome if your expectations and requests are reasonable. Be willing to listen and consider your employers point of view while remaining firm in your stance for a more equitable reward and recognition for your efforts. AGREE NEXT STEPS Don't expect your manager will be either willing or able to give you an immediate response. Allow them the opportunity to reflect on your request and come back to you. Ask that they commit to meeting with you again to discuss the issue further after they have had the opportunity to consider. Advertisement They kicked off their UK visit with an action-packed first day that saw them darting between Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Parliament, topped off with a glittering banquet. And the Spanish royals continued their tour on Thursday as they joined Prince Harry on a visit to Westminster Abbey - marking the 32-year-old's first official role in a state visit. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior today while prayers were said by the Dean John Hall, before being taken on a short tour which was live-streamed on the Abbey's Facebook page. Flanked by clergymen, Letizia, who stunned in a show-stopping red gown at last night's banquet, opted for a blue silk blouse and embroidered A-line skirt from Carolina Herrera - and looked captivated by her dashing host. During their visit today they also viewed the tomb of Eleanor of Castile, the Spanish princess who married England's Edward I in the thirteenth century and a distant ancestor of the Felipe, 49. Scroll down for video Queen Letizia has arrived at Westminster Abbey where she will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior while prayers are said by the Dean. She is joined here by Reverend Professor Canon White, the Abbey's Sub-Dean Prince charming: Harry greets the Spanish Queen with a kiss on the cheek as they meet outside Westminster Abbey today. The engagement is the first time the 32-year-old royal has been tasked with a formal role in a state visit Firm friends: Last night, the royal couple met Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they were feted with the grand state banquet in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace, dining on beef medallions and truffle The King had an early start this morning, attending a UK-Spain business forum at Mansion House with the Duke of York, and later he meet Theresa May at No. 10 Downing Street along with his wife. This week's visit is seen as an important step in securing relations with Spain as the UK leaves the EU; the last incoming state visit by a Spanish king - Felipe's father Juan Carlos I - was 31 years ago in 1986. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia's trip had been postponed twice - firstly because of a political crisis in Spain in March 2016, and then again when the rescheduled date clashed with June's snap general election. Yesterday, the couple were formally greeted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Horse Guards Parade, marking the beginning of Philip's last state visit before he retires from public duties in the autumn. The couple - parents to 11-year-old Leonor, Princess of Asturias and 10-year-old Infanta Sofia of Spain - then enjoyed a private lunch with the royal family at Buckingham Palace. During the lunchtime reception, Felipe VI became what is known as a 'Stranger Knight' or 'Extra Knight Companion' of the prestigious Order of the Garter. Harry, Letizia and Felipe VI at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. During their visit today they will also view the tomb of Eleanor of Castile, the Spanish princess who married England's Edward I in the thirteenth century Coordinating couple: Letizia and Felipe appeared to have planned their outfits carefully with both opting for navy hues for Thursday's Westminster Abbey tour. Letizia's Carolina Herrera skirt featured an elaborate floral embellishment Royal style: Letizia, who stunned in a show-stopping red gown at last night's banquet, wore a pared-back ensemble today consisting of a blue silk blouse and embroidered A-line skirt. She wore her hair in dramatic curls This week's visit is seen as an important step in securing relations with Spain as the UK leaves the EU; the last incoming state visit by a Spanish king - Felipe's father Juan Carlos I - was 31 years ago in 1986 Queen Letizia looked fresh as a daisy despite an exhausting few days. The state visit has already seen the Spanish royals enjoy a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, afternoon tea at Clarence House and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace said the last foreign royal to be invested as a Knight of the Garter was King Harald V of Norway in 2001. The decision demonstrates the cordial nature of the royals' relations with their Spanish counterparts. In the afternoon the Spanish couple, who wed in Madrid 2004, viewed the Palace's Royal Collection met the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea at nearby Clarence House. Last night, the royal couple met Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they were feted with the grand state banquet in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace. Their tour continues today with Felipe's visit to Mansion House and their joint trip to Westminster Abbey. Security was tight for yesterday's ceremonial welcome and carriage procession, marking the start of the first state visit to take place since the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London. Making memories: After their tour of Westminster Abbey this afternoon, King Felipe and Queen Letizia signed the visitors book - adding 'Letizia R' and 'Felipe R' - 31 years after King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia did the same The glamorous Queen, widely regarded as one of the most stylish European royals around, has played it uncharacteristically safe during this week's state visit - eschewing racy leather and sleeveless numbers for more conservative styles Letizia smiles as her husband takes his turn. The couple are parents to 11-year-old Leonor, Princess of Asturias and 10-year-old Infanta Sofia of Spain, who have stayed at home in Madrid while the couple embark on their UK state visit The couple share a joke with the Dean of Westminster Abbey, John Hall. The state visit has already seen the Spanish royals enjoy a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, afternoon tea at Clarence House and a state banquet hosted by the Queen The Mall was decked out in Spanish flags ahead of the visit and gun salutes were fired from Green Park and the Tower of London to welcome the King and Queen of Spain. Afterwards, the King and Queen visited the Palace of Westminster, where they were welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker. The King delivered an address in the Royal Gallery to Parliamentarians and other guests, followed by the banquet where they dined with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. William and Harry have a shared history with the King. As youngsters, they holidayed with Felipe, his father King Juan Carlos and their family in Mallorca several times throughout the 1980s. Felipe and Letizia were also guests at the Duke and Duchess's wedding in 2011. The Cambridges are already viewed as the Royal family's unofficial Brexit ambassadors, and are setting off on another diplomacy tour next week - heading to Germany and Poland for five days with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte in tow. Attending a finishing school used to be the norm for young women of a certain generation. But now it has become much more of a rarity, with only a handful enrolling into such schools in the hope of mastering the social graces. The Institut Villa Pierrefeu is the last finishing school left in Switzerland, where women are taught the perfect posture and the art of polite conversation - as well as how not to slurp their soup. Viviane Neri, who runs the school in Gilon, says that while princesses and the daughters of presidents are among their students, they do not make up the majority. Half a century ago, the students at Institut Villa Pierrefeu were among thousands attending a plethora of finishing schools dotting the hills around Lake Geneva. But today, Pierrefeu is the only one left, after the industry was decimated by the 1968 student revolution and the feminist movement. The Institut Villa Pierrefeu is the last finishing school left in Switzerland, where women learn the perfect etiquette for every social situation. Pictured are students tasting chocolate Students are seen attending a lesson at the school, with teachers on stand-by to teach them how to best eat their soup Viviane Neri, who runs the school in Gilon with her son Philippe (pictured together), says that while princesses and the daughters of presidents are among their students, they do not make up the majority Women are seen learning how make polite conversation as they sit around a table A teacher directs one of the students how to lay the table immaculately (left). The women are also taught the correct way to hold their knife and fork As the immaculately starched waiting staff serve the food, teachers tell students how to avoid making a fatal faux pax One of the school's teachers is seen leaning over a student's shoulder as she dishes out food from her plate Another teacher at the prestigious school explains to students the intricacies of laying a table A group of students laugh as they make polite small talk while sat around a table During one lesson, a teacher is seen teaching students all about china. The women are also taught how to cut up a cake correctly Half a century ago, the students at Institut Villa Pierrefeu were among thousands attending a plethora of finishing schools dotting the hills around Lake Geneva Opinion / Columnist A great leader inspires the masses by overcoming hardships and working for the greater good of society. Strive Masiyiwa almost sold the shirt off his back as his 5-year legal battle against the government of Zimbabwe for a mobile network operator licence exhausted all his financial resources. He sold his car and house and begged well-wishers for money until the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe ruled in his favour on 30 December 1997. But he left Zimbabwe for good in 2000. Like millions of Zimbabwean migrants who have been compelled to live and work abroad, Masiyiwa, who is Executive Chairman and Founder of Econet Wireless, a global telecommunications company, found life in his homeland volatile, unsafe and inhospitable for political and economic reasons. So he moved abroad.Imagine if Bill Gates had been compelled by circumstances to leave the United States of America for a life in France and he had founded Microsoft there. Whose loss would it have been in that unlikely scenario? Zimbabwe can only but dream of what may have been had Masiyiwa not left his homeland. Masiyiwa sits on the Africa Progress Panel, alongside illustrious members like former UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan, Graca Machel, Olusegun Obasanjo and Bob Geldof. He is a trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation in America. Forbes Magazine named him one of the 10 most powerful men in Africa in 2015. He supports 40 000 orphans and has funded scholarships for over 100 000 students from Africa through his foundation.The Pan-African Liquid Telecom Group, owned by Econet Global, finalised the acquisition of South African Telecommunications Company, Neotel, last month. And Kwese TV, his latest enterprise, is the first competitor to DSTV across Africa. Masiyiwa is so popular; his Facebook page has two million followers. Forbes Magazine estimates that Masiyiwa, who studied electrical engineering at the University of Wales, has a net worth of US$600 million. But Zimbabwe has lost the man - all because he had a vision and refused to bankroll politicians who demanded bribes and free shares in his business before he could get a licence. Look at where Econet is today. Could these corrupt politicians have ever in their wildest dreams conceived of achieving so much success in business?When Zimbabwe loses businessmen like Masiyiwa and professionals like Mthuli Ncube - chief economist and vice-president of the African Development Bank and former dean and professor of finance at Wits Business School in Johannesburg - to foreign lands in numbers, who will formulate and implement a much-needed Marshall Plan for the Southern African nation? The economy looks set to come under further tension as electioneering for general and presidential elections next year gets into full swing and this will possibly have an impact on neighbouring South Africa.Zimbabweans who are desperate to earn a living might be heading south of the Limpopo River to find work very soon and that should increase competition for jobs in an environment where the jobless rate is currently about 26.5%. Ominously for millions of unemployed graduates and youths who live in Zimbabwe the prospects for economic change are bleak at best: Zanu-PF has chosen 93-year old President Robert Mugabe as its candidate for the 2018 presidential elections and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) will field erstwhile leader Morgan Tsvangirai.But I wonder if Tsvangirai holds the exclusive right to stand for presidential elections on behalf of the MDC? Although he has excellent credentials from his time as Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) and virtually two decades at the helm of the MDC, nominating Tsvangirai for the presidency for a fourth time is absolutely absurd and immoral for a party that supposedly champions transformation. Tsvangirai could have chosen to copy Ed Miliband. He resigned as leader of the Labour Party in Britain a day after losing the general election of May 2015 to David Cameron. Miliband had led the Labour party for only five years.Tsvangirai has however led the MDC for 18 years and lost three presidential elections to date. He may have strong reservations about whether he lost fairly, but he did lose. So for all the superlative values Tsvangirai and his coterie of sycophants stand for: change is not their strongest dynamic. The MDC has manufactured a seemingly ghoulish cult of personality around Tsvangirai in a move that is reckless and not in the spirit of democracy at all. The MDC should know that extreme egocentricity has been the bane of African politics since Ghana attained independence from Britain in 1957. So the struggle in Zimbabwe is not about Tsvangirai.No. It is about the doctors and nurses who had to go on strike for decent working conditions. It is also about 75% of the population in Zimbabwe who are living below the international poverty line. It is about economic migrants from across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe who are risking their lives to cross the Limpopo River to find menial jobs in South Africa. It is not about Tsvangirai. Perhaps he does know that. He has in the past expelled leading political figures like Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti on dubious grounds and Zanu-PF banished the late Edgar Tekere, Simba Makoni, Didymus Mutasa and Joice Mujuru for challenging Mugabe.This hideous spectacle of electoral Jammeh-ism overwhelming Zimbabwe does little to suggest constructive change is nigh for its long-suffering populace. That is the daunting reality in the making right now. Perhaps Pastor Evan Mawarire can pull off a small, Donald Trump-like surprise victory on the back of his #ThisFlag movement. But he remains an independent and lone fish in a sea of sharks. Voters in Zimbabwe may well be growing weary of supporting liberation war heroes, securocrats and lifelong legislators who do nothing but lust for authority and big money in elective office. The gulf in fortunes between the impoverished masses and party-aligned elites is growing bigger by the day. So an activist like Mawarire needs to up his game a grade higher: he should write a clear manifesto and collaborate with businessmen and professionals like Masiyiwa and Ncube.Times have changed and the economy is the new battleground in developing countries around the world. Zimbabwe requires people who have displayed robust leadership in humanitarian affairs and business to lead the wars on poverty, unemployment and social injustice. Whereas the leaders of the 1970s fought for freedom and equality for all races - that is now a given. Yet economic emancipation for the masses remains ever more difficult to secure. Zimbabwe is drowning in an oceanic cesspit of social disparity and economic deprivation to no end. Given a choice between Mujuru, Tsvangirai or a businessperson like Masiyiwa: who has what it takes to haul Zimbabwe out of this marshland it has been floundering in for so long? Do not believe the propaganda out there. Zimbabwe needs a fresh lot of heroes. A glamour model said she felt like a 'monster' after a botched boob job caused her breast implants to slide around and even disappear under her skin. Kristen Underwood, 31, from Orlando in Florida, decided to get bigger breasts to boost her confidence for photoshoots. But she regretted her decision after a pocket of air formed around the implants that allowed it to slide around. Rather than staying in place, the implants were able to travel all the way up into her arm pit and under her collar bone, leaving Kristen with a cavity around her nipples. Kristen Underwood was having a tanning bed session when she realised how much her implants moved around causing a huge cavity around her nipple Kristen Underwood before her first boob job (left) and afterwards (right). She was first pleased with the results and loved shopping for underwear for her new bigger chest - but then the implants started moving It left the stunning blonde hiding her chest under baggy tops, even during intimate moments with her partner. In April, the glamour model underwent corrective surgery and can now proudly pose for photos again. Kristen, a psychology and social work student, said: 'The day I realised the implants could slide up and under my collarbone was when I knew something was wrong. 'Not only did the implant disappeared entirely, but a cavity was created where it normally sat, around my pectoral muscle. The implants in her breasts started moving around and caused her breasts to look misshapen Kristen Underwood hid her chest in baggy tops and clothes as she was ashamed of her misshapen chest after the first boob job It was in a tanning booth that Kristen Underwood first realised how much her implants were moving around, causing huge cavities of air in her breasts 'I became incredibly aware of this. It took all of the new confidence away, and left me feeling deformed and embarrassed. 'I joked about this with intimate partners, but inside it killed me. 'Getting photos back to review and narrow down was a nightmare. I immediately had to scan them to look for the implants being too far apart, sliding over, sliding up around my collar bone.' As a child Kristen struggled with her image and was often self-conscious of her smaller chest. She said: 'I was always overweight as a child and teen, and when I began to lose all of the weight, I realised I had almost zero breast tissue. 'The women in my family would tease me. They would joke that a bra was the only thing I needed a size 'small' for. Truthfully, the smallest bras in stores did not even fit me. 'I found myself keeping my shirt on during sex, because I felt so terrible and weird about my body. Kristen has now had corrective surgery (pictured) to give her the fuller bust she's always dreamed of Kristen hid her chest under baggy tops after her first boob job went horribly wrong Kristen had a second boob job earlier this year to correct the mistakes of her first surgery (pictured after the second breast augmentation) 'I personally found it impossible to feel feminine, sexual, or attractive with a completely flat chest.' She added: 'Finally, I decided to have surgery because I am a nude model. After years of working hard to lose weight, to change my appearance, to find the confidence to stand in front of a camera, I loved the images I was able to create, but the breast size issue was always something that stuck out and almost absorbed each picture.' Three years ago, in 2014, Kristen underwent a boob job and at first was happy with the results. 'I stopped dressing like an insecure teenager, and began dressing in a more feminine way. Mature, confident, sexy. 'Shopping for bras and lingerie became one of my favourite things, because I'd never really done it before.' However, soon after, Kristen began to notice that the implants moved and would slide under the skin. Kristen now loves her more feminine body now that her botched boob job has been fixed (pictured after her corrective surgery) Kristen, and her partner Stephen. She wanted to get bigger breasts to boost her confidence She said: 'I realised I could feel a 'sliding under the skin' sensation as one or both implants would move over to the side. 'The implant settled entirely in my arm pit, and could be manually pushed back up to its original position easily, painlessly. 'If I pushed it back into place and let go, it would just slide, fairly quickly, back into my arm pit.' Kristen found it hard to wear bikinis and be intimate with people for fear her implants would slip. However, when she returned to her original surgeon, he denied anything was wrong and instead pulled out her 'before' photos, claiming she was better off now. She said: 'I was entirely caught off-guard by the entire nature of the visit. 'He shrugged and he told me they still looked great, and some moving around was normal. 'He wrapped up abruptly by telling me that it wasn't something that could be fixed. 'I told him I felt like a monster, and at this point I regretted having the surgery done at all. Kristen says she can now pose for glamour photoshoots proudly now she's had corrective surgery Kristen had to hide her chest under baggy clothes before she had corrective surgery as she felt like a 'monster' Unsatisfied and unhappy, Kristen decided to get a second opinion with Dr. Oppenheimer, who straight away noted that the pockets were a lot wider than they should be. The plastic surgeon suggested a revision and happy with his professional manner, Kristen booked surgery two weeks later. Now the blonde beauty is celebrating finally feeling proud of her body. She added: 'I have never been so relieved or validated in my life, since having this fixed. 'I feel so much more normal. Proud of my body. Not constantly worried or paranoid or regretful. 'It's been a game changer. I'm so sad I didn't do it sooner, and thought I was stuck with the mistake. 'I wasted years and a dozen or more photo shoots with a deformed chest, but I'm so happy now. It couldn't have worked out better.' The age that a child should be allowed to get their ears pierced has long been a subject of debate. But two mothers have sparked controversy after videos emerged showing their four-month-old baby daughters bursting into tears when a piercing gun was used. Crystal Lynn, 34, from Florida, received criticism from other parents when footage of her daughter Emily getting her ears pierced emerged online. Crystal Lynn, 34, from Florida, received criticism from other parents when footage of her four-month-old daughter Emily getting her ears pierced emerged online The video shows the baby screaming out in the video as she gets both of her ears pierced The video filmed in the US shows Crystal's four-month-old screaming out as she gets both of her ears pierced. She is heard wailing for about 30 seconds, but then appears to be fine. Social media users were quick to criticise her mother, with many describing it as 'cruel'. One wrote: 'Why would you want to cause your baby pain when it is meant to be mum who protects them? Let them choose when they are old enough!' Another added: 'Cruel, just cruel. Hope mum is happy putting her lovely daughter through this trauma.' It came after another video, also believed to be filmed in the US, showed a baby crying after getting her ears pierced The clip, posted on the Piercings Facebook page, was also heavily criticised by social media users But Emily's mother Crystal said her daughter, who is now five, does not remember getting her ears pierced at all. The mother-of-three says she wants to spread awareness of piercing children's ears at such a young age. 'We chose to pierce our daughter's ears at a young age because it is proven that most who wait until they are older, around the age of 5-10 years of age, usually end up with an infection because they don't stop touching them,' she said. 'When you pierce them young they don't feel, but maybe 30 seconds of pain, if any pain at all and we as parents take care of the piercing and they are less likely to mess with them.' Emily's mother Crystal, 34, says her daughter (pictured as a baby), who is now five, does not remember getting her ears pierced at all The mother-of-three says she wants to spread awareness of piercing children's ears at such a young age She insisted that when children are young they only feel about 30 seconds of pain, if any pain at all She added: 'Emily, who was four months old at the time, does not remember the piercing at all - and she loves her earrings. 'If at anytime she wants to take them out - then she can.' Meanwhile, another mother was also slammed after a video of her baby daughter getting her ears pierced emerged online. The video, believed to be filmed in the US, provoked a fierce response after it was shared on the Piercings Facebook group, with some social media users going as far to describe it as 'child abuse'. Meanwhile, a British mother has defended her decision to get her baby's ears pierced amid the online debate She argued that it's much easier to get children's ears pierced when they're younger Amid the debate, a British mother - who also took her daughter to get her ears pierced when she was four months old - defended her actions. Speaking about her experience with daughter Maddison, Rebekah, from the UK, said: 'Did she cry? Yes for a split second. Do I regret it? No. 'She looks beautiful in her earrings, and she loves to change her earrings when mummy does and wears all different ones.' The mother-of-two added: 'It's much easier to get them done as a baby than when they're older. Fact.' Having celebrated her 91st birthday last month, the Queen could be forgiven for scaling back on her schedule. But her calendar of engagements appears as intense as ever, as the monarch arrived to open the new Metropolitan Police Headquarters in London today - the morning after hosting Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at a lavish white tie state dinner. The Queen, who was joined by Prince Philip as she met with Cressida Dick, the Met's first female commissioner, on Victoria Embankment, was resplendent in a vibrant yellow coat and a co-ordinating hat. Smiling for the cameras, she betrayed no signs of tiredness, despite what was likely a late night entertaining the Spanish royals at Buckingham Palace. The smiling Queen, who wore a vibrant yellow coat with a floral dress just visible underneath, appeared to have a spring in her step despite yesterday's whirlwind of engagements She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh on Thursday to open the new Met Police HQ on Victoria Embankment The monarch's floral print dress was just visible beneath her yellow coat, and the blue detail was offset by the embellishment on her hat. Her signature Anello and Davide shoes and favourite Launer handbag finished the outfit. Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia touched down from Madrid on Tuesday night, and after a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade on Wednesday the royals were joined by Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge for a glitzy state banquet. Queen Letizia, who dazzled in an off-the-shoulder red gown, posed with her husband for formal photographs with the British monarchs. Meanwhile Kate, who had equal wow factor thanks to her daringly low cut Marchesa gown, shied away from photographers, preferring to chat to her brother-in-law in the background while the guests of honour took centre stage. The Queen and Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick appeared to share a joke as they walked into the new headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service Cressida Dick, the first female Metropolitan Police commissioner, took the Queen's hand at the end of the visit. The Queen left with a posy in hand The Queen walked with Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick as she and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at New Scotland Yard to open the new headquarters The Queen was greeted by Cressida Dick, the first female Metropolitan Police Commissioner Once inside, the Queen was shown some of the Metropolitan Police's high-tech equipment, including a bomb disposal robot The Queen paired her sunshine yellow dress and hat with black kitten heels that were decorated with gold buckles as she met Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick at New Scotland Yard with husband Prince Philip Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick laughed as she walked into the new headquarters with the Queen on her arm Today the Spanish monarchs were being given a tour of Westminster Abbey by Prince Harry, who is taking a formal role in a state visit for the first time. The King and Queen will return to Spain tomorrow. Montana has updated its sexual assault laws this week to redefine consent, after decades of requiring victims to prove they had been forced to perform a sexual act by way of force or threats. Governor Steve Bullock, Montana's Attorney General Tim Fox, and other legislators have signed six bills changing the definition of sexual assault and reshaping the way court cases can be prosecuted. Now, victims no longer need to prove that they were coerced by violence or threat to claim sexual assault. The bill also clarifies that the relationship a victim has with his or her abuser, and the way in which he or she is dressed, do not constitute consent. Law: Attorney General Tim Fox (left), Senator Diane Sands (center) and Governor Steve Bullock (right) attended the signing of bills redefining sexual assault on Monday in Missoula Governor Bullock signed two of these bills during a ceremony in Missoula on Monday night, including Senate Bill 29, which removes the requirement for survivors to show their attacker used forced against them. The previous legislation, dating back to the 1970s, required prosecutors to prove the victim had been 'compelled to submit by force against the victim or another' to have the attacker convicted. The new law accounts for the fact that someone can withdraw consent even if physical force or threats aren't used against them, and that coercing someone who has withdrawn consent to have sex is an assault. 'A person who knowingly has sexual intercoursewith another person without consent or with another person who is incapable of consent commits the offense of sexual intercourse without consent,' the bill reads. In order to account for lack of consent, Senate Bill 29 proposes a definition of consent as 'words or overt actions indicating a freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact'. It means that in absence of these clear indicators, someone cannot be considered to have given consent. The new law further clarifies what does and does not constitute consent, and reads: 'an expression of lack of consent through words or conduct means there is no consent or that consent has been withdrawn.' It also makes it clear that 'a current or previous dating or social or sexual relationship' or 'the manner of dress' do not constitute consent. Thus, the new law acknowledges that sexual assault can occur between couples, friends, and people who have previously had consensual sex. It also makes it clear the victim's outfit should be left out of the equation. The text also points out that in order to determine whether consent was given, it is necessary to look at the big picture. 'Lack of consent may be inferred based on all of the surrounding circumstances and must be considered in determining whether a person gave consent,' it reads. Changes: Bullock (left) and other legislators have signed six bills changing the definition of sexual assault. Sands (right) sponsored Senate Bill 29, which removes the requirement for survivors to show their attacker used forced against them Democratic Senator Diane Sands, who sponsored the bill and led the effort to draft it, pointed out that the previous rules were outdated and in many cases, left prosecutors powerless to pursue legal action against perpetrators. 'Most of these laws were passed in the 1970s when we had a very different idea of what sexual assault was. We have had many cases of a sexual assault that everyone agrees was a sexual assault [but] isn't a sexual assault under the law,' Sands told the Missoulian. 'We looked at really what it takes to convict someone of sexual assault. I'm very pleased we could actually pass these pieces of legislation, in most cases pretty much unanimously.' The signing of the new bills came at the same time Montana took an important step in working through its backlog of sexual assault kits, left untested from past investigation. A $2 million federal grant enabled the state to send out 1,140 backlogged kits this week. They will then be tested and investigated. 'We will soon be hiring a victim advocate and a cold case investigator, so we will be off and running on this process,' Fox told KGVO. 'In the meantime, we have developed policies and procedures and a database in order to track kits in the future so they dont accumulate.' While Melania Trump chose to cover up, the French First Lady Brigette Macron opted for a more daring ensemble as she welcomed the US President to Paris on Thursday. The wife of Emmanuel Macron stepped out in a rather clinical ensemble as she and her husband arrived at at Les Invalides monument in Paris, shortly after Trump's arrival. Meanwhile the US First Lady Melania was pictured in a midi length red skirt and a matching blazer, a demure and classic choice which provided a stark contrast to Brigette's quirky short dress. Brigette Macron cut a clinical figure as she welcomed President Trump to Paris on Thursday The 64-year-old showcased her slender pins in her white coat dress which finished above her knee. The mother-of-two paired her frock - which echoed a medical professional's uniform thanks to its functional zips and stark shade of white - with simple accessories including a pair of blue suede stilettos and a small black leather handbag. Brigette had coiffed her famous blonde bob to perfection in preparation for her meeting with Donald Trump on Thursday. The 64-year-old showcased her slender pins in her white coat dress, with its flirty hemline Brigette joined husband President Emmanuel Macron to welcomed the US President and First Lady ahead of Bastille Day Melania Trump's demure midi length red skirt and matching blazer were in stark contrast to the French First Lady's more daring dress The US President received an extremely warm welcome from Madame Macron who took his hand upon their meeting. Meanwhile President Macron spent time speaking to Melania Trump who seemed delighted to meet the French politician. Air Force One touched down at Paris' Orly Airport shortly after 0630 GMT at the start of a 24-hour trip during which the US leader will be the guest of honour at France's Bastille Day festivities on Friday. He will also visit Napoleon's tomb and have a Michelin-starred dinner at the Eiffel Tower during on the trip, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. The French couple welcomed their American guests for their two day visit at Les Invalides monument in Paris Trump and Brigette seemed to be getting on well as they held hands during their introduction During the visit, Trump will have a meeting with Macron. The two presidents hope to tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump's decision last month to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord sparked outrage across Europe and anti-Trump protests are planned while he is in Paris. Macron, a staunch advocate of research to combat global warming, has beckoned 'all responsible citizens,' including American scientists and researchers, to bring their fight against climate change to France. The two leaders will appear later on Thursday for a joint news conference. Trump and Melania will top off Thursday with a meal at the posh Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. The couple will be attending the Bastille Day celebrations on Friday before returning to the United States. Bristol Palin has always said her one-year-old daughter Sailor Grace is her husband Dakota Meyer's mini-me, and now she's proud to note that their newborn Atlee Bay looks just like her. The 26-year-old mom took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of Sailor when she was a baby alongside an image of two-month-old Atlee, who was born in May. 'Not even sorta kinda alike,' she wrote, adding that Sailor is a 'mini Dakota' while Atlee is a 'Palin baby'. Scroll down for video Baby girls: Bristol, 26, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of now-one-year-old Sailor when she was a baby (left) alongside an image of two-month-old Atlee (right) Not exactly lookalikes: Bristol pointed out that little Sailor is her father Dakota Meyer's mini-me, while Atlee looks just like her. They are both pictured holding Atlee And while they are both adorable, the sisters, who are just a little over a year apart, do appear to have very different features. Baby Sailor has a round and almond-shaped eyes, while newborn Atlee is wide-eyed and her head is more oval in shape. Dakota, a former Marine and Medal of Honor recipient, is in San Antonio, Texas, for work, but she made sure to have their two little girls say goodnight to him via Instagram Stories while he was away. On Wednesday evening, Bristol shared precious videos of her daughters right before she tucked them into bed. Too cute: The night before she shared videos of herself cuddling her little girls Making her case: When Bristol asked Sailor who her best friend is, the tot said 'mommy' But before Bristol had Sailor blow kisses to her daddy, she prompted her eldest daughter to remind him that 'mommy' is her best friend while she cuddled both girls in her arms. The series of clips start with Bristol prompting Sailor to show the camera how she smiles, and when she starts to fuss a bit, the mom asks the tot if she wants to 'go night night'. Sailor clearly wants to stay up, and Bristol has her politely say 'please' after she asks whether she wants to read a book before bed. 'Whose you're best friend?' Bristol asks, and Sailor replies: 'Mommy.' Missing her dad: The clip sees Sailor blowing kisses for her father, who is away in San Antonio A Palin through and through: Atlee was filmed smiling and gurgling for the camera 'That's right! Daddy's so jealous,' she says gleefully as she snuggles her little girl. In another video, Sailor is seen blowing kisses and Bristol reveals in the caption that they are 'kisses for daddy'. She then prompts Sailor to say her sisters name before turning the camera to Atlee who is smiling for the camera. Although Atlee is only two months old, Dakota already had her shopping for guns this week before he left for San Antonio. Dakota, 29, shared footage on Instagram of his youngest daughter smiling and gurgling in her car seat while he perused the semi-automatic pistols section of a gun store. 'Dad life': Dakota shared a video of their two-month-old daughter Atlee Bay smiling in a gun store on Tuesday 'I get the same way': In the clip Dakota, 29, says he also smiles when he is a gun store before showing a picture of the semi-automatic pistols he is checking out 'She's just like her dad! #america #dadlife,' he captioned the footage, which he also shared on his Instagram Stories, writing: 'I get the same way at a gun store.' The clip sees Atlee happily snuggled in her car seat, and Dakota moves the camera to show viewers the selection of glocks that he is looking at. Atlee looks utterly delighted, and Dakota tells the camera: 'Yep, I smile when I am in here too.' The former Marine is currently training for Competition Dynamic's 2017 Sniper Challenge, which involves land navigation and practical shooting, and he has been sure to include his family every step of the way. Similar image: Last July, he posted a similar photo of their now-one-year-old daughter Sailor sitting in a car seat that was placed on the kitchen counter next to his gun Taking aim: Bristol called Sailor a 'future member of the NRA' when she posted this photo last summer, when their eldest daughter was about seven months old Dakota and Bristol are strong advocates for the right to bear arms, and they've made it clear that their children will grow up with an appreciation and respect for guns. In the comments section of the post, which was viewed nearly 10,000 times, one woman called Atlee a 'future Annie Oakley', while another noted that she had her first shotgun put into her hands when she was just seven years old. 'My daddy taught me right! Respect respect and safety were essential to learning how to use a weapon before I was even allowed to strike the trigger!' she added. Of course, little Atlee isn't the first of his daughter to be introduced to guns at a very early age. Fun in the sun: On Tuesday Dakota also posted a video of Sailor testing out her new scooter What a ride: At one point, Bristol joined Sailor and they took it for a spin around their home Last July, Dakota shared a photo of himself adjusting his gun holster while his firearm that was left sitting on the kitchen counter next to his then-seven-month-old daughter Sailor Grace, who was gleefully smiling in her car seat. 'Carrying has always been important to me for my own safety but now it is imperative because now I have someone [relying] on me,' he wrote at the time. Meanwhile, around the same time, Bristol, 26, called now-one-year-old Sailor a 'future member of the NRA' when posting a photo of Dakota and their eldest daughter posed in front of a replica Gatling gun. Happy day: Bristol shared this photo of Dakota celebrating his 29th birthday on June 26 with her eight-year-old son Tripp, her only child with her former fiance, Levi Johnston Happy family: Bristol recently posted a series of family photos that were taken in their new home state of Texas In addition to Atlee and Sailor, the couple is also raising eight-year-old Tripp, Bristol's only child with her former high school sweetheart and fiance, Levi Johnston. After posting his latest video of Atlee, Dakota returned to Instagram to post videos of Sailor testing out her 'new rig' - a plastic scooter that she can sit and stand on. 'Whoa look at you,' he yells while Sailor plays with the toy outside, and even Bristol got in on the fun. Another clip sees Bristol and Sailor sitting on the scooter together as the mom pushes them throughout the house while asking the little girl if she wants them to go faster. 'Looks like I found something to occupy her,' Dakota captioned the footage. A seven-year-old girl is battling cancer the best way she knows how - by dancing through her treatment. First grader Piper Lively is undergoing chemotherapy at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston, and while she may be suffering nausea and vomiting, that hasn't stopped her from moving and shaking to Earth, Wind & Fire's hit song 'September'. A new video posted to a Facebook prayer page dedicated to her recovery sees Piper gleefully shaking her hips back and forth as she dances next to her hospital bed. Piper Lively can be seen gleefully dancing next to her hospital bed while receiving cancer treatment in a new video that was posted to her Facebook prayer page The little girl is decked out in colorful pajamas and hot pink slippers as she shuffles her feet back and forth while swaying to the music. Piper's joyful smile is infectious, and someone in the background can't resist laughing while she shows off her moves. 'This!!! This is how you battle Cancer! This is a great example of #BeatingThis - Love Piper and Love This Video of her enjoying Life Sooooooo Much!!! #PfP #WarriorPrincess #CantStopWatching#GodsBlessings #Thankful,' the footage was captioned. The seven-year-old is receiving treatment at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston Members of the Facebook community page call the little girl a 'warrior princess' as she bravely battles cancer Piper has been in and out of the hospital since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a very rare type of cancerous tumor 'She received dose 1 last night, she will receive Dose 2 overnight tonight. She battled back from nausea and vomiting this morning to This!!!! Geaux Piper, your army is Praying for you and dancing along with you tonight!!!' Piper was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a very rare type of cancerous tumor that generally develops in the adrenal glands and almost always affects children. Last month, Piper underwent surgery to have the tumor removed, and the procedure was considered a success. According to a post on her community Facebook page, her 'doctor estimates that 95 to 99 per cent of the tumor was removed and all of it looked dead'. Last month, Piper underwent surgery to have the tumor removed, and the procedure was considered a success Piper's friends and family hope this will be her last round of chemotherapy Piper was able to spend the Fourth of July resting at home with her family before she had to return to the hospital the next day for a particularly strong round of chemo, which her friends and family hope will be her last. Although she was sick the morning after she received her first dose of treatment, she was up and dancing later that night. The video that was posted last Thursday has been viewed over 2,000 times, and many people sent Piper their thoughts and prayers. 'Piper has been through much, but has come out smiling with a strengthened spirit each step of the way. Texas Children's Hospital has been wonderful,' an administrator of the Facebook page told KPRC. 'Piper has been magnificent.' They say that a womans hair is her crowning glory and most women want to keep it that way. A favoured hairstyle is such a key part of a womans look that many dont change it for years. And if change is on the horizon, often the ones who might be sought for advice are a trusted stylist or female best friend. But now experts say theres another very surprising person who may know better than anyone what will really suit you: your husband. Elle Bandoc, top celebrity hairdresser from Londons Neville Hair and Beauty salon, says: A person who looks at you every day will always be the best judge of what works best for your hair. While you might make decisions based on emotion or fear of change, your husband can be more objective. And, of course, he knows what he personally finds attractive in you, so hes well placed to know what might enhance that. Often, we stick to the same old style year after year, but it can suit us less as we get older. Trying something new can work wonders! So what happened when five very brave women not only asked their husbands what they really thought about their hair but then allowed them to instruct stylists at a top London salon to cut it to their specifications? So, scissors at the ready! Suzanne looks years younger with these soft natural curls Suzanne Riback, 44, a stay-at-home mum has been married to Wayne, a senior medical adviser for a pharmaceutical company, for 21 years. They live in North-West London and have two daughters, Lianne, 18, and Hayley, 16 Suzanne Riback, 44, a stay-at-home mum has been married to Wayne, a senior medical adviser for a pharmaceutical company, for 21 years. They live in North-West London and have two daughters, Lianne, 18, and Hayley, 16. Wayne says: I much prefer it when Suzannes hair is natural and curly. Most people would die for her curls and I dont understand why she straightens it constantly. Its a very homogenised look and I think its a bit old-fashioned. Shes 44, now, and I think having it a warmer, redder colour will be softer against her face and more youthful. Suzanne says: Ive been straightening my hair for the past 14 years and because any bit of humidity makes it frizz up, I have to wash it virtually every day so theres a lot of maintenance. But do I really have time to style curls just for Waynes sake? AFTER THE CHOP Wayne says: Its fantastic. The colour is so warm and soft, and the curls make her look so much younger. She looks glowing, really beautiful. She totally stands out from the crowd now' Wayne says: Its fantastic. The colour is so warm and soft, and the curls make her look so much younger. She looks glowing, really beautiful. She totally stands out from the crowd now. Suzanne says: The mahogany colour works really well against my skin tone and brightens up my features. Now Ive got my natural waves back, I can see my ironed-straight hair was looking dated. The choppy cut to my jawline, with lots of layers, is modern and stylish and adds texture. Its pretty easy to maintain, too. Wayne was absolutely right. Perhaps Ill ask him about make-up next! Laura needs a sexy cut NOT a trim from HER MUM! Laura Weston, 32, works for M&S and has been married to Derek, an estate agent, for eight years. They live in West Sussex with their four-year-old twins, Tilly and Grace Laura Weston, 32, works for M&S and has been married to Derek, an estate agent, for eight years. They live in West Sussex with their four-year-old twins, Tilly and Grace. Derek says: Laura and I have been together for more than 17 years and she has pretty much always had long, straight hair. I think she looks absolutely beautiful but Im frustrated she doesnt have it professionally styled. Her mum just trims her split ends and she hasnt had a professional haircut since having our twins. I once tried to book her a haircut for an event and she was offended and told me to cancel it. I think she needs shape and a proper style. I want her to look sexy! For that reason, I want the long locks gone and a choppy, modern look in its place. Laura says: I am really nervous because Ive had long hair for most of my life and its my comfort blanket. Whats wrong with my mum doing it? AFTER THE CHOP Derek says: Wow! Its amazing. It changes the shape of her face and highlights her lovely features. I hope she keeps going for proper haircuts now rather than going to her mum' Derek says: Wow! Its amazing. It changes the shape of her face and highlights her lovely features. I hope she keeps going for proper haircuts now rather than going to her mum. Laura says: It feels very strange to have so much less hair and, I have to admit, I was sad to see so much go. But the hairdresser, Sheuneen Hoang, said that Derek was right in wanting to cut it shorter. In all, he took off eight inches and added choppy layers to give my hair more body and lift. Its a much younger, modern hairstyle and I love it even if it does mean going to the hairdressers more often. This short crop is less fussy and shows off Judys wonderful eyes Judy Stansell, 57, a part-time secretary, has been married to Brian, 61, a warehouse manager for 36 years. They live in Rickmansworth, Herts, and have three children, Christopher, 33, Andrew, 32 and Becki, 28 Judy Stansell, 57, a part-time secretary, has been married to Brian, 61, a warehouse manager for 36 years. They live in Rickmansworth, Herts, and have three children, Christopher, 33, Andrew, 32 and Becki, 28. Brian says: When I first met Judy, she had short hair and I think her face really suited it she has wonderful blue eyes. Now, shell also often take ages styling it when she goes out and its a real pain for me. I want something thats easy for her, updates her look and will show off her gorgeous face. For that reason, I want her to go much shorter and have more of a full-bodied, less fussy style. I think shed suit a fringe, too. Judy says: Im very nervous about this. Ive been growing my hair into this bob for the past six months, but its true that it can often take me ages to go out and feel good about myself. However, Im still not certain that short is the way to go. AFTER THE CHOP Brian says: She looks so stylish and sophisticated and I know shes going to be much happier when shes getting ready to go out. We might even get to places on time!' Brian says: She looks so stylish and sophisticated and I know shes going to be much happier when shes getting ready to go out. We might even get to places on time! It brings out her blue eyes and the softness of her face. Im a very happy man. Judy says: Stylist Elle Bondoc told me it would look good, but I only really calmed down when she said it would make me look younger and bring out my blue eyes. And, yes, I have to say that Brian was right. I really like it! Its short but it has more texture and looks less flat. It seems the sort of style that I can rough-dry and manage easily so no doubt Brian will be delighted! I want to turn Lesley into Cameron Diaz Lesley Chester, 41, an administrative officer for Lincolnshire Police, has been living with her husband Darren, 32, a builder, for five years. They have a 22-month-old son, Dylan Lesley Chester, 41, an administrative officer for Lincolnshire Police, has been living with her husband Darren, 32, a builder, for five years. They have a 22-month-old son, Dylan. Darren says: Lesley has had the same hair colour and style since I met her five years ago and Id love to see a change. She often wears it up in a half-and-half style up at the front, long at the back and Im a bit fed up of it really. Im a big fan of actress Cameron Diaz and loved her hair when it was short, blonde and funky. Im hoping we can get Lesley some way towards that look. I think it would show off her eyes and neck a bit more and give her a boost. Lesley says: Im a really busy mum of a toddler, so its not often I pay attention to my hair. For me, its just stick it up and go. Weve rarely had a night out in the past few years, so Im looking for a change, too. But I think what Darren wants is a bit drastic. After all, Ill never be Cameron Diaz! AFTER THE CHOP Darren says: She looks absolutely gorgeous. It makes her look so much younger and it really shows off her eyes and neck. I think she looks modern and funky now Darren says: She looks absolutely gorgeous. It makes her look so much younger and it really shows off her eyes and neck. I think she looks modern and funky now. Lesley says: Colourist Paul Stubbs put ultra-fine highlights through my hair to make it lighter, then stylist Nelson Morales chopped off five inches. It was very dramatic but it worked well to add volume. My head feels lighter, Ive had so much hair cut off! I love the honey colour and the style feels modern and vibrant, but its going to take some getting used to. Ill definitely keep this colour. Well see about the style. Collettes fun and her hair should reflect that Teacher Collette Arora, 36, lives in Dunstable, Beds, with her husband Sumit Ahuja, 37, a mortgage consultant, and their son Shaurya, 13 months Teacher Collette Arora, 36, lives in Dunstable, Beds, with her husband Sumit Ahuja, 37, a mortgage consultant, and their son Shaurya, 13 months. Sumit says: Collette has been a dedicated mum for the past year, with very little time to spend on herself. Shes a fun, adventurous woman and I want her hair to match her energy. I think shed look great with a fringe and wavier hair and a few flashes of colour. I just dont want it to look boring any more. Collette says: Before I had Shaurya I was very experimental with my hair, but now I just wear it up most of the time. Its something I have to do rather than something to enjoy. The hairdresser, Marcos Verissimo, said I have beautiful thick hair but what Sumit wants makes sense. The fringe will frame my face nicely. AFTER THE CHOP Sumit says: She looks so cute! I love the sweeping fringe and the fun waves' Sumit says: She looks so cute! I love the sweeping fringe and the fun waves. Collette says: I really like it. The flash of colour at the ends is very of the moment its a great way to break up all the black. I feel so trendy; not just a hardworking mum who hasnt a clue what to do with my hair. Im going to buy some curling tongs and try to do these waves myself. It's the spherical treat that's notoriously difficult to crack open. No wonder then that many were raising eyebrows last night when the head of Parliament's spending watchdog warned that the Government's Brexit plans could fall apart like a 'chocolate orange'. Now social media has gone into a frenzy over the obscure analogy. Sir Amyas Morse compared Brexit plans to a Terry's Chocolate Orange falling apart in a bizarre analogy which has since gone viral on social media Dozens of people said that the comments make no sense, as a Terry's Chocolate Orange - which is shaped and segmented like the fruit it is named after - often requires a great deal of force for it to break apart. The warning came from Sir Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, who is usually a neutral public servant. This morning, dozens of baffled social media users questioned his use of the classic chocolate treat - often given as a gift at Christmas - in his analogy for the Government's Brexit plans. The treat's slogan is 'whack and unwrap' - but many pointed out that it often takes more than one forceful tap to break the segments apart. Dozens were mocking the comparison on Twitter, with some questioning if Sr Amyas had ever actually eaten a chocolate orange Others mischievously joked that the analogy didn't work as unlike Brexit, with a Terry's Chocolate Orange you have something 'tasty left'. Sir Amyas Morse is head of the National Audit Office Another suggested that the name of the sweet treat should be changed to 'Theresa's Chocolate Orange,' with the Prime Minister's first name replacing 'Terry's'. Sir Amyas Morse made the comments as he savaged the Government's 'vague' preparations for Brexit and warned that customs controls could become 'a horror show'. Government sources said he was 'completely wrong'. Former Brexit minister David Jones described his comments as 'grossly unfair'. Sir Amyas, head of the National Audit Office, admitted his comments were unusual for a neutral public servant. But he said he 'wouldn't be speaking like this' if he believed the coordinated support needed across government to deal with Brexit was in place. A Government spokesman said: 'The whole government is alive to the task ahead and working together to deliver on the will of the British people.' A mother in North Carolina who was on the brink of death has finally held her infant son for the first time after spending nearly four months recovering from life-saving surgery. Danielle Gaither, who is from Monroe, a suburb of Charlotte, was 39 weeks pregnant when she came to the emergency room with severe chest pains in February. She was experiencing an aortic dissection, which means the main artery pumping blood into her heart tore, cutting off the supply to her organs and to her unborn child. In a desperate bid to save both Danielle and her baby, doctors made the unconventional decision to perform two operations at once: open heart surgery and a cesarean section. The toll of the double-surgery meant she was forced to spend 111 days in a specialized recovery unit, and was barred from meeting her son, named KV, until she was stable. Finally, on June 16, doctors gave the green light, and filmed the moment Danielle wept as four-month-old KV was gently lifted into her weak arms. Danielle, a mother in North Carolina who was on the brink of death has finally held her infant son for the first time after spending nearly four months recovering from life-saving surgery The entire operation took six hours with nearly 20 doctors. Dr Jeko Madjarov, the lead cardiothoracic surgeon of the multi-faceted procedure, said Danielle had less than one percent chance of surviving. 'Danielles body was shutting down, and we knew we had to work together to save two lives. The gold standard of treating aortic dissection is circulatory arrest, which is a surgical technique that stops blood circulation,' Dr Madjarov told Daily Mail Online. 'But Danielles son needed blood flow in order to survive. The only way to save Danielle and her son was to perform open-heart surgery and deliver Danielles son essentially at the same time. 'These surgeries are conventionally performed separately, but we knew there wasnt enough time. We were also confident that we were going to be successful. So, four teams worked together to save two lives.' 'What amazes me is how our teams worked so well together,' said Dr Joseph T McGinn, who oversaw the heart surgery that day. Danielle's son, named KV after his father, was born days early and had to spend a few days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to recover from lack of oxygen. Now, he is a healthy baby and living at home with family members while his mother continues to regain her strength in the hospital. She was born with Marfan syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder that can cause serious heart problems. Danielle's sister also has the disease. So when the mother-of-four got pregnant, she knew it would be high-risk and was monitored carefully throughout gestation in case any issues were to arise. Her OBGYN, Dr Heather Bane, said had Danielle not lived so close to the hospital, the story could have a very different ending. One of the features of Marfan syndrome is an enlarged aorta which can cause life threatening symptoms, like in Danielle's case. Danielle's son, named KV (pictured), was born days early, but is now a healthy baby and living at home with family members while his mother continues to regain her strength in the hospital McGinn (pictured far left), who is the chair of cardiovascular surgery and thoracic surgery at Sager Heart and Vascular Institute, said he is confident Danielle (pictured center) will make a full recovery An aortic dissection is caused by a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, which causes blood to flow between the layers of the artery's wall and create two channels. Half of it continues to pump blood but the other remains still and causes the heart to increase in size. If it is not caught in time, the amount of blood in the heart will continue to increase, potentially causing it to explode. People with Marfan syndrome are at up to 250 times greater risk of aortic dissection than the general population, according to the Marfan Foundation. Thats why its important to know the signs of an aortic dissection and what to do. Danielle faces a lengthy recovery, and still has a long way to go. According to Dr McGinn, all of her organs are now functioning normally, she just needs to regain her strength and coordination. 'She will get very aggressive rehabilitation and occupational therapy and so on to get her back to normal and to 100 percent. There is nothing that is going to block her from getting to 100 percent at this point,' Dr McGinn explained. After 111 days recovering in the hospital, she was finally given the opportunity to meet her son. Dr Madjarov said they had to wait so long for the first meeting because she was so close to dying from the surgeries, and had a long road to recovery. 'She recovered in a specialized recovery unit, and was highly susceptible to infection,' He explained. 'Babies are also more susceptible to infections and they receive routine vaccinations at the two and fourth month marks. Our care team recommended that it was safest for the mothers and babys health and well-being to limit exposure. 'It wasn't until June that Danielle regained enough strength in her arms to be able to hold her son. We wanted to ensure Danielle had ample time to recover before reuniting her with KV,' Dr Madjarov continued. Additionally, between February and April, Carolinas HealthCare System and all other local hospitals restricted visitors between aged 12 and under due to the prevalence of the flu. In a video provided by Carolinas HealthCare System, she looks lovingly into KV's eyes as she is able to hold him for the first time. 'I'm glad that I'm here and I thank Dr Madjarov and the team, along with God, for saving my life,' she said. Preparing teens for their futures with soft skills Businesses of every size and industry continue to identify labor shortages as a top challenge across the country and... Where to find non-partisan ballot information Thank you for your non-biased bullet points explaining the three state ballot proposals in "A look at the three state... Breastfeeding may protect women against developing multiple sclerosis, research suggests. And women who do develop the condition suffer far less severely if they have breastfed their child, experts discovered. Some 100,000 people in the UK have MS and the disease affects twice as many women as men. It causes loss of mobility, sight problems, tiredness and excruciating pain and there are few effective treatments. Scroll down for video Breastfeeding may protect women against developing multiple sclerosis, research suggests The latest research at health group Kaiser Permanente in Southern California suggests women who breastfeed for a combined total of at least 15 months over their lifetime have half the chance of developing MS as those who breastfeed for less than four months or not at all. Scientists believe the way breastfeeding influences sex hormones may explain the link. After birth, women often do not start ovulating again until they have stopped breastfeeding. Those who bottle-feed have an earlier return to their pre-pregnancy hormone levels oestrogen levels increase and the body starts ovulating again. High oestrogen levels raise the risk of certain conditions, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and MS. The NHS suggests that women should feed their babies exclusively with breast milk until they are at least six months old. But only 34 per cent of British babies are breastfed to six months, compared to 50 per cent in Germany and 62 per cent in Switzerland. And only one in every 200 children in the UK 0.5 per cent are breastfed to 12 months, the lowest level in the world. The NHS suggests that women should feed their babies exclusively with breast milk until they are at least six months old Study leader Dr Annette Langer-Gould, whose work is published in the Neurology journal, said: This is another example of a benefit to the mother from breastfeeding. The researchers found women with MS have significantly fewer relapses during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. The study involved 397 women newly diagnosed with MS or its precursor, clinically isolated syndrome. They were compared to 433 other women. Those who had breastfed with one or more children for 15 months or more were 53 per cent less likely to develop MS or its precursor than women who had zero to four months of breastfeeding. A fashion model who lost both her legs to a potentially deadly flesh-eating bug has become the first double amputee in UK to walk the catwalk. Stacy Paris, 31, developed necrotising fasciitis in 2009 after a holiday in France. She had her left leg amputated after learning the bacteria had eaten away at her foot. Despite battling the devastating infection, reknowned for killing 73 per cent of sufferers, it returned for a second time five years later, causing her to lose her right leg. After spending so much time battling the bug, Miss Paris felt she had wasted most of her twenties in hospital or recovering from amputations. Eight years on - now using two prosthetic legs - she has forged a name for herself in the industry and graced the catwalk at Belfast Alternative Fashion Week. Since having the multiple operations, she has slimmed down from a size 10 and has had her prosthetics changed to make her three inches taller, now standing at 5ft 9. Stacy Paris (right), 31, lost both of her legs to necrotising fasciitis. Now using two prosthetic legs - she has forged a name for herself in the industry and graced the catwalk at Belfast Alternative Fashion Week last November (left) Miss Paris, from Stirlingshire, said: 'I'd never had a problem with showing off my legs. I've always been quite open and happy to talk about it. 'Modelling was never something I wanted to do but then a couple of years passed and I did a couple of fashion shows and now I'm the only double amputee model in the UK. 'Modelling is a chance to show other people that we can be different and it doesn't matter. 'That was always in the back of mind and pushed me to go further and further. Every time I see a good photo of myself it keeps me going. 'I've had messages and letters from people saying 'you are making me believe that I can do it'.' Ambassador Earlier this year, she was also named as an ambassador for Models of Diversity, a not-for-profit organisation campaigning for more diversity in the industry. Since becoming an ambassador, she says she has inspired other women with disabilities and helped them to gain confidence in their bodies. Miss Paris added: 'I'm the ambassador of Models of Diversity who campaign for a wider variety of people represented in the fashion industry. Since having the multiple operations, she has slimmed down from a size 10 and has had her prosthetics changed to make her three inches taller, now standing at 5ft 9 'In the fashion industry, everyone seems to be beautiful, tall and a size two, but this doesn't represent most people in reality. Modelling is a chance to show other people that we can be different and it doesn't matter Stacy Paris, 31 'Models of Diversity tend to be like "I'm a model and I just happen to have this disability". It is more about representing the model but not seeing only their disability. 'I used to look at fashion and nobody represented me. We had the Paralympics which is amazing but no one in fashion or music industries represented me.' When did she get the bug? Miss Paris first contracted the infection while holidaying in France eight years ago, but doctors are baffled as to how it was caused. After returning home to Scotland, she noticed a sharp pain in her toe. Rushed to hospital, doctors had to place her on life support. After spending so much time battling the bug, Miss Paris felt she had wasted most of her twenties in hospital or recovering from amputations WHAT IS NECROTISING FASCIITIS? Necrotising fasciitis is most commonly caused by an infection with group A Streptococcus. Those infections normally last just a few days - they are mild and typically clear themselves up. But in some unusual cases it can develop into necrotising fasciitis. They infect flat layers of a membrane known as the fascia, which are connective bands of tissue that surround muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels. The infection also damages the tissues next to the fascia. Sometimes toxins made by these bacteria destroy the tissue they infect, causing it to die. When this happens, the infection is very serious and can result in loss of limbs or death. Advertisement Experts believe the bacteria began in her big toe, but managed to get into her blood and started to attack her lungs. She was pumped full of anti-bacterial drugs to try and tackle the bug for six days at Stirling Royal Infirmary. She added: 'My parents thought I wasn't going to make it through the night. It's estimated that eight out of 10 who contract the infection don't survive. 'I remember waking up in intensive care very medicated. I just wanted out. I woke up and I asked my mum for Irn Bru. She just laughed at me.' Amputations She was warned her foot could go black within minutes, forcing doctors to make the tough decision to amputate. Despite overcoming the initial infection, she spent the next three years having bits of her leg removed as the bug continued to ravage her. It's estimated that she had in excess of 20 operations in total before her entire leg was amputated in May 2012. However, Miss Paris was told the bug had spread to her right leg, and underwent the same painful process of having three operations to remove parts of it. Miss Paris, from Stirlingshire, said: 'I'd never had a problem with showing off my legs. I've always been quite open and happy to talk about it' Earlier this year, she was also named as an ambassador for Models of Diversity, a not-for-profit organisation campaigning for more diversity in the fashion industry She eventually decided enough was enough and had the full limb removed in October 2014. 'It became routine' Miss Paris added: 'It eventually got to the point where I was in and out of hospital every three months having a bit cut off. It became routine. 'The difference between having the first leg amputated and the second was I had gone from completely freaking out to almost expecting it.' 'I don't think they'll ever know how I got it - the hospital just couldn't work out how I'd ended up with it. 'Basically I lost my twenties. I was supposed to be going on holiday with my friends or going out at the weekend instead of fighting this battle. 'When I was younger I was always on stage and dancing and doing shows. Then this was a completely different world where I couldn't find any role models.' Chemicals that have been linked to a host of chronic diseases may be present in high concentrations in macaroni and cheese meals made with powdered cheese, a study has found. The substances, called phthalates thought to affect hormones and metabolism were banned from childrens teething rings and rubber duck toys a decade ago. But now a new study of 30 cheese products has detected the substances which leaks into food from packaging and equipment in all but one of the samples tested. The highest levels were found in highly processed cheese powder in boxed mac and cheese mixes four times more than in block cheese and other natural cheeses. A recent study suggested high phthalate exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in men. A test of cheese products found high phthalate levels in powdered mac and cheese mix (file) Previous research has also linked them to obesity, thyroid abnormalities, reduced sperm count and mobility and risks to pregnant women and young children. 'The phthalate concentrations in powder from mac and cheese mixes were more than four times higher than in block cheese and other natural cheeses like shredded cheese, string cheese and cottage cheese,' Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, told The New York Times. The organization is one of four advocacy groups that funded the report along with Ecology Center, Healthy Babies Bright Futures and Safer States. How the research was carried out The team tested 10 different varieties of mac and cheese including some that were labeled organic and found high levels of phthalates in all of them. They researchers looked for 13 different types of the chemicals and discovered all but two and up to six different phthalates were found in some products. The US-bought food items were shipped in their original packaging to a lab in Belgium, where fat extracted from each product was analyzed using validated test methods, according to Mr Belliveau. He said it is extremely difficult for consumers to avoid the chemical. 'Our belief is that it's in every mac 'n' cheese product you can't shop your way out of the problem,' he said. While the report did not disclose the names of specific products tested, nine of the cheese products tested were made by Kraft, which makes most of the macaroni and cheese products sold. A spokesperson for the company said: 'We do not add phthalates to our products. The trace amounts that were reported in this limited study are more than 1,000 times lower than levels that scientific authorities have identified as acceptable.' 'Our products are safe for consumers to enjoy.' PHTHALATES RAISE MEN'S RISK OF HEART DISEASE Exposure to chemicals in medicines, food packaging and toys increases men's risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, recent research reveals. High levels of the chemicals, known as phthalates, in men's urine is significantly associated with suffering from such chronic diseases. Scientists from the University of Adelaide and the South Australian and Medical Research Institute analysed 1,504 men aged between 39 and 84 from south Australia. It is unclear why phthalates cause disease, however, researchers believe it may be due to their effect on the body's hormones, which regulate growth, metabolism and development. Although the study was only conducted in men, the researchers expect similar outcomes to be true for women. Previous research has linked phthalates to hormonal changes, obesity, thyroid abnormalities, and reduced sperm count and mobility. Advertisement Dangers of phthalates There is strong evidence that phthalates block the production of the hormone testosterone. The gender-bending chemicals have been linked to genital birth defects in infant boys and can affect the development of a baby after just five days in the womb, research suggests. Previous research has also associated them with raised risk of obesity. A study from Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany found that phthalates can interfere with metabolism and pave the way for weight gain. A previous study found that mice exposed to phthalates in their drinking water gained a substantial amount of weight particularly in female animals. Past studies have also suggested the substance can cause thyroid abnormalities, reduced sperm count and mobility. The chemicals may pose special risks to pregnant women and have been associated with learning and behavior problems in older children. What are phthlates and how do they get into foods? Phthalates are industrial chemicals that have been widely used since the 1950s to soften plastics that would otherwise be brittle and crack when bent. They are not intentionally added to food the chemicals seep from food processing equipment like plastic tubing and conveyor belts. The can also leak in from printed labels or plastic materials in the packaging. Phthalates bind with fats, which is why they can build up in fatty foods, including infant formula, meats and fast food. Calls to ban the chemicals The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not banned the use of phthalates in food packaging and says 'It's not clear what effect, if any, phthalates have on human health'. Europe has banned many types of phthalates from use in plastics that come into contact with fatty foods, including baby food. However, the FDA allows the use of many phthalates in such materials and classifies them as indirect food additives. A 2014 report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission urged federal agencies to assess the risks of the chemicals 'with a view to supporting risk management steps.' It said that food, drugs and beverages, and not toys, were the primary source of exposure to phthalates. A student who was too embarrassed to smile due to his massive protruding tooth was astonished when dentists discovered it was the longest human tooth in the world. Urvil Patel, 18, has been given the Guinness World Record after he asked them to remove his 'elephant canine'. When they yanked out his tooth they found it measured 3.67cm (1.44 in) nearly double the average size. The teenager's tooth beats the previous world record by just under 5mm. Dentist Dr Jaimin Patel, who operated on the man in Vadodara, India, said: 'My patient approached me with a complaint of the cosmetic and aesthetic problem. Urvil Patel asked dentists to remove his 'elephant canine' to boost his confidence His tooth measures a shocking 3.67cm (1.44 in) nearly double the average size 'The canine tooth was buccally placed. We performed the surgical extraction under local anesthesia and the procedure took nearly 30 minutes. 'A normal human teeth has an average length of 20mm. In this case, it was extremely big. 'I did the operation and went away home. It was only after I started looking up online, I figured that the tooth was the longest ever tooth extracted in the world.' Dentist Dr Jaimin Patel and his team removed Urvil's tooth in February this year The boy says he 'can now show my face to the world' none the protruding tooth is gone Dr Patel pulled out the tooth in February but he was only awarded the record this week. 'The most important thing is that Urvil is looking good aesthetically and he can go out and face the world now,' he said. Urvil said he was feeling much more confident after having the procedure. He said: 'I can now show my face to the world without being ashamed or ridiculed by people.' The earlier record was held by Loo Hui Jing who had a tooth that measured 3.2cm extracted on April 6, 2009 by Dr Ng Lay Choo. 'Bring your A-game': Gwyneth Paltrow told her detractors in May that they should not 'f*** with me'. Now, after a number of medics poked holes in goop's work, she's hitting back Goop has hit back at the medics who accuse them of pedaling quack science - provoking a storm of backlash on Twitter. The lifestyle website, the brainchild of actress-turned-entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, has earned a name for promoting unusual and often controversial products and lifestyles. Since its launch in 2008, the site has become something that people love to hate, as Paltrow's crop of wellness gurus have urged readers to steam their vaginas, take a sauna when they are ill, and buy $113 toothpaste. But now, two of these experts have hit back at their detractors in a fierce and lengthy blog post on the goop website, titled Uncensored. It starts with an introduction from Team Goop, which slams 'indiscriminate attacks that question the motivation and integrity of the doctors', and warns that '[b]eing dismissive... seems like the most dangerous practice of all'. They defend a blog post published last year, which told women to place $66 jade eggs in their vaginas to help with their pelvic floor - an article which sparked a storm of reaction, with some claiming it increased the risk of infection, and others saying it is a pointless thing to spent that much money on. The article then introduces Dr Aviva Romm, a physician on the board of directors at Yale, and Dr Steven Gundry, a peer-reviewed heart and lung expert - who directs his entire post at one specific gynecologist who disagreed with a recent article of his. Gwyneth Paltrow shared a link to the article on Twitter, borrowing Michelle Obama's phrase 'when they go low, we go high'. It was met with thousands of responses, most accusing Dr Gundry of 'mansplaining' and 'ego-bullying' his female detractor. The doctors' defenses DO CUCUMBERS CAUSE DEMENTIA? GOOP DOCTOR SLAMS HIS DETRACTORS AND EXPLAINS WHY THE VEGETABLE ISN'T SAFE The first doctor to defend his reputation is Dr Steven Gundry, who takes a far more fierce tone than the Team Goop introduction and his colleague Dr Romm who follows. Dr Gundry is the medical director of The International Heart and Lung Institute in California. His post takes direct aim at Dr Jen Gunter, a San Francisco-based gynecologist who has rocketed to internet notoriety by blogging about the supposed dangers of goop's advice. Recently, she published a take-down of Dr Gundry's claim that lectins - properties found in cucumbers and tomatoes - increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Hitting back, he explains what it means to be a peer-reviewed professor and accuses Dr Gunter of making baseless claims that lack research. Paltrow tweeted the link, borrowing Michelle Obama's phrase 'when they go low, we go high' This is the top of goop's lengthy article defending its products and advice; slamming haters 'I have read Dr. Jennifer Gunter's recent diatribe online about some of goop's advice, and since one of my recommendations was mentioned, and my credentials and motives were brought into question, I believe I have the right and duty to respond,' Dr Gundry writes. He writes that he has published 'over 300 papers, chapters, and abstracts on my research in peer-reviewed journals and have presented over 500 papers at peer-reviewed academic meetings'. After explaining what that entails, he gives some more detail on the research into lectins, with links to research papers and an interview on Dr Oz. Throughout, Dr Gundry chastises Dr Gunter for 'throwing F-bombs', and blusters: 'you did not do even a simple Google search of me before opening your mouth'. He writes: 'I have been in academic medicine for forty years and up until your posting, have never seen a medical discussion start or end with the 'F-bomb,' yet yours did. 'A very wise Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan once instructed me to never write anything that my mother or child wouldn't be proud to read. I hope, for the sake of your mother and child, that a re-reading of your article fails his test, and following his sage advice, that you will remove it.' IS 'WELLNESS' A FAD? IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD THING, GOOP DOCTOR SAYS Dr Aviva Romm takes a broader approach, defending goop's emphasis on wellness. She insists it is essential in the United States, citing the high rates of diabetes, obesity, chronic diseases, and drug-related deaths. 'Lets not forget that many common medical practices that were not too long ago considered wellness trends, at best, unscientific bunk, or at worst, dangerous, are now widely incorporated into conventional patient care,' Dr Romm adds. 'I prefer, rather than ridiculing vehicles that are actually highly effective at reaching large numbers of women who want to be well, to seek to understand what women are looking for, what the maintstream isn't providing,' she writes. Dr Romm adds that we need to 'work together to support those vehicles in elevating their content so that women are receiving the meaningful, and evidence-based answers, they want and deserve, whenever possible'. The backlash Gwyneth Paltrow first stoked the flames of the wildfire that has erupted between her doctors and their haters in May. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she issued a challenge to goop's detractors: 'If you want to f*** with me, bring your A-game.' The internet took the bait. Dr Gunter published a widely-shared article titled 'Dear Gwyneth Paltrow were not f**king with you were correcting you, XOXO Science'. After a few more blog posts breaking down why she disagreed with goop's writing, goop hit back. Goop's defending article, published on Thursday, triggered thousands of reactions. Many criticized Paltrow for claiming to take a civilized approach. 'Wow, Gwyneth uses @MichelleObama's positive catchphrase to showcase a man with an ego bullying female scientist @DrJenGunter on @goop,' wrote one user. Others took aim at Dr Gundry. 'I can't believe he mansplained peer review to her,' one said, referring to Dr Gundry's post. Another mocked him for claiming medical professionals do not use swear words. 'That made me laugh. I went to UMichigan too, & have certs from Stanford & JHU. I swear in front of my mom. Big deal,' one said. My Name Is Nobody by Matthew Richardson (Michael Joseph 12.99) My Name Is Nobody by Matthew Richardson (Michael Joseph 12.99) This spy story from a 26-year-old Westminster speech writer who went to Oxford is a supremely confident debut. It introduces Solomon Vine, once the brightest of his generation of spies, but whose star has dimmed in the wake of the shooting of a prisoner on his watch. Suspended and in exile, he nevertheless is induced by his old mentor in MI6 to look into the abduction of the Services head of station in Istanbul, where there were signs of a violent struggle. Vine begins his unofficial search, only for his mentor to end up dead possibly of a heart attack, possibly not but not before he has left his protege a suggestion that there is a mole at the Services heart, codenamed Nobody. This story is told with panache and a taste for the intricacies of craft that mark it as outstanding. Vine reminds me not so much of le Carres Smiley, but rather Len Deightons spy in his marvellous debut The Ipcress File in 1962. If he keeps going, Vine could be that good. The Child by Fiona Barton (Bantam 12.99) The Child by Fiona Barton (Bantam 12.99) A follow-up to former Daily Mail journalist Bartons best-selling debut The Widow, which I welcomed last year, this new thriller underlines her exceptional ability to sustain a striking story from first page to last. The premise is disarmingly simple: the remains of a baby are found during building work in Woolwich, East London. The news is reported in the evening paper, but it sends shivers down the spine of one woman, Emma, who appears to have a secret to hide, and another, Angela, who believes it might be her daughter. Meanwhile a third, the journalist Kate who was involved in Bartons first novel, is looking for a story. She sets the cat among the pigeons by investigating what lies behind the tiny skeleton, going to the site and trying to find out who the baby was and which mother may have lost a child. So begins a journey to uncover the truth. I have reservations about journalists as protagonists they are observers rather than instigators but I was swayed by a twisty and satisfying plot. The Pinocchio Brief by Abi Silver (Lightning 8.99) The Pinocchio Brief by Abi Silver (Lightning 8.99) A refreshing debut from a former lawyer that starts with an uncommunicative 15-year-old being charged with the murder of his maths master at his prestigious London boarding school. The boys mother appeals to a determined young lawyer, Constance Lamb, who once helped one of his contemporaries get off a shoplifting charge. This is quite a different matter, however, and so Constance seeks the help of experienced defence barrister Judith Burton. She agrees to take the case, but does not reveal that she has secrets of her own. Neither woman is convinced that their client is helping them as much as he could he was found beside the body with the masters blood on his hands even though he insists he is innocent. But they also believe that the police have taken the easy option of charging the obvious culprit. Add in the possibility that a new lie-detecting device, called Pinocchio, will be used at the trial and you have all the ingredients of a first-rate courtroom drama, which this is. Dior Catwalk by Alexander Fury and Adelia Sabatini (Thames & Hudson 48) When French millionaire Marcel Boussac asked Christian Dior to start his eponymous label, it was hard to imagine it would one day spawn the largest luxury brand in the world. To mark the 70th anniversary of the legendary fashion house's first ever show, each of Dior's haute couture collections has been gathered together and put in one stonking great book To mark the 70th anniversary of the legendary fashion house's first ever show, each of Dior's haute couture collections has been gathered together and put in one stonking great book. Filled to the brim with beautiful clothes and even more beautiful women, it's one to plonk on the coffee table and read whenever life is lacking glamour. Book of the week Big Pig, Little Pig by Jacqueline Yallop (Fig Tree 14.99) One of my favourite Bertie Wooster quotes is 'Extraordinarily good bacon, this, Jeeves. Made, no doubt, from contented pigs'. Well, in this true account, Jacqueline Yallop portrays the full muddy, snouty, squealing reality behind that quip about contented pigs making good bacon. Jacqueline and her husband, Ed, two hard-up writers who have gone to live in an isolated part of the South of France, decide to keep pigs, just as everyone in rural France used to until about 50 years ago. Jacqueline and her husband, Ed, two hard-up writers who have gone to live in an isolated part of the South of France, decide to keep pigs (pictured), just as everyone in rural France used to until about 50 years ago (More hamlets and villages in France bear names referring to pigs and pig-keeping than any other activity, Yallop tells us.) The plan is: they'll keep a pair of male pigs, of the Gascon Noir variety, which they'll feed and nurture and give a good year of happy life to, before killing them and filling the freezer. 'One thing we discussed only briefly,' Yallop writes, 'because it seemed self-evident: our pigs would not be pets. They would be reared for their meat.' She and Ed are going into this with 'hard noses and clear heads'. Also, they decide before getting them that they don't want the pigs to be subjected to the trauma of abattoir slaughter: 'We will kill them ourselves, at home. How difficult can it be to kill a pig?' And the reader thinks: 'Uh-oh!' Because, of course, the moment the 12-week-old piglets arrive, they are adorable: as inquisitive and confident as puppies, hilariously sweet with their wiggling tails and their constant rummaging, scuffling and snuffling. They like being showered with the hose and they love company and empathy. Ed and Jacqueline firmly decide not to give them names, as that would be a dangerous step towards conferring pet status on them, so they call them 'Big Pig' and 'Little Pig'. And the reader thinks 'Uh-oh' again, because those really are (very nearly) names. The pigs have distinctive characters: Little Pig is the 'scaredy-cat and also exhibitionist and drama queen'; Big Pig is calmer and braver. CRACKLING FACTS Pigs can easily be housetrained; they can also learn to dance, race and sniff out landmines. A pig's snout is 2,000 times more sensitive than a human nose. Adult pigs can run at a speed of up to 11mph. A pig's squeal can be as loud as 115 decibels thats three louder than a supersonic airliner. Pigs have personalities and can be optimists or pessimists, a University of Lincoln study shows. Advertisement They're intelligent: when the day comes to move them to a larger enclosure, they flatly refuse to cross the bit of grass where the electric fence used to be, associating that place with shock. But when they are eventually coaxed to their new larger woody enclosure, they are in bliss: Yallop writes that the expression 'like a pig in clover' should really be 'like a pig in acorns'. They gorge on acorns, and their favourite game is 'pear chase', when Jacqueline throws pears from her bucket into the undergrowth for them to retrieve and devour. By autumn they have become burly, 'like portly Victorian gentlemen'. As the months go by, and the acorn season gives way to a late-autumn glut of chestnuts (perfect for 'finishing' pigs, giving the final meat a good flavour), Jacqueline grows increasingly anxious. She knows she's like 'an executioner falling in love with someone on Death Row', and that she must guard against this. She repeats to herself: 'Special pigs but not pet pigs. Loveable pigs that must not be loved.' She knows she must go ahead with the killing plan: she doesn't want to be shown up as 'just another flimsy, urban foreigner who has no place here'. She tortures herself by reading descriptions of pig-killings from literature and by watching videos of pig-killings and butchery. Knives arrive in the post: useful knives for 'winkling a tenderloin from under the ribs with a deft slide', but also a terrifying killing knife with a long, heavy blade. Big Pig, Little Pig by Jacqueline Yallop (Fig Tree 14.99) The pigs are blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil, but things get worse for them when they're brought back to the smaller enclosure in preparation for the end, and it rains and rains for weeks and the whole place becomes a mud-bath. 'Do they wonder why their luck has changed?' Yallop asks, and by this time I had got up from the sofa and gone to get a handkerchief. Hard-headed Ed practises in the night with the knife: 'A long thrust forward, a turn of the blade, a brisk, upward flick.' And the next morning, Big Pig (all 170kg of him) goes from being pig to pork. No squealing: just a quiet thud. It's an appalling moment. 'Inside my shell,' Yallop writes, 'I think I hear part of me screaming.' Then follow some gruesomely exhausting hours of scraping off the bristles and cutting out the innards. Jacqueline goes and sings a Christmas solo in the local church choir, and then comes home and sobs her heart out. I needed another hankie to cope with Little Pig's fate. Little Pig is so distraught, so bewildered, so lonely without his companion that he repeatedly breaks through the electric fence in search of company. His fate . . . I'll leave the details of that for the reader of this very affecting book to find out. 'They have made me appreciate every single morsel of pork I eat,' Yallop writes. 'That is their gift to me in the end.' And having read this, I feel the same. Raw fear. Ruth Fitzmaurice feels it each time she prepares to dive into the Irish Sea from the stone steps of her hometown of Greystones in County Wicklow. But, even in the depths of winter, she continues to hurl herself into the icy waves because she knows that ten seconds after that first head-slam of cold, she will experience 'pure freedom'. Only the 'fearless, magical ocean' can deliver the intense release that Fitzmaurice has craved since her husband, Simon, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2008, when she was pregnant with their third child. Raw fear. Ruth Fitzmaurice feels it each time she prepares to dive into the Irish Sea from the stone steps of her hometown of Greystones in County Wicklow A charismatic writer and filmmaker, Simon Fitzmaurice was just 33 when doctors diagnosed the incurable condition. He was given three or four years to live. Nine years later, the self-proclaimed 'stubborn bastard' is still with us. Although he is now paralysed and depends on an eye-gaze computer to communicate, Simon has made the award-winning film, My Name Is Emily, written a bestselling memoir, It's Not Yet Dark, and the couple have expanded their brood to five children. Ruth's own memoir grew out of an article she wrote for The Irish Times in 2016. Blunt, brave, poetic and funny, her account of their chaotic home a jumble of kids, pets, nurses and medical equipment went viral as people responded to the lonely wife who felt her pain had become 'a stone that won't make a splash'. Fitzmaurice only started numbing that pain in the sea when the husband of her friend Michelle also ended up in a wheelchair, following a bicycle crash. Bonded by grief, wild hope and a refusal to be pitied, the two women began heading down to Greystones Ladies' Cove together. Nicknaming themselves The Tragic Wives' Swimming Club, they learned that immersion could act as a 'reset button', the salty waves scouring them temporarily clean of rage, confusion and sorrow. 'You may not always like the person who goes into the water,' they discover, 'but you always like the person who comes back out.' A few other women joined them, skinny-dipping like mermaids in the moonlight and shrieking at the seaweed brushing brackish against their skin. Ruth with her husband Simon and their children (clockwise from left) Arden, seven, Raife, nine, Jack, 11, and twins Hunter and Sadie, four Together they stagger back up the beach, laughing, swearing and feeling like 'kings of the world'. These moments of exhilaration make warriors of worriers. At home, Fitzmaurice knows that 'A worried brain will have me crouched in the corner, my soul clanking like an empty wine glass'. She tries to be honest with the children, who are scared of becoming their dad's nurses. And she tries to be grateful to the rotating shifts of nurses and carers invading her home. They're mostly wonderful, but occasionally disconcerting. One carer slips her some holy medals while confiding that the devil tells her to do bad things. A night nurse 'with a ghoulish white face' hides behind hall corners waiting to jump out at her as she passes. 'Is there a point at which humans break?' Fitzmaurice wonders. She frightens herself with thoughts of murdering Simon to end his suffering. She remembers their courtship: his charisma, kisses and dancing hands. Is swimming better than sex? she asks. 'Don't delude yourself, it's not better than all of it . . .' 'We have lost many things,' she says. 'But sometimes I find my husband: lips on the curve of his temple, a crawl space in the crook of his arm. Some things are lost and found again. I email him words of love, and he emails back . . . Screen to screen, we're holding hands at last. Two souls. It's a marvellous familiar dance. Great loves are for the brave.' Now at work on the screenplay for this book, Fitzmaurice is justifiably proud of the writer's voice she has found through her 'comical and cruel' life. 'I know I can be brave as long as the waves keep pounding,' she says. 'I'll keep flashing Madame Moon for ever, as long as she shows that full frontal.' Advertisement Bus driver Salim Sheikh has been praised for his courage under fire As the bullets rained down on his bus Salim Sheikh kept driving through the darkness. His courage under fire saved the lives of dozens of his pilgrim passengers during a terrorist attack in Kashmir and has drawn widespread admiration. The Jammu and Kashmir government and Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) separately announced rewards totalling Rs 5 lakh while Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani has said he would recommend Salim's name for a bravery award. The driver of the bus belonging to Om Travels from south Gujarat's Valsad town which was carrying 51 pilgrims, showed grit and determination and kept going through a hail of bullets only to stop after reaching a military camp some two kilometres away, said an injured survivor. Seven of the passengers were killed and more than a dozen wounded in the attack. 'God gave me strength to keep moving, and I just did not stop. The firing went on and on, so I didn't stop. I kept driving,' said Salim. The vehicle was attacked by terrorists at around 8.20pm near Khanabal in Kashmir's Anantnag district when it was on its way from Srinagar to Jammu, police said. An injured female survivor said the bus was fired at from all sides but the brave driver continued to drive. As Salim ducked to save himself, three bullets hit the bus owner, Harsh Desai, who was sitting by his side. Though Desai fell down, Salim, undeterred, kept on driving the vehicle. 'When I finally stopped the bus and stood up and I saw my passengers drenched in blood; many were injured and were weeping,' said Salim. The attackers are believed to be Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. 'As we were on the way, we heard the sound of bullets like someone was bursting crackers. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani (left) and his deputy Nitin Patel interact with the driver of the bus (right) that was attacked by the militants in J&K Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti (left) meeting with the Amarnath pilgrims who survived the Monday's militant attack Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti (left) consoles an Amarnath pilgrim As we realised it was a terrorist attack, I asked Sheikh to keep driving until we reach a military camp. He kept on driving for two kilometres and stopped only after reaching the military camp,' Desai told reporters. 'We kept on taking the bus forward amidst the heavy firing. We were able to save many lives.' The bus was not meant to be on the highway after 5 pm, given security restrictions, but it was reportedly delayed by more than two hours because of a flat tyre. 'I salute Salim Sheikh and Harsh Desai as I have learnt that they showed exemplary courage by driving the bus for almost 2 km despite heavy firing by terrorists. 'I would like to thank them for the way they saved the lives of pilgrims by driving the bus without stopping amidst the firing. Had they stopped there, many more might have been killed,' Rupani said. The chief minister also had a brief talk with Desai and Sheikh. 'We got late in the night when we were returning from Amarnath and were attacked. That was a horrific scene which I will not be able to forget,' said an elderly woman who survived the attack. The bodies of the seven pilgrims killed were brought to Surat airport along with the injured people and their family members in an IAF plane. Was the bus the real target? by Sudhi Ranjan Sen Was the bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims the main target in Anantnag or was the attack incidental? Security agencies are wading through a bewildering maze of clues. Seven pilgrims, including five women, were killed and 19 others injured when terrorists opened fire at a bus carrying Amarnath yatris on Monday. The attack on the bus - one of the worst in several years - lasted for a few seconds only, senior officials associated with the investigations told Mail Today. Amarnath pilgrims who were injured in Monday's terror attack at Anantnag in J & K, being brought by an IAF plane A police post in the area was attacked by the terrorists earlier. However, security personnel posted there resorted to heavy retaliation. 'The ill-fated bus stopped en route because of a flat tyre,' a senior official said. 'We are trying to establish whether the bus carrying the pilgrims was being tracked and attacked.' 'It is possible the terrorists did choose to target a lone bus travelling without protection,' the official added. The bus wasn't supposed to be travelling through the highway after sunset. Pilgrims are shepherded with at least two layers of security; a road opening party that guards accesses to the highways and an escort. According to the sequence of events pieced together by the police, the bus was attacked once again near a petrol pump a few kilometres from where it broke down. Security agencies are examining why a single bus moving along the highway after security cover was withdrawn was not noticed at several police checkposts. The terrorists -most likely a group of five - had divided themselves into two groups and attacked the bus from both sides, initial investigations suggest. One of the Amarnath pilgrims, injured in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir About 100 empty bullet shells have been recovered from the site of the attack. The driver of the bus 0 Salim Sheikh Gafoor - kept driving despite being fired from both sides till be he spotted an army installation. His presence of mind saved the lives of several pilgrims, most of whom were from Gujarat and Maharashtra. Jammu & Kashmir Police and security agencies believe the attack was the handiwork of Abu Ismail - a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist of Pakistani nationality, who had infiltrated into India last year after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Buran Wani was killed in an encounter. Ismail is based in Pampore - a few kilometres away from Srinagar - and had a close shave when he was nearly trapped by the Indian Army in an operation. For once, there was clear intelligence to suggest that the Amarnath Yatra would be a target. About 90,000 troops comprising seven battalions of the the Indian Army, about 400 companies of central paramilitary Forces and Jammu & Kashmir Police were deployed from Lakhanpur in Jammu to the holy shrine to prevent any attack. The deployment of security forces was reviewed on Tuesday in a meeting chaired by Home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. Two additional battalions of CRPF will also be deployed. Army chief General Bipin Rawat, who rushed to the Valley on Tuesday, reviewed counterinsurgency operations. Sources said operations will be intensified in areas such as Anantnag, Pulwama and Srinagar. The Real-Life Women Warriors Who Inspired Black Panther's Dora Milaje A year ago, we published a feature on the 18th and 19th century West African women warriors who called themselves NNonmiton. With the revelation that the Dora Milaje warriors in Black Panther were inspired by these real-life soldiers, we're resharing our piece. Conquer Or Die For over a century, an army of fierce female soldiers redefined what it meant to be a warrior and struck fear into the hearts of all their adversaries. BY JOHANNA GOHMANN ADVERTISEMENT Imagine the most terrifying, capable, badass woman you know. Now, imagine thousands of other women just like her, give them all machetes, and youre starting to get an idea of what a fearful force the Dahomey Amazon warriors must have been. Never heard of them? Well, buckle up. Because once you learn about these ladies (and by ladies, I mean women capable of tearing out an enemys larynx with their teeth), you wont soon forget them. Known to each other as the NNonmiton, which means our mothers, the female warriors of Dahomey a coastal West African kingdom now known as the Republic of Benin, bordered by Togo and Nigeria were one of the first professional female combat units ever. Renowned for their ferocity and imperviousness to pain, they fought to expand the borders of Dahomey and protect their home from enemies like the Yoruba, from approximately the early 18th century through the 19th century. When visiting Europeans stumbled across the Dahomey in their tropical nation bordering the northernmost portion of the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea, the visitors were so stunned by the womens skills and strong physiques that they were dubbed Amazons, after the female warriors of Greek mythology. Such was the size of the female skeleton and the muscular development of the frame, that in many cases, femininity could be detected only by the bosom, wrote astonished British explorer Richard Burton upon arriving in Dahomey in 1863. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / CAPTION: An Amazon in the Dahoman Army from Volume I of Frederick Edwyns 1851 book Dahomey and the Dahomans. At the height of their power, the NNonmiton were 6,000 women strong, and wielded three-inch razors and muskets. Many were capable of decapitating their enemies with a single blow, and were known to bring the heads of their victims home where they would boil the skin off the skulls, then display them as trophies. There are a number of theories surrounding how these fierce female fighters likely came to be. In one story, reported by historian Stanley Alpern in his book The Amazons of Black Sparta, the Dahomey women were such fearless hunters, they were known to attack entire herds of elephants, with many ending up gored and trampled. King Gezo, who ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858, was so impressed with their bravery, he enlisted the women into his army to fight alongside the men. TOP PHOTO: WWW.HUMANZOOS.NET / CAPTION: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Dahomey, along with other native African tribes, were paraded across Europe as part of human zoos. This photo was taken in Hungary in 1892. A more likely origin story put forth by Alpern, however, is that the NNonmiton army was born from the ranks of female palace guards. For centuries, only women were permitted inside after dark, and these women were all considered the wives of the king they served. However, some were deemed third-tier wives, meaning the king didn't find them hot enough to actually take to bed. These women became royal bodyguards, and they did such an excellent job, they were eventually expanded into a full-blown battalion. The first known female regiment called themselves The Elephant Destroyers. The second, more ominously, called themselves The Reapers. Yet another theory suggests the female warriors sprang up out of sheer necessity. Commodore Arthur Wilmot, a British naval officer, visited Dahomey in 1862, and he noted that so many of the men had been kidnapped into slavery or died in battle, that there were far more female villagers than men. The king had no choice but to train the women to fight. A NNonmitons military training was in a word intense. While they were, of course, taught to fight, they were also trained to face pain with a ruthless stoicism. They scaled walls covered in massive thorns, and even strapped on big branches of thorns to wear as belts. Oh, and trainees were also dropped into the middle of the jungle with only a machete and left to fend for themselves for up to ten days. But in order to be true killing machines, Dahomey women also had to desensitize themselves emotionally. One way this was achieved was to have new recruits participate in a brutal form of execution: the women would climb to the top of a 16-foot platform and be given a prisoner of war bound and gagged inside a basket. It was then each womans duty to grab the basket and hurl the human inside down to his or her death. PHOTO: DIGITAL SCAN COURTESY OF THE WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY / CAPTION: A platform that human sacrifices were thrown from, called an Ah-toh. From Volume I of Frederick Edwyns 1851 book Dahomey and the Dahomans. Once Dahomey women passed this initiation rite and became warriors, they considered themselves male, declaring, according to Burton, We are men, not women. Burton further noted, that if a soldier was disgraced, they would be referred to as a woman a term synonymous with being weak and ill-equipped. To become a NNonmiton meant transforming into a cold-blooded executioner someone who could gut a man and then lick his blood from the weapon. But becoming a warrior also afforded women a freedom and lifestyle they never could have experienced otherwise. A typical womans life in Dahomey was one of submission and servitude. Becoming a NNonmiton, however, put a woman in a different category altogether. It meant rising to the ranks of the elite, and living in the royal palace. A French observer once wrote, The Amazons are lodged in the palaces of the King, who supports them sumptuously, and they pass their time there drinking, smoking, and dancing. So who were the women willing to make this bargain? Well, some were ladies who joined up to escape the drudgery of day-to-day domestic work. (And really, who among us, when faced with endless afternoons of cleaning the toilet and Swiffering wouldnt be at least a little tempted to heave someone from a basket?) And some were rambunctious teenagers and women whom disgusted husbands and fathers deemed unmanageable, while others were female prisoners the Dahomey had captured in battle. Once made a NNonmiton, a woman was considered untouchable, in more ways than one. They were all considered to be wives of the King, which meant no man could go near them. When a NNonmiton went outside the palace walls, a slave girl walked ahead of her ringing a bell, which alerted everyone to back off. Men had to move a certain distance away, and avert their eyes. Touching a NNonmiton was punishable by death. Its also a fairly safe bet they werent subjected to a lot of catcalling. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / CAPTION: A Dahomey warrior pictured in Jacques Elisee Reclus 1905 book The Man and the Earth. Which brings us to another aspect of NNonmiton life: their sexuality. In yet another show of extreme self-discipline, female soldiers undertook a vow of celibacy. As wives of the King, they were not allowed to have relations with anyone else, under punishment of death. The main purpose of this celibacy was to keep the soldiers from becoming pregnant, as they would then become unfit for battle. ADVERTISEMENT For a foreign-born NNonmiton (a prisoner who was captured elsewhere in battle and later brought into the military) a life without sex might not have been that big a deal many came from communities that practiced female genital mutilation. But for a native Dahomey woman, celibacy would have been an emotionally traumatic choice. Dahomey women were primed for sex and marriage from a very early age, and rather than perform FGM, they practiced a massaging ritual wherein they attempted to elongate and thicken their labia. (They did this partly because a thin-lipped vagina wasnt considered as attractive, and partly because they believed the practice would increase a womans pleasure). For a Dahomey woman to turn her back on motherhood and a husband went against all cultural and social mores. But for many women, it was still well worth it. As Alpern writes, They left behind a life of ceaseless toil and second-class citizenship and instantly acquired semi-sacred status. When the NNonmiton went into battle, the majority of their fighting involved raiding nearby villages and conquering new land. The Dahomey actually seized what is now considered present-day Benin. They also captured many port towns, where they would set up their own trade routes with Europeans. The Europeans would give them muskets and bullets, and in return, the NNonmiton would hand over their prisoners to be sold as slaves. The NNonmiton were always prepared to fight to the death. And many did die. Its estimated that in the latter half of the 19th century, they may have lost as many as 15,000 women. Even so, they were considered astounding warriors, and the colonizing Europeans who faced them in battle spoke of them with an awestruck reverence. Their appearance is more martial than the generality of men, wrote British explorer John Duncan. And if undertaking a campaign, I should prefer the female soldiers to the male soldiers of this country. By the late 1870s, the NNonmiton forces had been whittled down considerably to around 1,500 soldiers. Then in 1887, they became embroiled in an incident that would ultimately bring about their demise. Around this time, the Europeans were all fighting to snatch up their own little slices of Africa, and there was a strong French presence near the Dahomey kingdom. One day, the Dahomey decided to attack a port town that was a French protectorate. The governor of the town, in a panic, waved the French flag in hopes that the NNonmiton might understand he was untouchable. But that plan didnt work so well. A NNonmiton lopped his head off, then wrapped it in the very flag hed been waving. PHOTO: DIGITAL SCAN COURTESY OF THE WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY / CAPTION: Dahomey skull ornaments and banners. From Volume I of Frederick Edwyns 1851 book Dahomey and the Dahomans As a result, the French staged a full-on war on Dahomey. The NNonmiton, fierce as they were, were no match for Frances modernized firepower, and in 1892 the French declared victory. The male soldiers of Dahomey fought the French alongside the NNonmiton, but it was the women who were the last to surrender. And even then, they didnt go down quietly. According to Smithsonian Magazine, There was a rumor that the survivors took their revenge on the French by covertly substituting themselves for [civilian] Dahomean women who were taken into the enemy stockade. Each allowed herself to be seduced by a French officer, waited for him to fall asleep, and then cut his throat with his own bayonet. Only about 50 NNonmiton survived that war, and its believed some of them sailed to America and joined ethnographic showcases, such as Buffalo Bills Wild West Show. Amazingly, the last known NNonmiton died in 1979. She was living in a village in Kinta, Benin, and she was estimated to be around 103. In 2015, French street artist YZ began pasting large-scale photographs of the NNonmiton on various huts and homes in Senegal. She says she wanted to remind people of this story of astounding female strength. And YZ is right, their story is well worth remembering perhaps now, more than ever. The NNonmiton serve to remind us of exactly how powerful women truly can be. Perhaps it would help those of us who have been active in the #resistance since November to learn one of the many NNonmiton songs they sang together to build morale songs of battle and bravery like this one: If one day we meet/ An audacious army/ Well fear nothing/ Well resemble the buffalo/ Who knows his way/ In the midst of sheep. PHOTO: WWW.HUMANZOOS.NET / CAPTION: The Dahomeys Princess Fassie, 1909 PHOTO: WWW.HUMANZOOS.NET / CAPTION: A souvenir from the Dahomey tribe by Albert Urbach. Date unknown. This article originally appeared in the June/July 2017 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe here! More from BUST This Kenyan Activist Is Making Schools Safer For Girls From Xena to Wonder Woman: The Physics Of Female Fighters Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed The dastardly terrorist attack on Amarnath pilgrims is a rude reminder, if one was needed, of our adversaries opportunistically fuelling a vicious cycle of religio-political violence in the country. Fortunately, the maturity of India's pluralistic and multicultural society has, once again, been amply reflected in the aftermath of this premeditated attack. There is a noteworthy absence of any flare-up elsewhere in the country. Security personnel keeping a vigil as sadhus gather to head towards Kashmir to pay obeisance at the Amarnath shrine And the yatra continues with pilgrims determined to rebuff those who want us to be cowed down or react with meaningless violence. The absence of any overt reaction, violent or otherwise, to repeated instigation by terrorists should not be seen as testimony to all being well. Each such jihadi attack, as also those by the lumpen elements posing as gaurakshaks, creates an additional knot of resentment, anger and vengeance in the psyche of ordinary folks in the affected communities. This simmering cauldron of social tensions, now palpable, erupts occasionally and has the potential to explode with horrific results. More significantly, it creates the broad base of 'social consent' that is currently so evident across the country. It seems to have numbed our sensitivities. Consequently, there is no outcry either when an Ayub is shot in cold blood for being confused with a Hindu, or a Junaid is lynched to death for merely exerting his rights to a seat in commuter train. Cowardice It is not cowardice that stops the common person, of whichever community, from rising up against this lunatic violence. Their passivity - even implicit support - is most likely a consequence of the majority in each community identifying with the fringe and seeing them as representing their perceived just cause. This breeds the culture of implicit consent, which not only accepts but perhaps connives with jiahdis or Hindutva troublemakers. The key issue, therefore, is not to compare various forms of vigilantism or extremism and passively count rising human costs. The task at hand is to drain out the oxygen from the ever-expanding trend of silent consent for extremist violence. Amarnath pilgrims who were injured in Monday's terror attack at Anantnag Not addressing this challenge head on will have disastrous consequences. The apathy or connivance of past governments in combating this menace is evident. It started in 1988-89 with the ethnic cleansing in Kashmir, followed by the destruction of the Babri mosque in 1992. Since then religio-political violence has taken a life of its own, duly instigated by external forces, especially the ISI, which clearly sees it as a potent weapon against us. Domestically, political leaders across the entire spectrum have been culpable in this unfolding human tragedy. Primarily due to the number of years it has been in power, the Congress must bear the brunt of not nipping this poisonous flower in the bud. The cynical use of opportunistic secularism or sweet-coated communalism for wresting and retaining political office has made a mockery of our assertions for safeguarding human welfare and indeed India's national interests. This horrible, cynical trend has to be reversed and conclusively eliminated from our midst. India's future as a nation state and indeed as a civilised society with its unique blend of multiple ethnicities and vibrant cultures critically depends on successfully reversing this. We have to spread awareness of the dire existential threat to our independence after centuries of servitude. The danger is real and becoming increasingly imminent. One of the Amarnath pilgrims, injured in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir Terrorism What can be done? First, we must realise that this battle against religio-political terrorism and vigilantism cannot be successfully fought by governments alone. We have to all become involved. The role of civil society is critical in draining this malevolent pool of rising albeit covert communalism. Yes, there are entrant population segments, which are perhaps not sufficiently exposed to alternate cultures or value systems. They cannot, however, be simply dismissed by the elite as marauding hordes baying for 'others' blood. Similarly, the 'new Indians' cannot get away by hurling the slur of 'Macaulay putram' on every liberal asserting constitutionally guaranteed individual rights. The RSS and Deoband have to be brought into the mainstream of the public discourse, where the creeping breakdown must now be urgently reversed. Second, and paradoxically, governments, especially in states, have an even more critical role in the immediate context and time. Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti consoles an Amarnath pilgrim Theirs is the solemn duty to protect human lives and establish the rule of law and maintain order in their jurisdictions. At the very least they must enforce state's monopoly of violence and disarm and incarcerate those who take law in their own hands. Extremist ideology of all hues and its violent manifestations must be put down with the heaviest of hands. This is the necessary existential condition for our society. Rhetoric Third, our political leaders across the spectrum have to ratchet down their rhetoric and calm the waters. Those who persistently demand that PM Narendra Modi be more strident or persistent even after his repeated and tough public criticism of Hindutva vigilantism, sound completely dishonest and hypocritical because they don't condemn the Owasis and Bannerjees of the world and do not support the right of Kashmiri Pandits to return to their native lands. Finally, we must recognise that our society is under attack from external mal-influences. Therefore, it becomes even more important that we maintain a vigil to deny them the breeding ground for sowing communal hatred. Security personnel during the search operation for militants Indians of all races, religions and value systems have voluntarily opted to live and become prosperous together. India's success in maintaining a multi-faith society and a robust democracy, while achieving economic progress, is appreciated by our friends and envied by our adversaries. This is a unique attainment. We have to recognise our historical achievement and be prepared to pay the price for maintaining that exalted position in the full glare of the global community. In a span of only 20 days, Indian Coast Guard units on patrol intercepted two suspicious foreign flag vessels off the Gujarat coast. The two crews are now being interrogated for any possible terror links as they were carrying high-end Thuraya satellite phones, which are mostly used by terrorists. Both these vessels that departed foreign ports and were not scheduled to enter any Indian port, and have suspiciously claimed that they drifted into Indian waters. The vessels were apprehended by the Coast Guard along the sensitive Gujarat coast, shared with Pakistan The vessels were apprehended by the Coast Guard after extensive surveillance missions were carried out by aircraft, along the sensitive Gujarat coast, shared with Pakistan. On July 10 Indian Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft, on surveillance mission, sighted an unfamiliar boat adrift at sea. Leaving nothing to chance, it immediately informed the Coast Guard Ship Samudra Prahari in area for investigation. The boat Al Bome Marize from Yemen was intercepted and boarded by Coast Guard Team at sea. Initial investigations revealed that the foreign boat with three crew from Yemen, two from Tanzania and one from Somalia, had developed engine problem on June 10, while operating off Yemen Coast and has been adrift since then. The boat was thoroughly searched for any illegal contraband or consignment. Thereafter, the boat was towed to Porbandar by Coast Guard ship for joint investigation by a Joint interrogation team, which is presently in progress to verify crew credentials. A Thuraya set along with two GPS sets was also recovered from the vessel. In a similar incident, a Dhow MSV AL Ariz was intercepted by Coast Guard ship on June 22, while maneouvering suspiciously movement off Gulf of Kutch and not replying on VHF. The Dhow loaded with Sugar, Cement, Rice and five used cars had departed from Sharjah, UAE on May 21 for passage to Mukalla port in Yemen. The dhow with 11 Indian crew was boarded, investigated and then escorted by Coast Guard ship to Mundra for joint investigation and rummaging. During initial interrogation, the master stated that he decided to head towards Indian coast for shelter due to inclement weather. It also revealed that the AIS and Thuraya sets were switched off during the passage. The crew along with 10 mobile phones and two GPS sets have been handed over to police and Customs by Coast Guard. Thorough investigation and analysis by a Joint team of Coast Guard, Police, Intelligence Bureau and Customs is in progress. Successful interdiction of these vessels have revalidated the robust mechanism of Coastal Security and proactive approach of Indian Coast Guard in ensuring surveillance of coastal areas. Chopper: Former De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer De Beers is to redevelop its historic headquarters in the City, after owners Anglo American cancelled plans to sell the fortress-like property. Ex-chairman Nicky Oppenheimer will be most relieved. When the grey-whiskered old Harrovian, 72, sold the family stake in De Beers for 4billion in 2012, he kept his access to the buildings helipad. Interesting fact: Oppenheimers the only person allowed to fly a private chopper within the Square Mile. Offcut from BTs annual general meeting yesterday: flashy BT boss Gavin Patterson: I read and respond to every email personally. Angry shareholder: I find this comment quite amusing. I wrote to him with a complaint on February 10. It went down five levels of management before I got someone prepared to even look at the question. And it still hasnt been resolved. Gav: Er, February was a particularly busy time What a hoot Mike Ashleys High Court tussle with investment banker Jeffrey Blue has been. Not least for presiding Judge, Sir George Leggatt. After hearing yesterdays closing arguments, the courtly old Etonian flashed a wolfish grin at the court before intoning: This has been a lot more interesting than some other cases. My man in the gallery reports Sir George, 59, struggled to keep a straight face while Ashleys boorish drinking habits were laid bare before the court. Barclays boss Jes Staley visited the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate this week to announce more funding for British agriculture. The sturdy Bostonian, 60, gingerly sampled a pint of Yorkshire-brewed beer before posing with a prized bullock. Barclays like to get their moneys worth out of 8million-a-year Jes, dont they? When not delivering well-remunerated speeches to the City, whats David Cameron doing with his time? A mole spotted him yesterday breakfasting at Ace Cafe, a greasy spoon on Londons North Circular road where leather-clad bikers famously congregate. Well known in gay circles too, Im told, since it was the setting for cult 1964 film, The Leather Boys. Hardly sounds Daves natural milieu, but apparently the foods not bad. Take a look at the website of Carillion and you would immediately think What on earth could go wrong? After all, here is a construction group which has had a hand in Britains most impressive projects including the Royal Opera House, the Tate Modern and the Chunnel. As was the case before the financial crisis the hedge funds spotted long ago that all was not well with the construction and consulting group and have been relentlessly shorting the shares. In the last few days the hedge funds led by Marshall Wace have been able to harvest handsome profits as the market value of the enterprise has plunged dramatically by 70 per cent to just 246million. Weak foundations: Carillion's debt pile is estimated by industry sources at 800m and the firm has a whopping great 393m black hole in the pension fund Construction companies are a bit like banks. Once confidence in survival drains away clients decline to make the down payments on projects, which are required to furnish the cash flow, and insolvency stares you in the face. In Carillions case it is all made worse by a debt pile estimated by industry sources at 800million and a whopping great 587million black hole in the pension fund. Chairman Philip Green may feel he has no option but to follow an initial (but reversed) stratagem set by his namesake Sir Philip Green of allowing the company to fall into administration and hoping the Pension Protection Fund will pick up the pieces. Investment bankers Lazard may come with a plan involving a debt-equity swap. It is also possible a global construction giant such as Bechtel or a Chinese construction firm might see Carillion as an entry point for grabbing a share of Britains upcoming grand infrastructure projects such as HS2. Fairy tales sometimes happen. As for the auditors KPMG and the former Blair acolyte Baroness Sally Morgan who is an independent director this is another embarrassment. Auditors and non-executives should learn from past mistakes. US shakedown Fred Goodwin may be long gone from Royal Bank of Scotland but I can still hear his voice over lunch in his office in the heart of the City. Unlike HSBC, Bear Stearns and others, investors in his bank had nothing to fear from exposure to mortgage-backed securities. It is sobering to think that ten years after the onset of the financial crisis the taxpayer is still 29.2billion down on the bailout of RBS, yet it is John Varley at Barclays who is facing fraud charges having kept his bank out of Government hands. In the latest episode in the RBS saga the bank has agreed to pay a key US regulator 4bn to settle claims that it wrongly sold 24.8billion of garbage mortgages to intermediaries Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The paradox is that the two mortgage giants returned to profit some time ago even though they remain in conservatorship a polite name for public ownership. When will RBS be in a fit state to cut the ties of Government ownership? The settlement with the US mortgage regulator is only part of its outstanding issues with the Americans. The US Department of Justice still has to extract its pound of flesh. Nevertheless, under the guidance of chief executive Ross McEwan, RBS is being steered towards a finish line when a timid Government can start selling shares. The biggest mistake made with RBS is that the Government failed to set it free by reshaping it and selling off the rest of the shares. Instead, it has jettisoned its best assets including Worldpay and its stake in Citizens at rock bottom prices, to keep afloat and satisfy European regulators. The current Chancellor could do all citizens a favour by using his Autumn budget to announce the start of a share sales process even at a loss. Once a market is re-established the underlying value in Britains premier domestic commercial bank should be recognised. You only have to look across the Atlantic to see how investors have rallied around banking stocks. Excuses, excuses Burberry finance director Julie Brown is not off to a flying start. First, she accepted a stonking pay package which angered investors and later agreed to pare it back. Now she is calling a halt to plans for a 50million new factory in Yorkshire until Britain has sorted out its deal with the EU. Yet it is the depreciation of the pound and Brexit which has led to Burberrys doubled online sales in China and caused tourists to crowd into its flagship London stores. Does Brown think we are daft? Burberry has pulled out of a plan to revive the Temple Works mill in Leeds Burberry has shelved plans to develop a flagship manufacturing factory in a listed building in Leeds. The firm which pledged 50million to revive the Temple Works mill in Leeds back in 2015 said it would no longer be renovating the building, in order to control costs. The factory was set to be the main site for the production of the Burberry trench coat, creating about 200 new jobs in the city from 2019. But Julie Brown, chief finance officer, said the firm had 'decided to let the option lapse' after deciding it would be too expensive to renovate. While Burberry still has land in Leeds, it will have to build a factory from scratch. But the firm is understood to be assessing whether to press ahead with the idea or scrap it. In an update Burberry said: 'In 2015 we announced plans to develop a new manufacturing and weaving facility in South Bank, Leeds. 'Our plans included an option to acquire the Grade-I listed Temple Works building. We retained this option whilst carrying out a detailed appraisal of the building which has now been concluded. 'This option has lapsed. There is no change to our commitment to manufacturing in Yorkshire. 'We are continuing to think through our plans for the manufacturing and weaving facility in Leeds.' The announcement came as the retailer unveiled better-than-expected first quarter results helped by strong British trading and a rebound in Chinese spending. Retail sales rose 3 per cent to 478million in the three months to the end of June, while sales at shops open for more than a year were up 4 per cent. In the UK, growth was helped by a post-Brexit weaker pound, although Burberry said it saw a 'deceleration' of this trend towards the end of the quarter Burberry managed to reinvigorate its sales in China by ramping up the advertising on its hugely successful WeChat social media app, which has nearly a billion users in the country. The move helped buoy sales of its tropical gabardine trench coat and DK88 bag. Burberry's strong performance comes as it faces a backlash from shareholders at its annual general meeting today over awards for the former chief executive Christopher Bailey and new finance director Julie Brown. Brown was due to get a large share award to make up for the bonus she lost leaving Smith & Nephew but handed back up to 2.4million worth of shares after shareholder advisory group ISS pointed out that Smith & Nephew executives had received a smaller award than the one the Burberry board assumed she was giving up. Bailey, who waived his bonus for the last two years and deferred some of the 1m shares he was awarded in 2013 prior to his appointment as boss, has also come under fire over his share awards. As well as ISS, the advisory groups Pensions & Investment Research Consultants and The Investment Association have urged shareholders to vote against Burberry's remuneration report. Embattled BT fought off calls for boss Gavin Patterson to quit over the 530million accounting scandal which shareholders have branded 'the Italian Job'. During the company's annual general meeting in London, angry investors demanded explanations from outgoing chairman Sir Michael Rake about how the fraud at its Italian business had happened and whether anyone had been held accountable. They also complained about the company's 14billion pensions deficit, its troubled network and cables division Openreach and a record 42million fine from telecoms watchdog Ofcom. Shareholders are demanding BT boss Gavin Patterson quit over the 530m accounting they have branded 'the Italian Job' Rake, presiding for the last time before he steps down in November, admitted the issues had 'overshadowed' the company and formed a 'perfect storm' that hammered its share price. But the 69-year-old rejected calls for Patterson to quit over the BT Italia scandal and a vote afterwards saw shareholders overwhelmingly back him. BT INVESTOR GRIPES 'Openreach is completely out of control and is abusing its monopoly position' 'Why can't I get a phone signal from the end of my garden?' 'Do you think the Mafia were involved in this scandal?' ' Much-loved red telephone boxes are part of our heritage. But they are missing panes, filthy and need re-repainting' ' We get cold calls every day. One of the numbers I have to ring most often is 1471' Rake told investors: 'In a very large company you cannot take steps that would further damage it in a crisis. I do not believe these events reflect the general culture at BT.' He pointed to the 4million pay cut that had been taken by Patterson, 49, and said managers in Italy had been sacked. Corrado Sciolla, the former head of BT Europe, resigned in January. Speaking after the meeting, Patterson admitted that the Italian accounting scandal had been 'a humbling experience'. He added: 'Even if some of these issues relate to previous years, it still comes out on my watch and I take responsibility for it.' He rejected suggestions that he had feared for his job. Patterson said: 'Shareholders continue to support me. I think they understand Italy is a very unfortunate situation and one we are extremely angry about still but it was a very sophisticated fraud and we have acted swiftly to address the situation.' Patterson insisted Openreach, which has been accused of delivering poor customer services and being slow to carry out repairs, was improving steadily. Investors feared oil services firm John Wood Group might get cold feet over its upcoming merger with Amec Foster Wheeler after the latter became the subject of a corruption and bribery probe. In its response to the discovery that the Serious Fraud Office has launched an investigation into Amec, John Wood failed to mention its 2.2billion slated takeover of the embattled firm, which is due to complete later this year. It is not possible to estimate reliably what effect the outcome of this matter may have on Amec Foster Wheeler, said John Wood in a statement. Despite Amec previously claiming the investigation is not expected to have an effect on the merger, John Woods cold tone sent both firms towards the bottom of the FTSE 350. Worries: Investors fear oil services firm John Wood Group was getting cold feet over its upcoming merger with Amec Foster Wheeler John Wood fell 3.5 per cent, or 22p, to 601p a three-month low while Amec dropped 5.5 per cent, or 25p, to 430p, close to all-time lows. The SFO has launched an investigation into Amec over past third-party ties to Unaoil, a Monaco-based engineering and construction group suspected of fraud, bribery, and money laundering. An internal probe into Wood Group found a joint venture made payments to Unaoil, but it found no evidence of corruption. A mattress maker which listed just two months ago revealed a mass roll-out at high-street staple Nexts home stores yesterday. Eve Sleep, which is more than 20 per cent backed by star fund manager Neil Woodford, revealed its products would be in 55 stores by the end of the month after a successful trial at three sites. Combined with its presence in selected Debenhams and Bentalls sites, the companys products will now be stocked in 63 stores across the UK. In an update for the first half of the year, Eve said revenue for the period rose by 126 per cent to 11.5million. STOCK WATCH - WINDAR PHOTONICS Shares at Windar Photonics rose by more than a tenth after the renewable energy firm reported rising turnover and falling costs. The firm makes wind sensors for the operation of electricity-generating wind turbines. It saw revenues in the first half of the year grow 62 per cent year-on-year to 1.2million. This is also higher than last years total revenues of 1.1million. Likewise, operational costs fell by nearly half to 890,000. Shares rose by 12.2 per cent, or 9p, to 82.5p. Broker Peel Hunt, which currently has a buy rating and a 135p price target on the firm, said its results were even better than it had expected. Shares rose 0.5 per cent, or 0.5p, to 95p. The FTSE 100 had a very strong day, hitting its highest level since April after oil and gas stocks were lifted by strong commodity prices. The index rose 1.19 per cent, or 87.17 points, to 7416.93. Private healthcare firm Mediclinic International was one of the biggest gainers, rising 4.7 per cent, or 33.5p, to 742.5p, as rumours of a takeover swirled among traders. The decline of Pearson continued as punters questioned whether the education giant was right to sell a 22 per cent stake in Penguin Random House for 778million. Brokers certainly didnt think so, with Pearson being cut by analysts at Jefferies, Credit Suisse, Panmure Gordon and Investec. Shares fell 4.7 per cent, or 31p, to 624p a two-month low. In the mid-cap index, silver and gold producer Hochschild Mining had a strong day after a jump in production over the second quarter. The three months saw the firm produce 4.8million ounces of silver, up from 4.1million in the first quarter, and 60.8million ounces of gold, up from 60.6million. Analysts at RBC said the firm is now well positioned to increase its full-year production guidance for 2017. It gave the firm an outperform rating and a target price of 290p. The companys shares rose by 4 per cent, or 10.4p, to 267.7p. Shares in Upper Crust and Ritazza owner SSP Group defied mixed reviews from analysts to advance 0.6 per cent, or 3p, to 486.8p. The firm, which operates food and drink chains in locations such as airports and train stations, saw like-for-like sales growth of 3.6 per cent in the three months to June, driven by increased passenger numbers at airports. Royal Bank of Scotland has been hit with a 4.2billion penalty for selling toxic mortgages in the United States in the run-up to the financial crisis. In another blow to its tarnished reputation, the taxpayer-backed lender will hand the cash over to American regulators, to draw a line under past misdemeanours. The payment relates to the mis-selling of bundles of risky home loans to investors between 2005 and 2007 as the once-safe British bank expanded overseas. Fine mess: Royal Bank of Scotland has been hit with a 4.2bn penalty for selling toxic mortgages in the United States But this is not the end of the issue for RBS, which is still 70 per cent-owned by British taxpayers following its 46billion bailout in 2008. It is feared a separate investigation by the US Department of Justice into the mis-selling of toxic mortgage products could land the bank with a 9billion bill. DECADE OF MISERY 46billion size of the banks bailout in 2008 70 per cent stake still owned by the UK taxpayer 58billion losses in the last nine years 124,000 job losses since the bank reached its peak 19billion set aside to cover fines and legal costs 95 per cent fall in its share price since 2007 RBS chief executive Ross McEwan, who took over in 2013, laid the blame firmly at the door of former boss Fred Goodwin who quit in 2008. He said: 'It's never a great experience for a chief executive to be effectively writing such a large cheque but that is the price we are paying to get this organisation in a much better shape.' Since 2008, staff numbers have fallen from 200,000 to 76,000 as it racked up losses of 58billion, closed divisions, pulled out of more than 20 countries and shut branches in the UK. The bank has also set aside nearly 19billion to cover the cost of other wrongdoings, from mis-selling payment protection insurance to ripping off small businesses. The latest payment to settle its case with the Federal Housing Finance Agency relates to 25billion of home loans bundled together by RBS and sold to US mortgage groups Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. When the sub-prime mortgage market imploded, bonds seen as safe bets in fact turned out to be made up of low grade home loans to borrowers unable to meet their repayments. The investors were left sitting on huge losses. RBS will pay a total of 4.2billion to the agency but said the net cost, after an indemnification agreement, would be 3.65billion, to be covered by funds it had already set aside. A 3-year-old Florida boy is in a cast from the waist down for an injury suffered while jumping at a trampoline park, his family said Tuesday, in a case that has circulated nationally on social media and raised questions about age restrictions for the activity. Kaitlin Hill said her son Colton broke his thigh bone late last month while bouncing on a trampoline at an indoor park in Tampa that promoted the use of trampolines by toddlers, despite the recommendations of some medical organizations. Hill warned other families not to allow young children on trampolines in a heartfelt Facebook post that has been shared more than 250,000 times. Kaitlin Hill says that her three-year-old son Colton (pictured) broke his femur after playing at a trampoline park The mother spoke out on Facebook to warn other parents about the dangers of trampolines for young children Little Colton Hill is pictured above before the accident, with his father Eddie, mother Kaitlin and his older sister outside their home in Riverview, Florida Hill, a 29-year-old nurse, said an orthopedic surgeon told them the repetitive pressure from jumping may have caused the fracture. Doctors put Colton in a hip spica cast for six weeks, and he has to wear diapers again and travel in a special wide car seat. 'We don't leave the house other than going to doctors' appointments. You can imagine what is like for an active three-year-old to be constrained in almost a full-body cast. It's traumatic,' Hill told The Associated Press. 'Every single night, he gets only four or five hours of sleep because he wakes up reliving the incident.' The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says children younger than six years old should not be allowed on trampolines. Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against recreational trampoline use for any age, but says the smallest jumpers are at greater risk. The pediatrics group warned last year that emergency-room visits from trampoline parks users have soared from 581 in 2010 to 6,932 in 2014 as the popularity of the facilities has grown. Home trampolines are still behind most of the injuries with more than 90,000 cases, but that number has remained steady for years. Researchers have called for further investigation and actions to prevent injuries at trampoline parks, saying there are no consistent guidelines for businesses to follow. The International Association of Trampoline Parks, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, did not respond to requests for comment. Dr. Armin Tehrany, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care, said the repetitive motions from bouncing can cause major injuries with bones twisting or breaking. He said physicians would like for parks to do a better job at disclosing the medical academies' recommendations, especially in keeping young children away from trampolines. A Michigan drunk driver who killed five in a 100mph crash broke down in tears as he was arraigned on multiple murder charges. Matthew Carrier, 21, was 'well in excess' of the alcohol limit for driving when he ignored a stop sign and smashed into Albert Boswell's vehicle on May 9 in a rural area, northwest of Detroit. Two of Carrier's passengers, Justin Henderson, 18, and Preston Wetzel, 24, were killed, as were all of Boswell's passengers; probation agent Candice Dunn, 36, her mother Linda Hurley, 69, and her boyfriend Jerome Tortomasi, 73. Matthew Carrier, 21, who killed five in a 100mph crash broke down in tears as he was arraigned on multiple murder charges Carrier and his passenger, Kyle Eugene Lixie, as well as Boswell, 39, of Oakland County were hospitalized and since been released. Neither Carrier not Boswell had a valid license, the secretary of state's office said earlier. Investigators said Carrier was estimated to have been speeding at 100mph at the time of the crash. On Wednesday, the 21-year-old was arraigned on five counts of second-degree murder, operating while intoxicated causing death, and driving with a suspended license causing death. He faces life in prison if convicted of the murder charge. Two of Carrier's passengers, Justin Henderson (left) and Preston Wetzel (right) were killed in the crash Boswell's passengers; Jerome Tortomasi, 73, and Linda Hurley, 69, were also killed Probation agent Candice Dunn, 36, was the fifth vicitm of the 100mph crash 'Under Michigan law, second-degree murder applies to circumstances where someone commits an act with a high probability that it will result in death, and does so in obvious disregard for human life,' Livingston County Prosecutor William Vailliencourt said in a statement. Carrier, who appeared in the 53rd District Court of Livingston County via video link wearing a prison uniform, broke down in tears as the charges were read out. He was denied bond. Vailliencourt said Carrier was convicted of being a minor in possession of alcohol in 2013 and 2016, and operating while under the influence in 2014. Police have described the accident as a 'T-bone' crash in a rural area. Carrier was driving a 2002 Subaru when he hit Boswell's Cadillac CTS, (pictured is the wreckage) Photographs of Carrier's burnt-out Subaru which flipped and burst into flames after the impact They said Carrier was driving a 2002 Subaru south on Argentine Road in Oceola Township at 100mph when he failed to stop at the stop sign at the M-59 intersection. He hit Boswell's Cadillac CTS, which had been traveling east on M-59, and the Subaru flipped and burst into flames. Photographs of Carrier's burnt-out Subaru, and the smashed up Cadillac, were shown to the court. Vailliencourt said that before the driver had got behind the wheel, he'd been asked if he was too drunk to drive, 'but he acknowledged driving and continued to do so. 'In fact, the defendant later told police, 'That was my choice before I got in the car,' he said. 'Under the circumstances I think the proof of the defendant's guilt is evident.' Family and friends of Andrew-Humberto Henderson and Wetzel, both of Fenton, Dunn, of Oakland County, Hurley and Tortomasi, of Macomb County have paid tribute to the victims. Henderson was described in his obituary as 'an amazing young man who juggled full-time school and full-time work. Carrier, 21, (left, before the crash, and right, in tears, on a video link feed in court) was 'well in excess' of the alcohol limit for driving when he ignored a stop sign and smashed into Albert Boswell's vehicle on May 9 in a rural area, northwest of Detroit 'Justin was a wonderful son, big brother and friend to everyone who knew him. There was no one that Justin would not help.' He is survived by his mother, Julee Henderson, father, Dannie Henderson and two siblings, Andrew and Elizabeth Henderson, as well as his step-father, Christopher Maciejko and 'the love of his life, Samantha Davis.' His friend Wetzel was described as 'a great young man' whose death was 'a terrible loss.' 'He will be missed,' added Shonda Cryderman. Family and friends described Tortomasi, often referred to as 'Uncle Jerry' as a great handyman was an incredible sense of humor who could 'always make you laugh.' His partner Linda Hurley, who worked for Michigan Bell and Ameritech, was described as having a 'heart of gold' and always willing to give a hug to someone who needed it. Her daughter Dunn appeared to have touched a lot of lives through her job as a probation worker, but it was her family and friends who have been left devastated by her loss. "Candice this is one time I can say my heart has a hole in it. You were touched and loved by a lot of people. My heart and prayers for your family and extend family,' said Martin Speshock, a family friend. Carrier didn't have an attorney at the arraignment. His next hearing is July 26. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." A shop manager from central China filmed herself putting her son into a pair of tights to demonstrate the quality of the product. Footage shows the father lifting a boy by grabbing the nude tights before bouncing him up and down in front of the camera. The father explained that the video intended to show his customers the flexibility and durability of the hosiery. Cheng Hongwei, a hosiery shop manager, stuffs his son into a pair of nude tights in a promotional video (left). The eight-year-old son (right) helped demonstrating the quality The video was picked up by news media today after it was widely shared by the hosiery shop's customers. A boy can be seen jumping up and down in a skin-tight undergarment, while his father gave him a little helping hand to pull him up. The father, Cheng Hongwei, said in the video: 'Look at our extra large, free cutting tights. What do you think of the quality?' The young boy keeps bouncing as his father says the quality is 'very good'. Cheng, working as a hosiery sales manager, explained that he asked his son to go to his shop to 'do a commercial' as the child had nothing planned on Sunday. Cheng lifted his son up and let him bounce up and down to prove the tights' durability The amateur promotional video was filmed by Cheng's daughter in Sui county of Henan Province. Chengdu Business Post reported that the boy was eight years old. The father told the reporter that it's the peak season to buy tights and competition in the market is huge. However, he did not know his video had gone viral after sharing it with customers. Web users on Weibo, a Chinese social media account, had a good laugh watching the boy jumping up and down in the tights. 'I will buy the tights from you, can you let go of that child please? Haha,' commented 'Liuyichou'. Another web users wrote: 'Hahahahahaha, what a dad!' Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been found guilty of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to almost 10 years in prison. Silva, who ran Brazil from 2003 until 2010 and is still known affectionately as Lula, was handed nine and a half years for accepting a bribe of a luxury seaside apartment and $1.1 million. The decision was expected but still shocked many in the country as Silva left office with soaring popularity ratings having lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty. Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was jailed for nine and a half years after being found guilty of accepting a bribe of $1.1million and a beach house (pictured listening to the verdict yesterday) Silva, 71, left office in 2010 with huge approval ratings and was planning on making a political comeback next year. His legal team claim his conviction is an attempt to subvert democracy Silva was brought down by a huge corruption investigation which has seen dozens of Brazil's elite jailed, and charges brought against the current President The 71-year-old had been considered a front-runner for next year's presidential election until his sentence, with many alleging politics motivated his trial. Protesters took to the streets in Sao Paulo last night to oppose the ruling while Silva's legal team immediately lodged an appeal. He will remain a free man while the appeal is heard. Brazil's first working class President is now also the country's first ex-president to be convicted in a criminal trial at least since democracy was restored in the 1980s. In many quarters Silva remains revered - both for his economic policies and his role in fighting for democracy during the country's dictatorship. Silva's defense team issued a scathing statement after the ruling, calling the charges an attack on democracy and vowing to prove the former president's innocence. 'President Lula has been the victim of lawfare, the use of the law for political ends, the famous method used to brutal effect in various dictatorships throughout history,' the lawyers said. The case is part of the huge 'Operation Car Wash' corruption investigation that has seen dozen's of the country's ruling elite jailed. Silva was found guilty of accepting a triplex apartment in this block at Asturias beach, in the city of Guaruja, though he denies being the owner The apartment was given to him as part of a web of kickbacks and embezzlement involving the country's state oil company The probe centers on a giant embezzlement and kickbacks scheme involving state-owned oil group Petrobras, construction firms and several political parties. Even the current president, Michel Temer, has been charged with taking bribes and several of his ministers have resigned after corruption claims were made. Silva was accused of receiving a beachfront apartment and repairs to the property as kickbacks from construction company OAS. Silva never owned the apartment, but prosecutors argued it was intended for him. Prosecutors also alleged that OAS paid to store Silva's belongings, but Moro dismissed that part of the case.Silva also faces charges in four other cases. The former union leader has said all the charges are completely unfounded, and his defiant testimony in the case decided Wednesday was billed as a showdown between himself and Moro. Both men are viewed as national heroes by some parts of Brazilian society. 'The present conviction does not bring this judge any personal satisfaction. Quite the contrary, it is regrettable that a former president be criminally convicted,' Moro wrote in his decision. 'It doesn't matter how high you are, the law is still above you.' Silva, who is still affectionately known as Lula in some quarters, is credited with lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and toppling the country's dictatorship While the verdict was expected, thousands of people still took to the streets of Sao Paulo to protest the verdict, as Silva's legal team lodged an appeal Protesters unhappy with the verdict gathered in Sao Paulo on Wednesday night to protest Moro said he did not order Silva's immediate arrest because the conviction of a president is such a serious matter that he felt the former leader's appeal should be heard first. 'This makes Lula's situation much worse since it is much more than a mere investigation,' said Claudio Couto, a political science professor at Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a Sao Paulo-based university and think tank. 'But now he will do something he likes: Until the appeal is decided, he will rally his allies and supporters against a decision that is controversial.' A few hundred supporters gathered in Sao Paulo on Wednesday night to denounce the ruling, while a smaller group of people took to the streets to celebrate Silva's conviction. 'It was an obviously political decision to prevent Lula from becoming president,' said Armando Teixeira, an unemployed auto worker. 'Everyone knows he will win if he runs.' The case now goes before a group of magistrates. If they uphold the conviction, Brazilian law says Silva would be barred from seeking office. In addition to sentencing Silva to 9 1/2 years in prison, Moro also ruled that the politician should be barred from public office for 19 years. The decision was welcomed by others, who marched through Sao Paulo in celebration Anti-corruption activists let off flares and celebrate after Silva was sentenced to jail The prosecutor's office that handled the case said it would appeal the sentence to ask for it to be increased. Silva's presidency coincided with an economic boom fueled by high commodity prices and he used the profits to fund generous social programs that made him a hero among Brazil's poor. He left office with popularity ratings of up to 87 per cent and Brazilians elected his hand-picked successor, Dilma Rousseff, to succeed him. But a subsequent fall in commodity prices and economic mismanagement by Silva and Rousseff led Brazil's economy to implode, and with it Rousseff's popularity. Rousseff was later impeached and replaced by Temer. The news of Silva's conviction took the focus off of Temer, who himself is accused of taking bribes from a meatpacking executive in exchange for helping the company obtain favorable government decisions. Temer denies wrongdoing, and the lower house of Congress will decide if he should be suspended from office and put on trial. A close Temer ally got some relief Wednesday. A judge ordered former Legislative Affairs Minister Geddel Vieira Lima released from jail and instead put under house arrest while he faces an obstruction of justice charge. Malta has voted to allow same-sex marriage despite strong church opposition in the deeply Catholic country. Lawmakers voted 66-1 in favour of the bill, with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hailing the 'historic' decision in a country which only legalised divorce in 2011 and where abortion is still illegal. He said: 'This shows that our democracy and society have reached a level of maturity and we can now say that we are all equal.' 'Pledge delivered, future secured,' he later tweeted. Calling the vote was one of Muscat's first actions after winning power in last month's election. Maltese lawmakers voted 66-1 in favour of a bill allowing same-sex marriage in a deeply Catholic country where abortion is still illegal Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hailed the 'historic' moment as gay rights activists gathered outside his office to celebrate The bill also removes words including as 'husband', 'wife', 'mother' and 'father' from the Marriage Act and replaces them with the gender-neutral 'spouse', 'parent who gave birth' and 'parent who did not give birth'. Muscat said such wording was needed to avoid categorising any member of society. He rejected accusations that this could spell the end to 'Mother's Day' or 'Father's Day', saying such suggestions were 'laughable'. Muscat won a second term in office on June 3 and had vowed to reinforce his call for equality in society. Gay rights activists hailed the result, along with many on social media, as they rallied outside the premier's office in downtown Valetta. The facade of the building was lit in rainbow colours and the slogan: 'We've made history'. Opponents of the legislation, meanwhile, held a silent vigil outside parliament. The Catholic church had staunchly opposed the move. The near-unanimous vote came despite strong opposition from the Catholic church All but one lawmaker supported the new law, which also opens the door for same-sex couples to adopt. Previously this was possible only if one person applied rather than as a couple. Though Malta scores relatively well in European-wide freedom indexes, society in the tiny Mediterranean island is still influenced by religion. Since gay unions were approved in 2014, 141 couples have taken advantage of the partnerships, while 22 others who had gotten married outside the country had registered their unions. Malta, the EU's smallest nation, becomes the bloc's 15th member to legalise same-sex unions. The Netherlands was the first European country to legalise same-sex marriage, in 2001, with the most recent being Germany on June 30 after a surprising shift on the issue by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Gay marriage has also been approved in Canada and the United States, and in four South American countries, though it remains illegal in most of Africa and Asia. Need a pick-me-up? This family of hippopotamuses is sure to get you your fix. In the cutest video you'll see this week, a young baby hippo reunites with her daddy outdoors, as mummy joins in on the fun too. Fiona, a baby hippo just 6-months-old, is seen in the video testing out the waters in the Hippo Cove's outdoor pool at Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. It is the first time she gets to meet her father, Henry, outdoors since her birth in January of this year. They had previously met indoors, but only briefly. The hippos were supervised by their care team from Cincinnati Zoo the entire time and Bibi, Fiona's mum, also kept a watchful eye. She interceded once when Henry got too close to his daughter. The Hippo Cove venue provided lots of room for the young family to explore, equally allowing for Fiona to be comfortable, knowing she could go back inside if she became scared. A happy family! Baby Fiona, pictured front left, meets her dad Henry, pictured right, for the first time outdoors, in an introduction to a new environment that lasted approximately one hour At Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, 6-month-old Fiona, pictured front left, explores her new outdoor habitat under supervision from her mother Bibi, pictured centre, and their special care team Is that a kiss? Fiona, pictured front left, plays with her father Henry, pictured right, who she met for the first time in an outdoor habitat. The two had previously met indoors, but only briefly The family will take time to get to know one another and continue their jaunts outside so that Fiona can continue getting acclimatized. Fiona was born at just 29 pounds - approximately 25 pounds lighter than she should have been. Fiona, pictured, had a premature birth this January. She weighed approximately significantly less than most baby hippos, just 29 pounds - at least 25 pounds lighter than she should have been Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Hispanic lawmakers on Wednesday that a program that protects young immigrants from deportation is likely illegal, though he is personally supportive, according to House members. Kelly attended a closed-door meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who pressed him on former President Barack Obama's Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrival Program. DACA gives hundreds of thousands of young people brought into the country as children protection from deportation and a work permit. A group of attorneys general has called on the Trump administration to phase out the program. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others have threated to amend a district court case to challenge the DACA program unless the Trump administration acts to phase it out. 'This is what he's being told by different attorneys, that if it goes to court it might not survive,' DHS spokesman David Lapan told the Washington Post. If Congress does not pass a bill to protect the program, he added, 'they're leaving it in the hands of the courts to make a decision.' Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Kelly has told Hispanic lawmakers that a program that protects young immigrants from deportation is likely illegal, though he is personally supportive Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus pushed Kelly for an update on whether the administration would defend the program. They said they came away from the meeting concerned. 'He's personally for it. He thinks it will not hold up, according to the attorneys he's spoken with,' said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas. 'He was challenged by those of us in the room, by lawmakers, to publicly announce his own position and to be a leader and to stand up and defend DACA. He said he would consider it.' Trump pledged as a candidate to 'immediately end' the DACA program. But as president, he has said that class of immigrants will not be targets for deportation. He said they can 'rest easy' and that his administration is 'not after the dreamers, we are after the criminals.' The Dream Act seeks to provide legal status for immigrants brought here illegally as children. Hispanic lawmakers raised concerns after Homeland Security secretary John Kelly warned that the Obama-era DACA program might not be ruled legal Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, speaks during the Democratic National Convention (DNC). He pressed Kelly for his personal view on the hot-button immigration issue Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly speaks as Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and House Judiciary chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., listen during Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's weekly news conference in the Capitol on Thursday, June, 29, 2017 Kelly did not speak with reporters after the hour-long meeting, but Homeland Security spokesman Dave Lapan confirmed that Kelly has doubts about the program's legal viability, based on conversations he's had with attorneys inside and outside of the department. 'Again that was a personal observation based on discussions with attorneys,' Lapan said. Lapan said it remains to be seen whether Kelly would support legislation on the issue. Several lawmakers said Kelly told them he was unaware of legislation to make the DACA program permanent, but when told that there was, he said he would look into it. They also said that Kelly told them he was one of the program's biggest defenders within the department. 'Here's what he did say to us: 'I've been fighting for DACA, and basically the reason we're in July and nothing has gone awry with DACA is because of my presence as secretary of Homeland Security,'' said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's meeting with Donald Trump Jr last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington last year launched by Veselnitskaya's boss, a Russian real estate mogul who was facing U.S. money laundering charges. Denis Katsyv, the businessman son of a senior Moscow official, spearheaded the lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' that has hurt his financial interests. The operation included an effort to influence the Trump campaign's Russia policy, as well as targeted meetings with members of congress, events on Capitol Hill, and media outreach to circulate stories that discredited an opponent of the Putin administration. Scroll down for video Denis Katsyv, pictured, the businessman son of a senior Moscow official, spearheaded the lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' that has hurt his financial interests. At the time he was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's meeting with the Trump campaign last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington last year launched by Veselnitskaya's boss. She is seen above speaking on GMA defending her meeting with Trump Jr At the time he was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million. While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Other operatives included Ron Dellums, a former Democratic congressman from California, who spent at least one afternoon scrambling to meet with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the issue last summer. Veselnitskaya wanted to give the campaign damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. However, Don Jr. said Veselnitskaya never produced the Clinton material and instead spent the time discussing Russia policy issues. Trump Jr. is pictured being interviewed by host Sean Hannity on his Fox News Channel television program, in New York Tuesday, July 11 Katsyv also formed a group called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation, which first registered to lobby last April. The group is run by lobbyists Rinat Akhmetshin and Robert Arakelian and spent nearly $200,000 on lobbying last year. It says in its disclosure forms that it focuses on 'foreign adoption issues,' a term that has become shorthand for opponents of the Magnitsky Act. The Magnitsky Act is a suite of financial sanctions targeting Russian officials and businesses that was passed by congress in 2012. The law is named after dissident lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died after injuries he sustained in Russian prison in 2009. The Magnitsky Act is a suite of financial sanctions targeting Russian officials and businesses that was passed by congress in 2012. The law is named after dissident lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, pictured, who died after injuries he sustained in Russian prison in 2009 In response to the sanctions, the Russian government banned Americans from adopting children in the country. Critics of the Magnitsky Act imply that Russia would end the adoption ban in exchange for concessions on the Magnitsky law. They have also raised questions about Sergei Magnitsky's death, suggesting he was not abused in prison and that he was financially corrupt despite claiming to be a government whistleblower. At the height of the lobbying campaign last June, Veselnitskaya managed to obtain a meeting with Trump's son and other members of his inner circle, and also secured a front-row seat at a Senate hearing right behind Michael McFaul, then the U.S. ambassador to Russia. Meanwhile, Fusion GPS pitched the New York Times, NBC and other outlets on stories that were critical of Magnitsky and his former client, businessman Bill Browder. However, none of the stories gained traction. Other lobbyists working for Katsyv sought sit-downs with prominent congressmen on foreign affairs, including Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Jim McGovern and Rep. French Hill. They also set up a screening on Capitol Hill last summer for a film that questioned Magnitsky's reputation as a whistleblower called The Magnitsky Act Behind the Scenes. The screening drew State Department officials and Capitol Hill staffers, including aides from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's office. While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Veselnitskaya is seen above in this November 2016 photo Largely unsuccessful. Most significant outcome was the fallout faced by Trump over his son's meeting with Veselnitskaya. The meeting was arranged by Goldstone, the portly British music manager whose links to Veselnitskaya remain unclear. Goldstone told Don Jr. that Veselnitskaya wanted to give the campaign damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. However, Don Jr. said Veselnitskaya never produced the Clinton material and instead spent the time discussing Russia policy issues. Katsyv was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million Whether the lobbying campaign was directly coordinated with the Kremlin is up for debate. Katsyv had personal financial interests. But his motivations were also in line with the Kremlin, which has also fought to unravel the Magnitsky Act. The outcome however was clearly good news for Katsyv. U.S. prosecutors claimed that companies owned by Katsyv through his Prevezon Holdings, and other prominent Russians, evaded taxes on hundreds of millions of dollars by laundering it through foreign banks. Katsyv reportedly sought a deal with the federal government in 2015 by offering to act as an informant on Russian criminal activity, but no settlement was reached at the time. At that point the case was under the supervision of Preet Bhrarara, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan who was fired by Donald Trump in March. Despite pursuing the case for years, the U.S. government unexpectedly agreed to a settlement before going to civil trial, which was announced in May. Under the agreement, the companies will have to pay around $6million in penalties. The link to Fusion GPS also raises new questions. The firm, founded by ex-Wall Street Journal reporters, was behind the now notorious dirty dossier. The dossier written by former British spy Christopher Steele included claims that Trump was being blackmailed by the Russian government over his escapades with Russian prostitutes in Moscow. The document quoted anonymous Russian sources who said the government had videotape of Trump paying escorts to urinate on a hotel room bed that President Obama once slept in. That salacious claim, and others in the dossier that linked Trump insiders to Russian officials, has not been corroborated. The dossier was released after the presidential election, and prompted calls from Democrats to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Advertisement A massive tornado in Iowa has damaged farmsteads and crop fields, with much of its awesome force caught on video. Amazingly no one was injured when the twister touched down in the rural farmlands of Iowa around 6pm Tuesday. In amazing video the tornado is recorded at a safe distance ripping through a field. Aaron Meyer of Conroy saw the tornado rolling through open fields near the small town. Scroll down for video This tornado shot was taken in Iowa Tuesday, just after the photographer got his family into the basement 'I've never been that close to one, I'll tell ya that,' Meyer said. 'Never even seen one.' Meyer told the Register on Wednesday that he was between 'an eighth- and a quarter-mile' from the twister. Meyer, a livestock farmer who cares for pigs and sheep, said the weather conditions were 'as calm as can be' at his property. 'I didn't have a rain drop, no bolt of lightning nothing,' Meyer said. 'It was calm as can be. 'My dog's a big chicken and he's out in the front yard taking a nap.' Kim Doehrmann said she wasn't at her home in Williamsburg and thought it was an ordinary storm sweeping through when she spotted dark clouds. Then she saw the tornado took out half of her barn. 'It totally came out of nowhere,' Doehrmann said. Doehrmann said she only found out after driving back to her home later in the evening. Speaking to the Gazette she said a neighboring farm to the south got hit much harder. The cyclone smashed through a shed with equipment and 'it's just flat, it's gone.' The tornado touches down in Conroy, Iowa Tuesday evening. Thunderstorms packing winds up to 75 mph downed trees and power lines in Dubuque County overnight, leaving thousands of people without electricity Rotating wall cloud headed toward Kinnick, Iowa Tuesday. No injuries were reported, and Humphrey said that 'there was no notice, and no severe thunderstorm warning in the area'. Doehrmann realizes how lucky everyone was that the cyclone didn't hurt anyone. 'It missed a lot, we're grateful,' she said. Iowa County authorities say the tornado touched down about a mile north of Williamsburg a little before 6pm and churned northeast, skirting Conroy before lifting. No injuries have been reported at the three damaged farmsteads. Thunderstorms packing winds up to 75mph downed trees and power lines in Dubuque County overnight, leaving thousands of people without electricity. More than 9 inches of rain has been reported in southern Clayton County, and quarter-size hail has been reported in the Holy Cross area. Iowa County Emergency Management executive director Josh Humphrey said the tornado in Conroy occurred shortly after 5:50pm Tuesday, causing damage to crops as well as minor damage to outbuildings and homes on three properties in the area. No injuries were reported, and Humphrey said that 'there was no notice, and no severe thunderstorm warning in the area'. Meyer said 'it might have been a completely different video' if someone's house was hit by the tornado. 'Fortunately I didn't get to see that,' Meyer said, adding 'Glad nobody got hurt.' Staff at the Townsville Department of Housing were left outraged after being given training material they believed referred to public housing tenants and Indigenous staff as 'monkeys'. Department case workers told the Townsville Bulletin the material, distributed under the title 'monkey management' was 'highly racist'. The training material, seen by Daily Mail Australia, showed monkeys answering phones, wearing suits and one is seen wearing glasses and appearing to examine receipts. Pictured: The training document given to Government workers in Townsville, which they say is 'highly racist' Inside, messages read: 'Monkeys should be fed or shot, but never starved', and 'Every monkey should have an assigned next feeding time and degree of initiative'. Another segment of the training module taught staff to: 'Keep the monkey population below the number you have time to feed'. The training module appears to be based on the 1974 publication Management Time: Who's Got The Monkey?, written by William Oncken Jr and Donald L Wass. A spokesperson for the Department of Housing in Queensland told Daily Mail Australia the document distributed was 'a HR program developed by independent training organisation Leadership Directions'. The document depicts monkeys working in an office, which several Indigenous staff members took issue with The spokesperson confirmed the material was based off the 1974 publication. 'It is not a part of the departments suite of leadership offerings,' they said. 'Staff members who distributed the material have been counselled about its inappropriateness. 'The department apologises to anyone who might have been offended by the material, and this is being communicated to staff.' Leadership Directions and the Together Union have been contacted for comment. A Sydney couple who went missing while bushwalking in the NSW Blue Mountains have been found. Hyung Lee, 65, and his wife Kyunghye Lee, 63, reportedly walked into a backyard in the area after spending the night lost in chilly weather conditions. Concerned relatives raised the alarm on Wednesday when the pair failed to return from a three-hour walk along the Florabella Pass, west of Penrith. Scroll down for video Hyung Lee (pictured) said he and his wife are fine after spending the night in a chilly cave The pair weren't prepared for an overnight stay. 'Small cave, we sleep there,' Mr Lee told Nine News when asked how the couple spent the night. He added that he and his wife were both fine. A search involving police, paramedics and a rescue helicopter had been set to resume on Thursday morning after crews looked for the Strathfield couple until 2am. 'Great news, the bushwalkers missing in the Blue Mountains have been located,' NSW Police tweeted early on Thursday. Setting aside squabbles past and present, Europes most senior and junior monarchs clinked glasses at Buckingham Palace last night, toasting shared bonds of friendship and even a special relationship. The state banquet for the King and Queen of Spain was not merely a diplomatic landmark but also a dazzling display of the sort of jewellery we only tend to see when two monarchies get together. While our Queen wore the tiara she herself commissioned using the aquamarines given to her by the people of Brazil, matching her satin aquablue brocade state dress, Queen Letizia of Spain wore the Fleur de Lys Tiara first worn by Spains British-born Queen Victoria Eugenia in 1906. Her stunning red gown was a nod to the Spanish state colours. For her part, the Duchess of Cambridge wore a pink Marchesa gown, along with the diamond and pearl Lovers Knot tiara, a great favourite of Prince Williams late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Setting aside squabbles past and present, Europes most senior and junior monarchs clinked glasses at Buckingham Palace last night, toasting shared bonds of friendship and even a special relationship This is the first state visit by an EU head of state since last years Brexit referendum. As the UK begins to recalibrate its relationship with Europe, the monarchy will, increasingly, be called upon to apply the sort of soothing balm we saw yesterday. From the full clanking splendour of a Household Cavalry carriage procession to tea with the Prince of Wales and even a Palace display of sherry, Britain was laying it on thicker than the sturdiest Andalusian gazpacho. Of Gibraltar there was no explicit mention, let alone the Armada. The culmination was last nights state banquet as King Felipe appeared proudly wearing his latest gift from the Queen. In addition to receiving a magnificent book of prints from the Royal Archives, the King had been made an honorary Knight of the Order of the Garter. As well as being Europes newest monarch (with just three years on the Throne), the 49-year-old King is also the tallest at 6ft 5ins. Last night, he towered over his host as he saluted her as an example for the entire world in the year of her Sapphire Jubilee. Britain and Spain, he said, had a special relationship which, through innumerable human, social and economic exchanges has resulted in a strong shared vision of the most important challenges the world must address. The nearest he got to the tricky topics of Gib and Brexit was a pledge to address any issues on which we may disagree with the greatest goodwill. The Queen saluted Spain as reliable partners and friends, declaring that a relationship like ours, founded on great strengths, will ensure that both our nations prosper, now and in the future, whatever challenges arise. Both spoke warmly of each others expats. This is the first state visit by an EU head of state since last years Brexit referendum Earlier, the King had kissed his distant cousin on both cheek and hand as they met at the formal welcome on Horse Guards Parade. As he has done on every state visit anyone can recall, it was the Duke of Edinburgh who accompanied the King on his inspection of the Guard of Honour, formed by the Irish Guards. The Duke will no longer be expected at such events following his retirement from public duties in the autumn. Do not be surprised if he appears at the next one, however. Yesterday, he stood almost as ramrod straight as the Guards. The carriage procession was enormous, thanks to the huge ministerial entourage accompanying the King on his visit. The Spanish have packed the political kitchen sink for this trip. The welcome lunch was followed by the exchange of gifts. While the King received his book and Garter, Queen Letizia was given a cashmere scarf. So pleased to see you: An admiring Charles greets Letizia (left). Prim in primrose: Queen Letizia arrives for the state visit (right) There were similar gifts in return. For Prince Philip, a cloak of Merino wool and for the Queen, a book of 67 postcards. These were, in fact, love letters between the Spanish King Alfonso XIII and his Balmoral-born sweetheart, Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (Queen Victorias granddaughter) whom he met on his 1905 visit to Britain. This love-match featured prominently in the private exhibition which the Queen had arranged for her guests in the Picture Gallery. It included prints of royal visits going back to the reign of Henry VIII, right up to photographs from the Queens visit to Spain in 1988. Most of the items on display belong to the Royal Collection but the Duke of Edinburgh had lent a prized specimen from his own collection a Salvador Dali watercolour. Based on the British coat of arms, it features the British Crown looking suspiciously like the Rock of Gibraltar. Taking the plunge: Kate in a pale pink gown and Dianas tiara Alongside it was a display of sherry. It used to be a tradition, until 1790, that the Poet Laureate received an annual butt of sherry. Since that equals 720 bottles of the stuff, its surprising that any of them got round to producing any verse. However, the Sherry Institute of Spain kindly revived the tradition for Ted Hughes in 1984 and still does the same for his successors. There was no sherry on the menu at last nights state banquet but there were debuts for two younger members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry was included in the Royal Procession into dinner, escorting the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, wife of the Lord Great Chamberlain. Also present was Lady Gabriella Windsor, accompanying her mother, Princess Michael of Kent, in the absence of Prince Michael. A previous Queen Elizabeth might have enjoyed singeing the King of Spains beard. This King of Spain happens to have a beard, too. But todays Queen Elizabeth and her family are under strict Foreign Office orders to stroke it. Morning News Brief For July 12, 2017 Morning Minute: Nevada Low On Legal Weed + Twitter Users Sue Trump As you start your day, it can be overwhelming to try to make sense of everything you missed while you were getting on with your life. Morning Minute is here to bring you the news you need to know to start your day, all broken down into tidbits you can consume before you finish your morning constitution. Here are this morning's headlines. Nevada Dispensaries Already Running Low On Legal Marijuana Recreational weed was legalized on July 1, but the states 47 dispensaries are already depleted. The problem is that Nevada's regulations only allow alcohol distributors to legally transport the pot, and none of them have licenses. An emergency measure, to be voted on tomorrow, could allow dispensaries to obtain their own licenses. [NBC News] Twitter Users File Suit Against President Trump For Blocking Them In an interesting (if not dramatic) move, a group of twitter users blocked by Trump argue that his account amounts to a sort of townhall forum, and that blocking them is a violation of their 1st amendment rights even if they're mocking him or saying things he disagrees with. Press Secretary Sean Spicer and social media director Dan Scavino were also named as defendants. [New York Times] Enormous Iceberg Breaks Off From Antarctica An iceberg covering roughly 6,000 sq km broke off from Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf on Wednesday, according to U.S. satellite images. While experts were expecting it to happen sooner or later, it's still large enough that maps may need to be redrawn. It likely ranks in the top 10 of the largest icebergs ever observed. [BBC News] China To Block VPN Access By 2018 China tightly controls what its citizens can access on the internet, but lately users have been getting around the firewall by installing VPN services. That's scheduled to come to an end by February of next year, when the government will require all state-run ISPs to block access to the services. If successful, sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google and many more will once again off-limits. [PCMag] Former Anheuser-Busch CEO May Have Tried To Fly His Helicopter Under The Influence A bizarre story out of St. Louis involves former Anheuser-Busch CEO Augustus Busch IV, a helicopter and a bunch of guns. Police were called when a helicopter landed in an office park in Swansea, Illinois. The pilot was gone by the time officers arrived, but witnesses called again about 8 hours later saying the pilot had returned and appeared "too intoxicated to take off." Busch has not been formally identified as the pilot, nor was alcohol intoxication mentioned in the field report. But they did find several guns and prescription drugs in the cockpit, so who knows what's going on. [CNBC] Children could be accessing violent and sexual content in digital libraries on smart TVs that don't have child locks or restrictions. A report from the Daily Telegraph has raised concerns about the access children may have to mature-age programs on SBS On Demand, ABC's iView and Foxtel. Cyber safety expert Sharon McLean told the Daily Telegraph catch up television meant that content could be accessed by children at any time of day. Children could be accessing violent and sexual content in digital libraries on smart TVs that don't have child locks or restrictions (stock image) 'On free to air TV, the adult content has to come on after 9.30pm at night, but the other platforms dont because they can put what they watch whenever they want online,' she said. 'There has always been inappropriate content on TV, but with the internet and all the streaming services anyone can watch it the next day.' Movies available on the catch up platforms include Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Strippers vs Werewolves, Songs to Have Sex To and a Japanese series TV series called Assassination Classroom. Tenplay viewers are given the option to sign in to watch television shows but it is not mandatory to access content on the site. Movies available on the catch up platforms include Texas Chainsaw Massacre (pictured), Songs to Have Sex To and a Japanese series TV series called Assassination Classroom An SBS spokesman told the Daily Telegraph users creating accounts needed to enter their birth dates and were warned that not all content was appropriate for children. 'SBS does not broadcast content which exceeds MA15+ on any of its free-to-air platforms, including SBS On Demand,' the spokesman said. 'SBS also requires users to create an account to access SBS On Demand and its terms and conditions of use highlight the need for parental supervision for content that may not appropriate for children.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted ABC Publicity for a comment on the restrictions for children who access iView. The movies avilable on catch up platforms also include Strippers vs Werewolves (pictured). SBS said they do not broadcast content which exceeds MA15+ on any of its free-to-air platforms, including SBS On Demand A Foxtel spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they believe in ensuring a kid friendly experience when accessing programming. 'With Foxtels streaming service, Foxtel Now, parents can select and restrict programs by their classifications using a parental PIN,' the spokesperson said. 'Once set, these classification restrictions apply to all devices registered to the account. 'Foxtel also recently launched a popular new Foxtel Kids app, which is specifically designed for kids and offers a safe, ad-free, place for kids to enjoy the best in kids programming.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted ABC Publicity for a comment on the restrictions for children who access iView The son of a Melbourne mum murdered almost 40 years ago is angry police bungled the investigation by mixing up DNA evidence. Victoria Police admitted on Thursday DNA taken from bloody pillowcase, and used to rule out priest Anthony Bongiorno as a suspect, came from an unrelated case. Maria James, 38, was killed in 1980 in her Thornbury bookshop and the priest, who's since died, was a key person of interest. Her sons Mark and Adam were 13 and 11, respectively, when she died. DNA evidence from another crime scene was used to rule out suspects in the investigation of Maria James' 1980 murder in a Victoria bookshop, police revealed on Thursday (Ms James is pictured with her youngest son Adam) Ms James, 38, was killed in 1980 in her Thornbury bookshop and the Father Anthony Bongiorno (pictured) , who's since died, was a key person of interest The siblings have long suspected the Catholic priest was involved because he had abused Adam as a child. Adam James recently detailed his abuse to an ABC Trace podcast looking into the case. 'I remember he said to me 'Adam, can you come with me and I don't want you to tell your mum or Mark',' he told the ABC. Bongiorno abused him before Ms James came to collect her son, Adam said. Mark James says he's angry around the latest turn in the Victoria Police investigation. 'I am actually angry. I feel quite indignant,' he told ABC television on Thursday. But despite the disappointment, Mark's also relieved. 'When I was originally told that Father Anthony Bongiorno had been eliminated through some form of DNA-type testing, I found it difficult to accept,' he said. 'But now that police have confirmed that Father Bongiorno and others are actually not eliminated, I'm feeling some relief.' Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana the DNA mix up was the result of a 'human error' made three decades ago. 'Basically, this means we need to go back and re-examine all the exhibits from the Maria James investigation.' Pictured: The bookshop and home where Maria James was murdered in 1980 Persons of interest previously ruled out of the investigation would now be re-examined. 'We've got to go back and ... see whether we can actually identify whether the offender has left any trace evidence behind,'Mr Fontana said. 'We don't have a profile on the suspect at this stage.' Mark is seeking clarification about when the unrelated DNA was introduced to the investigation. 'I accept it was human error but the clarification I am seeking was, specifically, did this interference occur before Father Bongiorno became a suspect in this case?' Mr Fontana said the error was discovered this year after a cold case inquiry into Ms James' death began. The James family say they have applied to the Victorian Coroner to re-examine the case as well. Mr Fontana does not expect the exhumation of bodies, including the remains of Father Bongiorno, will be needed as a new investigation gets underway. The admittance comes after it was revealed Ms James issued her son Mark a chilling warning just hours before her death. 'If anything happens to me, make sure [your brother] Adam is looked after,' she told him. The conversation took place at the breakfast table, and by the time Mark, then 13, and his younger brother Adam, then 11, returned home from school, their lives had changed forever, reported ABC's Trace Podcast. Father Bongiorno picked the boys up from school and broke the news. It is believed she was killed with a small knife with a green handle, taken from her own kitchen drawer (pictured) It is believed she was killed with a small knife with a green handle, taken from her own kitchen drawer. When she was killed, she was on the phone to her ex-husband John. She had briefly put down the phone and never returned. Police arrived to find the phone still off the hook. Despite police finding blood at the scene which they believe belongs to the killer, Maria's murderer has never been found. Officers investigated multiple leads, but all of them went cold. Detective Ron Iddles, who is widely regarded as Australia's greatest detective, was unable to solve the case, and though he retired from Victoria Police this year, will continue trying to hunt down the mother's killer. He told Trace the amount of stab wounds Maria received suggested her killer was certainly someone she knew. 'I've investigated over 320 homicides. Those where you have absolute multiple stab wounds like this, I don't think I've ever charged anyone where there is no connection between the killer,' he said. Shia LaBeouf has apologized after videos emerged of him hurling racial abuse and ranting about 'black' porn at officers while he was being arrested in Georgia last week. The 31-year-old actor was arrested in a hotel lobby at 4am on Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and was later released after posting $7,000 bond. LaBeouf was charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstruction after getting into an argument over a cigarette. 'I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it,' LaBeouf wrote in a statement. Scroll down for video LaBeouf tweeted out an apology on Wednesday night after the videos of his arrest were published 'I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. LaBeouf was released from a Georgia jail after posting $7,000 bond for charges of public drunkenness after getting aggressive over a cigarette 'The severity of my behavior is not lost on me.' He continued: 'My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. 'It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps towards securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes.' Earlier, new video - obtained by TMZ - shows the Hollywood star ranting and raving at police while he was being held inside the station prior to his release. 'F*** you b****, f*** you b****,' he is heard telling the white police officer at the start of the first clip. 'Hey, when you go home to your wife, what do you tell her at night? You know she watches porn, she probably watches the x-f***ing big boys and s***, like looking at black d***. LaBeouf is seen in this still image from police video abusing one of the officers after he was arrested last weekend 'Don't you feel f***ed up being white about that? Don't you feel like 'f*** man, I ain't got all the goods'. Don't you feel like a white joke?' The video then ends as he is led away by two other officers. However, he continues the racist tirade this time at a black police officer in another video showing him being booked into the system. The 31-year-old actor was sat at a desk while a white police officer was entering some information on a computer, but LaBeouf took offense with a black cop also sat at the table. 'You're going to hell, straight to hell, bro,' he said, seemingly to the white cop, before switching his attack to the black officer. 'You especially that's sad as f***, because he's a black man.' An irate actor Shia LaBeouf (left and right) is seen in a police body camera video during his arrest in Georgia over the weekend The white cop is then heard replying, 'that don't mean he's going to hell', to which the actor responded: 'It means a whole lot, bro.' LaBeouf then complained that he was arrested because the police were 'racist', saying: 'You got me in here on a f***ing hold from a black man who arrested me for being white. 'I'm sitting around asking three black people to have a cigarette, you motherf***ers want to call me a racist. 'It happened just like that, it's super simple. You call me whatever you want you have me sitting here for this dumb a** s*** for no reason it's your word against my word.' The new videos were released after footage emerged Monday showing part of his arrest. LaBeouf launched into a tirade at the officers by first declaring: 'I have rights! I'm an American!' This screenshot from the July 8 police video shows the 31-year-old Transformers star having his hands restrained behind his back in a Savannah hotel LaBeouf turns political, telling the officer, who is African-American: 'you wanna arrest white people who give a f***, who ask for cigarettes?' He continued on to demand to know why he was being taken into custody at his hotel, before he is seen in the video being handcuffed and placed in the back of a police cruiser, all the while heaping verbal abuse on the officers. An officer then attempted to have a conversation with LaBeouf, but the refused, shouting about his handcuffs: 'You gonna put these s***s off my arms or you'll be f***ing f***ed.' LaBeouf then turned political in his rant, telling the black officer: 'You got a president that don't give a s*** about you, and you're stuck in a police force that don't give a f*** about you, so you wanna arrest white people who give a f***, who ask for cigarettes?' The incensed actor is then seen in the clip ramping up the vitriol, declaring: 'I came up to you trying to be nice, you stupid b****, I came up to you asking for a cigarette, you dumb f***. Why would I ask for a cigarette if I was racist, you stupid b****?' He then boasted: 'I got more millionaire lawyers than you know what to do with, you stupid b****.' The footage, which appears to have been edited down, concludes with LaBeouf standing against a wall and lamenting that his handcuffs are too tight. An officer's body camera recorded the actor raving and spewing profanities as he was been processed at the county jail a short time later 'Why am I in custody? Why am I in custody?' he shouted in the video. A second video obtained by DailyMail.com on Monday afternoon showed the actor continuing to hurl abuse at the officers and rant about race as he was being taken to jail. 'You're a pirate, b****!' LaBeouf howled from the back of the squad car in the clip, adding: 'And you put your own kind in the pen for nothing.' He continued: 'You put a white man in the pen, for what, you f***ing b****?' for asking a black man for a cigarette?' The Hollywood star then once again brought up his high-priced attorney, yelling: 'I pay my taxes, you dumb b****. You're about to meet my lawyer...and you'll feel like a stupid, slimy w****. Enjoy your life, that's your legacy, you f***ing coward.' The video then ended with the actor seen being stood up against the wall, with his hands still restrained. According to police, the incident was sparked when LaBeouf was rebuked by a bystander he asked for a cigarette. Police said he then became disorderly and abused an officer, before he ran to his hotel in an attempt to avoid being arrested. The actor is currently in around the Savannah area filming his new movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon, along with Dakota Johnson. The actor has had a number of run-ins with police, having been arrested earlier this year after an altercation at an anti-Trump performance he was staging in January. He was also arrested in 2005 and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, after ramming a neighbor's car with his in a road rage incident, in 2008 for drunk driving, in 2014 for disorderly conduct and criminal trespass at New York's Studio 54 theater, and on two more occasions in 2007 and 2008. A Jewish conservative wants polarising Muslim youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied to apologise to Australia for suggesting the nation has betrayed her. Avi Yemini is incensed by the 26-year-old former ABC presenter's claims that she has been silenced, despite been given media platforms to air her views. 'We're sick of it. Please, if you're going to open your mouth it had better be for that apology you owe us. You owe the entire Australia,' he told his 79,454 Facebook followers. 'You betrayed us.' Scroll down for video Jewish activist Avi Yemini wants Yassmin Abdel-Magied to apologise to all Australians The polarising figure said she felt the Australian public was only accepting of those who 'toe the line' 'Didn't you leave, Yassmin? You're not the victim here. You were given more than 99 per cent of Australians and all you do is play the victim card. All you do is complain. 'Every chance you get, you put down our country and then you wonder why Australians are outraged by your comment.' The conservative activist has even offered to take Ms Abdel-Magied to the airport as she prepares to leave Australia for London. The self-defence trainer has started a social media hashtag '#illridewithyou', mocking failed Greens candidate Rachel Jacobs' Twitter campaign to stand by Muslims after the 2014 Lindt cafe siege in Sydney. 'In case her problem is transport, I'm officially offering Yassmin Abdel-Magied a ride to the airport,' he said. 'If it ensures you leave sooner.' Avi Yemini has started a hashtag '#illridewithyou' to say he'll take her to the airport himself Yassmin Abdel-Magied says she feels betrayed by Australia and is 'exhausted' after a series of highly-publicised controversies Mr Yemini also offered to help Ms Abdel-Magied draft an apology. 'Start like this: 'I'm Yassmin Abdel-Magied. I've got everything in this world. I love my religion, Islam. We're not all perfect',' he said. ''But I am sorry for betraying the Australian people. I am sorry. And I hope one day they find the room in their heart to forgive me for my disgraceful and describable actions.' Maybe then, we'll be willing to listen to you again.' Following a series of controversies, Yassmin Abdel-Magied declared Australia had stripped her of her free speech, even though she was the host of ABC program Australia Wide, appeared on Q&A and last year went on an $11,000 taxpayer-funded trip to the Middle East. 'I feel a little bit betrayed by Australia, because it's my country and these are my country people and it's my home,' she told Buzzfeed UK. 'And to sort of fight for your right to exist in your home country, it's exhausting. 'Where do you go that's safe if not your home?' The 26-year-old said she felt stripped of her right to free speech in her home country. She recently announced she would be moving to London The polarising figure, who recently labelled herself 'the most publicly hated Muslim' in the country, said she felt Australians were only accepting of those who 'toe the line'. She spoke of her fiery discussion about Sharia law with Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie on Q&A in February, when she claimed that Islam is the 'most feminist religion'. 'I had toed the line for 10 years in the public eye and for some reason I decided that at that point that if I didn't say anything, who would?' she said. 'If me as a young brown Muslim woman sitting there next to the politician, wasn't going to say to the politician, ''hey, check yourself,'' who was going to do it on my behalf?' Ms Abdel-Magied added: 'Freedom of speech doesn't really apply to the truth. For me that was my truth, but I wasn't really allowed to say it and people were very upset, so it's taught me a lot.' Meanwhile, the former ABC presenter revealed last week she was 'deeply and personally' affected by the Anzac Day post controversy. She sparked uproar in April with a Facebook message which read: 'Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine).' It triggered a social media firestorm, with her comments widely condemned as 'disrespectful' and 'despicable'. The former ABC presenter revealed last week she was 'deeply and personally' affected by the Anzac Day post controversy 'Given that I am now the most publicly hated Muslim in Australia, people have been asking me how I am,' Ms Abdel-Magied wrote for The Guardian last week. 'What do I say? That life has been great and I can't wait to start my new adventure in London? ... Or do I tell them that it's been thoroughly rubbish? 'That it is humiliating to have almost 90,000 twisted words written about me in the three months since Anzac Day, words that are largely laced with hate.' She quickly deleted her Anzac Day post and said: 'It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that, I apologise unreservedly.' She sparked uproar in April with a Facebook message which read: 'Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)' Yassmin Abdel-Magied announced she was moving to London after Australia 'betrayed' her Ms Abdel-Magied announced on Monday she was leaving Australia and moving to London as part of the 'Aussie rite of passage'. The announcement divided users on social media, with one man unable to hide his delight at her decision. 'Best news of 2017! Be sure to insult the Queen and the royal family whilst you're there as well,' he said. But one woman was more supportive: 'Good on you, Yassmin. Go where the work and inspiration takes you,' she said. Police in California have saved another distressed community member, after helping a bear cub get its head unstuck from a plastic jug. Responding to an early morning rescue call last week, La Verne Police Department rushed to the scene at Jasmine Court, where a young cub was found struggling to escape the clutches of a plastic container. Video taken by the police department shows the cub trying to find its way out of what looks like a backyard. The cub is on its hind legs, attempting to climb a fence and clearly confused by its current predicament. The officers approach the cub, holding it still while a wildlife expert attempts to remove the jug, which looks like its on tight. After a couple of minutes the wildlife expert is finally able to jimmy off the jug. Officers from the La Verne Police Department in California, pictured left, rushed to the scene to help a bear cub, pictured right, that had helplessly got its head stuck in a plastic jug The bear is immediately set free, leaving the scene as quick as it can. It was uninjured. The video posted by La Verne Police Department's Facebook account has received thousands of views - with many applauding the officers. Try not to laugh at the predicament of this poor bear cub, pictured, who was eventually set free from the clutches of a plastic jug, thanks to officers at La Verne Police Department in California A new generation of savers is in danger of being ripped off in retirement after the introduction of radical pension freedoms, a report warned yesterday. The City watchdog raised fears that hundreds of thousands of baby boomers may have already switched into poor value pensions. The pension freedoms introduced by George Osborne in April 2015 when he was chancellor allow people to cash in their entire pension from the age of 55, giving them more choice over what they do with their savings. This means savers are no longer forced to lock their retirement savings away in a poor value annuity when they retire. A new generation of savers is in danger of being ripped off in retirement after the introduction of radical pension freedoms, a report warned yesterday But in the first detailed appraisal of the 615billion market since the reforms came into force, the Financial Conduct Authority said it is worried that savers face a new threat. Its report said accessing pension pots early has become the new norm, with almost three quarters of pots accessed by people under the age of 65. More than one million people have withdrawn a total of 10.8billion from their retirement funds since April 2015 an average of around 10,800 each. Many have cashed in their entire pension pot. But the watchdog is more concerned about the huge increase in the number taking out risky income drawdown pension policies without receiving any advice. These allow savers to keep their pension fund invested, while drawing an income. 500,000 have used their entire pot More than half a million savers who have accessed their pension pots have cashed in the entire amount. The dash for cash was revealed by the Financial Conduct Authority yesterday. It said that 53 per cent of the one million savers who have chosen to exploit new pension freedoms which allow them to access the retirement pot as soon as they turn 55 have decided to take it all. The findings provide ammunition to critics of George Osbornes pension reforms who warned that many could run out of money in their old age. At the time the reforms were announced then pensions minister Sir Steve Webb joked that savers could spend their cash on a Lamborghini if they wanted to. But the watchdog yesterday stressed that it does not see its finding as evidence of people squandering their pension savings. Its report said that 90 per cent of pots that have been cashed in completely since April 2015 were smaller than 30,000 and 60 per cent were smaller than 10,000. Ninety-four per cent of savers who made full withdrawals also had other sources of income on top of their state pension. The report also revealed that only a minority of savers who cashed in their pension spent all their money, with most investing or saving it. Advertisement The FCA said twice as many pension pots are now being moved into these plans as into annuities, which provide a guaranteed income for life. Although they can be suitable for some savers, the proportion of savers taking out these complicated plans without advice has risen from 5 per cent before the freedoms were introduced to 30 per cent. The FCA raised concerns that almost all of these savers are simply piling into the plan offered by their existing pension provider rather than shopping around for the best deal. It said the lack of competition means these savers are more likely to pay higher charges or receive a lower quality plan. Gareth Shaw, from consumer group Which? said: The annuity market failed pensioners in the past. The FCA must now use this review to ensure that similar mistakes are not made with income drawdown products. The FCA said that even charges on the simplest drawdown products are too complex to navigate and said the more complex products carry 13 different charges on average. Justin Modray, a pensions expert from Candid Financial Advice, said some insurance companies will charge 1,500 a year or more for savers with 100,000 in a drawdown policy. The FCA is also worried that almost a third of those who have accessed their pension have simply switched their pension pot into current accounts or cash Isas, which pay little or no interest. It said this could result in savers paying too much tax, missing out on investment growth or losing out on other benefits. The FCA is looking into providing extra protections for consumers. It aims to publish its final report next year. Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British Insurers, said its own data does not support the view that accessing pension savings early has become the new norm. The number of applicants to university has fallen by 25,000 in a year. Figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service show 649,700 applied by the June deadline for a degree course starting this autumn down by around 4 per cent on last year. The number of EU students bidding for a place fell by 5 per cent. But there was a 2 per cent rise in international students from non-EU countries. Figures show 649,700 applied by the June deadline for a degree course starting this autumn down by around 4 per cent on last year Dame Julia Goodfellow, of vice-chancellors group Universities UK, said factors such as Brexit and changes to the way degrees in nursing, midwifery and some other allied health professions are funded could be behind the drop in numbers. The statistics show the proportion of 18-year-olds in England applying to university has reached a new high of 37.9 per cent. The figures come amid a growing debate on the future of tuition fees, which currently stand at a maximum of 9,250 a year, sparked by a Labour General Election pledge to scrap the charges. There have also been concerns that EU student numbers would be affected by the UKs decision to leave the Union. Ministers have announced that EU students applying to start courses this autumn and next year will still be eligible for loans and grants, even if their course is due to finish after the UKs EU exit - which is due to be complete by March 2019. Under recent changes, nursing students in England are now charged tuition fees, with NHS bursaries replaced with loans. Advertisement Donald Trump made a notable addition to his long list of questionable comments about women on Thursday as he told France's 64-year-old first lady: 'You know, you're in such good shape.' The compliment to Brigitte Macron was made in front of her husband Emmanuel, the 39-year-old French president, and Trump, 71, repeated it to him before turning back to Mme Macron and saying to her: 'Beautiful.' The exchange was captured on a French official Facebook live stream. What was not captured was Melania Trump's reaction, as her back was to the camera. However the American first lady, 47, seemed to move closer to Mme Macron and put her hand around her protectively as Trump spoke to her. The awkward exchange came after an also-awkward lingering embrace with Mme Macron as she and her husband welcomed him and Melania to Paris on the eve of Bastille Day. Trump kissed Mme Macron Parisian-style, once on each cheek, before taking both her hands for a prolonged grip, in which he appeared to jerk her left arm towards him as she appeared to be struggling to get him to let go. It was an off-script start to a carefully-choreographed visit to Paris which on Friday will see Trump and Macron together for the Bastille Day celebrations, as well the couple dining together on Thursday evening at the Eiffel Tower. Trump spoke to Mme Macron as she and Melania left Les Invalides - the complex of buildings that serve as a monument to the French military in central Paris - for a tour of other site of the French capital. 'You're in such good shape': An official French videographer was close to Trump as he delivered the awkward complement to the French First Lady Sisterhood: Melania Trump put her arm around Brigitte Macron as Trump spoke to her Le handshake: Brigitte Macron, 64, kept an extended grip on Trump's hand as he greeted her at Les Invalides, the French monument the country's military French greeting: Donald Trump embraced Brigitte Macron as her husband Emmanuel exchanged kisses with Melania Trump Friendship: After their husbands shook hands and embraced the first ladies, Melania Trump, 47, and Brigitte Macron, 64, exchanged kissed Parisian-style - once on each cheek. Melania lived in Paris while working as a model and is fluent in French Solemn: The presidents and the first ladies were in serious mood as they toured Les Invalides Group shot: The first American and French couples gathered on the stairs outside the museum of the French Army during the formal welcome ceremony Out the car: Macron and Trump shook hands and put arms on each other's shoulders as Trump left The Beast with Melania coming out behind Grip: Macron's handshake with Trump when they first met became notorious but on Thursday it was a more relaxed affair Family photo: After the embraces and kisses the two first families posed together. Macron put his arm around his wife and his other arm around Trump, but the U.S. first couple kept their arms to themselves The Beast is here: Cavalry of the French Republican Guard were on their mounts as Trump drew into Les Invalides More low key: Emmanueal Macron arrived in his much lighter official transport, a French-built SUV whose windows open Gallic chic: Brigitte Macron, 64, was in white with blue heels for the welcoming duties. She was taking Melania Trump on a tour of Paris's highlights Military welcome: A band of the French army played both national anthems for the leaders in the courtyard of Les Invalides After he spoke to her he said 'we will see you later' and left with Macron, giving him a lift in the beast to the Elysee Palace for talks and a press conference. The dynamics of the two presidents' age-gap relationships have been much discussed. Macron's wife was his teacher at his Jesuit school and he declared his love for her as a teenager. She is a grandmother through the children of her first marriage. The age gap between her and her husband is the same as between Trump, 71, and Melania, 47, his third wife. There have been claims that the Macrons receive more attention over their December-May relationship than the Trumps do over their May-December one. Trump and Macron had been welcomed by a military band during a ceremony that preceded a tour of the military museum. The two presidents walked out together solemnly into an open square, where they listened to both countries' national anthems, then made their way toward the Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides. Trump put his hand on his heart as the Star Spangled Banner played. Macron stood still during it and La Marseillaise. TRUMP'S HISTORY OF AWKWARD EXCHANGES What he said to a blond Irish journalist Last month Trump interrupted a phone call with Ireland's newly elected Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to beckon RTE reporter Caitriona Perry in the Oval Office, saying: 'And where are you from? Go ahead, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?' He then told the Irish leader that she had a 'beautiful smile on her face' and added 'I bet she treats you well.' Holding hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May Theresa May and Donald Trump were spotted awkwardly holding hands as they walked outside the White House in January. It was later believed that Trump had asked for the PM's hand because he has of fear of stairs and slopes. However, a number 10 spokeswoman said the hand was offered as a 'chivalrous gesture' to Mrs May as they headed down a ramp. His suggestive comments about his daughter Ivanka Trump once bragged about his oldest daughter Ivanka's figure in an interview with Howard Stern. He told the host: 'You know who's one of the great beauties of the world, according to everybody? And I helped create her. Ivanka. My daughter, Ivanka. She's 6 feet tall, she's got the best body. She made a lot money as a modela tremendous amount.' He also told daytime talk show The View 'I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her.' How he 'grabs women by the p***y' A month before the 2016 presidential election, a recording of Trump's conversation with then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush were released where he was heard saying: 'You know Im automatically attracted to beautiful -- I just start kissing them. Its like a magnet. Just kiss. I dont even wait,' he boasts. 'And when youre a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p---y. You can do anything.' Advertisement First Lady Brigitte Macron of France and First Lady of the United States Melania Trump looked on from the steps of the cathedral as their husbands stopped to observe the building's architecture. Macron placed his hand on Trump's back as they walked over to a receiving line of military officials and aides and shook each of their hands. On the US side, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, National Security Advisor HR McMaster, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford, National Economic Advisor Gary Cohn, Deputy National Security Advisor Dina Powell and Homeland Security Advisor Thomas Bossert were greeted first by Macron, then Trump, who trailed behind. He was introduced afterward to their French counterparts, shaking their hands as Macron gave him their names. The presidents reunited with their wives when the ceremony concluded to pay their respects to Napoleon, the emperor seen as the founder of modern France - although he was defeated in 1815 at Waterloo - and Marshal Foch, the French general who was the supreme allied commander in World War I. Macron was seen smacking his wife on the bottom by reporters during the walk through the monument, to her surprise. Both couples held hands in a show of a affection as they approached Napoleon's final resting place. The men moved on to Elysee afterward to begin the tough work of the day, diplomatic talks, as their wives continued on their sightseeing adventure. A visit to Notre Dame Cathedral and a Seine River boat tour were next on the first ladies' agenda. Having met three times before, in Brussels, Sicily and Hamburg during previous summits, the two women were like old friends. Macron put her arm around Trump's waist at one point and as they walked around. At the end of their 30-minute tour of the famed French cathedral, Melania Trump lit a candle and held a moment of silence. She was gifted by the church's rector, before she left, with a bell. Martial setting: The two leaders listened to the national anthems of their nations in the courtyard of Les Invalides Les amis: Macron is keen to build a rapport with Trump despite their differences on climate change Talks: Much of the day for both men is taken up with bilateral discussions and a dinner at the Eiffel Tower Magnifique: The two president spoke in the courtyard of Les Invalides, which is a monument to the fallen of French wars since the revolution. Hero: Macron took the Trumps to the tomb of the emperor Napoleon, the leader who created modern France in the wake of the French Revolution, but who was defeated at Waterloo in 1815 and died in exile Explanation: David Guillet, the director of the French army museum, told the Trumps the story of Napoleon's magnificent tomb, the centerpiece of Les Invalides Brothers in arms: Trump and Macron walked into the Elysee Palace, the official French presidential residence, arm in arm Ready for talks: After the welcome ceremony at Les Invalides, First lady Melania Trump (in red) is escorted through the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and is accompanied by French first lady Brigitte Macron (in white) Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron visited the Parisian landmark, the Notre Dame Cathedral, on Thursday First lady Melania Trump and the wife of French president Emmanual Macron, Brigitte, are photographed walking through the Notre Dame Thursday, during President Trump's whirlwind trip to Paris The Trumps landed in Paris for a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I mid-morning. The first couple touched down at Orly airport just after 8:30 am local time. Melania sported a chic red blazer and skirt combination paired with red pumps, while the president remained in the suit and tie he had on when they departed Washington. They are packing a punch with the brief trip that brought them back to Europe five days after the G20 summit. First on the president's list was a stop at the US ambassador's residence. Melania Trump split off from her husband to tour Hopital Necker Enfants Malades, a children's hospital in Paris. The Trumps were formally welcomed to Paris by Macron and his wife at at Les Invalides, a military monument, later in the afternoon. They are topping off their day with a meal at the renowned Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Paris to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I The first couple arrived at Orly airport just after 8:30 am local time. They deplaned at approximately 8:53 am local time Melania sported a chic red blazer and skirt combination paired with red pumps, while the president remained in the same suit with the same tie that he had on when he left Washington They're packing a punch with the brief trip that brought them back to Europe five days after the G20 summit Melania Trump split off from her husband to tour a children's hospital in Paris The president sent out a flurry of tweets highlighting jobs and industrial gains, a stock market high and a favorable recommendation from a House committee for his border wall before he took off for France with his wife and three of his top advisors in Air Force One on Wednesday evening. Trump separately told reporters as he exited the White House to board the helicopter that would deliver him to the plane, 'We're doing great against ISIS.' The president departed Washington under a cloud of suspicion, once again, over charges that his campaign colluded with the Russians to win last year's election following a series of bombshell reports on his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer who's been accused of peddling misinformation on Hillary Clinton. Seeking to put the business with Don Jr and the Russian national behind him before his third foreign trip, Trump gave two interviews to Reuters and the Christian Broadcasting Network before his overnight flight. Trump told Reuters had no idea that his eldest son met with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya until a few days ago. The Trumps flew Air Force One to Paris overnight from Washington. They go back to the states tomorrow WHEN IN EUROPE: Melania Trump gives her husband a European kiss goodbye as she leaves the airport in her own motorcade Melania was headed to Hopital Necker Enfants Malades, a children's hospital Their presidential visit will be filled with pomp that the White House hopes will offer respite from rolling scandal backing home First on the president's list is a stop at the US ambassador's residence. He's seen in the presidential limo leaving Orly airport The US president brings his own car with him when he travels for security reasons. It's known as 'The Beast' Air Force One sits on the tarmac after U.S President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrived at Orly airport, south of Paris CBN aired only a select portion of its interview on Wednesday, holding the rest for an episode of the 700 Club on Thursday. In one of the clips that it put out, Trump seeks to distance himself from Vladimir Putin, saying at one point that the Russian government official would have been better off with Clinton as president. She would have run the US military into the ground, Trump said, and ruined America's energy market. 'There are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want,' Trump proclaimed. The US president must turn his attention now to his dealings with Macron and the talks they'll have today and tomorrow in Paris, regardless of the press coverage. Melania Trump talks with Martin Hirsch, director of Paris' public assistance hospitals AP-HP as she visits the Necker Hospital for children Melania Trump visited with a group of sick children, speaking to them in French, one of the five languages the White House says she speaks 'Did you grow up in Paris? It's beautiful,' she asked one little girl in English Before the first lady left, the hospital's director presented her with a French-language copy of 'Le Petit Prince' To another, she said, 'You look very good. Very strong...One day you will be walking and running' After the visit, Melania Trump used her @FLOTUS account to tweet this image and thank those at the hospital for allowing her to visit He went straight the US ambassador's residence this morning for meetings as his wife went to the children's hospital. Melania Trump visited with a group of sick children, speaking to them in French, one of the five languages the White House says she speaks. 'Did you grow up in Paris? It's beautiful,' she asked one little girl in English. To another, she said, 'You look very good. Very strong...One day you will be walking and running.' Before the first lady left, the hospital's director presented her with a French-language copy of 'Le Petit Prince.' 'I will keep it to practice my French,' she told him. Trump and his wife are due to lunch with US military leaders before they join up with the president and first lady of France. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are seen making their way to Paris on Wednesday evening in Washington, DC They're seen at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland ahead of their flight to Paris They arrived Thursday morning, local time, and had a full day of activities planned Trump told reporters as he exited the White House to board the helicopter that would deliver him to the plane, 'We're doing great against ISIS.' The president departed Washington under a cloud of suspicion, once again, over charges that his campaign colluded with the Russians to win last year's election In the afternoon they'll tour Les Invalides with the Macrons, then the men will break off for formal talks at Elysee Palace. President Trump and President Macron will hold a joint news conference in the early evening before they regroup with their wives for dinner. Both presidents are scheduled to attend the Bastille Day military parade on Friday morning before the Trumps leave Paris for their Bedminster resort in New Jersey. Macron and his wife are leaving the city the same day for Nice. Seeking to put the business with Don Jr and the lawyer behind him before his third foreign trip Trump gave two interviews to Reuters and the Christian Broadcasting Network before his overnight flight White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is seen hauling his bags from the White House to Marine One on Wednesday evening for the foreign trip White House staffers cheer the president and first lady as the depart the White House on Wednesday for their third trip abroad Trump's ideological opposite, Macron has swiftly positioned himself to become the next bastion of the liberal international order that the conservative businessman has vehemently opposed. The political novices have clashed in their short tenures on the world stage, especially on the issue of climate change. A White House official suggested Tuesday that Trump would steer clear of that topic as much possible and focus his attention on Syria, where a ceasefire between the rebel forces that the US and France support and Bashar al-Assad's government recently went into effect. The senior aide to the Republican president who's total time in elected office clocks in five and a half months attempted to downplay divisions between Trump and fellow newcomer to politics Macron. Trump and Macron have 'very good' chemistry and a 'very positive' relationship, the senior administration official said during a preview of the trip, virtually ignoring the yanking and pulling that has defined the leaders' handshakes on two previous occasions and a shoving incident last week at the G20. 'There are some issues where we see the world a little bit differently, but many issues where we see the world more or less the same,' the official said. 'The French are and have been, and will be, very close security partners of ours who cooperate in many different domains and on many different issues. And I think the relationship, still in its early stages, is a very, very good one.' Experts on US-European affairs were less glamorous in their assessments of Trump and Macron's interactions thus far. 'This is going to be a clash of visions and ideology,' said Nile Gardiner, a fellow at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, of the upcoming talks. 'Macron views himself as an ideological adversary for Trump.' After a face-to-face meeting in Belgium last month Trump and Macron went to battle over the international climate accord that's named after France's most famous city. Trump heartily declared that he 'was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris' during an amped up White House ceremony where he pronounced his opposition to the environmental protection pact that nearly every nation on earth has affirmed. Trump must turn his attention now to French President Emmanuel Macron. The political novices have clashed in their short tenures on the world stage, especially on the issue of climate change They are seen locked in a death grip at a May summit in Brussels, Belgium above And then there was the Macron shoving incident last week at the G20. The newly elected French president pushed to the front to stand next to his American peer Troops take part in the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2016. France holds an annual Bastille Day military parade with troops from other countries that Trump will attend Friday Macron hit back at Trump in sharply-worded remarks immediately afterward. 'If we do nothing, our children will know a world of migrations, of wars, of shortage. A dangerous world. It is not a future we want for ourselves. It is not a future we want for our children. It is not a future we want for our world,' he said. 'Wherever we live, whoever we are, we all share the same responsibility. Make our planet great again.' Just last week Macron and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, led the world's most affluent nations in producing a climate action plan that rejected Trump's position. The pronouncement had purveyors of document referring to the Group of Twenty as the G19 in a snub that was directed toward the US. A communique of the G20 contained declared the Paris agreement 'irreversible' in spite of the United States' protests. The newly elected French president candidly acknowledged his diverging views with Trump, telling journalists that the 'world has never been so divided' at the end of the talks. 'Macron in many ways is the antithesis of Donald Trump in terms of outlook,' Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage said. 'Macron sees himself as the new savior of the dying liberal order.' The dispute over climate policy 'certainly colors the entire meeting' between Macron and Trump on Thursday, the Sierra Club's Global Climate Policy Director John Coequyt told DailyMail.com ahead of the Paris visit. Trump and Macron will reportedly have dinner together with their wives at Le Jules Verne inside the Eiffel Tower JULES VERNE MENU: BUT WHERE IS DONALD'S FAVORITE STEAK? Fact-box text Advertisement Trump will stay for the military parade the next day - but leave before a Bastille Day fireworks show TRUMP'S PARIS TRIP The president and first lady left Washington on Wednesday evening. They'll arrive in Paris on Thursday morning. Trump's first stop is a meet-and-greet at the US embassy with diplomatic staff and Bastille Day participants. He will then hold a have a working lunch with senior members of his delegation and U.S. military leaders in France, the White House said, The Trumps will not meet President and Mrs. Macron until later at Les Invalides. There they will visit the tomb of Marshal Foch, Supreme Allied Commander in World War I. They will tour the French National War Museum and see Napoleon's tomb, too. After that, the men will have a bilateral meeting. They'll conclude the afternoon with a news conference. The presidents and their wives will then go out to dinner at Le Jules Verne. Friday they will attend the Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Elysees. The Trumps will leave after that, missing the sound and light show that takes place at the Eiffel Tower. Advertisement 'Trump questioned whether he should go because of the disagreements that they're having on climate, on energy,' Coequyt said, pointing to previous reports characterizing the visit. 'There's just no way that those tensions and the tensions over the Paris Agreement aren't going to be part of this conversation whether they're on the agenda or not on the agenda.' The liberal environmentalist said, 'It's become really clear that the rest of the world is willing to move forward without the US.' 'It also appears as if that's a good thing politically in Europe, to show that you're willing to stand up to President Trump on these issues. These issues are popular in the US and they're popular in Europe,' he said. Even so, Peterson Institute for International Economics fellow Gary Hufbauer said he expects Trump and Macron will push the issue of climate change aside, for now, as they come together to plot out a way forward in Syria. 'Clearly, Trump has a frosty relationship, at best with Merkel,' he said, invoking Germany's leader. 'Trump will be highly motivated to find a warmer relationship with Macron so as to somewhat offset the image in Europe that Trump is kind of a bull in the china shop.' Hufbauer said his guess is 'that Trump will be on his best behavior and try to find points of agreement' with Macron in their bilateral session that's scheduled to last less than two hours. A US official said Tuesday that reports characterizing Trump as reluctant to accept Macron's invitation to visit were incorrect and the American president is 'very excited' about his hastily-arranged trip to France with his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. 'Anytime that you can go visit a couple like the Macrons in the City of Light, it's pretty tremendous,' the Trump aide said. Drawing a comparison between Trump and Macron, the official said the French president, who was elected just two months ago in May, 'is a really is an innovative, charismatic guy who's trying to do some different things in France. 'His political party didn't exist a couple of years ago. So in that respect, he's been a real trailblazer. And I think both of them think they have some things in common in their experience,' the White House adviser said. 'Obviously, many differences, but some things in common.' Violent extremism is a topic the US believes Trump and Macron have solidary beliefs on, for starters. 'Broadly speaking, I would say they see the threat in much the same way,' the senior US official who briefed reporters ahead of the trip said Tuesday of Trump's and Macron's views on 'radical Islamic terrorism.' Paris has been attacked two times since 2015, not including a bomb that went off last year on a plane leaving one of its airports. A terrorist truck driver mowed down onlookers after a fireworks show last Bastille Day in Nice. Trump has responded to terror events in Europe with actions to safeguard the border that critics of his policies say are too harsh. Macron has aligned himself with globalists like Merkel who favor open borders. The White House official said Tuesday that the US expects 'most of the discussion' between Trump and Macron 'to focus on what's going on in Syria right now, and then the French and American cooperation both inside the alliance and bilaterally,' in addition to counterterror measures. Gardiner, the fellow at Heritage, which is the leading conservative think tank in the US, said Trump should use the meeting to shove back on Macron's support for looser borders. He urged the US president to 'join Britain in opposing plans for a European Union army,' as well. U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands before a working lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium on May 25 Macron won the first round, gripping Trump's hand so hard the US president had to wriggle free The conservative scholar framed the tension with Macron in the context of the US-UK partnership, which he said has been revitalized since America voted for Trump and Britain voted to exit the EU, and said, 'There's no special relationship with France, that's for sure.' France has met the mark in one area that has attracted positive attention from Trump however, and that is its spending on the collective defense of Western nations. Trump has made fundraising for NATO a top priority when he is abroad, stressing repeatedly that the US cannot be the world's piggybank. NATO member nations committed in 2014 to spending 2 percent of their GDP at a bare minimum on military operations. Most of them are not meeting that threshold. At 1.8 percent GDP, France is close. 'Their numbers are trending in a positive direction, and they've assured the President that they have every intention of meeting the Wales targets, which are supposed to be met by 2024,' the senior White House official who spoke to reporters said. The official said, 'France is far and away one of the largest and strongest military members of the alliance and spends an awful lot of defense right now, and carries a heavy load in the counterterrorism fight, in particular in places so that really we don't have to.' Hufbauer said he suspects that Trump is most interested in lining Macron up behind a plan to stabilize Syria. The ceasefire between rebel forces and Assad that the US and Russia brokered at the G20 may be the beginning of a partition in Syria that separates the area the brutal dictator will continue to control and rebel-held territory. 'I would guess the French would go along with that,' he said. 'Basically everybody wants to see the end of bloodshed in Syria, and that's kind of a logical way you get at least a reduction in bloodshed.' Trump will visit the US embassy in Paris when he arrives, before his meeting with Macron Friday is also the two-year anniversary of the accord that the US and France brokered with Iran and four other countries to keep nukes out of reach for Tehran. Trump has threatened to tear the existing agreement up and force Iran back to the table for negotiations on a new pact. 'They don't like to deal with Iran,' the Peterson Institute fellow said of Trump's government. 'He would probably like to get some agreement with Macron about potential red lines in the event there's evidence that Iran is violating this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.' Trade could always come up in the meeting, too another favorite topic of Trump's although the White House said it does not expect the presidents to have time to dig into it. 'Obviously, the President is always ready, willing and able to talk about issues of importance to the American worker and to the American economy. And there's every possibility that it will be raised,' the official said. 'But we've been asked to focus on preparing, and the President has been focused on preparing specifically for Syria and [counterterrorism] topics.' The two countries' shared history will be a part of the discussion, as well, as the WWI and WWII allies come together Friday at the annual military parade that runs down the Champs-Elysee. 'The French were strong allies, so, with us in Afghanistan, in the Gulf War. There were with us in the Korean War, as well. So we have a long history, 'the official said, 'not always marching in lockstep, but real friends and real allies.' 'And so there are clear parallels to our partnership and our alliances 100 years ago and today, no question about that. That's a big part of why the President is going to be there this week.' The Russian attorney now at the center of suspicions of the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with the Kremlin was allowed into the country by the Justice Department under former President Barack Obama, it was reported on Thursday. Natalia Veselnitskaya was allowed into the United States in late 2015 under 'extraordinary circumstances' even though she did not have a visa, according to The Hill. The news site is reporting that Veselnitskaya was permitted to enter the country by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who granted her a 'special immigration parole' so that she could adequately defend a client under criminal investigation. At the time, Veselnitskaya was representing a Russian businessman, Denis Katsyv, who was being investigated by the Justice Department for alleged money laundering. The US 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 US law that placed financial sanctions on Russian officials and businesses. The Russian government has long sought to have the Magnitsky Act, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress, overturned. The Russian attorney at the center of suspicions of the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with the Kremlin was allowed into the country by the Justice Department under former President Barack Obama. The lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, is seen in the above file photo In late 2015, Veselnitskaya (left) was representing a Russian businessman, Denis Katsyv (right), who was being investigated by the Justice Department for alleged money laundering 'In October [2015] the government bypassed the normal visa process and gave a type of extraordinary permission to enter the country called immigration parole,' Assistant US Attorney Paul Monteleoni told a federal judge during a court hearing on January 6, 2016. 'That's a discretionary act that the statute allows the Attorney General to do in extraordinary circumstances. 'In this case, we did that so that Mr. Katsyv could testify. 'And we made the further accommodation of allowing his Russian lawyer into the country to assist,' he said. While the US Attorney's Office in New York did confirm that the Justice Department granted Veselnitskaya immigration parole from October 2015 until January 2016, officials there could not explain how she was able to legally enter the country in June. That was when Veselnitskaya met at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr; Paul Manafort, who at the time was the chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign; and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a top advisor. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father's campaign, according to emails the son released on Tuesday. The emails were the most concrete evidence that Trump campaign officials might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the November 8 election, a subject that has cast a cloud over Trump's presidency and prompted investigations by the Justice Department and Congress. Veselnitskaya was permitted to enter the country by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who granted her a 'special immigration parole' The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican Chuck Grassley (above) of Iowa, wants the government to provide all records on how Veselnitskaya entered and traveled in the US, a request that could shed additional light on her activities Donald Trump Jr., in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, said: 'In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently.' Nevertheless, the correspondence between him and Rob Goldstone, a publicist who arranged the meeting, could provide fodder for US investigators probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with the Kremlin. 'The crown prosecutor of Russia ... offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father,' Goldstone wrote Trump Jr. on June 3. Russia does not have a 'crown prosecutor' - the equivalent title is prosecutor general. Five days after the meeting in Trump Tower, Veselnitskaya was seen in the front row of a hearing on Russia policy at the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She also attended an event at the Newseum in Washington, where supporters of the Russian government screened a film that was aimed at making a case against the Magnitsky Act. MUST-SEE TV: Donald Trump Jr defended his controversial meeting with Veselnitskaya on Tuesday night on Fox News 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 also attended a dinner with the head of a House subcommittee overseeing Russia policy, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, as well as other guests. 'There was a dinner at the Capitol Hill Club here with about 20 people. I think I was the only congressman there,' Rohrabacher told The Hill. 'They were talking about the Magnitysky case. But that wasnt just the topic. There was a lot of other things going on. So I think she was there but I dont remember any type of conversation with her between us. 'But I understand she was at the table.' Rohrabacher said that he believes Veselnitskaya was in Washington to convince lawmakers to overturn the Magnitsky Act. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, wants the government to provide all records on how Veselnitskaya entered and traveled in the US, a request that could shed additional light on her activities. Just before she boarded the plane to the US in late 2015, Veselnitskaya was strip-searched at Londons Heathrow Airport. She said she was unjustifiably detained at the UK airport before boarding a plane to the United States, according to the Telegraph. I was detained for two hours by Heathrow Airport officials who specifically targeted me on the basis of the parole number that the United States Government had assigned to me, Veselnitskaya wrote in court papers from January 2016. Veselnitskaya said she was unjustifiably detained and strip-searched at London's Heathrow Airport before she boarded a plane to the United States Veselnitskaya spoke to ABC's 'Good Morning America' about meeting with Donald Trump Jr. in footage aired Wednesday During this detention I was unjustifiably subjected to a strip search, for no apparent reason. I should not be subjected to such humiliation when I have been promised entry into the United States. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not fault his son Donald Trump Jr. for meeting with Veselnitskaya during the 2016 presidential election campaign and he was unaware of the meeting until a few days ago. Asked if he knew that his son was meeting with her in June last year, the president told Reuters in a White House interview: 'No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this.' Seated at his Oval Office desk, Trump said he did not fault his son for holding the meeting, writing it off as a decision made in the heat of an upstart, non-traditional campaign. 'I think many people would have held that meeting,' Trump said. In the White House interview, the president said he directly asked President Vladimir Putin if he was involved in what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the presidential campaign and that Putin had insisted he was not. Trump said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his more than two-hour meeting with Putin last Friday in Germany on the election meddling subject. 'I said, "Did you do it?" And he said, "No, I did not. Absolutely not." I then asked him a second time in a totally different way. He said absolutely not,' Trump said. Asked if he believed Putin's denial, Trump paused. 'Look. Something happened and we have to find out what it is, because we cant allow a thing like that to happen to our election process. So something happened and we have to find out what it is,' he said. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not fault his son Donald Trump Jr. for meeting with Veselnitskaya during the 2016 presidential election campaign and he was unaware of the meeting until a few days ago About Putin he added: 'Somebody did say if he did do it you wouldnt have found out about it. Which is a very interesting point.' While US intelligence agencies and even members of Trumps cabinet have said Russia meddled in the election, Trump has wavered on the subject, at times suggesting that other actors might have been involved. Trump equivocated on whether he felt he could trust Putin. He said Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both look out for their country's interests, as he looks out for US interests. 'I am not a person who goes around trusting lots of people. But hes the leader of Russia. It is the second most powerful nuclear power on earth. I am the leader of the United States. I love my country. He loves his country,' Trump said. As in the past, Trump said there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia. 'There was zero coordination. Its the dumbest thing Ive ever heard,' he said. A Republican, Trump said Democrats had used the accusations to justify Clinton's loss in November, saying: 'The White House is functioning beautifully despite the hoax made up by the Democrats.' Although he and Putin were able to forge a ceasefire agreement in part of Syria, Trump said their interests collided over other issues. He said his US military buildup and drive to increase US energy production were in direct conflict with Putin, whose nation is dependent on energy exports. Their differences made him wonder whether Putin really had supported him last year, as many news reports have suggested. 'Its really the one question I wish I would have asked Putin: Were you actually supporting me?' Ospreys have settled in southern England more than a century after disappearing. Eight chicks have been taken from nests in northern Scotland, where there are now sustainable populations, and brought 500 miles south to Poole Harbour in Dorset. They will live in pens until they can fly and exploit the harbour's rich supply of fish before migrating. Poole is a rest stop for adult birds as they travel to overwinter in Africa's Sahara desert. It is hoped this group will return to the area next spring and settle. Eight chicks have been taken from nests in northern Scotland, where there are now sustainable populations, and brought 500 miles south to Poole Harbour in Dorset Ospreys, also known as sea hawks, became extinct as a breeding bird in England in 1840 but were re-introduced to Scotland in the 1950s. Paul Morton, of the charity the Birds of Poole Harbour, said: 'We are so pleased to see the chicks finally arrive in Poole Harbour. 'It's been a long few months waiting for this moment so to see them in the pens has made the whole project very real now.' The charity has teamed up with a local fish restaurant which will supply the chicks with food until they are big enough to hunt themselves. Roy Dennis, a leading osprey expert, has helped get the project off the ground. He said: 'We are delighted that this exciting and important project is underway. 'Establishing a population of ospreys on the south coast will restore the species to an area where it was once common and also help to link expanding populations in central England, Wales and northern France. Google is accused of paying academics millions of pounds to write papers that support its position on regulation and privacy as part of a secret lobbying operation. The tech giant has funded studies which assert that collecting vast amounts of data was fair in exchange for free services, it is claimed. Other papers have declared that Google did not unfairly steer users to its own services at the expense of competitors, something for which it was fined 2.1billion by the EU last month. In some cases researchers did not disclose that they had been paid by Google raising questions about their transparency. Pedestrians walk past by the Google office in St Pancras in London, Britain, on June 27, 2017 The tactic appears to echo methods used by the tobacco, pharmaceutical and food industries to influence consumers using the authority of science. The claims come weeks after Google was given the largest ever fine by the EU for what it called old school illegality by shutting out competitors on the internet. Google was also investigated by the US Federal Trade Commission for the same matter, though the Commission dropped it in 2013. As part of its defence Google sent an eight-page letter with Google-funded research papers supporting its arguments. The Wall Street Journal said that Google has spent millions of pounds paying directly for 100 papers since 2009 and another 100 through organisations and think-tanks it supports. The company is accused of drawing up working titles and budgets for each paper and then finding an academic willing to do the work and put their name on it. The WSJ says it has seen thousands of emails detailing financial relationships between Google and professors from top universities all over the world. European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager holds a news conference at the EU Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 27, 2017. She handed down the monster fine to Google Watchdog The Campaign for Accountability has released a report in conjunction with the WSJ, identifying 329 pieces of research funded directly or indirectly funded by Google. Some of those who signed up showed their findings to Google before publication and the company suggested changes. Paul Heald, a University of Illinois law professor, approached Google with research on copyright and received 14,000. The study found that assumptions about copyright extension were suspect, something which Google could possibly use for loosening of copyright laws. In 2010, Google hired Deven Desai, then a researcher in law and technology at Princeton University, to headhunt academics to write research papers helpful to the company. He spent 1.6million of Googles money including compiling lists of all the major policy academics in intellectual property. Some researchers have declined Googles money. Daniel Crane, a University of Michigan law professor, turned down Googles offers to fund his research that opposed regulation of internet search engines. He said: The money is good but it does get in the way of objective academic research. The emails were obtained by the WSJ through Freedom of Information requests. Google said: Were happy to support academic researchers across computer science and policy topics and unlike our competitors we expect and require our grantees to disclose their funding. Diplomatic incident averted. Scene: Royal Gallery of the House of Lords, Westminster. Enter the youthful King of Spain, Felipe VI, his beautiful Queen and their attendants. And what should the Spanish visitors see in the third row of the room, which contained the assembled Houses of Parliament? Why, the yeoman shape of Andrew Rosindell (Con, Romford), sitting there with chin jutted forth, a proud badge of Gibraltar prominent in his lapel. Mr Rosindell had made it public beforehand that if His Spanish Majesty said anything untoward about Gib, he (Rosindell) would lead a walkout. Most of us presumed that he would therefore be seated somewhere near the back of the gallery. King Felipe made a landmark address to MPs and Peers in the Royal Gallery (pictured) in a key part of his state visit to Britain But the Romford Rottweiler had arrived early and bagged one of the best pews in the room! As it turned out, there was no cause for alarm. The Kings one mention of the Rock which the Spanish insist, quite wrongly, to be theirs proved uncontroversial. He was almost even emollient. It came just after he had said, in admirable English, that during our rich and fruitful history there have been estrangements, rivalries and disputes between Spain and England. The work and determination of our governments, authorities and citizens have relegated such events to the past, he continued. I am certain that this resolve to overcome our differences will be even greater in the case of Gibraltar and I am confident that through the necessary dialogue and effort, our two governments will be able to work towards arrangements that are acceptable to all involved. Was that the sound of a Spaniard just agreeing not to make an undue fuss about a lump of rock at the southern tip of his kingdom? Mr Rosindell stayed in his seat. The speech was delivered to the gathered joint Houses of Parliament and was introduced by Commons Speaker John Bercow Parliamentary visits by heads of state always offer vignettes, not least the unmatchable comedy of Speaker Bercow at his most oleaginous. Think of the late Terry Scott playing a small-town mayor greeting a visiting duke for the annual hospital fete. Bow, scrape, florid sentences, sub-Ciceronian hand gestures, gaseous and goaty smiles, looks of bulgy-eyed rapture, little puckerings of Oh I say you are too kind, your Grace and so forth. A sweeping of self-important gowns. Much urgent nodding of the head. And far too long a speech. As Bercow began the official welcome, the Kings eyes initially sparkled at the panoply before him: ministers, peers, MPs and black-tailcoated attendants. Black Rod wore a sword of the most gorgeous silver filigree. In the front row sat not only Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn (and Jacob Rees-Mogg) but also Senora Corbyn, elegant in purple rinse. The Royal Gallerys gilt roof glistened. In the mounting heat, a few ladies fanned themselves, as though at a corrida. Bercow was bumbling away in his unctuous way, calling the King a shining example, talking about what a civilised and widely rounded hombre he was. The Kings eyes had by now lost their lustre. Boredom had set in. Que hablador, he was perhaps thinking. Que charlatan. Que saco de viento! Prime Minster Theresa May sat with Jeremy Corbyn and his wife Laura in the front row for the speech by King Felipe of Spain in Parliament (pictured) Eventually Bercow finished. A thousand swallowed cheers. The King was given the floor and proceeded to speak, also at length, in a light, pleasant voice. With his slim looks and beard, he could be one of those romantic tenors they use at Glyndebourne. He delivered his speech tidily. It was possibly more political than one of our Queens speeches but generally it was a model of tact and referred to Brexit as the new circumstances. Behind him, Speaker Bercow kept pursing his lips, reacting, beaming, quite unable to behave like a grown-up. Near me, Lord Lea (Lab) busied himself retying his shoelaces. Lord Fowler, Speaker of the House of Lords, showed how to do this sort of thing with a brief, witty and civilised speech which ended with the cry Viva El Rey! To which (as instructed beforehand) the room boomed forth the rejoinder: Viva! A room full of British parliamentarians urging long life to the Spanish King: Shakespeare would have been amazed. Theresa May today revealed that she shed 'a little tear' when she heard the shock exit poll which predicted the Tory election disaster. The Prime Minister said her husband Philip broke the news to her and gave her a hug to comfort her. Mrs May, who marks her first anniversary as PM today, said the news came as a 'complete shock' and said she was 'devastated' by the verdict. In her most revealing interview yet about the snap General Election, Mrs May lifted the lid on the emotional turmoil of the night. She told Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 5 Live that she did not watch the exit poll because 'I have a little bit of superstition about things like that'. When her husband Philip came in to break the news to her, Mrs May said she 'didn't see the result coming' and it 'took a few minutes for it to sink in'. She added: 'My husband gave me a hug and I got on the phone to CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters).' She said it was 'hard' for her husband to come and tell her the devastating news, and said he 'has been a huge support for me'. Asked if she cried after discovering the result, she said: 'Yes, a little tear.' In an interview in Downing Street this morning which lasted some 20 minutes, Mrs May gave a searing account of the events of the fateful night. She revealed her horror at watching her talented Conservative Party colleagues lose their seats in an election she had called. Describing what was going through her mind as the Tory party losses started to come trickling in, she said: 'I felt, I suppose, devastated really.' She said she knew the campaign was 'not going perfectly' but she was confident they would do well in the count. She said: 'The message I was getting from people I was speaking to and the comments we were getting back from a lot of people were that we were going to get a better result than we did.' Asked how she felt when the scale of the losses became clear, Mrs May said: 'You are a human being (and) you have been through that experience. Theresa May, pictured in today's interview, said she was devastated at the election result and that her husband Philip gave her a hug after breaking the news of the shock exit poll to her Philip May was by his wife's side on June 9 when she faced the nation to say she was determined to stay on as Tory leader and Prime Minister despite her election disaster Theresa May lost her trusted advisers Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, pictured on June 9 outside Tory Party campaign HQ, in the aftermath of the vote as Tory MPs lined up to blame the twosome for the failure of the election Jeremy Corbyn, pictured on election night, beamed as the results came in showing that Labour had defied the polls to deny the Tories a majority in the House of Commons 'But I was there as leader of the party and as Prime Minister and I had a responsibility then, as we went through the night, to determine what we were going to do the next morning. 'No, I didn't consider stepping down because I felt there was a responsibility there to ensure that the country still had a government.' She added: 'It can be easy sometimes if something like this happens just to walk away and leave somebody else to deal with it.' Mrs May was widely criticised during the election campaign for being robotic in her interviews - earning her the nickname 'the Maybot'. But in today's interview she gave an insight into her human side, revealing that she often gets her husband Philip to read newspaper articles about her because she is too superstitious to read them herself. CORBYN AND STURGEON MEET EU'S TOP NEGOTIATOR IN BREXIT WRECKING MISSION Nicola Sturgeon meets EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels to talk about Brexit Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon are meeting the EU's chief negotiator in Brussels today in what critics fear will be a Brexit wrecking mission. The Labour leader and Scottish First Minister are setting out their own priorities for the talks to Michel Barnier - despite him insisting he will only negotiate with the official Government representatives. Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones is also taking part in meetings to make the case for Wales' priorities. Ms Sturgeon was first into talks at the day of meetings inside the European Union headquarters in Brussels. The meetings come just days before Brexit Secretary David Davis returns to Brussels for the next round of official talks on Monday. Mr Barnier said he will only negotiate with the Government but Mr Corbyn today made clear he would set out a rival position. He said: 'A Labour Brexit would look very different to the race-to-the-bottom tax haven backed by this Conservative Government. 'In contrast to the Conservatives' megaphone diplomacy, we will conduct relations with our European neighbours respectfully and in the spirit of friendship. 'Our strong links with our European sister parties gives Labour an advantage in reaching an outcome that works for both sides.' Advertisement Yet despite losing her overall majority, Mrs May said that she does not regret calling the doomed election. She said: 'What I regret is that we didn't get across more the message of the sort of vision I set out when I became Prime Minister.' During her year in No10 Mrs May has watched her sky high ratings tumble and her political authority evaporate in the aftermath of the election. Her working majority of 17 was wiped out and instead she had to strike a deal to be propped up in government by the DUP's ten MPs in exchange for a promise to our 1billion into the coffers of northern Ireland. Asked what advice she would tell her younger self, she said: 'Believe in yourself, always do the right thing and work hard to tackle injustice when you see it.' Her revealing account comes after she used a separate interview to suggest that she will stay in Downing Street for 'the next few years' to deliver Brexit. Her comment is a clear sign she will stand down before the next election - but that she will not be pushed out before Britain leaves the EU. In an interview with The Sun she said she will remain her party's leader only for 'as long as they want me'. She said: 'What I want to do is just recognise that there is a job to be done here, over the next few years. I want to get on with doing that job.' The comments follow weeks of fevered leadership speculation following the disastrous snap election result. Despite suggestions she could face a challenge from one of her own MPs, no bid to unseat her has emerged. As she prepares to mark one year in No10, Mrs May also admitted to several mistakes she made during the election campaign. She said she failed to put across to the public her determination to help those who are 'Just managing'. Significantly, she accepted the Conservatives failed to talk up their great economic successes and jobs record. Nor did they manage to undermine Labour's endless manifesto pledges, show what a disaster it would be. She also admitted failing to deliver a positive enough message of hope for young people. But Mrs May said that despite 'some pretty depressing moments' she was never tempted to walk away from the job. And she insisted calling the election was the right thing to do and not a mistake. Mrs May said: 'I can see why some might say that, as it did not go quite according to plan. 'There were good reasons why I called it, and I continue to think that it was the right thing to do'. While Labour lost the General Election, Jeremy Corbyn - pictured outside his Islington home after the results came in - looked like the victor after the Tories lost a string of seats Jeremy Corbyn, pictured yesterday, has said that he is waiting in the wings to form a government if Mrs May - who is being propped up in No 10 by the DUP - and her government topples She said: 'I set out a year ago, when I stood on the steps here, the sort of vision I had. The sort of country I wanted us to be. 'I don't think that vision came through sufficiently during the campaign. 'That is what we were working on right up to the election, and it is what we are now working on. But that did not come across during the election campaign.' 'And I don't think we talked enough about what we had achieved in terms of the economy and jobs. 'We did not do enough not just on the positives of the economic record we had, but also the negatives of what Jeremy Corbyn's manifesto would mean for people.' At the weekend it emerged former chief whip Andrew Mitchell, a close ally of Brexit Secretary David Davis told a dinner of Conservative MPs that the prime minister needed to be replaced. One MP who was at the dinner said: 'Mr Mitchell effectively said [May] was dead in the water. He said she was weak, had lost her authority, couldn't go on and we needed a new leader. Some of us were very surprised and disagreed with him.' Ministers dismissed his remarks as the result of too much 'warm prosecco'. Coffee cups, drinking straws, helium balloons and plastic cutlery should be banned in Queensland, environmental groups have argued. The state government has introduced a bill to ban lightweight plastic bags for shopping, but some activists say it's not enough, the Brisbane Times reports. Christine Glennie, the secretary of the Sunshine Coast Surfrider Foundation, says plastic bags of all weights and single-use plastic bait bags need to go. Coffee cups, drinking straws, helium balloons and plastic cutlery should be banned in Queensland, environmental groups have argued The group has also recommended disposable plastic straws and cutlery, cups and plates be phased out and replaced with biodegradable alternatives in a submission to a parliamentary commission considering the bill. She said the group arranges clearn-up on Teewah Beach twice a year, removing up to two tonnes of garbage each time mostly plastic. 'I don't like having to cut fishing tackle from pelicans or releasing small fish trapped inside plastic Coca-Cola bottles,' she said. The group also says takeaways and restaurants should stop using plastic food containers and people should bring their own or use compostable products, according to the Times. Some groups are also calling for the banning of deliberately releasing helium balloons The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland called for the banning of deliberately releasing helium balloons. This is because they accounted for more than 70 per cent of the plastic found inside dead turtles in Moreton Bay. The Wide Bay Burnett Environment Countil's Mike Moller supports this ban as well as a ban on bait bags. He urged the government to establish a taskforce to reduce plastic and identify other problematic plastic products. The position is supported by the Queensland Conservation Council, Greenpeace and Boomerang Alliance. Theresa May faces the prospect of a humiliating Commons defeat on her 'great repeal bill' after Labour said their MPs would not back it unless she made sweeping changes. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said last night he was putting the Prime Minister 'on notice' of the changes he said needed to be made, including on workers' rights and parliamentary scrutiny. Mrs May publishes her key bill today and MPs will vote on it in the autumn, but Sir Keir is threatening to exploit the government's small majority knowing that if Labour were joined by a handful of rebel Tory MPs, the Bill would be defeated. Labour Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer threatened to 'block' Britain's departure from the EU unless 'significant changes' were made to the Great Repeal Bill Labour warned Theresa May it was 'putting the government on notice' that it expected changes to be made to the legislation, particularly around workers' rights Mrs May's Bill, properly titled the European Union (withdrawal) Bill, is a key step towards Brexit as it will transpose EU law into UK law. Sir Keir demanded concessions to the plans in six areas, including ensuring workers' rights in the UK do not fall behind those in the EU, incorporating the European Charter of Fundamental Rights into UK law and limiting the scope of so-called 'Henry VIII powers', which could allow the Government to alter legislation without full parliamentary scrutiny. He told the Guardian: 'We have very serious issues with the Government's approach, and unless the Government addresses those issues, we will not be supporting the Bill.' He added Labour was 'putting the government on notice' that it expected changes to be made. Meanwhile Brexit Secretary David Davis made a fresh appeal for MPs to 'work together' on Britain's exit from the European Union. He described the first piece of Government legislation relating to Brexit since the triggering of Article 50 in March as one of the most significant Bills ever to come to Parliament. But he was warned by Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron that the Government faces 'hell' as it tries to get the Bill through the Houses of Commons and Lords. The legislation, which will be known as the European Union (Withdrawal Bill), is a central plank in the Government's Brexit strategy but is expected to be the subject of fierce battles between MPs and peers over the shape of the country's exit. Parliamentarians will get their first chance to pore over its contents and consider how they may seek to amend it in an attempt to change the direction of the UK's exit from the EU. It is expected to be published late on Thursday morning, depending on Commons business, but is not expected to be formally debated until Autumn. Theresa May's call this week for opposition parties to work together after the Tories lost their Commons majority at the election was widely interpreted as an acknowledgement of the difficulties her minority Government could face in getting the Bill through Parliament. And her words were echoed by Mr Davis who said he would 'work with anyone' to achieve Brexit. The Bill is designed to transpose EU law into British law so the same rules apply on the day of Brexit as the day before, while giving parliaments and assemblies in Westminster, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff the power to drop or change them in the future. The Government hopes it will give confidence to businesses, workers and consumers that they will not face unexpected changes on the day of Brexit, while ending the supremacy of EU law in the UK. Mr Davis said: 'This Bill means that we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do - ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK. 'It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union. It comes after Brexit Secretary David Davis, pictured, called for MPs to work together on leaving the EU 'By working together, in the national interest, we can ensure we have a fully functioning legal system on the day we leave the European Union. 'The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country.' As presented, the Bill will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 which took Britain into the EU and remove the supremacy of Brussels law, convert EU law into UK law where appropriate, and create temporary powers to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. Mr Farron said: 'The Government cannot use the Great Repeal Bill to get their way. 'We have been learning the lessons of Maastricht and I am putting the Government on warning. 'If you found the Article 50 Bill difficult, you should be under no illusion, this will be hell. 'If the Government try any wheeze or trick to force through changes to vital protections, from workers' rights to the environment, they are playing with fire. 'I am keen to work across party lines to do everything we can to protect these rights. 'If this Tory Brexit Government and their Labour cheerleaders think this will be waved through, they have another thing coming.' Sir Keir, pictured, said Labour had 'very serious issues' with the government's approach to Brexit Separately, the Government will also publish three position papers for exit negotiations. One will cover nuclear materials and safeguards issues and will be studied closely by opposition parties and Tory MPs who have expressed concerns about the Government's commitment to leaving Euratom, Europe's civil nuclear regulator. The other two papers will cover ongoing union judicial and administrative proceedings, and privileges and immunities. They will be presented to the European Commission for discussion in the second round of formal exit negotiations in Brussels next week. The publication of the Bill and position papers will come as Jeremy Corbyn meets the Commission's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Brussels. Mr Barnier will also meet Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones for private talks ahead of the second round of formal negotiations in Brussels next week. But he stressed that he will negotiate only with the UK Government. Elderly people living in rural Australia are being bullied into selling their prescription painkillers by drug dealers, doctors have revealed. The Rural Doctors Association warned this week that elderly people are using their medications to turn over a profit and help pay for their costly care bills, according to ABC. Although some began selling medications on their own accord, there have been reports of people being forced by drug dealers who lurk outside of doctor's officers and pharmacies. Elderly people living in rural Australia are being bullied into selling their prescription painkillers by drug dealers who lurk outside pharmacies, the Rural Doctors Association has revealed (stock image) Although some began selling medications on their own accord, there have been reports of people being forced by drug dealers who tell them it would be an easy way of saving for their funeral (stock image) Eric Oguzkaya, a pharmacist from Mildura, said the problem is common because elderly customers tend to 'fly under the radar.' He said dealers prey on elderly patients by trying to charm them into selling their medications. And if that doesn't work, they threaten them, he said. Mr Oguzkaya said he had one customer who decided to sell their drugs to help save for their funeral. 'The dealer approached and said, "Look you're going to have lots of funeral bills soon, do you really want to put that burden on your family? Here's some extra money to get you through and you can save your money up so that when the end does come along, you will have the money ready".' Ewen McPhee, who is president of the Rural Doctors Association, said overall misuse of prescription pills in rural Australia is 'rife.' 'You have got people living in sometimes very expensive communities where things like rental and just the cost of daily living [are high],' Dr McPhee told ABC. An art expert believes more than $580million in classic works stolen from a Boston museum are stashed in Ireland. In the dead of the night on March 19, 1990, two daring art thieves disguised as police officers made their way inside Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The thieves then simply rang the museum's side doorbell and told two inexperienced security officers they had been called to respond to a call, before tying the guards up. Less than 90 minutes later, the two crooks walked out of the Gardner Museum with 13 masterpieces including Rembrandt's only seascape, 'The Storm on the Sea of Galilee', Vermeer's $200 million 'The Concert', an ancient Chinese bronze beaker from the Shang Dynasty and a finial that once stood atop a flag from Napoleon's Army. Scroll down for video An art expert believes more than $580million in classic works stolen from a Boston museum are stashed in Ireland. Pictured is one of the stolen paintings, Rembrandt's 'The Storm on the Sea of Galilee' Art investigator Arthur Brand is '100 per cent certain' the stolen works are in Ireland, with the IRA involved And now art investigator Arthur Brand has told CBS News he is '100 per cent certain' every single one of the stolen works is in Ireland. 'I'm 100 per cent sure that they are in Ireland. Hundred percent sure. No doubt in my mind,' Brand said, before explaining his research on the heist points squarely towards the IRA being involved. 'We have had talks with former members of the IRA and after a few Guinnesses, after a few talks you can see in their eyes that they know more. 'The IRA is known to do such things. In 1974, in Ireland, they stole a few paintings and they tried to use it as exchange for getting imprisoned IRA members to be moved from England to Belfast.' The painting 'Chez Tortoni' by Manet was one of 13 items stolen from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 This is a sketching of the two men believed to be behind the robbery in 1990. It is believed at least one of the men was wearing a fake mustache When asked what stolen artworks can be used for, he explained: 'They use it as payment for drug deals, for arm deals. 'Sometimes they use it for, like, art-napping. They kidnap paintings and they use it as to get a lesser sentence.' He then told CBS how he knows so much about the stolen art trade. 'On one hand you have the police, insurance companies, collectors, and on the other hand you have the criminals, the art thieves and the forgers,' he told the network. An empty frame hangs in the Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum, where a painting was stolen It is believed the thieves pretended to be police officers and made their way inside the museum (pictured) Johannes Vermeer's 'The Concert', also taken from the Gardner museum, is considered the most expensive piece of stolen art work in the world Rembrandts 'Lady and Gentleman in Black' was also seized by thieves in the Gardner heist 'So there are two different kind of worlds and they do not communicate. So I put myself in the middle.' He wrapped up the interview explaining why he wants to track down the works, considering he said he is not doing it for reward money. 'It's the fame. If you solve the Isabella Stewart Gardner theft after 27 years, what more can you do?' he asked. However, the museum's leading investigator disputed Brand's IRA theory. 'We have investigated leads related to the IRA thoroughly,' Anthony Amore told Fox News. 'There's not any current evidence that indicates our paintings are being held by the IRA, or in Ireland.' At the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, empty frames for the stolen paintings, which are still missing Anne Hawley, curator of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, is pictured answering questions at a news conference after the robbery on March 19, 1990 He added: 'We are always happy to hear new information.' Some of Brand's other accomplishments include helping German authorities track down the bronze horse statues that once stood outside Hitler's Grand Chancellery building, as well as finding Salvador Dali's 'Adolescence'. Additional details of the heist reveal the suspects, believed to be in their 30s, spent a total of 81 minutes inside the museum, and took most of the works from the Dutch Room. FBI special agents have previously told Fox News they believe the two crooks likely had 'inside knowledge' of the museum, including how its surveillance systems worked. One is said to have been wearing a fake mustache during the heist. Australia's top engineers are warning property developers could be 'cutting corners' when it comes to safety. Just a month after the fatal Grenfell tower fire in London, Engineers Australia claim Australian building certifiers are leaving thousands of people at risk of Grenfell Tower-style infernos where 80 people died. The engineering body claim developers are giving the okay to unsafe multi-story apartment blocks that have structural defects and are a fire hazard. Top Australian engineers are claiming property developers are signing off on unsafe buildings which could lead to Grenfell tower style disasters (pictured) Engineers Australia claim property developers are 'cutting corners' creating unsafe buildings (not pictured) It's alleged that Australian builders are saving money by building unsafe multi-story blocks (not pictured) 'Multi-storey apartment buildings are being constructed that are not meeting the standards that the Australian public expects,' Engineers Australia told a federal Senate inquiry. 'In a system that puts cost ahead of professionalism we have created an industry where margins are thin and corners are cut. 'The Grenfell fire demonstrates that cost should not be the overriding consideration when procuring and constructing a building.' The engineering body told the inquiry short cuts should not be taken because saving money in the short term often led to ongoing long term financial expenditure as well as the potential loss of life. The inquiry comes after several other fatal accidents including the Bankstown, New South Wales, apartment tragedy in 2012. A NSW Fair Trading spokesperson told News Corp they had no evidence of Australian builders using unsafe practices. NSW Fair Trading received almost 2000 complaints about home building defects between 2014-15. Engineers Australia and NSW Fair Trading have both been contacted for further comment. The engineering body told a federal Senate inquiry that developers were putting costs ahead of professionalism which could lead to Grenfell tower style fires (pictured) One upset man in Washington state has taken the feud with his neighbor to a new level of petty. Brian Juel and his neighbors Cindy and Brian Zechenelly have apparently not seen eye-to-eye in years. The beef between them seemingly stems over the fact Zechenelly built a large garage apartment on her property in Sequim and painted the entire thing purple in April 2009. It's unclear all of what has or has not transpired between Juel and the Zechenelly's, but at some point, Brian took it upon himself to share with the entire world what he thought of them and it can be seen via Google Earth. Using a strategic lawn care technique, he craftily carved the word 'A HOLE' into a large field in his backyard. Scroll down for video Brian Juel and his neighbors Cindy and Brian Zechenelly have not seen eye-to-eye in years. The beef between them seemingly stems over the fact Zechenelly built a large garage apartment on her property in Sequim and painted the entire thing purple (above) in April 2009 It's unclear all of what has transpired between them. But at some point, Brian decided to write out what he thought of them and it can be seen via Google Earth. Using a strategic lawn care technique, he craftily carved 'A HOLE' into a large field in his backyard The upset neighbor also included an arrow pointing directly at the Zechenelly's home. It's unclear if the hidden message is still on the property, but thanks to Google Earth's satellites it is still visible The upset neighbor also included an arrow pointing directly at the Zechenelly's home. It seems as though people discovered the secret message sometime last year, and a screenshot of the image has gone viral on Reddit. It's unclear if the hidden message is still on the property, but thanks to Google Earth's satellites it is still visible. Of the Zechenelly's purple garage, Brian Jules (above) seemingly despised the purple garage and the 'polluted views' of it The insult appears to have been mowed into the lawn sometime between 2011 and 2013 - years after the initial issue started between the neighbors over the purple colored garage. After the Zechenelly's had the garage apartment painted the bright color in 2009, at least two dozen neighbors hated the color so much, they created a petition against it. The petition requested relief from their property taxes from Clallam County Assessor Pam Rushton, as they claimed their homes' values were being undercut by the tall, purple building. 'I call it the purple people-eater,' Brian's daughter, Brianna Juel, told The Peninsula Daily News in 2009. Cindy told the newspaper that the bright color for garage apartment was inspired mainly by the Painted Ladies, tricolor Victorian houses on Alamo Square in San Francisco. The California native said that it reflected Sequim's claim to be the lavender-growing capital of North America. Brian seemingly despised the lavender color and the 'polluted views' of it from his property. 'This has become the focal point of the community,' he told the newspaper. 'I know people have every right to build whatever they want. But it affects others.' As of last year, the garage apartment is still painted purple. DailyMail.com requested comment from both Brian and the Zechenelly's. Advertisement Renovations on investor Felix Baker's Manhattan mansion have started three years after he purchased the $45million property. When Baker bought the home at 27 Christopher Street in the West Village in 2014, it was one of the most expensive single-family residences purchased in Manhattan. Baker, who runs a health care hedge fund with his brother, enlisted HS Jessup Architecture to transform the 15,000 square feet to include a rooftop terrace, private elevator and 50-foot pool. Renovations on billionaire investor Felix Baker's Manhattan mansion have started three years after he purchased the $45million property at 27 Christopher Street in New York When Baker bought the home in 2014, it was one of the most expensive single-family residences purchased in Manhattan (a rendering of the home) Felix runs Baker Brother Investments, specializing in biotech companies The building, originally built in 1910s, was once home to New York Foundling, a child welfare agency that said it was using the money from the sale to support older children transitioning out of foster care. Baker, who purchased the mansion under the LLC VILLAGEFH, has grand plans for the five-story building. According to blueprints filed by the architecture firm, the home will be decked out with six bedrooms, complete with a dressing room and massive walk-in closet. Other luxurious features include a game room, fitness room, internal courtyard, 50-foot lap pool, elevator, and a spiraling staircase lit by a skylight at the top. The roof will also be transformed into a 4,000-square-foot terrace. Baker runs Baker Brother Investments - which has a portfolio worth billions - and serves as the director at a number of biotechnology companies. Broadcaster turned politician Derryn Hinch has addressed rumours he and Amber Harrison could be romantically linked. Both Senator Hinch and Ms Harrison flatly denied whispers about a relationship in phone calls on Thursday morning. 'I should be so lucky,' the senator told Daily Mail Australia with a laugh. 'No, I'm not.' Ms Harrison - who said she had heard the rumour - said: 'I am not shagging Derryn Hinch. 'I've met him for coffee and he was wonderful and supportive... I'm not dating him.' Hours later, the independent Victorian senator spoke out about his phone call to the Financial Review. 'I should be so lucky,' Hinch repeated. 'I've met Amber Harrison twice.' 'Wonderful and supportive': Amber Harrison and Derryn Hinch are pictured together in Melbourne in June 2016 Ms Harrison (pictured this week on left and right) will find out on Monday whether a Supreme Court judge will approve Seven's application for court costs Twitter exchange: Amber Harrison sent Senator Hinch this tweet in late May 2017 Hinch invited Ms Harrison to email him in June, saying he 'understood your restrictions' The 'Human Headline' told the Daily Mail Channel Seven had warned him about Ms Harrison after he sent her a supportive tweet a few months ago. He said he was 'surprised' when he received a 'warning' call from an unnamed network executive about the expansive gag order on Ms Harrison. 'I think their alarm bells were going off she was (getting) some high flying support,' he said. 'They saw my retweet of her tweet about suppression orders,' said the 'Human Headline'. '(They said) just to warn you senator more as a journalist than a senator I suspect there is a suppression order in place about Ms Harrison. 'I suspect they feared she might discuss stuff with me under their broad suppression.' Senator Hinch often appears on Channel Seven's Sunrise program (pictured) The independent Victorian senator was fined $100,000 by a Victorian court in 2013 for flouting a suppression order. Ms Harrison is bound by a strict suppression order which prevents her from speaking about the Seven Network. Hinch said it was 'terrible' being under a suppression order. There were rumours - denied by both parties - that Ms Harrison and Hinch were dating The odd pairing had once met previously with Ms Harrison's father in Melbourne in June 2016. They then made contact after a series of tweets in May this year. In his tweet, Senator Hinch said he 'understood' Ms Harrison's restrictions and asked her to email him. In recent weeks, Senator Hinch has retweeted several of Ms Harrison's posts, including one which followed Wednesday's cost hearings. Tim Allerton, a spokesman for Seven West Media, said the network had no comment about the executive's call to Hinch. One of Australia's most notorious serial murderers, who is serving time for killing four of her babies, has been found guilty of assaulting a fellow inmate during a row about a toaster. Kathleen Folbigg, 50, was convicted after the incident at Silverwater women's prison in April, Fairfax Media reports. Folbigg, who is 14 years into her 25-year minimum jail term over the killing of her children, got into a fight with Tara Mammen in the prison's protection wing. She was handed four months in prison for common assault at Burwood Local Court, but is appealing the sentence. Kathleen Folbigg (pictured in 2003), who is serving a 25-year minimum jail term for killing her four children, has been convicted of assaulting a female inmate According to a statement of facts, Folbigg snatched a communal toaster out of Mammen's hands. 'You're not allowed to take the f****** toaster in the room,' she reportedly told Mammen. She also punched the woman in the stomach after Mammen asked her what she would do about it. According to court documents, Folbigg was remorseful when shown CCTV footage of the fight. Caleb (left) was killed when he was 19 days old in 1989. Folbigg was found guilty of murdering three children between 1991 and 1999, including Patrick (right) She reportedly expressed her belief that Mammen had tried to incite others to support an attack against her. Correction officers told police that Folbigg had never caused trouble in the prison before, according to Fairfax. Folbigg was found guilty of murdering three of her babies Patrick, Sarah and Laura - and manslaughter for the fourth, Caleb, in 2003. Patrick, Sarah and Laura, all aged between eight and 19 months, were killed in the Hunter Valley region between 1991 and 1999. Folbigg was found guilty of murdering three of her babies Patrick, Sarah and Laura (pictured) - and manslaughter for the fourth Patrick, Sarah (pictured) and Laura, all aged between eight and 19 months, were killed in the Hunter Valley region between 1991 and 1999 Caleb was killed when he was 19 days old in 1989. Her trial heard that she smothered her children because she couldn't cope with the stress of raising them. But Folbigg has always maintained her innocence and had her 30-year minimum jail term slashed in 2005 on appeal. Questions have also been raised about her conviction and whether it was based on flawed scientific and medical evidence. The remains of one of four missing men have been identified as those of Dean A. Finocchiaro (above), 19, of Middletown, Pennsylvania Authorities in Pennsylvania have found human remains of multiple bodies in a 12-and-a-half foot common grave on a sprawling tract of farmland, it was announced late Wednesday. The search of the Solebury, Pennsylvania, farm, belonging to the family of 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, was prompted after four young men went missing in a span of three days last week. The four men were identified as Dean A. Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown, Pennsylvania, Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, Mark Sturgis, 22, and Tom Meo, 21. DiNardo was arrested on Wednesday on charges of trying to sell one of the men's vehicles, which was also found in Solebury. He is the sole person of interest in the disappearance of the four young men. DiNardo did not seem bothered or surprised that his friend was missing, according to text messages discovered by Philly.com. Days after Finocchiaro went missing, an acquaintance asked DiNardo if he was worried about him in a group chat. DiNardo's eerily callous response was: 'I mean I know the kid but yeah I feel bad for his parents. Hes a pill-popping junky who had 2 duis He prob just jumped parole Or probation.' Scroll down for video Cosmo DiNardo was smiling at the news chopper as he was led into police custody for attempting to sell one of the missing men's car after he disappeared The remains of Dean Finocchiaro were discovered at DiNardo's family $5 million farm on Wednesday. The other remains in the grave have not been identified According to a friend of Tom Meo, one of the three men who are still missing, DiNardo sold guns and marijuana and in the past has bragged about having someone killed over a debt These claims seem to have been exaggerated considering Finocchiaro only has one DUI charge. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to use possession of drug paraphernalia and has a current open case for the same charge. He has another open case in Bucks County Court for charges of assault and harassment. DiNardo also sent a photo to the group showing him holding what appears to be a revolver. In one thread, DiNardo seemed to be confused as to why his family's home was being searched. He said: 'Because no reason for people tone [sic] at my place where we dont live.' 'I have no clue bro its weird people keep hitting me up I have no idea whats up.' The families of the missing quartet have been at the scene in the hope of learning anything about their loved ones. Patrick was first to disappear on Wednesday. The other three - who are all friends - vanished on Friday. Authorities are in the process of identifying further remains, which were found using cadaver dogs deployed in the search of the property belonging to DiNardo's family. When asked about how the bodies were located, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said: 'I don't understand the science behind it but these dogs could smell these four boys 12 feet below the ground.' Cosmo DiNardo, 20, who the court heard has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was told he will have to come up with $5 million cash if he is to regain his freedom after his arrest on Wednesday The announcement that authorities found human remains was made by Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub (seen during a news conference at midnight on Thursday) Dozens of people gathered in New Hope, Pennsylvania, just after midnight on Thusday to listen to Weintraub's press conference A woman listens to Matthew Weintraub, District Attorney for Bucks County as he updates the community about the human remains that were found Weintraub told reporters and members of the community (pictured) during a midnight news conference that authorities cannot say for certain how many bodies they discovered The district attorney said that authorities are beginning to treat this case as a homicide, adding that the investigation is ongoing Weintraub told members of the community that he and the police force were going to 'bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families' as he spoke at the press conference just after midnight on Thursday According to a friend of Meo, DiNardo sold guns and marijuana and in the past has bragged about having someone killed over a debt. 'I can tell you on multiple different occasions, on multiple different accounts, from multiple different people, including myself Cosmo has spoken about weird things like killing people and having people killed,' Eric Beitz, 20, of Bensalem, told Philly.com. Beitz said he believed DiNardo was the last person to see his friend alive. 'Everybody you talk to about this guy, you hear hes mentally unstable.' GRANDPARENTS OF JIMI TARO PATRICK SPEAK OUT Sharon and Rich Patrick, grandparents of missing teen Jimi Taro Patrick shared a biography of their grandson on Thursday Jimi Taro Patrick Jimi Taro Patrick lives in Newtown, PA with his grandparents, Sharon and Rich Patrick. He recently completed his freshman year at Loyola University, MD. Majoring in business, Jimi attends Loyola on a full scholarship and was awarded academic recognition on the Dean's list. Jimi is currently employed at a restaurant in Buckingham, PA. In the past, he worked in the food service at D'Youville Manor Yardley. He attended Holy Ghost Preparatory High School (Bensalem, PA) where he not only received distinguished honors for his academic performance, but also participated in numerous community service projects. Jimi was a member of the Holy Ghost Prep baseball team. He attended St Andrew School in Newtown and is a member of St Andrew Parish, Newtown, PA. As a child, Jimi played baseball for the Council Rock School District (Newtown) Little League. He was an excellent pitcher and hitter. As a result, he was a member of the Newtown travel team which won several tournaments and league trophies. Jimi also played basketball in the St Andrew CYO leage. Sharon & Rich Patrick Advertisement DiNardo and Patrick both attended Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem. Patrick, who had just completed his freshman year at Loyola University in Baltimore, and DiNardo were members of a public Facebook group for buying and selling sneakers. A Flickr account believed to belong to DiNardo shows 187 photos of shoes, including Nikes and Air Jordans. WHAT LED POLICE TO FINDING HUMAN REMAINS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM July 5: Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, is seen for the last time. He appears to be the first of the men to go missing. July 7: Dean Finocchiaro, 19, Mark Sturgis, 22, and Tom Meo, 21, are all seen for the last time. July 9: All four men have been reported missing, and a search warrant is executed at a home in Solebury Township, where investigators find Meo's car. July 10: Officials search a Solebury Township farm owned by Antonio and Sandra DiNardo. Their son, 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo is taken into custody on firearms charges that appeared to be unrelated to the missing persons case. July 11: DiNardo is released on bail. July 12: Authorities find human remains of multiple bodies on the farm. The remains of Finocchiaro are identified. DiNardo is arrested for a second time and charged with trying to sell a vehicle belonging to one of the missing men. Advertisement Many of the pairs were photographed with a sign with his name and the date written on it. Some images from 2014 show bullets set up next to the shoes. DiNardo was sent off to jail on Wednesday for the second time since the four men vanished. He was previously arrested on Monday on outstanding firearms charges but was later released on bail. The announcement that authorities found human remains was made by Weintraub. Weintraub told reporters during a midnight news conference that authorities cannot say for certain how many bodies they discovered. The district attorney said that authorities are beginning to treat this case as a homicide. 'This painstaking process will go on, were not done yet,' he said. 'This is a homicide, no question about it. 'Were going to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families.' The discovery of the remains represents a big break in the case for authorities who have conducted an exhausting search on the sprawling piece of property in Solebury Township belonging to DiNardo, an heir to a massive Pennsylvania real estate fortune. DiNardo, who the court heard has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was told he will have to come up with $5million cash if he is to regain his freedom after his arrest on Wednesday. It has been learned that DiNardo is the son of Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, a couple that purchased the massive 90 acres of farmland where police are searching for four missing men, according to NBC 10. The Flickr account belonging to Cosmo DiNardo shows a pair of Nike Air Jordan shoes with two bullets and a sign next to it. DiNardo and one of the missing young men, Jimi Tar Patrick, belonged to a Facebook group where members bought and sold Nike shoes DiNardo was arrested earlier this week for 'unrelated gun charges' he was released after his parents posted 10 percent of his $1 million bail In September 2005, the DiNardo couple bought 68 acres of farmland in Bucks County, Pennsylvania for $5.4million. Less than a year later, they bought a smaller tract of farmland on an adjacent property. In December 2008, they purchased two more acres of adjacent property to form the large farming complex where the bodies were discovered. The scope of the search was so extensive - backhoes and other earth-moving equipment have been brought in - that the local district attorney said this was the largest search in recent history. The family began to amass its vast commercial and residential real estate holdings thanks to Cosmo DiNardo's eponymous late grandfather, who also began to buy up real estate in the 1970s. Among the family holdings are properties in Philadelphia, including a multi-unit apartment building and another building leased to a behavioral non-profit organization. He also purchased the home in Bensalem where his grandson was twice arrested this week. Police spent Wednesday searching the farmland of Cosmo DiNardo's parents' farmland. He was arrested for the second time since the four young men's disappearance on Wednesday and is being held on a $5 million bond District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said evidence has been found at the property near the main house and barn This home is used as the main family residence from where they control their business and real estate holdings. The elder Cosmo DiNardo also purchased commercial properties in Montgomery and Bucks Counties, including a strip of storefronts initially purchased for $67,500 in 1979 and sold 25 years later for $425,000. Eventually, the elder Cosmo DiNardo began to involve his son, Antonio, in the family business. The father and son jointly purchased a Philadelphia home for $50,000 in early 1989 and flipped it two years later for $210,000. In the late 1990s and 2000s, Antonio DiNardo purchased four more properties, two in Philadelphia and two in Bensalem. Police used diggers and metal detectors to search a 90-acre farm in Solebury, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday in the hunt for four young men who have been missing since last week Investigators blocked off the drive way leading to the DiNardos' farmland. They used cadaver dogs to search the premises on Wednesday But magisterial district judge Maggie Snow, sitting in chambers in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, agreed with the higher level. She set a new hearing for DiNardo for July 31. DiNardo allegedly tried to sell a champagne-colored 1996 Nissan Maxima belonging to Tom Meo - who has been missing since Friday - for $500. The car was found on his parents' $5million property. Inside cops found Meo's diabetic kit, which his parents say he never leaves behind. DiNardo, wearing a gray tank top appeared on video from the police station in his hometown of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, where he was rearrested on Wednesday, less than a day after being released from jail. On Tuesday DiNardo's wealthy parents posted a $100,000 cashier's check - 10 percent of the bail amount he was being held on for an unrelated firearms charge -the district attorney leading the case told reporters Wednesday. District attorney Matthew Weintraub told reporters Wednesday: 'We are going to keep digging and searching that property until we are satisfied they are not there' Matthew Weintraub, District Attorney for Bucks County, told reporters outside of the farm he feared the men were victims of foul play 'This investigation is still wide open we are going to go where it leads us,' Weintraub said. 'We don't pick a person and then try to build a case around that person. That's not fair to anyone. Authorities in Bucks County, Pennsylvania argued that the younger Cosmo DiNardo is a flight risk and a danger to the community as the reasons for the high bail. Cops are continuing to search property belonging to DiNardo's parents in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania. DiNardo has not been charged in connection with the men's disappearance. Instead he was charged with car theft, for allegedly trying to sell a vehicle belonging to one of the missing men. His defense team said the DA's office was upset he had made bail and had only come up with the new charge now to get him back in jail. 'As of this moment he remains a person of interest. But if others arise and we can name them, we will, said Weintraub at a morning press conference. Arrested: 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, who police say has a history of mental illness, was taken in to custody on Sunday on gun charges. He was released after posting 10 percent of his $1 million bond but will have to post the full amount, now $5 million, after his Wednesday arrest. He is seen above in mugshots When reporters asked if Cosmo DiNardo was at his home (pictured) after he was released on bail, the DA said: 'He better be.' DiNardo was re-arrested Wednesday DiNardo's parents own several pieces of property in Solebury and the surrounding area in addition to their home, which is worth an estimated $500,000 Four young men went missing from towns in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and Friday last week. Police tracked one man's cell phone signal to the DiNardo property and one man's father said one of their cars had also been found there Several law enforcement agencies including the FBI and local police are searching the huge 90-acre spot. The DiNardo family is listed on two different addresses at the site, circled above Weintraub would not answer a question about whether he believes DiNardo, with all his problems, could have 'done this all by himself'. 'I don't even know what the 'this' is that we are talking about,' he replied. 'We are going to proceed very, very methodically. Weintraub spoke in rural Solebury Township, an hour northwest of Philadelphia close to the New Jersey border, as helicopters whirred overhead. Half a mile from where he was speaking, scores of officers were involved in a detailed search on property owned by DiNardo's parents for any sign of the four men who disappeared from the area last week. 'We are going to keep digging and searching that property until we are satisfied they are not there,' said Weintraub. 'This is just really, really rough on everybody involved because of the heat, the magnitude, the scope and the stakes are incredibly high - life and death.' Jimi Patrick, 19, (left) was the first to go missing and was last seen at 6pm on Wednesday. Finocchiaro, 19, (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 and are friends Sturgis and Meo have been friends for years and work for Sturgis's father's construction company. They were planning to meet up on Friday night when they both vanished Sturgis and Meo are both friends with Dean Finocchiaio (above with his family) He said he could not comment on reports from locals that they heard gunshots on the DiNardo property over the weekend or that there was a bonfire at the DiNardo house, 'I wish I could,' he said. 'We ask for your patience and we ask for your tips. We continue to receive tips hourly and some of them are bearing fruit, so please keep them coming.' On Monday, police arrested DiNardo at his home in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, on a four-month-old gun charge. Philly.com reported that Weintraub's office sent a letter to police in Bensalem on June 21 reauthorizing the February charge against him. It had been dismissed in May by a magisterial district judge. But he was not apprehended until after the four men had gone missing. In February, DiNardo had bought a gun and ammunition despite having a history of mental illness which included a voluntary stint in hospital, court documents say. Weintraub said he could not comment on reports from locals that they heard gunshots on the DiNardo property over the weekend Police have not disclosed the nature of the evidence found on the DiNardo's property Police have not recovered any human remains, but have recovered evidence. Weintraub did not disclose the specifics of the evidence Though the firearms case is unrelated to the men's disappearance, bail was set at $1 million and the frantic search began immediately. Forensics teams descended on the 90-acre property in hazmat suits and were seen watching others turf up concrete with diggers. Other officers, including FBI agents, used metal detectors. Police cars blocked the driveway into the property. Aerial images showed searchers using brooms, shovels, and buckets in their painstaking search for any possible sign of the men or evidence that could lead them to them. Cops were led to the house on Saturday night after tracking the signal of one of the missing men's cell phones. Once on site, they found Meo's car parked in the garage, Sturgis's father, Mark Potash, told Philly.com. Officers on Tuesday said they were following 'incredibly hot leads'. And on Wednesday DA Weintraub said tips keep pouring in. Officials have not directly accused DiNardo of having any role in the men's disappearance but their presence at the property suggests they suspect him of involvement 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 'We here are utilizing every resource at our disposal to try to find these four missing men and to solve this case. 'We have not yet recovered any human remains, but we have recovered several important pieces of evidence at this site that we are currently working very hard on, with the majority of our manpower and in other locations,' he added, refusing to say what that evidence was. Patrick, who is from Newtown Township, was last seen at 6pm on Wednesday. He was reported missing the following day after failing to show up for work. On Friday, Meo, Finocchiaro and Sturgis from the neighboring towns of Plumstead, Middletown and Pennsburg, also vanished. Sturgis and Meo work together for Sturgis's father's construction business. On Friday night, Sturgis told his father he was going to meet up with his friend but that they would both be fit for work in the morning. Neither showed up. Finocchiaro, was last seen in Middletown Township at 6.30pm on Friday night. Sturgis's abandoned Nissan Altima (pictured) was found in a shopping complex five miles from the farm. Meo's Nissan Maxima (not pictured) was reportedly found parked in a garage on the DiNardo property On Monday, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said the agencies were pursuing 'incredibly hot leads' on the property On Saturday, police tracked a signal from Finocchiaro's phone to Solebury Township and to the DiNardo farm. Once on the property, they found Meo's champagne-colored Nissan Maxima parked in a garage. They also discovered Sturgis's Nissan Altima at Peddler's Village in Lahaska, five miles from the DiNardo property. On Sunday, they issued a search warrant for the entire farm and Cosmo DiNardo was arrested the following day. Meo, Sturgis and Finocchiaio are all friends. Patrick, who seemingly has no other connection to the missing men, is Facebook friends with DiNardo. No officials have directly accused DiNardo of having any role in the men's disappearance but their presence at the property suggests they suspect him of involvement. The owners of a ride which killed a young girl are unable to pay the fines handed to them for breaching safety regulations. Adelene Leong, who was on holiday from Malaysia, died after being flung 10 metres off a high-speed AirMaxx 360 ride in front of her mortified mother at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014. C J and Sons Amusement have been fined $157,500 at the Employment Tribunal but are already $1 million in debt. Magistrate Michael Ardlie said because of the previous debt 'there is simply no chance of paying the fine.' Scroll down for video Adelene Leong, who was on holiday from Malaysia, died after being flung 10 metres off a high-speed AirMaxx 360 ride in front of her mortified mother at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014 C J and Sons Amusement have been fined $157,500 at the Employment Tribunal but are already $1 million in debt The Magistrate was highly critical of C J and Sons Amusement's failure in registering the ride design. 'As the Airmaxx was the first amusement device of its type to be imported into Australia, design registration was required.' 'If the design registration process had proceeded, the level of scrutiny involved might have detected some of the design flaws which were inherent in Airmaxx.' He also condemned the lack of a safety plan in place should an accident occur. 'There was a failure to ensure that there was an adequate system in place for the recording of any maintenance and repair work in the logbook,' Magistrate Ardlie said. 'The lack of information in the logbook meant that competent persons or regulators involved in examining and assessing Airmaxx were denied the opportunity to scrutinise the effectiveness of the restraints.' The company's co-director, Jenny-Lee Sullivan, was also convicted and fined $63,000. Both Ms Sullivan and the company have to pay a further $420 for a victim of crime levy. The Magistrate was highly critical of C J and Sons Amusement's failure in registering the ride design. 'As the Airmaxx was the first amusement device of its type to be imported into Australia, design registration was required' 'There was a failure to ensure that there was an adequate system in place for the recording of any maintenance and repair work in the logbook,' Magistrate Ardlie said The owners of the ride have been banned from operating machinery but no charges have been pressed against them yet, according to the publication. Adelene was above the height requirements when she boarded the ride with her mother and took a photo just moments before the tragedy unfolded on September 12, 2014. Paramedics were called to the scene after Adelene - who was holidaying with her family from Malaysia - was thrown from the ride as her mother watched on in horror. Adelene was rushed to hospital with critical injuries but died a short time later. A man who spent 21 years behind bars for murder was set free Wednesday after prosecutors abandoned his conviction. 'It was like a bad dream. It had to end someday,' Jabbar Washington, 43, said as he left court after a Brooklyn judge dismissed the case against him. 'It was hard, but I kept the faith,' Washington said. He was convicted in 1997. Prosecutors said their office improperly withheld information and allowed a mistaken impression that a wounded eyewitness implicated him. Washington's case is one of dozens involving a once prominent detective, now retired, whose tactics have come under scrutiny. Jabbar Washington, 43, freed in an overturned murder conviction after 21 years in prison Washington gets his handcuffs taken off after spending 21 years in prison, his lawyer Ronald Kuby (far left) looks on Wednesday Jabbar Washington addresses reporters in the hallway after he is released from prison (left). Detective Louis Scarcella (right) has 70 cases being reviewed, Washington's is one of about a half dozen cases overturned so far, but prosecutors are standing by nearly three dozen Now retired Detective Louis Scarcella has denied any wrongdoing as the Brooklyn DA's office has reviewed roughly 70 of his cases. So far, prosecutors have abandoned about a half-dozen convictions in his cases, but stood by nearly three dozen others. The case is the 23rd conviction that the Brooklyn district attorney's office has disavowed in the last three-and-a-half years, as it revisits over 100 convictions in one of the most sweeping reviews of its kind nationwide. Washington had confessed but long since recanted in a deadly 1995 robbery at a drug-den apartment. Six other men also were convicted and remain so. Prosecutors stopped short of saying they believe he's innocent in the gunslinging holdup that killed Ronald Ellis and wounded five other people. But prosecutors conceded that Washington's trial was unfair and agreed to drop the case, saying they can't retry it now. The eyewitness died in 2006. 'Given the unresolved issues of credibility in this case, we cannot prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,' Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. Washington's lawyer, Ronald Kuby, called the case a reflection of 'institutional failure' by the criminal justice system in Brooklyn Supreme Court Wednesday. Jenyse Washington (pictured) applauds as a judge exonerates her husband Jabbar Washington Jenyse Washington (far left) watch as her husband Jabbar Washington (center) hugs his mother Martha Washington (second from left) and daughter Jasmine, 21 (right) Wednesday The eyewitness, who'd been shot in the robbery, identified Washington in a 1996 lineup as one of the men involved. But before testifying at the grand jury, the witness clarified to a prosecutor that she just recognized Washington as a neighbor, not as one of the robbers, the prosecutor's office said. The grand jury prosecutor made a note of the eyewitness' explanation, and the identification wasn't repeated at the grand jury or trial. But prosecutors didn't tell Washington's then-lawyer that the eyewitness had backtracked, despite legal obligations to turn over exculpatory information, the DA's office says. And the trial prosecutor asked the eyewitness and then-Detective Louis Scarcella multiple questions about the lineup - questions the DA's office now sees as intended to convey, 'in a back-door sort of way, the impression that she had in fact made an identification,' Assistant District Attorney Mark Hale said. Scarcella, at the trial, then answered a defense lawyer's question by saying that 'if he (Washington) didn't get ID'd, it would have been' particularly important to get a confession. Attorney Ron Kuby (left) and his client Jabbar Washington, 43, hug after his exoneration at Brooklyn Supreme Court, Wednesday Jabbar Washington, 43, center, hugs his daughter Jasmine, 21, while listening to his lawyer Ron Kuby (far right) during a press conference at Brooklyn Supreme Court The trial prosecutor, Kyle Reeves, who's now in private practice, declined to comment Wednesday, except to express disappointment about learning of the developments not from former colleagues but from the press. The grand jury prosecutor, who also has left the DA's office, didn't immediately respond to an email sent to a possible address for her Wednesday. The prosecutors office added that their decision to reverse Washingtons conviction was largely based on the conduct of the assistant district attorney who tried the case one of the few times in the expansive inquiry that they have pointed a finger at one of their own lawyers, according to the New York Times. While they characterized Scarcella's testimony in the Washington case as misleading, they haven't accused him of breaking any laws. His lawyers, Alan M. Abramson and Joel S. Cohen, said Wednesday that the failings in the case were prosecutors' and the trial judge's, and 'the fact that Louis Scarcella was the detective on this case is immaterial.' Washington, meanwhile, left court surrounded by the family he'd waited to rejoin, including his mother, wife, two children and a grandchild. As for his plans, 'after all this time, I'm just happy to go home,' he said. Ronald Wayne, an engineer who founded Apple Inc. with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, sold his share of the company in 1976 for a mere $800. But the 83-year-old has no regrets, even though his 10 percent stake would be worth an estimated $67billion today. In fact, Wayne, who lives in the small town of Pahrump, Nevada, has never owned an Apple product in his life, and keeps his $10 cellphone in his car for emergencies, according to an interview with Vice. Ronald Wayne (above), an engineer who founded Apple Inc. with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, sold his share of the company in 1976 for a mere $800 But the 83-year-old has no regrets, even though his 10 percent stake would be worth an estimated $67billion today (pictured, Steve Jobs, left, Apple chairman John Sculley, center, and Steve Wozniak, right, in 1984) Wayne, who started his own slot-machine business and authored two books, first met Jobs at Atari, where they worked together. Wayne, who was two decades older than Jobs, described his role at their new company as 'the adult in the room watching these kids play'. In fact, he was often a mediating force between Jobs and Wozniak, whose differing personalities were a 'great complements to each other'. In an interview with Vice, Wayne said: 'Let me put it this way, if you had your choice between Steve Jobs and an ice cube, you'd nuzzle up to the ice cube for warmth. But I suppose that is what it took to get Apple where it went.' Wayne still gets fan mail for his drawing, which became Apple's first logo (above) Wayne is also credited with creating Apple's first logo - an ink sketch of Isaac Newton reading under a tree with an apple hanging above his head. The logo is accompanied by the William Wordsworth quote: 'A mind forever voyaging through strange seas of thought, alone.' Wayne said he still gets fan mail and autograph requests from around the world for his drawing. He said: 'I knew at the time it was not a legit 20th century logo, it was a 19th century logo, but it was fun. Everything we did in the beginning was for fun... 'Woz focused on a design of an ultra simple circuit. Jobs insisted on the word Apple, and I made the connection to Newton's apple.' While Wayne is known for opting out of the company too early, he has no doubt it was the right thing to do, saying his passion was never in computers. In fact, he's never owned an Apple product in his life. He was gifted an iPad at a talk he was once invited to, but it ended up in the hands of his son. Wayne has never owned an Apple product in his life, saying computers were never his passion. He was gifted an iPad at a talk, but it ended up in the hands of his son (pictured, file photo) And Wayne owns the $10 TracFone, and says he prefers collecting stamps and coins over fiddling with apps and games. He told Vice: 'Do I regret selling my share of Apple? No, that has been my answer ever since day one and will be my answer until I die.... 'If I had stayed with Apple, I would have wound up the richest man in the cemetery. I was in the shadow of giants, I knew I would never get my own project and it wasn't my passion anyway.' A California city is considering paying its criminals up to $1,000 a month to stay out of trouble. Stockton where 'hot felon' Jeremy Meeks led a life of crime before his mugshot gifted him a career in modelling could introduce the program in the wake of a spate of murders. There were four homicides in the space of four days in the city last week, and authorities are considering introducing the Advance Peace program to combat the violence. The initiative is already in use in Richmond, California, and pays criminals with a record of gun crime a monthly stipend if they go straight. Scroll down for video Jeremy Meeks' mugshot from June 2014 went viral and landed him a modeling career after he got out of jail Mayor of Stockton Michael Tubbs And now it could be introduced in Stockton which has a crime rate that has been more than double the national average in recent years. The program offers criminals a monthly stipend of $1,000 for nine months in exchange for needed services such as job training provided they do not get caught committing a crime. But while the Richmond program uses taxpayer dollars, the Stockton version would consider using other means to gather funds for the offenders. Mayor Michael Tubbs said: Before implementing a program like Advance Peace, I would use philanthropic dollars and not general funds. The idea has been criticized by opponents who suggest that the funds should be directed elsewhere such as to families who have lost a loved one to gun violence. Mayor of Stockton Michael Tubbs posting about the initiative on Facebook Meeks is seen at the Philipp Plein Resort Collection, Front Row, 70th Cannes Film Festival, France in May 2017 Tubbs said: The program is emerging as a national best practice. We connect and build relationships with those most at risk. This is just one option being considered by the city to decrease the homicide rate. Another option involves installing cameras inside and outside buildings and monitoring them in real-time. Stockton, California is seen above in a file photo. It is home to Jeremy Meeks Stockton had its most homicides in 2012 at 71 and in 2015 the violent crime rate was more than double the U.S. average. Tubbs is the youngest mayor of a city with a population of at least 100,000. He defeated Stocktons then-current major, Anthony Silva, in 2016 for the position. The program has shown promise in Richmond although it is unclear how successful it could be in Stockton. A married mother-of-two leaving church after praying was robbed and sexually assaulted at gunpoint by five young men in Queens, police say. The 50-year-old woman had just left Celestial Church of Christ on Tuesday evening, just after 11pm, when she was approached by two young men on 150th Street as she walked to the Jamaica subway station. They allegedly led her at gunpoint back down the block to 150th Street and Beaver Road where they attacked her behind a garbage truck demanding her wallet. 'They tell me, "you don't have money so take off your clothes!"' the victim told The New York Daily News. 'I said, "What? In the middle of the street?"' They two men called over three other guys nearby to join them before they forced her to strip naked in the street and demanded she perform oral sex on them. She claims she tried to scare them away by saying she was HIV-positive - which she is not - but that didn't even frighten them. In fact, one of the men, who she described as short, went off to buy a condom. 'They said, "if you don't do that, I'll shoot you,"' the victim recounted to the Daily News. 'So I did what I had to do.' Scroll down for video A married mother-of-two leaving Celestial Church of Christ (above) after praying was robbed and sexually assaulted at gunpoint by five young men in Queens, police say The 50-year-old woman had just left church when she was approached by two young men on 150th Street (file above). They robbed her before calling over three other guys who then demanded she strip naked and perform oral sex. NYPD are searching for the suspects She says one of the attackers called her a 'stupid African woman' and slapped her. After the attack and the group of men fled, the woman ran back to the church, half-naked and crying to her pastor, Kehinde Oyetunde said. 'She was crying and her face was full of rubbish,' Oyetunde told the Daily News. 'She had her clothes in her hands. She said that they pulled a gun on her and took her stuff, then wanted to sleep with her. 'She lied and told them she was an HIV patient and to please leave her alone.' Her pastor picked her up from the hospital where she sought treatment and brought her home. She returned to work the following day but was still shaken. 'This is horrible,' the pastor added. 'She is a very kind woman. She's been with my church for 10 years.' 'She was crying and her face was full of rubbish,' the woman's pastor, Kehinde Oyetunde (pictured), said The victim, who lives in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, said she is nervous about returning to the Queens church she has attended four days a week for the past decade. 'I'm very worried,' she said. 'I don't know if I can go back there. 'There are just mean, hooligan guys who wanted to rob and sleep with somebody,' the victim said of her attackers. 'If they just wanted money, they should have left. But they wanted more.' NYPD officers were able to recover at least one condom nearby the scene and are processing it for DNA, the Daily News reported. They are also testing the woman's sweater for potential evidence. Police said all five men are in their 20s and they do not believe the victim knew her attackers. The crazed driver who is accused of intentionally mowing down pedestrians on a Times Square sidewalk, killing a woman and injuring 22 other people, pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder and attempted murder. Richard Rojas, 26, dressed in a beige jail uniform, mostly looked down at the defense table during his arraignment in the May 18 melee. He spoke only to tell the Manhattan Supreme Court judge good morning; his lawyer entered the plea. The mother of one of the victims, high school student Jessica Williams who was badly injured, sat in court and cried during the brief hearing with two others, including a man who gave Rojas the finger as he left court. Scroll down for video Richard Rojas, 26, appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court for his arraignment on Thursday (pictured). He is accused of intentionally mowing down pedestrians on a Times Square sidewalk Rojas wore his beige jail uniform when he appeared in court Thursday (pictured) and pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder. He did not speak except to say good morning to the judge. His lawyer entered his plea Elaine Williams (pictured Thursday), the mother of high school student Jessica Williams, a victim in the crash, sat n court and cried during the hearing Rojas' attorney said outside court it was a 'terrible thing that happened'. 'But how we handle this type of a case will determine how civilized of a society we are,' said defense attorney Enrico DeMarco. In June, Williams' mother, Elaine Williams, accepted her daughter's diploma at Dunellen high school on her behalf, wearing her cap as she and another injured girl, Destiny Lightfoot, received a standing ovation. Jessica Williams was hospitalized still at the time of her graduation but it's not clear if she remains so. The family had no comment Thursday. Prosecutors say Rojas, who lived with his mother in the Bronx, drove his car from his home through Times Square, then made a U-turn, steered his car onto a sidewalk, and roared back up the sidewalk, plowing through helpless tourists for three blocks before he crashed his car into protective barriers. The impact killed Alyssa Elsman, an 18-year-old from Portage, Michigan, and injured her 13-year-old sister, Ava. Elsman graduated last year from Portage Central High School. Rojas' attorney Enrico DeMarco said it was a 'terrible thing that happened. But how we handle this type of a case will determine how civilized of a society we are' Elaine Williams (pictured at Rojas' arraignment Thursday) accepted her daughter's diploma at Dunellen high school on her behalf, wearing her cap. Jessica Williams was hospitalized still at the time of her graduation but it's not clear if she remains so Prosecutors say Rojas, who lived with his mother in the Bronx, drove his car from his home through Times Square, then made a U-turn, steered his car onto a sidewalk, and roared back up the sidewalk, plowing through helpless tourists for three blocks before he crashed his car into protective barriers. Pictured is a still from security footage from the day of the crash Photographers snapped pictures of a wild-eyed Rojas after he climbed from the wrecked car and ran through the street waving his arms. He told police he'd been smoking marijuana laced with the hallucinogen PCP. According to prosecutors, Rojas said he wanted to 'kill them all'. Rojas has several prior criminal cases. He pleaded guilty shortly before the crash to harassment in the Bronx after he was accused of pulling a knife on a notary in his home. He also had two previous drunken driving cases in 2008 and 2015 in Queens and Manhattan. Rojas had also spent time in a military prison and was eventually discharged from the US Navy following disciplinary problems. He had served in the Navy from 2011 to 2014. Friends have said he was never the same after leaving the Navy. They say his paranoia took over as he started drinking heavily and smoking marijuana and that he often spoke about 'conspiracies, demons and devils'. Rojas has several prior criminal cases. He pleaded guilty shortly before the crash to harassment in the Bronx after he was accused of pulling a knife on a notary in his home. He also had two previous drunken driving cases. He is pictured in Manhattan Supreme Court Thursday A human skeleton was found at the construction site of a new museum in Western Australia. Police were called to Northbridge, in Perth's inner-city, on Wednesday to assess the remains. The bones were confirmed through forensic testing to be those of a human. A human skeleton was found at the construction site of a new museum in Western Australia. It is believed the human remains have been at the construction site for years It is believed the human remains have been at the construction site for years, Perth Now reported. Officers are now investigating how the bones came to be at the construction site. WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan told ABC the forensic investigators were looking for DNA to establish the age of the bones. 'If they [the bones] are hundreds and hundreds of years old there's not likely to be much of a police investigation,' he said. 'If they're much more recent than that then we would have to look into it either as a homicide case or as an unexplained case.' When the remains were finally discovered, construction of the new museum stopped. Anyone with any information is asked to call Crimestoppers on 1300 888 000. When the remains were finally discovered, construction of the new museum stopped United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JOHNNY JOHNSON, Defendant-Appellant. No. 16-10875 Decided: July 11, 2017 Before JULIE CARNES, JILL PRYOR, and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges. Johnny L. Johnson appeals the revocation of his supervised release and the district court's imposition of a 51-month sentence. On appeal, Johnson argues that the district court erred by failing to compel the government to reveal and produce a confidential informant for examination. Johnson further argues that his sentence was procedurally unreasonable because the district court miscalculated his guideline range by determining the class of his original offense based on the law at the time of his original sentencing rather than at the time of the revocation of his supervised release. Johnson also argues that his sentence was substantively unreasonable because the district court failed to account for the changes in the law over time since his original sentencing. I. We review a district court's ruling that the government need not disclose the identity of a confidential informant for abuse of discretion. United States v. Flores, 572 F.3d 1254, 1265 (11th Cir. 2009). The government's privilege to withhold the identity of a confidential informant is limited. Id. Where the disclosure of an informer's identity, or of the contents of his communication, is relevant and helpful to the defense of an accused, or is essential to a fair determination of a cause, the privilege must give way. Id. We have held that this inquiry principally involves consideration of three factors: (1) the extent of the informant's participation in the criminal activity; (2) the directness of the relationship between the defendant's asserted defense and the probable testimony of the informant; and (3) the government's interest in nondisclosure. Id. The government's interest may be proven by showing that disclosure might endanger the informant or other investigations. Id. The burden is on the appellant to show that the informant's testimony would significantly aid in establishing an asserted defense. United States v. Gutierrez, 931 F.2d 1482, 1491 (11th Cir. 1991). Mere conjecture about the possible relevance of the testimony is insufficient to compel disclosure. Id. In Roviaro, the Supreme Court explained that once the identity of an informer has been disclosed to those who would have cause to resent the communication, the privilege is no longer applicable. Roviaro v. United States, 353 U.S. 53, 60 (1957). We clarified that the statement must not be read out of context, and that the scope of the privilege was governed by its underlying purpose of recognizing the obligation of citizens to communicate their knowledge of the commission of crimes to law enforcement, and preserving their anonymity encourages them to perform that obligation. See United States v. Tenorio-Angel, 756 F.2d 1505, 1510 (11th Cir. 1985). We concluded that the privilege was still applicable where the confidential informant told the defendant his name. Id. We further noted that the Roviaro Court did not intend for the existence of the government's privilege to depend upon the fortuity of whether or not the confidential informant introduced himself or herself to the defendant. Id. The district court did not abuse its discretion by declining to require the government produce the confidential informant. Johnson failed to demonstrate that the confidential informant's testimony would significantly aid in establishing an asserted defense. Johnson's assertions that the initial search may have been insufficient and the confidential informant may have produced the cocaine are speculative, and speculation is insufficient to compel disclosure. Gutierrez, 931 F.2d at 1491. Lastly, the brief visibility of the informant in a produced video did not waive the government's privilege. II. We review for reasonableness the sentence imposed by the district court upon the revocation of supervised release. United States v. Vandergrift, 754 F.3d 1303, 1307 (11th Cir. 2014). When reviewing reasonableness, we apply a deferential abuse of discretion standard. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 41 (2007). The guideline range for a sentence imposed after a violation of supervised release is based on the grade of the violation, the defendant's criminal history at the time of his original sentencing, and the class of his original offense. U.S.S.G. 7B1.4(a). Violation of a federal, state, or local offense punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year that is a controlled substance offense constitutes a grade A violation. Id. 7B1.1(a)(1). A felony for which the authorized term of imprisonment is life is a class A felony. 18 U.S.C. 3559(a)(1). A felony for which the authorized term of imprisonment is 25 years or more is a class B felony. Id. 3559(a)(2). A grade A violation of supervised release imposed pursuant to a class A felony with a criminal history category of VI results in a guideline range of 51 to 63 months' imprisonment. U.S.S.G. 7B1.4(a). A grade A violation of supervised release imposed pursuant to a class B felony with a criminal history category of VI results in a guideline range of 33 to 41 months' imprisonment. Id. The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 raised the amount of cocaine base required to qualify for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment from 50 grams to 280 grams. See Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, PL 111-220, August 3, 2010. Prior to the Fair Sentencing Act, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of cocaine base was punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than 10 years and not more than life. 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(A)(iii) (1997). After the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act, possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base is punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than 10 years and not more than life. 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(A)(iii). Possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base is punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than 5 years and no more than 40 years. 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(B)(iii). Post-supervised release revocation penalties relate back to the original offense. See Johnson v. United States, 529 U.S. 694, 701 (2000). We have concluded that the Fair Sentencing Act does not apply to defendants who had been sentenced prior to the enactment of the Act. United States v. Berry, 701 F.3d 374, 377 (11th Cir. 2012). Pursuant to 3583(e), upon finding that the defendant violated a condition of supervised release, a district court may revoke the term of supervised release and impose a term of imprisonment after considering the specific factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. 3553(a). 18 U.S.C. 3583(e)(3). A district court must adequately explain the chosen sentence to allow for meaningful appellate review and to promote the perception of fair sentencing. Gall, 552 U.S. at 597. A lengthy explanation is not necessarily required when a judge simply applies the Guidelines. Rita v. United States, 551 U.S. 338, 356 (2007). The district court does not need to explicitly mention that it considered 3553(a) factors, as long as the record shows that it did consider the factors. See United States v. Dorman, 488 F.3d 936, 944 (11th Cir. 2007). Thus, so long as the district court listen[s] to the evidence and arguments and [is] aware of the various factors [a] defendant put forward for a lesser sentence, it does not commit procedural error by failing to give a detailed explanation of the sentence. United States v. Irey, 612 F.3d 1160, 1194-95 (11th Cir. 2010) (en banc). The party who challenges the sentence bears the burden to show that the sentence is unreasonable in light of the record and the 3553(a) factors. United States v. Tome, 611 F.3d 1371, 1378 (11th Cir. 2010). The weight given to any specific 3553(a) factor is committed to the sound discretion of the district court. United States v. Clay, 483 F.3d 739, 743 (11th Cir. 2007). A court can abuse its discretion when it: (1) fails to consider relevant factors that were due significant weight; (2) gives an improper or irrelevant factor significant weight; or (3) commits a clear error of judgment by balancing the proper factors unreasonably. Irey, 612 F.3d at 1189. Absent clear error, we will not reweigh the 3553(a) factors. United States v. Langston, 590 F.3d 1226, 1237 (11th Cir. 2009). Here, the district court committed no procedural error and properly calculated Johnson's guideline range. Penalties for supervised-release revocation relate back to the original offense, and the Fair Sentencing Act does not apply retroactively. Additionally, Johnson's sentence was not substantively unreasonable. Johnson was originally convicted for possessing cocaine base with intent to distribute, and his revocation stemmed from again distributing controlled substances. Johnson's arguments are aimed at having us reweigh the 3553(a) factors, which is something we will not do absent clear error. Langston, 590 F.3d at 1237. Upon review of the entire record on appeal, and after consideration of the parties' briefs, we affirm. AFFIRMED. PER CURIAM: Australian man Shaun Davidson and three fellow escapes spent hours bucketing water and soil from a tunnel on the night of their brazen break from Bali's Kerobokan prison, police say. Dressed in orange correctional jumpsuits with large name tags strung around their necks, the captured escapees Bulgarian man Dimitar Nikolov Iliev and Indian inmate Sayed Mohammed Said crouched at the site of the tunnel outside the notorious Bali jail on Thursday morning to begin re-enacting 30 'scenes' from their prison break. Iliev and Said, along with Davidson and Malaysian prisoner Tee Kok King, are believed to have crawled through a tunnel around 75cm wide and 15m long towards freedom early on June 19. Davidson and King remain at large. Scroll down for video Captured prisoners who dug their way out of Bali's Kerobokan jail with Australian Shaun Davidson last month reenacted their escape for authorities on Thursday (pictured) Bulgarian man Dimitar Nikolov Iliev and Indian inmate Sayed Mohammed Said crouched at the site of the tunnel outside the notorious jail before re-enacting 30 'scenes' from their prison break Iliev and Said, along with Davidson (pictured) and Malaysian prisoner Tee Kok King, are believed to have crawled through a tunnel around 75cm wide and 15m long towards freedom early on June 19 Iliev and Said were discovered at a hotel room in Dili, East Timor, just days after their escape. Based on Thursday's re-enactment, the Bali police deputy director of special criminal investigation, Ruddi Setiawan, said it appeared they went to the site of a pre-existing 'hole' about 10pm on June 18. It was raining and the men are believed to have used a bucket to scoop out the water and soil. Iliev was the one who 'showed the way' to the hole but Davidson went into the tunnel first, Mr Setiawan said. '[Davidson] took out the water with the bucket and [using the bucket] made another tunnel until it reached outside of the prison,' Mr Setiawan told reporters, adding the others had helped. After they crawled free about 2.30am, Iliev and Said crossed the street and sheltered in an empty house before taking a taxi to the airport. Mr Setiawan said they were still investigating where Davidson and King went after escaping. Iliev and Said were discovered at a hotel room in Dili, East Timor, just days after their escape Davidson and King remain at large but police said they are narrowing in on the Australian A man who appears to also be a prisoner at the jail appeared to reenact Davidson's role in the escape Said is seen being led to the reenactment by police officers While there has been speculation the tunnel might have been used for drug transactions for a long time, Kerobokan prison head Tony Nainggolan said he did not think that was possible, adding 'the hole' had not reached the outside before the escape. Kerobokan is chronically overcrowded, with 1404 prisoners inside a jail that has a capacity of 325. 'We lack officers. There are only 10 officers guarding the prison,' Mr Nainggolan said on Thursday. The tunnel is in the shadow of a guard tower that was unmanned on the night of the escape. The men are believed to have used a bucket to scoop out water and soil from a hole they crawled through Authorities initially believed the men had drowned in the hole because it was filled with water Davidson is wanted in Perth on drug charges. He fled from authorities to Bali with stolen travel documents, police say A Facebook post under the name Matthew Rageone Ridler - purported to be the page of Davidson - said on Wednesday: 'Im (sic) just having some fun and a laugh I'm living my life just trying to make the best out of a bad situation.' The 33-year-old had just two months and 15 days left to serve of his sentence for immigration offences after he was arrested in April 2016 for using another man's passport on the popular tourist island. He faced deportation after his sentence finished and was known to have been wanted in Perth for drug offences. Davidson has taunted police on Facebook since his escape, 'checking in' to numerous cities around the world. Dubai is the latest holiday destination Davidson claimed to have visited after, declaring he was in both Amsterdam and Germany since his escape. A female ice trafficker who dubbed herself the 'drug dealing king of Buderim' was sentenced to ten years in jail on Thursday. Rebecca Teresa Castner, 41, made more than $3.2million by selling ice in her drug ring where she even gave illegal substances to her three adult children so they could operate their own trafficking operations. Castner pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court to nine drug trafficking and possession charges. Rebecca Teresa Castner, 41, (pictured) was sentenced to ten years prison on Thursday Self proclaimed 'drug dealing king of Buderim' (pictured) sold more than $3million worth of ice The mother-of-three (pictured middle) paid employees with drugs and free rent and even gave her children drugs to start there own drug trafficking operations Operating her drug empire from her tropical house in Buderim, Queensland, Castner was running one of the biggest drug trafficking operations in the Sunshine Coast between January and July 2015. Justice Helen Bowskill told the court Castner paid her employees in free rent and drugs. 'Your conduct was clearly done by someone in power, you were clearly dominating others and clearly enjoying it,' Justice Bowskill said. During the six months, Castner sold more than three kilograms of ice and was considered a 'high-level' player in the drug world according to News Corp. Police previously said Castner would meet with her bosses to pick up drugs at places including Ettamogah Pub in Palmview, a cemetery or BP service stations on the Bruce Highway at Caboolture. Castner (pictured) was operating her drug ring from her tropical house in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Police said Castner (pictured) was running one of the biggest drug trafficking operations on the Sunshine Coast between January 2015 and July 2015 'We were making so much money we couldn't spend it,' Castner said while caught on Police phone taps. 'Being a crack lord is an easy life ... they'll never catch me.' Castner is not eligible for parole until she has served 80 per cent of her 10-year jail sentence. Aaron Sweeney was arrested after a fight broke out on a plane from Austin, Texas, to Chicago, Illinois, forcing it to turn back A 28-year-old man accused of punching another passenger on a flight and screaming 'I'm going to beat the f*** out of you' was arrested after the plane was forced to turn back to Texas. Aaron Sweeney got into a fight about 30 minutes after Southwest flight 3590 took off from Austin Bergstrom International Airport and headed towards Chicago at around 3.40pm. Kyle Vogt initially thought Sweeney was joking when the 28-year-old put him in a chokehold, but the altercation escalated once the plane was in the air, he told KXAN. Sweeney and Vogt were both escorted off the plane by police once it landed back in Austin. Sweeney, who was arrested and charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest and assault on a public servant, could be slapped with additional felonies for interfering with a flight, according to the Austin Police Department. Sweeney was escorted off the plane (above) and arrested once it landed back in Austin. Kyle Vogt said he was placed in a chokehold and punched in the head and back Southwest Airlines flight 3590 took off from Austin Bergstrom International Airport at about 3.40pm on Tuesday en route to Chicago when the scuffle broke out (file photo) Vogt said he was seated at the back of the plane when Sweeney sat down in the seat next to him and mumbled unintelligibly. Vogt thought Sweeney was joking when he first put him in a chokehold, but it was soon clear that was not the case after he pulled the move a second time. Once the plane was in the air, Sweeney started punching Vogt while yelling, 'I'm going to beat the f*** out of you', according to the alleged victim's account. Vogt told KXAN: 'I did scream: "What the f*** are you doing?" I just kind of covered my face as he proceeded to punch the back of my head and back.' The crew managed to restrain Sweeney and the pilot diverted the plane back to Texas. Passenger Lisa Birkman took a photo of police escorting Sweeney off the plane, and tweeted: 'Flight #3590 @SoutwestAir pilot just told us that there was a disturbance btw passengers - one guy reached over his seat & punched someone.' The flight left Austin again at 6.30pm and arrived in Chicago three and a half hours behind schedule. The crew managed to restrain Sweeney and the pilot diverted the plane back to Texas Footage has emerged of a shocking fight between New South Wales and Queensland fans following the Maroons' stunning win in the State of Origin decider. Opposing supporters can be seen in a heated discussion before a man in a blue shirt knocks another man's hat off. A man in a Maroons jersey then chases after the Blues fan to confront him before pulling him backwards over the back of the chairs. Footage has emerged of a shocking fight between New South Wales and Queensland fans following the Maroons stunning win in the State of Origin decider NSW and QLD fans can be seen in a heated discussion before a man in a blue shirt knocks another man's hat off A man in a Maroons jersey then chases after the Blues fan to confront him before pulling him backwards over the back of the chairs The incident occurred inside Suncorp Stadium shortly after Queensland claimed their 11th series win in the past 12 years. The disagreement originally involved up to six men, with the Blues fan appearing to mock the opposition. The situation escalates further after he knocks a man's hat off, before the Blues supporter attempts to walk away smiling. An angry Queenslander then charges after him as his friends attempt to hold him back. He reaches across another friend and grabs the Blues fan by his shirt, pulling him over the back of the seats. An angry Queenslander then charges after him as his friends attempt to hold him back. He reaches across another friend and grabs the Blues fan by his shirt, pulling him over the back of the seats Screams are audible as a melee ensues, as several women intervene attempting to break up the scuffle St George Illawarra Dragons star Josh Dugan watches on as Queensland celebrate yet another State of Origin victory Screams are audible as a melee ensues, as several women intervene attempting to break up the scuffle. Another nonchalant Queensland fan walks over a few rows of stairs and casually pulls the angry Maroons fan away from the New South Welshman. A witness told Seven News the argument was originally just 'banter' but quickly turned into 'passive aggressiveness.' 'Things just escalated and it looked like it was about to get really bad,' the 28-year-old said. 'I think the older bloke held back when he realised he was a bit younger.' 'I just had a feeling something was about to pop off when it went from banter to passive aggressiveness.' It is not known whether alcohol played a part in the incident. Queensland reclaimed the State of Origin shield after turning around a 0-1 series deficit heading into the second game in Sydney. Series debutant Valentine Holmes scored a hat-trick in the 22-6 win, the most spectacular of which came via a cross-field kick of pure perfection from halfback Cooper Cronk. Series debutant Valentine Holmes scored a hat-trick in the 22-6 win, the most spectacular of which came via a cross-field kick of pure perfection from halfback Cooper Cronk President Donald Trump says he's willing to take another look at the Paris climate change agreement and is open to changing his position on the international accord down the line. Trump told a French reporter on Thursday that he'll have to 'see what happens' in the cooling off period over the next several years. 'Something could happen with respect to the Paris Accord. We'll see what happens. But we will talk about that over the coming period of time,' he said. President Donald Trump says he's willing to take another look at the Paris climate change agreement and is open to changing his position on the international accord down the line. He made the announcement at a news conference with France's Emmanuel Macron Trump and Macron set aside lingering differences on the matter during their meeting in France, asserting that it shouldn't prevent them from working together toward a post-war roadmap for Syria and to enhance Mideast security. Trump, standing alongside Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have 'occasional disagreements' but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution. He was non-committal about the United States eventually rejoining the global climate agreement that bears Paris' name, telling Macron, 'if it happens that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't that will be OK too.' Macron acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation. 'Should that have an impact on the discussions we're having on all other topics? No, absolutely not,' he said. Trump arrived in the French capital on Thursday for a whirlwind, 36-hour visit to meet with Macron and tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and discuss broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump planned to participate in Bastille Day celebrations on Friday. Topics like resolving the years-long civil war in Syria and countering terrorism gave both leaders areas to cooperate. The two said they also discussed the security situations in Ukraine and Libya. Trump praised a cease-fire in southern Syria that he helped broker last week with Russia and Jordan and said the U.S. was working on a second cease-fire in a 'rough part of Syria.' Macron said he discussed with Trump a road map for the country that would help stabilize the situation after the war ends. He has argued for intervention in Syria, saying that President Bashar Assad is a threat to the war-ravaged country and the Islamic State group is a threat to France. Macron acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation Topics like resolving the years-long civil war in Syria and countering terrorism gave both leaders areas to cooperate. The two said they also discussed the security situations in Ukraine and Libya Trump, standing alongside Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have 'occasional disagreements' but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution France has been plagued in recent years by extremist attacks and Trump noted that during last year's Bastille Day celebrations, a 19-ton cargo truck deliberately plowed into crowds in Nice, killing more than 80 people. Macron said there was 'no gap' between the U.S. and France in combatting terrorism. White the U.S. has split with the major world powers on the environment, the two leaders tried to patch over those differences. Trump has said the climate deal was unfair to the U.S. but said the country was committed to protecting the environment despite his recent withdrawal decision. That decision that was expected to prompt anti-Trump protests while he was in town. Macron, a staunch advocate of research to combat global warming, has beckoned 'all responsible citizens,' including American scientists and researchers, to bring their fight against climate change to France. Trump, Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders huddled last week in Hamburg, Germany during a summit of the world's leading rich and developing nations. Merkel and Macron met again Thursday in Paris, before Macron's meeting with Trump. Trump and Merkel were not expected to meet. French President Emmanuel Macron winks at President Donald Trump during a joint news conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Thursday Merkel said during a joint appearance with Macron that it was important they keep talking with Trump even where the differences between them are clear. She said last week's summit showed that common ground exists, for example, on fighting terrorism, but that 'we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not.' She added: 'We did not paper over these differences, but nevertheless contact, the ability to speak is of course important.' Trump and Macron spent several hours together Thursday in some of Paris' most opulent settings, with a visit to the golden-domed Invalides monument followed by meetings at the presidential palace. He also marked the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I by visiting U.S. troops. The visit, along with the celebration of French national pride on Bastille Day, was cast by the White House as a commemoration of the U.S.-French military alliance - both then and now. The leaders and their wives were capping Thursday with a lavish dinner at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. All of which put Trump in the awkward position of being feted in a city he has repeatedly disparaged. When he announced his decision on the climate agreement, Trump said he was 'elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.' And he has frequently said in the past that the city has been ruined by the threat of terrorism, which he ties to immigrants. 'Paris isn't Paris any longer,' he said in February. Asked about those comments, Trump called Paris 'one of the great cities, one of the most beautiful cities in the world' and heaped praise on the recently-elected Macron, telling reporters, 'You have a great leader now, you have a great president.' 'You're going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris and I'm coming back,' Trump said, needling Macron, 'You better do a good job please. Otherwise you're going to make me look very bad.' His dutiful host, Macron, responded, 'You're always welcome.' A woman has been thrown to her death after a low flying plane blew her off her feet at a famed Caribbean beach. The New Zealand woman joined hundreds of other tourists at Saint Maarten to watch planes taking off at the beach-=side Juliana International Airport. The woman, 57, was holding onto the fence when she was blown from her feet before hitting her head on the rocks and suffering fatal injuries. A woman has been killed after she fell and hit her head when the force of a jet flying overhead blew her from her feet at a world famous beach (pictured) in Saint Maarten, the Caribbean Tourists visiting the picturesque beach regularly climb up onto rocks to watch planes come into land, despite signs specifically warning against the danger. The woman is believed to have been with her family when a Boeing 737 took off for Trinidad at about 6pm, tossing her back onto the concrete. The woman suffered serious injuries after hitting her head on the concrete and was rushed to Saint Maarten Medical Center, where she died shortly afterwards. Several police patrols and paramedics had rushed to help the woman. Pictured: A man desperately attempts to revive the woman with CPR after she was blasted by the jet engine In a statement, Saint Maarten police warned: 'The landing and taking off of all types and size of aircrafts at the international airport of Saint Maarten is well known world wide as major tourist attraction. 'Many tourists come to the island to experience the thrills of the landing of approaching aircraft's flying low above their heads and the holding on to the airport fence and standing in the jet blast of large aircraft's taking off. Doing this is however extremely dangerous.' It went on: 'The airport authorities and other local authorities have taken all necessary measures such as the placing of signs to warn the general public not to stand in the path of the jet blast of a departing aircraft because of the danger involved. 'The local authorities are urging the general public and mainly visitors to the island to adhere to the warning signs that are placed at that location to avoid serious injuries which can ultimately lead to the loss of life.' Rolando Brison, head of tourism for the island of Saint Maarten, said he had spoken with the family of the woman, the NZ Herald reports. 'Yes, the family did confirm that [she was a New Zealander] to me,' Mr Brison said. 'I met with the family of the deceased this evening and while they recognised that what they did was wrong, through the clearly visible danger signs, they regret that risk they took turned out in the worst possible way.' Tourists visiting the picturesque beach regularly climb up onto rocks to watch planes come into land The woman, 57, reportedly held on to a fence to gain a better vantage point, but was blown from her feet, before hitting her head on the rocks and suffering fatal injuries 'At this time I only wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones while we continue to investigate what transpired just hours ago.' Aviation expert Peter Clark said it is considerably more dangerous standing behind a plane taking off than one that is landing. In 2012, a young woman was serious injured after she was blown against a concrete barrier by the blast of an arriving plane at the site. Police on the Dutch territory make daily visits to the beach, which is popular with planespotters from around the world, to warn tourists of the dangers. In 2012, a young woman was seriously injured after she was blown against a concrete barrier by the blast of an arriving plane Footage shows the woman being thrown into the air at the famed tourist spot Police spokesman Ricardo Henson said dozens had been injured in recent years by the jet blasts, but Wednesday's tragedy was the first death. He added: 'Many people come just for the thrill of this main attraction and unfortunately this time someone lost their life. It's very dangerous. It goes on all day, every day.' A YouTube video from 2012 shows several people holding on to the fence as a nearby plane begins its take-off. The footage then shows a woman being tossed away by the blast and crashing on a concrete ledge several yards behind the fence. The New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs said last night that it was following up 'reports that a New Zealand citizen has passed away in Sint Maarten'. The EU is using children as a 'bargaining chip' in Brexit negotiations and has only made vague proposals on citizenship, a government adviser warned today. Children's commissioner Anne Longfield delivered a damning verdict on Brussels' approach to the key issue of reciprocal rights after we leave the bloc. In a letter to the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, she made clear that he was being unreasonable by demanding the European Court of Justice polices the rights of nationals after Brexit. Mr Barnier reiterated his tough line on citizenship at a press conference yesterday, saying there would be no discussion of future trade arrangements before the principles were settled. Children's commissioner Anne Longfield (pictured giving evidence to MPs last year) delivered a damning verdict on Brussels' approach to reciprocal rights after we leave the bloc Mr Barnier reiterated his tough line on citizenship at a press conference yesterday, saying there would be no discussion of future trade arrangements before the principles were settled But Ms Longfield warned that hundreds of thousands of children were being left in limbo over their residency status after Brexit. She contrasted the 'detailed proposals' put forward by the UK with the way the EU had has asserted a set of principles without any detail as to how they would work in practice. 'Many children I have spoken to over the last year have told me they are very worried about the uncertainty surrounding their status after Britain leaves the EU,' 'I have been concerned that the rights and outcomes of children have so far been little more than a footnote in the debate about immigration and residence rights following Brexit. 'So I am pleased that both the British Government and the EU have now made substantial offers in regard to future residence rights. 'This will provide some reassurance to the hundreds of thousands of children with EU national parents that they will not be forced to leave the country they feel is their home. 'However, it is vital that agreement on this question is now reached.' Around 588,000 children in England are EU nationals, 260,000 estimated to be born in Britain, and they face complex rules over their status. Siblings can have different nationalities depending on the year they were born and their parents' official status at the time. Ms Longfield said the EU's hard-line position on the ECJ was holding the process up. 'The EU said they wanted to make residence rights of EU nationals the first thing to be agreed during the negotiations,' she said. 'Yet their proposal makes residence rights dependent on European Court of Justice jurisdiction, something which won't be agreed until the end of the negotiations. Theresa May has set out proposals 'If the EU genuinely want to resolve the question of residence rights of EU nationals, they need to separate out the two issues to enable a negotiation in good faith which can give certainty to the hundreds of thousands of children and their families left in limbo. 'Two more years of uncertainty feels like a long time to a child.' Theresa May unveiled the UK's offer last month which would allow around three milllion EU nationals to stay in the UK. The Prime Minister said those who had been in Britain lawfully for at least five years will be granted settled status giving them full access to schools, hospitals, pensions and benefits. The status could be transferred into citizenship at a later date. Those who have been resident for a shorter period they will be allowed to stay on until they have reached the five-year threshold. However, there will be a cut-off date after which EU nationals who come to Britain will no longer automatically get these rights. Mrs May made clear that if relatives arrive after Britains departure there will be strict curbs. She indicated that post-Brexit the same rules will apply as for Britons - who must earn more than 18,600 before a husband or wife from outside Europe can join them. The incomer must also pass an English language test. Brussels has insisted EU nationals already in the UK must not be subject to an income restriction, and has been demanding that the European Court of Justice have responsibility for enforcing the rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit. Rhodri Colwyn Philipps (pictured) arriving to Westminster Magistrates' Court today A viscount who suggested someone should 'run over' anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller has been jailed for 12 weeks. Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, 50, posted shocking racist messages about Ms Miller just four days after she won a landmark High Court challenge against the Government last year. Phillips, who is the 4th Viscount St Davids, wrote on Facebook: '5,000 for the first person to "accidentally" run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant.' He described her as a 'boat jumper' and added: 'If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles.' Philipps, of Knightsbridge, central London, was convicted of two counts of sending menacing and 'racially aggravated' messages on a public electronic communications network between September 11 and November 7, 2016 on Monday. He was cleared of one count after a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Wearing a light salmon shirt and green waistcoat with matching dark green trousers, he paced up and down the dock, examined small pieces of paper and stared up at the ceiling while Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot considered the sentence. Rhodri Philipps, the fourth Viscount St Davids, sent menacing messages over social media - including a number relating to Ms Miller. He has been jailed for 12 weeks Sabrina Felix, defending, said Philipps has permanently terminated his Facebook account and will not engage with social media. He has also recently declared bankrupt. She added: 'He offers his sincere apologies for his actions. 'He accepts his comments made were disgraceful, unacceptable, unkind and irresponsible. 'They were menacing in character, but he did not intend to cause any further upset or distress to others. 'It was simply a point of law upon which it appears an inference was draw in respect of his actions. Ms Miller (left) said she received numerous death threats and racial slurs and that she was angered by Philipps' (right) comments 'As soon as he realised those comments went beyond what he had intended they were removed.' The judge questioned why Philipps had changed his attitude in just two days. She said: 'Two days ago he was explaining to me his racist views and saying his comments weren't menacing. 'Now when I told him prison was my first port of call his says he is disgusted with himself and is ashamed.' Addressing the judge, Philipps said: 'It was one critique you gave of me in which you said "for shame" which caused everything to stream away. 'It was being addressed in a manner which I respected which meant that regardless of these legal proceedings, which in no longer have any interest in, I wholly accept my comments were unkind and unnecessary and wholly self-indulgent expletives of anger. 'I apologise for that lack of self control that was also wholly un-Christian. 'In that respect for whoever I have caused upset to I hope they will accept my sincerest apologies.' Ms Miller, 52, said she found his comments about her 'genuinely shocking' and she felt 'violated'. She said she was 'very scared for the safety of herself and her family' in a statement read to the court. '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,' prosecutor Philip Stott said in opening. 'She took the threat seriously, and it contributed to her employing professional security for her protection.' Ms Miller was subjected to a torrent of abuse and threats after spearheading the legal challenge which forced Theresa May to consult Parliament before beginning the formal process of leaving the EU. Philipps was 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 The Guyana-born mother-of-three was seen arriving at court during the trial as a witness but did not give evidence as her statement was agreed. The other post Philipps was convicted for was in response to a news article about father-of-eight Arnold Sube. He wrote: 'I will open the bidding. 2,000 in cash for the first person to carve Arnold Sube into pieces. Piece of s***.' Ms Arbuthnot said the posts would 'cause apprehension in a reasonable person reading them in this multi-racial country we live in'. In a previous post, he said: 'I would vote for Trump if I could.' A five-year restraining order was also placed against Philipps in order to 'protect ' Ms Miller, along with Arnold Sube, the immigrant he abused online, and Matthew Steeples, who informed Ms Miller about the racist material. The judge ordered Philipps to pay 500 compensation, noting that he is of limited means. He wrote: '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' She gave him six months to pay and warned she would send the bailiffs to his home if he did not comply. A 115 surcharge was imposed and Philipps was ordered to pay costs of 250. The judge told Philipps that he had 'tried and failed to justify the racist abuse' by saying that Ms Miller plus Mr Sube and his family deserved the language because they were immigrants. The judge told him: 'You told me proudly in evidence that your family motto is Love of Country and that is your motivation, but it seems to me on the evidence I have seen that you are not motivated by love of country, but by your hatred of anybody who has different views to yours and to any who have recently arrived in this country. 'You show this hatred by publicly directing abusive threats at others, which is a criminal offence in this multi-racial society we are lucky enough to live in.' The US doctor offering to treat Charlie Gard has been invited to Britain to examine the critically ill baby after claiming he could have a 50/50 chance of getting better. The neurologist, who cannot be named, said new tests on mice show rodents with a similar genetic disease to the little boy had experienced improved brain function. The High Court was told how the doctor issued his dramatic new assessment of Charlie's prospects after he received a phone call from the White House on July 4. He said the therapy is 'worth trying', adding his 'conservative' estimate was a 10 per cent chance of 'clinically meaningful success' - but up to a maximum of 56 per cent. Speaking via video link, he also said Charlie's British doctors may be wrong about him being brain damaged because it could be a muscle problem the drugs might fix. Mr Justice Francis asked if he knew the nucleoside therapy could help Charlie's condition and he said it was difficult to assess without seeing him. The judge then asked him: 'If I adjourned for a few days would you come to London?', to which the doctor replied: 'Yes if necessary, I would love to do that.' Connie Yates and Chris Gard listen as an American doctor offering to treat their son says he could have a 50/50 chance of showing improvement Charlie Gard's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrive at the Royal Courts of Justice in London where they begged a judge to save him - and later stormed out of the courtroom Charlie's forlorn father went for a cigarette outside after he became overwhelmed in the court room today, and was joined by his partner Miss Yates Charlie Gard (pictured with his parents) 'is being held captive by the British state', the family spokesman said ahead of today's hearing But he agreed that Great Ormond Street Hospital's claims that Charlie's head is not growing is a 'bad sign' and could be due to brain damage. He said: 'We cannot fix or cure his disease. I'm confident we can improve cognitive function but don't know how much.' The case was due to finish today but is set to continue on Friday and possibly stretch into next week. Earlier Charlie Gard's parents stormed out of the court and yelled at the judge: 'I thought this was supposed to be independent'. Connie Yates and Chris Gard have been told to find new evidence to prove he should to go to the US rather than have his life support switched off. The outburst came after Mr Justice Francis reminded the hearing of what Connie Yates and Chris Gard had told him three months ago. 'I didn't say it like that!' Row between the judge and Charlie's parents was over what they said about their little boy Charlie Gard's parents stormed out of court following a dispute with the judge over what they previously said about their son. They left after disagreeing with the judge over remarks they made in a hearing three months ago. Mr Justice Francis said: 'The parents both properly, and with difficulty, accepted what he has now is not worth sustaining.' Connie interjected: 'I didn't say it like that, Sir.' The judge continued: 'This is actually quoted, again in the Court of Appeal.. 'It was certainly one of your clients, who said the quality of life he has at the moment is not worth sustaining.' Connie said: 'I didn't say that he was suffering.' Charlie's parents dramatically left the hearing, which continued in their absence. Mr Justice Francis said: 'I didn't take it as that. 'I think what Ms Yates did say, Mr Armstrong, was - and what Mr Gard also said - is they wouldn't be fighting to retain what he has now. 'They want to give him the treatment to get better.' Quoting from the transcript from the earlier hearing, the judge said: 'Mr Gard said, 'I wouldn't say suffering. He hasn't got a quality of life. I am not going to stand here and say he is fine. ''We are fighting for a chance to give him a treatment'.' Advertisement He said: 'They have not been fighting to retain what he has now but fighting for a chance to give him the treatment to possibly improve.' Charlie's father Chris Gard stood up and said back: 'We're not allowed, are we', adding: 'I thought this was supposed to be independent'. The couple then rushed out of the court room as Miss Yates, who had been shaking previously put her head in her hands, said: 'He's not suffering and not in pain', and looked forlorn as they had a cigarette together outside. After a short break they returned to the court and Mr Justice Francis offered a reassuring word, saying: 'I understand you walking out because it is a desperate situation.'. Minutes earlier lawyers representing the couple said the decision to stop Charlie getting experimental treatment in America had started a public debate about 'intrusion into parental rights'. Mr Justice Francis hit back and said: 'Comments by people who know nothing about this case are unhelpful', adding the court was 'not interfering in parents' rights but the support of the child's rights.' The High Court judge who will decide if Charlie Gard lives or dies has said today that only new evidence will 'change his mind' that keeping him alive is 'futile'. The little boy's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard have begged Mr Justice Francis to let their son fly to the US or Rome for treatment and said: 'We love him more than life itself'. The judge, who previously backed Great Ormond Street to end his life support, told the High Court: 'We all want what is best for Charlie. If there is important new evidence which suggests my judgement should be changed - then I will change it'. Charlie's fight has sparked a worldwide campaign to save him with interventions by Donald Trump and the Pope encouraging 800,000 to sign petitions and raise 1.3million for the treatment he is being denied. Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrived at the High Court clutching their 11-month-old son's favourite cuddly monkey ahead of today's crucial court hearing. It is their final chance to prove why their son should not have his life-support withdrawn by Great Ormond Street. As the hearing began, members of 'Charlie's Army' chanted support for the parents at crowd control barriers festooned with blue balloons outside the High Courts. Taxi, bus and lorry drivers responded to their request to 'please beep for Charlie'. The demonstrators carried placards saying: 'Give Charlie a Chance' and 'GOSH tell the truth'. Mr Justice Francis opened the hearing with an apparent call for calm and said: 'I want the parents to know that a very large number of people have worked hard in Charlie's interests and his welfare is the paramount concern of all of us, even though we approach it in different ways.' Mr Gard waves to members of 'Charlie's Army' while Miss Yates stared straight ahead as they entered the Royal Courts of Justice The parents of Charlie Gard must find evidence that illustrates how experimental drug treatment could improve the health of the critically-ill baby Members of 'Charlie's Army' chanted support for the parents while taxi, bus and lorry drivers responded to their request to 'please beep for Charlie' Charlie's Army were outside the High Court On Monday demanding Charlie is flown to the US as a judge agreed to a new hearing today Opening proceedings Barrister Grant Armstrong, leading Charlie's parents' legal team, indicated that the couple thought they had new evidence. He said the plan was for a specialist in the US who was offering therapy to give evidence by a link from America. Mr Armstrong said the American doctor's view was that there was a 56 per cent chance of muscular improvement in Charlie and a 90 per cent of the drug reaching Charlie's brain. 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 were given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. Their spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden's voice broke as he read their final plea for clemency from Mr Justice Francis But his head has not been measured and was branded an 'absurd situation' by the judge. He demanded to know if the boy's head had grown, saying: 'What we are being told is that the absence of skull growth is indicative of lack of brain development '. The court has heard his head has not grown in three months, but Charlie's mother told the court it had gone up 2cm in a week. The judge said it was absurd that nobody could tell him definitively whether Charlie's head had grown or not. 'This is critically important. There is a 2cm difference from what the hospital says.' He demanded to know the answer within 24 hours. Mr Armstrong said the parents challenged the court's finding that Charlie was irreversibly brain damaged. He said: 'On behalf of the parents we say that is a contention where the evidence does not properly support that contention.' The judge said: 'I have made very clear I will welcome new evidence but what I cannot do is reopen issues that have already been dealt with.' He added it was in all sides' interests to 'resolve this quickly, because it has been going on for too long.' When Mr Armstrong referred to the 'public debate' around the case, Mr Justice Francis said: 'Comments by people who know nothing about this case are unhelpful. 'What your clients need to understand, Mr Armstrong, is that I set out the law very clearly, as set out by higher courts over a very considerable period of time. That is the law that applies in this case, not some different law,' in an apparent reference to the interest taken in the case by US lawyers. 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 have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. Charlie's parents believe that their boy is awake and can see - Great Ormond Street disagree Charlie Gard's parents have been offered support in their case by President Trump but Theresa May and Boris Johnson have declined to get involved Earlier their family's spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden's voice broke as he read their final plea for clemency from Mr Justice Francis. He said: 'We are continuing to spend every moment working around the clock to save our dear baby Charlie. 'We love him more than life itself. If he's still fighting, then we're still fighting.' Charlie 'is being held captive by the British state', his parents' spokesman also declared in a final plea ahead of today's crucial court hearing. THERAPY AT CENTRE OF DEBATE OVER WHETHER CHARLIE CAN BE HELPED 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 11-month-old boy would have been free to travel for experimental therapy if his family had been rich, he claimed. But because they relied on the NHS, Charlie is now trapped and they 'cannot even take him home to die'. And his mother Connie Yates said: 'I still can't think how I will cope if the worst happens.' Yesterday their spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden went on US television show Fox & Friends and said: 'All they are asking for, quite simply, is a chance.' He claimed: 'Had they been wealthy parents, and gone to a private hospital, and said thank you very much, you've tried to treat Charlie as best you can, your nursing is great, but actually you don't specialise in this very rare condition, now we would like to go and try this other hospital elsewhere, this wouldn't raise an issue. 'Charlie is effectively being held as a captive. 'His parents, who could not be more perfect parents and are his legal guardians, can't even take him home. They have been told they can't even take him home to die and they cannot fly him to America. 'They have had an air ambulance standing by for weeks. In the end, it was even offered for free. 'So literally, he is being held captive by effectively the British state and the British national health system.' The court case arose because Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital asked a judge to agree Charlie was irreversibly brain damaged and beyond hope, and should be spared any further suffering by being allowed to 'die with dignity'. His defiant parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard have fought it all the way, after the High Court sided with the doctors, and the Appeal Court, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights followed suit. The effect of the rulings is that the hospital has an obligation to stop Charlie's life support. But the little boy, who has a rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, has twice survived plans to withdraw the artificial ventilator keeping his lungs working. Dramatic interventions by Pope Francis and Donald Trump were followed by seven international scientists who claimed to have 'new information' about Charlie's condition. His life is on hold while the judge hears the new evidence today, which the parents and their team have spent 48 frantic hours pulling together. Team Charlie includes a radical evangelical pastor, Rev Patrick Mahoney, from Washington, and colleagues including US attorney Catherine Glenn Foster, who yesterday tweeted a photo of herself kissing Charlie's head. Rev Mahoney has urged people to spend the whole of today praying. 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 (pictured), who have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise Two keys issues are likely to dominate today's court hearing. The first is whether the experimental medication can reach Charlie's brain. The court ruled there was 'no evidence' it could, but the seven specialists say there is 'significant' evidence it can. The second issue is whether there is any point in trying the therapy if Charlie' s disease has already ruined his brain. One young supporter had a babygro saying he was part of Charlie's Army and carrying the #Charlie'sFight hashtag Even if the drug has a chance of fixing the disease, it cannot fix the damage already caused by the disease, says the hospital, and the judge has said: 'If it can't reverse the structural brain damage, then there is no life to be had.' But Miss Yates, 31, and Mr Gard, 32, of Bedfont, South West London, are adamant their son's brain is not irreversibly damaged and say he responds to their love. They angrily branded the hospital's QC Katie Gollop a 'liar' in a preliminary hearing on Monday. Miss Gollop's profile on her chambers website describes her as 'a classy advocate' and 'a dogged fighter', and adds: 'Her questioning of [another case' s] witnesses earned her the soubriquets 'Kung-Fu panda' and 'the smiling assassin'.' Five months ago Charlie's parents launched an internet appeal for money to pay for treatment in the US. They initially asked for 1.2 million but the fund has now topped 1.3 million. Nearly 85,000 people, from the UK and abroad, have pledged money. Connie and Chris paid a visit to the chapel at Great Ormond Street Hospital as they continue to hope they can take him to America for treatment The US President previously tweeted: 'If we can help little Charlie Gard, as per our friends in the UK and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so' THE HIGH COURT 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 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 The evidence that might save Charlie Gard: Sick boy's parents reveal the eight 'myths' they plan to debunk in the crucial High Court battle that will decide their son's fate Charlie Gard's parents have set out to debunk eight 'myths' hampering his cause after they were challenged by the High Court to provide 'dramatic' new evidence to justify why the desperately ill 11-month-old should have experimental new treatment. They tackled head-on claims he is in pain and they were prolonging his suffering, with doctors seeking to remove him from life support. Connie Yates and Chris Gard also took issue with the diagnosis of brain damage and insisted the drug therapy they want to try does have a chance of working. They clashed with lawyers acting on behalf of Great Ormond Street Hospital at the High Court hearing earlier this week over whether there was new evidence they could submit over Charlie's condition. Now the parents have issued their answers to 'eight myths' around their son so that 'people are able to talk about Charlie's case from a position of up to date news'. His parents have gone to the High Court, pictured in Monday, to try to convince a judge to allow them to pursue an experimental new drug treatment The couple have been supported by President Trump and Pope Francis via dramatic tweets backing the family's stance, but Mr Justice Francis said he would not be 'swayed by Tweets' and would rule on 'clear evidence'. 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 have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. A family spokesman said: 'Crucially, there is a growing body of medical opinion saying that, far from this being a futile case, there is an up to 10 per cent chance for baby Charlie to respond positively to this treatment, and by logical extension, for his quality of life to improve.' Throughout the case, the hospital has argued there is no hope for Charlie. Even if his mitochondrial depletion syndrome could be treated, doctors say, nothing can reverse his brain damage. Here, ahead of today's High Court battle to decide Charlie's fate, the Mail presents the opposing claims. Myth 1 - 'Charlie is in pain and suffering' Parents say: There is no clear medical evidence Charlie is in pain. What we do know is that he has been stable throughout, his heartbeat is normal, which is a recognised sign there is no significant pain. Hospital says: Charlie's artificial ventilator, and a suction process used to clear his airway, 'are all capable of causing pain'. A nurse said it was 'impossible to know'. A doctor said Charlie 'is likely' to have the conscious experience of 'significant' suffering, but be unable to express his reaction to pain. Analysis: No one can be certain either way. Myth 2 - 'Parents are unnecessarily prolonging his pain and suffering' Parents say: Proposed treatment is non-invasive, administered via his milk. Parents are working to improve his life. They are only proposing a three-month trial period, after which it would be clear to see if he responds. What does increase possible suffering is the legal limbo, while authorities refuse treatment while they fight Charlie's parents through the courts. Hospital says: Medics think it is 'desperately unfair to Charlie' to keep treating him 'week after week, knowing that every step they take for Charlie is against his welfare'. Analysis: All agree limbo is bad for Charlie, but blame each other. Myth 3 - 'His quality of life will not, and cannot, improve' Parents say: If the treatment works - and there is a one-in-ten chance - then his quality of life will be improved significantly. Hospital says: Cause is 'futile'. There is no treatment which can improve his current situation. Charlie is deteriorating, he cannot get better, he cannot understand anything or develop. Even the US doctor offering the therapy told the court: 'I agree that it is very unlikely that he will improve with that therapy. It is unlikely.' Analysis: Treatment has never been tested on Charlie's rare strain of the disease, so neither side can be 100 per cent certain. Connie and Chris, pictured last Saturday at Great Orond Street, who delivered a petition of more than 350,000 signatures to Downing Street last weekend, also take issue with Charlie's brain damage diagnosis Myth 4 - 'Charlie is catastrophically/irreversibly brain damaged' Parents say: This has not been proven nor is it the conclusion of the brain scans. Charlie is not brain dead. The doctors willing to treat him would not have accepted to treat him if he were brain dead. If the proposed treatment works as expected, the result will be to assist the repair of damaged cells. Charlie will not be a vegetable, he will be able to move, to respond and to interact. Charlie's [brain damage] is not severe, nor irreversible. Hospital says: Brain scans were done prior to a 17-day bout of brain seizures in January. Charlie now has 'severe and irreversible structural brain damage' which no drug can repair. He is not completely brain dead but 'persistently encephalopathic' showing no signs of normal brain functions such as responsiveness, interaction or crying. Analysis: Unclear what supports parents' conviction experimental therapy will repair brain cell damage. Their own American doctor told court it was 'unlikely' to. The family are also being supported by controversial US reverend Patrick Mahoney (pictured on Monda_ who has flown in from Washington DC to help their campaign Supporters have chanted Charlie's name via megaphone outside the court and have called for him to undergo the new treatment Myth 5 - 'Charlie is blind and he cannot open his eyes' Parents say: Charlie opens his eyes on a daily basis. He had his eyes open the whole time his parents were permitted to take him to the hospital roof for a picnic in June. Hospital says: He is 'not consistently able to open his eyes enough to be able to see'. A doctor added: 'He's blind, he's deaf, he can't breathe.' Analysis: Parents spend the most time with Charlie. Hard to disagree with what they say they see. Myth 6 - 'Charlie, and his parents, are blocking a badly-needed hospital bed' Parents say: Intensive care unit has at least two available beds on a daily basis. Children are not being refused access because he is there. The couple, pictured , also dispute claims they would not be able to care for their son if his life continues Charlie's parents do not even want him there. It is hospital preventing the freeing up of his bed. Hospital says: Case is not about money or resources, but about what is right for Charlie. Analysis: Whatever the court's verdict, bed is likely to become available soon. Myth 7 - 'Charlie's parents won't be able to care, or cope' Parents say: Charlie's mother is a qualified, experienced carer, and she is best placed to care for her son. His parents are devoted, and have given up their lives to fight for Charlie, they are fully able to cope, and have done so admirably. Hospital says: Parents are indeed 'utterly devoted', but no one can rescue Charlie from irreversible brain damage. Analysis: All sides have praised parents' incredible determination to save their son. Myth 8 - 'The treatment is just experimental' Parents say: Treatment is supported by five researchers and two treating doctors. There is a growing body of medical support. Just because it has never been tried does not mean it would not work. Hospital says: There is no evidence therapy could repair brain damage. Analysis: Parents are talking about fixing the disease. Hospital is saying no point trying if he's brain damaged. Nicola Sturgeon and Jeremy Corbyn came under fire today for mounting a wrecking mission in Brussels. The two leaders both held separate talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier to try to push their rival visions of how the departure process should happen. But critics said the pair should heed Theresa May's invitation to work together in the national interest to deliver the best possible Brexit deal. EU leaders have already complained Britain's position is unclear and the opposition delegation risks allowing Brussels to prey on divisions at home. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured in Brussels with the EU chief today) was due to tell Mr Barnier quitting the single market will be bad for Scotland Ms Sturgeon was first into talks at the day of meetings inside the European Union headquarters in Brussels (pictured) The Labour leader, flanked by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, presented Mr Barnier with the shirt as they held talks in Brussels today Arsenal fan Mr Corbyn handed over the gift as he pushed a rival vision for how Brexit should be conducted today Tory MP Peter Bone told the Mail Online: It does seem to be strange that Theresa May says lets work together in the national interest for Brexit, and Corbyn and Sturgeon thinks, lets work against the national interest and support the EU. They should stop being wined and dined in Brussels and realise it might be better to get behind the government, be patriotic and act in the national interest. SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister Miss Sturgeon was the first to hold talks with the Eurocrat, who also sat down with Welsh leader Carwyn Jones. While Mr Corbyn arrived later flanked by flanked by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer. The Labour leader tried to ingratiate himself with Mr Barnier by giving him an Arsenal football shirt with his name on the back. In return, he was handed a poster of the Savoie region in France by Mr Barnier. The discussions come just days before Brexit Secretary David Davis returns to Brussels for the next round of official talks on Monday. Speaking after the meeting, Miss Sturgeon boasted that it had been 'useful and constructive'. She said: 'I outlined to Mr Barnier that our priority is to protect Scotland's vital economic interests and that the Scottish government will do all it can to build a consensus against an extreme Brexit outside the single market, which would have potentially catastrophic consequences for jobs, investment and our living standards. In return for the Arsenal shirt, Mr Barnier gave the Labour leader a poster of the Savoie region in France EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured in Brussels yesterday) has said he will only negotiate with the Government but is receiving a rival delegation today 'We have always been clear that this is not about holding separate Scottish negotiations - it is for the UK as the member state to negotiate with the EU - and as such we will continue to work hard to influence the UK position. 'However, meetings like this are helpful in developing a mutual understanding between the Scottish government and the EU as these vital negotiations gather pace.' While Mr Corbyn also made it clear that he was determined to set out a rival version of Brexit to the plans laid out by the PM. He said he laid out his ambitions for a 'jobs first Brexit' and how this was very different to the 'race-to-the-bottom tax haven threatened by this Conservative Government'. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Corbyn said: 'I'm pleased to have had a friendly and constructive meeting with Michel Barnier today. Brexit Secretary David Davis has called on rival politicians to work together to deliver Brexit 'Keir Starmer, Diane Abbott and I had a frank and informative conversation with the EU's chief negotiator and exchanged views about how we see the Brexit process working. 'Labour has extended the hand of partnership for a new relationship with Europe and we outlined how our goal of a jobs-first Brexit deal would protect our mutual trading interests.' But Tory MPs said the negotiator is wasting his time talking to the Labour leader. Senior Tory MP Michael Fabricant told MailOnline: 'Corbyn's idea of negotiations is to agree to everything the EU wants. 'And Barnier will want much more than a football shirt from Britain he'll want the shirt off all of our backs. 'Corbyn couldn't negotiate his way out of a paper bag.' Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg told MailOnline: 'The Labour Party seems to forget that it lost the election and it is not running the negotiations. 'This is fortunate as its position is contradictory.' Mr Barnier said Britain must offer more clarity on its position on the 'divorce bill' financial settlement with the EU - as well as the status of expat citizens and the nature of the future border with the Republic of Ireland - if it is to make progress towards a deal on trade arrangements after Brexit. Tory MP James Cleverly MP said: 'Jeremy Corbyn wouldn't negotiate in Brexit talks, he would surrender. 'He has made clear Labour would accept any deal on offer - even if it was designed to punish Britain. 'Labour have had at least nine different plans for Brexit since last year's referendum and are still hopelessly divided on the fundamental questions such as controlling our borders and our laws. 'Only the Conservatives will get a Brexit deal which works for the whole of the UK and allows us to seize the exciting opportunities ahead as we leave the EU.' Scottish Labour's Europe spokesman Lewis Macdonald MSP said: 'Unlike the Tories, Labour wants a jobs-first Brexit that will prioritise the economy, jobs and living standards - and that is what Jeremy Corbyn will outline when he meets Mr Barnier. 'Nicola Sturgeon should join this fight for a fair Brexit, rather than simply using this process to agitate for independence.' United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. DANIEL YOUNG, Defendant - Appellant. No. 16-4686 Decided: July 12, 2017 Before NIEMEYER, DUNCAN, and DIAZ, Circuit Judges. Kimberly H. Albro, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellant. Beth Drake, United States Attorney, Jimmie Ewing, Jane Barrett Taylor, Assistant United States Attorneys, Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellee. Defendant Daniel Young appeals his 24-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release based on a South Carolina conviction for first-degree domestic violence and two failed drug tests. We find no error with the district court's conclusion that the state statute qualifies as a crime of violence in this context, thus triggering a higher advisory sentencing range. However, because the district court did not articulate any reason for the sentence it imposed, we are compelled to vacate and remand for resentencing. I. While on supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm, Defendant tested positive for drugs twice and pleaded guilty to first-degree domestic violence under South Carolina law. S.C. Code Ann. 16-25-20 (2015). The domestic violence conviction resulted from Defendant's guilty plea that he had hit a woman with whom he was living on her right side, fracturing, or least bruising, her ribs. Over Defendant's objection, the district court concluded that Defendant's state conviction qualified as a crime of violence and was therefore a Grade A supervised release violation. Combined with Defendant's criminal history category of IV, the Grade A violation produced a sentencing range of 24 to 30 months' imprisonment, which is capped at 24 months' imprisonment by statute. Defendant argued for a sentence of time served while in state custody for his domestic violence conviction, and the government recommended 24 months' imprisonment. Throughout the parties' statements, the district court largely refrained from comment, instead asking the parties whether they had anything else to add. After hearing from the parties, the district court concluded: Mr. Young, I have listened to the arguments of counsel and reviewed the record, and it is my determination that the previously imposed term of supervised release is hereby revoked; and pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, it is the judgment of the Court that the defendant, Daniel Young, is hereby committed to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for a period of 24 months. J.A. 40. Defendant timely appealed. II. We will affirm a revocation sentence unless it falls outside the applicable statutory maximum or is otherwise plainly unreasonable. United States v. Thompson, 595 F.3d 544, 546 (4th Cir. 2010). Although our review accords substantial deference, we cannot affirm a sentence that lacks adequate reasoning. United States v. Moulden, 478 F.3d 652, 657 (4th Cir. 2007). We find significant procedural error if the sentencing court miscalculates the sentencing range, fails to consider the applicable 3553(a) factors, or inadequately explains the reasons for its sentence. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007). A revocation sentence is plainly unreasonable if the court fails to provide some reasoned basis, however minimal, for appellate review. Thompson, 595 F.3d at 547, 548. Furthermore, whether a defendant's offense of conviction constitutes a crime of violence under 4B1.2(a) of the [Sentencing] Guidelines is a legal issue that we review de novo. United States v. Mobley, 687 F.3d 625, 627 (4th Cir. 2012). III. A. Defendant first argues that the district court committed significant procedural error by misclassifying his criminal domestic violence conviction as a crime of violence, and thus overstating the severity of his violation of supervised release. We disagree. Grade A applies to violations of supervised release arising from crimes of violence. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual 7B1.1(a), p.s. As relevant here, crime of violence means an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another. U.S.S.G. 4B1.2(a); see also id. 7B1.1, p.s., n.2 (cross-referencing 4B1.2(a)). This, in turn, can encompass a range of conduct pertaining to bodily injury. See Johnson v. United States, 559 U.S. 133, 140 (2010) (defining physical force, in the context of the Armed Career Criminal Act, to mean violent forcethat is, force capable of causing physical pain or injury to another person (citation omitted)); United States v. Castleman, 134 S. Ct. 1405, 1410 (2014) (importing the common-law definition of force, which includes offensive touching, into 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(33)(A)'s definition of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence). We have applied the categorical approach to determine whether an offense constitutes a crime of violence under the Sentencing Guidelines. See United States v. Montes-Flores, 736 F.3d 357, 364 (4th Cir. 2013); see also United States v. McMillian, 652 F. App'x 186, 19294 (4th Cir. 2016) (per curiam) (unpublished) (applying the categorical approach in the revocation context). That approach focuses on the elements of the prior offense rather than the conduct underlying the conviction. United States v. Cabrerar-Umanzor, 728 F.3d 347, 350 (4th Cir. 2013). We have held in an unpublished opinion, on which the district court relied, that South Carolina's offense of criminal domestic violence categorically qualifies as a crime of violence under the force clause. United States v. Chisholm, 579 F. App'x 187, 19596 (4th Cir. 2014) (unpublished). We find Chisholm's interpretation persuasive. And we reject Defendant's challenges to Chisholm's reasoning because the state cases he has cited do not show that minimal touching suffices for criminal domestic violence and the amendments to the domestic violence statute did not change the language that we interpreted as requiring violent force. Even if we considered Defendant's actual conduct, as U.S.S.G. 7B1.1, p.s., n.1 suggests, we would still conclude that Defendant's conviction qualifies as a crime of violence because he used violent force when he hit a person with enough force to fracture, or at least bruise, her ribs. The district court did not err when it designated Defendant's state conviction as a Grade A violation when calculating his policy statement range. B. Defendant next argues that the district court erred procedurally in failing to adequately explain its sentence. We are compelled to agree. For revocation sentences, a district court need not provide the level of detail or specificity required for post-conviction sentences, but it must provide a statement of reasons that permits this court to effectively review the reasonableness of the sentence and to confirm that the sentencing court considered the 3553(a) factors with regard to the particular defendant being sentenced. Moulden, 478 F.3d at 657. Under the deferential standard applied when reviewing revocation sentences, [w]e may be hard-pressed to find any explanation for within-range, revocation sentences insufficient. Thompson, 595 F.3d at 547. Still, a district court may not simply impose sentence without giving any indication of its reasons for doing so. Id. Here, the district court merely identified the statutory maximum sentence and imposed it. The district court did not mention 3553(a), any of the 3553(a) factors, or any of Defendant's arguments for a lower sentence. Nor did the district court ask Defendant or his counsel any questions that would shed light on the court's reasoning. Under these circumstances, our ability to conduct meaningful appellate review is severely undermined. IV. For the foregoing reasons, we vacate and remand for resentencing. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal conclusions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process. VACATED AND REMANDED FOOTNOTES . We express no view as to the appropriateness of the sentence itself. . Because domestic violence does not appear in the enumerated clause, that clause does not apply here, and the dispute turns on the so-called force clause. PER CURIAM: Bizarre footage has emerged of a flying-saucer like object hovering above a town and a group of baffled onlookers, prompting swathes of speculation over what it could be. Stunned eyewitnesses in Progreso de Madero in southern Mexico filmed what appears to be a huge black ring surrounded by smoke in the sky. They can be heard in the background of the video trying to explain the apparition. Stunned eyewitnesses in the town of Progreso de Madero in southern Mexico filmed what appears to be a huge black ring One woman asks: 'What is that?', and a man replies: 'A flying saucer?' Another woman speculates: 'It's a rain formation', but the man counters: 'No, it's not, it's a black wheel', and the woman notes: 'It's going up.' The 'flying-saucer' dissipates as it climbs higher in the murky sky. The video has attracted mounds of speculation online with some adamant the spinning ring was an alien spaceship, although there has been no explanation for the floating object as yet. Netizen 'Alejandro Lopez Robles' was convinced he had seen something otherworldly, commenting: 'It's a flying saucer.' But 'Xavior Burns Red' felt there was a more natural explanation, adding: 'I have never seen a whirlwind before. Impressive.' Mexico has been a hotbed for supposed UFO sightings. Earlier this year a group of seven or eight lights dancing above a border control post in Tijuana were spotted. The video has attracted speculation online with some adamant the spinning ring was an alien spaceship The event was no unusual border staff left their posts to watch the twinkling lights rebound over their heads. While in the UK a similar black ring to the one spotted Progreso de Madero was captured near Birkenshaw on the M62 by Kimberley Robinson and her boyfriend. The circle resembled a giant smoke ring but West Yorkshire Fire Service said there had been no reports of fire at the time of the sighting on Sunday. Former High Court judge Sir Paul Coleridge (pictured) claimed that 'family instability' had reached 'epidemic levels' Broken homes are fuelling terrorism, a former High Court judge has warned. Sir Paul Coleridge claimed that 'family instability' had reached 'epidemic levels' in the UK and that it was effectively breeding terrorists. Sir Paul, who sat as a judge for 14 years, said many people in prison were from broken homes and were vulnerable to falling in with extremists because they had few family ties. Speaking to The Times he said: 'Terrorists are all from appalling family backgrounds. 'Donald Trump was right: they tend to be losers with no ties and so they find their identity in groups of like-minded people; or suffer mental breakdown. 'Family instability is at epidemic levels and the UK is at the top of the family instability league compared with other developed nations.' Sir Paul, 68, quit working as a judge six years ago to promote his charitable think tank, the Marriage Foundation. He argued that politicians were 'irresponsible' not to link broken homes with crime and disorder. Children and teenagers were the most severely affected by the breakdown of a family, he said. Sir Paul, 68, quit working as a judge six years ago to promote his charitable think tank, the Marriage Foundation, and argued that politicians were 'irresponsible' not to link broken homes with crime and disorder (stock photo) Sir Paul, who sat as a judge for 14 years, said many people in prison were from broken homes and were vulnerable to being indoctrinated by extremists (stock photo) Some seventy per cent of young offenders come from one-parent families. But, couples living apart can get financial advantages from tax breaks and other benefits adding up to '7,000 a year'. 'Teenage mental health issues, child abuse, domestic violence and abuse, the social care crisis, the housing crisis every one is either primarily caused by, or massively exacerbated by, the scale of family breakdown,' Sir Paul added. Top officials at the foreign aid department have been handed 175,000 in bonuses amid anger at the government's soaring spending. Some 21 senior mandarins shared the bumper pot - getting up to 10,000 each - while another 616,000 was split between 514 more junior staff. The news will cause more frustration among Tory MPs, after aid budgets were pushed up by 10 per cent. Spending had to be increased massively to keep hitting the target of sending 0.7 per cent of national income abroad after the UK's economic performance was revised up. Theresa May (pictured at parliament for the King of Spain's speech last nght) has insisted the target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income on aid will stay in place Theresa May has been resisting calls for the aid pot to be raided to meet demands for an easing of austerity, including easing the public sector pay cap. The PM has staunchly defended the target, but suggested that the definition of what counts towards it could be widened amid complaint it is 'arbitrary' and should be more focused on furthering Britain's interests. But the pressure increased last week when it emerged that the Department for International Development (DfID) has drafted in 155 extra staff to help manage the bigger pool of money. The size of the workforce at the Department for International Development has gone up from 2,823 to 2,978 over the past year. The overall pay bill rose by 6million, according to DfID's annual report. The bonus payments, revealed on the department's transparency log, shows 21 senior civil servants - or a quarter of the total - split 175,000 this year as a reward for their work in 2015-16. The highest payout was 10,000, and the average was 8,000. Director general Joy Hutcheon was among those who received the top award. A DfID Spokesperson said: 'All government departments operate performance-related pay this is a normal part of ensuring that civil servants are incentivised to perform well and deliver value for the taxpayer. 'Policies on providing performance-related pay and the budget for these payments are set by the Cabinet Office and not DfID.' Another 616,800 in 'non-consolidated performance related pay' was shared between 514 lower-level staff - giving an average of 1,200 each. The wage bill at the foreign aid department has soared by 40 per cent in seven years. Priti Patel, pictured giving evidence to MPs last year, is the Secretary of State at the Department for International Development Between 2015-16 and 2016-17 it went up 6million to 166million, according to the annual report. The department's top mandarin Sir Mark Lowcock received a pay rise of up to 5,000 to put his salary in the 165,000-170,000 band, but no bonus. He has since retired with a pension pot worth 1.2million, which gives him a lump sum of 195,000 and 65,000 a year gold-plated annual income. DfID hands out the highest salaries in Whitehall, averaging 53,000 a head, and it is one of only three of all 19 government departments to keep recruiting. Last month former minister Robert Halfon, who was sacked by Mrs May after the election, said scrapping the the 1 per cent public sector pay cap should be funded by sacrificing the 'sacred cow' of the aid budget. 'People recognise that many public sector workers have had to struggle over the past few years,' the Tory MP told the BBC. 'We have to look, potentially, at sacred cows. 'What I'm suggesting is that we look at some of the overseas aid budget, which is going to be over 13billion in the coming year.' Mr Halfon insisted he was passionate about overseas aid but added: 'We face a particular difficulty in our country where many public sector workers have had to struggle, particularly those on lower pay. 'So I think temporarily, while the economy remains difficult, while we get down the deficit, we need to look at sacred cows like the overseas aid budget and use that to help the lowest-paid public sector workers.' Mr Halfon, a former apprenticeships minister, said the extra cash could help boost the salaries of teachers, nurses and police officers. Advertisement First Lady Melania Trump met with patients at a children's hospital in central Paris as she and husband, President Donald Trump, arrived in France for Bastille day. Melania wore a bright red suit jacket, a matching skirt and red heels as she arrived in the Enfants Malades wing at Necker Hospital in Paris. The visit to the hospital, where she spoke in French to young patients as well as staffers, was Melania's first public engagement during her and Trump's two-day visit to France. Following the visit, Melania shared a photo to social media of herself shaking hands with one of the patents at the hospital. 'Thank U @hospital_necker for allowing me to visit your wonderful patients & inspirational staff,' she wrote on Twitter. 'Continued prayers for good health for all.' Scroll down for video US First Lady Melania Trump meets with doctors, patients and staff in the children's wing of Necker Hosptial in Paris on Thursday morning Melania Trump is touring the hospital shortly after her arrival in France with President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One after an overnight shift from Washington Melania appeared to flip through a children's book and speak to with the several patients in the hospital, as they sat in a play area for patients The visit to the hospital is Melania's first public engagement during her and President Donald Trump's two-day visit to Paris The sprawling Necker Hospital is one of Paris' oldest and was founded in 1778. American artist Keith Haring gave a large, multicolored totem sculpture to the hospital in 1987, called 'The Tower Melania then spent a little over ten minutes meeting with six young patients gathered in a playroom at the hospital. Melania spoke to the children in French, one of the five languages she speaks Following the visit to the children's hospital, Melania shared a photo to social media of herself shaking hands with one of the patents at the hospital She was greeted at the entrance of the hospital by Martin Hirsch, the general director of Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris who oversees Paris's 39 public teaching hospitals. Melania then shook hands with a group of hospital representatives, including Professor Pierre Carli, who is the head of emergency services in Paris. The First Lady listened to Hirsch as he told her about the hospital, which is decorated with brightly colored chairs and a space-themed play area for children. Melania then spent a little over ten minutes meeting with six young patients gathered in a playroom at the hospital. Some of the children's parents were in the room as Melania and the children gathered around a table topped with building blocks, books and toys. 'Hello! Bonjour! How are you?' Trump said as she entered the room. She then spoke to the children in French, one of the five languages she speaks. She is also fluent in Serbian, German, Italian and English. As reporters came into the room, Melania switched to English as an adult in the room translated for some of the French-speaking children. Sitting in an adult-sized chair at the table, Melania leafed through a coloring book for the classic French story The Little Prince, which Hirsch explained to her. Melania spoke to patients in an activity room at the hospital as the children played with toys and read books on Thursday morning The Trumps will be formally welcomed to Paris by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at Les Invalides, a military monument, on Thursday afternoon Melania split off from her husband shortly after she Trump arrived in the French capital after an overnight flight on Air Force One from Washington Trump and Melania will top off Thursday with a meal at the posh Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. Melania was given a tour of the brightly colored children's facility by director of Paris' public assistance hospitals AP-HP Martin Hirsch (right) 'All of the children want to become the prince,' he said at one point. 'Of course,' Trump said with a smile. Hirsch later presented her with a paperback copy of a French version of the book, titled Le Petit Prince. As he apologized that the book was in French, Melania told him that it would help her practice the language. Melania spoke to the children about Paris, which she called 'beautiful', and asked about the toys they were playing with. 'I always say how important it is to have, you know, teachers in children's lives,' Melania told educators in the room. 'It's the most important. They see them every day and spend so much time. 'It's very important in the child's life. Sometimes it's not easy, right? You're doing a great job. To Trump's right was Ysatis Guyomarc'h, a 14 year old in a wheelchair. After the meeting, Guyomarc'h spoke of the First Lady's beauty. To Trump's right was 14-year-old Ysatis Guyomarc'h, who was in a wheelchair. She told the First Lady that she expected to leave the hospital Monday for a month of rehabilitation. 'You look very good, very strong ... Soon you'll be walking and running,' Melania told her. Ysatis later told The Associated Press she appreciated the visit. 'It was very pleasant and really good. She's beautiful and gorgeous,' Ysatis said. A little after 10am, about half an hour after arriving at the hospital, Melania thanked the children and told them to 'be well'. 'Thank you very much for having me,' she said. 'Stay strong.' Melania wore a bright red suit jacket, a matching skirt and red heels as she arrived at Enfants Malades at Necker Hospital in Paris on Thursday morning Melania met with a group of doctors and other staffers at the hospital, which is decorated with brightly colored chairs and a space-themed play area for children While at the hospital, Hirsch presented Melania with a paperback copy of the classic French children's book, Le Petit Prince Melania let the hospital a little after 10am, about half an hour after arriving. After meeting with staffers (pictured above), she thanked the children and told them to 'be well' After Trump's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, he and Melania will be attending the Bastille Day celebrations on Friday before returning to the United States In the hospital's courtyard there is an installment titled The Tower, by American artist and social activist Keith Haring, who presented the gift to the facility in 1987. Melania was later expected to visit Notre Dame Cathedral and tour the Seine River by boat with Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. She split off from her husband shortly after she Trump arrived in the French capital after an overnight flight on Air Force One from Washington. The Trumps will be formally welcomed to Paris by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at Les Invalides, a military monument, on Thursday afternoon. During the visit, Trump will have a meeting with Macron. The two presidents hope to tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump's decision last month to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord sparked outrage across Europe and anti-Trump protests are planned while he is in Paris. Macron, a staunch advocate of research to combat global warming, has beckoned 'all responsible citizens,' including American scientists and researchers, to bring their fight against climate change to France. The two leaders will appear later on Thursday for a joint news conference. Trump and Melania will top off Thursday with a meal at the posh Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. The couple will be attending the Bastille Day celebrations on Friday before returning to the United States. A US activist known for fathering the Occupy Wall Street movement's first baby has been killed fighting ISIS in Syria. Robert Grodt fell in love with fellow activist Kaylee Dedrick while protesting economic inequality and together they spawned the first so-called 'Occubaby'. He went on to join the People's Protection Units, also known as the YPG, a Kurdish militant group created to battle ISIS in the war-torn nation. The 28-year-old from Santa Cruz, California, was killed in the terror group's de-facto capital Raqqa. Robert Grodt, a US activist known for fathering the Occupy Wall Street movement's first baby, has been killed fighting ISIS in Syria rodt fell in love with fellow activist Kaylee Dedrick while protesting economic inequality and together they spawned the first so-called 'Occubaby' He was killed in the terror group's de-facto capital Raqqa alongside British man Luke Rutter, 24, and Nicholas Warden, 29, from Fort Steward, Georgia. The men - none of whom were members of the US special forces embedded with militants - are believed to have been patrolling the city when they were ambushed. In a video Mr Grodt recorded before his death, he also speaks of his desire to defeat ISIS and forge 'a more secure world'. He adds: 'To my family, there are way too many of you to speak to individually, just know that I love you all and there's a lot that goes unsaid. He also spoke of his daughter, Tegan Kathleen Grodt, who was born in September 2012. 'To my daughter - I'm sorry I'm not there and I will be making a longer video to go along with this. Just know that I love you all.' Grodt (pictured, his t-shirt) went on to join the People's Protection Units, also known as the YPG, a Kurdish militant group created to battle ISIS in the war-torn nation He was killed in the terror group's de-facto capital Raqqa alongside British man Luke Rutter, 24, and Nicholas Warden (pictured), 29, from Fort Steward, Georgia He met Tegan's mother after she was pepper-sprayed by police at the 2011 Occupy Wall Street demonstration - rushing to her aid as she screamed in agony. Dedrick later won $55,000 in a settlement with New York City, which she planned to put toward the baby's college fund. Meanwhile Mr Warden said he joined because of the ISIS attacks in Orlando, San Bernardino, Nice and Paris. Mr Grodt featured in a video from the Occupy protests back in 2012 when he came to the aid of fellow activist Kaylee Dedrick when she was pepper-sprayed. It is believed the pair began dating after the footage went viral and eventually had a child together. The YPG said on its Facebook page that he had come to help defeat Daesh the Arabic for Islamic State, adding: 'Comrade Soro travelled to Rojava in March and joined the YPG to fight the fascist and reactionary Daesh gangs in Raqqa. In a video Mr Grodt recorded before his death, Grodt spoke of his daughter, Tegan Kathleen Grodt, who was born in September 2012 'He was martyred on 5 July after battling bravely in the terrorist group's so-called capital. 'Despite lacking professional military background, he was among the best in training.' It added that when asked at the end of his training whether he was ready to fight, he 'firmly responded 'Yes'. He is understood to have been fatally injured when his foot patrol came under fire after one of his comrades stepped on a landmine. Paying tribute to Mr Grodt on Facebook, relative Elizabeth Clarke said: 'He was there helping oppressed people, his lifelong passion. This is the dramatic moment police drag suspects from a car and pin them to the ground during drug raids. Dashcam footage shows a police van screeching to a halt alongside a white ute and pulling two people out in Adelaide. Four people were charged with drug trafficking after 44g of methamphetamine, 1.5-litre of fantasy and a taser were seized during two raids on Wednesday. Dashcam footage shows a police van screeching to a halt alongside a white ute and pulling two people out in Adelaide Police said a 27-year-old man, a 36-year-old man, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman, all from Elizabeth Downs, were arrested. All four were charged with trafficking a controlled drug and refused bail to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Thursday. A 30-year-old woman was also reported in relation to the possession of a prohibited weapon. It follows major raids from Australian Federal Police targeting Adelaides drug trade in May that uncovered shotguns, machetes and large quantities of drugs. Four people were charged with drug trafficking following two raids on Wednesday A rural British A-road may have been the scene of the most expensive traffic jam in history after 36 Ferraris totalling more than 7million were spotted queuing at a set of temporary traffic lights. HGV driver, Doug DeQuincey, had pulled over to make a call at a layby on the A44 Woodstock Road in Yarnton, near Oxford when he saw the fleet of super cars pulling up alongside his truck as they approached the lights. With each car worth at least 200k, the 43-year-old from Milton Keynes quickly used his phone to video the queue of high-performance cars - worth more than 7.2 million in total. This queue of 36 Ferraris worth a total 7.2million may be the most expensive traffic jam in history With each car worth at least 200k, the flleet is believed to be worth more than 7.2 million in total Mr DeQuincey filmed the footage on Tuesday as the fleet returned from a UK tour marking the 70th Anniversary of Ferrari. He said: 'I had pulled over in a layby trying to make a customer call at around 11am when I witnessed the awesome sight of a huge convoy of Ferraris rolling down to a traffic management system set in place for some tree cutting. 'I wasn't paying much attention until I looked into my wing mirror and saw the following cars were all the same manufacturer. 'Sitting holding my phone in the cab, with the engine off, I started recording this rarely seen event of so many fantastic and beautiful cars convoying. Doug DeQuincey filmed the footage on Tuesday as the fleet returned from a UK tour marking the 70th Anniversary of Ferrari The view from his wing mirror shows the fleet of supercars pulling up at the set of traffic lights The scene was on the A44 Woodstock Road in Yarnton, near Oxford when he saw the fleet of super cars pulling up alongside his truck as they approached the lights 'I lost count after a few of the passengers waved at me and continued on their way but I counted 36 cars in the videos. 'That's one highly expensive traffic jam but what a great soundtrack to be in a jam with. 'I was mesmerised by the glory from start to finish. 'I have to say that made my day seeing everyone enjoying the finer things in life and doing it safely.' Angry residents of Grenfell Tower have called for arrests at a public meeting about the tragedy as they called the fire an act of 'terrorism'. Last night hundreds of people attended a public meeting in West London intended to give locals an opportunity to question key figures. But the meeting descended into chaos, as a top detective explained the scale of the investigation was the largest the Metropolitan Police dealt with outside of counter terrorism. In response, he was met with cries of 'It is terrorism!' The City of London skyline is seen behind the remains of Grenfell Tower yesterday afternoon Grenfell Tower survivors have confronted the senior investigating officer of the police probe into the disaster during a heated public meeting Matt Bonner faced tough questions as the crowds called for him to start making arrests in the Grenfell Tower investigation As tensions rose, another shouted: 'This is mass murder. 'You didn't just burn down the tower. 'You murdered our friends, you murdered our families, you murdered our neighbours.' Cries of 'arrest someone' came from the crowd with one shouting: 'You're an officer of the law, arrest someone. Be a policeman, arrest someone.' Investigating officer Matt Bonner was quizzed at St Clement's Church a short distance from where the blaze happened exactly four weeks ago. 'I cannot tell you about the case as it would put the investigation at risk,' he told the audience. He said the police investigation would 'not be quick but it would be thorough'. Elizabeth Campbell, who is to step in as leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council In footage from the same meeting taken on a mobile phone, one man said: 'They knew categorically that it [the cladding] would burn so rapidly. 'You can identify that person like that, that person needs to be arrested.' Also in attendance was incoming council leader Elizabeth Campbell, who was heckled by one audience member. Hilary Patel, who is part of community engagement for the Grenfell Response Team, told the locals that they should not be worried about the building collapsing. 'The building has never been at risk of falling down,' she said. Residents were told that Grenfell Tower could not be covered yet because doing so could change the humidity and other factors inside, which could interfere with the investigation. They were also told scaffolding was not yet an option, as it would need to be fixed to the middle of the building, which could also interfere. 'We've monitored for asbestos and found none in the vicinity,' said Dr Deborah Turbitt, from Public Health England. One woman, whose questions to the panel were being translated, took the microphone as residents at the meeting began shouting over each other, and asked them: 'What truth are you looking for here?' 'They're just wasting time,' a translator told the room for her. Investigating officer Matt Bonner was quizzed at St Clement's Church a short distance from where the blaze happened exactly four weeks ago He was met with cries of 'arrest someone' as the crowd grew increasingly frustrated by his explanation Mark Bonner said the police investigation would 'not be quick but it would be thorough' Last week, the retired judge leading the Grenfell Tower inquiry told heckling survivors 'you don't respect me' as he met them for the first time. Sir Martin Moore-Bick was warned by former residents of the west London tower block not to 'get personal' as he addressed the frustrated crowd at a meeting last night. Sir Martin said they had claimed he would carry out a 'hatchet job', while one campaigner accused him of leaving Grenfell families facing the same painful decades of uncertainty of those involved in Hillsborough. However, he said he would look into the matter to the 'very best' of his ability at a meeting in a centre overlooked by the burnt-out high-rise block. He said: 'I can't do more than assure you that I know what it is to be impartial. 'I've been a judge for 20 years, and I give you my word that I will look into this matter to the very best of my ability and find the facts as I see them from the evidence. 'That's my job, that's my training, and that's what I intend to do. Now if I can't satisfy you because you have some preconception about me as a person that's up to you. Retired appeal court judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick arrived for the meeting in west London at around 7pm Members of the crowd then told Sir Martin 'not to get personal', to which he replied: 'Well I'm not getting personal, you don't respect me because you say the Government has appointed me to do a hatchet job.' Sir Martin has already faced calls to resign amid criticism and frustration from survivors that the apparent remit of his inquiry may be too narrow. London mayor Sadiq Khan will appear before the London Assembly today to tell members what lessons have been learnt from the tragedy. On Wednesday, hundreds of mourners gathered at a wall plastered in tributes in the west London neighbourhood to mark four weeks since the blaze. Among those at the vigil was Emma Dent Coad, the newly elected MP for the area, who told the Press Association: 'It is still chaotic, the whole process of housing people, getting them social housing, mental health help, whatever other help they are getting, obviously the people who aren't getting help come to me. 'It's disgraceful, actually, the council are still failing people every day.' Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox revealed 34 of at least 80 people believed to died in the fire have been formally identified, as 10 more inquests were opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court on Wednesday. She has suspended all 30 inquests held so far while a public inquiry and criminal investigation are carried out. Meanwhile, a nationwide safety operation is in full swing to establish how many other high-rise buildings were encased in flammable cladding, which is blamed for the blaze's spread in Grenfell Tower. The Department for Communities and Local Government said in an update that 224 buildings across 57 local authority areas used material that failed its fire safety tests. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said all high-rise buildings found to have flammable cladding will be subject to a so-called whole system test, when they are scrutinised for fire safety in conjunction with the building's insulation. But he added none of these tests have yet been completed. Two people suffered major burns from the waste up from a flaming cocktail in a Texas restaurant, it has been reported. The injured man and woman were rushed to the hospital after the incident at the Shoal Creek Tavern in Highland Village. Both were airlifted to Parkland Memorial Hospital where they are being treated for non-life threatening injuries, officials have said. The injured man and woman were rushed to the hospital after the incident at the Shoal Creek Tavern in Highland Village At around 4pm, police warned that locals should avoid the area around The Shops at Highland Village as the emergency helicopters were landing, Dallas News reported. Restaurant manager Jim Verfurth is reported to have said a bottle broke after the couple requested the flaming drink. He went on to say the liquid spilled onto them and 'the flame followed', leaving them with 'superficial burns'. The Flower Mound Fire Department assisted Highland Village Fire Department at the scene, according to a spokesman for the department. Authorities are investigating the incident. A gunman who murdered Russia's former deputy prime minister, a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, has been jailed for 20 years. Boris Nemtsov was gunned down just yards from the Kremlin in February 2015 in the most high-profile political killing since the Russian president came to power. Former allies of the late opposition politician have voiced their anger that the people who ordered the murder remain at large, and claim there was a cover-up. Investigators have been criticised by the victim's family for not finding out how ordered the assassination, with a group of five Chechens promised 15 million roubles (around 193,000) for the murder. Scroll down for video Gunned down: Opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead yards from the Kremlin by a group of hired assassins in February 2015, the most high profile political killing since Vladimir Putin became president 17 years ago Gunman Zaur Dadayev (centre) who fired the four shots which killed Boris Nemtsov, was jailed for 20 years today The five defendants were jailed for between 11 and 20 years for their role in the killing, but allies of the late politician allege Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov could be behind the assassination They claim strong evidence points to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who is loyal to the Kremlin, was behind the killing. The 55-year-old victim had been working on a report examining Russia's role in the conflict in Ukraine. He was Russia's deputy prime minister for four months in 1998, during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. In the months before his death he had written detailed reports alleging corruption by Putin, and voiced fears that the Russian president would have him killed. Nemtsov was shot dead by former Chechen army officer Zaur Dadayev as he walked home with his girlfriend. Shadid Gubashev left, and Temirlan Eskerkhanov, right, were among the five assassins who carried out the murder of the 55-year-old politician, jurors ruled last month Guilty: (From left to right) Khamzat Bakhayev, Temirlan Eskerkhanov, Shadid Gubashev, Anzor Gubashev and Zaur Dadayev in the dock in Moscow this morning Eskerkhanov, wearing a T shirt stating To Love Oneself is the Beginning of a Lifelong Romance, smiled as he was led away in handcuffs after the court ruled he would face 20 years behind bars for the murder Dadayev's four accomplices were jailed for between 11 and 19 years for helping to plan and carry out the murder. In two years... they could not find the organiser and mastermind of the murder in the most prominent political murder of the 21st century. Its a complete fiasco Vadim Prokhorov, Nemtsov family lawyer A 12-person jury ruled last month that Dadayev, brothers Shadid and Anzor Gubashev, Temirlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhayev - all ethnic Chechens from Russias volatile North Caucasus - carried out the hit as part of an organised gang. Vadim Prokhorov, a lawyer for Nemtsov's daughter Zhanna, said: 'The shortcoming of this sentencing is that those who ordered and organised this crime are not in the dock.' But Shamsudin Tsakayev, Dadayev's lawyer, told Reuters after the sentencing that there was "incontrovertible proof" that his client had not committed the crime. Nemtsov was gunned down just yards from the Kremlin in February 2015 in the most high-profile political killing since the Russian president came to power Anzor Gubashev (left) and Zaur Dadayev (right) were convicted of involvement in the killing of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov The Gubashev brothers, Eskerkhanov and Bakhayev, were found guilty of helping to organise and carry out the killing. Lawyers for Nemtov's family said earlier they were convinced that all of the accused, with the exception of Bakhayev, were involved. Following the ruling, Nemtsov family lawyer Prokhorov said: In two years... they could not find the organiser and mastermind of the murder in the most prominent political murder of the 21st century. Its a complete fiasco. United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. KEITH GOODWIN; KEITH HEATING AND COOLING, INCORPORATED, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO; RUSSELL M. PRY, Executive, County of Summit, Ohio; CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL JOHN M. LABRIOLA; SUMMIT COUNTY, OH BUILDING STANDARDS DEPARTMENT; CYNTHIA M. SICH, Former Director of Office of Consumer Affairs; WILLIAM MILLER, Investigator for the Office of Consumer Affairs; SUMMIT COUNTY, OH OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS; COUNTY PROSECUTOR SHERRI BEVAN WALSH; SUMMIT COUNTY, OH PROSECUTOR OFFICE, Defendants-Appellees. Case No. 16-4193 Decided: July 12, 2017 BEFORE: MOORE, GILMAN, and COOK, Circuit Judges. Summit County, Ohio, brought a civil enforcement action in state court against an HVAC company and its owner, prompting them to sue the County and several of its officials in federal district court. After the state court proceedings concluded, the County moved to dismiss the federal case, and the company and its owner sought leave to amend their original complaint. The district court granted the County's motion to dismiss and denied leave to amend. The company and its owner appeal. We AFFIRM. I. Background Keith Goodwin is the president of Keith Heating and Cooling, Inc., a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning company headquartered in Summit County, Ohio. In October 2012, the County filed a civil enforcement action against Mr. Goodwin and his company (together, Goodwin) in state court, alleging violations of municipal ordinances concerning building permits and sales practices. They answered separately in December 2012, and filed a joint amended answer in March 2013. All three of the answers included numerous affirmative defenses, but no counterclaims. In January 2014, with the state proceedings pending, Goodwin filed a 42 U.S.C. 1983 action against the County, three County departments, and five County officials in federal court, alleging violations of the Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause, and Takings Clause, as well as state law claims for civil abuse of process and vindictive enforcement and vindictive prosecution. Goodwin sought an injunction halting the state court proceedings; a declaration that the County's pertinent ordinances are unconstitutional; and compensatory and punitive damages, costs, and fees. The County and other defendants moved to dismiss the federal action or, in the alternative, to stay the case pending resolution of the state court proceedings. They argued that the County was the only proper defendantthat the departments may not be sued as separate legal entities because administrative units of local government lack the capacity to be sued, and that the claims against the County officials similarly amounted to suits against the County because Goodwin sued them in their official capacity only. The district court agreed. In September 2014, it dismissed the County departments and officials, and it stayed the case pending the conclusion of the state court proceedings. Back in state court, Goodwin moved for summary judgment against the County, arguing that it disregarded its own administrative procedures and selectively enforced its ordinances. The state court denied the motion, finding that the County complied with its ordinances and that Goodwin failed to establish selective enforcement. Following the ensuing bench trial, the state court determined that the County failed to prove its claimed violations by a preponderance of the evidence and entered judgment for Goodwin. Goodwin moved to reopen the federal case in April 2015, which the district court granted after the state court resolved its pending post-trial motions. The County renewed its motion to dismiss, arguing that the state court's final judgment barred all of Goodwin's claims under the res judicata doctrine. In April 2016, Goodwin moved to amend the complaint. The key feature of the proposed amended complaint (PAC) was a restyled caption that renamed as defendants the same County officials previously dismissed by the district courtthis time, in their individual and official capacity. The PAC raised the same constitutional and state law claims raised in the original complaint, plus a new state law claim for malicious prosecution. The County objected to the consideration of the PAC, reasserting its res judicata argument and noting that the new individual-capacity claims were time-barred and did not relate back to the original complaint. Following a hearing, the district court denied Goodwin's motion to amend and granted the County's motion to dismiss all of Goodwin's claims. Goodwin timely appeals. II. Goodwin's Claims Against the County Officials Goodwin contends that the district court erred twice in considering Goodwin's claims against the County officials. First, Goodwin criticizes the district court's finding that Goodwin originally sued the County officials in their official capacity only and, therefore, simply restated its claims against the County. See, e.g., Doe v. Claiborne Cty., 103 F.3d 495, 509 (6th Cir. 1996). Second, Goodwin argues that the district court should have granted it leave to amend its complaint to name the County officials in their individual capacity. We find Goodwin's arguments unavailing. (i) Original Dismissal of the County Officials We review de novo the district court's dismissal of Goodwin's claims against the County officials. Moore v. City of Harriman, 272 F.3d 769, 771 (6th Cir. 2001) (en banc). As this court explained in Moore, 1983 plaintiffs must clearly notify defendants of the potential for individual liability. Id. at 773. If a 1983 plaintiff fails to affirmatively plead capacity in the complaint, we then look to the course of proceedings to determine whether the defendants received sufficient notice that they might be held individually liable. Id. (emphasis added). Goodwin argues that the district court dismissed the County officials without properly considering Moore. In that case, the complaint's caption listed the defendants' names but did not specify whether the officers were named in their official or individual capacities. Id. at 771 (emphasis added). Because the Moore plaintiff failed to plead capacity affirmatively, the court looked to the course of proceedings to determine the defendants' notice of their potential individual liability, analyzing factors [such] as the nature of the plaintiff's claims, requests for compensatory or punitive damages, and the nature of any defenses raised in response to the complaint. Id. at 772 n.1. Because Goodwin affirmatively pleaded capacity in the original complaint, we need not look to the course of proceedings to determine whether the County officials had sufficient notice of their potential for individual liability. The original complaint's caption could not be clearerit specifically included in italics that each County official was sued In His Official Capacity or In Her Official Capacity. Even if there were any ambiguity notwithstanding the explicit official capacity statements on the original complaint's caption, Goodwin failed to press it when given the chance. In Moore, the plaintiff's response to the officers' motion to dismiss clarified any remaining ambiguity about capacity by specifying explicitly that the individuals named are police officers who are being sued in their individual capacities. Id. at 774. Here, in their motion to dismiss the original complaint, the County officials argued for dismissal because they were sued solely in their official capacity. Goodwin's opposition to the motion to dismiss, however, voiced no objection to the County officials' capacity argument. Subsequent filings in a case may rectify deficiencies in the initial pleadings, id., but that did not happen here. The district court, therefore, properly dismissed the County officials. (ii) Relation Back of the PAC's Individual-Capacity Claims Goodwin next argues that the PAC's individual-capacity claims survive an untimeliness challenge because they relate back to the original complaint. We disagree. We review de novo a district court's conclusion that an amended complaint cannot relate back to the original complaint. United States ex rel. Bledsoe v. Cmty. Health Sys., Inc., 501 F.3d 493, 516 (6th Cir. 2007) (citing Miller v. Am. Heavy Lift Shipping, 231 F.3d 242, 247 (6th Cir. 2000)). Because the two-year statute of limitations on Goodwin's 1983 claims had already expired when Goodwin sought leave to amend, the PAC is untimely unless it relates back to the date of the original complaint. See Shaw v. Pfeiffer, 295 F. App'x 735, 735 (6th Cir. 2008). Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(c)(1)(C), a change of party or the naming of [a] party against whom a claim is asserted relates back to the original complaint if the claim arose out of the same conduct, transaction, or occurrence set out in the original complaint, and if, within the Rule 4(m) period for serving the summons and complaint, the party to be brought in by amendment: (i) received such notice of the action that it will not be prejudiced in defending on the merits; and (ii) knew or should have known that the action would have been brought against it, but for a mistake concerning the proper party's identity. See also, e.g., Moore, 272 F.3d at 774 (explaining that we look to Rule 15(c)(3)now, as amended, Rule 15(c)(1)(C)when a 1983 plaintiff seeks to alter capacity). There is no dispute that the claims in the PAC arise out of the same conduct, transaction, or occurrence set out in the original complaint. What we must decide is whether the original complaint presented the individual defendants with information notifying them that Goodwin might pursue claims that could result in their personal liability. Put simply, the County officials received no notice from Goodwin's original complaint of their potential individual liability. Its caption specified five times that Goodwin sought recovery from the County officials in their official capacity. See Shaw, 295 F. App'x at 735 (The amendment did not relate back because the original complaint expressly named the defendants in their official capacities only, and therefore did not place them on notice of possible individual liability.). And although Goodwin highlights one use of the term individual capacities in that original complaint, that single reference buried in a page-long paragraph was, in our view, insufficient to provide notice. The only other action Goodwin took to place the individual defendants on notice was inaction: it left unanswered the official-capacity arguments raised in the County officials' motion to dismiss. Nor did other factual circumstances offer the County officials reason to suspect potential individual liability. Rule 15(c)(1)(C)(ii) asks what the prospective defendant knew or should have known during the Rule 4(m) period, not what the plaintiff knew or should have known at the time of filing her original complaint. Krupski v. Costa Crociere S. p. A., 560 U.S. 538, 548 (2010). Given the original complaint's caption and Goodwin's failure to contest the County officials' argument that the claims were strictly official-capacity claims, it is unreasonable to expect that the County officials knew, or should have known, that Goodwin intended to hold them individually liable. See id. at 554 (To the extent the plaintiff's postfiling conduct informs the prospective defendant's understanding of whether the plaintiff initially made a mistake concerning the proper party's identity, a court may consider the conduct. (internal quotation marks omitted)); Lovelace v. O'Hara, 985 F.2d 847, 85051 (6th Cir. 1993) (holding that the amended complaint did not relate back to the original complaint because the latter contain[ed] an unequivocal statement that the defendant acted within his official capacity, thereby giving the defendant no reason to believe that he was being sued in his personal capacity or that, but for a mistake concerning identity, the suit would have been against him personally). The circumstances here foreclosed application of the relation-back doctrine. III. Goodwin's Claims Against Summit County In granting the County's motion to dismiss (and denying Goodwin leave to amend), the district court explained the multiple reasons for dismissing each cause of action, focusing on res judicata as the primary basis for dismissing the constitutional, malicious-prosecution, and vindictive-prosecution claims. In its appeal, Goodwin addresses only the dismissal of its constitutional claims, arguing that the district court incorrectly applied res judicata. The County disagrees, explaining that Goodwin should have litigated those claims as part of the state court proceedings. We agree with the County and uphold the district court's well-reasoned analysis. We review de novo a district court's application of the doctrine of res judicata. Bragg v. Flint Bd. of Educ., 570 F.3d 775, 776 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Black v. Ryder/P.I.E. Nationwide, Inc., 15 F.3d 573, 582 (6th Cir. 1994)). We also review de novo a district court's denial of a motion for leave to amend a complaint if, as occurred here, the district court bases its decision to deny leave to amend on a legal conclusion that amendment would be futile because it could not survive a motion to dismiss. Yuhasz v. Brush Wellman, Inc., 341 F.3d 559, 569 (6th Cir. 2003) (citing Inge v. Rock Fin. Corp., 281 F.3d 613, 625 (6th Cir. 2002)). We therefore look to the allegations in the PAC, rather than the original complaint, to determine whether the district court properly applied res judicata. Because the state court proceedings occurred in Ohio, Ohio law governs the preclusive effect of the state court judgment. Hapgood v. City of Warren, 127 F.3d 490, 493 (6th Cir. 1997) (citing Migra v. Warren City Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ., 465 U.S. 75, 81 (1984)). Under Ohio law, the doctrine of res judicata consists of the two related concepts of claim preclusion, also known as res judicata or estoppel by judgment, and issue preclusion, also known as collateral estoppel. Ohio ex rel. Boggs v. City of Cleveland, 655 F.3d 516, 519 (6th Cir. 2011) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). These parties use the term res judicata to refer to claim preclusion only. Before addressing the proper application of that doctrine, we consider Goodwin's argument that the district court failed to follow the Restatement (Second) of Judgments in applying res judicata. Goodwin cites language from Grava v. Parkman Township, 653 N.E.2d 226 (Ohio 1995), suggesting that the Ohio Supreme Court expressly adopted the entirety of the Restatement (Second) of Judgments in defining Ohio's res judicata principles. Goodwin then identifies 22 in arguing that the failure to bring counterclaims in a first action (here, the state action) presents no bar to bringing its constitutional claims in federal court. But Goodwin misreads Grava. There, the court adopted only Restatement (Second) of Judgments 24 and 25not 22and neither 24 nor 25 help Goodwin here. Grava, 653 N.E.2d at 229. And, in any event, because Goodwin's claims are compulsory counterclaims, see infra, 22 does not save them. Restatement (Second) of Judgments 22 (explaining that a defendant who fails to bring a counterclaim is precluded from maintaining an action on the claim if the counterclaim was compulsory). As the district court correctly noted, a claim is precluded under Ohio law if each of the following four elements are present: (1) a prior final, valid decision on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction; (2) a second action involving the same parties, or their privies, as the first; (3) a second action raising claims that were or could have been litigated in the first action; and (4) a second action arising out of the transaction or occurrence that was the subject matter of the previous action. United States ex rel. Sheldon v. Kettering Health Network, 816 F.3d 399, 415 (6th Cir. 2016) (quoting Hapgood, 127 F.3d at 493); see also Grava, 653 N.E.2d at 229 ([A] valid, final judgment rendered upon the merits bars all subsequent actions based upon any claim arising out of the transaction or occurrence that was the subject matter of the previous action.). This suit easily satisfies the first two elements. The County's state court action against Goodwin concluded after a bench trial on the merits, and both the federal and state court actions involve the same parties. Although Goodwin argues what it views as a material distinctionthat it was a defendant in the state proceedings but a plaintiff in the federal casethis offers no refuge. See Lisboa v. City of Cleveland Heights, 576 F. App'x 474, 47475 (6th Cir. 2014); Rettig Enters., Inc. v. Koehler, 626 N.E.2d 99, 102 (Ohio 1994) ([Ohio Rule of Civil Procedure] 13(A) requires all existing claims between opposing parties that arise out of the same transaction or occurrence to be litigated in a single lawsuit, regardless of which party initiates the lawsuit.). The bulk of the dispute lies in the third and fourth elements. (i) Claims That Could Have Been Litigated in the First Action Turning to the third element of Ohio's claim preclusion test, Goodwin argues that, because it allegedly discovered new evidence after its answer was due in the state court action, it could not have raised the constitutional claims there. The newly discovered evidence, Goodwin admits, came to its attention by October 2014nearly six months before the state court's entry of final judgment. Goodwin therefore could have sought leave to amend its pleadings in state court, but it failed to do so. See Ohio R. Civ. P. 15(A) (The court shall freely give leave [to amend] when justice so requires.). The fact is, Goodwin's constitutional claims stem from acts and omissions that primarily occurred before the state court proceedings began in October 2012. For example, the PAC alleges due process and equal protection violations because the County did not provide a prompt, effective name-clearing hearing before it initiated the state court case. In support of those claims, the PAC identifies three Akron Beacon Journal news articles published at least seven months before the state proceedings commenced that reported that Goodwin engaged in unconscionable consumer sales practices and unfair and deceptive consumer sales practices, as supposedly relayed by County employees. Likewise, the PAC alleges a takings claim based, in part, on these pre-October 2012 articles, and it also alleges a due process violation stemming from facially unconstitutional County ordinancesa claim that is not tied to any particular date. At bottom, the PAC's allegations show that Goodwin became aware of its constitutional claims before filing the amended answer in March 2013. See Dubuc v. Green Oak Twp., 312 F.3d 736, 74950 (6th Cir. 2002) (explaining that additional supporting facts coming to light does not obviate application of res judicata). Plus, in that amended answer (and even in the separate answers Mr. Goodwin and his company filed initially), Goodwin raised as affirmative defenses many of the same allegations raised in the PAC (i.e., selective enforcement and statutes [that] are, in whole or in part, unconstitutional). Goodwin could have raised these affirmative defenses as counterclaims during the state court proceedingsbut, once again, it did not. See, e.g., Rondigo, L.L.C. v. Twp. of Richmond, Mich., 522 F. App'x 283, 286 (6th Cir. 2013). (ii) The Same Transaction or Occurrence as the First Action Finally, the fourth prong of Ohio's claim preclusion test is satisfied because Goodwin's constitutional claims arise out of the same transaction or occurrence as the subject matter of the state proceedings. [S]atisfaction of this element under Ohio law does not require that both cases involve identical causes of action, proof of identical elements, or even the presentation of exactly the same evidence. Sheldon, 816 F.3d at 418. Rather, two sets of claims arise out of the same transaction or occurrence if they share a common nucleus of operative facts, or if, in the language of everyday people, they are logically related. Lisboa, 576 F. App'x at 476 (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). Under the logical-relation test, a compulsory counterclaim is one which is logically related to the opposing party's claim where separate trials on each of their respective claims would involve a substantial duplication of effort and time by the parties and the courts. Rettig Enters., Inc., 626 N.E.2d at 103 (quotation marks and citation omitted); see also Ohio R. Civ. P. 13(A) (A pleading shall state as a counterclaim any claim which at the time of serving the pleading the pleader has against any opposing party, if it arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the opposing party's claim ). Counterclaims are compulsory if they involve many of the same factual issues, or the same factual and legal issues, or where they are offshoots of the same basic controversy between the parties. Rettig Enters., Inc., 626 N.E.2d at 103 (quotation marks and citation omitted); see also, e.g., Lisboa, 576 F. App'x at 47576 (holding that nightclub owners' constitutional claims against the city were precluded because they could have pursued them as counterclaims in the prior state court action brought by the city to enforce its noise ordinances). Goodwin's federal court claims are logically related to the County's state court claims; all are offshoots of the controversy prompted by the state court proceedings. Before seeking relief in state court, the County gathered and investigated permit records and consumer complaints related to Mr. Goodwin and his company. Believing then that Goodwin violated County consumer protection and building ordinances, the County initiated the state court proceedings. Goodwin's constitutional claims arise out of the County's investigation and enforcement of its ordinances. The PAC alleges that the County violated the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses when it investigated the consumer complaints and referred the matter to the county prosecutor without providing Goodwin notice of the complaints or any opportunity to respond. The PAC further alleges that the County violated the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses because it did not provide Goodwin with a prompt, effective name-clearing hearing during the time the Akron Beacon Journal was publishing its articles about the County's investigation. The takings claim too emanates from the same allegations supporting the due process and equal protection claims. Relying on Bauman v. Bank of America, N.A., 808 F.3d 1097 (6th Cir. 2015), Goodwin argues it need not assert the constitutional claims in the state court action because they were not compulsory counterclaims. Bauman addressed whether the servicer of a loan must bring a debt-collection action as a counterclaim to a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit, id. at 1099, and labeled the counterclaim not compulsory, in part for policy reasons and in part due to significant differences in the two actions' facts, id. at 1102. By contrast, the PAC's factual allegations are thoroughly intertwined with the core facts that were at issue in the state proceedings, and we discern no policy reasons compelling a different result. Goodwin also seeks support from Leatherworks Partnership v. Berk Realty, 247 F. App'x 676, 68081 (6th Cir. 2007), where the court declined to apply res judicata principles to the bulk of the plaintiff's claims because they were based on events that occurred after entry of judgment in the first action. Goodwin's constitutional claims arose well before entry of final judgment in the state court action, and Goodwin's allegedly-discovered new evidence to support its claims does not change the fact that the federal court and state court actions involve many of the same factual issues. Rettig Enters., Inc., 626 N.E.2d at 103. Goodwin's constitutional claims are barred by res judicata, warranting dismissal. IV. Conclusion For these reasons, we AFFIRM. I would affirm simply on the grounds of Ohio principles of res judicata, and therefore I concur in the judgment. FOOTNOTES . The PAC alleges state law claims for civil abuse of process, vindictive enforcement and prosecution, and malicious prosecution. Because Goodwin does not address their dismissal by the district court, we consider those issues abandoned on appeal. Hih v. Lynch, 812 F.3d 551, 556 (6th Cir. 2016) (An appellant abandons issues not raised and argued in his initial brief on appeal.). COOK, Circuit Judge. Ajaz Karim, known as Jaz, is among four people charged The head of squash at Eton College is among four men charged over historic sex abuse allegations. Ajaz Karim, who is also a head coach at Queen's Club in West London, faces nine charges of indecent assault on a woman and one of attempted indecent assault on a woman. The men, all aged in their 60s and 70s, were arrested in an investigation into historic alleged assaults at Christ's Hospital School in Horsham, West Sussex. The alleged attacks are alleged to have taken place at the prestigious 31,000-a-year private school between 1980 and 1996. The charismatic head squash coach known to members as Jaz was suspended, pending the outcome of a police probe last month. Karims arrangement at Queens allows him to fulfil the same head squash coach role at Eton College, where he has been in the post since 2008, and at the Hurlingham Club in South-West London, and even according to his personal website at investment bank Credit Suisse, which has its own squash courts. The men, all aged in their 60s and 70s, were arrested in an investigation into historic alleged assaults at Christ's Hospital School in Horsham, West Sussex (pictured) His website adds that he represented England at junior level in hockey, has played and coached cricket at a high level and has been coaching, training, studying at the pinnacle of squash for over 30 years. When not coaching, he works passionately for the charity he founded helping children in Uganda out of poverty through sports and education, the Uganda Childrens Trust Fund. The school was founded in the 16th century and its pupils still wear a Tudor-style uniform of a long blue coat and high yellow socks. Gary Dobbie, 66, is charged with seven counts of indecent assault on a male, and one count of attempted indecent assault on a male and three counts of indecent assault on a female. James Husband, 67, is charged with five counts of indecent assault on a female and four of rape. Ajaz Karim, 62, is charged with nine counts of indecent assault on a female and one of attempted indecent assault on a female. Peter Webb, 74, is charged with six counts of indecent assault on a male. The school was founded in the 16th century and its pupils still wear a Tudor-style uniform of a long blue coat and high yellow socks (file picture not connected to abuse case) Jayne Cioffi, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Four men, all former teachers at Christ's Hospital School in Horsham, West Sussex, were informed that they have been charged with non-recent sexual offences. 'The charges relate to a total of 15 complainants. They will appear at Crawley Magistrates' Court on August 9 in relation to these charges'. The school was founded in 1552 by King Edward VI responded to an impassioned sermon on the needs of London's poor and set aside buildings for them to live, be clothed, fed and educated. In 1902 the school moved to Horsham. It charges boarders up to 31,500 a year and counts Sir Barnes Wallis, inventor of the bouncing bomb, and poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge among its former pupils. In a statement, the school said: 'Christ's Hospital is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its pupils and continues to provide its full support to the police in their investigations. 'We would always encourage anyone who has been a victim of abuse to come forward. As criminal proceedings are active, we are unable to share any further information at this time.' A boyfriend is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend told detectives he accidentally shot her in the chest in their New York apartment, it has been reported. Reginald Jones was arrested on Sunday morning, the day after his girlfriend Faith Bittinger, 23, was found dead in a College Park apartment. Police say convicted felon Jones, of Powder Springs, confessed to shooting the mother-of-one but claimed it was an accident, the New York Post reported. Reginald Jones was arrested on Sunday morning, the day after his girlfriend Faith Bittinger (right), 23, was found dead Police say convicted felon Jones (left), of Powder Springs, confessed to shooting mother-of-one Bittinger (right) 'He stated it was an accident but detectives are following up on additional leads that may have a bearing [on] this,' College Park Lt. Nathan Ward told the Marietta Daily Journal. Jones, who faces charges including murder and possession, was taken into custody at Fulton County Jail. Bittinger's relatives are reported to have said the expecting couple, who have an infant daughter together, had a 'rocky' relationship,. The victim's family spoke to WSBTV's Audrey Washington about their loss a day after Faith passed away. Family member Nick Byers said: 'Sound stops and your heart drops, there's just nothing you can do because the sadness is so overwhelming. A GoFundMe account created to raise $8,000 for Faith's funeral costs has already raised more than $5,000 'As soon as they started dating, he seemed okay, but I had a feeling about him,' stepsister Olivia Martin said. A GoFundMe account created to raise $8,000 for Faith's funeral costs has already raised more than $5,000. Jones waived his first appearance before a judge. An Oregon man, 49, who allegedly chased a Muslim couple in his truck while yelling 'take off that burka' and 'this is America' wept in court as he pleaded not guilty to hate crime charges. Frederick Nolan Sorrell allegedly followed the African American Muslim couple for twenty blocks, yelling racial slurs and trying to hit their vehicle. While driving parallel to the victims' car, Sorrell allegedly shouted 'take off that f*****g burka', 'this is America', and 'go back to your f*****g country.' Frederick Nolan Sorrell allegedly followed the African American Muslim couple for twenty blocks, yelling racial slurs from his truck and trying to hit their vehicle It is also alleged that he 'made pointing hand gestures that were said to resemble pulling the trigger of a gun.' The incident occurred just days after two Portland men were stabbed to death defending two young girls from a white supremacist's racist, Islamophobic attack. Courtesy of KOIN Portland Police's 'Bias Crimes' unit investigated the incident, and on July 10, Sorrell was prosecuted on hate crime charges . He pleaded not guilty to second degree intimidation in a Multnomah County courtroom. White supremacist murders in Portland A self-identifying Nazi-supporter known for his hate speech killed two people and injured another after they intervened during an alleged anti-Muslim rant on a MAX train in Portland, Oregon on May 26. Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, from Portland allegedly ranted anti-Muslim hate speech, targeting two young women, one who was wearing a hijab. When two men came to defend the women, Christian fatally stabbed the good citizens and injured a third man. He ran off the train but was arrested by police and was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of second-degree intimidation and one count each of aggravated murder and being a felon in possession of a restricted firearm. Advertisement Sorrell broke down in tears in front of television cameras after the trial. 'I never tried to run into them. I was just going to work. I never tried to follow them. I never tried to make contact with them after the fact,' Sorrell told local station KGW. He told reporters that he was just 'ignorant' and needed education. 'I guess my fear and paranoia, I just yelled out. I don't go on social media looking to hate on people I guess my ignorance and my stupidity is why I opened my mouth, and I shouldn't have and I claim full responsibility.' Sorrell has been restricted from using Facebook while out on bail because the judge said he had made several discriminatory comments on the platform. 'I don't know who you are. I'm sorry I blurted out what I blurted out, my paranoia my fear. I don't hate you I don't know you,' Sorrell added. 'I don't wish death upon these people.' He said that he would be willing to meet the couple that he victimised. 'If the victims want to sit down and talk I would love to sit down and have an open conversation with them and have an open mind and apologize,' he said. 'I just don't know them, and all I know is fear-based information.' The legislative war over Brexit began today as the massive Repeal Bill was finally revealed. Labour vowed to try and block it unless sweeping changes are made, including to keep a controversial EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The 62 pages of laws to deliver Brexit explicitly delete the Charter, believing the rights to be protected in other forms. Today's new legislation provides for thousands of changes to UK law as all EU rules are copied onto the British statute book. Today's new legislation (pictured) provides for thousands of changes to UK law as all EU rules are copied onto the British statute book Brexit Secretary David Davis (left) has called on the Opposition to help get the Bill through while Trade Secretary Liam Fox (right) warned frustrating it would make a chaotic Bill more likely As well as the major flashpoint over the Charter of Fundamental rights, issues around devolution will provide a major further headache for the Government. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said they would not give 'legislative consent' for the Bill as drafted. Complaining it would hold power in London rather than devolve it, the pair threatened a constitutional crisis over the legislation. The consent motions are not obligatory to pass the Bill into law but Westminster ignoring Cardiff and Edinburgh would cause a major row. THE REPEAL BILL IN NUMBERS The Government has finally published its Repeal Bill, which has the huge task of making British law ready for exit. The bill in numbers: One: Piece of legislation repealed. The European Communities Act, which currently applies EU law to Britain, is scrapped: 12,000: EU regulations in force in Britain. All of which must be copied and amended to ensure they keep working. 1,000: New statutory instruments needed. The exact number of brand new laws Britain needs to pass to deliver Brexit won't be known until th deal is complete. 62: Pages of the Repeal Bill, which is officially known as the the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. 21: Months left of the Article 50 process. By March 29, 2019, the Repeal Bill needs to be on the books for there to be an orderly Brexit. Advertisement Once passed, the legislation will provide for around 12,000 EU Directives already in British law that need fixing to remove references to Brussels. Another 1,000 'statutory instruments' - small pieces of brand new law - will have to be passed by ministers. A handful of new quangos will also need to be established to replace organisations which currently only exist in the European Union. Ministers are being handed sweeping authority, known as 'Henry VIII' powers, to rewrite vast swathes of UK law with limited parliamentary scrutiny. The Government wants to ensure the law in Britain is the same the day after Brexit happens - due on March 29, 2019 - as the day before. But the clash over human rights has set the stage for an ugly two year fight in Parliament to get the new law through. Cabinet Minister Liam Fox today warned Remoaners that wrecking the Repeal Bill will only make 'hard' Brexit more likely. He delivered the stark message as the government prepares to unveil the key legislation paving the way for our departure from the EU. Labour Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer threatened to 'block' Britain's departure from the EU unless 'significant changes' were made to the Great Repeal Bill Labour has made clear it will seek to disrupt the plans - which effectively copy and paste all existing Brussels rules into domestic law - sparking fury that the party is playing politics even though it has pledged to respect the result of the referendum. WHAT LAWS WILL THE REPEAL BILL COPY? Working time directive: EU rules saying people should not average more than 48 hours a week Copyright directive: International rules to ensure copyright is viewed the same way across Europe Habitats directive: Flagship rules on looking after the environment, listing protected habitats, areas of conservation and protected species. Renewable energy directive: Minimum targets for 20 per cent of energy consumed to come from renewable sources like wind or solar. Environmental noise directive: EU rules on tackling noise pollution that forces assessment of noise around projects such as major roads or airports. Advertisement Labour's key objection is to the Bill deleting the Charter of Fundamental Rights from UK law. First drawn up in 2000, it was a key part of the controversial Lisbon Treaty in 2007. But the Government believes everything it includes is covered by the European Convention on Human Rights and other laws. Labour was challenged today to find a specific example of where rights would be weakened if the Charter is not copied into UK law. Dr Fox, a leading Brexiteer, said efforts to frustrate the Bill in Westminster would only backfire as the triggering of Article 50 means that the UK is leaving the bloc in March 2019 regardless. 'Those who try to derail this bill are increasing the risk of what they would call 'hard Brexit,' the International Trade Secretary told Bloomberg TV. 'We are going to leave the European Union and if we are unable to put the laws in place that provide that stability, we will still leave, we simply will not have the legal framework that we want.' The deal struck with EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier (right in Brussels with Jeremy Corbyn today) will determine the final shape of the necessary Brexit laws Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not allow Brexit to roll back rights and protections. He said: 'The Bill proposes sweeping new powers for Ministers that are fundamentally undemocratic, unaccountable and unacceptable. ROW OVER RIGHTS WILL DOMINATE REPEAL BILL DEBATE Labour has vowed to try and derail the flagship Brexit legislation if minsters refuse to keep the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Charter is singled out in the Repeal Bill for scrappage. The Government insists it is no more than an index of rights secured elsewhere. But Labour insists it offers vital protections and has vowed to vote against the Bill in the autumn if the clause is not dropped. First drawn up in 2000, it was a key part of the controversial Lisbon Treaty in 2007. But the Government believes everything it includes is covered by the European Convention on Human Rights and other laws. Labour was challenged today to find a specific example of where rights would be weakened if the Charter is not copied into UK law. Advertisement 'It fails to guarantee crucial rights will be enforced; it omits the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and it does nothing to ensure that British standards and rights keep pace with our EU partners. 'Labour are putting the Prime Minister on notice that unless the Bill is significantly improved in all these areas, Labour will vote it down in the House of Commons.' Labour MP Wes Streeting, a member of the Open Britain campaign, said MPs must fight the legislation 'all the way'. He said: 'The British people did not vote to take away powers from their elected representatives in our sovereign Parliament to give back control to Ministers in Whitehall. 'Yet the 'Repeal Bill' grants the Government extraordinarily broad powers to make big changes to our laws, including after we have left the EU, at the stroke of a ministerial pen. 'This is undemocratic, unaccountable, and simply wrong. 'Such powers could put vital workers' rights at risk before and after we leave. 'And the decision to leave the Charter of Fundamental Rights breaches the red lines of the opposition parties just days after the Prime Minister said she wanted their ideas and a more consensual approach to Brexit.' Ahead of the Bill's publication, Brexit Secretary David Davis made a fresh appeal for MPs to 'work together' on of the major Repeal Bill to remove the supremacy of Brussels law. Britain's Supreme Court Judges will still consider rulings of the European Court of Justice but will not be bound by them after Brexit, according to today's Repeal Bill (file picture) Mr Davis described the first piece of Government legislation relating to Brexit since the triggering of Article 50 in March as one of the most significant Bills ever to come to Parliament. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR THE REPEAL BILL? Pushing the Repeal Bill through Parliament is a mammoth task that could take most of the remaining Article 50 process - about 21 months. The next key date will be the second reading debate in the Commons. This has not been scheduled but is expected in September or October. At the end of the debate, MPs will be asked to vote on the principle of the legislation - even if they object to the detail. Defeat for Theresa May would be a total catastrophe. Assuming it passes, the Bill will then undergo line by line scrutiny at the Committee and Report stages. This will take at least weeks and could last many months and will involve many individual votes in Parliament. Whatever is left of the legislation will then be subjected to another vote on the principle, known as third reading. The entire process is then repeated in the House of Lords. On legislation as complex as this, Peers are almost certain to make changes. The Repeal Bill cannot become law until those changes have either been agreed by MPs or dropped by Peers. This happens during a process known as 'ping pong', where drafts of the bill bounce between the two Houses. Advertisement But he was warned by Lib Dem leader Tim Farron that the Government faces 'hell' as it tries to get the Bill through the Houses of Commons and Lords. The legislation, which will be known as the European Union (Withdrawal Bill), is a central plank in the Government's Brexit strategy but is expected to be the subject of fierce battles between MPs and peers over the shape of the country's exit. It is designed to provide continuity and makes no reference to specific policy areas other than the deletion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Crucially this means it does not, by itself, end issues such as the EU right to freedom of movement. The Government will also have to pass an Immigration Bill to achieve this. Parliamentarians will get their first chance to pore over its contents and consider how they may seek to amend it in an attempt to change the direction of the UK's exit from the EU. The Bill will be given its first formal presentation in Parliament today but it will not expected to be formally debated until Autumn. Theresa May has called for cooperation with opposition parties after a disastrous election stripped the Tories of their overall majority in the Commons. Mr Davis who said he would 'work with anyone' to achieve Brexit. It comes after Brexit Secretary David Davis, pictured in parliament yesterday, called for MPs to work together on leaving the EU The Bill is designed to transpose EU law into British law so the same rules apply on the day of Brexit as the day before, while giving parliaments and assemblies in Westminster, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff the power to drop or change them in the future. EUROPEAN COURT WILL NO LONGER BE SUPREME Britain's Supreme Court will still consider rulings of the European Court of Justice but will not be bound by them after Brexit. Today's Repeal Bill makes clear the ECJ can be considered in similar ways to other international courts. But unlike for recent decades it will no longer automatically outrank the top UK court. Past rulings of the ECJ may provide precedent in future but can be overruled by Supreme Court judges. No new British cases can go to the ECJ after Brexit day, expected to be in March 2019. Advertisement The Government hopes it will give confidence to businesses, workers and consumers that they will not face unexpected changes on the day of Brexit, while ending the supremacy of EU law in the UK. Mr Davis said: 'This Bill means that we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do - ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK. 'It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union. 'By working together, in the national interest, we can ensure we have a fully functioning legal system on the day we leave the European Union. 'The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country.' The Bill will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 which took Britain into the EU and remove the supremacy of Brussels law, convert EU law into UK law where appropriate, and create temporary powers to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. Nicola Sturgeon is meeting EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels today The Scottish First Minister has been demanding Scotland be allowed to stay in the EU single market after Brexit In a joint statement, Nicola Sturgeon and Carwyn Jones condemned the Bill for failing to protect the interests of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. The two First Ministers said the could not recommend giving the Bill a legislative consent motion as drafted - another headache for the Government as while it is not necessary ignoring Cardiff and Edinburgh would cause a major constitutional row. They said: 'Our two governments and the UK government agree we need a functioning set of laws across the UK after withdrawal from the EU. We also recognise that common frameworks to replace EU laws across the UK may be needed in some areas. 'But the way to achieve these aims is through negotiation and agreement, not imposition. It must be done in a way which respects the hard-won devolution settlements. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill does not return powers from the EU to the devolved administrations, as promised. 'It returns them solely to the UK Government and Parliament, and imposes new restrictions on the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales.' A man in Tajikistan has been charged with driving his wife to commit suicide amid allegations he pressured her into taking virginity tests and then demanded a second bride after disbelieving the results. Rajabbi Khurshed, 18, killed herself by drinking a lethal dose of vinegar 40 days after her wedding to 24-year-old Zafar Pirov, who she had never met before the arranged marriage. Despite her passing a government-required prenuptial exam - including a virginity test - Pirov admits he took his bride for a further two tests, both of which she passed and both of which he did not believe, before casting her out. Speaking to Radio Free Europe, Khurshed's family - who arranged the coupling - said their daughter told them on her deathbed that she had felt under massive pressure to accept Pirov's demands for a second wife and 'couldn't take it any longer'. Rajabbi Khurshed, 18, pictured right, killed herself by drinking a lethal dose of vinegar 40 days after her wedding to 24-year-old Zafar Pirov, pictured left, who she had never met before the arranged marriage Virginity tests for women before marriages are common in Tajikistan, where casual sex is deemed socially unacceptable. Pictured: Rajabbi Khurshed Kurshed's mother Fazila Mirzoeva said her daughter, pictured, from the village of Chorbogh, had never had a boyfriend and had never had sex with anyone But in his defence, Pirov said: 'My wife gave me a written statement that she allows me to get a second wife because she wasn't a virgin when we got married.' Kurshed's mother Fazila Mirzoeva is so upset about her daughter's death - who she said is a victim of 'slander and violence' - that she has pleaded to the country's president, Emomali Rahmon, for help. She said Kurshed, from the village of Chorbogh, had never had a boyfriend and had never had sex with anyone before the marriage. Pictured: Emomali Rahmon, the president of Tajikistan, who Kurshed's family have appealed to over the 'slander and violence' their daughter experienced The teen had dropped out of school to help care for her two disabled brothers, her mother added. Pirov could be facing eight years in jail if found guilty of driving Kurshed to suicide. Virginity tests for women before marriages are common in Tajikistan, where casual sex is deemed socially unacceptable. As of 2015, it is compulsory for both men and women to undergo medical check-ups before a wedding, but for women this often includes a test of 'purity'. Despite Kurshed passing this test and obtaining a doctor's certificate of her virginity - as well as passing the two other tests - Pirov continued to press his bride and demanded she reveal the 'truth'. It was just weeks later that he made clear his desire to bring a second wife into the home. There have been close to 600 court cases concerning virginity disputes in Tajikistan since 2014. A desperate search has been launched for two missing Vietnamese teenagers who disappeared from protected care. Thi Pan, 15, and Tram le, 14, were last seen getting into a taxi near York Minster, North Yorkshire, at about 12.30pm on Sunday. The friends entered the country illegally several months ago and were being looked after by local authorities. Thi Pan, 15, and Tram le, 14, were last seen getting into a taxi near York Minster, North Yorkshire, at about 12.30pm on Sunday Tram Le was last seen wearing a blue and white top and black trousers and Thi Phan was wearing jeans and a baggy shirt. Both girls are about 5ft 2ins tall. North Yorkshire Police believe they left the city of their own accord, but officers are concerned for their safety. Chief Inspector Allan Wescott is one of the officers leading a search which is now widening outside the city. He said: 'We have real concerns about the welfare of the girls. He said: 'We are following a number of lines of enquiry including one particular strong lead about where they could be and would like to thank the public and media for their assistance so far. 'We urge the public to keep a look out for the girls and contact us as a matter of urgency if they believe they have seen them or have any information which could help us to identify their whereabouts. 'This is a priority for us and your call, however insignificant it may seem, could be critical in helping to find them.' Anyone who has seen the two girls since Sunday or has information which could help police should phone on 101 immediately. Any immediate sightings of them should be reported by phoning 999. One of the UK's richest Asian businessmen is facing a six-figure legal bill after losing a court battle with his neighbours over a one-yard strip of land between their homes. Tycoon Professor Nathu 'Nat' Puri and John and Gabrielle Gibney became embroiled in a legal battle after the couple erected a fence in between their homes in Nottinghamshire citing security concerns. During the proceedings, the couple said they informed the 77-year-old, who has a 44 million personal fortune, of their plans at a social gathering before building the fence, which is understood be in between the two properties in among the trees, in 2006. Professor Nathu 'Nat' Puri (left), John Gibney (right) and his wife Gabrielle were embroiled in a legal battle over a one-yard strip of land between their homes A fence, which is understood be in between the two properties in among the trees, was constructed by the Gibneys in 2006 But Prof Puri, who was originally an engineer before making his millions from his industrial conglomerate Purico Group, said he was first made aware of the structure in 2011. He later employed workmen to tear it down and started building his own wall. But now, after the case reached the Court of Appeal, the Gibneys have emerged as victorious after Prof Puri was labelled as an 'unreliable witness'. The Gibneys claimed the 'catalyst' for the courtroom tussle was the 'sudden and unannounced' arrival of contractors in June 2014. The couple said that on Prof Puri's instructions, workmen started removing part of the fence and digging the footings for a new wall. What followed was a three-year legal battle as the parties argued about where one property stopped and the other started. At a hearing at Nottingham County Court in April last year Judge Robert Owen QC accepted the Gibneys' claims as to where the boundary lay. After hearing from both parties Judge Owen said of Prof Puri: 'I do not consider him to be a reliable witness of fact.' Although he gave his evidence 'with sincerity for the most part and tried to assist the court', he was 'simply not reliable', he added. And the judge said he 'felt unable to place any confidence in his testimony'. and accepted the Gibney's evidence, saying he was 'unable to place any weight' on Prof Puri's claim that there was no prior discussion. And despite Prof Puri's 'sincere belief' as to the true line of the boundary between the properties, the correct line was that claimed by the Gibneys. Prof Puri launched an appeal to a judge in London, but that decision has now been upheld. Prof Puri's property. The Gibneys claimed they had spoken about the fence with Professor Puri at a social event at his house prior to erecting it in 2006 At the Court of Appeal, his barrister Rupert Reed QC argued that he should be given permission for a full appeal against the county court decision. But Lord Justice Briggs said his arguments were not strong enough to justify an appeal. 'Having had time to look at the underlying evidence, I have concluded that I ought not to give permission to appeal,' he said. 'The main obstacle is that the judge made no error of law in his precise and accurate explanation of the circumstances which the court must take into account. 'It seems to me that this is not a case in which, if it went to a full appeal, the defendants (Prof and Mrs Puri) would have a real prospect of success. 'There is certainly no other compelling reason why permission should be granted.' Prof Puri's appeal application was refused, leaving him to foot lawyers' bills for the case. Following the ruling, Prof Puri remained defiant. He said: 'This is a matter of principle. A decision has been made, but the issue is still ongoing. 'One level of the appeal has been rejected, and now I am in discussions with my lawyers about what we can do from here. There is more information to this which I cannot discuss. Pictured is the Gibney property. Despite Prof Puri's 'sincere belief' as to the true line of the boundary between the properties, the correct line was that claimed by the Gibneys 'Yes, the fence was put up in 2006, but I didn't notice. I am a busy man, I work all day, all night and travel around a lot and don't have the time to look at fences. That is why I didn't notice. 'As soon as I knew, my reaction was what anyone's reaction would be, which is that is on my land, and I have to do something about it. 'This is a dispute that happens when someone does something that you do not agree with it. 'For me it is a small matter. I have paid a lot of money - I shall not say how much - and have gone through the courts to sort this out. 'Yes, a small issue for someone like me, but I have spent money out of principle. Ultimately that is the most important thing. The relationship [with the Gibneys] is non-existent.' Mr and Mrs Gibney have been contacted for comment. A psychiatrist rubbed his thighs and licked his lips as he counselled a woman over her love life during a series of sexually-charged consultations with vulnerable patients, a medical tribunal heard today. Dr Rajesh Jain, 46, pulled his chair up close to the patient, sat with his legs open and stared at her intently as he asked her if she had frequent sex with her boyfriend, it was said. The unnamed woman was said to have felt so 'uncomfortable' at Jain's body language she refused to attend a follow-up appointment and before making a complaint. She discovered she had been over-prescribed anti depressants by Jain who said they would 'help her sleep.' Dr Rajesh Jain leaving his Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing at the General Medical Council in Manchester The encounter occurred during series of consultations Jain had with four women in which he allegedly made inappropriate comments which left them in shock or in tears, it was claimed. A second woman living under the same roof as her partner and her ex-husband said she was asked by Jain: 'what do you do - line them up at night and pick the one you're going to sleep with?' Another suffering from a severe eating disorder after she was raped by an ex-partner was left in tears when Jain told her: 'It would be impossible to be anally raped without the use of lubrication.' The fourth was warned by Jain she would have to be admitted to hospital because he believed she was meeting a man purely for sex - further claiming people with bipolar disorder were 'sexually frustrated.' The doctor later said some of his actions were 'mannerisms and habits' he had developed through the years - and he meant nothing by them. The incidents in 2015 occurred over a two-month period whilst locum Jain was standing in for the regular consultant at the Ridgeway Clinic, in Plymouth, Devon, who was off sick. The incidents in 2015 occurred over a two-month period whilst locum Jain was standing in for the regular consultant at the Ridgeway Clinic (pictured), in Plymouth, Devon, who was off sick The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester was told the first woman - known as Patient A - went to see Jain after she began self harming. But lawyer for the General Medical Council, Kathryn Johnson, said: 'Dr Jain then asked to see any scars that there were on her stomach and legs. 'She refused to do this because it would have meant pulling her top up and trousers down and this request would result in those actions would make her feel uncomfortable. 'She then described Dr Jain made her feel that he didn't believe her in relation to the issue of self harming. She described how he began to ask questions about her sexual life, if she had a boyfriend, how frequently she had sex and whether it was unprotected. 'She was surprised at being asked these questions as she had never been asked in such depth before, she felt uncomfortable with Dr Jain especially due to his body language that he was exhibiting as he was talking to her. 'She felt uncomfortable at the fact he pulled his chair up close to her, sitting with his legs open rubbing his thighs and his tongue was darting in and out of his mouth, and in addition she felt he was staring intently at her and all this made her feel very uncomfortable. 'She did tell her boyfriend at the time about the way the consultation had developed and he advised she made a complaint. She described because of the way the consultation had gone she felt unable to attend the follow up appointment that had been arranged. 'The doctor says that some of his actions are mannerisms and habits he has developed through the years and he means nothing by them. but the GMC's expert gives the opinion that if Dr Jain was aware he had these habits or mannerisms he should either warn his patients they may see him displaying these actions or take active steps to do something about them. Another woman, known as Patient B, who had endured childhood sexual abuse went to see Jain with her partner. Miss Johnson said: 'At that time she was living in the same household as her partner and indeed with her children and her previous partner. She explained her living arrangements to Dr Jainbut her partner was then shocked to hear that Dr Jain's immediate response was 'what do you do line them up at night and pick the one you're going to sleep with?' 'Neither Patient B nor her partner said anything but he was concerned and thought the comment was inappropriate. Before he could explain what side effects Patient B was suffering from with her medication Dr Jain jumped in and asked if they were to do with sex. Dr Jain is accused of inappropriate behaviour in consultations with four different women 'Dr Jain did make a comment in relation to the issue of childhood abuse, he said something along the lines of 'people can't remember that far back'. That comment upset Patient B. She observed some of Dr Jain's body language and considered that that body language would be off putting for vulnerable patients.' A third woman known as Patient C had sought counselling over a rape ordeal at the hands of her partner. Miss Johnson said: 'She described how the issue of sexual abuse was raised and she referred to being anally and vaginally raped but she recalls that Dr Jain then made a comment that it would be impossible to be anally raped without the use of lubrication. 'Patient C was shocked and felt that he was not believing her and she said: 'believe me I was raped'. Patient C described that Dr Jain did apologise to her although didn't appear sorry at the upset he had caused, she was visibly upset and began crying. 'She describes leaving the consultation in a daze and suffering flash backs of her previous abuse afterwards, her eating disorder got worse and her drinking increased and she made a complaint about Dr Jain. The GMC expert described the comment about the rape as grossly insensitive.' The fourth woman, a mother known as Patient D was also asked about her sex life, whether she had a boyfriend, whether she had sex with him, if she used contraception and where she went to answer calls of nature. Miss Johnson said: 'When she challenged this line of questioning, Dr Jain responded that people suffering from bipolar disorder can become sexually frustrated and therefore the questions were appropriate. 'Patient D responded by saying she was not like that and Dr Jain then went on to ask her what her mental state was like when she met the man she described that she saw on a regular basis. She described she didn't meet that man when she was feeling low because she wouldn't leave the house. 'Then Dr Jain suggested that she only seemed to see the man for sex and Patient D felt Dr Jain was twisting her words because although she said she had had a sexual relationship with him she had also gone to the cinema with him and done other activities. 'Dr Jain then suggested that if her behaviour continued he would have to admit her to hospital. Due to the discomfort and distress she told the reception she didn't wish to see Dr Jain again, she told her parents what happened. Patient D described having been made to feel threatened by the possibility of being admitted to hospital or having her children removed.' Jain later said he was 'shocked and disappointed' at the complaints and had not intended to cause any distress. He claimed there may have been 'some misunderstanding and a communication gap' and claimed he had an interest in 'sexual dysfunction.' A woman who had a giant tumour growing from her head has finally had it removed after suffering with it for 30 years. The patient surnamed Zhuang, 34, underwent a five-hour-long surgery in Guangzhou, China on July 6. Doctors expect Zhuang to make a full recovery and will have her stitches taken out in a week's time. A giant tumour: Zhuang said she had the growth from when she was a child Zhuang said she had the growth from when she was a child and only sought medical advice when the left side of the tumour started itching, reports dayoo.com. She said: 'It was the size of a mung bean but it increased in size as I got older.' Qian Dongxiang, a medic at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University said he believed Zhuang was suffering from angiomyolipomas. Angiomyolipomas are benign tumours comprising of muscle and fat elements. It's thought that the woman was able to survive so long with it because it is benign. Angiomyolipomas are benign tumours comprising of muscle and fat elements The operation was performed slowly over four to five hours and the tumour was successfully removed. Before removal, the tumour had a circumference of 89 centimeters (35 inches) causing Zhuang's head to be around 1.6 times larger than the average adult woman in China. According to doctors Zhuang is doing well and will be able to have her stitches removed in a week's time. The only thing described accurately in emails to Donald Trump Jr about meeting with a Russian lawyer is that they were organized by Emin Agalarov, the popstar's lawyer claims. Agalarov's attorney Scott Balber said that the 'vast majority' of what the popstar's publicist Rob Goldstone said in his emails to Trump Jr - including the fact that he had dirt on Hillary Clinton - was not true. 'The only thing that's true is that Emin asked that the meeting be arranged. The rest of it is not true,' New York lawyer Balber told RT on Wednesday. 'It's false.' Emin Algalarov and his father, Russian billionaire Aras Agalarov both have ties to President Donald Trump. Emin Agalarov's attorney Scott Balber said that the 'vast majority' of what the popstar's publicist Rob Goldstone said in his emails to Trump Jr was false. Emin is pictured above right with President Donald Trump, his father, Aras Agalarov and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo in Las Vegas in 2013 Trump Jr released emails on Tuesday in which he was told by Goldstone he could get 'very high level and sensitive information' that was 'part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump' 'I think the short answer is that the vast majority of what Rob Goldstone said in the email exchange with Donald Trump Jr is not accurate, and not the purpose of the meeting or understanding of what was transpired,' Balber said. Trump Jr released emails on Tuesday in which he was told by Goldstone he could get 'very high level and sensitive information' that was 'part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump'. In response, the 39-year-old - who runs the family real estate business - wrote back saying, 'if it's what you say I love it'. According to the emails dated from June 2016, Goldstone organized a meeting between Trump Jr and attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, who he promised would provide information on then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's 'dealings with Russia'. Balber suggested that Goldstone, a music publicist and promoter, was 'out of his element' when he arranged the meeting, and what he said was 'just not true' The information was supposedly obtained by Emin's father, Russian businessman Aras Agalarov from a 'crown prosecutor of Russia', despite Russia not having a 'crown prosecutor' - the equivalent title is prosecutor general. But Balber, who also used to have Trump as a client, said that this is simply not the case. Goldstone's emails describe Veselnitskaya as a 'Russian government attorney', but Balber said he believed something different. 'It is not true Natalia is a lawyer for the Russian confederation government,' he said. 'We understand that she is a private practitioner who represents private clients. It is not true.' 'Our understanding was that the purpose of the meeting was to talk about the campaign,' he added. 'Our understanding was only that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Magnitsky Act which is an issue that we understand Natalia has been pursuing and interested in for some time.' The Magnitsky Act is a law that allows the United States to seize assets from human rights abusers in Russia and bar them from entering the country. Balber suggested that Goldstone, a music publicist and promoter, was 'out of his element' when he arranged the meeting, and what he said was 'just not true'. Goldstone has also released a statement on the meeting, saying he was acting under the direction of Emin Algalarv. 'I was asked by my client in Moscow - Emin Agalarov - to help facilitate a meeting between a Russian attorney [Veselnitzkaya] and Donald Trump Jr,' he told ABC. Goldstone's emails describe Veselnitskaya as a 'Russian government attorney', but Balber said he understands that she is a 'private practitioner who represents private clients' Goldstone added: 'The lawyer had apparently stated she had some information regarding illegal campaign contributions to the [Democratic National Committee], which she believed Mr. Trump Jr. might find important. 'I reached out to Donald Trump Jr. and he agreed to squeeze us into a very tight meeting schedule.' Veselnitskaya denies ever having any damaging information about Clinton or anyone involved in her campaign. 'I have never had compromising materials on Hillary Clinton. I have never pronounced such a word,' she told ABC News. She said that she thinks Trump did not have a clear understanding of the information she had on the Magnitsky Act. 'I think he [Trump] misunderstood it, from the very beginning he was expecting it very much and when he did not get it,' she said to ABC. CNN on Wednesday released a video showing Trump having an animated conversation with billionaire Aras Agalarov and Rob Goldstone shot on June 15, 2013 on the eve of the Miss USA pageant. In the clip, Trump heaps praise on the Agalarov family, whom he describes as 'the most powerful people in all of Russia'. Russian real estate developer Aras Agalarov (center) stands with his son, singer Emin Agalarov, and publicist Rob Goldstone (right) during a news conference with Donald Trump (not in photo) following the 2013 Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas The Agalarovs father and son also retained a high-powered New York attorney Scott Balber, who previous clients include Donald Trump He also expresses hope that the Miss Universe pageant, which he brought to Russia that year under a deal with the Agalarovs, would help bilateral ties. 'It really is a great country. It's a very powerful country that we have a relationship with, but I would say not a great relationship, and I would say this can certainly help that relationship.' The elder Agalarov has distanced himself from the email scandal, telling Business FM: 'It is Emin who is acquainted with him [Trump jnr], I'm not. 'We held Miss Universe together and then there were these contacts. They are about the same age, so how do I know in which way they communicated? Well they did communicate about something, but I do not know (what).' He was asked by the host: 'Have you seen the letter itself, the correspondence that Junior Trump posted?' Aras replied: 'I think it's some kind of fiction. 'I do not know who is making this up. What does this have to do with Hillary Clinton? I don't know.' Then he distanced himself from Goldstone. 'I really do not know Rob Goldstone well. He worked with Emin for some time as a manager, probably, or promoted something in America, I do not know. In general, he worked. They communicated together.' The Agalarovs father and son also retained a high-powered New York attorney Scott Balber, who previous clients include Donald Trump. United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. MARVIN L. BENNETT, Defendant-Appellant. No. 16-3769 Decided: July 12, 2017 Before POSNER, KANNE, and HAMILTON, Circuit Judges. Marvin Bennett, the defendant and appellant in this case, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1). Ordinari-ly the maximum punishment for that crime is 120 months (10 years) in prison. See 18 U.S.C. 924(a)(2). But the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA, as it's usually called), 18 U.S.C. 924(e), ordains a minimum sentence of 180 months (15 years) in prison for persons who violate section 922(g)(1) after having accumulated three or more convictions for committing a violent felony. Bennett, the defendant-appellant in this case, pleaded guilty to having violated section 922(g)(1), and his plea agreement provided that he would be sentenced to 180 months. But before his sentencing hearing Bennett argued that one of his three previous convictionsthe conviction for violating an Indiana law that punishes resisting law enforcement, Ind. Code 35-44-3-3is not a crime of violence. (Section 35-44-3-3 has since been recodi-fied in largely the same form as section 35-44.1-3-1, but all references here are to the version of the statute in effect at the time of Bennett's offense.) The district judge disagreed and sentenced him to 180 months in prison, precipitating this appeal. Bennett's plea agreement waived his rights to appeal, but the government has agreed not to enforce the waiver. See Nunez v. United States, 546 F.3d 450, 452 (7th Cir. 2008). A violent felony, so far as pertains to this case, is a crime that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another. 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(2)(B)(i). Subsection (a) of the Indiana statute cited in the preceding paragraph provides that A person who knowingly or intentionally: (1) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a law enforcement officer or a person assisting the officer while the officer is lawfully engaged in the execution of the officer's duties; (2) forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with the au-thorized service or execution of a civil or criminal process or order of a court; or (3) flees from a law enforcement officer after the officer has, by visible or audible means, including oper-ation of the law enforcement officer's siren or emer-gency lights, identified himself or herself and ordered the person to stop; commits resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, except as provided in subsection (b). None of these offenses need involve a use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against anyone; none are felonies; violation of the statute is merely a misdemeanor. And so had Bennett violated only section 35-44-3-3(a), he would not be subject to the mandatory 180-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm who had accumulated three or more convictions of committing a violent felony. The district judge, however, emphasized subsection (b)of Ind. Code 35-44-3-3, where we read that: The offense under subsection (a) is a: (1) Class D felony if: (A) the offense is described in subsection (a)(3) and the person uses a vehicle to commit the offense; or (B) while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person draws or uses a deadly weapon, inflicts bodily injury on or otherwise causes bodily injury to another person, or operates a vehicle in a manner that creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person; (2) Class C felony if, while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person operates a vehicle in a manner that causes serious bodily injury to another person; (3) Class B felony if, while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person operates a vehicle in a manner that causes the death of another person; and (4) Class A felony if, while committing any offense described in subsection (a), the person operates a vehicle in a manner that causes the death of a law enforcement officer while the law enforcement officer is engaged in the officer's official duties. Bennett had been prosecuted for inflict[ing] bodily injury on or otherwise caus[ing] bodily injury to another personan offense defined in subsection (b)(1) of Ind. Code 35-44-3-3in the course of committing an offense (resisting arrest) described in subsection (a). That conduct, the judge concluded, made Bennett guilty of having committed a violent felony within the meaning of ACCA. But inflict[ing] bodily injury on or otherwise caus[ing] bodily injury to another person, as defined by the Indiana courts, need not connote violence. In Whaley v. State, 843 N.E.2d 1, 5, 1011 (Ind. App. 2006), the Court of Appeals of Indiana held that a suspect who had put his arms under-neath his body to prevent the deputies from handcuffing him had inflicted bodily injury on the deputies because the deputies had injured their hands by hitting the suspect's forearms to bring his arms behind his back to handcuff him. Suppose a person is handcuffed by a police officer, tugs in the hope of squeezing his hands through the cuffs, and acci-dentally causes the officer to trip and fall as a result of the tugs. The person's effort thereby to avoid arrest would be resisting law enforcement, but would not be considered violent or even threatening under 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(2)(B)(i). The government has failed in this case to prove a violent felony. It remains to consider the bearing of the distinction emphasized in recent cases, notably Mathis v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 2243 (2016), between a statute that creates multiple offenses by listing alternative elements of a crime and one that creates a single offense that can however be committed by different means. The government argues that subsection (b)(1)(B) of Ind. Code 35-44-3-3 creates three separate offenses. But even if that is true, the offense of which Bennett was convicted is not a violent felony, so the statutory maximum sentence for the crime to which he plead guilty is 120 months. The sentence to which he plead180 monthsexceeds the statutory maximum, which is a ground to vacate the plea. See United States v. Gibson, 356 F.3d 761 (7th Cir. 2004). The judgment of the district court is therefore re-versed, the plea vacated, and the case remanded to that court for further consideration. REVERSED, VACATED, AND REMANDED. POSNER, Circuit Judge. Up to two-thirds of the steel for the Navy's new fleet of warships will come from outside Britain, it has been revealed. Sweden is expected to provide the bulk of the material to build the Type 26 global combat ships, according to ministers. But unions have complained that the proportion of UK steel used is 'not enough'. A computer generated imaged of the new Type 26 warships that are about to start being built A 3.7billion contract was signed to build the first three ships earlier this month, and work is due to start BAE Systems' yards on the River Clyde in Glasgow this summer. The project is securing 1,700 jobs in Scotland and a further 1,700 in the supply chain across the UK. A total of eight ships are to be built in the fleet, with the contract for the second batch of five ships to be negotiated in the early 2020s. The total cost is expected to be around 8billion. Replying to written parliamentary questions from Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, defence minister Harriet Baldwin said: 'Around 4,000 tonnes of steel will be required to build each Type 26 frigate. 'Steel will be sourced principally from the UK and Sweden. For some grades of plate steel, the combination of thickness, size and flatness specifications needed for the Type 26 frigates mean that the steel cannot be sourced in its entirety in the UK.' In another answer she said 35 per cent of the steel would come from the UK. 'Responsibility for sourcing steel for the Type 26 Frigates rests with BAE Systems as the contractor,' Ms Baldwin said. 'In accordance with Government guidelines on the procurement of steel, the company has run a competition to select a supplier of steel for the programme, and an announcement is expected shortly. 'UK steel suppliers have been strongly encouraged to bid in line with the Government's Procurement Policy Notice concerning the procurement of steel for major Government projects. 'This pipeline is published on GOV.UK. The MOD will continue to carry out early market engagement and forecast our steel requirements for shipbuilding through the UK Government Steel Pipeline. 'We expect that around 35 per cent of the steel required to build each Type 26 frigate will be sourced from UK suppliers in Scotland and Scunthorpe; approximately 1,400 tonnes per ship.' Defence minister Harriet Baldwin revealed the breakdown of the steel to be used in a written answer to MPs But Community steelworkers' union boss Roy Rickhuss told the Mirror: 'British steel is some of the best in the world, and our Government should be using this project to help British steelworkers. 'It's not good enough for the Government to say we can't make the right sort of steel. If we had a proper industrial strategy, our steelworks would be equipped to meet the challenges. 'Steelworkers have made big sacrifices over the past few years; it's now time for the Government to bring forward a strategy for steel that supports our industry and our steel communities.' BAE told the newspaper: 'Following an open competitive bid process, Yorkshire-based Dent Steel UK has been selected to source steel for the first three ships. Approximately 50 per cent of the value of steel will be British, equating to around 35 per cent of the overall weight.' A father is fighting for his life after masked gunmen opened fire in his driveway in front of his horrified daughters. Rabie Daher, 34, was left bleeding profusely after he was shot four times outside his home in Peakhurst, Sydney, just after 8pm on Wednesday. Police say the gunmen lay in wait for hours before gunning down Mr Daher and pistol-shipping his friend. Rabie Daher, 34, was left bleeding profusely after he was shot four times outside his home Police treat a man after two men were gunned down by masked men in a driveway Mr Daher, 34, is well-known to authorities and police are investigating if the execution style shooting may be a related to a drug matter, 7 News reported. The father is in a stable condition with non life-threatening injuries, police said. Witnesses say they saw two masked men fleeing the scene after the attack, which is thought to be targeted. Neighbour Greta Harrison said Mr Daher's two daughters were screaming in horror as they waited for paramedics to arrive. 'His two daughters were singing out "daddy daddy" after it happened last night,' Ms Harrison said. His mother, who was inside the home during the attack, says one the gunmen threatened her when she ran outside. Mr Daher, 34, is well-known to authorities and police are investigating if the execution style shooting may be a related to a drug matter He said go inside, he wanted to shoot meI dont know whats happening, she said. Another man, 35, who was also attacked, was treated in hospital for minor injuries.. His two daughters were singing out daddy, daddy after it happened, Ms Harrison told the Daily Telegraph. Officers from St George Local Area Command attended and found the 34-year-old man in the driveway, with several gunshot wounds. Witnesses say they saw a pair of masked men fleeing the scene after the suspected targeted attack A crime scene was established which will be forensically examined by specialist police. Police have been told two masked men were last seen running towards Evans Street. Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Advertisement More than 1,000 polyamorous couples have descended on New Orleans for the world's largest swinging convention. The annual Naughty in N'awlins event, held in the world famous city in Louisiana, includes a massive Sexual Freedom Parade. The parade, which organizers claim is the biggest of its kind in the country, is aimed at raising awareness of polyamorous relationships, swinging lifestyles and 'archaic laws outlawing sex toys'. More than 1,000 polyamorous couples have descended on New Orleans for the world's largest swinging convention A woman holds up a sign saying 'monogomy isn't natural' during the Sexual Freedom Parade, part of Naughty in N'awlins event held in New Orleans The annual Naughty in N'awlins event, held in the world famous city in Louisiana, includes a massive Sexual Freedom Parade The parade, which organizers claim is the biggest of its kind in the country, is aimed at raising awareness of polyamorous relationships The massive parade, attended by more than 1,000 couples, also promotes swinging lifestyles and awareness of 'archaic laws outlawing sex toys Vibrant photos showed scantily clad swingers frolicking through the streets of New Orleans draped in colourful beads Attendees of the controversial parade are encouraged to design and bring their own signs to show their support Accompanied by a brass band and dance troupes, the route starts behind the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel and goes four blocks on Bourbon Street before returning to the hotel for a Sexual Freedom Party. Thousands of men and women 'take over' one of the French Quarter's biggest hotels where they attend workshops, seminars, parties, naked speed dating and - most importantly - nightly erotic balls. The week-long convention is also aimed at shining a spotlight on issues from sexual discrimination to custody issues. Vibrant photos showed scantily clad swingers strolling through the streets of New Orleans draped in colourful beads. The massive parade featuring some very elaborate parades is accompanied by a brass band and dance troupes The route starts behind the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel and goes four blocks on Bourbon Street before returning to the hotel for a Sexual Freedom Party More than 1,000 frisky couples attend the Naughty in Nawlins event and parade in New Orleans, USA every year A brass band atop a balcony play at the Sexual Freedom Parade in New Orleans A couple upon a float during the Sexual Freedom Parade which tries to shine a light on polyamorous relationships In one of the strangest scenes at an already bizarre event, a man in a bloodied rabbit mask poses on top of a parade float A proud parade-goer holds up a sign saying 'sex work is work' and 'freedom to celebrate sex' Thousands of men and women 'take over' one of the French Quarter's biggest hotels at the end of the parade, where attendees are encouraged to wear white During the week-long event, couples attend workshops, seminars, parties, naked speed dating and - most importantly - nightly erotic balls Jackie Melfi, 53, who has been swinging for five years, throws beads from a float during the Sexual Freedom Parade Two women on swings at the Sexual Freedom Parade, part of Naughty in N'awlins event held in New Orleans The week-long convention is also aimed at shining a spotlight on issues from sexual discrimination to custody issues Stickers (left) on a door in the hotel where Naughty in N'awlins is held include phrases including 'the love doctor is in', while a sign (right) promotes polyamorous relationships The lifestyle swinging awards are held at the Naughty in N'awlins held in New Orleans, Louisiana Alisha, a 26-year-old swinger from Texas who attended with husband, Robert, said: 'Robert and I have been swinging for over a year and it has definitely enhanced our relationship. 'Swinging is not just about having fun, it's about honestly communicating with your partner, meeting new people and making new friends. Naughty in N'awlins is one of our favourite events of the year.' Keira Harris, one of the 'marshals' for the event, said she wishes she could show affection for both of her partners in public. My husband's girlfriend would be able to get the same insurance benefits that I get,' said Harris, a volunteer director at the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. Alisha, a 26-year-old swinger from Texas, said she and her husband Robert had been swinging for over a year and 'it has definitely enhanced our relationship' 'Swinging is not just about having fun, it's about honestly communicating with your partner,' Alisha went on (other swinging couples pictured) John & Jackie Melfi, bloggers from OpenLove101.com, were granted the honor of 'marshaling' the event (another swinging couple, right) Though tickets for the New Orleans are no longer on sale, entry to the Los Angeles parade and event costs as muc as $699 a couple Holi, 32, and Michael Bell (left), 38, from California and stars of hit tv show 'Swingers,'enjoy a kiss at the Sexual Freedom Parade while Jackie Melfi stands on a balcony A swinging couple at Naughty in Nawlins held in New Orleans, Louisiana John & Jackie Melfi, bloggers from OpenLove101.com, were also granted the honor of 'marshaling' the event. Bob Hannaford, organizer of the annual Naughty in N'awlins convention, said it was an honor 'to have such a diverse and inspiring list of leaders' coming together to support the parade. Though tickets for the New Orleans are no longer on sale, entry to the Los Angeles parade and event costs as muc as $699 a couple. Jeremy Meeks cited 'irreconcilable differences' when he filed for legal separation from his wife of eight years. The 33-year-old criminal, who shot to notoriety as the world's hottest felon in 2014 when his mugshot went viral, filed paperwork asking to end his marriage to 38-year-old Melissa Meeks, in California, on Tuesday. His bold application comes days after she revealed plans to divorce him over photographs of him cavorting with Topshop heiress Chloe Green. The couple's legal separation documents say they will share custody of their children. Jeremy Meeks has filed for legal separation from his wife-of-eight years Melissa. The pair are pictured with their son and her son from a previous marriage The 33-year-old criminal, who shot to notoriety as the world's hottest felon in 2014 when his mugshot went viral, filed paperwork asking to end his marriage to 38-year-old Melissa Meeks, in California, on Tuesday He cited 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason behind the legal separation from his wife of eight years A legal separation is different from a divorce in a number of ways: The former couple can still claim some tax benefits and share healthcare. The former couple will still have to separate their assets. In documents filed on Tuesday, Meeks said that he has not yet 'determined the full nature and extent of his separate property assets and/or liabilities'. He added, however, that earnings and acquisitions made after the separation began would be considered separate property. Meeks had told his wife he was going to promote a night club when pictures of him passionately kissing 26-year-old Green on board a $145,000-a-week yacht in Bodrum, Turkey, emerged in the first week of July. Meeks was seen passionately kissing Topshop heiress on a luxury yacht in Turkey last month (left). His wife Melissa revealed plans to divorce him over the affair earlier this week but he has beaten her to the punch Chloe, the 26-year-old heiress to a clothing empire, shared this photograph after the scandal broke but hastily deleted it along with her entire social media account When Meeks returned from Europe last week, he received an icy reception from his wife outside their home in Stockton, California They were seen again days later, snuggling on a dock. The photographs took the world by storm and Green at first fed the controversy. The 33-year-old shot to notoriety in 2014 when his mugshot went viral She posted a photograph of the pair on Instagram, telling followers they were grateful for the 'love and hate' but hastily deleted her entire account. After being caught brazenly cheating on his wife last week, Meeks carried on his European sojourn. He traveled from Turkey to Germany where he posted photographs on social media before returning to California. Upon his return to the US, Jeremy was spotted sheepishly returning to his family home with McDonald's in one hand. Melissa, who met him on the front porch with a cigarette in one hand, showed him the door. She later told the Mail of her devastation, admitting that her husband had been seduced by the glamour of his newfound modelling career. She said he planned to divorce him but was worried about what to tell her two sons who idolized him. Meeks was unrepentant after the scandal. He carried on posting photographs from the trip and has done so from California since his return, sharing this snap with his son and Melissa's son (right) on July 4 Melissa, a nurse, said she felt left behind by her husband as he started enjoying his first taste of stardom Chloe, who is the daughter of Topshop billionaire Sir Phillip Green, hasn't allowed the scandal to interrupt her European vacation. She was last seen in St. Tropez, laughing as she made her way through the French town with a gaggle of glamorous friends. Meeks is a former member of the northern Californian gang The Crips. He has convictions for weapons possessions. In 2014, he shot to stardom when his flattering mugshot went viral. After serving less than a year in jail, he was snapped up by modeling agents eager to capitalize on his social media fame. Melissa, a nurse, claims she was left behind as he traveled the world. She did join him for one trip to London but he was turned away by British officials at the airport who refused him entry to the country because of his criminal past. A Czech beer created to prove that women can succeed without having to 'sacrifice their natural femininity' has attracted fury online. Aurosa, brewed in Rychvald in the Czech Republic, was 'designed for the ladies' by creator Martina Smirova. It comes in a pink box and is marketed by being shown amid roses and in the hands of fashionable young women. But after the firm brought its beer - which is described as containing both 'strength' and 'tenderness' as the 'contrasting tempers present in the female essence' - to West Hampstead in London yesterday, it was attacked by critics. Scroll down for video Pictured: Aurosa in a pink box in front of a cushion with the words 'WMN PWR' printed on it. Critics have taken to social media to blast the brand for suggesting women need their own gender-specific beer Pictured: Aurosa, which is brewed in Rychvald in the Czech Republic and was 'designed for the ladies' It comes in a purple-pink bottle and is marketed by being shown amid roses and in the hands of fashionable young women. Pictured: Aurosa in a woman's hand Pictured: A still from a video promoting Aurosa beer, designed by women and for women. It has sparked a furious reaction online after going on sale in London Video from Facebook/Aurosa Premium One, Spencer Pritchard, wrote: 'My beef with @Aurosa_Official isn't that it's trying to circumvent sexism within the beer industry, it's that it's aiding it by division. 'We need to educate & challenge the sexist few who balk at the thought of a women with a pint, not serve beer in flutes from tiny bottles.' Steve Robinson added: 'Can I just let you know that this is f****** stupid? for her?!? What's wrong with all the other beers? What's next - "Cake for him".' Another, Kerry Huband, added: 'Why??? Beer is for everyone, we don't need a pretty pink one. I'll just have a pint thanks' Twitter user Kerry Huband asked why it was necessary to have a pink bottle of beer for women This user thought the beer was created by a man. But Martina Smirova said: 'I was able to succeed in an industry that disregards women and in which it is very hard to start a business in, and many other women who chose to pursue their ambitions, no matter how impossible it all seemed, without sacrificing our nature' Jonny Tyson (pictured) stressed that the beer is unnecessary because women already consume plenty of non-gendered alcohol But Spencer Pritchard (pictured) believes the beer is 'aiding' sexism in the beer industry Jonny Tyson, meanwhile, wrote on Twitter: '@Aurosa_Official women already have a beer - it's called 'Beer' ~40% of craft beer drinkers in USA are women! #beerforher #patronising' Aurosa is described on its website as a 'popular and inherent part of lifestyle in major fashionable cities'. Pictured: Martina Smirova with a bottle of her Aurosa beer in West Hampstead, London The website added: 'Our beer is designed for the ladies, Aurosa #BEERFORHER was created to support, encourage and connect women in their every day life, all while signifying that their feminine nature does not have to be compromised.' Pictured right and left: Promotional shots of the beer, which is designed 'by women for women' Founder Martina Smirova explained that she created the beer 'as a reminder that women shouldn't forget that they can succeed in all aspects of life without having to adapt or sacrifice their natural tenderness and femininity'. She added: 'I was able to succeed in an industry that disregards women and in which it is very hard to start a business in, and many other women who chose to pursue their ambitions, no matter how impossible it all seemed, without sacrificing our nature.' Martina 'stands for all phenomenal women, she stands for all their successes and beautiful moments,' the website description goes on. 'She is here to remind them how important and exceptional they are. She is here to celebrate femininity in all its forms. Aurosa is a beer created by woman for women.' An Australian man who plunged 40 metres (100ft) to his death on Thai beach caused his own death by unbuckling his parasail harness, equipment operators told police. Roger John Hussey, 70, died when he fell into shallow water moments after taking off as his wife and dozens of others watched from the beach. Roongroj Rakcheep, who took Mr Hussey into the air on his tragic voyage, has been charged with recklessly causing death - but said it was not his fault and claimed Mr Hussey was 'nervous and panicked' and 'accidentally unbuckled the equipment'. Mr Hussey's Thai wife Boosabong Tongsanga dismissed the claim as his family paid tribute to a loving husband and father who died on Kata Beach in Phuket on Wednesday. Roger John Hussey (left) was killed in a horror parasailing incident on popular Kata Beach, in Phuket, on Wednesday. Within moments of being lifted up into the air, he plunged more than 400m (100ft) to his death in the shallows below (right) 'He told us that Mr Hussey was nervous and panicked, so he accidentally unbuckled the equipment,' Karon police Lieutenant Suwisit Srirak told local media. 'He added that he tried to tell Mr Hussey to stay calm, but it was too late.' Deputy Chief Inspector of Karon Police Station, Lieutenant Colonel Suwisit Keereerak, said Mr Roongroj told him Mr Hussey was holding both the clips correctly when he went up. The septuagenarian then took away both hands and put them in the air - appearing to wave to those below. But when he put his hands back on the equipment he may have have squeezed the clips, which released him. 'We are still investigating and will check the real cause again before proceeding,' Lieutenant Colonel Keereerak said. Mr Hussey's wife said she said she and her husband had watched people parasail for three days to make sure he could handle it. She denied the incident might have been suicide. 'My husband wanted to try it because it was a new experience for him. He was in good health and had no problems in his life that would have caused him to do this on purpose,' she said. Police said Mr Hussey (R) was holding both the clips correctly when he went up and then took away both hands and put them in the air - appearing to wave to those below In a series of Facebook posts, his children paid tribute to their father. 'You are engraved on my memory forever, R.I.P. Daddy,' his daughter Sonsuda Klongsombut wrote. Underneath was a photo of Mr Hussey, 70, hugging Sonsuda and her sister as they sat down to eat a meal in Thailand. His son Artee Dechatorn posted his own tribute online accompanied by photos of their whole family, promising to protect them. 'Ask My Daddy to sleep. Do not worry or worry. I promise to be strong It will protect and see the mother. Love sister best Daddy. Love u every day,' he wrote. 'You are engraved on my memory forever, R.I.P. Daddy,' his daughter Sonsuda Klongsombut wrote on Facebook Underneath was a photo of Mr Hussey, 70, hugging Sonsuda and another woman as they sat down to eat a meal in Thailand His son Artee Dechatorn posted his own tribute online accompanied by photos of their whole family, promising to protect them The entire horrifying incident was captured on video by Mr Hussey's wife, who was standing on the shore of the packed beach watching her husband, along with dozens of beachgoers The horrific footage shows Mr Hussey coming free from his harness before falling to the water below. As beachgoers watched on in shock, instructors from the parasailing company run into the water Mr Roongroj, 38, and boat driver Monthein Jandang, 45, insisted all the equipment was fully functional and in good condition. The pair said it was replaced every three months to ensure safety, and maintenance officers who examined it after the accident found nothing broken. However, the company confessed to operating the boat without the presence of a technician on board, which is illegal. The two staff who were charged were named as the parasilor Rungroj Rakscheep, 38, and Montien Chandeng, 45, the boat captain Police examined the equipment used in the accident as they investigated the incident Meanwhile, shocking new footage has emerged of parasail operators stand barefooted on tatty ropes at more than 80 metres in the air at the same beach. Taken in April at the same location and at about the same height, it showed how staff without any safety equipment dressed in shorts and t-shirts fly up on the rigging. They then haul themselves up to crouch and stand on the webbing, just inches from metal safety clips attached to a tourists harness as they prepare to steer the parasail during landing. Footage of Mr Hussey's death shows Mr Roongroj performing an identical stunt, flipping up onto the ropes moments before his passenger comes loose and falls. Mr Hussey was seen chatting to his instructors about the activity, with one telling him to 'start running' when the boat on the water takes off. But only 15 seconds after taking off, the Perth-based businessman can be seen losing his grip on the parasail with the instructor trying unsuccessfully to grab hold of him. His wife's video ends shortly after Mr Hussey hits the water, with beachgoers looking on in shock while instructors from the parasailing company run into the water. Although the parasailing company attempted to blame the Australian for the accident, expert were baffled by the safety equipment they used. Shocking new footage has emerged of parasail operators stand barefooted on tatty ropes at more than 80 metres in the air at the same beach Taken in April at the same location and at about the same height, it showed how staff without any safety equipment dressed in shorts and t-shirts fly up on the rigging Footage of Mr Hussey's death shows Mr Roongroj performing an identical stunt, flipping up onto the ropes moments before his passenger comes loose and falls The video showed parasail staff setting up the equipment and flying it The ropes used in the April clip were seen to be tatty and in poor repair Damien Ward, a veteran of close to a decade parasailing in South Australia and Darwin, said he was unsure why there were loose straps hanging down at the front of the safety harness. 'I just don't understand why there's this extra strap,' he told Daily Mail Australia, adding that the harness was banned in Australia. 'It's a completely different set up, we run a bum-strap or a soft swing which in Australia is mandatory. 'The actual bit that they're tightening around chest is to hold the weight of the line, if you're arms are up you'll fall straight out. 'Looking at his harness, whereas with those in Australia, if it should happen to slip down you'll end up hanging upside down.' The experienced businessman and his Thailand-born wife Ms Budsabong were reportedly just 12 days into their dream holiday. Mr Hussey was the founder and CEO of Century Holdings Ltd, a company that he claims was worth upwards of $250 million Emergency services rushed Mr Hussey to the nearby Patong Hospital but he was pronounced dead a short time later. According to Mr Ward, parasailing companies across Asia are often 'run by cowboys' and incidents such as Mr Hussey's death are unfortunately commonplace. 'I would never go parasailing there and I would never advise anyone to,' Mr Ward told Daily Mail Australia. 'For everyone in Australia, the industry has become redundant... because we get charged huge insurance because all these cowboys in Bali give it a bad name.' He has served as chairman of the TAB, on the board of fuel giant Shell and also on a number of not-for profit boards such as Princess Margaret Hospital Mr Hussey has had a decorated career in the business industry, as the 'CEO, director and chair of a range of Public, Government and NFP companies' Images from Mr Hussey's social media accounts show he was a regular visitor to Asia Mr Hussey had a decorated career in the business industry, as the 'CEO, director and chair of a range of Public, Government and NFP companies'. According to his social media accounts, Mr Hussey was educated at the prestigious Oxford University where he completed a Masters' degree in Economics and Politics. He later also studied at the renowned Stanford University in California, United States. After three years working in marketing for Shell, Mr Hussey entered the inner circle of Australia's first billionaire businessman Robert Holmes a Court in 1975, according to Perth Now. Mr Hussey studied with Mr Holmes a Court at university and was later hired into a finance and investment role at his former classmates' Bell Group Ltd. He left Bell in 1979 to start investment company Century Holdings Ltd, which he claims was worth upwards of $250 million. He is still listed as the founder and CEO. In 1993 he was appointed as chairman of Australia's biggest betting and gambling association, the TAB. Despite his growing success, former colleagues said Mr Hussey was quiet and wanted to build his career out of the public eye, according to Perth Now. Mr Hussey's last corporate role was with Parbury Henty, after which he retreated to Perth, claiming he wanted to spend more time at home. The 70-year-old maintained a low profile over the past 20 years and has served on the boards of including Princess Margaret Hospital, the Telethon Institute, The Perron Institute and Landgate. WA government group Landgate paid tribute to the businessman who has been a board member since 2012. 'Landgate has been made aware of the sudden death of its Deputy Chair, Roger Hussey, following a tragic accident in Thailand,' the company said in a statement. 'He served the West Australian community in many ways as a businessman, board member and advocate for a variety of community causes. 'Those who have worked closely with Roger are deeply saddened by this news... we will miss his deep thinking, willingness to challenge conventional views, and passion for growing our business.' Police said Mr Hussey had 'red marks on his body' from when he is believed to have hit the water. Mr Hussey's body was sent for a post-mortem examination to establish how he died as it is not known if he drowned or was killed from the impact. The shocking incident comes just months after another Australian tourist died on the same beach, while also taking part in water activities. Emily Jayne Collie was pulled unconscious from the water after crashing her jet-ski into one her boyfriend was riding in early February, again on Kata Beach. The 20-year-old was treated on the beach by lifeguards, before she was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. She died from severe injuries to her neck and shoulders. Her boyfriend Tommy Keating, who was left in tears after the incident, said sunlight reflecting off the water had led to the crash. The couple had been in a relationship for about two years and had gone to Thailand on a 'dream holiday', much like Mr Hussey and Ms Thongsangka. The shocking incident comes just months after another Australian tourist Emily Jayne Collie died on the same beach (pictured), while taking part in water activities with her boyfriend The boy was reportedly tied to a donkey as punishment for trespassing (Stock picture) A landowner has been accused of tying a young boy to a donkey, which dragged him to his death, as punishment for straying on his land. The young boy died from his injuries in the village of Lora in northern Pakistan. Mohammed Miskin, who was arrested over the death of the child, named Mudassir, denies killing him. Witnesses claim that after tying Mudassir to the animal, Miskin beat the donkey to make it run faster. The boy's father, Mohammad Zubair Khan, told the BBC: 'My son was ruthlessly murdered.' And he continued: 'When I arrived at the scene, the boy was already dead. There wasn't a single part of his body which wasn't bruised.' It has been alleged that the defendant made the donkey run for nearly an hour. Miskin was arrested on Wednesday. A man is accused of fatally shooting a service technician from the American Automobile Association after he became irate about the response time for service on his dead car battery. Jesus Esquivel, 63, from Miami, Florida, reportedly shot Magdiel Hernandez, 38, multiple times on Tuesday afternoon. Esquivel, a disabled Navy SEAL veteran, got into an argument over the phone with a service technician about the length of time it would take for him to get a new car battery for his 2003 Cadillac Escalade, the arrest report says. He threatened the driver, who then asked his bosses to have another driver sent to Esquivel's house. Jesus Esquivel, 63, (left) from Miami, Florida, reportedly shot Magdiel Hernandez, 38, (right) multiple times on Tuesday afternoon after he became irate about the response time for service on his dead car battery Video courtesy of WSVN The company dispatched Hernandez, who had worked for the organization for ten years, according to his family. When Hernandez arrived at the home south of Miami, Esquivel opened fire, hitting him several times in the torso, according to police. Hernandez's uncle Roberto Flavio said he was shot as many as seven times, the Miami Herald reported. Hernandez died at the scene. His body was found beside his AAA truck. Flavio told the Herald that Hernandez had a fiancee and was a religious man who went to church every week. His mother and grandmother live in Nicaragua. 'Its unbelievable, you know,' Flavio said. 'Hes a very good guy, good service-minded individual thats been working and doing this for years. I cant believe. Im in shock.' When Hernandez (pictured) arrived at the home south of Miami, Esquivel opened fire, hitting him several times in the torso Esquivel (pictured) requested to be taken to Baptist Hospital for medical attention and early Wednesday he was released into police custody. He was arrested on a second-degree murder charge and is being held without bond Police received a call about an argument and a shooting just after 3pm on Tuesday. 'We received a 911 call that two males were involved in a verbal altercation,' said Miami-Dade police Detective Argemis Colome. 'One man was shot several times and was announced deceased on the scene. The other individual involved in the altercation requested to be transported to a nearby hospital.' Esquivel requested to be taken to Baptist Hospital for medical attention and early Wednesday he was released into police custody. Colome said Esquivel did not cooperate with police at first and would not say how many times he shot Hernandez. After questioning, he eventually admitted to shooting the technician. Hernandez's uncle Roberto Flavio said Hernandez had a fiancee and was a religious man who went to church every week. His mother (with Hernandez right) and grandmother live in Nicaragua Hernandez died at the scene. His body was found beside his AAA truck (pictured) He is being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond on a second-degree murder charge. A lawyer isn't listed on jail records. Police conducted a search of his Esquivel's home after his arrest and the bomb squad found novelty grenades, according to WSVN. The outlet reported that Esquivel had shown threatening behavior before to other AAA employees. Flavio said: 'This man has to be a very disgruntled kind of guy to have done what he did.' AAA released a statement saying: 'We are profoundly saddened by this tragic incident that took place today. On behalf of all of us at AAA, our heartfelt condolences go out to the victims family and friends during this most difficult time.' A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family. A school has been criticised for asking pupils to take part in a fictional slave auction as part of a history lesson. Year 8 pupils at Rochester Grammar School in Kent were told to pretend they had 100 and 'consider what sort of slave your business will need' as part of the exercise. A worksheet, posted on social media by angry parents, shows 16 different lots, including 'two Felup slaves', 'two Krumen slaves' and 'five Yoruba boys'. A worksheet, posted on social media by angry parents, shows 16 different lots, including 'two Felup slaves', 'two Krumen slaves' and 'five Yoruba boys' The parents have dubbed the worksheet 'racism by the back door'. Posting the exercise on Facebook, Cheryl Phoenix said: 'I suppose they feel this is appropriate and there should be no offence taken to black students. Maybe we should "JUST GET OVER IT". 'It's a harmless maths question, with no historical or current feeling attached to any parties.' Shirley Palmer added: 'This is state of British education in 2017. We have been here before in the past. This type of material is not allowed in English schools. 'All parents must complain were ever they see it. This is from Rochester Grammar School. It's racism by the back door set to ensure that black children continue to fail in the education system. 'It is psychologically damaging and the teacher knows it. Be visually aware black parents.' The worksheet asked pupils to consider which combination would be most suitable for their business. But the school has defended the exercise, which they claim forms part of the Department for Education's history curriculum. A school spokesman told Kent Online: 'We categorically condemn slavery and racism of any kind, whether historic or present, and are extremely proud of our multi-cultural school, and the tolerant and inclusive atmosphere that we foster every day to ensure all our students are well-rounded young people. A Rochester Grammar School (above) spokesman said they 'categorically condemn slavery and racism of any kind' 'This worksheet is not used in maths but in the wider context of our history curriculum which follows the Historical Association's recommendations on teaching historical slavery, and is in line with the Department for Education's history curriculum which says students should be taught about the effects and eventual abolition of the slave trade. 'This means we absolutely teach students about the horrors of the slave trade, and the worksheet adapts primary sources of the time to illustrate the awful reality of slavery. We also include additional lessons on the horrors of the Middle Passage and life on plantations.' Two wealthy businessmen who intended to knock several homes together to create palatial houses have been refused permission at the High Court. Charles Noell hoped to knock four flats into one expansive home in Notting Hill, where houses sell for up to 10 million. Aref Lahham intended to knock together two 'cottages' each worth 4.5 million in the heart of Kensington. A senior judge has turned down both the City's big beasts appeals. Aref Lahham of Orion Capital, whose bid to build a huge home by knocking down the walls between two cottages has been turned down Charles Noell hoped to knock four flats into one expansive home in Notting Hill, where houses sell for 10million Government inspectors who gave consent for the projects had both made the same mathematical mistake, Judge Neil Cameron QC told the High Court. Mr Lahham pleaded that his plan to turn the two cottages into a single home would cause no harm to anyone. The loss of just one housing unit in the borough - which has 87,000 homes - was 'insignificant', he insisted. And Mr Noell said there was a pressing need for more 'good-sized family dwellings' in Kensington and Chelsea. Although there were lots of one and two-bedroom flats in the area, apartments with three or four were in short supply. Aref Lahham intended to knock together two 'cottages', shown above, each worth 4.5 million in the heart of Kensington But Judge Cameron said the inspectors had both blundered when calculating the future need for housing land in the borough. Vacant housing units returning to use in the future had been put on one side of the equation but omitted from the other. According to the judgement, the error arose when the inspector 'referred to additional 'headroom' of around 230 units, being the excess of housing land supply over the requirement arising due to vacant units returning to use. 'The error arose because vacant units returning to use were deducted from the land supply requirement but included in the supply.' Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, accepted that the inspectors had erred and did not defend the planning permissions. But Christopher Lockhart-Mummery QC, for both businessmen, argued the mistakes had made little or no difference to the outcome. Fighting to keep the planning permissions alive, he said the plans would cause no prejudice to the borough's housing policies. But Judge Cameron today overturned both permissions at the behest of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He said the errors made by the inspectors were 'material' and could have made a difference to the conclusions they reached. United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS POWER COOPERATIVE, Petitioner, v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY and SCOTT PRUITT, Administrator, Respondents. Nos. 16-3398 Decided: July 12, 2017 Before BAUER, RIPPLE, and SYKES, Circuit Judges. Southern Illinois Power Cooperative seeks review of a final rule of the Environmental Protection Agency designating Williamson County, Illinois, as a nonattainment area for national air quality standards for sulfur dioxide. The rule in question is not limited to Williamson County; it makes attainment designations for 61 geographic areas spanning 24 states. The EPA moves to dismiss or transfer the petition to the D.C. Circuit under the terms of the judicial-review provision of the Clean Air Act, which designates that circuit as the exclusive venue for review of nationally applicable agency actions. 42 U.S.C. 7607(b)(1). We agree that the challenged rule is nationally applicable and therefore transfer the petition to the D.C. Circuit. Our decision conflicts with Madison Gas & Electric Co. v. EPA, 4 F.3d 529 (7th Cir. 1993). But Madison Gas is inconsistent with the text of 7607(b)(1) and is therefore overruled. I. Background The Clean Air Act establishes a comprehensive program for controlling and improving the nation's air quality through both state and federal regulation. Sierra Club v. EPA, 774 F.3d 383, 386 (7th Cir. 2014). The Act directs the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which set the maximum permissible atmospheric concentrations for certain harmful air pollutants. Indiana v. EPA, 796 F.3d 803, 804 (7th Cir. 2015); see 42 U.S.C. 74087409; Sierra Club, 774 F.3d at 386. Within two years of revising or setting a new air quality standard, the EPA must evaluate compliance with the standard and classify geographic regions around the country as areas of attainment or nonattainment (or designate them as unclassifiable). 42 U.S.C. 7407(d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(B)(i); see ATK Launch Sys., Inc. v. EPA, 651 F.3d 1194, 1195 (10th Cir. 2011). In doing so the EPA solicits recommendations from the state regulators on how to designate areas within the state. If the EPA disagrees with a state's recommendation for any particular area, it notifies the state and allows an opportunity for public comment on its proposed modification. See 7407(d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(B)(ii); ATK Launch Sys., 651 F.3d at 1195. The EPA then promulgates a final rule listing and explaining the designations, 7407(d)(1)(B)(i), (d)(2), which in turn affects a state's obliga-tions in developing a state implementation plan to maintain or achieve air quality standards, see 42 U.S.C. 7410, 7471, 7502; ATK Launch Sys., 651 F.3d at 1195. In 2010 the EPA revised the national air quality standards for sulfur dioxide. See Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Dioxide, 75 Fed. Reg. 35,520 (June 22, 2010) (as codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 50, 53, and 58). The agency did not have sufficient information to complete the initial compliance designations within two years, so it took ad-vantage of a one-year extension allowed by statute. See 7407(d)(1)(B)(i). As the extended deadline approached, the EPA remained unable to complete a full list of attainment designations for the entire country, so it issued a rule containing a partial list covering 29 areas in 16 states. See Air Quality Designations for the 2010 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard (Round 1 Designations), 78 Fed. Reg. 47,191, 47,193 (Aug. 5, 2013) (as codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 81). The EPA explained in its Round 1 Designations that the remaining designations would be forthcoming in separate future actions. Id. The Sierra Club and the National Resources Defense Council sued the agency alleging that it had failed to carry out a nondiscretionary duty under the Clean Air Act. The parties ultimately negotiated a consent decree in which the EPA agreed to issue the remaining designations in multiple rounds by 2020. See Sierra Club v. McCarthy, No. 3:13-cv-3953-SI, Consent Decree (N.D. Cal. Mar. 2, 2015). After entering the consent decree, the EPA solicited up-dated recommendations from the states. Illinois promptly responded. As relevant here, state regulators recommended that the EPA designate Williamson County in southern Illinois as an attainment area. The EPA reviewed the proposed designations from the state regulators and in due course announced its intention to reject their recommendation for Williamson County and instead designate it as an area of nonattainment. The EPA attached a technical-support document explaining that the modeling method used by the state regulators was flawed. The EPA solicited public comments on the proposed designation. Southern Illinois Power Cooperative, which operates a large power plant in Williamson County, submitted public comments opposing the nonattainment designation. The Cooperative challenged the technical basis for the EPA's designation and submitted alternative modeling results showing that the area surrounding the power plant met the new air quality standard. The EPA reviewed the comments but was unmoved. In July 2016 the EPA promulgated a final rule listing and explaining its Round 2 Designations. See Air Quality Designations for the 2010 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Primary National Ambient Air Quality StandardRound 2, 81 Fed. Reg. 45,039 (July 12, 2016) (as codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 81). The rule contained attainment designations for 61 additional areas across 24 states, id. at 45,040, and included a nonattainment designation for Williamson County, id. at 45,047. The Cooperative filed a timely petition for review with this court under the judicial-review provision of the Clean Air Act, 7607(b)(1), and Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. The Cooperative simultaneously asked the EPA to reconsider its designation of Williamson County as an area of nonattainment. The EPA denied reconsidera-tion, and the Cooperative petitioned for review of that decision as well. We consolidated the two petitions. There is no need to distinguish between the two, so we'll refer to them as a single petition. The EPA moved to dismiss the petition for lack of juris-diction or improper venue under 7607(b)(1), which establishes venue rules for judicial review of EPA actions under the Clean Air Act. Alternatively, the agency moved to transfer the petition to the D.C. Circuit to be consolidated with six other petitions challenging the Round 2 Designations and a subsequent supplement to the rule. See Masias v. EPA, Nos. 16-1314, 16-1318, 16-1384, 16-1424, 17-1053 & 17-1055 (D.C. Cir.). The EPA reminded us that in 2013 we transferred to the D.C. Circuit a similar petition challenging the Round 1 Designations for sulfur dioxide. See Ameren- Energy Res. Generating Co. v. EPA, No. 13-2959 (7th Cir. Dec. 18, 2013) (granting, over the petitioner's objection, the EPA's motion to transfer); see also Treasure State Res. Indus. Ass'n v. EPA, 805 F.3d 300, 303 (D.C. Cir. 2015) (consolidating and denying on the merits the petitioners' challenges to Round 1 Designations); Dynegy Midwest Generation v. EPA, No. 05-1536 (7th Cir. May 26, 2005) (transferring to the D.C. Circuit, over the petitioner's objection, the challenge to the EPA's fine-particulate-matter designations). The Cooperative opposed the motion, relying heavily on our decision in Madison Gas. After reviewing the EPA's motion and the Cooperative's response, we noted a conflict between the approach we took in Madison Gas and the text of 7607(b)(1). We noted as well that Madison Gas has drawn criticism from other circuits. See, e.g., ATK Launch Sys., Inc. v. EPA, 651 F.3d 1194, 119899 (10th Cir. 2011); Texas Mun. Power Agency v. EPA, 89 F.3d 858, 86667 (D.C. Cir. 1996). Accordingly, we ordered full briefing on the proper interpretation of the Clean Air Act's venue provision and asked the parties to address whether Madison Gas was correctly decid-ed, and if not, whether it should be overruled. The briefs are now in, the motion has been orally argued, and the matter is ready for decision. II. Analysis The Clean Air Act assigns judicial review of EPA actions to either the D.C. Circuit or the appropriate regional circuit based on the nature of the agency action in question. The Act's venue provision separates reviewable agency actionstypically, final rulesinto three distinct categories and allocates venue accordingly (the statute is quite verbose, so we paraphrase here and quote only the key operative language): a petition for review of a nationally applicable final agency action may be filed only in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; a petition for review of a final agency action that is locally or regionally applicable may be filed only in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit; except that a petition for review of a locally or regionally applicable agency action must be filed in the D.C. Circuit if the agency action is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect and if in taking such action the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on such a determination. 7607(b)(1) (emphases added); see Texas v. EPA, 829 F.3d 405, 418 (5th Cir. 2016). Under the straightforward (if wordy) statutory text, venue depends entirely onand is fixed bythe nature of the agency's action; the scope of the petitioner's challenge has no role to play in determining venue. The D.C. Circuit is the exclusive venue for review of all nationally applicable final EPA actions under the Act. The regional circuits are the proper fora for review of locally or regionally applicable final EPA actions, subject to an exception: If the EPA Administrator issues a published finding that a locally or regionally applicable agency action has nationwide scope or effect, venue lies in the D.C. Circuit. This case clearly falls in the first basket. The Cooperative seeks review of the EPA's Round 2 Designations, a final rule of broad geographic scope containing air quality attainment designations covering 61 geographic areas across 24 statesfrom New York to Hawaiiand promulgated pursuant to a common, nationwide analytical method. A rule with these characteristics is nationally applicable within the meaning of 7607(b)(1), so venue lies exclusively in the D.C. Circuit. See ATK Launch Sys., 651 F.3d at 1197 (holding that a similar air quality designation rule with wide geographic reach, promulgated pursuant to a uniform process and standard across the country, is nationally applicable under 7607(b)(1) and review lies in the D.C. Circuit). The Cooperative insists that the Round 2 Designations are just an amalgamation of many different locally or regionally applicable agency actions and notes that its petition challenges only one: the EPA's designation of Williamson County as a nonattainment area. That's not an accurate description of the petition, which is just a one-paragraph pleading seeking review of the rule and attaching a copy. There are no details in the petition about the scope or nature of the Cooperative's challenge; that information has come to the fore in the briefing on the EPA's motion. More im-portantly, the Cooperative's petition-focused approach to the venue question cannot be squared with the plain language of 7607(b)(1), which assigns judicial review to the D.C. Circuit or the regional circuits based on the nature of the agency action in question, not the nature or scope of the petition for review. Id. at 1199 (The nature of the regulation, not the challenge, controls the venue determination under 7607(b)(1).). Because the Round 2 rule is, on its face, nationally applicable, venue lies in the D.C. Circuit. The Cooperative's argument to the contrary rests largely on our decision in Madison Gas. There we held that a petition challenging an element of a national program based on an entirely local factor could be brought in the regional circuit court. 4 F.3d at 53031. Madison Gas, a Wisconsin electrical utility, sought review of a final EPA rule that allocated tradable pollution allowances to electrical generating facilities across the country. Id. at 530. This national system, designed to curb acid rain, was based on each facility's generating capacity, and Madison Gas contested the EPA's calculation of the generating capacity at three of its Wisconsin plants. Id. The EPA moved to dismiss for improper venue, arguing that because the rule in question was clearly nationally applicableit allocated pollution allowances nationwidethe D.C. Circuit was the exclusive venue for judicial review. Id. We rejected the EPA's argument, reasoning that [i]f Madison were challenging a national feature of the acid-rain program, such as the tradability of emission allowances, it would be plain that its challenge could be brought only in the D.C. Circuit, even if the impact of the program varied greatly across the country. Id. And [i]t would be equally clear that the challenge could be brought only in a regional circuit if the challenge were to a state implementation plan or some other regulation avowedly local or regional rather than national in its scope. Id. The utility's petition, we said, was the intermediate case: Madison is challenging an element of a national programfor the program involves allocat-ing allowances to all the electrical generating plants in the nation, and all the allocations are listed in a single table in the regulationsbut the challenge is based upon an entirely local factor (Madison's generating capacity) and if successful will have no impact on the overall program except insofar as the award of additional allowances might pierce the national ceiling. It is only the latter factor that makes the EPA's motion to dismiss colorable, but we think it too speculative to warrant forcing the case to the D.C. Circuit. Id. at 53031. It should be clear from our earlier discussion of the language of 7607(b)(1) that this intermediate case approach has no foundation in the statute. Indeed, the analytical method adopted in Madison Gas stands in direct conflict with the actual text of the venue provision, which (to repeat) focuses entirely on the nature of the agency action in question (is the action nationally applicable or locally or regionally applicable?) and omits any reference to the scope or nature of the petitioner's challenge. A petition-centric method for determining venuelike that announced in Madison Gasis flatly inconsistent with the actual terms of 7607(b)(1). The Tenth Circuit noted this flaw in our reasoning in ATK Launch Systems. There the petitioners sought review of a final rule thatmuch like the rule at issue in this caselisted attainment and nonattainment designations for the EPA's air quality standards (in that case it was the agency's 2009 standards for fine particulate matter). 651 F.3d at 1195. Though the petitioners contested the nonattainment designations of just two counties in Utah, id., the rule in question enumerate[ed] designations for areas across the country, id. at 1196. The EPA moved to dismiss or transfer the petition, arguing that the rule was nationally applicable and the D.C. Circuit was the exclusive forum for judicial review. Id. at 1195. The Tenth Circuit agreed and transferred the petition, explaining that [t]he language of [the venue] provision makes clear that this court must analyze whether the regulation itself is nationally applicable, not whether the effects complained of or the petitioner's challenge to that regulation is nationally applicable. Id. at 1197. The court reasoned: That the regulation reaches geographic areas from coast to coast and beyond is, at a minimum, a strong indicator that the regulation is nationally applicable. Id. The court noted another key indicator of national applicability: The EPA had applied a uniform process and standard across the country in promulgating the nationwide rule. Id. The Tenth Circuit went on to consider and reject the intermediate case approach announced in Madison Gas: To the extent that Madison Gas suggests that the manner in which a petitioner frames his challenge to a regulation may alter the court in which the suit belongs, that suggestion is inconsistent with the language of the Act's judicial review provision. The provision assigns to the D.C. Circuit all challenges to nationally applicable regulations, not, for instance, all national challenges or all challenges that will have national effect. See 42 U.S.C. 7607(b)(1). The nature of the regulation, not the challenge, controls. Id. at 1199. In a similar vein, the D.C. Circuit has remarked that the distinction drawn in Madison Gas is rather elusive in practice. Texas Mun. Power, 89 F.3d at 867. Because the procedural posture of Texas Municipal Power did not require the D.C. Circuit to decide whether to accept or reject the approach we took in Madison Gas, the court considered the matter no further. We might be able to avoid a collision with Madison Gas if this case could be meaningfully distinguished. It cannot be. Both Madison Gas and this case involve EPA rules of national applicability that explain and list in table format the agency's determinations about areas and entities across the country: here, the sulfur-dioxide attainment designations for 61 geographic areas in 24 states; in Madison Gas, the allocation of acid-rain allowances to utilities in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Madison Gas, 4 F.3d at 530; see Acid Rain Allowance Allocations and Reserves, 58 Fed. Reg. 15,634, 15,65115,704 (Mar. 23, 1993) (as codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 72, 73, and 75). The two cases are materially the same. If we apply the petition-centric approach of Madison Gas, the case may remain in this circuit; if we apply 7607(b)(1) as written, the case must be shipped off to the D.C. Circuit. So a confrontation with Madison Gas cannot be avoided. We now conclude that the approach announced in that case cannot be reconciled with the plain text of 7607(b)(1). By its terms, the statute allocates venue to the D.C. Circuit or the regional circuits based solely on the nature of the agency action in question. If the challenged rule is nationally applicable, the D.C. Circuit is the exclusive forum for judicial review. If the challenged rule is locally or regionally applicable, venue lies in the appropriate regional circuit unless the EPA Administrator has published a finding that the rule is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect, in which case venue lies in the D.C. Circuit. The text of the statute leaves no room for an intermediate case; there is no explicit or implicit exception for challenges to nationally applicable rules based on local or regional factors or effects. It's worth noting that the Cooperative does not defend the reasoning in Madison Gas, relying instead on the principle that stare decisis carries special force in the domain of statutory interpretation. John R. Sand & Gravel Co. v. United States, 552 U.S. 130, 139 (2008). That's an accurate statement of the doctrine, but the principle is not without limits. As we have shown, Madison Gas directly contradicts the venue statute's plain text; the petition-centered approach adopted in that case allows review of a single, nationally applicable EPA rule in both the D.C. Circuit and the regional circuits (based on local factors or effects). Under that approach, 12 circuit courts could rule on issues arising from a single, national EPA rule, utterly defeating the statute's obvious aim of centralizing judicial review of national rules in the D.C. Circuit. Madison Gas also introduces needless uncertainty into the determination of venue, where the need for clear rules is especially acute. A petition for review of an EPA action is not normally accompanied by a statement of the basis for the petitioner's challenge. As we've noted, the Cooperative's petition did not contain such a statement; it was a bare-bones, one-page pleading simply citing the EPA rule, attaching a copy, and asking for judicial review. If, as Madison Gas implicitly holds, the nature and scope of the petitioner's challenge dictates the proper forum for judicial review, then resolving venue questions will require close examination of the specific grounds of each challenge, spawning extensive venue litigation (as this case shows). The ultimate outcome in Madison Gas demonstrates the substantive risks of this approach to venue. Despite our initial conclusion in Madison Gas that the petitioner's challenge was based on an entirely local factor, our final decision on the merits had much broader implications. Indeed, at the merits phase, we rejected the EPA's interpretation of the statute and vacated the allocation of pollution allowances to the petitioner's facilities. See Madison Gas & Elec. Co. v. EPA (Madison Gas II), 25 F.3d 526, 52930 (7th Cir. 1994). In so doing, we called into question the EPA's interpretation of the statute as it applied to other facilities around the country. We acknowledged that our decision may require taking away some other utility's allowances if, as a consequence of our decision, the national ceiling for allowances were pierced. Id. at 528. The EPA tells us that because of our decision in Madison Gas II, the agency did in fact revise the allowances for other facilities across the country to avoid exceeding the national cap. The principle of stare decisis does not require us to refuse to correct our own mistakes. Regrettably, Madison Gas was mistaken. And here, the structural significance of the Clean Air Act's venue provision makes the case for overruling especially strong. Overlapping, piecemeal, multicircuit review of a single, nationally applicable EPA rule is poten-tially destabilizing to the coherent and consistent interpretation and application of the Clean Air Act. Madison Gas is overruled. Our decision today does not disturb deeply established precedent; we've cited Madison Gas in just one published opinion. See New York v. EPA, 133 F.3d 987, 990 (7th Cir. 1998). In that case, three northeastern states filed a petition for review challenging an EPA action exempting several Great Lakes states from nitrogen-oxide emission regulations. Id. at 989. We concluded that review was proper in this court because the exemption in question is limited to a cluster of states; it thus is regional in a literal sense. Id. at 990 (citing Madison Gas, 4 F.3d 529). The citation to Madison Gas is a bit mysterious; our decision in New York did not follow the petition-focused method adopted in that case. Quite the contrary: We said that [d]etermining whether an action by the EPA is regional or local on the one hand or national on the other should depend on the location of the persons or enterprises that the action regulates rather than on where the effects of the action are felt. Id. This mode of analysis keeps the focus on the nature of the agency's action, not the scope of the petition, and thus is fully consistent with the text of 7607(b)(1). Because the Cooperative seeks review of a nationally applicable EPA rule, this petition belongs in the D.C. Circuit. PETITION TRANSFERRED. FOOTNOTES . This opinion has been circulated to all judges in active service. No judge wished to hear the case en banc. See 7TH CIR. R. 40(e). . The EPA takes no position on whether 7607(b)(1) is jurisdictional or simply dictates venue. We have already answered that question: [T]he venue and filing provisions of 7607(b) are not jurisdictional. Clean Water Action Council of Ne. Wis., Inc. v. EPA, 765 F.3d 749, 751 (7th Cir. 2014). Nonetheless, the venue provision is a binding rule and the EPA invokes its benefit, so we treat it as mandatory. See id. at 753; see also Eberhart v. United States, 546 U.S. 12, 19 (2005) (explaining that claim-processing rules assure relief to a party properly raising them). . The EPA explained that it also intends to move to transfer to the D.C. Circuit two other petitions currently before the Fifth Circuit that challenge the supplement. SYKES, Circuit Judge. A man has been found guilty of assault after throwing a beer bottle at a Muslim woman who wished her happy holidays instead of a Merry Christmas. Adam David Peters, from Perth, called 34-year-old Huyla Kandemir a 'f***ing Muslim c***' during the altercation outside a shopping centre in Beeliar, south of the city. Peters, also 34, had been drinking outside a Coles supermarket when he wished Ms Kandemir a Merry Christmas, to which she responded, 'no, happy holidays'. Adam David Peters, from Perth, has been found guilty of assault after throwing a beer bottle at a Muslim woman who wished her happy holidays instead of a Merry Christmas Peters called 34-year-old Huyla Kandemir a 'f***ing Muslim c***' during the altercation outside a shopping centre Peters then unleashed the verbal attack on Ms Kandemir, who reacted by swinging her shopping bag at him, according to the ABC. He then threw a beer bottle at Ms Kandemir and threatened: 'The next time I see you, I'll kill you. You're dead,' according to Seven News. During the trial, Ms Kandemir reportedly described her attacker as 'bogan white trash.' Outside court, the child care worker said she didn't deserve the abuse. Peters threw this beer bottle at Ms Kandemir and threatened: 'The next time I see you, I'll kill you. You're dead' During the trial, Ms Kandemir (pictured last year) reportedly described her attacker as 'bogan white trash.' 'Why attack me for being a Muslim? What have I done to you? I was shopping, walking to my car. What did I do to you to deserve that?' she said, the ABC reported. Peters denied yelling the abuse at Ms Kandemir and said he was provoked, but a magistrate, who described his behaviour as 'disgraceful', found him guilty. He was fined $2,400 and avoided media as he left court. The Government today announced a crackdown on noise from night flights at London's airports as they try to alleviate fears over the expansion of Heathrow. Plans to build a third runway at the west London airport have been met with fierce opposition from locals who say they have to endure deafening noise from the constant stream of flights. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said a series of new restrictions will be introduced to tackle noise pollution at the busy airports. Planes will be banned from landing or setting off from an expanded Heathrow from 11.30pm until 6am, he said. A plane nears its landing at Heathrow airport. The government today announced a series of restrictions on night time flights after locals said plans to expand the west London airport would make their lives unbearable because of the noise pollution Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted will all have to abide by new, lower noise limits, while residents will be given a five year guarantee about the amount of noise they will have to endure. He also said ministers are considering new laws to force the aviation industry to invest in new, quieter planes. Announcing the changes in a written ministerial statement today, Mr Grayling said: 'This decision strikes a balance between managing the impacts on local communities by locking in the benefits offered by recent technological developments, with the economic benefits of night flights.' HEATHROW AIRPORT EXPANSION TIMELINE December 2003: Labour government publishes plans for a third runway at Heathrow, but warns that strict limits on noise and air quality must be met. August 2007: protesters set up camp near Heathrow and clash with police. September 2008: The Tory opposition pledge to scrap the expansion. January 2009: The Labour government approves a third runway. Then mayor of London Boris Johnson denounces the decision and proposes Boris island airport plan instead. May 2010 The newly elected Coalition government scraps plans for a third runway. September 2014: The 'Boris Island' Thames Estuary airport plan is officially rejected by the Airports Commission. July 2015: Long-awaited report by the Airports Commission recommends a new runway be built at Heathrow. October 2016 The government finally announces a new runway at Heathrow. Advertisement He said the government is taking opposition to Heathrow's expansion 'very seriously' Mr Grayling said: 'Strong international links are critical to the future prosperity of our country, with a world-class hub airport and thriving aviation sector central to this. 'We are committed to realising the economic and social benefits aviation has to offer, while taking seriously the need to balance this with managing the local and environmental impacts of aviation. He also confirmed that he expected a parliamentary vote on a new runway at Heathrow in the first half of next year. John Stewart, chairman of anti-Heathrow expansion group Hacan, said: 'Today's announcement on night flights shows Government recognises the importance of night flights to residents, but it is proposing little more than business as usual.' Theresa May is facing stiff opposition to from within her own party to plans to build a third runway at Heathrow. Boris Johnson has defied his leader to launch an attack on the plan - describing it as not the 'right solution'. And the plan, which was finally approved last October, has already caused trouble within the Tory Party after Zac Goldsmith sensationally quit as a Conservative MP over the issue. The former London mayor candidate lost his Richmond Park seat to the Lib Dem Sarah Olney in the by-election that followed. Although he snatched his seat back in the snap election on June 8. A feared British ISIS fighter known as 'the sniper of the caliphate' has been killed in Iraq, according to local reports. Abu Moussa al-Muhajer died while patrolling a highway near the town of Tal Afar after being shot by unknown gunmen, according to Iraqi News which cited an anonymous source who spoke to Al Sumeria. He was attacked alongside an Australian militant who was wounded, but not named. Abu Moussa al-Muhajer, a British ISIS fighter known as the 'sniper of the caliphate', has been killed in Tal Afar, according to local media (pictured, Iraqi forces on the road to the city) 'Abu Moussa al-Muhajer gained his fame from his sharp remote sniping skills, which earned him the "sniper of the caliphate" title,' the source said. The source added that there were between 20 and 30 British nationals fighting for the Islamic State in Tal Afar, some of whom fill senior ranks within the group. Tal Afar is located around 50 miles from Mosul, which was declared officially liberated from ISIS control earlier this week. Government forces have already surrounded the town, which is one of the last areas of ISIS control in Iraq and has been ruled by the group since 2014. Tal Afar, 50 miles from Mosul, is one of ISIS's last areas of control in Iraq and has already been surrounded by government troops (file image) Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of US forces in Iraq, said Tal Afar will be the coalition's next target once Mosul is fully secure. Coalition forces will then move against ISIS in Hawija, in Kirkuk province north of Baghdad, and in areas of western Anbar province, Townsend told Military.com. 'How long it takes, I wouldn't guess. We'll be at it 'til it's done,' he said. The ever-changing set of 'Good Morning America' got a redesigned anchor desk a few weeks back, with two wide panels added to the front side of the set piece. That addition resulted in viewers no longer being able to see the legs of the ABC morning show's hosts, which was exactly the point according to one source. An insider tells Page Six that the panels were added so that George Stephanopoulos' legs would be less prominent, adding that as the shortest of the three main hosts he looked 'awkward' at times. 'He's 5ft 7in and is dwarfed by human trees Robin Roberts (5ft-10) and Michael Strahan (6ft-5),' said the insider. 'GMA initially thought using an anchor desk with elevated chairs would help the problem. Still awkward, George's little-boyish mini-legs were seen dangling.' Sleek new look: The anchor desk used on the set of Good Morning America was redesigned last month to include two wide panels across the front (desk above on Thursday with Amy Robach, George Stephanopoulos and Sara Haines ) Allegation: An insider claims the redesign was for George Stephanopoulos in order to cover up his 'dangling' legs while sitting on his stool (l to r: Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts, Stephanopoulos and Lara Spencer in March) Not hiding: Despite that claim, Stephanopoulos' legs are still clearly visible in two of the five anchor set-ups used on the morning show (above with Megyn Kelly last November) There are currently five different set-ups that are done on the show though, and two of those continue to show the hosts' legs while three do not. In addition to this new set-up, the main anchor desk that is featured at the top of the show and the desk used for the big board segment both keep the hosts' legs hidden away. The hosts' legs are visible however in the set-up where they all sit in elevated folding chairs behind no desk, and the one-on-one interviews which occur early in the program with politicians and other newsmakers. Stephanopoulos conducts many of those interviews, sitting at a two-top table in the studio on an elevated stool with his legs and feet out for all to see on the TV. Stephanopoulos' height falls square in the middle of the show's five main hosts, as he is shorter than both Strahan and Roberts, but taller than Lara Spencer and Amy Robach. He is also the exact same height as his wife, writer, actress and comedian Ali Wentworth. Stephanopoulos has laughed off these claims in the past, including a report back in 2010 that claimed he had to be given a booster seat so as to appear the same height as Roberts in his anchor chair. 'I would have been happy with phone books, but Im glad they found a solution,' said Stephanopoulos to Pop Eater when asked about the report. Not daunted: Despite the report, Stephanopoulos happily greeted former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal on set Thursday (above) Options: There are currently five different set-ups that are done on the show (the main anchor desk seen in the ground floor studio above) Covered: The anchor desk used during the Big Board segment also keeps the hosts' legs covered Evening out: Stephanopoulos is the same height as his wife Ali Wentworth (pair above) Stephanopoulos, 56, shot up the ranks in the Bill Clinton administration after helping the Arkansas governor on the campaign trail when he first ran for president. He started off as the White House Director of Communications and soon became a senior adviser to the president. Stephanopoulos exited the White House after Clinton's first term and got a job as a political analyst at ABC News, shooting up the ranks there as well until in 2009 he took over for Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. He has remained there ever since, while also hosting This Week and serving as the network's chief anchor. Stephanopoulos meanwhile seemed unfazed by the insider's claim on Thursday, welcoming the very tall Shaquille O'Neal with a hug when he appeared on set. A German man is in custody, after federal officials say he flew to the U.S. to have sadomasochistic sex with an underage girl. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday that Meinard Kopp, 55, was arrested shortly after flying into Orlando, Florida on June 16. He was arrested as part of an undercover sting operation to catch pedophiles. Kopp had been corresponding with a man online who he thought was going to let him rape and torture his 13-year-old daughter. But the man turned out to be an undercover agent. Meinard Kopp, 55, was arrested after flying to Orlando, Florida on June 16. Federal officials say he flew to the U.S. to have sadomasochistic sex with a 13-year-old girl The German man, who lives in Switzerland, told the undercover cop that he wanted to treat the girl like a dog and cause her pain because beating children is 'fun,' 'fantastic,' and better than sex. He even brought weights, clamps, rope, tape, a bottle brush and a flashlight in his suitcase to use in the violent sex acts. He told the man that he had sexually abused children in the past, including an 11-year-old girl who he beat with the help of her father, according to a federal indictment. Kopp arrived at the Orlando airport on June 16, where he met the man he had been speaking to online. That man then drove him into Brevard County, where a police officer pulled them over and took Kopp into custody. Kopp reportedly confessed to the messages he had sent the undercover cop and also said he had downloaded child pornography. He was charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sex, traveling to the U.S. to engage in illicit sex and transportation of child pornography. He faces up to life in prison if he is convicted on the charges. The investigation into cop, which started in April, was part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. A young Domino's worker has described the terrifying moment a hungry customer pointed a gun in his face because he did not get a discount on his pizza. Isaac Ramsay, 27, was working a shift at Domino's in Smithfield, in north Queensland, on October 21, 2015 when Philip Raymond Willich, 53, ordered a pizza. But when Willich was unable to get a discount on the phone, he went to the store confront to Mr Ramsay. Scroll down for video Where's my discount?: When Willich was unable to get a discount on the phone, he went to the store confront to Mr Ramsay With a pizza in one hand and a gun in the other Willich forces the young worker to his knees 'I don't think you know who you're messing with, it's not a good idea to mess with me I'm a bit of a bada**,' Willich said to Mr Ramsay. Mr Ramsay told A Current Affair 'he [Willich] stuck it to my head and said "say sorry give me an apology"'. 'I said "I'm sorry" you know, the hands went up, and he said "I want you to mean it",' Mr Ramsay said. There were people around, even a little boy from a nearby shop who stuck his head in the corridor to see what was going on. It was at the point Mr Ramsay said Willich put the gun away and calmly walked off, but not before offering a final warning. Isaac Ramsay, 27, (pictured) was working a shift at Domino's in Smithfield, in north Queensland, on October 21, 2015 when Philip Raymond Willich, 53, ordered a pizza Philip Raymond Willich, 53, (pictured) ordered pizza from Domino's in Smithfield, Queensland on October 21, 2015 'He said "you lucky little s***",' Mr Ramsay told the program. Willich had wanted an apology, Police Prosecutor Senior Sergeant Lisa Buchanan said. He asked Mr Ramsay to step outside to talk before pulling a shortened firearm out. The chilling CCTV footage was shown on Wednesday in Cairns Magistrates Court. It shows the men in a public corridor near the store. When Willich did not get an apology he pulled out the weapon, which had been hidden under his clothes, and pointed it at Mr Ramsay's head. With a pizza in one hand and a gun in the other Willich forces the young worker to his knees, before putting the weapon back in his pants and walking off with his takeaway. There were people around, even a little boy from a nearby shop who stuck his head in the corridor to see what was going on The shocking incident occurred at Domino's on October 21, 2015 Mr Ramsay was 'begging for his life,' Senior Sergeant Lisa Buchanan said. 'It is the most serious common assault I have seen to obtain an apology for not getting a discount on a takeaway pizza,' she said. There were no bullets in the firearms, but Mr Ramsay was not aware of that. Willich pleaded guilty to common assault, deprivation of liberty and possessing a shortened firearm in a public place. He was jailed for three years with a parole release date after 12 months. A pair of married school superintendents who have six children between them have been arrested on child sex abuse charges. Heather and Patrick O'Donnell from Bellefontaine, Ohio, were both taken in to custody on Tuesday. Patrick, 52, was indicted on 14 charges including raping a child under the age of 13, gross sexual imposition and sexual battery. His 44-year-old wife is charged with child endangerment. Heather O'Donnell, 44, is charged with child endangerment and her 52-year-old husband Patrick is charged with rape. Police say he repeatedly sexually abused a 10-year-old girl from 2013 and 2016 and that his wife did not report it despite being aware of it Police say Patrick, the superintendent for Lake Local Schools, raped the girl three times over a period of three years starting when she was just 10. The child allegedly confided in his wife but she did not report him. According to an arrest report, the girl said she told the man's wife he had touched her inappropriately in her 'private parts'. 'She reported that it happened several times between 2013 and 2016,' Washington Township Police Chief Rick Core wrote in his report. Heather and Patrick are both school superintendents in Ohio Heather is said to have confronted her husband about it but he downplayed the abuse, claiming they were innocent and happened while he was wrestling with the girl. The girl was not a student in his district at the time. Police have not revealed her relationship to the man. Heather O'Donnell is a superintendent at Midwest Regional Educational Service Center. After their arrest on Tuesday, Lake Local Schools confirmed Patrick had been placed on unpaid administrative leave. It is not yet clear if his wife has received the same discipline. Heather has four children from a previous marriage. Patrick has two daughters. Washington Township Police Chief Core told The Springfield News-Sun he was not aware of any other potential victims. Former prime minister John Howard has urged Australians to trust Donald Trump, despite admitting his style of presidency was 'provocative' and 'unusual'. Mr Howard, who served as Australia's prime minister from 1996 to 2007, said Australia should give the US president a chance. 'The style of President Trump is unusual... I accept that some of his style is provocative, but in the end it's what he does that matters,' Mr Howard said at a University of Sydney event on Thursday. 'The style of President Trump is unusual...I accept that some of his style is provocative, but in the end it's what he does that matters,' Mr Howard said at a University of Sydney event on Thursday Mr Howard also addressed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's claim the Liberal party was not a conservative one. Earlier this week Mr Turnbull said the Liberal Party was not conservative but 'the sensible centre' at an event in London. Mr Howard insisted the party was made up of both classical liberal and conservative traditions. 'Let me say to people in this country who regard themselves as conservative, you are always welcome in the Liberal party,' he said. 'The Liberal Party and the National Party are the natural and most productive homes for conservatives in this country.' 'Let me say to people in this country who regard themselves as conservative, you are always welcome in the Liberal party,' Mr Howard said Mr Howard, who served as Australia's prime minister from 1996 to 2007, said Australia should give US President Donald Trump a chance Mr Howard's comments come amid a war of words between Mr Turnbull and his predecessor Tony Abbott about the definition of the Liberal Party. Mr Turnbull said Liberal founder Sir Robert Menzies 'went to great pains not to call his new political party consolidating the centre right of Australian politics 'conservative' but rather the Liberal Party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics'. 'The sensible centre was the place to be. It remains the place to be,' he told a London think-tank. Mr Howard's comments come amid a war of words between current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his predecessor Tony Abbott about the definition of the Liberal Party Mr Turnbull said Liberal founder Sir Robert Menzies 'went to great pains not to call his new political party consolidating the centre right of Australian politics 'conservative' but rather the Liberal Party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics' After a public backlash, Mr Turnbull said he had deliberately used the phrase 'sensible centre' coined by Tony Abbott, and believed most Liberal Party members - including himself - embraced both the terms liberal and conservative. 'They are brought together and indeed they are shared by most of us, we share both traditions, they are not exclusive,' Mr Turnbull said. Mr Abbott vowed to be a strong voice for conservative voters. Former Liberal senator Cory Bernadi split from the Liberal party earlier this year to set up his own Australian Conservatives party. Mr Howard urged supporters to steer clear of 'alternative conservative configurations' because joining such groups would 'end in tears'. The former leader of a student paramilitary organization in Iran was denied entry into the US on Tuesday as he headed to a prominent Boston hospital to work as a medical scholar. Mohsen Dehnav arrived back in Tehran Thursday morning after being detained for 30 hours at Logan International Airport, along with his wife and three children. Dehnav, 32, was barred from entering the US despite having a valid work visa to conduct cancer research at Boston Childrens Hospital. Mohsen Dehnav, along with his wife and children, was denied entry into the US (stock photo of the Basij volunteer militia, an arm of Iran's revolutionary guard) Dehnav was detained at Logan International Airport for 30 hours Iranian state TV footage revealed that Dehnavi once featured in a years-old report by the semi-official Fars news agency in which he was named the head of the student branch of the Basij at Iran's Sharif University in September 2007. The Basij is a volunteer militia that is linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. He later served on the unsuccessful 2013 presidential campaign of a prominent hard-liner, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. In comments to the channel at the airport, he defended his travel to the United States as solely intended for science and research. 'The topic of our research was health and saving ill people fighting cancer from this dangerous disease, but they didn't allow us entry, despite, as I mentioned, all the efforts made by the American academic community,' he said. Dehnav was named head of the student branch of a paramilitary group in 2007 The US Customs and Border Patrol has said the family's detention was for 'reasons unrelated' to President Donald Trump's executive order on travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran. It did not say why specifically the family was turned back. The Supreme Court recently ruled the Trump administration could largely enforce its temporary ban on travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. But the court said the ban can't block people with a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States." Dehnavi said on arrival in Tehran that he and his family were detained for around 30 hours in Boston. 'They kept me and my family under detention-like conditions for 28 to 30 hours in a room,' he said. 'They didn't allow us to call anyone or exit the room.' Sourena Sattari, Iran's vice president for science and technology, said that type of treatment only creates frustration in the scientific community, semi-official Tasnim reported Thursday. Sattari said Dehnavi and his family were denied entry to the US 'under unconventional pretexts' despite obtaining all legal documents. The RAF is set to make history by becoming the first branch of the British Armed Forces to recruit women to all of its roles. The air force will start accepting females for close combat roles from this September - lifting the final bar to entry. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon today hailed the step as a 'defining moment' for Britain's forces. Speaking at the annual RAF Air Power Conference in London, Sir Michael said: 'A diverse force is a more operationally effective force. 'So I'm delighted that the RAF Regiment will be open to recruitment to women from September. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday, said the recruitment of women to close combat roles in the RAF is a defining step 'Individuals who are capable of meeting the standards for the regiment will be given the opportunity to serve, regardless of their gender. 'This is a defining moment for the RAF as it becomes the first service to have every trade and branch open to both genders.' Women who sign up to the close combat roles will be deployed protecting RAF bases, aircraft and equipment at home and abroad. The RAF regiment was due to open its recruitment to women by the end of next year, alongside the Infantry and Royal Marines, but they brought forward the plans. The move comes after the first female Army recruit to graduate for combat duties joined the force in April. Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen John Hillier said the RAF is determined to get the best recruits regardless of their gender (file photo) Theresa May attended the ceremony back in April, and told of her i'incredible pride' at the officer. The woman, who was not named, joined the Royal Tank Regiment as an officer. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, said: 'The RAF is committed to providing equal opportunity to all so it's fantastic to be able to open recruitment to the RAF Regiment to women ahead of schedule. 'We want the best and most talented individuals to join the Air Force, regardless of their gender, race or background. 'A diverse force is a more effective force and we need the best people to deliver the important work we do, be it defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria or protecting Britain's skies.' In July last year, then-Prime Minister David Cameron announced the ban on women serving in 'ground close' combat roles would be lifted following a recommendation from the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Nick Carter. And the Army and Navy are set to follow in the RAF's footsteps and lift all gender bars to recruitment by the end of 2018. But the move has sparked a backlash among some quarters. The RAF has become the first of the branches of the Armed Forces to scraps all bars to women. The army and Navy will follow in its footsteps by the end of 2022 Tory peer Earl Atlee on Tuesday criticised the recruitment of women into the crack Royal Marines Commando unit as he spoke during a House of Lords debate. The former frontbencher said it was 'simply ridiculous' for ministers to claim combat effectiveness will not be reduced by having women serving as combat infantrymen in the Army. Lord Atlee, who has served as a major in the Territorial army, added it was 'even more ludicrous' to have female Royal Marines Commandos. He told peers: 'I have never ever in my entire life been fit and strong enough to be commando-trained. 'Until I turned 45 there were very few women who were as strong as me, so I cannot understand how you are going to have female Royal Marines Commandos without reducing combat effectiveness.' United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. MICHAEL J. ALDOUS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. CITY OF GALENA, ILLINOIS, et al., Defendants-Appellees. No. 16-3212 Decided: July 12, 2017 Before RICHARD A. POSNER, Circuit Judge FRANK H. EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge DANIEL A. MANION, Circuit Judge ORDER Michael Aldous worked as a Plumbing and Rental Housing Inspector for the City of Galena, Illinois. After the City fired him, Aldous sued the City, its mayor, and the City Administrator, claiming they fired him for exercising his First Amendment rights by criticizing the City for failing to enforce code requirements and ignoring the Americans with Disabilities Act's accessibility requirements. The district court dismissed the federal claims for failure to state a claim, holding that Aldous had spoken out in the course of his employment and thus his speech was not protected under the First Amendment. The district court then refused to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims. Aldous appeals. I. Because this case comes to us on appeal from a motion to dismiss, we recite the facts in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Roake v. Forest Preserve Dist. of Cook County, 849 F.3d 342, 345 (7th Cir. 2017). According to Michael Aldous, the City of Galena went for many years without a building inspector. As a result, local contractors cut corners and failed to comply with many code provisions. In May 2013, the City hired Aldous as the City's Plumbing Inspector; he was later appointed Rental Housing Inspector. Aldous proved to be extremely competent in his dual-inspector roles. Those jobs required him to review building permit applications for compliance with building and plumbing codes, as well as to conduct field inspections. Unfortunately for Aldous, his enforcement of the ordinances, especially after years of neglect, didn't sit well with contractors and homeowners. Strict compliance with the Code provisions caused additional delays and extra costs. This led to many complaints to the City. While the City allegedly received many complaints, there were several specific instances that especially rubbed the City the wrong way. First, when a new veterinary clinic was opening, Aldous refused to approve the proposed construction plans because they did not comply with the code provisions related to oxygen systems. As a result, Aldous granted the clinic only a temporary occupancy permit until the City Fire Inspector intervened and granted the clinic a variance from the code provisions. Aldous criticized this decision to both the Fire Inspector and the City Administrator, Terry Moran. Second, according to Aldous, he frequently expressed concern to Moran that permits were being issued without the City ensuring that contractors were licensed. During these exchanges, Moran told Aldous to work with the contractors. He was concerned that Aldous' strict code enforcement was causing friction with the various contractors and city employees. Finally, when the City was renovating its old City Hall building for use as a police station, a contractor asked Aldous why the renovation plans were not ADA-compliant. In turn Aldous and the contractor spoke with the City Engineer, who told the contractor to bid the project as-is. The City apparently had relied on the architect who believed the City was only bound by the provision of the Illinois Accessibility Code. Aldous later contacted the State of Illinois Capital Development Board. He inquired whether the City needed to comply with the federal ADA,which has more stringent requirements than the Illinois Accessibility Code. The Board confirmed that the ADA governed. Aldous also independently researched the issue and likewise concluded that the ADA governed the renovation. Aldous then met with Moran, telling him that it was his duty to ensure compliance with the ADA. Aldous also informed Moran that the Illinois Capital Development Board had confirmed his understanding that the ADA governed the renovation. According to Aldous, Moran became visibly angry upon learning that Aldous had spoken with the Board. Aldous also had several heated discussions with the City's building and electrical engineers, insisting in these conversations that the bathrooms needed to be ADA-compliant. In his role as Rental Inspector, Aldous likewise ran into enforcement problems. He regularly cited landlords for code violations and noted that earlier inspections had ignored the violations. When Aldous brought up the issue with Moran, Moran told him to work with the landlords. And on one occasion, in August 2014, the City Fire Inspector stepped in and reached a compromise with a landlord which Aldous believed was insufficient to address the code violation. Moran asked Aldous to resign about a month later, but Aldous refused, saying that he was just doing his job. After meeting with the Mayor, Terry Renner, Moran fired Aldous, telling him: I have talked with the City Attorney and the Mayor. Your strict enforcement of the codes has upset other City Inspectors, Galena property owners, and tradesmen in the community. Your employment as an inspector for the City is just not working out with us. Your employment is ended, effective immediately. Aldous responded by filing a lawsuit against Renner (the Mayor) and Moran (the City Administrator), alleging the defendants fired him in violation of his First Amendment rights. He also sought to hold the City liable under Monell v. New York City Dept. of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978), for the alleged violation of his First Amendment rights. Additionally, Aldous sued the defendants under several state law theories. The district court granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the federal claims and then declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims. Aldous appeals. II. On appeal, Aldous argues that he sufficiently alleged a First Amendment claim for retaliation. To establish such a claim, a public employee must show his speech is constitutionally protected. That is, the speech must be made as a private citizen (rather than pursuant to official duties), and must involve a matter of public concern. Sigsworth v. City of Aurora, Ill., 487 F.3d 506, 51011 (7th Cir. 2007). Specifically, when public employees make statements pursuant to their official duties, the employees are not speaking as citizens for First Amendment purposes, and the Constitution does not insulate their communications from employer discipline. Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410, 426 (2006). In this case, the district court dismissed Aldous' complaint because he alleged he was fired for speech made pursuant to his role as a Plumbing and Rental Property Inspector. This court reviews that determination de novo. Roake, 849 F.3d at 345. The district court did not err in dismissing Aldous' complaint. Aldous alleged he was fired for speaking out about code violations and the City's failure to enforce the code, but all of that speech took place in the context of his official duties. He spoke to property owners whose buildings he was inspecting, to other inspectors, and to City employees and State officials from whom he sought guidance on his interpretation of the codes and the ADA. In response, Aldous stresses that his speech concerned a matter of public concernthe safety of citizensand that he had no personal motive for discussing the code violations. But, under Garcetti, statements made pursuant to an employee's official duties are not protected under the First Amendment. Simply put, public employees have no cause of action under the First Amendment when they are disciplined for speaking pursuant to their official duties, even if the speech is on a matter of public concern. Roake, 849 F.3d at 347. While Aldous has alleged that he was a dedicated and diligent employee, that apparently isn't what the City wanted. So while Aldous may be able to state a state-law whistleblower claim, his firing did not implicate his First Amendment rights. Under these circumstances, the district court properly dismissed Aldous' First Amendment claim. The district court also properly dismissed Aldous' Monell claim against the City because, without a viable First Amendment claim against the individual defendants, the City cannot be liable under Monell. Matthews v. City of East St. Louis, 675 F.3d 703, 709 (2012). Finally, after dismissing the federal claims, the district court dismissed the state supplemental claims as well, but without prejudice, allowing Aldous to refile in state court. The district court acted well within its discretion in declining to exercise supplemental jurisdiction, given that Aldous still had time to file in state court and that the district court had not expended a great deal of judicial resources on this case. III. The City of Galena fired Michael Aldous from his job as Plumbing and Rental Housing Inspector apparently because Aldous insisted on doing his job. He was enforcing the city codes,and told his bosses as much. But because all of his speech occurred within the sphere of his job responsibilities, it is not protected speech for purposes of the First Amendment. Accordingly, the district court properly dismissed Aldous' First Amendment claims against the Mayor and City Administrator. With no underlying claim, dismissal of the Monell claims was also appropriate and the district court did not err in refusing to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims. We AFFIRM. Frederick J. Kapala, Judge. A wheelchair-bound Florida woman in the early stages of Alzheimer's missed her flight home after an employee at Boston's Logan International Airport left her at the wrong gate. Carmen Courchesne, 74, was supposed to depart Logan airport on a JetBlue flight and arrive in Fort Myers, Florida on Tuesday. She was in Boston visiting her children and grandchildren. Courchesne lives in Florida with one of her daughters, Denise Chase. Courchesne, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's and uses a wheelchair, was apparently taken to the JetBlue gate her flight was scheduled to leave from and then left there by herself. Wheelchair-bound and in the early stages of Alzheimer's, Carmen Courchesne, 74, missed her flight home after being abandoned at the wrong JetBlue gate by a Boston airport employee So, when the gate changed, there was no one with her who could escort her to the new gate, reports WHDH. Chase only discovered that her mother had missed her flight when Courchesne didn't show up at Fort Myers airport at 2.30pm as expected. Chase had to call JetBlue, who then sent employees to track down Courchesne at Logan still at the wrong gate and put her into a hotel for the evening. Chase said that the airline had assured her that using the wheelchair assistance program meant that an employee would stay with her mother and get her to correct gate at the correct time. 'That never happened. They must have just left her there at the gate,' Chase told WHDH. Courchesne's other daughter, Judy Davis told CBS Boston that even though her mother was likely sitting close to the check-in counter, 'Since she was there real early, no one is noticing someone is sitting here for three hours.' When Courchesne didn't arrive in Florida as expected, her daughter, Denise Chase, had to call JetBlue to track down her mother in Boston. She was still sitting at the wrong gate Speaking with the Boston Globe, Chase said, 'Youve got somebody thats assigned to a wheelchair, why wouldnt you be checking?' and added that, 'Its apathy, its plain, blatant apathy.' Chase said that although JetBlue booked a hotel room for Courchesne, her mother was separated from her luggage, which had made the original flight to Fort Myers. Consequently, Courchesne was left without any of the medications that she takes thrice daily, according to Boston25News. On Wednesday, an airline employee escorted Courchesne from the hotel to her seat on the plane. In a statement, JetBlue said, 'We regret Ms. Courchesnes experience and are conducting a comprehensive review of the events with our business partners.' The number of migrants arriving in Italy by boat in the first six months of 2017 was about 85,000, EU border agency Frontex has announced. Most of the migrants came on boats from Libya, with 24,800 alone coming in June. The figure is 21 per cent higher than it was in 2016, and went up 8 per cent between May to June. Most of the arrivals were from either Guinea and Nigeria, followed by people from Ivory Coast and Bangladesh. It comes as the Italian government, looking to stem the flow of migrants into the country, draws up a draft code of conduct for NGOs operating in the Mediterranean Sea. The number of migrants arriving in Italy by boat in the first six months of 2017 was about 85,000 according to Frontex. Pictured: Migrants in the Mediterranean Sea hoping to reach Italy Pictured: Rescuers help migrants arriving at the port of Porto Empedocle, Agrigento province, in Sicily island, south Italy, 13 July 2017 after 386 migrants from Libya and Morocco landed there Pictured: A man hugs a rescuer as migrants arrive in Sicily. The amount of people making the journey to Italy has gone up 21 per cent from last year The NGOs have been blamed for making the migration crisis worse and playing into the hands of smugglers. According to the plan, if any group refuses to accept the terms, they risk being barred access to Italian ports, meaning they would have to divert to other countries to disembark any migrants. Among the proposed new rules will be a ban on making phone calls or firing flares that might signal to human traffickers that they could push their migrant boats out to sea. Frontex also stated that there were 30,700 illegal border crossings detected in June across the main four migration routes (Greece, Italy, Spain and the Balkans) into Europe. Pictured: Hundreds of migrants arrive in Palermo, Sicily last year on the Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot, which was working under the authority of the EU border force Frontex Pictured: Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, jump into the water from a crowded wooden boat as they are helped by members of an NGO during a rescue operation at the Mediterranean sea There were 116,000 illegal crossings detected in the first six months of this year, down on figures from last year but higher in Spain and Italy than 2016. In Spain, the number of illegal crossings made by migrants nearly tripled on 2016 figures. There were more than 9,000 attempted crossings made, with a large increase in people trying to cross by land from Morocco into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melila. In Greece, however, the number of illegal crossings has fallen by 94 per cent, with 9,000 getting into the country in the first half of 2017. But the amount of illegal border crossings at Greeces land border with Turkey rose significantly. Syrians, Pakistanis and Iraqis accounted for the majority of people using the Eastern Mediterranean route. A woman charged with murdering her toddler son told detectives 'it was not me, it was the power', a court has heard. Maha Al Adheem, 42, and doctor who is from Iraq, appeared briefly before the Dublin District Court over the death of three-year-old Omar Omran. The child was found dead on Monday night in the Riverside apartment complex in Kimmage, Dublin, where he lived with his mother. Maha Al Adheem, 42, who is accused of stabbing her young autistic son to death in Dublin, told police 'it was my knife... my hand' after her arrest, and officer has said Garda Sergeant Brendan O'Halloran told the court Ms Al Adheem was arrested and charged with murder on Thursday. He told the court that when charged she replied: 'Yes, it was my knife. Yes it was my hand. It was not me, it was the power.' Judge Michael Walsh remanded Adheem in custody for one week to appear again before the Dublin District Court. An application for legal aid was made by solicitor Richard Young. Adheed pictured centre between two female guards as she arrived in court on Thursday Ms Al Adheem appeared in court wearing a purple top and glasses. She did not speak during the brief hearing. Toddler Omar was found in the flat at about 7pm on Monday after Adheem called the ambulance herself. Medics were forced to call gardai to break the door down after finding it was locked. Once inside they found Omar suffering stab wounds to the abdomen, legs and chest. It is thought he died hours before medics arrived. Adheem, a doctor, was also found with knife injuries and taken to hospital for life-saving surgery. She was detained on Wednesday morning. A makeshift shrine at the gates to the Riverside apartments has grown over the last four days. Balloons, flowers and messages have been attached to railings, and dozens of teddy bears and children's toys were squeezed in against a small wall at the entrance. Some neighbours left records of their own memories of Omar, including one which read: 'Dear Omar. Here are your toys back you little divil (sic). 'I've spent two years picking them up after you'd thrown them over the balcony down in front of us. All with a smile on my face of course. Omar Omran was founded stabbed to death at an apartment complex in Dublin (pictured). Mother Maha Al Adheem allegedly told police 'it was not me, it was the power' One of the tributes taped to railings outside the flat where Omar was found stabbed to death 'They all mean a lot to me. I always enjoyed hearing you acting the maggot. I'm so sorry this is the last time I'll ever collect them.' The neighbours wrote that they felt empty and choked. 'I hope you are at peace now my pal,' they added. It is understood Adheem qualified as a doctor at home and previously worked in Syria. Omar was born in the Rotunda, Dublin, on January 9, 2014. His father Khalid Omran, who registered the birth, was described as a student on the birth certificate. Both parents lived at the one-bedroom flat in Poddle Park when Omar was born, but were not together at the time of his death. Senate Republicans are awash with ideas on how to repeal and replace Obamacare, a promise they've made to constituents for the last seven years, but still can't seem to settle on a fix. On Thursday, just before a new version of the existing Senate health care bill came out, CNN reported that Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and Bill Cassidy, R-La., were unveiling their own plan to replace Obamacare. 'We're going to support Mitch's effort with his new plan, but we wanted an alternative and we're going to see which one can get 50 votes, we're not undercutting Mitch, he's not undercutting us,' Graham explained during an interview on the network, referring to the efforts of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to get a health care bill passed. Earlier, the Washington Examiner revealed components of the new draft of the Senate bill, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Scroll down for video Sens. Lindsey Graham (left), R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy (right), R-La., have offered up another plan that Republican colleagues in the Senate could use to replace Obamacare The draft leaves many of the Obamacare taxes in place, including on high-income earners, while allowing Americans to buy less expensive plans, which offer fewer medical services. Graham and Cassidy's proposal also keeps many of the federal taxes in place, but then ships the money off to the states. 'It'll be up to the governors, they have a better handle on it than any bureaucrat in Washington,' Graham argued Thursday, during an appearance on CNN. No matter, what plan Republicans eventually settle on there is no room for error. They must have 50 of their 52 members vote yes, as no Democrats are going to play ball. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Thursday morning on Fox & Friends that he wouldn't vote for the Better Care Reconciliation Act, even in its revised form. 'Actually I don't know if this is better than Obamacare,' he complained. He was especially wary of what he called a '$200 billion fund to bailout insurance companies.' The Examiner reported that an additional $70 billion would be added to the bill's budget that would go toward states that they could use to reduce insurance premiums. The initial draft had allocated $112 billion for this purpose. Paul suggested insurance companies would gain most of these funds. 'Insurance companies don't need taxpayer money,' Paul argued. 'I think it's a crazy idea and I just can't support more big government.' 'I promised people I would repeal Obamacare, this bill doesn't repeal it,' Paul said. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, suggested on Fox & Friends, appearing on the program a short while after Paul, that his colleague's 'no' vote was a 'yes' vote for the last president's health care law. 'But, unfortunately, the practicality is we have to pas a bill and if you vote no on this bill, it's essentially a vote for Obamacare, because that's what we're going to be left with,' Cornyn said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is also expected to vote no on the Senate bill, which McConnell said Tuesday he expected a vote on next week. An unconventional teacher took to rap to educate his students in American history. David Yancey, 32, left his classroom temporarily speechless when he started rapping during a lesson before pupils joined in. David, who teaches at Edwards Middle School in Conyers near Atlanta in Georgia remixed Migos' hit song Bad and Boojee with his own lyrics about the state's involvement in the civil war. The teacher said: 'I made a rap as a culminating activity for our study of the civil war. 'I like participation in my raps so I put up the lyrics to the hook on the board so the kids can sing along.' He began his rap before the beat kicks in. 'You know its your boy Honest Abe, he says strolling across the classroom with the swagger of a hip hop star. Making this song to shut down the lames, youll see we aint playing games,' he raps. Then the beat drops. His rapping becomes more animated as he rhymes and bounces in time to the music. David Yancey, 32, left his classroom temporarily speechless when he started rapping in class Pop, pop, we dropped dropped, at Sumeter our defence stopped.' A student, standing at the front of the classroom joins in, backing up his teachers words an equally convincing hip-hop style. 'We lost ground cuz crop, cotton makes cash a lot, came to the south because we figure stop em before they can pull the trigger band.' David Yancey poses with students at Edwards Middle School in Conyers near Atlanta, Georgia 'Get the troops to come and get you, this fort became an issue.' And then the chorus starts. 'My troops are mad and losing bad. 'Slowing them down is a doozy man. 'My soldiers are ready and ruthless. David, who teaches, remixed Migos hit song Bad and Boojee with his own lyrics about the states involvement in the civil war to engage his students with the story 'We got rifles and ironclads too.' The students become increasingly engaged in the rap and join in enthusiastically whenever the chorus is repeated. One student dances at the top of the classroom throughout while others bounce at their desks in time to the beat. The teachers unconventional spin on a history lesson definitely engaged the students in the story of the civil war in a new and memorable way. China's Nobel peace prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has passed away at the age of 61. He died in hospital today after being transferred there from a prison a month ago. Liu was serving an 11 year sentence for 'subversion' after he helped draft a manifesto calling for democratic change in China. The legal bureau in the northeastern city of Shenyang, where he had been hospitalised, confirmed his death in a statement. China's Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo receives medical treatment He is survived by his wife Liu Xia (right) who has been with him at the hospital In 2010, Liu Xiaobo (left) was awarded the Nobel Peace Laureate Prize for his work Supporters and foreign governments had urged China to allow him to receive treatment abroad however Chinese authorities insisted that he remain in the country. Liu had expressed a wish to seek medical treatment in either the US or Germany to help prolong his life. Doctors from both countries visited him earlier this week and said that he could be moved but staff at the hospital would need to act fast. Earlier today friends made the journey to the hospital in Shenyang to show their support however they were denied access. He was imprisoned for the first time in connection with the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. Liu helped negotiate the safe exit of thousands of student demonstrators from Beijing's Tiananmen Square on the night of June 3-4. Liu Xiaobo speaks during an interview at a park in Beijing, China In better times: Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia pictured together Protestors prepare to post postcards written and addressed to terminally-ill Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo Charter 08 In 2008 just two days before he was set to publish his manifesto calling for political change in China, Liu was arrested. The manifesto called on the formation of a legislative democracy, new constitution and separation of powers. It declared China's approach to modernisation as 'disastrous'. It was signed by over 10,000 people. Advertisement Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's one-party Communist system. He was jailed for 11 years. In 2010 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Laureate Prize while serving his fourth prison sentence. Liu was banned from attending the awards ceremony with a chair left empty in his honour. In a statement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said: 'We find it deeply disturbing that Liu Xiaobo was not transferred to a facility where he could receive adequate medical treatment before he became terminally ill. 'The Chinese government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death.' He is survived by his wife Liu Xia who has been placed under house arrest since the time of her husband being awarded the Nobel award. She suffered a heart attack in 2014 and was diagnosed with depression after years of detention. Pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong have gathered to protest, demanding Liu Xia to be freed from house arrest. People mourn the death of jailed Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo Protesters mourn the death of Liu Xiaobo outside the Chinese liaison office While in China, the news is being blocked from the public with reports of candle emojis even being banned from social media site Weibo. Western governments, rights groups and a coalition of Nobel prize winners had repeatedly called for his release. Liu was the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel peace prize and only three people to have won it while detained by their own government. The judicial bureau in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang says jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has died of multiple organ failure Spain's King Felipe dodged a diplomatic row today after deciding not to mention Gibraltar in No 10 talks with Theresa May. The King outraged the Gibraltan government with a speech to MPs and Peers which hinted at 'new arrangements' for the Rock in future. But he did not return to the issue on the latest leg of his lavish three-day state visit to Britain as Downing Street rolled out the red carpet. Following the talks, a No 10 spokeswoman said the issue 'didn't come up' and insisted Spain is 'well aware' of Britain's position that the overseas territory's future is not up for discussion despite Madrid's claim on the Rock. Downing Street rolled out the red carpet for King Felipe of Spain today but the delicate issue of Gibraltar did not come up Theresa May is holding talks with King Felipe in Downing Street today today as they stress the close ties between the countries The Prime Minister has previously insisted that Gibraltar's status will not be up for discussion during Brexit negotiations after the European Union's guidelines for talks suggested the territory's future economic status might be subject to a veto from Spain. At a regular Westminster briefing, the spokeswoman said: 'As we leave the EU we're going to have to work with our partners to secure a deal that works for both sides, including Spain, and a deal that must work for Gibraltar and that will be something that we discuss throughout our Brexit negotiations.' The monarch and his wife Queen Letizia were entertained at a lavish banquet last night, after he delivered a speech to both Houses of Parliament. In his address King Felipe walked a fine line by pointing to the need for an 'acceptable' deal on Gibraltar - although the UK government insists the future of the British Overseas Territory is not up for discussion. Mrs May hailed the 'deep and solid' ties between Britain and Spain today as millions of pounds of business investment from the country was announced. Mrs May hailed the 'deep and solid' ties between Britain and Spain today She insisted the two nations would maintain the 'closest possible relationship' after Brexit. During their meeting, Mrs May is expected to pay tribute to Spanish banker Ignacio Echeverria, who died trying to save a woman from an attacker in the London Bridge terror attack. 'Britain's longstanding relationship with Spain has been built over centuries on the deep and solid foundations of our shared history, values and interests,' the Prime Minister said. 'Today, we work closely together in a range of areas to ensure the security and prosperity of our people, including through our military and law enforcement cooperation to fight international terrorism, our academic collaboration on science and innovation, and our growing trade and investment ties. In other talks today, Boris Johnson held talks with his Spanish counterpart Alfonso Dastis (pictured right with the Foreign Secretary in Downing Street today) 'Indeed, the sheer scale of Spanish investment in Britain demonstrates Spain's continued confidence in the strength of the UK economy, and shows that we can and will maintain the closest possible relationship. 'This week's state visit is an opportunity to celebrate the historic bond between our countries and our citizens. 'We are firm friends, and I look forward to seeing our partnership go from strength to strength in the years ahead.' Officials refused to be drawn on the focus of the meeting but talks may include the future of Gibraltar after the king said on Wednesday he was confident the nations would overcome their 'differences' and find a solution 'acceptable to all involved'. The red carpet at Downing Street was swept in advance of the King's arrival today The comments, made in a speech to Parliament, provoked a furious response from the Rock's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, who claimed the territory was being treated like a 'pawn in a chess game'. Spain has a long-standing territorial claim on Gibraltar, which has been held by the UK since 1713, but the Prime Minister has previously insisted that its status will not be up for discussion during exit talks from the EU. Government officials said it was an issue 'on which we do not see eye to eye, our position is clear: the sovereignty of Gibraltar is not up for discussion'. Maria DeJesus Lopez, 25, has been charged with child endangerment after allegedly giving permission for her daughter, 11, to drive her son, ten, back home The mother of an 11-year-old girl has been charged after allegedly allowing her daughter to drive her younger brother several miles back to the family home. Police say that the girl, who has not been named, was stopped for speeding - she was going 49mph in a 35mph zone - on Friday at about 4.30pm in Pasadena, Texas. Her younger brother, ten, was in the backseat of the Dodge Durango. Current models of the SUV retail for about $30,000 and have 295hp engines capable of going zero to 60mph in 7.4 seconds, with a top speed of 117mph. When questioned by the Pasadena police officer, the girl said that her mother, Maria DeJesus Lopez, 25, gave her permission to drive herself and her brother back home, a distance of two to three miles. Police said that the kids' aunt, who has not been named, called Lopez and asked if they could just drive themselves home that afternoon and Lopez agreed, reports KTRK 13. Police said that Lopez's daughter, 11, was stopped for speeding while on the way home on Friday. The girl allegedly told police that Lopez had given her permission to drive home Lopez, seen here in court on Monday, was charged with two counts of child endangerment and faces up to two years in prison if convicted of the felony charges Lopez wore a red t-shirt that said, 'Nina's Mom,' to her arraignment on Monday. Her two children are now staying with relatives as child protective services investigates Police said that the girl also told the officer that it was her first time driving without an adult present in the car, according to Click 2 Houston. The officer then took the kids to their home and waited for Lopez to return. Police said that that Lopez admitted to allowing her daughter to drive. Lopez was arrested and charged with two counts of endangering a child. The girl herself was cited for driving with neither a license nor insurance. The aunt has not been charged. Lopez's daughter, 11, was stopped by police while speeding in a Dodge Durango (stock image) During Lopez's arraignment Monday, prosecutors said that the aunt had driven the kids around earlier in the day, but decided to stay at her friend's house instead of driving them back to their home, which was when she called Lopez, reports the Houston Chronicle. Lopez who wore a red t-shirt that said, 'Nina's Mom' is out on $3,000 bond. If convicted of her felony charges, she could to sentenced to up to two years in prison. The two children are staying with relatives while Child Protective Services investigates, police said. New gig? Billy Bush is in talk with Fox over a possiblke new gig. Ousted television host Billy Bush is in meetings with Fox Television for a possible new gig. The meetings with Fox come nine months after he was fired from NBC's Today for the infamous Trump p****gate scandal. Senior industry sources told DailyMail.com that Bush was in talks to host the relaunch of its Top 30 news show. 'Billy had a really successful meeting with Fox execs but this isn't the show they want him for,' an insider told DailyMail.com. 'The speculation is this was leaked for publicity for Top 30 as Billy would be the perfect host.' But DailyMail.com has learned that Bush is in talks for other possible projects. Back in October, tapes were released of Bush laughing along in a 2005 video as Trump, then a newly wed businessman with no public political ambitions, told how he grabbed women 'by the p****'. At the time Bush was a host on Access Hollywood and Trump was the guest star. The tape was leaked before the election and threatened to thwart the Republican's chances. Bush, on the other hand, lost his job before he could go back on air to apologize for the tape - an opportunity he said he would have relished. Last month, it was announced Bush had signed to talent agency UTA as he planned to make a television comeback. Bush was recorded in 2005 laughing along as Donald Trump told him how he grabbed women 'by the p****'. The pair were filming an Access Hollywood segment with Arianne Zucker (above) but had left their mics on In May, he opened up to the Hollywood Reporter admitting the controversy affected his 15-year-old daughter Mary the most. 'I said, "Everything is going to be fine, Mary. Everything's going to be OK." It's just instinctively what you say to your daughter. And she said, "No, why were you laughing at the things that he was saying on that bus, Dad? They weren't funny." 'It hit really hard, and I stopped for a second, and I said, "I have no answer for that that's any good. I am really sorry. 'That was Dad in a bad moment a long time ago. You know me. I am really sorry that you had to hear and see that. I love you." She needed to hear that, and I certainly needed to tell her that,' he said. His younger daughter decided never to watch the tape while his oldest, who is 18, was instinctively protective of him. Bush admitted he was wrong to laugh when the conversation turned to Trump's aggressive seduction tactics. Along with 'grabbing the by the p****', Trump boasted about kissing women without consent and said he could do 'anything' to them because he was a star. The talks with Fox come nine months after he was fired from NBC's Today for the infamous Trump p****gate scandal Bush says he wishes he'd changed the subject but that his relative inexperience at the time and the brightness of Trump's celebrity stopped him. Describing his own personality at the time as 'almost sycophantic', Bush said: 'It was my first year as co-host of Access Hollywood, and I was an insecure person, a bit of a pleaser, wanting celebrities to like me and fit in. 'There is an expression, "Meet them where they are for each person." For Ben Affleck, it's Boston sports. But I went way too far in my desire to keep this No. 1 star happy.' After losing his job, he revealed he had taken up yoga and immersed himself in retreats in Napa. He claims he wanted to return to the airwaves immediately after the tape emerged but that the time off was necessary. 'Having been in the job as long as I have, I developed a fairly thick skin. My skin is definitely thicker now, and my heart is a little softer underneath it. But I will say I think everybody should have the opportunity to apologize. 'I plan to return to the job that I love, which is television, communicating, interviewing people. I have changed in a way that I think will make me better at my job. I believe there will be more people like me in crisis. And with social media, a flame becomes a bonfire quickly. 'So I will be picking up my pen and writing them and calling them on the phone, and I will pursue these interviews and these moments with these people. And through what I've learned and where I've been, I will tell them, "You have empathetic ears in me." Democrats on Capitol Hill are demanding to know whether the Trump administration pulled strings to settle a federal money-laundering case connected to the Russian attorney who met with Don Jr. last June. Federal prosecutors unexpectedly settled the high-profile case against Prevezon Holdings last May. The Russian company - which was accused of involvement in a $230 million tax dodging scheme - agreed to pay around $6 million and was not required to admit wrongdoing under the surprise deal. Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian attorney who met with Don Jr. last June, represented Prevezon and its owner Denis Katsyv in the case. She reportedly told a Russian news outlet that the settlement was so favorable for Prevezon that it seemed to be 'almost an apology from the [U.S.] government.' Another lawyer, American attorney Faith Gay, used the same term to Bloomberg, also calling it 'nothing short of a victory'. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are now probing whether President Trump or his family intervened in case. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Denis Katsyv, pictured, the businessman son of a senior Moscow official, spearheaded the lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' that has hurt his financial interests. At the time he was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million Settled his case: Preet Bhrarara had brought the massive money-laundering case against Katsyv, but it was settled two months after he was abruptly fired, on the eve of going to trial Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's meeting with the Trump campaign last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington last year launched by Veselnitskaya's boss. She is seen above speaking on GMA defending her meeting with Trump Jr In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, they demanded information on any interactions between the White House and the Department of Justice related to the Prevezon settlement. 'Last summer Donald Trump Jr. met with a Kremlin-connected attorney in an attempt to obtain information 'that would incriminate Hillary'. 'Earlier this year, on May 12, 2017, the Department of Justice made an abrupt decision to settle a money-laundering case being handled by that same attorney in the Southern District on New York,' wrote the Democrats. 'We write with some concern that the two events may be connected and that the Department may have settled the case at a loss for the United States in order to obscure the underlying facts.' The letter asks Sessions to turn over information regarding Veselnitskaya's involvement in the settlement negotiations, prosecution files explaining why the deal was struck in this case, and any contacts between the White House or Donald Trump and the Department of Justice regarding the case. They also asked whether Sessions discussed Prevezon with anyone on the Trump transition team while he was being vetted for the attorney general position, and whether Sessions talked about the case with any Russian officials he met with last year. The case had been brought by Preet Bhrarara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose firing by Sessions caused shockwaves. Veselnitskaya's meeting with Trump Jr last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington last year launched by Katsyv. The businessman son of a senior Moscow official did not just defend himself from Bharara in court, he ordered a lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' which the prosecutor was using to bring the case. The operation included targeted meetings with members of congress, events on Capitol Hill, and media outreach to circulate stories that discredited an opponent of the Putin administration. At the time he was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million. While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Other operatives included Ron Dellums, a former Democratic congressman from California, who spent at least one afternoon scrambling to meet with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the issue last summer. Veselnitskaya wanted to give the campaign damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. However, Don Jr. said Veselnitskaya never produced the Clinton material and instead spent the time discussing Russia policy issues. Trump Jr. is pictured being interviewed by host Sean Hannity on his Fox News Channel television program, in New York Tuesday, July 11 Katsyv also formed a group called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation, which first registered to lobby last April. The group is run by lobbyists Rinat Akhmetshin and Robert Arakelian and spent nearly $200,000 on lobbying last year. It says in its disclosure forms that it focuses on 'foreign adoption issues,' a term that has become shorthand for opponents of the Magnitsky Act. The Magnitsky Act is a suite of financial sanctions targeting Russian officials and businesses that was passed by congress in 2012. The law is named after dissident lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died after injuries he sustained in Russian prison in 2009. The Magnitsky Act is a suite of financial sanctions targeting Russian officials and businesses that was passed by congress in 2012. The law is named after dissident lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, pictured, who died after injuries he sustained in Russian prison in 2009 In response to the sanctions, the Russian government banned Americans from adopting children in the country. Critics of the Magnitsky Act imply that Russia would end the adoption ban in exchange for concessions on the Magnitsky law. They have also raised questions about Sergei Magnitsky's death, suggesting he was not abused in prison and that he was financially corrupt despite claiming to be a government whistleblower. At the height of the lobbying campaign last June, Veselnitskaya managed to obtain a meeting with Trump's son and other members of his inner circle, and also secured a front-row seat at a Senate hearing right behind Michael McFaul, then the U.S. ambassador to Russia. Meanwhile, Fusion GPS pitched the New York Times, NBC and other outlets on stories that were critical of Magnitsky and his former client, businessman Bill Browder. However, none of the stories gained traction. Other lobbyists working for Katsyv sought sit-downs with prominent congressmen on foreign affairs, including Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Jim McGovern and Rep. French Hill. They also set up a screening on Capitol Hill last summer for a film that questioned Magnitsky's reputation as a whistleblower called The Magnitsky Act Behind the Scenes. The screening drew State Department officials and Capitol Hill staffers, including aides from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's office. The meeting was arranged by Goldstone, the portly British music manager whose links to Veselnitskaya remain unclear. Goldstone told Don Jr. that Veselnitskaya wanted to give the campaign damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. However, Don Jr. said Veselnitskaya never produced the Clinton material and instead spent the time discussing Russia policy issues. While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Veselnitskaya is seen above in this November 2016 photo Katsyv was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million Whether the lobbying campaign was directly coordinated with the Kremlin is up for debate. Katsyv had personal financial interests. But his motivations were also in line with the Kremlin, which has also fought to unravel the Magnitsky Act. The outcome however was clearly good news for Katsyv. U.S. prosecutors claimed that companies owned by Katsyv through his Prevezon Holdings, and other prominent Russians, evaded taxes on hundreds of millions of dollars by laundering it through foreign banks. Katsyv reportedly sought a deal with the federal government in 2015 by offering to act as an informant on Russian criminal activity, but no settlement was reached at the time. Despite pursuing the case for years, the U.S. government unexpectedly agreed to a settlement before going to civil trial, which was announced in May. Under the agreement, the companies will have to pay around $6million in penalties. At the time Bhrarara congratulated his former colleagues on twitter, but he has not spoken about the latest twist in the case. The link to Fusion GPS also raises new questions. The firm, founded by ex-Wall Street Journal reporters, was behind the now notorious dirty dossier. The dossier written by former British spy Christopher Steele included claims that Trump was being blackmailed by the Russian government over his escapades with Russian prostitutes in Moscow. The document quoted anonymous Russian sources who said the government had videotape of Trump paying escorts to urinate on a hotel room bed that President Obama once slept in. That salacious claim, and others in the dossier that linked Trump insiders to Russian officials, has not been corroborated. The dossier was released after the presidential election, and prompted calls from Democrats to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. READ THE DEMOCRATS' LETTER TO SESSIONS IN FULL Mohammed Qasim, 25, went behind ISIS lines in Mosul dressed as a terrorist (pictured) to identify machine gun and sniper nests An Iraqi soldier has been dubbed the 'Lion of Mosul' after volunteering to sneak behind enemy lines on a daring mission. Mohammed Qasim, 25, infiltrated the enemy by donning a smock and scarf and carrying an AK-47, before identifying key machine gun and sniper nests. He then shot six ISIS fighters dead and returned to his commanders, who promptly shelled the positions before overwhelming the jihadis in an infantry attack. Mohammed's brave actions came in the closing days of the battle for Mosul while fighting with the SAS-trained Gold Divison of the Iraqi special forces, the Daily Mirror reported. The Iraqi advance into Mosul's Old City had been halted after they came under fire from ISIS, but could not figure out where from. Commanders devised a plan for someone to infiltrate the militants, and Mohammed volunteered himself His daring mission, which a source said saved dozens of military and civilian lives, saw him promoted in the field to the rank of lieutenant. Scroll down for video Mohammed (pictured left and right) shot six ISIS militants dead then returned to his commanders and told them where the terrorists were hiding Mohammed's brave actions, which earned him a promotion to lieutenant, happened in Mosul's Old City in the final days of the fighting (file image) General Abdul Wahab al-Saadi said: 'We are all very proud of what this soldier did. He is a very brave man. He makes us all hold our heads up high.' Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced Mosul officially liberated from ISIS earlier this week, following almost eight months of fighting to retake the city. Combat was most fierce in the streets of the Old City, with US commanders calling it the most intense seen since the end of the Second World War. In total, it took more than four months to drive the fanatics from their hideouts there in a battle that reduced most of the district to rubble, causing an estimated $1billion worth of damage. More than 2,000 ISIS fighters were killed in the fighting, while 1,000 Iraqi soldiers are reported to have died. Iraqi security forces are now flushing the last ISIS militants from their hiding places in the city Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared Mosul officially liberated from ISIS this week, leading to celebrations on the streets Thousands of civilians were also among the dead, either killed by ISIS as they attempted to flee, or killed by coalition forces in the crossfire. Amnesty International has called for an investigation into the deaths, blaming coalition commanders for using excessively destructive weapons. But British commander Major General Rupert Jones blasted the report, saying the authors failed to contact Iraqi forces or ask what their process for carrying out strikes was. Troops are now clearing the last ISIS fighters from positions where they remain in the Old City, as well as moving operations on to surrounding towns where the terror group still has a presence, such as Tal Afar. Meanwhile, in Syria, the operation to recaptured Raqqa, the group's de-facto capital, is underway - with forces having broken into the heavily-fortified Old City there. The mummified body of a Buddhist Master from 1,000 years ago still has healthy bones and a complete brain, a CT scan has revealed. The discovery was made last week after the gilded remains of Master Ci Xian was given a medical check at the Dinghui Temple in Wu'an, northern China's Hebei Province. Master Ci Xian was said to be a respected monk who had travelled from ancient India to ancient China to promote Buddhism. Scroll down for video The preserved body of Buddhist Master Ci Xian underwent a CT scan last week in China The mummified monk is kept at the Dinghui Temple in Wu'an. The temple's monks had the Ci Xian's remains gilded last year. Above, the pictures show the body before and after Master Ci Xian's remains were found in a cave in the 1970s. It has been kept at the Dinghui Temple since 2011. The temple decided to add a golden layer to the remains to show its respect The respected monk's remains were varnished before being gilded at the Dinghui Temple HOW WAS CI XIAN'S BODY PRESERVED? According to Master Du at the Dinghui Temple, ancient Chinese monks preserve their master's body using natural means. Master Du said usually a Buddhist master could feel it when he is about to pass away. He would then tell his disciples if he would like his body to be cremated or preserved. After the master passes away, the disciples would put his remains inside a large ceramic jar filled with natural anti-corrosive substances. After three years, the disciples would remove the body from the jar. If the master had reached a certain spiritual level, then his body would not rot. The disciples would then cover the body with a special paste made with stick rice to produce a so-called 'meat body Buddha'. Advertisement The CT scan took place on July 8 and was witnessed by monks, media and prayers. People were shocked when doctors said Master Ci Xian still had a full skeleton, and a complete brain. Dr Wu Yongqing told Pear Video after the scan: 'We can see his bones are as healthy as a normal person's. 'The upper jaw, the upper teeth, the ribs, the spine and all the joints are all complete. 'It's incredible to see this.' According to historic records, Master Ci Xian was originally from India. He travelled to the Kingdom of Khitan (916-1125) in north-east part of modern China near the Korean Peninsula to spread Buddhist philosophy. He is said to have translated 10 major Sutras into Chinese characters. Later, he was named the national Buddhist Master of Khitan by the king. Some of his translations were engraved into stone tablets and can be seen today. After Master Ci Xian passed away, his disciples had his body preserved but it later went lost over the years. His remains were re-discovered in 1970s inside a cave. The temple's management arranged a CT scan for master Ci Xian's body on July 8 Monks were shocked when doctors said Master Ci Xian still has healthy bones and a brain An X-ray provided by Ding Hui Temple shows the skull of Master Ci Xian, from 1,000 years ago His upper jaw, the upper teeth, the ribs, the spine (pictured) and all the joints are all complete Master Du from the Dinghui Temple said Buddhist Master Ci Xian's preserved body had been worshipped at the Dinghui Temple since 2011. The temple decided to have the remains gilded last year. Master Ci Xian is expected to be moved from the Dinghui Temple to the Shendu Temple on Xiangtang Mountain, which is being constructed. Master Du said the public could still worship Master Ci Xian at the Dinghui Temple from now to the end of 2017. First Lady Melania Trump dusted off her French to charm a group of sick children at a Parisian hospital on Thursday. Shortly after touching down in Paris, Melania was whisked off to Necker Hospital where she visited the Enfants Malades wing. Beaming in her red skirt suit, she greeted the children with soft 'bonjours' before taking her seat at a play table. The 47-year-old then introduced herself enthusiastically. 'Je m'appelle Melania. Et toi?' she gestured to one child, urging them to share their name. When one of the children replied in English, she commended them: 'You speak very good English, very good.' Scroll down for video Melania Trump spoke French during a visit to Neckr Hospital for children in Paris on Thursday French is one of six languages the first lady is believed to speak. Slovenian is her native tongue and was the first she learned. She is also widely reported to speak Italian, German and Serbo-Croatian. Her grasp of Italian and French came from the four years she spent living and working as a model in Milan and Paris between 1992 and 1996, when she moved to New York. German and English are the foreign languages most commonly taught in Slovenian schools, followed by French. It's not clear whether Melania had a taste of any before she quit her university degree in design to leave her home country in the early 1990s. Her supporters have often used her language skills as weaponry against her critics. The first lady greeted the group and introduced herself before asking for their names Slovenian-born Melania speaks six languages including French, English, Italian and German When comedian Chelsea Handler claimed cruelly last year that the first lady 'barely speaks English', Trump fans responded angrily with a list of the many languages Melania is said to have mastered. During a visit to Rome in May, she is said to have spoken Italian with another group in another children's hospital. The first lady's spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the experience at Ospedale pediatrico Bambino Gesu was 'very emotional'. After the visit, the hospital shared a photograph of the note she had left for the children. Written in English, it said: 'Great visiting you! Stay strong & positive!' While the president speaks just one language, Melania is eager to keep the tradition of multilingualism going. In 2009, when he was just a toddler, Melania boasted that Barron, their 11-year-old son, speaks French, English and Slovenian. During a visit to a children's hospital in Rome in Vatican City in May, the first lady's representatives said she spoke Italian Supermarket giant Tesco has recalled two of its chicken salads, after finding they could contain the food bug Campylobacter. Tesco customers are warned not to eat the 160g Chicken Salad and 315g Chicken, Broccoli, Almond and Cashew Nut Salad tubs after it was told by its supplier that the bacteria, which is the most common cause of food poisoning. The bacteria are usually found on raw or undercooked meat (particularly poultry), unpasteurised milk and untreated water. The 315g tub costs 3.50 and contains roast chicken pieces, cooked brown rice and quinoa, and will have a date of July 12 or July 13 on the packet It causes 280,000 cases of food poisoning each year and four out of five come from contaminated poultry. It causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, and fever. The incubation period between eating contaminated food and the start of symptoms for food poisoning caused by campylobacter is usually between two and five days with symptoms usually lasting less than a week. The 160g tub costs 2.10 and contains mix of salad leaves, roast chicken pieces, beetroot and carrot with a pot of creme fraiche. The 160g tub costs 2.10 and contains mix of salad leaves, roast chicken pieces, beetroot and carrot and has a best before of either July 12 or July 13 The 315g tub costs 3.50 and contains roast chicken pieces, cooked brown rice and quinoa, broccoli stalks, egg, red and yellow peppers, a mix of salad leaves, cashew nuts and almonds with a pot of vinaigrette dressing. Both products have use by dates of 12/07/2017 and 13/07/2017. No other Tesco products are known to be affected, the Food Standards Agency said. It urged consumers not to eat the salads but return them for a full refund. Tesco said: 'We have been made aware by our supplier that they have detected Campylobacter in a small number of products. 'Tesco is recalling the affected products from customers as a precaution. 'Please return the affected products to store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required. Tesco has recalled two of its chicken salad tubs, after the discovery of Campylobacter in some of them 'Tesco apologises to our customers for any inconvenience caused.' The Food Standards Agency added: 'Tesco is recalling two chicken salad products because Campylobacter has been found in the products. 'The presence of Campylobacter in the products. The usual symptoms caused by Campylobacter are fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. 'If you have bought any of the above products do not eat them. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.' The Nevada woman whose American Red Cross director boyfriend killed her, their son, their dog and then himself was due to leave him, her mother has revealed. The bodies of Dr John Lunetta, 40, his girlfriend Karen Jackson, 35, their son John Jr, who would have turned one-year-old Wednesday, and the family's dog were discovered Monday night in their Las Vegas home. Jackson's mother, Patricia McMullen, told the Las Vegas Review Journal that her daughter had said just days before her death that she was planing to get away from Lunetta. Meanwhile, a friend of Lunetta's said she believes the ex-Army medic may have been suffering PTSD when he committed the murder-suicide. Dr John Lunetta (far right) killed girlfriend Karen Jackson and their son John Jr (both also pictured with Jackson's daughter, 10, from another relationship, who is unharmed) this week Jackson, a keen fitness enthusiast, has told her mother she planned to leave Lunetta, whom neighbors said could be 'controlling,' days before she was shot Lunetta's son, John Jr (both pictured), would have turned one-year-old Wednesday. A friend of Lunetta's said that she believes losing custody of his child could have pushed him to murder McMullen, a Florida resident, said she had been out of touch with her daughter for four years but that the pair had been writing to each other on Facebook in the days before her death. She said Jackson didn't talk about Lunetta much. Samira Knight, a family law attorney and friend of four years to Lunetta said she suspected a custody dispute over the baby might have pushed him over the edge. 'The only thing I can even contemplate happening is that she was going to take the kid and he lost it,' she said. Earlier in the week, neighbors said they had seen a moving truck in front of the home over the weekend and wondered whether Jackson was leaving. Others had said that Lunetta - who had a string of girlfriends before Jackson moved into his home a year and a half ago - was controlling. On Wednesday, police said they had been called to the home over a custodial argument in December 2016, but there had been no complaint of violence. McMullen added that she told her daughter, an Air Force veteran who had just passed a test to become a family nurse, that she was proud of what she had achieved in life. 'My daughter was a wonderful human being, she was a go-getter,' she said. 'She had dreams in her life and she accomplished her dreams.' In December 2016, police were called to Lunetta's home, which Jackson had moved into around a year before. They said it was a custody dispute with no claims of violence The bodies of all three - and the family's goldendoodle - were found on Monday when relatives called in police. Lunetta's friend said she believed he suffered from PTSD Lunetta turned a gun on his family on Monday; Jackson died of multiple gunshot wounds and their baby was shot in the head, Clark County coroners office said. He also shot the family's goldendoodle before turning the gun on himself, said the coroner, who ruled the death a suicide. He legally owned a gun. Police said the Jackson's ten-year-old daughter from a previous relationship was not home when her family was killed and is now safe with family. Lunetta worked as the American Red Cross' medical director for the Nevada region, with a focus on their blood services. But prior to that he had served as a doctor in the Army, a neighbor said. Knight confirmed that, adding that she believed PTSD - either from his time in the military or due to his 'difficult' childhood - contributed to his actions. She did not elaborate on her claims about his childhood. The bodies were discovered when relatives called police at about 7.40pm Monday requesting a welfare check. Lunetta had a 'difficult childhood' and was an Army medic, friend Samira Knight said, adding that PTSD from either of those factors could have led to him killing Jackson Jackson (left) did Crossfit training and spent her spare time between classes at the gym, uploading photos to her social media. She had just passed a test to become a family nurse Lunetta had seen a string of women prior to Jackson moving in a year and a half ago, neighbors said. Some said they had heard he was 'controlling' Neighbors said Lunetta had a reputation for having had many women over to the house before Jackson moved in about a year and a half ago. They never saw the couple fight or argue and they never believed he was capable of murder, according to News 3 Las Vegas. However, other locals said that rumors had emerged that Lunetta was controlling and the couple argued a lot. Jackson had just passed a certification test to become a family nurse practitioner. Jackson's SUV, still parked backward in front of the home earlier in the week, had a stack of nursing textbooks in the back seat next to a babys car seat. McMullen had a fellowship at Indiana University School of Medicine in blood banking and transfusions and received a medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He studied genetics at Washington University in St Louis and in Alaska. Neighbors said they never saw the woman between her job and her nursing classes according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. Officers say the bodies may have been inside the home for a day. The normally quiet neighborhood was flooded with cops on Monday after officers made the gruesome discovery Lunetta had killed his family and their family dog before turning the gun on himself in their home (pictured) A toddler was found dead with traces of mephedrone, known as meow meow, in his system, an inquest has heard. A post-mortem examination found Maxim Kanatov, who suffered from cerebal palsy, had the drug in his blood. During an inquest at Grimsby Coroners Court, it was heard that forensic scientists found used his mother's heroin needles, which had traces of Maxim's DNA, next to his food sachet. A post-mortem examination found Maxim Kanatov, who suffered from cerebal palsy, had mephedrone in his blood (stock image) He was rushed to the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital but was pronounced dead at 4.20pm on July 16 The two-year-old's hair samples also had traces of cocaine and diazepam while other syringes tested positive for heroin. The court heard Maxim suffered from withdrawal symptoms due to the opiates his mother, Tatjana Kanatova, 33, had consumed while pregnant ahead of his birth in November 2011. The youngster was staying with his mother and their friends in Grimsby when he was found unresponsive. He was rushed to the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital but was pronounced dead at 4.20pm on July 16. Home Office pathologist Dr Charles Wilson carried out a post mortem examination along with Dr Cesar Peres at Sheffield Children's Hospital, South Yorkshire. Dr Wilson said Maxim suffered from withdrawal symptoms due to the opiates Ms Kanatova had consumed while pregnant ahead of his birth in November 2011. He said he could not establish how the drugs found their way into the little boy. Dr Wilson told the hearing: 'Having considered the history and my own post-mortem examination we failed to determine recommendations to this court so it is recorded as unascertained.' Humberside Police investigating officer Detective Constable Scott McCreight said all lines of enquiry of why Maxim died 'came to no avail'. The detective confirmed the forensic scientists could not rule out 'external contamination' on the syringes and feed bag. He added: 'There isn't an expert who can help us at this time.' During the inquest, Ms Kanatova said the child's father was a man whom she only knew as 'Moseem', but his visa had expired and returned back to his home country of Pakistan. The mother-of-two moved to North Lincolnshire after moving from her native Latvia in 2008. She then moved to Grimsby with her two sons. Summing up the inquest, Coroner Paul Kelly said: 'Every step has been taken to ascertain the circumstances of Maxim's death and the report does exactly that, but it does not help us with the fundamental issue of why this baby died. 'The level of professional expertise brought to bear in this case has been considerable - the cause is unascertainable. The two-year-old's hair samples also had traces of cocaine and diazepam while other syringes tested positive for heroin Coroner Paul Kelly had no choice but to record the case as 'open' - a rare outcome - at Grimsby Coroners Court (pictured) 'If we do not know the medical cause of death I cannot embark on an exercise into how it happened and have to leave it open in this case - which is very rare.' Ms Kanatova, who now lives in London, said after the hearing: 'I would like to know myself what caused the death. 'Maybe at a later day there will be further investigation. It is important to me to know.' In tribute to her son she said: 'Maxim was something special - he loved his brother and he loved to play. 'Unfortunately, he [Maxim] had cerebral palsy - but he loved to see his brother and whenever he heard him coming he would turn his head.' A Serious Case Review is underway into the tragedy by North East Lincolnshire Council Children's Services along with Waltham Forest authorities following the infant's death. Humberside Police has been contacted for comment. The boyfriend of a dismembered New Jersey woman who was found floating in Brooklyn allegedly stalked her for nearly two weeks before killing her. Raphael Lolos stalked estranged girlfriend Jennifer Londono, of Englewood, making her fear for her life, prosecutors claimed in a New Jersey court on Wednesday. The 40-year-old was charged with the 31-year-old's death on Friday, more than a week after Londono was reported missing on June 25. Londono's torso was found floating in Brooklyn on June 27 and she was identified by her mother, who noted the Sanskrit tattoo on the woman's right hip. Leading up to Lolos' arrest, officials said he had been using his dead girlfriend's Amex and Visa credit cards, and Londono's blood had been found in his bathtub. Raphael Lolos (left) was charged with the murder of his girlfriend Jennifer Londono (right), on Friday. Police claim that Lolos stalked the New Jersey 31-year-old for two weeks before she was dismembered and dumped in a river Londono's blood was discovered in Lolos' bathtub, police claim. Londono's torso was found floating in Brooklyn on June 27. Pictured: Police recovering a severed leg from the Hudson Assistant District Attorney Demetra Maurice claimed that Lolos stalked Londono between June 13 and 25, making her fear for her life and causing her emotional distress, reported NJ.com. Lolos was charged on July 7 with murder, stalking, desecration of human remains, in addition to hindering apprehension and using a stolen credit card. Authorities said Lolos dismembered Londono in her home state before tossing her remains into the Hudson River, according to PIX 11. The news outlet reported the man had repeatedly used Londono's Visa and American Express credit cards up until he was arrested. An earlier source told the New York Post there had been some 'inconsistencies' in Lolos' story before he was arrested. The same source claims that a search of his apartment uncovered blood which belonged to Londono in the boyfriend's bathtub. Londono's headless and decomposing body was found floating near the rocks off Pier 44 in Red Hook, Brooklyn on June 27. The body was identified after police released a photo of a tattoo the corpse had on its right hip. Londono's mother came to the 76th Precinct station house, saying her daughter had the same tattoo in the same place. Police said Lolos dismembered Londono before tossing her remains into the Hudson then proceeded to use her credit cards. Londono was reported missing on June 25 Her mother was able to identify her daughter by the tattoo on her right hip. The tattoo, a name written in Sanskrit surrounded by stars, was a tribute to the missing woman's deceased aunt Londono's body parts were dumped into the Hudson River, with limbs found at different times She told police the tattoo, the name 'Lily' or 'Lilyann written in Sanskrit surrounded by stars, was a tribute to her daughter's dead aunt, the New York Post reported. A few days later, a leg was found floating in the Hudson River near the Upper West Side, near the W 79th Street Boat Basin by a passing female jogger who called the police around 12.35pm. It had pink painted toenails and did not appear to be decomposed, New York Daily News reported. DNA from the leg will be compared with DNA from the torso to confirm that the leg is from the same woman. Witnesses who saw the torso in the Red Hook channel on June 27 said the 'butchered' corpse looked as though it was deliberately mutilated. 'The woman wasn't just murdered she was butchered,' the man who found the body told the Post. The torso had been cut at the knees and the woman's intestines were out. He and his wife saw the dismembered and naked body floating in the water as they walked their dog at around 11am. Londono's headless and decomposing body was found floating near the rocks off Pier 44 in Red Hook, Brooklyn on June 27. Police are pictured at the scene in Red Hook Cops are still searching for the rest of her body, police said last Monday. Londono was last seen closing up the Luna Lounge, on Armory Street in Englewood New Jersey. She was reported missing on June 25. Family and friends have posted tributes to the beautiful 31-year-old victim, and demanded justice. Linda Kennedy wrote:'May God help find those responsible for such an atrocity', with the hashtag #justiceforjennylondono. Londono's niece Kate added: 'My aunt that i wish i could of known better did not deserve to go the way she did #ripjenny.' Carlos, under username twinlos4422, added: 'I can't believe u are gone. You did not deserve to leave the way you did!!! R.I.P. Jenny may u rest in peace #justiceforjennylondono.' Others asked for prayers for Londono, who was described as being 'part of our Englewood family. ' A friend of the victim said in Spanish that her 'heart was shattered' by the loss. 'We love you so much I'm going to miss you. Rest in peace and I hope that who was able to make you pay for what you did.' Investment banker Jordan Lupu, 42, is accused of stealing $210 worth of goods An investment banker who is an executive at a billion-dollar investment bank was caught by a security guard at a New York City Whole Foods allegedly trying to walk out with $210 worth of groceries which were shoved into his children's stroller. Jordan Lupu, 42, who lives in a $3 million home and who also owns a second $1.4 million house in Westchester, was caught at the Tribeca Whole Foods in Lower Manhattan and accused of shoplifting. The father-of-two was busted in February as he was leaving the pricey supermarket on Greenwich Street just blocks away from the trendy apartment block where he lives with his wife and two kids. According to the New York Post, court records reveal the wealthy banker tried to 'remove three Whole Body products and 28 grocery items from displays and conceal the items underneath [his] baby stroller.' Scroll down for video The father-of-two was caught as he was leaving Whole Foods where it was found 28 items were stuffed inside his children's stroller 'Security then stopped the him and recovered the items, property which belonged to the store and for which the defendant had no receipt, from underneath his baby stroller,' according to a criminal complaint that came to light this week, as seen by the Post. New York cops treated the wealthy banker lightly, issuing him with a desk-appearance ticket. He was arraigned in April on one count each of petit larceny and possession of stolen property. Lupu accepted a deal on Monday in Manhattan Criminal Court but he didn't have to admit guilt in the alleged thefts. Lupu says the entire episode was a misunderstand and that he was simply going down the exit ramp to reach a different part of the store, and not walking out The Post reports that so long as he stays out of trouble until next January, the charges will be dropped and the case will be sealed. Lupu's lawyer said the entire episode resulted from a misunderstanding. 'Jordan was pushing a double stroller with his young children and wanted to check the price of an item located behind the cashier, and the only way to reach the item without leaving his children unaccompanied was to walk around the cashier down the ramp toward the item he was looking at but happened to be near the exit,' the lawyer said. 'He checked the price and was turning the stroller to go back toward the cashier. He never left the store or had any intention of leaving the store without purchasing the items.' Chief Inspector of borders David Bolt said the Home Office has shown a lack of urgency in tracking down the missing foreigners Bungling Home Office staff still cannot find 16,000 foreign students who should have gone home after their studies - a year after they were alerted to the scandal. The immigration watchdog last year warned that the authorities had no system in place to monitor the 70,000 overseas nationals on student visas. Yet 12 months after David Bolt raised the alarm, a staggering 16,000 people have still not been tracked down, according to a report published yesterday. It means that thousands of foreigners could be living in Britain illegally and the Home Office would have no clue. Mr Bolt said the authorities have been too slow in dealing with the problem and urged them to pull their finger out and get on with tracking them down. He said: 'There had been no directly related enforcement activity, and I believe that the Home Offices approach has lacked urgency, a view that the Home Office strongly disputes. 'The Home Offices case would be helped if it were to set a clear timescale for the completion of this work.' He added: 'The Home Office should reconsider its strategy and the priority it attaches to this work.' The missing students would have applied for tier 4 visas to allow them to stay and study in Britain. To get one they must prove they are signed up with a licenced colleges, university or educational establishment which acts as their sponsor. Sponsors must notify officials of any changes in a student's circumstances that would affect their sponsorship - for example if they fail to turn up to class. Once notified, officials consider the case and decide whether to curtail the student's leave to stay in the UK. Mr Bolt's original report, which was published in March last year, identified cases where curtailment was not pursued (CNP) as being 'of most concern'. These include those who had a period of leave remaining that was shorter than the time they would be permitted to wrap up their stay and depart, plus those who had already overstayed. The initial review found that the authorities had no idea if the 71,601 CNP decisions recorded in the two years to April 2015 stayed in the UK or not. Mr Bolt raised concerns about 'severely scaled back' resources allocated to work looking at foreign students and their immigration status. The finding piles further pressure on the Home Office after it emerged yesterday that border force officers are failing to police last stretches of Britain's cost - leaving it wide open to people smugglers. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, pictured yesterday in Parliament where she heard King Felipe of Spain deliver a speech, will face pressure to step up efforts to track down the missing foreigners after the report's publication A report by the immigration watchdog found that half of the smaller unmanned ports on the eastern coast had not been visited by Border Force staff in over a year. This meant there was no visible deterrent to people smugglers or traffickers of drugs and firearms. And another report by Mr Bolt found that Border Force's operations at Gatwick airport have come under 'considerable strain'. In a response to the report on tier four curtailment, the Home Office said the number of outstanding cases has been halved since the time of the re-inspection after additional resources were deployed. On CNP cases specifically, the department acknowledged there was more work to do. But it stressed the importance of 'working through this cohort methodically and comprehensively to avoid unnecessarily pursuing enforcement action against those that have left the UK or remain in the UK lawfully'. It said: 'We are now pursuing phase two of this work which will involve using external databases to identify those within this cohort who have remained in the UK unlawfully and will be passing results onto enforcement colleagues for consideration.' A Home Office spokesman said it had made 'significant progress' against recommendations in the previous report. Paediatric consultant Jonathan Walsh (pictured) claimed he looked at the vile material because he was bored with his job A senior children's doctor who was jailed after using 'military-grade' software to hide child pornography - including images of a 12-month-old baby - has been struck off. Dr Jonathan Walsh, a married father-of-two, used a sophisticated hard drive cleaning programme called 'CyberScrub' to cover up his illegal activity but was caught after a forensic expert was called in. The 47-year-old paediatrician downloaded at least 27 abuse films from the internet during his time off from treating sick children. When confronted by police he said: 'I am a consultant paediatrician - why would I need to download these images.' But he was jailed for three years in March following guilty pleas to seven counts of making indecent photographs of a child and ten counts of distribution. Walsh - who is currently in Dartmoor jail - was not at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing in Manchester today where a disciplinary panel described his conduct as 'deplorable.' Panel chairman Mr Stehen Killen said: 'Dr Walsh's conviction is an extremely serious matter. Whilst his offences did not occur in the workplace, it did not mitigate in any way against the nature of the misconduct. 'The Tribunal was very concerned that at all relevant times during this period of offending Dr Walsh was a consultant paediatrician and the named doctor for Safeguarding Children. 'He was dealing with vulnerable children and was in a position of considerable trust. The Tribunal has noted the extreme nature of the abuse of the children depicted in the images. Married Dr Walsh was a respected member of the children's and adolescent services department of the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust It noted the ages of the children in these films ranged from 12 months to 14 years, the duration of the films varied in length and one example included a compilation which was two hours long. 'It further noted that another film lasted 31 minutes and showed a visibly distressed 12 month old baby being abused for the entire duration. 'The Tribunal noted the lengths that Dr Walsh went to to conceal his offences - using military strength software to wipe the images from his laptop's hard drive. 'This demonstrated a degree of sophistication in his pattern of offending and a systematic approach to avoiding detection over a prolonged period of some months. 'Dr Walsh appears not to have acknowledged the harm that he caused to the victims of his offences and the tribunal t has been provided with no evidence of remediation from Dr Walsh and no evidence to suggest that the misconduct which led to his conviction will not be repeated. It brings the medical profession into disrepute. None of Walsh's crimes related to patients at the North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple (pictured) 'The Tribunal is of the view that the public interest requires that it be made clear that Dr Walsh's behaviour, as detailed previously, is unacceptable and deplorable in a member of the medical profession.' Walsh had been working at the North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, North Devon, from 2005 but took a year out in July 2011 to work in New Zealand, returning to the hospital in 2012. In 2014 Walsh was named as 'the doctor for safe guarding children' working in conjunction with children's services but after the criminal information came to light he was dismissed on June 15 2016. Officers raided his family home in Barnstaple, North Devon in September 2015 but when the investigation began they found that documents had been deleted and had to go back to seize the wifi router. Professor Tony Sammes was brought in to assist and he was able to analyse the router and prove that the doctor had been downloading and distributing indecent images and movies of children. A total of 27 movies were recovered, 26 were Category A, the most severe and one was Category B. He pleaded guilty before Exeter Crown Court to the charges. Walsh (court sketch pictured), formerly of Barnstaple but now living in Lytham St Annes, Lancs, was jailed for a total of three years and told his career and reputation were in tatters Walsh from Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, told his solicitor he committed the offences because he was 'tired' of working at the hospital and wanted to quit his job. He had admitted to using using CyberScrub and eMule peer-to-peer software after watching adult pornography but claimed the child porn had been downloaded inadvertently. Walsh, his wife, Ailan Walsh, and children moved from their home in North Devon to Lancashire after she decided to stay with him. He was dismissed from his on June 15 2016. In a letter he said: 'Through my own actions I have lost my job, my career, my livelihood and my reputation, and caused great harm to those around me whom I love.' In addition to the three year prison sentence, Walsh was put on the sex offenders' register for life and was given a sexual harm prevention order None of the offences related to patients at the North Devon District Hospital. The next EnVision Bus Read more [...] A Kansas City, Kansas news helicopter helped find a missing toddler who was sleeping in the back of a car when it was stolen. Three-year-old Amaya Vester was sleeping in the back of her mother's boyfriend's car Wednesday night, around 6:30pm, when he stopped to get gas at a Valero station. After filling up his car, he decided to go inside to get the girl a cold drink, leaving her in the running car so as not to wake her. Surveillance video shows the moment that a man, who was filing up his truck next to the car, motions to a woman inside the store to come out. The woman, who had made a few purchases, then handed them over to the man and jumped into the unlocked car - speeding out of the parking lot with the stolen vehicle. Police were able to track the suspect's phone, which registered a ping in Leavenworth County. A news helicopter helped find a missing three-year-old girl, who was sleeping in the back of her mother's boyfriend's car when it was stolen Wednesday evening KHSB captured the moment that the little girl ran to a police car that showed up at the scene An officer gets down on one knee to talk to the no-doubt frightened little girl, three-year-old Amaya Vester He then picked her up and comforted her. Authorities say the girl appeared to be unharmed ABove, a police officer is seen holding the child after the incident Wednesday night Little Amaya was taken to the hospital after the incident, as a precaution The KHSB news helicopter flew over to the area, hoping to get footage of police catching the suspect. Instead, they spotted the missing Ford Focus first, abandoned in a rural area with the three-year-old inside, just before 8pm. Reporters called to tell police of the car's location, then filmed the moment that little Amaya ran into the arms of the first officer on the scene. 'It doesnt happen too often we have this special ability that were one of the few helicopters in the city. Were a real news helicopters, and this is what we do. We dont just do promotional stuff,' SkyTracker pilot Captain Gregg Bourdon said. The suspects wanted for stealing the car are still at large. They are seen above in surveillance footage from the Valero station where the woman on the right stole the vehicle The toddler's mother's boyfriend had stopped to get gas, and left her sleeping in the back of the car (left) to go inside and buy a cold drink for her The man in yellow motioned for the woman to come outside, and then it appears they made a quick plan to steal the unlocked and running car The woman got into the vehicle and proceeded to drive out f the parking lot The man got in a white work truck and left as well. Police are still searching for the two The officer then carried her to an ambulance, which took her to the hospital as a precaution. Authorities say the girl had a water bottle in the car and appeared to be in good spirits. The couple who were behind the grand theft auto are still at large. Police have released surveillance footage from the gas station in hopes that someone will recognize them and report them to the police. Anyone with information is being asked to call the Kansas City, Kansas police or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. The moment an Iowa police chief was run over by a suspect was captured on his body camera. Boone Police Chief John Wiebold was approaching a car on Monday that resembled one related to an assault investigation. As he got out of his police car to walk towards the silver Dodge Avenger, the driver accelerated, hit Wiebold and drove away. The driver and two passengers were arrested minutes later after a brief chase. Erica Shales, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, was driving the car with Chanel Clark, 32, from Ames, Iowa, and Craig Collins, 35, from Nevada, riding with her. Boone Police Chief John Wiebold (pictured) was hit by a car driven by a suspect in an assault investigation on Monday and the moment was captured on his bodycam footage In the brief footage from Wiebold's bodycam, he can be heard shouting at the silver car, which approaches and hits him, though he remains upright after being struck. Wiebold suffered minor injuries, but no medical treatment was necessary, according to a Boone Police Department statement. The statement said officers began investigating an assault on 5th Street in Boone around 3pm Monday. When they arrived at the scene, they saw 'a possible suspect vehicle' which was leaving the area. The driver stopped because there were police cars in front of and behind the car. 'Police Chief Wiebold got out of his police car in an attempt to contact the occupants of the suspect vehicle,' the police statement said. That's when the driver accelerated and hit Wiebold before driving away. Erica Shales, 25, (pictured) of Des Moines, Iowa, was driving the car. She was charged with eluding, assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, driving with a suspended license, a Polk County arrest warrant and possession of marijuana Chanel Clark, 32, from Ames, Iowa, (left) and Craig Collins, 35, from Nevada, (right) were riding with Shales. They were also arrested. Clark was charged with possession of MDMA, possession of psilocybin mushrooms and possession of drug paraphernalia. Collins was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia Police pursued the car in a chase that reached a speed of 55mph, according to the police. Eventually, the driver stopped the car and tried to leave the area on foot, but was stopped by police. 'The suspect vehicle had been occupied by three people all of whom were arrested,' the statement said. Shales, the driver, was charged with: eluding, assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, driving with a suspended license, a Polk County arrest warrant and possession of a controlled substance. She had marijuana and it was her second offense. Collins was charged with possession of a marijuana, his second offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Clark was charged with possession of MDMA, possession of psilocybin mushrooms and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her two controlled substance charges where her second offenses. The Boone Police Department is continuing to investigate the case. In the brief footage from Wiebold's bodycam, the Boone Police Chief exits his police car and walks towards the stopped silver car Wiebold can be heard shouting at the driver, who accelerates and strikes him Sheldon Silver, 73, (pictured in April last year after he was found guilty of corruption) had his conviction overturned on Thursday Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver had his corruption conviction overturned on Thursday. The 73-year-old was granted his appeal by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He now no longer faces the 12-year jail sentence he was staring down the barrel of. In 2015, Silver was convicted of seven counts of bribery for allegedly taking $4million in referral fees from two law firms. The alleged corruption centered around two illegal schemes involving a cancer researcher and two real estate developers. Prosecutors said Silver referred them to the law firms he was on the payroll of in order to obtain large referral fees for himself. In return, they accused him of using his legislative role to do favors for the cancer researcher and developers. Silver's defense at the time was that he performed the favors in goodwill and that it was a coincidence they used the same law firms which were giving him kickbacks. On Thursday, appeals court judges ruled that the jury which convicted him did not properly understand corruption law when they found him guilty. In order to be guilty of corruption, a politician must commit an official action in their role to help a specific person or body in exchange for money or gifts. The appeals court upheld this argument on Thursday and said that a jury may not have convicted him if it properly understood that legal argument. In a 54-page decision, they said trial lawyers did not sufficiently explain to jurors the what constituted the crime. They used the case of former governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell - who had his corruption conviction overturned on the same technicality in 2016 - to form their decision. Preet Bharara, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York who tried the case, reacted angrily on Twitter after the appeal court's decision Judges ruled that though his actions were 'distasteful', the jury did not properly understand what constituted an act of bribery when they convicted Silver (above during his 2015 trial) 'We recognize that many would view the facts adduced at Silvers trial with distaste. 'The question presented to us, however, is not how a jury would likely view the evidence presented by the Government. Rather, it is whether it is clear, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a rational jury, properly instructed, would have found Silver guilty. The appeals court based its decision on the reversal of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell's case. He also had his corruption conviction overturned 'Given the teachings of the Supreme Court in McDonnell, and the particular circumstances of this case, we simply cannot reach that conclusion. Accordingly, we are required to vacate the honest services fraud and extortion counts against Silver, as well as the money laundering count.' Within minutes of its decision, prosecutors vowed to retry him. Among the arguments prosecutors presented to jurors at his trial was that Silver had committed corruption by helping a cancer charity apply for permits for a race. Silver had agreed to help the charity 'navigate the process'. On Thursday, judges ruled that this does not constitute bribery because it was not an 'official act'. They also ruled that the fact he wrote a letter to a law firm to help a doctor's son get a job was also not bribery because, again, it 'did not rise to the level of an official act.' The doctor involved was Columbia University cancer researcher Dr. Robert Taub. Taub sent dozens of asbestos patients to a law firm which Silver was affiliated with, bringing them a wave of new business. He later received $500,000 in tax-payer funded research grants. Prosecutors also alleged that Silver had two real estate developers -Glenwood Management and the Witkoff Group - move their business to another law firm which he was affiliated with. In return, he received referral fees from the law firms and eased legislation obstacles for the two developers by voting in their favor on real estate laws. Silver helped Columbia University cancer researcher Dr. Robert Taub (pictured together) try to arrange a charity race. He also wrote to a law firm to get the man's son a job and gave him $500,000 in grants. Prosecutors say in return, Taub sent patients to a law firm which Silver was receiving referral fees from Silver was on the pay roll of law firm Goldberg & Iryami. Prosecutors said he led two real estate developers to them and granted them legislative favors in return Silver was also being given referral fees by Weitz & Luxenberg, another law firm. Prosecutors said he urged a doctor to direct asbestos patients to the law firm and in return he gave them grants to carry out cancer research After the appeals court announced its decision on Thursday, Joon H. Kim, the Acting US District Attorney for the Southern District of New York released a scathing statement. 'While we are disappointed by the Second Circuits decision, we respect it, and look forward to retrying the case. Although finding that the Supreme Courts McDonnell decision issued after Silvers conviction required a different legal instruction to the jury, the Second Circuit also held that the evidence presented at the trial was sufficient to prove all the crimes charged against Silver, even under the new legal standard. 'Although this decision puts on hold the justice that New Yorkers got upon Silvers conviction, we look forward to presenting to another jury the evidence of decades-long corruption by one of the most powerful politicians in New York State history. Although it will be delayed, we do not expect justice to be denied,' he said. Preet Bharara, the former US District Attorney for Southern New York who helped convict Silver, shared his frustration on Twitter 'The evidence was strong. The Supreme Court changed the law. I expect Sheldon Silver to be retried and re-convicted. 'SDNY will retry Silver. Evidence "was sufficient to prove all the crimes charged against Silver, even under the new legal standard,"' he said. A former inmate who covered half of his face with a tattoo reading 'DEVAST8' has lamented his struggle to find work. Mark Cropp, 19, had been drinking home brew alcohol behind bars in New Zealand's Christchurch when he went under the needle last year. But after serving his two-year sentence for armed robbery, Cropp has found the ink to be a stain on his job prospects in the free world. Scroll down for video Mark Cropp covered half of his face with a tattoo reading 'DEVAST8' while drinking homebrew alcohol in jail The father took to social media this week in the hope of finding a job to provide for his baby daughter. 'Hey im keen as to work but have one thing that is stoping me and thats my tattoo on my face [sic],' he wrote on the Auckland job Facebook page 'Keen as on job or work place that will take me on [sic].' But Cropp told NZ Herald prospective employers were reluctant to give him a chance because of the ink. 'One employment place said to me: "I wouldn't employ you with that on you face, I wouldn't even take a second look at you",' he said. 'I've had other people that just shrugged and laughed at me. The teenage father (pictured with his partner) has taken to social media this week in the hope of finding a job Cropp said that prospective employers are reluctant to give him a chance because of his distinctive ink 'I was over people judging for my facial tattoo... that's why I made the decision to put that photo on Facebook, to turn around and say "I am just a normal human being, you do not have to judge me because of the way I look".' Cropp was locked up in 2015 after he pulled a knife on a tourist who backed out of a fake marijuana sale. In a bizarre twist, he landed in the same cell as his brother, who persuaded him to get the ink to stop other inmates giving him trouble. Cropp was behind bars in Otago Correction Facility when he went under the needle last year The tattoo was meant to be a 'little one along the jawline,' but the pair got carried away after drinking home brew made from fermented apples, sugar and bread. 'Before I knew it I had this on my face... It was swollen like a bloody pumpkin,' Cropp told the publication. He maintains 'DEVAST8' is his nickname and not gang-related. Cropp's plea for work has been met with an outpouring of praise and suggestions on Facebook, but it remains to be seen if that translates to a full-time job. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cropp for comment. Australian spy agencies will have access to the encrypted messages and browser history of criminals including terrorists and paedophiles under proposed new laws. Intelligence agencies will have the power to compel multinational technology organisations like Facebook and Apple to give them access to private messages sent via SMS, Whatsapp, Facebook and other messaging services. The proposed laws, spearheaded by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, would give the government greater power to try to prevent mass terrorist attacks, The Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Turnbull said Australia desperately needed greater technical intelligence to help prevent crimes being organised online Mr Turnbull said Australia desperately needed greater technical intelligence. He said it was time the safety of Australians was prioritised over the privacy afforded to terrorists. 'We cannot allow the internet to be an ungoverned space,' Mr Turnbull told the Daily Telegraph. 'Australia is playing a leading role in ensuring that terrorists cannot evade authorities whether they are online or off. Encryption is vital for information security but the privacy of a terrorist must never trump the personal security of Australians.' Mr Turnbull said it was time the safety of Australians was prioritised over the right to privacy afforded to terrorists (Islamic State flag flown in Iraq pictured) Australia's ASIO has long fought for better technical intelligence. The agency said its lack of power to govern or expose encrypted messages hugely hampered its ability to prevent crime and bring criminals to justice. Without tech giants willingly handing over access to encrypted messages, it can take ASIO months to get the information they need - time that could in some cases be spent preventing an attack. Khalid Masood said he wanted to wage jihad in a Whatsapp message to a friend before he went on to kill five people and injure another 50 It was revealed the Westminster terror attacker declared he would carry out his fatal attack via a message on messaging service Whatsapp, just two minutes before it happened. Khalid Masood said he wanted to wage jihad in a Whatsapp message to a friend. Masood went on to kill five people and injure another 50. End-to-end encryption meant authorities struggled to find out what he sent before he careered his hired car into pedestrians on March 22. A teenager has been charged with arson after he allegedly tried to burn down his mother's house after an argument with her. Jonathan Jordan is accused of attempting to set his own home on fire in Montgomery, Alabama, on Tuesday evening. Authorities claim the 18-year-old took a lighter and ignited a decorative window covering on his home following a fight with his mother. The teenager is also accused of threatening the lives of his mother and two younger siblings who were also in the house at the time of the incident. Jonathan Jordan, 18, was charged with attempted first-degree arson in Montgomery, Alabama, on Tuesday. He allegedly tried to set his own house on fire after an argument with his mom Police were called to Jordan's home around 8pm, reported the Montgomery Advertiser. Court documents state that Jordan was having an argument with his mother when he pulled out a lighter and ignited a window covering. The fabric caught fire and began spreading upwards, causing the mother to put out the dangerous flames. She allegedly told Jordan to leave the house and claims that Jordan threatened her and his two younger siblings who were also inside the house. No one was reported injured but the house had around $75 worth of damage. Jordan is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility (pictured) on a $30,300 bond Although no one was reported injured, the house and furnishing had around $75 worth of damage done. The teenager was charged with attempted arson in the first-degree and disorderly conduct. Jordan is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility on a $30,300 bond. A terrified driver who found a coiled snake in his car door frantically called police for help, telling them he would rather burn his car than touch it. The unidentified driver called the Auburn Police Department in Maine on Tuesday begging them to help him. He told the dispatcher he was afraid of snakes and didn't want to touch it. Officer Travis Barnies was sent to help the driver. The unidentified driver called the Auburn Police Department in Maine on Tuesday begging them to help him after he spotted the foot-long snake coiled in his car door Barnies removed the foot-long snake before posing for a selfie with it and then releasing it into the wild unharmed. Auburn Police noted the noted the unusual nature of the call in a Facebook post. 'Well, we don't get calls like THIS every day - thank goodness!! Officer Travis Barnies was dispatched to this call for service (above & beyond if you ask me) today,' they wrote. 'The narrative from the dispatcher says everything you need to know: "Caller has a snake in his car and wants assistance removing it... caller is afraid of snakes and would rather burn the car than touch the snake." 'Officer Barnies reports that the snake was caught unharmed and released. Yikes!' A two-year-old boy drowned in a neighbor's pool after wandering away from his grandmother's front yard while she collected the mail. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, in Palm Harbor, Florida, said that Robert Kibitlewski, two, appeared to have accidentally drowned in his grandmother's neighbor's pool on Wednesday evening. Robert had been with his grandmother, Janice Kibitlewski, 48, in their front yard at about 6pm that night when she left him alone while she went to get the mail. When Janice returned, she couldn't find Robert. Robert Kibitlewski, two, wandered away from his grandmother's front yard while she was getting the mail on Wednesday. He was found, drowned, in a nearby neighbor's pool Janice then went inside her home to ask Robert's mother, Rachelle Kibitlewski, 26, if he was inside the house. Rachelle said that he had not gone inside. The Kibitlewskis then started searching the neighborhood for Robert, calling the sheriff's office about 15 minutes into their hunt for the toddler, according to 10News. Just as deputies were arriving, Janice found Robert floating in their neighbor's pool about 450 feet away about a two minute walk from the Kibitlewski home, reports the Tampa Bay Times. He was unresponsive, so she performed CPR until paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital. Janice Kibitlewski, 48, and Rachelle Kibitlewski, 26, pictured with toddler Robert Rachelle Kibitlewski was inside her house when Robert wandered around from the front yard while his grandmother was outside collecting the mail Robert walked from his house (left circle) to a neighbor's house (right), about 450 feet away Robert was pronounced dead at Mease Countryside Hospital at 6.57pm that night. Authorities are investigating what happened, but said that the toddler's drowning appeared to be accidental. Robert is the second accidental drowning that's happened in the Pinellas County in less than a week, reports Fox13. On Saturday, an autistic seven-year-old boy who slipped out of his house was found unresponsive in a neighbor's pool across the street from his home and pronounced dead at the hospital. The CDC estimates that about 10 accidental drowning deaths occur daily, with one out of five deaths being children. Drowning is said to be the fifth most common cause of accidental deaths in the US. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNN Thursday that he plans to send a letter to Donald Trump Jr today asking him to testify before the committee. Grassley suggested Trump's son would 'welcome the opportunity,' as the president's namesake was dragged into the Russia scandal this week, as he revealed emails in which an intermediary told him the Russians wanted to give the Trump campaign dirt on the president's political rival, Hillary Clinton. Grassley's decision was co-signed by the committee's top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Donald Trump Jr could testify as early as next week. Donald Trump Jr could be hauled in front of a Senate committee as early as next week and be compelled to answer questions about the emails he released this week Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Thursday to CNN that he planned to send a letter to Donald Trump Jr asking him to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee CNN also reported that the senators didn't shy away from making a subpoena threat to get Donald Trump Jr in the chair. Asked by reporters on board Air Force One if the president supported his son testifying, President Trump replied, 'I think if he wants to.' Speaking to the network's Manu Raju in the halls of Capitol Hill, Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said made the decision to ask Donald Trump Jr to testify before the panel because it oversees the Justice Department. 'And I think it's raised a lot of questions,' Grassley added, as the Donald Trump Jr story has devoured the news cycle for the past six days. 'But the real way I feel comfortable inviting him is ever since President Trump was elected it seems like every conversation that has come from somebody in the family, where there's been some sort of issue, they've seemed always to be very, very open,' Grassley said. 'And I just think that he would welcome the opportunity to say whatever he wants to say,' the senator added. Before getting into more aggressive steps, Grassley said he wanted to see how the Trump son reacted to the letter. On Wednesday, Grassley had said he wanted to see Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort in front of his committee next week. Manafort also sat in on the meeting with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, described as a 'Russian government attorney' by the go-between, Rob Goldstone, who told Donald Trump Jr of the Kremlin's plans. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was also in the meeting. Dramatic footage has emerged of thieves using a digger to rip a cash machine out of a bank. The gang used the huge construction vehicle to smash into the side of a Nationwide Bank branch in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, causing extensive damage to the building. They then loaded the cash machine on to a silver pick-up truck before fleeing the scene in the early hours of Monday. Debris was left strewn across the road, which was closed for several hours following the raid. Leicestershire Police have released CCTV footage of the incident as part of an appeal for assistance in identifying the thieves. Footage shows the digger smashing into the front of the Nationwide branch The scene in Ashby Town Centre the following morning The 1.35-minute video shows the five-ton Bobcat - which is believed to be stolen - pulling up outside the building at 3am. The digger - which was accompanied by a silver pick-up and a dark Audi - pauses outside the building, before lowering its prongs and ploughing into it. A man is then seen dashing out of the other vehicle with a rope, as the digger repeatedly drives in and out of the building in an attempt to yank out the ATM. Detective Constable Grainger, of Leicestershire Police, said: 'The Bobcat was used to ram the front of the building in order for the suspects to remove the cash machine which caused a significant amount of disruption. 'We have released the CCTV footage which clearly shows three vehicles in the area and the incident itself taking place. 'We are appealing for the public's help to identify the vehicles and who was responsible.' The raid left debris strewn across the road which had to be closed for several hours the following morning Aileen Foley, manager of Cancer Research which is opposite the wrecked building society, said: 'It's absolutely shocking. When I arrived at work at 8am it was carnage. 'There was a transporter with a very large tractor on it. 'The police were here and there was debris all over the road. 'It looks like the thieves just piled straight in and took the front of the shop off. 'They've done a proper job of it but what a mess. I'm just glad no one was hurt. A Nationwide spokeswoman said: 'We recognise this is an inconvenience to customers.' Ashby-de-la-Zouch Town Council leader John Coxon, said: 'It's a scene of absolute chaos in the town centre. Extensive damage was caused to the Nationwide in Ashby-de-la-Zouch 'It's taken many people well over an hour to get into work as all the roads into town are clogged up with traffic. 'It's absolutely terrible and a real shock to everyone. 'It goes to show just how vulnerable some of these banking properties are. 'We've got to start looking at some sort of security bollards to protect these buildings, at least the banks should. 'People are shocked and many businesses haven't bothered opening up this morning. 'It's a disgusting and brazen crime that will have a financial impact in the whole town centre.' Morning Pointe will host a Caregiver Cafe Event, Tuesday, July 18, from 3-4:30 p.m. "Married to Alzheimer's" onThe event will feature guest speaker Teresa Bryant, former executive director, Morning Pointe of Hixson and Alzheimer's spouse.Organizers said, "If you have a spouse with Alzheimer's or other form of memory loss, please make plans to attend this informative event. Gain knowledge about how to manage through the caregiving process and learn about support and educational resources available to you."Space is limited. (423) 551-4190 to RSVP.The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer's Center of Excellence, Chattanooga is at 7620 Shallowford Road. A Canadian fugitive has been arrested in Texas after he allegedly confessed to fatally stabbing his girlfriend two months ago on Reddit. Ager Hasan was apprehended by Secret Service agents during a traffic stop in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday. Hasan was taken into custody following a two-month manhunt for the 24-year-old after he allegedly killed his girlfriend Melinda Vasilije, 22, on April 28. Hasan fled to the US just hours after Vasilije's death and seemingly 'confessed' online to the stabbing attack at Vasilije's home in Kitchener, Ontario. In a Reddit post purportedly written by Hasan, the author described events of Vasilije's murder, recalling pushing the woman and grabbing a knife. Although Hasan managed to avoid police for nearly three months, it seemed he was ready to turn himself in, according to an Instagram that is believed to be Hasan's. A photo uploaded on Tuesday read: 'I'm coming home. It's time to end the dark path I've been traveling and give people the closure they deserve.' Ager Hasan, 24, was arrested by Secret Service agents in San Antonio on Tuesday. The Canadian fugitive is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Melinda Vasilije, 22, who died on April 28 in Ontario, Canada The woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds and Hasan fled to the US shortly after she died, according to reports. In May, a Reddit post was purportedly written by Hasan and detailed the murder, recalling pushing Vasilije and grabbing a knife Hasan was wanted for second-degree murder and three counts of breach of recognizance, reported Global News. The breaches of recognizance refer to a 'domestic-related incident' on April 3, when Hasan was arrested for two counts of assault during a break-and-enter. While Vasilije was not a victim in that incident, Hasan was restricted from her town of Kitchener and barred from contacting her, according to the police. Weeks later, the 22-year-old was found dead around 3am on April 28 after police responded to a 911 call. She suffered multiple stab wounds, and Hasan became a prime suspect. But the 24-year-old had fled the country and had been last seen on April 28 stealing a license plate in the parking lot of a Walmart in Erie County, Pennsylvania, to replace the Ontario plate on his black, 2016 Honda. Since that moment, police have been looking for Hasan who managed to avoid police for nearly three months, but has been seemingly active on social media. An Instagram account purportedly belonging to Hasan uploaded several photos of Hasan and Vasilije together, detailing the troubles of their relationship on Tuesday. On Tuesday, this photo was uploaded to an Instagram account, believed to belong to Hasan. It read: 'I'm coming home. It's time to end the dark path I've been traveling and give people the closure they deserve' Hasan and Vasilije had been dating for around a year, according to multiple reports It read: 'You were always one step ahead of me on the contributions to our relationship. You wanted kids, marriage and to start a family but I wasn't ready. 'I kept holding it off and wanted to give it more time. Your love for me was beyond my comprehension and I needed time to understand why it was there. 'The fights and arguments we got into were about minuscule things, but I would always tell you to tell me if something was on your mind, talk and not hold it in, you never did that. 'You would always hold things in and lash out after an extended period of time. Communication is what led to the downfall of us. I hope justice is served and punishment is given accordingly to what happened that night.' A Reddit post, purportedly written by Hasan, was published in early May but has since been removed from the site. It was titled 'Wanted for Kitchener murder my side' and according to the post, the couple had recently broken up and started patching things up again. When Hasan admitted to seeing other people while they were on a break, the two began fighting, according to the Reddit post. On the same day he was arrested, Hasan allegedly detailed the nature of their relationship. The post read: 'Communication is what led to the downfall of us' The post added: 'I hope justice is served and punishment is given accordingly to what happened that night' It read: 'She started freaking out. Wouldn't say a word and just kept slapping me with tears in her eyes. Slaps turned into hits. I told her I was sorry but if she didn't stop I'd do something back. She didn't stop. I then stupidly pushed her, harder than I expected. She fell against the sink.' 'Almost out no where she grabs a knife by the sink. Initially I thought [she] was just going to hold it to try and tell me to leave. She doesn't. She comes at me in full force, aiming towards my face,' the Reddit post states. 'I tell her to stop. She doesn't, I tried grabbing the knife but ended up cutting my hands. After a few cuts I lost it. I freaked out, I was scared and in a state of shock. 'Never in a hundred years did I think she would use a knife against me. Out of shock and fear I grab one. I hit her with it, almost blindly. A few times. I didn't know what happened. I was confused, shocked and scared. 'I had no intentions of that happening. When I left I honestly thought she just passed out. Then I looked at the blood, and started freaking out and just ran. I didn't [know] for sure she had died until the next day. I honestly had no intentions of ever doing that to her, I was protecting myself. The Reddit user also maintained the two were best friends, apologized to Vasilije's family, and wrote: 'Rest in peace my beautiful. I hope you forgive me in the after life.' When Hasan admitted to seeing other people while they were on a break, the two began fighting, according to the Reddit post. He maintained they were best friends and apologized The person alleging to be Hasan also disputed the idea that he was running away, writing he needed some time to process what happened before turning himself in. Pictured: A text exchange included in the Reddit post, purported to be last texts between Hasan and Vasilije The person alleging to be Hasan also disputed the idea that he was running away, writing he needed some time to process what happened before turning himself in. Authorities in Canada have not confirmed if the Reddit post or Instagram account that openly discuss the case, was controlled by Hasan. 'Our investigations are still ongoing in relation to the social media posts that Mr. Hasan has been believed to be posting over the last number of months,' Waterloo Regional Police Inspector Mike Haffner said. Hasan was arrested after an unrelated traffic stop, which was being conducted by the Secret Service in relation to an ongoing counterfeit investigation. Officials claim Hasan was attempting to reach the Mexican border before he was stopped. He was traveling in a car that had stolen Arkansas plates. Throughout the manhunt, police said Hasan was spotted in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, stealing plates. Hasan is being held in San Antonio and was expected to appear in court on Wednesday pending extradition to Canada, reported to NBC News. Oluwaseun Talabi escaped from the 14th floor of Grenfell Tower with his partner and daughter A Grenfell Tower survivor has told how neighbours who later died in the blaze were initially brought to his flat by firefighters who thought it was still safe. Oluwaseun Talabi and his partner and child were trapped in their 14th floor flat in the 24-storey block as the flames moved up the building last month. The 30-year-old father has now spoken of the terrifying 90 minutes he spent in his flat considering whether to climb out of the window with his daughter strapped to his body. Mr Talabi said firefighters ushered five others into his home, which was initially considered safe, including Syrian refugees Mohammad and Omar Al Haj Ali. But only four of the eight who at first tried to see out the blaze in the flat are thought to have escaped. Mr Talabi told ABC News documentary Surviving the Inferno: 'It was like they brought them in my flat to die.' He said that, as the fire continued to move up the building, he tied sheets together to make a rope, but it didn't reach the ground. Mr Talabi said Mohammad Al Haj Ali (left) and another man, believed to be Dennis Murphy (right), were ushered into his flat. Mr Al Haj Ali later died in the blaze and Mr Murphy is missing Zainab Dean is also understood to have been in Mr Talabi's flat. Her family have said she died in the blaze. Her son Jeremiah has not been seen since He was pulled in by one of the others before firefighters returned to the flat and told the group to run for their lives. Mr Talabi, his partner Rosemary and their daughter managed to fight their way to the bottom of the building, but Mohammad Al Haj Ali died and three others, believed to be Zainab Dean, her two-year-old Jeremiah and Dennis Murphy, who all lived on the same floor, have not been seen since. 'I don't know who stayed in the building. We just ran,' Mr Talabi told documentary makers. At least 80 people died in the high-rise blaze which has sparked a nationwide investigation into fire safety in housing blocks and led to a series of resignations from Kensington council. Days after the tragedy, Nigerian-born Mr Talabi confronted Housing Minister about the lacklustre approach to rehousing those affected by the fire. Mr Talabi was one of those who tied sheets together in a bid to reach the ground At least 80 died after becoming trapped in the building when fire quickly spread last month In the days after the blaze Theresa May said residents of the tower would be rehoused within three weeks at the latest. But, speaking at Mayor's Question Time on Thursday, Sadiq Khan said, four weeks on from the tragedy, not enough has been done to find new homes for the Grenfell survivors. He said: 'It is clear much more needs to be done to find appropriate housing for Grenfell survivors. 'The Prime Minister's deadline of three weeks for everyone to be rehoused nearby has passed. 'And yet, as the deadline was reached, just three households had moved into new temporary accommodation and no families had moved into permanent housing.' Former president Jimmy Carter has been rushed to hospital after collapsing from dehydration while working with Habitat for Humanity in Canada. The 39th president of the United States, 92, and wife Rosalynn, 89, were taking part in the Habitat build in Winnipeg this morning, when witnesses say he was overcome with the heat. Paramedics rushed to the scene and Carter was swiftly given an IV and transported to the nearby Winnipeg's St. Boniface Hospital where he remains 'under observation.' Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter quenches his thirst while helping build homes for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Thursday. But it was not enough, and after more than an hour working in the sun, he collapsed from dehydration Paramedics rushed to the scene and Carter was swiftly given an IV and transported to the nearby Winnipeg's St. Boniface Hospital (pictured) where he remains 'under observation' A spokesman for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg said: 'He's going to be OK.' Volunteers at the build say Carter had been outside in the hot sun for more than an hour, working on a house, when he suffered the effects of dehydration, Metro News reports. The charity released a statement which said: 'President Carter was dehydrated working in the hot sun. 'President Carter told us he is okay and is being taken offsite for observation. He encourages everyone to stay hydrated and keep building.' A spokesperson for the Carter Center in Atlanta declined comment. This is not the first health scare for Carter, who previously revealed he had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015. Carter and his wife Rosalynn are been helping build homes for Habitat all week as part of the annual Carter Work Project (pictured together at a site in Edmonton, Canada) Carter (pictured with Rosalynn in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday) is being kept under observation after his collapse The 92-year-old, who has been heavily involved with Habitat for Humanity for the past three decades, was at the project in Winnipeg (pictured) when he was overcome with the heat The former president said in August that year that medics had removed melanoma from his liver and discovered four small tumors on his brain. Yet he remained active during cancer treatment, including volunteering on a home-building project for Habitat for Humanity and acting as a mediator in a dispute between Martin Luther King Jr.'s children. He has also been cautious in the past because of his family's history surrounding the illness. Three of his siblings and his father all died from pancreatic cancer. After undergoing surgery, radiation and drugs, Carter happily announced in March 2016, he was in remission and no longer needed treatment. Carter and Rosalynn were in Winnipeg as part of a week-long house building project with Habitat for Humanity's project for Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations. The Carters have a long history of involvement with the Atlanta-based charity. Today is the 34th time they have volunteered to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. Past volunteers have described the Carters as having incredible energy for their ages, and setting a pace that can be tough to keep up with. This is not the first health scare for Carter, who previously revealed he had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015 (the Carters attend President Trump's inauguration in January) The former first lady and president first got involved in March 1984, with a project in Americus, Georgia. A few months later, the Carters launched their inaugural Carter Work Project with Habitat, leading a work group to New York, to create affordable housing for 19 families in need. The Carter Work Project is now a week-long event taking place in a different locations all over the world each year. 'This has been the main thing we do outside of Carter Center and outside of my political jobs,' he told CNN last year. 'It's a practical way to put my religious beliefs into practice over the years. We talk about poor people in need and this is the best way I know to close that gap between rich people and the people who've never had a decent place to live.' Carter, the son of a peanut farmer who grew up in a house with no electricity or plumbing in Plains, Georgia, became the nation's 39th president, defeating Gerald Ford in the wake of Richard Nixon's resignation. He lost a bid for re-election four years later and has focused on humanitarian work in the decades since. Since leaving office in 1981, the politician has remained active in both American and international politics. Carter has long been involved with Habitat for Humanity home building (pictured on site in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington, October 4, 2010) In foreign affairs, his presidency is renowned for the disastrous response to the Iran hostage crisis, But he also brokered the Camp David peace accord between Israel and Egypt. He returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama, helping to reverse a tainted image of the United States in Latin America. While pushing to establish full diplomatic relations with China, he finished negotiations of the SALT II nuclear limitations treaty with the Soviet Union. The agreement was considered a huge step during the days of the Cold War. He is not the only former president to suffer health problems recently. George H.W. Bush, who is also in his nineties, was hospitalized with pneumonia in April this year Polish lorry driver Tomasz Cierniak, 32, was stopped by Border Force officers after his vehicle arrived at Harwich International Port on a ferry from the Hook of Holland A man who admitted trying to smuggle 22 Afghan nationals, including a seven-year-old child, into the UK in the back of his lorry has been jailed for three years and eight months. Polish lorry driver Tomasz Cierniak, 32, was stopped by Border Force officers after his vehicle arrived at Harwich International Port on a ferry from the Hook of Holland. Cierniak told officers that he was carrying electronic goods to deliver to John Lewis in Milton Keynes. When the lorry's rear doors were opened, officers found washing machines and tumble dryers stacked three high and four across. Officers searched the vehicle and found 22 people, including a seven-year-old, a 14-year-old and two 17-year-olds, in a purposely created gap between the heavily loaded rear and the front of the trailer during the stop on February 2 last year. Cierniak, of no fixed UK address, admitted facilitating a breach of the UK's immigration laws at an earlier hearing and was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. Judge Emma Peters told Cierniak: 'There are many people in this sad and difficult world in which we live who want desperately to come into the UK. 'You only have to watch the news to see how desperate these people are and the dreadful conditions in which they're willing to reduce themselves to get here. 'Those who play any part in exploiting that desperation should expect to be treated severely by the courts.' The court heard Cierniak, who was not the organiser, undertook the job for 650 Polish Zlotys (135) as he wanted to support his pregnant wife. Judge Peters said: 'What a tragedy that you say you were doing this for money for your family, but the effect of that is you're going to miss the birth of your first child and birthdays thereafter.' Charlotte Davison, prosecuting, said a sniffer dog at the Hook of Holland indicated that people may be on the lorry, but the ferry was allowed to continue as it was due to depart and UK authorities were notified. She said officers in the UK noted the lorry falsely carried the livery of a genuine logistics firm and that false paperwork said the electronic goods were picked up from the firm's head office, instead of providing its warehouse address. The 22 Afghan nationals were hidden in this space behind a load of washing machines by Polish truck driver Tomasz Cierniak who tried to smuggle them into the UK in February 2016 Cierniak attempted to hide the refugees in front of these washing machines on his truck Ms Davison said Cierniak claimed he was due to make a delivery to John Lewis in Milton Keynes, but the store said this was not the case. She added that the lorry had made a 'dry run' to the UK a fortnight earlier. Ania Grudzinska, mitigating, said: 'Mr Cierniak was simply the driver and was instructed to go from point A to point B. 'He was not involved in the organisation of this operation.' The Polish national smuggled the Afghan refugees into Harwich port in Essex, pictured Cierniak was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court, pictured, on Thursday Cierniak claimed the organiser was the woman he hired the lorry from. The court heard he skipped bail after his initial arrest, fearing he would be 'punished by his employer' if he was not at work. He was arrested in Italy after a European Arrest Warrant was issued. Cierniak, who said he was aware illegal immigrants were in the lorry but had nothing to do with loading them, appeared tearful as he was led to the cells. Judge Peters also ordered the forfeiture of the lorry. A mother who waited two hours before she called an ambulance for her 15-year-old daughter who was drunk and vomiting in their motel room was arrested. Theresa Adkins, 35, had been drinking whiskey with her 15-year-old daughter at a Days Inn in Daytona Beach, Florida before she was arrested early Wednesday. Her daughter drank so much she was throwing up and shaking badly from alcohol poisoning, but Adkins didn't call for help. Theresa Adkins, 35, (pictured) waited two hours before she called an ambulance for her 15-year-old daughter who was drunk and vomiting in their motel room. She was arrested and charged with child abuse, child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor Adkins (center) was drinking whiskey with her 15-year-old daughter that the girl had stolen from her grandfather's house Her 13-year-old daughter, who was also present, even told her mother to call an ambulance, but she refused, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department. Adkins said she 'could not call yet', Fox 35 Orlando reported. The mother tried to put her sick daughter in the bathtub to calm her down, but eventually called 911, according to police. When paramedics arrived, the 15-year-old girl was unable to walk on her own and had to be carried out on a stretcher. She was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment. Adkins' 13-year-old daughter, who was also present, told her mother to call an ambulance for her sister, who was vomiting, but Adkins refused, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department The mother tried to put her sick daughter in the bathtub to calm her down, but eventually called 911. When paramedics arrived, the 15-year-old girl could not walk on her own and had to be taken out on a stretcher. She was brought to the hospital for treatment Adkins was arrested and booked at the Volusia County Branch Jail. She was charged with child abuse, child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor and is being held on $20,000 bail. The 15-year-old girl was treated at the hospital and has been interviewed by police. She told officers that she had stolen a bottle of Jack Daniels from her grandfather's house, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. The girl's mother knew about the stolen bottle and drank it with her. Adkins' 13-year-old daughter was released to her grandmother after the Florida Department of Children and Families took her into custody after the incident. Advertisement President Donald Trump said Thursday that 'most people in politics' would have taken the meeting his son Don Jr held with a Russian lawyer after being promised 'incriminating' information on Hillary Clinton. Speaking at a joint press conference in Paris with French president Emmanuel Macron, Trump offered his lengthiest and most comprehensive defense of his son, calling him a 'wonderful young man'. Trump Jr, a 39-year-old father of five, plunged the White House into crisis by publishing the email in which he was offered the meeting with an unnamed 'Russian government attorney' having said of the offer of dirt on Clinton: 'I love it.' The president offered another version of his defense of his eldest son while flying to France about Air Force One, in remarks to reporters that were first off the record but that the White House later released when the president brought up the remarks. LEAVE DON JR ALONE: 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer,' Trump said during a news conference in Paris on Thursday. 'It was a short meeting, went very, very quickly, very fast' 'Don is as many of you know Don he's a good boy. He's a good kid,' Trump told reporters. 'And he had a meeting, nothing happened with the meeting. It was a short meeting as he told me because I only heard about it two or three days ago,' Trump said. Then he made other comments to minimize the meeting. 'As he told me, the meeting went and it was attended by a couple of other people who one of them left after a few minutes -- which is Jared. The other one was playing with his iPhone. Don listened, out of politeness,' the president said. The comments echoed a Russian lawyer who said former campaign chair Paul Manafort was on his phone for much of the meeting. 'Honestly, in a world of politics, most people are going to take that meeting. If somebody called and said, hey -- and you're a Democrat -- and by the way, they have taken them -- hey, I have really some information on Donald Trump. You're running against Donald Trump. Can I see you? I mean, how many people are not going to take the meeting?' Trump said. At the press conference, the president came out fighting and said his son's meeting is being turned into 'a very big deal,' when really, 'nothing happened.' 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer, not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer,' he said during a press conference Thursday in Paris. 'It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast.' Trump said the 'press made a very big deal over something really a lot of people would do,' then blamed former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for letting the Kremlin-linked woman into the country in the first place. 'Now maybe that's wrong but I just heard that a little while ago. I was surprised to hear that. So she was here because of Lynch,' he said. 'So, again, I have a son who's a great young man, he's a fine person. Took a meeting with a lawyer from Russia, it lasted for a very short period and nothing came of the meeting. And I think it's a meeting most people in politics probably would have taken.' The matter of Don Jr and the Russian national who allegedly had incriminating evidence on Hillary Clinton she was willing to share overshadowed Trump's trip to France for talks with his foreign counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Trump tried to get the matter out of the way before he departed Washington by giving two interviews on Wednesday in which Russia came up. At a news conference with Macron at Elysee Palace, however, Trump was unable to dodge a fresh set of questions about his son's conduct, although he seemed to try. Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron of France found themselves enjoying each other's company on Thursday in Paris, despite a disagreement on the environment that had been souring their relationship He called on a single American reporter and offered the United States' other question to a Chinese journalist who asked about him about that country's leader, Xi Jinping. The first reporter he took a question from, ABC News' Cecilia Vega, had brought up Don Jr. On a high note for Trump, he and Macron found themselves enjoying each other's company on Thursday in Paris and it showed. Despite a disagreement on the environment that had been souring their relationship, they laughed and talked like old pals during a bilateral meeting that preceded their joint news conference. Trump later affirmed the United States' 'unbreakable bond' with France and claimed to have a 'very good relationship' that had turned into a 'friendship' with Macron. The US president said he'd be back to Paris, and Macron said he'd always be welcome. They played down their previous clashes, choosing instead to focus on what unites the two countries, especially in the context of Trump's visit, which was timed to the commemoration of the United States' entry into WWI. Donald Trump had earlier given a lingering embrace to France's first lady Brigitte Macron as she and her husband welcomed he and Melania in Paris on the eve of Bastille Day. Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron of France found themselves enjoying each other's company on Thursday in Paris, despite a disagreement on the environment that had been souring their relationship They laughed and talked like old pals during a bilateral meeting that preceded a joint news conference They gave each other another handshake during the meeting for the sake of the cameras The president greeted his host with a handshake that was firm but was without any sign of the now-notorious power grip they shared when they first met. Then Trump kissed Mme Macron Parisian-style, once on each cheek, before taking both her hands for a prolonged grip, in which he appeared to jerk her left arm towards him. The warm welcome came at the start of the flying visit that began with an official welcome ceremony at Les Invalides, the complex of buildings that serve as a monument to the French military in central Paris. Trump and Macron were welcomed by a military band during a ceremony that preceded a tour of the military museum. The presidents reunited with their wives when the ceremony concluded to pay their respects to Napoleon, the emperor seen as the founder of modern France - although he was defeated in 1815 at Waterloo - and Marshal Foch, the French general who was the supreme allied commander in World War I. Macron was seen smacking his wife on the bottom by reporters during the walk through the monument, to her surprise. Both couples held hands in a show of a affection as they approached Napoleon's final resting place. The men moved on to Elysee afterward to begin the tough work of the day, diplomatic talks, as their wives continued on their sightseeing adventure. At their joint news conference Trump and Macron came closer than ever before on the environment, as the US president declined to criticize his host's policies while he was a guest under his roof. They stressed their mutual interest in fighting terrorism, too, bringing up the battle against extremism in Syria and Libya. In the question and answer sessions journalists pushed them to comment on their divisions but they consistently refused. Trump's problems back home were pushed front and center when ABC's Vega asked him about Don Jr. The president told her it's standard practice in politics to do research into your opponent. 'I've had many people, I've only been in politics for two years, but I've had many people call up and say, "oh gee, we have information on this factor or this person or, frankly, Hillary," that's very standard in politics,' he said. 'Politics is not the nicest business in the world, but it's very standard. They have information and you take the information.' He buttressed his argument with a claim that Barack Obama's attorney general, Lynch, gave the woman, Natalia Veselnitskaya, special permission to be in the country. Her visa was denied but the Justice Department allowed her to come to the US from October of 2015 to January 2016. She stayed past the permission into June, when the meeting with Don Jr, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, Trump's old campaign manager, took place. Le handshake: Brigitte Macron, 64, kept an extended grip on Trump's hand as he greeted her at Les Invalides, the French monument the country's military French greeting: Donald Trump embraced Brigitte Macron as her husband Emmanuel exchanged kisses with Melania Trump Donald Trump and his wife are in Paris for a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I. The first couple touched down at Orly airport just after 8:30 am local time. Melania sported a chic red blazer and skirt combination paired with red pumps, while the president remained in the suit and tie he had on when they departed Washington. They are packing a punch with the brief trip that brought them back to Europe five days after the G20 summit. First on the president's list was a stop at the US ambassador's residence. Melania Trump split off from her husband to tour Hopital Necker Enfants Malades, a children's hospital in Paris. The Trumps were formally welcomed to Paris by Macron and his wife at at Les Invalides, a military monument, later in the afternoon. They are topping off their day with a meal at the renowned Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. The president sent out a flurry of tweets highlighting jobs and industrial gains, a stock market high and a favorable recommendation from a House committee for his border wall before he took off for France with his wife and three of his top advisors in Air Force One on Wednesday evening. Trump separately told reporters as he exited the White House to board the helicopter that would deliver him to the plane, 'We're doing great against ISIS.' The president departed Washington under a cloud of suspicion, once again, over charges that his campaign colluded with the Russians to win last year's election following a series of bombshell reports on his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer who's been accused of peddling misinformation on Hillary Clinton. Seeking to put the business with Don Jr and the Russian national behind him before his third foreign trip, Trump gave two interviews to Reuters and the Christian Broadcasting Network before his overnight flight. Trump told Reuters had no idea that his eldest son met with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya until a few days ago. In the CBN interview Trump sought to distance himself from Vladimir Putin, saying at one point that the Russian government official would have been better off with Clinton as president. She would have run the US military into the ground, Trump said, and ruined America's energy market. 'There are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want,' Trump proclaimed. The US president must turn his attention now to his dealings with Macron and the talks they'll have today and tomorrow in Paris, regardless of the press coverage. He went straight the US ambassador's residence this morning for meetings as his wife went to the children's hospital. Melania Trump visited with a group of sick children, speaking to them in French, one of the five languages the White House says she speaks. 'Did you grow up in Paris? It's beautiful,' she asked one little girl in English. To another, she said, 'You look very good. Very strong...One day you will be walking and running.' Before the first lady left, the hospital's director presented her with a French-language copy of 'Le Petit Prince.' 'I will keep it to practice my French,' she told him. Former US Vice President Al Gore has compared the climate change battle to that of other 'great moral causes' like slavery, gay rights and South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. In an eco summit speech in Australia on Thursday, Gore said the movements he mentioned had all been met with 'ferocious resistance' at some point throughout history as he likened them to the ongoing climate challenge. 'The climate movement, not least in cities, is right now in the tradition of all the great moral causes that have improved the circumstances of humanity throughout our history,' he said. Scroll down for video Former US Vice President Al Gore has compared the climate change battle to that of other 'great moral causes' like slavery and gay rights during an eco summit in Australia on Thursday 'The abolition of slavery, women's suffrage and women's rights, the civil rights movement and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa... 'The movement to stop the toxic phase of the nuclear arms race and more recently the gay rights movement. Some of you may disagree with that. I don't. I did earlier in my life. 'But all of these movements have one thing in common. They all have met with ferocious resistance and have generated occasional feelings of despair from those who knew the right direction and wondered whether we could ever get there.' Gore was invited to give the keynote speech at the EcoCity World Summit in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday. Audience members were reportedly banned from filming Gore's speech and were stopped from taking photos of him. A full transcript of his speech was posted online by Climate Depot. Gore also made mention earlier in the week of President Donald Trump's recent decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement. The former US Vice President, pictured on a Melbourne tram on Thursday, was invited to give the keynote speech at the EcoCity World Summit He said he was pleased to see the group holding firm on the 2015 agreement signed by 196 nations that pledged to reduce carbon emissions. 'Of course it would be so much better if the president of the United States would help to lead the world instead of being off isolated in the corner by himself,' he said. 'But the rest of the world gets it, the rest of the world is moving forward.' Renewable energy was high on the list of topics Gore discussed at the summit. Gore said earlier in the week that given the availability of solar, wind and batteries as renewable energy sources, and their dramatic fall in cost, it makes economic sense for countries to switch from heavy-polluting fossil fuels. 'Those countries that take a leadership role will benefit most from the new jobs that are being created,' Gore said. 'The fastest-growing jobs in the world are in renewable energy. In my country solar jobs are growing 17 times faster than other jobs in the economy.' Gore is in Australia ahead of the release of An Inconvenient Sequel, the follow up to his Oscar-winning 2006 documentary on global warming. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Melbourne on Thursday night in recognition of his global warming efforts. President Trump pointed a finger at President Obama's Attorney General Loretta Lynch for allowing the Russian attorney into the country that his son and campaign aides met with. 'Somebody said that her visa or her passport to come into the country was approved by Attorney General Lynch,' Trump floated at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. 'Now maybe that's wrong, but I just heard that a little while ago. I was surprised to hear that.' 'So she was here because of Lynch,' Trump repeated, trying to kick the problem to the previous administration. Trump was likely referring to a Hill newspaper article that said Natalia Veselnitskaya was cleared to come into the country due to 'extraordinary circumstances' by President Obama's Justice Department. President Trump (left), standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron (right), said Thursday that his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer wasn't a 'very big deal' The president pointed a finger at former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who served under President Obama, saying that she approved the visa for the Russian lawyer who met with his son, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort Donald Trump Jr (left) has become the central figure of the firestorm surrounding Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as he failed to reveal a meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya (right), a Russian attorney, until earlier this week By late 2015, the Moscow-based attorney had already been turned down for a visa to enter the U.S., but was granted special immigration parole by Lynch, the Hill reported, for the purpose of defending her legal client, Dennis Katsyv, the owner of Russian real estate company Prevezon. Prevezon was involved in a $230 million money laundering case, which was eventually settled with the US government for $6 million in May of this year. Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who Trump fired in March, was prosecuting the company for its crimes and now House Democrats are asking President Trump's Justice Department for any filings on the case, to see if the settlement and Bharara's controversial firing are related. As for Veselnitskaya, by January 2016 her time in the US was set to expire, though she begged for more time in the US. A federal prosecutor explained how rare it was for her to be granted this kind of waiver. 'In October the government bypassed the normal visa process and gave a type of extraordinary permission to enter the country called immigration parole,' Assistant US Attorney Paul Monteleoni explained to a judge during a hearing on January 6, 2016, according to the Hill. 'That's a discretionary act that the statute allows the attorney general to do in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, we did that so that Mr. Katsyv could testify. And we made the further accommodation of allowing his Russian lawyer into the country to assist,' the prosecutor added. Monteleoni said the Justice Department was willing to allow Veselnitskaya back in the country for the Prevezon trial, even allowing her some time beforehand to prepare as the case approached. The judge asked the Justice Department to extend the Russian lawyer's immigration parole by a week, until he decided motions in the case, the Hill wrote. How Veselnitskaya got to remain in the country through June, to have the meeting at Trump Tower, could not be answered by Justice Department and State Department officials, reported the Hill. Now Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is asking for all the documents on how Veselnitskaya entered the country and stayed. Grassley also said Thursday he wants to see Donald Trump Jr in front of his committee, and previously said he was asking Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort to testify. At the presser in Paris Thursday, Trump rallied on the side of his namesake saying Donald Trump Jr's meeting with Veselnitskaya is being turned into 'a very big deal,' when really, 'nothing happened.' 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer,' he said during a press conference Thursday in Paris. 'It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast.' Trump said the 'press made a very big deal over something really a lot of people would do.' 'Now maybe that's wrong but I just heard that a little while ago. I was surprised to hear that. So she was here because of Lynch,' he said. 'So, again, I have a son who's a great young man, he's a fine person. Took a meeting with a lawyer from Russia, it lasted for a very short period and nothing came of the meeting. And I think it's a meeting most people in politics probably would have taken.' The matter of Don Jr and the Russian national who allegedly had incriminating evidence on Hillary Clinton she was willing to share overshadowed Trump's trip to France for talks with his foreign counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Trump tried to get the matter out of the way before he departed Washington by giving two interviews on Wednesday in which Russia came up. At a news conference with Macron at Elysee Palace, however, Trump was unable to dodge a fresh set of questions about his son's conduct, although he seemed to try. He called on a single American reporter and offered the United States' other question to a Chinese journalist who asked about him about that country's leader, Xi Jinping. The first reporter he took a question from, ABC News' Cecilia Vega, had brought up Don Jr. She reminded the president of something his FBI nominee, Christopher Wray, had said during his nomination hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Wray had suggested it would have been 'wise' to let the FBI know if a foreign government was trying to assist one's political campaign. Trump simply complimented Wray. 'Well, I'll start off by saying, first of all, I believe that we will have a great FBI director, I think he's doing really well and we're very proud of that choice,' Trump replied. 'I think I've done a great service to the country by choosing him,' the president added. 'He will make us all proud. And I think someday we'll see that and hopefully someday soon. So we're very proud of him,' Trump went on. He then started what turned out to be a long-winded defense of his son. Trump told reporters that Veselnitskaya was just a Russian lawyer 'not a government lawyer' despite how she was described in the emails, penned by PR exec Rob Goldstone, written to his son. 'It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast,' Trump continued, noting that one of the people in the meeting left early. That would be Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who the president didn't name in his reference to the meeting. He also didn't mention the third Trump campaign individual, campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was in the room, just saying, 'the other one was not really focused on the meeting.' 'I think from a practical standpoint most people would have taken that meeting, it's called opposition research or research into your opponent,' Trump went on. 'I've had many people, I've only been in politics for two years, but I've had many people call up and say, "oh gee, we have information on this factor or this person or, frankly, Hillary," that's very standard in politics,' he continued. 'Politics is not the nicest business in the world, but it's very standard,' the president said. Three male lions that escaped from South Africa's Kruger National Park have been shot dead after a farmer found them eating his cattle, officials said Thursday. The farmer shot one dead and wounded another on Wednesday, which had escaped from the National Park over the weekend. Parks authorities armed with rifles then used a helicopter to track down the injured animal and the third lion. The lions had escaped from Kruger National Park in South Africa (file picture( South African national parks spokeswoman Janine Raftopoulos said: 'We had to obviously kill the wounded lion because it becomes very dangerous. 'With the last one remaining, because he had come into contact with the farmer's livestock, we assessed the situation and the decision was taken to put (him) down.' She said that if the lion had been returned to the park, it would have tried to escape again and would be a threat to humans and livestock. Four lions were first reported to have escaped. Kruger Park, which borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is home to about 1,500 lions, and nearly the size of Belgium. Park officials feared that if the third lion was recaptured and sent back to the park it would escape again (file pictures) Animals sometimes slip past the barrier fences, especially during the dry winter season. Two months ago, five other lions escaped from the park. Four were re-captured in neighbouring farms and one is still on the loose. Officials said animals usually escaped through dry river beds or holes along the fence. Advertisement Prince Harry joined Dunkirk veterans and stars of Hollywood such as former One Direction star Harry Styles for the premiere of the latest Christopher Nolan blockbuster chronicling the desperate World War Two evacuation of British troops. Harry learned first hand about the massive 1940 operation to save hundreds of thousands of servicemen from advancing Nazi forces when he met men who had been on the French beaches. Chatting to the old soldiers at Kensington Palace ahead of the premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square the prince, a former Army officer, quizzed the men, now in their late 90s, about their experiences. When Harry met Harry! The Prince of Wales (right) joined Dunkirk veterans and stars of Hollywood such as former One Direction star Harry Styles (left) for the premiere of the latest Christopher Nolan film about the evacuation of British troops Harry double act: The pop star turned actor, and 32-year-old royal, looked comfortable as they enjoyed a red carpet chat All smiles: Prince Henry of Wales (right) at the 'Dunkirk' world film premiere with Kosovo war veteran Gemma Morgan (left) Learning from the best: Prince Harry (left) spent this afternoon chatting with war veterans at Kensington Palace in London before he and his party guests attended the premiere of the new Second World War film, Dunkirk Bending their ears: Harry learned first hand about the massive 1940 operation to save hundreds of thousands of servicemen from advancing Nazi forces when he met men who had been on the French beaches. Pictured: The Prince listens to Sidney Spalding, 100, from Colchester, who was abandoned on the beach in Dunkirk by his commanding officer Handsome chaps: Prince Harry addressed Tom Hardy on the red carpet as acting heavyweight Mark Rylance joined in the fun The 32-year-old royal looked eager to learn from his elders, sitting forward on his chair as he quizzed them about their worldly experiences. Later he met the stars of Dunkirk at the premiere including leading British actors Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh, and Irish star Cillian Murphy. Crowds packed the famous London square but the largest cheers were reserved for singer Harry Styles, whose appearance produced ear shattering screams. Eager student: The 32-year-old royal sat forward on his chair as he quizzed the old soldiers about their worldly experiences Tell me your stories! Prince Harry looked captivated by stories from the Dunkirk veterans at Kensington Palace this afternoon Main event: After the chat, the Prince of Wales headed to the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square with his guests, including George Wagner, 96 (left). There they mingled with stars such as Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, and Cillian Murphy for the premiere of the historical action drama, which tells the story of soldiers being evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk during WWII Proud moment: Afghanistan veteran Louis Nethercott (left) exchanges smiles with the Prince of Wales (right) on arrival Here come the boys: From left Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles and producer Emma Thomas attend the preview screening of Dunkirk at BFI Southbank in central London He's got skills: Charismatic Prince Harry mingled with (from left) Barry Keoghan, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Cillian Murphy PRINCE'S PREMIERE: HARRY'S HEROIC GUESTS James Baynes 97, from North London Before the Dunkirk evacuation he was stationed near Bethune and after receiving the orders to evacuate suffered bombardment with his division around Lille (Caestre Sector). During the evacuation of Dunkirk, as a weak swimmer, he narrowly avoided reaching a ship which was shortly afterwards sunk by German bombardment, escaped shooting (by a Scottish officer!) for being in the wrong queue, assisted a French officer and another British soldier in paddling away in a small boat which was not seaworthy, was eventually picked up by a Royal Navy launch, and taken back to England (Margate) crammed into the hold of a Dutch coal tanker. He later went on to serve in the North Africa (notably El Alamein) and Italy (notably Monte Cassino) campaigns, enduring fierce fighting, and repeatedly narrowly escaping death. For the remainder of his working career, post-war, he served as a civilian in the War Office (subsequently the Ministry of Defence). Charlie Biscoe 97, from Essex Enlisted 1938 in Dorset Regiment, then transferred to Royal West Kent 1939-1946. Occupation driver/mechanic driving Bren gun carrier. Was sent to France April 1940 and subsequently evacuated from Dunkirk. Regiment joined the 8th Indian Division (8th Army) in El Alamein, where he was wounded. After his recovery Mr Biscoe served in Persia and Iraq. He then went on to Greece and Italy, where he was involved at the battle of Monte Cassino. Charles ended his career on 28th July 1946 after serving 8 years 46 days with an exemplary military conduct record. Garth Wright 97, from Devon Garth Wright grew up near Tavistock in Devon. In 1939, he headed to France with the Royal Artillery where he served as a motorcycle dispatch rider. At Dunkirk, he volunteered as a stretcher bearer before returning to England on a Royal Navy destroyer. He subsequently landed at Algiers as part of Operation Torch and took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. He was demobbed in 1946. After the war he worked as a bus driver in Plymouth. James Baynes, 97, from north London, narrowly avoided reaching a ship which was shortly afterwards sunk by German bombardment during the evacuation of Dunkirk. He later went on to serve in the North Africa (notably El Alamein) and Italy campaigns Les Gray 98 , from Birmingham Recruited into the BEF and served from 1940 onwards. After the evacuation of Dunkirk he served in North Africa and Italy. He left the army in 1946. Jeff Haward Middlesex regiment. War evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. Served in El Alamein, Sicily, Normandie, North West Europe. Awarded for his bravery. Sidney Spalding 100 years old from Colchester He was abandoned on the beach in Dunkirk by his commanding officer with the instruction 'every man for himself'. He then got himself on to a boat, alone. He was in the Territorial Army when war was declared and was therefore recruited from the start of the war. Arthur Taylor 96, from Dorset He was 19 at Dunkirk, serving with the Royal Airforce. Serving with 13 Squadron flying Lysanders who were spotting the fall of shot for an artillery regiment. He served from from August 1939 but in 1937 he joined Royal Engineers underage George Wagner 96, from Birmingham Born in 1920, George Wagner grew up just outside Birmingham. In early 1940 he went to France with the Royal Engineers. During the Dunkirk evacuation, he helped to construct a pier made of abandoned lorries on the beach at La Panne. On 6 June 1944 D-Day Mr Wagner returned to France, landing on Sword Beach as part of Operation Overlord. He was demobbed in 1946. Harry Garrett 99, from Kent Joined the TA in 1938, Y Division. Escaped Dunkirk on a destroyer, The Wolsey. He then joined the 51st Highland Division and was sent to Egypt, Tripoli, Sussie and Sicily. After the war he joined the Royal Legion and was voted vice Chairman of the Sevenoakes branch. He has been awarded the gold badge and life membership. Colin Ashford Mr Ashford was conscripted into the Army in the autumn of 1939 and was sent out to France in early March 1940. He served within the 42nd Battalion in the Highland Light Infantry. Hero: Les Gray (centre), 98, from Birmingham, surrounded by his family. Mr Gray was recruited into the BEF and served from 1940 onwards. After the evacuation of Dunkirk he served in north Africa and Italy. He left the army in 1946 George Purton Mr Purton was part of the Royal Army Service Core, and walked from Deppane to Dunkirk after coming off of 'The Mole' a long stone and wooden jetty at the mouth of the port. He went out to Dunkirk at the very beginning and went to North Africa afterwards and ended up being captured by the Germans. Alfred Smith, 98, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex Served in the Royal Army Service Corps during World War II. He was evacuated from Dunkirk and went on to take part in the D-Day landings before being hospitalised by a shrapnel injury. He said: 'I drove for two days with no sleep and we eventually arrived at Dunkirk. We had to blow the lorriesup so the Germans could not use them and then we sat on the beach for 48 hours waiting to get off. Planes kept coming over machine-gunning us and lots of my friends were killed because there was nowhere to hide. 'Eventually, a paddle steamer came so I went in the water and swam for a few yards and was pulled on board. I think I just passed out and when I came to they had carried me downstairs. We landed at Harwich and then I found out that just 31 got back out of 107 of us.' After the war Mr Smith worked first as a taxi driver and then as a driving instructor for 40 years. He lost his wife Betty 14 years ago. He is now a regular member at SSAFA's Southend Veterans' Lunch Club. Gemma Morgan Ms Morgan served as a Captain in the Army and deployed to Kosovo when she was 25 in 1998. She struggled with her mental health when she came home as she didn't feel able to talk about it. She is currently being supported by Help for Heroes Hidden Wounds. Louis Nethercott Mr Nethercott joined the military when he was just 17 and found being a Royal Marines Commando was not only something he was good at, it was something he loved. His commando unit and the lads he served with became his second family. His 10-year military career took him all over the globe, including Europe, India, America, Africa, Norway and the Middle and Far East. In May 2016, Mr Nethercott was selected to be the Mental Health Ambassador for the Invictus Games in Orlando. Advertisement At Kensington Palace Harry chatted to Sidney Spalding, 100, from Colchester, who was abandoned on the beach in Dunkirk by his commanding officer with the instruction 'every man for himself'. Harry also spoke to George Wagner, 96, from Litchfield, near Birmingham, who was sent to Europe in late 1939 with the Royal Engineers, and like tens of thousands of others recounted how he seized an opportunity to get off the beaches. He was given a private screening of the movie and said the sound of explosions brought back memories of the bombardment they faced as they tried to leave. Mr Wagner said about the movie: 'It's got bags of bangs, that's what worries me is the bangs. Learning from true heroes: Prince Harry attended the premiere with Dunkirk veteran George Wagner, 96, (centre) Afghanistan veteran Louis Nethercott (left), and Kosovo veteran, Gemma Morgan (behind the Prince) Royal arrival: Prince Harry, 32, added to the star-studded event as he made an incredibly dashing arrival to the red carpet Prince Harry and veterans from Dunkirk, Afghanistan and Kosovo walk past a WWII Spitfire MK1 at the Dunkirk premiere 'It just reminded me when we were just outside Dunkirk we were mortared as we were getting away. Then they started to shell us and then one or two planes started to have a go. 'I was down below deck, there were six or seven of us and we were soaking wet and naked, our clothes were in the engine room drying out.' The veteran later joined Harry at the premiere and walked the red carpet with the royal who was cheered and screamed at by the crowds. The Prince arrived onto the red carpet along with veterans from Dunkirk, Afghanistan and Kosovo. Suave: Harry Styles, the former One Direction star turned solo artist, is making his acting debut as Alex in Christopher Nolan's epic war drama Dunkirk. The One Direction star, 23, parted ways with his usual kooky ensembles for a more reserved look Handsome: Harry, who has won early praise for his role of Alex in Dunkirk, was dressed to impress in his paired down, minimalistic black suit Speaking at the world premiere for the film in Leicester Square, Styles said it may be 'one and done' in regards to his film career. He told reporters: 'I'd do this one again but it may be one and done ... I'd do this one again' The Prince looked happy this evening despite a busy day of royal duties at Westminster Abbey and Kensington Palace It's been a busy day for the Prince, who this morning welcomed Queen Letizia of Spain with a kiss on the cheek as they met outside Westminster Abbey. The engagement was the first time the royal had been tasked with a formal role in a state visit. Harry Styles, the former One Direction star turned solo artist, is making his acting debut as Alex in Christopher Nolan's epic war drama Dunkirk. The One Direction star, 23, parted ways with his usual kooky ensembles for a more reserved look for the flick's big event - which is set for release on 20 July in the UK - while Tom, 39, and Murphy, 41, also looked undeniably suave in their fitted suits. Tom Hardy looked every inch the hunk as he sported shaved head on both sides - with the rest of his locks slicked back in the middle. Pictured: Hardy poses in front of a Spitfire MK1 at the Leicester Square premiere A-listers: Starring Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy (pictured with wife Charlotte Riley), Cillian Murphy and a wealth of British talent, the film tells the story of the chaotic rescue of Allied soldiers during the Second World War His big night: Actress Charlotte Riley looked thrilled for her husband, Tom Hardy, during the big world premiere Spring chicken: George Wagner, left, who turns 97 later this year, looked fit and healthy as he arrived with Prince Harry Speaking at the world premiere for the film in Leicester Square, Styles said it may be 'one and done' in regards to his film career. He told reporters: 'I'd do this one again but it may be one and done ... I'd do this one again.' He was joined by namesake Prince Harry on the red carpet in Leicester Square and three army veterans who served in Dunkirk, Kosovo and Afghanistan respectively. Starring Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and a wealth of British talent, the film tells the story of the chaotic rescue of Allied soldiers during the Second World War. Murphy, who takes on the role of Shivering Soldier, was dressed to impress in a fitted suit, which he paired with a baby blue shirt and a slick navy tie The talented actor, who is famed for his role in BBC's Peaky Blinders, looked at ease as he made an early arrival to the event in his suave ensemble The star's locks were shaved on both sides, which put emphasis off his chiselled features and piercing blue eyes. Murphy proved to be in high spirits as he took his time and mingled with fans and signed autographs Comparing acting to his pop music career Styles said: 'It feels a little different for sure you've done the thing already so this is the fun bit. 'I loved it I had a great time I've been very fortunate to be part of this film. 'When I heard about Chris doing it I was kind of already excited to watch it to be honest and I just wanted to be involved. 'The story is such an important piece of British history ... And I think everyone thought we were making something special. Real deal: Dunkirk veterans Arthur Taylor (left) and war veteran Bill Gladden (far right) stepped out on the red carpet Murphy looked fresh-faced and ready to celebrate the new film, which is set to hit UK cinemas on 20 July The musician's performance received a warm reception from critics and his co-stars so far. Murphy, who takes on the role of Shivering Soldier, was dressed to impress in a fitted suit, which he paired with a baby blue shirt and a slick navy tie. The talented actor, who is famed for his role in BBC's Peaky Blinders, looked at ease as he made an early arrival to the event in his suave ensemble. The star's locks were shaved on both sides, which put emphasis off his chiselled features and piercing blue eyes. The handsome star (left) made a style statement in a unique printed three-piece suit set, which teased at his muscular frame. He posed alongside his beautiful wife Charlotte Riley The Hammersmith-born talent, who sported a sexy, scruffy beard, completed the striking look with a pair of black boots Hardy wasn't the only one bringing out the glamour, as he was joined by his beautiful wife Charlotte Riley EVACUATION OF DUNKIRK: THE LARGEST MILITARY EVACUATION IN HISTORY WHICH SAVED 338,000 ALLIED TROOPS The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting. It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. But 11,000 Britons were killed during Operation Dynamo, and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned. Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war. The Second World War began after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, but for a number of months there was little further action on land. But in early 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway and then launched an offensive against Belgium and France in western Europe. Hitler's troops advanced rapidly, taking Paris - which they never achieved in the First World War - and moved towards the Channel. They reached the coast towards the end of May 1940, pinning back the Allied forces, including several hundred thousand troops of the British Expeditionary Force. Military leaders quickly realised there was no way they would be able to stay on mainland Europe. Operational command fell to Bertram Ramsay, a retired vice-admiral who was recalled to service in 1939. From a room deep in the cliffs at Dover, Ramsay and his staff pieced together Operation Dynamo, a daring rescue mission by the Royal Navy to get troops off the beaches around Dunkirk and back to Britain. On May 14 1940 the call went out. The BBC made the announcement: 'The Admiralty have made an order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.' Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves. They sailed from Dover, the closest point, to allow them the shortest crossing. On May 29, Operation Dynamo was put into action. When they got to Dunkirk they faced chaos. Soldiers were hiding in sand dunes from aerial attack, much of the town of Dunkirk had been reduced to ruins by the bombardment and the German forces were closing in. Above them, RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters were headed inland to attack the German fighter planes to head them off and protect the men on the beaches. As the little ships arrived they were directed to different sectors. Many did not have radios, so the only methods of communication were by shouting to those on the beaches or by semaphore. Space was so tight, with decks crammed full, that soldiers could only carry their rifles. A huge amount of equipment, including aircraft, tanks and heavy guns, had to be left behind. The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England. The evacuation lasted for several days. Prime Minister Churchill and his advisers had expected that it would be possible to rescue only 20,000 to 30,00 men, but by June 4 more than 300,000 had been saved. The exact number was impossible to gauge - though 338,000 is an accepted estimate - but it is thought that over the week up to 400,000 British, French and Belgian troops were rescued - men who would return to fight in Europe and eventually help win the war. But there were also heavy losses, with around 90,000 dead, wounded or taken prisoner. A number of ships were also lost, through enemy action, running aground and breaking down. Despite this, Dunkirk was regarded as a success and a great boost for morale. In a famous speech to the House of Commons, Churchill praised the 'miracle of Dunkirk' and resolved that Britain would fight on: 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!' Advertisement Murphy proved to be in high spirits as he took his time and mingled with fans and signed autographs. Taking after Murphy, Tom Hardy looked every inch the hunk as he sported shaved head on both sides - with the rest of his locks slicked back in the middle. The handsome star made a style statement in a unique printed three-piece suit set, which teased at his muscular frame. Mixing and matching different colours, Hardy donned a baby blue shirt, with white collars, alongside a slick maroon coloured tie. The Hammersmith-born talent, who sported a sexy, scruffy beard, completed the striking look with a pair of black boots. Dapper: Acting heavyweight Mark Rylance looked handsome in an all-black ensemble complete with a bowler hat which he tipped as he stood in front of a Spitfire MK1. Crowds screamed with delight as he beamed at them from the red carpet The man behind it all: Director Christopher Nolan (left) looked thrilled a the culmination of his hard work as he arrived with his wife, Emma Thomas. Right: Charlotte Riley turned heads in her stunning low-cut jumpsuit Arriving: Kenneth Branagh, who plays the part of Commander Bolton, looked handsome as he made a slick appearance on the red carpet. He was also spotted sharing a joke with Prince Harry with co-stars Barry Keoghan and Cillian Murphy Night of film: Dermot O'Leary and Dee Koppang headed to the world premiere for the film in Leicester Square, central London Busy day! Prince Harry, who this morning welcomed Queen Letizia of Spain with a kiss on the cheek as they met outside Westminster Abbey. The engagement was the first time the royal had been tasked with a formal role in a state visit Glam: Welsh actor Aneurin Barnard was in high spirits as he arrived with a female companion for the movie spectacle Edgy look: The star stood out on the red carpet, despite being dressed in a stylish all-black suit to match his dark hair The various red carpet hunks were joined by their co-star Fionn Whitehead, who takes on the role of Tommy in the eagerly anticipated flick. The star, whose claim to fame will be Nolan's Dunkirk, did his best to make a style statement for his big night. The rising star looked handsome in a fitted grey plaid three-piece suit, which consisted of a blazer, wasitcoat and trousers. A crisp white shirt and black tie completed the suave look, as did a pair of shiny black boots. Don't miss it! Dunkirk is set for release on 20 July with filming having taken place in Holland, the UK and Los Angeles Plot: The film begins in 1940 with hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops hemmed in by the German army on the beaches of northern France Impressively done: The acclaimed director, who boasts the likes of The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Interstellar on his resume, has paid astonishing attention to detail while filming the project Dunkirk is set for release on 20 July with filming having taken place in Holland, the UK and Los Angeles. The film begins in 1940 with hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops hemmed in by the German army on the beaches of northern France. The acclaimed director, Nolan, who boasts the likes of The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Interstellar on his resume, has paid astonishing attention to detail while filming the project. The various red carpet hunks were joined by their co-star Fionn Whitehead (pictured), who plays the role of Tommy in the new film. The star, whose claim to fame will be Nolan's Dunkirk, did his best to make a style statement for his big night A Government adviser is facing calls to quit after he compared Brexit to the appeasement of the Nazis in the 1930s. Lord Adonis also compared the decision to leave the EU to the fall of the British Empire and said it will lead to a period of 'serious relative decline' in living standards compared to Germany and France. His comments sparked outrage and Conservative MPs called on him to resign from his role advising the government on infrastructure projects. Lord Adonis, a Labour peer, said: 'My language is usually pretty subdued in politics but anyone with a historical sense and I'm a historian recognises that leaving the economic institutions of the European Union, which have guided our destiny as a trading nation for half a century, is a very big step and the importance can't be over-emphasised. Lord Adonis has sparked fury after he compared the decision to leave the EU with the appeasement of Hitler during the 1930s 'To my mind, it's as big a step that we're taking as a country as decolonisation in the 1950s and 60s and appeasement in the 1930s. 'We got it right on decolonisation, we got it wrong on appeasement and I think we're in serious danger of getting it wrong in the way that we leave the EU.' In the interview with The House magazine, he said quitting the Brussels club will harm Britain's economy. He said: 'If we can't have our cake and eat it then we face a serious relative decline in our living standards compared with France and Germany and I don't believe the British people will put up with that. 'So we would, in that event, I believe face a crisis. It may be a crisis played out over quite a number of years which, after all, is what happened with appeasement but there will be a crisis. The Labour peer said quitting the Brussels club will turn out to be as big a mistake as not standing up to the Nazis as hey rose to power in Germany 'It's important for political leaders like me to sound the alarm bell because it's important to understand what might be at stake: in 18 months' time, people may require visas to go to France. 'Can you imagine what the Great British public is going to think?' But his comments were branded 'appalling and wrong' by a shocked MP who demanded his resignation. Peter Bone, the Conservative MP for Wellingborough, told the Mail Online: 'Words almost fail me. 'First of all, to suggest that what this government is doing is in any way related to appeasement is outrageous. 'What we are doing is taking power back to this country form a European superstate, not giving power to some a European fascist empire. 'Using this sort of appalling language is wrong, his arguments are wring and his tone is wrong. 'And if he is a government appointed chairman of some quango then he should go - he should either resign tonight and if he doesn't he the should be fired tomorrow.' France's Special Operations Command have released a dramatic Hollywood-style film in a bid to attract more recruits. The edgy video shows troops scuba diving, storming buildings and parachuting out of planes. During the clip, which lasts three minutes and 24 seconds, messages emerge on screen saying: '4,400 operators conducts sensitive operations with high strategic value on the ground in the sea and in the air. France's Special Operations Command have released a dramatic Hollywood-style film in a bid to attract more recruits The edgy video shows troops scuba diving, storming buildings and parachuting out of planes 'The Special Operations Command designs, plans and conducts special operations.' The Special Operations Command, or Commandement des Operations Speciales in French, was established in 1992 after the Gulf War. It coordinates France's special forces across all branches of the military. The Special coordinates France's special forces across all branches of the military In January 2013 the organisation played a prominent role in Operation Serval which aimed to oust Islamic militants from Mali. French special forces personnel have also been in Iraq over the last two years during which time they have assisted Kurdish and Iraqi forces. The clip, entitled 'A very special video' was uploaded to YouTube with the caption: 'Discretion, courage and adaptability. Special forces carry out high-risk operations, focusing on initiative and innovation.' A High Court judge has raised concerns over the abuse and threats directed at medics treating Charlie Gard . Mr Justice Francis said he had been told staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London were subjected to 'vile' abuse. He warned that perpetrators would be punished if their identities became known and said he wanted that message to go out 'loud and clear'. The judge was speaking as he oversaw the latest round of legal fights between Charlie's parents and Great Ormond Street bosses at the High Court in London. He said: 'I don't know how anybody can think they are helping the parents' case.' The judge also warned against protests at Great Ormond Street and added: 'Demonstrations outside a children's hospital are really unlikely to help.' It comes as a US doctor offering to treat the critically ill baby was invited to Britain today after claiming he could have a 50/50 chance of getting better. Connie Yates and Chris Gard listen as an American doctor offering to treat their son says he could have a 50/50 chance of showing improvement Charlie Gard's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrive at the Royal Courts of Justice in London where they begged a judge to save him - and later stormed out of the courtroom Charlie's forlorn father went for a cigarette outside after he became overwhelmed in the court room today, and was joined by his partner Miss Yates Charlie Gard (pictured with his parents) 'is being held captive by the British state', the family spokesman said ahead of today's hearing The neurologist, who cannot be named, said new tests on mice show rodents with a similar genetic disease to the little boy had experienced improved brain function. The High Court was told how the doctor issued his dramatic new assessment of Charlie's prospects after he received a phone call from the White House on July 4. He said the therapy is 'worth trying', adding his 'conservative' estimate was a 10 per cent chance of 'clinically meaningful success' - but up to a maximum of 56 per cent. Speaking via video link, he also said Charlie's British doctors may be wrong about him being brain damaged because it could be a muscle problem the drugs might fix. Mr Justice Francis asked if he knew the nucleoside therapy could help Charlie's condition and he said it was difficult to assess without seeing him. The judge then asked him: 'If I adjourned for a few days would you come to London?', to which the doctor replied: 'Yes if necessary, I would love to do that.' But he agreed that Great Ormond Street Hospital's claims that Charlie's head is not growing is a 'bad sign' and could be due to brain damage. He said: 'We cannot fix or cure his disease. I'm confident we can improve cognitive function but don't know how much.' The case was due to finish today but is set to continue on Friday and possibly stretch into next week. Earlier Charlie Gard's parents stormed out of the court and yelled at the judge: 'I thought this was supposed to be independent'. Connie Yates and Chris Gard have been told to find new evidence to prove he should to go to the US rather than have his life support switched off. The outburst came after Mr Justice Francis reminded the hearing of what Connie Yates and Chris Gard had told him three months ago. 'I didn't say it like that!' Row between the judge and Charlie's parents was over what they said about their little boy Charlie Gard's parents stormed out of court following a dispute with the judge over what they previously said about their son. They left after disagreeing with the judge over remarks they made in a hearing three months ago. Mr Justice Francis said: 'The parents both properly, and with difficulty, accepted what he has now is not worth sustaining.' Connie interjected: 'I didn't say it like that, Sir.' The judge continued: 'This is actually quoted, again in the Court of Appeal.. 'It was certainly one of your clients, who said the quality of life he has at the moment is not worth sustaining.' Connie said: 'I didn't say that he was suffering.' Charlie's parents dramatically left the hearing, which continued in their absence. Mr Justice Francis said: 'I didn't take it as that. 'I think what Ms Yates did say, Mr Armstrong, was - and what Mr Gard also said - is they wouldn't be fighting to retain what he has now. 'They want to give him the treatment to get better.' Quoting from the transcript from the earlier hearing, the judge said: 'Mr Gard said, 'I wouldn't say suffering. He hasn't got a quality of life. I am not going to stand here and say he is fine. ''We are fighting for a chance to give him a treatment'.' Advertisement He said: 'They have not been fighting to retain what he has now but fighting for a chance to give him the treatment to possibly improve.' Charlie's father Chris Gard stood up and said back: 'We're not allowed, are we', adding: 'I thought this was supposed to be independent'. The couple then rushed out of the court room as Miss Yates, who had been shaking previously put her head in her hands, said: 'He's not suffering and not in pain', and looked forlorn as they had a cigarette together outside. After a short break they returned to the court and Mr Justice Francis offered a reassuring word, saying: 'I understand you walking out because it is a desperate situation.'. Minutes earlier lawyers representing the couple said the decision to stop Charlie getting experimental treatment in America had started a public debate about 'intrusion into parental rights'. Mr Justice Francis hit back and said: 'Comments by people who know nothing about this case are unhelpful', adding the court was 'not interfering in parents' rights but the support of the child's rights.' The High Court judge who will decide if Charlie Gard lives or dies has said today that only new evidence will 'change his mind' that keeping him alive is 'futile'. The little boy's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard have begged Mr Justice Francis to let their son fly to the US or Rome for treatment and said: 'We love him more than life itself'. The judge, who previously backed Great Ormond Street to end his life support, told the High Court: 'We all want what is best for Charlie. If there is important new evidence which suggests my judgement should be changed - then I will change it'. Charlie's fight has sparked a worldwide campaign to save him with interventions by Donald Trump and the Pope encouraging 800,000 to sign petitions and raise 1.3million for the treatment he is being denied. Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrived at the High Court clutching their 11-month-old son's favourite cuddly monkey ahead of today's crucial court hearing. It is their final chance to prove why their son should not have his life-support withdrawn by Great Ormond Street. As the hearing began, members of 'Charlie's Army' chanted support for the parents at crowd control barriers festooned with blue balloons outside the High Courts. Taxi, bus and lorry drivers responded to their request to 'please beep for Charlie'. The demonstrators carried placards saying: 'Give Charlie a Chance' and 'GOSH tell the truth'. Mr Justice Francis opened the hearing with an apparent call for calm and said: 'I want the parents to know that a very large number of people have worked hard in Charlie's interests and his welfare is the paramount concern of all of us, even though we approach it in different ways.' Mr Gard waves to members of 'Charlie's Army' while Miss Yates stared straight ahead as they entered the Royal Courts of Justice The parents of Charlie Gard must find evidence that illustrates how experimental drug treatment could improve the health of the critically-ill baby Members of 'Charlie's Army' chanted support for the parents while taxi, bus and lorry drivers responded to their request to 'please beep for Charlie' Charlie's Army were outside the High Court On Monday demanding Charlie is flown to the US as a judge agreed to a new hearing today Opening proceedings Barrister Grant Armstrong, leading Charlie's parents' legal team, indicated that the couple thought they had new evidence. He said the plan was for a specialist in the US who was offering therapy to give evidence by a link from America. Mr Armstrong said the American doctor's view was that there was a 56 per cent chance of muscular improvement in Charlie and a 90 per cent of the drug reaching Charlie's brain. 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 were given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. Their spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden's voice broke as he read their final plea for clemency from Mr Justice Francis But his head has not been measured and was branded an 'absurd situation' by the judge. He demanded to know if the boy's head had grown, saying: 'What we are being told is that the absence of skull growth is indicative of lack of brain development '. The court has heard his head has not grown in three months, but Charlie's mother told the court it had gone up 2cm in a week. The judge said it was absurd that nobody could tell him definitively whether Charlie's head had grown or not. 'This is critically important. There is a 2cm difference from what the hospital says.' He demanded to know the answer within 24 hours. Mr Armstrong said the parents challenged the court's finding that Charlie was irreversibly brain damaged. He said: 'On behalf of the parents we say that is a contention where the evidence does not properly support that contention.' The judge said: 'I have made very clear I will welcome new evidence but what I cannot do is reopen issues that have already been dealt with.' He added it was in all sides' interests to 'resolve this quickly, because it has been going on for too long.' When Mr Armstrong referred to the 'public debate' around the case, Mr Justice Francis said: 'Comments by people who know nothing about this case are unhelpful. 'What your clients need to understand, Mr Armstrong, is that I set out the law very clearly, as set out by higher courts over a very considerable period of time. That is the law that applies in this case, not some different law,' in an apparent reference to the interest taken in the case by US lawyers. 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 have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. Charlie's parents believe that their boy is awake and can see - Great Ormond Street disagree Charlie Gard's parents have been offered support in their case by President Trump but Theresa May and Boris Johnson have declined to get involved Earlier their family's spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden's voice broke as he read their final plea for clemency from Mr Justice Francis. He said: 'We are continuing to spend every moment working around the clock to save our dear baby Charlie. 'We love him more than life itself. If he's still fighting, then we're still fighting.' Charlie 'is being held captive by the British state', his parents' spokesman also declared in a final plea ahead of today's crucial court hearing. THERAPY AT CENTRE OF DEBATE OVER WHETHER CHARLIE CAN BE HELPED 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 11-month-old boy would have been free to travel for experimental therapy if his family had been rich, he claimed. But because they relied on the NHS, Charlie is now trapped and they 'cannot even take him home to die'. And his mother Connie Yates said: 'I still can't think how I will cope if the worst happens.' Yesterday their spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden went on US television show Fox & Friends and said: 'All they are asking for, quite simply, is a chance.' He claimed: 'Had they been wealthy parents, and gone to a private hospital, and said thank you very much, you've tried to treat Charlie as best you can, your nursing is great, but actually you don't specialise in this very rare condition, now we would like to go and try this other hospital elsewhere, this wouldn't raise an issue. 'Charlie is effectively being held as a captive. 'His parents, who could not be more perfect parents and are his legal guardians, can't even take him home. They have been told they can't even take him home to die and they cannot fly him to America. 'They have had an air ambulance standing by for weeks. In the end, it was even offered for free. 'So literally, he is being held captive by effectively the British state and the British national health system.' The court case arose because Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital asked a judge to agree Charlie was irreversibly brain damaged and beyond hope, and should be spared any further suffering by being allowed to 'die with dignity'. His defiant parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard have fought it all the way, after the High Court sided with the doctors, and the Appeal Court, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights followed suit. The effect of the rulings is that the hospital has an obligation to stop Charlie's life support. But the little boy, who has a rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, has twice survived plans to withdraw the artificial ventilator keeping his lungs working. Dramatic interventions by Pope Francis and Donald Trump were followed by seven international scientists who claimed to have 'new information' about Charlie's condition. His life is on hold while the judge hears the new evidence today, which the parents and their team have spent 48 frantic hours pulling together. Team Charlie includes a radical evangelical pastor, Rev Patrick Mahoney, from Washington, and colleagues including US attorney Catherine Glenn Foster, who yesterday tweeted a photo of herself kissing Charlie's head. Rev Mahoney has urged people to spend the whole of today praying. 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 (pictured), who have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise Two keys issues are likely to dominate today's court hearing. The first is whether the experimental medication can reach Charlie's brain. The court ruled there was 'no evidence' it could, but the seven specialists say there is 'significant' evidence it can. The second issue is whether there is any point in trying the therapy if Charlie' s disease has already ruined his brain. One young supporter had a babygro saying he was part of Charlie's Army and carrying the #Charlie'sFight hashtag Even if the drug has a chance of fixing the disease, it cannot fix the damage already caused by the disease, says the hospital, and the judge has said: 'If it can't reverse the structural brain damage, then there is no life to be had.' But Miss Yates, 31, and Mr Gard, 32, of Bedfont, South West London, are adamant their son's brain is not irreversibly damaged and say he responds to their love. They angrily branded the hospital's QC Katie Gollop a 'liar' in a preliminary hearing on Monday. Miss Gollop's profile on her chambers website describes her as 'a classy advocate' and 'a dogged fighter', and adds: 'Her questioning of [another case' s] witnesses earned her the soubriquets 'Kung-Fu panda' and 'the smiling assassin'.' Five months ago Charlie's parents launched an internet appeal for money to pay for treatment in the US. They initially asked for 1.2 million but the fund has now topped 1.3 million. Nearly 85,000 people, from the UK and abroad, have pledged money. Connie and Chris paid a visit to the chapel at Great Ormond Street Hospital as they continue to hope they can take him to America for treatment The US President previously tweeted: 'If we can help little Charlie Gard, as per our friends in the UK and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so' THE HIGH COURT 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 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 The evidence that might save Charlie Gard: Sick boy's parents reveal the eight 'myths' they plan to debunk in the crucial High Court battle that will decide their son's fate Charlie Gard's parents have set out to debunk eight 'myths' hampering his cause after they were challenged by the High Court to provide 'dramatic' new evidence to justify why the desperately ill 11-month-old should have experimental new treatment. They tackled head-on claims he is in pain and they were prolonging his suffering, with doctors seeking to remove him from life support. Connie Yates and Chris Gard also took issue with the diagnosis of brain damage and insisted the drug therapy they want to try does have a chance of working. They clashed with lawyers acting on behalf of Great Ormond Street Hospital at the High Court hearing earlier this week over whether there was new evidence they could submit over Charlie's condition. Now the parents have issued their answers to 'eight myths' around their son so that 'people are able to talk about Charlie's case from a position of up to date news'. His parents have gone to the High Court, pictured in Monday, to try to convince a judge to allow them to pursue an experimental new drug treatment The couple have been supported by President Trump and Pope Francis via dramatic tweets backing the family's stance, but Mr Justice Francis said he would not be 'swayed by Tweets' and would rule on 'clear evidence'. 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 have been given 48 hours to provide circumference measurements proving otherwise. A family spokesman said: 'Crucially, there is a growing body of medical opinion saying that, far from this being a futile case, there is an up to 10 per cent chance for baby Charlie to respond positively to this treatment, and by logical extension, for his quality of life to improve.' Throughout the case, the hospital has argued there is no hope for Charlie. Even if his mitochondrial depletion syndrome could be treated, doctors say, nothing can reverse his brain damage. Here, ahead of today's High Court battle to decide Charlie's fate, the Mail presents the opposing claims. Myth 1 - 'Charlie is in pain and suffering' Parents say: There is no clear medical evidence Charlie is in pain. What we do know is that he has been stable throughout, his heartbeat is normal, which is a recognised sign there is no significant pain. Hospital says: Charlie's artificial ventilator, and a suction process used to clear his airway, 'are all capable of causing pain'. A nurse said it was 'impossible to know'. A doctor said Charlie 'is likely' to have the conscious experience of 'significant' suffering, but be unable to express his reaction to pain. Analysis: No one can be certain either way. Myth 2 - 'Parents are unnecessarily prolonging his pain and suffering' Parents say: Proposed treatment is non-invasive, administered via his milk. Parents are working to improve his life. They are only proposing a three-month trial period, after which it would be clear to see if he responds. What does increase possible suffering is the legal limbo, while authorities refuse treatment while they fight Charlie's parents through the courts. Hospital says: Medics think it is 'desperately unfair to Charlie' to keep treating him 'week after week, knowing that every step they take for Charlie is against his welfare'. Analysis: All agree limbo is bad for Charlie, but blame each other. Myth 3 - 'His quality of life will not, and cannot, improve' Parents say: If the treatment works - and there is a one-in-ten chance - then his quality of life will be improved significantly. Hospital says: Cause is 'futile'. There is no treatment which can improve his current situation. Charlie is deteriorating, he cannot get better, he cannot understand anything or develop. Even the US doctor offering the therapy told the court: 'I agree that it is very unlikely that he will improve with that therapy. It is unlikely.' Analysis: Treatment has never been tested on Charlie's rare strain of the disease, so neither side can be 100 per cent certain. Connie and Chris, pictured last Saturday at Great Orond Street, who delivered a petition of more than 350,000 signatures to Downing Street last weekend, also take issue with Charlie's brain damage diagnosis Myth 4 - 'Charlie is catastrophically/irreversibly brain damaged' Parents say: This has not been proven nor is it the conclusion of the brain scans. Charlie is not brain dead. The doctors willing to treat him would not have accepted to treat him if he were brain dead. If the proposed treatment works as expected, the result will be to assist the repair of damaged cells. Charlie will not be a vegetable, he will be able to move, to respond and to interact. Charlie's [brain damage] is not severe, nor irreversible. Hospital says: Brain scans were done prior to a 17-day bout of brain seizures in January. Charlie now has 'severe and irreversible structural brain damage' which no drug can repair. He is not completely brain dead but 'persistently encephalopathic' showing no signs of normal brain functions such as responsiveness, interaction or crying. Analysis: Unclear what supports parents' conviction experimental therapy will repair brain cell damage. Their own American doctor told court it was 'unlikely' to. The family are also being supported by controversial US reverend Patrick Mahoney (pictured on Monda_ who has flown in from Washington DC to help their campaign Supporters have chanted Charlie's name via megaphone outside the court and have called for him to undergo the new treatment Myth 5 - 'Charlie is blind and he cannot open his eyes' Parents say: Charlie opens his eyes on a daily basis. He had his eyes open the whole time his parents were permitted to take him to the hospital roof for a picnic in June. Hospital says: He is 'not consistently able to open his eyes enough to be able to see'. A doctor added: 'He's blind, he's deaf, he can't breathe.' Analysis: Parents spend the most time with Charlie. Hard to disagree with what they say they see. Myth 6 - 'Charlie, and his parents, are blocking a badly-needed hospital bed' Parents say: Intensive care unit has at least two available beds on a daily basis. Children are not being refused access because he is there. The couple, pictured , also dispute claims they would not be able to care for their son if his life continues Charlie's parents do not even want him there. It is hospital preventing the freeing up of his bed. Hospital says: Case is not about money or resources, but about what is right for Charlie. Analysis: Whatever the court's verdict, bed is likely to become available soon. Myth 7 - 'Charlie's parents won't be able to care, or cope' Parents say: Charlie's mother is a qualified, experienced carer, and she is best placed to care for her son. His parents are devoted, and have given up their lives to fight for Charlie, they are fully able to cope, and have done so admirably. Hospital says: Parents are indeed 'utterly devoted', but no one can rescue Charlie from irreversible brain damage. Analysis: All sides have praised parents' incredible determination to save their son. Myth 8 - 'The treatment is just experimental' Parents say: Treatment is supported by five researchers and two treating doctors. There is a growing body of medical support. Just because it has never been tried does not mean it would not work. Hospital says: There is no evidence therapy could repair brain damage. Analysis: Parents are talking about fixing the disease. Hospital is saying no point trying if he's brain damaged. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has amended a government disclosure document to belatedly reveal contacts with more than 100 foreigners. Kushner has been providing 'updates' to his SF-86 national security form, after it was revealed he did not disclose any foreign contacts on his initial form. His attorney has said he is providing 'updates' after discovering the original omission. The New York Times reported Thursday that Kushner supplemented the list three times, adding more than 100 names. That number jibes with a recent statement by Kushner's attorney, Jamie Gorelick, in response to revelations about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. The statement essentially confirmed that Kushner had met Veselnitskaya during the meeting. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner had more than 100 foreign contacts during the campaign and transition, according to his lawyer Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort also attended the June 2016 meeting the type of contact officials are asked to disclose when applying for a government security clearance. According to the Gorelick statement: ''[D]uring the campaign and transition, he had over 100 calls or meetings with representatives of more than 20 countries, most of which were during [the presidential] transition.' WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak (2nd L) leaves after a reception at St. Regis Hotel July 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The U.S.-Russia Business Council hosted a farewell reception for the Russian diplomat who will be stepping down as ambassador. Kushner didn't initially disclose his meeting with Kislyak Donald Trump Jr (left) has become the central figure of the firestorm surrounding Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as he failed to reveal a meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya (right), a Russian attorney, until earlier this week President Trump (left), standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron (right), said Thursday that his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer wasn't a 'very big deal' She added: 'Mr. Kushner has submitted additional [federal disclosure] 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.' Many of Kushner's foreign contacts were hardly a secret. During the transition, the husband of Ivanka Trump became known as the president's go-to person for foreign leaders. 'If this were a normal political world, Jared Kushner wouldn't have a job by the end of today,' Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told The Hill. Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser, listens during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president, not pictured, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, June 30, 2017. The president relied on Kushner as an advisor and emissary during the campaign In photos released during the transition, Kushner was pictured with an array of world leaders, as he was with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an image released by the Japanese foreign ministry. But his meetings with Russians are of particular interest to investigators who are probing contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russia following the intelligence communities conclusion that Russia interfered in the presidential election. Kushner is now known to have had three contacts with Russians during the campaign: One with outgoing Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, one with Veselnitskaya, and one with Sergei Gorkov, chairman of state-owned Sberbank. The president defended his son during a Paris press conference for attending the meeting with Veselnitskaya that Kushner attended. 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer,' Trump said Thursday. 'It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast.' Trump said the 'press made a very big deal over something really a lot of people would do,' then blamed former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for letting the Kremlin-linked woman into the country in the first place. 'So, again, I have a son who's a great young man, he's a fine person. Took a meeting with a lawyer from Russia, it lasted for a very short period and nothing came of the meeting. And I think it's a meeting most people in politics probably would have taken' the president continued. The meeting occurred after music publicist Robert Goldstone contacted Trump Jr with an offer of dirt on rival Hillary Clinton and a claim that the Russian government supported his campaign. Rebecca Shadle , 38, is accused of charging two men to inappropriately touch her daughter A prostitute in Pennsylvania has been accused of charging men $60 to molest her seven-year-old daughter and touch the little girl's underwear. Rebecca Lynn Shadle, was arrested on Thursday in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, after an anonymous tip was made through ChildLine. The girl had already been taken away from her six months ago and placed in foster care because of an unrelated complaint. On Thursday, in light of the allegations made in the ChildLine call, Shadle was arrested for child trafficking charges. Police also have an arrest warrant for Brian Spillar, 49, but have not been able to track him down. Spillar is accused of giving Shadle $60 to be allowed to molest her daughter by touching her with another man. On Thursday, Shadle refused to give the name of the second man when questioned by police. Police are trying to track down 49-year-old Brian Spillar (right in a previous mugshot) who they say was one of the men Greensburg Police Chief officers are appealing for information to track both men down. 'Please contact City of Greensburg Police at 724-834-3800 if you have information on the whereabouts of Spillar,' they said. A spokesman told DailyMail.com the mother has a long criminal history. Shadle was charged with trafficking minors. She was also charged with aggravated assault. President Donald Trump has spoken at length about conceptual designs for his border wall which would be 'transparent' in portions to guard against hazards like falling bags of drugs. 'One of the things with the wall is you need transparency. You have to be able to see through it,' Trump told reporters traveling on Air Force One. 'In other words, if you can't see through that wall -- so it could be a steel wall with openings, but you have to have openings because you have to see what's on the other side of the wall.' Trump expanded on the need for a transparent wall. 'And I'll give you an example. As horrible as it sounds, when they throw the large sacks of drugs over, and if you have people on the other side of the wall, you don't see them -- they hit you on the head with 60 pounds of stuff? It's over.' President Trump spoke at length about the wall he wants to construct on the southern border, saying it needs to be 'transparent' in parts for better sight lines. He also spoke about the possibility of solar power on the wall He continued: 'As cray as that sounds, you need transparency through that wall. But we have some incredible designs.' Trump also said the wall on the southern border needs to be 'anywhere from 700 to 900 miles' of see-through wall along the Mexican border. Trump says the U.S. won't need a wall along the entire, roughly 2,000-mile border because of 'natural barriers,' including mountains and rivers. The winding Rio Grande defines the border in most of Texas while the Colorado River marks the boundary along 24 miles in Arizona. Trump describes the rivers as 'violent and vicious,' though in parts of Texas the river is little more than a trickle of water. Approximately 2100 pounds (953 kg) of marijuana is seen in duffle bags after being seized by U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Bahamian Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) agents on a beach near Holmes Rock, Grand Bahama Island January 16, 2014 From left to right : Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President Donald Trump and First lady Melania Trump pose at the Jules Verne restaurant before a private dinner at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, Thursday, July 13, 2107. (Yves Herman/Pool Photo via AP) A Mexican woman left dangling on border wall by smugglers Trump says about 650 miles of fences and barriers already at the border need to be replaced or fixed. Trump also said he was 'not joking' when he spoke about putting solar panels atop the wall as a source of energy production. 'No, not joking, no. There is a chance that we can do a solar wall. We have major companies looking at that. Look, there's no better place for solar than the Mexico border -- the southern border. And there is a very good chance we can do a solar wall, which would actually look good. But there is a very good chance we could do a solar wall,' Trump said. His expansive comments about the wall were made available to reporters after at first being part of a discussion that an aide termed 'off the record. When a reporter asked Trump a question on Thursday in Paris, the president asked why she coudln't use the comments he had made the previous night. Told those comments were off the record, Trump asked if the reporter had heard him say they could be used on the record. The White House then furnished a transcript of the previously off record conversation. Trump noted ongoing work to harden the wall at certain portions in keeping with current design to raise and fortify existing steel fencing. A police officer carries out several bags of dried Marijuana Marijuana factory bust, Modesto, California 'Plus we have some wall that's already up that we're already fixing. You know, we've already started the wall because we're fixing large portions of wall right now,' Trump said. 'We're taking wall that was good but it's in very bad shape, and we're making it new. We're fixing it. It's already started. So we've actually, in the true sense -- you know, there's no reason to take it down.' In other comments, Trump spoke about Russia and President Vladimir Putin after their meeting in Germany last week. Trump has argued that he did all he could to confront Putin on election meddling and said he told Putin the U.S. 'can't have a scintilla of doubt' about the integrity of future votes. Trump Putin twice denied any meddling and the president asked what more he could have done. Trump asked: 'What do you do? End up in a fistfight with somebody, OK?' Trump also disputed that Putin ever claimed Trump had accepted his denials, insisting Putin 'didn't say that.' Putin had said it seemed to him that Trump had 'agreed' but added 'it's better to ask him about his attitude.' Trump also said he would invite Putin to the White House as the 'right time.' Austin Gallup, 24, had an additional 22 years added to his Missouri prison sentence for sexually abusing his cellmate in May 2013 An inmate received an additional 22 years on his prison sentence after he sexually abused his cellmate for days while guards reportedly lied about checking on their cell. Austin Gallup, 24, admitted to sodomizing and terrorizing his unidentified cellmate, 27, for up to 10 days at a Missouri prison in May 2013. Gallup was already serving six years in prison after being sentenced in February 2013 for statutory rape and sodomy of a child under the age of 14. Records from an investigation claim that Gallup forced his victim to eat feces, starved him of food, tied him up, beat him and sodomized him. An internal report by Farmington Correctional Center revealed corrections officers lied about cell check logs and violated staff conduct by not checking on the men. The recent findings were made by the St Louis Post-Dispatch after the news outlet made an open records request. Gallup pleaded guilty to charges of forcible sodomy, deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion and first-degree assault, serious physical injury, the paper reported. An internal report by Farmington Correctional Center revealed guards lied about cell check logs and violated staff conduct by not checking on the men For admitting to abusing the St Louis County man, Gallup was sentenced to an additional 22 years in March of 2014. The victim claimed he was left alone with Gallup in a cell between May 18 and May 31 in 2013. A probable cause statement from the first investigation claimed that Gallup sodomized, terrorized and beat the victim. Gallup threatened to kill the man if the abuse was reported, according to the Daily Journal Online. The victim was serving a 10-year sentence for attempted child kidnapping at Farmington Correctional Center. Gallup was serving six years after being sentenced February 2013 for statutory rape and sodomy of a child under the age of 14 A shower log backed up the victim's claim that he wasn't released from the cell for days, reported the Post-Dispatch. An internal report from the prison said the victim was 'severely beaten and sexually assaulted' and the man was later treated for fractured facial bones, 'fractured testicles' and severe injuries. The same report found that prison staff lied about checking on cells because they were 'too busy', simply signing off on cell check logs, reported the Post-Dispatch. Gallup is currently being held at the Potosi Correctional Center, with maximum security level prisoners and death row inmates. The victim has plans to refile a February $10million lawsuit against the Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe, former director George Lombardi, warden Tom Villmer and unnamed state employees. A portion of the suit reads: 'During the fifteen plus days that Plaintiff was literally being tortured no correctional officer, case worker, mental health worker or a member of the medical staff observed, checked on, spoke to or had any type of contact with Plaintiff.' The initial suit was withdrawn due to 'exhaust administrative remedies' but will be refiled again, according to the newspaper. Hundreds of people fled a shopping centre in a stampede today after an explosion sparked fears of a terror attack. A loud bang was heard inside the Miramar shopping centre, in the popular Spanish resort of Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. Shoppers - including British tourists and expats - screamed and ran for their lives fearing the centre was under attack. Firefighters later revealed the panic had spread after a fryer had caught fire in a pizza restaurant. Tourists flee the Miramar Shopping Centre after reports of an explosion Men, women and children were seen running across a grass riverbank and a bridge nearby A local news website reported the incident with the headline: 'The explosion of a fryer unleashes panic at the Miramar shopping centre.' And one person tweeted in English: 'What is going on Miramar shopping centre in Fuengirola?? People going crazy.' Fuengirola, 20 miles south west of Malaga, is a favourite resort of British holidaymakers and home to thousands of expats - and the shopping centre is popular with tourists and locals alike. English voices were heard screaming during the panic. One witness filmed the 4pm drama on a mobile phone. It shows men, women and children running across a grass riverbank and a bridge nearby. A man asks in Spanish: 'What's going on?' to which a woman replies 'It's a bomb scare.' 'A bomb!' he replies. An Englishman is heard saying, 'relax, relax' as he walks past. A loud bang was heard inside the Miramar shopping centre (pictured), in the popular Spanish resort of Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol David del Barrio, shopping centre manager, said the kitchen blaze had set off the fire alarm. 'That alarm has a sound which caused the first people to run,' he said, adding that there had been no need to evacuate the shopping centre as practically 'evacuated itself'. The kitchen was damaged as was the floor below. One woman was treated for a sprained ankle, but nobody was seriously hurt. Local newspaper Diario Sur reported: 'False rumours about bombs, terror attacks and gunshots circulated. The mayor Ana Mula posted messages on Twitter and Facebook to calm people down after this massive scare.' U.S. President Donald Trump, who is fighting off allegations of ties between his election campaign and Moscow, said he would invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House but that now was not the right time for that. 'I dont think this is the right time, but the answer is yes, I would,' Trump said when asked if he would extend such an invitation to the Russian leader. He was speaking to reporters on Air Force One during a flight from the United States to France in comments released by the White House on Thursday. The Republican president drew criticism last week from Democrats who accused him of not pressing Putin hard enough at a meeting they held in Germany over Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Scroll down for video Hand of peace: Putin and Trump met for the first time at the G20 in Hamburg and now the U.S. president said he would invite the Russian leader to the White House at the right time Russian leader: Putin's lengthy time at the top of the country means he has met every U.S. president since Clinton. He was last in the White House with George W. Bush State visit: Trump's announcement about Putin was on board Air Force One as he flew with Melania to Paris to meet French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Accusations that Moscow meddled in the election and colluded with the Trump campaign have dominated Trump's first months in office. Russia denies meddling, and Trump says there was no collusion. Trump told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that he had asked Putin if he was involved in Russian interference in the campaign. Trump said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his more than two-hour meeting with Putin last Friday in Hamburg on the subject. 'I said, 'Did you do it?' And he said, 'No, I did not. Absolutely not.' I then asked him a second time in a totally different way. He said absolutely not,' Trump said. U.S intelligence agencies said earlier this year that Russia sought to help Trump win the election by hacking private emails from Democratic Party officials and disseminating false information online. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday urged Trump's eldest son to testify to a congressional committee about the alleged links between Trump's election team and Russia. If he testified, Donald Trump Jr. would be the first member of the president's inner circle of relatives and White House aides to give testimony to congressional investigations into the Russia allegations. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican, planned to send a letter on Thursday to the younger Trump to ask him to appear before his committee in a public session, CNN reported. Ryan, the top-ranking Republican in Congress, told a news conference he supported that. 'I think any witness who's been asked to testify in Congress should do that,' Ryan said. Trump Jr. disclosed this week that he had met with a Russian lawyer last year who was said to be offering damaging information on Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the lawyer, who he was told by an intermediary was part of Moscow's official support for his father's campaign, according to emails the son released this week. The emails were the most concrete evidence that Trump's campaign might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the election, a subject that has also prompted an investigation by a federal special counsel. Melania and her husband, President Donald Trump, joined Brigitte and her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, at the restaurant, where they happily posed for pictures Asked by Reuters on Wednesday if he knew his son was meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June last year, the president said: 'No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this.' He later told reporters on Air Force One that 'in fact maybe it was mentioned at some point,' referring to the meeting, adding he was not told it was about Clinton. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democratic member of the intelligence committee, said it was odd that senior members of Trump's campaign attended the meeting but that Trump himself said he knew nothing about it until recently. 'How is it was plausible that nobody told then-candidate Trump about it? Weve got to ask about this. Weve got to get to the bottom of it,' Wyden told reporters. Trump said in Paris on Thursday that the lawyer was a private attorney and not a Russian government lawyer, and that nothing of substance came of the meeting. 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer, not a government lawyer but a Russian lawyer. It was a short meeting. It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast,' he said at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump said it was normal in U.S. politics for campaign teams to look into allegations about their opponents, as his son agreed to do before the meeting in June 2016. Watchdog groups filed a complaint against Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former campaign chief Paul Manafort on Thursday with the Federal Election Commission, which oversees elections, arguing the three violated the law by meeting with the Russian. Separate from the complaint, the Federal Election Commission - frequently criticized as being paralyzed by partisan deadlock - declined on Thursday to conduct a review of foreign interference in the 2016 election. The five-member commission's three Republicans said they could not support moving forward because not all the facts were available. The Russia allegations forced U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the federal investigation into Russian meddling in the election after media reports revealed he held undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington, Sergei Kislyak. Sessions, who testified to Congress in June about his dealings with Russian officials, released a government form on Thursday dealing with contacts he has had with foreign nationals, including Russian government officials, but much of it was redacted. James Baynes 97, from North London Before the Dunkirk evacuation he was stationed near Bethune and after receiving the orders to evacuate suffered bombardment with his division around Lille (Caestre Sector). During the evacuation of Dunkirk, as a weak swimmer, he narrowly avoided reaching a ship which was shortly afterwards sunk by German bombardment, escaped shooting (by a Scottish officer!) for being in the wrong queue, assisted a French officer and another British soldier in paddling away in a small boat which was not seaworthy, was eventually picked up by a Royal Navy launch, and taken back to England (Margate) crammed into the hold of a Dutch coal tanker. He later went on to serve in the North Africa (notably El Alamein) and Italy (notably Monte Cassino) campaigns, enduring fierce fighting, and repeatedly narrowly escaping death. For the remainder of his working career, post-war, he served as a civilian in the War Office (subsequently the Ministry of Defence). Charlie Biscoe 97, from Essex Enlisted 1938 in Dorset Regiment, then transferred to Royal West Kent 1939-1946. Occupation driver/mechanic driving Bren gun carrier. Was sent to France April 1940 and subsequently evacuated from Dunkirk. Regiment joined the 8th Indian Division (8th Army) in El Alamein, where he was wounded. After his recovery Mr Biscoe served in Persia and Iraq. He then went on to Greece and Italy, where he was involved at the battle of Monte Cassino. Charles ended his career on 28th July 1946 after serving 8 years 46 days with an exemplary military conduct record. Garth Wright 97, from Devon Garth Wright grew up near Tavistock in Devon. In 1939, he headed to France with the Royal Artillery where he served as a motorcycle dispatch rider. At Dunkirk, he volunteered as a stretcher bearer before returning to England on a Royal Navy destroyer. He subsequently landed at Algiers as part of Operation Torch and took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. He was demobbed in 1946. After the war he worked as a bus driver in Plymouth. James Baynes, 97, from north London, narrowly avoided reaching a ship which was shortly afterwards sunk by German bombardment during the evacuation of Dunkirk. He later went on to serve in the North Africa (notably El Alamein) and Italy campaigns Les Gray 98 , from Birmingham Recruited into the BEF and served from 1940 onwards. After the evacuation of Dunkirk he served in North Africa and Italy. He left the army in 1946. Jeff Haward Middlesex regiment. War evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. Served in El Alamein, Sicily, Normandie, North West Europe. Awarded for his bravery. Sidney Spalding 100 years old from Colchester He was abandoned on the beach in Dunkirk by his commanding officer with the instruction 'every man for himself'. He then got himself on to a boat, alone. He was in the Territorial Army when war was declared and was therefore recruited from the start of the war. Arthur Taylor 96, from Dorset He was 19 at Dunkirk, serving with the Royal Airforce. Serving with 13 Squadron flying Lysanders who were spotting the fall of shot for an artillery regiment. He served from from August 1939 but in 1937 he joined Royal Engineers underage Harry Garrett 99, from Kent Joined the TA in 1938, Y Division. Escaped Dunkirk on a destroyer, The Wolsey. He then joined the 51st Highland Division and was sent to Egypt, Tripoli, Sussie and Sicily. After the war he joined the Royal Legion and was voted vice Chairman of the Sevenoakes branch. He has been awarded the gold badge and life membership. Colin Ashford Mr Ashford was conscripted into the Army in the autumn of 1939 and was sent out to France in early March 1940. He served within the 42nd Battalion in the Highland Light Infantry. George Purton Mr Purton was part of the Royal Army Service Core, and walked from Deppane to Dunkirk after coming off of 'The Mole' a long stone and wooden jetty at the mouth of the port. He went out to Dunkirk at the very beginning and went to North Africa afterwards and ended up being captured by the Germans. Alfred Smith, 98, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex Served in the Royal Army Service Corps during World War II. He was evacuated from Dunkirk and went on to take part in the D-Day landings before being hospitalised by a shrapnel injury. He said: 'I drove for two days with no sleep and we eventually arrived at Dunkirk. We had to blow the lorriesup so the Germans could not use them and then we sat on the beach for 48 hours waiting to get off. Planes kept coming over machine-gunning us and lots of my friends were killed because there was nowhere to hide. 'Eventually, a paddle steamer came so I went in the water and swam for a few yards and was pulled on board. I think I just passed out and when I came to they had carried me downstairs. We landed at Harwich and then I found out that just 31 got back out of 107 of us.' After the war Mr Smith worked first as a taxi driver and then as a driving instructor for 40 years. He lost his wife Betty 14 years ago. He is now a regular member at SSAFA's Southend Veterans' Lunch Club. Gemma Morgan Ms Morgan served as a Captain in the Army and deployed to Kosovo when she was 25 in 1998. She struggled with her mental health when she came home as she didn't feel able to talk about it. She is currently being supported by Help for Heroes Hidden Wounds. Louis Nethercott Mr Nethercott joined the military when he was just 17 and found being a Royal Marines Commando was not only something he was good at, it was something he loved. His commando unit and the lads he served with became his second family. His 10-year military career took him all over the globe, including Europe, India, America, Africa, Norway and the Middle and Far East. In May 2016, Mr Nethercott was selected to be the Mental Health Ambassador for the Invictus Games in Orlando. A man from Georgia lost his life in a boating accident on Cherokee Lake in Hawkins County Wednesday night.At approximately 10:30 p.m., a 70-year-old man from Rome, Ga. was operating a boat on Cherokee lake when it struck a partially submerged silo just upstream of the TWRA Quarryville Boat Access Area. The victim had apparently been fishing before the accident occurred.TWRA is investigating the incident and the victims next of kin was notified early Thursday morning. His identity will be release later today. Former Prime Minister David Cameron took his mother for lunch at the Ivy's Kensington Brasserie before taking a prime seat at Wimbledon this afternoon. The ex-Conservative leader was pictured leaving the upmarket restaurant in High Street Kensington, London, where he dined with his mother Mary. Dressed in a blue shirt and trousers, he was seen walking out of the eatery and into a car. He was later spotted in the royal box at Wimbledon and appeared to throw some serious shade at House of Commons speaker John Bercow. The ex-Conservative leader was pictured leaving the upmarket restaurant in High Street Kensington, London, where he dined with his mother Mary Dressed in a blue shirt and trousers, he was seen walking out of the eatery and into a car He was later spotted in the royal box at Wimbledon and appeared to throw some serious shade at House of Commons speaker John Bercow Bercow was sat with his wife Sally at Centre Court, as they watched British star Johanna Konta crash out to Venus Williams. Mr Cameron had put on a tie as he blended in with the special guests at SW19. The ex-PM was seen cheering and taking selfies with his mother. He has stayed largely out of the limelight since stepping down last year, but last month he made a dramatic bid to hijack the Theresa Mays Brexit plans calling for her to talk to Labour about a softer approach. Mr Cameron said Parliament deserves a say on the issue. The former Prime Minister also highlighted the stance of Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson, who has called for a more open Brexit. With an extra 12 seats north of the border, she is in a powerful position when it comes to votes. Mr Cameron said: Scotland voted against Brexit. David Cameron takes a picture with his mum Mary in the royal box as Jamie Murray competes in the mixed doubles with Martina Hingis Former Prime Minister David Cameron with his mother Mary Fleur Cameron in the royal box with Rt Hon John Bercow in the front Wimbledon Mr Cameron had put on a tie as he blended in with the special guests at SW19 I think most of the Scottish Conservatives will want to see perhaps some changes with the policy going forward. Konta's Wimbledon dream went up in smoke as she was beaten in the semi-finals by an inspired Venus Williams. She was hoping to become Britain's first female Wimbledon singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 but the evergreen Williams proved a class above and sealed a 6-4, 6-2 victory. An 11-year-old girl was found dead near her home just one day after she was reported missing. Abbiegail Smith, 11, went missing around 7.45pm on Wednesday from the Keansburg, New Jersey apartment where she lived with her mother, who is a nurse. Her mother reported her missing around 8.50pm, an hour after the middle school student initially disappeared. Abbiegail Smith, 11, (pictured) went missing around 7.45pm on Wednesday from the Keansburg, New Jersey apartment where she lived with her mother. She was found dead on the grounds of the complex around 10.45am Thursday Smith's mother reported her missing around 8.50pm Wednesday, an hour after she initially disappeared. Police arrived at the apartment complex around 5am the next morning to investigate the scene. Officials set up a makeshift tent over her body (pictured) Police arrived at the Hancock Arms Apartment complex around 5am Thursday to investigate the scene. Keansburg police, the child abduction response team from Monmouth County prosecutor's office and other agencies responded. They focused their investigation on the back porch of an apartment complex and K-9 units were used in the search, NJ.com reported. The 11-year-old girl was found dead on the grounds of the complex around 10.45am Thursday. She was found in what has been described as a large container, WABC reported. Officials had to climb down from a low roof to get to her body. Officials do not suspect Smith's immediate family to be involved in her death. They believe it is an 'isolated crime' and parents have no reason for worry Officials set up a makeshift tent over where they found Smith's body and covered potential evidence with tarps. There was a heavy police presence around the apartment complex as police searched the grounds and the entrance to the complex appeared blocked to traffic. Neighbors gathered to watch as police investigated the area. 'We were really hopeful that we would find her,' Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said at a press conference Thursday. 'It's a punch in the gut for all of us here in the community, especially in law enforcement.' The medical examiner will determine the girl's cause of death, but police are investigating it as a homicide. 'Nobody should sit still until we figure out who did this to this 11-year-old girl,' Gramiccioni said. Officials do not suspect Smith's immediate family to be involved in her death and they believe it is an 'isolated crime' and parents have no reason for worry. Gramiccioni said that he did not think it unusual that Smith's mother called police an hour after she went missing. 'Everybody reacts differently, but if you were looking around for an hour and didn't find your child, I think many parents would probably right away report their child missing to the police, out of an abundance of caution,' he said. Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni (pictured) said at a press conference Thursday: 'We were really hopeful that we would find her. It's a punch in the gut for all of us here in the community, especially in law enforcement' One of Smith's neighbors told NJ.com that the family moved into the apartment complex about three or four months ago. The neighbor said Smith's mother was strict and didn't let her daughter leave the apartment without supervision. Smith attended Joseph R. Bolger Middle School in Keansburg. Keansburg school superintendent John Niesz released a statement about the 11-year-old's passing. He said: 'It is a very sad day for our school district. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Keansburg School community go out to the Smith family. 'Abbiegail was a wonderful young girl who was a Titan through and through. She will be greatly missed by the entire Keansburg School District family, especially her friends and teachers. 'We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Abbiegail Smith. Please keep the Smith family in your thoughts and prayers.' The investigation is open and ongoing, Gramiccioni said. He did not say if there were any suspects. Timothy Michael Craig, 46, was charged with a DUI near a Disney park on Wednesday A Florida deputy was charged with a DUI after police said he crashed his truck into a bridge near a Disney park. Timothy Michael Craig was arrested after he hit a stop sign with his truck before plowing into a pedestrian bridge near Disney Springs at Walt Disney World on Tuesday night. The 46-year-old Hillsborough County deputy refused a breathalyzer but highway troopers said they found two open bottles of Fireball whiskey next to the driver's seat. After taking Craig to a hospital, where he was reported to be in and out of consciousness and throwing up, the official was charged with a DUI on Wednesday morning. Troopers were called to the scene around 10pm where they found Craig's Toyota truck crashed three-quarters of the way into a pedestrian bridge, ABC 9 reported. A concerned witness had called 911 and removed car keys from the ignition, the news outlet added. Scroll down for video The deputy in Hillsborough County, Florida, reportedly had been drinking when he crashed his Toyota three-quarters into a bridge near a Disney park. Police said they found two open Fireball bottles next to his seat. Pictured: Craig in a squad car during the arrest Officials said they found Craig behind the wheel of the car and his adult son, Austin Craig, in the passenger's seat. Two opened Fireball whiskey bottles were in a console between the men. An incident report said Craig seemed 'spaced' and had 'glassy, red, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath', reported the Tampa Bay Times. After medics released Craig, officers attempted to question the deputy to continue their investigation. Craig is currently suspended without pay, pending an internal investigation. Pictured: Craig's dented truck from the accident The arrest report said Craig told troopers he couldn't remember anything, refusing a breath test and Craig didn't do any field sobriety exercises. An in-vehicle camera video reveals a partial conversation of the incident. A trooper asks Craig: 'Sir, do you understand all these rights I have explained to you?' Craig responded: 'No, because I don't even know where you're going with this. That's fine.' Craig is currently suspended without pay, pending an internal investigation. The deputy has been with the sheriff's office since 1994. The BBC's political editor had to be given 'personal protection' during the general election campaign after abuse online, it has been claimed. Laura Kuenssberg was apparently so badly threatened online that she was given security as she toured the country, according to The Spectator. The journalist, who holds one of the most recognisable jobs in broadcast media, was frequently subjected to accusations of bias against Jeremy Corbyn by the Labour leader's supporters. Many on the Right also accused Miss Kuenssberg and other BBC journalists of biased reporting ahead of the vote. The BBC's political editor had to be given 'personal protection' during the general election campaign after abuse by Jeremy Corbyn supporters, it has been claimed The journalist, who holds one of the most recognisable jobs in broadcast media, was frequently subjected to accusations of bias against the Labour leader by his supporters The anger directed at Miss Kuenssberg by Corbyn's supporters erupted in January last year over her reporting of the Labour leader's botched reshuffle. It worsened after she reported on the party's dismal performance in May's local elections in the same year. Then last June Miss Kuenssberg was jeered by a hard-Left rabble as she tried to question Mr Corbyn. Activists hissed and booed, while the Labour leader appeared to smirk before making a half-hearted attempt to quieten them. Some of his supporters campaigned for the BBC to sack Miss Kuenssberg as its political editor. A petition calling for her removal was signed by more than 35,000 in May last year, before it was taken down by campaign group 38 Degrees for attracting 'sexist and hateful' abuse towards the BBC journalist. Another petition calling for her removal for 'gross bias' was then launched In May this year Miss Kuenssberg was booed again as she stood up to ask Mr Corbyn a question during Labour's manifesto launch. Charles Moore wrote in The Spectator: 'Early in the campaign, Kuenssberg was assailed by Labour supporters. The anger directed at Miss Kuenssberg by Mr Corbyn's supporters erupted in January 2016 'But later on, and in the post-election recriminations, it was Conservative supporters who were the more annoyed with her. 'Perhaps this is simply explained by the fact that Labour did better than expected and the Tories did worse. 'However, the bit the Tories haven't said in public but keep complaining about in private is that the BBC never reported that Kuenssberg was so badly threatened online by Corbyn supporters that she was given personal protection. 'They feel that this subdued her capacity to cover the contest clearly.' He added that Tories suspected if Theresa May had possessed such thuggish fans, 'the BBC would have made a meal of it'. Last weekend senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper said at the Fabian Society summer conference: 'Frankly I am sick to death of the vitriol poured out from all sides towards Laura Kuenssberg. 'It is her job to ask difficult questions. It is her job to be sceptical about everything we say. Nothing justifies the personal vitriol or the misogyny.' Miss Kuenssberg and the BBC last night refused to comment. Driving through a pothole can damage your tyres, rock the suspension and even crack your shiny alloy wheels. So a wheel that is apparently able to 'eliminate road-based damage' will be welcomed by motorists used to bumping along our crumbling highways. Michelin's Acorus alloy has been developed over the past two years and features tough but flexible rubber flanges built directly into the metal rim where it meets the tyre. Hole lot of bother: Driving through a pothole can damage your tyres, rock the suspension and even crack your shiny alloy wheels. So a wheel that is apparently able to 'eliminate road-based damage' will be welcomed by motorists used to bumping along our crumbling highways These flanges absorb impacts when the wheel strikes potholes, according to Michelin. Terry Gettys, research and development boss at the company, told Auto Express magazine that the technology could be rolled out to other manufacturers and could also be 'retro-fitted' to existing cars. At the wheel's launch in Montreal, Mr Gettys said: 'It should completely eliminate road-based damage. Acorus also performs better than a standard tyre on rutted roads.' Michelin says it will cost slightly more than a conventional wheel and a figure will be announced at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Any tyre can be fitted to the Acorus and fitters will not need specialist equipment to carry this out. Hooray! Michelin's Acorus alloy has been developed over the past two years and features tough but flexible rubber flanges built directly into the metal rim where it meets the tyre. These flanges absorb impacts when the wheel strikes potholes, according to Michelin Councils paid more than 6million to drivers in compensation for pothole damage last year, according to the latest figures. The AA welcomed the development from Michelin but said that the ultimate responsibility lies with Whitehall 'to spend more on fixing roads'. In May the RAC revealed that it dealt with more than 6,500 breakdown jobs linked to poor road surfaces in the first quarter of the year, 63 per cent more than in the same period last year. Problems included broken suspension springs, damaged shock absorbers and bent wheels. An Australian man holidaying in Croatia has been put behind bars following an alleged brawl which left a man fighting for life with serious head injuries. The 34-year-old Australian tourist was allegedly involved in a fight with a 27-year-old Croatian man on Thursday in the seaside city of Split. A 34-year-old Australian man has been taken into custody following an alleged fight in Split, Croatia (file image) The Croatian man was taken to KBC Hospital after the alleged fight with 'life threatening injuries' according to the Herald Sun. A judge ordered police take remand the Australian. The names of the men involved have not been released. Split, a popular tourist destination, is Croatia's second-largest city. Two 20-year-old men have been charged with murder, conspiracy and abuse of corpse by attempting to burn the bodies in a 'pig roaster' in connection with the murders of four men. Cosmo DiNardo confessed to murdering the four missing men and burning their bodies on his family's Bucks County, Pennsylvania farm. His cousin Sean Kratz was charged with three of the murders. They were arraigned on Friday and are being held in separate prisons with no bail. District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said in a press conference DiNardo confessed to putting the bodies in a metal tank converted into a cooker he called a 'pig roaster'. He took a deal to reveal where the bodies were buried to avoid the death penalty. He offered to sell Jimi Taro Patrick a shotgun and four pounds of marijuana for $8,000, but when he went to pick him up on July 5, he only had $800. DiNardo shot him with his mother's gun and buried his body 'far away' from the other three in a six-foot grave. The other three were killed on July 7 by Kratz and DiNardo jointly. Dean Finocchiaro was shot by both after DiNardo agreed to sell him a quarter pound of pot for $700. He conspired with Kratz to rob Finocchiaro on the way to pick him up. Kratz shot Finocchiaro then DiNardo fired at his body after he had died. Scroll down for video Cosmo DiNardo, 20, confessed to the four murders to avoid the death penalty on Friday. He killed Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, Mark Sturgis, 21, Mark Sturgis, 22, and Tom Meo, 21 Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz (pictured) were charged Friday with murder, conspiracy and abuse of corpse and robbery Then his body was wrapped in a blue tarp from a corn crib and he was thrown into the pig roaster. Later that night, DiNardo made a deal to sell marijuana to Tom Meo and Mark Sturgis and the three met behind a church to head to DiNardo's property together. Again, the cousins plotted to rob them. DiNardo shot Meo first and he screamed, then Sturgis started running away and DiNardo shot him until he ran out of ammunition. He then drove over Meo, who may have still been alive, with the backhoe. Kratz told police his cousin 'basically crushed' Meo with the backhoe. Then, DiNardo used the backhoe to move their bodies. The cousins put the corpses in the pig roaster with Finocchiaro, poured in gasoline and set it on fire. They dug a 12.5 foot grave with the same backhoe the next day and placed the bodies and the container inside. Weintraub said DiNardo confessed to dousing the bodies inside the pig roaster with gasoline. But the DA said his attempt was unsuccessful. He said at the press conference: 'There was an attempt to burn the bodies.. but I don't believe that was successful.' DiNardo said he did so because he felt threatened or cheated when he tried to sell them marijuana, a source close to the investigation has said. He also told police where to find the rest of the bodies. Thursday night police arrested a Sean Kratz following Dinardo's confession This map shows the location of the farm where the remains were found and the location of the second arrest Both were charged Friday with murder, conspiracy and abuse of corpse and robbery On Thursday, a source said DiNardos motive behind the slayings was that he felt threatened or cheated by the men who came to him wanting to buy marijuana. The insider also said a co-conspirator was involved in three of the killings. Later on Thursday evening, police took Kratz into custody in northeast Philadelphia. Pictures posted online show a number of police cars outside a home just moments after he was arrested at around 11pm. DiNardo is seen above being led away in handcuffs on Thursday in Doylestown, Pennsylvania Paul Lang, his attorney, says prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the table in return for DiNardo's cooperation DINARDO'S LAWYER WAS ON BILL COSBY'S LEGAL TEAM One of confessed killer Cosmo DiNardos powerhouse attorneys was part of the team representing Bill Cosby at his sexual assault trial last month which was declared a mistrial following a hung jury. Fortunato N Perri Jr, was part of the disgraced comedians criminal defense along with another partner in his Philadelphia-based firm, Brian J. McGonagle. Perri Jr left the Bucks County Courthouse on Thursday, telling reporters he was defending DiNardo who has confessed to killing four young men who went missing last week. He made no further comment after releasing a statement the day before on behalf of DiNardos parents: 'As parents, Mr and Mrs DiNardo sympathize with the parents and families of the missing young men and they are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation being conducted by law enforcement.' DiNardos parents have built a multimillion-dollar real estate, trucking and concrete empire in rural Pennsylvania. Perri Jr started out as a prosecutor in Philadelphia District Attorneys Office and is now considered a top criminal litigator in one of Pennsylvanias premium firms. He has also represented rapper Beanie Sigel and hip-hop star Cassidy. Sigel was acquitted of attempted murder in 2005 and Cassidy was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after originally being charged with murder, and was released from prison in 2006 after serving 15 months. Advertisement The 20-year-old DiNardo was described as a 'paranoid dealer' who was prone to feeling slighted by buyers after he sold drugs. In 2016, he was banned from Arcadia University, in Glenside, Pennsylvania for complaints filed against him regarding 'verbal interactions with members of the university community.' He attended the college for the fall semester of 2015 before dropping out and tried to re-enroll in 2016. According to CBS News, his parents received a letter saying if he showed up to the campus again he would be trespassing. Police sources said DiNardo was known to sell as much as a quarter pound of pot for several thousand dollars. He would also include handguns in these transactions. 'Every death was related to a purported drug transaction, and at the end of each one theres a killing,' the source said. The Associated Press reported that the four men were killed after three separate transactions. Before Friday, authorities have only identified one body, and they are still working to identify other remains found in the same grave. The identified remains belong to 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro. His body was found in a 12-foot-deep grave on the farm. The remains were found by sniffer dogs. It was the discovery of Meo's car on the property that first led police to believe DiNardo was connected to the then-disappearances. Patrick went to college in Maryland. He and DiNardo had attended the same Catholic high school for boys. DiNardo told other Snapchat users that he wasn't concerned about the whereabouts of his friend Finocchiaro just days after he vanished Antonio DiNardo, the father of Cosmo DiNardo, gets into a SUV to be driven away from a Bucks County government building on Thursday in Doylestown, Pennsylvania Paul Lang (left), Cosmo DiNardo's defense attorney, and another lawyer, Michael Parlow, are seen walking out of the Bucks County Courthouse on Thursday In the wake of his confession to the 'four murders', prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the table, according to DiNardo's lawyer, Paul Lang. DiNardo and his parents met with authorities at a courthouse for several hours Thursday. As DiNardo was led away in handcuffs, he said, 'Im sorry.' Meanwhile, ABC News is reporting that DiNardo has had as many as 30 interactions with police since 2011. DiNardo was smiling at the news chopper as he was led into police custody for attempting to sell one of the missing men's car after he disappeared According to a friend of Tom Meo, one of the three men who are still missing, DiNardo sold guns and marijuana and in the past has bragged about having someone killed over a debt Most of those contacts did not lead to arrests. Before he was arrested this week, his most recent run-in with law enforcement was in May 2017, when he received a citation for not having proper boater's education paperwork and other equipment. Locals in Bensalem Township told ABC News that there was something 'off' with DiNardo. They said an ATV accident which took place about seven months ago changed him, according to ABC News. Police spent Wednesday searching the farmland of Cosmo DiNardo's parents' farmland. He was arrested for the second time since the four young men's disappearance on Wednesday and is being held on a $5 million bond Four young men went missing from towns in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and Friday last week. Police tracked one man's cell phone signal to the DiNardo property and one man's father said one of their cars had also been found there Earlier on Thursday, Lang said his client is ready to plead guilty to four counts of first-degree murder, and that he felt a 'deep remorse' for what he has done. The developments Thursday night came as information regarding the confessed killer's social habits. Snapchat users involved in a group chat with him shared two photos of him posing menacingly with a revolver. DiNardo's identity in the photos was confirmed by Philly.com. The newspaper also reported DiNardo told other Snapchat users that he wasn't concerned about the whereabouts of his friend Finocchiaro just days after he vanished. Jimi Patrick, 19, (left) was the first to go missing and was last seen at 6pm on Wednesday. Finocchiaro, 19, (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 and are friends 'Cosmo isnt your buddy Dean missing,' one acquaintance asked DiNardo in a group message last weekend. 'Arent you worried about buddydead [sic] dean.' 'I mean I know the kid but yeah I feel bad for his parents. He's a pill-popping junky who had 2 duis He prob just jumped parole Or probation.' The disappearance of the four young men sparked panic and desperate searches in the Philadelphia area in recent days, after the first victim vanished on Wednesday. Locals were clearly upset by the disappearances and subsequent revelations regarding the violent ends all four have met. GRANDPARENTS OF JIMI TARO PATRICK SPEAK OUT Sharon and Rich Patrick, grandparents of missing teen Jimi Taro Patrick shared a biography of their grandson on Thursday Jimi Taro Patrick Jimi Taro Patrick lives in Newtown, PA with his grandparents, Sharon and Rich Patrick. He recently completed his freshman year at Loyola University, MD. Majoring in business, Jimi attends Loyola on a full scholarship and was awarded academic recognition on the Dean's list. Jimi is currently employed at a restaurant in Buckingham, PA. In the past, he worked in the food service at D'Youville Manor Yardley. He attended Holy Ghost Preparatory High School (Bensalem, PA) where he not only received distinguished honors for his academic performance, but also participated in numerous community service projects. Jimi was a member of the Holy Ghost Prep baseball team. He attended St Andrew School in Newtown and is a member of St Andrew Parish, Newtown, PA. As a child, Jimi played baseball for the Council Rock School District (Newtown) Little League. He was an excellent pitcher and hitter. As a result, he was a member of the Newtown travel team which won several tournaments and league trophies. Jimi also played basketball in the St Andrew CYO leage. Sharon & Rich Patrick Advertisement The announcement that authorities found human remains was made by Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub (seen during a news conference at midnight on Thursday) Dozens of people gathered in New Hope, Pennsylvania, just after midnight on Thusday to listen to Weintraub's press conference WHAT LED POLICE TO FINDING HUMAN REMAINS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM July 5: Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, is seen for the last time. He appears to be the first of the men to go missing. July 7: Dean Finocchiaro, 19, Mark Sturgis, 22, and Tom Meo, 21, are all seen for the last time. July 9: All four men have been reported missing, and a search warrant is executed at a home in Solebury Township, where investigators find Meo's car. July 10: Officials search a Solebury Township farm owned by Antonio and Sandra DiNardo. Their son, 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo is taken into custody on firearms charges that appeared to be unrelated to the missing persons case. July 11: DiNardo is released on bail. July 12: Authorities find human remains of multiple bodies on the farm. The remains of Finocchiaro are identified. DiNardo is arrested for a second time and charged with trying to sell a vehicle belonging to one of the missing men. Advertisement 'It's been very unnerving. It's very spooky,' said Laura Hefty, who lives a few miles from the gravesite in Solebury Township, where farms bump up against new residential developments. Many people, she said, are trying to convince themselves something like this could ever happen to their kids. 'They feel incredibly sad. Some people are pretty angry, too,' and are asking, 'How did it get this bad?' she said. Eric Beitz, who said he had hung out with DiNardo in recent weeks, told Philly.com the 20-year-old routinely sold guns and on multiple occasions had talked 'about weird things like killing people and having people killed.' White police officers who were filmed arresting a pair of black teens by the boys' mother took her cell phone away and said they would drop charges if the video was handed over, she has alleged. Latasha Nelson of Dallas, Texas, told The Next Generation Action Network, a Dallas-based group that lobbies against police violence, that the cop took her phone during the July 3 recording. However, it was being backed up to the cloud when that happened, she said - so the group was able to share the footage on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Dallas mom Latasha Nelson filmed officer Chad Haning arresting her 14-year-old son Trayvon (both pictured) on July 3. She claims that Haning later took her phone from her Nelson filmed the police taking her 14-year-old son Trayvon to a car, during which the lead cop - identified by Next Generation Action as Chad Haning - tells her she is being 'uncooperative'. She asks where Trayvon is being taken, but he refuses to tell her. A female officer with Haning remains silent. Nelson becomes increasingly upset that her son, who is a minor, is without adult supervision, but Haning simply says 'That doesn't matter.' When she continues demanding to know where the 14-year-old is being taken, he calls for backup, saying she is 'interfering with the investigation' as he strides toward her. Her other son, 16, can be heard saying a few words from behind the camera before Haning grabs him by the neck and drags him to the floor. Haning then turns to Nelson, who shouts out in horror 'You did not grab my son!' As Nelson complains about Haning resfusing to tell her where her son has been taken, he walks toward her and calls for backup (left). When her other son, 16, says a few words, Haning grabs him by the neck and shoves him to the floor (right) As he turns his attention to Nelson, her son begins to stand up - at which point Haning starts cuffing him. Nelson accuses Haning of slapping her son in the face, and another man off camera asks Haning 'What you hit him for?' although that's not seen in the footage. She tells Haning that the whole thing has been recorded, to which he says 'Outstanding' and then appears to ask another officer if the footage is 'evidence.' In a second video, posted Thursday afternoon but filmed shortly after the first clip, officers are seen demanding Nelson's phone. The man whose voice was heard in the previous video is heard asking 'What am I doing? For what?' as the female officer asks him to step forward. 'For interfering,' says the female officer. Haning can then be seen standing over the 16-year-old boy, still cuffed, several feet away saying 'It has to be seized as evidence.' In a second video, Haning is seen demanding the phone as 'evidence'. Nelson says he later told her he would release her sons without charges if she gave him the footage. It was uploaded to the cloud, so she was able to release it even though police still have her phone A hand can then be seen going over the phone as the female officer says 'Take the phone...' Next Generation Action said police were still holding onto Nelson's phone as of Wednesday. It said Nelson found her sons after 'eight exhausting hours' going around police stations, and that they had been released. However, it said, both boys still had charges pending. A police spokeswoman, Sergeant VaNessa Harrison, said Thursday that the department is 'looking into the situation.' The case is being investigated by internal affairs; Haning is still on duty. Nelson's sons were released pending charges; she reportedly had to search for them for eight hours In a statement, Arlington PD said officers attended the Addington Park Apartments after 'witnesses said they saw two teens breaking into a vehicle'. It said that officers detained a teen 'matching the description they were provided with.' The statement continued by saying that the video raised 'many questions that will require a thorough investigation' by the internal investigations department. Haning remains on duty, it said. An Alabama man who claimed he shot his girlfriend and threw her off a cliff as part of a suicide pact has been jailed for more than 50 years. Loren Bunner, 22, from Vincent, Alabama, was sentenced to 52 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty earlier this month to killing 18-year-old Jolee Callan. Callan was found dead at the bottom of a cliff on the Pinhoti Trail in the state's east on August 30, 2015. Authorities stated Bunner and Callan - who were dating at the time - traveled to the state park together before the 22-year-old shot her twice, once in the back of the head and once between the eyes, Alabama.com reports. Loren Bunner (left), 22, from Vincent, Alabama, was sentenced to 52 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty earlier this month to killing 18-year-old Jolee Callan (right) He then threw the 18-year-old off the 40-foot cliff, before calling police and confessing he: 'had murdered his girlfriend'. Evidence shows Bunner later told investigators the two had made a suicide pact for him to shoot her before turning the gun on himself, however he told police he could not go through with killing himself after shooting Callan. The 22-year-old's Instagram page was updated four times on the day of the murder, with each post showing the 18-year-old. 'On our way to go hiking. <3,' the first post read, which was a photo of Callan holding his dog while sitting in the front seat of his car. Bunner's Instagram page was updated four times on the day of the murder, with each post showing the 18-year-old. These are two of the pictures he posted on August 30, 2015 The final two posts were pictures by Bunner from behind the 18-year-old, who was standing near the edge of a cliff at the time. Authorities stated Bunner and Callan - who were dating at the time - traveled to the state park together before the 22-year-old shot her twice, once in the back of the head and once between the eyes A court initially ruled Bunner would be tried as a youthful offender, which would have meant he could have served a maximum of just three years behind bars. However, that decision was reversed in December last year, meaning the 22-year-old would be tried as an adult. Callan's father also disputed Bunner's claim he was the 18-year-old's boyfriend at the time, according to Alabama.com. The heartbroken father told the newspaper his daughter had been dating the now-convicted killer previously, but they had broken up before her death and Bunner had trouble 'moving on with his life'. Labour, Nicola Sturgeon and the Welsh government last night threatened to band together to derail the Repeal Bill that ends the EUs power over Britain. Ministers yesterday published legislation to repeal the European Communities Act, which enshrines the supremacy of EU law and the European courts. It will smooth the path to Brexit by transferring thousands of EU regulations into British law, preventing legal uncertainty. But Labours Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer warned that his party would try to block the legislation when MPs vote in September as it will not bring a controversial human-rights charter into UK law. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured in Brussels with the EU chief) was due to tell Mr Barnier quitting the single market will be bad for Scotland The devolved governments in Scotland and Wales also said they would seek to veto the Bill, demanding more assurances on how powers on environment, agriculture and fisheries would be returned from Brussels to Edinburgh and Cardiff. And the Lib Dems warned the Government faced a nightmare that could cost the PM her job. But Mrs May said the legislation was essential, and without it the country would not have a working legal system on the day of Brexit, expected to be in March 2019. Under her plan, all 12,000 EU regulations applying to Britain will be copied and pasted on to the UK statute book. Ministers will be handed so-called Henry VIII powers allowing them to tweak any laws that need vital amendments without an MPs vote. Corbyn soccer stunt as he meets EU's Mr Brexit Jeremy Corbyn held talks with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator yesterday even presenting him with a football shirt. In his bid to present himself as prime minister in waiting, the Labour leader met with Michel Barnier (pictured far right) at the European Commissions headquarters in Brussels. With Diane Abbott and Sir Keir Starmer watching on, Mr Corbyn gave the sports-mad EU official a shirt from his favourite team Arsenal FC with Mr Barniers name on the back and a signed copy of Labours manifesto. The Labour leader, flanked by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, presented Mr Barnier with an Arsenal shirt as they held talks in Brussels Mr Corbyn said: Now hes got two things in red a shirt and a book. He said that the Labour Party respected the result of last years referendum but was seeking a Brexit to protect jobs. And Mr Corbyn also confirmed his offer of citizens rights for EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit and said Labour was ready to pay what we are legally required to as part of the withdrawal process. The Labour leader said he had told Mr Barnier that his party would make sure Britain doesnt become some sort of low-tax regime off the shore of Europe. Advertisement But Scottish First Minister Miss Sturgeon and her Welsh counterpart Carwyn Jones raised the prospect of a constitutional crisis as they threatened to block the Bill, which they branded a naked power grab. They claimed that it would not return powers to devolved administrations, adding: It returns them solely to the UK Government and Parliament, and imposes new restrictions on the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales. On that basis, the Scottish and Welsh governments cannot recommend that legislative consent is given to the Bill as it currently stands. Sources confirmed it was likely the Government would need a so-called legislative consent motion from Holyrood for the Repeal Bill, though the Scottish Parliament cannot veto Brexit. Brexit Secretary David Davis has called on rival politicians to work together to deliver Brexit Meanwhile, Labour said it would vote against the legislation unless it brought the European Charter of Fundamental Rights into UK law. It has been blamed in a string of controversial human rights cases. The Government said the charter of 50 human rights, which Tony Blair signed up to in 2000, is merely a catalogue of rights that already existed elsewhere in EU law. But Sir Keir said the charters inclusion was a red line, adding: Labour are putting the Prime Minister on notice that unless the Bill is significantly improved, Labour will vote it down in the House of Commons. The Bill was given its first reading in the Commons yesterday, but it will not be formally debated until autumn. The Government has insisted that the Henry VIII powers will be limited to correcting minor legal issues. However, with 800 to 1,000 pieces of secondary legislation, known as statutory instruments, likely to be brought forward under the powers during a two-year window, there are likely to be objections from MPs and peers. Labour MP Wes Streeting has said the powers are undemocratic, unaccountable and simply wrong. But Brexit Secretary David Davis told the BBC: It is not just a ministerial signature, it is what they call a statutory instrument which can be debated, can be voted on. Downing Street said the suggestion Scotland and Wales may not give legislative consent was very pessimistic, adding: We want to work with all parties, MPs, devolved administrations, talk to them. 7/17 QuickBooks Online: Course 1- Basics & Set Up ($125)1 4 p.m.INCuator: 100 Cherokee BlvdJoin us for an overview of QuickBooks Online and learn best practices for bookkeeping.Topics Include: Basic look and feel overview; how to set up vendors and customers; how to set up items or services that you sell; syncing with your bank and credit cards, and more.Materials needed: Laptop (provided upon request).Speaker: Lynn Talbott, MBA, President of HRBiz and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisorAll levels of users welcome.Active clients of the TSBDC are eligible to receive a reduced rate for QuickBooks set up. Contact your counselor to learn more.Register at clients.tsbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=30360216 $125.7/18 Ribbon Cutting for Courtyard Chattanooga at Hamilton Place11 11:30 a.m.Courtyard Chattanooga at Hamilton Place: 2210 Bams Dr.Join the Chattanooga Chamber for a ribbon cutting at Courtyard Chattanooga at Hamilton Place.7/18 Red Bank Council MeetingNoon 1 p.m.Red Bank Community Center: 3620 Tom Weathers Dr.Join the Chamber for the Red Bank Council meeting.$10.7/19 Ooltewah/Collegedale Council Meeting9:15 10:30 a.m.Collegedale City Hall: 4910 Swinyar Dr.Join the Chamber for the Ooltewah/Collegedale Council Meeting.Speaker: Bradley Webber, Chattanooga Web DesignThis event is free.7/19 Hixson Council MeetingNorth River Civic Center: 1009 Executive Dr., #10211:45 a.m. 1 p.m.$10.7/19- Social Media 101- Complimentary3:30 5 p.m.INCuator: 100 Cherokee Blvd.TSBDC is partnering with 3E Social to deliver a seminar & discussion on how to utilize social media for your business. A brief overview of various social media platforms, their respective audiences and posting best practices on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and more.Speaker: Lisa Brown, owner of 3E SocialRegister for this free event at clients.tsbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=30360232 7/20 North Hamilton County Council MeetingBudweiser11:45-1:00 p.m.Speaker: Andre Duvall$10.7/20 Create a Facebook Business Page11 a.m. noonBrightBridge: 535 Chestnut St., Ste. 161Topics: The basics of a creating a Facebook business page. Attendees will leave having created a Facebook business page.Materials needed : Laptop (provided upon request) and personal Facebook page.Speaker: Emily Pilkington, BrightBridge Womens Business CenterThis is a workshop developed and delivered by an e-commerce seller; not a Facebook employee. As such the views or opinions expressed are those of the instructor.To reserve your free seat, visit: www.brightbridgewbc.org/event/createFB7-20/ 7/20 Business After Hours Sponsored COS Business Products & InteriorsCOS Business Products & Interiors: 5:00-7:00 p.m.Join the Chamber for Business After Hours, which brings an average of 100 business people together for networking and refreshments. Business After Hours in July is sponsored by COS Business Products & Interiors. Former Democratic National Committee chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz introduced amendments that would seek to strip Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner of his security clearance. The former DNC chair and Florida Democrat ran the organization when it got hacked in an intrusion that the intelligence community concluded was orchestrated by the Kremlin. The disclosures that ensued proved embarrassing to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and ultimately led to Wasserman Schultz stepping down from her post. In the aftermath of the election, it was revealed that the DNC turned down offers of assistance form the FBI and the Homeland Security Department. 'Sometime in 2016, I became aware of a hack into systems of the Democratic National Committee,' former Homeland Security Secrtary Jeh Johnson testified in late June. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schult (D-Fla.), who ran the Democratic National Committee when it got hacked, introduced amendments that would effectively strip Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner of his security clearance 'I pressed my staff to know whether DHS was sufficiently proactive, and on the scene helping the DNC identify the intruders and patch vulnerabilities. The answer, to the best of my recollection, was not reassuring: the FBI and the DNC had been in contact with each other months before about the intrusion, and the DNC did not feel it needed DHS's assistance at that time.' Wasserman Schultz offered a series of amendments, joining Democrats including minority leader Nancy Pelosi who have questioned Kushner's ongoing security clearance, despite his undisclosed Russia meetings. One amendment to a spending bill read: "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to issue, renew, or maintain a security clearance for any individual in a position in the Executive Office of the President who is under a criminal investigation by a federal law enforcement agency for aiding a foreign government. 'Mr. Kushner didn't only leave out a couple of meetings, he's had to amend his form three times, with over 100 meetings with foreign nationals," Wasserman Schultz said, Business Insider reported. She said some of those individuals 'were with the state of Russia, an enemy state. Specifically designed to aid his father-in-law's campaign and assist him in being elected president of the United States.' Rep. John Culberson of Texas called the amendments a 'political stunt.' Kushner has amended a government disclosure document to belatedly reveal contacts with more than 100 foreigners. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner had more than 100 foreign contacts during the campaign and transition, according to his lawyer Kushner has been providing 'updates' to his SF-86 national security form, after it was revealed he did not disclose any foreign contacts on his initial form. His attorney has said he is providing 'updates' after discovering the original omission. The New York Times reported Thursday that Kushner supplemented the list three times, adding more than 100 names. That number jibes with a recent statement by Kushner's attorney, Jamie Gorelick, in response to revelations about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. The statement essentially confirmed that Kushner had met Veselnitskaya during the meeting. Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort also attended the June 2016 meeting the type of contact officials are asked to disclose when applying for a government security clearance. According to the Gorelick statement: ''[D]uring the campaign and transition, he had over 100 calls or meetings with representatives of more than 20 countries, most of which were during [the presidential] transition.' WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak (2nd L) leaves after a reception at St. Regis Hotel July 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The U.S.-Russia Business Council hosted a farewell reception for the Russian diplomat who will be stepping down as ambassador. Kushner didn't initially disclose his meeting with Kislyak Donald Trump Jr (left) has become the central figure of the firestorm surrounding Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as he failed to reveal a meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya (right), a Russian attorney, until earlier this week President Trump (left), standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron (right), said Thursday that his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer wasn't a 'very big deal' She added: 'Mr. Kushner has submitted additional [federal disclosure] 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.' Many of Kushner's foreign contacts were hardly a secret. During the transition, the husband of Ivanka Trump became known as the president's go-to person for foreign leaders. 'If this were a normal political world, Jared Kushner wouldn't have a job by the end of today,' Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told The Hill. Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser, listens during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president, not pictured, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, June 30, 2017. The president relied on Kushner as an advisor and emissary during the campaign In photos released during the transition, Kushner was pictured with an array of world leaders, as he was with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an image released by the Japanese foreign ministry. But his meetings with Russians are of particular interest to investigators who are probing contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russia following the intelligence communities conclusion that Russia interfered in the presidential election. Kushner is now known to have had three contacts with Russians during the campaign: One with outgoing Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, one with Veselnitskaya, and one with Sergei Gorkov, chairman of state-owned Sberbank. The president defended his son during a Paris press conference for attending the meeting with Veselnitskaya that Kushner attended. 'My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer,' Trump said Thursday. 'It was a meeting that went very, very quickly, very fast.' Trump said the 'press made a very big deal over something really a lot of people would do,' then blamed former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for letting the Kremlin-linked woman into the country in the first place. 'So, again, I have a son who's a great young man, he's a fine person. Took a meeting with a lawyer from Russia, it lasted for a very short period and nothing came of the meeting. And I think it's a meeting most people in politics probably would have taken' the president continued. The meeting occurred after music publicist Robert Goldstone contacted Trump Jr with an offer of dirt on rival Hillary Clinton and a claim that the Russian government supported his campaign. California cops are being investigated for excessive force after a video emerged of them beating a suspected car thief. Santa Ana, California police officers arrested Jesus Martinez in front of Roxana Cedillo's - the woman who filmed the altercation - home on Sunday night. She claimed that Martinez, who police say is an affiliated gang member, was neutralized as a threat before he was given a series of punches and knees. Scroll down for video Santa Ana, California police officers arrested Jesus Martinez in front of Roxana Cedillo's - the woman who filmed the altercation - home on Sunday night 'I'm very grateful that they do put themselves in the line to help us, and help all innocent people. But in that case, he was already on the ground,' she said to KTLA. 'There was no need for the brutal part.' 'Get your f******* hands behind your back,' the officer said to Martinez who was face down on the ground 'Get your f******* hands behind your back,' the officer said to Martinez who was face down on the ground. 'They are behind my back sir, let me put them behind my back sir,' Martinez said back to the cop. As another officer approaches, the cop begins punching Martinez on in the ground in the head and continues screaming at him to put his hands behind his back. Martinez screams and begs for the officer to stop, but the cop does not, continuously beating on the detained man. While he punches, the second officer knees Martinez in the back and proceeds to cuss at him as well. Martinez screams and begs for the officer to stop, but the cop does not, continuously beating on the detained man Martinez can be heard wailing 'Stop It' as the two officers repeatedly pound and knee him into submission. 'The officer was already on top of the suspect and was telling him to put his hands in the back, but the suspect had them right here,' Cedillo said while motioning with her arms in front of her face. 'Not where he wanted them. At the same time, I did see the officer holding his hands, telling him, 'Put them in the back.'' A third officer approaches and begins hitting Martinez with his Baton. He can be heard wailing 'Stop It' as the two officers repeatedly pound and knee him into submission According to Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department, Martinez and a passenger, Gabriel Mendoza, were not wearing their seat belts. A pursuit ensued when officers tried to pull the car over, and speeds reached up to 85 miles per hour 'There was three guys holding him and still punching him. That was a little bit too much what they did,' said Rafael Silo, Cedillo's husband. 'It was difficult to watch because I was nervous for my kids.' Police have said that the confrontation began after two officers encountered a vehicle with no license plate being driven by Martinez. According to Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department, Martinez and a passenger, Gabriel Mendoza, were not wearing their seat belts. A pursuit ensued when officers tried to pull the car over, and speeds reached up to 85 miles per hour. The police used force to detain Martinez after he attempted to leave on foot. The two men were arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, narcotics possession and possession of a replica handgun, claimed Bertagna. But the three officers in the incident are being investigated by the department's internal affairs unit The two men were arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, narcotics possession and possession of a replica handgun, claimed Bertagna. Bertagna added that Santa Ana's acting chief of police, David Valentin, has seen the footage and has assigned the department's internal affairs unit to investigate. Theyll look at the whole incident and evaluate whether this officers use of force was within policy or out of policy, Bertagna said. None of the officers have been identified. Donald Trump's personal lawyer has abused a stranger who emailed him about his role representing the president during the Russia investigation. Marc Kasowitz, who is currently handling all presidential inquiries related to the Kremlin controversy, was sent a note on Wednesday night from someone he does not know, with the subject line: 'Resign Now.' Instead of ignoring it or responding in a measured fashion, the high-powered lawyer fired off a series of abusive and threat-filled replies, ProPublica reports. The original email to the 65-year-old lawyer read: 'Marc, You don't know me. I don't know you. But I believe it is in your interest and the long-term interest of your firm for you to resign from your position advising the President re: pending federal legal matters. Scroll down for video Marc Kasowitz, Donald Trump's personal lawyer, has abused a stranger who emailed him about his role representing the president during the Russia investigation 'No good can come from this and, in fact, your name may be turn out to be a disparaging historical footnote to the presidency of DJT.' Kasowitz was quick to hit back, sending back a rather short email at first that simply read: 'F*** you.' A few minutes later, he sent a more detailed response to the unknown person. 'You don't know me, but I will know you. How dare you send me an email like that,' it read. This is the email that was sent to Kasowitz by an stranger, who suggested he should resign to save his firm any embarrassment Kasowitz sent these two replies to the stranger, saying 'f*** you' and 'watch you back, b***h' 'I'm on you now. You are f***ing with me now. Let's see who you are. 'Watch your back, b****.' The man replied about five minutes later: 'Thank you for your kind reply. I may be in touch as appropriate.' Yet Trump's lawyer wasn't finished with him yet, and had some more vitriol to fire off. 'Call me if you want a conversation. I will have it with you. You are such a piece of s***,' it read. 'Call me. Don't be afraid, you piece of s***. Stand up. If you don't call, you're just afraid. Call me.' After being abused, the unknown man replied simply: 'Thank you for your kind reply' But Kasowitz was not finished, and he sent these two emails. In one he claimed to know where the man lived Marc Kasowitz is currently handling all presidential inquiries related to the Russia probe. Trump is pictured in Paris on July 13 In a fourth email, sent about 30 minutes later, Kasowitz wrote: 'I'm Jewish. I presume you are too. Stop being afraid. Call me. 'I already know where you live, I'm on you. You might as well call me. You will see me. I promise. Bro.' The man on the end of Kasowitz's abuse told ProPublica he has forwarded the email chain to the FBI, due to how scared and unnerved he is by the threats. The 65-year-old responded to the emails being published in a statement through his lawyer on Thursday night. 'Mr Kasowitz, who is tied up with client matters, said he intends to apologize to the writer of the email referenced in today's ProPublica story,' the statement read. 'While no excuse, the email came at the end of a very long day that at 10 p.m. was not yet over.' Kasowitz then said in the statement: 'The person sending that email is entitled to his opinion and I should not have responded in that inappropriate manner. 'I intend to send him an email stating just that. This is one of those times where one wishes he could reverse the clock, but of course I can't.' Children are using social media to buy and sell Class A drugs, an investigation found. An undercover operation exposed how popular social networks, including Snapchat and Instagram, have become a 'paradise' for those dealing in illegal substances. Youngsters are even employing a code made up of 'emojis' small digital images normally used to convey emotions to conceal the deals. One of the country's largest drug gangs told a BBC documentary 75 per cent of their takings now come through social media transactions, using 'digital-savvy' school pupils. Deal: A teenager, identity obscured, offers up pills for cash. Children are using social media to buy and sell Class A drugs, an investigation found Film-maker Stacey Dooley confronted the young dealers, highlighting the ease with which illegal transactions can be arranged. One of them, 15-year-old 'Denver', was wearing his school uniform when he was filmed trying to sell her seven pills of MDMA, also known as ecstasy, at Maidstone railway station. A second, 16-year-old 'Tai', was contacted via Snapchat and agreed to do a deal for six MDMA pills at Croydon station. He revealed he makes approximately 300 a day, that the 'money is addictive' and he uses it to 'buy clothes, go out, enjoy my life'. Asked if he felt pressurised by adults into selling drugs to other children, he said: 'I'm a kid so kids know me kids come to me to get their thing. When I'm grown up I'm not gonna be selling to little kids but I am a little kid and I sell these things and all these people that want it it's not my fault that they want it.' Youngsters are even employing a code made up of 'emojis' small digital images normally used to convey emotions to conceal the deals Miss Dooley was granted access to the 'safe house' of one of Britain's largest drug gangs. Bosses, their faces covered with balaclavas, showed her a shipment of liquid cocaine from South America. They said: 'Probably 75 per cent of the takings [are from social media]. It's the younger generation's game now, it's the kids on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram.' They added that the fast-paced communication on such platforms, which have instant chat features, means a gang member can make 26,000 in just two days. Stash: Illegal drugs shown in the documentary, which interviewed gangs and young sellers The use of emojis also speeds up the deals. For example, an image of an autumnal maple leaf is often deployed as a symbol for drugs. Other popular drug-related symbols include a needle, pill and diamond. It has also been reported that emojis for a lightning bolt and a heart refer to ecstasy. Miss Dooley said: 'I fear it is going to take something very tragic to happen to these kids before [location app] Yellow, Instagram and Snapchat wake up and take action. Until then it will continue to be a drug dealers' paradise.' Snapchat, which has 250million global users and is used by more than 75 per cent of UK teens, said: 'We encourage all Snapchatters to report anything to us that doesn't belong on Snapchat.' Snapchat, which has 250million global users and is used by more than 75 per cent of UK teens, said: 'We encourage all Snapchatters to report anything to us that doesn't belong on Snapchat' Instagram, which has 700million monthly users, said it urges anyone who comes across content like that in the film to report it. Yellow acknowledged it needs to do more to prohibit the sale of drugs but claims it is a problem in society that it cannot control. The programme tested reporting tools on Instagram, Snapchat and Yellow, highlighting three drug-dealing users, but 72 hours later, all the accounts were still active. Stacey Dooley Investigates: Kids Selling Drugs Online is available on the BBC Three website. A credit card giant is planning to declare war on cash by offering to pay shops and restaurants in Britain to reject notes and coins. Visa claims that preventing customers from paying in cash would make transactions more secure. Any switch from coins and notes to credit and debit card payments or services such as Apple Pay would also be of huge benefit to Visa, which makes money from transaction fees. But consumer groups warned last night that it would put millions of elderly people and others who rely on cash and cheques at a huge disadvantage. Yes please: Any switch from coins and notes to credit and debit card payments or services such as Apple Pay (file pic) would benefit Visa, which makes money from transaction fees Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said the firm should be referred to the competition authorities if it tried the move. 'It is essentially the behaviour of a monopolist and I do not think it should happen,' he said. 'People should be entitled to settle their bills using legal tender. The most deprived in society who do not have bank accounts and the elderly will be most affected by this.' Visa has already begun a trial in the US which offers $10,000 (8,800) to retailers who are prepared to update their payment terminals. However, they can only get the deal if they agree to stop accepting cash transactions. A similar trial is expected to be launched in the UK. Jack Forestell, Visa's head of global merchant solutions, told The Daily Telegraph the company had its sights on Britain. 'We very much hope to bring a similar initiative to the UK in the near future,' he said. 'The UK is a bit further ahead than the US in terms of contactless use and cashlessness, so the initiative may look different but watch this space.' Vulnerable people: Consumer groups warned last night that it would put millions of elderly people and others who rely on cash and cheques at a huge disadvantage But James Daley, director of consumer group Fairer Finance, accused Visa of 'bribing companies to stop using cash more quickly' to make more money. Consumer champion Which? said cash was still 'widely used' by shoppers. It added: 'Businesses should be led by how their customers want to pay, and not by the incentives offered by card firms.' And the Federation for Small Businesses said the proposal could make businesses unattractive to tourists who wanted to use cash and was 'impractical' for rural areas with slow broadband speeds. Its chairman, Mike Cherry, said: 'The vast majority of our members recognise the importance of offering cashless payment options. However, many have high volumes of customers that still want to pay in cash.' In 2015 the amount of payments made electronically in Britain surpassed the number using coins and notes for the first time. However, cash was still by far the most popular way of paying in pubs, clubs and newsagents. A Treasury spokesman last night stressed that the Government remained committed to cash. He added: 'The UK leads the way in financial technology such as contactless and digital payments. It's important that consumers have choice in how to pay for goods and services, and paying cash remains a legitimate and useful way to pay.' Last night a spokesman for Visa said it was selecting 50 small businesses to receive $10,000 in 'incentive funding'. He added: 'We hope to offer a similar challenge to those merchants who are interested in other countries, including the UK. At this time, we do not have a firm plan on when such an initiative would be available in the UK.' Moon dust collected by Neil Armstrong during the first lunar landing is being sold at a New York auction. The lunar dust, along with some tiny rocks that Armstrong also collected, are zipped up in a small bag and are worth an estimated $2 million to $4 million (1.5 million to 3 million). They're just some of the items linked to space travel that Sotheby's is auctioning off to mark the 48th anniversary of the first lunar landing on July 20. Scroll down for video The lunar dust plus some tiny rocks that Armstrong also collected are zipped up in a small bag and are worth an estimated $2 million to $4 million (1.5 million to 3 million) 'MOON DUST' The bag of moon dust is owned by Chicago-area lawyer Nancy Lee Carlson, after it was mistakenly sold on a government website for $995 (769). The bag was used to hold rocks and dust from the lunar region known as the Sea of Tranquility. Ownership of both moon rocks or dust and artefacts from lunar missions is generally restricted and upon identifying the bag and finding that it contained remnants of lunar dust, the space agency sought to keep it. But NASA lost a legal fight to keep the bag, and a U.S. District Court judge ordered it returned to Ms Carlson in February. Advertisement Armstrong's snapshot of fellow Apollo 11 astronaut 'Buzz' Aldrin standing on the moon could go for up to $4,000 (3,100). Also on the block, is a documented flight plan that astronauts used to return to Earth. The bag was used to hold rocks and dust from the lunar region known as the Sea of Tranquility. The auction will be the first legal sale of such an artefact from the mission, Jim Hull, head of exhibits and artefacts at NASA, said in a telephone interview on Friday. While there are legal restrictions on sales of material from moon missions, including lunar rocks and dust, it is believed some items have been sold on the black market. The bag wound up at Sotheby's after a roundabout journey that included an attempt by NASA to get it back from its current owner. In this July 20, 1969 file photo, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, right, trudges across the surface of the moon leaving behind footprints. Moon dust collected by Armstrong during the first lunar landing is being sold at a New York auction Apollo 11 blasted off on July 16, 1969, with three astronauts aboard. Four days later, Armstrong and astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin flew the spacecraft Eagle down to the moon's surface. As part of the mission, the astronauts gathered lunar samples. After nearly 22 hours on the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the lunar module, lifted off and rejoined Michael Collins in the Columbia spacecraft for the journey back to Earth. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands on the moon on July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong reflected. They landed on July 24 and received a hero's welcome They landed on July 24 and received a hero's welcome. But the collection pouch got mixed up with other sample bags that were never used to hold lunar materials, Hull said. At one point, the bag was seized the US Department of Justice during an investigation, and then mistakenly auctioned off to its current owner, Chicago-area attorney Nancy Lee Carlson. Interested in the history of the bag, Ms Carlson sent it to be analysed by NASA, which confirmed its provenance through testing. The moon dust from the Apollo 11 mission (pictured) was bought by Chicago-area lawyer Nancy Lee Carlson, and after a one year court battle with NASA, returned to her - it now goes up for sale at Sotheby's for $2-4 million (1.5 - 3 million), an astronomical return on investment Ownership of both moon rocks or dust and artifacts from lunar missions is generally restricted, Hull said, and upon identifying the bag and finding that it contained remnants of lunar dust, the space agency sought to keep it. But NASA lost a legal fight to keep the bag, and a U.S. District Court judge ordered it returned to Carlson in February. Ms Carlson paid only $995 (769) for the bag as part of a mixed batch of items. Sotheby's said Ms Carlson plans to donate a portion of the sale proceeds to charity and to establish a scholarship at her alma mater, Northern Michigan University. Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. He died in 2012 in Ohio. The US military is creating a new class of biosensors that could create weapons that sense if soldiers are stressed and know what they might need to fight better. The groundbreaking programme, which according to the report is not far from creating genetically engineered soldiers, could massively improve humans' fighting ability. Earlier this year the AirForce successfully tested a helmet that monitors brain activity knows if the pilot is feeling stressed or panicked. By 2020, Navy SEALS and Army Rangers could be wearing an exoskeleton that protects them when shooting down high-value targets. Scroll down for video According to the report, the US Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and other special forces are looking to improve troops' performance by looking at their bodies at a genetic level (stock) BIOSENSORS IN WEAPONRY Earlier this year the AirForce successfully tested a helmet that can monitor brain activity and tell if the pilot is feeling stressed or panicked. One research project is using a laptop-camera lens to find out if a person's haemoglobin is oxygenated. This can then be used to work out a person's heart rate. This allows the team to better understand the individual mental and physical strengths of each individual. By 2020, Navy SEALS and Army Rangers could be wearing an exoskeleton that protects them when shooting down high-value targets. Advertisement These biosensor weapons could understand more about the people who are using them and what is happening to their bodies at a molecular level when they fight. They could detect small changes in how alert, stressed or healthy the wearer is, according to the report by Defense One. Weapons could then be made to suit specific individuals based on data about how they interact with their environment. 'We want to set up a living laboratory where we can actually pervasively sense people, continuously, for a long period of time', Justin Brooks, a scientist at the Army Research Lab told Defense One. 'The goal is to do our best to quantify the person, the environment, and how the person is behaving in the environment.' This might help them engineer conditions that dramatically improve a fighter's performance. According to the report, the US Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and other special forces are looking to improve troops' performance by looking at their bodies at a genetic level. The groundbreaking programme, which according to the report is not far from creating genetically engineered soldiers, could massively improve humans' fighting ability (stock) Over the past two years the military has bought more than $2 million (1.6 million) worth in biomedical tracking devices. One research project is using a laptop-camera lens to find out if a person's haemoglobin is oxygenated. This can then be used to work out a person's heart rate. This allows the team to better understand the individual mental and physical strengths of each individual. Using this technology military officials could have a much better understanding of what mission to give what soldier. For example, individuals who enjoy risk-taking are better suited for dangerous missions. This same individual might be poorly suited to other aspects of military work. 'I want my system to be able to rely on, say a great memory, poor math capability, and a great spatial capability', said Kaleb McDowell, lead of the Centre for Adaptive Soldier Technologies. 'I want the system to be able to say, 'This person's really creative. How do I tap into that imagination when doing this dull task?', he said. Two female figures painted onto the walls of the Vatican by Raphael more than 500 years ago have been rediscovered following a restoration project. Representing Friendship and Justice, the two women are believed to have been painted by Raphael shortly before his death in 1520. But their true value became hidden after his students added cherubs, soldiers and dragons to the walls surrounding his artwork following his death, causing his paintings to become lost inside the room's detailed scenery. Scroll down for video Two female figures painted onto the walls of the Vatican by Raphael more than 500 years ago have been rediscovered following a restoration project. Pictured is one of the figures, which represents Friendship HOW WERE THE PAINTINGS DISCOVERED? The restorers were aware of rumours that Raphael had used oil paint to create two females figures inside the room, but were completely unaware of what they might look like. 'We know from 16th-century sources that Raphael painted two figures in this room as tests in the oil technique before he died,' Arnold Nesselrath, a scientific researcher at the Vatican Museums, told La Stampa. During the project, researchers cleaned away centuries of previous restoration work to search for the rumoured oil paintings. They then came across two paintings which bore the signature marks of Raphael. Tests revealed that the figures were painted in oil, confirming that they were the work of Raphael. Advertisement Researchers discovered the paintings in the Room of Constantine in the Papal Apartments of the Vatican during a restoration project. Raphael was commissioned by the Vatican to decorate four rooms inside the Apartments in 1508 but was believed to have died before he could complete the project. Records state that Raphael's plans for the room were executed by his assistants following his death. However, rumours remained that Raphael had managed to add two oil paintings to the room before he died. 'We know from 16th-century sources that Raphael painted two figures in this room as tests in the oil technique before he died,' Arnold Nesselrath, a scientific researcher at the Vatican Museums, told La Stampa. 'According to the sources, these two oil painted figures are of a much higher quality than the ones around them.' 'Raphael was a great adventurer in painting and was always trying something different. Representing Justice, this figure is believed to have been painted by Raphael shortly before his death in 1520 Raphael's painting representing Justice can be seen in the far right of the image. To left is a painting depicting the 1836 Battle of Constantine in Algeria Raphael's painting depicting Friendship (circled) is barely distinguishable from the surrounding artwork created by his assistants 'And so, when he arrived in the largest room of the papal apartment, he decided to paint this room in oil, but he managed to paint only two figures, and his students continued in the traditional method, leaving only these two figures as autographs of the master.' During the project, researchers cleaned away centuries of previous restoration work to search for the rumoured oil paintings. They then came across two paintings which bore the signature marks of Raphael. Raphael's work is highly regarded for its clarity of form and expression of human grandeur, according to historians. A view from inside the Room of Constantine in the Papal Apartments of the Vatican, where the restoration work was carried out A view of the ceiling of the Room of Constantine. The restorers were aware of rumours that Raphael had used oil paint to create two females figures inside the room Tests revealed that the figures were painted in oil, confirming that they were the work of Raphael. 'By analysing the painting, we realised that it is certainly by the great master Raphael,' said restorer Fabio Piacentini. 'He painted in oil on the wall, which is a really special technique. 'The cleaning and removal of centuries of previous restorations revealed the typical pictorial features of the master.' Advertisement Diving majestically down from the heights of the Natural History Museums grand entrance hall, this is Hope the blue whale, greeting visitors with jaws open wide. Its a long way from a lonely sandbank off the south-east coast of Ireland where the giant mammal was found thrashing for its life more than a century ago before a sailor put it out of its misery. From today, Hope takes prime position as the museums most jaw-dropping exhibit and the first that most visitors will see. It replaces Dippy the diplodocus whose replica skeleton had graced the entrance hall since 1979. The 20-year-old female blue whale had struggled for survival for a day after getting stuck on a sandbank near Wexford in 1891 before lifeboat pilot Edward Wickham killed it with an improvised harpoon. Scroll down for video Guests including the Duchess of Cambridge mingle beneath a blue whale skeleton as it went on display as part of the reopening of Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum The 20-year-old female blue whale had struggled for survival for a day after getting stuck on a sandbank near Wexford in 1891 before lifeboat pilot Edward Wickham killed it with an improvised harpoon A stunning 25.2 metre (83 ft) real blue whale skeleton named Hope (pictured) has been suspended from the ceiling at London's Natural History Museum The carcass changed hands a few times and was eventually sold to the Natural History Museum for 250, equivalent to about 20,000 today. The meat was sold off for dog food and the whale produced around 630 gallons of oil for fuel. DIPPY THE DINOSAUR Hope takes centre stage in Hintze Hall in place of Dippy, the Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton cast that is soon to embark on a two-year tour of the UK, visiting Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and five regions across England. The tour aims to connect the nation with nature and spark the imagination of a new generation of scientists, naturalists and environmentalists. Dippy was commissioned for the Museum in 1905 by American businessman Andrew Carnegie, who that year bought the bones of the first Diplodocus ever discovered for his museum in Pittsburgh. Dippy had been on display in Hintze Hall since 1979, before being taken down in January 2017 in preparation for his tour. Advertisement When Hopes bones were brought back to the museum in South Kensington, there was not enough space to reconstruct the skeleton, but this changed in 1934 when the mammal hall was built. The whale was the first thing we put in there, said head of conservation Lorraine Cornish. Unlike today, when such reconstruction projects are carried out with the help of computers and laser measurements, it was put up by men in brown coats using odd bits of planks and scaffolding, as well as an assortment of unusual materials including metal rods, bolts, nails, wooden rivets and even pieces of newspaper stuffed between each vertebra for support. The whale remained in the mammal gallery until museum bosses decided in 2015 it should be moved to the entrance hall. The bones were cleaned and repaired before the skeleton was put together again in its new home, and today it is unveiled to the public. Meanwhile Dippy, the 292-bone diplodocus skeleton cast from an original fossil found in Wyoming in the US in 1898, is being prepared for a tour around the UK. Back in the museum, visitors who want to marvel at one of the blue wonders of the deepest ocean...will only have to look up. It was bought by the Museum and first went on display in the Mammal Hall in 1934, where it was suspended above a life-size model of a blue whale. Curators, conservation teams and engineers have been working on the blue whale skeleton for months - mostly in an off-site warehouse due to its enormous size - cleaning and preparing it for its new home in Hintze Hall. Lorraine Cornish, the Museum's Head of Conservation, said: 'Suspending such a large, complex and historical specimen from a Victorian ceiling was always going to be challenging, but we were determined to show her in as lifelike position as possible and we are thrilled that the result is truly spectacular. The tongue of a blue whale can weigh as much as six tons. This graphic shows just how large it is, using a tennis court, elephant and 6ft man to show scale The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on earth. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant - their hearts, as much as a car The Museum will unveil the new star of its entrance 'Hintze Hall' today, replacing the famous diplodocus skeleton that has enraptured visitors since 1979 Conservation experts and engineers have worked on the skeleton for months to prepare it for its gran unveiling tonight The skeleton is part of the biggest renovation project that the Natural History Museum has undergone in its 136-year history Lorraine Cornish, the Museum's Head of Conservation, said: 'Whilst working on the 221 bones we uncovered past conservation treatments, such as the use of newspaper in the 1930s to fill the gaps between the vertebrae, and we were able to use new methods for the first time, including 3D printing a small number of bones missing from the right flipper' 'Whilst working on the 221 bones we uncovered past conservation treatments, such as the use of newspaper in the 1930s to fill the gaps between the vertebrae, and we were able to use new methods for the first time, including 3D printing a small number of bones missing from the right flipper.' It is estimated that in the 1800s there were approximately 250,000 blue whales across the world's oceans. Decades of commercial hunting during the twentieth century drove the species to the brink of extinction, with only around 400 thought to be left in 1966. Hope will be joined in Hintze Hall by hundreds of new specimens, chosen to celebrate the wonder and beauty of the natural world, from the origins of the universe, to the story of evolution and diversity in the world today The Museum's Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, and Sir David Attenborough will attend a gala launch reception this evening (July 13) ahead of the public opening at 10am tomorrow Though we can't hear them, blue whales are one of the loudest animals on the planet, communicating with each other using a series of low frequency pulses, groans, and moans. It is thought that in good conditions blue whales can hear each other across distances of up to 1,600km BLUE WHALES It is estimated that in the 1800s there were approximately 250,000 blue whales across the world's oceans. Decades of commercial hunting during the twentieth century drove the species to the brink of extinction, with only around 400 thought to be left in 1966. That year, in London, the world took a remarkable decision to legally protect blue whales from commercial hunting. Since then the population of blue whales has steadily grown to its current level of around 20,000 - the start of a viable population. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on earth: Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant, their hearts - as much as a car Though we can't hear them, blue whales are one of the loudest animals on the planet, communicating with each other using a series of low frequency pulses, groans, and moans. It is thought that in good conditions blue whales can hear each other across distances of up to 1,600km (995 miles) Advertisement That year, in London, the world took a remarkable decision to legally protect blue whales from commercial hunting. Since then the population of blue whales has steadily grown to its current level of around 20,000 - the start of a viable population. Richard Sabin, the Museum's leading whale expert, said: 'Whales are incredibly mysterious and behaviourally complex creatures, as well as being the giants of the ocean. 'I remember visiting the Museum as a child and being amazed when I came face to face with the blue whale skeleton we are now unveiling in Hintze Hall. 'It is impossible not to be struck by the sheer scale and majesty of this beautiful creature as she dives towards you when you enter the Museum.' Hope takes centre stage in Hintze Hall in place of Dippy, the Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton cast that is soon to embark on a two-year tour of the UK, visiting Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and five regions across England. Sir Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: 'Putting our blue whale, Hope, at the centre of the Museum, between living species on the West and extinct species on the East, is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the responsibility we have towards our planet' The skeleton now on display in Hintze Hall is from a whale that became stranded in 1891 in Wexford Harbour, Ireland, 10 years after the Museum opened in South Kensington The skeleton was bought by the Museum and first went on display in the Mammal Hall in 1934, where it was suspended above a life-size model of a blue whale The tour aims to connect the nation with nature and spark the imagination of a new generation of scientists, naturalists and environmentalists. Dippy was commissioned for the Museum in 1905 by American businessman Andrew Carnegie, who that year bought the bones of the first Diplodocus ever discovered for his museum in Pittsburgh. Dippy had been on display in Hintze Hall since 1979, before being taken down in January 2017 in preparation for his tour. Despite their size, the blue whale feeds on some of the smallest marine life tiny shrimp like animals called krill. A single adult blue whale can consume 36,000 kg of krill a day. Pictured is part of Hope's ribcage and spine Although the blue whale is a deep-water hunter, as a mammal, it must come to the surface of the sea to breathe. When it surfaces, it exhales air out of a blowhole in a cloud of pressurised vapour that rises vertically above the water for up to 9 metres (30 ft) Curators, conservation teams and engineers have been working on the blue whale skeleton for months - mostly in an off-site warehouse due to its enormous size - cleaning and preparing it for its new home in Hintze Hall Lorraine Cornish, the Museum's Head of Conservation, said: 'Suspending such a large, complex and historical specimen from a Victorian ceiling was always going to be challenging, but we were determined to show her in as lifelike position as possible and we are thrilled that the result is truly spectacular' It is estimated that in the 1800s there were approximately 250,000 blue whales across the world's oceans Decades of commercial hunting during the twentieth century drove the species to the brink of extinction, with only around 400 thought to be left in 1966 In 1966, in London, the world took a remarkable decision to legally protect blue whales from commercial hunting Since 1966 the population of blue whales has steadily grown to its current level of around 20,000 - the start of a viable population Whilst working on the skeleton's 221 bones, the team uncovered past conservation treatments, such as the use of newspaper in the 1930s to fill the gaps between the vertebrae Researchers preparing the skeleton for its grand reveal were able to use new methods for the first time, including 3D printing a small number of bones missing from the right flipper Hope takes centre stage in Hintze Hall in place of Dippy, the Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton cast that is soon to embark on a two-year tour of the UK, visiting Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and five regions across England. Pictured is Dippy in 1905 People around the world have been left baffled by menacing black rings appearing in the sky, sparking theories they could be alien portals. The bizarre black ring-shaped UFOs, which can be hundreds of feet wide, have been dubbed 'smoke vortexes'. The most recent strange 'smoke vortex' was spotted above the M62 near Birkenshaw in Yorkshire. Last year a black ring was spotted above Disneyland in California and in 2015 eerie footage emerged of a 320 feet-wide (100 metre-wide) ring of smoke floating over clear skies in Kazakhstan. But one expert has revealed the latest black ring was simply the byproduct of cannon fire of a battle reenactment at the nearby Yorkshire Wartime Event. Scroll down for video The black ring-shaped UFOs, which can be hundreds of feet wide, have been dubbed 'smoke vortexes'. The most recent one was filmed floating above the M62 near Birkenshaw (pictured). The ring was a byproduct of cannon fire of a reenactment at the Yorkshire Wartime Event WHAT ARE THEY? The latest ring was the byproduct of cannon fire of a battle reenactment at the nearby Yorkshire Wartime Event. The event nearby involved more than 500 Military Vehicles and 50 reenactments, many involving canon fire. Canon fire can create smoke rings because it produces a sudden disturbance in the surrounding air, and as a result, creates a circular vortex. The air is displaced around the ring while the air within the vortex circles within the ring. Similar smoke rings have been formed at music festivals such as Burning Man. 'Smoke rings in the sky like this one look very spooky and unusual', Nigel Watson, author of 'UFOs of the first World War' told MailOnline. 'In this case it isn't an extraterrestrial spacecraft from planet Zog sent by evil aliens, but the byproduct of cannon fire of a battle reenactment at the nearby Yorkshire Wartime Event.' Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFOs and other mysteries for the Ministry of Defence, also debunked the phenomenon. He said: 'Despite exotic theories about UFOs, aliens, or portals to other dimensions, I believe there's a decidedly down-to-earth explanation here. 'A so-called smoke vortex can arise when you have a blast through a circular structure like a smokestack. 'So these weird effects can be caused by accident - or indeed by design. Advertisement The 'smoke vortex' was spotted above the M62 near Birkenshaw in Yorkshire last weekend. Kimberley Robinson spotted it while in the car with her roofer boyfriend Danny Cooper, 26, when she looked up and saw a mysterious black ring. The 22-year-old photographed the black mark on her Samsung phone. The circle resembles a giant smoke ring but West Yorkshire Fire Service say there had been no reports of fire at the time of the sighting on Sunday just after 1.30pm. 'Smoke rings in the sky like this one look very spooky and unusual', Nigel Watson, author of 'UFOs of the first World War' told MailOnline. 'In this case it isn't an extraterrestrial spacecraft from planet Zog sent by evil aliens, but the byproduct of cannon fire of a battle reenactment at the nearby Yorkshire Wartime Event.' The Yorkshire Wartime Event taking place nearby involved more than 500 Military Vehicles and 50 reenactments. Canon fire can creates these smoke rings because it produces a sudden disturbance in the surrounding air, and as a result, creates a circular vortex. The air is displaced around the ring while the air within the vortex circles within the ring. Similar smoke rings have been formed at music festivals such as Burning Man. Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFOs and other mysteries for the Ministry of Defence, also debunked the phenomenon. He said: 'Despite exotic theories about UFOs, aliens, or portals to other dimensions, I believe there's a decidedly down-to-earth explanation here. 'A so-called smoke vortex can arise when you have a blast through a circular structure like a smokestack. 'So these weird effects can be caused by accident - or indeed by design. 'I realise that by debunking this I'll probably be accused of working for the Illuminati or something, but I genuinely think we can close the case file on this one.' The Met Office said that the ring did not appear to be weather-related. While there appears to be a simple explanation, Miss Robinson was baffled by the ring. She described the circle as 'the weirdest thing I have ever seen'. She said: 'Me and my boyfriend were driving today and noticed a black flying ring in the sky. 'It looked a bit smokey but the shape was a solid ring.' People around the world have been left baffled by menacing black rings appearing in the sky The Met Office said that the ring did not appear to be weather-related The circle resembles a giant smoke ring but West Yorkshire Fire Service say there had been no reports of fire at the time of the sighting on Sunday just after 1.30pm STRANGE SIGHTINGS On 27 April 2016 a video showed the bizarre cloud-like phenomena hovering above the Magic Castle at the popular theme park in California. In the footage witnesses were heard exclaiming in shock as the mysterious ring floated above them. In 2015 eerie footage emerged of a 100 metre-wide (320 feet-wide) black ring of smoke floating over clear skies in Kazakhstan. It was seen 40 miles north of the capital Astana and hovered in the sky for 15 minutes before suddenly vanishing without trace. In 2014 one was spotted above Warwick and stayed in the sky for three minutes. It was believed to be smoke from the pyrotechnics used at Warwick castle. Advertisement A spokesperson for the Met Office said: 'We have had a look at it and cannot think of anything metrological that would have caused such a phenomenon. 'It looks reasonably clear, with fair-weather cloud that looks like it has bubbled up. There is a little bit of rising air in the atmosphere', he said. 'It does not appear to be anything at ground level that is causing the smoke to rise. 'It looks as if it's a small feature rather than something several miles across.' On 27 April 2016 a video showed the bizarre cloud-like phenomena hovering above the Magic Castle at the popular theme park in California. Baffled visitors watched it float by, yelling: 'What is that?' while a conspiracy theorist said it would cause families to worry of an alien invasion. In the footage witnesses were heard exclaiming in shock as the mysterious ring floated above them. The sighting (pictured) is the latest in a string of strange sightings with one filmed floating over Disneyland in California just last year Full-time mum Miss Robinson described the circle as 'the weirdest thing I have ever seen'. She said: 'Me and my boyfriend were driving today and noticed a black flying ring in the sky On 27 April 2016 a video showed the bizarre cloud-like phenomena hovering above the Magic Castle at the popular theme park in California The film maker, Kyle Hawkins, said: 'No idea what this could be... Walking up main Street at Disneyland, following the parade. 'It was a windy night, couldn't have been a smoke ring. 'Everyone watched it in fear/confusion. I half expected an alien portal to open up through this ring as we were gazing up in disbelief...The strangest thing I've ever seen. In 2015 eerie footage emerged of a 100 metre-wide (320 feet-wide) black ring of smoke floating over clear skies in Kazakhstan 'I yanked my phone out to record as soon as I saw this thing, then immediately uploaded to YouTube. This is raw footage, apologise for shakiness.' In 2015 eerie footage emerged of a 100 metre-wide (320 feet-wide) black ring of smoke floating over clear skies in Kazakhstan. It was seen 40 miles north of the capital Astana and hovered in the sky for 15 minutes before suddenly vanishing without trace. In 2014 one was spotted above Warwick and stayed in the sky for three minutes. It was believed to be smoke from the pyrotechnics used at Warwick castle. The 'macho' switch in the brain which makes men aggressive has been discovered by scientists. And the brain circuit could explain how some animals are able to become alpha males and exert control over others, the study found. Researchers found stimulating the switch significantly boosted a mouse's chance of winning aggressive encounters and moving up the social hierarchy. The discovery could lead to brain training to boost the performance of athletes, said the researchers. It also offers hope of developing drug targets for pathological aggression - which is a component in Alzheimers, autism, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Scroll down for video The 'macho' switch in the brain which makes men aggressive has been discovered by scientists (stock image) THE STUDY For the study, researchers watched mice as they took part in battles for social dominance. During the battles, male mice were put in a tube nose to nose, and researchers recorded how often each animal pushed forward, resisted attack and retreated. Researchers found that during these battles, the dmPFC became active for both the winner and the loser of the fight. Watching these battles allowed researchers to figure out where each individual was placed in the social hierarchy of the group of mice. The scientists then gave the most dominant mice a drug which inhibited the activity of the dmPFC. They found that after taking the drug, the mice performed badly in battles for social dominance, engaging fewer pushes and more retreats. Researchers then used genetic techniques to continuously stimulate the dmPFC during social battles. They discovered that stimulating the dmPFC instantly induced winning, even against fierce competitors which had previously had a 90 per cent success rate. Advertisement Many species in the animal kingdom compete with each other in physical battles to establish a social hierarchy. For a large proportion of these species, it is males who take part in fierce battles to take control of a breeding group or territory. Within this hierarchy, a phenomenon called the 'winner effect' occurs, whereby each victory increases the winner's probability of winning the next showdown. Animals that win lots of matches are more likely to become 'alpha' males, giving them the best access to breeding partners and resources such as food. Researchers have discovered that a circuit in the brain known as the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is key to the 'winner effect' in dominance showdowns. For the study, researchers watched mice as they took part in battles for social dominance. During the battles, male mice were put in a tube nose to nose, and researchers recorded how often each animal pushed forward, resisted attack and retreated. Researchers found that during these battles, the dmPFC became active for both the winner and the loser of the fight. Watching these battles allowed researchers to figure out where each individual was placed in the social hierarchy of the group of mice. The scientists then gave the most dominant mice a drug which inhibited the activity of the dmPFC. They found that after taking the drug, the mice performed badly in battles for social dominance, engaging fewer pushes and more retreats. Researchers then used genetic techniques to continuously stimulate the dmPFC during social battles. They discovered that stimulating the dmPFC instantly induced winning, even against fierce competitors which had previously had a 90 per cent success rate. Researchers have discovered that a circuit in the brain known as the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) (PFC is pictured in pink) is key to winning dominance showdowns Professor Hailan Hu, from the Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, said: 'Mental strength and history of winning play an important role in the determination of social dominance. 'However, the neural circuits mediating these intrinsic and extrinsic factors have remained unclear. 'Activation or inhibition of the dmPFC induces instant winning or losing, respectively.' And mice who had received brain stimulation were more likely to win future battles, even in the absence of stimulation. The researchers found mice who had received six doses of stimulation or more were able to move up the social hierarchy and maintain their new position permanently. For the study, researchers watched mice as they took part in battles for social dominance. During the battles, male mice were put in a tube nose to nose (pictured) The findings suggest that the 'winner effect' is largely driven by activity in the brain rather than physical attributes, the researchers said. Professor Hu said that people taking part in battles of dominance, such as athletes, may be able to prime their brains to improve their chances of winning. She said: 'It may also have important implications in cognitive training for competitive games.' The results may also offer hope of developing drug targets for pathological aggression - which is a component in Alzheimers, autism, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. 'Considering that an excess or lack of dominance drive is associated with many personality disorders and mental problems, our results might shed light on the treatment of these psychiatric diseases,' said Professor Hu. The research was published in Science. The British smartphone firm Vertu, which made luxury handsets worth thousands of pounds, has gone bankrupt after amassing debts of 128 million ($165 million). The company was known for its jewel-encrusted Android smartphones that were assembled by hand and reached eye-watering prices of up to 39,100 ($50,000). The jobs of nearly 200 UK workers at the firm will be lost after an ambitious rescue plan by a Turkish multi-millionaire failed to keep the company afloat. Scroll down for video The British smartphone firm Vertu, which made luxury handsets worth thousands of pounds, has gone bankrupt after amassing debts of 128 million ($165 million). Pictured is the company's 11,100 ($14,300) Signature Touch, made of titanium and finished in leather VERTU Vertu phones carried hefty price tags - its Signature range started at 11,100 ($14,300), and one model featuring 18-carat red gold costed 39,100 ($50,000). While the company used older versions of Android in its phones, it was the materials that brought the phones' exuberant costs. Hand-stitched ostrich leather and sapphire screens were common features of Vertu handsets. Each phone was inscribed with the signature of the person that assembled it and shipped with a 24/7 concierge service that customers could use to access exclusive features. Each concierge was available via voice, email and live chat, while a built-in Vertu Life app offered exclusive access to sporting events and private members clubs worldwide. Vertu likely went under due to competition from companies offering to customise other smartphones with precious materials. Advertisement When contacted by BBC News, an external spokesman for the firm said: 'Well it's gone into liquidation and I'm not being paid by them any more.' A tech analysts told the BBC that Vertu likely went under due to competition from companies offering to customise other smartphones with precious materials. Vertu's 128million ($165 million) of debt meant it could not pay staff or its bills, and last week the Mail revealed around 500,000 ($645,000) was allegedly missing from its pension fund. Vertu's 178 UK staff, mostly based at the manufacturing plant in Hampshire, have not been paid for June. At the end of June the company applied to be put into administration by its owner, Turkish tycoon Hakan Uzan, who bought the firm in March. Mr Uzan, who is currently living in exile in Paris, then intended to buy Vertu back. But at the High Court on Monday, the application was withdrawn and Vertu later said it was 'truly saddened' it could not save the business. Mr Uzan will retain the Vertu brand, technology and licenses. Hand-stitched ostrich leather and sapphire screens were common features of Vertu handsets. Each phone was inscribed with the signature of the person that assembled it and shipped with a 24/7 concierge service that customers could use to access exclusive features Vertu phones carried hefty price tags - its Signature range started at 11,100 ($14,300), and one model featuring 18-carat red gold costed 39,100 ($50,000). While the company used older versions of Android in its phones, it was the materials that brought the phones' exuberant costs. Hand-stitched ostrich leather and sapphire screens were common features of Vertu handsets. Each phone was inscribed with the signature of the person that assembled it and shipped with a 24/7 concierge service that customers could use to access exclusive features. Each concierge was available via voice, email and live chat, while a built-in Vertu Life app offered exclusive access to sporting events and private members clubs worldwide. 'It is very unusual, they hand make the phone at incredibly low volumes and they were incredibly high-priced,' Ian Fogg, an analyst at IHS Technology, told the BBC. Microsoft has ended support for its Windows 8 smartphones, as the US tech giant focuses on other segments, amid ongoing speculation about its strategy for mobile. Users of Windows-powered phones - which have failed badly against rivals from Apple and Google Android - were invited to upgrade to its latest Windows 10 version after Microsoft officially stopped supporting the earlier version on Wednesday. But Microsoft, which is now concentrating on business services, cloud computing, augmented reality, remains a part of the mobile landscape with applications, digital assistants and other offerings. Scroll down for video Microsoft has ended support for its Windows 8 smartphones, as the US tech giant focuses on other segments, amid ongoing speculation about its strategy for mobile. 'I think it's the death of Windows 8 phones; not the death of Microsoft's offerings in mobility,' said Moor Insights and Strategy principal analyst Patrick Moorhead. 'Microsoft is very active in mobility, just not active in phone devices.' Microsoft in May unveiled a forthcoming Windows update aimed at keeping its desktop and laptop computers at the heart of lifestyles increasing reliant on smartphones. Enhancements to the widely used operating system to roll out later this year are designed to make applications built on Microsoft technology work more harmoniously across an array of internet-linked devices, according to demonstrations given at the company's Build developers conference in Seattle. One key addition of the Windows 10 Fall update will allow people to leave what they are doing on one device and pick up where they left off on another - be it a Windows, Apple, or Android driven machine. Windows personal computers 'will love all your devices,' said Microsoft operating systems group corporate vice president Joe Belfiore. Windows 10 will be able to integrate with a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets and virtual or augmented reality gear, executives said. Microsoft has held firm that it has not given up on the mobile market, but in the interim is updating Windows to remain relevant in a smartphone-centric world. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, seen in 2016, is focusing the tech giant on services and Windows 10, which can integrate a variety of devices Better tuning Windows-powered computers to mobile devices could also serve as a 'bridge' to what is being heralded as the next big computing platform -- mixed reality infused with artificial intelligence, according to analysts. Microsoft is aggressively creating a mixed reality technology platform and HoloLens augmented reality gear, which Windows 10 is crafted to support. 'Microsoft has the lead on augmented reality hardware, which might take 10 years to take hold but is the point where the phone gets less important,' Moorhead said. Microsoft's ex CEO Steve Ballmer holds two Windows phones as he speaks during the keynote address during the Microsoft Build Conference on June 26, 2013 in San Francisco, California, where new software for the handsets was shown off 'They will be patient.' Some reports say Microsoft could launch a Surface phone, spinning off the success of tablet computers by that same name. While Microsoft's main business remains software and services, having its own handset would enable it to optimize and own the entire experience, much the way Apple has control over all aspects of its iPhones. 'I think that s why Microsoft would consider a Surface device,' Moorhead said. Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore shows off features of Windows Phone 8 in 2012. The tech giant is ending support for that version of the system, amid speculation on its next move in mobile 'I do think with the success they have had with Surface gives them some permission to try it again, but it would be super risky.' Meanwhile, Windows phone sales continue to fall due to a lack of new hardware partners or enthusiasm for a platform showing little life, according to industry tracker IDC, which estimated its market share at 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2017 Japanese camera firm Konica Minolta has launched a pocket-sized device that alerts you about unpleasant body smells via an app. The device, called KunKun Body (KunKun means 'sniff,sniff' in Japanese) detects specific chemicals that cause smells associated with the scent of perspiration or body fat. The device is currently only available in Japan, with no plans to sell it outside of Japan, and costs 30,000 yen (US$265 or 206). Scroll down for video The KunKun Body device (left) works by detecting chemicals associated with bad smells and warns users via a smartphone app (right). It can recognize three major types of odors: Perspiration odor, aging odor and middle fat odor HOW DOES IT WORK? KunKun, or 'sniff,sniff' in Japanese, is a pocket-sized device that is designed to detect certain chemicals that cause body odor. It can recognize three major types of odors: Perspiration odor, aging odor and middle fat odor. It works by placing the odor checking device in one of four locations: Behind the ear, near the head, under the armpit or the fee, and then pressing the large measuring button on the center. After scanning one of these four body areas, a breakdown of one's odor is sent via Bluetooth to a smartphone app, and displayed on the screen in about 20 seconds. Advertisement The app and accompanying device, which was launched on Thursday, is compatible with iOS 8 or higher, Android OS 4.3 or higher, and Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. It can recognize three major types of odors: Perspiration odor, aging odor and middle fat odor. It works by placing the odor checking device in one of four locations: Behind the ear, near the head, under the armpit or the feet, and then pressing the large measuring button on the center. After scanning one of these four body areas, a breakdown of one's odor is sent via Bluetooth to a smartphone app, and displayed on the screen in about 20 seconds. The device has gas sensors and uses a neural network to distinguish the type and strength of odor detected. KunKun was developed by Konica Minolta, but is the brainchild of Hiroshi Akiyama, 43, who brought the idea to the firm after he began to worry about his body odor as it becomes a problem for a lot of men in their 40s. 'It's difficult to recognize your own smell,' said Daisuke Koda, 42 years old, who had a hand in making the hand-held device. 'We can give relief by telling people how smelly they are and freeing them from the anxiety of not knowing.' According to The Guardian, Konica Minolta believes there's a market for the device in Japan because people are 'particularly sensitive to smell.' The KunKun body system works by placing the odor checking device in one of four locations: Behind the ear, near the head, under the armpit or the feet. After scanning one of these areas, an odor breakdown is sent to a smartphone app, and displayed on the screen in 20 seconds The Japanese view that cleanliness is a virtue is taught to at an early age. The device is currently only available in Japan, with no plans to sell it outside of Japan, and costs 30,000 yen (US$265, 206) Some firms in Japan have even gone so far as to crack down on 'smell harassment' by ordering employees to brush their teeth at lunch and use deodorant. Glasses manufacturer Owndays Co has put such an emphasis on odour care, it is included in its dress code and employee appraisals. After receiving a complaint from a customer about store staff smelling like cigarettes as they adjusted glasses, bosses set about stamping the problem out. Store staff members are instructed to brush their teeth after lunch or a break, to refrain from using perfume - but not deodorant - and to avoid eating strong-smelling food before or during work. Konica Minolta believes that their odor detection technology, which was developed in collaboration with the Osaka Institute of Technology, can contribute not only to the measurement of body odor but also other odors which exists in the world. Those partial to an in-flight tipple or two en-route to their summer holiday may soon be denied the pleasure. Authorities in the Balearic Islands, home to the party resorts of Ibiza and Magaluf, on Wednesday asked Spain and the European Union to ban alcohol on flights and in airports as they battle 'anti-social tourism'. The plea comes after recent, much-publicised reports of drunken brawls or alcohol-fuelled sexual frolics on flights to an archipelago which attracts millions of visitors every year. Authorities in the Balearic Islands have asked Spain and the European Union to ban alcohol on flights and in airports as they battle 'anti-social tourism' Pilar Carbonell, in charge of tourism for the local government of the Balearic Islands, said: 'We ask the central government and the European Commission to ban the consumption of alcoholic drinks on flights and in airports.' In a statement, she said authorities were asking that these measures be taken 'to guarantee security [...] and tackle anti-social tourism.' The statement did not say if the local authorities were asking for alcohol to be banned on all EU flights, or simply those going to the Balearic Islands. 'The aim of the measure is to improve passenger security and also that of security forces in planes and airports in our islands, who are often faced with drunk passengers,' it said. The plea comes after recent, much-publicised reports of drunken brawls or alcohol-fuelled sexual frolics on flights to islands including Ibiza (pictured) The Balearic Islands have long been a magnet for visitors looking for sun and fun on a cheap budget, but some of its resorts have now become notorious examples of a dark underbelly of tourism, with drink and drug binges that have at times proved deadly. The 'balconing' craze, for instance, in which people jump from a hotel or apartment balcony into a pool, is endemic in the archipelago. Fuelled by alcohol or drugs, the jumpers sometimes miss the pool, ending up in hospital or dead. According to a study carried out by doctors at the Son Espases hospital in Palma de Majorca, most of those who end up in the trauma centre due to 'balconing' are British, followed by Germans. But tourists sometimes get the party started before they even get to the resorts, while still on the planes taking them there. The Spanish archipelago, which includes Magaluf (pictured) attracts millions of visitors every year In May, Spain's Guardia Civil police force had to board a Ryanair flight in Palma to drag away three drunk men who had brawled all the way from Manchester in Britain, according to The Manchester Evening News. The newspaper published a video of the police agents marching onto the plane to applause from the rest of the passengers. Some flights have even had to be diverted because of rowdy passengers. It's just the latest in a long string of European countries who are desperately attempting to crack down on rowdy tourists. In Croatia's party island of Hvar, newly-elected Mayor Rikardo Novak is implementing penalties of up to 620 (700) for what he describes as 'anti-social' activities, including eating and drinking in public, and strolling the streets in swimwear. Novak told local media in June: 'They are vomiting in town, urinating on every corner, walking without T-shirts [...] crawling around, unconscious. 'Young tourists are welcome, but they will have to learn how to behave here.' She's just returned to the US after a trip to Israel. And on Wednesday, Australian TV presenter and Extra star Renee Bargh showcased her holiday glow as she attended the ESPY's in Los Angeles. The 30-year-old blonde beauty cut a very stylish figure in a strapless polka dot dress. Spot on! Renee Bargh cuts a stylish figure in a strapless polka dot dress as she attends the ESPY's in Los Angeles Flaunting her bronzed complexion, the Byron-raised personality stunned in her dress, which featured a sweeping skirt and a tie at the waist. Renee - who is best friends with Delta Goodrem - had her long locks out and over her shoulders, neatly straightened. Her makeup included dewy foundation and heavy eyeliner and she accessorised with simple gold earrings. She's glowing! Her makeup included dewy foundation and heavy eyeliner, while she accessorised with simple gold earrings Chic: Showcasing a golden tan, the Byron-raised personality stunned in her dress, that featured a sweeping skirt and a tie at the waist Renee has just returned from a trip to Israel. While in the Middle Eastern country, she enjoyed time in the Dead Sea. 'Still pinching myself that a week ago I was in this magical place, a reminder that every day is a chance for rebirth, a new beginning awaits,' she recently posted on Instagram. In another post, Renee said the trip had 'forever changed' her. Travelling: Renee has just returned from a trip to Israel, where she spent time in places including Jerusalem 'Reflecting back on my week in Israel and still trying to process all of the experiences, lessons and emotions felt,' she began her post. She added in part: 'I'm forever changed. As the sun sets on another day - ask yourself how can you make tomorrow better? Big or small, you hold the power.' Renee is best known for being a Channel V Australia host and in 2010 relocated to the US and started working for Extra. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are ready to wed but are having a disagreement over a prenuptial agreement, claims a magazine report. A 'source' allegedly told OK! Australia that the pair 'were screaming and in tears' when the issue came up, as Liam was 'deeply offended' when his bride-to-be handed him a prenup to sign. The insider reportedly revealed to the magazine: 'They got into an explosive fight...' 'She thought he was going to end the relationship': A magazine has claimed Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth had an 'explosive fight' over prenuptial agreement 'Miley told her friends that Liam got furious. They never yell, but they were screaming and in tears'. The magazine's source goes on to claim that Miley, 'thought he was going to end the relationship'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Liam and Miley for comment. Despite the magazine's claims of discord in their romance, Miley and Liam appear to be more loved up than ever of late. On the weekend, Liam took to Instagram to share a black and white image of the two of them looking very relaxed and happy together. The Australian-born actor wrote alongside the photo: 'My little angel and I.' Happy: Despite the claims of discord in their romance, the pair seem loved up as Liam took to Instagram to share a black and white image of the two of them captioned, 'My little angel and I' Wedding bells: Rumours about the couple's nuptials have been swirling for months Happy: Miley and Liam have looked happier than ever of late in their new Malibu home According to recent reports, the pair had planned on finally tying the knot early in a quickie Las Vegas wedding. NW magazine claimed a source told the magazine that the pair are 'eloping to Las Vegas early next month,' referring to the month of July. Miley's always loved the idea of a spontaneous Las Vegas wedding,' the 'source' reportedly told the publication. Another insider told the publication that the couple are also planning to move Down Under permanently following their nuptials. Moving? Another publication reported that the couple are also planning to move Down Under permanently following their nuptials '[Miley's] telling close friends she'll move to Australia next year. She loves the laidback lifestyle there. She feels right at home,' the source added. The pair first met in 2009 on the set of their movie The Last Song. They became engaged in 2012 only to break it off a year later, before reconciling in 2016. Summer is officially here and Jennifer Aniston couldn't have looked any happier to enjoy some time out in the sunshine. The actress was spotted with a huge smile on her face as she and her husband Justin Theroux, 45, arrived at a heliport in New York City on Wednesday. Jennifer, 48, flashed her toned legs as she rocked a pair of green khaki shorts and a low-cut grey tank top. So fly! Jennifer Aniston was spotted with a huge smile on her face as she and her husband Justin Theroux arrived at a heliport in New York City on Wednesday She also wore boots, sunglasses, several necklaces, and a stylish brown hat. Justin arrived showing off his buff biceps in a white tank top, jeans, hat, and black trainers. The Leftovers actor looked deep in thought as he made his way across the pavement, backpack slung over one shoulder. Jen and Justin have been spending plenty of time together in recent weeks, after Justin wrapped up promoting his show The Leftovers. Flex appeal! Justin arrived showing off his buff biceps in a white tank top, jeans, hat, and black trainers During the promo rounds for the final episode of the hit show, Justin revealed his wife was a huge fan. Justin told Good Morning America: 'She wouldn't even run lines with me because she didn't want any spoilers.' Jennifer and Justin married in 2015. It is Jennifer's second marriage, following her divorce in 2005 from Brad Pitt. She's said to have met her reported new beau, Egyptian multimillionaire Louis C. Camilleri, through their mutual love of Formula One. But despite him not being present, Naomi Campbell did her best to impress as she hopped into a 2 seat car for a ride with F1 ace Jenson Button at the F1 Live London in London The 47-year-old, who is used to being a style chameleon thanks to her career as a high-profile supermodel, looked in high spirits as she slipped her slender statistics into a tight racing suit. Scroll down for video She's ace! Naomi Campbell, 47, looked in high spirits as she slipped her slender statistics into a tight racing suit for a ride with Jenson Button at the F1 Live London in London Adrenaline junkie! She's said to have met her reported new beau, Egyptian multimillionaire Louis C. Camilleri, through their mutual love of Formula One Naomi looked utterly thrilled as she got into gear for a speedy race around the tracks. Once fully dressed in her tight white garb - which consisted or a racing suit, cap and boots - the catwalk queen was led to the car where she was joined by Jenson Button who took her for a spin. Earlier on in the event, Naomi looked incredible as she posed with top drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. On Tuesday, reports surfaced claiming Naomi is 'secretly dating' the divorced father-of-three, who is the former chairman of Philip Morris International and worth over 150million, as they have been enjoying a string of London dinners. In full garb: The beauty, who is used to being a style chameleon thanks to her career as a high-profile supermodel, looked in high spirits as she as she donned a tight racing suit Into the spirit of things: Naomi looked utterly thrilled as she got into gear for a speedy race around the tracks Need for speed: Once fully dressed in her tight white garb - which consisted or a racing suit, cap and boots - the catwalk queen was led to an awaiting car Party time: Jenson later headed out to spend the evening at MNKY HSE in Mayfair Sources tell The Sun that she has been 'all over' Louis when they hit the town together, yet insiders claim she remains tight-lipped over details of their romance. Naomi reportedly met Louis through their shared love of Formula One as they frequented the same races and are said to have met and bonded at the events. Looking stunning in her white one-piece, Naomi was a truly glamorous addition to the event which saw 10 teams come together outside a race weekend to put on a show - with festivities kicking off in Trafalgar Square. Of her new romance, it has been claimed the supermodel is seeing Louis after a string of hot dates around the capital. Learning from the professional: Once comfortable in the race car, she was joined by Jenson Button who took her for a spin Hobby: Naomi is well known for her love of Formula One With the stars: She posed at the event with top drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel (left-right) Big boss: She has been hit with rumours of a hot new romance with Egyptian multimillionaire Louis C. Camilleri - who she reportedly met through their love of Formula One Sources revealed: 'Naomi and Louis have been secretly dating for weeks. Theyre all over each other when theyre out. Naomi likes to keep her relationships private and it is early days but theres a real spark between them and their close friends are aware theyre dating.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Naomi for comment. Naomi has enjoyed many high-profile romances throughout her iconic 30 years in the spotlight including a five-year romance with Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin which ended in 2013. In 2014, Naomi was linked to Hollywood hunk Michael Fassbender after they were reportedly seen getting close in the VIP area of Coya in London's Mayfair. New love? Of her new romance, it has been claimed the supermodel is seeing Louis after a string of hot dates around the capital Lost love: Naomi has enjoyed many high-profile romances throughout her iconic 30 years in the spotlight including a five-year romance with Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin which ended in 2013 While she has never been married, Naomi was previously engaged to U2 bass player Adam Clayton in 1994 and despite their split, the stunner has always spoken fondly of the musician. In a 2015 interview with the Irish Independent, she mused: 'I'm friends with the whole (of U2). The whole band were great. Their kids are all grown up. 'It's nice to know people for so long and still have a relationship... I only have very positive things to say about him. I am very proud of Adam.' Naomi also dated Formula One boss Flavio Briatore. She spoke out about the end of her relationship with the Italian businessman, who she dated from 1999 to 2002, telling Marie Claire magazine that his unreasonable expectations ended their union. All pals: While she has never been married, Naomi was previously engaged to U2 bass player Adam Clayton (pictured in 2015 with her best pal Kate Moss) in 1994 and despite their split, the stunner has always spoken fondly of the musician She said: 'I'm not going to be a trophy. If you expect me to be in the kitchen cooking breakfast in high heels, looking as though I just stepped out of a fashion magazine, it's not going to happen.' Louis, who divorced from his wife Marjolyn in 2004, was born in Egypt and speaks English, Italian, German and French. While Naomi's life is frequently played out in the spotlight, Louis famously hit headlines in 2011 when he made a statement at a New York shareholders meeting after speaking to a cancer nurse who challenged him on smoking statistics. Former flame! Naomi also dated Flavio Briatore. She spoke out about the end of her relationship with the Italian businessman, who she dated from 1999 to 2002, telling Marie Claire magazine that his unreasonable expectations ended their union (pictured in 2000) Way back when: Naomi and Flavio (pictured in 1999) split due to his 'expectations' Louis, who was then the head of the world's second largest cigarette seller Whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit'. The mogul admitted he had quit only once and it lasted three months when he had a cold, he was quoted as saying in 2009. The businessman, who made $20.6million in 2010, said: We take our responsibility very seriously, and I don't think we get enough recognition for the efforts we make to ensure that there is effective worldwide regulation of a product that is harmful and that is addictive'. 'Nevertheless, whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit. ... There are more previous smokers in America today than current smokers. He said this even though statistics show 45 per cent of U.S. smokers try to quit each year, and only four to seven per cent of them are successful, according to the U.S. Public Health Service. New horizons: Naomi reportedly met Louis through their shared love of Formula One as they frequented the same races and are said to have met and bonded at the events Her role in TV drama Big Little Lies was a big hit with audiences and critics. Now Australian megastar Nicole Kidman, 50, is predicted to earn an Emmy Award nomination for her it. Ahead of the official nomination announcement on Thursday, the publication has also tipped local stars Geoffrey Rush, 66, and Judy Davis, 62, to receive nods. Scroll down for video Let's hope this isn't a Big Little Lie! Nicole Kidman (pictured) is tipped to get an Emmy nod for her new show as Australian stars Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis also makes the cut Gold Derby has forecast that Nicole will be nominated for best actress in a movie or miniseries, with 7/2 odds to win. The actress received rave reviews for her part in the series. She played Celeste Wright, a high-powered lawyer turned stay-at-home mum who suffers abuse at the hands of her violent husband, played by Alexander Skarsgard. The A-lister looks set to compete with Big Little Lies co-star Reese Witherspoon for the plaudit as well as Oprah Winfrey for the show Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. However, veteran actress Jessica Lange is the hot favourite to take the win for her portrayal of Joan Crawford in Feud. Australian actor Geoffrey Rush is tipped to be nominated for best actor in a movie or mini series for his portrayal of Albert Einstein in Genius. Up for another gong? Australian actor Geoffrey Rush is tipped to be nominated for best actor in a movie or mini series for his portrayal of Albert Einstein in Genius. Aussies for the win: Judy Davis (R) is tipped to win for best supporting actress in a movie or miniseries while Ben Mendelsohn (L) is likely to be nominated for best guest actor in a drama The Pirates of the Caribbean star is sitting at 15/2 odds to win, with Robert De Niro currently favourite to take the award home for his turn in The Wizard of Lies. Ben Mendelsohn, 48, is also expected to receive a nomination for best guest actor in a drama for Bloodline. Judy Davis, however, is the Australian most like to actually take home a gong as she is favourite to win the award for best movie or mini series supporting actress for her role in Feud. Nicole recently spoke to W Magazine about her role in about her role in Big Little Lies, revealing that she felt 'humiliated' after filming shocking sex scenes. 'It was very hard': Nicole said she felt 'humiliated' after filming shocking sex scenes for Big Little Lies (pictured) that left her with bruises 'I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom at the end of a difficult scene, and I just wouldn't get up,' she said. 'I was just lying there, basically naked in half-torn underwear, and Jean-Marc Vallee (the director) would come over and place a towel over me. It was very hard.' Intense: Nicole's Big Little Lies character, Celeste, has a violent and complicated relationship with Perry, played by co-star Alexander Skarsgard, 40 The Academy Award-winning actress previously admitted to needing pain medication after filming the violent scenes. Nicole told US Vogue her husband Keith Urban, 49, was distressed to see her 'covered in deep, massive bruises' when she would return home from set. At Thursdays confirmation hearing in the Senate labor committee, Chairman Lamar Alexander said, Americas workers deserve a properly staffed Labor Department and a full board at the National Labor Relations Board. Thursdays hearing is to consider the nominations of Patrick Pizzella to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL) and Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel to serve as members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Todays hearing is important for our nations workers and employersits important to get the Department of Labor properly staffed, and to ensure the open seats on the National Labor Relations Board are filled, Senator Alexander said. Regarding the nominees for the NLRB, Senator Alexander said, The two nominees today are for positions that have sat vacant - one for 23 months since President Obama declined to nominate a Republican for the then-minority seat, and the other for 11 months. My hope is that these nominees will help restore some balance to the labor board. After years of playing the role of advocate, the NLRB should be restored to the role of neutral umpire. When the board is too partisan, it creates instability in our nation's workplaces. These legal whipsaws create confusion for employers, employees and unions. It does not serve the intent of the law which is stable labor relations and free flow of commerce. Mr. Pizzella is currently the Acting Chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and previously served as a member of the FLRA after being nominated by President Obama in August 2013 and was confirmed by the Senate by a voice vote in October 2013. Under President Bush, Mr. Pizzella served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Administration and Management at DOL. Mr. Kaplan is currently Chief Counsel for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, where he has served since August 2015. Mr. Emanuel is currently an attorney working on labor and employment matters and has previously represented clients before the NLRB. The committee is scheduled to vote next Wednesday on the nominations of Mr. Kaplan and Mr. Emanuel. Senator Alexanders full prepared remarks are below: Todays hearing is an important one for our nations workers and employers. Its important to get the Department of Labor properly staffed, and to ensure the open seats on the National Labor Relations Board are filled. We need a full board. And Im certainly not the only one of us who thinks so. Senator Baldwin said at a hearing on May 16, 2013: I strongly support a fully functioning NLRB with five members. I think confirming the entire slate will ensure that the NLRB is working for American workers and American employers. Senator Casey said at the same hearing: What we don't need now--the last thing we need here in Washington or across the country--is more rancor, more division, more ideology, at a time we need this Board fully functioning. We need five people to get confirmed here. Any Senator who is standing in the way of getting five people confirmed and having a functioning Board has a lot of explaining to do Then-Chairman Harkin said in September 2014: Keeping the NLRB fully staffed and able to do its work will send a strong message to the American people that yes, Washington can work, and our government can function. It will give certainty to businesses and assure workers that someone is looking out for their rights and ready and able to enforce our Nation's labor laws. Pizzella nomination The Department of Labor is charged with enforcing laws to keep workers safe on the job, to ensure workers are paid the wages theyre owed, ensure employers comply with our laws and regulations, and the agency also keeps critical data on our employment market. Secretary Acosta is off to a fine start with just over 60 days in office. He has many positions to fill and today we are considering the presidents nomination to fill one of the most important ones. Patrick Pizzella brings a wealth of relevant experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations. He currently serves as Acting Chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, a position to which he was designated by President Trump on January 23rd. Mr. Pizzella has served as a Member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority since November 2013, after being nominated by President Barack Obama in August 2013 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate by voice vote on October 16, 2013. He served under President George W Bush from 2001-2009, as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Administration and Management at the U.S. Department of Labor. He was nominated by President Bush in April 2001approved in May without a hearing by the HELP committee under Senator Ted Kennedy--and confirmed by the full Senate two days later. He has served at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U. S. General Services Administration. The committee received Mr. Pizzellas Office of Government Ethics paperwork on June 23, including his public financial disclosure and ethics agreement. Based on these documents, OGE finds that Pizzella is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest. The Committee received his committee paperwork on June 29, meeting our requirement that paperwork be submitted to the committee at least five days before a hearing. NLRB nominees The National Labor Relations Board was created in 1935 by the National Labor Relations Act in response to significant strife between employees and employers in industrial workplaces. The board has five members with five-year, staggered terms, and a General Counsel with a four-year term. There is no statutory requirement regarding party affiliation, but the tradition has been for the president to appoint members on a 3-2 ratio favoring the Administration, with nominations for the two minority seats recommended by the Senate minority leader. The two nominees today are for positions that have sat vacant one for 23 months since President Obama declined to nominate a Republican for the then-minority seat, and the other for 11 months. My hope is that these nominees will help restore some balance to the labor board. After years of playing the role of advocate, the board should be restored to the role of neutral umpire. Board partisanship didnt start under President Obama but it became worse under him. Board decisions designed to help labor unions have contrasted with the states movement toward right-to-work laws. Six new states became right to work in the last 6 years bringing the total to 28. When the board is too partisan, it creates instability in our nation's workplaces. These legal whipsaws create confusion for employers, employees and unions. It does not serve the intent of the law which is stable labor relations and free flow of commerce. For example, here are three harmful actions by the board under President Obama: Joint employer decision: The boards joint-employer decision was the biggest attack on the opportunity for small businessmen and women in this country to make their way into the middle class that anyone has seen in a long timethreatening to destroy the American Dream for owners of the nations 780,000 franchise location Ambush elections rule: The National Labor Relations Boards ambush election rule can force a union election in as little as 11 days, before an employer and many employees even have a chance to figure out what is going on. The rule forces employers to hand over an employee's personal information, like email addresses and work locations, so union organizers can track them down, regardless of whether the employee wants anything to do with it. Micro-union decision: Factions of employees within single stores now have a path to forming their own unions. In 2011, the Board suddenly adopted a new way to define what makes a local union bargaining unit. The Board changed the law so that any group of employees with an overwhelming community of interest could become a bargaining unit and therefore a union. Nominee Marvin Kaplan is currently Chief Counsel for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, where he has served since August 2015. From 2009-2015, Kaplan worked as Counsel for the House Education and Workforce Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. From 2007-2009, he was Special Assistant at the Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. William Emanuel is currently an attorney at Littler Mendelson in Los Angeles working on labor and employment matters. Mr. Emanuel has spent his career in the private sector, representing trade associations, hospitals and health care organizations, schools, as well as transportation, logistics, and manufacturing companies. Mr. Emanuel has previously represented his clients before the NLRB and has filed amicus briefs on behalf of trade associations. The Committee received Mr. Kaplans HELP paperwork on June 26. Also, on June 26, the committee received Mr. Kaplans Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including his public financial disclosure and ethics agreement. Based on these documents, OGE determined that Mr. Kaplan is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest. The Committee received Mr. Emanuels HELP application on June 30. On July 6, the committee received Mr. Emanuels Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including his public financial disclosure and ethics agreement. Based on these documents, OGE determined that Mr. Emanuel is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest. I look forward to hearing our witnesss testimony. She's paid to travel the world and share idyllic bikini snaps. But junior lawyer turned Instagram royalty Pia Muehlenbeck took a break from her travels to attend the Glam by Manicare event in Sydney on Wednesday. The 25-year-old was seen posing for snaps in an eye-catching glittery dress alongside boyfriend and travel companion Kane Vato. He's a lucky man! Lawyer turned Instagram star Pia Muehlenbeck flaunts her toned frame in a glittery dress as she attends event with boyfriend Kane Vato The busty beauty flashed glimpses of her toned and tanned frame in the multi-coloured off-the-shoulder frock. She completed the look with a pair of beige heels and gold jewelry. Pia also put on a loved-up display next to her beau Kane, who dressed-down in a blue shirt and cuffed jeans, wrapping his arm around the slender beauty. Hot, hot, hot: The busty beauty flashed glimpses of her toned and tanned frame in the multi-coloured off-the-shoulder frock He's usually behind the camera, acting as the Instagram sensation's photographer, but proved he was just as comfortable in front of it. They were seen in front of a row of tables, which were adorned with stunning floral arrangements. Pia's decision to quit her law career, despite graduating with first class honours, afforded her the opportunity to attend exclusive events. Loved up! Pia also put on a loved-up display next to her beau Kane, who joins the social media 'influencer' on her all-expenses-paid vacations First class! Pia's decision to quit her law career, despite graduating with first class honours, afforded her the opportunity to attend exclusive events Summer year-round! After building a brand on Instagram, the social media 'influencer' now has more than 1.9 million followers and gets paid to travel the world with her boyfriend After building a brand on Instagram, the social media 'influencer' now has more than 1.9 million followers and gets paid to travel the world with her boyfriend. The qualified lawyer left the corporate world in pursuit of a career in modelling and blogging in 2014 and has never looked back. Speaking on Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Tuesday, Pia revealed the moment she decided to take the risk. 'I decided a few months in that I really always wanted to start my own business': Speaking on Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Tuesday, Pia revealed the moment she decided to take the risk 'Now or never': She added: 'Because I was really early on in my legal career, I decided that it was now or never' She said: 'I decided a few months in that I really always wanted to start my own business and challenge myself in that way.' 'Because I was really early on in my legal career, I decided that it was now or never.' From the Maldives and Mexico, to Los Angeles, Europe and an $84,000-per-week Bali getaway, Pia and boyfriend Kane Vato - her brand's creative director - appear to live a life of luxury. However, Pia told hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur: 'It's not all glitz and glam, you really have to make a business.' Ms worldwide! With the likes of a $84,000-per-week Bali getaway on their books, Pia and Kane appear to live a life of luxury Wednesday night's episode of Love Island saw the dramatic return of Mike Thalassitis and Sam Gowland. And both the boys have returned with a new lease of confidence, with Mike claiming the former object of his affection Olivia Attwood would 'never get near him again' due to her relationship with Chris Hughes. Both Mike and Sam also admitted prior to their re-entry that they have their sights set on Tyla and Georgia. Scroll down for video Ready to cause chaos: Mike Thalassitis and Sam Gowland admitted in an interview ahead of their re-entry on Love Island on Wednesday that they both have their sights set on Tyla and Georgia Speaking about his love triangle with Olivia and Chris during his first time on the show, Mike admitted: 'Olivia will never get near me again, trust me. She and Chris are suited, she got on well with him in there, a lot better than she did with me, were just different.' This was contrary to scenes depicted on Wednesday's episode where Olivia appeared to furiously grovel for Chris' forgiveness after dumping him the night before. 'We tried to give it a go and it didnt work. The day I came out, I got myself out of the triangle, she told me she liked Chris more so I thought, You crack on. Then I was voted out that same night. No hard feelings towards them,' he admitted. Chris meanwhile informed Olivia in the explosive episode that their troublesome relationship would not be able to stand the test of time. Set to be explosive: Both boys have returned with a new lease of confidence, with Mike claiming the former object of his affection Olivia Attwood would 'never get near him again' due to her relationship with Chris Hughes 'Olivia will never get near me again': Mike admitted that the blonde was better suited to Chris after being involved in a love triangle with them during his first time on the show Proving he had another reason to go into the villa, Mike cheekily admitted: 'Ive got my eye on Tyla and then Georgia.' Knowing full well that his return would shock the couples, Mike offered his opinion on how they might react upon seeing him: 'I think they are going to look like theyve seen a ghost but I think itll be very fun to put me in there and see what happens. 'Itll ruffle some feathers, even more than the first time,' Mike admitted- after coming out of the villa first time to rumours of a dalliance with booted contestant Jess Shears. Trouble in paradise: This was contrary to scenes depicted on Wednesday's episode where Olivia appeared to furiously grovel for Chris' forgiveness after dumping him the night before 'Ive got my eye on Tyla and then Georgia': Mike admitted he had another reason to go into the villa Eagerly anticipating his return, Mike confessed: 'I was truly gutted when I came out last time, but Im just looking forward to the opportunity to experience it again. 'Being in that villa is crazy, its a bubble and theres no feeling like it so Im looking forward to it.' Meanwhile, Sam also seemed to echo Mike's desires to get to know certain girls in the house. 'Im looking forward to seeing everybody but especially Tyla and Georgia. Tyla was in the villa last time and we got on but we just didnt get enough time to couple up. 'Like they've seen a ghost': Knowing full well that his return would shock the couples, Mike offered his opinion on how they might react upon seeing him Eagerly anticipating his return, Mike confessed: 'I was truly gutted when I came out last time, but Im just looking forward to the opportunity to experience it again' 'Im looking forward to seeing Tyla and Georgia': Sam Gowland also seemed to echo Mike's desires to get to know certain girls in the house 'Georgia is the new girl but since Ive seen her, Ive thought, "She is definitely a bit of me"',' he explained. Talking about his impressive track record with the women in the house - which consisted of Montana, Olivia and Tyla - Sam continued: 'Id been in five of the seven beds last time so there are two more to complete the set! 'On a serious note, Im going to go in there and Ive got my eye on Tyla and Georgia, depending who I get on with best.' Sam then made it clear he was there to 'win the competition.' The Highland Midwife Rating: This is the age of the trivial controversy. People are ready to feud to the bone over the most inconsequential questions. High Priestess of domestic chiff-chaff Kirstie Allsopp sparked absurd hysteria this week by saying a washing machine has no place in the kitchen. The Highland Midwife (C5) risked an even greater outcry, as it showed new parents Susanna and Dan crooning Happy Birthday to their baby, minutes after the birth. The Highland Midwife is the most soothing of shows. It follows three mums-to-be in rural Scotland through the latter stages of pregnancy, charting their wobbles and worries before the arrival Can this be right? Surely, Happy Birthday is an anniversary song, to celebrate a specific day of each year. It cant be used to mark the actual day of a childs birth . . . otherwise, it would never be sung anywhere but maternity wards. Before the invention of social media, such a minor eccentricity might have caused a moment of amusement. A few viewers might have said: Ive never heard of anyone singing Happy Birthday to a newborn baby. Have you? And their spouses would reply: Hmm? What? Sorry, I must have dozed off for a moment. With that, the flashpoint would be past. But now we have Twitbook and Whatsitsface and all these other marvels of electronic chatter, petty disagreements can instantly escalate to national conflicts. And social media wars go nuclear very quickly: it turns out Miss Poshpants Allsopp can use language to make a fishwife faint. No wonder that, with serious political issues testing the country, the public mood is so ugly. Blame it on the nastiness of social media. The Highland Midwife is the most bland and soothing of shows. It follows three mums-to-be in rural Scotland through the latter stages of pregnancy, charting their wobbles and worries before the arrival. This makes for gentle, undemanding television, a welcome antidote to all the online viciousness. Its cheaply made, and although my gripe is that we dont see nearly enough of the babies, it is guaranteed to warm your heart For Emma, expecting her third child, the delivery was really big. She looked like she had a hot air balloon stuffed under her top. Hubby Bob thought this was hilarious, but the midwife was concerned that such a giant in the womb was putting strain on Emmas Caesarean scars from previous births. When baby Tommy emerged, he had the heft and confident expression of a heavyweight wrestler. He snuggled contentedly in mums arms. I dont know how you could love someone so much when youve only known him a few minutes, Emma said. This makes for gentle, undemanding television, a welcome antidote to all the online viciousness. Its cheaply made, and although my gripe is that we dont see nearly enough of the babies, it is guaranteed to warm your heart. Joanna Lumley's India Rating: Joanna Lumleys India (ITV) travels too fast to be relaxing. She started in Mumbai, a city a third of the size of London but home to 22 million people and she seemed to meet all of them. Dashing through the streets, she was smiling and bowing, pressing her palms together at the throngs along the roads. In case we doubted how deep Joannas Raj roots really were (she was born in Kashmir), she dropped in at The Times of India, the newspaper where her great-uncle Ivor had been the last British editor. A glimpse of life in the slums, where families pay exorbitant rents to huddle in concrete dug-outs without running water, was a shocking sight. Then she toured a temple carved from a mountain, hurtled up a half-built skyscraper, visited a maharajahs palace, milked a camel and met some sacred cows. As she took the camel milk to market, Joanna threatened to start another national dispute. Leaping onto the back of a moped, she rode side-saddle, with her legs crossed elegantly on one side of the bike. Is that safe? Is that legal? Oh, the controversy. Rove McManus was back on TV screens on Wednesday night as he filled in for Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore on The Project. And fans took to social media to express their delight at seeing the 42-year-old entertainer on the air. Viewers were especially pleased to see Rove bedside his old sidekick, Peter Helliar, with whom she starred on Rove Live. Back on hair: fans were delighted Rove McManus was back on TV screens on Wednesday night as he filled in for Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore on The Project One fan took to The Project's official Facebook to comment: 'Best panel. Please put them on all the time.' Another wrote: 'Fantastic to see Rove back behind the desk! Pete & Rove do fun news better then ever !!! I must admit the show has been a little boring lately, but hey this was a treat'. Yet another viewer chimed in: 'Rove!!!! It's great to see you back!!! Please stay on forever!!!' Dream team: Viewers were especially pleased to see Rove bedside his old sidekick, Peter Helliar, with whom she starred on Rove Live. One fan took to The Project's official Facebook to comment: 'Best panel. Please put them on all the time' Yet another viewer chimed in: 'Rove!!!! It's great to see you back!!! Please stay on forever!!!' Best ever! Many comments referred to the line up as the 'best panel' the show had on in some time Many comments referred to the line up as the 'best panel' the show had on in some time. However, not all fans were pleased. Several joked that Waleed and Carrie were searching for other jobs on Wednesday. One viewer tweeted, 'Are half the regulars on The Project out at job interviews?', referencing the fact Rove McManus and Joe Hildebrand were guest hosts. It is unclear why Carrie and Waleed were absent from Network Ten's flagship current affairs program. The midweek panel consisted of regular panellist Peter Helliar, alongside Joe Hildebrand, Rove McManus and Gorgi Coghlan. An unhappy viewer tweeted: 'Wasn't happy when I heard Rove on The Project and switched off when I saw Joe Hildebrand.' 'Talk about the B team! They're bringing Peter Helliar down,' another wrote on Twitter. Taking aim at the replacements, a fan tweeted: 'Are half the regulars on The Project out at job interviews? Whilst Rove and Joe Hildebrand get a chance to up date their show reels.' 'Rove owns The Project, so he can go on whenever he wants, but the show is so much worse when he is on,' another viewer remarked. New line up? The midweek panel consisted of regular panellist Peter Helliar, alongside Joe Hildebrand, Rove McManus and Gorgi Coghlan Off air: It is unclear why Carrie and Waleed were absent from Network Ten's flagship current affairs program Old favourite: Rove's well-liked TV show Rove Live ended in 2006 It was no doubt a nice moment for the TV host, who was recently punted from his radio gig. His breakfast radio program, which he hosted alongside Sam Frost, was axed earlier this year, and they pair were moved to an evening time slot. The Rove and Sam show was canned altogether in June, and the Bachelorette star's contract ended with Southern Cross Austereo. New gig? It was no doubt a nice moment for the TV host, who was recently punted from his radio show They've been enjoying an idyllic romantic break in the Maldives. And golden couple Jennifer Hawkins, 33, and husband Jake Wall, looked more loved up than ever as they returned home on Wednesday. The couple were spotted holding hands and looking at each other adoringly when they touched down in Sydney. That holiday glow! Jennifer Hawkins and husband Jake are all loved up as they return to Sydney from romantic break in the Maldives The supermodel wore a double denim combination, her blue jeans were ripped on one knee and her jacket fitted loosely. Pairing the items with a simple white T-shirt and matching-coloured trainers, her blonde hair was loose and she shielded her eyes from the winter sun with tinted aviator glasses. Supermodel style: Jen wore double denim teamed with a simple white Tshirt and matching-coloured trainers for her journey Jen was all smiles at Sydney airport, beaming at her handsome property developer husband as the pair stepped out of arrivals hand in hand. The former Miss Universe has shared a steady stream of enviable images from the couple's romantic getaway to her Instagram account. In one, the lovebirds are seen on a day bed cuddled into each other, with Jen's huge diamond wedding ring visible. Golden couple: The former Miss Universe has shared a steady stream of enviable images from the couple's romantic getaway to her Instagram account In another, the two are nestled into each other while sat on the front of a yacht. Surrounded by azure waters, they looked as much in love as they did on the day of their Bali wedding in June 2013. The couple, who have been together for 12 years, are preparing for the next step in their relationship by moving into a multi-million dollar waterfront property. She may be used to being dressed to the nines in front of the cameras. But Gigi Hadid opted for a casual - yet still super trendy - look as she stepped out for a pampering session in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. The 22-year-old super model rocked 3x1 blue jeans, a black spaghetti strap tank top, and Andre Assous Priya Slides as she headed outside. She's a jean-ius! Gigi Hadid opted for a casual - yet still super trendy - look as she stepped out in Beverly Hills on Wednesday Hair scraped up into a tidy little bun, the star accessorized her look with a pair of retro style sunglasses by RAEN and a long gold necklace. Gigi had a lightweight, black and white blouse slung delicately off her shoulder as she stepped across the pavement her in fancy designer shoes. And, topping off the look, Gigi had a black leather belt with silver buckle wrapped around her slender waist. Meanwhile, Gigi's outing comes after a judge slapped her stalker with up to three years in prison after the man spent months trying to break into the supermodel's New York City apartment. Fancy that: The star stepped out in an elegant pair of Gucci loafers and sunglasses by RAEN Marcell Porter was finally sentenced on Tuesday after being arrested on a number of felony and misdemeanor charges for stalking and attempted burglary in 2015. Porter, 37, believed he and the 22-year-old were 'soulmates' and would end up having children together. Police reports claim the man relentlessly tried to get near the celebrity and at one point, seemingly made it as far as her front door. A New York judge warned him to never go near Hadid again, saying: 'I'll lock you up so fast you wont know what hit you.' Porter was originally arrested in 2015 on eight counts of various charges, with the most serious being attempted burglary for trying to get into Hadid's apartment. Although he did not succeed, a photo on his Facebook page seems to suggest that at one point he made it as far as her front door. Jordan Barrett and friend Michelle Rodriguez have gotten close if the Australian model's Instagram is any indication. In a video shared to the 20-year-old's account on Thursday, the pair were seen enjoying a meal together in New York. During the friendly meet up, Jordan donned a pair of futuristic yellow sunglasses, similar to those worn at a dentist, and suggestively rolled his tongue at the camera. Close: Jordan Barrett and friend Michelle Rodriguez have gotten close if the Australian model's Instagram is any indication. In a video shared to the 20-year-old's account on Thursday, the pair were seen enjoying a meal together in New York He captioned the short video: 'Your existence @MrodOfficial #HigherFrequency Permanently #Percentage100 head 2'. In the clip, which is filmed using a retro video filter courtesy of a popular app called VHS Camcorder, Jordan wears a V-neck shirt and several gold necklaces. Michelle looked casual in a white Beastie Boys T-shirt and is shown playing with her phone as she shoots a coy smile at the camera. A friend off screen is filming the pair, and Jordan appears to ask repeatedly what app he is using to capture the scene. The reference to his 39-year-old companion being on a 'higher level' also featured in another post shared by the Byron Bay native. Licked: During the friendly meet up, Jordan donned a pair of futuristic yellow sunglasses, similar to those worn at a dentist, and suggestively rolled his tongue at the camera He captioned the short video: 'Your existence @MrodOfficial #HigherFrequency Permanently #Percentage100 head 2' Earlier on Thursday, the blonde model had posted a photo of Michelle in a racy leather bikini top, starring in the film Machete. He raved that she was 'one of a kind' and that he had 'so much love' for the American actress. Jordan captioned the image: 'Every single day @MrodOfficial .. Truly brilliant. One of a kind. A monkey. Operating on a Higher frequency, Permanently. Keep Shining. So much love. A TRUE @HEAVILLY_SEDATED BADLADY'. Impressed: Earlier on Thursday, the blonde model had posted a photo of Michelle in a racy leather bikini top and raved that she was 'one of a kind' and that he had 'so much love' for the American actress Matey: Their friendship has now spanned two continents, as Jordan and Michelle had also partied together last week in Paris, where the actress was seen sprawled across Jordan's lap Higher level? The reference to his 39-year-old companion being on a 'higher level' featured in two post sshared by the Byron Bay native Their friendship has now spanned two continents, as Jordan and Michelle had also partied together last week in Paris, where the actress was seen sprawled across Jordan's lap. The party was boy spotted looking a little worse for wear alongside a posse that included the Fast and The Furious actress and model Emily Ratajkowski. The catwalk star has had a very busy month, and had had earlier that week been in Greece with artist Lil Mami. She's the natural beauty married to Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth. And Elsa Pataky is radiant in a rustic-themed spread for the August issue of The Australian Women's Weekly. The 40-year-old dazzles in a selection of boho chic fashion curated by Style Director Mattie Cronan for the monthly publication, on-sale now. Scroll down for video Glowing: Elsa Pataky is radiant in a rustic-themed spread for the August issue of The Australian Women's Weekly Captured by photographer Peter Brew-Bevan, in one frame the petite knockout leaned against a windowsill draped with lush greenery. In what appears to be a countryside setting, she is dressed in a floor-length white crocheted dress with flared bell sleeves and a tasteful keyhole opening. The Spanish-born actress wears an array of bangles on her right arm, a delicate gold necklace on her decolletage and a dazzling diamond ring on her right hand. Beatnik: The 40-year-old dazzles in a selection of boho chic fashion for the monthly publication, on-sale now In another shot she sat comfortably on a timber floor in a flowing dress worn off-shoulder with a floral motif. The mother of three flaunted her trim pins as she outstretched her lithe legs and gently rested her head in her right hand. Her makeup palette reflected the natural vibe of the photos and her signature blonde locks were styled in classic beach waves. Iconic: The photos and accompanying spread feature in the August edition of The Australia Women's Weekly, which pays tribute to Princess Diana 20 years since her death The photos and accompanying spread feature in the August edition of The Australia Women's Weekly, which pays tribute to Princess Diana 20 years since her death. Elsa, Chris, their daughter India Rose, five, and their twin sons Tristan and Sacha, three, are often spotted near their Byron Bay home. 'The energy of [Byron Bay] is amazing,' she told the magazine. 'It gives you a relaxed style of life.' The upcoming season of Channel 10 dating show The Bachelor will return to screens in a matter of weeks. And excited fans were titillated this week thanks to the official introduction of Brisbane-based contestant Cobie Frost. The announcement was made in a short clip shared to the official Bachelor Instagram page, which featured an image of Cobie dressed in a strapless purple frock. Will she win Matty J's heart? Bachelor fans were titillated this week thanks to the official introduction of Brisbane-based contestant Cobie Frost Cobie could be heard saying: 'My name is Coby, I'm 30-years-old from Brisbane and I'm a coal plant operator. 'I'm definitely a hopeless romantic. I'm very excited, I'm super excited,' she added. The video was accompanied by the caption: 'Cobie is very excited, actually super excited to meet Matty.' You beauty! Cobie was previously identified as one of the potential final seven candidates by fans How long will she last? Cobie has likely made the top seven, as suggested by recent photos published by Daily Mail Australia depicting her filming a group date late in the filming piece Cobie likely made the top seven, as suggested by recent photos published by Daily Mail Australia depicting her filming a group date late in the filming piece. In previous seasons of The Bachelor, group dates are attended by all remaining contestants as the competition draws to a close. According to Cobie's LinkedIn profile, which has since been deactivated, the reality TV star works in mining. She likes the outdoors! Facebook photos reveal Cobie has a fondness for nature, with one picture showing her posing on a rock while on a hiking trip Facebook photos reveal the beauty has a fondness for nature, with one picture showing her posing on a rock while hiking. Another picture shows a bikini-clad Cobie taking in her wild surroundings while exploring a creek. While she shares the same surname as another notable Bachelor contestant, it is not believed Cobie is related to Sam Frost. She's the Australian bikini model who's certainly not shy when it comes to flashing some flesh. And on Friday, Sahara Ray took to Instagram to share a trio of saucy images in which she's posed topless alongside friend, Bryana Holly, 24. The 24-year-old was shown kneeling on the ground alongside what appeared to be an outdoor water feature, with her white swimsuit pulled down to bare one breast. Hot in the shade: On Friday, Sahara Ray took to Instagram to share a trio of saucy images in which she's posed topless alongside friend Bryana Holly, 24 The tanned beauty held a jug of white liquid, likely milk, to her lips as she looked towards the camera, or adoringly up at her bestie. She covered her nipple with a squiggle of white that was edited onto the photographs in two images. In a third photo, the founder of Sahara Ray Swim held the jug of milk in front of her chest to hide it from sight. Sahara captioned the risque images identically, writing: 'Love your wife. Love your nipples.' Racy: The 24-year-old was shown kneeling on the ground alongside what appeared to be an outdoor water feature, with her white swimsuit pulled down to bare one breast Sahara captioned the risque images identically, writing: 'Love your wife. Love your nipples' The 'wife' she appears to be referring to is her good friend, Instagram model Bryana, who she is posed with in each image. Bryana wore a cropped bikini style top and g-string bottoms in a layered, torn white fabric. She showed off her pert derriere as she turned her back to the camera, peering over her shoulder in a seductive pose. New love? Meanwhile, the model set tongues wagging last week over a potential romance with 5 Seconds Of Summer star Luke Hemmings Who's behind the camera? In photos shared to Instagram, Luke posed at the top of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles Meanwhile, Sahara set tongues wagging last week over a potential romance with 5 Seconds Of Summer star Luke Hemmings. Last week, 5SOS star Luke and Sahara got flirty on Instagram after hinting they had spent the day together. In photos shared on Friday, Luke posed at the top of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. While he appeared solo in the three separate photos, he tellingly tagged Sahara in the caption, writing: 'Adventure time @sahara_ray.' He's perf! Sahara responded by commenting on the post: 'Stop being so perfect' Sahara responded by commenting on the post: 'Stop being so perfect.' Luke is believed to have split from YouTube star Arzaylea earlier this year. Sahara, who is the daughter of Australian surf legend Tony Ray, is rumoured to have enjoyed a fling with Justin Bieber last year. The Ringgold Playhouse will hold its next round of open auditions July 24 and 25, for the whodunit comedy, "The Real Inspector Hound". The show, which spoofs murder mysteries of old in the style of Agatha Christie, will close out the company's 2017 season, replacing the previously scheduled "Buried Child." TRP officials say the recent adjustment to the company's lineup has to do with giving audiences what they want. "We've had the heavy drama 'Buried Child' on our slate for months, but our audiences really enjoy the comedies we've brought to the stage, so we've chosen to shake things up a little bit and give theatergoers a lot of laughs to close out our season," said TRP Executive Director Adam Cook. Actors will have two opportunities to audition; Monday, July 24 and Tuesday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at the historic Ringgold Depot. Callbacks will be held Wednesday, July 26 if deemed necessary by the director. Actors do not need to have anything prepared, as the auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Play synopsis: It is a foggy and foreboding day at Muldoon Manor, a charming, but isolated, English country house populated by tortured and suspicious characters. A game of bridge results in raised temperatures and veiled threats; a mysterious man, possibly mad, shows up to charm the lady of the house and her young friend; and a dead body lies under the sofa, waiting to be discovered. All the while, a pair of pretentious critics comment on the action, munch chocolates, complain bitterly about their professional rivals, and ogle the attractive actresses. In The Real Inspector Hound, Tony and Academy award-winning playwright Tom Stoppard has crafted a witty, surreal, and compelling tale in which identity is as changeable as a moustache, or a pair of boots, and a hack production of a tired whodunit can be the cover for a masterful revenge plot, trained on the professional members of the audience. Character breakdown: MOON (20s - 40s) A second-string theatre critic, called to the production to review it in the absence of Higgs, another critic. BIRDBOOT (30s - 70s) An older, rival theatre critic and a womanizer who catapults young actresses to stardom by delivering dazzling reviews of them. MRS. DRUDGE (30s - 70s) The maid, or housekeeper of Muldoon Manor in the play Moon and Birdboot are watching. She is one of the primary vehicles for emphasizing the satirical character of the story. Her cockney accent adds to the humor of the play. SIMON GASCOYNE (20s - 30s) A handsome visitor to the Manor in the play Moon and Birdboot are watching. Has had affairs with both Felicity and Cynthia. FELICITY CUNNINGHAM (20s - 30s) A beautiful, innocent, young friend of Cynthias in the play Moon and Birdboot are watching, who has had an affair with both Simon and Birdboot. She is seemingly sweet and charming, but soon seeks ruthless revenge. CYNTHIA MULDOON (30s - 40s) Apparent widow of Lord Albert Muldoon who disappeared ten years ago. Sophisticated and beautiful. She has had an affair with Simon. MAJOR MAGNUS MULDOON (30s - 60s) Lord Albert Muldoons crippled half-brother who just flew in from Canada. Has a desire for his late brothers widow, Cynthia. Takes an instant dislike to Simon, as they are both in love with Cynthia. INSPECTOR HOUND (20s - 50s) Appears from outside the house in the middle of the play to investigate an alleged phone call and murder at Muldoon Manor. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Production dates for the show are Sept. 14-16 and 21-23, and it will be directed by Greg Rambin, Sr., with roles available for five men and three women. Cutlines: HoundAuditions1.jpg HoundGregRambing.jpg PlayhouseRinggoldDepot.jpg (Contributed photo/TRP) Infobox What: TRP Auditions for "The Real Inspector Hound" When: Monday, July 24 and Tuesday, July 25 Where: The Ringgold Depot. 155 Depot Street, Ringgold, Ga. 30736 Time: 7 p.m. He seems to be firmly following in the footsteps of his famous parents. After showing off his latest tattoo this week - Brooklyn Beckham stepped out for some retail therapy in exclusive Beverly Hills on Wednesday. The 18-year-old was spotted solo, wearing a pink beanie, heading to XIV Karats. Shopping solo: Brooklyn Beckham stepped out for some retail therapy in exclusive Beverly Hills on Wednesday Follow the leader! The son of David and Victoria Beckham's revealed his latest tat earlier this week, which is a detailed illustration of compass on the inside of his left arm The teen - who got his first tattoo when he turned 18 in March - was wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt but kept the sleeved rolled up above the location of his newest inking. The eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham debuted his third piece of body art on Instagram earlier this week, posting a photo of an intricate compass design upon his left forearm. The budding photographer captioned the photo of his ink writing ' Thanks mate...' while also tagging LA tattoo artist Dr. Woo. Grown up! The 18-year-old has been happy to collect new body art since becoming a legal adult in March. His first piece was the Native American illustration on his right forearm (above) The son of David and Victoria Beckham premiered his ink with an artsy Instagram that featured a finely lined compass on his inner arm right below the elbow. A thin bracelet, silver chain and lion shirt appear along with celeb offspring's brand new ink. The Doctor, who's given name is Brian Woo, also did Beckham's second tat - an illustration of a camera. Snapshot! Brooklyn - who published his first photo book in June - got a tattoo of a camera from Dr. Woo back in April Brooklyn is an avid photographer who just released his first book What I See via Penguin Random House late June. The London born kid's first tattoo didn't get as warm of a reception as his later ink. His illustration of a Native American war bonnet was called out by some for being a disrespectful use of Native imagery while others praised Brooklyn's ink. Under the needle! The celebuspawn's first tattoo was done by family friend and Shamrock Social Club owner Mark Mahoney (snapped above) History lesson: Some called Brooklyn out for using images of Native Americans to look 'cool' without acknowledging the history behind everything The tattoo was an homage to a similar piece of ink on dad David and was done by family friend Mark Mahoney, who also owns LA tattoo mainstay Shamrock Social Club. The same day Brooklyn premiered his new ink, he sent little sister Harper a birthday message on Instagram, writing 'Happy birthday to my little sister. Love you so much ' along with a photo of the siblings on safari. At six Harper is David and Victoria's youngest while Brooklyn is the eldest child. The Beckhams are also parents to sons Cruz, 12, and Romeo, 14. This week, Yummy Mummies' Carlos Vannini left viewers wondering how he could afford the $20,000 gift spread he presented his pregnant partner Maria DiGeronimo. While that question remains unanswered, more information has surfaced about the 'part-time barber', including the fact he has been married before AND has a school-aged daughter from a previous relationship. But it turns out neither Maria nor the mother of his 10-year-old child was the lucky bride. De facto: On Channel Seven's Yummy Mummies, it was revealed that Carlos is not married to mother-to-be Maria DiGeronimo (pictured), and they are instead in a de facto relationship Scroll down for video Carlos, 34, was previously married to Sigol Dawarnia and it is unclear whether the handsome 'part-time' hairdresser has completed the divorce process with his former spouse. On Channel Seven's Yummy Mummies, it was revealed Carlos is not married to Maria DiGeronimo, and they are instead in a de facto relationship. The earliest pictures of the couple together date back to September 2014, around two years after he exchanged vows with Sigol. Relationship history: It is unclear whether the 'part-time barber', who works at Signature Cut Barber Shop in Adelaide, has completed the divorce process with his former partner It's unclear when the relationship started, although Maria previously told The Daily Telegraph the courting process took some time. 'Carlos chased me for a bit before we got together but I also believe you should never stop chasing your girl and treating her like a princess,' she said. They go way back! The earliest pictures of the couple together date back to September 2014, around two years after his wedding to former partner Sigol Dawarnia Carlos, who works at Signature Cut Barber Shop in Adelaide, also has a daughter from another previous relationship, who is understood to be 10 years old. Maria frequently takes to Instagram to share snaps with the school-aged child, proving that she has been welcomed her into the family. Carlos is known to be a member of a 'father's rights' Facebook group. Glamour couple: The pair are known for their lavish lifestyle The Father's Rights Movement purports to assist fathers with custody issues. On Instagram, the motorcycle enthusiast is regularly seen gunning it up the streets of Adelaide on his Harley Davidson. He has previously shared a video that showed him riding the all-black vehicle, captioning the clip 'catch me if you can.' Road hogs! On Instagram, the motorcycle enthusiast is regularly seen gunning it up the streets of Adelaide on his Harley Davidson 'Catch me if you can': Carlos previously shared an online video that showed him riding the all-black motorbike, captioning the clip 'catch me if you can' On the Yummy Mummies website, he is described as a 'barber and business owner' who 'finances Maria's glamorous lifestyle. The baby shower gift he presented his unemployed partner on Tuesday's episode, which included a $7,000 bouquet of cash and $15,000 worth of Versace jewels, had viewers confused. One fan took to Twitter to ask: 'I am all for a person who is successful etc but how is Carlos so loaded being a part time barber? haha.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Carlos for comment. How does he do it? The baby shower gift he presented his partner on Tuesday's episode, which included a $7,000 bouquet of cash and $15,000 of Versace jewels, had viewers confused Her wildling character Ygritte was killed off several seasons ago. But Rose Leslie looked very much alive as she made a stunning return alongside her boyfriend Kit Harington at the premiere of Game Of Thrones season seven in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The upper crust cutie looked like she was having a fine time showing off her dramatic outfit at the star-studded event. First couple of Westeros: Rose Leslie joined boyfriend Kit Harington at the premiere of Game Of Thrones in Los Angeles on Wednesday Scottish lovely Rose, 30, looked in fine form indeed in her olive-coloured gown, which was overlaid with black floral detailing. The aristocrat, whose father is the Aberdeenshire Chieftain of Clan Leslie, completed her look by wearing her hair up and donning a pair of trendy black stilettos. Kit, whose father is the 15th Baronet of Ridlington, looked dapper in a black suit, though he opted against wearing socks. At the end of season six Kit's character Jon Snow was named the King Of The North after defeating Ramsey Bolton at the Battle Of The Bastards. Fans are eagerly awaiting to discover whether he will team up with fellow show favourite Daenerys Targaryen. What a bonnie lass: The aristocrat grew up in a castle and her father is a Chieftain of Clan Leslie He's no Snow: In real life Kit's father is the 15th Baronet of Ridlington It's curtains for her: The Scottish beauty's dress appeared to have been made out of drapes It looks like her strength will only be greater in the coming season, as she is shown shown approaching the throne at Dragonstone in newly released Game Of Thrones stills. It is likely to be a key moment, as the castle was her family's original seat of power in the lore of George RR Martin's hit series of books. The seventh season of Game Of Thrones begins this Sunday and, in an ominous move, the debut episode is titled Dragonstone. Itbegan filming in August of 2016; this season will only have season episodes - instead of the normal 10. Sweeping: Rose Leslie showed off the dramatic flare at the back of her gown Ginger nut: The actress was wearing her striking red hair up for the showpiece occasion Say cheese: The couple seemed to be confused about which camera they were to look at In good company: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie shared an intimate giggle Tainted love: Jon Snow's hot and cold affair with Ygritte ended when one of his men killed her with an arrow during the wildling attack on Castle Black Lady in red: American Horror Story: Murder House star Adina Porter wore scarlet Fine Gilly: Hannah Murray wore a shimmering black and gold gown Where's Robson? Jerome Flynn and Sophie Turner enjoyed a hug and a drink Kingmakers: The real kings of Westeros - executive producers D. B. Weiss and David Benioff (R) - walked the carpet with their subjects, as well as their respective wives Andrea Troyer and Amanda Peet Gal pals: Queen Latifah and rising American Horror Story star Adina Porter Friends off-screen: Jaime Lannister AKA Nikolaj Coster-Waldau sneaked into a group shot that also included HBO CEO Richard Plepler GOT Vets: Veteran stars Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington cosied up for a snap Old pals: Cast old and new joined the event Little and large: Queen Latifah looked thrilled to meet Gwendoline Christie Got the blues? Gina Torres and Jerome Flynn blended in nicely with the surrounds Having fun? Actor Liam Cunningham looked to be in jovial mood Line up: Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Pooja Batra and Amanda Crews Broody: The men of the show gave it their best blue steel Suited up: Richard Dormer plays Beric Dondarrion and has recurred in the role since season three Leggy ladies: Keisha Castle-Hughes and Amanda Crew made their marks on the blue carpet A rose between six thorns: Sophie was sure to have a snap with the gents of the event He's known as one of Australia's brightest comedians. And Matt Okine is readying the debut of his first original television project The Other Guy, with the heartwarming first trailer released on Thursday. The 32-year-old has based the series on his real-life relationship drama, which saw his longtime girlfriend cheat on him with his best friend. Scroll down for video Making moves: Matt Okine is readying the debut of his first original television project The Other Guy, with the first trailer being released on Thursday The show follows Matt's character AJ, whose girlfriend-of-10-years has an affair with his BFF while they are all living together. AJ is then encouraged by his radio co-host Sam, played by Michael Hing, to get back into the world of dating. The trailer shows his misadventures in finding new romance, aided by Sam and his other friend Stevie, played by Love Child's Harriet Dyer. In one scene, Matt's character bares his derriere while lying naked in an apparently soaking wet bed with a mystery woman. Ouch! The former Triple J star, 32, has based the series on his real-life relationship drama, which saw his longtime girlfriend cheat on him with his best friend What's going on here? In one scene, Matt's character bares his derriere while lying naked in an apparently soaking wet bed with a mystery woman The six-part series, which will stream on Stan from August 17, also features comedian Christiaan Van Vuuren, Irish actress Valene Kane and rapper Briggs. Brisbane-born Matt hosted Triple J's breakfast show alongside Alex Dyson for three years before revealing they were leaving the station at the end of last year. During the announcement, the pair insisted their departure from the radio station was 'absolutely amicable'. 'We haven't been pushed and we're not jumping,' Alex said at the time, with Matt adding: 'We just decided to move onto different things'. In a statement to news.com.au released at the time, Matt joke: 'Before radio I actually studied an acting degree, so I figured Id wait until my looks and hair had completely deteriorated before moving to the small screen.' The stand-up comedian won the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release in 2015. Fifth Harmony in a Billboard magazine cover story said they were in a 'better place' after the departure of original member Camila Cabello. Dinah Hansen, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke Hernandez and Norman Kordei discussed the status of the girl group during a joint interview in Santa Monica, California. Camila abruptly left the group that was formed during the second season of The X Factor in December 2016 during an acrimonious split. Cover story: Fifth Harmony graced the cover of the latest edition of Billboard magazine and discussed their status since the departure of Camila Cabello 'I get to sleep at night knowing we did everything in our power as friends, bandmates and human beings,' to keep them together, said 21-year-old Normani. Dinah, 20, said the group had evolved since Camila left. 'Let's just say we're in a better place now - there are no secrets in this circle,' Dinah said. Lauren admitted the group was nervous when they performed for the first time without Camila in January at the People's Choice Awards. Solo star: Camila is shown performing last month on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon They've rebounded with their current 7/27 Tour and a third album is expected later this year on Epic. 'Honestly, in this very moment, we could not be happier,' said 24-year-old Ally. Their first single as a foursome Down was released last month and it debuted and peaked at number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Down to four: Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke Hernandez, Dinah Jane Hansen and Normani Kordei are shown performing as Fifth Harmony last month in Miami Beach Camila released her latest single Crying In The Club in May and it peaked at number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 5H for its new album will co-write songs for the first time and has been holding songwriting camps since January. The group remains committed to the idea that four pop stars can be better off as a single group even with their ill-fitting name. Girl group: Fifth Harmony, shown last month, was formed during season two of The X Factor in 2012 'The fans are our fifth member,' quipped Ally. 5H also brought on music lawyer Dina LaPolt at the end of 2015 and she successfully transferred the Fifth Harmony trademark from Simon Cowell to the group. She also renegotiated the group's contract with Epic. 5H hopes their new status and creative resolve will help the group gain the authenticity that Camila secured by going solo. They were asked if they considered bringing in a new member and answered in unison, 'Heeeell naaw!'. She's the vivacious Big Brother babe who regularly makes headlines for her racy public displays. And this week, Lisa Clark was back at it again when she took to Instagram to post a behind-the-scenes throwback photo from her topless photo shoot in May. The strip club manager-turned-Instagram model shielded her artificial assets from view in the image, instead choosing to flaunt her pert derriere. How cheeky! Sydney socialite Lisa Clark shared a raunchy behind-the-scenes photo from her now infamous topless shoot on a Sydney beach over the summer 'What winter?' she captioned the photo shared with her 92,000 followers. Despite the racy nature of the photo, it was quite tame compared to the full shoot, which showed Lisa fully topless in nothing but bikini bottoms. The blonde bombshell later explained on Instagram that the purpose of the provocative pictorial was to empower women. 'I shot with one of my favourite photographers who reminded me that the female body is a work of art,' she explained. Who needs clothes! Despite the racy nature of the photo, it was quite tame compared to the full shoot, which showed the Penrith-born beauty fully topless in nothing but bikini bottoms 'Embrace your curves, your imperfections, your growth, your scars and above all your individuality.' The 32-year-old made headlines two years ago when she flaunted a jaw-dropping wardrobe malfunction on the red carpet of the Sydney Film Festival. The infamous incident saw Lisa posing for the cameras in a barely-there dress that showed off an eye-popping amount of sideboob. Peek-a-boob! The 32-year-old made headlines two years ago when she flaunted a jaw-dropping wardrobe malfunction on the red carpet of the Sydney Film Festival Australia's Janet Jackson? Lisa later insisted she didn't realise that her dress had come undone, before slamming people for 'cyber bullying' her over the incident Before becoming an Eastern Suburbs socialite, Lisa was just your everyday average Penrith chick. Discussing the culture shock she experienced when first moving to Bondi, Lisa told the Daily Telegraph: 'The girls at the office used to tease me as I spoke with a Westie drawl and I ate McDonald's most days for lunch.' 'I decided that I wanted to be more like them so I began to read magazines and teach myself how to dress and speak properly.' She's come along way from her acting beginnings in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, to thrive as Missandei in hit Game of Thrones. And Nathalie Emmanuel, 28, pulled out all the fashion stops as she arrived on the blue carpet for season seven premiere of the HBO series at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. The British beauty slipped into a striking strapless Vivienne Westwood midi dress from her Fall 2017 colleciton - which showcased her slender frame to perfection. Scroll down for video Attention-grabbing: Nathalie Emmanuel, 28, pulled out all the fashion stops as she arrived on the blue carpet for season seven premiere of the HBO series at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall on Wednesday night in Los Angeles The signature silhouette from the British designer accentuated Nathalie's pristine decolletage while the monochrome print featured Vivienne's face throughout. The kooky ensemble hugged the beauty's narrow waist and skimmed her toned thighs while she posed up a storm for photographs. Falling to her calves, Nathalie's pins were elongated with the help of her strappy metallic heels with petal detailing across the foot. The actress - who has also starred in the Fast and The Furious film franchise - worked her raven-coloured locks into a chic up 'do while applying a vibrant red lip to complement her eye-catching Maria Tash septum nose ring. She added some bling to her ensemble courtesy of the varied Anita Ko diamonds hanging from her ears. Monochrome muse: The British beauty slipped into a striking strapless Vivienne Westwood midi dress from her Fall 2017 colleciton - which showcased her slender frame to perfection Her appearance comes after the former Hollyoaks star opened up to Bello magazine in which she shared her wish to see more 'everyday' roles in the film industry, characters which reflect the women and men she encounters. She began: 'Often the greatest characters in film and television are reflections of the women we encounter in our everyday lives. 'These are the roles that are the most important, in my opinion, because of the unrealistic and overly-stylized depictions of female characters. I would love to see more stories about men, women, or parents who are full-time caregivers to see all of the sacrifices they have to make. Picture perfect: Nathalie, who accessorized with Anita Ko diamond earrings, posed for photos with co-star Iain Glen, who plays Ser Jorah Mormont on the show Adding: 'As well as the stories of the people being cared for people whose voices are not being heard.' Previously, Nathalie - who's mother is Dominican and her father is half Saint Lucian, half English but grew up in Southend, Essex - spoke about improving diversity in the acting world with Schon! magazine. 'Compared to when I first started acting its definitely opened up much more,' she said. 'You're seeing much more casting breakdowns coming through where they are not specifying what they are casting, it's open which is really good.' Speaking about her role in the Fast and Furious movies, she added: 'For me the franchise always represented diversity and multiculturalism. Everyday: Her appearance comes after the former Hollyoaks star opened up to Bello magazine in which she shared her wish to see more 'everyday' roles in the film industry, characters which reflect the women and men she encounters (Pictured with co-star Conleth Hill and Iain Glen) Reflecting: She began: 'Often the greatest characters in film and television are reflections of the women we encounter in our everyday lives' 'It's really important to be represented in the media and to see people who you can relate to, who look like you, and so I was so excited to be a part of that message and I love that for fifteen plus years that franchise has been doing that.' Nathalie plays Ramsey in the franchise, reprising the role in The Fate of the Furious, which was released earlier this year. The actress made her big TV break in 2006 when she played Sasha Valentine in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, a role she starred in for four years. In 2013, she scooped the role of Missandei in HBO series Game Of Thrones, leading to stratospheric fame around the globe. Beginnings: The actress made her big TV break in 2006 when she played Sasha Valentine in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, a role she starred in for four years Kingmakers: The real kings of Westeros - executive producers D. B. Weiss and David Benioff (R) - walked the carpet with their subjects, as well as their respective wives Andrea Troyer and Amanda Peet The woman in red: American Horror Story: Murder House and Roanoke star Adina Porter looked stunning Friends off-screen: Jaime Lannister AKA Nikolaj Coster-Waldau sneaked into a group shot that also included HBO CEO Richard Plepler Fangirling: Queen Latifah looked thrilled to meet Gwendoline Christie Gal pals: Queen Latifah and rising American Horror Story star Adina Porter GOT Vets: Veteran stars Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington cosied up for a snap Old pals: Cast old and new joined the event In good company: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie shared an intimate giggle Trio: Allie Teilz, Gemma Whelan and Alfie Allen enjoyed the after party Game of horns: Richard Dormer larked around at the after party Game of skulls: He seemed to snatch up any wayward prop he could get his mitts on Having fun? Actor Liam Cunningham looked to be in jovial mood Leggy ladies: Keisha Castle-Hughes and Amanda Crew made their marks on the blue carpet She chose to keep her pregnancy quiet, announcing she was expecting her first child only by debuting her burgeoning baby bump on the red carpet. And now MyAnna Buring has revealed she welcomed a son in May. During her appearance on Thursday's Lorraine, the Ripper Street actress, 37, revealed: 'Eight weeks ago I had my baby!' Scroll down for video Surprise! MyAnna Buring has revealed she welcomed a son in May. During her appearance on Thursday's Lorraine, the Ripper Street actress, 37, revealed: 'Eight weeks ago I had my baby!' Referencing her role as pregnant detective Helen Weeks in BBC drama In The Dark, the Swedish actress explained: 'My character was pregnant then I got pregnant! She continued: 'When I filmed I had a baby bump and I got to practise what it looked like to be pregnant. I liked it so much I did it myself!' She added: '[Acting] it was nothing like actually being pregnant!' Radiant: MyAnna showed off her post-baby body in a black button down blouse that she teamed with a leopard print maxi skirt Following suit: Referencing her role as pregnant detective Helen Weeks in BBC drama In The Dark, the Swedish actress explained: 'My character was pregnant then I got pregnant!' Revealing that she hadn't set a fixed time to get back to business, she explained that she was enjoying their bonding time. 'He smells so good!' MyAnna gushed. 'All he does is bathe in his own milk and throw up... but its so divine!' MyAnna recently explained why she never talks about her private life, explaining that because she started working as an actress in her 30s, she didn't feel 'pressure' to dish the dirt about personal matters. New mum: Revealing that she hadn't set a fixed time to get back to business, she explained that she was enjoying her bonding time with her newborn Beaming: MyAnna lit up as she discussed her son and her plans to return to work 'I dont talk about my personal life ever and quite early on I decided that was out of bounds,' she told the Daily Express. 'If I was in my early twenties, I might feel pressure to talk about home life.' The Downton Abbey star went on to say that she doesn't feel the need to discuss personal matters with the whole world. 'I have my friends and my family I can talk to about issues in my life, so I dont feel its something I need to talk to the whole world about.' The Bachelor 2013 couple have been enjoying a European getaway over the past few weeks, following their engagement in May. And Anna Heinrich appears to be as stylish as ever, rarely posting in an item from her holiday wardrobe twice! The criminal lawyer, 30, has been flaunting her daily outfits on Instagram, and the fashion haul has already surpassed a value of $5,000. Scroll down for video Vacation style! The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich flaunts her glamorous $5,000 holiday wardrobe while exploring Europe with fiance Tim Robards Loved-up trip! Tim and Anna have been enjoying a European getaway over the past few weeks, following their engagement in May Anna and Tim left for their European holiday on June 21 and stopped by their good friend's wedding in France earlier this week. They both carried luxury from Samsonite valued at more than $800 each, and Anna has certainly packed fashionably for the getaway. Anna jetted off wearing $139 Country Road jeans and a $650 Stanzee leather jacket. Back to basics? Anna jetted off wearing $139 Country Road jeans and a $650 Stanzee jacket The perks of TV fame! Several items worn by Anna during her holiday are from yet-to-be-released collections or are only available on pre-order Travel wardrobe: The criminal lawyer has posed up a storm in the streets of France, Santorini in Greece, San Sebastian in Spain and Portofino in Italy, to name a few destinations Shady lady! Posing for loved-up snaps in the sunshine with fiance Tim, Anna also wore Ray Bans and Quay Australia sunglasses in various locations So far, Anna has posed up a storm in the streets of France, picturesque Santorini in Greece, San Sebastian in Spain and Portofino in Italy, to name a few. Each photo shared with her 288,000 Instagram followers includes 'tags' for the high-end brands she is wearing as well as short descriptions. Her most luxury designer looks were saved for special occasions, wearing three separate Rebecca Vallance frocks alongside her fitness guru fiance. For her friend's wedding, she glowed in a $700 Blanca metallic lace midi dress, while she sported a pink Ambrosia Mini Dress ($399) for pre-drinks. The blonde socialite was also lucky enough to get her hands on the Gabriella spot lace mini frock, which is currently only available for pre-order for $649. Stylish! Her most luxury designer looks were saved for special occasions, wearing three separate Rebecca Vallance frocks (valued at $1748) alongside her fitness guru partner Jean-etically blessed! On Anna's more laid-back days, the blonde socialite covered up in jean shorts or a chambray dress from Jeans West Anna also stepped out in Tony Bianco heels, while also packing Tony Bianco sandals, loafers, and white sneakers to comfortably stroll the European pavements. In the couple's downtime, they made sure to soak up the summer sun by stripping down to their swimwear in Thailand, Italy, France and Greece. Anna appeared to have packed more than eight different bikinis, ranging from high-street brands H&M (US$35.99 set) to a crochet bralette bikini set by Suboo ($258). Dressing for comfort: Anna also stepped out in Tony Bianco heels, while also packing Tony Bianco sandals, loafers, and white sneakers to comfortably stroll the European pavements Bikini babe! Anna appeared to have packed more than eight different bikinis, ranging from high-street brands H&M (left) to a crochet bralette bikini set by Suboo (right) On her more laid-back days, Anna decided to cover up in jean shorts or a chambray dress from Jeans West. Her endless supply of fresh outfits also included a variety of accessories to match, including a Country Road tote estimated to be worth $99.95, a rucksack by Meli Melo valued at around $500 and an Olga Berg clutch from their upcoming Spring Summer collection. Posing for loved-up snaps in the sunshine with Tim, she also sported Ray Bans and Quay Australia sunglasses in various locations. It's unsure when the couple will fly back into Australia, but Anna's fans are keeping a keen eye on her whereabouts and wardrobe. Followers recently commented: 'How did you fit all of your clothes, shoes and handbags in your suitcase?' and 'How amazing is your holiday! I'm so envious!!' Sharing space with Tim? A follower asked: 'How did you fit all of your clothes, shoes and handbags in your suitcase?' She sparked rumours her 'troubled' marriage to Oliver Curtis was back on track, after wearing what appeared to be her wedding band on Instagram on Thursday. But Roxy Jacenko has kept her fans guessing, as was spotted without her sparkly diamond ring while heading to the gym in Sydney that very same day. The PR queen, 37, looked fit and fabulous as she stepped out in a pair of tight patterned leggings and a white sleeveless top. And it's off again! Roxy Jacenko stepped out without her wedding rings in Sydney on Thursday, as she flaunted her ripped physique in leggings and a sleeveless top while visiting the gym Roxy flaunted her toned legs in the stylish activewear ensemble, with her slender arms and just a glimpse of her midriff on display. The Double Bay socialite, who styled her blonde hair in loose waves, wore a pair of designer sunglasses and carried her monogrammed iPhone. She finished off her sporty-yet-glamorous look with blue sneakers and kept her accessories to a minimum with a simple necklace. Fit and fabulous! The Sweaty Betty PR founder, 37, flaunted her toned legs in the stylish activewear ensemble, with her slender arms and just a glimpse of her midriff on display Over the past 12 months, Roxy's fans have carefully studied her jewellery habits, looking for any possible signs of 'trouble' in her marriage. The Sweaty Betty PR founder has previously been photographed without her wedding and engagement rings from jailbird banker Oliver Curtis. But there may be a simple explanation for Roxy's decision to leave her expensive diamond jewels at home during her workout sessions. While Oliver was still serving his sentence at Cooma Correctional Centre, she told The Morning Show: 'I don't know who goes to the gym with their jewellery on'. Glamorous as always! The Double Bay socialite, who styled her blonde hair in loose waves, wore a pair of designer sunglasses and carried her monogrammed iPhone Roxy's husband Oliver was released from prison last month on a good behaviour bond, after serving 12 months of a two-year sentence for insider trading. The couple, who married in a lavish Sydney ceremony in 2012, have faced persistent rumours they quietly ended their relationship before he was jailed in June 2016. A source previously said Oliver told his Cooma cellmates he was prepared to look past Roxy's 'indiscretions' if she would forgive him for his past criminal behaviour. Local writer and blogger, Shawanda Mason-Moore, has released her first e-book centered around brunch. The book, Eat.Drink.Brunch! features 20 brunch recipes ranging from main dishes to cocktails. According to Google Trends data, search interest in brunch has been steadily rising since 2014 and interest doesnt seem to be fading. 'Eat.Drink.Brunch!' encourages folks to step out of their comfort zones and try Americas most popular meal, at home. With recipes like shortbread French toast sticks and sriracha fried eggs, 'Eat.Drink.Brunch!' makes brunch at home a breeze," officials said. Eat.Drink.Brunch! is an extension of the authors blog, Eat.Drink.Frolic. Eat.Drink.Frolic. was started 7 years ago to encourage more cooking and entertaining at home, says Ms. Mason-Moore. Brunch can seem like a daunting task to serve at home and with this e-book, I wanted to create a collection of recipes that are delicious and easy to replicate.In the book, brunch is defined as a socially acceptable excuse for day drinking. In addition to food, youll also find cocktail recipes perfect for a weekend brunch. One of my favorite cocktails featured in Eat.Drink.Brunch! is what I call the Bad & Boozy Mimosa, which is a bold and boozier take on a traditional mimosa, says Ms. Mason-Moore.Eat.Drink.Brunch! is $12. Readers are encouraged to share photos of them trying recipes by using the hashtag, #EatDrinkBrunch.About the authorShawanda Mason-Moore is the writer behind the blog, Eat.Drink.Frolic. She's also the co-founder of the Tennessee nonprofit, The Chattery, and the founder of a quarterly brunch series for creative women entrepreneurs called, The Brunch Collective. When she's not experimenting with new food or drink recipes, you can find her obsessing over pineapples, fancy cocktails and watching reruns of Golden Girls. She's on a strict filming schedule while she's been filming upcoming BBC crime drama Collateral. So a day off was a welcome break for Carey Mulligan, who is thought to be pregnant with her second child thanks to her seemingly expanding midriff. Wearing a loose-fitting black shirt, the Great Gatsby actress, 32, was seen sauntering along with a shopping bag, clutching a coffee (presumably decaf) in one hand. Scroll down for video Hitting the shops: 'Pregnant' Carey Mulligan dons a loose-fitting shirt as she picks up a coffee while she shops in London Despite the looseness of the top, there was a stretch at the waist where her apparent rounded tummy seemed prominent. The fresh-faced star - who is expecting the supposed child, which will be her second with her husband Marcus Mumford - went make-up free. She scraped back her brunette locks and wore a pair of shades as she strolled along. She had dressed for comfort in a pair of loose-fitting black trousers with white designs on them and a pair of sandals. Under wraps: Despite the looseness of the top, there was a stretch at the waist where her apparent bump was showing Visibly displaying the signs of a rounded tummy, the actress was dressed for the balmy weather in a Bardot-style dress for a Nobu date night with Marucs last week. They left the restaurant hand-in-hand after sharing a meal at one of London's premium eateries, popular among stars. The famously tight-lipped actress has yet to confirm she's expecting a second child, though her first pregnancy was similarly shrouded in secrecy. Reports first emerged about a surprise pregnancy last month when super-slim Carey was suddenly spotted with a rounded stomach at hot spot Sexy Fish. She and husband Marcus, who married in 2012, welcomed their first child Evelyn in 2015, three years after tying the knot She and husband Marcus, who married in 2012, welcomed their first child Evelyn in 2015, three years after tying the knot. She's now returning to television work with a four-part BBC drama about a fatal shooting in London. Carey plays the detective trying to get to the bottom of the shooting, amid an ensemble cast that includes Billie Piper, John Simm and Nicola Walker. It's her first small screen part since The Walker, in 2015, and follows the hugely successful film Suffragette, in which she played Maud Watts. Meanwhile, Marcus will be headlining Latitude Festival next month with his band after making a comeback in late 2016. She rang in her 45th birthday on Monday, with a extravagant bash which included cake, dancing and a taco truck. And Sofia Vergara showed she was still on a high from her birthday extravaganza as she made a glowing appearance in Beverley Hills for a day of shopping on Wednesday. The impossibly youthful Modern Family actress looked beautiful in a chic jade bardot jumpsuit which showcased her toned curves and a hint of decolletage. Scroll down for video Flawless at 45: Sofia Vergara showed she was still on a high from her birthday extravaganza as she made a glowing appearance in Beverley Hills for a day of shopping on Wednesday The outfit's ruffled neckline drew attention to her pert bust and tanned shoulders as she sashayed down the street. Drawing attention to her sparkling peepers and strong brows, the star's new fringe looked chic as she wore her chestnut tresses in a sleek and straight style, parted in the middle. Her glamorous make-up look featured feline flicks of eye-liner, long lashes and a vivid amethyst lipstick on her plump pout. Showing her attention to detail, she teamed her jumpsuit with a green heart shaped pendant and matching tasselled earrings which grazed her shoulders. Wow factor: The impossibly youthful Modern Family actress looked beautiful in a chic jade bardot jumpsuit which showcased her toned curves and a hint of decolletage Loved up: Sofia's birthday party earlier in the week saw her spend precious time with husband Joe Manganiello, 40 (above) with the couple of four years seen enjoying the buffet The Colombian-born actress toted a tan shoulder bag and flashed a beaming smile as bags of shopping were loaded into the car. The mother-of-one teetered on nude wedges which revealed her scarlet pedicure. Sofia's birthday party earlier in the week saw her spend precious time with husband Joe Manganiello, 40, and son Manolo, 24. Sofia and Joe tied the knot in Palm Beach, Florida in November 2015, nearly a year after Joe had popped the question just six months after first getting together with Sofia. Family time: Sofia also spent time with her son Manolo, 24 at the bash The two are all over each other's social media, with Joe sending a birthday wish to his lady love, saying: 'Feliz Cumpleanos mi amor! Eres mi vida.' His words translated into English are, 'Happy birthday my love! You are my life.' And it seems like Sofia has plenty of cash for further shopping sprees as she is worth an estimated $100 million (77m) She was again named the worlds highest-paid TV actress by Forbes after making $43 million in 2016 thanks to her hit show and endorsements. Sofia is also the face of Head And Shoulders shampoo and a line of coffee. Birthday girl: Sofia held up a huge bouquet of balloons that she received from a friend to celebrate her big day She joined the cast of TOWIE this Spring, clashing with her boyfriend's ex Amber Turner. But Jade Lewis was putting on a united front with Jamie Reed when they attended the Madison Rooftop summer party held at One New Change in London on Wednesday night. The brunette beauty was coordinating with her man, going for his and hers double denim on their night out. Scroll down for video Cute couple: Jade Lewis was putting on a united front with Jamie Reed when they attended the Madison Rooftop summer party held at One New Change in London on Wednesday night Jade flashed her flat stomach in a black bandeau crop top, covering up in a loose denim jacket. She opted for a pair of ripped jeans, cinched in at the waist with a studded belt. The reality star added a touch of boho chic to her look thanks to a statement necklace and a beaded bag. Jamie opted for a bright blue shirt and black jeans, set off with smart shoes. Matchy matchy: Jade flashed her flat stomach in a black bandeau crop top, covering up in a loose denim jacket Stylish: The reality star added a touch of boho chic to her look thanks to a statement necklace and a beaded bag The couple's outing comes after it was reported that Jade and Amber's feud had intensified as the pair continue to fight over Jamie. According to an eyewitness, Jade came to the end of her tether with Amber after the blonde troublemaker showed up at Jamie's house late at night recently and have since been thrown together on a Greek cruise. 'Jade is furious,' claimed the source, according to The Sun. 'Shes sick of having to put up with Ambers petty behaviour after remaining patient for so long. Greek tragedy! TOWIE's Amber Turner [L] and Jade's [R] bitter feud has hotted up again after the pair came FACE-TO-FACE while stranded on the same cruise ship in Mykonos 'Amber had reassured her everything was okay between them but hasnt treated her too kindly since being on the cruise together. 'Jade resisted getting into a row with Amber during filming for the last series of Towie but recent events have made her feel differently.' The pair of feisty Essex girls are both on a Unique Parties cruise; and clearly the boat isn't big enough for the both of them. All about the boy: Having run into one another in Mykonos last month, the bad blood continued to gush between the warring pair who have been fighting over Jamie The close quarters have evidently led to a run in, in wake of Amber's clingy behaviour towards Jamie, which includes the incident at his house and incessantly calling his phone while he was previously on holiday with Jade. Amber caused the end of the relationship, after she cheated on Jamie after four years as a couple. Jamie met and moved on with Jade and have been loved up since, despite Amber's apparent Fatal Attraction-esque antics. Flying solo: Amber, however, has claimed she hasn't been trying to get Jamie back, and denies the reports of pestering her ex Amber, however, has claimed she hasn't been trying to get Jamie back, and denies the reports of pestering her ex. Her cheating scandal was the main storyline on TOWIE's 20th season. And while viewers were captivated by the saga, one person who was not happy with Amber's antics was co-star Mario Falcone - who branded her 'disgusting'. The 30-year-old show stalwart spoke on Simon Gross Showbiz Show where he dismissed the blonde beauty, stating 'I just don't like her' before claiming her romantic woes were an elaborate publicity stunt. Furious: Amber Turner's cheating scandal was the main storyline on TOWIE's 20th season Amber caused huge shock among viewers when she joined the show earlier this year while still in a long-term relationship with live-in boyfriend Jamie although she was accused of cheating on him with Dan - claims both parties denied. When she returned from Tenerife, jokingly christened 'Tene-grief' by the irked stars, she rushed home to Jamie, who made a comeback to the show after a drama-filled appearance in 2012, where she vehemently denied the claims. Later on however, the truth came out leading to an enraged Jamie facing off with both Amber and Dan before finding love once more with Jade Lewis, who he famously lauded as 'a real model - not an Instagram model'. As the situation remains acrimonious among the group, Mario will no doubt set further sparks flying as he made his brazen comments about Amber, who he insists is playing a huge game to garner publicity. Having it out: When she returned from Tenerife, jokingly christened 'Tene-grief' by the irked stars, she rushed home to Jamie, who made a comeback to the show after a drama-filled appearance in 2012, where she vehemently denied the claims Speaking on the show, he said: 'Amber Turner Theres no history between us, I just dont like her. The way in which she ditched her boyfriend to be on TOWIE, which is the truth, and lie about it and say they have troubles just to be famous and be in the public eye is disgusting. 'Fans have longed her off (dismissed her) and she deserves everything she gets. Youll see it all next series, shell jump to someone else to keep herself as a storyline.' Seeming totally unbothered by the hate from her co-star, Amber took to Instagram to share a stunning snap with her 241,000 followers - as she posed in a bikini while embarking on a luxury party cruise. Who cares? Seeming totally unbothered by the hate from her co-star, Amber took to Instagram to share a stunning snap with her 241,000 followers - as she posed in a bikini while embarking on a luxury party cruise Fame hungry? As the situation remains acrimonious among the group, Mario will no doubt set further sparks flying as he made his brazen comments about Amber, who he insists is playing a huge game to garner publicity MailOnline has contacted representatives for Mario and Amber for comment. Mario joined TOWIE in its third season as Lucy Mecklenburgh's boyfriend in 2011, after which his time on the show was fraught with drama. Earlier this year it was revealed Mario is making his return to TOWIE, two years after his dismissal for touting slimming pills - a banned act for castmembers. Lucy and Mario's love story spun a convoluted tale, after he first debuted on TOWIE in 2011 when he entered the show cast as Lucy's boyfriend. The brunette beauty had previously enjoyed a casual romance with the show's lead lothario Mark Wright although the involvement of his girlfriend of nine years, Lauren Goodger, led to the demise of their relationship. Hitting back: 'Fans have longed her off and she deserves everything she gets. Youll see it all next series, shell jump to someone else to keep herself as a storyline' After she split from Mark she found love with Mario, although they suffered a spectacular blip when she devastatingly fell back into Mark's arms while Mario was on holiday in Ibiza. When Mario managed to forgive Lucy he later popped the question during the TOWIE cast's annual pilgrimage to Marbella, where she accepted his proposal. While Lucy believed the couple to be blissfully headed towards marriage, it transpired that Mario had been texting a host of other women behind her back leading to many confrontations between Lucy and an array of stunners. Since their split in 2013, both parties have enjoyed public relationships - Lucy dated Olympic gymnast Louis Smith for 14 months before splitting in February, while Mario dated stunning model Emma McVey, who he broke up with in October last year. They have been dating for over six months, and are known for putting on a loved-up display on social media. And Anwar Hadid and Nicola Peltz proved they were still going strong on Wednesday, as they were seen enjoying a day out together in New York City. The male model, 18, and his stunning 22-year-old girlfriend looked more besotted than ever as they arrived at a tattoo parlour in the West Village hand-in-hand. Scroll down for video Young love: Anwar Hadid and Nicola Peltz proved they were still going strong on Wednesday, as they were seen enjoying a day out together in New York City The male model looked casual but cool in a black T-shirt, emblazoned with a tiger on the shoulder, and acid wash jeans, as he headed out for another inking with his girl. Meanwhile the actress matched his low-key look in a quirky cropped denim jacket and black leggings, which hugged her enviably long legs from top to toe. Sweeping her hair off her face with dark sunglasses, to leave her striking natural features on show, Nicola looked effortlessly gorgeous as she happily chatted to her man on their way inside. Quality time: After their visit, the pair were seen picking up iced coffees as they embarked on the rest of their day - with Anwar sporting a playful scribbling on his cheek Following their visit to the parlour, the pair were then seen picking up iced coffees and a few snacks for the rest of their afternoon. However Anwar, now clad in a thick grey jumper, headed out onto the city streets with the 'I Love' symbol written on his cheek in red pen - perhaps proving the pair had been fooling around during their visit to the parlour. The couple have been dating since the start of the year, and have put on a loved-up display at numerous public events as well as on social media ever since. In January, New York native Nicola spilled about her blossoming relationship with the young male model to WWD. 'We're hanging out. Honestly, he is an angel. He's such an amazing person.' She continued, 'He comes from such an amazing family. Gigi and Bella are so, so sweet. I just love his family so much. They're feminine, strong girls. To have that around is amazing.' In addition to their flourishing romance however, both young talents are also enjoying robust careers. Nicola is currently filming the pilot for the TV thriller When the Street Lights Go On, which is being produced for Hulu. While Anwar is following in the footsteps of his stunning sisters Gigi and Bella, and carving a successful career as a model. Earlier this year he was named the face of Hugo Boss' HUGO line, and walked in a number of high-profile shows in the Men's Fall 2017 fashion week. She is counting down the days until her next holiday to Ibiza in a week. But it was still business for Amber Turner on Thursday, as she stepped out for a morning meeting at La Sala in Chigwell, Essex. The 23-year-old TOWIE star showcased her bronzed and shapely legs in a chic white shirtdress and understated nude courts. Scroll down for video Looking good: Amber Turner looked chic as she stepped out for a morning meeting at La Sala in Chigwell, Essex, on Thursday The blonde beauty showed off her tiny waist and toned arms thanks to her dress' tailored belt and sleeveless design. Keeping the rest of her accessories muted, she rocked a pair of patent pumps and a nude leather handbag. She wore her long blonde hair in a sleek middle-parting and framed her features with nude lipstick and some expert contouring. Simply stylish: The 23-year-old TOWIE star showcased her bronzed and shapely legs in a chic white shirtdress and understated nude courts Turning heads: Keeping the rest of her accessories muted, she rocked a pair of patent pumps and a nude leather handbag The reality star recently celebrated six months since joining the TOWIE cast by posting a glamorous throwback from her first scene. Amber made a memorable entrance on the show when she cheated on her boyfriend of four years Jamie Reed, 34, with co-star Dan Edgar, 26. The passionate liaison brought Amber and Jamie's long-term relationship to an abrupt end. Preened to perfection: She wore her long blonde hair in a sleek middle-parting and framed her features with nude lipstick and some expert contouring Jamie, who made a comeback to the show after leaving in 2012, put his heartache behind him when he moved on with stunning model Jade Lewis. Jamie recently confessed it was hard being around his former flame following their dramatic break-up and would even like her to move to Australia for some time. Speaking on The Showbiz Show, he said: 'Its all kind of settling down now. With my ex girlfriend and what she did - the Twitter response has been so nice. Bikini babe: The reality star recently celebrated six months since joining the TOWIE cast by posting a glamorous throwback from her first scene Happier times: Amber made a memorable entrance on the show when she cheated on her boyfriend of four years Jamie Reed, 34, (pictured) with co-star Dan Edgar, 26 'The people on the streets have been so nice. I dont want to say that it has wasted four years...I just hope that she is happy. 'But I would like Amber to spend a couple of years in Australia. In the nicest possible way! 'So in a couple of years time we could meet and say what happened.' On Thursday, it was Sarah Tiong's last chance to use her immunity pin to secure a spot in MasterChef Australia's finals week. The 25-year-old chose to use the advantage, sending rival Eliza Wilson into her first-ever elimination round with contestants Tamara Graffen and Karlie Verkerk. In the nail-biting decider, Sarah shrieked with guilt as the unlucky amateur chef dished up the least impressive dish of the day. Scroll down for video That's fishy! MasterChef's Eliza Wilson (L) was sent home for cooking 'dry' trout on Thursday's episode, after Sarah Tiong (R) sent her rival to the elimination round with her immunity pin Before the three contestants were given their challenge on Thursday night, they were asked to read letters from home to inspire them. Eliza read her letter from boyfriend Alex, in which he detailed an afternoon spent with friends at a Sorrento beach in Victoria. Karlie admitted she felt 'overwhelmed' reading a note from her partner Adam, adding: To have that little piece of him in the kitchen, it means more than anything.' Tamara then read her letter from husband Tim, as he reminisced about their honeymoon in France, where Tamara had 'dragged him to every bakery in Paris'. Judge Matt Preston said their dishes had to evoke the memories from their letters in the allocated 75 minutes. Cooking from the heart: Before the three contestants were given their challenge on Thursday night, they were asked to read letters from home to inspire them Her inspiration! Eliza read her letter from boyfriend Alex (right), in which he detailed an afternoon spent with friends at a Sorrento beach in Victoria Eliza chose to create a share-style dish of beetroot and gin-cured rainbow trout, and Karlie went with freshly shucked oysters and cucumber granita dish. And Tamara decided to recreate her memory with mini macaron parfait sandwiches with goat's cheese, strawberries, tarragon and rose. Karlie was the first contestant to run into problems, as she struggled to thicken her oyster cream, saying: 'I'm just going to have this wet, soupy mess on the plate. It's a disaster!' George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan were pleased by Karlie's dish, but appeared worried by Tamara's time management with her macarons and feared that Eliza's fish would become 'a bit raggedy'. Early fears: Gary Mehigan George Calombaris expressed their worries early on that Eliza's gin-cured rainbow trout could become 'dry' and 'a bit raggedy' With less than 10 minutes left on the clock, Tamara appeared frazzled as she discovered her parfaits might not set in time. 'I have nothing to put inside those macarons,' she said. 'This is a failure of a dish, and I'm definitely going home.' Eliza took a bite of her trout before she plated it up and confessed: 'It tastes a bit dry, but still delicious.' She added: 'I've put so much emotion into this dish, and this dish means so much to me, that if they didn't like it, I would be completely devastated.' 'One of her best': Karlie, who is constantly praised by the judges, was given a glowing critique of her freshly shucked oysters and cucumber granita dish Sweet ending: Tamara's Parisian delight had the judges' eyes lighting up, as they all claimed to 'love' the macarons George described Karlie's dish as 'gobsmackingly good,' while Matt Preston said: 'It's refreshing, it's crisp, it's fresh, it's clean, it's modern'. Meanwhile, Gary claimed it was 'one of her best' in the series. Eliza, who had never been in an elimination before, received similar praise by the judges, but they said that while it was 'delicious' and 'wonderful', it was 'a little dry'. Tamara's Parisian delight had the judges eyes' lighting up, as they all claimed to 'love' the pastries. Verdict: Eliza, who had never been in an elimination round before, received similar praise by the judges, but they said that while it was 'delicious' and 'wonderful', it was 'a little dry'' 'It's enough to send you home': Eliza was sent home as she plated up the least impressive dish Oh no! Sarah was clearly shocked, feeling responsible for putting Eliza up for elimination 'Eliza, your dish displayed so much technique, using flavours that worked so well together,' Gary said. 'However, your dish was a little too dry. And on a day like today, It's enough to send you home.' Sarah raised her hands to her mouth in shock, clearly feeling responsible for putting Eliza up for eliminations. She reached out for a brief hug with Eliza before she left, without staying behind in the kitchen to say goodbye. MasterChef's finals week begins Sunday at 7.30pm on Network Ten Their relationship was rocked earlier this month, when rumours surfaced she had slept with co-star Mike Thalassitis. However Love Island's Jess Shears and Dom Lever proved their relationship was as strong - and passionate - as ever on Thursday, as they posed for a seriously steamy photo shoot for boohooMan. The glamour model, 24, showed off her sensational figure in an array of lace leotards as she put on a saucy display with the shirtless hunk for the camera - wrapping her legs around him, and even pressing him to the floor with her high heel. Scroll down for video Saucy: Jess Shears and Dom Lever proved their relationship was as strong - and passionate - as ever on Thursday, as they posed for a seriously steamy photo shoot for boohooMan Model material: The glamour model, 24, showed off her sensational figure in an array of lace leotards as she put on a saucy display for the camera The couple looked more infatuated with each other than ever as they embarked on the shoot - with Jess first pressing herself against her beau in a raunchy red leotard. The brunette beauty first set pulses racing in the skimpy red number, which clung to her frame all the way down, as she posed with a hand tenderly on her shirtless beau's chest. In another shot, Jess was seen lifting Dom's grey T-shirt up to display his muscular chest as she draped himself sexily across his back - with the 26-year-old hunk clasping onto her leg to further prove their passion. Hotting up: In another shot, Jess was seen lifting Dom's grey T-shirt up to display his muscular chest as she draped himself sexily across his back In control: In a further shot, the brunette looked every inch the seductress as she saucily pushed Dom to the floor with her sky-high heel, in a raunchy mesh black leotard Hell for leather: Further shots saw Jess pose alone - with the stunner slipping into a slinky leather midi dress Life's peachy! She also posed in a skimpy white number, to reveal her impressively rounded derriere Slender: She later posed with Dom in a daringly skimpy black swimsuit, which cinched in at her waist with a grungy studded belt Only upping the sex appeal further however, the brunette later swapped her red string leotard for a black look, as she playfully pushed Dom to the floor with her stiletto heel. The one-piece featured chic fringing on the sleeve, but plunged into a deep mesh panel at the chest to give an ample glimpse of her famous cleavage to all. Styling her hair into big, bouncy waves, the brunette looked every inch the seductress as she saucily pushed Dom to the floor with her sky-high heel - while the Manchester native playfully submitted to her demands. Stunning: Jess left her hair in big, bouncy waves throughout the shoot, and added a sultry, smoky eye MINE: The glamour model later set pulses racing in a high-waisted two piece, which cut into strings at the side to flash even more skin Strike a pose: The pair later cuddled up in a garden for another shot - which saw Dom add a trendy pair of pink shades to his look Delicious: Jess later posed in the bath and fed her man strawberries - to prove their romance was as strong as ever following claims she had been unfaithful with Mike Thalassitis Further shots saw Jess pose alone - with the stunner slipping into a slinky leather midi dress, as well as sideboob-flashing black leotard and a skimpy white number, to reveal her impressively peachy derriere. Meanwhile while her boyfriend modelled a variety of garments from the new range - including a vibrant blue printed shirt and ripped jeans, as well as a selection of T-shirts and knitwear. Their steamy display comes after Jess gave saucy insight into the couple's sex life - which she admitted was far from boring. Cutting the mustard: Dom next slipped into a gold ribbed jumper and trendy grey checked trousers as he posed for multiple solo shots Clean cut: He later swapped the knitwear for a crisp white tee, emblazoned with the word 'Man' on the front Jazzing things up: However he later rocked a more colourful printed shirt as he posed on the balcony Hotting up: Their steamy display comes after Jess gave saucy insight into the couple's sex life, which she described as 'rough and grabby' Speaking to the Daily Star, she revealed of their romps: 'It was very grabby and rough, we're both up for experimenting. 'We're definitely not shy, and being away from the cameras has meant we can do anything and everything we want without hiding under the covers'. However, their new romance has only just got back on track - after they were hit with claims Jess had enjoyed a tryst with Mike Thalassitis the night they departed the Love Island villa. Saucy: However, their romance has only just got back on track - after they were hit with claims Jess had enjoyed a tryst with Mike Thalassitis the night they departed the Love Island villa Not fazed: Yet, upon reunion with Jess in the UK, Dom affirmed to fans that he planned to continue their romance, as he believes the brunette had remained loyal Sticking with his girl: He said: 'When you know you know. I trust her 100 percent and want this long term' Appearing on series spin-off After Sun together, Jess was then spotted swiftly removing her hand from Mike's leg - only adding fuel to the fire of rumours, despite continuously denying the claims. Yet, upon reunion with Jess in the UK one week after the rumours emerged, Dom affirmed to fans that he planned to continue their romance, as he believes the brunette had remained loyal. He said: 'When you know you know. I trust her 100 percent and want this long term.' Standing his ground: Mike soon took to Twitter to blast the 'disgraceful' rumours as nonsense, so Jess and Dom could continue their romance in peace (above) However, the rumour reared its head once again on Monday, when a holiday-goer in Ibiza claimed Mike, who has since re-entered the Love Island villa, confessed to 'l***ing Jess out' at Ocean Beach Club. Denying the claims once again however, Mike soon took to Twitter to blast the 'disgraceful' rumours as nonsense, so Jess and Dom could continue their romance in peace. He wrote to his fans: 'Falsely stating I made comments in Ibiza about Jessica Shears. 'Out of respect to both Jess & Dom I would like to go on the record and categorically deny these disgraceful rumours and assure everyone that I never have and never would speak in such a manner even if the story was true, which it is not. Before adding: 'I trust this to be the end of the non story that keeps dragging on.' He suffered a heart attack earlier this year. Yet Antonio Banderas, 56, proved he was still fighting fit as he soaked up the sunshine with girlfriend Nicole Kempel, 37, in Italy on Thursday. Showing off his gym-honed physique, the Zorro actor donned a pair of navy swimming trunks as he went for a refreshing dip. Looking good: Antonio Banderas, 56, proved he was still fighting fit as he soaked up the sunshine with girlfriend Nicole Kempel, 37, in Italy on Thursday Equally matched, Nicole also looked in impeccable shape as she slipped into a skimpy white bikini to recline alongside the water's edge. Showing off her ample cleavage, the cream bikini top also offered a look at her toned stomach, whilst she teamed the garment with scanty briefs. Allowing her natural beauty to shine through, Nicole went make-up free whilst she swept her golden locks back into a chignon bun. Tanned and toned: Equally matched, Nicole also looked in impeccable shape as she slipped into a skimpy white bikini to recline alongside the water's edge Two's company: Antonio and Nicole seemed in great spirits as they strolled along the pool The pair have been in Italy for the Ischia Film Festival, supporting Antonio's latest film, Black Butterfly. The flick follows the story of a struggling screenwriter who gets kidnapped and is forced to write about his captor, a mysterious ex convict. The psychological thriller, co-starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, stars Antonio as a reclusive writer desperate to revive his career with a brand new project. Musclebound: Showing off his gym-honed physique, the Zorro actor donned a pair of navy swimming trunks as he went for a refreshing dip Swim-suits you! Showing off her ample cleavage, Nicole's cream bikini top also offered a look at her toned stomach, whilst she teamed the garment with scanty briefs Bun's the word: Allowing her natural beauty to shine through, Nicole went make-up free whilst she swept her golden locks back into a chignon bun Making a splash: Later in the day Nicole covered up with a bardot style brown beach dress as Antonio prepared to dive in the pool and swim another lap Antonio appears to be showing no signs of slowing down following his health scare earlier this year. He shocked fans in March when he revealed he'd suffered a heart attack back in January and had been hospitalised in England. The star - who is the ex-husband of actress Melanie Griffith, 59 - reassured fans it hadn't been serious and there was no lasting damage. He underwent a procedure to introduce three stents to his arteries and insisted the whole incident hadn't been dramatic or anything to worry about. Antonio raises daughter Stella, 20, with ex-wife Melanie. All going swimmingly: The pair have been in Italy for the Ischia Film Festival, supporting Antonio's latest film, Black Butterfly John Travolta flashed his Hollywood smile while driving a cigarette boat on the Puerto Rican set of crime-thriller Cigarette last Tuesday. The 63-year-old movie star was in character as Ben Aronoff, a thinly-veiled version of Cigarette founder Don Aronow. The Brooklyn-born millionaire - who was murdered in 1987 - built speedboats for President George H.W. Bush and the Shah of Iran, but got mixed up with drug lords. Weee! John Travolta flashed his Hollywood smile while driving a cigarette boat on the Puerto Rican set of crime-thriller Cigarette last Tuesday Rum-runner: The 63-year-old movie star was in character as Ben Aronoff, a thinly-veiled version of Cigarette founder Don Aronow The real thing: The Brooklyn-born millionaire - who was murdered in 1987 - built speedboats for President George H.W. Bush and the Shah of Iran, but got mixed up with drug lords The two-time Oscar nominee sported sunglasses as he cruised around San Juan Bay with two other gentlemen. Director John Luessenhop (Texas Chainsaw 3D, Takers) is helming the fictionalized biopic, which also stars Matthew Modine and James Remar. On the dock, John - shielded by an umbrella wrangler - could be seen wearing his life jacket and elaborate harness to keep him from falling off the speedboat. Screen Daily reported on May 19 that Saban Films had already acquired US distribution rights from Hannibal Classics for Cigarette, which has no release date. Hard at work: The two-time Oscar nominee sported sunglasses as he cruised around San Juan Bay with two other gentlemen Action! Director John Luessenhop (Texas Chainsaw 3D, Takers) is helming the fictionalized biopic, which also stars Matthew Modine and James Remar Safety first! On the dock, John - shielded by an umbrella wrangler - could be seen wearing his life jacket and elaborate harness to keep him from falling off the speedboat No release date: Screen Daily reported on May 19 that Saban Films had already acquired US distribution rights from Hannibal Classics for Cigarette Set during the same day: Travolta was clad in the same exact costume (chambray shirt, khakis, and boat shoes) he was seen wearing on the set back on June 28 The movie was previously being filmed under the title 'Speed Kills', before changing to 'Cigarette'. Travolta was clad in the same exact costume (chambray shirt, khakis, and boat shoes) he was seen wearing on the set back on June 28. Back on July 3, NCIS star Jennifer Esposito flaunted her sixties garb as the character Kathy Aronoff, likely Ben's wife in the drama. Vikings' Katheryn Winnick - who plays Emily Gowen - gushed on Instagram on July 1 that it was 'such a pleasure to work with this legend.' The Canadian 39-year-old also made sure to take a behind-the-scenes selfie with Twilight alum Kellan Lutz, who portrays Robbie Reemer in Cigarette. Goofing around by her trailer: Back on July 3, NCIS star Jennifer Esposito flaunted her sixties garb as the character Kathy Aronoff, likely Ben's wife in the drama Behind the scenes: Vikings' Katheryn Winnick - who plays Emily Gowen - gushed on Instagram on July 1 that it was 'such a pleasure to work with this legend' 'Always an adventure!' The Canadian 39-year-old also made sure to take a behind-the-scenes selfie with Twilight alum Kellan Lutz, who portrays Robbie Reemer in Cigarette The American Crime Story actor has been on a streak of playing real-life people, including his title role in The Life and Death of John Gotti. Entourage alum Kevin Connolly directed Lionsgate Premiere's fully-authorised biopic on the Gambino crime family, which reportedly hits US theaters on August 25. John enlisted his wife of 25 years, Kelly Preston, and their 17-year-old daughter Ella to play Gotti's wife Victoria and daughter Angel - whose tweeted her approval. Like the real-life mobster couple, the Scientologists lost a child (eldest son Jett tragically died in 2009 at age 17), so they could relate to the characters. Next movie: The American Crime Story actor has been on a streak of playing real-life people, including his title role in The Life and Death of John Gotti Third effort: Entourage alum Kevin Connolly directed Lionsgate Premiere's fully-authorised biopic on the Gambino crime family, which reportedly hits US theaters on August 25 She is known for her age-defying features and physique, which make her look like a woman half her age. And Elizabeth Hurley pulled off another jaw-dropping display as she returned to work filming The Royals on Thursday. The 52-year-old actress put on a leggy display in a black lace mini dress, which exposed acres of Elizabeth's toned and tanned pins as she leisurely reclined on a pleather chair in a beaming Instagram snap. Scroll down for video Legs for days: Elizabeth Hurley put on a leggy display in a black lace mini dress, which exposed acres of her toned and tanned pins as she leisurely reclined on a pleather chair as she returned to work filming The Royals on Thursday The racy garment also hugged Elizabeth's sensationally slender figure and pert bust as she struck a relaxed pose in the photo captioned 'Good morning Trailer, good morning Pleather Chair, good morning #theroyals' Her caramel flecked chestnut tresses were styled into soft curls and parted on the side. The Austin Powers actress opted for soft smoky eye make-up, which enhanced her sparkling peepers and a slick of frosted pink lipgloss on her pump pout. Earlier this week Elizabeth displayed an impressive yoga move in a striking Instagram snap, which showed her clad in a skimpy hot pink bikini while arching her back all the way down to the ground. Envy-inducing figure: Elizabeth showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy pink bikini as she displayed an impressive yoga move in a striking Instagram snap on Wednesday Elizabeth executed the crab yoga move to perfection for the spectacular snap which saw her sizzle in the barely-there two-piece. With a pink printed mat rolled on the grass underneath her, the British beauty balanced on her toes, which allowed her enviably toned pins to take prominence. The pair of string bikini bottoms rested low on her hips and showed off her impossibly toned stomach. With her luscious locks cascading beneath her, Elizabeth sported a thrilled expression as she practised her yoga skills. Saucy: The actress left fans hot under the collar as she posed for a VERY sultry selfie that drew attention to her plentiful bust the day before on Tuesday 'Day 2 of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g,' the striking star captioned the snap while also crediting the bikini from her Elizabeth Hurley beach swimwear line. The day before, Elizabeth showcased her phenomenal figure and flawless complexion once more, as she shared a sultry photo of herself to Instagram. The star posed in nothing but a bath robe that left little to the imagination, while shrugged sexily off of her shoulders. Clearly tied together loosely, Elizabeth's robe made for a perilously low neckline, allowing her social media followers to steal a glimpse at her plentiful assets. Coming over all nonchalant when it came to her racy display, The Royals star simply penned alongside her post: 'Getting ready for my close up.' 'Sexy as hell': The stunning snap found the mother-of-one inundated with compliments, with many feeling obliged to comment on her bust-enhancing attire Racy display: It's not the first time the movie star has set pulses racing on the photo-sharing site, as she recently posed in plunging purple swimsuit She was pictured sitting down on set while being preened and pampered to perfection. Elizabeth boasted a glam make-up look that came complete with heavily kohl-lined eyes and spell-binding long lashes, as well as a nude pink lip and her lightened tresses in soft curls. The stunning snap found the mother-of-one inundated with compliments, with many feeling obliged to comment on her bust-enhancing attire. One follower penned: 'That is the most fantastic robe I have ever seen,' while another remarked: 'Sporting that 29yr old cleave still...' A third fan added: 'OMG you have been my ultimate crush since as long as i was old enough,' prompting another fan to write: 'Sexy as hell.' Back onscreen: Elizabeth has been enjoying television success once more with E! comedy sitcom The Royals in which she plays the role of Queen Helena - her son Damian, 15, has starred alongside her on the show It's not the first time the movie star has set pulses racing on the photo-sharing site, as she recently posed in plunging purple swimsuit. Seen fooling around at her English country manor, Elizabeth appeared green-fingered with a hose in hand, all the while showing off her jaw-dropping body. Proving she has the whole package, she looked sensational in her skimpy all-in-one, that again drew attention to her bust, along with her enviable frame. Elizabeth joked alongside her snap: 'Someone's gotta do it.' She has been enjoying television success once more with E! comedy sitcom The Royals in which she plays the role of Queen Helena. Mark Wright has previously made a cameo in the show as a talk show host, and Elizabeth's very own son, Damian Hurley, 15, had also starred. She has previously admitted to purposely taking a long break from the spotlight in order to focus on her parenting duties and bring up Damian. Reflecting on her eight years away from the industry, Elizabeth revealed in an interview with Closer magazine: 'Looking after my son became my No. 1 task, and it was a joy to have someone else on whom to focus. I was 36 and had been worrying about myself for quite long enough.' 'I stopped doing movies and TV for the first eight years of his life, and I don't regret it for a moment. I always put him first.' River Gallery is 25 years old. The Gallery invites the public to celebrate with them at their 25th Anniversary Exhibit "Little Jewels." A kick-off reception will be held on Friday, August 4, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Gallery, 400 E. Second St. in downtown Chattanooga. Artists Ed Cook, Victoria Pearmain, and Mary Lynn Portera will be present at reception. He has been portraying rapist Pierce Harris on ITV's Emmerdale in what has unfolded as a deeply traumatic domestic abuse story-line. And Jonathan Wrather has revealed just what it's like, as an actor, to take on such a role - explaining the way it's made him feel as a man, and the response he has had from fans. 'It's been mentally enlightening,' he told the Loose Women panel on Thursday lunchtime, of how he researched the character. 'Its kind of shocking. There is a common perception that the perpetrator is a predatory male after dark down a dark alley but its not; its much closer to home. Scroll down for video 'It was harrowing, enlightening and closer to home than you think!' Actor Jonathan Wrather reveals the disturbing truth about portraying a rapist on Emmerdale 'It has much more innocuous beginnings. A coercive relationship that then escalates into much more.' The soap star's character raped his own wife Rhona Goskirk [played by Zoe Henry] on the night of their wedding, in an episode last spring. As it currently stands, three months later, the plot sees Pierce set to face a court case. Jonathan, 48, went on: 'Weve had an extraordinary response to [the story-line]. Individuals have written in, some extraordinarily courageous people who have said "after watching the scenes this evening or following this story I was able to tell my mother for the first time that I had also been in a relationship of that nature and thankfully Im now divorced after four years". Harrowing: The soap star's character raped his own wife Rhona Goskirk [played by Zoe Henry] on the night of their wedding, in an episode last spring On trial: As it currently stands, three months later, the plot sees Pierce set to face a court case 'As actors portraying these characters were not on any sort of form of crusade, but we are given this story to deal with. We were very aware of that [responsibility] and so much research went into it. 'We tried to portray it as truthfully as possible and the writers and the story lining team everybody had been superb on all of that.' He added: 'I didnt know this story-line was coming. I felt like we were being gifted to take this story on. Its complex and challenging. 'To a degree it puts you in a dark place but you have to separate it.' He explained that, in order to do this, the cast are sure to keep things light when they're not in the midst of a scene: 'We have a lot of fun on set it sounds like a bad thing to say but its because of the intensity of what were doing.' He added: 'I didnt know this story-line was coming. I felt like we were being gifted to take this story on. Its complex and challenging. 'To a degree it puts you in a dark place but you have to separate it' Second thoughts: Jonathan has a young family - two children with his wife - and admits he might have thought twice about taking on the role had the kids been older Jonathan has a young family - two children with his wife - and admits he might have thought twice about taking on the role had the kids been older. 'I have two young kids If they were older I probably wouldve thought more about taking on the story-line.' He also teased what's to come: 'Were heading to a court case as you know; thats where were up to in the story. Outcome: 'There is kind of a duty of care and responsibility to the audience and therefore there will be some form of retribution, but I cant say. It does have to be realistic,' he said 'There is kind of a duty of care and responsibility to the audience and therefore there will be some form of retribution, but I cant say. It does have to be realistic.' On a lighter note, the Loose Women panelists asked him about being married to a German: 'I'm trying my best to learn German. I have no idea how to say I love you though. 'I have some German language discs in the car but I cant. Ive tried playing them but I couldnt concentrate!' Emmerdale continues on ITV. Brooke Burke-Charvet has one of the best bodies in Hollywood. The former Dancing With The Stars co-host just flashed her amazing curves in a yellow string bikini when on vacation in St Tropez last week. And on Thursday the 45-year-old brunette beauty reminded her fans that she works hard to look spectacular as she was seen heading to the gym in Malibu while wearing 2(X)IST active wear. Lovely lady: Brooke Burke looked fantastic in her 2(X)IST activewear as she headed to the gym in Malibu on Thursday morning Tops: The former Playboy cover girl looked as toned as can be in her black-and-white crop top that gave a great look at her sculpted arms and ripped abs The former Playboy cover girl looked as toned as can be in her black-and-white crop top that gave a great look at her sculpted arms and ripped abs. She added Capri leggings that made the most of her muscular legs. The TV star looked to be in great spirits as she held onto a bottle of water that was kept in a nifty hot pink container. Leggy lady: She added Capri leggings that made the most of her muscular legs Back to leg lifts! The TV star looked to be in great spirits as she held onto a bottle of water that was kept in a nifty hot pink container Brooke showed off her sensational figure in a teeny yellow bikini as she enjoyed a beach day in France on her vacation last week. The star shared the snap on Instagram Friday while she was home and battling jet lag. She wrote in the caption: 'Good Morning #StTropez I Miss you! #backtorealife.' Beach babe: Burke looked sensational in a bikini photo she shared on Friday after her trip to Europe Brooke flaunted her curves in the bright two-piece while shading her face with a pink floppy hat and some round sunglasses. A day earlier the star shared a cute snap of herself and daughter Heaven, 10, doing a yoga stance on the beach. 'Twinning with my Rainbow' the brunette beauty captioned the snap. Even on vacation Brooke didn't stop her workout and shared a clip of one of her exercise sessions around the streets of St. Tropez. Following in her footsteps: Brooke, 45, also posted this image of her showing off her flexibility alongside daughter Heaven, 10 Keeping at it: The mother-of-four showed her followers one of her workouts while on her vacation Brooke captioned the clip: '#workoutwednesday! YES baguettes, butter, cheese, wine but 1st....lunges, stair kickbacks, total push-ups and more lunges #anywhereeverywhere #aroundtheworld can't get to a gym, me either #noexcuses' She wrote: '#workoutwednesday! YES baguettes, butter, cheese, wine but 1st....lunges, stair kickbacks, total push-ups and more lunges #anywhereeverywhere #aroundtheworld can't get to a gym, me either #noexcuses' Since their trip kicked off, the TV personality has showed off her incredible sculpted body in a variety of swimwear. In mid-June, the family of four were in St. Tropez, where they frolicked on the beach; from there they headed to Naples, Italy before arriving to the Amalfi Coast. Fitness first: Brooke workout on the beach in this clip from last week Stretch it out: Although she was on a European vacation with her family for several weeks, she kept up with her fitness regimen She's a ten! The brunette beauty flaunted her perky derriere and her sculpted back in cut-out black bikini bottoms with a striped swimsuit top while on a boat in Italy Brooke started dating David in 2006; they tied the knot in August 2011. The lovebirds have two kids together: daughter Heaven, 10, and son Shaya, nine. She has two children from her previous marriage to Garth Fisher: daughters Neriah, 17, and Sierra, 15. The Project host has been noticeably absent from his regular panel seat the past two days. And it appears Waleed Aly may be taking annual leave from his television duties to enjoy a relaxing holiday with wife, Dr Susan Carland. In a selfie posted to Susan's Instagram on Thursday night, the loved-up couple posed in front of Uluru in the Northern Territory. So that's where he's been! Waleed Aly and his wife Dr Susan Carland shared a romantic holiday snap from Uluru on Thursday, after fans wondered why he was absent from The Project Susan cuddled up to husband Waleed as the sun set at the picturesque location. It appears Waleed, who does not have any social media accounts, may have taken the selfie with his outstretched hand. Wearing lanyards around their necks, it is possible they were visiting Ayers Rock Resort for the award-winning Field Of Light. How romantic! The married couple may be visiting the art installation Field Of Light Love story! Waleed and wife Dr Carland married in 2002 and share two children, 14-year-old Aisha and 10-year-old Zayd Field Of Light is an art installation consisting of 50,000 frosted-glass lights on the ground surrounding Uluru, with adult tickets ranging from $39 to $615 per person. The well-traveled pair have also holidayed overseas in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Lisbon, Portugal, Bali, Indonesia and Machu Picchu, Peru. It's unclear whether Waleed and Susan brought their two children along for the trip. 'Are half the regulars at job interviews?' Fans had previously joked Waleed's disappearance from The Project this week had something to do with Network Ten's voluntary administration Waleed and Susan, who was proclaimed the Australian Muslim of the Year in 2004, married back in 2002. The happy couple live in Melbourne and share 14-year-old Aisha and 10-year-old Zayd. Fans had joked Waleed's disappearance from The Project this week had something to do with Network Ten's voluntary administration, but it appears this is not the case. One viewer tweeted, 'Are half the regulars on The Project out at job interviews?', referencing the fact Rove McManus and Joe Hildebrand were guest hosts. He's just days away from his debut on Australian Ninja Warrior on Sunday. And on Thursday's edition of The Footy Show, former NRL star Beau Ryan was sussing out his competition. The 32-year-old seemed particularly impressed by fellow contestant Salim after he discovered how ripped his rival's physique was. Scroll down for video 'You've got an eight pack!' On Thursday's episode of The Footy Show, Beau Ryan (right) was highly impressed by the physique of Australian Ninja Warrior rival Salim (left) 'How's training going?' Beau asked his fellow Ninja before he lifted up Salim's shirt and began counting his individual abdominal muscles. 'You've got an eight pack!' said Beau, clearly impressed. Salim replied by joking: 'It's just one of those novelty aprons to cook the barbie with, mate.' 'Do you wanna see if you can maybe curl me?' Beau also asked Sal to incorporate him into the ripped athlete's exercise routine Abs-olutely ripped! Beau lifted up Salim's shirt and counted his individual abdominal muscles The former Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks player continued the humorous scene by asking Sal to prove his strength by using Beau in his exercise routine. 'Do you wanna see if you can maybe curl me?' Beau propositioned. He added: 'I'm about 87 kilos. I just ate lunch. Do you reckon you can give it a crack?' 'It's one of the toughest things I've done': Beau said preparing for Australian Ninja Warrior is one of the most physically demanding experiences of his life The TV personality, who is soon to become a father for the second time with wife Kara, will appear in the fourth heat of Channel Nine's obstacle course show. Ahead of his debut this weekend, Beau has revealed preparing for challenge has been one of the most physically difficult things he's had to endure. 'In terms of physical toughness and the effect on my body, it's one of the toughest things I've done for a long time,' Ryan previously told BW Magazine. She released a charity single in memory of her close friend George Michael in June. And Spice Girl Geri Horner, 44, was back at work promoting the poignant Angels In Chains on Thursday when she paid a visit to BBC Broadcasting House in London. The flame-haired pop star looked pretty as a picture in figure-hugging skinny jeans, a smart blouse and chic jacket while she left the radio studios following a day of interviews. Scroll down for video Back to work: pop star Geri Horner, 44, looked smart and stylish as she left the BBC radio studios in London on Thursday after promoting her new song, Angels In Chains, which was penned in memory of close pal George Michael The It's Raining Men hit maker opted for an overall smart casual ensemble for her day of work, which came after she spent an afternoon watching a Formula 1 Live event in Trafalgar Square with husband Christian. The former Ginger Spice slipped into a pair of skintight dark blue jeans which highlighted her slim legs, and teamed the trousers with a floaty cream blouse that had a Peter Pan collar. She threw on a pale pink biker jacket to complete the look, tying everything together with a pair of patent nude court heels that added a bit of height to her 5ft 1in frame, and a matching nude handbag. Looking good, Ginger! The Spice Girl turned heads with her stylish and chic ensemble at BBC Broadcasting House. She teamed skinny blue jeans with a cream blouse and pale pink biker jacket, pulling the look together with nude court heels The stylish star arranged her famous flame-coloured locks in voluminous mermaid-esque curls, which fell down her back. She kept it simple when it came to her makeup, opting for rosy cheeks, defined eyebrows, a touch of eyeliner and a slick of pink lipstick. A final touch saw her don a pair of gold rimmed brown aviator sunglasses. Flame-haired beauty: the pop star styled her trademark red locks in gorgeous tousled waves which tumbled down her back. She kept her makeup simple with just a touch of pink lipstick, defined brows, a slick of eyeliner and rosy cheeks Geri released the heartfelt song, Angels In Chains, last month. She wrote the moving track in memory of her good friend George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day. She was nine months pregnant with son Monty when George died. Discussing the process of writing Angels In Chains during an interview with Vogue, she said: 'When he diedthat was on the 25th of DecemberI didnt know what to do with my feelings. Close friends: Geri pictured with George in 2000. She wrote Angels In Chains in bed after learning the devastating news that he'd passed away on Christmas Day 'I was about to have a baby. And I was in the middle of writing an album, and I was going to present some songs to my record company. 'I was sitting in my bed, you know, very heavily pregnant, and I just started writing words down and a melody for a song. 'Four days before I had the baby, I went into the studio. I thought, I just wanna put this down. I know Im gonna get busy once I have the baby. I just put all of the feelings I felt about him into that song, and that was that.' The single made the Top 30 on the iTunes Worldwide chart on its release. Missed: legendary pop star George passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 53. He died from natural causes due to heart and liver disease Geri and her husband Christian, 43, named their baby son Montague George Hector Horner in memory of the Wham! star. Montague - who goes by the nickname Monty - arrived in January, less than a month after George passed away at his home in Oxfordshire from natural causes due to heart and liver disease. Explaining the decision to name their son after George, Geri - who also has daughter Bluebell from a previous relationship - told Sunday Mirror's Notebook magazine in June that her mum was the first to suggest the tribute. 'I was very cautious about what is actually respectful, but my mother absolutely adored George. She would go round his house and have little chats with him. George as a middle name has poignancy.' All proceeds from Angels In Chains go to Childline, a charity George supported. She's had a very interesting summer so far after welcoming baby daughter Polly and then splitting from the father right after. So it's clearly time for Amy Childs to take a break from life in the UK and treat herself - and Polly - to a trip away. Amy, 26, was seen strutting through Ibiza airport, pushing Polly in a pram, on Thursday afternoon, having touched down in the Spanish party town. Scroll down for video Baby's first holiday: Single mum Amy Childs pouts her way through the airport in tiny denim shorts as she and six-week-old daughter Polly jet into Ibiza Touching down: Amy, 26, was seen strutting through Ibiza airport, pushing Polly in a pram, on Thursday afternoon, having touched down in the Spanish party town The former TOWIE star sported a flowing white top, swamping her lithe figure, which looks to be as honed as ever despite only recently giving birth. She also donned a pair of tiny denim shorts, putting on a leggy display as she strutted through the Arrivals terminal, pouting away as usual. Amy looked a typical hands-on mum, with a pink baby bag slung across her body and comfy sandals on her feet. She made sure to retain her glamorous persona however, accessorizing with the pair of over-sized shades and teaming her baby bag with a light pink pram - which she has designed herself. Svelte: The former TOWIE star sported a flowing white top, swamping her lithe figure, which looks to be as honed as ever despite only recently giving birth She also dragged her own suitcase behind her, multi-tasking, as she kicked off her first holiday with her little girl. She ended her relationship with her jailbird beau Bradley Wright six weeks after their daughter's arrival. In a statement released to MailOnline, Amy confirmed: 'Amy has not thrown Brad out, but they have split up amicably. Brad will of course see Polly whenever he likes and they will remain friends.' Hands on: She also dragged her own suitcase behind her, multi-tasking, as she kicked off her first holiday with her little girl A busy time: She's had a very interesting summer so far after welcoming baby daughter Polly and then splitting from the father right after In October, Amy confirmed to OK! magazine that she was expecting Polly with her jailbird boyfriend Bradley after trying to get pregnant before he served his five-month spell in prison for handling stolen goods last year. In the interview the delighted star revealed she is 'shocked but happy' as she awaited the arrival of her first child after revealing she did not think she could get pregnant. The pair met in a pub in Essex two years ago but their relationship came to a halt in 2015 when Bradley was sentenced to 16 months in prison for handling stolen goods. Amy, who reunited with her on-off beau in March, announced the news as she revealed they were overjoyed after wanting a child for some time. Pushing through: The former TOWIE star slipped into a pair of tiny shorts However, the jailbird, who is already father to daughter Lexi from a previous relationship, only served five months of his sentence as he was released early for good behaviour leading to their eventual reunion. She recently opened up about her current relationship status, admitting that she is in no hurry to seek love after splitting from her former flame. Writing in her new! magazine column, she dished: 'Some people have said they hope I find someone, but Im in no rush.' Insisting Polly is her priority, the reality star revealed she hoped the former couple could remain 'supportive' to each other for the sake of their little girl. Amy added: 'Id rather me and Brad be supportive of each other and he be a good dad to Polly. I really hope he keeps it up for Polly's sake.' She previously broke down in tears in January on Loose Women while discussing her bankruptcy woes. And now Gail Porter has reflected on her turbulent year and has revealed how it really felt facing up to her difficult financial situation in an exclusive vlog for HuffPost UK on Thursday. The TV presenter and former model, 46, - who began her career on Blue Peter in the 1990s - revealed how she used to hide her bills under her bed but is now focusing on turning her life around for the better. Scroll down for video Turbulent: Gail Porter has reflected on her turbulent year and has revealed how it really felt facing up to her difficult financial situation in an exclusive vlog for HuffPost UK on Thursday She shared: 'I got to the situation where I literally didnt want to get out of bed, but obviously being a mum you cant do that. It wasnt from going on really expensive holidays, or buying really expensive stuff. Basically I lost my hair. 'Bills kept coming in and the jobs werent coming in. Unfortunately the industry that I work in - its not like you go to work 9-5 every single day, which I would love to do. 'I just couldnt keep up with this, simple things like electricity and gas and water bills and living in London and being a mum,' she added. New focus: The TV presenter and former model, 46, - who began her career on Blue Peter in the 1990s - revealed how she used to hide her bills under her bed but is now focusing on turning her life around for the better (Pictured in 1999) 'But I was panicking like crazy thinking, "how do I get out of this?"' Yet, the Scottish actress revealed she found solace in knowing that her some friends had also been declared bankrupt in the past and is happy to help others in the same situation now have perspective on it all. She admitted: 'I didnt realise some of my friends had been bankrupt because they were so proud, like me, just going "oh my gosh".' 'But now I feel like Ive been there and if I can help other people.' A guiding light: Yet, the Scottish actress revealed she found solace in knowing that her some friends had also been declared bankrupt in the past and is happy to help others in the same situation now have perspective on it all Her candid confession comes six months after she publicly confessed she had been declared bankrupt. Recalling the difficult time on Loose Women earlier this year, Gail explained: 'I was an idiot. I kept getting bills and instead of dealing with them, I would just put them under my pillow unopened.' She added that being sectioned six years ago was the catalyst for her financial troubles as she wasn't working and therefore couldn't pay her bills. 'I ran away from everything and things got worse. They weren't huge bills.' 'I was an idiot': Recalling the difficult time on Loose Women earlier this year, Gail explained: 'I was an idiot. I kept getting bills and instead of dealing with them, I would just put them under my pillow unopened' (Pictured in 2015) When asked about reports she had slept on a park bench, Gail replied: 'It was ages ago. I couldn't afford anywhere, I was on Hampstead Heath.' After losing her hair completely in 2005, alopecia sufferer Gail - who found fame on Blue Peter, Top Of The Pops and Live & Kicking - found that her work opportunities faded rapidly - causing her outgoings to be far greater than her income. She has said that she believes being sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2011 has also affected her chances of landing work. Speaking to Closer magazine in February, the former Celebrity Big Brother star claimed: 'TV is a visual industry and they want you to look a certain way. The truth is I'm not pretty and I don't have hair. I'd get work offers, but then it'd go quiet.' Anna Chlumsky was flustered when presented with her nomination on Thursday. The star was presenting the nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards in LA when Shemar Moore opened an envelope and surprised her with a nomination. When the SWAT star told her she had been singled out for her performance in Veep she said: 'Neato!' Scroll down for list of Emmy nominations... Happy: Anna Chlumsky was flustered when presented with her nomination on Thursday. The star was presenting the nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards in LA when were Shemar Moore opened an envelope and surprised her with a nomination 'For the Fifth Consecutive Emmy Nomination for Outstanding comedy series for Veep none other than my sweetheart there Anna Chlumsky,' he said. 'There it is that's my girl. You are like the Meryl Streep of TV!' 'That's neat-o that's so cool,' she said. Cute: 'For the Fifth Consecutive Emmy Nomination for Outstanding comedy series for Veep none other than my sweetheart there Anna Chlumsky,' he said Anna looked radiant in a red dress. 'Ok, stay sharp,' she said. Saturday Night Live and Westworld led the Emmy Award nominations tally tied with 22 nods each. The awards show will be held September 17 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Stephen Colbert will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast by CBS. In the limited TV series Feud, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford are seen competing in Hollywood over roles, awards and popularity. Now fiction has spilled over into real life as the women who played the icons - Jessica Lange as Joan and Susan Sarandon as Bette - are going head-to-head in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series Or Movie 2017 category. Other actresses in the category are Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman (both in Big Little Lies) as well as Carrie Coon for Fargo and Felicity Huffman for American Crime. Scroll down for list of Emmy nominations... Claws out? Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon have both been nominated for an Emmy for Feud; Susan played Bette Davis and Lange was Joan Crawford Both ladies won praise for their brave performances as aging titans in the acting industry. While Susan played her Bette as an angry, frustrated artists, Jessica showed a vulnerable side to the steely, ambitious Joan. When the series came out earlier this year, both actresses said there was no competition between them and they got along well, which was the opposite of what happened to Bette and Joan. Looking good! Sarandon is seen here in Germany on July 5 In Feud, viewers see Joan find the book What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? and pitch it to studio heads. When she finally garners interest, the beauty suggests bringing in her real life enemy Bette to work with her. Joan becomes frustrated when Joan not only gets all the praise for her acting skills, but also wins affection from the director. She made it happen: In Feud, viewers see Joan find the book What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? and pitch it to studio heads She handed Bette the role: When she finally garners interest, the beauty suggests bringing in her real life enemy Davis to work with her Feud does not stop there. The ladies are seen battling it out at awards time, with Bette the only one getting the Oscar nod. Joan sabotages Better and she never wins her Academy Award for Baby Jane. A repeat: In Feud Bette gets an Oscar nomination for What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? while Joan did not; but Joan has the last laugh as she sabotages Davis The 69th Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday in LA by Anna Chlumsky and Shemar Moore. Anna was also given a nod for Veeps. When the SWAT star told her she had been singled out for her performance she said: 'Neato!' In character: Susan as Bette shooting a scene for What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? 'For the Fifth Consecutive Emmy Nomination for Outstanding comedy series for Veep none other than my sweetheart there Anna Chlumsky,' he said. 'There it is that's my girl. You are like the Meryl Streep of TV!' 'That's neat-o that's so cool,' she said. Happy: Anna Chlumsky was flustered when presented with her nomination on Thursday. The star was presenting the nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards in LA when were Shemar Moore opened an envelope and surprised her with a nomination Cute: 'For the Fifth Consecutive Emmy Nomination for Outstanding comedy series for Veep none other than my sweetheart there Anna Chlumsky,' he said Anna looked radiant in a red dress. 'Ok, stay sharp,' she said. Saturday Night Live and Westworld led the Emmy Award nominations tally tied with 22 nods each. The awards show will be held September 17 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Stephen Colbert will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast by CBS. Vicki Gunvalson has opened up about her strained relationship with her former best friend Tamra Judge. The Real Housewives Of Orange County star spoke candidly to DailyMail.com about her hopes to repair the damaged relationship, and also shared her thoughts on her co-star's recent plastic surgery. The 55-year-old said Tamra 'looks pretty,' after going under the knife around two weeks ago, but added: 'I didn't 'think she needed a face lift.' Scroll down for video Honesty: Vicki Gunvalson spoke to Dailymail.com on Thursday about her thoughts on co-star Tamra Judge's plastic surgery Tamra, 49, has been open about her facial surgery, which Vicki says she hasn't seen in real life. 'Tamra is a pretty girl so if she wants to improve herself, more power to her. I support her.' The reality star mentioned that they go to the same plastic surgeon; she had her eyes done by the same doctor. Vicki is also open to more surgery in the future: 'If it helps me look better than why not.' Not holding back: Tamra has been open about her recent face lift, which Vicki says she hasn't seen in real life; Tamra showing off her new look earlier this week and (r) after fresh surgery Closer look: 'Tamra is a pretty girl so if she wants to improve herself, more power to her. I support her, Vicki said;' Tamra pictured post surgery Truthful: While Vicki revealed she had her eyes done at the same doctor as Tamra, she's also had a nose job, work on her cheeks and a chin implant; pictured (l) in 2009 and (r) 2017 The RHOC co-stars have been on the outs since she repeated a rumor about her husband, alleging that Tamra's husband Eddie was gay. She says hopes to move on from the conflict with Tamra and also co-star Shannon Beador: 'I just want to be kind. I want forgiveness.' 'We haven't talked. There's still unresolved issues,' she said when asked what her relationship is with the two women. 'They love to hate me.' Happy couple: The RHOC co-stars have been on the outs since she repeated a rumor about her husband, alleging that Tamra's husband Eddie was gay; seen together in October The last time she saw Tamra and Shannon was at the final party for the show. 'They're hurt and I'm hurt. I just want to move on. I just want to be kind. I want forgiveness. Draw the line in the sand.' In addition to the Eddie rumors, Vicki said on RHOC that the parking lot at Tamra's gym - CUT Fitness - was always empty. During this week's Watch What Happens Live, Tamra hit back, calling the comment 'rude.' Candid: 'We haven't talked,' she said when asked what her relationship is with the two co-stars. 'They love to hate me;' pictured on Monday's episode of RHOC The fitness star also took a jab during her appearance on the show: 'Vicki clearly hasn't been in a parking lot of a gym in a long time so she wouldn't know if it was full or not.' Vicki responded: 'All I know is my office was very close to her gym. There's five gyms near her and the people working out dispersed.' She added that she doesn't work out at Tamra's gym nor does she does she spend time at its parking lot. No longer friends: The last time she saw Tamra and Shannon was at the final party for the show; pictured from Monday's episode Poised for drama: The fitness star also took a jab at Vicki during her appearance on the show, noting that she doesn't see Vicki working out; seen on the show The Bravo star said: 'I'm sorry I hurt her but that's what it looks like.' Vicki noted that Tamra's gym only offers about three or four classes, which could be why, adding: 'The truth is the truth. I don't see any cars.' The businesswoman made a observation about Tamra, commenting that she can 'throw zingers and nobody can say anything to her.' The TV star found it interesting that Tamra and Shannon are 'always talking about me. It's obvious that they care for me and they want to keep me relevant, so to speak.' 'I'm not the person they think I am. Tamra knows my heart. And she knows who I am,' she said. 'I think she likes to stir up the pot a little but I love her and I love Shannon.' Adding: 'I'm tired of the conflict too and we got to work together, so might as well work together in peace.' During the interview, she revealed that she has an issue with her heart: 'I got a leaky valve, so they're monitoring that.' Busy lady: Vicki revealed that she has an issue with her heart; the star runs her own company, which is often seen on the show Vicki, who has been part of the show since season one, says maintaining her health, keeping her stress levels down and going to the gym has been her focus. On the show, her co-star Shannon blamed her for her 40 pound weight gain. Shannon claimed that Vicki caused her stress by alleging that her husband David was physically abusive, which she vehemently denied. David, however, did have an affair. Vicki addressed it head on, noting that 'stress can make you gain weight or lose weight. And I'm sure all that stuff that happened last year didn't help her stress and her marriage.' She said: 'I'm sorry Shannon you feel I'm to blame for it.' Distance: On the show, Shannon blamed Vicki for her 40 pound weight gain; Shannon claimed that Vicki caused her stress; Shannon and her husband on the show Earlier this week, Vicki told Access Hollywood that her daughter Briana 'almost died' after catching an infection during a surgical procedure in Oklahoma. Vicki said that while she's doing better, 'she kind of got upset with me that I was publically talking about her health.' 'Adding she's my daughter and I love her more than my own life. I hate her to be sick.' On the mend: Earlier this week, Vicki told Extra that her daughter Briana (pictured) 'almost died' after catching an infection during a surgical procedure in Oklahoma On her boyfriend Steve, the star says she doesn't want to rush into marriage. 'I told him the other day, I'm not dating to pass the time,' noting that when the time is right, they will take the next step. Vicki and the Real Housewives Of Orange County are on Bravo every Monday. The Real Housewives Of Orange County airs in the US on Bravo every Monday. UK viewers can stream and download The Real Housewives of Orange County S12 Tuesdays on hayu, reality on demand. In a good place: On her boyfriend Steve, the star says she doesn't want to rush into marriage Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanoogas young professionals group, called the Red Shoe Society, is hosting a Redneck Cruise on the Southern Belle, 151 Riverfront Pwky., this Friday from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. The boat will board at 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. There will be a DJ, dancing, and a cash bar. Prizes for the best dressed rednecks will be awarded. The grand prize is two tickets to the Bristol Motor Speedway for Saturday, Aug. 19. The main event sponsor for the night is Truck N Trailers USA."The purpose of the evening is to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House to continue to support families who have hospitalized children. All admission proceeds will go back to helping families at the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House," officials said. The nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Thursday morning. And while many shows were highlighted with SNL and Westworld topping the list with 22 nods each, some old favorites were left off the list. The biggest losers were The Walking Dead, Girls, Empire, Transparent, The Leftovers, American Gods, Mandy Moore (for This Is Us) and Jimmy Fallon. Scroll down for list of nominations... No love here: The nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Thursday morning and several names were left off the list like Mandy Moore, who soared on This Is Us; seen in May The cast: Actors Chris Sullivan, Ron Cephas Jones, Susan Kelechi Watson, Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, Mandy, Chrissy Metz and Milo Ventimiglia in June Why him and not her? While Moore was left out in the cold, her costar Milo got a nod While Moore was left out in the cold, her costar Milo Ventimiglia got a nod for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Veeps Anna Chlumsky and Criminal Minds alum Shemar Moore announced this years nomination along with TV Academy boss Hayma Washington. Game of Thrones and Orphan Black were not snubbed as they were named ineligible due to their late debut dates. No thanks: Lena Dunham's HBO series Girls did not get recognized; seen here in May At work: Dunham with Riz Ahmed in a scene from the last season of Girls The Leftovers was one of the biggest surprises. The HBO show stars Jennifer Aniston's husband Justin Theroux. It's now in its third and final season. The series has been critically acclaimed, and with its winding plot and surprises here and there it looked like it could have been a contender. Lena Dunham's Girls was loved by the Emmys when it debuted, but not now. Empire from Lee Daniels did not shine and star Tarji P. Henson was left out. Came up short: The Leftovers was one of the biggest surprises. The HBO show stars Jennifer Aniston's husband Justin Theroux. It's now in its third and final season Not named: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was also ignored. Some say the show was not political enough; here he is seen with The Rock in May Can't win 'em all! Jeffrey Tambor is nominated for Transparent, but the show was passed over The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was also ignored. Some say the show was not political enough. Orange Is The New Black didn't fare well either even though Taylor Schilling showed off quite the acting range this season. Jeffrey Tambor is nominated for Transparent, but the show was passed over. The Americans was not nominated though star Keri Russell was. Live: Veeps Anna Chlumsky and Criminal Minds alum Shemar Moore announces this years nomination along with TV Academy boss Hayma Washington The zombie apocalypse hit The Walking Dead from AMC was left in the morgue. American Gods is a new show with a solid fan base, but it did not get noticed. Oprah Winfrey had a great year with her OWN network and starring in the HBO TV movie The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. But she did not get recognized. Nada: The zombie apocalypse hit The Walking Dead from AMC was left in the morgue Still behind bars: Orange Is The New Black didn't fare well either even though Taylor Schilling showed off quite the acting range this season The TBS series The Detour has been loved by critics and it was believed it could make the list this year, but it did not, even with the star power of Samantha Bee's husband Jason Jones and the always impressive Natalie Zea. Lauren Graham did not get noticed for her heartbreaking work in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Vera Farmiga delivered on Bates Motel, but there was no Emmy love for her. Christine Baranski looked to be Emmy gold, but she did not get noticed for The Good Fight. The awards show will be held September 17 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Stephen Colbert will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast by CBS. Claire Foy and James Corden have been named amongst the British nominations at the forthcoming 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The pair feature prominently in a lengthy list of nominees named by actors Anna Chlumsky and Shemar Moore at the Television Academys Wolf Theatre in North Hollywood on Thursday. Foy, 33, has been named in a strong Drama Actress category for her accurate portrayal of a young Queen Elizabeth in Netflix series The Crown. Scroll down for video and full list of nominees Nominee: Claire Foy has been named in a strong Drama Actress category at the forthcoming 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards for her accurate portrayal of a young Queen Elizabeth in Netflix series The Crown She will compete for the award alongside Viola Davis (for How to Get Away with Murder), Robin Wright (for House of Cards), Keri Russell (for The Americans), Evan Rachel Wood (for Westworld) and Elisabeth Moss (for The Handmaids Tale). The Crown has also been named in the category for best Drama Series, where it faces stiff competition from Better Call Saul, The Handmaids Tale, This Is Us, House Of Cards, Westworld and Stranger Things. Meanwhile Corden, 38, features in the category for Variety Talk Series thanks to his hosting role on the Late Late Show with James Corden. Popular: Meanwhile James Corden features in the category for Variety Talk Series thanks to his hosting role on the Late Late Show with James Corden The hugely popular show will vie for an Emmy alongside Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Real Time With Bill Maher and Jimmy Kimmel Live! Other Brits to feature include veteran star Sir Anthony Hopkins, who has been named in the category for best Drama Actor following a well received appearance in Westworld. Hopkins' co-star Thandie Newton has also been named in the category for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, where she will compete alongside fellow Brit Millie Bobby Brown - a nominee thanks to her role as troubled youngster Eleven in Stranger Things. Nominated: Other Brits to feature include veteran star Sir Anthony Hopkins, who has been named in the category for best Drama Actor following a well received appearance in Westworld In the mix: Fellow Brit Millie Bobby Brown is a nominee thanks to her role in Stranger Things British shows Black Mirror and Sherlock will also go head to head, with respective episodes San Junipero and The Lying Detective (Masterpiece) among the nominees for Television Movie. Black Mirror also features in a second category, with San Junipero screenwriter Charlie Brooker featuring among the nominees for Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama. Elsewhere Ewan McGregor and Geoffrey Rush have both been named in the category for Limited Series Actor thanks to their respective roles in Fargo and Genius. Main man: Elsewhere Ewan McGregor has been named in the category for Limited Series Actor thanks to his role in Fargo Honoured: Geoffrey Rush has also been named in the category for Limited Series Actor thanks to his role in Genius Fiery celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay adds to the list of British nominees courtesy of his appearance in the Host for a Reality/Reality-Competition Program, for MasterChef Junior. However Matt Smith, who stars alongside Foy in The Crown, surprisingly misses out on an Emmy nomination. HBO's sci-fi western Westworld and NBC's comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live led the field for television's most prestigious award. Stranger Things, Netflix's award-winning sci-fi-horror drama set in the 1980s, and FX's Feud: Bette and Joan, about the famous rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, scored the next highest tallies with 18 nods. The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 17. The Emmy nominations were announced Thursday and HBO's Big Little Lies received 16 total. Star Reese Witherspoon, 41, took to Twitter with a photo of the cast to congratulate everyone who worked on the show. 'Wow! So thrilled about the #Emmys nominations for #BigLittleLies! The cast & crew worked so hard to make this happen! Thanks to all the fans,' she captioned the post. The blonde was nominated in the Best Actress In A Limited Series Or A Television Movie along with her co-star Nicole Kidman which means the two will have to duke it out for the gold. So thrilled! Reese Witherspoon, 41, took to Twitter after Big Little Lies was nominated for 16 Emmy awards, with a photo of the cast to congratulate everyone who worked on the show Battle of the ladies: She stars as Madeline Martha Mackenzie in the critically-acclaimed HBO drama, will go up against co-star Nicole Kidman in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie category The mother-of-three plays Madeline Martha Mackenzie in the critically-acclaimed HBO drama. She's a strong-willed, wealthy, and feared alpha-female in town with a first-grade daughter and teenage daughter from an earlier marriage. She received rave reviews for her part in the series. Nicole also got critical praise for her part as Celeste Wright, a high-powered lawyer turned stay-at-home mom who suffers abuse at the hands of her violent husband, played by Alexander Skarsgard. Fellow cast members Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Alexander Skarsgard were nominated in supporting categories. Nicole spoke with Entertainment Weekly shortly after finding out about her nomination. 'It really connected. People really got it,' Nicole said of the show. 'It's just unheard of! It's a shared victory and a shared joy.' She told the publication that she has already been in contact with Reese: 'We texted,' she laughed. 'We're so modern.' Showing their talent: Both Reese and Nicole Kidman (pictured with Shailene Woodley) got rave reviews for their part in the series Although the HBO drama hasn't been officially slated for a season two, Nicole has hopes that the critical praise and recognition will help. 'It inches us closer,' Kidman says of a potential new season. 'But so much of it is trying to stay true to the characters and their voices. If we can do it, then it will be done. I believe their stories warrant it and I don't want to abandon them. We don't want to sell them short, either. But I'm hoping we can find it if we take the leap.' She also touched on the close bond the cast shares and how supportive they are of one another. 'It started with friendships and the friendships are strong. It's one of those times where nothing like this has happened before. We'll all be there holding hands.' Tough performance: Nicole revealed filming the intense scenes with Alexander Skarsgard took a bit of a toll on her The actress has spoken out about what a toll the series took on her personally. Revealing the extent of her trauma, the 50-year-old told W magazine last month: 'I was just lying there, naked in half-torn underwear. 'I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom at the end of a difficult scene, and I just wouldn't get up in-between takes.' She added: 'I was just lying there, basically naked in half-torn underwear, and Jean-Marc Vallee (the director) would come over and place a towel over me. It was very hard. 'I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom at the end of a difficult scene, and I just wouldn't get up in-between takes,' she recalled 'At times it felt dangerous and really upsetting, and I would go home afterwards and I would feel - I would keep on a very brave face at work and then I would go home and I didn't realize how much it had penetrated me.' Despite the trauma, the lead actresses, including Nicole and Reese, have both teased a second season. 'It never started that way, the idea of another chapter. But at the same time, the thought of continuing the lives...there's definitely room for exploration,' 50-year-old Nicole told the LA Times last month. Coming back! Despite the trauma, the lead actresses, including Nicole and Reese, have both teased a second season Witherspoon teased: 'The only thing about a season two is that Renata (Laura) and Madeline (Reese) wouldn't get to torture each other. Now we're friends. That's no fun!' The series has yet to be officially renewed by HBO. The Golden Globe winner has her hands full with her four-year-old son Tennessee with second husband Jim Toth, and her 13-year-old son Deacon with first husband, Ryan Phillippe. She also has teen daughter Ava. She enjoyed a short-lived stint on Made In Chelsea. And Kimberley Garner continued to enjoy her time in the spotlight as she posted another bikini selfie from her sun-soaked holiday in France on Thursday. The swimwear designer, 27, put on a colourful display as she posed against a picturesque terracotta wall. Scroll down for video What she does best! Kimberley Garner continued to enjoy her time in the spotlight as she posted another bikini selfie from her sun-soaked holiday in France on Thursday Dressed in a lavender thong bikini, she pulled the bottoms high on her hips, ensuring her pins were on full fisplay. The bralet made the most of her petite figure, and she kept the ensemble simple, opting to go jewellery-free. Wearing her blonde hair loose, she captioned the snap: 'Pic by my girl.. on our way to the beach'. Doing it for the gram! The swimwear designer, 27, put on a colourful display as she posed against a picturesque terracotta wall The swimwear designer revealed last month that she is single after calling time on a long-term relationship. She told MailOnline: 'I ended the relationship recently. It was a really wonderful three years and we are still good friends today.' The swimwear designer revealed last month that she is single after calling time on a long-term relationship. She told MailOnline: 'I ended the relationship recently. It was a really wonderful three years and we are still good friends today.' The socialite has been notoriously tight-lipped about the identity of her previous long-term boyfriend, who was often seen with her in west London. Speaking to The Sun during her appearance at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, she said: 'It was a great relationship. Id love to meet someone with a great personality its all about the personality for me.' Kimberley joined Made In Chelsea in March 2012 before departing the following November, as she featured in some extremely tumultuous storylines. She dated Richard Dinan on the show, with the businessman whisking Kimberley off on romantic dates and later a holiday to Italy . Carrie Fisher may be gone, but she was not forgotten during consideration for the 2017 Emmys. On Thursday, Anna Chlumsky and Shemar Moore took the stage at the Television Academys Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, California to reveal the nominees for the 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The late Star Wars icon received a nod for her work on the British sitcom Catastrophe, in the wake of her sudden death in December. Posthumous honor: Carrie Fisher has been nominated for a 2017 Emmy Award after her sudden death in December Making a lasting impression: The late legend was nominated for her guest role as Mia in Catastrophe The actress tragically passed away last year at the age of 60, after suffering a medical emergency on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Following four days in the Intensive Care Unit of UCLA Medical Center, Carrie died on December 27. In January, the celebrity's death certificate was released, citing 'cardiac arrest/deferred' as the cause. A report last month revealed the star had cocaine, heroin, opiates, and MDMA in her system when she died. But in the wake of her devastating passing, Carrie's legacy has been honored with a 2017 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. The posthumous nod is for her short stint as Mia on the British sitcom Catastrophe. The series centers on an American boy named Rob who impregnates an Irish woman named Sharon after an impromptu hookup in London. Devastating deaths: Carrie's mother, Debbie Reynolds, passed away the very next day after she did The day after Carrie's death, her mother, Debbie Reynolds, suffered a 'severe stroke' and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The Singin' In The Rain star passed away that afternoon, as a result of an intracerebral hemorrhage and hypertension, at 84 years old. In January, the mother and daughter were buried together in a private ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Mourning daughter: The Star Wars alum was survived by her famous daughter, Billie Lourd Family tragedy: The Scream Queens star mourned both her mother and grandmother on Instagram after their sudden deaths After Debbie's passing, Carrie's daughter Billie Lourd took to social media to mourn the loss of her mother and grandmother. 'Receiving all of your prayers and kind words over the past week has given me strength during a time I thought strength could not exist,' she captioned an Instagram throwback photo of herself with her famous family. 'There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me,' she continued. The Scream Queens star also touched on her late mother's substance abuse after the coroner's report was released. 'My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases,' Lourd said in a statement to People. 'She talked about the shame that torments people and their families confronted by these diseases. I know my Mom, shed want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles,' the actress added. Acclaimed actress: Carrie had been previously nominated for Emmys in 2008 and 2010, and presented George Lucas with a Daytime Emmy for his animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2013 Carrie had previously been nominated for two Emmy awards during her lifetime. In 2008, she was recognized for her guest appearance as Rosemary Howard on 30 Rock, and in 2010 she received a nod for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for her work on Wishful Drinking. In June of 2013, the late legend attended the 40th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, where she presented George Lucas with the award for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program for his show Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Carrie, herself, was known for starring as Princess Leia in the director's Star Wars film franchise. They have had a very sociable week so far, attending Simon Cowell's glamorous Syco summer party on Wednesday. But Dermot O'Leary and Dee Koppang looked fresh as daisies as they attended the Dunkirk World film premiere in London on Thursday. The X Factor presenter, 44, and his wife, 38, put on a chic display for the occasion. Scroll down for video Looking good! Dermot O'Leary and Dee Koppang looked fresh as daisies as they attended the Dunkirk world film premiere in London on Thursday Dressed in a grey well-fitted suit, Dermot put on a dapper display, adding a crisp white shirt and black tie to the equation. He held on to his wife of five years proudly, who stood out in a pretty black slip with an embellished lace overlay. Featuring a pearl collar and pocket detail, she accentuated her stature in a pair of peep toe heels and added a splash of designer with a Chanel bag. Suave: Dressed in a grey well-fitted suit, Dermot put on a dapper dsiplay, adding a crisp white shirt and black tie to the equation The duo posed happily at the star-studded film premiere, which included guests such as Harry Styles, Prince Harry, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy. Dermot O'Leary and Norwegian-born Dee married in Kent back in 2012. The TV presenter popped the question to his long-term love the year before during a trip they had taken to New York. His proposal came 10 years after the couple first begun dating. Cute couple: He held on to his wife of five years proudly, who stood out in a pretty black slip with an embellished lace overlay While they are yet to start a family together, Dermot hasn't ruled out having children and in an interview with Fabulous magazine in 2015, he claimed he and his wife were waiting for it to be the 'right time'. He explained: 'I definitely want kids, but I've got a very busy wife with a very busy life. It's not fair for me to say, "I want kids now". 'I do want kids with my wife, but I want them when we both think it's the right thing to happen.' Hollywood was buzzing on Thursday morning when the nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced. And soon after celebrities shared their reactions. Sofia Vergara said 'bravo' to her hit series Modern Family getting a nod in the Best Comedy category while Julia Louis-Dreyfus made a joke about Russian as she was noticed for her work on Veep and Nicole Kidman said she had to 'bow down to the Academy' for being recognized for her work on Big Little Lies. Scroll down for list of nominations... A lotta talk: Sofia Vergara, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Nicole Kidman reacted to the Emmy nods on Thursday morning Vergara's Modern Family co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson added: 'I cant believe that @ModernFam has been invited to the @TheEmmys for the 8th year in a row! Truly humbled. Congrats to all the nominees!' Veeps Anna Chlumsky and Criminal Minds alum Shemar Moore announced the 2017 nomination along with TV Academy boss Hayma Washington in LA. The awards show will be held September 17 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Stephen Colbert will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast by CBS. Claps: Vergara said 'bravo' to her hit series Modern Family getting a nod in the Best Comedy category More: Her co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson added: 'I cant believe that @ModernFam has been invited to the @TheEmmys for the 8th year in a row! Truly humbled. Congrats to all the nominees!' 'Thx 2 @TelevisionAcad 4 our 17 noms 4 @VeepHBO,' wrote Julia. She then joked, 'We welcome any info Russian govt has on any of our opponents & r avail 4 meetings. #veep.' Nicole Kidman was nominated for her role as an abused wife in Big Little Lies. 'When we started on this journey we never thought the series would connect on such a big way worldwide,' she said. 'I have never experienced anything like it and as producers and actors we all bow down to the Academy with thanks!' Hilarious: Julia Louis-Dreyfus made a joke about Russian as she was noticed for her work on Veep Comedy: 'Thx 2 @TelevisionAcad 4 our 17 noms 4 @VeepHBO,' wrote Julia. She then joked, 'We welcome any info Russian govt has on any of our opponents & r avail 4 meetings' Her co-star Reese Witherspoon added: 'Wow! So thrilled about the #Emmys Nominations for #BigLittleLies! The cast & crew worked so hard to make this happen! Thanks to all the fans.' Mindy Kaling said, 'Congrats to my Reese Dawg @RWitherspoon. Madeline from #BigLittleLies is EVERYTHING.' Alec Baldwin said on Twitter, 'Many thanks to the Television Academy members for the nominations. @nbcsnl @matchgameabc.' Her note: Kidman was nominated for her role as an abused wife in Big Little Lies. 'When we started on this journey we never thought the series would connect on such a big way worldwide,' she said Another: Her co-star Reese Witherspoon added: 'Wow! So thrilled about the #Emmys Nominations for #BigLittleLies! The cast & crew worked so hard to make this happen! Thanks to all the fans' He is best known this year for playing President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. That late night show won 22 nods, tying with Westworld. Evan Rachel Wood talked to EW about her show Westworld getting so many nominations. 'What I try to do is forget when theyre gonna be announced so that its a nice surprise and so youre not losing sleep with the anticipation killing you,' she said. They made it hot again: Alec Baldwin and Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live; the show received 22 nominations His words: Baldwin tweeted: 'Many thanks to the Television Academy members' 'So I kind of put it out of my mind and saw the phone ringing this morning and thought, "Okaaaaaaaaaaay, I bet I know what this is." 'Its wonderful. Ive been speaking to my cast-mates all morning and Im so proud of them and the show, and everyone involved works so hard on it and loves it so much. Its just a wonderful feeling when its a perfect storm like this.' Kevin Spacey of House Of Cards wrote: 'If at first you dont succeed, try try try try try try try try try try again! #Emmys2017 #HOC.' He has been nominated six times. Playful: Kevin Spacey of House Of Cards wrote: 'If at first you dont succeed, try try try try try try try try try try again! #Emmys2017 #HOC.' He has been nominated six times Sweet success: Robert De Niro wrote, 'It is most gratifying that the Television Academy has chosen to honor Wizard Of Lies in so many categories. Here he is seen with co-star Michelle Pfeiffer in May Mandy Patinkin of Homeland stated, 'So honored to be nominated, so honored to be able to work as an actor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.' Robert De Niro wrote, 'It is most gratifying that the Television Academy has chosen to honor Wizard Of Lies in so many categories. 'It was truly a collaborative effort to bring this production to fruition. I am proud to be a part of it.' Classy: Mandy Moore was not nominated but her show was. She wrote: 'I am unbelieving proud of my #thisisus fam! Congrats @sterlingkb1, @ChrissyMetz, @MiloVentimiglia and #roncephasjones! Wowowowow!' She's sure happy: Chrissy Metz told UsWeekly : 'Im overwhelmed. I cant handle it all, but its amazing! I cant even describe it because its something Ive never felt before, so to be honest, Im still figuring it out. Its wonderful' Mandy Moore was not nominated but her show was. She wrote: 'I am unbelieving proud of my #thisisus fam! Congrats @sterlingkb1, @ChrissyMetz, @MiloVentimiglia and #roncephasjones! Wowowowow!' Chrissy Metz told UsWeekly: 'Im overwhelmed. I cant handle it all, but its amazing! I cant even describe it because its something Ive never felt before, so to be honest, Im still figuring it out. Its wonderful. Nice touch: Lena Dunham gave a shout out to her pals, even though her show Girls didn't get acknowledged 'Its so rewarding to be recognized by your peers, by people youve revered for so long. 'Its like Im a part of the cool kids club or something!' Tracee Ellis Ross from Blackish said, 'Yaaassss!! Congrats @AnthonyAnderson! #blackish #Emmys.' The Bachelor's Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski have been sharing incredibly loved-up photos from their 'babymoon' in Hawaii all week. And on Friday, Sam took to Instagram to show off his beautiful fiancee and her growing bump. In the short clip, the 34-year-old beauty dances from side to side in her underwear. 'Cuteness 100': Sam Wood gushes over his pregnant fiancee Snezana Markoski as she dances in her underwear and shows off growing bump on their 'babymoon' She smiles as she looks to the camera, which is presumably held by Sam, and flaunts her beautifully tanned skin and growing bump. A smitten Sam captioned the clip: 'Cuteness 100'. It's one of many images the clearly head-over-heels in love pair have shared to social media over the past week. In one post, shared to the personal trainer's account, the couple as smitten as ever while kissing in a picture-perfect swimming pool. Grooving: In the short clip, the 34-year-old beauty dances from side to side in her underwear which consists of black panties and a grey activewear bra top Sam gushed over his bride-to-be in the caption of the photo, which saw the pair stripped down against a back drop of palm trees and ocean views. 'Seven days in paradise with the love of my life,' he wrote. In another image Snez, who has kept up her regular exercise routine while away, flaunted her burgeoning baby bump in workout gear. Smitten: The clearly head-over-heels in love pair have shared many images of their babymoon to social media over the past week Getting ready: It may be the last time the couple will be free for a romantic getaway before the arrival of their bundle of joy, which is due in October It may be the last time the couple will be free for a romantic getaway before the arrival of their bundle of joy, which is due in October. Sam and Snezana, who met in 2015 on The Bachelor, announced back in May they were expecting their first child together. Tunisian security forces stand guard near the National Bardo Museum in Tunis on March 19, 2015 A trial opened in Tunisia on Tuesday over the 2015 attack at the Bardo museum that killed 21 foreign tourists and a police officer, court officials said. Two gunmen opened fire at the National Bardo Museum in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Some 21 detained suspects, including two women, attended Tuesday morning's unannounced hearing, defence lawyer Samir Ben Amor said. Three others, who were not under arrest, were not present, he said. About 30 people are also on trial in absentia, defence lawyer Rafik Ghak said. The suspects, who were not named, would be tried for "terrorist crimes", according to the French Association for Victims of Terrorism and Imed Belkhamsa, a lawyer for victims of the attacks. Under a 2015 anti-terror law, they could face the death sentence -- although Tunisia has had a moratorium on implementing capital punishment since 1991. Since its revolution in 2011, the country has faced a series of jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of more than 100 soldiers and police, 20 civilians and 59 foreign tourists, according to an official tally. A month after the Bardo attack, 38 foreign holidaymakers including 30 Britons were killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach resort near the city of Sousse. That November, a suicide bombing in the capital killed 12 members of the presidential guard. IS claimed all three attacks. Following the Bardo attack, authorities arrested around 20 people and announced they had dismantled "around 80 percent of the cell" responsible. Months later, they released eight of the suspects, including a man they had said was the head of the cell. French lawyers for the victims and their families have said the investigation had left "several dark areas". One of them, Philippe de Veulle, told AFP he would boycott the trial, saying it would not offer "independent justice". Some 26 people went on trial in May over the Sousse attack, including six security personnel accused of failing to assist people in danger. More than 5,000 Tunisians have travelled abroad to join jihadist groups, mainly in Iraq, Syria and Libya. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart the White House for Paris on July 12, 2017 US President Donald Trump departed for France Wednesday, as yet another political firestorm swirled in Washington over allegations that Russia helped the Republican ascend to the White House. Air Force One departed at 7:43 pm (2343 GMT) for the trip to Paris during which Trump, who sported a cerulean blue tie for the trip, is expected to include talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and participate as a guest of honor in the country's national holiday festivities. The visit comes days after the release of emails that the US president's son jumped at a Russian offer to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton during the campaign -- the latest development in the probe into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election. "Getting rdy to leave for France @ the invitation of President Macron to celebrate & honor Bastille Day and 100yrs since U.S. entry into WWI," Trump tweeted prior to his flight. He is set to arrive Thursday in Paris for talks with Macron expected to focus on joint efforts against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. The two leaders will then dine at the Michelin-starred restaurant embedded in the Eiffel Tower, taking in sweeping views of the French capital with their wives Melania and Brigitte. The following day they will watch French and American troops march down the Champs-Elysees in Paris during the holiday's traditional military parade. Trump and Macron, who both entered office this year, appear to have little in common. Last month the mercurial US leader notably withdrew the US from the global Paris climate change agreement to Macron's dismay. But the French government has emphasized its newly-minted leader will work to reaffirm "historic ties" between the two allies and prevent the US from "being isolated." Hawkinsville Missionary Baptist Church will be celebrating the 33rd Pastoral Anniversary for Senior Pastor Dr. and Mrs. Bobby L. Hampton, Sr. "The HMBC membership gives honor to God for providing us with such a godly and honest man of God. The 33rd anniversary marks a milestone of one of his many accomplishments. Under the leadership of Dr. Bobby L. Hampton, Hawkinsville Church growth has built two new church sanctuaries at the same location. During the evolution of Tyner, East Brainerd, Hamilton Place, Gunbarrel Road, and Enterprise South communities during his 33 years as the pastor, he has given vision to Hawkinsville Church that is growing with it over the years. "Hawkinsville Baptist originally started in 1910 in a small home located in rural Tyner on the same land as the Volkswagen plant; Enterprise South. They were forced out by the TNT plant," officials said. The celebration will be held at Hawkinsville Missionary Baptist Church, 7463 Pinewood Dr. in Chattanooga on Sunday, July 23, at 11 a.m. "This is a community public invitation to everyone to share in this event," officials said. Another 38 probable mass graves have been discovered in DR Congo in the country's troubled central region of Kasai, the United Nations said Wednesday. At least 80 mass graves have now been identified in the region that has seen a major spike in violence between security forces and a tribal militia since September. The international community has voiced alarm over the violence, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, according to statistics compiled by the Roman Catholic church. The UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping mission had previously spoken of "more than 400 dead" while about 1.3 million people are estimated to have fled their homes in the Kasai provinces. The investigative mission this month found the latest mass graves in the Diboko and Sumbula areas of the Kamonia territory, the UN said. The violence began last year when Kamwina Nsapu, a tribal chieftain in territory near the southern border with Angola, openly challenged the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government, provoking a crackdown by security forces. Nsapu was killed in a police operation in August 2016, but his armed followers fight on in the belief he is still alive, because he was buried by the regime without respect for traditional rites accorded leaders of his stature which would have opened the way to a rightful succession. Last February, MONUSCO accused the Kamwina Nsapu militia of "atrocities... including the recruiting and use of child soldiers," but also condemned "a disproportionate use of force" by government troops. Two western experts sent to investigate the conflict by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went missing in March and their bodies were found in a shallow grave by peacekeepers a fortnight later. The government blamed the tribal militia for their murders. Partial view of the US-Mexico border wall painted by members of the Brotherhood Mural organization in Tijuana, Mexico On the imposing metal sheets of the border fence that divides Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego, California, a hand reaches out in friendship amid a burst of butterflies. Nearby, in darker tones, a pile of skulls is crowned by a steely cross. This massive meditation on humanity at its best and worst is the work of Mexican artist Enrique Chiu, who is seeking to set a Guinness World Record for the longest mural ever painted. Named the "Mural of Brotherhood," the painting is nearly two kilometers (a mile and a quarter) long. And Chiu's canvas could get a lot bigger if US President Donald Trump gets his way: his planned border wall would stretch some 1,600 kilometers. The current world record holder for the largest outdoor mural is in the US state of Colorado and measures 3.2 kilometers long and more than 17 meters high. Chiu is not alone in his quixotic project to set a world record covering the border wall in art. Some 2,000 residents of the border region have contributed to the project, painting pictures, words or simply leaving their handprints on a long section of the various types of wall and fencing that already cover about one-third of the 3,200-kilometer border. The "Mural of Brotherhood," painting is nearly two kilometers (a mile and a quarter) long, with some 2,000 residents of the border region contributing "It's a project that seeks to create a link between art and society. It's about making an artistic, social mural, in which people can come and express whatever they want, whatever is on their minds, their experience of life on the border," said Chiu. The project, which started last December, contains a wide array of styles, from professional artists' paintbrushes to urban taggers' graffiti. Those with less artistic flair have covered the wall in words like "unity," "equality," "art" and "freedom," in both Spanish and English. One of the most oft-repeated messages is: "#NoWalls." The report was released a day before the start of election campaigning for August 4 elections in which incumbent President Paul Kagame is expected to handily win a third term The soldiers came at dawn to Fulgence Rukundo's house in a village in western Rwanda, and accused him of stealing a cow. They draped slabs of the dead cow's carcass around his shoulders and positioned the animal's head on his before marching him into a banana plantation and shooting him dead, according to witnesses cited in a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on extrajudicial killings released Thursday. An investigation by the rights group alleges that Rwandan security forces executed at least 37 suspected petty offenders, including Rukundo, instead of prosecuting them. Another four have allegedly disappeared. Rwanda's Justice Minister Johnston Busingye slammed the report as "clearly fake", saying HRW had been "duped". "Rwanda will continue to tell her own story, as befits Rwandans," he wrote on his Twitter account. According to HRW, the wave of documented extrajudicial killings took place between July 2016 and March 2017 in western Rwanda and appeared to be part of an official strategy to "spread fear, enforce order and deter any resistance to government orders or policies." - 'New orders' - "In most of the cases documented by Human Rights Watch, local military and civilian authorities told residents after the execution, often during public meetings, that they were following 'new orders' or a 'new law' stating that all thieves and other criminals in the region would be arrested and executed," the report says. Despite occurring in front of multiple witnesses, the killings have not been discussed in Rwanda, where the media has been muzzled and local rights groups are afraid to speak out, according to HRW. After being taken from his home, Rukundo was first marched to a public meeting, with hundreds of villagers following the grisly spectacle, where the mayor accused him of stealing the cow. "All thieves must be killed," the mayor said, according to a witness at the meeting, before signing a piece of paper along with the soldiers who then took him away and shot him, the report says. One resident from the Rubavu district told HRW that warnings were delivered in regular community meetings, an important part of village life in Rwanda. "In 2016, the authorities started saying things in meetings like, 'We will kill people we catch stealing'," the report cited the witness as saying. Others killed without a trial were accused of stealing bananas, sugarcane or a motorcycle. According to the report, based on 119 interviews with family members, witnesses, officials and others, at least 11 men were killed for using illegal nets while fishing on Lake Kivu in Rubavu. - Families silenced by fear - HRW also documented the case of two men who were killed by civilians after being encouraged to do so by local authorities. Family members were left terrified and warned to keep silent. One widow, taken to the body of her husband after he was in the forest, said: "The soldiers told us not to be sad and not to cry. They said if we dared to cry, we would risk being shot." Another witness to the killings told HRW: "We have no right to free expression. If we talk about this, we will end up in prison or disappear." Rwanda has been held up as an African success story for advances in its economy, infrastructure and security since the 1994 genocide in which some 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, were killed. But alarm has risen in recent years over a crackdown on freedoms and opposition groups. A report by Amnesty International last week warned that two decades of repression had created a "climate of fear" ahead of next month's presidential election. A trench is being dug around the University of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria to prevent Boko Haram suicide attacks A giant bulldozer digs a deep ditch among the bushes surrounding the University of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria, turning it into a fortress to prevent further suicide attacks by Boko Haram. About 27 kilometres (17 miles) of trenches are being dug around the institution, known locally as UNIMAID, which has since the start of the year become a main target of the Islamist militants. From the fringes of the university campus, the silent, arid bushland of Borno state stretches out as far as the eye can see. "Suicide bombers usually come on foot or by motorbike," said one security guard, stepping down from an old iron watchtower overlooking the vast, 43-hectare (106-acre) site. The eastern side of the campus is not fenced, leaving kilometres of open ground for attackers to try to get in. Emergency personnel work at the site of a blast at the University of Maiduguri on June 26, 2017 According to AFP reporting, since January there have been at least eight suicide bomb attacks against the university, which teaches the "Western" education the jihadists despise. But unlike most state primary and secondary schools, which were either destroyed or closed because of attacks or kidnappings, university classes have not been disrupted. Christians and Muslims from across Nigeria have studied together since the 1970s. Nearly 45,000 students were registered last year, making it one of the biggest state-run universities in the country. The campus itself was spared from attack until January 16. Muhammadu Nur, a 20-year-old law student, remembered the day vividly, as he ran to the mosque near his dormitory when a loud explosion went off at morning prayers. UNIMAID spokesman Danjuma Gambo works in his office in Maiduguri Two students and a lecturer were killed when explosives being carried by a young girl were detonated at the entrance to the mosque. Muhammadu's friend, Abba, was injured and taken to hospital. He had a leg amputated a few days later. "Everyone was in shock," said Muhammadu. - Call for action - The university campus had until then been seen as a haven of peace in Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded in 2002 and which has been repeatedly attacked since the insurgency began in 2009. Across the city, suicide attackers and bombs have targeted camps for those displaced by the conflict, markets, mosques and bus stations. A trench is being dug around the University of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria to prevent further Boko Haram suicide attacks "It becomes a habit to see mutilated bodies, arms and legs, blood all over the place," said Muhammadu at the university cafeteria, wringing his hands. But fear has gradually set in and if a student's bag is judged to be overly large, they are immediately suspected of being "one of them", he added with a nervous laugh. At the end of June, student associations, lecturers and non-academic staff called for help, demanding urgent measures to end what they said was the "nightmare" of continual attacks. If their demands were not met, they threatened to strike at the start of the new term in 2017. "It is obvious that teaching, learning and research cannot be effectively conducted in this atmosphere of fear," they said, adding that 70 lecturers and many more students had left over the year. - Uncertain future - The university authorities responded equally firmly. "The management of the university made it clear that we will not close the university," said UNIMAID spokesman Danjuma Gambo. "It is a symbol of advanced Western education. Closing down the university would show that the insurgents are succeeding. It's exactly what they expect," he added. A petrol tanker on fire following a suicide attack in Nigeria's Maiduguri on March 3, 2017 The governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, in response announced financial help of 50 million naira ($160,000, 140,000 euros) to construct a perimeter trench several metres (feet) deep. Security checks at entrances to the campus -- which had previously been relaxed because of counter-insurgency successes -- were reinforced. Army, police and civilian militia patrols were introduced day and night. Many students, however, said they doubted whether the measures were enough, highlighting the low wages and lack of training of the people charged with protecting them. "I have 14,000 naira monthly and I haven't been paid for two months," said one security guard. "I don't want to die for Boko Haram." The end-of-year exams were held in June and preparations are being made for the return of the students. Muhammadu and his friend Suleiman, who live with their lecturer parents on the campus, will graduate next year. The Boko Haram insurgency has not only killed their classmates. It has also affected their hopes for the future in a region where the economy has ground to a halt and millions do not have enough to eat. "Many of our friends who already graduated are unemployed now," said Suleiman, a final-year political science undergraduate. "We have no idea what the future brings," he added. Former political prisoner and member of the Pan African Congress party, Kenny Motsamai, sits in the courtyard of his house few day after being released on parole after spending more than two decades in prison, in Ekurhuleni, in January 2017 Inside South Africa's maximum security Groenpunt prison, hawk-eyed guards stroll between rows of wooden benches, watching inmates closely as they meet visitors. Among the notorious jail's residents is 51-year-old triple murderer Percy Chepape, an anti-apartheid fighter serving a 60-year sentence for his "politically motivated" crimes committed in the chaos that followed liberation in 1994. The former underground operative of an armed group linked to the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) has been behind bars for 20 years, convicted of a deadly armed robbery on a benefits office in a remote town in the country's north. He claims the aim of the June 1997 heist, which was carried out with seven accomplices, was to raise funds to buy arms and ammunition to help those who broke away from the PAC defend themselves from violence. He has since shown remorse and sought to apologise to his victims' families, while the widely-publicised release of fellow activist Kenny Motsamai this year has offered a ray of hope. Chepape was among 149 prisoners jailed for "political crimes", who were considered for parole under a special pardon scheme launched in 2007. Some 2,100 applied. Only 51 prisoners were found to be eligible and a task force has helped release 39 of them. But Chepape is among the remaining 12 who do not know if they are still under consideration or will ever see freedom -- leaving them in nervous limbo. "I am paying for what I did, but a part of me feels that my sentence was punishment for who I was not what I did," he said, folding his muscular arms. "Sometimes I ask myself if my political activism was worth it." - Fight to end apartheid - His breakaway group, the Revolutionary Watchdogs, rejected a negotiated settlement to end apartheid in favour of a forced takeover of the country from the white minority. This put it at odds with other political groups, including the now-governing African National Congress (ANC). "As a result we came under fire from faceless agents attached to the state and rogue ANC units," Chepape told AFP. Of the three people who were killed in the raid, two were white, and he was subsequently convicted of three counts of murder as well as robbery. Chepape, a father of three from Katlehong township east of Johannesburg, said he received the harshest sentence despite not being directly involved in the killing. "I drove the cash van after the robbery. I did not shoot," he said. "The heist was politically motivated, we did not do it for ourselves." The PAC, which holds only one seat in South Africa's parliament, has been demanding the release of political prisoners like Chepape. Many were sentenced before the end of apartheid in 1994. The rollout of the 2007 pardons has been slow and beset by legal problems. The process focused on cases that were not heard by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a tribunal launched to investigate apartheid-era political crimes and chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It concluded its work in 1998. - Conflicted history - "Our case is forgotten and what we fought for and risked our lives for was in vain," he said. Officials have refused to comment on Chepape's situation. But he has been encouraged by the case of Kenny Motsamai, who was freed in January after spending 27 years in prison for the murder of a white traffic officer in 1989 during a heist. Motsamai was serving a life sentence and had refused to apologise or show remorse for the killing. "Apartheid was a crime against humanity, why do we as black people have to go and apologise to the whites?" Motsamai told AFP from his home. Unlike Motsamai, Chepape has sought to make amends for his crimes. "The families have turned down my request for a meeting to make an apology and I have accepted that," Chepape said. Chepape was left dismayed after white, apartheid-era murderer Eugene de Kock was paroled in 2015 "in the interest of nation-building and reconciliation". Dubbed "Prime Evil", De Kock was in 1996 given two life sentences for heading an apartheid-era police death squad. "It is very disappointing to hear that someone who committed far more crimes has been freed," he said. Back in Groenpunt, Chepape is still waiting, unsure what his future holds. Oscar-winning filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is discussing a movie project based on the Manson Family killings with several A-list actors: Hollywood Reporter Oscar-winning filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is planning a movie based on the notorious Manson Family killings, according to US media. The American director is discussing the project with several A-list actors, the Hollywood Reporter said, and will direct from his own script. The weekly trade paper, citing unnamed sources, said Brad Pitt, who starred in Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" (2009), and Jennifer Lawrence have been approached. Legendary producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, who have worked with Tarantino on all his recent films, will also be involved, the publication reported. The plan is reportedly to shoot in 2018, although no distribution deal is yet in place. Manson Family member Bruce Davis was imprisoned for more than four decades after killing two people who were mutilated and tortured Charles Manson, who at 82 is still behind bars, was the leader of a California cult called "The Family" which murdered several people, including the pregnant Hollywood star Sharon Tate. Lawrence and Australian actress Margot Robbie are being considered for the role of Tate, who was slain while Manson was not present, said Variety magazine. Pitt could play Vincent Bugliosi, the lawyer who prosecuted the family. In a bloody killing spree in August 1969, Manson and his followers killed seven people in two days. Although he has been branded "America's icon of evil", Manson is not regarded as a serial killer, as others mostly carried out the murders he was initially sentenced to death for. Tarantino, who dropped out of high school insisting he could learn more on his own, won best screenplay Oscars for black comedy western "Django Unchained" in 2013 and cult favorite "Pulp Fiction" in 1995. A North Korean soldier looks through binoculars in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the Korean peninsula China insisted Thursday it was upholding UN sanctions on North Korea despite a jump in its trade with the nuclear-armed nation that comes amid growing US calls for Beijing to rein in its neighbour. Sino-US relations have soured in recent weeks as President Donald Trump has urged Beijing to step up diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes. Tensions rose after North Korea's test this month of an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the US mainland. Despite Washington's calls for action, trade between China and its neighbour increased 10.5 percent to $2.5 billion in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year, including a 29.1 percent jump in exports. But customs administration spokesman Huang Songping said Beijing was upholding the UN sanctions against the regime of Kim Jong-Un. "Simple accumulated data cannot be used as evidence to question China's severe attitude in carrying out UN Security Council resolutions," Huang told a news briefing. He pointed to a 13.2 percent drop in imports from North Korea in the same period as an example of the pressure, adding that there have been sharp decreases every month since March. "UN Security Council sanctions are not a total ban on shipments. Trade related to DPRK people's livelihood, especially those that reflect humanitarianism should not be influenced by the sanctions," Huang said. - Iron ore up - China announced in February the suspension of coal imports from the North, striking a blow at a major source of income for the hermit state. Huang said coal imports dropped by three-quarters in the first half, and all those shipments had been made before February 18. At the same time, iron ore imports have surged between January and May to $74.4 million compared to $24 million over the same period last year. But foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said UN resolution 2321 allows imports of iron and iron ore if the income is for the livelihood of civilians. "It has nothing to do with creating income for DPRK nuclear programmes, so it is not on the sanctions list," Geng told a regular news briefing. By comparison, imports of coal alone were worth $97.6 million just in the month of February. - US pressure - Chart showing total trade between China and North Korea, according to the Chinese customs administration Trump has complained that trade increased between the two despite calling on his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to use the nation's unique diplomatic and economic clout over North Korea as leverage. "Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 percent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us -- but we had to give it a try!" Trump tweeted on July 5. Previous Chinese customs data showed two-way trade with the North had risen 30.6 percent in dollar terms in the first three months of the year. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said on Sunday that Washington would crank up pressure on China to ensure it implements sanctions over the missile test. She told the Security Council last week that the US planned a new resolution that would also ensure existing measures are enforced. "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 told CBS television. The Trump administration angered China last month by imposing sanctions on a Chinese bank accused of laundering North Korean cash and approving a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province. Increasingly strict curbs imposed on the mostly Muslim Uighur population have stifled life in the tense Xinjiang region. Worshippers quietly passed through metal detectors as they entered the central mosque in China's far western city of Kashgar under the stern gaze of stone-faced police officers. The increasingly strict curbs imposed on the mostly Muslim Uighur population have stifled life in the tense Xinjiang region, where beards are partially banned and no one is allowed to pray in public. For years, the square outside the mosque in Kashgar was packed with teeming crowds as worshippers jostled for space to unroll their prayer rugs and celebrate the end of Ramadan. But no longer. This year, an eerie silence hung over the plaza outside the imposing prayer hall as devotees gathered to mark the end of a month of fasting -- the lowest turnout in a generation according to residents. Authorities declined to comment on the numbers. But local businessmen told AFP the government had used the multiple checkpoints encircling the city to prevent travellers to Kashgar from joining Eid prayers. In China's Xinjiang region beards are partially banned and no one is allowed to pray in public. "This is not a good place for religion," said one trader. Beijing says the restrictions and heavy police presence seek to control the spread of Islamic extremism and separatist movements, but analysts warn that Xinjiang is becoming an open air prison. China is "essentially creating a police state of unprecedented scale," said James Leibold, an expert on Chinese security at Australia's La Trobe University. - 'Great wall of steel' - The government began ramping up security and religious restrictions in Xinjiang in 2009, following a series of riots in the regional capital Urumqi that left around 200 dead. In March, President Xi Jinping ordered security forces to build a "great wall of steel" around the region after Uighurs claiming to belong to a division of the Islamic State group in Iraq threatened to return home and "shed blood like rivers". Beijing says restrictions imposed on the mostly Muslim Uighur population restrictions and heavy police presence seek to control the spread of Islamic extremism and separatist movements, but analysts warn that Xinjiang is becoming an open air prison. Over the last year, Beijing has flooded Xinjiang with tens of thousands of security personnel, placed police stations on nearly every block, and rolled out tough regulations aimed at "eliminating extremism". Public signs say no one is permitted to pray in public or grow a beard before the age of 50, while government employees are forbidden from fasting during Ramadan. In Tashkurgan, near the Pakistan border, authorities shut a halal restaurant as "punishment" for refusing to serve food during the holiday, according to a shopkeeper working next door. A teacher and a government official told AFP that schools discourage students from using the traditional Arabic Muslim greeting "As-Salaam Alaikum" ("peace be upon you"). "The government thinks this Islamic word is equal to separatism," the official said. The region's ubiquitous surveillance cameras are particularly abundant in places of worship: an empty mosque in the southern city of Yarkand had three of them pointing directly at the spot where the imam leads prayers. Even more hung from the wooden rafters like bats. At police stations, officers monitor screens with direct feeds from mosques as well as other buildings and nearby streets. In the run-up to Eid in the southwestern desert oasis town of Hotan, police manned checkpoints with rifles and crude spears made from metal pipes. Public signs say no one is permitted to pray in public or grow a beard before the age of 50, while government employees are forbidden from fasting during Ramadan. At one intersection, men in bulletproof vests stopped traffic for a fleet of dozens of heavily armoured trucks, personnel carriers with mounted guns and black vans. The caravans patrolled the city every day during the month of Ramadan, a police officer said. At a mosque in the heart of Hotan, Muslims gathering for Friday prayers passed through a police barricade and showed identity documents at two checkpoints before entering. Inside, plainclothes men with Communist Party lapel pins and sunglasses kept a close eye on hundreds of worshippers. At the front of the mosque, an LED signboard reminded people that "the greatest task for Xinjiang's masses is harmonising ethnic unity and religion." Such signs are a common sight throughout Xinjiang, where tensions between Uighurs and the majority Han ethnic group have led to violent clashes. - Fears of violence - Chinese authorities have long linked their crackdown on Uighur Muslims to international counter-terrorism efforts, arguing that separatists are bent on joining foreign extremists like Al-Qaeda. Uighurs have been tied to mass stabbings and bombings that left dozens dead in recent years across the country. Riots and clashes with the government killed hundreds more. Worries about extremism notwithstanding, many Xinjiang residents fear the loss of their cultural identity and question whether the government has gone too far with restrictions imposed on the mostly Muslim Uighur population. Worries about extremism notwithstanding, many Xinjiang residents fear the loss of their cultural identity and question whether the government has gone too far. "We don't want it to become another Pakistan or Afghanistan," a shopkeeper in Tashkurgan said, fearing violence could spill into China from the nearby countries. But, he added, "only a small minority of Muslims are extremists. The Chinese government can't differentiate." The US free trade agreement with South Korea went into force in March 2012, since when Washington says its trade deficit with the country has more than doubled The United States formally declared Thursday it wants to renegotiate its free trade agreement with South Korea, as the world's biggest economy seeks to redraw the global commerce system in its favour under President Donald Trump. Trump railed against trade agreements on the campaign trail, blaming them for the loss of American jobs as he courted support from working class voters, while supporters say that removing barriers to business increases prosperity overall. He has already pulled the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposal led by the Obama administration to create the world's biggest trade pact, which was signed in February last year but never went into force. And talks are due to start next month on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, after Trump backed down from a threat to withdraw unilaterally from the pact, which has boosted industry and created tight manufacturing, agriculture and business links throughout the region. The US free trade agreement with South Korea, known as KORUS, went into force in March 2012, since when Washington says its trade deficit with the country has more than doubled, from $13.2 billion in 2011 to $27.6 billion last year. Seoul puts the 2016 figure at $23.2 billion. In a statement, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said he had called a joint committee meeting under KORUS "to start the process of negotiating to remove barriers to US trade and consider needed amendments to the agreement". Trump has described KORUS as a "horrible" deal for the US, and in a letter to South Korea's trade minister, Lighthizer said there were "problems regarding market access in Korea for US exports" and Washington wanted to see a "more balanced trade relationship". The joint committee should meet next month in Washington, he added. Seoul reacted sceptically, with the ministry of trade, industry and energy saying in a statement that the deal could only be changed by mutual agreement. "Under the FTA, it is not necessarily obligatory for our side to comply with the US proposal for amending the FTA," it said in a statement. "First of all," it added, officials should "study, analyse and assess the effect of the KORUS FTA and determine whether the FTA should be blamed for the trade imbalance". - Deeply entwined relationship - Trade is only one part of the deeply entwined relationship between South Korea and the United States, which are in a security alliance. More than 28,000 US troops are stationed in the South to protect it against nuclear-armed North Korea, which last week for the first time successfully tested a missile that could reach Alaska. The Trump administration is seeking tougher United Nations sanctions against the North -- which has vast artillery firepower within range of Seoul -- and says it is keeping its military options open. Trump has also assailed Tokyo, another Asian security ally, over trade. Japan, Australia and New Zealand are leading efforts by the remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership countries, the so-called TPP 11, to resuscitate the agreement, convinced it will lock in future free trade and strengthen labour rights and environmental protections. The original 12-nation TPP covered 40 percent of the global economy and was in part crafted as a counterweight to the burgeoning economic might of China before Trump abruptly abandoned it in January to meet his campaign pledges. In his statement on KORUS, Lighthizer said: "President Trump continues to keep his promises to lower our trade deficit and negotiate better trade deals for American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses." Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo died aged 61, more than a month after he was transferred from prison to a heavily-guarded hospital to be treated for late-stage liver cancer China lashed out Friday at international criticism after it denied Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's dying wish to leave the country and faced pressure to set the democracy champion's widow free. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing lodged official protests with the United States, France, Germany and the United Nations human rights office over their "irresponsible remarks" regarding Liu Xiaobo, and he took aim at his Nobel status. "Conferring the prize to such a person goes against the purposes of this award. It's a blasphemy of the peace prize," he told reporters. The United States and the European Union paid tribute to Liu Xiaobo as it urged President Xi Jinping's government to let his widow, the poet Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010, leave the country. Germany voiced regret that Beijing ignored its offer to host Liu while French President Emmanuel Macron remembered him as a "freedom fighter". Britain hit out at China for preventing Liu from travelling overseas for treatment. The UN human rights commissioner, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, said Liu "was jailed for standing up for his beliefs". While China lodged protests, some of the global reaction to his death was relatively muted, highlighting China's emergence as an economic and diplomatic superpower on the world stage. US President Donald Trump and Macron offered praise for Xi at a joint press conference in Paris and only voiced sadness for Liu later in statements. In a sign of China's growing confidence, the state-controlled Global Times newspaper said in an English-language editorial that "the West has bestowed upon Liu a halo, which will not linger". - 'Grieve in peace' - A day after Liu's death, attention turned to his widow's fate. Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's death silences a government critic who had been a thorn in the side of the authorities for decades and became a symbol of Beijing's growing crackdown on dissenting voices Chinese doctors said she was by her husband's side when he lost his battle with liver cancer on Thursday at age 61, more than a month after he was transferred from prison to a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang. Liu's main doctor said he was able to say goodbye to his 56-year-old wife and in his final moments told her to "live well". Profile of Liu Xiaobo, Chinese dissident But authorities have restricted her contact with the outside world and her whereabouts were unknown following the death of her husband, a veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests whose advocacy for democratic reform infuriated the government. The foreign ministry spokesman said he would "not make prejudgements" about whether Liu Xia could go abroad and that China always handles the entry and departure of its citizens "in accordance with the law". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid tribute to Liu Xiaobo and called on Beijing "to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes". The EU urged Beijing to let Liu Xia and her family bury the dead democracy campaigner "at a place and in a manner of their choosing, and to allow them to grieve in peace". Jared Genser, a US lawyer who represented Liu, said all contact with Liu Xia had been cut off in the past 48 hours. "I am deeply worried about what's happening with her right now," Genser told CNN, adding that it would be hard for the government to still justify holding her without charges. "The world really needs to rally and mobilise to make sure she can go wherever she wants and that she can bury her husband wherever she wants," he said. In Hong Kong -- the only part of China where dissent is tolerated -- people have been paying tribute to Liu at a makeshift memorial outside the Chinese Liaison Office Liu Xia's parents both died over the last year, and the poet, who was never interested in politics, has suffered from depression, according to friends. "After the death of Liu Xiaobo, our most important goal is to save Liu Xia from the bitter sea," Hu Jia, a Beijing-based activist, told AFP. "We will also use public opinion and public opinion pressure to urge the Chinese Communist Party to open the cage door, so Liu Xia can get free" along with her brother, Hu said. - Censoring emojis - Liu was jailed in 2008 after co-writing a petition calling for democratic reforms. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for "subversion" a year later. He became the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky in 1938, who had been held by the Nazis. The Chinese political prisoner was represented by an empty chair at his Nobel prize ceremony in Oslo in 2010. Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo (pictured on cards) was sentenced in 2009 for 'subversion' The government strived over the years to erase any memory of Liu and a search for his death turned up nothing on Baidu, China's Google-like search engine. China's censors raced to scrub social media networks of emojis of candles and "RIP" tributes following his death. 11/10/2022 NOTICE: The Hamilton County Registers Office did not publish this data. All information in the Registers Office is public information as set out in T.C.A. 10-7-503. For questions regarding ... more Religious, anti-gay South Koreans have been a loud fixture at the country's annual Pride parade for years Thousands of people will march through Seoul to support gay rights in this Saturday's Pride parade, and probably just as many conservative Christians urging them to "repent" their "sins". Religious South Koreans have been a loud fixture at the annual parade for years, holding a rival anti-homosexuality rally while trying to physically block the march. Their presence is the most visible display of intolerance towards sexual minorities in the tradition-bound society, where religious belief is widespread and many homosexuals stay in the closet due to fear of discrimination and social isolation. Homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea. But gay, lesbian or transgender rights remain politically unpopular. Even left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-In -- a former human rights lawyer -- said he "opposed homosexuality" during a campaign debate in April. His conservative opponent and eventual runner-up said homosexuals should be "punished severely for living against divine rules". Gay rights activists say that some progress has been made in recent years, with surveys showing increasing tolerance, particularly among young people, and participation at Pride surging since the first parade in 2000, when only 50 attended. But the event's growing profile has unnerved South Korea's conservative Protestant church groups, which have millions of followers, enormous political lobbying power, and see homosexuality as a psychological illness to be "healed". - 'Sodom and Gomorrah' - Homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea, but gay, lesbian or transgender rights remain politically unpopular Every year, they petition authorities not to allow public venues to be used for the event, and stage a boisterous prayer rally at which they sing hymns through giant loudspeakers intended to drown out the sound of the parade. Some wave banners accusing homosexuals of paedophilia and bestiality and turning the capital Seoul into "Sodom and Gomorrah", while others scream insults. "We do not want them to showcase homosexuality in public, which can corrupt the minds of our children," said pastor Hong Ho-Soo, secretary general of the Homosexuality Countermeasure Council for Korean Churches. Hong accused gay people of spreading sexual diseases such as AIDS and a "decadent sex culture against the teachings of the Bible", and urged homosexuals not to fete their orientation publicly. "It's okay to celebrate whatever you are at home or privately. Just don't do it in front of others," Hong told AFP, describing his campaign as "a non-negotiable crusade against a religious sin". Police estimated each side's turnout last year at a little more than 10,000 people, and routinely erect metal fences around the parade start point to prevent clashes. Hong said he opposed violence against paradegoers and insisted his campaign "does not constitute hate speech". Pride representatives disagree. "They say, 'Hide yourself. Live in the shadows, because who you are is so harmful and something to be so ashamed of'," Kang Myoung-Jin, chief organiser of the Korea Queer Culture Festival, told AFP. "If this is not hate speech, what would be?" he asked, adding past parades had been marred by physical and verbal attacks by people bearing crosses or loudly reciting prayers. Some throw plastic bottles, food, water and even traffic cones at participants while screaming curses, Kang said, or lie in the street to block parade floats. - Political influence - No caption Gay rights remain limited in many Asian countries, although Taiwan's constitutional court this year ruled against laws preventing same-sex unions. Pride parades have met with varying degrees of opposition in many nations, but South Korea stands out with its unusually aggressive, well-organised church-led campaigns, analysts say. They have also campaigned against anti-discrimination laws. "It's partly because the Protestant churches are the most well-connected and well-financed lobby machine in this nation," said Kim Jin-Ho, chief researcher at the Christian Institute for the 3rd Era, a Seoul-based religious think tank. Many South Korean churches took their cues from evangelical US megachurches that since the 1980s have expanded their influence through campaigns against abortion and homosexuality, Kim said. South Korea is also home to many megachurches, including the world's largest congregation of nearly 800,000. But their reputation has been tarnished by recent corruption scandals. "For them, the anti-gay campaign is another way to maintain their political influence in this time of crisis," Kim said. But participation in Pride is broadening, organisers say. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea, a state rights watchdog, and the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism -- the country's biggest Buddhist sect -- are taking part this year for the first time. "Our sect has long maintained close ties with sexual minority groups, and wanted to take part as a show of solidarity," said Kim Han-Nah, an official at the Jogye Order. "We support a world without any form of discrimination." After announcing its first data centre in China, the US giant sought to allay fears data-security could be monitored or compromised by China's government or other parties Apple has unveiled plans to build a data centre in China to store its local iCloud customers' personal details, marking the first such move by a foreign technology firm following the imposition of strict new cyber-security laws in the country. The US titan said it was partnering with an internet service provider in southwestern Guizhou province on the project, which will "improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations." It appeared to be referring to the June 1 implementation of a new law that, among other things, requires tech companies to store user data inside the country. Some foreign firms have said the law is worryingly vague on key provisions and expressed concern over the potential impact on their business in the world's second-largest economy. The law also further tightens Chinese curbs on web content, banning the publishing of anything that "disturbs economic or social order" or is aimed at overthrowing the government. But Apple issued a statement seeking to allay fears that data-security could somehow be monitored or compromised by China's government or other parties. "Apple has strong data privacy and security protections in place and no backdoors will be created into any of our systems," it said in the statement released Wednesday. The firm did not give any financial details of the project, but China's state-run Xinhua news agency said it was part of a $1 billion investment. China has hundreds of millions of smartphone users and is a vital market for Apple, whose iPhones are wildly popular in the country. Fu Liang, a Beijing-based independent telecom analyst, said more foreign data centres are expected under the cyber-security legislation. "The new rule requires this key information to be put in China. The boundary is very clear," Fu said. He said the ramifications for Apple and other companies could be higher costs and potentially more restrictions under Chinese law. "For (Apple) users, the good thing is their user experience like download speed will improve but the downside is that their access to overseas services and resources will be reduced," Fu added. "It will be harder for them to access services that arent allowed in China now." Computer and data security has become a top international concern following recent cyber attacks including the global ransomware contagion in May that affected government, industrial, academic and other computing systems in more than 150 countries. The six-month-old administration of US President Donald Trump has been dogged by allegations that his candidacy benefitted from Russian hacking aimed at discrediting his campaign opponent Hillary Clinton. The finger also has been pointed at Moscow for interference in the recent French elections, and Germany's domestic security watchdog warned last week that the country would likely face Russian cyberattacks heading into September's general election. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell is aiming to vote to begin debate on the revamped health care bill next week. President Donald Trump says he will be "very angry" if Congress fails to pass the legislation Top US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell will try to pull a political rabbit out of his hat Thursday when he unveils a revamped health care bill, after unpopular earlier versions frustrated conservatives and moderates in his party. With opposition growing, and McConnell postponing the Senate's August recess by two weeks to allow more time to bring skeptical lawmakers on board and salvage Donald Trump's top legislative priority, the president used his bully pulpit to urge fellow Republicans to rally round the effort. He warned in a Wednesday interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network that he would be "very angry" if Congress failed to pass legislation which repeals and replaces large parts of Obamacare, the health reforms of his predecessor Barack Obama. "For years, they've been talking about repeal-replace, repeal-replace," Trump said. "They have to do it. They have to get together and get it done." With Democrats united in opposition, McConnell needs support from at least 50 of the Senate's 52 Republicans to pass the measure in the 100-member chamber. Ten Republicans have said they will not support the bill as written. The test is whether leadership can convince most of them to get on board. "I will be very angry about it" if the bill collapses, Trump said. "I'm sitting waiting for that bill to come to my desk. I hope that they do it." Polls show the previous version to be widely unpopular. An analysis by the non-profit Congressional Budget Office forecast that under the bill, ranks of the uninsured would swell by 22 million people by 2026 compared to current law. McConnell's intent is to roll out the revised measure Thursday, most likely at a Republican caucus meeting set for 11:30 am (1530 GMT). He then wants to receive a CBO score on the new version as early as next Monday, and hold a vote to begin debate on the bill next week. The plan scoffed at by several Senate Republicans would keep parts of Obamacare intact, but strip away much of its funding. It also rolls back the expansion of Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor and disabled. Conservatives say they want a bill that is less like Obamacare, and that cancels all of the law's taxes. Republican centrists fear that slashing Medicaid funding by more than $700 billion could devastate millions of families. One option under consideration is an amendment by Senator Ted Cruz that would allow insurers to offer cheaper plans that do not cover many of the health services required under current law. But some Republicans warn that move could end up abolishing protections for people with pre-existing conditions and send costs soaring for children and older insurance holders in the individual market. Top Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer called on Republicans to abandon the plan and "start over," working together to shore up Obamacare. "When you have a rotten product, time is not on your side," Schumer told colleagues. The Taiwan lawmakers' brawl was broken up by about dozen people Taiwanese lawmakers tried to choke each other and threw water bombs during a chaotic session at the island's parliament Thursday as the government of President Tsai Ing-wen pressed ahead with controversial reforms. Female legislators from opposing camps had their hands on each other's throats as a dozen colleagues pushed and shouted trying to separate them in the main chamber during a review of the budget for a major infrastructure project. The opposition Kuomintang party is against the plan, saying it favours cities and counties faithful to Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and has been devised to secure support for the party ahead of next year's regional elections. The project includes light rail lines, flood control measures and green energy facilities. Critics have also questioned whether the whopping Tw$420 billion ($14 billion) cost of the project is really worthwhile. The morning review hearing was suspended following the brawl as Kuomintang lawmakers occupied the podium. Lunch failed to calm tensions and the clashes continued into the afternoon when opposition lawmakers honked air horns and tried to throw balloons filled with water at premier Lin Chuan. One of the balloons flew near Lin and burst mid-air. He was forced to leave the chamber without delivering a report on the budget and the session was again abandoned. The DPP condemned what it called the KMT'S "violent boycott" and demanded an apology. "We call for rational discussions ...to resolve differences," it said in a statement. Tsai has seen her popularity plummet to under 40 percent from nearly 70 percent when she took office in May last year as her government attempts to tackle a range of controversial issues from gay marriage to pension and judicial reforms. Violent protests erupted outside the parliament in April when opponents of pension reforms attacked politicians and scuffled with police, prompting Tsai to call for calm and restraint. Parliament was also plunged into chaos late last year when opposing lawmakers brawled in the chamber, as labour activists set off smoke bombs outside in protest at proposed holiday cuts. Maverick businessman Takafumi Horie is the founder of popular Internet service provider Livedoor, who spent nearly two years in jail for accounting fraud A former internet tycoon who wore a Hitler T-shirt on a talkshow sparked anger in Japan, with the broadcaster forced to apologise. Maverick businessman Takafumi Horie is the founder of popular Internet service provider Livedoor, who spent nearly two years in jail for accounting fraud before his release in 2013. Appearing as a guest on the "Gogo Nama" talkshow Wednesday, the flamboyant dotcom entrepreneur donned a black T-shirt with a caricature of Adolf Hitler on it and a peace symbol next to the words "NO WAR". Despite what public broadcaster NHK called the shirt's "anti-war writing", the Hitler imagery drew a barrage of criticism with a number of viewers contacting the programme as others took to social media. "The T-shirt is not appropriate because it evokes Hitler," one viewer said according to an NHK spokesman, while another commented: "Even though it says 'no war' I don't understand why he wears it". An NHK announcer apologised to "those who felt uncomfortable" at the end of the programme. Horie, who wrote a book titled "My Struggle" -- evoking Hitler's infamous "Mein Kampf" -- fired off a tweet defending the top while dubbing critics "weak minded". "I've worn the T-shirt with Hitler screaming NO WAR with a peace mark a number of times but it caught fire for the first time," he wrote, adding a Japanese character for laughter. "In my view, you can't escape seeing it as a T-shirt with a message praying for peace." He added: "There are so many people who don't understand humour." Periodic actions and comments in Japan deemed pro-Nazi or anti-Semitic have sparked controversy and international criticism, though they tend to be blamed on ignorance rather than malicious intent. Just last month, Japan's central bank reportedly apologised over an official's praise for Hitler's economic policies. French President Emmanuel Macron hosts US leader Donald Trump for Bastille Day festivities Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday for a presidential visit filled with Bastille Day pomp and which the White House hopes will offer respite from rolling scandal back home. Air Force One touched down at Paris' Orly Airport shortly after 0630 GMT at the start of a 24-hour trip during which the US leader will be the guest of honour at France's Bastille Day festivities on Friday. He will also visit Napoleon's tomb and have a Michelin-starred dinner at the Eiffel Tower during on the trip, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. The Calibri typeface has sparked uproar in Pakistan after documents using the font were produced in a corruption case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif A typeface has sparked uproar in Pakistan after documents using the font were produced in a corruption case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif -- despite being dated a year before the design was released. Microsoft's Calibri font was used to type certified papers naming Sharif's daughter Maryam as a trustee for several of the family's high-end London properties. The plush apartments are at the heart of the case against the Sharif family, with authorities and the opposition questioning the legitimacy of funds used to buy them via offshore companies. The identity of the legal beneficiaries has formed part of the probe, and the documents were meant to show that Maryam, who is Sharif's presumptive political heir, was a trustee only. Documents created in the Calibri font were supposed to show the daughter of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz was a trustee only for several properties but the font was only widely available a year after the papers were typed But the papers were dated February 2006 -- a year before the font in which they are typed was in widespread commercial use, according to its creator. The same conclusion was drawn by a joint investigative team (JIT) tasked by Pakistan's Supreme Court with examining the corruption claims, which had London's Radley Forensic Document Laboratory assess the documents. Based on that assessment, the JIT rejected the papers as "falsified" in a report issued earlier this week, and seen by AFP. The conclusion, dubbed #Fontgate, set Pakistani social media alight with jokes and memes, and was widely repeated in mainstream press, adding fuel to opposition calls for the prime minister to step down. - 'More than porn' - "Today #calibri was searched more than porn in Pakistan", wrote one Twitter user, Sherry. Journalist Mubashir Zaidi said the PM should now write his resignation "in #Calibri font". Supporters of Sharif's ruling PML-N party argued that Calibri has been publicly available since 2004. Microsoft did not immediately respond to AFP's requests for comment. But the font's creator, a Dutch designer named Lucas De Groot, told AFP in a statement that it was "unlikely" Calibri had been used in any official documents in 2006. "(I)n my opinion the document in question was produced much later," he said. De Groot said he began designing Calibri in 2002 and sent the finalised version to Microsoft in 2004. After that, he said, it was used in beta versions that would have required "serious effort" to obtain. The first Microsoft product to use Calibri on a large scale was Office 2007, he said, which was available to resellers by November 20, 2006 and for retail by January 30, 2007. "So in theory it would have been possible to make a document with Calibri in 2006," he said. "However ... It should have been taken from a beta operating system, from the hands of computer nerds. Why would anyone use a completely unknown font for an official document in 2006? "If the person using Calibri was such a font lover that he or she HAD to use the new Calibri, then he or she should be able to prove that other documents were printed with Calibri in 2006, and these prints should be in the hands of other people as well." Maryam Nawaz, herself a regular Twitter user, has not yet commented publicly on the Calibri claim, though she vowed the report itself would be "decimated" in court. The corruption controversy which has engulfed her family erupted last year with the publication of 11.5 million secret documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, revealing the offshore dealings of many of the world's rich and powerful. Along with Maryam, two more of Sharif's four children -- his sons Hasan and Hussein -- were also implicated in the papers. Sharif's PML-N party insists the wealth used to purchase the properties was acquired legally, through family businesses in Pakistan and the Gulf. But the JIT report, commissioned by the Supreme Court in April, said there was a "significant disparity" between the Sharifs' income and lifestyle. The Sharif family has consistently denied the allegations against it and rejected the JIT report, with allies denouncing it as "trash". The court is considering its next steps and will begin deciding what action to take next week. A Sudanese boy rides a donkey past an armoured vehicle of a UN-African Union mission in the war-torn town of Golo in central Darfur on June 19, 2017 Sudan said Thursday it would press on with efforts to achieve a full lifting of US sanctions against Khartoum, even as it hoped Washington would reverse its decision to extend a decades-old trade embargo. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump prolonged a review period to October 12 before his administration decides whether or not to permanently lift the sanctions imposed in 1997. His predecessor Barack Obama had eased the measures in January, but kept Sudan on review for six months, a period that ended on Wednesday. Trump's order to extend the review period angered his Sudanese counterpart President Omar al-Bashir who ordered Khartoum to halt ongoing talks with Washington over sanctions until October 12. Bashir's National Congress Party also warned on Thursday that any unrest that erupts in Sudan will be because of the US extension. Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, however, attempted to rein in the rising tension, vowing that Khartoum will work with Washington to ensure the embargo is fully lifted. "We hope that the United States reverses its decision and sticks to its commitments," Ghandour told reporters. "We will not be aggressive and we will not go out on the streets." The Sudanese foreign and defence ministries will "continue communicating" with US officials to ensure the sanctions are lifted, he said. Sudan's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) will also continue communicating with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), he said. - Not a small regional player - Obama had made the permanent lifting of the sanctions dependent on Sudan's progress in five areas of concern at the end of the review period. Those include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan. In his executive order, Trump extended the deadline by three months, saying "more time is needed" to review Khartoum's progress on the five conditions. In recent months, several US and Sudanese officials have said that there was progress on meeting Obama's conditions, also known as "five tracks". Ghandour said Khartoum had in fact gone "too far" in engaging with Washington. "Which is why what has been positively achieved, we will build on it without jeopardising or endangering our sovereignty," he said. He said that Washington should realise that Sudan was "important for peace and security" in the region. "We are not a small regional power," the minister said. - US security warning - Later on Thursday the US embassy in Khartoum issued a security warning to all American citizens in Sudan, urging them to "remain at home" on Friday. "Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence," the embassy said on its website. "You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations." No Sudanese group had so far urged protests or demonstrations on Friday against the US extension of sanctions. 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 has also pointed to accusations of scorched-earth tactics by Khartoum against ethnic minority rebels in war-torn Darfur. At least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced since the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, the UN says. Bashir himself is wanted for genocide and war crimes related to the conflict in Darfur, charges he steadfastly denies. Some campaign groups had called on the Trump administration to maintain the sanctions on Sudan, citing Khartoum's record of human rights violations. Most of the victims were from a vigilante group called the Civilian Joint Task Force which assists the military in the hunt for Boko Haram Nineteen people have now been confirmed dead after four female suicide bombers detonated their explosives in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, police said. Borno state police commissioner Damian Chukwu said the bombers had targeted mourners at a funeral ceremony in the suburb of Molai Kolemari on Tuesday night. Most of the victims were from a vigilante group called the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), which assists the military in the hunt for Boko Haram. "In all, 12 Civilian JTF members lost their lives with seven villagers and the four female suicide bombers, bringing the total number of deaths to 23," said Chukwu. Another 23 people were injured and taken to hospital for treatment, he added in a statement on Wednesday night. Maiduguri is the capital of Borno state and has been repeatedly attacked during the eight-year Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed at least 20,000. Women and young girls have increasingly been deployed as suicide bombers to hit crowded civilian "soft" targets such as mosques, markets and bus stations. China views the Tibetan spiritual leader as a dangerous separatist and condemns foreign leaders who meet him The Dalai Lama will visit Botswana next month and meet with President Ian Khama in a trip likely to anger China, a key investor across Africa and its largest trade partner. Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist campaigning for Tibetan independence and consistently condemns foreign leaders who meet him. Botswana "will be extending the normal courtesies for visiting dignitaries", the government said Wednesday in a statement. "His Excellency (President Khama) will meet the Dalai Lama when he is in Botswana." The Tibetan spiritual leader, who lives in exile in India, is due to make a public address at the three-day "Mind and Life Dialogue" conference in the Botswana capital Gaborone on August 19. Botswana's neighbour South Africa has repeatedly denied the Dalai Lama a visa in an apparent attempt to further boost ties with China, drawing fierce criticism from archbishop Desmond Tutu and others. China's growing demand for raw materials has seen a rapid rise in trade with Africa. The Chinese government has helped build coal-powered power plants, road networks, bridges and schools in Botswana, in some of its many infrastructure projects in Africa. Many in the continent see Beijing as a counterbalance to the West, but the relationship has also raised accusations of neo-colonialism. Botswana, one of the world's largest diamond producers, has a population of just two million people and is known for its stable political scene. A government spokesman declined to comment to AFP on any risk to relations with China. The Dalai Lama says he seeks more autonomy for Tibet rather than outright independence. "Botswana, I am really excited," he said in a video clip on the conference website. "I am looking forward to come there, to participate and in the meantime see my African brothers and sisters." The website, which offers tickets ranging from $25 to $500, said Khama would give the opening speech at the conference. China has made no immediate comment on the visit. 'Handmaid's Tale' Dressed Demonstrators Urge Rauner To Sign HB40 By aaroncynic in News on Jul 13, 2017 8:59PM Demonstrators dressed as handmaids march outside the Thompson Center in Chicago to urge Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to sign HB40. Photo by Aaron Cynic. Demonstrators dressed in red robes and white bonnets circled the Thompson Center in silence to urge Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign HB40, which repeals trigger language that would criminalize abortion in Illinois should the Supreme Court overturn Roe vs. Wade. We want to make a strong visual statement, said Liz Kersjes, of the outfits inspired by the Margaret Atwood novel turned Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale. Its his responsibility to sign this bill because he campaigned on a pro-choice platform, added Kersjes, who volunteers with both Planned Parenthood and Indivisible. He said he would support a bill that was identical to this bill. If he doesnt support it, hes a liar. The bill, which also removes restrictions on Medicaid and state employee health insurance and allows coverage for all pregnancy-related care, including abortion, passed the House in April and the Senate in May. Despite both verbal and financial support of Planned Parenthood and campaign promises to side with those fighting for the reproductive rights of women, Rauner vowed to veto the bill, telling WBEZ in May: "We're one of the more progressive states. I support that. I want to protect that. But the bill goes further and expands taxpayer funding in a way that only two other states have. That's very divisive, it's very controversial. That part, I don't think makes sense to do now." Now: Demonstrators dressed as handmaids circle the Thompson Center to tell Rauner to #SignHB40 #Handmaids4HB40 pic.twitter.com/nY80sWkjax Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) July 13, 2017 After marching around the Thompson Center, demonstrators formed a semi-circle and read a short statement, which included some of Rauners own words of support for a bill like HB40. You are threatening to break a specific and clear promise you made to us and we will not let it go, said Jessica Droger, standing in the center of the ring, to assembled supporters and onlookers. Right now our government is treating womens bodies as though when we get pregnant we lose our individual rights. The preganancy ends up having more rights than we do. We all deserve to make our own decisions about our bodies and our lives. All of us - we dont lose our human or constitutional rights when we become pregnant. Uphold your promises, governor Rauner. Kersjes also said that abortion access in Illinois is important for women all over the Midwest. Demonstrators read a message to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner outside the Thompson Center, urging him to sign HB40. Photo by Aaron Cynic. Almost every other state in the Midwest - all the states surrounding Illinois have more restrictive abortion access laws. Women from across the Midwest come to Illinois for health care services in their home state It would affect a large swath of the population in the country. The protesters used the imagery from Atwoods novel as a way to highlight just how quickly womens rights could disappear given the shift rightward America has seen politically. On Wednesday, demonstrator Renee Wsol told Chicagoist the Handmaids Tale "is kind of what we envision life may be like under a Pence administration," Wsol. The first time I read book, before the current administration, it seemed like something that could never happen...now the themes feel so much like the direction we could be heading in." Kersjes echoed that sentiment in the Thompson Center Thursday. Were seeing more and more with all kinds of issues that what we thought was impossible politically is very possible now. We have a lot of people in power at the federal level who run on campaigns of wanting to overturn Roe V Wade We dont believe that politicians should be sitting in a gynecological office with women in the United States, she said. Cambodia has outlawed sand exports from a coastal region where it has been primarily funnelled in huge quantities to Singapore, a move met with scepticism from activists who said previous bans on the destructive industry had failed to take root Cambodia has outlawed sand exports from a coastal region where it has been primarily funnelled in huge quantities to Singapore, a move met with scepticism from activists who said previous bans on the destructive industry had failed to take root. Environmental groups have long accused Cambodia of running damaging and corrupt sand dredging operations along the southwest coast and the Mekong river. Most of the sand has been shipped to Singapore to fuel the wealthy city-state's rapid expansion -- a resource plunder that activists say has devastated local Cambodian communities and ecosystems. The new decree, issued on July 10, bars all exports of "construction sand and mud sand" from southwestern Koh Kong province to overseas but stops short of outlawing domestic sales. It was issued in response to environmental concerns, said Meng Saktheara, a spokesman for Cambodia's mining and energy ministry. "If we continue to allow large-scale sand dredging (in Koh Kong) for exports, it would hugely affect the natural environment and local communities," he told AFP. Environmental activists welcomed the move but expressed doubt it would fully halt a trade that has survived previous bans. "There has been such a ban in recent years, but they (companies) still operated and exported," said Meng Heng, from the environmental group Mother Nature. The new directive comes after Phnom Penh temporarily suspended sand exports in November following controversy over large discrepencies in Cambodian and Singapore trade records for how much of the commodity was being shipped. Environmental groups say illegal exports have continued despite that order. Koh Kong province is the main region where sand is excavated and shipped to foreign countries, according to Meng Heng. But there are also concerns about damage wrought from dredging along the Mekong River. "We want a ban of exports of sand from the whole country, including sand from the Mekong river," he said. The friendly fire incident on Wednesday was the second time soldiers have been killed by their own air support since fighting began in Marawi city almost two months ago, military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said A Philippine military jet accidentally killed two soldiers and injured 11 others as troops fought to retake a southern city from pro-Islamic State group militants, the military said Thursday. The incident on Wednesday was the second time soldiers have been killed by their own air support since fighting began in Marawi city almost two months ago, military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said. The army called air strikes at midday against a building where militants were believed to be hiding, but one of four bombs dropped by an FA-50 fighter jet fell short, he told reporters. "The bomb fell in an area proximate to a building where some of our men were staying and the ensuing blast caused part of that building to collapse," Padilla said. "The debris that fell from the part of the collapsed structure fell on our men causing the death of two and injuries to 11 others." The fighting has left 92 soldiers and police, 392 militants and 45 civilians dead in 52 days of fighting, Padilla said. They included up to six civilians believed to have been killed by the militants and whose remains were discovered by troops at the city centre on Wednesday, the military said. "They were civilians that were killed earlier during the start of the fight, executed by these terrorists," Padilla added. However, an attempt to retrieve the remains was aborted Thursday due to gunfire, local officials said. The military estimates about one hundred surviving gunmen still control around a thousand houses and commercial buildings in downtown Marawi. The fighting has forced nearly 400,000 residents of Marawi and surrounding towns and villages to flee, officials said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law over the southern third of the Philippines after the fighting broke out in Marawi on May 23. He said it was necessary to help the military eliminate an attempt by the gunmen to set up an IS province in the southern Philippines, home to decades-old armed rebellions by the large Muslim minority. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai says he is hopeful that investigators will be able to identify those responsible for the downing of MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014 Teary-eyed families of Malaysians killed when a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday demanded those responsible be brought to justice, ahead of the third anniversary of the disaster. All 298 people on board were killed when the jet was downed in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. A joint international investigation has determined that the Boeing 777 was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile fired from rebel-held territory, but a separate criminal probe has yet to arrest any suspects. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the downing of flight MH17, putting the blame on Kiev. Forty-three Malaysians were killed in the tragedy, including 15 crew members. About 90 of the victims' family members, many wearing black, Thursday attended a commemoration to mark the anniversary of the disaster, hosted by the Malaysian transport minister. "I want the suspects hunted down and punished for their crime," Fateen Izzah, whose engineer brother Hasni Hardi Parlan was killed in the disaster, told AFP. "Only swift justice will ease the pain my family and I have endured these three years," added the teary-eyed 27-year-old, as she clutched the hand of her husband. Salim Sarmo, 68, displays a photograph of his son Mohamad Ali Mohamad Salim, 30, who was killed in the dowing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 Mohamad Zaki, 40, who lost his 30-year-old student brother Mohamad Ali Mohamad Salim, echoed the call. "We want the authorities to nail those who shot the plane down. I know it will take a long time, but I will be patient," he said. The families were briefed by Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai on the latest developments in the investigation. "We are confident ... investigators will be able to identify the criminals responsible for the MH17 tragedy and we will be able to charge them in Netherlands," he said, adding the probe into the tragedy could be wrapped by early 2018. Dutch officials announced last week that the trial of any suspects arrested in the shooting down of flight MH17 will be held in the Netherlands after an agreement was reached with several countries leading a joint probe. Most of the victims were Dutch. jsm/sr/mtp The incident came after two other South Korean diplomats were punished for sexual misbehaviour last year A senior South Korean diplomat has been recalled from Ethiopia after he allegedly raped a female colleague, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday, as it issued a public apology. The incident came after two other South Korean diplomats were punished for sexual misbehaviour last year. "Bowing low, the ministry offers the most sincere apology to the people, holding itself deeply responsible for the sex crime committed by a diplomat in Ethiopia," ministry spokesman Cho June-Hyuck said in a statement. The diplomat, who is currently under questioning, will be subject to the "most severe punishment" under the law, he said, adding the man would lose his job and face criminal charges. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, appointed by new liberal President Moon Jae-In to reform the ministry, said she was "appalled" at the incident. "Especially in the case of sexual misbehaviour, the principle of no tolerance must be applied," she said. The diplomat and the Korean woman in her 20s, who was under his supervision, reportedly consumed three bottles of wine together at dinner. After she passed out, the man took her to his home and raped her, South Korean media said. It is the third sexual incident involving one of Seoul's diplomats in less than a year. In December, a South Korean ambassador based in the Middle East had his salary cut after being found to have sexually harassed an embassy employee. In September last year, a South Korean diplomat in Santiago was caught harassing teenage Chilean girls on a video released by a TV network in the South American country. He was recalled and fired, with Korean ambassador Yu Ji-Eun apologising to the girls and their families. The EU hit Google with a record 2.4 billion euro fine in June 2017 The French government will appeal a court ruling that US internet giant Google is not liable for 1.12 billion euros ($1.27 billion) in taxes claimed by the state, Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin said Thursday. "We will appeal this ruling to safeguard the interests of the state," Darmanin told parliament. The court ruled Wednesday that France could not claim tax on revenues generated by Google in France that were transferred to its Irish subsidiary GIL. Taxes are far lower in Ireland, a legal loophole prized by many multinationals in Europe. The French claim was the latest in a series against the California-based group, with Britain and Italy agreeing settlements over the Irish tax arrangement. European action has become increasingly aggressive against US technology giants Amazon, Facebook and Apple as well as Google. The EU hit Google with a record 2.4 billion euro fine on June 27 for abusing its dominant position in the search engine business and illegally favouring its own shopping service over rivals. Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron promised to get tough on US internet giants during his campaign, seeing their low tax rates as a source of resentment about globalisation and unfair on European companies. The French claim is a fraction of the company's annual profits. In April, Alphabet, Google's parent company, declared a 29 percent jump in profit to $5.4 billion in the first quarter of 2017. A Pakistani police commando stands guard in Quetta, August 14, 2016 Unidentified gunmen on motorcycles killed four policemen in southwest Pakistan Thursday, the latest attack to target authorities in restive Balochistan province. The incident took place in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, which has been wracked by separatist and Islamist violence for more than a decade. Senior police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP that police superintendent Mubarak Shah was on his way to the office along with three police guards when the gunmen opened fire on their vehicle. "The attackers opened fire from different directions, killing Mubarak Shah and his three police guards," Cheema said, adding that gunmen then fled the scene. Mohammad Tayyab, a senior Quetta government official, confirmed the attack and casualties. Both described the incident as "an act of terrorism". No group has yet claimed responsibility. The killing came four days after a bomb killed a high-profile police chief and his guard while wounding 11 others in Chaman, a tense border town in southwestern Balochistan. Pakistan media reported the Islamic State group had claimed the Chaman attack. The country has been battling Islamist and nationalist insurgencies in mineral-rich Balochistan 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. Israel is to supply millions of cubic metres of water to Palestinians including in the Gaza Strip, where a Palestinian boy is seen here cooling off with water from a jerrycan during a heatwave on July 2, 2017 US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace envoy said Thursday Israel would supply the Palestinians with millions of cubic metres of water annually, as Washington seeks to build confidence for fresh negotiations. Jason Greenblatt hailed an "important step forward" in a wider regional water deal, as Israel announced it would provide more than 32 million cubic metres of water to the Palestinians annually. "Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East. The United States welcomes the agreement reached by the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel which will allow for the sale of up to 33 million cubic metres of water from Israel to the PA," Greenblatt said at a signing ceremony in Jerusalem. Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi and Mazin Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, also attended. Palestinians suffer from water shortages and say the unequal distribution of water resources favours Israel. The deal announced Thursday is part of a wider water project involving the Red and Dead Seas to be developed over the next five years, but the Palestinians are likely to begin receiving water from it before then, Hanegbi said. It came after Greenblatt helped broker an agreement between the two sides on the price and quantities of water, as well as where the connection points will be. The deal is supposed to ease water scarcity in the Palestinian territories, including in the Gaza Strip, where more than 95 percent of water is undrinkable. Ghunaim said 22 million cubic metres would go to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while a further 10 million would go to Gaza. "This will reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people which has been worsened by the beginning of summer and the crises that they are living through," he said. The deal is part of a pre-existing plan to link the Dead Sea and the Red Sea by pipes in Jordan. The plan would also seek to reverse the disappearing of the Dead Sea, which sinks by about a metre a year according to Israeli officials. The primary cause is overuse of water upstream. In 2013, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians signed a memorandum of understanding on the water project that included plans to build a desalination plant at the Red Sea. Hanegbi said the wider agreement was the "most ambitious" in the history of the region. "It will supply (a) significant amount of water to Jordan, to Israel and to the Palestinians." Greenblatt is seeking to restart peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, stalled since talks collapsed in 2014, with Trump saying he wants to reach the "ultimate deal". There is however heavy scepticism over whether meaningful talks can be held now, with 82-year-old Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas unpopular and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heading what is seen as the most right-wing government in his country's history. Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al-Baker signs a giant portrait of the Qatari emir during a ceremony to show support for the country and its leader in Doha on July 13, 2017 Qatar Airways' outspoken boss Akbar Al-Baker accused neighbouring Gulf states Thursday of "bullying" his country during the region's political crisis and said his company's profits would be hit by the dispute. Baker insisted that Qatar could sustain the impact of what he called a blockade imposed on Doha, but conceded that an impact on profits was inevitable for the Gulf carrier. "It has to (affect profits) because we have additional costs to operate in and out of the country," he said. "And this is normal when you are blockading somebody. They will have additional costs to operate in and out of the region." Pressed on how much of an impact there would be, Baker declined to give numbers. Last month the airline announced profits of $540 million for the financial year to March 2017, a 22 percent increase on the previous 12-month period. But the airline faces a hit after the June 5 decision by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to impose sanctions on Qatar, over accusations it supports Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. Among the sanctions was a decision to close the airspace of the countries to Qatar Airways. This means the Doha-based carrier can no longer continue its lucrative services to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and has to divert some flights on longer routes because of airspace restrictions. Qatar denies the charges. Baker said Qatar could endure the crisis for "as long as it is there". "All the people have a normal life, all the supplies are available, actually more than what it was before, so what is the problem? "We need our neighbours to know that this kind of bullying doesn't work because the people of Qatar are very robust and we have no issue to have our normal life. "This is a loss for them not for us." He was speaking at a ceremony in Doha to show his company's support for Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Qatar Airways unveiled the latest in a growing number of huge billboards that have sprung up around Doha depicting a profile of the emir, with the words "Tamim the glory". The image has become the symbol of the country's defiance during the crisis and Qataris and non-Qataris have queued up to sign the boards expressing their support for the government. Kyushu has been left devastated after overflowing rivers and torrential downpours swept away roads, houses and schools The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan's south has risen to 30, officials said Thursday, while rescue workers continued their efforts to find survivors. Heavy seasonal rains last week caused severe flooding that tore up roads and destroyed houses on the southern island of Kyushu, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled a visit to Estonia that was originally planned as the last leg of a European tour, flying to the region Wednesday to view the damage and console residents. The government of the island's Fukuoka prefecture said it had identified the body of a resident from hardest-hit Asakura city, bringing the death toll from that region alone to 24. A week after the disaster began, hundreds of people were still staying in school gymnasiums and public buildings used as makeshift shelters. Thousands of police, soldiers and rescue workers are searching for 19 people who remain unaccounted for, according to local officials. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is under fire from rights groups for his brutal anti-drug campaign Philippine policemen accused of killing a town mayor when he was in jail on drugs charges are back on duty, an official said Thursday, in a case cited as a sign of growing impunity under President Rodrigo Duterte. Superintendent Marvin Marcos and 18 other officers have been reinstated, police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said, despite still being on bail for the murder of Albuera town mayor Rolando Espinosa. "They are back on normal duties" after serving a suspension period, Dela Rosa told reporters. Justice Department investigators said the men, who have yet to stand trial, shot dead Espinosa and cellmate Raul Yap during a night-time raid on the jail in November last year. But Dela Rosa said they were allowed to return to duty after investigators "tried everything, all the legal remedies were used, the functions of our justice system". The officers' return comes just days after Duterte reiterated that he would not allow any policeman to go to jail for waging his brutal war on crime, specifically citing the Espinosa case. In a speech earlier this week, Duterte said, "I will never, never allow a military man, a government man, a policeman to be imprisoned for doing his duty and obeying my order." Duterte singled out Superintendent Marcos, saying he had not yet been found guilty. "Give him back his job," he said. Duterte, who took office a year ago, is already under fire from human rights groups for his brutal anti-drug campaign which has seen at least 3,200 people slain in police operations with thousands more killed by vigilante groups. Opposition Congressman Gary Alejano said "the reinstatement of Superintendent Marcos et al. to active duty is the height of impunity." "This gives a signal to the police and military that they will be protected by the president even if they violate the law and human rights," he said in a statement. "While (Duterte) is still the president, let us expect that more killings will happen under the war on drugs and under his administration," he added. The Pitchfork Music Fest Acts We Want To See The Most This Year (Besides The Headliners) By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 13, 2017 2:50PM Are you ready for a magical weekend of music and mystery? Photo by Annie Lesser / Chicagoist This year's installment of the Pitchfork Music Festival boasts a whiplash inducing whirlwind of diverse talents, and there's plenty on the bill to please even the choosiest of musical tastes. We're not going to waste your time telling you to see mainstage headlining acts LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest, Solange, PJ Harvey, Danny Brown, or Dirty Projectors. We all know that those artists are pros and can be counted on to deliver sets worthy of their top billing. (Though, truth be told, of the headliners we are most excited to see what PJ Harvey and Solange have cooked up since both have a history of reinventing their live shows in boundary pushing and exciting ways. But we digress.) Instead, here's a sampling of acts further down on the billsome more familiar names than otherswhose sets you can count on seeing us taking in front and center of their respective stages throughout the weekend at Union Park. FRIDAY JULY 14 Priests, photo by Audrey Melton Priests at 1:45 p.m. on the Green Stage Don't roll in Friday afternoon expecting the lazily slip into the Pitchfork spirit when Priests hit the stage. The D.C. band's Bodies and Control and Money and Power EP made quite the impression on us when it came out in 2014, a collection of shrieking, shredding primal punk rock driven by the otherworldly screams and sighs of vocalist Katie Alice Greer. This year's Nothing Feels Natural was their first proper full-length and while it sanded down some of the band's more caustic edges of noise, they did so in hopes of focusing the urgency of the songs into something more direct and less like a shotgun blast of sound. Nothing Feels Natural by PRIESTS ----------------------------------- Vince Staples Vince Staples at 4 p.m. on the Green Stage We just saw Vince Staples guest with Gorillaz at their Chicago show last week, so we already know that the guy has a commanding stage presence. So that makes us all the more excited to see how material from his excellent new album Big Fish Theory translates into a live setting. The album is an adventurous blend of hip-hop channeled through a twisted outer-reaches version of house and stuttering underground club beats, spiked with Staples' mesmerizing vocal delivery and surreal turns of phrase. ----------------------------------- Thurston Moore Group, photo by Vera Marmelo Thurston Moore Group at 5 p.m. on the Red Stage On Rock N Roll Consciousness Thurston Moore continues down the more pastoral territories his previous band explored closer to the end of that group's existence. Moore got his start deconstructing rock and roll, bending its preconceived structural notions into unfamiliar shapes that often felt itchy and uncomfortable. The songs on Rock N Roll Consciousness try to blend the old with the new, with most tracks stretching into the ten-minute mark as Moore mixes conventional moments with long stretches of wandering and exploring guitar lines. This might be a good time to find some shade and open yourself up to altering your consciousness to get lost in the inevitable improvisational stretches of music this set is sure to contain. Just don't get too comfortable, because we predict there will be a few barbed guitar lines along the way to drag you back into the moment. SATURDAY JULY 15 Cherry Glazerr, photo by Daria Kobayashi Ritch Cherry Glazerr at 2:45 p.m. on the Blue Stage L.A's Cherry Glazerr is led by the commanding presence of Clementine Creevy, and on this year's Apocalypstick the trio has scraped the more shambling elements from their earlier work and replaced them with a sharper, more glittery sound. The band has logged in plenty of miles touring, so that mixed with the excellent batch of new songs should make their early Saturday set an excellent eye-opener and mood-setter for the rest of the day. Apocalipstick by Cherry Glazerr ----------------------------------- George Clinton, photo by William Thoren George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at 4:15 on the Green Stage George Clinton and his sprawling band of musicians with impeccable skills and dressed in outlandish garb will provide a history lesson in who is the funkiest of them all for all gathered about the band for their set. Clinton's musical career began with doo wop in the '50s, but it's his '70s work combining psychedelia with soul and inner-dimensional forays into beats that blow the mind and electrify the asses of anyone within earshot to this day. As an original architect of that genre known as funk, he is probably only rivaled by the Godfather of Soul James Brown as far as how deeply his influence has reached into almost every sound from the underground to the radio that still gets hips in motion to this day. ----------------------------------- The Feelies, photo by John Baumgartner The Feelies at 5:15 p.m. on the Red Stage New Jersey's The Feelies have been together for 40 years, but their sound is still closer to a bunch of kids making glorious noise in their parent's basement than it is to any agin nostalgia act. On a songs like "Been Replaced" or "Gone, Gone, Gone" on this year's In Betweentheir first new album in 6 yearsthe quintet mixes chugging riffs and rhythms over buried vocals and lead guitar lines that snake in and around the racket, acting like silver threads adding flashes of beauty to the proceedings. SUNDAY JULY 16 NE-HI, photo by Bryan Allen Lamb NE-HI at 2:30 p.m. on the Green Stage Chicago's NE-HI has been making a name for themselves through steady gigging and the resulting slow and steady accumulation of both fans and buzz. In February they released their sophomore album Offers, and started to make the case beyond their live sets that the chatter around them was based in something beyond having influential friends. The lo-fi collection is bursting with nervous, youthful energy that tries to present itself as swagger but is all the more endearing because it's obvious these cats are just giddy to be playing their music for people that actually enjoy listening to it. We predict their Pitchfork appearance might have the same effect on . their career as past Chicago groups at similar points in their career who made fest debuts in Union Park (we're looking your way, Twin Peaks). Offers by NE-HI ----------------------------------- RIDE, photo by Andrew Ogilvy RIDE at 5:15 p.m. on the Red Stage RIDE's first new album in over 20 years, Weather Diaries, somehow finds the seminal Britpop shoegaze group returning to the scene without having aged a day. It's not like the gents in RIDE stopped making music during those last two decades, Andy Bell most famously spent a stint as the bass player in Oasis, but it is a surprise that those years of experience haven't tainted the magic that happens when these four musicians come together. So this won't be so much a nostalgia set as it will be a reaffirmation of the group's creative powers. That said, you can fully expect us to melt into a puddle of happy tears if RIDE decides to play "Vapour Trail," one of the most majestic songs of their, or any, career. Weather Diaries by Ride ----------------------------------- The Avalanches, photo by Steve Gullick The Avalanches at 6:15 p.m. on the Green Stage Last year's Wildflower was the loooooong awaited follow-up to the Australian DJ collective / sound artists The Avalanches 2000 debut , Since I Left You. That earlier album has long stood as a masterpiece of sampling and sound collage with a deep groove, and the anticipation for a sequel had grown so gargantuan it seemed foolish to even attempt to deliver on expectations. But Avalanches are an inscrutable bunch, and while they took their sweet time to deliver Wildflower, it was worth the wait. While not as sublime as Since I Left You, Wildflower delivered the group's essential woozy, psychedelic vibe, slightly updated for our times. The Pitchfork Music Festival is July 14 to 16 in Union Park, and while three-day passes are sold out, single day and VIP (Pitchfork +PLUS) tickets are still available. Budapest has been outspoken in its opposition to US billionaire George Soros, claiming that his donations of billions of euros to rights groups in the region are a bid to force Hungary to take in migrants The EU launched legal action against Hungary on Thursday over a crackdown on foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros. The move came hours after the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban said it would end a poster campaign attacking Soros that has been accused of anti-Semitism. Brussels also announced that it is advancing a separate case over an education law that could shut a Soros-backed university, risking a fresh confrontation with Orban. "We have studied the new law on NGOs carefully and have come to the conclusion that it does not comply with EU law," European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said. "We await a reaction from the Hungarian authorities within a month," after which the matter could go to the EU's top court, he said. The Hungarian government said it would "not bow to pressure from the EU." Hungary's parliament approved the law last month which will force groups receiving more than 24,000 euros ($26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a "foreign-supported organisation", or risk closure for non-compliance. They will also have to use the label "foreign-supported organisation" on their websites, press releases and other publications. Orban's government says the measures are aimed at improving transparency as well as fighting money laundering and terrorism funding. Hungary's deputy justice minister Pal Volner said in a statement said the government would "represent Hungarys interests with every means possible". "We regard it as extremely revealing that it is precisely those political activist groups that are refusing to conform to the new law and to register that receive a significant part of their funding from George Soros's network." Rights groups however hailed the EU decision. "Today's action from the European Commission sends a strong signal that such onslaughts against civil society are not acceptable in the European Union," Amnesty International's Iverna McGowan said. - 'Anti-Semitic' posters - Separately, the EU said it had moved onto the next formal stage in a legal case that it launched against Hungary in April over an education law, sending Budapest a "reasoned opinion" about the clash between that legislation and EU law. "We expect a reaction from the Hungarian authorities within a month. If the response is not satisfactory, the commission can decide to go to the court," Timmermans said, referring to the European Court of Justice, the EU's top judiciary body. Budapest has been outspoken in its opposition to Soros, claiming that his donations of billions of euros (dollars) to rights groups in the region are a bid to force Hungary to take in migrants. Brussels launched legal action against Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic last month over their refusal to take their share of migrants under an EU scheme aimed at easing the pressure on Mediterranean states from Europe's migrant crisis. But the campaign against Soros has stepped up in recent weeks with the posters showing the Hungarian-born Jewish emigre laughing, with the caption: "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh". Some have been daubed with graffiti such as "Stinking Jew". Soros, 86, called the imagery "anti-Semitic" in a rare statement Tuesday. A Hungarian government statement said the campaign, which also included print, radio and TV ads, would end on Saturday, three days before a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Government officials insisted the campaign was not about Soros's background but informing Hungarians about the security risks posed by his alleged support for mass immigration. The Hungary row shows how the EU is becoming increasingly split between western nations and newer eastern members, many of which have concerns about sovereignty and immigration. Brussels also announced on Wednesday that it was taking Poland's right-wing government to the EU's top court over logging in an ancient forest, the latest in a series of confrontations with Warsaw. The Kasai violence is thought to have driven some 1.3 million people from their homes DR Congo must identify both senior army personnel and politicians behind the massacres in the volatile Kasai region, a top UN human rights official told AFP Thursday. Jose-Maria Aranaz, the UN human rights director in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was speaking just a day after the UN said another 38 suspected mass graves had been discovered in this central part of the country. "With more than 80 mass graves identified ... it is essential that the inquiry goes beyond those who physically did it and identifies command responsibilities at the military and political level," said Aranaz. Aranaz dismissed as "unconvincing" the suggestion that rogue elements of the security forces were responsible for the violence. "We have to stop the killing," he said. Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende brushed off the comments, saying: "Those who are saying that we must investigate civil and military officials are out of line. "We are probing everybody," he said, adding that if Aranaz's office "has any names and proof about generals they must produce it." The international community has voiced alarm over the violence, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, according to statistics compiled by the Roman Catholic Church. The UN's peacekeeping mission in the country known as MONUSCO had previously spoken of "more than 400 dead" while about 1.3 million people are thought to have fled their homes. An investigative mission this month found the latest mass graves in the Diboko and Sumbula areas of the Kamonia territory, the UN said. The violence began last year when a tribal chieftain known as the Kamwina Nsapu openly challenged the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government. That provoked a crackdown by security forces and the Kamwina Nsapu was killed in a police operation in August 2016. His armed followers fight on and some believe that their leader is still alive because authorities failed to give his body appropriate funeral rites. In February MONUSCO accused the Kamwina Nsapu militia of "atrocities... including the recruiting and use of child soldiers," but also condemned "a disproportionate use of force" by government troops. Two Western experts sent to investigate the conflict by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went missing in March. Their bodies were found in a shallow grave by peacekeepers a fortnight later. The government blamed the tribal militia for their murders. On Tuesday, the United States urged the UN Security Council to punish those responsible for the flareup of violence. It also threatened sanctions against the DR Congo if elections are not held this year. The head of the electoral commission has said "it will not be possible" to hold elections before the end of the year -- a move the opposition has protested as a way to keep Kabila in power. Kabila's mandate expired last December but under a transition deal, he was allowed to remain in office until elections that are supposed to be held in late 2017. Philippine soldiers are treated in hospital in Jolo, Sulu, after being wounded in a clash with suspected Abu Sayaff militants at the weekend. A Vietnamese sailor being held by Islamist gunmen was killed in a gunbattle between troops and mlitants A Vietnamese sailor being held hostage by Islamist gunmen in the southern Philippines was killed during a gunbattle between the militants and troops, a military official said Thursday. Van Viet Tran was found dead on Saturday following the clash with members of the feared Abu Sayyaf kidnapping group in the strife-torn Sulu island group, Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana said. A soldier was also killed and 15 other troops wounded while the Abu Sayyaf suffered undetermined casualties, said Sobejana who heads a special anti-terror task force. "He (the Vietnamese) was hit by a bullet. Two things may have happened: he was hit during the encounter or he may have tried to take advantage of the situation (to escape) and then his abductors shot him," he said. He said militants were holding Van and four other Vietnamese apparently kidnapped at sea in Sulu. Six other Vietnamese seamen were also being held on Basilan island, near Sulu, but two of them were beheaded last week. Abu Sayyaf militants have been seizing hostages for ransom for years, often targetting foreigners such as seamen passing through the waters of the southern Philippines. The group, blamed for the worst terror attacks in the country's history, is known to behead its hostages unless ransom payments are made. German Jurgen Kantner, 70, was beheaded in February after the kidnappers' demand for 30 million pesos ($600,000) was not met. Last year, the Abu Sayyaf also beheaded two Canadian hostages. The Abu Sayyaf, originally a loose network of militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, has splintered into factions, with some continuing to engage in banditry and kidnapping. One faction led by Isnilon Hapilon has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and its members are among the hundreds of militants who have been occupying parts of the southern city of Marawi for almost two months despite a massive military operation to crush them. A Syrian man prays in a cemetery in Khan Sheikhun, a rebel-held town in northwestern Syria, on July 12, 2017, 100 days after a sarin gas attack killed at least 87 people, including children One hundred days after deadly sarin hit their Syrian hometown, residents of Khan Sheikhun shuttered their shops and solemnly payed their respects to the victims at their modest cemetery. The April 4 attack on the opposition-held northwestern town killed at least 87 people, including children, and prompted the first US strike on Syrian government troops. On Wednesday, relatives of the victims gathered in a semi-circle at the reported site of the attack, holding up pictures of their loved ones -- many of them toddlers. "The pain of separation has not left me for a single second -- not me, nor any of those who lost a relative or loved one," said Abdulhamid Youssef, 28. His twin toddlers, his wife and 19 other relatives died on April 4. A heartbreaking picture of Youssef, shellshocked and holding the lifeless bodies of his children on the day of the attack, sparked worldwide outrage. Relatives of the victims of the deadly April attack gather on July 12, 2017, holding up pictures of their loved ones -- many of them toddlers "All I hope for is that my children are the last ones who will be killed. Pain is hard. Separation is hard. I hope that this is the conclusion of Syria's sorrows," he told AFP. He visited his children's graves as dusk fell, pulling out weeds from around their simple markers. Nearby, an elderly man crouched on the ground, and rocked back and forth in silence while staring at a tombstone. The United Nations' chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW, concluded last month that sarin was used as a chemical weapon in Khan Sheikhun. The report did not assign blame for the attack, but many -- from Western powers to the town's own residents -- put the blame squarely with the government of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. "I had hoped that the pain would disappear with the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and an end to the violence in Syria," Youssef told AFP, but today an end to the conflict is still nowhere in sight. Locals called for a general strike in the town, and shopkeepers closed their businesses to stand in solidarity with victims' families. A picture taken on July 12, 2017 shows the entrance of Khan Sheikhun in northwestern Syria, 100 days after a sarin attack killed at least 87 people in the rebel-held town Residents were "trying to draw the international community's attention to the fact that the regime that committed this crime and most crimes in Syria remains free", said Mohammad Ahmad Maarati, who heads the local administrative council. An joint OPCW-UN team will now be responsible for determining who carried out the attack on Khan Sheikhun. The team has already concluded that Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine attacks on three villages in 2014 and 2015, and that the Islamic State used mustard gas in 2015. Israel's current government is seen as the most right-wing in the country's history, with key ministers opposing the creation of a Palestinian state and advocating settlement construction Israeli ministers have frozen a plan to allow for the construction of thousands of Palestinian homes in a West Bank city, a statement said Thursday, a move that followed Israeli settlers' objections. Israel's security cabinet took the decision in a meeting Wednesday, the statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, despite ministers having previously approved the project. The plan is for Qalqilya, said to be the most densely populated Palestinian city in the West Bank with more than 40,000 residents and surrounded by Israel's separation wall on three sides. It is located in the northern West Bank, near the Israeli cities of Kfar Saba and Raanana. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and military officials favour the plan as part of a so-called "carrot-and-stick" policy to reward Palestinian cities Israeli security forces view as calm in recent years. Lieberman has disputed reports that it would allow for up to 14,000 housing units, saying it would be a maximum of 6,100. The plan would extend the city to allow for the new homes into the part of the West Bank known as Area C, under complete Israeli control. Some 60 percent of the West Bank is part of Area C and Palestinians face near impossible odds in gaining construction permits there. Israeli settlement building has meanwhile continued in Area C, though settler leaders argue it has advanced too slowly and harshly criticised the Qalqilya plan. Under Wednesday's decision, Israel's full cabinet will hold another discussion on the issue, though with a broader scope. "The cabinet will discuss a global construction policy and Area C planning in 10 days," the statement from Netanyahu's office said. Israel's current government is seen as the most right-wing in the country's history, with key ministers opposing the creation of a Palestinian state and advocating settlement construction. India has a gruesome record on rape. Nearly 40,000 rape cases are reported every year but the real number is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be dealt with or the social stigma attached to sex crimes Indian police Thursday arrested a key suspect in the gang rape and murder of a teenage girl near the hill resort of Shimla, shocking a small community where such brutal violence is rare. The discovery of the 16-year-old's bruised and naked body has triggered outpourings of grief and anger in Himachal Pradesh, a northern state with some of India's lowest rates of sexual violence. An autopsy confirmed the girl -- whose body was found in a forest two days after she was allegedly kidnapped on her way home from school -- was gang raped and murdered by strangulation. She sustained severe injuries in the assault, including a broken leg. Zahur S Zaidi, inspector general of Himachal Pradesh police, said a 29-year-old man who was the main suspect in the attack had been arrested and was assisting investigators with their inquiry. It is expected more arrests will be made in the case. The accused is a drug addict and suspected of involvement in other sexual offences, another officer said. India has a gruesome record on rape. Nearly 40,000 rape cases are reported every year but the real number is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be dealt with or the social stigma attached to sex crimes. In the capital New Delhi, nearly 2,200 rape cases were registered in 2015 -- an average of six a day, according to most recent official figures. Himachal Pradesh -- the Himalayan state where stunned residents held protests demanding justice -- recorded 244 rapes that same year, among the lowest rates in India. India strengthened its laws on sexual violence after the fatal gang rape of a Delhi student in 2012 caused global outrage, but attacks on women are still widespread. Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo (L), shown with his wife Liu Xia in a photograph taken in 2002 in Beijing, said he hoped 'to counter the regime's hostility with utmost goodwill, and to dispel hatred with love'. As Liu Xiaobo braced for his verdict, the late Chinese democracy activist penned a moving statement declaring his love for his wife while telling his jailers: "I have no enemies." But the authorities were unmoved by the conciliatory words from a writer who had been a thorn in their side for years, and they sentenced him to 11 years in prison on Christmas Day 2009 for "subversion". Liu's punishment generated international condemnation and turned him into the living symbol of the Communist government's intolerance for dissent until his death on Thursday at age 61. Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a year after his sentence, infuriating Chinese authorities, who kept him in custody even after he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May and taken from prison to a hospital. At the December 2010 Nobel ceremony in Oslo, his statement titled "I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement" was read by an actress, with an empty chair representing the imprisoned activist, who was also known for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy protests. Liu wrote that, even though the authorities deprived him of his freedom, he hoped "to counter the regime's hostility with utmost goodwill, and to dispel hatred with love". Turning to his wife, the poet Liu Xia, he said: "Even if I were crushed into powder, I would still use my ashes to embrace you." Liu Xia herself was placed under house arrest in 2010, but she was allowed to be by his side at the hospital. Her fate will now be the centre of concern among human rights groups. Liu was the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel Peace Prize and one of only three people to have won it while detained by their own government. He was the second Nobel laureate to die in custody after German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital under the Nazis in 1938. He was arrested in late 2008 after co-authoring Charter 08, a widely circulated online petition that called for political reform in the Communist-ruled nation. The bold manifesto, which was signed by more than 10,000 people after it went online, calls for the protection of basic human rights and the reform of China's one-party system. - Words seen 'as crimes' - Western governments, rights groups and fellow activists repeatedly called for his release. Charter 08 specifically demands the abolition of subversion as a criminal offence. "We should make freedom of speech, freedom of the press and academic freedom universal, thereby guaranteeing that citizens can be informed and can exercise their right of political supervision," it says. "We should end the practice of viewing words as crimes." Liu is also known for his efforts to help negotiate the safe exit from Tiananmen Square of thousands of student demonstrators on the night of June 3-4, 1989 when the military bloodily suppressed six week-long protests in the heart of Beijing. He was arrested immediately after the crackdown and released without charge in early 1991. Liu was rearrested and served three years in a labour camp from 1996-1999 for seeking the release of those jailed in the Tiananmen protests and for opposing the official verdict that their actions amounted to a counter-revolutionary rebellion. In a 2008 interview days before his last arrest, the bespectacled intellectual casually discussed the frequent police visits he endured over the years, according to a video posted on YouTube by the Hong Kong-based FactWire news agency. Sitting at a desk, he recalled being taken to a labour camp in 1996, where "you can see the system of re-education through labour. That is where the barbarity lies. Your freedom was lost within several minutes without going through any trials." - Published overseas - Liu, who holds a doctorate in Chinese literature, was once a professor at Beijing Normal University, but was banned from teaching at state institutions over his involvement in the 1989 demonstrations. As a leading member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, a grouping of Chinese writers, Liu remained in close contact with key intellectuals. Prior to his arrest, he had been largely free to attend meetings and writer group activities despite constant police surveillance. Although he was banned from publishing in China, many of his writings advocating greater democracy and respect for human rights appeared in Hong Kong and overseas Chinese publications. Some of these served as evidence in his last trial. Liu still commanded great respect among Chinese intellectuals, a fact that some say was central to the Communist Party's decision to bring charges against him. In his 2009 statement, Liu optimistically looked forward to "a future free China. For there is no force that can put an end to the human quest for freedom". A team of Afghan girls who had been denied visas to attend a Washington robotics competition are now allowed to come, organizers said A team of Afghan girls who had been denied visas to attend a Washington robotics competition spoke of Donald Trump's support Thursday after US authorities changed course and allowed them to come. Clutching Afghan flags and waving to photographers, the schoolgirls boarded a plane in Herat in western Afghanistan Thursday afternoon to begin the long journey to Washington, where they will become the first robotics team to represent the war-torn country overseas. US authorities had originally refused access to schoolchildren from a number of Muslim-majority nations to participate in the science contest, decisions that followed implementation of stricter visa policies under Trump. But the US president urged a reversal following public outcry over the Afghan girls' inability to attend the event, according to US media, with the decision announced Wednesday. "The President of the United States and the people of America supported us in this case, which shows that they have not forgotten us," one competitor, Yasamin Yasinzadah told AFP at the airport in Herat. "We want to take the message of peace to America and convey that Afghanistan is not only the country of war, and there are girls who chase their dreams in robots and education," added Fatema Qaderyan. US authorities had originally refused access to schoolchildren from a number of Muslim-majority nations to participate in the science contest, decisions that followed implementation of stricter visa policies under President Donald Trump Organiser Ali Reza Mehraban of the Digital Citizen Foundation said the decision meant "supporting peace and women of Afghanistan, who have been deprived of everything for the past forty years". President of organisers First Global, Joe Sestak said he was "most grateful" at the decision, noting that teams from Gambia, Yemen, Libya and Morocco would also attend. "All 163 teams from 157 countries have gained approval to the United States, including Iran, Sudan, and a team of Syrian refugees," said Sestak, a former US Navy admiral and congressman. "I could not be more proud." The six girls from Herat, Afghanistan, were reportedly blocked from attending the robotics competition even after two rounds of interviews for a one-week visa. The rejections appeared to contradict the administration's claim it wants to empower women globally. "We were not a terrorist group to go to America and scare people," 14-year-old competitor Qaderyan told AFP in Herat before the U-turn. "We just wanted to show the power and skills of Afghan girls to Americans." They told AFP they had worked for six months on their robot, which they built out of low-tech, recyclable material such as bottles and boxes. Mehraban said it had been especially difficult to find girls in deeply conservative, war-torn Afghanistan whose families would allow them to take part. When the reversal was announced, Ivanka Trump tweeted: "I look forward to welcoming this brilliant team of Afghan girls, and their competitors, to Washington DC next week!" A limited version of Trump's travel ban -- temporarily barring refugees and visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- recently took effect, after the US Supreme Court allowed it to be enforced pending a full hearing in October. Travellers from Afghanistan and Gambia are unaffected by that measure. burs-aj-st/tm Botswana last month moved to crack down on the booming trade in donkey skins that has been fuelled by demand from China A Chinese man alleged to be involved in Botswana's illegal donkey skin trade has been arrested after being found with 500 animals suffering in dire conditions, police said Thursday. The animals were so cruelly treated by the 24-year-old suspect that they had to be culled. Botswana last month moved to crack down on the booming trade in donkey skins that has been fuelled by demand from China. Many thousands of donkeys in African countries have been slaughtered in recent years and their skins, meat and hooves sold to China for use in traditional medicine. The skins and hooves are boiled to make gelatin, which is used to treat health problems ranging from sexual dysfunction to anaemia and is also valued as an anti-ageing treatment. "The suspect is being investigated for cruelty to animals," police spokesman Witness Bosija said, adding he was arrested late last month outside Botswana's second city of Francistown. "The donkeys were found in a very bad state of health, therefore government officials reached a decision to cull the animals to prevent them from suffering more," said Bosija. Police said the donkeys were bought from across the country, allegedly to be skinned, and that the man was expected to appear in court soon. Botswana is the sixth African country to impose restrictions on donkey exports, following Niger, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Gambia. Zimbabwe turned down an application to build a donkey slaughterhouse, while Ethiopia has closed its only functioning donkey abattoir. But the trade has flourished due to soaring prices. Farmers in Botswana have been urged to closely monitor their donkeys to prevent thefts as well as to report suspicious buyers of live animals. Animal rights groups say the docile beasts of burden are often bludgeoned to death before being skinned in backyards and clandestine slaughterhouses. The industry is said to be worth billions of dollars worldwide. Donkey numbers in China nearly halved from 11 million in the 1990s to six million in 2013, according to official statistics. The gelatin, known in China as ejiao, is dissolved into hot beverages, or mixed with nuts and seeds. Donkey meat, consumed in parts of China, is believed to be more nutritious than beef and is served in burgers and stews. Barack Obama is making his comeback. The forty-fourth president headlined a key Democratic fundraiser Thursday night, in one of his first major appearances for the party since Donald Trump succeeded him in January. The event was a fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, and was attended by former Attorney General Eric Holder and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. It was held at a private home in Washington, DC and was closed to the press. The event aimed to raise money to fund the coming electoral battles next year in a bid to control the redistricting effort that is scheduled to take place after the 2020 census. Scroll down for video Barack Obama headlined a key Democratic fundraiser in Washington DC on Thursday. He's pictured above in Germ any in May How districts are drawn - and redrawn - has a big impact on the political landscape, making the process extremely important to the fortunes of American political parties. The 435 congressional districts that elect lawmakers to the US House of Representatives are redrawn every 10 years following the national census. Local legislatures, and not the federal government or the US Congress, redraw these boundaries. Republicans currently control the legislatures in 32 of the nation's 50 states. 'Restoring fairness to our democracy by advocating for fairer, more inclusive district maps around the country is a priority for president Obama,' his spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement. The NDRC was created this January, and is headed by Obama-era US attorney general Eric Holder. Republicans have held a House majority since the 2010 elections. Obama, 55, has kept a relatively low political profile since leaving the White House on January 20. After three months of vacation, he attended a conference in Chicago in April to discuss his youth-oriented foundation. Beyond a few press statements or tweets on topics like health care or immigration, he has avoided directly commenting on the performance of his Republican successor Trump - unlike Trump's 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton, who regularly offers criticism. You are here: Home China said on Thursday its normal trade with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) does not violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks in response to a question regarding the trade growth between the two countries in the first quarter of the year. "China has always fully, accurately and seriously implemented relevant UN Security Council resolutions," Geng said, urging parties concerned not to confuse the UN Security Council's sanctions on the DPRK with comprehensive economic sanctions. While answering a question about the DPRK's iron and iron ore exports to China, Geng said such exports were for civilian purposes and did not contribute financially to the DPRK's nuclear program, and are free from the UN's sanctions. China remains resolute and clear in its position on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Geng said, adding the country will continue to fully, strictly and seriously implement UN resolutions on the DPRK. Untreated phosphate at the Marca factory of the National Moroccan phosphates company (OCP), near Laayoune Morocco's phosphate industry giant OCP on Thursday accused South Africa of "political piracy" by detaining a Moroccan cargo vessel loaded with phosphate from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The South African judiciary had "passed an eminently political decision and committed a gross abuse of power", Morocco's state-run group said in a statement. The 34,000-tonne ship bound for New Zealand via Port Elizabeth in South Africa has been blocked from sailing since the start of May following a court application seeking that the vessel return its cargo. The application filed by the Polisario Front, which seeks the independence of Western Sahara, asks for the return of the phosphate "removed in contravention of the international principle", said Webber Wintzel, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. OCP charged that the court ruling was "an act of political piracy committed under judicial cover", in contravention of "elementary principles of international law". Morocco and the Polisario fought for control of Western Sahara from 1974 to 1991, when Rabat took over the desert territory before the signing of a UN-brokered ceasefire. Rabat, which considers Western Sahara to be an integral part of Morocco, proposes autonomy for the resource-rich territory, but the Polisario insists on an independence referendum. A pink ambulance of the Women Responders team is seen in Dubai on July 13, 2017 Four women in pink remain on standby 12 hours a day, seven days a week, to come to the aid of their "sisters" in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The four -- two medics and two drivers -- are leading a pilot project for a women-only pink ambulance service that aims to expedite medical care by helping patients feel more at ease. "In our society, Arab Muslim society, when patients call for help, they want privacy and they want to feel comfortable," said Bashayer al-Rimm, an emergency medical technician (EMT). "A male first responder can and of course does respond to all patients," she told AFP. "But the logic behind this was, 'How can we make women feel more comfortable?', to speed up giving them medical care." The government-run Women Responders unit operating in the district of Deira has had 25 callouts since it launched three weeks ago, none of them major emergencies. Staff specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology and pediatrics, and they refer to each other -- and their patients -- "sisters". Ten years ago, Dubai launched "Ladies and Families Taxis," a pink fleet of cabs driven by women and serving women and their children. The service is still available, and popular, across Dubai, a member of the United Arab Emirates. Maria Lagbes, a longtime medic who was tapped to join the Women Responders team, said the ambulance service has already helped improve patient care. Maria Lagbes, a Philippines doctor with the Women Responders team, leaves the ambulance service headquarters after receiving an emergency call, on July 13, 2017, in Dubai "Female patients, especially in this country, are more hesitant when there are male medics around," said Lagbes, who is originally from the Philippines. "I can tell the difference, having worked before with a male partner and now with a female partner," she said. "I think an all-female team can provide more efficient medical service here." For now, the pilot project targets Deira, a bustling, old district of a city state known globally for its modern opulence. The next step is to expand to Bur Dubai, another of Dubai's older quarters that lies across the Dubai Creek, a water canal historically used by fishermen and pearl divers. "We've had so much positive feedback," said Rimm. "People have been saying this is really helpful". But despite temperatures soaring above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), the next batch of EMTs is trained and eager to join the pink fleet. "We're all used to it. Not just as first responders -- as Emiratis," Rimm chuckled. "Keep hydrated." Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to report meetings last year with Russia's US ambassador on his security clearance application, according to portions of the application released under court order Thursday. The heavily redacted pages of the SF-86 security clearance form required for many senior government positions show Sessions answered 'no' to the question of whether, over the past seven years, he had contact with any foreign government, its offices or officials inside or outside the United States. An ethics watchdog group close to Democrats, American Oversight, sued in April to get the document amid allegations that Sessions had unreported meetings with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during last year's election campaign. Scroll down for video Attorney General Jeff Sessions' dealings with Russian officials during the campaign could come under scrutiny as part of a probe into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia's effort to tilt the election in Trump's favor Those meetings could figure into a sprawling investigation into whether the campaign of President Donald Trump colluded with Moscow's meddling in the US election last year. In his January confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department, the former Republican senator, 70, failed to disclose meetings he held with Russian officials. In March, media reports showed that in fact he had met Kislyak at least twice during the campaign. Sessions downplayed the issue as a minor mistake and said the meetings were insignificant. However, the issue forced his recusal from any involvement in the Justice Department's investigation of possible collusion between the campaign and Russia, which is now in the hands of an independent prosecutor. The department defended Sessions' reporting on the form, saying he had been advised to omit meetings he had in his role as a senator. 'As a United States senator, the attorney general met hundreds -- if not thousands -- of foreign dignitaries and their staff,' spokesman Ian Prior said. 'In filling out the SF-86 form, the attorney general's staff consulted with those familiar with the process, as well as the FBI investigator handling the background check, and was instructed not to list meetings with foreign dignitaries and their staff connected with his Senate activities.' Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell is aiming to vote to begin debate on the revamped health care bill next week. President Donald Trump says he will be "very angry" if Congress fails to pass the legislation Republican leaders unveiled a revamped health care bill Thursday aimed at salvaging Donald Trump's top legislative priority, after the US president warned he'll be "very angry" if party divisions scupper his drive to dismantle Obamacare. The new Senate bill is intended to woo Republicans from both conservative and moderate factions, and reassure those who fear repealing Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act -- a longstanding goal for the party -- could adversely impact millions of Americans. With Democrats united in opposition, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs support from at least 50 out of 52 Republicans to pass the measure in the 100-member chamber. Ten Republicans have said they will not support the previous version of the bill. The test is whether leadership can convince most of them to get on board. Like the previous version, the new draft eliminates a fundamental principle of Obamacare, the requirement that almost all individuals either obtain health insurance or pay a fine, according to a summary of the bill released by the Senate Budget Committee. It still includes plans to slash by more than $700 billion the Medicaid federal health care program for the poor and disabled, a move that Republican centrists fear could devastate millions of families. But key changes include the provision of an extra $70 billion to stabilize the health insurance exchanges created under Obamacare, on top of the $112 billion earmarked under the previous version. In a nod to moderate Republicans, the revamped bill jettisons plans to repeal two taxes on wealthy Americans that are used to help pay for Obamacare, and scraps repeal of a tax on health insurance executives. It also provides $45 billion to support opioid abuse treatment programs and individuals with mental disorders. Concessions to conservatives include giving states flexibility to let insurance companies offer cheap, no-frills plans alongside those that include certain health benefits mandated by Obamacare. Some Republicans warn that move could end up abolishing protections for people with pre-existing conditions and send costs soaring for children and older insurance holders in the individual market. The chamber's 52 Republicans entered a closed-door meeting Thursday where McConnell unveiled the much-anticipated measure. With opposition growing, and McConnell postponing the Senate's August recess by two weeks to allow time to bring skeptical lawmakers on board, the president used his bully pulpit to urge fellow Republicans to rally round the effort. - 'Get it done' - Trump warned Wednesday he would be "very angry" if Congress failed to pass legislation to replace large parts of Obamacare. "For years, they've been talking about repeal-replace, repeal-replace," Trump told the Christian Broadcasting Network. "They have to get together and get it done.... I will be very angry about it" if they fail. But Senator Rand Paul, a longtime critic of the bill, said Thursday he still has serious doubts. "I don't know that this is better than Obamacare," Paul told Fox News. "The new plan actually doesn't repeal Obamacare. It keeps about half of the Obamacare taxes. Keeps most of the Obamacare regulations, keeps most of the Obamacare subsidies and it creates a giant insurance bailout super fund," he warned. McConnell has been criticized for crafting the initial bill in secret and rushing the process, leaving lawmakers with little time to analyze the legislation and consider changes. "We're just kind of throwing stuff up against the wall -- concepts, policies, things that we think will work -- but we haven't given outside groups... the time" to analyze the plan, said Republican Senator Ron Johnson. Polls show the previous version to be widely unpopular. An analysis by the non-profit Congressional Budget Office forecast that under the bill, ranks of the uninsured would swell by 22 million people by 2026 compared to current law. McConnell wants to receive a CBO score on the new version as early as next Monday, and hold a vote to begin debate on the bill next week. A Belgian army soldier patrols around the Central train station in Brussels on June 21, 2017 following a failed terrorist bomb The Islamic State group on Thursday said two of its members were responsible for attempted attacks in Paris and Brussels last month. In a new edition of its multilingual magazine "Rumiyah", released on the group's propaganda channels, IS said it was behind the two previously unclaimed operations which did not kill anyone. On June 19, a known radical Islamist rammed a car laden with weapons and gas canisters into a police van on Paris's Champs-Elysees avenue. The driver, 31-year-old Adam Djaziri, died in the attack but no one else was injured. He had mailed a letter to his family just beforehand saying he had wanted to travel to Syria and complaining he had been stopped from doing so "by apostates against the Islamic State". The following day, a bomb went off at a Brussels train station, without causing casualties. The suspect, identified by authorities as a 36-year-old Moroccan, was shot dead by a soldier. Belgian investigators said there were "indications that the suspect had sympathies for the terrorist organisation IS". Rumiyah magazine identified both perpetrators as "soldiers of the caliphate" as part of a list of attacks carried out during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. IS regularly calls for its supporters to carry out attacks during Ramadan. Former US president Jimmy Carter, shown here in January at Donald Trump's inauguration, appeared to have fainted before being taken to hospital in Canada Former US president Jimmy Carter became dehydrated while working on a Habitat for Humanity building site in Canada and was treated at a local hospital, his Carter Center said. CBC television said the 92-year old appeared fatigued and to have fainted at the charity event in Winnipeg. "Former US president Jimmy Carter became dehydrated this morning while working at a Habitat for Humanity build site in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada," the Carter Center said in a statement. "As a precaution, he was transported to St Boniface General Hospital for rehydration. Mrs Carter is with him," the statement said. Carter, who served from 1977 to 1981 as the 39th US president, has been in remission from cancer since undergoing surgery in 2015 to remove a small mass on his liver. He and his wife Rosalynn were in Canada this week working with Habitat for Humanity to help build 150 homes in honor of the country's 150th anniversary, with a focus on Edmonton and Winnipeg. "President Carter has been working hard all week. He was dehydrated working in the hot sun and has been taken offsite for observation. He encourages everyone to stay hydrated and keep building," Habitat said in a statement. Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti holds a press conference in the Libyan capital Tripoli on July 13, 2017, during a forum for cooperation between Italian and Libyan municipalities in the fight against illegal immigration Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti on Thursday proposed a pact with Libya to combat human trafficking during a visit to Tripoli to meet mayors of cities affected by the scourge. "We will make a pact to liberate our lands from traffickers," Minniti told 13 mayors from south Libya, urging them to mobilise against people smugglers. Libya is struggling to control its long borders with Sudan, Chad and Niger. Cities in south Libya have become the first stops for many illegal immigrants' journeys to Europe. EU interior ministers on July 6 pledged to back an urgent European Commission plan to help crisis-hit Italy, which has been overwhelmed by a wave of migrants arriving by sea from North Africa. "We have a moral duty to eliminate this traffic that has caused deaths... and extraordinary and unacceptable pressure on my country," Minniti said. Fayez al-Sarraj, leader of the internationally backed Government of National Unity, said "Libya will do its best to relieve the pressure on the Italian coast", according to a tweet by Rome's embassy to Tripoli, the only Western diplomatic mission to have reopened in the Libyan capital. Minniti also visited Tripoli in May to hand over four patrol boats repaired in Italy as both countries fight illegal immigration. The situation has worsened since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with smugglers exploiting the chaos to increase the flow of illegal migrants to Italy just 300 kilometres away. Italy has been urging its EU partners to make a "concrete contribution" to dealing with the crisis both in terms of trying to limit departures from Libya and also taking in some of those who survive the perilous journey. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni warned last week that Italy did not have "unlimited" capacity to keep taking in people, having already accepted around 85,000 of the 100,000 people who have arrived this year. The Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, will be handed out on September 17 in Los Angeles Long-running comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live" was showered with love by the Television Academy Thursday after a year of mercilessly spoofing President Donald Trump -- receiving 22 Emmy nominations. The NBC series led the field along with HBO's sci-fi western "Westworld" for television's version of the Oscars. It also broke its own record for total nods since the awards began, boosting that number to 231. Alec Baldwin was nominated for his zinging portrayal of POTUS himself, as was Melissa McCarthy for her "Unhinged Spicey" routine as under-fire White House press secretary Sean Spicer. On a triumphant morning for SNL, the Academy proved itself to be bipartisan, however, handing Hillary Clinton impersonator Kate McKinnon another nod in the comedy supporting actress category that she won last year. While Baldwin's turn as a pouty, insouciant Trump has won almost universal acclaim, the president himself has remained steadfastly unimpressed. "Watched 'Saturday Night Live' hit job on me. Time to retire the boring and unfunny show. Alec Baldwin portrayal stinks," the tweet-happy chief executive opined a month before the election. Baldwin is widely seen as a shoo-in in for best supporting actor in a comedy show, while McCarthy is the favorite for best guest actress, but faces competition from "Star Wars" legend Carrie Fisher, who would be a poignant posthumous recipient. Vanessa Bayer, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, Lin Manuel Miranda and Tom Hanks were also nominated for supporting or guest appearances on the series. "Stranger Things," Netflix's award-winning sci-fi-horror drama set in the 1980s, and FX's "Feud: Bette and Joan," about the famous rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, scored the next highest tallies with 18 nods. - 'Record-breaking year' - Another political comedy, HBO's "Veep" -- starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as hapless former president Selina Meyer -- scored 17 nominations for the Emmys, to be handed out on September 17 in Los Angeles. "Veep" actress Anna Chlumsky -- who earned a fifth consecutive nomination for supporting actress in a comedy series -- and "Criminal Minds" star Shemar Moore presented the nominations from the Television Academy in Los Angeles. Leading the nominations in totals by platform were premium cable network HBO (110), streaming powerhouse Netflix (91) and traditional network NBC (60). Nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards were unveiled by actors Shemar Moore and Anna Chlumsky, along with Television Academy chairman Hayma Washington Industry watchers had predicted a wide open race, with awards juggernaut "Game of Thrones" out of the running -- and that prediction was borne out. HBO's fantasy epic about noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne raked in a record-breaking 12 awards last year, but was ineligible this time around since the new season doesn't start until Sunday. The outstanding drama category included five first-timers -- "Westworld," Hulu's dystopian sci-fi series "The Handmaid's Tale," NBC's family drama "This Is Us," and two Netflix shows -- "The Crown" and "Stranger Things." "The Crown" -- a Golden Globe winning series about Britain's Queen Elizabeth II -- is generally thought to be the favorite for the Emmy, but will face stiff competition from returnees "Better Call Saul" (AMC) and "House of Cards" (Netflix). "The wealth spread to newbies reflects the breadth of programming that Emmy voters had to choose from and a clear desire by voters to inject fresh blood into the realm of shows considered Emmy-worthy," said Cynthia Littleton, Variety magazine's managing editor for television. - Television history - Some hotly-tipped shows missed out on widely-expected nods, however, including "Homeland" and "Mr. Robot," which were shut out of the best drama category. Though its stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys got nominations for their acting, FX spy drama "The Americans" was also denied a spot in the coveted race in its penultimate year. The Television Academy's 21,000 members were given two weeks in June to sift through a crowded field of some 8,000 entries from shows aired during the previous 12 months across 113 categories. The most star-studded category was best actor in a limited series or TV movie, with the nominations led by Robert De Niro, who anchored HBO's "The Wizard of Lies" as Ponzi scheme fraudster Bernie Madoff. Riz Ahmed, Ewan McGregor, Geoffrey Rush and John Turturro were also nominated, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey earned another Emmy nomination for his work on political thriller "House of Cards" -- he has never won the TV award "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey, a double Oscar winner who has never won an Emmy, picked up a nomination in the best drama actor category -- his 11th nod overall. In the best actress in a comedy category, Louis-Dreyfus will be hotly-tipped for a sixth consecutive Emmy. "Game of Thrones" made television history last year, becoming the most decorated fictional show since the awards began nearly seven decades ago with nine awards in technical categories and three top prizes. Second round voting for this year's prizes will take place in August while the ceremony itself will be beamed live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, with late night funnyman Stephen Colbert hosting. A Miami-based Jewish group says Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters is anti-Semitic because he urges musicians to avoid performing in Israel to press a boycott against Israeli settlement building A Jewish association in Miami accused Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters of being anti-Semitic as he prepared to give a concert here Thursday. For years the former bass player has been urging musicians not to perform in Israel so as to press a boycott -- sponsored by a Palestinian organization -- against Israeli settlement building. "Your vile messages of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and hatred are not welcome in our community," said a statement from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. "Mr. Waters, stop openly calling for support of a cultural boycott of Israel," it added. Waters, 73, was to perform Thursday evening at the American Airlines Arena as part of a tour to promote a solo album. Waters supports a movement called Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions which encourages a boycott of goods and services linked to construction of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories. US President Donald Trump (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron avoided comment or criticism over Chinese Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo's death The presidents of the United States and France praised their Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at a press conference Thursday, avoiding criticism of Beijing over Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo's death. Rather than comment on the Chinese writer and dissident -- who died of cancer while under guard in hospital -- as they took questions from reporters in Paris, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron released warm tributes later. However during the press event, Trump described Xi as a friend and patriot. "He's a friend of mine. I have great respect for him," Trump said. "We've gotten to know each other very well. A great leader. He's a very talented man. I think he's a very good man. He loves China. I can tell you. He loves China." That praise was echoed by Macron, who described as "extremely fruitful and positive" his first contacts with Xi. The French leader later remembered Liu in a tweet, praising him as "a freedom fighter" and saying his thoughts were with his family. Several hours later, the White House also released a statement. "President Donald J. Trump was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent Chinese political prisoner Liu Xiaobo," it said. "The president's heartfelt condolences go out to Liu Xiaobo's wife, Liu Xia, and his family and friends. A poet, scholar, and courageous advocate, Liu Xiaobo dedicated his life to the pursuit of democracy and liberty." Earlier, Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had praised Liu and called for his wife to be released. "Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty," Tillerson said in a statement. "I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes." And the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called Liu "a true champion for freedom and an inspiration to those longing for democracy around the world." A poster of "Twenty Two" displayed outside a theater in Beijing holding an advanced screening, on July 7, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn] The first documentary film on the subject of Chinese victims of Japanese wartime sex slavery has been approved by the Chinese authorities and will hit local theaters in August. "Twenty Two," directed by Guo Ke, records the daily life of 22 surviving sex slavery victims and their memories of what happened in World War II. The director said at a special screening in Beijing on July 7 that he hoped more people would come to understand the dark history behind Japan's "comfort women" (military prostitution). The film encountered a series of difficulties during production, including the withdrawal of investors. Chinese actress Zhang Xinyi personally provided 1 million yuan to help finish the project. The producers organized advanced screenings in 38 cities in China for audiences totaling some 30,000 people, including those who helped fund and promote the project. The director said without their help, the documentary film would not have been possible. The film has much footage of the normal life of the sex slavery victims, the director noting that he wanted to present their real lives, rather than editing to make it inflammatory. By June 2017, 13 of 22 sex slavery victims in the film have passed away, so that only nine remain. "I don't want to tell you through this film about what relationship China and Japan should have," Guo said, "I just want you to know them, to know the real history. Thinking of them as your own family members, you will understand why the film is made like this." The longstanding disputes between Japan and neighboring China and South Korea over the "comfort women" issue have largely hindered development of ties and the issue has become a touchstone of how Japan is facing up to its wartime history. A leaflet handed to audiences by the organizers of the film screening reads "From 1932 to 1945, at least 200,000 Chinese women were forced to become comfort women." "We face the pain, " the leaflet continued, "and we remember." Numerous historical materials prove the suffering of sex slaves at the hands of the Japanese military more than 70 years ago, including a series of videos and documents released by China's State Archives Administration, serving as new evidence of the outrageous crimes. Experts from China and the South Korea revealed a list of 210 "comfort women" from the Second World War in early July. The South Korean government also wants to build a museum in memory of wartime sex slavery victims in the future. Chinese and South Korean victims have been demanding a sincere apology, repentance and compensation from the Japanese government. However, the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has yet to sincerely apologize for the wartime crimes. "Twenty Two" will be widely released in China on Aug. 14, earmarked as an international memorial day for the wartime sex slaves. UN troops in Mali where attacks by extremist groups have surged in border areas over the past month The conflict in Mali is spilling over to Burkina Faso and Niger, with a significant surge of attacks by extremist groups in border areas over past months, the UN envoy for West Africa warned Thursday. Mohamed Ibn Chambas said deadly attacks along border areas were having an impact on the local economy in the northern provinces of Burkina Faso and western regions of Niger. "In the Sahel, persistent instability in Mali is spilling over to Burkina Faso and Niger, with deadly attacks along border areas," Chambas told the UN Security Council. The Liptako Gourma region, which encompasses the border areas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, "has seen a significant expansion of violent extremist and terrorist activities in the past months, including coordinated cross-border attacks against security posts and ransacking of border settlements," he said. Drug smugglers, human traffickers and arms peddlers crisscross borders, establishing a tentative presence before moving to new zones of operation, said Chambas. The Security Council last month adopted a French-drafted resolution that welcomed the deployment of a 5,000-strong force set up by the three countries along with Mauritania and Chad to fight jihadists in the region. But that resolution fell short of a full UN authorization after the United States raised objections amid concerns that UN member-states would need to provide funding for the Sahel force. In his remarks, Chambas said the countries of the Sahel are in need of "more support" to confront growing concerns over security. In January, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger agreed to pool their military and intelligence resources to address the cross-border crime, setting up a joint force in parallel with the Sahel operation. The United Nations has 12,500 troops and police serving in the MINUSMA force in Mali, considered the world body's most dangerous peacekeeping mission. France maintains 4,000 troops in the five Sahel countries as part of a counter-terror force deployed since its 2013 military intervention in Mali to drive out jihadist groups. In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising. While the Islamists were largely ousted by the French-led military operation, attacks have continued on civilians, the Malian army as well as French and UN forces. Liu, who died aged 61, was transferred from prison to First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May. The family of China's Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo was by his side when he died on Thursday after his condition abruptly deteriorated days earlier, his doctors said. Liu was "primarily saying goodbye to his wife" and telling her to "live well" in his last moments, doctor Teng Yue'e told a news conference hours after the democracy advocate died. Liu, who died aged 61, was transferred from prison to First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May. US and German cancer experts visited Liu last weekend and issued a statement on Sunday saying he was still strong enough to fulfil his wish to be treated abroad, contradicting their Chinese counterparts. But Liu Yunpeng, the hospital's head of internal medicine, said that Liu's condition deteriorated shortly after the foreign doctors asked for an assessment on whether he could travel. Liu Yunpeng, the hospital's head of internal medicine, said that Liu's condition deteriorated shortly after the foreign doctors asked for an assessment on whether he could travel. "In just the 20-minute period of the examination, his condition drastically changed for the worse. At the time our collective assessment was that it would be very difficult for him to be moved for a long distance or period. The danger was extremely great," Liu Yunpeng said. China's government rejected international calls to fulfil Liu's request to receive treatment abroad, while human rights groups slammed the continued detention of the peaceful democracy activist. Liu Yunpeng said a patient is not obligated to get treatment from them and "you can go to where you desire to receive treatment". But when asked whether other people prevented Liu from leaving, he said: "This is not a medical question. I'm not so clear on these other matters." Liu's wife, the poet and artist Liu Xia, and his other relatives could not be reached Thursday evening. Liu Xia was placed under house arrest after her husband won the Nobel in 2010, and her contact with the outside world remained highly restricted through his hospitalisation. Newly appointed Moroccan Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani, pictured in April 2017, plans to tour the central Beni Mellal-Khenifra region Morocco's government will make a regional tour to examine development projects, Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said Thursday after months of protests shook the northern Rif region. Media reports said the tour could begin by next week. It is expected to take in the central Beni Mellal-Khenifra region and "the southern provinces", a reference to Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara. Earlier this month, security forces began withdrawing from the restive northern cities of Al-Hoceima and Imzouren after weeks of unrest. Al-Hoceima, the main port in the neglected Rif, had been rocked by protests since a fishmonger was crushed to death in a rubbish truck in October as he tried to retrieve swordfish confiscated for being caught out of season. Demands for justice and anger over the region's perceived marginalisation snowballed into a grassroots movement centred on Al-Hoceima, but protests also spread to neighbouring cities including Imzouren. El Othmani said Thursday he was "aware that several regions of the kingdom have not benefited from the development spillovers of recent decades". He said his government would "strive for equitable development" nationwide. Some media reports suggested the premier's announcement was aimed at preventing social unrest from spreading. Chen Guangcheng, a lawyer and activist imprisoned for speaking out against forced abortions in rural China who now lives in the US, says Beijing "deliberately killed" Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo by not allowing him to seek treatment abroad Chen Guangcheng, one of China's best-known activists who fled to the United States, charged Thursday that Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo was "deliberately killed" by the country's rulers, urging the international community to maintain pressure on Beijing. Liu, a veteran of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 who was jailed in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power" with his Charter 08 manifesto calling for democratic reforms, died Thursday at age 61 after losing a battle with cancer. Chinese authorities transferred the dissident from prison to a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang less than two months ago. His requests to be allowed to travel abroad for treatment were denied. "We need to see his death as not a natural, normal death," Chen told AFP in a telephone interview from Washington, where he has been living after fleeing his home village in eastern China in 2012. "He was killed by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), deliberately killed by them," Chen said via an interpreter. "A few days ago, the Communist Party spread the news saying that Liu Xiaobo could walk around and was eating... and then suddenly he dies. This is cause for great suspicion." Chen alleged that China had refused to allow Liu to travel abroad for treatment because they "were likely to discover what was really wrong with him and would probably reveal that they had been harming him with medication or some such things." "As a vocal outspoken Nobel prize winner, he would likely speak out about what has happened to him, and that's another thing that the Chinese Communist Party did not want to have happen," Chen added. Chen, a blind lawyer who highlighted the issue of forced abortions under China's one-child policy and other thorny issues such as pollution and corruption, spent four years in jail and a few more under house arrest before his daring escape. He fled to the US embassy in Beijing, just before a visit to the Chinese capital by then secretary of state Hillary Clinton. After negotiations, he was allowed to leave China. Chen called on world leaders to "do much more" to keep the pressure on Beijing, especially over the fate of Liu's wife Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest for years. "In the international community, many leaders, many nations have chosen to walk a path of appeasement... I feel that that is not what is needed, that's not what is effective," he said. "If the protest from the international community is very strong, there is a strong chance that they will let her go... and allow her to leave the country." GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - A northeastern Wisconsin husband and wife starved and abused their adopted 5-year-old son and accused him of manipulating a trip to the hospital so he could "vacation" there, according to criminal complaints. Criminal complaints against Bradley Fahrenkrug, 40, and Kimberly Fahrenkrug, 38, of Wrightstown, say the boy weighed just 29 pounds and was suffering from severe malnutrition when he was admitted to Children's Hospital in Madison in April. The complaints say the couple's other children told investigators their parents made the 5-year-old wear a helmet, a compression vest, flippers and a backpack filled with weights and ordered him to march and do other exercises The Fahrenkrugs say the helmet protected the boy from banging his head and that the other gear helped him strengthen his legs. This undated photo provided by the Brown County, Wis., Sheriff's Office shows Bradley Fahrenkrug. Fahrenkrug and his wife Kimberly Fahrenkrug are each charged with five felonies in Brown County Circuit Court, including reckless injury, child neglect and false imprisonment in criminal complaints that allege they abused their adopted 5-year-old son and accused him of manipulating a trip to the hospital so he could "vacation" there. (Brown County Sheriff's Office via AP) He was given only a small amount of food to eat while his siblings could eat as they pleased, prosecutors said. The parents denied withholding food from their son and told investigators the boy had stopped eating. Both parents are charged with five felonies in Brown County Circuit Court, including first-degree reckless injury, causing mental harm to a child, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, child neglect resulting in great bodily harm and false imprisonment. Barbara Knox, a physician and child abuse expert at Children's Hospital, told investigators that the boy had experienced the "most egregious example of child starvation and torture" that she has seen, according to the criminal complaints. Investigators said Kimberly Fahrenkrug grew angry at hospital staff when they gave her son food and told them she believed he was manipulating her and others to get a "vacation" at the hospital. Knox said the boy's current medical condition puts him at "risk of great bodily harm and/or death." The hospital said he was being monitored for a condition known as refeeding syndrome, which is sparked by severe malnutrition, and ordered that he be given unrestricted access to food. The complaints say the parents described their son as "controlling, demanding and abnormal" in his refusal to eat and manipulate others. The staff at Children's Hospital described the boy as "sweet, polite and very normal." The boy was also often "swaddled" in a crib, so he wouldn't be able to get out and get food, according to complaints. Cash bond of $100,000 each has been ordered for the couple who are jailed in Green Bay. Court records do no list defense attorneys for the couple. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Nine people were charged Tuesday with agreeing to help concoct alibis for a Florida murder suspect who last year staged a brazen escape from a crowded courtroom and is accused of killing a woman whose family founded the Halliburton oil services company. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said at a news conference that the arrests were the result of an undercover operation into the alleged plot masterminded by 22-year-old Dayonte Resiles, who is charged with the 2014 slaying of Jill Halliburton Su, grand-niece of Halliburton Co. founder Erie P. Halliburton, during a burglary at her home. The investigation began after a jail officer reported to supervisors that Resiles sought in a letter to bribe him to smuggle in a cellphone. Israel said authorities gave Resiles a wiretapped phone and monitored his attempts to get people to lie regarding his whereabouts on the day of the 2014 killing and unrelated burglaries. In one letter to his sister, Resiles explained why he needed a phone in jail. "I got to get in touch with my witnesses so they know what to say when they testify," he wrote. "I'm just trying to prepare my case & beat trial." Ultimately, using about 1,200 calls and text messages from the monitored phone, Resiles managed to convince the eight suspects to help him out, said Sgt. Jason Hendrick, chief of the sheriff's public corruption unit. Some even altered Resiles' Facebook account to back up his claims that he was out of town during the killing and burglaries. "All of these people planned on helping him lie in court," Hendrick said. Another suspect agreed to accept $1,000 to blame dead people for the crimes, including a story about how one now-deceased person supposedly planted Resiles' DNA on a knife and belt at the murder victim's home, Hendrick said. The nine accused of plotting face a host of charges, including racketeering. In addition to murder, escape, burglary and other charges, Resiles is now facing 37 new charges stemming from the conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to the previous charges. Last July, Resiles was at large for five days after the escape in which he bolted from court by shedding shackles using a hidden key, fled down flights of stairs and burst through a back door to a waiting getaway car. Eight other people are charged with helping him escape and hide, which ended when he was captured at a motel in nearby West Palm Beach. In the Su killing, the 59-year-old woman was found stabbed to death in her bathtub, her hands and feet bound. In addition to the DNA evidence, investigators say they have cellphone evidence that places Resiles in the vicinity of the upscale gated community where she lived. Israel said this latest effort by Resiles could make obtaining a conviction easier. "His murder case, the case against him, was clearly strengthened by the investigation," the sheriff said. "We look forward to the day when prosecution begins." ___ This story has corrected the arrest total to nine. ___ Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/miamicurt ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish police killed five Islamic State group militants in a firefight that erupted during a raid on a house in the central city of Konya, officials said Wednesday. Four police officers were slightly wounded in the operation. Eight other militants were detained in a series of other raids linked to the operation, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The Konya governor's office said police carried out the raid on the house after a routine security check on residents of homes on a route frequently used by military units revealed that it was being rented by a militant wanted by police. Turkish police officers escort a man arrested in a raid in Konya, Turkey, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Police killed five Islamic State militants in a firefight that erupted during a raid on a house in the central city of Konya, officials said Wednesday. (Tolga Yanik/DHA-Depo Photos via AP) The governor's office said a gun, five automatic rifles and a large amount of ammunition were seized in the raid. Turkey has been hit by a series of deadly attacks carried out by IS or Kurdish militants and has stepped up anti-terrorism operations across the country. IS claimed responsibility for a New Year's mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli police questioned a close confidante and cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday over his involvement in the purchase of German submarines, Israeli media reported. David Shimron, a Netanyahu cousin and his personal attorney, arrived for questioning following revelations that he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal, raising the prospect of a conflict of interests. Police suspect Shimron was hired by the Germans because of his ties to Netanyahu so he could push the deal through. Police reportedly barred Shimron from communicating with Netanyahu, and Israeli representatives of German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp from discussing the case with their parent company. FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2016 file photo, Israeli sailors stand on a German-built "Rahav" submarine on its arrival in to the military port in Haifa, Israel. An Israeli spokesman said Wednesday, July 12, 2017, that David Shimron, a close confidante, personal attorney and cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was questioned by police over his involvement in the purchase of German submarines following revelations that he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal, raising the prospect of a conflict of interests. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File) Israeli police have declined to comment on any details of the investigation. Suspicions of impropriety were heightened when former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said he was sidelined on the purchase plans - which went forward after he was replaced last year. A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel also declined commenting on the investigation, saying it was an internal Israeli matter. Israel has ordered six submarines from Germany in the past two decades, with the final one scheduled for delivery in 2018. Israel recently decided to purchase three new vessels to replace its older submarines. Police have questioned Netanyahu over separate corruption allegations regarding questionable ties to top media, business and Hollywood executives. Netanyahu has dismissed the accusations as "baseless." HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A former police officer in Kentucky charged with sexually abusing a child has agreed to a plea deal. The Kentucky New Era reports 33-year-old Ian L. Damber pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree sexual abuse Tuesday and received a 10-year sentence. He'll also be required to register as a sex offender for life. Special prosecutor Carrie Ovey-Wiggins says she consulted the victim and victim's family before entering into the plea agreement. She says the former Hopkinsville police officer isn't eligible for probation because of the sexual and violent nature of the offense. Damber was a Hopkinsville police officer from 2013 until 2016. He resigned when allegations were made against him and was arrested Aug. 19. He was represented by public defender Kenneth Root. ___ Information from: Kentucky New Era, http://www.kentuckynewera.com PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The nation's governors gather this week amid great uncertainties for their states - on health care, solutions to the opioid overdose epidemic, even how to address the effects of climate change without help from the federal government. Proposed changes to the nation's existing health care law will be front and center as Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate seek ways to salvage their overhaul effort. Governors from both parties have spoken out against elements of the most recent bill, which could have enormous consequences for the states. Their nonpartisan group, the National Governors Association, has called on the Senate to give governors a say in shaping any reforms. FILE - In this Wednesday, June 28, 2017, file photo, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds listens as President Donald Trump speaks during an energy roundtable with tribal, state, and local leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. On Monday, July 10, 2017, Reynolds, a Republican, said she wants Congress "to get something done" on replacing the Affordable Care Act but declined to offer specifics. Several carriers have exited the Iowa market and elsewhere around the country amid uncertainty over the law's future. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Their summer meeting begins Thursday in Providence and will include an address by Vice President Mike Pence. Governors in states that expanded Medicaid under former President Barack Obama's health care law are especially concerned as Republicans in Congress try to make good on their repeated promises to repeal and replace the law. A bill that passed the House and one proposed in the Senate eventually would phase out the federal subsidy that most states used to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults who don't have children at home. The expansion has provided coverage to about 11 million Americans in 31 states. The GOP bills also would cap how much the federal government would pay for state-run Medicaid programs in the future while giving states more say over how to use the money they do receive. Medicaid is the biggest source of federal revenue for states and is among the largest expenses in most state budgets. "It's important for us to figure out a way to speak with one voice to the Trump administration to explain that this is going to hurt a lot of people in a lot of states, regardless of whether there's a Democrat or Republican in the governor's mansion," said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat who is hosting the summit. Reaching a consensus on the future of the Affordable Care Act is proving difficult, in part because some states expanded their Medicaid programs while others did not. Those that did not also would have to grapple with the cuts to Medicaid overall. In either case, states would have to figure out how to afford coverage for low-income residents or deal with people who would go without insurance and turn up in emergency rooms when they needed care. Yet many governors also face turmoil in their state's private health insurance market, as people who do not get coverage through their employer or Medicaid have faced skyrocketing premiums and fewer choices. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said she wants Congress "to get something done" on replacing the Affordable Care Act but declined to offer specifics. In Iowa and many other states, steep losses have forced carriers to exit the insurance exchanges set up under the Obama-era law. Governors prefer a bipartisan approach to any changes, said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who works with a Legislature controlled by Democrats. "Many times, one of the big messages we deliver to our colleagues in Washington is you should all try to work a little harder to get along with one another and find common ground," he told reporters Tuesday when asked about the health care debate. Governors from more than 30 states and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have said they will attend the gathering in Rhode Island. A governors-only session will give the chief executives a chance to ask questions of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Seema Verma, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicaid funding is a key topic for governors for another reason: It's become essential in states' ability to address the opioid addiction crisis. Discussing the widespread problem of overdoses from prescription painkillers and illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl is on the meeting's agenda. Also up for discussion is how to move forward on ways to combat climate change after the Trump administration said it would pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate pact. Raimondo, the Rhode Island governor, said she wants to see governors collectively say they will commit their states to the Paris standards and thinks they can work directly with world leaders to address the problem. Among those expected to attend is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is scheduled to speak about international collaboration and has said he wants to find common solutions on climate change. Trudeau has said he was "deeply disappointed" with Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement. Foreign dignitaries have attended the association's meetings in recent years, though not heads of government. ___ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. ___ AP reporters Gary Fineout in Tallahassee, Florida; Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina; Barbara Rodriguez in Des Moines, Iowa; Bob Salsberg in Boston; and Will Weissert in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Jennifer McDermott on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JenMcDermottAP and Geoff Mulvihill at https://twitter.com/geoffmulvihill You are here: Home A man has been arrested in central China's Hunan province for alleged rape and murder of children and teenagers, said local police. Yao Changfeng, the suspect, was caught on Saturday while attempting to rape an 11-year-old girl by a road in Yuanling county. By comparing him with images in the database, police found Yao was wanted for allegedly killing two children in December 2011, and a 15-year-old girl in February 2013. After investigation, police learned that between 2013 and 2017, Yao raped ten others, three of whom were minors. Yao also confessed to 42 thefts involving more than 17,000 yuan (about 2,500 U.S. dollars). To avoid the police, he allegedly travelled by bike and lived in caves, under bridges or tents in the wilderness. The Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of the adjacent Hubei province issued a notice in February, offering 200,000 yuan for information which may lead to Yao's arrest. WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - A preliminary hearing for a Pennsylvania man charged with fatally shooting an 18-year-old woman during a road rage encounter has been postponed. Tuesday's hearing for 28-year-old David Desper, of Trainer, was postponed at his attorney's request until Aug. 17. Police say Desper and Bianca Roberson were engaged in a high-speed "cat-and-mouse game" as both tried to merge into a single highway lane before Desper allegedly shot Roberson in the head and drove off June 28. Her car crashed into a tree. Desper surrendered to police a few days later. Chester County prosecutors didn't opposed the postponement. Defense attorney Daniel McGarrigle refused to discuss it. RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota man accused of stabbing another man to death using a bayonet has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Authorities accused 27-year-old Joseph Rich of killing 21-year-old Juan Legarda Jr. on New Year's Day in Rapid City by stabbing him five times with the bayonet, a blade attached to the muzzle end of a gun. The stabbing happened after Rich's brother became involved in a fight with other men outside Rich's home. Rich maintained he was protecting his home and family. Rich pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in May, in a deal with prosecutors that spared him from a possible life sentence. He was sentenced Monday to a decade behind bars and given credit for the half a year he's already spent in prison. MOSCOW (AP) - Prosecutors have asked a Moscow court to send a man convicted in the assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov to prison for life. A Russian jury last month found five men guilty of involvement in the killing. Prosecutors on Wednesday asked the court to sentence the suspected killer, Zaur Dadayev, a former officer in the security forces of Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, to life in prison and the other four men to lengthy prison terms. Nemtsov, a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin, was shot late at night in 2015 as he was walking across a bridge just outside the Kremlin. From background left: Zaur Dadayev, Temirlan Eskerkhanov, Shadid Gubashev, Khamzat Bakhayev, and Anzor Gubashe, defendants suspected of involvement in the killing of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, sit in a glass enclosure during their trial in a Moscow military district court in Moscow, Russia,Wednesday, July 12, 2017. A Russian jury last month found five men guilty of involvement in the killing. Prosecutors on Wednesday asked the court to sentence the suspected killer, Zaur Dadayev, a former officer in the security forces of Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, to life in prison and the other four men to lengthy prison terms. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) Nemtsov's allies have criticized investigators for not studying a possible role of Kadyrov in the killing. The court is expected to deliver the sentences on Thursday. NEW YORK (AP) - "Morning Joe" host and former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough is blaming the GOP's loyalty to President Donald Trump and its failure to live up to its promises for his decision to leave the party and become an independent. Scarborough first announced the switch during an interview with CBS "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night. He appeared as a guest with his co-host and fiancee, Mika Brzezinski, who recently was attacked in sharply personal terms by the Republican president. On Wednesday's "Morning Joe," Scarborough accused Republicans of abandoning their fiscal principles. He also referred to Trump, saying Republicans are "kowtowing to somebody who - inexplicably - shows them no loyalty whatsoever." FILE - In this April 11, 2012 file photograph taken by AP Images for The Hollywood Reporter, 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough arrives at The Hollywood Reporter 35 Most Powerful People in Media event in New York. MSNBC host and former Republican Congressman Scarborough says he's leaving the GOP. The "Morning Joe" co-host has become a sharp critic of President Donald Trump. Scarborough said Tuesday, July 11, 2017, during an interview with CBS "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert that "I've got to become an independent." (Evan Agostini/AP Images for The Hollywood Reporter, File) Scarborough was elected to four U.S. House terms from Florida starting in 1994. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Afghan official says gunmen snatched seven civilians off a bus in the western Farah province and shot and killed them. Abdul Marouf Folad, the provincial chief police, said on Wednesday that the shooting happened the previous day in the remote district of Bala Buluk and that one woman was among those killed. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings but Folad said that at the same time, a battle was underway nearby between Afghan security forces and the Taliban. Meanwhile, in western Herat province, Taliban insurgents killed at least three construction workers. Jelani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, says the attack took place in the Guzara district on Tuesday. He says a police investigation is underway by police. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has approved three measures that dedicate hundreds of millions of federal dollars to curbing human trafficking. The bills tackle human trafficking in the U.S. and abroad. One program would invest in law enforcement training. Another program provides housing options for victims, as well as mental health counseling and job training. Speaker Paul Ryan says human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world and that law enforcement needs every possible resource to fight it. President Donald Trump says he's hopeful the Senate will take up the bills as soon as possible. Lawmakers say only about a quarter of human trafficking cases are actually identified. They say the bills will help ensure that children and other vulnerable populations learn how to avoid traffickers. NEW YORK (AP) - An engineering research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been arrested on insider trading charges filed in New York. Authorities said Wednesday that Fei Yan was charged with earning $120,000 in illegal profits from secrets stemming from two corporate mergers last year. The 31-year-old Chinese citizen, arrested at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, was freed on $500,000 bail after appearing in Boston federal court. His assistant public defender did not immediately comment. Federal prosecutors in New York City say Yan got his illegal tips from his spouse, a lawyer at an international law firm. Prosecutors say Yan's illegal trades came after he studied online how to avoid law enforcement detection. They say he read an article entitled: "Want to Commit Insider Trading? Here's How Not to Do It." WASHINGTON, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on a woman trapped in a building that partially collapsed in southwestern Pennsylvania (all times local): 8 p.m. Rescue crews have freed a woman trapped for more than nine hours in the upstairs apartment of a Pennsylvania building that partially collapsed. A man is helped by emergency personnel after he was rescued from a partially collapsed building, Wednesday July 12, 2017, in Washington, Pa. (Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter via AP) The collapse was reported Wednesday morning and involved a building housing a barbershop on the first floor and apartments above it in Washington, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says crews punched through a wall and debris to save the woman Wednesday evening. Washington County public safety director Jeff Yates says she was either near or under a refrigerator and in a relatively safe spot. The woman was conscious and alert and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Two other people also have been taken to a hospital. ___ 11:20 a.m. Crews have been working to free a woman trapped in the upstairs apartment of a building that partially collapsed in southwestern Pennsylvania. The collapse was reported about 9 a.m. Wednesday and involved a building housing a barbershop on the first floor and apartments above it in Washington, Pennsylvania. That's about 25 miles (40.2 kilometers) southwest of Pittsburgh. Washington County Public Safety Director Jeff Yates says the woman trapped in the apartment, either near or under a refrigerator, was in a relatively safe spot. He says crews have been trying to buttress a wall before removing her. Another resident has already been rescued and flown to an unspecified hospital. Eight people live in the building and five others are accounted for. It's unclear if the last one was home at the time. Emergency workers examine an apartment building that collapsed in Washington, Pa., Wednesday July 12, 2017. (Nate Guidry/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) A man is helped by emergency personnel as he is rescued from a partially collapsed building, Wednesday July 12, 2017, in Washington, Pa. (Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter via AP) Emergency workers examine an apartment building that collapsed in Washington, Pa., Wednesday July 12, 2017. Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter via AP) Emergency workers examine the front of an apartment building that collapsed in Washington, Pa., Wednesday July 12, 2017. Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter via AP) PHOENIX (AP) - A former Arizona lawmaker known as the driving force behind most of the state's toughest immigration laws is moving to challenge the university system for temporarily allowing young immigrants protected from deportation to keep paying lower-cost in-state tuition. It comes after a court ruled that students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program must pay higher-cost out-of-state tuition. The Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees three public universities and other colleges, voted soon afterward to allow in-state costs to stand while the issue is under court review. The court decision last month sets Arizona apart from other states that are granting in-state tuition to young immigrants in recipients of former President Barack Obama's program. That includes Republican-dominant states such as Oklahoma, Tennessee and Nebraska. FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2011 file photo, Arizona State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, left, prepares to address the media in Mesa, Ariz., after losing his recall election bid, as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpiao, right, stands by his side. Pearce, Pearce, a former Arizona lawmaker known as the driving force behind most of the state's toughest immigration laws is moving to challenge the university system for temporarily allowing young immigrants protected from deportation to keep paying lower-cost in-state tuition. Pearce sent a letter Tuesday, July 11, 2017, to state Attorney General Mark Brnovich giving him 60 days to sue the Arizona Board of Regents over its decision on the tuition issue or threatened to take legal action himself. (AP Photo/Matt York, File) The Trump administration has stepped up immigration enforcement and says it has not decided the program's fate. Russell Pearce, a former state Senate president who helped create the landmark 2010 immigration enforcement law SB1070, said Wednesday that different law prohibits benefits for anyone living here illegally. "I come here from Idaho or Utah or Texas and you have to pay out of state tuition but I'm in the country illegally and I don't?" Pearce said. "It's crazy it doesn't make sense and it's a violation of the Constitution." Pearce sent a letter Tuesday to state Attorney General Mark Brnovich, giving him 60 days to sue the Board of Regents over its decision before threatening to take legal action himself. The attorney general's office didn't immediately return a request for comment. Arizona State University student and DACA recipient Edder Diaz Martinez said that without paying in-state tuition, he would only be able to afford one class per semester, potentially setting him back years before he could complete his senior year of college. "The initial feeling was, of course, frustration because this is something that we have fought for for a very long time and we had victories - positive results at lower courts and we now are having setbacks," said Diaz Martinez, 26, who works full time to pay his tuition. The Arizona Court of Appeals overturned a 2015 decision by a lower-court judge saying DACA recipients were considered legally present in the U.S. under federal immigration laws and therefore qualified for state benefits. The Maricopa County Community College District board said it will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to overturn the ruling. Pearce was known as the most full-throated advocate for tougher immigration enforcement during his more than 10 years as a state senator. He was the chief sponsor of the contentious immigration law SB 1070 requiring police officers, when enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of those suspected of being in the country illegally. He also wrote laws that barred employers from hiring people in the United States illegally, denied bail to immigrants charged with certain crimes, declared English the state's official language and prohibited immigrants from being awarded punitive damages in lawsuits. But Diaz Martinez said he is still feeling hopeful, calling Pearce's threat to sue "just an intimidation tactic." ___ Associated Press writer Jacques Billeaud contributed to this report. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Shia LaBeouf apologized Wednesday for a racist tirade against Georgia police officers and jailors who arrested him Saturday for public drunkenness. The actor wrote in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday that he has been publicly struggling with addiction for "far too long." He called his behavior a new low and attributed it in part to his complete disrespect for authority. The statement, which was confirmed as legitimate by LaBeouf's publicist, asked for forgiveness and said the actor was taking steps to get sober. He did not elaborate. FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2016 file photo, Shia LaBeouf arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Man Down" at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood. LaBeouf has apologized for a racist tirade against officers who arrested him for public drunkenness over the weekend in Savannah, Ga. The actor wrote in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday, July 12, 2017, that he has been publicly struggling with addiction for what he was said was "far too long." (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) LaBeouf's apology came hours after celebrity website TMZ posted video taken while the actor was being booked when he accused police of being racist and told a black officer he was going to hell. The actor made several other profane remarks before being released on $7,000 bond. The videos were not immediately available Wednesday from the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. The "Transformers" actor was arrested in a hotel lobby at 4 a.m. Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and released. He was also accused of disorderly conduct and obstruction. "I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it," LaBeouf wrote on Twitter. "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst," LaBeouf, 31, wrote. "It is a new low. A low I hope is bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes." LaBeouf is in the Savannah area filming his new movie, "The Peanut Butter Falcon," which also stars Dakota Johnson. Iraqi forces fought valiantly to dislodge Islamic State remnants from the historic city of Mosul. [Chinanews.com] Iraqi forces fought valiantly to dislodge Islamic State remnants from the historic city of Mosul. It is a big occasion and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi chose to make the victory announcement at the operations room of the Counter-Terrorism Service, whose elite troops were the first to enter Mosul last November. The success after a nine-month struggle was gained at a huge price. Thousands of civilians have been killed while close to a million residents have been displaced. The city lies in ruins. Amidst crumpled buildings, there are reports that some militants might still be hunkered down in isolated hideouts prepared to launch reprisals. However, it hardly makes any difference, as Iraqi forces have firm control over whatever is left of a once-bustling urban center. Iraqs current misfortunes started on March 20, 2003, when the U.S. launched a massive attack on it without any U.N. authorization. It will go down in history as an unnecessary war killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, sharpening religious differences, destroying the countrys social fabric and changing the regional strategic make up. Islamic State, Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula and several smaller militant groups are some of the deadliest consequences of the American invasion. Iraq is slowly regaining some normalcy after almost a decade-and-a-half of war. The defeat of IS in Mosul is a step towards a better future and so means a lot. And Iraqis have every reason to be jubilant, as are their international partners. It was at the Al-Nuri mosque where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was anointed as caliph, after ISIS occupied the city in June 2014. The mosque was demolished by the retreating militants, a symbolic acceptance of defeat. The fall of this crucial militant base coincides with the reports confirming the death of al-Baghdadi in a Russian strike last month in neighboring Syria. If the report is correct, it will be a huge blow to militancy along with the liberation of the city that was his power base. Yet, it is not the end of Islamic State and its bloody campaign. In fact, it could be just the beginning of another phase of the fight between Iraqi government forces and the militants. This phase will be dominated by guerilla warfare and widespread terrorism by the latter. The U.S. senior commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, also said that the war is not over and more struggles lie ahead. However, the Mosul victory has changed the equation and Iraqi forces now have the upper hand. When ISIS rose from nowhere to overrun towns and cities in Iraq one after another, government forces were on the run. Now, they are better equipped, trained and disciplined and are on the offensive. The Iraqi government should maintain the momentum against militants despite many challenges. The foremost challenge is to maintain the hold on the cities and countryside recovered and then rebuild them. To improve the security situation, the government has to increase the number of troops so they can be permanently deployed at critical points around the country they have regained. With better security arrangements in place, the government can focus on the short and long term reconstruction and national development. Some of the essential services need urgent attention. Iraq has to rebuild destroyed power stations and water supply facilities, as well as provide the daily necessities of life to numerous refugees. It also has to make plans for the reconstruction of roads, bridges, offices and other infrastructure. The massive drive to keep militants away and carry out rebuilding work demands efficient government and active leadership. This means a government that is ready to lead and reach out to those segments of the society now feeling alienated. At this critical juncture, the Iraqi government should make it a priority to overcome differences with the Sunni community increasingly feeling marginalized after Saddam Hussein was deposed and later hanged. Some disgruntled Sunni elements may still join the rebels to seek revenge. The U.S. administration, which is primarily responsible for the Iraqi mess, should learn a lesson and stop playing strategic games at the cost of innocent civilian lives. It should let Iraq function as an independent country, having complete liberty to choose its international friends and partners. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Candice Jackson, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, apologized Wednesday for saying that '90 per cent' of campus sexual abuse cases can be summed up as 'we were both drunk, we broke up' The Education Department's civil rights chief has said she's sorry for making 'flippant' remarks about 'false' sexual assault claims on campus. On Wednesday Candice Jackson, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, apologized for telling the New York Times that in most cases there's 'not even an accusation that these accused accused students overrode the will of a young woman.' 'Rather, the accusations - 90 per cent of them - fall into the category of "we were both drunk, we broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right,"' she said in the NYT interview. In her statement of apology, Jackson said she was a rape survivor. 'I would never seek to diminish anyone's experience,' she said. 'My words in The New York Times poorly characterized the conversations I've had with countless groups of advocates. What I said was flippant, and I am sorry.' Both Jackon's claim that investigations tend to be unfairly balanced against the accused and her subsequent apology came on Wednesday. That was the eve of a series of meetings that her boss, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, is holding to examine the impact of the Obama administration's stepped-up efforts to hold schools accountable for investigating sexual violence. Several groups of people were among those invited to meet with DeVos on Thursday to talk about enforcement of Title IX as it relates to sexual assault. Jackson's comments, and apology, came the day before her boss, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (pictured), will hold a meeting with campaigners about Obama-era regulations that say sex assault on federally funded campuses is sexual discrimination under Title IX Among them were survivors of sexual violence, people who say they were falsely accused and disciplined, and representatives of colleges and universities. Advocates for assault survivors have spent years trying to get schools to take victims and a 'rape culture' seriously. They worry that DeVos' series of roundtable meetings are really a preview for a rollback of Obama's guidance, which said sexual assault is sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX for schools that receive federal funding. But groups representing those who say they have been falsely accused suggest the Obama-era guidance weighted campus justice systems in favor of those alleging sexual violence. Jackson said in the Times interview that investigations have not been 'fairly balanced between the accusing victim and the accused student.' Many of those who want Obama's guidance reversed have said they want assault cases referred to law enforcement. Jackson sought to issue reassurances that both she and the department take the position that 'all sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously.' According to a 2015 survey by the Association of American Universities, one in four female students at leading universities have been sexually assaulted by force or while incapacitated in college. MOSCOW (AP) - The man convicted of gunning down Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on a bridge within sight of the Kremlin was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors had asked for life imprisonment for Zaur Dadayev in the 2015 killing that sent shock waves through Russia's beleaguered opposition. Prosecutor Maria Semenenko said a decision on whether to appeal the sentence would be made after studying the judge's decision. Ilya Yashin, a close Nemtsov ally, criticized the sentence. "Of course, it's small - what is 20 years for a human life?" he said, according to the news agency Tass. Four others convicted in involvement in the assassination were sentenced to terms ranging from 11 to 19 years. Nemtsov was a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin. At the time of his death, he was working on a report about Russia's military involvement in the war in eastern Ukraine and in the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The report was released three months later. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Nemtsov's allies have criticized investigators for not considering a possible role of Kadyrov in the killing. A spokeswoman for Russia's Investigative Committee, the top criminal investigation body, said the collection of evidence is continuing in an attempt to identify the killing's organizers. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia held a memorial service Thursday to mark the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, which killed all 298 people aboard. More than 90 family members attended the memorial, which was followed by an official briefing on the ongoing investigation. Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai told reporters after the event, which was closed to the media, that the investigation was "very detailed and we are quite convinced that we will be able to find the culprits." Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai speak to journalists during the Malaysia Airlines MH17 remembrance event in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Thursday, July 13, 2017. Malaysia has held a memorial service to mark the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, which killed all 298 people aboard. (AP Photo/Daniel Chan) Investigations had determined the plane was shot down by a Russian BUK missile system that was fired from a field controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Russia has denied any involvement and denounced the conclusions as politically biased. "What we're told inside was that they (investigators) have all the information that they need," said Mohamad Salim Sarmo, who lost his son Mohamad Ali on the flight. Cousins Nur Sabrina and Anwar Zafran said they can only pray that the culprits will be brought to justice. Their 19-year-old cousin, Mohamad Afif Tambi, and his entire family perished onboard Flight 17. "We can't really grasp or accept everything, but we do know that Malaysia Airlines and all the governments are doing their best to get the ones who shot MH17. So we just wait and pray, that's all," Anwar said. The Dutch government said earlier this month that any suspects will be prosecuted in the Netherlands. The decision was made by the countries jointly investigating the crash - Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, Ukraine and the Netherlands. Victims came from 17 countries, with 196 of them Dutch. The Dutch Foreign Ministry did not identify the suspects. Investigators last year said they had pinpointed 100 people they want to speak to who are believed to have been involved in transporting the Buk missile launcher or its use. The Joint Investigation Team, led by prosecutors and police from the Netherlands, made its preliminary findings public after interviewing more than 200 witnesses, listening to 150,000 intercepted phone calls, examining half a million photos and video recordings, consulting radar and satellite images, and sifting through dozens of containers filled with wreckage from the jet. The Russian military has said data from radar in southern Russia showed that the missile that downed Flight 17 did not originate in rebel-controlled territory. HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong's government said Thursday there are no plans to remove a pair of statues depicting World War II Japanese army sex slaves known as "comfort women" that were erected in front of Japan's Consulate in the Chinese territory. Activist Tsang Kin-shing said the bronze statues were a reminder to Japan of its culpability in forcing women recruited or captured from Japan, the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere to serve in front-line brothels. Reached by phone Thursday, a government spokesman said Hong Kong's police have said the statues would not be removed. Tsang, a former member of Hong Kong's legislative assembly, said he wants them to remain in place for the rest of the year. This Tuesday, July 11, 2017 photo shows a pair of statues depicting World War II Japanese army sex slaves known as "comfort women" which were erected in front of Japan's consulate in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong. Activist Tsang Kin-shing says the statues were a reminder to Japan of its culpability in forcing women recruited or captured from Japan, the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere to serve in front-line brothels. He says he understood the consulate asked to have the statues removed. Hong Kong's government says police have no plans to remove a pair of statues (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Tsang said he understood the Japanese Consulate had asked the Chinese territory's government to have the statues removed. He said he'll continue to press Japan for apologies and compensation. Many Chinese nationalists say Japan has never fully repented for its brutal invasion of China and accompanying atrocities, including forcing women into sexual slavery. Similar displays have been erected in South Korea and other countries, but not in China, Tsang said. "So this year, we asked people to make these two statues," he said. "This is Chinese territory. Why should Japan care about this?" The Japanese Consulate did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kim Do-hee, a 22-year-old South Korean student, said he was impressed at the unexpected interest in the comfort women issue in Hong Kong. Lingering resentment over the matter has long bedeviled relations between Seoul and Tokyo, despite a 2015 agreement to settle it through cash payments for victims and South Korea agreeing to try to resolve a Japanese grievance over a statue of a girl representing victims in front of its Seoul embassy. "I used to think only Korea knows this and only we are upset about it," Kim said. "I definitely believe this should be politicized globally." Estimates by Japanese historians of the number of comfort women range from 20,000 to 200,000. Initially, some were adult prostitutes or women from poor Japanese families, although later in the war, many non-Japanese, sometimes minors, were kidnapped or tricked into working in the brothels, some victims have said. Japan issued an apology in 1993 over the issue and a government investigation concluded many women were taken against their will and "lived in misery under a coercive atmosphere." A fund set up in 1995 paid nearly 5 billion yen ($44 million) for medical and welfare projects for more than 280 of the women, including 61 South Koreans. Years of continuous pressure for apologies have soured initial sympathy for comfort women among many Japanese, who have grown weary of reminders of their country's wartime past. BERLIN (AP) - The head of the eurozone's rescue fund is suggesting the creation of a new crisis reserve that could be used to help member countries in a "sudden, severe crisis." Klaus Regling, who heads the European Stability Mechanism, pointed in an interview with Thursday's edition of German business daily Handelsblatt to the example of U.S. "rainy day funds" financed by states. He said that "we need a limited joint fiscal capacity in the eurozone to be able to help individual member states in the case of a sudden, severe crisis." Asked how large the pot should be, Regling was quoted as saying that 1 to 2 percent of eurozone gross domestic product should be enough - or about 100 to 200 billion euros ($114 to 228 million). PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have opened the 19th annual summit between the two European countries, centered on security, defense and boosting the European project in a time of doubt. Despite the weighty topics, the two leaders began their Thursday talks playing children's games at a center in northern Paris where children from Berlin mingled with young Parisians. The two leaders answered serious questions about integration and religion. But they also bounced balls and introduced themselves in each other's language. French President Emmanuel Macron offers a soft ball to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they visit the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ) in Paris, France, Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Paris. (AP Photo / Matthieu Alexandre) Defense, security and Eurozone issues followed. The French leader said in an interview with the daily newspaper Ouest France that Germany must "move" to correct "dysfunctions" in the 19-member Eurozone. Macron favors creating the role of a Eurozone finance minister. French President Emmanuel Macron, center left 2nd row, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, pose with students and officials as they visit the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ) on Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Paris. (AP Photo / Matthieu Alexandre) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron appear on the door steps of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Thursday, July 13, 2017. France and Germany held a joint government meeting to discuss the refugee crisis, counter-terrorism and Europe's economic situation. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, second left, attend a Franco-German joint Defense and security cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (Stephane Mahe, Pool via AP) JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South African forces are hosting the U.S. military in an exercise modeled on a United Nations peacekeeping mandate - currently applied in eastern Congo - that allows for offensive military action against rebel groups. The South African military said Thursday that joint field training begins Monday at the Lohatla military area in Northern Cape province. The exercise ends Aug. 4. South African authorities say U.S. C-17 aircraft will participate and U.S. military vehicles will travel from Cape Town to the training. South Africa says maneuvers will follow a robust U.N. mandate in which "belligerent forces are forced to disengage and to discontinue the armed conflict." The U.N.'s Congo mission aims to protect civilians from conflict, notably from armed groups that roam the vast eastern region and fight over mineral wealth. YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) - At least 15 people are dead after the latest suicide attack in Cameroon's far north, the government said Thursday, and another 42 people are wounded. Two attackers entered the town of Waza late Wednesday and one detonated explosives near a group of youths, Governor Midjiyawa Bakary said. Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists have been crossing borders to stage attacks in neighboring countries, including Cameroon, that contribute to a military force that seeks to eliminate the insurgency. The Islamic extremists have killed more than 20,000 people in their eight-year existence and abducted thousands of others. The attacks in Cameroon's far north, the poorest part of the country, have been a factor in sending more than 13,000 Nigerian refugees who had fled Boko Haram back to their own nation since mid-April. The suicide attacks, roadside bombings and raids on villages also have been "complicating humanitarian operations and subjecting civilians to persistent danger," the U.N. humanitarian agency said earlier this week. In addition, the U.N.'s World Food Program has cut food assistance to almost 200,000 Nigerian refugees and displaced people by 25 percent since January because of lack of funding. The Boko Haram-fueled crisis in northeastern Nigeria, which borders Cameroon, is part of what the U.N. has called the largest humanitarian crisis in more than 70 years, with millions facing hunger. MOSCOW (AP) - The head of the European Commission is calling on Ukraine to step up its efforts against endemic corruption. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker spoke Thursday at a news conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and European Council head Donald Tusk. The meeting came days after the council took the final step toward ratifying an association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. Ukraine is eager for closer integration with the West, but the EU is uneasy about the country's widespread corruption. Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, left, European Council President Donald Tusk, centre, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker walk to their press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Juncker said: "The situation in the sphere of the fight against corruption is not satisfactory and much work is needed." Poroshenko in turn said he discussed with the European leaders the possibility of aid for Ukraine's development analogous to the post-WWII Marshall Plan. Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, centre, European Council President Donald Tusk, left, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend their press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) European Council President Donald Tusk walk to joint press conference with Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, left, European Council President Donald Tusk, right, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, centre, walk to their press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, centre, European Council President Donald Tusk, leftt, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend their press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, July. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - A Serbian appeals court on Thursday halted a landmark trial against eight former Bosnian Serb police officers charged with taking part in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre - another legal hurdle in the Balkan state's struggle to come to terms with its wartime past. The trial that started in December was the first time that a Serbian court has dealt with the killings by Bosnian Serb troops of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. It was Europe's worst single atrocity since World War II. The proceedings were seen as a test of Serbia's pledge to deal with its wartime past as it formally wants to join the European Union - and as an important step in Balkan reconciliation efforts more than two decades after the Bosnian war ended. FILE- In this file photo dated Saturday, March 7, 2015, a now abandoned warehouse where over 1,000 Muslim Bosniak men and boys are known to have been killed in July 1995 in the village of Kravica on the outskirts of Srebrenica. Eight former Bosnian Serb police officers were charged with participating in the killing of 1,313 Muslims in a warehouse in Kravica, but a Serbian appeals court on Thursday July 13, 2017, stopped the landmark trial because of legal procedural complaints which will force the trial to be restarted from scratch. (AP Photo/Sulejman Omerbasic, FILE) The court in Belgrade said Thursday it had accepted the defense's contention that the charges against the eight were invalid because they were filed during the time when Serbia did not have a chief war crimes prosecutor. The ruling means the whole proceeding will have to start over from scratch, which could take months or years. The appeals court said, according to the Serbian justice system, only the war crimes prosecutor can file war crimes indictments and conduct investigations. Serbia had been without the war crimes prosecutor for more than a year after the previous one, Vladimir Vukcevic, retired. The new war crimes prosecutor, Snezana Stanojkovic, was appointed in May. She now has to file new charges before a new trial of the eight men begins. Serbia actively supported and armed Bosnian Serbs during the 1992-95 war that left over 100,000 people dead and forced millions from their homes. The eight men were charged with participating in the killing of 1,313 Muslims in a warehouse in Kravica, a village outside Srebrenica, as they tried to escape the Serb onslaught. They were crammed into a warehouse in the village and then killed with grenades and machine guns in a rampage that lasted all night. Among the suspects was special police unit commander Nedeljko Milidragovic, also known as "Nedjo the Butcher," accused of organizing the killings. The indictment said Milidragovic fired his pistol at those who still showed signs of life after the carnage. The court's move on Thursday angered rights advocates and the victims' families. "Serbia had not only failed to prevent ... but also aided the genocide and other war crimes against the Srebrenica victims," said Nemanja Stjepanovic, a researcher for the Belgrade-based rights group Humanitarian Law Center. The center said in a report Thursday that it named 30 Bosnian Muslim refugees who crossed the border seeking shelter in Serbia after the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre, but all were later handed over to Bosnian Serb forces, who killed at least 15 of them. An association of the relatives of the Srebrenica victims said they will turn to the U.N. war crimes prosecutors and ask them to punish Serbia for not respecting the U.N. human rights conventions, and to investigate why the decision was made, according to the Serbian news agency Tanjug. "The Serbian court did everything not to put the criminals to justice," said Murat Tahirovic, the head of the Srebrenica association. The U.N. court in The Hague is winding down its operations and wants regional courts to take over several of pending cases. Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist who now says he wants the country to join the EU and make peace with its neighbors, has faced accusations of stalling in his promises to punish those responsible for war crimes of the 1990s. Those lapses include not punishing the killers of three American citizens who were killed and dumped into a mass grave after fighting in Kosovo in 1999. Vucic has carefully avoided calling the Srebrenica massacre a genocide despite the fact that several international court rulings have called it a genocide. The eight suspects were apprehended in 2015. They were later released, despite the gravity of the charges, and attended the trial while at large. "The criminals were allowed to come to the trial as if they were witnesses," said Munira Subasic, head of the Mothers of Srebrenica group, who came to Belgrade to monitor the trial when it began. "They walk free and live normally in Serbia." "I don't have any expectations from this trial," Subasic, whose son was killed in the Kravica warehouse, said in December. ___ Jovana Gec contributed. FILE- In this file photo dated Saturday, March 7, 2015, a now abandoned warehouse where over 1,000 Muslim Bosniak men and boys are known to have been killed in July 1995 in the village of Kravica on the outskirts of Srebrenica. Eight former Bosnian Serb police officers were charged with participating in the killing of 1,313 Muslims in a warehouse in Kravica, but a Serbian appeals court on Thursday July 13, 2017, stopped the landmark trial because of legal procedural complaints which will force the trial to be restarted from scratch. (AP Photo/Sulejman Omerbasic, FILE) A Bosnian Muslim woman prays among gravestones during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Bosnian Muslim people pray in front of coffins during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Bosnian Muslim people pray in front of coffins during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Bosnian Muslim women pray as they walking among gravestones during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman protects herself from the sun during a funeral ceremony for dozens of newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica, 150 kms north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which international courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman touches the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Bosnian Muslim men say prayers among coffins during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Bosnian Muslim woman cries near the coffin of her relative during a funeral ceremony for the 71 victims at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, north east of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Twenty two years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim people, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland's prime minister has met with Chinese parliamentary leader Zhang Dejiang to discuss developing ties, including business and trade. Poland, a central European nation, wants to play a key role in China's drive to increase business with Europe. The Polish government is seeking new partners and investments for the economy as it develops quickly. Beata Szydlo and Zhang Dejiang, who is the head of the Permanent Committee of China's parliament, held talks Thursday. Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang, left, looks at Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo prior to talks in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz) Zhang is in Poland until Sunday and will also meet with President Andrzej Duda and Polish parliamentary leaders. He is also to visit the southern Renaissance city of Krakow and the former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz. Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang, left, shakes hands with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo prior to talks in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the Republican effort to replace the Obama health care law (all times local): 10 p.m. A Republican governor is expressing "great concern" over the new Senate health care bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. walks into his office on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday, July 13, 2017. McConnell is planning on rolling out the GOP's revised health care bill, pushing toward a showdown vote next week with opposition within the Republican ranks. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval says the measure hasn't changed that much and that he remains concerned it would phase out financing for the Medicaid expansion that's helped Nevada residents. The criticism comes after Senate Republican leaders unveiled their latest effort to repeal so-called Obamacare. The reworked bill aims to win over conservatives by letting insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, it's designed to placate moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs. Still, two senators, moderate Susan Collins of Maine and conservative Rand Paul of Kentucky, say they aren't supporting the bill. A vote has been scheduled for next week. ___ 9 p.m. Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval says the new Senate health care bill hasn't changed much. His reaction: "great concern." Sandoval spoke Thursday in Providence, R.I., where the nation's governors are holding their annual summer meeting. He said his principal concern remains that the GOP bill would phase out financing for the Medicaid expansion passed under former President Barack Obama. It's providing coverage to an estimated 11 million people nationally, mainly low-income adults. Thirty-one states including Nevada are covering more of their residents. Sandoval said: "They're living healthier and happier lives as a result of their receiving coverage. And for them to lose that ... would be very hurtful for them." Sandoval is planning to speak to Nevada GOP Sen. Dean Heller, considered the most endangered Senate Republican in next year's midterm elections. ___ 5:30 p.m. A provision in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rewritten health care bill appears to benefit only one state: Alaska. That's the home state of one Republican McConnell is wooing for support. The language would give states with extremely high premiums an added cut from multibillion dollar funds created by the legislation to help insurers curb consumers' coverage costs. Analysts at the consulting firm Avalare Health estimate it would mean $150 million for Alaska in 2018, $230 million in 2019 and additional amounts afterward. McConnell needs support from all but two of the 52 GOP senators to pass the bill. Two have already expressed opposition. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is among several saying they're undecided. Other states might qualify for money if they experience premiums 75 percent above the national average. ___ 4:30 p.m. Groups concerned about the opioid epidemic say $45 billion in state grants for addiction treatment don't make up for cuts to Medicaid in a new version of the Senate Republican health care bill. The Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose and 465 other organizations said Thursday in a letter to Congress they cannot support the revised bill. The letter says capping federal funding for Medicaid and phasing out the Medicaid expansion would make it harder for people to get addiction treatment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a retooled bill Thursday. The earlier version included $2 billion for states battling the opioid crisis. More money was demanded by Republicans from states in the Midwest and Northeast that have been ravaged by the drugs. ___ 12:10 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has released a revamped Republican health care bill, and it seeks out conservative support by letting insurers sell low-premium policies with skimpy coverage. The bill is aimed at repealing much of President Barack Obama's health law. But the GOP plan remains in deep jeopardy because of divisions within the party. It's unclear whether the measure will survive a showdown vote next week. The revised legislation includes added money for states to help insurers curb consumers' increasing premiums and out of pocket costs. And it has $45 billion to help states combat drug abuse. But McConnell is retaining his plan to cut Medicaid, the health care program for the poor. GOP moderates have fought to ease those reductions. ___ 9:50 a.m. In a bid for conservative support for his flailing health legislation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will include an amendment by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in a reworked bill being released Thursday. That's according to two Senate GOP aides who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the bill's release. Exact details were not immediately clear. Cruz has been working with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on a measure that would allow insurers to sell skimpier health care plans. But Lee's office says Lee has not seen the new Cruz amendment - and until he does, won't commit to voting next week to proceeding to debate on the health bill. Despite pressure from President Donald Trump, that could kill the bill before debate even begins. -AP Congressional Correspondent Erica Werner. ___ 3:30 a.m. Senate Republican leaders are trotting out their new health care bill. And they're pushing toward a showdown vote next week amid indications that they have lots of work ahead to win over GOP lawmakers or face a resounding failure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell planned to present the revamped measure rolling back much of President Barack Obama's health care law to GOP senators Thursday. Democrats uniformly oppose the effort, so McConnell needs the votes of 50 of the 52 GOP senators to prevail. But conservative Sen. Rand Paul says he's a "no" and Maine moderate Susan Collins seems all but certain to be opposed. Other Republicans are threatening to vote against it if their demands are not met, leaving party leaders struggling to preserve one of their highest-profile priorities. MADRID (AP) - Spain's maritime rescue service says it rescued 48 people Thursday from a boat in the Mediterranean Sea while rescue vessels tried to reach a dinghy south of the Canary Islands with some 60 migrants on board. The rescue of 48 took place near Alboran, a small islet in the western Mediterranean halfway between Spain's southern coast and northern Morocco. The migrants were taken to safety to the Spanish town of Motril, officials said. But rescuers were not expecting to reach the missing boat in the Atlantic Ocean until late in the evening. An emergency surveillance plane had last seen it 170 nautical miles south of the isle of Gran Canaria, the rescue service said. At least 62 people were onboard when the boat departed early Wednesday from the coast near Dakhla, in Western Sahara, said Helena Maleno, founder of Walking Borders, a nongovernmental organization working on migration issues in northern Africa. On Wednesday, Spanish rescuers found 40 migrants, including seven women, aboard two boats in the Mediterranean. Although most of those trying to reach Europe depart from Libya, arrivals via the so-called Western route of the Mediterranean Sea have increased the fastest this year. Spain's maritime rescue service said 5,800 people had been rescued in the first half of 2017, more than double the same period last year, when 2,411 people were rescued. Walking Borders has noticed and increase in the departure of Moroccan and Algerian nationals, many of them underage, due to political instability in the northern African countries. Others fleeing poverty or violence elsewhere in Africa and in the Middle East are also favoring the Western route because, Maleno said, "it is now being perceived, not as safer, but at least as less dangerous than going through Libya." RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - An outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump who narrowly lost a bid to be Virginia's GOP candidate for governor is now running for the U.S. Senate. Corey Stewart announced his Senate candidacy Thursday, saying he is the type of Republican "fighter" needed to unseat Sen. Tim Kaine in next year's election. Stewart is a former state campaign chairman for Trump who lost to former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie in the GOP gubernatorial primary last month. The underfunded Stewart ran a deliberately provocative campaign, which included outspoken support for Confederate symbols, to gain attention. FILE - In a Saturday, April 22, 2017 file photo, Republican gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart, speaks during a Tea Party debate at Goochland High School in Goochland, Va. Stewart, an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump who narrowly lost a bid to be Virginia's GOP candidate for governor is now running for the U.S. Senate. Stewart announced his Senate candidacy Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) He's promising to run a similarly aggressive campaign for Senate. Several other Republicans, including former Gov. Jim Gilmore and former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, have also expressed interest in running. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Kentucky couple has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old boy. Media report 30-year-old Randell Dennemann and 26-year-old Deanna Hose were arrested Wednesday after a Franklin County grand jury indicted them in the June 28 death of Hose's son, Avery Hose. Hose died after being transferred from the hospital in Frankfort to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. Hospital officials suspected abuse, and the Fayette County coroner ruled the boy's death a homicide. Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland says Avery Hose suffered two skull fractures and had multiple bruises over his entire body. Cleveland says an investigation determined the boy had been in Dennemann's care. Dennemann is charged with murder and Hose is charged with complicity to murder. It's unclear if they have lawyers. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee chapter of the NAACP is urging officials to remove a statue of a Confederate general from in front of a county courthouse, echoing similar efforts throughout the South. Elenora Woods, president of the NAACP's Chattanooga chapter, said Wednesday that the group will write letters to local leaders asking for the statue of Alexander P. Stewart to be moved from the Hamilton County Courthouse lawn, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. "We are trying to get collective support," Woods said. "We are going to ask (officials) to join us, so this will be more of a community effort versus an antagonistic, us-against-them kind of thing." Stewart was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army. The statue was unveiled in 1919. Woods said such monuments, erected during the Jim Crow era, don't belong at public government buildings. She recommended moving the statue to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park or a war museum. "We're not saying it's part of our history that needs to be erased," Woods said. "It should be put in a place that's more appropriate." A staff historian for the national military park, Jim Ogden, said the statue wasn't intended to glorify the Confederacy. He said it honors Steward's role as a historian, active community member and an original commissioner of the national military park, the first of its kind in the nation. The statue does "acknowledge that he was a Confederate general, but if he had lived out his life in other places in Tennessee, I'm confident in saying there would not be a monument to him here in Chattanooga," Ogden said. Woods said the city needs to acknowledge its past and move monuments that serve as reminders of a dark historical period in order to be seen as progressive. "Until we can do that, all these race relationship things are in vain," she said. "You have to attack some of the things that are keeping us from moving forward, and that's one of them." The 2016 Tennessee Heritage Protection Act may present a barrier to removal. County commissioners Joe Graham and Greg Beck said Wednesday that they couldn't comment on the request until they actually received the NAACP letters. A close confidant of Pope Francis, writing Thursday in a Vatican-approved magazine, condemned the way some American evangelicals and their Roman Catholic supporters mix religion and politics, saying their worldview promotes division and hatred. The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, editor of the influential Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, said a shared desire for political influence between "evangelical fundamentalists" and some Catholics has inspired an "ecumenism of conflict" that demonizes opponents and promotes a "theocratic type of state." Spadaro also took aim at conservative religious support for President Donald Trump, accusing activists of promoting a "xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations." Trump has sought to bar travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border. The article, "Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism: A Surprising Ecumenism," was co-written by a Presbyterian pastor, the Rev. Marcelo Figueroa, who is editor of the Argentine edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in the pope's native country. Articles in La Civilta Cattolica are reviewed and approved by the Vatican Secretariat of State. Under Francis, who is a Jesuit, the publication has become something of an unofficial mouthpiece of the papacy. The political alliance between Catholics and American Protestants that is at the heart of Spadaro's article emerged in the late 20th century. Anti-Catholic bias once split members of the two traditions, both religiously and politically. But in the 1980s and '90s, some conservative religious leaders built an affiliation over such issues as abortion and marriage, culminating in a 1994 declaration written by the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran who converted to Catholicism, and Chuck Colson, the Watergate felon turned born-again Christian. Spadaro said this relationship has inspired a dangerous outlook that divides the world into only good and evil and provides theological justification for a type of "apocalyptic geopolitics" advocated by such figures as White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is Catholic. The critique also appears aimed in part at America's Catholic bishops, who have fought for religious exemptions from gay marriage laws and other measures church leaders consider immoral, and have often characterized those with opposing views as wishing to persecute Christians. Spadaro wrote that "erosion of religious liberty is clearly a grave threat." But he warned against mounting a defense of religious liberty in "fundamentalist terms." Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who leads the U.S. bishops' advocacy on religious liberty, said in an interview that the article doesn't mention the U.S. bishops and refers only to "a very narrow band of ecumenical relationships." American bishops work on a broad range of issues that reflect Catholic social teaching, not any other theology, Lori said. CHICAGO (AP) - An investment group led by a former Chicago alderman and a coalition of labor unions are the new owners of the Chicago Sun-Times, officials announced Thursday in an unusual deal that revived questions about media ownership and influence over coverage. Officials with ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, including former City Council member Edwin Eisendrath and representatives from the Chicago Federation of Labor, detailed the agreement at a news conference, billing themselves a "unique alliance" to preserve a newspaper that's faced financial troubles over the years. "We believe in protecting the institution of journalism itself as well amplifying the diversity of voices and perspectives of Chicago stories, both locally and nationally," said CFL President Jorge Ramirez, who will serve as chairman of the newspaper and who noted the city's strong union roots. "We're turning this paper back over to its people." Chicago Federation of Labor president Jorge Ramirez, center, responds to a question Thursday, July 13, 2017, after he announced the purchase of the Chicago Sun-TImes by the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, and that he'll serve as CEO of the newspaper in Chicago. Listening to Ramirez are Sun-Times Publisher and editor Jim Kirk, left, and former Chicago Alderman Edwin Eisendrath. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Eisendrath, who left the City Council in 1993 when he was appointed to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development post, submitted a bid last month after Sun-Times owner Wrapports LLC announced it would enter into discussions with Tronc Inc., which owns the rival Chicago Tribune, to acquire the paper. He said he was concerned that if Tronc took over the newspaper, the sale would lead to the Sun-Times' demise, even though Tronc promised to run two separate papers. Tronc also owns the Los Angeles Times and other major newspapers. Experts called the deal rare, particularly with labor union involvement, something that would be heightened even further in union-friendly Chicago. In leading up to the sale, the federation characterized the newspaper as "progressive but not elite," which fit with the "the strong vision we have for the future of this paper." CFL is made up of more than 300 affiliated unions in the city and Cook County from plumbers to teachers, representing roughly 500,000 members. "To what degree do they chose to exert influence over the paper?" said Rick Edmonds, a media business analyst at the Poynter Institute. "They may be hands off and leave it in the hands of a professional publisher and editor and that's not necessarily the case." The question of an owner's influence has come up before, especially when wealthy business owners are involved in newspaper ownership. For example, concerns about independent coverage have lingered since 2015 when billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson bought the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Sun-Times Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jim Kirk vowed that deal would make the newspaper viable long into the future and said the publication would remain committed to "independent and unbiased coverage of all topics, entities and individuals." Ramirez said he planned to stay out of coverage decisions, including editorial coverage and political endorsements. ST Acquisition didn't disclose details of the deal, including the complete list of investors. Along with the Sun-Times, ST Acquisition Holdings will own the alternative weekly Chicago Reader, a website and a production studio. Eisendrath has previously said the investor group had raised about $15 million. Employees of the Sun-Times and the Reader will move from their prominent downtown offices along the Chicago River to the production studio just west of downtown, officials said. The studio, digital communications company Answers Media, was purchased separately. Wrapports announced in mid-May that it had agreed to enter into discussions with Tronc after failing to attract interest from other media companies. The U.S. Department of Justice subsequently asked Wrapports to extend a bidding process for other potential buyers to come forward. Chicago-based Wrapports didn't return a message seeking comment Thursday. ___ Follow Sophia Tareen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sophiatareen . Chicago Federation of Labor president Jorge Ramirez, left, and former Chicago Alderman Edwin Eisendrath. Listen to a question Thursday, July 13, 2017, after Ramirez announced the purchase of the Chicago Sun-Times by the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, and that he'll serve as chairman of the newspaper in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Chicago Federation of Labor president Jorge Ramirez, left, smiles as he listens to former Chicago Alderman Edwin Eisendrath Thursday, July 13, 2017, after Ramirez announced the purchase of the Chicago Sun-TImes by the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, and that Ramirez will serve as chairman of the newspaper in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Chicago Federation of Labor president Jorge Ramirez, right, responds to a question Thursday, July 13, 2017, after Ramirez announced the purchase of the Chicago Sun-TImes by the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC, and that he'll serve as chairman of the newspaper in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Former Chicago Alderman Edwin Eisendrath responds to a question Thursday, July 13, 2017, after the announced sale if the Chicago Sun-Times to the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Jim Kirk, publisher and editor in chief of the Chicago Sun-Times, responds to a question Thursday, July 13, 2017, after the announced sale of the Sun-Times to the investment group ST Acquisition Holdings LLC in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) JERUSALEM (AP) - A former defense minister says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "corrupt" and should resign over a possible conflict of interest related to the purchase of German submarines. Moshe Yaalon, an outspoken critic of Netanyahu's government, told Channel 10 TV on Thursday that as defense minister he was sidelined from the deal, which went ahead after Netanyahu replaced him last year. David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and personal attorney, has been questioned by police following revelations he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal. Both Netanyahu and Shimron have denied any wrongdoing. Israel has ordered six submarines from Germany over the past two decades, with the final one set for delivery in 2018. The allegations concern a deal to purchase three more to replace aging vessels. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A "significant" harmful algae bloom is expected to form in western Lake Erie this summer, though it probably won't be as large as some previous formations that posed health risks and hampered tourism, scientists said Thursday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and research partners released their annual algae forecast for the shallowest and warmest of the Great Lakes, where massive algae formations are a recurring threat to the environment and the economy. Toxic contamination from a 2014 bloom prompted a two-day shutdown of tap water systems for 400,000 people in Toledo, Ohio, and southeastern Michigan. "It'll be large, green and ugly and will cause the same kinds of issues it has in the past for charter boat captains trying to get people out to fish," said Don Scavia, a University of Michigan scientist. FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2014, file photo, an algae bloom covers Lake Erie near the City of Toledo water intake crib off the shore of Curtice, Ohio. Scientists are predicting a "significant" algae bloom will form this summer on western Lake Erie, a continuing health hazard in a region where algae toxins forced a temporary tap water shutdown in 2014. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File) It's unlikely to create another drinking water crisis like the one three years ago. It resulted from a rare combination of factors, including high levels of toxins generated by the bloom and its location near Toledo's offshore water intake facility, NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf said. Monitoring has been stepped up since then and early-detection devices installed, he added. Still, the situation underscores the need to reduce the flow of nutrients into the lake that feed algae and similar bacteria, primarily from farms but also sewage treatment plants and other sources, Stumpf said. Researchers have developed a scale for rating the severity of a bloom based on how much algae it contains over a sustained period. They predict this year's will register a score of 7.5, though it could range anywhere from 6.5 to 9. A rating above 5 indicates a potentially harmful level, meaning such blooms could do damage by producing toxins or sucking enough oxygen from the water to cause fish kills. When they developed the scale, researchers thought the maximum score would be a 10. A 2011 bloom reached that mark and a 2015 bloom exceeded it, registering a 10.5 as the biggest on record. It's worth noting that a bloom's size doesn't necessarily reflect its toxicity. The 2016 bloom rated a mild 3.2, which experts credited largely to dry weather. Spring and summer rainfall plays a key role in bloom formation by washing fertilizers from croplands into streams and rivers that flow into the lake. Phosphorus in chemical fertilizers and livestock manure promotes algae growth. The weather has been significantly wetter this year, and the bloom size is expected to reflect that. Recent algae formations in western Lake Erie have taken shape in late July and grown bigger in early August. A similar pattern is expected in coming months. "A bloom of this size is evidence that the research and outreach efforts currently underway to reduce nutrient loading, optimize water treatment, and understand bloom dynamics need to continue," said Christopher Winslow, Ph.D., director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. But he added that despite its anticipated size, "much of the lake will be algae-free throughout the bloom season and the lake remains a key asset." Michigan, Ohio and the Canadian province of Ontario have agreed to cut phosphorus going into the lake by 40 percent over the next decade. ___ Follow John Flesher on Twitter at https://twitter.com/johnflesher SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Colorado woman is dead and five other people are injured after a nighttime explosion on a houseboat along the Utah-Arizona border, authorities said Thursday. A generator exploded about 10 p.m. Wednesday as a large group that included about 20 other people vacationed on a privately owned boat on Lake Powell, authorities said. Kirsten Meyer, 52, of Castle Rock, Colorado was killed and four other people were flown to hospitals in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Salt Lake City in critical condition, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area spokeswoman Mary Plumb said. They suffered broken bones, burns and facial injuries, she said. A fifth person, a boy, suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from a clinic at Lake Powell. Someone was trying to start the generator in the Crystal Springs Canyon area when it suddenly exploded, Sheriff Rick Eldredge of San Juan County, Utah, said in a statement. The boat was anchored on shore in the area without road access, Plumb said. The National Park Service and sheriff's office are investigating. Identities of the people involved weren't immediately released. The man-made Lake Powell is one of the largest reservoirs in the U.S. and is a popular destination for recreation. At nearly 200 miles (322 kilometers) long and with more than 1,900 miles (3,058 kilometers) of shoreline and nearly 100 major side canyons, it attracted more than 3 million visitors last year. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Latest on the National Governors Association meeting in Rhode Island (all times local): 7 p.m. U.S. governors meeting in Rhode Island say they're frustrated more progress hasn't been made in combatting the opioid overdose epidemic and they share a sense of urgency in addressing it. North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper participates in a panel discussion during a session called "Curbing The Opioid Epidemic" at the first day of the National Governor's Association meeting Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) More than 20 governors discussed ways to curb opioid abuse Thursday during the National Governors Association summer meeting in Providence. Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told the other governors he has "had enough" and he knows they have too. Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker spoke about how crucial it is to address the overprescribing of prescription pain medications in the U.S. Several governors stressed the importance of attacking the problem from multiple angles, including prevention, education, treatment and law enforcement. The acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy moderated the discussion. ___ 3:15 p.m. U.S. governors meeting in Rhode Island are having mixed reactions to the unveiling of the new health care bill, with some Democrats calling it a nonstarter and some Republicans heralding it as progress. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell released the bill Thursday. It would allow insurers to sell low-cost, skimpy policies and would add billions to combat opioid abuse and help states rein in consumers' skyrocketing insurance costs. Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe says the president promised that everybody would get coverage, it would cost less and there would be better results. He says the new plan doesn't do any of that. But Republican Govs. Matt Bevin, of Kentucky, and Asa Hutchinson, of Arkansas, say the new bill represents progress. Bevin says he thinks it puts more of an emphasis on state control and flexibility to design health care programs. ___ 8:30 a.m. Some of the nation's governors are meeting this week in Rhode Island to discuss the biggest challenges facing their states. Some issues include the possibility of major changes to Medicaid and states' health insurances marketplaces under the Republican health care plan in Congress, the ongoing opioid epidemic and the impact of climate change. The National Governors Association is holding three days of meetings in Providence, beginning Thursday. Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are expected to address the gathering. Governors from more than 30 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have said they'll attend. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to introduce a revised health care bill Thursday that the vice president says will "begin the end" of former President Barack Obama's health care law. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo speaks as Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, right, looks on during a session called "Curbing The Opioid Epidemic" at the first day of the National Governor's Association meeting Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) OCALA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida grandmother convinced an escaped inmate to surrender after he knocked on her door. Ocala police say 24-year-old Revantae Williams fled a re-entry program Wednesday night. Police say he knocked on the woman's door and asked to use the phone. The 63-year-old woman, who was not identified, told police she overheard him asking someone for a ride. She said Williams asked if he could hide in her backyard. She told him no and urged him to surrender. The Ocala Star-Banner (https://tinyurl.com/yce9ouoe) reports that when police arrived, Williams put his hands in the air and she walked with him out. She said he was polite and seemed scared. Williams has served time in prison for grand theft, weapons offense and drug possession. He is scheduled to be released in March. ___ Information from: Ocala (Fla.) Star-Banner, http://www.starbanner.com/ WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump was captured complimenting the French president's wife's appearance Thursday as he toured a famous Paris landmark. Video footage posted on the French government's official Facebook page showed Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and their wives chatting after their tour of the museums at Les Invalides. As they were saying their good-byes, Trump turned to Brigitte Macron and gestured toward her body. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron his wife Brigitte Macron, tour Marechal Foch's Tomb with David Guillet, director of the Army Museum, at Les Invalides in Paris, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) "You know, you're in such good shape," Trump said, before repeating the observation to her husband. "Beautiful," he added. Brigitte Macron was her husband's former high school teacher and their relationship has drawn international attention because of their significant age difference. But feminists and President Macron have denounced that attention as sexist, arguing that nobody would blink an eye if he were the older spouse. The Macrons' age difference is identical to that of Donald and Melania Trump, who were spending two days in Paris in celebration of Bastille Day. Trump has drawn criticism in the past for comments some say objectify and demean women, including the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women and boasted, "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything." __ Associated Press writer Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this story from Paris. MEXICO CITY (AP) - The United States and Mexico are looking to boost energy ties as the two countries prepare for the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, officials said Thursday. U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who met in Mexico with his counterpart, Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, called the United States' southern neighbor "a very, very important partner" on energy. Joaquin Coldwell said his country plans two new pipelines to import U.S. natural gas in addition to the 17 that already exist. Mexico's Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, right, talks to his U.S. counterpart Rick Perry, after making a joint statement in Mexico City, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Mexico's energy sector was wholly state-run for decades until a 2013 energy overhaul allowed some private-sector activity, and Perry noted that NAFTA did not cover energy when the trade pact was implemented in 1994. "I'm very supportive of the renegotiation," Perry said. "To renegotiate this is good for all participants, particularly in the energy sector." The talks, expected to begin about a month from now, will also include Canada, NAFTA's third partner. Perry said he expects to start exchanging letters on NAFTA with his counterparts in the coming weeks and hopes a new trade deal will allow for a North American energy strategy that "will make the entire region a powerful energy source for the world." Mexico is the United States' second-largest partner in energy trade, with 58 percent of U.S. gas exports and 40 percent of U.S. oil exports crossing the border. President Enrique Pena Nieto's office said in a statement that he met privately with Perry and both parties agreed to cooperate on energy security and market integration. U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry speaks during a joint statement with his Mexican counterpart, in Mexico City, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) U.S Energy Secretary Rick Perry embraces Mexico's Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, after they made a joint statement in Mexico City, Thursday, July 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) BURLINGTON, Wis. (AP) - Flooding in the Midwest closed roadways and knocked out power to thousands, including a suburban Chicago hospital that was forced to close, but residents in the Wisconsin city of Burlington appeared upbeat even as portions of streets remained submerged by water Thursday. Four bridges over the swollen Fox River in Burlington remained closed because the waterway is 5 feet above flood stage and almost every business in the city was waiting for power to be restored. Authorities there said nearly everyone is dealing with some type of flood damage in the city of about 10,000. Police Chief Mark Anderson called the flooding "unprecedented" but local officials and residents were grateful only properties were damaged. Burlington resident Bob Koldeway who owns a bicycle shop called Bob's Pedal Pusher, said water entered Wednesday through every door of his business and covered his floor, in Burlington, Wis., Thursday, July 13, 2017. Koldeway's shop was among the businesses still without power Thursday. Flooding in the Midwest closed roadways and knocked out power to thousands, including a suburban Chicago that was forced to close (AP Photo/Ivan Moreno) "I'm the happiest person in the world," said Duane Hoerneman, 72, a lifelong Burlington resident. "Because my children are safe and because all of us are safe. It makes all the difference in the world at this point and we thank everyone for their support." Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties because of widespread flooding. About 100 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers are in the city to help local officials with traffic control and going door-to-door to check on people. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is also sending about 20 inmates from the Robert Ellsworth Correctional Center to help with sandbagging. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who represents Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, toured Burlington and other affected areas on Thursday. At a news conference, the Republican said he was impressed with how the community came together and praised the work of the first responders. "This happened so fast ... it's a real blessing that we did not have the kind of loss of life or injury that could have happened," Ryan said. He added that officials remain in the assessment stage. Although flooding was widespread, it wasn't severe enough to warrant a large number of evacuations. Tod Pritchard at the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center said the only evacuations he's aware of happened Wednesday at a trailer park in Kenosha County. He said it's possible some people may have "self-evacuated." In suburban Chicago, Lake Forest Hospital's clinical operations were still shut down Thursday, according to a statement from Northwestern Medicine. The statement said power at the hospital had been restored Wednesday night after the outage earlier that day. According to the statement, 70 patients were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and other local facilities. Lake County was among parts of Illinois hit hard by flooding. Earlier Wednesday, Mundelein firefighters and police officers evacuated about 25 people from an apartment building. Some senior citizens were taken away on small boats. Wisconsin Republican House Speaker Robin Vos, who lives in the area and owns a factory in Burlington, said the flooding Wednesday came swiftly. "Literally by the minute water was rising by inches," he said. "But the fact that overall, while we've had extensive damage, nobody's lost their life and nobody's been harmed other than personal property. I think that's a big victory." Vos said his factory is without power so his workers have the day off. He said his basement had some flooding. Because a We Energies substation is submerged in floodwater, thousands of people in the area without power may not have electricity restored until Friday afternoon. Bob Koldeway, who owns a bicycle shop called Bob's Pedal Pusher, said water entered through every door of his business and covered his floor. "It was just a big inconvenience and this is the time of year when people want their bikes," he said, taking a break from wiping the floor with a washcloth after power-washing it. He considered himself lucky that none of his bikes were damaged. "If (the water) would've been higher we would've lost a lot of product," he said. "But I had everything off the floor and you just gotta have faith that you got good friends and family and stuff to give you a hand." ___ Associated Press writer Gretchen Ehlke contributed from Milwaukee. The newly renovated Washington Park Velodrome filled with water from nearby Pike Creek after a heavy rain storm Wednesday morning, July 12, 2017. Heavy thunderstorms are causing travel difficulties around southern Wisconsin because of flooding. Numerous municipalities are dealing with impassable streets. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP) Motorists make their way along flooded portions of County Highway K in Bristol, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, July 12, 2017. Heavy thunderstorms are causing travel difficulties around southern Wisconsin because of flooding. Numerous municipalities are dealing with impassable streets. (Bill Siel/The Kenosha News via AP) Passerbys look at a flooded intersection in Kenosha, Wis., Wednesday morning, July 12, 2017. Heavy thunderstorms are causing travel difficulties around southern Wisconsin because of flooding. Numerous municipalities are dealing with impassable streets. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP) The newly renovated Washington Park Velodrome with only the top of bleachers visible is filled with water from nearby Pike Creek after a heavy rain storm Wednesday morning, July 12, 2017. Heavy thunderstorms are causing travel difficulties around southern Wisconsin because of flooding. Numerous municipalities are dealing with impassable streets. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP) Tyler Schindler, 7, wades through the flooded street in Kenosha, Wis., Wednesday morning, July 12, 2017. Heavy thunderstorms are causing travel difficulties around southern Wisconsin because of flooding. Numerous municipalities are dealing with impassable streets. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP) Members of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Somers, Wis., Fire Departments assist Mary Knoebel from her trailer during flooding in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Flooding has forced the evacuation of the mobile home park in southeastern Wisconsin. (Bill Siel/The Kenosha News via AP) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker greets Burlington resident Duane Hoerneman during a tour of the city Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Burlington, Wis. Flooding in the Midwest closed roadways and knocked out power to thousands, including a suburban Chicago hospital that was forced to close. Walker on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties because of widespread flooding. (AP Photo/Ivan Moreno) Parts of the streets are still submerged by Wednesday's flooding in Burlington, Wis., Thursday, July 13, 2017. Flooding in the Midwest closed roadways and knocked out power to thousands, including a suburban Chicago hospital that was forced to close, but residents in the Wisconsin city of Burlington appeared upbeat even as portions of streets remained submerged by water Thursday. (AP Photo/Ivan Moreno) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it was forced to disconnect from the internet for several hours after being bombarded by malicious emails. The ministry said in a statement that technicians unplugged its internet connections after every email address in its system received a virus Thursday morning. It said service was later restored and no damage was detected. Two ministry employees earlier told The Associated Press that the outage had lasted 10 hours. They relayed the information on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media. It is not unheard of for government agencies to take extreme measures to fight hackers. In 2014, the U.S. State Department took its unclassified email system offline for several days in an effort to kick out persistent intruders. ___ Associated Press writer Raphael Satter reported this story from Paris and AP writer Mauricio Savarese reported from Rio de Janeiro. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Instability in Mali is spilling over into Burkina Faso and Niger while insecurity in the Lake Chad basin, where Boko Haram remains active, is proving equally challenging, the U.N. envoy for West Africa and the Sahel warned Thursday. Mohamed Ibn Chambas told the U.N. Security Council that "efforts by member states in the region to deliver on development, improve infrastructure, create jobs and strengthen human security are being hampered by traditional and new drivers of conflict and insecurity." "Terrorism and violent extremism, in addition to the humanitarian crisis and threats to state integrity that they generate, have exacerbated traditional threats," he said. Rescue workers carry the body of a suicide bomb attack victim, in a village near Maiduguri, Nigeria, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Four Boko Haram suicide bombers killed over a dozen people in a series of attacks that targeted a civilian self-defense force and the people who gathered to mourn their deaths, police in Nigeria said Wednesday. It was the deadliest attack in months in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram's eight-year insurgency. (AP Photo/Jossy Ola) Chambas said these factors, along with climate change, a growing youth population and lack of jobs, and unchecked urbanization are pushing a surge in migration and human trafficking. In the Sahel, he said, the Liptako Gourma region linking Mali with Burkina Faso and Niger "has seen a significant expansion of violent extremist and terrorist activities in the past months, including coordinated cross-border attacks against security posts and ransacking of border settlements." Chambas said violent extremist groups targeted Burkina Faso's northern provinces of Soum, Loroum and Yatenga and Niger's western regions of Tillaberi and Tahoua, which has had "detrimental effects on the local economy." In the Lake Chad basin, which spans parts of seven countries, "an equally challenging pole of insecurity remains" despite a multinational task force's efforts that "have substantially degraded Boko Haram's capabilities, shrunk its geographical reach, and freed thousands of captives," he said. Chambas said recent attacks in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri and in eastern Niger's Diffa region "demonstrate that Boko Haram continues to pose a serious threat in the area." "The mode and sophistication of these attacks have raised suspicions that the Boko Haram militants might have acquired reinforcements," he said. Chambas said instability continues to have "devastating humanitarian consequences," with up to 5.2 million people displaced across the Lake Chad basin "struggling for their very subsistence." "The failure to provide basic services and viable livelihood opportunities for communities in affected areas risks derailing recent successes against Boko Haram," he warned. Chambas said West Africa and the Sahel also face other pressing security threats, among them clashes between farmers and herders, transnational organized crime, drug and weapons smuggling, and human trafficking. He said smugglers are crisscrossing borders and establishing new operational areas where governments have withdrawn or maintain only "a tentative presence." Insecurity and lawlessness now stretch to the Gulf of Guinea, "where criminal elements increasingly resort to piracy and hostage-taking," he said. DALLAS (AP) - A woman alleges that police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington offered to drop charges against her two teenage sons in exchange for cellphone video she shot that she says shows an officer needlessly pushing her older son to the ground and arresting him. At a news conference Thursday, Latasha Nelson said two police officers told her that they would give back her cellphone, which she says was illegally seized during the July 3 incident, after she surrendered the video. Her attorney, Kim T. Cole, said the officers insinuated that the charges against Nelson's sons would be dropped if she agreed. The Next Generation Action Network, a Dallas-based group that lobbies against police violence, posted the video on its Facebook page Wednesday on behalf of Nelson. A spokesman for the group, Dominique Alexander, said Nelson's phone was backed up to the cloud, which enabled her to let the group post the video. Latasha Nelson, right, speaks at a news conference with attorney Kim T. Cole, left, on Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the Next Generation Action Network in Dallas. Nelson says police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington offered to drop charges against her two teenage sons in exchange for a cellphone video she shot that allegedly shows an officer needlessly pushing her older son to the ground and arresting him. (AP Photo/Jaime Dunaway) Cole, who is also an attorney for the action network, said the family wants the arresting officer, Chad Haning, to be fired and charged with official oppression. It also wants the charges to be dropped against the two boys and for any property to be returned, including Nelson's phone. "This video is full of violations of police policy. ... They also unlawfully seized Ms. Nelson's telephone. It is not illegal to film a police officer in this state," Cole said, adding the officer threatened to arrest her if she didn't turn over the phone. "We've seen this repeatedly, not just locally but across the country, these young black men gunned down by police with impunity. ... She was terrified, and yes, she was rightfully emotional." In an email, police spokeswoman Sgt. VaNessa Harrison said officers went to the family's apartment complex because someone reported that there were two teens breaking into a car. She said the officers stopped Nelson's 14-year-old son to question him because he fit the description of one of the teens being sought. "The video starts at this point and shows two officers taking a teenager into custody. After reviewing the video, there are many questions that will require a thorough investigation," Harrison wrote, adding that the officer remains on duty. The video shows police walking the 14-year-old to a police car. Nelson can be heard asking where the officers are taking her son. A male officer, who later identifies himself as Haning, responds by saying he won't tell her because she has "become uncooperative." It doesn't show what led Haning, moments later, to engage Nelson's 16-year-old son and put him on the ground because the video was zoomed in on Haning's chest at the time. Nelson said Haning grabbed her older son by his face, knocking off his glasses before he pushed him to the ground to handcuff him. "I am a black woman in America, and I love my kids. Do you know how hard it is to have four sons and think every day what could happen to them going out there in the world?" Nelson said. Cole said a burglary charge against the 14-year-old and an obstruction charge against the 16-year-old were "pending investigation." Nelson said she filed a use of force complaint against Haning, but felt like it wasn't taken seriously by the officers she talked to. She said she also received notice that the apartment complex was terminating her lease when it expires in October and told her she cannot appeal the decision. The Associated Press filed a request Thursday for Haning's personnel file, which wasn't immediately available. ___ Follow Claudia Lauer on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ClaudiaLauer Latasha Nelson speaks at a news conference Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the Next Generation Action Network in Dallas. Nelson says police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington offered to drop charges against her two teenage sons in exchange for a cellphone video she shot that allegedly shows an officer needlessly pushing her older son to the ground and arresting him. (AP Photo/Jaime Dunaway) Next Generation Action Network attorney Kim T. Cole speaks at a news conference Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the organization's office in Dallas. Cole is representing Latasha Nelson, who says police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington offered to drop charges against her two teenage sons in exchange for a cellphone video she shot that allegedly shows an officer needlessly pushing her older son to the ground and arresting him. (AP Photo/Jaime Dunaway) Next Generation Action Network President Dominique Alexander, left, attorney Kim T. Cole, center, and client Latasha Nelson, right, speak at a news conference Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the Next Generation Action Network in Dallas. Nelson says police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington offered to drop charges against her two teenage sons in exchange for a cellphone video she shot that allegedly shows an officer needlessly pushing her older son to the ground and arresting him. (AP Photo/Jaime Dunaway) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - With a handcuff still dangling from his wrist, a Central California murder suspect was recaptured Thursday, nearly a week after he squirmed out of one cuff at Fresno police headquarters, whacked detectives with the restraint, and then climbed out a window to freedom, police said. Last Friday evening, Ibn Lugman Haqq, 21, had one hand cuffed to a chair in a police interview room and was undergoing questioning about the murder of a 41-year-old man who was shot 10 times earlier this month at a Fresno apartment. When the two detectives left the room briefly, he made a break for it. This undated photo provided by the Fresno Police Department shows murder suspect Ibn Lugman Haqq, 21, in Fresno, Calif. Central California police have captured Haqq who escaped from police headquarters after fighting with detectives and fleeing through a window. Details about where and when officers made the capture were not immediately available Thursday morning, July 13, 2017. (Fresno Police Department via AP) "He slipped (the handcuff) off of the arm chair handle that he was cuffed to," said Fresno police spokesman Lt. Mark Hudson. But the detectives spotted him and the three fought with Haqq using the restraint as a weapon in the fight. Then Haqq kicked out the window screen, climbed out of the window and was gone, according to police. The two detectives were scraped and bruised in the battle. Police Chief Jerry Dyer said Thursday the escape was due to "an honest mistake by good detectives that were trying to do their jobs." On Thursday morning, police nabbed Haqq as he was leaving a Sacramento area apartment with his wife. He pulled his red hoodie over his head to shield his face, swore at officers and was uncooperative. But this time detectives got their guy - for good, police said. "He was uncooperative and didn't really want to speak to detectives about anything," said Hudson. "I'm sure he was surprised because he was unaware we were going to be there." Haqq is the suspect in the murder of Delon Agee, who was shot 10 times - nine rounds in the body and one in the head -on July 5. It's not clear if Haqq has an attorney. With the suspect back in custody, police have already made several departmental changes, including installing leg shackles that are bolted to the wall, to make sure an escape doesn't happen again. They have also installed new audio and video equipment in interview rooms. And they won't be using rooms with windows again, Hudson said. Haqq's escape also launched a personnel investigation. Haqq will be charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon on officers, and escape, said Hudson. His wife will be charged with being an accessory to murder, police said. "We're glad to have him back in custody for sure," said Hudson. A photo provided by the Fresno Police Department shows handcuffed Ibn Lugman Haqq, 21, after he taken into custody Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Fresno, Calif. With the handcuffs still dangling from his wrist, Haqq, a Central California murder suspect, was recaptured Thursday, nearly a week after he squirmed out of one handcuff at Fresno police headquarters, whacked detectives with them, and then climbed out a window to freedom, police said. Last Friday evening, Haqq had one hand cuffed to a chair in a police interview room and was undergoing questioning about the murder of a 41-year-old man who was shot 10 times earlier this month at a Fresno apartment. (Fresno Police Department via AP) MONROE, Mich. (AP) - A man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for killing a woman after a 2014 Halloween party in southeastern Michigan and stashing her body in the woods. Daniel Clay apologized in court. A jury in May convicted him of first-degree murder in the beating death of 22-year-old Chelsea Bruck. "I made a mistake," Clay told the victim's mother, Leanndra Bruck, at his sentencing. "I know I caused pain to the family and to the community. I am truly sorry. I am sorry for what I put you through." Daniel Clay, right, sits with defense attorney Russell A. Smith as he listens during his sentencing, Thursday, July 13, 2017 in Monroe, Mich. Daniel Clay will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a woman after a 2014 Halloween party in southeastern Michigan and stashing her body in the woods. (Tom Hawley/The Monroe News via AP) Chelsea Bruck, who was from Maybee, disappeared after attending the party with hundreds of people in Monroe County's Frenchtown Township. Her body was found six months later. She was dressed as the comic villain Poison Ivy at the party. DNA on her costume led investigators to Clay in 2016. Clay had contended the death was accidental and occurred during aggressive sex in his car. But Monroe County Circuit Judge Daniel White said Clay was not believable. "You're a liar, a rapist and a killer," White told Clay on Thursday. Leanndra Bruck, who spoke at the sentencing and gave Clay a Bible, said: "Today, with the strength from Jesus Christ, I forgive Daniel Clay. I do not want my Lord to ask why I could not offer forgiveness to Mr. Clay." The Conservative Party carried out vitriolic personal attacks on election candidates on an industrial scale, Labour has claimed ahead of a debate on the abuse of MPs. Tories ran a nasty campaign full of smears and untruths about opponents, particularly shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, according to the Opposition. Millions of pounds were spent on attack adverts on social media in a campaign that could deter future parliamentary hopefuls from entering politics, Labour said. Diane Abbott (Victoria Jones/PA) It also highlighted criticism of the racially discriminatory unsuccessful bid made by Tory Zac Goldsmith to become London mayor against Sadiq Khan as well as the suspension of Anne Marie Morris from the Tory party over the use of racist language. In a letter to Conservative party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin, counterpart Ian Lavery and Cat Smith, shadow minister for voter engagement, called for a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. They wrote: The Conservatives ran a negative, nasty campaign, propagating personal attacks, smears and untruths, particularly aimed at one of the most prominent women MPs, and indeed the first black woman MP, Diane Abbott. Such attacks on politicians, the consequent intimidating and abusive language and threats of violence towards them online, deter many people from entering politics. Zac Goldsmith (Yui Mok/PA) Parties and politicians have a responsibility to set an example, by treating others with dignity and respect, including those with whom we strongly disagree. The Conservative Party has instead promoted personal attacks as a core component of its national campaign. Abuse against candidates on social media is completely unacceptable. The Conservative Party perpetrated this on an industrial scale by spending millions of pounds to post highly personalised and nasty attack adverts on voters Facebook timelines without their permission. This is not an isolated incident. Last year Zac Goldsmith MP ran an extremely negative, divisive and racially discriminatory campaign against Sadiq Khan. It was described by Sayeeda Warsi, the former Conservative Party co-chairman, as appalling. Only yesterday it was revealed that Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris used a racist slur while speaking on a panel at the East India Club last week, evidence of the level to which abusive and discriminatory language has been tolerated by the Conservative Party. They claimed Labour fought a positive, hopeful campaign and insisted that all its MPs ran campaigns based on our policies rather than personal attacks. Theresa May (Matt Dunham/PA) It comes days after Theresa May said she had been shocked by the stories of harassment she had heard from colleagues in recent weeks. In a clear swipe at Jeremy Corbyn, who has faced repeated criticism that he has failed to explicitly condemn attacks made by his supporters, the Prime Minister called on party leaders to speak out. MPs from across the spectrum have told of the abuse they have suffered in recent years, including South East Cornwall Tory MP Sheryll Murray who faced comments like burn the witch during the election campaign. Conservative MP Simon Hart has secured a debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday afternoon on the abuse and intimidation of candidates and the public in UK elections. Real Sociedad have announced the signing of winger Adnan Januzaj from Manchester United. Press Association Sport understands the 22-year-old has joined the LaLiga outfit for an initial 8million - although the fee could rise to 9.8million - and that United have a buyback clause for the Belgium international. Januzaj sensationally broke into the United team as an 18-year-old, hitting two goals on his full debut against Sunderland in 2013. Adnan Januzaj Since then his stock has fallen and, after two forgettable loan stints at Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland, he has now moved on. Early Cornish kings feasted on oysters, roast pork and wine out of bowls imported from Turkey and glass goblets from Spain, excavations at Tintagel Castle have shown. The evidence of fine dining and luxury in the late 5th and early 6th century was unearthed as part of the first research excavations to take place in decades at the legendary coastal castle, by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU) in 2016. While Tintagel is intricately bound up in the legend of King Arthur, who was said to have been conceived there, experts said the finds showed it was almost certainly a royal site with trading links to the Mediterranean during Cornwalls First Golden Age. An archaeological dig at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall )Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage Trust/PA) Results of the dig, which have now been published by (CAU) and English Heritage, show finds include oyster shells, livestock bones with signs of burning and butchering and a cod cranial bone which provides the first evidence of deep sea fishing at Tintagel. The dig, which only covered a small area, also turned up a Phocaean red slipped ware bowl from Turkey, amphorae or jars from southern Turkey or Cyprus, and fine glassware from Spain, as well as iron brooches and dress hooks, knives and nails. The excavations uncovered a selection of stone-walled structures on the southern terrace of Tintagel Castles island area, with substantial stone walls and slate floors reached by a flight of slate steps. Fragments of Roman pottery and part of a local stone bowl found at Tintagel Castle (Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage Trust/PA) Following on from the successful dig, the archaeologists have returned to examine a much wider area, with the public able to see them in action. English Heritage properties curator Win Scutt, said the finds drew a highly evocative picture of life at the site in the post-Roman period. These finds reveal a fascinating insight into the lives of those at Tintagel Castle more than 1,000 years ago. The evidence of fine dining and luxury in the late 5th and early 6th century was unearthed as part of the first research excavations to take place in decades at the legendary coastal castle (Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage Trust/PA) It is easy to assume that the fall of the Roman Empire threw Britain into obscurity, but here on this dramatic Cornish cliff top they built substantial stone buildings, used fine table wares from Turkey, drank from decorated Spanish glassware and feasted on pork, fish and oysters. They were clearly making use of products like wine and oil contained in amphorae traded from the eastern Mediterranean. Jacky Nowakowski, project director at CAU said: Our excavations at Tintagel last summer exceeded all expectations by partially revealing amazingly well-preserved stone walls, a slate floor and a flight of steps which belong to a pair of well-built buildings. The research excavations were untaken by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage Trust/PA) Accompanied by many finds, we have at present, a broad date range which suggests these buildings were part of the major post-Roman settlement at Tintagel. She said the plan for excavations this year was to open up a much larger area on the southern terrace to get a look at the scale and size of the buildings they had discovered and find out when they were built and how they were used. Evidence so far suggests they were residential buildings which may have housed important members of the community who lived and traded at Tintagel more than 800 years ago, she said. A father and son have been killed after a deep sinkhole swallowed their car on a major Mexican road, officials said. Civil protection rescuers reached the rubble-covered Volkswagen Jetta lying on its roof at the bottom of the hole after working for more than eight hours on the closed section of road. The sinkhole appeared before dawn, at around 6am local time. A crane lowered rescuers into a yawning hole the width of two lanes in the middle of the highway. The initial hole was widened in order to build a ramp for recovery purposes. Rescue workers are lowered into the sinkhole that appeared in the Mexican road Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, secretary of the federal Transportation Department, said the sinkhole was apparently caused by the erosion of a drain that runs more than 50ft (15m) beneath the road. At a news conference at the site, Mr Esparza blamed heavy rains during the past three days. He said a preliminary analysis indicated the rain caused a creek to swell beside the road and blocked the drain with trash, contributing to the erosion. The public watch on as the rescue unfolds According to a statement from the department, the road was recently widened, but the existing drain was not thought to have been affected by this construction. Mr Esparza said later through Twitter that engineers would study the situation to determine responsibility. The Mexico-Cuernavaca road is connects the capital to the Pacific coast resort city of Acapulco. Johanna Konta insists she has all the required experience to beat Venus Williams and reach her first Wimbledon final. Konta reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open last year, after knocking out Williams in round one, but her second appearance in the last four of a grand slam will have a rather different feel. She is the last Briton standing in the singles after Andy Murrays surprise defeat on Wednesday and hopes are high that she can become the first British woman to win Wimbledon since Virginia Wade in 1977. Johanna Konta is the last remaining British player at Wimbledon Williams, meanwhile, will be playing her 22nd grand slam semi-final, her first coming at the US Open 20 years ago when Konta had just turned six. It means Konta will be left to draw on the fortitude that has got her through a trio of three-setters already at this tournament, not to mention three WTA finals, the first of which saw her beat Williams to claim her maiden title in Stanford last year. Id like to think actually that all the matches I played I know this will be my second slam semi-final but I do think nerves and excitement and those sorts of emotions that come along with big matches arent necessarily specific to grand slam moments, Konta said. Ive been a part of some great moments and exciting moments in other events as well. Id like to think that Ill be using all that experience come Thursday. Williams was one of Kontas idols growing up and the 37-year-old is enjoying something of an Indian summer in her already-glittering career. After four relatively barren years dealing with the effects of Sjogrens syndrome - a disorder causing fatigue and pain in the joints - Williams has now made the last 16 of six consecutive major tournaments. She has won seven grand slams, five at Wimbledon, and is bidding to become the oldest female to reach the final since Martina Navratilova in 1994. Johanna Konta's head to head record with Venus Williams I definitely think experience helps, for sure, Williams said. For a lot of the players Ive played, its their first time in the third round or the quarter-finals. So I have an opportunity to bank on experience in having dealt with those sort of pressures before. The man convicted of gunning down Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on a bridge within sight of the Kremlin has been sentenced to 20 years in jail. Prosecutors had asked for life imprisonment for Zaur Dadayev over the 2015 killing which sent shockwaves through Russias beleaguered opposition. Prosecutor Maria Semenenko said a decision on whether to appeal against the sentence would be made after studying the judges decision. Tributes for Bosin Nemtsov are left outside the Russian Embassy in London Ilya Yashin, a close Nemtsov ally, criticised the sentence. Of course, its small what is 20 years for a human life? he said, according to news agency Tass. Four others convicted of involvement in the assassination were sentenced to terms ranging from 11 to 19 years. The scene in the courtroom in Moscow as the sentences were delivered (Ivan Sekretarev/AP) Mr Nemtsov was a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin. At the time of his death, he was working on a report about Russias military involvement in the war in eastern Ukraine and in the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The report was released three months later. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnyas Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Mr Nemtsovs allies have criticised investigators for not considering a possible role of Mr Kadyrov in the killing. A spokeswoman for Russias Investigative Committee, the top criminal investigation body, said the collection of evidence is continuing in an attempt to identify the killings organisers. Newcastle are attempting to thrash out a deal with Norwich for England Under-21 international Jacob Murphy. Press Association Sport understands fresh discussions were due to take place on Thursday with the Magpies having failed in an earlier bid to sign the winger. It is understood the player has indicated his willingness to hear what Newcastle have to say as manager Rafael Benitez attempts to secure a third summer signing, but that the two clubs have markedly different valuations. Newcastle are keen on signing Norwich's Jacob Murphy Jacob Murphy has told his agent he wants move to #nufc and meetings with #ncfc will take place today. More to follow. Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) July 13, 2017 Benitez, whose frustration has been clear in recent weeks, will hope for good news with his wish-list still far from being fulfilled. The Spaniard has made no secret of the fact that he believes the squad he guided to promotion last season will need significant strengthening for life in the Premier League. Armed with funds estimated at somewhere between 75million and 100million, Benitez had hoped for swift progress, but to date only Chelsea winger Christian Atsu, who spent last season on loan at St James Park, and Eibar defender Florian Lejeune have arrived. Owner Mike Ashley has promised Benitez every penny the club generates from promotion and player sales to re-invest and there is sure to be a sizeable turnover with Florian Thauvin having already completed a permanent move to Marseille, Vurnon Anita to Leeds and Haris Vuckic to Twente. Karl Darlow, Grant Hanley and Daryl Murphy in particular have their suitors and things appear to be finally starting to move as the club prepares for their first pre-season friendly at Hearts on Friday evening before heading to Ireland for a training camp. Ajax are mourning the abrupt conclusion of Abdelhak Nouris career after the young Dutchman suffered serious and permanent brain damage when falling ill during a pre-season friendly. The 20-year-old midfielder collapsed during Saturdays meeting with Werder Bremen in Hippach, Austria, and after receiving emergency treatment on the pitch, he was airlifted to hospital. Nouri had spent the week in an artificial coma in intensive care in Innsbruck and on Thursday medical tests on his brain functions revealed serious and permanent brain damage. Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri has suffered "serious and permanent brain damage" A statement published on Ajaxs official website said a lot of the brain is not functioning and the chances of recovering these crucial brain functions is nil thereafter. The former Holland Under-19 international has been cleared for transport and is expected to be transferred to a hospital in Amsterdam for further care. Following the diagnosis, Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar, their former goalkeeper who also played for Manchester United, told the club site: This is the worst possible news. Its terrible. We feel enormously for his parents, siblings and other relatives. He added: The blow is also hard for Ajax, although we knew we might have to consider this scenario. These have been uncertain days, and lots of people in different way have sympathised with his situation. That is greatly appreciated. Abdelhak has such great talent, but unfortunately we will never know how far his star would have gone if this had not happened to him. Nouri known as Appie made 15 appearances for Ajaxs first team last season, including three in the Europa League, and scored on his senior debut in a 5-0 win over Willem II in the KNVB-Beker. On Monday Ajax revealed Nouris heart was functioning normally and appeared to be undamaged, adding that it was too soon to say anything about his recovery, as his brain function cannot be tested properly as long as he is kept asleep. It was then confirmed that he would be released from an artificial coma. The capital clubs opponents on Saturday, Bundesliga side Bremen, were among the first to convey their support, tweeting: Our prayers are with him #StayStrongAppie. A series of Eredivisie outfits and even Premier League club Bournemouth also expressed support. The official Cherries account tweeted: Our thoughts and prayers are with him. #StayStrongAppie. Jermain Defoe has left Bournemouths pre-season training camp in Spain to travel back to England to attend the funeral of Bradley Lowery on Friday. During his time at Sunderland, the England striker struck up a close friendship with Bradley, who died on July 7 from a rare form of cancer aged six. The funeral will take place at St Josephs Church in Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, with the memorial service also set to be played on loud speakers outside. Bradley Lowery died of cancer last week @IAmJermainDefoe has today departed our pre-season training camp and returned to the UK for the funeral of Bradley Lowery. #afcb pic.twitter.com/aEzbcauo33 AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) July 13, 2017 The family will then be having a private ceremony at a crematorium. Bournemouth posted a message on the clubs official Twitter feed which said: @IAmJermainDefoe has today departed our pre-season training camp and returned to the UK for the funeral of Bradley Lowery. Defoe, 34, signed a three-year deal with the Cherries after leaving Sunderland following their relegation from the Premier League. Eddie Howes squad are currently away in Marbella, where they will take on Portuguese side Estoril in a friendly on Saturday. Bournemouth open the new Premier League season at West Brom on August 12. A former soldier who violently raped and killed a schoolgirl has been found guilty of her manslaughter more than 40 years later. Stephen Hough, 58, let another man, Noel Jones, go to jail after killing Janet Commins, 15, in Flint, North Wales, in 1976. But last year a sample of Houghs DNA was taken by police and fed into their database and it matched semen samples taken from the body of Janet and stored for four decades. Uncle of Janet Commins killed 40 years ago by Stephen Hough says Hough 'stole' Janet's future. #manslaughter pic.twitter.com/hIoWK5GFMm ian lang. (@IanLangITVWales) July 13, 2017 The jury at Mold Crown Court heard the odds of the DNA being from anyone other than Hough were a billion-to-one. He denied even knowing Janet and any wrongdoing but was convicted by the jury of rape, buggery and the manslaughter of Janet following a three-week trial at Mold Crown Court. Hough, from Flint, was cleared of the alternative charge of murder. Stephen Hough was found guilty at Mold Crown Court (Dave Thompson/PA) North Wales Police are now under investigation over how they handled the 1976 investigation and dealt with Noel Jones at the time of Janets death. Hough made no reaction as the foreman of the jury read out the verdicts, while Janets remaining family sat in the public gallery. Janet was an only child and her mother Eileen, her only surviving parent, was too upset to come to court. Mr Justice Clive Lewis told the court he has ordered Hough to appear again on Friday morning but he will not sentence him until next week when he has heard mitigation from his lawyers and considered the matter fully. Remanding the defendant into custody, he said: It is critical, after 40 years, that justice is done. Outside court, some of Janets relatives were in tears. Before Hough was taken down, Mr Heywood told the court the defendant has a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm with intent from August 1988 when he was serving in the Army in Germany. He was court-martialed, jailed for five years and dismissed from the forces. The jury was not told about the conviction during the trial. US president Donald Trump has defended his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer, saying it was standard campaign practice and maintaining nothing happened as a result. The remarks in Paris, made in a joint news conference with French president Emmanuel Macron, came even though Mr Trumps own FBI pick said a day earlier that authorities should be advised of requests to meet with foreign individuals during a campaign. Donald Trump Jr also said he would rethink his own conduct in agreeing to the meeting in the first place. I think from a practical standpoint most people wouldve taken that meeting. Its called opposition research, or even research into your opponent, Mr Trump said. Mr Trump Jr released emails this week from 2016 in which he appeared eager to accept information from the Russian government that could have damaged Hillary Clintons campaign. The emails were sent ahead of a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer that Mr Trumps former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended. Here's my statement and the full email chain pic.twitter.com/x050r5n5LQ Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017 Asked about the meeting, Mr Trump said politics is not the nicest business in the world and it is standard for candidates to welcome negative information about an opponent. In this case, he added, nothing happened from the meeting, zero happened from the meeting. Mr Trumps support for the encounter stood in contrast to the position of his nominee for FBI director, Christopher Wray. FBI director nominee Christopher Wray said Donald Trump Jr should have approached the authorities (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) At his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, he was asked what candidates should do if told a foreign government wants to help by offering damaging information about an opponent. Any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation-state or any non-state actor, Mr Wray said, is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know. Mr Trump Jr said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday night that in retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently. Meanwhile, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he would call on Mr Trump Jr to testify as part of investigations into Russian meddling in last years election and subpoena him if necessary. Senator Chuck Grassley said he wants Mr Trump Jr to testify pretty soon and it could be as early as next week. Senator Chuck Grassley He said members are not restricted from asking anything they want to ask. The Judiciary Committee is one of several congressional panels investigating Russian meddling in the US election, along with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. By Adela Suliman LONDON, July 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The digital financial tool 'blockchain' is being put to use in the humanitarian sector to try to ensure every penny of aid makes its way to projects and is not wasted along the way. Britain's Start Network, which includes 42 leading aid agencies such as Oxfam, Care International and Save the Children, has teamed up with social enterprise start up Disberse to use blockchain, the network said. "This exciting partnership could lead to the transformation needed in the way money flows through the humanitarian system," said Sean Lowrie, director of Start Network, in a statement. "(It) could catalyse a new way of working, one that is transparent, fast and which drives accountability to taxpayers and those affected by crises." Blockchain, which first emerged as the system underpinning the virtual currency bitcoin, is a digital shared record of transactions maintained by a network of computers on the internet, without the need of a centralised authority. It has become a key technology in both the public and private sectors, given its ability to record and keep track of assets or transactions without the need for middlemen. The new Disberse platform will use the blockchain technology to ensure that less money is lost to banking fees, poor exchange rates and currency fluctuations, Start Network said. Fraud is also a major issue within the international aid system. In 2012, former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said 30 percent of all U.N. development assistance was lost to corruption. As blockchain automatically records transactions on a secure ledger, donors can easily follow the money lowering the risk of financial misuse. A UK-based charity "Positive Women" has already completed a pilot project using the Disberse platform to reduce its transfer fees to educational projects in Swaziland. Aid was sent from Britain to four Swaziland schools, via a local aid group, and the savings made by using the Disberse platform enabled Positive Women to fund an additional three students' fees for a year. "We normally use our bank to transfer funds, but transfers have become increasingly expensive and slow. Using Disberse, we saved 2.5 per cent (on fees), which covered the costs of a year's education for an additional three girls," said Sarah Llewellyn, director of Positive Women. The new partnership using the blockchain technology will now scale up to work on a series of small disbursements within Start Network's existing programmes over the next six months. (Reporting by Adela Suliman; editing by Ros Russell. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator has referred supermarket Tesco's proposed 3.7 billion pounds ($4.75 billion) takeover of wholesaler Booker for a detailed investigation, granting a request from the companies to "fast track" the process. Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, and Booker announced the cash and shares deal in January and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) formally started a phase 1 review in May. Last month, Tesco and Booker asked the CMA to move swiftly to a more in-depth phase 2 examination. The CMA said on Wednesday it believed that in over 350 local areas where there was currently an overlap between Tesco shops and Booker-supplied independent grocery retailers, shoppers could face worse terms when buying products. It said there were concerns that if the deal was cleared there was potential for Booker to reduce the wholesale services or terms it offers the stores it currently supplies, in order to drive customers to their local Tesco. Booker supplies services to over 5,000 so-called "symbol" stores, operating under the Premier, Londis, Budgens or Family Shopper brands. It also supplies restaurants such as Wagamama and Carluccio's and operates the Makro cash and carry business. Tesco runs more than 3,000 stores across Britain. The CMA said other concerns were raised and considered in the initial probe, but it had not found it necessary to conclude on all of these given the referral. The regulator will now assess whether the deal could reduce competition by conducting further research and analysis as well as seeking views and evidence from all those potentially affected by the deal. The CMA's in-depth phase 2 investigation lasts 24 weeks, which means its final report will be published before Christmas, following an earlier provisional findings report. The transaction will be cleared if the phase 2 inquiry does not find it will reduce competition. If competition is seen to be affected, the CMA can either seek remedies or block the deal. Tesco sees the deal as a new source of growth given Booker's role as a major distributor to the catering industry. Some Tesco shareholders have criticised the transaction, saying it was overpaying and a distraction from its turnaround plan. Tesco said it was pleased the CMA had accepted its fast track request. "This merger has always been about growth, and we remain convinced that it will bring benefits for consumers, independent retailers, caterers, small businesses, suppliers and colleagues," a spokesman said. Shares in Tesco were up 0.2 percent at 171.4 pence at 0801 GMT, while Booker shares were up 0.5 percent at 190.4. ($1 = 0.7797 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey; editing by Kate Holton and Jane Merriman) By Joseph Campbell ULAANBAATAR, July 13 (Reuters) - Working 50 metres (164 feet) under ground with minimal air supply, Uuganbaatar is one of thousands of Mongolians trying to make a living digging for coal. Although the mining season does not begin until autumn, when the ground freezes and work is safer, the 31-year-old and his colleagues are seeking to gain a head start by digging a shaft in Nalaikh, one of the nine districts of Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, in late June. But their mine could soon be shut by the government, which has launched an unprecedented crackdown on sites that don't meet safety standards. That would mean even fewer opportunities for Mongolia's individual prospectors, who have already been hit hard by the privatisation of mines previously open to all. Miners such as Uuganbaatar dig for coal under loose arrangements with local unions and private companies. "Things seem really tough for private miners now," said Uuganbaatar, who, like many Mongolians, goes by one name. "All the licences have been bought up by influential big shots. Whenever you start to dig somewhere, someone shows up and chases us away. It's impossible to find a place or mine to dig in." A weak economy and particularly harsh winters drove herdsman from across Mongolia to Nalaikh's private mines in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The district, with a population of nearly 30,000, was home to Mongolia's first state mining company, which collapsed in the 1990s in the midst of a post-communist economic crisis. The firm's dilapidated buildings dot the landscape. With the economy slowing again after a commodities boom earlier in the decade, authorities fear more people could be tempted down the mines. "More mines will probably be shut down," said Byambadorj, a woman who ran two private mine shafts with her husband for 13 years until the government closed them in June. "In Nalaikh, life revolves around mining, and mining is the main means to support our lives," she says, insisting that her mines were operating according to the safety standards. The government had tried to get companies to improve safety by issuing licenses. An official said nine companies had been granted licenses, but not all had met the standards. "People were working in shafts with no air supply," said S. Battulga, an official whose department is responsible for reviewing mining licenses across the country. "Therefore it was requested that the private mining licences in Nalaikh be cancelled," on health and safety grounds, he added. Nalaikh authorities would like people to switch from mining to work in brick factories but no one seems keen to switch despite the danger. In the past 25 years, the government has recorded 234 fatalities in Nalaikh's coal mines, although residents say the real number is hundreds higher. (Reporting by Joseph Campbell; Writing by Tom Daly; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Fathin Ungku SINGAPORE, July 12 (Reuters) - A Singapore court jailed a former wealth manager of Swiss bank BSI for 4-1/2 years on Wednesday for money laundering and cheating in a case linked to investigations into the siphoning off of billions of dollars from Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. A political storm has raged for two years in Malaysia over the scandal at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which is the focus of money laundering investigations in at least six countries, including Switzerland and the United States. Singapore public prosecutor Nathaniel Khng described the city-state's investigation as "the most complex, sophisticated and largest money laundering case" ever carried out by its white-collar police. The former banker, Yeo Jiawei, 34, pleaded guilty to money laundering and cheating on Wednesday. Yeo is already serving a 30-month term on charges of perverting the course of justice by urging witnesses to lie to police and destroy evidence during the investigation into illicitly transferred funds linked to 1MDB. "The two schemes to secretly profit were dishonestly concealed from BSI Singapore ... and resulted in the accused earning in excess of US$3.5 million in illicit profits," the public prosecutor said. Prosecutors previously said Yeo played a central role in the illicit movement of the 1MDB-linked funds both while he was working at the now defunct BSI Bank Singapore, and afterwards. Prosecutor Khng said, however, that the central figure and one of the "key persons of interest" was Low Taek Jho, a Malaysian businessman who has dropped out of public view. Low was an adviser to the state fund, whose advisory board had been chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Najib has denied any wrongdoing in 1MDB's problems and said Malaysia would cooperate with the international investigations. A U.S. Department of Justice investigation in June highlighted Low's role in the scandal. The Singapore prosecutor said the case against Yeo related to two transactions that appeared to have been aimed to cover up the fact that $1 billion belonging to 1MDB had been transferred into a bank account that Low "beneficially owned". Low's whereabouts are not known, but a U.S.-based public relations firm issued a statement on his behalf, in response to Reuters' request to one of his companies seeking comment. "Any attempts to link Mr. Low to the recent guilty pleas by parties allegedly making secret profits are based on unfounded assumptions," said Boston-based Rasky Partners Inc. It added that Malaysian authorities had said there was "no evidence of any misappropriation of 1MDB funds", the allegations had not been proven in any jurisdiction elsewhere, and "this development in Singapore does not change that". "This is an example of overreach with a politically motivated and selectively chosen narrative alleging 1MDB as a "victim"," it said, adding that "the allegations are flawed, biased and create an inaccurate picture." The prosecutor had called for a stiff sentence for Yeo as a deterrent, partly in order to protect Singapores standing as an international financial centre. In May, Singapore's central bank said it had ended its review of banks with 1MDB-linked transactions. As part of the two-year review, Singapore shut down the local units of BSI Bank and Falcon Bank due to failures of money laundering controls and improper conduct by senior management, froze millions of dollars in bank accounts and charged several private bankers. A spokeswoman for EFG International, which now owns BSI Bank, declined to comment. Stefano Coduri, group chief executive of BSI Bank, stepped down after the closure of its Singapore operations last year and the bank said it took steps to strengthen management, such as introducing a new chief risk officer and appointing a new group legal counsel.. Two other former BSI staffers have been convicted and sentenced on charges stemming from the money-laundering investigation linked to 1MDB. ($1=1.3799 Singapore dollars) (Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Additional reporting by Joshua O. Franklin in Zurich; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Clarence Fernandez) PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - PSA Group said its vehicle sales rose 2.3 percent in the first half, as the French carmaker's formal return to the Iranian market helped offset a continuing sales plunge in China as well as a weak European performance. The maker of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars said on Thursday it had recorded 1.58 million sales globally in January-June, up from 1.54 million a year earlier. But PSA's Chinese woes continued, with sales plunging by another 49 percent to just 152,380 vehicles in the period. The year-long slide has prompted a management and distribution shake-up in the region, as well as pledges by Chief Executive Carlos Tavares to rush out more SUVs. In Europe, PSA's home region as well as its biggest, sales also dropped by 1.9 percent to 1.04 million vehicles, essentially weighed down by a sharp decline in upscale DS brand sales, which slumped 45 percent. Iran, however, was a bright spot in the first-half numbers. The resumption of consolidated sales in the country helped PSA more than triple its Middle East and Africa sales to 277,971 vehicles. (Reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta) PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - French supermarket retailer Casino said sales growth accelerated slightly in the second quarter, reflecting an improvement at its Geant hypermarkets in France, and reported a resilient performance at its recession-hit Brazilian market. Casino, whose credit rating was cut to junk by Standard & Poor's in March 2016 and which has been criticised by U.S. activist fund Muddy Waters, is under pressure to show it can revive profits in France while conditions in Brazil stay tough. Casino, which controls Brazil's top retailer Grupo Pao de Acucar, said second-quarter group sales reached 9.277 billion euros ($10.6 billion), above the 9.173 billion euros average in a company-compiled consensus of analysts' forecasts. Stripping out acquisitions, currency effects and revenue on fuel, sales rose 3.3 percent against 3.1 percent growth seen in the first quarter. ($1 = 0.8739 euros) (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta) By Anastasia Moloney BOGOTA, July 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Lawmakers in Honduras voted unanimously to ban child marriage, making it illegal in the Central American nation for children under the age of 18 to get married under any circumstances. The law passed on Tuesday raises the minimum marriage age to 18 from 16 and removes all exceptions for child marriage, meaning that girls and boys under 18 cannot get married even with the permission of their parents. Belinda Portillo from children's charity Plan International said Honduras had "made history" by passing the law in a country where one in four children are married before the age of 18. "The fight against child marriage is a strategic way of promoting the rights and empowerment of women in various areas, such as health, education, work, freedom from violence," Portillo, Plan's Honduras country director, said in a statement. Enforcing the law will be hardest in indigenous communities and poor rural areas in Honduras where child marriage is most prevalent, campaigners say. Often driven by poverty and cultural acceptance, child marriage usually involves a girl marrying an older man and deprives girls of education and opportunities, keeping them in poverty. Each year more than 15 million girls worldwide are married before they turn 18, campaign group Girls Not Brides says. Experts say child brides are more likely to be victims of sexual and domestic abuse and become teenage mothers. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 globally. Portillo said banning child marriage in Honduras would give girls a chance to be better educated and increase their earnings, helping to boost the country's annual gross domestic product by about 3.5 percent. In a report last month, the World Bank said child marriage will cost developing countries trillions of dollars by 2030, hampering global efforts to eradicate poverty. Most Latin American countries ban marriage until 18, but many of them still allow children to get married at a younger age with the permission of parents or a judge. Campaigners hope other countries in Latin America will follow Honduras's example. Lawmakers in the Dominican Republic - a country with the second highest rate of child marriage in the region - along with El Salvador are mulling proposed reforms to outlaw child marriage. (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney @anastasiabogota, Editing by Alisa Tang. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) SOFIA, July 13 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Bulgaria's government adopted the first draft of a national programme for the Balkan country's EU Presidency next year. Bulgaria will send three main messages during its Presidency of the Council of the EU: consensus, competitiveness and cohesion (Trud, Standart, Monitor) -- Ruling centre-right GERB party proposed that cash payments be limited to 5,000 levs ($2,926.03) from Jan. 1 next year. Amendments to the Tax and Social Insurance Code will be discussed by the parliamnet's budget committee (Monitor, Sega, 24 Chasa) -- Bulgarian government rejected request from the Socialist Party (BSP) - the largest opposition party in the Black Sea state, to use the Buzludzha monument in central Bulgaria for 10 years free of charge, the governments press office said, adding that BSP did not take steps to finalise the procedure approved in 2011, whereby the properties would have been transferred free of charge to the party (Standart, Duma) ($1 = 1.7088 leva) By Gul Yousafzai QUETTA, Pakistan, July 13 (Reuters) - Islamist gunmen on Thursday killed a senior police official and three other policemen guarding him in the Pakistani city of Quetta, police said, in an attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. Superintendent of Police Mubarak Shah, 56, was killed en route to his office when four gunmen riding on motorcycles attacked his vehicle, said city police officer Muhammad Sultan. "The head and upper parts of all the four victims were targeted," said Sultan, adding that one policeman was critically wounded. A faction of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, carried out the attack, according to the faction's spokesman, Asad Mansur. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack, his office said. It was second such attack in a week targeting senior police officers in the volatile Baluchistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. Quetta is the provincial capital. A suicide bomber on Monday killed a district police chief and his guard in the town of Chaman on the Afghan border. The Pakistani Taliban claimed that bombing in text messages and emails to media. Violence in Baluchistan has raised concern about security for projects in the $57-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a planned transport and energy link from western China to Pakistan's southern deep-water port of Gwadar. Resource-rich Baluchistan has long been plagued by insurgencies by separatists. Islamist groups such as the Taliban and Islamic State also carry out attacks in the region. Islamist militants have killed thousands of people in Pakistan over the last decade or more, in their bid to impose hardline rule. (Writing by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Drazen Jorgic, Robert Birsel) PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - When the French and German governments meet on Thursday in a joint cabinet meeting in Paris, the big prize will be any progress harmonising their tax systems as advances on broader euro zone reform look unlikely. The two countries are due to launch a 1 billion euro ($1.14 billion) fund to finance digital investments, President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with regional newspaper L'Ouest France. There are also plans for support research and development nanotechnologies and batteries, he said. However, real progress on economic integration could be achieved if the two euro zone heavyweights agree on concrete steps for harmonising the way corporate taxes are assessed. France and Germany have long pushed for convergence in the way taxes are calculated in the euro zone, but have made little progress even agreeing among each other. German business newspaper Handelsblatt said finance ministers from both countries would present a roadmap by mid-September on how to align the basis for assessing corporate tax. The plan would be finalised by December and could then be adopted next year, Handelsblatt added, citing sources involved in the negotiations. Going beyond taxes, broader economic convergence in the euro zone could prove tricky. Macron told regional daily L'Ouest France that changes to the EU's governing treaties were needed, a process that has in the past proved a tortuous endeavour. The emergence of big internet companies that reduce their tax bills by domiciling their EU tax bases in countries with the lowest rates has given a new impetus to efforts to harmonise taxation. A French court struck down on Wednesday the tax administration's demand for Google to pay backtaxes worth 1.1 billion euros, ruling that Google Ireland Limited was not subject to corporate and value-added taxes for the period under consideration, from 2005-2010. Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin told lawmakers on Thursday the government would appeal the ruling. "The fact that each EU country has different tax rates is a permanent invitation to groups to locate in places where they pay the least tax," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on France Culture radio. "In a well-functioning union, we would ideally have similar tax systems, if not identical at least better harmonised than today," Philippe added. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday that the European Union had to ensure big U.S. internet companies such as Google paid their share of taxes. ($1 = 0.8771 euros) (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Richard Lough and Alison Williams) By Paola Totaro LONDON, July 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nearly four people were murdered each week last year while defending their homes, lands and forests from mining, dams and agricultural projects, a campaign group said Thursday, making it the deadliest year on record. At least 200 people were killed in 2016, up about 10 percent from 185 in 2015, according to human rights watchdog Global Witness. In its annual report, the UK-based campaign group said the phenomenon of violence against land rights activists is not only growing but spreading, with murders recorded in 24 countries, compared to 16 nations last year. Global Witness noted that while Brazil remains the deadliest country in terms of sheer numbers, Nicaragua has overtaken Honduras as the most dangerous place for activists per capita. "This tide of violence is driven by an intensifying fight for land and natural resources, as mining, logging, hydro-electric and agricultural companies trample on people and the environment in their pursuit of profit," the report said. Nearly 60 percent of all killings occurred in Latin America. Brazil fared worse with 49 deaths followed by Colombia with 37 activists murdered, Honduras 14 and Nicaragua 11. In the Philippines, 28 activists died defending their lands. The report also noted a spike in killings in India which it attributed to increased police repression of peaceful protest and civic activism. The report found 33 murders were linked to mining - the bloodiest industry - while logging and defending national parks has become riskier with a rise in deaths to 23 from 15. Global Witness highlighted the vulnerability of park rangers, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo where nine were killed last year. While almost 40 percent of those murdered were indigenous, the report said, the wave of violence is not confined solely to developing nations. "Developed countries are ramping up other methods to suppress activists, notably in the United States, where environmental defenders are being given every reason to protest by the Trump administration," the report said. "It is increasingly clear that globally, governments and companies are failing in their duty to protect activists at risk. They are permitting a level of impunity that allows the vast majority of perpetrators to walk free, emboldening would-be assassins." (Reporting by Paola Totaro, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) SOFIA, July 13 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's deputy speaker of parliament was charged with extortion on Thursday, with prosecutors saying he threatened seven pharmacy owners with damage to their outlets if they did not transfer part of their business to him or halt operations. Prosecutors said Veselin Mareshki, who owns a chain of pharmacies and petrol stations, carried out the threats between 2012 and 2015. Mareshki, a self-described Bulgarian Donald Trump who leads the populist Will party, denied wrongdoing, adding he was the victim of political repression by the prosecutor's office. "How it is possible that in December last year the prosecutors closed the probe against me with a clear guidance that there was no evidence of any crime ... and a few months later, without any additional investigation, they took the files out of the drawer and charged me?" Mareshki told reporters in parliament. Mareshki, one of five deputy parliament speakers, faces up to eight years and prison if found guilty. Mareshki, 50, gained prominence in politics last year with a pledge to "sweep away corrupt elites". Two months ago he gave up his parliamentary immunity so prosecutors could investigate him. The Will party won 12 seats in parliament in an early election in March. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Alison Williams) BERLIN, July 13 (Reuters) - Germany's Volkswagen investigation committee has summoned German carmaker Daimler for an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to address allegations it sold cars with excessive emissions, the Transport Ministry said. German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, citing a search warrant issued by a Stuttgart court, reported on Wednesday that Daimler had been accused of selling over a million cars with excessive emissions in Europe and the United States. (Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Madeline Chambers) By John Kemp LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is trying to support oil prices by reducing its crude shipments to the United States in a bid to cut the amount of oil in commercial storage. U.S. crude imports from Saudi Arabia averaged less than 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the four weeks ending on July 7, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia are running at the slowest rate since 2015, and the slowest for the time of year for over five years (http://tmsnrt.rs/2tM4mAO and http://tmsnrt.rs/2thOpza). Imports from Saudi Arabia will fall even further to less than 800,000 bpd in August, according to a Saudi industry source familiar with the kingdom's oil policy. "Saudi Arabia is keen to see an improvement in the oil market and accelerate the balancing process," the source told Reuters on Wednesday ("Saudis to cut August oil exports to lowest level this year", Reuters, July 12). Saudi Arabia is cutting exports to all destinations but reducing shipments to the United States is especially important because U.S. stocks are the most visible and have the biggest impact on prices. The United States accounts for more than 40 percent of the commercial crude and product stocks held in the OECD and its stocks are reported weekly rather than monthly as in most other countries. U.S. crude and product stocks therefore receive disproportionate attention from oil traders and analysts, and can have a major impact on global oil prices. Changes in U.S. crude and products stocks are often (misleadingly) interpreted to reflect changes in the global supply-demand balance. Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of crude oil to the United States after Canada, providing an average of 1.1 million bpd to U.S. refiners in 2016. By restricting shipments, Saudi Arabia hopes to reduce U.S. stocks and demonstrate to sceptical traders that the long-awaited rebalancing of the global market is finally underway. The strategy seems to have had some early success with U.S. crude stocks falling earlier and faster than normal so far in the second and third quarters of 2017. U.S. crude stocks have fallen by 40 million barrels since the end of March, compared with a drawdown of just 8 million barrels over the same period in 2016. U.S. crude stocks are now just 3 million barrels higher than at the same point in 2016, compared with 35 million barrels higher at the end of March. Most of the drawdown in crude stocks is attributable to record refinery runs but slower imports likely played an important supporting role. Senior officials from Saudi Arabia and the rest of OPEC are hoping U.S. stocks will continue to decline rapidly through the rest of the summer driving season. Saudi Arabia plans to use big stock draws to convince the oil market that rebalancing is happening and oil prices and calendar spreads need to rise. The strategy has a fair chance of success but it could be threatened by rising U.S. imports from other OPEC and non-OPEC members or a diversion of Saudi shipments from the United States to other markets. While Saudi Arabia's crude shipments to the United States have fallen, Iraq's shipments have risen to their highest seasonal level in almost five years (http://tmsnrt.rs/2thBJYM). The International Energy Agency reports compliance with OPEC's production agreement declined sharply in June to its lowest level in six months ("Oil Market Report", IEA, July 2017). OPEC output rose from Nigeria and Libya, which are not capped by the agreement, and as a result of weakening compliance among other members. Some of this extra crude could end up refilling U.S. storage tanks, which would undercut Saudi efforts to drain them. Oil traders will also be alert for any signs crude shipments are being diverted causing stocks to grow in other less visible locations. Beyond August, there are questions about what happens to shipments and stocks when the U.S. driving season finishes and Saudi Arabia and Iraq start burning less crude as the summer air-conditioning season winds down. For now, though, OPEC hopes traders will interpret a sustained draw in U.S. crude stocks as a sign the market is rebalancing and that prices need to move higher. (Editing by David Evans) By Alexander Winning MOSCOW, July 13 (Reuters) - The outlook for a restructuring of $2 billion of controversial borrowing by Mozambique state firms will be better next year as the southern African country receives more earnings from its energy resources, a senior Mozambican diplomat said. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation has landed in Mozambique to follow up on a damning external audit into loans which were not cleared through parliament. The discovery of the loans prompted the IMF and Western donors to end budgetary support for Mozambique, leading to a collapse of its currency and defaults on its debt. Creditors including Russian bank VTB and Credit Suisse, which arranged the controversial $2 billion loans, are waiting for restructuring to start. "It is important that we restructure Mozambique's debt to VTB. I think that next year things will be different," Mario Saraiva Ngwenya, Mozambique's ambassador to Russia, told Reuters. "There is now light at the end of the tunnel, we have started to get some money from some oil and gas contracts." Mozambique has large natural gas reserves, in which international energy firms have bought stakes. Earlier this year Italy's Eni signed an $8 billion deal to develop a gas field off the coast of Mozambique. VTB said on Thursday it was open to dialogue with Mozambican officials with the aim of reaching a settlement that met conditions imposed by the IMF for debt sustainability. "We have proposed several different restructuring options to the Government of Mozambique. Currently the involved parties are waiting for the IMF debt sustainability assessment, this will allow for the restructuring talks to fully begin," VTB said in a statement. The Mozambican ambassador to Moscow said there had been preliminary talks between officials from Mozambique's finance ministry and VTB Capital, the investment-banking arm of VTB, but that negotiations were yet to begin in earnest. (Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Toby Chopra) COPENHAGEN, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A group of 24 Danish institutional investors in OW Bunker has decided to issue a writ against Carnegie and Morgan Stanley, accusing them of misleading investors ahead of the 2014 listing of the now bankrupt marine fuel oil supplier. The investors, which include two of the largest pension funds in Denmark, ATP and PFA, claim they have suffered a loss of 767 million crowns ($123 million) following investment in OW Bunker shares "on the basis of a prospectus which was insufficient in material aspects". Morgan Stanley declined to comment, while Carnegie said it did not know the details of the alleged claim. (Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, additional reporting by Teis Jensen; editing by John Stonestreet) By Matthias Williams and Pavel Polityuk KIEV, July 13 (Reuters) - European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said corruption was undermining all efforts to rebuild Ukraine in line with European Union norms, as President Petro Poroshenko vowed on Thursday to pursue ever-closer integration with the bloc. Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk were in Kiev for a 24-hour summit with Poroshenko following the final ratification of a new trade pact that has angered Russia. "What we are asking .. is to increase the fight against corruption, because corruption is undermining all the efforts this great nation is undertaking," Juncker said at a joint briefing. "We remain very concerned," he said. The criticism suggests the EU delegation may have taken a tougher-than-expected line in talks forecast to be largely upbeat after the confirmation on Tuesday of an association agreement for closer political and trade ties. The pro-Western government in Kiev has sought to boost EU relations since the ouster of a Moscow-backed president in 2014, implementing reforms in exchange for billions of dollars in aid and a new visa-free travel deal with the European Union. But Ukraine's allies have repeatedly expressed concern that vested interests and corrupt practices remain entrenched, partly due to weak rule of law. The European Union and the Ukraine's main financial backer, the International Monetary Fund, have called for the creation of a specialised anti-corruption court, but Juncker said a new solution had been agreed at the summit. "Today we agreed that if Ukraine establishes ... a special chamber devoted to this issue, that will be enough," he said. Mykhailo Zhernakov, a judicial expert at the non-governmental coalition Reanimation Package of Reforms, said the agreement would be a big disappointment to those campaigning for greater accountability in the justice system. "There's no way that a chamber in any court will be as independent as a separate court," he told Reuters. "It's not going to help." While full EU membership for Ukraine remains far off, Poroshenko stressed that Kiev hopes to integrate further by joining the customs union and becoming a member of the bloc's Schengen open-border zone. "As early as today, it's important to start developing a roadmap to the realisation of our dreams," he said at the briefing. (Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Catherine Evans) PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - The European Union exported 217,000 tonnes of soft wheat from July 1-11, down from 863,000 tonnes in the year-earlier period, official data showed on Thursday. The EU also exported 93,000 tonnes of barley over the same period, against 98,000 tonnes a year ago, while maize imports came to 312,000 tonnes compared with a year-earlier 335,000 tonnes, the data published by the European Commission showed. The data were the first reported volumes for EU cereal exports and imports in the 2017/18 season that started on July 1. The Commission also revised its estimate of total soft wheat exports in the 2016/17 season that ended on June 30. The 2016/17 soft wheat exports were now put at 23.5 million tonnes, up from 23.35 million estimated previously, although still well below 31.5 million in 2015/16. The Commission's EU export and import data for cereals are based on customs declarations by member countries and are subject to revision in subsequent weeks. It left unchanged its estimate of 2016/17 barley exports at 5.2 million tonnes, down from 10.8 million in 2015/16, and kept 2016/17 maize imports at 12.9 million tonnes, down from 13.3 million in the previous season. (Reporting by Valerie Parent and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Michel Rose and Mark Potter) By Lin Taylor LONDON, July 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A British court on Thursday jailed a man for hiding 22 Afghans, including five children, inside a lorry and trying to smuggle them into the UK from The Netherlands, the interior ministry said. Tomasz Cierniak, a 32-year-old Polish national, was arrested in February 2016 in The Netherlands for hiding the Afghans behind washing machines in his lorry and attempting to cross the Hook of Holland by ferry into Harwich, in southeastern England. Cierniak pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court in England and was sentenced to three years and eight months imprisonment. "Cierniak was content to put the lives of 22 desperate people at risk. People smuggling is a callous trade and those involved think nothing of treating human beings as commodities," said Rebecca Webb from Britain's immigration enforcement team. "As this case demonstrates, we work closely with Border Force and other criminal enforcement agencies both in the UK and abroad," she added. Over the past two years, about 1.5 million migrants have fled fighting and poverty across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, many entrusting their lives to people smugglers who charged exorbitant prices to help them reach Europe. This has created a global business as profitable and sophisticated as drug trafficking, according to authorities who are struggling to stop the teaming up of migrants and smugglers. Europol, Europe's police agency, said people-smuggling generated up to $6 billion in 2015, but profits dropped by about a third in 2016 after a European Union (EU) deal with Turkey last March largely stemmed the migration flow. (Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories) WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is "very likely" to recertify Iranian compliance with the Iran nuclear agreement although he continues to have reservations about it, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday. Under U.S. law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days on Iran's compliance under the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump has a congressionally mandated deadline of Monday to decide. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump could always change his mind. He had complained about the deal bitterly during last year's presidential campaign. (Reporting by Steve Holland) By Umberto Bacchi ROME, July 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nearly 1,000 women struggling to put food on their tables in Boko Haram-hit northeast Nigeria have received goats as emergency assistance, the United Nations said on Thursday. The region is threatened with famine after the militants' eight-year insurgency to create an Islamic state, which has killed more than 20,000 people and forced some 2.7 million people to flee their homes. Many women, traditionally responsible for small livestock, have had their animals stolen or were forced to leave them behind to escape, leaving them with virtually no source of food and money for their families, aid agencies say. "Many are alone because ... men have left, been injured, disabled or even killed," Patrick David, Nigeria country representative for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. FAO said it delivered 3,600 goats to about 900 women in the northeastern Borno state. Each received three breeding females and one male. The "emergency distribution" targeted families hit hardest by the conflict, such as those displaced or who recently returned home in areas taken back by the Nigerian Army, the agency said in a statement. "My husband is paralysed for last 5 years due to injuries sustained during the conflict. As an only earning member, I will keep these goats to reproduce so we can sell some of them and buy grains," Bintu Usman, 35, was quoted as saying by the FAO. Families living in towns or villages where displaced people have sought shelter also received help, said David. "Animal restocking is crucial for the benefit of women for whom goats play a major role for the household nutrition security through the provision of milk and a source of revenue," he said. More than 5 million people do not have enough to eat in the northeastern Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, including 50,000 living in famine-like conditions. Boko Haram has been pushed out of most of a swathe of land around the size of Belgium that it controlled in early 2015 by Nigeria's army and troops from neighbouring countries. But insurgents continue to carry out suicide bombings and raids in northeast Nigeria, as well as in Cameroon and Niger. A suicide attack in Borno's capital of Maiduguri killed 17 people and injured 21 on Wednesday. (Reporting by Umberto Bacchi @UmbertoBacchi, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) ERBIL, Iraq, July 13 (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch accused Iraqi security forces on Thursday of forcibly relocating at least 170 families of alleged Islamic State members to a closed "rehabilitation camp" as a form of collective punishment. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced victory over Islamic State in Mosul on Monday, three years after the militants seized the city and made it the stronghold of a "caliphate" they said would take over the world. Iraq's government now faces the task of preventing revenge attacks against people associated with Islamic State that could, along with Sunni-Shi'ite sectarian tensions, undermine efforts to create long-term stability in the country. "Iraqi authorities shouldnt punish entire families because of their relatives' actions," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). "These abusive acts are war crimes and are sabotaging efforts to promote reconciliation in areas retaken from ISIS (Islamic State)." Speaking with reporters in Washington, an Iraqi military spokesman said he was not aware of the specific cases but denied that Iraqi forces relocated families by force. "This topic, we didn't have precise information about what is going on, however there is no situation or scenario where the Iraqi forces will forcefully get people out of their homes as Iraqi citizens," Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, a spokesman for the joint operations command, said through a translator. "However, we try to secure safe pathways for them to avoid the battle area," Rasool added. The HRW statement said the camp, which Iraqi authorities have described as meant for "rehabilitation", amounted to a detention centre for adults and children who have not been accused of any wrongdoing. Fakih called on the families to be allowed to go where they can live safely. HRW said forced displacements and arbitrary detentions taking place in Anbar, Babel, Diyala, Salahuddin and Nineveh provinces had affected hundreds of families. It said Iraqi security and military forces had done little to stop the abuses and in some instances participated in them. The group said it had visited the Bartalla camp and interviewed 14 families, each with up to 18 members. "New residents said that Iraqi Security Forces had brought the families to the camp and that the police were holding them against their will because of accusations that they had relatives linked to ISIS," the HRW statement said. It cited medical workers at the camp who said at least 10 women and children had died travelling to or at the camp, most because of dehydration. FACEBOOK VIDEO Separately, HRW said it had used satellite imagery to verify that a video published on Facebook on Tuesday, showing armed men in military uniforms beating a detainee before throwing him from a height and then shooting at him, had been filmed in west Mosul. The footage shows the men shooting at the body of another man already lying at the bottom of the perch. Rasool, from the joint operations command, said that the allegations were being looked at closely and if any violations were found, those responsible would be held accountable. He added that the videos could have been fabricated by "those who would like to reduce the joy and the confidence we have from this victory." Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan told Al-Hadath television channel that rights abuses were unacceptable and the video needed to be investigated. But he said he was "surprised by the promotion of videos that affect civil peace in Mosul". Speaking with reporters in Washington later, he said that a number of people had been suspended. "We looked and suspended a number of those forces shown in those pictures and there is currently an investigation being conducted and we will publish the results of this investigation," he added. Three other videos posted this week by the same account appear to show members of various Iraqi security forces beating men in ordinary clothes. Reuters could not independently verify the footage. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy and Stephen Kalin; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Oatis) KIEV, July 13 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian parliament gave preliminary approval on Thursday to a proposed pension reform - a much-debated legislative change that is required to unlock loans under a $17.5 billion International Monetary Fund bailout programme. Overcoming opposition in parliament to the pension changes has proved one of the toughest battles for Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman's Western-backed government. "This will allow us to do something that nobody has done before: reform the pension system in the interests of Ukrainian pensioners. This is the moment of truth," Groysman said before the vote. The reform is designed to keep a widening pensions deficit in check, but it has faced stiff opposition from populist forces in parliament who say savings can be found without the planned partial increases to the retirement age. Currently Ukraine, whose 12 million pensioners number almost as many as the working population, spends more on pensions as a percentage of gross domestic product than almost any other country. The bill, which has to go through another round of voting in parliament to become law, was backed by 282 lawmakers, comfortably over the 226 required to pass. Groysman said the final vote on the reform would be held after the summer recess. Overhauling the pension system and lifting a ban on agricultural land sales are among laws Ukraine must pass to receive further cash under the IMF programme. That programme has been repeatedly delayed by stop-start reform efforts since it was agreed in 2015. Last Thursday, the central bank said it expected to receive $1.5 billion less this year from the Fund because of slow progress of the laws' through parliament. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Larry King) By Osamu Tsukimori and Kentaro Hamada TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) - The owner of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will push to resolve debate over the release of contaminated water from the site that has dragged on for years since the devastating 2011 quake, its new chairman said on Thursday. Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) would also speed up a final decision on the future of a nearby plant, Fukushima Daini, that suffered only minor damage, Chairman Takashi Kawamura, 77, said in an interview with foreign media. "I'm very sorry that Tepco has been prolonging making a decision," Kawamura, a former chairman of conglomerate Hitachi Ltd, said. "Just like tritium, we will aim for an earliest possible conclusion. Kawamura, who previously sat on a government panel looking into the Fukushima cleanup, said he believed Japan needed to keep operating nuclear power plants for future generations and as part of national security. The nationalisation of nuclear power plants was a matter that could be discussed in the future as national policies had a role in the operations of nuclear power, he added, but did not elaborate. Tepco wants to release the tritium-laced water currently stored in hundreds of tanks at Fukushima into the ocean - common practice at normally operating nuclear plants - but the company is struggling to win approval from local fisherman. Missteps and leaks have dogged the efforts to contain water, slowing down the decades-long decommissioning process and causing public alarm, while experts have raised concerns that tank failures could lead to an accidental release. "We could have decided much earlier, and that is Tepco's responsibility," said Kawamura, adding that he would push a government task force overseeing the cleanup to give a clear timetable on when a decision could be made on tritium. Tepco is also under pressure from the central and local governments to decommission all four reactors at Fukushima Daini, 10 kms (6 miles) to the south of the wrecked plant. "One of the sticking points is that it's taking time for an economic check of all plants," Kawamura said, referring to studies on whether the plants would be economic once the cost of beefing up safety was taken into account. Daini is expected to close given widespread public opposition to nuclear power in the area, but Tepco is aiming to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in the country's west. Kawamura said he would cooperate with a review of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant's safety by the local prefecture, which could delay any restart until at least 2020. (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Richard Pullin) By Howard Eissenstat July 13 (Reuters) - There is no overstating the trauma of the attempted coup that shook Turkey a year ago this Saturday. Turkey, which had believed the age of military coups was behind it, once again witnessed tanks on the streets of Istanbul and Ankara. Before the night was through, nearly 300 were killed, more than a thousand were injured, Turkeys parliament was bombed. Yet when Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerged triumphant the next day declaring the failed coup "a gift from God," it was clear to everybody that he would use the crisis to expand the witch hunt of political enemies already underway. Had the coup succeeded, Turkey would have almost certainly fallen into civil war between Erdogan loyalists and the new military regime; instead, it is now stumbling toward something approaching dictatorship. Precisely because the Turkish government has been so intent on utilizing the July 15, 2016 coup attempt as a means of consolidating control and punishing political enemies, we know little about how the coup was planned. Turkeys government was quick to lay blame on the followers of Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, onetime allies whom the government has seen as its primary enemy ever since Gulenists in the security services attempted to engineer Erdogans demise by leaking a series of embarrassing tapes in December, 2013. Gulenists certainly played a large role in the coup, though the evidence is strong that it was implemented by a broader coalition of officers. The tapestry of stories that the government has spun after the coup and the lack of independent investigation mean that we will likely never know the whole truth of what transpired or why. The array of participants, however, was broad enough, and the coup itself undertaken with so little recognition of the realities of contemporary Turkey, that the whole effort felt desperate and last ditch. In a sense, the coup itself is evidence of just how broken Turkish democracy and Turkish institutions had become. For years, Erdogan had engaged in a slow-moving revolution to transform Turkish society and cement his ruling Justice and Development Partys (AKP) hold on power. In the wake of the coup, however, this revolution has entered a ruthless new phase, a reign of terror which finds new enemies to root out nearly every day. Turkey has detained more than a hundred thousand and arrested over 50,000 on suspicion of coup involvement. There are numerous, though unconfirmed reports of alleged Gulenists being "disappeared." Reports of torture, largely eradicated by the end of the 2000s, are once again widespread. Prisons are grossly overcrowded and abuse of prisoners rampant. The Turkish government has spent little time determining whether followers of Gulen are actually guilty of any crime; mere affiliation was sufficient. Almost immediately, any critic of the government became suspect. Prosecutors have targeted academics, human rights activists, and individuals who had the bad luck to open a savings account at a bank affiliated with the Gulen movement. From abroad, the purge may seem absurd: those investigated include Senator Chuck Schumer and former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara. But for those in Turkey the sheer absurdity of the accusations heightens the atmosphere of fear. Even Ahmet Sik, a journalist who was once jailed for writing a book critical of Fethullah Gulen, is now in pre-trial detention, accused of supporting "terror." Turkish citizens returning from abroad routinely clear their social media and dispose of dollar bills before entering the country because the government claims that Fethullah Gulen dispensed dollar bills to his followers in the prelude to the coup attempt. The coup has radically accelerated the consolidation of the governments control over almost every element of society. State institutions, particularly the security services and the judiciary, have seen the dismissal of over 100,000 civil servants. The purge is not limited to state organizations. In addition to the approximately 150 journalists who have been jailed, more than 100 media outlets have been closed. Hundreds of civil society organizations have also been shut down. Meanwhile over 1,000 businesses owned by accused Gulenists, (now termed the Fethullahist Terror Organization or FETO) have been confiscated. Whatever the costs the purge might have for Turkeys long-term economic prospects, the coup has served as a boon for AKP supporters. Pro-AKP media regularly touts new job openings for teachers or police. Meanwhile, billions of dollars of private capital has been transferred to government hands, which, in turn, enrich business leaders allied with the AKP. In April, Erdogan won a referendum which grants him the presidential system he long desired and legalizes many of the powers he has already claimed for himself. Yet, even with the full power of the state supporting the "yes" vote in the referendum and with strong evidence of vote rigging, the referendum won only a bare majority. Even as Turkeys political opposition shows new signs of vigor, the likelihood that elections will ever again be fairly contested is increasingly remote. Erdogans reputation as a "man of the people" and as a democrat are foundational not only to his legitimacy, but also, it would seem, to his own self-perception. The coup, for his supporters and for himself, represents the ultimate validation of that image. The downward trajectory of Turkey in this past year points in another direction, however. As much as he fancies himself a democrat, Erdogans rule is increasingly reliant on repression. Had the coup succeeded, Turkey might well have become another Syria. Instead, it appears to be becoming another Egypt. (Reporting by Howard Eissenstat) Korean Ambassador Won-sam Chang, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, spoke about the new facets of bilateral relations and future prospects. Following are the excerpts of the interview: Q : What are the new facets of Sri Lanka-South Korea relations? Well, I am happy to say that since 1977, when our two countries established diplomatic ties, we have made steady progress in various areas of mutual interest, despite some ups and downs. Every year, we are witnessing active and growing exchanges of visits, not only at governmental level, but also at the grassroots level. On the economic front, bilateral trade and investment are also expected to grow in the coming years. Currently, around 27,000 Sri Lankan workers are employed in Korea and are contributing greatly to the economies of both countries. Furthermore, the recent approval of the USD 200 million concessional loan from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea for the Kandy tunnel construction project is another excellent example of our bilateral development cooperation. This attests to Koreas genuine intention to help Sri Lanka achieve balanced and sustainable socio-economic development. Besides, Korean tourists in growing numbers are visiting the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Cultural and educational exchanges are also rapidly increasing. Apart from all these bilateral initiatives, our two countries are also cooperating closely in the international and regional arenas. In particular, Korea, as the only divided country in the world, deeply appreciates Sri Lankas strong support for its stance and efforts in maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia, especially with relation to the North Korean issue. As you may be aware, this year is very special for us, as it marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. To celebrate this milestone, the two governments are organizing a number of commemorative events. I think that we should make full use of the momentum gained by the focus on the 40th anniversary to further upgrade our relationship. I believe that this is an excellent time for the two countries, as cooperative partners in Asia, to join hands and pave the way for sustainable peace and prosperity in the 21st century. On this occasion, the message I would like to convey to my Sri Lankan friends is this: Korea, as a true friend, who harbors no strategic interests or hidden agenda, has only a genuine intention to help Sri Lanka with the sincere hope that our true bonds of friendship and cooperation will pave the way to foster deeper lasting ties which will offer mutual benefits. Q How does South Korea view the current political environment of Sri Lanka? I believe that the presidential and general elections, held in January and August 2015 respectively, truly demonstrated that Sri Lankas democratic traditions- which are among Asias oldest and proudest- are still robust. As a foreigner who witnessed these historic moments unfold, I would like to pay tribute to the Sri Lankan people for achieving such a peaceful political change through the so-called silent revolution. As expected, following the change of government, many changes took place. Some changes are still under way. Especially, the new government started off with the herculean tasks and formidable challenges of achieving national reconciliation and restoring democracy and economic development. On the one hand, Sri Lanka also regained its international reputation as a responsible stakeholder and a staunch advocate of a balanced foreign policy. Of course, meaningful progress has been made in some respects, but the general assessment seems to be that the Sri Lankan peoples high expectations havent yet been fully satisfied and more needs to be done. Sri Lanka also regained its international reputation as a responsible stakeholder and a staunch advocate of a balanced foreign policy. Of course, meaningful progress has been made in some respects, but Sri Lankan peoples high expectations havent yet been fully satisfied In light of the experience of Korea, which faced similar challenges like Sri Lanka now does, I would like to offer, if I may, my personal views on what Sri Lanka needs most at this critical juncture. First and foremost, we need to have a sense of urgency that if this generation fails to lay the solid groundwork for the nation-rebuilding process, such a chance may never surface again. The second is that actions speak louder than words. Rhetoric itself doesnt achieve anything. Decisive action, no matter how trivial it is, is far better for the nation than a plethora of fancy slogans and empty rhetoric.The third is the mindset of putting the common good and national interest first. Freedom of expression is quite natural and indeed fundamental in any democratic society, but even in the most advanced democracies, there always are certain limits in exercising it. Disregarding legitimate procedures and taking to the streets, putting parochial interests first, without considering the common good, wont bring stability and prosperity but only bring about chaos and poverty. Last is the self-sacrifice of the older generation. If we really want our future generation to live in peace and prosperity, with dignity, we need to tighten our belts and become the stepping stones for them. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Sri Lankas strategic location can prove to be a double-edged sword Sri Lanka should be wise enough to take full use of it appreciates Sri Lankas strong support in maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia Korea harbours no strategic interest nor hidden agenda Meaningful progress made in Sri Lanka under new government But, high expectations of Sri Lankans havent been fully met Decisive action far better for the nation than fancy slogans and empty rhetoric Domestic situation in Korea is calm and peaceful for SL migrant workers SL needs to come up with innovative ways to attract investment Improving the ease of doing business, cutting red tape, implementing policies in a transparent and consistent manner are among them Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Myanmar are willing to invite and convince foreign investors with substantial benefits, quick and transparent approval from the relevant authorities The Korean Ambassador says that the momentum generated by the 40th anniversary of the relations between the two nations will help expand bilateral trade and investment I hope that under the excellent leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the government and people of Sri Lanka will indeed build a national consensus and achieve lasting political stability, national reconciliation and economic prosperity. As true friends, the Korean Government and people will always stand by the Sri Lankan Government and its people. Q Given the tense situation in your country, some Sri Lankans fear of the possible loss of jobs. Your response? As the Korean Ambassador, I assure you that the Korean Government is making every endeavour to protect the safety and legitimate interests of migrant workers, and that the domestic situation in Korea is calm and peaceful.So workers can go to Korea for the purpose of employment with peace of mind. Furthermore, regardless of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the Korean Governments policy of hiring migrant workers under the Employment Permit System(EPS) will continue for a considerable period of time. As of March 2017, around 27,000 Sri Lankan workers are employed in Korea under the EPS and they are experiencing a safe stay in Korea. What is important to bear in mind is that even though tensions have been mounting again on the Korean Peninsula due to the nuclear weapon and missile tests conducted by North Korea, the South Korean Government, which is fully prepared, wont tolerate any military provocations by North Korea and at the same time will continue to constructively engage with North Korea through dialogue and pressure. Our aim is to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and ultimately achieve, in a peaceful manner, the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, which remains divided since 1945. Q How does South Korea view Sri Lankas strategic location in the Indian Ocean? We are fully aware of the significance of Sri Lankas strategic position at the center of the Indian Ocean connecting East and West. Unlike big powers which have both geo-political and geo-economic interests in Sri Lanka, Korea attaches more importance to the economic aspects of Sri Lankas strategic location. Particularly, Sri Lanka can serve as a valuable major distribution hub and production base for Korean companies, which target markets in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. I expect that more and more Korean companies will come to Sri Lanka to seek business opportunities in the years to come. Another consideration that I believe is worthy of note is Sri Lankas strategic location which could prove to be a double-edged sword. So, I think that Sri Lanka should be wise enough to take full advantage of its strategic position for its economic development and avoid becoming an arena for the power struggle among big powers and instead, play a pivotal role in maintaining regional stability and prosperity. In a sense, one might say that Korea and Sri Lanka are in the same boat, as our two countries are situated in geo-politically strategic locations adjacent to big powers and have, through history, fostered special ties with these big neighbours. As such, we have every reason to closely cooperate with each other to overcome our common difficulties. In the long term, our two countries, sharing the core interests of peace, stability and prosperity, have great potential to evolve into strategic cooperative partners in Asia. Q How open is Koreas employment market for Sri Lankans? Before I answer this question, let me briefly outline how the EPS in Korea came into being. Coupled with the slowing down of the population growth and the trend of greatly valuing higher education in the late 1980s, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mainly in the manufacturing and construction sectors, faced a severe shortage of manpower. Against this backdrop, the Korean Government introduced the EPS in 2004. Since its introduction, about 4,000-5,000 Sri Lankan workers have been employed annually in Korea, and as of 2016, a total of about 53,000 Sri Lankan workers had benefited from job opportunities in Korea. As far as I understand, Sri Lankan workers prefer working in Korea, because the EPS of Korea has fair and transparent recruiting procedures, and the Minimum Wage Act and the Labour Standards Act apply equally to both migrant workers and Korean nationals, without any discrimination. On the same note, we are well aware of the Sri Lankan Governments request for an increase in the quota. However, we decide the national quotas for migrant workers within the framework of overall ceilings of migrant workers under the EPS, taking into account the rate of illegal stays of workers, preferences of employers, work period and other factors. In a sense, one might say that Korea and Sri Lanka are in the same boat, as our two countries are situated in geo-politically strategic locations adjacent to big powers and have, through history, fostered special ties with these big neighbours Because of this reason, if the quota is to be expanded, the Government of Sri Lanka needs to address several issues first, such as reducing the number of illegal stays,minimizing the frequent changing of work place by workers, and shortening the period of the sending procedure in Sri Lanka. Q How do you view the contributions of Sri Lankans to your economy? To be frank with you, it is hard to get a clear picture of exactly how much Sri Lankan workers contribute to the Korean economy per se, because we dont have specific analyses or studies on that. Nevertheless, Korean people know that migrant workers including Sri Lankans are making a meaningful contribution to the Korean economy in their own ways. According to the statistics available, the majority of Sri Lankan workers are employed in the manufacturing sector and some of them are also working in agriculture, fisheries, construction and service sectors. I believe that they are of great help to small and medium-sized enterprises. I firmly believe that there is great potential for win-win cooperation to prevail between the two countries within a whole range of areas because our economies complement each other. I hope that with the momentum generated by the 40th anniversary, we will indeed be able to cooperate even more closely What I want to highlight here is that Sri Lankan workers are a valuable asset contributing not only to the economies of our two countries, but also towards expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges between us in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. To put it simply, they are playing an important role as a bridge between our two countries. To drive home this point, I would like to share with you a heartwarming story which made headlines in Korea this February and was also reported here in Sri Lanka. The story, I believe, very vividly illustrates what Ive been trying to explain.A Sri Lankan worker (Nimal, aged 39) saved an elderly woman from a house fire this February, risking his life. Many Koreans were deeply moved by his selfless and heroic act and Im sure that this will always stay in the minds of the Korean people, leaving a lasting excellent impression not only of Sri Lankan migrant workers in Korea, but indeed of Sri Lanka itself. Q How do you view Sri Lanka from an investment perspective? As you may know, Korea used to be the No.1 foreign investor country in Sri Lanka from the 1990s to the early 2000s. Even though Korean investment in Sri Lanka has decreased, many Korean companies which are competitive internationally, in terms of both price and technology, are now coming to Sri Lanka seeking investment opportunities in key areas such as infrastructure (energy, ports& urban development, transport and ICT), environment (separate garbage collection, garbage disposal & management and sanitation facilities) and climate change, among others. I firmly believe that there is great potential for win-win cooperation to prevail between the two countries within a whole range of areas because our economies complement each other. I hope that with the momentum generated by the 40th anniversary, we will indeed be able to cooperate even more closely and further expand bilateral trade and investment to our mutual benefit in the coming years. As a matter of fact, when it comes to foreign investment, it is important to realize that Sri Lanka is competing fiercely against other developing countries in the region. In that sense, you need to produce innovative ways and provide more attractive incentives to drastically improve your track record. For instance, improving the ease of doing business, cutting red tape, implementing policies in a transparent and consistent manner, simplifying administrative procedures, improving coordination and communication among government authorities and strengthening the linkages with neighbouring markets through FTAs, are important measures needed to attract more foreign investment. I understand that countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Myanmar are willing to invite and convince foreign investors not only by providing effective and practical packages, full of substantial benefits such as the provision of land and electricity at a highly concessional rate, but also by providing quick and transparent approval from the relevant authorities. Needless to say, Korea is very keen to see Sri Lanka continue to achieve economic growth by attracting foreign investment and fostering export-oriented industries. And case studies of other countries and lessons learned can be of tremendous value in realizing this. In this regard, I think that Koreas experience, accumulated in the course of our rapid economic development, can serve as a valuable frame of reference for Sri Lanka. And I assure you that Korea stands ready and is willing, as a mango friend, to render its full assistance to Sri Lanka. REUTERS, 12th JULY, 2017- U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Paris on Wednesday to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron where the two leaders will seek to work together on Syria and countering terrorism, while avoiding the thorny issues that have divided them. Trump and Macron -- both political newcomers who scored upset victories in their presidential elections -- have taken very different positions in areas such as climate change and trade. U.S. and French officials have said Trumps visit to Paris will allow the leaders to focus on those places where their interests overlap, including resolving the conflict in Syria and combating global terrorism. Macron invited Trump to France to celebrate July 14 Bastille Day festivities and to commemorate the 100 years since U.S. troops entered into World War One. Its for France a unique opportunity to show French military power ... and thats very important for Trump, said Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, director of the Paris office of think-tank the German Marshall Fund. Jagath Ravindra Liyanage, Chef De Cuisine, Galle Face Hotel; Adam Gaunt Evans, Executive Chef, Galle Face Hotel; Irfan Thassim, Founder/Director, Oceanpick during a visit to the Round Island Barramundi farm in Trincomalee The Galle Face Hotels seafood restaurant Sea Spray is debuting a delicious new menu that features Round Islands premium quality barramundi as a signature dish. This sustainable and commercially farmed produce has a distinctive taste and will star in a new menu developed by Executive Chef, Adam Gaunt Evans for the restaurant. The Galle Face Hotel needs no introduction. It is Colombos grandest bastion of hospitality, with a 15O year old legacy etched firmly into the countrys busiest promenade. It is this location that sets Sea Spray, the hotels signature seafood restaurant, apart. Sea Spray offers the quintessential alfresco dining experience with a view of Colombos iconic landmarks and the ocean. Their new menu brings a fresh and contemporary feel to Sri Lankan seafood. It is crafted entirely of fresh seasonal island produce and coastal seafood prepared in a variety of styles. Chef Adam Gaunt Evans has brought simplicity to the table; There is no better way to showcase seafood, he says -especially when the produce is so fresh and distinctive. Chef Adam has chosen Round Islands signature barramundi for his signature dish. Steamed Round Island Barramundi with Ginger Chilli Sauce is made from a premium fillet cut simply marinated in lime juice, salt and pepper, and gently steamed in a bamboo steamer basket until it is just cooked. The Round Island barramundi is served with a zesty sauce made of ginger, chilli, garlic, coriander and soy sauce. It is simple but perfectly executed, and as with any such dish requires the freshest of produce. As it is a signature dish, the barramundi will be required fresh year around- a challenge in a seafood market characterized by seasonal inconsistency. This is where Round Island steps in by offering year around weekly harvests with consistent quality and flavor from its commercial marine farm in Trincomalee. The farm is a solution presented by Oceanpick-Round Islands holding company to a growing concern that Sri Lankas fisheries may not be able to keep up with its rapidly expanding leisure and export markets. Round Islands produce is also environmentally safe. The seafood markets food safety is threatened by aggressive and harmful wild fisheries practices in the countrys coastal towns. Oceanpick offers a sustainable solution to this via its commercial marine farms, which eliminate the need for consumers to depend solely on wild capture fisheries. This produce is ethically sourced and available year round. Chef Adam says that this is why he chose Round Islands barramundi for his seafood dishes. There is no substitute for quality and freshness when it comes to seafood, he notes. As a chef, I dont need to do much to showcase Round Islands barramundi- its delicious and already a favourite with our diners. With dengue mosquitoes wreaking havoc in the lives of patients, it has become a tedious task in todays context to curtail the escalation of dengue mosquitoes in the environment. Despite the numerous Shramadana efforts and dengue awareness programmes being carried out countrywide, mitigating the dengue menace completely would be a dream come true. Since Prevention is better than cure, Dailymirror highlights a number of practical and effective, preventive measures to eradicate the mosquito menace as indicated by several experts. An inventor comes up with a solution According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. The organizations reports on the disease revealed that the actual numbers of dengue cases is under reported and many cases are misclassified. One recent estimate indicates 390 million dengue infections per year of which 96 million manifest clinically. Another study, of the prevalence of dengue, estimates that 3.9 billion people, in 128 countries, are at risk of infection with dengue viruses. The year 2016 was characterized by large dengue outbreaks worldwide. Its clear that the dengue is an epidemic beyond simple means of control, not only in Sri Lanka. Former Deputy General Manager of the Ceylon Steel Corporation, Engineer Sarath Jayakuru is an inventor with a vision to rid the country of the disastrous dengue epidemic. His invention, a simple mosquito trap won the Presidential Merit Award in 2001. However he laments that the simple, cheap and easy-to-make equipment that could have greatly alleviated households of this burden, has been ignored over the past 17 years. With the exception of a doctor from Kurunegala who endeavoured to make use of this invention in every school and household, the attention his mosquito trap received has been insignificant. My invention isnt profitable, but practical, he adds. He shared his thoughts and innovative ideas with the Dailymirror , with the hope that health authorities, will take due notice and take his fresh approach forward in battling the deadly disease. So far the key theme in tackling this menace is based on a seek and destroy approach of breeding places. This is no easy task and not practicable in sustaining over long periods. It seems that approach alone isnt effective, since dengue has risen to epidemic proportions and therefore needs more attacking fronts, Jayakuru said. He lists out some logical ideas in the control of the disease, both short term (ST) and long term (LT) for serious consideration of those in authority, bold enough to think afresh and act differently. 1) The first priority should be to prevent mosquitoes biting the infected patient either by isolation, covering with a net or applying a repellent lotion to the exposed parts of the body. A dengue patient is the real source of spreading the disease and not the mosquito as most people tend to believe. It only transports the virus to a healthy person. Netting used to cover bed etc, should be made duty- free, affordable and even given free to families with infants, as long term solutions. Making nets would be an added income to the rural folks and a double bonus to society. Repellents are presently very expensive and should be made duty-free or inexpensive. Citronella oil, camphor oil etc. should be given free to school children in affected areas. (ST) One recent estimate indicates 390 million dengue infections per year of which 96 million manifest clinically. Another study, of the prevalence of dengue, estimates that 3.9 billion people, in 128 countries, are at risk of infection with dengue viruses 2) Fogging is a short term solution. However, this is disastrous to the eco-system even destroying the mosquitos natural enemy, the dragonfly. They are hardly seen at present unlike in the 60s and 70s when mosquitoes were not an issue. Now that the damage is done, it should be carried out on 4 to 5 consecutive days to completely wipe out the new mosquitoes that generate at various stages, from larvae left behind in the area. There is no sense in fogging just for one day since larvae are not affected. 3) Release of Dragonflies to the environment is a long term solution as they are the natural enemies of mosquitoes, in both adult and larvae stages. They are harmless to humans and should be specially propagated in large numbers and released. Once established, fumigation (fogging) should not be done. 4) Island-wide usage of the Mosquito (larvae) Trap (LT). This is a device that costs nothing which destroys the larvae indefinitely, with minimum of attention. According to Sarath Jayakuru, the viability of his invention is that it can be left unattended for prolonged periods, except in the case of traps kept inside houses which would have to be refilled occasionally to make up for evaporation. As for traps kept outside, they can be allowed to fill with rainwater, having been screened with a mesh. 5) Controlled killing of larvae, a short term approach involves keeping troughs of water in the open for mosquitoes to lay eggs. These troughs must be replaced with fresh water once a week on a particular day, eg: Monday, to make it a regular habit. The purpose of this is to destroy new generations of mosquitoes and also to prevent them from flying 2 to 3 km per day, in search of breeding places while spreading the disease in that radius . However Jayakuru opines that his invention the mosquito trap is a safer alternative. 6) Release of Oxitec re-engineered mosquitoes is another short term alternative. These are male mosquitoes produced by the million by Oxitec a company developed by Oxford University and presently owned by a US company. The male mosquito mates with the dengue mosquito (Aedes Aegypti) to produce larvae that do not survive. Field trials done by Bill Gates Foundation and University of Sao Paulo in Camen Island and Brazil respectively, resulted in 80 to 95% reduction in mosquito population in 11 weeks. Successful trials have been done in Malaysia, Panama and in Florida in 2016. Hadyn Parry re-engineered mosquitoes to fight diseases on Youtube is a useful TED talk on the subject. Also searchOxitec Wikipedia for more information. Even though the main method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes, a fresh, adaptive and innovative approach is urgent to battle this buzzing menace. An active approach of monitoring and surveillance of vectors, as mentioned above should be carried out to determine effectiveness of control interventions, an approach we are yet to witness in reality, by local authorities tasked with tackling the disease. Prevention of Dengue Thinking out of the box Is the strategy employed to fight Dengue, the fiercest enemy that the country is currently battling, successful? Even though the authorities are in denial, the fact that theres no significant reduction in Dengue despite all preventative measures being taken each day, the disease is spreading throughout the country like wildfire and cant be ignored. Speaking to Dr. Lal Jayasinghe, the Dailymirror explored the possibilities of whether alternate strategies can be used in the prevention of Dengue. It must be noted that the objective here is not to belittle the massive effort taken by hundreds of officials to fight this battle, but to open up our readers minds to the alternate possibilities that might exist, which, combined with the current strategies, will improve the efficiency of the remedies. The following are excerpts of the interview done with Dr. Jayasinghe, who served as a MOH in Sri Lanka on two occasions, once in 1960s and again in 1990s. He also worked in the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health in 1990s. In between he worked in UK where his was associated with public health. His possesses the qualifications MBBS, DPH, MRCP. Q What is the present strategy adopted by the government and why is dengue still skyrocketing despite all efforts? The governments view is that dengue can be controlled only by eradicating mosquito breeding sites from environments close to homes. This strategy may have appeared sensible 25 years ago when we had few cases. In spite of the ever increasing number of dengue cases, the government hasnt changed its strategy at all. I have highlighted in my report to President Maithripala Sirisena, that although the number of mosquito breeding sites has dropped, dengue cases keep increasing. Does this not indicate that the strategy isnt working? viously the strategy isnt working and thats why the number of cases is rising daily. Q Why should we focus on transmission of the virus itself? Unfortunately in Sri Lanka, the impression has been created that the cause of dengue is the mosquito. This impression is further strengthened by the fact that when dengue is always mentioned in any media theres a picture of a mosquito. Dengue is spread by the mosquito acquiring the virus from a dengue patient, incubating for 8-10 days and infecting a healthy person by its sting. So the way to stop the epidemic is by breaking this chain. In other words, stopping the virus either getting into a mosquito and/or stopping the mosquito transferring the virus to a new person. Its the virus that causes the illness and not the mosquito. Q Is this method feasible ? How? Even though, on a yearly basis, there are thousands of dengue patients, if you take an average day in the year there are only a limited number of cases in the country. To give an example, until the end of June this year, i.e 182 days, there were 77000 dengue patients reported. Lets assume that the cases were reported on an equal and regular basis (this is of course not the way they are reported. But we will assume so to illustrate the point). Then every day 77000/182 new patients will develop dengue. As the disease lasts on average 1 week, on any day in the country there were 77000/182 x 7 = 2962 patients either at home or in hospital. All of the dengue viruses in Sri Lanka were inside these 2962 patients (and of course the infected mosquitoes). In other words the virus is trapped. If we stop these patients being bitten by mosquitoes the virus will die. We may not be able to prevent all of these patients being bitten by mosquitoes. That doesnt matter because if we prevent a good number of patients being bitten and continue to do so for a period of weeks, the number of patients associated with the virus will gradually reduce and the disease will eventually disappear. QHow should we overcome the practical problems that we face in implementing this programme? We need to protect the dengue patients in hospitals. The best arrangement is to house them in designated wards. Even though there is some cost involved, the best option is to either air condition the wards or if that isnt practical, because of the building, to surround the ward using mosquito netting. This may sound expensive. What is the worth of human life? How many have died this year? Was it their fault? If you read the newspapers you will observe that millions are being spent on unnecessary projects. The patients at home should be protected by both mosquito nets and insect repellents as nets alone arent sufficient due to patients moving around the house. QDoes adopting this method mean we should reduce or give up altogether the measures to control mosquito breeding? Certainly not. Mosquitoes are a nuisance even if they dont cause dengue. In addition the less mosquitoes present, the less chance for them to reach a dengue patient and spread the disease. The mistake is to limit the strategy to control breeding only. There are other things that can be done to prevent mosquito bites. The houses can be screened with netting or the curtains can be impregnated with insect repellent. The interior of houses can be checked to ensure no mosquitoes are resting within. People can wear clothes to cover their arms and legs. Recently a very good suggestion was made that younger boys too should wear long trousers to school. The suggestion was made, according to the press report because the educational authorities had noticed that children who were catching dengue were those wearing shorts. QWhat is the role of the public in implementing this strategy As with any other strategy, the public have a very important role to play regarding this strategy as well. Not all dengue patients are hospitalized. In fact if the public managed to protect all or at least the majority of dengue patients at home, that alone will help eradicate dengue in the future. The importance of protecting patients in hospitals is to set an example and highlight the importance associated with protecting dengue patients from mosquitoes. The day when the public get to know the real story behind dengue, they on their own initiative will protect all fever patients, irrespective of eventual diagnosis, and the epidemic will end. The sooner that day arrives, sooner the epidemic will end. The media has a role to play in educating the public on the true nature of dengue transmission. We have an advantage over other countries because we are an island. All the dengue viruses living in Sri Lanka are made in Sri Lanka! They havent arrived here from other countries. If we stop growing them in our bodies the virus will eventually die. Singapore doesnt have this advantage because everyday, thousands of workers, students and vehicles arrive in Singapore from Malaysia and other countries. Some of them no doubt bring the virus, if not the mosquitoes. QAre there any lessons that we can learn from how Sri Lanka eradicated Malaria, that will help with the prevention of dengue? The lesson we can learn from Malaria and Filariasis eradication from Sri Lanka is that in both cases we eliminated the causative organism, not the vector i.e the mosquito. In fact for a long time we tried to control both disease by controlling the vector, but without success. By finding malaria cases and treating them we killed the causative organism within the patient, hence it couldnt infect another person. By repeatedly doing this over a period with regard to each patient, we finally got rid of the malaria parasite from the whole of Sri Lanka. In the case of filariasis we didnt treat the patients only, but the whole population and in the process caught all the parasites in one go. Unfortunately we have no effective treatment for dengue, so we cannot use the method we used for malaria and filariasis. However there is one weakness associated with the dengue virus and we can use to eliminate it. The virus can live in a person for 7 days only. It has to find another person within the 7 days or die. If we protect all patients with the virus from mosquitoes we will succeed as we did with malaria and filariasis. In fact we know the people who are harbouring the virus, namely the dengue patients. As I said before there are only a few thousand of them at any given time. In the case of filariasis we didnt treat the patients only, but the whole population and in the process caught all the parasites in one go I know there are people who will say that we dont know all the dengue patients, so we cannot do it. But there is something we know about dengue patients. They have fever. Some will immediately say not all fever patients have dengue. Some others will say that some dengue patients wont have fever. This is my answer to the first lot. What is the harm in preventing mosquitoes from biting fever patients who do not have dengue? If we were prepared to give drugs to people who we didnt know they had filariasis in order to get rid of the filarial worm, why are we reluctant to prevent mosquitoes from biting fever patients? Not everybody in the country had filariasis? The answer to those that highlights the existence of dengue patients without fever is that. It doesnt matter if we missed some cases because they didnt have fever. We missed some malaria patients and it didnt matter. And two, it is not clear that dengue patients without fever are a threat because they may not have enough virus in them to transmit via a mosquito bite. Dr. Jayasinghes strategy focusing on isolation of suspected Dengue is in fact, not a new practice to Sri Lankan culture. We have been keeping people who have highly infectious diseases like Mumps and Chickenpox in isolation since the old times. Some small scale campaigns inspired by the idea put forward by Dr. Jayasinghe are currently being carried out island wide. It is the responsibility of the personnel in charge to give due attention and take necessary steps towards implementation. Lets arm ourselves against this menace! Integrated Vector Management as prevention Speaking to Daily Mirror, Community Physician attached to the Dengue Control Unit Dr. Prachila Samaraweera said that at present the Dengue Control Unit is entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out an Integrated Vector Management system to eradicate the threat of dengue mosquitoes. She said that under the Integrated Vector Management system, the unit is targeting source reduction, adult mosquitoe control and larvae control. Dr. Himantha Atukorale, Vavuniya General Hospital As a measure of prevention, currently we are focusing on Source Reduction where we seek out the potential breeding grounds of dengue mosquitoes and destroy them. Also, we carry out fumigation procedures as part of controlling the risk of adult mosquitoes in the environment. Usually, fogging is carried out in areas that are most prone to be detected with adult mosquitoes. Additionally, we are constantly focusing on larvae control using chemicals she said. As a measure of prevention, currently we are focusing on Source Reduction where we seek out the potential breeding grounds of dengue mosquitoes and destroy them In addition to the above, the Presidential Task Force is carrying out cleaning programmes in public and private institutes; especially in schools. It has been made mandatory to allocate an hour to clean all institutions at least once a week as a prevention step. It is also pivotal to ensure that ones home environment is maintained clean. Roof gutters, drains and canals, lavatory systems and any place prone to the accumulation of water needs to be cleaned and maintained properly. The public is therefore bound to play a proactive role in help preventing the risk of dengue mosquitoes Dr. Samaraweera added. Try these two steps Speaking to Daily Mirror, Consultant Rheumatologist at the Vavuniya General Hospital, Dr. Himantha Atukorale stressed the need to employ practical methods in curbing the deadly mosquito carrying the dengue virus. He stated that Dengue virus doesnt get transmitted from generation to another generation of mosquitoes nor does it Run in the family. According to him, it requires the help of a hapless human being in order for the virus to pass on. Firstly, use nets to cover the dengue patient from the mosquitoes. If fresh mosquitoes dont bite on patients, there is no way for the insect to acquire the virus. The virus swims within the blood of patients during fever days and could last in the blood stream for about four days after the onset of fever. The patient should be protected from the mosquito even after the onset of fever that lasts for four days. However this is very difficult to be carried out in the hospital set up. In crowded wards where nets arent possible, smoke fumigation might help to keep away the insects Dr. Atukorale said. Secondly, we should somehow promote the simple Plastic bottle egg trap. The bottles are cut and assembled in such a way that when filled with water, it lures the mosquito to lay eggs. Gravity causes the eggs to fall in to a separate bottom section of the bottle. But the larvae coming out of eggs are unable to fly away. If many such traps are made available in the environment, itll render eggs useless and cut down the mosquito population in half. So lets trap the virus inside patients, and trap the eggs inside bottles during this time of calamity he added. DAILY MAIL, 12th JULY, 2017- In a demonstration of the Chinese navys expanding global reach, the countrys latest-generation warships conducted live-firing drills in the Mediterranean Sea this week while en route to joint exercises with the Russian navy, the defence ministry said Wednesday. The destroyer Hefei, frigate Yuncheng and support ship Luomahu took part in Mondays drills involving the ships deck guns and small arms, the ministry said in a notice on its website. Maintaining a strict schedule of targeted exercises accomplishes transit, training and improvement en route, raising the flotillas training levels and capabilities, it quote flotilla commander Liu Hui as saying. The ships will next take part in the Joint Sea 2017 exercises in waters off the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, part of growing cooperation between the countries militaries. Chinas navy is the worlds second-largest behind the U.S. and is increasingly operating in the Mediterranean, aided by the construction of a naval logistics base in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Two naval ships departed Tuesday from the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang with personnel to man the facility, Chinas first overseas military base. While China says the base is needed to support peacekeeping, anti-piracy and other missions in the region, Beijings rivalry with the U.S. is considered a key driving force behind the countrys military expansion. The U.S. Navy is also more combat ready because it has been actively participating in joint drills and regional wars for decades, the official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial Wednesday. This means China has to work harder to become a major naval power that can better defend its territorial rights and sovereignty, it said. A jealous husband whose wife was planning to divorce him had kidnapped the new man in her life and beat him to death, a British court heard this week. According to the Milton Keynes Citizen, Sri Lanka-born Gnanachandran Balachandran is said to have recruited two others to help snatch the man he saw as a rival, Suren Sivananthan, while he was at a shopping centre in Milton Keynes, UK. The trio, which included a 17-year-old teenager, then held Suren captive for 12 hours while subjecting him to a series of sustained beatings in various locations around Milton Keynes. They finally dumped the 32-year-old, bleeding from a serious head wound and stripped of his blood-stained clothing, near a pond outside the Co-op at Great Linford, the jury heard. His body was discovered at 4am on January 21 this year. Prosecutor John Price QC said Suren had 39 separate injuries to his head and neck. The top of his scalp was split open by a blunt force impact and his eye socket was badly damaged. The body showed obvious signs of numerous blunt force injuries, particularly to the head and face. Suren was severely beaten during a prolonged violent assault, he said. The jury at Luton Crown Court heard how Sri Lanka-born Suren had flown to the UK to visit Balachandrans estranged wife Ragupathy Annalingham a couple of weeks previously. The pair had known each other as children in Sri Lanka and were reunited through Facebook after mum-of-one Ragupathy decided to end her unhappy marriage. Suren flew to the UK to meet the woman he had not seen for 18 years. But because the traditional society of Sri Lanka would not have approved, they kept their relationship secret. Jealous Balachandran, 38, also from Sri Lanka, told her: You cant live with your husband and so you take someone else. You are a bad person, the jury heard. He and two other defendants Kiroraj Yogarajah, 30, and Prashanth Thevarasa, 24, are all from Milton Keynes. All three deny murder. The fourth defendant cannot be named for legal reasons because he is only 17. He has pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm (a criminal offence) with intent. Are the authorities refusing to see? A gruesome scene after the prison riot The witness plays a vital role in concluding the verdict of any case. Hence, its very important to ensure the safety of witnesses. The continuing practice of victim and witness intimidation is a prevalent problem in Sri Lanka, despite it not openly discussed much. With the purpose of preventing those from testifying against offenders, illegal interference and intimidation are levelled by offenders as they try to remain free and to continue committing crimes. Welikada riots, which took place on November 09, 2012, claiming 27 lives of inmates, was subject to severe reprehension in the society. The shoot-out incident that happened within the prison was witnessed by many jailers and inmates apart from the armed forces who stormed the prison. Lawyer Senaka Perera A key eyewitness Sudesh Nandimal Silva, who was in remand when the riots took place, had been fighting for justice of the dead prisoners. Being the only living witness who is involved in the campaign against the Welikada incident, Nandimal has been continuously threatened by various groups since he was released from prison. He had lodged complaints with relevant law enforcement authorities, but to no avail. Being the only living witness who is involved in the campaign against the Welikada incident, Nandimal has been continuously threatened since he was released from prison For the fourth time, on Tuesday (11), Nandimal and attorney-at-law Senaka Perera, the counsel who appears for him in a writ petition filed at the Court of Appeal, were allegedly to have been threatened with death. Both had received a telephone call at around 7.45p.m., urging them not to pull up the Welikada case. This threatening incident comes 6 days after both gave an interview to the Daily Mirror in a follow-up article regarding the Welikada riots. The article was titled, Welikada riots witnesses ready to back those denied justice. Sudesh Nandimal Nandimal said he was warned that he would have to face many problems if he continued his fight for justice. He said this wasnt the first time he has been threatened. This is the fourth time I have been threatened, including with death, Nadimal told the Daily Mirror. Weeks after I gave testimony before the CID in 2012, two men in a vehicle followed my motorcycle for several days. They have visited my workplace and inquired about my whereabouts from the security guards. The vehicle number, noted down by the guards, was later found to be of a vehicle belonging to the Police Narcotics Bureau. This was established in an investigation launched by the Maligawatta Police on my complaint, However the inquiry didnt proceed thereafter. This threatening incident comes 6 days after both gave an interview to the Daily Mirror in a follow-up article regarding the Welikada riots. The article was titled, Welikada riots witnesses ready to back those denied justice On October 2, 2015, two unidentified men have threatened him in Moratuwa, urging him not to take up the Welikada case as some of them will have to end up behind bars. Sudesh Nandimal had lodged a complaint with the Moratuwa Police. No investigation was initiated, he said. He said that lately, presenters of some radio programme had branded him as a traitor and slung mud at him. In spite of a complaint lodged at the Police Division for the Protection of Victims and Witnesses, no inquiry has been initiated thus far. Meanwhile, lawyer Senaka Perera told the Daily Mirrror that he was also asked to get himself out from the writ petition in which he appears for Nandimal to seek an order, directing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the CID, Director to commence a fresh investigation into the incident. On March 19, 2016, Nandimal had written to the Inspector General of Police, referring to the above threats and requested for protection and action against those responsible. Yet, he hasnt received any response. However both of them said they arent willing to give up their fight despite threats. Senaka and Nandimal charge the law enforcement authorities are failing to stop the threats that continue. Law Enforcement Agencies must act forthwith - Human Right Lawyer J.C.Weliamuna PC Law enforcement authorities must take actions immediately. Under the Witness Protection law, this is a non-bailable offence. Although this kind of incidents had happened earlier with regard to other cases, this is more serious because both the lawyer and the only living eye witness who has been testifying against the culprits were intimidated. The CID is doing a pretty wonderful job in cases of the murder of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen and journalist Lasantha Wickramatunge In addition to that, the Bar Association also should intervene into the matter because the lawyer had to face this experience while he was performing his duties. He also spoke about the delay in investigating the Welikada incident. Under the Witness Protection law, this is a non-bailable offence Nothing happened before the change of the government. There are a large number of uninvestigated cases relating to the incidents that happened during the previous government. We see less political interference under this government. I believe that this case, in 2012, where 27 deaths of inmates were reported in Welikada, should be handed over the CID. The CID is doing a pretty wonderful job in cases of the murder of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen and journalist Lasantha Wickramatunge. It will take some time for the CID to finish the investigations because they happened many years ago, the lawyer remarked. We will urge the police to expedite inquiry - Bar Association Secretary Attorney Amal Randeniya There are several committees in the BASL to probe such incidents. I will personally discuss with the President of the BASL Attorney U.R.De Silva regarding the threatening incident of the mentioned lawyer Senaka Perera. As far I am concerned, Senaka Perera is a respected lawyer who does his job right. We will go through the complaint first. We will directly inform the relevant parties. As Senaka Perera had already lodged a complaint with Nittambuwa Police, as the Bar Association, we will urge the police to expedite the investigation and bring the culprits to book. We will also need an affidavit from Senaka. There have been such instances where lawyers complain with the BASL against such alleged threats while they practise their profession. After sometime, they dont stay with what they stated in the complaint. We will go through the complaint first. We will directly inform the relevant parties Some parties, especially in criminal cases, like judges and lawyers get threatened. It has been there for a long time. That is why the BASL is there to safeguard the lawyers and judges, ensuring their safety and freedom so that they can perform their duties as professionals. Awaiting AGs instructions - Officer in charge of the Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division, SSP G.J.A.Wijesekara My division was formed in November, 2016. According to the procedure of the division, once we receive a complaint of threatening and intimidating a witness or a victim, facts of the case are referred to the authorities and seek instructions on further actions. When it comes to this particular case regarding the Welikada riots, eyewitness Nandimal Silva, the division is currently awaiting instructions of the Attorney General Department as to what should be done hereafter. How a witness can seek protection QWhat are the existing government institutions to protect victims and witnesses? The Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No.04 was established in 2015 to protect the victims of crime and witnesses. Based on the Act, the establishment of National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses was set up. According to the Gazette Extra Ordinary No.1966/02 dated 09/05/2016, the subject that lies with the scope of the Authority was entrusted with the Ministry of Justice. The Authority is responsible for investigating and monitoring the infringement of rights and entitlements of the victims of crime and witnesses, making recommendations to state institutions, public officers and courts of law and guarantee protection of the victims of crime and witnesses. Under the direction and guidance of National Authority, a Division called The Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division was set up in Sri Lanka Police in November, 2016. In Sri Lanka, currently there are several ways witnesses can seek protection from the government. 1. The National Authority for the Protection of victims of Crime and Witnesses. 2. The Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division. 3. Courts of law. 4. The Commissions (The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, The Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruptions, Investigations Commissions or a Special Presidents Commission of Inquiry or any other Commission appointed under the Commission of Inquiry Act. 5. Officer-in-Charge of the Police in the area. Modernity isnt opposed to nationalism. This we should know. The confusion or rather dichotomy between the two has arisen because many of us are clueless about what they represent. This too we should know. Fact is, there cant be modernity without anchoring oneself in the past. Fact is, there cant be nationalism (and there are many nationalisms) without preparing oneself for the future. The two are coterminous; the one cant thrive and flourish without the other. This isnt a political statement, rather a truism that cuts across the political and the social. There was a time, not too long ago, and in my generation, when those who purported to speak on behalf of Sinhala Buddhists were silenced. To speak of that collective was tantamount to being a racist, which was rather duplicitous given the carte blanche which the articulators and propagandists of Eelamism were given. There seemed to be a manifest lack of understanding about historical realities, or about the difference between speaking on behalf of one collective and speaking on behalf of that collective AGAINST another. The latter was incendiary, hardly condonable. The former, however, wasnt. Those who tried to prevent it, needless to say, ended up constricting any space for the representatives of Sinhala Buddhists. At one level, this confusion is more than mischievous, anti-historical, and ontological. What is nationalism and where does it end? How is it different to racism, and how is racism (which is negative and depends on the repudiation of the legitimacy of the Other) different to racialism (which falls somewhere in-between)? What is positive, if at all, and what isnt? A single writer cant set the record straight. It takes a general sammuthiya (A collective effort) to agree on which is what and what is not, in this respect. Its not easy being a nationalist. Its easier being a racist. The reason is obvious. Racism drives on self-labelled superiority and on what is perceived as inferiority on the part of the Other. It doesnt take much to spout hatred; burn a few shops belonging to one community, vandalise a temple, kovil, church, or mosque, and youll be soon hailed by extremists as their hero. That is why chauvinists from both sides have won and prevailed for so long, and why someone like Gnanasara Thera is (regardless of his credentials as a monk) deified despite the fact that no one voted for his party. He has something important to say, is the commonest excuse given by his supporters. Its tougher being a nationalist. This is elementary. It takes rhetoric to hate. It takes heartfelt sincerity to love. Racism thrives on rhetoric. Nationalism, at least to a certain extent, thrives on sincerity. Emotion bests reason in more ways than one, which is why the former tends to best the latter as far as debate is concerned. That is sad. Take the subject of independence. How many of us, never mind the flag and the usual chest-thumping words about freedom, appreciate what it stands for? Perhaps decades of cynicism has conditioned us to be cynical with everything. Perhaps those decades have taught that we havent really clinched independence. Either way, the mere fact that we arent subject to another foreign power is in the least worthy of contemplation. But we toss it aside with the remark, It is just a word. We dont produce nationalists like we used to, come to think of it. Taken in itself, theres nothing to bemoan in this; the fact is that the deficiencies of one epoch are compensated by the promises of the next, which means that sooner or later, the voice of the people, of true, genuine patriotism, will prevail. But this is just scratching the surface. The real problem, which goes deeper, is that far from being unable to produce nationalists, our country will be taken over by an entire generation whose love for their country is at best conditioned if not tempered by a rootless variant of cosmopolitanism; the kind of uprooted cosmopolitanism that runs riot in Colombo. Which in itself is bad enough, since much of our self-labelled intelligentsia hail from this part of the country, and they continue to exert influence everywhere. Long, long ago, this wasnt a problem. Our schools and curricula were built in love for ones country and its people from an early age. We woke up every day to deshabimana gee or patriotic songs on radio, none of which encouraged us to hate other collectives. By deshabimana gee I am of course thinking of artistes like Amaradeva, Mahagama Sekara, and Chandrarathna Manawasinghe, among others. They werent racists. They couldnt have been. The fact is that they were rooted in their societies, so what they wrote, composed, and sang, they felt. And they made us feel what they wrote. We read the poems of Tibetan born S. Mahinda Thera and P. B. Alwis Perera without feeling any antipathy towards other races or faiths. We sang them in gushes and torrents, with gusto, because we intensely felt what they were trying to say. Me Rata Mage Rata Ma Ipadunu Rata, Miranda Hemalatha wrote, and as we recited those words from memory, the poetry hit us. That kind of literature, at once rhythmic and rousing, is hard to come by today. No wonder most of our children continue their schooling without the slightest smattering of love for their land of birth. No wonder they end up being biased against history, even culturally insensitive. Its not easy being a nationalist. Its easier being a racist. The reason is obvious. Racism drives on self-labelled superiority and on what is perceived as inferiority on the part of the Other The culture of prudery that has seeped into our people, who knows from where, has aggravated this issue. We dont teach our children to understand their faith; we force them to attend Sunday school. We dont teach them our history; we force them to read and unconditionally accept it. Our government textbooks arent helpful in this respect either. Just the other day, for instance, I came across a chapter detailing the biographies of some of our foremost artistes, which had erroneously interchanged the details of Lester James Peries and Ediriweera Sarachchandra. I know for a fact that we are force-fed to accept these texts. How do we progress with that? The truth is that love for ones country (of the genuine sort) is predicated on what one picks up from childhood. If that childhood is warped, if it isnt surrounded by an environment which makes it amenable for someone to understand where one is and how he or she came to be there, the outcome is obvious; the presence of an entire generation of distorted, culturally uprooted citizens. Without the strength or the resolve to stand up for ones land of birth, without the ability to assess history, no one can progress. Martin Wickramasinghe wrote on this. When history dies, so does the conscience of a nation. We dont produce nationalists like we used to, come to think of it. Taken in itself, theres nothing to bemoan in this; the fact is that the deficiencies of one epoch are compensated by the promises of the next So what are the preconditions for a healthier citizenry? First and foremost, the ability to take in and absorb the best the world offers. This is elementary, again, but then we have confused between absorbing and imitating. We are constantly told to move on, to do away with patriotism, to consider ourselves as citizens of the world. The problem with globalisation of that sort, however, is that those who force us to accept ourselves as citizens of the world (a la Diogenes) are themselves representatives of countries and polities which vehemently (and rightly) rebel against that line of thinking. Like the United States. Secondly, we need to reevaluate the way we teach our children our history. History isnt about dates. That is obvious. Its about aligning the one with the other, about inferring parallels and understanding how communities progress and flourish. Speaking from experience, my best history teacher (in Eighth Grade) taught us more than what happened when and what led to what else. She taught us how to connect the dots, to infer the causes behind an incident or event. As I grew up, and as I read into history, I realised how, even in a mild form, she was emulating the incomparable Fernand Braudel, that historian who taught us that his subject was best taught not through memorising bundles of data, but by making the connections necessary to glean cause from effect, and effect from cause. Were barking up the wrong tree, I believe. Until and unless we nurture our children, and make them more sensitive to their surroundings, without discouraging them from learning about them owing to that culture of prudery which runs riot in this country, well be fermenting a generation thats cut off from their environment. That is bad. Not because nationalism is cast in stone and is a must, but because no country in this godforsaken, globalised world of ours has progressed without anchoring itself in its past, its way of life. Without history, without heritage, put simply, we are nothing. Ven. Prof. Induragare Dhammarathana Thera, who is involved in the activities of the nationalist groups, supports the statement made by the Mahanayake Theras that the country did not require a new Constitution at this hour. Ven. Dhammarathana Thera, attached to the Department of Sanskrit at Kelaniya University, says the Mahanayake Theras fulfilled their historic duties. Following are the excerpts of the interview with him: Q :- In some quarters close to the government, there is criticism of the statements made by the Mahanayake Theras of the three chapters ruling out a new constitution at this hour. What is your view? The Mahanayake Thera said in clear cut terms that a new Constitution or proposals for it were not the need of the hour. They justifiably articulated that this was not the time for it. There are no factors that call for a new Constitution either in terms of contextual terms or ideological terms. They only pointed out the need to prioritize the finding of solutions to basic issues confronting the country rather than inviting trouble by meddling with unnecessary affairs. The Mahanayake Theras, as the lay guardians of nation, made the appropriate statement taking into full account the current developments. We perceive it as the legitimate and responsible duty of the leaders of Maha Sangha. It is a historic statement. Q :- Yet, the government ministers hold the position there is a mandate from 6.2million people for a new constitution, and that they should act accordingly. They indicate in this manner that the Mahanayake Theras have no right to rule it out. How do you respond? The government does not seem to be listening to the Mahanayake Theras on this matter First, in the run up to the elections, the present rulers laid emphasis only on the pledges for the introduction of new electoral reforms and the abolition of executive presidency. There was no talk about a new Constitution as such. Therefore, they cannot justify their present attempt for a new constitution citing the mandate from 6.2 million people. Prior to the elections, the government only talked about bringing fraudsters to book, working out new electoral reforms and abolishing executive presidency. They never talked about the nature of the constitution being worked out at the moment. The Mahanayake Theras asked the government not to undertake anything that was not promised to the country. It is malicious to say that the Mahanayake Theras have no right to speak on such matters. It is extremely malicious. The Mahanayake Thera used to advise the successive governments. It is the historic role historically assigned or meant for them. If it is not so, why do all those concerned call on the Mahanayake Theras and consult them? The Mahanayake Theras have played the role historically and traditionally bestowed upon them. Q : You mentioned that the Mahanayake Theras stressed there was no need for a new Constitution. Does it mean that there is a need for it in the future? A new constitution is needed only after a broad public consultation process. The Lal Wijenayake report has been worked out by this government without consulting a wider cross section of society. It has been prepared by seeking the views of the NGOs, those living in the north and the east and some non-Sinhalese living abroad. We do not see wide public participation in the process. The Mahanayake Theras imply that if a new Constitution is needed, it should be done with broad consultation of the general public, political organizations and other civil society organizations. It is a time-consuming exercise. No constitution should contain provisions leading to the partition of the country. Tradition of Sri Lankas Buddhist monks is unique compared with the clergies of other countries When you say partition of the country, it has a hollow cliche today. In this instance, we have to determine whether we should delegate power or resources. Responsibilities have to be delegated. In the case of peoples rule, power has to be centralized. Yet, resources and responsibilities have to be delegated to lower levels. We look to such a country. It is a duty cast upon them historically It is malicious to discredit Mahanayake Theras call It only promised new electoral reforms and abolition of the executive presidency Wide public consultation needed for a new Constitution Tradition of Sri Lankas Buddhist monks is unique compared with the clergies of other countries JO should not be party to constitution making process Power has to be centralized New Constitution is being made at behest of NGOs and non-Sinhalese Govt never promised a new Constitution when seeking a mandate Q : The government also says there is no final draft containing constitutional proposals, and as such the Mahanayake Theras have been misled by someone to make this statement. What are your views? If we have not seen a skunk or heard about one, we should not have made any preconceived idea about the strong unpleasant smell it emits. We have heard about this animal. So, we know it stinks where the skunk moves, as goes the saying. We knew the nature of LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. We could be certain in our conclusion that would not have observed sil or made Buddhist religious observances at any cost. First, in the run up to the elections, the present rulers laid emphasis only on the pledges for the introduction of new electoral reforms and the abolition of executive presidency It is crystal clear for us that the government is up to something unpleasant for us. We have a clear conclusion about the position to be taken by the government on SAITM. In this constitution-making process, there were numerous reports presented. We also got hold of them. I had a look at the reports of the six subcommittees. The main report will be made based on recommendations by these subcommittees. Then, how can the government deny the existence of a move for a new Constitution of this nature? How can the government deny that recommendations in the reports will not be incorporated into the final draft? We have to stand up at this point only . Q : How do you look at the historical role played by Maha Sangha in guiding the rulers? Tradition of Sri Lankas Buddhist monks is unique compared with the clergies of other countries. When we are ordained as Buddhist monks, we do away with our names given by our beloved parents. Instead, we adopt Pali names mentioned in Thripitaka. We become followers of the Buddha even by name in that sense. We cast aside our surnames to be replaced with names of villages of this country. That may even be a name given to a village which is sometimes confined to a few perches of land. Then, Sri Lankan Buddhist monks get attached to their country and religion even by their names. Our main purpose, in that sense, is not only to attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana but also to fulfil a historic obligation cast upon us. Mainly, the Sinhalese males become Buddhist monks. The doctrine, or Dhamma preached by the Buddha, is fostered in this land. The Republic of Kalmykia is the only Buddhist state in Europe. Its national flag also bears the lotus flower. In Thailand, 97 percent of the population is Buddhist. None of these countries has committed in its constitution to protect Buddha Sasana. The Buddha preached for the good of all, not solely for people of Sri Lanka. We, as Buddhists, do not wish good only for the Sinhalese. We wish so for all living beings. We seek blessings for the whole world. Then, only Sri Lanka has committed to protect this doctrine meant for the benefit of all. Buddhist monks stand for the protection of Buddha Dhamma delivered 2561 years ago. They are responsible and accountable for it. Nowhere in Buddhist texts and Pali canons, do we find any reference advocating the alienation of other people along with their beliefs. Then, communalism cannot be condoned according to Buddhist teachings. Bhikkhus are meant for fostering and nurturing Buddha Dhamma which is espousing great compassion to all. The rulers are at the helm of affairs. So, Bhikkhus advise them. The government does not seem to be listening to the Mahanayake Theras on this matter. However, if the Joint Opposition claims to be acting in the public interest, it should not become party to the constitution making process now. Q : Buddhism is a religion advocating compassion and well-being for all the communities as you said. But, there is the allegation that the nationalist groups try to suppress the rights of minority communities by giving foremost rights to Buddhists. Actually Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran mentioned it. What is your view? I do not know on what basis they define the concept called minorities. If you look at the Colombo city limits, who will be the minority. The Sinhalese are the minority in this instance. In the Jaffna peninsula, the Sinhalese are again the minority. In the East, it is the same. Does Mr. Sumanthiran talk about this minority group? What does he say about the Sinhalese living in the north and the east as minorities? He is appearing for the minority Tamils. Otherwise, he is not for the minorities of the country. The Northern Provincial Council does not permit the construction of places of Buddhist worship. That Council does not use Sinhala as a language in its communication activities. It does not care about the Sinhalese living there in taking decisions. In that context, the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils are racially biased. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese have not denied the Tamils or Muslims of their fundamental rights. President Maithripala Sirisena left for Bangladesh on a three day state visit this morning, Presidents Media Division said. They said the President would hold discussions with Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Premier Sheikh Hasina during the visit. At these meetings President Sirisena would hold bilateral discussions and come into bilateral agreements to strengthen economic and agricultural ties between the two countries. He is also due to attend a business forum on the final day of the visit where several agreements will be signed between Sri Lankan and Bangladesh businessmen. The President will return on Saturday (15) Former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake has said that it was a myth that he orchestrated a rescue of Tamil refugees from a northern beach to help LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran escape Sri Lankan armed forces, India Abroad news reported on Tuesday. Blake said it was also fiction that the US helped sink LTTE boats but acknowledged that US intelligence did provide information to the Sri Lankan navy about the boats location. Blakes remarks came last month during a talk to the Serendipity Group, a nonpolitical group of Washington-based friends of Sri Lanka, which comprises several former US ambassadors and other diplomats who served in Sri Lanka. Blake said even eight years after Prabhakaran was declared dead, myths continued to circulate and his role in the more than 20-year ethnic conflict, in which more than 70,000 Sri Lankans were killed, continues to be questioned. He told the group he wanted to clear up some misinformation that continues to circulate about some of the things we worked on when I was ambassador from 2006 to 2009. Blake said the biggest myth was centered on the beach rescue. To this day, a story circulates about an effort I organized to try to rescue tens of thousands of IDPs from the beach at Puthukkudiyiruppu. The Story says it was an effort to evacuate Prabakharan. He said there was no intention to help the LTTE. To the contrary, the plan was to rescue as many IDPs whom the LTTE had refused to allow to move south through the lines of fighting and were in effect human shields, he said. Every person would have been transferred by US Navy boat to Sri Lankan custody. There was a detailed plan coordinated with the Sri Lankan and India governments. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government killed the idea for fear that Norwegian peace broker Eric Solheim and I would be taken hostage by the LTTE, he said adding it was something they did not believe would happen. He also denied involvement in sinking LTTE ships. He said the US helped the Sri Lankan navy locate the boats, which were carrying arms for the LTTE. SL navy actually sank the boats, he said. He said the US decision to support a 2012 UN Human Rights Council resolution has also been a source of continued criticism. He said he initially had argued in favor of letting the Sri Lankan government work on reconciliation and accountability so they could craft their own solution internally. Domestic ownership is always preferable. Indeed the Sri Lankan government came up with the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which had many positive aspects. But it failed to address serious allegations of violations of international law, particularly at the end of the war, he said. So we decided to support a landmark resolution that welcomed the LLRC report; called for its implementation; called on the Sri Lankan government to take credible actions to ensure justice and accountability for all Sri Lankans, he said. Blake praised the countrys January 2015 presidential elections which he called a sea-change in Sri Lankan politics. Suddenly we had a government in power that promised many of the political, economic and social reforms that Sri Lankan civil society and the international community had been seeking and chose a lot of reformers as ministers to carry out those reforms, he said. But while saying several of these reforms had been implemented, Blake bemoaned lack of progress in other areas, such as the Office of Missing Persons, which he said has yet to be set up despite its approval in August 2016. This is really important on many levels due to the large number of enforced disappearances, white van abductions and many people who went missing after the war. Progress on a new constitution to strengthen devolution also is slow, he said. He said much ink has been spilled on the divisions in the unity government that often lead to focus more on political maneuvering than forging coalitions on specific issues to get things done. He said he was optimistic that the government has reaffirmed its ambitious plans in the most recent UNHRC resolution in March. However, Blake said Rajapaksa continues to be a spoiler opposing efforts on reconciliation and transitional justice, casting them as capitulation to western interests. But from what I can tell, President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe still have the will to move forward, he said. He said continued friendship with Sri Lanka brings many advantages, among them its strategic location astride the main Indo-Pacific sea lanes through which pass two-thirds of global oil supplies and half of the worlds container cargo, with the port of Colombo being South Asias busiest trans-shipment port. Next week on Thursday, July 18 we celebrate the 99th birth-anniversary of South Africas first coloured President and legendary freedom fighter Nelson Mandela who is widely regarded as one of the noblest leaders of modern times. It is one of the rare events where the United Nations celebrates the birthday of a world leader for his heroic battle for freedom, justice and democracy. It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build, the United Nations quotes Nelson Mandela as saying. The UN says everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better, and Mandela Day is an occasion for everyone to take action and inspire change. For 67 years, Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected President of a free South Africa. The Nelson Mandela Foundation is dedicating this years Mandela Day to action against poverty, honouring Nelson Mandelas leadership and devotion to fighting poverty and promoting social justice for all. In December 2015, the UN General Assembly decided to extend the scope of Nelson Mandela International Day to also be utilized to promote humane conditions of imprisonment, to raise awareness about prisoners being a continuous part of society and to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance. The UN General Assembly not only adopted the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, but also approved that they should be known as the Nelson Mandela Rules to honour the legacy of the late South African President, who spent 27 years in prison in the course of his struggle for freedom, justice and democracy. The UN General Assembly proclaimed Mandelas birthday, July18, as Mandela Day, marking his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle. It called on the people to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others, commemorating the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the movement. Essentially Nelson Mandela was a servant leader. After decades of a battle against the white supremacists he was elected President in 1994 for a five-year term. He was so respected by the people that he could have gone on for two or three terms. Yet he decided to quit after one five-year term in office, giving a lesson to world leaders. In Sri Lanka former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was elected in 2005 amended the Constitution to give him the power to go on for more than two terms or for a lifetime. The former President was so confident of his position or popularity that in November 2014 he called an early presidential election, two years before schedule. Perhaps he did not foresee the dramatic crossover that took place in November 2014 when the then Health Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena crossed over to form what was described as a rainbow coalition. In the presidential election on January 8, 2015, Mr. Sirisenas rainbow coalition soared to a spectacular victory. As a result we today have a national unity government between the two major parties, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). President Sirisena in one of his first speeches from the Dalada Maligawa pledged he would be a servant leader and work for the abolition of the wide-powered Executive Presidency. He and other government leaders also committed themselves to work towards the mission of a peaceful, just and all inclusive society. We hope that in our country also we would see a Nelson Mandela who is sincerely ready to go beyond personal gain or glory and work for freedom, justice and democracy. Sri Lanka is to receive US $ 1,340 million worth of financial and technical assistance from the World Bank Group for the three-year period starting from July 1, 2017, under the International Development Association (IDA) Transitional Support Facility. Previously Sri Lanka received US $ 660 million IDA support for the 2014-2017 period. Sri Lanka is expected to access approximately US $ 300 million per annum for the coming three years from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). IDA and IBRD are member institutions of the World Bank Group. This assistance comes as financial assistance for development projects and technical assistance for analytical and advisory services. This was revealed when World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Idah Riddihough called on Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday. Riddihough discussed the progress of the World Bank- assisted ongoing and proposed projects in the country. The Public Sector Efficiency Project and the Country Readiness for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are the two projects proposed to be implemented by the Finance Ministry with the financial and technical support from the World Bank. The Social Safety Nets Project is the ongoing project with World Bank assistance. Riddihough appreciating Sri Lankas economic performance said that despite significant challenges, it remained broadly satisfactory in 2016 and early 2017. The World Bank recognizes the corrective policy measures taken in 2016 following the expansionary fiscal and monetary policies implemented in the previous year as early signs of stabilization. A combination of increase in revenues and rationalization of expenditures helped reducing the fiscal deficit from a reported 7.6 percent in 2015 to a 5.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016. While the boost received from increased profits and dividend income from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) played a key role in increasing revenues, the changes to the VAT Act implemented late 2016 and improved revenue administration helped strengthen the tax collection. The World Bank predicts that the fiscal deficit in Sri Lanka is projected to fall to 5.2 percent of GDP for 2017. This is thanks to the impact of the value-added-tax (VAT) changes in its first full year. In outer years, the new Inland Revenue Act is expected to expand the tax base for corporate and personal income tax while shifting from tax holidays to a performance-based incentive regime, where the incentives depend on actual rather than promised investment. On the expenditure side, the World Bank projects the increased fiscal space will benefit the primarily public investment, assuming no major additional recurrent expenditure commitments. Under this baseline, the fiscal deficit is to narrow to 3.5 of GDP by 2020. The primary fiscal balance is projected to become marginally positive in 2017. HINDUSTAN TIMES, 12th JULY, 2017- Four Boko Haram suicide bombers killed 19 people in a series of attacks that targeted a civilian self-defence force and the people who gathered to mourn their deaths, police in northeastern Nigeria said Wednesday. Borno state police commissioner Damian Chukwu said 23 others were wounded in Tuesday nights attacks in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Harams eight-year insurgency. The police commissioner said 12 of the dead were members of a civilian self-defence force and the other seven people were killed when they gathered to mourn them. Hold your breath, Sri Lanka! Taco Bell, the worlds largest Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant chain, will unleash an electrifying experience when it opens its doors in Sri Lanka on 17 July at No. 36, Horton Place, Colombo 7. The popular global quick service restaurant chain infuses the local restaurant scene with its own dash of piquant taste to tantalize the taste buds and bring a new dimension in dining out. Taco Bell is brought to Sri Lanka by Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a pioneer in the Sri Lankan food industry since 2007, currently a franchisee rights owner of Pizza Hut, Delifrance and Taco Bell in Sri Lanka. The first Taco Bell to open its doors in Sri Lanka, diners can expect a re-imagined fast food experience replete with quick service, stylish interiors, whimsical art and latest music sounds. Its unique drinks and a customizable menu offer a great value for money experience. As for the food, Taco Bell, takes you on a culinary tour of Mexican inspired treats with a twist, empowering diners to customize their own fillings and toppings for tacos and burritos. An Instagram delight, the aesthetically open plated meals include internationally renowned classics like Crunchy and Soft Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas and Chalupas. Evergreen favourites such as batter-fried Crispy Fish will be unique to Taco Bell Sri Lanka, while Cheesy Quesadillas will provide the cheese fix for cheese lovers. Taco Bell also raises the bar when it comes to desserts, with some mouth-watering delectable items like Chocodilla and Chocolate Caramel Tostadas with Vanilla Ice Cream. Never a dull moment at Taco Bell, customers can sip on drinks with unique flavours such as California Tan - a non alchohlic carbonated malt beverage, refreshing iced teas, yummy ice-cream shakes and delicious coffee, not to forget the surprisingly heady non alcoholic mojitos, while feasting on yummy dishes. Accessability, affordability and food for thought will be key highlights of the Taco Bell experience in Sri Lanka. Commenting on the launch Ankush Tuli, Managing Director, Taco Bell Asia Pacific said: We are really excited to bring Taco Bell to Sri Lanka with our great franchise partners Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka. As Taco Bell continues its journey of major global expamsion, it is time for Sr Lanka to now experience our uniquely craveable Mexican inspired food with our iconic crunchy Tacos, Burritos, Chalupas & more with our signature sauces all at great value. Whats more, we have Crispy Fish Tacos and Burritos on the menu, a special offering made just for Sri Lanka. We invite Colombo to come and experience it all at Horton Place this July. Commenting on the launch Amar Raj Singh, Managing Director of Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka said: We are delighted to bring the Taco Bell experience to Sri Lanka and its discerning restaurant goers. With this, a void for quality Mexican inspired food in the country is being filled! Taco Bell is a global success and its unique Mexican twist and great prices will ensure that all roads in Sri Lanka will lead to its doors. We are confident that the Taco Bell experience will resonate with one and all. Fans interested in learning more about Taco Bell Sri Lanka can follow along on social media via @tacobell.srilanka on Instagram and @tacobellsrilanka on Facebook, and @tacobellsl on Twitter. Kiran Redkar- Director/Chief Executive - UlraTech Cement Lanka (Pvt) Ltd receiving award from Secretary of Science, Technology & Research R. Wijithaludchumi UltraTech Cement Lanka was awarded an ISO certification of accreditation by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (SLAB) at World Accreditation Day 2017 for maintaining an internationally certified testing laboratory. UltraTech Cement Lanka is the only bulk cement terminal in Sri Lanka to run a state of the art, internationally accredited laboratoryexclusively dedicated to testing cement. The leading cement importer was awarded an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Accreditation Certificate and was accredited as a testing laboratory under the field of Chemical and Mechanical Testing at World Accreditation Day 2017 held in Colombo this month. The scope of accreditation focuses on performing chemical and mechanical tests on cement (Ordinary Portland Cement and Portland Pozzolona Cement) and concrete. UltraTech Cement Lanka can officially provide internationally recognized certificates and test reports under the ilac-MRA logo. Kiran Redkar - Director/Chief Executive - UltraTech Cement Lanka (Pvt) Ltd commented that the accreditation comes as recognition of UltraTech Cement Lankas commitment to ensuring quality control, monitoring and research in the cement industry. By underscoring the importance of stringent quality checks and research in the cement industry, we renew our commitment to developing the quality of cement and construction industry in Sri Lanka. With these accreditations we are better equipped to offer quality and unbiased reports through UltraTech Cement Lankas cement and concrete testing laboratories. SLAB is the National Accreditation Authority for Sri Lanka and functions under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research. The event marking World Accreditation Day 2017 organized by SLAB saw 180 industry experts participating at the seminars including engineers, HODs of testing laboratories, university lecturers and senior management of construction companies. The Ministry of Science, Technology & Research Susil Premajayantha, Secretary of Science, Technology & Research, R. Wijialudchumi and the Chairman/Deputy Director and staff members of SLAB were also present at this years event which revolved around the theme Delivering confidence in construction and the built environment. In addition to the technical sessions at the event, Sandeep Holey, Senior General Manager Marketing & Technical at UltraTech Cement Lanka(Pvt) Ltd, addressed the eminent gathering speaking about how accreditation deliver confidence in the construction industry. With multi-point and multi-laboratory systems in place, UltraTech Cement Lankas laboratory services takes on regular testing of cement in the industry, analysing for benchmarking and continual improvement. The internationally recognized lab is managed by industry professionals and provides application-based research to guide customers. What can be a more defining moment for this than the Chinese reaction to the July 10 terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir? The Chinese reaction has been its non-reaction! China has maintained a stony silence on the development. Its silence is deafening. Thereby hangs a tale. It is indeed strange and regrettable that China, a near-superpower, has consciously refrained from condemning the terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra, though never mind that such a condemnation would have largely remained mere lip service. But China is not willing to offer even that lip service. One can understand Pakistan's silence on the issue, though Pakistan has performed this lip service and condemned many terror attacks in the past for which it knew that the needle of suspicion pointed towards itself only. The silence of China and Pakistan in this context is yet another example of China and Pakistan conducting their diplomacy in sync. While Pakistan's silence is understandable, as pointed out earlier, the Chinese keeping mum on the issue is indicative of many bad omens. It demonstrates that the chill in India-China bilateral relations is turning into a frigidity. But it goes far beyond that. It shows China is so furious with India for whatever alleged sins of omission and commission that it perceives India to be guilty of that it is willing to keep an intractable silence on the development, irrespective of what the world thinks of Beijing. Perhaps, more importantly, China has refused to condemn the incident to convey a chilling message to India. The message is loud and clear. That China is supportive of this dastardly terror attack. To stretch this argument further, China's reticence on the terror attack is a not-so-subtle reminder to India that such attacks will become the order of the day if India continued to cross China's path. It also puts an indirect seal of approval by China on an incendiary remark published in the state-owned Global Times warning about a third country's army entering Kashmir. Here is the relevant quote of this remark: 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. China's message is loud and clear - that it is supportive of this dastardly terror attack. Photo: AP China's silence on the issue is even more galling considering that countries like the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, Norway, Canada, Iran and Portugal, apart from SAARC countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal condemned the attack. The Spanish president went to the extent of writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that India could count on Spain in the fight against terrorism. The Chinese silence speaks eloquently. If it is madness, there is a distinct method behind it. The Dragon is taking on the Indian elephant! Heres how one can read the Chinese tea leaves. - China's all-weather strategic partnership with ally Pakistan is becoming even more robust and is set to be more and more Kashmir-centric. - It means that China will not just turn a blind eye to Pakistan's shenanigans in Jammu and Kashmir but would even encourage these. Just as China has been encouraging Pakistan by blocking Indias efforts to get Pakistan-based terror fountainheads like Masood Azhar and others blacklisted from the UN. - This may well be a precursor to China extending moral, political and diplomatic support to anti-India terror outfits operating on either side of the Line of Control, even if covertly. Thus far, China has steered clear of Jammu and Kashmir-related terror activities. - All this would lead to a further spike in terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan would be further emboldened by big brother China being by its side more than ever before. This bodes ill for India in tackling the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir which is turning more precarious by the day. India needs to engage with China more pro-actively through behind-the-scenes diplomatic channels. It takes a lot of effort to make the Left look good. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has done just that. The Left ruined West Bengal in a 34-year-long nightmare that drove industry from the state, allowed the India-Bangladesh border to become porous, and created deep social divisions. Power Mamata has topped that. When she stormed to power in 2011, she promised change. Her first and most sensible step was appointing economist Amit Mitra, a former secretary-general of FICCI, as West Bengals finance minister. Mitra has turned the states finances around with major tax reforms and efficient revenue collection. The rest of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has proved an unmitigated disaster. Mamatas communal brand of politics has converted West Bengal into a tinderbox. The week-long Basirhat riots were the culmination of years of Muslim appeasement which have emboldened radicalised Muslims to unleash violence on Hindus unhindered by a communalised and impotent police force. The Calcutta High Court has thrice upbraided the Mamata government for Muslim appeasement that damages the states social fabric. Consider this stinging order Justice Dipankar Dutta passed on October 6, 2016: There has been a clear endeavour on the part of the state government to pamper and appease the minority section of the public at the cost of the majority section without there being any plausible justification. The reason is, however, not far to seek. To put it curtly, the state government has been irresponsibly brazen in its conduct of being partial to one community. Now consider the behaviour of Dipendu Biswas, the TMC MLA who represents the Basirhat Dakshin constituency. One of the victims of the recent violence, Sutapa Dey, told a daily newspaper: Our MLA, Dipendu Biswas, accompanied the police, making sure that our boys were picked up. When the Muslims attack us, the police just sit quietly, and if we do anything, they come and arrest us. Mamata was insulted just because the Governor said something that is right what about us, are we not insulted? Biswas has denied his role in the communal violence but another witness Piyali Haldar claimed last week: For the last three days, we have been enduring attacks by Muslims Our shops have been looted. My family lost goods worth Rs 2.5 lakh The police are raiding our homes to look for arms. Let them raid Muslim homes and see the cache of arms they bring from across the border. Yet another local resident, Sumanto Sarkar, added: We have never ever seen anything like this before If it wasnt for us, Dipendu Biswas would never have become an MLA. And now he is picking up our boys, siding with the Muslims I voted for the Trinamool in the last election. But never again. Juggernaut Mamata appears not to fear the law. She fears only electoral defeat. As long as she locks in the 28 per cent Muslim bloc vote and a small percentage of the floating Hindu vote, she is assured of a vote share of over 40 per cent. In a multi-cornered fight that the 2021 Assembly election will be, a 40 per cent vote share guarantees a landslide. The Left, the Congress, and the BJP will divide the rest of the vote, giving the TMC a disproportionate number of Assembly seats as it did in 2016. The BJP hopes to stop the TMC juggernaut in 2021 but can it? A pro-Muslim Mamata didnt swing enough Hindu votes towards the BJP in 2016 when it won just 10.3 per cent vote share and three seats. The TMC received 44.9 per cent vote share and 211 seats in the 294-seat state Assembly. But more Muslim-instigated riots like Basirhat and the growing fear that West Bengal is falling under the influence of Islamist radicalism could alter the electoral math in 2021. The BJPs cynical strategy is reverse-polarisation. The BJP succeeded in reverse-polarising Hindus against Akhilesh Yadavs Muslim-Yadav coalition in Uttar Pradesh and won by a landslide. The party knows West Bengal is very different. But its growing focus on eastern India the Northeast, Odisha and Bengal shows where its strategy is heading. Inroads The BJP is largely a party of the north and the west. To make inroads in the east and the south it has to target a vulnerable Karnataka in 2018, plug away in Kerala and Telangana, back Rajinikanth in Tamil Nadu, use the NDA-backed North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) to embrace the rest of the Northeast, and challenge the BJD in Odisha. The holdout? West Bengal. However, Mamata could be walking into a mousetrap here. She cant rein in Muslim radicals because her electoral base might collapse. But if she doesnt, and communal riots targeting Hindus spread, reverse polarisation in favour of the BJP is inevitable. The losers? The Left and the Congress. The former has little but Marxist obscurantism to offer Bengals youth. The latter has even less to offer under a dysfunctional dynasty. If West Bengals electoral politics becomes semi binary with the TMC and the BJP at two opposite poles and the Left and the Congress relatively marginalised, Mamatas 45 per cent vote share could dip. Given West Bengals demographics and the Lefts strong cadre-based presence, the change though may take place far more slowly than it has in, for example, Uttar Pradesh. The long-term math, however, spells danger for the TMC. As the embers of Basirhat continue to smoulder, she may rue the electoral cost of her communal politics. Charlie Gard Prayer Vigil at British Embassy Today World Awaits Court Decision Contact: Mark Harrington, Created Equal, 614-419-9000 WASHINGTON, July 13, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Baby Charlie Gard's story has captured the attention of the world. Today, as the High Court of England hears new evidence in Charlie's case, pro-life group Created Equal will gather activists in front of the British Embassy in Washington, DC to pray for Charlie, encourage his parents in their heroic struggle, and call for action by British officials. A press conference will precede the prayer vigil. Details below. Who: Created Equal and other pro-life activists What: Prayer vigil and press conference for Baby Charlie Gard Where: In front of the British Embassy, 3100 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC When: Thursday, July 13 at 3:00 PM EDT Mark Harrington, National Director of Created Equal, said; "The idea that a court may decide whether Charlie's parents are given the opportunity to seek further treatment for their baby is unconscionable. Civilized societies should not strip parents of their right to seek healing for their children. It is not up to a judge to decide who lives and who dies." -- Mark Harrington, National Director, Created Equal Share Tweet Kitron's Q2 Sales Jump, More Growth Seen Ahead Published: 13 July 2017 by Mike Buetow by Mike Buetow BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY -- Kitron ASA today reported strong revenue growth and the achievement of an important margin goal in the second quarter. The EMS company's revenue in the second quarter amounted to NOK 649 million ($78.6 million), up 16% compared to 563 million in the same quarter last year. Organic growth, excluding currency factors, was up 15%. The company said higher demand in the industrial sector, while defense/aerospace and energy/telecoms also recorded solid growth. Net profit was NOK 31.4 million ($3.8 million), an increase from 21.4 million. This corresponds to earnings per share of NOK 0.18, compared to NOK 0.12 last year. Operating profit was NOK 45.5 million ($5.5 million), compared to 33.1 million last year, an increase of 37%. EBITDA was up 31% to NOK 59 million. EBIT margin was 7%, up 110 basis points from the second quarter of 2016. Operating cash flow was NOK 63.1 million (7.6 million), compared to 61 million last year. The order backlog ended the quarter at NOK 1.02 billion, an increase of 3% compared to last year. Orders received in the quarter were NOK 590 million. In a statement, CEO Peter Nilsson said, "The EBIT margin is in line with the long-term target that we presented at the Kitron Capital Markets Day in February 2016, and this is the first quarter in which we have achieved this ambition. While the margin will vary from quarter to quarter, this is an important milestone in the improvement process that has been under way the past couple of years. We also deliver on growth and capital efficiency, and at the same time we are investing in capacity and capabilities in order to improve our competitiveness further. We're seeing growth in general with our customers. Together with new business awards Kitron demonstrates stronger growth than the industry in general. The strong first six month report of 2017 presented today proves that Kitron creates value for its customers and has a strong platform for further growth." In May, Kongsberg Defence Systems awarded Kitron a NOK 34 million order for military communications equipment. In June, Kitron signed a contract with a potential value of NOK 600 million (72.6 million) over a five-year period with Husqvarna Group. The new agreement includes five products for the Husqvarna Robotic Lawn Mowers product range and is in addition to existing manufacturing volumes. In the second half Kitron will invest in SMT equipment for increased capacity in the US, Lithuania and China. In addition, further investments in Norway, Sweden and Lithuania will focus on automation and robotics. Kitron guided for full-year revenue of NOK 2.15 billion to 2.35 billion ($260 million to (284 million). EBIT margin is expected to be 5.6% to 6.4%. Revenue is now expected to be in the higher end of the indicated range, driven primarily by customers in the industrial sector. The profitability increase is driven by cost reduction activities and improved efficiency. Ed.: 1 NOK = 0.121031 USD Register now for PCB West the Silicon Valley's largest PCB industry trade show: pcbwest.com! Now with full-day electronics assembly tutorials! Pastor Woods departed this life on Sunday, June 25, 2017, and now rejoices in the presence of the Lord, the one for whom he served. James Ernest Woods, 90, was born on May 6, 1927 in Albemarle County, to Charles Preston Woods and Dora Haney Woods. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Elizabeth Clark and Virginia Woods. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Collins Woods; two daughters, Barbara Powell (Ray) and JoAnn Woods, (Tommy); a grandson, James Phillip Powell (Karrie); and four great- grandchildren, Thomas, Leah, Jordan, and Drew. Pastor Woods rose from adversity in earlier days of his life to a position of great respect and admiration in the community. He was a veteran of the United States Army and founder of Custom Tile Works. It was through his hard physical work, and spiritual discipline Pastor Woods brought honor to the Lord. He and his wife of 67 years together founded the First Bible Baptist Church in September 1965. Because of his passion for seeing people come to know the Lord as their Savior, they continued in this evangelistic ministry. In 1979, United Christian Academy was founded and continued to fulfill the educational and spiritual needs of hundreds of young people. In 2009, the United Christian College established a visible representation of his vision to see young adults educated in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Pastor Woods workmanship, sacrifice, and passion for the Lord remind us all to "Give of our best to the Master" just as Pastor James E. Woods has done. In recognition of his faithful ministry he has received two honorary doctors of divinity degrees includingone in 2000 from Bell Meadows Baptist College and one in 2017, from Berean Bible College and Theological Seminary. He was named by the community as one of the "Distinguished Dozen" in 1998 as well as receiving a certificate of recognition from the Greene County Board of Supervisors. As Paul said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for mea crown of righteousness." A private graveside service was held on Sunday, June 25, 2017, at Stanardsville Cemetery in Stanardsville, Virginia, officiated by Pastor Phillip Powell. A memorial service will be Sunday, July 16, 2017, at the First Bible Baptist Church, Ruckersville, Virginia at 4 p.m. Contributions may be made to the Stanardsville Cemetery Foundation P.O. Box 53, Quinque, Va. 22965. Kyger Funeral Homes and Crematory in Harrisonburg, Virginia was in charge of arrangements. RICHMOND A month after nearly toppling Ed Gillespie in the GOP race for governor with a campaign centered around the Confederate flag and restricting immigration, Corey Stewart on Thursday will announce a run for U.S. Senate in 2018, sources said. Stewart has called a news conference for 11 a.m. at his home in Woodbridge, where sources say he'll announce that he wants to be the GOP nominee to go up against first-term Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who is running for re-election. Stewart, 48, the chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors for the past decade, ran an insurgent campaign for governor this year that centered around Confederate imagery and pummeling the GOP establishment. Last year, he was fired as Virginia chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign after protesting the Republican National Committee in Washington. Stewart is the first GOP candidate to announce a run for Senate next year, although several other names are being floated. Among them is Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in California in 2010 and for the GOP nomination for president last year. Although he trailed Gillespie in polls, Stewart made the longtime GOP operative and his backers sweat on June 13 when primary election returns were closer than most people expected. Gillespie received 160,003 votes to Stewart's 155,466 - edging him by just more than 1 percentage point. State Sen. Frank Wagner of Virginia Beach received 50,313 votes. Stewart has said he wants Gillespie to win but says Gillespie needs to win over Stewart's voters against Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, the Democratic nominee. Libertarian Cliff Hyra also is running. "The real question is whether Ed will support my supporters," Stewart said after his primary loss. "No matter what I say, they will support him if he stands up and fights. And fights for the issues which I fought on. The fight to preserve our history. The fight against illegal immigration. The fight to support our president." Stewart has been a loyal defender of Trump, but was fired from his position as Virginia campaign chairman in October after he joined a protest, without approval, of the Republican Party outside Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington. Stewart said he was protesting the party because it wasn't doing enough to help Trump and said "GOP establishment pukes" had betrayed Trump. Trump went on to win the presidency but lost Virginia to Democrat Hillary Clinton by more than 5 percentage points. In his run for governor, Stewart focused on immigration, tax cuts and the Confederate flag. In an era when anti-establishment candidates with slogans like "drain the swamp" have ability to catch on with voters, Virginia Republicans felt confident in Gillespie but also were in the dark about exactly who would come out to vote. Before this year, the last time the Virginia GOP held a primary for governor was in 2005 when Jerry Kilgore was nominated and lost to Kaine in the general election. Stewart decried attempts to remove Confederate monuments in Virginia, where - like other areas of the South - several cities are debating how to handle the emotions caused by the structures in present day. Stewart said people are fed up with political correctness and called attempts at monument removal "historical vandalism." An airplane circled the Wakefield Ruritan's Shad, Grapes and Grains festival in April pulling a banner with the Confederate flag and the message, "Vote Corey Stewart June 13." "I don't see it as a symbol of hate at all," Stewart said of the flag in February in Charlottesville, when he appeared with a group called Unity and Security for America that wants to restrict all immigration and limit it to people from Western nations. Stewart is a native of Minnesota, where Kaine was born. Kaine shot to national prominence after being chosen as Clinton's running mate on the Democratic ticket last year. He is poised financially for a re-election bid and retains a vast national donor network. With Trump in the White House, Kaine has focused on health care and opposition to the GOP plan now being modified in the Senate, and continuing to push for a new requirement of congressional authorization before military action by the president. This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai today issued draft design of public wifi network project that aims to provide low-cost wireless Internet services. Under the proposed system, any entity with valid pan number will be able to set up public data offices (PDOs), similar to PCOs of yesteryears, for providing public wifi hotspots, as per the draft released by Trai. The regulator has invited proposals from all entities willing to be part of the public wifi pilot by July 25. Any software or hardware company can submit its interest to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for providing technologies required for setting up PDOs. "This document intends to provide detailed technology specifications for various providers to ensure full WANI system interoperability. All providers must ensure compliance with this specifications to be part of this initiative. "This is a technical document and does not fully cover detailed policy aspects and enabling framework," Trai said in the document on architecture and specifications of Public Wifi. The regulator at this stage has proposed to open network design- wifi access network interface (wani)- for setting up public wifi hotspots. The regulator has proposed a central registry that will be managed by DoT or Trai or an entity approved by either of them containing information about the PDOs etc. New Delhi: When the whole B-town is heading towards New York City to ring in the IIFA 2017 Awards ceremony, diva of Bollywood Priyanka Chopra is heading in the opposite direction. The 34-year-old actress took to Instagram and posted a selfie of herself, heading back to the bay. She wrote, "Summer sun calling #mumbaibound #mumbaimerijaan #birthdaytime #familynfriends." The ' Baywatch' star is heading home to celebrate her brother Siddharth's birthday. The actress shared a loving wish for her bro on her social networking handle and wrote, "Happy birthday to my baby brother. @siddharthchopra89 You will always be the apple. May you smile laugh and always spread ur joy. Love you lots. #throwback." The actress will also ring in her own birthday on July 18. Priyanka Chopra with Adam Devine on the sets of 'Isn't It Romantic?' in New York City. (Photo: Instagram/priyankafanclub) Mumbai: Our desi girl and glamorous Priyanka Chopra is slaying it in the West, be it movies or fashion quotient, shes winning it all. Starting with seasons of television series Quantico, the babe received her first Hollywood movie- Baywatch with Dwayne Johnson and nailed the antagonists character like a pro. Applauded for her role, the actress soon got her second project A Kid Like Jake, for which she has already shot. It was just a few days ago, that PeeCees third movie Isnt It Romantic? was announced, where she will be seen playing a yoga ambassador alongside Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth and Adam Devine. The actress has already begun shooting for it in New York, and few pictures and a video have already got leaked and are going viral in no time. In the video surfaced on the Internet, Adam is trying to help Priyanka, who feels choked, using the Heimlich manoeuvre. However, its the way the video has been shot makes it look sleazy. As per a leading agency, Isnt It Romantic? will see Wilson play an architect Natalie from NYC (New York City), Hemsworth will be essay the role of Blake- a handsome client. The film surrounds around Natalie who works hard to get noticed at her job but ends up being treated as an intern. Directed by Strauss-Schulson and screenplay by Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox and Katie Silbrman, and Paula Pell, Isnt It Romantic? is slated to release on February 14, 2019. Here are some of the stills from the video and pictures which are doing the rounds on the Internet: A post shared by Perfection is ?! PeeCee (@priyanka.news) on Jul 11, 2017 at 12:34pm PDT A post shared by Bollywood Bombshells (@bombshell66) on Jul 12, 2017 at 11:17pm PDT Some more pictures of the actress from the sets: A post shared by Perfection is ?! PeeCee (@priyanka.news) on Jul 12, 2017 at 2:02am PDT A post shared by Perfection is ?! PeeCee (@priyanka.news) on Jul 12, 2017 at 2:17am PDT A post shared by Perfection is ?! PeeCee (@priyanka.news) on Jul 12, 2017 at 2:02am PDT Priyanka Chopra with Rebel Wilson. Mumbai: When Ranbir Kapoor decided to wear the producers hat for Anurag Basus detective-musical Jagga Jasoos his fans went berserk. But in an interview with a popular daily, the actor revealed that his heart is not in production work, his plans of converting Jagga in to a franchise and why his character will always resonate with him, always. Talking about his biggest takeaway from this film that took three years to be made and even longer to finalise a release date, the Rockstar actor told the daily, Beyond Jagga, of course me and Katrina will stay in touch. But going back to the film, as Shruti and Jagga, we have stayed with them for three and a half years. So, if these characters are loved and people really take to this character, then we will miss them more and will come back with a sequel as we are trying to make this as a franchise and hopefully we will receive that kind of love and acceptance for us to take this forward. Although Ranbir comes from the family of legendary filmmaker late Raj Kapoor and some excellent actors like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karishma Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor and Risha Kapoor, to name a few, filmmaking does not come naturally to him. Explaining the responsibilities that tag along with producing a film, Ranbir said, No nothing like that. I dont take that kind of pressure or responsibility. Anurag Basu and me wanted to collaborate again after Barfi. And we just thought we have an idea that we both love and this is a universal film, so we just decided to produce it. Anurag Basu, who Ranbir had collaborated with in 2012-released Barfi, thinks that both the filmsJagga Jasoos and Barfiare different in terms of content and the characters portrayed by the lead actors. Its very different. You might be finding the films texture similar, especially after looking at the trailer and songs, but the characters are extremely different. Barfi was predominantly a silent film while Jagga is musical. My character in this film stammers, thats why he sings, said the Tamasha actor. Distributed by Disney India, Jagga Jasoos is releasing on July 14 and the film, Ranbir asserts, is very much like fairytales that Disney is renowned for. Beauty and The Beast, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty All these films stayed with me. They stayed with me as a child and even now they entertain us. Jagga Jasoos is in the same genre. It will entertain the audience just like Disney films, he said. Hes done it, yet again. Busting a fashion stereotype, actor Ranveer Singh was recently spotted with a new arm candy - a striped box clutch with Marshall embossed on it. The actor with a quirky sense of style often makes headlines for breaking gender norms in fashion, and he pulls it off with his signature madcap panache. Handbags have been considered a feminine fashion accessory for ages. When pockets were adopted from European fashion in India, they were considered too masculine for women, so purses and handbags answered the utility of pockets and became a part of feminine fashion. But Ranveer Singh has peeled off the feminine label from this bracket of bags. However, how comfortable will all men be in breaking such norms? Celebrity stylist Rishi Raj thinks it is all about having confidence. I think it is wonderful that Ranveer, whose whole image is projected as this heterosexual, macho, alpha, player, chooses to do gender-bender sartorial takes. It sends out a message to all men that being alpha doesn't mean you cant experiment with fashion. A skirt is a skirt; it doesn't define someone's gender. A colour is a colour. People are too scared to do it, as it threatens their masculinity. It is wonderful that Ranveer has taken this responsibility to send across more than just a style-based message, he says. Ranveer Singh; A twitter conversation between Ranveer Singh and Virender Sehwag on Ranveers fashion sense. But is it just Ranveers confidence and his personal quirky taste that allows such a radical deviation from the sartorial norm? Model Saud Khan says, It doesnt matter anymore if a man is carrying a clutch. More people are following unisex trends as well. The environment is changing, people are ready to experiment but one needs to have a personality to pull it off. Of course, people in India are upgrading their fashion sense, so it is not just Ranveer who is being quirky. Some men who are more open to experimenting with style question the very basic categorising of clothes in the his and hers categories. American actor and rapper, Jaden Smith said in an interview with British GQ Style, I feel like people are kind of confused about gender norms I dont see man clothes and woman clothes, I just see scared people and comfortable people. However, model Rouhallah Gazi feels not everyone can follow this trend. Everyone has their own style and on top of that, one needs to have confidence to carry it off. Ranveer carries off all these things as he has that confidence. But one can't sport such things just because one wants to copy others. It has to fit the bill and look fine. People say 'wow' when Ranveer wears it but not all men will get such reactions, he says, adding, But people are slowly understanding fashion and probably in future more people will be able to carry off such things. But that will take time. Designer Amit Talwar believes that androgynous fashion will be a normal trend eventually. He says, Everyone today wants to be fashionable. Be it an actor or a common man. Male fashion domain is becoming bold. Plus, everyone has the freedom to carry what he or she wants. If you have a bold nature and you can carry it well, why not? People will accept it. I remember wearing a long transparent kurta wasnt welcome but now it is a fashion statement. Similarly, this clutch is a fashion statement. It comes like a shocker the first time, but by the tenth time it becomes a trend. Actor Dileep being brought to Abad Plaza Hotel on MG Road in Kochi on Wednesday evening as part of evidence collection in the actor abduction and assault case. (Photo: SUNOJ NINAN MATHEW) Kochi: Actor Dileep was sent to two days police custody by the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate on Wednesday. It reserved for orders the bail application filed by Dileep, who has been arrested for his role in the conspiracy behind the sexual assault on the actress. She was abducted and assaulted in a vehicle in Kochi on February 17. Though the police demanded Dileeps custody for three days for further questioning and collection of evidence, the court allowed his custody only for two days. Dileep was produced before the court at 11 a.m. He was taken to the chamber of the magistrate who allowed the police to take him. The custody period will end at 11 a.m. on Friday. Dileep's lawyer argued that the actor was falsely implicated and that he was innocent. Dileep had already cooperated with the police, explained his innocence and he himself is a complainant. The police took Dileep to the Aluva police club and ADGP Sandhya questioned him. He was first taken to Thodupuzha Shanthigiri College, but owing to the strong protest by the crowd against him, he was kept inside the police vehicle. Dileep was later taken to Cift Junction at Thoppumpadi and then to Abad Plaza for evidence collection. He was taken back to the Aluva police club at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the government has appointed A. Suresan as special public prosecutor in the case. He was the public prosecutor in the Soumya murder case. We had earlier reported that Pawan Kalyan would lend his voice for one of the songs in his next film with director Trivikram Srinivas. Turns out the actor hasnt given a nod for the same yet although the films composer Anirudh Ravichander has been trying hard to get him to sing for the film. The song would make people reminisce about the Katamarayuda song in Attarintiki Daaredi, and a special sequence for the same has been conceived too. Itll be a great value addition to the song and sequence if he agrees to sing, shares a source, adding that Anirudh has already proposed the idea to the actor, who is yet to respond. This film marks Anirudhs debut in Tollywood, and it seems he is leaving no stone unturned to ensure he enters with a bang. The composer is known to do wonders for films with stars in Tamil, thanks to his understanding of the pulse of the masses. Vector-borne diseases that include malaria, kala-azar, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, filaria and chikungunya are being reported in large numbers in the state. Chennai: Despite the efforts of civic authorities to prevent vector-borne diseases in the state, the cases of malaria, dengue, filaria and chikungunya are surging as Tamil Nadu recorded more than 4,845 cases of vector-borne diseases. According to a report released by National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, the state stands second in total cases of vector-borne disease cases reported all over the country. Vector-borne diseases that include malaria, kala-azar, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, filaria and chikungunya are being reported in large numbers in the state. The surge in dengue cases is such that the number of cases reported till May 2017 has outnumbered the total cases reported last year. In spite of 42 filaria clinics and 21 control units in the State, around 20 districts of Tamil Nadu are filarial endemic. Even after the easy availability of vaccines against Japanese encephalitis, people remain unaware of its symptoms and control, which leads to a large number of cases. Though malaria cases have reduced, particularly, the monsoon is to again increase the burden on health officials as the vectors find easy breeding ground. The health secretary mentioned that source reduction is being given impetus so that the outbreak can be avoided once a case is detected at the hospitals. State health department hopes to eliminate the high number of vector-borne diseases, especially the ones communicated by mosquitoes with the recently launched National Strategic Plan against mosquito-borne diseases. Understanding the need of the hour after the high numbers of cases, Greater Chennai Corporation has stepped in to provide a higher level of awareness among the people, especially children as they are being the dominant victims of such diseases these days. We are working with state government to inform and educate students on how these cases can be prevented, simple precautions can reduce the high number of vector-borne cases reported in the State. Students are being involved in awareness campaigns on a regular basis to propagate the preventive measures against such diseases, said health education officer. Government hospitals are also taking efforts to prevent and control vector-borne diseases by carrying out demonstrations at oublic health centres and government hospitals, said P. Vasanthamani, dean, Kilpauk Medical Hospital. Footage shows doctors removing dozens of maggots which are then wriggling in the stainless steel container (Photo: Youtube) From botflies removed from the head to squirming maggots removed from ears, it seems that bugs are closer to us than we would perhaps like them to be. Now a horrific footage of a doctor removing dozens of slimy, squirmy maggots from a boys ears have gone viral. The young boy, who, it turns out is from Kazakhstan, had gone to the doctor complaining of a sever earache. However, what the doctor diagnosed was far from his wildest imaginations. Eyewitnesses, who were present during the procedure could not believe their eyes when the doctor began removing live maggots from the boys ears. The video shows him pulling the grey maggots, a single at a time with his tweezers and depositing them in a surgical dish. By the time the doctor had finished there were dozens of maggots wriggling in the stainless steel container. An eyewitness who was present during the disgusting procedure filmed the entire thing and put it on social media, turning it viral overnight. The maggots, each about one centimetre long, are believed to be the larvae of a bluebottle or blow fly (Calliphoridae). Check the video below Of all the employee-employer emails that get shared online, a recent one between Madalyn Parker, a web developer in the US, and her company CEO is going viral across the world for all the right reasons. The story of Madalyn mentioning that she would be taking few days off from work to focus on her mental health, and the CEO writing back that such conversations were a key in cutting through the stigma, has got organisations and professionals worldwide thinking about mental health. Chennai-based mental health and human resources professionals share their thoughts on what it takes for Indian companies to get talking about mental health. With dialogues around mental health just entering the mainstream, theres still a long way to go, says Richa Singh, the CEO and co-founder of YourDost, a platform that offers people help with their emotional and mental wellbeing through support from psychologists and counsellors. We are not sensitised on how to speak up or react when somebody has a mental health issue. Employees fear that they will be discriminated, not given enough responsibility or be passed over for a promotion. Therefore you have a lot of employees, who suffer from depression and anxiety, but remain silent. Its important to realise that there can be no physical health without mental health and deal with issues of the mind like it were a problem with our teeth, bones or heart, she says. This is an issue that needs to involve everyone, Richa believes. The government needs to mandate that larger organisations have a mental health policy at the workplace. Employers need to communicate to employees that its okay to talk about mental health. I think making mental health a part of health insurance will go a long way in employers giving employees the space to speak up. Industry bodies like Assocham have highlighted the fact that Indian employees are depressed, anxious and stressed, now they need to bring about awareness. Vinita Jayapalan, the head HR at Softpath System LLC, concurs. With depression and other mental health issues still being seen as a taboo, many companies do not take it very seriously to consider granting leave to their employees for mental health. Even many employees fighting mental health issues feel it might hamper their chances of growing in their job and hence choose to not talk about them. They rather mention some physical illness when they need leaves, she says. Recalling an instance when a company had sent an employee to her to get a clearance if the employees anxiety is not going to affect his performance, psychological counsellor Sneha Hindocha says, The company, in this case, at least wanted to seek medical help to know if the employee was fit, even if it were not out of genuine concern. Its very rare that we see Indian companies giving space for mental health talks. Things can turn around only if all of us are open and understanding of mental health needs. As Richa says, We truly need to believe that we are all humans and we are all vulnerable. Closed circuit cameras installed on the ground floor of the school building recorded the footage of the boy landing on the ground from the upper floor. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A seventh standard student died after falling from a private school building under suspicious circumstances in Karimnagar on Thursday. The fall was caught on the closed circuit cameras installed in the school campus. According to the parents, the victim, Srikar Reddy, a student of Siddharth High School in Bhagatnagar, Karimnagar district, had gone to the school in the morning. In the afternoon, the parents were informed about his death. Closed circuit cameras installed on the ground floor of the school building recorded the footage of the boy landing on the ground from the upper floor. On coming to know about the incident activists of various students unions rushed to the school and staged a sit-in demanding action against the school management. They alleged that the management was mentally harassing student resulting in the boy ending his life. They charged the school management of flouting safety norms in the school. However, the school management said that the boy had not attended the school for last three days. During the morning also Srikar had not attended the school assembly as he complained of stomach ache, they told media persons. Sensing trouble the school management informed the police who rushed to spot along with reinforcements.The police then persuaded the leaders of the student unions to end their sit-in protest and assured to take action against the school management. The police collected the footage recorded by the closed circuit cameras installed in the campus and trying to figure out what actually has happened. A case has been registered and are investigating is in progress. 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 Tanveer's 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 Monsoon Session of the Parliament will begin from 17th July. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: Eighteen opposition parties have come together to take on the government in parliament during the Monsoon Session beginning July 17 over demonetisation, GST and various other issues, according to political sources. Leaders of these parties discussed the broad strategy and issues to be taken up in parliament during the meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, which was primarily convened to discuss the opposition's nominee for the Vice Presidential poll, the sources told PTI while refusing to be identified. There was a "broad agreement" on five issues over which the 18 parties will target the government inside parliament as also outside it and through the social media, the sources said. These issues are - "ill-effects of demonetisation", "rushing through the GST implementation", "farmers' distress and suicides", alleged "political vendetta", protection of federal structure of the country and "spreading of fake news and inciting people communally", they said. Referring to the alleged "political vendetta", the sources said there have been cases against Trinamool Congress leaders in "Narada scam" and raids on former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's family as also on the family of RJD chief Lalu Yadav. Tuesday's meeting was attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav, NCP's Praful Patel, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, Samajawadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal, BSP's Satish Mishra as also leaders from 10 other parties. When contacted Derek O'Brien did not go into details of the deliberations of that meeting but said, "individual parties will have their issues to be taken up but on some issues, there is a broad understanding among the 18 parties." Derek O'Brien, who is Trinamool's national secretary and the party's leader in the Rajya Sabha, added that "We are all working as a team" and "There is no question of one-upmanship by an party in the opposition." In the 545-member Lok Sabha, the Congress has 45 members while the Trinamool Congress has 34. At the meeting, the sources said, Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party suggested that the opposition parties should have such interactions at least once a month to coordinate their positions. Such meetings should be held not only in Delhi but also in state capitals, Agrawal suggested, according to the sources. Significantly, these parties displayed unanimity in choosing their candidate for the Vice Presidential polls, the sources said. The name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi was proposed by Derek O'Brien after Sonia Gandhi asked him to begin deliberations and it was immediately endorsed by all present, the sources said. There was no second name, they emphasised. Trinamool was given the first right to propose the joint candidate as it is the second largest opposition party. The largest opposition party, the Congress, had utilised this option in selection of the joint candidate for the Presidential polls, the sources explained. Seventeen opposition parties have jointly fielded Congress leader Meira Kumar for the Presidential polls. Significantly, the JD(U), which backed the ruling NDA nominee for the Presidential poll, went with the opposition parties in the context of the Vice Presidential candidate. Security jawans setting a temporary barricade of razor wire during restrictions in Srinagar on Thursday. Authorities imposed curfew and restrictions in many parts of Valley to maintain law and order. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police and central paramilitary forces enforced curfew in Srinagar areas and some other towns of the restive Valley to hold back pro-freedom rallies planned by Muslim separatists at 'Mazar-e-Shohda' or martyrs' cemetery in Srinagar to mark the 86th anniversary of slaying of 22 local Muslims by autocratic Dogra Maharaja's army. Curfew was clamped in southern Shopian town as well, whereas curfew or curfew-like restrictions brought life to a standstill in neighbouring Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts. Elsewhere, marketplaces remained shut and only skeletal transport services were available as vast majority of the people obeyed a call for shutdown issued by an alliance of separatist parties and endorsed by various political, social and trade organisations. The authorities, as a precautionary measure, suspended rail and mobile internet services across Kashmir. While it was an official holiday at government offices and banks, educational institutions remained shut on account of summer vacations. The security forces had been put on high alert all over the Valley following the recent attack on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, official sources said. Almost all senior separatist leaders and prominent activists were earlier placed under house arrest or detained. Later, chief Muslim cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was arrested as he began marching towards Mazar-e-Shohda from his residence in Srinagar's Nigeen area. Amid tight security, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, senior Cabinet members, senior party functionaries, government and police officials, including, several other mainstream leaders including Opposition National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah offered floral tributes to the martyrs of 1931 and said fateha prayers at Mazar-e-Shohda in Srinagar's Khawaja Bazaar. A contingent of Jammu and Kashmir police in ceremonial dress presented guard of honour. Dressed in green abaya (clock) and covering her head with a printed scarf, Mufti said that martyrs of 1931 sacrificed their lives for the establishment of a democratic, prosperous and happy Jammu and Kashmir and urged the people to fight those spreading fear. However, PDPs partner in government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stayed away from the official functions. July 13 is observed as Martyrs Day on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) at official and unofficial levels as 22 local Muslims were on this day in 1931 killed by the troops of autocratic Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh outside Srinagar Central Jail where an in-camera trial of famed Abdul Qadeer Khan, a non-local chef with a British traveller, was being held. Khan had been charged with sedition and instigating people for violence after he made fiery speeches against the Maharajas oppressive rule at a Friday congregation and while pointing towards his Palace asked people to raze it brick by brick. July 13 is also a public holiday on both sides of the LoC. But the BJP considers the Dogra rule in undivided Jammu and Kashmir as a golden period and also maintains that Maharaja Hari Singh was a genuine ruler of the state. The BJP leader once again urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sack Tejaswi. (Photo: PTI) Patna: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday refused to buy the defence of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav that he was a minor "without a moustache" at the time of the land-for-hotels deal. "When Tejaswi Yadav became the owner of the property, he had turned an adult with a moustache and a beard," he said in a statement in Patna. "He cannot put a veil on his crime by pleading that he was a minor at that time," added Modi. The BJP leader claimed that the Kochhar brothers had sold a commercial property on February 25, 2005 in the form of a three-acre land in Patna, through 10 sale deeds for Rs 1.47 crore, to Delight Marketing, in which Sarla Gupta, the wife of former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, was a director. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, owned by the Kocchars, the ownership of Delight Marketing also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav between 2010 and 2014, he alleged. Modi dared Tejaswi to announce that he did not own the said land, on which Bihar's biggest mall was coming up. "Tejaswi should also announce that he does not own a four-storied building at New Friends Colony in Delhi, the value of which is Rs 115 crore today," he said. The BJP leader once again urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sack Tejaswi. "When Tejaswi Yadav and his family have refused to resign, should the CM not show the courage to sack him?," he wondered. Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai also dismissed Tejaswi's defence of being a minor at the time of the land deal and alleged that he was putting the blame on his father (RJD supremo Lalu Prasad). Earlier on Wednesday, Tejaswi virtually ruled out the possibility of resigning from the state cabinet and dubbed the FIR against him as a part of a "political vendetta". "The FIR (in the land-for-hotels case) is part of a political vendetta. BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are conspiring against me and my family members because of political reasons," he told reporters. "Can you believe that a 14-year-old child, whose moustache is yet to come, will indulge in corruption?," he asked and dubbed the FIR as a "farzi" (fake) one. Jaipur: Violence broke out when a mob, after a condolence meeting for slain gangster Anandpal Singh in his native village, pelted stones at a police team, leaving 16 personnel, including the Nagaur SP, injured. A woman probationary IPS officer, Monika Sen, and the gunman of the SP went missing during the clashes but were found later. The officer is fine but the gunman was injured, ADGP law amd order NRK Reddy said. Superintendent of Police (SP) Paris Deshmukh and 15 policemen were injured in the violence at Nagaur district's Sanvrad village. The SP's vehicle was torched, he said. Three policemen in critical state have been referred to the SMS hospital in Jaipur, Reddy said. "The violence broke out at the village after the meeting by the Rajput community. They also blocked a railway track but it was cleared and the agitators were removed from there," he said. A North Western Railway spokesperson said that a passenger train was delayed due to the blockade and some were halted at the Sujangarh Railway Station as the track was damaged. The meeting was held to demand a CBI probe into the Anandpal police encounter which took place on June 24 in Churu district. The gangster's family are yet to cremate the body and are demanding an investigation by the central agency. Siddaramaiah said his party has taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in the Bengaluru Central Prison and ordered a high-level inquiry. (Photo: File) Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into alleged irregularities at the central prison in Bengaluru, including preferential treatment being given to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala. He said strict action will be taken against those found guilty. "We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in the Bengaluru Central Prison and ordered a high-level inquiry," Siddaramaiah, who is currently touring Raichur district, posted on Twitter. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry. 1/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 "Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing (sic)," he tweeted. Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing. 2/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 In a report submitted to DGP (Prisons) H S Sathyanarayana Rao on Wednesday, Deputy Inspector of General (Prisons) D Roopa had alleged that a special kitchen had been set up in the jail for Sasikala in violation of prison rules. "There are rumours that the kitchen is continuing to function despite the issue being brought to your (Rao) notice. There is also a talk that Rs 2 crore has been paid as bribe for this. As unfortunately these allegations are also against you, it is requested that you look into the matter and take merciless disciplinary action against erroneous officials," the report signed by Roopa said. She also pointed out other "erroneous" practices in the prison including "preferential" treatment to fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi. Sasikala, along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, is lodged in the Parappana Agrahara centralprison here ever since her conviction in February in the disproportionate assets case. They are serving a four-year jail term. DGP Rao on Thursday rubbished Roopa's charge, terming it as "absolutely false, baseless and wild" and said he would take legal recourse against his junior. Responding to this, Roopa said, "let there be a fair fact-finding inquiry to find out the truth." Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Balochistan allegedly for espionage attributes. He was later awarded death sentence by a Pakistani military court. (Photo: Screengrab) New Delhi: India on Thursday said it has not received any information, through its diplomatic channels, from Pakistan regarding giving consular access to former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Yadav, who was awarded death sentence of espionage by a military court. Briefing the media in the national capital, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said there has been no progress in providing visas so far for Jadhav's mother from the Pakistani side. "In terms of Consular access to Jadhav, I think there is no progress on that and also for the visas for the family, including the mother, I think there is no change in the position. So far no information is with us," Baglay said. Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the authorities are considering the request of Jadhav's mother to grant her a visa so that she could visit her son in prison. In April this year, India had requested Islamabad to facilitate Pakistan visas for Jadhav's family to meet him. Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Balochistan allegedly for espionage attributes. He was later awarded death sentence by a Pakistani military court. India had then moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the death penalty and in its verdict on May 18 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav. A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha came down heavily on the poll panel and asked whether it was 'constrained' to not give its views on the matter. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Election Commission for not taking a clear stand on a plea seeking a lifetime bar on convicted politicians from contesting elections, saying "silence was not an option" for it. A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha came down heavily on the poll panel and asked whether it was "constrained" to not give its views on the matter. "Is silence an option for you (ECI)? You must say either 'yes' or 'no' on whether you are supporting the petitioner. You are the ECI and here is a citizen of India who has come here to seek lifetime debarment of convicted persons. Can you say I will be silent? No, you cannot," the bench said. "If you (ECI) feel constrained by the legislature, then let us know. If you are even constrained to the extent of giving your view, feel free and say so clearly," it said. Referring to the ECI's reply, the apex court said it was clear that the poll panel has supported the cause espoused by petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking a life ban for convicted politicians. When the bench asked ECI to clarify its stand, its lawyer said the poll panel is supporting the cause to the extent of decriminalisation of politics. The bench shot back, asking "Are you (ECI) supporting lifetime debarment?" The counsel submitted that one of the paragraphs of the ECI's counter-affidavit said the poll panel supports the cause and it should not be "read in isolation". "Paragraph eight of your counter-affidavit is very clear that you are supporting it. You are saying we have to read between the lines which we think we should not. We do not think why we should find out any other meaning of what is there in this paragraph," the bench said and fixed the matter for further hearing on July 19. It also asked the ECI about what it had communicated to the Centre on the issue. When the ECI's counsel the court it has not said anything about that in the communication addressed to the Centre, the bench said "you cannot be silent". However, the poll panel's counsel said the ECI was not the "correct authority to comment on it" and that it would file an additional affidavit in the apex court on the matter. "It is submitted that the accompanying PIL, to the extent of relief claimed under prayers, are not adversarial and the answering respondent (Election Commission of India) supports the cause espoused by the petitioner," the ECI had said in its affidavit. During the arguments, Upadhyay, himself a lawyer who argued on behalf of one of the intervenors, told the bench that ECI's affidavit was clear that it was supporting the cause espoused by him. When he claimed before the court that "30 per cent of the lawmakers are actually lawbreakers", the bench said, "It is a matter of statistics and we are not going into it". "Are you also espousing the cause of convicted public servants and alleging discrimination," the apex court asked Upadhyay after he argued that on being convicted, public servants and judicial officers were eventually dismissed from service for life whereas a politician was debarred for only six years. The Centre, in its affidavit, said the prayer of the petitioner for a lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers was not maintainable and the plea should be dismissed. The ECI affidavit said it was in favour of setting up special courts to decide the criminal cases related to people's representatives, public servants and members of judiciary, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution. The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL which has also sought special courts for trial of criminal cases against people from the legislature, executive and judiciary. The ECI said it has been championing the cause of decriminalisation of politics within the constitutional and statutory framework, with the aid of Article 324 which relates to the functions and powers of the poll body. It has also issued necessary instructions in furtherance of the mandate to conduct free and fair elections and to "decriminalise democracy", the poll panel had said. On March 3, the apex court had granted the "last opportunity" to the government and the ECI to spell out their stand on a plea for barring convicts from contesting polls for life and stopping them from entering the judiciary and the executive. The petition has also sought a direction to the Centre and ECI to fix minimum educational qualification and a maximum age limit for persons contesting elections. VISHAKAPATNAM: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu likes to refer to Andhra Pradesh as the Sunrise State. But three years after bifurcation, the sun has yet to rise for the states Information Technology (IT) sector. During this period, the sector has remained in the shadows, without major investments or the entry of new players. IT-related exports have only witnessed a marginal improvement in comparison to the neighbouring state of Telangana and other major IT hubs. Cardinal reasons for the stagnation of the IT sector are the State Govern-ments failure to implement its IT policy, and the lack of proper infrastructure and ecosystems. When united AP underwent bifurcation, the IT-related exports from the residual state of Andhra Pradesh amounted to Rs 1,500 crore, while those from Telangana amounted to Rs 60,000 crore. Today, IT exports from the state are about Rs 2,000 crore, while those from Telangana have increased to Rs 1 lakh crore. Of the Rs 2,000 crore, about 80 per cent is contributed by Visakhapa-tnam, which is considered to be the IT hub of the state. The rest comes from Kakinada and Tirupati. Over the past three years, only 10 to 15 small units have been set up, and no new players have entered the state. O. Naresh Kumar, the vice president of the of IT Park Association of Rushikonda, said, The main reason for this is that the states IT policy is attractive on paper, but its implementation leaves much to be desired. We hardly receive the incentives promised in the policy. Other reasons are the absence of ready-made office spaces and suitable ecosystems. IT firms say that they have not received the incentives promised to them. This includes subsidies for rent, power, and bandwidth consumption, recruitment assistance and stamp duty reimbursement. Mr Naresh Kumar pointed out that companies were forced to pay a rather high amount of Rs 1.25 lakh for an internet bandwidth of 100 Mbps. Another software exporter said that five persons had occupied the post of IT Secretary over the past three years, as a result of which there had been inconsistencies in the implementation of policies. The cost of power is also prohibitive to the growth of the IT sector. On the surface, the power tariff for the sector is Rs 6.5 per unit, but after factoring in the hidden charges the final tariff works out to about Rs 9.5 per unit. This is one of the highest in the country, Mr Naresh Kumar said. Exporters feel that the least the State Gover-nment can do is to set up an office of the IT Department in Vizag. As of now, the Department is based in Vijayawada, from where there are hardly any IT-related exports. HYDERABAD: Gopikrishna Durgaprasad, a native of Vijayawada, committed suicide on Wednesday at Pune. An employee with the IT company Pitney Bowes at Pune, his suicide note cited the lack of job security and the fear of not being able to provide for his family members back home as the reasons for this drastic step. A candlelight vigil was held at Mindspace in the memory of Gopikrishna and to bring into focus the lack of job security faced by middle class youth employed in the IT industry. Gopikrishna had joined Pitney Bowes only three days back. Praveen Chandrahas, a member of the Forum of IT Professionals, said, It is clearly stated that he committed suicide due to lack of job security and that can be seen after observing Gopikrishnas career journey so far. From the details we have gathered it is seen that he has switched many jobs over the years in various metropolitan cities before finally settling down in Pune. He had joined this organisation only three days back. He might have had a panic attack about losing this job too as he had lost his jobs many times earlier. Over a hundred people attended the vigil especially IT employees who could relate to Gopikrishnas fear of losing his job without a prior notice. IT professionals claim that the layoffs have been happening due to increasing IT automation. Chennai: Veteran artist and social activist Veera Santhanam whose paintings balanced the trends in changing generations and who vociferously raised his voice against atrocities on Sri Lankan Tamils, died here on Thursday night. Santhanam, a renowned painter whose works had been exhibited across the country at many popular galleries since 1982, was 71. He had been unwell for the last few years and has been on and off in hospitals, sources said. Apart from paintings, Santhanam also tried his luck in the silver screen by donning character roles in films like Vijay-starrer Kathi. The late actor will be best remembered for his activism and had raised his voice for Tamils on several issues. He had also participated in several protests against atrocities on Sri Lankan Tamils during the height of the civil war in 2009. Santhanam shot into the limelight after he began lending his voice for the oppressed. New Delhi: Administering a strong snub to China which had raked up Kashmir by offering to mediate between New Delhi and Islamabad, India on Thursday said cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the heart of the matter that was threatening regional peace, adding that it was a bilateral matter between it and Pakistan. New Delhi reiterated its position that it was always open to bilateral talks with Pakistan to solve issues but Indias position also has been that talks and terror cannot go together. New Delhi also said it continues to work diplomatic channels to resolve the situation following the continuing Doklam face-off in Bhutan between Indian and Chinese troops. New Delhi also indicated that the Doklam issue figured in the conversation between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit last week in Hamburg. Indias strong reaction came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson reportedly said China was willing to play a constructive role in improving Indo-Pak ties, amid the increased hostility along the LoC. China also had said the situation in Kashmir has attracted international attention. The Chinese offer is being seen by observers as an attempt to pressure India on Kashmir. At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India including on the people of the state of J&K. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular source is threatening peace and stability in not only India but (also) other neighbours, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. As far as the Kashmir issue itself is concerned, the governments position has been very consistent and clear, he said. We have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan among other issues (including) J&K in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan including the Kashmir issue in a bilateral framework has not changed, Baglay said. Indias stand however has been that talks and terror cannot go together. He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India is against the use of chemical weapon anywhere by anyone in any situation. Baglay hit out at the Pakistan government for reading from terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taibas terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in July last year. On the Doklam issue, the MEA indicated that the Doklam issue figured in the conversation between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit last week in Hamburg although it did not explicitly say so. I leave it to your imagination and common sense, Mr. Baglay told a reporter in response to a question whether the issue had figured during talks. Bengaluru: In comments that are being seen as having crossed a red line, BJP leader, Shobha Karandlaje's attempt to counter an attack by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on BJP leader, former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa's controversial Dalit outreach, went completely off track. Responding to Mr. Siddaramaiahs searing comments on Tuesday that if the BJP leaders were truly concerned about the welfare of Dalits, they should marry them and make them a part of the family, Ms. Karandlaje pointed to KPCC working president, Dinesh Gundurao, saying, "BJP leaders have nothing to learn from the Congress party on how to woo dalits. Before suggesting anything to BJP state president, B. S. Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister Siddamaraiah must look at his own house. Is KPCC Working President, Dinesh Gundurao's wife a Dalit? Who the Congress Working President has married is a matter of public knowledge," she said. Mrs Tabu Gundurao immediately took to Facebook and slammed Ms Karandlaje stating that it was unfortunate that a leader of Ms Karandlaje's stature has stooped to such levels. "As a homemaker and a mother of two daughters, I take strong umbrage to Ms Karandlaje trespassing into our private lives for her narrow political gain. The fact that she has derisively referred to our family in a totally unconnected issue indicates that her sole intention is to create communal disharmony in the society," Ms Rao lashed out and quickly added that it was no secret that she was born a Muslim and her husband Mr Dinesh, is a Brahmin. "We have been happily married for over two decades now and not once has the issue of community crossed our minds. We live a perfectly balanced life, though neither of us has converted, respecting all religions is a practice followed by us...We represent the unity in diversity that India stands for," Ms Rao stated. While coming down heavily on Ms Karandlaje, KPCC working president, Dinesh Gundurao stated that had he been in love with dalit girl, he would surely have married her, but at that time he was in love with Tabu, so, he chose to marry her. "Everyone is aware of whom I am married to. Even when I got married in 1994, I ensured both families agreed to our marriage. It is a well known fact that Ms Karandlaje isn't married yet, she has every chance to prove what she preaches. She can marry anyone she desires," he quipped. He added that BJP leaders seem to have lost their senses, fearing that they might lose in 2018 elections, therefore, they are panicking and resorting to such statements. "These statements only show them in bad taste and their low taste," he snapped. British Deputy High Commissioner called on Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar and discussed with him various power related issues like renewables, electric vehicles and finance for power projects. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Shivakumar said despite the drop in hydel power generation owing to a weak monsoon, the department was taking all steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers, students and industries. The daily demand for power varies from 8300 MW to 9300 MW. The water storage in major reservoirs was less compared to the corresponding period of last year. This had hit power generation from hydel sources. Union Energy Minister Piyush Goyal had promised speedy allocation of coal blocks in Chhattisgarh to ensure smooth supply of coal to the state thermal power generating plants. The coal would be transported from Chattisgarh to the thermal power plants in Karnataka. Mr Shivakumar also said the union government had stopped the supply of energy efficient LED bulbs to Karnataka citing technical reasons. Because of this, the energy department too had temporarily suspended the distribution of LED bulbs at concessional rates. The supply would resume after the union government starts supplying those bulbs, he added. On the meeting with Mr Dominic, the minister said several proposal pertaining to the energy department had been placed before the government and the former had extended technical and financial support. The British deputy high commissioner had appreciated the works being done in the fields of wind energy and solar energy. Impetus was also given on green energy. The state has been invited to utilised funds available in London Stock Exchange to increase power generation.r Dominic McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner called on Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar and discussed with him various power related issues like renewables, electric vehicles and finance for power projects. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Shivakumar said despite the drop in hydel power generation owing to a weak monsoon, the department was taking all steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers, students and industries. The daily demand for power varies from 8300 MW to 9300 MW. The water storage in major reservoirs was less compared to the corresponding period of last year. This had hit power generation from hydel sources. Union Energy Minister Piyush Goyal had promised speedy allocation of coal blocks in Chhattisgarh to ensure smooth supply of coal to the state thermal power generating plants. The coal would be transported from Chattisgarh to the thermal power plants in Karnataka. Mr Shivakumar also said the union government had stopped the supply of energy efficient LED bulbs to Karnataka citing technical reasons. Because of this, the energy department too had temporarily suspended the distribution of LED bulbs at concessional rates. The supply would resume after the union government starts supplying those bulbs, he added. On the meeting with Mr Dominic, the minister said several proposal pertaining to the energy department had been placed before the government and the former had extended technical and financial support. The British deputy high commissioner had appreciated the works being done in the fields of wind energy and solar energy. Impetus was also given on green energy. The state has been invited to utilised funds available in London Stock Exchange to increase power generation. New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah met top RSS leaders Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Krishna Gopal on Thursday to discuss various issues, including the NDAs vice-presidential candidate, and sources said he would soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the partys parliamentary board, its highest decision-making body, to finalise its candidate for the second-highest constitutional post. The Opposition parties have already named Mahatma Gandhis grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former IAS officer and diplomat and a former West Bengal governor, as its joint candidate. The meeting between Mr Shah and the RSS leaders lasted for over half an hour. While the names of former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel, Manipur governor Najma Heptullah, Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, Madhubani MP Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav and senior leader O. Rajagopal are doing the rounds as the NDAs vice-presidential candidate, speculation is rife it could also be a surprise candidate. Senior Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has already rejected suggestions that his name was being considered for the post. Incidentally, some governors, including Ms Heptullah, Himachal Pradeshs Acharya Devvrat and UPs Ram Naik are said to be camping in New Delhi. The term of incumbent vice-president Hamid Ansari is due to end on August 10 and the election for the next vice-president will be held on August 5. The last day of filing nominations for this election is July 18. Rajya Sabha secretary-general Shumsher K. Sheriff will be the returning officer for the vice-presidential polls. The electoral college for this poll comprises the elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament. The vice-president also serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel selected Hamburg as the venue of the Group of 20 summit, I imagine she hoped to showcase the place of her birth and her country. But the best-laid plans sometimes take unexpected turns. Many of the images and sound bites seared in the minds of those following the summit from thousands of miles away were that of protests and sudden twists like Ivanka Trump representing her father, US President Donald Trump, during at least one working session of the summit. That and the predicted climate change rift that set the US against the other G-20 members were seen as defining moments of the Hamburg meet. But all said and done, the two-day summit did manage to get everyone to agree on a whole range of development issues, from investment in Africa to preparedness for pandemics. Global conferences typically dont solve the problems of the world. But they emit powerful signals. India won plaudits for promoting ease of doing business, startup funding and labour reforms at this gathering of the worlds 20 largest economies. But there is something else which should have created more of a buzz. For the first time, global health was discussed at a G-20 summit, alongside economic and political issues. This was largely at Germanys behest. The Lancet, the prestigious medical journal, pointed out: In recent years, under Angela Merkels leadership, Germany has shown a growing financial and political interest and involvement in global health, rooted in human rights, multilateralism, and the Bismarck model of social protection. Infectious diseases are not just health problems but present a growing economic and security threat across borders. One major emerging threat is antimicrobial resistance or AMR, as more and more bugs develop immunity to medicines and turn into superbugs. The arrival of global health on the G-20 agenda must be seen in this context. The G-20 nations have pledged to strengthen health systems and combat antimicrobial resistance, a growing threat to public health and economic growth. In a world that has already experienced Zika, Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), attention to these issues are vital, and the G-20 leaders have sent a welcome signal. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the new director-general of the World Health Organisation, led the WHO delegation at the summit and used the opportunity to link pandemic preparedness to universal health coverage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Indias new health policy and flagged the Swachh Bharat Mission. One hopes more toilets are not only built but also used. In another development important to this country, tuberculosis was discussed at the G-20 summit. India has the worlds highest TB burden. In 2015, some 2.8 million Indians were diagnosed with TB and 480,000 died of the disease. India has taken initiatives to address the problem but a massive diagnostic gap persists. As does drug-resistance. In 2012, India started a Web-based reporting system Nikshay to implement a policy of mandatory TB notification. But despite the progress, India still needs to track one million missing cases of TB every year, specially from the private sector. In this context, the G-20 declaration identifying TB as a priority area for research and development is good news indeed. Hopefully, it will help tackle the enormous challenge of TB in this country. It helped that G-20 health ministers had gathered in Berlin this May and finalised a set of common goals and practices to promote health under the Berlin Declaration. Indias health minister J.P. Nadda took an active part. Clearly, global health is on the international political agenda again and India is very much part of the discussions. But if India wants to be perceived as a development icon, it must take the lead in the global health discourse as well as in best practices. Health experts such as Anant Bhan point out that India has come up with policies, successfully conveyed its intent to make significant changes in the healthscape of the country but leadership would mean translating that into action on the ground. India has several health feats to its credit. In the past decade, the most celebrated one is its success in the battle against polio. Last year, the WHO declared this country free of yaws and maternal and neonatal tetanus. But the countrys public health system remains patchy. For instance, whether a woman lives or dies at childbirth depends to a great extent on where she is. Those who have money can buy their way out of the mess; the vast majority cannot, and suffer. Last week, Indias civil society came out with a report on the Sustainable Development Goals: Agenda 2030. The chapter on health is revealing. The National Health Policy 2017 calls for the strengthening of primary care in the form of developing health and wellness centers. But the poor financial outlays for health in the last budget seem inconsistent with this vision the report points out. In a country where medicines continue to account for almost half of total treatment costs, it is heartening that the government has flagged free medicines and diagnostics for all in public health facilities. The experiences of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu show that if free generic medicines are dispensed to the public, it can sharply cut down out-of-pocket medical expenditures. However, as the report points out: This is achievable if Central government funding is available instead of being left entirely to states. The Narendra Modi government has taken steps like price control of medicines, but in what appears to be a case of mixed messages, the powerful Niti Aayog has also recommended disinvestment of government-owned pharmaceutical companies. It is one thing to offload Air India, but this suggestion, if followed, could potentially rob the government of a vital tool to promote affordable access to medicines. Many countries in the developing world and elsewhere already look to India for low-cost life-saving medicines and frugal innovations. Now India needs to step up with fresh ideas, resources and action on the ground if it wants to wear the mantle of a leader in global healthcare. One of the casualties of the ongoing Saudi-Qatar spat could well be Egyptian strongman Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. In Mr Sisis rise were the seeds of his insecurity. When the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia returned from convalescence in Europe in February 2011 and saw allies Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia blown away by the Arab Spring, he swore to reverse the trend: no Arab monarchy or ally shall be allowed to fall, he declared. Nothing worried him more than the replacement of Mr Mubarak by Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brothers are anathema to both Saudis and Israelis. Qatar on the other hand, has patronised the Brothers, a powerful grassroots force in Egypt and Turkey. It is sufficiently powerful to keep King Abdullah of Jordan on sixes and sevens. Also, one must not forget the Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Hama, northwest Syria, in 1982, which Bashar al-Assads father, Hafez al-Assad, quelled with such brute force that the death toll exceeded 10,000. In 2011, when then Turkish Prime Minister and current Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took a more benign interest in Syrian affairs, his advice to Mr Assad was straightforward: accommodate the Brothers in the establishment. Israel has nightmares because it fears that the Brothers weed in Egypt and elsewhere will link up with Hamas, another strong Muslim Brothers outfit. When the Western media, protective of Israeli interests, list the Shia axis inimical to the Jewish state Iran, Hezbollah, Syria it mentions Hamas in the same breath without the essential qualification: Hamas is true-blue Sunni. The link-up with Iran is political or ideological, not religious. Saudi anxieties are more profound. Remember from January 1980, the Saudis began to play down the monarchy and focus more on the Kings role as the keeper of the holy shrines at Mecca and Medina. This show of humility followed two events, one after the other, which shook the House of Saud. The Iranian Revolution, which brought the ayatollahs to power in Tehran in 1979, coincided more or less with the siege of the Mecca mosque by Juhayman al-Otaybi and hundreds of his supporters, demanding the overthrow of the House of Saud and an end to the anti-Islamic monarchy in Saudi Arabia. This is the Brothers belief even today. That is why Hosni Mubaraks dictatorship was preferable to the Saudis than Mohamed Morsi even though he came to power through the ballot box. The Saudis to the hilt supported the counter-revolution that ousted Mr Morsi. No sooner did Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, then the Army chief, emerge as the alternative in Egypt, the Saudis placed in his hands $8 billion to stabilise and proceed. That was also the first time that Al Jazeera TV (indirectly Qatar) came into direct conflict with the Egyptian state. Three journalists were jailed. Let us fast forward to the present. The 13-point ultimatum issued by the Saudis (in the name of the Gulf Cooperation Council) to Qatar includes outrageous demands: shut down Al Jazeera and break relations with Iran and the Brothers. It is an invitation to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Emir of Qatar, to virtually eat crow. Since this is unlikely to happen, the ensuing standoff between Riyadh and Doha will have regional ramifications. The Doha lifeline may go some distance in agitating the Egyptian street. This is where Mr Sisis vulnerability lies. Strangely, in this intra-GCC spat, Egypts is the only non-GCC name that figures. It cannot be edifying for citizens of what was once the most powerful Arab nation to be seen as a sidekick of the House of Saud. That is why there were two distinct reactions in Cairo when US President Donald Trump announced a $110 billion arms deal with his Saudi allies. The news was heartening for the presidential palace, but, by the same token, there was murmuring in the districts where the Brothers lie in wait. A Clinton adviser, Bruce Riedel, now a specialist at Brookings Institution, however, promptly challenged the news of the deal. He furnished incontrovertible proof that Mr Trump was bragging about a Saudi arms wishlist, but no real deals had been concluded. By contrast, former US President Barack Obama sold the Saudis $112 billion in weapons in 2012, a single deal negotiated by defence secretary Bob Gates. Mr Riedels other argument was the clincher: You will know the Trump deal is real when Israel begins to ask for a package to keep the Israeli defence forces qualitative edge preserved. What seems to be on its way are a billion dollars worth of munitions to help the Saudi Air Force pulverise the Arab worlds poorest country Yemen. It will take the Saudis millennia to build a civilisation like the one they are destroying in Yemen. Put it down to American caprice or ambidexterity that while Mr Trump spewed anti-Qatar rhetoric, his defence secretary James Mattis was in Qatar signing a $12 billion arms deal with his Qatari counterpart Khalid Al Attiyah. The scene is being set for a perfect cockfight. Encourage the Saudis to break with Qatar and promptly dispatch Mr Mattis to Doha to squeeze yet another deal with the nervous Qataris. This would prompt Saudis come running for more arms, and so on. I have always maintained that Americans, protected by the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, will continue to enhance their dependence on what Dwight Eisenhower called the military industrial complex. Retaliatory consequences of their arms sales in the form of increased terrorism will be borne by Europe, which has land and Mediterranean Sea links with areas in West Asia most affected by the post 9/11 wars. Manchester and London Bridge are only the most recent manifestations of terrorism as revenge. Is the revenge terrorism in the West different from terrorism elsewhere? For instance, suicide bombers outside the German embassy in Kabul killed 150 members of the Afghan police, Army and foreigners soon after the Manchester attack. The dynamic here is different. Afghans collaborating with a 16-year-old US occupation of Afghanistan are under attack from the Taliban, who are falling back on Afghan nationalism. What is common to Islamic terror everywhere is the technique suicide bombing. This genre was patented by Wahabi, Takfiri thought and will continue until the West lays the blame where it belongs. No Iranian or Hezbollah or indeed Shia militant has yet been found to be a suicide bomber. Nor have the Brothers. A crack in the Larsen C ice shelf, a drifting extension of the land-based ice sheet, finally broke through after inching its way across the frozen formation for years. (photo: NASA) A Delaware-sized iceberg, one of the largest ever seen, was set adrift after snapping from a West Antarctic ice shelf that will be closely watched for signs of collapse, scientists said Wednesday. A crack in the Larsen C ice shelf, a drifting extension of the land-based ice sheet, finally broke through after inching its way across the frozen formation for years. It created an iceberg of about 5,800 square kilometres (2,200 square miles), with a volume twice that of Lake Erie, one of the North American Great Lakes. "The iceberg weighs more than a trillion tonnes, but it was already floating before it calved away so has no immediate impact on sea level," said a team of researchers from the MIDAS Antarctic research project. Also read: Dont worry about the huge Antarctic iceberg worry about the glaciers behind it The gargantuan ice cube will probably be named A68. "The calving of this iceberg leaves the Larsen C ice shelf reduced in area by more than 12 per cent, and the landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula changed forever," the team added. Separation occurred somewhere between Monday and Wednesday, and was recorded by a NASA satellite. The calving of ice shelves occurs naturally, though global warming is thought to have accelerated the process in some regions. Warmer ocean water erodes the underbelly of the ice shelves, while rising air temperatures weaken them from above. Icebergs calving from Antarctica are a regular occurrence, and there are thousands of them. The latest behemoth will be closely watched for potential risk to ships. "The big ones are easier to spot in the ocean. This one, for sure, will be tracked very easily by satellite," Mark Drinkwater, a European Space Agency (ESA) ice expert, told AFP. "The concern is whether the thing breaks up into a myriad of smaller bergs." There is also a risk that smaller, loose pieces which stayed behind when the main chunk broke off will now calve away. "There appear to be a number of fractures that might indicate that other pieces might break away later," Drinkwater said. The fate of A68 is hard to predict. Drinkwater said it could "hang around" for some time before the tides and wind force it further out to sea. According to an ESA statement, ocean currents could drag the iceberg, or pieces of it, as far north as the Falkland Islands, posing a hazard for ships in the Drake Passage. Will it collapse? Experts disagree over whether the calving heightens the risk of Larsen C disintegrating like its neighbours Larsen B in 2002 and Larsen A in 1995. Floating on the ocean, ice shelves are fed by slow-flowing glaciers from land. Without them, the glaciers would flow directly into the sea. If the glaciers held in check by Larsen C were to spill into the Antarctic Ocean, it would lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (four inches), previous research has shown. With its new shape and size, Larsen C may be less stable, the MIDAS researchers warned. "In the ensuing months and years, the ice shelf could either gradually regrow, or may suffer further calving events which may eventually lead to collapse," said lead investigator Adrian Luckman. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Despite the increasing number of data breaches and nearly 36.6 million data records being lost or stolen in India in 2016 (source: Breach Level Index), the vast majority of IT professionals still believe perimeter security is effective at keeping unauthorised users out of their networks. However, companies are under investing in technology that adequately protect their business, according to the findings of the fourth-annual Data Security Confidence Index released today by Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security. Surveying 1,050 IT decision makers worldwide, businesses feel that perimeter security is keeping them safe. Out of the 100 IT decision makers from India, most (98 per cent) believe that it is quite effective at keeping unauthorised users out of their network. However, 49 per cent are not extremely confident their data would be protected, should their perimeter be breached, a slight decrease on last year (58 per cent). Despite this, nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) organisations report that they believe all their sensitive data is secure. Perimeter security is the focus, but understanding of technology and data security is lacking Many businesses are continuing to prioritise perimeter security without realizing it is largely ineffective against sophisticated cyberattacks. According to the research findings, 93 per cent of Indian respondents said their organisation had increased investment in perimeter security technologies such as firewalls, IDPS, antivirus, content filtering and anomaly detection to protect against external attackers. Despite this investment, two thirds (66 per cent) believe that unauthorised users could access their network, rendering their perimeter security ineffective. These findings suggest that there is a lack of confidence in the solutions used, especially as over a third (38 per cent) of organisations have seen their perimeter security breached in the past 12 months. The reality of the situation is worsened when considering that, on average, less than 10 per cent of data breached (11 per cent) was encrypted. Businesses confidence is further undermined by over half of respondents (45 per cent) not knowing where [all] their sensitive data is stored. In addition, over a third of businesses do not encrypt valuable information such as payment (33 per cent) or customer (39 per cent) data. This means that, should the data be stolen, a hacker would have full access to this information, and can use it for crimes including identify theft, financial fraud or ransomware. It is clear that there is a divide between organisations perceptions of the effectiveness of perimeter security and the reality, said Jason Hart, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Data Protection at Gemalto. By believing that their data is already secure, businesses are failing to prioritise the measures necessary to protect the data they hold and instead focusing on perimeter security that alone is not sufficient to protect critical data. Businesses need to be aware that hackers are after a companys most valuable asset data. Its important to focus on protecting this resource; otherwise reality will inevitably bite those that fail to do so. Not all businesses are compliant The recent set of attacks and increase in the recorded data breaches in India has again brought forth the attention to lack of robust Breach Notification laws in the country as the lack of transparency only aggravates the problem. With increase in data breaches in the last 12 months, businesses in India should have policies and procedures in place that are in line with government guidelines. However, what is of concern is that around 31 per cent businesses in India do not have any policies in place to adequately secure the most vulnerable and crucial data they hold, or even understand where it is stored, said Rana Gupta, Vice President, APAC Sales Identity & Data Protection, Gemalto. With cybercrimes at an all-time high, overall, enterprises and individuals need to be extra vigilant in protecting their data against cybercriminals who attack when your guard is down. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The case was registered under Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, which deals with any unauthorized access to a computer network, and Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with theft. India's Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, which is looking into reports of a major leak of user data, has filed a police complaint alleging "unlawful access to its systems," a police officer involved in the investigation said on Wednesday. The complaint is the telecom company's first official acknowledgement of a systems breach. Jio has so far denied media reports and user accounts of a leak. The officer involved in the investigation said Jio filed the complaint on Monday in Navi Mumbai, where it is headquartered. Jio, part of conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Wednesday. Also read: Reliance Jio customers worried about sensitive data breach Several local news sites reported late on Sunday that names, telephone numbers and email addresses of Jio users were visible on a site called 'Magicapk,' which was subsequently taken down. Jio, headed by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, rubbished the website's claims and said its subscriber data was safe and maintained with the highest security. It said that data on the 'Magicapk' website appeared to be "unauthentic." Many local news outlets such as Indian Express and MediaNama however, contradicted these claims. They reported being able to cross reference and confirm the veracity of the data on numerous Jio customers known to them. Experts say India has inadequate data protection laws that do not mandate companies or agencies to notify clients if their personal data has been breached. Advocates for stronger data protection laws say this results in data leaks often going unreported. "There is a clear stigma attached to being hacked, or data being stolen," said Akash Mahajan, a web security consultant in Bengaluru, adding this is why companies in India often do not admit to data breaches. Aadhaar Appears Safe On Tuesday, Reuters reported that police in the western state of Rajasthan detained a man on suspicion of involvement in the breach, which cyber security analysts say could be the first large-scale leak from an Indian telecoms firm. The officer involved in the matter declined to give further detail on the investigation, but said preliminary evidence indicated the widely-used "Aadhaar" numbers of Jio customers were not compromised in the leak. Jio, which launched last September, already boasts over 100 million subscribers after drawing in users with months of free service and now cut-price deals. It is not clear whether data on all 100 million plus customers was compromised. Many users registered for Jio using their 12-digit Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number, commonly known as the Aadhaar number. The government is pushing for Aadhaar numbers to be used in everything from opening a bank account to filing tax returns. The number, which works in a similar way to US Social Security numbers, is unique to each Indian citizen and stores users' biometric data in a centralized database. The case was registered under Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, which deals with any unauthorized access to a computer network, and Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with theft. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Tech giant Samsung Electronics is planning to launch its next Galaxy Note smartphone on August 23, about a month ahead of the announcement of Apples new iPhone, reported Korean news website The Bell. According to people familiar with matter, cited by the report, Samsung is holding an event on August 23 in New York for the Galaxy Note 8 unveiling. It reaffirms an earlier report by Reuters which claimed Samsung will launch Galaxy Note 8 in the second half of August in New York. Refurbished model of its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 7, which was pulled down from the shelves following explosion reports, has also been released in Samsungs home market as Galaxy FE Edition. According to reports, Galaxy Note 8 will feature a curved screen, marginally larger than the 6.2-version of Galaxy S8 smartphone, with edge-to-edge 18:5:9 aspect ratio and two rear cameras. It will be powered by Snapdragon 835 processor, coupled 6GB RAM with 64GB/128GB storage option. It is said to be packed with a 3300mAh battery and come with an S Pen. The device is expected to be Samsungs most expensive smartphone ever, carrying a price tag of approximately Rs 72,000. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. A joint international investigation has determined that the Boeing 777 was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile (Photo: AP) Kuala Lumpur: Teary-eyed families of Malaysians killed when a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday demanded those responsible be brought to justice, ahead of the third anniversary of the disaster. All 298 people on board were killed when the jet was downed in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. A joint international investigation has determined that the Boeing 777 was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile fired from rebel-held territory, but a separate criminal probe has yet to arrest any suspects. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the downing of flight MH17, putting the blame on Kiev. Forty-three Malaysians were killed in the tragedy, including 15 crew members. About 90 of the victims' family members, many wearing black, Thursday attended a commemoration to mark the anniversary of the disaster, hosted by the Malaysian transport minister. "I want the suspects hunted down and punished for their crime," Fateen Izzah, whose engineer brother Hasni Hardi Parlan was killed in the disaster, told AFP. "Only swift justice will ease the pain my family and I have endured these three years," added the teary-eyed 27-year-old, as she clutched the hand of her husband. Mohamad Zaki, 40, who lost his 30-year-old student brother Mohamad Ali Mohamad Salim, echoed the call. "We want the authorities to nail those who shot the plane down. I know it will take a long time, but I will be patient," he said. The families were briefed by Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai on the latest developments in the investigation. "We are confident ... investigators will be able to identify the criminals responsible for the MH17 tragedy and we will be able to charge them in Netherlands," he said, adding the probe into the tragedy could be wrapped by early 2018. Dutch officials announced last week that the trial of any suspects arrested in the shooting down of flight MH17 will be held in the Netherlands after an agreement was reached with several countries leading a joint probe. Most of the victims were Dutch. London: India is among the countries ready to forge an "ambitious" new trading relationship with the UK after Britain leaves the European Union (EU), Prime Minister Theresa May has told the Parliament. In a statement in the House of Commons on the recently concluded G20 summit in Hamburg, May said that her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi involved discussions on a wide range of issues, including tackling modern day slavery. "At this summit, I held a number of meetings with other world leaders, all of whom made clear their strong desire to forge ambitious new bilateral trading relationships with the UK after Brexit. This included America, Japan, China and India," May said in her statement on Monday. In response to Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn on the issue of striking new trade deals, she added: "I am very happy to tell him (Corbyn) that we are already working with the Americans on what a trade deal might look like. We already have a working group with the Australians, and we have a working group with India as well. "We are working on trade in three areas. Obviously, one area is looking ahead to the trade agreements we can have with those countries we do not currently have them with as a member of the European Union. The second is ensuring that, where there are trade agreements with the EU, we are able to roll those forward as we leave the EU, she added. "The third area is working with countries such as India and Australia to discuss what changes we can make now, before we leave the EU, to improve our trade relationship, she said. Labour MP Graham Jones asked May if she had raised the issue of modern day slavery and child prostitution in India during her meeting with Modi, to which she said that it was an issue "previously" raised with the Indian PM as the UK wants "people around the world to address it". "We are very clear that we want to see this issue being dealt with. That is one of the reasons why we have put into legislation the requirement for companies here in the UK, which will be manufacturing and will be sourcing products from around the world, to look at their supply chains and report on what they find in them and whether or not modern slavery is taking place within them," she told Parliament. Modi and May had held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last week, during which the Indian leader had raised the issue of Indian economic offenders like liquor baron Vijay Mallya and former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi and sought the UKs cooperation in extraditing them to face the Indian courts. Trump and Macron appear to have little in common, with their views at odds on everything from globalisation to immigration. (Photo: AP) Paris: Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday for a presidential visit filled with Bastille Day pomp and which the White House hopes will offer respite from rolling scandal back home. Air Force One touched down at Paris' Orly airport shortly after 0630 GMT, with US president beginning a 24-hour trip that coincides with France's national day on Friday and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the 71-year-old stepped onto French soil for the first time as president hoping the visit will distract from weighty allegations that his family and inner circle colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election. The scandal has put his son and top aides in legal jeopardy and cast a pall over his efforts to remake American politics. During the lightning visit, Trump -- who sees himself as a transformative figure in US politics -- will be the guest of honour festivities marking a pivotal point in the French Revolution, after a trip to Napoleon's tomb and a Michelin-starred dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Trump and his host, recently-elected French President Emmanuel Macron, will watch troops parade down the Champs-Elysees and mark 100 years since America entered World War I on France's side. Macron, 39, is hoping to use the weight of history and French grandeur to charm the unpredictable Trump -- six weeks after welcoming Russia's Vladimir Putin at the grandiose Palace of Versailles. In London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, European leaders are wondering how best to handle the US president, whose nationalist "America First" agenda has upended transatlantic relations. Macron hopes to build a relationship with the new occupant of the White House that might enable him to influence US policy or, at the least, help avoid serious strains between the EU and Washington. There are already tensions over climate change and trade, while Trump was openly critical of the EU last year and snubbed a handshake with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their first meeting in March. "It's very difficult to play chess with a man whose strategy is a complete mystery and whose only consistency is his pursuit of American national interest," foreign affairs expert Bertrand Badie of Sciences Po university in Paris told AFP. "To imagine that you might change his mind on something is simply mad." Talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on joint efforts to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. They will dine together at the Jules Verne restaurant up the Eiffel Tower, enjoying stunning views of the French capital along with their wives Melania and Brigitte. Trump and Macron appear to have little in common, with their views at odds on everything from globalisation to immigration. Macron was even described as the "anti-Trump" during his run for the French presidency this year. As well as a huge generational gap -- Trump at 71 is almost twice Macron's age -- there is scant evidence of any overlap of interests in their personal lives. Macron also criticised Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the global Paris climate change agreement last month and used the American's own slogan against him, saying: "Make our planet great again." Macron told regional newspaper Ouest-France on Thursday that Paris and Washington had "an essential point of convergence: fighting terrorism and protecting our vital interests". However, he also lamented "a protectionist tendency (which) has resurfaced in the United States". "I want to defend free and fair trade," he added. But sources in the French presidency insist ties are healthy even after a muscular handshake seen as a battle of wills between the two of them when they first met at a NATO summit in May. "The relationship is excellent," said one member of Macron's team. Manuel Lafont-Rapnouil, an expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said Macron had no choice but to try to build ties with the US president. "Whatever you think, the United States is still the United States and we need them on lots of issues. You can't just say 'Trump is there so let's wait until he's gone'," he said. "Even if it is very difficult to handle someone as unpredictable as him, you need to try to salvage what you can." Nearly 11,000 police officers will be on duty, with France in its highest state of alert after a string of terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 300 people. And in early July, police charged a 23-year-old suspected far-right activist with plotting to assassinate Macron at the Bastille Day parade. It is also just one day shy of one year ago when on July 14 the country was plunged into mourning again after a truck ploughed into families enjoying a fireworks display in the southern Riviera city of Nice, leaving 86 dead. The IS group claimed responsibility. The United Arab Emirates' state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, hit back in a letter to UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. (Photo: AP) Abu Dhabi: A top UAE official on Wednesday accused Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera of anti-Semitism, discrimination and inciting religious hate, in a rebuttal to United Nations accusations of attacking freedom of expression. The United Nations has warned that demands that Qatar close Al-Jazeera by a rival Saudi Arabian-led alliance, which includes the UAE, violate basic freedoms. The United Arab Emirates' state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, hit back in a letter to UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. In it, Gargash wrote that Al-Jazeera had "promoted anti-Semitic violence by broadcasting sermons by the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi". Qaradawi, he added, had "praised Hitler, described the Holocaust as 'divine punishment', and called on Allah to 'take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people... and kill them, down to the very last one'". The letter was published in a statement from the UAE National Media Council. Saudi Arabia and its allies cut all ties with Qatar last month over accusations the country funded Islamist extremists and was too close to Shiite-ruled Iran, sealing the emirate's only land border and ordering its citizen to return home. The closure of Al-Jazeera is one of 13 wide-ranging demands the alliance placed on Doha as conditions to lift the "blockade", now in its second month. On June 30, Al Hussein said the demand that Al-Jazeera be shut down represented "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion". Gargash's letter, dated July 9 but released Wednesday, also accuses Al-Jazeera of having "repeatedly crossed the threshold of incitement to hostility, violence and discrimination" and lists multiple examples, among them broadcasting the speeches of slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Pockets of Mosul remain insecure and the city has been heavily damaged by nearly nine months of gruelling urban combat. (Photo: AP) Mosul: Iraqi forces clashed with Islamic State fighters holding out in Mosuls Old City on Wednesday, more than 36 hours after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the militants in the de facto Iraqi capital of their self-declared caliphate. Abadis announcement marked the biggest defeat for the hardline Sunni group since its lightning sweep through northern Iraq three years ago, but pockets of Mosul remain insecure and the city has been heavily damaged by nearly nine months of gruelling urban combat. About 900,000 people have fled the fighting, with more than a third in camps outside the city and the rest living with family and friends in other neighbourhoods. Activity has quickly returned to many parts of Mosul and work to repair damaged homes and infrastructure is already underway. But Iraqi forces exchanged gunfire with the militants in their final redoubt just before midnight and into the morning, two residents living just across the Tigris River from the area said. Army helicopters strafed the Old City and blasts sent plumes of smoke into the air, though it was unclear if they were controlled explosions or bombs set off by Islamic State, the residents said by phone. We still live in an atmosphere of war despite the victory announcement two days ago, said Fahd Ghanim, 45. An Iraqi military official attributed the activity to clearing operations. There are Daesh (fighters) hiding in different places, he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. They disappear here and pop up there then we target them. He declined to estimate the number of militants or civilians in the area, but the top US general in Iraq said on Tuesday that as many as a couple of hundred fighters could still be in Mosul. There are bypassed holdouts. We havent cleared every building in this city the size of Philadelphia. Thats going to have to be done, and there are also hidden IEDs (improvised explosive devices), Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told reporters. There are still going to be losses from the Iraqi security forces as they continue to secure Mosul. South of the city, reinforcements arrived to help Iraqi forces push out Islamic State militants armed with machine guns and mortars from Imam Gharbi village. The militants have taken control of 75 percent of the village. The militants assault on Imam Gharbi, launched last week, is the kind of strike Islamic State is expected to deploy now as US-backed Iraqi forces regain control over cities the group captured during its shock 2014 offensive. A separate attack on a border guard convoy in western Anbar, near the Syrian border, killed two soldiers and wounded four on Tuesday, military sources said. Arab News reported that 11 people suffocated and six were injured yesterday, in a fire that ripped through a windowless house they shared at a farm. (Photo: AP/Representational) Jeddah: Eleven Indians have been killed in a fire in the southern Saudi city of Najran and the Indian Consulate in Jeddah is providing all assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured in the tragedy, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. Among the Indians killed in the fire, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala, one from Bihar, one from Tamil Nadu and details of two others were yet to be ascertained, it said. Apart from the 11 Indians killed, five Indians were also injured in the blaze that ripped through a windowless house where the workers were staying. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay in New Delhi put out the details of the deceased and said the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, was providing "all assistance". Arab News reported that 11 people suffocated and six were injured yesterday, in a fire that ripped through a windowless house they shared at a farm. "Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," the local civil defence authority said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said, "I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran...I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah." "Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on a regular basis," Swaraj said. Gauri Shankar Gupta, Kamapalan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan, Sreejith Kottasseri, Murokanandan Kaliyan, Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Waseem Akram, Vakeel Ahmad, Paras Kumar Subedar and Mohammad Waseem Azizur Rahman were the Indians killed in the fire, according to the details of the deceased released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Details of the five Indians injured in the fire were yet to be ascertained, the MEA said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the ICJ registrar at Peace Palace in The Hague that Ausaf would be the 'agent' for Pakistan in the case. (Photo: videograb) Islamabad: Pakistan's Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf will represent the country against India at the International Court of Justice in the case involving Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the ICJ registrar at Peace Palace in The Hague that Ausaf would be the "agent" for Pakistan in the case whereas Foreign Affairs Director General Dr Mohammad Faisal would continue to act as the "co-agent". The term "agent" is described as a top functionary of the government who leads the delegation to represent a country and usually opens arguments or presents a framework followed by the legal team in the ICJ. This also means that all future exchanges or information between Pakistan and the ICJ will be made through the Attorney General's office. Soon after a meeting between ICJ President Ronny Abraham and delegations of Pakistan and India on June 8 in the Netherlands, Ausaf had informed the world court about Pakistan's intention to appoint an ad-hoc judge to the ICJ bench for all proceedings, including the substantive hearing in the Jadhav case. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the world court in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. The 15-member bench backed India's contention that there had been a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations as New Delhi's requests for consular access to its national had been denied 16 times. Pakistan, which announced the death sentence on Jadhav on April 10, claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. (Photo: Screengrab) New Delhi: Pakistan on Thursday that it was considering a visa application of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav for a visit to meet her son who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. "Pakistan is considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan. Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantika's visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "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 had tweeted. However, Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms", Dawn newspaper reported. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said there was no threat to the states ruling grand alliance. Tejashwi has been in the eye of the storm ever since he was named an accused in an FIR lodged by the CBI. There is no question of my resignation as I have done nothing wrong while discharging my duties as the states deputy chief minister, Tejashwi said after attending a Cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Wednesday. Nitish, however, did not speak to the media. On Friday, CBI sleuths raided RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devis residence here in connection with the land-for-hotels case. Breaking his silence for the first time since the raids, Tejashwi said, I was barely 15 years then (referring to the 2005 case when Lalu was the railway minister in UPA-I). The CBI has framed me at the behest of the BJP, which was earlier scared of Lalu Prasad, but now feels threatened by his 28-year-old son. We will expose BJPs design and the political vendetta. Hitting out at senior BJP leader Sushil Modi in particular, Tejashwi said the BJPs dream of coming to power by wrecking the grand alliance wont come true. There is no threat to the government and it will complete its full term. Those who are levelling allegations against me should answer whether I have done anything wrong as Bihars deputy chief minister, handling three ministries. If no, then why resign? said a confident Tejashwi. Tejashwi made these statements barely a day after Nitish asked the RJD to make its stand clear on the deputy chief ministers continuance in the government within four days. JD(U) spokesperson Ajay Alok, however, reminded the RJD that Nitish, in an oblique reference to Tejashwi, had asked him to come clean. The matter is serious as it is not merely an allegation. An FIR has been lodged by the CBI and Tejashwi has been named an accused. Nitish Kumar is known for zero tolerance towards corruption. Now, its up to the RJD to take a call, Alok said. In the aftermath of the recent terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, the Centre on Wednesday asserted that militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is going to outlive its life soon. Militancy is going to outlive its life soon as we are in the last phase of militancy, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir, said, addressing a press conference here. Suraksha ki sameeksha karenge, chuuk huyi to duur karenge (the government will review the security situation in the state and plug loopholes, if any), Ahir said. The ministers assertions come against the backdrop of the Opposition parties raising questions over security arrangements for the annual pilgrimage to the shrine in south Kashmir. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept responsibility for the attack. Ahir, who was flanked by Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh, earlier met Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to discuss the security arrangements for the pilgrims. The Centre and the state government are serious about the incidents We met the governor and the chief minister. We will review the security arrangements. We will overcome the security lapses, Ahir asserted. Singh hailed the people of Kashmir for unanimously condemning the attack and asserted that the yatra would continue uninterrupted despite the terror attack. The yatra will continue. Safety and security of the pilgrims will be ensured, he told reporters. With regard to the probe into Mondays incident, Singh said, No one should jump to any conclusion on the attack. Since June 24 Nagaur district has been tense after gangster Anandpal Singh was killed in a police encounter. He was gunned down by the police in Malasar village in Churu. The Rajput community are demanding a CBI inquiry into the encounter and permission for Anandpal Singh's brothers, who are in judicial custody, to attend the funeral. His body is yet to cremate the body and is kept in a deep freezer at his house where elaborate security arrangement was made. Violence broke out after a condolence meeting for slain gangster Anandpal Singh in Nagaur district of Rajasthan. A rally was organised by various Rajput outfits pelted stones at a police team, leaving 19 personnel injured including the Nagaur SP.As per the police sources, 19 policemen have been injured after a mob attacked the police. They also set ablaze the vehicle of Nagaur superintendent of police, Paris Deshmukh. The protestors demanded a CBI probe into the death of Singh."Police had to resort to tear gas shells after the police vehicle was attacked by the mob," said Additional Director General of Police (law and order) NRK Reddy.A woman probationary IPS officer, Monika Sen, and the gunman of the SP went missing during the clashes but were found later.On Tuesday night, four Rajasthan Roadways buses were set on fire in Kuchaman city of Nagaur district. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief Opposition leaders on the situation in Kashmir and the stand-off with China on Friday. The meeting, to be held at Singhs residence, comes ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, beginning Monday, when Opposition leaders are preparing to put the government on the mat over the Kashmir situation and the face-off with China at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan. Sources said the government does not want to keep the Opposition in the dark over the issues as it does not want Parliament to be disrupted. The Opposition has also upped the ante on several other issues, including the terror strike on Amarnath pilgrims on Monday. It has criticised the governments strategy in Kashmir, and has been asking all stakeholders be involved in bringing back peace in the state. Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, among others, have strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led government on both counts. Rahul had even questioned Modis silence on the stand-off issue. He accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. However, the ruling BJP defended the government, saying the policies pursued by the Congress are responsible for the recent incidents. Singh will brief the leaders about the steps taken by the government to ensure security in Jammu and Kashmir. He will also inform them about the visit of two Union ministers to the Valley as well as the instructions given to the forces to intensify anti-militant operations following the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims. The Valley has been witnessing violence since July last year following the encounter killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. On the China front, Sushma will brief the gathering about the steps taken following the face-off that 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. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday passed a number of directions with an aim to rejuvenate the Ganga. The directions include declaring a No-Development Zone - an area of 100 metres from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao - and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres from the river. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also declared that an environment compensation of Rs 50,000 will be imposed on anyone who dumps waste in the river. Directing all authorities concerned to complete various projects, including setting up of a sewage treatment plant within two years, the NGT also instructed the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government to shift tanneries within six weeks, from Jajmau in Kanpur to leather parks in Unnao or any other place it considers appropriate. The tribunal also asked the river basin governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of the river or its tributaries. The tribunal also constituted a supervisory committee headed by the water resources secretary and comprising IIT professors and officials from the UP government to oversee implementation of its directions. The NGT has asked the panel to submit reports at regular intervals. The NGT said the concept of zero liquid discharge and online monitoring of effluent should not be applied to industrial units. The bench also said all industrial units falling in the catchment area of the river should be stopped from the indiscriminate extraction of groundwater. Henceforth no AC, air-cooler, red carpet, saffron towel and sofa will be seen during field visits of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, going by a specific order issued by his office. The Chief Minister's Office has said that Adityanath is "extremely unhappy" over the extravagant arrangements that are made for his visits to homes of martyrs and wants to put an immediate end to this "show-off". His office has issued an order to this effect to all administrative and police chiefs of districts and other top officials in the state. "The CM has given clear orders that no special arrangements be made during his visits and any show-off or inconvenience to common people should be avoided," an official said. During his recent visits to Deoria and Gorakhpur for meeting families of martyred jawans, the administration put up sofas, red carpets and ACs at their residences as a temporary measure. The chief minister has expressed unhappiness over this and wants no repeat of it, the official said citing CMO's order of July 10. Adityanath had visited on July 8 the family of slain CRPF sub-inspector Sahab Shukla in Gorakhpur who had died in a terrorist attack in Srinagar on June 24. The local administration covered the entire road to Shukla's house with a red carpet, put up white curtains on the route to block the view of the neighbouring houses, put up saffron-coloured curtains in the martyr's house and also installed an air-cooler, exhaust fan and a recliner sofa for the comfort of the chief minister. Adityanath did not like the fanfare when he landed there to grieve with the family and hand over a cheque of Rs 6 lakh to them. He is said to have pulled up officials over the same, sources in CMO said. Earlier on May 12, the chief minister had visited the house of slain BSF jawan Prem Sagar in Deoria. Sagar was killed by a Pakistan Border Action Team along the Line of Control in Poonch. Local officials had then temporarily put up a window air conditioner, sofa, red carpet and saffron towels for the CM. All these facilities were removed within minutes of his departure from the spot after handing over a cheque of Rs 4 lakh to the grieving family. That time too, Adityanath had expressed unhappiness with local officials over the same. However, with a repeat of the episode in Gorakhpur, the CMO has now sent out an order to all district magistrates and SSPs to desist from such acts or face strict action. The Samajwadi Party has criticised the CM over this issue. The CMO, however, brushed aside the criticism saying Adityanath has chosen austerity and has even turned down a proposal to buy new SUVs for himself and his office and has opted to travel in cars used by his predecessor Akhilesh Yadav. Indian jails have one of the highest undertrial populations in the world, a new report has said as it claimed that central and state governments have failed to respect their fair trial rights. The study 'Justice Under Trial: A Study of Pre-Trial Detention in India' by Amnesty International India said the country's undertrial population is estimated to be the 18th highest in the world and the third highest in Asia. "India has one of the highest undertrial populations in the world. As of December 2015, 67% of prisoners in India's prisons were undertrials people who were awaiting trial or whose trials were still ongoing, and who have not been convicted. In other words, there are twice as many undertrials in Indias prisons as there are convicts," the report said. In contrast in the US, which is estimated to have the highest incarceration rate in the world, only 20% of prisoners are undertrials, the report said. Noting that safeguards under law to protect undertrials are regularly ignored across the country, It said "few prisons appear to know how to accurately determine which undertrials are eligible for release under section 436A. Legal aid lawyers do not visit prisons regularly. A shortage of police escorts leads to thousands of undertrials not being produced in court for their hearings, effectively prolonging their detentions." Another contradiction highlighted by the report is the disproportionate number of Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis among undertrials. "About 53% of undertrials are from these communities, which make up 39% share of the population of India. 29% of undertrials are not formally literate, while 42% had not completed secondary education. A quarter of all undertrials have been in prison for more than a year," it said. Most prisons in India are overcrowded, partly as a result of excessive undertrial detention. The average occupancy rate in Indian prisons is 114%, and is as high as 233.9% in states such as Chhattisgarh, it said quoting a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. "The overuse of undertrial detention effectively ends up punishing people before they are convicted, and makes a mockery of their right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Prolonged undertrial detention can also increase the risk of torture or other ill-treatment," it said. It claimed that the state and central governments have "failed to respect" the fair trial rights of undertrial prisoners. Successive governments have acknowledged the problem of excessive undertrial detention, but "have not done enough" to address it. The government will take the Opposition into confidence on the face-off with China over Doklam Plateau as well as the handling of Kashmir security situation ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament. Top Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj will brief Opposition leaders on Friday on the situation in Kashmir and stand-off with China. An invitation has been extended to leaders for the meeting at the former's residence on Friday evening where top officials will also be present. The meeting comes ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning Monday when Opposition leaders are preparing to put the government on the mat over the Kashmir situation and the face-off with China at at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan. Sources said the government does not want to keep the Opposition in the dark over the issues as it does not want the functioning of Parliament is affected even for a small period. The Opposition have upped the ante over both the issues, including the recent terror strike in Amarnath pilgrims on Monday. Opposition has criticised the government's strategy in Kashmir and has been asking to involve all stakeholders in bringing back peace in the state. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee among others have strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led government on both counts. Gandhi had questioned why Modi had not yet spoken up on the face-off. He also accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. However, the ruling BJP defended the government, saying the policies pursued by Congress is the reason behind the recent incidents. Sources said the ministers will give the leaders a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation along the Sino-Indian border and Jammu and Kashmir and the government action. On Kashmir, Singh will brief the opposition leaders about the steps taken by the government to ensure security in the state. Singh will also inform the leaders about the visit of two Union Ministers To the valley as well as the instruction given to the forces to intensify anti-militant operations following the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims. The Valley has been witnessing violence since July last year following the encounter killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. On the China issue, Swaraj will brief the leaders about the situation as well as the steps taken following the face-off started after Indian Army personnel went to Doklam Plateau, a disputed territory along Bhutan-China border, on June 18 to stop the Chinese PLA personnel from constructing a road. The road would have altered the status quo in India-Bhutan-China tri-junction boundary point. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs are likely to help External Affairs Minister brief the leaders of the opposition and other political parties. Markets regulator SEBI is considering if the proposed merger of Aditya Birla Group firm Idea Cellular with Vodafone Plc's India unit will trigger an open offer, sources said. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in May this year, had sought clarification from Idea Cellular on the proposed merger. The Aditya Birla Group company had submitted the scheme of arrangement, or merger plan, to the regulator in April. In March, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular announced the merger of their operations to create the country's largest mobile phone operator worth more than USD 23 billion with a 35 per cent market share. As part of the proposal, Vodafone India will initially hold 50 per cent stake in the merged entity. Later, the British firm will own 45.1 per cent of the combined entity while the Aditya Birla group, Idea's parent company, will hold 26 per cent after paying Rs 3,874 crore for a 4.9 per cent stake. The remaining 28.9 per cent will be held by other shareholders. According to sources, SEBI is examining the possibility if the proposed merger would trigger open offer under 'takeover' norms. Under the takeover norms, if an entity acquires 25 per cent stake in a listed firm, it has to make an open offer for an additional 26 per cent from public shareholders. Pakistan said today that it was considering a visa application of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav for a visit to meet her son who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. "Pakistan is considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan. Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantikas visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "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 had tweeted. However, Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms", Dawn newspaper reported. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. Mahe region, an enclave of Puducherry in Kerala, has been declared open defecation-free, according to Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. She announced this on her Twitter handle today and wrote, "this (achievement) is the outcome of the efforts of the residents of Mahe region and also the Regional Administrator." She lauded the regional Administrator Manikadeepan and residents of Mahe for making the region first open defecation- free segment in Puducherry. The Territorial administration has already announced that by October 2 this year all the four regions - Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam would emerge as open defecation-free. Mahe has now emerged the first region to establish the record. Swachch Bharath Abhiyan is being implemented in Puducherry and other outlying regions expeditiously. Bedi had been keen about creating a "clean Puducherry and prosperous Puducherry" right from the day she assumed office here in May last year. She has been visiting each Saturday and Sunday various pockets in and around Puducherry to implement the "Swachch Bharath Abhiyan" in association with the municipalities, residents welfare associations and other voluntary organisations although her visits has drawn flak from some political parties. The critics contended that Bedi had been visiting various areas without the knowledge of the legislators concerned. She, however, stuck to her guns stating that even when invited the elected representatives were not responding. She also paid visits to Karaikal to ensure implementation of the Swachch Abhiyan programme. India on Thursday said it would continue to use diplomatic channels with China to resolve the face-off between soldiers from the two nations in western Bhutan. As the face-off continued for the 26th day, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Gopal Baglay said, We have diplomatic channels available and we will continue to use those channels. Baglay noted that the MEA had issued a press release on June 30, articulating its views on the way to resolve the face-off. New Delhis position has not changed, he said on Thursday, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, had a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 summit at Hamburg and they had covered a range of issues. I can certainly say that the approach that we had underlined and put out at the end of the last month continues, Baglay said. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is likely to be in Beijing on July 27 and 28 to attend a meeting with his counterparts from other BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations. The meeting will be hosted by Chinas State Councillor Yang Jiechhi. If the face-off in Doklam Plateau is not resolved by then, Doval and Yang, who are also special representatives of India and China for negotiations on the disputed Sino-India boundary, are likely to have a bilateral meeting to find a way out, a source said. New Delhi and Beijing also have a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs to deal with such face-offs along the disputed boundary. Joint Secretary (East Asia) Pradeep Rawat currently represents India in the mechanism, while Director-General (Boundary and Ocean Affairs) Ouyang Yujing is his Chinese counterpart. Rawat and Ouyang have been in regular contact to resolve the face-off, which began on June 18. Tata Sons has announced the appointment of Aarthi Subramanian as the Tata Group's chief digital officer. Subramanian will report to Tata Sons executive chairman N Chandrasekaran in her new role. Subramanian is a graduate of Computer Science from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India, and holds a Master's degree in Engineering Management from University of Kansas, USA. She will up take up the new role in August this year, the group said. Subramanian started her career with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and worked in diverse roles in India, Sweden, the US and Canada thereby gaining rich experience in consulting engagements and executing large-scale technology projects as well as in operations and programme management. She is currently executive director at TCS, responsible for driving the company's digital foray, excellence in customer engagement and delivery governance. She has been also responsible for leading key initiatives like digital, agile and operational excellence in TCS. Subramanian will continue to serve on the board of TCS as a non-executive director, the group said. "Aarthi has a great track record of successfully leading large teams to achieve excellence in customer service delivery and she has been a strong advocate of proactive value addition for customers. As the group chief digital officer, she will play a key role in driving digital adoption across group companies as well as the group's digital initiatives," Tata Sons executive chairman N Chandrasekaran said. "I am delighted to have the opportunity to work under Chandra's leadership again. The Tata group is a unique institution with great strengths and it will be my endeavour to help the group capture many new economic opportunities that are emerging from the digital economy," Subramanian said. The two-wheeler major Honda not only continues to lead incremental volume in domestic sales for the second quarter in a row in Q1,contributing 69 per cent, it's also become the largest volume contributor to exports in the June quarter with almost one-third of the total share. With a 44 per cent growth in exports, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has contributed almost a third, to be precise 29.5 per cent of the incremental export volume in the June quarter, or three-times more than the industry volume. The two-wheeler makers shipped a total 6,62,534 units during the April-June period, up 15 per cent over the same period last year, while Honda shipped 81,862 units during the period, recording a growth of 44 per cent over year-on-year, according to the data from the industry lobby Siam. Overseas shipments by Honda contributed 29.5 per cent to the total volumes, which is almost similar to what the segment leader Bajaj Auto added in the reporting period. On the other hand, Honda contributed 68.8 per cent of the total incremental sales in the domestic market. While the industry clocked 4,896,170 units in Q1, Honda sold 1,478,478 units during the same period. Out of the total addition of 3,53,434 units by the industry, Honda alone sold 2,40,604 units, thanks to its automatic scooter Activa which contributed close to 65 per cent of this. In absolute terms, Bajaj leads the export chart with 3,49,152 units, followed by TVS at 1,10,504 units. Domestic volume leader Hero is at a distant fourth slot with 42,344 units of exports. When contacted HMSI senior vice-president for sales & marketing YS Guleria said the unprecedented jump in export was led by the automatic scooter Dio, which contributes 45 per cent of its total shipment followed by the Navi, a crossover bike. "The Dio continues to be our flagship in overseas markets, chipping in with almost 45 per cent of the volume, followed by the bikes Twister and Hornet. The Navi has also been a great contributor with 4,000 units. Now we are getting huge orders from Latin America too for the Navi," Guleria told PTI over phone from New Delhi. The volume expansion has also been driven by newer markets and higher orders from Latin America, he said, adding demand has come back from LatAm in general, taking the overall share to 35 per cent now, up from 30 per cent last year. He further said they will soon be shipping the Navi to LatAm. The crossover bike was so far being shipped to Nepal and Sri Lanka only and volumes in the quarter touched 4,000 units. The Saarc markets led by Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh still continue to hold 65 per cent of Honda's exports, he said, adding for the second consecutive quarter Honda is the market leader in Sri Lanka. "Already we are servicing Latin American markets like Guatemala, Columbia, El Salvador and Bolivia, and Mexico. This month we have got orders from Ecuador too and we shipped samples already," he said, adding the company servers these markets with CKD and CBU models. "On the export front, we have done so well that our market share among the industry went up 2 percentage points to 12 per cent in the June quarter" Guleria said. He however was quick to add that the company doesn't expect a massive increase in volume share as it doesn't have the capacity to meet additional volumes. "We are unable to meet even the domestic demand with 10 assembly lines. We still have waiting period here. So I don't think a dramatic spike in our market share on the exports front. It should remain within the single digit for some more time," Guleria said, adding the company will be opening its 11th assembly line in Bengaluru towards the end of this month. Taj Mahal, a Unesco world heritage, is no longer part of the cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh. The state government has not included the monument of love in its plan for development of cultural heritage in the current years budget. The cultural heritage of the state included Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura, Naimisharanya, Chitrakoot and Vindhyachal and the budget has made a provision of Rs 2,800 crore for developing infrastructural facilities at all these places. The state government has launched a Swadesh Darshan Yojana under which it would develop Ramayana, Buddhist and Krishna circuits in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Mathura, respectively. The budget also contained provisions for operating chopper service to promote tourism in the state. The BJP-led government, however, has not made any budgetary provision for the Taj Mahal, triggering sharp reactions from the Opposition parties. This government has no respect for our rich heritage...it is more concerned with promoting Hindutva rather than promoting cultural heritage of the state, said Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chaudhary. Another Opposition leader said the Uttar Pradesh government, it seems, seeks to exact revenge on monuments that belonged to a particular religion. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on several occasions in the past said that Taj Mahal did not represent the countrys cultural heritage. Taj Mahal may be a beautiful building... but it can not be a symbol of our cultural heritage, Adityanath had said earlier. Avadh historians and social activists, however, said that Taj Mahal certainly represented Indias rich heritage and it deserved to be treated as such. Taj Mahal continues to be the most attractive destination among the tourists, both from India and abroad, remarked a historian. Sufayan Zafar, a Lashkar-e-Taiba suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, has been released on bail by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court due to 'lack of evidence' against him, a court official said today. The prime suspect in the case, LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, is already out on bail since April 2015. "Former LeT militant Sufayan Zafar who was arrested last year for his alleged involvement in 26/11 attack has been freed on bail. The ATC which held the hearing at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi recently has granted Zafar bail as no evidence against him was found during investigation," a court official told PTI. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that it had found 'no evidence' against Zafar during investigation therefore his involvement in the case cannot be established, the official said. Zafar is accused of providing Rs 3.98 million to co- accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack. He also deposited Rs 14,800 to the bank account of his brother (another suspect in the case). He was declared a proclaimed offender in the Mumbai attack case in 2009. He was arrested in August last year from his hideout in Kyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province. A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, some 80km from Lahore, Zafar was among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in this high-profile case. Six other suspects in the case -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum -- have been lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiyala Jail since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack. A total of 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine terrorists who carried out the attack were killed while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured alive and later executed in 2012 in Pune. Mahbubabad legislator B Shankar Naik who was arrested by the police on Friday in connection with his alleged objectionable behaviour with district collector Preeti Meena, came out on station bail on personal bond said he is innocent. Agitated by the inappropriate behaviour of the MLA the collector filed compliant against him on Thursday night while the incident took place around noon during Haritha Haram programme at local NTR stadium aimed at increasing green cover in the state. Upon the advice of the police the MLA went to the station on Friday morning. Later at his home, speaking with vernacular news channel the MLA feigned innocence. She is also an ST just like me; she is like a sister to me. I have no bad intensions whatsoever. If I have touched her inadvertently I offered her my hand folded apologies at her office, he said. The ruling party MLA who was reprimanded by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and made him apologize saw a conspiracy to defame him by his own party men. I came to know some of the party men met the collector and encouraged her to slap cases on me, even after I apologized to her, Naik said. Naik was booked under Section 353 of IPC (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of her duty), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 following a complaint lodged by the collector. Meanwhile, the state IAS officers association office bearers met here and discussed the issue and are expected to meet the Chief Minister to urge him to initiate action against the MLA. Revanth Reddy the Telugu Desam Floor leader in Telangana Assembly has demanded the chief minister to sack him right away. The incident reflects the lack of concern for women in TRS government which has no lady MLA in the entire cabinet, he said. France rolled out the red carpet to welcome Donald Trump today on a presidential visit laden with military pomp that the White House hopes will offer respite from a growing scandal back home. The US president's brief 24-hour trip to the French capital coincides with celebrations for Bastille Day, France's national day which is marked on Friday, and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the 71-year-old stepped onto French soil for the first time as president hoping the visit will distract from weighty allegations that his family and inner circle colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election. The scandal has put his son and top aides in legal jeopardy, cast a pall over his efforts to remake the political agenda and may yet imperil his presidency. During the brief visit, Trump -- who sees himself as a transformative figure in US history -- will be the guest of honour for Friday's Bastille Day festivities that mark a pivotal point in the French Revolution. This year's event -- featuring 63 planes, 29 helicopters, 241 horses and 3,720 soldiers -- also coincides with the centenary of America entering World War I. More than 50,000 Americans died in what then-president Woodrow Wilson described as the "war to end all wars," a conflict that forged the trans-Atlantic alliance in steel. On the eve of the parade, Trump will visit Napoleon's tomb, hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and share a Michelin-starred dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on joint efforts to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side- by-side. Macron, 39, is hoping to use the weight of history and French grandeur to charm the unpredictable Trump. But it remains to be seen whether the all the frills and delicate cuisine of acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse will woo this steak-and-ketchup president. Trump may struggle to stop his mind wondering back to explosive emails in which his oldest son Donald Trump junior appeared to embrace the offer of dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russian interlocutors. Shortly before leaving Washington, he had to parry criticisms that his administration was in disarray and his legislative agenda on the rocks. "The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V." he tweeted. In London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, European leaders are wondering how best to handle the US president, whose nationalist "America First" agenda has upended transatlantic relations. There are already tensions over climate change and trade, while Trump was openly critical of the EU last year and snubbed a handshake with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their first meeting in March. "The Western world is fracturing since the American election," Macron said in an interview with regional newspaper Ouest-France published today. Trump and Macron appear to have little in common, with their views at odds on everything from globalisation to immigration. Macron was even described as the "anti-Trump" during his run for the French presidency this year and is half the US president's age. "It's very difficult to play chess with a man whose strategy is a complete mystery and whose only consistency is his pursuit of American national interest," foreign affairs expert Bertrand Badie of Sciences Po university in Paris told AFP. "To imagine that you might change his mind on something is simply mad." Macron also told Ouest-France that Paris and Washington had "an essential point of convergence: fighting terrorism and protecting our vital interests". However, he also lamented "a protectionist tendency (which) has resurfaced in the United States". "I want to defend free and fair trade," he added. Sources at the White House and in the French presidency insist ties are healthy even after a muscular handshake seen as a battle of wills between the two of them when they first met at a NATO summit in May. "The relationship is excellent," said one member of Macron's team. Objections against Trump's visit to France have so far been muted, with the government insisting on the need to build bridges with the White House and avoid Trump becoming isolated internationally. "What Emmanuel Macron wants to do is to bring him into the circle, include him in discussions," government spokesman Christophe Castaner said today. "If France can play a role as a facilitator, I'm proud that Emmanuel Macron can contribute to that." Part of the charm offensive is a packed agenda for first ladies Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron. The US First Lady -- decked in a red skirt suit and heels -- today morning visited a sprawling children's hospital in central Paris. Nearly 11,000 police officers will be on duty, with France in its highest state of alert after a string of terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 300 people. And in early July, police charged a 23-year-old suspected far-right activist with plotting to assassinate Macron at the Bastille Day parade. It is also just one day shy of one year ago when on July 14 the country was plunged into mourning again after a truck ploughed into families enjoying a fireworks display in the southern Riviera city of Nice, leaving 86 dead. The IS group claimed responsibility. Just couple of days after Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal intervention to take diplomatic measures for the release of Indian fishermen, who are in Sri Lankan custody, seven more fishermen were arrested on Thursday by the Lankan navy on the charges of International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) violation. Fisheries department sources here said that fishermen from Ramanathapuram district were fishing in deep sea in Nedutheevu, which was close to Sri Lanka coast. The Lankan Navy also seized two boats from them. This is the third instance of the arrest of fishermen by Lankan navy in July alone. Meanwhile, urging Modi to take measures for releasing the fishermen from Srilankan custody, Palaniswami said almost every fishing voyage of the fishermen is disrupted with repeated incidents of apprehension or harassment by the Sri Lankan Navy. "Such continuing incidents of apprehensions of the traditional fishermen are seen as a deliberate attempt to derail the efforts to find a permanent solution through diplomatic efforts of Centre", he said and exhorted the Prime Minister to take up the matter with Sri Lanka and arrange for the immediate release of all 60 fishermen, who were in the Srilankan custody. Despite Rahul Gandhi's unease in dealing with Lalu Prasad, Congress leaders believe that the RJD is a more dependable ally than JD(U) in its ideological fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. As Lalu Prasad and his family members battle graft allegations, the Congress a constituent in the Bihar government is confident that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not snap ties with the RJD and sacrifice the grand alliance that had stopped the Modi juggernaut in 2015. Keen to replicate the grand alliance experiment at the national level, Congress leaders believe that the RJD supremo will do the heavy-lifting in getting on-board arch-rivals SP-BSP, which is crucial for the opposition group to stop the BJP in Uttar Pradesh that sends the most members 80 to the Lok Sabha. BJP and its allies won 73 seats in 2014. After the CBI and ED raids on Lalu Prasad and his family members, the grand alliance in Bihar appeared to be on a shaky wicket as Nitish Kumar put ally RJD on notice to come clean of the graft allegations. Lalu's son Tejaswi Yadav, who is facing allegations of corruption, is the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi spoke separately with the Bihar Chief Minister as the central probe agencies stepped up investigation against Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband Sushil. Though the phone calls were meant to thank Nitish Kumar for his support to the Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the joint opposition nominee for the vice presidential election, the leaders also discussed the fate of the grand alliance in the state. Nitish Kumar, who had proposed a grand alliance for the presidential election, had broken ranks with the opposition and announced support to Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind, the BJP nominee for the top constitutional post. He had accused the Congress of delaying the announcement of the joint opposition candidate and later forcing the candidature of former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. Congress leaders here believe that the stand taken by Nitish Kumar was merely posturing to project to the electorate that he was different from his allies. Nitish is greatly conscious about his clean image and wants to protect it with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a senior Congress leader said. Nitish Kumar has rejected suggestions that he was harbouring prime ministerial ambitions in case of a fractured verdict in 2019. Amnesty International India has just published a report, Justice Under Trial: A study of pre-trial detention in India, detailing the travails of people arrested and jailed but not convicted. The pan-India report is a scathing indictment of the situation. The report says: "The number of instances in which undertrials were not produced in court due to a shortage of police escorts between September 2014 and February 2015 across India... was a staggering 82,334 (from 154 prisons). The actual number in India is likely to be much higher since many prisons did not respond to the RTI requests." Figures of the monthly average of undertrial non-production due to shortage of police escorts and video conferencing between September 2014 and February 2015 in Karnataka was 2,490. A related reason is the lack of police strength to produce undertrials in court. According to National Crime Records Bureau data, Karnataka is among the bottom 10 states in terms of police coverage. For an average 100 sq Km, Karnataka is only able to deploy 40 police personnel, which falls below the national average of 55. Bengaluru Police has an acute manpower shortage. Any policeman cannot be a police escort, only armed reserve police can be escorts. Theres not just a shortage of escorts, theres also a shortage of vehicles and drivers. Only a designated driver can drive the vehicle in which the undertrials are to be transported, to court,"ST Ramesh (former Inspector General (Prisons), Karnataka) is quoted as saying. However, Karnataka also scores low among states facilitating video conferencing for its undertrials. The undertrial production rate per 100 video-conferencing requests was at 62, lower than Telangana (93) and Chhattisgarh (100). Other notable findings: As of December 2015, 67% of prisoners in India were undertrials. Indias undertrial population has a disproportionate number of Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis, compared to their share in the overall population. About 29% of undertrials are not formally literate. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today wrapped up a four-day mission to the Gulf with little sign of progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia and its allies against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip, before heading back to Washington. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to their arch-rival Iran. The diplomatic slack now appears likely to be picked up again by the Europeans, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heading to the region at the weekend. A French diplomatic source in Paris said that Le Drian would try "to recreate confidence, create an interest of all parties to engage in de-escalation". "We must find a way out." Le Drian's visit will follow similar trips made by his counterparts from Germany and Britain in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar since June 5. They have imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar. They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to end the worst political crisis in the region for years. Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands "unrealistic". It also claims the boycott has led to human rights violations, and today one group said abuses were one consequence of the crisis. "Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries' orders or leaving behind their families and job," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. Tillerson arrived back in Doha after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 24 hours earlier. On his previous visit on Tuesday, the US and Qatar signed an agreement to combat terror funding, subsequently dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saud-led states. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson has sought to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. Speaking after meeting with Prince Mohammed -- the Saudi king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics -- Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. On Tuesday, speaking in Doha, Tillerson described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. But an ongoing crisis may not looked upon as such a bad thing in the west, at least according to one analyst. "For public consumption at least, the US State Department is trying to send out a signal that it has worked hard with its three allies -- Saudi, UAE, Qatar -- to try to find a mutually agreeable solution," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP. "Britain, and now France, are also trying to do much the same. "Underneath the surface however... the US -- including Tillerson -- likely sees significant strategic and lucrative benefits to any long-running stand-off between these states." A fringe Tamil youth outift today filed a police complaint seeking action against an actress for allegedly using abusive language against people living in slums in the "Bigg Boss," reality show in a Tamil TV channel. Tamil Youth and Students Federation said actress Gayathri Raghuram had allegedly chided another participant, Oviya using the abusive term. Such abusive language allegedly insulted and belittled slum dwellers, said the complaint filed a day after a Hindu outfit sought a ban on the show, alleging it denigrated Tamil culture. Coordinator of the outfit S Guhan wanted action against the actress under laws including Protection of Civil Rights Act. "We want Vijay TV to publicly apologise for it," he told PTI. Yesterday, Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) sought legal action against Kamal Haasan, hosting the show, and the actors participating in the show that is being telecast on Vijay TV since June 24. Reacting to the complaint, Haasan had said "I have faith in law... if they want to arrest me, let it happen, law and justice will protect me." The actor, recalling movies of top Tamil film directors of yesteryear like K Balachander who dealt with family issues in their movies, said the reality show was just like that and it was about "co-existence." The Centre has asked Karnataka and 15 other states to complete Aadhaar enrollment of school children by August 31 and submit the data to ensure serving of the mid-day meal to them "in a seamless manner." This comes as the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry observed that many of these 16 States were lagging far behind in completion of the task, with Nagaland having enrolled just 15 percent of 1,59,449 students to Aadhaar. In Karnataka, only 70 percent of the total number of students have so far been enrolled to Aaadhar. A total of 49,10,765 students enrolled in the Government schools in the State. The stipulated date for completing 100% Aadhaar enrollment is August 31, 2017. I earnestly suggest the Aadhaar enrollment campaign be given an added thrust by the Government of Karnataka in a time bound manner, school education department secretary of the HRD Ministry Anil Swarup stated in his letter to Karnataka Chief Secretary Subhash C Khuntia. Swarup urged Khuntia to instruct the authorities concerned in the State to complete the Aadhaar enrollment of all school children by the date stipulated. He also urged Khuntia to personally monitor the exercise. A weekly progress report for achieving 100% Aadhar enrollment may kindly be submitted to this department (HRD Ministry). The enrollment of children under Aadhaar would enable us to eliminate the proxy enrollment and provide the benefits of mid-day meal scheme to the deserving children in a seamless manner, Swarup added. The HRD Ministry's School Education Department Secretary wrote an almost similar letter to the officials of other 15 states. As per date with the Ministry, just 23% of the total school students have been enrolled to Aaadhar in Andhra Pradesh, 26% in Uttar Pradesh, 28% Odisha, 42% in Rajasthan, 61% in Madhya Pradesh and 63% in Bihar. West Bengal Government has not shared any update on the Aadhaar enrollment of school students despite HRD Ministry's repeated requests and reminders, an official said. World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Margret Chan, on the completion of her decade-long tenure as Director General (DG), welcomed the incoming DG. Most interestingly, new DG Tedros Gheybreysus hails from Ethiopia, and this is for the first time that someone from the African region has been elected since WHOs inception in 1948. All this attracted much attention but what did not was when Chan in her farewell address said something very important: The most contentious issue was access to medicines, especially when intellectual property rights (IPR) and the patent system were perceived as barriers to both affordable prices and the development of new products for diseases of the poor. This came in the background that there are trade agreements between countries that will have a perceivable impact on access to medicines as a result of changes in patent and other national laws in different countries. What are these trade laws? How will they impact access to medicines? What does all this mean to a common man? Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the USA recently and met US President Donald Trump. During their discussions, one important agenda was that India should amend its patent law so as to suit the American drug manufacturing companies. Trump was under pressure by none other than four members of the Congress who wrote a letter to him bashing Indias patent policies. It is not just the USA but also the European Commission (EC) which is currently having trade negotiations with India which called a free trade agreement (FTA). It suggested India to make changes so that it will bring more profits to the big drug companies in Europe. But this will also seriously hamper access to medicines across the developing world. All these negotiations are totally ignoring the important role played by affordable generic medicines manufactured in India. These trade negotiations will delay access to life-saving medicines and further strengthen the monopoly of the big drug manufacturing companies. One clause that FTA is pushing for is Data Exclusivity (DE), which would delay the introduction of medicines at least by 10 years. The DE is protecting clinical trial data by original patent holder required to be submitted to the drug regulatory authorities to prove safety of the new drug. This prevents the generic drug manufacturers from using the data. Given no option, the generic manufacturer will have to conduct clinical trials on a drug by themselves and this will mean delay in making the life saving medicines available to the needy. As per the DE, the original patent holder is not to give the clinical trial to other generic drug manufacturing companies. For example, a patent on Nevirapine syrup to treat children with HIV/AIDS was rejected. But if DE were to be in place, the patients would have to wait for 10 more years. Not just India but there are several examples in many parts of the world wherein countries that have adopted DE have faced increase in the cost of medicines. Patents Act Another agenda that is in the pipeline is diluting Section 3d of the Indian Patents Act, which restricts innovations that are only truly discoveries. The impact of this proposed agreement is truly global as treatment will become considerably more expensive, and countries and funders may have to ration the number of people they can put on treatment, said Ariane Bauernfeind, HIV/AIDS programme manager for Doctors Without Borders projects in South Africa, Malawi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe. The FTA threatens to make an already bad situation worse. In addition, the FTA is pushing countries to increase the patent period from 20 years to a much longer duration. High levels of intellectual property protection can delay the market entry of generics, creating problems for access to medicines and thus threaten lives of many who need them most. Public health advocates have demonstrated that Vietnams treatment coverage for people living with HIV/AIDS could drop to merely 30% of the population in need if it adopted a level of IP protection as recommended by the FTA. Not just EC but there is also the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which is another such trade agreement in the pipeline, which includes the 10 Asean countries besides six others including India. Both South Korea and Japan are pushing hard for a patent regimen whose term will be more than 20 years. The next round of RCEP negotiations are planned in the last week of July in Hyderabad wherein all member countries would discuss trade rules. Needless to mention, there will be protests and marches condemning these trade negotiations by various pro-people organisations like farmers and trade unions. Most unfortunately, the documents pertaining to these agreements are top secret and not discussed in parliaments. Perhaps, only the commerce minister may deal with it with a condition that it should not be made public. Whatever information that has been used by the activists is leaked documents. Also the documents are laced in a legal language that is often not easy to decipher. (The writer is President, Drug Action Forum Karnataka) Currently, only Mangaluru City Corporation is selling premium FAR in its limits. According to the existing Bengaluru master plan, the maximum permissible FAR is 3.25. A FAR of 4 is permitted within a 150-metre radius of Namma Metro stations. The government proposes FAR of up to 4 in the ratio of 2 (permissible FAR):2 (premium FAR) in all city corporations. All plots of more than 4,000 sq m (43,000 sq ft) and facing a road 24 metres wide will be eligible to use it. Shashikumar said premium FAR was proposed for all plots, irrespective of size, and norms pertaining to the width of roads for utilising FAR have been relaxed. Under the proposed system, a plot measuring 1,200 sq ft in Bengaluru can have a built-up area of 1,800 sq ft (at permissible FAR of 1.5, if the road width is 7.5 metres). The plot is eligible for a premium FAR of 1.0. In other words, an additional 1,200 sq ft area can be built with the purchase of premium FAR. If the guidance value of the plot is, say, Rs 3,000 per sq ft, the fee for premium FAR is Rs 1,000 per sq ft. This is based on a formula, and adds up to Rs 12 lakh. According to the existing Bengaluru master plan, a 1,200 sq ft plot facing a road of up to 12 metres in width gets a permissible FAR of 1.75 (which translates to 2,098 sq ft of built-up area). With the government set to change municipal rules, building a house with more than one floor could soon cost you more than ever before.The state government proposes a premium floor area ratio (FAR), which citizens will have to buy to construct additional floors on their plots (over and above the permissible FAR).The draft Common Zoning Rules, published recently by the urban development department, when implemented, will result in a reduction in the existing permissible FAR.Those who want additional built-up area will have to buy premium FAR, the fee for which is fixed on the basis of the guidance value of the plot. Permitted FAR carries no fee.FAR is the ratio of the total plot area to the total building area, and is determined by the size of the plot and width of the road in front of the plot.A government notification dated July 1 seeks to replace the existing rules with a new set, covering all urban planning authorities in the state, such as the Bangalore Development Authority, Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Mysuru Urban Development Authority.The premium FAR system will apply only to city corporations in the state.According to L Shashikumar, director of town planning, the proposal is aimed at helping urban local bodies such as the BBMP to earn revenue and take up road-widening.The government proposes to make it mandatory for all urban local bodies to use revenue earned through the sale of premium FAR to widen roads. As India and China work to resolve the Sikkim standoff, it has emerged that Beijings plan to extend a Class-5 operational road up to Gyamochen or Jampheri Ridge in Bhutan, on which Gyamochen lies, is the root cause of the latest conflict. Access to the strategically significant ridge would bring China very close to Jaldhaka near the Bhutan border from where it can wield influence on the narrowest portion of the Siliguri corridor that connects the Northeast to the rest of India. Almost 14 years ago, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) laid a Class-5 operational track a dirt track capable of jeep movement connecting Asan, 20 km away, to a point short of Torsa Nala in the Dolam (Doklam) plateau. The track ends in a wider area to allow vehicles to return to Asan, which is connected by a black-top road to Yatung, the biggest town in Chumbi Valley. Now, PLA wants to cross the Torsa Nala and extend the road to Gyamochen on the Jampheri Ridge, a source told DH. Natural boundary The ridge acts as a natural boundary between China and Bhutan, which India has to protect at all costs because of its strategic significance. The road-building exercise was a tactical move by the PLA, the source said. If the Chinese succeed in entering Bhutan with large forces through Dolam Plateau and Jampheri, there is little anyone can do to prevent them from trying to control Jaldhaka and Bindu Barrage as well as the Siliguri corridor. This is an area looked after by the Indian Armys 17 Division, based in Gangtok. The PLA regularly sends patrol teams up to Torsa Nala, but generally does not cross it. There is a solitary Bhutanese Army post at the Jampheri Ridge called Chela Post. Every month, there is a link between the Indian and Bhutanese Army patrols at the ridge. Over four decades as a university administrator, Marvalene Hughes amassed one of the most storied careers in the nation, blazing trails that few women of color had been down before or have since. One of her most landmark positions came when she was appointed president of California State University-Stanislaus in 1994, becoming only the second African-American woman to earn the distinction in the CSU system. Hughes left Stanislaus in 2005 to lead Dillard University , a historically black college in New Orleans, until her retirement in 2011. Ellen Junn, CSU-Stanislauss current president, came to Hughes Del Mar home for two days at the end of June to finally meet her storied predecessor and soak up as much institutional memory as possible. The two talked about the long road they both faced as pioneers in their profession, especially in fundraising, closing the achievement gap for minority students, reaching underrepresented populations and reviving initiatives that faded after Hughes left Stanislaus. Capping the visit off, the two coordinated plans to get the Hughes back to the Stanislaus campus one more time: Junn has decided to commemorate the reflecting pond at the schools main entrance in Hughes honor. The Del Mar Times joined the two women over a cup of tea on June 26. Answers below have been edited for length and clarity. DMT: Last year marked a milestone for the CSU system: of five presidencies that opened up, five women were appointed to the posts. Does it feel like a turning point? Junn: When Marvalene was there, she was one of only two women out of the 21 presidents. Today we have 11 out of 23. It is unprecedented in any university system in the nation. It feels amazing. Marvalene can tell you what its like to be in a room full of trustees who are all white males. Having more women and a larger age range has made the discussion richer and more authentic and more spontaneous. Hughes: And far less stressful, Im sure. Junn: Oh yes. Hughes: It was a very lonely place to be. DMT: Dr. Hughes, what was it like to try to get your ideas forward, surrounded by that stark demographic, and represent the school the way you wanted to represent it? Hughes: I was very fortunate to have been at SDSU when affirmative action was introduced. In an academic institution and culture, for women to come in mandating equality, both as students and administrators, was just an amazing political time. SDSU while I was there created the first womens studies program in the nation. It created the image for the rest of the country. I wasnt in womens studies, but I was very connected those women and I was able to carry out their agenda in interesting ways because I was on the administrative team. It was a time that was a changing political climate for the CSUs and for universities everywhere. Once I became president at Stanislaus, the CSU system didnt know quite what to do with the fact that they had these two women presidents, but I am so blessed to be a part of it. It was a life-changing experience. Junn: She was a pioneer, a true pioneer forging a path. DMT: When youre on campus now, Dr. Junn, do you see a lasting impact? Junn: Yes, especially in terms of the physical landscape. When she started as president, there were only two buildings on campus. So nearly all of the buildings now are there as result of her vision and her extraordinary fundraising ability. She really set the landscape and then grew the programs. We now have nearly 70 degree programs. She really did set the stage and was critical in making that campus a successful and strong presence in the Central Valley. We have a branch in Stockton due to her vision. That was a satellite that she saw as having an important role in the university. Stockton has had a checkered history; they are the second-largest city in America to go bankrupt. It has a very underserved population and we, at CSU, have a responsibility, especially for the underserved areas, to provide greater access to education. Marvalene was one of the first people to see that importance and she was one of the few presidents who worked closely with legislators at the state and federal level. Hughes: I was told that it was going to be the most conservative part of the state. They also told me that the people in the Central Valley would not support the university and that there was not enough money in the area. Well, I did my research and guess what, we had more millionaires in the Valley than almost anywhere else. My predecessors did not understand how to do their research and how to understand the wealth of the community. They thought they were in the poorest area of California when, in fact, they were in one of the richest. Those people just had to be cultivated. DMT: As the leaders of large academic institutions, do you feel that the lessons remain the same, or is the political and cultural environment different now? Hughes: We really have some challenges politically. In the present federal administration, theres a lot of fear about the status of equity and whether or not we are regressing or progressing. I think many forward-thinking universities are concerned that we may be regressing because politically we cant move forward, either nationally or internationally, as we did when we had the momentum going. Junn: When I was announced as president last year, I did worry. Asians make up the largest minority of university teachers, but the number that make it into administration is vanishingly small. There are fewer than 10 female Asian presidents at a four-year college in all of the United States. But Im happy to say that the people at Stanislaus have been very genuine and sincere. Everyone has been so warm and welcoming. Hughes: It was easier for me to diversify that campus than any other campus for some reason. I didnt go in with any expectations. And I was in an interracial marriage, but the community decided that we were the ideal couple. They really embraced us. Still, I had to really, really struggle just to get the student body up 25 percent Latina, which was more representative of the community. Junn: Weve doubled it, now its 50 percent. DMT: You must have taken a tremendous amount of pride in being able to push things forward, Dr. Hughes, and yet, despite those successes, the disparities in race and gender are still Hughes: Entrenched. Deeply entrenched. The American political system grinds slowly, in geologic time, and does not transform itself unless some inward force is really pushing. I think thats probably why I fell in love with the womens studies program at San Diego State. They surrounded themselves with a multidisciplinary academic approach and grounded that in research and literature. But we have not experienced that kind of multiplicity and growth in the Central Valley. Junn: Well let me ask you, Marvalene, when you became president were there challenges that you faced as an African American woman? Hughes: Yes, but I was prepared. I learned a lot from San Diego State. I learned a lot from the University of Minnesota. Im almost more worried about how things are now. There was a time when there was a vibrancy in political movement and I dont see that anymore. That really concerns me. That means that we, as university presidents, must get involved. If we treat ourselves as a silo in the United States, where everyone ought to emulate us, then we have lost the future. Because the future is in internationalism, and the future is in being able to compete here and make your identity known as a CSU leader. DMT: Can you talk yet about the ceremony in honor of Dr. Hughes? Junn: We havent settled on a date yet, but itll be later this year. Were going to have 600 people help us commemorate naming it (the reflecting pond) in Marvalenes honor. There are a lot of wonderful memories people have about Marvalene and they havent seen her in a while so theyll be very happy to see her. In my 31 years in the CSU system, I have visited every campus except for Humboldt and in my mind Stanislaus has always been the most beautiful in terms of the exterior and landscaping. We have six water features and lakes, more than 2,800 trees and 95 different species of wildlife. Thats all because of her. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss a story and read the latest headlines with our free email updates A Derby MP has expressed her concern that a radicalised city hairdresser could escape police scrutiny while attempting to join Islamic State. Dame Margaret Beckett was speaking about Mudassir Hussain who has been jailed for terrorism offences after trying to join the banned organisation in Syria. Hussain, 31, of Gladstone Street, who told his family he "dreamed of jihad", has been jailed for five years and three months after pleading guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism. He travelled to Turkey but he was held by the authorities and brought back to the UK. Police said they were not aware of Hussain's intentions prior to him setting off and it was his family who sounded the alarm after they became concerned about his behaviour. Dame Margaret, whose Derby South constituency covers Gladstone Street, said: "This is quite disturbing. He had these feelings and desires despite knowing about what the Islamic State is and what it does. I'm sure the people in the local community are worried and disturbed by this. "It's very important that the relevant authorities learn lessons from this case because they were not aware of his intentions to travel there. "It must have been very difficult for his family to tell the authorities that he was going out there knowing the consequences. But there is no doubt they have done the right thing and they have saved his life." Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Dame Margaret said the case was also a "sad example of what we are up against". Chris Williamson, Derby North MP, said the case highlighted the importance of neighbourhood policing. He said: "It's welcoming that the authorities have taken action to stop this individual from joining ISIS. It shows the need for more neighbourhood policing so we can get a better grip of the warning signs and signals." Detective Chief Superintendent Clive Wain, Head of the North East Counter Terrorism Unit, said on Tuesday, when the case was heard at court, that the team was still appealing for anybody with knowledge of people with similar intentions to come forward. He said: "If you know someone who is potentially vulnerable to being drawn into terrorist-related activity, including travelling abroad to conflict zones, contact your local police for advice and support on 101." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss a story and read the latest headlines with our free email updates Derbyshire chocolate-maker Thorntons is poised to start recruiting for hundreds of jobs as it looks to ramp up production ahead of one of its busiest times of the year - Christmas. Despite it still being the middle of summer, Thorntons is set to start working with Derby JobCentre Plus to fill around up to 400 seasonal roles at its Somercotes factory. According to JobCentre Plus, the recruitment drive is expected to start in August and will be for a range of production roles at the business. It is just one of a number of campaigns JobCentre Plus is set to be involved in as various companies prepare to bolster their workforce ahead of the festive season. Jackie Thompson, employment partnership leader at Jobcentre Plus in Derby, said: Believe it or not, many companies are currently recruiting or are planning for their recruitment needs with Christmas in mind. For example, we are currently working with Heanor-based Christmas pudding-maker Matthew Walker, which is looking for around 40 new staff right now to help make products that will be sold in the run up to Christmas. It comes as new figures show that the number of people looking for work in Derby and Derbyshire has fallen for the second consecutive month. According to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics, the number of people claiming work-related benefit in June stood at 1,759 a fall of 37, or 2%, on the previous month. In the rest of the county, the number of people looking for work also fell. In June, the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance stood at 3,795, a fall of 235, or 5.8%, compared to May, making a total across city and county of 5,554. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now In June, 2016, the number of people in Derby and Derbyshire looking for work stood at 6,543, meaning that 989 people have left the dole queue in the last 12 months. Mrs Thompson said: There are a lot of companies out there who collectively are looking to fill a large number of roles. There is also a good range of jobs too - from welders at companies such as JCB and Bombardier to public sector jobs. "At the end of this month we will be working with Derbyshire Police to fill some positions there and we are working closely with the Armed Forces to raise awareness of careers in the services. Chris Hobson, director of policy at East Midlands Chamber, welcomed the latest employment figures. He said: Employment figures nationally and regionally remain positive at a time when the amount of political uncertainty could quite easily have caused them to be less so. Looking for a new job? Find your dream role at our amazing jobs website here Leading up to the General Election, business confidence was very high. It will be interesting to see what impact the lack of political stability has on medium to long-term recruitment plans. The East Midlands is still proving robust, with a lower unemployment rate than the rest of the country. But if this trend continues, then there's a likelihood that it could have a negative impact on employment figures. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss a story and read the latest headlines with our free email updates Police officers and ambulance crews are hosting a knife crime awareness event at a Derby school today which will includes mock searches and video presentations. It is taking place at Da Vinci Academy and will be attended by forty members of the emergency services who will highlight the dangers of carrying a knife and how lives can spiral out of control as a result of them. The event is being held as part of the schools work with Derbyshire police s Project Zao initiative, which aims to raise awareness of knife crime and reduce knife-related incidents across the county. It has been organised by a group of Da Vinci students following a conference held by Derbyshire police at Pride Park last February, which looked at how knife crime can impact on perpetrators, victims and their friends and families. During the morning, students will be arrested, handcuffed and placed in police vans. Dog handlers and officers using Tasers will show how police deal with people they encounter carrying knives and medics from the East Midlands Ambulance and St Johns Ambulance services will demonstrate how to deal with knife-related injuries. It is taking place between 9am and 11am. The event, which will also be attended by the Derbyshires Crime and police commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa, Derbyshire Chief Superintendent Jim Allen and teenage Ratchet Clothing entrepreneur Dhillan Bhardwaj, will draw to a close with an assembly delivered by representatives from Broomfield College. The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get Rams takeover latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox A report saying Derby County have made a 4m bid for Leicester City's Matty James appears to be wide of the mark. The 25-year-old midfielder is at a training camp in Austria with the rest of the Leicester squad. James recovered from a long-term injury last season and spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Barnsley where he played 18 games and scored one goal. He has one year of his contract to run at Leicester. Foxes' boss Craig Shakespeare said in May that James "will be given every opportunity" to fight his way back into the starting 11. (Image: Getty Images) James started his career at Manchester United and had loan spells at Preston North End before he joined Leicester in 2012. Derby are showing an interest in Leicester forward Tom Lawrence, who is also in Austria with the Leicester squad. TopWise will be launching its Comio brand in the country and is expected to unveil four smartphones priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 It looks like another Chinese original device maker (ODM) is headed to India. As per a report by The Economic Times, TopWise, which used to manufacture a majority of devices for Micromax, will be launching its Comio brand in the country. The Comio smartphones are expected to be available by mid-August and the company plans to invest Rs 500 crore in the next one year on local manufacturing, R&D and marketing in India. As per the report, Comio initially plans to launch four smartphones priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000. The company is said to be targeting sales of 1 lakh units a couple of years after launch, and a market share of 4-5 percent in three years. Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, CEO & Director at Comio said, Comio will have company-owned sales team and service network and it will be hiring 200 people in the first year, of which 150 will be in sales. He also said that in the next 12 months, the company will have its own manufacturing facilities and it will assembly first, followed by printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). A few months back, another Chinese ODM, iVoomi, launched its devices in India. After testing the waters with the iv505, the company later launched the Me 1 and the Me 1+ in India. However, all new companies aiming for the budget segment will have to deal with the barrage of Chinese brands already present in the market. These include the likes of Xiaomi, Coolpad, Nubia, OnePlus and more, which already have a strong foothold in the Indian market. HMD Global is expected to launch an entry-level Nokia 2 powered by the Snapdragon 212 chipset and flagship Nokia 9 powered by Snapdragon 835 processor Nokia's comeback in the smartphone business in collaboration with HMD Global is one of the most important stories this year. The Finnish startup HMD Global has already announced three Nokia branded smartphones - Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 - for the global market. The company is also rumoured to be adding Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and flagship Nokia 9 to its lineup soon. Now a new leak originating from China gives a glimpse into the 2017 product lineup of HMD Global. The leak resonates with previous speculations suggesting HMD Global will launch 6-7 Nokia-branded smartphones this year. While we have heard about Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and Nokia 9 in the past, the new addition is the entry-level Nokia 2 smartphone. The leak suggests that the Nokia 2 will be the company's cheapest in the Android smartphone lineup and will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 212 chipset. The leak shows that the Nokia 2 is followed by the now available Nokia 3 powered by MediaTek MT6737 chipset. The handset is followed by Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 powered by Snapdragon 430 chipset. HMD Global recently confirmed that Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will only be available from mid-August in India. The company cited overwhelming demand for its offline-exclusive Nokia 3 smartphone as the cause for this delayed availability. The leak also corroborates previous rumours which suggested that HMD Global is working on mid-tier Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 smartphones. It claims that the Nokia 7 will be powered by the Snapdragon 630 while the Nokia 8 will get the Snapdragon 660 chipset. Earlier reports suggested that both Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 will use Snapdragon 660 chipset. Nokia 9 will use the Snapdragon 835, top of the line chipset from Qualcomm. This is in line with most rumours indicating a premium smartphone with a dual rear camera setup, iris scanner and OZO audio enhancements. HMD Global is expected to make these smartphones official in the coming months. KFC and Huawei are making a limited edition smartphone to commemorate 30 years of KFC doing business in China. Its been 30 years since Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) entered China, and the company is celebrating that with a smartphone made in collaboration with Huawei. The announcement was made through KFC Chinas Weibo account recently. The phone is called the KFC Huawei 7 Plus and will be sold in a bright red colour, since its commemorating the 30 years of KFC. Its of course a China only device. The Colonel Sanders logo will be placed on the phone, and it will have pre-installed apps, giving consumers freebies. Its a limited edition device too, and those buying it will have the KFC app pre-installed. This app carried 100,000 K Dollars, which is a virtual currency to be spent in KFC China. In addition, theres a K-Music app, functioning as a jukebox at KFC outlets. The phone has a fingerprint sensor on the back. Huawei and KFC are only making 5000 units of the device, asking for 1099 Yuan (approx. Rs. 10,990) for each unit. It will be sold on KFCs Tmall Store from July 13. KFCs first outlet in China was opened back in November 1987, near Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Today, the company has over 7600 restaurants in the country. Much like its business worldwide, KFC does have a big enough following in China as well. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview PHILADELPHIA (AP) Federal officials are rethinking a plan to build new high-speed railroad tracks through parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island after complaints that the project would devastate neighborhoods, marshlands and tourist attractions. The Federal Railroad Administration dropped the proposal from the latest version of a $120 billion to $150 billion master plan, released Wednesday, to rebuild the congested Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C., over the next 30 years. . . . Two ULI events: tour, mayoral candidates The Urban Land Institute is holding its Cascadia Regional Conference Friday and Saturday in Hood River, Oregon, with a waterfront tour, lunch, panel discussion and wine tasting at White House Winery. On Monday, July 17, ULI is sponsoring the Built Environment Mayoral Candidates Forum at Seattle Central Library at 8:30 a.m. Expected to attend are candidates Jenny Durkan, Jessyn Farrell, Mike McGinn, Cary Moon and Nikkita Oliver. Registration and details for both events at northwest.uli.org. The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Connell OGara, Carrick Lower - Nan Doran, St Bodans, Culdaff - Hughie Kennedy, Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles - Mary McBride, Magheraclogher, Bunbeg - Sam Parke, Knockbrack, Letterkenny - Michael McGowan, Edenville, Kinlough Connell OGara, Carrick Lower The deaths has occurred at St. James Hospital, Dublin of Connell OGara, late of Carrick Lower. Funeral arrangements to be confirmed later. Nan Doran, St Bodans, Culdaff The death has taken place at Carndonagh Community Hospital of Nan Doran, late of St Bodans, Culdaff. Removal from the hospital today, Thursday 13th July, at 3pm, going to her son Teddys residence at 85 Cara Bay, Culdaff. Funeral arrangements will be confirmed later. Family flowers only or donations if desired to the Hospice Ward, Carndonagh Community Hospital C/O any family member, or Liam Collins, Funeral Directors, Culdaff. Hughie Kennedy, Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles The death has occurred at Donegal Community Hospital of Hughie Kennedy, late of Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles. Reposing at his home this evening, Wednesday July 12th, from 6pm to 11pm and on Thursday from 11am to 6pm. House private thereafter. Remains arriving at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Frosses, on Thursday evening for 7pm to repose overnight. Funeral Mass at 11am on Friday morning with interment in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu to Donegal Community Hospital, C/o John McGowan Funeral Directors. Parking available beside the wake house, please follow the signs. Mary McBride, Magheraclogher, Bunbeg The death has taken place at Aras Gweedore of Mary McBride, late of Magheraclogher, Bunbeg, gaoth Dobhair Reposing at her late residence. Funeral Mass in St. Marys Chapel, Derrybeg on Thursday, July 13th, at 11am with burial afterward in Magheragallon Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu to Aras Gweedore c/o any family member or or Kieran Roarty Funeral Director. Rosary at 9pm tonight. House private from after the rosary until 10am. Sam Parke, Knockbrack, Letterkenny The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Sam Parke, late of Knockbrack, Letterkenny. His remains will repose at his late residence. Funeral from there on Thursday, July 13th, at 10.15am going to the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Letterkenny for Requiem Mass at 11am with burial afterwards in Conwal cemetery. Family time please from 11pm till 10am and on the morning of the funeral. Michael McGowan, Edenville, Kinlough The death has taken place in London of Michael McGowan, late of Edenville, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim. Removal of remains to St Aidans Church, Kinlough, on Friday morning, July 14th, for 11am funeral Mass. Burial afterward in St Aidans Cemetery. No flowers please. Donations in lieu to a charity of ones choice. House strictly private please. If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com. Please include a telephone number for verification. Paddy Cullivan is a busy man. The Dunfanaghy-based comedian, musician, storyteller and part-time historian is the band leader of Late Late Show house band The Camambert Quartet and a regular writer for RTEs popular radio satire Callan's Kicks. He also writes and performs his own fascinating and highly engrossing shows. We hosted "Solutionism" his satirical show about how to save Ireland 64 billion euro last year at The Balor and hes back this year with "10 Dark Secrets Of The Irish Revolution". 10 Dark Secrets combines satire and song with hundreds of striking images and stark historical insight that will leave you shocked at how little you really knew about the foundation myths of our country. Theres a lot of dirty laundry aired here. How did the lawyer who prosecuted the 1916 leaders end up in one of the highest positions in the Free State? Why were 280,000 women denied the vital Treaty Election Vote of 1922? What made 2 million Irish people turn from hating 1916 to supporting the War of Independence? What dark secret made Michael Collins sign the Treaty, and why is his assassination even stranger and more covered-up than JFKs? All these questions and more will be dealt with in the show to end all 1916 shows, which unfolds like an Irish version of "The Godfather" merged with "JFK". 10 Dark Secrets premiered at the Limerick Spring Festival of Politics and Ideas in April 2016. Since then it has gone on to enjoy sell-out success at The New Ross Kennedy Summer School, The Kilkenomics Festival of Economics and Comedy and Leviathan Mindfield at Electric Picnic, amongst others, with an international tour in the offing. Paddy Cullivans "10 Dark Secrets of The Irish Revolution" is at The Balor, Ballybofey on Wednesday, July 19th at 8pm. Tickets are 12 (10 concession) available from The Balor on 0749131840 or online at www.balorartscentre.com. The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Connell OGara, Carrick Lower - Nan Doran, St Bodans, Culdaff - Hughie Kennedy, Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles - Bobby Frizell, Augheygault, Drumkeen Connell OGara, Carrick Lower The deaths has occurred at St. James Hospital, Dublin of Connell OGara, late of Carrick Lower. Funeral arrangements to be confirmed. Nan Doran, St Bodans, Culdaff The death has taken place at Carndonagh Community Hospital of Nan Doran, late of St Bodans, Culdaff. Removal from the hospital today, Thursday 13th July, at 3pm, going to her son Teddys residence at 85 Cara Bay, Culdaff. Funeral arrangements will be confirmed later. Family flowers only or donations if desired to the Hospice Ward, Carndonagh Community Hospital C/O any family member, or Liam Collins, Funeral Directors, Culdaff. Hughie Kennedy, Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles The death has occurred at Donegal Community Hospital of Hughie Kennedy, late of Ballybrillaghan, Mountcharles.Remains arriving at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Frosses, on Thursday evening for 7pm to repose overnight.Funeral Mass at 11am on Friday morning with interment in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu to Donegal Community Hospital, C/o John McGowan Funeral Directors. Parking available beside the wake house, please follow the signs. Rosary at 9pm tonight. House private from after the rosary until 10am. Michael McGowan, Edenville, Kinlough The death has taken place in London of Michael McGowan, late of Edenville, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim. Removal of remains to St Aidans Church, Kinlough, on Friday morning, July 14th, for 11am funeral Mass. Burial afterward in St Aidans Cemetery. No flowers please. Donations in lieu to a charity of ones choice. House strictly private please. Bobby Frizell, Augheygault, Drumkeen The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Bobby Frizell, late Augheygault, Drumkeen. His remains will be reposing at his son Roberts residence at Mondooey, Manorcunningham from 8.30pm this evening, Thursday, July 13. Funeral on Saturday at 1pm for service at Convoy Presbyterian Church at 2pm with burial afterwards in the adjoining graveyard. Family time from 11pm till 11am. Family flowers only, donations if desired to Convoy Presbyterian Church Repair Fund, Ernie Gibson Funeral Director, Convoy. If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com. Please include a telephone number for verification. Campaigner Frank Larkin said activists plan to keep the momentum going as they urge government to follow through on long-awaited measures related to equal rights for disabled people. The plan is to keep the momentum going and hopefully to do something similar after the Dail returns in September, Frank said. Frank was an organiser of Broken Promises: Disabled people fight back, a protest that drew up to 30 people to Leinster House today. It was people who really wanted to be there and who were really frustrated, Frank said. He said it can be very difficult for people with disabilities to attend a demonstration in Dublin. For example, he said if a disabled person were to use their personal assistant hours to attend the protest, that would probably leave them with inadequate PA hours for the week. Securing accessible transport is also a problem, he said. Frank said the protest received strong support from passing traffic and from people walking past, who stopped to learn more about the campaigners concerns. The action also drew broad media attention, with Frank giving interviews to national and regional media. Frank said it was disappointing that only one politician from government parties, Richard Bruton, minister for education and skills, spoke with the group. In announcing the protest, organisers cited a number of what they described as promises broken by successive governments, including the governments failure to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, which Ireland signed 10 years ago; the lack of new transport/mobility benefits after those benefits were cut in 2013; failure to implement in full Disability Act 2005; failure to deliver the needs-based personal care budgets that the Fine Gael 2011 manifesto promised; and lack of action on other measures or legislation that protesters said are not yet completed or fully implemented. We are not useless citizens, organisers said. We have gifts and skills, and can offer Ireland a great deal. With the right supports, we can fly. The advent of the rotor-wing technology aircraft changed the world and became an invaluable asset in the Aviation community, but it all had to start somewhere, and that somewhere is on display at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum. The Sikorsky R-4 helicopter was the first production helicopter and the brainchild of Igor Sikorsky, a pioneer in both fixed-wing and rotor-wing Aviation, and according to Robert Mitchell, U.S. Army Aviation Museum curator, the world of rotor-wing Aviation wouldnt be the same without his game-changing innovation. We cant tell the story of the R-4 without telling the story of Sikorsky. He was a very prolific manufacturer of airplanes, mostly seaplanes, but always in the back of his mind he was fascinated by vertical flight, said the curator. He kept working on the idea, and many had tried and failed. A problem that plagued early designers and engineers of vertical-lift aircraft was the problem of the rotor wings causing the aircraft to spin uncontrollably, but Sikorsky figured out a solution to the problem, Mitchell said. He finally figured out that if you put an anti-torqueing rotor on the long arm of the tail boom and make it pitch changeable when controlled with the pedals, then as you increase power in the aircraft, you could bring the nose back, he said. When Sikorsky solved that issue, he produced what was called the VS-300, which was the prototype aircraft. After much experimentation, and trial and error, he was able to put one into production in 1942 and dubbed it the R-4, and subsequently offered it to the military. The R-4B was the first production model and consisted of a two-level and two-pedal control design, which would become the standard for rotor-wing aircraft, said Mitchell, and was made of an aluminum frame with some fabric casing the top and rear of the aircraft. The military, including the Army, bought several of the new R-4 helicopters to be used for general utility and observation, and the aircraft were deployed in the Pacific Theater and the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II, the curator added. The versatile capabilities of the helicopter were showcased during an incident that occurred in 1944 when an L1 airplane went down behind Japanese lines in heavy jungle, said Mitchell. They were able to maintain contact with the pilots of the aircraft through radio, and then a commander approached a lieutenant and told him to take the helicopter to go and pick up the pilots of the L1, he said. Helicopters dont generally perform very well in high altitude, high humidity and heat, and this was the first aircraft of its kind, so it had some power problems, so this was a pretty tall order. The lieutenant proceeded to rescue the downed crewmembers, which took about a week to complete since the helicopter only had two seats for the pilot and co-pilot, Mitchell said. In order to complete his mission, the pilot had to fly with a fuel can on the seat, pick up one crewmember, put the fuel in the aircraft, throw the fuel canister away and fly back. Then he had to land, drop off the crewmember, refuel, restock, and fly back out and repeat the process until all of the crewmembers were rescued. This is what set the wheels in motion for the Army to develop the modern-day helicopter and for the entire world to benefit from the modern-day helicopter, he added. The technology for the helicopter rapidly developed in just a few, short years, and before the war had ended, the helicopter had advanced from the first production model to the R-5 then R-6. You go from R-4 to the R-5, which is like a quantum leap in technology, said the curator. The two aircraft were developed only a few years apart. The R-4 that currently sits in the museum is one of only two in the collection, and the R-5 that sits across from it is the only surviving model left in the world, according to Mitchell. The R-4 used a radial engine that was repurposed from airplane engines, which were eventually phased out for turbine engines, which drastically reduced vibrations in the aircraft, and paved the way for the modern-day helicopter, he said. Home Four wheelers Mahindra Loses Top Utility Vehicle Manufacturer Crown In India oi-Kennedy Paul Mahindra & Mahindra, the undisputed leader in utility vehicle (UV) segment, until now, has come under severe competition in the recent past, especially in the first quarter of 2017 financial year. In the first quarter of 2017, M&M lost its pole position in the UV segment to the country largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL). Leading from the front for Maruti is its compact SUV Vitara Brezza. The Brezza seems to have captured the imagination of Indian buyers. According to reports from the MSIL and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Maruti sold 57,125 utility vehicles which include Vitara Brezza, Ertiga and S-Cross, moving up the ladder with a market share of 30.05 percent in the first quarter of 2017. Mahindra's market share declined to 27.92 percent in Q1 of 2017 from 31.62 percent market for the same period last year. Mahindra was able to sell 53,082 unit during the same period and was unable to catch up to Maruti's surging sales. Maruti sold 1.45 lakh units of Brezza since its launch and currently is the largest selling UV in the segment. Maruti witnessed growth in sales of 45 percent in Q1 of 2017 recording 7.7 percent growth. With Goods and Service Tax implemented and the subsequent reduction in prices of automobiles will only add to the sales of the Maruti Brezza. Maruti Suzuki has analysed the Indian market well and offered the right combination for an SUV suitable for the Indian buyers. Despite having just one engine on offer for the Brezza, the compact SUV is one of the leading product for the company. DriveSpark Thinks! Tata Motors is all set to launch Nexon, its compact SUV, and Hyundai is also looking to offer a UV in the segment. This could heat up the warfare in the segment, but with the brand value and vast service network, Maruti Suzuki seems to have consolidated its position in the UV segment. Michigan Indivisible groups to hold health care town halls in two districts where constituents want answers from their Republican representatives. Its tempting to feel cynical about American politics right now. But if Congressman Dan Kildee still has faith in democracy, who are any of us to argue? After all, the Democratic Congressman from Flint, Michigan, has witnessed more than his share of political strife during his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives. But he remains firm in his belief that the voice of the people matters, because its what guides him and other dutiful elected officials in making decisions they believe are in the best interests of the people they represent. Thats why Congressman Kildee is speaking at two upcoming health care town halls hosted by local Indivisible groups even though neither one of them is in his Congressional district. This issue is important to the whole country, so were willing to go wherever people have questions, Congressman Kildee told me in an exclusive interview for Eclectablog. It started with the rally with Senator Bernie Sanders earlier this year, and Ive done some meetings with Indivisible and other groups since then. Anyone who wants to learn more about health care and whats at stake, Ill talk to them. The health care town hall meetings will be held on Sunday, July 16, in Plymouth and Lake Orion, Mich., ahead of a vote on the Senate version of the bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expected next week. Hosted by the Indivisible 11 and 8 groups (so named for their Congressional districts), both events will be led by Congressman Kildee. The events let Michiganders in each community get their questions about the Republican health care bill a.k.a. Trumpcare answered. This is particularly notable in these two districts, where the Congressional representatives, Dave Trott and Mike Bishop, respectively, have been difficult, if not impossible, to pin down by constituents who have urgent questions. A staunch supporter of health care reform and a knowledgable one Congressman Kildee is eager to help educate anyone who wants to learn, he told me. Health care is one of those issues that the more people understand whats at stake and theyre empowered with knowledge, theyll have an impact. The end of this story hasnt been written yet. We dont know how its going to turn out. The one thing we know for sure is that citizens armed with good information is a powerful force. Thats what we want to try to encourage. Congressman Kildee hopes Michiganders will attend the town halls (details below), ask questions and learn and then share that knowledge with their friends, family and neighbors. This issue is important and complicated enough that we need to get people to understand beyond the talking points, Congressman Kildee says. You listen to Senator Mitch McConnell and other Republicans describe what the Senate is putting together and youd think it sounds pretty good. But claims like the idea that theyll maintain protections for pre-existing conditions have to be vetted. According to Congressman Kildee, Republicans may say that Trumpcare guarantees coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, but the fact is that the current legislation gives states the flexibility to deny those protections. Even if people with pre-existing conditions can still get coverage, the cost will be astronomical, he says, and thats a fact. One of the biggest myths Congressman Kildee would like to dispel is the Republican talking point that their health care legislation will lower premiums. Thats probably not true premiums will probably go up. But lets give them the benefit of the doubt and say premiums do go down. One way they could reduce premiums is to make your insurance card worthless. You can reduce premiums and still increase health care costs. They could take away essential health benefits [like emergency room care] or increase out-of-pocket costs. Of course its less expensive to offer something that isnt actually worth anything. Its been said that the debate over repealing and replacing the ACA has improved Americans understanding of just how much the law, also known as Obamacare, actually benefits them. Congressman Kildee agrees. The current debate is taking on a different character than past debates, he says. Now were talking about proposals to take away health care from people. In the past, it was all about deficits in health care how do we include more people, make sure more people have coverage. It all sounds very abstract. People werent sure they were beneficiaries. Now we know they are. With 22 million Americans at risk of losing healthcare coverage because of increased costs, cuts to Medicaid or denial of benefits, the stakes are enormously high. Congressman Kildee urges Michiganders to attend the town halls in their area and stay actively involved. Citizen engagement clearly makes a difference. Theres nothing more powerful than public sentiment. Because health care is a complicated issue, public information has to be informed for it to be useful. My view for a long time has been when citizens are engaged and informed, democracy takes care of itself. Thats what Im hoping to accomplish. Here are the details on the Indivisible Healthcare Town Halls: Indivisible 11 Town Hall July 16 from 11am-1pm in Plymouth Congressman Kildee will be joined by Michigan Democratic Floor Leader Christine Greig, Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net (and Team Eclectablog!) and members of Indivisible 11 at the Plymouth-Ann Arbor Elks Lodge, 41700 Ann Arbor Rd. E. More details at the Facebook event. Indivisible 8 Town Hall July 16 from 4pm-6pm in Lake Orion Congressman Kildee will be joined by State Rep. Brian Elder, Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net and members of Indivisible 8 at the Wildwood Amphitheater, 2590 Joslyn Rd. Get details at the Facebook event. [Photo courtesy of Congressman Kildees office.] COLUMBUS A 33-year-old Columbus man is accused of buying counterfeit currency online then passing the bogus cash at local businesses in May and June. Dustin Geier is scheduled for a status hearing Thursday in Platte County Court on four felony counts of first-degree forgery after allegedly using phony $20 bills twice at A&W/Long John Silver's and once each at Hy-Vee Gas and The UPS Store. The charges are all Class III felonies, each punishable by up to four years in prison, two years of post-release supervision and a $25,000 fine. A Columbus Police investigation began May 31 with a report of a counterfeit bill used at Hy-Vee Gas. The suspect was recorded leaving the store parking lot in a maroon Ford Taurus and identified from the vehicles license plate registration information. Investigator Heath Haynes wrote in his probable cause arrest statement that police answered a similar call June 5 at A&W/Long John Silver's when a male suspect passed a fake $20 bill in the fast-food restaurants drive-through lane. The suspect left before officers arrived at the scene, Haynes wrote. The restaurant employee who accepted the bill identified Geier as the suspect from a photograph developed from the incident at Hy-Vee Gas. On June 13, another bill was passed at The UPS Store that was later determined to be counterfeit. The store employee who received the bill said it did not feel right a day earlier when she took it from the suspect, Haynes wrote in his statement. The employee said she only received four $20 bills that day and was able to go back through her receipts and identify the defendant, the investigator said. During an interview with Geier after his arrest, Haynes reported the defendant said he bought 10 counterfeit $20 bills for approximately $70 on AlphaBay. The fake currency was shipped from Alexandria, Virginia. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Long Island Medium (Theresa Caputo) works for Satan Shes charming, shes whacky, and shes got funny hair and crazy fingernails- shes also working for the devil. Sound harsh? Good. ... Fr.Longenecker vs Michael Voris Quote: "If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public."-St. Thomas Aquinas ... Catholic Controversy over "Son of God" movie It is seldom that I disagree with Michael Voris from Church Militant TV , but today I do. It seems some of the more traditional leanin... Banning Children from Gay Pride Parades ** WARNING : Adult homosexual content GRAPHIC GAY PRIDE PARADE PHOTOS ** Should children be banned from gay pride parades? Ye... Saint Peter taught me to love Pope Francis Anyone who has been following my blog [along with family and friends] know that I have had serious issues with Pope Francis since Holy We... What's up with Life Teen Catholic Youth Ministry? So I'm on Twitter when I see Ryan Fitz retweet a Creaky tweet about Catholic Life Teen Youth Ministry that caught my eye. Someth... Lonely: I pray for someone I came across two stories on Twitter recently about lonely people. The first was about an elderly woman who sat alone in her house for ye... Archdiocese of New Orleans has a gay problem There is something seriously wrong with the Archdiocese of New Orleans . Namely, they speak with a forked tongue. How can any Cath... Fr James Martin says the Virgin Mary opposed Jesus Christ because Jesus was crazy Father James Martin strikes again, taking another shot at the Holy Mother of God on his Facebook page . Martin says... get this.... Page Content Recommendations underscore challenges and necessity of supporting Libyan cities The European Union needs to help strengthen the administrative capacity of local and regional governments in Africa and the Middle East if it is to reduce the reasons for migration in the long term, the European Committee of the Regions says in a set of recommendations adopted on 12 July. The recommendations, which the EU's assembly for local and regional politicians drafted at the request of the European Commission, address security, economic, social, administrative, and political challenges along the migration route from West Africa and the Middle East through the central Mediterranean to Italy. The opinion focuses, however, on Libya, noting that the crisis since 2014 has plunged the country into "utter chaos" and precipitated a "sharp deterioration in living conditions throughout the country". Traditional social structures are, struggling to cope with young people and with crime, it says, but it also argues that local authorities have "a degree of legitimacy" and need immediate and long-term support. The rapporteur, Hans Janssen (NL/EPP), mayor of Oisterwijk, said: "One of the dramas of our times is the increasing number of people fleeing from their countries in the Middle East and Africa. Our policy should be to help the transit countries such as Libya and the countries of origin to develop their capacities to prevent people from beginning their desperate journeys. The tragedy of migration starts in the countries of origin, not in Libya or in the seas off Libya. People want better life chances, and we want them to find those chances in their communities. That requires good local administrations." Mr Janssens continued: "There is a particular need to support Libya, not just because it is the jumping-off point to Europe. Libya has opted to decentralise its governance system, and this agreement remains a reference point for all Libyan parties, regardless of their political affiliation. A comprehensive political solution needs effective decentralisation." The opinion also highlights the potential of partnerships between European cities and regions and counterparts in Libya, by pointing to the example of an initiative by the European Committee of the Regions the ' Nicosia initiative ' through which CoR members have, over the past 18 months, organised study visits by Libyan mayors and officials in the areas of water, waste and financial management, public administration, health care, fisheries and counter-radicalisation. The mayor of Tripoli, Abdelrauf Beitelmal, is the CoR's main counterpart. The financial support comes from the European Commission. On 10-11 July, a large delegation of Libyan mayors of officials from Benghazi, Gharyian, Harawua, Sabha, Sirte and Zintan took part in a gathering in Brussels, co-organised by the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, to encourage partnerships between local and regional administrations in EU and non-EU countries. Leaders from other countries on the migration route from West Africa also attended the Assises de la cooperation decentralisee / Regions and Cities for Development event. Contact: Andrew Gardner Tel. +32 473 843 981 andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu This is the kind of thing I say to annoy and embarrass my kids: Pruitt bristled at the phrase "climate denier," a description that his critics have often applied to him in light of his repeated statements disputing scientific conclusions about the large role humans play in warming the planet. "What does it even mean? Thats what I think about it. I deny the climate? Really? Wow, OK. Thats crazy, in my view," he said. via www.politico.com For example, I might bristle at the term "father." "What does it even mean? I'm not (all that) fat. I'm not a her. Really? Wow, OK. That's crazy, in my view." Any my kids would be annoyed and embarrassed. Scott Pruitt says this sort of ridiculous stuff in a serious interview where he is representing the USEPA. Companies and residential buyers who are looking for a prominent but convenient address, quality office premises or state-of-the-art apartments that still offer good value for money, need look no further than Sandton Gate. This mixed-use precinct, will offer a quality office, retail, residential and lifestyle environment on the doorstep of Sandton, with the added benefits of highly convenient access, a vast choice of public transport options and a secure precinct environment. Abland and Tiber have joined forces to develop the Sandton Gate precinct, combining their respective strengths to deliver a carefully conceived, and ultimately well-executed, product. The sizeable site on which the precinct will unfold, has been assembled over several years by Tiber. Therefore, when Tibers CEO Fernando Cardoso was approached by Ablands MD Jurgens Prinsloo to consider a JV approach for the development of a precinct, incorporating properties that Abland had purchased in the same area, discussions commenced and it was soon very evident that the synergies and complementary experience and expertise could be combined to create a world-class mixed-use precinct, to be known as Sandton Gate. We believe that the strong complementary skills and expertise within our two companies can be harnessed to successfully deliver, execute and manage a development of this magnitude, comments Cardoso. Prinsloo adds: We have the opportunity to do something special here. This is an exceptional site for a strong nodal development. Situated on William Nicol Drive between Sandton Drive and Republic Road, Sandton Gate will be right on the doorstep of South Africas economic business centre. The precinct is easily accessible via a number of major arterial routes from Sandton, Hyde Park and the N1 freeway as well as finding itself alongside the current S5 Sandton Fourways Gautrain Bus Route. It is also located on one of the planned routes for the extended Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which in turn will link it conveniently to the Rosebank and Sandton Gautrain stations. The site provides 130,000 square metres of developable floor area made up of approximately 80,000 square metres of offices, 400 residential units and a variety of lifestyle and smaller retail amenities. This will include a health club, restaurants or cafes, and other smaller format convenience amenities which will contribute to the overall appeal of the precinct. The site is adjacent to the Braamfontein Spruit, which is a very popular mountain biking route. The entire stretch of river adjoining the site will be rehabilitated and upgraded as part of the project, thereby encouraging cyclists and local residents to make use of this open space and the other amenities provided. The concept of a mixed-use precinct is strongly aligned with the new urbanist principles of creating pedestrian friendly, live-work-play environments. Such environments are also more eco-friendly in that they reduce peoples commutes and carbon footprints. Building on these important sustainability goals, the intention is for every commercial building in Sandton Gate to obtain a minimum Four Star Green Star SA rating. We are also proud to say that the entire precinct will be Green Star SA rated and that Sandton Gate is one of the sites being used as a pilot in the development of the precinct rating tool by the Green Building Council of South Africa, Prinsloo notes. Engagement with the City of Johannesburg and local residents has been very positive to date. The first phase of Sandton Gate will include all the necessary infrastructure, plus 10,000 to 15,000 square metres of commercial office space, and a residential component which will commence in the latter part of 2017. Thereafter, the development will progress according to market demand. The commercial buildings will be developed as high-end A-Grade and P-Grade buildings offering maximum flexibility to accommodate large, medium and smaller users. The residential units will be available for sale and/or leasing while the commercial buildings will be available for leasing. The Abland / Tiber Joint Venture will manage all aspects of the development, from the initial planning, design, construction, leasing and ultimately the management of the entire precinct. The joint ventures ability to expertly manage the development process from inception to completion is a major strength. Tibers track record is evidenced by some of South Africas most iconic buildings which can be seen dotted along the Sandton skyline. This, blended with Ablands pedigree in responsibly developing best-in-class, innovative and sustainable developments across the country, lays the foundation for the delivery of an inimitable world-class precinct development. Having decades of experience in this environment and a solid understanding of the process, will enable the Abland/Tiber JV to control the delivery from the outset right through to the professional management of the precinct. This lends great strength to our partnership and will ensure that we can roll out a well-conceived, value-engineered and efficiently managed product, ensuring the delivery of high quality but competitive pricing to the market, comments Prinsloo. Savings achieved through efficiencies in the development process can be passed on to occupiers, who will benefit from highly competitive rentals in a prime node. This factor, combined with Sandton Gates safe, secure and attractive precinct nature, its easily accessible location, and its focus on sustainability, are sure to make it a highly desirable location to live and work in. Monday 19 June 2017, New Delhi, India Dr. Francesco Sette, Director General, ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility based in Grenoble, France), and Prof. Sudhanshu Vrati, Executive Director, Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), officially signed a three-year collaboration agreement in the presence of Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology. Backed by the Government of Indias Department of Biotechnology, this agreement sees India become the 22nd country to join the ESRF, with a level of participation of 0.66%. This agreement represents a decisive milestone in the long-standing and strong collaboration between the ESRF and the Indian scientific community. It will provide access to the ESRF for Indian scientists for non-proprietary research, with a focus on structural biology. The Minister chaired the signing ceremony which was followed by speeches given by Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, Prof. Sudhanshu Vrati, Dr. Francesco Sette, Dr. Dinakar M. Salunke, Director of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, and by distinguished members of the structural biology community in India. This agreement reinforces the long-standing collaboration between the ESRF and the Indian scientific community in the field of synchrotron radiation that has been increasing steadily over recent years. In December 2009, the ESRF and Indias National Institute of Immunology (NII) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), enabling the Indian macromolecular crystallography community to share the use of the ESRF beamline BM14 by the NII, in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). This joint venture lasted seven years until end of 2016. During this time, service was provided to many scientific groups from all over the world, but in particular to Indian science: 58 groups from 34 Indian research institutes carried out on BM14 several hundreds of experiments publishing over 400 papers on highly rated peer reviewed scientific journals. This new agreement will give Indian scientists access to the ESRF for non-proprietary research, with a focus on structural biology, at a critical time when the facility is preparing for the launch of a new and revolutionary light source, the Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), in 2020. The EBS source will enable, with its unprecedented performances, discoveries in living matter and material research to the benefit of human knowledge, and progress in health, environment and innovative technology challenges. Prof. Sudhanshu Vrati: Im confident that this new agreement will lead to exciting new discoveries and nucleate other scientific collaborations between India and Europe. Prof. Dinakar Salunke, Director of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of New Delhi: I would like to express my satisfaction for this important step. The ESRF partnership has opened the gates to more challenging problems to be addressed in Biology. Dr. Francesco Sette, ESRF Director General: Im very pleased and honoured by the decision of India to join the ESRF, and in particular, its forefront structural biology programme. The ESRF community will greatly benefit from the collaboration with the vibrant Indian scientific community. H.E. Mr Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France to India: I warmly congratulate India in becoming the 22nd member of the ESRF. It is a great opportunity for Indian researchers to access a world-class research facility based in Grenoble, France and get a unique exposure to a high-performing and multinational research environment. This agreement will not only contribute to consolidate our long-lasting and fruitful cooperation, but will also open the way to new potential breakthroughs in science. About the ESRF: Page Content Markku Markkula intervenes at Informal Meeting of Environment Ministers today in Tallinn Markku Markkula has addressed the Ministers of Environment of the EU 28 Member States today in Tallinn. The President of the European Committee of the Regions, said: "Eco-innovation is the driver for transforming our cities and regions into truly smart and sustainable hubs that create quality jobs. Eco-innovation can bring economic growth and contribute to our objectives to become carbon neutral by 2050. It can speed-up the transition. The European Union must give its means to win the war against global warming while improving the lives of our citizens.' In his keynote speech, President Markkula added: Cities are the engines of change. They are best placed to support the development of eco-innovation best practices as they have strong links with local economic, social and environmental actors. This interconnectivity between eco-innovation and local authorities is the perfect opportunity to bring us closer to the United Nations sustainable development goals, notably number 11, which relates to sustainable cities and communities. Markkula presented four actions that cities can implement to promote eco-innovation towards a low-carbon circular economy. First, to develop green economy strategies based on the proximity with stakeholders and citizens. Second, to support societal innovation with initiatives such as collective urban farming, recycle and repair-cafes and other sharing economy projects. Third, to invest in ecosystems that support innovative urban circular economy models, which promote collaboration between science, entrepreneurs and local authorities to establish new forms of businesses and services. The objective is to use industrial symbiosis, nature-based solutions, the bio-based economy, or Industry 4.0, to name only a few. Fourth, to promote the take-up of green products and services through public procurement as cities and regions must stimulate the market take-up of eco-innovation and environmental technologies including the transition to sustainable urban mobility. To promote eco-innovation, the European Committee of the Regions is currently managing a number of projects together with the European Commission such as "Science meets regions", a "Knowledge Exchange Platform", and "Innovation Camps". The ministerial meeting was opened by Siim Kiisler, Estonia's Minister for Environment, and Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Additional speakers were the Executive Director of the European Environment AgencyHans Bruyninckx and Simon Upton, Director for Environment of the OECD. The European Committee of the Regions will defend its positions on eco-innovation and its climate change objectives to reach the Paris agreement. A solid delegation will be present at COP23, the UN climate talks to take place next November in Bonn. From July to December 2017, the Republic of Estonia holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time since joining the Union in 2004. Together with Bulgaria and Austria, the Estonian presidency is said to include a focus on eco-innovation as a key element in Europes energy transition. The skeleton is an essential part of our body and yet there is still a lot unknown about it. Bones can seem straight-forward to study, but their complex composition at the nanometre scale makes them a challenge. This weekend, scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark are delving into the core of bones on ID13. When doctors diagnose diseases like osteoporosis, they generally base themselves on X-rays showing a smaller density of bones than what is normal. However, there can be individuals with dense bones that are still prone to unprovoked fractures and other with low density bones and with a low risk of fractures. Scientists are trying to get to the heart of bones, in order to understand, in the long term, how bone diseases appear. Bone is formed primarily from collagen fibrils, calcium phosphate nanoparticles, water and non-collagenous macromolecules. It is traversed by a network of cells, called osteocytes, which are located in lacunae interconnected by canaliculi that are only a few hundred nanometre in diameter, the LCN. Osteocytes are constantly formed by the bone as it repairs itself. The bone matrix around the LCN differs in structure and composition from the surrounding normal bone matrix and is enriched in non-collagenous proteins. Today we have cartoon-like images on how bones look but there are disagreements in the community about the details, explains Henrik Birkedal, the leader of the team. And he adds The LCN makes up a sizeable portion of bone, yet almost nothing is known about the biomineral organisation or the distribution of oligo-elements in the bone matrix linked to the LCN. This information is important to ultimately understand bone properties and the role of osteocytes, which are thought to play a key role in maintaining bone and controlling calcium levels in the body. Placing the sample in the experimental hutch. Birkedal and his team will try to map the nanocrystals and oligo-elements by combining diffraction and fluorescence computed tomography on ID13. We need beams that can go under 100 nanometres, as well as outstanding detectors such as what we have on ID13, explains Birkedal. We are actually attempting to break a resolution record, aiming for a 50-nanometre beam, so it is a challenging experiment. Getting down to this small beam sizes is not easy and it has been the subject of a long-term project collaboration between ID13, the Fraunhofer Institute of Materials and Beam Technology (Dresden, Germany) (Adam Kubec, Sven Niese) and the Erich Schmidt Institute of Materials Science (Leoben, Austria) (Jozef Keckes). The team very recently achieved a 35 nm beam by Multilayer Laue lenses, which will help researchers like Birkendal and his group to answer their scientific questions. This is not the first time the Birkedal group is at the ESRF. Previous experiments on ID16 already concluded that there are additional void spaces in bone that were not previously accounted for. On the beamline's control hutch. The team is hoping to get a picture of the distribution of oligo-elements and calcium around the LCN (through fluorescence), as well as its mineral properties (through diffraction). The ultimate goal is to come up with improved models of bones hierarchical structure and osteocyte formation, which will help to understand bone mechanics. The team, from left to right: Morten Bormann Nielsen, Maja stergaard, Nina Klln Wittig, Jonas Palle, Henrik Birkedal and ESRF local contact Tilman Grunewald. Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny Written by ACM *Hamburg/G20 Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- "Good, Honest and Sincere" USA - Russia Talks "can be Beneficial for All", said Experienced German Chancellor Angie Merkel, speaking to Journalists, including "Eurofora", at the Conclusion of 2017 "G20" Summit in Hamburg, where she Welcomed an Historic 1st Meeting between New US President Don Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yesterday, (Friday), 7/7/2017. She Hosted that meeting as Chairwoman for 2017 of "G20"'s Evolving Global gathering of Heads of State/Government, initialy exclusively Economic, but nowadays also partly Political, which is due to celebrate its 10th Anniversary (2008-2018) Next Year in Argentina (Birthplace of Pope Francis), i.e. at Twice the Other Side of the Globe, on 2018. ___________________ - Merkel said that she was "Glad that the 1st Meeting" between Trump and Putin, "took place here", in Hamburg, "on the sidelines of the G20 Summit", and that "the Conversation has Lasted ... for a very Long Time", (More than 2 Hours and 16 Minutes !). + In Addition, "I Saw that Now (i.e. on June 2017, After Obama), there is quite More Contact with each other", "Hoping that it would Lead into a Stable Relationships growing up", as she added - Because "there are Problems that can only be Solved by Russia and the USA", f.ex. "Syria", Nuclear "Disarmament", or "Norther Korea", etc., she indicated. - Certainly, also Other Actors will be Needed. F.ex. regarding North Korea : China, Japan and South Korea", and "we (EU) also are Willing to Help with this". (See Infra, for Ukraine, etc). - "But it can only be Beneficial for all, if there is a Good, Honest and Sincere Conversation channel between Russia and the USA", Merkel concluded. ------------------------------------------------------ "New Detente" ? ---------------------------------------------------------- Those who had Dreamed about a possible "New Detente" 2017, already as Early as since almost the Beginning of GOP's 2015-2016 Primaries (with, initially 14 Candidates !), as, f.ex., "Eurofora"'s co-Founder actually had done then elsewhere in the Web, were naturaly glad that an incredible lot of sly and/or even brutal attempts by some shady Lobbies to push Back to another "Cold War", if not even Worse, mutatis mutandis, and/or to Undermine all those who Hoped for a "New Detente", by attempting to abuse of any means, up to the last minute, finaly Failed now in Hamburg... But, in Fact, the Unprecedented Paradox of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Unexpected Sympathy among North American Conservatives Nowadays, stems from Several Years Ago, and has a Wider Impact with Deeper Roots : - It mainly Dates Back Since early 2013 at least, and is widely related also to Topical and "Hot", srongly Disputed BioEthical Issues,(as it resulted also from an Interesting Meeting that "Eurofora" had at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, then, with Experienced Russian Permanent Representative to the EU, former Deputy Foreign Minister, Vladimir Chizov, on related Issues) : Twice elected then, former US President Barack Hussein Obama, - who was Astonishingly Funded by More Money in the History of USA's Elections, even of Multi-Millionaire Rockfeller, and Profited also from Controversial Eliminations in GOP's Primaries, of Popular, Real Conservative values' Candidates (such as Mike Huckabee on 2008 and Santorum on 2012), in favour of UnPopular and Opportunist, "Flip-Flop" Candidates (such as McCain on 2008 and Millionaire Romney on 2012), - after immediately Cancelling, since March 2009, a former US President GWBush's Decision of 8/2001 to Outlaw Public Funds for Genetic Manipulations of Human Embryos, had just Started, since 2012, even a Domestic and Worldwide Campain seeking to Impose, by Forceps, the Controversial and UnPopular "Same Sex Marriage", including even to Submit Children to the Power given to Homosexual couples, under Pretext of so-called "Adoption", that a Shady Lobby of Technocrats can Exploit in order to Multiply Artificial Procreations of Human Beings (since Homosexuls are Unable to give Natural Births), with obvious Dangers agaist all Humankind. Massive Popular Reactions were Mushrooming and Growing f.ex. in France, in the USA, (even in Africa !), etc., in form of Demonstrations, Petitions, etc, while in Many other Countries had Started unprecedented Attempts to Guarantee Natural Family and Births, as well as Childrens' Freedom, Safety and Dignity, f.ex. by Inserting various Protective Clauses in their National Constitutions (as also several USA's Federated States also tried to do), often provoking Harsh Oppressive Measures by the Police and/or the Judges controlled by the Contested State, (some of which have been even Denounced by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg), etc. Russia's Firm Stance in Defending Natural Family and Births, even Prohibiting the Exportation of Children destinated for Adoption in Countries where "Same Sex Marriage" had been imposed, (moves that various other Countries in the World, also Started to adopt), to which was soon Added also a marked Respect for Europe's Historic, over-Millenary "Christian roots", and a Crystal Clear Opposal and Strong Fight against a Fast-Growing, Deadly Islamist Terrorism, soon Started to Attract an Unprecedented Sympathy by several Top Leading Conservative Americans for President Vladimir Putin's relevant Strategy, (as, f.ex., publicist Pat Buchanan, Rev. Franklin Graham, the Illinois-based "World Congress of Families", which had even scheduled its International Annual 2014 Conference in Moscow, before being Hindered by Obama's "Sanctions", etc). It's amidst such an Historicaly Unprecedented Context, where a kind of "Cultural Fight" was Starting to be Won by some Never Seen Before Social Forces and/or Alliances, that at least one among the initially 14 Candidates in GOP's 2015-2016 Primaries for the US Presidential Election of November 2016, Don Trump, clearly and openly adopted a simple, pragmatic Stance, according to which, thanks also to his Practical Experience as Businessman, he would be Willing and Able to Negotiate and make a Good "Deal" with the Russian President also on Various outstanding GeoPolitical and other pending Issues. Comming from a son of a Family of Billionaires, Private Businessmen, and Politicaly Conservative, with the declared Ambition to "Make America Great Again", according to his Well known Electoral Campaign' Moto, this, naturaly, did Not raise any Negative Suspicion (f.ex. for eventualy being a ..."Communist" manipulated "by Moscow", etc) at all, by Anyone, at least at the Beginning. On the Contrary, Trump (despite having being, at the same Time, a New York Billionaire), succeeded to Attract, in this way, also Many Popular Conservative Values' driven, simple Working American People, particularly from USA's famous "Heartland", marking, thus, a much Wider Win than expected, i.e. Winning in much More States accross the Country, than Hillary did, with the Result to get More "Great Electors" in his favour. Added also to Trump's promises to really Struggle to bring Industrial a.o. Jobs Back Home for many recently impoverished American People, to "Fix" Poor Suburbs' basic Infrastructures, to Control Mass Migration (unethicaly and hypocriticaly Exploited by some unscrupulous Smugglers' Networks and "Users"), as well as to a at least partly Justiify his Strong Criticism of Corrupted Officials and Biaised Medias of an UnPopular Establishment, all this attracted a lot of Supporteurs. ----------------------------------------------------- G20 with Trump+Putin : Focus on Struggle against Deadly Islamist Terrorism + --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Counter Islamist Terrorism is, apparently, the Most Topical, and the most Important move that they Both Tried to Boost in this 2017 "G20" Summit, (given also the recent Deadly Attacks against innocent Civilian People both throughout all Europe, including Russia, and in the U.S., or elsewhere in the World) : - For the 1st Time in its almost a Decade of History (2008-2017), a "G-20" Summit clearly indicates that the No 1 Priority Today is to definitively eradicate that Deadly Islamist Terrorism which has aggressed many European, American, Asian or African Countries, accross the Globe: - Indeed, on 2017, G20's First and Longer Session, starting Friday Morning, July 7, was dedicated on that Issue, which resulted, inter alia, also in a Six (6) Page-long "Declaration" of its Heads of State/Governments "on the Fight against Terrorism", despite the Fact that G20 had been Initialy Created in order to Struggle against the Global Economic and Financial Crisis, back on 2008, and that its "Core Competences" still remain "the Global Trade and Economy", as Chancellor Merkel reminded afterwards in a subsequent "Introductory Statement". + That Long List of Counter-Terrorism Actions, is Not Limited only into Monitoring Funding and the Internet, as some claimed : In fact, (and this seems of Fundamental Importance both for Trump and Putin : See Infra), it Extends to "a Comprehensive Approach", which Includes also combatting Radicalization and Recruitment, hampering terrorist Movements and countering terrorist Propaganda", (also, f.ex., with "Robust and Positive Narratives") As well as "concrete Measures to address Threats from Returning foreign terrorist fighters and Home-grown Radicalised individuals", but also to Boost "Aviation Security", External "Borders' Management", etc. "Countering Terrorism requires comprehensively addressing Underlying Conditions that terrorists exploit. It is therefore crucial to promote political and religious Tolerance, economic Development and social Cohesion and inclusiveness, to Resolve armed Conflicts", etc., they "stressed". --------------------------------- Wider Scope -------------------------------------- + But, for Both the American and the Russian Presidents, it's clear that the Real Dimension of that Issue is much Larger and Deeper : * Thus, f.ex., Putin, speaking Earlier at a BRICS' Meeting, Earlier, Friday Morning, stressed from the outset that "the Key Priority", on this G20 Summit, "is Terrorism". - "Russia has, on several occasions, advanced the concept of a common UN-led counter-terrorism Front", he recalled. => Therefore, the Russian President "Urged" to work Together in order "to eliminate the Political, SocioEconomic and Ideological preconditions for the rise and expansion of Terrorism". -------------------------- + Trump's landmark "Civilisation Survival" Speech, Eve of 2017's G20 : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + For that purpose, New American President Don Trump's landmark Speech, at Neighbouring Poland, (for which the White House had Warned that it would be "a Major Speech") is a Wider but Key Masterpiece : - "Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our Civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?", he asked from the outset. - "The Fundamental Question of Our Time" is, indeed, whether we really have "the Will to Survive", Trump stressed. - In fact, " defense ... ultimately rests not only on means, but also on the Will of the People to prevail" : "Do we have the confidence in our Values to defend them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our Borders?" - Because, "We can have the largest Economies and the most lethal Weapons anywhere on Earth, But if we do not have strong Families, and strong Values, then we will be weak and we will not survive". Nobody should forget "the Critical Importance of these things", he pointed out. - Indeed, "Our own Fight ...does not begin on the battlefield -- it Begins with our Minds, our Wills, and our Souls". - Since "Our Freedom, our Civilization, and our Survival depend on these Bonds of History, Culture, and Memory", the American Leader of German and British origin, Symbolicaly declared in Poland, often called "Heart of Europe", not far away from Russia. => - "I declare today, for the World to hear", that ... we "will Never, ever be Broken. Our Values will prevail. Our People will thrive. And our Civilization will triumph. So, Together, let us all Fight ...-- for Family, for Freedom, for Country, and for God", he strongly Urged, at the Eve of this so special "G20" 2017 Summit. - "Today ...we have to say there are dire Threats to our Security and to our Way of life. You see whats happening out there. They are threats. We will Confront them. We will Win. But they are threats", he Warned. - Indeed, "We are confronted by another Oppressive Ideology -- one that seeks to export Terrorism and Extremism all around the globe. America and Europe have Suffered one Terror Attack after another". => Therefore, among others, "During a historic gathering in Saudi Arabia, I called on the leaders of more than 50 Muslim Ntions to Jin together to drive Out this Menace which Threatens all of Humanity", as he Rightfuly noted. - For that purpose, "We must stand United, against these Shared Enemies, to Strip them of their Territory and their Funding, and their Networks, and any form of ideological support that they may have", he advised. - And "While we will always Welcome new citizens who share our Values and love our People, our Borders will always be Closed to Terrorism and Extremism of any kind", Trump explained, as a matter of general principle, on a notoriously Topical issue. -------------------- - Pointing, particularly, at the "Western Civilisation", Trump noted that Americans, ...and the nations of Europe, value individual Freedom and Sovereignty. We must work Together to Confront forces, whether they come from Inside or Out, from the South or the East, that Threaten over time to Undermine these values, and to Erase the Bonds of Culture, Faith and Tradition that Make us Who we are", he urged. - Because, "If left unchecked, these forces will Undermine our Courage, Sap our spirit, and Weaken our will to defend ourselves and our societies", he warned. - "But ... these forces, too, are Doomed to fail, ...not only because our Alliance is Strong, our countries are Resilient". But "because we will Never Forget Who we are :" - "We write Symphonies", (Trump noted, Eve of "G20 Summit"'s scheduled pause for Beethoven's Symphony No 9, alias "Ode to Joy", which serves as European Anthem, at Hamburg's brand new "Elb-Pilarmonie", from where ...Only Turkish President Erdogan was Absent, prefering to watch a Match of Foot in TV, as he explained Today !). - We pursue Innovation. We celebrate our ancient Heroes, embrace our timeless traditions and customs, and always seek to Explore and discover brand-New frontiers". - "We strive for Excellence, and cherish inspiring works of Art that honor God. We treasure the rule of Law, and protect the right to Free Speech. We put Faith and Family, Not government and Bureaucracy, at the Center of our lives. And we Debate everything. We Challenge everything. We seek to Know everything". >>> "Above all, we value the Dignity of every Human life, protect the Rights of every Person, and share the hope of every soul to live in Freedom. That is Who we are. Those are the priceless Ties that Bind us Together, as nations, as Allies, and as a Civilization", stressed Don Trump, (at the Eve of his venue to he "G20" Summit in Hamburg, whose Logo, precisely shows a Knot which becomes even More Firm and Tighter under Pressure)... - "It is the People, not the powerful, who have always formed the Foundation of Freedom and the cornerstone of our Defense". - "if we fail to Preserve ... what we Inherited from our ... ancestors ..., it will never, ever exist again", he Warned. "So we canNot Fail", he urged. => Thus, "We will Never Back down !", he vowed. Because, "as long as we know our History, we will know how to build our Future. ------------------------------------------- On the Top MEETING and the ISSUES : ------------------------------------------------------------ When the New American and the Russian Presidents met eachother, for the 1st Time face - to - face, Yesterday (Friday, 7/7/2017) Morning in Hamburg, on the sidelines of this 2017 "G20" Summit, Trump spearheaded from the outset, that : - "We look Forward to a lot of Positive things happening". - Indeed, "I Hope that our meeting will lead to Positive Results", Putin reciprocated. + And as New USA's Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, notoriously Concluded, Later on, at a Press Briefing, (Comp. Supra + Infra), "it was an Extraordinarily Important meeting", with "a very Clear, Positive Chemistry", here, between the two leaders" : They "Connected very Quickly", and "the meeting was very Constructive". There was a big "Level of Engagement and Exchange". - "The Perspective of both of them was : "this is a really Important relationship. ... We simply have to Find a Way to go Forward". "Both Presidents" expressed a "Strong Desire" to do so, Tillerson estimated. + "In fact, we have build some prerequisitives for getting the Russo-American relations Out of the Crisis they are in. I very much Hope that we will be able to do so, Putin pointed out in his Press Conference Today (8/7/2017). - "If we Build our relations in the Vein of our yesterday's meeting, (7/7/2017), there are good reasons to believe that we will be able to Revive, at least partially, the level of Interaction that we need", concluded Putin. - Presidents Putin and Trump "are Driven by the national Interests of their countries, and pursue them primarily by seeking to achieve Mutually Beneficial Agreements, rather than trying to act out confrontational scenarios and invent problems out of the blue", described, already in a Yesterday's Press Briefing, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. - "It was in this Concrete and Business-like Vein that ... Issues were discussed, he observed. -------------------- But, on which main Issues might be Expected some concrete Results, after their 2 Hours + 16 Minutes, unexpectedly Long (instead of about 30 minutes, as Initialy thought), First Direct Dialogue ? - Tillerson observed that "there was so Much to talk about -- All these Issues. Just about Everything got touched on, to one degree or another" . "It was a Good Start", And ...neither one of them wanted to stop"... - "Syria, Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula, Cyber security and a number of other issues" were Discussed, and "Agreements were reached on some quite Concrete things", said Lavrov. ------------------------------------------------- Syria : --------------------------------------------------- >>> iIt's notoriously on Syria, that this Historic, initial Meeting between the 2 more Powerful (but also quite atypical) Leaders of the World, yesterday morning here, is expected to Start having the Most Interesting concrete Results : - New USA Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson revealed that there was "a very Lengthy period on Syria", between Trump and Putin. "There was a substantial amount of time spent on Syria, just because we've had so much activity going on with it." - It included "a great amount of Detailed exchange on the Agreement we had Concluded today", about the Establishment of a De-escalation Zone at the Southern Borders of Syria, adjacent to Jordany. - "But, Also Where we Go", "trying to get much greater clarity around .... where do we share a Common view, and where do we have a Difference". In fact, "there's a lot More Commonality to that, than there are differences", Tillerson observed. => "So we want to Build on the Commonality, and we spent a lot of time talking about Next Steps". - Because "Syria (is) Transitioning from the Defeat of ISIS, which we are progressing rapidly", towards the question : - "what do we do to Stabilize Syria, once the war against ISIS is won". Both Russia and the US have the same "Interest ...in having Syria become a Stable place, a Unified place, but ultimately a place where we can facilitate a Political Discussion about their Future", Tillerson stressed. - "People are getting tired. They're getting weary of the conflict"... and the South is ...our First show of Success. We're Hoping we can Replicate that Elsewhere". - Meanwhile, "This Agreement, ....was entered into between Jordan, the United States, and Russia. And we ...have a very Clear picture of who will provide the Security forces. But we have a few more Details to Work out. .... I expect that will be Completed (in) ... less than a Week". ________________________ + As described his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Lavrov : "Today, Russian, US and Jordanian Experts finished work in Jordans capital Amman and agreed on a Memorandum on De-escalation Zones in the South-west of Syria in Daraa, Quneitra and Souweida. The Ceasefire in this zone will come in effect on July 9 (Sunday), at 12 pm Damascus time". - "Russia and the US" will "Ensure the Ceasefire regime by all the groups present there, and also ..provide Humanitarian access, and establish Contacts between the Opposition in that region and the Monitoring Centre being set up in the capital of Jordan. In the Beginning, Security around this de-escalation zone will be provided by Russian military Police in Coordination with Americans and Jordanians. ...the document US. to the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Syria, and the UN SC Resolutions ... for ...a political Settlement. This is the agreement that Both Presidents Welcomed today." ------------------------- + President Putin himself went, Today (Saturday, 8/7/2017) as far as to speak even about a "Breakthrough" on Syria. - "The most important thing is to ensure Syrias territorial integrity : If we manage to make each of those De-escalation Zones become like Regions cooperating with eachother and with the Damascus' Government, then, we'd create the conditions for an overall Political Solution of the Syrian issue, Putin highlighted. ------------------------------------------- Ukraine : --------------------------------------------------- Merkel, Today, pointed explicitly at the concrete Examples of Syria, Nuclear Disarmament and North Korea. But she was well placed to eventualy Add also Ukraine, (naturaly in a Wider Format, i.e. with EU's Franco-German core's active role, developing further "Normandy format" Talks with Russia and Ukraine, in a much needed effort to UnBlock the stalled "Minsk" Agreement's status quo : See Infra). Speaking to Journalists in Hamburg, including "Eurofora", just After a Trilateral Meeting between France-Germany-Russia Leaders, Earlier this Morning, at the sidelines of this G20 Summit in Hamburg, (See "Eurofora"s previous anouncement at : ...), Merkel acknowledged that the Minsk Agreements, (even of they have, more or less, Succeeded, until now, to Stop Massive Killings, particularly of Civilian People, at the pro-Autonomy Donetsk/Luhansk Eastern Regions, in a Conflict which has already Costed about 10.000 Human Lives, and still Continues to have several Victims even now), are not being Implemented but only "very Slowly", some Key parts having even Stalled. This is of Relevance even to "G-20" Summit as such, since OECD's Head, Angel Guria, has already Declared to "Eurofora" that the Ukranian Conflict has Costed, and still does, a lot, also on Economic Growth potential being Wasted for Years, mainly in Europe, but also Worldwide, (given also the "Sanctions" on Russia, etc), as he had told us at the CoE in Strasbourg (See : ...). Meanwhile, experienced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, (Comp. f.ex. Lavrov's Reply to "Eurofora"s Question, on the sidelines of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev - currently Prime Minister - at the "G-8" Summit of 2011 in Deauville : ...), at a Press Briefing, Yesterday Afternoon, in Hamburg's "G-20", (for which "Eurofora" had been Timely Warned : See ..., But Hindered to arrive on Time, because of the already Denounced, unprecedented, Local Practical Obstacles : See Ibid), said that Trump, as well as Tillerson, and even his French counterpart, Drian (Comp. several Drian Stetements to "Eurofora", f.ex. at ... + ...), did Not really Seek (at least not yet) any radicaly Different Plan, but mainly how to Revive, Accelerate and Complete the "Implementation" of Minsk Agreements. Moreover, Trump's New US Arministration anounced here the Apointment of a "Special Envoy for Ukraine", who is due to visit also Russia asap. Lavrov added that It was also agreed to "set up a Channel between Russian and US officials, so as to use US capabilities for promoting a Settlement, on the Basis of the Minsk Agreements and relying on the groundwork laid by the Contact Group and in the Normandy format". New USA State Secretary Rex Tillerson, at another Press Briefing, Yesteday Afternoon, here, (where "Eurofora" was also Hindered to arrive on Time, because of the already Denounced, Unprecedented, Local Practical Obstacles : See ...), together with Treasure Secretary Mnushin, (Comp. Mnushin's Reply to an "Eurofora" Question at his Press Conference in "G-20"'s Financial Ministers' Summit in Baden-Baden, earlier on March 2017 : ...), confirmed that Trump had just Nominated "Ambassador Kurt Volker", as his "Special Representative for Ukraine", who has "Decades of Experience in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps", including at the NATO and "his permanent Political" tasks. Tillerson also stressed that, in Wider terms, Presidents Trump and Putin spend 2 Hours 15 Minutes about "all these issues", including "Ukraine", on which "Both of the Leaders feel like there's a lot of things in the Past that both of us are Unhappy about. We're Unhappy, they're Unhappy", and that's why "there was so much to talk about". But, "this (USA - Russia) is a really Important relationship", and "We simply have to Find a way to Go Forward", as he said, at the Eve of his own Departure for Ukraine, that he's due to Visit on Sunday, July 9. + Significantly, at the Same Time, it's also the New UNO's Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who is currently in the process of Leaving Hamburg's "G-20" Summit also for Ukraine, said Today (Saturday, July 8), to "Eurofora", UNO's Experienced Press Director, and Top Spokesman, Stephane Durarric, by phone. As for Rex Tillerson's observations about Both Trump and Putin being "UnHappy" of things which happened "in the Past" on "Issues" such as Ukraine, etc., (Comp. Supra), they Timely remind the Notorious statements of Former US Under-Secretary of State for Eur-Asia, Mrs Nuland, (apointed by Obama), about ... "Fuck the EU !" (sic), precisely on the Issue of Ukraine, and her Interferences on Who should become Prime Minister, or not, etc., as Early as, already, since February 2014, i.e. at the Moment that Strange and still UnIdentified, but Deadly "Snipers" curiously Shot and Killed ...Both Demonstrators and Policemen, Firing mainly from an Hotel behind their back at Maidan Square, in a way which Provoked massive Violent and Deadly Riots Attacking the Parliament, etc., and Toppling a Peaceful Political Agreement, which had been just been Signed by then Ukranian President Yanukovitch and All the Opposition, under the auspices of French, German and Polish Foreign Ministers, (for a National Unity Government, Amnesty and New Elections, etc). Later on, a CoE's High-Level Committee of Experts in Strasbourg, chaired by British Sir Nicolas Bratza, former ECHR President, appointed by CoE's Secretary General Thornbjorn Jaglant, a former Prime Minister of Norway, concluded that the subsequent Kiev's Government, (which had Seized Power after those Violent Riots), grossly Failed in its Duty to make a Transparent and Efficient Investigation in order to Find and Punish those Strange Deadly "Snipers" and whoever were the Instingators of their Attacks, which had provoked Massive Brutal Clashes and the Violent Toppling of a Controversial, perhaps partly unpopular, but, nevertheless, regularly Elected Government, and the Beginning of a Wider, even More Deadly Conflict, Extended to pro-Autonomy Donetsk/Luhansk Regions, (soon Attacked by Kiev's Army with Tanks, Air-Bombings, etc, making a Growing Number of Civilian Victims), the Re-Unification of Crimea peninsula with Russia in retaliation, and imposing a Dangerous Division of Europe, reminiscent but, in fact, even More Risky than the "Cold War" Era of the Past. I.e., really a lot of what can make any Honest politician very much ..."UnHappy", according to Tillerson's above-mentioned Wording, due to Stimulate a Strong Desire to make things much better (Comp. Supra)... --------------------------------------- Cyber-Crime+ ------------------------------------------------ + AnOther Topical, but much Wider Issue, discussed Yesterday by USA and Russia Presidents, (which, once again, was Not explicitly mentioned by German Chancellor Merkel now, since it Obviously concerns also the EU, China, Australia, Latin America, Africa, as well as Other Global Stakeholders, and was Partially included in the "G20" Summit's Conclusions : Comp. Supra), is that which was Resumed as "Cyber-Security" : - USA's New Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, said here Yesterday that "the 2 Leaders ...agreed to Explore creating a Framework, around which the two countries can work Together to better understand how to deal with ...Cyber-Threats"' Challenges, such as : - "Interferences with the Internal Affairs of Countries", - "Threats to Infrastructures", - and/or "Terrorism". A main Question is "how do we create a framework in which we have some capability to Judge What is happening in the Cyber-world, and Who to hold Accountable", he pointed out. Tillerson admitted, however, that "this is Obviously an Issue that's Broader than just U.S.-Russia", (Comp. Supra). - However, already, "We (US-Russia) agreed to set up a Working-level Group, to begin to Explore this framework agreement around the Cyber issue and this issue of non-interference. So those will be ongoing with Various staff Levels", Tillerson added. That Joint "Working Group" on "Cyber-Security" is due to be Led, from the U.S.A. side, by Both "the State Demartment" (i.e. himself), and "the National Security Advisor's office" (i.e. by General McMaster), he specified, in reply to Press Questions. + Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, observed that "Cyber-Security ...was, understandably, given Considerable Attention". - The main reason is that "the Presidents Agreed that this area is becoming ever More Dangerous", because "there are numerous Threats Emerging in Cyberspace, including : - "Terrorism" - "Other areas of Oganised Crime", - "Threats to the normal functioning of Societies, as Child Pornography, Pedophilia, the so-called Suicide networks, ...interference in ...Elections, ...Hacking in all its forms", etc. => In consequence, "All these issues, Combined, ...were agreed as subjects of Russian-US InterAction", and "a Bilateral Working Group will be set up for that purpose", he confirmed. ----------------------------------------------------- These were the Main, but Not the Only, particular and concrete Issues of General Interest, discussed by the US and Russian Presidents, during their 1st ever personal Meeting, (2 Hours and 16 Minutes' Long), on the sidelines of this 2017 "G20" Summit here, in Hamburg (Germany). Despite the notorious Harshness of such Issues, (or, rather, Because of it), their Host, German Chancellor Angie Merkel, apparently wanting to Mark such Historic Events, chose to Invite all her Guests, that Same Day of 7/7/2017, to a concert with Beethoven's 9th Symphony, (known as dedicated to "Joy", but also used as Europe's Anthem), played for the 1st Time in the Brand New "Elb-Philarmonie" superb Modern Building inaugurated on this occasion near Hamburg's Huge SeaPort. => A Voluntarist, Symbolic Move, allowing to Dream about a much needed "New Detente" era, by resolutely looking up to the Skyline of the Ocean's Horizon ?... (../..) ------------------------------- *** ("DraftNews", as already send, Earlier, to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap). *** The Association of Indian Magazines (AIM) has urged the union government to either rollback the goods and services tax (GST) of 12% levied on lightweight coated paper (LWC) or bring it down to 5%. In a letter sent to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia on July 11, AIM President R Rajmohan batted for keeping the tax rate on LWC paper at a lower slab owing to its importance for the print industry. LWC is used by most magazines and paper constitutes over 60% of our production costs. While higher GSM coated paper is being used for various other purposes, lightweight coated paper (LWC) up to 70 gsm is only used by magazines and newspapers, said the letter signed by Rajmohan. Going forward, the AIM intends to meet with Adhia besides approaching Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu, I&B Secretary NK Sinha and a few members of the GST council to push for the acceptance of their demands. Under the erstwhile tax regime, publishers with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) numbers were exempt from any form of taxation on newsprint. They did not have to pay any central or state tax, customs duty, excise duty or value added tax on SNP (Siam Nippon Industrial Paper), GNP (Great Northern Paper) and LWC paper up to 70 gsm. However, as per GST, there is a 5% IGST on SNP and GNP and 12% IGST on LWC, on imports and an equivalent CGST plus SGST on domestic purchase, wrote Rajmohan. Mentioning that the print industry is going through a slowdown due to a substantial rise in input costs, the AIM termed the treatment meted out towards the magazines as extremely unfair. Referring to the Press & Registration of Books Act of 1867, the AIM asked for parity between magazines and newspapers since both come under the category of newspapers under the aforementioned act. Magazines are not just content but experiences. Taking into account this role played by the magazines in (the) dissemination of knowledge, our constitution has provided many concessions to magazines and were always treated on par with newspapers, claimed the letter. Sources informed exchange4media that there are a number of grey areas when it comes to the implications of the GST on the print industry. Among these is a supposed 5% GST levy on hiring professional transportation services for distributing newspapers and magazines. According to the sales head of a newspaper group, only some big newspapers have hired transportation vehicles whereas other smaller concerns are making use of private vehicles for distribution purpose. The source wondered whether such an arrangement would qualify as transportation service and be liable for taxation. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The federal government is trying to seize a private jet owned by a Mexican businessman with San Antonio ties who is caught up in a cross-border bribery and money laundering probe. In a lawsuit filed last month in San Antonio federal court, prosecutors asked a judge to forfeit a 2000 Learjet registered in Mexico, alleging it was involved in a money laundering scheme. Information about the airplanes owner and the alleged money laundering was kept sealed. In a court filing Wednesday, prosecutors said they notified Luis Rayet, a businessman from the Mexican state of Coahuila, that theyre trying to take the plane. The plane is owned by Rayets company, Rajet Aero Servicios S.A. de C.V., which provides air charter services between Mexico and the U.S. It was seized in San Antonio. Prosecutors included boilerplate language in the initial suit claiming the plane is property involved in a transaction or an attempted transaction using money gained through foreign offenses involving extortion, foreign offenses involving the misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement of public funds by or for the benefit of a public official, foreign offenses involving bribery of a public official; (and) wire fraud. Rayets name has shown up before in court proceedings related to an investigation into the laundering in Texas of tens of millions of dollars stolen from the Coahuila government, but he has not been charged with a crime. This is the first time U.S. prosecutors have tried to seize his property. Mr. Rayet denies that his companys 2000 Learjet was derived from or involved in a money laundering scheme or any other illegal activity, Houston lawyer Andy Parker said Wednesday. He looks forward to refuting the governments claims in open court. A massive public works program in Coahuila left the state billions of dollars in debt, and since 2013 federal prosecutors in San Antonio and Corpus Christ have leveled allegations that former officials stole millions of dollars from the state and laundered a portion of it in Texas. Theyve charged the states former interim governor, its former treasurer and several businessmen. Former Gov. Humberto Moreira, once the leader of Mexicos ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, is under investigation but has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing. Rayets name most recently came up during the plea hearing of Luis Carlos Castillo Cervantes, a Rio Grande Valley businessman who admitted to laundering money in Texas that he received from state contracts secured by bribing government officials. Castillo said he got state paving contracts in exchange for paying bribes to former interim Gov. Jorge Juan Torres Lopez, now a fugitive from criminal charges in Corpus Christi, and former state treasurer Hector Javier Villarreal, who has admitted to financial crimes in San Antonio and is free on bond pending his sentencing. Castillo also admitted to paying nearly $600,000 in 2009 to a title company that was used to purchase a house in the Greystone Country Estates subdivision for Moreiras mother-in-law. During his plea hearing, Castillo said he owed the money to one of Rayets companies and was told to wire money to the title company to settle that debt. Rayet in the past invested in Texas properties, including a home near Houston that had been owned by Torres, the former interim governor, and three pieces of property in San Antonio that one of his companies purchased in 2011 and sold in 2014. jbuch@express-news.net Twitter: @jlbuch This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON Thanks to the help of one congressman, federal funding could be en route to save the USS Texas, a 103-year-old battleship docked in the Houston Ship Channel. The ship survived World Wars I and II. But now its fighting a losing battle with the ship channels saltwater, which has eroded its hull and given the battleship a propensity to sprout leaks. The ship was closed for nearly a week in June as 26 leaks were patched, costing taxpayers an estimated $300,000 to $400,000 as deep-sea divers worked overnight to find the source of the leaks, said Bruce Bramlett, executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation. The nonprofit raises money to repair and maintain the boat. To be preserved, the USS Texas needs to be put in a dry dock, Bramlett added. But funding for the endeavor which could reach nearly $50 million is scarce. And time is running out before the USS Texas is irreparably damaged. The ships out of time, Bramlett said. She doesnt have long left as she continues to sit in the water. Enter U.S. Rep. John Culberson, a West University native whose district encompasses his hometown and parts of west Houston and Harris County, out to the Interstate 10 corridor and Katy area. Though its not in his district, Culberson, who was an American history major, has been concerned about the sinking battleship since he toured it in 2014, his spokeswoman Emily Taylor said. Culberson, a Republican, wrote an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would create a grant program to provide federal funding to the countrys battleships. The amendment passed late Wednesday in the House. The House is scheduled to vote today on the act. The proposed grant program would require any federal funding to be matched by local money. And the qualifications for a battleship to be worthy of federal dollars are stringent: The ship must be between 75 and 115 years old, on the National Register of Historic Places and in the state for which it is named. Unsurprisingly, Battleship Texas fits the bill. This is Culbersons second attempt to start such a grant program. He added a similar amendment to last years National Defense Authorization Act that didnt make it through conference. It may be a long shot this year as well. There were more than 440 amendments in the Houses bill, Taylor said. You have to be just unrelenting, Bramlett said. The Battleship Texas Foundation plans to launch its own capital campaign in about two months. The boat has already incurred costs that, should more funding not come through, would be wasted, Bramlett said. In November, the state paid a few hundred thousand dollars to repair leaks. In 2012, $3 million in state and privately raised money was spent on patching leaks. And the state shelled out $25 million in both 2007 and 2015 for major structural repairs to the ships hull, Bramlett added. Should the amendment make it, federal money would come not a moment too soon. Early Tuesday, the ship sprang yet another leak. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In late December, Celinda Aracely Rodriguez hobbled across the international bridge to request asylum in Hidalgo in the Rio Grande Valley. Immigration officers sent the Guatemalan native back to Reynosa, where she was snatched by a smuggler, her mother said. Alejandra Flores sat on the same bridge on a frigid December morning with her two sons, ages 3 and 10, in her lap. She had fled violence in Honduras, but said U.S. immigration officials in Hidalgo told her to leave, without reviewing her case. She was denied twice more the next day. And in yet another case, a Customs and Border Protection officer in early April told a group of Cubans requesting asylum in Laredo that the law has changed, you have to go back before escorting them to the Mexican side of the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge. Those are just a few of the countless immigrants who have been turned back in violation of federal law and international treaties, immigration advocates have been charging since last year. Tuesday, six immigrants and a nonprofit legal organization took their complaints to court, filing a federal lawsuit in California against U.S. Custom and Border Protection, alleging the agency's officers refused to hear asylum claims at border crossings in Texas, Arizona and California. Al Otro Lado, a nonprofit that serves deportees, migrants and refugees in Los Angeles and Tijuana, and the six unnamed immigrants allege that CBP officials used a range of tactics, including threat and intimidation, verbal abuse and physical force and even coercion to turn away immigrants. Since the election of Donald Trump in November, CBP has been emboldened to violate domestic and international law, said Erika Pinheiro, Policy and Technology Director for Al Otro Lado, which says its resources have been adversely affected. A spokesman for CBP said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. The plaintiffs are represented by American Immigration Council, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the law firm of Latham and Watkins. They claim that CBP officials coerced asylum seekers into signing forms abandoning their asylum claims, sometimes telling them Donald Trump just signed new laws saying there is no asylum for anyone. Other officers threatened to take children away from their parents, according to the lawsuit. Customs and Border Protection said earlier this year that it is not turning anyone away, and that its policies affecting asylum procedures had not changed, despite numerous accounts of officers turning Cubans and Central Americans back to dangerous Mexican border towns. Rodriguez's mother and Flores aren't part of the lawsuit, but their situations are similar to those presented in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in California. One of the immigrant plaintiffs in the lawsuit, referred to as Jose Doe, said he fled Honduras after several members of his family were murdered. Jose Doe expressed his fear of returning to Honduras to authorities at the pedestrian bridge in Laredo, yet was forced to return to Nuevo Laredo in spite of threats from local gangs. Hundreds of thousands of families and minors fleeing persecution and violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have surged across the Southwest border to seek asylum in recent years. Lawyers say that forcing people to return to the countries they fled makes them vulnerable to violence and infringes upon due process rights under the Fifth Amendment. The U.S. observes international law that allows people to seek asylum if they express a credible fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political beliefs among other things. Immigration officers are required to arrange for an interview with an asylum officer. The American Immigration Council and other immigrant advocacy organizations in January filed a complaint to the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General and Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Given these systematic violations, which are occurring in the midst of the Trump administrations broader attacks on immigrants, the courts must take on their duty and order the administration simply to follow the law, said Baher Azmy, legal director for the Center for Constitutional Rights. amnelsen@express-news.net Twitter: @amnelsen Arrowheads and spear points going back as far as 12,000 years could be hiding in parks, fields and riverbeds all over North America, and some of those have been recovered in Bexar County, helping to piece together the areas early history. In San Antonio, people can find several displays featuring these points. This includes some at the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, a wall timeline at the Institute of Texan Cultures and at the Witte Museum, which has examples of every recorded era of arrowhead and spear point in Texas for view on its second floor. If someone wants to see how one is made, demonstrations in Wittes Lifeway Lab are available during special events and summer camps. Spears were the most predominantly used weapon with the indigenous San Antonio people for 10,000 years, according to Texas archaeologist Harry Shafer. Shafer has researched and excavated the area for more than 50 years and is a curator with the Witte Museum. When someone finds what is popularly called an arrowhead, they are most likely not looking at the triangular piece at the end of an arrow, which were only used for 1,000 years. Most relics are spear points, ranging from an inch and a half to 5 inches in length. And while some may find points that were thrown during a hunt for white-tailed deer, one of the most hunted animals in Bexar County, or during a battle, the majority of the ones found are left behind from failed attempts at creating a point. Those usually look uneven and unfinished. . Notable types of points in the area include the 3-inch-long Clovis points, made from 11500 B.C. to 11000 B.C.; the wider bladed Bell points, from 6000 B.C. to 5000 B.C.; and the thin Ensor points, made from 500 B.C. to 200 B.C. The points were often attached to spears that were thrown with an atlatl, a throwing stick that propelled the spear. In San Antonio, points have been found near the San Antonio River and the missions. According to projectilepoints.net, Clovis points can be found across the United States, with many of them located closer to the East Coast. Texas is the home of the oldest dated Clovis point, according to the Smithsonian website, smithsonianmag.com. Bell points are found in central Texas, particularly in Bell County north of Austin. Ensor is also found primarily in Texas in places like Round Rock and the Edwards Plateau. Bows and arrows took the spotlight from spears briefly in history. While it is unclear if the introduction of them came from advancements made by local groups or a new group came in, Shafer said the peak for bow and arrow production lasted from 800 A.D. to about 1300 A.D. Three of the main arrowhead types included the Sabinal, the Scallorn and the Perdiz. The Perdiz, the most recent, were produced until around the year 1650. The decrease in arrowheads and the return to spears happened around the same time as the Little Ice Age that started around 1650, when bison came back into the area and the size of that animal demanded a spear (instead of arrows) to hunt. Points are made through a process called flintknapping. In the Bexar County area, the materials most often used to make points were flint rock or Edwards chert, a glassy material found in a small region in north Bexar County in the Edwards Plateau called The Escarpment. We are located in an area that has some of the finest material to make stone tools anywhere in the country, Shafer said. You can take (Edwards chert) and chip it like glass, it is so fine and incredibly sharp. In flintknapping, the flint stone is first struck with another stone, called the hard hammer. The stone is struck down as flakes, or the pieces removed from the rock, start coming off. Then, to start shaping the point, a soft hammer tool usually a deer antler is used to further knock off flakes until the general size and shape is left. The third step, called pressure flaking, thins the stone down with a sharp point deer antler to get its sharp edges. While this was a reliable process that goes all the way back to the Stone Age, projectile points as a whole were phased out at the introduction of gun technology by the French in the 18th century. One of the main repositories of points today is the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Kay Hindes, the city archaeologist for San Antonio, leads public development projects where points are often found and then taken to CAR. While it may be tempting to keep a point you find, Hindes advises against it. Under the Antiquities Code of Texas, points found on public property belong to the public, so removal is prohibited. Artifacts really tell the story for all citizens; they dont truly belong to any one citizen, she said. If those are removed from sites, we have lost a large part of our ability to tell a story of that site. Chief curator of the Witte Museum Amy Fulkerson said there are local sellers that use historically accurate materials and methods to create reproduction points. Private landowners do have the right to keep what is found on their property. But, Shafer said anything found on websites that describe the point as from a historic period is most likely either false or illegally obtained. Sellers dont share information with archaeologists, so that history is lost, he said. More arrowheads and spear points normally not available for public viewing are displayed for group and school tours at CAR by request. Groups of eight or more can call to reserve a tour at 210-458-4378 and find more information on the website at car.utsa.edu. CAR can be found on the UTSA main campus at One UTSA Circle. Note: This story has been updated to clarify and correct information given by Texas archaeologist Harry Shafer and chief curator of the Witte Museum Amy Fulkerson. There are millions of arrowheads and spear points in the world, not just Bexar County. Also, local sellers of points are using historically accurate materials and methods to create reproductions, rather than selling artifacts. osanchez@express-news.net @OhMySanchez COMING SATURDAY: The Hays Street Bridge. WOOSTER, Ohio Farmers who are looking for an alternative to corn and soybeans and a crop that grows back each year might want to consider the benefits of growing a perennial wheat-like plant known as Kernza. This is the trademark name for a perennial crop that can be harvested for both its grain and forage qualities, and it grows back for at least three or four seasons. Known as an intermediate wheat grass, Kernza was developed by The Land Institute, a conservation-minded organization based in Kansas. Researchers across the country have been trying to develop new varieties of Kernza that do well in each state. At Ohio State University, research is being led by Steve Culman, a soil fertility specialist and assistant professor. Culman said Kernza has the potential to be transformative in terms of the potential for a grain system to provide soil and water conservation. More efficient Thats because Kernza allows farmers to harvest both grain and forage without the need for replanting each year. With less soil disturbance, theres more opportunity for root growth and development, and more ground cover to hold nutrients in place. The grain heads can yield more grain than wheat, according to The Land Institute, but the seeds are typically about one-fifth the size. Researchers like Culman are trying to develop new varieties that produce larger seeds, and higher yields. He said grain yields can range from 500-1,000 pounds per acre, depending on the weather and the growing season. The crop is typically planted in the fall, with a wheat-style drill and is harvested with a combine. Forage potential Unlike wheat, the crop can usually be harvested a couple times a year, but usually just once for grain. After harvest, the chaff can be baled and used as a forage, or the crop can be live-foraged by allowing livestock to enter the growing crop. The grain can be used for baking, and for mixing with other flours. It can also be used by breweries and distilleries, or consumed by itself. Culman said it has a rich, nutty flavor. A big factor is how the grain is milled. Unlike wheat, Kernza usually has to be dehulled through a separate machine. Kernza can be milled and consumed with the hull attached, but it definitely produces a more brand-rich product, Culman said. He said there are only about 10-15 acres of Kernza currently being grown in Ohio, but he sees a bright future for the crop as more farmers learn about the benefits. Lee DeHaan, the lead Kernza scientist at The Land Institute, said more farmers are interested in growing the crop each year, but he wants to make sure the varieties are fully developed before they become commercialized. Ive been deliberately holding back the expansion because were working on expanding the grain yield and seed size in order to make it a good crop, he said. On the market But Kernza is already in the marketplace and is being made into foods and beers. This spring, the General Mills Co. announced a partnerships with The Land Institute and the University of Minnesota to help commercialize Kernza, and use it in some of its cereal and snack products. Its rare that you find something like this that, if you work at it, has so many environmental benefits associated with it. So thats one of the reasons were excited about this, Jerry Lynch, chief sustainability officer for Golden Valley-based General Mills, told The Associated Press. General Mills also announced it will also donate $500,000 to the University of Minnesota to support advanced research into breeding, yield and growth practices, milling and marketing the grain, so that it succeeds in the long term, Lynch said. Culman doesnt expect Kernza to compete head-to-head with conventional crops for a while partly because it doesnt yield as much but it provides farmers another option. If you dont have any use for forage, this is not a system you want to invest in, Culman said. Farm research This is his third year researching Kernza at Ohio State, and hes hoping to continue learning more about the crop not only from his research plots, but from farmers. Im a firm believer of information flowing from researchers to growers and then back the other way, too, he said. As a scientist, I learn a lot from conversations with growers and doing on-farm research. Researchers are also evaluating Kernza in Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado and elsewhere. At the end of this year, Culman said they are planning to publish their three years of results. The crop probably wont work for everyone, but some farmers could be pleasantly surprised by the benefits. Wed hope that it would be a system that would provide flexibility and options, he said. Working with our board, our school and the broader community we have identified that we want to position this college as one that educates students that will go on to work for the most productive farming enterprises in this State, said principal Kevin Osborne. Mass spectrometry is used in bacterial diagnostics mainly in the medical fields but it had never been applied elsewhere which is why I started looking at that technology and how it can be implemented in rhizobia and more importantly straight from the nodule, Dr De Meyer said. McIntosh & Son product performance manager and IHSD specialist Bryce Crosby shows a swing-out door to allow for easier cleaning. There's a similar one on the other side of the header. Inside is a shrouded area where material comes off the back of the sieves and is directed to two rota mills. This upgrade eliminates material loss under the header keeping it in the shrouded enclosure. Since the closure of the last WA wool scourer in 2009, scoured wool sales by WA exporters have had to be sent to Victoria for scouring prior to shipment, making it difficult for them to compete with exporters in the Eastern States. Chris Hemsworth is honoured to be the new face of Hugo Boss. Chris Hemsworth The 'Thor' actor has been named as the ambassador for Boss Bottled and the brand's Man of Today campaign and he is excited about his work with the company. He told Us Weekly: "I feel great about being the new face of [the fragrances]. It's a huge honour and I really identify with the values that the 'Man of Today' stands for. Life should be a journey of passion, honesty and integrity and be about having a greater awareness of your impact in the community and the people you interact with." Chris has shot a TV campaign with Nicolas Winding Refn for Hugo Boss and a print campaign with photographer Nathaniel Goldberg. Both will launch globally in September. Chris, 33, is not the only Hemsworth brother to front a fragrance campaign; two years ago his brother Liam, 27, was named as the face of Diesel's Only the Brave scent. The 'Hunger Games' actor signed a deal to be the face of the fragrance in the print and TV campaign and it was the first time Diesel had chosen a celebrity to be the star of their adverts. According to the label the brave one is known "by his strength, his determination and most of all his ability to live life bravely on his own terms" and the fashion company insisted the hunky actor embodies the message of the product. Andrea Rosso, Diesel's creative director, said: "I think that Liam embodies these qualities, I am happy to have him representing Only the Brave." Liam previously starred in an advertising campaign for British clothing brand Bench. Prince Philip began his final ceremonial engagement by welcoming Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to London yesterday (12.07.17). Prince Philip and Queen Letizia on Horse Guards Parade The Duke of Edinburgh, 96, has two further engagements left in his calendar ahead of his retirement from royal duties in the autumn, and he was on fine form on Wednesday in what is rumoured to be his final ceremonial commitment. Philip accompanied Letizia, 44, in a horse-drawn carriage which travelled along Horse Guards Parade towards Buckingham Palace. He seemed to be in great spirits as he appeared to make some jokes during their transit, and was spotted pointing things out to the brunette royal. The duke has to attend the Annual Meeting at the Royal Geographical Society next week and a reception at Canada House. Following the announcement of his retirement, a Buckingham Palace statement said: "His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, the duke has the full support of the queen. "Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying the queen. Thereafter, the duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time. "The Duke of Edinburgh is patron, president or a member of over 780 organisations, with which he will continue to be associated, although he will no longer play an active role by attending engagements. "Her Majesty will continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements with the support of members of the Royal Family." Philip was admitted to hospital last month as a "precautionary measure" after an infection related to a "pre-existing condition" re-surfaced, but left the medical facility two days later. Export potential of Vietnams garments, handbags and leather footwear to Australia was explored in a conference in Hanoi. The event, co-held by the Hanoi Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Agency and Australia International Exhibition and Conference Group, brought together over 60 businesses from garment, textiles, footwear and fashion sectors.Besides the Hanoi-based business, the associations and organisations which have high export demand to Australia and New Zealand also attended the conference. Export potential of Vietnam's garments, handbags and leather footwear to Australia was explored in a conference in Hanoi. The event, co-held by the Hanoi Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Agency and Australia International Exhibition and Conference Group, brought together over 60 businesses from garment, textiles, footwear and fashion sectors.# The participants were briefed on Southeast Asias garment and textiles market and Australia and New Zealands import potentials for garment, textiles and leather products.The conference gave an opportunity to Vietnam export businesses to broaden their network with Australia partners, thus increasing availability of Vietnamese goods in the market, said Nguyen Mai Anh, deputy director of the agency.Meanwhile, IEC director Julie Holt said Australia boasts great purchasing power although its population is less than the US and Europe, adding that Vietnam ranked second among countries exporting footwear products to Australia with export turnover of Australian $ 32 million.The director also noted that Vietnamese firms should follow international standards to meet requirement of importers.According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in the first quarter of 2017, two-way trade between Vietnam and Australia reached $ 1.35 billion. Vietnam exported $ 687 million worth of goods to Australia, up 8.3 per cent, while importing $ 665 million worth of products from the market, down 18.6 per cent compared to the same period last year.During the review period, Vietnam raked in $ 50 million from footwear exports to Australia, up 24.6 per cent and $ 42 million from garment and textile products, up 13.6 per cent. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has opened its first garments manufacturing training institute in the country. This is an initiative to increase the productivity of the garment manufacturing units by improving skills of its workers through training. Further, the institution will also increase the scope of employment. Initially, over 160 workers from 14 factories from various parts of the country will be imparted training at the Cambodian Garment Training Institute, according to Cambodian media reports. Singapore-based fashion institute TaF.tc International will impart technical knowledge to the students at the institute. Apart from training the garment workers, the institution will offer courses for high school and university students. Three different diploma programmes will be offered at the institute which also gives 27 short term courses that will also focus on manufacturing skills. The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has opened its first garments manufacturing training institute in the country. This is an initiative to increase the productivity of the garment manufacturing units by improving skills of its workers through training. Further, the institution will also increase the scope of employment.# These courses are based on the jobs that are lacking the most in the industry, said Andrew Tey, the institutes director. The institute offers 'Train and Place' programme that will give employment to the students and workers as management trainees at the garment factories. With over 700,000 workers, garments manufacturing industry is currently the largest formal private sector in Cambodia. Compared to 2015, there was 2.9 per cent decline in the number of workers in 2016, according to the sixth edition of the ILO's Cambodian bulletin. (RR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India American retailer Walmart plans to invest Rs 900 crore in order to open 15 outlets in Maharashtra which will cater to wholesalers. These new stores can be expected to generate employment for over 30,000 people in the state. The industries department of Maharashtra has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Walmart regarding its expansion. The additional 15 stores will be opened in Maharashtra in the next few years, said the Chief Minister's office in an official statement. Walmart currently has two stores in Maharashtra one each in Amravati and Aurangabad. The retailer already has 21 wholesale membership clubs in 9 states in India that offer close to 5,000 items. The company plans to have 49 more cash and carry stores in India by 2020. American retailer Walmart plans to invest Rs 900 crore in order to open 15 outlets in Maharashtra which will cater to wholesalers. These new stores can be expected to generate employment for over 30,000 people in the state. The industries department of Maharashtra has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Walmart regarding its expansion.# Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis was present during the signing of the MoU along with Pravinsingh Pardeshi, additional chief secretary of the CM; Sunil Porwal, additional chief secretary (industries); Harshdip Kamble, development commissioner; and Krish Iyer, head of Walmart India. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The 33rd World Fashion Convention, organised by IAF (International Apparel Federation), to be held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 16 to 18, 2017, will feature a very strong and interesting line-up of speakers who come from the worlds major apparel retailers and brands, Speakers from Hugo Boss, PVH, Esquel, and Sewbo will be present at the event.The theme of the Convention is compliance and technology key drivers for industry and retail. Speakers will give delegates cutting edge examples of how the apparel industry is dealing with the most interesting advances in technology and sustainability. The 33rd World Fashion Convention, organised by IAF (International Apparel Federation), to be held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 16 to 18, 2017, will feature a very strong and interesting line-up of speakers who come from the world's major apparel retailers and brands, Speakers from Hugo Boss, PVH, Esquel, and Sewbo will be present at the event.# Marissa Pagnani, PVHs Group vice president, corporate responsibility, will demonstrate why PVH has a leading role among large apparel corporations in the field of social responsibility and sustainability as recognised by the 2015 Corporate Responsibility Magazine 100 Best Corporate Citizens List with the #2 ranking in the Human Rights category. Fitting for a cutting-edge approach to compliance is PVHs commitment to moving beyond compliance by enhancing remediation and capacity-building.Esquel is one of the worlds larger manufacturers with a production of over 100 million pieces and well over 57000 employees. The CEO of Esquel, John Cheh, will explain how Esquel today sets a positive example by proving that a company can be both profitable and committed to sustainability and worker welfare. Cheh will provide a great practical example of how technology can be used to achieve this goal and how a commitment to operational excellence stands at the heart of this strategy.Joachim Hensch, managing director Hugo Boss Textile Industries and heading in this capacity Hugo Bosss largest owned factory in Turkey, will share with the Conventions delegates how technology is driving operational excellence. He will give his vision of how industry 4.0 and particularly the digitalisation of production processes is able to boost productivity and flexibility.Jon Zornow founder of Sewbo, industrial automation for garment manufacturers, has shaken the apparel industry with his invention of a sewing robot that uses a revolutionary stiffening process. This allows panels of clothing to be handled by the robot as if they were car parts. Sewbo has made the industry realise that the future may very well bring a much more automised and less labour intensive apparel industry. He will share with us his vision of the apparel industry. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India AATCC, the Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals, a leading not-for-profit association serving textile professionals with test method development and quality control materials, is set to host the Managing Todays Textile Colouration Challenges: From Fibre to Fashion conference, on September 13 and 14, 2017, in Charlotte, NC, US.The program is designed to bring together brands, retailers, mills, and suppliers to hear both sides of the story and work together to understand each others challenges and propose effective ideas. AATCC, the Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals, a leading not-for-profit association serving textile professionals with test method development and quality control materials, is set to host the Managing Today's Textile Colouration Challenges: From Fibre to Fashion conference, on September 13 and 14, 2017, in Charlotte, NC, US.# The conference includes sessions on Colour, Performance, and Costthe Bermuda Triangle for the Brand/Retailer; What Fibres are You Dyeing and How: Best Practices; Modern Colouration Methods and Sustainability; and Emerging Trends and Markets.Mike Abbott from HanesBrands will talk on Challenges Faced by a Brand: A 20,000-foot Perspective Bryan Dill from Archroma US Inc. will speak on Piecing Together the Colour Puzzle-Fashion, Performance, Sustainability; Mark Ankeny from Cotton Incorporated will talk on the topic Cotton: Minimising Inputs for Maximum Results; and Dyeing Cotton and Cellulosic Fibres Begin with the End in Mind will be discussed by Ron Pedemonte, from DyStar LP.Jay Hertwig from Unifi will be speaking on PolyesterThe Chameleon of the Modern Textile World; Nelson Houser from M. Dohmen USA will talk on Dyeing Polyester and Key Polyester Blends; and Harrie Schoots from Ascend Performance Materials LLC will discuss on the topic Nylon Overview and Recent Challenges in the Nylon Raw Material Supply Chain.Pat Browne from Huntsman will talk on the topic Dyes and the Dyeing of Polyamide, Select Polyamide Blends, and a Brief Description of Wool Dyeing and Barry Brady from Organic Dyes and Pigments will speak on Understanding Dyeing Equipment.Chuck Stewart from Eastman Chemical Co. will discuss on Water, Energy, and Colour in the Dyehouse: Where Does It Go?; Eric Henry from TS Designs will talk on Reshoring Apparel in the Carolinas; Keith Hoover from Under Armour will discuss on Matching Heather FabricsWhat Could be Easier?; Allison Bowles from North Carolina State University will talk on Keys to the Future of Smart Textiles; Ken Butts from Datacolor will talk on Ultra-Portable Colour Measurement; and Jimmy Rowe from Cotton Incorporated will discuss on the topic Performance ProliferationThe Next Chapter in Apparel. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Government of Bangladesh has trained over 60,000 farmers in modern cotton cultivation, said Begum Matia Chowdhury, agriculture minister of the country while replying to a query in Jatiya Sangsad. She also said that the government has set up 3,050 demonstrations plot for a project which has been initiated to increase cotton production. Chowdhury also added that the government has initiated multiple programmes and projects such as Expansion of Cotton Cultivation Project (Phase-1) which was undertaken in financial year 2014-15 at an investment of Taka 105 crore. Cotton is the essential raw material used in the textile industry of Bangladesh and needs to be imported from other countries to fulfil its demands, said a Bangladeshi news agency quoting Chowdhury. The Government of Bangladesh has trained over 60,000 farmers in modern cotton cultivation, said Begum Matia Chowdhury, agriculture minister of the country while replying to a query in Jatiya Sangsad. She also said that the government has set up 3,050 demonstrations plot for a project which has been initiated to increase cotton production.# There are around 5,000 garment factories in Bangladesh and over 450 spinning mills. The country aims to export readymade garments worth $50 billion by 2021. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Taking advantage of lower average unit prices, home textiles imports from outside the EU-28 increased in 2016, according to The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, Euratex. During the year, EU imports of menswear showed 0.5 per cent increase in value and 4.4 per cent in volume terms, while imports of womenswear increased 0.8 per cent in value. Activity in homebuilding varied widely depending on the Member State, and purchasing of homeware followed suit, Euratex states in its Bulletin 2|2017, which provides an in-depth analysis of the EU textile and clothing external trade for 2015-2016. The report includes trade trends by sector, i.e. fibres, yarns, fabrics, carpets, technical textiles, home textiles, home textiles, workwear, mens and womenswear, by products and by EU main trading partners. Taking advantage of lower average unit prices, home textiles imports from outside the EU-28 increased in 2016, according to The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, Euratex. During the year, EU imports of menswear showed 0.5 per cent increase in value and 4.4 per cent in volume terms, while imports of womenswear increased 0.8 per cent in value.# Imports of home textiles from outside the EU reached 6 billion in 2016, and were mainly divided among four countries: China (share 33 per cent), Pakistan (25 per cent), Turkey (16 per cent) and India (11 per cent). Besides, there were remarkable gains in value for Vietnam, Morocco, Taiwan and Ukraine. In 2016, EU imports of menswear climbed to more than 20 billion, accounting for 25 per cent of total clothing imports. Of the five main imported menswear items (trousers, shirts, coats, underwear, jackets), only shirts suffered weaker demand. China remained the main supplier of menswear. In value terms, its share of total imports stood at 28 per cent, representing another year of steady decline. The EU-28s second ranked supplier, Bangladesh, continued its inexorable rise adding 8.5 per cent to improve its market share. A comparable situation was observed in imports coming from Pakistan which added 5.8 per cent in value. Imports of womenswear reached 29 billion, constituting 36 per cent of total EU-28 clothing imports. Imports rose for the five main imported items: trousers, skirts and dresses, coats, blouses and underwear. China continued to be the main supplier but its share was being eroded year-on-year. Due to continued annual expansion of its import share, Bangladesh was inevitably next in line behind China, with value increasing by 13.7 per cent. In third place, Turkey continued to be a preferred traditional supplier even with a slight dip of 0.3 per cent. Among other clothing articles, EU imports of worn clothing achieved an outstanding growth while pullovers and cardigans declined. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India US cotton shipments to Vietnam through 11 months of the 2016-17 marketing year have grown by 70 per cent as import demand continues to expand. Continuing expansion of Vietnams mill use has supported extremely robust sales this year, according to the US department of agriculture (USDA). Vietnam is likely to remain the largest market for US cotton. US share in total Vietnamese cotton imports is projected to reach 60 per cent this season, the Foreign Agricultural Service of the USDA said in its July 2017 report on Cotton: World Markets and Trade. During the 11-month period, US cotton shipments have nearly tripled to China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. This has resulted in US cotton capturing a greater market share alongside substantial expansion of total imports in these countries. With exports to China up by nearly 200 per cent, it is now set to be the second largest US market, after having fallen to fifth place in 2015-16, its lowest ranking in 15 years. US cotton shipments to Vietnam through 11 months of the 2016-17 marketing year have grown by 70 per cent as import demand continues to expand. Continuing expansion of Vietnam's mill use has supported extremely robust sales this year, according to the US department of agriculture (USDA). Vietnam is likely to remain the largest market for US cotton.# In fact, US export shipments through 11 months of the 2016-17 marketing year are running more than 70 per cent ahead of year-ago levels. This broad based expansion has kept US cotton exports on track to reach the USDA forecast of 14.5 million bales, the second highest level on record, the report said. The increase in US cotton exports is widely distributed across markets, with exports up in 20 of the 25 largest US markets. Among the top 10 markets, only Mexico and Turkey have not exhibited robust growth. Mexicos mill use has been declining and the US has a pre-existing near-100% share of the import market, therefore export growth to Mexico is limited. Export growth in Turkey has been constrained by a much larger domestic crop which has reduced overall import demand by over 25 per cent. The increase in US exports represents a large increase in the US market share of Turkeys imports. Globally, strong US exports reflect improved market share in many markets, as the global consumption recovery has only modestly raised world import demand. For 2016-17, USDA has kept the US cotton balance sheet unchanged from its previous estimate, while it has forecast the US season-average farm price to reduce half a cent to 68 cents-pound. For 2017-18, the forecast shows higher global production, primarily in India. Higher beginning stocks are also forecast, but these are partially offset by higher consumption; global ending stocks are forecast higher. The US balance sheet has area and production down, resulting in lower ending stocks. The US season-average farm price forecast is 3 cents lower at 61 cents-pound. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Brother Industries Ltd, a multinational manufacturer of print and imaging equipment, machine tools, industrial and home sewing machines, has selected Syncron, the leading provider of cloud-based after-sales service solutions focused on empowering the worlds manufacturers, to improve product uptime around the world through optimised service parts management. By choosing Syncron Inventory for its ease-of-use and ROI potential, Brother's Machinery Business division aims to eliminate manual processes and improve the overall service experience. Because of the long lifecycle of industrial equipment oftentimes more than 20 years and the variations in downtime severity, manufacturers within the industry need to ensure service parts are available when and where they are most in demand to ensure product uptime. With the understanding that industrial machinery is critical to manufacturing, as any downtime could halt production lines, Brother wanted to automate its service parts inventory management. This allows Brother to avoid excess and obsolete inventory consistently ensuring service parts are immediately available when and where a repair is needed. Brother Industries Ltd, a multinational manufacturer of print and imaging equipment, machine tools, industrial and home sewing machines, has selected Syncron, the leading provider of cloud-based after-sales service solutions focused on empowering the world's manufacturers, to improve product uptime around the world through optimised service parts management.# "Everything we do is based on improving and maximising product uptime, and with more than 70 per cent of machines sold outside of Japan, we sought a truly global solution that would allow us to manage service parts inventory around the world from a central interface. At Brother, our focus on service is always top of mind, and we are thrilled to better serve our loyal customers via exceptional service experiences. The Syncron solution will scale with us as we grow, eliminating our current manual processes and ultimately improving customer satisfaction," said Takashi Yamada, general manager, machine tools CS planning department, Machinery Business Division at Brother. Prior to selecting Syncron, it was a time-consuming, manual process for Brother to forecast and plan service parts inventory for its products. In addition to eliminating these cumbersome processes, Brother also aims to improve visibility into excess and obsolete service parts inventory via advanced analytics. "Today's most forward-thinking companies realise maximising product uptime is a key competitive differentiator and revenue-driver. We are thrilled to have Brother join our impressive customer base, and are excited to work with them to enhance the customer experience through quick and reliable service repairs, as well as improve margins and revenue," said Johan Stakeberg, head of global sales at Syncron. Brother will initially roll out Syncron among its machinery business division in Japan and China, with the expectation of implementing in additional regions, and in other business units in the near future guaranteeing satisfied customers around the globe. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Salman Khan Was Hosting The Event As per the daily, "Without taking Bachchan's opinion, they not only held the event in Sri Lanka (when their army's attitude towards Tamils there was not good) but also signed up Salman Khan to host it.'' Bachchans Were Terribly Hurt ''These awards were Bachchans' baby, and hence they were terribly hurt." There Were No Financial Issues "Amitabh Bachchan is too classy to crib about financial issues. He is a man of words. Loyalty comes to him ahead of anything else." Amitabh Bachchan Was Adamant ''Organisers tried their best to persuade him to continue with them, but Bachchan was adamant.'' Amitabh Told Them Firmly ''He told them politely but firmly that he was not interested in the association anymore." Meanwhile check out some more controversies surrounding IIFA below. When A Fan Hurt Shahrukh Khan According to BL, ''it was IIFA 2011, and Shahrukh Khan was on stage, a fan of his, jumped the barricades, got past the security and found his way to the stage.'' And Shahrukh Yelled, ''You Are Hurting Me!'' ''He latched on to the actor's leg and Shahrukh yelled "You are hurting me!". But despite that Shahrukh agreed to meet his after the event. When Shahid & Kareena Bumped Into Each Other 'Ex-lovers Shahid and Kareena bumped into each other at IIFA 2014.'' Kareena Was With Saif ''Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan went to the stage to give an award, while Shahid was hosting the event.'' Still Kareena Handled The Situation Pretty Well But Kareena Kapoor handled the situation brilliantly and said "Hi" to Shahid Kapoor. Heres How It Started.. As per a leading tabloid, the makers of a leading British preschool animated TV series have approached Mira Rajput Kapoor to create a theme party for her munchkin, Misha. Kareena Is Planning To Host A Similar Kind Of Party But now, rumours have it that even Kareena Kapoor Khan is planning to host a similar kind of theme party for her son Taimur Ali Khan's first birthday on December 20. Recommended Video Shahid Kapoor and Misha ADORABLE photo at New York Airport will make you go Aww! | FilmiBeat Heres What The Source Revealed.. Throwing some light on the whole chaos, a source revealed to a tabloid saying, "Hosting a themed party for Shahid Kapoor's daughter will help animated TV series gain more popularity in India." Kareena Insisted To Have The Same Theme "When Kareena heard about it, she insisted on having the cartoon network character and the same theme for Taimur's birthday on December 20." Ahem Ahem! "But since it's a few months away, Bebo wants to hold a meet-and-greet session with the cartoon figure when it comes to India." This Has Turned To A War.. This has seemingly led to a war between the mommies. What do you guys think about all the fuss? Jot down your thoughts in the comments section below! Recently, Mira Took A Dig At Kareena "There is a fine line between being independent and being negligent." While it may have been an innocent enough statement, we can't help but wonder whether it was a dig at another new mommy, Kareena Kapoor Khan. Anil Kapoor, who has been married to Sunita for over three decades, says he always wanted to give his wife all the luxuries and thats why he took time to marry her. He was quoted as saying, "The day I signed the contract for my movie 'Meri Jung', the first thing I did was go to my girlfriend's house and ask for her hand in marriage. Thanks to that movie, I have been happily married for the past 32 years." He further commented, "One of the reasons I took so long to ask my wife to marry me was because I wanted to give her all the luxuries in life. Today, when Dhroon sang the song, I took a trip down the memory lane to the most beautiful day of my life." Wow! That was a pretty good decision made by Anil Kapoor and the actor is currently in New York city and is all set to attend the IIFA 2017 on July 14 and 15. The rest of the Bollywood fraternity is in New York as well. Deepika Padukone Had A Secret Affair With Novak Djokovic, Hints Ex-girlfriend Of The Tennis Star Why So Strange, Saif? In this new still, Saif is strangely dressed and is seen sporting a grave expression. We wonder what's wrong with him! Saif To Play A Gravely Ill Character Earlier, a Mumbai Mirror report had stated that the 'Rangoon' actor plays a gravely ill character on trips on psychedelic drugs. The tabloid had quoted a source as saying, "Saif's character discovers that he has cancer and is dying. He lives in denial for a while. Then, with his brother's wedding coming up, he decides to live life to the fullest, trying out everything he hadn't so far, including smoking, drinking and tripping on acid." Kaalakaandi Features Three Stories As per reports, apart from Saif, the second story features an odd couple, played by Kunaal Roy Kapur and Sobhita Dhulipala, and their issues, while the third is about two aspiring dons, played by Vijay Raaz and Deepak Dobriyal, and their crazy antics. We hear that all the three stories are interconnected at some point in the film. Recommended Video Saif Ali Khan KAALAKAANDI new LOOK OUT; Watch | FilmiBeat Amrya Dastur's Cameo The film will feature a special dance number by Amyra Dastur. Ondu Motteya Kathe is a Kannada movie that was released very recently. The film silently thronged the theatres without any gimmick, trick and without proper promotions. Having invaded the theatres first, now the film is invading the minds of people. The audience are in love with the beautiful movie that has a very crisp screenplay. What's more? The movie has even been praised by top stars and celebrities of Sandalwood. The film is running housefull in single screens as well as in multiplexes. Surprisingly, the film is faring well in Sharada Talkies, which has been solely reserved for all other language movies except Kannada. The film seems to have weaved its magic in the minds of people, who are filling up theatres and multiplexes to watch the film. The film encompasses the life of a bald bachelor and his tryst with happiness and sorrows of his life. The film cannot be distinguished as a mass or class movie. People now-a-days do not want to see the genre, they are ready to watch any film, provided that the film should have a new concept and be captivating. An added advantage to this movie is the culture and language of Mangalore style Kannada, which has been welcomed by the audience in a pretty good manner. Apart from that, the remake rights for the film is in huge demand now due to the impressive script and screenplay. Technavio market research analysts forecast the global organic coffee market to grow at a CAGR of close to 13% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006258/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global organic coffee market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) The market study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global organic coffeemarket for 2017-2021. The report also lists fresh and roast and ground as the two major product segments, of which the fresh organic coffee segment accounted for more than 61% of the market share in 2016. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free Technavio analysts highlight the following three market drivers that are contributing to the growth of the global organic coffee market: Rising popularity of coffee among millennials Growing number of cafes globally Expansion in the retail landscape Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Rising popularity of coffee among millennials Rising affluence and changing consumer choices have been fueling the demand for high-quality and specialized coffee products, such as coffee with different flavors and aromas, among the young population base. An improved economy and increased job opportunities have made different types of coffee affordable to younger consumers. Compared to other demographic segments, millennials are more likely to spend on premium beverage brands. "Rising health consciousness is influencing consumers to shift toward a healthy lifestyle. Organic coffee is perceived to be of better quality in comparison to regular coffee as it does not contain any toxic residue of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, artificial flavors or colors, and preservatives. Hence, the demand for organic coffee is increasing," says Manjunath Reddy, a lead analyst at Technavio for food research. Growing number of cafes globally Cafe culture and the trend of socializing at cafes has become quite popular among the urban youth population. The increased influx of people to urban areas and a substantial white-collar demographic is fueling the increase in the number of foodservice outlets. Varied tastes and preferences for different types of fresh coffee have given rise to several coffee shops, specialty coffee shops, and quick-service restaurants (QSRs). With the growth in the number of coffee-themed restaurants, coffee manufacturers will receive several branding opportunities. Coffee-themed restaurants offer premium coffee products to consumers, causing them to seek these premium products at retail stores. Leading cafe chains such as Starbucks, Costa, and Barista are opening their outlets in the emerging economies. The growing popularity of malls and shopping centers has also induced players to invest substantially in the distribution of coffee through these establishments. In FY 2016, Costa a leading coffee chain in the UK opened 255 new stores worldwide. Expansion in the retail landscape Across the globe, the organized retail sector is expanding significantly with the establishment of supermarkets, hypermarkets, and specialty stores. Organic coffee products are primarily sold by large organized retailers. In addition to the growth in the organized retail sector, the expansion in the online retail sector is also driving the global organic coffee market. Europe, the UK, Germany, and France exhibit significant potential for the growth of organic coffee products through the online retail sector due to growing preference of customers to shop online. Most customers now prefer to shop online primarily owing to the convenience factor. Also, with improved security features for payment, consumers do not hesitate to make online transactions for their purchases. "Online shopping offers efficient customer service and customer-friendly website designs that offer enhanced product visibility. This trend along with the high internet penetration rate in developing countries has been encouraging manufacturers to shift their focus toward the internet-savvy customer segment and venture into the online retail format," says Manjunath. Browse Related Reports: Global Vinegar Market 2017-2021 Global Duck Meat Market 2017-2021 Global Meat Snacks Market 2017-2021 About Technavio Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006258/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com BERLIN, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bar Convent Berlin 2017 taking place on 10 and 11 October, Europe's leading industry event is growing again. For the first time, the BCB will take up all of Station Berlin's ten halls, covering a floor space of 18,000sqm, approximately 2,000 more than last year. France is this year's Country of Honour and the ten premium exhibitors will be showcasing the country's classic spirits and trendy sparkling wines. "The BCB represents a unique opportunity for 'French Spirits' to feel the pulse of the bar scene," says Denis Abraham from Business France, the French agency for foreign trade and export promotion, a sponsor of the French pavilion. His promise: "Our presentation will mix an authentic and creative French touch into the international atmosphere." The French pavilion and its exhibitors will also post updates on the social networks using the hashtag BonjourBCB. BCB: The platform for bar and beverage innovations More than 300 exhibitors are expected at the eleventh BCB. Demand from the industry is so great that about 90 per cent of the exhibition space has already been booked by now. Participants in 2017 will include intriguing first-timers and famous brands: Campari, Moet Hennessy, Bodegas Williams & Humbert, Breil Pur, Hayman's Gin, Death's Door Spirits, Tequila Fortaleza, Giulio Cocchi Spumanti srl and Douglas Laing & Co. "The BCB long ago emerged as the industry's most important premium event in Europe and beyond," says BCB director Petra Lassahn. "More and more manufacturers from around the world visit us in Berlin to launch their new products here." Premiering this year at BCB is: Coffee Convent Already a rising trend, coffee will be featured even more prominently in 2017. The Coffee Convent Berlin is a separate trade show at the BCB dedicated entirely to this lifestyle and luxury beverage. Global Drinks Forum: Marketing ideas for the global beverage industry For the second time, BCB will be kicked of by the Global Drinks Forum. After the highly successful debut a year ago, key brand owners and managers, marketing professionals, product managers, business development experts, distributors, wholesalers, importers and bar operators will once again be invited to attend the international symposium on 9 Octobre at the Ellington Hotel to exchange ideas and to network. Early birds have until 24 July to get their hands on one of the limited discount tickets. www.globaldrinksforum.com www.barconvent.com Today, the CEO of Avita Medical Limited (ASX:AVH) (OTCQX:AVMXY) issued the following letter to shareholders: Dear Shareholder, It is with great pleasure that I write to you as the new CEO of Avita Medical as we move into an exciting new era of commercialization and clinical trials. Avita's proprietary technology that generates our "spray-on skin" or RES (Regenerative Epithelial Suspension) delivers to the patient an innovative regenerative medicine solution applicable to a broad array of challenging skin conditions. These include, but are not limited to, acute and/or chronic skin injuries such as burns and chronic wounds as well as various skin defects such as depigmentation, for example in patients with vitiligo. Our technology platform is one that I contend to be unique in the marketplace with a plethora of opportunities. I have been involved with Avita as a non-executive director since early 2013 and bring with me extensive experience and expertise across the value chain in cellular therapies. Additionally, I bring to the company notable experience in product development, regulatory affairs, business development, and general management all of which I trust will be of material value to Avita's future success. My motivation to undertake the CEO role for the company was in part inspired because 2017 and 2018 are transformational years for Avita that include multiple value-creating milestones including a US PMA (Premarket Approval Application) submission, initial BARDA procurement, potential for an advisory panel as part of the FDA review process, and an opportunity to focus on augmenting our supply chain while eagerly preparing for our US launch in 2018. Many of you may be asking yourselves, what is different today as compared to prior years for Avita Medical? Well, let me begin by stating some important facts that will shape and indeed transform Avita's future trajectory. Firstly, the US represents the largest healthcare market in the world, and this accounts for our increasing US focus. Secondly, in 2015, a five-year contract was signed with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) allocating US$61.9 million to Avita. Of key importance is the fact that BARDA is supporting not only our PMA process, but is also substantially motivated to ensure that Avita is market-ready by supporting ongoing exposure and training of clinicians and surgeons to our product via Compassionate Use and Continued Access. Thirdly, BARDA intends to purchase, prior to US FDA approval, US$7.5 million of ReCell devices to be stockpiled with an option to buy up to an additional US$23.5 million in support of surge capacity. Moreover, BARDA has also allotted US$6.9 million in support of a burns trial in pediatric patients. In a nutshell, BARDA funds are being purposefully directed to broadly strengthen Avita's operations, to de-risk our FDA review and approval process, and to build awareness of ReCell in the burns community ahead of our US launch. So, to answer the question directly, this is remarkably different from our prior approach because the US launch of our technology platform will this time be based upon well controlled clinical trials inextricably intertwined with robust health-economic and cost-effectiveness data. These data will demonstrate to regulators and physicians alike, that ReCell works precisely as we claim it does and will justify why it should be embraced as the new standard of care. As you are aware from our mid-May announcement, we have completed our US pivotal trial which demonstrated positive results in our US burns study. As I mentioned above, in the near-term, Avita intends to submit a PMA to the US FDA seeking approval of ReCell for use in patients with severe burns. We also plan to review whether the US should become Avita's main operational hub while still maintaining key strategic R&D efforts in Australia and other influential geographies. To this end, Avita will be conducting a strategic review to assess the long-term positioning of the company and its operations as it increasingly looks to the US markets for growth of product sales. Within this framework, we also intend to review the best location for Avita's administration and head office and to concurrently evaluate future capital requirements as we grow the company. This strategic review may include a proposal for moving our administration and head office functions to the US in context of a re-domicile of the group. I look forward to keeping you updated as we progress in achieving our goals and objectives. Sincerely, Mike Dr. Michael S. Perry Chief Executive Officer Avita Medical Ltd. ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED Avita's patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin. Our medical devices work by preparing a Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES), an autologous suspension comprised of the patients' own skin cells and wound healing factors that are necessary to regenerate natural healthy skin. This is then applied to the area to be treated. In all countries outside of Europe, our portfolio is marketed under the ReCell brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications including burns, chronic wounds and aesthetics. ReCell is TGA-registered in Australia, and CFDA-cleared in China. In the United States, ReCell is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational and compassionate use. In Europe, our portfolio of medical device products received CE-mark approval as three tailored product presentations, with three individual brand names. ReCell is designed for the treatment of burns and plastic reconstructive procedures; ReGenerCell has been formulated for chronic wounds including leg and foot ulcers; and ReNovaCell is tailored for aesthetic applications including the restoration of pigmentation. To learn more, visit www.avitamedical.com. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This letter includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "believe," "estimate," "look forward," "forecast," "goal," "target," "project," "continue," "outlook," "guidance," "future," other words of similar meaning and the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this letter include, but are not limited to, statements concerning, among other things, our ongoing clinical trials and product development activities, regulatory approval of our products, the potential for future growth in our business, and our ability to achieve our key strategic, operational and financial goal. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Each forward-looking statement contained in this letter is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing of regulatory approvals of our products; physician acceptance, endorsement, and use of our products; failure to achieve the anticipated benefits from approval of our products; the effect of regulatory actions; product liability claims; risks associated with international operations and expansion; and other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the company's control. Investors should not place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this letter. Investors are encouraged to read our publicly available filings for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this letter speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006389/en/ Contacts: Australia Monsoon Communications Sarah Kemter Phone: +61 (0)3 9620 3333 Mobile: +61 (0)407 162 530 sarahk@monsoon.com.au or USA Westwicke Partners Jamar Ismail Phone: +1 (415) 513-1282 jamar.ismail@westwicke.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Newstrike Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: HIP) ("Newstrike" or the "Company") announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary Up Cannabis Inc. ("Up" or "Up Cannabis"), has completed its previously announced acquisition of a modern greenhouse facility along with related equipment, chattels and approximately 16.6 acres of land located in Ontario's Niagara region (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition was financed in-part through a secured acquisition facility provided by a syndicate of Newstrike officers, directors and shareholders, led by Beechhill Capital Corp. with the balance funded from existing capital resources. Acquisition Highlights: -- Situated in the Niagara Region along a major transportation corridor: The Acquisition adds approximately 160,000 sq. feet of cultivation space, capable of producing approximately 12,000kg of dried cannabis per year, to Up Cannabis' existing portfolio of growing platforms; -- Adds approximately 40,000 sq. feet of dedicated space suitable for administration, as well as the packaging and shipping/receiving of Up products; -- Includes 16.6 acres of land, which has the expansion potential to add up to an additional 140,000 sq. feet of production space which Up believes will increase capacity by a further 10,000kg to an aggregate potential capacity of 25,000 kg annually. -- Up plans to apply for licensing of this new facility under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") as a "Site B", or adjunct to its existing licensed facility in Brantford, Ontario. "The closing of the Acquisition marks the achievement of another important milestone in the realization of Newstrike's strategic growth plan," said Jay Wilgar, CEO. "It will allow for Up to increase production capacity by a factor of five, while also introducing potential efficiencies into our operations through economies of scale and the associated potential cost savings," added Wilgar. Annual Financial Statements: The Company has also issued its Audited Financial Statements, Notes and MD&A (collectively, the "Audited Statements") for the fiscal year-ended March 31, 2017. Copies are available at www.sedar.com. Shareholders should note that the period covered by the Audited Statements predates the completion of the business combination with resulted in the Company shifting operations to focus exclusively on the evolving market for cannabis in all acceptable forms. About Newstrike: Newstrike is the parent company of Up Cannabis Inc., a licensed producer of medical cannabis based in Brantford, Ontario that received its cultivation license on December 19th, 2016. Newstrike, through its ownership of licensed producers, intends to develop a diverse network of high quality cannabis brands that addresses the needs of medical clients and eventually, as the law allows, adult consumers. For more information visit www.newstrike.ca. Forward-Looking Information: This press release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about the production capacity, expansion plans and licencing through the ACMPR are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that they will remain in force as described above. Newstrike assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Newstrike Resources Ltd. Allan Rewak (647) 206-1231 arewak@newstrike.ca www.newstrike.ca PARIS and LONDON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EcoAct Group, the climate expert and climate finance project developer headquartered in Paris, today announces the acquisition of Carbon Clear, a major player in the UK environmental sustainability marketplace. The joining of the two companies will help businesses better manage their approach to climate change and sustainability by creating an international entity with expanded operations in Europe, North America and Africa1. EcoAct work with international clients to meet the demands of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, offering solutions to companies' sustainability challenges. With the acquisition of Carbon Clear, new service offerings will be available across the global sustainability market including: assessing climate change risks and opportunities; strategic planning and target setting; managing and reducing energy and carbon emissions and; working with climate finance projects. Combining forces is a natural fit for both EcoAct and Carbon Clear due to their shared corporate values. Both companies were formed over a decade ago to address dangerous climate change and both teams remain dedicated to this goal for the Group going forward. Thierry Fornas, President of EcoAct Group said: "I'm delighted by today's announcement and to welcome Carbon Clear to the EcoAct Group. We know that climate change has no boundaries. I believe that it is vital that we all work together towards limiting the impacts of dangerous climate change as outlined in the Paris Agreement. With the acquisition of Carbon Clear, EcoAct Group becomes an international climate leader that serves some of the world's biggest businesses." Gerald Maradan, CEO of EcoAct Group points out: "I'm excited by the prospect of continuing to provide best in class solutions to every single client, expanding our service offerings, working in new markets and doing more to help companies act on climate change. The Group will work with clients at all stages of their sustainability journey, offering them unparalleled expertise and advice." Mark Chadwick, Chief Executive of Carbon Clear commented: "Our new Group has the technical expertise, commercial knowledge and client-friendly approach that we believe is unparalleled in the market. The combined strengths of EcoAct and Carbon Clear mean we are a leading sustainability consultancy that has the resources and capabilities to do more for our clients through our new service offerings and broader geographic reach. Our committed and talented staff will use their complementary skills to continue to do the very best work from our offices around the globe." The Group will now be managed at an Executive Committee Level by: Thierry Fornas and Gerald Maradan, the founders of EcoAct; Mark Chadwick, the founder of Carbon Clear, and Sylvianne Villaudiere, founder of CSR consultancy Alliantis, a company that joined the EcoAct Group in February 2017. Editors' notes Operations in France , UK, Spain , Turkey , USA , Kenya and Sudan About EcoAct For over 10 years, EcoAct Group provides companies and territories with unique expertise in planning for and implementing positive change in response to climate change. EcoAct achieves this by bringing together 3 areas of expertise: Strategic guidance: auditing, decrypting, prospecting, network coordination, defining and implementing road maps, etc. Data modelling and analysis (smart data): defining indicators, aggregation, comparative scenarios and projections, etc. Project design and management: change management, mitigation, adaptation and offsetting measures, testing and developing projects in the field, etc. http://www.eco-act.com @eco_act About Carbon Clear Carbon Clear is a world leading provider of carbon and energy management and sustainability services. We partner with our clients to design, build and operate intelligent sustainability solutions to address their business challenges, helping them to compete and prosper in a low-carbon world. Carbon Clear, founded in 2005, works with 20 FTSE 100 companies, as well as a wide range of organisations from the private and public sector. http://www.carbon-clear.com. @carbonclear BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China's exports expanded at a slower than expected pace but remained robust in September. At the same time, imports growth exceeded expectations on improving domestic demand. Exports climbed 8.1 percent year-over-year in September, data from the General Administration of Customs showed Friday. Economists had forecast exports to climb 10.0 percent, following August's 5.5 percent increase. At the same time, imports surged 18.7 percent in September from a year ago, faster than the expected growth of 15.0 percent. As result, the trade surplus totaled $28.47 billion in September versus the expected level of $38.0 billion. In renminbi terms, exports advanced 9 percent and imports grew 19.5 percent in September. Economists had forecast 11.5 percent rise in shipments and 16.5 percent increase in imports. Looking ahead, Julian Evans-Pritchard, an economist at Capital Economics, said he expects any further weakening of exports to remain mild given the relatively upbeat outlook for growth in China's main trading partners. In contrast, imports may eventually face a sharper slowdown as support from loose fiscal policy reverses after the Party Congress, with local governments forced to pair back spending in the final months of the year in order to meet budget targets, the economist added. 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. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Babcock International Group Plc. (BAB.L), in its trading update for the period from 1 April 2017, said that the financial year has started well, with the Group trading in line with expectations and the outlook for the year unchanged. Since the full year results announcement on 24 May 2017, visibility has continued to improve, with around 82% of revenue now in place for 2017/18 and 55% for 2018/19. The order book and bid pipeline of opportunities have remained stable at around 19.0 billion pounds and 10.5 billion pounds respectively following contract wins, and the tracking pipeline remains buoyant, providing confidence in our ability to grow in line with our expectations this year and over the medium term. The Group has continued to make progress over the last seven weeks, with work proceeding as expected on our long-term contracts. Awards since the start of the financial year include a new contract, worth up to 500 million pounds, to operate a fleet of specialist fixed-wing aircraft for the Norwegian Health Service from summer 2019. The Group said it continues to maintain a healthy financial position. As previously indicated, it expects to further reduce debt during the second half of 2017/18 and achieve a net debt to EBITDA ratio of around 1.6 times by the end of the year. 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. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Healthcare company BTG plc (BTG.L) Thursday said that its trading since April 1 has been in line with the Board's expectations and guidance for the full year is unchanged. In its trading update, ahead of today's Annual General Meeting, the company said its strong performance in 2016/17 has continued into the new financial year. The company is on track to achieve double-digit product sales growth over the full financial year, driven by growth in Interventional Medicine business. At the meeting, the Board will comment on the performance of the Group in the year 2017, and describe progress made in the current financial year to date. The company noted that there were strong performances from TheraSphere, the liver cancer treatment, and EKOS, the blood clot treatment device. Louise Makin, Chief Executive Officer, said, 'We will continue to implement our growth strategy, to deliver double-digit annual product sales growth and margin expansion over time whilst investing selectively in innovation and development, commercial and geographic expansion and acquisitions to ensure sustainable long-term value creation.' The company noted that work continues to progress the Premarket Approval application in the US for the PneumRx Coils, and in Europe coverage/reimbursement determinations continue in Germany and France. 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. LINKOPING, Sweden, July 13, 2017 International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity companySectra's(STO: SECT B) solution for medical education and clinical training, Sectra Education Portal, is now in use at the Amsterdam Center for Radiological Anatomy (ACRA). ACRA is part of the Academic Medical Center (AMC) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Sectra Education Portal and its interactive tools such as the Sectra Table provide teachers and students with virtual representations of real bodies rendered from clinical imaging. All medical students at the Amsterdam University Hospital will now be able to digitally interact with renderings of real-life medical cases, allowing for deeper understanding and insight into anatomy. To bring radiology and anatomy closer together, bodies used for medical education at Amsterdam University Hospital will now be scanned and rendered. Teachers and students will thus be able to access and interact with these cases repeatedly during their education. Through Sectra Education Portal, the cases can be shared with other portal users outside AMC and also be accessed remotely by teachers and students. This creates an international workspace in which users from all over the world learn from each other's cases. "To interact with the 3D renderings on the Sectra Table enables our students to learn and explore in a realistic environment. The portal itself is yet another way for enhancing medical training since students can access cases from their own workstations," says Bernadette S de Bakker, MD Lecturer in Anatomy and Embryology at Academic Medical Center. AMC currently has around 500 existing full body CT cases and will use the solution for its approximately 150 new cases per year. About Sectra Medical Education With the possibility of repeated interaction with virtual representations of real bodies rendered from clinical imaging throughout their education, students, residents and medical professionals are able to gain deeper understanding and insight into anatomy, and the functions and processes inside the body. Easy access to all types of medical images, including 3D renderings, provides the ability to demonstrate anatomical variations and, in combination with the possibility to study multiple cases, this contributes to enhanced medical education and clinical training. With Sectra Education Portal, a cloud-based sharing portal, teachers and students have access to an extensive library of cases, providing them with a wide variety of clinical content. Through Sectra's collaborative network, institutions can share cases and knowledge with other Sectra users from around the world. For further information, please contact: Dr. Torbjorn Kronander CEO and President SectraAB 46(0)705-23-52-27 Jakob Algulin, Managing Director Sectra Medical Education and Training 46(0)70-221-04-64 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/amsterdam-university-hospital-breaks-ground-in-its-medical-training-with-sectra-education-portal,c2306660 The following files are available for download: LONDON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Smarkets, the event exchange that allows people to trade sports, politics and current affairs, has announced a remarkable year-on-year increase in group business profit* of 160% for the year ending December 31, 2016. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404888LOGO ) The figures for 2016 represent a third consecutive year of profitable growth for Smarkets, which saw group revenue climb 144% to 25.4m (2015: 10.4m) and overall business profit jump 160% to 13.7m (2015: 5.2m). There was more than 2.6 billion of trading volume on the Smarkets exchange in 2016 (up 141%), as the company's near-200,000 users traded popular sporting events like the Cheltenham Festival and Euro 2016, as well as political outcomes such as the EU referendum and US presidential election. In conjunction with financial growth, Smarkets also received a number of awards in 2016, notably finishing in the top five for both the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 and Deloitte Fast 50 lists of the fastest growing private technology companies in the UK. CEO Jason Trost said: "Our mission is clear; we are striving to establish ourselves as a top-tier technology company. I strongly believe that the results of the past two years show the positive trajectory of the business, demonstrate our significant growth opportunities and confirm our ability to challenge an industry ripe for disruption. "We will continue to further develop our product to deliver a unique and fair trading experience by offering superior technology and industry-leading commission rates and will explore moving into new regulated markets to increase our customer base." Towards the end of 2016, Smarkets opened its first office in the US to access engineering talent and now has locations in London, Los Angeles and Malta as a base to tackle other inefficient verticals. The full 2016 annual report is available here. To organise an interview with Smarkets CEO Jason Trost or speak to the press team, please email press@smarkets.com. Company and CEO images available here. *Management monitors performance using a measure of pre-tax profit referred to as Business profit which excludes the effect of share based payment transactions from Administrative Expenses. In 2016, pre-tax profit was 10.5m with share-based payments of 3.2m, providing a Business profit of 13.7m. About Smarkets Launched in 2010, Smarkets is one of the world's leading betting exchanges that makes trading on events secure, efficient and exciting. Headquartered in London, the company was founded by a team of finance and software engineering professionals and is backed by Passion Capital and Deutsche Telekom. The Smarkets exchange has processed over 5 billion worth of transactions for customers across the company's licensed and regulated markets. The Smarkets group comprises of Smarkets Limited, a software development company, Smarkets Malta, operator of the Smarkets betting exchange, and Hanson Applied Sciences, a liquidity provider. For more information, visit http://www.smarkets.com, http://www.smarketshq.com. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The New Zealand dollar strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, as Asian stock markets traded in positive territory. This followed the overnight gains on Wall Street after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before Congress indicated that the central bank will gradually tighten policy and also reduce the size of its $4.5 trillion balance sheet. Also, higher commodity prices lifted resources stocks. The crude oil futures rose above $45 a barrel on Wednesday, as U.S. crude oil inventories last week dropped the most in ten months. In other economic news, data from the General Administration of Customs showed that China's exports increased at a faster-than-expected pace in June. Similarly, imports surged 17.2 percent in June from a year ago, bigger than the expected growth of 14.5 percent. In dollar terms, exports grew 11.3 percent year-over-year in June, faster than the 8.9 percent rise economists had forecast. The trade surplus totaled $42.8 billion in June versus the expected surplus of $42.6 billion. Data from ANZ Bank showed that the consumer confidence in New Zealand slowed in July. The bank's consumer confidence index fell 1.9 percent on month to a score of 125.4. Data from Statistics New Zealand showed that food prices in New Zealand were up an unadjusted 0.2 percent on month in June. Seasonally adjusted, food prices slid 0.3 percent. On a yearly basis, food prices climbed 3.0 percent after rising 3.1 percent in the previous month. Data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand showed that New Zealand's house prices increased in June from a year ago, while the volume of sales plunged. The national median house price index rose 5.8 percent year-over-year to NZ$529,000 in June. However, median prices dropped 1.0 percent, month-on-month. On a seasonally adjusted basis, national median prices grew 6.3 percent in June from a year ago. Wednesday, the NZ dollar showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the kiwi fell against the euro, the yen, and the Australian dollar, it rose against the U.S. dollar. In the Asian trading, the NZ dollar rose to a 6-day high of 0.7297 against the U.S. dollar, from yesterday's closing value of 0.7259. The kiwi may test resistance around the 0.74 region. Against the yen, the euro, and the Australian dollar, the kiwi advanced to 2-day highs of 82.42, 1.5671 and 1.0546 from yesterday's closing quotes of 82.14, 1.5719 and 1.0574, respectively. If the kiwi extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 84.00 against the yen, 1.52 against the euro and 1.03 against the aussie. Looking ahead, Swiss PPI for June is due to be released at 3:15 am ET. In the New York session, Canada new housing price index for May, U.S. PPI for June and U.S. weekly jobless claims for the week ended July 8 are slated for release. At 10:00 am ET, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is expected to testify on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report before the Senate Banking Committee, in Washington DC. At 11:30 am ET, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans is expected to speak about the economy and monetary policy at the Annual Rocky Mountain Economic Summit in Idaho, U.S. At 1:00 pm ET, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard is scheduled to speak about monetary policy at the National Bureau of Economic Research, in Massachusetts. At 2:00 pm ET, U.S. Federal monthly budget statement is slated to publish. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de LONDON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Private Investor Evening 19 July 2017 Wey Education Plc ("Wey Education" or the "Company") (AIM: WEY.L) the educational services provider, announces that in September 2017 it will expand its activities by opening an Online Language School using its recently upgraded IT platform, developed for its mainstream online schools business. The new language school to be called "Quoralexis" will initially offer tuition in English as a Foreign Language ("EFL") but is intended in due course to expand the offering into a range of foreign languages. The Company has considerable experience in teaching EFL to secondary school age pupils attending its online schools but this will create a new profit centre within the group and will facilitate an expansion into teaching all age groups rather than just secondary school pupils and will be available on a global basis. Intiialy Quoralexis will offer the following English Language Course Categories: - General English Language Courses - for Young Learners, Teenagers and Adults Cambridge English: Exam Preparation Courses - for Young Learners, Teenagers and Adults Cambridge English: Business English Certificates (BEC) Preparation Courses IELTS (Academic) Preparation Courses ('One to One' and 'Small Group') Corporate English Language Courses Bespoke ('One to One' and 'Small Group') English Language Courses The Company has developed considerable experience of teaching foreign languages at iGCSE and A level online, where in addition to modern European Languages such as French, German and Spanish, the Company has offered more exotic choices such as Latin. The Company believes that there is an attractive opportunity to provide interactive online language teaching to students of all ages, either seeking an academic qualification or a better working knowledge of the relevant language. The business will be operated from the Company's existing offices with a dedicated General Manager using the Company's existing systems and resources. Private Investor Evening 19 July 2017 The Company will hold a briefing session for private investors in London on 19 July 2017 commencing at 5.15 p.m. The intention of the evening is to enable both existing and interested private investors to gain a better understanding of the Company's activities and to give them an opportunity to meet senior management and directors. It is proposed that the briefing will consist of a description of the Company's activities and markets, a demonstration of an online lesson utilising the Company's new IT platform together with an explanation of the Company's expansion strategy. It will be followed by a Q&A session. Refreshments will be served. Numbers are limited and entrance is by invitation only. To obtain an invitation, those wishing to attend should email david.massie@wedu.co.uk giving:- Their name and address; and A contact telephone number Details of the event are as follows: Date: Wednesday 19 July 2017 Time: 5.15 p.m. Location: Dukes Hotel, 35 St James's Place, St. James's, London SW1A 1NY David Massie, the Chairman of Wey commented: "Quoralexis will be the only online English Language School which delivers real time, interactive, British English Language lessons. The breadth of our offering is substantial - it is a "one - stop shop" for all ages and language abilities and the types of English Language courses we are offering cover general English, English for University entrance, Business English, Bespoke and Corporate courses as well as specific exam preparation classes. We have extensive experience in teaching online since 2005 within our online schools and our online learning Platform will enhance the student's learning experience as well as providing them with great outcomes. Over 12 years we have taught thousands of student's foreign languages online, and now expand that into the English Language market." Background Note for Editors Wey education Plc is an educational services company listed on the AIM section of the London Stock Exchange. It operates InterHigh, the UK's first online interactive secondary school teaching iGCSE and A level and recently launched Infinity Education, a second online school targeting those pupils capable of achieving the very highest grades at iGCSE and A level. Through the Wey ecademy, it provides teaching to other educational service providers, including other schools who may have a timetabling or capacity issue. It also serves the Local Authority market particularly assisting children who have been displaced from regular schools. Wey is unusual for a small AIM company in that the majority of its shares are institutionally owned but management retain a shareholding of approximately 35%. Enquiries: Wey Education Plc +44-(0)-207-518-9700 David Massie (Chairman) +44-(0)7785-957958 Zurich - The SWISS STARTUP GROUP as new holding company of the Swiss Startup Factory has been established over the last months and has successfully completed an important financing round by welcoming a very selected group of high-level investors. The Swiss Startup Factory looks back to a very intense 2.5 years build up phase with the successful creation of one of the most valuable Startup Accelerator programs in Switzerland. Over the last 18 months SSUF has executed 3 successful accelerator batches and has invested in 18 early stage startups. The founders of SSUF have developed a very unique and purely privately financed Swiss startup platform to scout, analyze and accelerate the most promising early stage ICT startup projects in Switzerland. ... Den vollstandigen Artikel lesen ... LONDON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Heptares Therapeutics ("Heptares"), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation (TSE Mothers Index: 4565), hosts a scientific symposium today to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The symposium, entitled "G protein-coupled receptors: Structure-based drug discovery from crystals to the clinic," will cover key aspects of the Company's unique GPCR-focused structure-based drug design (SBDD) platform; important milestones in its development; and its application by Heptares to create a broad and diverse pipeline of novel drug candidates, which are being developed by the Company and its partners to treat multiple diseases. A distinguished guest list of scientific collaborators, partners and associates will attend the event, which is being held at the Max Perutz Lecture Theatre at the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB) in Cambridge, UK. Heptares was founded in in 2007 by Malcolm Weir, Fiona Marshall, Richard Henderson and Chris Tate, with the aim to develop, apply and commercialise pioneering research on GPCR stabilization and crystallization from the MRC LMB. This research enabled, for the first time, the detailed three-dimensional X-ray structures of GPCRs in clinically relevant conformations to be determined. Since then, the Company has become one the UK's most successful science-based companies and established itself as a world-leader in GPCR SBDD. The Company has elucidated over 150 GPCR co-structures; formed licensing deals with global pharmaceutical companies (including Allegan, AstraZeneca, Teva) for access to its first wave of novel drug candidates; drug discovery partnerships (e.g. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo) to design new molecules to partner-nominated GPCR targets; co-development agreements (e.g. PeptiDream, Kymab) to leverage complementary technologies on selected targets; and academic collaborations (e.g. with Cambridge University, Imperial College London, and New York University) to better understand the biology of interesting and potentially important GPCRs. Heptares has grown to over 100 highly skilled employees from around the world. Since it became part of Sosei in 2015, Heptares has become the central part of its growth strategy, with the potential to deliver a sustainable pipeline of new drug opportunities that eventually the Company aims to take from discovery all the way through to commercialisation. Malcolm Weir, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Heptares, said: "Heptares is a fantastic example of how innovative UK science can, with a clear vision and determination, form the basis of a world-leading company. Heptares has developed and grown up over the years, and we are truly delighted to hold today's anniversary symposium, and excited for what the future holds together with Sosei for this next phase in the Company's life." Peter Bains, Chief Executive Officer of Sosei, added: "For Heptares to be celebrating its 10-year anniversary and having achieved so much in such a short space of time is an incredible feat, paying testament to the quality of science and leadership of the Company. Sosei expects Heptares to create and realise significant value over the coming years through the development of multiple potential new medicines for the treatment of rare and major diseases, and we couldn't be more proud to have them as part of the Sosei group." About Heptares Therapeutics Heptares is a clinical-stage company creating transformative medicines targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of 375 receptors linked to a wide range of human diseases. Heptares' proprietary StaR technology and structure-based drug design (SBDD) capabilities enable us to engineer and develop drugs for highly validated, yet historically undruggable or challenging GPCRs. Using this approach, we are building an exciting pipeline of new medicines (small molecules and biologics) with the potential to transform the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, cancer immune-oncology, migraine, addiction, metabolic disease and other indications. We have partnerships for our novel candidates and technologies with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Allergan, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Kymab, MedImmune, MorphoSys, Pfizer and Teva. Heptares is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sosei Group Corporation. For more information, please visit www.heptares.com and www.sosei.com. HEPTARES is a registered trademark in the EU, Switzerland, US and Japan; StaR is a registered trademark in the EU and Japan. About Sosei Sosei is a biopharmaceutical company originating from Japan but with global presence. Sosei's primary business model is based on identifying novel and/or differentiated product assets or technology platforms and, through supporting these in preclinical and clinical development and establishing commercial partnerships, advancing new medicines to patients worldwide. For more information about Sosei, please visit www.sosei.com . @HeptaresTL MetalNRG PLC ('MetalNRG' or the 'Company') Result of AGM 28 July 2017 MetalNRG plc (LON:MNRG), the natural resource investing company quoted on the NEX Exchange Growth Market in London, is pleased to announce that at the AGM of the Company held today all resolutions were passed. Paul Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of MetalNRG PLC, made the following statement at the AGM: "MetalNRG has entered a highly proactive phase in its development and our focus at present is the continuing acquisition of interests in the cobalt sector. With the initial acquisitions announced in Australia and the United States we are building a geographically diversified cobalt vehicle which we trust will attract increasing interest from investors wishing to have cobalt exposure in their natural resource portfolios. The board anticipates releasing further updates to the market in the near future with regard to additional acquisitions and progress on the ground across our existing cobalt interests." The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. Contact Details: METALNRG PLC Paul Johnson (Chief Executive Officer) +44 (0) 7766 465617 NEX Exchange Corporate Adviser PETERHOUSE CORPORATE FINANCE LIMITED Guy Miller/Mark Anwyl +44 (0) 20 7469 0930 Corporate Broker S I CAPITAL Nick Emerson/Andy Thacker +44 (0) 1483 413500 Notes for Editors: MetalNRG is quoted on the NEX Exchange Growth Market in London with the stock code MNRG and is a natural resource investing company. NEX Exchange: Investors wishing to consider trading in NEX Exchange quoted shares can access this market from numerous brokers, a full list of which can be accessed through the following link: www.nexexchange.com/for-investors/find-a-broker/ The list accessed through the link above includes certain brokers offering online trading of NEX Exchange quoted shares. The Investing Policy of the Company is as follows: The Company's proposed new Investing Policy is to invest in and/or acquire companies and/or projects within the natural resources and/or energy sector with potential for growth and value creation, over the medium to long term. The Company will also consider opportunities in other related sectors if the Board considers there is an opportunity to generate an attractive return for Shareholders. This will include natural resource technologies and fintech opportunities offering leverage to resource identification, processing, recording, storage and trading businesses. Where appropriate, the Board may seek to invest in businesses where it may influence the business at a board level, add their expertise to the management of the business, and utilise their significant industry relationships. The Company's interests in a proposed investment and/or acquisition may range from a minority position to full ownership and may comprise one investment or multiple investments. The proposed investments may be in either quoted or unquoted companies; be made by direct acquisitions or farm-ins; and may be in companies, partnerships, earn-in joint ventures, debt or other loan structures, joint ventures or direct or indirect interests in assets or projects. The Board may focus on investments where intrinsic value can be achieved from the restructuring of investments or merger of complementary businesses. The Board expects that investments will typically be held for the medium to long term, although short term disposal of assets cannot be ruled out if there is an opportunity to generate an attractive return for Shareholders. The Board will place no minimum or maximum limit on the length of time that any investment may be held. The Company may be both an active and a passive investor depending on the nature of the individual opportunity. Where the Company builds a portfolio of related assets it is possible that there may be cross-holdings between such assets. The Company does not currently intend to fund any investments with debt or other borrowings, but may do so if appropriate. Investments in early stage assets are expected to be mainly in the form of equity, with debt potentially being raised later to fund the development of such assets. Investments in later stage assets are more likely to include an element of debt to equity gearing. The Board may also offer new Ordinary Shares by way of consideration as well as cash, thereby helping to preserve the Company's cash for working capital and as a reserve against unforeseen contingencies including, for example, delays in collecting accounts receivable, unexpected changes in the economic environment and operational problems. The Board will conduct initial due diligence appraisals of potential business or projects and, where they believe further investigation is warranted, intend to appoint appropriately qualified persons to assist. The Proposed Board believes its expertise will enable it to determine quickly which opportunities could be viable and so progress quickly to formal due diligence. The Company will not have a separate investment manager. The Company proposes to carry out a comprehensive and thorough project review process in which all material aspects of a potential project or business will be subject to rigorous due diligence, as appropriate. Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS), the leading data research platform and business intelligence tool for corporate, academic and government institutions worldwide, is pleased to announce Ian Martin, Professor of Finance at the London School of Economics, and Christian Wagner, Professor of Finance at the Copenhagen Business School, as the winners of the WRDS Best Paper Award at the Western Finance Association. Their paper,"What is the Expected Return on a Stock?," introduces a new approach to one of the classic questions in financial economics, which is of interest both to academics and to practitioners. The authors exploit derivative price data to understand equity market behavior and associated risks. A part of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, WRDS provides global corporations, universities and regulatory agencies the thought leadership, data access and insights needed to enable impactful research. Martin and Wagner show how to extract information about future stock returns from derivative prices by defining volatility indices based on index and stock options. These volatility indices are easily constructed, and they can be used to forecast individual stock returns in real time. This research has broad practical and academic applications. Key points: Provides new model of measurement for expected returns based on index and stock options pricing. Research was conducted via WRDS using CRSP, Compustat, and OptionMetrics. "WRDS is pleased to present the WRDS Best Paper Award to Professors Martin and Wagner for their efforts to uncover new models of assessing expected returns," said Robert Zarazowski, Managing Director of WRDS. "On behalf of WRDS, I am delighted to congratulate Martin and Wagner on their outstanding work." "Christian and I are extremely grateful to WRDS for this Best Paper Award," said Ian Martin. "It is a true honor to have our work recognized in this way, and to be able to share our findings with the research community." Along with continually adding new data to the platform, WRDS is a leader in enabling impactful research. Through a first-of-its-kind collaboration with SSRN, WRDS is elevating the visibility of universities and researchers working across an array of fields. The WRDS Research Paper Series is a searchable repository of all papers submitted to SSRN that cite WRDS in their work, which will increase researcher visibility and build a specialized research base that will advance shared knowledge. In addition, the organizations have launched the WRDS-SSRN Innovation Award to honor emerging business schools in North America, Asia-Pacific, and EMEIA. Learn more about how WRDS is driving impact: http://www.whartonwrds.com/about/our-impact/. The paper has already won several awards and Martin and Wagner have been invited to present it at numerous conferences, banks, universities and firms. Awards: 4nations cup, 2016 Honorable Mention: AQR Insight Award 2017 Presentations: CEPR Spring Symposium BI-SHoF Conference IFSID Conference on Derivatives Society for Economic Dynamics Annual Meeting BlackRock European Central Bank Banca d'Italia Norges Bank Investment Management MIT Sloan School of Management University of Michigan University of Maryland Arrowstreet Capital ABOUT WRDS Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) provides the leading business intelligence, data analytics, and financial research platform to global institutions enabling comprehensive thought leadership, historical analysis, and insight into the latest innovations in academic research. WRDS provides researchers with one location to access over 250 terabytes of data across multiple disciplines including Accounting, Banking, Economics, ESG, Finance, Healthcare, Insurance, Marketing, and Statistics. Flexible data delivery options include a powerful web query method that reduces research time, the WRDS Cloud for executing research and strategy development, and the WRDS client server using PCSAS, Matlab, and R. Our Analytics team, doctoral-level support and rigorous data review and validation give clients the confidence to tailor research within complex databases and create a wide range of reliable data models. An award-winning data research platform for over 50,000 commercial, academic, and government users in 30+ countries, WRDS is the global gold standard in data management and research all backed by the credibility and leadership of the Wharton School. ABOUT THE WHARTON SCHOOL Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The Wharton School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 95,000 graduates. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170912005033/en/ Contacts: Wharton Research Data Services Robin Nussbaum Gold wrds@wharton.upenn.edu HONG KONG, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nord Anglia Education, the world's leading premium schools organisation, today announced a 94% pass rate for its 2016/17 International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) results, significantly higher than the IB global average of 79%*. The pass rate is a record high for Nord Anglia and a result of the organisation's Be Ambitious philosophy, personalised approach to learning and fantastic teaching. Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/471785/Nord_Anglia_Education_Master_20170228LOGO_Logo.jpg For seven consecutive years, Nord Anglia students have significantly exceeded the IB Diploma global average score while at the same time tripling the number of International Baccalaureate students from 200 to nearly 700, making Nord Anglia one of the world's largest global providers of the IB Diploma. Four Nord Anglia students received the top honour of the perfect 45 out of 45 score. Only 218 students worldwide have managed to secure a perfect score this year. Nord Anglia Education's IB Diploma results at a glance: 94% pass rate topping the global average pass rate of 79%* Average IB score of 33.4 significantly higher than the IB global average of 30 A student from each of the following schools received a perfect score of 45 out of 45. The British International School Shanghai, Puxi ( Shanghai, China ) ) The English International School Prague ( Prague, Czech Republic ) ) College du Leman ( Geneva, Switzerland ) ) The British School Warsaw ( Warsaw, Poland ) ) 696 Nord Anglia students took the IB Diploma this year Andrew Fitzmaurice, Chief Executive Officer of Nord Anglia Education said, "We are extremely proud of our students' IB results this year. Our remarkable 94% pass rate is a testament to our Be Ambitious philosophy and the belief that there is no limit to what every student can achieve. Congratulations to all our students on their terrific IB Diploma results." The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, referred to as the IBDP, is a two-year education programme for students aged 16-19. The programme is widely implemented in international schools and is an accepted and recognised qualification for entry into higher education and universities worldwide. * Based on the 2016 IB Diploma global average. The IB Diploma global average for 2017 has yet to be published. About Nord Anglia Education Nord Anglia Education is the world's leading operator of premium international schools, serving students from kindergarten through the end of secondary school (K-12). We teach over 38,000 students at our 44 premium schools inChina,Europe, theMiddle East,Southeast AsiaandNorth America.We are driven by one unifying philosophy- we are ambitious for our students, our people and our family of schools. Our schools deliver a high quality education through a personalised approach enhanced with unique global opportunities to enable every student to succeed. Nord Anglia Educationis headquartered inHong Kong.Our website is www.nordangliaeducation.com. For further information, please contact: Media: Connie Young Communications Manager Tel: +852-3951-1147 Email: connie.young@nordanglia.com Sarah Doyle Head of Brand Tel: +852-3951-1144 Email: sarah.doyle@nordanglia.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Fortuna Silver Mines, Inc. (NYSE: FSM)(TSX: FVI) is pleased to announce second quarter 2017 production results from its two operating mines in Latin America, the San Jose Mine in Mexico and the Caylloma Mine in Peru. The company produced 2.1 million ounces of silver, 14,547 ounces of gold, plus base metal by-products. Silver and gold production for the first six months totaled 4.2 million ounces and 27,747 ounces respectively; being 1 percent and 4 percent above the company's mid-year projection. Fortuna is on schedule to produce 8.1 million ounces of silver and 52.4 thousand ounces of gold or 11.2 million Ag Eq(i) ounces in 2017 (see Fortuna news release dated January 11, 2017). Second Quarter Production Highlights -- Silver production of 2,116,863 ounces; 36% increase over Q2 2016 -- Gold production of 14,547 ounces; 55% increase over Q2 2016 -- Lead production of 7,170,027 pounds; 19% decrease over Q2 2016 -- Zinc production of 10,613,417 pounds; 5% decrease over Q2 2016 -- Cash cost(ii) for San Jose is US$61.7/t -- Cash cost(ii) for Caylloma is US$85.4/t ((i)) Ag Eq calculated using silver to gold ratio of 60 to 1 and does not include lead nor zinc((ii)) Preliminary estimates of cash operating costs per tonne, subject to modification on final cost consolidation Consolidated Operating Highlights ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second Quarter 2017 ------------------------------------------------ San Jose, Caylloma, Peru Mexico Consolidated ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Processed Ore ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tonnes milled 131,974 268,456 Average tpd milled 1,483 3,016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver(i) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (g/t) 64 238 Recovery (%) 84.55 91.84 Production (oz) 229,594 1,887,269 2,116,863 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (g/t) 0.19 1.82 Recovery (%) 16.60 91.55 Production (oz) 137 14,410 14,547 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lead ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (%) 2.70 Recovery (%) 91.25 Production (lbs) 7,170,027 7,170,027 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (%) 4.04 Recovery (%) 90.36 Production (lbs) 10,613,417 10,613,417 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ((i)) Metallurgical recovery for silver at Caylloma Mine is calculated based on silver contents in lead concentrate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second Quarter 2016 ------------------------------------------------ San Jose, Caylloma, Peru Mexico Consolidated ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Processed Ore ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tonnes milled 129,958 185,080 Average tpd milled 1,460 2,152 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver(i) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (g/t) 89 226 Recovery (%) 85.55 91.99 Production (oz) 318,229 1,234,988 1,553,217 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (g/t) 0.19 1.70 Recovery (%) 14.94 91.65 Production (oz) 119 9,246 9,365 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lead ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (%) 3.28 Recovery (%) 93.77 Production (lbs) 8,825,104 8,825,104 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade (%) 4.41 Recovery (%) 88.56 Production (lbs) 11,201,688 11,201,688 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ((i)) Metallurgical recovery for silver at Caylloma Mine is calculated based on silver contents in lead concentrate San Jose Mine, Mexico The San Jose Mine produced 1,887,269 ounces of silver and 14,410 ounces of gold in the second quarter, 3% and 12% above budget respectively. Silver and gold production for the first six months totaled 3.7 million ounces and 27,526 ounces respectively; being 1 percent and 4 percent above the mine's mid-year projection. Average head grades for silver and gold in the second quarter were 238 g/t and 1.82 g/t, 3% and 12% above budget respectively. Mine production was sourced from Trinidad Central and Trinidad North with each area contributing 60% and 40% of ore respectively. The processing plant treated 3,016 tpd, a 40% increase year over year. Caylloma Mine, Peru The Caylloma Mine produced 229,594 ounces of silver in the second quarter, 2% above budget. Average silver head grade of 64 g/t, 3% below budget, was offset by higher metallurgical recovery of 84.55%, 6% above budget. Silver production for the first six months totaled 469,818 ounces; in line with the mine's mid-year projection. Lead and zinc production were 7,170,027 pounds and 10,613,417 pounds respectively, 3% and 5% above budget. Base metals production for the first six months totaled 14,380,733 pounds of lead and 21,429,706 pounds; being 4% and 7% above the mine's mid-year projection. Average head grades for lead and zinc in the second quarter were 2.70% and 4.04%, 6% and 5% above budget respectively. Mine production was sourced primarily from the Animas NE and Animas Central areas with each area contributing 57% and 33% of ore respectively. The processing plant treated 1,483 tpd, a 2% increase year over year. Qualified Person Edwin A. Gutierrez, Technical Services Corporate Manager, is the Qualified Person for Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Gutierrez is a Registered Member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. (SME Registered Member Number 4119110RM) and is responsible for ensuring that the information contained in this news release is an accurate summary of the original reports and data provided to or developed by Fortuna Silver Mines. About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Fortuna is a growth oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. Our primary assets are the Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold Project in Argentina. The company is selectively pursuing acquisition opportunities throughout the Americas and in select other areas. For more information, please visit our website at www.fortunasilver.com. Jorge A. Ganoza, President, CEO and Director Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Trading symbols: (NYSE: FSM)(TSX: FVI) Forward looking Statements This news release contains forward looking statements which constitute "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "Forward looking Statements"). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward looking Statements. The Forward looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about the Company's plans for its mines and mineral properties; the Company's business strategy, plans and outlook; the merit of the Company's mines and mineral properties; mineral resource and reserve estimates; timelines; the future financial or operating performance of the Company; expenditures; approvals and other matters. Often, but not always, these Forward looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "planned", "reflecting", "will", "containing", "remaining", "to be", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. 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 results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward looking Statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; changes in prices for silver and other metals; technological and operational hazards in Fortuna's mining and mine development activities; risks inherent in mineral exploration; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral reserves, mineral resources, and metal recoveries; governmental and other approvals; political unrest or instability in countries where Fortuna is active; labor relations issues; as well as those factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form. 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 to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward looking Statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to expectations regarding mine production costs; expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource and reserve estimates; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting operations and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward looking Statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any Forward looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. 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, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward looking Statements. Contacts: Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Carlos Baca Investor Relations (Peru): +51.1.616.6060, ext. 0 www.fortunasilver.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued CenturyLink Inc. on Wednesday over its billing practices. The state attorney general's suit alleges that the internet, phone and cable television provider frequently billed Minnesota customers at higher rates than quoted by its its sales agents. The lawsuit filed in Anoka County District Court accuses CenturyLink of consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices. The filing cites 37 specific cases in which people were overbilled by the company and denied the opportunity to reduce those charges. The lawsuit comes after investigations for over a year by the state after the attorney general's office received hundreds of complaints about billing from CenturyLink customers. Swanson said she's asking to impose civil penalties, change of sales practices by the company, and that CenturyLink pay restitution to affected customers. CenturyLink is already facing a $12 billion lawsuit alleging that consumers were saddled with costly unwanted services. Swanson said, 'It is not OK for a company to quote one price and then charge another for something as basic as cable television and internet service. We want an injunction so the company stops doing this to other people, and hopefully fixes the problem for these people as well.' In response, CenturyLink spokesman Mark Molzen reportedly said that the company has been cooperating with Minnesota's investigation since its inquiry began and has provided all information requested. 'We are disappointed that the Attorney General has chosen a press conference to communicate her concerns instead of contacting CenturyLink directly. We take these allegations seriously and will review and respond in due course,' he said. The complaint comes as the company is in the midst of a $34 billion merger with Level 3 Communications Inc. Shares of CenturyLink declined around 3.23 percent on the news and closed at $22.50. In the after hours trading, stock gained 0.27 percent. 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. Choose the local newsletters you want to receive in your inbox each week. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro weakened against other major currencies in the early European session on Thursday. The euro fell to more than a 2-week low of 1.4759 against the Australian dollar, a 3-day low of 1.0984 against the Swiss franc and a 2-day low of 0.8815 against the pound, from early highs of 1.4893, 1.1024 and 0.8874, respectively. Against the yen and the NZ dollar, the euro dropped to 1-week lows of 128.84 and 1.5592 from early highs of 129.66 and 1.5755, respectively. Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the euro edged down to 1.1405 and 1.4537 from early highs of 1.1456 and 1.4594, respectively. If the euro extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.45 against the aussie, 1.08 against the franc, 0.87 against the pound, 127.00 against the yen, 1.53 against the kiwi, 1.12 against the greenback and 1.43 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MOSCOW, December 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation is announcing an increase in FAN ID delivery channels in different countries. Foreign citizens who plan to attend the 2018 FIFA World Cup' matches and have ordered FAN IDs can now receive them at VFS Global Visa Application Centers. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622601/FAN_ID_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622599/FAN_ID_stadium_access_Infographic.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622600/FAN_ID_foreign_spectator_Infographic.jpg ) FAN IDs can be issued in 165 VFS Global Visa Application Centers located worldwide. In some countries, i.e. China, Great Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, India, Latvia, etc., there are several VFS Global Visa Application Centers now open and fans can select the most convenient one for delivery of their FAN IDs. "We are prepared to issue up to 2 million FAN IDs to spectators of the 2018 FIFA World Cup'. FAN ID registration and issuance are now officially open. We call upon all international fans who have a match ticket or a ticket purchase request confirmed by FIFA to order a FAN ID and have it delivered either to one of the VFS Global Visa Application Centers or by mail. FAN IDs are delivered to recipients abroad as a registered small parcel by the Russian Post," said Andrei Romankov, Deputy Director of the Communications Ministry's Strategic Projects Department. FAN ID is a personalized spectator's card which is a part of the football fan identification system created in Russia. FAN ID was used for the first time in the history of the FIFA tournaments during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. FIFA highly appreciated the initiative of the Russian Federation to provide all fans with special passports. Everyone who has purchased a match ticket must get a FAN ID. In order to do this, one must fill in an application form at http://www.fan-id.ru or register at one of the FAN ID Distribution Centers located in the Russian Federation. In combination with a match ticket, a FAN ID provides fast and convenient access to the stadium for all spectators. Foreign spectators and stateless persons can enter Russia visa-free with a FAN ID. It also entitles spectators to free travel on special trains connecting the host cities and on public transportation of the host cities on match days. FAN ID is a personal document which is issued free of charge for all the 2018 FIFA World Cup' matches. Related links: http://www.fan-id.ru https://www.facebook.com/FanId2017/ https://www.instagram.com/fan.id.2017/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMuOVVSVA4sZ1KaQL8DZEFw https://twitter.com/Fan_Id_2017 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/19/17 -- Constellation Software Inc. ("Constellation") (TSX: CSU) today announced that its wholly-owned division Volaris Group ("Volaris") has entered into an agreement to acquire a provider of Insurance software. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to mutually agreed closing conditions. About Volaris Group Volaris acquires, strengthens and grows vertical market technology companies. As an Operating Group of Constellation Software Inc., Volaris is all about strengthening businesses within the markets they compete and enabling them to grow - whether that growth comes through organic measures such as new initiatives and product development, day-to-day business, or through complementary acquisitions. Learn more at www.volarisgroup.com. About Constellation Constellation Software acquires, manages and builds vertical market software businesses. Contacts: Constellation Software Inc. Jamal Baksh Chief Financial Officer (416) 861-9677 jbaksh@csisoftware.com www.csisoftware.com Joseph Hood, PR Manager Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Email: mhi-pr@mhi.co.jp Tel: +81-(0)3-6716-2168 Fax: +81-(0)3-6716-5860 YOKOHAMA, Japan, Nov 16, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has started construction work for the Cirebon Coal-Fired Power Plant Expansion Project in Indonesia. Construction will be carried out, on a full-turnkey basis, on the 1-gigawatt (GW) large-scale ultra-supercritical-pressure coal-fired power plant in West Java Province, in consortium with Toshiba Group and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. Under the EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contract, MHPS will supply the plant's ultra-supercritical-pressure boiler and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system. The plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2022.The power plant is being built by PT Cirebon Energi Prasarana (CEPR), an entity collectively financed by Marubeni Corporation, JERA Co., Inc., PT Indika Energy Tbk, Samtan Co., Ltd., and Korea Midland Power Co. Ltd. CEPR concluded an EPC contract with MHPS and its consortium partners in 2015. The project will expand the 660-megawatt (MW) coal-fired IPP (independent power producer) business currently operated at the site by Marubeni. Once on-stream, the expanded plant will supply power to PT PLN (Persero), Indonesia's state-owned electricity utility, through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). Together with the existing plant, the new facility at Cirebon will help meet Indonesia' increasing energy demand.In addition to manufacturing, supplying and procuring equipment, MHPS will also take charge of trial operations. MHPS currently has the largest share of the global market for wet-type FGD systems, thereby contributing to the reduction of environmental burdens.MHPS has forged close ties with Indonesia over a period spanning nearly 50 years, starting with shipment of the first steam turbine to the Indonesian market in 1971. Today, the company continues to play a significant role in developing the country's power grid. The latest project will further contribute to the expansion of the Java-Bali power network, a key part of PLN's national power supply equipment plan.MHPS has a proven track record in the field of coal-fired power generation with its high-efficiency systems for curbing CO2 emissions. The company will continue to proactively expand its business in Indonesia and other regions where demand for highly efficient coal-fired power generation systems is expected to grow.About Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) was formed on February 1 2014, integrating the thermal power generation systems businesses of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Hitachi, Ltd. in a quest to further enhance their social response capabilities in all respects. These include the technological strength to create new products of outstanding quality and reliability, the comprehensive strength in engineering to oversee projects in regions across the globe, and finely honed sales and after-sale servicing capabilities. MHPS aims to come out a winner in global competition and achieve a solid position as a world leader in thermal power generation systems and environmental technologies. For more information, please visit www.mhps.com.Source: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.Contact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. MONTREAL, QUEBEC and SARASOTA, FLORIDA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (TSX: ITP) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") has approved the renewal of the Company's normal course issuer bid ("NCIB"). Under the renewed NCIB, the Company will be entitled to repurchase for cancellation up to 4,000,000 common shares, representing 7.12% of the Company's "public float" as of July 11, 2017, over a twelve-month period starting on July 17, 2017 and ending on July 16, 2018. The purchases by the Company will be effected through the facilities of the TSX and on other alternative trading systems in Canada, and will be made at the market price of the shares at the time of the purchase. There were 59,287,210 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding as of July 11, 2017, of which 56,213,810 shares constituted the "public float". During the most recently completed six months, the average daily trading volume for the common shares of the Company on the TSX was 143,921 shares. Consequently, under the policies of the TSX, the Company will have the right to repurchase during any one trading day a maximum of 35,980 common shares, representing 25% of the average daily trading volume. In addition, the Company may make, once per calendar week, a block purchase (as such term is defined in the TSX Company Manual) of common shares not directly or indirectly owned by insiders of the Company, in accordance with the policies of the TSX. The Company intends to acquire the common shares because it believes that the repurchase of common shares at certain market prices is beneficial to the Company and its shareholders. The Company intends to make any purchases on an opportunistic basis, taking share price and other considerations into account. Any purchases made pursuant to the NCIB will be made in accordance with the requirements of the TSX. Except for exempt offers, the Company will make no purchases of common shares other than open market purchases during the period of the NCIB. Under the Company's current NCIB, which expires today, the Company is authorized to purchase up to 4,000,000 shares. During the twelve months ended June 30, 2017, the Company did not repurchase any shares pursuant to its NCIB. In connection with the renewed NCIB, it is expected that the Company will enter into an automatic share purchase plan with a Canadian securities dealer pursuant to which the securities dealer, acting as the Company's agent, may acquire at its discretion shares on the Company's behalf during "black-out" or "closed" periods under the Company's stock trading policy, subject to certain parameters as to price and number of shares. About Intertape Polymer Group Inc. Intertape Polymer Group Inc. is a recognized leader in the development, manufacture and sale of a variety of paper and film based pressure-sensitive and water-activated tapes, polyethylene and specialized polyolefin films, woven coated fabrics and complementary packaging systems for industrial and retail use. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec and Sarasota, Florida, the Company employs approximately 2,450 employees with operations in 21 locations, including 14 manufacturing facilities in North America and one in each of Europe and Asia. For more information about IPG, visit www.itape.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which are made in reliance upon the protections provided by such legislation for forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including statements regarding the Company's intention to make a normal course issuer bid (including the details regarding such bid), may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections made by the Company's management. Words such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "continue", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "plan", "foresee", "believe" or "seek" or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements, by their nature, involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements are also subject to assumptions concerning, among other things: business conditions and growth or declines in the Company's industry, the Company's customers' industries and the general economy; the anticipated benefits from the Company's manufacturing facility closures and other restructuring efforts; the anticipated benefits from the Company's acquisitions; the anticipated benefits from the Company's capital expenditures; the quality, and market reception, of the Company's products; the Company's anticipated business strategies; risks and costs inherent in litigation; the Company's ability to maintain and improve quality and customer service; anticipated trends in the Company's business; anticipated cash flows from the Company's operations; availability of funds under the Company's Revolving Credit Facility; and the Company's ability to continue to control costs. The Company can give no assurance that these estimates and expectations will prove to have been correct. Actual outcomes and results may, and often do, differ from what is expressed, implied or projected in such forward-looking statements, and such differences may be material. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. For additional information regarding important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and other risks and uncertainties, and the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements, you are encouraged to read "Item 3 Key Information - Risk Factors", "Item 5 Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (Management's Discussion & Analysis)" and statements located elsewhere in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the other statements and factors contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of these forward-looking statements speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company will not update these statements unless applicable securities laws require it to do so. Contacts: MaisonBrison Communications Pierre Boucher 514-731-0000 TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Great Lakes Graphite Inc. ("GLK" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GLK)(OTC PINK: GLKIF)(FRANKFURT: 8GL) is pleased to announce that the Company has initiated a joint product development effort with NanoSpire, Inc. of Portland, Maine to target advanced materials markets with a variety of high value carbon products. NanoSpire has developed the next generation of particle sizing technology based on its patented technology which harnesses cavitation microjets to resize virtually any material into particles as small as a few nanometers. Great Lakes Graphite CEO Paul Gorman said, "We believe there are a number of competitive advantages that accrue to us through this partnership. NanoSpire's unique technology holds the potential to deliver greater process accuracies and efficiencies as well as innovating entirely new products. We believe there will be tremendous value in the ability to consistently produce high quality carbon materials in volume, within a tight size range at the nanometer scale." NanoSpire, Inc. is an IP holding company founded in January 2002, to commercialize a new generation of cavitation reentrant jet-based tools and processes. Mark LeClair and Serge Lebid, the principals at NanoSpire, have been presented at numerous nanotechnology conferences. NanoSpire won the prestigious Innovation Technology Award at the Nanotech 2003 + Future Conference in Tokyo. NanoSpire's business and technology focus is the harnessing of high speed liquid cavitation reentrant microjets. NanoSpire Founder and CEO Mark LeClair commended on the collaborative effort by stating, "We believe that our technology has the potential to deliver significant process efficiencies and expand the product development boundaries with new and greatly expanded sizing capability. We look forward to working closely with Great Lakes Graphite in a strong partnership that will engender substantial mutual benefits." About Great Lakes Graphite Inc.: Great Lakes Graphite is an industrial minerals processing company supplying customers with innovative, high quality value-added carbon products. There is no significant graphite production in North America now. As pricing and demand continue to rise, Great Lakes Graphite is one of the first new domestic suppliers to a growing regional customer base. We continually work to deliver products of the best quality with outstanding customer service. The Company is party to an agreement for long-term supply of high quality natural graphite concentrate from Brazil (see news release dated 03/23/15). Great Lakes Graphite is presently working with an established US-based processor for toll micronization services. The Company has partnered with Ashland Advanced Materials for commercial-scale purification operations at Ashland's 110,000 square foot purification facility located in Niagara, New York. Through our partner relationships, Great Lakes Graphite began selling micronized synthetic graphite beginning in 2016 and now supplies micronized and high purity micronized natural flake graphite products to a growing customer base. Further information regarding Great Lakes can be found on the Company's website at www.GreatLakesGraphite.com. Great Lakes Graphite trades with symbol GLK on the TSX Venture Exchange and currently has 125,656,830 shares outstanding. 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. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward looking information" which involves 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 information. When used in this press release, such forward looking information may use such words as "may', "will', "expect', "believe', "plan' and other similar terminology. Forward looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations relating to the future events and the operating performance of the Company, and readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to fulfill the orders and future orders, regulatory requirements, general economic, market or business conditions and future developments in the sectors of the economy in which the business of Great Lakes operates. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Please see the Company's financial statements, MD&A and other documents available on www.sedar.com, for a more detailed description of the risk factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward looking information, whether a result of new information, future results or otherwise, except as required by law. Contacts: Great Lakes Graphite Inc. Paul Ferguson Chief Marketing Officer 1-800-754-4510 x106 PFerguson@GreatLakesGraphite.com Great Lakes Graphite Inc. Paul Gorman Chief Executive Officer 1-800-754-4510 x109 PGorman@GreatLakesGraphite.com www.GreatLakesGraphite.com BOSTON, 2017-07-13 14:04 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flywire, a leading provider of international payment and receivables solutions, continued its strong growth in the education sector in the recently completed fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. Over the last year, the company achieved record results in payments processed, and institutions and students served. Flywire also added new payment alternatives with several new partnerships, and expanded its global operations. The company has built a robust business serving educational institutions around the world since 2011 and has established its platform as the preferred solution for international payments and receivables processing. Schools use it to offer students and their families a highly-tailored, international payment experience - customized by country, currency and institution. In addition, school financial and operations teams benefit from streamlined reconciliation and tracking of international payments. Several milestones demonstrate the company's strong performance in the education sector over the last year: Sharp Increases in Cross-Border Education Payments, Clients and Students -- Since its founding, Flywire has processed over $5 billion in educational payments. -- The number of education-related transactions grew 250% in APAC/EMEA combined, compared to the previous fiscal year. -- The company added over 300 new educational clients, bringing its total to over 1,300. -- Northeastern University, Kent State University and the University of Hawaii are some of the latest schools to offer Flywire as the preferred payment service for their international students. New Partnerships Expand School and Student Choice -- PayPal - In June, Flywire added PayPal Wallet to its payment options for students and families in Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. Integration between the solutions streamlines payment reconciliation for schools and gives students and families another popular and convenient option when making international payments. -- Cashnet/Blackboard - In late May, Flywire entered into a strategic partnership with Cashnet, a Blackboard company. The agreement integrates the Flywire and Cashnet solutions and enables Cashnet to offer support to both companies' many mutual education clients. The collaboration also makes it easy for schools to leverage the full capabilities of both solutions to streamline the payment and reconciliation process. -- First Data - In early May First Data and Flywire formed a reciprocal referral relationship, providing clients with a seamless integration between Flywire's international payment and receivables platform, and First Data's vast client network and technology solutions. The partnership significantly expands card payment options for Flywire clients and enables First Data education clients to leverage the Flywire platform to accept large sum international payments from their customers, while providing added transparency and easier reconciliation. Expanded Global Operations -- In August 2016, Flywire opened a new office in Sydney, Australia to support its growing local operations there. Australia is the third most popular destination in the world for international education behind only the United States and the United Kingdom. The move builds on Flywire's existing Asia-Pacific presence in Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo, and strong growth worldwide. "International education is big business and sending and accepting international tuition payments has become exceedingly complex in today's global marketplace," said Mike Massaro, CEO of Flywire. "Our focus is on taking all the friction out of those transactions for both students and schools and making them as easy and familiar as any domestic payment." About Flywire Flywire is a leading provider of international payment solutions, connecting businesses and institutions with their customers on six continents. Introduced six years ago as a way for international students to pay their tuition for studies abroad, Flywire is now used by over 1,300 organizations across 18 countries around the world. The company processes billions in payments per year from 220 countries and territories, via bank transfer, credit card and e-wallet solutions, in over 120 different local currencies. Convenient, fast and secure, Flywire's scalable platform provides currency conversion at exchange rates that can offer significant savings when compared to home-market banks and credit card providers. The company also supports its clients with end-to-end customer support including multilingual servicing via phone, email, and chat, as well as 24/7 online payment tracking. Flywire is headquartered in Boston, MA with international operations in London and Manchester, UK; Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore; Sydney, Australia; and Valencia, Spain. For more information, visit www.Flywire.com. Media Contacts: for Flywire Tim Walsh Walsh Group Marketing 617.512.1641 timw@walshgroupmarketing.com Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de The "Global Gaming Console Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. The global gaming console market to decline at a CAGR of (1.23%) during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global gaming console market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated by the sales of gaming consoles. The report also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the top four vendors in the market. According to the report, one driver in the market is enhanced features of next-generation gaming consoles. Despite the fact that an average gamer uses gaming consoles for nearly a decade, the next generation of gaming consoles are released every five years (on an average). The major reason for this is the increased consumer demands as the consumers look forward to enriched audio and visual experience for gaming. The increasing disposable incomes have made the gamers able to afford high-end display and TV sets. The HD displays, along with HDMI and wireless network compatibility, have increased the expectations of the gamers. Key vendors Microsoft Nintendo Sony Razer Other prominent vendors NVIDIA OUYA Tommo Key Topics Covered: Part 01: Executive Summary Part 02: Scope Of The Report Part 03: Research Methodology Part 04: Introduction Part 05: Market Landscape Part 06: Market Segmentation By Type Part 07: Market Segmentation By Type Of Gamer Part 08: Key Leading Countries Part 09: Decision Framework Part 10: Drivers And Challenges Part 11: Market Trends Part 12: Vendor Landscape Part 13: Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2hpndg/global_gaming. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170925005784/en/ Contacts: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T. Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Topics: Video Games and Consoles Murgitroyd, the global intellectual property attorney firm, has awarded first prize of 5,000 cash to Scotland-based start-up uFraction8 in its first Innovator Launchpad competition. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005536/en/ Dr Brian Miller and Dr Monika Tomecka celebrating their prize (Photo: Business Wire). In an award ceremony at The Dome, Edinburgh, co-founders of the Falkirk-based microfluidics company, Dr Brian Miller and Dr Monika Tomecka, were presented with the 5,000 winner's cheque together with a 2,500 intellectual property services voucher from Murgitroyd, custom Beta Brand space jackets and a PR package. The UK-wide innovation competition was launched by Murgitroyd in May 2017 in a drive to support early-stage businesses, and is based on Facebook. The initial "top three" were decided in a public Facebook vote, with these three then going through to a formal judging process, with experts including Converge Challenge founder Dr Olga Kozlova. Winner uFraction8's technology centres on a new liquid particle processing technology which offers superior performance and cost savings against the three big liquid processing technologies: filtration, flow centrifugation and flocculation. The company is a spin-out from Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University. The technology has multiple applications including enhancing food security, increasing access to medicines and nutrients, preserving ocean life and enhancing operational capabilities of humanitarian aid missions. UFraction8 has won a number of awards recently, including the high-profile Imagine Chemistry Challenge, run by AkzoNobel. Through this, a strategic partnership has just been announced been uFraction8 and AkzoNobel. The company has also achieved equity funding through the Deep Science Ventures business accelerator programme and further non-diluting grant funding is lined up through Scottish Enterprises's SMART Feasibility scheme. Dr Miller, the company's CEO, a former automation engineer who retrained in microfluidics, described the award as a "great helping hand". "It's not just the cash, but also the intellectual property advice provided by Murgitroyd that will come in useful: this will help us to assess the value we can add to the company through intellectual property". Dr Tomecka, uFraction8's Chief Operating Officer, a biomedical researcher with experience in marketing and team management commented that the company had ambitious plans for expansion and that they were seeking investors. She and Miller believe that both of these objectives will be helped by the publicity from the competition. UFraction8 fought off serious competition from other UK start-ups to win the prize with 35 other early-stage businesses entering the competition. Innovator Launchpad judge Keith Jones, Director Patents with Murgitroyd, commented on the high standard of competition entries: "As a patent attorney, I deal with innovation day in day out, and I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of the entries". Jones described uFraction8's entry as "seriously disruptive technology". Jamie LeLiever, Chief Marketing Officer with Murgitroyd, was keen to stress the importance of professional services help alongside cash support for early-stage businesses: "As an entrepreneur myself, with experience of founding my own businesses in the US, I know that it's not just the cash that counts. "Young companies need advice, and companies like Murgitroyd can assist with that we will also be opening up the competition to other professional services sponsors in the next phase, in order to increase the range of advice available to companies. "Innovator Launchpad will be back in 2017, and we will have some exciting new developments to announce. We've taken on feedback from this competition's competitors and aim to streamline it further in the next phase. "So look out for news of Innovator Launchpad 2.0 in the early Autumn on our Facebook page we look forward to supporting more young companies in the UK!". Web Links uFraction8 website: ufraction8.com Innovator Launchpad Facebook page: facebook.com/innovatorlaunchpad Facebook Live winner's interview: facebook.com/TheScotsmanNewspaper/videos/10156953400574988 Murgitroyd website: murgitroyd.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005536/en/ Contacts: Murgitroyd Contact: Fiona McKenzie, European MarketingManager Tel: +44 (0)141 307 8400 Email: fiona.mckenzie@murgitroyd.com DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) ("ACC"), a full-service business-to-business consulting solutions provider, and seller of ancillary products to the cannabis industry, today announced that its proprietary product SoHum Living Soils(SoHum), has won the 2017 High Times STASH award for "Best Potting Mix." SoHum is a proprietary "just add water" growing medium that contains 100% natural ingredients and provides the cannabis plant a full buffet of macro/micro nutrients to better achieve genetic potential as well as an optimal cannabinoid profile. Not only does SoHum optimize the plant's yield and quality, it also eliminates the need for complex feeding schedules and the associated risk(s) of operator error, as well as reducing time and labor. The SoHum product overview may be viewed at SoHumSoils.com. Terry Buffalo, CEO of American Cannabis Company, commented: "We are very honored to receive this recognition from the readers of High Times. SoHum was developed with a generous respect for the cannabis plant and its evolution, combining the traditional knowledge of growers with the latest research in soil science. By applying our philosophy of feeding the microbes in the soil, in order to effectively feed the plant, SoHum produces the desired yields and quality required by end users, and we believe our cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles are unparalleled." About American Cannabis Company, Inc. American Cannabis Company, Inc. offers end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis sector. We utilize our industry expertise to provide business planning and market assessment services, assist state licensing procurement, create business infrastructure and operational best practices. American Cannabis Company also developed and owns a portfolio of branded products including: The Satchel, Sohum Living Soils, The Cultivation Cube and The High Density Cultivation System. We also design and provide other industry specific custom product solutions and cultivation expertise. The building and development of our brands and product suite is based on our Geoponics Philosophy, "the art and science of agriculture in soil." For more information, please visit: www.americancannabisconsulting.com www.americancannabiscompanyinc.com www.sohumsoils.com Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. 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 our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov. Contact: Steven Lico Marketing Manager IR@americancannabisconsulting.com 303-974-4770 NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- NetworkNewsWire ("NNW"), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company that delivers a new generation of social communication solutions for business, today announces the online availability of its interview with Converde Energy USA (OTC: XFUL), a diversified energy company doing business as American Energy Partners, Inc. The interview can be heard at https://www.networknewswire.com/solutions/corporate-communications/interviews/converde-energy-usa-interview/ Kicking off the interview, NNW's Stuart Smith introduces Josh C. Hickman, president of Gilbert Oil & Gas, LLC, one of three wholly owned XFUL subsidiaries. Gilbert Oil & Gas is focused on the acquisition of cash flow properties and assets that include non-operating oil wells, service companies, engineering service companies, and other assets on track to be cash flow positive. As Hickman describes, XFUL, through its Hydration Corporation and American Energy Solutions companies, is also involved in water ownership and water treatment technologies for a variety of markets. "The market for water ownership, as well as water treatment, is extremely large as you look at farming municipalities, factory, and power production, which is more of what those two companies are focused on," he explains in the interview. An exploration geologist for the oil & gas industry by trade, Hickman describes how his 15 years of experience fits into XFUL's business strategy. "It's simply been evaluating and figuring out the best values for business models, assisting startup companies in the oil and gas sphere, getting on their feet with proper properties and assets and business plans, as well as understanding the value of oil and gas properties for private owners as well. It's been a very diverse background that has allowed me to see and start six different entities now," he says. "Going from zero to 100 miles an hour has been very successful piece of our business and we look forward to applying these talents full time with this company." Hickman next describes XFUL's corporate history, and how several key milestones have positioned the company where it is today, despite industry setbacks in 2016. "It is excellent to be in the position that I am with Gilbert and with American Energy Partners. The timing could not be better for investments and new capital flow into this market. It is certainly a game change after 2016 and how much the revenues and the amount of deals have fallen. It is so nice to be a part of making deals happen once again in the oil and gas market. Truly, it couldn't be a better time for investments," he concludes. About Converde Energy USA, Inc. (XFUL) XFUL and its group of companies focus on providing solutions in markets where energy production and water meet technology. Collectively, the subsidiaries are engaged in the energy sector as well as the design, construction and operation of regional water treatment facilities that serve the industrial, energy and government sectors. Hydration Corporation of PA, LLC ("HCPA") is engaged in the businesses of water exploration, water augmentation, and the treatment of impacted waters. Notably, its intellectual property delivers one of the highest energy yields from a broad range of water-bearing assets, with one of the lowest capital expenditures of any other known water processes. American Energy Solutions, LLC provides treatment technologies that contribute to HCPA's business model of low-cost treatment and distribution. As a provider of design, this subsidiary is capable of repeatable and synergistic services across the value chain. Gilbert Oil & Gas Company is leveraging broad industry valuation experience to source drilling, operating, and partnership opportunities in the upstream oil and gas space. It is positioned to become a strong customer of XFUL's other subsidiaries while providing them with the foundation to attract other customers and enter new markets. For more information, visit http://americanenergy-inc.com About NetworkNewsWire NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Communications Contact: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York www.NetworkNewsWire.com 212.418.1217 Office Email Contact CONYERS, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. (OTC: GOSY) (http://www.GeckoSystems.com/) announced today that the company continues to gain traction in the consumer, professional healthcare and commercial security markets. For over twenty years, GeckoSystems has dedicated itself to development of "AI Mobile Robot Solutions for Safety, Security and Service." In the last few months, GeckoSystems has: Been told by those which management has no reason to disbelieve that high six figure funding sufficient to "build and sell" CareBots for third party evaluation trials will occur in the near term. Effectuated an NDA, MOU, and LOI agreements with a premier Chinese mobile service robot firm, Pangolin Robotics. Pangolin is publicly traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. "Recently, in response to their unsolicited, but gracious and complimentary inquiry, we indicated our sincere interest in working with this Chinese mobile service robot company, but if and only if, they agreed to our required Safety Clause NDA. To that end, they immediately signed our Safety Clause NDA such that our discussions became of sufficient substance for us to effectuate our second agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), clearly revealing that both parties believe significant manufacturing and distribution synergies appropriate for multiple markets would be garnered by each firm," stated Martin Spencer, CEO, GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. Achieved recognition for its eldercare assistant CareBot personal robot on a leading senior care website, SeniorCareCorner.com: "CareBot: "One of a Kind Family Caregiver for Aging in Place Seniors" http://seniorcarecorner.com/carebot-caregiver-aging-in-place-seniors Been named not once, but twice, by two different internationally prestigious market research firms, without any enticement whatsoever, that in their informed opinion and analysis, GeckoSystems remains in the top ten in the world in AI mobile service robot technologies and products. 1. QYResearchReports.com (@qyresearch) in their "Global Service Robotics Market Research Report" tinyurl.com/y837jo8q 2. Research and Markets (@researchmarkets) in their "Security Robots Market Report" tinyurl.com/ya79fsm4 Continued to attain substantive progress against the parties responsible for naked short selling of GOSY stock for some years now. Recently, a GA court order was secured to access all phone records for the last five years from one of the defendants. Management continues to be surprised regarding Brown Brothers, Harriman and Company (BBH) present indifference to their inability to determine where 50,000,000 shares (~24.1% of all freely traded shares) owned by a long time GOSY shareholder, went. Majority GOSY shareholders secured Rockdale County, Georgia, Superior Court jurisdiction over Neil T. Wallace due to an earlier court decision favorable to him being set aside with a new trial ordered due to three individually sufficient filing errors by Wallace. Artificial intelligence technologies and applications span Big Data, Predictive Analytics, Statistics, Mobile Robots, Service Robotics, Drones, Self-driving Cars, Driverless Cars, Driver Assisted Cars, Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Homes, UGV's, UAV's, USV's, AGV's, Forward and/or Backward Chaining Expert Systems, Savants, AI Assistants, Sensor Fusion, Subsumption, etc. "One of our primary software and hardware architecture design goals has been for our MSR platforms to be extensible such that obsolescence of the primary cost drivers, the mechanicals, would be as much as five or more years (or when actually worn out from use). Consequently, our hardware architecture is x86 CPU centric and all our AI savants communicate over a LAN using TCP/IP protocols with relatively simple messaging. This means all systems on the Company's MSR's are truly "Internet of Things" (IoT) due to each having a unique IP address. It is due to our high level of pre-existing, linchpin, 3-legged milk stool basic functionalities that make our suite of AI robotics technologies so desirable by being readily easy to upgrade, not only by GeckoSystems, but also third-party developers. This is the strategic hardware development path that IBM used in setting PC standards that have enabled cost effective use of complex, but upgradeable, personal computers for over thirty years now," observed Spencer. In the US, GeckoSystems projects the available market size in dollars for cost effective, utilitarian, multitasking eldercare social mobile robots in 2018 to be $74.0B, in 2019 to be $77B, in 2020 to be $80B, in 2021 to be $83.3B, and in 2022 to be $86.6B. With market penetrations of 0.03% in 2018, 0.06% in 2019, 0.22% in 2020, 0.53% in 2021, and 0.81% in 2022, we anticipate CareBot verbal interaction, auto-follow personal robot sales from the consumer market alone at levels of $22.0M, $44.0M, $176M, $440.2M, and $704.3M, respectively. The company is presently securing funding for manufacturing, marketing and final beta testing of their CareBot. "We continue to have numerous ongoing joint venture and/or licensing discussions with those who share the same interest in using mobile service robots to help others. I am also pleased that as the Service Robotics industry begins to offer real products to eager markets our capabilities are being recognized. We remain completely committed to providing our 1300+ shareholders the ROI they deserve. They can continue to be confident that we expect to be signing numerous multi-million-dollar licensing agreements to further substantiate and delineate the reality that GeckoSystems will enjoy additional licensing revenues to further increase shareholder value. With the promised infusion of a high six figure investment, we continue to gain fuel and traction in this emerging trillion dollar market," concluded Spencer. About GeckoSystems: GeckoSystems has been developing innovative robotic technologies for nineteen years. It is CEO Martin Spencer's dream to make people's lives better through AI robotic technologies. In order for any companion robot to be utilitarian for family care, it must be a "three-legged milk stool." (1) Human quick reflex time to avoid moving and/or unmapped obstacles, (GeckoNav: http://tinyurl.com/le8a39r) (2) Verbal interaction (GeckoChat: http://tinyurl.com/nnupuw7) with a sense of date and time (GeckoScheduler: http://tinyurl.com/kojzgbx), and (3) Ability to automatically find and follow designated parties (GeckoTrak: http://tinyurl.com/mton9uh) such that verbal interaction can occur routinely with video and audio monitoring of the care receiver is uninterrupted. The safety requirement for human quick WCET reflex time in all forms of mobile robots: In order to understand the importance of GeckoSystems' breakthrough, proprietary, and exclusive AI software and why another Japanese robotics company desires a business relationship with GeckoSystems, it's key to acknowledge some basic realities for all forms of automatic, non-human intervention, vehicular locomotion and steering. 1. Laws of Physics such as Conservation of Energy, inertia, and momentum, limit a vehicle's ability to stop or maneuver. If, for instance, a car's braking system design cannot generate enough friction for a given road surface to stop the car in 100 feet after brake application, that's a real limitation. If a car cannot corner at more than .9g due to a combination of suspension design and road conditions, that, also, is reality. Regardless how talented a NASCAR driver may be, if his race car is inadequate, he's not going to win races. 2. At the same time, if a car driver (or pilot) is tired, drugged, distracted, etc. their reflex time becomes too slow to react in a timely fashion to unexpected direction changes of moving obstacles, or the sudden appearance of fixed obstacles. Many car "accidents" result from drunk driving due to reflex time and/or judgment impairment. Average reflex time takes between 150 & 300ms. http://tinyurl.com/nsrx75n 3. In robotic systems, "human reflex time" is known as Worst Case Execution Time (WCET). Historically, in computer systems engineering, WCET of a computational task is the maximum length of time the task could take to execute on a specific hardware platform. In big data, this is the time to load up the data to be processed, processed, and then outputted into useful distillations, summaries, or common sense insights. GeckoSystems' basic AI self-guidance navigation system processes 147 megabytes of data per second using low cost, Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Single Board Computers (SBC's). 4. Highly trained and skilled jet fighter pilots have a reflex time (WCET) of less than 120ms. Their "eye to hand" coordination time is a fundamental criterion for them to be successful jet fighter pilots. The same holds true for all high-performance forms of transportation that are sufficiently pushing the limits of the Laws of Physics to require the quickest possible reaction time for safe human control and/or usage. 5. GeckoSystems' WCET is less than 100ms, or as quick, or quicker than most gifted jet fighter pilots, NASCAR race car drivers, etc. while using low cost COTS and SBC's. 6. In mobile robotic guidance systems, WCET has 3 fundamental components. a. Sufficient Field of View (FOV) with appropriate granularity, accuracy, and update rate. b. Rapid processing of that contextual data such that common sense responses are generated. c. Timely physical execution of those common sense responses. An earlier third party verification of GeckoSystems' AI centric, human quick sense and avoidance of moving and/or unmapped obstacles by one of their mobile robots can be viewed here: http://t.co/NqqM22TbKN An overview of GeckoSystems' progress containing over 700 pictures and 120 videos can be found at http://www.geckosystems.com/timeline/. These videos illustrate the development of the technology that makes GeckoSystems a world leader in Service Robotics development. Early CareBot prototypes were slower and frequently pivoted in order to avoid a static or dynamic obstacle; later prototypes avoided obstacles without pivoting. Current CareBots avoid obstacles with a graceful "bicycle smooth" motion. The latest videos also depict the CareBot's ability to automatically go faster or slower depending on the amount of clutter (number of obstacles) within its field of view. This is especially important when avoiding moving obstacles in "loose crowd" situations like a mall or an exhibit area. In addition to the timeline videos, GeckoSystems has numerous YouTube videos. The most popular of which are the ones showing room-to-room automatic self-navigation of the CareBot through narrow doorways and a hallway of an old 1954 home. You will see the CareBot slow down when going through the doorways because of their narrow width and then speed up as it goes across the relatively open kitchen area. There are also videos of the SafePath wheelchair, which is a migration of the CareBot AI centric navigation system to a standard power wheelchair, and recently developed cost effective depth cameras were used in this recent configuration. SafePath navigation is now available to OEM licensees and these videos show the versatility of GeckoSystems' fully autonomous navigation solution. GeckoSystems, Star Wars Technology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYwQBUXXc3g The company has successfully completed an Alpha trial of its CareBot personal assistance robot for the elderly. It was tested in a home care setting and received enthusiastic support from both caregivers and care receivers. The company believes that the CareBot will increase the safety and well-being of its elderly charges while decreasing stress on the caregiver and the family. GeckoSystems is preparing for Beta testing of the CareBot prior to full-scale production and marketing. CareBot has recently incorporated Microsoft Kinect depth cameras that result in a significant cost reduction. Kinect Enabled Personal Robot video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn93BS44Das Above, the CareBot demonstrates static and dynamic obstacle avoidance as it backs in and out of a narrow and cluttered alley. There is no joystick control or programmed path; movements are smoother that those achieved using a joystick control. GeckoNav creates three low levels of obstacle avoidance: reactive, proactive, and contemplative. Subsumptive AI behavior within GeckoNav enables the CareBot to reach its target destination after engaging in obstacle avoidance. More information on the CareBot personal assistance robot: http://www.geckosystems.com/markets/CareBot.php GeckoSystems stock is quoted in the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) markets under the ticker symbol GOSY. http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/GOSY/quote GeckoSystems uses http://www.LinkedIn.com as its primary social media site for investor updates. Here is Spencer's LinkedIn.com profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/martin-spencer/11/b2a/580 Safe Harbor: Statements regarding financial matters in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, technology efficacy and all other forward-looking statements be subject to the Safe Harbors created thereby. The Company is a development stage firm that continues to be dependent upon outside capital to sustain its existence. Since these statements (future operational results and sales) involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the Company's actual results may differ materially from expected results. GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. Telephone: Main number: +1 678-413-9236 Fax: +1 678-413-9247 Website: http://www.geckosystems.com/ Regulatory News: Ontex Group NV, a leading international provider of personal hygiene solutions, with expertise in baby care, feminine care and adult care, will release its results for the three months and half year ended 30 June 2017 at 6:00 am BST 7:00 am CEST on Thursday, 27 July 2017. The press release and presentation announcement will be available on the Company's website: http://www.ontexglobal.com/financial-reports. Management will host a conference call for investors and analysts on Thursday, 27 July 2017 at 8:00 am BST 9:00 am CEST. A replay of the conference call will also be available for one week afterwards. Dial-in information Please dial in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time to register your attendance. Dial-in numbers for the call are as follows: United Kingdom +44 (0)330 336 9105 United States +1 323 794 2093 Belgium +32 (0)2 404 0659 France +33 (0)1 76 77 22 74 Germany +49 (0)69 2222 13420 Passcode 9972765 Replay numbers United Kingdom +44 (0) 207 984 7568 United States +1 719 457 0820 Belgium +32 (0) 2 620 0568 France +33 (0) 1 70 48 00 94 Germany +49 (0) 69 2000 1800 Passcode 9972765 About Ontex Ontex is a leading international provider of personal hygiene solutions, with expertise in baby care, feminine care and adult care. Ontex's innovative products are distributed in more than 110 countries through Ontex brands such as BBTips, BioBaby, Pompom, Bigfral, Canbebe, Canped, ID and Serenity, as well as leading retailer brands. Employing 11,000 passionate people all over the world, Ontex has a presence in 27 countries, with its headquarters in Aalst, Belgium. Ontex is part of the Bel20 and STOXX Europe 600. To keep up with the latest news, visit www.ontexglobal.com or follow us on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005508/en/ Contacts: Ontex Group NV INVESTOR ENQUIRIES Philip Ludwig +32 53 333 730 investorrelations@ontexglobal.com or PRESS ENQUIRIES Gaelle Vilatte +32 53 333 708 gaelle.vilatte@ontexglobal.com QUEBEC, QUEBEC CITY -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- NuRAN Wireless Inc. ('NuRAN Wireless" or the "Company") (CSE: NUR)(CSE: NUR.CN)(CNSX: NUR)(OTC PINK: NRRWF) is proud to announce it has been selected to supply a software-defined radio ("SDR"), the PicoSDR 8x8, to the Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) division. This SDR is designed specifically for research on multi-element arrays and overcomes one of the major technological barriers with SDR so far by supporting a very high number of antennas while maintaining phase coherency between them; a real breakthrough. As a result of the company's commitment to innovation, NuRAN Wireless is proudly joining Rockwell Collins as a supplier of software defined radios to NAVAIR. Nutaq Innovations, a wholly owned subsidiary of NuRAN Wireless will supply its PicoSDR 8x8, a software-defined radio to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) located in Point Mugu, California. The PicoSDR allows radio frequency performance, development of beam forming, phased-array or direction finding systems and evaluation and compatibility testing of modern Navy RF systems such as advanced radars, jammers, communication equipment, military cell phones, etc. "We were excited to launch the PicoSDR as we knew it was addressing an important gap in the market by reducing considerably the time and effort required by engineers to setup a prototyping platform. The fact that this product is now in the hands of major customers such as NASA and NAVAIR proves that the product really meets the needs of the market and that our expertise is being recognized by some of the biggest players of the industry" explained Martin Bedard, Co-CEO & Co-President of NuRAN Wireless. Software-Defined Radio is used to describe a radio transmitting/receiving hardware that is reconfigurable. Software-defined radio have significant utility for military and mobile (cell phone) applications, both of which must serve a wide variety of evolving radio protocols in real time. About NuRAN Wireless NuRAN Wireless, with its wholly owned subsidiary Nutaq Innovation, is a leading supplier of mobile and broadband wireless solutions. Its innovative GSM, LTE, and White Space radio access network (RAN) and backhaul products dramatically drop the total cost of ownership, thereby creating new opportunities for mobile network operators and internet service providers. The Company provides a variety of specialist systems for indoor coverage, rural and urban connectivity in emerging markets, connectivity to offshore platforms and ships, and for emergency and crisis communications. No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this news release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of NuRAN Wireless to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include: the intention to expand the business and operations of NuRAN Wireless and its product line. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to: the ability of NuRAN Wireless to obtain necessary financing; general economic conditions in Canada and globally; competition for, among other things, capital and skilled personnel; our ability to hire and retain qualified employees and key management personnel; possibility that government policies or laws may change; possible disruptive effects of organizational or personnel changes; technological change, new products and standards; risks related to acquisitions and international expansion; reliance on large customers; reliance on a limited number of suppliers; risks related to the Corporation's competition; and the Corporation's failure to adequately protect its intellectual property; interruption or failure of information technology systems and other risk factors described in the Corporation's reports filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including its financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2015, and those referred to under the heading "Risk Factors". These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing NuRAN Wireless' views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Contacts: For further Information about NuRAN Wireless or Nutaq Innovations: www.nuranwireless.com or www.nutaq.com Martin Bedard and Patrice Rainville Co-Presidents and Co-CEOs (418) 914-7484 or Toll Free: 1-855-914-7484 (418) 914-9477 (FAX) info@nuranwireless.com; info@nutaq.com Direct Financial Strategies and Communication Frank Candido 514-969-5530 directmtl@gmail.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed a modest uptick in U.S. producer prices in the month of June. The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand inched up by 0.1 percent in June after coming in flat in May. Economists had expected prices to remain unchanged. Excluding food and energy prices, core producer prices also crept up by 0.1 percent in June after climbing by 0.3 percent in May. Core prices had been expected to rise by 0.2 percent. 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. ORLANDO, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Fattmerchant, a payment processing provider at the forefront of Orlando's tech scene, has saved business owners in Florida more than $2.7 million on payment processing, and U.S. business owners nationwide more than $8.6 million, since 2016. "Our merchant processing savings numbers are representative of the tremendous impact Fattmerchant has had on business owners' bottom lines, and is indicative of the demand for a transparent, understanding merchant processor in the payments space," said Suneera Madhani, CEO and founder of Fattmerchant. "We will continuously grow these figures and provide businesses with the most competitive rates, regardless of size. Our focus has never been on the breadth of a company's transaction volume, as it is with many other processors. Our price is the same every month -- no surprises." Many businesses' annual financial goals surround saving money on expenses year over year. Without arbitrary fees and markups, merchant processing savings start to add up. For example, after moving its processing over to Fattmerchant, Lombardi's Seafood, located in Winter Park, Fla., saved more than $22,000 from payment processing alone. This transparent, flat-rate model has allowed Fattmerchant to accumulate the $8.6 million in national savings, with more than 30 percent coming from Central Florida alone. "Recently I've had many discussions with a lot of business owners, and the topic of merchant services comes up all the time, because it's one of the most costly factors we look at every year," said Mike Lombardi, owner of Lombardi's Seafood. "I've referred at least three businesses to Fattmerchant in the last six months, purely because of the fantastic savings and the cooperation we've had with the company." Fattmerchant aims to continue this trend of ease and transparency with its recent release of the Fattmerchant Platform, a dashboard giving its members the ability to view all their processing information in one place. This breakthrough platform supplies businesses with access to Fattmerchant's proprietary technology, regardless of the front-end solution they currently use and how they accept credit card payments. The program also incorporates robust analytics to help business owners better understand their daily transactions. "From the onset of founding this company, we've wanted to disrupt the merchant services industry by going against the norms that didn't always appreciate the customers," continues Madhani. "Our new platform, along with the savings we continue to provide, will give merchants a better chance to succeed, both within and beyond Central Florida." For more information about Fattmerchant and the company's services, visit www.fattmerchant.com. About Fattmerchant Fattmerchant is a merchant service provider offering unlimited payment processing with unmatched customer service. Suneera Madhani, CEO of Fattmerchant, founded the company in 2014 after working in the credit card processing industry for years, wanting to sell a product that customers would be excited about. Fattmerchant offers plans for every business and brings the human touch back to payment processing. Media Contact Jessica Garcia Uproar PR for Fattmerchant 321-236-0102 Email Contact VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Compass Gold Corp. (NEX: CVB.H) ("Compass" or the "Company") and Mali Gold Exploration Pty Ltd ("MGE") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a binding letter of intent (the "Letter Agreement") dated July 13, 2017 (as signed by the two companies and MGE's principal shareholders), setting out the terms and conditions for Compass to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of MGE (the "MGE Shares") in exchange for the issuance of Post-Consolidation Shares (as defined below) of Compass to the shareholders of MGE. It is expected the acquisition of MGE (the "Acquisition") will constitute a Reactivation and a Reverse Takeover of Compass as such terms are defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV" or the "Exchange"). HIGHLIGHTS: -- MGE holds the Sikasso Property comprising five (5) gold exploration licenses in Mali, West Arica covering a total area of 1,129 km2 -- Proposed Board renewal with former IAMGold founders to join board and management of Compass following the Acquisition -- Existing and proposed Compass Board and Management have substantial experience in managing gold exploration projects in Mali Compass and MGE have common directors and shareholders (as outlined further below) and therefore the Acquisition will not be an arm's length transaction under the policies of the TSXV. Consequently, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") has formed a special committee of independent directors (the "Special Committee") to consider the Acquisition and advise the Board whether the transaction would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and to approve, if appropriate, the terms of a definitive agreement in respect of the Acquisition ("Definitive Agreement"). Compass will be required to obtain shareholder approval for the Acquisition. Trading in the common shares of the Company is halted at present. It is expected that the Company's common shares will resume trading, subject to Exchange acceptance, among other things. The Acquisition is not an arm's-length transaction as insiders of Compass are insiders of MGE and directly or indirectly own both MGE Shares and shares in Compass. In particular James Henderson and Madani Diallo are directors and shareholders of both Compass and MGE and Larry Phillips is a director of Compass and shareholder of both Compass and MGE. Terms of the Acquisition As part of the Acquisition, the Company will complete a 5:1 consolidation of its shares (each new share referred to herein as a "Post-Consolidation Share") and the Company will seek the required approvals to be continued into Ontario. Pursuant to the terms of the Letter Agreement, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, Compass will acquire the all the MGE Shares from the MGE shareholders on a 0.6:1 basis, which would result in the issuance of an aggregate of 12,000,000 Post-Consolidation Shares based on the current number of outstanding MGE Shares. MGE currently has no other securities outstanding. Compass has also agreed to pay up to $50,000 in transaction costs incurred by MGE or MGE Shareholders in connection with the Acquisition. The Post-Consolidation Shares to be issued to the MGE shareholders under the Acquisition will be subject to any restrictions on resale, including escrow restrictions, imposed by applicable laws and the Exchange. Conditions Precedent The parties' obligations are subject to the satisfaction of the usual conditions precedent to a transaction such as the Acquisition, including: 1. the Special Committee recommending approval of the Acquisition by the Board and the Company entering into a Definitive Agreement within 14 days of the date of the Letter Agreement; 2. the completion of due diligence investigations by Compass in respect of MGE, and MGE in respect of Compass, to their sole and absolute satisfactions; 3. Compass having either closed a minimum C$5,000,000 private placement (up to a maximum C$6,000,000) or secured an unconditional underwriting for a minimum C$5,000,000 private placement, to be closed concurrently with the closing of the Acquisition; 4. consents being obtained from all third parties that are necessary to complete the Acquisition, including without limitation, receiving all necessary approvals from Compass shareholders, the TSXV, and MGE Shareholders to the Transaction (including the requirement for any independent report, independent valuations or the Special Committee); and 5. no material adverse changes in the financial condition, assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of either Compass or MGE. Proposed Board and Management Changes On the completion of the Acquisition, it is proposed that Malcom Carson and Lara Iacusso resign from the Board of Compass and Bill Pugliese and Joe Conway be appointed. It is also proposed that Larry Phillips will be appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Compass. Larry Phillips, Joe Conway and Bill Pugliese were the founders and members of the senior management team of IAMGold Corporation, an international gold mining, development and exploration company with operating mines across three continents, including in Mali and Burkina Faso, West Africa. Collectively this team directed international investments, joint ventures, government relationships and operations for IAMGold Corporation, growing the company from a $50 million joint venture company to a $6 billion leading intermediate gold producer, listed on the TSX and NYSE. With existing directors James Henderson and Madani Diallo, Compass will have a leading board and management team with substantial experience in finding and developing resources in Mali and West Africa. Concurrent Private Placement It is a condition to completion of the Acquisition that Compass completes a concurrent private placement of at least C$5,000,000 (up to a maximum of C$6,000,000). Compass expects to provide further information regarding this concurrent private placement if the Company enters into the Definitive Agreement. Completion of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions precedent, including but not limited to TSXV acceptance. The Acquisition cannot close until the required shareholder and Exchange approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all. About MGE MGE is a private Australia company with gold exploration permits located Mali. MGE owns the Sikasso Project located in three sites in Southern Mali with a combined land holding of 1,129km2. The Sikasso Project is located in the same region as several other multi-million ounce gold projects in Mali. The Company expects to provide further information regarding MGE and the Sikasso Project if the Company enters into the Definitive Agreement. About Compass Compass is a public company organized under the laws of British Columbia. Compass is currently listed on the NEX board of the Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDS COMPASS GOLD CORP. Lara Iacusso, Director MALI GOLD EXPLORATION PTY LTD James Henderson, Director Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the proposal to complete the Acquisition and associated transactions, including statements regarding the terms and conditions of such transactions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by such information depending on, among other things, the risks that the parties will not proceed with the Acquisition and associated transactions, that the ultimate terms of the Acquisition and associated transactions will differ from those that currently are contemplated, and that the Acquisition and associated transactions will not be successfully completed for any reason (including the failure to obtain the required approvals from regulatory authorities). The statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction. Contacts: Compass Gold Corporation James Henderson +61 403 603 377 www.compassgoldcorp.com MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Two Democratic lawmakers have officially filed an article of impeachment against Donald Trump in a long-shot bid to remove the controversy-surrounded President from office. Brad Sherman, the Democrat Representative from California, Wednesday submitted House resolution 438 impeaching the President for 'high crimes and misdemeanors'. Rep. Al Green (D-TX) co-sponsored the resolution. It is based on Article 1 of the US Constitution, dealing with 'Obstruction of Justice,' which was passed by the Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote in 1974 regarding the impeachment of the then President Richard Nixon. The Opposition Congressmen accuse Trump of obstructing investigations into alleged Russian links in favor of the Trump Campaign in US presidential election by firing FBI Director James Comey. The impeachment move comes a day after the president's eldest son Donald Trump Jr. released emails regarding his meeting last year with a Russian lawyer whom he says had promised to provide information about Hillary Clinton helpful to the Republican presidential campaign. This disclosure indicate that Trump's campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia, Sherman said in a statement. 'It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe,' according to him. Sherman indicated that more evidence supporting additional Articles of Impeachment may emerge as the investigations move forward. Filing Articles of Impeachment is the first step on a very long road. But if the President continues his 'impulsive incompetency', then eventually Republicans will join the impeachment effort, Sherman hopes. Sherman said he is introducing Articles of Impeachment 'to begin a long process to protect the country from abuse of power, obstruction of justice, and impulsive, ignorant incompetence.' Thousands of protesters marched in dozens of cities across the United States earlier this month calling on Congress to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump. The US Constitution grants the House of Representatives the authority to remove sitting presidents from office if they are impeached and convicted of bribery, treason or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Hearings on allegations by the House Judiciary Committee is the first step in the extensive impeachment process. No President has been removed from office by impeachment and conviction in U.S. history. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were successfully impeached by the House, but both were later acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned his office before the vote of the full House for impeachment. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - GoldQuest Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GQC) (FRANKFURT: M1W) (BERLIN: M1W) ("GoldQuest" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from the latest 4-hole batch of drill holes from its ongoing Tireo exploration drill program. The program is focused on identifying new gold systems and defining the extents of the mineralization at the recent Cachimbo Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) Discovery. All drilling occurs within the Company's 100% owned Tireo Concessions, which hosts the multi-million ounce Romero Project in the Dominican Republic. Highlights: TIR-17-32 intersected 31.6 metres of 3.89 g/t AuEq, 3.16 g/t gold with higher grade sections including: 11.9 metres grading 8.20 g/t AuEq, 6.57 g/t gold, 24.2 g/t silver, 1.43% zinc and 0.19% copper 2.7 metres grading 25.91 AuEq, 22.31 g/t gold, 52.81 g/t silver, 3.10% zinc and 0.46% copper TIR-17-30 intersected 56.2 metres grading 0.32 g/t gold Assays from two holes at Cachimbo are reported herein, and both TIR-17-30 and TIR-17-32 intersected gold within the upper strata-bound polymetallic massive and semi-massive sulphide horizon of the VMS system. Hole TIR-17-32 intersected elevated gold and base metal grades of 2.7 metres grading 22.31 g/t gold, 52.81 g/t silver, 3.10% zinc and 0.46% copper within a wider mineralization interval. The grades are comparable to the Cachimbo discovery hole, TIR-16-09 which intersected 5 metres grading 14 g/t gold, 74 g/t silver, 12% zinc and 1% copper (see release dated January 10, 2017). Holes TIR-17-32 and TIR-16-09 are approximately 50 metres apart and appear to be the same mineralization horizon. This horizon is open along strike to the north-west and to the south-east as well as down dip to the east. Hole TIR-17-30 (56.2 metres grading 0.32 g/t gold) was collared 100m east of the discovery hole at the same platform as hole TIR-17-28. The hole appears to confirm that the upper mineralization horizon is dipping to the east. Drilling continues at Cachimbo and will test areas along strike to expand the mineralization envelope and the Company continues to explore for a potential copper-gold rich feeder system, like the Romero Deposit. Two holes reported from the Las Avispas, holes TIR-17-29 and TIR-17-31, did not intersect significant mineralization. The drilling has, however, encountered favorable alteration to further support that a volcanic eruptive centre, similar to that observed at Romero, is present in the area. The Company is interpreting the results and determining the potential future drilling and next steps for the target. "These results from the Cachimbo discovery follow-up holes are extremely encouraging and support the thesis that our Tireo Belt land package has the potential to materialize into a multi-deposit mining district as these VMS systems often occur in clusters," stated Bill Fisher, GoldQuest's Executive Chairman. "These results are very important in advancing our understanding of this new discovery zone and will help us further explore this area." A plan map and cross-sections showing the Cachimbo drilling can be found at the following links. Plan Map: http://goldquestcorp.com/images/PlanView_Cachimbo_July_12_2017.pdf Section A-A': http://goldquestcorp.com/images/Press_Release_Section_A-A_Cachimbo_July_12_2017.pdf Section B-B': http://goldquestcorp.com/images/Press_Release_Section_B-BCachimbo_July_12_2017.pdf Table 1. Tireo Drilling Intersections ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Cu % Zn % AuEq g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cachimbo Holes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-30 148.01 204.16 56.15 0.32 2.40 0.02 0.14 0.48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-32 88.39 119.98 31.59 3.16 11.85 0.08 0.64 3.89 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 90.0 101.90 11.90 6.57 24.2 0.19 1.43 8.20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 96.0 98.67 2.67 22.31 52.81 0.46 3.10 25.91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Las Avispas Holes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-29 and TIR-17-31 had no significant results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Interval grades are calculated using uncapped assays. Gold values did not exceed 63.5 g/t which is below the capping level for Romero of 72.2 g/t. Intervals may not represent true widths. There is insufficient drilling to determine the orientation of the mineralized zones at this time. AuEq=((Au g/t*$1220/31.10348)+(Ag g/t*$15.9/31.10348)+(Cu%*$2.65*22.04623)+(Zn%*$1.28*22.04623))*31.10348/$1220 Note AuEq does not include recoveries which have not been determined at this stage. Table 2. Collar locations and hole directions for Tireo holes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-29 264,902 2,104,065 1144 225 -85 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-30 266,395 2,097,276 1220 300 -75 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-31 263,311 2,104,121 1039 225 -75 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIR-17-32 266,342 2,097,245 1196 0 -90 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- QA/QC As part of the Company's Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures (QA/QC the Company reviews results from Certified Standard Reference materials (CRSM or Standards), which are inserted at a rate of five per 100 samples. Within the results disclosed herein there were no samples with results outside of the recommended tolerances for the standards. In GoldQuest's drill programs, composite intervals were chosen using a combination of geological criteria and mineralization, averaging around two metres core length. The drill core is cut in half with one half of the core sample shipped to ACME Labs by GoldQuest technicians. The remaining half of the core is kept at the Company core shack for future assay verification, or any other further investigation. Assays within intervals below the 0.005 g/t detection limit for Au were given a zero value. All drill samples were prepared and screened by ACME Labs (Vancouver); metallic fire assay and multi"element ICP"MS were assayed by ACME Analytical Laboratories (Vancouver). Gold values are determined by standard fire assay with an AA finish, or, if over 10.0 g/t Au, were re"assayed and completed with a gravimetric finish. Copper and zinc values exceeding 0.2% were re-assayed with a 4-acid digestion and AAS finish. When zinc values exceeded 10% a classic titration was carried out for zinc. QA/QC included the insertion and continual monitoring of numerous standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream, at random intervals within each batch. The comprehensive GoldQuest Quality Assurance and Quality Control protocols can be viewed on GoldQuest's website at: http://www.goldquestcorp.com/index.php/corporate/corporate"governance. The information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Jeremy Niemi, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration of GoldQuest and a Qualified Person for the technical information in this press release under NI 43"101 standards. About GoldQuest GoldQuest is a Canadian based mineral exploration company with projects in the Dominican Republic. GoldQuest is traded on the TSX"V under the symbol GQC and in Frankfurt/Berlin with symbol M1W. The Company is well funded to carry out the exploration programs reported on in this release and to advance the development of its Romero gold/copper discovery, also located in the Tireo Formation of the Dominican Republic. Forward"looking statements: Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward"looking information that involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward"looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the 2015 drill program, the results of the drill program and the interpretation of the results of the drill program, further drilling, the timing of drilling and assay results, mineral resource estimates, the merits of the Company's mineral properties, future drill programs and studies, and the Company's plans and exploration programs for its mineral properties, including the timing of such plans and programs. In certain cases, forward"looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "has proven", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "potential", "likelihood", "appears", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "at least", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward"looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward"looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to uncertainties inherent in drill results and the estimation of mineral resources; commodity prices; changes in general economic conditions; market sentiment; currency exchange rates; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to raise funds through equity financings; risks inherent in mineral exploration; risks related to operations in foreign countries; future prices of metals; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; title disputes or claims; limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of litigation. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may 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, do not place undue reliance on forward"looking statements. All statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward"looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. Forward"looking statements are based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable, including expectations regarding mineral exploration and development costs; expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource estimates; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained and that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its properties. 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. GoldQuest Mining Corp. www.goldquestcorp.com GoldQuest Mining Corp. Julio Espaillat President & Chief Executive Officer +1"829"919"8701 JEspaillat@GoldQuestCorp.com GoldQuest Mining Corp. Bill Fisher Executive Chairman - Toronto +1"647"271"4505 BFisher@GoldQuestCorp.com GoldQuest Mining Corp. Katherine Fedorowicz Investor Relations 1-877-919-5979 KFedorowicz@redcloudKS.com ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2017 / Yesterday, after market close, Arctic Star Exploration Corp. (TSX-V: ADD) announced to acquire 243 hectares centered around the 2 diamondiferous Black Wolf and White Wolf Kimberlites in northeastern Finland, about 17 km from the town of Kuusamo and 24 km west of the Russian border. On top of that, Arctic filed an application for an approximate 95,700 hectares "Exploration Reservation" around the 243 hectares property, which would give Arctic the exclusive claim staking rights for 2 years. Roy Spencer, who discovered the Wolf Kimberlites as well as the multi-billion-dollar Grib Kimberlites in Russia, has joined Arctic's Board of Directors and commented in today's press-release: "Kimberlites are likely to occur in fields - also known as clusters - which typically contain 30 or more separate kimberlites. The Wolf kimberlites are just the first discoveries in a more extensive cluster. There is good evidence for the existence of this field in the public domain. This data shows regional distribution of kimberlitic indicator minerals and diamonds in surficial tills. The Exploration Reservation will allow Arctic Star to explore the entire region." Buddy Doyle (Arctic's VP Exploration), who discovered the multi-billion dollar Diavik Kimberlite in Canada, said: "Arctic Star views this new Project as a unique opportunity to advance a new diamond district. The 100%-owned Project offers diamond bearing kimberlites that allow for immediate further work to assess their economic potential. The Project is road accessible, and located on excellent infrastructure in mining friendly Finland. The opportunity for an economic discovery at Timantti is substantially improved by easier access than companies face in in northern Canada and Siberia. The Wolf kimberlites represent the first discoveries in a possibly more extensive diamondiferous kimberlite field." The full report can be accessed with the following links: English (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/ArcticStar4en.pdf English (Webversion): http://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/3283-Another-Grib-Diamond-Mine-in-Finland German (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/ArcticStar4de.pdf Disclaimer: Please read the full disclaimer within the full research report as a PDF as fundamental risks and conflicts of interest exist. SOURCE: Rockstone Research BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Women entrepreneurs can now enjoy venture funding from successful women venture capitalists. The innovative XFactor Ventures says it is about making a difference for the next generation of female-led businesses. XFactor Ventures, backed by Flybridge Capital Partners, is planning to support women technology start-ups with a $3 million fund. Top women executives from Bow & Drape, The Muse, Bitnami and inDinero are there among the innovative capital funders. Anna Palmer, Co-Founder and CEO of Wondermile, took an initiative to launch a fund for women. Other investment partners are Aubrie Apagano, Co-Founder and CEO of Bow and Drape, Danielle Morrill, Co-Founder and CEO of Mattermark, Erica Brescia, Co-Founder and COO of Bitnami, Jessican Mah, Co-Founder and CEO of InDinero, Liz Whitman, Co-Founder of Manicube, Ooshma Garg, CEO and Co-Founder of Gobble. Kate Castle, Marketing Partner of Flybridge Capital Partners and Kathryn Minshew, Co-Founder and CEO of The Muse will be the operating partner at XFactor. Venture supported companies have been in the male dominated environment. According to Chip Hazard of Flybridge, there are only seven percent of women as partners at the top venture firms. Hazard will be the lone male investor in XFactor. XFactor plans to fund companies in New York, Boston, San Francisco, etc. and that too with a female founder, who has the insight and drive to build the next billion dollar company. The fund will provide mentor-ship, capital, and advice. Statistics show that all women founders received only $1.46 billion venture capital fund last year, compared to $58.2 billion by male entrepreneurs. 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. According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global appointment scheduling software market is expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 10% during the forecast period. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731005607/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global appointment scheduling software market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) This research report titled 'Global Appointment Scheduling Software Market 2017-2021' provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This report also includes an up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions. Appointment scheduling software solutions are crucial for service-based businesses. These systems automate the scheduling processes and help customers and employees to book appointments and organize meetings. These solutions also facilitate appointment cancellations, rescheduling, and online payments. The appointment scheduling software programs can be used to send automated reminders and capture customer information for effective marketing campaigns. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free The market research analysis categorizes the global appointment scheduling software market into three major end-user segments. They are: Corporate sector Healthcare industry Education sector Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Global appointment scheduling software market by corporate sector The global appointment scheduling software market by the corporate sector will grow at a CAGR of more than 9% during the forecast period. The availability of sufficient financial resources and the demand for meeting management led to the early adoption of the appointment scheduling software by the corporate sector. "Initially, only the desktop-based appointment scheduling software was used in enterprises. However, the growing popularity of cloud-based solutions has led to a shift from desktop-based appointment scheduling software to the web-based appointment scheduling solutions. An increasing number of SMEs are using the appointment scheduling software as it eases the process of booking meetings and appointments," says Amrita Choudhury, a lead analyst at Technavio forenterprise application research. Global appointment scheduling software market by healthcare sector The global appointment scheduling software market by the healthcare sector will grow at a CAGR of close to 12% during the forecast period. Web-based appointment scheduling software is highly adopted by the healthcare sector as these solutions are cost effective and easy to implement. Also, the software is widely used in hospitals as it helps in scheduling medical appointments and storing patient information. Appointment scheduling software solutions provide real-time analysis of healthcare services activities and improve performance. Although currently, the adoption of appointment scheduling software is limited to a few developed countries, the scenario will change during the forecast period as developing markets which, have immense potential for growth, continue to attract vendors. Global appointment scheduling software market by education sector The global appointment scheduling software market by the education sector will grow at a CAGR of around 10%. The software is widely used in online education and web-based classrooms. It schedules one-on-one or group appointments for students and teachers. The adoption of appointment scheduling software by the developing and developed countries will increase significantly during the forecast period. "The users can fix appointments or meetings on their calendars and share the information with participants across multiple locations. The technology can also synchronize with third-party calendar management applications, such as Google Calendar, used by the participants," says Amrita The top vendors highlighted by Technavio's market research analysts in this report are: Acuity Scheduling Deputy Simplybook.me Square Browse Related Reports: Global Legal Practice Management Software Market 2017-2021 Global Photo Editing Software Market 2017-2021 Global Contract Life-cycle Management Software Market 2017-2021 About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731005607/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2017 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of Eco Science Solutions, Inc. ("Eco Science Solutions") (OTC PINK: ESSI) between December 2, 2016 and May 19, 2017 . You are hereby notified that a securities class action lawsuit has been commenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. To get more information, go to: http://www.zlk.com/pslra-sb/eco-science-solutions-inc?wire=1, or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you. The complaint alleges that, throughout the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company's plan for strategic acquisitions lacked veracity; and (ii) as a result, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. On May 19, 2017, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued an order of suspension of trading, halting trading of the Company's securities. If you suffered a loss in Eco Science Solutions, you have until July 24, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise and experience representing investors in securities litigation, and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Joseph E. Levi, Esq. 30 Broad Street - 24th Floor New York, NY 10004 Tel: (212) 363-7500 Toll Free: (877) 363-5972 Fax: (212) 363-7171 www.zlk.com SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Matrix Visual Recently Removed its Exclusivity with Unilumin, Leaving the Company Free to Work with other Top Manufacturers of LED Products ORANGE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 4, 2017 / After their recent announcement removing exclusivity with LED manufacturer Unilumin, Matrix Visual has begun an extensive international search to stock their warehouse with the newest technology from the top world-class manufacturers. In today's ever evolving event production market, no single LED panel manufacturer has the time or resources to satisfy the diverse customer demand for product assortment, quality, and innovation. In the past two weeks, Matrix Visual has already opened potential relations with multiple industry leading manufacturers such as Infiled, YesTech, Uniview, Lightlink, ROE, Novastar, and Liantronics in search of the most cutting-edge LED products. "We won't stop until we stock the best LED panel in each and every category," noted Matrix Visual Owner Paul Motal, adding that this demonstrates the company's relentless pursuit to lead the industry with the largest variety of the best LED products available. To check out Matrix Visual's current product line, please visit http://matrixvisual.com/products/. Matrix Visual continues to upgrade the essential equipment that has been the cornerstone of the LED industry for the past decade: flat or curved indoor and outdoor panels with easy setup, servicing and programming. But Matrix Visual is also striving to offer the innovative technology of the future such as LED spheres, cylinders, floors, and tables. This combination of efforts demonstrates that Matrix Visual is dedicated to providing customers with the most advanced and diverse LED panel inventory in the marketplace. Understanding that their customers are trendsetters themselves, Matrix Visual is ready to spearhead and lead this new frontier with their proprietary inventory recycling program and best-of-brand products. As Motal put it, "Today's innovators are tomorrow's standard." With this shift in focus, customers now have the opportunity to easily outsource and rent the best LED products from the best manufacturers, all in one place. Matrix Visual has made it possible to create visually dominating experiences without needing to invest in equipment that runs the risk of obsolescence. From upgrade options as the newest equipment is released, to their industry leading customer service and technical support team, Matrix Visual is making this the most exciting time ever in this new world of creative applications. About Matrix Visual: Matrix Visual continues to be the premier supplier of state-of-the-art LED displays, bringing each client's vision to life with a perfect, cost-effective audio/visual experience delivered flawlessly every time, on time. For more information, please visit http://matrixvisual.com/. Matrix Visual 1748 W Business Center Drive Orange, CA 92867 Contact: Paul Motal pmotal@matrixvisual.com 714-482-3605 SOURCE: Matrix Visual Regulatory News: Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE/Euronext Paris: PM) will host a live audio webcast at www.pmi.com/2017Q2earnings on Thursday, July 20, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss its 2017 second-quarter results, which will be issued at approximately 7:00 a.m. ET the same day. During the webcast, Jacek Olczak, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss PMI's results and answer questions from the investment community and news media. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode. The audio webcast may also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp. An archived copy of the webcast will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, August 18, 2017, at www.pmi.com/2017Q2earnings. Slides and script will also be available at www.pmi.com/2017Q2earnings. About Philip Morris International Inc. ("PMI") PMI is the world's leading international tobacco company, with six of the world's top 15 international brands and products sold in more than 180 markets. In addition to the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, including Marlboro, the number one global cigarette brand, and other tobacco products, PMI is engaged in the development and commercialization of reduced-risk products ("RRPs"). RRPs is the term PMI uses to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continued smoking. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and industry-leading scientific substantiation, PMI aims to provide an RRP portfolio that meets a broad spectrum of adult smoker preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. For more information, see www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005638/en/ Contacts: Philip Morris International Inc. Investor Relations: New York: +1 (917) 663 2233 Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666 or Media: Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Despite continued headaches stemming from allegations of collusion with Russia, President Donald Trump has claimed the White House is functioning beautifully under his leadership. Trump declared in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that his administration has 'done more in five months than practically any president in history' despite the media's focus on Russian interference in last year's election. 'The stock market has hit a new high. Job numbers are the best they've been in 16 years,' Trump said. 'We have a Supreme Court judge already confirmed. Energy is doing levels that we've never done before. Our military is doing well. We're knocking the hell out of ISIS, which Obama wasn't.' 'There's not a thing that we're not doing well in,' he added. 'The White House is functioning beautifully, despite the hoax made up by the Democrats.' Trump claimed that the allegations of collusion between Russia and his presidential campaign were made up by Democrats as an excuse for losing the election. 'There was zero coordination. It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard,' Trump said. 'There's no coordination, this was a hoax, this was made up by the Democrats.' He continued, 'This is the greatest con job in history, where a party sits down the day after they got their ass kicked, and they say, 'Huh, what's our excuse?' The comments from Trump come as the focus on Russian interference in the election has once again ramped up following revelations regarding his son's meeting with a Russian attorney. Recently released emails between Donald Trump Jr. and publicist Rob Goldstone suggest a 'Russian government attorney' was willing to provide information that would 'incriminate' Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Goldstone told Trump Jr. the offer of 'very high level and sensitive information' was part of the Russian government's support for his father's campaign. Trump told Reuters he was not aware of the meeting between his son and Natalia Veselnitskaya until a couple of days ago, but argued that most politicians would agree to have such a meeting. 'Most of the phony politicians who are Democrats who I watched over the last couple of days - most of those phonies that act holier-than-thou, if the same thing happened to them, they would have taken that meeting in a heartbeat,' Trump said. Trump noted that he pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue of election interference during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last week. The president said he wished he would have asked whether his Russian counterpart was actually supporting his campaign, arguing that many of his policies are not good for Putin. 'I'm very big on energy, and that's not good for Russia, because Russia makes its money with energy,' Trump said. 'I also am very strong on the military, very, very strong on the military. I'm also very strong on cyber. I would bet that inwardly Putin would have been against me.' Trump also highlighted the fact that his meeting with Putin resulted in a ceasefire in a major part of Syria that went into effect last weekend and has largely held. (Photo: Kremlin.ru) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Office sharing start-up WeWork has raised about $760 million of new funding, according to filings with the Delaware Department of State. The funding reportedly pegs New York-based WeWork's valuation at $20 billion and comes after Japan's Softbank Group Corp. invested $300 million in the unicorn in March. Unicorns are start-ups valued at $1 billion or more. The investment from SoftBank was said to be the first in what will probably be a much larger stake of up to $3 billion, with additional cash expected to come from its private-equity arm, the $100 billion Vision Fund. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is in the process of creating the $100 billion fund, a bet on the Japanese billionaire's vision for a future centered on artificial intelligence and connected devices. WeWork has reportedly issued 13.2 million new shares of preferred stock at $57.90 per share in the new round of funding. WeWork, which rents out desks and offices to small businesses, freelancers and other people seeking temporary working space, was founded in 2010. The company currently has over 120,000 customers in 156 offices. According to Reuters, WeWork eventually plans to launch an initial public offering. 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) - The producers of James Bond movies are to make a female-driven spy thriller starring Blake Lively in the lead role. Reed Morano will direct 'The Rhythm Section', based on a novel by Britain's Mark Burnell. The movie marks the feature film directing debut for Morano, who directed the hit TV series The Handmaid's Tale. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who have co-produced the last eight Bond films, announced that production on the film will begin this fall with IM Global's financing. Shooting of the film is likely to be in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland. The Bond producers said it is exciting for them to be working with the immensely talented team of director Reed Morano and actress 'who have a strong vision for this very compelling story driven by a female protagonist.' Lively will play the role of the heroine, Stephanie Patrick, who is on a path to self-destruction after the death of her family in an airplane crash. After discovering that the crash wasn't an accident, her anger awakens a new sense of purpose as she becomes an assassin to track down those responsible. Lively, who is known for her role in 'the Gossip Girl', and playing the ageless heroine in 'The Age of Adeline', most recently starred in 'The Shallows.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de A.M. Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to "a+" from "a" and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of QBE Insurance (Europe) Limited (United Kingdom), QBE Re (Europe) Limited (United Kingdom), QBE Insurance (International) Pty Limited (Australia) (QII) and the pooled members of QBE North America Insurance Group. These companies are key operating subsidiaries of QBE Insurance Group Limited (QBE) (Australia), the non-operating holding company of the QBE group of companies. Additionally, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of "a-" of QBE Seguros, QBE's Puerto Rico subsidiary and a part of its Latin American operations. At the same time, A.M. Best has upgraded the Long-Term ICR to "bbb+" from "bbb" of QBE. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) remains stable. Concurrently, A.M. Best has withdrawn the ratings of QII in response to the company's request for this entity to no longer participate in A.M. Best's interactive rating process. The upgrades of the Long-Term ICRs reflect QBE's consistently good technical performance and solid business profile, as well as the stabilisation of its risk-adjusted capitalisation at a strong level. The group's risk-adjusted capitalisation improved to a level commensurate with the higher rating level, following a series of capital actions carried out in 2014 and 2015, which included the raising of equity, the refinancing of debt and the sale of non-core assets.In spite of the announced intention to buy back shares of up to AUD 333 million a year over the next three years, A.M. Best expects QBE's consolidated risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain at a strong level, supported by robust operating earnings. QBE benefits from a track record of good technical performance, as demonstrated by a five-year average combined ratio of 96% (2012-2016). The group reported operating profits in each of the past five years, with the exception of 2013. The group's good performance track record is supported by its solid business profile, focus on enforcing underwriting discipline and stable investment earnings. For 2016, a combined ratio of 92% (as calculated by A.M. Best) was reported, reflecting solid underwriting results across all of QBE's operational divisions and in spite of challenging conditions in its core markets. In June 2017, the group revised its technical performance expectation for the year to a combined ratio of 94.5-96% from 93.5-95%, to take into account the impact of higher claims activity in its Emerging Markets division. This revised forecast remains within A.M. Best's expectation. The Long-Term ICRs have been upgraded to "a+" from "a" and the FSR of A (Excellent) has been affirmed, both with a stable outlook for the following pooled members of QBE North America Insurance Group General Casualty Company of Wisconsin General Casualty Insurance Company Hoosier Insurance Company National Farmers Union Property and Casualty Company NAU Country Insurance Company North Pointe Insurance Company Praetorian Insurance Company QBE Insurance Corporation QBE Reinsurance Corporation QBE Specialty Insurance Company Regent Insurance Company Southern Fire Casualty Company Southern Pilot Insurance Company Stonington Insurance Company Unigard Indemnity Company Unigard Insurance Company This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases 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 Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005886/en/ Contacts: A.M. Best Mathilde Jakobsen, +44 20 7397 0266 Director, Analytics mathilde.jakobsen@ambest.com or Dan Teclaw, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5394 Senior Financial Analyst dan.teclaw@ambest.com or Christopher Sharkey, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5159 Manager, Public Relations christopher.sharkey@ambest.com or Jim Peavy, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5644 Director, Public Relations james.peavy@ambest.com Stingray (TSX: RAY.A)(TSX: RAY.B) is a leading business-to-business multi-platform music and in-store media solutions provider operating on a global scale, reaching an estimated 400 million pay TV subscribers (or households) in 156 countries. Geared towards individuals and businesses alike, Stingray's products include the following leading digital music and video services: Stingray Music, Stingray Concerts, Stingray iConcerts, Stingray Brava, Stingray DJAZZ, Stingray Music Videos, Stingray Lite TV, Stingray Ambiance, Stingray Karaoke, NatureVision TV, Yokee Music, Festival 4K, and Classica. Stingray also offers various business solutions, including music and digital display-based solutions, through its Stingray Business division. Stingray is headquartered in Montreal and currently has close to 350 employees worldwide, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Israel, Australia, South Korea, and Singapore. Stingray was recognized in 2013 and 2014 as a finalist in the Top 50 of Deloitte's Technology Fast 50TM list, and figures amongst PROFIT magazine's fastest-growing Canadian companies. In 2016, Stingray was awarded best IR for an IPO at the IR Magazine Awards - Canada. For more information, please visit www.stingray.com. 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. IRW-PRESS: Vanadium One Energy Corp.: Vanadium One Energy beginnt in Mont Sorcier mit den Bohrungen Vanadium One Energy beginnt in Mont Sorcier mit den Bohrungen Toronto, Kanada, 27. Juli 2017 - Vanadium One Energy Corp. (das Unternehmen) (TSXV: VONE, FRANKFURT: 9VR1), freut sich, den Beginn seiner Bohrkampagne der Phase 1 im Eisen-Titan-Vanadium-Projekt Mont Sorcier bekannt zu geben. Die Bohrungen wurden am 21. Juli 2017 aufgenommen. Das Bohrprogramm folgt einer Empfehlung des NI-43-101-konformen technischen Berichts vom 29. Oktober 2016 (abrufbar uber SEDAR). Der Bericht wurde von Claude P. Larouche, P.Eng., verfasst, der seit mehr als 20 Jahren in der Region Chibougamau tatig ist. John Priestner, President und Chief Executive Officer des Unternehmens, merkte dazu an: Dies ist erst der Anfang einer interessanten Zeit fur das Unternehmen, da wir in den eindeutigen Zielgebieten weiterhin Bohrungen durchfuhren, wie dies von Claude empfohlen wurde, und die historischen Arbeiten bestatigen, die in den 1970-er Jahren vor dem NI 43-101 ausgefuhrt wurden. Der Bohrauftrag uber mindestens 1.000 Meter fur zehn kurze Bohrlocher unmittelbar in der Mineralisierung in der South-Zone wurde Chibougamau Diamond Drilling Ltd. erteilt. Das Konzessionsgebiet Mont Sorcier befindet sich nur 18 Kilometer ostlich der Bergbaustadt Chibougamau und besteht aus 57 Claims mit einer Flache von ca. 1.910 ha (4.797,4 Acres). Da sich das Konzessionsgebiet in weniger als 30 Minuten Entfernung von der Stadt befindet, und uber den Highway 167 leicht zuganglich ist, bietet dieses Projekt nach allen Explorationsstandards geradezu luxuriose Bedingungen. Durch die vorteilhafte Logistik des Konzessionsgebiets wird das Unternehmen eine Menge Geld sparen, sagte John Priestner. Um die Effizienz des Bohrprogramms zu maximieren, beabsichtigt das Unternehmen eine schnelle Bestatigung der Ergebnisse aus fruheren Bohrlochern; gleichzeitig sollen Lucken geschlossen werden, um das Projekt auf die nachste Ebene zu bringen (Phase 2 und 5.000 Meter Bohrungen). Die historischen Schatzungen der Mineralressourcen der Eisenformation basieren auf 35 vertikalen Bohrlochern in 11 Abschnitten und Graben ohne Vanadiumergebnisse. Die Eisenformation, in der sich das Vanadium befindet, ist zwischen der North-Zone (170 Millionen Tonnen) und der South-Zone (100 Millionen Tonnen) aufgeteilt; die Zonen liegen ca. einen Kilometer voneinander entfernt und befinden sich beide im Norden des Lac Chibougamau. Das Vanadium wurde in den 1970er-Jahren von SOQUEM in der Eisenformation sudlich des Lac Chibougamau, in zwei aneinander grenzenden Konzessionsgebieten, untersucht. Im Jahr 2013 begann Claude Larouche mit der Replikation der historischen Bohrdaten zu Mont Sorcier; dazu bohrte er zwei Bohrlocher fur Chibougamau Independent Mines Inc., eine in jeder Zone" und meldete 0,26 % V2O5 uber 221 Meter in der North-Zone und 0,44 % V2O5 uber 54 Meter in der South-Zone. Am 5. und 6. Juli besuchte John Priestner zusammen mit Pierre-Jean (PJ) Lafleur, einem Director des Unternehmens, das Konzessionsgebiet. Herr Lafleur hat das Management des technischen Programms ubernommen; unterstutzt wird er dabei von seinen Kollegen und einem engen Netzwerk aus Explorations- und Bergbauspezialisten. Claude Larouche hat sich bereit erklart, weiter an dem Projekt fur das Unternehmen zu arbeiten. Er leitet derzeit die Bohrungen vor Ort, untersucht die Bohrkerne und entnimmt Proben mit der technischen Unterstutzung von Chibougamau Diamond Drilling. Herr Lafleur ist seit 2003 in verschiedenen Eisen-Titan-Vanadium-Projekten in ganz Chibougamau tatig. Er verfugt uber ausgezeichnete Fahigkeiten, den wirtschaftlichen Wert der Projekte zu steigern, und wird in der Bergbauindustrie respektiert. Das Unternehmen freut sich sehr, ihn fur das Management des technischen Programms an Bord zu haben. John Priestner, der CEO des Unternehmens, merkte dazu an: Ich freue mich auf positive Bohrergebnisse, wahrend das Unternehmen weiter vorangeht. In der nachsten Phase der Bohrungen in den kommenden Monaten durften die Mineralressourcen definiert werden, damit sie dem NI 43-101 entsprechen. Die Exploration ist ein Prozess, in dem wir erkunden, was wir wirklich im Boden haben. Wenn wir uber genugend Daten verfugen, wird das Unternehmen seinen technischen Bericht aktualisieren und offenlegen und ihn den Aktionaren und der Offentlichkeit vorstellen. In der Zwischenzeit werden wir die Offentlichkeit weiter uber unsere Fortschritte informieren. Die technischen Informationen in dieser Pressemitteilung wurden von Claude P. Larouche, P.Eng. (OIQ), gepruft und genehmigt; er ist der qualifizierte Sachverstandige im Hinblick auf das Vanadium-Eisen-Titan-Projekt Mont Sorcier des Unternehmens im Sinne des National Instrument 43-101. Uber Vanadium One Energy Corp.: Vanadium One Energy ist ein Mineralexplorationsunternehmen aus Burlington (Ontario, Kanada). Unser Hauptaugenmerk ist auf den Erwerb von Explorationsprojekten fur einem kurzfristige Produktionspotential und bestehenden Produzenten gerichtet. Vanadium One Energy Corp. wird von einem erfahrenen Team von Bergbauexperten, die uber umfangreiche Betriebs- und Finanzerfahrungen verfugen, geleitet. FUR DAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS VON VANADIUM ONE ENERGY CORP. W. John Priestner President & Chief Executive Officer info@vanadiumone.com Das Team von Vanadium One Energy ladt die Offentlichkeit ein, fur weitere Informationen die Webseite unseres Unternehmens unter www.vanadiumone.com zu besuchen. Vorsorglicher Hinweis in Bezug auf zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen: Die TSX Venture Exchange und deren Regulierungsorgane (in den Statuten der TSX Venture Exchange als Regulation Services Provider bezeichnet) ubernehmen keinerlei Verantwortung fur die Angemessenheit oder Genauigkeit dieser Meldung. Diese Mitteilung enthalt zukunftsgerichtete Informationen, in denen auch Aussagen in Bezug auf zukunftige Explorationserfolge des Unternehmens enthalten sind. Diese zukunftsgerichteten Informationen unterliegen typischerweise bekannten und unbekannten Risiken, Unsicherheiten und sonstigen Faktoren, die dazu fuhren konnen, dass die tatsachlichen Ergebnisse, Leistungen oder Erfolge des Unternehmens wesentlich von den zukunftigen Ergebnissen, Leistungen oder Erfolgen des Unternehmens, auf die in den zukunftsgerichteten Informationen direkt oder indirekt Bezug genommen wird, abweichen. Diese und andere Risiken wurden in den Unterlagen, die das Unternehmen bei der Securities and Exchange Commission (SEDAR) vorlegen muss, veroffentlicht. Anlegern wird empfohlen, sich im Vorfeld einer Transaktion in Zusammenhang mit den Wertpapieren des Unternehmens diesbezuglich zu informieren. Die hier enthaltenen zukunftsgerichteten Informationen gelten ab dem Zeitpunkt der Veroffentlichung dieser Pressemeldung. Das Unternehmen ist auerhalb der gesetzlichen Vorschriften nicht verpflichtet, solche zukunftsgerichteten Informationen, aus welchen Grunden auch immer, zu aktualisieren. Es kann nicht garantiert werden, dass sich zukunftsgerichtete Informationen als wahrheitsgema herausstellen. Die Leser werden darauf hingewiesen, sich nicht vorbehaltslos auf solche zukunftsgerichteten Informationen zu verlassen. Die Ausgangssprache (in der Regel Englisch), in der der Originaltext veroffentlicht wird, ist die offizielle, autorisierte und rechtsgultige Version. Diese Ubersetzung wird zur besseren Verstandigung mitgeliefert. Die deutschsprachige Fassung kann gekurzt oder zusammengefasst sein. Es wird keine Verantwortung oder Haftung: fur den Inhalt, fur die Richtigkeit, der Angemessenheit oder der Genauigkeit dieser Ubersetzung ubernommen. Aus Sicht des Ubersetzers stellt die Meldung keine Kauf- oder Verkaufsempfehlung dar! Bitte beachten Sie die englische Originalmeldung auf www.sedar.com , www.sec.gov , www.asx.com.au/ oder auf der Firmenwebsite! Die englische Originalmeldung finden Sie unter folgendem Link: http://www.irw-press.at/press_html.aspx?messageID=40479 Die ubersetzte Meldung finden Sie unter folgendem Link: http://www.irw-press.at/press_html.aspx?messageID=40479&tr=1 NEWSLETTER REGISTRIERUNG: Aktuelle Pressemeldungen dieses Unternehmens direkt in Ihr Postfach: http://www.irw-press.com/alert_subscription.php?lang=de&isin=CA92142 L1094 Mitteilung ubermittelt durch IRW-Press.com. Fur den Inhalt ist der Aussender verantwortlich. Kostenloser Abdruck mit Quellenangabe erlaubt. ISIN CA92142L1094 AXC0191 2017-07-27/13:29 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump continued to defend his son's meeting with a Russia lawyer on Thursday, reiterating his argument that most people would have taken the meeting. Speaking at a news conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Trump downplayed the significance of the meeting, which has attracted considerable media attention. 'I think from a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting,' Trump told reporters. 'It's called opposition research or even research into your opponent.' The comments from the president come after Donald Trump Jr. released a chain of emails that led to his meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya. The emails between Trump Jr. and publicist Rob Goldstone suggest a 'Russian government attorney' was willing to provide information that would 'incriminate' Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Goldstone told Trump Jr. the offer of 'very high level and sensitive information' was part of the Russian government's support for his father's campaign. However, Trump Jr. has said Veselnitskaya had no information to provide about Clinton and wanted to talk about adoption policy and the Magnitsky Act. Trump noted that the meeting went 'very fast' and pointed to reports indicating that his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner 'left almost immediately' and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort was 'not really focused on the meeting.' 'I have only been in politics for two years, but I've had many people call up: 'Oh, gee, we have information on this factor or this person or, frankly, Hillary,' Trump said. 'That's very standard in politics. Politics is not the nicest business in the world,' he added. 'But it's very standard where they have information and you take the information.' Trump said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday he was not aware of the meeting between his son and Veselnitskaya until a couple of days ago and argued that most politicians would agree to have such a meeting. 'Most of the phony politicians who are Democrats who I watched over the last couple of days - most of those phonies that act holier-than-thou, if the same thing happened to them, they would have taken that meeting in a heartbeat,' Trump said. During the news conference with Macron, Trump was also asked about his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate change accord. 'Something could happen with respect to the Paris accord. We'll see what happens,' Trump said. 'But we will talk about that over the coming period of time.' 'And if it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't, that will be OK, too,' he added. 'But we'll see what happens.' Macron and other world leaders have been critical of Trump's decision to withdraw from the global climate agreement. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Cloud Management Leader to Provide Strategy and Services to More than 350 New Customers RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2017 / NeoCloud, a leading provider of managed cloud services, today announced that it has acquired the cloud services business of Business Intelligence 101 (Bi101), a cloud consulting provider based in Livermore, California. As a result of the partnership, NeoCloud will add more than 350 of Bi101's customers to its client portfolio, growing its customer base by approximately 30 percent. Bi101 will continue to operate its financial consulting business as a standalone entity and retain the Bi101.com website. The acquisition agreement was made final on July 1, 2017, and terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. "This acquisition represents a significant achievement in NeoCloud's growth strategy as we seek to bring our cloud management expertise to users across the country," said Van Murray, CEO of NeoCloud. "Bi101's evolving business and strong customer base made them an ideal choice to complement our own innovative solutions." NeoCloud's cloud service offerings have helped organizations of all sizes increase productivity, enhance innovation and transform their businesses. Through this acquisition, Bi101's customers will now have access to NeoCloud's comprehensive suite of solution offerings that include identity management, servers, voice solutions, data migration, email, security, website hosting and 24/7 support. Additionally, NeoCloud will add relationships with more than 50 new IT and cloud providers, adding to its list of preferred partners that includes IT leaders such as Google and Microsoft. "This business is based on relationships and quality of service, and the relationships Bi101 forged with its customers and partners are a testament to its innovation and high level of service," said Murray. "We look forward to continuing those relationships as we bring their customers and partners into the NeoCloud family." More information on NeoCloud's acquisition of Bi101's cloud service business can be found at www.neocloud.com/bi101-partnership. To learn more about NeoCloud's managed cloud service offerings, visit www.neocloud.com. About NeoCloud NeoCloud offers expert cloud services consulting to companies of all sizes to provide greater accessibility, reliability, scalability, and backup than traditional server options. Leveraging an end-to-end approach, NeoCloud's expert assessment, training, and support professionals work with businesses to develop a cohesive cloud strategy before the transition, migrate everything from the legacy system to the cloud, train employees after deployment and offer ongoing support throughout the process and long-term. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, NeoCloud manages nearly 150,000 users nationwide through close to 1,500 business customers and maintains more than 100 strategic partnerships with leading cloud providers, including Google and Microsoft. To learn more, follow NeoCloud on Facebook, Twitter (@NeoCloud_com) and LinkedIn, or visit www.neocloud.com. Media Contact: Jami Sowers Largemouth Communications (on behalf of NeoCloud) jami@largemouthpr.com 919.459.6463 SOURCE: NeoCloud According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global safety shoes market is growing at a CAGR of more than 5% during the forecast period. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713006003/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global safety shoes market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) This research report titled 'Global Safety Shoes Market 2017-2021' provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions. The global safety shoes market is driven by the growth in various end-user industries such as construction, manufacturing, chemical, transport, and mining industries. These end-user industries are prone to several hazards, and it becomes mandatory for the employees to ensure that the workers wear safety shoes to enhance workplace safety. Also, other factors that would drive the market are stringent and safety regulations posed by regulatory authorities like OSHA. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free Technavio's research analysts categorize the global safety shoes market into the following segments by end-user. They are: Construction Chemical Manufacturing Mining Oil and gas Others Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. The top three safety shoes generating end-user segments are discussed below: Construction The demand for safety shoes will be driven by the growth in the construction industry. The construction industry faces the highest number of fatalities as it is prone to several hazards. Increasing construction activities in countries such as the US, China, and India coupled with the rising number of workplace accidents is fueling the adoption of safety shoes in the segment to improve occupational safety. According to Neelesh Prakash Singh, a lead research analyst from Technavio, "Construction ventures in developing markets are likely to keep growing at a much quicker rate than that in advanced economies. The fastest growth would be seen in developing economies such as China and India. Apart from APAC, the Americas is also witnessing significant growth, especially in the residential sector. The reason for the boom is due to the demand for multifamily housing, which is creating a lucrative opportunity in the market along with the development of state's infrastructural amenities." Chemical The demand for safety shoes from the chemical industry will show a positive growth as the chemical industry is witnessing a boom across the regions. Chemical firms witnessed a positive growth at the beginning of 2017, owing to increased demand from various industries such as electronic material and textile dyes. "The chemical industry is prone to several hazards, which require the workers to follow certain PPE directives. Safety shoes protect the wearers in the chemical industry against harmful liquids such as acids and other hazardous chemicals. The chemical industry deals with several hazardous chemicals, and there exists a risk of chemical leakage," adds Neelesh. Manufacturing The demand for safety shoes from the manufacturing industry such as automotive industry will drive the segment's growth during the forecast period. The rising sales of automobiles coupled with the increasing investments in the automotive sector will spur the demand for safety shoes. The automotive industry is subjected to several hazards as the workers work under unpleasantly hot and humid conditions, and the work area is exposed to electrical hazards. The automotive industry undertakes activities such as welding, which is quite a risky operation given the environment it is to be executed. In order to avail protection from sparks, it becomes essential for the workers to wear safety shoes. Also, the use of oil in the process of lubrication may make the ground area slippery and lead to accidents like slips and fall. All these problems can be addressed by the use of safety shoes. The top vendors highlighted by Technavio's research analysts in this report are: Honeywell Bata WL Gore Associates Rock Fall Browse Related Reports: Global Greenhouse Horticulture Market 2017-2021 Global Ground Protection Mats Market 2017-2021 Global HVAC Safety Devices Market 2017-2021 About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713006003/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com BELLEVUE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Esterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) Members of the Investment Community, Esterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) plans to announce financial results for its 3rd fiscal quarter 2017 on Thursday, August 3, 2017. Esterline will host a conference call featuring remarks by Curtis Reusser, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Bob George, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Following these remarks, there will be a question and answer session. The call is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) and will last approximately one hour. A news release announcing the earnings results will be issued at market close on the day of the call. To ensure that you are on the call when it begins, we suggest that you access the call approximately 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017 Start Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) U.S. Dial-In Number: 1-877-307-0078 Outside U.S. Dial-In Number: 1-531-289-2890 Passcode: 51662751 Conference Call Host: John Hobbs The conference call will be replayed for one week, starting approximately one hour after the call ends. For callers within the United States, the replay number is 1-855-859-2056. For callers outside the United States, the replay number is 1-404-537-3406. The passcode for both of these numbers is 51662751. A live webcast and replay of the conference call also will be available on the company website at www.esterline.com. If you have any questions, please call Investor Relations at Esterline Technologies at 425-519-1873. About Esterline: Esterline Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas: Avionics & Controls, Sensors & Systems, and Advanced Materials. Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on high-technology electronics products for military and commercial aircraft and land- and sea-based military vehicles, secure communications equipment, systems and components, specialized medical equipment, and other industrial applications. The Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision temperature and pressure sensors, electrical power distribution equipment, harsh-environment connectors and other related systems principally for aerospace and defense customers. Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus on technologies including high-temperature resistant materials and components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace purposes and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure products. MOUNT LAUREL, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- inTEST Corporation (NYSE MKT: INTT), an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of temperature management products and semiconductor automatic test equipment (ATE) interface solutions, today announced that the company will release financial results for the 2017 second quarter on Thursday, August 3, 2017 after the market close. inTEST management will host a conference call the same day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The conference call will address the Company's 2017 second quarter financial results, and management's current expectations and views of the industry. The call may also include discussion of strategic, operating, product initiatives or developments, or other matters relating to the Company's current or future performance. 2017 Q2 Conference Call Details: Thursday, August 3, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time To access the live conference call, please dial (815) 680-6269 or (866) 900-9241. The Passcode for the conference call is 51056990. Please reference the inTEST 2017 Q2 Financial Results Conference Call. 2017 Q2 Live Webcast Details inTEST Corporation will provide a webcast in conjunction with the conference call. To access the live webcast, please visit inTEST's website www.intest.com under the 'Investors' section. 2017 Q2 Replay Details (Webcast) A replay of the webcast will be available on inTEST's website for one year following the live broadcast. To access the webcast replay, please visit inTEST's website www.intest.com under the 'Investors' section. Submit Questions In advance of the conference call, and for those investors accessing the webcast, inTEST Corporation welcomes individual investors to submit their questions via email to lguerrant@guerrantir.com. The company will address as many questions as possible on the conference call. About inTEST Corporation inTEST Corporation is an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of temperature management products and ATE interface solutions, which are used by semiconductor manufacturers to perform final testing of integrated circuits (ICs) and wafers. The Company's high-performance products are designed to enable semiconductor manufacturers to improve the speed, reliability, efficiency and profitability of IC test processes. The Company's products are also sold into the automotive, consumer electronics, defense/aerospace, energy and telecommunications industries. Specific products include temperature management systems, manipulator and docking hardware products and customized interface solutions. The Company has established strong relationships with its customers globally, which it supports through a network of local offices. For more information visit www.intest.com. CONTACTS: Hugh T. Regan, Jr. Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer inTEST Corporation Tel: 856-505-8999 Laura Guerrant-Oiye Principal Guerrant Associates lguerrant@guerrantir.com Tel: (808) 960-2642 CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen" or the "Company") (TSX: VSN) announced today that Thierry Vandal has resigned as a director of the Company effective July 12, 2017. The Company would like to thank Mr. Vandal for his significant contributions to Veresen and wish him every success in the future. Common Share Dividend for July 2017 The Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for July 2017 of $0.0833 per common share. The dividend will be paid on August 23, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 25, 2017. This dividend is designated an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. As a result of the previously announced plan of arrangement between Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina") and Veresen, the Company will alter its future dividend record dates to coincide with Pembina's monthly common share dividend schedule. Veresen anticipates all future dividend record dates to be on the 25th calendar day of each month. Should the record date fall on a weekend or a statutory holiday, the effective record date will be the previous business day. About Veresen Inc. Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in three principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago and other natural gas and NGL processing infrastructure; and a power business comprised of a portfolio of assets in Canada. Veresen is also working to advance Jordan Cove LNG, a 7.8 million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities. Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com. Forward-looking Information Certain information contained in this news release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events or developments that Veresen expects or anticipates may or will occur in the future, are forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "may", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "target", "project", "forecast" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or outlook. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the future dividend record dates. Readers are also cautioned that such additional information is not exhaustive. The impact of any one risk, uncertainty or factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as these factors are independent and management's future course of action would depend on its assessment of all information at that time. Readers are urged to consult the disclosure provided under the heading "Risk Factors" in Veresen's management information circular dated June 5, 2017, which has been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks and other factors applicable to the Transaction. Although Veresen believes that the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking information are reasonable based on information available on the date of preparation, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements. Undue reliance should not be placed on the information contained herein, as actual results achieved will vary from the information provided herein and the variations may be material. Veresen makes no representation that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those set out in the forward-looking information. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof, and Veresen does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. Any forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Contacts: Mark Chyc-Cies Vice President, Corporate Planning & Investor Relations (403) 213-3633 investor-relations@vereseninc.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A New Zealand tourist was killed by the blast from a jetliner taking off at a seaside airport on Caribbean Island of St. Maarten. The unidentified 57-year-old woman was holding onto the fence of St. Maarten's Princess Juliana Airport, which is very close from the Maho beach, when the jet blast from a Boeing 737 threw her backwards. She fell on the pavement with her head hitting the concrete. According to officials, the incident occurred on Wednesday around 6 p.m. The woman was vacationing with her family. The island's Maho beach is a very popular spot for tourists to gather for the thrill of low-flying planes as they descend on the runway. Although danger signs are posted up on the fence outside the airport warning tourists of the jet blast, many passengers have been injured. However, this is the first time a person has lost life. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Dundee Energy Limited (TSX: DEN) ("Dundee Energy" or the "Corporation") today announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") has agreed to provide the Corporation with a further 30 day extension of the previously announced continued listing review being undertaken by the TSX in respect of the Corporation's common shares. The extension has been granted to provide the Corporation with additional time to further advance discussions with its lender. The Corporation is being reviewed under the TSX's remedial review process and has until August 14, 2017 to comply with all requirements for continued listing, including with respect to financial condition and operating results and market capitalization. If the Corporation cannot demonstrate that it meets all TSX requirements set out in Part VII of the TSX Company Manual on or before August 14, 2017, the Corporation's securities will be delisted 30 days from such date. The Corporation intends to work diligently with the TSX during the specified period to demonstrate that the Corporation satisfies the requirements for continued listing. The Corporation is also continuing to investigate its qualifications to list its common shares on another Canadian stock exchange, however, there can be no assurance that the Corporation will be able to achieve compliance with the TSX's continued listing requirements within the required time frame or that the Corporation will be successful in securing a listing on another Canadian stock exchange. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information set out in this news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions and may include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" or similar expressions. In particular, forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Corporation's intentions to work diligently to satisfy the requirements for continued listing on the TSX and its investigation to potentially list its common shares on another Canadian stock exchange. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Corporation's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Corporation will derive from them. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. ABOUT THE CORPORATION Dundee Energy Limited is a Canadian-based oil and natural gas Corporation with a mandate to create long-term value for its shareholders through the exploration, development, production and marketing of oil and natural gas, and through other high impact energy projects. Dundee Energy holds interests, both directly and indirectly, in the largest accumulation of producing oil and gas assets in Ontario and, through a preferred share investment, in certain exploration and evaluation programs for oil and natural gas offshore Tunisia. Dundee Energy's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DEN". Contacts: Dundee Energy Limited Lucie Presot Interim Chief Financial Officer (416) 365-5157 (416) 363-4536 (FAX) www.dundee-energy.com NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Brookfield Investment Management Inc. will host a conference call for the Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc. (NYSE: INF) (the "Fund") on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 4:30pm ET. The Fund's portfolio management team will provide an update on the Fund and on general market conditions. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about the Fund during the call. Questions may also be submitted ahead of the call by sending an e-mail to funds@brookfield.com. Registration and Webcast Link: http://services.choruscall.ca/DiamondPassRegistration/register?confirmationNumber=10003251&linkSecurityString=1e2f45f5e (Note - Webcast link will not be live until day of webcast.) Access to audio only: 800-319-4610 A replay will be available via this link shortly following the webcast until August 31, 2017. A transcript of the call will also be available by calling 855-777-8001 or emailing funds@brookfield.com. Brookfield Investment Management Inc. (the "Firm") is an SEC-registered investment adviser and represents the Public Securities platform of Brookfield Asset Management. The Firm provides global listed real assets strategies including real estate equities, infrastructure equities, real asset debt and diversified real assets. With more than $14 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2017, the Firm manages separate accounts, registered funds and opportunistic strategies for institutional and individual clients, including financial institutions, public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth investors. The Firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $250 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2017. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com. Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc. is managed by Brookfield Investment Management. The Fund uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Fund is routinely posted on and accessible at www.brookfield.com. Contacts: Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc. Brookfield Place 250 Vesey Street, 15th Floor New York, NY 10281-1023 (855) 777-8001 funds@brookfield.com CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- ATCO Ltd. (TSX: ACO.X) (TSX: ACO.Y) The Board of Directors of ATCO Ltd. has declared the following quarterly dividends: Shares TSX Stock Dividend Record Date Payment Date Symbol Per Share ($) (2017) (2017) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Class I Non-Voting ACO.X 0.3275 08-Sep 30-Sep Class II Voting ACO.Y 0.3275 08-Sep 30-Sep These dividends are eligible dividends within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). With approximately 7,000 employees and assets of $20 billion, ATCO is a diversified global corporation delivering service excellence and innovative business solutions in Structures & Logistics (workforce housing, innovative modular facilities, construction, site support services, and logistics and operations management); Electricity (electricity generation, transmission, and distribution); Pipelines & Liquids (natural gas transmission, distribution and infrastructure development, energy storage, and industrial water solutions); and Retail Energy (electricity and natural gas retail sales). More information can be found at www.ATCO.com. Forward-Looking Information: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. Contacts: Media & Investor Inquiries: D.A. (Dennis) DeChamplain Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 403-292-7502 NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 07/13/17 -- Brookfield Investment Management Inc. will host a webcast for the Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. (NYSE: RA) (the "Fund") on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 4:30pm ET. Brookfield will provide an update on the Fund and on general market conditions. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about the Fund during the call. Questions may also be submitted ahead of the call by sending an e-mail to funds@brookfield.com. Registration and Webcast Link: http://services.choruscall.ca/DiamondPassRegistration/register?confirmationNumber=10003247&linkSecurityString=1e1c30c58 (Note - Webcast link will not be live until day of webcast.) Access to audio only: 800-319-4610 A replay will be available via this link shortly following the webcast until August 24, 2017. A transcript of the call will also be available by calling 855-777-8001 or emailing funds@brookfield.com. Brookfield Investment Management Inc. (the "Firm") is an SEC-registered investment adviser and represents the Public Securities platform of Brookfield Asset Management. The Firm provides global listed real assets strategies including real estate equities, infrastructure equities, real asset debt and diversified real assets. With more than $14 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2017, the Firm manages separate accounts, registered funds and opportunistic strategies for institutional and individual clients, including financial institutions, public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth investors. The Firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $250 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2017. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com. The Fund is managed by Brookfield Investment Management Inc. The Fund uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Fund is routinely posted on and accessible at www.brookfield.com. Contacts: Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. Brookfield Place 250 Vesey Street, 15th Floor New York, NY 10281-1023 (855) 777-8001 funds@brookfield.com Google (GOOG) has launched an Artificial Intelligence-focused venture capital fund. Led by Anna Patterson, Founder & Managing Partner, Led by Ankit Jain, Founding Partner, Shabih Rizvi, Founding Partner, and Kelsey Buntjer, Founding Manager of Operations, Gradient Ventures aims to invest in and connects startups with Googles resources, innovation, and technical leadership in artificial intelligence. The fund focuses on helping founders develop AI-based products, from leveraging training datasets to helping companies take advantage of the latest techniques. It provides portfolio companies with access to domain experts in the fields of artificial intelligence, AR/VR, deep learning, and machine learning. An ROI-based independent investment vehicle, Gradient Ventures is also committed to helping develop the broader AI community via meet-ups, and exclusive events to enable companies to benefit from Googles network of entrepreneurs and engineers to grow and learn from each other. The funds portfolio includea: Algorithmia, a community of developers, researchers and organizations that contribute to a marketplace made up of algorithms, functions and models. Cogniac, which provides software to create and visually compose Convolutional Neural Network models. Cape, which virtualizes drone hardware enabling people to fly drones remotely. Aurima, a developer of an alternative sensing modality together with deep AI modeling. FinSMEs 13/07/2017 Nosto, a Helsinki, Finland-based personalization software solution for online retailers, secured $17m in funding. Backers included Wellington Partners, Open Ocean Capital and The European Investment Bank. The funds will be used to accelerate Nostos continuous product innovation and research program and to accelerate its expansion within the US and EMEA regions, as well as entry into new markets. Led by and Matti Ronkko, CEO, Nosto enables online retailers in over 100 countries to deliver their customers personalized shopping experiences at every touch point, across every device, through the use of real-time, targeted product recommendations. By analyzing hundreds of thousands of data points in online stores to build a deep understanding of every customer in real-time, Nostos patented technology empowers retailers to deliver the right product ads to the right users at the right time through personalized product recommendations on websites, mobile apps, emails and social ads. The company supports its customer base including leading brands such as Twinings, Jack Daniels, Everlast and Volcom from its offices in Helsinki, Berlin, Stockholm, London and New York. Additionally, Nosto will open its Los Angeles office in the fall to strengthen its support in the US market and will be recruiting skilled professionals. FinSMEs 13/07/2017 Spotinst, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based cloud workload management company, raised $15M in Series A funding. The round was led by Intel Capital with participation from Vertex Ventures and Springtide Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to continue to grow operations and expand its business reach. Founded by CEO Amiram Shachar; Chief Architect Liran Polak; and Aharon Twizer, CTO, Spotinst provides a machine learning-based virtual IaaS platform that allows enterprises and startups to gain cloud workload management capabilities. Its core technology is based on a predictive algorithm that delivers the most effective cloud option, ensuring reliability and stability, while saving customers cloud computing costs. Spotinst works with Amazon Web Services and recently introduced support for Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure. FinSMEs 13/07/2017 New Delhi: A union of Air India employees will hold a protest on 18 July against the disinvestment of the national carrier. The grouping comprising nearly 8,000 of the total 21,137 employees of Air India held a general body meeting last week to deliberate on its strategy to oppose privatisation of the debt-laden carrier. The union will hold a protest on 18 July near Terminal 2 at Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to a press statement issued by Air Corporations Employees' Union (ACEU), which represents Air India's non-technical staff. Seven unions of Air India had in June joined hands to oppose the Centre's decision to disinvest the carrier and had written to Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapthi Raju, warning him of an "industrial unrest". The Union Cabinet had in June given its in-principle nod for consideration of disinvestment of Air India. 'Alternative Mechanism' or a group of ministers under the aegis of finance minister Arun Jaitley is entrusted with working on the modalities of Air India's stake sale. New Delhi: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is keeping a close watch on transactions involving cryptocurrencies, governor Urjit Patel is understood to have told the members of the Parliamentary panel on finance on Wednesday. During the more than three-hour long meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance in New Delhi, the members raised concerns about rising number of transactions in various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, litecoin and NEM. They also wanted to know from the governor whether the use of cryptocurrencies is legally permitted, a member said. Members, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) Nishikant Dubey, said rise in usage of virtual currencies is a matter of concern as it is difficult to establish the source of funds. Responding to the concerns raised, Patel told the members that the RBI is keeping a close watch on such transactions. He also told the panel that an inter-disciplinary committee has been formed to discuss the legality of cryptocurrencies, according to panel members who did not wish to be named. In April, the finance ministry constituted an inter-disciplinary committee to examine the existing framework for virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, and suggest measures to deal with issues like money laundering. Leaders from G20 countries, during their meeting last week, had discussed about the threat of cyptocurrencies being possibly used for terror financing. Consider this: On 8 November 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonetised old Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes worth Rs 15.44 lakh crore that constituted 86 percent of the total currency in circulation at that point. Just after a month of the demonetisation announcement, in the second week of December, the RBI made an announcement saying banking system has received Rs 12.44 lakh crore in invalidated high value notes until 10 December. In other words, it took 32 days for the RBI to compute the figure of Rs 12.44 lakh crore or about 81 percent of the total amount of currency demonetised. Since then, over 200 days have passed. And, the RBI is still unable to finish counting of the remaining Rs 3 lakh crore. In a meeting with a Parliamentary panel on Thursday, RBI Governor Urjit Patel repeated what he has been saying for the last seven months. The RBI is still counting notes and has even ordered new machines to speed up the process. It is not a convincing explanation - not just for the parliamentary panel but also to a billion people who were subjected to a highly disruptive economic experiment purpotedly aimed at tackling black money, corruption and terror finance, which are yet to manifest in hard numbers. If one goes a step further, it is nothing but a cruel joke, considering the number of jobs lost and businesses hit due to the exercise. How can a central bank governor keep saying for several months that it is counting the currency accepted at the bank counters with proper acknowledgment, preliminary checks for fake notes, rules restricting the amount of deposits and strict verification of source for high value deposits? That leaves us with only one possibility - the amount of money returned to the banking system is more than what was demonetised. This would mean despite the strict rules that were put in place, the RBI couldn't stop fake currency from entering into the banking system through formal channels during the demonetisation period and it is still finding ways to make its accounts. There were reports (read here and here) early this year that said 97 percent of the banned currency have returned to the banking system. Remember, though the deadline for public to deposit/exchange old notes ended on 30 December, the window for NRIs and certain categories were open until March-end. Also, about Rs 6,000-Rs 8,000 crores of deposits in old currency would have come from cooperative banks which were earlier asked not to deposit this money in commercial banks or in RBI chests. With this money also coming in, the RBIs work will be even more time-taking going by what the governor says. The second possibility is that the central bank is painfully inefficient in getting the work done within deadlines. Anyone looking at RBIs past record would find it difficult to buy this argument. Another surprising factor is that Patel didnt even commit a timeframe to the panel to disclose the figure of old currency deposits. But, the RBI will have to show this in its annual report that will be released in August. The central bank follows a financial year of July to June, not April to March. What will be the central banks excuse if it is still counting the notes even then? Or will the figure remain a mystery even then? Former RBI top brass, including former deputy governor Usha Thorat, had come down heavily on the current leadership of the RBI on the lack of transparency with which the central bank has carried out the whole process. The continuing silence on demonetised notes and RBIs objective assessment on the gains of the exercise doesnt augur well for Indias central bank. Its response to Parliament panel such as lack of counting machines on the amount of money returned to the banking system post one of the biggest economic exercises India has ever undertaken increasingly sounds like a cruel joke, rather than a measured response from a reputed central bank. New Delhi: The first price increase in almost a year by Reliance Jio Infocomm will not only help improve its own revenue generation, it has also already helped two listed competitors in improving their market cap. The telecom sector has heaved a sigh of relief at the prospect of increased average revenue per user (ARPU) on these new tariff plans by the newcomer. When the disrupter gathers courage to charge more, incumbents hail the move since it improves their own falling revenues. On Tuesday, RJio launched these plans they are not upfront more expensive than the existing ones but come with a reduced validity period, leading to an effective increase. This hike is a substantial one, between 30-50 percent. So, have the telecom industrys woes ended. Not really. The new tariffs signal RJios willingness to charge more, allow competitors to also hike revenues a bit, but make no mistake: the industry will still continue to struggle with historic low data and voice rates for a long time to come since the hikes are not adequate. Anyway, with the second anticipated disruption from RJio the launch of 4G feature phone it would be foolhardy for competitors to heave a sigh of relief just yet. Analysts at brokerage IIFL have said in a note to clients that the launch of a feature phone should happen after mid-August at the expected price of below Rs 1,000. This major disruption will likely again create pressure on incumbents. In Tuesdays announcement, RJio has a) lowered the validity of the main Rs309/509 plans from 84 to 56 days, b) introduced an additional plan of Rs 349/month that provides less data (0.35GB/day) but removes the daily cap, and (c) added a Rs 399 plan (84 days) with the same benefits as the 'new' Rs 309 plan, but with a higher duration. The new RJIo tariffs mean an uptick in ARPU, although it still remain below prevailing industry ARPU (Bharti Airtel reported ARPU of Rs 158 for Q4FY2017, Vodafone at Rs 142 and Idea at Rs 142). In a note to clients, analysts at Credit Suisse said tariffs will effectively rise by 30-50 percent from this single move of RJio but aggregate tariffs remain subdued. The most popular plan (Rs 399 for 84 days) represents Rs 143 ARPU; prior to Jio, high-ARPU users (50 percent of industry revenues) had an average monthly charge of Rs 550 at comparable voice+data. So the point really is that this is a good start but there is a long and difficult journey ahead for the industry to regain its earnings momentum. Meanwhile, IIFL analysts went on to say that the ARPU hike unleashed by RJio is bigger than expected. ARPU per month in the new offer announced by RJio is up to 46 percent higher than its previous plan, though it is still cheaper than the established telcos. Although this may seem a relief for Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, it also brings relief to smaller telcos that were getting priced out by RJio. With 72 million out of RJios nearly 87 million subscribers seeking plan renewals in early August, it is surprising that RJio chose to raise pricing ahead of this lumpy renewal. These analysts further said that the latest step by RJio could reverse the revenue decline seen in the last few quarters across Indias telecom industry. Ratings agency ICRA said RJios new plans are attractively priced and would keep the competitive intensity for the industry elevated. Harsh Jagnani, Sector Head and Vice President, Corporate Ratings, ICRA said: Although the plans continue to remain attractive for the subscribers, they directionally point to ARPU improvement. As ICRA anticipated earlier, the ARPU levels of the industry would have to improve to sustain the sizeable debt levels and improve return on investments. After amassing more than 100 million subscribers, RJio is now focusing on pushing up the ARPU to improve its profitability. RJio started with offering free data and voice services till 31 March, 2017 post which it launched new plans. The most prominent plan announced by the company was for Rs. 309, which offered its subscribers 1 GB per day of data for 84 days. This translated into an ARPU of Rs 96 for these three months. These plans were offered to consolidate the healthy subscriber base which the company had amassed during its free offer period. While the competitive intensity of the industry would remain high, the pricing by RJio indicates some easing of pressure on ARPU. This piece quotes Morgan Stanley analysts saying the launch of the new 4G feature phone by RJio would be a key headwind for incumbents. This could prove to be disruptive for the large 2G GSM subscribers, 65 percent of the revenues of top incumbents. The analysts noted that RJios subscriber additions have slowed, to around four million a month from eight to 10 million customers a month earlier. By entering the 4G feature phone market with a bundled offering which could be between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, RJio is looking at converting the 400-plus million feature phone customers (who use 2G or 3G) across the country to 4G services. This will correct slowing subscriber addition as RJio expects to target about 100 million customers to shift within 12 months through the feature phone offer. (Disclosure - Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd) Tata Consultancy Services, the country's largest software company, is shutting down its Lucknow centre as part of a consolidation exercise, according to media reports. The company has confirmed the development and clarified that there will be no job losses as all the staff will be given alternate opportunities. There are 2,000 employees at the centre. TCS would like to clarify that it is only consolidating its UP operations in Noida and there will be no job loss as a consequence, a report in The Hindustan Times quoted the company as saying. According to the report, the staff were told about the development by the team leaders on Wednesday. There were, however, fears of job losses, as the IT sector is going through a churn with advancement of technology and protectionist policies in some of the export markets. According to a report in the Business Standard, some of the staff at Lucknow centre will be transferred to the NPO unit the company is setting up in Varanasi. Some others will be moved to Indore. The report said a group named SaveTCSPlease had written to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the development. They have alleged that the company's move is affecting the employees, 50 percent of whom are women, as they are being forcefully transferred to other cities. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel on Wednesday appeared before a Parliamentary panel for the second time and is understood to have said the deposited banned notes are still being counted and therefore was not in a position to give a figure of the scrapped currency back in the system. During the more than three-hour long meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, Patel took a lot of questions but members, who did not want to be named, said he did not provide any "specific number" on the amount of money that came back to the system post-demonetisation on 8 November. The Committee is chaired by senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily. With Patel not providing any particular figure, saying that counting of the notes was still in progress, many panel members were reported to have expressed dissatisfaction with his replies. Moily said the Committee will present its report on demonetisation in the Monsoon Session of Parliament and that the RBI Governor will not be called again on the note ban issue. The session is scheduled to start on 17 July and is expected to conclude on 11 August. "We had a lengthy discussion (on demonetisation and various other issues) today... The panel will not be calling RBI Governor again on the issue of demonetisation," Moily told PTI. Patel appeared before the panel for the second time today after cancellation of old Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes on 8 November-- a government decision which had attracted a lot of criticism from the Opposition. In January too, the RBI governor had appeared before the committee and had told the members that he would submit a statement on the amount of money that came back into the system after demonetisation. Along with Patel, RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra was also present at Wednesday's meeting. After the meeting, a senior member, who did not want to be named, said the governor did not provide any figure but gave details on remonetisation. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present at the meeting, did not ask any question to the governor, according to three panel members. Interestingly, it was Singh who had rescued Patel from a tough grilling during the January meeting when he intervened to say that the central bank and the governor's position as an institution should be respected. Replying to queries from the members on demonetisation and its fallout, Patel said counting of banned old Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes goes on continuously for six days in a week. Patel told the panel that the RBI has cut down on holidays to complete counting of the junked currency note and that its staff is working "round the clock" except on Sundays, a member quoted Patel as having said. According to some members, the central bank chief informed the panel that besides Saturdays, many other holidays have also been suspended in order to complete counting of the scrapped notes. The RBI has also issued tenders for new machines for counting of the notes, the meeting was told. RBI has a staff strength of 15,000. During the course of the meeting, one Congress member even asked whether RBI would be able to provide details of amount of cash deposited post-demonetisation by May 2019--the time when the NDA government completes its five-year term. JK Rowling should write a new lexicon for sensitive Indians and their custodians in the Censor Board currently spooked by a documentary on Amartya Sen. This new word list, inspired obviously by the fear of the Dark Lord, should have a simple solution for words that can't be used out of fear, names that can't be named, places that can't be mentioned. In this Rowling-esque glossary, every unmentionable can be You-Know-Who or He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named, and every place that can't be talked about could be You-Know-Where. How easy that would make the task of filmmakers who have to talk about unmentionables like Gujarat, Hindutva, cow, Hindu India, only to be told by the Censor Board to bleep out these words. So, this is how a conversation in a film/documentary would go: "There were once riots you-know-where while You-Know-Who was the you-know-what of that place." Or: "There have been several incidents of lynching by vigilantes of you-know-which community over suspicions of eating the meat of a-four-legged-mother-that-can't-be-named." (On second thoughts, change meat to that-which-can't-be-eaten-in-Goa-but-not-in-Delhi). You can bet Pahalaj Nihalani (He-who-is-his-master's-voice) and his team would never again ask for a cut, suggest changes in dialogue, or ask the filmmaker to bleep out words. And all cinema would automatically become sanskari. Also read: Amartya Sen documentary makers asked to cut 'cow', 'Gujarat', 'Hindu India' from film by CBFC The Censor Board's directive to Suman Ghosh, maker of the hour-long documentary on the Nobel-laureate, to excise innocuous words and phrases is indeed a reminder that it is now content with crawling when asked to bend. Its members are now gripped by a fear psychosis that makes them quiver in fear over words that have been part of the daily intercourse (oops! did that make Nihalani jump again) for ages. Otherwise, which right minded person with a spine would have found the phrase "Hindutva view of India" a threat to "communal harmony"? Or comically argued that mentioning Gujarat in the documentary would "jeopardise the security of that state?" But, this is what India's board for film certification has actually come to. It has turned into a quivering-quaking band of sycophants ready to go to any extent to please their masters, second-third-fourth guess what words may offend those-who-can't-be-named. This sudden bout of sanskars, political-correctness in a team headed by a man who once made films laced with double-entendres and salacious songs (sample Nihalani's films like Aankhen and Andaaz) is not just a symbol of hypocrisy but also a blot on a country that has thrived on arguments, debates and has had a culture of shastrarth philosophical and theological contests among scholars. Muzzling the voice of an eminent economist revered across the world on hilarious grounds is plain shameful, an embarrassing exhibition of moral cowardice and intellectual penury. The funnier part is that he-who-is-his-master's-voice and his chorus just don't learn from their previous comic capers. In the past, the CBFC has been laughed at for objecting to words like intercourse, shortening the length of a kiss in James Bond's Skyfall and getting rapped by the courts for suggesting dozens of cuts, including the complete omission of the word Punjab from the title, in Udta Punjab. But, instead of learning from its mistakes, the Board has just been going from bizarre to ridiculous. Its diktats have been sounding more and more unreasonable and laughable. When men without brains, morals and spines sit in positions of power, enjoy the power to censor, they end up turning art and literature into a reflection of their personalities, and, as a logical corollary, try to shape societies in their own mould. Nihalani and his team are trying to do just that. Patrons of art have just options: Resist He-who-is-master's-voice. Or, watch Indian cinema turn into a cinematic tribute to Rowling's image of a world where nothing can be named because of the fear of You-Know-Who. Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms has announced that group CEO Sameer Nair will be stepping down, as per moneycontrol.com. Nair had joined the company in 2014 in order to drive the company towards expansion in the digital space. The CEO will officially hang up his boots on 15 July 2017. As per a report by Mumbai Mirror, the decision to end the contract was mutual. Both parties mutually arrived at the decision of ending the contract, maintaining that it was in the best interest of the company. The decision also comes after Kapoor expresses the desire to limit the number of big-budget films that will be made under her banner this year. Although Nair might be giving up his executive position, he will continue to be a consultant to the company, says a Balaji spokesperson in a statement given to Mumbai Mirror. Nair too, had only good things to say about his three year association. In another statement, he said that the company is in a good place and that their TV business is going in a great direction. "Most recently, we had a very successful launch of our global digital business with ALTBalaji," he further added, reassuringly. His relinquishment has already begun to show repercussions. After the announcement, the company's shares crashed over 7 percent as per moneycontrol.com. Saif Ali Khan has unveiled the teaser of his upcoming film, Akshat Verma's Kaalakaandi. While the teaser transports us to a familiar dark world, Saif is at his unfamiliar best. Saif's look from the film which is quirky to say the least. Saif is seen sporting a crisp white shirt but it is the accessories that lend quirk to the picture. He is wearing three accessories - hairbands of a myriad range of colours, a yellow shrug and bruises on his eyes. While his expression is grim, his getup is comic. This contrast is what makes his look immensely fascinating. This look makes the viewers revisit Saif's look from Raj and DK's 2013 zombie comedy Go Goa Gone. In that film, Saif played a zombie hunter, who had a loaded gun by his side at all times. But his blonde hairstyle made his character come across as rather caricaturish. Since Verma is the writer of the 2011 film Delhi Belly, known for its toilet humour, Saif is all set for a quirky collaboration with Verma in Kaalakandi. Kaalakaandi also stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Akshay Oberoi, Amrya Dastur and Kunaal Roy Kapur. It is produced by Rohit Khattar and Ashi Dua's Cinestaan Film Company Pvt Ltd. It is slated to release on 8 September. In the most recent developments in the case of Malayalam actor Dileep's arrest, the police in a report to the court has alleged that Dileep wanted 'revenge' as he held the Malayalam actress responsible for his first marriage with wife Manju Warrier falling apart. Police sources are said to be investigating the allegation that Dileep had offered a sum of Rs 1.5 cr back in 2013 to attack and assault the actress along with getting the assault recorded on camera. He also allegedly wanted nude photographs of the actress clicked, according to an NDTV report. It is also now being said that Appunni, Dileep's manager-cum-driver (along with being a suspect in the case) has gone underground and is reportedly missing. The police have reportedly been trying to contact Appunni for the past two days. He was supposed to show up for interrogation before the police team on Tuesday morning, however the police didn't hear any news regarding him till Wednesday evening. "His mobile phone is switched off; he is not there in any of the places he is supposed to be in," said a senior police officer according to a report by the Times Of India. Local television channels are also reporting that Dileep's wife, Kavya Madhavan, along with his mother, will also be pulled in for questioning. With Dileep's arrest, the probe team on the case will reportedly shift their focus on actor and director Nadirsha, and the advocate Pratheesh Chacko, as their stories have not corroborated since the very start of the case. The two are believed to have direct involvement in the case, and due to their contradictory statements since the beginning of the entire probe, the two will reportedly be questioned in great detail. "Investigation has only begun. Some evidences are there but since there are many other aspects that need examination as far as conspiracy is concerned, in-depth investigation will have to be undertaken," said State police chief Loknath Behera according to the same Times of India report. The Malayalam superstar was reportedly booed as he arrived at the courthouse in a police van from the jail he is has been lodged in Aluva (the actor's hometown, around 25 kilometers from Kochi). (Also read: Dileep's arrest: Associates uneasy as police probe deepens; actor's financial dealings under scrutiny.) The 48-year-old actor, charged with conspiracy, was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a court in Angamaly on Tuesday. The actor has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that he was trapped. Dileep was arrested on Monday evening on charges of criminal conspiracy in the abduction and assault of the actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films. She was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who forced their way into her vehicle on the night of 17 February and later escaped in a busy Kochi area. Dileep's arrest came after police questioned him and his director friend Nadirshah on 29 June and on Monday in view of certain revelations by prime accused 'Pulsar' Suni. Police said the actor had been arrested based on evidence gathered. Noted lawyer K Ramkumar, who appeared for Dileep, said the actor was charged under Section 120(B) (conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code. Police said there was no instruction from the magistrate to provide any special facilities to Dileep in jail. Six people were arrested earlier this year, including the main accused 'Pulsar', who was a driver that the Malayalam actress had sacked and the man that the police allege Dileep had contracted to attack her. Meanwhile, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) held an emergency executive meeting and removed Dileep from its primary membership after the news of his arrest broke. Dileep was the treasurer of the AMMA, which had also pledged its support to the actress, Malayalam superstar Mammootty told reporters. (Also read: Dileep's arrest: What this means for actor's career, Malayalam film industry and Kerala politics) There's an uneasiness among the associates of Malayalam film actor Dileep, as the police continue their questioning of him, having charged him with conspiracy in the abduction and assault of a popular actress from the fraternity in February 2017. Dileep's friends and associates now fear that they could be brought in by the police for questioning too, as the probe in the case deepens. The actor was taken into custody on Wednesday, 12 July. Dileeps wife actress Kavya Madhavan and her mother Shyamala have been staying away from the public gaze ever since Dileep came under the police's scanner. While there was a raid on the Kochi offices of Laksyah, Kavya Madhavan's e-commerce venture, the police have not gone on record about whether or not the actress was involved in the conspiracy. However, sources in the force did say they are keeping an eye on the movements of Kavya and her mother, and the latest updates in the case indicate that Madhavan could be brought in for questioning. Dileep case latest updates: Actor's manager absconding; wife Kavya Madhavan might be questioned Meanwhile, the Kerala police took Dileep to different spots where the actor and his accomplices allegedly conspired to collect evidence. At one of these places Todupuzha in Idukki district Congress workers staged a protest against Dileep. Mukesh and Nadirshah in the dock? The local press is also abuzz with the news that actor and CPI (M) MLA Mukesh, who is close to both Dileep and Nadirshah (the latter is among Dileep's closest friends) will be questioned. Media reports that quoted the police said Mukesh had called Dileep around 50 times on the day of the brutal assault on the survivor-actress, and the day after that as well. Sources noted that the police is trying to get details of the calls and check if they have any connection with the incident. Reports said Mukesh appeared before the district committee of CPI (M), Kollam, from where he is an MLA and explained his part. Mukesh will find it difficult to maintain a distance from the case as public pressure is building up against him. CPI (M) leaders from Kollam who disliked the party's decision of giving an Assembly seat to Mukesh are also likely to step up pressure against him in the light of present developments. Social media has been flooded with photos that show Mukesh and his mother in the company of 'Pulsar' Suni, who is the main accused in the case. There are other photos also featuring Pulsar Suni with Mollywood actors Dharmajan and Anoop Menon, as well as some actresses. Though the photos are not evidence of Suni's closeness to top Malayalam film stars, they do indicate that he had access to them. Responding to the press, Mukesh said he has not been served any notice by the police for questioning. He further claimed that he wasn't the one to introduce Pulsar Suni to Dileep. While agreeing that Suni had been his driver in 2013, Mukesh said he was removed from the job for speeding. Read on Firstpost Dileep's arrest: What this means for actor's career, Malayalam film industry and Kerala politics Nadirshah, who has close business relations with Dileep, had been reportedly been questioned on the day when Dileep was arrested. Though there had been reports that Nadirshah would turn approver in the case, these turned out to be incorrect. Police sources stated Dileep has not said anything to indict Nadirshah in the conspiracy case. Actor and MP Innocent, also a friend of Dileep's had initially been at the forefront to protect him. However, he seems to have escaped police scrutiny at present. Investigations of financial deals Simultaneously with the conspiracy case, police have also started investigating the financial dealings of Dileep. It has been found that Dileep carried out 35 real estate deals in and around Kochi from 2005 till date. Investigations have also been started to find if the survivor-actress had any joint business deals with Dileep. Reports also stated that Dileeps bank accounts and business houses are currently under the scanner of the IT department and Enforcement Directorate and his bank accounts could be frozen any time. Once the police finishes its conspiracy charge-related investigation, the ED may start investigations into the alleged links between Dileep, the Malayalam film world and a Dubai-based money laundering racket. Producers' Association acts The Kerala Film Producers Association, which met at Kochi on Wednesday, has passed a resolution supporting the actress-survivor. Saji Nandyat, a Malayalam film producer, apologised at the meet for having spoken against the actress during media discussions. The Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala, which was formed by Dileep, removed him as its president on Wednesday. Vice president of the organisation Antony Perumbavoor, has now been appointed the new president replacing Dileep. Also read Dileep arrested, but this is merely tip of the iceberg: More details about Mollywood's powers-that-be While there is consensus across different organisations in the industry that if Dileep is indeed guilty of conspiring to have the actress-survivor abducted and assaulted, he should be punished severely, there is also the apprehension that there may be moves to limit the investigation to Dileep and a few criminals ignoring the larger ills that have gripped Malayalam film industry. A section of film personalities have said they will launch a movement to convince the authorities to act to decriminalise the Malayalam film industry. Earlier on Wednesday, Angamaly magistrate court, Kochi, sent Dileep into police custody for two days. Dileep has to be produced before the court by 11 am on Friday, 14 July. Police have submitted 19 pieces of evidence before the court. Ram Kumar, the counsel for the accused, has opposed the findings of the police and argued that all charges raised against Dileep were baseless and should be dismissed. He further termed the actor's arrest as illegal. On the bail application, the court said it could be moved once the police custody ends. The case was heard in the chamber of magistrate. Even as the Kerala Police deepens its probe into Dileep's alleged involvement in the abduction and assault of a popular Malayalam film actress in February 2017, the troubled star's cup of woes is running over. Dileep's financial dealings and real estate investments are also being scrutinised as investigators look into whether or not these were legal and above board. The latest update is that the actor is reportedly under the scanner in the investigation of the March 2016 death of his colleague, Kalabhavan Mani. Local press reported that Dileep was being investigated at the behest of Mani's brother RVR Ramakrishnan. Ramakrishnan told the CBI that Dileep and Mani were involved in a land deal. He further alleged that Dileep had not cooperated with the investigation into Mani's death. The CBI had launched a probe into the death of Kalabhavan Mani in May 2017, after a year of frequent demands from the family of deceased actor and with the intervention of the Kerala High Court. The Thiruvananthapuram unit of the CBI had been entrusted with the investigation, and after collecting the case documents from the Kerala police, the CBI had registered Mani's demise as a case of unnatural death. Read this in-depth report on Firstpost Dileep's arrest: Associates uneasy as police probe deepens; actor's financial dealings under scrutiny Kalabhavan Mani, 45, who acted in 200 films in Malayalam and other languages, died two days after being admitted to a hospital in Kochi on 4 March 2016. He was reportedly suffering from a liver ailment. However, after his death, hospital authorities reported the presence of a chemical in the body, leading to speculation that Mani may not have died a natural death. Forensic experts also said an insecticide (chlorpyrifos) was found in the actor's body. The investigation has not yielded any results so far. Meanwhile, Mani's family members has been continuing their fight to find out the 'real cause' of the actor's death. With inputs from IANS Harrison Ford turns 75 today, and the veteran actor doesn't seem keen on giving up acting or retiring from Hollywood anytime soon. In fact, the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 will have the legendary Harrison Ford facing off against Ryan Gosling in the story of a dystopian world. Ford has been a part of the film industry for 50 years, so there's a wide bandwidth of work that he has done. Apart from his iconic role as Han Solo in the Star Wars series, and playing an archaeologist gone rogue in Indiana Jones, Ford has acted in plenty of memorable films. Yes, there's the iconic Blade Runner film by Ridley Scott, but apart from that, here are a few memorable films starring Ford that might have slipped under your radar: American Graffiti Harrison Ford was a young struggling actor who was also working as a carpenter to pay his rent. One day, he got a job to build cabinets for an aspiring filmmaker, who funnily decided to cast his carpenter in his debut film. George Lucas' coming-of-age story about a group of high school friends doesn't feature a lot of screen time for Harrison Ford as Bob Falfa, but he did get noticed. This role marked the beginning of the historic collaboration between Lucas and Ford. Lucas went on to direct the Star Wars franchise and he cast Harrison Ford as Han Solo. The director's next big film franchise was about an archaeologist gone rogue, and he cast Ford in that role too. Regarding Henry This was one of the first few scripts the then-25-year-old JJ Abrams worked on. The film follows a Harrison Ford as the hot-shot lawyer Henry, who has been afflicted with amnesia. He tries to rediscover his identity and career with the help of his wife and daughter. And yes, this means that the second film JJ Abrams ever wrote (the first was Charles Grodins Taking Care of Business) starred Harrison Ford and then, 20 or so years later, hes directing/producing Ford in Star Wars. Air Force One The 90s was the time when Hollywood produced countless patriotic films. Though most of them were your regular run-of-the-mill films, one that shone was Air Force One. Air Force One has Ford playing the President (of the Unites States) who attends a diplomatic dinner in Moscow and praises the recent capture of political extremists by Russian Special Forces. But when he boards Air Force One to head back to America, hes met with a surprise: Agents of the terror group he offended are aboard, and theyre not happy. What follows is a the play-off between the hijackers and Ford, which makes you want to ask Ford to give up acting and run for the President. The Fugitive Ford again plays a role that has him navigate through an intelligent action plot twist. The story is simple: Doctor Richard Kimble (played by Ford) is wanted for his wife's murder. He says he didn't do it, but the cops don't think so. Ford tries to prove his innocence and take vengeance on those who framed him in a very Ben Affleck in Gone Girl type of way. Clear and Present Danger Harrison Ford's character is again caught in a web of conspiracy. And yet everytime we wait on the edge of the chair till we see him escape. The film is based on Tom Clancy's novel of the same name. It stars Ford as Jack Ryan who uncovers an illegal operation against drug cartels within the CIA. After this, he is accused of being a part of the drug heist, and even the US President is involved in the conspiracy. But once again, Harrison Ford saves the day. The 18th IIFA awards will be held in New York this year over 14-15 July (15, 16th July, for the Indian audience). The grand two day celebration is known for championing Indian cinema and all the artists who have contributed in taking Hindi cinema beyond the realm of our own nation. However, films are not the only thing that are celebrated at the IIFA awards. Every year, celebrities and other members of Bollywood come out in scores to showcase fashion and their personalised style with grace and oodles of panache. We see a bevy of beautifully (sometimes not) turned out individuals that give us #FashionGoals for months after the award show has come to a close. This year, we thought we would bring to you a round-up of the fashion that has been displayed on the IIFA red (and by that we mean green) carpet over the years, as stars attend the various official IIFA events (IIFA Rocks, IIFA Fashion Extravaganza, IIFA Awards Green Carpet, etc.) Here is our pick of the Best Dressed celebrities at IIFA Deepika Padukone (2016) It was impossible not to feature Deepika Padukone in this ethereal avatar on our Best Dressed list. Dressed in a Sabyasachi gown, there is not one thing about this look that we can point a finger at. From the ensemble to the hair, make-up and accessories, Deepika was the definition of 'slay' at last year's event. Sayani Gupta (2016) Sayani Gupta best known for her performance in Margarita, With A Straw wore this edgy (literally) outfit by designer Amit Aggarwal at last year's IIFA Rocks event. The cuts on the dress work perfectly, and Gupta's hair compliments the look 100%. Something about this number just seems to work on multiple levels. Bipasha Basu (2015) This embellished long kurta by designer Sabyasachi that Bipasha Basu is seen sporting at IIFA 2015, is one look that will be remembered for years to come. Classic and elegant, the star seems to have carried off this Indian ensemble with elan. The pulled back hairstyle along with the subtle make-up given us the perfect vintage look and feel. Some may feel the look is a tad bit too ostentatious for the occasion however we feel like she deserves due credit here. Shilpa Shetty (2016) This white number by designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil not only gave us fashion goals, but it also combines 'oomph' with class and gives us a pretty neat package. The actor's fit physique only compliments this slinky piece. Shahid Kapoor (2016) Shahid Kapoor cuts a sharp picture in this cobalt blue two-piece suit at the 2016 IIFA green carpet. The clean cuts of the outfit along with Kapoor's adorable face, paired with his slim tie gives us the perfect ensemble that a male can sport on the occasion of a big event. Disclaimer: If you're wondering why most of our favourite best dressed looks are from the previous year, the fashion game of Indian celebrities has picked up only recently in our humble opinion (yes, we said it #SorryNotSorry). Here is our pick of the Worst Dressed celebrities at IIFA Richa Chadda (2014) This Falguni and Shane Peacock number sported by Richa Chadda is the stuff of nightmares (further research shows that actor Sameera Reddy wore the exact same outfit at another event and all we can wonder is WHY?). Looking like a hybrid between a flamingo and a carnation, this is exactly what one should never wear to an event where there is more than one guest, and there is even the slightest chance that you can be seen. Bipasha Basu (2012) Why wear a sari, dress, or a gown when you can wear a bikini top and throw a blanket over it. Basu's neck-piece is no better. Looking like a scary contraption straight out of a sci-fi movie, we can't imagine what she was (or wasn't) thinking when she decided to sport this look at the IIFA rocks event back in 2012. This 9 yard wonder designed by Shivan Narresh has left us slightly speechless, to put it mildly. Neha Dhupia (2015, 2016 - because just LOOK at her) Wearing a creation by designer Neha Agarwal, here we have actor Neha Dhupia looking like a Batik print stencil gone wrong in this too-frickin'-yellow outfit that has us reaching for our sunglasses and a toothpick to stab in our eyes simultaneously. Dress so nice, we had to have it twice. Neha Dhupia finds herself featured in our Worst Dressed list two times over, and looking at these two outfits, you shouldn't be too surprised. Sporting this H&M number, in 2016 Dhupia got confused and thought she was the nurse at the emergency ward of the Lilavati Hospital and not a Bollywood star attending one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies celebrating Indian cinema in the city of Madrid. She also thought she worked part-time as a matron. Ranveer Singh (2012) We know he can pull off almost any whacky ensemble he wishes to, but checks and stripes have even this magical man beat. There is just so much going on with this outfit that we don't know what to thrash first. Should we talk about the bad looking shirt that Singh has paired up with his bad looking granddad tie? Should we talk about the 80s superstar hair that he is seen sporting? Should we thrash the fact that the actor's suit has an insignia almost as big as his face? Lara Dutta (2016) Sporting this creation by the wildly popular international clothing line Balmain, we are not sure what look Dutta was going for. Ugly chandelier? Mitochondria? Micro-organisms floating around a coral reef? The best part about our former Miss World's outfit is Mahesh Bhupati. The awards will be held at the MetLife stadium, in the heart of New York this year. There will be a live telecast of the celebration on Colors TV. Rest assured we'll be watching out for the various looks our favourite celebrities will be sporting. Will you? Kochi: Breaking her silence on the arrest of Malayalam superstar Dileep in her abduction case, the actress on Thursday, 13 July, said she was as shocked as anyone else by the turn of events and that she just wants the truth to come out fast. "He [Dileep] says that he has been framed in the case. The need of the hour is that the truth should come out. If he is innocent, it should come out quickly and if not, even then the truth should come out fast. All are equal before law," she said. The actress added that she is coming out through a statement as she is not in the right frame of mind to come before TV channels and speak. Actor Dileep was arrested on Monday in connection with the abduction and molestation of the actress in February and was sent to two days police custody on Tuesday, 11 July, by a lower court near Kochi. His bail application is coming up on Friday. The actress said that the two shared a cordial relationship but for some reason it got strained. "There are reports that I had real estate dealings with him (Dileep), but the truth is that there has been no such deals with him at all. I did not say this before, because such a thing was never heard and now that it's being said so I am clarifying it," added the actress. She also clarified that she does not have a Facebook page or a Twitter handle and anything on these social networking platforms by her name is false. "My sincere wish is no innocent person should be punished and no one who has committed a crime should be allowed to escape," she added. The Malayalam actress was abducted on 17 February while travelling from Thrissur to Kochi by road in her car and allegedly sexually assaulted. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday cancelled the bail granted on medical grounds to an 89-year-old convict serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and asked him to surrender on 17 July. A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra issued the direction after the CBI opposed the extension of the suspension of the sentence of retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal. The agency, in its status report, said Bhagmal's medical reports showed that he does not suffer from any chronic disease and the ailments were common at his age. "The convict does not deserve any leniency and his application for the extension of the suspension of the sentence may kindly be summarily dismissed with costs in the interest of justice," it said while opposing the bail plea. Taking note of the CBI's contention, the bench said that it did not find any ground to extend the convict's bail. It directed Bhagmal to surrender on 17 July. The convict was already on interim bail since 24 March on medical grounds. Bhagmal, through his counsel, had stated that he was suffering from enlarged prostate for which he had to undergo surgery which would require him to remain hospitalised. The bench had earlier directed him to give the address where he would be available and the mobile number on which he could be contacted by the CBI during the interim suspension of his sentence. It had asked him not to get in touch with any witness or the legal heirs of the deceased. "In case, there is a violation of this condition, it will be open to the CBI to move an application for recall of this order," it had said, adding that Bhagmal will not leave the National Capital Territory of Delhi without its permission. Bhagmal, former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case relating to the murder of five members of a family in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on 1 November 1984, after the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi. They had challenged their conviction and the sentence awarded by the trial court in May 2013. The trial court had acquitted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, but awarded life term to Bhagmal, Khokhar and Girdhari Lal and a three-year jail term to two others former MLA Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar. The convicts have filed appeals before the high court, while the CBI filed an appeal alleging that they were engaged in "a planned communal riot" and "religious cleansing". The agency has also appealed against the acquittal of Kumar. The high court had on 29 March this year issued show cause notice to 11 people including Khokhar and Yadav in five 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases. The accused, who were acquitted of the charges, were asked why should the court should not order reinvestigation and retrial against them as they faced allegations of "horrifying crimes against humanity". The bench had issued notices on the complaints filed regarding the violent incidents on 1 and 2, November 1984 in the Delhi Cantonment area. Lahore: Sufayan Zafar, a Lashker-e-Taiba suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, has been released on bail by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court due to 'lack of evidence' against him, a court official said on Thursday. The prime suspect in the case, LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, is already out on bail since April 2015. "Former LeT militant Sufayan Zafar who was arrested last year for his alleged involvement in 26/11 attack has been freed on bail. The ATC which held the hearing at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi recently has granted Zafar bail as no evidence against him was found during the investigation," a court official told PTI. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that it had found 'no evidence' against Zafar during the investigation, therefore, his involvement in the case cannot be established, the official said. Zafar is accused of providing Rs 3.98 million to co-accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack. He also deposited Rs 14,800 to the bank account of his brother (another suspect in the case). He was declared a proclaimed offender in the Mumbai attack case in 2009. He was arrested in August last year from his hideout in Kyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province. A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, some 80km from Lahore, Zafar was among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in this high-profile case. Six other suspects in the case, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum have been lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiyala Jail since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack. A total of 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine terrorists who carried out the attack were killed while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured alive and later executed in 2012 in Pune. New Delhi: Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed militants have been asked by their handlers across the border to remain in hiding in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir and not trust locals in the wake of "unprecedented level of collaboration" among security forces to flush out foreign terrorists, officials said. In the aftermath of Monday's attack on Amarnath pilgrims, in which seven persons were killed, security forces have shifted their focus to culling the Pakistani terrorists in the valley. "Forces are coordinating at an unprecedented level to corner these foreign terrorists, that is the top priority right now," an official told IANS. Sources in the Indian Army told IANS that around 115 foreign or Pakistani terrorists are estimated to be in the Kashmir valley, of whom around 90 belong to the LeT and 20 are from the JeM. As per estimates of the security forces, there are more than 250 terrorists in the Kashmir valley over all. The foreign terrorists are concentrated in Kupwara and Bandipora, the sources added. According to intelligence inputs, the terrorists have been tasked with reviving terrorism in northern Kashmir. The terrorists have also been instructed to keep hiding in the forest and not trust locals, "or allow local cadre". "They have been asked to remain in isolation, instructions are given by their bosses across the border," another source said. For communication, these terrorists use an integrated mobile and radio device, and a highly coded communication which is difficult to track. "They use something called YSMS - it is a coded communication, with an integrated mobile and radio set," the source said. According to sources, local support for terrorists has seen some decline post the killing of 22-year-old Kashmiri Army officer Lt. Ummer Fayaz in May. However, the terrorists who have infiltrated from Pakistan target the Gujjar and Bakarwal shepherds for supplies and other support. Around 128 infiltration attempts were made by terrorists this year in Jammu and Kashmir, of which 32 were successful, the source said. This year so far, the forces have killed 97 terrorists in the valley. New Delhi: Myanmar's state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemning the terror attack that killed seven Amarnath pilgrims, the government said on Thursday. Suu Kyi also offered condolences to the victims of the 10 July terror attack. "Myanmar State Counsellor @OfficialSuuKyi writes to PM @narendramodi, condemns #AmarnathYatraattack and offers heartfelt condolences," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted. Leaders of several nations have condemned the attack on Amarnath pilgrims. Condemnation against the Amarnath attack has poured in from the international community since the attack, with the US and Iran deploring the strike and Germany, France and Bangladesh expressing their solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism and extremism. While Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina wrote to her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, condemning the "heinous" terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims and reaffirming her country's support to India at this "difficult hour", Nepal's foreign affairs ministry, in a release, also strongly denounced the terrorist attack and expressed its condolences. Jammu: The Panun Kashmir, an organisation for displaced Kashmiri Pandits, on Wednesday demanded the sacking of the Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra and the state government over its "failure" to provide security to the people and curb terrorism. "We urge the government of India to sack the Mehbooba Mufti government and also remove Governor N N Vohra for his failure", the organisation's convenor, Agni Shakhar, told reporters in Jammu. Chairman Panun Kashmir Ajay Chrungoo condemned the statement of Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh in which he blamed the victims of the Amarnath terror attack for travelling in an "unregistered bus". The Panun Kashmir demanded setting up of defence panels in the state to deal with growing terrorism. "It is time that Mohalla-level defense committees are formed by the citizens to save the state", Chrungoo said. The death of a militant from downtown Srinagar has confirmed the theory that militants lurk all over the Valley, even in areas which the forces insisted are clear. What's more, friends from the state capital say there are several more militants in downtown Srinagar. The one killed in Budgam was a criminal even before he took up a gun. Before he led a mob to lynch a police officer on 22 June, he had murderously assaulted others he accused of being "informers". One of those was a news cameraman from the area, who was recording footage for his channel. That criminals have joined the militancy is only one among several disturbing trends, all of which point to a quantum leap in violence. Those who are pushing it have made enormous preparations. And they continue to get an enthusiastic response locally. It is therefore better to be prepared for hits than to find oneself reeling from the shocks. The Amarnath Yatra will go on until the beginning of August. Ironically, the immense resources of the state and the security establishment that are deployed here leave other parts of the Valley more exposed. Plus, as Monday's attacks showed, it is impossible to completely isolate the yatris. It is a good thing that relatively few yatris are registered this year, and very few of them engage in the sightseeing a day or two in Gulmarg and the Dal Lake that has been the norm following darshan in past years. The numbers being bandied about regarding the numbers of militants on the field are all underestimates. According to villagers in south Kashmir, a dozen or so new recruits have gone underground since the last week of June. Plus, security establishment wonks still seem to be overly focused on south Kashmir. According to the grapevine, large numbers of Pakistani militants lurk in the north. These have been trained in Pakistan, in areas where Chinese troops and other functionaries are also billeted. The worst thing policymakers can do is base their assessments and responses on what they remember or have heard of the 90s. That was a different time, a different militancy, a different public mood, a different world altogether. An important change is that it is tougher to draw a line between combatants and non-combatants. There are many teenagers in south Kashmir ready and willing to fight, except they lack arms. Until arms become available, they are dedicated to doing whatever they can for the militants in the field. Since there could be a quantum leap in the number of militants if more arms were to become available, one of the chief priorities of those in charge of security should be to further increase the protection around armouries and ammunition dumps. Another significant change is that large swathes of rural areas have become epicentres of militancy. This is particularly true of south Kashmir areas like Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts dominated by the Jamaat-e-Islami. From 1990-92, when a large number of Kashmiri groups were active, most of the groups were based in the old town of Srinagar. Hizbul, backed by Jamaat-e-Islami, dominated from 1993 on. Mercenaries and other locals assisted the forces when troops were initially deployed in vast numbers in rural Kashmir. By the time foreign militants, mainly from Lashkar-e-Taiba, took the lead, mostly from 1997 on, their battles were largely with the army and the BSF. By then, mercenaries, the army and the BSF had alienated Kashmiris again. So most Kashmiris were little more than spectators. The patterns have changed radically from those phases. This is a far more sophisticated war. Pakistan is again in the forefront of supporting it, but to analyse it through that prism is inadequate. Other world powers, including China, are also in play. Those who have planned and coordinated what is now unfolding have done their homework far more meticulously than those should have been putting together strategies to ensure that an insurgency or proxy war did not arise again. Instead, the latter (Indian policymakers and administrators) have actually helped to prepare the ground for what is unfolding. The worst part is that they are still doing it. The seniormost Kashmiri politician, who has deeply imbibed the idea of India, has stoked the fires for months, ably aided and abetted by one who has "handled" Kashmir for the Centre for the longest time. They and everyone else must understand that this is war-time, not time to seek political office. Jammu: A fresh batch of 3,500 pilgrims left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley on Thursday to perform the annual Amarnath Yatra. "A fresh batch of 3,500 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in an escorted convoy of 153 vehicles at 3.25 am," officials said in Jammu. The rush of devotees has continued unabated despite the terror attack on Monday in which seven pilgrims were killed and 19 others injured. The Jammu-Srinagar highway, which the pilgrims use to reach the valley, was closed on Wednesday due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in the Panthal sector of Ramban district. However, it was restored for traffic later in the evening. All vehicles carrying pilgrims have to cross the Jawahar Tunnel, the entry point into the valley, before 3.30 pm. This precaution has been taken by the authorities to ensure that the pilgrims reach the base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal well before sunset. Wednesday marked the 14th day of the yatra. So far this year, 1.68 lakh pilgrims have reached the shrine located at 3,888 metres above sea-level. The cave houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the size of the moon. Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva. The 40-day long Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine started on June 29 and will end on 7 August on Shravan Purnima coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival. Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir BJP on demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the 10 July terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in which seven persons were killed and 19 injured. Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Anil Gupta said that an NIA probe becomes all the more necessary in view of the inputs on public domain. "The local police has reportedly held Lashkar terrorist Abu Ismail responsible for carrying out the attack with the assistance of local Hizbul Mujahideen cadre. "There is adequate suspicion of Pakistan and PoK-based international terrorist Syed Salahuddin, Chairman of United Jihad Council (UJC), also being involved in masterminding the terror attack," he said. He claimed that the role on sleeper cells of the Lashkar-e-Taiba or the Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence operating outside the state cannot be ruled out. "Keeping in view the involvement of not only the terrorists but many other hidden hands, it becomes imperative that the investigation is entrusted to a specialised agency like the NIA," Gupta said. Srinagar: Security forces have launched a massive hunt for Pakistani national and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail who has emerged as the mastermind of the deadly terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, a senior police official said on Wednesday. The government has also sounded the "highest alert" across Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of Monday's attack in Anantnag district of Kashmir in which seven Amarnath pilgrims, including six women, were killed. Officials in Delhi, quoting intelligence inputs, said four terrorists, two of them Pakistanis, are suspected to have been involved in the attack. Ismail was the mastermind of the attack and he was assisted by another Pakistani and two local militants, they said. Ismail has been active in Valley for several years and had moved base to south Kashmir more than a year ago, the police official said in Srinagar. Proactive operations have been launched, mainly in south Kashmir, to track down Ismail as investigations including communication intercepts have pointed to his involvement in the attack on the pilgrims, he said. The official said the attack in Anantnag appears to be reprisal for killing of several LeT terrorists including top commander Bashir Lashkari in an encounter with security forces earlier this month. "The terrorists are frustrated at the back-to-back losses suffered by them during counter-insurgency operations over the past month or so and have now resorted to attacking civilians and tourists," he said. A home ministry offical indicated in New Delhi that the anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir would be intensified as he said the security agencies have been told to implement security plans with full vigour. The Anantnag attack on the pilgrims came on the same day when police announced arrest of a module of LeT including a Hindu terrorist hailing from Muzaffaranagar in Uttar Pradesh. Targeting of the pilgrims has led to a massive outrage in Kashmir, with people of the Valley saying that such incidents go against the concept of composite culture and Kashmiriyat. Meanwhile, as the annual pilgrimage continues, the central government issued the "highest alert" in Jammu and Kashmir. The alert was issued after a central ministerial team comprising Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir visited Kashmir and held extensive discussions with the top brass of the security establishment, Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on the prevailing situation. "Considering the unfortunate loss of life and injuries suffered by the yatris (pilgrims) in the recent terror attack, the entire security apparatus has been put on the highest alert by the ministers," a home ministry statement said. The ministers visited Srinagar following a directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. They discussed the security situation in detail with the chief minister and the governor, before holding an in-depth security review with the local army commander, the chief secretary, the police chief and senior officers of the state government, the DG of the CRPF, and senior officers of BSF and other security agencies, the statement said. The central ministers stressed that the entire country was with the Kashmiris and the pilgrims and that all arrangements for a safe and secure pilgrimage would continue with renewed vigour. So far, more than 1.5 lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine located in the mountainous region of south Kashmir. The 40-day long pilgrimage will conclude on 7 August. The home minister yesterday took stock of the situation in Kashmir Valley, particularly on the routes to the shrine located in the Himalayas at an altitude of 12,756 feet, during an hour-long meeting. As many as 21,000 paramilitary personnel in addition to state police forces have been deployed for security of the pilgrimage routes. The number of paramilitary personnel deployed this year is 9,500 more than last year. New Delhi: Four terrorists, two of them Pakistanis, are suspected to have been involved in the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in which seven devotees were killed, home ministry officials said on Wednesday. Quoting intelligence inputs, the officials said Pakistani national and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail was the mastermind of Monday's attack and he was assisted by another Pakistani and two local militants. A massive manhunt has been launched for the four terrorists, who are also believed to have used two motorcycles to escape from the scene after attacking the pilgrims bus, officials said. They said the Gujarat registered bus, which was attacked, reached at Jammu on 7 July and got registered at Amarnath shrine facilitation centre. Initially, the bus was part of the regular convoy of the pilgrims and travelled together till Baltal. The pilgrims in the bus paid their obeisance at the cave shrine on 8 July and returned. On the way back, the pilgrims left the convoy and drove to Srinagar. The Gujarati pilgrims stayed in Srinagar for two days as tourists. On 10 July, around 4.30 pm, they left Srinagar for Katra. The vehicle got punctured at a place 10 km away from Khanabal around 6.30 pm. Then the passengers went down and had food at a roadside eatery. When the bus resumed its journey, it came under attack from the terrorists at Khanabal around 2017 hours. Facing the bullets, the driver of the bus, Salim Sheikh, charged past the area but had to face another group of terrorists after crossing just 75 metres. The driver again did not stop the bus despite facing the terrorist attack for the second time in quick succession. The bus was finally stopped at a police point after a few kilometres and the policemen on duty took the pilgrims to the Anantnag police line where the injured were given first aid before being shifted to a hospital, officials said. New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah will over the next two days meet party's Delhi unit leaders and eminent citizens as part of his efforts to strengthen the organisation across the country. He will hold meetings with the core group and office bearers of Delhi BJP at the NDMC Convention Centre Friday and visit the local unit office on 15 July, the party said in a statement. Shah will also meet MPs, MLAs, district presidents, general secretaries tomorrow, it said. He will also interact with BJP's municipal councillors and members of Delhi cantonment in another meeting. He will also review the ongoing exercise to mark the birth centenary of party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. Shah will meet members of various departments of the state unit and also speak to the mayors and standing committee members of all three municipal corporations of Delhi on 15 July, the party said. All the seven Lok Sabha MPs from the national capital belong to the BJP, and it also has majority in all three corporations. Shah's two-day programmes in the city are part of his 110-day nation-wide tour across the country to strengthen the party, it said. The party has claimed that more than 4,00,000 of its workers across the country have pledged to give either 15 days, or six months or one year as full-timers to strengthen it at the booth level. Guwahati: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said a high-level inter-ministerial team would visit Assam within a month to assess damages by the floods, which have claimed at least 44 lives so far. Rijiju toured flood-ravaged Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli districts along with senior central and state government officials. Rijiju said that sufficient emergency fund has already been released to the state, which can currently utilise Rs 500 crore available under State Disaster Response Force fund, Dhemaji Deputy Commissioner Roshni Aparanji Korati told PTI. Earlier in the day, he visited Lakhimpur and met victims, who have taken shelter on an embankment following inundation of their houses by Ranganodi river. "The Centre is very concerned about the flood situation in Assam. It will provide all assistance to the state to cope up with the situation. We have already released the money under SDRF fund. If required, more money will come in," the Union minister of state for home told reporters. He said the water resources and the public works departments have been instructed to repair the damaged embankments and roads urgently to minimise the impact. Rijiju was accompanied by NITI Aayog Joint Secretary Vikram Singh Gaur, Assam Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Doley along with other senior officials. Forty-four people have lost their lives this year due to the floods in Assam while over 17 lakh people have been affected across the state. Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh, meanwhile, called Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday and expressed concern over the impact of floods in Assam. According to an official release, Singh conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deep anguish over the loss of lives and properties in the current floods in the state. "The Centre is very much with the people of Assam at this time of crisis and assures all possible help to normalise the situation," he was quoted to have said. Singh also said that the prime minister has entrusted him with all responsibilities to extend all help from the Centre so that the state can tide over the impact of the flood. The statement said that Sonowal has directed the resident commissioner of Assam Bhawan in New Delhi to liaison with the DoNER Ministry and furnish an exhaustive account of the loss in terms of lives and properties in the current flood. New Delhi: A majority of the members of a parliamentary committee on Thursday asked the CBI to move the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's 2005 order quashing proceedings in the Bofors case, two MPs on the panel said. CBI director Alok Verma faced questions from the members of the sub-committee on defence attached to the Public Accounts Committee on why the premier investigating agency did not approach the apex court after the Delhi High Court dismissed proceedings in the case in 2005. The six-member PAC sub-committee on defence is looking into non-compliance of certain aspects of the CAG report of 1986 on the Bofors howitzer gun deal. Verma and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra were among the officials who appeared before the panel headed by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab. During the meeting, several members including Mahtab and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that the CBI should "reopen" the case and file a fresh plea in the apex court, the two members who were present at the meeting said on condition of anonymity. Both the MPs are from different political parties. The Bofors scandal relating to alleged payment of kickbacks in procurement of howitzer artillery guns had triggered a massive political storm and led to the fall of the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1989. The CBI wanted to approach the Supreme Court in 2005 after the Delhi High court quashed the Bofors case but it was denied permission by the then UPA government, Dubey said. In his remarks at the meeting, Mahtab said the sub-committee wanted to pursue the matter with "full vigour" as there were "systemic failures" in the contract signed with Bofors, said one of the two members. "The case is a clear example of systemic failure and reflection of criminality. Therefore, the panel feels that CBI must seek permission from the government to reopen the case by filing a plea in Supreme Court," Dubey and Mahtab told the meeting. In a note submitted to the panel, the defence ministry said that after the Delhi High Court quashed the Bofors case in May 2005, the CBI had approached the government for permission to contest the order in the Supreme Court which was denied. Later, an advocate Ajay Kumar Agrawal moved the apex court challenging the High Court's order. The CAG report on Bofors is the oldest "pending" report before the PAC. The main function of the PAC is to examine the audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India after it has been laid in Parliament. Additional police force was deployed at Churchgate railway station in Mumbai on Thursday after the police were informed about an impending bomb blast. The information came through an anonymous caller to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control room at around 10:45 am warning about a bomb planted at the busy Churchgate station in the morning, CNN News18 reported. #BREAKING - Searches being conducted at Churchgate station, Mumbai after a call was received saying there will be a blast at the station. pic.twitter.com/k5OTb0MZMt News18 (@CNNnews18) July 13, 2017 Security was immediately tightened, Mumbai Mirror reported, creating a brief panic reaction among the commuters. The RPF and other security agencies launched a search operation involving among other agencies the Mumbai Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad which lasted for about two hours-and-a-half. However, after conducting a thorough search of the station, the police said that the warning turned out to be a hoax. "In the search operation, the agencies did not find anything. As a precautionary measure, security has been tightened at all the stations, including Churchgate," Western Railway's chief public relations officer (CPRO) Ravinder Bhakar told PTI. Mumbai: Nothing suspicious found in the unclaimed bag in a local train at Churchgate station. pic.twitter.com/FXoCL4e2Sw ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 #Bomb scare at #Churchgate station: @Central_Railway gets a call at 11:10 am about the bomb, cops search trains with sniffer dogs pic.twitter.com/o7vjTCc5hN Mumbai Mirror (@MumbaiMirror) July 13, 2017 Both the RPF and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are keeping a close watch at the station and on trains. The police are now making efforts to trace the person who telephoned the Railway Police Force (RPF). Sachin Bhalode, senior divisional security commissioner of RPF (Mumbai division), said, "Security has been stepped up at all the suburban railway stations and we have asked officials to conduct proper security checks." With inputs from IANS Mumbai: Twenty women MPs on Thursday visited Byculla jail in Mumbai, days after a female convict died of alleged torture by the jail staff. The MPs, part of the Parliamentary Empowerment of Women committee, interacted with the inmates for about an hour. "The 20-member delegation of women MPs visited the jail," ADG Prisons BK Upadhyay told PTI. He, however, declined to divulge details of the visit. NCP MP Vandana Chavan, who was part of the delegation, said the visit would help the women MPs get a better understanding of problems faced by the inmates. "We will suggest changes in policies of the jail administration if needed," she told PTI. The police had last month registered a case of murder against six staffers of the jail in connection with the death of Manju Govind Shete. The 45-year-old inmate died at state-run JJ Hospital on 23 June after allegedly being beaten up by jail staff. Six people, including female jailer Manisha Pokharkar, were arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch. The jail also launched an internal inquiry into the matter. Shete's death had sparked a riot in the jail, leaving five police personnel and the prison staff injured. Nearly 200 inmates, including Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, had been booked for rioting and other offences. Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Thursday said the Centre is considering creating a social security fund. He also said the central government would start the registration process for the multi-facility 'Unorganised Workers Identification Number' (UWin) card, in the next one or two months. "Going forward, if required, a social security fund will be created. The creation of a social security fund is under our consideration. A committee has already been set up for that," Dattatreya told reporters in Kolkata after inaugurating the new office building of the Employee's State Insurance Corporation. He said the existing social security benefits like employees' provident fund, employees' state insurance are contributory in nature. However elaborating on the UWin card, which is meant for covering unorganised labourers for giving social benefits to them, he said the Centre is aiming to cover 43 crore such labourers under the identity card scheme. "We will be starting the registration of the UWin card in the next one or two months. It will be Aadhaar linked," Dattatreya said. In the first phase, the Centre wants to cover 10 crore unorganised workers under the UWin card, the minister said, adding that state governments are required to participate in the scheme actively. Speaking of the retirement fund body EPFO's investments in the stock market, he said the Centre has decided to invest 15 percent of its investible fund to exchange traded fund (ETF) in 2017-18. Around Rs 23,000 crore of the Rs 1.5 lakh crore of investible funds of the Employee's Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will be invested in ETF in the current fiscal, the minister said. "We have got 12.36 percent return (from investments in exchange traded fund) which is encouraging," he said. "We have invested around Rs 22,000 crore in the ETF in 2016-17. Further, we will be investing another Rs 23,000 crore in 2017-18 which will come to Rs 45,000 crore by end of the current fiscal year," Union Ministry of Labour and Employment's secretary M Sathiyavathy added. China on Wednesday dispatched troops to its first overseas naval base in Djibouti. This is being seen as a major step forward for the country's expansion of its military presence abroad. Ships carrying Chinese military personnel departed from Zhanjiang in southern China's Guangdong Province. The base will ensure China's performance of missions, such as escorting, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and West Asia. It will also be conducive to overseas tasks, including military cooperation, joint exercises, evacuating and protecting overseas Chinese and emergency rescue, as well as jointly maintaining security of international strategic seaways, a report on the website of Chinas defence ministry states. China signed an initial 10-year lease for the base and will pay $20 million per year in rent. It started building the base, which is the country's first naval base abroad, last year and it will be stationed just a few miles from Camp Lemonnier, the only permanent US base in Africa since 2002. Djibouti also hosts troops from France and Japan. The US pays $63 million a year to lease Camp Lemonnier. The US Department of Defense had said in a report that the base, along with regular naval vessel visits to foreign ports, reflects and amplifies China's growing influence. The Chinese defence ministry however, rejected the assessment, saying "China is not doing any military expansion and does not seek a sphere of influence." Beijing seeks to gain access to natural resources and open new markets and therefore, it has made extensive infrastructure investments throughout the African continent. Djibouti might have been chosen because of its relative stability and its strategic location, 20 miles across from war-consumed Yemen and in destroyer range of the pirate-infested western edge of the Indian Ocean, according to this article in The Huffington Post. Since 2014, Djibouti has been seen as a strategic location offering some of the most prime military real estate, according to PRI. Major militaries of the world seek a presence there to shore up regional stability and to counter piracy threatening the trade route. Its location, near the Mandeb Strait and the Suez-Aden canal, aids global commerce. These places see almost 10 percent of the world's oil exports. However, Chinese officials have downplayed the importance of the Djibouti base. They say that it will largely support anti-piracy operations. Beijing also said that China was not budging from its "defensive" military policy and that the base did not indicate an "arms race or military expansion," The New York Times reported. Threat to US Camp Lemonnier? China's expanding presence and its base at Djibouti is a matter of concern for the US. The Huffington Post quoted political analyst Lai Yueqian as saying, "The base can be used to pin down the United States and any US-led organisations." If the US wants to intervene against China's interests, they will have to think carefully, because China will use their military to protect their citizens and their property, he added. US' Camp Lemonnier is home to about 4,000 personnel and some of them are involved in secret missions, including targeted drone killings in West Asia and the Horn of Africa, according to Boston Globe. With the Chinese base coming up in Djibouti, the US harbours concerns that they can scope out some of the military strategies of Washington. With Chinese banks being the major funders of at least 14 projects in the tiny nations, valued at about $14.4 billion, US officials wonder about the long-term durability of the US-Djibouti alliance. The US has also been using its base to provide technical and intelligence assistance to Saudi Arabia in its war against the Houthi militia in Yemen. China has plans to grow its navy to 351 ships by 2020, according to a report published in Business Insider. The 2014 US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in the report, "Given Chinas growing navy and the US Navy's planned decline in the size of its fleet, the balance of power and presence in the region is shifting in Chinas favour." Should India be wary of the Chinese base? While countering the US may be an objective that can be fulfilled in the far off future, the immediate aim is to focus on the vicinity. The Chinese Navys growing presence should also rattle India. The Hindustan Times reported that with Djibouti, China has stepped up activity in the Indian Ocean, which India considers within its sphere of influence. Beijing is also building ports and other infrastructure in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. China also plans to take over the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka as part of a debt swap to firm up its naval operations in the Indian Ocean, much to the disquiet of India. Placed at the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean, the naval base represents the "first pearl of a necklace". India feels it is part of China's strategy to encircle the Indian subcontinent with the help of military alliances in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar, as The Times of India points out. The report of China sending its troops to Djibouti comes soon after India, Japan and the United States completed their joint maritime exercise. Although the Indian officials have dismissed reports that the exercise is being targeted at Beijing, the Chinese media has said that the exercises may be a concern for them because the Indian Ocean Region is considered economically important for Asia's largest economy. This growing partnership has forced China closer to Pakistan, according to Newsweek. Pakistan already hosts the China-built Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. China also continues to assert vast territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Chinas growing military is expected to help it in countering the disputes involving South China and East China Sea. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: In a span of 20 days, the Coast Guard has intercepted two suspicious foreign ships off the Gujarat coast which had departed from foreign ports but were not scheduled to enter any Indian port, the maritime security agency said on Thursday. On 10 July, the Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft, on surveillance mission, sighted an unfamiliar boat adrift at sea. The aircraft immediately informed the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Prahari in the area for investigation, the agency said in a statement. The boat, Al Bome Marize from Yemen, was intercepted and a Coast Guard team boarded it. Initial investigations revealed that the foreign boat with six crew (three from Yemen, two from Tanzania and one from Somalia), developed an engine problem on 10 June while operating off the Yemen coast and has been adrift since then. "The boat was searched for illegal contraband or consignment. Thereafter, the boat was towed to Porbandar by a Coast Guard ship for investigation by a joint interrogation team which presently is in progress to verify crew credentials. Two GPS sets were also recovered from the vessel," the statement added. In a similar incident, a Dhow MSV AL Ariz was intercepted by Coast Guard ship on 22 June while manoeuvering suspiciously off Gulf of Kutch and not replying on VHF, the statement said. The Dhow loaded with sugar, cement, rice and five used cars had departed from Sharjah, UAE on 21 May for passage to Mukalla port in Yemen. The dhow with 11 Indian crew was checked and then escorted by a Coast Guard ship to Mundra for joint investigation and rummaging. During initial interrogation, the Master stated that he decided to head towards Indian Coast for shelter due to inclement weather. It also emerged that communication system was also switched off during the passage. The crew, alongwith 10 mobile phones and two GPS sets, have been handed over to police and the custom authorities by the Coast Guard. "A thorough investigation and analysis by a Joint team of Coast Guard, Police, Intelligence Bureau and Customs is in progress," the Coast Guard said. A 40-year-old man was reportedly thrashed by four men in Nagpur's Bharsingi area on Wednesday, on the suspicion of carrying cow meat. All four accused have been arrested in the case based on video evidence, News18 said. News agency ANI tweeted a video of the purported incident of cow vigilantism, where a man can be seen being dragged off his two-wheeler and assaulted by some men while people around him remained mute spectators. #WATCH: Man beaten up for allegedly carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi, no arrests have been made yet. #Maharashtra (July 12th) pic.twitter.com/JiFAZMfRSS ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 News18 reported that the man named Ismail Shah was travelling on his two wheeler when four men stopped him and accused him of carrying cow meat. Shah , reportedly pleaded with the accused that the meat was not beef but the assailants paid no heed and continued to thrash the man. The report further added that all accused belong to Prahar Sangathan. The incident is the latest addition to the growing list of incidents of cow-related violence, where self-styled vigilante groups resort to violence in the name of cow protectionism. Lately, a 17-year-old Muslim boy, Hafiz Junaid was stabbed to death when he, along with his brothers, was returning home to Khandawli village in Ballabgarh after shopping for Eid in Delhi. The tiff that started over a train berth blew up, with the mob accusing the Muslim men of carrying beef in their food packets. The rise in incidents of mob lynching and attacks on Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protectionism have also fuelled widespread public outrage. Hundreds of people gathered across cities in India, with the campaign tag 'Not In My Name', to protest the orchestrated violence against a select few minority groups across the country, on 28 June. The rise in such incidents come despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's repeated appeals to shun violence in the name of cow vigilantism. Modi, on 29 June had strongly condemned the incidents of violence. "No person in this nation has the right to take the law in his or her own hands... non-violence is our way of living and killing human beings in the name of gau bhakti (reverence for cows) is unacceptable," the prime minister said. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena, a ruling coalition partner in Maharashtra, as well as the opposition Congress and the NCP on Thursday condemned an incident in Nagpur district where a man was allegedly thrashed by some people on the suspicion that he was carrying beef. The BJP, on the other hand, sought to play it down, calling it a stray incident. "Lynchings of people over suspicion of carrying beef started in UP and it has now spilled over to our progressive state. To make the matters worse, this has happened in the RSS heartland. If this continues, there will be a chaos in the country," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI. "How can it be that the prime minister warns gau-rakshaks, but (still) they ignore him? We think there is an ulterior motive behind this. An attempt is being made to shift the focus away from the Modi government's failure to retaliate strongly against the terrorists who killed Amarnath pilgrims," she said. The Sena leader also said that Maharashtra should have a full-time home minister. At present, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handles the portfolio among other departments. "It high time that Maharashtra got a full-time home minister. The law and order situation has hit its lowest point in last three years," Kayande said. BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said that despite the prime minister's warning, one cannot "get into the minds" of those resorting to violence. "One cannot get into the minds of these people. We condemn this incident, but one cannot term it a failure of law and order because this is a stray incident," he said. "No party would support such actions. The accused do not have the right to beat anybody. They could have handed him (the victim) over to the police and the law would have taken its own course," Shetty added. State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said the continuance of such incidents showed that "nobody takes the prime minister seriously". "More than 27 people have been lynched in the country. This issue is becoming serious with every passing day. It shows nobody takes the prime minister seriously," He said. The Congress will raise the issue in the Monsoon Sessions of Parliament and the state Assembly and make this government answerable, the former chief minister said. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik asked if Fadnavis can ensure that such incidents won't happen again. "After Gujarat and Haryana, now it is Maharashtra's turn. The chief minister hails from Nagpur, so the gravity of the incident is greater. Will he ensure that this does not happen again?" he said. The chief minister should enlighten the BJP and the RSS workers about the difference between cow meat and buffalo meat as the latter was not banned, the NCP leader said. Salim Ismail Sheikh (31), resident of Katol town, was allegedly thrashed by a group of people on the suspicion that he was carrying beef at Bharsingi village in Nagpur district on Wednesday night. The police have arrested four persons in this connection. New Delhi: Union minister Mahesh Sharma on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "another" Mahatma Gandhi who, like the father of the nation, had inspired many generations. The culture minister was speaking at the launch of a book on Gandhi's salt satyagraha. "Today among us, we are fortunate to have another Gandhiji in the form of our prime minister who is like an inspiration," Sharma said. The minister, while talking about Gandhi's contribution to the independence struggle, noted that the salt satyagraha was not just about a pinch of salt, but about inspiring generations, something that the prime minister was also espousing. "He (PM) started with the promise that the glow of freedom would reach every person in the country. His dream is to fulfil the dreams of Gandhiji. The ministry of culture is duty bound and committed to spreading his dreams and thoughts throughout the world for the sake of humanity," Sharma said. The salt march, also known as the dandi march and salt satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India, initiated by Gandhi in 1930, to produce salt from seawater in coastal village of Dandi. The book 'Historical Background to the Imposition of Salt Tax under the British Rule in India (1757-1947) and Mahatma Gandhis Salt Satyagraha (1930-31) against the British Rule Background' has been authored by YP Anand, former director, National Gandhi Museum. "This book is extremely important for India, especially in the present times, wherein there is a need for humanity in the world," the minister added. Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday held a meeting with senior officials to take stock of the situation in Darjeeling hills where fresh arson and violence have been reported. Official sources said chief secretary Malay De, home secretary Atri Bhattacharya, DGP Surajit Kar Purkayastha and three IPS officers entrusted to oversee the law and order situation of the hills were at the meeting with Banerjee. The three IPS officers are Javed Shamim, Siddhanath Gupta and Ajay Nanda. Banerjee, who came to the secretariat after a three-day tour to Digha to hold administrative meetings there, was briefed about the current situation in the hills, sources said. However, what transpired in the meeting is not known. A GTA office, a railway station and a forest bungalow were torched and several vehicles were damaged in the hills by agitators demanding separate Gorkhaland state the 29th day of the indefinite shutdown today. State Tourism minister Gautam Deb also alleged that GJM activists hurled stones at him when he had gone there to attend a programme. New Delhi: The Delhi government will run six "GST help vans" in commercial areas to address traders' problems arising out of the new tax regime, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday. The government has also decided to set up help desks in small markets to help the traders there, he said. The decision was taken after Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, held a meeting with senior officers of the trade and taxes department on the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "Government officials will be appointed at these two facilities," Sisodia posted on Twitter. He also said the Delhi government's GST facilitation centres addressed various issues of hundreds of people. On 30 June, a day before the GST's implementation, Sisodia had said that GST might end up in a "huge mess" if concerns over the new tax regime were not resolved in time. "Special GST software has been tested. It is not foolproof, but they (the Centre) are going ahead with the launch. I do not understand the need for such a haste. The GST is a great idea, but its implementation is not," he had said at an event. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said that the ongoing Delhi University admissions would be affected by the outcome of a plea by students seeking re-evaluation of answer sheets of their Class XII examination held this year. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said there was a possibility of change in merit position of the students who had applied for re-evaluation, thus making them eligible for admissions. "Therefore, as a matter of abundant caution, the students who are seeking admission as well as the colleges need to be kept informed about the pendency of the writ petition and the fact that the process of re-evaluation of marks by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the request of some of the students is underway. As a result, the merit position of the students could change substantially," the high court said. It also said that the admissions effected pursuant to the CBSE examination this year shall be subject to the final outcome of the present writ petition. "It shall be the responsibility of the Delhi University to make public as well as inform all the colleges regarding this position and put the students, seeking admission to the courses, to notice about the order passed today," it said and asked the varsity to file within a day their status report to this effect. The court's direction came after it was informed that it had in 2014 observed that re-evaluation of result was meaningless if its benefit was not given to a student. "No candidate will be able to use re-evaluation if he/she is denied admission despite improvement in his marks," the court had said while hearing a plea by a student challenging the denial of admission to him by Shri Ram College of Commerce despite an increase of two per cent in his marks after the re-evaluation of his result. The students, who have sought re-evaluation this year, also cited a 2010 Delhi High Court judgment in which the court had recorded Delhi University's statement that admissions could be given till the last cut-off list was announced. Taking note of this, the bench noted that "the applicability of the directions passed in the previous judgments require to be examined. The above directions would bind the consideration by this court as well". The court was told about the decisions by senior advocate Sanjay Poddar, representing four students who have moved against the CBSE's 28 June notice imposing conditions that the right of applying for scrutiny was limited to 12 subjects only and up to 10 questions per subject. The high court, in a significant order, had asked the CBSE to re-evaluate the answer sheets of all the subjects of all students who wrote the class XII examination this year and have sought re-evaluation. The CBSE was directed to give benefit of the scheme of scrutiny to students who have a grievance that their answer books have not been checked as per the marking scheme. The CBSE had issued the notice in pursuance to a statement before the high court during the hearing of a batch of pleas that the aggrieved students could now approach the board under its verification scheme. On the submission made by the CBSE, the bench on 23 June had disposed of the petitions. However, a group of four students again moved the high court on the ground that the stipulations in the notice were in blatant violation of the statement made before the court. Their counsel told the bench that the CBSE had in fact misled the court into disposing of the writ petitions in terms of the said statement. Taking note of this, the bench observed that prima facie, the petitioners have made out a case for grant of interim orders. The court had also issued notices to the Centre, CBSE and the Delhi University on the plea and sought their replies within ten days. The matter has been fixed for further hearing on July 26. Ahmedabad: The '108' emergency ambulance service was partially hit on Thursday in three districts of Gujarat as its operating staff went on an indefinite strike, an official said. The employees have been demanding pay hike and reinstatement of their sacked colleagues, he said. There are 585 such ambulances deployed across Gujarat state by GVK EMRI. Out of these, around 40 vehicles have been non-operational since Thursday morning as the staff suddenly announced to go on strike, GVK EMRI's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gujarat operations, Jaswant Prajapati said. Each ambulance usually has an emergency management technician and a driver. "The call for strike was first given by the staffers of Mehsana 108 service, as we have initiated an inquiry against some of them and also took action in the recent past. Later, some staff members in Navsari district and Surat city joined the strike," Prajapati said. "Out of the total 585 ambulances currently deployed across the state, around 40 are not in service as its staffers are on strike. Of these 40 ambulances, 15 are in Mehsana, 12-13 in Navsari and also 12-13 in Surat," he said. "The agitating employees want pay hike and reinstatement of the staff members who were sacked earlier," Prajapati said. He said the strike is illegal and can attract punitive action. "Since the 108 ambulance service is covered under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), it is illegal for its staff to go on strike," Prajapati said. "Our priority is to ensure that people get the emergency service on time. We may deploy new staff to run these ambulances if the agitating employees do not return to their jobs," he said. Meanwhile, Gujarat health minister Shankar Chaudhary urged the company as well as district collectors concerned to resolve the issue to minimise the possible hardship that the strike may cause to people. "Our government has asked the company to take this issue seriously and try to resolve it as soon as possible. We have also instructed the respective district collectors to ensure that people do not suffer due to the strike," Chaudhary told reporters in Gandhinagar. Crittenden County Election Results 2022 Live From the Courthouse Audio Will Begin with Results CONTESTED RACE RESULTS: Sheriff : Evan Head defeated Don Young District 6 Magistrate... Election board investigates complaint Crittenden County Board of Elections has investigated a complaint filed this morning against a local candidate, but no infraction was found... Old City Lake rises amid recent rains Marion's Old City Lake has risen about six inches in the past week or so thanks to recent rainfall. "It's kind of weird," ... Mt. Zion Cemetery Road closing for repairs next week Crittenden County will have a daytime closing of Zion Cemetery Road in the western part of the county beginning Monday, Nov. 14 and lasting... Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the absence of BJP leaders at a function to pay homage to the Kashmiris killed in the 1931 massacre for the third consecutive year, was due to their "vote bank" politics. "The bloodshed had happened during the Dogra rule (on this day in 1931). How could they (BJP leaders) come here? Their vote bank is there (in Jammu) and therefore it is quite obvious they will not accompany them (PDP leadership)," Abdullah said after paying floral tributes to the people killed at the graveyard at the famous Naqashband Sahib shrine in downtown Srinagar. BJP, which is an alliance partner of the ruling PDP, stayed away from the function for the third consecutive year since the coalition came into power. Abdullah, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, alleged that the two parties (PDP and BJP) had forged an alliance just for the sake of "power and loot". Quetta: Unidentified gunmen on motorcycles killed four policemen in southwest Pakistan on Thursday, the latest attack to target authorities in restive Balochistan province. The incident took place in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, which has been wracked by separatist and Islamist violence for more than a decade. Senior police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP that police superintendent Mubarak Shah was on his way to the office along with three police guards when the gunmen opened fire on their vehicle. "The attackers opened fire from different directions, killing Mubarak Shah and his three police guards," Cheema said, adding that gunmen then fled the scene. Mohammad Tayyab, a senior Quetta government official, confirmed the attack and casualties. Both described the incident as "an act of terrorism". No group has yet claimed responsibility. The killing came four days after a bomb killed a high-profile police chief and his guard while wounding 11 others in Chaman, a tense border town in southwestern Balochistan. Pakistan media reported the Islamic State group had claimed the Chaman attack. The country has been battling Islamist and nationalist insurgencies in mineral-rich Balochistan 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. Panaji: Goa public works minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Thursday said he has ordered an inquiry to find out if any state government official took "bribe" from the US-based CDM Smith Inc for highway construction contract. "I have asked for an inquiry to be conducted whether any bribe has been accepted by officials in Goa. The report would be submitted within 10 days," Dhavalikar told PTI on Thursday. Goa's Public Works Department (PWD) principal chief engineer Uttam Parsekar has been asked to conduct the inquiry and submit the report to the minister. Union Road Transport, Shipping and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari yesterday promised strict action against anyone found guilty in the case. The road transport and highways ministry governs the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) whose unidentified officials are said to have been paid bribe by the US firm between 2011 and 2015 to secure highway construction supervision and design contracts and the water project contract in Goa. The Criminal Division of the US Justice Department had recently said that the US company, through its employees and agents, and those of its wholly-owned subsidiary in India (CDM India), paid approximately $1.18 million (about Rs 6.7 crore) in bribes to government officials in India, resulting in approximately $4 million in net profit. Between 2011 and 2015, employees of CDM Smith's division responsible for India operations and CDM India illegally paid bribes to NHAI officials in order to receive contracts from them, the Justice Department said in the letter to CDM Smith. In addition, the CDM Smith's division responsible for India and CDM India paid $25,000 to local officials in Goa in relation to a water project contract, it said. Gadkari had on Wednesday said the alleged bribes were paid when the previous UPA government was in power and he ordered a probe immediately after the allegations came to light. Panaji: Two more holy crosses were allegedly desecrated by unidentified persons in south Goa's Loutolim village today, a police official said. The locals in Loutolim, located around 40 kilomtres from here, found the two crosses vandalised this morning, he said. "The incidents seem to have happened in the wee hours," inspector Harish Madkaikar of Maina-Curtorim police station said. One of the crosses is suspected to have been desecrated after 4 am as a bread seller, who passed by the spot around that time, claimed to have seen the symbol intact, he said. The two desecrated crosses were located at a distance of around 3 kilometres from each other, Madkaikar said. A team of police personnel soon rushed at the spot and launched an investigation, he said. Goa has witnessed a spate of attacks on religious symbols since early this month. At least 11 holy crosses and a temple have been vandalised by unidentified persons in south Goa district since 1 July. Several gravestones were also allegedly damaged by unidentified persons at Curchorem town in south Goa on Sunday night. The state Congress earlier demanded that the investigation into the incidents be handed over to CBI. However, Vijai Sardesai, the leader of Goa Forward Party, which is one of the alliance partners in the BJP-led state government, had said that the local police was capable of investigating the cases. In view of the incidents of defiling the religious symbols, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had last week held a high a high-level meeting with police officials. He asked all the police stations in the state to form special investigation teams to nab the accused at the earliest. The Goa Church also expressed a "deep pain" over the incidents of desecration of holy crosses. The Church feels these incidents seem to be designed by vested interests to provoke communal discord in the state, which is known for religious tolerance. Kolkata: The Nation Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) has shut down its hydel power plant at Ramdi in Darjeeling hills after a mob of over 600 people began agitation outside the plant site, a NHPC official said on Thursday. "We had shut down operation of Teesta Low Dam III plan of 132 MW as a precaution after a mob over than 600 people gheraoed the site and began agitation," the NHPC official told PTI. The official said the regional head of NHPC is slated to meet the West Bengal Power secretary in Kolkata on Thursday to discuss the issue. "We had already written to state power secretary, chief secretary, district magistrate to beef up security at the NHPC installations in Darjeeling district," the official said. NHPC will resume power generation at Ramdi plant once it gets assurance of security of the unit, officials said. NHPC has another unit Teesta Low dam IV of 160MW in Darjeeling hills. Pro-Gorkhaland supporters had on Wednesday set ablaze a panchayat office and damaged a few government vehicles in Darjeeling hills on the 28th day of the indefinite shutdown. The agitation spearhead Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) took out a rally at Chowkbazar in Darjeeling town on Wednesday with the body of Ashok Tamang, who died on Tuesday night in a hospital where he was admitted after being allegedly injured in Saturday's clashes between the police and GJM supporters. New Delhi: The heads of a few IITs have urged the government to extend grants for research to foreign scholars taking up teaching or research jobs at the Indian Institutes of Technology. Foreign nationals are not eligible for funding for research projects which comes mostly from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), an IIT director said. "The government wants to extend grant facilities only to Indian-origin candidates (NRIs), and we believe that it is unfair to the others," the director told PTI on the condition of anonymity. He said some IIT heads had recently approached the HRD ministry, asking it to take the issue up with the DST. "Keeping foreign nationals out of the purview of the major chunk of funding available to faculty members at IIT also discourages them from taking up jobs here," the director added. At present, IITs can hire foreign nationals on a five-year contract, which can be renewed. The norms, however, do not permit them to take up permanent positions or to be eligible for any government funding for research projects. "We know relaxing the five-year criteria is not a feasible idea at present. However, granting them research funding can attract a lot of foreign scholars and our students can benefit from their expertise," the director said. Once the ministry takes the issue up with the DST, it would be discussed at IIT directors' meeting and ultimately go to the council for approval, the director said. While China may be breathing down Sikkim's neck, the bone of contention that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible is the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the chicken's neck. The 27-kilometre wide business township connects India with eight northeastern states. Sikkim, a border state, is being threatened on two frontiers. It requires special attention and we must quickly clear its only road link with the rest of country by resolving the dispute in Siliguri. Sikkim lends support for Gorkhaland In March 2011, the Sikkim Assembly passed a resolution supporting the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. In the recent Darjeeling unrest, Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling voiced his support for Gorkhaland, which brought Siliguri Corridor in West Bengal into turmoil. Siliguri's call for a united Bengal and its largely anti-Sikkim stand for supporting Gorkhaland has choked off the state's supply of essential commodities. The vandalism of Sikkim-registered vehicles at Siliguri has resulted in the state being deprived of resources. And, amidst such animosity with Siliguri, Sikkim is seeking to resolve the issue in two ways: From an economic point of view and to maintain contact with the mainland. The people are more worried about the Siliguri blockade than the rising tension on the Chinese frontier. Despite the face-off with China, Sikkim went ahead with its stance on clearing the National Highway 10 first. When the chief minister seeks 'urgent intervention' from the Union government to resolve the 'chaotic law and order situation in Siliguri', one observes the fear of China writ large. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling's stance Chamling, in his first public address on 6 July, said about the border standoff: "Sikkim did not merge with the Union to become sandwiched between China and Bengal. A fight may break out on Nathu La border. The area is tense. The people of Sikkim showed their patriotism by joining India." He has since reiterated his stance. The Opposition's stance The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha has slammed the chief minister use of words such as 'sandwiched' and 'merger' are anti-national rhetoric. MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha said on 10 July, "Chief minister cannot use words such as 'merger' after 42 years. We have adopted the Indian flag as our own since 1975. The conflict at hand is international in nature. His stance has emboldened China and given them an opportunity to rethink their stance and call for Sikkim independence." Rajnath Singh calls Pawan Chamling On 9 July, Union home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chamling and assured him of the government's support to ensure the safety and security of National Highway 10. Singh tweeted: I assured him that Centre will ensure the safety & security of NH 10 and do everything possible to save people of the state from any misery Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 9, 2017 Army at Nathu La pass According to reports, over the last few weeks, the Indian Army has deployed an increasing number of soldiers and machinery at the border with China. Media coverage at the border has been restricted and locals in east Sikkim are unwilling to speak on the sensitive issue. Trade with China continues Trade on the ancient Silk Route between India and China has been taking place since 2006. Despite the border row, trade continues through Nathu La, however, a drop in volume has been evident. Sikkim recognises the Karmapa Sikkim has recognised Orgyen Trinley Dorje, born in the Tibetan Autonomous Region as the 17th Karmapa. He will take over the disputed Rumtek Monastery throne in east Sikkim. At least 250 monasteries across the world come under the Karmapa. Sikkim denied Dorje's claim in the early 1990s, but changed their stance after the Dalai Lama gave his blessing in 1999 (despite China backing Dorje). Since then, the Karmapa has been embroiled in controversy. In 2011, he was accused of possessing large sums of Chinese currency in Dharamsala. However, India has made amends with Karmapa and the Tibetan government in exile by allowing him to travel to Arunachal Pradesh in December 2016, a move which China viewed suspiciously. In early 2017, the home ministry's Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) proposed that the Karmapa be allowed to travel to any part of the country, except the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. The sentiment in Sikkim is different. Denzong Lhadey Tsogpa, an organisation of monks and monasteries in Sikkim, has been on a hunger strike since 11 July, 2016. Over a year, they organised three rallies demanding that the Karmapa be allowed to visit Sikkim if not the Rumtek Monastery. The Buddhist community in Sikkim has been echoing this demand with the home ministry repeatedly during the same period. Singh and Union minister Kiren Rijiju have assured Denzong Lhadey Tsogpa that they are considering this demand, a move which could further inflame China. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra China and India may be at loggerheads at the tri-junction but it was the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathu La which brought the dispute between the countries into the limelight. The first batch of 47 pilgrims were denied entry via Nathu La on 20 June. The issue didn't come to light for a few days neither side gave it much play. Organisers in Sikkim were left scrambling for answers. The yatra, which had well over 400 pilgrims coming for the year was stalled. Initially, a landslide on the Chinese side was cited as the reason for denying the pilgrims entry, but the public knew better. Sikkim MP Prem Das Rai's response China's nefarious designs to stoke unrest came to light after a leading Chinese daily, in an editorial, questioned Sikkim's merger with India. Prem Das Rai, Sikkim's representative in Parliament, responded to the editorial thus: "Sikkim's merger with India is a settled issue. China de facto recognised it in 2003-2004 and de jure the next year. Even the maps have been redrawn. So why is China raking up this issue again?" Rai said, Three weeks into the standoff, we want our domestic issues, many of them near the chickens neck to be resolved expeditiously. The Chinese are aware of the strategic importance of moving the tri-junction further south towards this region. This cannot be allowed at any cost. Maintaining domestic peace is of the utmost importance. It is very clear what the Chinese are doing. They are hoping to fan anti-India sentiments in the region by readjusting lines on the map and disrupting settled geopolitical thinking. The danger is that the Chinese statements are aimed at finding resonance among radical elements in Sikkim". Kiren Rijiju's Sikkim visit Union minister Kiren Rijiju was in Sikkim the day after Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims were denied entry to China via Nathu La. Rijiju was instrumental in organising Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh in 2016. Since then, Denzong Lhadey Tsogpa monks have met Rijiju in Sikkim and New Delhi on multiple occasions. Rijiju's timely 21 June visit was seen by the people of Sikkim as a way to counter the border dispute with China. Public thinking went thus: The chief minister went to Delhi to discuss the Darjeeling unrest as well as the border issue with China. However, the reason for the CM's visit has not yet been made public. Sikkim's bond with India Sikkim, which has been part of the Union for 42 years, and despite having only two representatives in Parliament, has given the country its longest serving chief minister. India on the other hand, recognises Sikkim's special status under Article 371F of the Constitution which provides the people of Sikkim special rights and privileges. Even Opposition parties have, time and again, emphasised that Sikkim's special status must be kept intact. Sikkim has been 'Indianised' in education, culture and heritage. All government schools are under the Central Board of Secondary Education. Dussehra remains the biggest festival. Each morning, students begin their day with the National Anthem and the National Pledge. Sikkim's history and politics is taught in schools and colleges across the nation. The Indian government has invested in projects that have helped Sikkim flourish. In January 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recognised Sikkim as the first fully organic state. Despite a diverse populace, there has been no communal violence. Gangtok has even provided reservation in its urban body for Tibetans as well as businessmen from the mainland. New Delhi: India on Thursday asserted that cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the "heart" of the matter that was threatening regional peace and snubbed China for its offer to mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue, insisting it was a bilateral matter between it and Pakistan. India's strong reaction came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said China was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC). He also said the situation in Kashmir has attracted "international" attention. "At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India including on the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular source is threatening peace and stability in not only India but other neighbours," external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters. As far as the Kashmir issue itself is concerned, the government's position has been very consistent and clear, he asserted. "We have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan among other issues (including) Jammu and Kashmir in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan including the Kashmir issue in a bilateral framework has not changed," he Baglay said. He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India is against the use of chemical weapon anywhere by anyone in any situation. Baglay hit out at the Pakistan government for "reading" from Lashkar-e-Taiba's terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in July last year. It is a great coincidence that the 10-day annual India-US-Japan Malabar naval exercise began at a time (on 10 July) when India and China are locked in a serious standoff in the Sikkim region. India could not have timed it so well to send a maritime threat to China as a rebuff to the latter's threatening posture in the Himalayan region. After all, the Malabar exercise is an annual event and its timings are decided and preparations are made, at least, six months in advance. The Sikkim border bedlam which is barely a month-old could not have been anticipated while scheduling the Malabar drill. But there is no gainsaying that the India-US naval exercise has come to represent, in the last several years, a joint resolve to counter increasing Chinese hegemony in the territorial waters of the region. Both India and the US are coy in admitting it in so many words; naturally so, as both the countries do not want to openly antagonise a rising super-power like China. But everybody concerned knows it very well that the annual exercise is a constant reminder to China to rein in its expansionist designs. After all, China has been flexing its muscles in its backyard, the South China Sea, for the last several years pushing countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines, which are mostly aligned with the USA, to come under its umbrella. The Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte has somewhat drifted away from the US and has made common cause with China in the hope of larger economic aid. The US is certainly concerned that its hegemony in the territorial waters worldwide is being challenged by China. So it is looking for reliable partners to checkmate China everywhere. This suits India as well because China is the only other country, apart from Pakistan, which has been engaged in an adversarial relationship for years. The bigger threat is that Pakistan has become a satellite country of China. China-Pakistan axis, both military and economic, is writ large. China has helped Pakistan to develop its nuclear capability; it has provided military jets and submarines to Pakistan. It has helped develop the Gwadar port in Pakistan which would help China gain access to the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean. China has invested 46 billion dollars to build China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Naturally, India has to be wary of China which is rapidly emerging as a regional hegemony. The United States and India have, therefore, a shared objective to contain China. The Malabar exercise is meant to precisely do that, though the diplomatic sophistry describes it as a routine maritime drill. It was the foresight of P V Narasimha Rao, the prime minister in the early 1990s when the Cold War came to an end with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the international relations underwent a massive churning that India persuaded the USA to come together to protect their respective interests in the territorial waters. The joint exercise began in 1992 in a modest way; it went on to acquire greater muscle in the succeeding years. The Manmohan Singh government took the exercise several notches higher; in 2007, India invited Japan, Australia and Singapore to be part of the drill. The five-nation joint exercise infuriated China to such an extent that it issued demarches against the manoeuvre. Australia then backed out from the subsequent strategic dialogue (Quadrilateral Security Initiative) fearing the Chinese backlash. The Australian action displeased India to no end. Now, that Australia is facing the Chinese heat again and it wants to break free from the Chinese domination, it has been earnestly requesting India to re-admit it in the annual exercise. But India has stubbornly refused to accede to Australia's plea. Australia even pleaded to be given an observer status in the Malabar exercise; but, after dithering over it for a long time, India finally rejected the plea last month. There is a lingering view that India still looks upon Australia as an unreliable strategic ally. Many in India view Australia's burgeoning economic and political ties with China with suspicion. As an analyst said: "A section of New Delhi's policy elite believes that China's associations in Australia are so vast and intricate that Beijing may even have infiltrated Canberra's political establishment." While India has cast aside Australia's entreaties, it has had no hesitation in embracing Japan for two reasons: first, Japan has been also in an adversarial relationship with China and would be a strategic Asian ally of India in the eventuality of any maritime conflict in the region. Secondly, the USA has been pushing the case of Japan to build an India-Japan strategic relationship to counter the Chinese designs. Japan first joined the exercise in 2014. It has become a permanent fixture in the three-nation naval exercise since 2015. By admitting Japan to be an institutional part of the trilateral naval exercise, India has upped the ante against China. There is, of course, no doubt that China is far ahead of India, both economically and militarily. But India today is in a position to demonstrate it is no more a pushover. India's supreme confidence was manifest when the Narendra Modi government decided to boycott the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative of China; it also gave a miss to the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) showcased by Beijing in May this year in which almost 100 countries (including the USA, Japan and South Korea) and 29 heads of state (including the likes of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president) participated. India did not even send its ambassador in Beijing as a token representation as it wanted to bring home its objection to the creation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the disputed territory occupied by Pakistan. India's self-assuredness is again evident from its firm position in the Doklam border dispute; it has gone ahead and stopped Chinese construction of a road in the disputed territory and refused to back off despite serious threats from the Chinese authorities. The Malabar exercise is another assertion of India's self-confidence to conduct its foreign policy on its own terms, undeterred by the dispositions by other powers. The independent foreign policy is a legacy that India has succeeded in carrying on despite the changes in governments as well as policy prescriptions. The Indian Railways on Thursday launched two train services from Bhubaneswar and Bhopal to cater to growing demand of passengers from the region. Railways Minister @sureshpprabhu flags off 22163/64 Bhopal-Khajuraho Mahamana Intercity Express, through video confere. from Rail Bhavan pic.twitter.com/gzBM15kUTm PIB India (@PIB_India) July 13, 2017 The weekly 'Humsafar Express' was pressed into service from Bhubaneswar for Krishnarajapuram and daily 'Intercity Express' was launched between Bhopal and Khajuraho by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu through videoconferencing in Delhi. He also green-lit various passenger amenities at different stations. A foundation stone of mechanised laundry was also laid at Bhubaneswar, while WiFi services were made operational at Sambalpur and Vizianagaram stations. @RailMinIndia @eastcoastrail Dedication of WiFi services at Vizianagaram rly stn by Hon'ble Railway minister Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu pic.twitter.com/rfoZ4CMtBQ DRMWALTAIR (@drmwat_ecor) July 13, 2017 The Railways, in partnership with Google, provided free WiFi services at 110 stations last year. The national transporter has a target of providing WiFi facility to 200 stations by the end of 2017. "Providing better passenger amenities is one of the focus areas of Railways. Mechanised laundry and WiFi services add on to the travel experience," the railway minister said. @RailMinIndia @eastcoastrail the more facilities we provide the more development we can expect pic.twitter.com/vZD2tCbGVe DRMWALTAIR (@drmwat_ecor) July 13, 2017 Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occasion. Flagged off new trains & passenger services with @sureshpprabhu ji on railway routes & stations across Odisha, MP, AP & Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/5ty7EHrUnM Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 13, 2017 While there was a lot of excitement over the launch of Mahamana Expresse in Bhopal, enthusiastic passengers were allegedly unable to book a ticket as there was no information about the train on the official portal of the Indian railways, the Times of India reports. Hence they were unable to attend the maiden run of the train. Regardless, the railway minister launched the services with aplomb, adding that investments related to railway projects were increasing substantially in states like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Prabhu said that the Bhopal-Khajuraho Mahamana Express was cheaper than travelling by bus, as a bus commute would add up to Rs 500, and a similar train would cost Rs 170. He also stated that through these additions, the Indian Railways was contributing towards Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of bringing change in the lives of common people. With inputs from agencies. Islamabad: Growing India-Israeli military ties could push Pakistan and China to further forge defence cooperation, a Pakistani commentator said in remarks published on Thursday. "India's hectic efforts to enhance its military ties with Israel will probably make Pakistan and China foster their economic and defence cooperation in the region," independent researcher Ayaz Ahmed said in The News International newspaper. "Both Pakistan and China have recently come so close to each other that it appears rather elusive for India to pursue its hegemonic designs in the Indian Ocean region. "The more India militarily partners with other countries, the more Sino-Pakistan partnership becomes stronger to block Indian disruptive objectives in South Asia." Ahmed added, in the wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's path-breaking visit to Israel this month. Ahmed said India's decision to embrace Israel was also likely to turn the growing India-Iranian relations hostile. "If the Modi government continues to further cement military ties with Israel, Iran will probably hand over the strategically-important Chabahar Port to China and thereby shatter India's dreams to access the energy-rich Central Asia," the commentary said. "Pakistan should capitalise on the India-Israel bonhomie to bolster its relations with Iran and coordinate with Tehran to highlight the gross human rights violations being committed in Kashmir and Palestine." Ahmedabad: A special court in Ahmedabad on Thursday ordered the CBI to place before it all documents related to the probe in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case. The court of special CBI judge JK Pandya allowed the application moved by deputy superintendent of police Tarun Barot, a key accused in the case currently out on bail and serving as deputy superintendent of police of Railways. Barot had told the court that CBI earlier did not submit those documents to the court, which will adversely affect the case, and the court should take into account these documents for its satisfaction. The CBI will submit papers pertaining to the case, such as those involving investigations done by the crime branch, special investigation team (SIT). The documents include forensic reports, statements of witnesses, and scientific test reports conducted on police officers involved in the case. Barot, an accused in two alleged fake encounter cases of Ishrat Jahan and Sadiq Jamal, was listed in a charge sheet and arrested in both the cases and released on bail in June 2015. He superannuated in 2014 while still in jail, but the government appointed him on 13 October 2016 as DSP Western Railway, Vadodara, for a year on contractual terms. Mumbra-based college girl Ishrat, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in an alleged encounter with Gujarat Police on the outskirts of the city on 15 June 2004. The city crime branch had then said that those killed in the encounters were Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who had landed in Gujarat to kill the then chief minister Narendra Modi. The CBI, which took over the probe from the Gujarat High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), had filed the charge sheet in August 2013 saying that the encounter was fake and executed in the joint operation by the city crime branch and Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau. Mehsana: Dalit agitation spearhead Jignesh Mevani, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and 15 others were detained on Wednesday for taking out 'Freedom March' allegedly without permission on the first anniversary of Una flogging incident, the police said. Mevani, who is the convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, had invited Kumar to take part in the 'Azadi Kooch' (Freedom March) in Mehsana. A number of Dalit activists gathered at Somnath Chowk in Mehsana before embarking on the march towards Banaskantha district this afternoon, the police said. The Mehsana district authorities had cancelled the permission granted earlier to Mevani for taking out the march. "We have detained 17 persons from Fatehpura circle. Later, an FIR was registered under IPC section 143 against them for being a part of an illegal assembly. "We did not arrest them. They were let go afterwards," an official of the Mehsana 'A' division police station, where the FIR has been lodged, said. As per the schedule, 'Freedom March' will end at Dhanera town of Banaskantha district of north Gujarat after one week. The key agenda of this march is to mount pressure on the Gujarat government to allocate agricultural land to Dalits, so that they can start a new life with dignity, Mevani had announced last month. After being released, co-convener of the manch, Kaushik Parmar, who is also named in the FIR, announced that the march will continue as they have the permission to enter Unjha, their next destination. "We have been released by police after the FIR was registered against us. We have decided to continue our march. We are planning to reach Unjha by tonight," Parmar told PTI. While addressing people at Somnath chowk before the march, Kumar, who is facing sedition charges, attacked the BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat, claiming that atrocities on Dalits and Muslims have increased under them. He also alleged that people who dare to speak truth are booked under sedition charges to silence them. In Una, Dalit youths were paraded and flogged for allegedly skinning a dead cow, an incident that caused nation-wide outrage after its video went viral After declaring the results of second-year pre-university education examinations in May, the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) will announce results for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) supplementary exams on Thursday. According to Hindustan Times, students who appeared for their supplementary Class X exams can check their results at 3 pm on kseeb.kar.nic.in or karresults.nic.in using their required login details. The supplementary examination is conducted by KSEEB for candidates who failed in the SSLC examination in June. The exam is conducted to help successful students join higher education courses in the same academic year from July. The Class X exams were held in Karnataka from 30 March this year, and 8.77 lakh students had appeared for it. This included 4.69 boys and 4.07 lakh girls.Around 73.26% managed had to pass. The results were down from 79.16% in 2016, and way lower than the 81.82% pass percentage recorded in 2015. KSEEB conducts the supplementary examination for the failed candidates of the examination of March in June. The exam is conducted to help successful students join higher education courses in the same academic year from July. Here are the steps to check the results: The Pakistan foreign ministry has indicated that they are considering visa request for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother Avantika Jadhav, media reports said on Thursday. The announcement on the visa request came from the Pakistan foreign office, according to ANI. Considering giving Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother a visa on India's request says Pakistan Foreign Office: Pak media ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 During the weekly Foreign Office briefing, its Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Sartaj Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms". The pending visa application of the mother Jadhav is currently under review, he said. He also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that there was no progress in position on providing consular access & visa for his mother. There has been no change in position on providing consular access & visa for his mother; no progress on that front: MEA on #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/0e4M244Yyq ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 The announcement comes three days after the Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj slammed Pakistan for not responding to the request. The foreign affairs minister had on Monday criticised Pakistani counterpart Aziz, who had "not even acknowledged her personal letter" requesting to grant 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 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 was arrested from Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on 3 March, 2016 and was convicted in April by a Pakistani military court, where he was sentenced to death n charges of espionage and terrorism. In May, India moved the International Court of Justice at The Hague, which stayed the execution pending a final decision by the court. Pakistan has been repeatedly denying consular access to the former Indian naval officer. While denying the consular access for the 18th time, Pakistan blamed India for funding terrorism, adding that the granting access is out of question. Pakistan has also claimed that the former Indian Navy officer confessed in a video that he was involved in spying and terror activities in Balochistan, a charge rejected by India. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: India said today that there has been no change in Pakistan's position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as also on visa request for his mother, amidst Pakistani media reports that Islamabad was considering to allow her to travel to meet her son. External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay also said the case was now before the International Court of Justice and India was following the 13 September timeline to give its submission. There has been no change in Pakistan's position on providing consular access to Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, as also on visa request for his mother, he said. When asked about reports that Pakistan was considering India's request for the grant of visa to Jadhav's mother, Avantika Jadhav, he said India has no official information on it. Pakistan has so far dismissed 16 request by India for consular access to Jadhav. India had moved the ICJ against Jadhav's death penalty by a Pakistan military court. The ICJ had on 18 May restrained Pakistan from executing the death sentence. While Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on 3 March, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran, India maintains that the Indian national was kidnapped from Iran where he had legitimate business interests. Maharashtra state Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) released its first merit list (SML) for medical and dental college admissions on Thursday. The merit list is for students seeking admission to MBBS, BDS and other paramedical courses for the academic year 2017-18, reported NDTV. Students can check the list at the DMER website. "The merit list will decide which student can come for counselling on which day. After document verification, all eligible students can start filling forms online. We hope to announce the first merit list before 30 July," Pravin Shingare, director DMER, was quoted by Hindustan Times. Document verification process for admission to the first year of undergraduate health science courses will begin from 15 July. While all other states have already declared their list, Maharashtra is the last one to do so. Here are the steps to check Maharashtra NEET UG results: - Go to the official website dmer.org. - Now click the Provisional State Merit List NEET UG 2017 link on the home page. - The merit list will be on your screen. - Download the result for future reference. After the release of the merit list, candidates will now have to visit the four allotted centres for the document verification process. The Centres are: The four centres allocated for the document verification process are: Mumbai: Grant Government Medical College, Sir JJ Hospital Campus Pune: BJ Government Medical College Aurangabad: Government Medical College Nagpur: Government Medical College The police on Thursday detained moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as he tried to lead his supporters towards the graveyard in the Naqshband Sahib area of the city, officials said. Mirwaiz was detained by police outside his residence in Nigeen area of the city and taken to the local police station, a police official said. He was taken into preventive custody as his presence in old city area could lead to violence by his supporters, the official added. A spokesman of the Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat chairman was planning to pay homage to Kashmiri victims of 1931 massacre of 21 persons protesting against the rule of the then Maharaja. In a major move, on 5 July, the Jammu and Kashmir government had decided to downgrade the security of Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The move came as a major blow to Mirwaiz, especially with the police also probing his role in the killing of deputy superintendent Ayub Pandith. Police are probing the presence of separatist leaders in Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta, where Ayub Pandith was lynched. Jammu and Kashmir director general of police SP Vaid had said that the investigation was on, but definitely, his (Mirwaiz's) men are "involved in the murder". With inputs from PTI The Southwest Monsoon is likely to intensify over the country's west coast, including Mumbai, central Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Telangana. The monsoons are likely to prevail over parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, according to a Skymet weather forecast. Rainfall in parts of central India has been less than satisfactory this year and has been around eight percent below normal, reported Business Standard. However, according to the meteorological department's latest report, central India is likely to receive more rainfall. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, southern Rajasthan and northern Maharashtra are all likely to receive heavy rainfall in the next few days. Meanwhile, heavy rains have been lashing parts of the Northeast for the past two weeks. Around 15 lakh people in 24 districts of Assam were hit by floods. The death toll has reached 45 in the state with the Centre deploying officials of the National Disaster Response Force, NITI Aayog and National Disaster Management Authority. Heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area of Arunachal Pradesh as well as Assam's Lakhimpur district, increased water levels of all 14 rivers and tributaries in the district. The India Meteorological Department predicted that the rainfall's intensity will reduce in the next two weeks. July and August are crucial months for farmers and if the rainfall deficit continues, it is likely to affect farm output, according to the Business Standard report. Deficient rainfall in parts of south India has become a cause for concern for the farmers. According to The Hindu Business Line, sowing of crops like paddy, ragi, pulses and sugarcane have been hit. "The lack of rains is seen prolonging the drought in the southern districts. We are ready with the seeds but there is no rain or water in the reservoirs or canals," a farmer was quoted as saying. New Delhi: The 39 Indians who went missing in Mosul in 2014 are yet to be located although the Iraqi city has been liberated from the Islamic State, a senior official said on Thursday. "As and when we get any information on the 39, we will let you know," external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. "We remain engaged very sincerely and very seriously at a high level (with Iraqi authorities)." He said Iraqi officials had said they had sensitised their security agencies. "If they see any Indian, not just these 39, but any Indian, we have requested them to inform us," the spokesperson said. Iraqi forces liberated Mosul on Sunday after 266 days of fierce battles, bringing to an end three years of Islamic State rule. The 39 Indian construction workers, mostly from Punjab, were taken hostage in 2014. However, no demand was made for their release. Baglay said Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, who reached Erbil on Monday, met the local authorities. Singh reached Baghdad on Wednesday and handed over a letter from external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to Iraqi foreign minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari in this connection. Kolkata: Summoned by the CBI for his questioning of his alleged role in the Narada scam, West Bengal panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee on Thursday failed to appear before the investigative agency and sought another date for the purpose. The CBI sources said Senior Trinamool Congress leader Mukherjee was summoned by the agency to explain his alleged involvement in the Narada sting operation, which shows many politicos and bureaucrats accepting cash from a fake businessman to accord official favour to his fictitious firm. "He has sought some more time and has told us that he would appear very soon before the CBI," a senior CBI official said. According to the sources, the CBI would decide on the next date of appearance and subsequently issue another summon to Mukherjee. Posing as a businessman, journalist Matthew Samuels of Narada News had allegedly conducted a sting operation on several Trinamool leaders, including MPs, MLAs and ministers. The operation was aired just a fortnight before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly election and featured a dozen Trinamool leaders purportedly accepting cash from the representative of a fictitious company. Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed and MLA and Kolkata Municipal Corporation's deputy mayor Iqbal Ahmed have already been interrogated by the CBI in the case. New Delhi: About 1,300 flood victims have been rescued from various parts of the country till now by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), officials on Thursday said. In the wake of the monsoon season, the central force has deployed 39 teams, with about 45 personnel in each, in vulnerable regions to undertake quick rescue operations. "Till now, the NDRF has evacuated approximately 1,300 persons and has provided medical assistance to 3,234 people affected by floods and rains in various parts of the country," a senior NDRF official said. The official said 619 people were rescued from Assam, 450 from Arunachal Pradesh, 217 from Tripura and three from Sikkim. Some more people were rescued or evacuated from marooned areas in other parts of the country, he added. Similarly, 30 people were provided medical help by the NDRF in Assam, 150 in Jharkhand and 3,054 in Uttar Pradesh, the official said. Yesterday, the personnel also rescued 30 marooned people from the Majuli area in Assam. Ahmedabad: Quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on Thursday asked the ruling BJP as well as the Opposition Congress to make clear their stand on the reservation demand of the Patel community before a rally in Ahmedabad on 29 July. Hardik, who heads the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), said 29 July will be the last day for these parties to come up with a definitive assurance about providing reservation to the Patel community under the OBC quota. "We have organised a huge gathering of PAAS workers on 29 July in Ahmedabad. That will be the last day for both BJP and Congress to make clear their stand about reservation to Patidars (Patels). If they fail, we have several other options," Hardik told reporters in Surat on Thursday. Referring to the BJP government in the state, he said the main aim of the community was to eliminate "autocracy" as well as those who are harming Patidars. In May, the 23-year-old quota leader had accused the BJP government in Gujarat of dilly-dallying over the issue of reservations, and warned of consequences in the Assembly elections which are due by year-end. Mumbai: Diktat for social boycott issued by caste panchayats has become a crime punishable with jail term up to seven years and penalty that can extend to Rs 5 lakh in Maharashtra, a first in the country. The new law came into force after President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Maharashtra Prohibition of Social Boycott Act, 2015, last month, and it was published in the state Gazette on 3 July, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sudhir Shrivastav told PTI. Under the act, members of extrajudicial bodies like caste and community councils issuing decrees for social boycott can be punished with imprisonment up to seven years and/or a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. The bill was passed by the state legislature on 13 April, 2016 and sent to the Centre for presidential assent. To ensure speedy justice, the law provides for conclusion of trial within a period of six months from the date of filing of the charge sheet. Any organisation that delivers a judgment or issues fatwas based on caste, would be viewed as a caste panchayat, even if unregistered, the act says. The provisions include compensation to victims if a caste council imposed monetary penalties on them. An official would be appointed to go into complaints of social boycott, which would include preventing a person from participating in social and religious programmes, festivals, processions, rallies, and from using common institutions like schools, club houses and medical facilities. Those who support decrees issued by caste panchayats would also be treated as accused, the law says. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday announced its support for Opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the 17 July Presidential election. "The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has decided to support the united Opposition candidate Meira Kumar," party leader Sanjay Singh said. He said the former Lok Sabha Speaker's representatives had telephoned Kejriwal and sought support for her candidature. The AAP's vote share accounts for a little over 9,000 as it has 67 MLAs in Delhi and 20 in Punjab apart from four MPs from Punjab, which is less than one percent of the total votes in the Presidential election. Sanjay Singh said the AAP was backing Meira Kumar since the Opposition had a huge role to play in the country in the present circumstances. Karnataka's Director General of Prisons H. Satyanarayana Rao has denied charges by a woman police officer that he had taken money to provide special facilities to jailed AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala. DIG (Prisons) Rupa Moudgil alleged that Sasikala was getting VIP treatment with a makeshift kitchen in her cell in the Parappana Agrahara Jail, with another inmate preparing food for her. Moudgil levelled the charges in a report to the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary. Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra has promised to launch a probe and take action, if necessary. Rao said the allegations were false. "There is no facility given to Sasikala. She is an ordinary prisoner. No undue favours have been given to her," he said. He said if Moudgil had come to know about the so-called special facilities, she could have discussed it with him. "But to go and discuss it in the open without evidence is wrong." Rao said in the past he had given memos to her on two occasions when she had gone public on some issues. Maintaining her charge, Moudgil demanded a fact-finding probe into what she had said. "There are facts in the report (sent by me)." AIADMK spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi said Sasikala had been dragged into a fight between two officials because she was a VIP and an accusation against an ordinary person would not attract attention. For those who always suspected that something was cooking inside the Parapana Agrahara, the central prison in Bengaluru, the nine-page report by D Roopa, DIG (Prisons) in Karnataka has provided the menu. It is spicy fare as the IPS officer has claimed that AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, who is convict number 9234, after having been sentenced to four years imprisonment in the Disproportionate Assets case, gets special facilities inside jail. What's more, Roopa's letter, written in Kannada, mentions that rumours are floating around that Rs 2 crore was paid as bribe to the prison officials for the favour of setting up a special kitchen for Sasikala, where food for her is cooked by an inmate inside the women's barracks. The bombshell in her letter is that she names her boss, DGP (Prisons) Satyanarayana Rao as one of the recipients of the bribe. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has now ordered a high-level inquiry into the allegations of irregularities and has promised strict action against anyone found to be indulging in wrongdoing. A month after a sting operation had some AIADMK MLAs claiming that bribes were paid to them by Sasikala group inside the Golden Resort near Chennai to make them vote for the Edappadi Palaniswami government in the Tamil Nadu assembly, Sasikala has been hit by yet another bribery allegation. It is obvious that allegations of such a serious nature by an officer of the rank of DIG can hardly be taken lightly. But the manner in which Rao has reacted to Roopa's allegations suggests intra-departmental politics and raises the doubt whether Sasikala is suffering collateral damage. The report was written after Roopa inspected the central prison on 10 July, after which the DGP issued her a show-cause notice. That raises eyebrows because surely as DIG (Prisons), Roopa is within her rights to check out the barracks. The DIG, in turn, accused her superior of interfering in her work ever since she took charge last month. The DGP gave a sarkaari explanation accusing her of visiting the prison, skipping a meeting called by the chief minister at the same time. He also asks if three weeks into her post is good enough time for her to unearth so many irregularities and damn everyone in the prison security system. The primary purpose of Roopa's visit was to subject the inmates to a drug test for which she had carried a testing kit with her. Her suspicion that drugs are smuggled into the jail came true as of the 25 inmates who were subjected to drug test, 18 were found to have indulged in substance abuse. Roopa, who is a 2000 batch IPS officer, mentions the details in her report. It was then that Roopa reportedly happened to find the special facility for Sasikala. Rao's defence is that food is delivered to Sasikala and her sister-in-law Ilavarasi in a secure form to ensure there is no attempt to poison them inside central prison. That relations between the two senior officers are anything but cordial from the fact that Rao, in a fit of pique has asked the media to "go, check her history". Claiming that her report is a "conspiracy" to tarnish his name, Rao asked if rumours ever find their way into an official report. Rao has a pertinent point. If Roopa had no evidence to back her sensational claim that obviously throws mud at Rao, mentioning it as part of an official report was anything but fair as it dents his reputation. Rao also claims no report has been given to him or anyone in the government, accusing her of going to the media instead. Roopa's defence is that she has mentioned that these are rumours and she was not making any allegations. What this public spat proves is that all is not well inside Parappana Agrahara. The DGP refutes any irregularities inside prison, arguing that when he inspected it last, he did not find anything amiss. Rao, however, concedes that there are many drug addicts within jail and it is tough to monitor and control the smuggling of ganja that takes place. Roopa wants a fact-finding committee to be instituted into the rumours that Sasikala was getting special attention after paying a bribe. This could land Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran in trouble because he is the only family member who has met her so far and on several occasions. If indeed a bribe was paid, the needle of suspicion will point to him, which means he could be under the radar for yet another bribery case. In April, he was arrested on charges of bribing an Election Commission official to get the two leaves symbol for the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK. He got out on bail after close to 40 days in Tihar jail, with no sign of the Delhi Police cracking the case. The report could also be used in the conspiratorial world of Tamil Nadu politics to fix political rivals. Most believe Chennai will witness a political upheaval soon after the Presidential elections, in which all three factions of the AIADMK - Panneerselvam, Palaniswami and Dinakaran - are voting for the NDA candidate, Ram Nath Kovind. The report may now be perused by the Home Secretary after which a decision will be taken on the nature of probe to be initiated. A month after a sting operation had some AIADMK MLAs claiming that bribes were paid to them by Sasikala group inside the Golden Resort near Chennai to make them vote for the Edappadi Palaniswami government in the Tamil Nadu assembly, Sasikala has been hit by yet another bribery allegation. Motihari: The Sashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) has arrested two persons including a Nepalese citizen along with Nepalese currency notes from Indo-Nepal border in Bihar's East Champaran district, officials said on Thursday. The two arrested persons have been identified as Ashish Kumar and Vijay Kumar Patel. Ashish is the resident of Sitamarhi district while Vijay is the resident of Parsa district in Nepal. SSB's 47th battalion Commandant Sonam Chhering said that SSB's team arrested the two persons along with Rs 6 lakh Nepalese currency during routine search of a vehicle on Wednesday. The duo was arrested when they crossed into Indian side from Nepal riding motorcycle near pillar number 393 under Raxaul police station of the district, he said adding that Rs 6 lakh was kept in a bag in the dickey of the bike which bore the Nepalese registration number. The two persons were handed over to Motihari Customs officials along with the seized money and motorcycle, SSB official said. Bengaluru: Karnataka's director general of prisons HN Satyanarayana Rao denied charges by a woman police officer that he had taken money to provide special facilities to jailed AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala. Director inspector general (DIG) of prisons D Rupa Moudgil had alleged that Sasikala, 59, was getting VIP treatment with a makeshift kitchen in her cell in the Parappana Agrahara Jail on the city's southern outskirts, with another inmate preparing food for her. Moudgil leveled the charges in a report to director general of police RK Dutta and chief secretary SC Khuntia on Wednesday. State law minister TB Jayachandra has promised to launch a probe and take action, if necessary. Rao, however, said the allegations were false. "There is no facility given to Sasikala. She is an ordinary prisoner. No undue favours have been given to her," he said. He said if Moudgil had come to know about the so-called special facilities, she should have discussed it with him. "But to go and discuss it in the open without evidence is wrong." Rao said in the past that he had given memos to her on two occasions when she had gone public on some issues. Refuting Moudgil's charges, Rao asked his deputy for proof to corroborate that special provisions were made for Sasikala in the women's cell of the jail. "If Moudgil had observed something unusual during her inspection of the jail premises, she should have brought it to my notice and discussed with me than going to the media. If she thinks she has serious charges against me, I am ready for a probe," Rao said. Maintaining her charge, Moudgil demanded a fact-finding probe into what she had said. "There are facts in the report (sent by me)," she said. Asserting that she had no vested interest in accusing Rao and other prison officials of grave charges mentioned in her four-page report, Moudgil said she was shocked to find many irregularities in the jail premises during her inspection rounds on return from leave recently. "In mentioning the charges and rampant corruption in the prison in the report, I have not flouted any rule or norm. I am ready to substantiate them (charges)," Moudgil said. The 2000 batch IPS officer is the first woman in the southern state to recently (23 June) appointed as DIG of prisons department. She also alleged that Sasikala paid a Rs 2 crore bribe to Rao and jail officials, including its warden for undue favours. Sasikala and two co-convicts, sister-in-law Elavarasi and nephew VK Sudhakaran, are serving a four-year sentence in the central jail since 15 February after they were held guilty by a trial court in September 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court on 14 February in the two-decade old disproportionate assets case involving former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa. In a related development, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah ordered a high-level inquiry into the bribery and other charges Moudgil levelled in her report to the state government. "I request all to wait for the outcome of the inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrong doing," Siddaramaiah said. Meanwhile, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi said in Chennai that Sasikala was dragged into a fight between the two officials because she was a VIP, as accusation against an ordinary person would not have attracted (media) attention. New Delhi/Dubai: At least 10 Indians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday when a major fire ripped through a windowless house in Saudi Arabia. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said officials of Indian consulate in Jeddah are rushing to Najran following the incident. "I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran in which we have lost 10 Indian nationals and six injured are in the hospital," she said in a tweet. Her response came after a woman, Vidya S, sought the external affairs minister's help to bring back the mortal remains of one of those killed in the incident. Of the 11 Indians killed in a fire in a Saudi Arabian city on Wednesday, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala and one each from Bihar and Tamil Nadu, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday. While Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Waseem Akram and Vakeel Ahmad hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Kamalapan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan and Sreejith Kottassseri were from Kerala, and Gauri Shankar Gupta was from Bihar and Morokanandan Kaliyan from Tamil Nadu, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. "I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Najran is 900 Kms from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available. "Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis," Swaraj said. Apart from the 10 Indians, another person was killed whose identity was not immediately known. Earlier, the Arab News, quoting the Saudi civil defence, said that 11 workers killed and six injured in the blaze in southern Najran city were all from India and Bangladesh. "Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," in the southern province of Najran, the civil defence said in a tweet. The workers, who belonged to a construction company, were living near a gold market area in Faisaliah district. The fire broke out due to short circuit in an old air-conditioning unit, according to primary information. Among the six injured workers, four were from India, Saudi Gazette reported. When contacted, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh told PTI that it has no details about the incident. Najran Governor Prince Jluwi bin Abdelaziz ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the fire incident. His office will be supervising the committee, which will include representatives from the Civil Defence, Municipality and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, the report said. Prince Jluwi expressed concern at the absence of control over foreign workers' residences and the role of field teams of the Civil Defence and the Municipality, reported the state-run Saudi Press Agency. He said that these entities must stop companies from renting out buildings which are unfit for living. The oil-rich kingdom is home to nine million foreign workers, many of them from South Asia. With inputs from IANS In a relief to Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Supreme Court on Wednesday relaxed the 500-metre cap on liquor vends across the national and state highways there. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar relaxed the cap while noting that almost 50 percent of the state revenue for Arunachal Pradesh came from the sale of liquor and 916 shops out of a total of 1,011 shops have been affected by the 500-metre cap. The counsel appearing for Arunachal Pradesh said that 80 percent of the state was covered by forests and, out of a total revenue of Rs 441.61 crore, Rs 210 crore came from liquor sale. "The counsel appearing for Arunachal Pradesh states that the terrain in the state is similar to that of states of Sikkim and Meghalaya and, accordingly, the state of Arunachal Pradesh deserves parity given to Sikkim and Meghalaya in the order passed by this court on 31 March. The prayer is allowed," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and L N Rao, said. Similarly, the bench also allowed the prayer of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and relaxed the 500-metre cap. The apex court had on 31 March said that liquor vends within 500 metres of national and state highways will have to shut down from 1 April, but had exempted the hill states of Sikkim, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh and areas having a population up to 20,000. The apex court also dealt with a similar plea of Uttarakhand which is also seeking a relaxation from the cap. However, the counsel for Uttarakhand could not furnish the data on the revenue loss and was asked to furnish details. "You provide us (with) the data. We will give you time. We are not agreeable at this stage. You provide the data first," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing next week. A similar petition filed by Kerala also came up for hearing before the bench but the counsel appearing for the state said he would amend the application. In a significant order on 31 March on the pleas of various states seeking modification of the court's 15 December, 2016 verdict, the apex court had said that the ban on liquor vends along the highways would also be applicable to bars, pubs and restaurants as drunken driving led to fatal road accidents, particularly on highways which have high-speed traffic. It had modified the 500-metre cap rule for Meghalaya, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and areas alongside highways with a population of up to 20,000, saying they may have liquor vends at a distance of 220 metres from highways. On the issue of non-extension of liquor vends' licences beyond 31 March, the apex court had said the licences, which were given before 15 December, 2016, will be valid till 30 September in case of Telangana and would be operational till 30 June in Andhra Pradesh. The court had ordered a ban on all liquor shops along the national and the state highways and made it clear that licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31. The verdict had come on a PIL alleging that nearly 1.42 lakh people died per year in road mishaps and drunken driving was a major contributor. It had also directed that all signages indicating the presence of liquor vends will be prohibited along the national and state highways. Patna: Mediapersons Thursday met Bihar Police chief PK Thakur demanding action against policemen attached as security to deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and his minister brother Tej Pratap Yadav for assaulting scribes on duty. The mediapersons in their memorandum said that the scribes were assaulted when they were speaking to the deputy chief minister after the cabinet meeting Wednesday. The scribes both from the print and audio visual medium met in Patna during the day and sought action against the policemen involved in the incident within 72 hours. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Raj, who was present when mediapersons met the DGP this evening, told PTI that after proper perusal of the video clippings of the incident suitable action would be taken against those found guilty. Strict instructions would be given to policemen of the special branch so that such incident do not recur in future, he said. The memorandum said scribes of the electronic media had to bear with heckling and bad mouthing by angry RJD supporters outside 10 Circular Road official residence of Rabri Devi on Friday last week after the CBI raids. TV footage showed the policemen attached to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's two minister sons grabbing a cameraman by his collar and thrashing him when mediapersons sought the deputy chief minister's reaction on JD(U) asking him to explain the accusation levelled against him in public on the basis of facts. The memorandum apprehended more such attacks on mediapersons as political situation in Bihar, the scribes said, has turned graver following CBI raids on 12 locations of Lalu Prasad and his family in land-for-hotels case and sought proper security to scribes involved in news coverage. Jaipur: At least 16 policemen were injured, including a Superintendent of Police, in violence in a village in Rajasthan's Nagaur district on Wednesday over an alleged staged gunfight, police said. A mob attacked police with stones and set afire a police vehicle in Sanwarda village in Nagaur district late evening, injuring 16 policemen, including the Superintendent of Police, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) N R Reddy told IANS. Though police denied it, eyewitnesses said at least four protesters too were injured. Three seriously injured policemen were referred to a Jaipur hospital. Thousands of persons had gathered in the village from all over the state to demand a probe by the Central Bureau of Inquiry into the death of gangster Anandpal Singh on 24 June. His family claimed he was killed despite his willingness to surrender before police and that it was a part of the political conspiracy to eliminate him. The protesters also damaged a section of the railway tracks in the area, following which rail traffic was diverted between Ladnu-Kuchaman section. Earlier, police was deployed and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure imposed in the village due to the protest. Section 144 has been imposed and internet services has been suspended till tomorrow in Nagaur, Churu, Sikar and Bikaner district. New Delhi: Residents of Shadipur, Khampur and Ranjit Nagar in central-west Delhi Thursday took out a peace march against mob lynchings and terror attacks. More than 200 residents took part in the demonstration, which was the initiative of local citizens and neither organised nor backed by any political party or organisation, said a statement issued by those who took out the demonstration. Shadipur-Khampur-Ranjit Nagar is a diverse neighbourhood, populated by Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. Within each of these, also, there are people from different socio-economic and caste backgrounds, as well as from different parts of the country. In a word, Shadipur is a little bit of a mini-India, the statement said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday defended Bangladesh's decision to buy two submarines worth USD 203 million from China, saying the move won't elicit "negative reactions" from other countries as it was for safeguarding the country's sovereignty. Hasina called China a key-development partner and said Bangladesh purchased two Chinese-made submarines to modernise its defence system by upgrading the navy into a "three- dimensional force". "I believe that the decision of buying two submarines from China is related to the national interest of Bangladesh, and it won't create any negative reaction in the political arena in the outside world," she told the parliament late yesterday. The premier's comments came in response to a lawmaker's question on the negative speculation four months after Bangladesh Navy commissioned the two Type 035G-class submarines, also known as Ming-class, naming them as BN Nabajatra and BN Agrajatra. She said Bangladesh's defence system was further strengthened than before due to induction of the two submarines into the Navy. The prime minister said the two submarines would make important contributions to safeguarding the country's sovereignty and "besides, it's expected that the two submarines would play a special role in the "Blue Economy" meaning the country's economic uplift. The conventional diesel electric submarines are equipped with torpedoes and mines. Bangladesh analysts said procurement of the two submarines at a cost of USD 203 million reflected the country's growing economic and defence ties with Beijing. Hasina announced her plan to procure the Chinese submarines in 2013 when Bangladesh signed a billion-dollar deal with Russia to buy fighter training jets, helicopters and anti-tank missiles Seeking to bring all political parties on-board regarding the ongoing border standoff with China at the Sikkim border, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called for an all-party meeting on Friday, NDTV reported. The meeting, which is likely to be held at home minister Rajnath Singh's residence, is aimed at briefing the Opposition parties about the situation along the border in Sikkim where a standoff has been continuing since June. Invitation for the meeting was sent out by the External Affairs Ministry ahead of the Monsoon Session of parliament, which is set to start from 17 July. The development comes at the time when China continues to accuse India of camping inside Chinese territory, stating that "withdrawal" of Indian troops from its territory is the only way to resolve the border crisis. Beijing also snubbed Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar's remarks that he sees no reason why the two nations couldn't resolve existing differences when they have resolved past differences over the border successfully. Responding to Jaishankar's comments, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said said that the trespass by Indian troops in Doka La was different from "frictions is in the undefined sections of the boundary" between India and China. Geng said what happened in Doka La was a dispute. Jaishankar, who on Tuesday was at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore to deliver a lecture, said "differences should not become disputes". Gang said, "China has pointed out many times that the illegal trespass of Indian border troops of the mutually recognised border line is different in nature from the frictions in the undefined sections of the boundary. "The Sikkim section has a special historical background and this is only defined boundary between India and China. And this is totally different from the undefined boundary in the east, middle and west part. According to the 1890 convention, the Sikkim section has been recognised by both China and India and this convention is effective for both countries. We again request India to withdraw the border troops to the Indian side of the boundary and properly settle this dispute at an early date," he added. On 5 July, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said that the border standoff could be resolved diplomatically and Chinese soldiers should leave the Bhutanese territory to reduce tension in the area. China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past 26 days after a Chinese army's construction party was stopped by Indian troops from building a road, in what China claims to be its territory. 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 area. Bhutan, however, has no diplomatic ties with China and it is supported militarily and diplomatically by India. With inputs from agencies Media reports indicate that Chinese position on the Sikkim standoff is hardening on a daily basis. On Wednesday, China once again reacted hotly to a non-controversial stance from India expressed the day before by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar that India and China have settled many such disputes in the past and there is no reason why they can't do so again. During the daily foreign ministry briefing in Beijing, spokesperson Geng Shuan said the situation this time is "utterly different in nature from the previous frictions between the two sides at the undefined sections of the China-India boundary." Not stopping there, China went on to poke India on Kashmir. To a question raised ostensibly by a Pakistani journalist, the foreign ministry official said the situation in Kashmir "has attracted a lot of global attention" and that China was ready to mediate in a "constructive" way. This marks the first official statement where China has deviated from its stated line on Kashmir being a bilateral issue and is a clear indication that it is not ready to respect 'One India' policy unless India unilaterally withdraws its troops. With each day, Beijing is opening new fronts against India and ramping up psychological pressure. It is merrily crossing all red lines and trampling upon New Delhi's core concerns. This is a curious departure in Chinese behaviour from earlier conflicts on border disputes (except 1962) when both sides shunned rhetoric and worked behind the scenes to stabilise the situation. In the vast, undefined, un-demarcated Chinese-Indian border stretching from Arunachal Pradesh in the east to Ladakh in the west, stability has been frequently threatened due to China's bottomless territorial hunger. Sometimes, as in the Sumdorong Chu crisis of 1986-87, it has taken several years to restore status quo. The key question is, what is so different this time to have sparked such an extraordinarily rigid and inflammatory stance from China? The previous skirmishes were ultimately settled through dialogue. This time, however, China has made troop withdrawal a precondition. Why is China trying to change a policy that has ensured that not a single bullet has been fired across the LAC since 1962? The answer may lie in a 19th Century cartographic error. China has been claiming that the situation this time "is different" because India has apparently violated its sovereignty by trespassing into 'Chinese territory' across a boundary line that is delimited and settled, unlike the undefined boundary line that loosely represents the LAC. China is basing its claim on the 1890 Sikkim-Tibet Convention signed between the British and China. There are two problems with this. One, India contests the claim. An Indian official, involved in the crisis, told Raj Chengappa and Ananth Krishnan of India Today that the treaty was more for trade between the British and Chinese than boundary delineation and "neither has India agreed on the alignment nor have we agreed to what China calls the specific alignment. It has never been delineated and demarcated. There are no border posts or maps that we have produced, as we commonly do in such cases. China is clearly attempting to change the boundary at a certain sector by unilateral action, and that is why it is a problem for us." The second point is even more important and explains the crisis. Due to poor surveying capabilities of mountain terrain in 19th Century, the Sikkim-Tibet boundary line as defined by the 1890 Anglo-Chinese Convention is geographically incorrect, as many analysts have noted. By geographic necessity, if #1 is true, #2 is false. If #2 is true, #1 is false. \_()_/ pic.twitter.com/p14cJyCUTN Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) July 10, 2017 The first sentence of Article 1 states: "The boundary of Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the waters flowing into the Sikkim Teesta and its affluents from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet." The second sentence states: "The line commences at Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nepal territory." These lines are mutually incompatible and the so-called boundary, as described, is a topographic impossibility. As Centre for Policy Research senior fellow Srinath Raghavan points out, later surveys prove that Batang La is the tri-junction (as claimed by India and Bhutan) and not Mount Gipmochi (as claimed by China). India and Bhutan, therefore, go by "sentence 1 of Article 1 in 1890 Anglo-Chinese Convention" that follows the watershed principle, while China insists on "sentence 2" of the article which appears to be an erroneous representation of ground reality. Coz Art 1 begins by saying watershed is the boundary dividing Sikkim & Tibet. Poor cartography in late 19th c led to claim abt Gyemochen. 3 Srinath Raghavan (@SrinathRaghava2) July 10, 2017 Coz Art 1 begins by saying watershed is the boundary dividing Sikkim & Tibet. Poor cartography in late 19th c led to claim abt Gyemochen. 3 Srinath Raghavan (@SrinathRaghava2) July 10, 2017 It is to be noted that Bhutan, the third party in the 1890 Anglo-Chinese Convention, did not agree on Mount Gipmochi as the boundary line and it has been locked since in 24 rounds of discussion with China. It is not at all difficult to see what China is trying to do here. It is pressing ahead with building roads in the disputed spot by trying to exploit a cartographic error. This is a time-tested Chinese tactic. A similar script unfolded in 1986 when China took advantage of an error in McMahon's original line and occupied an Indian patrol point in Sumdorong Chu Valley. Once again, due to poor surveying capabilities existent during that time, Henry McMahon had drawn his line showing Sumdorong Chu on north, "even though it was south of the high watershed, the principle his line claimed to follow". (Shivshankar Menon, Choices, page 19). That impasse took seven years to settle. To sum, the very mention of Mount Gipmochi in Anglo-Chinese convention (a geological error) gives China the opportunity to cry foul and feign outrage. From this assumption it has sought to alter the status quo in violation of the 2012 tri-junction agreement (which called for a final settlement involving India, China and Bhutan) and has proceeded to issue threats against India. Its designs are clear and must be exposed. New Delhi: India should let Bhutan take the lead in negotiating with China on the disputed Doka La plateau and other disputed territories instead of getting involved itself, the CPM has said. An editorial in the CPM journal People's Democracy has also blamed India's growing strategic ties with the United States for the deteriorating relations with China. The standoff between India and China on the Doka La plateau, adjoining the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan, is now a month-old and shows no signs of ending. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) said the issue "has assumed more serious proportions... because of the deterioration in the overall relations" between India and China. But it noted that the present dispute did not pertain to any border area between China and India. "The Modi government must realise that there is no alternative to settling the recurring disagreements on the border except through negotiations," the editorial said. "It is also important to keep in mind that Bhutan is the main party in the dispute. Bhutan is not a 'protectorate' of India," "It must be underlined that Bhutan has been negotiating with China directly on its border issues since 1984," "It is better that India let Bhutan take the lead in negotiating with China on the Doklam Plateau and other disputed territories. India can lend support to Bhutan's position." The CPM said the present border fracas had assumed greater salience because China-India differences had aggravated since the Modi government took power. "The prime factor contributing to this divergence is India's strategic alliance with the US. India has joined the US in its strategic designs in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region which is aimed at containing China," "India has openly sided with the US position on the South China Sea; India has opposed the Belt and Road Initiative," "Within the country, the Modi government has increased the profile of the Dalai Lama and the so-called Tibetan provisional government (which) are serious irritants for China." The editorial said India saw China as a stumbling block in its bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and Beijing had not helped to get Pakistan-based Masood Azhar on the terrorist list notified by the UN. "The erosion of trust and mutual confidence has contributed to the present tensions related to Doklam." The CPM quoted Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar as saying that India and China must not allow differences to become disputes. "It will be good if this approach is put into practice by the Modi government," it said. "Extraneous factors must not be allowed to interfere in the quest for better relations between the two neighbours in Asia." Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday extended by three months the term of the single-member judicial commission, set up to probe the daring jailbreak by eight Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) operatives last year. This is the second extension that the commission has received. Madhya Pradesh finance minister Jayant Malaiya said the decision to give the extension was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "The term of the single-member judicial commission probing the escape of SIMI operatives from Bhopal's central jail, has been further extended for a period of three months. The term of this commission was scheduled to end next month (on 7 August). Now, the commission's tenure has been extended up to 6 November," Malaiya said after the cabinet meeting. On 7 November last year, the state government had appointed retired high court judge SK Pandey to probe the daring jailbreak by eight activists of the banned SIMI. Initially, this single-member commission had been told to complete the probe within three months and submit its report to the state government. The eight SIMI undertrials had pulled off an audacious escape from the high-security central jail of Bhopal on the intervening night of 30-31 October last year after killing a guard. Police, however, gunned them down in an alleged encounter on the outskirts of Bhopal within hours of jailbreak. Rameswaram: Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested on Thursday by Sri Lankan navy, prompting Chief Minister K Palaniswamy to dub the recurring mid-sea apprehensions a 'deliberate' bid to derail India's efforts to permanently resolve the vexed issue of fishing rights. The fishermen from nearby Mandapam were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to Sri Lankan coast when they were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai port, Assistant Director of Fisheries Gopinath said. Two boats used by them too were impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel, he said. This is the third instance of arrest of state fishermen by the Lankan navy this month on charges of fishing in their territorial waters. Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested on 6 July by the Lankan navy while three were arrested on 9 July. Palaniswamy shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to find a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests. "Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail India's efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue," he said in the letter. "A sense of vulnerability and insecurity prevails in the villages of the five coastal districts of Palk Bay in the state," he said. "The state government reiterates the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of fishermen in Palk Bay by annulling the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan agreement following which Katchatheevu was ceded to the island nation by India, he said. Palaniswamy also wanted Prime Minister Modi to take up the matter with Sri Lankan government to secure the immediate release of 60 fishermen and 146 fishing boats currently in the Sri Lankan's custody. The Sri Lankan Navy on Thursday detained seven Indian fishermen along with two boats near Neduntheevu Island in the Palk Strait, ANI reported. Seven Indian fishermen, belonging to Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai detained by Sri Lankan Navy with two boats while fishing near Neduntheevu ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 The fishermen from Mandapam near Rameswaram were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to the island nation's coast and taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Gopinath said. The detention of fishermen is latest in a series of arrests by the island nation this year. On 9 July, three Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy. On July 6, eight fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in Sri Lanka's territorial waters. The Tamil Nadu government, on two separate occasions in the past month, requested the Centre to intervene and take necessary steps to ensure that Indian fishermen were not repeatedly detained. The state had expressed concern on 26 June over the "alarming increase" in number of "attacks" on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and sought the Centre's intervention for release of all 42 captured in 2017. Referring to a spate of "distressing" arrests of Indian fishermen from his state in the month of June, Chief Minister E Palaniswamy said such apprehensions have had a "demoralising impact" on fishermen as well as the people of the state. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Palaniswamy, on Monday, said that 9 July's arrest and the recent legislation enacted by the Sri Lankan Parliament regarding impounding of boats and imposing huge fines on Indian fishermen caused "fear and unrest" among the fisherfolk. The Tamil Nadu government has maintained that the retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the "only solution" to the vexed fishermen's issue. With inputs from agencies Sangareddy: Farmers from different mandals of Sangareddy district in Telangana on Thursday staged a protest at the collectorate, seeking proper compensation for their lands that are being used for laying of electricity cables. Farmers from Hathnoora, Sangareddy, Kandi and Pulkal mandals of Sangareddy district took part in the protest, saying they were not being paid proper compensation although their agriculture lands are being used for the purpose of laying of high-tension electricity lines. The cultivators demanded that they should be paid compensation as per the government orders. Irate farmers carried pesticide bottles and threatened to commit suicide if their demand was not met. Andole Krishna, state president of Sarpanches Aikya Vedik led the protest. The farmers later met District Revenue Officer (DRO) U Raghu Ram Sharma and submitted to him their memorandum of demand. He assured them that the issue would be resolved soon. Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday said its endeavor is to ensure that the spread of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in the state is minimised and it is ready to tackle any situation. "In 2015, as many as 3,101 dengue cases were reported, in which 10 persons died. In 2016, there were 15,033 cases of dengue being reported and there were 42 deaths. This year (till 11 July), there have been three deaths," state health minister Sidhartha Nath Singh said in the Assembly. Replying to a query by an Opposition MLA during Zero Hour, he said a high-power committee under the chief secretary has been formed to monitor, spread awareness and prevent the spread of dengue in the state. At the district level the committee will be under the DM. "This year, we have released Rs 4.2 crore more as compared to last year to tackle dengue. We have also got Rs 88 lakh from the Centre to purchase machines needed for dengue control," Singh said. "A number of response teams have been set up. In every district hospital, provision of 10 beds for dengue patients have been made. In community health centres, provision of five beds have been made. Apart from this, a dengue help desk has also been started," he said. The minister also informed that as against the target of 88 lakh, more than 8 crore children in 38 districts of the state have been vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis. The issue of combating dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases also figured in the sitting of the Legislative Council on Thursday. In a written reply, Singh said, "From 16 March to 16 April, as many as 76 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) were reported in which 12 persons died. The government, in order to give specialised treatment to patients at the district level itself, has arranged 12-bed and ventilator-equipped PICU in Gorakhpur." Paediatric ICUs have been set up in district hospitals of Kushinagar, Deoria, Maharajganj, Basti, Siddharthanagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bahraich and Lakimpur Kheri. "As many as 104 encephalitis treatment centres have been set up for initial treatment of AES and Japanese encephalitis (JE) in Gorakhpur and Basti divisions," the health minister said. New Delhi: Accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal of practising "politics of appeasement", the BJP said it would take out a "Save Bengal" march from Raj Ghat in New Delhi from Thursday. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi attacked the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in Bengal over the recent communal clashes in Basirhat in the North 24 Parganas district, alleging that Banerjee was practising the "two-fold politics of appeasement and repression" in the state. The saffron party had earlier claimed that Hindus were targeted in the Basirhat violence. Lekhi claimed that the Basirhat incident was not an isolated one and referred to similar incidents of communal clashes at Kaliachak and Dhulagarh in West Bengal earlier. The New Delhi MP alleged that the TMC government had also not allowed the immersion of Durga idols in the state on the scheduled day. "What we see in Bengal is a very twisted manner of implementing secularism", she said at a press meet in Delhi. Lekhi alleged that the Bengal government was not providing the land to the security forces, which was required to seal the border with Bangladesh at a certain place. She said that while the Bengal government "sent back" four of the eight companies of central forces sent by the Union government, claiming that the situation was normal in Basirhat, it did not allow a BJP delegation, which included her, to visit the area. To a question about Banerjee's attack on the government over a documentary involving Amartya Sen being censored, Lekhi said he was not even an Indian resident. As the dust settles on the Monday night's dastardly attack on Amarnath pilgrims, politics of blame-game unfurled in Jammu and Kashmir, with far reaching effects on the rest of the country. While on one hand, the Opposition is determined to put the government on mat over the apparent 'security breach', the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government at the Centre has shot down criticism of the 'lapses' calling out its opponents for politicising a tragedy. All this while, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti government remained a soft target, facing the heat over rising insurgency in the Valley. Politics of blame game The nitpicking started hours after the attack with the Congress spokesperson blaming the government for the 'serious security lapse.' However, the politicking spurred on Wednesday with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's scathing tweets pinning the blame on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's politics of "short-term political gain." Modis policies have created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Grave strategic blow for India#AmarnathTerrorAttack Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 12, 2017 Modis personal gain= India's strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 12, 2017 Rahul was critical of the BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, which he claimed was forged only for political gain. The tweets elicited an equally critical reaction from the BJP, which asked the Congress vice-president to "rise to the occasion" and not do politics over the Amarnath terror strike. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi slammed Rahul adding that his comments showed his "immature mind." "What personal benefit can anyone draw out of bloodshed, but it only shows an immature mind who does not know the history of his own family. Because, if anybody is singularly responsible for the mess that we are watching in Jammu and Kashmir, it is the Nehru family," BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters. BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao mocked Rahul adding that a desperate Congress was perhaps speaking the Pakistani tongue in the hope to gather some supporters at least from across the border. "Rahul Gandhi has lost hope of reviving his party in India and therefore is using this language of Pakistan to possibly get some followers on twitter from Pakistan," he said. The BJP also sought to defend its ally in the Valley and praised chief minister Mehbooba Mufti's handling of the event. Union minister Hansraj Ahir said the way Mehbooba handled the situation has inspired the whole country. "She met the injured and spoke to them. The whole country has been inspired by it. The nation saw how a chief minister fulfilled her responsibility," he said. Mehbooba has been in the line of Opposition's fire for 'losing grip on the state,' since the unrest following death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in the summer of 2016. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also fired salvos at the BJP for 'dividing the country from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari.' "I feel bad today. Even Amarnath yatris are being killed. This central government can't give protection to its people. There only job is to divide the country between Hindus and Muslims. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, whole country is burning because of them," an India Today report quoted Banerjee as saying. Left parties also criticised the government over its 'mishandling' of Jammu and Kashmir. We demand accountability from the BJP government which has mishandled the state, and has now led to loss of innocent lives in Kashmir, The Indian Express quoted CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury as saying. Congress also accused the government for contradictions in the statements by two junior ministers after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. "MoS Home Hansraj Ahir said 'we will look into the security lapses and will fill in the gaps', while MoS PMO Jitendra Singh showered praises on the Prime Minister and said that 'he is personally monitoring the situation...," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. "Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Singh is conceding that 'there was definitely a lapse in security', while BJP General Secretary in-charge of the state Ram Madhav sharply contradicted them and said 'there was no security lapse'," he remarked. "Why is the BJP speaking in multiple contradictory, antithetical and discrepant voices?" asked Singhvi. "We want to ask the BJP government why no concrete preventive steps were taken even after a specific intelligence tip off," Singhvi asked. Demands for Governor's Rule Asserting that the PDP-BJP alliance government is in a shambles, senior Congress leader Karan Singh demanded imposition of the Governor's Rule in the state. Considering the situation that has developed in the last few months, "my personal view is that the next step has to be the immediate imposition of the Governor's rule so that the entire security, political and regional situation can be revisited", he said in a statement. The Panun Kashmir, an organisation for displaced Kashmiri Pandits, also demanded the sacking of the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and the state government over its "failure" to provide security to the people and curb terrorism. "We urge the government of India to sack the Mehbooba Mufti government and also remove Governor NN Vohra for his failure," the organisation's convenor, Agni Shakhar, said. Civil society stands united As the politicking over the attacks picked up, Kashmiris stood united in condemning the attack. Even a hardliner separatist, Hurriyat Conference came forward in condemning the attack. The Kashmiri separatist leaders hailed the people of the Valley for showing their deep resentment against the attack, adding that "all bloodshed on all sides is uncalled for." #Hurriyat activists join HR groups civil society members & students to condemn killings ofYatris & express solidarity withBereaved families pic.twitter.com/a5zPE2cdjg Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) July 11, 2017 Interestingly, Lashkar-e-Taiba, the militant organisation suspected to be behind the attack, has also issued public condemnation of the attack. Lashkar has not only distanced itself from the attack on Amarnath pilgrims but also condemned the attack. LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi, while condemning the attack on pilgrims, has said, "It is against Islamic teachings". "The attack on the pilgrims is highly reprehensible act. Islam does not allow violence against any faith," he said. LeT's statement only indicate that the militant group is well aware of widespread resentment in average Kashmiris over the attack on Amarnath Yatra, which they percieve to be a symbol of Kashmiri syncretism. While the attack may have served a strategic purpose for the terror group in distracting and irking Indian forces, which had upped the ante against militancy, LeT knows the sentiment in Valley too well to openly associate itself with such an act. Some unanswered questions While the political fallout of the attack has reduced the critical situation in Kashmir to mere rhetoric, the debate around it also raised few pertinent questions. "Despite specific inputs from the IB and other intelligence agencies, why did the government not act on such a specific intel input? "How did the terrorists manage to attack the bus twice during curfew hours?" asked Singhvi. "Why was the fateful bus left out of the convoy? Why was adequate security not provided to it to ensure safety of the passengers, when it was past 7 p.m. in view of the security threat? "How were 60 pilgrims visiting the shrine travelling without security? How did this major security lapse happen?," the Opposition parties asked the government. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday ruled out any tie-up with the JD(U) in Bihar even if it snaps ties with the RJD, whose leader Lalu Prasad and his kin are facing corruption allegations. Modi also said that nothing much should be read into the "issue-based" friendship between Nitish Kumar and the National Democratic Alliance in the wake of the JD(U)'s support to BJP's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. He said only the BJP Parliamentary Board can decide on any political developments in Bihar. "There is no such plan with the BJP (of tying up with JD(U)). In case of any fresh political development, the BJP Parliamentary Board alone is empowered to take a decision," Modi, a former Deputy Chief Minister, told IANS in an interview. He was asked to comment on Bihar BJP President Nithyanand Rai's reported remarks that the BJP would consider providing outside support to the JD(U) if it snaps ties with Lalu Prasad's RJD. Modi said Rai had denied making such a statement. Modi said the Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have supported each other on certain issues but this should not be seen as the two parties coming together. "The support (in the Presidential election) is issue based and nothing more should be read into it. The BJP has supported Nitish Kumar's liquor prohibition policy and he has supported the NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind," he said. "But for Vice President's election, his (Nitish Kumar) party has supported the UPA candidate." Modi also said his party was not hatching any conspiracy to destabilise the Bihar government. "The BJP is not interested in breaking any alliance or government. The government will only fall because of the corruption (charges) and other things against its partners." The CBI, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate are probing several cases of corruption against Lalu Prasad and his family including his son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, daughter Misa Bharati and her husband. The CBI raided the residences of Lalu Prasad's family in connection with an alleged case of corruption in giving tenders of two hotels to a private company when he was railway minister. In the CBI case, Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and his son Tejashwi Yadav have been named among the accused. Modi said the people had given a mandate to the Grand Alliance of the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), RJD and the Congress and they should run the government. Asked about the Bihar chief minister's "silence" over the allegations of corruption against Tejashwi Yadav, Modi said: "The day Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad made the alliance, he had compromised with his integrity and transparency. He joined hands with Lalu Prasad to remain in power and now it has become a 'gale ki haddi' for him. "The only option left with him is to dismiss Tejashwi Yadav," he said. Modi also said that during his stint as NDA chief minister, he had set a very high benchmark. In that light, he must dismiss Lalu Prasad's son, the BJP leader said. "After maintaining silence for four days, Nitish Kumar has given an ultimatum to the RJD to give a point-by-point rebuttal on the alleged corruption allegations," Modi said. "The RJD has taken a stand that Tejashwi Yadav won't resign. Now Nitish Kumar has to take a call." He said Nitish Kumar cannot give "good governance" in the company of Lalu Prasad. The BJP leader pointed out that Nitish Kumar had earlier stated there will be no compromise on the issues of corruption and crime. He said the BJP wants a time-line from Nitish Kumar over the Tejashwi Yadav issue. Not long ago Bihars strong man Lalu Prasad Yadav a former union railways minister, former chief minister of the state and the supremo of the Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has got the maximum MLAs in the present state Assembly was the most vocal propagator of the politics of "social justice" and "secularism". But over the last few days, as suspicion gathers strength over the durability the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government in Bihar, in which RJD is the biggest component, Lalu seems to be focussing only on "secularism" as his concrete weapon against what he alleges to be the "political vendetta" of the Narendra Modi government and the BJP against his family. Why is it so? Nitish's virtual ultimatum to Lalu's two sons in his ministry to come clean on the corruption charges and RJDs emphatic assertion that they will not quit have put serious question marks over the future of the Mahagathbandhan(grand alliance) government that includes Congress as well. As of now, RJD and Congress are solidly together. But the chief minister, who is also the supremo of the JD (U), is, it seems, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with RJD ever since the central investigating agencies "found incriminating material" against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti, and his two sons Tejashwi Yadav, who is the current deputy chief minister while Tej Pratap is a senior cabinet minister in various "corrupt deals" over the last 13 years. This analysis is not about the authenticity (or the lack of it) of these charges; it deals with the politics around these charges. In the public perception, Lalus background has been such that the corruption charges against him, and the exploitation of his political opponents on these scores, seem credible. Let us remember the cruel fact that Lalu has been the first big-time politician of the country who has been debarred from contesting elections, following his conviction by the court of corrupt practices. Lalus has been a rags-to-riches story. It may be instructive to see some photographs of Lalus house when he became the chief minister by ace photographer Praveen Jain (he had displayed them recently in his Facebook wall). Few days ago, PTI released a photograph of one of the three palatial farm houses of Misa Bharati in Delhi and the nearby suburbs. If investigating agencies are to be believed, most of the new found wealth of Lalu and his family have been gifts from persons seeking political favours from him. Secondly, Lalus children and wife did not declare them when they contested elections, a serious crime under the countrys electoral laws. Fifteen years ago, Lalu and his brand of politics would have turned these allegations against him to be grand opportunities for his political victory. He simply would have exploited his "identity" of belonging to a backward caste (Yadavs) of being a "victim" of "upper caste" and "communal" politics. He would have got the overwhelming support of the Yadavs and Muslims his other vote bank then and would have emerged as the most successful politician in the state. In fact, he did that during his near-uninterrupted 15-year reign between 1990 and 2005. But today, this politics will not work. This point needs a longer explanation. During his 15-year-reign between him and his wife Rabri Devi Lalu hardly cared about good governance, transparency and the development of Bihar. As Jeffrey Witsoe has written in his book, Democracy against Development: Lower-Caste Politics and Political Modernity, between 1992 and 2005 as many as 30,000 kidnappings for ransom were reported. In fact, Lalu Raj was notorious for kidnapping as a highly lucrative industry. Lalus brothers-in-law, Sadhu Yadav and Subhash Yadav, and his henchman Shahabuddin considered a law unto themselves. Bihar under Lalu (with his wife) was ranked at the bottom of the list of all Indian states in terms of various socio-economic criteria. However, Lalu hardly bothered about these pitfalls. Once asked about the lack of development in the state, the former chief minister of Bihar had said, Vikas nahin, samman chahiye (we want dignity, not development)." In fact, there was that apocryphal story of a villager complaining to Lalu about the road in his village with potholes lying unattended for years. Apparently Lalu had replied, Smooth roads would only help those with fancy cars and would actually be a threat to the children and cattle in the village, who might be run over by speeding vehicles. Of course, later on he had promised to make Bihar's roads as smooth as Hema Malini's cheeks. Once when there was a massive flood and water reached many houses in the adjoining areas, Lalu had remarked that the people should be considering themselves lucky as mother Ganga has come herself to peoples homes to give darshan". The essence of Lalus brand of politics during his heyday was that he immensely enjoyed his antagonistic attitude towards development-oriented governance. He only concentrated on democratic mobilisation of his backward castes on the one hand and Muslims on the other. He systematically weakened state-institutions and disrupted development projects. For him, corruption was no issue, given his undoubted skills in marketing his caste. In fact, his faith in the identity politics, coupled with his immense confidence in personal charisma and populist appeal in the name of "social justice" was such that he did not even feel it important to develop his party as an organisation with second or thirdtired leadership. RJD, for all practical purposes, has been run from Lalus home; it is essentially an outfit of the Lalu family. However, things are different now. Identity politics is no longer the solution for a caste-leader facing corruption charges. Voters belonging to the same caste do not tolerate their corrupt leader, whether in Bihar or anywhere else. Naturally, charges of corruption against Lalu no longer command the unflinching loyalty of his traditional support base the backward castes, particularly the Yadavs, and the minority Muslim population. At the same time, the rise of Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) does provide an alternative to voters in Bihar. Nitish also draws his strength from the backward castes, but there is a difference. The backward castes are not a monolithic block. There are sections within it that are dominant in terms of economic and political clouts. It is the latter, the Yadavs in particular, who had grabbed the most advantages during the Lalu-reign. Nitish, then in alliance with the BJP, challenged the Yadavs, by appealing what he called the extreme backward castes (EBC), who were prevented by the dominant Yadavs from enjoying the newfound economic and political advantages emanating from the central and state governments. In other words, Lalus "social justice", limited as it was to certain sections within the backwards castes and minorities, had few takers. Thus started the decline of Lalus preeminence in Bihar politics. It was resurrected only when he joined hands with Nitish in the 2015 Bihar Assembly election. Arithmetically, the two, with minor support from Congress, prevailed over the rising BJP, even though the latter, got more votes than RJD and JD(U) received as individual parties. Even otherwise, at the present juncture, "social justice" alone will not take Lalu too far as he is going to be a partner, not a leader, in the broad coalition of Opposition parties to fight BJP under Modi, nationally. Whether it is Congress or Trinamul Congress in West Bengal or Sharad Pawars NCP in Maharashtra, none of them are based on identity politics of a dominant caste or community. The only slogan or political mantra that unites them the most is secularism, of which anti-majoritarianism is a logical corollary. It is not surprising, therefore, to understand why opposition parties, including Congress, ignore Lalu and his familys record in corruption, both real and perceived. For them, the drawbacks of Lalu as a corrupt leader pale before Lalus commitment as a secular leader. The only exception here seems to be Nitish who seems to believe that in Bihar fighting corruption (linked intricately with good governance) fetches more votes than the sloganeering about secularism. And this perhaps is the reason why he may break ranks with the Mahagathbandhan in the state. Lucknow: Claiming that GST is beneficial only for big traders, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday mocked the BJP, saying it could even resort to using "mantras" to resolve people's problems without taking any real steps. "The reality of BJP is coming to the fore. It has made people's life difficult with demonetisation and GST implementation. GST is only for the benefit of big traders. It appears that BJP will use 'mantras' to resolve people's problems and not take real steps," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister told party workers. Noting that the BJP is used to "spreading lies for political gains," Yadav said his party has to "fight this and counter it". Accusing the Yogi Adityanath regime of failing on the law-and-order front, Yadav said the state government should explain as to how many criminals and land mafias were put behind bars and what action had been initiated against them. "The morale of police is down and criminals are ruling the roost. Law and order is out of control," he said. He alleged that welfare schemes launched during his regime were discontinued as they had the word "Samajwadi" appended to their nomenclature. "The state government is saying that its growth rate is 6 percent. However, if they ignore Muslims' contribution in development, it will stand at only 2 percent," Yadav said, asking party workers to start preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. New Delhi: The CPM stressed on the need for a fresh round of dialogue between India and China covering all strategic issues concerning the two countries to ease tension, following the standoff in Doka La area. The CPM said "extraneous" factors must not be allowed to interfere in the quest for better bilateral ties. It alleged that differences between India and China have "aggravated" after the Modi government came to power and blamed the Centre's strategic alliance with the US for the "divergence". Former CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said it is important for the government to keep in mind that the main party in the Doka La plateau dispute is Bhutan and added "it is better" that India takes the lead in negotiating with China on the issue and supports Thimphu. "What is required is a new round of dialogue between the two countries which will cover all strategic issues which are of concern to them. Extraneous factors must not be allowed to interfere in the quest for better relations between the two neighbours in Asia," Karat said in the editorial of the forthcoming issue of CPM mouthpiece People's Democracy. Regarding the standoff over Doka La, he said Bhutan has been negotiating with China directly on its border issues since 1984. Hence, he said, it is better that India lets Bhutan take the lead in negotiating with China on the Doka La Plateau and other disputed territories. "It is also important to keep in mind that Bhutan is the main party in the dispute. Bhutan is not a 'protectorate' of India," Karat said. The Marxist leader said the "present border fracas" has assumed "greater salience" given the growing number of issues on which the two countries have differences, which he added, have "aggravated" after the Modi-led government was formed in 2014. "The prime factor contributing to this divergence is India's strategic alliance with the US. India has joined the US in its strategic designs in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region which is aimed at containing China. India has openly sided with the US positions on the South China Sea; India has opposed the Belt and Road Initiative," Karat said. Stating that the NDA government has "increased" profile of the Dalai Lama, the CPM said the spiritual leader's visit to Arunachal Pradesh along with a Union minister and his recent unfurling of Tibetan flag of the provisional government in Ladakh are "serious irritants" for China. Karat said India has been seeking to join the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) on a priority basis and considers China as the "stumbling block" for this goal. Nor China has obliged in the efforts to get Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar on the terrorist list notified by the United Nations, he added. "The erosion of trust and mutual confidence has contributed to the present tensions related to Doka La. The Modi government must realise that there is no alternative to settling the recurring disagreements on the border except through negotiations which have a time-tested framework," Karat said. Siliguri(West Bengal): West Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb on Thursday alleged that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists hurled stones at him when he had gone to Panighata to attend a programme, a charge denied by the GJM. "We had gone to Panighata to attend a programme but GJM activists, armed with khukri (Nepalese knife) assembled there and hurled stones at us," he alleged. Deb had gone to Panighata to attend the birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya. The GJM workers also damaged a police vehicle there, the minister charged and added that this was not a movement but vandalism and "the Centre is giving them support". However, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri refuted Deb's charge and said that his party had no hand in it. "We are launching a movement in a democratic way. The only solution is Gorkhaland and the Centre should open a dialogue on it," he said. Middlesex Township Police will host its first Community Night Out to offer residents a chance to meet their first responders. The event will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 29, with a blood drive that will run from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The blood drive is in honor of Carlisle Police Cpl. Timothy Groller, who is fighting stage 4 lung cancer. The event will be at the township park at 50 Beagle Club Road, and will feature police officers and members of the local fire departments and EMS. There will be free hot dogs that were donated by Karns Foods, as supplies last, and a Sheetz beverage truck on site. There will also be giveaways during the event, including a Weber grill donated by Carlisle Electronics. The fire department will challenge the police department to a game of softball, and there will also be a police K9 demonstration. First responder vehicles will also be on display. The night will end with a movie in the park. Sheopur: A Madhya Pradesh government accountant has been allegedly found in possession of disproportionate assets worth about Rs 1.5 crore, the Lokayukta Police said on Thursday. The police raided the residence and other premises of Arvind Jain, attached to the women and child development department at Narsinghgarh, this morning and unearthed assets worth Rs 1.5 crore, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income, said inspector Atul Singh. The anti-graft police conducted the raids after receiving a complaint that the officer had amassed unaccounted wealth, he said. A preliminary inquiry revealed that there was some truth in the complaint and hence raids were conducted, Singh said. Singh said Jain was posted in Sheopur for 15 years and transferred to Narsinghgarh six months back. A car, two bikes, insurance policies worth Rs 10 lakh, 19 tolas of gold, 500 gm of silver besides documents of a house were found in his residence, the inspector said. New Delhi: Union minister Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday said that his visit to China was for an international event and not for a bilateral meeting, days after Rahul Gandhi raised questions over union ministers going to that country amid the border tension. The Union culture and tourism minister, addressing a press conference during which announced about the 8th Theatre Olympics in India, also said that he had gone to China with the government's approval. "It was an international forum of BRICS countries. It was not a bilateral meeting and all five countries which participated did so with the approval of their respective governments as did India. They (the Chinese) welcomed us warmly," he said when asked about his reaction on Rahul's allegations that union ministers were enjoying Chinese hospitality at a time when border skirmishes continued. "The issue (at the border) that you are raising concerns the ministry of home affairs, defence and external affairs. I can assure him (Rahul) that I had gone to China with the approval of the government," Sharma added. Rahul, who had come under fire after his meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui had asked through tweets why three union ministers were availing Chinese hospitality while tension along the border was on. "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," the Congress vice president had tweeted. Rahul was referring to the visits of three union ministers to China amid escalation of the standoff around Dokalam area in Sikkim Union Human Resource Minister Prakash Javdekar who was in Beijing to attend the 5th meeting of BRICS education ministers, Health Minister J P Nadda who participated in BRICS Health Ministers conference and Sharma who was there to participate in the second BRICS Culture Ministers Conference. New Delhi: Eighteen opposition parties have come together to take on the government in Parliament during the Monsoon Session beginning 17 July, over issues like demonetisation, GST, etc, according to political sources. Leaders of these parties discussed the broad strategy and issues to be taken up in Parliament during Tuesday's meeting, which was primarily convened to discuss the opposition's nominee for the vice-presidential polls, the sources told PTI while refusing to be identified. There was a "broad agreement" on five issues over which the 18 parties will target the government inside and outside Parliament and through social media, the sources said. These issues are: Ill-effects of demonetisation, rushing through GST's implementation, farmers' distress and suicides, alleged political vendetta, protection of the country's federal structure, and spreading of fake news and inciting people communally, they said. Referring to the alleged "political vendetta", sources said there have been cases against Trinamool Congress leaders in the "Narada scam" and raids on former finance minister P Chidambaram's family as also on the family of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Tuesday's meeting was attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, JDU's Sharad Yadav, NCP's Praful Patel, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, Samajawadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal, BSP's Satish Mishra as also leaders from 10 other parties. When contacted by PTI, O'Brien did not go into details of the deliberations of that meeting but said, "Individual parties will have their issues to be taken up but on some issues, there is a broad understanding among the 18 parties." O'Brien, who is Trinamool's national secretary and the party's leader in the Rajya Sabha, added, "We are all working as a team. There is no question of oneupmanship by an party in the Opposition." In the 545-member Lok Sabha, Congress has 45 members while Trinamool has 34. At the meeting, the sources said, Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party suggested that the Opposition parties should have such interactions at least once a month to coordinate their positions. Such meetings should be held not only in Delhi but also in state capitals, Agrawal suggested, according to the sources. Significantly, these parties displayed unanimity in choosing their candidate for the vice-presidential polls, the sources said. The name of Gopal Krishna Gandhi was proposed by O'Brien after Sonia Gandhi asked him to begin deliberations and it was immediately endorsed by all present, the sources said. There was no second name, they emphasised. Trinamool was given the first right to propose the joint candidate as it is the second largest opposition party. The largest opposition party, the Congress, had utilised this option in selection of the joint candidate for the presidential polls, the sources explained. Seventeen opposition parties have jointly fielded Congress leader Meira Kumar for the presidential polls. Significantly, the JDU, which backed the ruling NDA nominee for the presidential poll, went with the opposition parties in the context of the vice-presidential candidate. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday slammed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) over stalling a documentary on Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen due to the use of certain words. "Institutions like the Censor Board have to work in an independent manner and today the Centre is using these institutions as a tool to implement Hindutva agenda. This is highly improper and condemnable," said Vijayan in a Facebook post. Titled The Argumentative Indian, the one-hour-long documentary on the legendary economist was on Wednesday refused a green signal by the censor board over the use of words "cow", "Gujarat", "Hindu India" and "Hindutva view of India" by Sen. "In the film, all these words are being said by Sen himself. Now the Censor Board says these words have to be deleted or beeped. This is nothing but an infringement of the rights that is given under the Constitution and this is nothing but fascist tendencies, which in no way can be accepted," said Vijayan. Made by economist Suman Ghosh over a period of 15 years, the documentary is structured as a free flowing conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell economics Professor Kaushik Basu. It has already been screened in New York and London besides a special screening in Kolkata on Monday. Bhopal: Opposition candidate for the president's post, Meira Kumar on Thursday said her fight is against those trying to impose on the people a Manuwadi ideology having strong upper caste bias. Kumar, who was here to campaign for the presidential poll, without naming any party or government said that the election this time round was a "battle of ideology". Speaking to the media, she said: "While there are people with a Manuwadi ideology, promoting casteism and trying to divide the society, opposing them are those advocating social justice and social harmony. We have made this election a battle of ideology." "Congress and the other 16 parties (supporting her) may have different opinions on different subjects, but when it comes to ideology, values and principles, they all became one. The common ideology here is one of social justice, inclusive society, transparency, and giving respect and taking along all religions, as our country is a multi-region country," Kumar stressed. The former Lok Sabha Speaker said that currently, the freedom of the press was under threat, Dalits were under attack, and casteism and communalism were being imposed on the country. "This is a matter of great concern." "I have requested all members of the electoral college to vote according to the voice of their conscience," she added. In the 17 July presidential election, Kumar faces National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. Jaipur: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind said on Thursday that if elected to the country's highest office, he would pay special attention on fulfilling the expectations of the youth. Addressing BJP MPs and MLAs, Kovind said he would work as per the Constitution and his focus would also be on ensuring development of all the states and the nation as a whole. Equality between the people of all castes and communities and promotion of modern education would be his priorities, he said. Kovind arrived in Jaipur accompanied by Union information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav. Naidu said the presidential election was not a fight of principles, as claimed by the Opposition. He said the NDA had considered Kovind's personality and leadership qualities and therefore had decided to choose him. The minister claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah had made efforts to unanimously decide on the presidential candidate but the opposition parties did not give a satisfactory response. Naidu said that apart from the NDA allies, many regional parties and independent MLAs and MPs had extended their support to Kovind. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said that the BJP had made Kovind the presidential nominee on the ground of his achievements in public life. She said that Kovind had quit government service to choose politics for social service. Yadav briefed the MLAs and MPs on the electoral process. Besides BJP MLAs and MPs, National Unionist Zamindara Party MLAs Kamini Zindal and Sona Devi Bawri, and independent MLAs Manik Chand Surana, Randhir Singh Bhinder and Narendra Chaudhary, were also present at the meeting. In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the BJP has 161 MLAs, the Congress 24, the National People's Party four, the National Unionist Zamindara Party two, the BSP two and seven independents. Jaipur: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind said on Thursday that if elected to the country's highest office, he would pay special attention to fulfilling the expectations of the youth. Addressing BJP MPs and MLAs, Kovind said he would work as per the Constitution and his focus would also be on ensuring the development of all the states and the nation as a whole. Equality between the people of all castes and communities and promotion of modern education would be his priorities, he said. Kovind arrived Jaipur accompanied by Union information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav. Naidu said the presidential election was not a fight of principles, as claimed by the Opposition. He said the NDA had considered Kovind's personality and leadership qualities and therefore had decided to choose him. The minister claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah had made efforts to unanimously decide on the presidential candidate but the opposition parties did not give a satisfactory response. Naidu said that apart from the NDA allies, many regional parties and independent MLAs and MPs had extended their support to Kovind. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said that the BJP had made Kovind the presidential nominee on the ground of his achievements in public life. She said that Kovind had quit government service to choose politics for social service. Yadav briefed the MLAs and MPs on the electoral process. Besides BJP MLAs and MPs, National Unionist Zamindara Party MLAs Kamini Zindal and Sona Devi Bawri, and independent MLAs Manik Chand Surana, Randhir Singh Bhinder and Narendra Chaudhary, were also present at the meeting. In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the BJP has 161 MLAs, the Congress 24, the National People's Party four, the National Unionist Zamindara Party two, the BSP two and seven independents. Amaravati: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has said that his party would not support the delimitation (of Assembly constituencies) in Andhra Pradesh unless the Centre granted special category status (SCS) to the state. The Congress leader reportedly told a delegation from Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday that their party's support to the Delimitation Bill would be subject to Centre fulfilling the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and the promise made by then prime minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha on granting SCS to Andhra Pradesh. This decision by the Congress is a setback to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which was hoping that a Bill related to the delimitation of constituencies, increasing the number of Assembly seats from the present 175 to 225, would come up in Parliament during the monsoon session. Given the numbers in Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is now in minority, Congress' support will be crucial to pass the Delimitation Bill. "We want the BJP-led NDA government, of which the TDP is a constituent, to honour the promises, particularly with regard to SCS and establishment of a railway zone at Visakhapatnam. Otherwise, Rahul (Gandhi) has told us not to support the Delimitation Bill," PCC president N Raghuveera Reddy said. Increasing the number of Assembly seats is politically critical for the TDP in 2019. It had been pressuring the Centre to complete the formality, which incidentally was enshrined in the Reorganisation Act. The Centre initially said in Parliament that the exercise would not be undertaken before 2026 but later Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu took up the issue personally with home minister Rajnath Singh at the behest of the TDP. "Opposing the delimitation is yet another betrayal. The Congress has already done grave injustice to AP by illogically dividing the state," finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said. "Rahul Gandhi's opposition to the enhancement of Assembly seats amounts to political and social betrayal. It is atrocious that the Congress party, which enacted the Reorganisation Act, is now opposing certain provisions of the same law," Yanamala said in a statement. Patna: The RJD reiterated on Thursday that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, son of party leader Lalu Prasad, won't resign despite the corruption charges hurled at him. "Tejashwi will not resign at any cost. RJD has 80 legislators. We will do what we want," Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virender told the media. He was responding to questions over Janata Dal(United) requests that the RJD would have to decide the fate of Tejashwi Yadav. Virender, a loyalist of Lalu Prasad, said Tejashwi Yadav will not resign despite demands by some. "RJD is intact, there is no if and but in the party over Tejashwi. He will not resign." JD(U) state president Vashisht Narain Singh has said that the JD(U) was not satisfied with Tejashwi Yadav's reply to corruption allegations against him. "Our party is not satisfied. Now a final decision will be taken over it," he said. A day after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar asked him to come clean, Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday dubbed the corruption charges against him a "conspiracy" hatched by the BJP brass. Tejashwi Yadav, facing an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also made light of the allegations against him, saying they relate to a period when he was 14 years old. Lalu Prasad, his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav have been named accused in a CBI case related to the transfer of prime land in Patna to the family by two businessmen allegedly in return for licences granted to run hotels in Ranchi and Puri when the RJD chief was the railway minister. New Delhi: The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, on Thursday came down heavily on Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for saying the draft NRC will be published by 31 December. The NRC is meant to identify original residents of Assam to check illegal migration from Bangladesh. The top court said when it is monitoring the process of publication of the draft NRC by an apex court appointed committee, no agency or authority can make a statement like this. "We don't appreciate any other authority intervening in the matter of preparation and publication of the draft NRC when this court has been monitoring the process," the bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and RF Nariman said. During the hearing the bench was informed that though the deadline for the publication of draft NRC was said to be 31 March, 2019, the chief minister has stated that this would be done on or before December 2017. "Last time you had told us that you will do it by March 2018. It is good that you are doing it. But we have an on-record statement of Chief Minister of Assam that the draft NRC will be published in December 2017. Let him supervise then. We will wash off our hands," the bench said. It also said that the apex court has already spend its energy and time time for almost two years and "it is not fair to the court". The Supreme Court was hearing a matter relating to fencing of India-Bangladesh border. State Rep. Stephen Bloom, R-Carlisle, announced that his next Coffee and Conversation meeting will be in Newville. The meeting will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at Friendship Hose Company, 15 E. Big Spring Ave., Newville. The event is open to residents of the 199th District only, which includes much of western Cumberland County as well as Carlisle. The meeting will feature a presentation from Bloom on the Pennsylvania Legislature, including an overview of the state budget. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session on state topics, according to Blooms news release. The meeting is free to attend, but seating is limited and registration is required. To register, RSVP by July 19 by visiting RepBloom.com or calling Blooms office at 717-249-1990. A news release from his office said attendees will be confirmed at the door on the evening of the event. Registrants will also be notified of any last-minute scheduling changes. According to Middlesex Township, a Coffee and Conversation meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday was postponed. Blooms office may reschedule. Chennai: The Opposition nominee for the vice-president's post, Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Wednesday called on DMK president M Karunanidhi in Chennai and sought his party's support in the polls, a day after 18 parties chose him as their joint candidate. Gandhi met Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence in the presence of DMK working president MK Stalin and his sister and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, a party release said. Gandhi "called on kalaignar (Karunanidhi) and sought support in the vice-president election," it said. Stalin held discussions about the vice president polls and extended his support on behalf of DMK to Gandhi, "who is contesting on behalf of secular parties," the release added. On Tuesday, Gopalkrishna Gandhi's name was endorsed by all 18 opposition parties, including the Janata Dal (United), which had broken ranks with the opposition to back NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the presidential election. Lucknow: Henceforth no AC, air-cooler, red carpet, saffron towel and sofa will be seen during field visits of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, going by a specific order issued by his office. The Chief Minister's Office has said that Adityanath is "extremely unhappy" over the extravagant arrangements that are made for his visits to homes of martyrs and wants to put an immediate end to this "show-off". His office has issued an order to this effect to all administrative and police chiefs of districts and other top officials in the state. "The chief minister has given clear orders that no special arrangements be made during his visits and any show-off or inconvenience to common people should be avoided," an official said. During his recent visits to Deoria and Gorakhpur for meeting families of martyred jawans, the administration put up sofas, red carpets and ACs at their residences as a temporary measure. The chief minister has expressed unhappiness over this and wants no repeat of it, the official said citing CMO's order of 10 July. Adityanath had visited Yogi Adityanath shuns VIP culture: No more AC, red carpet, during CM's field tripsthe family of slain CRPF sub-inspector Sahab Shukla in Gorakhpur who had died in a terrorist attack in Srinagar on 24 June. The local administration covered the entire road to Shukla's house with a red carpet, put up white curtains on the route to block the view of the neighbouring houses, put up saffron-coloured curtains in the martyr's house and also installed an air-cooler, exhaust fan and a recliner sofa for the comfort of the chief minister. Adityanath did not like the fanfare when he landed there to grieve with the family and hand over a cheque of Rs six lakh to them. He is said to have pulled up officials over the same, sources in CMO said. Earlier on 12 May, the chief minister had visited the house of slain BSF jawan Prem Sagar in Deoria. Sagar was killed by a Pakistan Border Action Team along the Line of Control in Poonch. Local officials had then temporarily put up a window air conditioner, sofa, red carpet and saffron towels for the chief minister. All these facilities were removed within minutes of his departure from the spot after handing over a cheque of Rs four lakh to the grieving family. That time too, Adityanath had expressed unhappiness with local officials over the same. However, with a repeat of the episode in Gorakhpur, the CMO has now sent out an order to all district magistrates and SSPs to desist from such acts or face strict action. The Samajwadi Party has criticised the chief minister over this issue. The CMO, however, brushed aside the criticism saying Adityanath has chosen austerity and has even turned down a proposal to buy new SUVs for himself and his office and has opted to travel in cars used by his predecessor Akhilesh Yadav. Paris: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it's important to keep talking with President Donald Trump even where there are clear differences. Merkel said at a news conference Thursday with French president Emmanuel Macron that last week's G20 summit showed common ground, for instance on fighting terrorism, but "we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not." She added, "We did not paper over these differences, but nevertheless contact, the ability to speak is of course important." Macron said Germany and France agree on the importance of close ties with the United States, despite the differences. Trump is currently in Paris to mark Bastille Day and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I. Earlier, Merkel has said that she's open to restarting talks with the United States on a trade deal with the European Union. The dpa news agency reported Tuesday that Merkel told a business audience in Bavaria that Trump's administration had signaled it is ready to negotiate and that "for me a Trans-Atlantic agreement remains on the daily agenda." On a trip to Berlin last month, US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said the US and EU should have a free trade agreement. Negotiations for the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal, known as TTIP, started under the Obama administration but have been stalled since last year. Merkel said protectionist policies can be self-defeating. She said, "it's been repeatedly shown that open markets have economic advantages for all parties involved." Washington: US President Donald Trump has departed for France, as yet another political firestorm swirled in Washington over allegations that Russia helped the Republican ascend to the White House. Air Force One departed at 7.43 pm (23.43 GMT) for the trip to Paris during which Trump, who sported a cerulean blue tie for the trip, is expected to include talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and participate as a guest of honour in the country's national holiday festivities. The visit comes days after the release of emails that the US president's son jumped at a Russian offer to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton during the campaign the latest development in the probe into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election. He is set to arrive in Paris on Thursday for talks with Macron expected to focus on joint efforts against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. The two leaders will then dine at the Michelin-starred restaurant embedded in the Eiffel Tower, taking in sweeping views of the French capital with their wives Melania and Brigitte. On Friday, they will watch French and American troops march down the Champs-Elysees in Paris during the holiday's traditional military parade. Trump and Macron, who both entered office this year, appear to have little in common. Last month the mercurial US leader notably withdrew the US from the global Paris climate change agreement to Macron's dismay. But the French government has emphasised its newly-minted leader will work to reaffirm "historic ties" between the two allies and prevent the US from "being isolated". Washington: Barack Obama headlines a key Democratic fundraiser Thursday in one of his first major appearances for the party since Donald Trump succeeded him as US president in January. Obama will attend a fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) at a private home in the US capital Washington. The event, which is closed to the press, aims to raise money to fund the coming electoral battles next year in a bid to control the redistricting effort that is scheduled to take place after the 2020 census. How districts are drawn and redrawn has a big impact on the political landscape, making the process extremely important to the fortunes of American political parties. The 435 congressional districts that elect lawmakers to the US House of Representatives are redrawn every 10 years following the national census. Local legislatures, and not the federal government or the US Congress, redraw these boundaries. Republicans currently control the legislatures in 32 of the nation's 50 states. "Restoring fairness to our democracy by advocating for fairer, more inclusive district maps around the country is a priority for president Obama," his spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement. The NDRC was created in January 2017, and is headed by Obama-era US attorney general Eric Holder. Republicans have held a House majority since the 2010 elections. Obama, 55, has kept a relatively low political profile since leaving the White House on 20 January. After three months of vacation, he attended a conference in Chicago in April to discuss his youth-oriented foundation. Beyond a few press statements or tweets on topics like health care or immigration, he has avoided directly commenting on the performance of his Republican successor Trump unlike Trump's 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton, who regularly offers criticism. Yaounde (Cameroon): Two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon killing 14 people and injuring 30 people in an attack likely staged by Boko Haram jihadists, security sources said on Thursday. The bombings, which took place on Wednesday evening in Waza near the Nigerian border, targeted a busy area in the market town, the sources said. The bombers struck an area with "restaurants, telephone cabins and kiosks", a local official said. "The town has been sealed off. Nobody can enter and nobody can leave," the source said, adding that some of the wounded were in "quite serious" condition. Though Boko Haram was born in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, prompting the formation of a regional force to fight back. Cameroon's Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm. Six civilians were killed in mid-June in a double suicide attack in Kolofata, and two others died in Limani at the start of last month when a female bomber blew herself up near the town's public school. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their homes in fear of the violence. Beijing: In an unprecedented move, the Chinese foreign ministry on Thursday removed questions related to Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo from the transcripts of its daily media briefings available on the official website. The move came hours after the death of the 61-year-old human rights activist who died due to multiple organ failure following a battle with cancer while still in custody. Asked why the references about Liu were removed, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the ministry has the right to decide about the content of the transcripts. "I answered more than 10 questions on the subject on Wednesday. When you are covering the press conference did you write the every word I said in your report. We have the right to decide which kind of content can go online," Geng said. According to the justice bureau of Shenyang city in Liaoning Province, Liu, convicted of subversion of state power in 2009, died of multiple organ failure on Thursday. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail for his strident Opposition to the one-party rule of the Communist Party of China. Liu served eight years in jail before he was diagnosed with cancer. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while in jail and was represented by an empty chair at the ceremony in Oslo. China on Thursday said it is committed to upholding United Nations sanctions on North Korea despite data showing a jump in the volume of bilateral trade. China-US relations have soured in recent weeks as President Donald Trump urges Beijing to put diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, with tensions rising after this month's test of a missile that could reach the US mainland. Despite Washington's calls for action, trade between the Asian neighbors increased 10.5 percent percent in January- June, including a 29.1 percent jump in exports. But customs administration spokesman Huang Songping Beijing was upholding the UN sanctions against the regime of Kim Jong-Un. "Simple accumulated data cannot be used as evidence to question China's severe attitude in carrying out UN Security Council resolutions," Huang told a news briefing. He pointed to a 13.2 percent drop in imports from North Korea in the same period as an example of the pressure, adding that there have been sharp decreases every month since March. "UN Security Council sanctions are not a total ban on shipments. Trade related to DPRK people's livelihood, especially those that reflect humanitarianism should not be influenced by the sanctions," Huang said. China announced in February the suspension of coal imports from the North, striking a blow at a major source of income for the hermit state. Huang said coal imports dropped by three-quarters in the first half, and all those shipments had been made before 18 February. Trump complained that trade had increased between the two despite calling on his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to use the nation's unique diplomatic and economic clout to rein in its neighbour's nuclear ambitions. "Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 percent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us but we had to give it a try!" Trump tweeted on 5 July. Previous Chinese customs data showed two-way trade with the North had risen 30.6 percent in dollar terms in the first three months of the year. Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter. So much for China working with us - but we had to give it a try! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2017 The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said on Sunday that Washington would crank up pressure on China to ensure it implements sanctions over the missile test. She told the Security Council last week that the US planned a new resolution that would also ensure existing measures are enforced. "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 told CBS television. The Trump administration angered China last month by imposing sanctions on a Chinese bank accused of laundering North Korean cash and approving a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province. Beijing: China has dispatched PLA personnel to man its first overseas military base at Djibouti in the strategic Indian Ocean region, a move likely to spark concerns in the US and India. Ships carrying Chinese military personnel departed Zhanjiang in southern China's Guangdong Province yesterday to set up a support base in Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. China, however, sought to playdown reports that its naval facility at Djibouti was its first military base. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing that the Djibouti base is a support base which will serve Chinese troops when they escort ships for anti- piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, perform humanitarian rescue, and carry out other international obligations. The base will be conducive to driving Djibouti's economic and social development, and assist China's contribution to peace and stability both in Africa and worldwide, he claimed. Dispatching the military personnel yesterday, Shen Jinlong, commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, had read an order on constructing the base in Djibouti, and conferred the military flag on the fleets. The establishment of the PLA Djibouti base was a decision made by the two countries after friendly negotiations, and accords with the common interest of the people from bot sides, the PLA navy had said. Djibouti base, which China says is more of a logistical and resting centre than a military base, was under construction since 2011. It is the first such base being set up by China. The second base is coming up in Gwadar, Pakistan, which links up with China through the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In March this year, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post had reported that China plans to increase the size of its marine corps from 20,000 to one lakh personnel for overseas deployment, including at Gwadar and Djibouti. The expansion is planned to protect China's maritime lifelines and its growing interests overseas. Some members would be stationed at ports China operates in Djibouti and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, the report had said. In addition, China also plans to take over the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka as part of a debt swap to firm up its naval operations in the Indian Ocean, much to the disquiet of India. The bases were being set up as China operationalised its first aircraft carrier and launched the second one which was expected to be ready for operations by next year. The move to set up base in Djibouti is also likely to raise concerns in the US as the military base is just a few kilometres from Camp Lemonnier, one of the Pentagon's largest and most important foreign installations. With increasing tensions over China's island-building efforts in the South China Sea, American strategists worry that a naval port so close to Camp Lemonnier could provide a front-row seat to the staging ground for American counter-terror operations in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa, The New York Times reported. Besides the US, the base could also spark concerns in India as it is located in the strategic Indian Ocean region. Beijing: China on Wednesday said that it was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving relations between India and Pakistan, especially after the increased hostility along the LoC, saying the situation in Kashmir has attracted "international" attention. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the "situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community." India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan, and that there is no scope for a third party mediation. The Chinese comments on Kashmir aimed at getting involved in Indo-Pak tensions come at a time the armies of India and China are locked in a standoff in Doka La area in the Sikkim section. Beijing has previously refrained from commenting on the situation in Kashmir, saying the dispute was a "leftover from history" and should be resolved by India and Pakistan. Expressing concern over the tension between India and Pakistan, Geng said "the conflict occurred near the Line of Control of Kashmir. This will not only harm the peace and stability of the two countries but also the peace and tranquillity of the region." "We hope the relevant sides can do more things that are conducive for peace and stability in the region and avoiding escalating the tensions and China is willing to play constructive role in improving relations between India and Pakistan," he told reporters. The rare Chinese comments on the Kashmir issue also come two days after a Chinese analyst wrote in the state-run Global Times that a "third country's" Army could enter Kashmir at Pakistan's request, using the "logic" the Indian Army used to stop the Chinese military from constructing the road in Doka La area. Geng's comments were in reply to a question on the tension between India and Pakistan, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressing concern over the situation in Kashmir, and whether China can play role to defuse the hostility between the two countries. According to Pakistan foreign ministry, the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, who met in Abidjan, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, passed a resolution on Kashmir. Indian security forces have been carrying out combing operations in parts of Kashmir to clear the areas of militants supported by Pakistan who launch attacks against them. On Monday evening, militants targeted a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims and killed seven of them, including six women, in Kashmir's Anantnag district. Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and Pakistani national Abu Ismail has emerged as the mastermind of the audacious attack. A fire company in Shippensburg is taking a new approach to raise money for a new ladder truck a grocery sale. Cumberland Valley Hose Company will host a benefit grocery sale Saturday at the Shippensburg Firefighters Activities Center, 33 W. Orange St. in Shippensburg. The sale starts at 11 a.m. and is expected to last until about 3 p.m. It will be run by Michael Irish Mike Sullivan, owner of New Dawn Enterprises of Hanover, who will offer a variety of grocery store items at a fraction of the grocery store cost. I guarantee that we can beat any grocery store price by 20 to 60 percent because we dont have the overhead and we buy quantity, Sullivan said. Were licensed by the Department of Agriculture, inspected regularly, licensed, fully bonded and insured. And we stand behind everything 100 percent. Lauren Ocker, fundraising committee chair for Cumberland Valley Hose Company, said she heard about Sullivan from Andrew Henry, owner of Keystone Gun Sales in Carlisle, who coordinates the fire companys gun drawings. Gun drawings, which are held each spring and fall, along with Saturday night Bingo, are the main fundraisers for Cumberland Valley Hose Company. However, with plans to purchase a new ladder truck this year, she said the company needed new fundraising ideas. Dave Ocker, Laurens husband and Cumberland Valley Hose fire chief, said the companys ladder truck is 20 years old and will be listed for sale next month. The new truck, a 2018 custom-built Pierce 100-foot aerial platform fire truck, will cost $1.2 million. We try to replace our units every 20 years, Dave Ocker said. The groceries Sullivan said he offers a variety of frozen and dry goods everything from cereals and drinks to snacks and paper towels from a 16-foot box truck that he calls his grocery store on wheels. He said the products are well-known name-brand items that he buys as overstock directly from local distribution companies and manufacturers. Sullivan said he uses the pitch-and-pass method for most of the items sold during the event. We show the item, tell them what it is, and the runners hold it up for people to see, he said. Theyll put their card up (to purchase an item) and tell me how many they want. Then the runners take it to their seat. Its very fast-paced. Larger, limited-quantity items are sold auction style. The evening will end with a game of Lets Make a Deal. We put things in a pile and they bid on them, Sullivan said. That saves them even more money. Sullivan started his business 12 years ago and holds grocery fundraisers in five states (Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia) for nonprofit organizations like fire companies, Boy Scouts, church groups and 4-H clubs. They are open to anyone. Everybody has to save money, Sullivan said. These sales are open to the public young married people with kids, retired people. A lot of people are on fixed incomes, he said. Things are tough now, so thats why we started doing it. Another new fundraiser, the Cumberland Valley Hose Music Bike Fest, will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 19 at Britton Park. That event, hosted by Cumberland Valley Hose and 101.5 Bob Rocks radio station, will feature four bands, a motorcycle run and vendors. Gaborone (Botswana): The Dalai Lama will visit Botswana in August and meet with President Ian Khama, Botswana officials confirmed, in a trip likely to anger China, a key investor across Africa and its largest trade partner. Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist campaigning for Tibetan independence and consistently condemns foreign leaders who meet him. Botswana "will be extending the normal courtesies for visiting dignitaries", the government said on Wednesday in a statement. "His Excellency (President Khama) will meet the Dalai Lama when he is in Botswana." The Tibetan spiritual leader, who lives in exile in India, is due to make a public address at the three-day "Mind and Life Dialogue" conference in the Botswana capital Gaborone on 19 August. Botswana's neighbour South Africa has repeatedly denied the Dalai Lama a visa in an apparent attempt to further boost ties with China, drawing fierce criticism from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and others. China's growing demand for raw materials has seen a rapid rise in trade with Africa. The Chinese government has helped build coal-powered power plants, road networks, bridges and schools in Botswana, in some of its many infrastructure projects in Africa. Many in the continent see Beijing as a counterbalance to the West, but the relationship has also raised accusations of neo-colonialism. Botswana, one of the world's largest diamond producers, has a population of just two million people and is known for its stable political scene. A government spokesman declined to comment on any risk to relations with China. The Dalai Lama says he seeks more autonomy for Tibet rather than outright independence. Paris: US President Donald Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday for a two-day visit in a diplomatic move to soften divergence with France over climate change and trade liberalisation by seeking common ground on security and fight against terrorism. Trump arrived at Orly airport south of Paris early in the morning, beginning his second European trip in two weeks. The visit was set in motion by a call French President Emmanuel Macron had made to discuss Syria, for which he invited Trump to the 14 July Bastille Day celebrations. After his arrival the US President, who is under fire over Russian connections, met American Embassy staff where he was scheduled to have lunch with military officials, CNN reported. Later, Trump will tour Napoleon's tomb at the Les Invalides before sitting down for talks on Syria and counterterrorism with Macron at the Elysee Palace. Macron, who denounced Washington's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, will seek to press Trump to do more for deteriorating climate change, local media reports said. The pair will then take questions from reporters in the evening, and dine with their wives in a Michelin-starred restaurant on the second landing of the Eiffel Tower. On Friday, Trump will be the guest of honour at a military parade marking Bastille Day that commemorates the start of the French Revolution. American troops will march alongside French personnel down the Champs-Elysees. The march will give Trump a view of France's military hardware and point to the long history of cooperation between the two countries, the report said. The White House said American troops would participate this year. Trump's stop in Paris is designed to mark the 100th anniversary of the US's entry into World War I, and the security theme will carry over in talks between the leaders. The US President comes to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Emails released earlier this week suggested that his eldest son welcomed Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Officials said that Macron hopes to demonstrate to Trump the willingness of France to play a broader role in global security affairs. Speaking to regional newspaper Ouest France, Macron said: "Both countries have an essential point of convergence: The fight against terrorism and protecting our vital interests in the Middle East and in Africa." "We need the US. That's why I invited Donald Trump...to pay tribute and celebrate a relationship which is unavoidable in the security field," he added. While last week's G20 Summit in Germany was marked by widespread violent protests, the French were not expected to stage large scale demonstrations during Trump's visit here. According to the report, at least 11,000 police and gendarmes were deployed on the streets for the US President's tour. Dhaka: Donald Trump's fans in Dhaka now have an official hangout spot. A restaurant named Trump Cafe, honouring the US president. Saiful Islam, a Bangladeshi entrepreneur and a big fan of Trump, founded the cafe and decided to use the president's name for his coffee shop in Dhaka. Bringing his idea to fruition was not easy. Saiful had to prove to the authorities that he was the real owner of the business and the president had nothing to do with it, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The 'Trump Cafe' offers Chinese, Indian and Thai cuisine and other fast food items on its menu. "I did not start the business with any specific thought in mind, just the fact that I am a big fan of President Donald Trump," Saiful was quoted as saying. Along with other regular favourites, the cafe also serves some food items inspired by Trump such as the special Trump Cocktail or the Green Apple Mocktail. "My uncle, Kabir Ali, is the manager at a Trump owned restaurant in the US. It was initially his idea to start a restaurant, and since I am a big fan as well, I wanted to get involved in the venture," said Saiful. Even though Trump remains unaware about the existence of the restaurant and bears no connection to it, Saiful is happy to be a part of the restaurant named after Trump, the report said. "Many people think he is a joke, but he is an inspiration for me. If you look at his business ventures, you will see that he is quite successful and shrewd at doing business. That is what inspires me," Saiful said. One of the attractions of the cafe is a Trump cutout that people can take pictures with. Even the cafe's wifi password is named after a Trump family member, the report said. Despite formally opening more than two months ago, the owners are planning a grand opening within the next two months. President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton had won last year's general election, as this would have made America weak. In his first major interview after his last week's maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. "We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because I'm a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me," Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in an interview. "And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesn't want to see that," he said, according to the excerpts of the interview released by CBN. "From day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. We're going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. We're going to be exporting energy he doesn't want that. "He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy," he continued. The full interview is scheduled to be telecast today. "So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think 'probably not,' because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldn't have spent the money on military," he said. "When I want tremendous energy, we're opening up coal, we're opening up natural gas, we're opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that," said the US President. In the middle of a political storm, because of allegations of Russian connections by his campaign, Trump said the two countries can get along together. "Well he wants what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and that's the way it is," Trump told CBN. His meeting with Putin in Germany last week went quite well, he said. "Sometimes you're not going to get along on things and sometimes you will. But we had a good meeting, it was a face to face meeting, it was a long meeting. It was two hours and 15 minutes. Everyone was surprised by the amount of time but that was a good thing and not a bad thing," he said. "Yeah, I think we get along very well and I think that's a good thing, that's not a bad thing. People said, 'Oh they shouldn't get along.' Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn't make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump said. Syria is one area where there is potential of a large cooperation. "I think we had an excellent meeting. One thing we did is we had a ceasefire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days," Trump said. "The ceasefire has held for four days. Those (previous) ceasefires haven't held at all. That's because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and it's held. Now, I don't know what's going to happen. Maybe as we're speaking they start shooting again. But this has held unlike all of the other ceasefires that didn't mean anything," he said. "So, that was a great thing that came out of that meeting. I think a lot of things came out of that meeting but I do believe it's important to have a dialogue and if you don't have a dialogue, it's a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody," Trump told CBN. Washington: Christopher Wray, who has been nominated to be the next director of the FBI, told the Senate during his first confirmation hearing on Wednesday that he would uphold the Constitution and ensure the federal law enforcement agency's independence. "The role of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI director needs to be one that is independent of partisan politics," Wray said, Efe news reported. "I believe to my core that there is only one right way to do this job, and that is with strict independence, by the book, playing it straight, faithful to our Constitution, faithful to our laws, faithful to the best practices of the institution," the 50-year-old Wray said. In May, President Donald Trump fired former FBI director James Comey, who later alleged that the president had asked him for a pledge of personal loyalty. "No one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath during this process, and I would sure as heck not offer one," Wray said in response to questions from senators. "My loyalty is to the Constitution and the rule of law," Wray said. Wray led the Department of Justice's Criminal Division between 2003 and 2005 under President George W Bush. At the time, Comey was deputy attorney general. This was the first hearing on Wray's nomination to become FBI director and started a day after Trump's eldest son, Donald Jr, released an email chain showing his interest in obtaining from suspected Russian sources information harmful to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The president has described the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election as "the greatest witch hunt in history." Wray told senators that he did not consider the investigation, which is being led by former FBI Director Robert Mueller, a "witch hunt". Cairo: Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday reiterated his country's stance against the support and finance of terrorism, state-run MENA news agency reported. Sisi's remarks came during his meeting with Arab information ministers who are in Cairo for the meetings of their council. Sisi underlined the important role of the media in molding awareness of peoples regarding the challenges and threats facing the Arab countries in light of the current unprecedented regional situation and the growing threat of terrorism, MENA said. The Egyptian president added that terrorism caused much damage to the Arab nation over the past few years, stressing that confronting terrorism at all levels through a comprehensive strategy is a necessity. He also highlighted the important role of the media for publishing accurate information and spreading the values of tolerance. Sisi confirmed Egypt's keenness not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and not to conspire against any country. Egypt faces waves of anti-security attacks led by Islamic State branch in North Sinai, since the army-led ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule. The attacks were mainly centered in Sinai Peninsula, but some extended to the capital and Delta cities. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed during the attacks. Last month, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and cut off sea, land and air links to the tiny rich Gulf nation, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. Qatar has strongly denied the charges against it, while rejecting a list of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties. Paris: France and Germany agreed on Thursday to develop a "new generation" of European fighter jets together that will replace their current fleets, which French President Emmanuel Macron called a "revolution" in their defence relations. "The two partners hope to finalise a joint roadmap by mid-2018," said a statement from the French presidency after talks between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron in Paris. Fighter jets "were very heavy projects for our armies and our governments," Macron said, saying that a joint European aircraft would help save money and remove competition between different jets currently on the market. "The aim of this joint fighter jet project is to do research and development together... to use it together.. and to coordinate on exports," Macron added, calling it "a profound revolution." French forces have begun using the latest generation of the Rafale jet manufactured by French arms maker Dassault, while Germany uses the Eurofighter Typhoon and older British aircraft. The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation on a major ground combat system as well as in the Eurodrone programme alongside Spain and Italy, the statement said. They also said they supported the European defence fund, calling it an "important pillar of the integration of the European defence sector". The fund created by the EU last month, with an annual budget of 5.5 billion euro ($6.1 billion), lays the basis for permanent military cooperation. Riyadh: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after talks with foreign ministers of the four anti-Qatar countries on the month-long dispute among Gulf states, with no announcement released so far. He met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain the four countries boycotting Qatar in Jeddah to discuss the escalating issues, Xinhua reported. The meetings came after Tillerson visited Kuwait and Qatar, during which he signed an agreement with the Qatari government aiming at combating the financing of terrorism. The four countries responded to the US-Qatari agreement by releasing a joint statement on Tuesday stating: "We believe that the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and the Qatari authorities is a result of repeated pressures and demands over the past years to Qatar to stop supporting terrorism." "But that such a step is not sufficient and we will closely monitor the seriousness of Qatar in combating all forms of funding, supporting and fostering terrorism," the statement said. His trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jiddah follows talks the previous day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He has also held discussions with the ruler of Kuwait, who is mediating the dispute. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and cut air, sea and land routes with it more than a month ago, accusing it of supporting extremist groups. Qatar denies the allegation. Tillerson met with Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir on arrival in the Red Sea city. He is expected to meet with officials from the rest of the quartet later in the day before returning to Kuwait. Doha: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Thursday wrapped up a four-day mission to the Gulf with little sign of progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia and its allies against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip, before heading back to Washington. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to their arch-rival Iran. The diplomatic slack now appears likely to be picked up again by the Europeans, with French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heading to the region at the weekend. A French diplomatic source in Paris said that Le Drian would try "to recreate confidence, create an interest of all parties to engage in de-escalation". "We must find a way out." Le Drian's visit will follow similar trips made by his counterparts from Germany and Britain in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar since 5 June. They have imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar. They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to end the worst political crisis in the region for years. Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands "unrealistic". It also claims the boycott has led to human rights violations, and Thursday one group said abuses were one consequence of the crisis. "Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries' orders or leaving behind their families and job," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. Tillerson arrived back in Doha after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 24 hours earlier. On his previous visit on Tuesday, the US and Qatar signed an agreement to combat terror funding, subsequently dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saudi-led states. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While president Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson has sought to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. Speaking after meeting with Prince Mohammed the Saudi king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy fifth fleet. On Tuesday, speaking in Doha, Tillerson described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. But an ongoing crisis may not be looked upon as such a bad thing in the west, at least according to one analyst. "For public consumption at least, the US State Department is trying to send out a signal that it has worked hard with its three allies Saudi, UAE, Qatar to try to find a mutually agreeable solution," Christopher Davidson, an expert on West Asia politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP. "Britain, and now France, are also trying to do much the same. "Underneath the surface however ... the US including Tillerson likely sees significant strategic and lucrative benefits to any long-running stand-off between these states." Jeddah: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks on Wednesday with four Arab states boycotting Qatar as part of a round of intense shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the regional crisis. Tillerson flew into Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country leads a four-state alliance that has cut ties with Qatar over accusations it supports extremism. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson is seeking to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. In a setback to his efforts, the four Arab states on Tuesday dismissed a counter-terrorism deal signed between Qatar and the United States that day as "insufficient". But on Wednesday Tillerson underscored the shared mutual interests between the United States and Saudi Arabia notably in the areas of "security, stability... and economic prosperity". Speaking after meeting with the Saudi crown prince, the king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics, Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The secretary of state also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an attempt to mend fences between the crucial US allies. The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. On Tuesday, after a stop in regional mediator Kuwait, Tillerson travelled to Doha where he described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. He also signed a deal which he said "lays out a series of steps the two countries will take over the coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter-terrorism activities globally." The deal meant Qatar was "the first to respond" to Trump's call at a summit in Riyadh in May "to stop the funding of terrorism", Tillerson said, suggesting such deals could be signed with the other Arab states as a step toward ending the crisis. But Tuesday's initiative was dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saudi-led bloc. Commitments made by Qatari authorities "cannot be trusted," said a joint statement published by Saudi state news agency SPA. The bloc has issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar including closing broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, downgrading ties to Iran and shutting a Turkish military base in the emirate. Iran, Saudi Arabia's main arch-rival, has offered to export food to Qatar and Wednesday announced it was boosting ties with the Gulf state of Oman. Oman has maintained ties with Qatar and joined the Kuwaiti and US-led crisis talks this week. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain on 5 June announced sanctions, effective immediately, against Qatar over accusations Doha supported Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. They severed all diplomatic ties, suspended transport links with Doha and ordered all Qataris to return home within 14 days. Qatar refused to comply with the ultimatum and has consistently denied accusations of ties to Islamist groups. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on June 30 said the demand to close Al-Jazeera represented "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion," prompting a harsh response from the United Arab Emirates. In a letter to the rights chief, UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash accused Al-Jazeera of anti- Semitism and inciting viewers to discrimination and violence. The letter lists the broadcasting of "sermons by the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, in which he praised Hitler, described the Holocaust as 'divine punishment'" and the regular airing of the speeches of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and others as examples of hatred. Tillerson's visit is the latest in a series by officials to the region, including UN diplomats and the foreign ministers of Germany and Britain, to try to resolve the row. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit the Gulf this weekend, with stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. Saint Patrick School recently announced Antoinette Oliverio is its new principal. Oliverio has been on the faculty at the school for the last 11 years, specializing in language arts for the seventh and eighth grades. I am thrilled and excited to be chosen as Saint Patrick Schools new principal, Oliverio said. I look forward to being a part of our childrens future as they develop emotionally, spiritually and academically with a passion for learning and a love for Christ. Oliverio succeeds Ricman Fly, who retired at the end of the school year after 12 years as principal. Oliverio, who lives in Carlisle, was chosen after what the Very Rev. Father William Forrey of Saint Patrick Parish characterized as an intense search that found the most qualified candidate right in our own parish school. Forrey said Oliverio understands the nature of the parish and school community and has the faith and dedication to lead the school forward. Her contagious energy and enthusiasm will engage parents and students alike, Forrey said. Her faith in Christ will serve as the foundation and driver of all that she does as principal. I couldnt be more pleased with her selection to carry on the Blue Ribbon tradition of excellence at Saint Patricks. Oliverio received her bachelors degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland and masters in education from Fordham University. New Delhi: Rebuffing China's offer, India on Thursday ruled out any third party mediation on Kashmir about which it is ready to talk to Pakistan under a bilateral framework. "Our stand is absolutely clear. You are aware that the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country that threatens peace and stability in the country, region, and the world.," he said. "We are ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir under a bilateral framework," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at his weekly media briefing. He was reacting to the Chinese foreign office spokesperson on Wednesday saying that China was ready to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties over Kashmir, where the "situation has attracted the attention of the international community". "We are ready to talk Kashmir with Pakistan, but no third party mediation," Baglay said. New Delhi: The Indian consulate in Jeddah is making arrangements to bring back the bodies of 11 Indian workers killed in a fire in a house in Saudi Arabia's Najran city, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Of the 11, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala and one each from Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Punjab, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at his weekly media briefing here. While Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Waseem Akram, Mohammad Waseem Azizur Rahman and Vakeel Ahmad hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Kamalapan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan and Sreejith Kottassseri were from Kerala, Gauri Shankar Gupta was from Bihar, Morokanandan Kaliyan from Tamil Nadu and Paras Kumar Subedar from Punjab, he said. All of them were employees of Emaar EA Motahedon Trading and Contracting Company. The 11 migrant labourers died of asphyxiation in Najran on Wednesday in a fire that engulfed the windowless house they shared, the Saudi Gazette said. "Firefighters put out the blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," the report quoted Najran civil defence spokesman Abdullah Al-Farie as saying. The fire broke out at around 4 a.m. in the three-bedroom derelict house that had no windows for air circulation. Najran is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with volatile Yemen. Baglay said the Indian consulate in Jeddah is in touch with local authorities and the Governorate of Najran region. "We are also in touch with the local authorities as well as the hospital to ensure that all possible assistance and treatment is extended to the injured," he sated. On Wednesday night, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that she had spoken to the Indian consul general in Jeddah. "I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Najran is 900 kilometre from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available," she stated. "Our consul general is in touch with the governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis." Singapore: Subra Suresh, an eminent Indian-origin scientist in the US was on Thursday named as the president of Singapore's prestigious Nanyang Technological University. Suresh, 61, will begin his term as the fourth president of the NTU on 1 January, 2018, taking over from current president Bertil Andersson. Suresh joins NTU from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) where he was president for the last four years. Chairman of the NTU Board of Trustees, Koh Boon Hwee (Chairman of Agilent Technologies, Inc, former chairman of both Singapore Airlines and DBS Bank), announced Suresh's appointment in an email to NTU faculty, staff, students and alumni this afternoon, the NTU said in a statement. "The succession planning started on Thursday and in line with international best practices of universities, NTU had conducted a global search for its next president in Singapore and internationally. The eight-member search committee chaired by Koh unanimously selected Suresh for the top role at NTU, and his appointment has been strongly endorsed by all members of the NTU Board of Trustees," the statement said. "Professor Suresh understands the Singapore higher education and research systems, as well as those in North America, Europe, China and India, having actively engaged with various public and private agencies and boards, and as a member of a number of national academies of science and engineering. He is an educator, scientist, advisor, inventor, entrepreneur and leader all rolled into one," Koh said. Suresh is considered one of the most distinguished scientists in the US, if not the world. He was chosen by former US President Barack Obama to serve as director of the National Science Foundation, the agency charged with advancing science and engineering research and education in the US between 2010 and 2013. His undergraduate degree was from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Chennai. In 2013, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in the US. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, making him one of the only 19 American scientists to be elected to all three branches. He also holds the distinction of being the first Asian-born professor to have served as engineering dean of the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he attained his doctorate in science. In 2011, Suresh was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India. Tokyo: Japan executed two convicted murderers on Thursday, the justice ministry said, ignoring calls from international rights groups to end capital punishment. The hangings of Masakatsu Nishikawa and Koichi Sumida bring to 19 the total number of executions since conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power in late 2012. Nishikawa, 61, was convicted of killing four female bar owners in western Japan in 1991, while Sumida, 34, was sentenced to death for killing a female colleague in 2011 and dismembering her body. "Both are extremely cruel cases in which victims were deprived of their precious lives on truly selfish motives," justice minister Katsutoshi Kaneda said. "I ordered the executions after careful consideration," he told a news conference. Human rights group Amnesty International protested at the Japanese government's continued use of the death penalty, saying it demonstrates "wanton disregard for the right to life." "The death penalty never delivers justice, it is the ultimate cruel and inhumane punishment," Hiroka Shoji, East Asia researcher at the campaign group, said in a statement. Nishikawa was hanged while seeking a retrial. Though not unprecedented, it is rare in Japan. Kaneda indicated it was mistaken to believe that death-row inmates cannot be executed as long as their retrial pleas are pending. "When a rejection is naturally expected, we cannot help avoiding carrying out (capital punishment)," Kaneda said, noting he was not commenting on either of Thursday's cases but speaking in general terms. Out of 124 death-row inmates, 91 are seeking retrial, according to Jiji Press. Japan and the United States are the only major developed countries that still carry out capital punishment. Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said "the justice minister made the decision appropriately under the provision of the law." The death penalty has overwhelming public support in Japan despite repeated protests from European governments and human rights groups. Opponents say Japan's system is cruel because inmates can be on death row for many years in solitary confinement and are only told of their impending execution a few hours ahead of time. Tokyo: The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan's south has risen to 30, officials said on Thursday, while rescue workers continued their efforts to find survivors. Heavy seasonal rains last week caused severe flooding that tore up roads and destroyed houses on the southern island of Kyushu, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled a visit to Estonia that was originally planned as the last leg of a European tour, flying to the region on Wednesday to view the damage and console residents. The government of the island's Fukuoka prefecture said it had identified the body of a resident from hardest-hit Asakura city, bringing the death toll from that region alone to 24. A week after the disaster began, hundreds of people were still staying in school gymnasiums and public buildings used as makeshift shelters. Thousands of police, soldiers and rescue workers are searching for 19 people who remain unaccounted for, according to local officials. China's Nobel peace prize laureate Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday aged 61 after losing a battle with cancer, authorities said, more than a month after he was transferred to a hospital from prison. Liu was the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel Peace Prize and one of only three people to have won it while detained by their own government. At the December 2010 Nobel ceremony in Oslo, his statement titled "I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement" was read by an actress, with an empty chair representing the imprisoned activist, who was also known for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy protests. Read the complete statement below: In the course of my life, for more than half a century, June 1989 was the major turning point. Up to that point, I was a member of the first class to enter university when college entrance examinations were reinstated following the Cultural Revolution (Class of '77). From BA to MA and on to PhD, my academic career was all smooth sailing. Upon receiving my degrees, I stayed on to teach at Beijing Normal University. As a teacher, I was well received by the students. At the same time, I was a public intellectual, writing articles and books that created quite a stir during the 1980s, frequently receiving invitations to give talks around the country, and going abroad as a visiting scholar upon invitation from Europe and America. What I demanded of myself was this: whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility, and dignity. After that, because I had returned from the U.S. to take part in the 1989 Movement, I was thrown into prison for "the crime of counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement." I also lost my beloved lectern and could no longer publish essays or give talks in China. Merely for publishing different political views and taking part in a peaceful democracy movement, a teacher lost his lectern, a writer lost his right to publish, and a public intellectual lost the opportunity to give talks publicly. This is a tragedy, both for me personally and for a China that has already seen thirty years of Reform and Opening Up. When I think about it, my most dramatic experiences after June Fourth have been, surprisingly, associated with courts: My two opportunities to address the public have both been provided by trial sessions at the Beijing Municipal Intermediate People's Court, once in January 1991, and again today. Although the crimes I have been charged with on the two occasions are different in name, their real substance is basically the same - both are speech crimes. Twenty years have passed, but the ghosts of June Fourth have not yet been laid to rest. Upon release from Qincheng Prison in 1991, I, who had been led onto the path of political dissent by the psychological chains of June Fourth, lost the right to speak publicly in my own country and could only speak through the foreign media. Because of this, I was subjected to yearround monitoring, kept under residential surveillance (May 1995 to January 1996) and sent to ReeducationThroughLabor (October 1996 to October 1999). And now I have been once again shoved into the dock by the enemy mentality of the regime. But I still want to say to this regime, which is depriving me of my freedom, that I stand by the convictions I expressed in my "June Second Hunger Strike Declaration" twenty years ago I have no enemies and no hatred. None of the police who monitored, arrested, and interrogated me, none of the prosecutors who indicted me, and none of the judges who judged me are my enemies. Although there is no way I can accept your monitoring, arrests, indictments, and verdicts, I respect your professions and your integrity, including those of the two prosecutors, Zhang Rongge and Pan Xueqing, who are now bringing charges against me on behalf of the prosecution. During interrogation on December 3, I could sense your respect and your good faith. Hatred can rot away at a person's intelligence and conscience. Enemy mentality will poison the spirit of a nation, incite cruel mortal struggles, destroy a society's tolerance and humanity, and hinder a nation's progress toward freedom and democracy. That is why I hope to be able to transcend my personal experiences as I look upon our nation's development and social change, to counter the regime's hostility with utmost goodwill, and to dispel hatred with love. Everyone knows that it was Reform and Opening Up that brought about our country's development and social change. In my view, Reform and Opening Up began with the abandonment of the "using class struggle as guiding principle" government policy of the Mao era and, in its place, a commitment to economic development and social harmony. The process of abandoning the "philosophy of struggle" was also a process of gradual weakening of the enemy mentality and elimination of the psychology of hatred, and a process of squeezing out the "wolf's milk" that had seeped into human nature. It was this process that provided a relaxed climate, at home and abroad, for Reform and Opening Up, gentle and humane grounds for restoring mutual affection among people and peaceful coexistence among those with different interests and values, thereby providing encouragement in keeping with humanity for the bursting forth of creativity and the restoration of compassion among our countrymen. One could say that relinquishing the "antiimperialist and antirevisionist" stance in foreign relations and "class struggle" at home has been the basic premise that has enabled Reform and Opening Up to continue to this very day. The market trend in the economy, the diversification of culture, and the gradual shift in social order toward the rule of law have all benefitted from the weakening of the enemy mentality." Even in the political arena, where progress is slowest, the weakening of the enemy mentality has led to an evergrowing tolerance for social pluralism on the part of the regime and substantial decrease in the force of persecution of political dissidents, and the official designation of the 1989 Movement has also been changed from "turmoil and riot" to "political disturbance." The weakening of the enemy mentality has paved the way for the regime to gradually accept the universality of human rights. In [1997 and] 1998 the Chinese government made a commitment to sign two major United Nations international human rights covenants, signaling China's acceptance of universal human rights standards. In 2004, the National People's Congress (NPC) amended the Constitution, writing into the Constitution for the first time that "the state respects and guarantees human rights," signaling that human rights have already become one of the fundamental principles of China's rule of law. At the same time, the current regime puts forth the ideas of putting people first" and "Creating a harmonious society," signaling progress in the CPC's concept of rule. I have also been able to feel this progress on the macro level through my own personal experience since my arrest. Although I continue to maintain that I am innocent and that the charges against me are unconstitutional, during the one plus year since I have lost my freedom, I have been locked up at two different locations and gone through four pretrial police interrogators, three prosecutors, and two judges, but in handling my case, they have not been disrespectful, overstepped time limitations, or tried to force a confession. Their manner has been moderate and reasonable; moreover, they have often shown goodwill. On June 23, I was moved from a location where I was kept under residential surveillance to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau's No. 1 Detention Center, known as "Beikan." During my six months at Beikan, I saw improvements in prison management. In 1996, I spent time at the old Beikan (located at Banbuqiao). Compared to the old Beikan of more than a decade ago, the present Beikan is a huge improvement, both in terms of the "hardware" the facilities and the "software" the management. In particular, the humane management pioneered by the new Beikan, based on respect for the rights an integrity of detainees, has brought flexible management to bear on every aspect of the behavior of the correctional staff, and has found expression in the "comforting broadcasts," Repentance magazine, and music before meals, on waking and at bedtime. This style of management allows detainees to experience a sense of dignity and warmth, and stirs their consciousness in maintaining prison order and opposing the bullies among inmates. Not only has it provided a humane living environment for detainees, it has also greatly improved the environment for their litigation to take place and their state of mind. I've had close contact with correctional officer Liu Zheng, who has been in charge of me in my cell, and his respect and care for detainees could be seen in every detail of his work, permeating his every word and deed, and giving one a warm feeling. It was perhaps my good fortune to have gotten to know this sincere, honest, conscientious, and kind correctional officer during my time at Beikan. It is precisely because of such convictions and personal experience that I firmly believe that China's political progress will not stop, and I, filled with optimism, look forward to the advent of a future free China. For there is no force that can put an end to the human quest for freedom, and China will in the end become.a nation ruled by law, where human rights reign supreme. I also hope that this sort of progress can be reflected in this trial as I await the impartial ruling of the collegial bench a ruling that will withstand the test of history. If I may be permitted to say so, the most fortunate experience of these past twenty years has been the selfless love I have received from my wife, Liu Xia. She could not be present as an observer in court today, but I still want to say to you, my dear, that I firmly believe your love for me will remain the same as it has always been. Throughout all these years that I have lived without freedom, our love was full of bitterness imposed by outside circumstances, but as I savor its aftertaste, it remains boundless. I am serving my sentence in a tangible prison, while you wait in the intangible prison of the heart. Your love is the sunlight that leaps over high walls and penetrates the iron bars of my prison window, stroking every inch of my skin, warming every cell of my body, allowing me to always keep peace, openness, and brightness in my heart, and filling every minute of my time in prison with meaning. My love for you, on the other hand, is so full of remorse and regret that it at times makes me stagger under its weight. I am an insensate stone in the wilderness, whipped by fierce wind and torrential rain, so cold that no one dares touch me. But my love is solid and sharp, capable of piercing through any obstacle. Even if I were crushed into powder, I would still use my ashes to embrace you. My dear, with your love I can calmly face my impending trial, having no regrets about the choices I've made and optimistically awaiting tomorrow. I look forward to [the day] when my country is a land with freedom of expression, where the speech of every citizen will be treated equally well; where different values, ideas, beliefs, and political views ... can both compete with each other and peacefully coexist; where both majority and minority views will be equally guaranteed, and where the political views that differ from those currently in power, in particular, will be fully respected and protected; where all political views will spread out under the sun for people to choose from, where every citizen can state political views without fear, and where no one can under any circumstances suffer political persecution for voicing divergent political views. I hope that I will be the last victim of China's endless literary inquisitions and that from now on no one will be incriminated because of speech. Freedom of expression is the foundation of human rights, the source of humanity, and the mother of truth. To strangle freedom of speech is to trample on human rights, stifle humanity, and suppress truth. In order to exercise the right to freedom of speech conferred by the Constitution, one should fulfill the social responsibility of a Chinese citizen. There is nothing criminal in anything I have done. [But] if charges are brought against me because of this, I have no complaints. Thank you, everyone. The entire text has been taken exactly as posted by the official website of the Nobel Prize and has not been edited by Firstpost. Shenyang: China faced sustained international pressure on Thursday to let cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo seek treatment abroad, as official hospital updates suggest the democracy champion is close to death. The United States and Germany voiced concerns over the 61-year-old writer after the hospital treating him said on Wednesday he had organ failure and difficulty breathing. The doctors said Liu needed to be on artificial ventilation to be kept alive, but his family declined, according to the First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang. Human rights groups have decried the lack of independent reports about Liu's health, accusing the authorities of manipulating information as the heavily-guarded hospital's website has been the only source of medical updates. Liu, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for "subversion" in 2009, was admitted to the hospital early last month after he was transferred from prison due to late-stage liver cancer. "We remain concerned that both Mr. Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing", White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Wednesday. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Berlin "stands ready to host and medically" treat him. The latest health updates "raise the question of whether Mr Liu's cancer should have been diagnosed and treated far earlier", Seibert said. Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen also called on Beijing to free Liu and reiterated her offer to have Liu treated on the self-governed island, which China considers a breakaway province. The Chinese government has rebuffed international appeals to let Liu seek treatment abroad, saying he is getting the best possible care from top domestic doctors and that other countries should not "intefere with China's internal affairs". Chennai: Frontline warships and submarines of India, the US and Japan on Thursday sailed out from Chennai harbour to participate in the sea phase of the Malabar joint naval exercise at an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal, Navy officials said. Sixteen ships and more than 95 aircraft from the three countries are participating in the exercise. The sea phase would be held deep in the Bay of Bengal, the exact location of which has not been revealed. The annual Malabar exercise comes amid reports of Chinese warships prowling in the Indian Ocean Region in the name of anti-piracy operations, and Beijing's aggressive posturing in the South China Sea. The sea phase will see the ships, aircraft and submarines being divided into two teams - red and blue, and a war-like situation will be emulated, navy officials said. With two aircraft carriers - India's INS Vikramaditya, and US' USS Nimitz, and Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo participating, Aircraft Carrier operations and air defence are a key component of the exercise. The main focus however remains anti-submarine warfare. Both India and US have a submarine each, as well as Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft P8-I from India and P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the US, as well helicopters on board the JS Izumo which are called the core of Japan's anti-submarine warfare. Air defence, surface warfare, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), search and rescue, joint manoeuvres and tactical procedures are to be a part of the war game. In addition, officials from the three countries will be flown onboard the ships at sea on 15 July. 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 harbour phase of the exercise started on 10 July, and prior to that, a series of meetings and interactions between Indian and visiting Naval officials were held. China had last week expressed hope that the joint naval drill between India, Japan, and the US was not aimed at other countries. Paris: US first lady Melania Trump took her own path through Paris on Thursday as she and President Donald Trump began a two-day visit to the French capital, starting at a children's hospital. At Necker Hospital, Melania Trump visited a ward decorated with images from "The Little Prince," an iconic French novel written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. She spoke briefly in French to six children, asking how they were and introducing herself before switching to a translator to ask how long they expected to stay. One of the children, a 14-year-old girl named Ysatis, was in a wheelchair and said she expected to leave the hospital Monday for a month of rehabilitation. "You look very good, very strong. Soon, you'll be walking and running," Mrs. Trump told her. Ysatis later told The Associated Press she appreciated the visit. "It was very pleasant and really good. She's beautiful and gorgeous," Ysatis said. Martin Hirsch, director of Paris' public hospital system, presented the first lady with a copy of "The Little Prince." "I will keep it, practice my French. It's beautiful," she said. The first lady, though not as visible as some of her predecessors, has taken on a fairly prominent role on her husband's three international trips. She visited a children's hospital in Italy as well. Melania and Donald Trump have an 11-year-old son, the first boy in the White House since John F Kennedy Jr more than 50 years ago. Melania was later expected to visit Notre Dame Cathedral and tour the Seine River by boat with Brigitte Macron, the wife of French president Emmanuel Macron. President Trump was to meet with Macron before participating in Bastille Day celebrations on Friday. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia held a memorial service on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, which killed all 298 people aboard. More than 90 family members attended the memorial, which was followed by an official briefing on the ongoing investigation. Transport minister Liow Tiong Lai told reporters after the event, which was closed to the media, that the investigation was "very detailed and we are quite convinced that we will be able to find the culprits." Investigations had determined the plane was shot down by a Russian BUK missile system that was fired from a field controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Russia has denied any involvement and denounced the conclusions as politically biased. "What we're told inside was that they (investigators) have all the information that they need," said Mohamad Salim Sarmo, who lost his son Mohamad Ali on the flight. Cousins Nur Sabrina and Anwar Zafran said they can only pray that the culprits will be brought to justice. Their 19-year-old cousin, Mohamad Afif Tambi, and his entire family perished onboard Flight 17. "We can't really grasp or accept everything, but we do know that Malaysia Airlines and all the governments are doing their best to get the ones who shot MH17. So we just wait and pray, that's all," Anwar said. The Dutch government said earlier this month that any suspects will be prosecuted in the Netherlands. The decision was made by the countries jointly investigating the crash Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, Ukraine and the Netherlands. Victims came from 17 countries, with 196 of them Dutch. The Dutch Foreign Ministry did not identify the suspects. Investigators last year said they had pinpointed 100 people they want to speak to who are believed to have been involved in transporting the Buk missile launcher or its use. The Joint Investigation Team, led by prosecutors and police from the Netherlands, made its preliminary findings public after interviewing more than 200 witnesses, listening to 150,000 intercepted phone calls, examining half a million photos and video recordings, consulting radar and satellite images, and sifting through dozens of containers filled with wreckage from the jet. The Russian military has said data from radar in southern Russia showed that the missile that downed Flight 17 did not originate in rebel-controlled territory. CCEA approves SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program Tranche 2 Published: July 13, 2017 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for upgradation and widening of 65 kms of Imphal-Moreh Section of NH-39 in Manipur. The Imphal-Moreh Section is a vital link in providing road connectivity up to Thailand and Malaysia. It will boost trade, commerce and tourism in the region. Key Facts The project is being developed with Asian Development Banks (ADB) loan assistance under the South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program. It aims at upgradation of road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India (BBIN) in order to improve the regional connectivity. The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway No. 01 (AH01). It will fulfil Indias Look East Policy and acts as Indias Gateway to the East. Thus, it will promote and enhance trade link with South East Asia. The project will also improve connectivity between Imphal with the eastern part of Manipur which is a landlocked state with almost 90% of the area under difficult terrain. SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program (SRCIP) SRCIP is a strategic initiative that aims to achieve regional integration among the members of the SASEC group by improving road connectivity within the North Bengal-North Eastern Region in India. The members of SASEC group are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017 Topics: Asian Highway 1 BBIN Cabinet Decisions CCEA Manipur National SASEC Latest E-Books Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif explicitly dismissed a report from a corruption investigation that raised questions about the source of his family's wealth, rejecting it as "slander" on Thursday. Sharif, 67, serving his third term as prime minister, faces Opposition calls to step down but he was defiant in his condemnation of the report that alleges his family's income from business was not large enough to explain its wealth. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT), set up by the Supreme Court to investigate corruption allegations that surfaced following the Panama Papers leak, also accused his children, including heir apparent Maryam Sharif, of signing falsified documents about ownership of off-shore companies. "The JIT report about our family businesses is the sum of hypotheses, accusations and slander," Sharif said in a statement after meeting his Cabinet. "Accusations amounting to billions are being made here but no wrongdoing has been proven." The investigation team, which included officials from a military intelligence agency, presented its report to the Supreme Court on Monday. Copies of it were then leaked to the media, prompting a chorus of demands from political parties that he resign from office. "Nawaz's authority is completely eroded," said Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice-chairman of the opposition PTI party. "There is no legal, moral or political justification for him to continue." Pakistan has for decades been plagued by pervasive graft, and by rivalry between the military and civilian politicians. Sharif's term expires in June 2018 and elections are expected two months later. If he is forced to step down, his ruling PML-N party could appoint a new leader as prime minister until the polls. Nevertheless, worries generated by the 254-page report has sent stocks tumbling amid fears of chaos after several years of relative stability and accelerating economic growth. The economy expanded by 5.3 percent last fiscal year, its fastest in a decade. Big infrastructure investment by China has boosted growth while confidence has been buoyed by a decline in militant attacks. After years of electricity shortages and cuts, power outages have also been reduced but not eradicated. Sharif said the economic progress made since his election in 2013 showed the government was on the right track and any disruption would only hurt progress. "We will not let darkness once again prevail in our towns and factories," he said. Sharif, the son of an industrialist, will have his fate decided by the Supreme Court, which could disqualify him or order a trial. Sharif was originally nurtured by the military as a civilian politician who would protect their interests, and he served as prime minister twice in the 1990s. But he later fell out with an army chief and was ousted in a 1999 coup leading to a decade of exile. "Our family has gained nothing from the politics. In fact, it has lost a lot," Sharif said. Beijing: Friends of China's most famous political prisoner Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo on Thursday said they feared he was entering his final hours as the White House renewed its call for the dissidents release, the media reported. "Liu Xiaobo is on his deathbed," said writer and activist Wen Kejian, who is among those who have been blocked by authorities from visiting his dying friend. "Although we know the patient and his family are suffering, we are praying that Xiaobo can hold on for a few more days," the Guardian quoted Wen as saying. The hospital where Liu is being treated in north-east China issued a bleak update on the condition of the 61-year-old dissident. In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, it said Liu, who was serving an 11-year prison sentence when he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in May, was "close to death". His kidneys and liver were shutting down and he was suffering from respiratory failure, the hospital claimed. Liu, who is reportedly being held under guard, has asked to be flown out of China for treatment in either Germany or the US. However, Beijing has refused to allow his exit, Diplomatic experts told the Guardian they suspected Beijing was deliberately stalling attempts to transfer Liu overseas until it was no longer safe for medics to move him. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday accused India of committing 542 ceasefire violations so far in 2017 resulting in the death of 18 people and said the "belligerent attitude" of its neighbour is a threat to regional peace and security. Foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria also said that Pakistan shares international community's "growing concern over the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control." At his weekly press briefing here, he claimed that Indian forces have committed 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 so far resulting in the death of 18 people. "The Indian belligerent attitude is a threat to regional peace and security, and international community including the UNSG has expressed concern," he said. "Pakistan has consistently maintained that the Jammu & Kashmir dispute can be resolved only through realisation of the right of self-determination through a fair, free and transparent plebiscite under the auspices of the UN in accordance with the UNSC resolutions," he added. Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue, he said, pointing out that the UN chief, the US President, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue. Responding to a question, he said it was reprehensible that there has been no progress on the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack case in which 42 Pakistanis lost their lives despite the passage of 10 years and repeated requests from Pakistan. Quetta (Pakistan): A police spokesman says gunmen have ambushed a vehicle carrying a senior police officer in southwest Pakistan, killing the officer and three other policemen. Shahzada Farhat said Thursday's attack took place in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. No one immediately claimed responsibility. The attack came days after gunmen shot and killed a district police chief in the town of Chaman, bordering Afghanistan. Baluchistan has been the scene of bomb and gun attacks in the past several years, most blamed on Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups. Because of its proximity to neighboring Afghanistan, the province is also a hiding place for Taliban and al-Qaida militants. Islamabad: Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday refused to resign despite demands for his exit in the wake of a damning report by the Panama case probe panel that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. While addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting, Sharif, 67, termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of "allegations and speculations", Dawn Online reported. Pointing to the Opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, Sharif said, "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post." Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot". The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," Sharif said and announced that that he would not resign on demands of conspirers. According to the paper, the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on 10 July 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 decision to convene Thursday's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house. All major Opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. India's relationship with China can perhaps best be described as a balancing act, with angst against China's bonhomie with Pakistan placed against trade and other financial dealings with the Communist state. But the recent face-off in Doka La general area in Sikkim and the US-India-Japan Malabar naval exercise seem to upset the delicate arrangement. As a consequence of the tensions on the border, China has suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra, adding fuel to the rift. It said that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to a border stand-off and alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim section of the Indo-China border. The catalyst for the ongoing stand-off seems to be India's objection to China building a road in the Sikkim sector of the border. While India alleged that the area comes under its jurisdiction, China, on the other hand, said that the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. The tri-nation Malabar joint naval exercise, a series of drills to test different naval strategies, threatens to complicate matters further. Senior officials in the Indian Navy have dismissed reports that the exercise is being targetted at China, while also de-linking the naval war games from the ongoing Sikkim standoff. And though China has played down concerns over the exercise, the timing of it and its implications are sure to have irked the nation. But at the root of the problems between India and China is the Red Dragon's military and strategic relationship with Pakistan. Soon after the Partition, Chinese influence in the subcontinent started to have a bearing on India-Pakistan relations. China quickly assumed the role of Pakistan's 'all-weather friend' and in their nearly seven-decade long strategic partnership since India has often featured as a crucial point of discussion. China-Pakistan bonhomie China-Pakistan relations took off in 1950 when Pakistan severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan and recognised the People's Republic of China. Since then, both nations have maintained extremely close and supportive ties and have regularly held high-level strategic meets. As Nirupama Subramanian writes in The Indian Express: "It was only after Indias defeat in the war with China in 1962 that the Pakistan-China relationship really took off. If Beijing had by then identified Pakistan as a country through which it could contain India, home since 1959 to the 'splittist' Dalai Lama, Chinas tacit support for Pakistan in the 1965 war was a turning point the beginning of their enduring defence and, some would say, nuclear, cooperation." "Despite the money and military hardware the US pumped into Pakistan over the years, Pakistanis see China as a far more reliable ally," Subramanian wrote. China, on the other hand, provides Pakistan with military hardware, financial aid and infrastructure take CPEC for example. CPEC is perhaps the embodiment of the two nations' strategic partnership. It is a collection of infrastructure projects worth $62 billion that are under construction throughout Pakistan. CPEC is intended to rapidly modernise Pakistani infrastructure and strengthen its economy by the construction of modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects, and special economic zones. Pakistani media has hailed the CPEC project as a 'game changer'. But the corridor, that also runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), has made many in India uncomfortable. The CPEC reflects the growing friendship between China and Pakistan. India, on the other hand, is trying to balance the scales with Pakistan by trying to make its own inroad in China through the development of a road spanning Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) which is a 2,800 km-long corridor that starts from Kolkata and passes through Bangladesh and Myanmar before ending at Kunming in China. Not to mention Chinas growing profile in other illegally-occupied Indian territories Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Chinas infrastructure projects in this area have been touted by Beijing as a showpiece of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, as part of the One Belt, One Road initiative. This growing presence economic and some say military too has been taking place even as India has repeatedly flagged its security concerns and opposed any sort of international presence in the region. China's push for a 'diplomatic' solution China has said that it is willing to play a "constructive role" in improving relations between India and Pakistan, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control, saying the situation in Kashmir has attracted "international" attention. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the "situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community." India maintains that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan and that there is no scope for third party mediation. But just like Pakistan, China also illegally occupies a part of Jammu and Kashmir 37,240 square kilometres of Aksai Chin in Ladakh. China may consider this territory that it received from Pakistan through a bilateral agreement in 1963, as a done deal. However, from Indias point of view, this illegal occupation of Aksai Chin is very much part of the Kashmir problem. Therefore, it is a bit rich on Beijings part to offer mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue. Pakistan using China to hit back at India As Sandipan Sharma argues in his Firstpost piece, Pakistan has been piggybacking on Beijing's sabre-rattling to get back at India. "Two belligerent neighbours are mocking India in a common voice, raising the spectre of a war on two-and-a-half fronts. How will New Delhi respond? Nobody can say if Pakistan and China are coordinating their statements against India. But, the timing of Pakistan's decision to test fire its low-range missile Nasr and Chinese media's call for Sikkim's "independence" suggests the two neighbours might be simultaneously reminding India of their potential for mischief." It is believed that China has repeatedly thwarted India's NSG bid on Pakistan's behest. China reiterated recently that there was no change in its stance on the admission of non-NPT states into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), marring Indias chances of entering the 48-member elite club at its crucial meeting next month. China's support is crucial for India as new membership in the NSG is guided by the consensus principle. China has also consistently defended its decision to block the US' proposal in the UN for designating Pathankot attack mastermind and JeM chief Azhar as a global terrorist, saying the "conditions" have not yet been met for Beijing to back the move. As Subramanian explains, "In India, each Chinese rap on the knuckle for Pakistan, or each episode of Chinese protection for its client, tends to be viewed as representative of the whole of their relationship. In reality, the China-Pakistan relationship is greater than the sum of these parts, one that has endured nearly seven decades of changes in the geopolitical and strategic interests of both countries." Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Thursday mourned the death of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo and called on the Chinese government to release his wife from house arrest and allow her to leave the country. 61-year-old Liu, who was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while in jail and was represented by an empty chair at the ceremony in Oslo, died Thursday due to multiple organ failure following a battle with cancer while still in custody. "In his fight for freedom, equality, and constitutional rule in China, Liu Xiaobo embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards. In his death, he has only reaffirmed the Nobel Committee's selection," Tillerson said in a statement. "I join those in China and around the world in mourning the tragic passing of 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died while serving a lengthy prison sentence in China for promoting peaceful democratic reform," he said. Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty, Tillerson said in a statement. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail for his strident opposition to the one party rule of the Communist Party of China. He served eight years in jail before he was diagnosed with cancer. "My heartfelt condolences go out to Liu's wife Liu Xia and all of his loved ones. I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes," Tillerson said. Noting that the world grieves the loss of Liu, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi termed his death as a tragedy. "On this day, the world grieves the loss of Liu Xiaobo one of the great moral voices of our time. His clarion call for democracy and human rights in China represented the best hopes of humankind; his courage became a poignant symbol for freedom-loving people across the globe," Pelosi said. As Speaker, Pelosi had attended the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway as part of the official delegation on behalf of Xiaobo and his wife. "Liu Xiaobo's death is a tragedy and a deep affront to the basic notions of justice and human dignity. The role that poor medical care in prison played in his death and the cruelty of confining a dying man in captivity, away from his family and friends should disturb us all," she said. "His arrest for the so-called crime of putting his political views into writing is a sobering reminder of China's shameful disregard for basic freedoms," Pelosi said. Washington: A Democratic congressman has filed the first article of impeachment against President Donald Trump charging him with obstruction of justice in the probe into alleged Russian meddling in the US polls. Democratic congressman from California Brad Sherman introduced the article of impeachment against Trump for high crimes and misdemeanours. Democrat Al Green has signed on to the resolution introduced by Sherman. This is for the first time that a US lawmaker has introduced an article of impeachment against Trump, who was sworn in as the 45th US President on 20 January. However, the move is likely to be stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress. The House of Representatives needs to pass it by a majority vote for the article to move forward. Trump's Republican party has an advantage of 46 votes in the current House of Representatives and it is unlikely that the Republican lawmakers would vote on such an impeachment move. The White House dismissed Sherman's move with spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying, "I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst." "Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump's campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe," Sherman said after introducing the article of impeachment against Trump. "I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice," he said. Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of America's "amateur President", he said, accusing Trump of being ignorant and refusing to learn. "Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses. We're no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the office -- and no matter how dangerous to the country," Sherman said. "But the Constitution does not provide for the removal of a President for impulsive, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a President for High Crimes and Misdemeanours," he asserted. As the investigations move forward, additional evidence supporting additional articles of impeachment may emerge, he noted. "However, as to the Obstruction of Justice...the evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so," the Democratic lawmaker said. London: British prime minister Theresa May on Thursday admitted that she was "devastated" and shed "a little tear" after the exit poll result on 8 June election night revealed that she failed to win a majority in Parliament. In her most honest interview yet about the election campaign, May told the BBC that the news came as a complete shock and that she had not seen it coming when husband Philip May broke the news to her on election night. "It took a few minutes for it to sink in...We didn't see that result coming. My husband gave me a hug and I cried a little tear, she said. "When the result came through, it was a complete shock...I felt, I suppose, devastated really," May, 60, said. This is the first time the British prime minister has revealed her personal feelings in the wake of the general election that saw her ruling Conservative party drop down from 331 seats to 318, missing the magic 326 mark for an overall majority and having to rely on a supply and confidence agreement with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to get laws passed in Parliament. May said she did not watch the exit poll herself, as "I have a little bit of superstition about things like that". Describing the final result as "devastating" as she had to watch people she had worked with for years lose their seats, she added: "I didn't consider stepping down because I felt there was a responsibility to ensure that the country still had a government." Asked about the criticism she faced for failing to acknowledge her lost majority in a speech in Downing Street the following day, she said: "At that point in time I felt what was important was giving people the confidence of knowing there was going to be a government." She also denied regretting that she chose to call a snap election. "I think it was the right thing to do at the time," she said. But she wished she had put across a more positive message during the campaign and, in particular, addressed the concerns of young people, who are believed to have voted in large numbers for Labour. The "clear message" that came through from young people was that they feared they could not get on the "property ladder", she said. "Looking back on the campaign, I realise now and regret that we were not making more of that," she said. May, who insisted her government had the "humility" to "listen to the message we got from people at the election". One of those messages, she said, was that people wanted to see a "greater consensus" in Parliament, which was why she had appealed for support from Labour on Brexit and other policies. May became the prime minister last year after David Cameron, who had campaigned for Britain to remain a part of the European Union, stepped down following Brexit referendum. For the first time, a special UN rapporteur today visited the Tamil political prisoners arrested under Sri Lanka's anti-terrorism laws in the Northern Province to get a first-hand information on their human rights situation. Ben Emmerson, the special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, is visiting the island nation since July 10 on a five-day trip following an invitation by the Sri Lankan government. His visit is aimed at gathering first-hand information on counter-terrorism initiatives and assess how they affect the promotion and protection of human rights. In the process, he met Tamil political prisoners arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in Vavuniya in the Northern Province. Emmerson's visit comes at a time when the Sri Lankan government is in the process of formulating its new counter- terrorism bill to replace the PTA, which was enacted in 1979 to deal with the growing Tamil separatist militancy. The PTA has been criticised by Tamil and rights activists as it allows indefinite detention of people without charges. During the over three-decade armed campaign by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), many activists of the rebel outfit were held under the PTA. But rights groups have raised concerns over some of the provisions on the new counter-terror bill. And Emmerson is to present a comprehensive report about his findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2018. "I will seek to provide assistance in the discussion of the country's counter-terrorism policy and legal framework, as well as in the preparation and drafting of relevant legislative acts, with a view to ensuring that measures taken by the Government are in compliance with international human rights law," he had said before arriving in Sri Lanka. Chinas Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo passes away Published: July 13, 2017 Chinas most famous political prisoner, the Nobel laureate and democracy icon Liu Xiaobo passed away in custody following a battle with cancer. He was 61. Liu was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. About Liu Xiaobo Liu was a Chinese literary critic, writer, human rights activist who called for political reforms and end of communist single-party rule. He is also known for his role in 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. 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 Chinas political system. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 on the charges of subversion. During his fourth prison term, he was awarded 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. He was first Chinese citizen to be awarded a Nobel Prize of any kind while residing in China. At the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony held in Oslo in 2010 he was represented by an empty chair. Note: Liu is the third person to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in prison or detention, after Germanys Carl von Ossietzky (1935) and Burmas Aung San Suu Kyi (1991). He was also the second Nobel Peace laureate died in custody (first being Ossietzky who died in a Nazi concentration camp). Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017 Category: Awards, Persons & Places in News Topics: China Liu Xiaobo Nobel Peace Prize Obituary Persons in News Latest E-Books Washington: US president Donald Trump said in an interview that he had a good meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin last week and that the two have a good relationship. "People said, 'Oh, they shouldn't get along.' Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well," Trump told evangelical Christian leader Pat Robertson on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn't make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump said. Earlier, Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton had won last year's general election, as this would have made America weak. In his first major interview after his last week's maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. "We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because I'm a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me," Trump said. Inside South Africa's maximum security Groenpunt prison, hawk-eyed guards stroll between rows of wooden benches, watching inmates closely as they meet visitors. Among the notorious jail's residents is 51-year-old triple murderer Percy Chepape, an anti-apartheid fighter serving a 60-year sentence for his "politically motivated" crimes committed in the chaos that followed liberation in 1994. The former underground operative of an armed group linked to the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) has been behind bars for 20 years, convicted of a deadly armed robbery on a benefits office in a remote town in the country's north. He claims the aim of the June 1997 heist, which was carried out with seven accomplices, was to raise funds to buy arms and ammunition to help those who broke away from the PAC defend themselves from violence. He has since shown remorse and sought to apologise to his victims' families, while the widely-publicised release of fellow activist Kenny Motsamai this year has offered a ray of hope. Chepape was among 149 prisoners jailed for "political crimes", who were considered for parole under a special pardon scheme launched in 2007. Some 2,100 applied. Only 51 prisoners were found to be eligible and a task force has helped release 39 of them. But Chepape is among the remaining 12 who do not know if they are still under consideration or will ever see freedom -- leaving them in nervous limbo. "I am paying for what I did, but a part of me feels that my sentence was punishment for who I was not what I did," he said, folding his muscular arms. "Sometimes I ask myself if my political activism was worth it." Fight to end apartheid His breakaway group, the Revolutionary Watchdogs, rejected a negotiated settlement to end apartheid in favour of a forced takeover of the country from the white minority. This put it at odds with other political groups, including the now-governing African National Congress (ANC). "As a result we came under fire from faceless agents attached to the state and rogue ANC units," Chepape told AFP. Of the three people who were killed in the raid, two were white, and he was subsequently convicted of three counts of murder as well as robbery. Chepape, a father of three from Katlehong township east of Johannesburg, said he received the harshest sentence despite not being directly involved in the killing. "I drove the cash van after the robbery. I did not shoot," he said. "The heist was politically motivated, we did not do it for ourselves." The PAC, which holds only one seat in South Africa's parliament, has been demanding the release of political prisoners like Chepape. Many were sentenced before the end of apartheid in 1994. The rollout of the 2007 pardons has been slow and beset by legal problems. The process focused on cases that were not heard by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a tribunal launched to investigate apartheid-era political crimes and chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It concluded its work in 1998. Conflicted history "Our case is forgotten and what we fought for and risked our lives for was in vain," he said. Officials have refused to comment on Chepape's situation. But he has been encouraged by the case of Kenny Motsamai, who was freed in January after spending 27 years in prison for the murder of a white traffic officer in 1989 during a heist. Motsamai was serving a life sentence and had refused to apologise or show remorse for the killing. "Apartheid was a crime against humanity, why do we as black people have to go and apologise to the whites?" Motsamai told AFP from his home. Unlike Motsamai, Chepape has sought to make amends for his crimes. "The families have turned down my request for a meeting to make an apology and I have accepted that," Chepape said. Chepape was left dismayed after white, apartheid-era murderer Eugene de Kock was paroled in 2015 "in the interest of nation-building and reconciliation". Dubbed "Prime Evil", De Kock was in 1996 given two life sentences for heading an apartheid-era police death squad. "It is very disappointing to hear that someone who committed far more crimes has been freed," he said. Back in Groenpunt, Chepape is still waiting, unsure what his future holds. Washington: Concerned that China's cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing, the US has urged China to grant him full parole and release his wife from house arrest. "We understand the Chinese hospital treating Nobel Peace Prize laureate and writer, Liu Xiaobo, has invited US, German medical experts to China for medical consultations. "We remain concerned that both Mr Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing," the White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters during an off camera news briefing. "We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to grant him full parole and to release his wife from house arrest and provide them the protections and freedoms, such as freedom of movement and access to appropriate medical care consistent with Chinese constitution, legal system, and international commitments," Sanders said. The state department said it was involved in helping to get a US doctor from MD Anderson Cancer Center to China to be able to take a look at him. "We would like for Mr Liu to be able to make his own health choices about where he would like to go," the state department spokesperson Heather Nauert said. "I understand that his wife, who had been under house arrest, was able to be with him at the hospital. We're happy about that, however, we continue to call on China to release him so that he can receive medical treatment wherever he desires. If it's in the United States, I think we would certainly welcome that," she said. In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal said the government that imprisoned Liu for his beliefs and failed to ensure his health can't ask the world to trust that it will give him the best care. "Liu's request for treatment in Germany offers him the chance to spend more time with his wife Liu Xia, who has been held under house arrest for seven years. China's greatest democracy advocate deserves to spend his last days in freedom so the world can hear the final testimony to his struggle," The Wall Street Journal said. Early this month, several top American lawakers moved a Congressional resolution urging the US president Donald Trump to help humanitarian transfer of Xiaobo. Introduced by Senators Marco Rubio, Jeff Merkley, and Ted Cruz, the concurrent resolution urged the government of China to unconditionally release Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia and allow them to reunite with their family and friends and seek proper medical treatment. The resolution also urges the Trump Administration to seek Dr Liu's immediate humanitarian transfer. 719 : - , Google has won a legal battle and is not liable to pay $1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in back taxes demanded by the French authorities. The courts stated the company did not have a permanent establishment in France to justify the large amount of money. The Paris court further added that Google did not illegally dodge French taxes by routing sales in the country out of Ireland, the Paris. It ruled that Google Ireland Limited was not subject to corporate and value-added taxes for the period 2005-2010, striking down the tax administrations demands for back payments, according to a report from Reuters. The French finance ministry is expected to appeal the decision. Last month, the European Commission fined Google 2.42 billion euro for breaching EU antitrust rules. Source Editor's note - The Daily Journal first reported on these charges on March 28, 2014. That original story can be found at http://bit.ly/2vgHS90. Now new details have emerged from the investigation into how such a prolonged attack could have occurred in the state-run facility. For as long as 10 days, one inmate at a state prison in Farmington sexually and physically abused a cellmate in a manner so severe that his prison term was extended 22 years. Austin Gallup ultimately pleaded guilty to abusing the St. Louis County man in 2013 in what the victims attorney calls torture. During that period, Missouri Department of Corrections employees failed to properly check on the two inmates, who were locked alone together in one of the more restricted areas of the prison. Moreover, the state workers falsified logs and failed to follow procedures aimed at protecting inmates from other prisoners. Those are among the new revelations in a state investigation obtained this month by the Post-Dispatch through an open records request. The findings add yet another example of a state agency reeling from poor employee conduct one that mirrors an incident at the state-run St. Louis Community Release Center. There, corrections employees lied about logs and instead surfed the internet and streamed a movie while a resident whod been treated for mental illness lay dead for 10 hours in a restricted area of the large halfway house. And like other problematic incidents within the Department of Corrections, the Farmington case also could leave Missouri taxpayers footing the bill. The victim filed a lawsuit in February seeking $10 million. Cira Duffe, one of his attorneys, said she withdrew the case in March to exhaust administrative remedies. It will be refiled, she said. Duffe said she wasnt aware of an inspector general report launched after the discovery on May 31, 2013, of her client at Farmington Correctional Center. The report, which was completed Nov. 3, 2013, says corrections employees lied and failed to follow procedures in administrative segregation, one of the most restricted areas of the prison. The findings were based on numerous interviews with staff, wing check logs and surveillance video. The report concluded that several corrections officers violated staff conduct and failed to follow a post order requiring that prison wings be patrolled every 30 minutes. Corrections officers are supposed to visibly check through each cell door window and keep a record of it. Multiple officers told investigator Matthew Pierce that they were too busy to do the checks. Some said it was customary to initial the logs even though they werent done at the end of a shift. Some said that there was inadequate lighting and that Plexiglass windows into cells were hard to see through because of dirt, wire and scratches. Negligent and indifferent A shower log showed that Gallup and the victim hadnt been out of their cell for 10 days, according to the inspector general report. The victims statement was heavily redacted. The investigator said a written statement wasnt obtained from him due to the victims emotional state. The report says the victim was severely beaten and sexually assaulted during a time period of five to 10 days and that the findings were forwarded to St. Francois County authorities, 70 miles south of St. Louis. In 2014, Gallup pleaded guilty in the matter to charges of forcible sodomy, deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion and first-degree assault, serious physical injury. Gallup, 24, currently held at Potosi Correctionial Center, was sentenced to an additional 22 years in prison. He was already doing time for statutory rape and sodomy of a child under the age of 14. In February 2017, his former cellmate at Farmington Correctional Center, filed the $10 million federal civil rights lawsuit against new Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe, former director George Lombardi, warden Tom Villmer and dozens of unnamed state employees. He claimed corrections employees and officials were negligent and indifferent for failing to take steps to project him. The victim alleged that hed been in the cell in question for about 20 days. After the first five days, according to the lawsuit, his cellmate started beating him, then raping him. He claimed his cellmate deprived him of food and drink and forced him to drink urine and eat feces. The victim alleged his cellmate yelled and bragged about what he was doing to him. During the fifteen plus days that Plaintiff was literally being tortured no correctional officer, case worker, mental health worker or a member of the medical staff observed, checked on, spoke to or had any type of contact with Plaintiff, according to the lawsuit. A pattern The victim suffered post traumatic stress, a broken jaw and other harm to his body and genitalia, according to court records. The victim, 27, is serving a 10-year sentence for attempted child kidnapping. Asked about the inspector general investigation from Farmington Correctional Center, David Owen, spokesman for the Department of Corrections, said director Precythe wasnt available for comment. Owen asked for a list of questions by email which largely went unanswered. Among them is whether the department has enacted changes in response to the 2013 case, whether the windows and lighting have been fixed at Farmington, and whether any action has been taken against employees who falsified logs. The Department instead issued a statement. The incident happened prior to the directors arrival and serves as another example of why leadership, management, and following the policies and procedures are critical to the safety and security of staff and offenders at the departments correctional centers, release center, and probation and parole field offices, according to the statement. As always, the department takes any assault on a staff member or offender very seriously and reviews the incident to make sure the appropriate actions were taken, which includes reviewing any policies and procedures to ensure their effectiveness. State officials from Rhode Island, Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky testified before the House Energy & Commerce Committee Wednesday to urge Congress to close a loophole in the Global Postal System that is allowing deadly synthetic drugs to be shipped from abroad. Kentucky Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet John Tilley asked Congress to pass the STOP ACTwhich was introduced back in Februarythat will require all packages to have electronic security data that would allow law enforcement officials to screen and stop deadly materiallike fentanyl (a drug 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine) and other synthetic opioids from coming into the U.S. According to the bipartisan coalition, Americans for Securing All Packages (ASAP), every day over 1 million packages come to the U.S. through foreign posts without any electronic information, allowing drugs to be easily shipped without tracing it back to a specific location or person. Virginia said in 2016 alone, the state saw a 175% increase in fentanyl related deaths. In 2013, Rhode Island said it had the highest rates of illicit drug use in the nation, and in 2015, it had the fifth highest rate of overdose deaths in the nation. Maryland said deaths related to fentanyl have increased from 29 in 2012 to 1,119 in 2016. [Drug dealers] are sending drugs through the domestic postal service in packages that are not required to provide the same electronic data that they would have to provide if they sent them through a private express carrier like FedEx (FDX), UPS (UPS) and DHL, Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security secretary and Pennsylvania governor told FOX Business in April. Ridge, who serves as a senior advisor to ASAP, said the biggest problem is that a majority of these drugs are being mailed directly from China. China is the major culprit. Its open season there. Just send it through your postal service and chances are it will get through without detectionwhich is lethal, Ridge added. The STOP Act, or the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention Act, would amend the Tariff Act of 1930 and ensure that all merchandise arriving through the mail would be subject to review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Additionally, all mail must require advance electronic information. A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service told FOX Business in April that they share the same goal of those calling for expanding efforts to keep illicit drugs and other dangerous materials out of the hands of the American public and maintaining the safety of our nations mail system. USPS also said that they have already been enforcing new regulations set in place earlier this year by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to enhance its ability to require foreign posts to send electronic data. A new study from the Los Angeles Times reveals that price increases at Disneyland counterintuitively led to a significant jump in wait times for its rides. The report found that Disneyland, the media conglomerateas amusement park in Southern California, has experienced a 28% increase in wait times for its rides. On average the Parkas visitors are now waiting 24 minutes for a single ride. One of the more popular rides of the park, Space Mountain, has reached a wait time of 65 minutes. Disney did not return FOX Businessa request for comment at the time of publication. American Airlines is dropping partnerships with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, which American accuses of receiving illegal subsidies from their governments. American said Wednesday that it no longer makes sense to have so-called code-sharing agreements with Qatar and Etihad because of the dispute. In code-sharing, airlines sell tickets on each other's flights and share revenue. Breaking up the partnerships is the latest twist in a fight between American, Delta and United and fast-growing state-owned Middle Eastern airlines, which deny getting subsidies. Complicating matters, the CEO of Qatar Airways says his airline plans to buy 10 percent of American Airlines Group Inc. American said in a regulatory filing Wednesday that Qatar has filed a new notice of its intent to buy American shares. American says it didn't solicit the investment. A federal appeals court panel has upheld Wisconsin's right-to-work law. The law prohibits businesses and unions from reaching agreements that require all workers to pay union dues. Unions maintain the law enables nonunion members to receive free representation. Two chapters of the International Union of Operating Engineers filed a lawsuit last year alleging that amounts to an unconstitutional taking. U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller upheld the law in September, citing a 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling upholding Indiana's nearly identical right-to-work law. A three-judge 7th Circuit panel upheld Stadtmueller on Wednesday. The panel noted that the 7th Circuit has upheld Indiana's law and the union didn't show a reason to revisit that decision. Scott Kronland, one of IUOE's attorneys, says the unions are considering their next steps. An engineering research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been arrested on insider trading charges filed in New York. Authorities said Wednesday that Fei Yan was charged with earning $120,000 in illegal profits from secrets stemming from two corporate mergers last year. The 31-year-old Chinese citizen, arrested at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, was freed on $500,000 bail after appearing in Boston federal court. His assistant public defender did not immediately comment. Federal prosecutors in New York City say Yan got his illegal tips from his spouse, a lawyer at an international law firm. Prosecutors say Yan's illegal trades came after he studied online how to avoid law enforcement detection. They say he read an article entitled: "Want to Commit Insider Trading? Here's How Not to Do It." Now that I've spent well over a decade in the working world, I've gained a reasonable degree of job-related confidence and expertise. But things were very different back when I first started working. Here are a few valuable lessons I've picked up on my personal career journey. 1. Don't be afraid to ask questions My first job out of college was as a trading assistant at a small hedge fund that was rapidly growing. To say that the environment was fast paced would be an understatement, and as such, my boss didn't have much time to train me formally. Instead, I basically shadowed him for a couple of days, and was then given the green light to work on my own. I was truly excited to embrace the opportunity. There was just one problem, though: I still had no idea what I was doing. Nothing I learned during college prepared me for working in an actual trading environment, and besides, different firms have varying procedures for getting things done. For the first few days, I tried hacking it on my own because I wanted to prove to my boss that I was a strong, competent employee. Instead, I messed up repeatedly and almost cost my firm a huge chunk of money as a result. That's when I learned an important lesson: Don't be shy about asking questions when you don't know how to handle a task. It's better to own up to your confusion and request some help than risk a costly mistake. From then on, I made a point to flag down my boss when I needed assistance -- even if it meant swallowing my pride in the process. 2. Money isn't everything Once I got the hang of things at the hedge fund, I was quickly promoted, and with that came a significant bump in salary. But despite the fact that I was quite well paid for a person my age at the time, I grew unhappy with my job shortly after that promotion. My workdays were long, and the role was stressful, but I could handle those aspects. Rather, it was the intense, often-hostile environment that got to me. Traders shouted at and over me constantly. Fights broke out often (generally verbal, though one trader once punched another in the face right in front of me). Everyone was so fixated on making money, and though part of me enjoyed the thrill and technically found the work interesting, I reached a point where it just wasn't fulfilling. Yet I stayed on for several more years because I was earning a salary I didn't want to give up. Now I will say that sticking it out at that job allowed me to completely pay off my student loans early in life, build a nice chunk of emergency savings, and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle outside the office. And, yes, money is important -- you need it to live. But it's not worth your sanity and well-being. I know that now. 3. It's OK to switch careers A big reason I stayed at my job while fairly miserable is that I was afraid of slashing my earnings. But I was also worried about having to start over at the bottom. I really wanted to pursue a writing career, or something more creative than straight-up finance, but I didn't want to get stuck in a role where I'd be spending half my day fetching coffee and making photocopies for a fraction of what I used to bring home. Thankfully, I came to my senses and pursued a role where a number of my former skills would apply to my new job. And though I was hired at a level and salary that were lower than what I previously enjoyed, I didn't have to start at the very bottom, either. Of course, I got lucky in that regard. Anyone who switches careers needs to prepare for the possibility of completely starting over. But again, I'm a firm believer that happiness trumps an impressive-sounding title or even a better paycheck. Just as importantly, I believe in moving careers when you just plain want a change. We spend such a large chunk of our lives working, and we deserve to attain some degree of satisfaction from what we do. And if we need to switch things up to get it, so be it. The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. According to the most recent data, the 14 OPEC member countries produce about 40% of global oil supplies. That said, only half of the top 12 oil producers belong to the organization: Overall, those dozen nations produced 73% of the world's oil last year. And the six leading non-members of OPEC held considerable weight in the market in their own rights, since between them ,they matched OPEC's combined output at 40% of global production last year. Here's a closer look at the six countries that are helping keep OPEC's dominance at bay. No. 12: Mexico While Mexico remains a major oil producer, its output has declined significantly in recent years. Since peaking in 2004, the nation's crude production is down 32% due to the natural decline of its large Cantarell field, as well as its offshore sources in the Gulf of Mexico. Because Mexico hasn't invested enough capital in developing new sources to offset these declines, it enacted a constitutional reform in 2014 that ended the monopoly that state-owned PEMEX had on the country's oil fields, hoping that would spur investment from foreign companies. One other thing worth noting about Mexico is that it remains an important supplier to the U.S.: It contributed about 7% of America's oil imports last year. No. 10: Brazil Mexico is following the blueprint of Brazil, which opened its oil fields up to foreign investment in 1997 to help state-controlled Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) develop the country's massive offshore resources. Overall, the plan is working: Brazil's oil output has risen more than 40% over the past decade. And more production growth is on the way, given that Petrobras is planning to invest nearly $75 billion over the next five years in developing its offshore oil fields. Those investments should boost the company's oil output from 2.07 million barrels per day this year to 2.7 million barrels per day by 2020. No. 7: Canada Most Americans would likely be surprised to learn that we import more oil from Canada than from all the OPEC nations combined. In fact, last year 38% of America's petroleum imports came from our neighbor to the north compared to 34% from OPEC. Further, broken out regionally, just 18% of our imported oil came from Persian Gulf nations. More than half of Canada's output comes from the oil sands region. Unlike crude oil that is pumped from the ground in liquid from, the oil in this region is contained in a tar-like substance called bitumen; it's extracted either by mining a mixture of sand, water, clay, and bitumen, or melting the bitumen into liquid that can be then be extracted; the result is then upgraded into oil that can be refined. It's an expensive process that requires a massive upfront investment. For example, leading Canadian oil producer Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU) and its partners are investing between 16.5 billion and 17 billion Canadian dollars ($12.8 billion to $13.2 billion) in building the Fort Hills oil sands mining facility in Alberta. Suncor Energy initially started construction on the project in 2013 when crude was north of $100 a barrel. However, it won't deliver first oil until the end of this year, at a time when crude will likely still be about half that price. On the bright side, Suncor believes that Fort Hills can produce around 194,000 barrels per day for the next 50 years. No. 6: China China used to be a net exporter of oil. However, due to its rapid economic expansion, it's now the world's leading oil importer and accounts for about a quarter of the globe's annual consumption. Given its voracious appetite for oil, the country has been investing heavily to expand its output, which has risen 50% over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, according to projections, its production is on pace to hit more than 5 million barrels per day by the end of the decade. That increased output should come from a variety of sources, including enhanced recovery techniques on mature fields, new shale development, and deepwater resources. No. 3: United States The U.S. has rocketed up the leaderboard in recent years due to the impact of fracking and horizontal drilling of shale formations. Those two techniques, applied to legacy oil regions like the Permian Basin of Texas, have unleashed a torrent of new production in recent years. Meanwhile, there's plenty more oil on the way. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, crude output in the country is on pace to hit 10 million barrels per day next year, smashing the record set in 1970 as drillers like EOG Resources (NYSE: EOG) ramp up investment in shale plays. In EOG Resources' case, it expects to grow its oil output by 18% this year and by a 15% to 25% annual rate through 2020 as long as crude is in the $50 to $60 a barrel range. No. 1: Russia While Saudi Arabia is by far OPEC's top producer, and currently holds the largest oil resources in the world, it landed in second place last year in terms of average daily production after Russia delivered its best annual average of the past three decades. Fueling that gusher was an increase in investment by the country's two largest producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, to tap its vast oil reserves and replace revenue lost due to lower oil prices and economic sanctions. While Russia's output should decline in 2017 due to its decision to team up with OPEC in a coordinated cut, its oil production is on pace to keep expanding until 2020 due to several large oil projects that producers have in the pipeline. 10 stocks we like better than EOG ResourcesWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and EOG Resources wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of July 6, 2017 Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of EOG Resources. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy CBS Chairman and CEO Les Moonves told FOX Business he is laser focused on boosting the media companys content library, but he will likely do that organically versus through a large scale acquisition. "We're just always looking to expand our content, but we have no plans to make a move for a company at the moment said Moonves while attending the high-profile Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. That said Moonves is paying close attention to the deal making within the media sector including AT&Ts (NYSE:T) pending $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) and expects the deal to win regulatory approval. Investors and bankers have debated whether President Trumps acidic relationship with Time Warners cable unit CNN could taint the deal in Washington, however Moonves told FOX Business he does not think that it will have any bearing. Ticker Security Last Change Change % CBS n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. TWX n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. T AT&T INC. 19.04 +0.20 +1.04% Moonves is no stranger to tumultuous situations, he has remained focused on running CBS, which is controlled by Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari through their National Amusements holding company. Sumners declining health made tabloid headlines last year and ultimately it became a factor in the corporate shake-up of Viacom (NYSE:VIA), the other media assets controlled by the father-daughter team through the same holding company. Shari Redstone was behind a group that ousted chief Philippe Dauman last year. At the time, FOX Business reported that she had explored combining CBS and Viacom. And while Moonves wasnt necessarily against such a deal then, he raised questions about Viacoms valuation, at the time around $18 billion, and whether combining the two would benefit CBS shareholders, sources told FOX Business. For CBS to want to take on Viacom, Les Moonves would have to be incented and there is absolutely no incentive for him to do so, said Brian Wieser, an analyst for Pivotal Research Group last August. Whats in it for him? Hes got a good business. Its doing fine. He is in a better position to sell his company to someone else and from his perspective, adding Viacom would be a mess. China's trade with isolated North Korea rose more than 10 percent in the January-June period from a year earlier, a Chinese official said on Thursday, amid pressure from the United States for Beijing to pressurise its troublesome neighbour. Last week U.S. President Donald Trump denounced China's trade with North Korea, saying it had grown almost 40 percent in the first quarter, and cast doubt on whether Beijing was helping to counter the threat from North Korea. Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com China has repeatedly said it is fully enforcing United Nations sanctions on nuclear-armed North Korea and there is nothing wrong with what it terms "normal" trade with Pyongyang, referring to areas not covered by sanctions. Chinese customs spokesman Huang Songping told a briefing on China's overall trade figures that total trade with North Korea expanded by 10.5 percent to $2.55 billion in the first six months of the year. While China's imports from North Korea dropped 13.2 percent to $880 million in the period from January to June, exports to North Korea rose 29.1 percent to $1.67 billion, he said. The exports were largely driven by textile products and other traditional labour-intensive goods not included on the United Nations embargo list, Huang added. "As neighbours, China and North Korea maintain normal business and trade exchanges," he said, adding that goods for ordinary people and those used for humanitarian reasons are not subject to sanctions. Overall trade growth with North Korea slowed in June, compared with previous second-quarter months. Trade in dollar terms with North Korea rose about 12 percent in June from a month earlier to $499 million, according to Reuters calculations based on previously released data. The calculations do not reflect revisions to earlier figures that may not have been announced. In May, trade with North Korea gained 14.5 percent from April to $443.5 million, previously released customs data show. ENFORCING RESOLUTIONS Numbers showing an increase are not evidence that China is failing to enforce U.N. resolutions, with imports from North Korea falling every month since March, Huang added. China suspended imports of North Korean coal in February, while imports of iron ore accord with relevant U.N. resolutions, he said. "China customs have all along fully, accurately, conscientiously and strictly enforced relevant Security Council resolutions." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said U.N. resolutions did not cover iron and iron ore for civilian purposes, warning against confusion over U.N. sanctions being viewed as comprehensive sanctions on North Korea. "For China to maintain normal economic relations with North Korea does not violate U.N. resolutions," he told a daily news briefing. Adding to the potential for further U.S.-China trade friction, China had a $25.4-billion trade surplus with the United States in June, up from $22.0 billion in May, customs data showed. The surplus with the United States was China's largest since October 2015. While China has been angered by North Korea's repeated nuclear and missile tests, it also blames the United States and South Korea for worsening tension with their military exercises and not doing enough to get talks back on track, as Beijing has proposed. Though Trump took a more conciliatory tone on the North Korea issue and China's role at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, Beijing has begun taking a harder rhetorical line with Washington in the past few days. China's Foreign Ministry this week urged a halt to what it called the "China responsibility theory" on North Korea, saying all parties needed to pull their weight. Trade between China and North Korea has declined in both 2015 and 2016, a senior government-backed academic said in a front-page comment in the overseas edition of the official People's Daily on Wednesday. "Certain countries have no right to make wanton criticisms of China," wrote Su Xiaohui of the Foreign Ministry think-tank, the China Institute of International Studies. An "unexpected" jump in first-quarter trade between China and North Korea masked a declining trend, the state-run Global Times newspaper said last week. (By Fang Cheng and Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo, Philip Wen and Stella Qiu; Editing by Sam Holmes and Clarence Fernandez) Country Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic 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Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Delta Air Lines Inc on Thursday reported an increase in quarterly passenger unit revenue, a closely watched metric, but higher costs weighed on its bottom line. Breaking a losing streak that has plagued much of the industry for the last two years, Delta posted a 2.5 percent increase in passenger unit revenue, which measures sales relative to flight capacity, on 0.4 percent higher capacity in the second quarter of 2017. But the company's net income fell 20.8 percent to $1.22 billion, or $1.68 per share, in the quarter ended June 30, from $1.55 billion, or $2.03 per share, a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic earned $1.64 per share, compared to the analyst consensus forecast of $1.67, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Shares of the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic fell as much as 2.4 percent to $54.13 in early trading. Delta said operating expenses climbed during the quarter on higher salaries and fuel costs, its two biggest components. The airline paid an additional $338 million towards 2017 profit sharing with employees. Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) dominated other streaming services in Emmy nominations which were announced Thursday easily outpacing rivals Amazon (NYSE:AMZN) and Hulu with 91 bids. Netflix garnered the second-most Emmy nominations of any network. Only cable juggernaut HBO racked up more, with 110 nods. Streaming rival Hulu picked up 18 nominations, while Amazon snagged 16. "We want to congratulate the visionaries whose fresh voices, groundbreaking storytelling and brave performances inspire us daily. To receive 91 nominations across 27 programs is a profound honor," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Netflix also big-shouldered the best drama category with three contenders, "The Crown, "House of Cards" and "Stranger Things," a best-ever total for streaming as its platforms grow in strength as competitors to broadcast and cable. "Saturday Night Live," powered by madcap skits skewering the Trump administration, earned 22 Emmy Award nominations, including bids for Alec Baldwin's florid portrayal of the president and Melissa McCarthy's manic, gender-busting take on press secretary Sean Spicer.The long-running NBC variety show tied with HBO's sci-fi drama "Westworld," which also earned 22 bids on Thursday, to jointly top the field for the 69th Primetime Emmys to be presented in September. "Feud: Bette and Joan," about the epic clash of Hollywood divas Bette Davis and Joan Crawford," reaped 18 nominations, including for stars Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon. Other big-screen stars making a splash on the small screen were Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, nominated for "Big Little Lies," which is competing with "Feud" for best limited series. "Veep," the most-nominated comedy with 17 bids, has a chance for its third consecutive top comedy trophy. Star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has the chance to build on her record of most wins for a lead comedy actress: She has five for "Veep" and one for "New Adventures of Old Christine." Emmy voters showed their willingness to recognize new comic voices as well as diversity. Donald Glover's freshman "Atlanta" earned a best comedy bid, as did "Master of None," starring Aziz Ansari, and "black-ish," and the TV academy noted that the majority of nominated writers are people of color. But there was room in for an old favorite, "Modern Family," although it earned only a handful of bids besides best comedy, including for Ty Burrell in the supporting actor category. "Silicon Valley" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" round out the best comedy ranks. Samantha Bee, who broke into the late-night male domain with "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," earned a variety talk show nomination for her efforts. Her competitors include Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, James Corden and Bill Maher. The drama field opened up with the absence of HBO's dominant "Game of Thrones," which aired outside the eligibility window for Emmy consideration this year. It won 12 Emmys last year, including its second consecutive best drama award. Newcomers were ready to step in, including breakout series "This Is Us." It received 11 nods, including the first best-drama series for a network show since "The Good Wife" in 2011. NBC's intricately told story of an extended family, a hit with viewers and critics, also earned bids for Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia, who are competing with each other in the best actor category. "I grew up on network television and the idea that there were three and eventually four places that everyone had in their home, before DVDs, it's something that everybody could access not just in terms of literally but also emotionally and comedically," said "This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman. "And I think there is a place for television that is for everybody, art that is for everybody, that also hopefully can live in the conversation with the darker, edgier stuff. I think people are craving that." Sci-fi series "Stranger Things" received an impressive 18 bids, including one for star Millie Bobby Brown, while "The Crown," a lavish peek at the life of Britain's Queen Elizabeth as played by the nominated Claire Foy, received a total of 13 bids. So did the dystopian Hulu saga "The Handmaid's Tale," including a nomination for star Elisabeth Moss. "Better Call Saul," the "Breaking Bad" spinoff is also nominated, along with star Bob Odenkirk. "Chuffed, thrilled, proud, honored!" Peter Morgan, creator of "The Crown," said in a statement. "So delighted for everyone involved. A proper fat cigar moment, if only I smoked. Drinks all round, if only I drank. I shall have to make do with turning cartwheels." He's not the only visitor to American TV who will be celebrating. Others include Anthony Hopkins for "Westworld," Benedict Cumberbatch for "Sherlock: The Lying Detective," Ewan McGregor in "Fargo" and Geoffrey Rush for "Genius." Groundbreaking "Girls" didn't get a best comedy bid for its sixth and final season. But it cleaned up for its guest actors, with nods going to Becky Ann Baker, Riz Ahmed and Matthew Rhys, with Ahmed and Rhys nominated in drama categories as well, for "The Night Of" and "The Americans," respectively. Competing with Brown, Ventimiglia, Hopkins and Odenkirk for best drama acting honors are Rhys of "The Americans," Liev Schreiber from "Ray Donovan" and Kevin Spacey of "House Of Cards." Foy and Moss are joined in the best drama actress category by 2015 winner Viola Davis from "How To Get Away With Murder," Keri Russell of "The Americans," Evan Rachel Wood in "Westworld" and Robin Wright from "House Of Cards." "Orphan Black" isn't in the running because it missed the eligibility window, depriving star Tatiana Maslany of the chance to repeat as best drama actress. The Emmys are scheduled to air Sept. 17 on CBS, with Stephen Colbert as host. The Associated Press contributed to this report. J.C. Penney Company Inc. (NYSE:JCP) said Thursday it would open toy stores in all of its brick-and-mortar store locations, as the brand looks to revamp its business amid industrywide headwinds in the retail space. The new toy sections will be placed strategically adjacent to Disney buildouts and feature everything from action figures to board games. In addition, J.C. Penney said it has doubled the number of toy offerings on its online platforms, with more items to come ahead of the holiday sales season. We know that shoppers buy toys year-round and by creating a fun, inviting toy shop, with some of the biggest brands and hottest products, we will entice families to shop and spend more at JCPenney," John Tighe, executive vice president and chief merchant for JCPenney, said in a press release. "Toys are an exciting product category for JCPenney and an in-store attraction that will drive traffic and sales as we continue to focus on increasing revenue per customer." New offerings on J.C. Penneys website include bicycles, video games and outdoor items. The brand says it is partnering with several well-known toy brands, including Mattel and Fisher Price. The push toward toy sales comes as J.C. Penney seeks new areas of growth outside apparel sales, which accounted for more than half the companys sales last year, according to Reuters. Like many traditional retailers, including rivals Macys and Kohls, J.C. Penney has struggled with decreased store traffic as more customers turn to ecommerce to purchase clothing and other necessities. J.C. Penney reported a drop in sales for the third consecutive quarter in May. The Latest on the Republican effort to replace the Obama health care law (all times local): The reworked bill aims to win over conservatives by letting insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, it's designed to placate moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs. The criticism comes after Senate Republican leaders unveiled their latest effort to repeal so-called Obamacare. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval says the measure hasn't changed that much and that he remains concerned it would phase out financing for the Medicaid expansion that's helped Nevada residents. A Republican governor is expressing "great concern" over the new Senate health care bill. Still, two senators, moderate Susan Collins of Maine and conservative Rand Paul of Kentucky, say they aren't supporting the bill. A vote has been scheduled for next week. ___ 9 p.m. Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval says the new Senate health care bill hasn't changed much. His reaction: "great concern." Sandoval spoke Thursday in Providence, R.I., where the nation's governors are holding their annual summer meeting. He said his principal concern remains that the GOP bill would phase out financing for the Medicaid expansion passed under former President Barack Obama. It's providing coverage to an estimated 11 million people nationally, mainly low-income adults. Thirty-one states including Nevada are covering more of their residents. Sandoval said: "They're living healthier and happier lives as a result of their receiving coverage. And for them to lose that ... would be very hurtful for them." Sandoval is planning to speak to Nevada GOP Sen. Dean Heller, considered the most endangered Senate Republican in next year's midterm elections. ___ 5:30 p.m. A provision in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's rewritten health care bill appears to benefit only one state: Alaska. That's the home state of one Republican McConnell is wooing for support. The language would give states with extremely high premiums an added cut from multibillion dollar funds created by the legislation to help insurers curb consumers' coverage costs. Analysts at the consulting firm Avalare Health estimate it would mean $150 million for Alaska in 2018, $230 million in 2019 and additional amounts afterward. McConnell needs support from all but two of the 52 GOP senators to pass the bill. Two have already expressed opposition. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is among several saying they're undecided. Other states might qualify for money if they experience premiums 75 percent above the national average. ___ 4:30 p.m. Groups concerned about the opioid epidemic say $45 billion in state grants for addiction treatment don't make up for cuts to Medicaid in a new version of the Senate Republican health care bill. The Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose and 465 other organizations said Thursday in a letter to Congress they cannot support the revised bill. The letter says capping federal funding for Medicaid and phasing out the Medicaid expansion would make it harder for people to get addiction treatment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a retooled bill Thursday. The earlier version included $2 billion for states battling the opioid crisis. More money was demanded by Republicans from states in the Midwest and Northeast that have been ravaged by the drugs. ___ 12:10 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has released a revamped Republican health care bill, and it seeks out conservative support by letting insurers sell low-premium policies with skimpy coverage. The bill is aimed at repealing much of President Barack Obama's health law. But the GOP plan remains in deep jeopardy because of divisions within the party. It's unclear whether the measure will survive a showdown vote next week. The revised legislation includes added money for states to help insurers curb consumers' increasing premiums and out of pocket costs. And it has $45 billion to help states combat drug abuse. But McConnell is retaining his plan to cut Medicaid, the health care program for the poor. GOP moderates have fought to ease those reductions. ___ 9:50 a.m. In a bid for conservative support for his flailing health legislation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will include an amendment by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in a reworked bill being released Thursday. That's according to two Senate GOP aides who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the bill's release. Exact details were not immediately clear. Cruz has been working with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on a measure that would allow insurers to sell skimpier health care plans. But Lee's office says Lee has not seen the new Cruz amendment and until he does, won't commit to voting next week to proceeding to debate on the health bill. Despite pressure from President Donald Trump, that could kill the bill before debate even begins. AP Congressional Correspondent Erica Werner. ___ 3:30 a.m. Senate Republican leaders are trotting out their new health care bill. And they're pushing toward a showdown vote next week amid indications that they have lots of work ahead to win over GOP lawmakers or face a resounding failure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell planned to present the revamped measure rolling back much of President Barack Obama's health care law to GOP senators Thursday. Democrats uniformly oppose the effort, so McConnell needs the votes of 50 of the 52 GOP senators to prevail. But conservative Sen. Rand Paul says he's a "no" and Maine moderate Susan Collins seems all but certain to be opposed. Other Republicans are threatening to vote against it if their demands are not met, leaving party leaders struggling to preserve one of their highest-profile priorities. Republican leaders unveiled a new health care bill Thursday in their increasingly desperate effort to deliver on seven years of promises to repeal and replace "Obamacare." They immediately lost two key votes, leaving none to spare as the party's own divisions put its top campaign pledge in serious jeopardy. But it was not clear whether the Republican leader has achieved the delicate balance he needs after an embarrassing setback last month when he abruptly canceled a vote in the face of widespread opposition to a bill he crafted largely in secret. The reworked bill McConnell presented to fellow Republicans aims to win conservatives' support by letting insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, he seeks to placate hesitant moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs. "I'd say the only thing more difficult than peace between Israel and the Palestinians is health care," Trump said. "But I think we're going to have something that's really good and that people are going to like." But talking with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to France, Trump also acknowledged the challenges lawmakers face. President Donald Trump declared a day earlier that failure would make him "very angry" and that he would blame Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters she had informed McConnell she would be voting against beginning debate on the bill, citing in part cuts in the Medicaid health program for the poor and disabled. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has repeatedly complained that McConnell's efforts don't amount to a full-blown repeal of Obamacare, also announced he was a "no." That means McConnell cannot lose any other Republican senators. With Democrats unanimously opposed in a Senate split 52-48 in favor of the GOP, he needs 50 votes, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie, to get past a procedural hurdle and begin debate on the bill. The showdown vote is set for next week, though McConnell could cancel again if he's short of support. He and other GOP leaders are urging senators to at least vote in favor of opening debate, which would open the measure up to amendments. And GOP leaders express optimism that they are getting closer to a version that could pass the Senate. "It's in the best shape it's been in so far," said Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri. "Now that members actually have paper in their hand they can look at what is likely to be very close to the final bill we'll be voting on and move forward." McConnell said the 172-page legislation is the senators' opportunity to make good on years of promises. "This is our chance to bring about changes we've been talking about since Obamacare was forced on the American people," he said. Many Republicans believe the party could face electoral catastrophe if it alienates GOP voters by failing to deliver after taking control of both chambers of Congress and the White House while vowing to get rid of former President Barack Obama's law. "It could be the biggest political broken promise in many years," said conservative former Sen. Jim DeMint, former president of the Heritage Foundation, as he passed through the Capitol. Throughout the day McConnell huddled in his office with holdouts, including Dean Heller of Nevada, the most endangered Senate Republican in next year's midterms, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Rob Portman of Ohio and John Hoeven of North Dakota. The lawmakers wanted details and numbers on how the bill would impact rural and Medicaid-dependent people in their states. All had opposed McConnell's earlier bill, but this time around several exited their meetings saying they were undecided and needed more time to evaluate the legislation. Hoeven said of McConnell: "He's asking everybody to work with him, and a lot of us are saying 'yeah,' and we've got more work to do." Like legislation earlier passed by the House after struggles of its own, the Senate bill would get rid of Obamacare's mandates for individuals to buy insurance and for companies to offer it, repeal taxes and unwind the Medicaid expansion created by the Affordable Care Act. Analyses by the Congressional Budget Office have found the House bill and the earlier Senate version both would eliminate insurance coverage for more than 20 million people over the next decade. The new bill contains language demanded by conservative Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas letting insurers sell plans with minimal coverage, as long as they also sell policies that meet strict coverage requirements set by Obama's 2010 statute. Moderate Republicans have objected that that would make policies excessively costly for people with serious illnesses because healthy people would flock to the cheaper coverage. The Cruz provision appears in the legislative text in brackets, meaning specific language is still being composed. That could give McConnell, Cruz and other conservatives time to work out a provision with broader support. The retooled measure retains McConnell's plan to phase out the extra money 31 states have used to expand Medicaid under Obama's statute, and to tightly limit the overall program's future growth. Since its creation in 1965, Medicaid has provided open-ended federal funds to help states pay the program's costs. The rewritten package would add $70 billion to the $112 billion McConnell originally sought that states could use to help insurers curb the growth of premiums and consumers' other out-of-pocket costs. It has an added $45 billion for states to combat the misuse of drugs like opioids. That's a boost over the $2 billion in the initial bill, an addition demanded by Republicans from states in the Midwest and Northeast that have been ravaged by the drugs. To help pay for the added spending, the measure would retain three tax increases Obama's law slapped on higher- earning people. And the legislation has a provision that appears to benefit only one state, Alaska, by setting aside some federal assistance for states with extremely high premiums. Alaska is the only state that fits the bill and it's home to a key senator McConnell wants to win over, Lisa Murkowski. It could gain nearly $2 billion over a decade, one analyst said. ___ AP reporters Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Mary Clare Jalonick, Julie Bykowicz, Matthew Daly and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) boosted oil production in June, reflecting their worst compliance with coordinated production cuts in six months. The International Energy Agency said Thursday global oil supplies increased 720,000 barrels a day in June, including 340,000 barrels a day in new OPEC production. Saudi Arabia, the largest producer in OPEC, posted stronger crude output during the month. Nations that arent participating in the cuts, such as Nigeria and Libya, also pumped more oil. Compliance with this years cuts slipped to 78% from 95% in May, according to the IEAs estimates. Twenty-one OPEC nations reached an agreement late last year that called for a reduction of roughly 1.8 million barrels a day in oil production. OPEC cut production in order to boost oil prices, which continue to feel downward pressure from a global supply glut. U.S. drillers, especially in shale plays like the Permian, are on pace to pump oil at a record level in 2018, according to the Energy Information Administration. The IEA predicts that oil demand will rise to 1.5 million barrels per day in the second quarter of this year from 1 million in the first three months. U.S. oil futures were up 22 cents, or 0.5%, to $45.71 a barrel in recent trading. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed 17 cents, or 0.4%, to $47.91 a barrel. Poland's prime minister has met with Chinese parliamentary leader Zhang Dejiang to discuss developing ties, including business and trade. Poland, a central European nation, wants to play a key role in China's drive to increase business with Europe. The Polish government is seeking new partners and investments for the economy as it develops quickly. Beata Szydlo and Zhang Dejiang, who is the head of the Permanent Committee of China's parliament, held talks Thursday. Zhang is in Poland until Sunday and will also meet with President Andrzej Duda and Polish parliamentary leaders. He is also to visit the southern Renaissance city of Krakow and the former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz. Uber said Thursday it will merge its ride-hailing business in Russia with Yandex, the top search engine in the country. Yandex plans to combine Uber and its own service, Yandex Taxi, in Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The Russian search engine will hold a 59% stake in the new company, valued at $3.7 billion. Uber will have 37% ownership. Employees will own the rest. Under terms of the agreement, Uber will invest $225 million, and Yandex will spend $100 million. Yandex Taxi CEO Tigran Khudaverdyan will serve as CEO of the combined ride-hailing service, which predicts bookings of 35 million rides per month across 127 cities. The deal is expected to close later this year. This deal is a testament to our exceptional growth in the region and helps Uber continue to build a sustainable global business, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, head of Ubers business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said in an email sent to employees. Ubers decision to merge its Russian business with Yandex follows the sale of its Chinese operations to Didi Chuxing in 2016. Uber has faced controversy on multiple fronts this year. The Silicon Valley firm conducted two investigations into allegations of harassment and fired more than 20 employees. Uber also continues to fight a battle in court with Waymo, the self-driving car developer created by Alphabets (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, over claims of stolen trade secrets. Those troubles contributed to the resignation of Travis Kalanick, who left his post as CEO last month. A huge data leak at Verizon exposed millions of customer records, but the company blamed an outside vendor for the breach. The FOX Business Networks Tracee Carrasco reported, Names, addresses, phone numbers and, in some cases, the security pins of millions of Verizon customers publicly exposed online by one of the companys vendors, Nice systems, based in Israel. Verizon was informed of the breach, which was discovered by a researcher from software security firm UpGuard, in late June. According to reports from ZDNet.com, An employee of Nice Systems put information into a storage cloud area and incorrectly set the storage to allow external access, said Carrasco. Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com In a statement, Verizon noted "the vendor was supporting an approved initiative to help us improve a residential and small business wireline self-service call center portal and required certain data for the project." According to the report, Carrasco said, As many as 14 million customers were found on unsecured storage controlled by Nice Systems." Verizon has since disputed that number. "Finally, the number of subscriber accounts included in the media report is overstated. The actual number is approximately 6 million unique customers" according to the company's statment. Additionally, There has been no loss or theft of Verizon or Verizon customer information," the company said. *An earlier version of this article incorrectly cited Verizon Wireless as the breached unit. It has been updated to reflect it was Verizon's residential and small business wireline customers. The GOP released a revised bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act Thursdaywhich keeps some of the ObamaCare taxes in place and provides $45 billion to combat opioid abusebut the big question for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is whether he can get the needed support from his colleagues. The addition of Sen. Ted Cruzs (R-Texas) Consumer Freedom Amendmentallowing insurers to sell plans that dont comply with ObamaCare requirements so long as they still provide compliant ones through the individual marketplaceis seen as a bid to increase conservative support. However, allowing insurers to offer bare-bones plans threatens to alienate moderates and perhaps other conservatives. And the measure retains cuts in Medicaid the health insurance plan for the poor, disabled and nursing home patients that moderate Republican senators have fought. The 172-page legislation, the Senate GOP's plan for rolling back much of President Barack Obama's health care law, faces a do-or-die vote next week on which McConnell has no margin for error. Since Democrats uniformly oppose the effort, McConnell needs the votes of 50 of the 52 GOP senators to prevail and there is at least one Republican senator who has already said he is opposed to the new bill. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told FOX Business Thursday he did not support the stabilization fund for insurance companies. Im not willing to subsidize insurance companies. I think thats a terrible thing to do, he said. Its crony capitalism and there has to be somebody left in Washington who doesnt believe in crony capitalism. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) tweeted Thursday afternoon she would vote no on the motion to proceed due to the steep cuts in Medicaid. Still deep cuts to Medicaid in Senate bill. Will vote no on MTP. Ready to work w/ GOP & Dem colleagues to fix flaws in ACA. Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) July 13, 2017 Underscoring the measure's dicey prospects, No. 3 Senate Republican leader John Thune of South Dakota said, "We've got a long way ahead of us yet. The floor is going to be a wild place next week." Seeking to rally support, McConnell reminded GOP senators that obliterating the 2010 statute has been a central tenet for the party's candidates. "This is our chance to bring about changes we've been talking about since Obamacare was forced on the American people," he said. But Democrats chose a different word to describe the measure, one which President Donald Trump himself used to describe the House-passed version of the measure despite having applauded it previously. "The new Republican Trumpcare bill is every bit as mean as the old one," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. He said the provision allowing scanty coverage makes it "even meaner." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Movie star Shia LaBeouf has apologized following the release of a string of videos which showed the actor shouting profanity-laced racial remarks at law enforcement officials. On Monday, the actor tweeted that he is deeply ashamed and apologized to the arresting officers. Video released Tuesday showed LaBeouf, 31, getting arrested Saturday morning in Savannah, Georgia for allegedly being drunk in public. LaBeouf is seen shouting at the officers: What did I do sir? I have rights, Im an American! You got me in my hotel doing what sir? Later in the video, he shouts at a black police officer: So you wanna arrest white people who give a fk and ask for cigarettes? I came up to you trying to be nice, you stupid b---h. In another video taken inside the police station where he was being fingerprinted after his arrest, LaBeouf says to the black police officer, Youre going straight to hell, straight to hell, bro. When asked by a white officer why his partner was going to hell, LaBeouf said because hes a black man. SHIA LABEOUF'S DRUNKEN ARREST MELTDOWN: 'I'VE GOT MORE MILLIONAIRE LAWYERS THAN YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOU STUPID B--' He also reportedly said that the black officer arrested him for being white, according to the New York Daily News. LaBeouf was arrested in January after assaulting a 25-year-old at his anti-President Donald Trump installation He Will Not Divide Us display at the Museum of the Moving Image. He was also arrested in 2008 and 2015 for drunk driving and public intoxication, respectively. TLC's Loren Brovarnik is glad she spoke out about having Tourette's syndrome. The "90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?" star recently revealed she had the neurological disorder. She didn't discuss the condition until after the first season of the show aired and she received a lot of negative comments about her tics online. "I'm definitely glad that I was kind of forced to open up about having Tourette's syndrome," Loren told Fox News. "I didn't want to, but it helped me accept who I am and it's gotten awareness out there which is great." Loren said she relied on her husband Alexei to get through the nasty comments she received online. TLC'S '90 DAY FIANCE' STAR PAOLA REGRETS TOPLESS PHOTO SHOOT "If I could help one person then I did the right thing," she shared. "People who have Tourette's syndrome, they don't openly talk about it because it's embarrassing and it's painful and it's more than just tics and movements and sounds. It effects you mentally." She added, "I couldn't have done it without Alexei's support and knowing that all of these people are being helped by me which is crazy to even think about it helps me get through it because I still deal with it every day." Floridian Loren met her husband Alexei, from Israel, on a Birthright trip to Israel. Birthright is a non-profit organization which sends young adults of Jewish heritage on a free 10-day trip to Israel. After failing twice to secure a travel visa, Loren and Alexei applied for a K-1 visa. They had 90 days from the time Alexei landed in the United States to decide if they wanted to wed. "We decided to go on '90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After' because we wanted people to see that there are people out there who go through the green card process and the K-1 visa process for the right reasons," Loren explained. The 27-year-old said she does not think everyone on the TLC show applied for a K-1 visa for the similar reasons, mainly Danielle and Mohamed -- the top headline-grabbing couple from the series. "They get attention because its negative," Loren said. "I mean, people are drawn to negativity, we need something to talk about and they're just...it's a joke. It's like a circus act, I can't. Alexei defended the pair adding, "I just don't care. Every couple and every person is different. Everyone has their own reasons... that's it." Loren chimed in, "We know their reasons." Catch Loren and Alexei on "90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?" Sunday nights on TLC. Watch a sneak peak of the next episode in the video below. Supermodel Karolina Kurkova credited social media for connecting her to now-husband, Marine Archie Drury. [people] are always like, A former Marine and a supermodel how does that happen? the 33-year-old told Hamptons Magazine. But I was meeting some of my friends for dinner, and he was meeting his friends, and we met. There was nothing between us when we met, but we really got to actually connect through Facebook. I found his friend and then saw his name. Its funny because he didnt know who I was, which was great. I think if he knew, it wouldnt have worked out. SFGate previously reported Drury served in the first Persian Gulf War and attended UC Berkeley after getting out of the Marines. In 2004, he produced the documentary Voices of Iraq. The Czech model was discovered at age 15 and has been the face of several couture brands, including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino, among others. She was also a Victorias Secret Angel. But despite her fame in the fashion world, the mother of two didnt always feel confident about herself. I was just like Olive Oyl from Popeye, she explained on her upbringing. I was clunky and had these big teeth. I just wasnt comfortable. I would stand out, and not in a beautiful way, so they would laugh and make fun of me. Growing up, I didnt like taking pictures. I hated being in front of the camera, whether it was with my family taking pictures or at school pictures. So something I was never comfortable with ended up being my career. Its interesting how the universe works it forces you to deal. Kurkova and Drury married in 2009 and welcomed their first child that same year. They had a second son in 2015. Kate Middleton had all eyes on her when she wore a plunging V-neck Marchesa rose gown at a state banquet Wednesday for visiting royals King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain at Englands Buckingham Palace. The 35-year-old Duchess of Cambridge completed her look with a ruby encrusted diamond necklace owned by Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the Lovers Knot tiara previously worn by Princess Diana. Middleton and husband Prince William, 35, share two children: 3-year-old Prince George and 2-year-old Princess Charlotte. ETOnline reported the event will most likely be Prince Philips final public dinner. The 96-year-olds retirement from public duties will go into effect this fall. Kermit the Frog muppeteer Steve Whitmire claimed he was fired by Disney after voicing the iconic character for 27 years. The 57-year-old made the announcement in a blog post verified by The Hollywood Reporter. As I am sure you can imagine, I have experienced every possible emotion since October 2016, when I received a phone call from The Muppets Studios executives to say they were recasting, wrote Whitmire. Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call. I wish that we could have sat down, looked each other in the eye, and discussed what was on their minds before they took such a drastic action. Muppets creator Jim Henson personally asked Whitmire to take over the role of Kermit before his death at age 53 in 1990. For me the Muppets are not just a job, or a career, or even a passion, explained Whitmore. I feel I am at the top of my game, and I want all of you who love the Muppets to know that I would never consider abandoning Kermit or any of the others because to do so would be to forsake the assignment entrusted to me by Jim Henson, my friend and mentor, but even more, my hero. Despite the unwanted news, Whitmire insisted he still has hope something could be worked out with Disney. I have remained silent the last nine months in hopes that the Disney company might reverse their course, he added. Doing what is best for the Muppets is the lens through which all my interactions have been filtered. Given the opportunity I remain willing to do whatever is required to remedy their concerns because I feel my continued involvement with the characters is the best interest of the Muppets. A Disney spokeswoman said in a statement: The Muppets Studio thanks Steve for his tremendous contributions to Kermit the Frog and The Muppets franchise. We wish him well in his future endeavors." No comment was given about Whitmires blog post. The Associated Press previously reported on Tuesday that Whitmire left his role. A Muppets Studio spokeswoman confirmed longtime Muppets performer Matt Vogel will take over the role of Kermit. Vogel has voiced such characters as Big Bird, Robin the Frog, and The Count. In addition to Kermit, Whitmire had voiced grumpy critic Statler, Rizzo the Rat, the always-startled Beaker, and other characters for the Muppets. Joe Hennes, the co-owner, senior contributor and editor of ToughPigs.com, a website for Muppet fans, said the reaction among fans has been cautiously optimistic. "They're obviously sad about the news, but they're excited to see what's going to happen. There's a much larger sense of optimism about what's coming up next for the Muppets," he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kim Kardashian defended her 4-year-old daughter North's corset-like dress on Twitter Wednesday after the outfit caused an uproar on social media. I would never put my daughter in a corset! Its a dress I bought that is a cotton fabric that laces up & looks like a corset! Just decoration, Kardashian West tweeted on Wednesday. I would never put my daughter in a corset!It's a dress I bought that is a cotton fabric that laces up & looks like a corset! Just decoration pic.twitter.com/hZzZLs04sM Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) July 13, 2017 This dress that I did not design, I actually bought, is not a corset its just fabric on the front. So, I think its really cute, I bought it from a designer and its just fabric people, its not a real corset, she said in a video posted on Twitter. A photo that began circulating on Tuesday showed North in an orange slip dress, Yeezy sneakers and what appeared to be a laced-up corset. Some criticized the youngsters mature attire. On the Instagram fan site Nori West Source, commenters didn't hold back when the picture was shared of North's look. One wrote, No, beautiful baby. Just raise her. Corsette for kids, sad/body imaging. Another chimed in, this has taken their Katrashian obsession with waist corsets to dress a sweet, innocent 4yo in a sexually provocative way! I'd be horrified if my 4yo beauty wanted one cos Nori is a toddlers icon. Another fan fumed, Obviously it's not a waist trainer as such, just looks like one. But it's still bloody ugly to dress a child like this no matter who the child is! WTF is wrong with these Kardashians??? Still, some Instagram users came to the child's defense. One commenter wrote, "She is so cute. [To be honest] she can pull any outfit just like her mom." The Walking Dead is one of the most popular dramas on TV, but apparently behind the scenes things were far more dramatic during the reign of former showrunner Frank Darabont. As part of an ongoing lawsuit between the network and Darabont, a slew of profane emails sent by the former showrunner were released by AMC Thursday. In one email Darabont expressed his displeasure with a script he received from a pair of writers. In the email to an exec he wrote, If it were up to me, Id have not only fired [them], Id have hunted down and f---ing killed them with a brick, then gone and burned down their homes. Darabont, who co-created The Walking Dead TV series, was fired in the middle of Season 2. According to Variety, he is now suing the network claiming that he was unfairly kept from reaping the profits of the now immensely successful show. AMC alleges that hes not entitled to the full sum because he never actually finished Season 2, as the contract stipulated. As part of the suit, the network released emails sent by Darabont during production in an attempt to show that his firing was not unjustified. WALKING DEAD SEASON 8 TEASER PHOTO SHOWS TENSE REUNION In one exchange, he focused his rage on a director who he said had better wake the f--- up and pay attention. Or I will start killing people and throwing bodies out the door. Since the release of the emails, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Darabont has come forward to defend himself, arguing that the emails lack context. WALKING DEAD VOICEOVER ACTOR DIES IN SKYDIVING ACCIDENT Each of these emails must be considered in context, he said, according to the industry publication. They were sent during an intense and stressful two-year period of working during which I was fighting like a mother lion to protect the show from harm - not only on my own behalf, but ironically also on behalf of AMC." He added, Each of these emails was sent because a professional showed up whose laziness, indifference or incompetence threatened to sink the ship. My tone was the result of the stress and magnitude of this extraordinary crisis. The language and hyperbole of my emails were harsh, but so were the circumstances. Authorities are investigating the death of an 11-year-old New Jersey boy who reportedly was suffering from gastrointestinal problems while at sleepaway camp in Pennsylvania. Daniel Ae Roo Beer, who had celebrated his birthday last week, was reportedly treated at the camp infirmary on Sunday, before being taken to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y., where his symptoms worsened, NorthJersey.com reported. WOMAN DIES AFTER CONTRACTING RARE TICK-BORNE VIRUS Beer, who died early Monday, was staying at Camp Nah-Jee-Wah in Milford, Pennsylvania, which is operated by NJY Camps. Three other boys who were staying in Beers cabin were taken to the hospital as a precaution after showing signs of stomach illness, but have since been released. It could have been food poisoning or a viral infection, Pennsylvania State Trooper Mark Keyes told NorthJersey.com. Carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out. Everybody is leaning toward a viral infection. Leonard Robinson, the camps executive director, offered his condolences to the boys family, which includes parents Jill and Sam, and brother Ethan, in a statement. JUDGE OFFICIATES DAUGHTER'S WEDDING DAYS BEFORE CANCER DEATH There are no words to describe the sudden loss of a young life. As we grieve together, please be assured we will be offering our full support to the family who has lost a son and to our camp community who has lost a fellow camper, the statement said, according to NBC New York. Grief counselors are being made available for staff and campers, while authorities away a full autopsy report. Beer was remembered at Robert Schoems Menorah Chapel in Paramus on Wednesday for his bright smile and love of sports. An Australian man whose thumb was severed off by a bull had his big toe surgically removed to replace the missing body part, reports said. Zac Mitchell, 20, underwent surgery to replace his thumb with his big toe on June 30, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday. Surgeons initially tried to reattach his severed thumb before suggesting the alternative. Mitchell, a cattle worker, told The Daily Telegraph he lost his thumb in April when he was working on a remote farming property in western Australia. "The bull was coming through the yard and it run me overmy boss said, 'Is your head or your hand bleeding?'" Mitchell said. WOMAN DIES AFTER CONTRACTING RARE TICK-BORNE VIRUS Workers on the farm immediately tried to save his thumb by placing it in a cooler with cold beers. He was then airlifted to the hospital where surgeons tried twice -- with no success -- to reattach his thumb. The surgeons then suggested a transplant surgery which Mitchell was initially hesitant to do. "It is a bit of a crazy idea they [patients] do not want to be injured in another part of their body," Lead plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Nicklin told the BBC. The cattle worker eventually agreed to undergo the operation in order to retain full function of his hand. PATIENT CLAIMS DOCTORS LEFT CAMERA IN BODY AFTER TRANSPLANT SURGERY "Even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function," Nicklin said. Mitchell said he plans to return to working on a farm after his 12-month rehabilitation period. He added that losing his big toe hasn't impacted his life and ability to work in a major way. "I havent fallen over anyway, I dont think its had much of an effect on the balance," Mitchell told The Daily Telegraph. Apparently if you defend the 1st Amendment, you are guilty of hate speech. Thats the argument put forth by several news outlets -- ABC, NBC, CNN -- and even Teen Vogue. On Tuesday night, June 11, Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a speech to the members of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a religious freedom group. The ADF is assisting the Supreme Court case involving Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker who refused to bake a gay wedding cake. Major networks are enraged. In headlines for both ABC and NBC, they called the ADF an anti-LGBT hate group. On what would the networks base that characterization? Its the hysterical assessment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Whether out of laziness or because it suits their bias, far too many journalists use SPLC as a credible source, rather than the agenda-driven liberal fund-raising machine it is. NBC quoted Democratic National Committee spokesman Joel Kasnetz in his condemnation of Sessions. Kasnetz accused the attorney general of choosing to spend his time speaking in front of one of the countrys leading anti-LGBTQ hate groups. ABC further quoted Kasnetz as saying, Sessions appearance at this event, as the top law enforcement official in the country, brings in to question whether the attorney general intends to protect all Americans. SPLC is best known for being the left-wing group that targets other groups and individuals in the public eye for hate speech -- especially conservatives and Christian groups. Even POLITICO recently asked whether or not the group has pushed its civil rights credibility too far. Writer Ben Schreckinger actually called the founder of the SPLC a little Trumpian, the ultimate liberal insult. HBO talk show host Bill Maher admitted recently that he would join in a crowd-funded lawsuit against SPLC, according to the Washington Examiner. In April, 2017, ADF attorney Kellie Fiedorek called the SPLCs accusation simply false, and stated that ADF is not motivated by anti-LGBTQ sentiment. Even though NBC covered this story, the network claimed that the ADFs actions were hateful in themselves. Heidi Beirich, a spokesperson for SPLC, was quoted saying that even though the ADF has denied being a hate organization, when the rubber hits the road is when ADF attorneys engage in model legislation and litigation that attacks the LGBT community. Whether out of laziness or because it suits their bias, far too many journalists use SPLC as a credible source, rather than the agenda-driven liberal fund-raising machine it is. In its Sessions story, NBC referred to SPLC as a prominent civil rights watchdog. Although it addressed ADFs defense, ABC quoted SPLC Deputy Legal Director David Dinielli calling ADFs hate label rightfully earned. ABC then piled on, citing Richard Painter, Democrat Joel Kasnetz and Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Painter, former chief ethics lawyer for the Bush administration, said on Twitter, Why is the attorney general hanging out with these nuts instead of doing his job? Imagine ABC quoting someone calling, say, the Human Rights Campaign nuts, and letting it stand. CNN carefully avoided any reference to SPLC, but it quoted other sources that called the ADF a hate group, such as the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Because of course, defending the 1st Amendment means you are full of malicious hate. Far-left Teen Vogue ominously noted that media outlets were banned from covering Sessions speech to the alleged anti-LGBTQ hate group, citing ABC as a reference. The ADF, founded in 1994, has been advocating for the right to freely practice Christian values in American society. As quoted on its website, Alliance Defending Freedom defends religious freedom and opposes all attempts to compel people to compromise their beliefs or retreat from civil and political life as the price for following their faith. Thats the hate speech aimed directly at the LGBTQ community, apparently. Who listens to the SPLC? Actually, a lot of people. Especially the Family Research Council shooter, Floyd Lee Corkins, and the shooter of Rep. Steve Scalise, James Hodgkinson. Corkins specifically used the hate map conveniently provided by the SPLC website, and Hodgkinson liked and followed their Facebook page. The media have consistently refused to point out that these violent shooters were familiar with the hate rhetoric of the SPLC. Sergei Magnitsky was a thirty-seven year old Russian lawyer and auditor who worked for Hermitage Capital Management, a firm founded in 1996 by Bill Browder, the grandson of the famous leader of the American Communist Party, Earl Browder (1891-1973). Hermitage made tens of millions of dollars in the rush to buy up and sell state assets in the chaotic economic circumstances of Boris Yeltsins Russia. Browders efforts in the early 2000s to use the emerging Russian legal system to protect his investments and encourage large companies to operate transparently led him to cross swords with the financial and business elite of Putins Russia. After a series of raids on his offices by the police and being declared persona non grata, Browder wisely exited Moscow for the West in 2006, leaving behind Magnitsky to investigate the actions of the Russian financial authorities, who had embezzled $230 million dollars from the company in a series of tax scams. Refusing to leave the country, Magnitsky traced the sources of the illegal activities on the part of the government and conscientiously brought his findings to the police and the courts. As a result, he was arrested in November 2008 on charges of tax evasion and kept in pre-trial confinement for nearly a year. Vladimir Putin greeted the Magnitsky Act with outrage. He was already upset that American officials had allegedly interfered in the Russian election. And now he was insulted that loyal members of his administration were criminalized by the Magnitsky Act and limited in their dealings with the West. Magnitsky suffered from a number of diseases in detention - gallstones, pancreatitis, and cholecystitus but he was denied medical care, as Minister of the Interior officials interrogated him and tried to induce him to implicate himself and Browder in illegal activities. Though quiet and unassuming, Magnitsky stood up to his interrogators and refused to sign false depositions. The Russian Presidential Human Rights Commission confirmed that he was badly beaten by OMON officers (Ministry of Interior police) before dying on November 16, 2009, officially of acute heart failure and toxic shock from the pancreatitis, but most likely because of his violent treatment. Browder was incensed by what he called the official murder of his loyal employee and by the injustices routinely perpetrated by the Russian regime against honest citizens. He decided to do everything he could to bring the Magnitsky case to the attention of the American government with the idea of punishing those Russians who were responsible for Magnitskys death. After his appeals to the State Department fell on deaf ears, Browder turned to the legislative branch, where he won the bi-partisan support of several Congressmen, who held hearings on the Magnitsky affair. Browder not only gained the support of many in Congress, but his efforts to call to account government figures for illegal and murderous behavior received the enthusiastic backing of Russian progressives, like Boris Nemtsov, a popular political opponent of Vladimir Putin, who lobbied in favor of a bill to identify and punish those officials responsible for Magnitskys death. Nemstov himself was later gunned down on a Kremlin bridge on February 27, 2015. The Magnitsky Act, officially called The Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, was passed by the House of Representatives on November 16, 2012, with a vote of 365 to 43, and the Senate on December 6, 2012, with a vote of 92 to 4. Disappointed with the so-called reset policy, which had been instituted in 2009 to positively restructure Russian-American relations, President Obama signed the Magnitsky Act on December 14, 2012. Eighteen Russian officials were initially named as ineligible for American visas and liable for the seizure of assets in the United States. Other individuals were added later on; now the list contains some 44 names. Interestingly, the Magnitsky bill was attached to a foreign trade bill for Russia that abrogated the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which had linked the right to free emigration from countries (the Soviet Union and Jewish emigration were the main issues) to Most Favored Nation trade status. Now there would be no generalized limitations on trade between Russia and the United States, which pleased American business lobbies and the Russians, but there would be bans on travel to the United States and prohibitions on the use of American financial institutions placed on specific individuals. Vladimir Putin greeted the Magnitsky Act with outrage, indignation, and derision. After all, he stated in an interview, people die in prisons all the time. What was the big deal about Magnitsky? He was already upset that American officials had allegedly interfered in the Russian election process by encouraging anti-Putin demonstrations, thus calling the legitimacy of his election to the Presidency in March 2012 into question. And now he was insulted that loyal members of his administration were criminalized by the Magnitsky Act and limited in their dealings with the West. (The European Parliament adopted a version of the Magnitsky Act in April 2014). The only way Moscow could think of retaliating was to ban the widespread adoption of Russian children by American couples in December 2012, pointing to the death of an adopted Russian child, Dimitrii Yakovlev, who had been abused by his American parents and died while being left alone in an overheated automobile in 2012. In April 2013, the Russian government also placed 18 Americans on a list of alleged human rights violators who were banned from Russia. The Magnitsky Law and the Russian outraged reaction to it were nails in the coffin of Obamas reset. Despite some very modest accomplishments at the outset of the Obama administration, Russian-American relations have been at a relatively low point ever since. Sanctions that were added to the Magnitsky restrictions as a consequence of Putins annexation of the Crimea in March 2014 and the poorly disguised Russian intervention in Donetsk and Luhansk (in eastern Ukraine) in the months and years thereafter have created the impression in some parts of international society that Russia is an outlaw state and Putin a criminal ruler. This runs directly counter to Putins image of himself and of the country whose interests he claims to defend. It is no wonder that the issues of the Magnitsky Act and the ban on American adoptions were brought up in conversations between the highly placed Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and the Trump campaign. These insults to Putins sense of national honor remain a very tender spot in the seemingly impervious exterior of the Russian dictator. Norman M. Naimark is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Robert and Florence McDonnell Professor of East European Studies. He is an expert in modern East European and Russian history. In October 2016, Donald Trump told the enthusiastic supporters at one of his campaign rallies, You're going to have such great health care at a tiny fraction of the cost and it's going to be so easy. Turns out, its not so easy. On Wednesday, President Trump was asked what happens if Senate Republicans fail to pass their ObamaCare overhaul bill. "Well, I don't even want to talk about it, because I think it would be very bad. I will be very angry about it and a lot of people will be very upset, Trump told the Christian Broadcasting Network. Prepare yourselves for an angry president. Without some sort of breakthrough, the current effort by Senate Republicans to overhaul ObamaCare appears to be dead in the water. The Senate health care bill is still dividing Republican members and the latest efforts to revise the bill dont seem to be resolving the intraparty conflict. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, has delayed the Senate's planned August recess by two weeks in order to give the Senate more time to find a way to advance a bill. The bill is going nowhere if more than two Republicans break ranks. And right now, the chances of that happening are looking pretty high. Senate Republicans have so far been unable to unite around their ever-evolving draft bill, which has been trimmed and tailored behind closed Capitol doors. The Senates Republican leadership is scheduled to release an updated draft on Thursday. Theyll actually review two versions of the bill on Thursday and the hope is that theyll reach a consensus and back one of the two. Both versions of the bill have been submitted to the Congressional Budget Office for analysis and they are expected to issue a report early next week. Majority Leader McConnell has been struggling mightily to find a path to 50 votes. At least 10 Republicans have said they oppose the Senates first draft of the bill and a few more expressed real reservations. McConnell is engaged in complex legislative calculus, trying to appease both moderate Republicans and conservatives. He's got to pull it off. Mitch has to pull it off, Trump said Wednesday when asked if he thought McConnell could achieve a legislative victory. Few people, other than President Trump, seem to have much confidence that the latest changes to the Senates draft will help McConnell much as he works to wrangle wayward Republican senators. In any event, McConnell seems resolved to bring the measure to the floor next week and let the votes fall where they may. The bill is going nowhere if more than two Republicans break ranks. And right now, the chances of that happening are looking pretty high. Republican opposition began to solidify even before Thursdays new versions of the bill were unveiled. At this point, I cannot support the bill, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, told reporters on Wednesday after getting a preview on the new bill. Explaining his opposition, Paul said, The new bill is actually less of a repeal than the old bill and theyve taken the bill and made it worse. If they fail to pass a bill, McConnell has threatened his caucus with the apparently terrifying prospect of working with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to pass a bipartisan bill. Sen. Susan Collins, the moderate Republican from Maine, told CNN this week, "I do need a complete overhaul to get to a yes." Few would call the telegraphed tweaks to the Senate bill a complete overhaul. Collins appears to be looking much further down the road already thinking about an eventual compromise with Democrats. "I don't want to see us make the same mistake and pass an overhaul of the law without a single Democratic vote, Collins said Monday. Even members that arent necessarily opposed to the bill seem to see some writing on the wall. On CBS' "Face the Nation" this last Sunday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said of a revised bill, I think my view is it's probably going to be dead, and I fear that it's going to fail. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he was very pessimistic" about the bills prospects Tuesday on Fox News. President Trump and conservatives want to repeal ObamaCare and then, with the prospect of imminent chaos in the individual insurance market as a motivator, come to an agreement on a replacement plan. However, at least a few GOP members dont see that happening. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said this week, I just dont think you can possibly get 50 Republicans to vote just to repeal. McConnell has suggested the next step instead might be to pass a bipartisan bill to stabilize the insurance marketplaces. No action is not an alternative, McConnell said last week. If they fail to pass a bill, Republicans know that theyll need to come up with some way to stabilize the insurance marketplaces. McConnell has threatened his caucus with the apparently terrifying prospect of working with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to pass a bipartisan bill. Some moderate Republicans seem open to working with Democrats on a marketplace fix. CQ has reported that Republican and Democratic senators have had informal talks about a bipartisan stabilization package. Finding a bipartisan compromise would not be an easy task. Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has said any compromise bill would have to be more than bailing out insurance companies. There are already rumblings on the right about more radical maneuvers some members might push for if the Senates overhaul efforts fall apart. The House Freedom Caucus could hold the debt limit increase hostage in an effort to force a full repeal of ObamaCare. Only one things seems certain at this point, the years-long Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare is still a long way from over. Within the past year, the United States and France both elected new presidents. In each election, many of the same issues were at the forefront, such as national security, immigration, climate change, and the economy. To deal with these pressing policy challenges, the American people elected the ultimate political outsider to reform a broken federal government. The French elected a former socialist and product of government as their new head of state. Like so many elections before, the choice in both countries centered on the size and scope of government and its role in peoples lives. As President Trump prepares to visit France later this week for Bastille Day and his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, there will be many policy differences to discuss. Both new leaders are in the process of trying to enact their agendas with President Trump facing Democrat obstruction at every turn. I expect among the topics to be discussed will be President Trumps recent decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. President Macron will explain why his position on climate change is correct and that the United States should accept this conclusion for the good of the world. Macron will say that 194 countries cant possibly be wrong. President Trump will assuredly say he made his decision because he thinks the Paris treaty is bad for the U.S. economy and American workers and that is his paramount concern. President Macron has plans to push a big government economic stimulus spending package that will invest in training, energy and the environment. President Trump might share with him that a similar idea was attempted in the United States under President Obama in 2009 and it failed miserably. While the two world leaders discuss climate change, those talks will inevitably lead to a discussion of their views for economic recovery in their respective nations. Frances 10 percent unemployment rate and high minimum wage are issues that Mr. Macron needs to deal with. President Trump can share evidence that big minimum wage increases actually hurt workers instead of help them. You need to look no further than liberal Seattle. President Trump will have an opportunity to discuss his plans to further aid Americas economy and 15-year low unemployment rate by cutting taxes and regulations across the board to spur economic growth in the mold of Ronald Reagan. History will attest that Reagans formula worked extraordinarily well. President Macron, on the other hand, has plans to push a big government economic stimulus spending package that will invest in training, energy and the environment. President Trump might share with Mr. Macron that a similar idea was attempted in the United States under President Obama in 2009 and it failed miserably. On the topic of immigration policy, President Macron is arguing for a much more relaxed immigration policy than President Trump plans for the United States. President Trump has the new unanimous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court approving most of his travel ban executive order. The Supreme Court doesnt do much unanimously anymore unless the case is abundantly clear. Any discussion concerning immigration and refugees must turn to the overall strategy of defeating radical Islamic terrorism and ISIS at home and abroad. President Trump believes that a successful strategy must begin with strong leadership and a commitment to call radical Islam exactly what it is: evil. President Macron believes, as he has said before, that this threat will be a fact of daily life in the coming years. President Trump should reject this defeatist mindset and articulate that we must take steps now to save future generations from the scourge of terrorism. Time will tell which leaders ideas for economic growth, national security, immigration, and climate change will work best for their proud citizenries. These stark differences in philosophies will play themselves out as policies are enacted. Will President Trumps America First agenda of less government, low taxes, and peace through strength be the recipe for success? If history is any indication, the answer is yes. Is there a womens view on guns? The organizers of the massive Women's March which took place the day after President Trump's inauguration are holding a protest against the National Rifle Association on Friday. After a 2.6 million strong turnout in January, they have high expectations to live up to. But Donald Trump received a respectable 42 percent of the womens vote, so its hard to say that there is a womens view on guns. According to an Investors Business Daily/TIPP poll from early last year, 49 percent of married women say that they or someone in their home owns a gun. A new PEW survey shows that 40 percent of women generally live in a home with a gun, and that almost a quarter of women personally own a gun. But even for those women who dont own a gun, 45 percent say that they could see themselves as owning one at some point. Among female gun owners, 71 percent told PEW that they own a gun for protection, 40 percent say that all or most of their friends own guns, and 29 percent say they keep a loaded gun that is always easily accessible. According to a poll from early last year, 49 percent of married women say that they or someone in their home owns a gun. A new PEW survey shows that 40 percent of women generally live in a home with a gun, and that almost a quarter of women personally own a gun. A 2014 PEW poll found that women view gun ownership positively. By a 51 to 43 percent margin they said that gun ownership is more likely to protect people from being crime victims than it is to put peoples safety at risk. Women were more supportive of gun control than men were (54 percent for women and 37 percent for men), but women are also much more likely than men to cite violence in television and movies as contributing at least a fair amount to gun violence (64 percent vs 46 percent). They were also far more likely to cite violence in video games as a contributing factor (70 percent vs 49 percent). So why arent these women marching today against violence in media and video games? There is much more of a womens view on that issue than on gun control. Polls likely understate womens gun ownership rates. Surveys consistently show that married women are less likely than married men to tell pollsters that their household has guns. One can only speculate that women are more reluctant or embarrassed to tell strangers how they protect their family or simply that they are more embarrassed to say that they own guns. There is scant hard data on gun ownership, but we do have numbers on concealed handgun permits. In 2016, women made up 36 percent of permit holders in the 14 states that provide data by gender. In the eight states that had data by gender from 2012 to 2016, there was a 326 percent faster increase in permits among women than among men. Research, such as mine, has consistently shown that women benefit much more from having guns for protection than men. The reason is simple: when a male criminal attacks a female victim there is a much larger strength differential than when a male attacks another male. The presence of a gun represents a much bigger difference in a womans ability to defend herself than it does for a man. Too often when women are faced with the threat of violence the advice is to move, change jobs, or hide. The National Crime Victimization Survey shows that using mace or other methods of protection are simply not as successful as using a gun. There have been systematic efforts to scare women in particular by exaggerating the risks of having guns in the home. For example, the march makes direct references to the risks of guns in the home, but, in 2015, with around 50 percent of married couples owning guns, there were just 48 accidental gun deaths for the 61 million children under age 15. And around half of those are caused by adult males with criminal backgrounds accidentally firing their guns. While one accidental death is one too many, there are other much greater risks in the home that these marchers might want to concentrate on. There have been other recent attempts to protest the NRA. In April, Michael Bloombergs Everytown was able to bring in just 75-100 people to protest the National Rifle Associations Annual Meetings in Atlanta. The NRA event had about 80,000 participants. Womens March co-president Tamika D. Mallory announced that the NRA was picked for demonstrations because of a video by an NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch. Mallory called the video irresponsible and dangerous propaganda that suggests armed violence against communities of color, progressives and anyone who does not agree with this Administration's policies. Yet its ironic that the Womens March is upset by a video by a woman, one that actually just calls out left-wingers who engaged in violent demonstrations and who tried to silence their political opponents. Loesch called on police to be allowed to do their job and protect people from the violence. People can protest anything they want. But calling a demonstration by both women and men a womens march, especially when women are quite divided on the issue, seems just a bit of an overreach. As Dana Loesch says, they might want to rename the march as the Some Womens March. August is the legislative equivalent of Amazon Prime Day. Did you order a 55-inch Samsung TV from Amazon in February? Place an order for an Amazon Echo back in April? Put in for a Sony PlayStation 4 in May? But you sure stocked up with the mother lode on Amazon Prime Day. The House of Representatives is struggling to approve a budget. Theres no deal to raise the debt ceiling. The House and Senate have yet to pass any annual spending bills to fund the government. Republicans claim Democrats are blocking President Trumps nominations. Health care appears stymied in the Senate. Still, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., intends to try to bring the retooled measure to the floor next week. McConnell may not even have 51 votes to proceed to the bill and launch the health care debate. None of this was done in January, February, March, April, May, June and perhaps July. But August. Well, thats when things get done on Capitol Hill. Both the House and Senate were scheduled to depart Washington for a five-week recess at the end of the month. But McConnell cut part of the annual August recess, holding senators in town for two weeks to potentially address health care, defense, some nominations and perhaps the debt ceiling. We dont have enough time to address all of these issues, said McConnell. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., saw it differently, considering the paucity of GOP legislative accomplishments this year. If I were them, I wouldn't want to go home and face the voters either, said Schumer. Congress certainly needs time to address nettlesome problems. The question is what makes August so magical? Is there some meteorological phenomenon in Washingtons sultry, close, August air which thaws seemingly intractable issues, iced in the parliamentary permafrost since February? Unclear. Some lawmakers wonder how much the Senate can really get done in August. Six, maybe seven nominations at best, offered one skeptical Republican senator who asked not to be identified. Certainly, Democrats could slow the process as theyve done on many of President Trumps nominations. Democrats could consume several days on each nomination if they throw up procedural roadblocks. Such a move forces the Senate to run out various clocks on those nominations. If you stretch it out over two weeks, its not hard to see how the Senate only confirms six or seven nominees over that timeframe. But Republicans arent clamoring for the Senate to confirm the Assistant Secretary Of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. GOPers want to repeal and replace ObamaCare. A budget that slashes spending yet beefs up defense. Tax reform. If the Senate does focus on nominations, it must potentially navigate a series of time-consuming machinations to go in and out of executive session to handle bills in legislative session. This is why some lawmakers question whether the Senate will actually accomplish anything tangible during the August fortnight. Or worse, they wonder whether the entire operation is little more than a charade for political optics when the legislative agenda is in the ditch. To be fair, the Constitution doesnt compel the House of Representatives to exhaust hours at a time on nominations like it prescribes for the Senate. But the House Republican leadership didnt immediately mimic McConnell and order its members to stick around in August either. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told rank-and-file Republicans he reserves the right to recall members with 72 hours notice during August. A senior House Republican leadership source told Fox News the House wouldnt wait around for the Senate to finish agenda items unless House action was required. We'll do what we have to do to get it done, said Ryan, adding that the House was far ahead of the pace and was hitting our mark when it comes to legislative mileposts. But the fear is this: the House may not have the legislative traffic to stick around. Tax reform is far from ready. Theres no plan to grapple with the debt limit. Plus, theres a reluctance to start debating the 12 annual appropriations bills unless the House first adopts a broad spending blueprint for the year: a budget. So far, theres no budget agreement. Listening sessions are still under way for the budget, said Ryan. (Budget Committee Chairwoman) Diane Black, R-Tenn., is getting the budget whipped into shape. Listening sessions. In mid-July for the budget that the House was supposed to adopt in April. Could the House charge ahead with spending bills if there was budget first in place? Who said we arent going to pass a budget? scoffed McCarthy. It may happen yet. But the House still isnt there. This is why some Republicans fret about keeping the House in session August. The only thing worse than getting waylaid by angry constituents is for Republicans to be mired in Washington with little to show for their efforts. But that hasnt stopped some House Republicans to force the issue. Im telling you, we are going to be in session in August, predicted Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Meadows isnt just wanting the House to hang around for things to look good. He wants health care completed, a deal on the debt limit and legislative text for tax reform. Congress must raise the debt ceiling this fall and determine how to fund the government by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. The debt ceiling is coming. We know its coming. Theres absolutely no reason to push ourselves into a corner like a bunch of rats, said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa. Of course, pushing everyone into a corner like a bunch of rats could be the tactic which prompts results. Its been suggested that GOP leaders want to delay things so its easier to pass something like a government spending plan or hike the debt ceiling with a big deadline looming. Lawmakers are more likely to accept an unappetizing legislative solution under pressure. Otherwise, theres no incentive to vote yes on an imperfect fix in August or at any other time. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. During the long campaign, some of Donald Trumps toughest critics in the media were conservatives. This scrambled the usual partisan lines, where most conservative pundits back the Republican candidate and most liberal pundits support the Democrat. Some of the loudest #NeverTrump voices belonged to those on the right. Trump delighted in taking them on, and of course he won. Now, with the media furor over Don Jr. and his emails, they have ramped up their criticism once again. And that has deprived the White House of much of a cheering squad as the Russia story heats up once again. Its not that these conservative critics have a megaphone that approaches that of the White House. But it muddies the case that the liberal media are out to get Trump. There are exceptions, of course. Sean Hannity, who interviewed Don Jr. Tuesdaythe presidents son said that in retrospect he probably would have done things differentlytold him during the sitdown: Liberals in the destroy Trump media once again have worked themselves into frenzy. They're frothing at the mouth. Rush Limbaugh took on the Drive-By Media, saying: I actually think Im watching people lose their mindsThis is the story thats gonna get Trump thrown out of office. This is the story thats gonna cause an uprising among the American people. Except they have done that practically every day for the last year, and certainly for the last six months. But others on the right said that Trump Jr.s meeting with the Russian lawyer he was told had oppo research on Hillary Clintonas documented in the emails he releasedwas troubling. In Don Jr.s Disgraceful Meeting, National Review says: "No campaign professional would have accepted such a dodgy meeting the way Trump Jr. did, and no person with a strong sense of propriety Russia is a hostile power run by a deeply corrupt regime would have wanted to." The Weekly Standard, writing about U.S. sanctions against Moscow, says that "the Trump team has lost all credibility on the question of Russia. Second-guessing by the media and politicians of both parties will be the inevitable accompaniment to every White House announcement about Vladimir Putin or Russia. Foxs Charles Krauthammer said this about the presidents son, in light of the fact that his meeting with Veselnitskaya apparently went nowhere: Its a hell of a defense to say your collusion might be incompetent If you get a call to go to a certain place in the middle of the night to pick up stolen goods and it turns out the stolen goods dont show up but the cops show up, he noted. I think youre going to have a very weak story saying, Well, I got swindled here. New York Times conservative Ross Douthat says the episode has convinced him to no longer give the president the benefit of the doubt. The strongest defense mustered by some on the right is that Don Jr. broke no law. Conservative blogger Erick Erickson says that while I do not think it proves collusion or shows any illegality, it does show that Donald Trump, Jr. lacks credible judgment, any ethical standards, and his father has placed his company in terrible hands Still, there does not seem to be anything illegal going on despite hysteria to the contrary. Even the usually pro-Trump New York Post ran an editorial titled Donald Trump Jr. Is An Idiot. And Breitbart, Steve Bannons old stomping grounds, ran a relatively straightforward news story on the matter. But there is still the chance that the mainstream media will go overboard on the story, prompting pushback from the right. You dont have to think that Don Jr. acquitted himself with honor here to buy into the taunts by some Democrats of possible treason. What the younger Trump did could be viewed as wrong or naive without being illegal. A good clue to whether the press has gone overboard will be if you see these conservative critics saying that on reflection, what happened wasnt all that bad. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway used what she called the "Word of the Day" to explain the administration's response to the ongoing controversy over Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during last year's presidential campaign. During an interview with Fox News' "Hannity," Conway held up two pieces of paper. One had the words "conclusion" and "collusion" written on it, while the other bore the legend "illusion" and "delusion." WHITE HOUSE GOES ON OFFENSE, SLAMS DNC, CLINTONS FOR 'COLLUSION' "Whats the conclusion? Collusion? No. We dont have that yet,'" Conway told host Sean Hannity. "I see illusion and delusion. Just so were clear, everyone. Conclusion? Collusion, no. Illusion and delusion, yes." Conway also slammed the mainstream media for what she called a "myopic, lemming-like, ants on a sugar cube mentality" in its coverage of the Russia investigation, as well as a "culture of sameness." "Do you realize the President of the United States sat with the President of Russia less than a week ago for two hours and 15 minutes, and yet were talking about this and not that?" she asked. "Do you realize that youve got people in the media now between their lower third chyrons and what comes out of their mouth, they talk more about Russia than America?" Conway also said Trump Jr.'s meeting with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya paled in comparison to shady arrangements made between the Clintons and Russian officials. "The biggest response Ive heard from the media about that is, 'Oh, but a different person won. You won, she lost,'" Conway told "Hannity." "That does not erase the fact that people may have broken the law and that they colluded with foreign governments to try to damage people on the Trump campaign, which by extension would damage Mr. Trump at the time." Eric Holder, the former attorney general under President Obama, reportedly told an audience of liberal lawyers in San Francisco that he hears disturbing echoes of Watergate in current White House issues, and told the crowd of mostly liberal lawyers to continue to fight. You cant just curl up in a fetal position, Holder told the 800 lawyers at a hotel, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. He said there is fighting to be done, there are lawsuits to be broughtyou can never underestimate the power of the American people. The event was a fundraiser for Legal Aid At Work, a non-profit that represents low-income workers in California. The director, Joan Graff, told the paper that Holder was selected as the keynote speaker because the group has grave concerns about the rule of law with President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions in power. This is not the first time that Holder commented on the current political climate that includes investigations into allegations that Russia colluded with officials from the Trump campaign. Shortly after Trump announced his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, Holder sent out a tweet at 3:17 a.m.: To the career men & women at DOJ/FBI: your actions and integrity will be unfairly questioned. Be prepared, be strong. Duty. Honor. Country. Last month, Yahoo News reported that Holder was considering a 2020 presidential run. The report said that Holder had intentions of becoming more visible "Up to now, I have been more behind-the-scenes, Holder told Yahoo News. But thats about to change. I have a certain status as the former attorney general. So I want to use whatever skills I have, whatever notoriety I have, to be effective in opposing things that are, at the end of the day, just bad for the country. Holder gave the Yahoo interview shortly after helping to promote a new California bill that could extend sanctuary policies toward illegal immigrants statewide. President Trump must increase pressure on Iran to disclose the whereabouts of Robert Levinson -- the former FBI agent who disappeared in the country a decade ago -- and return him to his family, several U.S. lawmakers said. A delegation of lawmakers -- led by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. -- penned a letter Tuesday to Trump, calling on the administration to "re-engage" with Iran over Levinson, a Florida native who was last seen in 2007 on Iran's Kish Island. Levinson disappeared while traveling on an unauthorized mission to recruit an intelligence source for the CIA. If alive, he is the longest-held hostage in American history. "As you know, our government has long pressed Iran to return Bob," read a copy of the letter obtained by Fox News. "After ten years, Bob is still not home, and despite repeated promises, Iran has yet to cooperate in any meaningful way. Iran is responsible if Iranian officials dont have Bob, they know where to find him," the lawmakers wrote. "Bobs return is an urgent humanitarian issue." The letter was signed by 19 lawmakers, including Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Democratic U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The lawmakers also asked that Trump meet with Levinson's wife, Christine, and seven children to, "hear first-hand their struggle and tireless effort on Bob's behalf." In March, on the 10-year anniversay of his father's disappearance, Levinson's son, Daniel, told Fox News that he's hopeful Trump will make good on his promise to bring his father home. Iranian leaders have repeatedly denied knowing anything about Levinson's fate, but U.S. officials have indicated for years they believe the former agent is alive. Trump had pledged to make Levinson's case a priority during his presidential campaign. The White House said in March the administration "remains unwavering in our commitment to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home." Levinson, from Coral Springs, Fla., retired from the FBI in 1998. He was working as a private investigator when he traveled to Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007, on a 24-hour rogue assignment. He was last seen leaving the Hotel Miriam on the island and getting into a taxi to go to the airport. Iranian state-run television reported at the time that Levinson was in the hands of Iranian security forces -- but no group officially claimed responsibility for taking him. In October 2009, the FBI told Fox News it had received unconfirmed reports of sightings of Levinson in the Islamic Republic. Two years later, in March 2011, the U.S. government said it "received indications" that Levinson was being held somewhere in southwest Asia. Levinson's wife criticized the Obama administration last year when she learned, through media reports, of a prisoner exchange with Iran that did not include her husband. At the time, Levinson's son, Daniel, said it felt like "once again, he's been left behind." Following the release of five American prisoners, President Obama said the U.S. would continue working to find Levinson. When asked by reporters whether Levinson was still alive, then-Secretary of State John Kerry said, "We have no idea." Kerry also said Tehran had pledged to assist the U.S. in its quest for answers. Shortly thereafter, the Iranian government told the Obama administration it had intelligence that an American's remains had been buried in western Pakistan, near the country's border with Afghanistan and Iran, according to Levinson's son. But when Pakistan officials searched the site in question, no remains were found. The Levinson family insists he is alive and that Iranian officials know where he is. They last received some visual record of him in video and photos that were sent about five years ago. "Bob has suffered long enough," the lawmakers said in their letter to Trump. "We must never rest until he is returned to his family. We owe them nothing less." Cristina Corbin is a Fox News reporter based in New York. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaCorbin. The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to ask Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, to testify about about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting a Russian attorney that was arranged last June on the pretext of exposing damaging information about Hillary Clinton. "Obviously it would be appropriate for anybody to get into anything that went on at that meeting, and he was at that meeting," committee chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told local reporters Wednesday. Manafort sat in on Trump Jr.'s meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya in Manhattan's Trump Tower, as did Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. Manafort disclosed the meeting in a package of information he provided to the Senate and House intelligence committees, who have been investigating allegations of potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign, as is Robert Mueller, the former FBI director appointed by the Justice Department as the special counsel. Grassley said he and the committee's ranking member, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., have agreed to try to bring Manafort before the panel for questioning about the government's enforcement of a law requiring registration of foreign lobbyists. Feinstein's office confirmed that they plan to question him. A person close to Manafort told the Associated Press that he hasn't yet received a letter from the committee about a possible interview. Separately, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking member on the House intelligence committee, said his panel wants to look at the use of Russian social media "trolls" and whether they were connected to the Trump election campaign. That concern is "certainly something we want to explore," along with the Trump campaign's data analytics, Schiff said. Kushner oversaw digital strategy for the campaign. "One of the biggest crimes we're looking at is the hacking of data, so understanding how it was used certainly needs to be part of the investigation," said Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., another member of the committee. "We want to understand what data was hacked, where it was stored and if it was weaponized at all, whether it was by Russia or the campaign." The lawmakers spoke one day after Trump Jr. disclosed on Twitter a series of emails that revealed his eagerness to hear negative material on Clinton from a Russian lawyer, who turned out to be Veselnitskaya The exchange showed Trump Jr. conversing with a music publicist named Rob Goldstone, who wanted him to meet with a "Russian government attorney" who supposedly had dirt on Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." He was told the Russian government had information that could "incriminate" Clinton and her dealings with Russia. "If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer," Trump Jr. said in one email response. The president's eldest son defended his actions in an interview with Fox News' "Hannity" Tuesday night, blaming the decision to take the meeting on the "million miles per hour" pace of a presidential campaign and his suspicion that Veselnitskaya might have information about "underreported" scandals involving Clinton. Trump Jr. said the meeting "really went nowhere" and that he never told his father about it because there was "nothing to tell." "In retrospect I probably would have done things a little differently," Trump Jr. said. In an interview before departing Wednesday evening for France, Trump told Reuters that he didn't know about the meeting "until a couple of days ago when I heard about this." He also said that he didn't fault his son for attending. "I think many people would have held that meeting," he said. Investigations into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign have shadowed the White House for months. Still, Trump remains defiant. "There was zero coordination" between his campaign and Russia," he told Reuters, adding: "It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Obama administration granted the Russian attorney who met with Donald Trump Jr. last June a special type of parole to be in the United States after she initially was denied a visa, Fox News has confirmed though it remains unclear whether she had permission to be in the country when she attended the Trump Tower session. That meeting has, in the last week, caused massive headaches for the Trump White House, with the revelation that an intermediary told the president's son the attorney had dirt on Hillary Clinton, supposedly as part of the Russian government's bid to help his dad. But as lawmakers from both parties are scrutinizing the Trump family over the contacts, one powerful senator is pressing to find out how attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya was in the country at all. Well before the June 9, 2016, meeting, she was denied a visa to enter the U.S. in 2015, according to court filings first reported by the Daily Beast. She was granted a parole to be in the country from October 2015 through early January 2016. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York told Fox News on Thursday that their office did not extend that status. She was not granted a second parole by our office, office spokesman James Margolin told Fox News in an email. Her case-related immigration parole ended early in 2016, and it was not renewed by us. Veselnitskayas Facebook posts and documented meetings show that she remained in the United States well after her initial parole expired in early January 2016. This includes photos of New York Citys Columbus Circle well into February, raising questions as to how she was allowed to be in the country at that time -- and for her meeting with Trump Jr. as well as a trip to Washington, D.C. days after. Campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended that meeting. She shouldnt have been in the country, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox & Friends on Wednesday. I think the lady Russian lawyer that was there in that meeting, Ive written to [The State Department and Department of Homeland Security] to find out what she was doing in the country when presumably either her visa or parole expired. A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee told Fox News that they had yet to receive a response. The State Department did not confirm or deny that Veselnitskaya even applied for a visa, but told Fox News that the department is prohibited by the Immigration and Nationality Act from discussing individual visa cases. The State Department did, however, tell Fox News that all visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis. The Hill reported on Wednesday that it was the Obama Department of Justice that granted Veselnitskaya her temporary parole allowing her into the country to help a client on a court case in the New York federal court. The U.S. attorneys office told Fox News that Veselnitskaya was indeed granted initial parole by their office, but did not know who, specifically, issued the piece of paper. The Hill reported the parole was approved by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch. In court documents, the attorney acknowledged she had "applied for a visa to enter the United States, but was denied." She continued, However, the United States did issue a parole letter for me to enter the United States in order to help defend this lawsuit. Nevertheless, I have been harassed by the Government despite being paroled into the United States. In the same documents, she confirmed that her request to extend her parole, which expired Jan. 7 2016, was denied a few days before that deadline. Unclear is how she was in the U.S. several months later and whether other agencies were also involved in her parole decision from the outset. GRASSLEY PROBING HOW RUSSIAN LAWYER GOT INTO US AFTER VISA DENIAL A range of Department of Homeland Security agencies would typically deal with parole requests. However, Acting Chief of Media Relations for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Gillian Christensen told Fox News that USCIS was not involved in this case. Broadly speaking, Christensen told Fox News that parole is granted sparingly and in extraordinary circumstances, including urgent humanitarian reasons, such as a medical or family emergency. The official also told Fox News that parole may be requested for a person who believes his or her presence in the United States will be a significant public benefit, and cited participation in a civil court case as an example. Veselnitskaya was working as an attorney for a Cyprus-based real estate holdings company called Prevezon, run by Denis Katsyv, son of Pyotr Katsyv, one of Russian President Vladimir Putins closest advisers, and was given unlimited resources by the Kremlin-connected group to run a campaign to get the Magnitsky Act repealed, Fox News reported Wednesday. The Magnitsky Act enacts sanctions on certain Russian officials as a punishment for human rights violations. Parole allows an individual to enter the United States and remain for a temporary period corresponding to the reason parole was approved, Christensen told Fox News. Parole is generally not authorized for more than one year. Bernie Sanders enduring popularity across Vermont for decades has scared off political challengers, but the Independent senator is facing competition in his 2018 re-election bid from a Democrat who thinks his Robin Hood shtick must end. Its shamefully arrogant when youre more interested in being a celebrity than honoring your progressive agenda, challenger Jon Svitavsky told Fox News. This wonderful, political I am Robin Hood shtick can only last for so long. The longshot bid comes from a first-time candidate even more anti-establishment than the democratic socialist incumbent and, in his words, "far more liberal." An advocate for the homeless who claims to have some name recognition in the state, Svitavsky not only questions the sitting senator's commitment to Vermont voters but argues he used and undermined the Democratic Party for his 2016 presidential bid. 'Hes not a Democrat. That was a joke.' Jon Svitavsky, on Sanders' White House bid Svitavsky contends Sanders joined Democrats to seek their nomination, then damaged front-runner Hillary Clinton enough to give then-candidate Donald Trump the edge in the general election -- only to once again become an Independent. He also suggests an FBI investigation into a commercial real estate loan orchestrated by the senators wife, Jane Sanders, has left Sanders vulnerable. FBI PROBE OF SANDERS' WIFE BASED ON 'FACTS,' GOP OFFICIAL SAYS While his curmudgeonly manner has long alienated Capitol Hill colleagues, Sanders, a self-styled champion of the poor and middle class, continues to be immensely popular among voters. A Morning Consult survey released Tuesday showed him with the highest approval rating among all 100 senators, 75 percent, based on interviews with registered voters in their respective states. However, the poll was conducted from early April to mid-June, largely before reports of the loan started attracting national attention. The federal investigation apparently focuses on whether Jane Sanders, as president of the now-shuttered Burlington College in Vermont, overstated or overpromised financial pledges and grants to get at least $6.7 million in financing in 2010 for roughly 33 acres for a new campus. There also have been unsubstantiated allegations that Sanders, now seeking a third Senate term, used his political office to either get the loan approved or at least OKd swiftly. The senator, in various interviews, has called such claims an "absolute lie" while describing the criticism of his wife as "pathetic" and political. The self-described democratic socialist also has more than $3.8 million cash on hand in Senate accounts, according to OpenSecrets.org, which only adds to Svitavskys complications. Svitavsky hopes to win the states Democratic primary and challenge Sanders in the general election. In an interview Tuesday, he sounded undeterred by Sanders popularity and war chest, saying that his decades-long efforts in opening homeless shelters across the state has given him standing among voters. I think that resonates, he said. And Im not unknown here. People might say I dont have political experience but not that Im insincere. Im far more liberal than Bernie, far more committed to making things happen. Svitavsky says he's getting strong grassroots support from across the state and country -- including a call from a guy who used to play with folk-singing legend Pete Seeger. The Sanders campaign has declined to comment on Svitavskys bid. Before Sanders was elected to the Senate in 2006, he served 19 years in the House and eight as mayor of Burlington. He was re-elected to the Senate in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote, as proof of his political strength. There has been no indication that the 75-year-old Sanders intends to retire before next year. And one source close to his 2016 presidential campaign recently told Fox News he wants to run for president again in 2020. Right now, Sanders is still among the leading voices for national Democrats, even taking the spotlight from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez during a recent, multi-state tour that attempted to bridge the partys lingering Clinton-Sanders divide. Hes not a Democrat. That was a joke, said Svitavsky, who argues the Democratic Party was outfoxed by Sanders but is now coming to its senses. Svitavsky cannot officially file to run until next spring. Sanders and his White House bid captured the political interests of tens of millions of voters -- particularly younger Americans -- with promises of a free college education, universal health care and legalized marijuana. However, Svitavsky largely dismissed those promises as unrealistic because they would be too expensive for taxpayers, even if Congress approved them. This cannot go on forever, he said. Senators met behind closed doors Thursday to discuss the future of the Republicans plan to replace ObamaCare and to unveil a few changes to the bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released Thursday the revamped version of the Republican health care bill, which seeks out conservative support by letting insurers sell low-premium policies with limited coverage. While Senate Republicans are hoping to uphold a years-long promise of repealing former President Barack Obamas health care overhaul, the GOP plan still remains in jeopardy because of divisions within the party. But President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will be very angry should the Senate fail to pass a new bill. The updated legislation includes additional money for states to help insurers curb consumers increasing premiums and out-of-pocket costs. It keeps the previous drafts deep cuts to the Medicaid program, but allocates $45 billion to help states deal with the nationwide opioid epidemic. The Congressional Budget Office is expected to release a score on this new proposal next week. Heres a rundown of what changed in the legislation. More state funding The new bill would provide an additional $70 billion to states to use for their own innovative health care reforms. That money would help bring down premiums through cost-sharing, according to the proposal. SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL: HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE HOUSES LEGISLATION? The $70 billion is in addition to the $112 billion already allocated in the original legislation. Medicaid While the draft bill does not change the steep cuts in funding to Medicaid, it does give states more flexibility for spending in the event of a public health emergency. States are also able to apply for waivers for community-based services for disabled and aged populations, according to the proposal. High-risk patients The new Senate health care bill would create a fund for health insurers that covers high-risk patients who have enrolled in plans through the Affordable Care Acts Individual Exchange. Ted Cruz amendment The bill also tentatively includes a proposal from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, which is not widely liked among more moderate Republicans. REPUBLICANS RELEASE NEW DRAFT OF HEALTH CARE BILL Cruzs proposal would let insurers sell plans with minimal coverage, as long as they also sell policies that meet strict coverage requirements set by Obamas 2010 statute. Those opposed to Cruzs proposal argue that it would make policies excessively costly for people with serious illnesses because healthy people would flock toward the cheaper coverage. Opioid crisis The original legislation allocated $2 billion in funding to states for substance abuse and mental health treatments; the new proposal is much higher. The new bill allocates $45 billion for substance abuse treatment and recovery the amount Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, had wanted. Tax increases To help pay for the additional spending in this draft, the measure would retain three tax increases ObamaCare slapped on higher-earning people to help finance its expansion of coverage. MONTANA HEALTH INSURERS REQUEST PREMIUM RATE HIKES AS HIGH AS 23 PERCENT Under the current statute, families earning more than $250,000 annually got a 3.8-percent boost on their investment income tax and a 0.9-percent increase in their payroll tax. Obama also imposed a new tax on the salaries of high-paid insurance executives. Will the changes be enough? Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., applauded how Senate leadership has taken input as they worked to craft this legislation. I am encouraged by the direction of the bill and am hopeful the final product will be one that works better for the American people than what is in place today, Corker, who plans to support the procession of the legislation, said Thursday afternoon. "I dont know that this is better than Obamacare." Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. But Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., told Fox News as he left the afternoons closed-door meeting that he is still digesting the legislation. Flake said he wasnt ready to vote on a motion to proceed the legislation at this time. The new Republican TrumpCare bill is every bit as mean as the old one, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday. Its the provision that allows for scanty coverage that makes the bill even meaner, he said. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday morning that he could not support a health care bill that doesnt fully repeal ObamaCare. The Senates plan creates a $200 billion bailout superfund for insurers which will subsidize the death spiral, the Republican senator told Fox & Friends. I dont know that this is better than ObamaCare, Paul said. Despite additional funds to fight the opioid epidemic, Portman's spokesperson said he will review the new bill and CBO score before making his decision. The new Senate bill appears to show modest improvements from the original draft legislation, Council for Affordable Health Coverage President Joel White told Fox News. However, White said his organization a nonprofit health care advocacy group which has advised many senators on the state of the health insurance market recently has deep concerns regarding the Cruz amendment and its implementation. At first glance, it does not appear this provision uses a unified risk pool, which risks segregating the healthy from the sick, creating an unbalanced market and potentially driving up premiums for those with greater health care needs, he said. While the additional funding provided to mitigate some of this risk is positive, it will likely prove insufficient. The conservative nonprofit Heritage Action announced that it would review the revised legislation, but its chief executive officer Michael Needham warned that significant portions of the Republican Party have no intention of actually repealing ObamaCare despite campaigning on that objective for years. Over the past two weeks, conservatives have rightly fought to interject additional consumer choice and competition into an otherwise deteriorating market, Needham said. It is encouraging to see some of those concepts being considered by the Senate Republican Conference. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday re-launched his bid to overhaul chunks of ObamaCare, unveiling a revised bill with concessions to conservatives and moderates alike though key senators already have voiced opposition. The new plan, significantly, includes a provision based on a proposal by Sen. Ted Cruz allowing insurers to offer lower-cost, bare-bones policies. The Texas Republican said in a written statement he is "encouraged that the revised bill ensures consumers have the freedom to choose among more affordable plans that are tailored to their individual healthcare needs." WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL The change could help sway fellow conservatives, while also making the job of attracting moderates more difficult. Once again, McConnell faces an uphill climb in stitching together a fragile coalition in his own party to even bring the bill to the floor, after a similar bill was sidelined in the face of political headwinds last month. We need to bring this thing to closure, Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said Thursday on Fox News "Americas Newsroom." Get it to the finish line. And be able to get something on the presidents desk that will rescue people from a failed ObamaCare system that has markets collapsing and rates going through the roof. The revamped provisions of the health care bill were released to rank-and-file members of the Senate in a closed-door session Thursday morning. The primary revisions, according to Republicans, include a change to allow people to use Health Savings Accounts to pay for premiums; an additional $45 billion for substance abuse treatment to combat the opioid epidemic; the ability for people in the individual market to purchase a lower-premium health insurance plan and an additional $70 billion to encourage state-based reforms. The new package would keep most of the original bill's Medicaid reductions. But it would retain Obama tax increases on upper-income people and use the revenue to help some lower earners afford coverage. The legislation, however, is on the verge of being stalled as a pair of Republican senators -- Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine -- say they plan to oppose a procedural vote, known as a motion to proceed, to start debate on the bill. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is undecided, a spokesman said. It takes 51 votes to start debate on legislation. That means McConnell cannot lose any other Republican on this vote and would need Vice President Pence to break a tie. Collins tweeted after the release of the bill that she is against the motion to proceed because of the deep cuts to Medicaid." She added that shes ready to work with Republicans and Democrats to fix flaws in ObamaCare. Efforts have also been made to win over conservatives like Paul and other like-minded lawmakers who argue the legislation doesnt go far enough to repeal ObamaCare. But Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, another conservative who initially withheld support for the health care bill because of concerns it didnt go far enough, said Thursday he would vote yes to open debate on the floor. Pence on Thursday was seen on Capitol Hill, where he is working to convince Republicans to vote for the bill. Last month, the Senate Republican leadership delayed plans to vote on health care legislation after failing to attract enough votes from inside the GOP caucus. The House passed a health care bill in May. Under the revised bill, Obama's penalties on people who don't buy coverage would be eliminated and federal health care subsidies would be less generous. McConnell hopes to have a vote on the legislation next week. An updated score from the Congressional Budget Office on the legislation is expected in the coming days. Cruz of Texas, a conservative who did not support the previous version of the bill, said Thursday that McConnell incorporated some of his demands, including his Consumer Freedom Amendment and proposal to allow health savings accounts to pay for health care premiums. My central focus has always been on lowering premiums, Cruz told Fox News Peter Doocy on Thursday. I think that's the key to bringing Republicans together, to uniting Republicans and getting this done. The Cruz amendment, however, is included in brackets in the legislation, a sign it could ultimately be changed. The brackets mean that the policy continues to be worked upon as members react to it, a senior policy Senate staffer said. The policy aide said the CBO will evaluate two versions of the legislation one that includes the Cruz text and one that doesnt. Cruzs proposal would let insurers sell plans with minimal coverage, as long as they also sell policies that meet strict coverage requirements set by Obama's 2010 statute. Moderate Republicans have objected to the idea, arguing it would make policies excessively costly for people with serious illnesses because healthy people would flock to the cheaper coverage. Before he left for his visit to France, President Trump said in a Wednesday television interview that he is anxious for Senate Republicans to come together to pass health care legislation. TRUMP URGES SENATE TO PASS HEALTH CARE BILL I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me, Trump said in an interview with Pat Robertson for CBNs "700 Club. Trump expressed frustration that Republicans are struggling to pass a bill -- especially since they now have a president willing to sign it. If Republicans dont pass the legislation, Trump said: I will be very angry about it and a lot of people will be very upset. Speaking of McConnell, Trump said: "He's got to pull it off. Mitch has to pull it off. He's working very hard. He's got to pull it off." Meanwhile, a pair of Republican senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, released their own alternative propals to repeal ObamaCare on Thursday. Under the Graham-Cassidy plan, federal dollars spent on Obamacare would be block-granted to states; the individual and employer mandate would be repealed; requirements that health insurers would cover pre-existing conditions would be kept; and the ObamaCare medical device tax would be eliminated while other ObamaCare taxes would remain. ObamaCare is going to collapse, Graham said. Instead of having a one-size-fits-all solution from Washington, we should return dollars back to the states to address each individual states health care needs. Just like no two patients are the same, no two states health care needs are the same. A solution that works in California may not work in Virginia. No Democrats are supporting the legislation and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the revised legislation on the floor of the Senate. From what we are seeing, the new Republican Trumpcare bill is every bit as mean as the old one and in one big way its even meaner with the addition of something like the Cruz amendment, Schumer said Thursday. Read the full Better Care Reconciliation Act here. Fox News Chad Pergram, Mike Emanuel, Peter Doocy, Kara Rowland and The Associated Press contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was captured complimenting the French president's wife's appearance Thursday as he toured a famous Paris landmark. Video footage posted on the French government's official Facebook page showed Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and their wives chatting after their tour of the museums at Les Invalides. As they were saying their good-byes, Trump turned to Brigitte Macron and gestured toward her body. "You know, you're in such good shape," Trump said, before repeating the observation to her husband. "Beautiful," he added. Brigitte Macron was her husband's former high school teacher and their relationship has drawn international attention because of their significant age difference. But feminists and President Macron have denounced that attention as sexist, arguing that nobody would blink an eye if he were the older spouse. The Macrons' age difference is identical to that of Donald and Melania Trump, who were spending two days in Paris in celebration of Bastille Day. Trump has drawn criticism in the past for comments some say objectify and demean women, including the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women and boasted, "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything." President Trump lashed out at the media and the Obama administration Thursday over the criticism his team is facing for his eldest son's 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer thought to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. At a joint press conference with the French president in Paris, Trump said the media are making "a very big deal over something that really a lot of people would do. He then turned his focus to Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch, saying he had heard Lynch was the one to approve Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskayas visa. This is an apparent reference to reports that Lynch signed off on granting the attorney special "parole" to be in the country -- though it remains unclear whether she had permission to be in the U.S. at the time of the June 2016 meeting. "Somebody said that her visa or her passport to come into the country was approved by Attorney General Lynch, now maybe thats wrong, I just heard that a little while ago [that] she was here because of Lynch." Trump also, as he has in recent days, defended Donald Trump Jr. against criticism. "My son is a wonderful young man. He took a meeting with a Russian lawyer, not a government lawyer but a Russian lawyer," Trump said in the press conference with President Emmanuel Macron. "From a practical standpoint most people would have taken that meeting, it's called opposition research or research into your opponent." On Capitol Hill, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says he will call on Trump Jr. to testify amid investigations into Russian meddling in last year's election. Grassley said he wants Trump Jr. to testify "pretty soon," and it could be as early as next week. Asked if he was willing to issue a subpoena if Trump Jr. declined to appear, Grassley said "yes." Back in Paris, Trump and Macron set aside lingering differences on climate change during their meeting, with both saying the disagreement shouldnt prevent them from working together toward a post-war roadmap for Syria. When pressed by a reporter on Americas participation in a future global agreement on climate after the U.S. moved to withdraw from the Paris pact, Trump remained non-committal. If it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesnt that will be OK too, Trump said. Macron and Trump met ahead of Frances annual Bastille Day celebrations. Trump will be in the country for 36 hours. Hell also participate in Bastille Day celebrations and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S.s entry into World War I. Trump will be back on U.S. soil late Friday. They're the stuff of news headlines, blockbuster movies and nightmares: shark attacks. The idea of a shark attack can be terrifying, but consider this: the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the Florida Museum of Natural History says the "annual risk of death during one's lifetime" from a shark attack is one in 3,748,067. Fox News asked University of Miami professor and marine ecologist Dr. Neil Hammerschlag for advice on how to deal with a shark encounter, and he answered three questions on most swimmers' minds. How can I prevent a shark from biting me? There are a couple of things you can do. Hammerschlag says to avoid swimming in areas with an unusual amount of fish life, where sharks may be searching for food. You should also avoid being in the water at nighttime, dawn, or dusk. It appears that sharks may mistake people or bite people unintentionally, he told Fox News, explaining that its harder for them to discriminate when its dark out. People should also avoid swimming alone, and stay in groups. Sharks tend to target isolated prey, Hammerschlag said. SHARK BITES BOTH LEGS OF SWIMMER OFF OF POPULAR FLORIDA NUDE BEACH I see a shark what should I do? Keep your distance do not attempt to shoo, corner or touch it. Dont act like shark food, Hammerschlag recommends. He says that if you encounter a shark, do not run away. You should also keep eye contact with the shark. Follow it around if it circles you, let it know that it sees you, he added. When trying to get away, keep facing the shark, but move backwards slowly. Whats the best way to fight back if a shark is biting me? Most sharks bite and release, Hammerschlag says. In the unlikely event they dont release, you should fight back and strike the sharks gills, eyes and nose, he advised. Hammerschlag also said shark bites are really rare, usually minor and do not require hospitalization. A beetle smaller than a grain of rice could have a huge impact on the agriculture industry in the southeast. The female redbay ambrosia could be deadly for avocado trees and other laurel species plants if left unchecked. According to researchers, the insect has killed nearly 300 million redbay trees and could devastate the Florida avocado industry. The insect is not native to North America and was first discovered in Georgia in 2002. It has now spread across the region impacting Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Its a species from Asia that was likely introduced through the port of Savannah, Georgia, John Riggins, an associate professor of forest entomology at Mississippi State University told Fox News. He believes the bug was probably brought to the United States inside imported wood. WHY ALLIGATOR ATTACKS ARE SPIKING IN FLORIDA Riggins warns the insect could also threaten other tree species used for cooking. It brought along with it a species of fungus that causes a disease called laurel wilt. This disease impacts trees like avocados, sassafras, redbay and some other native species that we have. Once a tree or bush becomes a host for the insect the female burrows deep into its victim spreading the fungus, which is deadly to the trees and bushes. The host will then begin to wilt and die after a few weeks to a month. Offspring and clones of the redbay beetle use the fungus as a food source. The insect can reproduce rapidly both asexually and by mating with males including its own male offspring, according to Riggins. A majority of the bugs detected at different locations were identical to other beetles found elsewhere. BEWARE FIRE ANT COLONIES FLOATING ON FLOODWATERS, ALABAMA RESIDENTS WARNED Riggins says controlling the beetle hasn't gone well but trees could be injected with fungicide before the infection occurs. Jason Smith, a forest pathologist from the University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation is an expert on the deadly fungus. "We know that this enormous number of trees has been killed from a single-strain organism. That is unprecedented in biology," Smith said in a statement. "It was a pretty significant surprise for us to discover there was no genetic variation and a single-strain pathogen vector system has caused such diverse and severe damage across the landscape." The spread of the redbay ambrosia beetle could have a major economic impact on the avocado industry. California accounts for the overwhelming majority of U.S. production of avocados with over $295 million in value with Florida at just over $19 million in production of the popular fruit. The beetle invaders could also jump the border into Mexico, which grows the majority of the worlds avocados. SCIENTISTS DISCOVER 'ALIEN' INSECT IN AMBER FROM 100 MILLION YEARS AGO Avocados are not the only food ingredients that could be wiped out by the beetle invaders. Bay leaf and sassafras trees and plants are also on the bugs nesting list. Sassafras is used to make a powder used in file gumbo. 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. 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. 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 . Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. A large number of hippopotamuses have been killed in the western part of Niger after villagers blamed them for destroying crops and livestock. In Ayorou, which attracts a great deal of tourists, at least 27 hippos have been destroyed, authorities said. The "massacre ...started in March and then assumed dramatic proportions" mainly in island settlements on the Niger river, Jando Rhichi Algaher, told the Agence France-Presse. WHY ALLIGATOR ATTACKS ARE SPIKING IN FLORIDA "The locals have killed a large number of hippopotamuses, although this species is protected," Environment Minister Almoustapha Garba said on state radio. Garba added that people were encouraged not to commit crimes and those who were affected would be compensated for their losses. Toursits have been attracted by the hippos, as well as the number of bird species in Ayorou, which is around 125 miles from the capital of Niger, Niamey. Despite this particular species of hippopotamus being protected, they are dangerous creatures. Approximately 3,000 people are killed each year by hippos, according to data compiled by Mother Nature Network. The Agence France-Presse contributed to this report. A 35-year-old man from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has reportedly spotted a "dinosaur-like, creature in a man-made lake. The man, who wished to remain anonymous, reported his findings to CryptoZoology.com, a website that reports on strange occurences. LOCH NESS MONSTER SPOTTED? TOURISTS' PHOTO SPARKS DEBATE I was on a boat with my friends, the man told the website. We where near the lakes main channel when we saw something splashing around in the water. While boating on the man-made Lake Norman, the man, along with several of his friends spotted the creature, describing it as splashing around in the water." He noted it was around 10-feet-long and reminded him of the mythical Loch Ness monster. No photos were taken of the creature as it was only visible for approximately one minute until it went below the surface. CryptoZoology says its articles are "based on witnesses accounts, original videos, pictures and subsequent interviews carried out by Cryptozoology News." Lake Norman is no stranger to unexplained sightings, with several people having said they have seen a creature that lives in the water. There is a website, LakeNormanMonster.com, that allows people to post about what they have seen. The lake was created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam. It is the largest man-made body of fresh water in the state of North Carolina. The report comes courtesy of the News & Observer, which has reported on the findings of the creature for nearly 50 years. ANCIENT LAND-DWELLING CROCODILE HAD T. REX SIZED TEETH, STUDY SHOWS The creature has even been dubbed Normie, a play on the famed, yet unfounded name of the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie. Several people have posted on LakeNormanMonster.com in recent years, with descriptions of their findings ranging all over the place. One man said he was knocked off his boat after a huge force and spotted a 15-foot "Nessie-like sea monster" swimming away. Another witness said he and his girlfriend saw a creature, "at least 14-ft long," from their Jet Ski in 2014. Introducing EBLM J0555-57Ab, which now has the distinction of being the smallest star ever discovered. In fact, scientists at the University of Cambridge say stars cannot possibly get much smaller and still function as stars, per a release at Phys.org. This one is 600 light-years away from Earth and 2,000 to 3,000 times dimmer than our own star, aka the sun. In terms of size, it's more like a planet than a starby way of comparison, it's slightly bigger than Saturn but smaller than Jupiter. Scientists spotted it while hunting for exoplanets and figured, based on its size, that it was an exoplanet itself. Their thinking changed, however, when they looked beyond the object's radius and focused on its mass. As it turns out, 57ab has 85 times the mass of Jupiter, "which makes it just massive enough to fuse hydrogen into helium and become a true star," per Popular Mechanics. If it were any smaller in mass, 57ab wouldn't be able to pull off the feat of nuclear fusion in its core and thus wouldn't qualify as a star. Instead, it would be a measly brown dwarf. "Our discovery reveals how small stars can be," says the lead author of the study in Astronomy and Physics. A co-author tells the CBC he was surprised to find one so small. It "likely represents the smallest natural fusion reactor that we know of," he says. "We're trying to replicate fusion on Earth in labs, but that's basically as small as it gets in nature." (Scientists have identified Lord Byron's famous "star.") This article originally appeared on Newser: Scientists Just Found Smallest Possible Star In a nondescript building with an unassuming facade in the old downtown of Las Vegas, sits a shop full of rarities that one man has spent his entire life collecting. Perusing the showroom floor, shoppers and the curious alike pass by thousands of bizarre items including mummified skulls, a human foot in a jar and a replica of Michelangelos David. Don Demarest owns Las Vegas Oddities and Antiquities and started collecting anything that sparked his interest when he was just 13 years old. NAZI CODE MACHINE BOUGHT AT FLEA MARKET FOR $51G He has never had a normal job and didnt finish high school, but got his start in the jewelry business in the 1960s. Demarest also spent time in the Amazon rainforest working on a gold mine operation where he found a lot of the items he has in his store today. We collected a lot of shrunken heads and a lot of rarities and brought them back up to the States," Demarest told Fox News. The shop is part natural history museum, part art gallery, plus taxidermy zoo and scientific lab. Demarest says its sometimes hard to part with the items because they hold such a sentimental value for him, including a story of the Marc Chagall small pastel hanging in his office. Someone offered him $25,000 for it and Demarest just couldnt sell it and ultimately backed out of the sale. Demarest does enjoy passing on his items to customers so they can share in the appreciation for the history and joy of the find. He recently sold a Chinese statue believed to be over six centuries old. This is hopefully something hes going to have the rest of his life and he can pass the story to whoever he gives it to and they can perpetuate the story forever," Demarest added. The store has no explicit theme, but it's grouped in a flurry of categories. Priceless art hangs on the ceilings from Barry Goldwaters photographs to Red Skeltons Clown portraits to the Picassos (yes he has mutliple.) KESHA SAYS SHE SAW UFOS IN THE DESERT AND IT INSPIRED A NEW SONG ON HER ALBUM There's also an African birthing chair, jars of preserved creatures, a real human skull and a Mayan Death mask dot the floor making for an artful presentation. In a glass case, patrons can find the Soviet space suit of the first female to walk in space. Tucked in the back however, is the grand finale, the largest item on sale. A full wax replica of the Last Supper that used to be housed in Madame Tussauds now sits for sale, the apostles and Jesus dressed in colorful robes. Demarest noted there are some things too valuable to put a price tag on, but that most of the items are for sale in the store. He does his due diligence when it comes to verifying the authenticity of certain rare items. Many objects are marked with a placard that denotes the certification. Due to the vastness of his collection, he has a separate warehouse nearby where he keeps more objects and he's become an expert in his own right on a variety of different subjects and attributes it to the numbers of books he has read. My knowledge came from books and references, probably 1,000 and 2,000 books of different references between art and antiquities and rarities," Demarest said. "Im not a Google expert, but Im a book expert. American manufacturing is a signature theme for President Donald Trump. Here are five American companies that make amazing stuff right here in the U.S. Tesla: the high-flying electric vehicle company manufactures its popular-but-pricey cars in Fremont, Calif., a city across the bay from Silicon Valley. Tesla just started production of its first mass-market car, the Model 3, which starts at $35,000. Its cars, which offer some autonomous driving features, are essentially a computer on wheels. CEO Elon Musk takes manufacturing as seriously as the cars themselves. Tesla is going to be hell-bent on becoming the best manufacturer on earth, Musk said in an earnings conference call last year. The venerable exec has gone on to repeat variations on that theme over the past year. Intel: The chipmaker is a heavyweight when it comes to making chips in America. Its newest 14-nanometer processors, made on some of the most sophisticated manufacturing processes on the planet, power PCs, MacBooks, tablets, servers and supercomputers. Intel has massive chip-making plants in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico. In February, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich met with President Trump to talk about the company's $7 billion investment in an Arizona chip factory. Intel is very proud of the fact that the majority of our manufacturing is here in the U.S., while over 80 percent of what we sellis outside of the U.S., Krzanich told Trump at the meeting. Micron Technology: Micron isnt as renowned as Intel but it is a longstanding U.S.-based high-tech manufacturer, dating back to 1978. Micron builds memory chips including DRAM (dynamic access random memory) and flash memory. And it sells SSDs (solid-state drives) -- the hard disk used in most laptops today -- under the well-regarded Crucial and Lexar brands. Micron has three major facilities in the U.S.: a plant in Lehi, Utah, which produces leading-edge flash memory products; another in Manassas, VA, which produces memory chips; and headquarters in Boise, Idaho where it has R&D manufacturing facilities. Corning: That glass covering the display on your iPhone is made by Corning. Almost every smartphone maker in the world, including Samsung, uses Cornings Gorilla Glass, a toughened glass that can survive five-foot drops onto rough surfaces. In May 2017, Apple announced that the consumer electronics giant will invest $200 million from its new Advanced Manufacturing Fund into Corning to support new advanced manufacturing solutions and product innovation at Cornings Harrodsburg, [Kentucky] facility. Corning has 29 factories in the U.S. and is a net exporter from the U.S., the company told Fox News in a statement. Weiss Watch Company: Last but not least is a small, Los Angeles-based watchmaker, Weiss Watch Company. While it doesnt have the dazzling high tech of the above companies, it makes a great traditional watch. Its American Issue Field Watch, for example, is limited to just 50 pieces, one for each state in the union, according to 2016 LA Times article. Weiss Watch Company strives to increase the percentage of domestic sourcing with each edition, and is the only company resurrecting industry practices that have not been active in the United States for decades, according to the companys Web site. Alphabet Inc.s Google won a reprieve from one of its biggest legal battles in Europe on Wednesday, when a Paris court threw out a 1.11 billion ($1.27 billion) bill that Frances tax authority has sought from the search giant for five years of back taxes. In a decision issued Wednesday afternoon, Pariss administrative tribunal ruled that Googles lucrative advertising-sales business had no taxable presence in Franceabsolving it of income or sales taxes on advertising income from French clients. The decision, covering the years 2005 to 2010, backs Googles position in a dispute that has dragged on for more than six years, and could have implications for other tax battles in Europe and elsewhere. A Google spokesman said that the court has confirmed Google abides by French tax law and international standards, adding: We remain committed to France and the growth of its digital economy. French Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin said that the tax authority is analyzing the decision with a view to appealing it, noting the significant role of French employees in Googles commercial activity in France. Though the decision concerns only France, and is subject to appeal, it is a victory for Google and other Silicon Valley firms when they are facing multiple regulatory battles on topics including taxes, competition and privacy. The European Union two weeks ago fined Google 2.4 billion ($2.7 billion) for abusing the dominance of its search engine to promote one of its own businesses, one of three antitrust cases in which the EU has filed formal charges. Multiple European regulators are also investigating Facebook Inc. over its use of personal data, and tech companies are also clashing with authorities over how to best remove hate speech and terrorist propaganda from their platforms. Last month, Germany passed a new law threatening fines of up to $57 million for companies that dont comply quickly enough. Taxes have been a particular pressure point. Politicians in countries such as France and the U.K. have said tech giants declare too little profit in their countries and then manage to reduce whatever profit they do declare elsewhere in Europe by paying huge untaxed royalty fees that often end up in tax havens. Several European countries, other than France, have pursued Google for back taxes. Spain raided Google offices in Madrid last year, and the company earlier this year to pay Italian tax authorities 306 million ($349 million). The EU last year demanded that Ireland recoup as much as 13 billion ($14.8 billion) in back taxes from Apple Inc. stemming from profits the EU said Apple should have declared as taxable in Ireland, and it is investigating whether Amazon.com Inc. should owe back taxes to Luxembourg. Apple is appealing, and Amazon has said it pays all the tax it owes. The threat of legal actioncoupled with new tax rules proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and a new diverted profits tax in the U. K.has led companies to make structural changes. Last year, Facebook began directing U.K. clients to start paying an affiliate in the country rather than funneling that money through Ireland and then on to the Cayman Islands, boosting its tax payments in the U.K. Google also made a controversial tax deal with the U.K. that involves attributing more income to that country, therefore paying more taxes there. The French case indicates, however, that there may be limits to tax authorities efforts to make significant clawbacks of taxes under existing laws. Similar to how Google operates in other large EU countries, its French unit doesnt sell ads to French customers, but rather offers only logistical and marketing support to the Google unit in Ireland that closes the advertising deals. Google Ireland pays the French unit for that support service, leaving a smaller profit in France than if the sales were booked in the country. The French tax authority argued that the structure is fictitious and that it believed French employees were actually selling ads in France. The authority said that meant the Googles Irish unit should have paid income and sales taxes as if it had a permanent establishment in France. But in its decision, the court backed Googles argument that its French employees were doing nothing more than preparatory work allowed under the Franco-Irish tax treaty. Frances tax authority has separately complained to Frances tax prosecutor, which said last year that it has been investigating the company since 2015 for aggravated tax evasion. Wednesdays court decision that Google doesnt owe any additional taxes could complicate that criminal case. King Stallion, the U.S. Marine Corps ultra-powerful new helo, can carry an astonishing three times more weight than its predecessor. The Marine Corps will be able to move more Marines, more rapidly from a ship to join the fight in a war zone. With the new helicopter, Marines will also be also to evacuate more casualties to medical aid more quickly in CASEVAC. It could play a key role in quickly transporting more resupply to Marines at remote, hard-to-reach, operating bases. Made by Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, the CH-53K King Stallion will be the Marine Corps next-gen heavy lift helicopter, replacing the CH-53E Super Stallion. The goal is to provide the Marines with the best heavy lift helo in the world. Ultimately, the Marine Corps plans to have eight active duty squadrons, one training squadron, and one reserve squadron. US MARINES COULD DEPLOY ROBOTS AND 'HYPERSUBS' TO STORM FUTURE BEACHES It is not just super-strong, the Marines cutting-edge new helicopter is incredibly advanced in other ways too. In fact, it is so smart it can nearly fly itself. Marines will also be able to leverage the advances in the King Stallion for search and rescue in combat and for other missions like supporting special operations. It will also be very useful for humanitarian missions. For example, it could transport three times as much food to an area ravaged by a natural disaster that has lost access to local food supplies. What can it do? The new helicopter can carry 27,000 pounds as an external load and it can do this over 110 nautical miles. It will certainly bring powerful lift to war zones. MARINES GET GROUNDBREAKING, UNSTOPPABLE NEW RIFLE MAGAZINE In fact, the King Stallion has a very versatile external hook system. Marines will be able to opt for a single, dual or triple hook so it can carry up to three independent loads at a time. The new helo will have a cruise speed of 141 knots with a range of about 530 miles. The CH-53K King Stallion has a larger cabin it is wider by a foot than the CH-53E Super Stallion. This is important because it means the helicopter will be able to carry High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). Cargo will be much easier to load and unload and without having to remove troop seating. Theres a new very modern glass cockpit and a stronger composite airframe that will reduce weight and vibration. It will also be powered by powerful new engines. A NEW COMBAT VEHICLE THAT SWIMS FOR THE MARINE CORPS Theres automated blade fold and it has fourth-generation composite main rotor blades with anhedral tips and advanced airfoils. More safety for Marines King Stallion has many safety features built in to enhance the safety of Marine Corps personnel. In addition to world-class self-defense weapons, the new helo incorporates advanced lightweight armor enhanced ballistic protection. The troop seats and retracting landing gear are also engineered to be crashworthy. There are advances to help free up the crew so they can focus on the mission. New mission management and full authority fly-by-wire flight controls, for example, are two of these exciting advances. 4 AMAZING VEHICLES FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES Degraded Visual Environments (DVE) continue to be a dangerous threat in war zones. This encompasses scenarios such as sand and dirt filling the air as a helicopter draws close the ground, making it difficult to see. But King Stallion incorporates several new features like precision hold to help pilots cope with this serious challenge. Key step closer The CH-53K King Stallion recently completed the first flight to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland travelling six hours over 810 miles without a hitch- this successful transition is the latest key step closer to getting the helicopters into the air with the Marines. A team comprised of Sikorsky, U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) personnel is conducting the flight test program of the new King Stallion. The four initial prototypes have already completed more than 450 hours of flight testing at Sikorsky's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach. When will King Stallions join the Marines? The Department of Defense currently plans to provide the Marine Corps with 200 of these powerful new helicopters. The first six are scheduled to reach the Marines next year. A 57-year-old woman vacationing in the Caribbean island of Saint Martin was killed after a blast from a nearby jet knocked her to the ground. The incident occurred on Wednesday at Maho Beach a popular tourist destination in Sint Maarten (the Dutch side of Saint Martin) which is famous for its proximity to the Princess Juliana International Airport. Officials say the woman had been holding onto a fence that separates the beach from the airport when winds generated by the jets engines blasted her back. She died a short time later at a local hospital, reports the BBC. WHY TOURISTS ARE FLOCKING TO PARADISE TO GET BLOWN AWAY BY PLANES Maho Beach has long been a popular spot for tourists and thrill-seekers, largely due to the low-flying planes that fly overhead on their way into Princess Juliana International Airport. This is a must-do for any aviation enthusiasts, travel enthusiasts, and just anybody who wants to take a few minutes out of their day to see aviation, travel blogger Jamie Larounis told Fox News earlier this year. "They stop the traffic, and people are getting blown into the water, getting sand blown into their faces as these huge jets take off." Brave tourists have also taken to holding onto the fence that separates the runway from the roadway next to the beach, despite a warning sign advising against getting too close. Rolando Brison, the director of tourism for the island, has since extended his condolences to the family of the victim. "I met with the family of the deceased this evening and while they recognized that what they did was wrong, through the clearly visible danger signs, they regret that risk they took turned out in the worst possible way, Brison told The New Zealand Herald. "At this time I only wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones while we continue to investigate what transpired just hours ago." FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS This isnt the first time a tourist has been injured after ignoring warnings of bodily harm and/or death at Maho Beach. In 2012, a woman was injured when the winds from a taxiing plane sent her headlong into a concrete divider. Brison told the Herald that hell be reviewing securty footage and investigating Wednesday's incident. A grandmother with Alzheimers disease was stranded at Logan Airport, but not because of the weather. Her family tells Boston 25 News that the wheelchair assistance program never made sure she got on her flight to Florida and was left sitting at the gate for hours. Carmed Corshanes family said it wasnt even made aware of the situation until going to the airport in Florida to pick her up. UNITED 'DESTROYED' CUSTOM WHEELCHAIR WORTH $42K, SAYS PASSENGER They said the airline promised to help her get onto the airplane but that never happened. Denise Chase, Corshanes daughter, said her mother was in Massachusetts visiting her grandchildren but couldnt navigate the airport on her own. Corshane used JetBlues wheelchair assistance program, but when her flight changed gates, somehow she was left behind. They said, Oh dont worry. When you have wheelchair assistance they stay with them and get them to the gate at the right time and that never happened, Chase said. They mustve just left her at the gate. MOVING PHOTOS SHOW SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN GRANDPA WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND PET CAT JetBlue booked Corshane into a hotel for the night and booked her onto a flight the next day. But Chase said that flight had three connections, which only leaves more room for mistakes. She said her mother was also separated from her luggage overnight, meaning she didnt have access to the medication she takes three times a day. JetBlue said in a statement that the company regrets the incident and is reviewing the events that led up to it. Story first appeared in Boston 25. An anonymous donor is now offered $10,000 for information into the shooting at a gender reveal party in Ohio that left one woman dead and eight others injured. The reward announced Wednesday comes as Colerain Township Police, Cincinnati Police and federal investigators search for the suspects in the case, FOX 19 reported. One of those injured in the shooting last Saturday was the pregnant woman who was giving the party. The unidentified woman told Fox 19 that she lost her child, a boy, after being shot in the leg. Eight to ten people were all watching television together when they were attacked without warning, a Colerain Township police spokesman told FOX 19. A gender reveal party is where friends and family gather to announce the sex of the baby. Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney said police found a gun outside the home, but they determined it was not used in the shooting. Two handguns were used in the shooting, and there was no return fire, he said. Anyone with information is asked to call or text 513-470-7165. Read more from FOX 19. They have been the backbone of U.S. efforts in the Afghanistan war and subsequent reconstruction of the nation. They were translators for U.S. soldiers; they were diplomats in American embassies and military bases; some even worked as intelligence officers who helped fight the drug trade and terrorism. Their work put them in certain danger from the Taliban and ISIS, but luckily they were eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) a program that allowed those who provided service to the U.S. The SIV program lets applicants, their spouses and children under 21 years of age to take up residence in the U.S. and also apply for a green card. But for many of these people, getting to the U.S. was only half the battle. Many of those who have arrived in the U.S. for a chance at a better life are discovering a whole new set of hardships as they adjust to life in America. This month alone, a total of 15 families -- which includes 45 children -- who arrived here on the SIV are in danger of being evicted from their homes in the Washington, D.C., metro area, according to No One Left Behind, an organization that focuses on helping SIV recipients and their families. Many of these families arrive with little or no money. They also find it difficult to navigate the American job market. While most have stellar qualifications, experience and education, its often not accepted here as valid credentials, leaving many of these new citizens, to take menial jobs in retail or service industries. The pay is often not enough to cover the rent. Your experience is not valid here. Your education is not counted," Mohammad Yahya Aslamyar, an Afghani national who arrived in Northern Virginia in April and lives in an apartment with his wife and two young children. You feel like you were someone hit with a hammer in [the] head. Aslamyar worked with U.S. Agency for International Developments reconstruction efforts as an auditor and compliance officer and even helped to build the office structure of the U.S. Embassy. The work was vital, but it put him and his family in danger. My friend asked me to leave [Afghanistan], he said. I had Taliban members tell me that they would report me to ISIS. It put a lot of us in danger. As time passed, the condition got worse. Aslamyar said that he had been eligible for the SIV for some time but originally did not choose to leave. His mind was changed after a friend and colleague was abducted by the Taliban and beaten and interrogated. You dont want to leave your family in danger, he said. If they found me, they would have killed me. Aslamyar is grateful for the safety he and his family are now afforded by being in the U.S., but they are having trouble making ends meet. He has been unable to find work and has been forced to scrap together whatever cash he can from donations or friends within the large SIV community that has developed in Alexandria over the past several years. Your experience is not valid here. Your education is not counted." Mohammad Yahya Aslamyar If I was alone I would be OK, but with a family, it is hard to manage, he said. Aslamyar recalled a time when he went for assistance at the county hall in Alexandria and how poorly he was treated by one of the clerks. I brought my resume and my credentials from Afghanistan. She told me it didnt matter, he said. "She told me, You start from zero. You are nothing here. Despite hitting roadblocks in the search for a job, Aslamyar, is optimistic that he will be able to provide for his family. Even if he has to work his way up from the bottom. I am the luckiest person. I was able to save my family. Many of those who are awarded SIVs are in similar positions to Aslamyar: They leave their war-torn homeland, families in tow, in the hope they can provide safety and stability. Z.B., who asked to remain anonymous, first came to the D.C. area this past march with his wife and their two children from Kabul, after threats against them for his work as a translator who worked in Afghanistan with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Z.B. recently started his first job here in the U.S., as a security officer, but he only makes $220 per shift, three days a week hardly enough to cover his familys expenses of rent and utilities, which total $1,700 a month. We are struggling to get on our own feet, Z.B., whose education is in engineering, said to Fox News. Back in Afghanistan, Z.B.'s work with the DEA would eventually place him and his family in harms way. From 2008 to 2013, he worked translating documents and assisting with training and wiretapping operations, which led to the arrests of up to 300 drug dealers in the Kabul region. He helped stop dozens of suicide bombers before they carried out terrorist acts. He even had a hand in preventing one plot in which three trucks outfitted with bombs were to be used in a June 2012 attack in Kabul. As can be expected, his work and support of U.S. reconstruction efforts left him and his colleagues targeted by the Taliban and other extremist groups. I lost three of my friends because of their support of the U.S. government, he said. The Taliban were given all our names. I was in danger, so I applied for my SIV. The SIV approval process can be a very arduous one for those applying. Z.B. was no exception. His SIV process took 18 months, forcing him and his family to go into hiding until he was approved. I resigned from my job because of the threats. We just moved to different locations, he said. We moved around in the middle of the night and used fake names. I was worried at that time. Eventually, Z.B. and his family were approved to come to the U.S., they spent their first few months living in a one-bedroom apartment with his brother-in-laws family in Woodbridge, Va. My whole family was in the living room while his family all stayed in the bedroom, he recalls. With help, Z.B. was eventually able to get his own apartment, but every month is a struggle. Ive had to borrow money, he said. It has been difficult. Despite the hardship, he is also optimistic and hopes to eventually work in mining engineering. Until then, he remains upbeat, despite the struggles. Here in the U.S., so much can be available to everyone, Z.B. said. That is something we do not have in Afghanistan. We are hopeful, but it takes time, but we have to get settled. It doesnt matter what job it is. A close confidant of Pope Francis, writing Thursday in a Vatican-approved magazine, condemned the way some American evangelicals and their Roman Catholic supporters mix religion and politics, saying their worldview promotes division and hatred. The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, editor of the influential Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, said a shared desire for political influence between "evangelical fundamentalists" and some Catholics has inspired an "ecumenism of conflict" that demonizes opponents and promotes a "theocratic type of state." Spadaro also took aim at conservative religious support for President Donald Trump, accusing activists of promoting a "xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations." Trump has sought to bar travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border. The article, "Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism: A Surprising Ecumenism," was co-written by a Presbyterian pastor, the Rev. Marcelo Figueroa, who is editor of the Argentine edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in the pope's native country. Articles in La Civilta Cattolica are reviewed and approved by the Vatican Secretariat of State. Under Francis, who is a Jesuit, the publication has become something of an unofficial mouthpiece of the papacy. The political alliance between Catholics and American Protestants that is at the heart of Spadaro's article emerged in the late 20th century. Anti-Catholic bias once split members of the two traditions, both religiously and politically. But in the 1980s and '90s, some conservative religious leaders built an affiliation over such issues as abortion and marriage, culminating in a 1994 declaration written by the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran who converted to Catholicism, and Chuck Colson, the Watergate felon turned born-again Christian. Spadaro said this relationship has "gradually radicalized," dividing the world into only good and evil and providing theological justification for a type of "apocalyptic geopolitics" advocated by such figures as White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is Catholic. Spadaro specifically criticized the far-right Catholic American media organization ChurchMilitant.com. Spadaro said the media outlet framed the presidential election as a "spiritual war" and Trump's ascent to the presidency as "a divine election." Michael Voris, who founded the outlet, said in an interview that he was shocked by the article. "Here's a fellow who is accusing us of trying to use the church to push a political agenda, which is completely absurd," Voris said, when "they are using a leftist agenda to pursue leftist goals." Some political conservatives have accused Francis of promoting socialism or Marxism, a characterization he rejects. The pope has frequently lashed out at the injustices of capitalism and the global economic system, and has urged governments to redistribute wealth to the poor. Spadaro's critique also appears aimed in part at America's Catholic bishops, who have fought for religious exemptions from gay marriage laws and other measures church leaders consider immoral, and have often characterized those with opposing views as wishing to persecute Christians. Spadaro wrote that "erosion of religious liberty is clearly a grave threat." But he warned against mounting a defense of religious liberty in "fundamentalist terms." Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who leads the U.S. bishops' advocacy on religious liberty, said in an interview that the article doesn't mention the U.S. bishops and refers only to "a very narrow band of ecumenical relationships." American bishops work on a broad range of issues that reflect Catholic social teaching, not any other theology, Lori said. The defense attorney for the lone person of interest connected to the search for four missing men in Pennsylvania said his client admitted Thursday to killing the four, and told authorities the location of the bodies. Lawyer Paul Lang told reporters his client, Cosmo DiNardo, 20, confessed to "the four murders," and is ready to plead guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. "I'm sorry," a shackled DiNardo said as he left the courthouse. Lang said in exchange for the confession, prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the table in return for DiNardo's cooperation. Prosecutors have not commented yet on Lang's announcement, but a person with first-hand knowledge of DiNardo's confession told the Associated Press he killed the four separately after selling them marijuana, and then burned their bodies at his family's farm. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to publicly discuss details of the case, adding that a co-conspirator was involved in three of the killings. The person with firsthand knowledge of DiNardo's confession said the men were killed after DiNardo felt cheated or threatened during three drug transactions. DiNardo sold quarter-pound quantities of marijuana for several thousand dollars and sold handguns to area residents, the person said. "Every death was related to a purported drug transaction, and at the end of each one there's a killing," the person said. DiNardo previously boasted about killing someone over debt, and was pictured on social media holding a weapon, according to published reports. DiNardo told friends he wasn't worried after Dean A. Finocchiaro was reported missing last Friday, and suggested the 19-year-old was possibly on the run from law enforcement, according to text messages obtained by Philly.com. PERSON OF INTEREST IN MISSING PENNSYLVANIA MEN CASE SPOKE OF KILLING SOMEONE, PICTURED WITH WEAPON: REPORTS The person, who shared the messages with the news outlet on the condition that he and others in the conversation not be identified, also shared a photo he said DiNardo sent to the group that appears to show the 20-year-old brandishing what appears to be a revolver. Multiple sets of human remains were unearthed from a 12-foot-deep mass grave on an isolated Pennsylvania farm early Thursday as authorities continued digging for the bodies of four young men who disappeared last week. Officials were able to identify one of the victims as 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro -- who vanished last week along with Mark Sturgis, 22, Tom Meo, 21, and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said he could not identify the other remains at this time, while issuing a fresh appeal for more help from the public. "They are down 12 foot deep in a hole that is getting deeper by the minute," Weintraub said. The FBI had been using heavy equipment to dig a deep trench on the farm property and then sifting through each bucket of dirt by hand, after cadaver dogs led authorities to the spot on the 90-acre farm in Solebury Township, located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, where they discovered the remains inside a 12-foot-deep common grave. MULTIPLE REMAINS FOUND ON PENNSYLVANIA FARM IN SEARCH FOR MISSING MEN, 1 MAN ID'D "I don't understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12 feet below the ground," Weintraub said. Fire and rescue crews on Thursday were using plywood to help shore up the deep grave as investigators worked inside under intense heat and choking dust. DiNardo was arrested Wednesday for allegedly trying to sell Meo's car for $500 on July 9 -- a day after Meo was last seen. That 1996 Nissan Maxima was also found on the family's farm. Laura Hefty, who lives a few miles from the gravesite in Solebury Township, where farms bump up against new residential developments, said many people were trying to convince themselves this is nothing that could ever happen to their kids. "They feel incredibly sad. Some people are pretty angry, too," and are asking, "How did it get this bad?" she said. Susan Coleman told news outlets that she and her husband were in their backyard last Saturday afternoon when they heard several rounds of what they believed was shotgun fire coming from the direction of the DiNardo farm. "This person was going bananas," she told phillyvoice.com. DiNardo, whose parents own construction and concrete businesses in the Philadelphia area, has had a few brushes with the law over the past year. He was arrested on Monday on an unrelated gun charge dating from February, accused of illegally possessing a shotgun and ammunition after being involuntarily committed to a mental institution. Read more from FOX 29. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A federal judge in Detroit, who this week halted the deportations of some 1,400 Iraqi nationals, many of whom are Christians, is being hailed as a hero by the Iraqi community in America. U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith on Tuesday put a temporary stop to the deportations after he asserted jurisdiction in the case -- over a Justice Department objection. The decision to suspend the deportations until individual cases can be reviewed, extends to all states with Iraqis on the expulsion list. Some of the Iraqis on the list have criminal convictions. We applaud Judge Goldsmith's determination that he does have jurisdiction and authority in presiding over the class action lawsuit. For many of us in the community right now, he is 'Saint Goldsmith, Mark Arabo, a Chaldean and president of the Minority Humanitarian Foundation (MHF), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Christian religious minorities, said to Fox News. This is a win for our entire community. It is a sigh of relief for our fellow detained Christians, and it is a beacon of hope moving forward. Some of the Iraqis scheduled for deportation have been in the U.S. for decades. Moayad Jalal Barash, who is 47, has been in the U.S. over 40 years. When he was 17 he was arrested for a drug charge and served his time. Today he has children and grandchildren in America. "Judge Goldsmith has finally given my family some hope, said his daughter, Cynthia Barash. His decision yesterday makes him a hero to Chaldean Christians around the country. I think that since he is a member of the Jewish community he knows about our struggle. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which worked with MHF to halt the deportations, applauded Goldsmiths decision to take jurisdiction of the deportations from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "The court properly recognized that the Constitution itself gave it the authority to ensure that these individuals are not sent back to possible death in Iraq before their claims can be heard, Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU National Immigrants Rights Project, told Fox News. ACLU SUES TO STOP DEPORTATION OF ARRESTED IRAQI NATIONALS TERROR-RELATED ACTS COMMITTED BY REFUGEES WIDESPREAD, ACCORDING TO NEW REPORT HOW ISIS USES HUMAN SHIELDS IN FIGHTING COALITION FORCES Despite the outcry that has ensued since the roundups began several weeks ago and continued this week as dozens more Chaldeans were loaded onto buses in Michigan to be taken to ICE detention centers in Ohio the Justice Department has maintained that a U.S. district court judge does not have jurisdiction in the immigration issue. Furthermore, ICE officials remain firm that those on the list pose a threat to American citizens. Just last night we got a decision from a judge on a bunch of Iraqi Christians that we arrested up in Detroit, all these significant public safety threats convicted of murder, rape, child molestation and all of a sudden they have got to stay while they look at the case, should they be returned to Iraq because they might be in danger of being persecuted in Iraq? acting ICE Director Thomas Homan said Wednesday on Your World With Neil Cavuto. It is still pitch black Tuesday morning when a dozen agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement gather in a parking lot in northern Los Angeles, the largest and arguably most strident of America's roughly 300 sanctuary cities. "This is target No. 1 and this is two," said ICE field director David Marin, pointing to rap sheets and photos of the five criminal aliens targeted for arrest that day. The first is Carlos Sanchez, a 25-year-old Surenos gang member with a decade-long criminal history, including multiple felony convictions. All night, an ICE agent surveilled his apartment to make sure he didn't leave. In places like Los Angeles, which has said it would refuse to cooperate with ICE, federal agents continue to target criminal immigrants though they do so on their own. SESSIONS SAYS WHEN CITIES PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, 'CRIMINALS TAKE NOTICE' On Tuesday, minutes after 6 a.m., Sanchez walked to his pickup truck in the alley to head off to a construction job. In seconds, three ICE SUV's and six agents boxed him in. Once in handcuffs, agents patted him down and checked his tattoos. Hours later, Fox News spoke to him inside an ICE detention facility, where he was being processed for deportation. "I feel like this is unfair right now," he said, his ankles still bound by steel cuffs. "I'm getting my life back together, trying to do everything right. Back then I was young and stupid. Now I'm 25 years old." Sanchez referred to his two DUI convictions, two drug convictions and two deportations to Mexico. He blamed that days arrest on President Trump's crackdown on criminal aliens. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME WAVE? EVIDENCE IS HARD TO FIND "What Trump is doing is just insanity. You know, just because you got misdemeanors...little cases here and there, he said. He doesn't see the fact that you're trying to straighten up." The city and county of Los Angeles each voted to appropriate $3 million in public funds to help defend illegal immigrants like Sanchez, including those with criminal records. California also agreed to set up a multimillion dollar legal defense fund while proposing to make it a 'sanctuary state,' which would prohibit not just police, but also the 58 county sheriffs who run the jail system from even communicating with ICE regarding the whereabouts or release dates of most criminally charged and convicted illegal immigrants. Sanchez supports a sanctuary state effort, saying that under Trump "everybody is going to have to live in fear, you know?" After Sanchez, the Fugitive ICE teams move a few miles east, where they knock on the door of Eduardo Jiminez, a 28-year-old Mexican who spent the last 20 years in the U.S. Convicted of alien smuggling, theft, and 2 DUI's, Jiminez opens the door without a shirt. When he sees the ICE agents, he bolts out the back door and jumps a fence. Agents give chase, and catch him four blocks away. "It's true that I can be here without papers," he tells me later during processing. "Yeah I work. Everybody works. There are a lot of people same as me." Do they blame Trump, I ask. "Yeah, that guy messes up everything." California State Senate President pro Tem Kevin DeLeon agrees. "Police chiefs across the nation believe that enlisting local police to enforce immigration law is a bad idea," DeLeon told reporters last month in Los Angeles. "Because we stood up to the Trump administration with an aggressive defense of our immigrant communities, Attorney General [Jeff] Session has had to narrow his definition of a sanctuary city." Session currently has California and nine other jurisdictions under a legal review, judging whether their lack of ICE cooperation violates a federal statute requiring local police to communicate with ICE, especially with immigrants already in custody for criminal offenses. "We are not asking them to enforce immigration law," says Marin. "We are just asking them to allow us to do our job." In other areas of law enforcement terrorism, drugs, gangs, human trafficking federal and local police work together. In California, ICE is on its own. "We are going to do our job no matter the obstacles by the city state or county put in front of us," Marin said. "We are going to continue to get these criminal aliens off the street and hopefully back to their countries." Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway used what she called the "Word of the Day" to explain the administration's response to the ongoing controversy over Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during last year's presidential campaign. During an interview with Fox News' "Hannity," Conway held up two pieces of paper. One had the words "conclusion" and "collusion" written on it, while the other bore the legend "illusion" and "delusion." 'EVERYBODY WOULD DO IT' President Trump on Wednesday said in an interview with Reuters that he was unaware of Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer until a couple days ago, and did not fault his son for accepting the meeting. It was a 20-minute meeting, I guess, from what Im hearing, Trump said. Many people, and many political pros, said everybody would do that. 'DID YOU DO IT?' President Trump on Wednesday told Reuters that he directly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if the Kremlin was involved in alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and Putin denied the allegation. Trump said he spent about 25 minutes of their two-hour meeting in Germany during the G-20 summit on the subject. HOLDER ON WATERGATE 'ECHOES' Eric Holder, the former attorney general under President Obama, reportedly told an audience of liberal lawyers in San Francisco that he hears disturbing echoes of Watergate in current White House issues, and told the crowd of mostly liberal lawyers to continue to fight. You cant just curl up in a fetal position, Holder told the 800 lawyers at a hotel, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. He said there is fighting to be done, there are lawsuits to be broughtyou can never underestimate the power of the American people. GRUESOME DISCOVERY Authorities in Pennsylvania said early Thursday they have found multiple sets of human remains in search for four missing men and were able to identify one of the victims. Dean Finocchiaro, 19, was identified as one of the men recovered in a 12-feet-deep common grave on a sprawling farm in Solebury Township, which is 30 miles north of Philadelphia, authorities said. COMING UP ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL: TRUMP IN FRANCE 9:30 AM ET: President Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in France. Watch live on FoxNews.com and Fox News Channel. 9:45 AM ET: President Trump tours Napoleon Bonaparte's Tomb and Marechal Foch's Tomb. Hotel National Des Invalides. Watch live on FoxNews.com and Fox News Channel. 10: 25 AM ET: President Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at Elysee Palace. Watch live on FoxNews.com and Fox News Channel. 12:25 PM ET: President Trump and President Macron hold a joint press conference. Elysee Palace. Watch live on FoxNews.com and Fox News Channel. A woman in California thought she was dreaming when she woke up to find a mountain lion in bed with her. On July 4, surveillance video provided to KTXL captured a juvenile mountain lion running in front of a pickup truck in Colusa, crashing into the door of a bowling alley, then running through an apartment building's parking lot. Eventually, the panicked cat jumped through the window of one woman's apartment, landing on her bed. "Actually, at first, I think she said she thought she was dreaming. It didn't seem real, apartment manager Francis Muniz told KTXL. MOUNTAIN LION CAUGHT TAKING DOWN A DEER IN RARE TRAIL-CAM FOOTAGE She stayed calm and opened the back door of her apartment. The animal, bleeding, took off. Animal trackers told KTXL the mountain lion may have been reacting to its reflection or it may have thought it was going into a cave. Colusa County Fish and Wildlife Commissioner John Troughton warned of the growing number of mountain lion sightings in populated areas. "The reality is that lions are in this area, one of them has been in town probably more than once," Troughton told KTXL. Click here for more from KTXL. Multiple sets of human remains were unearthed from a 12-foot-deep mass grave on an isolated Pennsylvania farm early Thursday as authorities continued digging for the bodies of four young men who disappeared last week. Officials were able to identify one of the victims as 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro -- who vanished last week along with Mark Sturgis, 22, Tom Meo, 21, and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said he could not identify the other remains at this time, while issuing a fresh appeal for more help from the public. "They are down 12 foot deep in a hole that is getting deeper by the minute," Weintraub said. The FBI had been using heavy equipment to dig a deep trench on the farm property and then sifting through each bucket of dirt by hand, after cadaver dogs led authorities to the spot on the 90-acre farm in Solebury Township, located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, where they discovered the remains inside a 12-foot-deep common grave. "I don't understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12 feet below the ground," Weintraub said. Fire and rescue crews on Thursday were using plywood to help shore up the deep grave as investigators worked inside under intense heat and choking dust. "They're tenderly, painstakingly, reverentially recovering the remains of people they do not even know," Weintraub said. Cosmo DiNardo, 20, remained a person of interest in the case. The grisly discovery was made on his father's farm and DiNardo was arrested Wednesday for allegedly trying to sell Meo's car for $500 on July 9 -- a day after Meo was last seen. That 1996 Nissan Maxima was also found on the family's farm. DiNardo was being held on $5 million bail, which a Bucks County judge has said is the highest he has ever set. Weintraub said Thursday he does know more about the relationships among the men but can't share more information because he needs to "maintain the integrity of the investigation." "This is a homicide. Make no mistake about it. We just don't know how many homicides," Weintraub said. The parents of DiNardo is expected to face a grand jury Thursday morning, Fox 29 reported. Authorities are hoping the parents can provide some information of their son's whereabouts the week of the men's disappearance. 'PERSON OF INTEREST' IN DISAPPEARANCE OF BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MEN RELEASED ON BAIL AMID INTENSE SEARCH An attorney representing the parents said in a statement Wednesday that they are cooperating "in every way possible with the investigation," adding that they sympathize with the grieving families. "I can tell you they are doing everything in their power to cooperate with law enforcement's investigation at this point," Perri said in the statement. DiNardo was originally released Tuesday evening to his parents home in Bensalem while FBI agents sifted through mounds of dirt from a deep pit they dug on the farm about 20 miles away. Police cadets combed the vast cornfields nearby. Patrick's family members said Sturgis and Meo worked together and Finocchiaro was a mutual friend. POLICE SEARCH FOR 4 MISSING YOUNG MEN IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, DA BELIEVES FOUL PLAY INVOLVED Weintraub said police would "continue digging and searching that property until we're satisfied that they are not there." "This is just really, really rough on everybody involved because of the heat, the magnitude, the scope -- and the stakes are incredibly high -- life and death," he said DiNardo was originally arrested Monday on a charge that had earlier been dismissed, accused of possessing a shotgun despite a previous mental health commitment. Weintraub sought a high bail for DiNardo on the gun charge because he now considers him a flight risk. The father, Antonio DiNardo, posted $100,000 Tuesday to bring his son home after the initial arrest. In a Thursday morning press conference, Weintraub provided an updated tip line for the FBI, 1-800-CALL-FBI. Read more from FOX 29. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The sole person of interest in the disappearance of four Pennsylvania men had reportedly previously boasted about killing someone over debt, and was pictured on social media holding a weapon. Cosmo DiNardo, 20, told friends he wasn't worried after Dean A. Finocchiaro was reported missing last Friday, and suggested the 19-year-old was possibly on the run from law enforcement, according to text messages obtained by Philly.com. Cosmo isnt your buddy Dean missing, a friend asked in a group chat last weekend obtained by Philly.com. Arent you worried about buddydead [sic] dean. DiNardo then replied, I mean I know the kid but yeah I feel bad for his parents. Hes a pill-popping junky who had 2 duis He prob just jumped parole Or probation. The person, who shared the messages with the news outlet on the condition that he and others in the conversation not be identified, also shared a photo he said DiNardo sent to the group that appears to show the 20-year-old brandishing what appears to be a revolver. MULTIPLE REMAINS FOUND ON PENNSYLVANIA FARM IN SEARCH FOR MISSING MEN, 1 MAN ID'D The man additionally told Philly.com he has known DiNardo since the two were young, and met him at a Wawa gas station parking lot in the afternoon on July 5 and saw a passenger he did not know in DiNardo's pickup truck. At the time, the man said DiNardo pressured him to get in his truck and "talk business," referring to drug dealing, but he turned down the offer. The man did not say if he has shared his account with police, and Bucks County prosecutors have not yet confirmed any further details in the investigation. A friend of one of the other men reported missing, Thomas Meo, told Philly.com in a separate interview DiNardo sold guns and marijuana, and once bragged about having someone killed over a debt. I can tell you on multiple different occasions, on multiple different accounts, from multiple different people, including myself Cosmo has spoken about weird things like killing people and having people killed, Eric Beitz, 20, of Bensalem, told Philly.com. Everybody you talk to about this guy, you hear hes mentally unstable. Late Wednesday, officials were able to identify one of the multiple sets of human remains were unearthed from a 12-foot-deep mass graves 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro -- who vanished last week along with Mark Sturgis, 22, Tom Meo, 21, and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said he could not identify the other remains at this time. POLICE SEARCH FOR 4 MISSING YOUNG MEN IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, DA BELIEVES FOUL PLAY INVOLVED DiNardo was arrested Wednesday for allegedly trying to sell Meo's car for $500 on July 9 -- a day after Meo was last seen. That 1996 Nissan Maxima was also found on the family's farm, which is about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. DiNardo was being held on $5 million bail, which a Bucks County judge has said is the highest he has ever set. Weintraub said Thursday he does know more about the relationships among the men but can't share more information because he needs to "maintain the integrity of the investigation." "This is a homicide. Make no mistake about it. We just don't know how many homicides," Weintraub said. Read more from Philly.com. Investigators looking for clues in the disappearance of an Alabama woman nine years ago said they will analyze potential evidence found during a search of the home where she was last seen. Authorities would not say what they located Wednesday while looking for the remains of Jennifer Fay Powers in a rural area near Huntsville, Alabama. But Sheriff's Capt. Michael Salomonsky told WHNT-TV that testing was the next step. "We are going to submit those items to various labs for analysis and see if they can come back with any hair, fibers, blood, anything that we call trace evidence," said Salomonsky, of the Madison County Sheriff's Office. Powers' husband told authorities she went outside on July 12, 2008, and never returned. She was 29 at the time, and a married mother of three. Relatives said Powers had a drug problem but would not abandon her family. Investigators believe someone killed the woman, Salomonsky said, and authorities have a person of interest. "You pray every day that she'll be found, and that's all you can do," said Shirley Locke, Powers' mother. "I just praise the Lord that they're still looking after all this time." The search concentrated around the house where Powers and her family lived when she was last seen. Another family now owns the house and cooperated with the search, officials said. Deputies said they used dogs that can detect human remains along with new technology they didn't have when Powers went missing. "What we have is ground penetrating radar, which we didn't have nine years ago," said Salomonsky. "It penetrates the ground to a certain distance. It tells you if there are voids, holes, or metal objects." hot dragon said: i have asked you more than once to tell me what law has been broken in what way. you seem unable to do that. Click to expand... Perjury was committed in both nomination hearings and security clearance applications by denying any contact with the Russians. Now we know of at least 20 seperate contacts. Campaign laws were broken by soliciting a foreign government. And Mueller hasn't even brought indictments yet which will produce plea deals. We have been through Watergate. We know what it looks like. A former Indiana teachers aide and substitute teacher who admitted to having sex with a student is back in jail for violating her probation by drinking alcohol and using Facebook, according to court documents. Kisha Nuckols, 40, was taken into custody on Friday after a warrant was issued for her arrest, FOX 59 Indianapolis reported. Court documents obtained by the television station show that the arrest stems from social media use and the consumption of alcohol. Officials searched Facebook and found a recently updated account for Nuckols that had not been registered with the sex offender registry, a requirement as part of her probation, according to FOX 59. Nuckols was sentenced to two years of probation and two years of home detention in November, after prosecutors said she sent a 17-year-old student explicit photos of herself before the two later had sex in her home several times. According to court records, Nuckols admitted to having inappropriate relationships with multiple students while working as a substitute teacher at Mount Vernon High School. During a visit by probation officers on June 28, officials found 14 bottles of alcohol, a red solo cup with chilled wine and a smartphone. The phone contained sexual images of Nuckols and had both Snapchat and Facebook Messenger applications installed, court documents said. Nuckols at the time claimed that the alcohol and phone belonged to a friend, but portable breath test was administered and Nucklos was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.011 percent, documents stated. The 40-year-old appeared in court Monday, and a fact-finding hearing for her case has been set for August 3. Read more from FOX 59. Shocked customers at a Texas ATM got more than cash from the money machine when a technician trapped behind it slipped notes through the receipt slot begging for help, police said. Man gets stuck in ATM, slips 'please help' notes through receipt slot https://t.co/hQn7GOPJhI pic.twitter.com/CyBXKJScDn FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) July 13, 2017 Corpus Christi police said the unnamed man, who is a contractor, got stuck in an ATM room at a local Bank of America while attempting to change the lock on the machine, according to Fox 8. TEXAS LAW WILL ALLOW OPEN CARRY OF KNIVES, SWORDS He left his phone in his truck, hes installing a new lock on the door, and he gets locked inside the building where the ATM is, Officer Richard Olden of Corpus Christi Police told KRISTV. People were going to the ATM to get money when the man stuck inside slid notes through the receipt slot saying: Please Help. Im stuck in here, and I dont have my phone. Please call my boss. Officer Olden said at first people thought the note was a joke, but somebody eventually took it seriously and called authorities. TEXAS COP NARROWLY MISSES GETTING HIT BY DRUNK DRIVER, VIDEO SHOWS We come out here, and sure enough we can hear a little voice coming from the machine, Olden said. So we are thinking this is a joke. Its got to be a joke. Olden said the man was rescued and was unharmed. Everyone is okay, but you will never see this in your life, that somebody was stuck in the ATM, it was just crazy, Olden said. A Texas police department on Wednesday honored a teen who was almost fired for buying an officer a free cookie earlier this month. Katy Police Department posted a photo on Facebook of Zachary Randolph, 18, with three officers, commending the teen for his "selfless deed." "It was our pleasure to finally meet the young man from Great American Cookies, who did a selfless deed despite what others may have thought," the Facebook caption said. "Sergeant McClure and the rest of the Katy Police Department would like to say thank you for supporting law enforcement and going the extra step to show your appreciation." TEXAS COOKIE STORE EMPLOYEE WHO BOUGHT COP'S ORDER TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED Randolph was working at the Great American Cookie Company in Katy Mills when he offered to pay for an officer's cookie, his mother Tami Randolph wrote in a Facebook post on July 5. She claimed a family in the store verbally attacked him after the kind act and said, "Are you going to buy mine too?" They also accused him of being racist and vowed to get the teen fired, according to the post. Days after the incident, the company managers called the teen in and "wanted him fired." He was ultimately placed on suspension. "Thankfully his manager refused and said you are an excellent worker and and everyone agreed that you did nothing wrong," the mother wrote in the post. "Since when does buying a police officer a cookie give anyone else a reason to attack someone. And when did a Corporation want to FIRE someone for being KIND, taking what a customer said or did, regardless of how hateful they are," she added. OWNER OF TEDDY BEAR WITH RECORDING OF SOLDIER DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN FOUND IN CALIFORNIA Randolph's post garnered thousands of reactions, with many people commending the teen for his selfless act. Great American Cookies Company on Monday issued a lengthy statement apologizing to Zack Randolph and said the suspension was due to a misunderstanding. "On behalf of Great American Cookies, we are sorry. This type of situation is not indicative of our Brand," the statement read. The suspension was lifted and the person who oversaw the situation was "relieved of all duties and responsibilities" related to the stand, according to the statement. Serbian officials called on Thursday for urgent measures to combat widespread domestic violence in the country following the killing of two women and a child at social-care centers in Belgrade this month. Activists warned that the incidents have exposed problems in Serbia's protection system. There are reports that 22 women have been killed by their husbands or partners this year. On Wednesday, a man killed his ex-wife and son and wounded three social workers just outside a social-care center. Last week, a man killed his wife with a stone in front of their three children in another center. Social care minister Zoran Djordjevic said "we must sound the highest alarm" and announced further efforts after a new, tougher law recently took effect. "We will try to come up with concrete wholescale preventive measures for the coming period," said Djordjevic. "We must all act to fight this, the situation is alarming." Authorities said measures will include installing panic buttons in 60 social-care centers. Social workers have threatened to go on strike unless security is beefed up. Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic said during an official trip to Greece that he will demand stricter punishments in domestic violence cases. "Family violence is frightening," Vucic said, according to Serbia's state TV. "Those men must be punished most drastically and dramatically so they never think of doing it again." Domestic violence in the conservative Balkan country has soared since the wars of the 1990s. Tanja Ignjatovic, from the Autonomous Women's Center rights group, told N1 television that the latest incidents were the result of "classic system failure." "It can't be in the interest of children to have contact with a parent who was violent to their mother or the children themselves," Ignjatovic said. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Imprisoned for all the seven years since he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiaobo never renounced the pursuit of human rights in China, insisting on living a life of "honesty, responsibility and dignity." China's most prominent political prisoner died Thursday of liver cancer at 61. His death at a hospital in the country's northeast, where he'd been transferred after being diagnosed triggered an outpouring of dismay among his friends and supporters, who lauded his courage and determination. "There are only two words to describe how we feel right now: grief and fury," family friend and activist Wu Yangwei, better known by his penname Ye Du, said by phone. "The only way we can grieve for Xiaobo and bring his soul some comfort is to work even harder to try to keep his influence alive." The 1989 pro-democracy protests centered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, by Liu's account, were the "major turning point" of his life. Liu had been a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York but returned early to China in May 1989 to join the movement that was sweeping the country and which the Communist Party regarded as a grave challenge to its authority. When the government sent troops and tanks into Beijing to quash the protests on the night of June 3-4, Liu persuaded some students to leave the square rather than face down the army. The military crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people and heralded a more repressive era. Liu became one of hundreds of Chinese imprisoned for crimes linked to the demonstrations. It was only the first of four imprisonments. His final prison sentence was for co-authoring "Charter 08," a document circulated in 2008 that called for more freedom of expression, human rights and an independent judiciary. "What I demanded of myself was this: Whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility, and dignity," Liu wrote in "I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement," which he was prevented from reading aloud at his sentencing in 2009. He was sent to prison for 11 years on charges of inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms and greater human rights in his country. A year later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. The Norwegian committee lauded Liu's "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China." The award enraged China's government, which condemned it as a political farce. Within days, Liu's wife, the artist and poet Liu Xia, was put under house arrest, despite not being convicted of any crime. China also punished Norway, even though its government has no say over the independent Nobel panel's decisions. China suspended a bilateral trade deal and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon, and relations only resumed in 2017. Dozens of Liu's supporters were prevented from leaving the country to accept the award on his behalf. Instead, Liu's absence at the prize-giving ceremony in Oslo, Norway, was marked by an empty chair. Another empty chair was for Liu Xia. In recent days, supporters and foreign governments urged China to allow him to be treated for cancer abroad, but Chinese authorities insisted he was receiving the best care possible. On Thursday, the Nobel Committee said Beijing bore a heavy responsibility for Liu's death. But it also leveled harsh criticism at the "free world" for its "hesitant, belated reactions" to his serious illness and imprisonment. "It is a sad and disturbing fact that the representatives of the free world, who themselves hold democracy and human rights in high regard, are less willing to stand up for those rights for the benefit of others," said the organization's chairwoman, Berit Reiss-Andersen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Liu Xiaobo was a "courageous fighter for civil rights and freedom of opinion." Former President George W. Bush saluted Liu as a man who "dared to dream of a China that respected human rights." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, meanwhile, urged Beijing to release Liu's wife from house arrest and allow her to leave the country if she wishes. Liu was born on Dec. 28, 1955, in the northeastern city of Changchun, the son of a language and literature professor who was a committed party member. The middle child in a family of five boys, he was among the first to attend Jilin University when college entrance examinations resumed after the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. After spending nearly two years in detention following the Tiananmen crackdown, Liu was detained for the second time in 1995 after drafting a plea for political reform. Later that year, he was detained a third time after co-drafting "Opinion on Some Major Issues Concerning our Country Today." That resulted in a three-year sentence to a labor camp, during which time he married Liu Xia. The couple's friends and supporters described the dissident and his soft-spoken wife as being deeply in love. In the same statement Liu had prepared for his trial, he addressed his wife. "Your love is the sunlight that leaps over high walls and penetrates the iron bars of my prison window, stroking every inch of my skin, warming every cell of my body, allowing me to always keep peace, openness, and brightness in my heart, and filling every minute of my time in prison with meaning," he said. "But my love is solid and sharp, capable of piercing through any obstacle. Even if I were crushed into powder, I would still use my ashes to embrace you." Yu Jie, a longtime friend and a biographer, said Liu frequently gathered a small group of friends for frequent dinners at his favorite local Sichuan hot-pot restaurant, where he regaled younger intellectuals on literature and philosophy before returning home to write until dawn, as was his habit. "No one was as active as he was, and no one had so much social interaction with the young people," Yu said. "He was a bridge for generations of thinkers." Liu was only the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in prison, a fact pointed to by human rights groups as an indication of the Chinese Communist Party's increasingly hard line against its critics. The first, Carl von Ossietzky, died from tuberculosis in Germany in 1938 while serving a sentence for opposing Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. "Hitler was wild and strong and thought he was right but history proved he was wrong in imprisoning a Nobel Peace Prize winner," said Mo Shaoping, an old friend and Liu's former lawyer. "The authorities consider Liu Xiaobo guilty, but history will prove he is not." ___ Bodeen and Wong reported from Beijing. Associated Press researcher Fu Ting and reporter Gerry Shih contributed to this report from Beijing. ___ Online: Liu Xiaobo's "I have no enemies" speech: https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2010/xiaobo-lecture.html Chinas trade with sanctions-riddled North Korea increased more than 10 percent in the first half of the year from last year, a Chinese official said Wednesday. Chinas customs spokesman Huang Songping said Chinas trade with North Korea rose by 10.5 percent to $2.55 billion in the first six months of 2017. While imports from North Korea dropped 13.2 percent to $880 million in the period, exports to North Korea rose 29.1 percent to $1.67 billion, Huang said. "As neighbors, China and North Korea maintain normal business and trade exchanges," he said. Huang also said the exports were driven by textile products and other traditional goods not on the U.N. embargo list. Being its largest ally, Beijing has been under pressure from the U.S. to do more to rein in North Korea, according to Reuters. President Trump denounced Chinas trade with North Korea last week, saying it grew almost 40 percent in the first quarter and questioned how much it was doing to help counter the growing threat from Pyongyang. While China has contended it is doing nothing wrong by continuing normal trade operations with the isolated regime, U.S. is reportedly preparing to go after Chinese banks accused of funneling cash to North Korea. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that recent unsealed court filings show that the White House is ready to constrict cash flow to North Korea. The Justice Department pointed to offshore U.S. dollar accounts associated with a handful of companies linked to Chinese national Chi Yungpeng. The Justice Department said the Chis network hid transactions which helped fund North Koreas military and arms programs, the newspaper reported. While the network is not under U.S. sanctions, analysts believe can be cutoff the same way a separate Chinese firm last year. Meanwhile, the U.S. is also said to be preparing to unilaterally tighten sanctions on North Korea. The U.S. circulated a draft resolution that would impose new sanctions on North Korea following its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, two U.N. diplomats told the Associated Press on Monday. The resolution has been circulated to China, as well as the three other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council Russia, Britain and France, the diplomats said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 India's main environmental agency Thursday banned the dumping of any kind of waste within 500 meters (yards) of the most polluted parts of the Ganges, a river considered sacred by devout Hindus. The National Green Tribunal also asked the governments of the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to establish clear guidelines for religious activities performed on the banks of the river. Even though hundreds of millions of Hindus worship the Ganges, millions of tons of garbage, chemicals and sewage make their way into the river, which emerges from a glacier in the Himalayas and makes its way through the plains of India before draining into the Bay of Bengal. The ban on dumping garbage concerns the most polluted stretch of the river that runs from the town of Haridwar in Uttarakhand state to Unnao town in Uttar Pradesh. The watchdog asked the state governments to impose a fine of 50,000 rupees ($775) for dumping waste on the river stretch. It also asked that the area within 100 meters (yards) from the edge of the Ganges along the same stretch be off-limits for development projects. India has struggled for decades to clean and rejuvenate the river. Millions of dollars have been allocated for a slew of action plans since the 1980s, but little has changed on the ground. Iranian state television is reporting that an Iranian cancer researcher who was denied entry to the U.S. has returned to Tehran. Images aired on state television Thursday showing Mohsen Dehnavi's return confirmed that he was the same man who previously headed a student branch of volunteer paramilitary militia. An earlier report in the semi-official Fars news agency said Dehnavi was appointed the head of the student Basij force at Iran's Sharif University in September 2007. The Basij is a volunteer militia that is linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. He later served on the unsuccessful 2013 presidential campaign of a prominent hard-liner, former nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A series of military victories over extremist Islamic groups along Libya's Mediterranean coastline has forced hundreds of militants, including Islamic State fighters, to seek refuge in the vast deserts of the North African nation, already home to militias from neighboring countries, cross-border criminal gangs and mercenaries. Libya's lawless, desolate center and south provides a sanctuary for militants to reorganize, recruit, train and potentially plot for a comeback. That is especially important at a time when the Islamic State group lost not only its urban holdings in Libya but is crumbling in Iraq and Syria. In Libya's remote stretches near the borders with Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Algeria, Niger and Tunisia, multiple armed groups already operate freely. Arms are easily available. Human trafficking and cross-border smuggling, especially fuel, are rampant and lucrative. Lack of effective border controls has allowed militiamen fighting the Sudanese and Chadian governments to set up camp inside Libya. Alongside them came soldiers-for-hire from places as far afield as Cameroon. Tribal and ethnic rivalries frequently boil over into deadly strife. Militants "travel back and forth near the southern borders and all the way to the central parts of the country, robbing travelling cars and attacking civilians," said Brig. Gen. Abdullah Nouredeen of the Libyan National Army. "They sometimes work close to the borders since there is money to be made from smuggling and arms trading." The migration of the militants comes after rivals drove them out of coastal cities like Sirte, Benghazi, Sebratha and Derna. Their dispersion into the desert undermines prospects for a return of stability in oil-rich Libya. Claudia Gazzini, the International Crisis Group's senior Libya analyst, said IS militants were generally lying low in the desert south of the coastline, moving in small convoys so as not to attract attention or just going home. Others, she explained, were active around Sirte, staging occasional attacks against their adversaries. Going forward, she said, IS remnants will likely try to influence and win over groups opposed to Gen. Khalifa Hifter, the Egyptian-backed commander of Libya's national army who has been fighting militants. "We are already seeing signs that this may have already happened," she said. Sensing danger, Egypt has begun to closely monitor its borders with Sudan and Libya, fearing the area could turn into a major staging ground for attacks inside its territory. Egypt has said IS militants fighting its security forces in the Sinai Peninsula receive arms and fighters from Libya. It said militants behind recent deadly attacks against Christians were trained in Libya and sneaked into Egypt across the porous desert border. Like the rest of Libya, the desert towns and villages in the country's central and southern regions have seen law and order vanish since the 2011 ouster and death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Across the country, militias many of them with Islamist ideologies have carved out fiefdoms, imposing their will on local administrations. Some estimates put the number of full-time militiamen in Libya at around 120,000 and IS fighters around 1,000, but there is no way to independently verify these figures. Gen. Hifter has sought to drive out Islamic militants and bring the center and south under his control but with limited success. He said he intends to seal off Libya's borders with Egypt, Sudan and Chad by early July to stop the flow of arms, fighters and migrants. It is widely believed, however, that his forces don't have the resources to enforce order in the vast region or take on the hardened militants and militiamen there. In a sign of desperation over deteriorating security, Libya's national oil company halted shipments to the south, after a series of hijackings of convoys delivering fuel. Invariably, the fuel surfaced later in the black market or in neighboring countries. The following are key geographical locations for the militants and armed groups: ZAMZAM VALLEY: Zamzam Valley is south of Misrata about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the coast. Scores of IS militants found refuge there after they were defeated last year by militiamen loyal to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli after a months-long battle. IS fighters in Zamzam Valley occasionally launch attacks against Misrata, the hometown of the militia that drove them out of Sirte, as well as kidnap travelers or attacks checkpoints. ___ AL-AWAYNAT: This location in the remote southeastern corner of Libya close to the borders of Egypt and Sudan has become something of a "mercenaries central" because of the hundreds of guns-for hire stationed there. The men, mostly from Chad, Niger and Cameroon, are hired mostly to fight under the banners of different militias. They make an average of $2,000 a month when hired. Militias and criminal groups in al-Awaynat, meanwhile, make money from human trafficking, kidnappings for ransom and smuggling of weapons, drugs and fuel. ___ AL-KUFRA: Small cells of IS and al-Qaida fighters are believed to have moved to the outskirts of this oasis city in southeast Libya in recent months. Al-Kufra has for decades been torn by a deadly conflict pitting the Arab Alzway tribes against the sub-Saharan African Tabu group, which inhabits a large swath of territory stretching across northern Chad, southern Libya, northwestern Sudan and northeastern Niger. Alzway dominate the city and accuse the Tabu of harboring criminals and militants from Sudan and Chad. The Tabu deny the charges. Militias from both sides are involved in tit-for-tat raids that often target civilians. The conflict is widely seen as a rivalry over control of border crossings and lucrative smuggling routes. Two brigades from Hifter's Libyan National Army are stationed at al-Kufra, but they don't have the manpower or resources to enforce law and order in the vast desert area. ___ SABHA: Most of the hundreds of militants who managed to flee the assault on Sirte last year are thought to have made it near this town in central Libya. It was a perfect destination. The city is virtually out of control, with several ongoing conflicts. The main players are Awlad Suleiman, an ethnically Arab tribe, and the Tabu and Twareg, all of whom have for years been vying for a bigger slice of the smuggling trade. Anti-government militiamen from Sudan and Chad provide a pool of mercenaries for any armed group. They are also involved in cross-border arms smuggling, according to local politician Youssef Kalourki. IS fighters in the area keep a low profile, spending most of their time in valleys and mountains outside the city. In May, forces loyal to Hifter seized a nearby air base and several localities. It was a significant victory, but Hifter's forces remain a long way away from controlling the region. ___ UBARI: This town southwest of Sabha saw fierce fighting among rival criminal gangs in 2015 that displaced almost the entire population. The hostilities were triggered by an attempt by several militias to control the black market in subsidized fuel provided by the Tripoli government. Radical militant groups in the area, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, are known to be involved in the illicit trade, selling the fuel in neighboring countries for at least 10 times the price in Libya. ___ Hendawi reported from Cairo. The Russian lawyer who penetrated Donald Trumps inner circle was initially cleared into the United States by the Justice Department under extraordinary circumstances before she embarked on a lobbying campaign last year that ensnared the presidents eldest son, members of Congress, journalists and State Department officials, according to court and Justice Department documents and interviews. This revelation means it was the Obama Justice Department that enabled the newest and most intriguing figure in the Russia-Trump investigation to enter the country without a visa. Later, a series of events between an intermediary for the attorney and the Trump campaign ultimately led to the controversy surrounding the president's eldest son. Just five days after meeting in June 2016 at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr., presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and then Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Moscow attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya showed up in Washington in the front row of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia policy, video footage of the hearing shows. She also engaged in a pro-Russia lobbying campaign and attended an event at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. where Russian supporters showed a movie that challenged the underpinnings of the U.S. human rights law known as the Magnitysky Act, which Russian leader Vladimir Putin has reviled and tried to reverse. ... The Moscow lawyer had been turned down for a visa to enter the U.S. lawfully but then was granted special immigration parole by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch for the limited purpose of helping a company owned by Russian businessman Denis Katsyv, her client, defend itself against a Justice Department asset forfeiture case in federal court in New York City. During a court hearing in early January 2016 as Veselnitskayas permission to stay in the country was about to expire, federal prosecutors described how rare the grant of parole immigration was as Veselnitskaya pleaded for more time to remain in the United States. In October the government bypassed the normal visa process and gave a type of extraordinary permission to enter the country called immigration parole, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Monteleoni explained to the judge during a hearing Jan. 6, 2016. That's a discretionary act that the statute allows the Attorney General to do in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, we did that so that Mr. Katsyv could testify. And we made the further accommodation of allowing his Russian lawyer into the country to assist, he added. The prosecutor said Justice was willing to allow the Russian lawyer to enter the United States again as the trial in the case approached so she could help prepare and attend the proceedings. The court record indicates the presiding judge asked the Justice Department to extend Veselnitskayas immigration parole another week until he decided motions in the case. There are no other records in the court file indicating what happened with that request or how Veselnitskaya appeared in the country later that spring. The U.S. Attorneys office in New York confirmed Wednesday to The Hill that it let Veselnitskaya into the country on a grant of immigration parole from October 2015 to early January 2016. Justice Department and State Department officials could not immediately explain how the Russian lawyer was still in the country in June for the meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and the events in Washington D.C. ... Sources close to the lobbying effort to rename the Magnisky Act, conducted over the summer of 2016, said it fizzled after only a month or two. They described Veselnitskaya, who does not speak English, as a mysterious and shadowy figure. They said they were confused as to whether she had an official role in the lobbying campaign, although she was present for several meetings. The sources also described their interactions with Veselnitskaya in the same way that Trump Jr. did. They claimed not to know who she worked for or what her motives were. ... South African forces are hosting the U.S. military in an exercise modeled on a United Nations peacekeeping mandate currently applied in eastern Congo that allows for offensive military action against rebel groups. LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY INCREASINGLY ACTIVE, UN WARNS The South African military said Thursday that joint field training begins Monday at the Lohatla military area in Northern Cape province. The exercise ends Aug. 4. South African authorities say U.S. C-17 aircraft will participate and U.S. military vehicles will travel from Cape Town to the training. South Africa says maneuvers will follow a robust U.N. mandate in which "belligerent forces are forced to disengage and to discontinue the armed conflict." The U.N.'s Congo mission aims to protect civilians from conflict, notably from armed groups that roam the vast eastern region and fight over mineral wealth. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A stifling heat wave in eastern and central China this week has led to a run on the country's beaches as well as the return of the "facekini." These pictures show fashion-forward Chinese women packing the beaches in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao. The "facekini," a balaclava-style fabric head covering, has been a must-have for Chinese beachgoers since it first appeared in 2004. Covering the entire face and head with the exception of holes for the eyes, nose and mouth the facekini is ideal for protection from the sun's rays, as well as insects, jellyfish and other irritants. Apart from its practicality, the facekini also serves a social function. Pale female skin is prized in China, long an agrarian society where a suntan was a giveaway that one performed menial labor as a member of the lower classes. The woman credited with inventing the garment, Zhang Shifan, told Reuters in 2015 that approximately her shop had sold approximately 30,000 facekinis over the past year. She's likely to sell more this week, with some Chinese cities recording temperatures as high as 122 degrees Farenheit. According to the Sun newspaper, some cities have resorted to opening their underground bomb shelters to residents wishing to escape the searing temperatures. Just days after Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared total victory against the Islamic State in Mosul, the head of the United Nations World Food Program said the nearly 1 million displaced people from Iraqs second largest city -- and others in the region forced to flee ISIS -- must be helped quickly, or else they could fall prey to the very terrorists who were just defeated. If a family can't feed their children, after two or three weeks they will turn to any available resource they can, and that usually is extremism, said David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, the largest humanitarian organization in the world. If you want to spend another half-a-trillion dollars on military operations, cut the World Food Program because we are the first line of offense and defense on the ground against extremism and terrorism. Responsible for helping 80 million people in nearly 80 countries each year, the World Food Program is the leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide, according to the groups website. Today, 1 in 9 people worldwide still does not have enough to eat, and that is not just a humanitarian problem, but a national security threat to the United States, experts say. On any given day, WFP has 5,000 trucks, 20 ships and 70 planes in operation. Each year, WFP distributes 12.6 billion rations at an estimated average cost per ration of 31 cents. When refugees leave Iraq or Syria and migrate to Europe, the costs soar to more than $50 per day in European countries, according to Beasley, another reason it is so critical to get humanitarian assistance into war-torn countries. In Syria, WFP is currently feeding 4 million people -- roughly two-thirds of the total displaced inside Syria. Beasley says another 5 million Syrians have left the country, many going to neighboring Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. The ISIS fight in Iraq and Syria, however, is not the only humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. In Yemen, another country torn apart by war, WFP is feeding more than 5 million people per day, said Beasley, and called on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to do more in the region. There are countries that should be stepping up like the Saudis in terms of humanitarian aid in Yemen. The Gulf states should be stepping up, Beasley said. But we are getting very, very little humanitarian support from them. In Africa, Beasley pointed to the horrific situation in Somalia with al-Shabaab and the ongoing drought affecting more than 6 million people. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Beasley said the situation was imploding. Ten out of the 13 countries in the world where we spend the most money are man-made conflicts, said Beasley, who asked the leaders to either help the innocent people or stop the wars. And Beasley readily acknowledges that the U.S. and its allies cannot feed all the worlds hungry. It's unrealistic to ask the West to fund every humanitarian need," he said. "This is where President Trump is right on point -- the United States alone shouldn't carry these burdens." New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries recently posted the 2017-2018 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest on its website. It outlines the revised seasons and bag limits, plus other regulatory changes passed by the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries at the recent June meeting. Among the changes is a provision allowing hunters to wear blaze pink in areas where blaze orange is currently required. Fashion plays a role in the stylistic penchants of todays modern outdoorsmen and women, and women are the fastest growing segment of the shooting and hunting world. In further expansion of the new separate bear tags policy, a resident junior bear license for youngsters age 1215 is now available for $6.50. A new three-day open firearms season for bears is also available in several counties in western Virginia. Hunting hours, bag and weight limit, weapon requirements, dog use and all other open and general bear season regulations apply. Among the many deer hunting changes are new provisions for Earn a Buck rules on private lands in Fauquier and Montgomery counties and for all towns and cities in Virginia, except Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. This means hunters usually must shoot a doe or two before theyre allowed to take their second antlered deer. The daily bag limit for deer is unlimited in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, but hunters can still only take up to three antlered deer in a license year. During general firearms season, either-sex deer hunting days are significantly reduced in several counties, including a few in the Fredericksburg region. King George, for example, had two years of either sex deer hunting all season for the last two years, but harvest statistics plummeted. Caroline County is also a location of concern. Antlerless deer harvest has been eliminated on most National Forest and DGIF-owned lands west of the Blue Ridge. In a somewhat controversial change, its now legal to buy and sell the hair, hide, tail, sinew, skull, antlers, bones and feet of a legally possessed deer or elk carcass or carcass part, any products made from these carcass parts, and deer or elk mounts. Meat from deer or elk, including organ meat, is still prohibited from sale. I guess it should be someones choice if they want to sell an old deer mount or some antlers. Many web sites offer animal mounts for sale. Preventing the sale of venison, though, helps prevent the wholesale commercialization of wild animals regarded as natural resources managed within the public trust. You can now use air rifles for deer hunting if theyre .35 caliber or larger. Air rifles have come a long way. Theyre still prohibited for bear and elk hunting. The legal days to hunt crows is now Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. No more Sunday crows, but you can now use electronic calls to hunt raccoons. Make sure youre squared away on the new changes before venturing afield this year. You can see all the changes at dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations. A print version will also be available. Stafford Lake Opens Lake Mooney, one of Stafford Counties new reservoirs, opened for fishing July 1. The 520-acre reservoir is named for the late Stafford Deputy Sheriff Jason Mooney. Originally named Rocky Pen Reservoir, it opened to visitors in June 2016. According to DGIFs fact sheet on the body of water, the reservoir is steep-sided and deep. Interesting underwater habitat features include abundant submersed brush and rocky outcrops. Several manmade fish habitat structures were placed in the winter of 2015. It took a couple years for stocked fish to grow big enough to enable fishing. Stocked fish include bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish. Black crappie and largemouth bass moved into the reservoir as it filled up and overtook ponds within its boundaries. The water is described as relatively clear, slightly tannin-stained. While anglers might catch a lot of fish at this point, they shouldnt expect any lunkers, although some bass longer than 18 inches were found during a May 2017 electrofishing in survey. There is a 12-inch maximum length limit on bass, with anglers allowed to keep up to five bass per day. Any bass over 12 inches long must be returned to the water alive. There is no size limit on black crappie and anglers are encouraged to keep up to the 25 per day limit. The reservoir has a boat launch, park and restroom facilities. Its open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from mid-March through October. From Nov. 1 through mid-March, access is permitted from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No swimming. Only electric motors are allowed on boats. A Virginia fishing license is required. For more information, call Stafford County Parks and Recreation Department, 540/658-4871 or DGIF, 540/899-4169. To get to the reservoir, take Route 17 north from Fredericksburg, turn left onto Banks Ford Parkway and right on Greenbank Road. The access point is at 500 Greenbank Road. Poachers Convicted Another outdoors television personality has run afoul of game laws and been convicted. Billy A. Busbice Jr. of Olla, Louisiana, was convicted of intentionally allowing an antlerless elk to go to waste and taking an elk without the proper license in Wyoming in 2016. Busbice, who previously owned several outdoors products brands, was the main character on Wildgame Nation, a reality hunting show on the Outdoor Channel. The network dropped the show immediately after the conviction. Busbice received one and a half years of unsupervised probation and $23,000 in fines and restitution. He also loses hunting and fishing privileges across 45 states until 2019. In Virginias Buchanan General District Court, Nelson Drummond received a sentence of 2,370 days plus an additional 6 months of incarceration, five-year loss of hunting privileges, and restitution of $25,500 for poaching 4 elk, 3 deer, a black bear and a bobcat. The DGIF investigation began in April 2016 when report was received of an illegally-killed bull elk lying near a roadway with its head removed. Drummond poached the animals with a laser-sighted .22 caliber lever-action rifle. Judge Henry Barringer reportedly characterized Drummonds actions as cruel. A man who failed to get professional medical treatment for his 7-year-old daughter after she was severely scalded with hot water in 2015 was ordered Thursday to serve 19 months in prison. Brian R. Jenkins, 48, of Staten Island, N.Y., had previously pleaded guilty in Stafford Circuit Court to child neglect. Judge Michael Levy sentenced him to a total of 10 years in prison with eight years and five months suspended. Jenkins also was fined more than $1,000. According to prosecutor Ed Lustig, Jenkins was living in Stafford when the incident took place on Jan. 11, 2015. He was alone with his children while their mother was away visiting her sister. The victim, now 9, was taking a bath while Jenkins was downstairs doing laundry and watching sports, according to the prosecution evidence. The family was using water heated in a tea kettle to warm the bath water because the hot water in the home wasnt working at the time. A younger sibling picked up the electric tea kettle, which was in the bathroom, and poured it on her sister. Court records show that the child suffered extensive burns to her leg and foot. The victim has since received extensive physical therapy. Jenkins treated his screaming daughters wounds with some sort of ointment. He called the mother and told her about the incident, but said it wasnt that bad. The mother returned home a couple of days later and was startled by the extent of her childs injuries. She immediately took the child to Mary Washington Hospital and Child Protective Services was notified. Detective Jason Dembowski obtained warrants for Jenkins a few days later, but by then, the childs mother had ordered him to leave the home. The warrants werent served until November of last year. Jenkins on Thursday said he had gotten a raw deal. He said the childs injuries werent his fault and claimed it was the landlord who should have been held accountable because the family had already called about the lack of hot water. He also claimed that the child was OK that night and the day after the incident. But Lustig argued that there was no way the girl could have been OK after suffering the kind of burns shown in court records. [Jenkins] is mad at everybody and trying to blame everyone except himself, Lustig said. HAVE Virginia horsemen not learned their lesson? It was reported several weeks ago that the Virginia Equine Alliance is considering building a new thoroughbred race track on Powhatan Farm, located just off State Route 3 in King George County. With all due respect to King George, a lovely area, this location is in the middle of nowhere when it comes to the thoroughbred horse industry. Did Virginia horsemen learn nothing from thoroughbred racings initial debacle at Colonial Downs? If you will recall, they situated that track in the middle of nowhere on a large farm in New Kent County. The theory was that, being located halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg, Colonial Downs would draw from both the highly populated Tidewater and the Richmond metropolitan areas. Except on rare occasions, such as its Sept. 1, 1997, opening and on Virginia Derby days, the track drew from neither. Instead of the large fan base of middle- and upper-middle class suburbanites the horsemen had predicted, the tracks patrons consisted mostly of the same handful of old retired men who now sit in smoke-filled off-track betting parlors in Richmond or at Colonial Beach. That was a shame, because Colonial Downs, which now sits empty after a 2013 racing date dispute, was one of the finest thoroughbred tracks in America with nationally known trainers raving about its turf course. Now, I dont claim to be another Tick Tock McGlaughlin, but I do know a little about the horse racing industry. I was about 8 years old when I made my first visit to Charles Town, W.Va., and I have been a handicapper since I was old enough to place a $2 bet. I have also owned race horses and hung around with some pretty good trainers over the years. And I have visited tracks from Hialeah to Keeneland. The general consensus from those of us on the lower end of the racing spectrum (not the rich owners who play with horses) is that for a track to be successful it has to be (1) close to a metropolitan area to draw bettors and (2) near breeding farms. Yes, Colonial Downs was only about 40 miles from The Meadow, where Secretariat was born, but that was about the only racing stable in the area and had long since faded when Colonial Downs came along. Few in New Kent, Richmond or Tidewater got excited about horse racing except maybe on Virginia Derby day, and that was more a social occasion than a racing event. Because of its location, Colonial Downs was never able to educate its bettors and build a solid fan base. The racetrack was a day trip from either of the metropolitan areas it hoped to serve and a good two to three hours by horse trailer from the breeding farms in Northern Virginia. Now Virginia horsemen look to repeat their mistake in King George. If a Virginia thoroughbred track is to be successful, it must be built in either upper Fauquier or Loudoun counties. Thats where the horse farms are; thats where the big money is; thats where the horse fever abounds. Loudoun and Fauquier counties represent the epicenter of Virginias horse industry and thats where everyone expected the states first track to be built. But two things prevented that from happening. First, Maryland didnt want competition so close to its track in Laurel, and West Virginia put up the same fight to protect Charles Town. With only so many horses to fill races, Virginias horsemen had to work with Maryland and West Virginia, not only in choosing a non-competitive site, but also for non-competing racing dates. None of those issues have gone away in the intervening 20 years. Maryland and West Virginia are still bound to protect their interests and unless purses are extremely big at the proposed King George track, breeders in Fauquier and Loudoun will continue to make the shorter transport (moving horses is costly) to either Charles Town or Laurel. Casino gambling has become another issue that King George racetrack proponents must take into consideration. Charles Town race purses were boosted greatly when slots and table games became legal. That was part of the deal. Virginia will have no such additional source of revenue to keep purses high enough to attract good horses. These are the facts and these are the problems facing any new track that builds in Virginia. Like Colonial Downs, any track in King George will face an uphill battle to stay afloat. There is a limited supply of horses, educated bettors and purse money. If there is a successful thoroughbred racetrack in Virginia, it will be in Fauquier, Loudoun or perhaps western Prince William County. But remember this: In 1995, Prince William turned away a Disney park. If Mickey Mouse is not welcome, Tick Tock McGlaughlin doesnt stand a chance. David Carmack Lewis found inspiration for his art project as he sat near a large stone fireplace and enjoyed the warmth and light from the fire. He went on to paint images that explore fire and every aspect of humanity's deep connection with it, and how its use transforms landscapes and the climate. "We've always used fire to change the world around us, and now it's just this other beast that has taken off and we don't perceive it in the same way," Lewis said. The Portland artist's exhibition of oil paintings, titled "A God In The Hearth: a Visual Essay on Fire and Fossil Fuels," opens today at The Arts Center in Corvallis. The artwork compares traditional and visible fires to the ones we don't see the internal combustion fires in car engines or power plants. "I'm making the point that we're still dependent on fire, even though we don't always see the flames," Lewis said. The idea behind this exhibit arose in 2013, when Lewis began an artist residency program in a remote part of eastern Oregon. He also took several trips out to burn sites around Summer Lake and Winter Ridge in Lake County. To paint the modern hidden uses of fire, Lewis went to the coal-fired power plant in Boardman. He pitched his project concept to the plant manager, who was open to it and agreed to give him a tour of the plant. "I did a bunch of paintings based around that," Lewis said. "The whole thing grew and grew from there." His other paintings include everything from little campfires and chimney remnants from an old homestead to clear-cut forests and a house fire. "One of the big paintings you'll see is from a burn up on Mount Adams in Washington" in 2012, Lewis said. "I did a lot of studies up there. It was an intense crown fire where it just wiped out everything." Another painting, titled "The World on Fire," shows fire's impact on a global scale. It's a view of the Earth from space; on the surface of the planet, circles of fire can be seen. Lewis also painted images of random engines and motors based on photographs he took of tractor and car engines found at auto parts stores. Not all of his art will be displayed on the gallery walls. Lewis will have unframed artwork to view, as well as a catalog of the exhibit, curator Hester Coucke said. The features three large paintings on canvas with multiple images and more than 20 small paintings on paper. Most of which are arranged in groups. "All of the images relate to each other by scale and subject matter," Lewis said. The project is presented in a documentary style to create dialogue between the various paintings. "It's really about how all of the images work off of each other to create this narrative about what it is that we do with fire as human beings," he said. Coucke said, "He really likes to paint that juxtaposition between a night sky and darkness with the light of the fire." Lewis said his love of fire has made the exhibit interesting and complicated for him. "I can't stand going camping, if I can't have a campfire," he said. "It makes me really sad that I don't have a fireplace in my house." Lewis said it is human to love and rely on fire, but people forget about its connection to the burning of fossil fuels and contribution to climate change. The message is people can't continue to use fire in the same way. "We have to change something that's basically fundamental to human nature, so it's a really big challenge," Lewis said. He displayed smaller versions of the exhibit about two years ago at Portland Community College and Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. This exhibit will include a panel discussion on the impact of climate change on Northwest forests July 22 at The Arts Center. Joining Lewis in this discussion will be Oregon State University Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society faculty members Michael P. Nelson, (environmental ethics, Landscape Fire and Conservation Science Research Group) and Meg Krawchuk, (fire ecology, Landscape Fire and Conservation Science Research Group), along with Will Novy-Hildesley, executive director of the North American Forest Partnership. "We all have different professional perspectives on the same issue, and I want to see where that conversation goes and hopefully get people in the community to ask questions," Lewis said. "This is something that affects everybody." Coucke said the exhibit's mixture of art and forestry science could well interest mid-valley residents. "It seems to be a really fitting show for Corvallis," she said. As for Lewis, he hopes his artwork serves as a prompt to help people understand their own connection to the problem. "I want people to come away from it thinking about the issue on a deeper, slightly more personal level," he said. SOMETIMES, it takes a sheer act of will to turn right, not left, at a certain point on our evening walk. Other times, will fails and longing wins. My husband and I have not lived in what we call our real house for 15 years. Weve lived eight-tenths of a mile away from it for that long. But some gravitational force, especially on soft summer nights, propels us back to that street and that house where like love-struck teens, we stop and gaze at the old Tudorthe old girl, we called herwhere we spent 28 years. We left only when it was painfully clear even to us that the place was just too big, too complicated and too demanding for the likes of us. But homes retain their claim on us. Enclosed within are memories. Matters of the heart and the soul. A fondness that for us reached all the way to love. For my husband, it was the stairway, brazenly uncarpeted, grand in a 1920s kind of way, that let him surrender to a house that was always going to be demanding. For me, it was the sparks of color when the sun hit the stained-glass den windows in the afternoon. For our school-age kids, there was no better house in the universe for hide and seek. We forgave the houses caprices. No sensible floor plan. Inefficient heating. Something always broke or failed. It ate money we didnt have in abundance. Local plumbers and electricians would take one look and fleejust what we wanted to do when we saw their estimates. Our kids begged us to stay put even after they left for college. And again when they returned to the area. Their dream was to be married in our backyard. Theyll change their minds when the time comes, I assured my husband. I was wrong. And it came to pass that Jill, Amy, and Nancy all got their wish. On three June days a few years apart, the Friedman brides walked down that staircase that had seduced us from the start. Then each was escorted by her father down the path from the front door to the old beech tree in the yard. It wasnt planned. He ad-libbed the circling of that much-loved tree for the first wedding and it was a required ritual for the second and third. Then a few years passed, and we sensed it was time to part from the old girl. Even our daughtersand their husbands and even friendsprodded us with a well-meaning clarion call for change. Ready or not. My husband had retired. We were grandparents. And this was the time to sell, the local Realtors kept reminding us. So the potential buyers came. One couple talked about spreading wall-to-wall carpeting on our old oak floors. Another muttered about the impractical traffic flow. Wildly impartial, we vowed wed never sell to them. Then along came a couple who were as smitten as we had been. But we had to be out in eight weeks. So we were _ because we wanted them to be the next custodians of that tyrannical old Tudor. We signed the papers on one of the worst days in American history: Sept. 9, 2001. It truly felt as if we were moving from one universe into another. We have been back. An even newer set of owners graciously invited us to their holiday party and let us roam. The rooms were wonderfulbut not the same. The kitchen was beautiful and modernbut the photos on the shelves in the living room were not of our kids. Other guests at the party knew of our connection and gave us space and privacy as we wandered. But if they watched this elderly couple, chances are they saw us wiping away a tear or two along the way. Certain homes have souls, so yes, on summer nights when we cant resist, we walk past, and pause just to lookand remember. THE Ku Klux Klan will always pop up here and there, like an unsightly pimple on Americas face. It is inevitable that the hateful disaffected occasionally will take advantage of their First Amendment rights to spew racist, antiquated ideas. It is their privilege, one of the most sacred ones our country offers, and it has been abused lately. On college campuses across the nation, students and others are silencing those with whose views they dont agree, disrupting speeches and getting planned speakers uninvited. In light of that, it was heartening to see Charlottesville rise above it on July 8 when the Klan came calling. When the hooded marchers went low, the home of the University of Virginia went relatively high. Instead of forbidding the 50 Klansmen from a North Carolina-based group to hold a march there, residents exercised their own right to free speech. One thousand anti-Klan demonstrators showed up and made their voices heard. Yes, water bottles and fruit were thrown, and the Charlottesville police found it necessary to use tear gas to disperse the protesters, arresting 23 of them. Getting arrested sometimes happens when one takes a stand. The main thing that happened was that one group decided to protest the proposed removal of Confederate statues, and another group made its voice heard in a relatively peaceful way. Thats what is supposed to happen. A group is permitted to express itself (as long as it doesnt do damage to others). If others find their views odious, they exercise their First Amendment rights just as vigorously. It could be well argued that the Ku Klux Klan was hurt more by a thousand voices than it would have been by a court gag order that would have kept its members off the streets and been used to portray the Klan as some kind of put-upon minority. To be clear, the Klan marchers in Charlottesville on the 8th were not advocating lynching. They were not openly trying to disenfranchise their black countrymen, as they have in the past. The groups terrorist history, though, is enough to make many right-minded people want to let its members know their robes are not welcome in a decent society. Kudos to Charlottesville for getting that message across without ripping up the First Amendment. We are a democratic republic. If those in league with what many would see as the forces of evil are the only ones energized enough to get out and raise hell, those forces might well win. On the flip side, if the only way to throw out the Klan is to toss the First Amendment at the same time, the country has lost more than it has gained. The Klan protested the threatened loss of monuments to Confederate leaders. A thousand residents protested the Klans presence in their community. They both were allowed to do so. Thats the way its supposed to work. As President Trump was fond of saying on the campaign trail, one of the things he was going to do was drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. The swamp has been described by some as an impenetrable morass, inhabited by career politicians from both major political parties, as well as lobbyists and influence peddlers who blissfully ignore the problems at hand and who owe no allegiance to the voters of the country they supposedly represent. Anyone who wonders whether such a thing really exists need look no further than the Stafford County government. County roads are gridlocked, and existing schools are increasingly crowded. Empty storefronts and office space abound, while attracting the type of commercial investment that would bring high-paying jobs without extensive commutes does not appear to be a priority for our representatives. Consider the following events and draw your own conclusion: In June, the Board of Supervisors, by a 43 vote, approved a rezoning action that increased the allowable dwelling units from 20 to 97 new homes. When the issue of proffers was raised, the response from the swamp was that some money from the developer (no matter how little when compared to established guidelines) was better than no proffers if the rezoning was not approved and the land developed without a density increase. Never mind that the pitiful sums offered will quickly be offset by the annual costs incurred by providing county services to the additional, and unwarranted, 77 dwellings. In July, the Board, voting 42 with one abstention, repeated its creative math performance. This time, 170 dwellings were approved in a rezoning action where only 105 could be justified by the Stafford County Comprehensive Plan, and in an action that defies logic, allowed the 170 homes to be located under the traffic pattern of Stafford Airport. Once again, the refrain of some proffer money with rezoning is better than no proffer money with by-right development was heard, but the same fuzzy math persists. We, the taxpayer, will soon pay for the inadequate proffers offered with this rezoning approval. In an ongoing saga that has yet to be decided, the Board of Supervisors, by a 52 vote, continued to endorse crony capitalism in Stafford County. Given the lack of interest for new commercial investment in what previously was Aquia Town Center, the board appears willing to continue negotiations to grant the potential developer of that blighted property an almost limitless amount of tax credits, if only the developer will bring a popular supermarket to locate there. As Stafford County already has a multitude of underutilized supermarkets to serve its population, you, and the employees of those supermarkets, might question why one new food store should be the government-favored recipient of taxpayer largess and the competitive advantage it acquires with those taxpayer dollars. The D.C. swamp features career politicians, influence peddling and large amounts of campaign cash behind the scenes. A bit of campaign finance research using the excellent Virginia Public Access Project website at vpap.org will help you understand that the Stafford swamp is alive and well. The only way it will be drained will be to see how your supervisors vote, what campaign funds they receive and from whom, and to draw your conclusions, accordingly. Shame on us if we dont drain our own swamp, first! Hank Scharpenberg of Stafford is a former chairman of the Stafford Regional Airports Authority. There is something romantic about railroad history. How many songs have been written, stories shared and movies made that involve riding the railroadthe rush of rhythmic, steady speed, carrying you to unknown places and people? Maybe you are among the 20,000 passengers who ride the Virginia Railway Express every day, grateful to avoid the headache of I95, peacefully watching the countryside slip past as the train snakes its way to or from Washington, D.C. Do you ever wonder about past passengers who traveled those tracks over the last 150 years? Have you ever imagined travel during the golden age of the railroad and what it must have been like? And what about the American Civil War, how did the railroad change troop and supply delivery, battle strategy and communication? Here in Fredericksburg, and at many other locations within an easy drive, the romance of the railroad can be experienced once again, not only by hearing about history, but by touching and feeling and climbing on and even riding train cars and locomotives of the past. Rappahannock Railroad Museum 11700 Main St., Fredericksburg. rrmuseum.org Located near the Fredericksburg fairgrounds in Spotsylvania County, the Rappahannock Railroad Museum has been serving Fredericksburg for 28 years. The Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad really did a lot to build this area, said museum president James Taylor. It started in 1836, came up from Richmond, and went up Cool Springs Road, which was a track back then. Visitors to the museum can view and handle many railroad artifacts, and climb up into the cupola of a 50-year-old caboose. But best of all, you can ride the Little Yellow Train, a preserved collection of railroad cars used for track maintenance between 1930 and 1960. A lot of kids come here for their first train ride, Taylor said. We take you on a ride through the business park and down along Deep Run Creek to the active mainline and back again. By 1842, the RF&P had extended the track all the way to Aquia Landing, where passengers and freight could be loaded onto steamboats and travel to points north. The Union seized control of the steamboats at the beginning of the Civil War, and Aquia Landing went back and forth between Union and Confederate hands as the war progressed, with the station, miles of track, and various bridges being destroyed and rebuilt throughout the war. The bridge over Potomac Creekjust northeast of todays Leeland Stationwas destroyed by the Confederate army in 1862 as they retreated. Union transportation engineer Herman Haupt was commissioned to rebuild it. He had it ready for use in a record-breaking nine days. President Lincoln visited Fredericksburg soon after, and admired Haupts work, marveling that loaded trains were running over the 400-foot-wide, 80-foot-tall expanse every hour, and yet, Lincoln said, Upon my word, gentlemen, there is nothing in it but beanpoles and cornstalks. After being rebuilt at least four times during the war, in 1899 the bridge was moved to its current location. A historic marker just off Leeland Road identifies the south abutment of the original bridge. For many more fascinating railroad stories about this area, visit the Rappahannock Railroad Museum, staffed by knowledgeable volunteers and open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Richmond Railroad Museum 102 Hull St., Richmond. richmondrailroadmuseum.org With five railroad lines going in and out of Richmond at the time, the Virginia city was an ideal choice for the capitol of the Confederacy when the state seceded in 1861. Richmond was a major transportation hub, said Ned Krack, Richmond Railroad Museum secretary. Also there was a lot of vital industry here, including the Tredegar Iron Works. Tredegar supplied about half the artillery used by the Confederacy. Before the war, they made locomotives. But during the war they made the ironclad warships and cannon, Krack said. The Richmond Railroad Museum is housed in a 100-year-old authentic passenger and freight station. We have a 24-by-26-foot model railroad layout, Krack said. Out back is a steam locomotive and a caboose people can go on. One of the most unique railroad wonders can be seen only in Richmond, just across the James River from the railroad museum. The Triple Crossing is a series of three tracks stacked on top of each other, so three different trains can pass over and under each other at the same time, Krack said. Its the only three-way crossing like it in the world. Fairfax Station Railroad Museum 11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station. fairfax-station.org Fairfax Station, opening in 1854 on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, demonstrated the impact this new infrastructure could have in the Civil War. Clara Barton played a critical role at Fairfax Station in 1862 as the Union Army was defeated after the Second Battle of Manassas and the Battle of Chantilly and they withdrew to Washington. She set up a field hospital and nursed the wounded from these battles, said Michael Chinworth, Fairfax Station Railroad Museum vice president. They used the railroad to move the wounded men to Alexandria and the hospitals there. Barton, her volunteers, and the doctors nursed 3,000 wounded soldiers for three days and remained at Fairfax Station until the last of the wounded were evacuated. From her experiences here, she came up with the plan for what would eventually become the American Red Cross, Chinworth said. The Station is the only non-National Park location that is part of the Traveling Clara Barton Program, in which young visitors can visit specified Clara Barton historical sites and collect stamps to qualify them for the Clara Barton NHS Civil War Junior Ranger Badge. Weve actually had people call up and say they became a nurse because of this program, Chinworth said. At the museum, visitors can try using live telegraph equipment, another vital piece of technology that was new during the Civil War, and contributed significantly to Union victory. Lincoln used the telegraph to communicate with his generals, said Chinworth. This was an amazing new innovation, to be able to share news and information almost instantaneously. In October, Fairfax Station Railroad Museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary. They are open every Saturday and Sunday with model train displays, activities and historic interpreters. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum 2711 Maryland Ave., Ellicott City, Md. borail.org The first commercial railroad station in the United States is located 96 miles from Fredericksburg. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Ellicott City, Md., is the oldest train station in the country and among the oldest in the world. It was built in 1831, and the track was laid from our station into Baltimore, said Amelia Youhn, the museums site manager. We have the original freight house, and housed inside is a model train layout showing the original 13 miles of track. The layout features a video and light show. Visitors can also see the original turntable and the model of a 1927 I-5 caboose. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. SWEET HOME The Sweet Home School Board and its charter school have agreed on a 10-year contract that allows for larger class sizes and no change to the current enrollment cap. Sweet Home School Board members voted 5-0, with one abstention by Jim Gourley and four people absent, to approve the new contract during their meeting July 10. Charter school representatives could not immediately be reached, but Kevin Strong, the Sweet Home School District's director of business, said it's his understanding the organization has agreed to the contract details. The new contract increases the charter school's maximum class size from 25 to 28 students. It also allows the charter school to increase schoolwide enrollment by up to 25 students each year, if the combined enrollment at district-operated elementary schools Foster, Hawthorne, Holley and Oak Heights does not drop below 1,080 students in the preceding October. The charter school's maximum enrollment cap remains at 252 students. Superintendent Tom Yahraes told the district's budget committee in May he had asked to bring that cap down to 155, which is both closer to recent totals and allows the district to retain more state funding to cover a return to a five-day academic week. Sweet Home Charter School opened in 2006. Its highest enrollment was 237 students in 2014, but this year it dropped to about 135 with no waiting list, Yahraes told the budget committee. The district built its 2017-18 budget, including the five-day week, assuming the charter school's enrollment will be at 155 students, Strong said. He said the enrollment cap doesn't need to change to allow for that assumption. "We build each year's budget based on the charter school's enrollment estimate," he said. "For 2016-17, the charter school estimated an enrollment of 190 to 200 students. The actual enrollment was considerably less, which saved the district money this past year." SWEET HOME Although Mayor Greg Mahler said his phone rang off the hook with calls from residents concerned about a proposal to tie garbage collection rates to the Consumer Price Index, the City Council held its second reading of an ordinance to do just that. Ive gotten a lot of call, a lot of calls, Mahler said. People would like to see some type of cap put on this. Josh Metcalf of Waste Connections provided the council with data showing the price index dating back to 1989. He said the average increase has not exceeded 3.7 percent for the Portland-Salem reporting area. Metcalf said Waste Connections tries to provide its employees with family wage jobs and that includes annual salary increases that are at or slightly above the Consumer Price Index levels. By taking smaller annual increases, we hope to avoid having large increases to catch up, Metcalf said. We want to provide our staff with living wages and to keep up our equipment and our facilities. Metcalf said the city of Brownsville recently approved this system and the city of Halsey is considering it. Metcalf said Waste Connections wants to hire and maintain employees in what is considered the fourth-most dangerous job in the country. The council agreed to consider annual rate increases on July 1, 2018, based on the Consumer Price Index for the Portland-Salem area. In other business, the council: Held the first reading of an ordinance to grant a 10-year franchise contract with NW Natural. Approved a new dog control ordinance that sets out licensing requirements, defines nuisances and sets rules regarding impoundment and possible killing of problem dogs. Agreed to work with Government Portfolio Advisors to invest city funds outside the Local Government Investment Pool. The goal is to see a greater return on the citys investments. Approved an annual resolution with the Oregon Jamboree music festival to provide certain services, such as police services, the use of Sankey Park and street closures. WREN RYAN CLARY Free Access Zach and Erica Clary of Gaffney announce the birth of their daughter, Wren Ryan Clary, born August 17, 2022. Wren has a sister, Reese. Grandparents are Eric and Teresa Bennett... Fresh fruit and veggies for Thanksgiving Free Access Families can receive a box of fresh fruits and vegetables just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays. FoodShare Cherokee provides opportunities for all residents to order fresh food boxes every... Museum, Limestone collaborating on textile history program Free Access The Cherokee County Museum is partnering with Limestone Universitys communications class and local educator Tim Lipsey to conduct a history program on textiles. If you or your family has worked... Although it seems impossible that July already has reached its halfway point, a glimpse at the calendar shows that it's true. That means, of course, that the Linn County Fair has started its annual run, and our advice is that you make plans to attend before the last ride shuts down Saturday night. Now, some of you might say that you've already attended, that you went to the fair on its opening day, Wednesday. Good for you. May we suggest a return engagement over the final three days of this year's fair? We know what some of you are saying: "Why should I go again? It's basically the same fair, year after year." Well, there is a certain amount of truth to that statement although surely the fair is large enough and has enough variety to guarantee new experiences with each additional visit. But you know what? One of the best reasons to attend the fair is the same as it was when it started, decades ago: It offers us a chance to reconnect with our community, with new friends and old, in a way that we don't get during our workaday routines. (And, of course, there's something to be said for finding an excuse to slip away from your workaday routines, especially in the midst of one of the mid-valley's glorious summers. But if you need other reasons to attend the fair (or to stage a return engagement), consider these: Corndogs. A good lineup of evening concerts, at a remarkably good price. Oregon native Kristy Lee Cook kicked off the night shows on Wednesday, but three concerts remain, including Saturday night's show with Wynonna Judd. You can pay extra to see these concerts, but you don't have to: Good seats are available for just the price of fair admission. Corndogs. You don't get a chance to eat those things much during the rest of the year. Consider chasing your second corndog with a serving of funnel cake, appropriately topped with whipped cream. You know what would be great with that? An icy glass of lemonade. Now, that's living. If you despair, as we sometimes do, about these kids today, a visit to the variety of 4-H and FFA exhibition areas will cheer you up. Those kids work hard, all year round, and its fun (and impressive) to see the fruits of their labors. You'll walk away considerably more confident that the future is in good hands. Like farmers, fair managers like to complain about the weather: If its too hot, people stay away. If its too cold or if it rains, people stay away. But this years fair should be right in that "Goldilocks" zone not too hot, not too cold, just about perfect, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. As always, though, pack some sunscreen. At a certain age, the appeal of many carnival rides begins to fade; our stomachs are not as iron-cast as they used to be, and after all, at this point, a pair of corndogs are sloshing around in them. But it's fun to stroll down carnival row and watch the faces of kids buzzing with anticipation in line to ride or a little dizzy as they get off. A visit to the fair is a virtual guarantee that youll run into a friend whom you havent seen in months. This, really, is kind of the point of the event. Should you share a third corndog? No; those aren't meant to be shared. But divide an elephant ear between the two of you and catch up. (mm) Story Highlights 65% of Trump disapprovers give personality and character explanations For Obama in July 2009, 65% cited issue and policy explanations Those who approve of Trump are more mixed in their reasons WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans who disapprove of how Donald Trump is handling his job as president primarily base their views on his character and personality. By contrast, U.S. adults who disapproved of Barack Obama's job performance in July 2009, during his first year in office, focused mainly on his policies and stances on issues. In mid-2001, Americans who disapproved of George W. Bush were significantly more likely to explain their views with broad or general negative evaluations of his job performance. Why do you disapprove of the way [Trump/Obama/Bush] is handling his job as president? (Broad Categories) Based on those who said they disapprove of the way the president is handling his job Trump, 2017 Obama, 2009 Bush, 2001 % % % Broad performance evaluations 12 15 43 Issues/Specific policies 16 65 31 Personality/Personal characteristics 65 14 17 Gallup These responses are based on questions Gallup asked in the summer of each president's first year in office. Americans who either approved or disapproved of the president's job performance explained their reasoning in their own words. Trump is the least well-evaluated of the three, with a 38% approval, 56% disapproval rating in the July 5-9 survey. At the comparable time in 2009, Obama's image was essentially the mirror opposite, at 58% approval and 36% disapproval, while Bush's in 2001 was 52% approval and 34% disapproval. Trump's unique personal style, brashness and disregard for conventional political norms and discourse -- while clearly a negative for many during the campaign -- helped him stand out from other Republican contenders and ultimately contributed to his victory in November. Six months into his presidency, these same characteristics remain prominent in the minds of his detractors and remain the most frequently cited reasons as to why the majority of Americans think he is not doing a good job. At the comparable early point in his presidency, Obama was in a unique situation, although not of his own making: dealing with the aftermath of the financial crisis and recession. Most of those who disapproved of Obama in July 2009 said it was due to his stance on issues and his handling of the economic crisis -- including spending too much, relying too much on government solutions for economic problems and turning the nation toward socialism. Few mentioned his character or personality traits. Those who disapproved of George W. Bush in mid-2001, before 9/11, were more general in their reasons for their negative views of the way he was handling his job. The detailed explanations given by those disapproving of Trump appear in the table below. Those citing his character and personality are most likely to name his temperament, arrogance and tendency to act "nonpresidential." Others comment on his inexperience and offer explanations pertaining to his self-focus, Twitter use and perceived untrustworthiness. Those who base their disapproval of Trump on his stances on issues are most likely to mention their generic disagreement, as well as his policies on foreign affairs and healthcare. But none of these is mentioned by more than 4% of disapprovers. Why do you disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president? (Detailed Categories) Based on those who said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job % Mentioned Character/Personality-related 65 Not presidential/Bad temperament/Arrogant/Obnoxious 29 Inexperienced/Doesn't know what he is doing 10 Looking out for himself/Doesn't consider people's needs 6 Use of social media/Twitter 6 Untrustworthy 6 Racist/Sexist 3 Not knowledgeable 3 Wishy-washy 2 Issue/Policy-related 16 Disagree with his policies (nonspecific) 4 Disapprove of his handling of foreign affairs 4 Disapprove of his healthcare policies 3 Favors the rich 2 Needs to unify the country 1 Disapprove of his environmental policies 1 Disapprove of his handling of the economy 1 Broad performance evaluations 12 Disagree with what he is doing/Doing a poor job 7 Not fulfilling his campaign promises/All talk and no action 3 Trying to do too much 1 Doesn't have qualified advisers/staff 1 Other 8 No opinion 1 Gallup, July 5-9, 2017 Reasons for Approving of Trump Similar to Obama Americans who approve of the job Trump is doing offer much less specific reasons than those who disapprove. Explanations for supporting Trump are distributed more evenly across the three categories -- personality, issues and broad performance evaluations. Additionally, in sharp contrast to the reasons cited by disapprovers, Trump approvers give explanations that are similar to those given by Obama approvers in 2009. Bush's supporters in 2001 were even more likely to give broad, general explanations, as was the case for his detractors. Why do you approve of the way [Trump/Obama/Bush] is handling his job as president? (Broad Categories) Based on those who said they approve of the way the president is handling his job Trump, 2017 Obama, 2009 Bush, 2001 % % % Broad performance evaluations 38 41 50 Issues/Specific policies 33 40 9 Personality/Personal characteristics 24 15 24 Gallup The most frequently mentioned explanations for approving of Trump's job performance are general statements that he is doing the best he can under difficult circumstances, and that he is keeping his promises and doing what is best for the country. Some mention his work on job creation and the economy, but these appear with relatively low frequency. Arguably, Trump's most visible focus as president has been on policies dealing with terrorism and immigration, but few mention those areas as the reason for their support. Among those approvers mentioning his personality traits, the most frequently cited responses are that he shows strong leadership and that he is not part of the Washington establishment. (Detailed responses appear in the table below.) In short, the core group of about four in 10 Americans who like what Trump is doing as president are quite general when asked to give their reasons, suggesting that this group -- mostly Republicans -- may approve as much because Trump is a president from their party as any highly specific element of Trump's personality or accomplishment. Why do you approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president? (Detailed Categories) Based on those who said they approve of the way Trump is handling his job % Mentioned Broad performance evaluations 38 Doing a good job/best he can under difficult circumstances 12 Keeping his promises 11 Does what is best for America 10 Better than Obama 4 Willing to give him a chance 1 Issue/Policy-related 33 Creating job opportunities/Bringing jobs back to America 6 Agree with his policies/actions (nonspecific) 5 Active/Taking on many issues 5 Economy is getting better/Fixing the economy 5 Handling of immigration/terrorism 4 Trying new, different things/Changing things 4 Foreign policy 2 Conservative 2 Character/Personality-related 24 Doesn't back down/Shows strong leadership 9 Not part of the Washington establishment/Not a politician 7 Transparent/Straightforward with the people 3 Honest/Has integrity 3 Intelligent/Smart 1 Like his handling of the media 1 Other 3 No opinion 1 Gallup, July 5-9, 2017 Bottom Line These results make it abundantly clear that Trump's unique style, flouting of convention and non-normative patterns of White House behavior are driving his high disapproval ratings among the American public -- rather than disagreement with his policies or issue stances. The results also show that these same traits are not highly likely to be mentioned by those who approve of the job he is doing. His supporters instead give a mix of broad explanations for their approval, not unlike what Obama's supporters said about him in 2009. Trump has not changed his behavior or style since taking office, making it appear unlikely that he will do so in the months and years ahead. That, in turn, suggests it is unlikely that the majority of Americans who disapprove of his job performance will change their minds about him -- unless he manages to pull off dramatic domestic or international accomplishments that overshadow his behavior in the minds of his detractors. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Explore President Trump's approval ratings in depth and compare them with those of past presidents in the Gallup Presidential Job Approval Center. There currently are 93 Fisher Houses in the United States and in Europe with plans for more. Oregon State Police officials have released the victim's name in the July 10 fatal traffic collision on Interstate 5 south of Albany. Nathanial Hyde, 6, was pronounced dead at the scene. What began as a missing person report turned fatal Monday night when Hyde was struck and killed near milepost 230. Linn County Sheriff's Office deputies received a call about the missing boy at about 9:33 p.m. Monday, and dispatched four deputies to the residence and surrounding area. By 9:48 p.m., OSP joined the search. Then, shortly before 10 p.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a motor vehicle/pedestrian crash near milepost 230 on the interstate. Investigators determined that at least one commercial motor vehicle struck the child, and that two other vehicles may have been involved. Deputies confirmed the victim was the child. There is no indication of any wrongdoing, and the vehicle operators are cooperating with the investigation. The Linn County District Attorney's office, Tangent Rural Fire District, Albany Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. To find trees in the desert, we often have to go up in the mountains. I grew up in the Midwest, so every once in awhile I get a yearning to ... The coordinated care organization for Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties earned $10.5 million in incentive payments from the Oregon Health Authority after meeting a number of performance metrics for 2016. InterCommunity Health Network (IHN) is one of 16 regional CCOs that manage health care delivery for people covered by the Oregon Health Plan, the states version of Medicaid. As of December, IHN covered just under 50,000 patients. Each year, the Oregon Health Authority holds back a percentage of payments to the CCOs and puts it into a quality pool to fund incentive payments the following year. The Health Authority withheld 4.25 percent of payments in 2016 to create a pool of $178.8 million. According to a recently released Health Authority report, Corvallis-based IHN earned 92 percent of the incentive funds for which it was eligible, hitting six benchmarks and six improvement targets on a list of 18 quality measurements tracked by the state. Those numbers were down slightly from last year, when IHN met seven benchmarks and six improvement targets out of 17 being tracked at the time to earn a 100 percent performance incentive payment. The organization and the health care providers it works with performed up to the benchmark for alcohol and drug screening, colorectal cancer screening, dental sealants for children, depression screening and follow-up, developmental screening and primary care home enrollment. IHN reached improvement targets in adolescent well-care visits, assessments for children in Department of Human Services custody, smoking prevalence, high blood pressure control, effective contraceptive use and prenatal care. The CCO missed targets for access to care, ambulatory care and emergency room use, childhood immunization, diabetes control, follow-up after hospitalization or mental illness and patient satisfaction. Each year the targets set by OHA increase, making them more challenging to meet, IHN chief executive Kelley Kaiser said in a statement issued this week. This ensures that we continue to focus on improvement and better health outcomes for members in collaboration with our community partners. We must continually improve. Ten percent of the incentive payment a little over $1 million will be set aside for local pilot projects intended to support Oregons outcome-based health care transformation initiative. The rest will go to health care providers who are part of the IHN network. This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department and the Benton County Sheriffs Office. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise. Corvallis Police Department TUESDAY, JULY 11 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: 9:43 p.m., 200 block of Northwest 26th Street, Corvallis. A resident reported seeing a man standing outside of his window watching him play on his computer. The man ran away, and the resident later heard creaking on his back porch, and when he went to look he saw the man rushing away. Police searched for the prowler but did not find him. TRESPASSING: 10 p.m., 400 block of Southwest Jefferson Avenue, Corvallis. Police responded to a report from a resident of a home who said three people were setting up camp in his front yard. Officers made contact with the people, who had set out blankets and sleeping bags on the front yard. The same group had been moved by police 30 minutes earlier from the front yard of another home. Police told the people they had to leave because they were trespassing and the group left. SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: 11:19 a.m., 3300 block of Northeast Oxford Circle, Corvallis. Police responded after a woman reported a van was following two children and had stopped multiple times to speak with them. Officers determined the van contained Oregon Department of Human Services caseworkers, who were visiting the area. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 DRUGS: 3:42 a.m., 1700 block of Northwest Ninth Street, Corvallis. Officers responded to the parking lot at Dedes Deli for a welfare check. Police spoke with Kyle Joseph Lebar, 26, and saw drug paraphernalia in his car. Lebar submitted to a search of his car, where officers found heroin and methamphetamine. Police arrested Lebar for possession of heroin and meth and took him to the Benton County Jail. Benton County Sheriffs Office TUESDAY, JULY 11 CRASH: 1:05 a.m., Highway 34 and Milepost 31, Alsea. Deputies responded to a traffic crash. The driver, Paul Earl Bluhm, 58, of Camas, said he had fallen asleep on his way to Alsea. Deputies arrested Bluhm for a parole violation on a charge of dangerous drugs. Deputies took Bluhm to the Benton County Jail. DISTURBANCE: 12:01 p.m., 28100 block of Yvette Lane, Corvallis. Deputies responded to a report of an argument with a firearm involved. Deputies seized a shotgun from a man who was intoxicated and belligerent. No arrests were made. Charlene Alexander, the new chief diversity officer at Oregon State University, was asked how she liked her office in the Kerr Administration Building. Its not so much about the location of the office, its the work that takes place in the office, Alexander said. Alexander, a native of the West Indies island of Trinidad with experience at Fordham University and Ball State University, started work in her new position June 30. She was the second key hire President Ed Ray made after announcing at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event in January 2016 that he was creating two new offices to deal with diversity and equity. Kim Kirkland started work Feb. 28 as executive director for equal opportunity and access, and Alexander has assumed the role of vice president and chief diversity officer. Both individuals report directly to Ray. Alexander said it was a one-on-one interview with Ray that helped convince her to come to Corvallis from a position as director of the diversity office at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. It was listening to him and his passion about the issue that sealed the deal for me, said Alexander, whose background and education are in counseling and psychology. Alexander is quick to emphasize that diversity is not a new topic at Oregon State. OSU has been doing diversity work for decades, she said. This position is designed to complement work the university already has been doing for a long time. Alexander praised the federal government for implementing the 1862 Morrill Act that created land-grant schools such as OSU. It was done with a sense that everyone should have an opportunity to be educated, she said. It was important for the country, and it showed that education was not just for those who could afford it or those who live on the East Coast. Alexander also noted that 40 percent of the students in OSUs first graduating class were women. Alexander, who in addition to her Caribbean roots has spent time in England, New York, Nebraska and Indiana, said each experience has given me a different lens to understanding diversity and the world in which we live. Coming from the Caribbean I understand what that international experience is like. I didnt know I was black until I came to the United States. You grow up not thinking of yourself in racial terms. It changes you. Alexander recalled that when she arrived for an orientation at Creighton in Omaha, Nebraska, she was asked if she had lived in a thatched house in Trinidad. It was kind of a shock, she said. Im having to constantly tell people where Trinidad is. There were things I took for granted that they didnt know. It never offended me. International students I know what they are going through. OSUs international population has risen to 11.6 percent in recent years. It was at just 4.6 percent a decade ago, and 23.7 percent of OSUs Corvallis and Ecampus fall 2016 enrollment identified as minorities. Alexander said she was deeply impressed with the four cultural centers on campus, all of which have moved into new buildings in recent years. Thats part of that demonstration of commitment," she said. "My vision is that anyone who comes onto this campus should be able to ask anyone, from a groundskeeper to President Ray to a faculty member or a student is diversity important here? The answer should be of course it is, yes. But were not going to make headway on diversity if the perception is that diversity work only happens in this office. It has to be a shared responsibility. It will be a university-wide effort. Its everybodys business. It really is. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Government of the Netherlands - AGM-114R Hellfire Missiles Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 17-25 WASHINGTON, Jul. 11, 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Netherlands for AGM-114R Hellfire missiles. The estimated cost is $34 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of the Netherlands has requested the possible sale of an additional seventy (70) AGM-114R Hellfire II missiles to a previously implemented case for Hellfire missiles. The original FMS case, valued at $26.3M, included one hundred and eighty (180) AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles and twenty-four (24) M36E8 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) with various support elements. Therefore, this case is for a total of two hundred fifty (250) AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles, twenty-four (24) M36E8 CATMs, to include Hellfire missile cutaway model, AGM-114R missile spare parts, a Launcher Test Station (LTS), LTS spares, two (2) maintenance support devices, integrated logistics support tools, M299 launcher software upgrade and testing, aircrew familiarization training, launcher test station training, unclassified publications, technical assistance, AN/AWM-101A software, CATM spare parts and related support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total case value is $34 million. This proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of the Netherlands which has been, and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. It is vital to the U.S. national interests to assist the Netherlands to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands' capability to meet current and future threats and will be employed on the Netherlands' AH-64D Apache helicopters. The Netherlands will use this capability to strengthen its homeland defense, deter regional threats, and provide direct support to coalition operations. The Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles into its armed forces. The proposed sale of these missiles will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government personnel or contractor representatives to the Netherlands. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hillary, Bill Clinton 'colluded' with Russia: White House Iran Press TV Thu Jul 13, 2017 6:20AM The White House has accused former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton of "collusion" with Russia, in a bid to fend off new questions in the ongoing investigation into President Donald Trump's alleged ties to Moscow. Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during her off-camera press briefing on Wednesday that instead of Trump and his associates, the investigators should focus on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Clinton family's ties with foreign governments. "If we're looking at Russia relationships with anybody, it would be directly with the Clintons," the spokeswoman said, noting that Clinton had sold "a third of the world's uranium" to Russia. She was referring to a uranium deal between Russia and Canadian mining company Uranium One, which had "control of one-fifth of all uranium production capacity in the United States," according to a 2016 report by The New York Times. Because of uranium's strategic nature, the deal had to be signed off by several federal government committees, including the State Department, which was then run by Hillary Clinton. According to the Times, during Russia's gradual takeover of the mines between 2009 and 2013, Canadian records showed that Uranium One chairman's family foundation donated a total of $2.35 million to the Clinton Foundation. Shortly after the deal, Hillary's husband, former US President Bill Clinton, gave a speech in Russia for a hefty $500,000 paid by a Russian investment bank that promoted Uranium One stock at the time, the daily noted. Sanders raised yet another question by pointing to the Clinton campaign's work with Ukraine in order to get damaging info on Trump. "If there's been any evidence of collusion in 2016 actually happening, it would have been between the DNC and the Ukrainian government," Sanders said, referring to a Politico report published in January. The report pointed to meetings between Clinton's associates and Ukrainian officials who provided research and damaging info on Trump and advised Clinton's staff to question Trump's fitness for office. The new accusations against Clinton came shortly after Trump boldly said in an interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin would have preferred Clinton in office instead of him. The investigation into Trump's alleged "collusion" with Russia took a new spin this week after the Times revealed a meeting between Trump's eldest son and a Russian lawyer, who said she could prove Clinton was connected to the Kremlin. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canadian Hercules Transport Plane Conducts First Coalition Sortie Sputnik News 01:28 13.07.2017 Canada's CC-130J Hercules cargo transport airplane conducted its first mission as part of the country's contribution to the US-led coalition against Daesh, according to National Defense Canada said in a press release. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Canada's CC-130J Hercules cargo transport airplane conducted its first mission as part of the country's contribution to the US-led coalition against Daesh terror group (banned in Russia), National Defense Canada said in a press release. "Today, a CC-130J Hercules conducted its first sortie as a new contribution to Operation IMPACT, enhancing tactical airlift capabilities within the Middle East region in support of the Global Coalition," the release stated Wednesday. The plane is deployed with about 20 military personnel in the Tactical Airlift Detachment, based in Kuwait. Canada's other air assets in support of the coalition include surveillance and refueling aircraft. Canada previously deployed the CC-130J Hercules in Afghanistan. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo Dies At 61 RFE/RL July 13, 2017 Chinese authorities say Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo has died while still in custody following a battle with cancer, after Beijing ignored international pleas to let him spend his final days free and abroad. The death of the prominent 61-year-old democracy advocate on July 13, more than a month after he was transferred from prison to a heavily guarded hospital, was decried by world leaders and international officials and personalities, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel leading the tributes. Authorities in the northeastern city of Shenyang said that Liu died three days after going into intensive care to be treated for late-stage liver cancer at a local hospital. Merkel, whose country offered to treat Liu, paid tribute to him as a "courageous fighter" for human rights. "I mourn Liu Xiaobo, the courageous fighter for human rights and freedom of expression," her spokesman Steffen Seibert tweeted on Merkel's behalf. "His family has my deep sympathies." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States mourned Liu's death, and called on China to free the dissident's widow from house arrest and let her leave the country. "Mr. Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty," Tillerson said in a statement. "I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes," he said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein also voiced his "deep sorrow" at Liu's death, and also urged China to release his widow and allow her to travel abroad. "The human rights movement in China and across the world has lost a principled champion who devoted his life to defending and promoting human rights, peacefully and consistently, and who was jailed for standing up for his beliefs," Zeid said in a statement. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas hailed Liu as a "hero" on July 12. "His nonviolent resistance made him a hero in the battle for democracy and human rights. RIP," Maas wrote on Twitter. Liu's death silences a government critic who had become a symbol of China's growing crackdown on dissenting voices. Liu is the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who passed away in a hospital while held by the Nazis in 1938. Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's political 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. International human rights groups, Western governments, and local activists had urged the authorities to free Liu and grant his final wish to be treated abroad. Germany had offered to treat Liu, calling for a "signal of humanity" from China. The United States also said it was willing to take him in. But Chinese authorities maintained that Liu was receiving treatment from top Chinese doctors since being granted medical parole following his diagnosis in late May. China's Foreign Ministry repeatedly said other countries should not interfere in Beijing's domestic affairs. Earlier this month, Liu's Chinese doctors said he was not healthy enough to be sent abroad for treatment, a position that was contradicted by U.S. and German medical experts invited by the hospital to examine Liu's condition. The foreign doctors offered to treat Liu at hospitals in their home countries. Human rights groups decried the way the government treated Liu, accusing the authorities of manipulating information about his health and refusing to let him leave. His wife, Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest in 2010, but she was allowed to see him at the hospital. Renowned Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei said Liu's death was a very difficult moment for Chinese human rights activists and a testament to China's brutality. "Liu Xiaobo was not a criminal," Ai said in Berlin. "He was a writer, an intellectual, and he used his life to find ways to make society better." "China showed how brutal its society can be," Ai said. With reporting by AFP, dpa, AP, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-liu- xiaobo-nobel-peace-laureate-dies-in- custody/28614655.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies in Chinese Hospital By Natalie Liu, Joyce Huang July 13, 2017 China's best-known human rights prisoner, Liu Xiaobo, died Thursday at age 61 following a high-profile battle with liver cancer that made his death as controversial as his life. Liu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent his last eight years as a prisoner of conscience, passed away at a hospital in Shenyang, China, where he had been moved from his prison cell in the final stage of his illness. The judicial bureau in Shengyang announced the cause of death as "multiple organ failure." Liu's final days were marked by a public dispute over the quality of his care and Beijing's refusal of a family request that he be transferred for treatment to the United States or Germany. He is the first Nobel laureate to die in state custody since Carl von Ossietzky, who died of tuberculosis under the watch of Nazi secret police in Berlin, Germany, in 1938. Tributes to Liu quickly poured in from Chinese intellectuals and human rights advocates, who described the former college lecturer as a moderate liberal who advocated peaceful resistance to Chinese authorities. "He was a man of humanity and an idealist. He's by no means a politician. Judging from his writings and speech, what he had illustrated is more of a social idealism of humanities," said Zhang Lifan, a prominent Chinese historian. Reputation for outspokenness Liu, whose name means "he who knows the waves," was born into an intellectual family in 1955 in China's northeastern province of Jilin. He received his doctorate degree in Chinese literature from Beijing Normal University in 1988. His reputation as an outspoken dissident had deep roots. In his brief, government-sanctioned role as a popular writer and academic, he was known for his criticism of traditional Chinese culture and for urging his fellow literati to exhibit more individualism. His sharp critiques created a sensation within literary and intellectual circles and won him opportunities to travel abroad as a visiting scholar. His promising career took a drastic turn in the spring of 1989 when he cut short a visiting scholarship at Columbia University in New York City and returned home to join student-led pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. "During the June 4th protests, he rushed back to Beijing from the U.S. to take part in the movement without any hesitation. That showed his earnest hope in the society's transformation and the country's democratization," said Hu Jia, a Chinese rights activist and friend of Liu and his family. Hu credited Liu with saving many lives by encouraging hundreds of students to leave the square rather than confront the Chinese troops who moved into the square with tanks in the early hours of June 4. Despite that action, and a controversial television appearance in which he cast doubt on reports of a massacre in the square, Liu was labeled a "black hand" and jailed for his role in the protests. Upon his release in early 1991, he continued to call for political reforms and was sentenced to three years in a labor camp from 1996 to 1999. Liu kept on pursuing his reform goals after his release, making him a constant target for state surveillance. End to one-party system In 2008, Liu and other dissidents and intellectuals issued a document known as Charter 08, modeled partly on Charter 77, which Czech dissidents, including Vaclav Havel, drafted in 1977. The political manifesto, which was endorsed by more than 10,000 intellectuals, calls for an end to China's one-party system and establishment of a new republic comprising a "federation" of regions and political communities, with genuine participation from the public. "If there has been any progress in the Chinese society and politics over the last 20 years, it is all because the citizens have been pushing for change," Liu said in an interview that year. "Ultimately, change will happen when problems persist and enough people are concerned." Even while he was enjoying relative freedom out of jail, thoughts of when he, and others like him, might be locked up again were never far from his mind. "For those of us in the opposition movement under dictatorships, part of our job is confronting police, and spending time in prison. So, a dissident not only needs to learn how to oppose oppression, but also how to face the crackdowns, and time in prison," Liu told reporters from Hong Kong. 'I have no enemies' Liu's convictions were put to the test in 2009, when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in the Charter 08 movement and other "subversive" activities. Worldwide fame came soon afterward when he was named as the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China." Liu learned of the honor from his wife during one of the limited prison visits she was permitted. He replied that the prize should be dedicated to those who died in the 1989 mass protests and subsequent crackdown. Liu was known as an advocate of changing China through reasoned, non-violent means. Shortly before being sentenced in 2009, Liu praised elements of the Chinese legal system, including the polite treatment he received in jail, in a speech entitled "I have no enemies." "Hatred can corrupt one's conscience and intelligence, enemy mentality could poison a nation's spirit," Liu said in the speech, which was read in his absence at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Liu's remarks confounded many advocates for democracy and freedom for China. Critics pointed to the harsh treatment, including severe torture, of other activists to show the Chinese prison system is far less "humane" than Liu described it. Some suggested the authorities purposely showed leniency toward Liu so that he would make public statements in their support. Unfulfilled wish Liu was still three years from completing his prison term when he died. The German and American doctors who were allowed to see him during his last days reported that Liu, days before his death, had clearly communicated his wish to leave China for treatment elsewhere. However, Chinese authorities maintained that he was too sick to be moved. Liu Xiaobo is survived by a son, and his wife of 21 years, Liu Xia, a staunch supporter of her husband who is reported to have said that she was determined to marry the "enemy of the state." Reflecting on their lives in a poem, she said, "I like to draw trees; why? I like the image of it standing. A life spent standing must be tiresome, you say; I answer, yes, but still I must." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia won't meddle in German election: Lavrov Iran Press TV Thu Jul 13, 2017 5:46PM Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected speculations that his country could meddle in the upcoming elections in Germany as it was alleged about votes in the United States and France. Lavrov said Thursday that claims about Russia's power to influence election results in other countries were flattering, but dismissed the notion that Moscow would help engineer the results of the upcoming general election in Germany. "It flatters us that people try to portray us as a country that could decide the fate of the whole world -- the United States, Germany," Lavrov said. He, however, said that if Russia could so easily influence the elections in other countries, it could have easily manipulated the political situation in countries of the former Soviet Union. "If that were the case, all the former Soviet republics around us would not have such a position toward Moscow," Lavrov said, adding, "Maybe there wouldn't have been a Ukrainian crisis or other problems." The remarks, made during an address to a think tank in Berlin, came after Germany's domestic security regulator warned last week that after reports about Russia's alleged manipulation of election results in the US and France, Germany could also fall victim. Lavrov again dismissed allegations that Russia-sponsored hackers helped undermine the campaign of US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton last year and helped propel President Donald Trump to office. He said those backing the claims have failed to verify them and continue to pursue their "very destructive approach." He said that no single concrete fact was presented in America during an eight-month investigation, rejecting allegations of Russian meddling as "leaks and false information." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Airborne Forces Not to Deploy Permanent Units in Arctic - Chief of Staff Sputnik News 21:11 13.07.2017 Russian Airborne Forces (AbF) will not deploy its units in the Arctic region permanently, AbF Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Nikolay Ignatov told Sputnik. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Airborne Forces (AbF) will not deploy its units in the Arctic region permanently, but will rather enhance its cooperation with Russia's Northern Fleet, AbF Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Nikolay Ignatov told Sputnik. "We do not consider such an option," Ignatov said, answering the question about possible deployment of Airborne Forces troops in the Arctic on a regular basis. Ignatov explained there is no point in the deployment of Airborne Forces to the region, adding that in case the order was given, the troops would be deployed "in the right spot of the Arctic in the right time." He also told Sputnik that the Airborne Forces would take part in the 2017 Russian Northern Fleet drills, where servicemen will carry out an operation that supports the naval forces. He noted that the Airborne Forces and the Northern Fleet expand the range of their cooperation every year. Russia has been stepping up its military, trade and exploration activities in the Arctic region. It has been building transport and energy production infrastructure, as well as installing military facilities to suit the growing development of the Northern Sea Route, linking Europe to Asia. In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for accelerating the development in the Arctic region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At Least 10 Turkish Soldiers Injured in Ammunition Depot Fire Near Syria Border Sputnik News 10:53 13.07.2017 A fire, which occurred at the ammunition depot in the Turkish province of Kilis near the border with Syria on Thursday, left at least 10 servicemen injured, local media reported. ANKARA (Sputnik) Explosions triggered by the fire initially prevented firefighters from extinguishing the flames, the Daily Sabah newspaper reported. Ambulances, search and rescue teams are on the site. The reason behind the fire is being investigated. Russia and Turkey along with Iran are guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire regime that came into force in late December. The guarantors also play an active role in the Astana peace process seeking to reach the national reconciliation in Syria. On May 20, Turkey's General Staff has developed a new plan of anti-terrorist operations in the region against possible attacks of the Kurdish armed groups in Syria and Iraq. On June 21, YPG said Turkey had been concentrating its troops around the Syrian city of Afrin and was preparing to attack. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, July 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teleperformance, the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, was recognized as the The Premier Workplace in Guyana by Mr. Keith Scott, The Honorable Minister responsible for Labor, within the Ministry of Social Protection at the companys seventh Joy-at-Work graduation ceremony late last month. More than 120 employees gathered at the Teleperformance contact center in Georgetown for a celebratory graduation ceremony, attended by several local officials and Teleperformance executives. Guyanas Honorable Minister responsible for Labor, within the Ministry of Social Protection, Mr. Keith Scott, was present to recognize the graduates and lauded Teleperformance as the The Premier Workplace in Guyana, for encompassing a strong, unique organizational culture. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Teleperformance as The Premier Workplace in Guyana, said Mr. Scott. At the heart of that recognition, is the companys adoption of the Joy-at-Work program, an initiative that shows Teleperformances true investment in its workforce and unwavering commitment to embrace its core values both inside and outside of the workplace. The Joy-at-Work program, a unique Teleperformance employee leadership and engagement program, has graduated more than 1,000 employees in Guyana since its inception in early 2015. Teleperformance Guyanas Joy-at-Work program centers on the idea that work should be more than a paycheck but should be focused on individual development and growth both inside and outside of the workplace. It operates in the context of Teleperformances core values: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, Innovation and Commitment. This locally developed initiative involves training on customer care excellence and empowering employees to apply their unique talents and skills in the contact center environment to uphold a company culture of mutual respect, support and love. The goal is for employees to experience a family both at home and at the workplace, and to look forward to coming to their Teleperformance family each day. I love that Teleperformance encourages its many global subsidiaries to adopt employee engagement programs that are relevant to the local culture and traditions, said Dr. Dale Dan, Vice President of Operations, Guyana. We are proud to be part of such a supportive global organization, one which has a powerful global footprint, but that still embraces the successful initiatives across each of its countries. Through the adoption of the Joy-at-Work program, Teleperformance in Guyana has consistently raised its employee retention and satisfaction levels. With that employee satisfaction has also come customer satisfaction, as the customer experience representatives continue to provide excellent omnichannel care for customers of major multinational companies in native English and a variety of other languages. The ceremony included festive musical performances, cultural dances, celebratory speeches, prayers and local Guyanese food and refreshments. The 120 graduates were joined by dozens of friends and family members as they received their Joy-at-Work gold lapel pins, diplomas and Teleperformance recognized its top-performing fellow graduates. The next Joy-at-Work class is expected to graduate in December 2017. ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE GROUP Teleperformance (RCF - ISIN: FR0000051807 - Reuters: ROCH.PA - Bloomberg: RCF FP), the worldwide leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, serves companies and administrations around the world, with customer care, technical support, customer acquisition (Core Services), as well as with online interpreting solutions, visa application management services, data analysis and debt collection programs (Specialized Services). In 2016, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 3,649 million (US$4,050 million, based on 1 = $1.11). The Group operates 163,000 computerized workstations, with 217,000 employees across 340 contact centers in 74 countries and serving 160 markets. It manages programs in 265 languages and dialects on behalf of major international companies operating in a wide variety of industries. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: STOXX 600, SBF 120, Next 150, CAC Mid 60 and CAC Support Services. They also have been included in the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index since December 2015, with regard to the Groups performance in corporate responsibility. Symbol: RCF - ISIN: FR0000051807 - Reuters: ROCH.PA - Bloomberg: RCF FP For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us: Twitter @teleperformance Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34f2e908-2683-4abc-9db1-bb2569a548fd A Georgia woman was arrested Wednesday suspected in an assault of a Danville man with a knife, authorities said. Juanita Melissa Harris, 45, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, is charged with malicious wounding in Wednesday afternoons stabbing. According to a Danville General District Court criminal complaint, Danville Police Department officer C.L. Jackson spoke to a 56-year-old man Wednesday afternoon in the 100 block of West Thomas Street about a stabbing. [The victim] stated Juanita Harris stabbed him in the stomach, the complaint stated. The victim had a large open wound in his upper abdomen, the complaint continued. He was taken to Danville Regional Medical Center for his injury. His status is unknown. The reason behind the stabbing is still being investigated by police. Danville Police Department Lt. Mike Wallace said Thursday there was no new information. Attempts to contact neighbors or family of the victim were unsuccessful. Harris is still in the Danville City Jail. She is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Monday morning in Danville General District Court. Trumpist crackpot Ralph Shortey... with a prominent Putin-Gate figure Oklahoma is one of the states-- one of the many states-- the DCCC has completely abandoned. There isn't one Democrat in the state's congressional delegation and the DCCC isn't targeting any districts in the state. It makes it look like the Democratic Party has given up on Oklahoma... and just because Hillary didn't win any districts there. She was the wrong candidate for that state. Trump beat her in a landslide-- 949,136 (65.3%) to 420,375 (28.9%)-- and won every single one of Oklahoma's 77 counties. The only county Clinton was even competitive in, though, was Oklahoma County, the biggest in the state (Oklahoma City), where Trump "only" beat her 141,569 (51.7%) to 112,813 (41.2%). Oklahoma was Bernie country during the primaries. He beat Hillary 174,054 (51.9%) to 139,338 (41.4%). And Oklahomans didn't see Trump as the salvation for their economic woes as much as they looked to Bernie's brand of populism. Bernie's 174,054 primary votes looks even more interesting when it;s looked at next to Trump's 130,141 votes. And in Oklahoma County, Bernie beat Trump by a very wide margin-- 32,368 votes to Senor Trumpanzee's 22,117. Bernie also beat Trump is the state's second biggest county-- Tulsa-- where Bernie won against Hillary with 26,525 votes but outpolled Trump who had 23,900 votes. It doesn't pay to give up on states like Oklahoma. It would pay to run better candidates that Oklahomans like, not candidates that fat-cat conservative Democrats on the DCCC like. Last month we made the case for why Democrats should rally around Tom Guild's congressional race in OK-05 (which includes Oklahoma City). The blinded and lame DCCC has no idea it's a winnable district-- their moronic, simple-minded and backward-looking mantra is all about going after congressional seats Hillary won and ignoring the seats where Bernie beat Trump in the primaries. Tuesday there were two significant state legislative races in Oklahoma, one in Oklahoma County and one in Tulsa County. Remember the sad saga of GOP crackpot and Trump crony Ralph Shortey . Shortey, the head of Trump's Oklahoma campaign, was forced to resign from the state Senate in March when he was caught having sex and smoking weed with an underage male prostitute near a church. Senate district 44 was a swing district that Shortey captured a few years ago when the Democratic state senator got caught up in a scandal when she decided not to run for reelection. She pled guilty to criminal charges and Shortey was elected and reelected and made himself the most insane member of a pretty crazy legislature. Shortey wrote a bill to ban the use of aborted human fetuses in food. I swear; this is true. Although he admitted there are no Oklahoma companies, at least none he was aware of, that use aborted human fetuses for food, he claims he read it on the Internet and worried that some California company might ship food made of fetuses into Oklahoma. He is a fanatic anti-immigrant maniac who represented a district that is 58.21% white and 47.82% Hispanic. He claims illegal immigration as the number 1 problem in the district. He's also famous for trying to turn back the clock on the War on Drugs, revving it up again after Oklahoma voted to lower the penalties for nonviolent drug possession from a felony to misdemeanor. In 2014 he was reelected against Democrat Michael Brooks-Jimenez 5,418 (51.7%) to 4,384 (41.8%). Tuesday Brooks-Jimenez beat Republican Joe Griffin in the special election to replace the disgraced Shortey, 1,975 (55%) to 1,644 (45%). Fired-up local Democratic activists worked hard to bring Brooks-Jimenez over the finish line. He will now be the only Hispanic Democratic state Senator in Oklahoma. Funny how karma can be a bitch sometimes, huh? In Tulsa, Karen Gaddis, who had run last November and lost, with just 40% of the vote, to the incumbent Republican state Representative (HD 75). He also resigned-- another Republican predator caught up in another typical Republican Party sexual harassment scandal-- and Karen was elected with 1,072 votes (52%) over Republican Tressa Nunley. I reached out to Tom Guild for his assessment of what these two specials mean in the greater scheme of things. "It is a heartening and welcome development," he told me after the votes were counted, "that Michael Brooks and Karen Gaddis flipped two Republican seats and were elected in the special elections. It appears that voters in Oklahomas two largest counties have come to the conclusion that Republican control of every branch of the Oklahoma State Government has been a disaster. Cuts to essential services, hardships, and huge budget shortfalls have become the rule, not the exception, for the better part of the last decade. Huge tax cuts by the Republican State Legislature for the wealthy, special interests, and the fossil fuels industry have been a dismal failure of historic proportions. Hopefully, Oklahoma will come home and restore sane and responsible representation in Congress and at the state level in upcoming election cycles." VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 13, 2017) - Maxtech Ventures Inc. (CSE: MVT) (CSE: MVT.CN) (CNSX: MVT) (FRANKFURT: M1N) (OTC PINK: MTEHF) ("Maxtech" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has begun the next stage of exploration and is applying for a GUIA trial mining licence. An application is being prepared and will be submitted to the DNPM (National Department of Mineral Production, Departamento Nacional da ProduAAo Mineral) in August for a GUIA (Guia de Utilizacao, ie trial mining use permit) licence allowing the Company to mine and process "initial high-grade surface tonnage" (as released on May 4th). Subject to permitting, mining will commence on the Juina claims to a maximum 6,000 tons of manganese bearing material permitted under each GUIA. Maxtech has also engaged Mr. John Harper B.Sc., P.Geol, to update the recently published regional independent N.I. 43-101 technical report (as filed on March 30th) on its manganese projects in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The updated report will provide additional anaylsis of samples taken from auger drilling and pitting from the second phase of exploration. John Harper has worked in the region since 2006, initially conducting exploration and bulk sampling of diamond bearing kimberlites. From 2008 he has reviewed, mapped and developed numerous (~100) manganese showings, several of which were or currently are in production. Mr. Harper is an international mineral exploration geoscientist and consultant with over 40 years industry experience in base and precious metals, manganese, uranium and diamond exploration. He is a member in good standing of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and Ontario (APGO). His international experience has taken him to projects throughout North America, Brazil and Africa. For the past several years, his expertise has taken him to Brazil where he has managed comprehensive exploration programs for Meridian Mining S.E. (TSX VENTURE: MNO) on their manganese claims. The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. John Harper B.Sc., P.Geol, who is a Qualified Person with respect to Maxtech's manganese project as defined under National Instrument 43-101. About Maxtech Ventures Inc. Maxtech Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based corporation with gold and manganese mineral properties. Its focus is on mining and the products that are derived therefrom. For additional information see the Company's web site at http://www.maxtech-ventures.com. Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Vancouver, July 13, 2017 - Bearing Lithium Corp. (TSXV: BRZ) (OTCQB: BRGRF) (FSE: B6K1) ("Bearing" or the "Company") has received an updated JORC resource estimate from Li3 Energy Inc. ("Li3") from the ongoing development work at the Maricunga lithium brine project located in Chile (the "Maricunga Project"). Bearing has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Li3 and its interest in the Maricunga Project (the "Li3 Definitive Agreement"). Li3 currently holds a 17.7% interest in the Maricunga Project along with Minera Salar Blanco ("MSB") and Lithium Power International Ltd. ("Lithium Power") at 32.3% and 50% respectively pursuant to a joint venture arrangement (the "Joint Venture"). Under the terms of the Joint Venture, Lithium Power has agreed to fund exploration and development costs with both Li3 and MSB having a free carry until the completion of a definitive feasibility study. JORC Resource Highlights The Maricunga project represents one of the highest grade undeveloped lithium brine project in the world The M&I Resource has tripled in size while adding a significant Inferred Resource and maintaining high grades The updated resource does not incorporate resource below 200 metres, specifically the 360-metre hole (hole S19) which terminated in high-grade lithium brine Li3 anticipates release of a NI 43-101Resource Estimate and Report prepared in accordance with Ni 43-101 by August 2017. Process test work remains ongoing which will be incorporated in a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) anticipated in Q4/17 and a Definitive Feasibility Study in H1/18. Favorable porosity and permeability make the resource amenable to extraction by pumping, which is highlighted by the strong flow rates observed from pump tests. "We are extremely pleased with the updated JORC resource estimate completed by the Maricunga joint venture under the direction of the project operator, Minera Salar Blanco (MSB). This resource estimate demonstrates the true potential of this world-class project. The results have significantly increased the size of the resource, confirmed the grade, and demonstrated the continued existence of exploration potential. M&I grades of 1,100 mg/L Li and Inferred grades of 1,300 mg/L Li rank Maricunga as the highest-grade pre-production lithium brine project worldwide. Development activities remain on schedule with process test work, preliminary engineering and design advancing towards a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) anticipated later this year and a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in H1/18," Jeremy Poirier, President and CEO of Bearing Lithium commented. Patrick Cussen, Chairman of Li3, stated: "We thank and congratulate the MSB team for this very important milestone in the development of the Maricunga project. The upcoming NI 43-101 report underway by the MSB team, and the overwhelming support of Li3's shareholder base in favor of the transaction with Bearing, are testimony that the migration to the TSXV will firmly place Maricunga in a market that not only understands lithium but is very bullish on the industry's future. No pre-production project in Chile is as advanced as Maricunga in every aspect and we are pleased to have been there from the start and to now continue to develop the project with our partners MSB and LPI. We continue to work expeditiously with the Bearing team to complete our transaction as soon as possible." Maricunga Project Updated Resource Estimate The Maricunga Joint Venture ("Maricunga JV") has released an updated JORC resource estimate, incorporating the results from recent drilling and pump-testing since the publication of the 2012 Resource Estimate. A Measured and Indicated Resource of 325,000 tonnes of lithium at an average concentration of 1,143 mg/L lithium plus an Inferred Resource of 80,000 tonnes of lithium at an average concentration of 1,289 mg/L lithium. A breakdown of the resource is presented in Table 1 below. The resource was prepared by Frits Reidel, CPG, President of Flo Solutions and calculated using ordinary kriging for the chemical and drainable porosity data, estimated independently. This JORC resource incorporates the drilling and assay work undertaken by LI3 in 2011/12, geophysical and pumping test work undertaken by MSB in 2015 on the Litio 1-6 and Cocina concession held by Li3, and drilling between September 2016 and January 2017 comprised of 9 rotary drill holes totalling 1,815 metres and 4 sonic holes totalling 613 metres plus pump tests on the Litio 1-6, Cocina, San Francisco, Salamina and Despreciada concessions. The 2016/17 program was designed to drill to a depth of 200 metres, versus the 2011/12 program which went down to 150 metres, in addition to one hole drilled to a depth of 360 metres. The Measured and Indicated Resource was defined to a depth of 150 m within the Litio 1-6 concession and to a depth of 200 metres within the Cocina, San Francisco, Salamina and Despreciada concessions and to 150 m in the Litio 1-6 concession. The Inferred Resource is defined between 150 metres and 200 metres depth, underlying the Litio 1-6 properties, where sonic and RC drilling failed to reach the target depth and terminated at 173 metres and 192 metres respectively. Table 1: Maricunga Resource Estimate Area (km) Volume (km) Drainable Porosity (Sy) Brine Volume (km) Avg Grade (g/m Li) Avg Grade (g/m K) Concentration (mg/L Li) Concentration (mg/L K) Contained (t Li) Contained (t K) Measured 18.88 3.06 5.02% 0.15 56 409 1,174 8,646 170 1,250 Indicated 6.76 1.35 10.65% 0.14 114 801 1,071 7,491 155 1,100 M&I 25.64 4.41 6.75% 0.30 74 529 1,143 8,292 325 2,350 Inferred 14.38 0.72 8.99% 0.06 114 869 1,289 9,859 80 630 Numbers may not add due to rounding Inferred Resource underlies the Measured Resource in the Litio properties (Litio 1-6) down to 200 metres depth Source: Lithium Power International Expressed in more common compounds, the Measured and Indicated resource total 1.7million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE") plus an Inferred resource of 0.4 million tonnes of LCE. In addition, there is a significant potash resource of 4.5 million tonnes of potassium chloride (KCl) within the Measured and Indicated Resource plus an Inferred resource of 1.2 million tonnes of KCl. A breakdown of the resource as expressed in common compounds is presented in Table 2 below. Table 2: Maricunga Resource Estimate Expressed in Common Compounds Contained Lithium Carbonate (t Li 2 CO 3 ) Contained Potassium Chloride(t KCl) Measured 900 2,400 Indicated 820 2,100 M&I 1,720 4,500 Inferred 430 1,200 Numbers may not add due to rounding Lithium is converted to lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 with a conversion factor of 5.32 Potassium is converted to potassium chloride (KCl) with a conversion factor of 1.91 Source: Lithium Power International An illustration depicting the breakdown of the current resource and comparison to the previous resource is provided in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Visual Comparison of Current Maricunga Resource Estimate To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4802/27954_a1499969073264_44.jpg Source: Lithium Power International An exploration resource target estimate has been prepared which provides an upper and lower range scenario for the resource potential below the current resource from 200 metres down to 400 metres. Note that one hole was drilled to test this potential, rotary hole S19 which terminated at a depth of 360 metres, and bottomed in highly mineralized lithium brine (c.f. Bearing Press Release dated February 15, 2017) and forms the basis on the aforementioned exploration target. This exploration target outlines the potential for an additional 195,000 to 470,000 tonnes lithium (1.0 to 2.6 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent) and 1.530,000 to 3,470,000 tonnes potassium (3.0 to 6.6 million tonnes of potassium chloride equivalent) between 200 metres and 400 metres depth. Exploration targets are not mineral resources. 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. Figure 2: Maricunga Exploration Target Estimate To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4802/27954_a1499969073514_93.jpg Source: Lithium Power International Table 3: Comparative Table of Lithium Brine Projects in Latin America Country Maricunga Atacama Hombre Muerto Olaroz 4 Cauchari 5 Los Angeles 6 Tres Quebradas 7 Rincon 8 Uyuni 9 Owner Chile LPI / MSB / BRZ Chile SQM / ALB Argentina FMC Argentina ORL / Toyota / JEMSE Argentina SQM / LAC / JEMSE Argentina LIX / SESA / Aberdeen Argentina Neo Lithium Argentina Energi Group (Private) Bolivia COMIBOL (Gov't) Lithium (mg/L) 1,160 1,835 744 690 584 451 714 397 424 Potassium (g/L) 8,500 22,626 7,404 5,730 4,849 4,945 6,537 7,513 8,719 Magnesium (g/L) 7,540 11,741 1,020 2,270 1,421 1,850 1,458 3,419 7,872 SO 4 /Li 0.8 11.0 13.8 25.8 29.7 15.9 0.5 30.7 24.3 Mg/Li 6.5 6.4 1.4 3.3 2.4 4.1 2.0 8.6 18.6 K/Li 7.3 12.3 10.0 8.3 8.3 11.0 9.2 18.9 20.6 K/Mg 1.1 1.9 7.3 2.5 3.4 2.7 4.5 2.2 1.1 Altitude (masl) 3,800 2,300 4,000 3,900 4,000 4,000 4,100 3,700 3,700 Sources: 1 Minera Salar Blanco JORC resource report, July 2017 2 SignumBOX 3 Roskill, 2009 4 Salar de Olaroz Technical Report, May 2011 5 Cauchari-Olaroz Updated Feasibility Study, March 2017 6 Sal de Los Angeles Technical Report, August 2016 7 Tres Quebradas Technical Report, May 2017 8 Enirgi Group Press Release, July 2016 9 Roskill, 2009 Don Hains, P. Geo., who is a technical consultant to the Company and is a qualified person within the context of National Instrument 43-101, has read and takes responsibility for this news release. Resource Estimation Methodology The block model was constructed with a Cartesian north-south grid defined in the UTM WGS84 coordinate system, with 50 m square blocks and a 1 metre vertical thickness. Estimation was carried out using ordinary kriging for the chemical and the drainable porosity data. The estimate of each was carried out independently. The model domain is constrained by: The area of the MJV properties; The elevation from the NASA Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Model, which has been local adjusted for each hole collar coordinates and elevation.; and The bottom of the resource model is constrained to 200 m depth across the model domain. Within the model the individual lithological units were treated as having hard boundaries for estimation of porosity, with estimation occurring within each of the units independently. The search ellipsoids have the shortest distance in the Z direction (vertical). No outlier restrictions, such as capping the values, were applied as the elements estimated (lithium and potassium) were not considered to warrant treatment in this way. A minimum of 5 and a maximum of 80 values were used to inform each block. The block model estimation was validated using a series of checks, including comparison of univariant statistics for global estimation bias, visual inspection against samples on plans and sections and swath plots in the north-south direction and vertically to detect spatial bias. An independent nearest neighbor model was generated for each parameter, to verify that the estimate honours the drilling and sampling data. This nearest neighbour model provides a de-clustered distribution of hole data that was used for validation. An independent estimate of the resource was completed using a nearest-neighbour estimate and the comparison of the results with the ordinary kriging estimate is below 0.3% for measured resources and below 3% for indicated resources, which is considered to be acceptable. About the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code The Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves ('the JORC Code') is a professional code of practice that sets minimum standards for Public Reporting of minerals Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The JORC Code provides a mandatory system for the classification of minerals Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves according to the levels of confidence in geological knowledge and technical and economic considerations in Public Reports. Public Reports prepared in accordance with the JORC Code are reports prepared for the purpose of informing investors or potential investors and their advisors. Additional information is available on the JORC website at www.jorc.org. About Bearing Lithium Corp. Bearing is an exploration and development company. The Li3 Definitive Agreement will enable it to acquire an interest in the advanced-stage Maricunga project located in Chile, which represents one of the highest-grade development opportunities in the Americas. Assuming completion of the transactions contemplated by the Li3 Definitive Agreement, Bearing will have an undivided 17.7% interest in the project with all expenditures through to the delivery of a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) fully-funded by its joint-venture partner. The Maricunga Project has had in excess of US$25 million of exploration to date. Bearing plans on issuing a resource report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 on the Maricunga Project within 45 days of this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed "Jeremy Poirier" Jeremy Poirier, President and CEO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jeremy Poirier-- President and CEO Bearing Lithium - Telephone: 1-604-262-8835 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements"(collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating the future operating or financial performance of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: completion of the proposed transaction with Li3, completion of a resource report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, completion of a Prefeasibility Study and completion of a Definitive Feasibility Study. Actual future results may differ materially. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the absence of a material adverse change in the Maricunga Property; fluctuations in the price of lithium or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets; changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations and receipt of all necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals for the Li3 transaction. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Except as required by law, Bearing does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Election results can change in just minutes and have major political ramifications nationwide. While traditional reporting tries to account for as many of those nuances as possible, sometimes the most immediate coverage comes in the form of just 280 characters. Remember the Disneyland measles outbreak that began in late 2014? With more parents opting not to vaccinate their kids over misplaced fears that vaccines are harmful or misperceptions that they aren't necessary, and more headline-grabbing outbreaks of diseases like measles and pertussis, it's no surprise that many states are considering strengthening their vaccine-exemption laws.California sure did: A few months after Disneyland, it enacted Senate Bill 277, becoming the third state to offer no non-medical exemption option for parents who don't want to comply with school-entry immunization mandates. And what happened? While there have been fewer measles cases in the state, California experienced a startling 150 percent increase in medical exemptions last year.Efforts to strengthen exemption laws aim to improve vaccine coverage rates of school-aged kids to minimize the risk of disease outbreaks and improve our collective "herd immunity." That's a good goal. But for state legislators, these efforts raise an important and difficult question: Is my state striking the right balance between protecting the public's health and preserving parental choice?There's a good chance your state is among those debating new exemption policies: So far in 2017, at least 17 state legislatures have considered dozens of bills related to vaccine exemptions. Most of the proposals, as with California's SB 277, make exemptions more difficult to get. New York's Assembly Bill A3485 (in committee as this is written) prohibits taxpayers from claiming a tax deduction for a child not fully immunized.These proposals anger anti-vaccine constituents concerned about parental rights and vaccine safety. As always with such a heated topic, politics and passions can get in the way of good policy based on good science. But there is good news: We have evidence about how to craft exemption policies that maximize health while preserving parental authority. For lawmakers drafting or voting on vaccination legislation, here is a primer on what we know and what we don't:We know that the easier it is to get exemptions, the more parents choose to get them. We know that higher exemption rates are associated with more disease outbreaks. And, there's good evidence that requiring vaccine education or a health care provider's signature -- making exemptions harder to obtain -- can reduce exemptions (as happened in Washington state and under California's previous, less-restrictive exemption law ).But we don't know under exactly what conditions an additional education or signature requirement works. Simply requiring a parent to check a box on a form or speak with a health care provider is probably not enough to change behavior. On the other hand, some barriers to obtaining an exemption may actually reinforce anti-vaccine sentiment. Idaho's certificate of immunization exemption requires parents to write a brief statement explaining their opposition to having their child vaccinated. While this may deter some parents due to the hassle factor, the very act of articulating opposition to vaccination may reinforce existing beliefs.And we really don't know the consequences of eliminating non-medical exemptions altogether. Will this simply drive more parents to seek a medical exemption even if not medically justified, as seems to have happened in California? (Some less-than-ethical doctors in California are taking advantage of parents' desires for an exemption and charging handsomely for it. That 150 percent increase in medical exemptions didn't happen because there suddenly were 150 percent more sick children.) California's elimination of non-medical exemptions is recent enough that we don't know much yet about its unintended consequences, such as parents deciding to home-school, move out of state or seek a medical exemption.So how should a legislator think about good lawmaking. given what we know and don't know? Here are three factors to pay attention to: Make sure that complying with your state's immunization requirement is the easy, default choice for parents. Adding some hassle factor to obtain an exemption is OK. Make sure your exemption policy places minimal burden on schools and health care providers. Fully fund implementation of any laws, and ensure that school staff get adequate training and resources to ensure a smooth transition.Vaccine mandates are an important component of protecting all children -- including those who for genuine medical reasons shouldn't be vaccinated -- from dangerous diseases. Remember that our collective herd immunity against these diseases is both a public good and a hard-won national asset. In many parts of the country, child welfare agencies are contending with rising caseloads due in part to the opioid epidemic.One state is aheadof the curve in responding to this problem. In Kentucky, the state has an evidence-based collaboration between child protective services, behavioral health specialists and the court system.Studies of the program, which is called the Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team (START), suggest that it increases parents rates of sobriety, increases the likelihood of parents keeping or regaining custody of their children, and decreases the chance of further child abuse or neglect.Family mentors are a critical piece of the program, says Tina Willauer, who helps run START. Parents struggling with addiction are given mentors --all of whom are parents who previously struggled with addiction but have been sober for at least three years. Typically, these family mentors have also had experience with the child welfare system. Family mentors are employed full-time by the state and team up with social service workers to help parents get clean and ultimately reunite with their children.The whole idea is getting out there the fact that recovery is possible, Willauer says. Addiction has such a stigma. We never get to see the folks who are doing great things in recovery, so to hear any of our mentors talk about what they do today, it provides hope for people.To learn more about START family mentors,interviewed Sarah Avery, a family mentor in Daviess County, Ky. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.I was stuck in the grips of addiction for about 17 years. I went through a substance abuse program in jail, and when I got out, I was driven to help others. Somebody informed me about this position opening up in Daviess County. At the time, I had three years of sobriety. Today, I have a little over seven years.I didnt have any open child welfare cases, but I did have a couple different times when [CPS was] knocking on my door during my addiction. I was lucky that I had family that always stepped in when I stepped out. My children werent put into foster care; however, they should have been.I have three children. They are now 20, 17 and 16. My oldest just joined the army, and the other two are still in high school.Yes, my mother. She was always the one who put her life on hold to pick up the pieces that I just let fall.It was opioids. Basically, I was addicted to anything I could get my hands on. I began using with the gateway drugs. It started with pot and just progressed. By the time I was 18 or 19 years old, I was an IV drug user. I did whatever opiate I could get ahold of because I became physically dependent on it.Then I did some MAT [medication-assisted treatment] but I was not there for the right reasons. I was there because it was a legal way for me to stay high. If a person is going to go into treatment and they ask you a list of drugs you have done, theres not many on the list that I did not do, unfortunately. But that benefits me in my role today because I can spot it when my clients are doing it.We take them to treatment. We will go to support meetings with them. We will talk about stressors, different disease thinking that they may be having, sponsorship and what that looks like. Some people dont feel comfortable in AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] or NA [Narcotics Anonymous], so the main goal is for them to have the outside support so that when we leave, they are still able to maintain their sobriety. Our goal is for the family to stay together and for us not to have to get back involved. Oftentimes our families have no positive support. I had my mother. A lot of these families have absolutely no one.Their initial reaction when we get involved is to put up a wall to not allow us in because theyre ultimately afraid that were going to remove their children. Im very open with them about where Ive been and what Ive been through. Im not there to judge but to help them get to the other side of their addiction. As a parent, we feel so much guilt for the substance abuse without social services telling us that were doing something wrong.I can step in and say, I was in your shoes and heres how I made it out. Let us help you get out. It kind of bridges the gap between social services and them. It helps lower their wall.Most days its not. One of my clients I wasnt sure was going to make it out of addiction. I was afraid he was going to die and that was, in its own way, traumatic for me.Sometimes it triggers feelings if theyre not getting it and it doesnt matter what we do or say. Having to remove children from families is not an easy job, and sometimes that has to happen. We lean on each other here inside the building if that does happen. Its okay if we fall apart after they leave, and I have fallen apart.Its given me extra accountability as far as my own recovery. I have to stay on top of my own recovery in order to give back to others. If Im not healthy enough to help them, whats the point? You cant fill up somebody elses cup if your cup is empty.I talk about myself and I say, 'I was a bad parent because I made bad choices, and because I made those choices, I put my children at risk of harm.' If I turn it around on myself, they dont feel quite as attacked. If I point out all of their flaws, they shut down and don't hear anything Im saying. Hoping to secure the 50 votes needed for passage, Senate Republicans unveiled their revised draft health care legislation on Thursday that includes some meaningful changes but retains many of the same elements that kept the original version from winning the support of GOP moderates.With two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, already opposed to the new bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can afford no further defections if he hopes to pass the bill in a floor vote next week. A disappointing score by the Congressional Budget Office next week, however, could cause McConnell to lose that razor-thin margin.The revised Better Care Reconciliation Act would scrap the proposed elimination of several taxes on the wealthy that help fund coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Instead it would keep the 3.8 percent tax on investment income, 0.9 percent Medicare tax on high-income individuals and a tax on health insurance executive compensation.The revenue is expected to help fund a $70 billion increase to the bill's "stabilization fund," now a 10-year, $182 billion pool of money to help states lower premium costs.Critics say the stabilization fund, which amounts to about 15 percent of the bill's federal health spending reductions, would do little to restore those cuts.Rather they claim, the fund would give Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price a massive, unprecedented amount of money to dole out to states as he chooses with almost no oversight or guidance from Congress. The legislation does, however, stipulate that 1 percent of the fund must go to a state with "premiums at least 75 percent higher than the national average."That state is Alaska, home to Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has opposed the legislation. It's unclear whether the legislative sweetener will help garner Murkowski's support.Even with the changes, the legislation still would slash funding for Medicaid, the national insurance program for the poor and disabled, by phasing out the ACA's Medicaid expansion and imposing spending limits that move the program from an open-ended entitlement to one with capped benefits.In addition, the legislation would allow insurers to charge older people five times more than younger ones, defund Planned Parenthood and impose premium and deductible increases for low-income and poor people and those with pre-existing conditions. It also would cut health insurance to pay for $400 billion in tax cuts that mainly benefit wealthy individuals and corporations, while providing little assistance to the poor.Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under President Barack Obama, said the bill is "so fundamentally flawed that there is no amendment that could fix everything that is wrong with it."Democrats and health care advocates also denounced the proposal."Trumpcare has been a disaster since day one, and the latest version released today by Senate Republicans is no different," said a statement from House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley of New York.For moderate Republicans uneasy about the original bill's $772 billion cut in Medicaid funding, the revised version doesn't appear to provide much improvement either.The bill would, however, change the funding formula for federal aid to hospitals that care for a disproportionate share of low-income people. That change will steer more money to states that didn't expand Medicaid by basing funding on the number of uninsured rather than on a state's Medicaid population.But that wasn't enough to gain the support of Collins. "Still deep cuts to Medicaid in Senate bill," she tweeted, adding that she would vote no on an initial vote to allow formal consideration of the bill.Collins was pleased the bill can be changed through amendments beginning next week, but said, "I have no idea what the results will be."Collins and Paul are the only two Republicans who have said they still oppose the legislation.Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio remain undecided even though they got their wish for an additional $45 billion to fund treatment for opioid abuse. Experts say that money wouldn't be enough to take care of the needs now met by Obamacare-related spending.Many conservatives who have been reluctant to support the legislation cheered the draft, even though it stops short of full repeal of Obamacare, which has been a consistent Republican campaign promise.They also were heartened that the bill includes a change that would allow Obamacare insurers to sell cheaper, less-comprehensive insurance that doesn't meet Affordable Care Act coverage requirements.The proposal by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, has been praised by conservatives for giving consumers more choices.But major health insurers said the provision would destabilize the individual insurance market by causing healthy, younger people to flock to the cheaper coverage, which would drive up premiums for sicker and older people with more comprehensive coverage. That could lead to a "death spiral" in which insurers stop offering coverage as premiums skyrocket and plan enrollment declines.In a statement, Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, blasted the new option."Allowing insurance companies to sell bare-bones, tax-credit-eligible, catastrophic plans would create a segmented insurance market and essentially return cancer patients, survivors and anyone with a serious illness to an underfunded high-risk pool where a patient's out-of-pocket costs could be unaffordable and coverage potentially inadequate," Hansen said.Republicans have 52 members in the Senate and could lose only two in order to pass the bill under budget reconciliation rules that block Democrats from filibustering tax and health care legislation. In the event of a 50-50 vote, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the tiebreaker.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office will assess the impact and cost of the revised legislation next week, though its assessment of the Cruz-Lee change could take longer.The CBO's findings will help determine whether Republican support for or opposition to the measure solidifies in the coming days. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., must decide whether he has the votes to take up the bill and put it to a floor vote next week.Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Senate leadership hopes for a CBO review of most of the legislation by Monday, with an initial vote as soon as Tuesday."We know what the issues are, they're just hard decisions," he said of senators like Collins who are worried about the effect of Medicaid cuts on their states. "But at some point we have to move forward."He said he expected the additional stability funding to alleviate some moderates' concerns, as well as "knowing that states are going to have a lot of flexibility in designing their own programs."Meanwhile, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana offered their own proposal that would keep the Affordable Care Act's taxes but send its subsidies to states as block grants rather than to individuals.Their proposal would repeal the employer and individual mandates to have health insurance, but retain the Obamacare requirement to cover pre-existing conditions. Graham said his idea would give states the flexibility to design their own systems and use the money as they see fit.Pressure on McConnell is mounting as President Donald Trump, engulfed in deepening Russian election meddling investigations dealing with his campaign and associates, pushes for a legislative victory on his No. 1 campaign promise: to repeal the Affordable Care Act.Trump said he'd be "very angry" if the Senate fails to pass the legislation.He told Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson in an interview that McConnell's "got to pull it off." He noted that congressional Republicans have long been talking about repealing Obamacare and voted for ending the law more than 60 times."They have to get together and get it done," Trump said, adding that if the Senate fails "it would be very bad. I will be very angry about it, and a lot of people will be very upset."McConnell has pushed back the August recess, which had been scheduled to begin July 29, by two weeks in order to pass the health care bill. If he can't rally support for the measure, it's possible he could call for a repeal-only vote, which would put vulnerable Republicans in peril for the upcoming 2018 elections. Metro Area Total Vehicle parts manufacturing Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Vehicle manufacturing Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 102,131.0 71,440 2,955 27,736 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 31,633.0 3,623 28,010 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,186.0 11,686 500 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 10,966.0 10,519 447 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 10,533.0 9,518 1,015 Kokomo, IN 10,343.0 10,343 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,793.0 6,900 2,244 649 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 9,599.0 9,276 323 Columbus, OH 9,201.0 8,341 860 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 9,144.0 9,144 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 8,753.0 4,763 320 3,670 Knoxville, TN 8,133.0 7,646 487 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 7,553.0 7,553 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 6,959.0 6,230 729 0 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 6,439.0 5,811 628 Battle Creek, MI 6,067.0 6,067 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 4,875.0 2,565 1,852 458 Dayton, OH 4,864.0 4,864 Columbus, IN 4,676.0 4,676 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 4,133.0 3,650 483 Ann Arbor, MI 4,100.0 4,100 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 4,021.0 4,021 Kansas City, MO-KS 3,942.0 3,797 145 Bowling Green, KY 3,854.0 3,854 Jackson, MI 2,883.0 2,883 Metro Area Change December 2016 Jobs December 2015 Jobs BLS Industries Included Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 3.0% 102,131 99,114 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing, Vehicle manufacturing Elkhart-Goshen, IN 7.6% 31,633 29,404 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Knoxville, TN 17.5% 8,133 6,921 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 15.1% 6,959 6,048 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 7.5% 10,966 10,204 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Kansas City, MO-KS 16.0% 3,942 3,397 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4.7% 10,533 10,064 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 4.6% 9,599 9,180 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3.0% 9,793 9,512 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing, Vehicle manufacturing Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2.1% 12,186 11,939 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 3.1% 7,553 7,323 Vehicle parts manufacturing Jackson, MI 1.7% 2,883 2,836 Vehicle parts manufacturing Kokomo, IN 0.3% 10,343 10,311 Vehicle parts manufacturing Nashville-Davidson, TN 0.3% 9,144 9,118 Vehicle parts manufacturing Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA -0.3% 4,875 4,888 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing, Vehicle manufacturing Ann Arbor, MI -1.6% 4,100 4,167 Vehicle parts manufacturing Columbus, OH -0.9% 9,201 9,287 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Columbus, IN -2.9% 4,676 4,816 Vehicle parts manufacturing Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY -4.3% 4,021 4,200 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC -11.5% 6,439 7,273 Vehicle parts manufacturing, Vehicle body/trailer manufacturing About the Data For a few years, steady growth in auto manufacturing helped prop up regional economies recovering from the recession. But new data indicate that the industrys momentum has stalled.Vehicle sales declined for the sixth consecutive month in June, and automakers are responding. Ford announced plans in Mayto trim 10 percent of its salaried workforce in North America and Asia. Similarly, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler have eliminated shifts at some facilities.Automakers have played a critical role in the larger manufacturing sectors recovery since it bottomed out in early 2010. In fact, a Brookings Institution analysis finds that the auto industry was responsible for 60 to 80 percent of total manufacturing growth over the 15-month period ending in March.Given that auto manufacturing has served as one of the few bright spots across the manufacturing sector, new indications of accelerating job losses could spell trouble for regional economies where automakers and parts suppliers are major employers.Weve compiled U.S. Department of Labor data highlighting such regions. The federal Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages reports data for three industries closely associated with auto manufacturing, and the following 25 metro areas reported the highest tallies in those industries as of December:SOURCE:calculations of BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, December 2016 estimates(Data was not reported for some metro areas. These numbers also dont include all related employers that do business with auto manufacturers.)Nationally, auto manufacturing employment grew last year by just over 2 percent. The Detroit region, which employs by far the mostworkers in the auto industry, experienced a slight increase of about 3,000 employees over the 12-month period ending in December. Atlanta and Knoxville, Tenn., are among other regions with notable upticks in hiring.The Charlotte, N.C., area, meanwhile, shed nearly 12 percent of its workforce.Heres how auto manufacturing employment fluctuated over the 12 months ending in December across select metro areas with significant employment in the industry:Figures compare December 2015 and December 2016 total employment for all three industry classifications with available data. Areas without comparable data for both months were excluded. SOURCE:calculations of BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages dataRecent indicators for 2017, particularly declining auto sales, suggest more regions will experience losses this year. Brookings Mark Muro views the job declines as a normal slowing after an extended period of growth. For the next year or two," he says, "it might be a less reliable source of manufacturing jobs.A few segments of the industry are faring better. Sales of trucks and SUVs are up from last year, and Tesla just announced the hiring of more than 1,000 technicians as it rolls out its highly anticipated Model 3 electric vehicle.Still, few other areas of manufacturing have shown signs of life. The latest federal estimates for June indicate there were 12.4 million total manufacturing workers nationwide, about the same as two years ago. Unless other large segments of manufacturing begin hiring, such as chemical, electronics or plastics manufacturing, the auto industry's slowdown is likely to act as a major drag on the sector's overall growth.The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages does not report total auto manufacturing jobs, but rather estimates for narrower related industries. The three industries referenced in this report include motor vehicle parts manufacturing (NAICS 3363), motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing (NAICS 3362), and motor vehicle manufacturing (NAICS 3361). Many regions not listed also support significant auto manufacturing employment. Job estimates were unavailable for these areas, either because the Labor Department suppresses the totals or there were no workers. Figures refer only to private-sector employment. Description GIS 13 July, 2017: Planters contribute greatly to the development of the country and play a key role in the future of Mauritius. This is why Government, through every budget, gives special attention to planters by putting more facilities at their disposal. This statement was made by the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr. M. Seeruttun, during the inauguration of a wheel track this morning, at Plaine Sophie II, in the presence of the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, Mr. N. Bodha, and other eminent personalities. The wheel track, to the tune of Rs 9 million and covering a distance of 4 km, comprises several lay-bys and aims at facilitating the work of planters by giving them easier access to their field, underlined Minister Seeruttun. He underscored that as planters have to face many difficulties, Government is encouraging them by providing incentives such as a Building and Land Use Permit for greenhouses on agricultural land; subsidy on CCTV cameras with video surveillance system to enable them protect their fields from theft; and loans to assist them with crops damaged by climatic conditions, pests and diseases, among others. Moreover, emphasis is being laid on the shift to bio-agriculture as it will help to reduce the impact of climate change, increase soil fertility, make quality products available to consumers and preserve the environment, highlighted the Minister. In this respect, training, bio fertilisers and financial support are being provided to planters by the Government. Speaking about the new wholesale market, Minister Seeruttun underscored that it will provide a space of 12 000 m2 for planters to sell their products, lighting and parking facilities, and cold rooms for storage of unsold products. For his part, Minister Bodha highlighted that planters are encouraged to use modern technologies so as to maximise their production and offer quality products to the local population and to tourists. He also made an appeal to the agricultural community to further progress as it is essential for the countrys economy. Ben Miller is the associate editor of data and business for Government Technology. His reporting experience includes breaking news, business, community features and technical subjects. He holds a Bachelors degree in journalism from the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lives in Sacramento, Calif. (TNS) -- General Motors says it's ready to mass produce self-driving cars.Let's take a second and digest that revelation.The world's largest automaker said last month it has finished making 130 self-driving Chevrolet Bolt test vehicles at the GM plant in Lake Orion, Mich. It's the only automaker capable of mass production of autonomous vehicles, putting it ahead of Tesla and other competitors.The unveiling of GM's progress did not catch much of the national news media's attention or interest.But in a region where the company employs more than 4,000 people in Spring Hill and is directly responsible for billions in economic impact, it caught ours.Much remains at stake race in the race to produce the first self-driving cars.Jobs will flow if they catch the public's imagination, for example, possibly to Spring Hill, which has room to expand and the educated pool of workers to produce it, in my opinion.GM's stock price, which closed at $35.40 Tuesday after being at $30.60 a year go, will take a direct hit, positively or negatively, in the future, depending on how the cars do on the market."The autonomous vehicles you see here today are purpose-built, self-driving test vehicles," CEO and Chairman Mary Barra told employees gathered in Lake Orion. "The level of integration in these vehicles is on par with any of our production vehicles, and that is a great advantage."In fact, no other company today has the unique and necessary combination of technology, engineering and manufacturing ability to build autonomous vehicles at scale."GM says the Chevrolet Bolt can handle nearly all road situations on its own, without driver intervention, but a driver who is alert and capable of taking over must be at the wheel for now.GM and its suppliers have equipped the Bolts with state-of-the art cameras, radar, sensors and other hardware."There are even a couple of cameras that are dedicated just to seeing traffic lights to make sure you don't run red lights," Cruise Automation CEO Kyle Vogt said.Cruise Automation was the self-driving car software company that GM acquired for $581 million in 2016. GM also invested $500 million in the ride-hailing app Lyft.GM plans to hire hundreds of engineers and workers to assist Cruse Automation in its development.The company, meanwhile, has been testing 50 previously build self-driving Bolts in Detroit, San Francisco and Scottsdale, Ariz. Testing of the new cars will begin soon, Barra said.Previously, GM had 50 self-driving Bolt in its fleet. The 130 additional cars allow it to test and modify its specifications."The transportation mechanisms we have in place today will be changed in the near future," United Auto Workers Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron said Tuesday in Spring Hill. "This is a watershed moment for GM and the auto industry, in my opinion, a game-changer in terms of technology."I am excited about where GM is going," he added. "The technology GM has is fantastic, not only in self-driving cars but in the development of hydrogen cars. The futuristic products make this an exciting company to work for."The expansion of company's footprint was reflected recently in changing the name of GM Powertrain to GM Advanced Propulsion Systems.GM's record earnings and cash flow have allowed its to return cash to investors and employees. It also has allowed for expansion into self-driving cars and technology beyond our imagination."We've built a track record of strong financial performance," GM spokesman Tom Henderson told USA Today. "We'll stay focused on delivering outstanding results and making decisions to deploy capital where it will generate the strongest returns, to enhance shareholder value." NEW ORLEANS On Meredith Beers laptop, the intensity of the twister that touched down here in February is marked in green, yellow and red.The colors illustrate light, medium and heavy damage from the 150-mile winds that tore through the citys Ninth Ward. Beers and her colleagues at SBP, a nonprofit that specializes in rebuilding homes after disasters, are experimenting with a digital mapping technique that allows them to assess the damage to each home and cross that information with data about insurance and federal financial assistance.The goal: to get help to the most desperate residents far more quickly a task that may grow more urgent in the years ahead.The number of billion-dollar disasters is increasing. Meanwhile, federal officials are considering scaling back Washingtons recovery role , aiming to save taxpayer money and encourage states to prepare for disasters with their own resources. The proposed pullback, along with the threat of more frequent and more intense natural disasters linked to climate change, is already forcing cities and states to change the way they prepare for, and recover from, events like tornadoes, forest fires, floods and hurricanes.Using her map and the database that supports it, Beers can, for example, quickly create a list of uninsured residents whose homes suffered major damage but who didnt apply for federal assistance. Armed with that information, SBP can help residents navigate the maze of public and private aid that might be available to them. Local officials also can use the mapping software to guide their decisions about debris cleanup, the construction of temporary housing, and the rebuilding of homes.SBP volunteers began surveying residents a few days after the tornado struck. Using their smartphones, the volunteers entered data about homeowners insurance and pictures of damaged homes into an app. Then, back at her office, Beers used data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to add to the database the amount of money FEMA and other federal agencies were expected to give each resident.In under four weeks, SBP collected data on nearly 4,000 homes, and it determined that 245 were in need of major repairs. The group also discovered that 29 percent of people with damage were uninsured. SBP put those uninsured residents, fewer than expected, at the top of the list for help.Beers said one advantage of using the mapping software is that she can analyze the data in real time, making critical information available to volunteers and other relief organizations almost instantaneously. They could see the results without me having to take my computer all over town, she said.Rebuilding quickly from a disaster is critical, because doing so gives a jolt to the local economy, encourages families to return, and deters blight.While money from FEMA that pays for temporary housing, medical assistance and home repairs arrives soon after a major disaster has been declared, it rarely covers the entire cost of rebuilding. It can take as long as a year for other types of federal relief to arrive, and depending on the severity of a disaster, it can take years for families to return home.Its the most frustrating thing in the world for us, said Walter Crouch, president and CEO of Appalachia Service Project, a nonprofit that repairs homes for low-income families, but shifted to disaster recovery following flooding last June in West Virginia. We want to build. We want to get people back in homes.Waiting for nonprofit and federal assistance can be devastating to communities that may have been struggling to survive even before disaster struck. A year after the flooding, West Virginia is just now receiving grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to rebuild homes in low-income communities.In April, almost 10 months after the West Virginia flood, Michelle Breeland, a liaison between volunteer groups and FEMA, pointed out that the state was still early in the case management process.At that point, 21 case workers were still slogging through reports for 500 families that were identified as needing help immediately following the flood.In New Orleans, Beers thinks the mapping technique could eventually help the entire community of disaster response groups, putting local volunteer agencies and long-term recovery committees a step ahead when they begin their work.Weve been here for 300 years, Beers said. Not because were geographically well-placed because history would show that were actually poorly placed but because were resilient people. Dr Helmut Marko has categorically ruled out releasing Max Verstappen before the Dutchman's Red Bull contract runs out. Persistent speculation suggests Ferrari may even be willing to pay millions to extract the 19-year-old from his current Red Bull deal, which runs until the end of 2019. But Marko, the Red Bull driver manager, tells Bild newspaper: "We would not give max up for 100 million. "We put him into formula one to see his insane potential and development. We want to be world champion with him," he insisted. Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen said: "We are, as always, committed to agreements, but this is based on reciprocity with Red Bull. "We do not talk about contracts but Dr Marko, Max and I know what is agreed. "Red Bull has one of the best drivers in the paddock, and you can expect us to have the best equipment to become world champion," he added. The latest rumours come amid Verstappen's obvious frustration with his run of abysmal car reliability in 2017. "We have told him we are doing everything we can to stop this unbelievable bad luck," said Marko. (GMM) Copenhagen is not yet backing plans for a F1 street race in the Danish capital. We reported recently that Danish businessman Lars Seier Christensen met with F1 owner Liberty Media about a potential deal, with a circuit to be devised by Hermann Tilke. However, Copenhagen's Lord Mayor Frank Jensen said: "We first must look at how a F1 race is run and how it will affect daily life in Copenhagen. "This is necessary before we decide whether we - the municipality - can support the project," he told BT newspaper. (GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted Ferrari needs to up its game in qualifying. The Ferrari driver heads into the British grand prix weekend with a 20-point lead over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. "It should be a good track for us," Vettel told the German broadcaster RTL. "Silverstone is full of fast corners." But that doesn't mean he doesn't think Ferrari has things to work on for the future. "I think we can improve a bit in qualifying," he said. "Mercedes seem to be able to pull out a bit more performance than us." (GMM) *2wCAPFb*Dell Ray Nielson March 3, 1933July 10, 2017 Dell was born March 3, 1933 in Manti, Utah, to Effie Rozella Olson and Ray Christian Nielson. He died at his home in Lamoille, NV on Monday, July 10, 2017, after chopping tree limbs for 4 hours in the heat, Only death would keep him from working. Dell spent his early days in Manti and in Fruita, Utah, where his father was a time keeper for the WPA ( A government work program). During WWII his family went to Long Beach, CA to help in the war effort by building B-24 Bombers, but returned to Delta, Utah where Dell finished high school. All told, his higher education consisted of 2 years of college, majoring in geology. After graduation Dell married his high school sweetheart, Sherry Bishop, and joined the army. He received a mechanics education working on army equipment, but got an early-out when his grandfather died. After his divorce from Sherry, he married Elaine Done and worked in her fathers machine shop. Las Vegas called. He passed the real estate exam and sold land and investment properties until his retirement. He also purchased various income properties for rentals, doing all the maintenance and repairs with the help of his sons. Another divorce, another marriage, this one lasting 54 years, to Penny Chandler Auten (married: November 17, 1962), which also brought him two children; Thomas Wayne Auten and Scotty Lee Auten, whom he adopted. Two more, Daniel Ray Nielson and Darcy Renae Nielson, were added to the family by adoption. Dell lived to hunt and fish. He also built dune buggies, and enjoyed racing them in the early Las Vegas Mint 400 races. He won several trophies, including one for Good Sportsmanship, when he stopped to help a racer who had rolled his buggy. Another love was flying. He owned several planes and flew regularly until he cracked up one at the Elko airport when he got caught in the vortex of a commercial plane which flipped his little one. The bent propeller trophy hangs in his office. If it was mechanical Dell could build it or fix it. After spending approximately 26 years in Las Vegas, he and wife Penny moved to Lamoille, NV to The Ranch where he continued to build and fix, and hunt and fish. Dell is survived by his wife Penny, children: Tom (Miyuki), Scott (Karen), Daniel (Laurie), and Darcy (Desi Smith); grandchildren: Michael, Laura, and Alanna, Eugene Takita, Reika Takita Lui, and Taka Takita (Tom); Ashley, Jason, Chase, Colby, Aubrey, Nikki Bergen and Kalli Windous (Scott); Lexie, Kayla Kramer, Todd Kramer (Daniel); Griffin (Darcy); and 16 great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind 10 cousins and several nieces and nephews. Friends and family are invited to visit Friday July 14, 2017 from 6:30 to 8 P.M. at the Spring Creek First Ward Chapel, 77 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Spring Creek, NV. Funeral Services will be held Saturday July 15, 2017 at the Spring Creek First Ward Chapel at 10 A.M. , with a viewing beginning at 9 A.M. Burial will be at the Moroni City Cemetery, Moroni, Utah at 1 P.M. Monday July 17th. Researchers have tried to get around the problems posed by conventional liquid electrolytes for Li-ion batteriesincluding flammability and dendrite formation that can lead to short circuitsby using a solid-state electrolyte made out of materials such as some ceramics. Although solid-state electrolytes would eliminate the flammability issue and offer other benefits, tests have shown that such materials tend to perform somewhat erratically and are more prone to short-circuits than expected. Researchers at MIT, and their colleagues in Germany, suggest that smooth surfaces on a solid electrolyte may prevent harmful Li infiltration, thereby improving the performance of solid-state Li-ion batteries. Their paper is published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials . The researchers report that the problem may be an incorrect interpretation of how such batteries fail. The new study, which could open new avenues for developing lithium batteries with solid electrolytes, was led by Yet-Ming Chiang, the Kyocera Professor of Ceramics at MIT and W. Craig Carter, the POSCO Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. The problem, according to this study, is that researchers have been focusing on the wrong properties in their search for a solid electrolyte material. The prevailing idea was that the materials firmness or squishiness (a property called shear modulus) determined whether dendrites could penetrate into the electrolyte. The new analysis showed that its the smoothness of the surface that matters most. Microscopic nicks and scratches on the electrolytes surface can provide a toehold for the metallic deposits to begin to force their way in, the researchers found. Four types of ion-conducting, inorganic solid electrolytes are tested: Amorphous 70/30 mol% Li 2 S-P 2 S 5 , polycrystalline -Li 3 PS 4 , and polycrystalline and single-crystalline Li 6 La 3 ZrTaO 12 garnet. The nature of lithium plating depends on the proximity of the current collector to defects such as surface cracks and on the current density. Lithium plating penetrates/infiltrates at defects, but only above a critical current density. Eventually, infiltration results in a short circuit between the current collector and the Li-source (anode). These results do not depend on the electrolytes shear modulus and are thus not consistent with the MonroeNewman model for dendrites. The observations suggest that Li-plating in pre-existing flaws produces crack-tip stresses which drive crack propagation, and an electrochemomechanical model of plating-induced Li infiltration is proposed. Lithium short-circuits through solid electrolytes occurs through a fundamentally different process than through liquid electrolytes. The onset of Li infiltration depends on solid-state electrolyte surface morphology, in particular the defect size and density. Porz et al. On the solid surfaces, lithium from one of the electrodes begins to be deposited, through an electrochemical reaction, onto any tiny defect that exists on the electrolytes surface, including tiny pits, cracks, and scratches. Once the initial deposit forms on such a defect, it continues to buildand, surprisingly, the buildup extends from the dendrites tip, not from its base, as it forces its way into the solid, acting like a wedge as it goes and opening an ever-wider crack. The study suggests that achieving smoother surfaces on a solid electrolyte could eliminate or greatly reduce the problem of dendrite formation. Courtesy of the researchers. Click to enlarge. This suggests, Chiang says, that simply focusing on achieving smoother surfaces could eliminate or greatly reduce the problem of dendrite formation in batteries with a solid electrolyte. In addition to avoiding the flammability problem associated with liquid electrolytes, this approach could make it possible to use a solid lithium metal electrode as well. Doing so could potentially double a lithium-ion batterys energy capacity. The formation of dendrites, leading to eventual short-circuit failures, has been the main reason that lithium-metal rechargeable batteries have not been possible, Chiang said. I believe that this high-quality and novel work will reset the thinking about how to engineer practical lithium metal solid-state batteries. The authors have shown that a different mechanism governs lithium metal shorting in lithium solid-state batteries than in liquid or polymer lithium metal batteries where dendrites form. This implies that if lithium metal solid-state batteries are ever to have practical current densities, then careful minimization of all structural defects at the lithium metal and electrolyte interface is essential. I consider it to be an extremely important contribution to the goal of developing practical and safe all solid-state batteries. Alan Luntz, a consulting professor for metal-air battery research at Stanford University, who was not involved in this research The research team included Lukas Porz, Tushar Swamy, Daniel Rettenwander, and Harry Thomas at MIT; Stefan Berendts at the Technical University of Berlin; Reinhard Uecker at the Leibnitz Institute for Crystal Growth in Berlin; Brian Sheldon at Brown University; and Till Fromling at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. Resources The 2017 Elko Mine Safety Olympiad reached new heights Saturday when 14 mine rescue teams approached a mock disaster scene involving a bomb blast and drilling rig, with at least one victim left unresponsive 40 feet in the air. Black Thunder Mine from Wyoming took top honors as the top A flight team and Newmont Phoenix took first place in the B flight division during a banquet at the Elko Conference Center that concluded the three-day event, which brought mine safety teams from Nevada, California, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming to Elko for the 31st annual Safety Olympiad in July. Thirteen teams traveled to Elko, with alternates comprising another team to compete for A flight and B flight status, said Vice President and General Manager Dave Hendriks of Kinross Round Mountain, this years host team. The teams competed the first day in confined space, firefighting, medical emergency, hazardous materials, high angle ropes, triage and written exam. During the banquet, Mitch Cannon of Kinross Bald Mountain was given the Rescue of the Year award, with Black Thunder Mine taking the sportsmanship award and the Anna Squires trophy. Competing this year in addition to Black Thunder and Kinross Bald Mountain were Barrick Nevada Combined, Barrick Nevada Cortez, Barrick Nevada Goldstrike, Boron Operations, Newmont Carlin, Newmont Cripple Creek and Victor, Newmont Long Canyon, Newmont Phoenix, Newmont Twin Creeks, Peabody NARM and Rio Tinto Kennecott. The event was sponsored by Boart Longyear, Cashman, Industrial Supply and Southwest Energy, Hendriks said. Black Thunder Mine is hosting the International Mine Rescue Competition the first week in August in Gillette, Wyoming. Despite a plethora of alternative transportation modesbuses, trains, bicyclescity dwellers are driving more miles than ever, say University of Michigan researchers. In a new study using data from the US Department of Transportation, Dr. Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle of the U-M Transportation Research Institute examined the annual distance driven by locale and type of roadway in both urban and rural areas in the US from 2000 to 2016. They found that during that time, urban distance driven increased by 33%, while rural distance driven decreased by 12%. Overall distance driven (combining both urban and rural) rose by 15%the same rate of increase for US resident population since 2000. While the increase in overall distance can be fully accounted for by the increase in the US population during the period examined, the divergent patterns of urban and rural driving are not fully accounted for by the corresponding changes in the amounts of urban and rural populations. Michael Sivak Sivak and Schoettle say that a 19% increase in urban population from 2000 to 2016 can account for only 58% of the increase in urban distance driven. Further, rural distance driven decreased despite the fact that the rural population has remained virtually unchanged since 2000. The U-M researchers say that to better understand the factors that have contributed to these recent driving patterns, future research should look at the demographic factors of recent arrivals in urban areas; recent economic changes in urban and rural areas; who drives on urban and rural roads and for what purposes; and the impact of internet access and online activity on driving, especially in rural areas. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close ELKO Police are investigating a robbery that took place at Southside Elementary school Sunday night. According to Police Chief Ben Reed, computers were stolen from the school after the suspects entered multiple buildings on the campus. It is believed that the suspects did not act alone and attempted to steal other items from school grounds as well. There were also two other burglaries reported on Tuesday night and police are trying to determine if the three incidents are related. Reed said he was disappointed that a school fell victim to thieves. It always particularly irks me when schools get broken into but we do see it during the summer, unfortunately, he said. We have a pretty good track record of solving school burglaries over the past couple of years. Anyone with information regarding the burglaries is encouraged to call 777-7310. July 13, 1977 A blackout hit New York City in the mid-evening as lightning strikes on electrical equipment caused power to fail. The electricity was restored about 25 hours later. Widespread looting broke out. The New York Times reported that arsonists set more than 1,000 fires, and looters had ransacked 1,600 stores. Time.com compared this blackout with one that had occurred in 1965: The earlier outage affected far more people (25 million, spanning New York and seven other states, plus two Canadian provinces, compared to the 9 million people in New York and its northern suburbs who lost power in 77). Yet ... the 1977 blackout left the city powerless in terms of electricity and also powerless to stop the people who seized the opportunity to riot. ... Illuminating in a perverse way twelve years of change in the character of the city, and perhaps of the country. ELKO A Spring Creek woman charged with embezzling more than $34,000 from the Motorcycle Jamboree was bound over to district court on 21 counts of fraud and theft. Deborah L. Urrizaga, 51, waived her preliminary hearing in Elko Justice Court Wednesday. She is charged with seven counts of using personal identification for unlawful purposes, a category B felony; seven counts of theft by conversion, a category B felony; and seven counts of forgery, a category D felony. According to court documents, Jamboree president Brandie Notestine told police that Urrizaga, Jamboree treasurer for three years, wrote 26 checks to herself out of the Jamboree account totaling $34,305.96 between 2015 and 2016. Notestine told investigators she received the checkbook from Urrizaga, who was going on vacation, and was attempting to pay bills and close out expenses after the 2016 Jamboree when she made the discovery and found her name had been forged on the checks. Notestine also recounted that Urrizaga told her that they would not be able to cover the expenses from the Jamboree, first saying they would be $5,000 short and later telling Notestine they would be short $20,000. Notestine, who was president for 12 years, told investigators that the Jamboree account had never been that short on money. Urrizaga was interviewed by police several days later and told them she would pay for expenses out of pocket and then write checks to reimburse herself, further explaining that to avoid getting behind in bills, she paid them out of her own account. Urrizaga told officials she did not approach the board regarding the situation as she could not reach anyone on the board and did not think it would be an issue, and promised to provide documents to police by the end of the week. Two calls made by authorities to Urrizaga were not returned. Police later subpoenaed financial records from Nevada Bank and Trust, and the case was subsequently filed with the District Attorneys office. An arraignment date has not been set. Five people have died at the Forsyth County jail since Correct Care Solutions started providing medical care there in 2012. As the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners considers today a new three-year, $13.2 million contract for Correct Care, four of those deaths are raising questions about the quality of medical care at the jail. During recent board briefing sessions, some commissioners expressed concerns about renewing Correct Cares contract. We have to find another vendor, Commissioner Everette Witherspoon said at the boards June 29 briefing. Theyre not the only game in town. Theyre not even a local vendor. Black Lives Matter Winston-Salem and other groups have held protests over the deaths of two inmates Deshawn Lamont Coley and Stephen Antwan Patterson that occurred in May. And Correct Care Solutions and the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office face pending lawsuits in Forsyth Superior Court over two other deaths Dino Vann Nixon and Jennifer Eileen McCormack Schuler. Scott Shane Aaron died on Dec. 29, 2015, and his death was determined to be suicide. Sheriffs Maj. Robert Slater, the director of the jail, and Jim Cheney, a spokesman with Correct Care Solutions, declined to comment on the most recent deaths the sheriffs office and the State Bureau of Investigation are looking into the deaths of Coley and Patterson but said they work hard to provide the best medical care to inmates who often have serious health conditions and drug problems and who sometimes dont share necessary medical information. This is our job, and we value the work we do each day, just as we value the trust placed in us by Forsyth County and hundreds of facilities across the country to provide an excellent standard of care for all our patients, Cheney said in a statement. Correct Care Solutions is based in Nashville, Tenn. and has 62 medical professionals working at the jail. The company provides medical services to 250 jails across the country. The jail has 45 detention officers overseeing an average of 773 inmates, Slater said. Under North Carolina law, a countys health director needs to have a medical plan that deals with a number of issues, including health screenings, emergency medical situations and the proper maintenance and distribution of medication, said Irena Como, a staff attorney for the ACLU of North Carolina. State and federal law also require that inmates receive medical care. They have to secure the life of everyone who is incarcerated, Como said. That is the bare minimum. They have a duty to provide medical care. That has been the law for the past 100 years. Meeting needs Slater said every inmate who comes through the Forsyth County jail speaks with a medical professional,who asks a number of questions, including what medications the inmate is on. Theres no verifying, he said. Its up to the inmate to be truthful and honest about their conditions. The information is given to the medical staff to determine if the medication is in stock. The policy is that inmates cannot bring their own medications into the jail because those medications may have been tampered with or they could be illicit drugs, Slater said. He said the medical staff can contact the pharmacy about inmates medications. The jail has a chronic care unit. The jail has a large diabetic population and an area is set aside in the jail so that inmates can get insulin and have their food intake monitored. Slater said the jail has 45 detention officers. Those officers are assigned to four teams in inmate housing. Detention officers check on inmates at least twice an hour. Inmates who are classified as needing special observation because they are intoxicated or going through drug withdrawals will be checked on four times an hour, Slater said. That also includes those who are on suicide watch. Correct Care Control has 32 professionals at the Forsyth County jail, Cheney said. That includes dental, psychiatry and mental health professionals, a physician, a nurse practitioners, nurses, certified medical technicians, and a health administrator. Cheney said patients with serious medical conditions are observed on a daily basis by charge nurses and medical technicians. In cases of heightened illnesses or addiction withdrawal, patients are seen three times per day or more depending on their condition and treatment needs, he said. Como of the ACLU said there are constitutional concerns under the Eighth Amendment regarding the care of inmates at any jail or prison. She said it concerns her that Correct Care Solutions was the only company that bid for the contract. Brad Stanley, the chief deputy of the sheriffs office, said direct requests for a bid went to 12 vendors and an additional 19 vendors expressed interest in providing proposals. At a pre-bid conference, only five vendors showed up, and Correct Care Solutions was the only vendor to submit a proposal. There is no competition and it seems like they did not comply with all these guidelines under state law, Como said, referring to allegations that have been made. Elizabeth Forbes, the director of N.C. CURE (Citizens United for Restorative Effectiveness), said her organization is focused on prisons but it has received 300 complaints about medical care at jails throughout North Carolina. She said she is skeptical about the use of private contractors, like Correct Care Solutions, to provide medical care. Theres a great indifference in care and concern for people who are incarcerated, and thats unfortunate, Forbes said. We are coming undone. The rate of opioid abuse is surging. Everywhere, it seems. Rates of poverty remain high, even in some of the states most prosperous cities. At the same time, access to mental health care is limited and both the lack of Medicaid expansion and the move to repeal the Affordable Care Act may make a bad situation intolerable. As more and more families are being ripped apart at the seams. These are not coincidences. They are actions and reactions, whose ripples flow downstream until they reach to the most vulnerable among us: our children. Nationally, the numbers of foster children had been falling for several years. Then, between 2012 and 2015, they climbed by 8 percent. In North Carolina, weve seen much worse. The number of children in foster care has jumped by 28 percent, to more than 11,000 today. Closer to home, Guilford County leads the Triad and, in fact, all of northwest North Carolina with 560 children in foster care. A major cause of the spike is the national opioid addiction epidemic. In just Greensboro alone, there are 1,200 people getting treatment for opioid addiction, Les Quagliano of Alcohol and Drug Services told the News & Records Andre Taylor in January. This things just not getting better. Further, more than 24 percent of children under 18 in North Carolina live below the poverty level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A new state law that raises the age at which children can leave the foster system from 18 to 21 will be helpful. This extends structure and support for those young people as they may enroll in college or seek employment. But, obviously, this is a complex challenge that will require a variety of remedies. The Childrens Home Society of N.C. is responding by channeling resources to where it believes they are most needed. With help from a $3.7 million Duke Endowment grant, the nonprofit will focus on finding suitable foster homes among more families that have the means and desire to adopt children permanently. The four-year goal: to double the number of adoptions and to triple the number of children served by a program called child-specific recruitment, which seeks permanent homes for children who have spent the longest time in foster care. The Childrens Home initiative also will emphasize early intervention with families in crisis to provide aid before it becomes necessary to remove children from their homes. The agency will work as well to return children to their families when its safe and appropriate. Greensboros Bennett College, meanwhile, hopes to create a residential program for foster children on its campus in partnership with Guilford County Schools. Targeted for the spring of 2018, the program would involve ninth- to 12th-graders and would provide support services and mentors. As for the opioid problem, a welcome, if overdue, new state law tightens restrictions on doctors who prescribe painkillers and provides $20 million over two years for opioid abuse treatment. Above all, public awareness is critical. This disturbing trend is corroding the linchpin of a strong society: strong families. And it should be treated urgently, like the emergency it is. ELKO Dates for immunization clinics have been set at Nevada Health Centers in Elko and West Wendover as a new state law requires seventh-graders to be vaccinated for meningitis. In Elko, the Center will be open 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 26 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 19. The West Wendover Center will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 25. The clinics are part of an effort through Elko County School District to ensure seventh-graders are up-to-date on their Tdap shot for tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, and receive the meningitis vaccine prior to the start of school on Aug. 28, according to School Nurse Coordinator Bobbi Shanks. The school district began notifying parents earlier in the year with a letter, automated calls and personal phone calls from school nurses, Shanks said, stressing that those who are not vaccinated by Aug. 28 will not be permitted to attend school. So far, Shanks said 500 children have not turned in shot records to their school. Shanks concern is that the cost of the vaccine may prevent parents without insurance from having their child vaccinated. The cost at the Nevada Health Center is $12 for one vaccine and $24 for two or more vaccines, said Shanks. That is lower, noted Shanks, than Wal-Mart pharmacy, which charges $129.65 for the meningitis shot and $55.67 for the Tdap for cash-pay customers. Pharmacies in Elko offer vaccines both by appointment or walk-in, accepting most insurances and Medicaid. For uninsured, underinsured, Native American or Native Alaskan children, the Vaccine for Children Program (VFC), a federally funded program, is available at the Elko Clinic, Nevada Health Center, Northeastern Nevada Pediatrics, Summit Pediatrics and Dr. Jonathan Slothowers office. Children who are eligible for the program receive the vaccine for free, Shanks said, adding that the program pays for shots for incoming kindergartners who need vaccinations when they enroll for school. The law was part of a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Procedures (ACIP), Shanks said. Most states have picked up the requirement, added Shanks. There are exclusions for medical exemptions and religious beliefs, according to the law. We have some students for medical reasons who cannot get the vaccine, Shanks explained. Thats why everybody needs to get vaccinated, because thats how you protect those people who arent vaccinated. We want to protect the whole community, Shanks said. Yes its a rule, but its also for the benefit of everybody. For information about the immunizations, call Shanks at 753-8646 or visit the website at www.ecsdnv.net/health-services. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Joe Howlett was no stranger to the risky work of rescuing whales. More than 15 years ago, the Canadian lobster fisherman co-founded the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, an "intrepid group of fishermen who care so much about whales that they are willing to risk their lives to save them." From their base on Campobello Island, just across the border from Maine, the group's volunteer members would respond to dozens of reports of whales entangled in fishing gear off the coast of New Brunswick. Though the giant marine animals could be unpredictable when trapped, for Howlett, setting a whale free was worth the painstaking, dangerous work, friends said. "This is something he loved and there's no better feeling than getting a whale untangled," Mackie Greene, the captain of the whale rescue group, told the Canadian Press. However, tragedy struck Monday when Howlett was killed in an operation to free a trapped North Atlantic right whale off the coast of New Brunswick, according to a statement by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. He had been on a "fast response vessel" belonging to the Canadian agency at the time of the incident with several others, the department said. "We have lost an irreplaceable member of the whale rescue community," Dominic LeBlanc, minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said in a statement. "His expertise and dedication will be greatly missed." Though the department did not detail how Howlett was killed, LeBlanc noted that "there are serious risks involved with any disentanglement attempt" and praised those who responded to the emergency for their bravery and passion for marine mammals. Greene, who was not on the boat during the incident, told the Canadian Press that the team had succeeded in freeing the whale Monday when it somehow struck Howlett. "They got the whale totally disentangled and then some kind of freak thing happened and the whale made a big flip," Green said. "Joe definitely would not want us to stop because of this." Jerry Conway, an adviser with the whale-rescue group, told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News that rescue boats usually retreat as soon as a whale is freed. "You're dealing with a 70-ton whale that's very upset," he told the news site, adding that this whale "responded in a way that ultimately killed Joe." The North Atlantic right whale is protected as an endangered species in Canada and the United States. There are only about 500 of the animals left in the world, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. North Atlantic right whales can live at least 75 years and grow up to 59 feet long, and migrate between the coasts of Florida and Georgia in winter and Atlantic Canadian waters - especially the Bay of Fundy and southwestern Nova Scotia - in the summer. So far this summer, seven North Atlantic right whales have been found dead in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, alarming conservationists. "This situation is very concerning," Fisheries and Oceans Canada said in a statement June 24, after a fifth whale carcass sighting had been confirmed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. "The cause of death is unknown at this time and DFO is committed to finding out what happened to these animals and to protecting this species." The department, along with the Canadian Coast Guard and other research groups, has gathered samples from the dead whale carcasses and towed some of them to shore to conduct necropsies. The largest threats to the species have been collisions with boats, getting tangled in fishing gear and underwater noise, according to the department. Despite the mysterious whale deaths, the department had recently cheered the successful rescue of a North Atlantic right whale July 5. Howlett had been part of that operation. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, which funds the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, mourned Howlett as "a true friend of the animals" who had dedicated countless hours to rescuing whales in the Bay of Fundy and eastern Canada. The group posted YouTube footage of Howlett on a five-hour whale rescue operation from last summer, showing Howlett aboard an orange zodiac boat, being tossed about as he worked with a long pole to free a 6-year-old endangered whale from netting. "He did it for years, he was good at it and had a lot of successes," Campobello Island Mayor Stephen Smart told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News, of Howlett. "I'm sure for him, I'm sure it was just another day at work." Smart added that Howlett's death was a "big blow" to the tiny community. "There's only 850 people here on Campobello Island now and Joe was a very lively character, he had a great sense of humor," Smart told the news site. "Everybody knew Joe Howlett and everybody respected Joe Howlett." - - - Video link: https://youtu.be/Jd9BIeNWQVY This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH The famous ride of Revolutionary War hero Gen. Israel Putnam is oft told around town. His name is all over Greenwich and his likeness adorns the official town seal. The area where that ride took place was officially denoted Wednesday as the Putnam Hill Historic District with the dedication of a sign at 216 East Putnam Ave., near Christ Church. The installation was part of an ongoing effort by the Greenwich Historical Society and the Greenwich Preservation Network to mark historic sections of Greenwich. It is here that we recognize the importance of Gen. Putnams role and the role of the town of Greenwich in the great American Revolutionary War and the history of the state of Connecticut, said Davidde Strackbein, a member of the network and chairman of the Historical Societys Board of Directors. The recorded history of the area dates back to 1679 when it was known as the Kings Highway and was the main artery in Greenwich, which was called Horseneck then. Putnam made his ride in 1779 when, seeking reinforcements for an outmatched force, he got on his horse and galloped madly from Knapps Tavern to Stamford to get help to fight the oncoming British. His amazing feat and courage in the face of impending death made him an icon, both locally and nationally, as a hero on the battlefield for Americas independence, Strackbein said. The road was renamed in Putnams honor in 1879. But the area isnt historic just because of his actions. It is significant in the wider development of the town. Debra Mecky, executive director of the Historical Society, noted it was where Greenwichs first millionaires, up from New York, built their country estates in the 1850s. This became a boulevard and you would see ladies in Victorian dresses with parasols strolling back and forth on a summer day like today, Mecky said. Four other signs have gone up to denote historic districts in town, starting last year when markers were erected on Greenwich Avenue in front of the Havemeyer Building and at River Road and Mead Avenue in Cos Cob. Earlier in the year, a sign marking the towns historic Fourth Ward was put up on William Street near Greenwich Hospital, and last month one was dedicated in Glenville next to the firehouse. All of the signs were designed by Charles Hilton Architects and installed by Cornerstone Contracting with both firms donating their work. The cost of producing each of the signs has been underwritten by individuals or businesses. The Putnam Hill marker was funded by a group calling itself The Townies. While the group said it wished to remain anonymous, Strackbein said she wanted to name them anyway. Members include First Selectman Peter Tesei; Chief of Police James Heavey; former first selectmen John Margenot, Tom Ragland and Richard Bergstresser; and former state Rep. Stephen Walko. Former Greenwich Time columnist Jerry Dumas, who passed away earlier in the year, was also part of the effort. For those of us who grew up in Greenwich or have been around a long time, certainly Gen. Israel Putnam is a significant figure in the towns history, Tesei said. The significance of having the sign here will really allow passers by young and old to stop, pause and reflect on the importance he played in the formation of the country. Tesei thanked everyone who had been a part of the effort for making sure the history of the town remains widely publicized and carries forth for future generations. He said the location of the sign also highlighted institutions in Greenwich like Christ Church, Greenwich High School, Second Congregational Church, Temple Sholom, the Junior League of Greenwich and YWCA Greenwich, all of which are within walking distance. This is a very treasured area, Tesei said. Strackbein praised the large group effort, which involved several other residents as well, as one in which people were united by their dedication and love of the town. According to Diane Fox, a former town planner and a driving force behind the Greenwich Preservation Network, the hope is to erect the next sign on Strickland Road in Cos Cob in the early fall, but plans have not been finalized. Fox was among the people gathered by the sign who noted the heavy use of the route by students walking to and from Greenwich High School. She said she hopes they will stop and read it because education is a major goal of the ongoing project. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Businesses are waking up to a work-life balance crisis. According to a 2016 Values and Lifestyle survey from CEB Iconoculture, now part of Gartner, the goals employees assign the highest value to in the workplace include "self-Improvement," "happiness" and "sanity" -- and all have climbed the ranks over the past five years. Related: 9 Yoga Poses You Can Do At Your Desk Without Looking Really Weird (Infographic) That suggests that companies should pay attention, because whether or not our culture is any worse today than in the past, people's values have shifted, and they're not accepting industry expectations anymore. In fact, those expectations have changed: To meet the demands of new talent, companies from entrepreneurial startups to large corporations have added perks rivaling the tech world's, like creativity stipends, rooftop bars, office dogs and free food. However, better snacks or free parking will not offset the tipping point we face. Instead, what's needed isn't perks but a change from within. And, to my way of thinking, one of the things leaders can initiate to make that change -- and one of the most effective -- is yoga. Not the Power Flow class you enjoy at the gym, but the 3,000-year-old original practice derived from The Rigveda, an ancient Indian text. In that text, you'll find the Yamas, or ethical rules, a kind of guide to "rightful living" that we yoga practitioners use and that can be adopted by the business world to influence workplace culture and make employees (and ourselves) feel happy and sane again. Not that yoga in the workplace is anything new: Businesses have been incorporating yoga practices and meditation tactics for years. Back in 2007, Google implemented a program called "Search Inside Yourself," to teach 500 employees about meditation. Companies like Apple and Nike even have dedicated meditation rooms where workers can step away from a busy day, unplug and meditate. Related: How To Create a Culture of Mindfulness These are amazing tactics for managing existing stress. As entrepreneurs building a business, we can use mindfulness, particularly the Yama guidelines, to shape culture at the core. What's important here is that these guidelines are never black and white; they're on more of a scale, which means there's always something to work toward and no bad place to start. Without further ado, here are the five Yamas which you can use to shift your workplace culture: 1. Ahimsa: Do no harm. Think about this lesson in your interactions with your teams, customers and business partners. It might be as small as giving feedback in a non-harmful way, or as large as sustainable business practices that do as little environmental harm as possible. Google famously demonstrated this in its early code of conduct statement: "Don't be evil," which has been joined by Alphabet's "Do the right thing." A motto as simple as that can help us feel happier about why we come to work every day. 2. Satya: Be truthful. Being truthful may conflict with being non-harming -- for instance giving honest feedback on an idea you don't particularly like can hurt someone's feelings. But consider how you might deliver feedback in a non-hurtful way and adjust your delivery and tone before you begin to speak. Colleagues and clients will thank you for being honest and helping them change course early on, rather than go too far down a path that isn't right for the end objective. According to leadership experts, encouraging employers and coworkers to give honest feedback to one other in a non-harming, helpful way, creates an increase in positive employee engagement. In other words, the more honest you are in your feedback to your staff, the more likely they'll be to want to fix the problem and recognize that you want to help them fix it, too. 2. Asteya: Don't steal. Millennials stay at a job when they feel appreciated, and giving credit for ideas is an easy way to make everyone feel valued. So, not stealing others' ideas is a no-brainer. But so is not coveting others' ideas. The business world, after all, can feel very competitive, and entrepreneurs can fall subject to a "grass is greener" mentality. Employees, meanwhile, may think that friends at other companies have it better, that other people's roles are easier or that their closest coworkers have cooler clients. But, focusing on what other people have distracts us. The sooner we all establish a workplace where we praise each other for our accomplishments and realize we're only in competition with ourselves, the sooner we'll all be doing our best work. The Nevada Division of Water Resources is proposing Humboldt River regulations that would replace possible 11th District Court action the division fears would be too drastic for water users in the basin. We want to manage the water. We dont want a judge to manage it, Richard Felling, deputy administrator for the division, told Elko County Commissioners Wednesday. The Pershing County Water Conservation District filed a writ petition in August 2015 in 11th District Court against the state engineer and modified it on Nov. 2, 2016. The petition asks that the state engineer bring all over-appropriated basins back to their perennial yield to eliminate pumping that interferes with the river and to treat mining water rights as permanent rights rather than temporary, according to Felling. Should the district court order State Engineer Jason King to meet petition requirements, curtailment of water pumping could be required in 19 of the 34 groundwater basins from Elko County through Pershing County, and any groundwater right that depletes the river would face curtailment. Pershing County farmers and ranchers were heavily impacted by drought in the past few years, and we heard their wrath, Felling said. He said a working group has been helping with a preliminary draft of regulations that would call for mitigating water losses to holders of senior water rights, and the division now needs to do a business impact statement before proceeding to the next step. The terms of the petition are pretty alarming to all of us, Ryan Limberg, utilities manager for the City of Elko and a part of the working group, told county commissioners. He said the proposed regulations are the working groups solution to not have to go to such serious lengths. Part of that mitigation would include raising assessment fees that are now 50 cents per acre feet for surface and groundwater users, but the division doesnt yet have a fee hike determined, Felling said. The new assessment would include municipal rights so customers of municipal water also may be affected. Limberg said the city doesnt want to pay higher fees but from the standpoint of Lovelock farmers who dont have enough water, the mitigation plan makes sense. Funding for mitigation would come from holders of groundwater rights and companies responsible for mine pit lake evaporation through a special assessment, with the assessments based on depletions. All assessments would be placed in a fund to be used only for mitigation of conflicts to surface rights holders. The draft states that owners of domestic wells are exempt from the regulations, but Felling said there is already concern that exempting domestic wells wouldnt be fair. The plan is to develop a mitigation program to be sure state water law is upheld for decreed holders since the earliest water rights have priority, according to a letter Felling wrote to the county asking to be on the agenda. Already, the division has determined the proposed regulations will impact businesses, Felling said, and those are mostly agricultural businesses. He said, however, the petitions requests of the court would have a major impact on the regions economy. The division is relying on studies the U.S. Geological Survey and Desert Research Institute are completing for the agency to help determine the extent of capture of river waters, Felling said. Capture means the depletion of surface water caused by groundwater diversions. Paul Bottari, a real estate agent from Wells, told commissioners he had concerns about the prospect of offering groundwater to Lovelock as part of mitigation. He said snowmelt is what replenishes the Humboldt River, not groundwater miles away from the river or its tributaries. Commissioner Jon Karr asked whether the proposed regulations would mean that holders of water rights lose a portion of rights if they are trying to conserve, and Felling answered that concern should be cleared up because users conserving water shouldnt lose rights. According to a preliminary draft of the proposed regulations, conjunctive management would cover any holder of a water right under the Humboldt River Decree dating back to 1923-1938 adjudication, certain groundwater rights holders and holders of storage rights in the Rye Patch Reservoir. Commissioner Demar Dahl said the proposed regulations shouldnt come as a surprise because we have been kicking the can down the road for a lot of years concerning water rights on the Humboldt River. The regulations would also apply to companies responsible for mining sites with pit lakes that capture water through evaporation. The original Pershing County Water Conservation District petition asked the court to require the state engineer to declare all over-appropriated groundwater basins within the Humboldt River Basin as critical management areas. That request was dropped in the amended petition, however. Felling said the division wants comments on the impacts on small businesses and on the proposed regulations. They can be emails to him at rfelling@water.nv.gov. The Nevada Division of Water Resources is meeting with all the county commissions in the basin, which includes Elko, Lander, Humboldt and Pershing counties, as well as Farm Bureaus, and was meeting Wednesday afternoon with the Northern Nevada Regional Development Association at Great Basin College. The division will meet with the Nevada Farm Bureau at 6:30 p.m. July 20 at the Elko County Convention Centers Conference Center. City Utilities Manager Ryan Limberg said the city doesnt want to pay higher fees but from the standpoint of Lovelock farmers who dont have enough water, the mitigation plan makes sense. ASUS has launched the ZenFone AR in India. The phone is priced at INR 49,999, or about $775, and will be available exclusively on Flipkart. The ZenFone AR is the first phone in the world to have Googles Tango AR technology and Daydream VR technology built-in. To enable Tango functionality, the phone has a triple camera system on the back, comprising of a 23 megapixel main camera, a depth sensor and a motion sensor. The main camera captures the background and also takes pictures and videos, the depth sensor calculates the distance of the objects in the room and the motion sensor tracks the motion of objects in view. The compact arrangement of all the sensors makes the ZenFone AR the most compact Tango-enabled smartphone on the market. Then again, apart from the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, its the only other Tango-enabled smartphone on the market. Other than that, the ZenFone AR has a 5.7-inch 1440p AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, 8GB RAM, 128GB expandable storage, 8 megapixel f2.0 front camera, 3300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 and Android 7.0 with ZenUI 3.0. The phone is available for immediate purchase on Flipkart. Customers will also get INR 2500 off on the purchase of Google Daydream headset as well as up to 100GB of Jio 4G data. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Vertu will be forced to liquidate its UK-based manufacturing arm after the luxury phone maker has failed to cover its 128m deficit, of which Vertu owner Murat Hakan Uzan intended to pay 1.9m. The liquidation will result in some 200 people losing their jobs and seems to spell the inevitable doom of Vertu as a whole. Turkish owner Uzan reportedly plans to rescue Vertu, though it seems unlikely that the maker can be successful again using its old strategy of building outdated phones with quality materials such as ostrich leather and jewels. Vertu was founded in 1998 and has changed its owners on a few occasions. It originated as a premium brand under the market leader (at the time) Nokia. Source 1 | 2 Haiti - Social : Former DG of FAES and Martelly Advisor commits suicide On Wednesday, Klaus Eberwein, former Director General of the Social and Economic Assistance Fund (FAES), was found dead at a Hotel Quality Inn in Miami. According to Veronica Lamar, Veronica Lamar, Miami-Dade medical examiner records supervisor "He shot himself in the head" listing his time of death at 12:19 p.m. Let's recall that Klaus Eberwein, a graduate of the Faculty of Science of the State University of Haiti (UEH), has led FAES for almost three years (May 2012 - February 2015) under the presidency of Michel Martelly, whose he was also the Advisor. Klaus Eberwein was also a shareholder in the Fast Food restaurant chain "Muncheez". Gilbert Bailly, his associate who was very hard-pressed by this death, which nothing could be presumed, said that they were both working on a project of a new restaurant "Muncheez" in Sunrise and that at their last meeting two weeks ago, Ebwerwein seemed in a good mood. "The Directorate General of FAES presents its sympathies to the bereaved families, friends and collaborator that this mourning afflicts. The FAES flag will be flown at half-mast from Wednesday 12th to Tuesday 18th July 2017. May his soul rest in peace," Charles Ernest Chatelier, Director General. HL/ S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Deportations, recommendations of the Consulate of Haiti to the Haitians in DR Wednesday, the Consulate General of Haiti in Santiago urged the Haitian community to be very vigilant due to the intensification of the deportation process https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21499-haiti-flash-more-than-140-000-haitians-turned-back-at-the-dominican-border.html The consulate "strongly recommends Haitian nationals to always travel with their valid passport, with a visa or residence permit, in order to avoid any confrontation with the Dominican authorities. Moreover, to avoid all kinds of physical and psychological abuse, Haitian citizens in an illegal migration situation on Dominican territory, when arrested by immigration officials or other Dominican authorities, must not resist." The Consulate reminds the Haitian community that an emergency number is available 24/7 to provide the necessary assistance to the extent possible. Emergency number: (809) 671-IJAN / (809) 671-4526 Moreover, following the intensification of the operations of Dominican immigration and the deportations of Haitian nationals residing in Santiago, the representatives of the Consulate General of Haiti in Santiago, Minister Counselor Jacques Pierre Matilus, Consul Carl Edouard St Remy, the Consul Delinx Pierre Louis met with Dionicio Jerez, the representative of the Human Rights Commission in Santiago, to discuss the important points relating in particular to the closing of the stalls operated by Haitian traders in the market Mercado Nuevo "Plaza el Sombrero" Subsequently, they met again with Colonel Green, Head of the Deportation Center in Santiago, expressing Consulat's concern about the treatment of Haitian citizens during the repatriation process before discussing with Jose Andres Rodriguez, the President of the Union of Cibao Workers, in the marketplace where they took the opportunity to make a statement of the situation. Recall that the Mayor of Santiago, Abel Martinez, faced with the occupation of parks, many sidewalks, street traders in the streets and complaints of citizens, issued the municipal bylaw that specifies for all foreigners in the territory of the city, to make formal or informal business must have a valid Dominican residence permit and hold a municipal license. In the absence of this license illegal trades will be closed, the goods seized and if the trader is in irregular migration situation it will be handed over to the Migration service for deportation in his country of origin. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : Latest tribute to Jean Claude Fignole Ralph Youri Chevry, Mayor of Port-au-Prince : The Mayor of Port-au-Prince, Ralph Youri Chevry has learned with deep emotion of the death at the age of 76, of the famous writer and former Mayor of Apricots, Jean Claude Fignole whose he salutes the memory. "This great art critic, journalist and teacher in addition, has built a great ideological and stylistic originality through time, until becoming without a doubt one of the greatest authors of frictional works of the end of 20th century in Haiti and in the French West Indies," aid the Mayor of the Capital, adding" [...] Jean Claude Fignole, former Mayor of the city of Abricots and President of the Association of Mayors of Grand'Anse was a citizen committed, a great passionated of tourist sites of Haiti, of the Francophonie, of the integrated development and education in particular. [...] On behalf of the Municipal Administration of Port-au-Prince, Mayor Ralph Youri Chevry, bowed before the body of this native of Grand'Anse and expressed his condolences to all those that this disappeared afflicts." Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, Minister of Education : "Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, Minister of National Education, has learned with dismay the sad news of the death of Jean-Claude Fignole, teacher, co-founder of the Jean Price-Mars college and writer emeritus of Haitian literature, author of 'Les Possedes de la pleine lune' a work that will have marked a whole generation of young people. His involvement in the life of the community and the sustainable development of his native land can serve as an example of a committed citizen, protector of the environment and heritage, so sought after for the renewal of this country that is dear to us. Minister Cadet bows to this "Mapou" of Haitian literature and invites young people to draw on his convictions and his continuous commitment to the new Haiti, respectful of democratic values [...] and presents his sympathies to his family and to his friends affected by this painful disappearance." Limond Toussaint, Minister of Culture : "Limond Toussaint, the Minister of Culture, is saddened by the death of the eminent Haitian writer, Jean-Claude Fignole, one of the most prolific writers of our time. His works, of an exceptional literary style, are appreciated both in Haiti and abroad. He was a founding member of the great contemporary literary current: Spiralism [...] It is with great humility that I bow to the work of the immense Haitian writer, Jean-Claude Fignole, who has gone to the afterlife. He alone contributed to the enrichment of our Literature with more than twenty works. This makes him, one of the undisputed leaders of contemporary thought in Haiti [...] In this painful circumstance, Minister Toussaint expresses his deepest sympathies to the members of the family of the extinct poet, members of the literary spiralism movement, his close relations, the literary sector and the entire Haitian Nation." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21491-haiti-social-passing-of-the-poet-writer-jean-claude-fignole.html HL/ S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politics : New grants of $155M from the World Bank On Wednesday, Jude Alix, the Minister of Economy and Finance, signed five new World Bank grants to the Republic of Haiti for a total amount of nearly US $155 million, to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of Cap-Haitien and the communities affected by the passage of Matthew in the departments of the South, in October 2016. "This funding will help sustainably strengthen the country's resilience to climate shocks and support post-Hurricane Matthew reconstruction efforts," said Raju Singh, World Bank's Director of Operations, adding, "The World Bank Is committed alongside the Haitian population to better deal with natural disasters." The five agreements signed relate to : A funding of nearly $ 55 million for a municipal development and urban resilience project in Cap-Haitien to improve municipal services and reduce flooding risks in the short and medium term. This project is funded by the International Development Association (IDA) for $48 million and a grant from the Climate Investment Fund (CIF) for $7 million; Four additional funds totaling $100 million mobilized by the International Development Association (IDA) crisis response mechanism to support reconstruction after the devastating hurricane Matthew. These 4 funding aim to : Rehabilitating roads and bridges in southern Haiti and strengthening disaster preparedness capabilities ; Restoring the ofer and the quality of health services and boosting efforts to combat cholera ; Ensure the reliability and resilience of the water supply ; Supporting agricultural production through subsidies and cash for work in the most affected areas of the country. With 100 million in grants awarded in June by the World Bank https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21238-haiti-post-matthew-additional-$80m-grants-from-the-world-bank.html it is 1/4 billion dollars that the World Bank has granted to Haiti in less than 2 months. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Fire station project in Port-au-Prince failed because Haiti Regis Labeaume, Mayor of Quebec City, confirmed that the project of a fire station in Port-au-Prince, financed by World Affairs Canada to the tune of $2.6 million and $176,000 from Quebec City https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12942-haiti-reconstruction-port-au-prince-will-have-its-new-fire-station.html has been canceled. The cancellation of this important project is due to the non-respect of the commitments of the Haitian Government, in particular: to put a lot at the disposal for the construction of this Fire station with clear titles of property, surveyed and accompanied by the geotechnical studies of the soils. It should be recalled that this project began in November 2012 following a visit to Port-au-Prince by Mayor Labeaume and face the dismal and dysfunctional state of the existing infrastructures https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7262-haiti-reconstruction-important-delegation-led-by-michaelle-jean.html Mayor Labeaume did not hide his disappointment, deploring "[...] When I looked at the file, I was discouraged. I wondered if they would ever get away with it. They had everything on a silver platter and they were not able to have title to a land [...]" Note that it is only at the end of June 2017 that the Moise Government has issued a decree declaring several land of public utility, one for the construction of this Fire station which the capital absolutely needs https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21457-haiti-flash-declaration-of-public-utility-of-land-in-port-au-prince.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21457-haiti-flash-declaration-of-public-utility-of-land-in-port-au-prince.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12942-haiti-reconstruction-port-au-prince-will-have-its-new-fire-station.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7262-haiti-reconstruction-important-delegation-led-by-michaelle-jean.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Gang dismantled in the airport area The deputy spokesperson of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), the chief inspector Gary Desrosiers, confirms the dismantling of a gang operating in the area of International Airport Toussaint Louverture. 9 members of this gang whose leader: Desire Jean-Baptiste, were arrested. IDB : 10 million donation for the Caravan On Tuesday, the Haitian government signed a US $ 10 million Memorandum of Understanding with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The agreement aims to assist the State in carrying out infrastructure works, river clearing, construction of roads and others, which are part of the Caravan of Change in the great south of the country. Waste disposal : 10 citizens arrested Agents of the Cap-Haitien Town Hall handed over to the National Police of Haiti (PNH) ten individuals who were throwing garbage in the streets of the city. Several stretches of road, under construction in the South Fritz Caillot, the Minister of Public Works confirmed that several road sections, including Camp-Perrin-Jeremie, are under construction as part of the Caravan of Change... Martine Moise visited the village of Noailles Wednesday, visit of the First Lady Martine Moise in the village of Noailles in Croix-des-Bouquets. The village of Noailles, founded in 1953, is gathering more than 95 workshops with nearly 300 craftsmen working in the cut iron. "Our artists are ambassadors for the country, they deserve to be supported and encouraged," said the First Lady. New installation at MICT On Tuesday, Max Rudolph Saint-Albin, Minister of the Interior and Territorial Communities accompanied including its Director General, Fednel Monchery and his Chief of Staff, Jehan Colimon, proceeded to the installation of Georges Garnier as new Coordinator in charge of the Departmental Coordination Unit for Delegations and Vice-Delegations. He replaces Gassendy Brave, who had held the position since 2012. HL/ HaitiLibre The Send Conference 2017 in Orlando, Florida, July 25-26, will provide encouragement and practical takeaways for every Christian to know why and how to join God's global mission in their everyday lives. Two days of teaching, worship and breakout sessions will connect individuals with practical ways to allow God to weave the rhythms of their lives, jobs, schooling and relationships into His global mission. "We want to help every believer discover the mission God has for them, to equip them to share the transformational truth of the gospel and to connect them with opportunities to do so," said Kevin Ezell, North American Mission Board president. "The Orlando Send Conference is the third of three gatherings in 2017 that we hope will be powerful catalysts to continue a movement of people from inside the church joining the mission of God in their everyday lives." The Send Conference will take place July 25-26, 2017, in Orlando, Florida. Our first two Send Conferences this year in Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 3-4 and Dallas, Texas, May 19-20, sold out. Presented in partnership by the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board, Send Conference 2017 Orlando will feature leaders including Ezell, IMB President David Platt, Vance Pitman, D.A. Horton and Trip Lee. Worship will be led by Austin Stone Worship and David Crowder. "It is our heart to equip and mobilize limitless missionaries to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to every neighborhood and every nation," said Platt. "We will push past the status quo, the expected and inconvenience to challenge each person to commit to a life fully surrendered to Christ." Breakout sessions led by pastors, practitioners and leaders in ministry, church planting, compassion ministry and more will provide resources and ideas for every person to walk away from the conference with tangible next steps for themselves, their churches and their missional communities. Whether it's high school seniors committing to a college with the intentions to be involved in campus church planting or professionals specifically applying for jobs in influential cities overseas, application will be for the everyday Christian to join the everyday mission of God. "It's time we examine our hearts and redefine what everyday mission looks like," said Dustin Willis, NAMB executive director of marketing and events. "The message remains the same, but our approach must become more intentionally integrated into the everyday rhythms of our lives. Attendees will explore the ways God can use them where they are and with the talents He's given them." Register, view a video and learn more about Send Conference 2017 at sendconference.com. Tags : send conference trip lee david crowder austin stone worship David Platt Have you ever found yourself saying, someday I am going to do something. Eventually that changes to, I always wanted to do that. Maybe its time to act on some of these things, before you just cant. In the mid... Published on 2017/07/12 | Source Kim Woo-bin who is suffering from nasopharyngeal carcinoma is modeling for a construction company. Advertisement IS Dong Suh claimed it they recently signed a contract with the actor. Kim Woo-bin has been working with them since 2014. He is currently in treatment. The company showed its support for Kim Woo-bin and believes he will make it through his illness. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Spanish blue wine Skyfall outlines its premium ambitions By Jo Gilbert The brains behind Skyfall, the newest face of the blue wine craze to be launched in the UK, are hoping that their product will soon be drank in the nations swanky bars as a premium tipple. Having launched over the past few weeks, Skyfalls backers are now setting out to prove the product, which originally launched in Spain, in the UKs highly competitive on-trade. Made in prime Cava country, Sant Sadurni dAnoia near Barcelona, the wine is a Cava in everything but name. The reason for this is that by its very nature, Cava cant be blue. The blue colour in fact comes from a combination of natural flower and fruit extracts are added to bring the sky colour to the liquid. Director of Skyfalls UK distribution, David Arbery, is keen to stress that Skyfall has the chops to back up its premium price point, which sits somewhere between 10 and 12 per glass. We have to be careful about how we position it and what we call it, he said. But its a three-year old gran reserva and it has a two cork rounds, whereas even high end Champagne only has one. The bottle is also a Cava bottle, and its dark so you cant see the blue colour until you pour it. Its costs more to do things this way, but we wanted it to be very luxurious, subtle and premium. Blue wine has been seen by turns as a gimmick and a creative rebellion to traditional wine mores since it first garnered attention in 2015 when six entrepreneurs in their twenties invented Gik, a bright blue wine also from Spain, made with red and white grapes. Gik has since been made available to UK customers online, but the on-trade has yet to be penetrated by any such brand. In terms of gimmickry, Arbery would say that a gimmick is over quickly, but Skyfall represents a long-term investment for him and his brother Chris. With equal parts novelty and quality, the brothers see it sitting alongside Prosecco, Cava and even Champagne in UK bars. The lengths weve taken to make this a premium product is what sets it apart, said Arbery, a family friend of the producers who has dedicated 18 months to bringing their creation to the UK market. Yes its blue, but its not intended to be a limited run. Its something were investing heavily in and are in talks with bars in London and Bristol who have really been impressed by its quality. Theres so much we can do with festivals, weddings and events. We want to be here long-term. Blue-sky thinking, perhaps? With the rise of sparkling and consumers looking for something new and different, perhaps not. Skyfall is a blend of Macabeu, Parellada, Xarello and Chardonnay grapes and is a naturally sparkling blue aromatised wine. Inver House Distillers promotes Martin Leonard to managing director By Lisa Riley Inver House Distillers, the Scotch whisky subsidiary of global drinks business International Beverage Holdings, has appointed its current operations manager, Martin Leonard, to managing director. Leonard, who has been with the business for 17 years, will take on his new role when current managing director, Graham Stevenson, retires in September this year. Following 23 years at the helm of the business, Stevenson departs Inver House Distillers to take up a new role with The Glenallachie Consortium. Stevenson left the business and brands in excellent shape for future growth and success, said Leonard, adding his ambition was to continue the dedicated leadership of Stevenson. After 17 years with the Inver House Distillers business I am very much looking forward to taking up this new position, bringing my experience and knowledge of working in every aspect of operations to the role. Leonard joined Inver House Distillers in 2000 as group quality manager before becoming operations manager for the main warehousing and blending site. He has held the post of operations director since 2007 with responsibility for the five Inver House Distilleries in Scotland Pulteney, Balblair, Balmenach, Speyburn and Knockdhu, plus all maturation, blending and bottling, logistics, health and safety and quality assurance across the business. Consumers have benefited for decades from the presence of Open Skies agreements that lessen government interference in the market for international air travel. Now, a coalition of the big three U.S. airlines Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines along with labor unions, are hoping to ride the wave of economic nationalism and roll back these bilateral agreements, opening markets to foreign competition under the guise of fairness. Deregulation of the U.S. airline industry has led to lower prices and greater choice in routes and service. The Open Skies agreements provided a means to achieve similar results in the international market by encouraging other governments to do the same. These agreements mean that U.S. airlines can fly at will to treaty countries, and vice versa. They have also made it very profitable for domestic airlines to partner with Emirates Airline flying to the United States. Thats proven good for consumers, who have more choices for international travel than ever before, and at better prices, but it isnt appreciated by certain legacy carriers facing increased competition. Like many who seek special dispensation from the government, legacy carriers couch their appeals as one for fair competition. This is a common euphemism for government interference and should be rejected as such. They want the Open Skies agreements between the United States and Persian Gulf governments thrown out and to deny Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways access to American cities because theyre subsidized by their governments. But so are other U.S. airline partners, many of whom happened to also be government-owned. Such subsidies are unfortunate, but theyre hardly a reason to rip up the very system thats pressuring governments around the world to reduce protectionist behaviors. U.S. airlines have also received, and continue to receive, their unfair share of government handouts, which is all the more reason to question their stated interest in fairness. As my colleague Gary Leff recently noted on his popular View From the Wing blog, This isnt my (SET ITAL) preferred (END ITAL) way of fostering commerce, but the history is clear that airlines have been intertwined with governments since their inception. He goes on to give the gory details of an industry with close to a centurylong history of government subsidies, protection from competition, pension liability rescues and bailouts. There is also your everyday government-granted handout: the Fly America Act, which requires federal travelers to use U.S. carriers for federally funded travel without consideration for cost or convenience, or the Essential Air Service program and its generous subsidies for airlines serving rural communities. In addition, as Leff notes, In the U.S. nearly all commercial airports are owned by government, and they generally share revenue with airlines for all the business activity that takes place inside. The bottom line, Leff says, is that its impossible to disentangle the airline industry from U.S. government. Lets not forget the biggest losers when a government subsidizes particular industries: taxpayers. If anyone should be upset about subsidies from Persian Gulf governments, it should be their citizens, who are poorer for having to help pay for Americans traveling more cheaply. But, as mentioned above, theyre hardly alone in that behavior. Open Skies agreements succeeded in reducing subsidies and other forms of government interference, but its true that theres much more to do on that front. Subsidies are still all too common throughout the world, reflecting just how connected with governments the air travel industry has always been. Still, Open Skies agreements have proven a commendable step in the right direction, encouraging governments throughout the world to reduce interference in the market and remove barriers to international travel. They have also benefited numerous other American carriers that are able to access routes throughout the world and compete against foreign airlines. The proliferation of Open Skies agreements created a boom in international air travel. To prevent a regression by governments to old protectionist behaviors, the United States should continue to set an example as a leader in promoting free market competition. That means rejecting appeals for protectionism, even when couched as a matter of fairness. Remote work should be standard practice rather than a perk or privilege, according to a workplace psychology expert. Workplace psychologist George Mylonas, said that remote work or telecommuting - is performed by about one-quarter of Australian workers. The most significant benefit for employers is that remote work improves productivity because there are fewer distractions and employees are better able to concentrate, he said. Moreover, employees have enhanced autonomy and control over their work environment, including how they dress, lighting, temperature and background noise, which enhances job satisfaction. For employees, remote work provides more time to balance work and family responsibilities. Whats more, since remote workers are not subjected to direct face-to-face supervision, they experience increased feelings of freedom, said Mylonas. The benefits of remote work are especially relevant given that all senior executive jobs in the NSW public service will be open to employees choosing flexible working arrangements by 2019. Futher, major infrastructure works in Sydney and Melbourne will increase traffic congestion and commuting times. Mylonas said remote work has been touted as a major organisational shift for many years but hasnt obtained expected traction in the public and private sectors because many employers are concerned about decreased productivity despite evidence to the contrary. Employers worry they will lose control over remote workers and be unable to supervise them, provide constructive feedback and deliver performance appraisals, he said. Mylonas added that shifting organisational focus from face time to results and developing a pro-remote work culture is crucial. Concentrate on managing objectives and set specific performance targets, timeframes and communication guidelines so remote workers know whats expected, he said. Employers should assist managers to change their perception of remote work by outlining the benefits and providing information on how it is a strategic business tool, standard operating procedure and legitimate way to conduct work rather than an employee perk or exception. There shouldn't be any difference between managing remote workers and non-remote workers. George Mylonas will speak about remote work and findings from his literature review, at the 2017 APS College of Organisational Psychologists Conference, held in Sydney, 13-15 July. Respondents of the survey ranked eighty countries according to subjective perceptions of economic stability, quality of the job market, income equality, and whether the country is one in which the respondent could imagine living in. Moreover, the percentage of immigrants in a countrys population, the amount of remittances sent home, and an assessment by the United Nations of integration measures provided for immigrants were included in the methodology. Sweden is the best country to be an immigrant in, according to a recent survey by U.S. News. Finland takes ninth place, with Norway and Denmark also present in the top ten. The data on global perceptions of various countries were gathered through survey responses from more than 21,000 business leaders, intellectuals and general citizens. Nordic countries are ranked so high primarily because of favourable ratings on economic stability and income equality. However, some Nordic countries, notably Finland, fall in rankings because of the low percentage of immigrants in the overall population. According to the latest data by OECD, immigrants make up 16 per cent of Swedens overall population, while the equivalent number lies at no more than 5.6 per cent in Finland. This explains why Finland ranks nine places behind Sweden in best countries to be an immigrant in. Surprisingly, the United Kingdom, despite hosting the sixth largest number of immigrants in the world, ranks at seventeenth place. According to U.S. News, this is because the UK currently employs immigration policies that are purely concerned with the interests of nationals, as opposed to those of immigrants. The United States, on the other hand, hosts the largest number of immigrants in the world that is 46.6 million and takes seventh place in the survey. The primary reason the U.S. failed to climb to the very first places in the ranking was a low score in perceived income equality. In terms of the share of immigrants in a countrys population, the United Arab Emirates hosts, by far, most immigrants, with almost 90 per cent of the population having migrated from abroad. Nevertheless, the country falls at 15th place due to a lack of integration policies. Read more about the best countries to be an immigrant here. Nicole Berglund Helsinki Times Robonic, a Tampere-headquartered supplier of launch systems for unmanned aerial vehicles, was granted a licence to export two launch systems to the United Arab Emirates on Monday despite the opposition of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Paavo Arhinmaki (Left Alliance) has lashed out at the government for its decision to grant a licence to export defence materiel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommended in foreign and security policy assessment that the licence application be rejected. Its assessment report is classified, but its reservations were related to the volatile situation in the region, according to Helsingin Sanomat. The assessments are always carried out on a case-by-case basis. The unstable situation in the region resulted in this kind of a foreign and security policy assessment, Timo Kantola, a deputy director general at the political department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, confirmed to the newspaper on Wednesday. The government, meanwhile, said the decision to grant the export licence was made based on the importance of technology exports. Activists and policy makers alike have called for the suspension of defence and military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates due to the countries deteriorating human rights situation and involvement in the civil war in Yemen. Arhinmaki on Wednesday said it was shameful to sanction exports to a country participating in a civil war caused by a humanitarian catastrophe. Many estimates indicate that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is at least as catastrophic as that in Syria. How inhumane and horrible must the situation become before the government and Minister of Defence [Jussi] Niinisto (NA) stop granting licences to export defence materiel to countries involved in the conflict? he asked. He also reminded that the government cited its values and morals as the key reason for discontinuing coalition co-operation with the Finns Party in mid-June. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Emmi Korhonen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi The anti-immigrant counter-protest, organised by the nationalist group Suomi Ensin (Finland First), has likewise relocated to a small square across the street from the asylum seekers demonstration. A new protest camp has replaced the long-running Right to Live demonstration that was evicted from Helsinki Railway Square two weeks ago . Now based outside Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, the camp was given permission to reopen by the Helsinki Police Department on Wednesday, 12 June. Originally shut down by police on 27 June, three days before the Right to Live protest was broken up, the anti-immigrant demonstration is now based outside a monument to former Finnish President J.K. Paasikivi. Helsingin Sanomat reported that, while the Right to Live demonstration is ongoing, Finland First is determined to continue with its counter-protest. When asked about Finland Firsts intentions, the nationalist groups leader Marco de Wit said: "We have a principle that we are here for just as long as they [the asylum seekers] are in front of Kiasma. We found that their tent was put up today. If they come tomorrow, we will come back here with a bigger tent. Despite the two protests being shut down in June for security reasons, the Helsinki Police Department decided that both should be allowed to continue in their new locations. However, while no time restriction was previously in place, the demonstrations can now only take place from 8am to 10pm. Noting that the previous camps were closed due to security concerns, Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle asked Heikki Kopperoinen, Deputy Police Chief of the Helsinki Police Department, if the situation will be any different this time around. Kopperoinen answered: "We are constantly assessing the situation, day by day. These assessments are used as the basis for any police decisions, in addition to negotiations with both the demonstrators and the city. Together they form an overall evaluation of how such matters should be resolved." Dan Anderson HT Photo: Lehtikuva / Mikko Stig Like so many of us in rural Nevada, I was pleased to see Senator Heller reject the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). When his colleagues in the U.S. Senate unveiled it, he said the right thing: Its not about getting me to yes. Its about getting Nevada to yes. Bravo. Senator Heller may be facing a lot of pressure from his party, but its absolutely clear he understands the pressures Nevadans living in rural areas like Elko County are up against. I am confident he will not compromise our well-being for party loyalties. But he needs to hear this from all of us. In its current form, the BRCA isnt ready for a yes for residents of Elko County. And yep, we all understand the existing affordable health care law falls short of our needs as well. So, we need to do more work together to retool health care so it can be the best it can be for all Americans. Many of us in Elko County work in good, well-paying jobs with excellent benefits, including health care coverage. But, significant numbers of our neighbors are not so fortunate, and weve recently learned that our community is losing access to private healthcare via the exchanges. That is why funding for Medicaid has been so important it fills the gap. In rural areas across the country where Medicaid was expanded, the coverage rate increased at a significantly higher rate than expansion in urban areas. The problem Senator Heller faces in representing rural Nevadans is that the BRCA would put a per capita limit on federal Medicaid reimbursement to the states, amounting to a $772 billion cut over a decade. As a result, the Senate bill would result in 15 million fewer people on Medicaid by 2026. It also potentially changes the character and effectiveness of Medicaid by building in loopholes. Under the current language in the BRCA, states could apply for waivers allowing insurers to avoid covering a list of services, such as maternity care. That may not seem that devastating until you consider the fact that nearly two-thirds of births in Nevada are paid for by Medicaid. And, access could be an even bigger problem. We already know many Elko families are traveling out of state to have their babies. Additionally, state waivers could allow insurers to set premiums based on individual risk for some consumers, which would automatically put those with pre-existing conditions in jeopardy. We cannot return to such an uncaring model; a good health care bill can provide some flexibility to the states, but it must still ensure that funding is in place so our most vulnerable friends and neighbors can afford the care they need. Overall, the BCRA is projected to leave more than a quarter million additional Nevadans without health care by 2026. And, if you dont think thats going to be a problem for you, think again. Our local hospital will still treat them. Thats what medical professionals do, and God bless them. But will they have the resources they need? Not under the current BCRA. It will place additional un-funded burdens on state, county and city governments, and our hospital for those who are uninsured. Obamacare coverage expansion reduced payments for such care to hospitals, because it required us to have insurance to pay for health care. So, at the very least a replacement bill must restore such payments to help hospitals care for the increased number of uninsured. And we are all keenly aware of how challenging access to affordable health care is in rural Nevada. BCRA will not make it any easier for us to enjoy easy access to health care in our own community, nor ease the challenges of recruiting and retaining health care professionals to communities across rural Nevada. We live in a wonderfully diverse community, and though we may have differences in ideology, I believe reasonable people agree on this: we have to care for our families and our neighbors. Its just the right thing to do. The bottom line is that the Senate should not vote to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act without crafting and then passing an acceptable replacement bill at the same time. As Senator Heller knows, rural Nevadans stand to lose the most if it goes that direction. That is why I continue to support Senator Heller in waiting for his colleagues to get health care right. I hope youll join me. Call Senator Heller. Thank him for his leadership and tell him you agree with him: The BCRA isnt the solution. A Fair City star who bit and punched his ex-girlfriend in an attack at his home has been given another seven months to pay her compensation. Patrick Fitzpatrick (33), who is awaiting sentence for the assault, has already paid half of the 2,000 and a judge has said he has until next February to come up with the rest. Fitzpatrick, who played Zumo Bishop in the hit RTE soap, was excused from attending the brief hearing at Dublin District Court. He potentially faces a maximum jail term of one year. Fitzpatrick pleaded gulity last February to assault causing harm to Theresa Gannon at his home at Hollytree Terrace, Ballymun, on September 4, 2015. Dublin District Court had heard the victim was at the accused's home on the day when he became aggressive. He threw two punches at her face and bit her right upper arm. She was left with bruising to her right eye but the bite did not break her skin. Defence solicitor Philip Hannon told Judge John Lindsay that the case was before the court to clarify the issue of compensation. Injuries Garda Niall Carolan said facts in the case had been heard previously and handed a copy of a medical report on the victim's injuries to the court. A "positive" probation report on Fitzpatrick was also presented in court. Judge Lindsay asked if the victim had made a full recovery. Gda Carolan replied: "She did, judge." The court heard 1,000 in compensation had already been paid by the defendant, and a total of 2,000 had been "mooted" back in February. Gda Carolan said this figure had been a suggestion on the judge's part, and not necessarily an order. Mr Hannon asked the judge to put the case back to November, saying the judge could monitor the situation. Some of the money will be expected to be paid on that date, with the balance in February next year, the court heard. Mr Hannon added that the comprehensive probation report contained a "specific recommendation". Judge Lindsay adjourned the case to November 28. The defendant was remanded on continuing bail in his absence. The charge of assault causing harm is under Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. It carries a potential sentence on conviction in the district court of 12 months' imprisonment. Fitzpatrick last made an appearance on Fair City in 2016. He had played Zumo between 2007 and 2013. Flowers and cards pictured in the door way where Jonathan Corrie died on Dublins Molesworth Street A man who was a close pal of tragic homeless man Jonathan Corrie lay dead in St Stephen's Green for hours before he was found, an inquest has heard. Derek Buchan (39), originally from Drogheda, Co Louth, used homeless hostels in the city, Dublin Coroner's Court was told. He was discovered lying face down in foliage at the Leeson Street end of St Stephen's Green on January 30 last year. It was beginning to get dark as park constable David Morgan and his three colleagues were locking up at 4.20pm, the court heard. "I was locking the two small gates at the Leeson Street end of the park when I saw a person lying in the bushes. I saw the figure of a man lying face down," said Mr Morgan. He saw drug paraphernalia and attempted to rouse the man before calling emergency services, he said. "It was an area where people used to go in to sleep and use drugs," Mr Morgan added. All four park constables lock the park in the evenings, checking bushes and shrubbery for people. Mr Morgan said the bushes where Mr Buchan was found had since been cut down. Mr Buchan's sister Mary McCabe said he was a "free spirit" whom she hoped was now at peace. Heroin His possessions included rosary beads, a scapular and a mobile phone. "He was a free spirit, he wouldn't settle anywhere, he was always wandering around," Ms McCabe told the court. "He used to come to me every Christmas but we didn't see him that year." Gardai and Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and Mr Buchan was pronounced dead at 5.45pm. The doctor who pronounced his death noted that he had been dead for a number of hours before he was found. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a drug overdose, with evidence of heroin and the sleep medication zopiclone found in his system. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of death by misadventure. Mr Buchan was a friend of Mr Corrie, a homeless man who died after consuming a fatal mix of drugs and alcohol near Leinster House in December 2014. A toddler who gardai suspect was knifed to death by his mother was stabbed more than 20 times, the Herald can reveal. Three-year-old Omar Omran's mother, Dr Maha Al-Adheem (43), remained in garda custody last night for questioning. Her period of detention was extended and officers are following a definite line of enquiry. Dr Al-Adheem, an Iraqi, was arrested at St James's Hospital at 10am yesterday and detained at Crumlin Garda Station. Gardai believe she was in the family's Riverside apartments home in Kimmage, south Dublin, when her son was attacked on Monday afternoon. Dr Al-Adheem was found at 6.30pm with stab wounds to her side, which she is believed to have inflicted herself. She was treated by Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics before being taken to St James's Hospital. Yesterday morning she was deemed fit enough to be formally interviewed by detectives. Horrific It is understood that Dr Al-Adheem did not need an interpreter while being questioned. Emergency crews who dealt with the aftermath of the killing have been praised for the professional manner in which they dealt with the horrific scene that confronted them. They had initially been told in a 999 call made by Dr Al-Adheem that her son had suffered a possible heart attack. However, when they arrived at the flat, the scene left even long-experienced crew members distressed. "There were emergency personnel there who have been exposed to all sorts of difficult situations and environments during their careers, but even they were taken aback by the scenes in the apartment," said a source. "They were expecting one scenario but were confronted with something totally different." An investigator dealing with the case said: "It is a credit to them all that they dealt with the situation with such professionalism and humanity. "While the young boy could not be saved, the training and intervention of the crews helped prevent two lives being lost." Medical crews and gardai have been offered counselling in the aftermath of the incident. It is understood many have accepted the offer. The Herald yesterday revealed that the tragic toddler lay dead in his bedroom for more than two hours before his body was discovered by emergency services. Omar was found by paramedics at 6.30pm but gardai have established he was attacked at about 4pm. His mother contacted emergency services and told them her son had gone into cardiac arrest. Message A shrine to Omar has been growing steadily outside the apartments complex in Kimmage since news of his death first emerged. Teddy bears, soft toys, flowers, candles and balloons have been left at the gates. "Rest in peace, poor child. Fly with the angels," reads one message attached to a single flower. Local people who did not know the child also paid tribute. "It just seemed like the right thing to do," said Greg Byrne. Theres a perception out there that Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, now running for the Democrat Partys nomination for Nevada governor, is a centrist. Indeed, Sisolak himself is running like the proverbial scalded dog from the liberal label. I think people are more interested in moderate, centrist leadership, he said in his announcement statement. Im not real liberal. And I guess compared to the rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth, anti-business lefties such as the Culinary Union and the Crazy Bernie fanatics, thats true. And if Sisolak was running against tax-hiking/ESA-killing/Medicaid-expanding Republican in Name Only (RINO) Gov. Brian Sandoval, hed get a pretty good chunk of the GOP vote in the general election. But he wont be running against a RINO next year, unless State Treasurer Dan Schwartz pulls a rabbit out of his, wherever, and wins the GOP nomination. Dont bet the farm on it. No, the likely Republican candidate will be an actual, proven, common sense, fiscal conservative Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt. And the differences between Laxalt and Sisolak will be as stark as night and day. For example, Sisolak opposes Education Savings Accounts, the voucher-like program that would allow parents, rather than the government, to choose which school their children attend. Instead, he supports dumping even more money into the governments failure factories, pledging on his website that he will restore funding to at least pre-recession levels and prioritize class size reduction. Problem is, funding for Nevadas public schools has already SKY-ROCKETED above pre-recession levels under Sandoval with no sign whatsoever that its helped improve our worst-in-the-nation education system. And study after study has shown so-called class size reduction in Nevada to be a miserable failure and complete waste of money. Indeed, the best, most cost-effective way to reduce class size in public schools is to give parents ESAs a popular program Laxalt successfully defended all the way up to the Nevada Supreme Court which will enable them to send their kids to private schools instead. Sisolak also supports collective bargaining for state employees, which would cause statewide the same cost-inflating headaches unionization of local government workers has. And hes all in with the propaganda campaign against repealing-and-replacing the disastrous ObamaCare program thats in a death spiral nationwide. He also appears to support sanctuary cities, a litmus test for the Culinary Union and other amnesty supporters, but voices concerns about how a cut-off in funding would impact local governments. But if you suspect the commissioners true colors already bleed liberal blue, just watch what happens if a hard-left challenger, such as fellow County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, enters the race. Thats when his centrist sheen could be blown to smithereens. Sisolak hopes to run as Democrat Lite. Itll be interesting to see if the Kool-Aid drinkers in his party will swallow it. An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Mary McCamley and Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid were at the launch the Creative Ireland Fingal Programme in Swords Castle Solidarity TD Paul Murphy used Dail privilege to claim gardai conspired to commit perjury in the trial of six people accused of falsely imprisoning former Tanaiste Joan Burton. In an extraordinary series of exchanges, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the Dublin South-West TD - who was one of the defendants acquitted late last month - was "quite threatening" in his contributions. The Taoiseach rejected calls for a public inquiry into the evidence given during the nine-week trial, telling Mr Murphy: "You are not a victim here. You are not the victim of any conspiracy. "You got a fair trial. You were acquitted, but that doesn't mean your behaviour was right." Cheered on by his Fine Gael colleagues and some TDs from other parties, an unscripted Mr Varadkar said: "It may well be the case that you were not involved in kidnapping, but it was thuggery and your behaviour was wrong. The protest was ugly, it was violent, it was nasty. Virulence "For those of us who have seen some of the coverage, the anger, the virulence, the words that were directed at two women going about their work, a water balloon being thrown in somebody's face. "All of those things are unbecoming of a member of this House. Unbecoming of somebody who believes in democracy and unbecoming of anybody who has any respect for other human beings." Mr Varadkar called on Mr Murphy to stop trying to present himself as a victim, and instead "offer an apology to Deputy Burton". Mr Murphy was cautioned several times by Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail, who warned that the Dail cannot be used to review the outcome of court cases. In her charge to the jury during the Jobstown protest trial, Judge Melanie Greally noted there were discrepancies between some of the garda evidence and video footage. She advised that the footage be treated as the principal evidence, as it was not subject to "human frailties". Mr Murphy said three gardai told the court that he had asked protesters whether they should keep Ms Burton in Jobstown all night, but this wasn't backed up by the video evidence. "Something very serious happened in court and there is a public interest in a public inquiry," he said. "The Taoiseach has to decide what all of that means. I think it means that numerous gardai lied under oath in a co-ordinated way. I think that implies an agreement to commit perjury." As junior minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor and others shouted about the fact children witnessed the November 2014 protest, Mr Murphy replied: "It might pain you all or at least lots of you that the jury heard the evidence and found us not guilty. I'm sorry but that's the way it works. Consequences "This started with a Labour minister a few hours after the protest saying it was false imprisonment. It was followed by the Taoiseach saying it was kidnapping. It was followed by the now Taoiseach saying it was thuggery," he added. "Now politicians, not courts, have to deal with the consequences." Mr Varadkar then hit back by saying: "Not only do you owe Deputy Burton and Ms O'Connell an apology, you also should give a public apology to all of the people who you led. "We saw you on the loudhailer. Particularly the young people and minors who should not have been led in that sort of protest that is unbecoming of our democracy." The transcript of Mr Murphy's Dail contributions are to be reviewed after Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin raised questions about deputies' entitlement to use privilege to state that people lied in court. He said, if it was allowed to stand, it would set "a precedent that opens up all sorts of new horizons". The row came about after Ms Burton broke her silence about the controversy, saying it was an "enormous achievement" by gardai to get everybody away from the protest without injury. In her first comments since the trial, Ms Burton praised gardai for showing restraint during the water charges protest. The California Department of Public Health has just released a report that detailed the number of terminally ill patients over the past year who took advantage of the California End-of-Life Options Act (EOLA), a law that allows certain patients to request a lethal dose of medication to end their lives. This report comes a year after EOLA went into effect on June 9, 2016. According to the report, 258 individuals began the end-of-life process, which requires multiple oral and written requests and discussions with doctors before receiving the medication. Of this group, 90 patients received a prescription to end life but did not take it, while 111 individuals died from ingesting the drugs. Supporters believe aid-in-dying laws are important for terminal patients because they provide an option to end life on their terms, rather than in a hospital or hospice setting. Indeed, there is a growing consensus in the United States in favor of aid-in-dying. According to a May 2017 Gallup Poll, 73 percent of U.S. adults surveyed believe a doctor should be allowed to help a terminally ill patient end his or her life if the patient makes the request. Six states and the District of Columbia permit aid-in-dying, and more states are considering similar laws. One critical question is whether these laws make the process accessible to everyone who wants this option. I am a sociologist who studies aid-in-dying laws and how law influences end-of-life choice. People often ask: Who is the typical person who pursues this option? My research looks at this question with data I combined from California along with Oregon and Washington, states that have published information about the people who use aid-in-dying laws. In California, 258 people began the end-of-life process between June 2016 and June 2017, lower than the 431 requests in 2015 in Oregon and Washington combined. Californias EOLA may ultimately result in more requests, given the states large population. The numbers we have predominantly based on Oregon and Washington patients indicate that aid-in-dying patients are more likely to be male, white, over 65 years old and with the minimum of a bachelors degree. Why is a fairly homogeneous population using these laws more than others? There may be many factors why these older white men are overrepresented, including access to doctors willing to help, religious beliefs or having peers with similar attitudes about aid-in-dying. It is important, however, to also consider other explanations that may restrict access for certain populations. Physicians are not required to help a patient who requests end-of-life options. New research shows that doctors struggle with professional and personal ethics around helping terminally ill patients and whether they should be required to inform patients who may not know about these laws. Also, studies suggest racial differences about end-of-life choices are both cultural and structural. Pew Research Center shows African-Americans and Latinos are more religious, which includes belief in God, church attendance and prayer. Virtually all religions condemn aid-in-dying except the Unitarian Universalist Church. Religiosity explains a possible correlation between race and attitudes concerning aid-in-dying. However, studies also report racial disparities with end-of-life care can be explained by the high cost of health care, lack of awareness regarding end-of-life care options, language barriers and high levels of distrust in medical professionals. The growing number of aid-in-dying laws in more racially diverse states may change these trends. California is more diverse than other states, so it will be a state to watch in the years to come. As more states consider aid-in-dying laws and discussions around end-of-life options are growing, it is important to question the statistics and what they do and dont reveal. Statistics about aid-in-dying provide transparency concerning a process where patients are given an option over their end-of-life plans. Statistics also reveal that not everyone who pursues aid-in-dying actually takes the medication. In fact, 42 percent of patients who received medication did not ingest it. Some organizations are advocating on behalf of patients who would like to end their lives. Organizations such as Compassion & Choices and the Coalition of Compassionate Care of California work to bridge the gap between patients and providers by offering presentations to doctors and directories of medical professionals willing to help patients who choose this route. The statistics are important to help identify patterns that may be the result not simply of different attitudes about end-of-life options, but rather structural barriers that keep certain groups from pursuing options at lifes end. ABINGDON, Va. -- A Bristol, Virginia, woman who pleaded guilty in May for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme was sentenced today to six years in prison. According to authorities, Deborah Branch, 65, was hired several years ago by a couple, Melissa Harr and Bryan Harr Sr., to take care of their son, who has intellectual and physical disabilities. He qualified for funding from Virginia Medicaids Department of Medical Assistance Services, some of which was going to Branch for his care. However, Branch was providing no such care. From January 2010 until September 2015, Branch, with the knowledge of the Harrs, submitted time sheets claiming she was providing services for Harrs disabled son when she was not, according to prosecutors. During this time, the Harr's son did not receive the services he legitimately needed. Prior to handing down his sentence in United State District Court in Abingdon, Judge James P. Jones spoke at length about how terrible Branchs actions were, not only for the treatment of the child involved but for the nature of the fraud and brazen greed that occurred. In exchange for assisting Branch in being paid for work she did not do, she paid the Harrs approximately $200 every two weeks. The Department of Medical Assistance Services paid out more than $350,000 based on those time sheets, of which nearly $208,000 was paid to Branch. Janine Myatt, a special assistant U.S. attorney who also works in the Office of the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, said the child, identified as E.H., was locked in room with his two brothers, with a mattress and a few blankets, and no access to a bathroom. Myatt had recommended Branch serve at least 68 months. Jones opted to exceed the sentencing guidelines with the 72-month sentence. The Harrs are scheduled to be sentenced Thursday afternoon. Read Fridays Bristol Herald Courier for a full account of the court proceedings. The Colorado River, one of the longest rivers in the United States, is gradually shrinking. This is partly a result of overuse by municipalities and seasonal drought. The other reason is global warming. The decline in the river reservoir will have serious implications for large U.S. cities, such as Los Angeles, that depend on the Colorado River as their water source. In addition, this will also have an impact on the Native American tribes who view the Colorado River as sacred to their religions. As Ka-Voka Jackson, a member of the Hualapai tribe and a graduate student working to address climate change on the Colorado River and restoring native plant species along its banks, stated, The Colorado River is so sacred not just to my tribe, but to so many others. As a scholar of Native American religions and the environment, I understand how indigenous peoples religions and sacred places are closely tied to their landscape. For the past 100 years, indigenous peoples have been forced to adapt to changes in their environments and modify their religious rituals in the United States. The U.S. government made certain Native American religious practices illegal in the 19th and early 20th century. Although these policies have since been rescinded, they led to changes in many indigenous practices. Global warming, however, is different. The question is whether indigenous people will be able to adapt their beliefs all over again due to the impact of global warming on the natural world. Adapting to change The Blackfeet tribe in Montana brought changes in their relationship with the natural world as a result of the policies of the U.S. government from the 1880s to the 1930s. For example, the Blackfeet purposefully moved religious ceremonies from one time on their liturgical calendar to completely different times to avoid the U.S. government penalizing native people for dancing or participating in religious ceremonies. The Blackfeet moved their annual Okan, or sundance festival, from late summer (usually held at the end of August) to the Fourth of July celebration. They avoided U.S. government punishment by masking their ceremonies within state-sanctioned public events. Policies related to the mining of natural resources and damming of rivers on indigenous lands have also led to changes in Native Americans religious practices. Historian David R. M. Beck interviewed elders and researched how the Menominee tribe in Wisconsin adapted to the loss of their sacred fish, the sturgeon, after a paper mill built a dam across the Wolf River. The sturgeon disappeared after the dam was built in 1892, because they could no longer swim upstream to spawn. For over 100 years, the Menominee tribal members continued to pray and conduct their annual returning of the sturgeon ceremony in the spring even though there were no more sturgeon in the river. The Menominee ultimately won the right to return the sturgeon to the Wolf River in 1992 and the tribe revitalized the full ceremony and celebration of their sacred fish. In all these situations, Native American tribes learned to adapt to the challenges placed before them, modify their religious practice and embrace a different relationship with the natural world. Global warming and religion When it comes to global climate change, it affects everyone, not just specific groups in specific places. But for many indigenous peoples, natural resources are closely linked to religious beliefs and practices. Historically, indigenous peoples used the natural seasonal cycles of weather, plants and animals as part of their liturgical or religious calendar. The Blackfeet held their annual beaver bundle ceremony in the early spring as ice melted off rivers and beavers returned to the open waters. In Blackfeet mythology, a beaver served as a deity who taught humans how to cultivate tobacco, which the tribe used for important religious ceremonies and as a peace offering to their enemies. There are signs, though, that beavers are now moving north due to global warming. Biologists are currently studying both beavers and the birch and alder shrubs that beavers eat, as both move north into new regions. Scientists worry that as a keystone species, the movement of beavers will change the northern ecosystems as they cut off waterways and build beaver dams. And shrubs will change the local waterways that they grow by. This will affect local animal species. What will happen when there are no more beaver in Blackfeet territory? Will their religious traditions adapt similar to the Menominee when they faced the loss of their sacred sturgeon? Religion and resiliency From the arctic tundra to the American desert southwest, and places worldwide, indigenous peoples will be facing the impact of global climate change. Regarding the shrinking of the Colorado River, researchers Brad Udall and Jonathan Overpeckhave concluded that, Failing to act on climate change means accepting the very high risk that the Colorado River basin will continue to dry up into the future. If this river faces a drier future, it will likely affect the Mojave, a people indigenous to the Colorado River basin, who believe the river was created by their ancient deity Mastamho as part of their sacred landscape. As the G-20 convenes in Germany this week to discuss global issues including climate change, indigenous scholars, such as myself, are wondering what the future holds for indigenous peoples, their environments and their religions. Indigenous communities can be resilient and adapt their internal religious beliefs to outside challenges, as Native American tribes from the turn of the 20th century have proven. Climate change presents yet another challenge. ABINGDON Va. Abingdon Town Councilman Wayne Craig presented a 75-page report on Monday revealing that other council members did not follow the proper steps in voicing their concerns about fellow Councilwoman Cindy Patterson, despite attending a recent seminar on council conflict. I move that the Town Council accept this report, file it and include it in the minutes of this meeting and proceed with what is recommended in the report, Craig said Monday night. Craigs motion was denied. Patterson seconded it, but Mayor Cathy Lowe, Vice Mayor Rick Humphreys and Councilman Bob Howard all voted against the motion. That was the first time we had seen the information, and frankly we didnt have time to think about it or think of the motion in its entirety, Lowe told the Bristol Herald Courier. Patterson made a statement that Lowe, Humphreys and Howard secretly communicate[d] with the circuit court in an attempt to discredit me and also instructed Town Attorney Deb Icenhour to dig up personal details of my divorce proceedings as part of that effort, she read on Monday. On May 17, Lowe, Humphreys and Howard sent Icenhour a letter requesting any and all records as needed regarding Patterson from both the circuit court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of Washington County, Virginia. Two days later Icenhour wrote a letter to Circuit Court Judge Deanis Simmons explaining that the council had requested that Icenhour contact the court with their concerns, which in part arose from Pattersons personal life increasingly impact[ing] her ability to perform her duties professionally as an elected Council member, according to Icenhours letter. Both Craig and Patterson were kept in the dark about the correspondence, according to Pattersons news release. Patterson was not aware of the actions of her fellow council members until Circuit Court Judge Sage Johnson informed her. We are concerned with Cindy Pattersons behavior, Lowe said at the meeting. We asked for guidance in how to handle all this dismay that weve had for the last year. On May 5, Patterson was served a permitted warrant for domestic assault and a protective order after her ex-husband, James Patterson, alleged she assaulted him. Craigs report includes these documents. Patterson was served those papers and we were concerned as a council because she also has a carry permit [concealed weapons permit],and we were worried that she could bring a gun in here well, in todays climate, you never know, Humphreys said at the meeting. Lowe stressed that they did not ask for prosecution but for guidance from the town attorney on where we are supposed to go as a town council. The letter was not accompanied In other words, in our country, the accused have the rights to face their accusers, Craig said. Recently, the entire council attended a seminar where they received printed information and training in matters of local government, such as The Freedom of Information Act, conflicts of interest and Ethics and Council relations, according to Craigs report. The training tells you [that] first you confront the person individually before taking any other action, Craig said. The next steps include parliamentary measures: ruling the accused out of order, censoring the accused, removing the accused member from the meeting, fining the member and removing the accused from any other committees they hold a position on. None of these measures were taken, Craig said. Instead they [three council members] went to the court. Craig proposed three recommendations for his fellow council members: issuing an apology to the court for involving it in town affairs, requesting that the filing be removed from the court, writing an apology letter to Patterson and proceeding to resolve the issues by procedures recommended from the seminar they all attended. I didnt know what was going on, but if I was consulted on this, I would have reminded the council of following the steps before going to court, Craig said. DUFFIELD, Va. The proposed sale of BVU OptiNet appeared to inch closer toward a conclusion Wednesday but with one critical issue still unresolved. The Virginia Coalfield Coalition, at the end of a frequently contentious, nearly five-hour meeting, voted to rescind a previous resolution and give the parties BVU, potential buyer Sunset Digital Communications, Scott County Telephone Cooperative and VCC ten business days to reach a mutually acceptable agreement on dedicating fiber cables to a 4G cellular communications network. The vote was 7-5 with four abstentions, as two board members left before the meeting concluded. VCCs prior resolution would have allowed Sunset to proceed with the $50 million acquisition but imposed conditions Sunset deemed unacceptable, including shifting oversight of BVUs portion of the network to Scott County. While some of those issues appeared to be resolved Wednesday, the remaining concern is VCCs demand that six strands of high-capacity fiber-optic cable be set aside specifically for the 4G cellular network. Its the long way around to get to where we wanted to go in the first place, which was to sit down at the table, VCC Chair Seth White said after the meeting. I think a lot of good things happened tonight. [BVU President and CEO] Don Bowman admitted that we could get six fibers. Our folks needed to hear that. Our consultant told us we could, but BVU and Sunset had told us no. Weve got to figure out what that costs. White said the six strands would both ensure the stability and integrity of the network and allow for future expansion into currently unserved areas. Bowman attended the meeting and told the board six fibers couldnt be segregated in BVUs current network but a portion of the network could be reconfigured to accomplish what VCC is demanding with enough people, equipment, time and money. BVU estimates that would cost about $3 million, but a VCC consultant suggested it would be substantially less. White called resolving the six-fiber aspect critical to the process and repeatedly urged Virginia Tobacco Commission Executive Director Evan Feinman who also attended the meeting to lobby BVU to cooperate and allow VCCs consultant in to review details of the BVU network. This is a huge issue, White said during the meeting. Weve got to get the technical people from Scott County, Sunset [and] BVU together. Our consultant does not have enough information to tell you [the board] how much this will cost, and Im not going to trust what BVU says. So we need to get our guy into BVU. If thats unreasonable, I dont know how we can move forward. Contacted later, Bowman said he was unsure what VCC wanted to review but that the lawyers would have to continue working on the deal. Sunset attorney Jeff Mitchell said his clients were pleased with the outcome. Sunset really appreciates the board rescinding their earlier vote, Mitchell said. Sunset also appreciated the opportunity to address the VCC board about our plans to expand the 4G network. While the six-fiber issue remains the critical issue to the negotiation, the technical people will try to figure out how to address the issue. Feinman, who traveled from Richmond for the meeting, urged the board to support the sale, saying it was the best deal available, given BVUs current financial position and debt load. BVU has said it intends to use the proceeds from the sale to pay off debt incurred in creating the OptiNet network. The VCC is now scheduled to reconvene Aug. 2 and expected to vote on whatever deal is completed at that time. On Monday, the New York Times published a jaw-dropping story alleging that a 2016 meeting between a Russian attorney and Donald Trumps son-in-law had been arranged to discuss dirt on Hillary Clinton that a Kremlin-connected lawyer might be willing to provide to the Trump campaign. Donald Trump Jr. had been informed via email that this compromising information was part of a Russian government operation to help his father win the presidency. Facing an accusation like that, Donald Trump Jr. obviously didnt want to sit around while the Times dribbled out information bolstering the speculation that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia. He confirmed it himself, tweeting out the email chain. His response to being informed that Russia was trying to engineer the outcome of an American election, with efforts that included providing damaging information about Clinton? If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was copied on the email. Is this illegal? Does getting opposition research from a foreign power count as an in-kind campaign contribution from a foreign national, one that might leave Jr. and Kushner vulnerable to criminal prosecution? I have no idea; I am not a lawyer. But it hardly ceases to be a problem if this somehow manages to squeak through some hole in our federal election laws. What they did is so obviously wrong that a 10-year-old child would know better. Social media indicates that there are some people out there still trying to defend the Trump camps relationship with Russia, so it bears spelling out why this is wrong. Donald Trump is an American who ran for office under a slogan of patriotic pride and love of country. People who love their country do not help rival powers intervene in their countrys elections, even if that intervention might have the lovely side effect of getting them elected. Americans running for American office must pick sides: the will of American voters or the influence of a foreign power. (Hint: You choose your fellow Americans.) What happened at the meeting could ultimately be irrelevant. The sin to which Donald Trump Jr. has already confessed is egregious enough. A decent person would not give an audience to a foreign power promising to help tear down the opposition. A decent person certainly would not contemplate and suggest timing of any document release which moves this revelation beyond merely taking a meeting you shouldnt have and into the territory of a presidential campaign actively coordinating with foreign agents. Even Trump supporters seem to be having trouble mustering much of a defense. There was a lot of irrelevant sputtering on social media Tuesday morning. Others mounted standard complaints about leaks and sly implication. We are now past the point of anonymous sources and innuendo. Donald Trump Jr. showed us the primary sources, pleading guilty in the court of public opinion. The presidents supporters have already retreated to what now looks to be their last rhetorical stand: to say that this isnt collusion, but just politics. They get creative and postulate that this isnt unlike what Clintons campaign would have done. Heres the reality: Once you are given the details of a Russian attempt to change the outcome of an American election, there is only one patriotic thing you can do, and that is to get on the phone to the FBI and say, I have some very disturbing news. End of story. But no, no, Trumps supporters continued to insist; its not really collusion with a potential enemy of the U.S. They submitted close parsings of the legal definition of collusion and claimed that any other usage of this common word was wrong. They suggested that in fact Donald Trump Jr. was doing his moral duty to find evidence of criminal behavior by Clinton, though they could not explain why, if he was so concerned about her possible criminality, he did not get the relevant authorities involved. These dogs wont hunt. And the fact that this is where supporters have ended up after mere hours of social media badinage tells you just how weak the defense is. As a general rule, at the point where you are pretending to have a shaky command of ordinary English words, you are losing the argument. Just ask Bill Clinton how convincing anyone found his creative interpretations of the verb to be. After months of suggesting that all the fears of Russian scheming to interfere in our elections were just so much hype and hysteria from a hopelessly biased media, the Trump family has now confirmed that they were not only aware of these efforts but were hoping to help. It seems wildly implausible that news of both the Russian efforts, and his own campaigns fellow-traveling, failed to reach Donald Trump Sr. Whether Russian efforts made a difference in the vote tally, they should certainly make a difference in Americas view of its president. Nearly 80 PA people have been charged for Jan. 6 riot. Three are dead. news In the recurring debate about displaying the Confederate battle flag, the question of whether its a symbol of hate, in my opinion, misses the real point. That flag is not about hate; neither is it really about Southern pride. More accurately, its a symbol of a historical rebellion against the USA. As such, its a symbol of insurrection and treason. I consider myself a pretty well-read historian about the Civil War, the history leading up to it, and the U.S. Constitution. All my ancestors who fought in the Civil War fought for the Confederacy. They fought for what they believed in. They took the side of slavery and rebellion. They were wrong. To say so doesnt dishonor them personally or their sacrifices for the Lost Cause. Yet, from a practical perspective, arguments about secession or states rights as understood at the time, while interesting, are settled issues. As of 1865, slavery, the extension of which was the primary national political dispute from the 1820s up to 1865 and the fundamental cause of Southern secession, was constitutionally banned by the 13th Amendment. In addition, the Confederacy was defeated. Secession would then be specifically forbidden by every state constitution of the 13 Confederate states as a condition of their readmission to the Union. As to the present controversy, even Mr. McCombs with the NAACP agrees anyone has a right to fly the Confederate flag on private property. That right is guaranteed by the First Amendments protection of freedom of speech. The more legitimate question is should flags, which clearly are symbols of an insurrection against the United States, be flown over government buildings or on government/public property? To do so, I believe, gives symbolic governmental sanction to the treason these flags stood for. Finally, I remind Robert Smith that the sign he carries in the HDR photo is historically inaccurate. There was no War of Northern Invasion as his sign declares. The Confederates fired first, initially on an unarmed U.S. resupply ship, then on Fort Sumpter instigating military insurrection against the United States. The Federal Government had then and has today an obligation to defend US citizens and property. So I assert that the flag controversy is not about hate. It is about the appropriate use of a symbol flown in defense of slavery and treason against the country, to which today, we all pledge allegiance. Cliff Moone Hickory Letter writer: Stop issuing birth certificates to babies born of non-U.S. citizens In reference to the article Homeless, Not Hopeless published July 2, I was surprised that there were no comments reported this Sunday. We have either become so complacent we dont care anymore or we really do not know what is going on. It did bring back memories to me, such as several months ago when New York come out and said they were going to use $300 million to bring their homeless and mentally ill from the streets. Certainly a magnanimous gesture, if it had not been reported that they were spending $9 billion on their illegals. The August reported U.S. deficit for the month of July 2016 was $112.8 billion. The cost to the 50 states to maintain their illegals was $117 billion for the year. Back home here in N.C., its only costing a reported $1 billion for supporting the estimated 250,000 illegals. It is time for the U.S. to stop the issuing of U.S. birth certificates to babies born of non-U.S. citizens. Makes one ask: what happened to The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009 (HR 1858)? A note on Medicaid: In 2009, households headed by illegal aliens receive an estimated $2.5 billion in benefits each year, as well as $1.9 billion in programs such as food stamps and free lunches. Ineffective bilingual education programs cost taxpayers over $12 billion each year. Enough said. Let us hear your side of what is going on so that we all might be in the know. James Higgins Vale NEWTON City council members of Newton gathered Tuesday evening to discuss matters of the community, including the Sue Jones Estate. Sue Jones and her husband left their estate of $1.2 million to the City of Newton. The fund has grown and now is around $1.5 million, city officials said. We were informed of these funds from Sue Jones estate in 2012, Mayor Anne P. Stedman said. One vote has been taken and, as a condition of the will, two separate votes by two different seated councils have to have a unanimous vote to spend the money. Stedman said the next hurdle the council must jump is the second vote. The first thing we need to do is decide to release the funds, Councilman Jerry Hodge said. My concern here thus far is that this council has not made any decision in five years, and anyone thinking they may want to donate money to the city may think twice about it because they could be thinking that (the Newton City Council) cant decide how to spend the money. Although some council members are eager to get the ball rolling, others believe the council should take their time in deciding exactly what projects to begin. I am going to have a hard time voting yes until I know what we are going to dedicate to Sue and Frank Jones for the generous donation they have given the city, Councilman Wes Weaver said. I am going to be pretty steadfast on something that is going to be magnificent and shows that someone in our community donated to our city and that their estate has been well spent. The council plans to vote on using the funds in its next meeting in August. Certificates and awards Sandra Waters was presented with a certificate of appreciation for her work in the Newton Parks and Recreation Department for 50 years and as director for 45 years. These years of service have been marked by exemplary participation vital for the accomplishments of the city and the department, Mayor Anne P. Stedman said. During her 50 years at the Parks and Recreation Department, Waters assisted with the development of several parks and facilities including East Newton Park, Southside Park, Westside/Jaycee Park, Northside/Broyhill Park, Newton Recreation Center, Central Recreation Center, Newton Swimming Pool, Jacob Fork Park, Little Brook Park, Yount Park, Newton Heritage Trail Greenway, Southside Cemetery, East Cemetery, and Central Cemetery. Shes meant a lot to all of us in Newton and has taken the Parks and Recreation Department a long way, Stedman said. The department offers so many programs to our citizens, and that programming continues to grow from year to year under Sandras leadership. Waters also has volunteered her time on multiple boards and committees for the city including the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Association, the Catawba County Council on Aging and the Newton Appearance Commission to name a few. Mrs. Waters has made it her goal during the past 50 years to continue to meet the publics constantly changing recreational needs, Stedman said. Newton Finance Director Serina Hinson also presented the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association for the fiscal year 2016. This is the highest form of recognition that you can receive in governmental financial reporting and accounting, Hinson said. This accountability improves the citys position when working with bond rating agencies and financial institutions. Hinson invited her finance team also to be recognized for their work. I have to give credit to my staff, because without them, this would not be possible, Hinson said. Each and every one of them (has) a part in this work. Mayor Stedman also thanked the finance team for their work. This is quite an achievement and something like this cannot be taken lightly, Stedman said. I would like to congratulate our finance staff and thank them for working hard to earn this award for a remarkable 32 consecutive years. Other items discussed City manager Todd Clark updated the council on the continuance of numerous projects in the community, which included a project to hire two new police officers, the Streetscape Plan and the Pedestrian Plan. The Streetscape Plan is a community revitalization process in the historic heart of the city, and the Pedestrian Plan consists of enhancing walking conditions and to improve connectivity and safety throughout the city. Stedman updated the council on the City of Newton Public Arts Commission, a more recent addition to the city. The commission holds its regular meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at the Fire Station Headquarters, Stedman said. On the agenda for the next meeting, we will vote in officers and approve bylaws. The commissions next meeting will only be its fourth, but they already are involving the community. (We will) further our discussion of a Senior Project proposal from a rising senior at Discovery High School, Stedman said. We also plan to take a look at programs in other communities and potential grant opportunities. Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General Google Ad I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ Ambassador explains what will bring French capital to Armenia (video) The political relations between Armenia and France have traditionally been at high level, but the economic activeness is low, in particular the volumes of trade turnover. Ambassador of France to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier also agrees with this assessment, In both directions the volumes of trade is low- annually EUR 50 million. The situation is favorable in case of investments. Serious French companies operate in Armenia- Pernod Ricardm, Carrefour. If we are to describe bilateral economic relations with a sentence, we can say that trade turnover level is low, but there is serious French existence in the Armenian economy. According to the words of the Ambassador recently some activeness has been registered among French companies in sense of making investments in Armenia. Mr Charpentier brings concrete examples, There is a tendency that French large enterprises get interested in the Armenian market conditioned by Iranian factor, as well as Armenias being a member of the EEU plays its role, which may give perspectives to the businessmen interested in Russian and Central Asian markets. Among energy companies Schneider Electric in the cooperation with Tashir Group opened a center of energy research in Armenia. Two large pharmaceutical companies have already started operating in Armenia. Its true, they havent given any production yet, but they are engaged in importation and sale of medicine. In which case will French capital flow into Armenia? Ambassador explains, An important factor for coming to Armenia will be the good feedback by the companies already operating in Armenia. One of the biggest icebergs on record broke away from Antarctica on Wednesday. The one-trillion tonne iceberg, measuring 5,800 square km, which is equal to four Delhis, calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica between July 10 and 12. The iceberg, which is likely to be named A68, was already floating before it broke away so there is not immediate impact on sea levels, but the calving has left the Larsen C ice shelf reduced in area by more than 12%. The Larsen A and B ice shelves, which were situated further north on the Antarctic Peninsula, collapsed in 1995 and 2002 respectively. This resulted in the dramatic acceleration of the glaciers behind them, with larger volumes of ice entering the ocean and contributing to sea-level rise, David Vaughan, glaciologist and director of science at British Antarctic Survey told Reuters. If Larsen C now starts to retreat significantly and eventually collapses, then we will see another contribution to sea level rise, he told Reuters. Falkland islands and coastal areas of Argentina including the coast of Buenos Aires Province, and northeastern Brazil are already vulnerable to sea level rise may be in danger with melting of this iceberg. Sea level rise and India If there is eventually a rise in sea level, it is certain to impact India badly since the country has a long and densely populated coastline. In 2016, a United Nations report said that nearly 40 million Indians will be at risk from rising sea levels by 2050, with people in Mumbai and Kolkata having the maximum exposure to coastal flooding in future due to rapid urbanisation and economic growth. In 2013, the IPCC estimated an increase in sea level of somewhere between 30cm and 100cm by the year 2100. But more recent research has suggested the great ice caps are more vulnerable than expected in a warming world and that ocean levels could rise more rapidly to reach 200-300cm by the end of the century. India has already started seeing effects of sea level rise in places such as Sundarbans and Majauli, one of the largest riverine islands in the world. Any rise in sea level will also lead to economic loss of coastal communities and spark inland migration. All countries are vulnerable However, I disagree with the assessment that it is only the coastal areas of India, China, Bangladesh and other South and Southeast Asian regions that are more vulnerable than that of US and European coastal cities. I assert that Climate change will impact both developed and developing countries equally. The impact of flooding and destruction of roads in Colorado, US, and in Uttarakhand in 2013 and flooding in Kashmir in 2014 are a reflection of the fact that natural disasters affect all regions of the world. The USs east coast is experiencing sea level increases above the global average, possibly due to a change in the Gulf Stream, which is causing warmer water to pile up along the Atlantic seaboard. The European scenario is not good either. For example, consider The Netherlands. It is a low-lying nation, with a sophisticated agricultural sector and high population density. Half of the country is lower than a metre above sea level, with an eighth of the country lying below sea level. Any rise in sea levels could impact this country drastically, leading to social and economic devastation. Projections also suggest that by 2050 most European countries will be impacted by severe flooding, as was experienced in England in February 2014. Renowned scientist Mark Kaufman estimates that the recent iceberg may cause 0.1 millimetre rise in the sea level. Nevertheless if it floats towards the northern Atlantic Ocean, it may influence the warmer Gulf Stream as well as shipping routes in the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern coastal areas from Boston to Washington DC are more vulnerable as was seen in 2012 when the region was impacted by Hurricane Sandy . An article in the New York Times even went so far as to suggest that homeowners are slowly growing wary of buying property in the areas most at risk, setting up a potential economic time bomb in the industry that is struggling to adapt, particularly in Miami and Florida regions. Rais Akhtar is former professor of Geography, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, and also the lead author of the Third and Fourth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The views expressed are personal A telephone call to a senior official in Anantnag, the district where seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed in a terror attack, elicited a weary response. I am tired of looking at dead bodies, of yatris, of our own people [Kashmiris]. Im just tired of the violence. The official had stayed up all night, tending to the injured, getting them airlifted to Delhi and Surat and, equally importantly, ensuring that there was no communal flare-up. Jammu and Kashmir passed through a fragile moment when news of the terror attack on the pilgrims first broke because by training their guns at the yatris, they had hoped to increase the gulf that exists between the two ideologically-opposed regions of Jammu and Kashmir. They had also hoped to create a wedge between the states coalition partners. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP came together to form a government in 2015 but have had more disagreements than agreements. The strange bedfellows were, however, able to paper over their seemingly irreparable differences and handled the fallout of the terror attack with tact and maturity. Both spoke in one voice; and both emphasised the syncretic culture. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called the killings an attack on the states very ethos and tradition. Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, from the BJP, walked an extra mile and when asked about the targeting of Hindus, told a television channel that in fact more Kashmiri Muslim civilians had been killed than Hindus. It would not be wrong to say that the state government came out looking good for the first time. Trouble for the unlikely allies had started on the day of the swearing-in when PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed credited Pakistan for an election that saw less violence than was anticipated. The chasm between the two partners was visible at every step all through last years unrest. Mehbooba at one point even alluded to how she might have given Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani another chance if they had known that he was in the hideout in which he was killed. Wanis killing and its fallout have had the Valley in a vice-like grip for a year now and the ramifications of the uprising that struck Kashmir like a thunderbolt in July last year had further widened the distance between Jammuites and Kashmiris. The mature handling of the attack, however, has changed the political narrative and opened just the window of opportunity that an alienated and sullen Valley so badly needed. Home minister Rajnath Singhs emphatic signalling he even ticked off a tweeter baying for blood that all Kashmiris are not terrorists appears to have provided the balm needed by a society that has been shocked by the lynching of a police officer just before Eid and by the killing of yatris. If Mufti Saeed had been alive, he wouldve been pleased with how the governments and the common citizens rose as one to condemn the attack. Just before he had signed the contentious agenda of alliance that binds the BJP and the PDP, Saeed had told this paper: Ideologically we are North Pole and South Pole but the state has given us a historic opportunity to unite Jammu with Kashmir and to unite the state with India. It is important to connect the two regions and I believe I can do it. Let me tell you on record that I want to leave a legacy. I see an opportunity to mend the divide between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir and I will form a government only with the BJP, or Im out. Mufti had the philosophical wisdom to explain the unholy alliance. The current mood has opened up a window of opportunity however narrow for a political outreach. Rajnath Singh must seize this opportunity and take his all Kashmiris are not terrorists approach forward. The Centre has been of the view that it needs to contain militancy first but an outreach will be far more meaningful than any cordon-and-search operation that brings alienated Kashmiris out of their homes in protest. Singhs unequivocal assertion helped humanise the Kashmiris, viewed for too long as stone pelters and militants by the rest of India. The Amarnath tragedy has presented an opportunity. The solidarity that marked the response needs to be consolidated, for the majority, like the Anantnag official, are fatigued by the daily cycle of violence. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After debuting as a director with Being Cyrus in 2006, filmmaker Homi Adajania was just a film old when he decided to make Cocktail in 2012. The film completes five years today, and Homi admits that he found the story line pretty regressive at that time. But when the realisation dawned on me that I was unfamiliar on how to do it (the usage of songs in a visual narrative), I decided to go for it. Within the framework of the original story, I decided to make every scene completely my own, says Homi. Starring actors Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone in the lead, the film marked Diana Pentys debut in Bollywood. Ask Homi if it was the script or the casting that took him so long to come up with the film, he says, Im in transit and not running some race. I made Being Cyrus out of curiosity on the medium and wasnt looking at filmmaking as a career at that time. Filmmaker Homi Adajania (centre) with actors Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. The filmmaker adds that when he finally started working on the film, he knew that Deepikas performance would, for sure, be applauded. Homi, in fact, wrote a letter telling Deepika this on the last day of the shoot. Deepika came with a bunch of not-so-successful films behind her. So she was hungry to break the mould. At our first meeting, I told her, Lets forget your pretty faceI want people to leave the theatre knowing that Deepika Padukone is a reliable actor, says Homi, admitting that he was partial to Deepika because making her Veronica a free-spirited party girl was my biggest challenge. She was my favourite character of the film. Filmmaker Homi Adajania with actor Diana Penty, who made her debut with Cocktail (2012). As for Diana, who played the role of a shy and simple traditional girl, Meera, Homi shares that the makers confirmed her only after the second round of audition. We made a choice and once we did that, an established actor [I cant say who] piped up and said that she wanted to play the role. But once Dinesh (Vijan, producer) and I had made a commitment, it wasnt right to go back on the decision. I think, honestly, it worked out for the best. Asked if Diana was too raw to take instructions or was he pleasantly surprised to work with her, Homi adds, We shared a similar sensibility [of being newcomers], so it wasnt difficult to direct her. Fun-trivia while shooting for Cocktail: 1. After hearing the narration, I told the producers to call it Cliche-Central and they refused. 2. I shot for two days in Cape Town wearing a womans sunglasses to hide a black-eye that happened after I walked into a random fist fight the night before. 3. Deepika partied all night and at sunrise drove straight for a Great White Shark dive. 4. Theres a video floating around, where I am doing Dianas dance in the song Tumi Ho Bandu, dress et al. 5. Imran Khan was initially roped in for Saifs role, but said that he wasnt sure he wanted to do the film and Saif thankfully jumped on board. Follow @htshowbiz for more A proposed ban by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on words like cow, Hindutva and Gujarat, in a documentary on economist Amartya Sen, has once again put the spotlight on the freedom of expression in cinema. And, it has brought board chairman Pahlaj Nihalani under fire. The documentary, titled The Argumentative Indian, is directed by Suman Ghosh and was shot in two parts in 2002 and 2017. On Wednesday, Ghosh told Hindustan Times: I am not going to omit a single word. If nothing works out, I have the liberty of releasing it online. As the debate heats up, here are reactions from industry insiders: Words, scenes and actions should be seen in the larger perspective of the whole film, and not as isolated accounts. This way, artists will be afraid to express themselves. If you are protecting cows, then protect goats also. Why link just one animal to Hinduism? Where are these people when girls are raped or are subjected to domestic violence? All this is only propaganda. If events are not portrayed as they unfolded, then what is the point of documentation and research? Just because someone is not Hindu, does it mean that they are not Indian? asks lyricist Shellee, also a former CBFC panel member. Filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey, whos film Udta Punjab (2016) ran into controversies with the CBFC, says, If they are okay to release the film with these words, giving it an A certificate, then something can be done about it. The way the whole thing works is quite absurd. Its no longer a laughing matter. Whatever is happening with the censorship of films in our country is quite sad. Its insanity, madness. Whatever is happening with the censorship of films in our country is quite sad, says filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey. (Yogen Shah) Filmmaker Shlok Sharma, whos film Haraamkhor (2017) courted controversy for its title and theme, says, They dont want to face reality. Ek ajeeb sa control hai. Darr yeh lagta hai ki kya banaye. Pehle inko batayein yeh banane vale hain, fir yeh humein censor karene, uske baad hi hum apna thought rakhe. How long will this continue for? Pahlaj ji kitne samay tak hain censor board ke chief? Yeh toh Yamraj bane hue hain. Documentary is reality and if you are stopping reality, then there is something going on. Unhone yeh documentary isliye banayi hogi ki unhe laga hoga ki yeh baat baaahar aani chahiye. If they start censoring and banning everything, then people will stop raising their voice, Sharma adds. Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava says, Every such incident makes it very clear that the censor board is not required. There is no space for censorship in a free and democratic country. These debates that happen in the media on censorship have no effect on the functioning of the CBFC. These two things cant work together. This kind of censorship is very arbitrary. This power [of censoring] has to be taken away. Unless the censor board is dissolved completely and a very basic system of classification is put into place, thats the only way its going to work. This kind of censorship is very arbitrary. This power [of censoring] has to be taken away, says filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava. The documentary was scheduled to release on July 14, but now, the date is uncertain . Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON There has been an intellectual uproar over the cuts ordered by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Suman Ghoshs documentaryThe Argumentative Indian. Talking to us exclusively on these cuts, CBFC chairperson, Pahlaj Nihalani argues that the mere deletion or beeping of six words is no reason to feel creatively smothered when those words indicate a clear contempt for Indian culture and democracy. Says Nihalani, I have been flooded with calls from print and television channels asking why weve beeped six words in the documentary. For the first and last time, heres the reason why. Because we felt a documentary on an Indian Nobel laureate, referring so insensitively to our politics and religion, could result in a serious breach in the peace and harmony of the country. He adds, At one point, Prof Sen talks of Indian democracy and refers to Gujarats criminalities. Weve asked for Gujarat to be removed. At another point in the documentary, there is a reference to the enemy in India being religious leadership.Weve asked for India to be removed here.The third word weve ordered cut is when Prof Sen speaks of India being interpreted as Hindu. Weve asked for Hindu to be removed. The fourth cut is that of the word cow where Prof Sen, while speaking of religious integration, makes a frivolous reference to the cow. The fifth and according to us minor change is in Prof Sens line about the Vedas being used in a sectarian way these days. Weve asked for the words used and these days to be removed. And finally Prof Sen refers to the Hindutva view of India as banal. We asked for the offensive adjective to be removed. Nihalani feels that the six words being removed from the documentary is wrongly being seen as pro-government chamchagiri. We are not asking for the removal of the words under pressure from the Government. We seriously feel the removal of the words causes no injury to Prof Sens thought processes in the documentary. On the other hand, referring to a cow in a flippant manner or calling Hindutva banal could seriously breach the communal harmony of the country. Nihalani opines that when filmmakers talk about freedom of expression, they should be aware of the responsibility that comes along with that freedom. You may be a Nobel laureate. But if you speak disparagingly about things held sacred by the population, you are vulnerable to attacks. Nihalani wants the documentarys director Suman Ghosh to calm down. Simply reacting because six words are beeped out when they in no way affect your artistic freedom is just a knee-jerk reaction. Please look at the larger picture. The censor chief also points out a serious legal breach on the part of this documentarys makers. They have screening the film without a censor certificate in various public places of India. Thats illegal. Freedom of expression is fine. What about breaking the law? Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Richa Chadha has never shied away from talking about how she struggled to make a mark in Bollywood without a godfather. However, now that she has received recognition and a position in the industry, she wants to extend a helping hand to newcomers. I dont think I have that aukat (stature, status) to be anyones godmother right now, but I will do whatever I can to help newcomers. When I started in the industry, people had helped me; so why not extend that favour to others.I know how it feels when people call you an outsider. Its disturbing, says Richa, who has been part of the industry for nine years now with films such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Masaan (2015) and Sarbjit (2016) to her credit. Richa has also turned producer of regional films recently. The 30-year-old actor says it is unfair to give an actor the tag of an outsider. This stance is a cause of worry. With this, you are basically telling people, who are not born in the film fraternity, that they dont have a chance. Thats not a good thing for the industry because then the talented ones will not come forward. If you give a chance to people, talent will come from all parts of India . But, if only one kind of idea is perpetuated, it kills diversity, she says. Talking about being part of content driven cinema in Bollywood, Richa, who made her debut with Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye (2008), says she always wanted to be part of memorable films. When I did Oye Lucky, I had just finished my education and didnt have the guidance and the maturity to decide what kind of genre I should do. In fact, after that, for two years, I did TV commercials and not films. Then Gangs of Wasseypur happened and I have been lucky to do good roles. I guess its a two-way thing, I get good roles and I do them well. I always wanted to be in films that would be memorable. Sometimes, we watch films and then forget them instantaneously; I never wanted to be part of them, she says. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Online marketplace Snapdeal has asked bigger rival Flipkart to pay at least $900 million in stock after rejecting the latters latest offer to buy the company, two people familiar with the matter said. Flipkart is yet to respond to Snapdeals demand but the company will send a new offer this week that will be higher than its previous bid of $700-750 million, the two said on condition of anonymity. Mint reported on 4 July that Snapdeal (Jasper Infotech Pvt Ltd) had rejected an offer of $700-750 million from Flipkart, which had initially proposed buying Snapdeal for close to $1 billion. The companies hope to agree on the price and the broad terms of the deal by the end of next week, the people cited above said. After that, the companies will continue to negotiate on the final terms of the transaction, they said. The process of selling Snapdeals other businesses, digital payments app Freecharge, logistics service Vulcan and software provider Unicommerce, is picking up pace and deals to sell these three units may be concluded within the next month, one of the two said. Flipkart and Snapdeal didnt respond to emails seeking comment. Snapdeal, which has raised nearly $2 billion in cash, hit a peak valuation of $6.5 billion in February 2016 when it received $50 million from investors. Since then, Snapdeal, which had been running Flipkart close and was bigger than Amazon India at the time, has struggled. It became an also-ran in Indias e-commerce market, cut thousands of jobs and saw an exodus of senior and middle managers. Its board became dysfunctional as the financial interests of investors clashed. Finally, this March, SoftBank Group Corp., the companys largest shareholder, initiated talks to sell the company, initially against the wishes of its founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, who came around later. The Snapdeal sale to Flipkart is being done mainly for the benefit of SoftBank and Tiger Global Management, Flipkarts largest investor. The deal is an attempt at financial engineering by Tiger and SoftBank, which have seen their bets falter to differing degrees since the start of 2016 (SoftBanks a lot more so than Tigers), Mint reported on 17 April. The sale of Snapdeal is likely to be accompanied by an equity infusion into Flipkart by SoftBank, which is also in talks to buy part of Tigers 30-33% stake in Flipkart. SoftBanks entry into Flipkart will transform the power dynamics at the board of the online retailer, potentially reducing the influence of Tiger. If the SoftBank deal goes through, Flipkart will have five strong voices on its board: SoftBank, Naspers-Tencent, Tiger Global, early investor Accel and the companys co-founders Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal. Already, partly in anticipation of the deal, Sachin, and in particular, Binny, have increased their involvement in the running of Flipkart, Mint reported on 11 July. In January, Flipkarts board led by Tiger Globals Lee Fixel had named Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Fixels deputy at Tiger, as CEO of Flipkart. Information technology major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has decided to close its operations in Lucknow and shift to Noida after 33 years in Uttar Pradeshs capital city. The company will shift most of its projects to Noida, close to the national capital, by this December. At least 2,000 employees, of whom 50% are women, are likely to be affected by the change. Employees said the team leaders informed them on Wednesday about the company wrapping up operations at the Lucknow centre. They were reportedly asked to accept transfers or look for jobs elsewhere. But the company said it would ensure the employees are accommodated in Noida or its centres across India. Rumours and reports are being circulated in the media about the companys operations in Lucknow. TCS would like to clarify that it is only consolidating its UP operations in Noida and there will be no job loss as a consequence, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The TCS decision is a setback for the state government that has plans to turn Lucknow into northern Indias IT hub. The government announced recently its industry policy to attract investment in UP and allocated Rs 40 crore in its annual budget for software education. Many employees have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union information and technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma to persuade the company to stay in Lucknow. According to a report, the lease of the building that houses the TCS office is set to expire next year and the company is reluctant to renew the contract. Officials of Shalimar group, owners of the building, confirmed that the lease term is ending. The board of the US-India Business Council comprising CEOs of some top American companies has voted to sever ties with the powerful US Chamber of Commerce, laying bare years of simmering tensions, including over clashing policy priorities. The rupture has left the fate of the USIBC and its staff uncertain for the time being since the US Chamber of Commerce has no intention of letting go of it, as was stated by its president and CEO Tom Donahue in a letter on Tuesday. The USIBC is a part of the Chamber, and the Chamber does not plan to transition it anywhere, Donahue wrote in the strongly worded letter. He added sternly: The USIBC has no separate existence and its board has no legal authority. If reconciliation efforts slated for next week dont succeed, members of the USIBC appear prepared to start a separate body. We are ready to form an alternate entity, with far more independence and autonomy, said a source. Donahue went on to announce that USIBC president Mukesh Aghi had left last month and that the chamber had launched a search for his successor. Khush Choksy, a senior vice president at the chamber, will serve as interim president until then. Aghi quit late last month, the day 29 members of the USIBC board voted to split with the chamber. They included Indra Nooyi of Pepsi, John T Chambers of Cisco, Ajay Banga of MasterCard and Warburg Pincus co-chief executive Charles R Chip Kaye. Started in 1975, the USIBC has emerged as a leading advocacy body on India-US trade, and is acknowledged so by the private sectors and the governments of the two countries. It has hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice during his US visits, and US vice presidents Joe Biden and Mike Pence. Hosting Pence at its annual leadership summit on June 27, the day after Modi met President Donald Trump, is understood to have provided the flashpoint that triggered the rupture. The chamber was also keen to host Pence but at a separate event and the USIBC beat the chamber to it. Tensions simmering between the two bodies reached boiling point with differences over the dispute, according to a source. The chamber and the council had serious differences over some policy issues, going back several years especially on market access, free trade issues and intellectual property rights, according to several past and present affiliates of the USIBC. The chamber joined a group of business bodies that called on the new Trump administration and Congress in February to use all available channels to ensure fair play for businesses, investors and entrepreneurs across the United States, and to support Indian efforts that align with these goals. Several past and present USIBC officials have said they felt uncomfortable by the chambers aggressive position on these issues, which has included asking the US trade representative to designate India for punitive trade measures. Differences between the chamber and the USIBC go back many years, and attempts were made to come to an understanding that would allow each other independence on policy issues and operational autonomy. That had become frayed lately. The chamber did not respond to request for comment on these questions, and pointed to Donahues letter for all those and other issues. Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Google Ad Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General Google Ad I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Three days after a woman put up a video on how a man masturbated in front of two women on the Nanded-bound Tapovan Express at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the railway police have identified and arrested him. In the video, one of the women who left Mumbai by the Tapovan Express on June 29, is seen showing the video to a police constable and asking for help. According to the woman, the policeman went with her to the spot, but later told her the man might have a reserved seat and asked her to move to another compartment. The police took note of the incident only after the video, tagging railway minister, went viral. On Wednesday, the police arrested mason Ashok Pradhan, 20, from the CSTM itself after studying CCTV footage. He has been charged under sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) and section 509 (word, gesture or action intended to outrage modesty) of the Indian penal code (IPC). The constable who did not help the women has been suspended. Read: Sexual harassment rampant at train stations in Mumbai, reveals Akshara survey Read: Man masturbates at woman on Mumbai local train and threatens rape, official laughs off complaint A new study from Pew Research offers unsurprising news that many countries have a low opinion of Donald Trump. This survey of 37 countries found the percentage of those with confidence in the United States president has fallen from 64% at the end of the Obama presidency to just 22% under Trump. Some 62% says Trump is dangerous, and 74% have no confidence in him. Fewer than one in three support his bid to block citizens of some majority-Muslim countries from entering the US. Fewer than one in five approve of his trade and climate policies. The fall is steepest among some close US allies. From 2015 to 2017, the percentage of those with confidence in the US president to do the right thing regarding world affairs fell from 66 to 24% in Japan, 76 to 22% in Canada, 83 to 14% in France, and 73 to 11% in Germany. Yet, officials in other countries know they cant simply ignore or isolate Washington. The US is still the only country that can extend political, economic, and military influence into every region of the world. There are still a host of international problems and challenges that demand US cooperation, if not leadership. The good news for those who want more from the US is its decentralised federal system. Much power lies with state governors and big city mayors to enact and enforce laws that dont exist at the federal level, even when these laws conflict with the presidents priorities. The most dramatic conflict between the national Republican Party, which now controls the White House and both houses of Congress, and local-level politicians is over immigration policy. Trump has tried, so far unsuccessfully, to impose a ban on immigration from several majority-Muslim countries. But years ago, many local governments established sanctuary status for illegal immigrants, and that process continues. Sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration laws and bar local police from questioning an individuals immigration status. According to The Center for Immigration Studies, a non-profit that advocates a more restrictive immigration policy, about 300 cities, counties or US states have some form of sanctuary policy. On same-sex marriage, legalisation of drugs, and even voting rights, laws vary considerably from state to state. US states, even its largest cities, have real economic heft. Californias economy is larger than Frances or Indias. Texas is larger than Canada or South Korea. New York state is larger than Russia or Mexico. The state of Georgias economy is larger than Nigerias, Africas largest. Los Angeles is larger than Turkey, and Chicago is larger than Sweden. Theres a wide variety of attitudes across US states toward Trump and public demand within some to establish independent foreign policies. Mayors and governors, particularly in states where Trump is deeply unpopular, can score political points by defying him and pursuing their own agendas. They can also benefit their states and cities by attracting more investment, more foreign students, and more tourism. No issue better illustrates the power of US states to set their own agendas than climate change. Here is a problem without borders that cant be addressed without cooperation from the US, which remains the second largest emitter of greenhouse gasses after China. A few days after Trump withdrew US support from the Paris accord on climate, Chinas President Xi Jinping welcomed California governor Jerry Brown into the Great Hall of the People with the sort of pomp traditionally reserved for visiting heads of state. The two leaders then discussed climate policy. Californias leading, Chinas leading, Brown declared during a news conference covered extensively by Chinas state-controlled media. California has established a cap and trade market that allows companies to buy and sell allowances on greenhouse gas emissions, a policy that finds little support at the federal level. Brown, who has promised to set ambitious emissions targets in California whatever Trump says, then signed agreements on clean energy technological development with local Chinese officials. Canada, far more dependent on the US economy than China, is adopting a similar approach to courting local US officials. Early efforts to court Trump stalled when the president began complaining about unfair Canadian trade practices. Without needlessly provoking the US president, officials in Justin Trudeaus government have since begun building on already close ties between Canadian provinces and US states. In fact, the day after Trump explained his decision to withdraw from the Paris accord with a reminder that he was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris, Canadas transport minister held a meeting on climate change policy with the mayor of Pittsburgh. Ontario will soon join Quebec in a cap-and-trade partnership with California. Canadas federal government is also building relationships with officials in Florida, Texas, Michigan, New York and other states. The United States is bigger than the [Trump] administration, said Canadas environment minister recently. Shes right. Theres nothing new, of course, about other governments, particularly US allies, forging political and commercial relations with US states and cities. But the Trump administrations America First, often rejectionist, approach to the rest of the world has given these ties new urgency. The US president has considerable power, particularly on foreign policy. But more governments are discovering the potential benefits of using the decentralised structure of the US to get what they want. And theyll find a growing number of US governors and mayors waiting to embrace them. Ian Bremmer is president, Eurasia Group and author of Superpower: Three Choices for Americas Role in the World The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Meira Kumar, opposition parties presidential candidate, on Thursday urged Uttarakhand legislators to vote according to their conscience instead of party lines. Meira Kumar, a Congress leader and former Lok Sabha speaker, is challenging Ram Nath Kovind, nominee of the ruling NDA, in the July 17 presidential poll. The diplomat-turned-politician, who was in Dehradun on Thursday to garner support for her candidature, said her fight in the election was based on values and principles of polity. Meira Kumar, who hails from Bihar, skipped a question if she will seek vote from JD-U leader Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of her native state. The JD-U, a Congress ally, broke ranks with the opposition to support Kovind, virtually paving the way for the BJP to sail through in the presidential election. The constitution has guided and elevated us in times of crisis and confusion. The constitution recognises office of the president as being the final touchstone for the passage of laws, said Meira Kumar. Therefore, it (office of the president) cannot function to serve narrow political interests, she said without taking names of the BJP and its ideological parent RSS. As honourable members of the collegiums (that elects Indias president), you have the unique privilege to make history. This is the moment when one should heed to conscience and set course of the nation, she appealed to MPs and MLAs from Uttarakhand. President was the highest morale authority for protecting the constitution and once elected he or she ceases to be a political party member, Meira Kumar told the media. Landslides are common in this Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, especially following heavy monsoon rains. But what has left scientists worried is increase in the number of such phenomena in recent years. Over 5,300 people were killed in landslides since 2000 when the mountain state was formed. Besides rains, scientists blame weak top soil for frequent occurrence of landslides. Environmentalists, however, blame developmental activities and poor vegetation for this phenomena. Slope gradient and lithology (structure and composition of a rock formation) coupled with heavy rains triggers landslides, said R Jayangondaperumal, a senior scientist with Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG). The number of landslides are increasing in Uttarakhand. We have only engineering attempts to mitigate them, he said. Dehradun-based WIHG is an autonomous institute for the study of geology of the Himalaya under the central government. Recently, the public works department (PWD) identified 39 zones across the state that are prone to landslides. Nine of these zones are being undertaken by the union roads and transport ministry for mitigation while the state PWD is working on 21 sites with funds from Asian Development Bank. The detailed project report of remaining 9 zones is underway. To avoid landslides in these areas, various steps like gabion walls, wire mesh, rock bolting and other steps are taken depending on their location. Despite all these efforts, landslides - big or small - are reported every now and then. A landslide in May on Badrinath route blocked movement of over 14,000 pilgrims. According to the latest disaster management and mitigation centre (DMMC) report released on Thursday, Dharasu band between Rishikesh and Yamunotri -NH 94 is blocked due to landslide and Border Road Organisation (BRO) is working on it. Dehradun district has reported blockage in 11 motor roads, particularly in remote Chakrata block. Forty roads are blocked in Pauri district, 5 in Tehri, Rishikesh-Badrinath highway in Lambagad is blocked while 25 roads are blocked in Chamoli, 11 in Nainital, 12 in Champawat, 6 in Almora and 10 in Pithoragarh, the DMMC report said. Certainly, the frequency of landslide occurrences has increased over the years. Heavy rainfall is the main cause which weakens the mountains and its a challenge for us. We are working to check these landslides through various methods, Rakesh Purohit, chief engineer of the PWD, told Hindustan Times. WIHG too has come up with landslide inventory in Bhagirathi Valley. The inventory was set up after the 2013 Kedarnath deluge that left over 5,000 people dead. The Bhagirathi River originates from Gaumukh. The inventory analyses impact of the event on slope movements wherein new, reactivated, old and inactive landslides were reported using Resourcesat 2 Linear Imaging Self-Scanning sensor (LISS) IV satellite images. A total of 2,772 landslides were mapped by the inventory. Of these 1,434 were classified as new landslides and 533 were reactivated while 451 were old. A paper on geomorphology published in Science Elsevier in January 2017 highlights, Landslides can happen when rainfall amount reaches over a particular threshold of 155, 212, or 290 mm making the slopes almost saturated. Landslides induced by extreme rainfall also depend on the initial water content (antecedent), geological local terrain settings and regional factors. This means that sudden landslides are mainly caused by rainfall extremes. The Uttarakhand government in August 2016 signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan International Cooperation Agency to study and mitigate landslides in the state. Under this programme, three sites have been identified in Rudraprayag, Rishikesh and Nainital where Japanese method of restricting landslides would be adopted in coming years. Activist Anil Kumar Joshi, known as Mountain Man, blames developmental activities behind this occurrence. Road construction in vulnerable valley is main reason why it (landslide) is happening. No steps are taken to secure the sensitivity of mountains, he said. Others blame poor vegetation. The vegetation in hills isnt enough to hold the top soil which results in erosion, said environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, who raised the issue of pollution by rafting and camping in white waters. The government must take immediate steps to plant trees with deep roots so that we could at least avoid this occurrence in coming years, Tongad said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A nine-year-old boy, whose body was found in a DDA park in south Delhis Pul Prahladpur on Tuesday night, was sexually assaulted and tortured before being murdered, his father alleged on Thursday. The boy had left his home to play with his friends around 12.30pm on Tuesday, but had never returned. His body, marked with stab wounds and burn marks, was found in a nearby park by a visitor later that night. According to Romil Baaniya, DCP (south-east), the boy was found without any clothes, arousing suspicion that he may have been sexually assaulted. On Thursday, the DCP said he was yet to receive the autopsy report that could shed light on the possibility of sexual assault. Speaking to HT, the boys father claimed that someone from the AIIMS staff, involved in the autopsy process, informed him about the sexual assault. I took the mortuary attendant aside and asked him to tell me the truth about my sons death. He told me that my boy was sexually abused and then killed, the father claimed. The man also alleged that he found burn marks all over his sons body. I have personally seen my sons body. The killer stubbed burning cigarettes or beedis on his body and face. It could only be done by a very hateful person, but I dont have any enemies, said the father. The DCP said that though he was yet to see the autopsy report on this, he suspected the marks could be anything burns, abrasions, pinch marks, decomposing signs, old injuries. The boys father, however, claimed that his sons body was entirely clean of any such old injuries. Meanwhile, the police have rounded up over a dozen suspects, including some juveniles, in connection with the murder. Though there was no breakthrough in the case until Thursday night, a senior investigator said they suspected the murder to be either a crime of passion or committed in a fit of rage. The boys parents dont seem to have any enmity with anyone. It is unlikely that someone killed the boy over personal enmity. But we are not ruling out anything, said the officer. Most of the suspects being questioned by the police are those who happened to be at or near the crime spot around the time the murder happened. The boy lived with his parents and an older sister in Pul Prahladpur. His other sister is married and lives with her parents. The boy, a Class 3 student, was all set to get admitted into a hostel in Agra. He was enrolled as a Class 3 student at a government school in the area, but he would run away sometimes without informing anyone. He would often fall ill so we had him drop out of that school last November, said the father. All the formalities for joining the hostel were completed and the boy would have moved to the hostel on July 20, his father said. He sold momos at a roadside stall in Noida and dreamt of driving a black Audi one day, claim Delhi Police. It was his craze for a life of luxury that drove him to take a short cut to becoming rich, police said. Roshan, who also goes by the name Balram, was arrested on Wednesday for murdering a 53-year-old woman in Amar Colony and stealing cash and jewellery of about Rs 23 lakh. Police said Roshan has confessed that he came to Delhi about a month ago with the plan to make a quick buck. He sold momos in Atta market at Noida. He was from a village in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. He wanted to live a life of luxury and having an Audi was in his bucket list. This instigated him to enter the world of crime, said DCP South East Romil Baniya. According to Baniya, Roshan posed as a cook and took up the job of a house help with a family in Amar Colony. On Tuesday morning, he took help of his three friends to rob and murder his employer Sarita Jain. The incident took place when the womans husband and son were not at home. Roshan let his three associates into the house and together they tied up the old domestic help and killed the woman when she tried to raise an alarm, police said. The incident came to light, when the womans husband returned home and found the house locked. He entered using a duplicate key and saw one his old domestic helps had been injured and tied to a chair while his wife had been murdered. Roshan and his aides had fled with over Rs 23 lakh worth of jewellery and cash. DCP Baniya said investigations revealed that Roshan had joined the family as a domestic help recently and the family had not conducted his police verification. The police caught Roshan and one of his associates from Noidas Atta Market on Tuesday and he confessed that he had done the crime out of his love for Audi. He along with his associates was later arrested with the help of Facebook. Roshan, who used the name Balram, was active on social media even after murdering the woman. The accused Roshan was hired without any servant verification. The family members did not have any personal details about him such as contact number, local and present address, photo etc. We request everyone to get their domestic help verified through police. Door safety chain and CCTV cameras should be installed where women stay alone, Baniya said. The police now looking for three others who were also allegedly involved in the crime SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In an effort to make an inclusive society, Delhi Police has been training more than 2400 young adults, in the 14 to 25 age group, in different vocational skills. As part of project YUVA, these youngsters have been shortlisted from 3500 children and youngsters, from the economically weaker sections of the society. Children and youngsters who are living in JJ clusters, including those who are school dropouts and get addicted to drugs are also part of the skill training program. Those , whose family members are involved in crimes, and have no one else in the family to financially support are also part of this program. These youngsters are basically from economically weaker sections and resort to crimes because of lack of resources to earn a living, says Madhur Verma, DCP (Crime) and PRO, Delhi Police. This initiative of Delhi Police is in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Both the institutions CII and NSDC will provide skill training as well as job opportunities to these youngsters. Usually such training used to take place at one centre in the city but this time, we have designated several centres including 20 police stations, adds Verma. The police, however, have left out those who have allegations of serious crimes against them, to ensure security of the institutes and the trainees. Verma says that the counselling sessions are complete, dresses and centres are ready and skills are being imparted to those who have been enrolled. The food and beverages service steward training under Delhi Police initiative YUVA which is a part of Pradham Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. (Shivam Saxena/ HT Photo ) A spokesperson from NSDC, who is managing the project, says, We are providing skill training to the offenders to align them to the main stream. They commit crimes because they dont have jobs and because they lack skills. NSDC is implementing Pradhanmantri Vikas Yojana and providing training to the ones under this initiative of Delhi Police. If not 100 per cent, we will try to provide jobs to at least 70 per cent of the trainees under this scheme. The selection of candidates has been made on the grounds of seriousness towards bringing a change in their personality and the society at large. Theres no point in training someone who isnt serious about changing oneself. The training is in different sections, from plumbing and construction to painting walls. Officially, the programme will be inaugurated on July 15 or 16, adds the NSDC spokesperson. We have been experimenting with the individuals, in their own way, for quite some time now. And based on our previous experiences, we realised that police can maintain the law and order situation and control crime, when they interact with the stake holders [offenders] in a non-policing way. There is a technological push and a policy push on the community policing initiative in Delhi. You have to have work like this in a major city like Delhi, and I just hope that it will bring a change, says Sanjay Beniwal, Special CP (Women and Modernisation). Manish (name changed), a juvenile offender says, I always wanted to do something in life but due to financial constraints and lack of resources, I never got an opportunity. Now, with YUVA, I will learn as much as I can and start a new life. Follow @htTweets for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Gagan (40), the man who allegedly murdered 22-year-old belly dancer Shakhnoza Shukurova and then her friend Naaz in a similar fashion, is said to have been craftily withholding information and misleading police. He has a lot to tell. He just waits for the right time. There is a lot more to this case. He is very tough, a source said. For five days during interrogation, Gagan did not divulge any information about Naazs killing and let the police believe that she is absconding. It was only during a tough round of questioning that Gagan revealed that he got Naaz drunk and then murdered her. He then stuffed her body in a suitcase, drove it to Hapur and then set it afire in a field on November 5 as she was the only witness in Shakhnozas murder and very easy to break. He feared that once questioned she would easily break down and divulge all facts. Once the police started to enquire about Naaz, Gagan reportedly planned to eliminate her and let the police believe that she is absconding. On the night of November 5, he called Naaz over on the pretext of having a party and discussing a business deal. He then served her hard liquor and even mixed some drug in her drinks. He waited for her to get completely drunk and after she was semi conscious, he asked her to come with him for a drive. The duo then hit the highway and drove towards UP. Gagan took her for a drive and allegedly killed her on the way. He then stuffed Naazs body in a suitcase in the same fashion as he did with Shakhnoza to dispose of her body, and then set it on fire in a field near Sambhavali. He waited for the body to at least burn partially so that it is not recognisable and then left the place, a police source said. Gagan then reportedly got his car to Khirki Extension in Malviya Nagar and consumed beer. To get rid of the car till the investigation in the matter is on, he parked it at one spot in a crowded lane and told the neighbours that he is going out of station and will take it once he returns. We recovered the car from Malviya Nagar in which mobile parts, a bottle of beer and some clothes were recovered. It appears that Gagan broke his phone, damaged the SIM and the IEMI number on the phone so that his location on the night of September 24 and November 5 could not be traced, police said. Sources said, Gagan even told the police that he did not intend to kill Shakhnoza and had called her to sort out issues between her and Naaz. He told the police that he had just gagged Shakhnoza and she died accidentally. He initially maintained that he was trying to convince Shakhnoza to return Naazs passport that she had kept with her as security deposit and would not return it until Naaz gave her Rs 8 lakh that she owed her. However, Naaz wanted to go back to Uzbekistan to see her parents and Shakhnoza was not giving her the passport. He said that he had just gagged Shakhnoza but she died accidentally but later admitted that they called her with an intention to eliminate her, police said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ajit Jain of Berkshire Hathaway has donated stocks to alma mater IIT Kharagpurs (IIT-Kgp) US Foundation. The news was confirmed by Foundation office on July 10, IIT-Kgp said in a statement released on Thursday. No numbers or other details were specified. Jain, who graduated from the institute with a BTech in mechanical engineering in 1972, moved to the United States. In 1978, where he earned an MBA from Harvard University. After graduation, he held various positions at top tier management consultancy, McKinsey & Co until 1986 when he joined business magnate Warren Buffets Berkshire Hathaway. He is now president of Berkshire Hathaway reinsurance division, leading several other insurance companies housed inside the broader Berkshire Group. Buffett has described him as having the intelligence to rate most risks properly, the realism to forget about those that cant be evaluated, the courage to write huge policies and the discipline to reject risk when the premium is not appropriate. Jain has also established the Jain Foundation, the mission of which is to cure limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, which is caused by a certain type of protein deficiency. The institute, which till now received only monetary donations, has been encouraging donation of stocks and shares through its Foundations. The state government has deferred a decision on whether it will allow Sri Guru Ram Das Medical College (SGRDC), Amritsar, to convert all 75 government-quota MBBS seats into management quota. Punjabs director public instructions (DPI) Colleges Harjit Singh chaired the six-hour meeting at his office in Sector 17, Chandigarh. At the meeting, representatives from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)-run institute presented detailed rules and regulations that it will follow if given the status of a medical university, a mandatory requirement before the quota of seats can be changed. SGRD 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. If it is given Counselling for registered candidates for medical admissions is scheduled for July 17. In case, no decision is taken on the matter, then students will fill their preference of college according to the current division of seats in the institute. The rules that govern the setting up of medical university needed to be studied carefully. There was not enough time to take an immediate decision and approve the relevant rules. One approved, the rules cannot be changed for five years, said a senior official from Punjab education department. The next date for a meeting has not been decided yet. THE PRESENT QUOTA POSITION 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 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 11 seats reserved for NRIs. 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. The university had denied the nod claiming that the government will take the final call. Serzh Sargsyan travels to Tavush Marz (video) Serzh Sargsyan traveled to Tavush Marz on a working visit this morning. The President called at one of the combat positions in the north-eastern frontline zone, toured the military stronghold inspecting servicemens living conditions and combat training status, as well as the engineering and defensive facilities in place. The Head of State handed gifts to a group of officers and soldiers who had excelled in service with outstanding dedication and courage. Offering his vote of thanks to the defenders of the Motherland, the President wished them every success and good service, stressing that their conscientious service was highly appreciated, since thanks to them, our people could live, work and develop our Motherland peacefully. President Sargsyan next attended the ceremonious opening of a new complex of permanent deployment of the military unit in Idjevan. The event was addressed by the Minister of Defense, the commander of the military unit, the spiritual leader of the Armed Forces and one of the soldiers. After a solemn march dedicated to the opening of the newly built military town, the President of the Republic toured the barracks with a view to getting acquainted with the amenities. Serzh Sargsyan talked to the staff and joined the soldiers and officers for a dinner held in the soldiers canteen. On the same day, the President gave an interview for Armenia TV Companys R-Evolution program in the Mountainous Armenia health resort of the Ministry of Defense in Dilijan. New Delhi: A day after the Delhi High Court said that the ongoing Delhi University admissions could be impacted by the outcomes of a plea in the court and the results of the re-evaluation of CBSE Class 12 answer sheets, DU officials are concerned about how their sacrosanct number of seats and the calendar will be affected by the impending orders. A senior DU official, who wished to remain unnamed as the matter is still sub judice, said that students who have already taken admission at the university and its 60-odd constituent colleges need not worry. The issue is about students who are still seeking admission according to the latest order. Students who have already been admitted to DU colleges will not have their admissions cancelled, even if their marks get reduced after re-evaluation, said the official. As for students who may have their grades increased, DU officials said that they will follow the current admission guidelines, unless ordered otherwise by the court. According to our current guidelines, if a student clears a particular cutoff, but fails to take admission under that list, he/she may do so on the last day of admission under the subsequent cutoffs, given that there are still seats available, said a DU official who works with the admissions committee. However, as the High Court order makes references to previous directives, where it was ordered that the university must accept students irrespective of availability of seats and admission schedules, have left many officials worried. The sacrality of the DU calendar is supreme. It is our unique selling point (USP). Even the number of seats as set by the academic council and the executive council is sacrosanct. This would go for a toss, and our admission procedures will get delayed, said the DU admission committee member. DU has approximately 56,000 seats this year. DU officials also raised the question of why they are supposed to delay their admission procedures because of the Central Board of Secondary Educations tardiness, when CBSE is only one of the 42 boards that represent the student community at DU. Almost 80% of the students who apply to DU are CBSE students. Educators, and school officials have welcomed the High Court order as natural justice for students. Children should not be made to suffer for something that is obviously not their fault. Their right to admission should not be denied because of policy, said the principal of a prominent private school in Delhi. The matter is now listed for further hearing on July 26, in the meantime, DU expects its admission procedures to go uninterrupted. Officials also said that in compliance with the High Court order, they will be sending copies of the writ petition to colleges to keep them informed of the pendency of the issue. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The results of the Karnataka supplementary exams for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Class 10) announced in Bengaluru on Thursday saw a pass percentage of 50.81%. A total of 2,42,951 students appeared in the exam with 1,23,443 students being declared successful. The exams were held between June 15 and 22 for students who did not pass in the annual SSLC examination held in April. Girls outperformed boys with a pass percentage of 55.8%. The pass percentage for boys was 47.9%. Rural students performed better than their urban counterparts, securing a pass percentage of 54.3% as against 47% for urban students. Students can apply for re-evaluation of results by July 27. The fee for re-evaluation is Rs 700 per subject. This year the Karnataka board declared the SSLC or Class 10 board exam results in May. Of the 7.64 lakh students, who appeared for the exam, just 73.26% managed to pass. This was down from 79.16% in 2016, and way lower than the 81.82% recorded in 2015. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Madurai A Madurai resident on Wednesday moved the Madras High Court challenging the Tamil Nadu governments decision to hold public examination at Class 11 level akin to the CBSE-held class 10 and 12-level board examinations. A Madurai bench of the high court posted the matter for detailed hearing on July 19 after a brief hearing on the issue. Petitioner K K Ramesh submitted to the bench of justices S S Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan that the governments move to bring Class 11 students under the ambit of public exams, would put an additional burden on the pupils who work hard to score high marks in Class 10 and, then again, in Class 12. This would mean hard work for three years successively from Class 10 onwards, leading to sleepless nights and frustration, he said while pleading with the court to quash the government order. To this, the government counsel submitted that under the present system of examination, the students end up focusing only on plus two syllabus (Class 12) in order to secure engineering and medical seats in reputed institutes, ignoring the plus one (Class 11) syllabus. By not paying attention to the plus one syllabus, they feel the burden after getting admitted to engineering colleges like Anna University, he said. He argued that an expert committee set up to analyse the performance of the students during the first year of engineering courses also came to the same conclusion. Accordingly, the government has decided to hold public examination at Class 11 level. The Tamil Nadu government had in May this year issued orders for conducting public examination for students of Class XI, and proposed to revise school education syllabus on par with CBSE standards in the coming years. Glion, Switzerland Eight women sit primly around an elaborately set table making pleasant small-talk about the weather, as immaculately starched waiting staff stand at the ready. But as one of the servers steps forward holding a silver soup tureen with white-gloved hands, an instructor helps her adjust the angle of the bowl to make sure the ladle is facing the diner. And a second tutor whispers in the ear of another diner to lower her elbow as she brings the spoon to her mouth. The women are not at a fancy restaurant or a high-end social club, but at Switzerlands last finishing school, learning to master good manners, strict etiquette and how to avoid a fatal faux pas. I realise now that I have been mixing the French style of eating with the British style, said Institut Villa Pierrefeu student Heba, asking that her last name not be given. With some embarrassment, the 34-year-old Egyptian national explained that she had placed her knife on her plate even though she had not used it during her meal -- a no-no in French dining etiquette. Heba is among 30 students from 14 different countries taking an intensive Pierrefeu summer course, lasting either three or six weeks, and offering classes like international business etiquette, floral art and staff management. Princesses not in majority Women learn how to serve a dessert during a lesson. (AFP) The students are a diverse crowd, according to Viviane Neri, who took the reins of the school in 1972 -- nearly two decades after her mother founded it. Obviously we have daughters of presidents and princesses, but those are definitely not the majority, she said, her warm smile offsetting the strictness of her impeccable attire. We also have people who save money to finance their stay because... they realise that this will give them extra knowledge that very few people have, she said. It is not cheap. Depending on the formula chosen, a six-week course, with exams and board at the schools majestic manor houses, can cost close to 30,000 Swiss francs ($31,000 or 27,000 euros, more than Rs 20 lakh). A teacher shows a cup during a lesson. (AFP) The current students, aged between 18 and 50 and ranging from professional businesswomen, to doctors and housewives, do not reveal their last names to each other to ensure equal treatment. Half a century ago, the students at Institut Villa Pierrefeu, which overlooks the picturesque town of Montreux, were among thousands attending a plethora of finishing schools dotting the hills around Lake Geneva. Back then it was common for girls and young women from wealthy, upper-class families to attend so-called charm schools to polish their manners and social graces. Britains late Princess Diana was among the famous alumni of since shuttered finishing schools in this area. Some were ashamed But today, Pierrefeu is the only one left, after the industry was decimated by the 1968 student revolution and rise of feminism. There was a huge dip in attendance right after the student revolution, Neri said, adding that the few who came said they were going to a languages school. They were ashamed. Neri attributes her schools longevity to its broad international focus and its rigorous efforts to keep the course material, including textbooks available only to Pierrefeu students, constantly up-to-date. The students learn and practise the proper etiquette and protocol of 20 different countries, as well as cultural taboos to be avoided. Cultural differences you are not aware of can create conflicts for very silly reasons, Neri said, pointing out for instance that in Japan it is rude to blow your nose in public, while in Germany it is rude not to. She suggested that many journalists could use a Pierrefeu course to avoid embarrassing articles like those criticising US First Lady Melania Trump for not covering her head during a recent trip to Saudi Arabia. More lessons. (AFP) She doesnt have to because it is not compulsory for non-Muslims who come to Saudi Arabia. Thats protocol, she said. The students seem to enjoy delving into such details, although some expressed surprise at the intensity of the course. I dont know if, when you hear finishing school, you take it as seriously as I think we all do now, said Taylor, a 34-year-old American student, who also refrained from giving her last name. It is very rigorous,... very comprehensive, she said, adding that she felt she was becoming educated here in a very rounded way. No snobbery Unlike the post-1968 generation, she and others said they proudly boasted of attending the school. Former student Nadine Abou Zahr, 46, said she had been sceptical when she first heard about the school while attending university nearby two decades ago. But the French-Lebanese former fashion magazine editor, who declined to reveal her current occupation, said in an email that she could not be more delighted with her experience. Learning good manners in my opinion is not about snobbism or superficiality. Its about respect, for yourself and others, she said. The course is not about creating dramatic career or life changes, she said, but, rather, designed to broaden cultural horizons and teach the importance of paying attention to detail. Shift in attitudes Neri said she had noted a clear shift in attitudes towards the need for good manners. I think people, after two generations of no etiquette, realise that it is so much easier when people share the same codes, she said. The shift has led Neri, along with her son and would-be successor, Philippe, to explore a range of expansion options. Three years ago they opened shorter seminars to men. They are also looking into reinstating a full school year and online courses. At the same time, Neri is working to clear up common misunderstandings about what finishing schools actually represent. Far from seeing girls walking gingerly with books balanced on their heads, or being focused on how to find a husband, her finishing school provides for in-depth learning and opening up of the mind, she said. I always say we dont finish them (the students), we start them, Neri said. We open their eyes to the diversity there is. Meibomian gland dysfunction -- also known as dry eye syndrome -- is on the rise among women due to excess make-up of the eyes. Though not taken seriously, the condition leads to blepharitis, extreme blurred vision, said doctors. Latest medical cases revealed that though MGD until now was seen due to ageing, now the trend has changed and it is occurring among young women as well. The changing trend of make-ups causing MGD is dangerous. Eyeliner and other make-up usually clog the meibomian glands leading to formation of painless lumps in the eyelids hence obstructing the vision, said Mahipal Sachdev, Director, Centre for Sight, a chain of eye centres in North India. Elaborating on the condition, Sachadev, who often sees young women with MGD says that the meibomian produce oils that prevent the tears from evaporating quickly. Whenever the glands do not function properly, the blockage in the gland restricts it from producing oil. The oil may sometimes thicken leading to cause benign lumps in the eyelids known as chalazion. MGD is the most known and leading cause of dry eye syndrome, blepharitis and in extreme cases loss of vision, said Sachdev. Medical Sciences says that there are around 40 such glands that produce oil that flows out of the eyes as tears to keep the eyes moistened. Thickening of this oil restricts its flow causing accumulation and blockage, forming a lump in the eyelid. A blocked oil gland causes this condition of red swollen eyelids. Thickening of natural eye moistening oil restricts its flow causing accumulation and blockage. (Shutterstock ) Around 40% of the women with high usage of eye make-up products tend to get affected with oil gland blockages. Parabens and yellow wax used in mascara and eyeliners to stiffen them to make it waterproof are the same chemicals that also clog the oil glands leading to MGD, chalazion, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis, Parul Sony, senior consultant and director of Gurgrams Complete Eye Care. A study by Canadas University of Waterloo said people who apply eyeliner on the inner eyelid run the risk of contaminating the eye and causing vision trouble. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. Smoking during pregnancy is a no-no. Previous research has shown that it can harm the babys brain, change foetal DNA, and lead to childhood obesity. Earlier studies also found a link between smoking during pregnancy and antisocial behavior in children. However, whether this is a causal relationship remains unclear. In order to gain a better understanding, a team of researchers from Brown University and the University of Maryland looked at 3,443 children of women who took part in the Boston and Providence centers of the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) between 1959 and 1966. The CPP looked at factors during pregnancy and birth that might influence mental, neurological, and physical capabilities of a child, including smoking habits. The team gathered this data, as well as information from court records on the children between 18 and 33 years of age to assess if any crimes had been committed during this time. The team also interviewed 1684 adults with an average age of 39 whose mothers had taken part in the CPP, asking them about their behaviour as a teen and as an adult. The behaviour was then compared to diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder in juveniles and antisocial personality disorder in adults. The results showed that 59% of women reported any smoking during pregnancy and many reported smoking heavily, with 33.8% smoking a pack or more per day. The team found that for each pack of cigarettes smoked by the mothers per day, there was an additional 30% increase in the chance of children exhibiting three or more symptoms of conduct disorder as a juvenile and more than three times the chance of showing three or more symptoms of antisocial personality disorder as an adult. Children of mothers who smoked while pregnant also had more than double the chance of having a record of non-violent offences as a juvenile and of committing a violent offence as an adult. The findings were independent of other factors such as a history of mental illness and low educational attainment/income, leading researchers to suggest that smoking while pregnant may have a small to moderate causal effect on the risk of antisocial behavior in the offspring. Many important risk factors for [antisocial behaviour] are not modifiable (eg. sex, family history), but maternal smoking in pregnancy is potentially modifiable, and remains prevalent among particular subgroups of women, including teenage mothers and mothers with less than a high school education, explained the team. Although maternal smoking in pregnancy may result in only slight to moderate increases in an offsprings risk of antisocial behaviour, removing this exposure may have substantial impacts at the population level. The findings can be found published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Good dental care is extremely important for diabetics. According to a recent study, the disease can even risk a patients oral health. The University of Pennsylvania researchers found that the oral microbiome is affected by diabetes, causing a shift to increase its pathogenicity. The research not only showed that the oral microbiome of mice with diabetes shifted but that the change was associated with increased inflammation and bone loss. It is of significance in India where diabetes is on the rise among the population, and alarmingly, a lot of people remain undiagnosed. Up until now, there had been no concrete evidence that diabetes affects the oral microbiome, said senior author Dana Graves. But the studies that had been done were not rigorous. Just four years ago, the European Federation of Periodontology and the American Academy of Periodontology issued a report stating there is no compelling evidence that diabetes is directly linked to changes in the oral microbiome. But Graves and colleagues were skeptical and decided to pursue the question, using a mouse model that mimics Type 2 diabetes. My argument was that the appropriate studies just hadnt been done, so I decided, Well do the appropriate study, Graves said. The team began by characterising the oral microbiome of diabetic mice compared to healthy mice. They found that the diabetic mice had a similar oral microbiome to their healthy counterparts when they were sampled prior to developing high blood sugar levels, or hyperglycemia. But, once the diabetic mice were hyperglycemic, their microbiome became distinct from their normal littermates, with a less diverse community of bacteria. Diabetes patients have increased levels of a molecule that is important in immune response and inflammation. (Shutterstock) The diabetic mice also had periodontitis, including a loss of bone supporting the teeth, and increased levels of IL-17, a signalling molecule important in immune response and inflammation. Increased levels of IL-17 in humans are associated with periodontal disease. The diabetic mice behaved similar to humans that had periodontal bone loss and increased IL-17 caused by a genetic disease, Graves said. The findings underscored an association between changes in the oral microbiome and periodontitis but didnt prove that the microbial changes were responsible for disease. To drill in on the connection, the researchers transferred microorganisms from the diabetic mice to normal germ-free mice, animals that have been raised without being exposed to any microbes. These recipient mice also developed bone loss. A micro-CT scan revealed they had 42% less bone than mice that had received a microbial transfer from normal mice. Markers of inflammation also went up in the recipients of the diabetic oral microbiome. We were able to induce the rapid bone loss characteristic of the diabetic group into a normal group of animals simply by transferring the oral microbiome, said Graves. With the microbiome now implicated in causing the periodontitis, Graves and colleagues wanted to know how. Suspecting that inflammatory cytokines, and specifically IL-17, played a role, the researchers repeated the microbiome transfer experiments, this time injecting the diabetic donors with an anti-IL-17 antibody prior to the transfer. Mice that received microbiomes from the treated diabetic mice had much less severe bone loss compared to mice that received a microbiome transfer from untreated mice. The findings demonstrate unequivocally that diabetes-induced changes in the oral microbiome drive inflammatory changes that enhance bone loss in periodontitis, the authors wrote. Though IL-17 treatment was effective at reducing bone loss in the mice, it is unlikely to be a reasonable therapeutic strategy in humans due to its key role in immune protection. But Graves noted that the study highlights the importance for people with diabetes of controlling blood sugar and practicing good oral hygiene. The study is published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more A 26-year-old woman from Palam Vihar has alleged that she was duped by a man -- a native of UK --who befriended her on Facebook and promised to marry her, police said. The victim alleged that the man claimed to be a native of UK and she started talking to him two months back. She said they had never met, however, they used to talk through internet every day. The man told the victim that he would come to Gurgaon to meet her and her parents in July, she told the police. Last week, she victim got a call from a person who introduced himself as a custom officer at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi and told her that her friend from UK has been detained as he was carrying pounds. The caller then asked the victim to transfer money to her friends account immediately and she transferred Rs 2,14,930 lakh to a bank account which the caller mentioned to her. Later, when she tried contacting the man, she couldnt get through him on his Facebook profile as it was deleted. She told police that the man used her call her though social media and she never had her mobile number. She filed a complaint with the Palam Vihar police station on Wednesday and also informed her bank regarding the transaction. A case has been registered under 420 (cheat) of Indian Penal Code and 66 IT Act. We have taken note of the matter and investigation is on, said Parveen Kumar, station house officer, Palam Vihar. On May 25, another woman, a resident of Ashok Vihar in Gurgaon, alleged that she has been duped by a man from Ukraine who promised to marry her and took Rs 30 lakh from her. She met him through a matrimonial site last year, the police said. On March 20, the police had arrested a Nigerian for allegedly duping a Gurgaon-based woman of Rs 10 lakh after promising to marry her. The accused had allegedly posed as a resident of Britain and started interacting with the woman after getting her contact details from a matrimonial website. Last year, on August 1, another woman was allegedly duped of Rs 62 lakh by a man who she came in contact through WhatsApp. The accused identified himself as Gorge Anderson from Scotland. In another case, a resident of Palam Vihar, Amit Khurana had complaint to the police that someone had hacked his mobile phone and his bank details and made online transactions of Rs 1, 97,000 lakh on May 29. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Officials of the National Highway Authority of India (Nhai) and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) on Thursday discussed cloverleaf and CPR (connecting peripheral road) construction plan -- which will bring respite to commuters in the city. The meeting is viewed as a major development in terms of pending Dwarka Expressway or Northern Peripheral Road (NPR) connecting Gurgaon and Delhi. CPR is the last leg of the NPR which is now being executed by the Nhai. Aimed at bringing permanent relief for commuters between Faridabad, Gurgaon, Manesar and Pataudi, the Nhai will also construct cloverleaf on NH-8 to connect CPR and SPR (southern peripheral road). Udeep Singh, project director (PD) Nhai Dwarka, said, We need land for the CPR leg and in that regard we held a discussion with the Huda, which has to transfer it to Nhai after proper marking by erecting pillars. The detailed project is prepared for Dwarka Expressway and Cloverleaf. And soon after approval from theb headquarter, the first phase work for CPR and Cloverleaf construction would begin, he added. The Huda had written to Nhai repeatedly to construct cloverleaf and CPR at earliest, officials said. Cloverleaf is urgently required for betterment of traffic. It will bring new life to the traffic network by connecting SPR and NPR. We will put proper marking along the land for CPR that Huda has already acquired and transfer to Nhai to expedite constructions at earliest, said Huda administrator Yashpal Yadav. During his visit on April 15, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had asked the Nhai and Huda officials to work in coordination to decongest the traffic at Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Signature Tower and Iffco Chowk. It is a big development and we wish NPR and SPR is connected. It will bring relief to commuters, said Gaurav Prakash, member Dwarka Expressway Welfare Association. Sudhir Garg, resident Centrum Park, Sector 103, said, We have been waiting for years for NPR to become operational. It is sad that NPR is still stuck in litigations and land acquisition is still incomplete. However, ever since Nhai has undertaken the NPR from Huda in October 2016, we believe it will see light of the day soon. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A revolutionary new cancer therapy developed by Swiss pharmaceutical major Novartis moved closer to the market on Wednesday after getting unanimous approval from a panel of US experts. The panel recommended that the Food and Drug Administration approve the drug, tisagenlecleucel, for patients ages 3 to 25 with relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), one of the most common form of childhood cancer. The treatment, called CTL019, has been developed by Swiss pharmaceutical major Novartis. The therapy genetically alters the patients own cells to combat a form of leukaemia that mostly affects children and young adults. The treatment involves drawing some blood from a patient, genetically modifying a type of immune cells call T-cells in it and re-infusing it into the patient. These re-programmed cells then find and kill all the cancerous cells within the body. Novartis said that 52 of 63 cancer patients who received the treatment in a clinical trial were cancer-free after three months. These patients had mostly failed to respond to standard treatments or had relapsed. When approved, the treatment will initially be available at 30 or 35 dedicated centres in the US. Some estimates put the cost at around US $300,000, Norvartis plans to seek approvals in the European Union in 2018. Indians will be able to access the treatment at US centres, which will also accepting international patients. This is a major advance and is ushering in a new era, said committee member Malcolm A Smith, who is associate branch chief for paediatric oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. The two significant concerns about the treatment are its severe side effects, which is some cases could be life-threatening, and the risk of secondary cancer from the re-infused cells in the long-term. Disney is running out of time, and wishes, in a global search to find young actors to play Aladdin and Jasmine in their upcoming live-action remake. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Mouse House and director Guy Ritchie have tested around 2000 actors from around the world to find the perfect pair of actors to lead the fantasy-musical film. With names like Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed being floated, and a looming August start date, the Internet has taken it upon itself to help Disney out. Here are some suggestion people have posted on Twitter: "We can't find anyone of similar descent to play Aladdin" pic.twitter.com/Vr4QBoigyL Catrina Dennis (@ohcatrina) July 11, 2017 if the film industry can actively seekout middle eastern actors to portray terrorists it shouldn't be this difficult finding one for aladdin https://t.co/T5PujUa1Au Simra (@simplysimra) July 11, 2017 Y'all are sleeping on Avan Jogia and Jade Thrilwall for Aladdin. THEY BOTH CAN SING AND LOOK SIMILAR TO THE CHARACTERS AND CAN ACT pic.twitter.com/l78ef0dZwB MC (@mariahnmichael) July 11, 2017 Priyanka Chopra as Princess Jasmine and Dev Patel as Aladdin would have the whole world shooK! pic.twitter.com/uDh03KE5QL Black Bill Gates. (@WrittenByTerry) July 11, 2017 In all seriousness. This is what it's come to. They're having trouble filling the role of ALADDIN if Dev Patel or Riz Ahmed don't take it. https://t.co/GsfBfIB801 Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) July 11, 2017 Disney: Guy Ritchie is perfect to direct Aladdin. Guy Ritchie: IDK how to find a Middle-Eastern man who can sing. https://t.co/oPagPdPO1F Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (@Hello_Tailor) July 11, 2017 THERE IS LITERALLY AN ENTIRE SECOND MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD W AN INDUSTRY OF MEN WHO DANCE AND SING. #aladdin https://t.co/iu0RsdCgPs Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) July 11, 2017 Are they really out here claiming it's hard to find an actor of Middle Eastern/South Asian descent who can act and sing to play Aladdin?!!! ReBecca Theodore (@FilmFatale_NYC) July 11, 2017 Well you can't find better than Hrithik Roshan to do it, amazing actor and God of dance take note Disney !! pic.twitter.com/9P6X8joJUa (@DeeplyNourx) July 11, 2017 There are plenty of amazing MENA & South Asian actors. I have a list. Give me a call Guy https://t.co/yDx07ONuNJ Lexi Alexander (@Lexialex) July 11, 2017 To all the lovely people saying I should try for #Aladdin thank you. It would be wonderful but only time will tell. Tony Revolori (@TonyRevolori) July 11, 2017 Follow @htshowbiz for more Shia LaBeouf apologised Wednesday for a racist tirade against Georgia police officers and jailors who arrested him Saturday for public drunkenness. The actor wrote in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday that he has been publicly struggling with addiction for far too long. He called his behaviour a new low and attributed it in part to his complete disrespect for authority. The statement, which was confirmed as legitimate by LaBeoufs publicist, asked for forgiveness and said the actor was taking steps to get sober. He did not elaborate. LaBeoufs apology came hours after celebrity website TMZ posted video taken while the actor was being booked when he accused police of being racist and told a black officer he was going to hell. The actor made several other profane remarks before being released on $7,000 bond. The videos were not immediately available Wednesday from the Chatham County Sheriffs Office. The Transformers actor was arrested in a hotel lobby at 4 a.m. Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and released. He was also accused of disorderly conduct and obstruction. I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and make no excuses for it, LaBeouf wrote on Twitter. My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst, LaBeouf, 31, wrote. It is a new low. A low I hope is bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes. LaBeouf is in the Savannah area filming his new movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon, which also stars Dakota Johnson. Follow @htshowbiz for more A pall of gloom descended on the suburban countryside of Jammu after the news of two soldier deaths on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwaras Keran sector broke early on Thursday. At Burn village in Kotbhalwal area, lance naik Ranjit Singhs wife Neha Devi sought nothing short of vengeance. I am proud of my husband, she cried, near-hysteric in her grief. He died for the country but I want justice I want revenge for my husbands killing. His mother, Veena Devi, expressed a similar sentiment. Mere iklaute bachche ki jagah unke 100 nikalne chahiye. Mujhe insaaf chahiye (I want 100 Pakistani soldiers killed for the death of my only son. I want justice, she screamed. I want nothing from this government, only a bullet for myself. My family has been ruined. However, their two children Kajal and Kartik harboured nothing beyond a burning aspiration to serve their nation when they grow up. My father wanted me to become a good human being, probably a police officer. I will fulfill his dream and fight on the side of the law, said the girl, who is still in Class 5. Kartik, a Class 4 student, wants to follow in his fathers footsteps and join the Army. The scene was no different at Gurasinghu village in Shamachak, which lost 20-year-old Satish Bhagat to the sniper fire. Three days ago, Satish called us up to say that he was heading to the LoC. He said mobile phones dont work in that area, but asked us not worry. But we never thought something like this would happen, said Rashpal, an uncle. He and another relative Tara Chand expressed regret over nobody from the government coming to visit Bhagats family in their time of grief. A classmate of the martyred soldier said Bhagat always wanted to join the Army like his father. But nothing can be done now. Its time for revenge. India should teach Pakistan a lesson, he added. The other villagers seemed to be in an equally retributive mood, shouting slogans like Pakistan murdabad, Satish Bhagat amar rahe and Bharat Mata ki jai. The young soldier who leaves behind his father, stepmother, grandmother and two married sisters had come home on leave a fortnight ago. The mortal remains of the two soldiers are expected to reach their respective villages on Friday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It was an Independence Day Tripura governor Tathagata Roy would always remember, for it was this day in 1996 when snatches of conversation in Hindi guided him and other lost pilgrims on their journey back from Kailash Mansarovar. We had no idea where we were. But, as we were walking, we heard some people speaking in Hindi. That was when we realised we had reached India, the governor said. We (the yatris) were returning from the Chinese side and there was solid fog all around us. The air was so thick that you couldnt see the tip of your fingers, Roy recalled. The group of pilgrims to Mansarovar was walking towards the Lipulekh Pass when they found themselves lost in the fog. We had no idea where we were. But, as we were walking, we heard some people speaking in Hindi. That was when we realised we had reached India, the 72-year-old governor and former BJP leader from West Bengal said. It was August 15 that day, he said. So it was wonderful, Roy told PTI on the sidelines of a book launch in New Delhi on Wednesday evening. The high-altitude Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage spot is in the Tibet region. There are two routes to this -- through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. Roy earlier released a coffee-table book Dalhousie ...Through My Eyes, authored by retired civil servant Kiran Chadha, who shared interesting anecdotes about the hill station with the gathering.. Chadha had also led the Mansarovar Yatra team that Roy was a part of. I think that trip instilled a sense of wanderlust in me and I was bitten by the travel bug. Since then, I have travelled to many places. I have been on the Amaranath Yatra, went to Vaishno Devi and visited the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand, among other places, he said, adding that the two destinations that he had not yet visited were Gangotri and Yamnotri. Chadha said she hoped the book would serve as a guide and a knowledge storehouse for the next generation on Dalhousie and its history, and prompt them to travel to the hill town in Himachal Pradesh. Dalhousie is in the Chamba district and is situated on five hills. The Narendra Modi government will brief key opposition leaders on Friday on the border stand-off with China, which shows no sign of abating, in a bid to build consensus over a key foreign policy challenge ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 17. Home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minister Arun Jaitley and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj members of the cabinet committee on security will apprise the opposition leaders of the longest border faceoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in recent times, as well as brief them about the overall dip in bilateral ties. The ministers are also expected to talk about the situation in Kashmir. The government is seeking to build consensus on the two key issues ahead of the parliament session to ensure the smooth functioning of the house and to ward off criticism that the opposition is not consulted on major issues. The government has lined up as many as 28 bills for consideration and passing in the coming session. The standoff in Doklam near the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction has continued for the past three weeks after the Chinese army tried to build a road there. China has called for the immediate withdrawal of Indian troops from the area, and warned that the situation could get worse. The aggression shown by Beijing and New Delhis response to it gave the opposition an occasion to question the governments strategy. Last week, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis silence on China. We are at an advantageous position in Doka La, a union minister told HT, using another name for Doklam. We have entered a strategic location and can not fritter it away for domestic political reasons. National Security adviser Ajit Doval is likely to travel to China for a meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) on July 27-28. The diplomatic channels are open to sort out the row, and foreign secretary S Jaishankar had said there is no reason why India cannot sort out the border issue this time the way it has done in the past. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over its biggest neighbour trying to change the status quo at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam. For India, the move violates a 2012 bilateral understanding that requires China to take the party concerned (Bhutan) into confidence before any construction activities. Bhutan, which doesnt have diplomatic ties with China, lodged a protest with China. Ties with China have come under renewed strain due to a host of irritants, including Beijing blocking of Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The bodies of two Army soldiers who were killed by Pakistani army snipers on the LoC in Kupwara district will be brought to their native place in Jammu on Friday. Lance Naik Ranjit Singh, from Burn village in Bhalwal area, and rifleman Satish Bhagat, from Gurhasinghu village in Shamachak area, were killed in sniper fire at a forward post in Keran sector of Kupwara district at around 2.20 pm on Wednesday. Their killing comes close on the heels of shooting of seven Amarnath pilgrims on Monday in Anantnag as terror attacks and truce violations have spiked in Jammu and Kashmir since Hizbul ultra Burhan Wani was gunned down on July 8 last year. Northern Army chief Lt Gen Devraj Anbu paid his respects to the two soldiers and offered condolences to their families. Singh is survived by his wife Neha Devi and Bhagat by his mother Kamlesh Kumari. Army chief General Bipin Rawat visited Srinagar on Wednesday to take stock of the security scenario in Kashmir. General Rawat had given enough indication to the top commanders to counter terrorism with a firm resolve. The hamlet at an altitude of 13,900 feet some 68 kilometres east of Gangtok betrays little sign of the tension brewing in its neighbourhood. The narrow hilly roads are deserted and most residents are indoors. But for the rustle of the icy cold winds blowing across, Kuppup is quiet and there is hardly any trace of activity. All the action, however, is just seven kilometers away, at Doklam on the contested tri-junction of China, India and Bhutan. It is here that India and China are engaged in a tense month-long standoff over a dispute triggered by Beijings claim over the territory. Both India and its ally Bhutan dispute the claim. As the last Indian habitation high up in the Himalayas on the way to Doklam, Kuppup has a ringside view of the festering dispute. As tensions ratchet up on the international border, residents of Kuppup a hamlet of 200-odd tin-roofed huts have decided to stay tight-lipped. There is enough trouble nearby. We dont need more trouble, says a 54-year-old housewife who runs a tea stall from her roadside home. Overshadowed by giant peaks dotted with outposts of the Chinese army, Kuppup villagers are reminded of Chinese presence even in normal times. Around a corner of the road leading to Doklam that is heavily patrolled currently by Indian troops of the 17 Mountain Division, a signboard reads: Caution: Chinese observation starts. Local officials have also told the villagers not to speak out of turn, particularly to any outsider adventurous enough to undertake the seven-kilometer arduous trek to Kuppup from the Nathula border pass. The media, in particular, is unwelcome. We have a magisterial order to detain media persons here, explains a local Sikkim police official while escorting out this correspondent. Locals are reluctant to narrate the sights and sounds they are witness to amid the expected troop buildup along the border. Many of men folk are engaged as porters for the Indian army while several work for the Garrison Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) of the Border Roads Organisation that builds and maintains strategic border roads along the international frontier. No one wants to earn the displeasure of the army. Residents, however, do talk about a senior GREF official sacked from his job recently after he spoke to an outsider. They instead prefer to speak about how India-China border trade has taken a hit at Sherathang, some nine kilometers from Kuppup. The trade outpost normally saw 100 trucks from Rintigang in Chinas Chumbi Valley come in at the trading post laden with jackets, shoes, clothes and other gift items. They usually went back loaded with Indian goods. Of all Indian items, Parle G biscuits and Dalda vegetable oil were reportedly the most sought after. But locals say the volume of the trade has gone down drastically since the standoff began. No more than 20-25 trucks come these days, points out a trader Chewang. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON US President Donald Trump has departed for France, as yet another political firestorm swirled in Washington over allegations that Russia helped the Republican ascend to the White House. Air Force One departed at 7:4pm (2343 GMT) for the trip to Paris during which Trump, who sported a cerulean blue tie for the trip, is expected to include talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and participate as a guest of honour in the countrys national holiday festivities. The visit comes days after the release of emails that the US presidents son jumped at a Russian offer to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton during the campaign - the latest development in the probe into whether Trumps campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election. Getting rdy to leave for France @ the invitation of President Macron to celebrate & honor Bastille Day and 100yrs since U.S. entry into WWI. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 He is set to arrive today in Paris for talks with Macron expected to focus on joint efforts against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. The two leaders will then dine at the Michelin-starred restaurant embedded in the Eiffel Tower, taking in sweeping views of the French capital with their wives Melania and Brigitte. The following day they will watch French and American troops march down the Champs-Elysees in Paris during the holidays traditional military parade. Trump and Macron, who both entered office this year, appear to have little in common. Last month the mercurial US leader notably withdrew the US from the global Paris climate change agreement to Macrons dismay. But the French government has emphasised its newly-minted leader will work to reaffirm historic ties between the two allies and prevent the US from being isolated. Its difficult. But dont forget that we have always been led by hope. This was the cryptic response provided by an Indian official when asked about the Centres chances of locating 39 Indian construction workers abducted by Islamic State militants at Mosul in 2014. The city has now been retaken, but proof of their survival continues to evade the Indian government. Nevertheless, the external affairs ministry says that until there is any information to the contrary, it will continue to work under the assumption that the captives are still alive. Getting credible information on the labourers has been a daunting task, said an official familiar with the developments. The first task was to find local contacts, and that became all the more difficult once the Islamic State took over Mosul completely, he added. India was relying heavily on its contacts from Turkey and Palestine in Mosul, besides other neighbouring countries, for this purpose. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj discussed the matter with her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on two occasions after the kidnapping. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also brought it up during interactions with Palestine president Mahmoud Abbas and Turkish premier Tayyip Erdogan. The first such crisis an Indian nurse kidnapped from Tikrit was sorted out fast. So the political leadership was keen on resolving this on a war footing too, said another official. Though updates emerged at frequent intervals, efforts to obtain a clear photo of the abductees went in vain. The contacts said the guards would not let them take any pictures. Reports suggested that they were put to work at a food factory on the outskirts of Mosul for a while, and later shifted out to lay oil pipelines. Ascertaining the information provided by foreign contacts was always a problem. But Swaraj kept the hopes of their relatives alive, meeting them whenever they sought an appointment. An escaped captive suggested that his colleagues may have been killed, but the government was quick to deny such a possibility. Still clutching on to hope, the external affairs ministry opened a consulate at Erbil 90 km from Mosul and appointed Indian Foreign Services official Deepak Miglani as its consul general. Last heard, the captives were supposedly seen at a church a few weeks before the final surge against the Islamic State. And as soon as Mosul was reclaimed, VK Singh was sent to coordinate rescue efforts from Erbil. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Scores of students in government schools across the country may be deprived of midday meals if their states continue the slow progress in getting them enrolled under Aadhaar. A number of states such as West Bengal have not shared any data with the HRD ministry while others like Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram have only managed to get 26% students enrolled under Aadhaar, with Nagaland having 15% enrolment, Delhi 79% and Bihar 63%. Concerned over the slow progress, the ministry has written letters to 16 states, asking them to expedite the process so that students continue to get midday meals as it has now been linked to Aadhaar. The last date for enrolment under Aadhaar is August; those who have an Aadhaar number or have at least enrolled under it will get midday meals, officials said. The enrolment under Aadhaar would enable us to eliminate the proxy enrolment and provide benefits of the scheme to deserving children in a seamless manner, reads the letter. Despite letters from the ministry to furnish a detailed action plan to complete 100% Aadhaar enrolment, no response from the government of Delhi has been received, says the letter. I understand that due to the summer vacations, the enrolment exercise was hampered. However, now the schools have reopened, I earnestly suggest the Aadhaar enrolment campaign be given an added thrust by the Government of Delhi in a time-bound manner and be monitored personally, the letter adds. Gangadhar Sahoo, state coordinator of the scheme, said Odisha has managed to get 78% of kids in the age group of 5-18 years enrolled, but only 28% of them have Aadhaar numbers. We expect to generate Aadhaar by the end of July. The respective headmasters would collect them and get seeding done. We have so far achieved 85% of the target. We want to finish it before the deadline. But it all depends on UIDAI required to make Aadhaar cards, said Binod Kumar Singh, director of the midday meal scheme under the department of HRD, Bihar. A Delhi government official said midday meal should not be linked to Aadhaar because that will lead to denial to those who dont have a card. We would like 100% compliance for Aadhaar and are working on it. Aadhaar card is desirable but to make it compulsory for a basic facility like midday meal is not something that we support. There are so many poor students getting free food due to midday meal and one cannot just stop the facility to them because they dont have Aadhaar card, said a Delhi government official. (With inputs from Debarata Mohanty in Bhubaneshwar, Vijay Swaroop in Patna and Heena Kausar in New Delhi) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Growing Indo-Israeli military ties could push Pakistan and China to further forge defence cooperation, a Pakistani commentator said in remarks published on Thursday. Indias hectic efforts to enhance its military ties with Israel will probably make Pakistan and China foster their economic and defence cooperation in the region, independent researcher Ayaz Ahmed said in The News International newspaper. Both Pakistan and China have recently come so close to each other that it appears rather elusive for India to pursue its hegemonic designs in the Indian Ocean region. The more India militarily partners with other countries, the more Sino-Pakistan partnership becomes stronger to block Indian disruptive objectives in South Asia. Ahmed added, in the wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis path-breaking visit to Israel this month. Ahmed said Indias decision to embrace Israel was also likely to turn the growing Indo-Iranian relations hostile. If the Modi government continues to further cement military ties with Israel, Iran will probably hand over the strategically-important Chabahar Port to China and thereby shatter Indias dreams to access the energy-rich Central Asia, the commentary said. Pakistan should capitalise on the Indo-Israel bonhomie to bolster its relations with Iran and coordinate with Tehran to highlight the gross human rights violations being committed in Kashmir and Palestine. India continues to modernise its atomic arsenal with an eye on China and the countrys nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said. An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal After Midnight has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in south India. India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article titled Indian nuclear forces 2017. While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China, they wrote. That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons role against Pakistan, they said. Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile. At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land- and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade, it said. India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, it said. Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing. Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid- fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 kilometres is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China. Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India (including Beijing and Shanghai), India is also developing the longer- range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near- intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres, it said. The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China, the research article said. Jharkhands principal commissioner of income tax Tapas Kumar Dutta was arrested by the CBI for corruption, an official said on Thursday. We arrested Dutta in Ranchi on Wednesday night after his day-long questioning, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesperson RK Gaur said. The CBI move came hours after it conducted raids at 23 locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with the case. The CBI questioned Dutta at the IT office in Ranchi on Wednesday. The agency had on Wednesday morning carried out raids at 18 residential and office premises of Dutta and other accused in Kolkata and five places in Ranchi. This followed the seizure of Rs 3.5 crore in cash and five kg of gold from the premises owned by Dutta. The CBI filed a FIR against Dutta, posted in Ranchi, and three colleagues - additional commissioner of income tax Arvind Kumar, income tax officer Ranjeet Kumar Lal and income tax officer (tech) identified only as Ganguly - following allegations of criminal conspiracy. The four officials of the IT department, along with five businessmen and a chartered accountant, have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct. Dutta and his colleagues were accused of favouring five Kolkata-based businessmen -- identified as Biswanath Agarwal, Santosh Chowdhury, Aakash Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal and Arvind Agarwal -- and their companies by taking illegal gratification. During 2016 and 2017, Dutta entered into a criminal conspiracy with other Income Tax officials, the (five) businessmen, infamous entry operators and the Chartered Accountant for getting Income Tax assessment files of different assessee companies transferred from Kolkata and Hazaribagh to Ranchi for providing undue favour to those who had been charged with heavy tax liability in lieu of huge bribes, the official said. The official also said that Dutta issued favourable orders in the case of private companies, which had paid a huge bribe. The website of the municipal committee in Uttar Pradeshs Rampur district was hacked by a person, who called himself a Kashmiri and posted messages demanding freedom on it on Wednesday, an official said on Thursday. The message started with Hacked by NABEEL that flashed in place of the usual homepage of the Rampur municipal committee. A single BEE is ignored but when millions come together the bravest RUN IN FEAR. The one thing the government fear is the day we stand together, it said. The alleged hacker wrote GO INDIA GO BACK WE WANT FREEDOM, below it and followed it an extended note regarding Kashmiris and Muslims. The message ended with, i am a Kashmiri, it is my crime? But I am proud committing the crime. The hacking was first noticed by municipal officials while uploading new tenders. The message was being flashed each time we visited the website and unlike floating advertisements, it was blocking the entire homepage, said Ashwini Tripathi, an IT specialist who handles the website. According to Tripathi, the website was developed two years ago by a Noida-based company which was informed about the messages. The experts from the company cleared it hours after we informed them about it, said Tripathi adding, No harm was done to the website or any other data attached to it by the hack. The website lacked security features and was easily hacked into. But the hacker apparently was only an amateur and was able to alter only the homepage, said Faizan Alam, principal programmer of the company. We have cleared the glitch and advised the municipal committee to buy additional security features for the website, he added. The officials of the municipal committee decided not to register a police complaint regarding the matter. Police officials said they were not aware of the hacking. An investigation will be ordered regarding the matter once a formal police complaint is filed by the municipal committee, they said. A prominent Indian-origin businessman has received the prestigious Queens Enterprise Award 2017 for his food processing plants role in boosting the UKs position as an investor friendly destination. Yusaffali MA collected the award at a special ceremony in Birmingham Council House recently before meeting Queen Elizabeth II at a reception hosted for this years winners at Buckingham Palace in London. The Kerala-born and UAE-based entrepreneur said the recognition for his Birmingham-based Y International (UK) Ltd will spur his Abu Dhabi headquartered Lulu Group International to further expand business interests in the UK. This great recognition will surely help us further strengthen our plans to expand business interests in the UK and continue with our innovations and contributions to the dynamic economy of UK, he said in his acceptance speech after receiving the award from Lord Lieutenant John Crabtree, the Queens special representative. Y International UK Pvt Ltd, part of Lulu Group, has played a tremendous role in further boosting UKs position as an investor friendly destination. They have not only opened up a huge market for British products worldwide through their operations here but also have contributed significantly in providing job and training opportunities, Lord Lieutenant Crabtree noted. Y International UK Ltds food processing plant, which employs 300 local staff, was established in Birmingham in 2013 to source and process food products from UK to support the demand for high-quality British products for sale in Lulu Groups hypermarkets across the Middle East, India and Far East. The Queens Award for Enterprise is conferred annually by the British monarch on her birthday, April 21, upon businesses that display great enterprise across the fields of innovation, international trade, promoting opportunity through social mobility and sustainable development. The $6.9 billion Lulu Group, ranked as a top retailer in the MENA region and listed among the top 50 fastest growing retailers in the world by Deloitte, has made UK headlines in recent years for acquiring the iconic Scotland Yard building in London and for its investment in luxury retail brand East India Company. Police have arrested a youth for the rape and murder of a minor at Kotkhai. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG southern range, Zahoor Zaidi, had been interrogating six youths in this case. On Thursday, police arrested Ashish Chauhan, a native of Kotkhai and an engineering student at Bengaluru, in the case. More arrests are likely to follow. The post-mortem report had revealed injury marks on the dead girls body. The incident had sparked widespread outrage in the town, and people came out to protest at many places, demanding immediate arrest of the accused. Social outfits, public representatives and student bodies have also been clamouring for bringing the accused to justice. Serving an ultimatum to the police, students of the Shimla district had given them five days to solve the case. On Tuesday, chief minister Virbhadra Singh had directed director general of police Somesh Goyal to nab the culprits at the earliest. He also announced a reward of 1 lakh to anyone providing any information about the culprits. Social media rife with photos The social media in the state is abuzz with photographs of six youth who are being labeled as the culprits. Their photographs are being widely shared on WhatsApp and Facebook and many are congratulating the police for having cracked the case. But there is no official confirmation that the people whose photographs are being circulated on the social media are the same as those being interrogated. The relationship between the BJP and Patidars used to be like that of a father and son, says Suresh Bhai Patel, convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) in Mehsana. It is here that the movement for OBC quota for Patidars originated in 2015. Suresh Bhais personal office three chairs, a cupboard and a computer acts as its headquarters. The 55-year-old was once a BJP member. Patidars used to do well back in the day when he was a young man, he says. We used to fund our own schools, colleges, temples, hospitals and pharmacies. We didnt need the government, but we helped the BJP come to power. Now when we need help, the party wont even listen to us. Mehsana is an old BJP stronghold. In 1984, when the party was routed across the country, Mehsana was one of the two Lok Sabha seats it won its first in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the face of BJP in Gujarat, was born in this northern district, which today has 20 lakh residents and seven assembly seats. It also has the bulk of the states Patidar population. They have always stood by the BJP, but are not sure anymore. Over the past two decades, Patidars have been faced with a crisis common to dominant farming communities across the country. Their farms have shrunk and their expectations widened. Many Patidars want to sell their farm lands and move to cities. And to retain their dominance in the new social setup, they want quotas in educational institutions and jobs. In 2015, nearly five lakh Patidar youth went on a rampage in Ahmedabad to demand reservations. Hundreds of agitators were arrested, including the 22-year-old leader of the movement, Hardik Patel. With assembly elections due later this year, Mehsana will be a testing ground for the BJP. It must either win back the Patidars or break up their movement. Ninety per cent of Mehsanas Patidars are with PAAS, says Dilip Patel, a 25-year-old who spent three months in jail for leading a rally in Mehsana in 2015. At that time, he was on a break from a job in Dubai, where he claims to earn Rs 70,000 a month working at an oil rig. I used to get Rs 7,000 for a similar job at a private oil refinery in Kalol. Dilip says his friends are desperate to escape the rural dead-end. They are selling land and paying travel agents as much as Rs 35 lakh to go anywhere they can find a job. Wherever they end up, they will always blame the ruling party for their plight, he says. Patidars fight for reservation Patels make up 14% of Gujarats population In 2012, Patels first brought up the demand for quota on behalf of the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), a community organisation headquartered in Mehsana. In 2015, Hardik Patel, then 21 and social media coordinator of SPG, took charge of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, a Patel group focussed on reservations, and fronted its first big rally Despite escalating Patidar agitations through 2015, the Gujarat government led by Anandiben Patel turned down their demand for OBC quota citing SC ruling of 50 % cap on caste-based reservations Since the first rally in Mehsana, Patidar youth have agitated in large numbers from Ahmedabad to Surat. Nine of them have died in clashes with the police. Young homemaker Taru Patel is equally furious. Her cousin was one of the two rioting youth killed by police bullets in Mehsana in 2015. The government will have to give quota to Patidars one day. If the Constitution can be written, it can also be changed, she says. Sitting next to her in a middle-class living room in Modhera Chowk, 26-year-old Ratnikant Patel, too, rues his plight: What kind of India is this? Two years ago, fed up of rejection by government departments first he applied for a job as a school teacher, then a roadways clerk he stopped running his neighbourhood's Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh shakha. By various local accounts, the Patidar movement stands diluted. Hardik Patel went to jail for nine months. In that time, many youth left under pressure from families, says SK Langa, head of the zilla parishad. Also, the BJP has been actively regaining ground in Mehsana with grassroots engagement, adds Langa. In the recent gram panchayat elections in the district, the party won 41 of the 156 seats unopposed. Back in action after 15-month absence, Hardik Patel has been busy cultivating a larger voter base. Its not about the Patidars anymore. Its about youth and farmers, he says, surrounded by a coterie in a villa on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The BJP is talking about 150 seats. It wont even get 50, Langa says. Not everyones buying that optimism. As an observer of the tug-of-war in Mehsana put it, Modi has to do just one rally in Mehsana, the whole picture will change. (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. This is the fourth of a five-part series) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The terminal decline of the Congress party can only be revived by a leadership change, says historian and biographer Ramachandra Guha, who suggests that the partys top job be handed over to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Stressing that it was his fantasy, Guha said on Tuesday if there was a friendly take-over of the party by the JD-U leader, it would be a match made in heaven. For the Congress is a party without a leader and Nitish is a leader without a party, Guha said at the launch of the 10th anniversary edition of his book India After Gandhi. Nitish Kumar, he held, was a genuine leader. Like Modi, he has no family burden, but, unlike Modi, he is not a megalomaniac. He is not sectarian and focuses on gender, which is rare among Indian politicians. So there are things about Nitish that were appealing, and are appealing, he said at the function in New Delhi. But, he said, unless the president of the Congress bestowed the post on Nitish, there is no future for him, or for Sonia Gandhi in Indian politics. The 131-year old party, the columnist-author believed, could not be a major political player anymore, and could at best move from its present 44 seats in the Lok Sabha to 100. Now, if they have a new leader or leadership tomorrow, things could change. Two years is a long time in politics, he added, referring to the 2019 parliamentary polls. He said the decline of the Congress was also worrying, because a single party system was not good for democracy. Single party governance made even the great democrat Jawahar Lal Nehru arrogant; it made the instinctively authoritarian Indira Gandhi even more authoritarian. So what will this do to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah is something that I have started thinking about, the author -- known for critiquing both the Left and the Right -- said. India had failed to emulate the stable two-party model of western democracies, Guha said, adding that the importance of two-party rivalry in states should not be undermined. Like Modi, he has no family burden, but, unlike Modi, he is not a megalomaniac. He is not sectarian and focuses on gender, which is rare among Indian politicians. So there are things about Nitish that were appealing, and are appealing The three states in India which have performed well over the past 70 years, according to economic and social indicators, are Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. And all have a relatively stable two-party system, he said. States where a single party ruled for long years -- he cited the case of Bengal under the Left and BJP-led Gujarat -- were a disaster. The states that have a stable two-party system do the best because the Congress keeps a check on the Communists in Kerala, the BJP on the Congress in Himachal, he said. The book, a revised edition of his 2007 volume published by Pan Macmillan India, has new chapters on gender, caste and the rise of the gay movement in India, among others. India said on Thursday that there has been no change in Pakistans position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as also on visa request for his mother, amidst Pakistani media reports that Islamabad was considering to allow her to travel to meet her son. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay also said the case was now before the International Court of Justice and India was following the September 13 timeline to give its submission. There has been no change in Pakistans position on providing consular access to Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, as also on visa request for his mother, he said. When asked about reports that Pakistan was considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to Jadhavs mother, Avantika Jadhav, he said India has no official information on it. Pakistan has so far dismissed 16 request by India for consular access to Jadhav. India had moved the ICJ against Jadhavs death penalty by a Pakistan military court. The ICJ had on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing the death sentence. While Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran, India maintains that the Indian national was kidnapped from Iran where he had legitimate business interests. The police have arrested six youths for the rape and murder of a minor at Kotkhai even as the autopsy report confirmed that the victim was strangulated after being sexually assaulted. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by IG southern range Zahur Zaidi, interrogated the six accused in this case. On Thursday, police arrested Ashish Chauhan, 29, a resident of Sharaal village in Kotkhai tehsil, and an engineering student in Bengaluru. Later in the day, police nabbed five others Rajinder Singh (32) of the Sharaal village, Subash Singh Bisht (42) of Pauri Garhwal, Surat Singh (29) of Nepal, Lok Jan (19) of Nepal and Deepak (38) of Garhwal. Subash Singh Bisht is a priest in a temple at Pauri Garhwal. Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Somesh Goyal. (HT Photo) Addressing the media, Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Somesh Goyal said, We had technical, circumstantial and scientific evidences against all the six arrested. The arrest comes almost nine days after the incident that sparked widespread outrage and protests in the town. He said: The SIT is painstakingly collecting more evidence to link the criminals to the rape and murder of the minor girl, which shook the otherwise peaceful state, and added: Rajinder Singh, who worked as a manager with local orchardist was familiar to the girl and offered her lift in the pick-up vehicle, where four others were already present. All five persons in the vehicle were in an inebriated condition. After the vehicle moved a few kilometers, they committed the heinous crime. He also appealed to the people to desist from circulating unverified reports and photographs related to the case on social media. He warned that such posts will attract civil and criminal liability. IG southern range Zahur Zaidi said, The accused will be produced before the court on Thursday to seek police remand to join the dots in this puzzle. Meanwhile, the autopsy report submitted by the Indira Gandhi Medical College hospital to the police confirmed that the 16-year-old victim had died of asphyxiation. The report found strangulation marks on her neck. It revealed that the girl struggled hard to free herself from the clutches of the youths who are said to have sexually assaulted her. The body had lesion and scratches on the back, said the report while denying that any of her bones had been broken as claimed by some media reports. The report states that the victim was probably dragged on a rough surface after being strangulated. The body, which was found on July 6, was infested with maggots. THE CASE The victim was allegedly took lift in the vehicle being driven by Raju while she was on her way home after school. One of the assailants had reportedly called up the girl, a Class X student, on his mobile after the school and then waylaid her along with his friends. The case came to light when the girl, who had gone to school with her brother, didnt return home and her parents begin to search for her. It was on July 6 that someone spotted the naked body in the nearby Dandi forest, about 100 metres above a link road. The girls body was also found near the spot. The incident had led to widespread protests in the city. Social outfits, public representatives and student bodies had rallied on the streets, demanding justice for the victim. Serving an ultimatum to the police, students of the Shimla district had given them five days to solve the case. This had prompted the government to constitute a special investigation team, headed by Inspector General, South range, Zahur Zaidi. A case has been registered under IPC Section 302, 376, and POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offense) Act against unknown accused, and three special teams have been formed to investigate the crime. On Tuesday, chief minister Virbhadra Singh had directed director general of police Somesh Goyal to nab the culprits at the earliest. He also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone providing any information about the culprits. The social media in the state was abuzz with photographs of six youth who were labeled as the culprits. Their photographs were widely shared on WhatsApp and Facebook and many congratulated the police for having cracked the case. Even chief ministers official Facebook page shared the photographs but later deleted the post. But people whose photographs were being circulated on the social media were not found the same as those nabbed. Facts July 4: Gudiya (name changed) goes missing July 5: Her relatives launch manhunt to locate her July 6: Her body found in woods. July 7: Her murders leads to protest in Shimla and Kotkhai. July 8: Locals set five days deadline for police to nab culprits July 9: Police constitute SIT under IG south July 12: Police detain six youth for questioning July 13: Ashish Chauhan arrested SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan on Thursday accused India of committing 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 that killed 18 and said the belligerent attitude of its neighbour is a threat to regional peace and security. Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan shares international communitys growing concern over the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control. At his weekly press briefing in Islamabad, he claimed that Indian forces have committed 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 so far resulting in the death of 18 people. The Indian belligerent attitude is a threat to regional peace and security, and the international community, including the UNSC, has expressed concern, he said. Pakistan has consistently maintained that the Jammu & Kashmir dispute can be resolved only through realisation of the right of self-determination through a fair, free and transparent plebiscite under the auspices of the UN in accordance with the UNSC resolutions, he added. Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue, he said, pointing out that the UN chief, the US President, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue. Responding to a question, he said it was reprehensible that there has been no progress on the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack case in which 42 Pakistanis lost their lives despite the passage of 10 years and repeated requests from Pakistan. The Aam Aadmi Party declared its support for former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar in next weeks presidential poll on Thursday evening. Kumar, who will take on the NDA candidate and former Bihar governor RN Kovind, had called up AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and sought his support, senior party leader Sanjay Singh said. The election of President and Vice President should be above partisan politics and we would have preferred a consensus candidate. But in the present circumstances, we prefer a strong and united opposition, Singh said Kumar is the candidate of the combined opposition but parties such as JD-U and BSP have declared their support for Kovind. The opposition, led by the Congress, had kept AAP leaders away from the multi-party deliberations for deciding their presidential candidate. At least one person was killed and 32 people, including more than 20 policemen, were injured in Nagaur district of Rajasthan after a rally organised by Rajput outfits demanding a CBI probe into gangster Anandpal Singhs death turned violent on Wednesday evening, officials said on Thursday. Anandpal was killed in a police encounter in Churu district on June 24. Anandpal, who belonged to the Ravana Rajput community, was on the run since September 2015 after escaping from police custody. With more than three dozen criminal cases against him, including six of murder, he was allegedly the most wanted criminal in the state. Police said Haryanas Lalchand Sharma died in the clashes, and Mahendra Singh, a resident of Jodhpur, was critically injured. Singh has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital, they added. We are trying to find out more details about Sharma but it appears that Singh had come to the rally, additional director general of police (law and order) NRK Reddy told the Hindustan Times. A gunman of one of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers was seriously injured. The other injured include five constables of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Several of the injured have been referred to Jaipur for treatment. A crowd of more than 50,000 people that had gathered at Saanvrad, the village of the gangster, pelted stones at official vehicles, set a police vehicle on fire and snatched weapons, Reddy said. Three of our weapons are missing as we are suspecting that the protestors managed to take hold of an AK 47 and two pistols. Two of the weapons were snatched from the gunman of Nagaur SP Paris Deshmukh, he added. The protesters were trying to lock the RPF constables inside the outpost and set fire to it. Nagaur SP reached there with force and tried to rescue them when they roughed him up and also set fire to his vehicle, said the ADG. Police said the mob also tried to attack IPS officer Monika Sain. We located Sain after more than one hour and it took us around two hours to locate all the cops. At present we are not yet sure whether the police opened fire after being cornered by the mob and are trying to find out details, said a senior police official. A curfew has been imposed in Saanvrad and the internet connection in Nagaur district has been cut off. We are trying to get more information and strict arrangements are being made to maintain the law and order situation. Rajput groups have been protesting in different parts of Rajasthan, indulging in vandalism and blocking roads. Rajput leaders have threatened the government and said that the community will give a befitting reply to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the time of the elections. Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena, one of the outfits demanding the CBI probe, appealed to the community members to march towards Jaipur. One body couldnt be handled before as the government couldnt agree upon the CBI probe and now another person has died, Kalvi told HT. The shortsightedness of the government resulted in the violence that happened on Wednesday. There is anger among the Rajput community and thats why I have appealed to them to march towards Jaipur, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DMK leader MK Stalin demanded on Thursday a thorough inquiry into allegations that AIADMK leader VK Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore to Karnatakas top prison officer and jail staff in exchange for special treatment in a Bengaluru jail, asking for strict action against her. Karnatakas deputy inspector general of prisons Roopa D Moudgil accused her boss HN Sathyanarayana Rao of accepting bribe from the leader of the ruling faction of AIADMK in Tamil Nadu to extend undue favours to her. Moudgil, who inspected the jail on July 10, also said in the letter to director general of police (prisons) Rao that a separate kitchen has been set up for Sasikala. Rao has denied the charges and accused Moudgil of gross insubordination. Stalin said the AIADMK has shown it can bribe the Election Commission, voters of Tamil Nadu and think that they can buy everything with money. Now we are hearing of problems from within the jail, he said. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a probe into the allegations. The DMK has been targeting Tamil Nadus ruling AIADMK at every available opportunity, challenging the validity of the February 18 trust vote, during which MLAs were allegedly paid huge payoffs. Stalin also used the occasion to lash out against the government for its failure to give protection to Sekhar Reddy, the businessmen out on bail in another corruption case. M Foi Pandiarajan, former education minister and rival O Panneerselvam camp follower, said these are the reasons (corruption) for which we broke out of the party. They seem to think that they can buy anything with money, he said adding truth has now come out from the high-security jail. Sasikala was allowed many perks not available to ordinary prisoners, he said, and questioned how she was allowed to hold several meetings inside the jail that went on for hours. Lok Sabha deputy speaker Thambi Durai is also said to have flouted the rules to meet Sasikala, alleged another OPS camp follower. Charges are levelled by senior officials, which will have a lot of implications. The Karnataka government must take appropriate action, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan said. Even as the opposition was gunning for the government, chief minister E Palanisami and finance minister D Jayakumar evaded questions and Sasikalas nephew and deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran met followers to discuss the emerging situation. The brand-new corruption charge, of bribe for perks in jail, comes at a time when Sasikalas review petition is about to come up in the Supreme Court. The top court in February found Sasikala guilty of accumulating assets through illegal means, cutting short her dash for the top job in Tamil Nadu following the death of chief minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year. A close aide of Jayalalithaa for 30 years, Sasikala surrendered on February 15 to serve the four-year sentence. The trial in the corruption case, in which Jayalalithaa was also an accused, was moved to the neighbouring state of Karnataka to ensure free and fair proceedings. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, on Thursday came down heavily on chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal for saying the draft NRC will be published by December 31. The NRC is meant to identify original residents of Assam to check illegal migration. The top court said when it was monitoring the process of publication of the draft NRC by an apex court appointed committee, no agency or authority can make a statement like this. We dont appreciate any other authority intervening in the matter of preparation and publication of the draft NRC when this court has been monitoring the process, the bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman said. During the hearing the bench was informed that though the deadline for the publication of draft NRC was said to be March 31, 2019, the chief minister has stated that this would be done on or before December 2017. Last time you had told us that you will do it by March 2018. It is good that you are doing it. But we have an on- record statement of chief minister of Assam that the draft NRC will be published in December 2017. Let him supervise then. We will wash off our hands. When the Supreme Court is monitoring it, we dont see any other agency or authority to say that we will do it like this, the bench said. It also said that the apex court has already spend its energy, time for almost two years and it is not fair to the court. The apex court had earlier asked for preparation of NRC to keep a check on illegal migration from Bangladesh. The apex court was hearing a matter relating to fencing of Indo-Bangla border. The escape of most animals from the flooded Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has made wildlife officials shift their focus on two lesser known forest reserves Dolamara and Parkuppahar in central Assams Karbi Anglong district. Every monsoon, floodwaters force rhinos, elephants and other animals out of Kaziranga to the hills of Karbi Anglong across National Highway 715 skirting KNPs southern edge. This means sharing space with militants, some of whom moonlight as poachers. Dolamara is the larger of the two forest reserves at an average elevation of 1,500 ft straddling about 1,000 sq km of the Karbi Anglong hills. But the Silingkhowa section of Parkuppahar has a more difficult terrain that suits militants on the run. The last case of poaching with the involvement of militants was in 2012 when four rhinos were killed. We cannot rule out a return of the rebels as poachers this time, Joysing Bey, divisional forest officer of Karbi Anglong Range, told the Hindustan Times. The police had in 2012 arrested S Timung, chief of the now-disbanded Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front, for illegal rhino horn trade after Karbi Anglong-based poachers spilled the beans. The emergence of a new outfit Peoples Democratic Council of Karbi-Longri backed by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang has made forest officials apprehensive. Rhino horns are smuggled out via Nagaland, east of Karbi Anglong, to Myanmar and beyond. An average rhino horn weighing 2 kg fetches $350,000 in the grey market. The state police chief has in response to our request made the superintendents of police of Karbi Anglong and adjoining districts help with security in the hills. The hills beyond Kaziranga are being manned by 150 extra men including those from the Assam Police battalions, forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma said. A third of KNPs 2,400 rhinos (2015 estimate) move to the safety of the Karbi Anglong hills during the monsoon. The animal can invite trouble when it ascends to the dense forests at 1,300-1,500 ft, not natural for an animal that prefers to graze in low-lying grasslands. But the rhino and other animals risk being run over or maimed by speeding vehicles on NH715 before moving to the relative safety of the hills This is why we have, as per National Green Tribunal guidelines, limited vehicle speed on a 68km stretch of the highway skirting Kaziranga to 40 kmph. And within this stretch, time cards are being issued for slower speed for 28 km, Kaziranga DFO Rohini Ballave Saikia said. Till Wednesday morning, drivers of 15 vehicles were charged Rs 5000 each for over-speeding. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and home minister Rajnath Singh will brief opposition parties at an all-party meeting on the stand-off with China on Friday evening, sources said. The meeting planned at Singhs residence comes in the wake of the longest stand-off between the neighbours along the border in recent times and an overall dip in bilateral ties. Ahead of Parliaments monsoon session, the government has decided to brief opposition leaders on developments on the issue to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers. For India, this move is against a 2012 bilateral understanding that requires China to take the party concerned (Bhutan) into confidence before any construction activities. Bhutan which doesnt have diplomatic ties with China launched a protest against Chinese road construction activities at the tri-junction. China has called for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area, and warned that the situation could get worse. Ties with China have been strained recently due to a host of irritants, including Beijing blocking Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the China Pakistan economic corridor which goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Last week, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis silence on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested on Thursday by Sri Lankan navy, prompting Chief Minister K Palaniswami to dub the recurring mid-sea apprehensions a deliberate bid to derail Indias efforts to permanently resolve the vexed issue of fishing rights. The fishermen from nearby Mandapam were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to Sri Lankan coast when they were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Assistant Director of Fisheries Gopinath said. Two boats used by them too were impounded by the SL navy personnel, he said. This is the third instance of arrest of state fishermen by the Lankan navy this month on charges of fishing in their territorial waters. Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested on July 6 by the Lankan navy while three were arrested on July 9. Palaniswami shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to find a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests. Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail Indias efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue, he said in the letter. A sense of vulnerability and insecurity prevails in the villages of the five coastal districts of Palk Bay in the state, he said. The state government reiterates the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of fishermen in Palk Bay by annulling the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan agreement following which Katchatheevu was ceded to the island nation by India, he said. Palaniswami also wanted Prime Minister Modi to take up the matter with Sri Lankan government to secure the immediate release of 60 fishermen and 146 fishing boats currently in the Sri Lankans custody. Undeterred by the July 10 terror attack that left seven dead and 19 injured, a fresh batch of 3,500 Amarnath Yatris left for the cave shrine from the Yatri Niwas base camp in a convoy of 153 vehicles under heavy security. In fact, the incident seems have done little to discourage pilgrims from travelling to Amarnath. While a batch of 3,289 pilgrims left Jammu barely seven hours after the Monday night attack, the number climbed to 3,791 on Wednesday. While 1,377 pilgrims including 407 women left for Baltal in 65 vehicles, as many as 2,123 including 375 women and 97 sadhus made their way to Pahalgam in 88 vehicles, a nodal officer said. Over 1.68 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine, located 3,888 metres above sea level, since June 29. Wednesday marked the 14th day of the yatra. The Jammu-Srinagar highway, used by the pilgrims to reach the Valley, was closed on Wednesday due to landslides triggered by heavy rains at PanthIal in Ramban district. However, traffic was restored by evening. The convoy of 153 vehicles that left Jammu around 3.25 am on Thursday crossed Jawahar tunnel at 3 pm. Those reaching Shaitani Nullah in Ramban district after 3.30 pm will not be allowed to cross it. The question of unregistered vehicles doesnt arise at all, said a police officer. Jawahar tunnel is the entry point to Kashmir. The cave houses an ice stalagmite that waxes and wanes with the size of the moon. Devotees believe the geological structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva. The 40-day-long yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine started on June 29, and will end on the Shravan Purnima (August 7). Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday took the issue of farmers suicide in Madhya Pradesh to the doorsteps of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as he visited his constituency of Budhni in Sehore district to meet the families of debt-ridden agriculturists, who committed suicide recently, and promised to fight for them. Scindia has upped the political tempo in the state since the Mandsaur shooting by taking part in a series of farmers meet all over the state. On Thursday, he put further pressure on the already embattled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state over the killing of six farmers during clashes with police in Mandsaur on June 6. He also visited the adjoining Raisen district. I will visit all the farmers families who have committed suicide in this area and will fight for the cause of the farmers in the centre, till they get justice, Scindia, who was accompanied by former state Congress president Suresh Pachauri, said. After meeting the family of Shatrunjay Meena in Gawardia village, Scindia alleged that local BJP leaders in connivance with corrupt officials were responsible for the farmers death. If the government has even an iota of shame they will register an FIR in this case, he said. Jyotiraditya Scindia consoling the family members of Shatrunjay Meena at village Gawardia, Budhni constituency near Bhopal, on July 13, 2017. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo) Meenas family members said he had mentioned the name of a local BJP leader, who was preventing him from getting his land demarcated, compelling him to commit suicide. Former Congress MLA from Budhni, Rajkumar Patel, said four farmers have committed suicide in the chief ministers constituency in the recent past but he has not bothered to visit even one family and neither has any official. The state has seen nearly 60 farmers suicides since June 6 and most of them were due to the debt burden. About one-tenth of the farmer suicides in the past 16 years in Madhya Pradesh took place in a year, between February 2016 and 2017, telling a distressing story about farm despair in the state where agriculture growth had clocked 20% since 2014-15. The state governments zero percent interest loan benefitted some farmers but many were not able to claim the benefits again as they were not able to repay the short-term loan. This, local government officials say, pushed farmers to local moneylenders and pushing them into a vicious cycle, a reason they have been demanding a loan waiver. Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia paying respect to farmers who committed suicide at a condolence meet in Sehore, on July 13, 2017. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo) Scindia promised the farmers at a condolence meeting at Naktara village he would continue to fight for the cause of farmers as it was not only his duty but also his dharma. He said farmers were distressed due to loan burden and un-remunerative price of their produce. Scindia said farmers were the backbone of the states economy and they had the first right to the coffers of the state during their time of distress. The state government has lost its sensitivity and has become a government where only corruption and money talks. There is massive indebtedness among farmers but the chief minister is saying in meetings that loan waiver is not an issue. If only Chouhan had visited his own constituency, he would have known the truth, Scindia said. Scindia visited the families of five farmers, who killed themselves, and took part in two condolence meets during the course of eight hours as he covered over 500 km. Congress, which suffered humiliating defeats in the last few elections, on Monday released a 12-point charter of demands, including loan waiver, a remunerative price for farm produce and GST-free farm inputs. It also indicated that farmers cause would be one of the main planks of the party in the next state assembly elections. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, the second richest temple shrine in the country after Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam, claimed on Thursday that it has received Rs 6 lakh of demonetised currency from December 31 last year till date. The board added that from November 9 to December 31 last year, the shrine board had received Rs 2.55 crores of demonetised currency, which it said has been deposited with the Reserve Bank of India. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu. (HT File Photo) Since December 31 last year, we havent received much of demonetised currency in the offerings. As of today (Thursday), the shrine board has got Rs 6 lakhs of old currency with it. After December last year, the donations in scrapped notes have reduced to a large extent, said Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board chief executive officer AK Sahu told Hindustan Times over phone. He added: We have written a letter to the RBI to tell us what has to be done with the old currency with us. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of currency on November 8 last year, the shrine board had set up PoS (point of sales/swipe machines) to facilitate pilgrims to make cashless payments through debit and credit cards. Also read | Scrapped notes pile up at HP shrine: Chintpurni temple saddled with old currency worth Rs 9.8 lakh The shrine board had also issued an advisory in the form of pamphlets, asking pilgrims to not put old currency notes in the donation boxes. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The national song Vande Mataram is of Sanskrit origin, but had originally been penned in Bengali by Bankim Chandra Chaterjee, the Madras high court was told on Thursday by Tamil Nadu advocate general R Muthukumaraswamy. The submission before Justice M V Muralidharan was made in response to the judge seeking the law officers help to settle a dispute over the linguistic origin of the song raised by a B Ed graduate. Petitioner K Veeramani had faced the question In which language was Vande Mataram first written in a competitive test held by the Teachers Recruitment Board for appointment as BT assistant in government schools. He had moved the court after his answer Bengali to the objective type question was declared wrong by the board. He was awarded 89 marks against the minimum 90 to be eligible for appointment. Claiming that he had missed recruitment to the post by one mark due to the wrong evaluation, the petitioner had sought award of the extra mark, treating his answer to the Vande Mataram question as correct. When the matter first came up for hearing on June 7, the petitioners counsel had submitted that Chatterjee wrote the national song in both Bengali and Sanskrit, while the additional government pleader argued that it was written only in Sanskrit and was later translated to Bengali. The petitioner had contended that in all the books he had studied, Bengali was mentioned as the first language in which the national song was written more than two centuries ago. Following this, the judge had directed the AG to appear before him and apprise the court of the correct answer. During the resumed hearing on Thursday, the AG submitted that Vande Mataram was of Sanskrit origin, but written in the Bengali script. Recording the submission, the judge said he will pronounce the order on the petition on July 17. In the annals of Rajasthans criminal history, Anandpal Singhs name strikes fear, anger and revulsion. But most of all, the 44-year-old is remembered with reverence, as the symbol of pride of a community wounded by years of alleged neglect and political apathy. In about a month, Anandpal has been transformed into an icon who has galvanised the influential Rajput community, generated a snowballing demand for a CBI probe into his death and potential embarrassment for the ruling BJP. The 44-year-old Singh held a B. Ed degree and had serious charges against him such as murder and extortion but through his two-decade career, he remained in the news, right from the time when he unsuccessfully contested panchayat elections in 2000 to the way he murdered two rival gang members inside the Bikaner jail in 2014. In jail, Anandpal became a power icon because of his rugged appearance, his glamorous life photographs of him in gym and showing off his toned muscles often found its way to social media platforms. But perhaps what created the aura around the gangster was a daring escape from police custody in September 2015. A native of Nagaur district, Anandpal as the leader of the Shekhawati gang, was dreaded across Rajasthan. There are several factors behind the rise of Anandpal and his gang with revenge, caste, political patronage and extortion being the most important ones. He was involved in over two dozen cases in Didwana, Jaipur, Sikar, Sujangarh, Churu, Sanganer among others and was also the main accused in high-profile murder cases Jivan Ram Godara murder case of Didwana (Nagaur) and Gopal Fogawat murder case of Sikar district. Anandpal had unsuccessfully contested panchayat elections, following which he blamed his rivals and tried to show himself as a victim in his community of Rajputs. He gradually gained few followers and soon became a known troublemaker in the Shekhawati region, a senior police official said. In 2014, after his long-time associated Balbir Banuda was shot dead by a rival gang member inside the Bikaner jail, Anandpal brutally murdered Banudas assailants inside the jail premises. He was gunned down in what his supporters call a staged encounter last month in northern Rajasthans Churu. Since then, Rajput bodies across the state have blocked roads, vandalised public property and demonstrated against police to press for an inquiry into what they allege was a staged encounter. At a massive protest on Wednesday, at least one person was killed and 32 people, including more than 20 policemen, were injured. But how did a notorious criminal become the focal point of such demonstrations? The answer lies in Rajputs fraught history with Jats, the other big community in Rajasthan, and Anandpals own meteoric rise from a relatively backward background. Anandpal was a Ravana Rajput, a community considered inferior , especially for matrimony. He made a powerful point by riding a horse to his wedding a symbol of Rajput pride that is off-limits for lower castes. The Rajputs also saw in him an answer to the Jat gangsters whose reign Anandpal ended. Jats resent Rajputs for the latters historical domination in a region where the Jats are the numerical majority. His death also sparked a rush to appropriate his legacy with Rajput bodies, who had earlier kept a distance from Anandpal, coming out in solidarity. Rajiv Gupta, retired professor of sociology from University of Rajasthan, has a better way to put it. When power disintegrates, there arises an opportunity for others to consolidate that power. What we see now is the same phenomenon, the same question arising as to who or what will replace that power centre, said Gupta. Furthermore, Anandpals image echoed the aggression shown recently by Rajput bodies such as the Rajput Karni Sena, members of which disrupted the shooting of film Padmavati and slapped director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, claiming the movie insulted Rajputs. (An earlier version of this article was published on June 25, 2017) The Calcutta high court on Thursday warned the Narendra Modi government of appropriate action if appointments of judges were not made at the earliest. The countrys oldest high court has a sanctioned strength of 72 judges but at present there are only 34, and by the year-end seven are due to retire. It is made clear that continued silence of the Central government in the matter of appointment of judges in the near future despite the concerns expressed in this order would certainly be viewed seriously as interference in the course of administration of justice and followed by appropriate action as authorised in law, said a bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Debi Prosad Dey. Accusing the Centre of adopting a step- motherly attitude towards Calcutta high court, the bench said, The time is now ripe for speaking our mind out or else this premier institution, which has stood tall despite several odds, would gradually lose its efficacy. The court also directed that a copy of the order must be sent to Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad so that the matter relating to appointment of judges in this court is given topmost priority. The comments came during a hearing on a bail application of actor Vikram Chatterjee in a case involving the death of model Sonika Chauhan. There are more than 400 posts of high court judges that lie vacant across the country. Though there are no official figures, the government is the countrys biggest litigator, being a party in about half of the countrys 27 million pending cases. A standoff between the judiciary and the government in the last 18 months over drafting of the new Memorandum of Procedure, the guidelines for appointing judges, has added to the problem. It is pending due to differences on its contents between the executive and the collegium. The friction between the two sides repeatedly hit the headlines during previous Chief Justice of India TS Thakurs time. Can the nation think of the Lok Sabha in a functional state with half of its elected members? Can legislative assemblies function at half strength? The answer cannot be in the affirmative. The Lok Sabha and/or the Legislative Assemblies are important Constitutional entities and it would be a disgrace for the largest democracy of the world if elections were not conducted on time, the court said. This is not the first time that the judiciary has raised the issue of judges appointments to high courts. Last year, former chief justice of India TS Thakur broke down at a meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while stressing on the need for more judges. Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria Thursday said it would be morally wrong for him to order a CBI probe against the police force he heads for gunning down Anandpal Singh in an encounter whose veracity is being questioned by the slain gangsters family and the Opposition leaders. How can I order a CBI probe against my own force? They risked their lives while facing Anandpal Singh in Churu. Im the head of the police force. It is morally wrong for me to ask for a CBI probe against my own men, Kataria said. The minister said the slain gangsters family was free to move court. They can move court if they want it to be probed. We are ready to face any probe but we cannot order it on our own, he added. I was assigned a duty and police force worked on it. I stand by my police force today and Ill stand with them tomorrow. If the High Court or the Supreme Court orders a probe then we will face it, the minister said. He said the gangster was asked to surrender several times and it can be ascertained from the statements of the persons arrested from the house where he had taken shelter. We have followed all the 16 guidelines laid by the Supreme Court for police encounters. We have got a re-postmortem done and handed over the body to his family, Kataria said. If I order a probe against state police, than how will I work with them tomorrow? The policemen, who risked their life, worked for two years to nab a person who carried reward of Rs 5 lakh. Despite that, if I do not support my police morally, than what right do I have to remain on this post, the minister said. The home minister said there were 34 criminal cases against Anandpal, who had killed many innocents. He escaped from jail and government spent Rs 8 crore to table a reply in the state assembly. On the Opposition Congresss demand of CBI probe, he said it was the misfortune of the country that for vote politics, some have lost their dignity. I believe that a gangster has no caste. It is unfortunate that people are being divided in the name of the caste, he added. Kataria termed yesterdays violence over the issue as unfortunate and said that members of the Rajput community were given permission to hold a peaceful rally. Cases will be registered against the guilty. 150-200 people have been arrested. Of the 32 injured, 24 are policemen. One policemans condition is critical. One Lalchand from Haryana was killed in the clashes, he said. He said the violence has now left no scope for any relaxation and action will be taken against anyone talking the law in their hands. Its been 19 days since Rajasthan gangster Anandpal Singh was killed in a police encounter in Churus Malasar village. There have been two post-mortems one at Ratangarh hospital and the other, after the familys moved a local court for autopsy at a district hospital in Churu by a medical board. The gangsters family and the Rajput leaders wants a CBI probe into the encounter alleging that it was staged and Anandpal was killed in cold blood. After much persuasion, the 43-year-old criminals family was convinced to cremate the body on Thursday but the government is unwilling to refer the case to the CBI. Heres why. For state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria and police officer Dinesh MN, it is a case of deja vu: both were named in the encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a Gujarat criminal, and the police officer was behind bars for six years. Dinesh MN headed the Anandpal operation. Kataria says he cannot order CBI probe against his force which valiantly took on Anandpal Singh, who was firing from his AK-47 and would have killed several police officers and escaped again if not hit. But theres a bigger political story behind why the government is unwilling to order CBI inquiry even at the cost of enraging the Rajputs, who form about 10% of states population and have been traditionally BJP supporters. The Rajputs are angry with chief minister Vasundhara Raje since 2014 general election when the BJP chose turncoat Col Sonaram Choudhary over veteran Jaswant Singh as party candidate from Barmer-Jaisalmer seat. Raje became the butt of communitys outrage on January 25 this year at event organized by Rajput organisation Shri Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh. Sanghs head Bhagwan Singh Rolsabsar told the CM unequivocally that the Rajputs were angry with her. There have been other incidents such as the Rajmahal Palace case in which the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) sealed gates to the palace-turned-heritage hotel in Jaipur but were forced to open the locks after Padmini Devi, erstwhile royal and BJP MLA from Sawai Madhopur Diya Kumaris mother, took to the streets widening the chasm between the Rajputs and Raje. Police officials catch up on news at Anandpals native Sanvard village. (HTPhoto) Rajendra Singh Bhiyand, political activist and in-charge of Pratap Foundation in Marwar, said that Wednesdays violence resulted from communication failure. The government is unwilling to engage the community. It is jeopardising social fabric of the state, he said. Sociologist Rajiv Gupta said, In Rajasthan caste identities are extremely important, especially in case of Jats and Rajputs as they are close to the power structure. This muscle flexing by Rajputs is to demonstrate their numerical strength and power to change the political landscape in the state. Anandpal came to symbolize power, negative or positive is a different debate, because he was a fugitive and he made the government unable to nab him look weak and helpless, he added. Political observers say the state is unwilling for a CBI probe because it is caught in a tangle now. The state fears that because of its not-so-good equation with the Centre, the CBI probe can be used against it politically, said one of them. They messed it up the case could have been handled in a better way and there was no way that things could have come to such a pass, he added. Top government officials talk informally about the legal options open to the family for demanding a CBI probe but the government has filed a caveat in Rajasthan high court requesting hearing if the family approaches it with the demand. This clearly means that the government will oppose the demand even in court. Former police officers dont recall a law and order problem in the state in recent past in which an IPS officer was attacked. In Sanvrad, Nagaur SP Paris Deshmukh was almost lynched before his security guard opened fire to rescue him. The mob tore a woman IPS officers clothes, molested her and was trying to drag her away. Such brutality against police officers is unheard of in Rajasthan. A former IAS officer, who has been district collector in many districts and handled several law and order situations, said the violence is clearly governments mismanagement of the situation. Why do you allow a community to hold condolence meeting for a man who was killed 19 days ago? The assembly shouldnt have been allowed. It was powder keg, she said. None of the Rajput ministers in Raje cabinet were involved in convincing the family for cremation. Wednesday was a sad day in Rajasthans history and unfortunately government gets the blame for the mess-up. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Protesters attacked the car of West Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb near Mirik on Thursday, the 29th day of Gorkhaland bandh, forcing him to take shelter in army barracks. The incident happened at Panaghatta in the morning when he was returning from a function to celebrate the birth anniversary of Nepali poet, Bhanubhakta Acharya. In Darjeeling, a few recipients returned awards received from the state government to protest the governments stand on Gorkhaland while on Wednesday night, agitators set afire government properties in the hills, including toy train station. Among those who returned the awards were Krishna Singh Moktan, former IG (prison), who got Banga Ratna award in 2014, Nepali musician Karma Yonzen, who was awarded Sangeet Ratna in 2016, and educationist Prabhat Pradhan, recipient of Sikkha Ratna in 2015. Moktan told HT they were returning the awards to express solidarity with the Gorkhaland movement. Gorkhaland supporters have appealed to Gorkha recipients of state awards to return the same on Thursday, the birth anniversary of Bhanubhakta Acharya, on which GMCC is observing as Gorkha unity day. According to district police sources, protesters blocked a road using stones to stop Debs vehicle and escort car, following which they started throwing stones at the car while some rushed towards the car with khukris (traditional knife used by Gorkhas). The ministers security personnel somehow rescued him and he took shelter in a nearby army barrack, said a district police official. The ministers car as well as a police vehicle was damaged. This is not a democratic movement. The Union government is encouraging such vandalism instead of reacting positively to state governments plea for additional deployment of army personnel in the hills. But we are not scared, Deb told the media. On Wednesday night, protesters continued to vandalise government properties in the hills, including the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) information centre near Darjeelings Chowrasta, Darjeeling Himalayan railway station at Ghayabari, offices of Limbu and Tamang development boards in Kalimpong and the panchayat office near Mirik and revenue inspectors office at Sukna. GJM leaders denied involvement of their activists in these acts of vandalism and demanded a CBI probe to find the real culprits. The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) formed by 15 hill political parties and organisations on Tuesday has decided to intensify the movement. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The state government employees and pensioners may look forward to getting back the facility of buying tax-free goods from the stores and the family bazars run by the UP Employees Welfare Corporation, a government enterprise. The state government has sent a proposal to the GST Council requesting it to allow tax exemptions on the goods sold to the government employees and pensioners by the welfare corporation. Read more| GST impact: No tax-free goods for serving, former employees at UP govt-run stores We have strongly recommended to the GST council that old system of the state government staff getting tax-free goods from the UP Employees Welfare Corporation be allowed to continue under the Goods and Services Tax regime as well, principal secretary, food and civil supply, Nivedita Shukla Verma told the HT. We have quoted the examples of CSD canteens that have been allowed GST exemptions on goods sold to army personnel and pensioners, she added. The GST Council may take a call on the state governments proposal at its next meeting. The GST Council comprising Union finance minister as its chairman, states finance/revenue ministers as its members take a decision on a proposal through a majority vote. The roll out of the GST in the country from July 1 put an end to the provision that enabled the states governments to allow their depots to sell the goods to their employees and pensioners below the market rate by exempting the goods from the VAT. However, it allowed 50% tax exemption on goods sold by army canteens. The UP Employees Welfare Corporation established in 1965 runs 160 depots (stores) and a few family bazars across the state to make goods of daily use available to the state government employees/pensioners and their dependents after their death at a rate below the market price since they purchased VAT-free goods from designated dealers. Read more| GST regime:Government staff body pitches in for tax free goods The state governments move to send a proposal to the GST Council came after the employees protested saying that would not deprive them of cheaper goods but also put at risk the job of 850 employees that run the welfare corporations stores and family bazars. Many, however, doubt that the GST Council would accept the state governments proposal only partially. Under the GST, the CSD (Central Store Department) will pay full GST on goods to be sold to army personnel but 50 % of the tax would be refunded to them by the Centre and the concerning state. Earlier, the exemption was 100%. The GST Council may not allow rebate to the state government staff more than what it has allowed to army men, said sources. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON To the Bone Director - Marti Noxon Cast - Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Carrie Preston, Alex Sharp Rating - 3/5 The first time Lily Collins strips, to the bone, in her new film To the Bone, its hardly titillating. On the contrary, its terrifying. Like all those other times actors have put their bodies through hell Christian Bale in The Machinist, Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler, Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, Aamir Khan in Dangal, to name a few off the top of the head the physical act of taking ones clothes off is meant more as a powerful reveal than anything else, a short cut to get the audience on your side. Look at the lengths weve gone to, the actors seem to say, their quietly alluring physical transformation hypnotising us into submission before the first act is over. The irrefutable truth that we see no fat-suits, no CGI adds another dimension to the performance. Suddenly, the character becomes a living, breathing being, and not a famous face in an elaborate costume and makeup. In To the Bone, Lily Collins plays Ellen. When we first see her, she is being discharged from a treatment facility of some sort. Her gaunt face doesnt betray her exact condition it could conceivably be any number of things but it is hinted, strongly, that this isnt her first time around the block. Her behaviour, and that of the people she interacts with her step-mother and half-sister being her most immediate family suggests her condition is at quite an advanced stage. She eats, but not really. She exercises compulsively. She can correctly guess the amount of calories in her food, an ability she likes to call Calorie Aspergers. Her father refuses to meet her, her mother has run away with her lesbian lover, and she cant remember the last time she had her period. And then, she takes her clothes off. Her bones stick out like the blades of a prehistoric reptile. Her stomach or, at least the area where her stomach should be seems to have had air sucked out of it with a vacuum. When she moves, you almost expect a clanging noise. Her skin is wrinkled, covered with fur her bodys flailing attempt to generate heat. She is dying before our eyes. As a last resort, her step-mother brings her to another facility, run by a doctor shes heard good things about. Hes Dr William Beckham, played by Keanu Reeves, channelling Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society. Dr Beckham sends Ellen to a home where others like her are being treated, and so begins our movie, a movie which has shades of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, and the more recent Its Kind of a Funny Story. Both these films all three, in fact address the traumas of mental illness with humour, and with heart. They isolate our central characters into a world where they are cloistered with others like them, away from judging, prying eyes. Watching them live their lives in this closed-off ecosystem is meant to change our perspective. Whether or not this ploy succeeds is another story. Any rational persons first reaction at seeing Ellen would probably be, For the love of God, just eat!. For us to understand why she isnt getting better, when the cure seems so simple, we need to be shown what it is like to live her life, what it is like to look at the world from her point of view, to be seen as a pitiable, diseased trainwreck. Anorexia appears to be tangible, but it is as much a mental illness as it is a physical disorder. Not once does Ellen truly believe that she has a condition. Her mind has convinced her that she is eating too much, even when her body tells her otherwise. It is a constant battle, between her mental and physical sides. There is no denying that To the Bone is a personal story, both for first-time feature writer-director Marti Noxon (who is a veteran in the world of TV), and star Lily Collins, who have struggled with eating disorders in their lives. But does it do justice to their stories, and to the stories of others whove suffered like them? There is no way of knowing. But as a film, it is clear that there is something lacking. Perhaps it needs a more straightforward approach, with more drama and conflict, more music than awkward silences. As it stands, it hinges on the casts performances which, thankfully, are stronger than some of the characters that they play. But the insight a film like this requires - into the psychological downsides to being ostracised, the worlds idea of beauty, and the challenges of growing up different - is somewhat missing, despite a pitch-perfect Lily Collins. Shes vulnerable, yet strong - a terrific role model for others going through similar problems. But how could we complain, now that were getting movies that have played at Sundance and Cannes in our homes? Watch the trailer for To the Bone here Follow @htshowbiz for more The author tweets @RohanNaahar ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop The Bombay high court on Wednesday rejected the Maharashtra anti-corruption bureaus (ACB) probe report, which said there was no corruption in the Mumbai polices traffic department. The court called the report an eyewash. Justice RM Savant and justice Sadhana Jadhav, who were presiding over a Public Interest Litigation highlighting rampant corruption within the citys traffic department, said the ACBs probe report was implausible because they themselves had, had unpleasant experiences on past occasions with the city traffic police. The court has now directed Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of the city traffic department, to file an affidavit within three weeks, listing down the steps taken to curb instances of traffic personnel demanding or accepting bribes. The court also directed Kumar to state in the affidavit the steps the department proposes to take to check harassment of motorists by the traffic police, and to ensure traffic personnel do not permit illegal parking in return for bribes. Earlier this year, traffic constable Sunil Toke had filed a plea alleging rampant corruption in the state traffic department. Read: Maha additional director-general to look into corruption in Mumbai traffic police The department had then asked the ACB to conduct an inquiry into the allegations levelled by Toke and had subsequently filed a report in the HC stating the probe had revealed that the complaints of rampant corruption in the city traffic department were baseless. The ACB had said at the time the additional director general had looked into Tokes complaint and had concluded that the allegations were unsubstantiated. The ACB also rejected the photographs and screen grabs submitted in court by Toke to show traffic constables accepting bribes and said instead, that these photos and screen grabs were not original but had been taken from Youtube videos and Whatsapp photos. The court, however, had observed it was public knowledge the department has corrupt officials, and converted the plea into a PIL. On Wednesday, the bench said most traffic constables were guilty of harassing motorists. We understand that the constables have long working hours, non-conducive work environment etc. but that cannot justify their harassing motorists. They dont even know how to talk to women motorists, the bench said. Some mechanism must be evolved to check this. We are unsatisfied with this report. Tell us what you did following the allegations besides placing the petitioner under suspension? the bench said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Slum redevelopment projects in the city have once again come under cloud after a social activist alleged that a bribe of Rs11 crore was offered to him to prevent him from revealing a slum revamp scam. Before this, housing minister Prakash Mehta was accused of interfering in a slum project in Tardeo and former Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) chief Vishwas Patil reportedly cleared at least 120 files in the last month before his retirement. Now, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has cancelled changes approved by Mehta in connection with the project. He has also asked additional chief secretary (housing) Sanjay Kumar to submit a status report on the files cleared by Patil. The Opposition attacked Mehta and demanded his resignation. Mehta should resign and face a probe, said former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde criticised the government for favouring builders. On Wednesday, social activist Sandeep Yeole alleged that he was paid Rs40 lakh by Omkar Realtors, a leading builder specialising in slum redevelopment. The firm, which has undertaken projects at Worli and Malad on slum land, said, An amount of Rs40 lakh, which has been given to Sandeep Yeole, is the rental allowance meant for 88 slum tenants. Under the rules, developers provide accommodation or pay rent to slum dwellers whose houses have been demolished. Under the slum rehabilitation scheme, a developer who is selected to revamp slum areas is required to give free houses to slum dwellers. To incentivise the scheme, the rules allow developers to build another component that can be sold in the open market. Owing to the high cost of land, slum redevelopment has become a money-spinner for many developers. Housing activist Santosh Doundkar, who exposed several scams, said that a nexus between politicians , officials and builders was responsible for the sorry state of affairs. With crores of rupees at stake, SRA projects are mired in corruption and irregularities. The SRA scheme was launched with an aim to clear the city of slums. In the past 21 years, only 1.53 lakh slum dwellers have been rehabilitated while 3 lakh houses are being constructed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An increasing number of patients are dropping out of treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in the city, according to data collated by a city-based non-government organisation (NGO). A report released by Praja Foundation on Wednesday revealed an 11% increase in TB patients who have dropped out of treatment from the citys public hospitals and clinics over five years (2012 - 2016). According to the report, there were 2,638 patients who dropped out of treatment in 2012, which rose to 2,927 in 2016. The therapy known as directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) (see box) is provided by the government under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP). Under DOTS, the intake of medicines by patients is monitored to ensure that they adhere to the prescribed dosage and schedule. Moreover, the number of TB cases registered at government institutions has also increased by a substantial 37%, claims Praja. TB treatment usually lasts between six months to a year. The issue is whether the government is doing enough to follow up on all the cases registered for treatment under DOTS? said Nitai Mehta, from Praja Foundation. The NGO attained the data through queries made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. However, Dr Daksha Shah, the citys TB officer, said the data has been misinterpreted by Praja as some of the defaulters calculated for each year could have registered in the previous year. The NGO should have asked for total number of patients under treatment in a particular year, she added. Most of the defaulters are patients from villages who go out of the city during their treatment. When they go back to the village without informing the programme officer, it gets very tough to reach them, she said. She added that a lot of patients under treatment are alcoholics, who refuse to takemedicines despite repeated counselling. Doctors said there are dire public health consequences when tuberculosis patients abruptly abandon treatment as they could acquire drug resistance and as a result, infect other people too. As these people move freely in the community they infect people with a bacilli strain which is already drug resistant. This is called primary infection and is a major concern now, said Dr Alpa Dalal, head of department, pulmonary medicine, Thane. A man on a bike allegedly flashed three women in Powai on Thursday afternoon, passed lewd comments and fled. According to the Powai police, the man apparently flashed the women and then asked them how they felt. The woman alerted the policemen in the area, but were refused help. However, after they spoke about the incident on social media, a team comprising a senior policeman was sent to their home to record their statements. Deputy commissioner of police, zone X, ND Reddy told HT, We sent a police inspector and a woman officer to record their statements. We are checking the CCTV footage in the area to identify the accused. An FIR has been registered under section 354 (D) for stalking, section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. One of the women, a 19-year-old, has been made the complainant. About 20 Poddar International School students had a harrowing commute after the school bus they were travelling in veered out of control, rammed into a SUV and collided head-on with two autorickshaws in Santacruz (West) at 6.50 am on Thursday. No one was hurt, said police. Two autorickshaws were damaged in the incident. (HT Photo) Santacruz police said the speeding bus rammed into a black Fortuner car in front of Milan mall, before hitting two autorickshaws. Nitu Bhagchandani, who was driving the car, approached the police, who filed a case against bus driver Rajeev Vishwakarma under sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code. Congress began its next leg of loan waiver protests against the state government in Buldhana on Wednesday. As part of the protest, farmers signed a petition, which said that they had not got the benefits of the waiver. Things, however, took an ugly turn after workers from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed during the march. Cases have been registered against Congress workers. Congress began its state-wide protest march calling the loan waiver a sham and based on the exaggerated figures. The party claimed that the BJP-led state government was cheating farmers by throwing tall numbers at them, when in reality only 15 lakh farmers will be benefited with Rs5,000 crore. The party also announced that the protests would continue until a blanket loan waiver was announced by the government without capping the amount of the waiver and time period of the loan. The party also decided to build momentum by holding the protests in districts with distressed farmers ahead of the monsoon session, which is scheduled from July 24. The Shiv Sena also upped its ante against the government and demanded a blanket waiver. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray met farmers in Jalgaon on Wednesday and assured them that the party would continue to oppose to the government despite being part of it until the farmers became debt-free. He criticised the opposition leaders for not doing their job. Shiv Sena members across the state will go from house to house asking farmers their names, the amount of their loans, the banks that loaned them the money and if they have been able to avail of the loan waiver, said Thackeray. The Sena chief also reiterated his demand of extending the cut-off date to avail of the waiver to June 2017 from June 2016, saying that farmers had already suffered because of the demonetisation. In Buldhana, violence broke out after BJP workers tried to block the march. Congress president Ashok Chavan said that the BJP had registered cases against his party workers and even an MLA out of political vendetta. Our workers were attacked by the hired goons after we exposed governments fake waiver. One of our workers is in a hospital. False cases have been registered against our workers, he said. BJP workers alleged that their Congress counterparts thrashed them. Congress has no right to protest against us, as the loan waiver they announced in 2008 had only Rs286 crore for five districts, including Buldhana and Rs287 crore for Mumbai alone. Congress leaders involved in the cases like the Adarsh scam have no right to speak against our government, said BJPs local MLA Sanjay Kute. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Owing to several delays and problems faced while declaring the first merit list on Tuesday, the school education department is considering to give students extra time to secure seats allotted to them for the first year junior college (FYJC) admissions. The deadline for paying fees and finalising seats could be extended till 12pm Friday. The final decision will be taken depending on the number of students confirming their seats by Thursday afternoon, which is the last day for admissions officially. Sources said the extra time is needed because the officials faced several problems while declaring the first merit list. Though the list was suppose to be out on Monday at 5pm, it was deferred till 7pm. While the list was finally declared and seats were alloted at 1am, the colleges were able to access the list after 11am. However, colleges faced issues while uploading students information on the admissions portal. In some colleges, the problem lasted till Wednesday afternoon. We were unable to upload data on the website till afternoon, as a result we could confirm only a few admissions, said Kavita Rege, principal, Sathaye College, Vile Parle. Students said the want the deadline to be extended, as many of them are still running from pillar-to-post to submit documents necessary for securing admissions. Those applying from other states are facing difficulties. My nephew studied in Assam. His results have been declared online, but will receive his original mark sheet in August, said an applicants uncle. He said that the college allotted to his nephew is refusing admission on the basis of the online mark sheet. Officials said they are considering extending the deadline if the number of admissions remain low on Thursday as well. Though we announced the first merit list late on Tuesday, it is well within the deadline set for admissions which began at 10am. If all the admissions do not get confirmed by Thursday afternoon, we will ask the education minister to extend the deadline , said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region. On Tuesday, the states school education department had asked colleges to confirm admissions by asking students to access the online admissions portal and show the college authorities their seat allocation message. We asked students to show us the message on their phone or print outs, said Ashok Wadia, principal, Jai Hind College, Churchgate. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Of the 1.56 lakh students who were allotted seats in the first round of admissions for first year junior college, almost 50% confirmed their seats on Thursday evening. However, the education department has extended the deadline for paying fees till Friday 12pm. Of the 1.56 lakh students who were alloted seats, 74,694 students completed their admissions on Thursday itself. On Thursday, applicants received an SMS stating that the deadline has been extended. The message reads: Dear candidate, as the college allotted to you was your first choice in the option form, you are requested to take admission in the allotted college before 14-07-2017, 12:05 pm. Owing to technical problems, the merit list which was to be out on Monday at 5pm, was postponed to 7pm and later pushed back till after midnight. Students were finally allotted seats at 1 am on Tuesday, while colleges were able to access it only after 11 am. Even after this, the colleges had trouble uploading students information onto the admissions portal. In some colleges, these problems continued till Wednesday afternoon. We could use the additional time to complete admissions. We were unable to upload data on the website till afternoon, and as a result, we could confirm only a few admissions, said Kavita Rege, principal, Sathaye College, Vile Parle, in which cut-offs dropped this year. HT had reported on Thursday that the education department could extend the deadline by a day owing to the delay in publishing the first merit list. The extra time is for students to complete their admissions. It will wont be extended further. Colleges will have to submit details of all the students admitted by tomorrow and a list of vacant seats will be put out by evening, said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region. College authorities said a large number of admissions have been completed. We dont expect many students to turn up on Friday, as 90% of students allotted to us have confirmed their admissions. The remaining students must be waiting for a different college, said Vidyadhar Joshi, vice principal, VG Vaze College, Mulund. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mumbai: The Maharashtra police searched the residence of Imran Chhimpa, who was arrested for allegedly leaking information on Reliance Jio users on the Internet, in Rajasthan on Tuesday and found 50 SIM cards, mostly Jio ones. The police are trying to find out if the SIM cards have been obtained on forged documents or belong to other Jio customers. They have also seized a laptop, a desktop and a pen drive. They said that the laptop was used to upload the leaked data. A forensic analysis is underway to find out if Jios database has indeed been leaked and how the accused managed to get his hands on the data. Chhimpa lives in Sujangarh in Churu district, Rajasthan. He also lied about being a college drop out. He has completed his MCA from a college in Rajasthan and was unemployed. We will question him about his earlier workplace. We are also checking to see if he has a prior criminal record, said a senior official from Maharashtra police. Chhimpa was produced before a magistrate court in Rajasthan on Wednesday and has been transit remand till Friday. He will be brought to Navi Mumbai by Thursday. News of a data leak went viral on the internet on Sunday after a news report saying data of Jio customers was available on Magicapk.com. The website was unavailable on Wednesday. While some people who accessed the site claimed to have seen their personal data including AADHAR card details, others said they did not find anything. Chimmpa owns the website and started it in May. A Jio spokesperson said the data on the website appeared to be unauthentic. She added the companys subscriber data was safe and maintained with the highest security. Reliance Jio lodged a complaint with the Navi Mumbai police, after which Chhimpa was arrested. A 24-year-old man, who allegedly raped a minor, promised to marry her, but did not turn up at the wedding, was arrested on Wednesday. According to the police, the man, Pravin Dashrath Chaudhary, met the girl through a friend. The two soon started meeting frequently. Chaudhary raped her several times on the pretext of marriage, said police. When the girls parents learnt about the relationship, they threatened to file a rape case. Chaudhary then agreed to marry the girl. He took a friend, who he introduced as his uncle, to meet the girls parents. Read more: Breaking off marriage promise not cheating, rape: Bombay HC On the day of the wedding on Sunday, the girl and her family waited for Chaudhary at the marriage hall for five hours, but he didnt turn up. His phone, too, was switched off. The girls mother got a call from a woman who claimed to be Chaudharys wife. She told her that Chaudhary had two children and had fled to Usmanabad, said an officer. The girls parents then approached the police on Monday. The crime branch on Wednesday got a tip-off that Chaudhary was in Dahisar. The officers laid a trap and arrested him. He has been handed over to the MHB police station for investigation. Read more: Bombay HC: Consensual sex on promise of marriage is not rape The Kherwadi police on Thursday arrested a man who allegedly groped a girl near a college in Bandra (East) and fled on a bike last week. The accuseds accomplice, who rode the bike, was also arrested, police said. According to the police, the incident took place around 3pm last Friday. The 17-year-old girl was heading home from college when Umesh Chavan, 24, and Sunil Rathod, 19, came on a bike. Rathod was riding the bike, while pillion rider Chavan molested the girl, police said Senior police inspector Rajendra Patil said, The girl started crying and a crowd gathered. A man telephoned us from the spot and told what happened. We have registered an FIR. The police scanned all CCTV cameras in the vicinity. A team of officials led by assistant police inspector Sohan Kadam then started checking visitors books in nearby buildings and zeroed in on a courier man, who had a similar bike. He told them he dropped his friend. Read more: Mumbai cops arrest man who masturbated in front of two women The police traced the friend who told then he had come to drink alcohol, but he had seen a group of youngsters in the area that day. Based on his description, the police traced Chavan, who confessed to the crime. Chavan was traced and he confessed to have committed the crime under the influence of alcohol. Chavan and Rathod both have studied up to Class 8, live in Dnyaneshwar Nagar in Bandra East, and work as labourers. Chavan is married and has a three-year-old daughter. They have been booked under section 8 (sexual assault) and 17 (abetment to offence) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. If convicted for sexual assault. the accused will face a minimum of three years imprisonment, which may be extended to five years with fine. Read more: Biker flashes 3 women in Mumbai, asks them how they felt, flees A 44-year-old woman from Charkop said she was sexually assaulted by five men on June 25 after she shot of video of them destroying mangroves near her house and sent it to the police and the mangrove cell. The police registered a case against five people, including two minors. However, they said on Thursday that eyewitness accounts of the incident indicated there were only three men there at the time, not five. From our initial investigation we have found that two of the five people named in the case were not at the spot. Of the three who were there, we have arrested one and the other two are absconding. One of them is a minor, said Vikram Deshmane, deputy commissioner of police, zone XI. We are investigating the matter and verifying all the claims but we have found that there are previous cases against the complainant (counter complaints by people whom she had filed complaints against), all the accused, and even the witnesses. HT reported on May 26 that the mangrove cell removed 216 shanties from Sai Dham Nagar that were built less than 50 metres from mangroves. The Bombay high court in 2005 banned the destruction of mangroves across the state and construction within 50m of them after Bombay Environment Action Group, an NGO, filed a public interest litigation (PIL). A mangrove cell official who did not wish to be named said, Most of the shanties at Sai Dham were removed in the drive. This was an attempt by local residents to rebuild shanties and sell them. We are investigating the extent of mangrove destruction but criminal activities are the polices jurisdiction. [The woman who was attacked] had brought to our notice a number of violations and in many cases the violators were caught. We condemn the attack on her. Nandkumar Pawar, head of the NGO Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan (SEAP), which is helping the woman fight her case, said, We have never seen something so horrifying happen to a person for trying to protect the environment. The state government needs to instill fear in the hearts of violators by taking strict action against those who profit from cutting mangroves to build shanties. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 28-year-old man was recently arrested in Ghatkopar (East) for allegedly raping and impregnating his friends minor daughter. The 15-year-old had been living with her parents on the ground floor, while the man had been living on the first floor of the same structure for the past year. The man raped the girl earlier this year. However, the matter came to light only last week after the girl said her stomach was hurting. She was taken to a hospital, where tests revealed that she was four-and-a-half-months pregnant. The victim said the man raped and threatened her. We registered a case under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4, 8 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, said a officer from Ghatkopar police station. The accused was produced before a sessions court earlier this week and remanded in police custody. A 44-year-old woman, who regularly reported cases of mangrove destruction to the local police and the state, was allegedly sexually assaulted by five people in June this year. The Charkop police have filed a case of rape and assault. One person has been arrested. According to the first-information-report (FIR) filed by the police, two of the five people are minors. The police said the incident took place on June 25 at Sai Dham Nagar in Charkop, adjacent to the Gorai creek, which has a notified mangrove cover of 26.56 hectares. The survivor told HT she had spotted the five people from Kandivli destroying over 1,200 mangrove trees across a five-acre patch at Sai Dham to construct illegal shanties. I took a video of the five cutting the trees and building the shanties. I shared the video with the mangrove cell officials and the police. Once they were asked to stop the work, the five accused came to my house, which is close to the five-acre patch, the woman said. They hit me on my face with a rod and two of the men sexually assaulted me, she added. Officers from the Charkop police station confirmed the woman had been assaulted. The police, however, said even though five people were named in the FIR, only three were present at the spot where the incident took place. We have arrested one of the three, while the remaining two, of which one is a minor, are absconding, said Vikram Deshmane, deputy commissioner of police, Zone XI. Mangrove cell officials confirmed the complainant had been providing information to them about debris dumping, mangrove hacking and illegal constructions on mangroves over the past four years. This is the first time an attack has been reported against a person highlighting cases of mangrove destruction. The survivor said all she wanted was to protect the environment from the land mafia. She said she was forced to send her mother back to her hometown in Gujarat because of the fear of her being attacked. There are currently 500 illegal shanties at the spot even after repeated demolition drives, she said. At first, the police refused to file an FIR and after contacting a local NGO, their lawyer called up the police commissioners officer and the FIR was finally filed. I received four stitches on my face and my back still has the marks from when I was attacked, she said adding, These men are involved in constructing these shanties that are 150 sqft in size, which they sell for Rs10-12 lakh to people looking for accommodation. Read more: Vikhroli mangroves in Mumbai store 6 lakh tonnes of carbon, says study SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Liquor baron Vijay Mallya has laundered Rs1301.67 crore though various shell companies in India and abroad, claims the Enforcement Directorate in the complaint filed before the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency suspects that Mallya has around 13 such shell companies in the United States, Ireland, Mauritius and France. The central agency had last month filed a complaint/charge sheet against Mallya and nine others which included top officials of IDBI bank, from where Mallya had obtained a loan of Rs950 crore. Taking cognisance of the complaint of the central agency, the PMLA court issued arrest warrants against all the accused. In its complaint, the ED listed various shell companies including M/s PE Data Centre Resources Private Limited, M/s Pharma Trading Limited, M/s Kingfisher Finvest Limited, Devi Investment Private Limited, M/s Mallya Investment Private Limited, and M/s Gem Investment. The agency claimed these shell companies had no actual activities and their directors were ex-employees of Mallyas United Breweries group. The agency further claimed that some of the companies had not even hired any employees and only these directors were on the payroll. The agency alleged that these companies were directly under Mallyas control. The agency alleged that one of the shell companies PE data Centre Resources Private Limited -- had obtained a loan of Rs100 crores and funds were transferred to the account of Kingfisher Airlines. The agency claimed that the only purpose of these companies was to either obtain loans or launder money. The agency claimed that Mallya had parked around half of the loan amount obtained from IDBI bank outside India in shell companies he had set up. Out of 900 crores, Rs417.29 crores have been remitted out of India for payments shown to be made towards aircraft rental lease, maintenance, services and several such purposes. However, no documents were submitted to support such transaction. Thus, it appears to be laundering, the complaint claimed. The agency examined the lease rates and amount paid towards maintenance and other services by other airlines and by Kingfisher and found discrepancies in what Mallyas firm had done. In this context, the agency cited the payments made to two Mauritius-based firms, Veling Narain Ltd and Veling Sacheedanand Ltd, towards lease and maintenance of aircraft and pointed out that these were nothing but shell companies with former UB group employees as directors. The agency said it had so far managed to attach immovable property worth Rs807.82 crores owned by Mallya. The agency claimed that Mallya has huge amounts of property in the U.S. in the name of his daughters Leana and Tanya. The agency further alleged that Mallya had a total of 291.31 acres in several villages in Karnataka, including Bilgeri, Coorg, Madekeri, and Kumboor. However, when the situation started getting worse, the agency claimed that Mallya managed to dispose of 264.80 acres in January 2016. The agency claimed that the transactions were done in a rush. The central agency is continuing its probe into the property and accounts held by Mallya outside India. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON One of the largest private mangrove forests in the state, the Vikhroli mangroves, stores six lakh tonnes of carbon, mostly from pollutants that humans release into the atmosphere, found a study done by a team of scientists from Godrej that owns the mangrove forest spread across several hundreds of acres in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai. The study found that each year, 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) is being added and stored at the protected reserved forest. Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants that protect the coastline from inundation. Mangrove species capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store them as carbon. This process is called carbon sequestration, and it helps control global warming by reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere, according to climate scientists. On Wednesday, Godrej & Boyce launched a mobile app on mangroves, making it a first across India and Asia. It was launched by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The app covers 24 mangrove and associated species found in Maharashtra and 16 species found in Vikhroli. The app has been made available on Android, iOS, and Windows platforms. The key beneficiaries of the app are teachers, students, forest departments, NGOs involved in biodiversity research, conservation, and awareness, mangrove researchers, nature enthusiasts and photographers participating in nature trails, said a Godrej spokesperson. The best feature of this app is that it can work offline too. The Mangrove app users have a choice to identify the species based on leaf shape, flower colour and name of the species. Besides identification feature, the app offers other interesting information such as description of every plant species and its uses, mangrove distribution and ecosystem, plant adaptations, faunal biodiversity in mangroves, current threats and conservation measures, role of stakeholders, glossary of technical terms and information about mangroves in Vikhroli. Vikhrolis mangrove biodiversity More than 16 mangrove species 82 butterfly species 208 bird species 13 crab species 7 prawn species 20 fish species Mammals like Jackals, wild boars, and mongoose can be spotted at the mangrove ecosystem A Godrej scientist who documented out the carbon sequestration said that it was an ongoing study and started in 2014. We wanted to understand how the mangroves are helping the environment. One of the main features of mangrove trees is that they sequester more carbon that many of the terrestrial plants, he said adding, We divided the mangrove forest into grids and collected samples of the leaves, barks, root system and sediments. After calculating organic carbon from each of the samples, we found that the ecosystem stores almost six lakh tonnes of carbon since its existence. Additionally, 50,000 tonnes is being captured every year and is helping trap the carbon emissions from the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The Vikhroli mangrove forest has a diverse habitat with dense and scarce forests, grasslands, mudflats, water bodies and tidal ponds. We found 16 true mangrove species and mangrove associates (those mangrove species whose seeds do not germinate from the parent plant). Of these, the grey mangrove (Avicennia marina) is the dominant species and accounts for 90% of the mangrove cover in Vikhroli. Other species include the river mangrove, orange mangrove, mangrove apple, sea holly and many other species but in lesser numbers, the scientist said. The private forests came under Godrejs domain from 1940s onwards. Over the years, the green cover has increased owing to proper protection of the trees, which is why the biodiversity of the area is also increasing, he said. A similar study by the Thane-based BN Bandodkar College of Science found that mangroves along the Thane creek store 2,38,417 tonnes of carbon. To study the carbon content, researchers collected fresh and fallen mangrove leaves from Bhandup and Airoli. Know more about mangroves Mangrove ecosystem establishes and grows at the interface of soil and water bodies like sea, creeks, estuaries, bays and lagoons. They are commonly found in inter-tidal areas area between the high tide and the low tide. Mangrove ecosystem is believed to have evolved around 114 million years back in tropical and subtropical regions. - The ecosystem inhabits 112 tropical and subtropical countries - It requires minimum of 24 degrees Celsius temperature for growth - In Maharashtra, mangroves cover almost 222sqkm of coastline covering 53 creeks and seashores - The largest mangrove forest in the world is at Sundarbans, West Bengal (Source: Godrej) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A stray dog mauled three students of the junior wing of Bal Bharti Public School in Brij Vihar, Ghaziabad, on Thursday afternoon. Members of the People for Animals (PFA) said they had picked up the stray dog and suspect it was suffering from rabies. It would be caged for a couple of days. The incident took place outside the school premises when the students were heading towards their transport vans after school. All three students are aged five to seven years. The dog attacked the three students and mauled them severely. We sent them for medical aid and informed their parents. We approached police and sought their help to get the dog removed with the help of PFA activists. The incident took place outside the school premises. There have been similar complaints about stray dogs in the area. It is up to the municipal corporation to tackle the issue, said Arvind Bhatia, school principal. The injured students were rushed to a hospital in Vaishali from where they were taken to a hospital in East Delhi. The three children were given medical aid and are under treatment. They suffered major injuries, said the mother of an injured student who did not wish to be named. CP Singh, Ghaziabad municipal commissioner, said, We will seek immediate help from PFA and sterilise stray dogs in the area. We suspect that the dog suffer from rabies. We have put the animal in a cage. Such dogs chew up anything and have a lot of saliva. The dog has shown the same signs, said Sumedha Iyer from PFA society, Ghaziabad. According to official records available with the Ghaziabad municipal corporation, around 2,621 stray dogs were sterilized from February 2013 to July 2016. But the stray dog menace stays. Various localities in Ghaziabad, including Indirapuram, Vaishali and Vasundhara, have witnessed a number of cases of dog bites. Residents have often taken up the issue of stray dog menace with the corporation but have failed to yield desired results. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a case of honour killing, the Ghaziabad police on Wednesday arrested two brothers, who allegedly lynched a 35-year-old man after finding him with their sister in their house in Sahibabad in the intervening night of July 7 and 8. To hide the mans relationship with their sister from getting public, the brothers, Jay Kumar and Neeraj Kumar, tried to pass off the victim Vimal Kumar, a married man who lived in Harsh Vihar as a thief and got him lynched by neighbours, police said. According to police, Vimals body was found dumped in a drain near a school in Harsh Vihar on July 8. They initially had no clue on the murder, as the body had no identification marks and the death was due to multiple injuries including broken ribs. During investigation, some locals informed the police about a thrashing incident that took place outside the house of the accused. The dead body was found in the drain nearly 200 metres from the house, police said. However, the investigators couldnt be sure, since they failed to ascertain the identity of the victim. Meanwhile, a woman approached the Delhi Police to file a missing person complaint on her husband. The police officials from Ghaziabad shared information about the corpse to their Delhi counterparts. Some parts of the Harsh Vihar locality fall under Ghaziabad jurisdiction, while the rest is under that of Delhi Police. From the information provided by the police, the victims wife identified him, the two brothers were subsequently arrested. According to police, the sister of the arrested men, was estranged from her husband since 2007, two years after their marriage. The woman, 40, lived in the ground floor of the house, while the brothers lived on the first floor. She later developed a relationship with Vimal Kumar, who often visited her without the knowledge of her brothers. During investigation, it was found that the victim was in touch with the woman and had come to meet her at around 1am on the intervening night of July 7 and 8, without the knowledge of her family. But since he was in a drunken state, he made some noise, which woke up the family members. They came down and caught the lovers in an objectionable position, said Akash Tomar, superintendent of police (city). The two brothers got furious and severely beat up Vimal. In order to hide the relationship, they asked the woman not to recognise him in front of neighbours, Tomar said. Later, they pulled the injured man out of the house and alerted neighbours, calling him a thief who tried to break into the house. To this, the neighbours unleashed another round of attack on the man, who succumbed to his injuries. According to the police, apart from the two brothers, they have another accused, Ramvir Singh, on their radar. Ramvir prominently figured in lynching the man and disposing of his body in a drain nearby, police said. He is presently absconding and is wanted in connection with the case. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The officials of Ghaziabad municipal corporation on Thursday demolished the school building of St Marys School in Model Town area of Ghaziabad. The officials said the demolition was taken up in compliance with a high court order. The officials, including those from the district administration and the police, arrived on Thursday afternoon and took up the demolition of school building with the help of earth movers. The school management said the institution was in operation at the same place since 1978 and has 192 students enrolled up to class 5. The building is that of municipal corporation and we have all rent receipts. Six months ago, they sent us a notice to vacate the premises and we obtained a stay from the civil court in Ghaziabad. However, the officials were not ready to accept that order and undertook the demolition exercise. The school has recognition from the UP government, said NS Arora, school manager. The officials should not have demolished the building at least on humanitarian grounds. We requested them to allow us to operate till March next year so that the session can be completed and students awarded transfer certificates. But they did not accede to our requests, Arora said. Following the demolition, the former students of the school also arrived at the spot and expressed their anguish over the development. It is upsetting to see the condition of the school I studied in during 1985-86. The officials should have focused on graver illegal encroachments that are present everywhere. The present students will suffer as the new session has started, said Vikas Goel, a former student. However, officials said that they have acted in compliance with the high court order and will take care of the students. The school has completely encroached on a park and was also in violation of the Master Plan. The demolition is done in compliance with the high court order. We will get the area measured once the debris is cleared. The school administration had no permission to run the school and we had also served them notices. Since the demolition has taken place, we will ensure that all students are admitted to another school and their studies not affected, said Arun Kumar Gupt, additional municipal commissioner. The move to demolish the school building operating in a park came only after the high court directed a personal affidavit from the district magistrate (DM). In its order on July 6, during a hearing on PIL filed by resident Ravinder Singh, the Allahabad high court had asked the DM to file a personal affidavit, categorically stating whether any area earmarked as park under the Master Plan was encroached upon. In case the district magistrate does not file his personal affidavit, he shall remain present before this court by the next date with all relevant records and photographs of the area (sic), the court said in its order. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON People took to Twitter to condemn the mob attack on Mahagun Moderne, the upscale apartment complex on Wednesday morning, and even accused Bangladeshi immigrants of destroying Noida. More than 300 people gathered at the gates of the complex in Sector 78 around 6am, alleging that one of its residents had assaulted a domestic help. They believed Zora Bibi was being held as a captive in one of the residents house after being accused of theft. The three-hour rampage stopped after Bibi was found in a 25th floor flat of an elderly woman in a neighbouring tower, where she had taken shelter for the night. Twitter users posted their opinions with #MaldaInNoida and related it to protest rally that was attended by thousands of Muslims in West Bengals Malda district in January last year and turned violent. Many labelled the Bangladeshi immigrants as a major threat to the law and order situation in Noida, asking the Uttar Pradesh government to evict them. Family who caught maid red handed in stealing was locked in Bathroom to save them from mob. Hindus wake up #MaldaInNoida pic.twitter.com/vdgIkLRrdi (@amaresh4) July 12, 2017 Bangladeshi Mobs Create Riot Like Situation At Mahagun Society, Noida. It's Time To Throw Them Out. #MaldaInNoida pic.twitter.com/to7cwKEhVn Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) July 12, 2017 #MaldaInNoida See the stone pelting happened in Mahagun Society. pic.twitter.com/QpgVkU0mUB Vishal Agarwal (@Vishal17Agarwal) July 12, 2017 Mr @rajnathsingh How come these Bangladeshi's are in Noida.This is serious threat 2 Law & Order.Kindly ensure their evacuation #MaldaInNoida Arpit Mishra (@arpit9847) July 12, 2017 Truth of attack by bangladeshi mob at Mahagun Noida. May God save India. It's another Malda and Basirhat. #MaldaInNoida pic.twitter.com/cU9QOTnF3A (@RishiUvaach) July 12, 2017 Please don't risk the safety of your kids for a few 100 Rs. Complete boycott of Bangladeshis needed #MaldaInNoida Anurag Dixit (@bhootnath) July 12, 2017 #MaldaInNoida was just waiting to happen...Delhi is being surrounded by a demographic siege due to Bangladeshi influx. More will come... Abhinav Prakash (@Abhina_Prakash) July 12, 2017 Living on fake identity in foreign country, how powerful & violent Bangladeshis become when they riot in "Mob".#MaldaInNoida Ashima Singh (@AshiQuotes) July 12, 2017 Hey #NotInMyName Hypocrites Noida Is Very Near From Delhi! Visit There & See What Bangladeshi Islamic Terrorists Doing There#MaldaInNoida pic.twitter.com/MnDp78Wz1b Anit Ghosh (@Indianit07) July 12, 2017 Ek to chori upar se sinazori #MaldaInNoida Sanjeev Chaurasia (@snjv52) July 13, 2017 Just look at the result of aadhaar cards given by some of our 'people's leaders' to Illegal Bangladeshi Muslims! #MaldaInNoida Anirban Dasgupta (@AnirbansTweets) July 13, 2017 If these Bangladeshis are not getting kicked out from India #MaldaInNoida like situation will only get worse. (@HasdaaPunjab) July 13, 2017 After the chaos, residents of the Mahagun Moderne have decided not to allow Bangladeshi domestic helps in the society. As the society has no residents welfare association (RWA), the decision of debarring the maids was taken by the active residents of the society. Residents said that the society has 2,750 flats in its 16 high-rise and four low-rise buildings. Ninety percent of them are occupied and many of the houses have Bangladeshi domestic helps. The Noida authority has decided to paint road marks with an aim to streamline traffic movement on city roads. The decision comes after the Noida authoritys traffic cell found out that 80% of road markings in the city are either washed away or fade out on their own. Road markings are used as a means of controlling and guiding traffic. We are likely to start painting road marks from July 15. We have already completed the procedures required for taking up such a project. Once the road and lane marks are in place, they will help the traffic police in regulating the flow of traffic, Sandip Chandra, head of the Noida authoritys traffic cell, said. The project involves marking of zebra crossings, left-right turns, stop lines for vehicles and designated spaces for pedestrians, who often face problems negotiating traffic without adequate markings on roads. The traffic police recently installed close circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at intersections in Sector 57/22 and Sector 2/19 for better traffic management. The traffic police is keen to have CCTVs installed at other intersections too. But we need to have proper road markings before we start penalising motorists caught violating traffic norms. Once the markings are done, we will issuing challans (fines) to violators, Layak Singh, traffic inspector, Noida traffic police, said. There are 112 traffic signals in Noida and the traffic police has 278 personnel at its disposal to regulate the movement of vehicles. The traffic police wants to make use of CCTVs to impose penalty on motorists violating traffic norms. Most of the busy intersections and roads remain congested during peak hours traffic in the morning and evening, inconveniencing thousands of commuters. The Noida authority and the traffic police have, of late, been struggling to ensure smooth flow of traffic in busy thoroughfares. Whenever the traffic police writes to us for support on traffic management, we provide them the facilities required. We hope to finish the road marking work very soon in order to enable the traffic police to penalise violators, Chandra said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Delhi-based journalist has recounted the most harrowing experience of her life with cab aggregator Uber, saying the driver of the taxi she had booked stopped it suddenly on an isolated stretch of the Greater Noida expressway and started calling his friends. Though Uber India called it a regrettable and concerning incident, the journalist said she had reported the incident to Uber via its mobile application but their response came only after eight hours Ananya Bhattacharya, who works for India Today, wrote a series of tweets directed towards Uber on Tuesday night. She said that after boarding the Uber cab around 10.55pm on Tuesday, she noticed a stench of alcohol and paan in the car. Had the most harrowing experience of my life. If you're a woman travelling alone in NCR, and trusting @Uber_India to get you home, read. Ananya Bhattacharya (@ananya116) July 11, 2017 Bhattacharyas experience only got worse. She said that within five minutes of the ride, the driver allegedly stopped the vehicle on an isolated stretch of the Greater Noida expressway. On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. We take the service lane. In 5 mins, car stops, she tweeted. On enquiring, the driver told her that the car had run out of petrol. The stretch where hes stopped the car is dark and infamous for crimes. The driver then called a person from his mobile phone, Bhattacharya said, and asked him to get fuel from the petrol pump. The driver told the person on the other end of the call that there was an aurat (woman) in the car, she added. At this point, Bhattacharya said, she called her friend to reach the location. The driver overhears me talking and asks if someone was coming to pick me up. I tell a curt yes. He locks the doors, switches on the light. I snap at him, ask him to switch off the light. Meanwhile, hes made 5 more calls, to 2 different people (from what I could understand), she said. Im numb from the experience. Shudder to think what could have happened had my friend not reached there before the @Uber drivers friends. Bhattacharya said she reported the incident to Uber via its mobile application but their response came only after eight hours of wait. Bhattacharya shared the responses from Uber India on Twitter: Update: 8 hours later, 2 bot mails from @Uber_India in response to complaints on app, saying they have 'resolved' the issue. NOTHING else. pic.twitter.com/44cCJQIb4C Ananya Bhattacharya (@ananya116) July 12, 2017 However, Uttar Pradesh Police was quick to react to Bhattacharyas tweets complaining about the lack of police vehicles on the expressway. Instructions are being given to Noida Police to ensure better patrolling on the stretch. Please always Dial 100 in such emergencies, Rahul Srivastav, additional superinentendent of police and public relations officer of UP Police, said on Twitter. When Hindustan Times contacted Uber India for their reactions, the cab aggregators spokesperson said in a written response, This is a regrettable and concerning incident. We are internally reviewing the matter and the driver has been barred from accessing the app. Asked what the company was doing to ensure such incidents do not recur, the spokesperson said, Several innovative safety features have been incorporated in the app to ensure a safe, reliable and convenient travel from point A to point B. One such India first feature is the Emergency Button, which connects the rider directly to the police control room and an internal response team at Uber as well to ensure passenger safety. We recently launched a series of new safety features in the driver app that help us understand if the GPS route was followed, speed patterns of a car, slowdowns and stoppages and use of hard-breaks during a trip. We take note of every feedback shared with us and continue to ensure that riders are informed on the steps being taken to address their issues as soon as possible, the statement added. At the heart of the bustling Pune city resides an open expanse where the hubbub suddenly dies into a serene silence. Minutes into the Mula road, near Khadki cantonment, a whiff of tranquillity fills the air once you arrive at the Kirkee War Cemetery, also known as the British World War Memorial. Built in 1914, the memorial houses symmetrically aligned gravestones spread across thirteen plots. In total, the cemetery holds 1,668 Commonwealth burials, one Polish and one American burial of soldiers martyred in the Second World War. Further across the stretches extending to the Cross of Sacrifice, stand 629 unmarked graves of First World War servicemen. In addition to that, seven non-war burials have also found their place at the picturesque cemetery. The cemetery was initially built to commemorate the servicemen and women who lost their lives during the world wars and were buried in civil and cantonment cemeteries in India and Pakistan, but whose graves could not be permanently maintained after the 1947 independence. Almost 200 East and West African servicemen, who were martyred in the non-operational zones in India, during the Second World War and their graves could either be not located or were situated in areas where maintenance was not possible, have also been commemorated at this memorial. Stories linger on to every gravestone,canopied under the bougainvillea shrubs. Dead soldiers from all parts of the world, some from Africa and Europe, and across all religions, martyred during the British raj, lie beneath those grounds, all together. A quick stroll past the gravestones, reveal interesting epitaphs of soldiers who lost their lives to the wars young in their 20s, and many who passed away late in their 50s. While some epitaphs bear the Star of David for Jewish soldiers, some have Islamic bearings for the Muslim soldiers. A stretch further revealed a line of grave stones with Buddhist Pagodas, in memory of the Buddhist and British Soldiers who lost their lives to the wars in Burma. At the plot bearing the First World war soldiers, every grave bears the mention of the regiment, and the Royal Regiment Insignia. While grave-trotting, one can even spot gravestones of prominent members like George Wittet, architect of the Gateway of India, or Frederick William Stevens, who designed the Victoria Terminus, now known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station. Even the graves of erstwhile mayor of Bombay Joseph Baptista, and poet Dom Moraes, lie at the same cemetery. Tucked away in the interiors of the city, the structure, stands to this day symbolising humanitarian unity beyond all boundaries of race, religion or language. International Association for Performing Arts and Researchs (IAPAR) play, The Balancing Act, will now be performed in Spain. They have been invited to be part of the 35th World Congress of International Theatre Institute (ITI), an affiliate NGO of UNESCO, in Segovia from 14th to 22nd July. This play is a part of an ongoing 'Performance As Research' project looking at violence and fear as experienced by young children. It has been designed and directed by Vidyanidhee Vanarase (Prasad), the founder of IAPAR. The play focuses on violence as seen and experienced by young people. The Congress will be attended by more than 80 member countries of the International Theatre Institute. The festival will feature performances from nine countries, namely Switzerland, China, Slovenia, Bangladesh, South Africa, Spain, Philippines, USA and India. IAPAR is the only Indian institution invited for the festival. Children's creative urge has been nourished through different cultural activities to a large extent. As part of the festivities, they have access to different craft materials, handle forms and get to know the ideas. Children's fresh outlook, a sense of natural justice and a capacity for innovative improvisations provides a whole new dimension into learning the rational as well as emotive elements of culture, which are significant, explains Vidyanidhee Vanarase. In India, children's activities are regarded incidental, but nobody grudges their joy while engaging in the seemingly silly activities. If we use them as the handle for the new process, the fantasy may hold an invitation to grow and develop, he said. International Association for Performing Arts and Research is a network of Artists and Arts Professionals seeking to exchange ideas, increase opportunity within the arts community and connect the people within it. It is a primarily an important forum to interact with foreign artistes, with seminars, symposiums etc. Vidyanidhee attended this congress in 2014 and decided to set up India Centre. My primary concern was that many things happen at a global level and the idea is to open the Indian performing arts to these kind of projects, disseminate the information and spread it across the country. The play's original version was performed in March 2014, with a different ensemble of actors, which later was revived with the newer cast including Aditi Venkateshwaran, Anushka Vaze, Amrut Samak, Nikhil Gadgil and Tanmayee Ambekar. The Balancing Act is a play in gibberish. This play looks at violence as seen and experienced by young children. Today, young people see violence almost everywhere. It starts with their journey to school. Simple things like crossing the street has become a stressful activity and then they have to deal with studies, unfriendly pedagogies and peer pressure. With the pressures of development and modern life, they live in a nuclear family. Most of the times, both the parents are working professionals and they dont have sufficient time for their children, explains Aditi Venkateshwaran, an actor in the play. The questions raised in this play seem to apply to many of the struggles of a whole generation, no matter the age. With the play The Balancing Act', we are trying to explore violence and abuse as seen and experienced by children in their day to day life, explains Amrut Samak. Till now, the play has been staged 22 times, including shows at prestigious festivals like the Colombo International Theatre Festival 2014, Kala Academy (Goa-2015) and Kala Ghoda Festival Mumbai 2017. The Centre on Wednesday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that 16 prisoners lodged in Amritsar central jail are Pakistan nationals, but the neighbouring country is disputing their nationality. Additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain, during the resumed hearing of a petition initiated by the court to monitor welfare schemes for prisoners, said that a total of 38 foreign nationals were lodged in Amritsar central jail. Out of them 16 have been sent back to their countries whereas two have died, he said and added that of the remaining 20, 16 are Pakistan nationals, two from Bangladesh and one each from Nepal and Myanmar. He said the matter was taken up with Pakistan, but the latter has denied that these persons are its nationals. The court while adjourning the matter directed the Centre to have a mechanism to establish identities of foreign nationals in different jails so that they can be sent back on completion of their terms. The Centres response had come after a 2016 order of high court seeking details about nationalities of various prisoners after the Punjab government told the court that nearly 38 foreign nationals, who have completed their sentences were either in jails or in transit camps as they could not be released without prior permission from the central government. The Centres nod is necessary for release of foreign nationals, but it was not responding to states letters on the issue. NANAK SINGH NOT IN PAKs KOT LAKHPAT JAIL Meanwhile, the Centre informed the court that an Amritsar boy, who had accidentally ventured into Pakistan in 1984, is not lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail of Pakistan. It told the court that Pakistan was contacted and it has responded stating that missing boy, Nanak Singh, was not in that jail as claimed by a petitioner in the high court. The Centre responded to a public interest litigation filed by Swaran Singh, ex-sarpanch of Kot Rajada village. The village falls on the border with Pakistan under Ajnala tehsil in Amritsar district. As per the petitioner, five-year-old Nanak Singh alias Kakar Singh had accidently ventured into Pakistans territory in November 1984. Armed robbers struck at an all-women branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in the city on Thursday and decamped with Rs 66,000. The bank branch, which is situated at the local Loharka Road, became a soft target of the miscreants as it had no security guard. Bank employees said the robbers with masked faces entered the bank branch around 2.30pm. One of them carried a revolver and started threatening the entire staff immediately. The robbers then took the keys of the cashbox and took away Rs 66,000 lying in it. After getting the information, police reached the bank and started investigations. The cops were monitoring the CCTV footage that shows two youngsters carrying firearms entering the bank. A forensic team also reached there to look for some vital clues. Harish Sehdev, senior manager marketing, who had come from the PNB circle office, said, We got a call from the branch about the robbery at around 2.30 pm. Now, the cops are looking into the matter. Talking to HT, police commissioner SS Srivastava said, A CIA team is closely looking into all the details to get some clue. It was definitely a lapse that there was no security guard in the bank and we will take up the matter with the bank officials. Notably, the city police have regularly briefed bank officials about the security issue. The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday directed the Chandigarh administration and governments of Punjab and Haryana to frame a policy for treatment and compensation to victims of dog bite cases. The direction was issued by the high court bench of justice RK Jain during a resumed hearing of a petition in which one Ram Kumar, a poor sheller employee of Samana, had sought compensation of 10 lakh from Punjab. His 12-year-old son Ankit, a student of Class 5, had died on March 5 due to dog bite. He was taken to the civil hospital for the fifth anti-rabies injection when he became unconscious and died, the petition said. Ram had blamed the Samana municipal council for his sons death. He argued that Punjab is also vicariously liable for the death of his son. During the hearing, it came to light that none of the governments and UT had policies in place for compensating the victims in case of dog-bite case. The court observed that when there was a policy in place for awarding compensation to acid attack victims, why cant there be a policy on compensating the victims of dog bite cases. The court further observed that the menace had reached an alarming stage and needed immediate attention. The court took serious note of the case and put both the states and UT on notice besides the director, local bodies, and Chandigarh municipal corporation. During the hearing, Punjab advocate general Atul Nanda and senior standing counsel, UT, Suvir Sehgal were present as directed by the court. However, Haryana advocate general BR Mahajan could not attend the hearing. On the last date of hearing, the court had referred to Section 109 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911. It provides for destroying or confining any dog or other animal suffering, or suspected to be suffering from rabies. The Act also provides for confining any dog found wandering on streets or public places without collars or other marks distinguishing them as private property. The matter would now be taken up for hearing in August. Hoshiarpur land scam: BJP leaders son, his business partner to be quizzed Jived Sood, son of senior BJP leader and former minister Tikshan Sud, and his business associate Akhil Sood have been summoned by the state vigilance bureau for questioning over the Hoshiarpur land scam. Read full story here No felling of trees for any project in Punjab: Green tribunal wants status report Putting a blanket ban on felling of trees for projects in Punjab, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state government that no new project be undertaken without its permission. Read fulls story here 6 arrested in Kotkhai rape case; victim was strangled to death The police have arrested six youths for the rape and murder of a minor at Kotkhai even as the autopsy report confirmed that the victim was strangulated after being sexually assaulted. Read full story here Amarnath terror attack: Govt must take strict action against perpetrators, says Shah Rukh Khan Strongly condemning the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims in a terrorist attack, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has urged the government to take strict action against the perpetrators of the cowardly act. Read full story here All-women branch of Punjab National Bank robbed in Amritsar Armed robbers struck at an all-women branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in the city on Thursday and decamped with Rs 66,000. Read full story here Scrapped notes pile up at HP shrine: Chintpurni temple saddled with old currency worth Rs 9.8 lakh Eight months after demonetisation and six months after the deadline to exchange old currency notes ended, the junked 500 and 1000 currency bills continue to find way into donation boxes at the famous shrine of Chintpurni in Himachal. Read full story here Vaishno Devi board received Rs 6 lakh in scrapped notes since January Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, the second richest temple shrine in the country after Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam, claimed on Thursday that it has received Rs 6 lakh of demonetised currency from December 31 last year till date. Read full story here 16 Pakistan nationals in Amritsar central jail: Centre to high court The Centre on Wednesday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that 16 prisoners lodged in Amritsar central jail are Pakistan nationals, but the neighbouring country is disputing their nationality. Read full story here For more stories, visit www.punjab.ht Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Expectations were high when the Chandigarh-Dubai flight started last year as it was believed that it will connect local flyers to the US and Europe since the Dubai airport is a key halt between the west and Asia. Most of the flyers on long routes make a halt in Dubai there before boarding for their final destination. The large-scale swapping of aircrafts also happens at the Dubai airport. But the lone flight between Chandigarh and Dubai failed to provide this strategic connectivity, which is otherwise crucial since the local international airport is handicapped to start long-haul flights due to short runway and watch hour restrictions. An airport official, who did not want to be named, said the Chandigarh-Dubai flights further connectivity is missing because the private airline operating it does not have a code-share agreement with other airlines. Explaining the relevance of the agreement, he said it is an arrangement whereby passengers of one airline can travel to different destinations through other airlines without facing hassle of repeated security check-ins. All airlines cant cover all routes across the world. Therefore, the underlying motivation of airlines in entering into code-share agreements is to broaden its number of destinations through partner airlines, the official said. Sources said that Jet Airways, which has a code-share agreement with Etihad Airlines, wanted to start flight on the Chandigarh-Dubai-Abu Dhabi route that could have opened the connectivity to other international destinations. But this did not happen because the airline reportedly did not get desired night slot since the flights are not allowed to operate here after 9.35 pm, said sources. Mohali Industrial Association president Sanjeev Vashist said there is a dire need to bring an airline that can provide given the local travellers further connectivity from Dubai. For the past 10 months, we have just single flight to the Gulf that opens the route to at least 150 world destinations. I am surprised that those at the helm of affairs are doing nothing about it despite city is eagerly awaited global connectivity, he added. Vaneet Sharma, a Sector 17-based travel firm owner, said its a general practice at the Delhi airport to make arrangements for travellers going to far-off destinations through other airlines. For instance, Air India and Jet Airways have code-share agreements with many global airlines. If it starts Chandigarh-Dubai route, we can have connectivity to important cities, including London or New York, he said. We can also have some international airlines operating from here, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police deposed before a local court that the main accused Mithilesh Pandey alias Guruji and co-accused Shiv Bahadur gave them a hard time during the interrogation and did not stick to their statements. They added that both of them were involved in other major scams, including the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, the Telangana medical paper leak of 2016 and the Chit Fund scam, station house officer and incharge of the SIT, inspector Jaswinder Kaur, told the court on Wednesday. The accused in the UT teachers recruitment scam were produced before the court of judicial magistrate first class (JMIC) Jagmeet Singh where police pleaded that their remand be extended by seven days. The judge gave a police remand of another three days and directed police to get the medical examination of both the accused after every 24 hours and once before producing them before the court on July 15. However, the defence counsel strongly opposed the plea for remand by police, contesting how they had failed to recover documents from the accused. The judge also questioned police about the investigation in the last five days. The SHO stated that both Pandey and Bahadur backtracked from their statements. They also old the court that the accused were taken to Lucknow, Delhi Press, parts of Bihar, to help recover the whereabouts of the other accused. Police claimed that they needed to arrest Joginder from Azamgarh, Poonam from Bhojpur, Salender from Bihar, Sukhpreet Singh from Bathinda and also recover 68 lakh from Varanasi and Lucknow. The defence counsel opposed this by stating that the two accused could not be kept in remand as police was clueless even after over a year had passed from the filing of the FIR. It was also stated that Kamlesh, a lawyer, who helped the accused to plan the paper leak, was also expected to help in the investigation until police found out that he had died. The judge also questioned the authenticity of the bank accounts of the accused during the proceedings. The SHO said, Mithilesh finally conceded that he is Guruji. When I asked him why he cooked up this story about his name change as Sanjay Srivastav, and allegations of torture by police during the last hearing,he told me that he didnt want us to get remand. She added that he had agreed that he was Mithilesh Pandey aka Guruji. Sources said Mithilesh told police that he gave 65 lakh to Shiv Bahadur, who he called the kingpin, 15 lakh to Sukhpreet, 10 lakh to Ajay Daggar, a Haryana inspector, and was left with only 3 lakh. Earlier on Saturday, Pandey, alias Guruji, told the court that he was Sanjay Srivastav, not Mithilesh. He accused the SHO and other police personnel of making him forcibly write a statement posing as Mithilesh. The case The JBT-TGT exam was conducted for the posts of 1,150 teachers in January to February 2015 and got leaked from a Delhi-based printing press. An FIR in this connection was registered by Chandigarh Police following a communication from the Punjab vigilance wing on July 19, 2016. Sixteen persons, including teachers, were arrested in the case. Police claimed that at least 300 aspirants who took the test after they got the papers were enrolled as teachers in Chandigarh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A complaint has been lodged after the families of eight Sikh pilgrims from Punjab failed to establish contacts with them since July 6. The pilgrims had left from Punjab for Hemkunt Sahib gurdwara in Uttarakhand. Luvpreet Singh of Amritsar has complained that eight pilgrims, including two US citizens, had come to Hemkunt Sahib from Amritsar on July 6 by an Innova (PB-06-AB-5472). There has been no information since the driver called his family to inform that they were returning after having paid their obeisance at the gurdwara. Tripti Bhatt, SP of Chamoli, said, CCTV footages are being checked at various places along with the physical inspection of all the hotels, gurdwaras and dharamshalas (inns) in the district to trace the missing pilgrims and the vehicle. Passports of missing US nationals Premjeet Singh and Harkhewal Singh. (HT Photo) All the adjoining districts and areas of revenue police have been informed about the missing car and the pilgrims and a telephone number (01372252134) has been flashed all over the state to obtain any information about them, she added. The forest department too has been asked to look for them along the banks of the rivers. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday established contact with the Amritsar district administration to know about the two Sikh US citizens, Harkewal Singh and Premjit Singh, who are missing along with six Indian nationals, Kirpal Singh, Jasbir Singh, Harpal Singh, Varinder Singh, Kulbir Singh and driver Manga Singh. Harpal and Varinder are from Dalla village in Gurdaspur while the others are from Chowk Mehta area in Amritsar. The US citizens had also come to Chowk Mehta to meet family friends and left for the pilgrimage on July 1. As per the family members, some of the pilgrims contacted them on July 6 from Gobind Ghat and told that they are returning home. But their phones are switched off since. US embassy officials on Thursday rang up Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha to know about its two citizens. The DC said, I informed them that there is no input yet. The families too met the DC. I have also asked the police commissioner, Amritsar, SS Srivastava, to extend help and locate the missing persons, he added. If everything goes as planned, actor Pawan Kalyan might sing in his upcoming yet-untitled Telugu project with filmmaker Trivikram. According to music composer Anirudh Ravichander, who is making his debut in the industry with the project, he hopes to make the star sing. In his latest interview to The Hindu, Anirudh confirmed he is planning to make Pawan Kalyan sing and is hopeful audiences might receive it well. Although the genre of the film remains a mystery, sources in the know tell us that its going to be a romantic entertainer made in Trivikrams brand of style and presentation. Keerthy Suresh and Anu Emmanuel, currently the toast of the town, have been paired as the heroines in this project, which will be bankrolled by S Radhakrishna. The film features Pawan in the role of software professional and the shoot is currently underway in Hyderabad where the makers have erected a set worth Rs 5 crore. The team, on July 19, will head to Europe for a 20-day schedule and plan to shoot a crucial action episode with chase and couple of songs. Last seen in a dhoti-clad avatar and sporting twirled mustache, Pawan Kalyan will undergo a special makeover for this project. His look has been kept under wraps but our sources inform us that audiences are in for a surprise. The film is gearing up for grand release this October, most likely for Diwali. Amidst several rumours doing the rounds about the films title, the makers are yet to officially announce it. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop On the imposing metal sheets of the border fence that divides Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego, California, a hand reaches out in friendship amid a burst of butterflies. Nearby, in darker tones, a pile of skulls is crowned by a steely cross. This massive meditation on humanity at its best and worst is the work of Mexican artist Enrique Chiu, who is seeking to set a Guinness World Record for the longest mural ever painted. Named the Mural of Brotherhood, the painting is nearly two km long. And Chius canvas could get a lot bigger if US President Donald Trump gets his way: his planned border wall would stretch some 1,600 km. The current world record holder for the largest outdoor mural is in the US state of Colorado and measures 3.2 km long and more than 17 metres high. A view of the US-Mexico border wall painted by members of the Brotherhood Mural organisation in Tijuana, Mexico. (AFP) Chiu is not alone in his quixotic project to set a world record covering the border wall in art. Some 2,000 residents of the border region have contributed to the project, painting pictures, words or simply leaving their handprints on a long section of the various types of wall and fencing that already cover about one-third of the 3,200-km border. Its a project that seeks to create a link between art and society. Its about making an artistic, social mural, in which people can come and express whatever they want, whatever is on their minds, their experience of life on the border, said Chiu. The project, which started last December, contains a wide array of styles, from professional artists paintbrushes to urban taggers graffiti. Those with less artistic flair have covered the wall in words like unity, equality, art and freedom, in both Spanish and English. One of the most oft-repeated messages is: #NoWalls. Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, Chinas most well-known political dissident, died on Thursday days after he was abruptly released from detention following the revelation that he was suffering from terminal liver cancer. Liu was a key leader of the pro-democracy Tiananmen movement that left an unknown number of Chinese, mostly students, dead. He was repeatedly jailed through his life. The university professor and author-turned-human rights and pro-democracy activist was 61 and is said to have died in a hospital in northeastern China. State media announced his death late on Thursday. Lius wife Liu Xia, a poet, too was kept under house arrest for several years. His critical writings and opinions in the 1980s culminated with his participation in the Tiananmen Square movement. In 2009, Liu was charged with subversion and jailed after he called for greater democracy and political freedom in China. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 but wasnt allowed to travel to Oslo, Norway, to collect the award. Furious that Liu had been given the prize, China all but downgraded diplomatic ties with Norway. Pro-democracy activists mourn the death of Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo outside China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong on July 13, 2017. (Reuters) Twittter exploded after news of Lius death was released officially, with a barrage of updates about his life and legacy being exchanged online. China, which has about 700 million people with access to the internet and the worlds largest number of social media users, kept things silent not a single word on Liu was allowed to slip through the censors. Twitter-like Weibo, Chinas own Google, Baidu, and the very popular WeChat, a mobile phone app like WhatsApp, were kept completely clean of any mention of Lius death. Many Chinese citizens, however, found a way to share condolences in an indirect manner without using his name. No official reason was given at the time of his recent release but it is possible that Liu was freed from custody by Chinese authorities because of his deteriorating health and because they didnt want him to die under their watch. Even his release was marked by controversy over his medical treatment. It was reported that Liu wanted to go abroad for treatment. Two western doctors allowed by the Chinese government to visit Liu said earlier this week he could travel abroad for treatment if permitted by authorities. Liu Xiaobo and his family have requested that the remainder of his care be provided in Germany or the United States, Joseph M Herman of the University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center and Markus Buchler of the University of Heidelberg said in a joint statement. 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, they added. A member of the Australian Tibetan community holds a placard during a candlelight vigil for the Chinese Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo outside the Chinese consulate in Sydney on July 12, 2017. (Reuters) But Chinese doctors said he was too ill to travel. The government dismissed demands for his travel abroad by saying that countries were trying to infringe on Chinas sovereignty and judicial system. In a statement on Lius death, rights group Amnesty International said: Today we grieve the loss of a giant of human rights. Liu Xiaobo was a man of fierce intellect, principle, wit and above all humanity. It added: For decades, he fought tirelessly to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in China. He did so in the face of the most relentless and often brutal opposition from the Chinese government. Time and again they tried to silence him, and time and again they failed. Despite enduring years of persecution, suppression and imprisonment, Liu Xiaobo continued to fight for his convictions. US President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday he could change his position on the Paris climate accord, in remarks after talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Something could happen, he said at a joint news conference with Macron, six weeks after announcing that the United States would abandon the 2015 pact. Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords lets see what happens, but we will talk about that over the coming period of time and if it happens that will be wonderful and if it doesnt thatll be OK too, he told reporters in Paris Macron said he respected Trumps decision but France remained committed to the accord. Earlier on Thursday, the 39-year-old French leader said he had a strong disagreement... about the climate deal, with Trump, adding: I hope in the end to be able to persuade him. Trump, whose country is the worlds second biggest producer of greenhouse gases after China, drew widespread criticism when he announced on June 1 that US would quit the pact. US President Donald Trump, battling allegations that Russia helped him win the White House, claimed Wednesday that Vladimir Putin actually would have preferred a Hillary Clinton victory. Decrying what he called a political witch hunt, the president also came to the defense of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr after the release of emails showing his namesakes embrace of a Russian offer to provide derogatory information about Clinton during the campaign. The email exchange has been described in some quarters as a possible smoking gun in the ongoing investigation by an independent prosecutor into whether Trumps campaign colluded with Moscow to get the Republican elected. But in an interview with Pat Robertson of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the billionaire president nonetheless claimed his Russian counterpart would have preferred a win by the Democrat Clinton in 2016. There are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he (Putin) would want, Trump said, even though he got along very, very well with the longtime Russian leader, whom he met in Hamburg last week. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think probably not, because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldnt have spent the money on military, he said. When I want tremendous energy - were opening up coal, were opening up natural gas, were opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate - but nobody ever mentions that, he said. Trump said that while he only learned of his sons 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer a couple of days ago, he did not fault Donald Jr for holding the talks. I think many people would have held that meeting, he told the Reuters news agency. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! tweeted Trump, who has kept a low profile since returning from a Group of 20 summit in Germany and flew out of Washington again late Wednesday for a visit to France. He followed that tweet with a flurry of Twitter missives praising the job and US stock market gains. Stock market hits another high with spirit and enthusiasm so positive. Jobs outlook looking very good! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/Vwxsb2vWGe Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 Little time for TV As US media reported of chaos at the White House, Trump personally sought on Wednesday to dispel the image of an administration in crisis and a president obsessed with TV coverage of it. The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V. he tweeted. The controversy spilled over Wednesday into the Senate confirmation hearing for Trumps nominee to lead the FBI, Christopher Wray, chosen after the president fired FBI director James Comey in May in frustration over the Russia probe. Under questioning, Wray said he had not discussed the investigation - now in the hands of an independent prosecutor, former FBI director Robert Mueller - with Trump, and pledged to insulate the agency from political interference. I love it Donald Trump Jr released emails on Tuesday in which he was told he could get very high level and sensitive information that was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr Trump. In response, the 39-year-old - who runs the family real estate business - wrote back saying, if its what you say I love it. He then held a meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a woman described in the emails as a Russian government attorney. Trumps then-campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also attended the June 2016 meeting. Donald Jr told Fox News he went to the meeting to see what it was about and didnt mention it to his father because there was nothing to tell. US intelligence agencies have concluded that Putin approved a mass effort to tilt the election in Trumps favor, including hacking and leaking embarrassing emails from Democrats. The latest disclosures all but ensure the presidents son will come under scrutiny by investigators in Congress and at the FBI who are probing whether Trumps team was in the know. Fiction The Kremlin, meanwhile, insisted it had no links to the Russian lawyer, and the Russian billionaire identified as a middleman for the Donald Jr meeting also sought to distance himself. We never had any contact with this lawyer, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. She doesnt have even the slightest relation to us. In the emails released Tuesday, Rob Goldstone - a publicist close to the Trumps - tells Donald Jr about an offer allegedly made by Russias general prosecutor to provide the Trump campaign with dirt on Clinton during talks with real estate mogul Aras Agalarov. But Agalarov dismissed the emails touting him as a go-between for the Trumps and the Kremlin, and said he only vaguely knew Goldstone. I think this is some sort of fiction. I dont know who is making it up, Agalarov told Russias Business FM radio station. Brazils former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for graft in a stark fall from grace for the iconic leftist leader. Lula, who ruled Brazil from 2003-2010, was convicted and handed a 9.5-year prison term on Wednesday for accepting a luxury seaside apartment and $1.1 million, the latest twist in a giant corruption probe engulfing Latin Americas largest economy. But anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro said the 71-year-old Lula would remain free pending an appeal -- something his lawyers immediately said they would lodge. We are appealing and will prove his innocence, the lawyers said in a statement sent to AFP. The conviction nevertheless landed a heavy blow on the prospect of Lula making a political comeback in presidential elections due in October next year. The verdict also sent a dramatic message to much of Brazils political class that they, too, risked falling afoul of the anti-graft drive. Even the current president, Michel Temer, has been charged with taking bribes and several of his ministers have resigned after corruption claims were made. The sea change has come about because of Operation Car Wash, a sweeping probe looking into a giant embezzlement and kickbacks scheme involving state-owned oil group Petrobras, construction firms and several political parties -- Lulas Workers Party chief among them. Lula denies charges But while many Brazilians welcome the long-overdue clean-up, the uncertainty is hobbling their countrys struggle to exit from a historic recession. The verdict against Lula all but rules him out of the running for next years presidential election, said Capital Economics, an economic analysis firm. It said the courts decision was likely to give a near-term boost to Brazilian markets as the likelihood waned of Lula, a former union leader, returning to power and quashing needed economic reforms championed by Temer. Lula has repeatedly denied taking any bribes during or after his presidency. He has described the investigation against him as a campaign to prevent his return to power. The Workers Party called Lulas conviction and sentence an attack on democracy and Brazils constitution, accusing the judge of bias. Lula was serene upon receiving the news, though he felt a natural indignation, like anyone convicted without proof, said one of his lawyers, Cristiano Zanin Martins. Another lawyer, Valeska Zanin Martins, added: They want to leave Lula out of the presidential race, and Lula leads the polls. The conviction focused on allegations that Lula received the triplex apartment and cash as bribes from one of Brazils biggest construction companies, OAS. The judge ordered that the apartment be confiscated. Between the crimes of corruption and money laundering, there are sufficient grounds for sentences totaling nine years and six months of incarceration, Moro said in his verdict. Political fallout The sentence by Moro -- whose wide popularity in Brazil for his anti-corruption work has prompted some to see him as a possible presidential candidate -- fed into broader political ructions in Brazil. Lulas chosen successor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached and booted from office last year, with Temer, her vice president, taking over. Two weeks ago, Moro sentenced an influential minister in the Lula and Rousseff governments, Antonio Palocci, to 12 years in prison for corruption. Palocci played a central role in the Car Wash scheme, most of which unfolded when Lulas Workers Party was in power from 2003 to 2016. Prosecutors said Palocci was a pointman in the flow of bribes between the Odebrecht construction group and intermediaries of the Workers Party, laundering more than $10 million used for party campaign finances. Odebrecht, an industrial conglomerate with projects around the world, named Palocci the Italian in its list of code names for politicians regularly taking bribes in exchange for lucrative contracts with Petrobras and other favors. The apartment bribe is one of five corruption cases stacked against Lula. Others include allegations that Odebrecht gave $3.7 million to Lula so he could buy land to build the Lula Institution highlighting his political legacy, and that he received a kickback in Brazils purchase of Swedish warplanes. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but soon descended into war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir fired his deputy Riek Machar, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often along ethnic lines. Supporters on both sides of the conflict, have taken hostilities to the Internet, using Facebook and Twitter to take each other on with posts that are sometimes deemed hate speech. Murals made by members of the Ana Taban collective, are seen on walls in Juba, South Sudan. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) Enter Ana Taban, meaning Im tired in Arabic, a group of young musicians, fashion designers and poets who are using art and culture as a path towards peace. Ayak Chol Deng, 31, an epidemiologist, spoken word poet, activist, and a founding member of Ana Taban, poses for a photograph at her home in Juba, South Sudan., April 20, 2017. Deng was born in a refugee camp in Gambela, briefly lived in Cuba as a child, and then studied and lived in Kharoum, Sudan and Nairobi, Kenya. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) I hope for better serviced institutions, better opportunities for youth, a country where I dont need to be from a specific tribe, said Deng. In one of her poems, she writes: Heal this spirit thats broken, piece together pieces of me, my affiliation, or tongue, colour, politics, restore whats human in me, peace, come find me, enrich this fist choking, un-taint my disputes, resonating, unhinge my words, elevating, unleash a conciliation, everlasting, peace, come find me. Youths attend an open mic event organised by Ana Taban at Aggrey Jaden Cultural Centre & Cinema, in Juba, South Sudan. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) The group holds regular open-air performances around the capital Juba and in other towns to call for peace and to educate their fellow citizens on the need for a non-violent resolution of the conflict that has cost thousands of lives. Meen Mabior Meen, (stage name Menimen), 30, a rap musician and a founding member of Ana Taban, sits next to the crib of his new born child, in Juba, South Sudan. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) Meen Mabior Meen, 30, a rap musician and founding member of Ana Taban, said it is a platform for the youth to tackle issues that can change the country. Meen started singing in 2000, in Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya, together with his cousin Juk Mayiik, who was killed during the fighting in July 2016 in Juba. He returned to South Sudan in 2007. Abul Oyay, 30, a painter and a student in Peace and Conflict Studies and a founding member of Ana Taban, poses for a portrait in her home in Nairobi, Kenya. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) Such powerful aspirations are also attracting people outside of the country to the group, at #Anataban, in order to play their role in encouraging peace. Winnie Godi, 25, a designer and member of Ana Taban, poses for a photograph at one of her favourite places, Jebel Lodge, in Juba, South Sudan. (REUTERS) They include Abul Oyay, 30, a university student in neighbouring Kenya and Winnie Godi, 25, a designer and member of Ana Taban, whose last collection was presented at Nairobi International Fashion Festival and called Anataban Collection. Apart from performance art, street art such as murals are a tool used by the Ana Taban collective to highlight the concerns of young South Sudanese people about their homeland. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) A word cloud mural calling for peace and an end to violence made by members of Ana Taban is seen on a wall in Juba, South Sudan. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) Ana Tabans members do not limit themselves to theatrical performances. Bright murals with messages calling for peace, created by its members, can be seen on walls around Juba. Jacob Bul Bior, 28, a radio and theatre actor was born in South Sudan and left for Kakuma in Kenya, when he was four. He moved back to South Sudan in 2007. Together with Woyee Film & Theatre, he made civic education films and theatre, showing people how to vote during the referendum. (Andreea Campeanu / Reuters) We are focused on bringing the country together, bringing people together. We are neutral, we are non-partisan, said Jacob Bul Bior, 28, a radio and theatre actor. India on Thursday snubbed Chinas offer to mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue, saying New Delhi was willing to hold negotiations with Islamabad. The external affairs ministry maintained that cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the heart of the matter as it threatened peace and stability in the region. The ministrys strong reaction to Beijing came a day after its foreign ministry put out Chinas offer to play a constructive role in improving the Indo-Pak ties, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC). We have been ready to have dialogues with Pakistan in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues, including the Kashmir issue, in a bilateral framework has not changed, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters. (But) at the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India, including on the people of Jammu and Kashmir. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular source is threatening peace and stability not only in India but in other neighbouring countries, he said. Baglay also rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying the country is against the use of chemical weapon anywhere by anyone in any situation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says its important to keep talking with President Donald Trump even where there are clear differences. Merkel said at a news conference Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron that last weeks G-20 summit showed common ground, for instance on fighting terrorism, but we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not. She added: We did not paper over these differences, but nevertheless contact, the ability to speak is of course important. Macron said Germany and France agree on the importance of close ties with the United States, despite the differences. Trump is currently in Paris to mark Bastille Day and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I. During a hunger strike days before the Chinese army crushed the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement on June 4, 1989, the man who would become Chinas best known dissident, Liu Xiaobo, declared: We have no enemies. When being tried in 2009 on charges of inciting subversion of state power for helping write Charter 08 - a pro-democracy manifesto calling for an end to one-party rule - Liu reaffirmed: I have no enemies and no hatred. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison that same year, drawing protests from the United States, many European governments and rights groups, which condemned the stiff sentence and called for his early release. Liu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. The Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland (L) puts the diploma on the empty chair where Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo should sit during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, December 10, 2010. (Reuters) Liu, 61, died on Thursday of multiple organ failure, the government of the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang said. He was being treated in a hospital there, having been admitted in June after being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer. His wife, Liu Xia, had told Reuters previously that her husband wanted to dedicate the Nobel prize to those who died in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. He said this prize should go to all the victims of June 4, Liu Xia said, after she was allowed to visit him in jail following the announcement of the prize. He felt sad, quite upset. He cried. He felt it was hard to deal with. Liu Xia had been living under house arrest since her husband won the Nobel prize, but had been allowed to visit him in prison about once a month. She suffers from depression. She was allowed to be with him in the hospital where he spent his last days. This file handout photo released by the Liu's 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 Xiaobo died on July 13, 2017, aged 61, official said. (AFP PHOTO / LIU FAMILY HANDOUT) Charter 08 Liu had been a thorn in Beijings side since 1989, when he helped negotiate a deal to allow protesters to leave Tiananmen Square before troops and tanks rolled in. Using the law to promote rights can only have a limited impact when the judiciary is not independent, Liu told Reuters in 2006, when he was under house arrest, in comments typical of those that have angered the government. Charter 08 alarmed the Communist Party more for the 350 signatures - dignitaries from all walks of life he collected than its content, political analysts said. The manifesto was modelled on the Charter 77 petition that became a rallying call for the human rights movement in communist Czechoslovakia in 1977. Liu had ceaselessly campaigned for the rights of the Tiananmen Mothers of victims of the crackdown. He was much better known abroad than at home due to a government ban on internet and state media discussion of the Tiananmen protests, and of him, aside from the odd editorial condemning him. Prominent dissident intellectual Liu Xiaobo pictured during a March 5, 1995 interview. (Reuters) Liu was considered a moderate by fellow dissidents and international rights groups. But they say the Communist Party is insecure and paranoid, fearing anyone or anything that it perceives as a threat to stability. In 2003, Liu wrote an essay, calling for the embalmed corpse of Chairman Mao Zedong to be removed from a mausoleum on Tiananmen Square. Mao is still a demigod to many in China. Over the years, Liu won numerous human rights and free speech awards from organisations including Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Hong Kongs Human Rights Press Awards. His books have been published in Germany, Japan, the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hero to some, traitor to others A hero to many in the West, Liu was branded a traitor by Chinese nationalists. He had come under fire from nationalists for his comments in a 2006 interview with Hong Kongs now-defunct Open magazine in which he said China would need 300 years of colonisation for it to become like what Hong Kong is today. The government considered him a criminal. For Liu Xiaobo, whatever the United States says or does is right, and whatever the Communist Party says or does is wrong, a source with ties to the leadership said. Its too absolute, said the source, who declined to be identified. Lius critics were suspicious of the motives of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, noting that Liu praised the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. He had also been taken to task domestically because non-governmental organisations he headed received funding from the US National Endowment for Democracy. The third of five boys, Liu was born in Changchun, capital of the northeastern province of Jilin, on Dec. 29, 1955. His father, Liu Ling, taught Chinese literature at Northeast Normal University. His mother worked at a kindergarten affiliated with the university. In 1970, at age 15, Liu was with his parents when they were sent to a labour camp in the region of Inner Mongolia at the height of the Cultural Revolution. Liu worked briefly as a plasterer at a state-owned construction company in Changchun in 1976. After the Cultural Revolution, China resumed national university entrance examinations which Liu passed. He earned his bachelors degree in Chinese literature from Jilin University and obtained his masters and doctorate degrees from Beijing Normal University. Indian high commissioner YK Sinha told an event of the Indian-Jewish Association on Wednesday that there is one fountainhead, one epicentre of terrorism, adding that India-Israel cooperation on terror was an example for the international community. Speaking at the annual event of the association, Sinha did not name any country but recalled events in Indias neighbourhood to say that there are those who believe in promoting terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Israels ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev counted at least 10 commonalities between the two countries, and said that unlike Europe, there was no history of hatred towards the Jewish people in India. On the recent attacks on Amarnath pilgrims, Sinha said: These sort of dastardly acts are not only confined to India. I know that Israel has borne the brunt of terrorism, even the UK has. But here in the UK we are careful in what we say and whom we blame for these attacks. But we are clear in our minds where these attacks originate. There is one fountainhead, one epicentre of terrorism, it is important that everybody recognises that. Global cooperation in tackling the menace of terrorism is extremely important. John Levy, co-chairman of the association, called Modis recent visit to Israel a joyous encounter and said the Indian and Israel diaspora with umbilical links to their mother countries faced similar challenges in the United Kingdom. Dolar Popat, member of the House of Lords, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel as the chief minister of Gujarat and introduced Israels technology in the area of agriculture and irrigation in the state. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Islamabad said on Thursday it is reviewing New Delhis request for granting a visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav, the former Indian Navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged involvement in espionage. Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told a weekly news briefing, The pending visa application of Jadhavs mother is currently under review. He did not say when a decision is likely in the matter. Jadhavs mother, Avantika Jadhav, had submitted a visa application at the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi soon after her son was sentenced to death in April. She also sent a mercy petition and an appeal for her son to be freed to the Pakistan government through the Indian mission in Islamabad. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has written a personal letter to Sartaj Aziz, Pakistans foreign policy chief, about her visa application. On Monday, Swaraj used strong words to hit out at Aziz for not having the courtesy even to acknowledge her letter. During a news briefing in New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said there was no progress on Indias request for consular access to Jadhav. Friends of Kulbhushan Jadhav react after he was given a stay of execution in the neighbourhood where he grew up in Mumbai on May 18, 2017. (AFP) The Indian government has not heard from Pakistan through diplomatic channels on the request for a visa for Jadhavs mother, he added. Baglay was responding to a question about the Pakistan Foreign Offices comment that the visa request was being considered. Pakistan has repeatedly turned down Indias requests for consular access to Jadhav. At the briefing in Islamabad, Zakaria expressed regret at what he described as Indias strict restrictions on granting visas to Pakistanis who wanted to travel to India for medical treatment. Under new Indian rules, medical visas will be issued only if the applications are endorsed by Sartaj Aziz, the prime ministers advisor on foreign affairs. Pakistan says Jadhav, 47, is an Indian intelligence operative who was arrested in Balochistan province in March last year. Following a secret trial by a military court, he was sentenced to death in April. School children in Moradabad sending wishes to Kulbhushan Jadhav at the time when his case was being heard at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. (PTI) India has dismissed the allegations of espionage and involvement in subversive activities levelled against Jadhav. New Delhi says the former naval officer was kidnapped from the Iranian port city of Chabahar, where he was running a business. In May, the International Court of Justice stayed Jadhavs execution till it decides on Indias application that his death sentence should be annulled. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday refused to resign despite demands for his exit in the wake of a damning report by the Panama case probe panel that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. While addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, Sharif, 67, termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of allegations and speculations, Dawn Online reported. Pointing to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, Sharif said: The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post. Sharif claimed that his family earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot. The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves, Sharif said and announced that that he would not resign on demands of conspirers. According to the paper, the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif familys business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 ordinance 1999. The decision to convene Thursdays meeting was taken during an informal meeting at the prime ministers house. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. After facing ridicule and more for coming across as a robot-like politician during the June election, the human face of Prime Minister Theresa May was turned full on as she admitted she shed a little tear on losing not only the election but also her partys majority. A leading commentator called her Maybot, while her oft-repeated phrases such as strong and stable, Brexit means Brexit and enough is enough were lampooned, prompting campaign managers to change course. But May told BBC on Thursday that when her husband, Philip May, told her the exit poll result on the night of June 8, it came as a complete shockIt took a few minutes to sink inwe didnt see the result coming. My husband gave me a hug," she said, adding that she cried a little tear. The prime minister said she did not watch the exit poll herself, as I have a little bit of superstition about things like that. May had called the mid-term election on June 8 in the hope of winning a larger majority than the slender one the Conservatives had won in the 2015 election, but ended up losing it, and having to enter into a controversial coalition with the Democratic Unionist Party to stay in power. In keeping with the new political reality, May has made conciliatory gestures since, hoping to win support from other parties in parliament for key measures such as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which was published on Thursday. The bill seeks to transpose European law into British law after leaving the European Union, expected in March 2019. The bill is scheduled for discussion in parliament in the autumn, and is expected to face several amendments from Labour and other parties. May said in the BBC interview that it was devastating to watch people she had worked with for years lose their seats, but added: I didn't consider stepping down because I felt there was a responsibility to ensure that the country still had a government. She said she did not regret calling the election because I think it was the right thing to do at the time, but wished she had put across a more positive message during the campaign and, in particular, addressed the concerns of young people. May said she had increased respect for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was often targeted by the party since his election as leader in 2010. She said she was impressed with the way he had reacted to the terror attack at Finsbury Park in his constituency. I saw a Jeremy Corbyn there who was a good constituency MP, working with those people, she said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A magnitude 5.9 earthquake off North Korea jolted watchers of the countrys weapons development on Thursday but experts say it was not caused by a nuclear test. Analysts say North Korea needs to conduct another atomic test explosion to perfect a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental US. On July 4, Pyongyang test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. 4. North Koreas five previous nuclear tests caused signs of artificial quakes. Heres what experts say about the quake: Natural event First off, the quake was centred far offshore and very deep while North Koreas past nuclear tests were conducted on land. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake struck 187 km southeast of the northern port city of Chongjin. The epicentre was 559 km below the seabed. Cho Ik-hyun at South Koreas state weather agency said the depth shows it was a natural event, too deep for a possible nuclear blast. Natural earthquakes create different seismic patterns from ones caused by humans. South Koreas defence ministry said there was no indication that North Korea had carried out a nuclear test. No damage Cho said any earthquake deeper than 70 km normally causes little damage on the surface. Even if a ship was sailing over the epicentre at the time of the quake, it wouldnt have noticed anything, Cho said. Earthquakes are rare on the Korean Peninsula, unlike in neighbouring Japan. Two quakes measuring 5.1 and 5.8 jolted southeastern South Korea on September 12, causing no casualties. A Russian court sentenced a man convicted of murdering opposition leader Boris Nemtsov to 20 years in jail on Thursday and handed terms of between 11 and 19 years to four other men convicted of being his accomplices. Nemtsov, one of President Vladimir Putins most vocal critics, was murdered in 2015 as he walked across a bridge near the Kremlin after dining with his girlfriend. Aged 55, he had been working on a report examining Russias role in the conflict in Ukraine. His killing sent a chill through opposition circles. The same court last month found the five men guilty of killing Nemtsov, but the late politicians allies said the investigation had been a cover-up and that the people who had ordered his killing remained at large. The court handed the longest sentence, of 20 years, to Zaur Dadayev, a former soldier in Chechnya and the man state prosecutors said pulled the trigger. The other four Chechen men convicted of being his accomplices received jail sentences ranging from 11 to 19 years. The shortcoming of this sentencing is that those who ordered and organised this crime are not in the dock, said Vadim Prokhorov, a lawyer for Nemtsovs daughter Zhanna. State prosecutors said the group had followed Nemtsov around the Russian capital and had been promised a bounty of 15 million roubles ($249,169.44) between them for the high-profile assassination. Shamsudin Tsakayev, Dadayevs lawyer, told Reuters after the sentencing that there was incontrovertible proof that his client had not committed the crime. US secretary of state Rex Tillerson held talks on Wednesday with four Arab states boycotting Qatar as part of a round of intense shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the regional crisis. Tillerson flew into Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman, whose country is leading a four-state alliance that has cut ties with Qatar over accusations that it supports extremism. He then began talks with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an attempt to mend fences between the crucial US allies. In a setback to his efforts, the four Arab states on Tuesday quickly dismissed a counter-terrorism deal signed between Qatar and the United States as insufficient. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washingtons top diplomat. While US President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the state department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson is seeking to broker a diplomatic solution. Tillerson, who is spending much of this week in the Gulf seeking to end the dispute, passed on greetings from President Trump at his audience with King Salman at the royal court in Jeddah. He wanted to ensure that I extend to you his warmest regards, Tillerson told the Saudi ruler. The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the worlds oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US militarys largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. US President Donald Trumps Middle East peace envoy said Thursday Israel would supply the Palestinians with millions of cubic metres of water annually, as Washington seeks to build confidence for fresh negotiations. Jason Greenblatt hailed an important step forward in a wider regional water deal, as Israel announced it would provide more than 32 million cubic metres of water to the Palestinians annually. Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East. The United States welcomes the agreement reached by the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel which will allow for the sale of up to 33 million cubic metres of water from Israel to the PA, Greenblatt said at a signing ceremony in Jerusalem. Israels Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi and Mazin Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, also attended. Palestinians suffer from water shortages and say the unequal distribution of water resources favours Israel. The deal announced Thursday is part of a wider water project involving the Red and Dead Seas to be developed over the next five years, but the Palestinians are likely to begin receiving water from it before then, Hanegbi said. It came after Greenblatt helped broker an agreement between the two sides on the price and quantities of water, as well as where the connection points will be. The deal is supposed to ease water scarcity in the Palestinian territories, including in the Gaza Strip, where more than 95 percent of water is undrinkable. Ghunaim said 22 million cubic metres would go to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while a further 10 million would go to Gaza. This will reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people which has been worsened by the beginning of summer and the crises that they are living through, he said. The deal is part of a pre-existing plan to link the Dead Sea and the Red Sea by pipes in Jordan. The plan would also seek to reverse the disappearing of the Dead Sea, which sinks by about a metre a year according to Israeli officials. The primary cause is overuse of water upstream. In 2013, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians signed a memorandum of understanding on the water project that included plans to build a desalination plant at the Red Sea. Hanegbi said the wider agreement was the most ambitious in the history of the region. It will supply (a) significant amount of water to Jordan, to Israel and to the Palestinians. Greenblatt is seeking to restart peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, stalled since talks collapsed in 2014, with Trump saying he wants to reach the ultimate deal. There is however heavy scepticism over whether meaningful talks can be held now, with 82-year-old Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas unpopular and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heading what is seen as the most right-wing government in his countrys history. jod/mjs/ah A key Congressional panel is set to consider a proposal that could impose tougher riders on US civil and military aid to Pakistan and make such assistance conditional to Islamabad showing satisfactory progress in the fight against terrorism. The tougher language on Pakistan forms part of the 2018 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations draft bill which will be considered by the House Appropriations Committee later on Thursday. The bill provides $47.4 billion in both regular discretionary and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. This is $10 billion below the fiscal year 2017 enacted level, when counting additional funds provided in the Security Assistance Appropriations Act of 2017. Within this amount, the OCO funding totals $12 billion, which supports operations and assistance in areas of conflict such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In the wake of ever-growing international threats and challenges -- such as North Koreas recent missile test -- it is more important than ever for the US to invest in robust diplomatic and global efforts to ensure stability around the world and the security of our nation and our allies, House Appropriations Committee chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said. This bill will target funding to where its needed the most, ensure US dollars are being put to good use to expand democracy and peace, and provide critical humanitarian assistance in war-torn, disaster-affected, and impoverished areas of the world, he said. The draft bill circulated among the members of the House Appropriations Committee says that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act under the headings Economic Support Fund, International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, and Foreign Military Financing Programme for assistance for the Pakistani government may be made available unless the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees that Islamabad is taking action against terrorist groups. As per the draft, the Secretary of State is asked to certify that Pakistan is cooperating with the United States in counter-terrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura Taliban, Lashkar e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, al- Qaeda, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations, including taking effective steps to end support for such groups and prevent them from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross border attacks into neighbouring countries. The Secretary of State is also required to certify that Pakistan is not supporting terrorist activities against United States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, and Pakistans military and intelligence agencies are not intervening extra- judicially into political and judicial processes in Pakistan. The certification needs to include that Pakistan is not financing or otherwise supporting schools supported by, affiliated with, or run by the Taliban or any designated foreign terrorist organisation and that Islamabad is preventing the proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise. While the Secretary of State has the authority to waive of these conditions in the name of national interest, the draft bill says that funds appropriated by this Act under the heading Foreign Military Financing Programme for assistance for Pakistan may be made available only to support counter- terrorism and counter-insurgency capabilities in Pakistan. This means that Pakistan would be able to get F-16 fighter jets with American aid. In a statement, State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee chairman Hal Rogers said the US maintains its global leadership position through iron-clad diplomatic partnerships, a strong national defence, and unwavering efforts to fight terrorism and transnational crime. Our ability to continue investments in diplomacy and development, alongside our military, makes our nation stronger and safer, Rogers said. This bill provides robust funding to support our allies and partners in the fight against terrorism and countering Russian aggression, prioritises resources needed to keep US personnel safe, and strengthens oversight measures to provide accountability to the US taxpayer, he said. The United States formally declared on Thursday it wants to renegotiate its free trade agreement with South Korea, as the worlds biggest economy seeks to redraw the global commerce system in its favour under President Donald Trump. Trump railed against trade agreements on the campaign trail, blaming them for the loss of American jobs as he courted support from working class voters, while supporters say that removing barriers to business increases prosperity overall. He has already pulled the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposal led by the Obama administration to create the worlds biggest trade pact, which was signed in February last year but never went into force. And talks are due to start next month on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, after Trump backed down from a threat to withdraw unilaterally from the pact, which has boosted industry and created tight manufacturing, agriculture and business links throughout the region. The US free trade agreement with South Korea, known as KORUS, went into force in March 2012, since when Washington says its trade deficit with the country has more than doubled, from $13.2 billion in 2011 to $27.6 billion last year. Seoul puts the 2016 figure at $23.2 billion. Chart showing US-South Korea merchandise trade 2006-2016. (AFP) In a statement, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer said he had called a joint committee meeting under KORUS to start the process of negotiating to remove barriers to US trade and consider needed amendments to the agreement. Trump has described KORUS as a horrible deal for the US, and in a letter to South Koreas trade minister, Lighthizer said there were problems regarding market access in Korea for US exports and Washington wanted to see a more balanced trade relationship. The joint committee should meet next month in Washington, he added. Seoul reacted sceptically, with the ministry of trade, industry and energy saying in a statement that the deal could only be changed by mutual agreement. Under the FTA, it is not necessarily obligatory for our side to comply with the US proposal for amending the FTA, it said in a statement. First of all, it added, officials should study, analyse and assess the effect of the KORUS FTA and determine whether the FTA should be blamed for the trade imbalance. Deeply entwined relationship Trade is only one part of the deeply entwined relationship between South Korea and the United States, which are in a security alliance. More than 28,000 US troops are stationed in the South to protect it against nuclear-armed North Korea, which last week for the first time successfully tested a missile that could reach Alaska. The Trump administration is seeking tougher United Nations sanctions against the North -- which has vast artillery firepower within range of Seoul -- and says it is keeping its military options open. Trump has also assailed Tokyo, another Asian security ally, over trade. Japan, Australia and New Zealand are leading efforts by the remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership countries, the so-called TPP 11, to resuscitate the agreement, convinced it will lock in future free trade and strengthen labour rights and environmental protections. The original 12-nation TPP covered 40 percent of the global economy and was in part crafted as a counterweight to the burgeoning economic might of China before Trump abruptly abandoned it in January to meet his campaign pledges. In his statement on KORUS, Lighthizer said: President Trump continues to keep his promises to lower our trade deficit and negotiate better trade deals for American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses. Nasa on Wednesday released a series of stunning images of a raging storm on Jupiter, known as the Great Red Spot, snapped earlier this week as an unmanned probe zipped by. The US space agencys Juno spacecraft flew over the storm late Monday, offering humanitys closest look yet at the iconic feature of our solar systems largest planet. For hundreds of years scientists have been observing, wondering and theorizing about Jupiters Great Red Spot, said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Now we have the best pictures ever. This combination of images shot by Juno, which successfully peered into the giant storm raging on Jupiter, known as the Great Red Spot on July 11, 2017. Scientists have been monitoring the storm since 1830. (AFP PHOTO /NASA/SWRI/MSSS) The pictures can be viewed at https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/processing The Great Red Spot is a storm that has been monitored since 1830 and has possibly existed for more than 350 years. It measured 16,350 kilometers wide on April 3 of this year, which is 1.3 times the size of the Earth. In modern times, it has appeared to be shrinking. Scientists hope to learn more about what drives the storm, and Bolton said it would take some time to analyse the data captured by Junos eight instruments as it passed over the tempest a height of 9,000 kilometers. Juno launched in 2011 and began orbiting Jupiter last year. Its next flyby is planned for early September. The Great Red Spot on Jupiter was captured by the unmanned Juno Spacecraft on its flyby. My latest Jupiter flyby is complete! said a post on the @NASAJuno Twitter account. (AFP/NASA/SWRI/MSSS) These highly-anticipated images of Jupiters Great Red Spot are the perfect storm of art and science, said Jim Green, Nasas director of planetary science. We are pleased to share the beauty and excitement of space science with everyone. Juno reached perijove the point at which an orbit comes closest to Jupiters centre on July 10. At the time of perijove, Juno was 3,500 kilometres above the planets cloud tops. Eleven minutes and 33 seconds later, Juno covered another 39,771 kilometres, and passed directly above the coiling crimson cloud tops of the Great Red Spot. During these flybys, Juno is probing beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and studying its auroras to learn more about the planets origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Early science results from Nasas Juno mission portray the largest planet in our solar system as a turbulent world, with an intriguingly complex interior structure, energetic polar aurora, and huge polar cyclones. The social media revolution has been a godsend for pulling scattered bands of brothersforged decades ago in Vietnamback together again. Once the long line of passengers ahead of me finished fumbling with stowing their carry-on luggage in the overhead bins and sitting down, I at last reached my aisle seat near the center of the plane. I sat down, buckled in and exchanged hellos with the young man sitting in the seat next to me. I then closed my eyes in preparation for my normal routine of falling asleep even before the plane leaves the ground. This day was different, however. I was too excited to sleep. Forty-two years ago, I had met some exceptional young men. We were all part of a rifle company humping the jungles of Vietnam. Now, in a matter of hours I would be seeing 18 of them at a reunion in Myrtle Beach, S.C. I knew they would have aged, but in my minds eye they would still be the brave young warriors who did their duty in a nasty war they didnt totally understand. And through it all, they bonded as brothers, placing their lives in each others hands. I was proud to be one of them. When the plane reached cruising altitude and the pilot finished welcoming us aboard, I began a conversation with the young man beside me. His name was Jason, an engineer from Atlanta who was heading home following a business trip to Los Angeles.When he asked me where I was going, I told him about meeting up with some men I served with in Vietnam. We read about Vietnam in high school, he said, but I didnt learn much. There were only four or five paragraphs about it in our history book.That amazed me. How could a 10-year war that changed the United States in so many ways rate less than a half-dozen paragraphs? I decided to tell Jason as much about the hows and whys of the war as best I understood them, and what I had observed from my ringside seat. When I finished, Jason wanted to know how the men felt about the war. They didnt want to be there,I answered. They were a long way from home in a hot, dangerous place full of bad smells, bugs and snakes. Every step they took, they didnt know if it would be their last. Yet in spite of all the uncertainty, the camaraderie we built among each other is what kept most of us going. We knew we had each others back. Our conversation was interrupted by a flight attendant asking us what wed like to drink. We soon fell into silence. Jason closed his eyes, and I stared ahead, lost in thought about how the reunion only came about because of a website for veterans that Id happened upon. TogetherWeServed.com is an exclusive website where retired and active-duty men and women can reconnect and bond. Its also a place where Ive met some really great people. The first time I signed on, I was surprised how easy it was to navigate, and within a couple of days I had found six old Army buddies.When people become members, they are encouraged to fill their profile page with as much information as they can about their military and personal history including unit assignments, awards, schools attended and military and personal photos. To capitalize on this powerful search capacity, I filled out my profile on both the Marine Corps and Army sites as completely as possible. I had joined the U.S. Marine Corps after high school in 1956, then joined the Army as an infantry second lieutenant in 1966, during the height of the Vietnam War. Following a year of selected training, I was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in 1967. My first four months was on A-Team 101. The rest of my tour was with Project Delta, a special operations unit running small reconnaissance teams deep in enemy-held territory. My second tour started in 1969, when I was a rifle company commander of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). In May 1970, we operated in Cambodia. In 1984 I retired as a lieutenant colonel and jumped into a career as a writer and documentary filmmaker. With my data uploaded to my profile, it wasnt long before a whole lot of old Army friends began contacting me, most of whom I had served with in Vietnam. After months of exchanging emails and messages with my Vietnam comrades over the Together We Served (TWS) message center, the idea of holding a reunion began to take shape. A lot of enthusiasm and the beginning of some planning started the momentum. The final shove, however, came from somewhere else. One day, I got a TWS message from an unknown veteran. He wrote that he had been a member of our company when it arrived in Vietnam in 1965, and for the past eight years, the original members had been meeting for reunions every two years. He wanted to open up the next reunion, to be held in Myrtle Beach, to all veterans from all years who had served in the company. I wrote back that we would be there and got busy getting the word out. Reflecting on how it all came about, I was struck by the versatility of the TWS website. It doesnt just bring together long-lost friends; its actually a national archive where millions of stories and photos are posted, and with each, a lasting legacy of Americas military heritage. Whenever I get the chance, I like to search for photos and stories posted by vets who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The detail some of the veterans have posted never fails to amaze me. It is better than a history book because its personal and because these living, breathing scrapbooks come straight from the gut and the heart. The postings by friends and relatives honoring the men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice are the ones that get me the most. Inspired by the firsthand accounts written by others, I began making a detailed history of the Vietnam War. So far I have posted more than 200 photos and stories, beginning with the French occupation and ending with the fall of Saigon in 1975. Its still a work in progress, but eventually it will include all major battles and end with a modern Vietnam, which has become one of our nations friends and trading partners. What Vietnam veteran would have ever dreamed of that happening?! On the plane, as I was musing about why I love Together We Served, I fell asleep. The next thing I felt was the plane leveling off and the pilot telling us we would be landing shortly. The head flight attendant got on the horn with some gate numbers for connecting flights and thanked us for flying the airline. The plane landed at the Atlanta airport and parked at a gate. Walking off the plane, I said goodbye to Jason and headed for the gate for my flight to Myrtle Beach. Two hours later, the commuter plane landed. I called the hotel where I would be staying and where the reunion was being held. In a matter of minutes, a van picked me up. The excitement and anticipation was growing as I realized that within minutes, I would be coming face-to-face with some of my combat buddies after more than four decades. They understood better than anyone else about what Vietnam meant because they were there; they shared in the experience too. No doubt William Shakespeare had men like us in mind when he wrote in Henry V, We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. Michael B. Christy has written and produced a number of documentaries for cable networks including A&E and The History Channel and is a frequent contributor to Vietnam. Originally published in the April 2013 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. Counting the Years LAST MEMORIAL DAY AT the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, President Barack Obama launched the Department of Defense program to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. On the stage that day were Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former senator and Vietnam veteran Chuck Hagel, both of whom joined the president in honoring the sacrifices of the millions of Americans who served in Vietnamthose whose names are on The Wall that stood behind them and those who survived the war. Recently, Senator Hagel was tapped by Secretary Panetta to serve as chair of the 50th anniversary commemorations advisory committee. Vietnam magazine, which is marking its 25th year of publication, and its parent company, Weider History Group, are honored to be one of the first United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration partnersand the very first media partner. In that role, Vietnam looks forward to working with General Claude Kicklighter, who currently heads the 50th commemoration, and his staff, during the 13-year-long anniversary period. Since the founding of Vietnam 25 years ago by Army Colonel Harry Summers Jr.whom General Kicklighter knew well and worked alongside in Saigon in 1975 during the final tumultuous days of the warwe have always sought to present the many truths of the war. Among those truths is the fact that those who served in that troubled and unpopular war did so with honor and at great sacrifice. Vietnam veterans are the equal of any who have fought for their country and are deserving of this nations recognition and appreciation. Alas, for many who served in Vietnam, this recognition comes too late, but a major thrust of the effort is aimed at reaching and recognizing the family members of all Vietnam veterans, whether their loved ones perished in the war or since, or are among the millions of vets living in virtually every community in the country. The commemoration has therefore been designed to be a grassroots effort involving thousands of communities, institutions and organizations and engaging them in meaningful activities that recognize and honor Vietnam vets and the sacrifices of all who serve our country. In the months and years ahead, Vietnam will join with General Kicklighter and his team to reach out and enlist the support of a grateful nation. And we mark another anniversary in this issue. It has been 45 years since a critical turning point in the war, the 1968 Tet Offensive, and contributor Rod Paschall reminds us that a military catastrophe in Saigon was averted largely thanks to the quick reaction teams of military police augmented by an assortment of personnel thrown together from Brig. Gen. Albin Irzyks U.S. Armys Headquarters Area Command. And, in this issues portfolio, soldiers, journalists and photographers select the single image that, in their minds eye, best represents Tet to them. Originally published in the February 2013 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. Tet Pix Fix The caption to the picture on page 33 (Tet in the Minds Eye) in the February issue misidentifies the U.S. adviser carrying the ARVN Ranger, who had been shot in both feet, as 1st Lt. Gary D. Jackson. It is actually me, Captain Robert A. Reitz, senior adviser to the 35th Ranger Battalion, ARVN. Gary, who had joined me on Jan. 27, 1968, was engaged in fighting at Phu Tho Racetrack at the time. He was severely wounded on February 9. He passed away in 1975 as a result of his wounds. Robert A. Reitz Talking Rock, Ga. Editors note: When AP photographer Dang Van Phuocs photo of Reitz first appeared in Newsweek in 1968, Reitz was simply identified as a GI. Subsequent publication of the picture had identified Reitz as Gary Jackson. The AP has now corrected the photos caption information. From Hue With Love I truly enjoyed the article Tet in the Minds Eye in the February issue. I had my own personal combat experiences during Tet, and I appreciated the many points of view explaining the mostly iconic photographs of that time. The only exception to my enjoyment was the (maybe innocent?) antiwar editorializing that Dick Swanson wrote about the house-to-house fighting that we experienced in Hue City. Mr. Swanson chose the Life photo of the Alfa Company, 1st Tank Battalion Headquarters blade tank (A-52) as it ferried wounded Marines to an aid station. To correct Mr. Swanson, the house-to-house combat was not futile, other than in the fact that the U.S. military did not properly prepare its Marines in Hue or soldiers in Saigon in the most effective techniques of urban combat. With regard to unspeakable horrors of war, if the United States and its allies had not drawn the line in the sand in Vietnam, perhaps todays world would be under the jackboot of Russian-inspired communism. The famous photo of the Marines crowding behind the tank in Hue City, which appeared on Vietnams table of contents page, has more of a story than your caption told. The tank was an M-67A2 flamethrower commanded by Corporal Charles West and driven by Lance Cpl. Bradford Goodin. The tanks designation was F-32 and the name painted on the gun tube was Toy u ahn, which is Vietnamese for I Love You. Several days after this photo was taken, West was wounded in action and I then joined the crew. When the fighting on the south side of the Perfume River was over, we changed the name of the tank to Crispy Critters. John Wear New Hope, Pa. Tet: Winning While Losing Thanks for the interview with my fellow Texas Aggie James Willbanks and for Lien Hang T. Nguyens War for Peace article on the peace negotiations in Paris in your February edition. I found both articles insightful, but I was also struck by the lack of emphasis in each on the full impact of the Tet Offensive on North Vietnams leadership. For deeper insight on this, one should carefully study the interviews of NVA Colonel Bui Tin in the Wall Street Journal (Aug. 3, 1995). Bui served as General Vo Nguyen Giaps military secretary, and he also took the surrender of Saigon in 1975. His discussions with U.S. Army Colonel Harry Summers at the Paris Peace Talks are also enlightening. Bui acknowledges that Tet was initially seen as a disastrous and costly loss by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam leadership because of the huge and debilitating NVA losses, and the fact that the Viet Cong movement was decimated and that consideration was being given to purging and liquidating Giap as the scapegoat. That, according to Bui Tin, would be followed by a general withdrawal of NVA forces from South Vietnam, and long-term and quiet covert efforts to replace and rebuild the cadres of the Viet Cong movement. This thinking was reinforced by the fact that Giap had tried the same simultaneous uprising offensive strategy against the French in 1950, and had failed completely, also with significant losses. So in essence, North Vietnam was about to suspend hostilities in the immediate post-Tet period. Then Walter Cronkite declared Tet was an American defeat, and that the war wasunwinnable.The radicals in the streets and the press bolstered those notions in the United States. In North Vietnam, Giap was saved from his disgrace and restored as a heroic figure. If there are lessons to learn in this version of history, it is, first, that victory often comes to the side that does not blink when both sides are on the ropes; and second, war is not about high-tech superiority, it is and will always be about national will. Wayne Long Chester, Md. Catching Lightning Bugs I really enjoyed the article on the drones in the February issue (Lightning Bug War Over North Vietnam). I was stationed onboard the USS Sumner County during 1968 as the leading radar man, and we were anchored in Da Nang harbor, waiting for our next assignment, when the USS Rich came steaming in and picked up a Lightning Bug, which had landed in the water next to us in the harbor. I was able to take a picture of it. Keep up the good work on the magazine. Douglas Bergs St. John, Ind. Of Nurses and Heroes While enjoying all the articles in the February issue, I was particularly touched and jolted into a pleasant flashback when I read the My War story about the beautiful Army Captain Elizabeth Allen. I spent 15 straight months in various military hospitals after I was shot up during the Tet truce violation of Feb. 11, 1967, the year before Captain Allen jumped into the fray during Tet 1968. My left thigh was broken by a three-round burst of AK-47 fire during an attempt to revive my friend Marcus Delmar White, who died in my arms. Eventually, after more than three months in traction in a hospital in Japan, I was flown back to the States and to Valley Forge Army Hospital in rural Phoenixville, Pa. The huge orthopedic ward was divided into side D, for amputees, and side C for all the other broken and shattered bodies, like mine. In command of both sides was this gorgeous, dedicated and kindhearted woman we called Major McCloud.I dont recall her first name. It was unheard-of and too disrespectful to call her anything else but Major, or Maam.We all loved her. She also saw combat action in some distant field hospital in Vietnam.To us as teenagers,she seemed like an older woman, but I guess she was in her mid-30s, if not younger. Under her command was Captain Patricia Dunn from the Philadelphia area who had just a few months earlier finished a dramatic tour at the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Qui Nhon.She had great stories about being shelled by 120mm mortars, describing how the nurses had to cover patients with bed mattresses in an attempt to protect them. Captain Allen and the heroic nurses who cared for my wounded comrades and me deserve our gratitude and respect. All of them are heroes. Jim Breen Blakeslee, Pa. Originally published in the April 2013 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. Hailing Hereford Ive been reading Vietnam magazine for several years. This is my first letter. The October 2012 account of the brave men in the article Last Stand at Landing Zone Hereford is excellent, one of the best articles Ive read. The story of that day and what happened in that hour was touching. I read it several times. Thats a story that would make a great movie. Michael A. Terzian Worcester, Mass. Unique Boys? I am currently reading the book The Boys of 67 by Andrew Wiest, which was excerpted in the December issue, and came across the following: In a scenario startling in its uniqueness, the leaders of the 9th Infantry were tasked with taking their charges through all levels of training, from basic individual to advanced unit training and then taking that same unit into a year of battle in Vietnam. Further on in the same paragraph, Wiest writes: forging a common brotherhood of war unique in the Vietnam era. This scenario may have been unique on a division level, but it was not unique in the Vietnam era. I say this because I was with both the 196th Light Infantry Brigade and the 9th Infantry Division. The 196th Light Infantry Brigade was activated in September 1965 at Fort Devens, Mass. Prior to its activation, personnel from various units, both stateside and in Europe, were transferred to the brigade, forming its core of officers and NCOs under the command of Colonel Francis S. Conaty Jr. These same officers and NCOs received raw recruits from the draft and enlistments, took them from basic training through advanced unit training, transported them to Vietnam from Boston Harbor in two ships (Patch and Darby) and fought with these trainees from August 14, 1966, to July of 1967. As far as forging a common brotherhood of war in the Vietnam era as described in The Boys of 67, those of us with the 196th also formed that selfsame brotherhood, just earlier. Richard Koral Rochester, N.Y. Keeping a Pledge I closed the circle, as I said I would in the December article I wrote about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection. I left a plastic-encased copy of Capturing the Embassy Sapper (Vietnam, February 2012), my story about the photographs I shot on January 31, 1968, along with a short note and my business card, at the section of The Wall that bears the name of my buddy Spc. 4 Mark Lofaro, an Army photographer who was killed during the opening moments of Tet. Don Hirst Burgess, Va. Never-Ending What-Ifs While serving in Vietnam in the summer of 1968 with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, I captured a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) soldier during a firefight. Because of this, I got to go anywhere I wanted on R&R, and I chose Australia. My friend Pfc John Emory Miles took my place as M79 man in our company. John was the last man left in his family, so he could have gotten out of the bush for the rest of his tour.We kept telling him to go back to the world, but his mind was set on staying in Vietnam.When I came back from R&R, I got the news that Johns squad was on an ambush near Con Thien on July 2 when they got hit by a platoon of NVA. Four men in the 3rd Squad died and John was one of them, killed in the first attack. My squad leader, John Stanley, told me that he knew I would have been shooting like hell, like John did. Even though my Marine buddies told me it wasnt my fault, to this day I feel guilty: If he hadnt taken my place that week, he would still be alive. John Miles was a good friend and I think of him a lot. Butch Werley Gouglersville, Pa. A Homefront Flashback I had a Twilight Zone moment when I saw the 1966 Coppertone advertisement in the August Homefront. The model on the surfboard was Sharon Tate. Three years later, in the hills above Los Angeles, Tate and four others would be murdered by Charles Manson and members of his family. It was a grim reminder that an untimely death, and ruthless brutality, can be encountered at home as well as on the battlefield. Nick Barnes Kirkland, Wash. Surfing to Apocalypse, Now Some time ago I was asked by some retired members of Rifle Company D, 5th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) about a summer 1967 event and a similar scene portrayed in the movie Apocalypse Now. In July and August 1967 our rifle company had security of the Bong Son bridges. During this time, one of our platoon leaders built a surfboard that he tied to a raft that belonged to an engineer river raft unit attached to our company. The lieutenant thensurfedup and down the river on the board, to the amazement of all who saw it. The 1979 movie features a scene in which the 1st Cavalry commander and a soldier who was surfer as a civilian decided to go surfing. I was just wondering if our incident in 1967 might have been the inspiration for the movie scene. And does anyone recall who our surfing lieutenant was? Thomas J. Smith Sparta, Wis. Degrees of Danger in Dispute After reading the (June) review of Meredith Lairs book Armed With Abundance: Consumerism and Soldiering in the Vietnam War, I reread the book. While reviewer Marc Leepson cannot dispute the volume of data cited from official military records, he takes umbrage at the assertion that support troops were out of danger during their tours. He concludes that Lair performed anegregious mischaracterizationa giant misstep and a disservice. But Lair nowhere states that support troops were totally out of danger. Does Mr. Leepson equate living in tents, eating C-rats, taking cold showers and crapping in cans with having to face sniper fire, punjis and ambushes? While I will not say my two tours as an infantryman and LRRP were more important than the tours of those serving in a support capacity, I will say they were more dangerous. Ronald L. Moren Denair, Calif. Originally published in the February 2013 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. The four Arab states just claimed that the agreement between the United States and Qatar on combating and fighting terror funding is insufficient. This was confirmed by the said states last Tuesday which just also imposed sanctions on the said Arab country last week. It can be recalled that the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha, Qatar in order to mediate in the ongoing conflict in the Gulf area. The visit resulted in the creation of the memorandum of understanding which the four Arab states claimed was the result of repeated calls and pressure over the past years upon Qatar to stop fund terrorism. According to Middle East Eye, the said memorandum of understanding was claimed insufficient by the four Arab states. Because of this, the said nations will be the ones to closely monitor the sincerity of the government of Qatar to battle and fight all forms and types of supporting and financing terrorism. The four Arab states also added that any commitment made by the government of Qatar cannot be trusted basing on the previous agreements that have not been honored. It can be recalled that Qatar refused to honor and give in to the demands of the four Arab nations regarding the issue of supporting terrorism. Meanwhile, the United States and Qatar just signed a memorandum of understanding to outline the future efforts of the Arab country to strengthen its fight against terrorism and to deal with issues regarding the allegation that the country is financing terrorism. The said agreement was discussed in Doha attended by the foreign minister of Qatar and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Apart from signing the agreement with Qatar, the U.S. government also called on the other countries which imposed siege against Qatar to also join them as signatories too. With this, Qatar is the first nation to sign a memorandum of agreement with the United States of America. Meanwhile, according to the US government, the said signing of the agreement was not at all focused on the said conflict and crisis and the blockade which the four Arab states imposed against Qatar. Instead, all nations should unite for one goal and that is to eliminate terrorism from the face of the Earth. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. While the story of A$AP Bari allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on video is still making its way across the rap blogosphere, one interested party has already weighed in on the situation. Ian Connor, who infamously fought A$AP Bari in public at a VLONE event last summer and has suffered his own sexual assault allegations, is currently experiencing extremely deep schadenfreude. Connor, who is affiliated with A$AP Mob and is a fashion maven in his own right, isnt only enjoying Baris struggle because of their past scuffle. The downfall of Bari also gave Ian the opportunity to upload a photo that he believes exonerates him from the rape allegations he suffered. The photo below shows one of the women who accused Ian Connor of rape, wearing VLONE and taking a selfie at the AWGE/VLONE House. The implication is that A$AP Bari, jealous of Connors rising fame surpassing his own in the fashion world, paid the woman (and others) to spread false rape allegation about the former King of the Youth. Connor suggests he has more information on Bari but is refusing to share it, taking the high road and being positive. Whether this is all performative to recover his own damaged public image is anyones guess, but suddenly A$AP Baris assault accusation has a lot more evidence attached to it than any of Ian Connors. IanConnorsRevenge Tomorrow, Shabazz Palaces will release two albums: Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star and its extra-spatial twin Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines. Hence, now would be an appropriate time to revisit Ishmael Butlers first big hip hop outfit, Digable Planets. Digable Planets are one of the most important purveyors and innovators of jazz rap, along with groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Comprised of Ishmael Butterfly Butler (from Seattle), Mary Ann Ladybug Mecca Vieira (from Silver Spring, Maryland), and Craig Doodlebug Irving (from Philadelphia), the Planets released two albums before disbanding: 1993s Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space) and 1994s Blowout Comb. Click through the gallery to revisit the short-lived genius of Digable Planets. Photo credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty Images Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) The Digable Planetss scored a surprise hit with Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat), which borrows both its slinky bass walk and horn explosion from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Stretching. The single cracked the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and took home a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, beating out Cypress Hills Insane in the Brain, Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggs Nuthin but a G Thang, and Naughty by Natures Hip Hop Hooray. The Planets Grammy acceptance speech: Nickel Bags Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space) is a trove of references to great thinkers and artists: philosophers like Sartre and Camus, jazz musicians like Max Roach and Miles Davis. The title itself refers to a Borges novel. The references, allusions, are all to the things that we feel are important in our lives, Mr. Butler said in a 1993 interview with the New York Times. References to personalities, musicians or authors are there because weve read or listened to the stuff, or experienced it, and we think its important information to spread around. We try to bring in all sorts of information, because pop songs today dont have anything substantial to say, except the same old monotonous drone about love triangles. Where Im From The afrofuturistic mission statement/origin story of Shabazz Palaces new pair of albums (I, Quazarz, Born On A Gangster Star, son only of Barbara Dream Caster and Reginald The Dark Hoper he who rides on light dreamer of the seventh dream and kissed eternal by Awet the Sun Scented) echoes the references to outer space that Butler and the Planets made in nearly every verse. The beats is infinite where Im from Voodoo Ashu Benin Gangsta Lean where Im from Im interplanetary my insect movement Vary its kinky if its hair G where Im from The fire hoses blow its purple when it snows I do a hit and go Its hip, whats hip? When hip is just the norm. Pacifics (Sdtrk N.Y. is Red Hot) Pacifics a) nicely sums up the nature of the bohemian New York summertime chill sesh, and b) contains a Snapple reference that really just makes you want drink a motherfucking Snapple. We foot it to the park where the swoon units walk And sit with the Phoenicians digging on musicians Hanging with the rebels sipping on a Snapple Bugging with my crew just tripping in the Apple. La Femme Fatal Its hard to imagine a rapper in 2017 releasing a pro-choice anthem as fiery as Butlers Le Femme Fatal. If Roe v. Wade was overturned, would not the desire remain intact Leaving young girls to risk their healths And doctors to botch, and watch as they kill themselves. Black Ego The Digable Planets changed course on their highly regarded sophomore album Blowout Comb they ditched the insect metaphor (no more an insect til I die), moved from Philly to Brooklyn, and adopted a crate-digging mentality that reflected the full breadth of their musical influences. Butler, in a recent interview with Pitchfork: My father was a stated jazz aficionado and he was into all the avant-garde stuff; he was a big Eric Dolphy fan. Mom liked Motown and CTI jazz; Donald Byrd kind of stuff. That shit was fly too. My sound also came from what I was listening to: DJ Premier, Prince Paul, Cocteau Twins, P-Funk, Prince. A gumbo of all of that stuff became our sound. For Corners For Corners samples: Numerous critics and engineers have praised the mix on Blowout Comb. We did subtle stuff like making the vocals a little lower, Butterfly said in a 1994 interview with the Chicago Tribune. I read where George Clinton said the stuff thats inaudible the first couple of listens adds longevity to the record, because it draws the person into the record. You might catch a word or a phrase on down the road, and that makes that record all the more intriguing. The common link is a celebration of blackness, and by `celebrate we mean a recognition of something, good and bad. Jettin' I dont listen to [Digable Planets] music, Butler told the Seattle Times before a DP reunion show in 2015. I never listened to it. But to hear it and go back to it, it puts you in that era, being in New York pre-Internet, its pretty fresh. Dial 7 (Axioms of Creamy Spies) The Digable Planets broke up shortly after the release of Blowout Comb. Were just human beings and we go through things: emotions, stress, up and downs, Irving explained to Pitchfork. We were also young and immature and dealing with certain things in life. There were obstacles because of the music industry and we didnt know how to handle it. But, at this stage in our lives, we have kids and responsibilities; back then, we were just wild. Added Butler: When we split-up, it was more about changing directions in life and creativity rather than about having problems with each other. I met one half of up-and-coming duo Sylk, Bebhinn McDonnell, at the James Vincent Mcmorrow concert last Friday. She and a few friends posed for a Hot Press photo, arranging their hair in a cut out of Bellx1 and JVM and posing goofily. Shes actually in a band. They're playing Whelans, her blonde friend tells me as she collects her pint from the ground. Bebhinn shakes her head slightly and rolls her eyes, and if they had left right then, I might have thought her friend was just making a joke. Instead, Bebhinn jotted down Sylks website down for me, and I went home to give it a listen. McDonnell (sound) and Taylor Doyles (vocals) debut EP, Nwyr, was released at the end of April less than a year after the band officially got together. The music is dark, with an emphasis on experimental bass beats and gritty vocals from Doyle. Sylk was formed in November of 2016 and has taken the Dublin electronic music scene by storm. Doyle tells me, We were friends for a good few years, and we were trying to be in a band for like seven years, but we never got around to it. Im from Clare, and I moved up to Dublin, and we were like, Okay, lets actually start a band. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which President Donald Trump proposed eliminating earlier this year, would be fully funded under an appropriations bill released Tuesday. The bill would provide $11 million to the CSB - the only agency charged with investigating chemical disasters - equal to the fiscal year 2017 level. That was met with relief by a diverse set of stakeholders, from labor and safety advocates to the very industries often scrutinized by the agency, many of which reacted with bafflement in March when the Trump administration proposed axing it. That's because the CSB is puny in size for a federal agency, and it does a lot with the money. While CSB investigations are rare, and their resulting recommendations often go ignored, they delve deeply into the root causes of incidents without penalizing anyone, helping companies improve and yielding fodder for academic researchers who study ways to make complex chemical plants safer. They investigate everything from wayward lab experiments that harm schoolchildren to the worst industrial catastrophes. A Houston Chronicle investigation last year found that federal agencies, including the CSB, don't have enough resources to provide adequate oversight to facilities that handle dangerous chemicals. The White House budget claimed the CSB was redundant, overly focused on new regulations and mismanaged, though even the administration acknowledged it has made significant strides to correct management problems under new leadership. The Trump proposal faced a hard sell in Congress, said Jordan Barab, the former No. 2 Occupational Safety and Health Administration official under President Barack Obama. "Nobody wants to be stuck with a major chemical accident in their district, having voted to eliminate the one agency that investigates those," he said. It also helped, he said, that House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, a Republican, hails from New Jersey, with its dense industrial complexes. "This legislation responsibly supports the agencies and offices we rely on to preserve our natural resources for future generations, and prioritizes our limited funding to programs that protect environmental safety," Frelinghuysen said in a prepared statement. CSB officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment. But Barab said it was a win for the agency to receive funding at last year's level, given that the administration was aggressively looking for places to cut. "There aren't a whole lot of things that are flat funded these days," he said. The 2018 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill provides $31.4 billion for various federal programs, including the Environmental Protection Agency, another place where officials are looking to roll back chemical safety protections. It will be considered in a House subcommittee Wednesday. Health and safety experts said Trump's proposal to eliminate the CSB signaled a full retreat from two decades of progress against chemical disasters and would have resulted in more fatalities. The CSB is to chemical disasters what the much better-funded National Transportation Safety Board is to airline crashes, train derailments and bridge collapses. Without the recommendations that come from these boards, preventable accidents repeat themselves. Gutting the CSB is "standing up for death and destruction," chemical safety consultant Paul Orum previously told the Chronicle. "It's disrespectful to those killed in such incidents." Three of the most far-reaching investigations in the history of chemical safety resulted from the CSB. In 2005, a unit at BP's Texas City refinery overfilled with hydrocarbons, releasing a massive cloud of liquid and gas that exploded, killing 15 and injuring more than 180. The resulting investigations rippled through an industry that had long harped on worker safety, like preventing falls and wearing the right equipment, to the detriment of process safety - designing and monitoring chemical and refining units to prevent releases and explosions. Then in 2010, BP's Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico blew out, leading to an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 people, injured 17 and caused the worst oil spill in U.S. history. CSB findings in 2016 showed gaping holes in offshore safety and regulatory oversight. And the CSB's study of the 2013 West Fertilizer disaster, where 15 people, including 12 first-responders, died, exposed major gaps in emergency planning and response across the nation. The Houston power company NRG Energy said Wednesday that it plans to sell most, if not all, of its wind and solar power projects around the country as part of plan to divest $4 billion in assets in a bid to cut costs, slash debt and boost its stock price. The plan, which includes the sale of conventional power plants, will almost certainly lead to layoffs - the company has already set aside money to cover severance costs - but the impact on Houston, where NRG employs about 2,400, and Texas, where the company operates nine power plants and owns all or part of seven wind and solar projects, remains unclear. NRG officials did not disclose which plants and projects would be sold off and how many jobs would be cut. The move follows a campaign by two of NRG's biggest shareholders, the New York hedge fund Elliott Associates and the Dallas investment firm Bluescape Energy Partners, to shake up the company's board of directors and increase the price of its stock, which the activist investors have called undervalued. NRG's stock surged nearly 30 percent after the company unveiled its so-called transformation plan, with the share price jumping from $16.30 a share to $21.09. But analysts were confounded by the strategy, which some described as shortsighted. The company would sell the majority of its wind and solar projects when renewable energy is profitable and energy firms - including the world's largest oil and gas companies - are increasing investments in green energy. "We think NRG's announcement is reshuffling the deck more so than creating value for shareholders," said Travis Miller, an analyst who covers utilities for the Chicago research firm Morningstar. "We thought that the NRG renewables business was a good growth platform with some attractive returns, but management clearly decided that their investors would prefer going a different route." As with other merchant power companies in Texas, NRG has struggled to profit amid low wholesale electricity prices and increasing competition from abundant and cheap wind power. Last year, the company's revenues plunged near 15 percent to $12.4 billion from $14.7 billion in 2015. Sharp reversal of strategy NRG's stock reached a five-year high at $37.24 in June 2014, but swiftly plummeted, remaining stubbornly below $20 for the past two years. In January, Elliott Associates and Bluescape Energy Partners forced the ouster of the NRG's chairman and secured two seats on the board for its candidates, one of them Barry Smitherman, a Houston lawyer who has served as chair of both the state Public Utility Commission and Railroad Commission, the state's oil and gas regulatory agency. NRG's transformation plan represents a sharp reversal of strategy, which analysts said is rare in the corporate world. NRG had made tentative steps away from renewable energy with the 2015 firing of then-CEO David Crane, a proponent of electric car-charging stations and residential solar panels, and the hiring of CEO Mauricio Gutierrez, who favors more traditional sources of power like natural gas. But Gutierrez repeatedly said the company remained committed to clean energy and last year completed a $183 billion deal to purchase large-scale solar and wind projects from the bankrupt renewable energy company SunEdison. "At a time when other utilities across the country - from Florida to New England to the Midwest - are embracing renewables, NRG's decision is baffling," said Jim Marston, a vice president who oversees clean energy issues for the Environmental Defense Fund, a national environmental advocacy group. "This move is another example of NRG's new management abandoning its clean energy leadership position, and focusing on short-term profit over the company's long-term future." NRG plans to divest between $2.35 and $4 billion in assets in an effort to cut 70 percent of its $13 billion debt. The company expects to sell anywhere from half to all of its share in NRG Yield, a subsidiary that owns most of NRG's renewable projects, including large-scale solar and wind projects in West Texas. It also plans to sell conventional power plants with a combined 6,000 megawatts of generating capacity, about 15 percent of its fleet's capacity of more than 41,000 megawatts. In a call with analysts, Gutierrez estimated the sale of renewable projects and power plants would generate $6.3 billion in cash, including savings in operations, maintenance and payroll. The company has set aside nearly $300 million over the next two years to cover the costs related to its divestment plan, including severance. "With this plan we now have a clear path to success in this industry," Gutierrez said. "Our business will be simplified and able to thrive under any market structure." Parent of Reliant Energy Gutierrez said the company will put more emphasis on its profitable retail electricity business, particularly in Texas, where its companies, including Reliant Energy and Green Mountain Energy, are the biggest providers in the Houston area. While low electricity prices are squeezing both retail and wholesale businesses, retail has held up much better. Last year, NRG's retail sales of $6.3 billion exceeded generation revenues, $5.7 billion in 2016, for the first time in years. "We're always going to be focused on the markets that are the most attractive markets," he said. "Today, from our perspective, the most attractive market is Texas, with a few pockets in the Northeast. Tomorrow, that may change." Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker apologized "unreservedly" for his unflattering description of U.S. flight attendants as grandmothers, a day after the remarks touched off a firestorm of criticism from labor unions and American Airlines Group. Also Wednesday, American Airlines said it was dropping partnerships with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, which American accuses of receiving illegal subsidies from their governments. American said that it no longer makes sense to have code-sharing agreements with Qatar and Etihad because of the dispute. American and Qatar Airways are members of the Oneworld alliance of global carriers. Al Baker's informal comments at a private dinner in Dublin were "in no way" intended to cause offense, Al Baker said in an emailed statement. He had said "you are always being served by grandmothers" on U.S. airlines, adding that the average age of Qatar Airways cabin crews was 26. American called the remarks "both sexist and ageist" in a message to employees. "Cabin crew are the public face of all airlines, and I greatly respect their hard work and professionalism," Al Baker said Wednesday. "They play a huge role in the safety and comfort of passengers, irrespective of their age or gender or familial status. I have worked for many years in the industry, and I have a high regard for the value that I see long-serving staff members bringing through their experience and dedication." The apology came amid an intensifying feud between Qatar Airways and American that began last month with the disclosure that the Persian Gulf carrier wanted to buy a stake of as much as 10 percent in the U.S. company. American CEO Doug Parker has called the proposal "puzzling." Al Baker said his comments were made in "a time of strong rivalry" between Qatar Airways and U.S. airlines. Al Baker's apology was "insincere," said Dan Carey, president of the Allied Pilots Association. "Sheik Al Baker is a well-educated man, and I think it's corporate damage control." The Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, a coalition of American, Delta Air Lines and United Continental Holdings, and five unions representing pilots and flight attendants across the industry denounced Al Baker's comments. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston offshore oil company has discovered as much as 2 billion barrels of oil in shallow water off the coast of Mexico, the first significant find since the country opened its oil and gas fields to foreign exploration three years ago, and a harbinger of discoveries to come. The company, Talos Energy, said Wednesday that it struck oil about 37 miles from Puerto Dos Bocas, along the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Talos said the well, called Zama-1, is in 500 feet of water and has reached an initial depth of about 11,000 feet. Tim Duncan, Talos president and chief executive, said it will take at least four years for the company to develop the find. "The good news is, it looks like this is very, very big," Duncan said in an interview on Wednesday. "The bad news is you just simply can't make a decision on how to develop something this big that fast." Analysts and company executives alike called it an important discovery, and one that should drive more interest in drilling south of the U.S. border. Pablo Medina, an analyst at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, said Zama is one of the 15 or 20 largest shallow-water fields discovered globally in the past 20 years and also the "most important achievement so far" since Mexico began reforming its struggling energy sector three years ago. "This is a huge deal," Medina said. Francisco Monaldi, a fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, said the Talos discovery may push more interest in developing Mexican oil and gas fields. "This is very positive news for the Mexican government, that they were badly needing," Monaldi said. "They had a lot of promises. But this is the first actual materialization of the strategy." In 2014, Mexico deregulated its oil and gas market and broke the monopoly of the state oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, known as PEMEX, inviting foreign companies to drill, lay pipelines and build refineries, with hopes of spurring production and boosting the country's sagging energy revenues. The invitation was especially enticing for Houston companies, which saw opportunity right across the Gulf. In 2015, Mexico began to auction off blocks of land to drill. But the reform effort proved ill-timed. The oil price crash was underway, sending crude from more than $100 in 2014 to $26 two years later. Even Mexico's auctions of shallow-water blocks - which sometimes spanned into water as deep as 1,600 feet - did not, at first, draw the attention the country had hoped. The country's instability also added pause for some. The theft of gasoline out of PEMEX pipelines, for instance, boomed from about 200 incidents in 2006 to nearly 7,000 last year, costing the company $1.7 billion last year. The election of President Donald Trump added another wrinkle. Trump, in his rhetoric on illegal immigration and unfair trade, has made Mexico a particular target, promising to build a border wall and threatening to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. If relations deteriorate, analysts said, Mexican legislators could end the nascent energy reforms. Duncan, the Talos CEO, said none of that dissuaded him as the company considered bidding at Mexico's first auction of Gulf blocks, in 2015. Competition was meager then. The country awarded just two of 14 blocks up for bid; Talos and its partners won them both. "I think when they created their reforms, they were looking for Exxon," Duncan said. "And they got us. It was like, who the hell are these guys?" But Talos is a small company, with about $500 million a year in revenues and 200 employees. It believed early it had found a good field, which looked better after the company reprocessed seismic data six months ago. Then, over the July 4th weekend, the team gathered to watch the drilling progress via live screens. When the drill bit passed through about 400 feet of rock and dirt, the lead geologist turned to Duncan and said that the discovery looked like a major find. Duncan brought in a few bottles of good red wine, congratulated the team, and watched the rest of the drilling with them. Bidding for Mexico's offshore blocks has become more competitive since Talos first won its auction. Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp. and the Italian major Eni have all joined, among others. "It's a melting pot of capital and companies trying to figure that basin out," Duncan said. Talos and its partners plan to continue drilling Zama to 14,000 feet. Talos holds a 35 percent interest in the well; Mexican independent oil company Sierra Oil and Gas has 40 percent; London-based Premier Oil, 25 percent. Duncan said he hopes they can develop the field while service costs are depressed, and produce after crude prices recover. House Republicans are throwing up new roadblocks to a Russia and Iran sanctions bill over concerns from the energy industry that a provision could block U.S. companies from lucrative foreign oil deals. A section of the legislation would prevent U.S. companies from doing business anywhere in the world with Russian interests, causing consternation in the capital-intensive energy industry where foreign partnerships are common. That prompted Republicans to push for a fix to the version passed by the Senate before the bill moves forward in the House. Youre empowering Russia more based upon the way they wrote it, that you can give Russia greater energy power over Europe and everywhere else, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, said in an interview Wednesday evening. So yes, we do need to change that. RELATED: Tillerson's worlds collide Republicans previously said the measure was stalled over complaints from Democrats that changes to the bill would weaken lawmakers authority to block the Trump administration from lifting sanctions on Russia. The delay gave time for companies to scale up their lobbying on the energy provision, even as lawmakers from both parties are pushing hard for new constraints on President Donald Trumps ability to ease penalties on the Russian government. This new fight comes amid controversy over the release of emails related to Donald Trump Jr. accepting a meeting last year with a Russian lawyer who he was told had information from the Russian government that could prove damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. House leadership is considering whether the sanctions bill can be put to a vote as is, with the promise that the energy provisions could be changed administratively, or if the matter needs to be addressed before a vote, according to a GOP aide who was briefed on the issue. House leaders dont want to give the impression theyre watering down the bill, the aide said. 98-2 Vote The sanctions measure, S. 722, passed the Senate last month in an overwhelming 98-2 vote, in an effort to punish Iran and get tough on Russia for its efforts to interfere in the U.S. election. As the measure stalled in the House, several House Republicans said they have been hearing from energy companies with complaints about a provision that would allow the president to penalize someone who invests in or helps build Russian energy export pipelines. Representative Bill Flores, a Republican from Texas, said hes been approached by five or six of the majors based in his state. The energy companies have told him they worry the bill as it stands is overly broad. You could restrict the sanctions of those activities within the borders of Russia, that might be a quick fix and also the national security carve out as well, Flores said when asked how the sanctions bill might be changed to address those concerns. Most of us are fine with having sanctions on U.S. interests operating inside Russia, with Russian companies, but then going outside of Russia is too broad. House Rules Chairman Pete Sessions said the Senate passed the bill before lawmakers understood its potential consequences and that whoever wrote the energy provisions wasnt familiar with the industry. I appreciate my friends in the Senate but this was rushed through, the Texas Republican said in an interview late Wednesday. Broader Opposition The possibility of the pipeline curbs sent a jolt through the traditional oil industry, as well as a broader group of related companies, including equipment providers, tubular piping manufacturers and oilfield services companies, that worry they wouldnt be able to supply projects in which sanctioned Russian companies are involved. Current sanctions already block oil and gas companies from doing deals in Russia. But the Senate-passed bill would extend the reach of those prohibitions, barring U.S. companies from partnering with sanctioned Russian firms to develop energy projects anywhere around the world. Richard Sawaya, who studies the impact of sanctions for the Washington-based National Foreign Trade Council, estimated the provision may mean U.S. oil and gas firms could be shut out of as much as $100 billion worth of projects over 10 years. Also at risk may be high-earning jobs and lost investment income, he said. His group advocates against unilateral U.S. sanctions in most cases. Loses Sight "In any place where Russian companies have a position -- U.S. companies couldnt be there," Sawaya said. "It loses sight of the shape of the forest." Democrats complain that Republicans are stalling, pointing to remarks from White House legislative affairs director Marc Short that the administration is opposed to the bills provisions that would allow Congress to block some sanctions-related decisions by the president. Three House Democrats, Minority leader Nancy Pelosi, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Representative Eliot Engel of New York, ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced their own measure, which is identical to the Senate version, in an effort to circumvent GOP procedural objections. Republican leaders said that certain revenue-related provisions in the bill meant that it had to originate in the House. Global Disadvantage The fight over the energy provision, however, threatens to delay the bill further. The oil industry is warning of potentially widespread consequences -- some unintended -- that could put U.S. companies at a disadvantage globally, even when they arent actively collaborating with sanctioned Russian firms. This has far-reaching impacts to a variety of companies and industries, said Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute. It has the potential to penalize U.S. interests and advantage Russia. That broader approach could imperil at least one of Exxon Mobil Corp.s major exploration projects, a joint venture with Rosneft thats producing oil and gas in waters off Russias eastern shore. Oil fields there are estimated to contain 2.3 billion barrels of oil and 17.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The project, called Sakhalin 1, doesnt fall under current U.S. sanctions that bar U.S. companies from producing oil in Russian deep-water, Arctic or shale areas. If the legislation passes without changes, Exxon Mobil would likely have to obtain a special waiver from the U.S. government to maintain production at the site, slated to stretch until 2050. Neighboring Wells Industry officials warn that the Senate-passed bill could also jeopardize oil and gas projects far from Russia that have only tangential ties to the country. For instance, they say it could preclude U.S. oil companies from proceeding with offshore projects where sanctioned Russian companies hold neighboring leases because there may be pooled collaboration on pipelines and other infrastructure to support the developments. "We will continue to comply with all applicable laws, including trade controls and sanctions regulations," said Royal Dutch Shell spokesman Curtis Smith. "We believe that this bill, if endorsed, would be contrary to the objective of providing international markets with reliable access to energy at competitive prices." The fear is that Russian companies may invest in leases located next to U.S. energy projects as a way to help edge out their American competitors. Oil industry lobbyists are circulating alternative language on Capitol Hill aimed at addressing these concerns and others. Most of the changes aim to narrow the legislations reach. They are also seeking a 180-day ramp-up period to ensure companies have adequate time to comply, a narrowed definition of affected pipelines to zero in on oil export pipelines and to change the timeline for prohibitions on dealings in new debt to avoid a jolt to oil and gas trading. The Senate-passed legislation would also place new penalties on Iran over its ballistic missile program. The bill directs the president to impose sanctions on any entity that knowingly contributes to Irans ballistic missile program or other programs to develop vehicles to deliver weapons of mass destruction. Those who are sanctioned would have their assets within U.S. jurisdiction frozen and would be barred from entering the country. --With assistance from Catherine Traywick and Billy House Houston homebuyers increasingly are putting the oil slump behind them, snapping up houses in record numbers and paying more for them than ever. But economic trauma in the region's signature energy industry continues to haunt real estate's office market, pushing the local vacancy rate higher than it's been in decades. The residential segment's hot streak accelerated in June, with gains from the luxury to the lower end. Monthly home sales figures released Wednesday show buyers closed on 8,414 single-family homes, a 8.3 percent increase over the same month last year and the largest one-month sales volume in history, besting a record set a month earlier. The positive data from the Houston Association of Realtors show housing benefiting from pent-up demand even as the Houston economy continues to grapple with further fluctuations in oil prices. "This summer has been such a busy summer for me. It's kind of like Christmas. When someone's looking in 100 degree heat, they're serious," said Ruthie Newberry Porterfield of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty. Yet in the also-critical real estate market, office landlords are doling out generous concessions in an increasingly desperate bid to reel in tenants. After 10 consecutive quarters of rising vacancy, more than a fifth of Houston's office space is sitting unused. In a quarterly report, real estate service firm NAI Partners called that the highest vacancy rate since the firm began tracking data in 1999. That remains well below the numbers of the bust in the 1980s, but the 20.5 percent vacancy rate is evidence of the lingering fallout from oil and gas companies slashing budgets and cutting workers, eliminating the need for all the office space they occupied. "Houston has diversified tremendously," said Dan Boyles, a partner at NAI. "Still, in order to bring the vacancy rate down we're going to need to see a more significant turnaround in the oil and gas business." Factor in sublease space and the NAI pegs the vacancy rate at more than 26 percent. FROM 2016: Mounting sublease space puts pressure on office market A slate of other commercial real estate firms, which use slightly different parameters to measure the market, offered similarly grim views of a sector still on the decline, even as the rest of the city shows signs of recovery. Travis Taylor, a principal at Lee and Associates, attributed the depressed market largely to a building boom during the days of $100-per-barrel oil. "A run of high demand from energy related businesses drove historic price increases in Class A downtown space, as well as a wave of development," he said. "Unsustainable growth coupled with the downsized energy business formed a correction in the office market that has been unfolding for almost three years." BEFORE THE BUST: Office tower adds to Houston's downtown boom The correction in housing, however, has long passed. Year-to-date, single-family home sales are ahead of last year's volume by 7.4 percent. Hitting a new high, the median price of a single-family home was $239,023 in June, $4,000 more than last month and $6,000 more than last year at this time, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. But Realtors caution that the rising median price has largely been bolstered from strong sales in the market's highest end. LUXURY LIVING: Part-time residents flock to luxury condos amid urban renaissance Prices are actually quite flat, said Marilyn Thompson, president of Martha Turner Sotheby's. Sellers who overprice their homes are seeing them sit, she added. "Buyers are out there," Thompson said. "If a house has not sold, it's overpriced for the market." Michael Rohan just pulled his Montrose townhouse off the market after about four months and lowering his asking price several times. The home was last listed at $500,000. Rohan said he's competing with new townhomes all over his neighborhood. "Someone would rather pay $600,000 for new townhouse than $500,000 for a used one," he said. Across the Houston area, housing inventory swelled in June to a 4.4-month supply, the highest in almost five years, according to the data, which are based on sales handled through the Multiple Listing Service throughout Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties and parts of Brazoria, Galveston, Waller and Wharton counties. BUILDING IN THE 'BURBS: See the fastest-growing subdivisions of the Houston area In the townhome and condominium sector, sales edged up 1.2 percent with 678 units selling at a median price of $171,000, up 3.6 percent. Inventory also grew to a 4.3-month supply. Porterfield, who works in the high end of the market, said many of her buyers are Houstonians who have decided now is the time to move up into a bigger or nicer home. According to the housing data, June was the eighth straight month that the luxury segment - where homes sell for $750,000 and up - saw rising sales. The $150,000 to $250,000 market had a good showing last month, too. Meanwhile, rising vacancy in the office sector is being largely driven by continued completion of ambitious new projects that launched during more prosperous times. With financing secured and concrete poured, developers couldn't just pull the plug as tenant demand weakened. "You can't stop once you start construction," JLL executive vice president Steve Burkett said. "That is very expensive." About 2.3 million square feet of office space came online in 2017, with about 2.4 million square feet still under construction in July, down from about 10 million square feet in 2014. For example, the office tower 609 Main downtown will add almost 500,000 square feet of vacant space to an already crowded market. However, the majority of the most recently started projects were commissioned with a particular tenant in mind. That includes downtown's Capitol Tower being built for Bank of America and an office in Springwoods Village for HP and the American Bureau of Shipping. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Pearland's first stand-alone liquor store is set to open Monday, the first in a market that has remained largely untapped since residents last year voted to allow such establishments within city limits. Co-owner Hiren Patel said the Liquor Zone store, in the Food Town shopping center on West Broadway, will sell a range of alcohol meant to appeal to the city's diverse population. "Anybody can find anything they want," he said. "I made sure I have a little bit of everything." Liquor Zone won't be the only store in Pearland to offer alcohol for at-home consumption, but it will be the first one designated for beer, wine and spirits after the November passage of a city ordinance that expanded alcohol sales to include packaged products. The Costco at 3500 Business Center Drive, subject to different regulations than stand-alone stores, added booze to its shelves earlier this year. The new liquor store is one of many expected to set up shop in the coming months as players large and small compete for new business. The Pearland City Council recently approved permits for four locations: two on East Broadway, one on Shadow Creek Parkway and one on Main Street, said senior planner Martin Griggs. Several others are pending. The city approval process, which involves obtaining a conditional-use permit, takes about three months for operators seeking to open a stand-alone liquor store. Griggs said the planning department has received about one application a month since the start of the year. "They keep on rolling in," he said. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission issues separate licenses. Total Wine, an industry giant that bankrolled the November ballot measure, also plans to open a Pearland store within the next year. The company, which couldn't be reached for comment, hasn't yet applied for a permit with the city. Total Wine's foray into Pearland will put it head to head with Spec's, which has a location on Pearland Parkway just outside the city limits. The two companies have competed aggressively since Total Wine entered the Houston market late last year with plans for rapid expansion. Patel has for months vied to be first to market in the city of about 130,000 people. He applied for city and state permits earlier this year and, after completing the approvals process in May, worked to line up distributors and open ahead of his competitors. "I'm excited," he said. "We've already had people stop by and ask, 'When are you opening?' " Other small operators are bracing for the surge in competition. The two East Broadway locations approved by the city sit across the street from each other, and the others are just minutes away. Longtime Pearland resident Rich Greenawalt applied for a permit to open Pearland Fine Wine and Spirits earlier this year, thinking he'd be among a handful of people interested in testing the city's nascent liquor market. But now, he said, he expects fierce competition when he opens his shop at East Broadway and Walnut Street, likely in September. "It's going to be a very crowded market," he said. "There's only so many bottles of wine and beer and spirits that are going to be sold." The store will be larger than the average strip-mall liquor shop, Greenawalt said. He and his wife, who together operate four Houston-area Papa Murphy's take-and-bake pizza franchises, plan to set it apart from the others with delivery service, a drive-through window and a tasting bar for sampling wine and other products. Patel, who owns another liquor store in Texas City, hopes to build customer loyalty with superior service and low prices, he said, especially when discounters such as Total Wine enter the market. "It's going to be jam-packed," he said. "The customer relationship is going to be the key here." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A person's hunt for lost keys resulted in two car chases across Houston and four arrests early Thursday. Around 3 a.m., a patrol sergeant wound up helping a person track down some lost keys near Beechnut and Gessner in southwest Houston, said Lt. Larry Crowson with the Houston Police Department. The person turned a corner to hunt for the keys. The person was out of sight of the officer when four people in a silver Chevy truck pulled out a pistol and tried to rob the person. The person cried for help, prompting the officer to round the corner, Crowson said. The would-be robbers piled into the pickup truck and slammed on the gas, ignoring the officer's calls for them to pull over and initiating a 20-minute chase across Houston. Police deployed helicopters and K9 units during the pursuit which ended in the Near Northside, at the intersection of Quitman and Carr off of the Eastex Freeway, HPD spokesman John Cannon said. There, all four robbers got out of the pickup truck. Three narrowly - but temporarily - escaped. Police arrested the fourth robber in the neighborhood. Moments later, an officer who was not involved in the first chase spotted a different car nearby whose three occupants matched the description of the robbers, Cannon said. That officer tried to pull the second car over. Again, the suspected robbers took off, speeding northbound on the North Freeway toward the Loop 610. They made it about 11 miles before getting trapped at a dead end on Venus near Anchor in Acres Homes area, Cannon said. There, police immediately took the two suspected robbers into custody and used a K9 unit to track down the third, and final, suspect. No one was injured during either chase, Cannon said. The names of the four people arrested were not immediately released. The pickup truck involved in the initial robbery had been reported stolen about two weeks ago, Crowson said. House Republicans are seeking to cut the Education Department's budget by $2.4 billion, or 3.5 percent - a substantial reduction, though far smaller than the $9.2 billion in cuts that President Donald Trump proposed. The House GOP also appears to have largely rejected Trump's proposals to expand private- and public-school choice, according to education advocates who have studied an appropriations bill released Wednesday afternoon. Expanding school choice is a key priority for the White House and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. "One big takeaway is that people know that what the president pushed for is not at all feasible," said Kelly McManus, director of government affairs for the Education Trust, an advocacy organization that has been critical of Trump's education agenda. Trump had sought $1 billion to encourage public school districts to adopt choice-friendly policies, and another $250 million to expand private-school voucher programs. The GOP budget bill appears to leave out both. Jennifer Hing, a spokeswoman for the appropriations committee's Republican majority, declined to confirm that the two programs would not be funded, saying that would become clear next week when the committee publishes its bill report. House Republicans would increase funding for charter schools by $28 million to $370 million. Trump had proposed a far larger bump to $500 million. A spokeswoman for the Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. Education advocates and Democrats who had decried Trump's proposed budget said that House Republicans' spending plan is still unacceptable. It would cut more than $2 billion in grants for teacher training and class-size reduction and would reduce after-school grants from $1.2 billion to $1 billion. Much of the department's K-12 funding would be unchanged. States would continue to receive about $15.9 billion in Title I funds to serve poor children, and the Office for Civil Rights would also be flat-funded at $108.5 million. There are also some proposed increases, including a $200 million bump in special-education grants to states and a total of $500 million - an increase of $100 million - for a catch-all grant program that schools can use for purposes ranging from counseling to advanced coursework. The House appropriations subcommittee on labor, health and human services, education and related agencies is scheduled to mark up the budget bill on Thursday afternoon. House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., said the bill "reflects Republican priorities to cut spending and focus investments in programs our people need the most." Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., ranking member of that subcommittee, said that the proposed cuts would do "long-lasting, irreversible harm to our most vulnerable students and communities." When Christopher Wray hired a new deputy at Justice Department headquarters in the summer of 2003, he issued a warning: There could come a moment when they might have to resign rather than carry out an order that violated their sense of the law. Within a year, that warning proved prophetic. Wray, then the head of the Justice Department's criminal division, heard that the higher-ups at the department - including then-Deputy Attorney General James Comey and then-FBI Director Robert Mueller - were preparing to resign in a dispute with the Bush administration. Wray pulled Comey aside to tell him he would follow his lead. If Comey resigned, he would, too. Next, he came to his deputy, John Richter, who recalled that Wray said, "John, I can't tell you what's going on upstairs, but do you remember that conversation we had in the summer? Well, we may know by the end of the day if we have to resign.'' Hearing that, Richter said, he "swallowed hard and went back to work.'' Questions about Wray's ability to be an independent leader, resistant to political pressures, are expected to dominate his hearing Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee to become the FBI's eighth director. He would take over an agency still reeling from President Donald Trump's abrupt firing of Comey less than four years into the director's 10-year term. And Mueller is now the special counsel leading the FBI's investigation into whether Trump associates coordinated with agents of the Russian government during the 2016 presidential campaign. Officials familiar with that work say it includes an examination of whether the president may have attempted to obstruct one of those investigations. Historically, nominees for FBI director get wide bipartisan support; Comey was confirmed by a 93-to-1 vote. Wray has already won support from the FBI Agents Association, but some inside the agency worry that the nature of Comey's ouster and the president's persistent dismissals of the Russia probe could lead to more partisan rancor in Wray's confirmation process. Richter and other friends of Wray's say his career has prepared him to manage White House expectations while preserving the traditional independent operations of federal law enforcement. When Wray offered to resign in solidarity with Comey, he did not even know the nature of the dispute, said Richter, which later was revealed to be over a White House demand Comey further authorize a warrantless surveillance program. Wray's offer was not simply an act of loyalty or friendship, Richter said. "This was about multiple lawyers who were hard-nosed, tough-on-terror types. When he heard they had concerns, that suggested to him there was a real issue here,'' he recalled. Before settling on Wray, Trump interviewed a number of politicians for the FBI job, alarming both agents at the agency and Democrats wary of what they call his past attempts to influence FBI investigations. In Wray, 50, the president chose an accomplished lawyer with a classic establishment pedigree: Yale Law School, a clerkship for a respected and conservative appeals court judge, both white-shoe corporate law experience and a strong resume as a former federal prosecutor who rose high within Justice's ranks. However, Wray's stint in President George W. Bush's administration, in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, could revive past debates about mistreatment of detainees, civil rights and prosecutorial independence. Civil liberties and human rights groups hope lawmakers will press Wray to explain what he knew about detainee abuse during the post-9/11 war on terrorism. According to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union, the CIA notified Wray in February 2004 of possible "violations of federal criminal law" arising from the death of an Iraqi detainee at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. Three months later, when he was criminal-division head, he testified to Congress that his "principal awareness" of any abuse was "through the news media." When pressed, he said he was "not aware of any referral from the Department of Defense" to the Justice Department or the FBI relating to detainee abuse. "Wray should explain what he knew about detainee abuses, when he knew about them, what actions he did or did not take and why," said Laura Pitter, senior U.S. national security counsel for Human Rights Watch. Said Richter, who worked closely with Wray during that time: "Chris Wray believes that torture, including waterboarding, is wrong, ineffective, and illegal." Some veteran federal law enforcement officials said they greeted Wray's nomination with a mixture of relief and worry - relief that Wray was one of the best names circulating as a candidate; worry that he lacks the reputational heft of a Comey or Mueller to lead the agency at a time when it is under attack from the president. Wray has been in private practice for more than a decade, representing big corporate clients such as Credit Suisse in a major tax-evasion case, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R, in a probe of his administration's decision to change traffic patterns on the George Washington Bridge, apparently to punish a political foe. Christie was never charged in that case, but in an unusual twist of timing, one of the governor's former aides is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in New Jersey on Wednesday, the same day as Wray's confirmation hearing. As a young lawyer, Wray rose through the ranks by exceeding his bosses' expectations. Kent Alexander was a partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta when he gave Wray, then in his last week as a summer associate, a tough assignment - complex legal analysis for a bank. The night before it was due, the firm's partners took Wray to a Braves game to woo him as a future partner. "At that point, I figured I'd be lucky just to get a manila folder with copies of a few regulations," Alexander recalled. "Instead, on his way out the door, Chris dropped off a brilliantly crafted and researched analysis that addressed every one of the bank's issues. I couldn't have done it better if given a month.'' When he became U.S. attorney in Atlanta, Alexander hired Wray as a federal prosecutor, working under Sally Yates - who would go on to become a deputy attorney general in the Obama Justice Department and acting attorney general under President Trump. Trump fired her in a disagreement about his travel ban executive order. As a young federal prosecutor in Atlanta, Wray found himself in the unusual situation of facing off in court against his mentor, King & Spalding lawyer Larry Thompson. Wray was prosecuting a corruption case; Thompson represented one of the defendants. Joe Robuck, the FBI agent on the case, warned the young prosecutor that battling a friend in a high profile, high-stakes trial could undermine his relationship with Thompson. "I don't think that's going to be an issue,'' Wray replied, according to Robuck. It wasn't. The jury convicted Thompson's client, but instead of becoming angry, Thompson hired Wray. When President George W. Bush tapped Thompson in 2001 to become the No. 2 official at the Justice Department, Thompson hired Wray, who soon became his right-hand man. "He's a very smart, very careful lawyer," Thompson said. "Chris does not make mistakes. And most importantly, for what people may be interested in for our new FBI director, he doesn't seek the limelight." Wray's supporters repeatedly refer to his temperament as one of his best attributes, calling him a razor-sharp but low-key manager who looks to defuse tense situations, not escalate them. Trump had complained that Comey was a showboat. Whatever the merits of that accusation, it is not one that has ever been leveled against Wray. Thompson said he cannot imagine Wray ever giving a news conference, as Comey did, to announce the closing of the Clinton email investigation and then discussing it at length. "It absolutely never would happen,'' Thompson said. "You could knock me over with a feather if that happened," he said. Google Earth Drivers headed to Louisiana for a weekend at the casino can bet on a slower exit from Houston. Crews will close eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 at 9 p.m. Friday so workers can rebuild the overpass at Gellhorn, just inside Loop 610, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Three suspects accused of leaving 12 people in a sweltering truck in Houston were already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and may be part of a larger human smuggling conspiracy, a prosecutor told a Houston judge Tuesday. The judge doubled the bail for two women charged with human trafficking to $600,000 each after prosecutors said they were a flight risk. Prosecutor JoAnne Musick said in court that Priscila Perez Beltran, 21, and Adela Alvarez, 26, have been under scrutiny by federal authorities since a recent bust in Corpus Christi. "They've both been on Homeland Security's radar for some time," Musick said in court. She said investigators fear the women, who are from El Salvador, may flee the country or go back to human trafficking if released from jail. State District Judge George Powell agreed and doubled the $100,000 for each of the women's three cases. If the two made bail, they would still remain behind bars on detainers issued by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Senior prosecutor Ruben Perez said the move to raise the bail was done in an abundance of caution as prosecutors continue to investigate how many people could be involved. The two women and Nelson Cortes Garcia, 27, were arrested after a Houston police officer on patrol Sunday found 12 people banging to get out of a locked, sweltering truck in a west Houston parking lot. Beltran told authorities she had helped the other two suspects sneak people into the United States in the past, a prosecutor said Monday at Cortes Garcia's court hearing. Cortes Garcia remains in the Harris County Jail on $300,000 bail and an ICE detainer. Prosecutors said they would also ask that his bail be doubled next time he appears in court. At a magistrate hearing late Monday, prosecutors said Beltran was the muscle behind the operation, saying she kept Cortes Garcia and Alvarez from being ripped off by those they smuggled. Officers with the Houston Police Department found a ledger that had names and dollar amounts, which Alvarez said were names of people and the fees they paid to be taken into the United States, the prosecutor said. Neither Beltran, Cortes Garcia nor Alvarez are U.S. citizens, according to court documents. Prosecutors said they believe all three are from El Salvador. Alvarez is believed to have a work permit, known as a green card, and Beltran is believed to be an unlawful permanent resident, prosecutors said Tuesday. The 12 people they are believed to have smuggled into the country likely entered the country without legal documentation, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Greg Palmore. They were from El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. Beltran, Cortes Garcia and Alvarez were each charged Sunday with two counts of human smuggling likely to cause injury or death and one count of human smuggling involving a minor. Their charges were elevated from a third-degree to a second-degree charge because one of the people they are believed to have smuggled was a minor and because all 12 of their victims were placed in serious harm, said Musick, an assistant district attorney for sex crimes and human trafficking. Houston police officers arrested the trio Sunday afternoon at a strip mall at 7636 Harwin, off the Westpark Tollway. 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 - trying to attract attention by banging on the walls of the unventilated truck. The temperature inside the truck reached 100 degrees, investigators said Monday. The officer removed the lock to free the people, who had been trapped inside for about 12 hours with no food and a dwindling water supply. With former colleagues from the Sheriff's Office gathered together, a memorial honoring slain Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth was installed Wednesday in the Woodlawn Cemetery in northwest Houston. The7-foot long black granite memorial, which includes a bench and a gravestone with a thin blue line of glass, an homage to law enforcement, was donated to Goforth's family by a group of monument companies. "When Darren passed away, it was a time of turmoil for a lot of our public servants," said Tony Watson, owner of Watson Sign & Monuments. "We have deep gratitude for our public servants and what they do to protect us. It's the least we could do." Goforth, 47, was gunned down on the evening of Aug. 28, 2015, outside his patrol vehicle at a northwest Harris County gas station. Described by friends as "down-to-earth," funny and compassionate, Goforth's character was central to the design of the structure, with phrases like "supportive husband," "protective father," "generous son," "loyal friend" and "little brother" etched on its back. "It's very appropriate for him," said Houston Police Department Lt. Roland De Los Santos, a childhood friend of Goforth. "It's simple, like Darren was, and yet, it's really nice. I think he'd like it." With a handle made from one of Goforth's 13mm wrenches, a vase built into one end of the structure especially reflects Goforth's personality. "He loved to tinker with cars, so that's actually one of his wrenches on top of the vase. But it's not for flowers, it's for candy" said Kimberly Schlitzberger, co-owner of Schlitzberger and Daughters Monument Co. "He had a tradition of picking up his kids from school and driving them to the gas station to get candy." The third monument firm involved in the donation was Roquemore Marble and Granite. During a short prayer given after the memorial's installation, Don Savell, the Sheriff's chaplain, stressed the importance of remembering Goforth through the "everlasting memorial," and asked for protection for those who serve the public in law enforcement. "The memorial puts a stamp on the whole point of saying we'll never forget." Savell said. "Seeing his name etched in stone reminds us that we should never forget the sacrifice that he made." Though a number of Goforth's former Sheriff's Office colleagues attended the unveiling, his immediate family, including his wife and two children, plans to visit the memorial privately at a later date. "It kind of puts me at a loss for words to see people care enough to go do the procedures of getting this erected," said John Nanny, a captain at the Sheriff's Office who worked with Goforth. "It's a very nice piece and it's just so honorable to him, to remember him like that." The man charged with capital murder in Goforth's death, Shannon Miles, 32, spent more than a year in a state mental hospital after being declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. He has since been declared competent and could stand trial as early as the fall. WASHINGTON - At 6:14 p.m. Eastern time on June 7, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. clicked the send button on an email to confirm a meeting with a woman described as a "Russian government attorney" who would give him "information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia." Three hours later, his father, Donald Trump, claimed victory in the final presidential primaries propelling him to the Republican nomination, and a general election contest against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In his victory speech, Trump promised to deliver a major address detailing Clinton's "corrupt dealings" to give "favorable treatment" to foreign governments, including "the Russians." The White House said the timing was only a coincidence. The younger Trump said this week that he never told his father about the meeting with the Russian lawyer, and the president said Wednesday that he did not know about it until a few days ago. But the time frame raised questions that investigators presumably will examine as they try to piece together who knew what, and when, last year during what U.S. intelligence agencies have called a Russian effort to influence the presidential election. The meeting with the Russian lawyer came at a crucial stage in Trump's against-the-odds campaign as he pivoted toward taking on Clinton, who was widely seen as the front-runner for the presidency. With his own party still divided, Trump's team was eager for information that could be used against his Democratic opponent, just as any nominee would be at that stage. The difference was that the Kremlin, according to intelligence reports, was eager to play a role in the campaign, and was in the midst of unleashing an operation to damage Clinton. The younger Trump said the meeting with the Russian lawyer yielded no useful information about Clinton, and instead turned into a discussion about a Russian-American diplomatic dispute. By happenstance or not, in the days and weeks that followed the meeting with the Russian lawyer, emails purloined from Democratic computers were made public, which investigators tied to Russian hacking. Candidate Trump, who had expressed admiration of President Vladimir Putin of Russia, took positions that summer that caused head scratching. He expressed openness to lifting sanctions on Russia that were imposed after its annexation of Crimea, and suggested he might not defend NATO allies that did not spend enough money on their own security. The Republican platform at the party convention in July 2016 was altered to remove a call to provide arms to Ukraine to fight pro-Russian separatists. The president's legal team declined to comment about the close timing of some of these events. More Information Suits filed against Trump campaign Two Democratic Party donors and a former party staff member have filed an invasion of privacy lawsuit against President Donald Trump's campaign and a longtime informal adviser, Roger Stone, accusing them of conspiring in the release of hacked Democratic emails and files that exposed their personal information to the public. The case was organized by Protect Democracy, a government watchdog group run by former Obama administration lawyers. It filed the claim just short of a deadline under a one-year statute of limitations for privacy invasion lawsuits: WikiLeaks published the first archives of stolen Democratic National Committee emails, which intelligence agencies say Russia hacked to harm Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and help Trump, last July 22. New York Times See More Collapse Trump said on Wednesday that he was not aware of the June 2016 meeting with the Russian lawyer at the time. "No, that I didn't know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this," he told Reuters. He did not fault his son for sitting down with the Russian. "I think many people would have held that meeting," Trump said. Democrats said the timing of Donald Trump Jr.'s emails and meeting with the lawyer showed an intent to collude. "Going back now, a lot of things seem to be falling into place," said Jennifer Palmieri, who was Clinton's campaign communications director. She dismissed the president's assertion that he knew nothing about the meeting. "It's not plausible to me, understanding how much control Donald Trump exerts over whatever organization he's in charge of. How many times did he tell us, 'I'm in charge, I'm the only one who matters, I'm my own strategist'?" Lawyers with experience in political inquires said the timetable would certainly interest investigators, but did not necessarily mean they would find a connection. "You have two pieces of the puzzle, and they're important," said Cliff Sloan, who was an associate independent counsel during the Iran-Contra investigation. "But you have to see how all the pieces fit together before you can draw final conclusions." Here is a look at how the emails and meeting fit into the timeline of some of the events last summer: June 3 Donald Trump Jr. received an email from Rob Goldstone, who offered to help provide "very high level and sensitive information" that would "incriminate Hillary" as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." June 9 Donald Trump Jr., Manafort and Kushner met with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian attorney who, contrary to Goldstone's email, did not openly work for the state but was a former prosecutor with deep connections to the Russian government. At 4:40 p.m. Eastern time that day, or roughly right after the meeting if it began at 4 p.m. as scheduled, the older Trump posted a message on Twitter jabbing Clinton about her private server. "Where are your 33,000 emails that you deleted?" he asked. June 15 A hacker calling himself Guccifer 2.0 posted opposition research and donor documents stolen from the Democratic National Committee. WASHINGTON - Investigators at the House and Senate Intelligence committees and the Justice Department are examining whether the Trump campaign's digital operation - overseen by Jared Kushner - helped guide Russia's sophisticated voter targeting and fake news attacks on Hillary Clinton in 2016. Congressional and Justice Department investigators are focusing on whether President Donald Trump's campaign pointed Russian cyber operatives to certain voting jurisdictions in key states - areas where Trump's digital team and Republican operatives were spotting unexpected weakness in voter support for Hillary Clinton, according to several people familiar with the parallel inquiries. Also under scrutiny is the question of whether Trump associates or campaign aides had any role in assisting the Russians in publicly releasing thousands of emails, hacked from the accounts of top Democrats, at turning points in the presidential race, mainly through the London-based transparency website WikiLeaks. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told McClatchy he wants to know whether Russia's "fake or damaging news stories" were "coordinated in any way in terms of targeting or in terms of timing or in terms of any other measure with the (Trump) campaign." By Election Day, an automated Kremlin cyberattack of unprecedented scale and sophistication had delivered critical and phony news about the Democratic nominee to the Twitter and Facebook accounts of millions of voters, many in swing states, even in key precincts. Focus on Kushner Russia's operation used computer commands known as "bots" to collect and dramatically heighten the reach of negative or fabricated news about Clinton. One source familiar with Justice's criminal probe said investigators doubt Russian operatives controlling the so-called robotic cyber commands that fetched and distributed fake news stories could have independently "known where to specifically target to which high-impact states and districts in those states." All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity. Schiff said he wants the House panel to determine whether Trump aides helped Russia time its cyberattacks or target certain voters and whether there was "any exchange of information, any financial support funneled to organizations that were doing this kind of work." Trump son-in-law Kushner, now a senior adviser to the president and the only current White House aide known to be deemed a "person of interest" in the Justice Department investigation, appears to be under the microscope in several respects. His real estate finances and December meetings with Russia's ambassador and the head of a sanctioned, state-controlled bank are also being examined. Kushner's "role as a possible cut-out or conduit for Moscow's influence operations in the elections," including his niche overseeing the digital operations, will be closely looked at, said the source knowledgeable about the Justice Department inquiry. 'Significant cooperation' Kushner joined Donald Trump Jr. and Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort at a newly disclosed June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York. The meeting, revealed by the New York Times, followed emails in which Trump Jr. was told the lawyer for the Russian government would provide him with incriminating information on Clinton and he replied, "If it's what you say I love it." That disclosure could only serve to heighten interest in whether there was digital collaboration. Mike Carpenter, who in January left a senior Pentagon post where he worked on Russia matters, also has suspicions about collaboration between the campaign and Russia's cyber operatives. "There appears to have been significant cooperation between Russia's online propaganda machine and individuals in the United States who were knowledgeable about where to target the disinformation," he said, without naming any American suspects. Among other things, congressional investigators are looking into whether Russian operatives, who successfully penetrated voting registration systems in Illinois, Arizona and possibly other states, shared any of that data with the Trump campaign, according to a report in Time. "I get the fact that the Russian intel services could figure out how to manipulate and use the bots," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., told Pod Save America recently. "Whether they could know how to target states and levels of voters that the Democrats weren't even aware (of) really raises some questions. How did they know to go to that level of detail in those kinds of jurisdictions?" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrapped up talks with the king of Saudi Arabia and other officials from Arab countries lined up against Qatar on Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough in an increasingly entrenched dispute that has divided some of America's most important Mideast allies. The secretary of state's trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jiddah followed discussions the previous day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that ended with the signing of a counterterrorism pact. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and cut air, sea and land routes with it over a month ago, accusing Doha of supporting extremist groups. Qatar denies the allegations. The quartet has given no indication it would be willing to back off from its hard-nosed stance. Just hours before Tillerson's arrival in Jiddah, the four Arab states said the counterterrorism deal that Qatar signed with him on Tuesday was "not enough" to ease their concerns. Tillerson's visit to Saudi Arabia included talks with King Salman and his powerful son Mohammed bin Salman, who was recently elevated to the role of crown prince, placing him next in line to the throne. He also met with the foreign ministers of the four countries in the anti-Qatar bloc. Officials gave little indication of what was discussed, but Tillerson was likely to press the bloc to ease up on some of its demands after he secured the deal for Qatar to intensify its fight against terrorism and address shortfalls in policing terrorism funding. He is expected to travel back to Qatar on Thursday for more talks with the 37-year-old emir. The four anti-Qatar countries last month issued a tough 13-point list of demands that included shutting down Qatar's flagship Al-Jazeera network and other news outlets, cutting ties with Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting Qatar's ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the tiny Gulf country. Qatar has rejected the demands, saying that agreeing to them wholesale would undermine its sovereignty. The anti-Qatar bloc took partial credit for the U.S. counterterrorism deal Qatar signed Tuesday, saying it was the result of "repeated pressures and demands," but added that it failed to go far enough. While welcoming U.S.-led efforts to dry up terrorist funding, the four maintained a hard line that Qatar must meet their list of what they said were "fair and legitimate demands." SAN ANTONIOMinorities in Texas are facing uphill battles in getting proper representation in the state as the Legislature continues passing laws that are biased toward them, according to witnesses for civil rights groups challenging the state's 2013 political boundaries. Allan Lichtman , a social scientist and history professor at American University, analyzed patterns in the state, including events leading to the 2013 special session that resulted in the latest congressional and state House maps. Though Republicans have admitted that prior "redistricting decisions were designed to increase the Republican Party's electoral prospects at the expense of the Democrats," Lichtman testified that his analysis shows that isn't true. "What was done here was to knowingly and intentionally impede the opportunity for African Americans and Latinos to elect candidates of their choice," Lichtman testified. "What we see here is intentional discrimination." Adjusting political boundariesis done after each once-a-decade census based on population changes. Partisan gerrymandering is not illegal, one point state lawyers have argued in their defense of the maps during a redistricting trial in San Antonio. But Lichtman was among a series of experts to testify Wednesday for minority groups who are trying to convince a three-judge panel that the state House maps and congressional maps the state adopted in 2013 carried similar discriminatory intent as the 2011 maps and diluted minority voting strength. The state denies there was discriminatory intent. This spring, the same San Antonio-based panel - Judges Orlando Garcia and Xavier Rodriguez, both of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals - ruled that Republicans racially gerrymandered some congressional districts to weaken the growing electoral power of minorities when it drew its 2011 maps. The panel also ruled in April that Texas lawmakers in 2011 either violated the U.S. Constitution or the Voting Rights Act by intentionally diluting the strength of minority voters statewide, and specifically in some House districts including Harris, Bexar, El Paso, Nueces, Dallas and Bell counties. Among the congressional districts the judges pointed to are Congressional District 23, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, covers much of the Texas-Mexico border and is represented by Republican Will Hurd of Helotes; Congressional District 27, represented by Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi; and Congressional District 35, which stretches along Interstate 35 from Austin to Bexar County and is represented by Lloyd Doggett , D-Austin. In examining CD 23 during Wednesday's testimony, St. Mary's University political science professor Henry Flores testified that Hispanics' candidate of choice, Democrat Pete Gallego , lost his bid to regain the seat in 2016 - despite a stronger Latino turnout than when he won in 2012 - because of an apparent rise in racial polarization at the polls. "Gallego performed more (among Latinos) in the 2016 election but still lost," Flores said. "There was a drop in non-Latino support from 2012 to 2016 for Mr. Gallego." The state's lawyers argue that the 2011 maps are moot because it took interim maps drawn by the panel ahead of the 2012 primaries, and implemented them during the Legislature's 2013 special session. But the plaintiffs argue that there was little to no change in some of the questionable districts, and the discrimination from the 2011 maps carried over to the 2013 maps, which are still in use. Lichtman also testified that although Latinos and blacks contributed nearly 90 percent of the state's explosive growth in recent years, they remain under-represented by nearly four congressional districts. Anglos, whose population decreased, are overrepresented by 5 districts, Licthman said. Another plaintiff witness, Orville Burton , a historian from Clemson University, testified that Texas has had a history of discrimination in passing laws detrimental to minorities that has yet to stop. He prepared a report amid a redistricting cycle in 2003 and had similar conclusions. "The racial discrimination in laws in Texas has continued since my 2003 report," Burton testified. The actions "make it more difficult for minorities to vote and participate in the electoral process. ... The courts have found that in every redistricting cycle, the Legislature left minorities at a disadvantage." The testimony magnified statistics in a graphic Luis Vera , legal counsel for the League of United Latin American Citizens, showed the court: Despite contributing to most of Texas' explosive growth that resulted in the state gaining four new congressional districts, Latinos today control only 16.7 percent of congressional districts in Texas - the same percentage they held in 1970. In other action, the panel ordered lawyers for the state to turn over to the plaintiffs about half of 113 documents related to redistricting that recently came into dispute. We're grateful for everything our firefighters do every day. When we need them, we count on them to rush to our aid because the lives they save are literally priceless. But we can't afford to write them a blank check. Houston firefighters have hit the streets asking voters to sign a petition that would effectively give them a raise by mandating pay parity between the city's police and fire departments. This is just the latest development in a long-running contract dispute with the mayor's office. Their frustration is understandable, but this ill-advised parity plan is a bad idea for Houston taxpayers. The men and women of Houston's fire department have worked without a contract for three years now, and the union's membership voted to reject the city's latest pay raise proposal. The stalemate has led them to file a lawsuit against the city. Meanwhile, they're also upset the Texas Legislature approved a landmark pension deal they bitterly opposed because it forces them to pay more into the system even though it cuts benefits. So they've fallen back on an abandoned concept under which firefighters and police officers of roughly equivalent rank were supposed to get roughly the same pay raises. This harkens back to a bygone era when the firefighter's union wielded much more political clout than police groups, enough to pressure Houston mayors and city council members into agreeing that every raise granted to police would be matched with similar raises for firefighters. During former HPD chief Lee Brown's tenure as mayor, the fire union's influence waned, the police union gained more sway, and a series of arcane political maneuvers led the firefighters' hard-won pay parity to fall by the wayside. Now firefighters are asking voters not only to restore pay parity with police, but also to enshrine it in Houston's City Charter. They argue that firefighters work longer hours, that their starting cadet salaries are substantially lower than police - $28,900 for HFD compared to $42,000 for HPD - and that their pay raises have been substantially lower than HPD's. They also say putting parity in the City Charter would help insulate them from the political winds that always blow through City Hall. But just because police and firefighters wear uniforms and badges and drive around in vehicles equipped with sirens doesn't mean they do similar jobs justifying similar pay structures. The organizational charts of the police and fire departments are, by necessity, very different, so for many positions it's hard to figure what would constitute equivalent pay for equivalent jobs. And yes, firefighters may work longer hours than police, but their unusual work schedules are widely considered a benefit that allows many of them to either enjoy more days off or pursue lucrative second jobs. Police union leaders oppose this petition drive, and it's easy to figure out why. If a pay parity referendum passes, negotiating future raises for police officers becomes much more complicated. Voters tempted to sign the firefighters' petition should bear in mind that this idea would make giving pay raises to police officers more difficult and more expensive. One of the biggest problems with this proposal is that we don't have any idea how much it would cost. Remember that if this notion goes up for a vote, it'll appear on the same November ballot as the $1 billion pension bond issue. So at the same time voters pass judgment on a plan to clear up one financial mess, they could end up making yet another unrealistic promise to city workers. Signing this petition is like signing another blank check for city employees. Firefighters may be overdue for a raise, but chiseling pay parity into the stone tablets of the City Charter is not the way they should get it. Some legislative efforts are mere window-dressing while others improve lives. Some are public relations bulletins for politicians while others are carefully crafted efforts to address problems. Some bills are sincere; others are cynical attempts to score points in the arena of public opinion. One of Gov. Greg Abbott's education agenda items for the upcoming special session falls squarely in the cynical and ignoble category. Abbott wants a $1,000 pay raise for teachers that won't require state funding. Abbott must be hoping that Texans will read or hear the headlines, "Abbott supports pay raise for teachers," and that they won't delve into the details. The details are not pretty. While most teachers need a pay raise, the newly passed state budget decreases how much the state puts in to fund education to less than 38 percent of the total cost. Another unfunded mandate would mean that local property taxpayers would have to come out of pocket to cover the $1,000 pay raise to some or all of the state's roughly 350,000 public school teachers. An unfunded teacher pay raise would be as meaningful as the expensive gift provided by the relative who bills you for it, and then goes around the neighborhood bragging that his gift shows that he values you. All lawmakers who genuinely care about education should refuse Abbott the favorable headline he's seeking and should vote against any bill that requires school districts to reprioritize their budgets to provide an increase in teacher pay. Teachers and parents and supporters of public education should write and call their legislators and let them know that they want real change, not empty gestures. To his credit, Abbott supports an ambitious goal for the Texas workforce: 60 percent of Texans aged 25- to 34-year should earn a certificate or degree by 2030. As the quality of individual teachers in the classroom is the key to whether Texas will achieve this goal, Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath need to take steps to make the profession more attractive for young teachers and to improve the teacher retention rates for experienced teachers. This means at a minimum that the Legislature needs to achieve real school finance reform. The Texas Supreme Court ruled last summer that although the state's school finance system met minimal constitutional standards, it has immense room for improvement. A commission on school finance - also on Abbott's education agenda for the special session - would be a start. But passage of another unfunded mandate in the field of education would not represent one iota of progress on any substantive objective. Lest you think that our public education system is so broken it's hard to know where to apply the fix, note that our state has a leader in the private sector who is working hard on these issues. H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt is putting his money where his mouth is, and he's making progress. Butt has invested $50 million to launch "Raising Texas Teachers," a scholarship and technical support program for teachers. Earlier this year, Butt pledged an additional $100 million toward the Holdsworth Center, an Austin-based nonprofit that is working with school districts to strengthen leadership. These are the kind of genuine efforts that Texas needs if it is going to have sufficient quality teachers to prepare students to enter and lead the workforce of tomorrow. Real leaders aren't about the role, they're about the goal, according to leadership experts. Texans deserve a governor who supports the goal of making the teaching profession more attractive for qualified teachers of all vintages, not one whose goal is to make himself look like a leader. WASHINGTON - Fox News host Sean Hannity told Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday night that he had run out of questions about the president's son and a Russian government effort to help his father win the election. "I wanted to ask every question I could think of regarding this issue," Hannity confided. "I can't think of any more in all honesty." I can. What about: Mr. Trump, you received an email that explicitly described a Russian government effort to help elect your father? Do you consider Russia to be an adversary of the United States? If not, why not? If so, why did that not set off alarm bells? You say, "People are trying to reach out to you all the time with this"? Are any of these people from foreign governments? In retrospect, do you believe this meeting to have been appropriate or not? Mr. Trump, you said you received the email "pre-Russia mania I don't even think my sirens went up." But the email described the information as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." Is that effort something about which you had previous knowledge? Just to be clear, did the email trail you shared with your brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and your father's then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, include the reference to the Russian government's effort to help the Trump campaign? Were they aware of the identity of the Russian lawyer and her alleged government connection, before, during or after the meeting? Please describe any in-person, email or other discussions you had with them, before or after the meeting, about the meeting or any other Russian involvement with the campaign. Please describe the conversation at the meeting in more detail. What incriminating information did the lawyer suggest there might be about Hillary Clinton or the Democrats? Did she ask that your father, if he became president, lift sanctions on Russia? Mr. Trump, asked by Hannity whether you met with other Russians during the course of the campaign, you left the door pretty wide open: "I've probably met with other people from Russia, certainly not in the context of an actual, a formalized meeting or anything like that." What other meetings with Russians, whether formal or incidental encounters, do you recall during the course of the campaign? Speaking of recalling, as you said, the meeting took place before the story about Russian involvement with the campaign exploded. After those reports came out, did you mention this encounter to anyone from the campaign? Did you not think it might be relevant? Indeed, in a July 2016 interview with CNN, you called suggestions that Russians were behind the hacking of DNC emails "disgusting" and "phony," adding, "I can't think of bigger lies, but that exactly goes to show you what the DNC and what the Clinton camp will do. They will lie and do anything to win." Had you forgotten about the meeting you attended a month earlier? If not, what is your explanation? Similarly, in an interview with the New York Times in March, you said, "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." Asked whether you had ever discussed government policies related to Russia, you said, "A hundred percent no." Given the fact of this meeting and that it was attended by two other senior campaign officials, how do you justify that statement? You said that you did not mention the meeting to your father at the time because, "It was such a nothing, there was nothing to tell." Please describe how and when you did inform your father of the meeting or, if you did not do so directly, how he was informed. Please describe any conversations you have had with your father, his attorneys or White House officials about the meeting. Mr. Trump, you said that you released the emails because "I wanted to get it all out there" and you accused critics of "trying to drag out the story. They want to drip a little bit today, drip a little bit then." But you have provided shifting accounts of the meeting, first describing it as being "primarily" about the adoption program. Only when confronted did you acknowledge that it concerned possible dirt on Hillary Clinton. You released the emails only after being informed that the New York Times was about to do so. Who, exactly, is trying to drag out the story? Does this constitute transparency, in your view? Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. oversnap via Getty Images Am I a stranger in my own home? This is a question which I, and many other European citizens in the UK, have faced over the past year. For most who share these thoughts, it is often in response to a particular experience they've been dealing with - difficulty applying for permanent residency, for example, or a feeling of marginalisation. In my case, however, it is for an entirely different set of reasons. Like many other Europeans here, Britain has been my home for a long time. After moving from Milan to Cork, Ireland, aged three, I finally came to settle in England's pleasant pastures in 2005. I found myself absorbing the local culture as quickly as I ended up losing my Douglas twang, and after winning a scholarship at secondary school I'm now reading Theology at Oxford University. What is clearest of all is that my upbringing has been as thoroughly British as it can be. My forma mentis is imbued with the Union Jack. Advertisement Today, I'm often asked 'what part of England' I'm from, without people ever thinking I was from overseas. I've had people express shock when they discover I'm foreign-born, because my fluent accent would seemingly suggest otherwise; I have friends who often quip that I "must be at least half-English"; I've even had acquaintances denounce all these "immigrants coming over and stealing our jobs" openly in my face, expecting my approval of course. Not only is my Britishness something I feel inside, but it is also something people automatically assume. The referendum result of last year, however, has put things into a different perspective. The 3 million EU nationals in the UK, widely called 'migrants' in the public opinion (even though, due to freedom of movement, the more correct term would be 'citizens' abroad), suddenly became 'bargaining chips' for the Brexit process. Some, especially of the Polish community, have faced a rise in xenophobic attacks. In my cosmopolitan city of residence, Oxford, the atmosphere is largely the opposite - diversity of background, opinion and thought are largely welcome. Yet the moment one appears online, you see that these places are just a bubble within a wider context, as you face the wrath of certain people claiming that they're 'true' Brits because their ancestors have been here for millennia, while I'm not because I've been here "10 minutes". All of this, and concerns for my future, have prompted me and the rest of my family to undertake the relatively arduous process of citizenship, which even resulted in my having to take a costly test to prove I could speak basic English, despite having an A* in my GCSE language exam. Within months, my Britishness will be something on paper. The reality is, the whole of this last year has made me concerned not so much for myself, but for the future of our nation. What had always attracted me and so many others to the UK is the true freedom that one feels upon arriving here. My home country may have been the birthplace of the Renaissance, while the rest of the continent was the cradle of the Enlightenment era, hushing in what we would now consider to be the modern age - yet, these places maintain a stifling air of traditionalism that permeates everyday life. My mother recounts how, upon visiting Brighton in the early-1980s, she can distinctly remember the ecstatic sense of 'everything-goes' - from neon-sprayed Mohawks, to tartan trousers and garish tattoos, all adorning the countless youths lining the city streets. Today, the hairstyles may have become more groomed, the colours may have toned down, but the atmosphere is still the same. British people have developed the greatest tradition of liberty in Europe, something which is not to be taken for granted. In the UK, you can be whoever you want to be. As much as I love my hometown of Milan, and all the beautiful cities on the continent, there's something so much more bourgeois and conventional. Advertisement My ultimate fear is that this will change - that, in its process of leaving the European Union, the UK will ironically end up more similar to its continental neighbours, and lose what makes it so special. I hope that the country, in having made the decision to detach itself from the continent, does not compromise its identity in order to fit a cliche mould of nationalism. Photonews via Getty Images Theresa May's one year anniversary as Prime Minister today should serve as a moment to reflect on just how much damage her Tory government has inflicted on our country. It has been only twelve months since Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street and declared that she wanted to make Britain a "country that works for everyone". But Theresa May's record shows that despite what she says, the Tories have not changed one bit under her leadership. On her watch we have seen increasing wealth inequality, our public services plunged further into crisis and our country being driven headlong into a chaotic Brexit. Advertisement It is remarkable how often the government has been in chaos since Theresa May took office. The last two months have seen an explosion of incompetence, from the dementia tax U-turn to the grubby deal with the DUP. But when you look back further, the poor judgement she showed during the election merely added to a long list of previous failures which pockmarked her first year in government. From the sweetheart deal for Surrey County Council to the u-turn on National Insurance contributions and the inadequate industrial strategy that was not fit for purpose, it quickly becomes clear that May's government has been divisive and chaotic from the day she took power. Her voting record alone shows that she has spent the last year doing anything but what she promised. She has consistently voted to cut support for working people, while she has continued to vote against measures to support our public services and those in need. Coming to a head on June 8, voters left Theresa May embarrassed after she lost her Commons majority in an election she had called to "strengthen her hand". She now sits a lame duck Prime Minister who has been forced to abandon her own election manifesto, and every day sees more members of her own party turning on her. It is clear that Theresa May's days in Downing Street are numbered, but governing Britain in the interests of the many requires the Tories to leave government for good. One year of Theresa May is as good a proof as any that Britain is held back by the Tories. The failed politics of austerity have led to a crisis in living standards, millions of children living in poverty, and our health services brought to its knees. Theresa May has failed to deliver on her message of equality and fairness, and has let down working families across the country through her chaotic government. Advertisement THIERRY CHARLIER via Getty Images The talks between the UK Government and the EU to negotiate Britain's exit from the EU already feel as if they're going to be a long and difficult process. It's perhaps not surprising, but a year on from the decision to leave the EU, we are still not certain what Brexit will mean for half a million children who live here whose parents are EU nationals. The same goes for the thousands of UK born kids who live in other EU countries. And if a year feels like a long time to us, imagine how it feels when you're a child unsure about whether you and your family might have to leave the UK? The implications for children who may have to leave the UK post-Brexit are of course huge. I have spoken to many children who have said they are very worried about their own immigration status and that of other family members. They don't know for sure whether their mums and dads are going to be asked to leave the country that they see as their home. For a child born in this country to EU nationals, the idea of going to live in a country they don't know, away from their friends, even having to cope with learning a new language, is terrifying. When Britain voted for Brexit, many said they weren't worried about having to leave the UK, but almost a year on they still don't know what is happening and now they are much more concerned. Advertisement Sadly, the debate amongst politicians about what Brexit will mean for Britain has so far made very little mention of children. The futures of the children of EU nationals living in the UK were given no more than passing reference in either of the White Papers published by the Government on Brexit, though the Government has since put forward its offer to the EU about the future immigration status of EU nationals and their families. What is needed now is a quick resolution, and I'm worried that still seems some way off. As Children's Commissioner for England I am a voice for children, independent of governments but able to speak up for them to people in positions of power. Today I've written to the EU's Brexit Chief Negotiator, Michael Barnier, urging the EU to take a more constructive approach. I think it's important that the EU separates out the issue of European Court of Justice jurisdiction from citizen's immigration rights, so that an agreement can be made swiftly. Any refusal to do so will turn children into bargaining chips in these talks. And any hold up in reaching an agreement keeps children and their parents in limbo. It is concerning that while the British Government has put forward detailed proposals - although there are some important clarifications that I've asked the Brexit Secretary to make - the EU has decided instead to assert a set of principles without any real detail of how these principles would work in practice. The EU said they wanted to make residence rights of EU nationals the first thing to be agreed during the negotiations. Yet so far their proposals make residence rights dependent on ECJ jurisdiction, something which won't be agreed until the end of the negotiations. Advertisement If the EU genuinely want to resolve the question of residence rights of EU nationals, they need to separate out the two issues to enable a negotiation in good faith which can give certainty to the hundreds of thousands of children and their families left in limbo. Two more years of uncertainty is bad enough for adults worried about their future residency. For children, it feels even longer. Imagine carrying around a 'secret' about your identity that feels so big, you wonder of it's visible from streets away. This is the experience of many young LGBT people who face stigma, and bullying on a regular basis. Stonewall's recent report into LGBT people in schools is a case in point. Nearly half of LGBT pupils experience bullying in schools, according to the report, and rates for trans children are higher still. Successive governments recognise the importance of investing in children's mental health, and the role of schools in developing wellbeing and recognising mental health needs. Yet the figures don't indicate enough of an improvement. Advertisement YoungMinds estimates that 1 in 4 of all young people experience thoughts of ending their life, Stonewall reports that 9 in 10 trans pupils have had such thoughts, as do 7 in 10 lesbian, gay and bi pupils. A recurring theme in the Stonewall report is the fact that LGBT children do not feel safe in school and often do not feel that they can talk to an adult. This very often stems from the stigma that is all too often harboured against LGBT people. Gender and sexual identities are not diseases. They do not need 'treating'. They are core components of one's internal world and can affect every aspect of life. Making the world a safer and more hospitable place for everyone, right from the start, is a key component of child and adolescent mental health services, which heavily endorse early intervention. This means learning to recognise children who are struggling with their learning and emotional states so that we can address difficulties quickly, maintaining self-esteem and reducing secondary problems such as severe anxiety. Clear training packages have been enabled for teachers to recognise conditions such as ADHD, and learn how to refer children to health services. Advertisement Schools that are committed to ensuring the safety and happiness of all their pupils, are already being noticed. One parent in Manchester described the positive impact of a school in recognising her child's gender identity; "At 15 our son told us he was trans. Prior to this, his low mood made school attendance difficult. We quickly adopted his preferred name and pronouns, and the school asked us how to best support him to sit his GCSEs. Good two-way communication was critical in securing the support he needed. He achieved 6 A*-Bs awarded in his new name." While this school showed exemplary support of their pupil, the experiences of many LGBT students and families are not as positive. Often LGBT pupils face problems in the most basic of situations. Toilets, for example, present obstacles, as do gendered uniforms, both of which can cause great distress. Stonewall reports that two in five LGBT pupils are not taught about LGBT issues at school, while three in four LGBT pupils do not learn about gender identity and what 'trans' means. If something as central to a young person's world as their gender or sexuality is not correctly handled in the microcosm of society which is their school, then this makes it very difficult for LGBT students to achieve their academic potential and simultaneously look after their own mental health. Schools are key to the lives of children; not only does education provide skills and qualifications, but it also offers an alternate perspective to home life. Many people remember mentors and role models who allowed them to pursue different trajectories to the ones chosen by family members. Schools also provide a safety net; staff are trained to spot signs of abuse and educational and mental health needs. The steps to make schools safer for LGBT pupils can be incredibly simple, such as displaying posters for LGBT youth groups and providing sex education for same-sex relationships. Thankfully, we are slowly moving further towards a society that provides professionals with the training that they need to support the developing gender and sexual identity of children. In Manchester, there is a network of young people and agencies working together to deliver training and develop a trans 'kitemark' for services to apply for. Advertisement Only 15 years ago our interaction with the internet would have been through technology that was tethered to a desk, with mobility achieved through the use of a laptop. The next major evolution came in 2007 touch (although this technology had been around in some form since the 1970s) when the Apple iPhone gave birth to touch and started our love affair with tapping and swiping screens. The arrival of the iPad then cemented this fundamental shift away from the desk to mobile. It wasn't just the fact that the technology changed but also the way in which we used it. Out went the traditional Qwerty Keyboard and in came the touch screen and navigation of apps and browsers with swiping and tapping. Toddlers and teens will never remember a time before touch screens. A hands-free world Now, however, the tech world is leaving fingertip control behind, taking advantage of technology that has been around for some time and requires your voice to make it work. Advertisement Voice recognition technology combined with artificial intelligence (AI), is now so effective that users can replace the key strokes, touches and swipes that we have been so familiar with for years. Any instruction, request or command that you would have typed into a search engine can now be spoken and the intelligent, voice-activated systems can search for items and complete purchases without physical contact. This technology - known as voice commerce - will revolutionise the way in which we use the internet and buy goods and services online. It will recognise the device owner's voice, understanding the request, searching for the right product and completing the purchase without hiccup. Throughout retail, voice commerce is a hot technology. In the US, eight million of Amazon's voice-activated Echo devices were bought in 2016 and it is estimated that more than 60 million Americans will use a virtual assistant at least once a month this year. Microsoft's voice service, Cortana, on the other hand, now has 133 million monthly users. Advertisement Voice-activation becomes mainstream As smartphone sales level off, voice-activated searching via Apple AirPods, Android mobile apps, Google Voice and Cortana is taking off. Users are steadily becoming accustomed to voice services as a constant presence in their lives for everything from playing music, to ordering cabs and buying groceries. In the UK, where uptake has been slower, 37 per cent of smartphone users nonetheless use voice-led technology of some kind at least once a month, with nearly one in five buying a product through voice without looking online first. What's in it for retailers? Voice commerce holds out the promise of serious gains for retailers because it is so easy to make a purchase. Amazon claims that Echo owners spend 10 per cent more in the six months after they bought the device than before. Although the dominance of tech giants may seem unassailable, new opportunities will nonetheless open up for all retailers prepared to embrace voice commerce. It enables a retailer for instance, to prepare food and drink orders for families using voice-activation in cars while stuck in traffic. The retailer gets the business and the family saves time. Innovation with excitement Using voice-activation to generate excitement and interest in-store is also likely to be part of the future retail experience, as demonstrated by Ted Baker. Advertisement The fashion retailer has been teaming up to use Google Voice to enliven its engagement with shoppers. Customers visiting Ted Baker stores can open the Google Voice app, repeat phrases printed on the store windows, and receive clues to unlock thousands of incentives and unique products on the premises. The feature is artfully geo-fenced so that only shoppers in Ted Baker stores will have access to it. How retailers can make it work for them The move towards voice commerce promises substantial change and the opening up of new opportunities right across retail, providing us as customers with an easy, interactive channel covering purchase, payment, loyalty, service-functions and order-tracking. Implementing this however, will require expertise. Retail operators lacking sufficient scale to create their own voice-led platforms, for example, may have to reach agreement so they can board those created by larger companies. Equally, the smartphone apps used by store chains will have to achieve compatibility with voice-activation systems. All retailers will need to monitor the initiatives launched by the web and eCommerce giants that have the size and resources to lead innovation in the field. Then they will need to identify the technology partners required for integration and implementation, so they can take full advantage of automation and AI. This summer marks 70 years since the Independence of India, the creation of Pakistan, and the Partition of Punjab and Bengal. These three distinct events, bundled up as they often are as being a single experience, was a tumultuous time for the subcontinent. The region was finally free from imperial rule for the first time in centuries. It was a time of great joy and celebration for many, as well as a vindication of the countless freedom movements which had fought for that very cause. However, such freedom came at an immense cost. Map of British India in 1909 In the months following August 1947, the largest mass migration in recorded history took place. Around 14 million people from across the subcontinent were displaced simply because of their religious heritage and identity. Muslims who had lived peacefully throughout the region for generations now found themselves fleeing to the newly created state of Pakistan, whilst Hindus and Sikhs on the 'wrong' side of the border were seeking to escape to India. The handover of power from the British to the two new nations was marked by widespread violence, with over 1 million people being killed in inter-communal violence during that summer. Advertisement There were also extensive levels of gender-based violence directed at women in all of the communities. During the chaos of Partition, between 50,000 and 75,000 women were systematically abducted and raped by gangs of men from other faith backgrounds. Some men were so concerned about preserving the so-called 'sanctity and honour' of their own communities that they took to murdering their own female relatives rather than see them 'defiled' by others. The pain and tragedy of this period of history cannot be underestimated. Its impact can still be felt within the South Asian community in contemporary Britain, especially as the wounds of Partition have not yet healed. And yet the relations between the various faith communities had been impressively strong before 1947. Prior to Partition, the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities had strong interfaith relations, through family relationships, as neighbours, and with places of worship being built side-by-side for the different faiths. There has also been a strong history of benefactors and philanthropists of one faith making donations of money and land to places of worship belonging to other faiths. Cultural and religious festivals were often celebrated by the three main communities in unison, as well as by local members of the smaller faiths. Interfaith cooperation in the subcontinent pre-Partition is not often spoken of, and yet its history is rich with testimonies and accounts. Advertisement Badshahi Mosque and Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore, Punjab Regional and local identity was always far more important to the people of the subcontinent than anything based on their faiths. In Punjab, for example, many Muslims and Hindus would mark Guru Nanak's birthday by visiting gurdwaras, and Hindus and Sikhs would join in with the Eid celebrations by sharing sweets with their Muslim neighbours. They had come to be seen as pan-Punjabi festivals. Several other faith communities were also affected by the repercussions of the summer of 1947, including the Zoroastrian, Jain, Bahai, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian communities. Given the fact that Partition is rarely spoken about in an open and frank manner, it's hardly surprising that the stories of minority faiths are quite often overlooked when it comes to this chapter in history. In the UK, there are approximately 4 million people of South Asian heritage. Each of them can trace their origins back to the subcontinent, and each are likely to have accounts about what happened to their close family, relatives or perhaps even themselves 70 years ago. However, the historical unity between the various communities is largely absent in modern day Britain. The Grand Trunk Project is an attempt to build a bridge between the various communities and encourage better dialogue amongst them, as well as create and foster long-term sustainable relationships between the respective communities at a local level. Advertisement This year's specific project is called #70YearsOn, and its aim is to commemorate the events of 1947 in a way which both celebrates independence of the two nations (Bangladesh did not gain independent statehood from Pakistan until 1971) and acknowledges the displacement and tragedy of those who were killed whilst making their ways over the border, as well as recognising the long history of strong social cohesion between the communities prior to Partition. #70YearsOn is currently organising local events in 11 areas across the country which will include national events in London. It is empowering local communities to develop their own commemorations which reflect the wishes and feelings of local stakeholders from the three main communities. The divisions that were caused by Partition are still very raw today, and it continues to have an impact upon how people from the various communities view one other, particularly in contemporary British society. For them, the questions of identity are still based upon the lines which were drawn up on a map of British India by a civil servant of the Empire acting almost in total isolation in 1947. Given the circumstances, it is understandable why some of those divisions remain deep seated. However, it is by acknowledging the pain of that period of history collectively, by recognising the shared heritage of the communities, and by celebrating the differences between them that we can ultimately start to heal the wounds inflicted 70 years ago. My seven year old daughter needs the loo, nothing unusual there, we all do on average 4-6 times a day, more so if you're a small child. Most places we go there is a loo that we can use, if there isn't a public toilet available when we go out, then we nip somewhere to eat and use their loo while we're at it. Pubs, cafes, cinemas, supermarkets, theatres and shopping centres all provide toilets for their customers. I mean who would visit if they didn't? There would be an uproar! However they do not provide toilets for my daughter. Even my local hospital doesn't provide a toilet that my daughter can safely use. Now I bet you are thinking that I live in a 3rd world country, but no I live in the UK. My daughter happens to have physical and learning disabilities. She is a wheelchair user, unable to stand or walk unsupported. In order to have her continence needs met then she needs a Changing Places toilet facility, which has a standard toilet but also has a hoist and adult changing bench. Currently I can lift her out of her wheelchair, but one day that will change, she is only going to get bigger and heavier. Currently I do a risk assessment on the baby change facilities available, will it take her weight? Do I risk putting her on there? Can I risk leaving her in a wet nappy if I don't think it will take her weight? And some days I have to just have to grin and bear it, kneel on a public toilet floor, lift her out of her wheelchair, stand her against me and hope that her legs don't give way and change her nappy that way. Luckily she does have some muscle tone, otherwise it would be her laid on the toilet floor... Advertisement There are an estimated 250,000 people in this country who have the same problem as us, along with their families and carers. People who are living with cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease, who have an acquired head injury or those whose mobility has suffered due to cancer. Children, teenagers, adults and pensioners. Many with low immune systems, or with invasive equipment such as feeding tubes and catheters. Their carers having to use manual moving and handling techniques that are considered too dangerous for nurses and paid carers to use in hospital, and yet there is little choice out in the community for carers, paid or unpaid. For those that are unlucky enough to be too heavy to lift, then the choice is to sit in an incontinence pad for hours at a time, or not to venture far from home. For those that would say I would never lie my child on a toilet floor. Remember this. There are only about 1000 registered Changing Places facilities in the whole of the UK. Many towns and cities do not have a single facility that my daughter can use. There are only a handful of supermarkets in the whole of the UK with these facilities, we all have to shop and even with the power of internet shopping things get forgotten and are needed. Advertisement Last year there were less than 40 hospitals in the whole of the UK with a registered Changing Places toilet facility, obviously this is somewhere we would love to avoid visiting but sadly is somewhere we have to visit on a very frequent basis. It means that when we are visiting outpatients' departments or visiting relatives, there is simply nowhere that we can "go" with dignity. Not one single person on this planet can opt out of the need to use the loo, and when nature calls we all have to answer. I want my daughter to be able to live a very happy and fulfilled life, to truly be a part of her community. She already is a member of her local Brownies, she loves horse riding, she attends mainstream as well as SN school. She loves going to the theatre, to country fayres and just being out with her friends and family. But I worry constantly that she is slowly going to disappear from her community, all through the lack of toilet facilities that she can use. One day she is going to be to heavy to lift, one day we will just not be able to manage anymore. I have written to to the Prime Minister to various Government departments. Change is very slow in happening... Advertisement My own council have been very supportive and have increased the number of Changing Places facilities in the area from 2 to 9, with more to come with new developments and renovations. I have written to every council in Great Britain asking them to do the same, I have emailed every hospital trust in England asking them to include these facilities for visitors to their hospitals. I have a petition calling for Changing Places facilities to be included in new large public buildings, please sign and share it. Inclusion means much more than building ramps. If we're going to have an inclusive society at least build the very toilets that EVERYONE can use, don't let the most vulnerable end up on the toilet floor... How can you Help? If you have had similar problems when visiting hospital then please make a complaint at your local PALS office and also share your views with Healthwatch . Please contact your MP if there are a lack of facilities in your area. Sign and share this petition Above all, please don't think that you wont be listened to, the more of us that speak out, the harder we are to ignore... Advertisement HuffPost UK Lifestyle has launched EveryBody, a new section calling for better equality and inclusivity for people living with disability and invisible illness. The aim is to empower those whose voices are not always heard and redefine attitudes to identity, lifestyle and ability in 2017. We'll be covering all manner of lifestyle topics - from health and fitness to dating, sex and relationships. We'd love to hear your stories. To blog for the section, please email ukblogteam@huffingtonpost.com with the subject line 'EveryBody'. To flag any issues that are close to your heart, please email natasha.hinde@huffingtonpost.com, again with the subject line 'EveryBody'. According to research, we now trust social influencers almost as much as our own friends. 40 per cent of consumers have bought an item online after seeing it used by an influencer on Instagram, Twitter, Vine or YouTube, and 20 per cent have shared something they have seen from an influencer. There's been a clear shift in the way brands promote themselves online. People are influenced as much by ordinary people with a small but highly engaged following (otherwise known as 'micro-influencers'), as they are by media mega stars and celebrities. However, this pivot has also called for new forms of regulation as guidelines look to protect consumers in the same way as they do across the rest of the advertising ecosystem. As a result, we are now seeing #ad in a bid for brands and influencers to clarify when a post has been paid for. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a number of letters to influencers warning them of the rules of disclosure when it comes to sponsored posts. They made it clear that placing an ad on social media without disclosing that it is paid for is taking advantage of consumers' trust. Advertisement Although most people have wised up to the fact that #ad means the content is sponsored, some influencers don't believe this makes content any less authentic. At our recent 2017 Symposium London, influencer Lily Pebbles said she only ever works with brands she loves. She's proud of her sponsored content and explained there was no difference between her paid for and non-paid for posts. Keeping trust in influencer marketing Lots of people felt cheated by influencer marketing around the disaster known as 'Fyre Festival'. Promised as an idyllic getaway in the Bahamas with top tier performers and luxury treats, it ended up being 'disastrous', with reports of poor food, people being stranded at airports, and shoddy accommodation. The event was promoted through influencers, so when the event was not what people expected the credibility of individuals like Kendall Jenner (81.1m followers), Emily Ratajowski (13.2m followers) and Bella Hadid (13.3m followers) was questioned. Many of these celebrities began deleting their posts about the festival as news from the ground unfolded, distancing themselves from the event they had promoted. What does a good partnership look like? Alongside sponsored content being marked transparently, to make influencer marketing credible in the eyes of the public, influencers need to stand by the brands they work with and become real ambassadors. What Fyre Festival shows is that influencer-brand partnerships need to be built on the premise of a relationship like the one Lily Pebbles describes: a partnership where the influencer would feature the brand whether the content is sponsored or not. The influencer must provide relevant, authentic and impactful content or they risk losing their own audience. Advertisement Francois Lenoir / Reuters On June 8th, by a wafer thin majority of 20 votes, the Labour candidate Emma Dent Coad won the 'safe Tory hold' seat of Kensington from Tory Leaver MP Victoria Borwick. I wrote to Lady Borwick months before the election to warn her that by continuing to support Leave she risked losing her seat. At the time the idea of losing a supersafe Tory seat like Kensington seemed ridiculous, far fetched, impossible even. But it happened. Advertisement What is the significance of this remarkable event? Thousands of solidly Tory voters in Kensington switched to Labour and the LibDems. Why did they do that? Kensington Tory voters are as diehard as any supporters of the party can get. But - Kensington voted by 69% to Remain in the EU Referendum. A lot of smart, well educated, well informed and worldly people figured out which was the sensible choice for their country. As A C Grayling has succinctly pointed out , The recent vote was not a vote 'for Labour' or 'for Libdems' it was a vote against Theresa May, her Brexit policies and her Brexit Cabinet. Not a vote in support of Corbyn's muddled and disingenuous lack of a stand, but a vote for a 'less worse' option, a protest. (Much like the referendum was largely a protest vote against the then government of Cameron.) The same happened throughout Britain; Conservative voters switched to a 'less worse' option. Anything rather than support Empress May. The fabulous claim is being made by BeLeaver politicians that "80% of the electorate voted for a pro-Brexit party". Nonsense. They voted to deny Theresa May a mandate to pursue her version of Brexit. If that meant voting Labour, so be it, but on the basis of taking wind out of May's sails and thinking that if even Corbyn were to win he might not be so manically obsessed as May with delivering the fatuous "Brexit means Brexit". Advertisement But Labour cannot deliver any kind of acceptable Brexit. There is no 'cake and eat it'. No 'special deal' offers coming from Brussels. The clear options are: Stay In. Get Out. Accept a Norway deal. A Norway deal is out of the question politically. Accept all the EU rules, ECJ jurisdiction, free movement of labour, pay 10bn a year for the privilege... and without any say in the EU decision making. Pointless. Get Out means to risk a 'cliff edge' exit when the kind of 'magic cake' deal that is dreamt of by the Brexiteers proves to be an impossible fantasy. Suicidal. Stay In? Inconceivable a year ago, but being talked about more and more in the lobbies and corridors of Westminster and by commentators. Now a real possibility. What would it take to stay in? Possibly some temporary EU concession on immigration controls, the emergency brake that David Cameron was too timid to ask for in November 2015, might be enough to satisfy those voters who desperately want to limit immigration. Or perhaps simply an undertaking by the UK government to actually apply existing EU law - Article 45 of the Lisbon Treaty - by which EU jobseekers without work or independent financial means of support can be asked to leave the UK after three months. Such moves may not satisfy the 'out at any cost' voters, but the latter appear to diminishing in numbers as time goes by and the horrendous complications and drawbacks of leaving become more apparent - even to the editors of such august publications as the Mail and Sun - and the economic indicators become ever more gloomy. Advertisement So how might Brexit be stopped? It comes down to the oxygen of politicians: votes, and especially future votes. Stopping it now would take a change in public opinion, significant enough and publicised enough for politicians to notice and to be concerned about. More and more commentators are now uttering the heresy : Will Brexit actually happen? This is a good sign. As A C Grayling has pointed out, the more the impossible is repeated as a possibility, the more possible it becomes. The enormous complications and economic risks of Brexit are causing many voters to ask 'Is it really worth it the pain and grief?'. Nick Clegg has quoted one local as saying: "Is it worth the bother?" And this finally ties in to the headline of the article. Events? A Tory MP dies and the by-election results in another swing away from the Tories and a lost seat? A scandal emerges about corruption of the referendum vote by foreign influence? The DUP deal is declared illegal? Trump is impeached and a trade deal with UK is his last priority? The possibilities are endless. The foundations of May's Brexit are so unstable that it needs little more than a nudge to bring down the tottering edifice. And by their nature, events are typically unpredictable and unforseen. Finally, demographics. Stopping it would require recognition by politicians of the inevitable demographics - young voters are pro-EU. By 2022 1.5 million new young voters, all born as EU citizens, will have replaced those who will have passed away. The referendum was tipped by the choice of just 650,000 voters who chose to tick the box marked Leave instead of Remain (apart from the denial of votes to 2 million British expats). Latest surveys show that already, if a vote were to be taken now, 54% of those polled would vote to Remain. Registrations to vote amongst under 34 year olds surged before the election. They overwhelmingly voted Labour. Many would have done that because they preferred Corbyn as a leader. Equally, many would have done so because they were born as European citizens, and want to stay European citizens. Advertisement Will the young generation forgive the politicians who sold their birthright for a mess - not the biblical mess of potage, but just a mess - to appease xenophobic and jingoistic elements in the two main parties? 100 years ago, in WW1, young men were being called to the front to do their patriotic duty for King and Country, to fight the demonised Hun. The Generals urged the lads 'over the top' into the slaughter of Flanders fields. For some Brexiters, not a lot has changed. "Over the top lads, give those foreigners a bloody nose! Trust us, it'll be fine when we're over the top." Folly is as prolific today as 100 years ago. But no longer will young people be fooled by those who appeal to blind patriotism, narrow nationalism and the supremacy of British gung-ho. They know that Europe is not the enemy. Europe is really our best and closest friend. The real enemy of British pride, prosperity and peace is within, in the form of those who disseminate thinly covered racism for profit - the owners and editors of the Mail, the Sun, the Express and the like - and the paymasters who can put up the cash to manipulate the opinions of millions. You probably know who they are. Emma Espejo via Getty Images All through the night last Sunday, the wires were hot with the news that Theresa May was preparing to 'relaunch' her premiership on Tuesday morning. In a remarkable volte-face from her position in April - when she criticised the Opposition for 'jeopardising' the preparations for Brexit - May would make a plea for unity and cross-party collaboration. In the end, her speech fell rather flat, shorn of the radicalism that had been trailed at the weekend. The PM did still, however, find room to call for opposition parties to "contribute, not just criticise" to government policy. Whether or not this appeal was a ploy for political protection, the need to find consensus has never been greater. The government has a difficult legislative programme to get through Parliament before the UK leaves the European Union in 2019 and, with the slenderest of majorities, it will need all the help it can get. Advertisement First, it will have to pass the Great Repeal Bill. This will be no walk in the park. Labour have steadfastly refused to support the government's proposals for months, arguing - with some justification - that it would be undemocratic to give the government the extensive "Henry VIII powers" required to make the Repeal Bill effective. The Tories will have to work hard to build a consensus around their approach. Secondly, the government will need to nurture support for the Exit Deal it negotiates. This will set the terms of the UK's exit from the European Union, including the future location of EU bodies currently sited in the UK, the controversial 'divorce settlement,' the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and vice versa. It will also set the terms of the transition from single market to whatever comes next, a matter of priority for UK and EU businesses currently trading across borders. There is deep and unyielding division over what this should look like, but if consensus cannot be built, the Exit Deal will not pass the Commons. To avoid the cliff edge, it would make sense for the Conservatives to collaborate with other parties throughout the negotiation process. Cross-party consensus will not work Fortunately, this seems likely to happen. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have already called for a cross-party negotiating team to be established, and there are a number of established ways to make this happen. However, any form of cross-party collaboration will only partly heal the wounds opened up by Brexit, for two main reasons. Advertisement Firstly, cross-party collaboration is not a blueprint for sustainable consensus. Once negotiations are complete, the incentive for parties to collaborate will be much diminished, as each seeks to position itself for the 2022 election. In the event of an early election, collaboration will collapse even faster. This is why Jeremy Corbyn has refused to endorse the Prime Minister's appeal for unity: he hopes to force and win an election in the autumn. Even supposing cross-party cooperation did continue beyond 2019, it would still be unable to solve the underlying issue. The cleavage down the middle of British society is at least partly because the current crop of political representatives do not fulfil their most fundamental purpose - representation. According to the most recent estimate, 73% of Parliament voted for Remain, as against 48% of the electorate. MPs are also far more likely than the general population to have attended private school, to have been to university and to hold liberal views on important matters such as immigration and the death penalty. Building consensus in an essentially homogenous group does very little for society as a whole. The UK needs to find another way. Let the people have a say One of the most striking revelations from Lord Ashcroft's post-referendum survey, released in July last year, was that 64% of Leave voters believed their vote would make little difference, a depressing statistic both reflective of and incongruous with the desire to 'take back control.' A lazy Remainer might be tempted to dismiss this as "yet more evidence that Leave voters were clueless." But that would be to miss the wood for the trees. Disillusionment with British politics goes deep, spanning the entire political spectrum. In 2017, some 53% of people claim an interest in politics, but only 32% think that their involvement is effective and only 31% are satisfied with the way the system works. In 2015, YouGov reported that 53% would like to have more involvement in Parliament; just 7% felt they had any. These large swathes of the population need to be re-engaged with politics, as a matter of principle and as insurance against the danger of resurgent populism. One way to do this would be to run public consultation exercises, designed to collect the views of normal people and apply them to post-Brexit policy-making. Advertisement But such exercises are too often used as means to market policies which have already been agreed in Whitehall. All too often they descend into politicised 'show trials' like the French debate on national identity in 2009, which was seen on the left as a political ploy by President Sarkozy to bolster his support among right-wing voters in the upcoming election. Most importantly, in traditional public engagement, the citizenry is divorced from the decision-making process - they influence but do not determine policies. Trial by jury A more promising option would be to create a series of 'Citizen Juries' empowered to both debate and decide upon post-Brexit policies. Citizen Juries were used by the New Labour government in the 2000s to help inform policy on controversial questions like GM crops. But these were poorly managed and descended quickly into the same kind of 'show trials' as traditional public consultation. Done properly, Citizen Juries could reinvigorate broken Britain without compromising the quality of decision-making. In a Citizen Jury, small groups of roughly 12 people meet to discuss policy issues in a structured manner and reach consensual agreement - exactly the kind now advocated by politicians from all parties. The theoretical potential of these discussions has been elaborated for several decades, since they were first trialled in the USA in the 1970s. Now, however, psychologists have proven their vale experimentally. Numerous studies show that face-to-face contact is the best way to foster cooperation between different groups: each side demonstrates verbally and visually that they are willing to cooperate, which in turn encourages the other side to compromise and find the middle ground. Moreover, consensus can diffuse from juries to the wider population. Nina Eliasoph, in her book Avoiding Politics, shows that, despite their public reticence to engage in political conversation, American participants in organised debates become increasingly engaged with politics in private. Running Citizen Juries in the UK could also produce this spill over effect. In practice, two important caveats apply. Real consensus can only be found when a diverse body of people are invited to participate in the jury: it would be essential for Brexit Juries to draw from Remainers, Leavers and those with a diversity of backgrounds in between. The process must be inclusive. Advertisement Equally, the juries need to be beyond repute. Any sense that the decisions they make had been unduly influenced by politicians of any flavour could invite the kind of populist anger that juries are designed to address, lighting the powder keg of an already-unstable British political system. The Genetics Forum of 1999 carefully avoided this issue by setting up a panel of stakeholders to oversee the jury debate. This made it difficult to doubt the findings of the jury, when they criticised two of the stakeholders. Similar stakeholders panels could be arranged for Brexit. Where do we begin? If Citizen Juries are to be adopted, they should focus on resolving two outstanding areas of policy. Once the Great Repeal Bill has been activated in March 2019, the government will have the freedom to repeal and replace regulations and legislation as it sees fit, working within the framework of its relationship with the EU. The Conservatives - elected to deliver Brexit alone - should not be allowed to do this. The issues involved are too sensitive to leave to party politics. Citizen Juries should be set up to build national consensus on these matters: workers' rights, environmental and consumer protection. Juries should also be used to settle controversial areas of policy, over which the UK will gain significant control, regardless of the deal it concludes with the EU. Immigration is the most important of these. Work by British Future has shown that the members of the public are willing to discuss immigration constructively, but recoil from doing so for fear of being labelled a bigot. This further underlines the case for Citizens Juries, which would be able to debate the issues without the counterproductive influence of social conformity. Strokes are rarely associated with children and young people, and yet around 400 children in the UK have a stroke every year. As with adults, the impact of childhood stroke is often devastating. Many children are left with severe permanent physical and mental impairments, and the impact on the wider family is often significant. Because stroke in childhood is, thankfully, relatively rare - most people and even some healthcare professionals aren't always aware of the signs of childhood stroke. This can lead to delays in diagnosis, treatment and initiation of rehabilitation. That's where the new guidelines from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Stroke Association aim to plug the gap. The first edition of the childhood stroke clinical guideline was published over 12 years ago, and this revised version includes up to date clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals as well as a version for parents, carers and young people. For healthcare professionals The new clinical guidelines are the first to be truly multidisciplinary - and should be a useful tool for a range of professionals including therapists, psychologists, ambulance staff as well as those working in education. Advertisement As is the case with many conditions, when stroke strikes, quick diagnosis is crucial. So the latest guideline clearly states a scan should be carried out within one hour of arrival at hospital for every child with a suspected stroke. The clinical guideline also includes details of what tests should be performed, how to diagnose and treat stroke and prevent recurrences. For the first time, the guidelines set out criteria for 'clot busting' treatments for childhood stroke, which are currently routinely considered for adults. The entire rehabilitation pathway, from the initial period in hospital, through to going back home and to school and important periods of childhood transition, are covered in the guidelines. Many children with symptoms or signs that initially suggest stroke may have other serious neurological disorders and could also benefit from the changes in approach recommended by the guideline. The guidelines therefore provide comprehensive information on how to best manage the long term needs of children, particularly rehabilitation and transitions of healthcare and education For parents and young people If parents and carers are able to spot the signs of childhood stroke early and the right medical help is given quickly, there's a chance that some of the long term health effects can be minimised. Advertisement It's also important to know what to expect as a parent in terms of long-term rehabilitation and the potential problems that may occur with education and development of your child. Again, these guidelines are designed to help support parents and young people as they live with the after effects of a childhood stroke. Spotting the signs Early recognition of stroke is crucial so that children can be directed towards rapid diagnosis and treatment. Most children experiencing a stroke will have similar difficulties to those observed in adults who have strokes, including: Weakness of the face, one side of the body and difficulty with speech. These signs have been highlighted as part of the 'FAST' campaign for recognising stroke in adults but apply at all ages. Less commonly, childhood strokes may present with seizures or fits affecting one part of the body or, rarely, a new onset sudden severe headache. Many children affected by stroke will have non-specific signs of illness, such as a decrease in conscious level or vomiting. PeopleImages via Getty Images Imagine that everything is taken away from you. Forget your job. Forget your income, too. You have no home and no family you know how to contact. Imagine that you have 45 days to rebuild. And the clock is ticking. For former slaves, this isn't merely a thought experiment. Last year, over 3,800 people went through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of modern slavery. The government offered each of them just over six weeks of support in a safe house before cutting them loose. This is the cruel reality of the UK's current modern slavery strategy. Advertisement During those 45 days of what the government calls 'reflection and recovery', a victim's first task is to prove that they are indeed a victim of slavery or human trafficking. If they can't or don't, the clock ticks faster: they have 48 hours to leave their safe house. If they can and do, their stay is extended by 14 days. In today's Britain, you can be a slave in January and left to fend for yourself by March. The absurdity of this timetable lies in the fact that the moment of re-entry into society is the moment of maximum vulnerability for a victim of slavery. Megan Stewart, an anti-trafficking consultant, told the Human Trafficking Foundation in 2015 that a victim's situation is worsened "because their wounds have been opened up, because they only have 45 days to deal with those wounds". 45 days is not enough time for victims to come to terms with the horror of what they might have experienced for months, years, or even decades. Fearful of retaliation from former owners or traffickers, victims are now burdened with a thousand new worries: how to get a job, how to find a house, how to get medical and social care. There's not enough time to process anything. Foreign nationals often can't even begin to find solutions until their immigration status is clarified. EU and EEA nationals know already that they can't access many housing and welfare benefits because of a legal quirk. As the critical Work and Pensions Committee report on Victims of Modern Slavery put it in April, "it will often take victims much longer to start putting their lives back together." The 45-day limit isn't efficient - it's wasteful. It's like putting a plaster on a broken bone and commanding it to heal. When victims are released without support, they tend to end up on the streets. Traumatised and near-penniless, any progress that was made in a safe house is likely to be reversed. Nobody keeps track of where victims go or what they do. Many fall off the radar completely. Some are even re-trafficked, either by force or for want of alternatives. All the good intentions of the first 45 days come to nothing, the difficulties metastasise, and the solutions become more expensive and time-consuming. Advertisement Ultimately, there is no substitute for proper, sustained victim support from the get-go. Kicking the problem down the road helps nobody. When the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland wrote to Sarah Newton MP earlier this year, he argued that the "best source of intelligence is often the victim themselves". Without continued care, victims are less likely to testify. Victim support isn't just a feel-good footnote to the objective of catching criminals - it's the essential component of it. There's no use pretending we have no other options. Even within our own United Kingdom, we can see a way forward. The Welsh government's Survivor Care Pathway has shown considerable success in monitoring and in developing action plans for victims after the 45-day period expires. And just last month, the Scottish government doubled the 45-day limit, so that victims of human trafficking and exploitation can now receive support for a minimum of 90 days. The Work and Pensions Committee has also recommended that victims of slavery are supported for at least 12 months. Zoe George It has been a long time coming and I hope it was worth the wait, but the time has come to tell the story of 'the broken vagina', that I briefly touched on in a previous post. Now, if for some reason you haven't read 'The EOH Pelvic Floor', I strongly suggest you head over and read that first, as the same disclaimer applies to this article. Before the pitchforks come at me like the last time, I will make myself clear - if you have not brought a life into this world and never envision doing the act that is childbirth, I strongly, STRONGLY advise you do not continue reading... Advertisement You daredevil, I like you already. Thanks for reading on. Now, I've said it before but I'll say it again, everybody's birth story is different. This is a candid, telling of events that transpired the night of March 14th, leading into March 15th, which resulted in the birth of my first child and the broken vagina. I feel like I need to touch on the lead up to the birth for you to fully understand the sequence of events. My son, my first child, was two weeks overdue. This child did not want to come out! No amount of raspberry leaf tea, curry or brisk walks were getting this kid out of me. He had maxed his time in there and my appointment to be induced was made. It was great; I did my hair and makeup, packed my bag and drove down to the hospital with my husband, excited that I was going to meet my first baby. I went into hospital on a Thursday night at 8.30pm and he was born SATURDAY MORNING at 4am. That's a long weekend!!!! I tried to do it naturally. Yeah, that didn't happen. I remember I had met a lady the weekend before and she told me she counted through her contractions. "Breathe in for six seconds and out for ten seconds. It keeps your mind busy and off the pain," she told me. Look, it did work for 8 hrs but eventually it made me so angry I almost punched a midwife for chewing her gum mid-contraction. BRING ON THE EPIDURAL!! I still remember my first time with the epidural, my first hit. It rushed through my body and I felt like I was having an orgasm, a very long one. I went from The Exorcist to Little House on the Prairie in less than five minutes. I was making 'that's what he said' jokes with the doctors. This fun carried on until about 4am when I felt like I needed to do the biggest dump of my life (how amazing am I making it sound?), and I had heard people say that when the baby is coming that's what it feels like. They called the doctor and she had a looksie. Before I knew it there were two doctors, a couple of midwives and my husband in the room in total panic. I wanted to say, 'I told you so', but there was no time. All I remember was this four-foot-nothing little lady doctor asking me if I want forceps or an emergency caesarian, and then me not being able to hold that massive poo that was my firstborn IN! Advertisement ***Graphic content warning: skip this paragraph or don't say I didn't warn you.*** It was all on - no time for an episiotomy (where they cut you so you don't split and two holes become one). So, they tore me. SORRY, PLEASE KEEP READING. I remember the doctor leaning back, almost in a squat position, and pulling on those forceps that were around my baby's head. I couldn't see everything, but my husband, who was in the corner of the room hugging the curtain and shaking like a leaf, while I yelled to him, "TAPE THE BIRTH! TAKE SOME PICTURES! I WANNA SEE MY PLACENTA!!", tells me he was 100% positive the baby's head was going to rip off and the doctor would go flying back across the room. Out came baby Ari, in what seemed like five pushes, and off to work they went stitching up my tear. I don't remember much after that, as I was too busy looking at my first-born child on my chest, covered in a sticky white substance. I wondered how it was possible he looked so much like a dropped baked potato? Other thoughts included, 'if the doctors could read my mind now they would take him', 'I'm already a terrible mother, shouldn't I think he's the most beautiful thing in the world?', 'he definitely looks like his dad', and a lot of 'he's the cutest baby ever, he's the cutest baby ever, repeat the mantra Zoe!'. Later, when I asked my husband why he hadn't taken any pictures with our new camera we had bought specifically for the occasion, he said there were too many people in the way. These days he retells the story describing what he saw as similar to that of a massacre/blood bath type of scene. The midwives and doctors told me I lost a third of my blood and, even though I refused a transfusion, I almost didn't have an option. Advertisement So, that was all over and I was being given a sponge bath in bed by the midwife (oh la la), until she asked me to sit up and I caught a glimpse of my vagina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Describing it as looking like a hamburger, more like a whopper, would be putting it nicely. That image will be forever burned in my mind. If Frankenstein's monster had a vagina, I know EXACTLY what it would have looked like *shudders at the memory*. I needed about four of those vajayjay icy poles and three overnight maxi pads to contain that Joker's smile. We went home, the struggles began; I struggled with breastfeeding, struggled to pee, struggled to even sit on a toilet without feeling like my insides were going to drop out of the gaping hole that once was my vagina. PSA: squatting over a hand mirror to check it out is NOT a good idea! ABORT MISSION, ABORT MISSION!!! I also struggled with botched stitches. I guess in the rush, with all that blood loss, the staff were more concerned with stopping the bleeding than taking care with my stitches down there. About six months later, when my 'whopper' had returned to looking slightly less abstract art-esque and little more surrealist art-esque, the time had come to think about sex again... it took this long before my husband even dared to bring it up. I was petrified. I have been bungee jumping before and the thought of having sex again scared me more. We tried and it was a nightmare. That's if it even counts... does half a tip even count? Things are going to get serious now. I booked in with my gynaecologist and asked him if it was normal. He assured me that it was normal and I had just made a tiny human and there was a lot of trauma so not to expect too much. I gave it another six months and by that time we were trying for our second. By 'trying' I mean I would cry whilst biting on a pillow, enduring sex while my poor husband tried to get the job done as quickly as possible. Back to the gynaecologist. This time he examined me and upon entry he kind of inhaled deeply, then stopped, took his glove off, patted me on the knee, and said, "I can't believe you've actually been trying to have a baby with those." He described it as three bands, like the skin between your thumb and pointer finger pulled taut, and anytime anything rubbed on them, they felt like they were tearing. Basically, it was scar tissue from my stitches and I could either have surgery to fix it (and then have an elective cesarean so as to avoid the same thing happening again with a natural birth) or "bear through it" until we conceived and then, "hope the next baby tears the same spot so that it can be re-stitched more carefully". I decided to give the latter option a go for one more month, and thankfully it worked. Advertisement In the process I managed to traumatise my vagina to the point of vaginismus. Such a gorgeous word, isn't it? Sounds like a blossoming flower that grows at the base of a gorgeous waterfall, doesn't it? No, it's terrible and having it is worse than the way it sounds. I'm going to describe it in layman's terms first... It's basically when your vagina has had enough so she over tightens your pelvic floor muscles so much that nothing is allowed in. She puts up a brick wall against all intruders and no amount of banging will break down that wall. My name is Zoe and I have vaginismus. Months of physio later and paying hundreds of dollars to get to third base with a gorgeous woman and there had been slight improvement made. I still remember her (the physio) telling me she was going to give me some 'trainers'. I thought they were runners or something, but she came in with these plastic test tube looking things that started at the size of my little finger and the biggest was the size of an average......cucumber, and as she put it in there and began explaining what I need to do and which directions I need to manoeuvre, she looked down and that thing was being shot out. YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!!! A few months later I had my baby girl. That birth was amazing, so gentle and beautiful. My husband even taped the whole thing, zooming in and all those types of fancy tricks. I even reached down and pulled her out myself!! I KNOW RIGHT!! She gently tore me in the same internal spot that Ari had and there was a highly experienced doctor in the room within minutes stitching me up carefully. Within a few days I could already tell that I was feeling more normal down there. Advertisement I have a long way to go before I can say I'm 100% relaxed down there, but there are no more tears and biting pillows (unless it's in a good way, wink wink). According to MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: "Vaginismus is a spasm of the muscles surrounding the vagina t hat occurs against your will. The spasms close the vagina and can prevent sexual activity and medical exams." According to Sexual Health Australia: "Vaginismus seems to be quite uncommon when looking at its prevalence in the general population. However, because of the shame and secrecy associated with the condition it may be underreported and on the basis of clinic samples, it would appear that vaginismus is not that uncommon after all." There you go, I got it out. I have been embarrassed to write this story for a while, but every time I meet someone in person and tell them they are surprised and feel really terrible for me that I went through it. I told this story to raise awareness of the issue, it was a hard one to share. I am putting the most private information out there for the world to read. Yes, I did put a funny spin on most of it, but that's how I tell all my stories. If you can't laugh at life then you cry, and crying ain't fun. Please respect that I also come from a culture where we don't talk about these things openly and I am mortified at the thought of my family reading it, but it's all for the greater good, I say. If you've made it to the end, thanks for reading. Love you all. - Zoe xoxo This blog first appeared on Zoe's blog, The Subtle Mummy Facebook Graduates Madison Gigliotti, William Kipp and Salvador Alcala won gold in the automated manufacturing technology competition at SkillsUSA National Competition. McCann's AMT team at work at Nationals. Giving a thumbs up after winning gold in Louisville. PreviousNext McCann Students Bring Home Gold, Bronze From SkillsUSA Nationals Carey Contini, a recent graduate of the postsecondary dental assisting program, won bronze at the national competition. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. McCann Technical School students brought home a gold medal from the automated manufacturing technology competition and a bronze medal in dental assisting from the SkillsUSA National Competition. Graduating seniors Madison Gigliotti, William Kipp and Salvador Alcala, and postsecondary student Carey Contini returned from Louisville, Ky., as champions in their respective fields. "To come back and to be able to say you are the best in the country is a big deal," Superintendent James Brosnan said. "It is the major leagues and it's a hell of an honor for them to represent the school." Gigliotti, Kipp and Alcala, who won the AMT competition, started the school year with a simple goal win gold or go home. "We didn't make it to the national level last year and we got a silver medal at the state level losing to another McCann team," Kip said. "So this year we went for the gold so we trained all year ... we brought ourselves to a new level." Kipp said the team is a mixture of computer-assisted drafting and machine tech students and that they had to work together to create an automotive part, which in this case happened to be a small fan. "Basically we are given a product that someone wanted manufactured and we had a rough napkin sketch," he said. "We were rapidly prototyping a part or a product and we had six hours to do it." He said one team member made the 3D model on the computer and prepared the specs, another prepared the coding that would allow the machine to make the part and the machinist operated the machine to create and cut the part. The team even had to deal with a change order that came through and had to make another component that would spin the fan. Gigliotti said the team also had to fill out paperwork and a math worksheet She said the competition was tense, but the team learned to work together. "You definitely get to learn how to work with two people for a long time ... and there were some fights and bickering," she laughed. "But I think us three just work so well together and we can put our noses down and do our work. "We knew what we have to do; we have been doing it for four years now." Machine technical teacher Scott Botto, who attended the weeklong competition, said it was impressive watching his students compete among the best in the country. "You are sitting on the sidelines watching all the other state teams work and you know they sent their best," he said. "It was fun to watch and watch them grow, and it is pretty close to exactly what we do in the industry." Principal Justin Kratz said the team had been determined to suceed since starting the 2016 school year. "The drive they had this year was the best. They came back from states last year and said gold or go home," he said. "We have had a lot of kids do well at these competitions but this group, they made it known Sept. 1 that they were bringing home the gold." Contini, who won the bronze medal, had a different experience at the competition and unlike the AMT team, she had to work entirely on her own. "It was a mix of secondary and postsecondary student in the dental assisting competition," she said. "Going in older, I stepped out of my comfort zone but it was exciting and I had a lot of fun." "I wanted to medal, too, if I was going all of the way to Kentucky." Contini said she had to take four different written exams and go through 16 different stations. "There were some girls there that were very competitive but it flowed well for me," she said. "I have been in dentistry for quite a while and I wanted to specialize so I came to this program. I am competitive by nature so it felt pretty good." Contini, who also won gold at the state level, attributed her success to her experience in the field and her teacher at McCann, Michele Racette. "My teacher was wonderful and I love dentistry and I got a job in my first rotation so it paid off," she said. Brosnan said the SkillsUSA competition is a different experience for postsecondary students, who often are already in the field and have other responsibilities "It is outstanding anytime we can send someone out to represent McCann and North County and there is a different mindset and professionalism with postsecondary competitors," he said. "They may have a board test, exams or whatever else and then by the way, you have to get on a plane and fly to Kentucky, so the stress is different." Brosnan said at all age levels, SkillsUSA is life changing. "It is an important experience and it builds character and is not just a set of skills," he said. "It molds you for life and gives you those standards." Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com iciHaiti - Culture: First Edition of Danse en Folie 15 dance groups officially confirmed their participation in the First Edition of "Danse en Folie" to be held as part of the International Youth Day on August 12th at the Shooters Bar and Grill (Local Royal Haitian Hotel-Fontamara 43) starting at 4:00 in the afternoon. They are the Groups : Satellite Dance, Extase Dance, DJUMBA Dance, Sky Dance, Let's Dance Haiti, Stancool Dance, Haitian Michael, Cool Dance, Team success Dance, Loubenchy Sanzo, Team 3 FFF, Djoulie Dance, ADEN, C-JIT, Flament Rose and Dreams Dance. ll dance styles will be represented at "Danse en Folie" to illustrate this cultural phenomenon. In addition, "Weekend Kasepri" will be at "Danse en Folie" to offer you a set of products and articles of all kinds at low prices, confirmed Yvenson Franck, President of the Initiative of the Volunteers Engaged for Change (IVEC). An rendezvous not to be missed on your agenda. IH/ TB/ iciHaiti The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its full steam ahead with the sequel to Mamma Mia, Lily James recently seen in Edgar Wrights Baby Driver having been cast as young Donna, according to The Hollywood Reporter. For Mamma Mia fans, that name should be immediately familiar as Meryl Streep played Donna in the original; the British icon will return for the sequel, which will feature multiple flashbacks explaining how the various characters' relationships were forged. James has a proven track-record singing on the big screen, having performed "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" for 2015's Cinderella. The actor became a well-known Hollywood name after playing the Disney live-action films titular character. She also starred in the BBC adaptation of War & Peace. 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 Titled Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, the sequel sees Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski and Colin Firth all return to sing more ABBA songs. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel scribe Ol Parker will write and direct Here We Go Again!, which currently has a release date set for 20 July 2018. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} We've all been there. It's a Friday night and once again you're scrolling through Netflix or the television guide trying to find a good movie. That's where movie fans come in to help. A while back, Reddit user VarrickCarter23 asked the /r/movies subreddit what films they would consider a perfect 10/10 and they received an enormous response. While some of the films may not shock you Toy Story, There Will Be Blood others include great performances you may have overlooked when they were first released in theaters. The entire list of responses is pretty lengthy, but we've highlighted 15 in here and included the fans' reasonings as to why you should spend time watching these flicks. We encourage you to check out the full list on Reddit here. 1. Her (2013) Love at first byte: Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with a software package (Scarlett Johansson) in Her (AP) Synopsis: A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need. I don't consider it one of the best things ever or anything but I think it's a near flawless piece of film. It just set things up so well that no real plot point would feel forced or out of character. I love the implications, how the year is never specified, or what the rest of the world is like. The story is just really really simple, yet you find yourself getting sucked in easily. As someone doing long distance this film connected with me pretty strongly. VarrickCarter23 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Synopsis: When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a procedure to have each other erased from their memories. But it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with. Almost everything is done flawlessly: The acting is superb, the music is good, the plot is engaging, it's funny, its unique, its dramatic, it's depressing, it's lighthearted, it's surprising ... it invokes almost every emotion out of me and it does it with soaring colours, literally. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up What I really adore is the camera work. The way things disappear out of a scene or a window, or the tricks with lighting, or building giant sets to make it look real, angles and tracking shots ... all of it is masterfully done. Charlie Kaufman did not direct this and he wasn't even the only one who worked on the story but his screenplay just jumps out at you. I think he's one of the best working today and this screenplay solidifies that. VarrickCarter23 3. The Thing (1982) Synopsis: A research facility in Antarctica comes across an alien force that can become anything it touches with 100% accuracy. The members must now find out who's human and who's not before it's too late. Absolutely perfect horror movie. Interesting premise, awesome characters, incredible special effects, killer soundtrack, perfectly executed tension. JendoShabo 4. There Will Be Blood (2007) Synopsis: A story of family, religion, hatred, oil, and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business. Single best acting performance in a film for me. He [Daniel Day Lewis] was just mesmerising. If NCFOM [No Country for Old Men] was like looking at a beautifully composed nihilistic painting, TWBB [There Will Be Blood] was more like being enveloped in a milkshake of dread. Delicious. bobboooo888 5. Fight Club (1999) Synopsis: An insomniac office worker, looking for a way to change his life, crosses paths with a devil-may-care soap maker, forming an underground fight club that evolves into something much, much more. One of the rare instances where the movie is better than the book. I have gone back and watched it trying to find an error or mistake in it, pertaining to the ending, and I can't find one. Fincher really captures [Chuck] Palahniuk's vision in his adaptation. Both movies stand the test of time. ff_beer_money 6. The Incredibles (2004) Fighting force with family: The Incredibles (AP) Synopsis: A family of undercover superheroes, while trying to live the quiet suburban life, are forced into action to save the world. I consider it perfect in the fact that there isn't a single thing (whether it be plot, characterization, humour, pacing) that I would have changed. There isn't a single flaw that I personally had with it. whatzgood 7. The Godfather: Part II (1974) Synopsis: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate. Personally the juxtaposition of how Don Corleone came to power and what Michael is doing to continue that power is amazing. The performances from [Robert] DeNiro and [Al] Pacino are legendary and timeless. Throw in the conspiracy to kill Michael and how Michael takes care of it makes for a better plot also. I mean for me personally The Godfather: Part II is my number one and The Godfather is my number two, they are both pretty flawless, I just find part two to be stronger. a-bso 8. Vertigo (1958) (AP) (Paramount Pictures) Synopsis: A San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her. It's really slow, but masterfully done. I love how the final shot of the film is similar to the opening scene (without giving anything away). And the mystery was good too, it's paced just right so that it never feels too fast. And you learn info at the appropriate rate. VarrickCarter23 9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) Synopsis: Robert Ford, who's idolised Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader. If you want to show someone a tour-de-force in acting, this is the movie. I've yet to see anyone top Casey Affleck's performance. ParkerZA 10. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) Synopsis: With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son. My 10/10 movie is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. It's such an intricate, complicated character study and even after seeing it more than ten times, every time I watch it I pick up things I didn't see the previous watch. All the characters are so well realised and fit so well together in that world and it culminates in one of the most poignant moments I've ever seen on screen. Groosenator2000 11. Synecdoche, New York (2008) Synopsis: A theatre director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he creates a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse as part of his new play. This film balances everything from humour, suspense, and at times is downright depressing. The reason why this film is 10/10 for me is not only it's grand themes, but also it's most subtle details. For instance, in the opening scenes, we are brought months into the future without realising time is passing without paying close attention to the dates in the newspapers, the times mentioned on the radio, and the dialogue. We realise as the audience that through repetition in daily life, we can forget about time. These small details can be forgotten but definitely add to rewatching the film trying to spot them out. Unlike films like Fight Club that certainly require repeat watching, you may watch this film and not realise the story being told on your first go. On top of this, Philip Seymour Hoffman provides us with his amazing acting. He is obsessed with death, often thinking that at every turn he will die. For those who haven't seen this film, I highly recommend it. jonymcg 12. Toy Story (1995) (AP) Synopsis: A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's room. Toy Story's script is one of the strongest ever written, with minor introductions to plot elements and concepts returning at later points, and no unnecessary scenes included. Its a film that talks to both adults and children in different ways, with a fun adventure and interesting rivalry-turned-friendship, and themes of jealousy, purpose, and parental caring wrapped up within. thegimboid 13. Whiplash (2014) Synopsis: A promising young drummer enrols at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realise a student's potential. I know it's only a couple years old but I can watch this movie time and time again and still be amazed. It's got everything I like in a movie. A great story, strong dialogue, well developed characters (including one of the most memorable antagonists in recent films) brought to life by great acting, and even boasts some really excellent cinematography and music. The intensity never really fades even though I've seen it three or four times. I think it will be considered a classic in time. noah2461 14. No Country For Old Men (2007) Synopsis: Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and more than two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande. From the seamless story telling to the chilling performance from Javier Bardem, this is one of the few movies I believe to truly be flawless. 10/10 Mbags88 15. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) (AP) (Warner Bros) Synopsis: A woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in post-apocalyptic Australia in search for her home-land with the help of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshipper, and a drifter named Max. I can't put a finger on a single thing I'd change in that movie. Everything just works and clicks into place so meticulously, you'd think Miller had spent his entire life thinking up and planning this movie. TheTjums Three things you should say if you think that your partner is unhappy The best islands in the world, according to travellers Why didnt the US kill Kim Jong-un on 4 July? Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Shia LaBeouf has apologised after footage emerged of him using racially charged language towards a black policeman after he was arrested for public drunkenness over the weekend. The actor, who is famed for his roles in Transformers and Nymphomaniac, was arrested in the foyer of a hotel in Savannah, Georgia in the early hours of Saturday on suspicion of obstruction, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Footage of the arrest has since been shared online showing LaBeouf repeatedly swearing at the police officers and accusing them of being racist for "arresting [him] for being white". The actor then goes on to shout "I've got more millionaire lawyers than you know what to do with" and tells a black officer that he will "go to hell". According to police, the actor became incensed after a bystander refused to give him a cigarette and then began using offensive language in front of children and acting disorderly. LaBeouf, who was later released on a $7,000 bond, has now said he is profoundly ashamed of his behaviour and would not attempt to excuse it. LaBeouf also said he had been coping with addiction publicly for too long and was making efforts towards getting sober. 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 I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and make no excuse for it, the 31-year-old said in a Twitter post. I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behaviour is not lost on me. My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps towards securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes. LaBeouf was arrested a few months ago at his own New York art exhibition "He Will Not Divide Us" in protest against President Donald Trump. The actor was involved in an altercation with a man with differing political views at the installation. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Campaigners have accused the National Grid of failing to live up to the Paris Agreement on climate change after it published a report about how energy supplies might develop in the future. In the report, the private company which runs Britains high-voltage electricity network considered four possible scenarios including one called 'Two Degrees', saying this was based on the historic Paris accord's target for the maximum amount of global warming. The other three scenarios sounded grim for those hoping Britain will play its part in the international efforts to prevent the worst effects of climate change. A business-as-usual approach was the least affluent of the scenarios and the least green; another scenario contemplated low economic growth competing with the desire to become greener and decrease carbon emissions; while the fourth foresaw consumers with more money available to spend but little inclination to become environmentally friendly. Environmental group WWF criticised the company for its lack of ambition, saying it had failed to consider the actual target laid out in the historic Paris Agreement on climate change. This committed signatories to holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C recognising that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change. Gareth Redmond-King, head of climate and energy policy at WWF, said: [The] assessment by the National Grid is disappointing and shows that the UK needs a better and more ambitious plan for how we meet increased energy demand whilst cutting emissions. The UK can't possibly be left answering two degrees to a question about how we plan to meet our international commitments to tackle climate change. It just fails to set the level of ambition necessary to deliver what we signed up to under the Paris Agreement the answer needs to be 1.5 degrees. Recommended Climate change doomsday warning of death smog and endless war attacked Previously scientists thought that particularly dangerous effects of climate change would begin after 2C of warming, but concern is growing that this figure is too high, particularly because of fears allowing this much would lock in major sea level rise over the next few centuries. To date, the world has warmed by just under 1C because of greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. The UK Government has committed to ambitious targets to cut emissions, but it has repeatedly delayed its Clean Growth Plan, which is meant to set out how these will actually be achieved. Ministers have said the plan will be published in September, about a year late. Mr Redmond-King said: We are already feeling the impact of climate change and this forecast comes hard on the heels of the Committee on Climate Change report which challenges the UK Government to step up to the challenge. We need their commitment to support and grow low-carbon industries and solutions particularly in the building and transport sectors where emissions are rising, not falling, and we need this quickly. The Government's Clean Growth Plan needs to prove these forecasts wrong when it is published in September. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan Responding to the criticism, a National Grid spokesman said: National Grid is not responsible for setting the Paris climate change targets or the Governments own aspirations. The scenario is titled Two Degrees because that was the target set by the Paris Agreement. "However the report refers on a number of occasions to limiting warming to two degrees or less because we recognise there is an aspiration to go beyond that. The report, called Future Energy Scenarios, said under its Two Degrees scenario increased investment ensures the delivery of high levels of low carbon energy and consumers make conscious choices to be greener and can afford technology to support it. With highly effective policy interventions in place, this is the only scenario where all UK carbon reduction targets are achieved, it said. We see the highest economic growth of all the scenarios. There is a collective ambition to decarbonise the economy. High taxes are levied on those who continue to use carbon intensive options, such as conventional gas for heating. Policy and incentives are in place to reduce demand and increase renewable generation. Under the business-as-usual scenario, the focus is on ensuring security of supply at a low cost for consumers. This is the least affluent of the scenarios and the least green. There is little money or appetite for investing in long-term low carbon technologies. Steady State sees the slowest economic growth and subsequently there is the least investment in the longer-term future, it says. There is little ambition to move to a low-carbon world, with policies that focus on the affordability of energy. No taxes are levied on the use of gas. The emphasis remains on ensuring security of supply at the lowest cost. Consumers are very cost conscious and try to limit their spending and reduce their bills. They have no desire to move to a low-carbon world. Innovation continues as it does today. Businesses and consumers take a low risk, short-term value approach. Writing in the reports foreword, Marcus Stewart, the Grids head of energy insights, said it was designed to provide a range of credible futures to help develop an energy system that is robust against a range of outcomes. It was, he said, designed to be a catalyst for wider debate. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nordic countries are celebrated for their seemingly fuss-free lifestyles, from their pared-back utilitarian clothing brands to their clean-lined furniture. And its a mindset that feeds into their baking. Even traditional Nordic desserts - usually the most indulgent part of a meal - are minimalist, at least when compared with the wonderfully frilly pastries of France or some of the more sugar-packed, bells-and-whistles treats in the US (apart from the humble apple pie, of course). The traditional cakes and breads of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, often feature a handful of basic ingredients combined to create delicious, comforting treats. We dont do things to excess you find no Ferraris on the streets of Denmark and no bling-bling excess people on the streets of Gothenburg we are simple folk, Bronte Aurell, the owner of ScandiKitchen in London and author of The Scandi Kitchen and Fika & Hygge tells The Independent. "We do things that make sense and that are functional. You see this in everything from our design to our food." Lagom - the Swedish notion of "not too much, not too little, everything in balance" - is mirrored across Nordic countries, she adds. But it's not something that Swedish chef-restaurateur Niklas Ekstedt, tells The Independent isn't always widely recognised. "I think the biggest misunderstanding is that Nordic baking is heavy on cream and butter, he says. "For me Nordic baking is characterised by the clean flavour and simplicity in the filling." Traditionally, Nordic cakes and desserts feature cinnamon, vanilla and cardamom. This harks back to when the Vikings encountered spices native to India in Constantinople, or modern-day Turkey. In the summer, fresh seasonal berries are key to adding sweetness to desserts, while jam, dried and frozen fruits are used in the cooler months. In some cases, only 70g of sugar will be used to sweeten a whole batch of buns, says Aurell. "In bread and buns, spices are important so that you can tell which it is. A cinnamon bun needs to be only cinnamon nothing else, explains Ekstedt. A strawberry cream cake featured in Aurell's The ScandiKitchen cookbook Part of the reason that desserts are comparatively modest is that sweets are not traditionally eaten to finish the meal, but rather as an afternoon snack. Think of it as a less extravagant British afternoon tea combined with the Italian idea of drinking an espresso with a pastry for breakfast. This concept is known as Fika, a pillar of Swedish culture, which means to meet up for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Fika is the most important word in Swedish baking and there is a lot of pride in that word, says Ekstedt. Rye, rye and rye, is meanwhile what characterises Nordic bread, says Aurell. Rye bread is hugely popular in Nordic countries (Lisovskaya/iStock ) (Lisovskaya/iStock) In general, bread in this region is darker and has more rye than that in Southern Europea, and Graham style bread high in grains is also very popular, says Ekstedt. We eat dark rye with no sugar, just rye, cracked rye and made on sourdough, in Denmark. In Sweden we eat rye crispbread. In Norway, flat bread and crusty breads. In Finland, there is seriously high-fibre and rye content bread, too, says Aurell. But at the same time, stresses Aurell, taste is king. Nords wont compromise taste over health. That just wouldn't be largom. "In our nature, it is all about making sense functionally, too. Why eat a piece of cake made from avocado just because its made from avocado and doesnt taste good? If it happens to taste great, then brilliant, but I dont think we tend to compromise on the taste. If were going to eat baked goods, let them be good and worth it," she says. There is no cherry on top of the sundae unless the cherry has a purpose. So, to some, perhaps this looks understated, but to us, it is simply because this is how we live," she adds. "Were not flamboyant people. We are considered, logic folk. Quite low key, really. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Made using layer upon layer of puff pastry and dollops of set custard youd be forgiven for thinking that the pastel de nata, or Portuguese custard tart, is a pretty basic dessert. In reality, its a pudding shrouded in mystery. The explosion of Portuguese-influenced chicken restaurant Nandos - which has pasteis de nata in its menu - as well as the growing number of people heading to Portugal on holiday has seen the spotlight shone on the countrys cuisine. That includes the seemingly-humble Portuguese custard tart. The tarts are eaten across Portugal and the Lusophone world as a snack at all times of the day, with a cup of coffee. Traditionally, the tarts are made using milk, egg, sugar, cinnamon - as opposed to nutmeg used in the British custard version - and vanilla, held together in a puff-pastry casing. But aside from that basic formula, the ins and outs are top-secret among the top pastel de nata cooks. Recommended The zen simplicity of Nordic baking It all harks back to the origins of pasteis de nata in the 19th century. The story goes that a monk sold the recipe to a bakery in the Belem district of the capital Lisbon in 1834, after the monasteries were closed by the state. The family went on to found the famous bakery in Belem where the original tarts are still made, Rebecca Seal, the author of Lisbon: Recipes from the Heart of Portugal, explains. In peak season, the bakery makes up to 50,000 tarts a day. There, they are baked at 400C and using milk-based custard. But little else is known about their methods. The recipe is kept a secret, with only the family and three people who make them in the know as to exactly how they're made, says Seal. The world's biggest food fights Show all 11 1 /11 The world's biggest food fights The world's biggest food fights La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain Biel Alino/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain Biel Alino/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain Biel Alino/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights World Custard Pie Championship, Kent Funk Dooby/Flickr The world's biggest food fights World Custard Pie Championship, Kent Funk Dooby/Flickr The world's biggest food fights La Merengada, Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain Ajuntament de Vilanova i la Geltru The world's biggest food fights La Merengada, Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain Ajuntament de Vilanova i la Geltru The world's biggest food fights Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights Clean Monday, Galaxidi, Greece Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images The world's biggest food fights Clean Monday, Galaxidi, Greece Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images For Bruno Costa, the founder of I Love Nata in central London which, you guessed it, only sells a certain Portuguese sweet, the dessert is a way of life. He moved here from Lisbon nine years ago, and opened in 2015. The store also stocks apple and cinnamon, and chocolate tarts, as such updated flavours have become popular in Portugal. Asked what the secret is to baking delicious pasteis de nata, he tells The Independent: Passion, love and attention to detail. And the ingredients. To get it right it takes experience and dedication. It takes a lot to get those pastry layers and smooth texture." Pressed on the shops recipe he adds, all ingredients are sourced and or produced in Portugal. That is absolutely key. Recommended 6 easy steps to tasting chocolate like a connoisseur We cant disclose such information, sorry, he replies when quizzed just on where he gets his inspiration for his recipes, let alone the details. In the end, we gave up. But theyre not the only bakeries that are tight-lipped about their recipes. Portguese Taste, a stall in Bristols St Nicholas Market and regarded as one of the best makers of pasteis de nata in the world, told the Guardian in an interview that her secret to is the way she makes the cream. This I dont tell anybody, she teased. Luckily, having recently released a recipe book, Seal is happy to share her take on the process. "For me, making them at home you need an oven which goes up to a very high heat. I cook mine at 275C, with two pizza stones pre-heated for an hour above and below the tarts so that they are subject to lots of intense radiant heat. You also really need a pan thermometer to perfect the custard filling. And you need patience. There's a lot of rolling, filling, chilling and heating to be done, very precisely, in order to temper the egg yolks and create the delicious crisp layers of pastry." She adds: Its time consuming, but it's worth it. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Potentially harmful chemicals that were banned from childrens teething rings and rubber duck toys a decade ago may still be present in high concentrations in your childs favourite meal: macaroni and cheese mixes made with powdered cheese. The chemicals, called phthalates, can disrupt male hormones like testosterone and have been linked to genital birth defects in infant boys and learning and behaviour problems in older children. The chemicals migrate into food from packaging and equipment used in manufacturing and may pose special risks to pregnant women and young children. The Food and Drug Administration has not banned their presence in foods, though a 2014 report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission urged federal agencies to assess risks with a view to supporting risk management steps. The report concluded that food, drugs and beverages, and not toys, were the primary source of exposure to phthalates. Now a new study of 30 cheese products has detected phthalates in all but one of the samples tested, with the highest concentrations found in the highly processed cheese powder in boxed mac and cheese mixes. The phthalate concentrations in powder from mac and cheese mixes were more than four times higher than in block cheese and other natural cheeses like shredded cheese, string cheese and cottage cheese, said Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, one of four advocacy groups that funded the report. Others were the Ecology Center, Healthy Babies Bright Futures and Safer States. The groups tested 10 varieties of mac and cheese, including some that were labelled organic, and found high levels of phthalates in all of them. The tested products were purchased in the United States and shipped in the original packaging to VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research in Belgium, where fat extracted from each product sample was analysed for 13 phthalates using validated test methods, Belliveau said. Some 2 million boxes of mac and cheese, a relatively inexpensive food that can be whipped up in minutes, are sold every day in the United States, according to 2013 figures from Symphony/IRI Group. Belliveau said consumers would have a hard time avoiding the chemical. Our belief is that its in every mac n cheese product you cant shop your way out of the problem, said Belliveau, who is urging consumers to contact manufacturers and pressure them to investigate how phthalates are getting into their products and take steps to eliminate it. Nine of the cheese products tested were made by Kraft, which makes most of the macaroni and cheese products sold, though the group did not disclose the names of specific products tested. Officials with Kraft did not respond to requests for comment on the report and its findings. Devon Hill, a lawyer in Washington who has experience with companies that make phthalates, said that many phthalates have been phased out of food processing and packaging, and that those still in use result in very low exposures. The cheese tests looked for the presence of 13 different phthalates and detected all but two, with some food items containing up to six different phthalates in a single product. Environmental and food safety groups petitioned the FDA last year to remove all phthalates from food, food packaging and food processing and manufacturing equipment, though the petition has been delayed temporarily for technical reasons, said Tom Neltner, chemicals policy director for the Environmental Defense Fund, which is coordinating the petition process for 11 advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Environmental Working Group and others. A chemical is not allowed in food unless there is a reasonable certainty it will cause no harm, Neltner said, adding that because of all the evidence regarding the potential harms of phthalates, We dont think the FDA can say there is a reasonable certainty of no harm. An FDA spokeswoman said the agency regulates all substances in food contact materials that can be expected to migrate into food, including phthalates, and said there must be sufficient scientific information to demonstrate that the use of a substance in food contact materials is safe under the intended conditions of use before it is authorised for those uses. The spokeswoman said: The FDA continues to monitor literature and research on these compounds as it becomes available. Phthalates are not deliberately added to food. They are industrial chemicals used to soften plastics and are used as solvents, in adhesives and in ink on packaging. Recommended Smelling food linked to weight gain in new study The chemicals migrate into food from food processing equipment like plastic tubing, conveyor belts and gaskets and other plastic materials used in the manufacturing process, and can also seep in from printed labels or plastic materials in the packaging. Since they bind with fats, they tend to build up in fatty foods, including not just cheese but baked goods, infant formula, meats, oils and fats, and fast food, studies show. Europe has banned many phthalates from use in plastics that come into contact with fatty foods, including baby food, but the FDA allows the use of many phthalates in such materials and classifies them as indirect food additives. Although the concentration of phthalates in food may be quite low, measured in parts per billion, they are still present at higher levels than the natural hormones in the body, said Heather B. Patisaul, a professor of biological sciences at the Center for Human Health and the Environment at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. There is strong evidence that phthalates block the production of the hormone testosterone. That means there is less testosterone available to the developing male foetus, and since testosterone is absolutely vital to build his reproductive organs, the worry is that you will get malformations and other kinds of problems that translate to health effects later, Patisaul said. Those include infertility, low sperm counts, altered male reproductive behaviour and changes in the area of the brain that are important for sex differences between men and women, as well as a heightened risk of testicular cancer later on, she said. If you asked most scientists about the top 10 or 20 endocrine-disrupting chemicals they worry about, phthalates would be on that list, Patisaul said. We have an enormous amount of data. Emerging research has also suggested links between early childhood exposure to phthalates and neurodevelopmental and behaviour problems in young children, including aggression, hyperactivity and possible cognitive delays, said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, associate professor of paediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle, who studies phthalates. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto If youre pregnant or planning a pregnancy, have young children or want to reduce your familys exposure to phthalates for other reasons, here are some suggestions: Eat more whole fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, and minimise the amount of processed food you eat. Avoid anything you find in a box that could sit around for many years, Sathyanarayana said. There are so many steps to get to that boxed product, and every step along the way, theres usually plastic involved. Choose low-fat dairy products such as skim milk and low fat cheeses, and avoid high-fat foods such as cream, whole milk and fatty meats. We know these more toxic phthalates accumulate in fat, Sathyanarayana said. Use glass, stainless steel, ceramic or wood to hold and store food instead of plastics, Sathyanarayana suggested, and if you are using sippy cups and baby bottles made from hard polycarbonate plastics, dont put hot liquids in them. Wash your hands frequently, and take your shoes off at home to avoid household dust that may be contaminated with chemical traces. Vacuum and wet dust frequently. Food isnt the only source of exposure. Many fragrances contain phthalates, Patisaul said, so choose unscented personal care products, from cleansers, moisturisers and cosmetics to shampoo and detergents as well. The New York Times Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit, yeah, Brexit. Take back control! No more Brussels bureaucrats! Its gonna be great. Yeah Brexit. What, you don't like it? Quisling! Traitor! Youll get vilence... Sorry. For a brief moment I thought Id try and see how a Brexiteer would respond to the latest dose of reality, courtesy of the National Audit Office. The non partisan NAO has lambasted the Governments vague plan for Brexit. Its boss Sir Amyas Morse compared it to a chocolate orange that could fall apart ar the first tap. He was speaking upon the release of a detailed report his agency has released on the subject of customs. It contains a lot of worrying facts, which Sir Amyas illustrated with a bit of humour. As many have when making a case for sanity. So, let's take a look at the facts that go with Sir Amyas' wonderful (and bleakly comic) description. The hardline approach adopted by Theresa I shed a tear at the election result May is going to have major implications for customs. That's the trouble with pulling out of a huge free trading area and customs union. Now, HM Revenue & Customs currently estimates that there will be a staggering 255m customs declarations per year after Mach 2019. It bases this on current levels of UK/EU trade, which will be subject to whatever new customs arrangements are negotiated with our European partners. That figure represents a 200m increase on the 55m existing declarations HMRC's current system has to deal with. Thats right: The amount of declarations HMRC will have to cope with is about to increase by close to a factor of five. Trouble is, the current system can cope with a maximum of 100m. Now, HMRC is developing a new one, but there is still a long way to go. If all goes to plan - and that is a very big if - it is supposed to be in place by January 2019. Just two months before the UK plans to leave the EU. As you can see, HMRC has very little margin for error if it wants to avoid goods piling up at ports on both sides of the English Channel, and (potentially) empty supermarket shelves. The NAO says that HMRC has been engaging with stakeholders while formulating its plans, but it warns that there are significant gaps in its knowledge. It has been trying to install its new programme with a significant level of vacancies too. At the end of March there were 67 of them. Nine needed to be filled immediately to prevent an adverse impact on delivery. Because, by contrast to Brextieers, Im using facts to inform this piece, it is worth noting that some of them have been filled. According to the NAO, at the end of June the number was down to 48. Of those, four required filling immediately. But still: Tight timetable, staff shortages, plus a huge amount of uncertainty hanging over everything. It doesnt look good. The Brexit Department will sort it all out, though, right? Erm, no. The NAO's report criticises ministers for leaving HMRC to get on with it alone. It has had to start working on contingency plans should problems crop up, but without any meaningful ministerial support. The NAO says this is not reasonable and that Government as a whole must decide what priority it attaches to the programme, and whether any extra costs linked to having a suitable customs system in place by early 2019 are an insurance premium worth paying. I think that means that they are. Billions of pounds of trade is at stake here. British businesses will be badly damaged if things go wrong. Brexiteers dont much care about forrenurs but it will delay what they export to us too. Such as their food, which is rather important given the UK doesnt (and cant) feed itself. Hence my comment about supermarket shelves. Theres another fact for you. Based on all that, its no wonder Sir Amyas resorted to his colourful description involving that chocolate orange. It was clearly designed to get attention (it worked) because hes clearly worried. He has good reason to be. When he asked Brexit Secretary David Davis about the possibility of seeing a report on preparedness for Brexit across government the response was vague. So what did Brexit minister Steve Baker have to say about Sir Amyas' comments. He was blunt: I dont accept that is the case. He claimed that there is an active and energetic process in place and that his department will deliver a smooth and orderly exit from the EU. 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. Translation: Brexit, yeah, Brexit. Take back control! Its gonna be great! Mr Baker wouldnt stoop to the bit that goes: Dont like it? Quisling! Traitor! Youll get vilence... At least I hope he wouldnt. Sadly there are plenty that would. Difficult things, facts. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Leaving the European Single Market with no trade deal would be catastrophic for London and could result in the loss of 70,000 City jobs, a new report has warned. The Centre for London think tank said UK regions should have devolved power over migration. This would allow London to introduce one-year City maker visas to give European citizens the chance to visit the city to look for employment or startup opportunities. Fast-track work permits could then be issued for those who are successful in doing so. Londons economy is twice as reliant on EU workers as the rest of the UK, the think tank pointed out in the report published on Thursday. Recommended Brexit could cost Treasury billions in lost tax revenues says OBR The Government should also extend working holiday visas to the EU, allowing easy access for young people for two years, the report says. Centre for London also urged politicians to confirm that regulations for the economically important services sector would be prioritised in the Brexit talks. It called for London Mayor Sadiq Khan to be given a key role in Brexit negotiations to ensure that the capitals interests are adequately represented. Our universities, hotels, restaurants, offices and building sites are powered by students and workers from across the EU to a far greater extent than the rest of the country, the report said. And our global city service sectors need urgent clarity on how access to the Single Market will be regulated. It added: Falling out of the Single Market without a comprehensive trade deal or adequate transitional arrangements would be catastrophic for many London businesses, as would the sudden loss of EU workers. Brexit could also damage the UKs ability to attract young students, musicians, artists and entrepreneurs from around the world, the report warned, adding that these people often go on to be the decision-makers of the future and lifelong ambassadors for London. Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty Londons dominant economic position in the UK may have been one of the drivers of the Brexit vote, but, neither capital nor country can afford for London to decline economically or to retreat from international engagement, the report said. It comes as the Government prepares to introduce the controversial Repeal Bill which will switch across up to 20,000 EU regulations into UK law to prepare for Britains departure from the trading bloc in March 2019. It emerged on Thursday that the Government plans to make around 1,000 corrections to the EU law included in the bill, without MPs necessarily voting on them. Labour is demanding the Bill includes full protection of rights for British workers and consumers, of environmental standards and the devolution of powers across the country. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The family at the centre of Brazils political crisis agreed to sell its stake in the Havaianas flip-flop business for 3.5bn reais ($1.1bn, 850m), part of an asset sell-off to pay down legal settlements. The deal hands control of one of the nations most iconic consumer brands to Cambuhy Investimentos and Brasil Warrant, both run by the Moreira Salles family, and Itausa - Investimentos Itau, backed by the Setubal family. The investors will pay 14.25 reais per common share and 11.40 reais per preferred share to acquire 54 percent of Havaianas parent company Alpargatas, according to a statement released on Wednesday. The transaction marks the end of an almost two-year period where Havaianas was under the control of J&F Investimentos, the holding company of brothers Wesley and Joesley Batista. The firm agreed last month to pay 10.3bn reais as part of a leniency agreement with Brazilian authorities after the brothers, who run meat producer JBS, confessed to corruption and other crimes. The admissions have led to a spiraling scandal that put President Michel Temers mandate in jeopardy. The move comes less than a month after J&F said it was in talks to sell pulpmaker Eldorado Brasil Celulose to Chiles Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion, which made an offer of about 14bn reais including debt, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. J&F plans to raise at least 8bn reais through divestments that also include dairy company Vigor Alimentos, S&P Global Ratings said in a report last month. Alpargatas rose 1.4 per cent to 14.20 reais at the close Wednesday, the highest since November 2013. The Batista brothers agreed to buy control of Alpargatas in late 2015 using a 2.67bn-real loan from government-owned Caixa Economica Federal in a deal thats being investigated by the countrys audit court. 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. Cambuhy was established in 2011 by the billionaire co-chairman of Itau Unibanco Holding, Pedro Moreira Salles, who has a 31 percent stake in the private equity firm. The Moreira Salles clan, with a combined fortune of about $20.8bn, and the Setubals are the families who jointly control Itau, Latin Americas largest bank by market value. Buying Havaianas gives new owners a brand worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow. The footwear sits atop the global flip-flop hierarchy, with a Swarovski-encrusted pair retailing for $70 at Saks Fifth Avenue. Bloomberg For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tesco has recalled two of its ready-made chicken salads, warning that they could contain bacteria that causes fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. The high street giant said that anyone who had bought a 160g pack of Tesco Chicken Salad, or a 315g pack of Tesco Chicken, Broccoli, Almond & Cashew Nut Salad with a use-by date of between 12 and 13 July should not eat the product and return it to the store where it was bought immediately. It said that Campylobacter had been found in some of the products. The Food Standards Agency says that Campylobacter is responsible for more than 280,000 cases of food poisoning each year, making it the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK. Last month Sainsburys recalled a range of sandwich filler products warning that they might contain Listeria. Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause symptoms similar to those caused by the flu. But in rare cases it can cause more serious conditions, such as meningitis. Earlier this month, Mars recalled some of its most popular chocolate products because of a risk of Salmonella. That precautionary recall affected Galaxy milk chocolate bars, as well as some of its Minstrels products and Maltesers Teasers with a best-before date of either 6 May 2018 or 13 May 2018. Mars said that only a small number of these products had been distributed in the UK and Ireland. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ravens are better at planning ahead in certain situations than four-year-old children, orang utans and chimpanzees, according to a new study. While the birds, members of the crow family, are known to hide food for later consumption, there was a theory that this was not so much a sign of general intelligence but a highly specific, learned behaviour. Only humans and the great apes were thought capable of genuine forward planning. However, a new paper published in the leading journal Science described how the birds were easily able to pick out tools for later use and could barter with humans, exchanging a token for a future reward. They also exercised considerable self-control, avoiding lesser rewards in order to receive a better one even if it came the following day. The researchers, from Lund University in Sweden, wrote: This study suggests that ravens make decisions for futures outside their current sensory contexts. Ravens were deemed to have an ability to plan ahead in life generally not just when it comes to hiding food on a par with apes. In the bartering conditions, the ravens outperformed orangutans, bonobos, and particularly chimpanzees, the paper said. When presented with a task for the first time seen as a greater test of intelligence, rather than habit the ravens performed better than four-year-old children in a comparable set-up, it added. Ravens are avian dinosaurs that shared an ancestor with mammals around 320 million years ago, the researchers concluded. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary The conspicuous similarities in performance to great apes in tasks such as these opens up avenues for investigation into the evolutionary principles of cognition and shows what the brains of some birds are capable of. The study involved five birds, three females, called Juno, None and Embla, and two males, Rickard and Siden. In one test, the birds were taught how to open a box with a tool. They were then presented with the box but not the tool. It was then taken away and the birds were shown the tool and several other distractors. Nearly all of the ravens picked the correct tool in anticipation of the return of the box. When this happened, they successfully used the tool to open the box in 86 per cent of the tests. Somewhat comically, one of the females appears to have outsmarted the scientists. In trial nine, one female invented a way to open the apparatus without the tool (and was therefore excluded from subsequent tool conditions in the rest of the study), the paper recorded. In the bartering test, the ravens picked out a token that could be used later to exchange for a reward with a 78 per cent success rate. They also demonstrated self-control when given the chance to select an immediate reward or a tool to open a box containing a better reward sometime later, preferring the latter. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A courageous acid attack victim has launched a campaign from her hospital bed to end attacks with corrosive substances. Resham Khan and her cousin Jameel Muhktar were attacked by a man throwing acid through their car window on Ms Khans 21st birthday in Beckton, east London, on 21 June. The pair endured life-changing burns. John Tomlin appeared in front of Thames Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent. He was remanded in custody and ordered to appear at Snaresbrook crown court on 8 August. Ms Khan, an aspiring model, has now penned an open letter urging the Metropolitan police to explicitly condemn attacks involving corrosive substances. She has called for the possession of such materials without good reason to constitute a criminal offence and demanded shops tighten regulations surrounding the sale of corrosive acid. Ms Khan, who is a business student at Manchester Metropolitan University, said her 21st birthday had been snatched from her in one of the most painfully scarring ways imaginable. Resham Khan in hospital following an acid attack on 21 June (Gofundme) My plans are in pieces; my pain is unbearable, and I write this letter in hospital whilst I patiently wait for the return of my face, she wrote. A fundraising page for herself and Mr Muhktar, who is 37, has reached almost 57,000. She said her main priority was to ensure she made a full recovery and make sure nobody else is forced to endure her living nightmare. Ms Khan, who has outlined a list of five actions she wants to be taken to address the problem immediately, said: I cannot sit back whilst others remain indoors in fear of this happening to them. "This problem needs to be eliminated. I refuse to allow the country I grew up in to simply get used to corrosive substance attacks. The fear is real. The crime is real. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA A wave of acid attacks has left some Muslim residents in east London scared to leave their homes in recent weeks. In the past three years, the number of crimes using acid or other noxious substances has more than doubled. The number of incidents rose from 186 between April 2014 and March 2015 to 397 in the same period in 2016-17. Newham and Tower Hamlets are said to be among the areas of London where such attacks occur most frequently. Ms Khan said: Street gangs are now using these life-changing substances instead of guns and knives. Why are acids the new street weapon? Because corrosive substances are readily available in-store and online for as little as 6.50 and the laws surrounding possession is loose. The attack on Ms Khan and Mr Muhktar has resulted in more than 366,000 people signing a petition calling for tighter restrictions on the sale of corrosive acid and the law to make it significantly harder to buy. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Charlie Gard's parents have stormed out of a High Court hearing over new evidence on whether their terminally ill son should be allowed to receive experimental treatment. Chris Gard and Connie Yates' angry departure from the courtroom followed outbursts over comments they had made three months ago brought up by Mr Justice Francis. The judge said in a previous hearing the parents had told the court they were not "fighting for what he had now" and were seeking an improvement in quality of life for Charlie, who has a rare genetic disease. "I didn't say he's suffering," shouted Ms Yates angrily before leaving the room with Mr Gard, followed by the couple's solicitor and leaving Charlie's toy monkey on the court bench. The dramatic departure came during a tense court hearing before which the couple in their 30s were given 48 hours to provide new evidence for why baby Charlie should receive nucleoside therapy. Lawyer Grant Armstrong, representing the parents, presented the judge with a letter from the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome and information on the potential benefits of the unproven treatment from a US doctor offering to provide it. The doctor said there was a 56 per cent chance the treatment, given is an oral solution, could pass the blood-brain barrier in Charlie and lead to potential improvement in his condition. "These nucleosides exist in the human body," said Mr Armstrong, adding that unlike many cancer treatments the therapy is non-toxic and has not been shown to cause worse side-effects than diarrhoea. "They are part of DNA" Consulting further medical evidence provided by Italian researchers in a letter to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Charlie is being cared for, Mr Justice Francis raised concerns that tests on mice of the new therapy could not be extrapolated to Charlie's condition. "It's an absolutely fundamental issue that we've all got to grapple with," he told the court Mr Armstrong said the doctor's view was that "this is the appropriate treatment" for Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, adding that it was rare that a court case had to tackle "the cutting edge of science". But the judge asked: "Who had been treating Charlie for the past 12 months?" Doctors at Great Ormond Street have argued that it is kinder to turn off life support for the baby, who cannot move or breathe unaided. The judge said it remained to be seen whether the treatment would affect fits and seizures suffered by Charlie, bringing up the parents' previous comments as he discussed the baby's quality of life. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA Further evidence will be heard by a doctor in New York via video link this afternoon but the court was told it was unlikely a decision would be reached today. Mr Justice Francis said the key issue raised in the new evidence was "not whether [Charlie] has brain damage, but whether he has irreversible brain damage", adding that the medical consensus was that his fits and seizures were caused by his genetic deficiency. Ms Yates shook her head vigorously as he asked whether the treatment would be able to repair structural damage to Charlie's brain and not simply cross the barrier between the blood and the brain. He called for an independent medical expert to measure Charlie's head circumference within 24 hours. If it has not grown, this can be used as evidence of the severity of the baby's brain damage. Ms Yates said she had measured Charlie's head herself, having spent hours at her son's bedside. But the judge told her an independent opinion was needed: "I'm being told records from a world-famous hospital are wrong, I've got to have more than you're telling me" Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A US doctor offering to treat Charlie Gard has said he is willing to come to London at short notice to examine the sick baby. The specialist, who is proposing to give nucleoside therapy to the 11-month-old, told the High Court via video link his research clearly indicates the experimental therapy reduces muscle weakness in patients with a similar genetic disorder. He said the chance of the treatments clinically meaningful success was about 10 per cent, based on the findings of a study involving nine patients on life support, of whom one no longer needed a ventilator. Sobs were heard from family members as the tense hearing, during which Charlies parents stormed out of the courtroom after a disagreement with the judge, drew to a close. Campaigners wearing blue and white and chanting slogans in support of Chris Gard and Connie Yates gathered outside the court, where the case that has drawn international attention and offers of help from Donald Trump and the Pope is set to resume at 2pm on Friday. Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, has a faulty RRM2B gene, which affects the cells responsible for energy production and respiration, leaving him unable to move or breath without a ventilator. The European Court of Human Rights last month rejected an appeal from his parents to take him to the US for experimental treatment, but a new hearing has been called by the hospital in the light of claims of new evidence relating to potential treatment for the baby. Doctors at Great Ormond Street say it would be kinder to stop his life support. Katie Gollop QC, representing the hospital, called the doctors findings all very theoretical, saying: You're trying to translate one experiment to another. Questions were raised during the hearing over whether the baby feels pain and the extent of his brain damage, which if severe would likely impede the proposed treatment from working. Charlie Gard judge says he will change his mind if evidence suggests he should Mr Justice Francis asked the American doctor, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, if he would come to examine Charlie at the childrens hospital where he is being cared for. But Ms Gollop argued there are many experts based in the UK who would be in a better position to give an opinion on Charlies condition. The doctor said there was a small but significant chance the experimental treatment would improve Charlies condition, adding: The only way to tell if the brain damage is reversible is by trying new therapy. He said he had devised a treatment plan for Charlie, who would be given four strong doses of nucleoside bypass therapy, which is given orally or injected. There was a 56 per cent chance the treatment would pass the blood-brain barrier, he said, adding that five patients in his trial had reduced their time spent on a ventilator by eight hours or more. This is the best scientific data we have, he said, adding he was prepared to extrapolate the TK2 findings to Charlies genetic deficiency. These are small numbers, but with very rare diseases we must use every patient and gather as much detail from each patient as possible. He said he hoped a high dose of nucleosides, which are found naturally in the body, would enter Charlies cells, affect the mitochondria and prove therapeutic. Ms Gollop called the case desperate but questioned the court taking evidence from someone who has never, ever met Charlie Gard, as Ms Yates and Mr Gard laughed bitterly, and urged the doctor to read the previous court decision that details the position of the hospital. 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 in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA The couple, in their 30s and from Bedfont, near Heathrow Airport, earlier walked out after the judge said they had told the court three months ago they were not fighting for what [Charlie] had now and were seeking an improvement in quality of life for their son. I didn't say he's suffering, shouted Ms Yates angrily before leaving the room with Mr Gard, followed by the couples solicitor and leaving Charlies toy monkey on the court bench. When the hearing resumed, Mr Justice Francis told the parents it is acceptable they walked out and that he understands this is desperate for you. The judge called for an independent medical expert to measure Charlies head circumference within 24 hours. If it has not grown, this can be used as evidence of the severity of the babys brain damage. Ms Yates said she had measured Charlies head herself, having spent hours at her sons bedside. But the judge told her an independent opinion was needed: I'm being told records from a world-famous hospital are wrong, Ive got to have more than youre telling me He added that it had come to his attention that members of Great Ormond Street had come under the most vile abuse and threats from members of the public who have taken up Charlies cause. He strongly criticised this behaviour, saying people working as hard as they do in the health service did not deserve to be treated in such a fashion. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Transport for London (TfL) workers have been told to ditch the phrase "ladies and gentlemen" in a bid to go gender-neutral. Instead, staff should use inclusive greetings like "good morning everyone" to make passengers feel more welcome. The decision comes after various activists, including LGBT charity Stonewall, campaigned for the change for months, claiming that although "ladies and gentlemen" was "polite", it was "outdated" and "belonged to yesterday". Pre-recorded announcements and written guidelines for staff will also be reviewed and amended across the city. Talking to the Metro, Mark Evers, director of customer strategy at TfL, said: We want everyone to feel welcome on our transport network. We have reviewed the language that we use in announcements and elsewhere and will make sure that it is fully inclusive, reflecting the great diversity of London." Recommended Millennials are rejecting gender labels on toiletry products During a Mayor's Question Time at the end of June, Sadiq Khan expressed concern that some customers did not feel comfortable about how certain station announcements were made. "I am keen that TfL addresses these concerns by speaking in a more neutral way when referring to gender," he said. "TfL has made a commitment to transition from gender-specific phrases like ladies and gentlemen which are currently used in announcements, to a gender-neutral alternative such as good morning/good afternoon everyone". TfL has briefed its staff on this, though from time to time, well-meaning staff may still use the term ladies and gentlemen. If this happens frequently, TfL will issue reminders to staff." UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images A spokesman for Stonewall said: Language is extremely important to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans community, and the way we use it can help ensure all people feel included. We welcome gender neutral announcements to be rolled out across TfL, as it will ensure that everyone no matter who they identify as - feels accounted for. Institutions across the UK have made similar commitments this year, including Cardiff Metropolitan University's decision to ban phrases like "forefathers" and "right-hand man" in March. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The EU is blamed today for the anxiety felt by half a million children in Britain whose future residency rights are being used as bargaining chips in the Brexit talks. A stinging report by the Childrens Commissioner for England pins responsibility for the damaging uncertainty facing children in England who are EU nationals firmly on Brussels. Until now, Theresa May has faced most criticism over the issue accused of producing proposals that will remove some rights from the 3m EU citizens in the UK. But Anne Longfield has turned the tables by arguing it is the EU that must take the blame for children being left in limbo for up to two years. Her report says Brussels is wrong to insist future rights can only be settled alongside the controversy over whether they will be overseen by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Because that will not be decided until the end of the negotiations, it has left the children anxious about what will happen to them post-Brexit. In a letter to Michel Barnier, the European Commissions chief Brexit negotiator, Ms Longfield also accuses the EU of setting out principles without any detail as to how they would work in practice. At stake is the future of 588,000 children in England who are EU nationals 260,000 of whom were born in Britain, it is believed. They face leaving behind their friends, often other family members, and seriously disrupting their school lives, without a settlement, the Commissioner warned. Ms Longfield said: The EU said they wanted to make residence rights of EU nationals the first thing to be agreed during the negotiations. Yet their proposal makes residence rights dependent on ECJ jurisdiction, something which wont be agreed until the end of the negotiations. If the EU genuinely want to resolve the question of residence rights of EU nationals, they need to separate out the two issues to enable a negotiation in good faith which can give certainty to the hundreds of thousands of children and their families left in limbo. The Commissioner added: Two more years of uncertainty feels like a long time to a child. Ms Longfield said she had spoken with children who were shocked to discover Brexit might affect them, even though they were born and brought up in Britain. Although they may be entitled to citizenship, their parents might not and, in any case, they face paperwork, confusion and having to pay almost 1,000. Under complex rules, a child born in the UK before 2000, to EU nationals who were studying or working in Britain at the time, is a British citizen. But, for births after 2000, their EU parents must have had a permanent residency card while, after 2006, those parents must have lived and worked in Britain for at least five years prior to the birth. Meanwhile, UK-born children whose parents do not meet those conditions have no status in British law and are only eligible to apply for citizenship in limited circumstances. And children who were born in the EU, but grew up in Britain, can be included in their parents application for citizenship, but cannot normally apply in their own right. Ms Longfield said she had also written to Brexit Secretary David Davis seeking clarification about the British Governments proposals for EU citizens. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Scottish and Welsh First Ministers have voted to block legislative consent for the Governments Brexit Repeal Bill throwing a spanner in the works of Theresa Mays plan to leave the EU. Nicola Sturgeon and Carwyn Jones said the bill was a naked power grab by Westminster because it did not immediately return powers to the devolved administrations after taking them from the EU. The Brexit Repeal Bill moves all EU law into the UK government statue books freezing it during the Brexit process so that it can be changed piecemeal once Britain has left the bloc. Recommended Everything you need to know about the Repeal Bill In a joint statement the SNPs Ms Sturgeon and Labours Mr Jones said the UK government had refused to properly engage with the devolved administrations on the Brexit process and that the bill does not respect devolution. This week began with the Prime Minister calling for a constructive and collaborative approach from those outside Whitehall to help get Brexit right, they said. Todays publication of The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is the first test as to whether the UK Government is serious about such an approach. It is a test it has failed utterly. We have repeatedly tried to engage with the UK Government on these matters and have put forward constructive proposals about how we can deliver an outcome which will protect the interests of all the nations in the UK, safeguard our economies and respect devolution. Regrettably, the Bill does not do this. Instead, it is a naked power-grab, an attack on the founding principles of devolution and could destabilise our economies. Legislative consent would be required for the bill to pass, Conservative Scottish Secretary David Mundell said. The First Ministers statement continues: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill does not return powers from the EU to the devolved administrations, as promised. It returns them solely to the UK Government and Parliament, and imposes new restrictions on the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales. On that basis, the Scottish and Welsh governments cannot recommend that legislative consent is given to the Bill as it currently stands. 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 in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA The Prime Ministers spokesperson admitted she was not aware of any contingency plans were the devolved administrations not to back the Bill but said she hoped they would back it. We've set out the bill today for the first time, it has to go through a process now, she said. Within that process we will continue talking to the devolved administrations who we hope will get behind it. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} What is the Repeal Bill? Ahead of the Conservative conference in autumn 2016 the PM announced her proposal for a Great Repeal Bill to end supremacy of EU law in Britain. It will annul the 1972 European Communities Act (ECA), which gives EU law instant effect in the UK and prevent a legal black hole existing after Brexit. The aim for this legislation to is to convert all EU requirements into British law as soon as the UK exits the bloc. While it will convert all EU law and directives onto the UKs statue book in an extensive copy-and-paste exercise, ministers and future governments could technically seek to scrap individual pieces of legislation if they so desired. It is expected to pass through Parliament at the same time as negotiations take place in Brussels. So, what happened to the Great Repeal Bill? The term Great Repeal Bill was used by the Prime Minister in her party conference speech in Birmingham last year but when it was introduced in the Queens Speech in June it was referred to simply as the Repeal Bill. What is the 1972 European Communities Act? The UK Parliament passed the European Communities Act in 1972 which gave instant effect to EU law. This means if there is a clash between an act of UK Parliament and EU law, EU law will always succeed. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) interprets EU law with judgments that were binding on all member states. When will it happen? The draft legislation was published on Thursday and MPs will begin a series of debates on Friday. MPs and peers in the Lords will then get the chance to vote on the bill through the normal parliamentary procedures. What will the bill mean? The legislation will end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK. As EU laws are debated there is likely to be a large number of requests for changes from MPs, peers and third parties, however it is not yet clear how negotiations will play out. In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier listens at the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, delivers his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit reacts during a meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Member of the European Parliament and former leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage wears socks with Union Jack flag at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Nigel Farage, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) member and MEP, addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcoming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier gestures during speeches at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (L) speaks with European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France Getty Images Concerns have been raised as to whether changes to EU law could put workers rights and environmental standards, which had protections under EU law, at risk. However, Mr Davis has previously stressed this is not the aim, saying: To those who are trying to frighten British workers, saying, When we leave, employment rights will be eroded, I say firmly and unequivocally, no they wont. Could it be blocked? Scotlands Brexit minister suggested last year that Holyrood could vote against the bill. Mike Russell said legislation to transpose all EU law applying to the UK into domestic law would require the consent of the Scottish Parliament, where the majority of MSPs are against it. Mr Russell said: A piece of legislation such as Theresa May is now promising, this Great Repeal Act, will require the approval of the Scottish Parliament. A legislative consent motion will be required. Presently there is a majority against that Repeal Bill, that is absolutely obvious. While the bill will most likely be passed through the House of Commons, it may face tougher opposition at the House of Lords. Labour has, so far, not indicated whether it will vote with the Government but has consistently said it will not attempt to frustrate the Brexit process. The party, however, is likely to attempt to attach dozens of amendments to the bill, including protections of workers rights and environmental causes. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is considering covering Grenfell Tower in tarpaulin to shield residents from the charred shell that serves as daily reminder of the devastating fire. Grenfell Response Team (GRT) said it would consider the viability of covering the tower one month on from the tragedy, after the local community asked for something to be done to obscure their view. "Views from local residents are being considered on the viability of covering the Grenfell Tower in tarpaulin. Any final decision will need to consider its impact on the critical recovery operation being undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service and London Fire Brigade," a statement read. But Hilary Patel, GRT community engagement lead, told a public meeting on Wednesday a viable solution to cover the building has not yet been found. She said authorities are looking at ways to protect and cover the building, but that it would take time and was unlikely to happen until October, once the recovery operation is complete. Residents were told that covering the 24-storey block could alter the humidity and sensitive conditions inside, which could interfere with the investigation. They were also told scaffolding was not yet an option, as it would need to be fixed to the middle of the building, which could also interfere with recovery efforts. But survivors told the panel at the heated meeting in north Kensington that their children were traumatised looking up at the charred building every day. One resident from the local community said: "All our kids are traumatised and they are still having to walk past this building, asking us questions that we cant answer." Residents of the nearby Lancaster West estate told The Independent last month the hollowed-out shell of the tower that looms over the surrounding area serves as a morbid and ghostly reminder of what happened. Mother-of-two Fortuna said: "Everything makes us worry now. Today it was them, tomorrow it could be us," she said. "We know people who were in there. Everytime I look at it it reminds me." Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "The block needs to be tore down. Its haunting, there used to be faces in those windows." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Labour has vowed to try to wreck the Brexit process by voting against the flagship Repeal Bill, unless Theresa May makes dramatic changes. Keir Starmer, the partys Brexit spokesman, said Labour would attempt to defeat the legislation in just three months time significantly tightening the screw on the Prime Minister. He attacked the Government for refusing to listen to calls from MPs of all parties to re-write its Brexit plans since they were first published in March. Now Labour is demanding the Bill includes full protection of rights for British workers and consumers, of environmental standards and the devolution of powers across the country. It is also determined to prevent a Government power grab through the use of delegated Henry VIII powers, allowing future changes without proper Parliamentary scrutiny. Sir Keir said: Labour has always been clear that Brexit cannot lead to any rolling back of rights and protections. We need effective legislation that protects British workers and consumers, enshrines equality laws, enforces environmental standards and devolves powers across the country. The Governments Repeal Bill falls short on all counts. It is simply not fit for purpose. The Repeal Bill, published today, will convert EU law into UK law before Brexit is completed in 2019, allowing the Government to propose which bits should be retained or junked. Labour accepts it will not be able to defeat it at its second reading in October without a revolt by some Conservative MPs, given Ms Mays working Commons majority of 12. However, it is predicting it will be very difficult for the ten Scottish Conservative MPs to support the Repeal Bill without strong guarantees on devolution. Ruth Davidson, the powerful Tory Scottish leader, has already flexed her muscles by warning the Prime Minister she will not march her MPs down the hard Brexit road. There is also anger over the expected vast use of Henry VIII powers, so-called because they date back to a 1539 law allowing the Tudor monarch to govern by proclamation. Sir Keir added: The Bill proposes sweeping new powers for ministers that are fundamentally undemocratic, unaccountable and unacceptable. It fails to guarantee crucial rights will be enforced; it omits the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and it does nothing to ensure that British standards and rights keep pace with our EU partners. Labour are putting the Prime Minister on notice that unless the Bill is significantly improved in all these areas, Labour will vote it down in the House of Commons. The Opposition usually gives the Government opportunity to change a Bill between its second and third reading, which would have postponed a Commons flashpoint until next year. But Labour is arguing ministers have plenty of time to make those changes before second reading in October and is demanding they do so. The tough approach is markedly different from earlier this year, when Jeremy Corbyn split his party by ordering it to vote for the Article 50 withdrawal notice. The Liberal Democrats, who fought the general election on a pledge to stage a second referendum on Brexit, also said they would make the passage of the Bill hell for the Government. Brexit Secretary David Davis is arguing the Bill, to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, will ensure the UK exits the EU with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do - ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK, he said. By working together, in the national interest, we can ensure we have a fully functioning legal system on the day we leave the European Union. The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Labours 2017 general election campaign was less effective at turning votes into parliamentary seats than any since the 1950s, new analysis has revealed. Jeremy Corbyns party won 40 per cent of votes in the 8 June poll but just 262 House of Commons seats only four more than in 2010, when it received just 29 per cent of the vote. Despite a 10 per cent increase in its share of the vote since 2015, Labour fell 64 seats short of a parliamentary majority and finished 55 seats behind the Conservatives, allowing Theresa May to walk back into Downing Street, albeit with her House of Commons majority eradicated. The analysis was conducted by Labour Roadmap a group of Labour activists who describe their aim as being to use the latest data analysis techniques to plot a route to return the Labour Party to power. It reveals that Labour gained just 1 per cent of parliamentary seats for every percentage point it received of the overall vote share. In 2001 and 2005, by contrast, the party gained 1.6 per cent of seats for every 1 per cent increase in vote share. The ratio between votes won and seats won was lower in 2017 than at any other election since 1959, when Labour polled 43.8 per cent of the vote but won just 258 seats. The findings suggest Labours increase in vote share was largely a result of the party stockpiling support in seats it already held. That will come as a boost to opponents of Mr Corbyn who have argued that he is popular among traditional Labour voters but is unable to win over enough swing voters to deliver a parliamentary majority. The report authors write: Our analysis from 1945 onwards has shown that the 2017 results for Labour have been among the least efficient for Labour. The support that Labour has developed is underrepresented or conversely not representative of Britain. Labour has failed to build a broad enough coalition of the electorate to deliver seats. Labour is racking up even larger majorities in places it holds but losing ground in places it doesnt. Our appeal has become deeper, We have failed to register more seat gains with breadth. Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Show all 9 1 /9 Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Brexit Labour is committed to leaving the European Union but would have different negotiating priorities to the Conservatives. It has said it would have a strong emphasis on staying in the single market and the customs union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leading figures in Brussels have been unambiguous that membership of the single market is impossible without free movement. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Immigration The party would drop bogus immigration targets but move to a managed system of migration favoured by many leave voters. It has said this may include employer sponsorship, work permits, visa regulations or a tailored mix of all these. Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained The Economy Labours manifesto commits to balance government spending with the amount raised by taxation, which can mean little more than significant tax increases. The greatest burden will fall on higher earners but they cannot meet demand on their own. It has also promised to bring rail companies back in to public ownership and cap fares. The party would also renationalise Royal Mail. It also promises a transition to publicly owned energy. Peter Byrne/PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Tax No one earning under 80,000 would pay any more in national insurance or income tax. It would raise corporation tax, from the current low of 19p to 26p. This higher rate would still be a competitive internationally, but the government is currently fighting hard to attract business in the wake of Brexit and they say a low corporation tax rate is crucial. Labour would also lower the top, 45p income tax threshold to 80,000. In theory, this could raise 7bn, but only if higher earnings did not decide to move abroad. Reuters Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained NHS Labour has promised more money for GP services, free hospital parking for patients, staff and visitors, and to take a million people off NHS waiting lists by guaranteeing treatment within eighteen weeks. These promises will be expensive to keep, and there is no certainty that the party s commitment to raising taxes on higher earners, increasing capital gains tax and reversing cuts to corporation tax will be enough to meet the need. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Education The party has pledged to abolish university tuition fees and reintroduce maintenance grants and give free school meals to all schoolchildren. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Housing Labours manifesto commits to building 1m new homes, and would introduce controls on rent rises for private renters. It would also scrap the so-called bedroom tax. Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Environment Labour would ban fracking, but, crucially, also supports new nuclear projects. It would also introduce a new Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Defence Its manifesto says it is committed to the NATO target of 2 per cent spending on defence. It is also committed to the renewal of Trident, even though Jeremy Corbyn has spent a lifetime campaigning against it. AFP/Getty Images Labour Roadmap suggests a defensive electoral strategy, in which Labour sought to retain seats it already held rather than gain them from other parties, could help explain the findings. The swing towards Mr Corbyns party was, on average, 10.9 per cent in seats it already held compared to 8.4 per cent in those held by other parties furthering the argument that the rise in its share of the vote was disproportionately in areas where it did not make a difference to the outcome. Under Mr Corbyn, however, Labour also won a number of Tory-held seats, including Canterbury and Kensington, which had been held by the Conservatives for decades. The report states: While these heights should be commended as evidence of the progress of Labour since 2015, we are not in power, let alone by a landslide. The reality of the First Past the Post system has meant that Labour has failed to stitch a coalition from across the nation and converted success into results. In headline numbers, we are in territory that we havent been in since Gaitskell leadership into the 1959 general election. The 20 new appointments to Labour's front bench The vote share secured by Mr Corbyn is similar to that won by Tony Blair in the landslide election of 2001, when the party won 413 seats, while the swing towards Labour in 2017 almost replicated that of 1997, when it won an unprecedented 418 seats and a House of Commons majority of 179. Mr Corbyn also secured a higher vote share for Labour than in 2005, when Tony Blair won a third term as Prime Minister with a majority of 66. However, the report highlights the scale of the task facing Labour. To win a parliamentary majority, Mr Corbyn would need a 3.6 per cent swing towards his party in 64 seats. This comes in the context of the Conservatives having secured a positive swing at every general election since 1997, the report says. Labour Roadmap said that, while an increased Labour vote share in seats held by every other party except the Greens was a reason for celebration, there was still cause for concern owing to the fact the party lost six seats, including four that had been held since at least the 1920s or 1930s. One of these was Derbyshire North East, which has been Labour since 1910. Whilst we have much to celebrate in this election, the loss of such historic fortresses must be of central concern for the party, the authors said. Labour must look to do more to appeal to non-urban communities and monitor progress made in the North East in the near future where the Conservatives are performing relatively well from the UKIP redistribution. UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. Stormont and the political situation in Northern Ireland has been in limbo following the collapse of the power sharing executive due to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme scandal which implicated the DUP Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Priti Patel, International Development Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Larry the Downing Street cat runs ahead of Michael Fallon Britain's Secretary of State for Defence as he arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth REUTERS UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Michael Gove, Environment Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon (C) leaves after speaking to the media in Parliament Square. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (C, L) holds the first Cabinet meeting of her new team. Getty UK General Election 2017 11 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May attends church in her constituency with her husband Philip May, a few days after disappointing results in a general election. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn leaves Labour Party HQ this morning, following a general election yesterday. Parliament is hung, with no individual party gaining an overall majority. Post general election reaction. Rex UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 09: DUP leader and Northern Ireland former First Minister Arlene Foster (C) holds a brief press conference with the DUP's newly elected Westminster candidates who stood in the general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A " Get May Out" demo took place opposite the gates of Downing Street, calling for May to resign, after the shock election results and Mays coalition with the DUP. Rex Features UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters in London Reuters UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May flanked by her husband Philip delivers a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central Londo Getty UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May leaves Buckingham Palace in London the day after a general election in which the Conservatives lost their majority Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 A TV cameraman watches the door of 10 Downing Street in London Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is greeted by his Office Director Karie Murphy as he arrives at Labour Party HQ in Westminster, London, after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should 'go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country' Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party's headquarters with her husband Philip in London REUTERS/Peter Nicholls UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall speaks during a press conference at Boston West Golf Club where he announced that he is standing down as party leader Joe Giddens/PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, leaves the counting centre for Britain's general election with her partner Jen Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland REUTERS/Russell Cheyne UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale celebrates with candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray as he retains his seat at the Meadowbank Sports Centre counting centre in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election Andrew Milligan/PA Wire UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, as counting is under way for the General Election PA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, arrives at the Labour Party's Headquarters in London REUTERS/Marko Djurica UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall leaves in a car following the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness in Boston, England Anthony Devlin/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 9 June 2017 British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks at the declaration at the election count at the Magnet Leisure Centre in Maidenhead, England. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A policer officer enters a polling station in London AP UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A woman leaves after casting her vote at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery near Brighton, in southern England Getty UK General Election 2017 8 June 2017 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 A woman walks past a general election display in the window of a betting shop in Camden on June 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow, Getty Images UK General Election 2017 7 June 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May visits Atherley Bowling Club during an election campaign visit on June 7, 2017 in Southampton, England. Britain goes to the polls tomorrow June 8 to vote in a general election. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A supporter wears a pair of Jeremy Corbyn decorated tights at a general election campaign event in Birmingham, central England, on June 6, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another deadly terror attack in the nation's captial. AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 A picture taken in London, shows election leaflets from various parties displayed ahead of the United Kingdom's general elections. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 Election workers, George Gaunt and Luca Tragid deliver the first ballot boxes, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh AFP UK General Election 2017 6 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with Conservative party supporters during an election campaign visit to a bakery during an election campaign visit on June 6, 2017 in Fleetwood, north-west England. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to vote in a general election only days after another terrorist attack on the nation's capital Getty Images UK General Election 2017 5 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a general election campaign visit to a removals depot in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Pro-Independence supporters hold a march through Glasgow AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn campaigns for the upcoming general election in Beeston, Nottinghamshire AFP/Getty Images UK General Election 2017 3 June 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts to supporters after a rally at Beeston Youth and Community Centre as he visits the East Midlands during the final weekend of the General Election campaign on June 3, 2017 in Nottingham, England. If elected in next week's general election Mr Corbyn is pledging to create a million new jobs and to scrap zero-hours contracts Getty Images UK General Election 2017 1 June 2017 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson joins a selection of Scottish Conservative election candidates and activists during campaigning on May 1, 2017 in South Queensferry, Scotland. With only seven days to go until the general election on June 8th, polls are showing the SNP out in front and the Conservatives set to close in on Labour. Getty Images UK General Election 2017 29 May 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May canvasses in Richmond with Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith on May 29, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. After suffering defeat in the London Mayoral election Zac Goldsmith resigned over the Government's position on Heathrow expansion. He stood as an Independent but lost in a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron poses for a selfie taken by carer April Preston during a General Election campaign visit to the Barlow Medical Centre, in Didsbury, Manchester Yui Mok/PA UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign event in Wrexham, Wales Reuters UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Labour's former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, exit the party's general election campaign 'battle' bus as they arrive at an event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks with supporters between venues, before speaking again at another general election campaign event in Kingston upon Hull, northern England Getty Images UK General Election 2017 22 May 2017 An anti-fox hunting protester is taken away and arrested by police outside the venue where Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was due to launch the Welsh Conservative general election manifesto at Gresford Memorial Hall in the village of Gresford, near Wrexham, North Wales, on May 22, 2017. Britain goes to the polls on June 8 to elect a new parliament in a general election AFP/Getty Images Labour MP Stephen Kinnock told The Independent the findings showed his party has important questions to answer if we are to win the next election. "What these figures underline is the polarised nature of our election result: our success in consolidating and deepening our support amongst certain groups of voters was mirrored by our failure to win support amongst others, he said. "And perhaps the most striking revelation is the Tories secured more votes than we did amongst working class voters in the Midlands and the North who were formerly at the very heart of the Labour coalition. "To put it simply, whilst the gains in Canterbury and Kensington were stunningly good, the losses of Mansfield and Middlesborough were deeply worrying. "Not only will we not win a solid governing majority unless we are able to reconnect with working class voters who have moved towards the Tories, but we also have a moral duty to speak to and for those people as well. "How to win those voters back is a question that requires further reflection. But it is clear that we must start by understanding and focusing on what matters to them in their daily lives: work, family, community and country. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A staggering 1,000 corrections to EU law will be made without MPs necessarily voting on them, through the controversial Repeal Bill. The vast number of statutory instruments to be passed some under so-called Henry VIII powers will heighten suspicions of a Government power grab. The legislation will also switch across up to 20,000 EU regulations into UK law to prepare for departure day when Brexit is completed in March 2019. The Bill will eventually have to be published in print, officials acknowledge although they are declining to say how big it will be, or how much it might weigh. The scale of the task ahead emerged as Labour tightened the screw on Theresa May by vowing to vote against the legislation in just three months time unless she makes dramatic changes. Labour is demanding it includes full protection of rights for British workers and consumers, of environmental standards and the devolution of powers across the country. Unusually, the Opposition will not give the Government the opportunity to make changes between second and third reading bringing forward the flashpoint to October. Much of the criticism focuses on the vast use of Henry VIII powers, so-called because they date back to a 1539 law allowing the Tudor monarch to govern by proclamation. The Government will insist that the corrections will only change EU law where that is necessary for it to be incorporated successfully onto the UK statute book. However, they will admit there are no specific restrictions in the legislation to prevent ministers also changing aspects of law they do not like. Between 800 and 1,000 statutory instruments are expected, with MPs to be offered a vote on only some of them. The Repeal Bill, technically called The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, will convert EU law before Brexit is completed in 2019, allowing the Government to propose which bits should be retained or junked. The Bill does include a sunset clause for the Henry VIII powers, which means they must fall two years after Britains exit date. It puts the Government on a collision course with Labour and the Liberal Democrats, by insisting the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights will not be incorporated into UK law. Ministers insist that would serve no purpose, because the Charter merely brings together existing EU rights which will be incorporated rather than creating new ones. But it appears to guarantee Labour will vote against the Bill, because the Opposition has made the issue one of six key tests for its support. And Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, said: I cannot understand what issue the government have with it [the Charter]. Is it the right to life, the ban on torture, protection against slavery, the right to a fair trial, respect for privacy, freedom of thought and religion, free speech and peaceful protest? The legislation also confirms that the approval of the Scottish Parliament will be required, through a legislative consent motion handing some power to Holyrood. Both the Scottish and Welsh governments immediately said they could not recommend that consent be given as the Bill stands. In a joint statement, first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Carwyn Jones described it as a naked power-grab that undermined the principles of devolution. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has been accused of trying to snatch sweeping new powers that would allow her to scrap peoples rights after Brexit without telling Parliament. Buried in the newly published Repeal Bill is a clause permitting ministers to tamper unhindered with employment and environmental protections as long as they deem there to be an urgent need. The Government was expected to try for some new powers in the 63-page bill, but the measures proposed go even further than the Henry the VIII powers, which already weakened scrutiny. Campaigners warned the bill was ripe for abuse, would lead to a bonfire of rights and protections and that the Government was cutting Parliament out. The warnings came on a dramatic day for Brexit as: The stated aim of the Repeal Bill is to provide seamless legal continuity when the UK leaves the EU by transferring all European law currently affecting Britain on to the British statute book on the day of Brexit. Given the volume of regulation is so great, ministers had previously suggested they would need some powers to quickly change pieces of the legislation to make it suitable for life after Brexit including the Henry VIII powers that would see them able to change laws by statutory instrument with a lower level of scrutiny in Parliament. But the bill finally unveiled on Thursday contained a section entitled scrutiny procedure in certain urgent cases, allowing a law to be changed without a draft of the instrument being laid before Parliament. Liberty director Martha Spurrier said: If the Repeal Bill passes in this state, people in the UK will lose rights after we leave the EU. It is that simple and the stakes are that high. Its absolutely ripe for abuse. The complete lack of scrutiny gives a small number of ministers the power to change laws on a whim, cutting Parliament out entirely. A minister would simply have to be of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make the regulations without a draft being so laid and approved. Although any statutory instrument rammed through in this way would then have to be brought before Parliament within one month, Liberty said that could be too late. It also pointed out that pleas for the bill to contain an explicit commitment that no rights or protections will be lost had been ignored. Jeremy Corbyn and Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier exchange gifts The warning was echoed by the green group ClientEarth, which said it feared for EU laws protecting both air quality and vulnerable beauty spots and species. The Repeal Bill risks turning back the clock on 40 years of environmental gains, said ClientEarths director of programmes, Karla Hill. To protect the environment we need strong laws that cannot be undone by backroom deals in Whitehall. The Department for Exiting the European Union told The Independent the urgent procedure would only be used in exceptional circumstances, describing it as a contingency. It also insisted corrections made using the powers would only change EU law where that was absolutely necessary for it to be incorporated successfully onto the UK statute book. However, it admitted there were no specific restrictions in the legislation to prevent ministers also changing aspects of law they do not like. Officials admitted between 800 and 1,000 changes will be made to EU law using the Henry VIII powers, which would see MPs made aware of alterations though they would not be granted a full vote. The bill does include a sunset clause for the Henry VIII powers, which means they must fall two years after Britains exit date. Meanwhile, Labour and the Liberal Democrats vowed to vote against the bill after ministers confirmed the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights will be dumped on Britains departure day. The refusal to bring into UK law the charter which protects everything from freedom of expression to working conditions and a fair trial created the potential for erosion of human rights, the Law Society of Scotland warned. Michel Barnier encourages the UK to make haste in the Brexit negotiations Sir Keir Starmer, Labours Shadow Brexit Secretary, said the Government must think again or his party would vote against the Repeal Bill in three months time. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is vital because it brings together EU and UK law and it gives strong protections in areas such as privacy protections, discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and rights for the elderly. he said. And Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, said: I cannot understand what issue the Government has with [the charter]. Is it the right to life, the ban on torture, protection against slavery, the right to a fair trial, respect for privacy, freedom of thought and religion, free speech and peaceful protest? With opposition parties lined up against her, it will require fewer than 10 Tory MPs to defy Ms May over controversial aspects of the Repeal Bill for her to be defeated. That would plunge the Brexit process into a fresh crisis with the clock ticking as the EU has repeatedly pointed out and, perhaps, force the Prime Minister out of office. David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, said: This bill means that we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK. The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country. 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 in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Labours Welsh leader Carwyn Jones said the bill was a naked power grab by Westminster because it did not immediately return powers to the devolved administrations after taking them from the EU. They vowed to deny it legislative consent from devolved assemblies, which could stymie the legislation though they do not have an absolute veto. Europe's pharmaceutical and bio-science industry raised concerns that the supply of life-saving medicines could be severely disrupted unless Britain successfully negotiates a smooth and orderly exit from the EU. In a letter to Brexit negotiators stressing the importance of securing ongoing cooperation on medicines after Britain leaves the EU, drug company representatives said a bad transition could put patients at risk. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The arrest of a group of hardened ivory poachers in a sting operation has been captured in a series of extraordinary photographs. William Ngulube, 32, Gabriel Mwale, 39, and Julias Kapomba, 42, were caught after attempting to sell ivory to an undercover investigator working for wildlife charity, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Just hours before the arrest, Ngulube shot and killed an endangered African bull elephant in the Zambian bush to sell on its ivory tusks. Ngulube told the investigators he aimed the bullet through the animals lungs so it would become incapacitated and die slowly, not causing the poachers any trouble. IFAW officers and police arrest the alleged poachers in a sting operation (Roger Allen) IFAW have estimated that around 20,000 elephants a year are killed for their ivory, fuelling markets in east Asia. The extent of the killings is so great that experts have predicted elephant populations could go extinct in coming years. The poachers were caught near a disused airstrip in Chitungulu, eastern Zambia. Their haul was noteworthy because of the size of the two tusks over five feet long and weighing more than 70 kilograms and too big to be stuffed in the boot of the poachers car. The detained poachers (Roger Allen) Few elephants capable of producing tusks this size remain as they have been targeted so intensively by poachers. The loss of a bull elephant of this size, estimated to be around 40 years old, is especially tragic as it will be a huge genetic loss to the Zambian ecosystem that will likely impact future generations of elephants in the area, said Philip Mansbridge, IFAW UK Director. The remains of the elephant killed by William Ngulube for its ivory tusks (Roger Allen) The poachers said they were promised $25,000 (19,300) for the tusks, which would be worth an estimated US $126,000 (97,500) to the final recipient. The men were caught after the undercover investigator, posing as a buyer, sent a Whatsapp message to Mike Labuschagne, who runs IFAWs anti-poaching, criminal investigation and intelligence gathering activities in Zambia and neighbouring Malawi. The phony buyer sat alongside the poachers and tusks in the black Toyota as the team of investigators and police swooped in. William Ngulube is driven away (Roger Allen) It is vital to capture and convict both hardened trigger pullers and first link traders who are key to the huge global illegal ivory supply chain, which IFAW is working to break, said Mr Labuschagne. For this work, which can be dangerous, we need to build relationships and work closely with local people to protect their wildlife and stop its decimation. Having strong local intelligence is key to our successful investigations and we have many local people willing to inform us when they know of illegal poaching and trading in wildlife. Gabriel Male, William Ngulube and Julias Kapomba pictured with the large ivory tusks they tried to sell to an undercover IFAW investigator. Behind them, to the left, is Mike Labuschagne, who heads the organisation's anti-poaching, criminal investigation and intelligence gathering activities, and another investigator. (Roger Allen) The danger of the job was demonstrated when Ngulube began to scream Mamma, mamma help me, as the team moved in to arrest him. He was attempting to alert local villagers to his plight in the hope they would free him. Mwale is also known to have used violence against wildlife rangers in the past. After a struggle, the poachers were taken into custody and have been charged with illegal possession of ivory and illegal trading. They face prison sentences of up to five years. 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 IFAW is receiving funding from the British government to tackle ivory poaching. Ministers have taken a hard line stance against the activity in recent month, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson calling for an all-out ban on ivory sales earlier this week. British troops have also been deployed to countries across Africa to train local rangers in fighting the trade. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman has anonymously treated several firefighters from Colton, California to a free meal. The firefighters had been working all day on the La Cadena wildfire in La Loma Hills, near San Bernardino, California when they headed to a local Denny's restaurant for dinner. The crew had fought 15 to 20 wildfires that week alone. The mystery benefactor approached the cashier and paid $355 (274) for all their food, plus $50 (39) tip. She also paid for a $100 (77) gift card to be used to buy dessert for the next round of arriving firefighters. The brigade's Public Information Officer Captain Tom DeBellis told CNN that "the waitstaff told the firefighters, but by that time she was already gone." Chief Tim McHargue wished he could thank the woman, who restaurant staff said did want to be recognised for her gift. Mr DeBellis said that normally people will bake cookies, bring sandwiches, and cold drinks "as thanks for the guys' hard work. The guys really appreciate it." He added though, that the firefighters had "never [been thanked with] this level of generosity." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A groundbreaking cancer treatment that uses the body's own immune system to attack cancerous cells is likely to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The treatment, called CAR-T cell immunotherapy could be approved as early as the end of September after a unanimous approval from the agency's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee. Timothy Cripe, a panel member who is an oncologist with Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, told NPR the treatment the "most exciting thing I've seen in my lifetime." Recommended Boston hospital protests deportation of top Iranian cancer researcher The treatment takes immune system cells - known as T cells - from a patient's body and freezes them. Scientists then modify the genes in them so that they will only attack cancerous cells, multiply, and refreeze them. They are then reintroduced into the patient's body to begin the process of multiplying to the millions and destroying the cancer, leaving behind healthy cells. Since the patient's own cells are being used, some scientists call it a "living drug". If approved it would be the first gene-based therapy approved by the government agency. Previous attempts to harness a patient's own immune system in fighting cancerous cells have not had the success of CAR-T cell immunotherapy. Pharmaceutical company Novartis is seeking approval of the treatment and Dr. David Lebwohl, head of the company's CAR-T Franchise Global Program, called it a "new hope for patients". They estimate the whole treatment from "vein to vein" would be about 22 days. The treatment is so far targeted towards helping children and young adults from three to 25 years old who have not responded to traditional treatments for their B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia - about 600 patients a year. It is the most common type of childhood cancer in the US. Novartis presented a study to the FDA of 63 patients in 11 countries that received the immunotherapy from April 2015 to August 2016. Over 82 per cent of them - or 52 patients - went into remission. Despite the mostly positive results, the side effects can be deadly for some patients when vital organs are attacked by the modified T cells that are reintroduced into the body - called "cytokine release syndrome". Novartis said some patients did experience fever, flulike symptoms, delirium, and seizures, but no fatal brain swelling. Once approved, the company plans on limiting the therapy's availability to 30 to 35 medical centres with people who have had extensive company training with the treatment. It also plans to have Novartis employees at hospitals using the therapy in order to follow patients for up to 15 years. Some are concerned about the long-term effects of the treatment, which uses a virus to modify the T cells. The FDA is not required to follow the committee's recommendation, but it is normal for them to do so. No pricing information has been released by Novartis and the issue is out of the FDA's domain, but estimated costs range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. A public comment hearing was held at the FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland where several parents told stories about their children's positive experiences with CAR-T cell. Dr. Carl June of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, who developed the therapy said that he was "happy most of all for the patients who will benefit from this therapy". Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A couple were inspired to adopt seven brothers and sisters after watching a story about them being split up and sent to separate foster homes. DaShoan and Sofia Olds said they had long considered adoption but after seeing the children on a local news channel, it felt like a calling. So the couple began proceedings that would lead them to welcoming Dava, Erica, Eric, Zavian, Leondras, Reginald, and 12 year-old Necia in their home in Marianna, Florida. They have described the adoption as a blessing. It was a done deal from the day we saw the story, Ms Olds told US news channel WECP-TV. Before we even met them, it was a done deal. When I saw that picture, it was a done deal for me, honestly. She added: We looked at each other and said, Weve got to do this. Its time. Theres no maybe, we have to do this.' Necia said she thought she would never have the chance to live with all her siblings. We thought we would never be adopted, but I thought this was a really good blessing for us, she told the TV station. 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 Mr Olds said he would encourage the children to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities in the "loving household" that would now be their home. We're going to build their faith up, we're going to build them educationally," he said. "We're going to get them active in a sport or an activity, or something extracurricular. And we're going to love each other so, we're going to do all of it." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two Democratic Party donors and a former party staff member have filed an invasion of privacy lawsuit against President Donald Trumps campaign and a long-time informal adviser, Roger J. Stone Jr, accusing them of conspiring in the release of hacked Democratic emails and files that exposed their personal information to the public. The case was organised by Protect Democracy, a government watchdog group run by former Obama administration lawyers. It filed the claim just short of a deadline under a one-year statute of limitations for privacy invasion lawsuits: WikiLeaks published the first archives of stolen Democratic National Committee emails, which intelligence agencies say Russia hacked to harm Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and help Trump, last 22 July. Trump and his political advisers, including Stone, have repeatedly denied colluding with Russia, and the 44-page complaint, filed on Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, does not contain any hard evidence that his campaign did. But it is seeking to depose witnesses and obtain campaign emails and other documents during the discovery process that is a standard part of lawsuits. These plaintiffs are using the law and the American civil justice system the way it was intended: to vindicate important rights and values, such as the right to privacy and the right to participate in the political process; and to deter others who might consider colluding with a foreign government for political gain, said Ian Bassin, the executive director of Protect Democracy. A spokesman for Trumps outside legal team did not respond to a request for comment, but Stone called the lawsuit meritless and said he expected it to be quickly dismissed. He also said there is no evidence whatsoever that he had advance knowledge of the hacking or that the Trump campaign was involved in it if they were even hacked. The complaint largely consists of a catalogue of publicly known facts that it presents as circumstantial evidence that the defendants had the motive, desire and opportunity to conspire with Russia. 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 It noted public statements by the defendants and revelations about meetings and contacts with Russians that various associates of Trump concealed when applying for security clearances. It does not name as defendants Russia, which has sovereign immunity, or WikiLeaks, whose founder Julian Assange is an Australian citizen. The New York Times Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Lawmakers in Honduras have voted unanimously to ban child marriage, making it illegal in the Central American nation for children under the age of 18 to get married under any circumstances. The law passed on Tuesday raises the minimum marriage age to 18 from 16 and removes all exceptions for child marriage, meaning that girls and boys under 18 cannot get married even with the permission of their parents. Belinda Portillo from children's charity Plan International said Honduras had made history by passing the law in a country where one in four children are married before the age of 18. Recommended New York raises age of consent for marriage from 14 to 18 The fight against child marriage is a strategic way of promoting the rights and empowerment of women in various areas, such as health, education, work, freedom from violence, Portillo, Plan's Honduras country director, said in a statement. Enforcing the law will be hardest in indigenous communities and poor rural areas in Honduras where child marriage is most prevalent, campaigners say. Often driven by poverty and cultural acceptance, child marriage usually involves a girl marrying an older man and deprives girls of education and opportunities, keeping them in poverty. Each year more than 15 million girls worldwide are married before they turn 18, campaign group Girls Not Brides says. Experts say child brides are more likely to be victims of sexual and domestic abuse and become teenage mothers. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 globally. Portillo said banning child marriage in Honduras would give girls a chance to be better educated and increase their earnings, helping to boost the country's annual gross domestic product by about 3.5 percent. In a report last month, the World Bank said child marriage will cost developing countries trillions of dollars by 2030, hampering global efforts to eradicate poverty. Most Latin American countries ban marriage until 18, but many of them still allow children to get married at a younger age with the permission of parents or a judge. 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 Campaigners hope other countries in Latin America will follow Honduras's example. Lawmakers in the Dominican Republic - a country with the second highest rate of child marriage in the region - along with El Salvador are mulling proposed reforms to outlaw child marriage. Reuters Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of protesters are preparing to take to the streets of Paris to create a no Trump zone for the US President. Donald Trump and the First Lady are visiting France to mark Bastille Day after Emmanuel Macron extended an invitation that surprised many after a series of ideological clashes between the two leaders. The President, who praised far-right leader Marine Le Pen during the French election, said the trip would celebrate and honour France's national day and a century since the US' entry into the First World War. While Mr Trump will be officially welcomed with a luxurious dinner at the Eiffel Tower ahead of a series of state events on Friday, demonstrators will be sending a very different signal nearby in the French capital. The Paris Against Trump alliance is planning a rally at the symbolic Place des Etats-Unis, which is the former home of the US embassy and filled with memorials commemorating ties between the two nations. It will be followed by a night of music, dance and performances at a designated no Trump zone in the Place de la Republique. Among the diverse groups demonstrating are those opposed to Mr Trump's climate change policies, travel ban and anti-war groups. Many are also directing their anger at Mr Macron for extending the invitation and over reforms to labour laws. Paris Against Trump organisers say they oppose his positions on the climate crisis, his international politics against migrants, his sexist speeches and behaviour, his Islamophobia and racist remarks, his military plans around the world and his neo-liberalism and capitalism. 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 A particular point of contention is Mr Trump's decision to withdraw from the historic Paris agreement, which saw the Elysee Palace troll the White House by altering a video seeking to justify the move. Mr Macron has been outspoken with his support for the accords and his previous meetings with the US President have appeared tense, including a white-knuckled handshake in Brussels. The leaders' talks will focus on shared diplomatic and military endeavours, particular counter-terrorism, but an Elysee official said Mr Macron would not shy away from difficult issues like Mr Trump's combative America First trade policy. The meeting won't avoid subjects on which we have different positions, such as climate and, to a certain extent, trade, the aide said. I have no doubt that the presidents will talk about the state of military actions in Syria and they will talk about the future. Mr Trump arrived in Paris early on Thursday morning accompanied by his wife Melania, economic adviser Gary Cohn, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and national security adviser HR McMaster. The President travelled to the American Ambassadors residence for lunch with US military personnel, before a scheduled tour of the Les Invalides monuments. He will then go to the Elysee Palace for a bilateral meeting with Mr Macron, followed by a press conference. Democrat files first articles of impeachment against Donald Trump The leaders and their wives will have dinner, expected to include blue lobster and caviar, up the Eiffel Tower's famed Le Jules Verne restaurant. Mr Trump is to be the guest of honour at Friday's military parade on the Champs-Elysees - the first time a US President had attended since George Bush in 1989. More protests are planned for the day, including socialist and anti-racist activists marching from the Place de Clichy. Security will be intense for the duration of Mr Trump's stay, which comes after a string of Isis-linked terror attacks in France including a recent attempt near Notre-Dame cathedral. Crowds marking Bastille Day - a national holiday - were targeted by an Isis supporter who killed 86 people in Nice last year. Mr Macron will be travelling to the southern city for commemorations following the end of engagements with Mr Trump. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The top Democrat in Congress has called upon the White House to revoke senior presidential adviser Jared Kushners security clearance, in the wake of startling revelations about his contact with a Kremlin-connected lawyer. The revelation that the Trump Campaign eagerly intended to possibly collude with Russia is deeply disturbing, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said on Twitter. Jared Kushners security clearance must be immediately revoked. The statement echoes the sentiments of several members of Congress. Politicians in both parties have been increasingly suspicious of Mr Kushner in recent days, after it was revealed that he took part in a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the Trump campaign. Donald Trumps son, Donald Jr, admitted earlier this week to organising a meeting with a woman described to him as a Russian government lawyer, who claimed to have official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton] and her dealings with Russia. Mr Kushner and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the June 2016 meeting, though Mr Trump Jr maintains Mr Kushner left after only a few minutes. The meeting came to light only after Mr Kushner submitted his updated security clearance form, which includes a list of all foreign contacts. Mr Kushner has revised the form three separate times, adding 100 previously undisclosed contacts, The New York Times reports. Several members of Congress are now calling for Mr Kushners resignation. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy suggested Mr Kushner should lose his position for leading the President to falsely claim that no one in the Trump campaign had made contact with Russian officials. You dont think the Republicans would be calling for the resignation of an Obama official who allowed the president and vice president to openly lie about a major national security issue? Mr Murphy asked reporters. He watched his father-in-law on TV say no one in [Trumps] campaign talked to the Russian government. Senator Brian Schatz and Representative Don Beyer have also called for Mr Kushners resignation. Obama-era ethics expert Norm Eisen told the Guardian that news of the meeting puts [Mr Kushner] on the hook for false statements liability, possibly. The pattern of omission by Mr Kushner and others in Donald Trumps circle of their Russia connections increasingly points to a consciousness of guilt, he added. 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 The senior advisers contacts with Russian officials have been a topic of concern since May, when Reuters reported that he had omitted at least three contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak from his security form. At one of these meetings, according to The Washington Post, Mr Kushner and Mr Kislyak discussed setting up a private back channel between the White House and the Kremlin. Mr Kushner has reportedly been under scrutiny by the FBI since these meetings were revealed. According to The New York Times he is now a more prominent figure in the Senate investigation into Russian meddling in the US election as well. Mr Kushner is expected to cooperate with the Senate and House Intelligence Committees in their investigations over the next several weeks. In the meantime, colleagues tell The Times, Mr Kushner has kept up his regular work schedule, meeting with the Presidents Middle East envoy and planning for high-level economic talks with China. The White House has declined to say whether Mr Kushners security clearance is active. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Michigan government official who posted a call on Facebook to kill all Muslims has said he owe[s] nobody an apology. Jeff Sieting, the president of a small village in northern Michigan, was recently discovered to have posted anti-Muslim messages on his Facebook page. One post, which appears to be copy and pasted from a North Carolina-based blog called "NC Renegade," is titled "Kill them all, every last one. The post calls Muslims "dangerously destructive to society" and compares Islam to a "flesh-eating bacteria" and a death cult." Mr Sietings previous posts have called being transgender a mental illness and suggested thin[ning] the herd of the Black Lives Matter Movement, according to Michigan Live. The President declined to apologise for his posts at a recent village meeting, I owe nobody an apology for exercising my First Amendment rights, he said, adding later: I dont expect everyone to see things the way I do. Mr Sieting also argued that Muslims are evil, and that America has been fighting them for hundreds of years, according to the Traverse City Record Eagle. Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Show all 11 1 /11 Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty The Presidents posts were brought to light by local real estate broker Cindy Anderson, the Record Eagle reports. Ms Anderson has since sought Mr Sietings apology at two town meetings. Both times, he has declined. Last month, residents staged a demonstration in downtown Kalkaska to protest the disturbing, hateful and Islamophobic rants of the village President and to demand his resignation. Ms Anderson says the group of protesters is looking for someone to run against Mr Seiting in 2018. He has been village president since 2010. Mr Sieting maintains the effort to remove him is a result of non-residents' outrage at the pro-Donald Trump sign displayed in his hotel. The FBI reports that anti-Muslim hate crimes increased by 67 per cent in 2015 the year Mr Trump declared his candidacy, and the last year for which statistics are available. The number of anti-Muslim hate crimes that year were the highest they had been since 2001. In Kalkaska, however, several residents are standing by their village president. If you dont want to read it, get off of [his Facebook page], resident Joyce Gold said at the town meeting. From what I do know, you are a very honest, faithful, hardworking man and I thank you for that. She added: I hope you continue and stand your ground for your beliefs. The Independent has reached out to Mr Sieting for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump famously doesnt drink. And almost three-quarters of Democrats would he happy to join him - if he were to be impeached. While a lot of Democrats might like the idea of a celebratory drink should the New York tycoon be ousted, a new survey suggests a little more than 73 per cent of them would be prepared to give up booze for life to see it happen. The poll was released by detox.net, a group seeking to promote awareness and drug and alcohol detoxification. Donald Trump defends 'wonderful' son's meeting with Russian lawyer It found that only 17 per cent of Republicans would give up alcohol in exchange for the impeachment of Mr Trump. However, it also found that around 31 per cent of Republicans would forego drinking if the media were to stop saying negative things about the President. 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 This week, congressman Brad Sherman of California formally introduced an article of impeachment against Mr Trump, accusing the president of obstructing justice during the investigation of Russias alleged 2016 election interference. It was the first time an elected official had offered an impeachment article against Mr Trump. However, the chances of Mr Trump being impeached still seem very slight. At the moment, the Republicans control both houses of Congress and there is little evidence that for all the controversy Mr Trump creates, many Republicans are ready to give up on him. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British businessman says he will next week testify on Capitol Hill that researchers who helped produce the infamous Steele dossier, previously worked at the direction of the Russian lawyer who met Donald Trump Jr, and failed to declare they were doing so. Fusion GPS was in the headlines earlier this year when it emerged its investigators, and a former British spy, Christopher Steele, had worked to produce a dossier of salacious, unverified claims about Donald Trump that suggested he had been compromised by Russian intelligence officials on a visit to Moscow in 2013. Mr Trump called the dossier fake news. Bill Browder, the CEO and founder of Hermitage Capital Management, says he will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the company, which was founded by former journalists, previously worked under the direction of Natalia Veselnitskaya as part of a Russian-led lobbying effort in the US. Mr Trump Jr has offered to cooperate with Senate investigators (Getty) Ms Veselnitskaya, a Moscow lawyer with close links to the Kremlin, is the person Mr Trump Jr this week said he was told would provide him with incriminating material on Hillary Clinton - an offer to which he responded by saying I love it. She has denied making such an offer. The campaign [Fusion] was promoting was on behalf of a foreign nation, Mr Browder told The Independent. I believe that Fusion violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) - a law that requires US companies working on behalf of foreign governments to officially disclose and register their consulting work. The development comes as the White House is reeling from the admission that Mr Trumps eldest son, his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign manager Paul Manafort, met with Ms Veselnitskaya in Trump Tower last June. Mr Browder will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee (Twitter) Mr Trump Jr said he agreed to the meeting because he was told Ms Veselnitskaya had information from high levels in the Russian establishment that would prove damaging to his fathers Democratic rival, Ms Clinton. Many have claimed Mr Trump Jrs admission may amount to admission of a crime. There is widespread recognition that he has at least provided more work for special prosecutor Robert Mueller and his team, which are probing possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscows efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. Donald Trump Jr defends meeting with Russian lawyer Mr Browder has received the support of the committees Republican chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley. He has called for the Department of Justice to carry out an investigation. The issue is of particular concern to the committee given that when Fusion GPS reportedly was acting as an unregistered agent of Russian interests, it appears to have been simultaneously overseeing the creation of the unsubstantiated dossier of allegations of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians, Mr Grassley wrote to the DoJ. The claims relate to a Russian tycoon, Denis Kaysyv, whose company, Prevezson, was involved in a massive money-laundering case against Mr Browders company. That case was settled with the US government for $6m earlier this year in a New York court. Mr Kaysyvs chief lawyer was Ms Veselnitskaya, and she and Prevezson retained a New York law firm, BakerHostetler, to help in defending Prevezson. BakerHostetler then hired investigators from Fusion GPS to help. Fusion GPS said it was retained specifically to work on an asset forfeiture issue in relation to the case. But Mr Browder claims they also helped Ms Veselnitskaya in her attempts to overturn the US Magnitsky Act. 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 The Magnitsky Act was passed in 2012 to sanction a group of Russians the US held responsible for the mysterious 2009 death in jail of Sergei Magnitsky, Mr Browders Russian lawyer who exposed money laundering said to total $230m. The passage of the act is said to have infuriated Vladimir Putin who sought to have it overturned. He responded by making it more difficult for American couples to adopt Russian babies. Ms Veselnitskaya was central in the lobbying effort to overturn the act. In addition, Mr Katsyv, the owner of Prevezon whom Ms Veselnitskaya represents, registered a nonprofit company in Delaware called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation (HRAGIF) in February 2016, which says its aim is to overturn the adoption ban but which Mr Browder said is simply a front to overturn the Magnitsky Act, which he helped push. Natalia was the general coordinator for all of Katsyvs legal activities, he said. Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who set-up Orbis Business Intelligence and compiled a dossier on Donald Trump (PA wire) In a legal filing to the Department of Justice, Mr Browder said Ms Veselnitskaya has been helping promote the efforts of HRAGIF, while its registered lobbyist was Rinat Akhmetshin. In his letter to the DoJ, Mr Grassley refers to reports that say he is former member of Russias GRU, the main military intelligence agency. Mr Akhmetshin did not respond to inquiries. However, he has previously denied working for the Russian government. Just because I was born in Russia doesnt mean I am an agent of [the] Kremlin, he told Politico earlier this year. Fusion GPS, which in 2012 did opposition research to dig up information about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, has denied any wrongdoing and said that at no time did it take part in lobbying. As a result, it says it is not in breach of FARA. On Wednesday, Mr Grassleys committee said that the co-founder of Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, a former journalist with the Wall Street Journal, would also be testifying next week. In a statement, Fusion GPS said: Fusion GPS was engaged by a US law firm, BakerHostetler, to perform public records litigation support in a US asset seizure case, US v Prevezon. Its work is a matter of public record. It added: Fusion GPS is not a lobbying firm and engaged in no lobbying in this case. Any suggestion to the contrary is entirely false. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Republican leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee will formally call upon Donald Trump Jr to testify in front of the committee, in the wake of startling revelations about the first son's contacts with a Kremlin-connected lawyer. Senator Chuck Grassley told CNN that committee heads are writing a letter to Mr Trump Jr, asking him to testify as early as next week. The request comes shortly after Mr Trump Jr admitted to meeting with a Russian lawyer while working for his fathers presidential campaign. "I think it's just raised a lot of questions, Mr Grassley said of the meeting. But the real way that I feel comfortable inviting him is ever since President Trump was elected, it seems like every conversation that has come from somebody in the family where there's been some sort of issue, they've seemed always to be very, very open." Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the committee, said she would also like to see the eldest Trump son testify. Mr Trump Jr this week published several emails from June 2016, revealing that he had agreed to meet with a Russian government lawyer who had official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton] and her dealings with Russia. Mr Trump claims the meeting was brief, and that he did not receive intel on former Secretary of State Clinton. 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 Nevertheless, the revelation renewed accusations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government accusations the White House has strongly denied. Members of the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian meddling in the US election, said they would also like to hear from Mr Trump Jr. "There's probably more questions about this that these e-mails will raise and we look forward to having a chance to speak with Mr. Trump Jr. about this," said Republican Representative Chris Stewart, who serves on the committee. Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee have also said they would like to see Mr Trump Jr testify. The businessman said on Twitter that he is happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know. Mr Trump defended his oldest son at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, claiming, most people would have taken that meeting. Nothing happened from the meeting, he added. Honestly, the press made a very big deal out of something a lot would do. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has been caught on camera complimenting Brigitte Macrons body, telling her she looks "great". After a tour of the museums at Les Invalides in Paris, as Mr Trump and Emmanuel Macron prepared to say bon voyage to their wives, Mr Trump turned to Ms Macron. The exchange was captured on a live stream of the tour provided by the French government. Youre in such great shape, Mr Trump told her. He then turned to her husband Emmanuel. Beautiful, he concluded, looking back at the French first lady. Mr Trump is in Paris this week after being invited by Mr Macron to come and celebrate Bastille Day, the French holiday to celebrate their revolution. On July 14 in 1789, French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille fortress, armoury, and political prison in a challenge to the countrys royal family. The fall of the prison became a flash point in the French Revolution, and is celebrated each year in something of an independence day for France. Mr Trump and Mr Macron have had something of a mixed relationship during their young presidencies. Mr Macron was a vocal critic of Mr Trumps decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate change accord, and quickly began using a modified version of the US Presidents campaign chairman by touting the phrase, Make Our Planet Great Again. 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 Mr Macron also joined the leaders of Germany and Italy in a rare joint statement to say that the Paris agreement wasnt renegotiable, which Mr Trump had said he would consider doing. But, theyve seemed to foster a warmer relationship since then. The two seemed comfortable with one another during the G20 summit in Hamburg recently, and have indicated a willingness to work together to counter terrorist threats. France has been hit by several major attacks in recent weeks, and Mr Trump has made the issue one of his main priorities. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has opened the door to a reversal of his decision on the Paris Agreement on climate change saying that something could happen regarding the deal during his trip to France for Bastille Day. Mr Trump withdrew the US from the global climate agreement which nearly 200 countries signed in December 2015 in an effort to combat global warming and help poorer countries adapt to an already-changed planet. He said it puts American workers, particularly in the coal industry, at an economic disadvantage. If it happens that will be wonderful and if it doesn't that will be ok too, Mr Trump said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, appearing to leave the matter open-ended. Well see what happens, he added. Recommended UK tycoon to testify Trump Jr lawyer linked to Steele dossier firm How much the answers were part of Mr Trump seeking to ensure the nature of his various meetings with the French leader stayed friendly is unclear but Mr Macron was quick to back the US President up. I respect the wish to preserve jobs, I think that's compatible with the Paris accord, Mr Macron said. There is no sudden and unexpected change today, otherwise we would have announced it, but there is the shared intention to continue discussing these issues, the French President added. Mr Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt have expressed a desire for the Paris accord to be re-negotiated, a notion France, Germany, and Italy immediately dismissed in a rare joint statement the same day as the US withdrawal announcement. The US still has to follow formal withdrawal procedures within the United Nations framework and will not technically be "out" of the agreement until just before the 2020 US election, but for all intents and purposes Mr Trump has said the US would not be putting federal resources towards meeting carbon emissions targets or financing outlined in the accord. However, nearly a thousand cities, states, and CEOs of companies have pledged to do what they can to help the US meet the targets. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was optimistic about the sub-national actors' actions. While some may think of it is a positive turn to the G19+1 narrative coming out of the G20 summit last week in Hamburg, Germany when the US was the sole member not to sign on to the outcome document on climate change, not all see it that way. Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Affairs, called it blather. Beyond climate change, Mr Trump had praise for the French leader, saying that he applaud[s] President Macron on his courageous call for that 'less bureaucracy'...it's a good chant. Mr Trump and Mr Macrons relationship got off to a bumpy start, but both have an incentive to improve relations Macron hopes to elevate Frances role in global affairs, and Trump, seemingly isolated among world leaders, needs a friend overseas. Mr Macron welcomed the US President with a warm handshake and smiles, a contrast to the clenched-jaw greeting they shared at their first encounter in May. Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful, the US President told Macron as they met at the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French war heroes are buried. There was a somewhat an awkward handshake with Mr Macrons wife, Brigitte. Mr Trump commented on camera: Youre in such great shape, before turning to Mr Macron to repeat the compliment. "Beautiful" he said as Ms Macron can be seen backing away a bit behind First Lady Melania Trump who had her hand on Ms Macron's shoulder. Later, the two presidents were in a mood to talk up what they agree on. We have disagreements; Mr Trump had election pledges that he took to his supporters and I had pledges - should this hinder progress on all issues? No, Mr Macron said. As for Mr Trump, he said the pair had discussed the 2016 Bastille Day attacks in Nice, France and the commitment of both countries to fight terrorism. "Our two nations are forever joined together by the spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom," the US leader said. "France is America's first and oldest ally - a lot of people don't know that." Mr Trump came to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election, with emails released on Tuesday suggesting his eldest son welcomed an offer of Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The two leaders took questions about Russia - the first time Mr Trump had faced public questions on Donald Trump Jrs meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. The FBI, Congress, and Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller are all investigating possible ties between Mr Trump's campaign team and Russian officials to determine how a foreign government interfered with the 2016 US election, as US intelligence services say. Mr Trump had a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit during which differing accounts emerged about the conversation, with Mr Putin saying that Mr Trump accepted Moscow's denial of election hacking. For several months, Trump aides have been denying collusion between the campaign team and continue to do so, despite the President's namesake son releasing emails confirming his meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. 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 Mr Trump, defending his son, said most people would have taken that meeting. She was a not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer, the President said, adding that its called opposition research. He claimed he has had several people call up and say they had information about opponents in his two years in politics, thats very standard in politics... its not the nicest business in the world. Mr Trump then shifted focus, pointing out that Ms Veselnitskaya was roaming the halls of Congress on that same US trip, with a visa approved by President Obamas Department of Justice. The woman seen by some as a Moscow insider was let in to the US without a proper visa under under extraordinary circumstances. Video footage from just five days after her meeting with Mr Trump Jr shows Ms Veselnitskaya in the front row of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia policy. She also reportedly attended a dinner on Capitol Hill with Republican Congressman Dana Rohrbacher that same week. Zero happened from the meeting and honestly I think the press made a very big deal of it, said Mr Trump after his son also said no information was gleaned from the meeting. Mr Macron said he did not want to comment on the domestic affairs of another country but pointed out that though France and Russia have many disagreements it was necessary for the two countries and the US to work together, especially regarding the civil war in Syria. With its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia has put itself on the opposite side of France and America. On the Iraq-Syria situation, we have agreed to continue working together, in particular on the building of a roadmap for the post-war period, Mr Macron said. Trump said work was underway to negotiate a ceasefire in a second region of Syria, following the start of a cessation of hostilities in an area of southwest Syria that was brokered by the US and Russia. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump says that he would invite Vladimir Putin to the White House, but that right now isn't the right time. "I don't think this is the right time, but the answer is yes I would," Mr Trump said on Air Force One during a flight to Paris to celebrate Bastille Day with French President Emmanuel Macron. The statement comes following an extended meeting between the two world leaders at the G20 summit last week, where they met for the first time in person. Their meeting on the sidelines of that summit was only supposed to last a half hour but ended up running well over two hours long. That meeting, which Mr Trump said went very well, just months after the US President said that relations with Russia may have reached an all time low. Those comments came after Mr Trump green lit launching missiles in an attack on Syrian military targets in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks from the Syrian government. Moscow and Washington have disagreed in Syria with respects to whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should remain in power, which the Russian government favours. The US government has called for the removal of Mr Assad. Mr Trump and Mr Putin reportedly discussed a range of issues during their meeting in Hamburg last week, including cyber security concerns, terrorism, and a Syrian cease fire. Mr Trump, notably, said that he had pressed Mr Putin on Russia's reported meddling in the 2016 election - which has resulted in US sanctions on the Eurasian country - but that Mr Putin plainly denied those claims. After landing in France, Mr Trump praised the cease fire he helped broker during a joint press briefing with Mr Macron. He acknowledged that the agreement had only lasted five days so far, but that he had hopes that it would continue. 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 Mr Putin appears content with the cease fire agreement. During a press conference following his meeting with Mr Trump, the Russian president praised his American counterpart, saying that he is much sharper in person than his TV personality would lead people to believe. He then indicated that he felt the US had reached a "pragmatic" place in its view on Russia. Mr Trump's relationship with Russia and its President has been the source of both fascination and scandal. The US President repeatedly stated on the 2016 campaign trail that he believed that improving the American relationship with Russia would be a great improvement on the status quo, but then later failed to fix the relationship in the first few months of his campaign. And, beyond the official international diplomacy, Mr Trump's 2016 campaign has been under scrutiny by federal investigators for potential contacts with the Russian government. A recent email posted on Twitter by Donald Trump Jr showed that at least three Trump insiders - including Mr Trump Jr himself - had met with a Kremlin linked attorney who promised damaging information from the Russian government on Hillary Clinton. It was the latest in a series of scandalous revelations that critics contend show collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Whether Mr Trump will be able to build upon the apparent good will between him and his Russian counterpart remains to be seen. Both of his predecessors attempted to thaw relations between Washington and the Kremlin, only to find that doing so was a bit beyond their reach. That includes an attempt by the administration of former President Barack Obama in which former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton literally brought out a red "reset" button to symbolise a reset on relations between the two countries. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Parents in Utah have been charged with the murder of their three-year-old daughter after over a year of taunting the child with food. Cellphone video taken by the parents shows Brenda Emile, 22, and Miller Costello, 25, offering their malnourished food before snatching it away to discipline her. A progression of the videos shows the toddlers physical condition getting worse over about a year and a half, local media reports. Her extremely malnourished body was found at the familys home after the parents called the police to report that she wasnt breathing. Police said that the girl was covered in wounds burns, cuts, and bruises and that the injuries were in various levels of healing. Some appeared to be fresh. Others were much older, they said. The cell phones of the parents showed that they had abused the girl between January 2016 and June 2017, and the girl was visibly upset in the videos. One showed the father smacking her in the face with an infants foot. Mr Costello acknowledged to police that he knew that the child was in danger of dying if he didnt bring her to get help, but that he did not go to a doctor. He indicated that Ms Emile had told her that the childs siblings had injured her, but that she was fearful of bringing her to the doctor for fear of a police investigation, and losing her children. 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 Two other children were taken away from the house to be put in state child protective services. Prosecutors have charged the parents with aggravated murder, which could lead to the death penalty if they are convicted. The Utah prosecutors are asking that the parents be held without bail, noting that they have ties in several other states and that Mr Costello frequently travels for his job as a scrap metal dealer. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A former Thai underwear model has been charged with human trafficking after she allegedly sent undercover police officers photos of a 16-year-old girl she claimed was a prostitute. Alisa Jaidee, 32, was arrested at Suvaranbumi Airport in Bangkok earlier this week and accused of selling the teenager for sex online. The legal age of consent in Thailand is 18 years old. She had allegedly sent dozens of other images of young women to undercover police who were posing as paedophiles. Investigators said the ex-Maxim model had arranged for the teenager to have sex with the policeman for 15,000 baht (342) using the messaging app, Line. She then planned to give the girl 7,000 baht (160) and keep 8,000 baht (183) for herself, police said. Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Suntiyit Tavorn told The Sun that Jaidee had been uncooperative and had tried to throw away her phone at one point. 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 investigation had found that the accused had a clear role in the activity he said, adding: She was involved in the division of funds for the purchase of sexual services. She has now been charged with procuring a girl aged under 18 for a sex service and promoting an underage girls lewd act for payment or other benefits, he said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Chinese activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has died at the age of 61, the government has said. The countrys most famous political prisoner was being treated for terminal liver cancer in a heavily-guarded hospital in north-east China. Mr Liu had been transferred from prison last month where he was serving an 11-year term for subversion. Mr Liu might be a name rarely uttered in the west but many argue the unsung hero must be remembered alongside the other big name dissidents of the 20th century. The human rights activist, who took part in the 1989 pro-democracy Tiananmen Square demonstrations, was arrested in 2008 after writing a pro-democracy manifesto titled Charter 08 in which he called for an end to one-party rule and advances in human rights. It was signed by thousands of people in China. After a year in detention and a two-hour trial, he was sentenced in December 2009 to 11 years imprisonment for inciting subversion of state power. Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December PA wire Notable deaths in 2016 Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Leonard Cohen died on 7 November Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness PA Notable deaths in 2016 Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease AP Notable deaths in 2016 Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90 Reuters Notable deaths in 2016 Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old. AP Notable deaths in 2016 Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Duke of Westminster Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64 Rex Features Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Knudsen Sir Roger Moores stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Caroline Aherne The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Kimbo Slice Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Muhammad Ali The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Sally Brampton Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60 Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock Notable deaths in 2016 Billy Paul The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single Me and Mrs Jones, has died on 24 April, aged 81 Noel Vasquez/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Prince Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57 Notable deaths in 2016 Chyna WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April Notable deaths in 2016 Victoria Wood The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62 Notable deaths in 2016 David Gest The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old PA Notable deaths in 2016 Denise Robertson Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83 Notable deaths in 2016 Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65 2010 AFP Notable deaths in 2016 Ronnie Corbett British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85 2014 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Imre Kertesz Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86 REUTERS Notable deaths in 2016 Rob Ford Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March Notable deaths in 2016 Joey Feek Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right) Jason Merritt/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Umberto Eco Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84 EPA Notable deaths in 2016 Harper Lee Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89 2005 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Vanity Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57 REX Features Notable deaths in 2016 Dave Mirra The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41 Notable deaths in 2016 Harry Harpham The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Griffin The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67 REX Notable deaths in 2016 Rene Angelil Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73 2011 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Alan Rickman Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career 2015 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Maurice White The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards Notable deaths in 2016 Lawrence Phillips Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40 AFP/Getty Images Colleagues and democracy activists say he was then held incommunicado in an attempt to do away with any memory of him. Mr Liu was awarded the Nobel Prize back in 2010 while imprisoned but his family were barred from travelling to Norway to accept the award. Instead the accolade was bestowed to an empty chair a move which later became a key symbol of Chinas repression. Upon hearing the news of his passing, the Norweigan Nobel committee which awards the prize has said the Chinese government bears heavy responsibility for Mr Lius premature death. In the weeks ahead of his death, the case gained increasing international attention. World leaders such as German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-Wen called upon China to permit the democracy activist to travel abroad to receive palliative care which supporters argue could have extended his life. At the time, critics argued Chinas reluctance to let him travel overseas was prompted by fears he would voice his frustrations with the Peoples Republic of China from his deathbed. Patrick Poon, who works as a researcher for Amnesty China, said Mr Liu's friends told him they had attempted to visit him in hospital but were barred by security guards there. Mr Poon said he was deeply saddened to hear of Mr Lui's pasing, saying: "He is one of the most respected human rights defenders in China. His writings and courage have inspired many people, even nowadays among many human rights activists in China." "He will definitely be missed by many fellow human rights defenders," he added. "Although the Chinese authorities attempt to create a lot of difficulties, such as blocking foreign websites and news channels, to make sure people in China don't hear anything about all his good things, many people who are interested in human rights and universal values can find ways to learn more about him." Mr Poon fondly recalled speaking to him several years back and hearing his words of encouragement. "I was lucky to have a chance to talk to him once in 2008," he said. "He knew that I was working at a human rights organization in Hong Kong, which was founded by some pro-democracy legislators and lawyers in Hong Kong. He was very encouraging and even asked me to keep up my work when he had already experienced so many years of pressure and surveillance by the authorities. I was really touched and will never forget my short conversation with him." Born in December 1955, in Jilin Province, in north-east China, Mr Liu was the son of a professor who remained a loyal Communist Party member despite the fact his son dedicated his life to breaking ranks and actively disobeying the party line. Mr Lius life was punctuated by detention, surveillance and conflict with the government. On top of this, the police have kept his wife, Liu Xia, under house arrest and she has been barred from speaking out about Mr Lius death and cancer treatment. Along with countless others, Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, has paid tribute to the dissident in a statement: Today we grieve the loss of a giant of human rights. Liu Xiaobo was a man of fierce intellect, principle, wit and above all humanity. For decades, he fought tirelessly to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in China. He did so in the face of the most relentless and often brutal opposition from the Chinese government. Time and again they tried to silence him, and time and again they failed. Despite enduring years of persecution, suppression and imprisonment, Liu Xiaobo continued to fight for his convictions. Although he has passed, everything he stood for still endures. The greatest tribute we can now pay him is to continue the struggle for human rights in China and recognise the powerful legacy he leaves behind. Thanks to Liu Xiaobo, millions of people in China and across the world have been inspired to stand up for freedom and justice in the face of oppression. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A state in Malaysia has introduced public canings for people who break Sharia law, despite strong criticism from politicians and rights campaigners. The Islamist PAS party approved the law in the Kelatan state assembly, where they are the ruling party. Unlike the majority of the Malaysia, the northern province already has strict Sharia laws in place including a ban on nightclubs and cinemas. Islamic law is followed throughout the country but it is usually restricted to personal and family issues. The majority of people in Kelantan are Muslims but there are also Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. Caning was introduced as part of an effort to streamline sentencing under Islamic criminal law, according to the Bernama state news agency. It "can now be carried out inside or outside of prison," said Kelantan deputy chief minister Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah. "This is in line with the religion, which requires that sentencing must be done in public." It was unclear which crimes will be punishable with caning, but it is thought that adultery and drinking alcohol will be included. The view that caning was in line with Islam was met with criticism from the Sisters In Islam (SII), a womens rights campaign group. It said it was "appalled" by the decision, in a statement. We demand for the Kelantan state government to reveal to us where exactly in the Holy Quran does it command punishments such as public caning, said SII. They said caning was a form of torture and a deplorable method of humiliating people. Any laws passed under the name of Islam must take into account the most fundamental teachings of the Quran based on justice and mercy and the right to preserve human dignity, the statement added. Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Malaysia Researcher at Amnesty International, said: Caning is a cruel form of ill-treatment that may amount to torture, and is prohibited under international law in all circumstances. It is outrageous that the local government in Kelantan is even looking to turn it into a public spectacle. Authorities across Malaysia must immediately repeal any laws that impose punitive caning. Snakes thrown into pit with schoolgirls in Malaysian training camp Ti Lian Ker, a member of the Malaysian Chinese Association, part of the ruling coalition, said public canings were unconstitutional under federal criminal law. "This is a rewriting of our legal system and spells a bleak future for the nation," he said in a statement. Prominent lawyer-turned-politician Zaid Ibrahim, of the Democratic Action Party, also opposed the measure. They know they are going to lose in Kelantan in the next election, so they are desperate to show off their so-called Islamic image, Mr Ibrahim told local news outlets. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suggested to reporters the law may only apply to Muslims in Kelantan. Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law Show all 4 1 /4 Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law A Sharia law officer punishes a woman accused of cheating on her husband by whipping her on stage in public in Bandah Aceh. CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images) Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law A religious officer canes an Acehnese woman for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images) Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law An Indonesian woman known as Linda is examined by a doctor and officials after being caned for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. Aceh is the only province in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law. People can face floggings for a range of offences -- from gambling, to drinking alcohol, to gay sex Getty Images Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law An Indonesian woman known as Linda is helped by two Sharia officials after being caned for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. Aceh is the only province in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law. People can face floggings for a range of offences -- from gambling, to drinking alcohol, to gay sex Getty Images Meanwhile, Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said the law would be unlikely to affect tourists, as most visitors chose to go to other parts of the country. "If they are worried about it, then don't go to Kelantan, Mr Aziz said, according to Malaysiakini. Public caning is already carried out in the neighbouring country of Indonesia, where Sharia law has been established on Aceh Province. Women there have reportedly been caned for being seen with men who were not their husbands. Reuters contributed to this report. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Australian pensioner has fallen 100 ft to his death in a parasailing accident in Phuket, Thailand. Roger Hussey, a 70-year-old businessman, died at 2pm on Wednesday, moments into the activity on the 12th day of a holiday with his wife. The incident was caught on video by partner Budsabong Thongsangka, who had travelled with him from Chiang Mai in the north of the country. Tourists on Kata Beach watched alongside her in horror as he fell from a height of 70 metres. Recommended British man dies in skydiving accident in Thailand Officers said he had red marks" on his body when he was rushed to the local Patong Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Staff reportedly told police that Mr Hussey had accidentally unstrapped his harness before he fell to his death. Both staff members, sailor Rungroj Rakscheep, 38, and boat captain Montien Chandeng, 45, were both arrested and charged with "recklessness leading to death". Mr Husseys body was also sent for a post-mortem examination after it was unclear whether he had drowned or had been killed upon impact. Lt Col Suwisit Keereerak, Deputy Chief Inspector of Karon Police Station, told the Metro that the accident is now being investigated. He was seriously injured in the water and died later. Were still investigating what caused him to die, why he came loose from the parasail, and who is to blame, he said. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Roger had asked to go on the parasail while he was on the beach. He went up to a height of 70 metres. We think he was unconscious in the sea when he fell and died later. The operators have been charged with negligence and were checking their paperwork and credentials to operate the parasail and boat. They were responsible for checking the safety equipment. Mr Hussey was a prominent chief executive and director based in Perth, and had been appointed chairman of Australias biggest betting and gambling association, the TAB. According to social media accounts, he had also completed a Masters in PPE at Oxford University and written several business and management books after finishing law school in West Australia. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An elephant was rescued after it was found swimming more than nine miles off the coast of Sri Lanka. The creature had been dragged into the open sea by a current, the country's Navy said in a statement. One of its fast attack craft found it during a routine patrol, the force said, adding that a second craft and a team of divers had been dispatched to the sea off Kokkuthuduwai, Kokilai. Recommended British troops tackling elephant poachers selling ivory to fund terror Using ropes the rescue team were able to guide the pachyderm back to shore, the Navy said. "A group of officials from the Department of Wildlife also joined this humongous task providing necessary instruction which became extremely vital in the rescue mission," they said in a statement. "Accordingly, they were able to carefully direct the elephant towards the coast from the deep sea, by means of ropes. "Having safely guided the elephant to the Yan Oya area in Pulmodai, the animal was handed over to the wildlife officials for onward action." Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka Show all 6 1 /6 Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117806.bin AFP/Getty Images Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117802.bin Sophie Lam Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117807.bin Sophie Lam Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117805.bin Sophie Lam Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117804.bin Sophie Lam Tea and sympathy in the heart of Sri Lanka 117803.bin Sophie Lam Avinash Krishnan, of conservation group A Rocha, told The Guardian: "Swimming about 15km from the shore is not unusual for an elephant. "[But] they cant keep swimming for long because they burn a lot of energy." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A bride killed herself after her husband rejected the results of the virginity tests she was forced to take. Rajabbi Khurshed, 18, killed herself 40 days after her arranged marriage with Zafar Pirov, 40, in the village of Charbogh, Tajikistan. Pirov demanded his wife take two further virginity tests in addition to the government-required exam in Tajikistan. He then asked for a second wife after refusing to believe the results. 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 Ms Khurshed's family told Radio Free Europe their daughter told them on her deathbed she had been under enormous pressure from her husband and "couldn't take it any longer." Her mother, Fazila Mirzoeva, described her daughter as a victim of "slander and violence". Pirov has been charged with driving his new wife to suicide. He could face up to eight years in prison. He defended himself, telling RFE/RL: "My wife gave me a written statement that she allows me to get a second wife because she wasn't a virgin when we got married." Pre-marriage virginity tests for women are common in Tajikistan. In 2015, medical checks before marriage were made compulsory for both men and women, although only women are subjected to virginity tests. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A far-right organisation has launched a boat in the Mediterranean to confront ships rescuing refugees and send them back to Africa. Defend Europe, a group linked to the European anti-Islam and anti-immigrant identitarian movement, is currently sailing a 25-crew 422 tonne vessel to the Libyan coast in a bid to block search-and-rescue vessels operated by humanitarian organisations. More than 85,000 refugees and migrants, most of them sub-Saharan Africans, have been rescued and brought to Italy this year, with fears the total could reach 200,000 by December. More than 2,000 have died in crossings. NGOs and advocacy groups have expressed alarm at Defend Europes mission, telling The Independent that if it carries out its aims it will get in the way of genuine lifesaving efforts and risk further loss of life. In May Defend Europe carried out a failed attempt to block an Medecins Sans Frontieres ship with a small dinghy, and off the back of the stunt has crowdfunded more than 100,000 and bought the larger boat, the C-Star, to pursue its more ambitious plans in the Med. The group said in a statement that for the new, larger-scale mission it would overwatch the doings of the NGOs and disrupt the human trafficking rings by sinking the abandoned boats they leave behind. It added that the group would offer the Libyan Coastguard support by saving anyone [it] can if the boat receives an SOS signal, but that anyone it saved would be taken back to Africa, as part of its bid to guard the borders of Europe. Joe Mulhall, senior researcher at advocacy group Hope Not Hate, said the mission would get in the way of rescue efforts and put lives at risk, claiming the group had started downplaying their true aims due to growing media attention. Defend Europe is an explicitly far-right project. The identitarian have got a long track record of pulling stunts for anti-Muslim stuff, he told The Independent. For the past few months theyve been saying theyre going to block the NGO ships. Theyve been clear about this. Theyve changed their tack as more press has become interested and now said theyre going to monitor NGO ships and make sure they dont enter Libyan waters. But should they do what theyve been planning to do for the past few months, theyll be getting in the way of genuine lifesaving efforts. The fact of the matter is that theres no question that a bunch of far-right activists on a large ship getting in the way for NGOs trying to save lives will no doubt will be putting lives at risk. C-Star, the boat bought buy Defend Europe with money raised online (YouTube) Getting in the way of any rescue efforts whatsoever, even if youre just sitting there watching, could result in the loss of lives. All of this stuff in a year when over 2,000 people have already died in the Med is really concerning. Hope Not Hate has pulled together a team of researchers to monitor what Defend Europe is saying and will produce a comprehensive legal report of the maritime laws, in order to put pressure on lawmakers and politicians that action must be taken. Theyre claiming that NGOs are essentially people-trafficking. The research is quite clear that this isnt the case, Mr Mulhall added. Whats happening in the Med is so dangerous at the moment that the last thing the NGOs and the coastguards and the refugees themselves is a bunch of far-right activists getting in the way. He said the mission was also cause for political concern, claiming it has excited the whole of the international far-right movement and has attracted funding from extreme right forces from around the world. 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 way theyve done this has excited the whole of the international far-right movement. Its raised their profile. The moneys coming from all sorts of extreme forces around the world. Far-right rallying around it, he said. Everyone in the international far-right is animated by this project. In the long term this is going to make them a huge amount of money. Well have a network of European far-right network with resources theyve never had before, and thats a concern. Defend Europe said in a statement to The Independent: As we have stated clearly from the beginning we never planned to and never will hinder any actual rescuing activities. Our plan is to cooperate with the Libyan coastguard and support their efforts to control their waters, to overwatch and expose the NGOs, especially if they breach the new code of conduct by the Italian government. Furthermore we will sink all the abandoned migrant-ships we can find, to drain the financial resources of the trafficking rings. The identitarian movement, which started in France in 2002, is a conservative youth movement advocating a return to traditional western values. It has recently gained momentum in the UK, with a British branch, Identity Generation, on social media platforms. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Russia has jailed the killer of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov for 20 years, and handed four accomplices in the 2015 murder sentences ranging from 11 to 19 years. Last month, the five men were found guilty of killing Mr Nemtsov in 2015. But the late politician's allies said the investigation had been a cover-up and that the people who had ordered his killing remained at large. Thousands march in Moscow to remember murdered opposition leader Nemtsov Mr Nemtsov was walking with his girlfriend across the Bolshoy Moskovoretsky Bridge near the Kremlin when he was shot four times in the back with a pistol on 27 February, 2015. His killer then sped off in a getaway car and Mr Nemtsov was pronounced dead at the scene. Putin critic: Boris Nemtsov took a leading role in the opposition to the Kremlins policies (EPA) Prosecutors had asked for Zaur Dadayev to be sentenced to life and it was not immediately clear why the judge chose the shorter term. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov and allies have criticised investigators for not studying a possible role of Mr Kadyrov in the killing. The other four Chechen men convicted of being Dadayev's accomplices received jail sentences ranging from 11 to 19 years. "The shortcoming of this sentencing is that those who ordered and organised this crime are not in the dock," said Vadim Prokhorov, a lawyer for Nemtsov's daughter Zhanna. State prosecutors said the group had followed Mr Nemtsov around the Russian capital and had been promised a bounty of 15 million roubles (193,000) between them for the high-profile assassination. Shamsudin Tsakayev, Dadayev's lawyer, told Reuters after the sentencing that there was "incontrovertible proof" that his client had not committed the crime. In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march People march in Moscow in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov (Dmitry Lovetsky/AP) In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march A man prepares portraits of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov who was gunned down on Friday (AP/Pavel Golovkin) AP/Pavel Golovkin In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march People hold posters of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on Friday night, during a march to commemorate him in central Moscow (SERGEI KARPUKHIN/Reuters) (SERGEI KARPUKHIN/Reuters) In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march Riot police near the site of Russian opposition veteran leader Boris Nemtsov killing in central Moscow (SERGEI ILNITSKY/EPA) SERGEI ILNITSKY/EPA In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march People hold flags and posters during a march to commemorate Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on Friday night, in central Moscow (MAXIM SHEMETOV/Reuters) MAXIM SHEMETOV/Reuters In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march Portraits of murdered Russian opposition veteran leader Boris Nemtsov are held by members of the crowd (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY) In pictures: Marchers mourn Boris Nemtsov in Moscow Russian protest march People march in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov (Pavel Golovkin/AP) AP Mr Nemtsov was a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin and the killing sent shockwaves through Russia's beleaguered opposition supporters. Hours before his death, Mr Nemtsov denounced Vladimir Putin's policies as mad, aggressive and deadly and was scheduled to lead an anti-government Spring March protesting against the Kremlins alleged involvement in the violence in Ukraine. He was also working on a report containing evidence he believed would prove Russias direct involvement in the separatist rebellion that has raged in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Moscow has continually denied accusations it is supporting the rebels with troops and sophisticated weaponry. However, Mr Putins spokesman called any suggestion of involvement illogical and unacceptable and analysts have questioned why the Russian President would order Mr Nemtsov's death while letting more prominent critics live. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Prisoners in the Netherlands are being given keys to their cells as part of a rehabilitation scheme that allows them to let themselves in and out before 9:30pm. Inmates in Dordrecht, Heerhugowaard, Zaandam and Arnhem have keys and a digital screen which they can use to order groceries and make appointments with other prisoners or staff. Dutch prison guards have expressed anger over the policy, claiming it offers too little supervision and fails to vindicate victims of crime. They fear that the freedom is being abused and prisoners are running criminal enterprises when they are not behind bars. As a result they have protested to the Dutch Department of Justice. There is too little supervision," Rob Minkes, the chairman of the prison departments work council, told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. "These prisoners can do everything by themselves, without supervision. "The risk is that they continue with their criminal businesses because they can chat with each other for long periods and without interruption. It is also easier to trade drugs. He also claimed the scheme was being introduced without a proper assessment of its impact and amid suspicion that it would lead to a cut in the number of prison staff. This experiment is spreading across the Netherlands like an oil spill but there still has not been a proper investigation of whether it has a positive effect on prisoners, he said. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty We also owe it to the victims of crimes to first make sure that it benefits society. The country's justice ministry has nonetheless defended the scheme, claiming it aims to encourage prisoners and give them more responsibility. A falling prison population, which currently stands at 11,600, has lead to jails closing in the country. The country's overall population hit 17 million in March last year, according to Statistics Netherlands. As a result, last September, the country imported 240 prisoners from Norway to keep its prisons full. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Gibraltar has criticised the king of Spain for saying the governments of his country and Britain will find a solution on the Rock's future that is "acceptable to all involved". King Felipe raised the thorny issue as he addressed MPs and peers at the Royal Gallery in the Houses of Parliament during his state visit. The monarch said Britain and Spain have a long-shared history and have "frequently stood shoulder to shoulder" as friends, partners and allies, in the best interests of both nations. He went on: "It is just as true, however, that during our rich and fruitful history there have also been estrangements, rivalries and disputes, but the work and determination of our governments, authorities and citizens have relegated such events to the past. "I am certain that this resolve to overcome our differences will be even greater in the case of Gibraltar and I am confident that through the necessary dialogue and effort, our two governments will be able to work towards arrangements that are acceptable to all involved." The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, said King Felipe's comments suggested he was treating the British territory as one that could be "traded from one monarch to another" like a "pawn in a chess game". Mr Picardo urged him to understand that Gibraltar "will remain 100% British", after the The Gibraltar government insisted it is the most important voice in the future of the British territory and criticised King Felipe's "undemocratic" ignorance of the wishes of its people. Mr Picardo said: "The people of Gibraltar want normal, friendly relations with Spain on the same basis as with any other country. "However, we have no desire to form part of Spain or to come under Spanish sovereignty in any shape or form. "In the times in which we live, territories cannot be traded from one monarch to another like pawns in a chess game. 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 concept of human rights and democracy means that the wishes of people must come first, as much of His Majesty the King of Spain's address to Westminster Hall rightly identified. "But those principles are not just abstract ones; they apply to Gibraltar and its people too." Referencing two referenda held in 1967 and 2002 in which the people of Gibraltar voted to remain British, Mr Picardo added: "In Gibraltar the people have spoken loud and clear. Our freely expressed democratic wishes must be respected and that means understanding Gibraltar will remain 100% British." Press Association For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Turkish flag was stained with the blood of the young man holding it up. He had been waving it when he was shot by soldiers who carried out last summers attempted coup. Handing over the torn national banner to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he declared: I want to give it to you because you are the one who would know how to really value something so precious. The encounter, at the headquarters of the ruling AK Party, was stage-managed, but the emotions behind the coming commemoration of the first anniversary of the failed coup were real enough. Turkeys President and his followers were celebrating victory over the 15 July Plotters, but they were also mourning the 249 who died and the 2,200 wounded when the people took to the streets against the aircraft, tanks and helicopter-gunships of the mutinous troops. There is also anger directed at enemies, real and perceived, home and abroad. There have been mass purges since the takeover blamed on the followers of the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen was thwarted. Tens of thousands are in prison; others have been sacked from their jobs; some have fled into exile. At the same time simmering tension and confrontation with Kurdish separatists of the PKK has turned into a full-blown military conflict. And with it, say critics, has come more political suppression. Recommended Gulen is preparing for his extradition to Turkey by Donald Trump The Turkish government has been widely attacked by human rights organisations and politicians in the West over the punitive measures enacted. Mr Erdogan and his supporters have railed against the criticism as unjust and hypocritical, even alleging signs of racism and Islamophobia. Amid the accusations and recriminations, plans for the country to join the European Union seem to be slipping further away than ever. Dissent internally has been muted following the waves of arrests. But hundreds of thousands gathered at a rally in Istanbul last Sunday evening in a revolt against injustice. There were cheers for Kemal Kilindaroglu, the leader of the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), who led the march to the city from Ankara. The huge showing, he declared, was a rebirth for us, for our country and our children. Mr Erdogan lashed out about the Istanbul rally at the party headquarters in Ankara. The CHP and their supporters, he charged, could be accused of being terrorist lovers, who carried out their walk for Gulen, for the PKK. They say their march is comparable with the martyrs and those who gave their blood for democracy fighting the coup. They are shameless hypocrites. In front of the adulatory crowd, who chanted his name and broke into prolonged applause, the President continued: They walked 450km in this march of theirs; did they spend four and a half minutes of that time thinking about those killed by terrorists? We are the ones who care about those who suffered; we are the ones fighting the terrorists. The ongoing conflict meant there would be no end to the state of emergency which was brought in for a year after the attempted coup. Just hours before Mr Erdogan spoke on Tuesday, 14 more army officers were arrested and arrest warrants were issued for 51 people, including 34 former employees of the state broadcaster TRT. Among those arrested the next day was Ali Avci, a film producer, who made a documentary about President Erdogan along with one called The Awakening about the failed coup. He was accused by the authorities of having links to the Gulenist Terror Organisation. There can be no question of lifting emergency rule with all this happening, said the President. We will lift the emergency rule only when we no longer need to fight terrorism. The terrorists will be punished legally and until this happens, the court list will grow. At present 50,000 remain detained and 150,000 have been sacked or suspended from the armed forces, civil service and the private sector. The Turkish government is attempting to extradite Mr Gulen who had been living in Pennsylvania since 1999 and was, until last summer, an ally of the AK Party. Mr Erdogan, who has vowed to pursue the cleric to the end, asked the newly elected Donald Trump for help in sending him back. But there has been little progress on the legal action, with Justice Department officials in Washington privately saying that despite sending a voluminous amount of material, Ankara has been short on providing incriminating evidence. Mr Gulen, in a rare public statement, said this week that he is prepared to return to Turkey if the US agrees to extradition. But he insisted once again that he was innocent. To this day, I have stood against all coups. My respect for the military aside, I have always been against interventions, he stated. If any one among those soldiers had called me and told me of their plan, I would tell them you are committing murder. The cleric accused Mr Erdogan of being the real oppressor who caused all this suffering and oppressed thousands of innocents. I want to spit on his face. The impasse over the Gulen extradition is a major source of complaints about the West from the Turkish government. If there was a coup attempt in the US and the person who organised it was living in Turkey we know exactly what the Americans will say and do, Bekir Bozdag, the justice minister, pointed out. In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters We have sent them all the documents, so why is he not being extradited? People in US and Europe know about Bin Laden, well we know about Gulen. I personally know all about the putsch. I was speaking in parliament when they bombed it and a bomb landed 15 to 20 metres from me. I am lucky to be here today, he added. The US and Europe, meanwhile, was quick to raise so-called human rights abuses Mr Bozdag said. They lecture us on abiding by the law. But everything we are doing is by the law. They talk about torture and mistreatment of prisoners. But when we say tell us where this is taking place and to who, they do not provide anything. Sometimes they choose to believe the lies told by the guilty people. No one who is innocent is going to prison. Belgin Aksoy has become used to such assertions. There is no point in even trying to argue against things like that, black is white and white is black in Turkey now. I just get on with what I need to do, she said. All her time is devoted to working for the release of her husband, arrested in the crackdown following the coup, facing up to 45 years in prison on charges of belonging to the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation. Her husband Demir used to work as a civil servant before being accused of being a Gulenist sleeper and detained last October when police smashed into their home in Istanbul late at night. The judge who was investigating him was arrested for allegedly being a Gulenist three months later. The new judge handling the case has warned Ms Aksoy that the process will be slow because of his huge workload. The government has announced that 175 new prisons needed to be built this year. I cry from time to time. But the best thing to do is keep busy. I have to look after our three children, see my husband in jail one day and work part-time three days. It will take time but I am hopeful he will be freed, said 31-year-old Mrs Aksoy. The accusations against my husband are unjust. We were totally against the coup and we are glad it failed. There are many in the same situation as my Demir. But their voices wont be heard on this anniversary. They are the voices which have been made to disappear. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Very little is known about the personal life of Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of the most powerful and feared politicians in the world. Russian journalists who attempt to report on the private lives of Putin's family are, as Newsweek reported in 2014, dealt with swiftly and summarily. Some have been forced to resign. Even less has been reported about Putin's ex-wife, now known as Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, who was married to Putin for almost 30 years. They announced their divorce in June 2013. In 2016, it was reported that Putin's ex-wife had remarried, to Artur Ocheretny, and officially changed her name. Ocheretny is the director of the nonprofit Center for the Development of Interpersonal Communications and almost 20 years Ocheretnaya's junior. Still, she and the two daughters she had with Putin have remained out of the public eye. Below, see what we know about Ocheretnaya's life. Before she married Putin in 1983, Ocheretnaya worked as a flight attendant for the Russian airline Aeroflot. She is fluent in French, German, and Spanish. The two reportedly met in their hometown of Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, in the early 1980s. A mutual friend introduced them. Ocheretnaya and Putin have two daughters, Maria and Katerina, who were born in 1984 and 1985, respectively. Little is known about them, as both parents have kept them out of the public eye. Even as adults, the girls attended a university under false names to conceal their identity. After working as a KGB officer in the '80s, Putin and his then-wife returned to St. Petersburg, and Putin began working for the government. Reuters has reported that although his wife had ambitions of her own, Putin wanted to keep her out of the spotlight. He thought a wife should be more modest and should not stick out, an anonymous source told Reuters. Reuters has reported that Ocheretnaya did not particularly enjoy her role as Russia's first lady. Slava Zaitsev, a Russian designer who had dressed Ocheretnaya for various occasions, told Reuters in 2013: Back then she also used to tell me how she did not like too much to travel, show herself in public. She was not ready for this role. Being a president's wife came down on her unexpectedly. In 2013, during an intermission of a Kremlin production of the ballet La Esmeralda, the couple publicly announced their divorce. Our marriage is over due to the fact that we barely see each other, Ocheretnaya said. Vladimir Vladimirovich is completely submerged in his work. Our children have grown up ... And I truly don't like publicity. Ocheretnaya has stayed true to her word and has remained mostly out of sight. Rumors of her joining a monastery have circled in the Russian press. In 2016, it was reported that Ocheretnaya had remarried this time to a man almost 20 years her junior, Artur Ocheretny. Ocheretny is the director of the nonprofit Center for the Development of Interpersonal Communications. More recently, it's been reported that the couple purchased a villa in the southwest of France, and that their new home is worth up to $7.46 million. It's reportedly under renovation. This purchase raises questions about Putin's mysterious wealth, which one former Russian government adviser estimated is worth $70 billion. Three things you should say if you think that your partner is unhappy The best islands in the world, according to travellers Why didnt the US kill Kim Jong-un on 4 July? Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Holidaymakers, some wearing only their swimming costumes flip flops, have been evacuated from numerous locations in Sicily as hundreds of wind whipped wildfires continue to spread. Around 800 tourists were removed from from Calampiso, a resort in Vito Lo Capo. Another 20 were also forced to evacuate from one of the Tremiti islands off of Puglia. Stella Belliotti and her seven-year-old daughter were evacuated from a Sicilian beach, wearing only their swim costumes. They were forced to hold pieces of cloth to their mouths to protect themselves from the smoke. The situation was a little surreal," said Danilo Giannese who was evacuated alongside her. They were evacuated to nearby towns by fishing boats and dinghies. "We went to swim like every other day," he told SKY TG24. "From the early morning, we saw flames and smoke but it didnt appear to be worrying and no one said to leave." However, the winds shifted and guests were told to move their cars to safer locations. Within hours they were told to gather on the beach so they could be evacuated because the road to the nearby town was no longer safe to use. There was a lot of tension, especially among the elderly and children, many of whom were crying, he said. Thankfully the operation was conducted in an orderly fashion. In a separate interview with the Corriere della Sera, he said: "To see the resort surrounded by flames from the boat was terrible, Belliotti said in an interview with Corriere. Now we just want to forget it. Italys environment minister, Gian Luca Galletti said there were 125 active fires on Sicily alone. Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius Show all 10 1 /10 Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A marble statue of Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty and love, found in the volcanic remains of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A marble statue depicting the god Hermes, found in the volcanic remains of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A funerary marble statue, unearthed after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A mosaic fountain, unearthed after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A detail from a mosaic fountain, unearthed after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A bronze gladiator's helmet, found in the volcanic remains of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A marble statue of Polyhymnia, one of the nine muses of Greek mythology, found in the volcanic remains of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius The body cast of a pig, found in the volcanic remains of Mount Vesuvius that erupted and wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A detail painting on a garden wall of a child angel, unearthed after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP Pompeii: Life and death in the shadow of Vesuvius A marble wall relief of mythical god Neptune, unearthed after the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii more than 2000 years ago AP On the mainland near Naples, around 50 families have been forced to leave their homes as firefighters worked to prevent three blazes from merging into one on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Refusing to rule out arson or Mafia involvement, Mr Galleti added that there were too many fires Mount Vesuvius for them to be spontaneous. I dont have proof, but it does not seem to be an isolated action or chance: three ignition points are too many to be the result of carelessness or combustion, he told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. One of the suspected arsonists was being questioned by police after being caught on CCTV footage, according to La Repubblica di Napoli. No injuries have been reported, but La Stampa Italia reported that damage to the first Sicilian natural reserve, Zingaro, is irreparable. The mayor of San Vito posted on Twitter and Facebook urging anyone with safe and reliable boats to go to Calampiso and help evacuate the village. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of the top UN officials in the Middle East has said that the Gaza Strips worsening electricity crisis is causing untold misery in the area, warning of blowback for Israelis. Of all the issues we deal with - the peace process, Palestinian institution building, the region - this is the one issue that keeps me up at night, Nickolay Mladenov, the UNs special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told reporters on Wednesday. The effects of the crisis are devastating, he said. And all of this, at the end of the day, will come back to Israels doorstep. Gaza marks 10 years of Israeli blockade While Gaza has had to content with unreliable power since militant organisation Hamas seized control of the Strip in 2007, in recent months the issue has reached crisis levels. The rival Palestinian Authority (PA), based in the West Bank, has been waging a long term effort to weaken Hamas. By hiking fuel delivery prices, it has gradually strangled Gazas access to electricity. Hospitals in the Strip have warned that the frequent cuts endanger patients lives, and the rest of Gazas two million inhabitants daily lives and businesses are also severely affected. Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Show all 12 1 /12 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict The fire in my heart is beyond my ribs. You left me beloved - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict Let me get enough of you, as Im still hungry for your smile my son - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict They besiege me in my homeland so I flew to heaven - Rodaina Al Agha, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict And I am still facing the pain all by myself - Lama Shakshak, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My brother, I watched you go while my heart was tearing - Helen Mo'amar, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My new doll is lonely in the rubble - Ayah Sha'ath, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict When a soul hugs another soul they never split, even in death - Ismail Matar, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict Everyone is gone and I stayed alone to make the world witness the injustice done to me - Hamza Shaheen, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict The hand that carries the arms carries roses too - Madeeha Al Majayda, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My eyes tell you about a dream that overcame the fence - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict A childhood caught in an unjust siege - Hadeel Quidh, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict All the details are torn after you - Hamza Shaheen, 17 Since the water supply to many households relies on electric pumps, many people are also having difficulty washing, cooking and doing laundry. Israel was still covering around one third of Gazas power needs, but last month the flow was cut by 40 per cent at PA President Mahmoud Abbas request, the AP reported. Hamas has been intermittently using Qatari and Turkish money to buy electricity from Egypt - but it has only kept the lights on for a few days at a time. On Wednesday, the Strips only plant completely shut down again, leaving Gazans with just three hours of power a day. The lack of electricity has caused the already inadequate sewage system to break down, dumping waste directly into the Mediterranean and leaving some residents without drinking water. While Israel has no direct involvement in the electricity crisis - or solving it - the armys sea blockade restricting the flow of goods and people in and out of the area has long contributed to Gazas woes. A new UN report found that after a decade of Hamas rule the coastal enclave is unlivable. As well as the electricity crisis, incomes, healthcare and education standards continue to decline and unemployment has steadily risen. A total of 60 per cent of young people in Gaza are now without work. The worsening conditions have already led to rare unauthorised protests against Hamas rule. Observers worry if the crisis deepens it could lead to renewed violence between the Strip and Israel. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Isis has been driven from its de facto Iraqi capital of Mosul, leading Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to declare that one half of Isis so-called caliphate has fallen. The organisation now holds on to just nine per cent of the territory it controlled at the height of its powers in 2015. US-backed forces are also making gains on the militants last stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, and rumours persist - from reputable sources - that leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed. There is no doubt that Isis is facing several military and ideological setbacks - but what does that mean for the groups future? For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The people of Mosul will receive their salaries, while the people of Basra will receive the bodies of their martyrs, runs a bitter comment on Iraqi social media. Many Iraqis see the inhabitants of Mosul as willing collaborators with Isis during its three years in power in the city. In particular, there are calls for the punishment of Daesh [Isis] families whose male members had become Isis fighters or officials. The desire for revenge runs deep among the victims of Isis in the wake of the fall of Mosul, which is scarcely surprising given the cruelty and violence of Isis rule. I can always tell members of Daesh families when they ask for medical treatment, said a volunteer medical worker in west Mosul. They have plump faces and look well-fed, while everybody else in Mosul is thin and malnourished. Grounds for suspicion that a person was associated with Isis may be flimsy, but they are deeply held. When women and children appear without any male relatives with them, it is assumed that the men were with Isis and have been killed, arrested or have fled, says Belkis Wille, the senior researcher in Iraq for Human Rights Watch. They may say that the men were killed in the bombing, but nobody knows what the truth is. Young men from Mosul and Nineveh province, of which it is the capital, find it difficult to persuade the victorious Iraqi security forces that they spent years under Isis without doing some form of military service. Recommended Mosul residents count cost of massive airstrike campaign against Isis Revenge killings of suspected Isis activists and collaborators are still limited in number away from the battlefield, where few prisoners are taken. There have been some abductions and killings in the Sunni Arab villages south of Mosul, but no mass killings along the lines frequently carried out by Isis in Iraq and Syria. As many as 1,700 air force cadets, singled out because they were Shia, were massacred by Isis in June 2014, leading to the execution of 36 convicted perpetrators by the Iraqi government last year. Yazidis who once lived to the west of Mosul, and Christians, are convinced that their Sunni Arab neighbours, with whom they had previously lived peacefully, were complicit with Isis in murdering, raping and stealing. They say they cannot return to their villages and towns if Isis collaborators are allowed to live there. In addition, the Shia-dominated Iraqi government and the Kurdish authorities have an interest in rounding off or expanding the territory occupied by their communities at the expense of the Sunni Arabs whose fortunes, willingly or unwillingly, have become linked to Isis and the foundering Caliphate. Communal punishment in the shape of the forced expulsion of Daesh families, which may mean sanctions against whole villages, is taking place in different parts of northern and central Iraq. Ms Wille says that at the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps in Khazar and Hassan Shami in Kurdish controlled territory east of Mosul, Sunni Arabs in the camps can see their former villages, but are not being allowed to return there. On the other hand, they are being told that they are free to take the bus to east Mosul any time they want to go. She adds that Sunni Arab tribal authorities are often taking the lead in expelling Isis families from their villages and sending them to IDP camps because they want revenge, saying they cannot protect them, or see them as tainted. She believes that a further motive is that the Sunni community wants to show Baghdad and the world that they are not all Isis. Sectarian and ethnic cleansing by state authorities or militia groups in Iraq may have long term political objectives, but they also fulfil popular wishes. For instance, in the aftermath of the recapture of Mosul earlier this week, two hashtags in Arabic went viral on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The first one was a variant of either Mosul is ours or Mosul is ours and we took it. The second hashtag read People of Mosul Deserve, accompanied by photos of the destruction in Mosul. There are hundreds of social media accounts evidently from Iraqi Shias, accusing the people of Mosul of supporting Isis. One post has two photographs, one showing people celebrating in the streets as Isis seizes Mosul in 2014 and similar scenes of celebration when the Iraqi armed forces retook it this month. The writer comments: This is ridiculous. Since the US invasion of 2003 Iraq has witnessed politically significant demographic change. The Shia-Sunni sectarian war in and around Baghdad in 2006-7 saw the Sunni compressed into smaller enclaves and mixed areas become wholly Shia. Since the counter-offensive against Isis began in 2014, Sunni Arabs have been forced to leave villages and towns in strategic areas south of Baghdad and in northern Hilla province. They are unlikely to be allowed to return because they could attack the roads between the capital and the Shia holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala. 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 Sunni Arab community of Iraq, some six million strong, has suffered badly with all its main cities in addition to Mosul being heavily damaged by war. These include Ramadi, Fallujah, Baiji and Tikrit, many of whose inhabitants have been forced to flee at different times along unsafe roads through checkpoints manned by hostile Shia militiamen. There are still some 500,000 Sunni Arab IDPs in Kirkuk province, who are being allowed to return to wholly Sunni centres but not to those where Shia also live. In both Iraqi and Kurdish controlled areas there are camps that are little better than open prisons says Ms Wille, where IDPs cannot come and go from the camp freely, receive visitors or even own a mobile phone. Enforced demographic change may be one motive for this, but there is also genuine, though probably exaggerated, fear of Isis sleeper cells waiting to strike. An Isis raid on Kirkuk in 2016 led to the destruction of villages from which the raiders were believed to have come. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A studio debate on Lebanese television ended in violence less than a minute after it began following an argument between two guests on the show. OTV uploaded a clip to its YouTube channel of the fight on Monday between Bilal Daqmaq, a prominent Lebanese cleric and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad critic, and former Syrian MP Ahmad Shlash, who supports the government in the Syrian civil war. It was quickly viewed and shared thousands of times on various social media accounts, and later translated into English by the Middle East Media Research Institute. In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Show all 30 1 /30 In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian family arrives at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian woman, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, reacts as she stands with her children in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past resident fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood , after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past residents fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-regime fighter speaks with a child, as residents flee violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops AFP/Getty Images In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Smoke rises as seen from a governement-held area of Aleppo, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers targeting rebels-held areas in the eastern neighborhoods in Aleppo, Syria. According to media reports, the army is now holding on 99 percent of Aleppois eastern neighborhoods EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-government forces patrol Aleppo's eastern al-Salihin neighbourhood after troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers rest following the battle at al-Sheik Saeed neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-government fighter walking past closed shops in the Bab al-Nasr district of Aleppo's Old City. Once renowned for its bustling souks, grand citadel and historic gates, Aleppo's Old City has been rendered virtually unrecognisable by some of the worst violence of Syria's war Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The crucial battle for Aleppo entered its 'final phase' after Syrian rebels retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The retreat leaves opposition fighters confined to just a handful of neighbourhoods in southeast Aleppo, the largest of them Sukkari and Mashhad Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilans arrive at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods. Syria's government has retaken at least 85 percent of east Aleppo, which fell to rebels in 2012, since beginning its operation Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilians flee the Sukkari neighbourhood towards safer rebel-held areas in southeastern Aleppo Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The fall of Aleppo would be the worst rebel defeat since Syria's conflict began in 2011, and leave the government in control of the country's five major cities Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee Aliya inside the tent where she lives with her husband and ten children in a camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee women and children outside the entrance to their tents in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee woman outside the entrance to the tent where her family live, in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A vehicle drives past a mosque at night in Idlib, Syria. Picture taken with a long exposure Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The night sky is seen through damaged windows in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, Syria Reuters The two came to blows within seconds after the host said he was sorry to hear that Mr Shlashs cousin had been murdered the day before by Isis, who had accused the dead man of collaborating with the regime. He asked whether Mr Daqmaq would also like to offer his condolences - to be told by the Muslim scholar, who sat with his arms folded, that he would extend my condolences to the Syrian people for anyone killed. Mr Shlash immediately took offence to the equivocal answer, asking, Brother, he asked you a straight question: Are you extending me condolences or not? to which his fellow guest replied, Its none of your business. Images of people breaking Ramadan fast in ruined Syrian town go viral The former MP asked, raising his voice, how it could possibly be none of my business?! and the two proceeded to swear and shout at each other to shut up before Mr Shlash got up from his seat. Almost instantaneously two began landing blows on each other, throwing a glass of water, knocking over a chair and damaging screens before staff on set could intervene to separate them. A few moments later, the moderator also had a glass of water thrown over him for his trouble in trying to break up the fight. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Four people have been executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted on terrorism charges related to violence in the east of the country, Saudi officials have said. State television carried a statement from the Interior Ministry on Tuesday saying the four mens death sentences were issued for crimes including joining armed groups and attacking police stations and security patrols in the restive Qatif peninsula. The oil-producing region has been hit by a wave of recent violence - including car bombs and shoot outs between armed protesters and soldiers - over plans to demolish and redevelop a 400-year-old traditionally Shia neighbourhood in the town of Awamiya. Trump commerce secretary praises lack of protest in Saudi Arabia, where it is punishable by death Riyadh says terrorists hide in buildings there in order to launch attacks on the security services. In May, at least five people - including a two-year-old boy - were killed when the area was placed under siege-like conditions by the army. It was not clear whether the men executed this week were part of Saudi Arabias Shia minority, or the crimes they were accused of had taken place, although several local news outlets alleged that was the case. In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions Iranian and Turkish demonstrators hold pictures of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr as they protest outside the Saudi Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions Kashmiri Shiite Muslims, carrying a placard with the portrait of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, shout slogans during a protest in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world at Saudi executions Indian police used tear smoke and rubber bullets to disperse Shiite Muslims who were protesting after Saudi Arabia announced the execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday along with 46 others, including three other Shiite dissidents and a number of al-Qaida militants. In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions Shane Enright, Global Trade Union Advisor for Amnesty International, addresses demonstrators as they protest outside the Saudi Embassy in London, following Saudi Arabia's execution of 47 prisoners in one day, including a top Shiite cleric In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions Iranian protestor burn pictures of a member of the Saudi royal family in front of the Saudi Arabia embassy in Tehran, Iran, 02 January 2016. Protesters have stormed the Saudi embassy building in the Iranian capital of Tehran early Sunday amid backlash over the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Flammable substance was seen thrown at the building as protests gained steam over the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Reports states, protesters taking down a Saudi flag and burned the building. In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions Shiite Muslims hold placards with pictures of Saudi Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution in Saudi Arabia was announced Saturday, during a demonstration to condemn his execution, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016 in Peshawar, Pakistan In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions Protests around the world over Saudi executions A Kashmir Shiite Muslim shouts slogan from Indian police vehicle after he was detained during a protest in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, There are more than 20 people on death row in the eastern province, which has seen periodic unrest since 2011. In January 2016, Riyadh executed prominent Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr as well as dozens of suspected al-Qaeda members in what appeared as an attempt to show it would not tolerate attacks, whether by Sunni jihadists or minority Shia. Sheikh Nimrs death led to protests in both Qatif and Shia communities around the world. In Shia-majority Iran, attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions led to the cutting of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The executions in Qatif come on top of those of six people in Riyadh executed on Monday for murder and drugs offences. The conservative Kingdom, which has one of the highest death penalty rates in the world, is thought to have executed 50 people so far in 2017. Reuters contributed to this report For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Texas man who got locked inside an ATM room slipped help me notes through a receipt slot to be rescued. The contractor was doing routine maintenance work in a Bank of America branch in Corpus Christi, Texas, when the door accidentally closed behind him on Wednesday afternoon. According to local police, he was changing an electronic lock inside the room that connected to the machine, but had left his phone inside his truck. Senior Officer Richard Olden told local news agency KRIS TV that when people stopped by to withdraw cash, the worker decided to slip out SOS notes through the receipt slot. One read: Please help. Im stuck in here, and I dont have my phone. Please call my boss. Several passers-by took it as a joke until one customer eventually realised what was going on, and the police and the contractor's supervisor arrived. 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 Sure enough, we could hear a little voice coming from inside the machine, and thought this has got to be a joke, Olden said. The police then kicked the door down to rescue the man. It is not known how long the contractor was trapped inside. So everybodys OK, but youll never see this again in your life," said Olden. "It was just crazy. A similar incident occurred in 2014 when a security guard found himself locked inside an ATM in Essex. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Authorities in the Balearic Islands have asked for an alcohol ban on flights and in airports as they try to crack down on anti-social tourism. The request was made to Spain and the EU in Brussels on Tuesday by Pilar Carbonell, Head of Tourism for the islands. In a statement reported by the BBC, she wrote: We ask the central government and the European commission to ban the consumption of alcoholic drinks on flights and in airports. The aim of the measure is to improve passenger security and also that of security forces in planes and airports in our islands, who are often faced with drunk passengers. Carbonell explained that the ban was being sought to guarantee security ... and tackle anti-social tourism. Recommended Portugal Invasion partygoers thrown off easyJet flight The plea follows a series of alcohol fuelled incidents that have drawn attention to the holiday destination. Resorts such as San Antonio in Ibiza and Magaluf in Mallorca have long attracted fun-seeking crowds,but some holidaymakers now choose to start the party en route, causing problems for fellow travellers, airlines and the police. In May, Spanish police arrested three members of a stag party on a Manchester to Palma Ryanair flight, according to a report in the Manchester Evening News. The group drank wine and Jagermeister on the 6.20am flight before brawling in the aisle, preventing staff and passengers from moving around the aircraft. Last month two strangers allegedly had sex in a window seat on a Manchester to Ibiza Ryanair flight. The incident was filmed by a fellow passenger who reported that they were both drunk. After the footage went viral, a Ryanair spokesperson said: We will not tolerate unruly, disruptive or inappropriate behaviour at any time and any passengers who appear to behave in an unacceptable manner may be liable for further sanctions. The statement did not specify whether local authorities were seeking a ban on all EU flights, or a special exemption for those travelling to the Balearic Islands. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Shadow Chancellor has vowed to outlaw airlines bringing in planes and crews from other carriers during strikes. John McDonnell MP was speaking outside Parliament at a British Airways cabin crew rally. BA has borrowed nine Airbus jets, as well as pilots and cabin crew, from Qatar Airways. These wet-leased aircraft are being used to operate about 30 short- and medium-haul flights each day during the current stoppage by staff in BAs Mixed Fleet at Heathrow. The planes would otherwise be idle because of the current ban on the Qatari airline flying to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Mr McDonnell said: The most shocking thing about this dispute is their ability under existing law to bring in Qatar Airways in the way they have. When Labour gets into government, well make sure there are employment laws that prevent this ever happening again. The Labour Party has backed striking British Airways cabin crew with an Early Day Motion that covers issues from pay to pregnancy, Staff in BAs Heathrow-based Mixed Fleet belonging to the Unite union are on strike for almost all of July. The current stoppage began on 1 July and continues until Sunday 16 July, with another strike planned for 19 July until 1 August. The dispute began over what the union claims is poverty pay, with earnings below the living wage. Unite says cabin crew are sleeping in their cars at Heathrow between flights because they cannot afford the fuel to drive home. The Early Day Motion acknowledges the significant pay package of 6.5 million to the boss of the airlines parent company, International Airlines Group [and] contrasts that package with reports that the starting basic pay of a member of Mixed Fleet cabin crew is roughly 533 times lower than that figure. Mixed Fleet was set up after the last series of BA cabin crew strikes ended in 2010. The new recruits are employed on less-favourable terms than longer-serving Heathrow staff. Unite says the average Mixed Fleet crew member earns 16,000 annually. British Airways says it does not recognise this figure, and that the lowest-paid full-time member of Mixed Fleet earned over 21,000 last year. A pay deal worth 7 per cent over three years was struck in May, and is already being paid to non-union staff. But Unite has yet to ballot members on the deal. Strikers have lost travel concessions as well as bonuses, and the July stoppages are aimed at recovering these benefits. Last week, BA said that strikers bonuses would be paid to non-striking Mixed Fleet cabin crew. Each is to be paid 250 as a thank you for your support. Much of the Early Day Motion is focused on Qatar Airways. It says: Qatar Airways has been found in the past to be guilty of systemic workplace sex discrimination, which included female cabin crew being automatically sacked when becoming pregnant. It also says that women working for the Qatari airline have been prohibited from being dropped off at work by a man other than their husband, father or brother. The Independent has asked Qatar Airways for a response. A British Airways spokesperson said: Instead of calling further completely unnecessary strikes, Unite should allow its members a vote on the pay deal we reached two months ago. It seems extraordinary that a trade union should ask its members to give up their pay and benefits for virtually the whole of July, trying to target the holidays of hard-working families, rather than give those members a chance to settle the central issue of the dispute. The airline says it is operating 99.5 per cent of flights during the strike. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Reality seems so weird already that I wonder whether we need to create any more of the stuff, in the shape of virtual reality. As Big Ben struck noon on Wednesday, for example, I went along to Old Palace Yard in Westminster in London to cover the latest twist in the bitter dispute between British Airways and members of the Unite union working as mixed-fleet cabin crew. They are on strike for almost all of July and were due to meet some Labour MPs who back them. About 200 people, none of whom looked like elected representatives or mixed-fleet cabin crew, were dressed in green and chanting Jesus lives. It turned out that the space opposite Parliament had, rather poetically, been overbooked. The cabin crew were relegated to College Green, the basic economy patch of the Westminster village. After a few hundred more chants of Jesus Lives, the green team packed up and the strikers delegation was allowed to upgrade to Old Palace Yard. A galley-full of Labour MPs came across from the House to meet them, including the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, whose west London constituency includes Heathrow. He praised the strikers for organising the most beautiful picket lines Ive ever been on. I sought Mr McDonnells advice on solving the dispute. Here we have a group of workers who simply cant reach an agreement, I said. What can we do to sort this out? Before the Shadow Chancellor could draw breath, a voice heckled from behind: Theres a group of management that wont reach an agreement. The voice belonged to Dennis Skinner. This was my first encounter with the legendary Beast of Bolsover. It takes two to get a strike, said the Labour MP who was first elected in 1970, a few months after the Boeing 747 first took to the skies. Always remember that. But you, as being part of the BBC establishment, dont fully understand. After that surreal encounter, in my role as part of The Independent establishment I cycled off to meet Magnus Zetterberg and go kayaking around Antarctica. Virtually. Mr Zetterberg is Hurtigrutens managing director for this part of the world. Hurtigruten, as you probably know, is the coastal ferry that every day connects Bergen with dozens of smaller communities around the west, north and east coasts of northern Norway, as far as the Russian border. For decades the shipping line has been topping up the passenger numbers with British visitors in search of a cut-price cruise along the beautifully corrugated coastline. The firm is now rapidly expanding its adventure cruise business. We dont want to do what the white ships do, said Magnus in other words, to steer beyond what companies like Norwegian Cruise Line (incorporated in Bermuda, by the way) offer. We do excursions that are more intimate. And he invited me to don a pair of virtual reality goggles to see what he meant. If you have yet to get your head around virtual reality, imagine your head is enclosed in a globe, and that a cleverly shot 360-degree film is being projected onto the inside (this is all make-believe, so envisage away). As you move your head left or right, up or down, the image shifts accordingly. So if the price tag for a trip to the deepest south looks too steep, you can gaze around the coastal waters of Antarctica while someone paddles you through a dazzling seascape beneath an endless sky. Hurtigruten will be sharing the experience through travel agents and at holiday exhibitions to help drum up business, and on board ships to sell local excursions. It will help people understand whats involved, said Magnus, giving the example of a hike: expectations for a Swiss person will be different from those of a British person. Virtual reality gives the traveller what to expect. But fortunately for Hurtigruten and its rivals, travel goggles are no match for reality in all its constant strangeness. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman who says she was the victim of a sexual crime on a transatlantic flight has urged travellers to boycott American Airlines. Chloe King was a passenger on an overnight flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle in May 2017. She was in a window seat in a row of three, with a man in the middle seat and another woman at the aisle. She wrote at Medium: I woke up right before landing to have a flight attendant call me to the back of the plane and inform me that the man sitting next to me had been masturbating beside me while I slept. The woman to his other side saw it happen and asked to be moved, and the French Police had been notified to arrest the man upon landing they just wanted to let me know. Ms King says she was appalled that, when the incident was first reported, the cabin crew did not wake her immediately and move me to a safe place. After she was informed, she asked to sit anywhere else on the plane for landing, but was refused. Instead, they made me climb back over the sex offender, trapped between him and the window for the rest of the flight. I was shaking and crying and trying not to get sick. Ill never know what exactly happened on that flight, but I do know Ill never feel completely safe flying again. Add an American Airlines airplane to the long list of places where, as a woman, I will feel anxious and vulnerable. Ms King, who is a public relations and social media manager at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, concludes: American Airlines, you knew what happened was criminal activity therefore you had the offender arrested yet you did nothing to stop the mans actions or protect my safety in a horrifying situation. You chose to treat the man committing the crime with far more respect than the unconscious woman sitting beside him. As humans, we deserve more than 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 So please, choose any other airline. The airline told The Independent: American always strives to maintain a safe and comfortable travel experience for all of our customers. We are reviewing how we handled the situation on this flight, and have reached out directly to Ms King. During the flight, our crew requested that French law enforcement meet the aircraft in Paris. Upon arrival, French officials interviewed the male passenger regarding the allegations. Last year Allison Dvaladze, a passenger on a Delta Airlines overnight flight from Seattle to Amsterdam, said she was sexually assaulted three hours into the flight, when the man in the next seat repeatedly groped her. The alleged perpetrator was allowed to leave the aircraft on arrival at Amsterdam without the police being involved. Ms Dvaladze is calling for better training for cabin crew, and for warnings to be given as part of the safety briefing. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Like or loathe his politics, President Emmanuel Macron has done something that puts the UK to shame today. He has welcomed Donald Trump to France for Bastille Day. In a sweeping 24 hour visit, the US President will be taken to Napoleons tomb, as well as a Michelin-star restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, before joining in celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of US involvement in the First World War. All of this, aside from winning over the US President, will make the UK look pathetic indeed, for not hosting him. Such a prospect looks ever more impossible, given the amount of hysteria that has ensued ever since Theresa May first extended an invitation. Whats interesting is that most of the anger appears to come from liberals; the same people who love to lecture others on the importance of global ties. Britains open for business! many chanted before the EU referendum, berating anyone who disagreed as Little Englanders. 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 in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA And yet it is exactly these individuals who are determined to destroy links with the US on everyone elses behalf. This became especially obvious last week when rumours of a state visit surfaced on the web, and thousands promised to protest on Facebook. It is said that these could be the biggest protests in UK history. As a result, The White House has now postponed Trumps trip to 2018, as the President simply doesnt want to visit while there is the potential for mass outrage. And who can blame him? Especially when leaders like Macron are only too happy to play nice. Unfortunately, the intense reaction over Trump shows no signs of going away, and seems to get worse the longer the trip is put off no thanks to parliamentarians, like Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron, who initially suggested a Trump ban. This was foolish, as it has only inspired vast levels of public anger, meaning the President may not bother with the UK at all. Far from advancing the UKs reputation as a caring, humanitarian place, our upset has only made us look vain and hypocritical, especially as we have played host to Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (a country that beheads criminals) and other unsavoury leaders, with little fuss. The outrage over Trump is ultimately kamikaze, as the UK can only lose from ostracising the worlds most powerful man (one of the few leaders who looked positively on us post-Brexit) a fact that has not been lost on President Macron. At least the French leader appreciates that it is not possible to take the high ground, nor put forward any alternative values, if you wont stand on the same ground at all. The UK will only sabotage its political strength through self-imposed isolationism. Andy Serkis reads Donald Trump's tweets in Gollum's voice The uproar about Trumps visit merely confirms that we have become the stamp our feet nation. There is such little regard these days for democracy, or engaging in politics in a refined manner, as opposed to large, chaotic spectacles on the streets. Whats worst is the arrogance of protesters, who think they have the mandate to sabotage diplomatic efforts on the rest of the countrys behalf. Its outrageous when plenty of the population has a more circumspect approach to politics. Dare I say protesters could take a lesson from Jeremy Corbyn on the matter of international relations. Speaking about the Northern Ireland peace process, he said: You have to bring about a peace process by talking to people that you dont agree with. If you just talk amongst your friends, youre not going to get a peace process. This is advice that actually transcends politics, as there is rarely a situation in life that cannot be helped through solid, face-to-face communication however much you disagree with an opponent. Even psychological experiments show that proximity has a powerful authoritative effect, which means that just looking someone in the eye can be persuasive. Throwing a tantrum, on the other hand, is absolutely futile, particularly in the case of Trump. Far from harming the President, our efforts to block him will only reflect on the UK itself; a nation outsiders will simply deem as Little England. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It might seem a long way to travel for a day of Gallic pomp. Given what is happening in Washington, however, Donald Trumps acceptance of President Macrons invitation to this years Bastille Day celebrations makes perfect sense, even though it means a second trip across the Atlantic in a week. Not that the advantage accrues only to Trump. Emmanuel Macrons invitation to the US President, for a parade in which American troops will march to commemorate the centenary of the US entry into the First World War, is an adroit piece of diplomacy on a par with his early hosting of President Putin in the splendour of Versailles. It places the new French President at the diplomatic top table and it allows France to outflank the UK, with its clumsy courting of Trump and that on/off state visit. The respite for Trump, though, will be short-lived. He had barely arrived back in the US from the G20 in Germany when a new Russia-related scandal broke over his head. The New York Times revealed details of a meeting between Trumps son, Donald Jr, sundry others, and crucially a Moscow lawyer, that was interpreted as bolstering claims of Russian interference in the US election. Donald Jr then gave his version of the meeting on the Trump-friendly Fox News, while his father denied that anyone had done anything wrong. Cue a new frenzy in Washington, with suggestions that Donald Jr risked charges of treason. The celebrity lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, was among those arguing that no crime had been committed. But the reports resumed the drip-drip of political damage. After the briefest of intervals, the Russia connection was back. Donald and Melania Trump arrive in Paris It is a connection with the specific charges of Trump-Russia collusion to rig the US election in Trumps favour that I still find profoundly implausible. The new story, which relates to a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016, does nothing to change my perspective. Here is why. First, the big picture. There is still no evidence whatever that the Kremlin did anything to engineer Trumps victory, or that the US election was in any way compromised. The combined US intelligence report (of February), at least in its unclassified form, is unconvincing in the extreme and even long-standing foes of the Kremlin agree. No one, either in the US or abroad, had any expectation of a Trump victory; that certainly included Russia, and probably included Trump himself. The Russia connection was a device used by Trumps enemies first the Clinton supporters, and then, after his election, sections of the Washington establishment to discredit him. There are some useful tests that can be applied to judge the claims of Russia influence. What if similar meetings had taken place with, say, Britons or French individuals; would they be judged in the same way? Did such meetings take place? Whatever the provenance, foreign influence, or attempted influence, on an election is surely wrong. Then again, do not most foreign countries try, by whatever means, to fathom out what is going on especially in a campaign as opaque as this one and in a country as powerful as the United States? Do they not delegate officials, and unofficial envoys, to lobby in their own interests? Consider that it was British intelligence (GCHQ) that reportedly tipped off their US counterparts (and so the Obama administration) about a supposed Russia connection. It was a British ex-spy who was commissioned to compile a dirt-dishing dossier on Trump for a Democratic Party lobbyist, and it was a British ex-diplomat who gave the dossier an extra push, by vouchsafing to a senior US Republican and Trump-adversary (Senator John McCain) that its findings could make Trump susceptible to Russian blackmail. Might these be defined as attempts to interfere in someone elses election? If not, why not? Was the intention merely to supply disinterested help to an ally, or might it have been deniably, of course first to subvert the campaign of a democratically nominated candidate, and then to discredit a democratically elected President? Think about it. Democrat files first articles of impeachment against Donald Trump Now to the latest allegations, and that meeting between the Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, Donald Trump Jr and others at Trump Tower. First, the encounter took place before the Republican Party convention, at a time when the possibility of a Trump victory seemed remote in the extreme. Second, it was arranged by a go-between who obviously had an interest in boosting Veselnitskayas status. Since the election, it seems that every Russian who has ever crossed the Trump clans path is a Putin associate or close to the Kremlin; very few are. Third, the come-on was an offer of compromising material on Hillary Clinton. It turned out, though, that Veselnitskaya actually wanted to lobby on a pet issue: US adoptions of Russian orphans. Maybe if the Trump clans political antennae had been more attuned to the ways of Washington, or if the approach had taken place later in the campaign, Donald Jr would not have agreed to such a meeting, or informed the FBI. But, as he says and no one disputes this nothing came of it. How many approaches from foreign lobbyists did the Trump campaign receive over the months? I doubt they were all from Russians. To my mind, the most damaging claim to have emerged from the whole Trump-Russia saga so far is, as with Watergate, to do with the reaction rather than any action. If Trump ever tried or tries to halt the Justice Department investigation into alleged Russian collusion over the election, that would amount to obstruction of justice and could spell the end of his presidency. But there is no evidence of this so far, and the ex-director of the FBI, James Comey hardly a friend of the Trump clan provided none. Given the mood in Washington, it may be gratifying that the long-awaited meeting between Trump and Putin on the fringe of the G20 in Hamburg passed off as well as it did. Elaborate arrangements seemed to have been made on both sides to minimise the risks: both presidents were kept on a short leash by their more equable chief diplomats, Sergei Lavrov for Russia and Rex Tillerson for the US. But two features stand out. A meeting scheduled to last 30 minutes went on five times as long; and or so it seemed to me Putin was on absolute best behaviour. This suggests, for the time being at least, that neither Trump nor Putin has yet given up on the possibility of normalised relations. With the Western enemies of Russia and Donald Trump so intent on making common cause, however, it would be unrealistic to bank on an improvement soon. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Fethullah Gulen says he has no intention of fleeing America if Donald Trump is going to extradite him to Turkey. But the Muslim cleric might like to read a new book before he obliges the Turkish President by climbing aboard a plane for Ankara or Istanbul. Accused of fomenting the attempted coup almost exactly a year ago, he has a touching faith in Turkish justice which has organised the arrest of 50,000 Turks for involvement in the terrorist crime. For Ezgi Basarans Frontline Turkey: The Conflict at the Heart of the Middle East published by that ever loyal imprint of IB Tauris, a true friend of the region reveals a shocking story of police brutality, torture and Turkish secret police crime and involvement with Isis. Its also not very nice about Fethullah Gulen himself. Born in Erzerum in 1942, he became a cleric, one of the founders of the association for fighting communism which might appeal to Donald Trump but Gulenist schools, attended at first by poor children, prepared their pupils to occupy as many posts as possible in the countrys judiciary, police and military. This is Basarans contention, and she backs it up with a revealing quotation from Gulen used in an indictment that accuses him of trying to topple the secular state in 1999 and which doesnt sound very democratic. You must move in the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the central powers, he said, according to his charge sheet. You must wait until such time until you have got all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institutions of Turkey When he realised he might be arrested in 1999, Gulen failed to obtain a preference visa to the US because, according to the Americans, he was not an educator, as he claimed, but the leader of a large and influential religious and political movement with immense commercial holdings. But he got a US green card with three reference letters from a former US ambassador to Turkey and two ex-CIA officials. Turkey issues arrest warrant against US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen So while Gulen looks like a rather cuddly imam, spending his twilight years in American retirement, he has built up an extraordinary system of Islamic schools and charities in the US, UK and Turkey worth billions of dollars and represented himself as a humble servant of God with moderate ideas. His own movement subsequently withdrew a book on the Turkish market (My Little World) in which, according to Basaran, he justifies wife-beating, albeit as a last resort, describes Christianity as perverted and characterises America as our merciless enemy not the kind of quote to get you a green card. Basaran is a journalist who was editor of Radikal it sometimes ran my own articles, but was closed in 2016 and her speciality is the Kurds. And Erdogan. And now Isis. She writes that the new [sic] Turkey under Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) is rushing headlong towards an authoritarian regime and a new, darker Middle East after the hope of the Arab Spring. The solution to what is happening in the Middle East is directly related to Turkeys 40-year old Kurdish problem and how the Turkish government chooses to deal with it. Basarans survey of Kurdish history is both familiar and instructive. The Kurdish people were supposed to get a state after the First World War. The Americans declined to accept the League of Nations mandate for Kurdistan lets see if they betray them again after the capture of Raqqa although its interesting to be reminded that the original map of Turkey drawn by Ataturk included Mosul, Kirkuk and Suliemaniya because these three now Iraqi cities were Kurdish and Kurds and Turks were inseparable. Hence Erdogans interest in pushing his army into northern Syria and into Iraq outside Mosul. Clearly, someone has pulled the old map out of the archives. Ataturk, in fact, talked about autonomy for some Kurdish areas since they had fought with the Turks in the First World War they also helped to perpetrate the genocide of the Armenians in 1915, although Basaran makes scarcely a mention of this. In a protocol drawn up by Ataturk and the still existing Ottoman parliament in 1919, the first article accepted the principle of Kurdish autonomy and recognised the national and social rights of the Kurds. It was kept secret until the 1960s. But a gradual Turkification of the country took away these rights. The Kurds revolted 28 times between 1923 and 1938 and the government began a resettlement of the Kurdish people. It was not surprising that Hitler admired Ataturk. President Erdogan watches on as staff beat up protestors in Washington Indeed, in the last months of Ataturks life, his military attacked Dersim, a rebellious and mainly Kurdish and Alawite town in south-eastern Turkey where, in the words of one Turkish politician and lawyer, we annexed Dersim by annihilating it. One of the pilots assaulting Dersim was Sabiha Gokcen, Ataturks stepdaughter, the only woman to fly a combat aircraft. She returned home a hero. Erdogan, of course, is no Ataturk fan. He wants to return to the glorious days of the Ottoman Empire and this week declared on the BBC that the EU is not indispensable to Turkey. And thank heavens for that! But Basaran says that the government intentionally built an explosive triangle of Isis, Kurds and Turks. The PKK, the Kurdish Workers Party, embarked on a ferocious war against the Turkish army and police, but the authorities proceeded with a de-Kurdification of Turkish Kurdistan. By 1986, for example, 2,842 out of 3,524 Kurdish villages had been given Turkish names. The Brits tried that in Ireland more than 100 years ago. We know the result. Watch Brian Friels play Translations. Initially, Gulen backed Erdogan. And it was during this period that Gulenist newspapers were filled with stories about army officers planning a coup. The evidence appears to have been fabricated. Three hundred stood trial. The case was dismissed after Gulen had done a bunk to the United States. In 2013, Gulens movement leaked tapes of a corruption scandal including leading government figures. Erdogan called this an attempt at a civilian coup. Trials began which labelled Gulen a terrorist. But the AKP was in the ridiculous situation of being the ones who had put Gulenists into key positions to prevent a secular state. AKP members would also have to be put on trial. If Gulen is indeed extradited, his trial will be well worth attending; he will have much to say. In 2014, the Isis siege of the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani began and the Kurds immediately suspected that Erdogan was more interested in destroying them than destroying Isis. The PYD (Democratic Unionist Party, part of the PKK) were surrounded but the Turkish government newspaper Sabah was already saying that the PYD was more dangerous than Isis. The Kurds were outraged. They suspected that Turkey was arming Isis and proved it when the Turkish police stopped four lorries sent to the border by the Turkish intelligence service, carrying up to 30 missiles, more than 20 crates of mortar ammunition and anti-aircraft guns. Erdogan said he would make the editor of Cumhiryet who had revealed the arms smuggling operation pay a heavy price. Not the act of an innocent man, least of all one who claimed this week that Turkey doesnt imprison journalists. Donald Trump can't pronounce President Erdogan's name Turkey kept its border open until Kurdish forces took control of Til Abyad in mid-2015, which cut the Isis supply route to Raqqa. So Isis began to attack Kurds in Turkey. Basarans newspaper Radikal began to expose the connections. The Kurds had warned that an Isis assault team of 100 men had been sent to Turkey. Their warning was ignored by the government. It was true. The paper published a series of interviews with parents in Adiyaman whose sons had gone to Syria as jihadis. In Diyarbabkir, a bomb killed five people. The bomber was Orhan Gonder, whose parents Radikal had interviewed in Adiyaman. At the heart of the Adiyaman cell, Radikal discovered, was a teahouse called the Islam Cayevi. The government did not want to know. There was another suicide bombing in Suruc: 34 dead. The bomber was 20-year-old Seyh Abdurrahman Alagoz from Adiyaman. His father went to the police when he originally vanished from his home. They didnt want to know. Alagozs brother Yunus was manager of the tea house. Basaran warned in her Radikal column that more attacks were coming. In October 2015, a bomber exploded himself at a peace rally in Ankara, killing 107. One of the bombers was Yunus Alagoz, the brother of the Suruc bomber and owner of the teahouse. It is a fascinating, frightening story, journalism bringing all the connections together. So now the Turkish-Kurdish war goes on, Gulen is ready for his extradition and Isis appears to be free to stage its suicide attacks in Turkey. After Aleppo and Mosul and Raqqa soon, I suppose its easy to take our eyes off Turkey. Even America has earned Erdogans rebuke by staging air strikes to help the surrounded Kurds of Kobani. Watch this space. And read this book. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its always encouraging when people youd expect to be enemies learn to get on, so its touching that the Government, that has said many times it doesnt always see eye-to-eye with violent militant Islam, has apparently decided lifes too short to bear a grudge, and to stay friendly with the rulers of Saudi Arabia. A report on the funding of terrorists was published this week revealing how overseas backing has aided institutions that teach deeply conservative forms of Islam. But the Government decided the report shouldnt be published, and Home Secretary Amber Rudd wouldnt say which overseas country was doing this funding. If you were a detective, you might lean towards Saudi Arabia, as money from that country routinely funds this sort of Wahhabi conservative teaching, but Amber Rudd wont say, so it will probably turn out to be the Isle of Man. If you were cynical, you might wonder if our attitude towards Saudi Arabia was influenced in any way by the $4.2bn of arms sales since 2015, which defence secretary Michael Fallon says he wants to increase. Independent candidate claims Amber Rudd shut down his speech about arms sales to Saudi Arabia BAE Systems has managed to sell 72 Typhoons to Saudi Arabia in a deal known as the peace project, which is a quaint title because nothing says peace like a Typhoon fighter jet, capable of firing 1,700 rounds a minute, with a unique operating system that allows several targets to be attacked at once. I expect Tibetan Monks give them to each other on their birthdays. So youd think the Government would be furious with the Saudis, we send them billions of dollars worth of tanks and guns and fighter planes, and their response is to adopt a violent outlook. One solution could be a formula, in which the amount of terrorism a country is allowed to promote depends on how many weapons they buy. For $4.2bn you can blow up a couple of public buildings, as long as you help sweep up. For a deal of a couple of tanks, youre allowed to go berserk with a pair of nail scissors in a provincial shopping centre, and if you buy a set of rifles youre allowed to shout Allahu Akbar in a farm to the livestock. It makes you realise that one way of dealing with Isis would have been to allow them to establish and secure their caliphate. Then if theyd rebranded it with a new name like Fruitbatstan, even if they brought in laws such as women arent allowed to sneeze unless theyre inside a cardboard box and dressed as a clown, wed have turned a blind eye as long as they bought a pack of twenty fighter jets off us. Indeed, if it does turn out this report has been kept quiet because it might upset the Saudis, the people who should be ashamed are those who wrote the thing. Have they no idea how the economy works? It would be much more financially responsible to put the blame on the Oswestry Parish Council, as they hardly buy any arms and dont help out BAE shareholders at all. 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty Even better would be if the report blamed the spread of militant Islam on someone the Government doesnt like much, such as Aslef or the negotiating team at the EU. The Government often reminds opponents of the arms trade, that deals with regimes such as the Saudis are vital for the economy, and we should bear that in mind with terrorists as well. Cracking down on jihadists could cost thousands of jobs, in the nails, bleach and fertiliser industries, as well as causing problems for manufacturers of blue and white sticky tape with crime scene, do not enter on it. So we cant complain too loudly about such a valued customer as Saudi Arabia. And Im sure the Government would be just as understanding if a van hire company said: Its all very well complaining about terrorism, but the current methods theyre using offer vital opportunities for my company. It can be frustrating when they drive our vans into the side of a bridge, and tend not to bring the vehicle back, leaving us to have to go and collect it ourselves, but were working out a price formula to cover these problems and hope to engage in many more fruitful business deals with them in the future. To be fair, the Saudi government probably hasnt been directly involved in terrorist acts like that, and have used the weapons theyve bought for tidier explosions, such as what the United Nations describes as 325 attacks on schools, health facilities, markets and water points in Yemen. Because the way to stop an organisation causing terror with homemade weapons is to sell them huge proper weapons. We should have gone up to the nutcase who drove into Westminster Bridge and said you dont want to muck about like that, mate and sold him a tank. So its best to keep on with the Western strategy for the Middle East thats worked so well for seventy years. This is to go berserk at Arab leaders for being undemocratic and nasty to women, leaving the Saudis as our friend, where its one election after another and you can hardly move for feminist conferences. This is why, when it became clear that of all the countries in the region, it appeared the Saudis were the most closely linked to 9/11, the West did the only thing possible and bombed Iraq, as its very important after a historic atrocity to invade the next country along. This was Churchills mistake, he should have said: The Germans have invaded Poland. So we have no choice but to act immediately, which is why we are now at war with Luxembourg. Harvest has commenced, crops are promising and we have a small lift in prices. The winter barley harvest commenced last weekend and while it is too early to give an indicative yield there is considerable optimism. Grain costing 130/t to produce and a price of 140/t leaves break-even on owned land and a serious deficit on conacre. Increased prices being paid for conacre by dairy farmers and the uncertainty created by Brexit has left many tillage farmers questioning their future. Their perception is that production costs here are higher than in the rest of Europe. A report on the Competitiveness of Irish Agriculture published by Teagasc last April showed that our cost to output ratio was similar to that of France, Germany and the UK and lower than that of Denmark and Italy. Irish cereal producers were found to have a competitive advantage compared to the other European countries. The big question is how long can we and other European countries continue to produce at or below the cost of production and what will happen if we reduce or get out of crop production? Currently there is no problem in sourcing feedstuffs from outside of Europe but not of feedstuffs produced to European standards. Approval of products for crop production are done in accordance with the 'Precautionary Principle' - taking preventative action in the event of uncertainty. The 2013 ban on the use of neonicotinoids has cost European oilseed rape farming 900 million per year resulting from a 4pc reduction in yield; 6pc quality losses; 120m in production costs and 360m in associated industries. Pyrethroid use was increased, which in itself is not desirable, resulting in 30,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and 1.4 million m3 of additional water use. Perhaps greater significance is the fact that the shortfall of production in Europe has been met by putting ecologically rich grassland outside of Europe into arable production resulting in increased CO2 emissions and increased water consumption. In what was described as advancing the first regulatory system in the world, Member States voted last Tuesday in favour of the European commission's proposal on scientific criteria to identify endocrine disruptors in plant protection products. That and other decisions leaves European farmers at risk of losing most of their plant protection products. This autumn will be our last season to have Redigo Deter. Up to 80 of the current active ingredients that we rely on for crop production are at risk of losing their approval status. Fungicides Old reliables and indeed essentials such as Mancozeb (potatoes) and Chlorothalonil are high on the hit list. Fungicides ranging from Tilt to Proline and herbicides such as Shield and Starane and the insecticides Sumi Alpha and Karate may be for our history books. Bearing in mind that the US EPA refused the revoke Chlopyrifos last March it is unlikely to follow the lead taken by Europe on endocrine disruptors or on the many other pesticide prohibitions. The net result of banning neonicotinoides is likely to happen with our other crops if we continue to ban products before alternative products are researched, manufactured and approved. Our yields and quality will suffer and the deficit will be filled with imports which will fail to meet our standards. The volume of imports will be such that grain price will not increase, farmer incomes will suffer and arable farming will no longer be a viable option in Ireland or in Europe. Food safety and supply has and will be the priority of farmers. Surely the uncertainty surrounding foodstuff or feed production of product produced to standards which we do not accept in Europe should exclude their importation. Controls and sanctions implemented by Member States on farmers have often been frustrating but they have been effective in ensuring quality food. Farmers must be allowed access to a sufficient range of pesticides for that to continue. Pushing production outside of Europe makes nonsense of the 'Precautionary Principle'. PJ Phelan is a tillage advisor based in Tipperary and is a member of the ACA and ITCA Ireland has joined ex-war-zones, former Soviet states and developing countries in seeking an International Monetary Fund (IMF) examination of public spending. The IMF has confirmed that Ireland is the first "advanced economy" country where it has undertaken a Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) mission. The financial institution's team is in Ireland meeting Government departments and agencies to prepare a report Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe expects will be "an important input and supporting document" as he draws up the new 10-year capital spending plan. Other countries where PIMA studies have been done include war-torn Ukraine and places recovering from conflicts, such as Liberia. Former Soviet state Kyrgyzstan is on the list of 23 countries that have hosted missions, as are Mozambique, Honduras and Thailand. An IMF spokesman said that the PIMA mission was requested by the Irish Government and it is the first time it has carried out such a study in an advanced economy. He added that PIMAs are done "based on demand" and if other advanced economies ask for similar studies "it will be done". "The Government of Ireland thought it would be useful and timely to have a PIMA, given that they are preparing a long-term special planning strategy and a long-term capital plan," the spokesman said. He added that PIMAs examine planning, allocation and implementation of investment "in a comprehensive manner". Read more - The IMF is back: Experts return to advise Government on spending plan The IMF spokesman said Ireland had a history of working with the IMF fiscal affairs department and was also the first country where a Fiscal Transparency Evaluation (FTE) was done. He said other advanced economies have had FTEs carried out since. The IMF team is here until July 19 and includes experts in investment and planning from the UK, Australia and Denmark. The PIMA exercise has no relation to the Troika bailout programme which saw the IMF effectively take control of Ireland's finances along with the European Commission and European Central Bank after the economic crash. Ireland exited that programme in 2013. Mr Donohoe has said the IMF offered to carry out the PIMA study at a meeting in Washington earlier this year during a discussion on capital planning in Ireland. The costs are being be borne by the IMF. The Government has indicated it wants to ramp up investment in infrastructure spending. Projects like the Dublin Metro and M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick are likely to feature in plans to be announced later this year. The IMF team is evaluating Ireland's public investment procedures and its assessment will benchmark Ireland's infrastructure against comparable developed countries. Mr Donohoe's department has said the PIMA is a "valuable exercise" with "direct relevance" to the review of the current capital plan and the development of the Government's longer-term spending plan. A PIMA report on Botswana published this month praised the African country's "prudent fiscal policy" and noted its "moderate debt" of around 10pc of GDP. It found its public investment has outpaced peer countries. Ireland's debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to stand at around 71pc by the end of 2017. Who else has got IMF advice? Mozambique Kosovo Cameroon Serbia Kyrgyzstan Ghana Thailand Albania Ukraine Togo Madagascar Liberia East Timor Honduras Mauritius Maldives Ivory Coast Mongolia Botswana Zambia Jordan Burkina Faso Malaysia Minister of State of Public Procurement, Patrick O'Donovan TD, the Minister of Finance & Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD and Minister for State for Financial Services and Insurance, Micheal Darcy TD, pictured addressing the media on the Summer Economic Statement 2017. Photo: Stephen Collins/Collins One million households waiting for their water charge refunds are to be left in the dark until at least the autumn as to when they can expect their money. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has admitted he won't be in a position to offer any clarity before the Dail breaks for its summer recess. The Summer Economic Statement (SES) shows the minister will have just over 300m for tax cuts and new spending next year - but water refunds alone will total in the region of 170m. Families paid up to 325 to Irish Water between April 2015 and June 2016. During the Fine Gael leadership contest, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said his preference would be to see families get their money back this year - but this now looks highly unlikely. But Mr Donohoe said: "We have not as of yet made a final decision as to how we are going to manage it." Expand Close Click to view full size graphic / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Click to view full size graphic He said refunds could depend on the "overall performance of the economy" in the second half of the year. "I will be clearer on that after the summer I'll be then in a position to know what are the resources this year to deal with that matter." Mr Donohoe confirmed his officials are in contact with the European Commission "as to how we will deal with the issue of water charges refunds because this relates to money that we have already collected from citizens over a number of years". Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen said the Government has had "ample notice on the issue". "They could even have said they'd pay it over two budgets if necessary. Leo and Paschal are obviously suffering from 'Pat Rabbitte syndrome - isn't that what you do in elections'." Mr Cowen said the "bottom line" is the Government agreed to issue refunds as a result of the report by the special committee on water last April. "They've been slow in providing legislation to given effect to those recommendations. We await and expect them to honour their commitments," he said. Launching the SES, Mr Donohoe painted a positive outlook for the economy but warned that Brexit adds "significant uncertainty" to the Department of Finance's forecasts. And he expressed concern the country could soon be generating more jobs than there are people to fill them. He said the country has undergone a "remarkable change" but it was important to bring in a balanced budget next year. "Then if you have a surplus after that it is the appropriate macro-economic response back to an economy that could have a risk of overheating," the minister said. Mr Donohoe also highlighted expectations the country will reach full employment in the coming months. "If the Government finds itself in a position towards the latter half of this year where we expect to see more work in general in our economy than there are people to do it, then that will have consequences for the budgetary framework in the coming years," he said. On taxation, Mr Donohoe said he is now fully committed to merging the Universal Social Charge with PRSI. He said this was "the best long-term way to go for the further strengthening of our tax code". However, he was unclear as to whether the process will start in Budget 2018. "That is a big project. It involved integrating social insurance code into tax code. They are very different. It will take a number of budgets to do," he said. The minister also promised the budget will "reward work" but said any tax cuts will not be decided until October. Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the current system for helping 76,000 households in mortgage arrears is 'broken'. Photo: Stephen Collins/Collins The Government is opposing Fianna Fail's proposal to set up an independent mortgage resolution office aimed at providing extra protection for householders in arrears. However, while Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has argued the proposal is unconstitutional, support for the Bill from Sinn Fein and Labour means it is likely the Government will be defeated when it comes to the Dail vote. Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the current system for helping 76,000 households in mortgage arrears is "broken". He said the banks essentially have a veto over mortgage restructuring deals and his Bill would effectively remove that veto with the new mortgage resolution office having the final say on such arrangements. He hit out at the Government for opposing the Bill, claiming: "Whenever the Government doesn't want a proposal from the opposition to progress, the constitutional flag is raised." He said the Bill should be allowed to undergo scrutiny by an Oireachtas committee to see where it can be improved and address concerns. Mr Flanagan said mortgage arrears is an issue of high priority for the Government, but said Fianna Fail's Bill won't solve the problem, arguing it's not compatible with the constitution. Mr Flanagan said Fianna Fail is proposing the creation of two independent quasi-judicial bodies - the mortgage resolution office and an appeals officer - with "extremely far-reaching" powers. Under the Bill there is no appeal to any court, Mr Flanagan said, arguing this is a "fundamental flaw". He also said the Government is concerned the Bill could discourage financial institutions from new lending and this would exert a negative impact on a recovering housing market. Mr Flanagan insisted the Government has taken "extensive measures" to solve the mortgage arrears problem, including providing for a mechanism to appeal decisions, which he argued removed the bank veto. Mr Flanagan said that while arrears and repossessions are still too high, they are falling steeply and the Government is determined to reduce them further. Sinn Fein's TDs are supporting the Bill, with Pearse Doherty saying it should be allowed to pass and to go to committee. Labour is also supporting the Bill. The U.S. Department of Commerce has extended the Antidumping Duty Suspension Agreement on Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods for Ukraine signed in July 2014. The agreement was signed with Interpipe and relates to other Ukrainian companies. The antidumping investigation was suspended in exchange of price commitments of Ukrainian companies. "Yesterday @CommerceGov decided to extend the Antidumping Duty Suspension Agreement on Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods for Ukraine," Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Ukraine's Trade Representative Natalia Mykolska said on Twitter on Wednesday. She said on her Facebook page that the U.S. Department of Commerce on July 11, 2017 decided to extend this agreement. "Thus, Ukrainian tube producers would be able to continue supplies of their goods without paying antidumping duties. Another victory thanks to joint work of Ukrainian manufacturer Interpipe and the governmental team for international trade: Volodymyr Groysman, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, Stepan Kubiv, Embassy of Ukraine in the United States," she said. Mykolska said that the agreement was signed on July 10, 2014 for the period of three years. It expired on July 10, 2017. Interpipe said in a press release that the United States extended the Antidumping Duty Suspension Agreement on Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods for Ukraine. According to the decision of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Suspension Agreement will be valid until July 10, 2018. "We thank the President and the Government of Ukraine for the support of Ukrainian producers at the international level. This is an example of effective cooperation between business and government to protect Ukraine's trade interests in foreign markets. We are also grateful to the U.S. authorities for the step towards Ukraine. This is a positive signal about the support of our country," Interpipe CEO Fadi Hraibi said. Under the Suspension Agreement, Ukrainian companies will continue selling oil and gas pipes at fair market prices; the minimum prices for such products are approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Thus, the Suspension Agreement allows avoiding price dumping and suspends the duty for Ukraine in the amount of 7.47% introduced following the results of the antidumping investigation against a number of importing countries of steel pipes, including Ukraine. For the first time the Suspension Agreement suspending the antidumping duty was signed in September 2014, when Ukraine was in extremely difficult economic conditions. An antidumping investigation against Ukrainian pipe makers, which resulted in the introduction of a 7.47% duty, was initiated by a group of American manufacturers. At the same time, Ukrainian imports never represented a threat to the U.S. market. As an example, in 2016 the share of Ukrainian oil & gas tubular goods in the U.S. market was about 1%. Fine Gael TD for Dublin-Rathdown Josepha Madigan has voiced her concerns about the property tax in a four-page document. Photo: Tom Burke The new chairperson of the Oireachtas Budget Committee has reignited the debate on property tax, claiming that homeowners in south Co Dublin are being "disproportionately hit". Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan has warned that householders living in areas with the highest property values could be in line for a "major" tax in November 2019, when the new valuations kick in. Ms Madigan, a key supporter of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, also singled out the Roscommon constituency as an area that is not facing the same sort of pressures as her constituency of Dublin-Rathdown. "Property values are lower in other parts of the country and have increased at far slower rates. The Local Property Tax inflicts a disproportionate, heavy burden on property owners in Dublin-Rathdown," Ms Madigan said in a four-page document sent to her constituents this week. "Property valuations made from May 1, 2013 will be valid until November 1, 2019. But when properties are revalued at that point, Dublin-Rathdown homeowners could be in line for a major property tax increase as property prices in our area are increasing at such a rapid pace." Figures published by property website Daft.ie show that the average one-bedroom apartment owner in south Dublin paid 315 in their annual property tax in 2013. But the figures show that the same household paid 495 in 2017 - representing a 62pc increase. Meanwhile, the owner of a five-bedroom detached house has seen their bills rise by 43pc, and the owner of a three-bedroom semi-detached house saw their bills increase by 49pc. Ms Madigan's intervention is expected to be followed by other Fine Gael TDs in Dublin, who are coming under pressure from households concerned about escalating property tax bills. However, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is understood to not be prepared to intervene to address the concerns in the upcoming Budget. Consideration is, however, being given to increasing the property tax on vacant homes. There are almost 190,000 of these properties across the country, almost half of which are situated in locations that are in high demand. Any move to increase property tax on these properties could shore up additional cash available in the upcoming Budget. In November 2015, the previous government moved to defuse the property tax row amid concerns that it was threatening the administration's very stability. Changes to the legislation underpinning the tax ensured the freeze until 2019. The move came on foot of a report by former civil servant Dr Don Thornhill. But the property tax issue will once again come to the fore in the autumn when councillors meet to agree whether to adjust the rate by 15pc for the period ending October 31, 2018. The man running Sweden's biggest security firm was declared bankrupt this week after his identity was hacked. The poor branding implications were hard to miss for Securitas AB, whose boss hopes to put the whole awkward incident behind him, by reversing the ruling. Alf Goransson, pictured, the company's 59-year-old CEO since 2007, appealed the July 10 bankruptcy decision by the Stockholm District Court, which had acted on false information, the company said on Wednesday. The high-profile case has brought home the risks of increasingly digital credit and legal systems. Identity thieves used the CEO's identity to secure a loan of an undisclosed sum, after which a bankruptcy application was filed in his name. The identity theft took place in March but Mr Goransson didn't know he'd been hacked until this week, the company said. The hack attack "has no effect on the company, other than that our CEO has been declared bankrupt," a spokeswoman said. "And that will hopefully only last until later today, depending on how soon they can remove the decision." But data theft of a prominent Swedish CEO raises major questions for a country leading the way in digitisation - but also seeing a sharp increase in identity fraud. (Bloomberg) US President Donald Trump's administration said it plans to rescind a Barack Obama-era programme that would allow foreign entrepreneurs who launch startup companies in the US to live in the country, in the president's latest effort to constrict immigration flows. Known as the International Entrepreneur Rule and favoured by many in the technology industry, the programme would allow non-US citizens who launched companies that won $100,000 in government grants or received $250,000 in venture capital investment to stay in the US for a renewable 30-month term. Finalised in the last days of the Obama administration, it was set to take effect on July 17. But the Trump administration announced it would delay the programme until next March as the Department of Homeland Security launches an additional review of the so-called "startup visa". The department indicated that in the interim, the administration would propose rescinding the programme. "Big mistake," said Steve Case, founder of America Online and now chief executive officer of the Revolution LLC investment fund. "Immigrant entrepreneurs are job-makers, not job-takers." The National Venture Capital Association, an industry trade group, criticised the step. "At a time when countries around the world are doing all they can to attract and retain talented individuals to build and grow innovative companies, the Trump administration is signalling its intent to do the exact opposite," Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of the trade group, said. (Bloomberg) Colum Twomey, vice-president of engineering at Zendesk, says the company will also be hiring non-tech staff for its Dublin operation. Picture: Adrian Weckler Is Dublin really a 'proper' tech city? Or is it still a place mainly for multinationals to locate support centres? The issue came up again in a recent London jobs announcement by Intercom, the booming software firm that has based most of its high-end design facilities in Dublin. "In contrast to Dublin, big companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google have firmly established their London offices as places where first-class product development takes place," wrote Darragh Curran, Intercom's vice-president of engineering. Ouch. Curran was trying to make a positive point about London's deep-tech skills well. And Intercom is one of the most committed companies to its top-end tech jobs being in Dublin. Even still, his remarks gently highlighted what many have argued for some time: that for all its success in luring multinationals, Dublin does not play in the same league as cities such as London, Berlin or Stockholm when it comes to design talent. Instead, the doubters argue, Dublin is largely an outsourcing centre for languages, finance, administration and lower-level engineering. So when the software firm Zendesk yesterday announced a hefty expansion of its Dublin base - with plans to more than double its workforce here - it was natural to wonder whether this would mean support-style jobs or something more. "It's a fair question," says Colum Twomey, the multinational's vice-president of engineering. "In the past, it has certainly been the case that Dublin has been a place where companies come to hire engineering staff inexpensively. "And those companies would give the local engineers the less exciting work, maybe maintaining a previous version of the software or localising it, nothing very exciting. And you still see a bit of this around." However, Twomey insists that this isn't what Zendesk is offering for new recruits to its expanding Dublin operation. "One of the key reasons I actually came to Zendesk was that we build core products here from scratch," he says. "That means we're a peer to our other development centres around the world." The company, which makes and sells customer-support software, plans to hire 300 new people over the next three years to add to its existing 200 staff already located in Dublin. It is putting money up front for this, with a newly-leased building on Dublin's Grand Canal that can accommodate up to 500 people. Zendesk, which has a global headquarters in San Francisco, has over 35,000 paid customer accounts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is growing at 30pc annually. Globally, the company has over 100,000 paid customer accounts. Twomey says that the firm is serious about high-end design jobs being part of the Dublin set-up. "The first product we took on here in Dublin was the Talk product, which we had to take on and support while we built it from the ground up. That has been a really successful product for us and it's been owned entirely here in Dublin. "That means we have the engineers, the designers, the QA process, the creative guys, the product management all here. It's full ownership. It gives us a high level of autonomy." Other Zendesk processes have elements of this philosophy. "All of the mobile software that is built by Zendesk is built here in Dublin," says Twomey. "And it's all native Android and iOS stuff. So we're building apps, we're building SDKs. Again, it's pretty autonomous. "That's what keeps people engaged here. We have a very low turnover of staff because people care about what they're building and want to have control. If they thought they were being dictated to from another geography, they may not like it. "Certainly, I wouldn't have come here if we weren't going to get this kind of work." The company is also looking for non-tech roles to hire. "As well as the these tech jobs, we're also looking for sales people, support people and language skills," says Twomey. "Right now, about 40pc of our staff are engineers, while 20pc are in sales, 20pc are in support and 10pc are in finance or back office functions. "I think it's going to scale fairly linearly." Zendesk established its office in Dublin in 2012 with two engineers and an idea to globally expand its engineering team. "Initially, the (Danish) founders moved from Copenhagen to San Francisco," says Twomey. "But while San Francisco is great from a market perspective, it's hard to afford or attract A-list talent there. "The founders decided to locate an engineering centre in Copenhagen but knew it wouldn't be enough, so that's when they picked Dublin. "Since then, the decision has been to grow the Dublin operation from an engineering perspective because it's really working very well for us. We're not growing our other sites as rapidly. We have sites in cities like Berlin as well, but we made a decision not to put our engineering there because we're able to meet our needs here." The possibility that bitcoin will split in two has been raised It's time for bitcoin traders to batten down the hatches. The notoriously volatile cryptocurrency, whose 150pc surge this year has captivated everyone from Wall Street bankers to Chinese grandmothers, could be headed for one of its most turbulent stretches yet. Blame the bitcoin civil war. After two years of largely behind-the-scenes bickering, rival factions of computer whizzes who play key roles in bitcoin's upkeep are poised to adopt two competing software updates at the end of the month. That has raised the possibility that bitcoin will split in two, an unprecedented event that would send shockwaves through the $41bn (37bn) market. While both sides have big incentives to reach a consensus, bitcoin's lack of a central authority has made compromise difficult. Even professional traders who have followed the dispute's twists and turns aren't sure how it will all pan out. Their advice: brace for volatility and be ready to act fast once a clear outcome emerges. "It's a high-stakes game of chicken," said Arthur Hayes, a former market maker at Citigroup, who now runs BitMEX, a bitcoin derivatives venue in Hong Kong. "If you're a trader, there is a lot of uncertainty as to what happens. Once there is a definitive signal about what will be done, the price could move very quickly." Behind the conflict is an ideological split about bitcoin's rightful identity. The community has bitterly argued over whether the cryptocurrency should evolve to appeal to mainstream corporations and become more attractive to traditional capital or fortify its position as a libertarian beacon; whether it should act more as an asset, like gold, or as a payment system. The seeds of the debate were planted years ago. To protect from cyber attacks, bitcoin, by design, caps the amount of information on its network, called the blockchain. That puts a ceiling on how many transactions it can process - the so-called block size limit - just as the currency's growing popularity is boosting activity. As a result, transaction times and processing fees have soared to record levels this year, curtailing bitcoin's ability to process payments with the same efficiency as services like Visa. To address this problem, two main schools of thought emerged. On one side are miners, who deploy costly computers to verify transactions and act as the backbone of the blockchain. They're proposing a straightforward increase to the block size limit. On the other is Core, a group of developers instrumental in upholding bitcoin's bug-proof software. They insist that to ease blockchain's traffic jam, some of its data must be managed outside the main network. They claim that not only would it reduce congestion, but also allow other projects, including smart contracts, to be built on top of bitcoin. But moving data off the blockchain effectively diminishes the influence of miners, the majority of whom are based in China and who have invested millions on giant server farms. Not surprisingly, Core's proposal, called SegWit, has garnered resistance from miners, the most vocal being Wu Jihan, co-founder of the world's largest mining organization Antpool. "SegWit is itself a great technology, but the reason it hasn't taken off is because its interest doesn't align with miners," Wu said. Still, after previous counter-proposals championed by Wu fell through, miners last month agreed to compromise and support SegWit, in exchange for increasing the block size. Wu says the plan will alleviate short-to-medium-term congestion and give Core enough time to flesh out a long-term solution. That proposal is what is known as SegWit2x, which implements SegWit and doubles the block size limit. "You can think of the SegWit2x proposal as an olive branch," said Wu. Support for SegWit2x has reached levels unseen for previous solutions. About 85pc of miners have signalled that they are willing to run the software once it is released on July 21 and some of bitcoin's largest companies have also jumped on board. The unprecedented level of endorsement is partly prompted by anxiety that bitcoin may lose its dominant status to ethereum, a newer cryptocurrency whose popularity has soared thanks to its ability to run smart contracts and its more corporate-friendly approach. Still, hardliners say that after more than two years of bitter arguments, a split would let people part ways to explore different visions, even if prices crash. Bitcoin dropped for a fourth day on Tuesday, declining 1.9pc to its lowest level since June 15. The cryptocurrency is down 22pc from a record high in early June. Some of Core supporters are pushing a separate agenda called UASF (user-activated soft fork). Starting from August 1, it will reject transactions not compliant with SegWit. If a majority of miners do not adopt SegWit by then, two versions of bitcoin would come into existence, triggering a currency split. "It's moderates versus extremists," said Atlanta-based Stephen Pair, CEO of BitPay, which is one of the world's largest bitcoin wallets. "It depends on how much a person values the majority of people staying on one chain at least for a little while longer, versus splitting and allowing each pursuing their own vision for scaling." Many Core developers continue to reject SegWit2x because they see its development and implementation as being too rushed, which they argue could undermine the software underpinning bitcoin. "To suggest that a hard fork happen significantly faster than even the most minor of changes in recent history is irresponsible and dangerous," said Matt Corallo, a Core contributor and former co-founder of Blockstream, which is among the companies that stand to benefit from SegWit. (Bloomberg) Irelands telecoms watchdog has threatened further action against Eir after a report it commissioned found that the states largest operator does not have compliant systems in place to treat rivals fairly. Citing serious concerns over the quality of Eirs regulatory governance, Comreg said that it may now consider new regulatory measures targeting Eir. It is apparent that Eirs regulatory governance arrangements including its RGM are not likely to enable Eir to ensure compliance with its regulatory obligations, said a Comreg statement. This is a matter of significant concern to Comreg. Given the seriousness of the contents of the reports, Comreg believes that it is appropriate to initiate a project to identify what regulatory measures would be appropriate. At issue is whether Eirs wholesale arm is continuing to favour its own companys retail business over retail businesses of other telecoms firms. Irish law requires Eir to offer rival companies the same conditions and repair times as its own retail wing. But competitors have continually complained about not getting equal treatment to Eirs own retail division on a number of issues. A spokesman for Alto, the lobby group representing rival operators such as BT and Vodafone, said that its members have experienced a material impact on their business as a result of regulatory problems involving Eir. Comreg is to be highly commended for undertaking proper and thorough independent analysis of what industry has long-suspected to be systemic regulatory and governance failings, said Ronan Lupton, chairman of Alto. These failings arise in light of clear admissions by Eir in many instances or by compliance activity undertaken by ComReg. A spokesman for Eir said that it would remain fully engaged with Comreg on the issue. This is the latest development in the ongoing review of the regulatory governance model, said the spokesman. We remain fully engaged with Comreg. We are interested in what comments industry has to offer. Comreg is giving Eir until September to come up with legally binding changes to its oversight systems. It has also invited responses from other telecoms operators on the process. The report is the latest in a long line of regulatory problems between Eir and Irelands telecoms watchdog. Comreg has taken court action against the operator relating to five separate findings of regulatory breaches in the last six years. A number of other investigations are also ongoing, including investigations which are concerned with matters addressed in the Advisors reports, said the Comreg statement. Joe Pesci has finally agreed to appear in Martin Scorsese's new film The Irishman after he reportedly refused up to 50 times. Pesci will be reunited with his Goodfellas co-star Robert De Niro and director Scorsese for the flick. It will mark his fourth time working with the director after Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Casino. The Godfather star Al Pacino has also been signed up for the film which is an adaptation of Charles Brandt's non-fiction book I Heard You Paint Houses, and tells the story of Mafia-tied 1950s hitman Frank Sheeran. "It's about love, betrayal, remorse and the sadness and tragedy, ultimately, of a life led that way. It's about mercy too, I don't know if there'll be any of that in the picture yet, there might be," Scorsese recently told Independent.ie He said it's not another Goodfellas, "I think this is different, I think it is. I admit that there are - you know, Goodfellas and Casino have a certain style that I created for them - it's on the page in the script actually. "Putting Goodfellas together was almost like an afterthought, at times I was kind of rushing, I felt I'd already done it because I'd played it all out in terms of the camera moves and the editing and that sort of thing. "The style of the picture, cuts, the freeze-frames, all of this was planned way in advance, but here it's a little different. "The people are also older in The Irishman, it's certainly more about looking back, a retrospective so to speak of a man's life and the choices that he's had to make," he adds. Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights for the film but it will receive a small theatrical release in order to qualify for the Oscars. Sharon Horgan has paid tribute to Carrie Fisher following the late actress' posthumous Emmy nomination for 'Catastrophe'. Irish actress Sharon stars in the comedy series as an Irish schoolteacher in London who falls pregnant after a steamy one-week fling. The objection of her affections is American advertising executive in the city on business, played by Boston comedian Rob Delaney. Carrie Fisher has now been nominated for her guest role in the third season of the show, playing Rob's troublesome mother Mia. Very happy and sad and proud and messed up and delighted about our friend Carrie Fisher's nomination @robdelaney @catastrophe_tv https://t.co/BfYHVGjWW8 Sharon Horgan (@SharonHorgan) July 13, 2017 Fisher (60) suffered a major heart attack during a transatlantic flight and died in hospital a few days later. "Very happy and sad and proud and messed up and delighted about our friend Carrie Fisher's nomination," Horgan tweeted. Here is a list of the main nominees for the 2017 ceremony: :: Lead actress in a drama series Viola Davis - How To Get Away With Murder Claire Foy - The Crown Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid's Tale Video of the Day Keri Russell - The Americans Evan Rachel Wood - Westworld Robin Wright - House Of Cards :: Lead actor in a drama series Sterling K. Brown - This is Us Anthony Hopkins - Westworld Bob Odenkirk - Better Call Saul Matthew Rhys - The Americans Liev Schreiber - Ray Donovan Kevin Spacey - House Of Cards Milo Ventimiglia - This is Us :: Lead actress in a limited series or movie Carrie Coon - Fargo Felicity Huffman - American Crime Nicole Kidman - Big Little Lies Jessica Lange - FEUD: Bette And Joan Susan Sarandon - FEUD: Bette And Joan Reese Witherspoon - Big Little Lies :: Lead actor in a limited series or movie Riz Ahmed - The Night Of Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock: The Lying Detective Robert De Niro - The Wizard Of Lies Ewan McGregor - Fargo Geoffrey Rush - Genius John Turturro - The Night Of :: Lead actress in a comedy series Pamela Adlon - Better Things Jane Fonda - Grace And Frankie Allison Janney - Mom Ellie Kemper - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep Tracee Ellis Ross - black-ish Lily Tomlin - Grace And Frankie :: Lead actor in a comedy series Anthony Anderson - black-ish Aziz Ansari - Master Of None Zach Galifianakis - Baskets Donald Glover - Atlanta William H Macy - Shameless Jeffrey Tambor - Transparent :: Reality competition The Amazing Race American Ninja Warrior Project Runway RuPaul's Drag Race Top Chef The Voice :: Variety / talk series Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Jimmy Kimmel Live Last Week Tonight With John Oliver The Late Late Show With James Corden The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Real Time With Bill Maher :: Limited series Big Little Lies Fargo FEUD: Bette And Joan Genius The Night Of :: Comedy series Atlanta black-ish Master Of None Modern Family Silicon Valley Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Veep :: Drama series Better Call Saul The Crown The Handmaid's Tale House Of Cards Stranger Things This is Us Westworld TV3's Political Editor Ursula Halligan has decided to step down after almost 19 years covering politics for 3News. The broadcaster, who has reported on four general elections and the tenures of four different Taoisigh in the course of her career, will leave TV3 at the end of August. The award-winning journalist was the station's first ever political correspondent and also hosted her own show, The Political Party, on TV3 for almost five years. "Ursula has made a valuable contribution to TV3 over the past 18 years and was always an independent voice in politics, going beyond the spin and hype to give our viewers the real story of what was happening at Leinster House," said Mick McCaffrey, Head of 3News. "She was respected across all political parties for her insights and independence. We would like to thank Ursula for her dedicated service and wish her the very best for the future." The broadcaster began her career at the Sunday Tribune and Vincent Browne's Magill magazine before moving to RTE News and Current Affairs. She joined TV3 when the channel launched in 2000. In February last year she was honoured with the National Order of Merit by France by French ambassador to Ireland Jean-Pierre Thebault. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman believes that during the negotiations with the largest low cost airline in Europe Ryanair (Ireland) Ukraine should offer the airline not to quit plans to fly to Lviv. "I think that it is appropriate to make an offer during the negotiations that they are left in Lviv, as the local airport provided for all the conditions for cooperation with Ryanair. Of course, Boryspil [airport] should establish cooperation and other regional airports in the future," he said at a government meeting on Wednesday. The prime minister recalled a meeting with the Infrastructure Ministry, airports and everyone who is related to the development of aviation held on July 11. "I have only one conclusion: we need a strategy for developing Ukrainian airports and aviation, as each airport selects a place in the sun on their own. We have decided that by September the strategy will be drawn up. We also thought about the necessity of speeding up this process. I think that it would be ready by August," he said. He said that the low cost airlines should come not only to the central, but also regional airports of the country. British royalty will meet pop royalty on Thursday evening as Prince Harry joins namesake Harry Styles at the world premiere of Christopher Nolans Dunkirk. The fifth in line to the throne will walk the red carpet alongside three army veterans who served in Dunkirk, Kosovo and Afghanistan respectively. Ahead of the premiere, Harry will host a reception at Kensington Palace for Dunkirk veterans highlighting the lasting impacts of war on the mental health of service men and women. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Starring former One Direction member Styles, the film tells the story of the chaotic rescue of Allied soldiers during the Second World War. Styles co-stars in the film including Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy and Mark Rylance, will also be in attendance at the Odeon in Leicester Square, as well as director Nolan. :: Dunkirk is released in the UK on July 21. A garda accused of harassing a State solicitor could not be linked by any computer used by her to a photograph of the solicitor used on abusive posters, a jury has heard. Eve Doherty (49), a garda based in Dublin, is charged with harassing Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and making false statements claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice. On day three of the trial former Detective Inspector Martin Cummins, now retired, showed the jury a poster which had photographs of Ms Howlin and Brendan Howlin TD, a distant cousin of Elizabeth Howlin, printed on them. The jury has heard that the posters had been left on cars around Ms Howlin's estate in Blackrock, south Co. Dublin. The leaflet falsely stated that Ms Howlin was a corrupt State solicitor and had interfered in the prosecution of a local family of drug dealers. The court heard that the photo of Ms Howlin used in the posters had been taken in 2007 during a meeting between a committee within the Department of Justice and Brian Lenihan, who had recently been appointed Minister of that department. The photo of Ms Howlin was uploaded to a website called criminalcode.ie, and the photo could only have been obtained from that website, Dt Insp Cummins told Kerida Naidoo SC, prosecuting. The detective said that he obtained a list of IP addresses that had visited the website. Michael OHiggins SC, defending, asked Mr Cummins if any computer connected to Mr Doherty had emerged from that list. Mr Cummins told him this had not occurred. Garda Sergeant Michael McCarthy said that he had reviewed CCTV footage of the road where the posters were displayed but was unable to identify anyone as the footage was in darkness. The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury. Carol Clarke pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing from the Department of Social Welfare A school cleaner who stole over 100,000 in social welfare fraud over a 17-year period by pretending to be her sister has avoided a jail term. Carol Clarke, a 57-year-old mother of five, used the money to support her family and to help pay off one of her son's drug debts, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard at a previous sentence hearing last May. Clarke, with an address in Dunard Drive, Navan Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing from the Department of Social Welfare at Phibsborough post office between February 1994 and July 2011. The total amount stolen was 104,431. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Clarke to two years in prison which she suspended in full. She said she had taken into account the heartbreak and tragedy Clarke had suffered, as one son was shot dead and a second had killed himself. She noted that the woman was now caring full-time for her ill daughter. Judge O'Connor wished Clarke every good fortune and commended her for looking after her daughter and grandchildren. She said she would not ask Clarke to compensate the State, because she said in her particular circumstances it would be unduly onerous considering her limited financial means. Inspector Thomas Lynch told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that gardai discovered in 2012 that social welfare was being claimed on behalf of Bernadette Darcy, Clarke's sister. Ms Darcy told gardai she had no idea that the social welfare was being claimed under her name. Clarke was arrested shortly afterwards. She initially denied the claims, but after carrying out a number of handwriting tests and fingerprint testing, she eventually admitted to the offence. Staff at Phibsborough post office also identified her as the culprit. She has one previous conviction for handling stolen property in 1999. Tara Burns SC, defending, said Clarke had a difficult family background. Her husband died of Huntington's Disease in 2013. Of her five children, a son and daughter also suffer from the condition. Her son is cared for in hospital while Clarke cares for her sick daughter and her daughter's two young children in the family home. She is effectively the sole carer of those children, Ms Burns said. The court heard another son took his own life at the age of 25 after running up drug debts, while her younger son, Glen Clarke, was killed in a shooting incident in Dublin last December. Ms Burns said her client was extremely remorseful and was paying back the debt she owed to the department in 50 instalments. She handed up a number of references to court, including Clarke's employer at St Paul's CBS, who described her as dedicated and hard-working. Defence counsel urged Judge O'Connor at the sentence hearing in May to consider not imposing a custodial sentence, saying she cared for her grandchildren, who wee aged four and six, as a mother would. Judge O'Connor noted, at that hearing that the offence was premeditated and of some duration. Smoke rises from wild fires burning on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius volcano as the Castel dell'Ovo castle in seen in the foreground, in Naples, Italy, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Firefighters are battling wildfires throughout southern Italy, including along the slopes of the volcano Mount Vesuvius near Naples. (Ciro Fusco/ANSA via AP) Hundreds of tourists at a beach resort in Sicily have been evacuated by boat due to wildfires that are blazing across a huge area of southern Italy, according to reports. Additional military troops were being called in to help control the blazes, which civil protection officials and prosecutors said were likely to have been set intentionally. The ANSA news agency quoted tourists at the Calampiso resort in San Vito Lo Capo, near Trapani, as saying they were being housed in a school because they cannot return to their rooms. Other wildfires were encroaching on the Amalfi coast, on Mt Vesuvius and elsewhere. Mr O'Connell, of Meath Place, Dublin 8, pleaded not guilty to stealing a box of Cadbury Creme Eggs that were worth 3. Stock Image THE case against a man accused of stealing Creme Eggs from a shop has been struck out by a judge. The charge against Anthony OConnell (41) was thrown out after a court was told that a garda witness could not attend. Mr OConnell had been due to be tried on a theft charge when his case came before Dublin District Court. When Judge Kathryn Hutton heard the prosecution witness was not present in court, she struck the case out. Mr OConnell, of Meath Place, Dublin 8, had been charged with stealing a box of Cadburys Creme Eggs worth 3. The theft was alleged to have happened at Lidl on Moore Street on March 9. Mr OConnell had pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared at an earlier sitting of the court. On that occasion, another judge expressed surprise over Mr OConnells prosecution. Judge Anthony Halpin told the court you couldnt make it up when the case came before him. On that earlier court date, defence solicitor Claire Barry had said the accused was seeking a date for hearing. Unimpressed, Judge Halpin read the charge sheet before him and said: Three state witnesses, him, a judge and a solicitor, for a Cadburys Creme Egg? You couldnt make this stuff up. Ms Barry clarified that the allegation concerned a box of Creme Eggs, not just a single one. Is it the chicken or the egg, which came first anyway? the judge added. Mr OConnell had been on bail on the charge. The heartbroken parents of a little boy who died after he was found with serious injuries lying on a road in Derry are "totally distraught" with grief as they await the release of his remains from the authorities. Six-year-old Donnacadh Maguire was last seen playing happily outside his Bogside home in Tryconnell Street, moments before tragedy struck. The exact circumstances of how Donnacadh received fatal head injuries remain unclear, with police saying one possibility was "as a result of a collision with a vehicle". A post mortem is expected to take place today. Meanwhile, neighbours and friends continue to rally around the family, offering support and comfort. Sinn Fein Councillor Patricia Logue, who lives nearby, said nothing could be said to comfort little Donnacadh's parents. She said: "Donnacadh's poor mother is beside herself with grief, she is totally distraught, they all are. "There is nothing anyone could say to give comfort to them. They are in complete shock and overwhelming grief. "Counselling has been organised to help them and the neighbours, and especially the young ones in the street, come to terms with this terrible tragedy." Among them, one woman with her own young children, said everyone in the street has been numbed by what happened. She said: "I think the shock of what happened is only sinking in now. "To the day God takes me, I will never forget the sight of wee Donnacadh lying there with the other neighbours trying to save him. "This street is full of children and they are always outside if there is a blink of sunshine, but there's not one in the street today. We are all too afraid to let them out to play, but they don't want to go out either "I heard that someone was organising counselling, which I think it a really good idea because I know my own two children have been badly traumatised and I don't know what to say to them. "I explained the best I could that God wanted wee Donnacadh for an angel and that he is now up in heaven. "I haven't been down to see the family yet, I don't know what to say. I feel so, so sorry for them." Among those who visited the grieving couple was Fr Paul Farren of St Eugene's Cathedral, from where the boy will be laid to rest once funeral arrangements have been finalised. Fr Farren said: "I visited the family home and as you can imagine, this is the most awful tragedy that can visit any home. "Donnacadh was a pupil in St Eugene's Primary School with his whole life ahead of him, so this is an unspeakable tragedy. "The loss of a child with his whole life ahead of him is hard to understand, it is inexplicable. "The family are in deep shock, their lives have been changed in such an awful way forever. "All we can do as a community is to pray for them and support them in any way possible. "The questions a death like this brings just can't be answered. We never get used to the pain of the death of a young child, who should be outside playing in beautiful weather." A police spokesman renewed the appeal for anyone who was in Tryconnell Street on Tuesday morning to contact them. He said: "While it is possible that his injuries were sustained as the result of a collision with a vehicle, we need to establish exactly what happened. "If you were in Tyrconnell Street on Tuesday morning between 10am and 10.30am, please get in touch with officers." Groysman discusses prospects of cooperation between Ukraine and EU with Dombrovskis Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman has met with European Commission Vice President for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis to discuss further cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. "I've met with Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, who is a great friend of Ukraine. We've discussed the possibilities for deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, in particular in the energy sector, the implementation of infrastructure projects, and the reform of customs," Groysman wrote on Facebook. In turn, Dombrovskis praised the Ukrainian government's reforms in the country. "I commend Groysman for his commitment to bring a change in Ukraine by enforcing reforms in public administration, judiciary, energy and banking sectors," Dombrovskis wrote on Twitter. The father of a young boy who is battling scoliosis says that his two-year-old son will never have "any quality of life" after waiting lists caused his condition to deteriorate. Adam Doyle from Co Louth said that his worst fears were confirmed after his son, Noah (2), was finally seen by a consultant on June 28. Two years after he was diagnosed with scoliosis, Noahs back has become fused together. This will severely restrict Noahs quality of life. We knew from the start that Noah will never live a normal life, hell never go to a normal school, never fall in love, have kids or a family of his own, dad Adam told the Pat Kenny show. He added that he and his wife Rosemarie had made peace with the life Noah will have, but this new information has threatened to shatter any dreams the couple may have for their son. You then dream about things. Noah loves being outside so you think right, well go for a walk in the forest. Well go for a walk on the beach. Well build a life that hell be happy, because thats whats important'. Now suddenly thats gone." Adam believes that with proper intervention Noahs condition wouldnt have gotten so bad. Now, Noah faces painful surgeries that could cost millions of euro. The two-year-old also faces more extreme surgery if he hopes to regain any movement in his back. They are going to go in with a grinder and saw and cut away sections of his spine. Noah is waiting to be put on a waiting list for treatment at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. Our Lady's Children's Hospital is the only show in town for Noah as his heart complications require special treatment especially when it comes to being sedated. Adam has pleaded for the people of Ireland to speak out, stating that it is a time sensitive situation. Its our health service. When this is done to children, its done in our name, as Irish people. We cant let it happen anymore. Adam also said he was conscious that people talk about Noah as problem, but his son is so much for than that. Hes the most beautiful little boy youll ever see. All he wants to do is smile. Hes not a normal child but hes a happy child. In a statement, Our Ladys Childrens Hospital, Crumlin said that they are developing a treatment plan for Noah. "Noah Doyle was on the OLCHC Orthopaedic Outpatient Waiting List for scoliosis review and was seen recently by an Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeon. "Following this recent review the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon is developing a scoliosis plan of care for Noahs treatment at OLCHC. To facilitate this Noah will require full clinical assessment at OLCHC. "As part of this assessment Noah Doyles case will be one of the patient cases that will be discussed at a planned multidisciplinary team meeting which will include orthopaedic surgeons from OLCHC and experts from a National UK Orthopaedic Centre as part of the overall HSE Scoliosis Action Plan 2017. This multidisciplinary meeting will take place at OLCHC next week. " OLCHC awaits the outcome of this multidisciplinary team meeting to progress Noahs treatment plan and will revert to the family directly. Almost 6.5 million smuggled cigarettes have been seized at Dublin Port as part of an intelligence-led operation. The discovery was made in a shipping container arriving from Vietnam, via Rotterdam, which was said to contain 'paper'. Expand Close Credit: Revenue / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Credit: Revenue Revenue officers deployed a mobile x-ray scanner to identify the cigarettes, 'cheap whites' branded "Jin Ling" on Wednesday evening. The seized cargo have a retail value of 3.5m representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately 2.8m. Further searches were carried out by revenue officers in counties Roscommon and Waterford. This latest seizure brings to almost 15 million the number of smuggled cigarettes that Revenue have seized, entering the country in containerised cargo, in the last two weeks. Expand Close Credit: Revenue / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Credit: Revenue The investigation into the seizure is ongoing. In the wake of Leo Varadkar's slap down of Paul Murphy in the Dail, Fine Gael's Josepha Madigan joins the Floating Voter to discuss the fall-out. Plus she explains why she is drafting a bill looking to curb social media commentary from court cases and discusses the death threat she and her family faced via social media. Click here subscribe to the Floating Voter on iTunes "Paul Murphy had to be taken to task he wasnt a victim," Madigan told the Floating Voter explaining the Taoiseach's testy exchange with Murphy in the Dail. "There's a way of doing it and not doing it. He's just trying to get political mileage and he's looking for headlines anyway he can." The Fine Gael TD is also drafting a bill to curb criminal trial comment on social media and believes the the rules for traditional media should also apply to social media. She is though suffering online abuse as a result. "We need legislation that keeps up with technology," she explained. "With an ongoing trial people shouldnt be able to make commentary on social media. It's too dangerous otherwise." "Anybody who puts their head above the parapet gets abuse on social media," she added, before revealing the death threat and abuse suffered by her family and kids. "I've got abuse on a whole other level since entering politics. It is hurtful but it wont deter me if I feel it's right. Any change is going to cause consternation especially it seems on the Left where theyve a great team of keyboard warriors it seems." Each week on the Floating Voter, INM's political team discuss the main issues affecting Irish politics, bursting the bubble around Leinster House. New episodes on iTunes and SoundCloud every week. The chair of the Oireachtas Budget committee has been criticised over her remarks about property tax. Fianna Fail has rounded on Dublin-Rathdown TD Josepha Madigan, accusing the first time TD of being "disingenuous" about her comments. The row erupted after Ms Madigan stated that south Dublin homeowners will be "disproportionately hit" over upcoming changes to the property tax regulations, which come into effect in 2019. Ms Madigan singled out Roscommon - prompting a quick response from Roscommon TD Eugene Murphy. Mr Murphy came out strongly in favour of rural Ireland, criticising Ms Madigan's stance. Read More "Deputy Madigan singled out the Roscommon constituency as an area that is not facing the same sort of pressures as her constituency of Dublin-Rathdown but her comments are somewhat disingenuous as you are not comparing like with like," he said. "Life in rural Co Roscommon is very different to south County Dublin; we dont have the same level of services, infrastructure or public transport, we dont have the Luas, the same level of bus and rail services and we are much more dependent on our own transport which means we are subject to additional costs of running a car and paying exorbitant motor insurance premiums. "We also do not have the same level of job creation or investment and unfortunately we are not seeing the same green shoots of recovery that Dublin is experiencing." A peaceful Orange Order parade past the Ardoyne flashpoint in Northern Ireland is a massive step forward, a community worker has said. The north Belfast trouble spot had become a byword for conflict over many years on the Twelfth of July, but a deal struck between local residents saw a "relaxed" early morning demonstration replace a tightly restricted evening procession where violence always threatened. Loyalist bandsmen from nearby Shankill and Ballysillan banged the Lambeg drum on the arterial Crumlin Road, followed by lines of white-shirted men wearing the Order's collarette, while only a handful of nationalist residents looked on. Fr Gary Donegan, a Catholic priest who has spent years working in Ardoyne, said: "Every step that happens here, no matter how small, it is massive." There was a heavy police presence, mainly confined to residential side streets off the Crumlin Road. But officers trained for riots never left their vehicles, leaving spectators to the noisy pageantry with which unionists celebrate their culture but which nationalists blamed for so much strife in recent years. Fr Donegan added: "Every step I would count as a success. There are always going to be issues about parading." The National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER) has asked the Secretariat of the Energy Community to conduct an independent analysis of its operations, the press service of the regulator has reported. "We will be thankful if the Secretariat conducts neutral analysis and review operations of the commission as de jure powers of the commission introduced by the Ukrainian law and de facto the implementation of powers as an independent agency," the regulator said in a letter to the Energy Community. According to the document, the commission is taking efforts to observe the law on the regulator. However there are several obstacles, in particular, with the approval of the budget for the commission and official publication of the regulator's decisions. A couple who lost their two young sons in a car crash two years ago are now the proud parents of twin boys. Gentry and Hadley Eddings welcomed Isaiah Dobbs and Amos Reed into the world on Monday, and were given their middle names in honour of the older brothers theyll never meet. The couple were 28 years old when they lost their two-year-old son Dobbs in a car accident in North Carolina in May 2015. Hadley, who was eight-months-pregnant at the time of the crash, had the baby delivered by emergency C-section, but he passed away two days later. Truck driver Matthew Blair Deans, 28, was sent to prison for ramming into them while distracted. The couple say they have since forgiven him, saying: "We hope to be holding hands with you in heaven with our children." He was released at the end of November after serving just over a year. Their new pregnancy was announced on Facebook earlier this year, with the message: Y'all have held us up in prayer and we are so grateful! Now we ask you to add two more Eddings to your prayers! We are expecting twins this summer! The couple says that their faith helped them through their tough two years. Gentry is a worship leader at Forest Hills Church in Charlotte, while Hadley teaches pre-school at the church. In 2015, the couple said: God has our boys in a place of peace, so I am in a place of peace,' "God has a plan. The situation is a frustrating one. We don't want to be here. We don't like it. This is not a fun situation. We're mad at the loss. But we know God is good and has a plan and we believe that. "I hate that this happened. I don't like it at all. But I can trust God even when it's really hard. I just trust it. I have to, I have to." A GoFundMe page set up by the couples friends after the accident has raised more than $200,000 over the past two years, but the couple want donations sent to Mission of Hope Haiti instead, where they have both served. It is hard to tell human stories in figures alone, they do not convey the real trauma and anxiety of the threat of losing the roof over your family's head. The numbers vary, but it is estimated that, on average, there are almost 35,000 families who are two years or more behind with their payments. The average balance outstanding on these mortgages was 223,789. Currently, there is something of the order of 8.8bn in outstanding balances on mortgages in arrears for more than a year on private homes. Yesterday, Fianna Fail revealed some new proposals in an attempt to ease the crisis. It certainly merits closer inspection. Many efforts have been made to defuse this rapidly ticking time-bomb. An expansion of the Government's mortgage-to-rent (MTR) scheme is one being driven by Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. Investors will be invited to buy blocks of distressed mortgages and let the homes back to the householders as social housing tenants. Rules on eligibility criteria would be relaxed to allow distressed borrowers to apply. For its part, Fianna Fail wants to curb the ability of banks to veto restructuring deals for people in arrears. To such an end it proposes the setting up of a Mortgage Resolution Office, which would make the final decision in cases. No doubt there will be more arguments for and against, but this is an urgent issue that demands a compassionate and realistic response, and it needs it sooner rather than later. Ian O'Doherty insists Donald Trump was right to question our will to fight for Western values (Irish Independent, July 11). A proper response could quite easily be the bones of a PhD thesis. As I am not capable of such heights, I would consider these two issues. Firstly, what are Donald Trump's values that he trumpets: misogyny, racism, exploitation of working people. He appears to take an anti-social delight in not paying his dues in taxation. In my view it all adds up to classic sociopathy. Downgrading political theory to tweets as an excuse for not having the faintest idea or concern for what is happening outside of his, and I use this word advisedly, mind. Mowing down anyone who stands in his way without recourse to morality or reason. Secondly, Mr O'Doherty decries our criticism of our own society in his question of whether we have the will to survive. Survival is dependent on our understanding that to do so we must have the knowledge that we must evolve and change. To stand still is our death-knell. We must constantly examine and criticise ourselves and society and move forwards to a more equal and better world. We must struggle always against that which is iniquitous. It has always been thus since the extinction of the dinosaurs, animals or reactionaries. Mr O'Doherty quotes Gandhi when asked his opinion of Western civilisation that "it would be a good idea". I would counter-balance Mr O'Doherty's premises with a quote by former French prime minister Georges Clemenceau that "America is the only country I know that has gone from barbarism to decadence without the normal intervening period of civilisation". I hasten to add that this does not include New Yorkers. Harry Charalambou Muswell Hill, London Navy focus should be on saving life Ireland made the decision to provide humanitarian assistance in the Mediterranean Sea, committing its naval assets to save lives. This commitment could be replicated by other states, not turned into a military operation. Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has operated three search and rescue vessels in the Mediterranean Sea since the spring of 2015 and has assisted and rescued more than 40,000 people in distress during this time. So far this year, 2,297 people have died in the Mediterranean. Just last weekend, 40 drowned attempting to get to Europe. As a medical humanitarian organisation, above all else we are interested in saving lives at sea. Our concern with any potential shift in the Irish Navy's mission from the broadly 'humanitarian' Operation Pontus to militarily focused Operation Sofia, is for any weakening of dedicated search and rescue capacity at sea. Any change in mission should not divert capacity, assets and resources away from the badly stretched and much needed search and rescue (SAR) response, aimed at saving lives. There needs to be adequate SAR capacity in the central Mediterranean as thousands continue to die. Sam Taylor Director of Medecins Sans Frontieres/ Ireland Ireland weak link in security Edward Horgan is worried about the Irish Naval Service's new role in fighting people-trafficking criminals and destroying their boats (Irish Independent, Letters, July 11). I believe the State's main role is the security of its own people. Ireland is Europe's weakest link when it comes to security, and even Angela Merkel - who is responsible for breaching the Schengen Agreement and Dublin regulation by forcing some EU states to illegally let in people who, in the eyes of international law, are not refugees, but immigrants - acknowledged that there is no doubt some refugees pose a security threat to Germany (a country far better prepared to fight terrorism than Ireland - yet, as we saw last week in Hamburg, still ending up with 500 police hurt in G20 street riots). We have to bear in mind that Polish refugees fleeing from martial law not only had to have valid passports when 30,000 of them arrived in Austria, but they were also subjected to a curfew and background checks that went on for months (before they could settle in western countries they would only receive $8 spending money every two weeks - and that was mainly for phone calls and letters). When it comes to terror threat prevention, we should reflect on the last known words of Michael Collins: "In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea to travel in the open top." Grzegorz Kolodziej Bray, Co Wicklow Corcoran was music to our ears Tribute must be paid to Carl Corcoran this week, as his time as host of RTE Lyric FM's 'Blue of the Night' comes to a close. Corcoran has truly acted as a champion for such a diverse range of music. He appeared genuinely focused solely on quality, and not necessarily concerned with genre, or how established an artist was when curating the music for his show. Introducing so many listeners to music they would never have come across otherwise. For this alone, he deserves great credit and much thanks. Gavin Brennan Clontarf, Dublin No need to worry about the Church Billy Ryle (Irish Independent, Letters, July 11) states that "the Church must change, adapt and modernise to meet the spiritual needs of contemporary society" so that "he can be counted in as an active committed member". As the Church was founded by Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago and he promised to be with it until the end of time, is it not rather presumptuous of Mr Ryle to seek to have it reformed as he suggests? Actually, many churches have carried out these reforms and found that the members are leaving them in much greater numbers than those from the Catholic Church. Jesus did not set out to be popular and he did say that if they persecuted him they would persecute his followers, as is very evident throughout the world today. Indeed, in our country it is becoming more and more difficult to admit to being a follower of Jesus. The Church, having survived for over 2,000 years in spite of many attacks, will, no doubt, still be around when very many of its critics are gone, so Mr Ryle really has no need to worry about its demise. Mary Stewart Ardeskin, Donegal town The key to drink-driving issue Regarding Shane Ross's proposed drink-driving legislation, can I suggest a logical extension to completely eliminate the risks on Ireland's roads. We could all hand in our car keys to the Government, which in one fell swoop would complete what has been happening by stealth anyhow... ie the complete wipeout of all small rural towns!! Joe Melvin Castlerea, Co Roscommon A group of Afghan girls hoping to compete in a robotics competition in the US have been allowed to travel to the country after their visas were denied twice before. The Homeland Security Department said the six girls had been granted entry to the country with their chaperone to participate in the international competition. Non-profit charity First Global, who organised the event, celebrated the decision with a jubilant statement: I truly believe our greatest power is the power to convene nations, to bring people together in the pursuit of a common goal and prove that our similarities greatly outweigh our differences. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The US State Department declined to comment on why the girls visa application had previously been denied. While Afghanistan wasnt on the list of six Muslim-majority countries that face a temporary ban from the US, teams from three of those countries Syria, Iran and Sudan were granted visas to compete. Teams from Gambia, Yemen and Libya were also given the green light to attend, with their visas having previously been denied. As a result, all 163 teams from 157 countries are able to participate in the event being held on July 16 in Washington DC. The Afghan girls, who have been preparing for the competition for six months, didnt lose hope when their visa applications were first denied. They travelled 800km to the US Embassy in Kabul for the second time despite the fact the area had been targeted by a deadly truck bomb that killed more that 150 in May though were again unlucky. A senior administration official said Donald Trump then raised the issue with his security advisor while at the G20 summit in Germany, and asked if there were additional measures that couldve been taken. It was then settled the girls would be paroled. This is a temporary status given to a person who is otherwise ineligible to travel to a country, allowing them entry for an emergency, humanitarian purpose or public interest. A California congressman has introduced articles of impeachment against Donald Trump in an ambitious effort to oust the president from office. Rep Brad Sherman accused Trump of the obstruction of justice, claiming he used his position of authority to hinder and cause the termination of investigations into Russias meddling in the 2016 election. Sherman posted his House of Representatives resolution which is co-sponsored by Texas congressman Al Green on Twitter, and it accuses the president of high crimes and misdemeanour. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference While the Democrats move has stirred up many people, his bid to impeach Trump is a long shot, one which Sherman acknowledges is the first step on a very long road. He wrote in the statement: But if the impulsive incompetency continues, then eventually many, many months from now Republicans will join the impeachment effort. Its highly unlikely the article will pass, due to the number of Republicans in the House. Even fellow Democrats are hesitant to back Shermans efforts. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the move was utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst. The California congressman filed the article a day after Trumps son Donald Jr released emails proving he met with a Russian lawyer during the election campaign, who promised dirt on opponent Hillary Clinton. Ukraine has proposed to the European Commission to hold a forum devoted to raising investment into the Ukrainian economy early 2018 and a forum on the opportunities of using the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS) in the context of ensuring energy security of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Kyiv on Thursday that Ukraine instructed to consider an opportunity of organizing a potent investment conference for Ukraine early 2018. He also said that European gas transport operators have plans to jointly modernize and exploit the Ukrainian GTS and gas storage facilities. Ukraine proposed to the European Commission to hold a conference, an international forum devoted to the prospects of using the Ukrainian GTS in 2018, he said. Poroshenko said that this conference could be conventionally named "Potential opportunities of the gas transport system for energy security of Europe." The Ukrainian president said that the energy front strengthening is dynamically developed in Ukraine and the European Union confirmed its readiness to support the country in the issue. Donald Trump has got a good friend called Jim, who is his go-to guy for all things Paris. This is particularly handy considering hes visiting Paris for the first time as president. However, theres one problem: nobody seems to know much about Jim. Who is he? Trump mentioned Jim on the campaign trail, but really stepped up his references when he became president. Apparently the two are great friends. What is Jims relationship with Paris? For Trump, Jims story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of being too complacent to the threat of terrorism. During a speech in February in Maryland, Trump said that Jim loves the City of Lights, he loves Paris. For years, every year during the summer, he would go to Paris. It was automatic, with his wife and his family. However, according to Trump Jim doesnt go to Paris any more because: Paris is no longer Paris. Trump said that Jim doesnt go to the city any more because it has been infiltrated by foreign extremists. The Jim story highlights the differences on immigration between Trump and major European leaders, including Trumps host in Paris Emmanuel Macron. Is he real? According to an AP report, this is unclear. Trump has only ever referred to him as Jim, making it a tough thing to look into. The White House has not responded to APs requests for comment about who Jim is and whether he will be on the trip. How have people responded to Jim? After Trumps speech in February giving Jim a starring role, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo responded inviting Trump and Jim to Paris with this tweet. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference With Jim at the forefront again thanks to Trumps trip to Paris, people are finding the situation simultaneously amusing and confusing. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Hey maybe Jim is just camera shy? A soldier of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army holds a PLA flag as others stand guard at a military port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. Photo: Reuters Ships carrying Chinese troops tasked with setting up the country's first overseas military base are steaming towards the East African nation of Djibouti. China calls its new facility a "support base" and says it will have mainly logistical functions. But observers see it as a key part of Beijing's plans to expand its global reach through military might. India, in particular, views the base with some suspicion as New Delhi is concerned that China is confronting it with a 'ring of pearls' - a series of assets and alliances across the Indian Ocean and into South-East Asia. A report from the Pentagon recently suggested that China is likely to open a military base in Pakistan, India's main rival in Asia. However, China started building its base in Djibouti just over a year ago. It is stationed just a few miles from a US camp, and France and Japan also have bases in the nation, which is about the size of Wales. A report by China's official Xinhua news agency said the decision to set up the base was "made by the two countries after friendly negotiations". "The base will ensure China's performance of missions, such as escorting, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and west Asia," the report added. "The base will also be conducive to overseas tasks including military co-operation, joint exercises, evacuating and protecting overseas Chinese and emergency rescue, as well as jointly maintaining security of international strategic seaways." China's defence ministry said that a ceremony was held at a naval pier in the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang, presided over by navy commander Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong. Neither Xinhua nor defence officials gave any details on the numbers or units of troops travelling to the new base. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing that the facility would enable China to make "new and greater contributions" to peace in Africa,and the world, and would benefit Djibouti's economic development. The 'People's Liberation Army Daily' said in a front-page commentary that the new base would help China to fulfil its obligations in ensuring global peace, working with its huge UN peacekeeping force in Africa and its anti-piracy patrols. 'The Global Times', a newspaper which often takes a nationalist tone, said that the new facility was indeed a military base. "We will base troops there," it said. "It's not a commercial resupply point. It makes sense there is attention on this from foreign public opinion." ( Daily Telegraph London) A pro-democracy activist cries over the death of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo, outside China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, China July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip Chinese artist and free-speech advocate Ai Weiwei speaks about late Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo in his atelier in Berlin, Germany July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo has died aged 61, officials said. China's most prominent political prisoner had been treated in hospital for advanced liver cancer diagnosed in May. The judicial bureau in the north-eastern city of Shenyang said on Thursday that he died of multiple organ failure. His supporters and foreign governments had urged China to allow him to receive treatment abroad, but Chinese authorities insisted he was receiving the best care possible for a disease that had spread throughout his body. Mr Liu was imprisoned for the first time in connection with the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while serving his fourth and final prison sentence, for inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms and greater human rights in China. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Chinese artist and free-speech advocate Ai Weiwei speaks about late Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo in his atelier in Berlin, Germany July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch A pro-democracy activist cries over the death of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo, outside China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, China July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chinese artist and free-speech advocate Ai Weiwei speaks about late Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo in his atelier in Berlin, Germany July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch "What I demanded of myself was this: whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility, and dignity," Mr Liu wrote in I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement, which he had hoped to read out in court when being sentenced in 2009. He was not permitted to do so and received an 11-year prison sentence. Mr Liu came to prominence following the Tiananmen Square protests, which he called the "major turning point" in his life. Heu had been a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York but returned early to China in May 1989 to join the movement that was sweeping the country and which the Communist Party regarded as a grave challenge to its authority. When the Chinese government sent troops and tanks into Beijing to quash the protests on the night of June 3-4, Mr Liu persuaded some students to leave the square rather than face down the army. The military crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people and heralded a more repressive era. Mr Liu became one of hundreds of Chinese imprisoned for crimes linked to the demonstrations. It was only the first of four stays in prisons owing to his ideology. His final prison sentence was for co-authoring Charter 08, a document circulated in 2008 that called for more freedom of expression, human rights and an independent judiciary in China. Although Mr Liu was not the initiator, he was a prominent force behind it and already well known to the authorities. The sentence only increased Mr Liu's prominence outside of his country. In 2010, while he was serving his sentence in a prison in a small city in China's north-east, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, with the Norwegian-based committee citing his "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China". The award enraged China's government, which condemned it as a political farce. Within days, Mr Liu's wife, artist and poet Liu Xia, was put under house arrest, despite not being convicted of any crime. China also punished Norway, even though its government has no say over the independent Nobel panel's decisions. China suspended a bilateral trade deal and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon, and relations only resumed in 2017. Dozens of Mr Liu's supporters were prevented from leaving the country to accept the award on his behalf. Instead, Mr Liu's absence at the prize-giving ceremony in Oslo was marked by an empty chair. Another empty chair was for Liu Xia. Mr Liu was born on December 28 1955, in the north-eastern city of Changchun, the son of a language and literature professor who was a committed party member. The middle child in a family of five boys, he was among the first students to attend Jilin University when college entrance examinations resumed following the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. He studied Chinese literature there and later moved to the capital, first as a graduate student then as a lecturer at Beijing Normal University. After spending nearly two years in detention following the Tiananmen crackdown, Mr Liu was detained for the second time in 1995 after drafting a plea for political reform. Later that year, he was detained a third time after co-drafting Opinion On Some Major Issues Concerning Our Country Today. That resulted in a three-year sentence to a labour camp, during which time he married Liu Xia. Released in 1999, he joined the international literary and human rights organisation PEN and continued advocating for human rights and democracy. Liu Xia's brother was convicted on fraud charges and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment over a real estate dispute which supporters said was designed to further persecute Mr Liu's family over his actions. Two years after his Nobel prize, a Chinese writer won the Nobel Prize for Literature, to the delight of Chinese authorities. Mo Yan is not a critic of the Communist Party, and after initially evading questions from reporters, he eventually said he wished for Mr Liu's freedom. Other Nobel laureates were more outspoken. In 2012, an appeal by 134 Nobel laureates, including South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called the detentions of both Lius a violation of international law and urged their immediate release. Fellow PEN members such as Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie appealed for his release in a letter on June 29, after he was transferred from prison to the hospital. Their appeal fell on deaf ears. Mr Liu is survived by his wife and by his son from his first marriage. Suicide attacks and roadside bombings in Cameroon have been "subjecting civilians to persistent danger", the UN humanitarian agency said At least 15 people have been killed and 42 wounded in the latest suicide attack in Cameroon's far north, the government said. Two attackers entered the town of Waza late on Wednesday and one detonated explosives near a group of youths, Governor Midjiyawa Bakary said. Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists have been crossing borders to stage attacks in neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, that contribute to a military force that seeks to eliminate the insurgency. The Islamic extremists have killed more than 20,000 people in their eight-year existence and abducted thousands of others. The attacks in Cameroon's far north, the poorest part of the country, have been a factor in sending more than 13,000 Nigerian refugees who had fled Boko Haram back to their own nation since mid-April. The suicide attacks, roadside bombings and raids on villages have also been "complicating humanitarian operations and subjecting civilians to persistent danger", the UN humanitarian agency said earlier this week. In addition, the UN's World Food Programme has cut food assistance to almost 200,000 Nigerian refugees and displaced people by 25% since January because of lack of funding. The Boko Haram-fuelled crisis in north-eastern Nigeria, which borders Cameroon, is part of what the UN has called the largest humanitarian crisis in more than 70 years, with millions facing hunger. AP President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron set aside differences on climate change during their meeting in France, asserting that it should not prevent them from working together toward a post-war roadmap for Syria and to enhance Middle East security. Mr Trump, standing alongside Mr Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have "occasional disagreements" but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution. He remained non-committal about the United States eventually rejoining the global climate agreement that bears Paris's name, telling Mr Macron, "if it happens that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't that will be OK too". Mr Macron, playing host to Mr Trump ahead of the annual Bastille Day celebrations, acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact, but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation. "Should that have an impact on the discussions we're having on all other topics? No, absolutely not," he said. President Trump arrived in the French capital on Thursday for a whirlwind, 36-hour visit to meet with Mr Macron and tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and discuss broader counter-terrorism strategies. President Trump also plans to participate in Bastille Day celebrations and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I before returning to Washington. The president landed in Paris amid questions about emails showing that his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, welcomed the prospect of receiving Russian government support in last year's presidential campaign between his father and Hillary Clinton. President Trump defended his namesake, saying that "most people would have taken that meeting", a message that contradicted his incoming FBI director's testimony that Donald Trump Jr should have instead alerted authorities. President Trump called his son a "wonderful young man" and continued to downplay the issue, saying that "nothing happened" as a result of the meeting. AP Donald Trump Jr could have to testify to a US committee over his meeting with a Russian lawyer (AP) US president Donald Trump has defended his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer, saying it was standard campaign practice and maintaining "nothing happened" as a result. The remarks in Paris, made in a joint news conference with French president Emmanuel Macron, came even though Mr Trump's own FBI pick said a day earlier that authorities should be advised of requests to meet with foreign individuals during a campaign. Donald Trump Jr also said he would rethink his own conduct in agreeing to the meeting in the first place. "I think from a practical standpoint most people would've taken that meeting. It's called opposition research, or even research into your opponent," Mr Trump said. Mr Trump Jr released emails this week from 2016 in which he appeared eager to accept information from the Russian government that could have damaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. The emails were sent ahead of a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer that Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended. Asked about the meeting, Mr Trump said "politics is not the nicest business in the world" and it is standard for candidates to welcome negative information about an opponent. In this case, he added, "nothing happened from the meeting, zero happened from the meeting". Mr Trump's support for the encounter stood in contrast to the position of his nominee for FBI director, Christopher Wray. At his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, he was asked what candidates should do if told a foreign government wants to help by offering damaging information about an opponent. "Any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation-state or any non-state actor," Mr Wray said, "is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know." Mr Trump Jr said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday night that "in retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently". Meanwhile, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he would call on Mr Trump Jr to testify as part of investigations into Russian meddling in last year's election and subpoena him if necessary. Senator Chuck Grassley said he wants Mr Trump Jr to testify "pretty soon" and it could be as early as next week. He said members are not restricted "from asking anything they want to ask". The Judiciary Committee is one of several congressional panels investigating Russian meddling in the US election, along with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. US intelligence agencies have accused the Russian government of meddling through hacking in last year's election to benefit Mr Trump and harm Mrs Clinton. Authorities are exploring potential coordination between Moscow and the Trump campaign. The June 9 meeting involved a lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, who was described to Mr Trump Jr as a "Russian government lawyer" who had incriminating information on Mrs Clinton. AP The parents of critically ill baby Charlie Gard, Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrive at the High Court in London, Britain July 13, 2017. Photo: REUTERS/Peter Nicholls A US doctor offering to treat Charlie Gard has said he is willing to come to London at short notice to examine the sick baby. The specialist, who is proposing to give nucleoside therapy to the 11-month-old, told the High Court via video link his research clearly indicates the experimental therapy reduces muscle weakness in patients with a similar genetic disorder. He said the chance of the treatments clinically meaningful success was about 10 per cent, based on the findings of a study involving nine patients on life support, of whom one no longer needed a ventilator. Sobs were heard from family members as the tense hearing, during which Charlies parents stormed out of the courtroom after a disagreement with the judge, drew to a close. Expand Close Charlie Gard Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlie Gard Photo: PA Campaigners wearing blue and white and chanting slogans in support of Chris Gard and Connie Yates gathered outside the court, where the case that has drawn international attention and offers of help from Donald Trump and the Pope is set to resume at 2pm on Friday. Charlie, who was born on 4 August 2016, has a faulty RRM2B gene, which affects the cells responsible for energy production and respiration, leaving him unable to move or breath without a ventilator. The European Court of Human Rights last month rejected an appeal from his parents to take him to the US for experimental treatment, but a new hearing has been called by the hospital in the light of claims of new evidence relating to potential treatment for the baby. Doctors at Great Ormond Street say it would be kinder to stop his life support. Katie Gollop QC, representing the hospital, called the doctors findings all very theoretical, saying: You're trying to translate one experiment to another. Expand Close Charlie Gards parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlie Gards parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates Questions were raised during the hearing over whether the baby feels pain and the extent of his brain damage, which if severe would likely impede the proposed treatment from working. Mr Justice Francis asked the American doctor, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, if he would come to examine Charlie at the childrens hospital where he is being cared for. But Ms Gollop argued there are many experts based in the UK who would be in a better position to give an opinion on Charlies condition. The doctor said there was a small but significant chance the experimental treatment would improve Charlies condition, adding: The only way to tell if the brain damage is reversible is by trying new therapy. He said he had devised a treatment plan for Charlie, who would be given four strong doses of nucleoside bypass therapy, which is given orally or injected. There was a 56pc chance the treatment would pass the blood-brain barrier, he said, adding that five patients in his trial had reduced their time spent on a ventilator by eight hours or more. This is the best scientific data we have, he said, adding he was prepared to extrapolate the TK2 findings to Charlies genetic deficiency. These are small numbers, but with very rare diseases we must use every patient and gather as much detail from each patient as possible. He said he hoped a high dose of nucleosides, which are found naturally in the body, would enter Charlies cells, affect the mitochondria and prove therapeutic. Ms Gollop called the case desperate but questioned the court taking evidence from someone who has never, ever met Charlie Gard, as Ms Yates and Mr Gard laughed bitterly, and urged the doctor to read the previous court decision that details the position of the hospital. The couple, in their 30s and from Bedfont, near Heathrow Airport, earlier walked out after the judge said they had told the court three months ago they were not fighting for what [Charlie] had now and were seeking an improvement in quality of life for their son. I didn't say he's suffering, shouted Ms Yates angrily before leaving the room with Mr Gard, followed by the couples solicitor and leaving Charlies toy monkey on the court bench. When the hearing resumed, Mr Justice Francis told the parents it is acceptable they walked out and that he understands this is desperate for you. The judge called for an independent medical expert to measure Charlies head circumference within 24 hours. If it has not grown, this can be used as evidence of the severity of the babys brain damage. Ms Yates said she had measured Charlies head herself, having spent hours at her sons bedside. But the judge told her an independent opinion was needed: I'm being told records from a world-famous hospital are wrong, Ive got to have more than youre telling me He added that it had come to his attention that members of Great Ormond Street had come under the most vile abuse and threats from members of the public who have taken up Charlies cause. He strongly criticised this behaviour, saying people working as hard as they do in the health service did not deserve to be treated in such a fashion. Gibraltar responded with fury last night after the king of Spain failed to acknowledge the territory's right to determine its own future in an address to parliament. The monarch told British MPs he wanted a "dialogue" between Madrid and London on the status of the territory, in a snub to Gibraltar's own democratically elected government. The omission prompted Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, to warn that the issue of sovereignty was "not up for discussion or negotiation" as he accused the king of "seeking to ignore" the wishes of people who live on 'the Rock'. Tory MPs reacted angrily to the king's address, saying that the future of the territory was "none of his business". However, they did not carry out a threat to leave as he was speaking. The king told an audience of MPs and peers that the future of Gibraltar would be determined by the "two governments" of the UK and Spain. He said: "During our rich and fruitful history there has been also estrangement, rivalry and distance but the work and determination of our government, authorities and citizens have relegated such events to the past. "I am certain this resolve to overcome our differences will be even greater in the case of Gibraltar and I am confident that through the necessary dialogue our two governments will be able to work towards arrangements that are acceptable to all involved." But Mr Picardo told Sky News that the king's failure to acknowledge Gibraltar's leadership "harks back to a time when the governments in Madrid and London might make decisions over the heads of the people of Gibraltar". He said that Spain was "seeking to ignore" Gibraltar and that the territory should have the "most important voice" in any talks about its future. He said Gibraltar would welcome any dialogue "as long as they obviate the issue of sovereignty, which as far as we are concerned is not up for discussion or negotiation." Spain has long disputed the status of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, but British Prime Minister Theresa May has previously insisted that its future will not be up for discussion during Brexit talks with the EU. Spain was accused of trying to use Brexit to make a "land grab" for Gibraltar after EU negotiating guidelines suggested it would be given an effective veto on whether the Brexit deal applies to the territory. ( Daily Telegraph London) France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference after the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Saturday, July 8, 2017, where the leaders of the group of 20 met for two days. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) U.S. President Donald Trump, under fire at home over Russian connections and abroad over climate change and trade, arrives in Paris on Thursday seeking common ground with France's new leader Emmanuel Macron. After a bumpy start to relations, the two men both have incentives to improve ties - Macron hoping to elevate France's role in global affairs, and Trump, seemingly isolated among world leaders, needing a friend overseas. Trump comes to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Emails released on Tuesday suggest his eldest son welcomed Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Weeks after Macron hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Palace of Versailles, Trump will bask in the trappings of the Bastille Day military parade on Friday and commemorations of the entry 100 years ago of U.S. troops into World War One. Talks will focus on shared diplomatic and military endeavours, but an Elysee official said Macron would not shy away from trickier issues. Trump has made few friends in Europe with his rejection of the Paris accord on climate change and "America First" trade stance. "The meeting won't avoid subjects on which we have different positions, such as climate and, to a certain extent, trade," the Macron aide said. Macron will greet Trump at the Hotel des Invalides, a grand 17th century complex where Napoleon Bonaparte and other war heroes are buried. They will later dine with their wives at a restaurant on the second floor of Paris' Eiffel Tower. The Elysee official said the symbolism was clear: "Paris is still Paris." During the U.S. election campaign, Trump declared that a wave of militant attacks showed "France is no longer France", urging the French to get tough on immigration and jihadists. This year's July 14 celebrations come a year after a Tunisian man loyal to Islamic State ploughed a truck through a crowd of revellers on a seafront promenade in the Riviera city of Nice, killing more than 80 people. A White House official on Tuesday said Trump and Macron would discuss the civil war in Syria, where Islamic State is defending its last major urban stronghold of Raqqa, and counter-terrorism. For Macron, France's youngest leader since Napoleon two centuries ago, the visit is a chance to use soft diplomacy to win Trump's confidence and set about influencing U.S. foreign policy, which European leaders say lacks direction. "I have no doubt that the presidents will talk about the state of military actions in Syria and they will talk about the future," the Elysee official said. "Macron has said before that military action is not enough, we have to plan for development and stabilisation." Beyond Syria and the Middle East, the Elysee said Macron would also press Trump for more support in financing a new West African military force to battle Islamic militants in the Sahel, where France wants to wind down its troop presence. In bringing Trump to Paris, Macron has stolen a march on Britain's embattled Prime Minister Theresa May. London's offer of a state visit for Trump met fierce criticism and warnings that he would be greeted by mass protests. An Elabe poll showed that 59 percent of French people approved of Macron's decision to invite Trump. Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure and the EDGE international technical assistance project, funded by the government of Canada, on July 12 signed a joint action plan to support reforms in the maritime security sector. According to the press service of the ministry, after the implementation of the planned activities, the Ukrainian maritime industry will approach international standards, which will help achieve better results when the country passes the audit of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in spring 2018. "This audit is a good reason for us to completely change the maritime industry: we have made it competitive, open and effective. We have already updated the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, but it is extremely important for us that investors who enter the Ukrainian market feel comfortable and understand that their money brings efficiency both to their companies and to the industry as a whole," Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan said. Ukraine for the first time will be audited by the IMO in February-March 2018. The subject of audit is the verification of Ukraine's compliance with international obligations in the maritime security sector. The action plan, in particular, provides for the promotion of implementation of relevant conventions in the country, strengthening public administration in the field of maritime security. A pair of police officers caught themselves on camera, struggling to explain why they had pulled over Floridas first and only black state attorney. Aramis Ayala, who serves as state attorney in the Sunshine State's 9th Judicial Circuit, was pulled over on 19 June. As the officer approaches her window, she can be seen grabbing her licence from her wallet, which she then hands over to him. When he asks what agency she works for, she responds: Im the state attorney. The officer immediately launches into an explanation for the stop, explaining that he ran the tags on her car and received no result. Ms Ayala asked: What was the tag run for? The officer then begins to stumble, saying: Oh we run tags through all the time, whether it's a traffic light and that sort of stuff; That's how we figure out if cars are stolen and that sort of thing. He added: Also, the windows are really dark. I don't have a tint measure but that's another reason for the stop. The State Attorney, visibly annoyed, asks for the officers cards. Neither have them available, so they write their contact information on a piece of paper. Orlando police department said that it "allows the running of tags for official business only, and this is done routinely on patrol". "In regards to the video, which was released by the Orlando Police Department last month, the officers stated the tag did not come back as registered to any vehicle. As you can see in the video, the window tint was dark, and officers would not have been able to tell who, or how many people, were in the vehicle," a statement said. No complaint has been filed over the stop, police said. Ms Ayala, a career public defender, ran for state attorney on a platform of transparency and a promise to bridge gaps with communities of colour. In a statement to The Independent, Ms Ayala said she has "violated no laws". "The license plate, while confidential was and remains properly registered... The tint was in no way a violation of Florida law... Although the traffic stop appears to be consistent with Florida law," the statement said. "My goal is to have a constructive and mutually respectful relationship between law enforcement and the community, Ms Ayala added. "I look forward to sitting down to have an open dialogue with the Chief of Orlando Police Department regarding how this incident impacts that goal". Ms Ayala recently made headlines for refusing to pursue the death penalty in the murder trial of Markeith Loyd, who is accused of killing Orlando Police Lieutenant Debra Clayton and his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon. Florida Governor Rick Scott removed her from the case for what he called her refusal to fight for justice. Ms Ayala has asked the state Supreme Court to block Mr Scotts decision. In April, the State Attorneys office reported she had received a noose in the mail, accompanied by a disturbing letter. The office said Ms Ayala frequently receives hate mail, often expressing racist sentiments. U.S. President Donald Trump says he does not fault his son Donald Trump Jr. for meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential election campaign and that he was unaware of the meeting until a few days ago. Asked if he knew that his son was meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June last year, the president told Reuters in a White House interview: No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father's campaign, according to emails the son released on Tuesday. Seated at his Oval Office desk, Trump said he did not fault his son for holding the meeting, writing it off as a decision made in the heat of an upstart, non-traditional campaign. "I think many people would have held that meeting," Trump said. "It was a 20-minute meeting, I guess, from what Im hearing," Trump said. "Many people, and many political pros, said everybody would do that." Expand Close Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Photo: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Photo: AP The emails were the most concrete evidence that Trump campaign officials might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the Nov. 8 election, a subject that has cast a cloud over Trump's presidency and prompted investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and Congress. Donald Trump Jr., in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, said: "In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently." TRUST PUTIN? In the White House interview, the president said he directly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if he was involved in what U.S. intelligence says was Russian meddling in the presidential campaign and that Putin had insisted he was not. Trump said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his more than two-hour meeting with Putin last Friday in Germany on the election meddling subject. "I said, 'Did you do it?' And he said, 'No, I did not. Absolutely not.' I then asked him a second time in a totally different way. He said absolutely not," Trump said. Asked if he believed Putin's denial, Trump paused. Look. Something happened and we have to find out what it is, because we cant allow a thing like that to happen to our election process. So something happened and we have to find out what it is," he said. About Putin, he added: "Somebody did say if he did do it, you wouldnt have found out about it. Which is a very interesting point." While U.S. intelligence agencies and even members of Trumps Cabinet have said Russia meddled in the election, Trump has wavered on the subject, at times suggesting that other actors might have been involved. Trump equivocated on whether he felt he could trust Putin. He said Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both look out for their countries' interests, as he looks out for U.S. interests. "I am not a person who goes around trusting lots of people. But hes the leader of Russia. It is the second most powerful nuclear power on earth. I am the leader of the United States. I love my country. He loves his country," Trump said. As in the past, Trump said there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia. "There was zero coordination. Its the dumbest thing Ive ever heard," he said. The Republican president said Democrats had used the accusations to justify Clinton's loss in November, saying: "The White House is functioning beautifully despite the hoax made up by the Democrats." Although he and Putin were able to forge a ceasefire agreement in part of Syria, Trump said their interests collided over other issues. He said his U.S. military buildup and drive to increase U.S. energy production were in direct conflict with Putin, whose nation is dependent on energy exports. Their differences made him wonder whether Putin really had supported him last year, as many news reports have suggested. "Its really the one question I wish I would have asked Putin: Were you actually supporting me?" Donald Trump defended his eldest son yesterday, declaring him "innocent" and a victim of the "greatest witch hunt in political history" as he sought to counter the gravest crisis to face his administration so far. The White House was plunged into what one ally called a "category five hurricane" after Mr Trump Jr was forced to disclose emails. The messages showed he had enthusiastically agreed to meet with a "Russian government lawyer" during last year's election campaign in a bid to obtain damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Expand Close Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Photo: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Photo: AP Mr Trump, who had remained largely silent about the controversy over the last few days, praised his son for a television appearance on Fox News in which he said the meeting had been "a nothing". The president wrote on Twitter: "My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" He also endorsed a comment by a Fox News commentator who said: "I believe Don junior is the victim here." Mr Trump also suggested Democrats had "wilfully used Moscow disinformation" to influence the election against him. It marked an aggressive change of strategy by Mr Trump as the White House sought to protect his son from allegations by Democrats that he may have broken election campaign laws by dealing with a US adversary. Berta Caceres was killed in March 2016 by gunmen who forced their way into her home (AP) At least 200 land and environmental activists were killed in 2016 protecting forests, rivers and land from mining, logging and agricultural companies - the highest annual number on record, a watchdog said. India had a threefold increase in such killings but Latin America remained the deadliest region with some 60% of the world's deaths of activists protecting local resources, London-based Global Witness said in a report. The deaths, which rose from 185 the previous year, were reported in 24 countries compared to 16 in 2015. "The fact that the upward curve of killings has continued... suggests that governments and business continue to prioritise short-term profit over human lives," Global Witness campaigner Billy Kyte told The Associated Press. Mining, oil, agriculture and logging were the industries most associated with activist murders. Mr Kyte said such interests are encroaching more on previously untouched areas and coming into conflict in particular with indigenous peoples, who accounted for 40% of the victims documented in the report. The group said the true number of killings is likely to be much higher, since collecting such data is difficult. While murder is an extreme tactic of oppression, activists also routinely experienced death threats, assaults, arrests and costly legal battles, it said. Honduras, where 14 land defenders were killed last year, remained the deadliest nation per capita. The victims there included Berta Caceres, who was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to a hydroelectric dam project on her Lenca people's lands. She was killed in March 2016 by gunmen who forced their way into her home. Two other members of her indigenous organisation Copinh were also killed last year. Last week, two European development banks announced they were pulling financing from the dam project that Ms Caceres had opposed. Forty-nine land activists were killed last year in Brazil and 37 in Colombia, the two highest national tolls, the report said. The Philippines and India were next with 28 and 16, respectively. The report noted police brutality against largely peaceful protests soared in India in 2016. Across Africa the people most at risk were rangers at national parks whose jobs pitted them against poachers. The report said activists fighting to protect the natural resources of their communities around the world, including in the United States, increasingly found themselves portrayed as criminals, facing both false charges and aggressive civil cases brought by governments and companies. The group's research suggests that 2017 will be deadlier, Mr Kyte said. "I think these attacks are getting more brazen," he said, lamenting what he called "collusion between states and corporate interests in silencing dissent over these destructive industries". AP Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has thanked the European Union for supporting Ukraine in opposing Russia's actions in Crimea and Donbas and expressed hope that Ukraine-EU summits may be held in Donetsk and Yalta in future. "I hope one day - let me air this proposal - we will hold the next Ukraine-EU summits in Donetsk and in Yalta," Poroshenko said in opening the Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on Thursday. Unity within the European Union in supporting Ukraine is of key significance to successfully oppose Russian aggression, he said. As a vivid sign of such unity and support for Ukraine, Poroshenko mentioned the EU's decision to extend the economic sanctions against Russia until January 2018 and the Crimean package of sanctions until June 2018. "Plus the clearly articulated message that the sanctions will remain in place until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements," he added. Despite predictions of a "red wave" rolling throughout the country one in which Republican political candidates would cruise to victory up and down the ballot on the strength of nationwide frustration with crime, inflation and dissatisfaction with the Biden administration Tuesday's midterm election delivered more of the same for many Rhode Islanders. In addition to Democratic victories in all the major statewide races, voters in North Kingstown, Narragansett and South Kingstown skewed overwhelmingly blue in General Assembly races and all local school boards and town council races. With the results of Tuesday's midterm election all but finalized pending a few outstanding mail-in ballots and certification, it appears local boards of government in Southern Rhode Island towns will see a large number of familiar faces. With that in mind, do you believe your local town and school committee seats are held by the best representatives available in your town? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below. You voted: MIDLAND Representatives from the Charlotte Coin Club will provide a free lecture regarding the use of gold as currency, with notes on the Bechtler mint and the history and output of the Charlotte mint on Saturday, July 15, at 1 p.m.. Most people are familiar with gold today through jewelry and special collector minted coins for investment purposes. It can be seen in museum collections today, adorning Egyptian masks and tools used by the Pharaohs, beautifying frames and works of art or through antique coin collections. What people may not realize is the importance of gold to the monetary system of the United States from Colonial times through the 1930s. When the country was formed in the 1780s, foreign gold coins were freely traded for goods and services, since the denomination was stamped into the coin, and the value of gold was a set constant for trading or investment. The United States Mint authorized gold coins to be made, in denominations of $1 to $20, at Philadelphia and other branch mints as they were opened in the gold producing regions. North Carolina gold was the only gold used at Philadelphia from 1804 1827, showing the significance of this region. The first documented discovery of gold in the United States happened on John Reeds farm in present day Cabarrus County. Due to the amount of gold found in North Carolina, Christopher Bechtler began minting his own gold coins in Rutherfordton by the 1830s. Private mints flourished since gold coins were not easily accessible during this time in the south. A branch of the U.S. Mint was finally opened in 1837, producing coins until the Civil War began in 1861. Gold coins Gold Coins continued to be issued by the U.S. Mint through the late 1800s and early 1900s. The final year for gold coins was 1933, which comprised the $10 Indian Head Eagle and Saint Gaudens $20 Double Eagle (though most of these coins were never released to the public). Franklin Delano Roosevelt, through Executive Order 6102, removed all gold coin and bullion from private hands, and eventually for backing paper money issued by the Federal Reserve Bank during 1933. The value of gold was also fixed at $35 per troy ounce, which stayed until gold could be privately owned again during the 1970s. Paper money was also backed by gold, with Gold Certificates and early issues of the Federal Reserve Bank stating that fact on the notes. These were taken out of circulation in 1933, replaced with silver until the 1960s. Plan to go? This free lecture is open for all those interested in numismatics and/or gold currency. Registration is encouraged it is not required. Please RSVP at reed@ncdcr.gov. For additional information, please call (704) 721-4653 or email reed@ncdcr.gov. Reed Gold Mine is located in southeastern Cabarrus County 12 miles southeast of Concord, 25 miles east of Charlotte, and 18 miles west of Albemarle. A day heavy in green Indian equity markets saw a day, heavy in green, today. Nifty 50 ended, up by 321.5 points. Sensex ended, up by 1181.34 points. Top Gainers today were HDFC, HDFC Bank, Infosys. Top Losers ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 3:43 pm In early trade, Rupee rises 71 paise to 80.69 / $ Early on Friday, the rupee strengthened 71 paise to 80.69 against the dollar as investors' attitudes were bolstered by easing US CPI data and a decline in the dollar index. Forex traders claime... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:24 pm Sensex zooms over 1,100 pts; Nifty above 18,300; IT index top contributor Domestic benchmark indices in the fast lane today led by IT and Metal stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were nearly 2% higher amid positive global cues. On the se... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 2:00 pm NIBE receives order of Rs11.88 crore from Goa Shipyard; Stock slips 1% Nibe Limited stocks in focus as the company announced the receipt of purchase orders. As per the regulatory filing, it has received two purchase orders dated November 08, 2022 from G... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:53 pm Ashoka Buildcon receives provisional certificate for NHAI road project; Stock up 2% Ashoka Buildcon Limited has informed the declaration of October 26, 2021 as the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) for its Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) Project of National Highways Authority of ... November 11, 2022 | 11-11-2022 12:26 pm President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that Brexit's results should not affect relations between Ukraine and the European Union. "Brexit's outcome should not cast a shadow over relations between Ukraine and the EU. This is my absolutely clear message," Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Kyiv on Thursday. Indianas general diploma will no longer be considered when calculating school and district graduation rates, state officials announced last week. In a memo to principals and superintendents, the state said it will also no longer count students who earn general diplomas in the states A-F rating system. The change comes as a new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires graduation rates to be to be calculated uniformly across states. In recent years, graduation rates have become increasingly controversial as districts lie about rates or water down graduation requirements. The General Diploma is no longer allowed to be considered when calculating the federal graduation rate, said Jennifer McCormick, Indiana superintendent of public instruction. The General Diploma can still be used and is still considered an official diploma. Graduation rates will now be calculated using only Core 40, a state diploma aimed at students who want to go on to four-year colleges or professional fields, and International Baccalaureate diplomas. The Indiana General Assembly made completion of Core 40 a graduation requirement for all students beginning in the fall of 2007. The legislation includes an opt-out provision for parents who determine their students could receive a greater benefit from the general diploma. General diplomas require fewer math, social studies and science credits. And less testing. Thats where special education comes in. If somebody really has a hard time testing or isnt able to test very well, then they wont pass the end-of-course testing and then they cant get a Core 40, says Dana Renay, chief executive ally of Autism Society of Indiana. Just because they cant get through the assessments, doesnt mean they cant complete the coursework. Advocates like Renay say, moving forward, schools may be less motivated to make sure special education students complete general diplomas. There are concerns about the quality of service, what (schools) will and will not provide, or be able to provide, Renay says. If you dont have a diploma you cant get into college, you cant get some jobs. Its a really important thing to have that diploma. The Indiana Department of Education is seeking clarification from the U.S. Department of Education as to when the change must take place. Schools could see the impact of the change as early as their fall 2018 A-F grades, which would reflect the graduation rate from the 2016-17 school year. She is one of the most popular actresses on Indian television. From making her debut in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi as Krishna Tulsi, playing the role of Shivangi in Naagin to now making her mega debut as a heroine in Bollywood. Instagram It took Mouni Roy a decade to reach the pinnacle of success and boy, she has worked hard for it. Let's take a look at the rise and rise of Mouni Roy. 1. Meet Krishna Tulsi From Eka Kapoor's Kyunki A hit show of that time, Mouni just made it in time to debut in the popular show opposite Pulkit Samrat. She became a household favourite already and considering she made her debut with Balaji Telefilms, we knew she had hit the right chord. 2. Mouni Roy nailed the reality show Zara Nachke Dikha like a boss She started her career in 2007 and post the popular soap, Mouni participated and won the first season of Zara Nachke Dikha leaving Karishma Tanna and Jennifer Winget behind. As a dancer, actress and a reality show star, Mouni was winning hearts pan India. 3. When Mouni openly declared her love for Gaurav Chopra Twitter In 2009, Roy participated in Pati Patni Aur Woh along with Gaurav Chopra. It was a progressive move for a TV couple where they had to take care of a baby especially when Mouni and Gaurav were only dating. They were competing against Rakhi Sawant and Elesh Parujanwala, Apoorva and Shilpa Agnihotri, Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee along with Sachin Shroff and Juhi Parmar (all of them were either married or engaged). But soon after, they broke up due to Gaurav's proximity with his ex, Narayani. 4. Mouni featured yet again in a super hit show, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev Indie.com Mouni made fame after playing the role as Sati in Life OK's mythological series Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev from 2011 to 2014. Yes, the show gave her screen presence for almost 3 years. Post the show, Mouni became close to her co-star Mohit Raina and they ended up dating. Mohit who is a model and actor was being extremely liked by Priyanka Chopra's family. Yes, her maasi was smitten by the actor and Priyanka joked about the same too. However, Mouni and Mohit have since then been going strong. 5. The shocking transformation of Mouni Roy Storypedia Do you even remember how she looked like in earlier days? Well, we suggest you scroll through some of her older videos on Youtube. The actress has come up a long way and has worked hard on her looks, body and personality to keep up with today's time. And we're mighty impressed. 6. When Mouni Roy arrived back on television with Naagin Youtube/screengrab Although she never took a break as she was constantly seen either in reality shows, chat shows, TV anchoring and TV series, but Naagin paved the way for her in ways more than one. India saw its first TV series. Yes Naagin came in seasons for 3 months each. Tired from the Saas-bahu saga, audiences welcomed the show with open arms. The show, although regressive, felt like a breath of fresh air as it was a mix of suspense, mystery and horror. The show was a huge hit, so much so, that it came back with another season. It was also touted that Mouni Roy went onto become the highest paid TV actress in 2016. 7. When Mouni Roy featured with Salman Khan in every season of Bigg Boss & their Takkar!!! #Salmo #Mouniroy at #supernightwithtubelight A post shared by Arni My (@rivanya_forever) on Jun 10, 2017 at 11:24am PDT The bhai of Bollywood is fond of Mouni Roy and this video above is proof. From featuring in every season of Bigg Boss to promoting his Tubelight performance, Mouni Roy is seen everywhere with Salman Khan. If Sallu is promoting his movies, then Mouni is bound to make an appearance and vice versa. 8. When Mouni Roy had the most cult item song in Tum Bin -2 Technically we can call it her Bollywood debut but it was only a sassy item song. Mouni Roy got the chance to feature in the coolest song sung by Neha Kakkar, Hardy Sandhu and Raftaar. The song received 28,681,124 views and became a huge hit in the clubs. 9. And NOW .. Mouni is all set to make a debut in GOLD opposite Akshay Kumar. Akshay sir and Mouni Roy snapped recently pic.twitter.com/wqsbEEt8rR Team Akshay (@TeamAkshay) July 11, 2017 Regarding Mounis role in Gold, a source told Mumbai Mirror earlier, that the Naagin actor will extensively shoot with Akshay Kumar in UK and she will be seen in a completely different avatar to suit the era. She is one of the few female characters in the otherwise male dominated narrative. Mouni is definitely getting promoted each year in terms of her performance, looks and fashion and looking at her career graph, we can surely see her sharing screen space with the Khans too. Very soon! The next time you're wondering what to order while eating out, keep a lookout for what you feel while you do so? A recent study due to appear in journal Psychological Science revealed that people who ate unhealthy food over healthy food had a much lower level of self-control to resist the temptation. Reuters/Representational Image Researchers from Ohio State University in Columbus, USA watched in real time as peoples 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. Reuters/Representational Image The study 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. Reuters/Representational Image 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. Can't seem to figure out a way to counter your debilitating chronic pain? You can now heave a sigh of relief as findings published in the journal Brain can help researchers develop new treatments for those affected by the condition. acadiapt/representational image The findings from researchers at the Universities of Bath and Oxford (UK) 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. representational image 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. ucsf/representational image 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 those movements are not automaticthey 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. thetimes/representational image "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. President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has said that he is happy with the progress of relations between the European Union and Ukraine. "I'm happy to be here to witness the joint success of Ukraine and the EU," he said at a joint press conference in Kyiv on Thursday, July 13. "More steps have been taken in the last three years than in the previous twenty; Ukraine should be proud of what it has achieved," a European Commission official statement quoted Juncker as saying. "We've done everything for Ukrainians to travel freely around Europe," he said at the press conference. He called on Ukrainians to visit the European Union and "fall in love with Europe." A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped and brutally murdered in Kotkhai Tehsil, Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh on July 8. People in Kotkhai and Shimla took to streets to protest the heinous crime and demanded justice for the victim. According to reports in local Hindi dailies, the girl was not just strangled to death after gangrape but the assailants also broke her hand and a leg. However, police have not verified such reports. Representational Image The girl, a class 10 student, was returning from her school was allegedly kidnapped by the perpetrators. The tensed parents filed an FIR at the police station and during the investigation her body was found in the woods. The autopsy report revealed that the girl had been brutally gang-raped. So far, the police have only recorded the statements of the victims classmates, school staff, and locals. Representational Image It is being speculated that the perpetrators were aware of the girls routine and knew that she doesnt carry a mobile phone. The naked body of the girl was found in the woods and the police is still clueless about the culprits. Members of the Press Club of Shimla also organised a candle march and demanded justice for the victim. There was no specific intelligence about Monday's attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag but primary analysis by agencies suggests that it could be the result of frustration among terrorists who are on the run due to the aggressive line of security forces. AFP According to official figures, Army, CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir Police are literally hunting down terrorists in the Valley with over 100 killed till Tuesday this year as compared to 150 in the whole of 2016. Officials said out of the 100 terrorists killed in major joint operations this year, 33 belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba and 23 to Hizbul-Mujahideen. ALSO READ: Terrorist Led By LeT Commander Abu Ismail Fired 150 Rounds On Innocent Amarnath Pilgrims AFP Sources said some of the big names gunned down in the last months included LeT's district commander Basir Lashkari (who was listed among A++ category of wanted terrorists in the valley); another top commander of Pakistan-based outfit Abu Haris; outfit's divisional commander Abu Musaib; and Hizbul commanders Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, Aquib Ahmad Bhat, Abu Hamza and Gulzar Ahmad Lone. AFP According to a senior official who coordinates joint operations with army, CRPF and J&K police's SOG, most of the terrorists have been neutralised in Budgam, Kupwara, Kulgam, Baramulla, Anantnag, Bandipore and Pulwama. He said while 57 terrorists have been killed in joint operations, 43 were killed while infiltrating from Pakistan. "Specific intelligence is being gathered on terrorists hidings in villages and they are being targeted as part of coordinated operations. For example, three terrorists - Javid Ahmed, Sheikh Dawood Ahmed and Aaquib Gul - were neutralised in Budgam on Tuesday night after security forces zeroed in on the house where they were holed up," said an official who didn't wish to be named. AFP The officials are, however, concerned about 150 terrorists, including 40-50 who infiltrated from Pakistan, who are still present in south Kashmir. Monday's attack though didn't dampen the spirit of yatris. According to the data of Amarnath Shrine Board, a day after the attack, 10926 yatris travelled from Pahalgam and Baltal. If you have old newspapers lying at home or if you are planning to sell them to the kabaadiwala, wait. Instead, donate them to Uday Foundation, an NGO who offers humanitarian support to the homeless. Uday Foundation/ketto The NGO organises a food donation drive twice a week to feed hungry patients or their family members queuing outside All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Safdarjung hospitals in New Delhi. The newspapers donated to the foundation are sold to paper mannufacturers and the money received is then used to organise these drives on Wednesdays and Fridays, between 11 am and 1.30 pm. Uday Foundation/ketto One plate of food costs the foundation Rs. 15. That cost is covered by selling a load of 1.5 kg newspapers. The patients and their families who throng these hospitals for treatment often come from other states and are very poor. Because of their poverty, the underprivileged go hungry to save up on their money and use it toward medical expenses. Uday Foundation/ketto Anyone who wishes to donate can either visit their centre at 113A/1, Adchini, Sri Aurobindo Marg or donate on Ketto.org. Volunteers are also welcome who wish to be a part of this initiative. I love shopping in Sarojini Nagar but I just can't stand the rampant. Every time I go to Delhi's beloved Sarojni Nagar, I come home with unaccountable white polyethene bags filled with cheap clothes, accessories, gorgeous pair of shoes and a broken toe. With almost entire Delhi flocking the market to get their hands on quirky yet cheap things, it is nearly impossible to come out with clean hands in this coal mine. #crew #crewlife #flightattendant #india #delhimarket #sarojininagar A post shared by (@i77peach) on Jul 11, 2017 at 4:31am PDT But my dear obsessive shopaholic, I have a good news for you! Delhi's Sarojini Nagar just went online and now you splurge anytime, anywhere. OnlineSarojiniNagar is a website that will get you 'Sarojini Mall' at a 'Sarojini Price.' Mohammed Adi, the founder of the venture revealed that he wants to great fashion to people in Tier II and Tier III cities. The idea behind taking this famous market online was to have everyone on board. He also believes that Sarojini Nagar is the reflection of their idea - make great fashion affordable for all. Spreading colourful lights ..... A post shared by Mariya B John (@mariyabjohn) on Jul 8, 2017 at 9:22am PDT The website will offer you dresses at the same low price, but they do not compromise with the quality. Just like you pick and choose clothes for yourself, the management here too is equally concerned. #incredibleindia #travel A post shared by THE BRACE (@thebraceco) on Jul 11, 2017 at 5:50pm PDT Well, let the shopping begin! Continuing to modernise its atomic weaponry, India has now shifted its focus to China instead of Pakistan. The country's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said. bccl An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal- After Midnight - has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India. India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article- "Indian nuclear forces 2017". "While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China," they wrote. bccl "That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons' role against Pakistan," they said. Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile. "At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land- and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade," it said. The article India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium, sufficient for 150-200 nuclear warheads; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, the article said. Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing. Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 kilometres is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China. bccl Continuing to modernise its atomic weaponry, India has now shifted its focus to China instead of Pakistan. The country's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said. Read more Here are more top news of the day: 1) As Rajasthan Falters With Skewed Sex Ratio, Brides Are Being Sold Between Rs 50,000 And 1 Lakh Reuters/Representational Image As Rajasthan is reeling under a skewed sex ratio, youths here are finding it increasingly difficult to get a bride for themselves. However, there's hope for such youths who can purchase a bride at Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh. Read more 2) 16 Private Schools In Noida Served Notice For Not Giving Admissions To Poor Children Under Right To Education bccl Sixteen private schools in Noida have been served notice for allegedly not giving admissions to poor children under the provision of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Read more 3) Gau Rakshaks Strike Again, Beat Up Nagpur Man On Suspicion Of Carrying Beef reuters/representational image A person was reportedly thrashed by a mob on suspicion of carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi village. The incident took place on Wednesday at 11.30 am. The police team reach the spot as soon as they were reported about the incident. However, no arrests have been made so far. Read more 4) Dalits Thrashed By Upper Caste Mob Over Land Dispute In Gujarat, Open Firing Leaves Four Injured reuters Four men belonging to the lower caste were brutally attacked by upper caste members in Mevasa village of Kalyanpur taluka in Devbhoomi-Dwarka district, Gujarat on Tuesday evening. Four Dalit men were injured after a mob of over 20 people from the upper caste opened fire with country-made guns over a land dispute. Read more 5) Kanwariyas Have To Curb Cravings For Junk Food As Govt Bans Burger & Momos For Them BCCL The district administration of Bareilly has issued instructions to the owners of eateries on the kanwar yatra route not to sell junk food to devotees in the Shravan month. Some of the food items that have been specifically mentioned include burgers, noodles, patties, pastries, momos and manchurian. Read more Woman raped, molested, sexually harrassed - not a single day goes by without news of these incidents. It's exhausting to say the least. The most unfortunate fact being, scores of women are subjected to this depravity on a daily basis. Even if they get reported, police who are supposed to take action, don't seem to give two hoots about their safety. Picture for representation Just a few days after Pooja Nair's story of man openly masturbating at her went viral. She claimed that when she called the railway helpline, the person at the other end laughed off the matter and hung up on her. Another disgusting incident of a similar nature cropped up. Isha Chitnis, a Mumbai resident, shared her harrowing experience of how a man masturbated at her and her friend in a Mumbai local. The Incident On June 29, she and her friend were leaving for Nashik from CST railway station. They reached the station at around 5.45 am to board the Tapovan express when they caught a guy shamelessly masturbating. The girls were in utter disbelief about what were witnessed. One of the girls whipped out her camera to film the entire act. When Isha and her friend tried to complain, they were directed from one police man to another. When they finally apprached a police man, he said, "He (the pervert) might also a reservation, just find a seat somewhere else. Following the incident, Isha Chitnis tweeted about it to Ministry of Railway but got no response. With no immediate response, she decided to write a blog and post the video on social media. Facebook/Isha Chitnis Irked by the police man's callous repsone, Isha Chitnis wrote on a digital platform, " Why should I tolerate someone masturbating to me? Why should I adjust to someone invading my personal space and making me feel violated and sick?"' @RailMinIndia You didn't respond to my video. Atleast respond to this. https://t.co/sm5fGnTJKQ Isha Chitnis (@ishaachitnis) July 11, 2017 Soon after her blog about the ordeal went viral, the police sprung into action. A Twitter user, Aananth Dakshnamurthy tagged the railway minister Suresh Prabhu and the divisional railway manager (DRM), Mumbai, who asked the Railway Protection Force to take action. Pervert who had targeted 2 young women at CST held https://t.co/lkGci7BhDZ Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) July 13, 2017 The pervert, named Ashok Pradhan was nabbed within six hours of the news going viral on social media on Wednesday. According to TOI, Pradhan, from Bhubaneswar, works as a mason and had confessed to the act. He will be produced before the metropolitan magistrate. He has been booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty) of IPC. Government Railway Police assistant commissioner Machindra Chavan told TOI, "The constable who had not cooperated with the victims has been identified. He will be suspended and a departmental inquiry conducted." Even with the initial non-cooperation by the officer, Isha didn't give her fight to nab the culprit. It was only after she raised an alarm on social media, that something constructive came out of it. There might be scores of women who have no access to social media and are subjected to this trauma on a daily basis. For those who do have access to social media, make use of it, stand up, speak up and report it. Don't let these perverts go scot-free, they deserve to be named and shamed! A 15-year-old autistic boy is showing the world how compassion is the driving force behind everything. Carter Crockett says he is "putting his autism aside" to help the lives of children with cancer. Facebook/Patti Schneider Crockett Carter Crocket from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pent a year collecting 15,000 crayons and 1,500 coloring books to send to the pediatric cancer patients at St. Jude's, reports Fox News "Well, everyone loves to colour...and I thought, maybe I could bring color back into their lives by donating crayons and coloring books," Carter told Fox News. The idea dawned upon Crockett while having dinner at a restaurant. He asked his mom, Patti Crockett, about annual fundraiser at the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and decided to do something special for children with cancer. "The fact that he was feeling compassion toward other people is huge because that's not something that autistic kids have that's really hard for them to do," Patti Crockett told reporters. "I'm putting my autism on the side so I can help them," says the 15-year-old. His aim is to focusing on children in need and help them look beyond their disability. Carter's charity has been lauded by local police department and St. Jude's hospital staff. What an inspiration! One of Antarcticas largest ice shelves is at the end of its tether, all thanks to global warming. Project MIDAS According to scientists, the rift on the ice shelf grew by 11 miles in the past six days and if and when it breaks off, it'll be the world's biggest icebergs ever recorded. Scientists at the University of Swansea said the break off could produce a new iceberg of about 1,900 square miles, state reports. The ice shelf called Larsen C is about 350m thick and floats on the seas at the edge of West Antarctica. Scientists have been monitoring the progress of Larsen C in a study called Project MIDAS. Adrian Luckman of Project MIDAS warned that there appears to be very little to prevent the iceberg from breaking away completely. The phenomenon of the ice shelf breaking off is called calving. While the iceberg won't be enough to contribute to the rise of sea levels, it could leave the main part of the ice shelf unstable, which could, in turn, contribute to collapse and melting, state reports. Project MIDAS "When it calves, the Larsen C ice shelf will lose more than 10 per cent 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," state scientists who are part of Project MIDAS. This phenomenon is set to draw more attention with President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris agreement. Humanity's love affair with rats just went to a whole new level. For the first time ever, medical researchers have managed to create a miniature human heart - from a rat's heart. Scientists in the US were able to create the revolutionary medical breakthrough by removing the rat cells from the rodent's heart in a way which only left behind its tough skeleton. This was then seeded with human cells which successfully started turning into healthy and functioning heart cells. How to convert a rat's heart into a human's? It doesn't involve sorcery or magic, but a solution used in a technique called 4-Flow cannulation, according to a presentation made at the American Heart Association's American Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2017 Scientific Sessions meeting in Portland, Oregon. The removed rat's heart is pumped with this special solution that essentially removes all the rat cells from the tissue, while maintaining the network of veins, arteries and other blood vessels. The barren "hollow" heart is then repopulated with human cells which then reconstitutes the rodent's heart into mimicking a human heart. For all effective purpose, it is a miniature human heart, if it's pumped with human blood, allowing it to maintain normal flow across the different chambers of the heart. What's the significance of this step? Nope, scientists aren't bonkers to convert a rat's heart into a human heart. Researchers think this breakthrough could revolutionise drug testing and further the medical advances with respect to the heart. Imagine if drugs can be manufactured and quickly tested on these artificial "human" hearts? It could drastically reduce the time taken for manufacturing new medicine which could save millions of lives lost to heart diseases every year here in India and around the world. Maybe, and just maybe, the technique could be deployed to mass produce lab grown human hearts good enough for full transplants -- and save more lives. Ukraine, EU prepare well for visa-free travel, number of entry denials for Ukrainians lower than 1% Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said Ukraine and the European Union have prepared well for the introduction of the visa-free travel for Ukrainians, and the number of entry denials for Ukrainians was less than 1%. "The number of rejections only due to some technical issues is very low, much lower than 1%. That means that Ukraine and the European Union had prepared themselves very well to June 11, when the visa-free travel was launched," Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with EU Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, when answering a question from an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent. He also praised the well-organized work of the border services of EU member states. "As the president of Ukraine, I am completely happy with how this first visa-free month has passed and I thank our European partners for that," Poroshenko added. Remember how Neo inserts a probe into the base of his skull to enter The Matrix? That could soon become a reality. The US military is funding a $65 million program to develop a sort of brain chip that could allow humans to plug directly into computers. Jacking into The Matrix DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) -- which is like the DRDO of the US -- is claiming that this new matrix-style technology would not only allow for the creation of super soldiers but also enable doctors to help blind people see and paralysed people walk again. For its Neural Engineering System Design (NESD) program, DARPA has already selected five US universities who'll jointly work on the project for the US Military -- 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 a combined grant of US $65 million to develop different functions for this 'brain chip'. Four of the teams selected will focus on creating vision interfaces and two will focus on creating and demonstrating working systems on aspects of hearing and speech. It must be stressed that the research being undertaken to realize the potential of NESD will help advance scientists' understanding of the neural aspects of vision, hearing, and speech that they haven't uncovered so far, and could eventually lead to radical new ways of permanently curing people suffering from sensory defects. '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, according to The Daily Mail. The programs first year will focus on making breakthroughs in hardware, software, and neuroscience, and testing them in animals and cells. Phase II will accelerate basic studies, along with focusing in miniaturization and integration of the neural technology, with regulatory approval for human safety testing. DARPA's previously stated goal is to achieve this neural communications link in a biocompatible device (a microchip, for instance) which is no larger than one cubic centimeter in size. That's one helluva task! NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assumes that more servicemen than officially announced are going to take part in the upcoming Zapad-2017 (West-2017) Russian-Belarusian joint military exercise and in this regard, he has asked Moscow to ensure access to the drills for the Alliance's observers. Based on the history of the previous exercises, there is every reason to believe that far more troops will be engaged than it is being officially stated today, Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Brussels following a NATO-Russia Council meeting. Therefore, NATO calls on Russia to abide by the Vienna Document and allow the Alliance to carry out inspections for the purposes of transparency and observation of the drills, he said. The Russian side briefed the participants in the NATO-Russia Council meeting on the upcoming Zapad-2017 exercise and in particular, on the number of airplanes and ships and separately, the number of Russian and Belarusian troops engaged in the exercise, Stoltenberg said. Many NATO countries asked questions and the participants opened a discussion on the figures, Stoltenberg said. Israels Sadistic Reprisals Help Shore Up A Sense Of Victimhood By Jonathan Cook July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - When Israel passed a new counter-terrorism law last year, Ayman Odeh, a leader of the countrys large minority of Palestinian citizens, described its draconian measures as colonialisms last gasp. He said: I see the panic of the French at the end of the occupation of Algeria. The panic and cruelty plumbed new depths last week, when Israeli officials launched a $2.3 million lawsuit against the family of Fadi Qanbar, who crashed a truck into soldiers in Jerusalem in January, killing four. He was shot dead at the scene. The suit demands that his widow, Tahani, reimburse the state for the compensation it awarded the soldiers families. If she cannot raise the astronomic sum, the debt will pass to her four children, the oldest of whom is currently only seven. Israel is reported to be preparing many similar cases. Like other families of Palestinians who commit attacks, the Qanbars are homeless, after Israel sealed their East Jerusalem home with cement. Twelve relatives were also stripped of their residency papers as a prelude to expelling them to the West Bank. None has done anything wrong their crime is simply to be related to someone Israel defines as a terrorist. This trend is intensifying. Israel has demanded that the Palestinian Authority stop paying a small monthly stipend to families like the Qanbars, whose breadwinner was killed or jailed. Conviction rates among Palestinians in Israels military legal system stand at more than 99 per cent, and hundreds of prisoners are incarcerated without charge. Israeli legislation is set to seize $280 million a sum equivalent to the total stipends from taxes Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, potentially bankrupting it. On Wednesday Israel loyalists will introduce in the US Senate a bill to similarly deny the PA aid unless it stops funding terror. Issa Karaka, a Palestinian official, said it would be impossible for the PA to comply: Almost every other household is the family of a prisoner or martyr. Israel has taken collective punishment a serious violation of international law to new extremes, stretching the notion to realms once imaginable only in a dystopian fable like George Orwells 1984. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Israel argues that a potential attacker can only be dissuaded by knowing his loved ones will suffer harsh retribution. Or put another way, Israel is prepared to use any means to crush the motivation of Palestinians to resist its brutal, five-decade occupation. All evidence, however, indicates that when people reach breaking-point, and are willing to die in the fight against their oppressors, they give little thought to the consequences for their families. That was the conclusion of an investigation by the Israeli army more than a decade ago. In truth, Israel knows its policy is futile. It is not deterring attacks, but instead engaging in complex displacement activity. Ever-more sadistic forms of revenge shore up a collective and historic sense of Jewish victimhood while deflecting Israelis attention from the reality that their country is a brutal colonial settler state. If that verdict seems harsh, consider a newly published study into the effects on operators of using drones to carry out extrajudicial executions, in which civilians are often killed as collateral damage. A US survey found pilots who remotely fly drones soon develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress from inflicting so much death and destruction. The Israeli army replicated the study after its pilots operated drones over Gaza during Israels 2014 attack the ultimate act of collective punishment. Some 500 Palestinian children were killed as the tiny enclave was bombarded for nearly two months. Doctors were surprised, however, that the pilots showed no signs of depression or anxiety. The researchers speculate that Israeli pilots may feel more justified in their actions, because they are closer to Gaza than US pilots are to Afghanistan, Iraq or Yemen. They are more confident that they are the ones under threat, even as they rain down death unseen on Palestinians. The determination to maintain this exclusive self-image as the victim leads to outrageous double standards. Last week the Israeli supreme court backed the refusal by officials to seal up the homes of three Jews who kidnapped Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a 16-year-old from Jerusalem, in 2014 and burnt him alive. In May the Israeli government revealed that it had denied compensation to six-year-old Ahmed Dawabsheh, the badly scarred, sole survivor of an arson attack by Jewish extremists that killed his entire family two years ago. Human rights group BTselem recently warned that Israel has given itself immunity from paying compensation to all Palestinians under occupation killed or disabled by the Israeli army even in cases of criminal wrongdoing. This endless heaping of insult upon injury for Palestinians is possible only because the west has indulged Israels wallowing in victimhood so long. It is time to prick this bubble of self-delusion and remind Israel that it, not the Palestinians, is the oppressor. Jonathan Cook is a Nazareth- based journalist and winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. See also Syria Summary - Will The Trump-Putin Agreement Hold? By Moon Of Alabama July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The conflict between the U.S. and Russia over Syria seems to have calmed down after the recent G-20 meeting between Putin and Trump. Some kind of agreement was made but neither its scope nor its bindingness is known. One common current aim is the defeat of ISIS. Source: Fabrice Balanche/WINEP - Bigger At the meeting between the Presidents Trump and Putin in Hamburg a temporary truce was agreed for the south-west area of Syria. The Syrian government (violet) holds the city of Deraa while various foreign sponsored insurgent groups (green), including al-Qaeda and ISIS, occupy the borders towards Israel and Jordan. There had been some serious fighting after recent al-Qaeda attacks on Baath city neat the Golan. During these the Israeli airforce had multiple times supported the al-Qaeda groups with attacks on the Syrian army. Under the truce agreement the Russian side guarantees that the Syrian government and its allies stop fighting while the U.S. guarantees that Israel, the various FSA groups, al-Qaeda and ISIS stay quiet. The truce has now held for several days. There were no spoilers. The U.S. seems to have strong influence with ALL those entities. East of the Deraa area in the governate of Sweida the Syrian army has continued operations against U.S. supported Free Syrian Army groups. Within a few days it has taken a lot of ground against little resistance including a deserted U.S. base that was not publicly known. It is possible that a secret part of the Deraa truce agreement allows for the Syrian army to liberate the whole area next to the Jordan border towards the east up to the U.S. held border crossing at al-Tanf. The U.S. base in Tanf had become nonviable after the Syrian army had taken all ground north of it and Iraqi militia had blocked it from the Iraqi side. The U.S. had trained some Syrian mercenaries at Tanf and had planned to march those north towards Deir Ezzor. As that route is now blocked some of the trained mercenaries were recently transferred by air to Shadadi base in north-east Syria where they will have to fight under Kurdish command. Others have refused to move north. Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra, previously called the New Syrian Army, is mostly made up of local men who probably do not want to leave their nearby families and do not want to come under Kurdish leadership. The U.S. should send them home and leave the area. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Today a new two-pronged move against the ISIS siege on Deir Ezzor was started. Syrian army forces and its allies moved east from their Palmyra positions and south-east from their positions south of Raqqa. An additional move against Deir Ezzor may come from the Syrian forces further south-east near the Iraqi border. The Iraq air force has recently flown attacks against ISIS position in the Deir Ezzor areas. This was done in agreement with the Syrian government. That may be a sign that Iraqi forces will join the fight to relief the city with an additional move south-west from their positions near Tal Afar. The U.S. military has for now given up its dream of assaulting and occupying Deir Ezzor with its proxy forces. The west and north west of Syria have been relatively quiet. A rumored imminent Turkish attack on Kurdish held areas has not happened. The mostly al-Qaeda held areas in Idleb governate are still unruly. Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Turkmen, Uighurs, Kurds, local Free Syrian Army gangs all have their little fiefdoms in the area. Assassinations and attacks on each other are daily occurrences. There is no reason for the Syrian government to intervene in that melee. The agreement between Trump and Putin over Syria might be more wide ranging than is publicly known. For now it seems that the parties have agreed on areas of influences with the U.S. for now; occupying the north-east currently under control of its YPG proxies. It is building more bases there with the total number now being eight or nine. At least three of these have their own airstrips. It is asking Congress to legalize further base building. It is obvious that the U.S. military plans to stay in the area even after ISIS is defeated. But the Kurds are only a minority in almost all areas they currently control. They are not united and the YPG, the only U.S. partner, is a radical anarcho-marxist group that has no legitimacy but force. The area is landlocked and all its neighbors are against Kurdish autonomy. The U.S. effort to impose itself on the area is doomed. The Defense Department, it seems, has not yet accepted that fact. It still may try to sabotage whatever Trump and Putin have agreed upon. This article was first published by Moon Of Alabama - Progressive Democrats: Resist and Submit, Retreat and Surrender By James Petras July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Over the past quarter century progressive writers, activists and academics have followed a trajectory from left to right with each presidential campaign seeming to move them further to the right. Beginning in the 1990s progressives mobilized millions in opposition to wars, voicing demands for the transformation of the USs corporate for-profit medical system into a national Medicare For All public program. They condemned the notorious Wall Street swindlers and denounced police state legislation and violence. But in the end, they always voted for Democratic Party Presidential candidates who pursued the exact opposite agenda. Over time this political contrast between program and practice led to the transformation of the Progressives. And what we see today are US progressives embracing and promoting the politics of the far right. To understand this transformation we will begin by identifying who and what the progressives are and describe their historical role. We will then proceed to identify their trajectory over the recent decades. We will outline the contours of recent Presidential campaigns where Progressives were deeply involved. We will focus on the dynamics of political regression: From resistance to submission, from retreat to surrender. We will conclude by discussing the end result: The Progressives large-scale, long-term embrace of far-right ideology and practice. Progressives by Name and Posture Progressives purport to embrace progress, the growth of the economy, the enrichment of society and freedom from arbitrary government. Central to the Progressive agenda was the end of elite corruption and good governance, based on democratic procedures. Progressives prided themselves as appealing to reason, diplomacy and conciliation, not brute force and wars. They upheld the sovereignty of other nations and eschewed militarism and armed intervention. Progressives proposed a vision of their fellow citizens pursuing incremental evolution toward the good society, free from the foreign entanglements, which had entrapped the people in unjust wars. Progressives in Historical Perspective In the early part of the 20th century, progressives favored political equality while opposing extra-parliamentary social transformations. They supported gender equality and environmental preservation while failing to give prominence to the struggles of workers and African Americans. They denounced militarism in general but supported a series of wars to end all wars. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson embodied the dual policies of promoting peace at home and bloody imperial wars overseas. By the middle of the 20th century, different strands emerged under the progressive umbrella. Progressives split between traditional good government advocates and modernists who backed socio-economic reforms, civil liberties and rights. Progressives supported legislation to regulate monopolies, encouraged collective bargaining and defended the Bill of Rights. Progressives opposed wars and militarism in theory until their government went to war. Lacking an effective third political party, progressives came to see themselves as the left wing of the Democratic Party, allies of labor and civil rights movements and defenders of civil liberties. Progressives joined civil rights leaders in marches, but mostly relied on legal and electoral means to advance African American rights. Progressives played a pivotal role in fighting McCarthyism, though ultimately it was the Secretary of the Army and the military high command that brought Senator McCarthy to his knees. Progressives provided legal defense when the social movements disrupted the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. They popularized the legislative arguments that eventually outlawed segregation, but it was courageous Afro-American leaders heading mass movements that won the struggle for integration and civil rights. In many ways the Progressives complemented the mass struggles, but their limits were defined by the constraints of their membership in the Democratic Party. The alliance between Progressives and social movements peaked in the late sixties to mid-1970s when the Progressives followed the lead of dynamic and advancing social movements and community organizers especially in opposition to the wars in Indochina and the military draft. The Retreat of the Progressives By the late 1970s the Progressives had cut their anchor to the social movements, as the anti-war, civil rights and labor movements lost their impetus (and direction). The numbers of progressives within the left wing of the Democratic Party increased through recruitment from earlier social movements. Paradoxically, while their numbers were up, their caliber had declined, as they sought to fit in with the pro-business, pro-war agenda of their Presidents party. Without the pressure of the populist street the Progressives-turned-Democrats adapted to the corporate culture in the Party. The Progressives signed off on a fatal compromise: The corporate elite secured the electoral party while the Progressives were allowed to write enlightened manifestos about the candidates and their programs . . . which were quickly dismissed once the Democrats took office. Yet the ability to influence the electoral rhetoric was seen by the Progressives as a sufficient justification for remaining inside the Democratic Party. Moreover the Progressives argued that by strengthening their presence in the Democratic Party, (their self-proclaimed boring from within strategy), they would capture the party membership, neutralize the pro-corporation, militarist elements that nominated the president and peacefully transform the party into a vehicle for progressive changes. Upon their successful deep penetration the Progressives, now cut off from the increasingly disorganized mass social movements, coopted and bought out many prominent black, labor and civil liberty activists and leaders, while collaborating with what they dubbed the more malleable centrist Democrats. These mythical creatures were really pro-corporate Democrats who condescended to occasionally converse with the Progressives while working for the Wall Street and Pentagon elite. The Retreat of the Progressives: The Clinton Decade Progressives adapted the crab strategy: Moving side-ways and then backwards but never forward. Progressives mounted candidates in the Presidential primaries, which were predictably defeated by the corporate Party apparatus, and then submitted immediately to the outcome. The election of President Bill Clinton launched a period of unrestrained financial plunder, major wars of aggression in Europe (Yugoslavia) and the Middle East (Iraq), a military intervention in Somalia and secured Israels victory over any remnant of a secular Palestinian leadership as well as its destruction of Lebanon! No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Like a huge collective Monica Lewinsky robot, the Progressives in the Democratic Party bent over and swallowed Clintons vicious 1999 savaging of the venerable Glass Steagall Act, thereby opening the floodgates for massive speculation on Wall Street through the previously regulated banking sector. When President Clinton gutted welfare programs, forcing single mothers to take minimum-wage jobs without provision for safe childcare, millions of poor white and minority women were forced to abandon their children to dangerous makeshift arrangements in order to retain any residual public support and access to minimal health care. Progressives looked the other way. Progressives followed Clintons deep throated thrust toward the far right, as he outsourced manufacturing jobs to Mexico (NAFTA) and re-appointed Federal Reserves free market, Ayn Rand-fanatic, Alan Greenspan. Progressives repeatedly kneeled before President Clinton marking their submission to the Democrats hard right policies. The election of Republican President G. W. Bush (2001-2009) permitted Progressives to temporarily trot out and burnish their anti-war, anti-Wall Street credentials. Out in the street, they protested Bushs savage invasion of Iraq (but not the destruction of Afghanistan). They protested the media reports of torture in Abu Ghraib under Bush, but not the massive bombing and starvation of millions of Iraqis that had occurred under Clinton. Progressives protested the expulsion of immigrants from Mexico and Central America, but were silent over the brutal uprooting of refugees resulting from US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the systematic destruction of their nations infrastructure. Progressives embraced Israels bombing, jailing and torture of Palestinians by voting unanimously in favor of increasing the annual $3 billion dollar military handouts to the brutal Jewish State. They supported Israels bombing and slaughter in Lebanon. Progressives were in retreat, but retained a muffled voice and inconsequential vote in favor of peace, justice and civil liberties. They kept a certain distance from the worst of the police state decrees by the Republican Administration. Progressives and Obama: From Retreat to Surrender While Progressives maintained their tepid commitment to civil liberties, and their highly leveraged hopes for peace in the Middle East, they jumped uncritically into the highly choreographed Democratic Party campaign for Barack Obama, Wall Streets First Black President. Progressives had given up their quest to realign the Democratic Party from within: they turned from serious tourism to permanent residency. Progressives provided the foot soldiers for the election and re-election of the warmongering Peace Candidate Obama. After the election, Progressives rushed to join the lower echelons of his Administration. Black and white politicos joined hands in their heroic struggle to erase the last vestiges of the Progressives historical legacy. Obama increased the number of Bush-era imperial wars to attacking seven weak nations under Americans First Black Presidents bombardment, while the Progressives ensured that the streets were quiet and empty. When Obama provided trillions of dollars of public money to rescue Wall Street and the bankers, while sacrificing two million poor and middle class mortgage holders, the Progressives only criticized the bankers who received the bailout, but not Obamas Presidential decision to protect and reward the mega-swindlers. Under the Obama regime social inequalities within the United States grew at an unprecedented rate. The Police State Patriot Act was massively extended to give President Obama the power to order the assassination of US citizens abroad without judicial process. The Progressives did not resign when Obamas kill orders extended to the mistaken murder of his targets children and other family member, as well as unidentified bystanders. The icon carriers still paraded their banner of the first black American President when tens of thousands of black Libyans and immigrant workers were slaughtered in his regime-change war against President Gadhafi. Obama surpassed the record of all previous Republican office holders in terms of the massive numbers of immigrant workers arrested and expelled 2 million. Progressives applauded the Latino protestors while supporting the policies of their first black President. Progressive accepted that multiple wars, Wall Street bailouts and the extended police state were now the price they would pay to remain part of the Democratic coalition (sic). The deeper the Progressives swilled at the Democratic Party trough, the more they embraced the Obamas free market agenda and the more they ignored the increasing impoverishment, exploitation and medical industry-led opioid addiction of American workers that was shortening their lives. Under Obama, the Progressives totally abandoned the historic American working class, accepting their degradation into what Madam Hillary Clinton curtly dismissed as the deplorables. With the Obama Presidency, the Progressive retreat turned into a rout, surrendering with one flaccid caveat: the Democratic Party Socialist Bernie Sanders, who had voted 90% of the time with the Corporate Party, had revived a bastardized military-welfare state agenda. Sanders Progressive demagogy shouted and rasped on the campaign trail, beguiling the young electorate. The Bernie eventually sheep-dogged his supporters into the pro-war Democratic Party corral. Sanders revived an illusion of the pre-1990 progressive agenda, promising resistance while demanding voter submission to Wall Street warlord Hillary Clinton. After Sanders round up of the motley progressive herd, he staked them tightly to the far-right Wall Street war mongering Hillary Clinton. The Progressives not only embraced Madame Secretary Clintons nuclear option and virulent anti-working class agenda, they embellished it by focusing on Republican billionaire Trumps demagogic, nationalist, working class rhetoric which was designed to agitate the deplorables. They even turned on the working class voters, dismissing them as irredeemable racists and illiterates or white trash when they turned to support Trump in massive numbers in the fly-over states of the central US. Progressives, allied with the police state, the mass media and the war machine worked to defeat and impeach Trump. Progressives surrendered completely to the Democratic Party and started to advocate its far right agenda. Hysterical McCarthyism against anyone who questioned the Democrats promotion of war with Russia, mass media lies and manipulation of street protest against Republican elected officials became the centerpieces of the Progressive agenda. The working class and farmers had disappeared from their bastardized identity-centered ideology. Guilt by association spread throughout Progressive politics. Progressives embraced J. Edgar Hoovers FBI tactics: Have you ever met or talked to any Russian official or relative of any Russian banker, or any Russian or even read Gogol, now or in the past? For progressives, Russia-gate defined the real focus of contemporary political struggle in this huge, complex, nuclear-armed superpower. Progressives joined the FBI/CIAs Russian Bear conspiracy: Russia intervened and decided the Presidential election no matter that millions of workers and rural Americans had voted against Hillary Clinton, Wall Streets candidate and no matter that no evidence of direct interference was ever presented. Progressives could not accept that their constituents, the masses, had rejected Madame Clinton and preferred the Donald. They attacked a shifty-eyed caricature of the repeatedly elected Russian President Putin as a subterfuge for attacking the disobedient white trash electorate of Deploralandia. Progressive demagogues embraced the coifed and manicured former Director Comey of the FBI, and the Mr. Potato-headed Capo of the CIA and their forty thugs in making accusations without finger or footprints. The Progressives far right- turn earned them hours and space on the mass media as long as they breathlessly savaged and insulted President Trump and his family members. When they managed to provoke him into a blind rage . . . they added the newly invented charge of psychologically unfit to lead presenting cheap psychobabble as grounds for impeachment. Finally! American Progressives were on their way to achieving their first and only political transformation: a Presidential coup detat on behalf of the Far Right! Progressives loudly condemned Trumps overtures for peace with Russia, denouncing it as appeasement and betrayal! In return, President Trump began to out-militarize the Progressives by escalating US involvement in the Middle East and South China Sea. They swooned with joy when Trump ordered a missile strike against the Syrian government as Damascus engaged in a life and death struggle against mercenary terrorists. They dubbed the petulant release of Patriot missiles Presidential. Then Progressives turned increasingly Orwellian: Ignoring Obamas actual expulsion of over 2 million immigrant workers, they condemned Trump for promising to eventually expel 5 million more! Progressives, under Obama, supported seven brutal illegal wars and pressed for more, but complained when Trump continued the same wars and proposed adding a few new ones. At the same time, progressives out-militarized Trump by accusing him of being weak on Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. They chided him for his lack support for Israels suppression of the Palestinians. They lauded Trumps embrace of the Saudi war against Yemen as a stepping-stone for an assault against Iran, even as millions of destitute Yemenis were exposed to cholera. The Progressives had finally embraced a biological weapon of mass destruction, when US-supplied missiles destroyed the water systems of Yemen! Conclusion Progressives turned full circle from supporting welfare to embracing Wall Street; from preaching peaceful co-existence to demanding a dozen wars; from recognizing the humanity and rights of undocumented immigrants to their expulsion under their First Black President; from thoughtful mass media critics to servile media megaphones; from defenders of civil liberties to boosters for the police state; from staunch opponents of J. Edgar Hoover and his dirty tricks to camp followers for the intelligence community in its deep state campaign to overturn a national election. Progressives moved from fighting and resisting the Right to submitting and retreating; from retreating to surrendering and finally embracing the far right. Doing all that and more within the Democratic Party, Progressives retain and deepen their ties with the mass media, the security apparatus and the military machine, while occasionally digging up some Bernie Sanders-type demagogue to arouse an army of voters away from effective resistance to mindless collaboration. James Petras is a Bartle Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University, New York. http://petras.lahaine.org Throwing a Curveball at Intelligence Community Consensus on Russia Definitive assessment was not what it proclaimed to be. By Scott Ritter July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - A January intelligence product has served as the basis for a series of Congressional hearings into the issue of Russian meddling into American electionsand has taken on a near canonical quality that precludes any critical questioning of either the authors or their findings. There is one major problem, however: the supposedly definitive assessment was not that which it proclaimed to be. On January 6, the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (DNI) released a National Intelligence Assessment (NIA), Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections . Billed as a declassified version of a highly classified assessment whose conclusions are identical to those in the highly classified assessment, the report purported to be an analytic assessment drafted and coordinated among The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and The National Security Agency (NSA), which draws on intelligence information collected and disseminated by those three agencies. A National Intelligence Assessment, like its big brother, the National Intelligence Estimate, is supposed to reflect the considered opinion of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Products such as the Russian NIA are the sole purview of the National Intelligence Council (NIC), whose mission is to serve as a facilitator of Intelligence Community collaboration and outreach through the work of National Intelligence Officers (NIOs) who are the Intelligence Communitys experts on regional and functional areassuch as Russia and cyber attacks. Although published under the imprimatur of the NIC, the cover of the Russian NIA lacks the verbiage This is an IC-Coordinated Assessment, which nearly always accompanies a NIC product, nor does it provide any identification regarding under whose auspices the Russia NIA was prepared. (Normally the name of the responsible NIO or identity of the specific office responsible for drafting the assessment would be provided.) Simply put, the Russia NIA is not an IC-coordinated assessmentthe vehicle for such coordination, the NIC, was not directly involved in its production, and no NIO was assigned as the responsible official overseeing its production. Likewise, the Russia NIA cannot be said to be the product of careful coordination between the CIA, NSA and FBIwhile analysts from all three agencies were involved in its production, they were operating as part of a separate, secretive task force operating under the close supervision of the Director of the CIA, and not as an integral part of their home agency or department. This deliberate misrepresentation of the organizational bona fides of the Russia NIA casts a shadow over the viability of the analysis used to underpin the assessments and judgments contained within. This is especially so when considered in the larger framework of what a proper IC-coordinated assessment process should look like, and in the aftermath of the intelligence failures surrounding Iraqs weapons of mass destruction and the lessons learned from that experience, none of which were applied when it came to the Russia NIA. A Most Sensitive Source Sometime in the summer of 2015, the U.S. intelligence community began collecting information that suggested foreign actors, believed to be Russian, were instigating a series of cyber attacks against government and civilian targets in the United States. The first indications of this cyber intrusion came from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British spy agency tasked with monitoring communications and signals of intelligence interest. GCHQ had detected a surge of phishing attacks targeting a wide-range of U.S. entities, and reported this through existing liaison channels to NSA, its American counterpart organization. Among the targets singled out for this phishing attack was the Democratic National Committee; malware associated with these intrusions mirrored the operational methodologies and techniques previously used by Russian actors some cyber security analysts believed were affiliated with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Both the NSA and the FBI began actively monitoring this wave of attacks, tipping off entities targeted, including the DNC, that there computer systems had been compromised. Separate from the phishing attacks, the DNC claims to have detected a separate cyber intrusion into its servers in April 2016. The DNC called in a private cybersecurity company, Crowdstrike, to investigate, despite the fact that it was in active discussions with the FBI about the earlier intrusion. Crowdstrike claims to have discovered evidence of a separate malware attack, which Crowdstrike concluded was being directed by Russian Military Intelligence (GRU). Curiously, the DNC made no effort to coordinate its findings with the FBI, or to turn over its servers to the FBI for forensic examination, instead opting to go to the Washington Post , which published the Crowdstrike findings, including its attribution of responsibility for the intrusions to Russian intelligence services, on June 22, 2016. The Washington Post /Crowdstrike attribution took on domestic political import when, in July 2016, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention where Hillary Clinton was to be nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for president, the online publisher Wikileaks released emails sourced from the DNC that were embarrassing to the Democratic Party and considered damaging to the Clinton campaign. Despite claims by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange that the emails did not come from Russia, the Clinton campaign immediately charged otherwise, and that the leak of the emails to Wikileaks was part of a Russian campaign to undermine the campaign. According to reporting from the Washington Post , sometime during this period, CIA Director John Brennan gained access to a sensitive intelligence report from a foreign intelligence service. This service claimed to have technically penetrated the inner circle of Russian leadership to the extent that it could give voice to the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he articulated Russias objectives regarding the 2016 U.S. Presidential electionto defeat Hillary Clinton and help elect Donald Trump, her Republican opponent. This intelligence was briefed to President Barack Obama and a handful of his closest advisors in early August, with strict instructions that it not be further disseminated. The explosive nature of this intelligence report, both in terms of its sourcing and content, served to drive the investigation of Russian meddling in the American electoral process by the U.S. intelligence community. The problem, however, was that it wasnt the U.S. intelligence community, per se, undertaking this investigation, but rather (according to the Washington Post ) a task force composed of several dozen analysts from the CIA, NSA and FBI, hand-picked by the CIA director and set up at the CIA Headquarters who functioned as a sealed compartment, its work hidden from the rest of the intelligence community. The result was a closed-circle of analysts who operated in complete isolation from the rest of the U.S. intelligence community. The premise of their workthat Vladimir Putin personally directed Russian meddling in the U.S. Presidential election to tip the balance in favor of Donald Trumpwas never questioned in any meaningful fashion, despite its sourcing to a single intelligence report from a foreign service. President Obama ordered the U.S. intelligence community to undertake a comprehensive review of Russian electoral meddling. As a result, intelligence analysts began to reexamine old intelligence reports based upon the premise of Putins direct involvement, allowing a deeply disturbing picture to be created of a comprehensive Russian campaign to undermine the American electoral process. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter These new reports were briefed to select members of Congress (the so-called Gang of Eight, comprising the heads of the intelligence oversight committees and their respective party leadership) on a regular basis starting in September 2016. Almost immediately thereafter, Democratic members began clamoring for the president to call out Putin and Russia publicly on the issue of election meddling. These demands intensified after the November 2016 election, which saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. Intelligence collected after the election, when viewed from the prism of the foregone conclusion that Putin and Russia had worked to get Trump elected, seemed to confirm the worst suspicions of the intelligence analysts and their Congressional customers (in particular, the Democrats). Calls to make public intelligence that showed Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election intensified until finally, on December 9, 2016, President Obama ordered the U.S. intelligence community to prepare a classified review of the matter. The review was completed by December 29, and briefed to the President that same day. Brennans task force did the majority of the analysis, which solidified the premise of Russian interference that emanated from the original foreign intelligence report that started this process back in early August. President Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreation facilities the FBI believed were being used to spy on American targets, as well as levied sanctions against persons and entities in Russia, including those affiliated with Russian intelligence, in retaliation for the Russian meddling in American electoral affairs detailed by the intelligence review. Remember Curveball Any meaningful discussion of the analytical processes involved in the production of the Russia NIA must take into account the elephant in the room, namely the October 2002 NIE on Iraq, Iraqs Continuing Program for Weapons of Mass Destruction . The Iraq NIE will go down in history as the manifestation of one of the greatest intelligence failures in U.S. history. The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, created under Presidential order in 2004 to investigate this failure, was unforgiving: We conclude that the Intelligence Community was dead wrong in almost all of its pre-war judgments about weapons of mass destruction. This was a major intelligence failure. The problem was more than simply getting the assessments wrong. There were, the commission noted, also serious shortcomings in the way these assessments were made and communicated to policymakersin short, the NIE process had fundamentally failed. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2004, Congress mandated the creation of the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in an effort to encourage the free flow of intelligence information between the various agencies comprising the U.S. intelligence community to prevent the kind of intelligence failures that led to the failure to detect and prevent the 9/11 attacks. While the ODNI was created after the publication of the Iraq NIE, and had as its impetus the intelligence failures surrounding the 9/11 terror attacks, and not Iraq, the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities believed that this new structure was a step in the right direction toward resolving some of the underlying systemic failures that led to the intelligence failure regarding Iraq. The Commission, moreover, made several recommendations regarding the organization of the U.S. intelligence community that were designed to forestall the kind of systemic failures witnessed in the Iraq case. One of these recommendations was the need to create mission managers who would ensure that the analytic community adequately addresses key intelligence needs on high priority topics. One of the ways Mission Managers would achieve this would be through the fostering of competitive analysis by ensuring that finished intelligence routinely reflects the knowledge and competing views of analysts from all agencies in the Community. In this way, the Commission held, mission managers could prevent so-called groupthink among analysts. The Commission made other recommendations, including that the DNI build on the statutory requirement for alternative analysis and the existing red cell process that postulates speculative analytical positions in response to more formal assessments, and formally empower specific offices to generate alternative hypothesis and part of a systemic process of alternative analysis. In doing so, the DNI would ensure that the kind of blinder-driven analysis such as which took place with the Iraq NIEsuch as not considering that Saddam Hussein would have gotten rid of his WMD stocks in 1991would never again occur. Most of these recommendations were approved by President Bush and subsequently acted on by the DNI. The heads of the National Counterintelligence Center, the National Counter-proliferation Center, and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center were converted into functional National Intelligence Managers, while the NIOs serving under the aegis of the National Intelligence Council became regional National Intelligence Managers. Cyber-driven issues took on a new importance, with a new Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center being formed in 2015, following the creation of a new NIO for cyber Issues in 2011. The CIA followed suit, embarking on a program that broke down the powerful regional divisions that had dominated the agency since its founding in 1947, and replacing them with new mission centers headed by mission managers drawn from the ranks of the most experienced senior CIA officers in their respective fields. There is no Cyber Mission Center per se; instead, the CIA created a new Directorate of Digital Innovation in 2015, whose officers support the work of the existing functional and regional mission centers. The CIA was mandated to incorporate red cell alternative analysis processes into its work in the aftermath of 9/11; rather than replicate this activity, the DNI instead published new analytic standards in 2015 that required the incorporation of analysis of alternativesthe systematic evaluation of differing hypotheses to explain events of phenomenainto all analytical products. All of these new mechanisms were in place at the time of the phishing attacks detected by GCHQ unfolded in the summer of 2015, emails stored on the computer servers of the DNC were compromised in the summer of 2016, and Brennan obtained his foreign-intelligence report directly attributing Russian interference in the U.S. 2016 Presidential election to Russian President Vladimir Putin. And yet none of these lessons learned were applied when it came to the production of the Russia NIA. The decision by Brennan early on in the process to create a special task force sequestered from the rest of the intelligence community ensured that whatever product it finally produced would neither draw upon the collection and analytical resources available to the totality of the national intelligence community, nor represent the considered judgment of the entire communitysimply put, the Russia NIA lacked the kind of community cohesiveness that gives national estimates and assessments such gravitas. The over reliance on a single foreign source of intelligence likewise put Brennan and his task force on the path of repeating the same mistake made in the run up to the Iraq War, where the intelligence community based so much of its assessment on a fundamentally flawed foreign intelligence sourceCurveball. Not much is known about the nature of the sensitive source of information Brennan used to construct his case against Russiainformed speculation suggests the Estonian intelligence service, which has a history of technical penetration of Russian governmental organizations as well as a deep animosity toward Russia that should give pause to the kind of effort to manipulate American policy toward Russia in the same way Iraqi opposition figures (Ahmed Chalabi comes to mind) sought to do on Iraq. The approach taken by Brennans task force in assessing Russia and its president seems eerily reminiscent of the analytical blinders that hampered the U.S. intelligence community when it came to assessing the objectives and intent of Saddam Hussein and his inner leadership regarding weapons of mass destruction. The Russia NIA notes, Many of the key judgmentsrely on a body of reporting from multiple sources that are consistent with our understanding of Russian behavior. There is no better indication of a tendency toward group think than that statement. Moreover, when one reflects on the fact much of this body of reporting was shoehorned after the fact into an analytical premise predicated on a single source of foreign-provided intelligence, that statement suddenly loses much of its impact. The acknowledged deficit on the part of the U.S. intelligence community of fact-driven insight into the specifics of Russian presidential decision-making, and the nature of Vladimir Putin as an individual in general, likewise seems problematic. The U.S. intelligence community was hard wired into pre-conceived notions about how and what Saddam Hussein would think and decide, and as such remained blind to the fact that he would order the totality of his weapons of mass destruction to be destroyed in the summer of 1991, or that he could be telling the truth when later declaring that Iraq was free of WMD. President Putin has repeatedly and vociferously denied any Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Those who cite the findings of the Russia NIA as indisputable proof to the contrary, however, dismiss this denial out of hand. And yet nowhere in the Russia NIA is there any evidence that those who prepared it conducted anything remotely resembling the kind of analysis of alternatives mandated by the ODNI when it comes to analytic standards used to prepare intelligence community assessments and estimates. Nor is there any evidence that the CIAs vaunted Red Cell was approached to provide counterintuitive assessments of premises such as What if President Putin is telling the truth? Throughout its history, the NIC has dealt with sources of information that far exceeded any sensitivity that might attach to Brennans foreign intelligence source. The NIC had two experts that it could have turned to oversee a project like the Russia NIAthe NIO for Cyber Issues, and the Mission Manager of the Russian and Eurasia Mission Center; logic dictates that both should have been called upon, given the subject matter overlap between cyber intrusion and Russian intent. The excuse that Brennans source was simply too sensitive to be shared with these individuals, and the analysts assigned to them, is ludicrousboth the NIO for cyber issues and the CIAs mission manager for Russia and Eurasia are cleared to receive the most highly classified intelligence and, moreover, are specifically mandated to oversee projects such as an investigation into Russian meddling in the American electoral process. President Trump has come under repeated criticism for his perceived slighting of the U.S. intelligence community in repeatedly citing the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction intelligence failure when downplaying intelligence reports, including the Russia NIA, about Russian interference in the 2016 election. Adding insult to injury, the presidents most recent comments were made on foreign soil (Poland), on the eve of his first meeting with President Putin, at the G-20 Conference in Hamburg, Germany, where the issue of Russian meddling was the first topic on the agenda. The politics of the wisdom of the timing and location of such observations aside, the specific content of the presidents statements appear factually sound. When speaking on the issue of U.S. intelligence community consensus regarding the findings of the Russia NIA, President Trump commented, I heard it was 17 agencies [that reached consensus on the Russian NIA]it turned out to be three or four. It wasnt 17. Trump went on to opine about allegations of Russian hacking: Nobody really knows. Nobody really knows for sureI remember when I was sitting back listening about Iraqweapons of mass destructionhow everybody was 100 percent sure that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Guess what? That led to one big mess. They were wrong. On both counts, the President was correct. Who Is Russian Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya? By Aaron Kesel July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - On Sunday, The New York Times followed up with a report that stated Trump Jr. was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with the Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign. Those in attendance of the meeting besides Trump Jr. included Paul Manafort, President Trumps campaign manager at the time, and Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law and current advisor according to The Times. The person who set up the meeting was Rob Goldstone, a music publicist and personal friend of Trump Jr. Goldstone has been active with the Miss Universe pageant once owned by Trump and works as a manager for Emin Agalarov, a Russian pop star. Members of the presidents legal team have identified Goldstone as the acquaintance who sought the meeting is associated with Fusion GPS, according to a report by Circa News. Viewing Vaselnitskayas Instagram and Facebook it becomes apparent she is heavily anti-Trump and anti-Putin, so why would she claim she has evidence to help Trump from the Kremlin? It becomes quickly obvious that something is not right and does not add up. Veselnitskaya even posted an anti-Trump article on her Facebook page four days prior to her meeting with Donald Trump Jr. on June 9th. So was she a plant to sell the Russia hacked the election narrative? Full archive of Veselnitskayas Facebook can be seen here . The article she posted was entitled NY Attorney General: Trump University Is a Straight Up Fraud Case (Video) regarding the investigation into Trump University for fraud. Heres where things get weird and what the mainstream media is refusing to talk about. Not only is she adamantly anti-Trump but she is coincidentally connected to Fusion GPS the same firm that former MI6 Christopher Steele was employed by to collect information on then-candidate Donald Trump. According to Veselnitskayas affidavit filed in New York in January 2016, she managed to get special permission to enter the United States after having been denied a visa. Her company, Kamerton Consulting, defended Denis Katsyv, representing his company Prevezon Holdings. The actual date of the hearing in the case U.S. v. Prevezon Holdings was the exact same date as the meeting in Trump Tower June 9th 2016. Prevezon Holdings is a beneficiary of Fusion GPS, reported Circa News. Katsyv is 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 an alleged massive Russian tax fraud scheme. That case was settled in New York in May for $6 million dollars. Veselnitskaya has for several years been leading a campaign to have the Magnitsky Act overturned by the U.S. government an Act that was established after Sergei Magnitsky a lawyer with investment advisory Hermitage Capital died in prison. Magnitsky uncovered the alleged $230 million dollar Russian tax fraud scheme. The Act was put into U.S. law to target those Russians who may have been responsible for his death. As part of her effort she allegedly hired GPS Fusion. A complaint filed last year by Senator Chuck Grassley claimed that Fusion GPS headed a pro-Russia campaign to kill the Magnitsky Act. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Fusion has denied claims that it facilitated the meeting between Veselnitskaya and Trump Jr. despite having ties to the Russian lawyer and employing someone for opposition research within the same time frame of the meeting. 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, Fusion GPS said. Veselnitskaya also denied claims that she spoke about any matters regarding the presidential campaign at the meeting. 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. Veselnitskaya told The New York Times. Veselnitskaya told NBC News on Monday she was not with the Kremlin as was reported by The New York Times. Kamerton Consulting, is based in a Moscow suburb and does not even have a website , which begs the question is it a shell company? Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Monday that the Kremlin is unaware of a meeting between Trumps senior staff and Veselnitskaya and does not know who that is. No, we dont know who that is and obviously we cant monitor all meetings Russian lawyers hold both in Russia and abroad, Dmitry Peskov said . Its has also been reported that Veselnitskaya was seen sitting next to Obamas Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, during a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia and the Ukraine that took place on June 14, 2016, 8 days after meeting Trump Jr. She also helped set up an event at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. where pro-Russian supporters showed a movie that challenged the Magnitsky Act. Then there is the fact that Obamas Justice Department at the behest of Loretta Lynch allowed Veselnitskaya into the U.S. right before the meeting at Trump Tower. The question on everyones mind now is, Who is Natalia Veselnitskaya and why was she seated at a committee hearing on Russia and the Ukraine? Only time will bring more answers to who this woman really is. Aaron Kesel writes for Activist Post . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. See also Home Russian Oligarch Hired Lawyer Who Met Donald Trump Jr He paid shadowy research company behind dirty dossier - then settled $230million money laundering case for just $6million By Alana Goodman Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's meeting with the Trump campaign last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington Veselnitskaya's boss Denis Katsyv spearheaded the lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' that has hurt his financial interests The operation included an effort to influence the Trump campaign's Russia policy, as well as targeted meetings with members of congress At the time Katsyv was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's meeting with Donald Trump Jr last June was part of a larger, multi-pronged lobbying campaign in Washington last year launched by Veselnitskaya's boss, a Russian real estate mogul who was facing U.S. money laundering charges. Denis Katsyv, the businessman son of a senior Moscow official, spearheaded the lobbying campaign against the U.S. 'Magnitsky Act' that has hurt his financial interests. The operation included an effort to influence the Trump campaign's Russia policy, as well as targeted meetings with members of congress, events on Capitol Hill, and media outreach to circulate stories that discredited an opponent of the Putin administration. At the time he was charged with $230million in money-laundering offenses. But days before the case was due to come to trial in New York in May of this year, it was settled for just $6million. While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Other operatives included Ron Dellums, a former Democratic congressman from California, who spent at least one afternoon scrambling to meet with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the issue last summer. Katsyv also formed a group called the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation, which first registered to lobby last April. The group is run by lobbyists Rinat Akhmetshin and Robert Arakelian and spent nearly $200,000 on lobbying last year. It says in its disclosure forms that it focuses on 'foreign adoption issues,' a term that has become shorthand for opponents of the Magnitsky Act. The Magnitsky Act is a suite of financial sanctions targeting Russian officials and businesses that was passed by congress in 2012. The law is named after dissident lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died after injuries he sustained in Russian prison in 2009. In response to the sanctions, the Russian government banned Americans from adopting children in the country. Critics of the Magnitsky Act imply that Russia would end the adoption ban in exchange for concessions on the Magnitsky law. They have also raised questions about Sergei Magnitsky's death, suggesting he was not abused in prison and that he was financially corrupt despite claiming to be a government whistleblower. At the height of the lobbying campaign last June, Veselnitskaya managed to obtain a meeting with Trump's son and other members of his inner circle, and also secured a front-row seat at a Senate hearing right behind Michael McFaul, then the U.S. ambassador to Russia. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Meanwhile, Fusion GPS pitched the New York Times, NBC and other outlets on stories that were critical of Magnitsky and his former client, businessman Bill Browder. However, none of the stories gained traction. Other lobbyists working for Katsyv sought sit-downs with prominent congressmen on foreign affairs, including Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Jim McGovern and Rep. French Hill. They also set up a screening on Capitol Hill last summer for a film that questioned Magnitsky's reputation as a whistleblower called The Magnitsky Act Behind the Scenes. The screening drew State Department officials and Capitol Hill staffers, including aides from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's office . While he was awaiting trial, Veselnitskaya and Katsyv's legal team enlisted numerous lobbyists and operatives including Fusion GPS, the research firm that went on to compile the explosive 'dossier' that claimed the Trump campaign was colluding with the Kremlin. Veselnitskaya is seen above in this November 2016 photo Largely unsuccessful. Most significant outcome was the fallout faced by Trump over his son's meeting with Veselnitskaya. The meeting was arranged by Goldstone, the portly British music manager whose links to Veselnitskaya remain unclear. Goldstone told Don Jr. that Veselnitskaya wanted to give the campaign damaging information about Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. However, Don Jr. said Veselnitskaya never produced the Clinton material and instead spent the time discussing Russia policy issues. Whether the lobbying campaign was directly coordinated with the Kremlin is up for debate. Katsyv had personal financial interests. But his motivations were also in line with the Kremlin, which has also fought to unravel the Magnitsky Act. The outcome however was clearly good news for Katsyv. U.S. prosecutors claimed that companies owned by Katsyv through his Prevezon Holdings, and other prominent Russians, evaded taxes on hundreds of millions of dollars by laundering it through foreign banks. Katsyv reportedly sought a deal with the federal government in 2015 by offering to act as an informant on Russian criminal activity, but no settlement was reached at the time. At that point the case was under the supervision of Preet Bhrarara, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan who was fired by Donald Trump in March. Despite pursuing the case for years, the U.S. government unexpectedly agreed to a settlement before going to civil trial, which was announced in May. Under the agreement, the companies will have to pay around $6million in penalties. The link to Fusion GPS also raises new questions. The firm, founded by ex-Wall Street Journal reporters, was behind the now notorious dirty dossier. The dossier written by former British spy Christopher Steele included claims that Trump was being blackmailed by the Russian government over his escapades with Russian prostitutes in Moscow. The document quoted anonymous Russian sources who said the government had videotape of Trump paying escorts to urinate on a hotel room bed that President Obama once slept in. That salacious claim, and others in the dossier that linked Trump insiders to Russian officials, has not been corroborated. The dossier was released after the presidential election, and prompted calls from Democrats to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. That salacious claim, and others in the dossier that linked Trump insiders to Russian officials, has not been corroborated. The dossier was released after the presidential election, and prompted calls from Democrats to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. This article was first published by The Daily Maily - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. See also Russian lawyer pictured with Obamas Ambassador to Russia after meeting Trump Jr. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page Rada gives its consent to MP Dobkin's prosecution, detention and arrest The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has granted three requests by Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko about giving its consent to the prosecution, detention and arrest of lawmaker from the Opposition Block faction Mykhailo Dobkin. Dobkin's prosecution was supported by 288 lawmakers, his detention by 250 MPs, his arrest by 242 MPs at a plenary session on Thursday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. According to the prosecutor general, having conspired with a group of people Dobkin abused his office of head of Kharkiv City Council in the interests of third parties thus committing a criminal offense. The prosecutor general also noted that a preliminary investigation into his actions continues. "An objective, unbiased and rather extensive investigation into the land fraud continues," Lutsenko said. Why Can't the US Left Get Venezuela Right? By Shamus Cooke July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - As Venezuela's fascist-minded oligarchy conspires with U.S. imperialism to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nicolas Maduro, few in the U.S. seem to care. Instead of denouncing rightwing violence that aims at regime change, many on the U.S. left have stayed silent, or opted to give an evenhanded analysis that supports neither the Maduro government nor the oligarchy trying to violently overthrow it. Rather, the left prioritizes its energy on lecturing on Maduros authoritarianism and the failures of Chavismo. This approach allows leftists a cool emotional detachment to the fate of the poor in Venezuela, and clean hands that would otherwise be soiled by engaging with the messy, real life class struggle that is the Venezuelan revolution. A pox on both houses analysis omits the U.S. governments role in collaborating with Venezuelas oligarchs. The decades-long crimes of imperialism against Venezuela is aided and abetted by the silence of the left, or by its murky analysis that minimizes the perpetrators actions, focusing negative attention on the victim precisely at the moment of attack. Any analysis of a former colonial country that doesnt begin with the struggle of self-determination against imperialism is a dead letter, since the x-factor of imperialism has always been a dominant variable in the Venezuelan equation, as books by Eva Gollinger and others have thoroughly explained, and further demonstrated by the ongoing intervention in Latin America by an endless succession of U.S. presidents. The Venezuelan-initiated anti-imperialist movement was strong enough that a new gravitational center was created, that pushed most of Latin America out of the grasp of U.S. domination for the first time in nearly a hundred years. This historic achievement remains minimized for much of the U.S. left, who remain indifferent or uneducated about the revolutionary significance of self-determination for oppressed nations abroad, as well as oppressed peoples inside of the U.S. A thousand valid criticisms can be made of Chavez, but he chose sides in the class fault lines and took bold action at critical junctures. Posters of Chavez remain in the homes of Venezuela's poorest barrios because he proved in action that he was a champion for the poor, while fighting and winning many pitched battles against the oligarchy who wildly celebrated his death. And while its necessary to deeply critique the Maduro government, the present situation requires the political clarity to take a bold, unqualified stance against the U.S.-backed opposition, rather than a rambling nonpartisan analysis that pretends a life or death struggle isnt currently taking place. Yes, a growing number of Venezuelans are incredibly frustrated by Maduro, and yes, his policies have exacerbated the current crisis, but while an active counter-revolutionary offensive continues, the political priority needs to be aimed squarely against the oligarchy, not Maduro. There remains a mass movement of revolutionaries in Venezuela dedicated to Chavismo and to defending Maduros government against the violent anti-regime tactics, but its these labor and community groups that the U.S. left never mentions, as it would pollute their analysis. The U.S. left seems blissfully unaware of the consequences of the oligarchy stepping into the power vacuum if Maduro was successfully ousted. Such a shoddy analysis can be found in Jacobins recent article, Being Honest About Venezuela , which focuses on the problems of Maduros government while ignoring the honest reality of the terror the oligarchy would unleash if it returned to power. How did the U.S. left get it so wrong? Theyve allowed themselves to get distracted by the zig-zags at the political surface, rather than the rupturing fault lines of class struggle below. They see only leaders and are blinded to how the masses have engaged with them. Regardless of Maduros many stumbles, its the rich who are revolting in Venezuela, and if theyre successful it will be the workers and poor who suffer a terrible fate. An analysis of Venezuela that ignores this basic fact belongs either in the trash bin or in the newspapers of the oligarchy. Confusing class interests, or mistaking counter-revolution for revolution in politics is as disorienting as mistaking up for down, night for day. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The overarching issue remains the same since the Venezuelan revolution erupted in 1989s Caracazo uprising, which initiated a revolutionary movement of working and poor people spurred to action by IMF austerity measures. How did Venezuelas oligarchy respond to the 1989 protests? By killing hundreds if not thousands of people. Their return to power would unleash similar if not bloodier statistics. In Venezuela, the revolutionary flame has burned longer than most revolutions, its energy funneled into various channels; from rioting, street demonstrations, land and factory occupations, new political parties and radicalized labor-union federations and into the backbone of support for Hugo Chavezs project, which, to varying degrees supported and even spearheaded many of these initiatives, encouraging the masses to participate directly in politics. Chavezs electoral victory meant and still means that the oligarchy lost control of the government and much of the state apparatus, a rare event in the life of a nation under capitalism. This contradiction is central to the confusion of the U.S. left: the ruling class lost control of the state, but the oligarchy retained control of key sectors of the economy, including the media. But who has control of the state if not the oligarchy? Its too simplistic to say the working class has power, because Maduro has not acted as a consistent leader of the working class, seeming more interested in trying to mediate between classes by making concessions to the oligarchy. Maduros overly-bureaucratic government also limits the amount of direct democracy the working class needs before the term worker state can be applied. But Maduros power base remains the same as it was under Chavez: the working and poor people, and to that extent Maduro can be compared to a trade union president who ignores his members in order to seek a deal with the boss. A trade union, no matter how bureaucratic, is still rooted in the workplace, its power dependent on dues money and collective action of working people. And even a weak union is better than no union, since removing the protection of the union opens the door to sweeping attacks from the boss that inevitably lower wages, destroy benefits and result in layoffs of the most outspoken workers. This is why union members defend their union from corporate attack, even if the leader of the union is in bed with the boss. History is replete with governments brought forth by revolutionary movements but which failed to take the actions necessary to complete the revolution, resulting in a successful counter-revolution. These revolutionary governments often succeed in breaking the chains of neo-colonialism and allowed for an epoch of social reforms and working class initiative, depending on how long they lasted. Their downfall always results in a counter-revolutionary wave of violence, and sometimes a sea of blood. This has happened dozens of times across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where the class divisions are sharper, where imperialism plays a larger role, and where the class dynamics are more variegated: the poor are poorer, there is a larger informal labor force, a larger section of small shopkeepers, larger rural population, etc. Winning significant reforms under capitalism is incredibly difficult, even in rich countries; it is twice as difficult in former colonial countries, due to the death grip the oligarchy has on the economy plus the collaboration of imperialism, which intervenes in financial markets or with bullets to prevent the smallest reforms. The example of Allendes Chile could be compared to Maduros situation in Venezuela. Allende was far from perfect, but can anybody claim that Pinochets coup wasnt a catastrophe for the Chilean working class? In Venezuela the counter-revolution would likely be more devastating, as the oligarchy would have to push back against decades of progress versus Allendes short-lived government. If it came to power the street violence of the oligarchy would be given the resources of the state, aimed squarely at the working class and poor. Maduro is no Chavez, its true, but he has kept most of Chavezs victories intact, maintaining social programs in a time of crashing oil prices while the oligarchy demands pro-market reforms. Hes essentially kept the barking dogs of the oligarchy at bay, who, if unleashed, would ravage the working class. The oligarchy has not accepted the balance of power that Chavez-Maduro have tilted in favor of the working class. A new social contract has not been cemented; it is being actively fought for in the streets. Maduro has made some concessions to the oligarchy its true, but they have not been fundamental concessions, while hes left the fundamental victories of the revolution in tact. The social contract we call Social Democracy in Europe wasnt finalized until a wave of revolution struck after WWII. Although Maduro would likely be happy with such a social democratic agreement in Venezuela, such agreements have proven impossible in developing countries, especially at a time while global capitalism is attacking the social democratic reforms in the advanced countries. The Venezuelan ruling class has no intention of accepting the reforms of Chavez, and why would they so long as U.S. imperialism invests heavily in regime change? A ruling class does not accept power-sharing until they face the prospect of losing everything. And nor should Venezuelas working class accept a social contract under current conditions: they have unmet demands that require revolutionary action against the oligarchy. These contradictory pressures are at the heart of Venezuelas still-unresolved class war, which inevitably leads either to revolutionary action from the left or a successful counter-revolution from the right. Thus, for a U.S. leftist to declare that either side is equally bad is either bad politics or class treachery. Many leftists went bonkers over Syriza in Greece, and they were right to be hopeful. But after radical rhetoric Syriza succumbed to the demands of the IMF that included devastating neoliberal reforms of austerity cuts, privatizations and deregulation. Maduro has steadfastly refused such a path out of Venezuelas economic crisis. This is why Maduro is despised by the rich while the poor generally continue to support the government, although passively but occasionally in giant bursts, such as the hundreds thousands strong May Day mobilization in support of the governments fight against the violent coup attempts, which was all but ignored by most western media outlets, since it spoiled the regime-change narrative of everybody hates Maduro. The essential difference between Maduro and Chavez will make or break the revolution: while Chavez took action to constantly shift the balance of power in favor of the poor, Maduro simply attempts to maintain the balance of forces handed down to him by Chavez, hoping for some kind of agreement from an opposition that has consistently refused all compromise. His ridiculous naivety is a powerful motivating factor for the opposition, who see a stalled revolution in the way a lion views an injured zebra. Venezuelan expert Jorge Martin explains in an excellent article , how the oligarchy would respond if it succeeded in removing Maduro. Their ensuing program would probably include: 1) massively cutting public spending 2) implementing mass layoffs of the public sector 3) destroying the key social programs of the revolution (health care, education, pension, housing, etc.) 4) there would be a privatization frenzy of public resources, though especially the crown jewel PDVSA, the oil company 5) massive deregulation, including turning back rights for labor and ethnic-minority groups 6) they would attack the organizations of the working class that came into existence or grew under the protection of the Chavez-Maduro governments This is Telling the Truth about Venezuela. The U.S. left should know better, since the ruling class exposed what it would do during the Caracazo Uprising, and later when they briefly came to power in their 2002 coup: they aim to reverse everything, using any means necessary. The documentary The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is still required watching about the 2002 coup. Maduro may have finally learned his lesson: Venezuelas crisis has forced him to double down on promoting the interests of the poor. When oil prices collapsed it was inevitable the government would enter a deep crisis, and it had only two choices: deep neoliberal reforms or the deepening of the revolution. This will be the litmus test for Maduro, since the middle ground he sought disappeared. Rather than begging for money from the International Monetary Fund which would have demanded such Syriza-like reforms Maduro instead encouraged workers to takeover idle factories while a General Motors factory was nationalized. A new neighborhood-based organization, CLAP, was created that distributes basic foodstuffs at subsidized prices that benefits millions of people. On May Day this year, in front of hundreds of thousands of supporters, Maduro announced a Constituent Assembly, an attempt to re-engage the masses in the hopes of pushing forward the revolution by creating a new, more progressive constitution. Its true that Maduro is using the Constituent Assembly to overcome the obstruction of the oligarchy-dominated National Assembly whose stated intention is to topple the government but the U.S. left seems indifferent that Maduro is using the mobilization of the working class (the Constituent Assembly) to overcome the barriers of ruling class. This distinction is critical: if the Constituent Assembly succeeds in pushing forward the revolution by directly engaging the masses, it will come at the expense of the oligarchy. The Constituent Assembly is being organized to promote more direct democracy, but sections of the U.S. left have been taken in by the U.S. medias allegations of authoritarianism. If working and poor people actively engage in the process of creating a new, more progressive constitution and this constitution is approved via referendum by a large majority, it will constitute an essential step forward for the revolution. If the masses are unengaged or the referendum fails, it may signify the death knell of Chavismo and the return of the oligarchy. And while Maduro is right to use the state as a repressive agent against the oligarchy, an over reliance on the state repression only leads to more contradictions, rather than relying on the self-activity of the workers and poor. Revolutions cannot be won by administrative tinkering, but rather by revolutionary measures consciously implemented by the vast majority. At bottom its the actions of ordinary working people that make or break a revolution; if the masses are lulled to sleep the revolution is lost. They must be unleashed not ignored. Its clear that Maduros politics have not been capable of leading the revolution to success, and therefore his government requires deep criticism combined with organized protest. But there are two kinds of protest: legitimate protest that arises from the needs of working and poor people, and the counter-revolutionary protest based in the neighborhoods of the rich that aim to restore the power of the oligarchy. Confusing these two kinds of protests are dangerous, but the U.S. left has done precisely this. Maduro is accused of being authoritarian for using police to stop the far-rights violent student protests that seek to restore the oligarchy. Of the many reasons to criticize Maduro this isnt one of them. If a rightwing coup succeeds in Venezuela tomorrow, the U.S. left will weep by the carnage that ensues, while not recognizing that their inaction contributed to the bloodshed. By living in the heart of imperialism the U.S. left has a duty to go beyond critiques from afar to direct action at home. Protesting the Vietnam war helped save the lives of Vietnamese, while the organizing in the 1980s against the dirty wars in Central America limited the destruction levied by the U.S.-backed governments. In both cases the left fell short of what was needed, but at least they understood what was at stake and took action. Now consider the U.S. left of 2017, who cant lift a finger to re-start the antiwar movement and who supported Bernie Sanders regardless of his longstanding affection for imperialism . The pink tide that blasted imperialism out of much of Latin America is being reversed, but Venezuela has always been the motor-force of the leftward shift, and the bloodshed required to reverse the revolution will be remembered forever, if its allowed to happen. Their lives matter too. Shamus Cooke is a social service worker, trade unionist, and writer for Workers Action ( www.workerscompass.org ). He can be reached at shamuscooke@gmail. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Abby Martin Busts Open Myths on Venezuela's Food Crisis: 'Shelves Fully Stocked' http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Abby-Martin-Busts-Open-Myths-on-Venezuelas-Food-Crisis-Shelves-Fully-Stocked-20170711-0031.html Mosul Families Complain Overuse of Airstrikes Killed Thousands Many bodies are still buried in the rubble with parts of the city inaccessible thanks to streets choked with debris, writes Patrick Cockburn in the latest of his series from Iraq By Patrick Cockburn July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - There were very few Daesh [ Isis fighters] in our neighbourhood, but they dropped a lot of bombs on them, says Qais, 47, a resident of the al-Jadida district of Mosul . We reckon that the airstrikes here killed between 600 and 1,000 people. He shows pictures on his phone of a house that had stood beside his own before it was hit by a bomb or missile that had reduced it to a heap of smashed-up bricks. There were no Daesh in the house, says Qais. But there were seven members of the Abu Imad family living there, of whom five were killed along with two passers-by. People in west Mosul say that the intensity of the bombardment from the air was out of all proportion to the number of Isis fighters on the ground. Saad Amr, a volunteer medic, worked in both east and west Mosul during the nine-month siege. He says that the airstrikes on east Mosul were fewer but more accurate, while on the west there were far more of them, but they were haphazard. Nobody knows how many civilians died in Mosul because many of the bodies are still buried under the rubble in 47 degrees heat. Asked to estimate how many people had been killed in his home district of al-Thawra, Saad Amr said: we dont know because houses were often full of an unknown number of displaced people from other parts of the city. Some districts are so badly damaged that it is impossible to reach them. We heard that there had been heavy airstrikes on the districts of Zanjily and Sahba and, from a distance, we could see broken roofs with floors hanging down like concrete flaps. But we could not get there in a car because the streets leading to them were choked with broke masonry and burned out cars. Local people accuse the US-led coalition of massive overuse of force, though they agree that Isis forced people into houses in combat zones and murdered them if they tried to flee. The sighting of a single sniper on a roof, would lead to a whole building being destroyed along with the families inside them. A sign that Isis was not present in any numbers is that, while there are bombed out buildings in every street, there are surprisingly few bullet holes in the walls from automatic rifles or machine guns. In cities like Homs in Syria today or Beirut during the civil war, wherever there had been street fighting of any intensity, walls were always pock-marked with bullet holes. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The accusations of Mosul residents interviewed by The Independent are backed-up by an Amnesty International report called At Any Price: The Civilian Catastrophe in West Mosul. It says that civilians were subjected to a terrifying barrage of fire from weapons that should never be used in densely populated civilian areas. AI 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. This was only a sample of thousands of air attacks on the city, some of which are still going on. Throughout the day in Mosul there has been the periodic thump of more bombs landing in the corner of the Old City still held by Isis. Even where bombs hit their targets, they were often more likely to kill civilians than Isis fighters. For example, AI says that on 17 March 2017 a US airstrike on the Mosul al-Jadida neighbourhood killed at least 105 civilians in order to neutralise two Isis 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. This is the only such incident Mosul to be investigated by the US military, although the US say they always take precautions to reduce civilian casualties. The Isis defended Mosul for nine months instead of the two months expected by the US military by adopting special tactics. Isis commanders relied heavily on snipers who would move swiftly from house to house. The three Iraqi government elite combat units, the Counter-Terrorism Service, Emergency Response Division and the Federal Police, that bore the brunt of the battle, had too few troops to fight house to house. When faced with resistance, they invariable called in air attacks. The consequence of this was explained to AIby Mohamed from al-Tenak neighbourhood in west Mosul: The strikes targeted the Isis snipers. A strike would destroy an entire house of two storeys. Civilian loss of life was so horrific in west Mosul because Isis was merciless in using civilians as human shields. Thousands were herded from their villages in the outskirts into the combat zones and shot or hanged if they tried to escape. Metal doors were welded shut and other exits booby trapped. Those who were caught escaping were hanged from electricity pylons. As Iraqi government forces advanced and Isis retreated, the civilians were squeezed into a smaller area where a single bomb would kill the large numbers of people crammed together. Isis will be even further weakened after the loss of Mosul if fresh reports turn out to be true that its leader Abu Baqr al-Baghdadi was killed earlier in the year. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that it has confirmed information that he is dead as the Russias Defence Ministry had claimed in June. It said that it might have killed him when one of its airstrikes hit a gathering of Isis commanders on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Raqqa. We have confirmed information from leaders, including one of the first rank who is Syrian, in the Islamic State in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zor, said Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the British-based group. The source did not say when or how Baghdadi had died. This article was first published by The Independent - The U.S. Police States Answer to Free Speech Is Brute Force By John W. Whitehead Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us? The constitutional theory is that we the people are the sovereigns, the state and federal officials only our agents. We who have the final word can speak softly or angrily. We can seek to challenge and annoy, as we need not stay docile and quiet.Justice William O. Douglas, dissenting, Colten v. Kentucky, 407 U.S. 104 (1972) Forget everything youve ever been taught about free speech in America. Its all a lie. There can be no free speech for the citizenry when the government speaks in a language of force. What is this language of force? Militarized police. Riot squads. Camouflage gear. Black uniforms. Armored vehicles. Mass arrests. Pepper spray. Tear gas. Batons. Strip searches. Surveillance cameras. Kevlar vests . Drones. Lethal weapons. Less-than-lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force. Rubber bullets. Water cannons. Stun grenades. Arrests of journalists. Crowd control tactics . Intimidation tactics. Brutality. This is not the language of freedom. This is not even the language of law and order. This is the language of force. Unfortunately, this is how the government at all levelsfederal, state and localnow responds to those who choose to exercise their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble in public and challenge the status quo. This police overkill isnt just happening in troubled hot spots such as Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, Md., where police brutality gave rise to civil unrest, which was met with a militarized show of force that caused the whole stew of discontent to bubble over into violence. A decade earlier, the NYPD engaged in mass arrests of peaceful protesters, bystanders, legal observers and journalists who had gathered for the 2004 Republican National Convention. The protesters were subjected to blanket fingerprinting and detained for more than 24 hours at a filthy, toxic pier that had been a bus depot . That particular exercise in police intimidation tactics cost New York City taxpayers nearly $18 million for what would become the largest protest settlement in history. Demonstrators, journalists and legal observers who had gathered in North Dakota to peacefully protest the Dakota Access Pipeline reported being pepper sprayed, beaten with batons, and strip searched by police . More recently, this militarized exercise in intimidation reared its ugly head in the college town of Charlottesville, Va., where protesters who took to the streets to peacefully express their disapproval of a planned KKK rally were held at bay by implacable lines of gun-wielding riot police. Only after a motley crew of Klansmen had been safely escorted to and from the rally by black-garbed police did the assembled army of city, county and state police declare the public gathering unlawful and proceed to unleash canisters of tear gas on the few remaining protesters to force them to disperse. To be clear, this is the treatment being meted out to protesters across the political spectrum. The police state does not discriminate. As a USA Today article notes, Federally arming police with weapons of war silences protesters across all justice movements People demanding justice, demanding accountability or demanding basic human rights without resorting to violence, should not be greeted with machine guns and tanks. Peaceful protest is democracy in action. It is a forum for those who feel disempowered or disenfranchised. Protesters should not have to face intimidation by weapons of war . A militarized police response to protesters poses a danger to all those involved, protesters and police alike. In fact, militarization makes police more likely to turn to violence to solve problems . As a recent study by researchers at Stanford University makes clear, When law enforcement receives more military materials weapons, vehicles and tools it becomes more likely to jump into high-risk situations. Militarization makes every problem even a car of teenagers driving away from a party look like a nail that should be hit with an AR-15 hammer . Even the color of a police officers uniform adds to the tension. As the Department of Justice reports, Some research has suggested that the uniform color can influence the wearerwith black producing aggressive tendencies , tendencies that may produce unnecessary conflict between police and the very people they serve. You want to turn a peaceful protest into a riot? Bring in the militarized police with their guns and black uniforms and warzone tactics and comply or die mindset. Ratchet up the tension across the board. Take what should be a healthy exercise in constitutional principles (free speech, assembly and protest) and turn it into a lesson in authoritarianism. Mind you, those who respond with violence are playing into the governments hands perfectly. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The government wants a reason to crack down and lock down and bring in its biggest guns. They want us divided. They want us to turn on one another. They want us powerless in the face of their artillery and armed forces. They want us silent, servile and compliant. They certainly do not want us to remember that we have rights, let alone attempting to exercise those rights peaceably and lawfully. And they definitely do not want us to engage in First Amendment activities that challenge the governments power, reveal the governments corruption, expose the governments lies, and encourage the citizenry to push back against the governments many injustices. You know how the Charlottesville mayor characterized the tear gassing of protesters by the riot police? He called it an unfortunate event . Unfortunate, indeed. You know what else is unfortunate? Its unfortunate that these overreaching, heavy-handed lessons in how to rule by force have become standard operating procedure for a government that communicates with its citizenry primarily through the language of brutality, intimidation and fear. Its unfortunate that we the people have become the proverbial nails to be hammered into submission by the government and its vast armies. And its particularly unfortunate that government officialsespecially policeseem to believe that anyone who wears a government uniformsoldier, police officer, prison guardmust be obeyed without question. The rationale goes like this: Do exactly what I say, and well get along fine. Do not question me or talk back in any way. You do not have the right to object to anything I may say or ask you to do, or ask for clarification if my demands are unclear or contradictory. You must obey me under all circumstances without hesitation, no matter how arbitrary, unreasonable, discriminatory, or blatantly racist my commands may be. Anything other than immediate perfect servile compliance will be labeled as resisting arrest, and expose you to the possibility of a violent reaction from me. That reaction could cause you severe injury or even death. And I will suffer no consequences. Its your choice: Comply, or die . Indeed, as Officer Sunil Dutta of the Los Angeles Police Department advises: If you dont want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you . Dont argue with me, dont call me names, dont tell me that I cant stop you, dont say Im a racist pig, dont threaten that youll sue me and take away my badge. Dont scream at me that you pay my salary, and dont even think of aggressively walking towards me. This is not the rhetoric of a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. This is not the attitude of someone who understands, let alone respects, free speech. And this is certainly not what I would call community policing , which is supposed to emphasize the importance of the relationship between the police and the community they serve. Any police officer who tells you that he needs tanks, SWAT teams, and pepper spray to do his job shouldnt be a police officer in a constitutional republic. All that stuff in the First Amendment (about freedom of speech, religion, press, peaceful assembly and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances) sounds great in theory. However, it amounts to little more than a hill of beans if you have to exercise those freedoms while facing down an army of police equipped with deadly weapons, surveillance devices, and a slew of laws that empower them to arrest and charge citizens with bogus contempt of cop charges (otherwise known as asserting your constitutional rights). It doesnt have to be this way. There are other, far better models to follow. For instance, back in 2011, the St. Louis police opted to employ a passive response to Occupy St. Louis activists. First, police gave the protesters nearly 36 hours notice to clear the area, as opposed to the 20 to 60 minutes notice other cities gave. Then, as journalist Brad Hicks reports , when the police finally showed up: They didnt show up in riot gear and helmets, they showed up in shirt sleeves with their faces showing. They not only didnt show up with SWAT gear, they showed up with no unusual weapons at all, and what weapons they had all securely holstered. They politely woke everybody up. They politely helped everybody who was willing to remove their property from the park to do so. They then asked, out of the 75 to 100 people down there, how many people were volunteering for being-arrested duty? Given 33 hours to think about it, and 10 hours to sweat it over, only 27 volunteered. As the police already knew, those peoples legal advisers had advised them not to even passively resist, so those 27 people lined up to be peacefully arrested, and were escorted away by a handful of cops. The rest were advised to please continue to protest, over there on the sidewalk and what happened next was the most absolutely brilliant piece of crowd control policing I have heard of in my entire lifetime. All of the cops who werent busy transporting and processing the voluntary arrestees lined up, blocking the stairs down into the plaza. They stood shoulder to shoulder. They kept calm and silent. They positioned the weapons on their belts out of sight. They crossed their hands low in front of them, in exactly the least provocative posture known to man. And they peacefully, silently, respectfully occupied the plaza, using exactly the same non-violent resistance techniques that the protesters themselves had been trained in . As Forbes concluded, This is a more humane, less costly, and ultimately more productive way to handle a protest. This is great proof that police can do it the old fashioned way - using their brains and common sense instead of tanks, SWAT teams, and pepper spray - and have better results. It can be done. Police will not voluntarily give up their gadgets and war toys and combat tactics, however. Their training and inclination towards authoritarianism has become too ingrained. If we are to have any hope of dismantling the police state, change must start locally, community by community. Citizens will have to demand that police de-escalate and de-militarize. And if the police dont listen, contact your city councils and put the pressure on them. Remember, they work for us. They might not like hearing itthey certainly wont like being reminded of itbut we pay their salaries. We the people have got to stop accepting the lame excuses trotted out by police as justifications for their inexcusable behavior. Either we the people believe in free speech or we dont. Either we live in a constitutional republic or a police state. We have rights. As Justice William O. Douglas advised in his dissent in Colten v. Kentucky, we need not stay docile and quiet in the face of authority. The Constitution does not require Americans to be servile or even civil to government officials. Neither does the Constitution require obedience (although it does insist on nonviolence). This emphasis on nonviolence goes both ways. Somehow, the government keeps overlooking this important element in the equation. There is nothing safe or secure or free about exercising your rights with a rifle pointed at you. The police officer who has been trained to shoot first and ask questions later, oftentimes based only on their highly subjective feeling of being threatened, is just as much of a dangerif not moreas any violence that might erupt from a protest rally. Compliance is no guarantee of safety. Then again, as I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People , if we just cower before government agents and meekly obey, we may find ourselves following in the footsteps of those nations that eventually fell to tyranny. The alternative involves standing up and speaking truth to power. Jesus Christ walked that road. So did Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless other freedom fighters whose actions changed the course of history. Indeed, had Christ merely complied with the Roman police state, there would have been no crucifixion and no Christian religion. Had Gandhi meekly fallen in line with the British Empires dictates, the Indian people would never have won their independence. Had Martin Luther King Jr. obeyed the laws of his day, there would have been no civil rights movement. And if the founding fathers had marched in lockstep with royal decrees, there would have been no American Revolution. We must adopt a different mindset and follow a different path if we are to alter the outcome of these interactions with police. The American dream was built on the idea that no one is above the law, that our rights are inalienable and cannot be taken away, and that our government and its appointed agents exist to serve us. It may be that things are too far gone to save, but still we must try. Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book (SelectBooks, 2015) is available online at www.amazon.com. Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org . Fighting the Wrong Enemy: Why Americans Hate Muslims By Ramzy Baroud July 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Two officers sought me from within a crowd at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. They seemed to know who I was. They asked me to follow them, and I obliged. Being of Arab background, often renders ones citizenship almost irrelevant. In a back room, where other foreigners, mainly Muslims, were holed for added security, I was asked numerous questions about my politics, ideas, writing, children, friends and my late Palestinian parents. Meanwhile, an officer took my bag and all of my papers, including receipts, business cards, and more. I did not protest. I am so used to this treatment and endless questioning that I simply go through the motions and answer the questions the best way I know how. My first questioning commenced soon after September 11, 2001, when all Muslims and Arabs became, and remain, suspect. Why do you hate our president, I was asked then, in reference to Bush. On a different occasion, I was held in a room for hours at JFK International Airport because I had a receipt that revealed my immortal sin of eating at a London restaurant that served Halal meat. I was also interrogated at an American border facility in Canada and was asked to fill several documents about my trip to Turkey, where I gave a talk at a conference and conducted several media interviews. A question I am often asked is: what is the purpose of your visit to this country? The fact that I am an American citizen, who acquired high education, bought a home, raised a good family, paid my taxes, obeyed the law and contributed to society in myriad ways are not an adequate answer. I remain an Arab, a Muslim and a dissident, all unforgivable sins in the new, rapidly changing America. Truthfully, I never had any illusions regarding the supposed moral superiority of my adopted country. I grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, and have witnessed, firsthand, the untold harm inflicted upon my people as a result of American military and political support of Israel. Within the larger Arab context, US foreign policy was felt on larger scale. The invasion and destruction of Iraq in 2003 was but the culmination of decades of corrupt, violent American policies in the Arab world. But when I arrived in the US in 1994, I also found another country, far kinder and more accepting than the one represented or misrepresented in US foreign policy. While constantly embracing my Palestinian Arab roots, I have lived and interacted with a fairly wide margin of like-minded people in my new home. While I was greatly influenced by my Arab heritage, my current political thoughts and the very dialectics through which I understand and communicate with the world and my understanding of it are vastly shaped by American scholars, intellectual dissidents and political rebels. It is no exaggeration to say that I became part of the same cultural Zeitgeist that many American intellectuals subscribe to. Certainly, anti-Arab and Muslim sentiments in the US have been around for generations, but it has risen sharply in the last two decades. Arabs and Muslims have become an easy scapegoat for all of Americas failed wars and counter-violence. Terrorist threats have been exaggerated beyond belief to manipulate a frightened, but also a growing impoverished population. The threat level was assigned colors, and each time the color vacillated towards the red, the nation drops all of its grievances, fights for equality, jobs and health care and unites in hating Muslims, people they never met. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter It mattered little that, since September 11, the odds of being killed by terrorism are 1 in 110,000,000, an extremely negligible number compared to the millions who die as a result of diabetes, for example, or shark attacks , for that matter. Terrorism has morphed from being a violent phenomenon requiring national debate and sensible policies to combat it, into a bogeyman that forces everyone into conformity, and divides people between being docile and obedient on the one hand, and radical and suspect, on the other. But blaming Muslims for the decline of the American empire is as ineffective as it is dishonest. The Economic Intelligence Unit had recently downgraded the US from a full democracy to a flawed democracy. Neither Muslims nor Islam played any role in that. The size of the Chinese economy is soon to surpass that of the US, and the powerful East Asian country is already roaring , expanding its influence in the Pacific and beyond. Muslims are hardly the culprits there, either. Nor are Arabs responsible for the death of the American dream , if one truly existed in the first place; nor the election of Donald Trump; nor the utter corruption and mafia-like practices of Americas ruling elites and political parties. It was not the Arabs and Muslims who duped the US into invading Iraq, where millions of Arabs and Muslims lost their lives as a result of the unchecked military adventurism. In fact, Arabs and Muslims are by far the greatest victims of terrorism, whether state-sponsored terror or that of desperate, vile groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. Americans, Muslims are not your enemy. They never have been. Conformity is. In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service, wrote John Stuart Mill in On Liberty . The English philosopher, had a tremendous impact on American liberalism. I read his famous book soon after I arrived in the US. It took me a while to realize that what we learn in books often sharply contradicts reality. Instead, we now live in the age of impunity, according to Tom Engelhardt . In a 2014 article, published in the Huffington Post, he wrote: For Americas national security state, this is the age of impunity. Nothing it does torture, kidnapping, assassination, illegal surveillance, you name it will ever be brought to court. Those who are held accountable are whistleblowers and political dissidents who dare question the government and educate their fellow men and women on the undemocratic nature of such oppressive practices. Staying silent is not an option. It is a form of defeatism that should be outed as equally destructive as the muzzling of democracy. One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws, wrote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Barring citizens of Muslim countries from travelling to the US is a great act of immorality and injustice. Sadly, many Americans report that such discriminatory laws already make them feel safe, which itself is an indication of how the government and media manipulate consent in this country to produce the desirable results. A big fan of hating Edward Bernays work, yet appreciating his honesty, I realize the question is not that of Trump alone. Bernays, whose writing on propaganda influenced successive governments and inspired various military coups, was versed on manipulating popular consent of Americans nearly a century ago. He perceived the masses as unruly and a burden on democracy, which he believed could only be conducted by the intelligent a few. The outcome of his ideas, which influenced generation of conformist intellectuals, is in full display today. America is changing fast, and is certainly not heading in the right direction. Shelving all pressing problems and putting the focus on chasing after, demonizing and humiliating brown skinned men and women is certainly not the way out of the economic, political and foreign policy quagmires which American ruling elites have invited upon their country. If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they dont want to hear, wrote George Orwell. No matter the cost, we must adhere to this Orwellian wisdom, even if the number of people who refuse to hear has grown exponentially, and the margins for dissent have shrunk like never before. Dr. Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for over 20 years. He is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His books include Searching Jenin, The Second Palestinian Intifada and his latest My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gazas Untold Story. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net . Former Minister, Femi Fani Kayode shared this in a post he shared on Facebook this morning. This was what he posted.. I am constrained to tell the Nigerian people that President Buhari is not better and he will never return as President. The truth is that his situation is pathetic and critical. Acting President Osinbajo should stop the lies! Nigerians have a right to know the truth. I call on the cabal to stop the cover up and show us our President! I challenge them to put him in front of a camera and let him talk! I challenge them to let him tell us what country he is in, who the leader of that country is, what date it is and what the weather is like outside. I challenge them to give us proof of life and proof of lucidity. I challenge them to prove to us that he is familiar with his environment and that he knows who he is seeing, who he is talking to and what he is saying. I challenge them to prove to us that he is not suffering from chronic dementia and that he is not a vegetable that is hooked up to a life-support machine. I put it to them that if they refuse to do any or all of these things it means that there is more to the whole thing than meets the eye and they have something hideous and very ugly to hide. It has been 65 long days since Buhari left Nigeria and since our people last saw him. He is OUR President, we care for him and we have a right to know the truth about his welfare, his medical condition and his situation. Source: ( Linda Ikeji ) The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Ikeja has said it intercepted contraband worth N209 million in the last one month. Comptroller Mohammed Uba-Garba, the Controller of the unit, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday. He said the seizures had total duty paid value (DPV) of N229.9 million. Uba-Garba said the unit also recovered N28.9 million from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to outsmart its personnel at seaports, airport and border stations. Uba-Garba said 15 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures which took place between June 13 and July 10. He said that the briefing was In fulfillment of my promise during the last press briefing held on June 14 2017 when I did say that at least every month we will showcase some of our achievements in the fight against smuggling. I am happy to tell you that after series of meetings with my field officers and reviewing our operational strategies to meet up with the current trend of smuggling, we have intercepted various contraband. In the same vein, the unit, through our interventions, recovered N28.9 million from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to outsmart our officers at seaports, airport and border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value and short-change in duty payment. Fifteen suspects have been arrested in connection with these seizures. Within this period, 40 different seizures were recorded comprising vegetable oil, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, smuggled vehicles, medicament, used tyres and various general merchandise. You will agree with me that the fight against smuggling can only be won if all hands are on deck; the commitment of the officers in foiling the antics of smugglers who use different methods of concealment cannot be over emphasized. Recently, there was an interception of 1,442 cartons of drugs (Tramadol 225/120mg) in a container number MSKU 98895 1X40ft and a MAN Diesel truck with Reg. No. RRU 513 XA along Apapa-Oshodi and Ijebu Ode expressways. Only God knows what would have happened if these drugs got to the wrong hands, Uba-Garba said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the drugs were handed over to the National Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation. The comptroller said that the unit seized seven containers for allegedly breaching import prohibition list by trade. He said of the seven, three containers carried 5,014 pieces of used tyres, used fridges and used double electric burner, while the remaining containers carried 499 cartons of Eva Soap. The offences contravened Section 46 (d), (e) and (f) of CEMA Cap of 2004 of which the penalty is outright seizure. Source: ( PM News ) The big languages are popular for a reason: They offer a huge foundation of open source code, libraries, and frameworks that make finishing the job easier. This is the result of years of momentum in which they are chosen time and again for new projects, and expertise in their nuances grow worthwhile and plentiful. Sometimes the vast resources of the popular, mainstream programming languages arent enough to solve your particular problem. Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious to find the right language, where the right structure makes the difference while offering that extra feature to help your code run significantly faster without endless tweaking and optimizing. This language produces vastly more stable and accurate code because it prevents you from programming sloppy or wrong code. The world is filled with thousands of clever languages that arent C#, Java, or JavaScript. Some are treasured by only a few, but many have flourishing communities connected by a common love for the languages facility in solving certain problems. There may not be tens of millions of programmers who know the syntax, but sometimes there is value in doing things a little different, as experimenting with any new language can pay significant dividends on future projects. The following nine languages should be on every programmers radar. They may not be the best for every jobmany are aimed at specialized tasks. But they all offer upsides that are worth investigating and investing in. There may be a day when one of these languages proves to be exactly what your projector bossneeds. Kotkin: Java reconsidered Java is a great language that supports some of the most popular platforms ever, but its getting a bit old and the pain points are becoming a bit too well-known. Kotlin is the brain-child of the JetBrains team in Russia, the ones who have brought us wonderful IDEs like IntelliJ. Kotlin is meant to compile quickly, co-exist with Java, and fix some of the worst issues that occupy the time of Java developers. The best part may be the attention paid to nullable values, the bane of all object-oriented programmers. If you feel that half of your code is checking for null values, the Kotlin developers heard your screams. Kotlin takes a great step toward solving this problem, if not once and for all, then at least most of the time by forcing developers to explicitly call out the variables that might be null. Then it automatically checks for some of the worst mistakes we can make with them. Kotlin is designed to work with existing Java code, making it a good option for teams that want to gradually improve a code base. It will also compile down to JavaScript or native code if thats what you happen to need. Google recognized the value of the language and now Android developers who want to use Kotlin are well-supported. This cautious strategy has proven to be popular because it allows team to adopt the language slowly. The Kotlin group has gained many fans in big development teams at major banks, consulting groups, and app firms. Erlang: Functional programming for real-time systems Erlang began deep inside the spooky realms of telephone switches at Ericsson, the Swedish telco. When Ericsson programmers began bragging about its nine 9s performance, by delivering 99.9999999 percent of the data with Erlang, the developers outside Ericsson started taking notice. Erlangs secret is the functional paradigm. Most of the code is forced to operate in its own little world where it cant corrupt the rest of the system through side effects. The functions do all their work internally, running in little processes that act like sandboxes and only talk to each other through mail messages. You cant merely grab a pointer and make a quick change to the state anywhere in the stack. You have to stay inside the call hierarchy. It may require a bit more thought, but mistakes are less likely to propagate. The model also makes it simpler for runtime code to determine what can run at the same time. With concurrency so easy to detect, the runtime scheduler can take advantage of the very low overhead in setting up and ripping down a process. Erlang fans like to brag about running 20 million processes at the same time on a Web server. If youre building a real-time system with no room for dropped data, such as a billing system for a mobile phone switch, then check out Erlang. Go: Simple and dynamic Google wasnt the first organization to survey the collection of languages, only to find them cluttered, complex, and often slow. In 2009, the company released its solution: a statically typed language that looks like C but includes background intelligence to save programmers from having to specify types and juggle malloc calls. With Go, programmers can have the terseness and structure of compiled C, along with the ease of using a dynamic script language. While Sun and Apple followed a similar path in creating Java and Swift, respectively, Google made one significantly different decision with Go: The languages creators wanted to keep Go simple enough to hold in one programmers head. Rob Pike, one of Gos creators, famously told Ars Technica that sometimes you can get more in the long run by taking things away. Thus, there are few zippy extras like generics, type inheritance, or assertions, only clean, simple blocks of if-then-else code manipulating strings, arrays, and hash tables. The language is reportedly well-established inside of Googles vast empire and is gaining acceptance in other places where dynamic-language lovers of Python and Ruby can be coaxed into accepting some of the rigor that comes from a compiled language. If youre a startup trying to catch Googles eye and you need to build some server-side business logic, Go is a great place to start. OCaml: Complex data hierarchy juggler Some programmers dont want to specify the types of their variables, and for them weve built the dynamic languages. Others enjoy the certainty of specifying whether a variable holds an integer, string, or maybe an object. For them, many of the compiled languages offer all the support they want. Then there are those who dream of elaborate type hierarchies and even speak of creating algebras of types. They imagine lists and tables of heterogeneous types that are brought together to express complex, multileveled data extravaganzas. They speak of polymorphism, pattern-matching primitives, and data encapsulation. This is just the beginning of the complex, highly structured world of types, metatypes, and metametatypes they desire. For them, there is OCaml, a serious effort by the programming language community to popularize many of the aforementioned ideas. Theres object support, automatic memory management, and device portability. There are even OCaml apps available from Apples App Store. An ideal project for OCaml might be building a symbolic math website to teach algebra. TypeScript: JavaScript youll like Everyone may use JavaScript but no one seems to like programming in it. Or so it would seem because everyone today has their favorite pre-processor or super-processor that extends and improves the language. TypeScript is the current favorite because it adds types to all of the variables, something that makes the Java programmers feel a bit more secure. The biggest reason that more developers are interested in TypeScript now is Angular, a great framework for building web applications that just happens to be written in TypeScript. The interesting wrinkle is that you dont need to use TypeScript to use Angular. You can enjoy the quality of its code and merge it with your legacy JavaScript. You dont need to choose. The reason is that TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript. The developers added the typing in a way that plays well with old fashioned JavaScript, something thats quite useful if there are people in the office who dont like the idea of types or who hold dogmatic opinions about how types are cramping their style. The types are effectively optional and the people who put in the time to specify the types can reap the rewards. Strong typing has many advantages like catching some bugs early and improving the general quality of tools. Adding types allows the smart editors to help you with smart suggestions as you craft your masterpiece. Code completion is much faster and more accurate when the code completion routines know something about the functions and the arguments. That means less movement of the fingers on the keyboard. The TypeScript lovers are sure that advantages like these will lure anyone who is on the fence about the power of a strongly determined language. Hog Prices Closed Mixed Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST Lean hog prices were mixed on Friday with 12 to 52 cent losses through the April contract. The deferred contracts closed 10 to 15 cents in the black with May UNCH. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price... HEZ22 : 84.350s (-0.62%) HEJ23 : 94.100s (-0.13%) KMZ22 : 94.900s (-0.63%) Friday Cotton Closes Triple Digits Higher Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST Cotton added 116 to 182 points to the upside on Friday after a brief pause for the WASDE numbers. That kept the board under the high on Tuesday, but ended as a weekly gain of 253 points. USDAs FAS... CTZ22 : 88.20s (+2.11%) CTH23 : 86.33s (+2.09%) CTK23 : 85.56s (+1.89%) Wheats Close in Black on Friday Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST Wheat futures ended with +1% gains on Friday. KC HRW closed the strongest on Friday with 1.8% to 2% gains, leaving the Dec contract 10 1/4 cents in the red. CBT SRW closed between 1% and 1.3% higher across... ZWZ22 : 813-6s (+1.28%) ZWH23 : 835-2s (+1.15%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.4644 (+1.39%) KEZ22 : 943-4s (+1.97%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0182 (+2.07%) MWZ22 : 945-6s (+1.53%) Triple Digit Losses in Friday Cattle Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST The cattle complex faded on Friday on a recovery in the grain complex. Front month fat cattle futures ended the day $0.72 to $1.77 lower. December contracts were 13 cents weaker for the week. Feeder cattle... LEZ22 : 151.525s (-1.01%) LEG23 : 153.250s (-1.14%) LEJ23 : 157.050s (-0.91%) GFX22 : 176.950s (-0.94%) GFF23 : 178.575s (-1.72%) Soy Prices Rally on Friday Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST Front month soy futures ended the day higher on a bounce back from Thursday. Beans closed with 1.6% to 1.9% gains of as much as 27 cents. That left the Jan contract at a net 12 1/4 cent loss for the week.... ZSX22 : 1455-4s (+1.75%) ZSPAUS.CM : 14.2086 (+1.90%) ZSF23 : 1450-0s (+1.90%) ZSH23 : 1453-6s (+1.80%) Corn Markets Close in Black Barchart - Fri Nov 11, 4:21PM CST Corn futures bounced back into the weekend with gains of 2 to 4 3/4 cents. USDA announced a private export sale of 209,931 MT of corn to Mexico this morning. The Ukraines Ag Ministry had 7.8 MMT of... ZCZ22 : 658-0s (+0.73%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.5662 (+0.81%) ZCH23 : 663-0s (+0.53%) ZCK23 : 662-6s (+0.49%) What are we buying? Blue Line Futures - Fri Nov 11, 4:05PM CST The inflation impact on markets. Access Self Storage, which operates more than 50 facilities in the United Kingdom, has received permission to build a three-story facility in Bristol, England, on a site that housed an iconic art-deco building for 80 years. Though the former Cruickshanks Mercedes Garage closed a decade ago and was demolished last year, 150 residents had formally opposed the project, according to the source. The council voted unanimously in favor of the plan, with one abstention. The Access project is expected to be part of a mixed-use plan that includes seven new homes at the intersection of Brunel Way and Winterstoke Road. The self-storage structure will include a tower in homage to the old 1930s tower on the Cruickshanks building that once served as a city landmark, the source reported. Residents opposed to the plan have called the storage facility monstrous and complained there isnt a need for additional self-storage in the area. Once the number of complaints exceeded 100, Access amended its site plan to move the storage building further away from homes at nearby Bower Ashton Terrace. The developers' revised plans do nothing to address Bristols housing crisis or the fact that this monstrous warehouse build will hem in and overshadow local residents, resident Nicola Mcgerty told the source. Its commercial profit over residents happiness and Bristols needs. We have two other storage units within half a mile of this site. Consulting company BS3 Planning Group has also criticized the project. This is the first building many will see on their approach to Bristol, and to replace a landmark art-deco car showroom with a large metal shed shows a lack of respect to the local built environment, the group said in a statement. Whilst replicating the tower on site is welcome, it is very much paying lip service to the historic tenor of the site. Karin Smyth, who represents Bristol in parliament, also endorsed the opposition, according to the source. Bristol planners, however, recommended the proposal, concluding it was in line with the local area. The proposed development would regenerate a prominent site at the gateway to an important industry and warehousing area within south Bristol, planning officer Tom Watson told the source. The application is recommended for approval. A proposal similar to the Access project, including a row of homes opposite Bower Ashton Terrace, was approved nine years ago, but the development was never built, the source reported. Founded more than 20 years ago, Access Self Storage facilities offer virtual office services, parking, document management and mailboxes in addition to self-storage. The companys properties are concentrated in Greater London. The Highland Park, Ill., City Council approved a redevelopment ordinance on Monday that will allow Simply Self Storage (SSS) to build a three-story facility on the site of a historic train station. The developer had planned to demolish the former Briergate Station, which served the Skokie Valley route of the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad, but a local preservation group is trying to have the structure relocated before final project approvals are in place. Though SSS owns the railway station at 1495 and 1505 Old Deerfield Road and has been working with city planners on the self-storage project since last October, the company wasnt aware of the buildings historical significance until Mondays meeting, SSS Vice President Brandon Dickens told the council. The new facility is intended to complement another nearby facility the company owns, according to a source. Kyle Verbeke of the North Shore Line Preservation Association discussed the building at the meeting, informing officials that the Briergate Station is the only one remaining of nine identical buildings that served the electric railway. The 91-year-old, Spanish-revival building served the line from 1926 to 1963. The other eight stations were demolished during the 1960s because they were directly under power lines, a source reported. Two other stations that served the North Shore line also still stand. Briergate isnt designated a local landmark, nor is it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The councils 7-0 ruling includes a provision that doesnt allow the structure to be demolished until all project plans are complete and approved by the city. Dickens indicated construction wouldnt begin for up to six months and that SSS would try to work with the preservation group to move forward with the relocation. "We want to work with the new owners of the building and not interfere with their plans for development," Verbeke said during the meeting. "As of right now, we are waiting to speak to them so we can get our fundraiser started." The preservation group hopes to raise enough money to relocate the building and preserve it as a museum. Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., SSS was founded in 2003. The company owns or manages more than 230 self-storage facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico comprising more than 18 million square feet. Its official: Beazley can now turn its Dublin-based reinsurance firm into an insurance company and continue doing business across the European Union even after Britain leaves the single market.The Central Bank of Ireland has authorised the specialist insurer to convert Beazley Reinsurance Designated Activity Company (dac) into Beazley Insurance dac. The company said Beazley Re was established in Dublin in 2009 partly because of the option Ireland offered to develop business in Europe.Plans to expand the companys remit to underwrite nonlife insurance formed part of Beazleys strategy for European growth developed in 2015 and early 2016, predating the British referendum vote to withdraw from the EU, explained Beazley.Beazley Insurance dac will establish branch offices in the UK, France, Germany, and Spain over the coming months. The new entity will provide access to European insurance markets alongside that afforded by Lloyds of London which has chosen Brussels as its post-Brexit hub. Beazley manages six Lloyds syndicates.Andrew Horton, Beazley chief executive, welcomed the authorisation and described it as an important step in the realisation of the groups European strategy.Dublin is an excellent base for our European insurance company, with a highly regarded regulatory system and local access to talented individuals who are well versed in the operating needs of a modern insurer, he said.According to EY s Brexit Tracker, 19 of the companies it is monitoring have already announced a move to Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland. So far Dublin beats the likes of Frankfurt and Luxembourg as the preferred relocation destination. Search and compare insurance product listings for D&O from specialty market providers here Reynolds has 15 years of insurance industry experience under his belt. He previously spent three years at XL Group as Vice President and A&E Product Head, where he managed one of the largest Architects & Engineers E&O portfolios in North America. Joseph has demonstrated throughout his career a proven track record in revenue expansion, product innovation and organizational optimization, said Egosi. For his part, Rea has 20 years of professional liability experience and joins Hiscox after seven years at Travelers as underwriting director, where he managed their national MPL and Real Estate E&O portfolios. Thomass ability to develop and refine product strategies and work collaboratively in a highly matrixed organization will be a tremendous asset to our team, said Egosi. Last month, Hiscox announced the appointment of Josh Nevin as chief operating officer for its US business unit. Prior to his appointment at the specialist insurer, Nevin was the COO at Wagner Oil Company. He has also served as an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company and vice president of operations and business development at Pellion Technologies. He has also worked on GE Energys experienced commercial lending program. Related stories: Hiscox named as Turkey terror attack lead insurer UK's biggest business brokerage announces new US COO A fake car crash in Africa and a bogus death certificate have landed Scottish Widows policyholder Arafa Nassib in jail for two and a half years.Nassib and her son Adil Kasim who used fake documents in submitting the claim pleaded guilty to committing fraud, according to a report by International Business Times.An investigation into the claim found that Nassib had not been at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar where she was supposedly pronounced dead contrary to information provided by Kasim. It was also revealed that the accident report was falsified.The two were arrested, with Nassib who had 80,000 in credit debts admitting conspiring with her son to commit fraud to try and claim over 136,500 in life insurance payout from Scottish Widows. Kasim was handed a 12-month community order. Its no great revelation that when prices are centrally controlled, they tend not to reflect reality. In some cases, this means that consumers pay less than the true value of a good or product. In other cases, they pay too much. While the Soviet Union eventually learned this lesson, its not clear our federal government has. The National Flood Insurance Program is a poster child of distorted pricing and bizarre consumer outcomes. The program, conceived in the 1960s as a way to ensure access to flood insurance, is set to expire Sept. 30. Today, it is $24.6 billion in debt and projected by its own actuaries to lose about $1.1 billion every year. This is due both to the program spending years failing to account for the risk of large catastrophes, like Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, the way that private insurance companies do by buying reinsurance. Its also because about one in every five policies are subsidized, charged only a fraction of what the risk they face would demand. But according to a recently released analysis by the actuarial consultant Milliman and risk-modeling firm KatRisk, in addition to undercharging a large segment of policies, the NFIP also frequently charges policyholders more than necessary. Millimans analysis examines three flood-prone statesFlorida, Louisiana and Texasthatcollectively account for more than half the nations in-force NFIP policies. In each state, the majority of single-family homes currently covered by the NFIP would see their rates go down with private flood coverage. In fact, within the states, in areas subject to the highest risk of coastal flooding, known as VE zones, 62 percent of Florida homes, 85 percent of Louisiana homes and 88 percent of Texas homes could see lower premiums from the private market than under the NFIP. For relatively lower-risk A, AE and AH zones, 42 percent to 95 percent of homes in the three states could see a lower premium, compared to the NFIP. The availability of private flood insurance is crucial not only because it will save consumers money, which may also lead to higher take-up rates, but also because it will insulate taxpayers from yet larger NFIP liabilities. As Congress moves forward on legislation to reform and reauthorize the NFIP, its crucial that it look to encourage more private flood insurance. Not only would a larger private market take more of this risk off the backs of taxpayers, but for many consumers, it would mean lower rates. Topics Flood Homeowners Texas high court justices recently ruled that a judgment against an insured defendant is not enforceable against that defendants insurer if the judgment was reached outside of a fully adversarial trial. The underlying case in Great American Insurance Company, et al v. Glen Hamel, et al, Case No.14-1007 (Tex. June 16, 2017) is one in which the plaintiffs, Glen and Marsha Hamel, sued their builder for failing to construct their single-family home in Flower Mound, Texas, in a good and workmanlike manner, according to the Texas Supreme Court. Terry Mitchell Builders Inc. was not the original builder of the home but was hired to finish it when the original builder pulled out. Terry Mitchell, president and sole owner of the company, conceded he had the duty to inspect the original builders work, as well as the work of Mitchells own subcontractors and ensure the work of both was performed in good and workmanlike manner. After the home was built, the Hamels noticed water damage in the home. Several construction-related defects resulted in water entering the residence, the Supreme Court wrote in its ruling. The Hamels sued the builder, Mitchell, for breach of implied warranty, negligence, Deceptive Trade Practices Act violations, Residential Construction Liability Act violations. The home was finished with a type of synthetic stucco cladding (Exterior Insulation and Finish System, or Exterior Stucco) that was known to cause wood rot and other water-damage-related problems if improperly installed or if defective materials are used, according to the Courts opinion. Mitchell was insured by Great American Insurance Co. under commercial general liability insurance policies that were renewed annually. The first three policies, which were effective May 3, 1996, through May 3,1999, didnt exclude Exterior Stucco-related damage. But the fourth and fifth policies, effective May 3, 1999, to May 3, 2001, excluded property damage arising out of Exterior Stucco, the Court wrote. Mitchell informed Great American about the suit, but the insurer refused to defend. The Hamels had discovered the damage in August 2000 and Great American maintained that the discovery fell within the period that the Exterior Stucco-related damage was excluded in Mitchells policies. Before trial, Mitchell and the Hamels came to an agreement under which the Hamels would enforce any judgment against Mitchells company and not Mitchell himself. Mitchell agreed to testify at trial and stipulated he was responsible for the defects. The trial court found in favor of the Hamels and awarded them $365,089.70, plus interest and court costs. Mitchells business had no assets beyond a truck and tools of the trade, and the Hamels had agreed not to go after Mitchells personal assets. Mitchell subsequently assigned to the Hamels most of his companys rights against Great American. The Hamels filed suit against the insurer, seeking to recover the judgment against Mitchell under the builders CGL policy. They ultimately prevailed at trial and were awarded damages of $355,838, plus interest, court costs and attorneys fees. Great American appealed, citing the Texas Supreme Courts ruling in State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Gandy prohibiting enforcement of such judgments if rendered without a fully adversarial trial, the Court wrote. The appeals court upheld most of the trial courts decision, finding that Great American had breached its duty to defend, the trial had been fully adversarial, and that the assignment of the builders claims against Great American to the Hamels was valid. In Gandy, the Court held that a defendants assignment of his claims against his insurer to a plaintiff is invalid if (1) it is made prior to an adjudication of plaintiffs claim against defendant in a fully adversarial trial, (2) the defendants insurer has tendered a defense, and (3) either (a) defendants insurer has accepted coverage, or (b) defendants insurer has made a good faith effort to adjudicate coverage issues prior to the adjudication of plaintiffs claim. On appeal to the Supreme Court, Great American conceded that it had wrongly refused to defend Mitchell in the damage suit but maintained that the suit against Mitchell was not fully adversarial because the pre-trial agreement between the Hamels and Terry Mitchell ensured that the builder had no real stake in the outcome of the trial. An adversarial trial is one in which the opposing sides present evidence, examine witnesses and conduct cross-examinations.The Texas Supreme Court agreed that the damages trial had not been fully adversarial, stating that when parties reach a pre-trial agreement that deprives one of the parties of its incentive to oppose the other, the proceeding is no longer adversarial. The Court declined to enforce the judgment against Great American for that reason. However, it also stated it would not preclude the parties from property litigating the underlying liability issues in a subsequent coverage suit, and remanded the case to the trial court for a new trial. As Congress tries to figure out how to change the federal flood insurance program to encourage more private insurer involvement, one insurer isnt waiting to wade deeper into the private flood insurance business. Florida-based HCI Group is looking to take its Florida flood insurance experience and proprietary insurance technology to nine additional states. HCI Group said it has begun the regulatory process to expand its private flood insurance operation into Arkansas, California, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. Currently, the company offers flood insurance solely in Florida, where it has about 4,000 policies. It writes flood both as an endorsement to its standard homeowners policy in its established homeowners subsidiary, Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Co., as well as standalone flood coverage through its TypTap subsidiary, a proprietary insurtech online platform to quote and bind policies. A core part of our long-term strategic plan has been and continues to be expanding and diversifying our operations geographically. We believe expansion into additional markets will leverage our proven business model, as well as our internally developed technology, said Paresh Patel, HCI Groups chairman and chief executive officer. Kevin Mitchell, HCIs vice president for investor relations, said HCI is beginning talks with state regulators to see what approach will work best. HCI is targeting middle-market homes, not preferred or high-end properties. Middle-income residents on the water are the ones who really need the help, Mitchell said. HCI will be expanding regardless of potential changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to encourage more private insurers to sell. We need the competition. We cant write every risk, Mitchell said. Technology Key While the insurer has been writing flood policies in Florida since 2013, HCI ramped up its effort in April 2016. HCI is betting on TypTap and its technology to help capture market share. The technology is the big thing, Mitchell said. It really hit a chord with agents. HCI Headquarters TypTap makes it easy for agents to sell and property owners to buy flood coverage potential customers type in their address then only need to answer three questions and pick an agent from a dropdown menu to purchase the policy. The technology is important, but TypTap also competes with NFIP on coverage and pricing. TypTap offers replacement cost on contents, no 30-day waiting period, and no elevation certificate. The coverage also offers a loss of use component, which isnt available through NFIP policies, up to $500,000 on the building limit, and up to $250,000 on replacement and contents with underwriting approval. According to Mitchell, TypTap can price its policies competitively because of its experience, its pricing models and perhaps because it does not have the burden of past losses from Katrina, Sandy and other storms that NFIP must surcharge policyholders to cover. NFIP is about $24 billion in debt. You have to be competitive, Mitchell said. Youre not trying to surcharge the customer to make up for underwriting mistakes. Mitchell said its unfair for new policyholders to have to pay for NFIPs debt. Thats not their fault, he said. Mitchell said technology is key. You have to have the tech right to make it really work, he said. If we had a great flood product but everyone had to send in an ACORD form, it just wouldnt work. He said that his company has not had problems satisfying lending requirements with its policies because it is an admitted carrier. Policyholders and agents also appreciate the long-term commitment HCI has made to the flood market. Florida accounts for 37 percent of the NFIPs policies, and leaders in the state have complained that its homeowners pay into NFIP more than they get in return and pay disproportionately higher rates than the rest of the country. HCI Group owns subsidiaries engaged in homeowners insurance, reinsurance, real estate and information technology services. The companys largest subsidiary, Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Co., is a provider of property/casualty insurance in Florida. The Massachusetts Appeals Court has ruled that Arbella Mutual Insurance Co. did not engage in unfair settlement practices by demanding arbitration in a lawsuit involving an underinsured motorist claim. In the case, Heather Chamberland vs. Arbella Mutual Insurance Company, plaintiff Heather Chamberland pursued civil action against Dylon Maiorano, the other driver involved in a July 2007 accident in which she was injured. Maioranos vehicle was insured under a policy issued by Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., and Chamberland eventually obtained a settlement in the amount of Maioranos policy limits. Her underinsurance carrier, Arbella Mutual Insurance Co., was not a party to the civil action but did consent to the settlement. Chamberland then sought underinsured motorist coverage from Arbella, and Arbella invoked arbitration. A Superior Court judge initially found Arbellas request for arbitration was untimely and should be waived. Arbella appealed, and the Appeals Court eventually reversed the decision in its latest ruling. Case Background After Arbella was notified of the accident, it confirmed in writing Chamberlands underinsurance coverage limits under the Arbella policy were $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.Chamberland sued Maiorano and won in the second trial, with the jury concluding the accident was caused by Maioranos negligence and Chamberland was entitled to damages. Maiorano appealed. While Maioranos appeal was pending, Chamberland, with Arbellas consent, reached a settlement with Maiorano and Liberty Mutual, in which Liberty Mutual agreed to pay her the full $100,000 in bodily injury coverage available under Maioranos policy. In exchange, Chamberland released Maiorano and Liberty Mutual from all claims and acknowledged Maiorano did not admit liability. The parties did not correspond until more than three years later when Chamberlands attorney notified Arbella of the judgment against Maiorano. Three Years Later Chamberland then claimed the issues of liability and damages had been resolved by the judgment against Maiorano and demanded payment of the balance of the judgment pursuant to the underinsurance coverage provision in the Arbella policy. Arbella refused, stating it was entitled to resolve issues of liability and damages through arbitration. Chamberland initiated this case against Arbella, claiming she is entitled to the remaining underinsurance coverage limits and Arbella engaged in unfair settlement practices. Although Arbella filed a counterclaim, it was initially dismissed by the Superior Court motion judge. The motion judge granted a required offset of $100,000 for the bodily injury coverage Chamberland recovered under Maioranos insurance policy and declared Arbella liable to Chamberland for $131,565 in underinsurance coverage. Latest Ruling However, Massachusetts automobile insurance policies are required to comply with all applicable statutory provisions and be in a form approved by the Commissioner of Insurance, according to the Appeals Court decision document. Resolution of a claim for uninsured motorist benefits both liability and damages is required through an agreement between the insured and the insurer, or by arbitration if they fail to agree, the document stated. The motion judge in the Superior Court decision believed Arbella wasted judicial time and effort by taking a wait and see approach while Chamberlands action against Maiorano played out, the Appeals Court document stated. However, Arbella was not a party to the litigation between Chamberland and Maiorano. Because of this, the Appeals Court found Arbella couldnt fairly be charged with wasting judicial time and effort because it waited for Chamberlands action against Maiorano to conclude. When Chamberland finalized her settlement with Maiorano and Liberty Mutual and demanded the underinsurance limits of the Arbella policy, Arbella demanded arbitration. With this in mind, the Appeals Court reversed the Superior Courts previous ruling, finding that although a significant amount of time had passed before Arbellas demand for arbitration, it didnt act inconsistently with its statutory and policy-based rights to arbitrate. The matter was remanded to the trial court for appointment of an arbitrator and for further proceedings on Chamberlands claim that Arbella engaged in unfair settlement practices in violation of Massachusetts law. Topics Lawsuits Massachusetts Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has acquired Fair Haven, N.J.-based Boynton & Boynton Insurance Professionals in an effort to continue expanding its footprint throughout the northeast region of the U.S. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Boynton & Boynton is a private insurance agency and is expected to add personal and commercial insurance solutions to the companys growing Alliant Americas division. The continued expansion of the division has provided Alliant with the flexibility to partner with regional insurance agencies spanning a range of sizes and specialties, according to a company press release. Boynton & Boynton will provide a solid foundation of strength for our growing northeast client base, said Alliant Chairman and CEO Tom Corbett in the release. The companys long history of personal service and diverse offerings will further enhance our service platform and set the stage for continued growth throughout the region. Following the transaction, Boynton & Boynton will operate as part of Alliant Americas in a move that is set to provide the middle market with regionally focused insurance products and services. For nearly 90 years, we have held fast to our commitment of offering our clients a truly global perspective that addresses the entirety of their risk management and employee benefits needs, said Boynton & Boynton President Jay Lynch in the release. Joining forces with Alliant will provide access to valuable resources that enable us to build upon this commitment and expand our impact through new ideas and solutions. Lynch, along with the entire Boynton & Boynton management team and staff, will join Alliant and continue to service clients from its offices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Founded in 1929, Boynton & Boynton provides a range of commercial and personal insurance solutions to clients in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The companys offerings include personal insurance, commercial insurance, professional liability and employee benefits. Alliant Americas provides midsized businesses with targeted insurance, risk management and consulting services. As a middle-market platform with offices throughout the U.S., Alliant Americas delivers a range of products and services that are regionally focused. Source: Alliant Insurance Services Inc. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions New Jersey Alliant Chubb Ltd. announced it has named Ross Bertossi vice president of Global Underwriting for Chubb Group. He succeeds Jacques Bonneau who announced his retirement. Bertossi will have responsibility for advancing underwriting excellence across the company, including general underwriting policy and underwriting management best practices, said Chubb in a statement. He will also have oversight of Chubbs global product boards and portfolio management process. He will report to John Keogh, executive vice chairman and chief operating officer. Bertossi has more than 30 years of insurance and underwriting management experience. Since ACEs acquisition of Chubb in 2016, he has served as executive vice president, Excess Casualty, North America Insurance, with responsibility for Chubbs umbrella and excess casualty product lines serving large commercial customers in the United States and Canada. He joined ACE in 2002 as executive vice president, ACE Medical Risk, and later assumed the role of executive vice president, ACE Casualty Risk. Before joining ACE, he was a senior vice president at CNA HealthPro. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Mary Washington University, in Fredericksburg, Va., and holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriting (CPCU) designation. Bertossi succeeds Bonneau who, after an insurance and reinsurance career of nearly four decades, announced his will retire at the end of the year. In the interim, Bonneau will work closely with Bertossi to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities, Chubb said. Bonneau joined ACE in 1999 as division president, ACE Tempest Re USA, the companys U.S.-based reinsurance business. He was named president of ACE Tempest Re Group in 2005. He assumed his current responsibilities as executive vice president, Global Underwriting, in 2014. Prior to joining ACE, he was chief underwriting officer and member of the board of directors at Chartwell Re Corporation. He began his career in 1978 at General Reinsurance. For over 15 years Jacques led the companys reinsurance business with underwriting discipline and distinction and, more recently, under his leadership, Chubb developed increasingly sophisticated underwriting processes, methods and insights to improve our core risk-taking business, said Evan G. Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer. Jacques has been a trusted partner and a respected leader in our industry. On behalf of the entire management team, I would like to thank him for his many years of service and countless contributions, added Greenberg. We wish him the very best during his retirement. Source: Chubb Topics Underwriting Reinsurance Chubb The estimated property insurance losses for Windstorm Egon, which hit France and Germany on Jan. 12-13, 2017, have been revised upwards to 275 million ($314.7 million) by PERILS AG, the independent Zurich-based company that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. The previous loss estimate issued by PERILS in April was 234 million ($267.8 million). In its latest and third loss report for Egon, the market loss data are available by CRESTA zone, property line of business, and by coverage type such as building or contents coverage, PERILS said. This detailed loss footprint information is complemented by gust speed values and loss ratios which show the incurred loss from Egon as a percentage of the sums insured, the company added. With a market loss of 275 million, Windstorm Egon ranks as a moderate event, said PERILS, noting that a loss of this size is expected to occur at least once a year in Europe. PERILS said the loss footprint for Egon is unique and provides valuable new insight into the damage to insured property caused by European windstorms, while also adding new data points for the calibration of existing risk models. The market loss footprint for Egon has been produced by collecting detailed loss data from affected insurance companies, commented Luzi Hitz, CEO of PERILS. In line with the PERILS loss reporting schedule, the fourth loss estimate for Egon will be released on 12 January 2018, 12 months after the event. Source: PERILS Related: Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Trends Profit Loss Windstorm The Kansas Insurance Department is currently making the annual funds distribution to state and local firefighter relief organizations. More than $13.1 million will be distributed among 562 local Firefighters Relief Associations (FRAs) across the state. This fund assists firefighters and their families when an accident or death occurs in the line of duty, said Commissioner of Insurance Ken Selzer. The money is generated by a 2 percent tax paid by insurance companies on fire and lightning insurance premiums written in Kansas for the previous calendar year. It is collected by the department, on behalf of the Kansas Firefighter Relief Act, and passed on to the FRAs, as required by Kansas law. The funds are disbursed electronically. The local association funds are used for purchasing accident and health, disability, and life insurance premiums to assist firefighters and their families, said John Boyd, FRA administrator for the department. Also, the Kansas State Firefighters Association will receive $497,094 for education and research purposes and for funding the state associations death benefit fund. These funds also come from the generated premium tax. Of the state association total, $397,094 is earmarked for educational purposes and research into fire prevention and firefighting, and $100,000 is used to replenish the death benefit fund. Source: Kansas Insurance Department Topics Kansas A former inmate who alleged guards at a troubled jail in Kansas City, Mo., beat him so severely that he suffered nine broken ribs, fractured wrists and a collapsed lung has settled a lawsuit for $437,500. Jackson County agreed to the settlement with James Ramirez, whose lawsuit is one of many filed by former inmates in recent months, The Kansas City Star reported. Ramirez suit alleged that there was a widespread pattern of using excessive force against inmates at the Jackson County Detention Center and that guards twice attacked him on July 4, 2015. Four of those guards have been indicted on federal charges alleging that they violated Ramirez civil rights. An FBI investigation of the jail is ongoing. Two weeks ago, about 200 law enforcers raided the jail. The search came as two guards were arrested in a contraband smuggling operation. Additionally, at least three inmate-on-inmate sexual assaults and one death that raised questions about the sufficiency of medical care have led to subsequent investigations and provoked county officials to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants. A suit alleging that lax security led to an inmates sexual assault resulted in a $275,000 settlement earlier this year. Ramirez alleged in his lawsuit that he was set upon by three guards while he was being held on a Benton County warrant for an alleged probation violation. The suit said the guards slammed him into a cinder block wall, punched him repeatedly and pinned him to the floor with knees to his back and neck as other guards allegedly laughed. The suit said the attack ended when another guard signaled that a supervisor was approaching. The suit said the beating resumed later that night. Nine hours after the first attack, Ramirez was admitted to a hospital with multiple bruises, the broken wrists and ribs, collapsed lung and three fractured vertebrae. Defendants in Ramirez lawsuit included the correctional officers accused of administering the beatings, a guard who allegedly stood by and kept watch during the first of the two assaults, as well as the top officials in charge of the Corrections Department. Marshanna Hester, a county spokesman, told The Associated Press the terms of the settlement are confidential and that the county couldnt discuss the case. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Missouri A Silicon Valley innovation platform that connects technology startups, corporations and investors has recognized Munich Re, US for leadership in the insurtech space. The high-tech incubator and mentoring group known as Plug and Play also cited Robert Mozeika, innovation executive with Munich Res Reinsurance Division, for his role in working with insurance technology startups. Plug and Play presented Munich Re and Mozeika with one of 10 Corporate Innovation Awards to those it calls its most engaged partners in various accelerators that in addition to insurtech include fintech, health and wellness, food and beverage, mobility, new materials and packaging, brand and retail, travel and hospitality, and Internet of Things (IoT). We want to appreciate the corporations that have put in the best effort, meaning they are present and engage with startups. They might even invest in the startups but, most importantly, they are in the community to give back. If a startup is going in the wrong direction, they mentor them, consult them, and this is why they earned the award, said Saeed Amidi, founder and CEO of Plug and Play. This is the first year Plug and Play has recognized its partners with the award. The organization is based in Sunnyvale, Calif. and has 22 locations around the world. We are honored to be recognized as a leader in insurtech, said Munich Res Mozeika. The ability to connect our company and our clients with new products and services developed by Plug and Plays cadre of insurtech startups is a perfect opportunity for knowledge and growth in this rapidly changing environment. At the same time, this cooperation deepens Munich Res position as the go-to resource for our clients as we jointly seek to understand, navigate and profit from changes driven by innovation and digitization. Some of the insurtechs Munich Re has invested in and/or partnered with include Trov, Lemonade, Root, Next, Slice, Bunker, Bought By Many and Helium. From 2008 to 2014, Mozeika was head of Financial and Strategic Management and Underwriting Operations in the Reinsurance Division of Munich Re, US. In January 2015, he started serving as innoscout or innovation scout for Munich Re, US. Based in Silicon Valley, he was responsible for partnering with technology companies to enhance the companys business processes for developing new products and exploring new business models. In January of this year he assumed a new role as innovation executive. In this capacity, Mozeika works with Munich Re, USs client management team to match reinsurance clients with new products developed be insurtechs that address specific client needs. The company expects that this work will also unearth business opportunities as its clients increasingly pursue insurtech alternatives. Plug and Play supports more than 6,000 startups and 180 official corporate partners. It provides investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley venture capital firms. Companies in its community have raised $6 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, PayPal, SoundHound and Zoosk. Topics USA InsurTech Tech Leadership Seraina (Maag) Macia, chief executive officer of Hamilton USA, which AIG is acquiring, is returning to American International Group (AIG) under its new CEO, Brian Duperreault. Macia has been named executive vice president and CEO of a new planned subsidiary that will include the Hamilton USA platform along with Attune, the digital joint venture formed by AIG, Hamilton and Two Sigma Investments to focus on the small commercial insurance segment. Macia will serve on the AIGs Executive Leadership Team and report to Duperreault, the former chairman and CEO of Hamilton who brought Macia onboard there in 2016. Prior to her role at Hamilton, Macia held executive positions at AIG, including CEO and executive vice president of Regional Management and Operations. She was named to that post in December, 2015 by AIG CEO Peter Hancock in a management shake-up, only to be cut along with another senior executive two months later in another overhaul by Hancock. Prior to December 2015, Macia was CEO and president of AIG Europe, Middle East for AIG with responsibility for 47 countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa. She was hired for that post in 2013. Macias other senior roles in the industry have included CEO of XL Insurance North America, president of Zurich North America Commercial Specialties business, and head of Investor Relations and Rating Agency Management of Zurich Insurance Group. She was also a founding partner and financial analyst for NZB NeueZuercher Bank in Switzerland. Between 1990 and 2000, she held various management positions within underwriting and finance at SwissRe in Switzerland and Austral On May 15, in coordination with its hiring of Duperreault as CEO, AIG announced its intention to acquire Hamilton USA for about $110 million to further AIGs application of emerging technology and data science. When the acquisition announcement was made, AIG, Hamilton and Two Sigma said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on how Hamilton USA and Attune will be managed after AIG acquires them. Hamilton USA is to become a stand-alone unit of AIG that will be used to develop a technology and data analytics platform to transform underwriting. During the transition period Macia is continuing as CEO of Hamilton USA. Also, under the terms of the memorandum, Attunes target market will be expanded to include companies with annual revenues of up to $35 million, a target market segment of up to $150 billion in annual gross written premiums. Hamilton will retain its one-third ownership of Attune. Duperreault welcomed Macia to AIG, commenting that she brings to AIG a rare combination of deep insurance expertise and an acute understanding of the role that technology and data analytics are playing in the ongoing evolution of our industry. Macia said she is looking forward to returning to AIG and building on the progress we made at Hamilton USA in bringing technology and data analytics to risk selection, pricing and claims-handling processes. Related: Topics InsurTech Tech A new study published in the July issue of the Journal of Urban Economics finds that contrary to popular belief, medical marijuana dispensaries (MMDs) reduce crime in their immediate areas. In the study, Going to pot? The impact of dispensary closures on crime, researchers Tom Y. Chang from the University of Southern Californias Marshall School of Business, and Mireille Jacobson from The Paul Merage School of Business at University of California at Irvine, examined the short-term mass closing of hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles that took place in 2010. Contrary to popular wisdom, we found an immediate increase in crime around dispensaries ordered to close relative to those allowed to remain open, said Jacobson. The two researchers found similar results when they examined restaurant closures. The connection between restaurants and MMDs is that they both contribute to the walkability score of a given area. Areas with higher scores have more eyes upon the street a factor that is proven to deter some types of crime, said Jacobson. The types of crime most impacted by MMD and restaurant closures were property crime and theft from vehicles. The researchers attributed this result to the fact that these types of crimes are most plausibly deterred by bystanders. Our results demonstrate that the dispensaries were not the crime magnets that they were often described as, but instead reduced crime in their immediate vicinity, said Jacobson. When Chang and Jacobson examined the impact of temporary restaurant closures in Los Angeles County, they found an increase in crime similar to what they found with MMDs. They also found that once a restaurant reopened, crime immediately disappeared. We can conclude from our research that retail businesses are effective in lowering crime, even when the retail business is a medical marijuana dispensary, Jacobson added. However, a study in Denver linked legal marijuana shops to higher levels of property crime in nearby areas. In this study, researchers found that while crime isnt higher in the area immediately surrounding marijuana outlets, adjacent areas saw about 84 more property crimes per year than neighborhoods without a nearby marijuana store. The study was published online in the Journal of Primary Prevention. Source: Going to pot? The impact of dispensary closures on crime Related: Topics Trends Fraud Cannabis San Antonio-based managing general agent and excess and surplus (E&S) lines broker, McClelland and Hine Inc. (MHI), has promoted Lisa Barnes to the position of chief operating officer, and named Amicia Hine president and chief executive officer. Barnes, who holds the CPCU, ARe, AU professional insurance designations, has been in the industry for 35 years and with MHI for 26 years. She is an active member of the industry associations, AAMGA and NAPSLO, and formerly served on the board of directors for the Alamo Chapter CPCU. Amicia started her career with MHI in 1994 and has held various positions throughout the company. She currently is legislative chair and board member of the Texas Surplus Lines Association (TSLA) and serves on the legislative committee for NAPSLO. MHI began writing business in San Antonio in 1982 and later expanded its operation with the opening of additional branch offices in Houston and Dallas. In 2013, MHI opened its first office outside of Texas in Atlanta, Ga. The Atlanta branch office services retail agents throughout Georgia and Alabama. MHI is a member of AAMGA, NAPSLO, Texas PIA, the Texas Surplus Lines Association and various Independent Insurance Agents Associations (San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Texas and Alabama chapters), and supports the Federation of Insurance Women of Texas. Source: MHI Topics Agencies Texas Excess Surplus Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr has granted a Certificate of Authority to Florida-based Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Company (HCPC) to offer private flood insurance in Arkansas. In a press release, Kerr said Arkansas is the first state to grant HCPC authority to do business outside of Florida. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, HCPC will offer Arkansas property owners a private market equivalent to the policies sold under the federal governments National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) with certain enhancements. HCPC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the HCI Group Inc. Currently before Congress is legislation that would stimulate the growth of the private flood market relative to the NFIP. The Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act was recently passed by the House Committee on Financial Services, clearing its way to be brought to the floor for passage. Source: Arkansas Insurance Department Related: Topics Carriers Florida Flood Arkansas A Kentucky countys largest private employer has been fined $21,000 following the deaths of two employees in unrelated accidents last October. The State Journal obtained files through an open-records request that show the Kentucky Labor Cabinets Office of Occupational Safety and Health issued three maximum fines of $7,000 each to Montaplast in late March and early April. The company, which manufactures plastic parts for automobiles, received a two-part citation in the death of 35-year-old Angela Mitchell and another citation in the death of 23-year-old Benjamin Cermak. Mitchell was killed after an overhead crane struck her in the head at the Frankfort plant, and Cermak was electrocuted days later. Montaplast is contesting the citation in Mitchells case, but Montaplast Human Resources Director John Phillips called the resolution of Cermaks case fair. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Kentucky The tension between Washington D.C. and Sacramento seems to have created extra work for some lobbyists. Its absolutely palpable, Paul Yoder, managing director for the California Coalition on Workers Compensation, said commenting on the tension. He was speaking with Jason Schmelzer, CCWCs legislative advocate, about legislation in the state and its potential impacts on workers comp. The pair, which estimated the tension between the nations and the states capitols has added 25 percent or more to the workloads of lobbyists like themselves, were speaking at the annual CCWC conference in Anaheim, Calif. at Disneys Grand California Hotel Spa. The 15th annual conference drew more than 700 participants this year, according to organizers. The three-day conference opened on Wednesday and ends Friday. Topics this year included case law updates, actuarial reports, claims discussions, fraud issues and advances in telemedicine. Yoder and Schmelzer noted that while the nation was electing a conservative president who has vowed to cut taxes last November, the state was busy passing laws that increased taxes or were far left politically from the rest of the nation. California voters overwhelmingly supported initiatives like Proposition 56 (cigarette tax), Proposition 58 (bilingual education), Proposition 63 (an ammunition sales prohibition) and Proposition 64 (marijuana legalization). The election made the state an outlier, if it already wasnt considered one, Yoder said. We are far and few in between in the United States, Yoder said. Schmelzer added: Weve always been something special, but this year we were extra different. State Legislators have also vowed to battle President Trumps numerous initiatives on immigration, healthcare and withdrawing the nation from the Paris climate accord. Gov. Jerry Brown is loudly standing in opposition to Trumps stance on climate change and is planning to bring several heads of state from other nations in efforts to involve California in international efforts to battle global warming. The L.A. Times in a June story referred to Brown as Americas unofficial climate change ambassador in the Trump era, and detailed a trip he was making to China to talk about global warming. He wants to have another Paris, Yoder said. After painting a picture of the states political landscape, the pair went on to discuss how these things could impact the workers comp system. They also offered a look at workers comp legislation introduced this year that the CCWC took a stance on. Some of the bills failed, others became two-year bills and will be taken up in the next legislative session. Assembly Bill 44 was introduced in the wake of the terrorist attack on San Bernardino workers in 2015. The California Department of Industrial Relations launched an investigation into delays in treatment for those injured in the attack. The bill would have established a disputable presumption that physician-requested treatment is appropriate, which Schmelzer said would have disrupted the established utilization review and independent medical review process and eliminated the 104-week cap on total disability. We opposed this bill aggressively, Schmelzer said. Assembly Bill 570 was aimed addressing gender-biased inequities in the workers comp system. It would prohibit apportionment in the case of a physical injury from being based on pregnancy, childbirth, or other medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. The biggest issue, Schmelzer said, was that making an exception on one case could set a dangerous precedent. Before you know it, you no longer have a workers compensation system, you have a compensation system, Schmelzer said. Assembly Bill 1295 would require claims administrators to calculate the number of days between UR denial and overturn by IMR for purposes of removing that period of time from the total disability cap. Schmelzer said that the data already shows that IMR proves the UR system is working well. UR denials are upheld by IMR somewhere around 90 percent of the time, Schmelzer said. That bill didnt make it out of the Assembly Insurance Committee. Senate Bill 562, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, would create universal healthcare. The bill didnt make it out of Legislature but it did become a two-year bill, and while some may believe its dead, it actually advanced in some respects and is poised to be a hot topic next year, Yoder noted. Its not dead, he added. Should the bill ever get passed, it creates a number of questions for how it impacts the workers comp system, Schmelzer said. How does that blend with a workers comp system that is totally independent of the health market? he said. This is going to be a tough one. This is going to be a really, really tough one for the state to grapple with. Related: Topics California Legislation Workers' Compensation Climate Change Training Development Colorados Democratic governor added his state to a dozen others endorsing the Paris global accord on climate change even as President Donald Trump withdraws the nation from the agreement. Gov. John Hickenlooper said the state would also set a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by one-fourth while keeping energy affordable or even cutting the cost. Cheap natural gas and the declining cost of wind and solar power make that possible, he said. He promised other steps to move Colorado toward producing and consuming more renewable energy and less from fossil fuels, saying economics were already moving the state that way. These are market forces. This is not government imposing a regime, Hickenlooper said. Colorado would join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of states and territories supporting the Paris Accord aimed at slowing down global warming, Hickenlooper said. The others are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Trump said last month he would pull the U.S. out of the Paris agreement, calling it a reassertion of Americas sovereignty. Hickenlooper signed an executive order setting a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions statewide by 26 percent by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. The order sets a more specific goal of reducing carbon dioxide from electricity generation by 25 percent by 2025 and 35 percent by 2030 compared with 2012 levels. The goals also include installing more charging stations for electric vehicles, providing more assistance to mining towns hurt by the decline in coal and using state-owned buildings to showcase energy efficiency. Hickenlooper acknowledged that at least some Republicans would oppose his plan. But he challenged them to say whether they opposed clean air or cheaper energy. Renewable energy promises good jobs for at least the next two generations, he said. This is whats going to attract Republicans, Hickenlooper said. Sean Paige, a spokesman for majority Republicans in the state Senate, said the lawmakers were preparing a response. Hickenlooper considered a similar executive order last year that would have set the identical goal for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power generators, but he dropped it in the face of GOP opposition. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Colorado Politics EverGuard Insurance Services Inc. has acquired Anchor Bay Insurance Managers restaurant, bar and tavern program. Anchor Bay is a provider of insurance products to the restaurant, bar and tavern industries in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Over the course of the next year, Anchor Bay and founder Bill Tanner will remain involved throughout the transition of the program to EverGuard. As the Anchor Bay program transitions to EverGuard, all existing Anchor Bay policyholders will continue to be serviced by Anchor Bay, which will continue to provide service to agents and customers through their policy expiration dates. Anchor Bay will also continue to offer renewal proposals to clients with effective dates through July 31. Beginning with Aug. 1, effective dates and thereafter, EverGuards underwriters will provide Anchor Bay customers with quotations for the EverGuard restaurant, bar and tavern program. Anchor Bay will honor existing quotes, as well as quote new business with effective dates through July 15. Anchor Bay agents will have access to the EverGuard restaurant, bar and tavern program, and will receive e-mail instructions to complete appointment paperwork and access EverGuards customized internet portal, where new applications can be submitted electronically. Seattle, Wash.-based EverGuard specializes in providing custom commercial insurance products. The company is active in 35 states and works through independent retail insurance agents. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions The reports author, from the Danish Ministry of Finance, tells ITR - in his personal capacity - that more robust policies are needed to tackle what is a serious global problem. Top News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) Facial and Body Recognition Patent Application Received a Notice of Allowance San Diego, CA - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) with GBT Tokenize Corp. ("GBT/Tokenize") received a notice of allowance for its facial and body recognition non-provisional patent application. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Enters into Agreement with Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most Recognized Auto Groups, to Distribute the Mullen I-GOTM in Ireland and United Kingdom BREA, Calif. - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle manufacturer, announces today that it has entered into an agreement to appoint Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most recognized dealership groups, as marketing, sales, distribution and servicing agent for the Mullen I-GO in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire CGTN photo Thailand's government on Tuesday approved 5.5 billion US dollars to build the first phase of a high-speed railway that will ultimately link Bangkok to southern China. The project is part of China's huge regional infrastructure plan to build a high-speed rail network connecting the southern city of Kunming with Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Construction has already begun in Laos but the Thai segment of rail has been stymied for years by tussles over financing, loan terms and protective labor regulations in the Southeast Asian kingdom. The high-speed railway is set to start operations in 2021. A man convicted and later cleared on appeal of involvement in the 1998 Omagh bombing has denied in the High Court he has put several of his assets beyond the reach of the families of the bomb victims. Former building contractor, Colm Murphy (65), of Plaster, Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, Co Louth, was being cross examined in proceedings by the relatives aimed at identifying assets which Mr Murphy holds so that a st1.6m judgment against him can be satisfied. The relatives obtained the judgment against Mr Murphy and three others in the Belfast High Court. In their efforts to find what assets Mr Murphy holds, the relatives sought to examine him and his former wife Anne Murphy. Following those examinations, and questions raised by that evidence, Mr Murphy had to return to court on Thursday to answer further questions. During an hour and a half long cross examination by John ODonnell SC, for the relatives, Mr Murphy denied he had deliberately put a number of assets beyond the reach of creditors shortly after his arrest in 1999 over the bombing. He was sentenced to 14-years imprisonment but later released on appeal, after serving three years, when it was found two gardai had altered evidence. He repeatedly complained he could not remember a lot of the detail about his assets because he was in a "dark place" and a "black hole" as a result of his arrest and perjured evidence. "I was charged with something I had nothing to do with", he said. He had transferred some of his assets after his arrest to his wife to provide for his children because he believed he was facing life in prison. He denied he knew a civil action by the families of the 29 victims of Omagh was coming down the tracks. Asked would he not have known about it from all the media coverage of a campaign to raise funds for the families civil action, or through his IRA contacts, he said: "Who said I had any contact with the IRA, you are saying it, I had no contact. He added: "I was not a member of the IRA at that time and I had no connection with them". The court heard the assets included the former family home at Doolargy Lower in Dundalk and a number of housing sites at Mount Pleasant, one of which he lives in but which belongs to his New York-based sister, Angela Reilly, which she and her husband also use as a holiday home. He said the family home had been transferred to his wife from whom he separated shortly after his arrest and they later divorced. There had been the Emerald Bar in Dundalk, which he transferred to his wife in 1999 and which in 2015 was valued at 170,000 although he said it is no longer operating. Another bar in Church Street was later partly turned into a beauty salon run by his eldest daughter. He said that had been acquired by his ex-wife and a sister-in-law. He did not know what happened to the liquor licence attached to that pub. After he was arrested, he said, he set up a IR340,000 trust fund, controlled by his wife, for the education of three of his children from the proceeds of his contracting business. He did not know whether that money was paid out to the children when they reached 21. "Ask my ex-wife", he said. His company at one time had a 1m a year turnover and employed up to 60 people but once he was arrested no one wanted to employ him again. "People were treating me like a leper, they would walk across the street and would not walk on front of me". He said another of his companies, Mount Kean, was a non trading holding company for 30 acres of land on the Dublin Road in Dundalk. He said however that this land was paid for out of an account which his sister Angela who had given him power of attorney in relation to. He also said that at the time of his arrest, he had a bank account in Ashbourne, Co Meath, which had substantial funds in it but was used to pay his tax bill. He spent some 200,000 on lawyers to defend him in the criminal case although he said he got free legal aid to defend the civil case brought by the families. Following the cross examination, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan awarded costs of the hearing against Mr Murphy. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he is sending a letter to Donald Trump Jr to ask him to testify. Senator Chuck Grassley said he would subpoena the president's eldest son if necessary. The room in fiscal space the net amount available for tax cuts and spending increases detailed in his Summer Economic Statement may be even smaller, at 300m, because the plans do not account for the increased spending for public pay rises under the renegotiation of the Lansdowne Road accords. The budget, which may be the last before a general election next year, will be substantially smaller than the previous two budgets announced by predecessor Michael Noonan. Those measures added to the spending base and under EU spending rules, curtailed Mr Donohoes scope for tax cuts and spending increases. Mr Noonan announced in October 2015 1.5bn in extra spending days before unveiling a further package of 1.5bn in his official budget speech. The budget watchdog, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, has said that the previous two budgets ramped up the spending base and meant Ireland breached the EU spending rules last year and is on course to breach them again this year. Mr Donohoe told journalists he had a net 500m available in new discretionary measures in his budget. He said the Government would adhere to the EU rules. The head of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council watchdog welcomed the commitment by Mr Donohoe to stick to the rules but said that the new finance minister has little room to go beyond his opening estimate for a 500m package in tax cuts and spending increases, without significantly increasing taxes or curtailing spending in other areas. Watchdog chair Seamus Coffey also expressed concerns that Mr Donohoes plans to inject 500m, half the originally proposed 1bn, into a rainy day fund from 2019 would be effective in safeguarding the economy from potentially overheating in the coming years. Mr Donohoe said that the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund could possibly inject more funds into the rainy day fund. The fund was set up during the depth of the crisis to ensure the conditions that led to Irelands disastrous economic collapse would never be repeated. It has said the Government breached EU spending rules in 2016 and was heading for a planned breach this year too. In any contra-cyclical policy, a rainy day fund is part of that policy. It is not clear from the limited proposals for an Irish rainy day fund that it is in line with an effective contra-cyclical policy, Mr Coffey told the Irish Examiner. Ireland Strategic Investment Fund is happy that the Government is giving a commitment to adhere to the fiscal rules and that there can be no more need for a fiscal stimulus, he said. Mr Donohoe said the reworked plans for the rainy day fund would make 500m available for spending on capital projects. While a commitment to increase infrastructure investment is welcome, waiting until 2019 to increase investment will consign many of Irelands regions to a decade of lost growth, exacerbate social inequalities and continue to see Dublin congest, business group the Construction Industry Federation said. First-quarter retail revenue rose 3% on an underlying basis, to 478m (540.3m), beating analysts estimates of 471m (532m), the company said. The shares rose the most in about two months. Results were lifted by cost cutting and by strength in mainland China, where luxury-goods sales are bouncing back after a multi-year slump. Sales in the Asia-Pacific region rose by a mid-single-digit percentage. The Americas remained weak, underlining the challenge Mr Gobbetti faces in putting the trenchcoat maker back on a path to sustainable growth. The former head of LVMHs Celine brand took over as Burberry CEO this month from Christopher Bailey, who continues to serve as the companys creative chief. In preparation for the handover, the company has been streamlining its brand portfolio and US retail presence in an effort to boost profitability. Cost savings and enhanced cash returns to shareholders provide some support for the stock, RBC Capital Markets analyst Rogerio Fujimori said, but Burberry is facing significant headwinds in the US department-store channel. The shares gained 50p to close at 1,630p in London trading yesterday. The sales report comes before what may be a tense annual general meeting today as some investors object to Burberrys executive pay. Royal London Asset Management said it would heed calls from investor advisory groups to vote against the remuneration report. The company left its full-year earnings outlook unchanged. It said currency swings will reduce earnings by about 25m (28.2m), based on current exchange rates, which is less than the 30m (33.9m) forecast in April. Gobbetti will take greater control around brand distribution with further cleaning of the wholesale channel, wrote John Guy, an analyst at MainFirst Bank. This is a similar strategy when he ran LVMH brands, such as Celine. He would sacrifice short-term sales in order to protect/elevate the brand and drive improved productivity over the long-term. In Europe, Britain led the way, although growth has slowed as the group lapped the fallout from Britains vote to leave the EU last year, said chief financial officer Julie Brown. We continued to see strength in UK domestics and it even rose as we went through the quarter. Customers responded positively to our new DK88 bag. Bloomberg and Reuters I am sure that many of us will have been dismayed to read the news that the state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient data centre that was to be built in Athenry, Co Galway, has not even started construction as yet, despite being announced in February 2015. However, another plant announced on the very same day for southern Denmark is already at an advanced stage of construction and is expected to be in operation soon. It should, therefore, not really come as a surprise then to hear that Apple has now announced a second such facility for Denmark. It has also announced that it will build a facility in China to address new rules there. Yes, Apple has now stated it will spend in excess of another 800m on building a new data centre in Denmark which will also run entirely on renewable energy. It said this centre will run Apple services such as, Apple App Store, iTunes Store, Siri, iMessage and Maps. In fact, its been suggested that the second facility will be ready by the second quarter in 2019, and will be ready before the Irish one, assuming the Athenry data centre even gets out of the planning traps. So why is the Irish facility so far behind? Is it another case of the law in Ireland being so loose that it effectively allows anyone to stop projects from proceeding indefinitely? Are we cutting off our proverbial nose to spite our face? In February 2015, the project was announced. In 2016, Galway planning authorities gave permission for the project to proceed. So far, so good. There were a few objections from locals and others living elsewhere in Ireland. An Bord Pleanala also addressed the objections fairly quickly. So it appears those statutory bodies did as much as they could. Clearly, some of the objectors were not happy with the decisions taken and decided to use the legal process to have their issues addressed. Now that its project has been delayed by both planning delays and legal proceedings, it is reported that Apple, not surprisingly, has expressed its concerns to the relevant state agencies. Some here have argued that this new announcement by Apple will cause alarm. That is not surprising either. Its announcement on the new Danish facility has heightened concern here. The Galway Chamber said it made a detailed submission in support of Apples plans at Athenry. It said that 300 jobs would be created in the building of the data centre while 150 technical staff would be permanently employed when the centre was up and running. In the not so dim and distant past, it seemed that an announcement of a new project would immediately bring out objectors to projects and some were lost unnecessarily. This project is a major investment in the Irish economy. It is located in a rural location hungry for the opportunity of high-quality and well-paying jobs. It appears that the company is making every effort to ensure that the data centre is designed in such a way to blend in with its environment. It will tap renewable energy. It appears that it is the type of project we want to attract to Ireland to get our country back on its feet in a sustainable fashion. To many of us, its a real keeper, particularly the fact that it comes from Apple, a company that has been a mainstay of the economy for decades. We recognise that individuals have the constitutional right to object or to appeal approvals to this or, indeed, to any other project. After all, nobody wants a project or one that impacts on our economy or on our well-being. However, the common good must also be addressed. The Government had promised to fast track such major infrastructure projects. It does not appear to be working. The wheels of planning approval and appeals need to be urgently speeded up so that the majority of our citizens can benefit from such projects. Its not good enough for the Government to sit back and wait for the law to move at its own speed. It needs to put time limits on addressing these issues. They cannot be infinite. Companies will go elsewhere if our approval processes are not expedited. Now that France has joined the EU in going after companies such as Google because of it routing its sales through Ireland, an Irish location may well lose its attractiveness. Shell said it agreed to sell for just over 1bn its 45% stake in the gas project, a move ending its exploration and production here, to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The deal will see Shell exit its so-called upstream operations in Ireland, with its Shell Aviation joint venture based at Dublin airport set to be its sole remaining operation. It comes as part of Shells efforts to offload assets following its takeover of smaller rival BG Group last year. Shell has sold off more than 16bn of assets since the BG takeover. David Horgan, who heads Petrel Resources, one of the energy and mining firms in John Teelings portfolio, said the oil major was focusing on other developing huge gas prospects and Corrib, though accounting for over half of Irelands gas needs, was no longer a core asset amid the slump in the global price of crude oil since 2014. Booker announced the cash and shares deal in January and the UKs Competition and Markets authority formally started a phase 1 review in May. Last month, Tesco and Booker asked the authority to move swiftly to a more in-depth phase 2 examination. The authority said it believed in over 350 local areas where there was an overlap between Tesco shops and Booker-supplied independent grocery retailers, shoppers could face worse terms when buying products. It said there were concerns that if the deal was cleared, there was potential for Booker to reduce the wholesale services or terms it offers the stores it currently supplies, to drive customers to their local Tesco. Booker supplies services to over 5,000 symbol stores, operating under the Premier, Londis, Budgens or Family Shopper brands. It also supplies restaurants such as Wagamama and Carluccios and operates the Makro cash-and-carry business. Tesco runs more than 3,000 stores across the UK. The authority said other concerns were raised and considered in the initial probe, but it had not found it necessary to conclude on all of these given the referral. The regulator will now assess whether the deal could reduce competition by conducting further research and analysis as well as seeking views and evidence from all those potentially affected by the deal. The authoritys in-depth phase 2 investigation lasts 24 weeks, following an earlier provisional findings report. The transaction will be cleared if the phase 2 inquiry does not find it will reduce competition. If competition is seen to be affected, the authority can either seek remedies or block the deal. Tesco sees the deal as a new source of growth given Bookers role as a major distributor to the catering industry. Tesco said that it was pleased the authority had accepted its fast-track request. Shares in Tesco and Booker were little changed. n Reuters That was its message to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy while calling on him change the Housing Act 1998 so local authorities have to find permanent accommodation for families. The commission has raised a number of concerns about emergency accommodation in a policy statement and wants the amount of time a family stays in such a setting to be limited to three months. It is particularly critical of the broad discretion provided to local authorities within the current system of emergency housing. It fears the use of family hubs could normalise family homelessness, leaving families institutionalised and accustomed to lives lacking autonomy and privacy. The regulations should specify that the family have access to cooking facilities and utensils, a play area, a family room and the familys right to autonomy and privacy should be respected. Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission chief commissioner Emily Logan met with families affected by homelessness and visited one of the family hub sites. The primary policy response must be to ensure that every family has access to suitable, permanent accommodation, said Ms Logan. The commission also believes that distressed homeless families should not have to find their own emergency accommodation. Separately, a report from Maynooth University discovered that over-reliance by current government policy on the private rental sector is contributing to the housing crisis. It recommends the tripling of spending on social housing to 1bn per year to allow the rapid building within 16 months of 5,000 additional social housing units. Report co-author Dr Mary P Murphy, a lecturer in Irish politics and society, said the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme were reliant on supply from the private rental sector. The most vulnerable families have had their chances of finding accommodation extremely reduced by the prioritising of HAP, said Dr Murphy. A cost-benefit analysis included in the report shows that the cost to the State of funding a local authority home over 30 years is 800 a month, compared to the average HAP rent in Dublin, at 1,244. A typical HAP dwelling in Dublin was almost 275,000 more expensive than state-funded social housing over the course of 30 years. The audit also showed, in 2015, the CIDP spent 412,311 on eight consultants. The former CEO resigned on September 30, 2015, and told the audit his credit card had been handed back the day before, but thousands of euro was spent months later and in October that year, 1,639.60 was incurred on the former CEOs credit card in relation to his departure from CIDP. That spending included a bottle of Midleton whiskey for 155. According to the audit: There was no evidence of board approval for these transactions. The former CEO informed Internal Audit that he had no knowledge of this credit card being used for these purchases. Unreceipted spending flowed at the CIPD in those years, from two transactions for the Airport Driving School in November 2015 involving one employee, to 500 spent by another employee in the Odessa Club and Restaurant. Expenditure of 18,026 on restaurants was incurred on the former CEO and [chief operations officer] COO/head of finance credit cards, it said, noting five transactions were in excess of 1,000 for meals at Trocadero and Captain Americas. One retirement meal cost 703.55 at Trocadero, of which 252 was alcohol and a 60 tip. Bonus payments made to the COO/head of finance were not processed through the payroll, and thereby not subject to USC and other levies, while segregation of duties was seriously inadequate at the organisation. At one point, a former COO received an 83,000 bonus. The audit said CIDPs control environment during the period 2012 to 2015 was seriously deficient and noted the selection of the COO/head of finance as managing director of The National Deaf Village Sports and Leisure Company Ltd had significant potential for conflicts of interest. The CIPDs own auditing functions were also deficient. According to the HSE: The non-provision of CIDP audited annual financial statements or full consolidated accounts to the HSE, its major funder, appears to have been for the purpose of hiding the true financial situation from the HSE and for the purpose of promoting the best interest of CIDP to the detriment of the taxpayers. "As a recipient of significant amounts of taxpayers funds, CIDP has a duty of candour to its funder, the HSE, to be open and transparent about the totality of its financial situation. This has not happened. Geraldine Tallon, who joined CIDP as chairwoman in April 2016, said the audit highlights serious governance and financial control deficiencies in the organisation for the period under review. All of us in CIDP are bitterly disappointed by the findings, but all issues identified have been addressed and will not recur. CIDP confirmed yesterday it had advised senior staff referenced in the audit report who are no longer employed there to clarify with Revenue there are no outstanding taxation issues. The events mark King William of Oranges victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690. Huge Eleventh Night bonfires ushered in the biggest date in the Orange Orders calendar. Firefighters dealt with 40 bonfire-related incidents up 21% on last year and received 213 emergency calls, and mobilised to 133 incidents overall a 49% hike on 2016. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) described the night as exceptionally busy, with crews dealing with 95 operational incidents between 10pm and 1am. During the most intense period, the NIFRSs regional control centre handled an emergency call every minute. Homes were boarded up at a number of bonfire sites amid concerns around safety and risk to property. Firefighters doused at-risk buildings with water in an effort to keep them cool as the fires raged nearby. The NIFRS said its two most significant bonfire incidents were in the greater Belfast area. The service also reported one attack on a fire appliance during the night though no one was injured. Sinn Fein reacted angrily to a coffin bearing an image of the late Martin McGuinness being attached to one bonfire in east Belfast, while Irish Tricolors and posters of Sinn Fein and other non-unionist politicians were a common sight on many fires. However, a peaceful Orange Order parade past the Ardoyne flashpoint in Northern Ireland was described as a massive step forward by a community worker. The north Belfast trouble spot had become a byword for conflict over many years on the Twelfth of July, but a deal struck between local residents saw a relaxed early-morning demonstration replace a tightly restricted evening procession where violence always threatened. Loyalist bandsmen from nearby Shankill and Ballysillan banged the Lambeg drum on the arterial Crumlin Road, followed by lines of white-shirted men wearing the Orders collarette, while a handful of nationalist residents looked on. Fr Gary Donegan, a Catholic priest who has spent years working in Ardoyne, said: Every step that happens here, no matter how small, it is is massive. There was a heavy police presence, mainly confined to residential side streets off the Crumlin Road. But officers trained for riots never left their vehicles, remaining spectators to the noisy pageantry with which unionists say celebrates their culture, but which nationalists blame for much strife in recent years. (CGTN photo) The 100th day of the Action Plan on China-US economic cooperation is approaching fast, with progress reports due on Sunday, July 16. The plan has made "important and positive progress," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a press conference on Wednesday, adding that negotiations had been "vigorously advanced" by both sides. The 100-day plan, announced during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, was initiated to develop consultations on trade issues and boost bilateral economic cooperation. The 100-day plan was announced during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. /Xinhua Photo "Clearly, the agreement reflects a starting point for the two nations to reshape their trade and economic relationship," said Zhou Hao, senior Asian economist with Commerzbank, told Xinhua. The plan covers a wide range of areas, from beef and poultry to financial services, investment, and energy. "Given the range of issues and the magnitude, that may be ambitious, but it's a very big change in the pace of discussion," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told reporters in April. "I think that's a very important symbolization of the growing rapport between the two countries." Geng Shuang on Wednesday pointed to "a series of early harvests" achieved in May. Among 10 initial steps announced one month after the plan was conceived, the countries agreed to increase access for US financial firms to China and expand trade in beef and chicken. Initial 10-point agreement, announced in May 2017. /CGTN Graphic Eligible US beef was allowed to enter China from June 20 for the first time in 13 years. The US was China's largest supplier of imported beef until 2003, when China imposed a ban after mad cow disease was found in US cattle. "The two sides are conducting consultation on the follow-up outcomes of the 100-Day Action Plan with the expectation for more practical outcomes," Geng added. President Xi Jinping, speaking after talks with US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 8, said a one-year China-US cooperation plan is under discussion. /Xinhua Photo President Xi noted after his meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg that following the progress made on the 100-day action plan, the two sides are discussing a one-year cooperation plan. A high-level mechanism for economic dialogue between the countries was also established during the Florida meeting in April, the first round of which will be held in Washington DC on July 19. A progress report and details of the next steps are expected over the coming days. He wants the Dail to freeze legislation introducing any change until likely costs could be examined. The minister was responding to a joint Green Party and Labour Party motion seeking to ban the cups. However, Mr Naughten said that without a complete understanding of the cost implications on the taxpayer, employers, retailers and customers, it would be financially reckless for me to proceed with its introduction here without proper scrutiny. I will not create another PPARS or another e-voting machine fiasco, he said. The principal aim behind the bill is one that all in the House agree with, said Mr Naughten; namely, to reduce levels of plastic waste in the environment, particularly rivers, lakes and oceans. He said there are elements of the bill that are problematic for the Government. The lack of clarity on the costs associated with the introduction of a deposit-and-return scheme concerns me, he said. During the debate, Labour leader Brendan Howlin quoted a statistic where deposit-and-return systems have been introduced internationally. He said the recycling rate can be up at 90%. However, he did not mention that is only correct where there is no existing infrastructure, Mr Naughten said. The five EU countries that have deposit-and-return systems have had them for some time and did not have an alternative existing infrastructure. This is not the situation here in Ireland. Deputy [Eamon] Ryan, when introducing the mill, suggested the scheme would cost 276m. A study investigating the possible introduction in the UK puts a figure of 790 million per year. These are enormous amounts. Before we spend even a fraction of this on its introduction, we need to ascertain what the benefits would be. I am watching with interest a proposal in Scotland to introduce a scheme there. It is of particular interest, given that Scotland currently operates a producer-responsibility initiative as we do here in Ireland. In raising questions about the costs of implementing the bill, the minister referred to a 2009 waste management policy review, commissioned by then minister for environment and Green Party leader John Gormley. The report did not support a scheme because the costs could not be said to unequivocally justify the benefits. The minister said he was looking at a scheme under consideration in Scotland where the cost would be over 88m at a minimum. The PPARS scheme was a controversial computer payroll system for the health service that cost an estimated 113m including 70m for consultants. It is expected to be later today before senior officers make a decision to consult with the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to whether or not to charge the woman. The woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of killing three-year-old Omar Omran. The little boy died after being stabbed to death and is thought to have suffered multiple knife wounds. His mother, Maha Al-Adheem, who had also suffered knife wounds, rang 999, seeking medical help for her son. When paramedics arrived at her apartment in the Riverside complex on Poddle Park, Kimmage, they could not get in. They alerted gardai, who forced entry. They found Omar in the bedroom, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms Al-Adheem, thought to be from Iran or Iraq, was taken to St Jamess Hospital with serious knife wounds. The 42-year-old, a medical doctor, has lived at the apartment for around five years and is separated from the boys father. He was contacted by gardai late on Monday and was told what had happened. Ms Al-Adheem underwent surgery, but was declared out of medical danger on Tuesday. It is thought she voluntarily sought assistance from psychiatric staff at the hospital. A knife was found at the scene and removed by the Garda Technical Bureau for DNA and fingerprint examination. Detectives at Crumlin Garda Station arrested a woman at 9.45am yesterday. She was brought back to the station and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. It allows for a maximum detention period of 24 hours, excluding sleep breaks. The initial detention period of six hours was extended at 3.45pm for a further six hours and was due to expire by 9.45pm. It was expected that detectives would seek a further 12-hour extension, subject to a request from the suspect for a break to sleep. This would stop the detention period between midnight and 8am, allowing for the detention to run until 5.45pm today. Sources said detectives would want to interview the woman at length, put all matters to her, show her all relevant exhibits and review her statements before making a decision to contact the DPP. They said detectives will want to have the results of DNA and fingerprint tests from the knife well before they finish questioning. PDForra deputy president Mark Keane said it was disgraceful that young recruits had been left waiting up to four weeks to be paid. NCOs and officers chipped in so they could put fuel in their cars to get home and also gave some money to pay for food for themselves and their dependents, he said. They did this out of their own pockets. Mr Keane claimed that as many as 30 recruits were involved, although the Department of Defence maintained the figure was far less, but acknowledged there had been an issue with payments. The PDForra deputy president said it was completely unacceptable as the recruits are poorly paid as it is. Very few people could live without payment for a month. Some have dependents and they shouldnt have to rely on the bank of mommy and daddy at this stage in their lives to help them out, said Mr Keane. When they [recruits] join the Defence Forces they have to be given a service number. It normally takes two weeks for that to go through the system for them to get paid. That would be acceptable, but not four weeks. This kind of thing wont help in the retention of people, which is a big problem in the Defence Forces at present. Mr Keane said that delays in the payments of a number of allowances for other servicemen and women were now commonplace. The payments of subsistence, travel and security duty allowances are being delayed. Some havent been paid since March, he said. Were trying to find out who is responsible for this, but were getting the run-around. The Department of Defence said it was aware it was currently taking longer than normal to put a small number of Naval Service recruits on the payroll, due to issues relating to previous service in the Reserve Defence Forces. The department maintained four individuals were affected, but Mr Keane reiterated it was as many as 30. The department said it understands that the outstanding issues in relation to these recruits have now been resolved. Meanwhile, representatives from PDForra and RACO, which represents officers, will meet today with the minister with responsibility for defence, Paul Keogh, to discuss the fallout from a climate survey on the Defence Forces carried out by academics from the University of Limerick. The report, exclusively revealed by the Irish Examiner, showed all ranks were concerned about poor pay and conditions, low morale, shortage of experts in critical areas, and the lack of retention policies which were leading to more than 60 personnel quitting every month. Headline, the national media monitoring programme for mental health and suicide, awarded the prize at the commemoration of its 10th year in operation. Thousands of articles across print and online media were monitored and compared against international media guidelines on the reporting of mental health and suicide in order to determine the overall award winner. Headline recognises the excellent work by media professionals in the Irish Examiner and their outstanding coverage of the difficult issues surrounding mental health and suicide in a positive and responsible way, said a spokesperson for Headline yesterday. John Saunders, director of Headline, said the media plays an important role in how the public thinks about suicide and mental health. Positive coverage of mental health and suicide encourages help-seeking behaviour and helps to remove the stigmas and myths that surround these issues, Mr Saunders said. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Irish Examiner for their excellent work in this area. Another prize was given to the Irish Examiners sister paper, the Evening Echo the Regional Media Award for positive coverage of mental health and suicide. Acting editor of the Irish Examiner , Allan Prosser, said he was pleased that the papers consistent work in the area was being recognised. The Irish Examiner is pleased that its consistent work in reporting in a balanced fashion on mental health and suicide has been recognised and acknowledged, said Mr Prosser. This is a subject that we have felt to be important for at least the past decade and we have invested resources, including the work of some of our best reporters, in ensuring that the topics are covered fairly and with full recognition of the human side of every story. Several speakers delivered talks on the topic of suicide and mental health at yesterdays symposium, including Dr Brian Farrell, the Dublin district coroner. Other speakers included Gerry Raleigh from the National Office of Suicide Prevention and Ella Arensman of the National Suicide Research Foundation. Prof Arensman told the audience safer reporting will lead to saving lives. She also referred to trends in media reporting of mental health and suicide-related issues. In 76% of articles, no reference was made to services and thats one important guideline to give people information on credible, accessible services, Prof Arensman said. She also explained that many articles were very focused on methods. The Charleton tribunal is examining claims that allegations of sexual abuse were used as part of a campaign to smear and undermine the reputation of Sgt McCabe. Kay McLoughlin, a social work team leader, sent the letter to the sergeant seeking to meet with him to discuss the allegations. The letter incorrectly contained false allegations that Sgt McCabe digitally penetrated a child, know as Ms D, and threatened her father. Tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton asked Ms McLoughlin if she was in some way a puppet of the gardai. Ms McLoughlin said: No, I have a duty to my clients. If I felt I was in some way biased or even acquainted with someone I wouldnt deal with the case. Ms McLoughlin agreed with Conor Dignam, for the Garda Commissioner, that high staff turnover could have led to problems dealing with the Tusla file on Sgt McCabe. Four people held the post of social work team leader between July 2013 and July 2014, when Ms McLoughlin took over in the role. Ms McLoughlin said that, before she took over, she was aware of Sgt McCabe from media reports. A Tusla file on Sgt McCabe was opened when Ms D sought counselling in 2013 about a previously reported allegation which was investigated by gardai in 2006. The DPP decided against pressing charges in the case due to lack of evidence in 2007. An administrative error led to false allegations from an unrelated case being added to Sgt McCabes file. In January 2016, solicitors for Sgt McCabe wrote to Tusla after he received the letter written by Ms McLoughlin containing the false allegations. On day nine of the inquiry, Diarmaid McGuinness, for the tribunal, asked Ms McLoughlin if the errors in the file were created and perpetuated in-house. She said they were and add ed that they had absolutely nothing to do with gardai. Ms McLoughlin reviewed the files in late 2015, but said she did not see an email in the file outlining how the allegation of digital penetration from an unrelated case had been added to the file. Mr McGuinness said the false allegation was repeated in six documents in the file in 2014, and that of the remaining 19 documents, a number were devoted to correcting the error, including an email from social worker team leader Eileen Argue outlining how it occurred. Ms McLoughlin said she accepted she had missed a crucial piece of information. I did not review the file fully. I had no cause to know an error had been made in it, she said. I failed to appreciate that there was a significant error on the file and I failed to review the file thoroughly. Ms McLoughlin said she was aware of Sgt McCabe. She said she assumed Ms D might have sought counselling in 2013 because Mr McCabes name being in the media may have triggered something for her. Asked if she or anyone else in her department were out to get Sgt McCabe, Ms McLoughlin replied: Absolutely not. She said if she had followed through and arranged a meeting with Ms D, or read the file fully, a letter sent to Sgt McCabe at the end of 2015 would never have been issued. I fully accept that letter was inappropriate to be sent out. I take responsibility for it, she said. After solicitors for Sgt McCabe responded to the letter sent to the sergeant, Ms McLoughlin said she realised she had made a grave error. The tribunal continues. The team at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) collaborated with others in Australia and the US to discover that a 1.5bn-year-old cell biological process enhances viral disease in mice. The researchers, led by RMIT University scientists in Melbourne, believe it is highly likely it has the same effect on viruses in humans. They identified a protein that is activated by a range of viruses and suppresses the bodys ability to fight infection, in turn resulting in a stronger disease under the testing with mice. However, they have also investigated a new prototype drug to treat debilitating viral diseases, ranging from the flu and the common cold to HIV. Flu hospitalised almost 1,900 people last year and caused 84 deaths in Ireland, and more than 500,000 deaths globally. The drug tested by the international study inhibited the activity of the protein activated by viruses, and was found to be very effective at suppressing disease caused by flu infection. The findings were hailed as hugely important in the fight against viral epidemics and pandemics by John OLeary, chair of pathology at TCD and consultant pathologist at St Jamess and the Coombe hospitals in Dublin. He is a contributing author to the study results, published in the prestigious scientific and medical journal Nature Communications yesterday. Standard anti-viral therapies in general target the virus directly, said Prof OLeary. This new research highlights how viruses disrupt normal cells and a key molecule that regulates this disruption. By selective targeting of this molecule, a new era in viral infected cell treatment will be ushered in. Further research to develop new drugs for trial is being pursued by the team, whose work was funded by Australian research bodies. Most recent figures show there are 6,276 children in care in Ireland, 325 of whom are in residential units. While 92% of children in State care are placed with foster families, only carers living in Cork, Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare can access out-of-hours support. Foster carers need support. This is especially true with more complex placements, said Katherine Zappone, the minister for children and youth affairs. Tusla plans to offer 24-hour support to foster carers and is currently engaged in negotiations with staff unions on this matter. She was speaking at the joint Oireachtas committee on children and youth affairs, on issues arising in foster care services in Ireland. The phone service for the four counties was put in place in 2015, allowing gardai to contact out-of-hours social care workers. The plan is to roll out this service in the late autumn, according to the minister. Another improvement tabled for the autumn is the consolidation of the three out-of-hours services (Crisis Intervention, Emergency Out of Hours, and Cork Service) into a single, national service. This will be accessed by a single, Tusla out-of-hours contact number. Minister Zappone said Irelands history of institutionalised care for children has a poor reputation, but that we must acknowledge improvements. Of all the children in care in Ireland, 92% are in foster care. This compares with 74% in the UK. In Ireland, the 8% of children who are not placed in foster care are placed in childrens residential placements, or in specialist disability centres. This compares very well with other countries in the Western world and we should acknowledge this, Minister Zappone said. Meanwhile, a private residential foster care service is to cease operating. Tusla has recently been informed that Fresh Start, a private residential and foster care service, has decided to cease its foster care service in the coming months, said a spokeswoman for Tusla yesterday. Fresh Start had undergone a Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) inspection, the conclusions of which were published yesterday. The service registered five major non-compliances with Hiqa standards, one of which was the director of the company not being suitably qualified. GIVEN that William Crozier spent so much time in West Cork, its highly appropriate that many of the late artists works should be returning to Skibbereen for a major exhibition. The Glasgow-born artist (1930-2011) is best known for his lyrical landscape paintings, made after moving to West Cork in the mid-1980s. These are the main focus of the exhibition at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, with his earlier, less familiar work dominating a subsequent show at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. Both Uillinn and IMMA approached Croziers widow, Katharine Crouan, about mounting an exhibition which resulted in this collaborative effort spearheaded by IMMAs curator Sean Kissane. In the exhibition we wanted to show not just the familiar, beautiful paintings of West Cork but also to introduce Bills earlier work and show how the Irish landscapes evolved, says Crouan. Crouan is an established figure in the art world in her own right. An art historian and educationalist, she inherited Croziers estate of paintings and papers, which she considers a privilege as well as a responsibility. As a young man, Crozier had a zest for travel and after his training at the Glasgow School of Art he travelled extensively throughout Europe. Crouan tells us that he spent 1963 in southern Spain with poet and novelist Anthony Cronin, an experience which proved to be pivotal for the development of his painting. London was his base of operations for his early career and he counted among his friends artists such as Gillian Ayres, Ralph Rumney, and William Green. He was also acquainted with Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud. MOVE TO WEST CORK Crozier and Crouan moved to Kilcoe, Ballydehob, in 1983. Although born in Glasgow, Crozier has Irish roots, with his paternal family coming from Ballinderry, Co Antrim. He was known to say that he grew up with a dual nationality of the heart. He was taken to Ireland frequently as a child and as a teenager he used to hitchhike around the 32 counties, says Crouan. While Crozier may have sought an isolated environment in West Cork after enjoying an anonymous existence in the UK, he and Crouan found quite the opposite waiting for them. Life in a rural Irish townland isnt like that, she says. Our farming neighbours made us very welcome and never made us feel like outsiders. Bill loved long chats with them about the daily grind, the Common Agricultural Policy, their knowledge of each corner of their fields. He knew that the more he understood about his neighbours lives, the more he would understand West Cork. Crouan remembers him being chuffed with an encounter with two neighbours in Kilcoe. One said to him, You were working late last night. I saw your studio light on. Then turning to his friend he said This man works as hard as us. That said, in sociable West Cork, the artist realised that he had to be very protective of his time. He would become agitated if a day went by without some achievement in the studio. Bill was a modest man and found it astonishing to be stopped in the street in Skibbereen and asked about his work by ordinary, non-art world people and he was disarmed and humbled by their interest and direct questions. Crozier became an Irish citizen in the 1970s, just as the Troubles in the North were escalating, and curator Kissane considers the timing notable. He constantly thought about his political identity, says Kissane. At this exact time he started to make major works, one of which is called Crossmaglen Crucifixion from 1975. It shows this flayed body on a crucifix or a kind of church spire in the background. Its a sort of marrying of religion and nationality and showing of the violence that comes from that. It is very much an anti-war statement violence is the outcome no matter what position you take, whether you be British or Irish, or nationalist or loyalist. The early existential work of Crozier was a revelation to Kissane, The Crozier I grew up with was only the West Cork Crozier, he says. In terms of the beautiful lyrical landscapes from the 80 and 90s. So it was a complete surprise for me to discover that hed already had a 30-year career before he came to Ireland at all and was discovered in 1985 in Cork. And that in fact this was a post-war career that looked at existentialism and particularly looked at the body, looked at gender, and looked at politics. While the early and late career paintings are vastly different in appearance, Kissane has taken care to illustrate the parallels that remain in the work. Once you go into the West Cork Arts Centre you will see one of the most iconic West Cork images which is called Departure from the Island, a classic expanse of hugely lyrical colour. Beside that you will see one of the big 1970s landscape paintings with this winged skeleton in it. The point that I immediately want the viewer to recognise is that the West Cork painting is one of these existential paintings but emptied out. That the human figure has been removed but if you look, the concerns and subject matter are the same. In other work from the mid-2000s, the landscape is treated is much more like still life. It becomes much more totemic and flattened out until the landscape isnt visible anymore, says Kissane. You have trees that look like still lives and the colours remain something similar, beautiful warm reds and pinks and blues. But if youre looking for topographical or local references all gone. I want to try and present how hes still making big steps in his practice right up until 2010. WE have educated ourselves out of our landscape, Katrina Costello says, as we discuss her new documentary, The Silver Branch. It depicts the life and insights of the inimitable philosopher, poet, and fifth-generation farmer, Patrick McCormack, owner of Fr Teds House in Co Clare. Katrina dedicated five years to the film, capturing scenes of exquisite beauty in the Burren. I grew up farming. We were dependent on it, but thats whittled away now. Our connection with nature is getting smaller and smaller. As Patrick says in the film, there are whole generations of people who have not seen anything grow, she says. A project filming wild goats for a coastal documentary led Katrina to the Burren, where she became captivated by the realisation that generations of people had populated this place before her. The remains of their homes and farms are all around. Nature just settles about you. But you need to sit a while and let it settle, she says. A first-time documentary maker, Katrina filmed thousands of hours of scenes in nature, then agonised over the editing, ultimately using only 10% of what she filmed. I used to go out into the Burren with a camera and a barbecue, leave at four in the morning, and stay there for hours, sometimes even sleep there, she says. During this immersion, she captured scenes of intricate intimacy. One depicts a robin, busy feeding a chick three times her size, hatched from an egg deposited in her nest by the wily cuckoo. Scenes of nature, nurture, and the preservation of species tell this end-of-an era story. Katrina shot, edited, and directed it herself, with a lot of help from wonderful people. Born into a farming family in Co Kildare, she provided software support in trading rooms on Wall St, and around the world, for twenty years. She travelled to remote regions in Asia and South America to photograph indigenous people, searching for societies unaffected by the industrial age. Then, she returned to Ireland. The Silver Branch is an exploration of what Katrina calls our defining line. Nature and landscape is full of wild conflict that defines life. It has so much to teach us, like patience and acceptance. It is the great school, she says. It was Patricks ability to articulate his insights into living in sync with his surroundings that drew Katrina to him. He has these wonderful insights into his thoughts and he is able to articulate them; thats a rare quality. He is constantly searching for his defining line, measuring himself against this older generation, she says. Bachelor farmer, John Joe Conway, in The Silver Branch. In John Joe Conway, a bachelor farmer in his eighties, born and bred in the Burren, Katrina found the perfect partner for Patrick and the story is framed around them as a pair. Since I was young, I was always interested in older people. Its like they are no longer trying to represent themselves to the world. They are okay with just being. It gives them an honesty that Im attracted to, she says. A daily mass-goer, John Joe displays a tremendous tenderness towards his cattle; talking to them, stroking their heads, minding them. They stare back at the camera from within their warm pen, contentedly chewing the cud, inquisitive. You dont see that very often any more. These animals are minded by their owners. In order to develop such closeness, it has to be slow and from when they are very young, Katrina said. In John Joe, Katrina found a character with an intimate knowledge of traditional farming methods. Katrina believes these methods will die out with his generation. She is visibly moved as she talks about the enormity of what is at stake, culturally, socially, environmentally. Through lines from Patricks poems, deeper themes of love, loss, and spiritual sustenance are explored. The film covers a divisive 13-year battle by Patrick and a group of locals who opposed plans by the Office of Public Works to build an interpretative centre at Mullaghmore. The Burren Action Group sought to preserve the natural integrity of the landscape over the development of a major tourism amenity. The tragic irony is that four of Patricks five children, with his wife, Cheryl, are currently working abroad. The farm cannot sustain them. Despite the best efforts of local farmers, who use traditional agricultural methods, and of education groups, who bring visitors to witness these methods, ancient farming in this rugged terrain remains at risk. Yet it is more than just a way of life, or a way to make a living, says Katrina. The harsh beauty of the landscape has shaped the people that live here. It has taught them a universal wisdom, a philosophy of life, a spirituality that gives them inner strength, she says. That is something, perhaps, that has been educated out of us. Produced by Katrinas husband, film maker , Ken OSullivan, The Silver Branch premiers at the 29th Galway Film Fleadh tomorrow, Friday, July 14. Screenings to follow at various film festivals over the coming months. The team are hoping to secure a cinema release date in 2018. www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/index.php/project/the-silver-branch/ Thursday, July 13th, 2017 (2:47 pm) - Score 731 Mobile operator EE has extended its partnership with supermarket giant Sainsburys by announcing a plan to setup 100 new stores (700 overall), which will foster some 400 new retail jobs by the end of 2019 and provide 95% of people with access to an EE store within 20 minutes drive. As usual the description of stores requires some definition because this includes pop-up shops, showcase stores for running demonstrations of new services, so-called Help Hubs, cabins and mobile vans (used in remote rural areas). So were not just talking about big dedicated mobile shops for EE. Marc Allera, EEs CEO, said: We provide some of the best customer service of any mobile operator in the UK, and weve learned theres no substitute for getting help from an expert in person. I know our customers prefer to talk to real people in our UK and Ireland call centres rather than receiving help from a bot, which is where many other companies are investing. Were investing in more people in our customer service teams, more stores for them to serve customers from, and exciting new technology that will help our teams provide even better service. Alongside our mission to provide superfast 4G to every corner of the UK, this expansion aims to provide all of our customers with a premium, personal service no matter where they are located. End. Thursday, July 13th, 2017 (2:29 pm) - Score 1,174 Ultrafast full fibre broadband ISP Gigaclear has won the final Lot 1 contract (Upper CDS) of the Connecting Devon and Somerset project, which will see 10.3m being invested to deploy a 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP/H) network to 6,500 rural premises around Bath and North Somerset. According to the press release, some 7.8 million will be contributed by Gigaclear itself and the rest is public investment. The deal means that Gigaclear has now won both todays 10.3m Phase 2 contract for Lot 1 and the 62.25m contract for Lots 2 (North Coast), 3 (Eastern), 5 (Exm2sea) and 6 (South Moor) Details. Elsewhere fixed wireless ISP Airband recently won Lot 4 (Northern, Central and West Devon) of the CDS project as part of a 7m contract (here), which is on top of their existing 4.6m deal (here) to deploy superfast broadband to 5,800 premises in the Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks. The CDS team can now focus on deployment. Cllr Paul Myers, Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: Excellent broadband infrastructure is essential for our economy to remain competitive. This is good news as it will give our businesses access to some of the fastest broadband speeds available and the ability to trade without boundaries. For our residents, it means the whole family can get on-line to take advantage of all that the internet has to offer. Joe Frost, Gigaclears Business Development Director, said: Were delighted to win this contract to build this completely new, full fibre broadband network in North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset. It will be socially and economically transformative, delivering speeds up to 33 times faster than the UK average and crucially for business the upload speeds are just as fast. So far 320,000 homes and businesses across Devon, Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset and North Somerset now have access to faster broadband as a result of CDS scheme. Around 94% of Devon and Somerset can now be reached by a fibre (FTTC/P/DOCSIS) based broadband network, although superfast broadband speeds of 30Mbps+ are only estimated to be available to 86% of local homes and businesses. We understand that once the current contracts complete (December 2019) the total number of premises passed by the project should have hit at least 380,000. The total CDS budget to date is 171 million and further investments are planned including public funding returned by BT under a gainshare agreement when take-up of the new broadband service passes 20%. So far 36% of households and businesses in the CDS region have already taken up fibre broadband. One group of people who will enjoy outsized benefits from emerging technology are those living in rural areas. And that only seems fair, since they have suffered with substandard broadband for so long. 5G fixed wireless is the highest profile platform to aid rural citizens. Another technique is white space, which utilizes that bandwidth that buffers broadcast channels. Microsoft, according to The Seattle Times, is proposing a $10 billion white space project that would connect 23.4 million rural Americans. The five-year program would combine corporate donations and matching federal and state grants. The dynamics of 5G fixed wireless and white space are radically different. The latter is the first wave of what almost certainly will be a radical change of telecommunications worldwide. 5G ushers in an era in which wireless and wired approaches more or less are on a level playing field. Fixed versions of this technology will come first because they are easier technically. Roaming and miniaturization challenges can be left for another day. Serendipitously, this earlier use of the technology has a strong business case of its own. Carriers can learn and develop while generating revenue. White space is far more limited. It is not the cutting edge of a new technology. It has not lived up to its promise. One of the challenges is that a sophisticated infrastructure is necessary to ensure that white space transmissions dont impact neighboring broadcasters. This is a real-time requirement: What is fine after sundown may not be so the next morning. White space is a more modest endeavor than 5G fixed wireless. However, it has a monumental advantage: Much of the technical challenge of 5G involves harnessing very high millimeter frequencies. They are short range and easily disrupted by things in the environment, from rain and fog to furniture and walls. Conversely, the broadcast spectrum used by white space is the beachfront property of the radio spectrum. Thats why it was used for broadcast in the first place, and its a big deal. Microsoft has been researching and testing white space for several years. Its been a rocky road that doesnt seem to have smoothed out. The Hindu Business Line reports that Microsoft was denied permission to continue a white space trial in Harisal, a small village in the western state of Maharashtra. The move was made because telecom operators said the technology should be rolled out by licensed operators using auctioned spectrum. Microsoft is unlikely to bring the technology, which is used for health and educational services Harisal, to other villages. A cellular operator will continue supporting the services in Harisal, however. That setback notwithstanding, development continues. The Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. and Adaptrum have opened the SOVA Innovation Center for TV White Space Broadband Development at the Center for Advanced Engineering Research. The facility, which is in Forest, Virginia, was recently purchased by Liberty University. White space will also be used in Quezon City Police District headquarters in Camp Karingal. This is good news for people in rural areas. Differentiated services will vie for market share. In some cases, they will compete directly. Thats actually good news all around the world. Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk. The cybersecurity talent shortage keeps getting worse. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the cost of cybercrime will double from $3 trillion globally in 2015 to $6 trillion by 2021. Meanwhile, the number of open cybersecurity jobs will increase from 1 million in 2016 to 1.5 million by 2019. Meanwhile, the scale and damage of the attacks continues to increase. According to Juniper Research, 2.8 billion customer data records are expected to be stolen this year, increasing to 5 billion by 2022. The total cost of ransomware attacks alone is estimated to reach $5 billion this year, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, up from $325 million in 2015. Right now, in the United States, there are nearly 350,000 job openings for cybersecurity professionals, and fewer than 800,000 people total in the nation's cybersecurity work force, according to CyberSeek. The number of people with security certifications is also in short supply. There are 30,000 open postings for people with the Certified Information Security Manager certification -- but only about 10,500 certificate holders. Looking outside the box That makes traditional recruiting very difficult, and companies need to look for other ways to find people beyond posting help wanted ads, hiring recruiters, and searching for professionals who are already trained and experienced in the work. One option is to look for people in related technology professions, says Alan Cohen, chief commercial officer at Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Illumio. "Lots of smart IT people are moving into information security," he says. "As things become more software-led, application developers and operations people will filter into important security roles." [Related: Five ways the U.S. is educating cybersecurity talent and whats still missing] Another untapped resource is women. Currently, only 11 percent of the information security workforce is female, according to the ISC2. Improving diversity would go a long way to addressing the talent shortage. "To me, diversity is about finding talent where people are not looking," says Cohen. "One example of a forum we frequent is Women in Technology International." Other good sources are people with government and military experience, he says. "There are both amazing skills and talent available in the government realm," he says. "Not only do many of them have technical training in the right areas, they have the ability to master new skills and not shrink under pressure." The company also holds hackathons at college campuses to discover new talent, he adds. They're not the only one looking to competitions. "One of the most effective ways at finding information security talent is through participation in regional hacking conferences, such as Defcon in Las Vegas and HackMiami in South Florida," says Alex Heid, chief research officer at New York-based SecurityScorecard, Inc. According to Heid, organized competitive hacking is now a sport, and a great way to practice both offensive and defensive technique in a live fire environment. "Some information security companies have mini Capture the Flag hacking challenges that are presented to candidates during the interview process, and it seems to be a useful tool for identifying talent right away," he says. Trend Micro, Inc., has taken this a step further. The company has been running its Capture the Flag competition for three years, says Ed Cabrera, the company's chief cybersecurity officer. "It's a fantastic way to provide opportunities for us to identify individuals who have the talent and aptitude," he says. It's a global competition, and this year's finals are in Japan, with the top competitors getting a free trip to the event. "We might not hire any of them, or may hire some of them," Cabrera says. "But either way it gives us a great pool of individuals to look at." Silicon Valley isn't the only place to find smart cybersecurity people, Cabrera says, and the global nature of the competition is one of the ways the company is looking outside the region. "In this day and age that type of capability and talent is global," he says. "For example, I just spoke at a panel in Miami, at an event focused at tech startups in Central and South America and the Caribbean area." Trend Micro also looks for people who are already working at the company, but in different jobs. "The individual might be working in a business unit that doesn't challenge them, or give them the opportunity to show off their skills," Cabrera says. Too often, there's too much emphasis put on the technical skills, Cabrera says. "A lot of what goes into cybersecurity is not necessarily the technical skills but the soft skills, the investigating mindset, ability to solve problems," he says. "I always would look towards the more soft skills, the enthusiasm, the problem solving, and the creativity side, and include that into my analysis." Cabrera himself started out by investigating financial crimes, and moved into cybersecurity later on in life. "I'm a late bloomer," he says. Trend Micro isn't the only company willing to look at people with non-traditional backgrounds. "We've had people on our SOC team who have music and art backgrounds," says Janet Levesque, CISO at Bedford, Mass.-based RSA Security. "There is something about musical backgrounds that seems to have a lot of synergies with what you need to do in cyber. Some of that is being able to pick things up quickly. So if someone can sight read music, or pick up information quickly, and has creative problem solving skills... we've had a lot of people who come out of diverse fields." Given how fast cybersecurity is evolving, good analytical skills are more valuable than knowing a particular technology, Levesque adds. "The technology that you may use today might be obsolete tomorrow," she says. To help non-traditional hires get going in their jobs, RSA offers a combination of on-the-job training, company-sponsored training, and funding for external training and education programs. Plus, RSA offers proprietary training to customers on its products, so employees get that, as well. "We drink our own champagne at RSA," Levesque says. The war for talent When it comes to hiring the best, most experienced people, there's a war on. Companies have to step up both their offensive and defensive capabilities in order to find and retain the talent they need. "The people you want already have jobs," says Bob Heckman, VP and CISO at Vienna, Virginia-based Criterion Systems, Inc. To get to the best people, to those who are successful and happy in their jobs, and aren't actively job hunting, takes work. One successful strategy is to draw on the personal connections of your own employees, Heckman says. "We have a cybersecurity architect who is brilliant, and his personal reputation draws other people like him," he says. That means that the current employees have to be able to make friends, build reputations and personal networks. "Not only do we encourage it, we make them do it," says Heckman. "We make them attend cyber functions that aren't sales." [Related: Companies ramp up recruiting veterans as cybersecurity urgency grows] That includes participating in more technically advanced, smaller meetings. It also includes very private events that the company has access to because of the classified work that it does. A company also has to be careful not to come off as too predatory when meeting people at industry events, he adds. "If you come off looking like you're using it as a recruiting event, they all leave," he says. "It has to be natural." It can take time, he adds. "A lot of companies actually maintain your own personal database of cyber talent that they continue to track through their careers," he says. "They continue to actively reach out to these folks and see what they're doing in their careers and if they're doing anything new, maintaining the relationships in the community." Then, to bring those people in, and keep them, takes a good understanding of what they really want from their jobs. "Cyber people are special," says Christy Cooper, Criterion's senior recruiter specializing in cybersecurity. To keep them happy, the company focuses on helping them develop their careers, investing in continuing education as well as project-related certifications. To keep people from getting burned out, they can cycle through different security jobs at the company that helps make them more well-rounded. Happy employees also help with recruitment, Cooper adds. "Make sure that the team that is already on the ground and working demonstrates that they enjoy what they do," Cooper says. "If you enjoy the people you work with, enjoy the mission, that comes across. People want to come work for you." Growing the pie One of the biggest challenges the cybersecurity profession faces is getting people into the pipeline early, and there have been a number of different industry efforts to address that. According to a 2017 study by Raytheon, the number of young adults aware of what cybersecurity professionals do has been going up. In 2015, 46 percent of young men and 33 percent of young women were aware about cyber careers, and that increased to 54 percent of young men and 36 percent of young women in 2016. Interest in cyber careers is also going up, with 43 percent of men and 30 percent of women saying they were more likely to go into cybersecurity than they were a year before. The number of U.S. millennials who says that there are cybersecurity programs or activities available to them has increased from 57 percent in 2015 to 70 percent last year. One of the companies offering such activities is IBM with its Hacker Highschool project for teens and young adults. IBM is also investing in vocational training and coding camps, skills-based certifications, associate degree programs, and training programs for military veterans. According to the company, nearly 20 percent of the security employees IBM hired since 2015 have non-traditional "new collar" backgrounds. Other companies are also trying to help improve cybersecurity education. Germany-based NTT Security, for example, is working to develop relationships with universities that help the company go beyond just participating in career fairs. "We have employees who participate in advisory boards to help universities develop relevant curriculum for careers in cybersecurity," says Stewart Brooks, NTTs director of global talent acquisition. That includes the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Dakota State University, Robert Morris University and the Pittsburgh Technology College. In addition, the company is sponsoring SANS Institute trainings and certifications through the Vet Success Program. "The SANS Institute also has a newer program which focuses on women in the cybersecurity field," Brooks added. "This is something that we are looking at partnering with them as well." Palo Alto Networks is looking even earlier in the pipeline, with a partnership with the Girl Scouts. Girls in grades starting with kindergarten will be able to work on their cybersecurity badges starting this coming September. The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone has on behalf of his Government handed over a consignment of 6300 metric tons of rice (equivalent to 126,000 of 50 Kg bags) to the Government of Sierra Leone at a short ceremony held at State House in Freetown on Wednesday. This came as a fulfilment of the Chinese Government during President Dr. Ernest Bai Koromas state visit to the Peoples Republic of China last December. Ambassador Wu Peng handing over documents to Sierra Leones Agriculture Minister, Prof. Monty Jones The Chinese Government reached a kind decision to provide 6300 tons of rice, which costs 50 Million RMB as assistance to Sierra Leone. Ambassador Wu Peng said the first batch of 2750 tons which took almost two months on the high seas, has finally arrived on the shores of Freetown. The second and third batches of consignment, he said, are due in November 2017 and January 2018 respectively. Ambassador Wu disclosed Chinas determination to work close with Sierra Leone to find long-term solutions to achieving food self-sufficiency by developing the agricultural sector to enhance the countrys capacity to produce more food items. Besides the agricultural sector development desire, Ambassador Wu also assured of Chinas readiness to promote other bilateral cooperation in Sierra Leone to support President Koromas Agenda for Prosperity. Receiving the food items on behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, President Koroma thanked President Xi Jinping of the Peoples Republic of China for fulfilling his promise. He described the assistance as a great gesture, and assured that government would judiciously use the rice for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans. The president expressed the need for Sierra Leone to be food self-sufficient and therefore called for diversification in agriculture which he implored China for close collaboration. In could be recalled in March this year, the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone handed over seeds and chemicals to the Ministry of Agriculture for farmers in the Western Area. Materials handed over to Ministry included rice and corn seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural chemicals. President Koroma receiving the kind gesture from his Agriculture Minister China has been carrying on the Agricultural Technical Cooperation with Sierra Leone for more than forty years. Since 1970s Sierra Leone has enjoyed support from the Peoples Republic of China, which has sent agricultural experts and set up cooperation sites at local districts of Sierra Leone. Abu Bakarr Kargbo is a Senior Staff Writer of Standard Times Newspaper in Sierra Leone and an Intern at Peoples Daily Online. Earlier this week, Microsoft introduced two additional software-as-a-service subscription plans to the partners who will try to sell them. The pair join an increasing number of subscription deals that the Redmond, Wash. company has modeled on the Office 365 pattern. The new plans even carry the "365" label, which Microsoft sees as a unifying identifier. Microsoft 365 is, as CEO Satya Nadella introduced it Monday, "a fundamental departure in how we think about product creation," composed of, initially at least, two plans. The more expensive, Microsoft 365 Enterprise, is simply a new name for a year-old, two-tier product titled "Secure Productive Enterprise E3" and "Secure Productive Enterprise E5." Those SKUs (stock-keeping units) were introduced at Microsoft's 2016 partner conference. Like SPE, M365 Enterprise tosses Windows 10 Enterprise, Office 365 and Enterprise Mobility + Security into a bucket. But "Microsoft 365 Business," or M365 Business for short, is the more interesting of the two plans because it is actually new. Nadella thought the same. "I'm so excited about the product innovation that you will see today around small and medium-sized businesses," he said during a two-hour keynote before partners. So, what's Microsoft 365 Business? That's the new deal Microsoft will push later this year after an unspecified time in preview, which will start Aug. 2. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] M365 Business includes: Office 365 Business Premium, a software-and-service plan that includes all the Office applications, hosted Exchange email, OneDrive storage service and more. Alone, Office 365 Business Premium costs $12.50 per user per month when billed on an annual basis. Windows 10 Pro: Devices currently running Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 Pro may be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro under M365 Business. Windows 10 Business: According to Microsoft, "Windows 10 Business is a set of cloud-[based] services and device management capabilities that complement Windows 10 Pro and enable the centralized management and security controls of Microsoft 365 Business." The services and tools include a subset of those from Intune, Microsoft's enterprise mobility management (EMM) platform, as well as Windows AutoPilot, an automated deployment service bundled with Windows 10's March 2017 feature upgrade, aka 1703 and Creators Update. How much does M365 Business cost? $20 per user per month when it launches later this year. That's $7.50 per user per month more than Office 365 Business Premium, or an extra $90 per user annually. For that amount, customers receive the difference between the two plans: the upgrade to Windows 10 Pro and the various management service components. Who is Microsoft 365 Business for? According to Microsoft, the plan is "built for small and midsize customers that have little to no IT resources on staff." Although companies of any size can purchase M365 Business licenses, any one customer can buy no more than 300 subscriptions, another signal that it aims at small and medium-sized organizations. The limited management tools also play to that theme. They're designed to be easy to use and offer only basic functionality, and are accessed via simple control panels similar to what they may have already used for Office 365. What's the Windows 10 upgrade all about in M365 Business? Good question. Microsoft's descriptions of this component are sketchy thus far. An extensive company Q&A on the subscription plan had the most information, saying, "If you have devices that are licensed for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 Professional, Microsoft 365 Business provides an upgrade to Windows 10 Pro." (The "Professional" label holds for Windows 7, but 8 and 8.1 are dubbed "Pro" instead, as is Windows 10.) Computerworld was unable to unearth additional details of the upgrade, specifically what happens when a customer cancels a M365 Business subscription or lets one expire. Do devices that were upgraded from Windows 7 Professional to Windows 10 Pro retain the latter license? Or is the Windows 10 license revoked, forcing customers to reinstall the previous OS? Later, Microsoft confirmed that the upgrade licenses to Windows 10 Pro will remain in place. That's true even if the customer doesn't eventually transition to a paid plan after using the preview. "Customers will be able to keep their upgraded license to Windows 10," a company spokeswoman said in an email reply to questions about M365 Business, including the preview that began Aug. 2. The confirmation that customers will preserve their upgraded licenses means that Microsoft sees M365 Business as yet another way to get Windows 10 onto more PCs. More specifically, Microsoft probably views the plan as a foot in the door, a precursor to the customer subscribing to the more expensive and inclusive Microsoft 365 Enterprise. What management tools does M365 Business include? Enough, says Microsoft, to adequately serve small and mid-sized businesses. What Microsoft calls "a simplified management console" controls device and user management functions. The tools bundled in M365 Business include: Auto-install (and easy uninstall) Office Wipe company data from devices, both company- and employee-owned Enforce user settings on devices, including access to Windows Store or use of Cortana Force users to save all work to OneDrive for Business Configure new PCs as well as existing systems running Windows 10 Pro 1703 (Creators Update) or later using AutoPilot Automatically update and upgrade Windows 10 PCs using Windows Update for Business We heard there's a preview of M365 Business. What's that deal? Yes, a preview opened on Wednesday, Aug. 2. The preview is accessible from this website. Users may sign up now for the preview on that page. Although there is no charge for the preview, Microsoft recommended that potential customers contact their preferred Microsoft Partner -- or locate one -- to handle the M365 Business deployment. Interestingly, Microsoft said, "Devices running Windows 7 [Professional] or 8.1 Pro are eligible for an upgrade to Windows 10 Pro within the Microsoft 365 Business preview." Those upgrades will remain in place after customers exit the preview, even if they decide not to subscribe to M365 Business. What does M365 Business require? According to Microsoft, Windows 7 Professional PCs "likely meet the minimum requirements." However, only Windows 10 devices can be managed in M365 Business, a powerful motivator for equipping as many systems as possible with the newer OS. The other major precondition for the subscription -- Azure Active Directory (AAD) -- is necessary to enforce user and device policies set in the management console, and for other tasks, such as AutoPilot set-up. Microsoft acknowledged that on-premises Active Directory works with M365 Business, but "it is not recommended." Although the number of Chinese customers in South Koreas duty-free shops recently increased slightly compared to March and April, it is not anything close to the figure before South Koreas decision to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Xinhuanet.com reported on July 12. Latest statistics from Koreas Tourism Organization show that the number of foreign tourists was less than 980,000, down by 34.5 percent from 2016 year-on-year. Similarly, the number of Chinese tourists decreased by 64.1 percent for the same period. An assistant in a Lotte duty-free shop in Seoul said there was a slight increase in tourists to their shop of late, but this was less than half of the figure before South Koreas decision to install THAAD. The situation is contrary to reports in some media that South Korean duty-free shops have gradually recovered with more and more Chinese tourists purchasing goods. Many people in South Korea hope that the government will properly handle the economic losses caused by the THAAD controversy. South Korean insiders said it was too early to claim another tourism boom as the number of Chinese tourists to the country has sharply declined since March 15. The growth rate of sales volume by duty-free shops was only 1.6 percent in April after South Korea decided to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. South Korea and China should now join hands to bring bilateral ties back to the track of healthy development as quickly as possible. Both sides should take advantage of the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations to seek long-term development by taking the overall picture into consideration and respecting the core interests and major concerns of each other, observers stated. Local Dems sweep; town rejects pot Every Democrat on the local ballot won their race Tuesday, including Jamestown resident Peter Neronhas re-election as the states top prosecutor, and local voters followed suit with the statewide trend... Voters rebuff allowing retail pot sales in shops By a margin of 157 votes, the electorate decided Tuesday not to allow local businesses to cultivate, manufacture, test or sell recreational marijuana in Jamestown. The referendum to allow the... School board agrees to contract with North Kingstown Jamestown students entering high school can continue to choose North Kingstown as their destination for grades 9-12. We are pleased to continue this historic partnership, said Ken Duva, superintendent of... Participants of the 2016-2017 CDS course during a field outing Some 60 African senior military officers on July 13 passed out from the College of Defence Studies, National Defence University, Beijing, after undergoing a 10-month War College course. The African officers from 28 English-speaking and 32 French-speaking countries were part of a total number of 134 participants for the prestigious course. The course was very high profile, rich and diversified. It gave me a clear insight of the economic metamorphosis of the Peoples Republic of China, a broad view of international and national security issues across the world, as well as equipped me with the necessary tools to analyze security problems and undertake conflict resolution, Col. Ngwah Abdoulaye Kenyiveh, the only Cameroonian participant, said. The course does not only enable me to command joint operations, but it qualifies me to handle responsibilities at strategic level, Col. Kenyiveh, who is one of many Cameroonian officers to take the course, noted. Overall, 134 participants received the training in English, while 32 officers studied in French all bagging a Certificate in Defence and Security Strategy from the College of Defence Studies, National Defence University (CDS/NDU). The school is the highest military institution in China. Course participants who are holders of Bachelors degrees and are interested in studying for Masters degree in Defence and Security can do so. This year, seven officers from the French-speaking class proudly defended their Masters theses, Col. Ngwah Abdoulaye Kenyiveh disclosed. The 10-month curriculum included modules on Chinese studies, national and international security, military strategy, etc. We provide a platform for officers from all over the world to communicate with each other, diagnose problems for international security and jointly explore ways of maintaining world peace. It is an important manifestation of China taking responsibility as a major country, especially in military area, Xu Hui, Dean of CDS told the press last year. He added that defense and strategic studies, and international studies courses have become internationally renowned brands with growing attraction. The College of Defense Studies is subordinated to the National Defense University of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army, the highest institution of military training in China. It is mainly tasked to provide education to senior commanding, staff and research officers as well as senior foreign officials. The predecessor to CDS was set up in the early days after the founding of PRC in 1949 and was subordinated to Nanjing Higher Military Academy. In 1969, it was moved to Changping, Beijing and was named 5th Brigade of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Military and Political University. In 2004, it was renamed College of Defense Studies, National Defense University, NDU. Kimeng Hilton Ndukong is Sub-Editor for World News with Cameroon Tribune bilingual daily newspaper in Cameroon. He is currently on media attachment with Peoples Daily Online in English. (Screenshot of Hui-style buildings) Anhui province officially launched a new policy to preserve historical Hui-style buildings and encourage individuals to adopt them. The policy requires the local government to conduct a census on the historical buildings in their administrative areas. Those that reflect historical features and local characteristics will be identified and be preserved. Organizations and individuals will be encouraged to participate in the protection of historical buildings, including buying, renting, or adopting them. The historical buildings will be used as memorials, exhibition halls, museums, as well as for cultural and creative industries. China has approved 129 historical and cultural cities in 2016. Anhuis Haozhou and Anqing; and She, Shou, and Jixi counties were ranked among them. JURIST Guest Columnist Benjamin G. Davis of University of Toledo College of Law adapts Leo Amerys famous 1940 speech calling for the ousting of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain for the age of Trump May I say that I agree wholeheartedly with what just fell from the lips of the hon. Maxine Waters of California as to the responsibility of the Opposition in playing a constructive part at this critical moment. The whole of America has a grave responsibility at this moment; for, after all, it is America itself that is on trial in this new form of war. If we lose this war, it is not this or that ephemeral Government but Americas institutions that will be condemned, for good and all. I fully realize that this is not an easy Debate. There is much that ought to be said which cannot well be said in public. After watching the G20 these days and not least the closing rebuke of Chancellor Merkel and the impressive commentary of Mr. Walter Shaub, it seems to me that the whole of recent eventsnot only in Hamburg, but the whole conduct of the war in Syria and in the Ukraine as well as the Russian sabotage of the American elections right up to datecalls for searching inquiry, not for one stray private sitting, but for a series of private sittings in which all that Americans can contribute of their private knowledge should be put into the common stock and frankly discussed. Meanwhile, even to-day there is plenty that can be said, that ought to be said, and that must be said frankly; for there are no loyalties to-day except to the common cause. Yesterday, as a few days ago, Secretary of State Tillerson gave us a reasoned, argumentative case for the Presidents meeting with the Russian President. President Trump demonstrated again a clear failure of will at a crucial moment. It is always possible to see such weakness in a leader after every failure. Spinning what happened in a meeting and leading America at war are not the same thing. Wars are won, not by explanations after the event but by foresight, by clear decision and by swift action. I confess that I did not feel there was one sentence in Secretary of State Tillersons briefing after the Trump-Putin meeting which suggested that the US Government either foresaw what Russia meant to do, or came to a clear decision when it knew what Russia had done, or acted swiftly or consistently throughout the whole of this lamentable affair. I am not going to discuss the reasons for the actual evasions. They may well have been conclusive in the circumstances. But the circumstances should never have arisen; and it is the story of those eventsof the decisions, of the absence of decisions, of the changes of decisions which brought about those circumstanceswhich call for our inquiry and raise many questions which have yet to be answered. We were told by Secretary Tillerson that the two Presidents agreed to disagree on the past and looked toward the future. Why was this done? For months we had been aware that the Russians had been cyberhacking the United States elections, destabilizing Ukraine, and acting against some of our Eastern European allies like Estonia. It is perfectly true that they spun their story better than we could sort it out. But was there any reason which would make us believe the story that they spun? Obviously the danger was there and develops into actuality at any moment. The President suggests that we could not know which of many sources of the hacking it might be. Surely we had some good reasons for suspecting which one it might be. The DNC e-mails had focused the interest of the whole world on Julian Assange and Wikileaks. A month prior to the election, President Obamas intelligence services declared, speaking of the ongoing elections, that the danger to Americafrom Russiaproverbially stands upon their very doorstep. The Hillary campaign e-mails affair had before that showed clearly the illegal uses which Russia was prepared to make to tilt our election. What is more, within a few days of that statement Hillary Clinton in a debate decided deliberately to challenge Trump over his use of the Russian hacked documents. All the world knew that that was the main theme of her attacks on Trump in the days up to the election. After the elections with the sanctions deliberations of the National Security Council which met, I think, on 29th December, we went on to make the American position perfectly clear to the whole world, including Russia. Then President Obama laid out several sanctions and assured all that we have not yet reached the limit of our effective operations in cyberspace close to the Russians. That was sufficient warning. On that day the sanctions were put in place. What did we expect to follow? Did we know Putin and his merry men so little as to think that their rejoinder would be slow or half-hearted, or that it would follow the lines of too little and too late with which we have been so familiar here? However, it was not a question of a Russian rejoinder at all, but of Russia making our half-hearted intervention an excuse for measures far greater in scope and far more daring than we seem even to have envisaged. I understand that information as to this reached the Trump transition team as they entered the White House early in January 2017. Was that aspect of the strategic situation considered? Again, it was known everywhere that Putin had designs on Eastern Europe. Was it not obvious that the first stroke must be directed against Ukraine, not only because they were weaker, but because once Putin had seized Crimea, the east of Ukraine was automatically within his power without the need for conquest? I would ask another question: Is it not a fact that the most direct warnings of Russias designs against Ukraine were sent from both Kiev and during the Ukrainian Presidents hurried visit to the White House in June? I am afraid that what really happened was that, while he thought he was taking the initiative in the Minsk accords to help save Ukraine, the initiative, such as it was, only coincided with a far more formidable and far better planned initiative of Russia to bring Ukraine into a Russian sphere of influence with American acquiescence. I remember that many years ago in East Africa a young friend of mine went lion hunting. He secured a sleeping car on the railway and had it detached from the train at a siding near where he expected to find a certain man-eating lion. He went to rest and dream of hunting his lion in the morning. Unfortunately, the lion was out man-hunting that night. He clambered on to the rear of the car, scrabbled open the sliding door, and ate my friend. That is in brief the story of our position in the Minsk accords after the G20. In any case, even if we did not realize that the Russians were acting at the same time, why were we not prepared to meet their inevitable counter-stroke? We had only this weak President Trump, without preparation, with no clear agenda for the meeting with President Putin according to what the National Security Advisor McMaster has told us with no readiness to counter the Russian backed efforts against Eastern Ukraine. There was no plan to meet the contingency that Russia might seize Eastern Ukraine as well or to meet any really serious attack by Russia on Ukraine or other Eastern European countries. As we know now, the Russian backed forces are active in the Donetsk, and are in readiness for the zero hour when all the Russian forces under guise of the Minsk accords are to strike to regain control of all the Ukraine and afterward Eastern Europe. In this setting, we have President Trump demonstrating a callow and supine subjugation to his Russian counterpart. Whether in Syria, in the hacking, or in Eastern Europe Trump acquiesced to Putins strategic initiative with little care for its impact on the US and our democratic allies. What I would say, however, is this: Just as our peace-time system is unsuitable for war conditions, so does it tend to breed peace-time statesmen who are not too well fitted for the conduct of war. Facility in debate, ability to state a case, caution in advancing an unpopular view, compromise and procrastination are the natural qualitiesI might almost say, virtuesof a political leader in time of peace. They are fatal qualities in war. Vision, daring, swiftness and consistency of decision are the very essence of victory. In our normal politics, it is true, the conflict of party did encourage a certain combative spirit. In the last election we found that the most perniciously aggressive of our candidates, candidate Trump, was not only aggressive in words, but was a man of action but action toward what vision? America First or America Alone as we see after the G20. Or America beholden to Putins schemes. In recent years the normal weakness of our political life has been accentuated by a coalition based upon no clear political principles. It was in fact begotten of a false alarm as to the disastrous results of Obamacare. It is a coalition which has been living ever since in a twilight atmosphere between Repeal and Replace and between unprepared collective security and unprepared isolation. Surely, for the last 10 years to have bred a band of warrior statesmen would have been little short of a miracle. We have waited for six months watching this new Trump Administration dismantle US leadership and the miracle has not come to pass. Can we afford to wait any longer? Somehow or other we must get into the Government men and women who can match our enemies in fighting spirit, in daring, in resolution and in thirst for victory. Some 370 years ago, when the United Kingdom House of Parliament found that its troops were being beaten again and again by the dash and daring of the Cavaliers, by Prince Ruperts Cavalry, Oliver Cromwell spoke to John Hampden. In one of his speeches he recounted what he said. It was this: I said to him, Your troops are most of them old, decayed serving men and tapsters and such kind of fellows.You must get men of a spirit that are likely to go as far as they will go, or you will be beaten still. It may not be easy to find these men. They can be found only by trial and by ruthlessly discarding all who fail and have their failings discovered. We are fighting to-day for our life, for our liberty, for our all; we cannot go on being led as we are by President Trump with his incoherent vision and weakness of spirit in facing the challenges that confront us. I have quoted certain words of Oliver Cromwell. I will quote certain other words. I do it with great reluctance, because I am speaking of a President elected by my fellow Americans many of whom are old friends and associates of mine, but they are words which, I think, are applicable to the present situation. This is what Cromwell said to the Long Parliament when he thought it was no longer fit to conduct the affairs of the nation: You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go. President Trump, In the name of God, Go. Benjamin G. Davis, professor of law, is a former member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Law and National Security. He is a Founder of Advocates for US Torture Prosecutions. Davis led the adoption of the 2006 American Society of International Law Centennial Resolution on Laws of War and Detainee Treatment. Davis is an international expert on topics such as cyber dispute resolution, drones, detainee treatment, military commissions, torture and international law. He is a graduate of Harvard College (BA), Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School (JD/MBA). Suggested citation:Benjamin Davis, President Trump, in the Name of God, Go., JURIST Forum, July 12, 2017 http://jurist.org/forum/2017/07/Benjamin-Davis-president-trump-in-the-name-of-god-go.php This article was prepared for publication by Dave Rodkey, Managing Editor for JURIST. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit [official website] ordered [opinion, PDF] Tuesday that a Texas death-row inmate must be provided funds to build a defense against his impending execution. The decision comes two years after the court stayed the execution to consider an appeal that was filed on the grounds that the defendant was denied appointed counsel and funding to hire a mental health expert. Scott Panetti was convicted by the state of Texas for shooting and killing his wifes parents in 1992. Panetti, who has been institutionalized for schizophrenia, insisted on representing himself at trial. During trial [Reuters report] he often spoke incoherently and sought to call on John F. Kennedy and Jesus Christ as defense witnesses. He appealed his conviction and death sentence on incompentency claims, but the Texas Court of Criminal appeals denied his application. The Court of Appeals vacated his conviction and remanded the case back to district court to determine afresh Panettis competency to be executed. The opinion concluded, Delivery of the process due protects the prisoner and in doing so protects us all. Recently the death penalty has been a pressing issue across the country. Earlier this month William Morva was executed by lethal injection [JURIST report] after supporters failed to convince Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to grant him clemency because of a mental illness. Also that week Florida Governor Rick Scott scheduled [JURIST report] the execution of Mark Asay which will be the states first execution in nearly two years. The execution of death row inmates in Florida had been halted after their sentencing procedure was deemed unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. In June a federal appeals court reversed [JURIST report] a lower court decision and found Ohios execution protocol to be constitutional. In that same week a federal judge ordered [JURIST report] major changes to Arizona death penalty procedures due to prisoner complaints. Earlier in June the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that psychiatric assistance must be provided for indigent defendants sentenced to the death penalty. In May the Delaware House of Representatives passed a bill [JURIST report] that would reinstate the death penalty. Floridas new bill [JURIST report] declaring that the death penalty may only be imposed by a judge upon unanimous recommendation from the jury was signed into law in March. In January the US Supreme Court refused [JURIST report] to consider a challenge to Alabamas death penalty system. Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva was convicted [ruling, PDF, in Portuguese] Wednesday of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to almost 10 years in prison. Lula da Silva, who was president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, was charged with obtaining USD $1.1 million from a construction company in improvements and expenses for an apartment in exchange for getting the construction company contracts with the state-controlled oil company. He can still appeal his conviction and will not be arrested until he has exhausted his appeal. He had previously announced intentions to run for president next year for the Workers Party. However, if his appeal fails, Lula da Silva, who is currently 71, will be ineligible to run for office for 19 years. Brazil has seen a significant amount of corruption charges throughout various levels of government in recent years. The current Brazilian president, Michel Temer, was accused [JURIST report] of accepting bribes in June. Former president Dilma Rousseff was impeached for corruption [JURIST op-ed] last year amidst a time of economic turmoil. In April Brazils Supreme Court [official website] ordered investigations [JURIST report] into eight cabinet ministers and dozen of lawmakers who are allegedly linked to the countrys so-called car wash bribery scheme. In March, Brazils top prosecutor asked Brazils Supreme Court to open 83 more investigations [JURIST Report] into politicians. Indonesian president Joko Widodo signed a decree [text, PDF, in Indonesian] Monday that allows the government to ban radical organizations. Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] has called the decree troubling, saying it goes against freedom of association and expression. It is believed that the decree is meant to target a group known as Hizbut Tahrir, which calls for Shariah law in Indonesia. Hizbut Tahrir, along with other groups, has been responsible for months of protests in Jakarta against the citys Christian mayor.The government has previously announced that it planned on banning the group. A spokesman for Hizbut Tahrir has stated that they plan to have the decree reviewed by the Constitutional Court. Indonesia [HRW country report] has been accused several times over previous years of violating human rights. In February 2016 HRW condemned [JURIST report] proposed amendments to Indonesias law on the eradication of terrorism. In October 2015 Amnesty International reported that death row inmates in Indonesia have been denied [JURIST report] the right to counsel, beaten and coerced into confessions. In April 2015 eight convicted drug smugglers [JURIST report] were executed by firing squad for their part in a smuggling ring. In February 2013 a group of UN human rights experts called on Indonesia [JURIST report] to amend a bill they claimed would unfairly limit the rights of assembly, speech and religion of private organizations. In November 2012 the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Indonesia [JURIST report] to end discrimination. In July 2012 an Indonesian cleric was imprisoned for violating [JURIST report] the nations blasphemy law. A group of Russian students on an exchange programme in Gansu, northwest of China, produced hand-made books on traditional Chinese culture. After a visit to the Gansu Provincial Museum in the provincial capital, Lanzhou, Darima, a student from the Repin St. Petersburg State Academy Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, decided to make Chinese and Russian versions of the book, Thousand-hand Bodhisattva. The hand-made books were completed in 45 days during her visit. Before leaving China, Darima, who speaks fluent Chinese, said she will take the book to her country. During her next trip, she plans to visit the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, also in Gansu province. Vera, another student from the same Russian school, finished a hand-made book on shadow puppets. 23-year-old Eagle who developed liking for Pan Gu, the creator of the universe in Chinese mythology, produced a book on the subject. Meanwhile, the books made by the Russian students will be exhibited in colleges and universities in Gansu. Xu Jinlin, a book designer in charge of the exchange programme said the hand-made books will be produced in Russia to promote public understanding of Chinese culture. Over 300 delegates and leaders from different countries will later this month attend the seventh Kubuqi International Desert Forum in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to find solutions to the problem of desertification around the world. During the forum, issues such as eco-technological innovation, green finance and poverty elimination, will also be discussed. Three people who have made extraordinary contributions to fighting desertification will be awarded the "Land for Life Award. The forum is regarded by the UN as an important mechanism and platform to achieve the goal of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The theme of this years forum is Green Belt and Road. The forum is an important international meeting to implement the consensus reached at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in May in Beijing, said executive secretary of the forum, Zhao Yong. The forum is jointly organised by Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology, State Forestry Administration, the Peoples Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Convention to Combat Desertification. China is willing to share its experience on fighting desertification with other countries. By the end of 2014, the amount of desert land in China had fallen by 12,120 square kilometers, shrinking by 2,424 square kilometers per year, according to a survey by the State Forestry Administration. The Kubuqi International Desert Forum is held every two years. The construction of a new oil pipeline in Heilongjiang province was completed on July 12. Around 15 million tons of crude oil will be transported annually from Russia to China via the new network, which is expected to be put into use later this year. The new pipeline, with a length of 941.8 kilometers, stretches from Mohe at the Russian border to Daqing. It is the China leg of the second East Siberia Pacific Ocean pipeline project that pumps Russian crude oil to China, and is constructed to tackle the oil shortage in the countrys northeastern region. As several major oil fields in the region have already been excessively exploited, local oil production has decreased in recent years, causing an energy shortage for the regions 20 refineries. According to local authorities, the new pipeline will transport crude oil from Russia with an annual capacity of 15 million tons. This is not the first pipeline that can transport Russian oil to China. According to Chinanews.com, the two nations have already built a pipeline that imports over 15 million tons of crude oil from Russia to China annually. As of June, over 100 million tons of crude oil has been successfully transported. One of the crucial components of the Sino-Russian relationship is cooperation in the energy field. According to Reuters, Russia overtook Saudi Arabia in 2016 to become Chinas biggest crude oil supplier for the first year ever. Some experts believe that EU sanctions on Russia has led to the latters economic downturn, pushing it to seek more cooperation with China, where demand for crude oil remains high. Chinas well-funded Belt and Road Initiative has rolled out with thousands of Chinese enterprises going all out in the vast, new market created by participating countries and beyond. The vast overseas market will become a giant pool of capital, with trillions of dollars of overseas investment and financing in the coming years, experts projected. Chinese investments overseas have been growing at a double-digit rate over the past 10 years. By 2016, some 30,000 Chinese companies have marched overseas, with a total investment of $1.2 trillion, including outward foreign direct investment at $183.2 billion. In five years, that figure is expected to rise to $750 billion, revealed Zhou Xiaofei, a director at National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Zhou made the remarks at the Chinese Firms Going Abroad 50 Forum, organized by the Counselors Office of the State Council. The forum was contracted to the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). Zhou also pointed out that private companies make up some 60 percent of the Chinese companies in the foreign market, though many are inexperienced newcomers compared to their overseas counterparts. The NDRC has streamlined the application process to facilitate Chinese companies overseas investment. Most investments only require a record on file, with no lengthy verification procedure, Zhou said. The NDRC will continue to encourage Chinese companies to go overseas and negotiate and cooperate with participating countries along the B&R to bring down the cost of cooperation. Efforts will also be made to improve overseas security and to lower operational risks. Zhang Xingfu, a deputy head of a department responsible for outward investment and economic cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce, told the forum that more than 70 percent of the Chinese companies overseas are profiting. By 2016, a total of 77 projects have taken shape in 36 countries and regions with total investment of $24.19 billion. These Chinese-led projects will add more than $70 billion in value and create over 212,000 jobs. China will continue to outshine others at a time when the developed countries are expected to remain mired in economic stagnation, said Justin Yifu Lin, former World Bank chief economist, at the forum, adding that Chinas economy will remain robust and serve as the worlds economic engine. Behind the growing prosperity are a number of Chinese financial institutions that have been providing constant support to the companies. According to Sun Ping, vice president of the Export-Import Bank of China, the bank has supported a total of 1,279 B&R projects, with the loan balance exceeding 671.4 billion RMB, up 18.28 percent. Meanwhile, the total investment of projects supported by the Silk Road Fund has topped $80 billion, said the funds executive vice president Ding Guorong. We should be aware that the financing demand in B&R construction is huge. The demand cannot be met by the fund or any single Chinese financial institution, Ding noted, adding that the Silk Road Fund has established cooperative ties with a dozen international financial institutions on possible bilateral or multilateral cooperation opportunities. (CGTN photo) The Philippine government's approach to handling disputes over territorial claims in the South China Sea has created a "healthy environment of dialogue, cooperation and development," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's administration said Wednesday. The statement was made on the one year anniversary of the issuing of a ruling by a court in The Hague on the South China Sea territorial dispute case. Relations between China and the Philippines have improved since Duterte's visit to Beijing last October. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds hands with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing, October 20, 2016. /Xinhua Photo "President Duterte's priority of regional peace and stability has led to the healthy environment of dialogue, cooperation and development," the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said. Manila said disputes should be resolved "in a manner consistent with the spirit of good neighborly relations" and that the country will remain "an enemy to none and a friend to all." Improved relations with China have brought benefits to the Philippines such as economic gains, the statement stressed. Overseas Chinese see off a visiting Chinese naval fleet at the Port of Davao, the Philippines, May 2, 2017. /Xinhua Photo In response to Manila's statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the two countries are on track to peacefully solve disputes through dialogue and consultation. The relationship between the two countries has benefited both peoples and contributed to regional stability since ties normalized last year, he added. "China's position on the so-called Hague ruling is consistent and clear," Geng said, noting that China is determined to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The story of my grandma shows what can happen to EU citizens if their country cannot pay for its health system. Europeans have been bombarded with analyses on the financial and economic dimensions of the Greek crisis, but mainstream media outlets have paid little attention to its most concrete impact on everyday life. Most alarming is the situation of the healthcare system in Greece. It is an emergency. Human rights encompass the right to health, a widely-shared principle enshrined in any European constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Greek Constitution provides that the State shall care for the health of citizens and shall adopt special measures for the protection of the young, the elderly, the disabled and provide relief for the needy. Article 35 of the EU Charter states that everyone has the right of access to preventive health care and the right to benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by national laws and practices. A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities. Similarly, article 25 of the UNs Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services. Distant hospital My grandmother broke her femur not long ago. She lives in a tiny village in North Euboea, Pappades, and the nearest hospital that could deal with her situation is 90 km away; two hours by mountain roads. But the long journey itself didnt even begin until 20 hours after we had called the ambulance, which came all the way from Halkida, the capital of Euboea. Upon arrival at the hospital, she had to wait two more hours until a doctor could take her for an X-ray. After that, she was assigned a bed in a room occupied by six more people. The doctors and paramedics were very capable but scarce in number and lacking in resources. We were asked to go out and buy most of our own pharmaceuticals, antibiotics and gauzes. What I saw visiting my grandmother in hospital was staggering. The hospital structure was in clear decay: dirty, smelly and leaky-roofed. The mattresses must have been some sixty years old and were hard as rocks, which caused most elderly patients develop bedsores. Under these conditions, infections are a major cause of death. Paying extra for home surgery My grandmother was operated on after five days of waiting. Fortunately, the operation was successful. Like many others, she had developed a very painful lumbar bedsore. But the hospital could not do any more for her. We cant afford any more care is what we were told, being left to do no more than take grandma to my uncles home and pay for a surgeon that would come regularly to treat her bedsore. These surgical operations did not take place in an operating theatre but in a regular house, with all the risks that come with this. Can this be acceptable in the European Union of 2017? Grandma is slowly recovering, but not without significant sacrifices from four siblings and their families. Eight months have passed, and all the while she has been treated at home, we her family paying for the treatment. Diagnosis: austerity In Greece, by now, it is down to who is able to pay for healthcare and who is not. Between 2009 and 2013, public expenditure on health in Greece fell by 32% to 1,351 per capita, by far the lowest in the eurozone. Austerity measures had already made welfare practically extinct, and the same now is happening to healthcare. According the Bank of Greece, 80% of Greeks cant afford a health insurance policy. According to Eurostat, 36% of the Greek population is at risk of poverty, while 15% of Greeks are living in extreme poverty. At the same time, 71% of unemployed citizens live in absolute poverty. My many chats with patients revealed disquieting issues. Among them, the non-existence of institutionalised prevention. Most commonly, women over 50 years old in todays Greece almost never undergo a mammography. Almost as common are deaths at the age of 60 due to untreated diabetes; above all a result of inadequate dissemination of information. I also heard about a cancer patient who had committed suicide because of the unbearable pain, unable to pay for treatment. I have talked with people striving to access unavailable cancer medicines, traipsing from one hospital or pharmacy to another. Those who have healthcare know they are lucky. I have seen social pharmacies that try to supply citizens with the aid of private supporters, where people wait in long queues. On top of this, a cultural problem makes the system even more restrictive. It is now common practice for patients to give doctors gifts, usually ranging from 200 to 1,000, in order to ensure they receive good treatment. Many doctors do not accept money, but others do and even urge donations. This system dates back to long before the crisis. Medical personnel who are lucky enough to be employed in Greek hospitals do usually enjoy fair living standards. But arguably there are also those who would be unable to make ends meet were it not for such gifts. A gangrenous apparatus The Greek healthcare system has been suffering the consequences of unbearable shortages since 2010. Even then, the gap between Greeces healthcare expenditure (5.9% of GDP) and that of other EU member states was significant. Today, according to Eurostat, Greeces healthcare expenditure rate is 8.3% of GDP. Not because real spending has increased, but because GDP has decreased from 236.5 billion ($299.4bn) in 2010 to 175.7 billion ($195.7 billion) in 2016. And it looks even worse if we consider the contraction of the euro-dollar exchange rate. At the same time, the public debt/GDP rate shot up from 146% to 177%. Clearly, a country in such chronic disease cannot look after its own welfare, not to mention that of its people. In 2008, Greek GDP per capita was 20,158.29. As of 2015, it is 16,231.5. My grandmother, 93, receives a pension of 280 per month, one of many pensioners who receive such a low sum. After initially being slashed to 300, it was cut by a further 20 one year ago. No-one in the eurozone could live on that sum, standing on their own two feet. As a result of this situation, Greece cannot buy its citizens most of the pharmaceuticals they need, and many Greeks cant buy themselves an appropriate treatment. What can be done? Not only does the Greek healthcare system need to be exempt from further cuts, it also needs more investment than in pre-austerity days. Although, in its current condition, it might actually need humanitarian aid. The EU will not help. In fact, the measures the bloc has imposed are part of the problem. When one scrolls down the European Commissions Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations page the only operations mentioned are in the refugee and migrant policy area. No policies have been elaborated nor statements made by EU leaders to address the dire situation in Greece. It seems that a proven record in addressing external issues such as undocumented migration gives Europe greater international legitimacy as the ultimate bearer of human rights than it could hope to gain from any policy of internal solidarity. After all, migration and refugees are consistently a hotter issue than some poor Greeks getting poorer. Depriving Greece of its right to health may not be much of a problem for the EU. But sooner or later someone will notice the discrepancy between the ideals of the EUs charters and the actual situation. So, dear Europe, isnt it time to allow my grandma, along with all Greeks, the dignity of hospital care? FUNK The remains of an adult woman were found Tuesday in a cornfield in rural Phelps County. Her death is being investigated as a homicide, Phelps County Sheriff Gene Samuelson said. According to a Phelps County Attorneys Office press release, Samuelson located the remains of the woman at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday near 739 and R Roads northwest of Funk. Samuelson responded to a Tuesday report that a body was in the cornfield. An agronomist came upon the body while in the middle of the field and called 911, Samuelson said. The remains have been identified as a woman and are believed to have been in the field for about a week. Identification of the remains is pending. There have been no missing persons reports in the area, and there is no connection to a woman that had been reported missing in Hastings, Samuelson said. There are no suspects in the investigation. The Phelps County Sheriffs Office, Phelps County Attorneys Office, Nebraska State Patrol and South Central Area Law Enforcement Services continue to investigate. Anyone with information about the matter should contact the Phelps County Sheriffs Office at 308-995-5692. The Family Trump is outraged that the fake media has refused to take them at their word. Especially when President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he really isnt sure that Russia or anyone else tried to subvert the 2016 U.S. presidential election. But what is most outrageous to the rest of us now is a mind-boggling lack of outrage from so many famous names of the Republican Party. Even after we all have just heard and read the chain of deliberately deceitful words of Trump, his eldest son, Donald Jr., and his inner circle acolytes, who still are trying to hide what they knew about Russias effort to attack Americas democracy with cyber-weapons. The CIA, FBI, NSA and Director of National Intelligence disclosed last fall that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails to help the Republican candidate win. Next time, Russia or some other foreign adversary may well seek to defeat the Republicans and elect Democrats, or maybe even another new party. And the Republican leaders ever since the end of World War II would have known that and demanded firm action to defend Americas political system. Just as they moved vigorously to halt all foreign adversaries who sought to invade, infiltrate or otherwise attack Americas homeland during the Cold War. Even after they have read the latest disclosure (forced by the aggressive reporting of New York Times reporters) of Donald Jr.s 2016 eruption of enthusiasm after being offered help, allegedly in the form of Russian government info incriminating Hillary Clinton. A Kremlin-connected publicist, Rob Goldstone, who the Trumps knew, emailed him on June 3, 2016, with what he called an ultra sensitive offer. Goldstone wanted to set up a meeting between Donald Jr. and a Russian lawyer who would provide some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father. This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Just 17 minutes later, Donald Jr. gushed his reply: (I)f its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. (Days later, the meeting was set up for the Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, in Donald Jr.s Trump Tower office and was also attended by Jared Kushner and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Donald Jr. says she never talked about any such ultra-sensitive info but instead just talked about her longtime effort to get rid of sanctions concerning a controversy over adoptions of Russian children by U.S. couples. Whether or not that is true is still uncertain.) A month later, Donald Jr. appeared on CNN, and Jake Tapper asked about a Clinton officials claim that Russia was behind the hacks of Democratic party emails as part of an effort to help Trump and defeat Clinton. Donald Jr. insisted at length this was all fake news. (T)his is time and time again, lie after lie. ... Its disgusting. Its so phony. ... I mean, I cant think of bigger lies. ... Its disgusting and the people ... should be fed up because when I heard it I certainly was. Fast forward to 2017: On May 11, President Trump told NBCs Lester Holt the real reason he decided to fire FBI Director James Comey. You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story. Even as recently as just before his meeting this month with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G7 gathering in Germany, Trump was still insisting he didnt know if it was Russia or somebody else who had hacked and leaked the Democrats emails. Putin, reportedly gleeful among his Kremlin pals post-meeting, seemed to have basically gotten all he wanted out it. Indeed, Trump went along with Putins idea that the two nations team up. But two old school Republican patriots, Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham, led the critics. Its not the dumbest idea Ive ever heard, but its pretty close, said Graham. But McCains fellow Arizonan Barry Goldwater and, of course, Ronald Reagan would be shocked and saddened by the shattering sound of silence coming from many leaders of the party that had once thought it had cornered the market on patriotism. Martin Schram is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. Political scandals often enrich the English language. Entire college courses could be constructed around the linguistic analysis of such Watergate expressions as smoking gun, cancer on the presidency, third-rate burglary and twist slowly, slowly in the wind. So, too, with the current Trump-Russia furor that resembles to borrow a line from Winston Churchill a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus made his own linguistic contribution Sunday morning when he dismissed a New York Times story detailing Donald Trump Jr.s 2016 campaign meeting with a Russian attorney, with connections to Vladimir Putin, as a nothing burger. The expression appears to have been coined in 1956 by Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons, who described actress Shelley Winters early career as Miss Nothing-burger. Within hours, Priebus defense of the Trump family became, to use a Watergate expression, inoperative. The Times had followed up by reporting that the purpose of the June 2016 meeting, also attended by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, was to collect damaging information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian lawyer. In a statement, the presidents son confirmed the purpose of the meeting, but claimed that nothing of value was obtained. Even in the mud-wrestling arena of contemporary politics, there are tactics that remain off limits, like trolling for dirt from Russian operatives. In 2000, as top Mitt Romney strategist Stuart Stevens pointed out on Twitter, the Al Gore campaign immediately contacted the FBI when it was sent George W. Bushs debate materials. And the earlier revelation that the Ronald Reagan campaign had made use of a purloined Jimmy Carter 1980 debate briefing book prompted a congressional investigation. So, once again, Republicans return to Capitol Hill having to duck questions about Trump and Russia. What is confusing about the Trump administrations Russian front is that nobody in Congress, the media or the electorate knows for certain whether this is another Watergate or another Whitewater, the Clinton scandal that produced a haze of smoke, but little else. Any Republican recognizes that Trumps fan-boy affection for Vladimir Putin defies any rational pursuit of American self-interest. Equally baffling is the presidents refusal to accept the intelligence communitys verdict that Russia deliberately intervened in the 2016 election campaign. But where is the caviar on top of the blini? What is the hoped-for outcome of this crisis of the Trump presidency? For the White House, the answer is, Please make it all go away. Maybe Donald Trump Jr. should have thought of that before he met with the Russian lawyer in Trump Tower. And Kushner might have paused before suggesting, while Barack Obama was still in the White House, setting up a secret back channel with Moscow using Russian communications. No smoking gun? Many in both parties are placing their faith in the investigation being led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But not all grave offenses that upend democratic norms are prosecutable. For example, heedless ignorance about the nature of the Putin regime is lamentable, but not illegal. Walter Shapiro is a columnist for the CQ-Roll Call. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, participates in a ministerial meeting with the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Tillerson has held talks with the king of Saudi Arabia and other officials from the countries lined up against Qatar, but there has been no sign of a breakthrough so far in an increasingly entrenched dispute that has divided some of America's most important Mideast allies. (U.S. State Department, via AP) Its Sanfu time! What do Chinese people usually eat to let off summer steam? (file photo) July 12 marked the official start of Chinas Sanfu period this year. Fu, which means concealment in Chinese, refers to the situation when yin (cold weather) is concealed by yang (hot weather), according to Chinese traditional philosophy. Therefore, on Chinese Lunar Calendar, Sanfu represents the hottest days of the year. These days are further divided into Toufu (first fu), Zhongfu (middle fu), and Mofu (last fu). The whole period usually lasts 30-40 consecutive days in the months of July and August. To combat the constant heat waves during the dog days of summer, smart Chinese like to eat certain fruits and vegetables that are believed to help counter the summer heat, such as watermelons, bitter melons, mung beans, and lotus pods. (file photo) Some cuisines are also perfect for the scorching period. There is a local custom in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, called one pair of spring chickens for one fu, believing that steamed pullet is beneficial to ones spleen in the summer. Moreover, many Chinese love to eat river fresh." Freshwater fish and water chestnuts cooled on ice are best-selling items in the hot summer months. Apart from light food, traditional cold drinks and snacks are must-haves as well. Originally from the royal family during the Qing Dynasty, plum juice has been one of the most popular summer drinks for a long time. Made from dark plums, dracaena fragrans, licorice, and rock sugar, the refreshing plum juice is boiled and then put into a pot to chill. (file photo) Snowflake sherbet, also called indigenous ice cream, is also a popular choice to help Chinese escape the Sanfu heat. Sprinkle some dried fruit and hawthorn jelly into densely concentrated plum juice and then pour the mix onto ice shavings. After you stir it up for a short while, a delicate afternoon dessert is ready to serve. A whistleblower receives a one-million yuan reward for reporting a most wanted drug convict in Lufeng, Guangdong province, July 12, 2017. (Photo/Guangzhou Daily) A man was rewarded 1 million yuan for reporting a most wanted drug convict at a rewarding ceremony held by local police in Lufeng, Guangdong province, July 12, Guangzhou Daily reported. A large-scale drug smuggling case was cracked in Guangdong on February 12, 2016. The police seized 2,000 kilograms of methamphetamine and arrested 33 suspects. However, the main criminal, Zheng Sen, got away. Zheng, 46, is a resident of Jiazi Town in Lufeng City. Lufeng police offered a reward for information leading to his arrest. On May 12, 2017, Lufeng police raised the reward to one-million yuan and posted the reward notice in all villages and communities across the city. On June 30, Lufeng police received a tip that Zheng had fled from his hiding place in Huilai County to Yuchi Village, Jiaxi County. Zheng was finally arrested in the early morning of July 1. The man who provided the information received the one-million yuan cash reward. Four others were rewarded 100,000 yuan for providing useful information. To protect their identities, police allowed them to wear helmets at the awarding ceremony. Lufeng police started the reward program to fight drug-related crimes in 2016. Whistleblowers who report wanted drug convicts can get a reward of 100,000 yuan. A maximum reward of 300,000 yuan is offered for reporting drug trafficking and drug manufacturing, and a maximum of eight-million yuan is available for reporting drug smuggling at sea. A total of 12 million yuan has been rewarded since the program was launched. A hard working, 27-year-old Kilkenny man who was involved in a row after a night out in Luton died after a devastating punch to his jaw. London-born Kevin Kelly died after being attacked in the early hours of May 1, 2016 along Upper George Street, Luton. Mr Kelly from Goresbridge had been living in Luton for four years and ran his own plastering business. Richard Wood, 24, who is accused of throwing the fatal punch, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter at Luton Crown Court. Opening proceedings, prosecutor Peter Shaw said that Mr Wood threw a series of punches, one of which proved to be fatal. He described it as a devastating punch and said a postmortem found the cause of the father-of-ones death to be a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage. Mr Kelly fell heavily face down onto the ground, not even putting his hands out to break his fall, the court heard. Prosecutor Mr Shaw said Kevin suffered bleeding on the brain caused by the impact of the blow to his left jaw, causing a sudden rotation of his head and neck, which caused arteries at the base of his skull to tear. Mr Shaw explained that a sudden jet of blood over the critical brain structures had led to Mr Kelly suffering a cardiac arrest from which he never recovered. The jury was told Mr Kelly had drunk a few pints on a night out socialising in Luton before he left the After 8 nightclub at about 5am. Judge Michael Kay QC heard he was walking home along Upper George Street when he encountered Mr Wood and a friend travelling in the opposite direction. There was an exchange of words between Mr Kelly and Mr Wood as they passed. Whatever was said Mr Kelly threw a punch at Mr Wood. It was followed by Wood throwing several punches towards Kelly, said Mr Shaw. He said that six or seven punches were exchanged before Mr Kelly fell face first to the ground without, tellingly, putting his hand out to stop or break his fall. Police officers arrived quickly to the scene to find that the Irishman had stopped breathing and immediately set about trying to resuscitate him. These efforts by police to resuscitate Mr Kelly proved fruitless and later that day doctors treating him in hospital declared him brain dead and his life support was switched off. The court was told that Mr Wood left the scene after the attack, but was arrested a short time later. He told police it was Mr Kelly who had attacked him first and he was acting in self-defence. Jordan Jones, a friend who was walking with Mr Wood in Upper George Street that morning, said as they walked towards Mr Kelly he was staring at us. He said that Mr Wood asked Mr Kelly what are you looking at? and alleges it was then that Mr Kelly approached him and threw a punch. Mr Jordan, who took no part in the fight that morning, said he thought a total of around 10 punches were thrown between the men but admitted it could been have seven or eight. He said that many were not clean punches but that the fatal punch was thrown by Mr Wood landing on Mr Kellys face. Mr Jordan added that he quickly left the scene as bystanders thought he had been involved in the altercation. A hard worker, Kevin Kelly was born in London at St Georges Hospital, Tooting, in 1988. The family moved to Kilkenny when Mr Kelly was seven and he completed his schooling there. The young plasterer moved to Luton in 2012 to set up his own business and had traveled in both Australia and California. Although based primarily in Luton, Mr Kelly used to make monthly trips home to Ireland to visit his young son Gerrard, now six. Mr Wood, who now lives in London Road, Bognor Regis, maintains that he acted against Mr Kelly in self-defence. The case continues today. Egypt has reiterated its concerns over Qatar's "backing of terrorism," saying that resolving the row with Doha is dependent on the state's "positive response" to demands issued by the four Arab countries boycotting it. The remarks by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry came during a meeting between US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his counterparts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, in a bid to end the month-long rift with Qatar, the worst dispute among Gulf Arab states in decades. No advance in the efforts was immediately announced. During the talks, Shoukry "reiterated concerns about Qatar's backing of terrorism, asserting that Egypt maintains the demands presented by the four countries to Qatar," a foreign ministry statement said on Wednesday. Three weeks ago the four states issued a list of 13 demands of Qatar; they include downgrading ties with Iran, shutting down broadcaster Al Jazeera, closing a military base in the country, and handing over alleged terrorists residing within its territory. The demands were issued with a two-week deadline, which was not met; the boycotting states subsequently condemned Qatar's response as "not serious and "negative," saying Doha's refusal to meet the demands proves its links to terror groups. "Reaching a settlement to the crisis is dependent on a positive response from Qatar to these demands, and on the country ending its support for terrorism and terrorist groups," Shoukry was quoted in the statement as saying during Wednesday's meeting. Tillerson left Jeddah without comment, offering no sign of a breakthrough. The State Department has said the top diplomat will travel to Doha on Thursday to meet with senior Qatari officials. On Tuesday, Tillerson had also visited Qatar, where he signed a memorandum of understanding with Doha on combating the financing of terrorism. The four boycotting countries issued a statement shortly after the memorandum was signed, dismissing the step as "inadequate" and saying that any commitments made by Qatari authorities "cannot be trusted" without introducing strict controls. The United States has offered confusing signals about its position on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab countries' decision to sever ties and transport links with the tiny oil-rich state, Tillerson is sponsoring a bid to resolve the diplomatic crisis. Qatar is home to the US's largest miilitary base in the region. Search Keywords: Short link: On previous occasions rapprochement between Cairo and Hamas have typically occurred in the framework of bilateral arrangements which fall apart almost as soon as they are agreed because of Hamas failure to meet its obligations (generally related to security issues such as requests to hand over individuals implicated in the support of terrorist organisations accused of carrying out attacks in Egypt). However, on this current occasion, the Palestinian Authority is absent from the latest moves, and what is more, Mohamed Dahlan has assumed a major role in possible new arrangements, raising the question of how the PA views the latest developments. The mooted changes are being directly informed by regional developments not least the crisis with Qatar which continue to have an impact on Hamas foreign policy. While Gaza has upped its praise and flattery of Doha, it is noteworthy that it has, contrary to habit, refrained from criticising Egypt. In fact, it softened its political rhetoric towards Egypt just as Cairo was delivering much needed fuel to Gaza, the most recent consignment being delivered last week in order to restart Gazas electricity supply which ground to a halt when Israel cut off fuel supplies last month. The latest fuel supplies, moreover, were delivered two days after the terrorist attack in Al-Barth, south of Rafah. Among those who carried out the attack were three Daesh operatives -- former members of the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam brigades, Hamas paramilitary wing. Hamas condemned the attack strongly and its officials took part in condolence ceremonies arranged by Egyptians in Gaza. The head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, who attended the ceremonies, said that Hamas will take intensive measures along Gazas borders with Egypt to prevent infiltration from either side. Despite such significant gestures, sources in Cairo believe that while Hamas may not have been directly involved in the attack, it still bears culpability because in the end it is responsible for what takes place in Gaza. Sources in Cairo say the arrangements which emerged from recent meetings in Cairo are still in effect. The meetings between a Hamas delegation headed by Yehia Al-Sanwar paved the way for a Palestinian security delegation to arrive in Cairo to discuss measures to secure the Egyptian-Gaza border, including the creation of a buffer zone on the Gazan side. Meetings, still in progress as this report was filed, between Hamas and Dahlans representatives, are being held after earlier meetings between Dahlan and Al-Sanwar resulted in a number of agreements. One leaked arrangement is that Dahlan will pay compensation for the dead and wounded during the battle for Gaza in 2007 when he was head of the national security apparatus. Another agreement involves the creation of a new government that will share control of the security agencies, though control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing would be under the exclusive supervision of Dahlan. Hamas employees currently involved there would be treated like other PA employees and be paid by Dahlan. Under the agreement, Dahlan would be in a position to return to Gaza and head a new government. Mustafa Al-Ladawi, a political observer from Gaza, says there has been a convergence of interests between Dahlan and the authorities in Gaza. Dahlan wants to return to Gaza and Hamas is in a predicament, he told Al-Ahram Weekly. Both sides have made tactically and temporarily convenient agreements but they could evolve through practice into a more strategic arrangement. Each side has its own agenda. What we can say, however, is that Gaza is ripe for this kind of agreement given the economic straits Gazans are in. Sources in Cairo say Dahlan will send a delegation that will include Samir Mashharawi to launch the mutual arrangements with Cairo. Although this suggests implementation will begin soon some obstacles remain. Al-Ladawi envisages two possible scenarios when it comes to the PAs response. Either it will grasp the reconciliation card with Hamas and offer compensation so as to keep Gaza within the scope of PA influence or the opposite: turn to Dahlan in the belief he can be restrained or appeased and brought on the PAs side again. Al-Ladawi adds that both prospects will give rise to new situations. Egyptian sources say the story leaked to the Palestinian media about a power-sharing arrangement between Dahlan and Hamas has more than a grain of truth, adding the proviso that Cairo has no intentions of creating a parallel authority in Gaza. Cairo will not move away from Mahmoud Abbas, they say. The only suggestion that has been proposed is that Dahlan serve as Gazas representative in Europe and the Gulf, not as prime minister, as rumour has it. They add that the expansion of the Rafah crossing to permit for a greater flow of goods and the possible construction of some commercial outlets in Gaza is still subject to feasibility studies. The same sources also confirm that the only agency responsible for supervising the Gazan side of the crossing will be the PA Presidential Guard. Tarek Fahmi, an advisor at the National Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, notes that vis-a-vis Palestine Cairo accords the same degree of attention to Gaza as it does the West Bank. He stresses that no structural action will be undertaken in Gaza without the approval of Mahmoud Abbas. This principle was reaffirmed during Abbas visit to Cairo this week when President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reassured the Palestinian president that no agreement will be made behind his back. Cairo will also continue to engage with all Palestinian factions, from Hamas to Jihad. The relationship between Palestinian parties is, in the end, governed by the agreements they strike among themselves. At the same time, Cairo remains committed to its role concerning the Palestinian cause, and if the details sometimes seem overwhelming, Cairo will not allow them to overshadow the main issues. This article was first published by Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt condemned on Thursday the double suicide bombings in Cameroons Waza city that left at least 14 dead and more than 30 injured late on Wednesday. Egypt's foreign affairs ministry expressed its condolences for the families of the victims. "Egypt reaffirms its support for both the government and citizens of Cameroon in the face of terrorism, and calls on the international community to intensify its efforts to eliminate terrorism and its sources of funding," the statement read. On Wednesday, two female suicide bombers detonated explosives in a busy area in the center of Waza, 8 km from the Nigerian border, according to Reuters. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though the region has previously seen attacks by Boko Haram militants. Last month, two child suicide bombers detonated explosives in the town of Kolofata, 66 km from Waza, killing nine people, according to Reuters. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Army Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy met on Thursday in Cairo with director-general of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in Sinai David Satterfield to discuss cooperation between the Egyptian Armed Forces and the MFO, the Egyptian army announced. The meeting was attended by a number of Egyptian military officials. Satterfield, a US veteran diplomat, was appointed by Egypt and Israel in July 2009 as director-general of the MFO in Sinai, which observes the peace between the two countries. Satterfields term as director-general will end this month. Earlier on Thursday, Satterfield met with Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, who thanked Satterfield for his work and praised the important role of the MFO in Sinai. Search Keywords: Short link: A series of military victories over extremist Islamic groups along Libya's Mediterranean coastline has forced hundreds of militants, including Islamic State fighters, to seek refuge in the vast deserts of the North African nation. The desert is already home to militias from neighboring countries, cross-border criminal gangs and mercenaries. Libya's lawless, desolate center and south provides a sanctuary for militants to reorganize, recruit, train and potentially plot for a comeback. That is especially important at a time when the Islamic State group lost not only its urban holdings in Libya but is crumbling in Iraq and Syria. In Libya's remote stretches near the borders with Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Algeria, Niger and Tunisia, multiple armed groups already operate freely. Search Keywords: Short link: Qatar Airways said Thursday it was "disappointed" with an American Airlines decision to end its codeshare relationship with the Doha-based carrier as part of its push against government subsidies of Middle Eastern carriers. But Akbar al-Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, said the decision would not lead to his airline reducing services to the United States. "We are disappointed," Baker told reporters in Doha. "But if this is any way for them to make us reduce or stop our operations to the United States, we are not going to do so," he said. "We have other partners who want to work with us so we will continue." On Wednesday, American notified Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad of its decision to end its "codeshare" partnership -- whereby two carriers share a flight -- with both. Maintaining the programme "no longer (makes) sense for us," an American Airlines spokesman said. "This decision has no material financial impact on American and is an extension of our stance against the illegal subsidies that these carriers receive from their governments." It came after Qatar Airways said in June that it wanted to buy as much as a 10 percent stake in American Airlines, which caught the US carrier by surprise. Foreign policy experts viewed the move as an attempt by Qatar to garner foreign support amid a diplomatic clash between Qatar and four neighbouring states, including Saudi Arabia. American -- along with fellow US carriers Delta Air Lines and United Airlines -- has called for the White House to crack down on an alleged $50 billion in state subsidies to Middle East carriers. The US companies say the home-country financial backing allow the airlines to illegally compete in the American market, something which Qatar Airways has denied. Search Keywords: Short link: American Honey A teenage girl Star (Sasha Lane) runs into a stranger, Jake (Shia LaBeouf), who invites her to join a travelling magazine sales crew. As they travel all over the Midwest, they sell magazines during the day and party at night. In their own world of freedom, the crew seeks dreams and love. Directed by Andrea Arnold. The Green Inferno A group of college activists led by Justine (Lorenza Izzo) sets off to Peru to "save" the rainforest and minority tribes. However, their plane makes an emergency landing in the middle of the jungle. The survivors of the plane crash soon encounter a tribe of cannibals, and are taken to their village, where unimaginable horror awaits. Directed by Eli Roth. Flipped When a handsome boy Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) moves in next door, seven-year-old Juli (Madeline Carroll) instantly falls in love. Juli chases after Bryce for six years, but he is indifferent to her. One day Juli discovers that Bryce threw away the gift she gave him, and she begins to avoid him. Bryce, however, starts to develop special feelings for her. Directed by Rob Reiner. Maudie An arthritic woman from Nova Scotia, Maudie (Sally Hawkins), starts working at the small house of Everette (Ethan Hawke) as a housekeeper. Without any artistic background, she decorates the house with her own drawings. Her skill as an artist improves more and more, and finally she becomes a beloved figure in the community. Directed by Aisling Walsh. Spider-Man: Homecoming Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gives Peter Parker (Tom Holland), also known as Spider-Man, a new suit. At the same time, he advises him to stay safe and balance his life as an ordinary high school boy. However, Peter stands against the threat of Vulture (Michael Keaton), a villain who brings danger to the world. Directed by Jon Watts. Seoul to send response team to Washington By Park Hyong-ki U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer / Yonhap The United States has officially requested South Korea to start the "process of negotiating to remove barriers to U.S. trade and consider needed amendments" to the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement (KORUS FTA). In response, the Korean government said Thursday it will send a team to the United States to coordinate a meeting of a joint committee on the trade deal. U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer sent a letter to South Korean Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan, calling for the special joint committee meeting to start talks on the KORUS FTA's terms. Korea has to respond, set up the meeting date and hold the session with the U.S. within 30 days. The Donald Trump administration apparently wants to renegotiate the terms of the agreement; but the South Korean government is playing this down. "This does not mean that the two sides will be renegotiating the deal," a Cheong Wa Dae official said. The USTR is proposing the joint committee possibly to look into amending and modifying the KORUS FTA, and following it up with more talks on a revision. The USTR seeks to resolve "several problems regarding market access in Korea for U.S. exports, and to address its significant trade imbalance." It said Korea is an important ally with which the U.S. seeks "free, fair and balanced trade" that can further strengthen relations The U.S. wants to reduce its goods deficit with trading partners, including Korea. It has had a deficit with Korea for nearly two decades, the USTR noted in the letter. The latest move follows a summit last month when Presidents Moon Jae-in and Trump agreed on expanded ties "with reciprocal benefits and fair treatment." The U.S. request for talks to amend the accord appears to be a step back from President Trump's earlier demand for a renegotiation or withdrawal. Trump has called the KORUS FTA, along with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), "job killers" that are hurting American workers and businesses. The trade ministry said it has not yet appointed a new trade representative. Korea is also not obliged to accede to U.S. demands for KORUS FTA amendments. Both sides must agree on an agenda before they can officially launch talks. "Both sides are expected to talk about mutual interests and concerns through the committee," Yeo Han-koo, the ministry's director general for trade policy, said. "The agenda will need to be agreed upon and decided at the committee." Observers suggested that Korea should not rush into talks for amendments. "This is unlikely to be the last demand by the U.S. for a change in the bilateral trade accord," Song Ki-ho, a trade attorney at Suryun Law, said. "If both sides finalize the amendment, the U.S. will further move to apply its (renegotiated) NAFTA model on the Korea-U.S. FTA. Korea should not rush into modifying the deal." Korea is the United States' sixth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade of $112.2 billion in 2016, according to the USTR. The U.S. had a goods trade deficit of $27.7 billion with Korea last year, down 2.3 percent from 2015. It had a services trade surplus of $10.7 billion in the same period, up 2.6 percent from 2015. U.S. exports to Korea accounted for 2.9 percent of overall U.S. exports in 2016. Its top shipments were electrical machinery, aircraft, optical and medical instruments, and vehicles. Beachgoers enjoy surfing at Songjeong Beach in Busan in this photo taken on June 13. / Korea Times photo by Jeon Hye-won By Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-soo The beach season has come in South Korea. And hundreds of beaches across the country are embracing beachgoers. Nineteen beaches in the southeastern part of the country will open on Friday. Busan's Haeundae, one of the most popular beaches here, has been open since June 1, while West Coast beaches have been available since early this month. Many beach festivals are set to heat up the festive mood. The Boryeong Mud Festival will be held at Daechon Beach from July 21 to July 30 with a variety of events celebrating its 20th anniversary. Other events include the 15th Sand Sculpture Festival in Taean Sinduri, starting July 29. The beaches will close in phases from August 13, with some open until mid-September. Kim Jong-un after the claimed successful launch of the "Hwasong 12," a new intermediate-range missile, on May 14. / Yonhap By Lee Han-soo Should the world be worried if North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "disappears" from the reclusive state's media for more than a week? Korean news outlet the JoongAng Ilbo's recent report suggests it should. The report showed that when Kim disappeared from North Korean media for more than a week a major provocation, or "jaw-dropping" incident, tended to happen. Related events were the surprising execution of Kim's uncle Jang Song-thaek and military top brass, ballistic missile firings and an underground nuclear test. Kim has gone missing from the media for more than a week 27 times since he inherited power from his father Kim Jong-il in 2011 -- 10 times in 2012, seven in 2013, once in 2014, none in 2015, four in 2016 and five so far this year. Kim recently disappeared for 13 days before the firing of the "Hwasong 14" intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 4. His last exposure in the hermit state's media before that was June 20, when he visited a dental hygiene product factory. The same lack of exposure was seen during past military provocations. On May 14, when North Korea fired the "Hwasong 12," a new intermediate-range missile, Kim had not appeared for eight days. On Feb. 7, 2016, the country fired the "Kwangmyongsong 4" satellite, which was viewed by many as a cover for testing its ICBM technology. Kim was missing from the media for nine days. On Sep. 9, 2016, just before North Korea's fifth nuclear test, Kim was not seen for six days. "Considering the North Korean media reported that Kim Jong-un personally looked after the military provocation, it seems that he was focused on personally overseeing and controlling the missions," Jeon Hyun-joon, director of the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Research Institute, told the JoongAng Ilbo. The same could be said for other game-changing events in North Korea. On Dec. 12, 2013, when Kim's uncle Jang Song-thaek was executed, Kim had not been seen for eight days. On July 2012, when Chief of the General Staff Ri Yong-ho was presumed executed, Kim was missing for seven days. "Beside from the 40 days Kim disappeared in September 2013, for an alleged leg injury, Kim's disappearance from local media for more than a week was followed by a crucial event inside North Korea," Jeon said. "Therefore, we should check every possible scenario if Kim becomes absent for a long period of time." EXO tweets that originated from North Korea can be seen marked on the map. / Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Han-soo K-pop mega-star group EXO might have finally successfully landed in North Korea. Twitter Korea recently announced that 15 EXO-related tweets originated from the hermit kingdom, according to the Voice of America, a U.S. government-funded broadcaster Wednesday. The unusual tweets were discovered when Twitter gathered over 1,100 EXO-related tweets from July 9 to July 10 to commemorate the launch of EXO's official Twitter account. According to a map Twitter released, EXO-related tweets not only came from large metropolitan areas such as Pyongyang and Hamhung, but also from cities near the border between China and North Korea, such as Sinuiju. However, it is uncertain if North Koreans or foreigners posted the tweets. But it seems obvious that although the North is notorious for its isolation, its internet connection is not that limited. North Korea is known only to allow its citizens to use the "intranet," a type of internal network, and not the internet itself. Yonsei University professor Moon Chung-in, who is also President Moon Jae-in's special adviser for unification and national security affairs, speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times in his office at the East Asia Foundation in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Kim Rahn North Korea should show flexibility regarding President Moon Jae-in's forward-looking proposals aimed at resuming inter-Korean ties and finding solutions to the nuclear standoff, according to his special security adviser. "The ball is in Pyongyang's court. Pyongyang needs to make a wise choice," Moon Chung-in, a distinguished professor at Yonsei University, said in an interview, Monday. The professor, who helped create inter-Korean rapprochement policies under the previous liberal governments, is now serving as a special adviser for unification and national security affairs to President Moon. "This is a critical time for the two Koreas. President Moon has made an offer to turn the situation around. Pyongyang should grab this opportunity. It has to reciprocate," Moon Chung-in said. The professor emphasized that this is only his personal opinion as a "scholar," not as a presidential adviser, saying he does not want to create "unnecessary" disputes over his remarks about North Korea-related issues. "Here, I'm speaking as a scholar. I cannot say anything as a presidential adviser," he said. The professor highly recognized President Moon obtaining support from other heads of states during recent summits, including U.S. President Donald Trump, for taking a leading role on the North Korea nuclear issue, calling on Pyongyang to take this chance for dialogue and to be more flexible. Yonsei University professor Moon Chung-in, who is also President Moon Jae-in's special adviser for unification and national security affairs, speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times in his office at the East Asia Foundation in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk China unlikely to undertake bigger role in nuke issue By Kim Rahn It appears that time is not on the side of South Korea and the United States when it comes to resolving the North Korea nuclear crisis. Despite increased sanctions, the North is quickening its development of missile technology so that it can hit "anywhere in the world." China and the U.S. are showing a rift at the U.N. Security Council over how to deal with this problem. There should be a big deal with North Korea, obviously, at least to stop it from continuing the development, if not to make it give it up completely. According to professor Moon Chung-in, the special security adviser to President Moon Jae-in, a deal is to give something in exchange for something else. "North Korea will not freeze its nuclear program unless South Korea and the U.S. suspend or scale down their joint military exercises," Moon Chung-in said in an interview. He called for simultaneous parallel moves by both parties North Korea freezes nuclear weapons development and the two allies scale down their regular exercises and the frequency of the dispatch of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula adding this may be the only way to break through the current standstill. Moon, a Yonsei University distinguished professor emeritus, suggested the option in a seminar in Washington, D.C., in mid-June before President Moon's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. As this suggestion caused an enormous stir in Seoul and Washington, the President said it was an idea put forward by Moon Chung-in as a scholar, not as a presidential adviser. He also said it is Seoul and Washington's stance that a nuclear freeze cannot be linked to the scaling down of the joint military exercises, saying exchanging legal activity the exercises for illegal activity the nuclear program was improper. But Moon Chung-in, stressing it was his personal view as an academic, has kept the opinion. Former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who rose from childhood poverty to become a two-term president, was convicted on corruption charges on Wednesday in the first of five graft trials he faces. He was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. He will remain free on appeal. The ruling marked a stunning fall for Lula, Brazil's first working-class president who left office six years ago with an 83-percent approval rating. The former union leader won global admiration for transformative social policies that helped reduce stinging inequality in Latin America's biggest country. Former U.S. President Barack Obama once labeled him the most popular politician on earth. The verdict represented the highest-profile conviction yet in the sweeping corruption investigation that for over three years has rattled Brazil, revealing a sprawling system of graft at top levels of business and government and throwing the country's political system into disarray. Judge Sergio Moro found Lula guilty of accepting 3.7 million reais ($1.2 million) worth of bribes from engineering firm OAS SA, the amount prosecutors said the company spent refurbishing a beach apartment for Lula in return for his help winning contracts with state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro. Federal prosecutors have accused Lula, who first took the presidency in 2003, of masterminding a long-running corruption scheme that was uncovered in a probe into kickbacks around Petrobras. Lula's legal team has previously said they would appeal any guilty ruling. They have continuously blasted the trial as a partisan witchhunt, accusing Moro of being biased and out to get Lula for political reasons. Moro has denied the accusations. Lula's lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, the head of the Workers Party, lashed out at the ruling, saying Lula was convicted to prevent him from running for the presidency next year. She said the party would protest the decision and was confident the ruling would be overturned on appeal. The Brazilian real extended gains following Moro's decision and reached its strongest in two months. The benchmark Bovespa stock index rose to a session high. Popularity persists Despite the conviction and other charges against him, Lula remains a popular figure among many Brazilian voters, according to recent polls, and has said he wants to run again for the top office next year. But he would be barred from office if his guilty verdict is upheld by an appeals court, which is expected to take at least eight months to rule. If he cannot run, political analysts say Brazil's left will be thrown into disarray, forced to rebuild and somehow find a leader who can emerge from the immense shadow that Lula has cast on Brazilian politics for three decades. "Lula's absence opens a gaping hole in the political scene, it creates an enormous power vacuum on the left," said Claudio Couto, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a top university. "We have now entered a situation of extreme political tension, even beyond the chaos we have been living for the last year." Couto said he expected Lula's guilty verdict to be upheld by the appeals court. That would leave the 2018 presidential race wide open and raise chances of a victory by a political outsider, given most known contenders are also ensnared in Brazil's corruption investigations. Boom to bust Lula's two-terms were marked by a commodity boom that momentarily made Brazil one of the world's fastest-growing economies. His ambitious foreign policies, aligning Brazil with other big developing nations, raised the country's profile on the global stage. With Lula's swagger setting the tone, Brazil sought to shrug off northern economic and political hegemony and engage in global problems, like Middle East peace and the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. But upon leaving office and managing to get his hand-selected successor Dilma Rousseff elected, Brazil's economy soured, with the nation just now beginning to emerge from its worst recession on record. Rousseff was impeached last year for breaking budgetary rules. She and her backers say her ouster was actually a 'coup' orchestrated by her vice president and now President Michel Temer, who himself faces corruption charges. During his trial, Lula gave five hours of fiery and defiant defense, proclaiming his innocence and saying that it was politics and not the pilfering of public funds that put him on trial. "But what is happening is not getting me down, just motivating me to go out and talk more," Lula said in his testimony. "I will keep fighting." Search Keywords: Short link: By Yi Whan-woo A Korean diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a female staff member at the Korean Embassy in Ethiopia was questioned in Seoul after being summoned here Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. The case follows a series of sex offenses involving foreign ministry officials over the past few years despite the ministry's zero tolerance policy against those offenders. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha ordered the chiefs of all diplomatic missions abroad to seriously observe discipline about appropriate conduct, calling the latest alleged sexual assault case "deplorable." She said she will also consider possible measures to tighten discipline throughout the ministry and at overseas diplomatic missions. The internal oversight inspectors at the ministry questioned the suspect, Thursday, after it received a report that he allegedly raped a junior administrative staff member at the embassy, July 8. It did not give further details about him. He allegedly invited the victim, a contract employee, for dinner at a local restaurant for "helping him out" on a project. The victim, who arrived in Seoul, Tuesday, testified that they drank three bottles of wine at the dinner before she passed out, was taken to the official's house and was sexually assaulted. With her mother's support, she sought help from an overseas call center operated by the ministry a day after the incident. She also underwent a medical examination to secure relevant proof. The foreign ministry said it summoned the diplomat for a thorough investigation as he changed his testimony before embassy officials. He first testified that he did not recall what happened because he was too drunk but later denied the allegations against him. The ministry said its disciplinary committee will hold a meeting next week to make a decision based on its findings. "He can face severe disciplinary action, criminal charges and other punitive measures in accordance with relevant laws and procedures," an official said. The ministry will also decide whether to hold the Korean Ambassador to Ethiopia Kim Moon-hwan responsible for the incident. Kim has been on leave in Seoul and was planning to go back to Ethiopia, Thursday. In 2016, an official at the Korean Embassy in Chile was expelled from his job after being accused of sexually molesting and raping Chilean teenage girls as well as sexually harassing the Chilean wife of a Korean immigrant there. In 2015, a male diplomat was found to have raped a junior female official while they were on a business trip to Africa. A rainbow flag hangs above the entrance to the U.S. Embassy in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has raised a rainbow flag on its building in Gwanghwamun, Thursday, in support of the Korea Queer Culture Festival (KQCF) which kicks off today. It is the first time the embassy in Seoul has flown the LGBTQIA flag. Yonhap News Agency reported an embassy official as saying, "We support and expect to take part in this year's queer festival as for the ones held previously. The U.S. State Department will band together with rights activists and civic groups to protect the freedom of sexual minorities so they can be respected." The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has been taking part in KQCF since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June 2015. Researchers of Hanwha Systems check the first prototype of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system during a media event at the defense company's research center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Once developed, AESA radar will be installed in Korea-developed fighter jets scheduled to be completed by 2026. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Korean defense company Hanwha Systems unveiled its first prototype of a radar system for the country's self developed fighter jets, Thursday. The first prototype, comprised of an antenna and power supply, has been produced to verify whether or not the nation is able to go forward with the development of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with domestic technology, according to the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The development of AESA radar is part of the 8.5 trillion won ($7.5 billion) KF-X project to build 4.5-generation indigenous fighters by 2026 to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. The government will invest an additional 10 trillion won ($8.8 billion) to produce 120 aircraft by 2032. The ADD is supervising the development of the radar, essential equipment that helps a pilot identify friend or foe in battle and finds targets on the ground. Hanwha Systems, previously Hanwha Thales, was selected in April last year to manufacture the radar system. The company showed the prototype to journalists at its research center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, during which it gave a demonstration of a transmitting electric wave. "Based on the first prototype, we will continue to work to develop the final version the KF-X will be equipped with," said an ADD official, asking not to be named. The official noted that a committee meeting was held June 28 and 29 to check whether to proceed with domestic development. "The committee members concluded that the nation can consistently proceed with development," he said. The ADD plans to send the first prototype to Israel's Elta Systems, which signed a deal on technical assistance, for ground and air trials in September. The official added that the agency, together with the defense arm of Hanwha Group, is also developing software for the radar system. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which is overseeing the KF-X project, earlier noted that once the AESA radar is developed, it will be integrated with the KF-X in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the nation's sole aircraft manufacturer that signed the KF-X contract with DAPA. Seoul was originally planning to receive AESA radar technology from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, but the plan foundered after the U.S. government decided to block Lockheed from transferring four core technologies used in F-35 fighter jets infrared search and track, electronic optics targeting pod, radio frequency jammer and AESA radar to Korea for security reasons. Following that hitch, DAPA said it would develop the technologies domestically. But some critics still express skepticism about the feasibility of domestic development. By Lee Han-soo The son of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to South Korea faces indictment for alleged drunken violence at a police station in Seoul's Itaewon district. The son, 29, is not protected by diplomatic immunity. People convicted of causing trouble inside a government building such as a police station can be fined up to 600,000 won ($522). According to Yongsan Police Station, the son, whose full name was withheld, came into a substation in Itaewon drunk at around 6:30 a.m., Sunday. He reportedly asked police officers to take him home because he had "no money." When they refused, he became violent, yelling "F*** K****" and racist comments, and punching the main gate. Police then detained him. On April 9, another Saudi Arabian diplomat's teenage son was booked for stealing clothes at a nightclub in Itaewon. A McDonald's branch in Seoul is unusually empty during lunch hours, Tuesday. / Yonhap By Jung Min-ho Another complaint has been filed against McDonald's, which is already under investigation for allegedly making a four-year-old girl sick with its "undercooked" patty last year. The parents of a two-year-old girl filed a complaint against McDonald's Korea with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Wednesday, after the child suffered hemorrhagic colitis a couple of hours after eating a McMorning burger in May. Hwang Da-yeon, the lawyer for the family, claimed the fast food giant is responsible for the period of illness she suffered, urging the prosecution to look into the case immediately. According to the lawyer, the girl ate a McMorning burger at the branch in southern Seoul at around 9 a.m. on May 17. In two hours, she started to experience stomach pain and later had diarrhea. Her symptoms continued the next day and her stool was bloody on the third day. They then went to a hospital emergency room, where she received treatment and recovered. "Fortunately, she did not develop hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), but her initial symptoms were almost the same," Hwang said. Last week, Choi Eun-joo, the mother of the four-year-old girl, claimed her daughter was diagnosed with HUS after eating a Happy Meal last year. She said she believes an undercooked patty inside the burger was the cause of the disease, saying she lost 90 percent of her kidney function. HUS, also known as "hamburger disease," predominantly affects children. It is known to be caused by contaminated food containing E. coli bacteria. After her story came into the media spotlight recently, the company denied the allegation that its burger caused the girl to contract the disease, saying it is not possible for only some of the patties come out undercooked in its factory-style system. But current and former McDonald's employees later told the media some patties do come out undercooked based on their working experiences. Meanwhile, fears of HUS are spreading across Korea. Fast food companies are concerned the McDonald's scandal will negatively affect the image of their products and damage their businesses altogether. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, fast food companies were penalized in 87 cases over violations of hygiene regulations between January and June. By Lee Kyung-min Korea Post has canceled plans to issue a stamp in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of former President Park Chung-hee, triggering an ideological conflict between liberals and conservatives. The post office said an internal committee voted Wednesday against issuing the stamp in September, two months before his Nov. 14 birthday. The committee had reached a unanimous decision in May last year to issue it when his daughter, the ousted former President Park Geun-hye, was still in office. Korea Post's first ever cancellation of a stamp has set a possible precedent of a government body changing a decision based on the political inclination of the current administration. The plan, considered a move by Park to honor her father, drew a fierce backlash from liberal politicians and civic groups. They allege the stamp was to glorify the dictatorial strongman who abused the human rights of democratic activists. Korea Post issues stamps featuring presidents only to commemorate their inauguration. No stamps have been issued to honor presidents after they leave office. Requests to issue stamps commemorating economic or cultural figures are mostly granted. The local government of Gumi, North Gyeongsang, requested the commemorative stamp at the suggestion of a group set up to preserve the house there in which Park Chung-hee was born. Korea Post agreed to the request only a month after it was made, after nine out of 17 committee members voted for it. The other eight were absent. Civic groups and leftist politicians blasted what they deemed a "highly political" 9-0 unanimous decision, as a similar request by a liberal group was denied. Earlier, Korea Post had refused to grant a request by the Kim Koo Museum & Library which asked it to issue a stamp commemorating the 70th anniversary of an autobiography of Kim Koo, a leader of the Korea independence movement under the 1910-45 Japanese occupation. Korea Post's abrupt flip-flopping also drew harsh criticism as it argued for issuing the stamp when the then-main opposition Democratic Party of Korea complained during a National Assembly inspection last September. Postal officials at the time refused to withdraw the plan, adding once a decision was made, no reversal was allowed unless critical procedural flaws were found. Meanwhile, conservative groups say such an abrupt "ideologically charged" cancellation further divides the public, exacerbating the ongoing conflict in the already polarized country. Gumi Mayor Nam Yoo-chin held a one-man protest in front of Korea Post at the Sejong Government Complex, Wednesday. "The evaluation and legacy of former President Park Chung-hee may vary, but it is undeniable he contributed to the economic development of the country," he said. Farmers dump excess oriental melons in a pit in Walhang-myeon, Seongju, in North Gyeongsang Province, on July 9. / Courtesy of Peace News (Farmer Lee Guk-min) By Ko Dong-hwan Farmers faced heartbreaking scenes in Seongju this week, where the U.S. missile defense system awaits full deployment amid North Korea's military provocations. The bitterness of having to dump over 8,000 tons of oriental melons overshadowed the controversy surrounding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. The city in North Gyeongsang Province dug a large hole to take more than 500 truckloads of melons from farmers who queued for up to three hours to dump them. The low-grade melons were excess production following this year's prolonged hot summer and delayed monsoon. The dumping in Walhang-myeon village began on July 9. The city paid 2 billion won ($1.75 million) to buy 11,000 tons of the melons at 150 won a kilogram to prevent the excess cutting market prices for farmers. The city produces 70 percent of the nation's oriental melons. The dumped fruit will be recycled as fertilizer. But Lee Guk-min, 46, an oriental melon farmer with six years' experience, feels the city has betrayed him. It had said the melons would be sold to local military camps or exported. "The city promised all the glitter with our melons but they ended up dumping them," said Lee, who on Sunday dumped 1.4 tons of melons and received 270,000 won. "The promises were just show. They must come up with more practical methods to control and distribute the excess produce." Another farmer surnamed Lee, who started melon farming this year, dumped 900 kilograms of the fruit and was paid about 100,000 won. "I wish the city could reproduce the melons somehow so they don't get dumped," Lee said. Oriental melon prices have dropped from 20,000 won a 10-kilogram box to 5,000 won this year. The city's farmers reduced packaging costs and wages to offset the loss but had to go with the city's emergency plan to minimize financial damage. The city said Monday it will sell 500 tons of oriental melons to military camps, starting August. "The bid will raise the city's image and boost oriental melon markets nationwide," the city said. By Lee Han-soo A Christian group has blasted South Korean government's decision to scrap the mandatory HIV test for native English teachers, saying the decision was made "without public consent." "How can this crucial decision be made by some public officials without the consent of the public?"Anti-Homosexuality Christian Solidarity said in a statement. "We demand the Ministry of Justice overturns its decision." The criticism came two days after the ministry announced it would drop the mandatory HIV test for native English teachers, a controversial regulation that prompted a native English teacher to file a petition with the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2012. The Christian group called the scrapping a "reverse discrimination" against Korean citizens. By Jun Ji-hye Song Young-moo President Moon Jae-in pressed ahead Thursday with the appointment of his controversial nominee for the defense minister despite objections of opposition parties. Moon said he could not put off the appointment of Defense Minister-nominee Song Young-moo any longer amid growing tension caused by North Korea's continuous missile provocations, according to presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun. "Pushing forward defense reform cannot be delayed any longer, either," Moon was quoted as saying by Park. The opposition parties rejected Song after confirmation hearings, citing "unacceptable" ethical lapses including his close ties to the arms industry. The opposition parties had called on Moon to withdraw his nominations of Song and Cho Dae-yop for labor minister. Cho has been criticized for his past drunk driving and other alleged wrongdoings. Song's appointment came shortly after Cho voluntarily withdrew his nomination. Cho said, "I hope my withdrawal will help the Moon government be successful." Regarding the opposition parties' objection, Moon said, "I am well aware of concerns over Song and respect the National Assembly's efforts to verify his qualifications," according to Park. Song and Cho have been at the center of a political standoff that has hampered Moon's efforts to secure parliamentary approval for bills on government reorganization and an 11.2 trillion won ($9.8 billion) supplementary budget aimed largely at creating public service jobs. Song's inauguration is scheduled for today at the Ministry of National Defense. Two dolphins receive nature adjustment training off Jeju Island's Hamdeok coast, May 22. / Yonhap By Jung Min-ho Two dolphins will be released back into the wild after being kept at Seoul Grand Park for 20 years. According to the park, Thursday, it will release two Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins into the seas off Jeju Island, July 18. The dolphins have been receiving nature adjustment training over the past two months off the island's Hamdeok coast. Veterinarians and researchers from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute have observed their condition. The dolphins are known to be healthy. They were illegally captured in 1997 and 1998, respectively, and later sold to a dolphin-show company and then to the park. This is not the first time for the park to release illegally-captured dolphins. It released three Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in 2013 and two more in 2015 after Mayor Park Won-soon conceded to animal rights activists' demands. President Donald Trump will be meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron (eh-mahn-yoo-EHL' mah-KROHN') as part of his visit to France for Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. Trump arrived in Paris on Thursday morning, and was traveling to the U.S. Ambassador's residence and then attending a luncheon with U.S. military leaders. He's also expected to tour the museums at Les Invalides (lehz ahn-vah-leed) with Macron and then holding meetings with the French leader. Trump and Macron are expected to discuss possible solutions to the crisis in Syria and counterterrorism. The two leaders will appear later in the day for a joint news conference. Trump will be attending the Bastille Day celebrations on Friday before returning to the United States. Search Keywords: Short link: By Walt Gardner If Kim Sang-kon, the newly appointed education minister, goes ahead in converting elite high schools into regular schools, he will unwittingly undermine South Korea's ability to compete in the global economy. Although it is politically incorrect to say so, elite schools are the breeding grounds for the nation's future leaders. Democratization in education is a noble goal, but not when it jeopardizes South Korea's crown jewels. Elite high schools were never intended to be anything other than what they are. Their mission was and still is to prepare students with the intelligence, aptitude and motivation to excel in their respective fields of specialization and then enter the top universities in the world. Overhauling their purpose will unavoidably harm all stakeholders. When students who lack the aptitude are admitted, one of two things will happen. They will soon find themselves over their heads and drop out, or standards will be lowered to maintain the illusion of success. If it's any consolation, South Korea is not alone. The United States is undergoing a similar controversy. New York City, home of the nation's largest school district, is known for the quality of its eight elite high schools. They are collectively known as "exam schools" because admission so far has been based on passing a standardized test. But because these exam schools are relatively devoid of blacks and Hispanics compared to whites and Asians, pressure is building to base admission on "ethical engagement," which means service to others and commitment to the common good. These are vague concepts that have great intuitive appeal but have not alone been shown to be sufficient for success. The usual rebuttal is that "grit" will be enough for all students to succeed. There's no doubt that what used to be called "conscientiousness" (grit) is important. But it is no substitute for knowledge and skills. Although South Korea currently selects students for admission to elite schools based on their academic records, cover letter and interview, rather than on a single test score as in New York City, changing such a policy to democratize admission will prove to be counterproductive in the long run. Whatever their title (elite, autonomous, exam, exclusive), these specialized schools are not for everyone. Charles Murray, the author of Real Education, says the notion that college is for everyone is "educational romanticism." Although he was referring specifically to four-year universities and colleges, by extension his observation also applies to high schools. There is nothing more disheartening than to see students drop out when they belatedly realize that they have been poorly counseled. Their self-esteem is crushed when reality finally sets in. To avoid the pushback that will undoubtedly follow that likely outcome, Kim Sang-kon will feel pressure to lower standards. If he does so, however, he will be shortchanging the brightest students who deserve curriculums and instruction on a par with their abilities. The weak are not helped by pulling down the strong. Differentiation in education, which is sometimes referred to as "tracking," has a long history and for good reason. It allows teachers to design lessons in line with the specific needs and interests of their students, rather than to take a shotgun approach in the belief that it will somehow do the job. Let's hope that South Korea doesn't buy into the politically correct movement in this regard. Walt Gardner writes the Reality Check blog for Education Week in the U.S. Write to walt.gard376@gmail.com By Sebastian Buckup GENEVA _ Since the Agrarian Revolution, technological progress has always fueled opposing forces of diffusion and concentration. Diffusion occurs as old powers and privileges corrode; concentration occurs as the power and reach of those who control new capabilities expands. The so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will be no exception in this regard. Already, the tension between diffusion and concentration is intensifying at all levels of the economy. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, trade grew twice as fast as GDP, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. Thanks to the globalization of capital and knowledge, countries were able to shift resources to more productive and higher-paying sectors. All of this contributed to the diffusion of market power. But this diffusion occurred in parallel with an equally stark concentration. At the sectoral level, a couple of key industries most notably, finance and information technology secured a growing share of profits. In the United States, for example, the financial sector generates just 4% of employment, but accounts for more than 25% of corporate profits. And half of US companies that generate profits of 25% or more are tech firms. The same has occurred at the organizational level. The most profitable 10% of US businesses are eight times more profitable than the average firm. In the 1990s, the multiple was only three. Such concentration effects go a long way toward explaining rising economic inequality. Research by Cesar Hidalgo and his colleagues at MIT reveals that, in countries where sectoral concentration has declined in recent decades, such as South Korea, income inequality has fallen. In those where sectoral concentration has intensified, such as Norway, inequality has risen. A similar trend can be seen at the organizational level. A recent study by Erling Bath, Alex Bryson, James Davis, and Richard Freeman showed that the diffusion of individual pay since the 1970s is associated with pay differences between, not within, companies. The Stanford economists Nicholas Bloom and David Price confirmed this finding, and argue that virtually the entire increase in income inequality in the US is rooted in the growing gap in average wages paid by firms. Such outcomes are the result not just of inevitable structural shifts, but also of decisions about how to handle those shifts. In the late 1970s, as neoliberalism took hold, policymakers became less concerned about big firms converting profits into political influence, and instead worried that governments were protecting uncompetitive companies. With this in mind, policymakers began to dismantle the economic rules and regulations that had been implemented after the Great Depression, and encouraged vertical and horizontal mergers. These decisions played a major role in enabling a new wave of globalization, which increasingly diffused growth and wealth across countries, but also laid the groundwork for the concentration of income and wealth within countries. The growing "platform economy" is a case in point. In China, the e-commerce giant Alibaba is leading a massive effort to connect rural areas to national and global markets, including through its consumer-to-consumer platform Taobao. That effort entails substantial diffusion: in more than 1,000 rural Chinese communities so-called "Taobao Villages" over 10% of the population now makes a living by selling products on Taobao. But, as Alibaba helps to build an inclusive economy comprising millions of mini-multinationals, it is also expanding its own market power. Policymakers now need a new approach that resists excessive concentration, which may create efficiency gains, but also allows firms to hoard profits and invest less. Of course, Joseph Schumpeter famously argued that one need not worry too much about monopoly rents, because competition would quickly erase the advantage. But corporate performance in recent decades paints a different picture: 80% of the firms that made a return of 25% or more in 2003 were still doing so ten years later. (In the 1990s, that share stood at about 50%.) To counter such concentration, policymakers should, first, implement smarter competition laws that focus not only on market share or pricing power, but also on the many forms of rent extraction, from copyright and patent rules that allow incumbents to cash in on old discoveries to the misuse of network centrality. The question is not "how big is too big," but how to differentiate between "good" and "bad" bigness. The answer hinges on the balance businesses strike between value capture and creation. Moreover, policymakers need to make it easier for startups to scale up. A vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem remains the most effective antidote to rent extraction. Digital ledger technologies, for instance, have the potential to curb the power of large oligopolies more effectively than heavy-handed policy interventions. Yet economies must not rely on markets alone to bring about the "churn" that capitalism so badly needs. Indeed, even as policymakers pay lip service to entrepreneurship, the number of startups has declined in many advanced economies. Finally, policymakers must move beyond the neoliberal conceit that those who work hard and play by the rules are those who will rise. After all, the flipside of that perspective, which rests on a fundamental belief in the equalizing effect of the market, is what Michael Sandel calls our "meritocratic hubris": the misguided idea that success (and failure) is up to us alone. This implies that investments in education and skills training, while necessary, will not be sufficient to reduce inequality. Policies that tackle structural biases head-on from minimum wages to, potentially, universal basic income schemes are also needed. Neoliberal economics has reached a breaking point, causing the traditional left-right political divide to be replaced by a different split: between those seeking forms of growth that are less inclined toward extreme concentration and those who want to end concentration by closing open markets and societies. Both sides challenge the old orthodoxies; but while one seeks to remove the "neo" from neoliberalism, the other seeks to dismantle liberalism altogether. The neoliberal age had its day. It is time to define what comes next. Sebastian Buckup is Head of Programming at the World Economic Forum. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has aroused controversy by announcing that it will conduct internal investigations into 13 dubious cases in which its agents were involved. Suh Hoon, the spy agency's new director, made the revelation during a briefing made at the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, Tuesday. The incidents to be scrutinized include the agency's online operation to smear then opposition candidate Moon Jae-in in the 2012 presidential election and its decision in 2013 to make public a transcript of the 2007 inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang. Without exception, all 13 cases were politically sensitive matters. Admittedly, there might be a need to shed new light on them. The intelligence agency might have to undergo such a process to liquidate its shameful past and reinvent itself. It will be encouraging if the NIS can remove its evil practice of intervening in domestic politics through the upcoming investigations. But one cannot help worry about the enormous political ripples that will erupt in that process. More than anything, whether the spy agency can carry out fair and objective investigation is in doubt. The NIS established an internal reform committee comprised of two task forces, and one of the two teams will be in charge of the investigations. But the committee consists largely of liberal figures close to President Moon. It also defies understanding that the agency included some cases in which final rulings have already been handed down. This raises suspicions that the new Moon administration may be trying to sort out those who were loyal to the last two conservative governments. Furthermore, all 13 cases occurred during the tenures of the conservative governments, prompting angry reactions of why suspicious incidents that occurred during the liberal governments are not reexamined. Is the agency volunteering to get involved in politics even after vowing to break with politics? Little wonder then that the opposition parties are protesting, calling the move "political revenge." The Moon administration won't be free from criticism of having used the intelligence agency politically should the upcoming scrutiny result in smearing its predecessors. The NIS should do its utmost to keep its political neutrality rather than waste time and energy on delving into past incidents. By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON We keep hearing so often about tight U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia that we forget the Saudis kicked out the last U.S. troops in the early 2000's. Seems they regarded the U.S. presence as an affront to Islam more than a decade after U.S. forces drove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army out of Kuwait and possibly saved Saudi Arabia from being overrun as well. That's just a detail in the convoluted, incomprehensible puzzle of the Middle East, but the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Saudi Arabia is particularly significant considering where they wound up. Yes, the largest U.S. air base overseas is not at Kadena, on Okinawa, or at Osan, South Korea, but in Qatar, an oil-rich country of about 2.7 million people sticking out from the Arabian peninsula into the Persian Gulf. How many Americans know that about 10,000 U.S. troops, plus several thousand civilians, are now in Qatar, almost all of them at Al Udeid Air Base in the desert southwest of the Qatar capital of Doha? From there the U.S. air force directs operations all over the Middle East while warplanes and transports come and go on mysterious missions that have largely escaped the attention of the rest of the world. That is, until a month or so ago. That's when Saudi Arabia and two small but vital Persian Gulf satrapies, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, plus Egypt on the other side of the Arabian peninsula, abruptly broke relations with Qatar, cutting off all traffic, stopping commerce and banning people from coming and going. The upshot was to throw U.S. defense and diplomatic officials into a tizzy. It was as though the Americans had been blindsided while waging off-again, on-again war from Afghanistan to northern Iraq to Syria. The base in Doha in this caldron of conflict was of strategic importance to every American military mission in the region. No wonder the Americans responded with alarm to the ruckus not least because they were having trouble rationalizing the relationship with Qatar even to themselves. Here's why. The reason these four Arab states hate Qatar is they say the Qataris are harboring terrorists, aiding and abetting terrorism, allying with the Muslim Brotherhood and worse. There is no doubt Qatar is trying to have everything all ways. Incredibly, the Qataris are on great terms with Iran, currently providing food and other supplies they once got from Saudi Arabia, while they put on a show of cooperation with the U.S. If was against that background that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, visiting Doha, has worked out an understanding that should be the envy of all those praying eventually for a deal with North Korea. The deal calls on Qatar and the U.S. together to fight terrorism Qatar promising to cut off the flow of funds needed to keep terrorist groups alive. Money and security, of course, have had everything to do with the relationship. The Qataris paid more than a billion dollars for construction of the U.S. air base in the late 1990s, and for a few years its existence was secret. The U.S. is now pumping in hundreds of millions of dollars a year to make sure the base is one of America's most powerful, modern facilities anywhere, while Qatar is forking over more than $10 billion a year for American weaponry, making Qatar a greater customer of U.S. military hardware than South Korea. Most recently, Qatar agreed on a $12 billion deal to buy U.S. F15's, for which South Korea also is paying billions. Most extraordinary, though, is how the US. maintains this relationship with Qatar in the face of Qatar's relationship with Iran. While Iran sides with Russia and Syria, the U.S counts on its foothold in Qatar to stand up against, yes, Iran, Syria and Russia. Ok, fighting in the Middle East is totally different from the holocaust threatened by North Korea, flaunting nukes and missiles while demanding the U.S. halt military cooperation with the South. If Tillerson was able to come up with a deal with Qatar after secret negotiations that no one noticed, however, how about exercising similar skills with North Korea? That analogy may seem more than a little absurd considering all the differences between the standoff on the Korean peninsula and the seething complexities of endless conflict in the Middle East. Still, at least it shows diplomacy can sometimes work. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, has covered war and peace from Northeast Asia to the Middle East for decades. He's at kirkdon4343@gmail.com By Yoon Sung-won EnGIS Technologies is boosting its global presence by expanding its connected car system supply deal with China's major automaker Geely, the company said Thursday. The Korean vehicle component maker said it has already provided a connected car system called "over-the-air (OTA)" to Geely Auto Group and will additionally supply OTAs to the Chinese firm for its new car. In total, Engis will ship 2.5 million OTAs to Geely. The company said it expects to gain extra profits from the partnership with Geely through 2021 as the Chinese carmaker is gaining momentum in the global market. "Geely's influence has increased not only in China but also in the European market after its acquisition of Volvo," EnGIS Technologies CEO Gregory Park said. "We believe the partnership with Geely will boost our name value. We are seeing high potential to win additional contracts under cooperation with global vehicle component makers." Automotive OTA provides cars with wireless communication to networks, allowing high-speed updates to automobile systems and programs as well as diverse multimedia content such as video and music streaming services. EnGIS said the global telematics market is booming as major automakers expedite to adopt connected car platforms and digital car infotainment systems. Wireless automobile system software updates had limited use in the telematics sector. But its uses have increased of late in line with the rising number of electric vehicles. In particular, the company said it is seeing more market opportunities in the OTA system sector as more carmakers seek to cut costs for after-sales car maintenance services. Citing a report by global market tracker Gartner, about 5.5 million of all cars recalled in 2015 could have been fixed through software updates, without mechanical repair, if they were compatible with wireless communication through OTA systems. According to another market researcher, IHS Automotive, carmakers will be able to save more than $35 billion in 2022, up from $2.7 billion in 2015, through OTA software updates. Established in 1998, EnGIS started as a provider of geographical information systems and digital mapping technologies. It is headquartered in Seoul and is running offices in Ireland, providing products to more than 80 countries worldwide. "Our OTA systems will reduce recalls related to software updates, resulting in fewer expenses for carmakers," an EnGIS Technologies official said. "They will also help carmakers introduce diverse car infotainment and maintenance systems." Adblock Plus CEO Till Faida poses during an interview with The Korea Times on the sidelines of the RISE 2017 conference at the Hong Kong Convention Center, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Park Jae-hyuk Adblock Plus chief skeptical of Chrome's new ad blocker By Park Jae-hyuk HONG KONG Adblock Plus (ABP) CEO Till Faida is confident that Google Chrome's upcoming built-in ad blocker will not be able to defeat ABP. "It is important to point out that this is not something new. There always have been pop-up blockers built into all the major browsers," he said in an interview with The Korea Times on the sidelines of the RISE 2017 conference at the Hong Kong Convention Center, Wednesday. "What Google has announced is that this is going to be an advanced version of the built-in pop-up blocker. But still, I believe that most users want to have full control of what kind of ads they want to see and what kind of ads they want to block. For that, they will still need Adblock Plus." After Google's announcement last month about its plan to add a built-in ad blocker to Chrome in 2018, concerns have grown among industry observers that ABP and other ad blockers will take a hit. Given that Google has been highly dependent on profits from ads, however, Faida expected the new ad blocker will be "a very limited version." The chief executive of one of the world's biggest ad blocking companies, therefore, believes Google's ad-blocker will not pose a serious challenge to top ABP, just as other ad blockers haven't been able to do so either. "This will not necessarily be any competition for us. I think we are targeting a very different segment of users. ABP is very popular especially among sophisticated users who care about privacy issues," he said. "People decide on ABP, not for lack of alternatives." Faida also clarified his opinion on the criticism for "acceptable ads." ABP has recently come under fire for launching a platform that allows publishers to decide whether to sell and to show white-listed ads on their websites. "Publishers need to monetize through ads. Also, almost everybody who installs ad-blocker agrees with the concept that not all ads are bad and some ads are necessary," the entrepreneur said. "We saw an opportunity to create a win-win situation." Since its release in 2006, ABP has faced attacks from website publishers who have depended on ads for their revenue. Some of them filed lawsuits against the company and some blocked the access of users activating ad-blockers. However, all of those attempts failed. Faida wants his company's new payment system to offer "a friendly choice" to its users by allowing them a way to compensate content creators. Emphasizing that ABP does not oppose all kind of ads, the businessman advised advertisers to make ads which can create value for users if they really want consumers to see their ads. "Ads can work if they create value and if they are entertaining," he said. "This requires more effort, but it is worth it. It is a much more sustainable way to interact with your audiences than by just simply annoying them." The Mercedes-AMG C63 coupe / Korea Times photo by Jhoo Dong-chan By Jhoo Dong-chan Mercedes-Benz Korea, the German luxury carmaker's affiliate here, said it will open its first showroom exclusively for the carmaker's performance division, AMG, in Korea by the end of the year. There are four Mercedes-AMG Performance Centers in Seoul and Busan, but they are at Mercedes-Benz dealerships. The automaker also plans to set up the world's first digital showroom as well as an exclusive one for Mercedes-Maybach inside the showroom in the second half. "We had a very successful year in 2016, and enjoyed a record high performance last month by selling more than 7,000 cars," Mercedes-Benz Korea President and CEO Dimitris Psillakis said during the company's nighttime event in Itaewon, central Seoul. "Mercedes-Benz Korea is also very excited to introduce a series of updates for the second half of this year, and will open its first showroom only for AMG performance vehicles." Mercedes-AMG, the German premium automaker's racing performance division, has competed with its German rival, the BMW M division. In terms of performance and technology, the former was regarded as an underdog in the two-way rivalry. But Mercedes-Benz recently started expanding the AMG lineup across all its model divisions to make a dent in the dominance of BMW M. In Korea, the Mercedes-AMG topped the podium in 2014 by selling 776 cars. The figure increased to 1,688 in 2015 and 2,057 in 2016. The momentum continued, as it sold 1,390 cars in the first half of 2017, up 18.3 percent from last year. "We are also planning to open the Mercedes-Maybach center in the world's first digital showroom in Korea," a Mercedes-Benz Korea official said. Mercedes-Maybach is the German carmaker's ultra-luxury edition of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Korea is its third largest sales market in the world. According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, Thursday, Mercedes-Benz Korea sold 37,723 cars in Korea during the January-to-June period, up 54 percent from the previous year. Psillakis announced the firm's sales target of 60,000 for this year here during a press conference, and the company is widely expected to achieve this target. Mercedes-Benz Korea also said it will introduce the all-new S-class by September, expecting another sales jump. Psillakis has a track record of successfully boosting sales as amply demonstrated by his success as a leader at the Brazilian unit of Mercedes-Benz. In the past, Mercedes-Benz failed to win out in the competition with BMW as young motorists preferred the latter. Under the stewardship of Psillakis, who took charge of the Korean subsidiary in Sept. 2015, however, it has managed to renew its brand image to win the hearts and minds of young drivers, prompting a surge in sales. Kumho Tire CEO Lee Han-seob speaks during a meeting with company employees at its plant in Gwangju, Wednesday. Issuing a statement, Kumho Tire executives and employees said they will quit en masse if the Korea Development Bank and other creditors sell Korea's second-largest tiremaker to Double Star Tires, a mid-tier Chinese company. They said they want to remain part of Kumho Asiana Group. / Courtesy of Kumho Tire By Lee Hyo-sik Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) failed to gain approval from its board to suspend the construction of the No. 5 and 6 reactors at the Shin-Kori Nuclear Power Plant, due to its union's protest, the company said Thursday. The state-run firm had initially planned to hold the board of directors' meeting at its headquarters in Gyeongju, South Gyeongsang Province, at 3 p.m. But the seven outside directors weren't able to take part as unionized workers physically stopped them from entering the building. The union has been protesting the Moon Jae-in administration's decision to halt the ongoing project. KHNP CEO Lee Kwan-seop and five other internal directors were inside the building but the company could not organize the meeting without the presence of the seven outside directors, who are professors and private-sector nuclear experts. The directors confronted the protesting workers for 30 minutes but in the end gave up participating in the meeting. "The board of directors' meeting could not be held as scheduled," a KHNP official said. "We don't know when the next one will be held." The meeting was called to deal with the Shin-Kori plant, two weeks after President Moon issued an administrative order to stop construction. Moon has been pledging to scrap all plans to build new nuclear reactors in order to make Korea nuclear free. During his first Cabinet meeting June 27, Moon ordered the temporary halt of the Shin-Kori project until a committee reached a consensus on its future. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy instructed KHNP to halt construction. The state-run firm then delivered the order to the Shin-Kori project contractors. Citing the Cabinet meeting and the relevant law, the public company planned to make the suspension legally binding by having its board of directors approve it. The failure is expected to delay the government's plan to form its ad-hoc committee, consisting of nine private-sector experts that will decide over the next three months whether to permanently stop building the two Shin-Kori reactors. However, this unprecedented move has been drawing fierce protest from builders and other contractors taking part in the construction project. KHNP employees and some residents nearby the plant site have also been opposing the suspension. A consortium led by Samsung Construction & Trade has been protesting the halt. The company claimed that KHNP unilaterally stopped the project for no legitimate reason while failing to suggest any plans to reimburse them for additional expenses caused by the measure. The other two main contractors, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and SK Engineering & Construction, are also demanding appropriate compensation from KHNP if the project is halted. Egypt is set to receive on Thursday the second tranche of $1.25 billion from a $12 billion loan from the IMF, state-run MENA news agency reported, quoting sources in the Central Bank of Egypt. The United States Embassy in Cairo has expressed its support for the IMF board vote to disburse the tranche. In a series of tweets on their twitter page, the US embassy said that Washington is proud to support the IMFs approval of the second tranche, which aims to support Egypt's growing economy, adding that US companies are investing in Egypt and helping create jobs and exports in the country. In May, the IMF staff team and Egyptian authorities reached a staff-level agreement on the first review of Egypts economic reform programme. The staff level agreement is subject to approval by the IMFs executive board. Last month, Minister of Finance Amr El-Garhy told Reuters that the tranche was delayed due to bank procedures and the completion of IMF executive board meetings, but that there were no obstacles to Egypt obtaining the loan. The $1.25 billion disbursal, which completes the first $4 billion loan tranche, was initially expected at the end of June. Abdeen Palace, formerly a royal residence, now hosts a number of museum collections that shed light on the daily life of the royal family Do you ever wonder what it was like to live in a palace? If the Egyptian royal family piques your curiosity, then youre in luck: parts of one the most magnificent royal palaces in Cairo, Abdeen Palace, are open to the public. The palace was constructed in 1863 on the orders of Khedive Ismail Pasha by Egyptian, Italian, French and Turkish architects, and intended to be the seat of his government and a symbol of Egypt's strength. It is located in what is now eastern Downtown Cairo, in Abdeen Square. Although it is still technically one of the official residences of the president of Egypt, it is also now home to five small museums: the royal hunting hall, the arms museum, the museum of private acquisitions, medals and decorations, the museum of presidential gifts, and the silverware museum. As you step into the palace grounds, youll enjoy the green landscape, before moving on to a room full of historic guns and armaments. The museums then follow on, one leading the next. The first is the hunting hall, which narrates King Farouks fondness for the activity. It shows artefacts from his hunting trips to Fayoum, Dahshur and other places in the Egyptian desert. On these trips he was often accompanied by senior diplomats and foreign delegates, as well as other royal family members. On display are bows and arrows, a leather saddle decorated with silver, and an automatic pistol decorated with a crown. The next step is the arms museum, where there are a set of guns and swords acquired by kings Fouad and Farouk. You will see, for example, a set of armour and riding equipment (belt, spurs, crest, and a sword) inlaid with turquoise and polychrome enamel, a set of swords ornamented with gold, and a bronze statue of Mohamed Ali. A documentary film playing inside the museum tells visitors about the most important events in the history of Egypts royal family, and is accompanied by soft music by famed composer Omar Khairat. The private acquisitions museum is particularly fascinating, as it includes notebooks and hand drawings by Prince Ahmed Fouad during his study at a military academy in Italy. It also contains an atlas showing Egypt during the time of King Fouad I, a narghile made of glass and silver, a collection of snuff and cigarette boxes, musical instruments, and medals and badges donated from different countries all over the world. The next stop on the tour, the presidential museum, gives visitors an insight into the modern era. It features official gifts given to Egyptian presidents, including the model of a falcon given by Kuwait, a model of a Samurai crown from Japan, and a beautiful collection of vases from Turkey and Iran. The final stop on the Abdeen tour is the silverware museum, which contains an impressive display of homeware items, including a table service ornamented with floral decorations and bearing the crown, and a porcelain set ornamented with motifs shaped like roses and flowers in their natural colours. Planning your trip The palace is located in Abdeen Square in downtown Cairo, around a ten-minute walk from Mohamed Naguib metro station. The museums are open from 9am to 2pm every day except Friday. Tickets to enter the museum section of the palace are set at EGP 100 for foreigners, EGP 25 for foreign students, EGP 20 for Egyptians, and EGP 10 for Egyptian students. If youd like to take pictures, a photography ticket will run you EGP 10 for a foreigner or EGP 5 for an Egyptian. There is also a cafe, a gift shop, and a lecture room. Staff members speak Arabic, English and French. A brochure in Arabic and English is also available upon request, as are digital images of historical documents in the collection. Search Keywords: Short link: Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of... An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... This editorial is in the July 14, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. Most Positive Outcome of the G-20 Summit: The Putin-Trump Meeting [Print version of this editorial] July 8The presidents of the worlds two greatest nuclear powers, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, had their first face-to-face discussion on the sidelines of the Hamburg G-20 Summit, and according to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, they established a positive chemistry. Both Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that the discussion was constructive. And Trump said, We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, the United States, and everybody concerned. Concretely, the two decided on a ceasefire in Syria and a new channel of communications on Ukraine. North Korea, terrorism, cyber-security, and new ambassadors were also discussed, among other things. Who, among those who are committed to world peace, could not be deeply relieved by such an outcome, which obviously must be followed up with further cooperation. Only the hardcore warmongers and over-zealous editors, like those at the Washington Post, were unable to hide their rage that the two foxesand this I say with due respecthave outfoxed the trans-Atlantic neoliberal establishment. Because it was precisely to prevent this kind of U.S.-Russian cooperationwhich Trump had promised during the election campaignthat the British as well as the American intelligence agencies, still staffed by appointees of the Obama Administration era, rigged the whole Russia-gate fairytale. Merkels Window-Dressing Smashed Apart from this outstanding meeting, the Hamburg G-20 Summit demonstrated anew that the fragility of the old economic model of neoliberal globalization cannot be covered over with an attractive window display. Chancellor Merkel had obviously thought that Hamburg could present such a window-dressing, as the Gateway to the World and a symbol of global free trade. And what came of this? An outlay of $130 million euros for an event during which the sherpasdue to the lack of substantial agreement among G-20 heads of statehad to haggle up to the last minute about the formulation of a final communique, in which the theme of climate change was essentially omitted. There was no discussion about, much less a solution for, the global financial system, whose glaring injustice increasingly widens the chasm between the poor and the richa situation against which the peaceful portion of demonstrators were there to protest, and which can lead to a crisis much worse than that of 2008 at any moment. We now have to pay several million euros for the damage that the masked rioters causedburned autos, broken windows, looted storesnot to mention the cost of medical treatment for more than 230 wounded policemen and an unknown number of others. How could the security situation have been so catastrophically misjudged? Interior Minister de Maiziere had grandly declared before the summit that any violence would be nipped in the bud. We have just witnessed what that meant. In May, the Interior Minister of Hamburg, Andy Grote, had announced quite arrogantly: This is the opportunity to show heads of state with an autocratic, populist background how a vibrant democratic society functions, no matter how intense the confrontations are. He went on to say that In principle this is a festival of democracy, and added that The G-20 Summit will also be a showcase of modern police work. Federal government spokesman Steffen Seibert had declared in June 2016 that the Hamburg site fulfilled all the logistical and technical security requirements for the G-20 meeting. The Hamburg chairman of the German police union, Jan Reinecke, blamed the politicians for the many wounded policemen and the destruction in the city: Hamburg never should have been the venue for the G-20 Summit. In that he was right. What obviously was conceived as a shining stage production for Merkels international diplomacywishful thinking that prevented a competent evaluation of the security situationtotally misfired. The question naturally arises as to how such a blatant misevaluation of the potential for violence by a section of the demonstrators was possible. Given the total surveillance of the worlds population by the NSA, GCHQ, and their various cooperation agreements with Germanys BND and other European intelligence services, it is astounding that the political class could have been so unaware of the danger. Equally disconcerting is the argument of the previously quoted Interior Minister of Hamburg, Andy Grote, that the police had not intervened when the hooligans rampaged in Hamburgs Schanzen District, because there was danger to life and limb of the policemen. If the state can no longer protect the safety of its citizens, it has lost its monopoly on the use of force. A Workable Model of Cooperation Therefore what happened at this G-20 Summit should provide everyone the occasion to reflect on the premises of the current policy. Can a body like the G-20 ever come up with solutions to the existential challenges facing this world, if the sherpas, instead of agreeing on principles, fiddle around with formulas to paper over the differences? The G-20, founded in 1999, had already proved during the systemic crisis of 2008 that it was incapable of seizing the moment for the real reorganization of the bankrupt financial system. Instead, at the G-20 Summit in Washington on Nov. 15, 2008, the group set the course for the policy of quantitative easing with all its injustice, which led to the global revolts against this policyfrom Brexit, to the election victory for President Trump, the no in the Italian referendum on constitutional changes, and even the peaceful part of the protest against the G-20 Summit in Hamburg. A totally different model of cooperation between countries was recently demonstrated at the Silk Road Summit, at the Belt and Road Forum, in May in Beijing. There, 110 nations participated in a conference which was premised on win-win mutual cooperation for building the New Silk Road. This initiative has many aspects, such as the upgrading of international infrastructure, the development of industry and agriculture, cooperation in scientific research, cultural exchange, and cooperation on space exploration and researchto name only the most important areas. Since this model of cooperation is based on real principles, which take into account mutual interests and establish overall a higher level of reason, it functions in a harmonious way. Fortunately, it is gaining ground. In addition to the summit between Trump and Putin, a broader, potentially very positive development emerged during the G-20 Summit. The recent worsening of the refugee crisisin addition to the positive effect of the enormous Chinese investment in African railroads, dams, power plants, industrial parks, and agriculturehas apparently led Mrs. Merkel to realize that Germany must change its policy toward Africa. Shortly before the Hamburg Summit, all of her ministers were instructed to work out new concepts for trade and economic relations with Africa. Then, during the meeting between President Xi and Chancellor Merkel, it was announced that China and Germany would jointly build a hydro-electric complex in Angola, which Merkel characterized as a model for further such cooperation. At the same time, there was a meeting in Berlin involving several ministries, at which the intensification of joint investment by Germany and China in Africa was discussed. That this was the first step in the right direction was obvious from the fact that the British Economist magazine found it necessary to attack Merkels new Africa policy and to stress that she is by no means the new leader of the free West. Otherwise, the hysterical commentary in the Washington Post on the Trump-Putin summit not only makes it clear that their meeting was successful, but also that the mainstream media are the true enemies of mankind. Thus, even though the G-20 summit was a disaster, everything is not so bad. The opportunities are definitely there to realize what the G-20 summit neglected to put on the agenda: The reorganization of the trans-Atlantic financial system through the enactment of the Glass-Steagall law, and the creation of a new credit system in the tradition of Alexander Hamilton, as well as collaboration by the United States and the European nations with the New Silk Roadabove all, in economic development of Southwest Asia and Africa. This editorial is in the July 14, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. Time To Break Ground [Print version of this editorial] July 8In the last few weeks, organizers with the LaRouche Political Action Committee have intersected a mass-strike phenomenon at campaign tables all over the country. The lead sign is Defend Trump, Stop Here, flanked by signs on Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, and pictures of Trump, Xi, and Putin wearing photo-shopped Make America Great Again hats. Organizers report that the rate of people pulling over and signing up is reminiscent of the summer of 2009, when Americans were up in arms about the impending murderous Obamacare. Who are these people lining up to defend the President? They are patriotic Americans, formerly the working middle class of the United States, who were driven to desperation by the 60-year-old post-industrial society policy capped by the Bush-Obama looting scheme known as the bailout. They are what both President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Donald Trump have called the forgotten man. At post offices in Long Island, Staten Island, New Jersey, and even in Manhattan, the people signing up are welders, bricklayers, pipefitters, carpenters, heating and air-conditioning techs, corrections officers, medical staff, and other working, or skilled and looking-for-work people. Many of their immediate family members have been casualties of the suicidal drug culturealthough not all of them are willing to discuss it. They are mobilized, because after the defeat of the pro-Wall Street and pro-war-with-Russia Hillary Clinton, Obamas clone, in November, these forgotten men and women began to develop confidence in the power of their own voices. With the defeat of Hillary Clinton, they had finally made themselves heard. Even as President Trump succeeds in wresting his foreign policy from the desperate grasp of the British Imperial neoconswith important and successful meetings with President Putin and President Xi, as at the Hamburg G-20 gatheringthe new relationship with these powerful nations gives him a greater potential to act within the United States to alleviate the desperate conditions currently faced by most Americans. It is urgent that Lyndon LaRouches Four Laws, starting with the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall, and concluding with the fusion energy-driven platform, be taken up immediately. First of all, the real physical infrastructure of the United States is crumbling. This is true across the whole nation, but is about to become the most obvious in New York City when the Summer of Hell begins this Monday, July 10, as 3 to 5 of Penn Stations 21 tracks are taken out of commission for badly needed repairs. Since March of this year, there have already been three derailments at Penn Station. However, it is not only at Penn Station that the transportation infrastructure is in decrepit conditionthere have been other derailments in the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority system, and the condition of the areas roads and bridges is no better. There is simply no room for shifting commuter traffic from one approach to another, and New York City is the place of employment for millions of people, so the outcry, if chaos sets in, will be heard around the world. Of course, its not just New York. Remember the February 2017 failure of the Oroville Dam spillway [see page 30], which threatened tens of thousands of Californians with being wiped out by a raging flood of water moving downhill, had the heavy rainstorms continued just a little longer. That spillway is currently undergoing rapid reconstruction, demonstrating what is possiblebut most people were unaware, prior to February, that the spillway had such serious flaws. How many other dams and levees are near breakpoint? Unpredictable and failing infrastructure can cost billions of dollars, not to mention many lives as well. There are a number of very fragile, crucial points of connection, such as the Soo Locks connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron, or the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River, which if they were to fail, would devastate the American economy, and which are badly in need of renovation or replacement. The other, more pressing reason to act at oncethat there is no time to waste on breaking groundis that, as we saw in the elections last November, the American people have reached a breaking point. They are tired; they have been devastated by grief as their talented children die of opioid overdoses, or straight-out suicide. Our veterans are killing themselves in record numbers after returning from senseless wars only to lose their homes, or be denied medical care that they desperately need. The fact that these people now have a President who actually cares about them, and loves the United States, has given them courage to hope that the future can be different from the past. This trust that the American people place in the current President is not to be taken lightly. If action is taken now, to curb the evil intent of Wall Street with Glass-Steagall, and to embrace the Chinese invitation to join the Belt and Road Initiative, as a pathway to implementation of the Four Laws of Lyndon LaRoucheif ground is immediately broken on a series of future-oriented, and desperately needed great projectsthen this hope and optimism will surge forth, like a mighty chorus, accomplishing what was considered impossible only moments before. The American people are prepared for such actionnow! PRESS RELEASE Russia to U.S.: Resolve Diplomatic Expulsions and Property Seizures July 12, 2017 (EIRNS)Russia says it will soon expel 30 U.S. diplomats and seize some U.S. property in Russia if the United States fails to resolve former President Barack Obamas seizure of two Russian diplomatic compounds in the United States and the expulsion of 30 Russian diplomats in December 2016, a source in the Foreign Ministry told Izvestia. No agreement has been reached in more than six months. Russian Senator Andrey Klimov told Izvestia, "We are forced to draw a line and answer in a similar way. These moves are not meant as our attempts to show our negative attitudes toward the Trump administration, but rather as evidence of the fact that Russia is a strong nation that deserves respectable treatment." There is a preliminary agreement on holding a meeting between Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ryabkov and U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon in St. Petersburg. If a compromise is not found there, the Russian government will have to take such measures, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Izvestia. There are no facts in Jamaica, the folk saying goes, only versions. Thats the fitting epigraph to Roger Steffens So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley, published this week by W.W. Norton. Steffens reads from the book Saturday at Skylight Books at 5 p.m. Composed from interviews with more than 75 friends, family and confidants of Marley and amassed over several decades, So Much Things to Say is the biographical equivalent of a statistical mean: a way to compile a complete portrait of the musical legend from the sum experiences of the people who knew him best. There is a chorus of voices here including Steffens own. An archivist, historian and Bob Marley expert, Steffens does not present a portrait of the artist through his own lens, as dub-poet Linton Kwesi Johnson says in the books introduction, but instead presents us with a collage of impressions seen through the eyes of others. In other words, So Much Things to Say calls on many voices to recall the one iconic voice Marleys. I have set out to illuminate with first-person depth the parts of his life that have been only partially explored, Steffens writes including Marleys pre-recording years in Kingston, his visits to Africa, the attempted assassination of him in 1976 and also the intimacies of his friendships. The co-host of KCRW-FMs Reggae Beat in the late 70s, a decade when he also toured with the Wailers, Steffens is now known for his photography, which has recently garnered attention through the sun-soaked and nostalgic Instagram account run by his daughter, the Family Acid. (The Family Acid: Jamaica a book of 40+ years of photography from Roger Steffens' trips to the island was released in February 2017.) Steffens frank and candid photos punctuate So Much Things to Say too, putting faces to the many names that speak across its pages. Here are a few of those names, and glimpses of what they had to say: Junior Marvin, Wailer We jammed for three hours straight before we said anything to each other. Then we looked at each other and laughed, slapped five and Bob said, Man wan come play with I? And I said, Id love to! And I was a Wailer. Junior Marvin, Wailers lead guitarist, in Maryland 2000. (Roger Steffens) Kate Simon, photographer I was down in Kingston in 76 shooting Bunny for his album Blackheart Man I got out of the pool and there was Bob Marley sitting at one of those tables with tin umbrellas. And thats when I took the Kaya portrait. It wasnt a formal photo session or anything. I was wearing a swimsuit, thats how informal it was Bobs face is so open, his smile so big, his gaze is so sharp, that the photograph seems to give off light. Photographer Kate Simon double-exposed with her cover photo for Kaya, 2002. (Roger Steffens) Coxson Dodd, founder of Studio One When the Wailers came for audition, all they had was songs done earlier by groups, American Groups I told them I love the sound of the group, but they need to come with their own material. Well, I played a couple of American recordings, so as to give them the theme, or lyrics, Garnett Mimms and the Enchanters, Cry Baby, stuff like that. Im the one who selected all this stuff for Bob. Clement Coxson Dodd, founder of Studio One, the Wailers first label, at his studio in Brooklyn in 1993. (Roger Steffens) Peter Tosh, Wailer The first instrument I ever played was a guitar. I made it out of a piece of board, sardine can, and some plastic line, the plastic you use for fishing. Get good sound too. When I left for Kingston all I took was my little grip, and some food to eat on the way, and meself, and Jah in my heart. Wailers co-founder Peter Tosh, wearing a hat with the words to Legalize It in Hollywood in 1979. (Roger Steffens) Cindy Breakspeare, Marleys companion I knew from the first time that I ever spoke with him at length, that a deep relationship would change my life permanently He would offer mango as a gift, or simple little things like that, which I thought were very charming. Bob Marleys companion and Miss World Cindy Breakspeare in Jamaica in 2003. (Roger Steffens) Neville Willoughby, Jamaican broadcaster One day I was in one of the studios at JBC and in walks this man Hes nobody in fancy clothes or anything, and he has the guitar case, almost battered one would say. But he walked like he was somebody, regally, thats the way to put it, I think. And so I asked, Who is that man? And she said, Bob Marley. Jamaican Broadcaster Neville Willoughby in the hills above Kingston in 2003. (Roger Steffens) So Much Things to Say by Roger Steffens (W.W. Norton) agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy An Airbnb host who canceled a womans reservation because of her race has agreed to pay $5,000 in damages and take a course in Asian American studies, a state regulatory agency announced Thursday. The host, Tami Barker, told the woman who reserved her Big Bear cabin for a ski vacation in February that she would not rent to an Asian, justifying the action by adding in a text message, Its why we have Trump, referring to President Trump. The woman, Dyne Suh, a UCLA law student, said she was driving in a snowstorm to the Big Bear cabin when she received the text messages via the Airbnb mobile app. A tearful Suh, standing in the snow, shot a video posted on YouTube, describing her exchange with Barker. Advertisement Ive been here since I was 3 years old, she said in the video. America is my home. I consider myself an American. But this woman discriminates against me because Im Asian. In the video, Suh shows screen shots of the exchange, including a message from Barker saying, Its is why we have Trump and, I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners. Under an agreement reached after an investigation by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Barker agreed to pay Suh $5,000 in damages, issue her an apology and attend a college-level course on Asian American studies, among other penalties. The minimum penalty under Californias civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in places of public accommodation is $4,000 for each offense, the agency said. An attorney representing Barker, Edward Lee, released the following statement on her behalf: While regretful for her impetuous actions and comments made on the evening of Feb. 17, 2017, Miss Barker is pleased to have resolved her claims with Miss Dyne Suh and the DFEH in a manner that can hopefully bring a positive outcome out of an unfortunate incident. The incident represents the first time the agency levied a financial penalty against an Airbnb host for discrimination, but it wasnt the first time the agency has investigated Airbnb. Kevin Kish, the director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, said the monetary damages imposed in the case are typical of the penalties the agency has imposed for violations in the past involving hotel rooms, apartments and condo rentals. He said he hopes the Barker case sends the message that discrimination wont be tolerated among shared economy hosts just as it is not in traditional businesses. We know that this happens and the message is it should not, Kish said. The agreement comes three months after Airbnb and the state agency agreed to cooperate on fair housing tests to uncover discrimination among Airbnb hosts. The tests involved the use of state regulators posing as Airbnb guests who will try to make reservations to see if the hosts comply with fair housing laws. In April, Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said that Barkers behavior was abhorrent and unacceptable. Barker was banned from Airbnb after the incident became public. Airbnb has been dogged by accusations that hosts on the home-sharing platform have discriminated against guests based on their race. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. ALSO Airbnb hosts are more likely to reject guests with disabilities, study finds Airbnb warns that L.A.'s budget could suffer from restricting short-term rentals With Garcettis budget relying on millions from Airbnb, will L.A. still clamp down on short-term rentals? UPDATES: 2:50 p.m.: This story was updated to include comments from Kevin Kish, director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. This article was originally published at 12:10 p.m. An investor group led by the Chicago Federation of Labor and a former Chicago alderman has bought the Chicago Sun-Times, keeping the citys No. 2 paper in business and ending a bid by Tronc Inc. which owns the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times to acquire the Chicago Tribunes longtime rival. Wednesdays sale of the Sun-Times by its owner, Wrapports, followed two months of negotiations, public pitches for bidders and close guidance from federal antitrust regulators. Sources familiar with the deal put the price tag at $1, or the cost of a single copy of the storied tabloid. Weve closed, said Edwin Eisendrath, the former alderman. Im very grateful to everyone who made it possible to save this independent news voice in Chicago. Advertisement With the Sun-Times losing about $4.5 million a year, the purchase still could prove expensive for the new owners. Eisendrath said he would have more to say about his plans for the newspaper at a Thursday news conference. In addition to union backing, Eisendraths group includes corporate turnaround specialist Bill Brandt and a handful of unnamed Chicago investors who pooled the required $11.2 million needed to fund the newspapers projected losses over the next 30 months, according to Brad Bulkley, a financial advisor to Wrapports in the sale. We were trying to maximize value, but an equally important objective was to keep the paper published, Bulkley said Wednesday. Chicago-based Tronc, which owns the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and seven other major newspapers, announced May 15 that it had entered into a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire Wrapports whose properties include the Sun-Times and the Chicago Reader for an undisclosed price. The Sun-Times is obligated by a $25-million annual printing and distribution contract with the Chicago Tribune through 2019. Although Tronc pledged that the 69-year-old Sun-Times would remain an independent news operation, the Justice Department intervened, seeking to preserve competition through separate ownership. Wrapports published notice of the proposed sale to Tronc and solicited competitive bidders May 16, posting in the Sun-Times that it was seeking a buyer that will agree to publish the newspaper. According to the terms of the deal, if no other viable buyer emerged within 15 days, the Sun-Times would be sold to Tronc. At the behest of the Justice Department, the deadline was extended several times to accommodate potential buyers until Eisendraths group submitted its bid June 19. Tronc has always been committed to keeping the Sun-Times an independent media voice within the city of Chicago, Tim Knight, president of TroncX, the digital division of Tronc, said in a statement. Were pleased to see that happen and we look forward to the new owners honoring our contractual agreement for printing and distribution services under the terms of our multi-year agreement. Tronc will move ahead to execute our growth strategy, leverage technology and increase the digital audience of our award winning journalistic brands. The Justice Department said that as a result of the sale to the investor group, it will close its investigation of Troncs possible acquisition of the Sun-Times. Wrapports, a local investor group formerly headed by Tronc Chairman Michael Ferro, acquired the Sun-Times and 38 suburban newspapers for about $20 million in December 2011. The suburban papers were sold to the Tribune for $23.5 million in 2014. Ferro became Troncs chairman and largest shareholder in February 2016. He since has added to his holdings and now owns 9.05 million shares, which represents a 27.7% stake in Tronc. Last year, Ferro donated his 40% stake in Wrapports to the California Community Foundation to avoid conflicts of interest. Other Wrapports owners include Chicago private equity executive John Canning and Morningstar founder and Executive Chairman Joe Mansueto, who each hold a stake of about 10%, according to a 2014 economic disclosure statement filed with the city. The Harvard-educated Eisendrath served as alderman for Chicagos affluent 43rd Ward from 1987 to 1993, when he resigned to become regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2006, Eisendrath unsuccessfully challenged then-incumbent Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Eisendrath made an unsuccessful Democratic primary bid for Congress against Sidney Yates in 1990. Eisendrath currently serves as managing partner of StrateSphere, an Ohio-based business development company. Founded in 1948 by Marshall Field III, the Sun-Times has had a colorful history and a succession of owners over the years, including media baron Rupert Murdoch, who bought it in 1984. Murdoch was forced to sell the Sun-Times in 1986 after acquiring WFLD-Ch. 32 because of Federal Communications Commission cross-ownership restrictions. In 2009, a group led by former Mesirow CEO Jim Tyree rescued the Sun-Times from bankruptcy, paying $5 million in cash and taking on $20 million in liabilities. Wrapports stepped up to buy the newspaper after Tyrees death in 2011. Channick writes for the Chicago Tribune. rchannick@chicagotribune.com The jury at the securities fraud trial of Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli has heard investors accuse the quirky former biotech chief executive of repeatedly giving them the runaround when they tried to pull their money out of his failing healthcare hedge fund. But the government witnesses have made a concession that the defense hopes plays in its favor: In the end, they made a killing. Whether jurors at the trial that began June 26 in federal court in Brooklyn will see Shkrelis clients as victims of a crime is central to a case thats featured odd subplots, including a self-serving rant by the defendant to reporters and email evidence by a mentor about wanting to touch his soft skin. Advertisement Testimony resumed Thursday with the government still in the middle of its case. The lack of clear-cut financial harm separates the alleged fraud from others like Bernard Madoffs notorious Ponzi scheme, which wiped out the nest eggs of ordinary investors. Prosecutors have argued it doesnt matter because Shkreli still broke the law by blowing investors funds with bad stock picks and then lying to them for months or even years while he cooked up a way to get out of it. I dont think it mattered to him it was just what he thought he could get away with, said Richard Kocher, a New Jersey construction company owner who invested $200,000 in with Shkreli in 2012. It was insulting. Darren Blanton, a Dallas-based investment firm founder, testified that Shkreli stalled for three years when he tried to redeem his $1.3-million investment. Over time, I was worried Martin might be lying to me and not credible, said Blanton, who notified the Securities and Exchange Commission. Shkreli, 34, was arrested in 2015 after he already had gained notoriety by using his Turing Pharmaceuticals company to raise the price of a lifesaving medication by 5,000% and for his frequent posturing and trolling on social media, a habit that spawned the Pharma Bro nickname. Federal authorities focused instead on his MSMB Capital hedge fund, accusing him of lying to investors by boasting about too-good-to-be-true returns at a time when he had lost more than $7 million on a 2011 trade and let the fund dwindle to about $2 million in assets. He is also charged with starting a new drug company, Retrophin, and looting it for $11 million to pay his investors back. Shkreli has denied wrongdoing, complaining to reporters last month that prosecutors blame me for everything. They blame me for capitalism. The comments prompted the judge to order him to shut up about the case in and around the courthouse. On cross-examination, the investor witnesses have admitted that Shkreli made settlement deals that ultimately proved profitable. Blanton got $2.6 million $200,000 in cash and the balance from shares of Retrophin he sold, and in addition still holds shares worth $3 million; Kocher made an estimated $350,000 the same way; a third witness, Schuyler Marshall, doubled his initial $200,000 investment. Marshall, another Dallas-based financier, testified that Shkreli reminded him of Rain Man, but that didnt mean he was making fun of him, as the defense has suggested. Marshall saw Shkreli as more of a potential rainmaker who was intensely focused on one small segment of the stock market, and just lived it day and night, and that was his investing advantage, he said. The trial got personal this week when another investor, former American Express executive Steven Richardson, testified about growing close to Shkreli after meeting him at a cocktail party, helping him launch Retrophin and becoming the companys chairman before Shkreli was fired in 2014. The 63-year-old witness, who is gay, testified that Shkreli made him uncomfortable with comments about gay sex and sought assurances that their relationship was platonic, even as Richardson told him he loved him as a friend and bought him clothes to clean up his disheveled appearance. Richardson struggled on cross-examination to explain emails he wrote saying hed meet with Shkreli only if I can touch your soft skin and another asking, Im drunk, where are you? He insisted that he was referring to how a rash on Shkrelis neck had cleared up and that he couldnt remember writing the drunk email. He also testified that his $400,000 stake in Retrophin is now worth $1.9 million. Thats a good investment, fair to say? Shkrelis lawyer asked. Richardson could only answer Yes. ALSO Ex-pharmaceutical CEO accused at trial of cheating investors David Lazarus: Big Pharma really, really doesnt want you to know the true value of its drugs How 4 drug companies rapidly raised prices on life-saving drugs Jersey City is a case study in the perils of politics and real estate for the Kushners The first condominium tower in Metropolis, one of the biggest real estate developments in Los Angeles history, officially opens Thursday amid a wave of construction that is crowding the downtown skyline with new tall buildings. The long-anticipated $1-billion luxury condo-and-hotel complex rising along the Harbor Freeway is one of a handful of mega projects being built by Chinese real estate companies looking to make a splash in Los Angeles and establish themselves as global brands. Metropolis, which will have three residential high-rises, is being constructed by the U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland along the Harbor Freeway between L.A. Live and downtowns financial district. The project includes the 18-story Indigo hotel that has been open since April. Advertisement The new tower stands 38 stories and has 308 units, 80% of which have been sold or are in escrow, according to Metropolis. Intimate studio units sell for in the upper $600,000 range, and the eight penthouses planned for completion in August are expected to fetch more than $3 million apiece. U.S. developers would typically space out a big-scale project like Metropolis over several years to make sure the market could gradually absorb the new space, but Greenland moved as fast as it could to try to replicate the speed it is accustomed to building with in China. The second condo tower of 40 stories is expected to be finished next May, and the third condo tower of 56 stories is set to open in October 2019, said Greenland executive Winston Yan. At that point Metropolis will be one of the largest mixed-use developments in the West at 3.5 million square feet on 6.33 acres, he said. Our specialty is these kind of mixed-use complexes that can include hotel, offices, retail and condos, Yan said. We do a lot of these kind of projects in China and other cities around the world. 1 / 12 Tower 1 of Metropolis, one of the biggest real estate developments in Los Angeles history, officially opens Thursday amid a wave of construction downtown. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 The reception desk at Tower 1 of Metropolis, one of the biggest developments in Los Angeles history. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 The reception desk at Tower 1 of Metropolis, one of the biggest developments in Los Angeles history. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 The Met 6, the sixth floor with amenities at Metropolis, where intimate studio units are priced in the upper $600,000 range. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 12 A business conference room on the Met 6, the sixth floor with amenities at Metropolis, where eight penthouses planned for completion in August are expected to fetch more than $3 million apiece. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 A one-bedroom option with 1053 square feet in Tower 1 of Metropolis, a $1-billion luxury condo-and-hotel complex rising along the Harbor Freeway. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 A one-bedroom unit with 1053 square feet in Tower 1 of Metropolis, one of a handful of mega projects being built by Chinese real estate companies looking to make a splash in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 A cubby hole accomodates a small office in a one-bedroom unit with 1053 square feet in Tower 1 of the new Metropolis project. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Studios in Tower 1 of the Metropolis development in downtown L.A. sell for upward of $600,000. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Studios in Tower 1 of the new Metropolis development in downtown L.A. sell for upward of $600,000. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 The swimming pool area on the Met 6, the sixth floor with amenities at Metropolis. The newly opened first tower stands 38 stories and has 308 units, 80% of which have been sold or are in escrow. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 The Met 6, the sixth floor with amenities at Metropolis. The downtown L.A. development will have three residential high-rises when all phases are completed. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Demand is strong at the moment for new condos in downtown L.A., said Erin Kennelly, senior director of research for the Mark Co., a San Francisco real estate marketing company that does not represent Metropolis. The 25-story Ten50 tower at 1050 S. Grand Ave. and phase one of Metropolis are the first condo buildings to open downtown in several years and are mostly sold out, Kennelly said. Now that there is new supply, it is being snapped up quickly, he said. Prices are hitting new highs for downtown, with units at Ten50 going for about $900 a square foot and units at Metropolis fetching more than $1,000 a square foot, Kennelly said. Resale condos in the area trade for about $770 a square foot. The older units are a little dated, he said, and the new ones are better quality. Buyers come in three general categories, Kennelly said. The largest is L.A.-area locals. The second is made up of buyers from other parts of the country who are moving to Los Angeles or want a second home here and the third is international buyers, many of whom have some tie to L.A. Market observers have expressed concern that condos built by Chinese developers will be sold to investors in China who dont intend to occupy them. I think thats an overblown fear, Kennelly said. Its yet to be seen whether that will come to fruition. Many Chinese in the middle and upper classes are looking to the perceived safety of foreign real estate to diversify their wealth, consultants say, and some seek second homes in Los Angeles. Still, the majority of buyers at Metropolis are from Southern California, sales director Sofia Padilla said. Others have come from Asia, Europe, South America and India. Some are empty nesters, she said. Others work downtown and were tired of commuting and some wanted a downtown pied-a-terre. Buyers even include parents of USC students looking for housing. Buyers are already moving in, with the opening of the tower expected to be celebrated Thursday evening with a large party hosted by the developer. The wide flagstone entrance court serving both Indigo and the first Metropolis tower on Francisco Street is an oasis amid a sea of construction barriers and towering cranes transforming the neighborhood into a dense urban center. The first floor lobby of Metropolis is flanked by still-empty spaces that will become shops or restaurants. Yan pictures a grocery store and perhaps a prestige tech store such as Apple or Tesla. Above the entrance is a 100-foot-wide LED lighting display. The building has the hallmarks of an upscale residential tower. The understated but elegant lobby has high ceilings, a floral scent and custom furniture. On the sixth floor is a wide deck intended to let residents experience the outdoor California lifestyle, with a swimming pool, gas barbecues, trees, grass and a space meant for walking dogs. Soothing music is piped throughout the outdoor terrace. Inside is a well-appointed gym, a screening room and communal spaces where residents can play pool, lounge or entertain friends. Greenland is only one of several big Chinese players pouring billions of dollars into downtown Los Angeles. Oceanwide Holdings, based in Beijing, is building a $1-billion mixed-use project on Figueroa Street across from Staples Center that will include a Park Hyatt hotel and more than 500 residences. Sales will commence next year with move-in starting in 2019. Shenzen Hazens, based in Shenzen, bought land nearby at Figueroa and Olympic Boulevard where it plans to build a $700-million complex with 650 condos and a W hotel. Chinese developers havent announced any billion-dollar marquee projects in L.A. this year in part because the government is trying to reduce the flow of outbound capital at least temporarily, said Chinese investment expert Sara Lo of consulting firm EY. Over the long term, Chinese investment here will continue to rise, Lo predicted. From the companies perspective, there is an absolute continued desire to be here, she said. L.A. is still one of their top choices. roger.vincent@latimes.com Twitter: @rogervincent ALSO Apartment complex near downtown L.A. sells for more than $80 million Brand-new Sunset Strip apartments to become deluxe extended-stay hotel With retractable pool and Tao restaurant, flashy Dream Hotel anchors new Hollywood revival Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen told senators Thursday that the risk of another financial crisis would increase if some Trump administration proposals to roll back regulations were enacted. In her second straight day of Capitol Hill testimony, she walked back her statement last month that she didnt expect another financial crisis in our lifetimes. I think we can never be confident there wont be another financial crisis, Yellen told members of the Senate Banking Committee. Advertisement The U.S. has done a great deal since the 2008 crisis to strengthen the financial system, she said. That includes forcing banks to hold more capital to cover potential losses as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul law. It is important that we maintain the improvements that have been put in place that mitigate the risk and the potential damage, Yellen said. President Trump has promised to dismantle Dodd-Frank, which Republicans have said has been too burdensome for banks. In a report last month ordered by Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin proposed sweeping regulatory reductions, including changes that would reduce capital requirements for the biggest banks. Yellen said she would not favor reducing those capital requirements. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) pressed her on whether adopting the Treasury report recommendations would more likely result in a potential financial crisis. Well, some of them, yes, Yellen said. She said that she agreed with a lot of things in the Treasury report that are similar to Fed efforts to tailor regulations so they are not so burdensome for smaller banks. The Republican-controlled House voted last month along party lines to repeal many of the Dodd-Frank regulations. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) is working with Brown, the panels top Democrat, on legislation to make changes to Dodd-Frank that could focus more on small and midsized banks than Wall Street. Also at Thursdays hearing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pushed Yellen to remove Wells Fargo & Co. board members who presided over the bank when it opened millions of accounts without customers authorization. Wells Fargo agreed in September to pay $185 million to settle investigations into its sales practices by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer. The bank did not admit any wrongdoing but said its employees had opened millions of checking, savings and credit card accounts that customers never authorized. The practice was made public by the Los Angeles Times in December 2013. Warren wrote to Yellen last month urging the Fed, which oversees Wells Fargos holding company, to take the step. The Fed has not taken such a step. How could removal of these board members not be warranted given the facts that we already know? Warren said. Yellen said she could not discuss confidential information about the Feds supervision of the bank. She indicated no decision has been made on the boards fate as the Fed continued to look into the matter. The behavior that we saw was egregious and unacceptable and it is our job to understand what the root causes are of those failures, Yellen said. We are certainly prepared to take enforcement actions if those are appropriate. Asked if she would accept appointment to a second term as Fed chairwoman, Yellen told senators, I havent really decided that issue. Yellens four-year term ends in February. Trump has sent mixed messages about whether he would reappoint her. Gary Cohn, Trumps chief economic advisor, reportedly would be the top candidate to replace Yellen. Asked Wednesday during a House Financial Services Committee hearing if she anticipated that would be her last appearance there, Yellen said, It may well be. Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com ALSO Divided Senate Republicans unveil new version of Obamacare repeal bill Trump to nominate investment fund manager Randal Quarles to key Federal Reserve post Net neutrality supporters say online rally is just the start of the fight to keep tough FCC rules Deaf West Theatre was created by the deaf community as a place where deaf actors could come together with hearing actors in service of vivid theater. The companys productions of Big River and Spring Awakening went on to Broadway, and its Our Town will be staged at the Pasadena Playhouse in the fall. Deaf West Artistic Director David Kurs recently explained the importance of visibility for deaf actors, and in this edited conversation conducted by email, he offered his argument for why they should be given an opportunity to play deaf roles. How important is authenticity in casting to deaf actors? Advertisement When a deaf actor is not cast in a deaf or signing role, an opportunity is taken away from a person who has the life experience of being deaf. Each instance of a hearing actor playing deaf is grist for the Deaf West mill. We find ourselves increasingly motivated to create more opportunities for deaf actors, to create our own homegrown stars and to feed the talent factory with trained actors. We must continue to set an example so that others may learn from it. Deaf actors realize, perhaps subconsciously, that appearing on stage is the repudiation of the advice to their hearing parents when their child was born that the child was deficient and needed to be fixed. Appearing on stage and signing in front of a paying audience is the personal affirmation of the deaf identity over pathology. The deaf community understands that our social and political standing as a community depends in large part upon representations of deaf people in media and the arts. Theater, film and performance have become essential means of expression and a key driver of standing for our community. Are deaf actors getting more opportunity to be represented in theater? Our Broadway production of Spring Awakening in 2015-2016 inspired multiple instances of casting deaf and disabled actors. We showed theater makers that our craft could be heightened through the simple principle of inclusion. In our production, Ali Stroker became the first person in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway. On the other hand, it is my impression that theater makers will celebrate the artistry and accomplishments of Deaf West, but that the work we do does not make very many other companies want to create inclusive theater. I mean, thats fine well continue to fill that niche but I think that what we do is seen as too artistically risky for other companies to take on. Do you think more opportunities for deaf playwrights could result in better representation for deaf culture? Definitely. You also have to take in consideration the paucity of deaf playwrights: Mainstream theater is not an art form that is normally made accessible to our community. There is a need for a real infrastructure that will find and nurture new voices from within our community so that they may compete on a level playing field. I would like to create an environment where deaf writers pound out original plays and musicals on camera, in our first language, American Sign Language (ASL), without having ever touched a pen. What is Deaf West doing to address the challenges faced by deaf theater professionals? We strive not just to make theater with deaf people but to make good theater. For years, our work has torn down barriers of culture and language in the service of a higher truth in storytelling. While we serve the large population of deaf people in the metropolitan Los Angeles community, we also aim to increase the stature of deaf actors nationwide because we feel that increased media representation of deaf people is directly tied to the position of the deaf community in the world. Ive been having this conversation as an artist for a long time and I have come to take the long view that our work is just beginning and that we are laying the tracks for deaf actors to come. History tells me, however, that the pendulum will swing to the other side and the cycle to make inclusion a trending topic will begin anew. In a brave new world where social media holds increased sway over audiences and motivates young individuals to create art with their smartphones, I have no doubt that we will see more casting of actors with disabilities. What do you hope the future holds for the conversation about authenticity in casting? Theater is a remarkably effective vehicle for illuminating the hidden margins of our world. Increased inclusion in our field also propels our profession toward new artistic heights: Deaf Wests track record of success as a theater company is tied to the new meanings that sign language, deaf culture, our stagings and actors bring to the material. It is our belief that these selling points will make theatergoers more aware and motivate theater makers to stage work that values authenticity and involves deaf people at all levels of the process. jessica.gelt@latimes.com @jessicagelt AUTHENTICITY IN CASTING: From colorblind to color-conscious, the new rules are anything but black and white Timeline: 200 years of authenticity (or lack thereof) #Protest: How the authenticity debate has played out in social media Stuck on the sidelines: One transgender actress story Perspective: A call for change A martial cadence is heard throughout the soul-rattling musical Parade. You could think of it as the drumbeat of history a history from which we repeatedly fail to learn. Time and the daily headlines just keep reaffirming the power of this 1998 musical by Alfred Uhry and lyricist-composer Jason Robert Brown. A difficult show about wrenching topics, Parade is infrequently staged, but the Chance Theater in Anaheim is making a go of it just when it should be heard. This visually arresting, emotionally potent production is hard to shake off afterward. In Parade, a mans religion, origin and social position mark him for persecution at a moment when the public needs an outlet for its collective frustration. Uhry and Brown base their work on the 1913 trial of Leo Frank, a Jewish Northerner indicted for the murder of a 13-year-old girl at the factory he supervised in Atlanta, a city still hurting from the Civil War. Though Frank is not the only suspect, he is, as an outsider, the preferred scapegoat of a showboat prosecutor whos under pressure from a constituent-wary governor. The public devours every bit of news, true or fake, that reinforces its worldview. Advertisement This is the tale not of one man, but of a society, which director-choreographer Kari Hayter subtly underscores by keeping the cast close at hand to, literally, set the stage for each new development in the story by precisely rearranging the minimal scenic elements a collection of chairs and small tables on the raw-plank playing area. Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and Brown (whose subsequent shows include The Last Five Years) launch the show with a rousingly patriotic number The Old Red Hills of Home that yearns for the past, When the Southland was free. The song segues into 1913s Confederate Memorial Day in Atlanta as Brooklyn-raised Frank (Allen Everman) stiffly departs his wife, Lucille (Erica Schaeffer), and heads to the factory like a fish against a stream of celebrating townsfolk. He is no clear-cut hero, just as the townsfolk are not cardboard villains. Lean, with slick hair and bookish, wire-framed glasses, Everman bears a striking resemblance to the real Frank, pictured in a lobby display. His body language, like that of the man in the pictures, is prim and closed. He is curt, officious, hard to like. These qualities work against him when the local solicitor general (the towering, truly imposing Chris Kerrigan) tries to pin him for the murder of young Mary Phagan (Gabrielle Adner, with large bows at each side of her face like the real Mary in the lobby photos). The first act is a slowly tightening noose. The second act seems to loosen it as Lucille works inexhaustibly in her husbands defense, despite his objections, until he finally recognizes her as the equal partner she always has been. Their voices twine, gorgeously, in All the Wasted Time. Here, as always, Schaeffer displays a crystalline voice and true heart; Everman brings a finely calibrated performance to its penultimate moment. The African American perspective is concisely conveyed by Summer Greer and Robert Stroud in the gospel-blues number A Rumblin and a Rollin, which observes that, although Theres a black man swingin in evry tree, the North is finally paying attention because a white man is set to hang. Robert Collins, portraying a factory janitor turned informant, pins the audience to its seats with the shows big, powerhouse number: the chain-gang-like Blues: Feel the Rain Fall. In this song as in so many others, spellbinding melodies carry chilling messages. The singing, with a couple of exceptions, is superb. The most arresting voice belongs to Dillon Klena, whose expert phrasing and emphasis magnify the already considerable power of the material hes given in a succession of young-man roles, including a friend of Marys who thirsts for vengeance. Robyn Manion leads six offstage instrumentalists. Richly evocative throughout, Hayters staging (moodily complemented by Masako Tobarus lighting) delivers its defining image just moments from the end, when two characters, forever linked by tragedy, somberly exit the story side by side. Frank is perceived as an elitist, out of touch with the common man. At the same time, he is regarded as a dangerous outsider who should be shut behind walls. He can be read any number of ways, all pertinent to Americas persistent divisions. Such is the enduring relevance of Parade. Parade Where: The Chance Theater, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays; ends July 30 Tickets: $40 and $45 Information: (888) 455-4212, www.ChanceTheater.com Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter daryl.miller@latimes.com Twitter: @darylhmiller MORE THEATER COVERAGE: Love, trickery and the drama of uncertainty in Heisenberg Denis Arndt, an overnight sensation after 45 years in the biz The dreaded intermission: Long plays at a time when shorter is sweeter A Christian conservative baker, a gay wedding and the smart, funny Cake From an outsiders perspective, Rachel Crowl had achieved success as a working actor. Shed ascended the ranks of a prestigious New York City-based theater company, playing lead roles in several off-Broadway productions including Henry V and The Importance of Being Earnest, and helped start another company while landing a steady theatrical contract, which proffered a reliable arena to pursue the craft that she fondly refers to as her first love. She was performing in eight shows per week and starting to settle into a marriage to a thoughtful, incisive nonfiction writer. But while shed long before come to terms with her identity as a woman (a journey that her wife, Helen Boyd, chronicled in several memoirs about their relationship), to the rest of the world, she appeared to be at least, physically a man. Shed wrestled with the idea of transitioning, changing her gender presentation to align with her internal sense of gender identity, but she realized that opportunities for trans actors were, essentially, nonexistent. Advertisement I figured I could either play a dead hooker that the cops made a meat and potatoes joke about, or I could play a live hooker that the cops made a meat and potatoes joke about, Crowl said. And there really was nothing else. So, in 2005, when Crowl finally decided to transition, she was prepared to settle a sort of bartering deal with the universe: her acting career, in exchange for a decent quality of life. For almost 12 years, the universe seemed to hold up its end of the bargain. In lieu of acting, Crowl dove into a whole arsenal of backlogged creative interests photography, music, filmmaking, animating. She and her wife abandoned New York City altogether, relocating to rural Wisconsin to work as professors at a small liberal arts university. And while Crowl truly believed that acting was what she was put on this Earth to do, shed accepted that, perhaps, it just simply wasnt a feasible reality for her anymore. Well, evidently, the universe has re-negotiated its contract, Crowl said, beaming while perched atop a stilted directors chair during a Q&A with the cast and crew of And Then There Was Eve, a gritty psychological dramedy by first-time feature director Savannah Bloch, which had its world premiere at this years L.A. Film Festival. Crowl stars as Eve, a tough-to-crack, dynamite of a woman with a knack for jazz piano and a slouchy sideways smile that suggests there is more to her than meets the eye. Not yet a year post-transition, Eve spends the majority of the film navigating the remains of her marriage in decidedly (at least, from her wifes perspective) uncharted territory something that Crowl grappled with in her own marriage more than a decade ago (albeit, under less chaotic circumstances; Eves relationship is a white-knuckled mess). Crowl even resembles Eve (or, perhaps, Eve resembles Crowl) in the most cursory of ways: in acerbic one-liners; off-beat, lanky swagger; and a warmth that she exudes, even toward strangers, as one might an old friend. (Crowl often opts for an introductory hug rather than a handshake because, she says, Lifes too short.) It seems as though this remarkable likeness is at least in part a testament to the creators of And Then There Was Eve, and their commitment to an authentic narrative. From the get-go, Bloch as well as the rest of her production team was intent on finding an actress who, like Eve, was a woman of transgender experience (as Crowl and her friends like to say woman first; transgender second, like an auxiliary modifier). Trans visibility, and the nature of that visibility, has become something of a contentious issue in recent years, as films like Dallas Buyers Club and The Danish Girl have garnered Oscar recognition for story lines that spotlight transgender characters. While films like these have been credited with sparking the national conversation about trans issues and experiences (and earned awards and nominations in the process), media observers are beginning to see an ostensible pattern the vast majority of transgender characters in mainstream cinema are portrayed by actors who are cisgender (those whose gender identity corresponds with the gender presentation they were assigned at birth). Its stunt casting thats really sort of silly at this point, Crowl said. So, that frustrates me. Thats the accusation that was lodged against Anything, another film that premiered at the L.A. Film Festival. The screen adaptation of critically acclaimed playwright Timothy McNeils stage play of the same name stars Matt Bomer the blue-eyed, square-jawed heartthrob of Chuck and White Collar fame as a transgender woman named Freda. I get it. You need big names to secure financing. But if you never give us a chance, none of us will ever be able to turn into names that can do that for you. Rachel Crowl Actress Rachel Crowl is photographed at home in Van Nuys. (Christina House / For The Times) Its perfect. We can do a compare and contrast essay, and Im going to win, Crowl said over brunch before weighing in at a LAFF panel discussion about transgender visibility and the issue of cisgender actors playing trans roles. (The producers of Anything were asked to speak on the panel, but declined the invitation.) The films, when stripped down to their most elemental frameworks, are actually quite similar. Both plots explore the intricacies (and, often, horrors) of grief, funneled into the cognitive makeup of their respective protagonists, who, in muddling through that grief, take solace in newfound love affairs. And in both cases, the other participating party in each love affair is to borrow Crowls turn of phrase a woman of transgender experience. That being said, their divergences are stark. Eves trans-ness, though integral to the films plot, is treated like one piece of a fully formed composite character. But Anythings Freda can get caught in trans tropes. Shes a sex worker, a belligerent prescription pill addict and at her most fundamental level, a relentlessly foul-mouthed character who spends a fair amount of screen time wearing fishnet stockings. Crowl argues that without lived experience, Bomer can perform only a method-acted imitation of a trans woman. Dont get me wrong, Matt Bomer is a talented, fine actor, Crowl said. But hes got to do almost, like, two levels of acting here, right? Theres the character and the choices that she makes. But then, theres the Ive got to bring all this experience in the world thing, which he can only even remotely approximate, no matter how much research he did. But from an actors perspective, that additional layer of unfamiliarity might actually increase the appeal of a potential role like a kind of daring, artistic venture. What is an actors dream? asked the moderator during a cast and crew Q&A following the L.A. Film Festival premiere of Anything. To become someone different, answered John Carroll Lynch, whose nuanced performance as the films protagonist, Early Landry, periodically moved the audience to tears. While Bomer wasnt there to speak for himself, Lynch sang his co-stars praises. Matt was so brave, he said (a phrase that the Trans Visibility panelists predicted would surface during the premiere as it generally does, they said, when cisgender actors play trans characters). Im grateful for his willingness to live that experience, Lynch continued, because I think Im much closer to Early in that way than Matt is to Freda. And perhaps that is the crux of the authenticity conversation Lynchs Early was thoughtful and complicated and untidily vulnerable. Like his character, McNeil is a Southerner who uprooted to L.A. in the later stages of his life. That degree of authenticity, most actors would say, is almost only achieved when the actor can at least conceptualize the world that his character moves through, and how his character moves through it. When asked about the inspiration behind Anything, McNeil responded that hed developed the plot after watching some of the girls on [Santa Monica] Boulevard (the primary locale for Fredas sex work in the film). I thought it would be interesting, he added, which seemed to succinctly articulate his proximity to Fredas character. Bomers casting was swiftly criticized on social media, and Anything producer Mark Ruffalo attempted to defend the choice via Twitter. To the Trans community, I hear you, Ruffalo wrote. Its wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. Its time. In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making The Normal Heart, Ruffalo continued, before explaining the film was already in post-production when the criticism hit. The movie is already shot and Matt poured his heart and soul into this part, Ruffalo replied to another Twitter user. Please have a little compassion. We are all learning. It should also be noted that Bomer is an openly gay working actor something that would have seemed impossible in Hollywood a generation ago. We came into it with our hearts in the right place, I believe, McNeil says. I never really cast by type. In this instance [the casting of Bomer], I had to find an actor who could get us the financing. Trans actors like Crowl are all too familiar with the economics of the industry argument. I get it. You need big names to secure financing, she says. But if you never give us a chance, none of us will ever be able to turn into names that can do that for you. And none of us really want to be stuck in a ghetto, just playing trans people. Candis Cayne, one of Crowls fellow LAFF panelists, said the next role shes vying for isnt a decidedly trans character at all, but the sexy neighbor. By distorting the publics perception of what a transgender person specifically, a transgender woman looks like, Crowl argued the overwhelming presence of cisgender actors portraying transgender characters has given rise to a dangerous, manufactured construction of transgender visibility that is faulty by definition. Youre subconsciously reinforcing this idea that trans people are just essentially the gender they started off as, Crowl said, prompting a chorus of affirmative nods and mhmms from her fellow panelists. You go see Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club, and then, hes out there doing press as Jared Leto. So, youve got Jared Leto doing press, or youve got Matt Bomer doing press, but hes supposed to be playing a woman. It reinforces this subliminal, unconscious idea that Oh, hes a dude. Trans women are really just dudes. Bona fide trans visibility, the panelists agreed, will materialize only when real, authentic transgender voices are incorporated into the conversation when trans actors are cast in trans roles and are otherwise included behind the scenes, as directors, producers, writers, etc. Crowl believes that Hollywood is on its way to embracing this shift in storytelling method, but needs a little extra push. Weve got some amazing women filmmakers and queer filmmakers doing stuff right now, Crowl said, citing the recent success of Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. So, lets just expand that effort a little bit more. Because thats all anybodys asking for just a seat at the table. Crowl paused for a moment, leaning back in her seat. She backpedaled: Well, a chance, actually, she said, A chance to have a seat at that table. emilymae.czachor@latimes.com @emczachor ALSO An incomparable evening with Rose Hartman, pioneer of a photographic style Disneylands Pirates of the Caribbean: 50 years of change Our relationship is our profession: At VidCon, LGBTQ social media influencers talk love and brands Jared Leto won an Oscar for it. Jeffrey Tambor won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for it. But when the actors took off the hair and makeup that helped turn them into transgender women, left in the mirror were two cisgender men. Herein lies the problem with Hollywood casting. It reinforces the notion that being transgender is a performance of sorts, that underneath whatever clothes trans people may be wearing, they are actually what their birth certificate says. Advertisement Transgender representation in the media is at an all-time high. Laverne Cox has received acclaim and award nominations for her role on Orange Is the New Black. Caitlyn Jenner is one of the most visible reality stars worldwide. Transgender teens including Gavin Grimm, Zoey Luna and Nicole Amber Maines have become young faces of an equality movement. While its great to have someone speak for you, its most authentic and honest when you hold the mike. Trevell Anderson Yet we are still in what trans actress Jen Richards once called the Sidney Poitier phase of trans representation, where the few that we have have to be so unassailable so that we can open doors. When 16% of Americans say they personally know a trans person (double from 8% in 2008), according to a Harris poll released by GLAAD in 2015, and the other 84% say they learn about us via the media, the film and television images that fill our screens matter. Sometimes, lives depend on it. With unprecedented visibility has come increased rates of killings of trans, gender-nonconforming and otherly gendered folk many of them trans women of color. In 2016, at least 22 deaths were tracked by advocates, the highest ever recorded, according to the Human Rights Campaign, and so far in 2017, at least 15 transgender people have been killed. If trans people on screens large and small are mocked for our identities, sensationalizing our bodies and silencing our voices literally and figuratively what do we expect everyday people to do when they come across us? There is a high level of responsibility that exists when industry creators choose to tell trans stories, and because we are still at a point where trans storytelling, just like trans survival, is a political act, we cant afford for people to not shoulder the burden of representation. But that feat is all the more difficult when trans and otherly gendered folks arent involved in projects about our lives. Its an issue raised with the recent film 3 Generations, which follows a transgender teen seeking the support of his mother (Naomi Watts) and grandmother (Susan Sarandon) in beginning his medical transition from female to male. While there was criticism for the casting of Elle Fanning, who is cisgender, meaning she identifies with the sex she was assigned at birth, as the trans teen, it was director Gaby Dellals defense of her decision that ignited concern. The part is a girl and she is a girl who is presenting in a very ineffectual way as a boy, Dellal told the lifestyle website Refinery29 in August 2015. Shes not pretending to have a deeper voice... So to actually use a trans boy was not an option, because this isnt what my story is about. Everyone deserves a seat at the table and a chance to be heard, through their art or otherwise. Dellal, who co-wrote the film with Nikole Beckwith, was lambasted by members of the transgender community for misgendering the character. In an interview with the lifestyle website Bustle earlier this year, she said she was misunderstood, adding that her initial quote was in reference to Fanning, not the character Ray. She noted that misgendering should be forgiven, because a lot of people misuse the pronouns and it just humanizes them, sharing a belief that most trans people are very gracious with people [misgendering them], as long as they believe their hearts are in the right place. Such a perspective is a misstep, no less because it was made by someone whose intentions were surely pure. It is simply not enough to include trans characters in a story; one must do the necessary work to be able to speak most appropriately on their issues. You cant cherry pick the level of responsibility you want to take when the images you create and the ways you talk about them speak for an underrepresented community. Thats why Jill Soloways Transparent, even with the cisgender Tambor as the trans lead, works so well. Soloway, who identifies as nonbinary and uses gender-neutral pronouns, is not only telling a story that they know personally the series was inspired by their parents transition but they also have done the work necessary to be educated about the trans community. Additionally, through a trans-firmative action policy on set, a trans, gender-nonconforming or otherly gendered person is employed at every stage of the shows production, from costume design to editing to the writers room to the cast that surrounds Tambor. In this way, Tambor and Soloway arent the sole figures for the shows trans representation. The voices of Alexandra Billings, Rhys Ernst, Zackary Drucker, Our Lady J and countless others are given a much-needed platform. But isnt it all called acting and shouldnt the best person get the role, even if they arent trans? In an ideal world, yes. We, however, are not there yet. Trans and otherly gendered folks even more so if theyre people of color historically havent had access to any part of the industry. As such, the still-too-few trans roles being written should be used as entree for a more diverse acting pool. The result, Richards said in a recent essay for the LGBTQ blog NewNowNext, will be a better performance. I believe that trans people are better able to perform trans characters than cis actors, she said. That doesnt mean any trans woman off the street could portray Lili Elbe more convincingly than Eddie Redmayne did [in The Danish Girl], but a trained and experienced trans actress doesnt have to play trans she can just focus on playing the character. An added benefit is that when she takes off all the Hollywood magic that helps her transform into the character, the person sashaying onto daytime talk show stages and up and down awards show red carpets representing the community is someone of it, not just someone for it. Because while its great to have someone speak for you, its most authentic and honest when you hold the mike. To be clear, the goal is not that trans people should play only trans roles. The talents of Richards, Cox, Angelica Ross, Jazzmun Nichcala Crayton, Alexandra Grey, Mya Taylor, Rain Valdez, Candis Cayne, Alexandra Billings, Trace Lysette and Jamie Clayton as well as DLo, Ian Harvie, Elliot Fletcher, Chaz Bono and Scott Turner Schofield go far beyond such a limiting box. But if trans actors cant even get the roles written about people like us, how will they get the credits to eventually tackle nontrans characters? If theyre not even given the opportunity to play the coffee shop barista or mall cop or bank teller roles where the gender of the character rarely matters how will we ever get to a point where a trans name commands the same amount of attention as Meryl Streep or Viola Davis? Trans and otherly gendered people are needed behind the camera as well as writers, directors and producers, so that the lenses through which our stories are told include our perspectives. Criticism and calls for Hollywoods creators to take responsibility for their faulty cultural productions are the ways we gender transgressors assert our presence and stake our claim to humanity. At stake are the lives of transgender, gender nonconforming and otherly gendered people whose existence is marginalized and often wiped out because some refuse to acknowledge we exist. Hollywood has been given perhaps the greatest storytelling platform known to man. With that comes a responsibility to accurately represent us all. Everyone deserves a seat at the table and a chance to be heard, through their art or otherwise. Surely, its a change we can believe in. Get your life! Follow me on Twitter (@TrevellAnderson) or email me: trevell.anderson@latimes.com. ALSO With Surpassing Certainty, Janet Mock provides her blueprint to self-love The film academys diversity push means neglected films have their shot at the canon On the hunt for another Moonlight, Outfest celebrates 35 years The indie crime thriller Misfortune recycles such familiar genre tropes as ill-gotten gains, double-crosses, ruthless gunplay and last-chance locales, but serves them up in a taut, twisty and involving way. Desmond Devenish, who stars, directed and co-wrote (with Xander Bailey), turns a potentially ho-hum vanity project into something thankfully more commendable and authentic. His compelling leading-man presence (think Jon Hamms blond brother) provides a solid anchor to the mayhem. Boyd (Devenish) is an unemployed mechanic who finds himself on the run when his fathers (Nick Mancuso) killer and partner in crime (Kevin Gage) wins early parole and comes looking for a stolen treasure he believes Boyds dad left behind. Advertisement But Boyds in the dark about the booty so he takes off across the Arizona desert with his devoted waitress girlfriend (Jenna Kanell) and petty-thief pal (Bailey) to search for the spoils in the exact spot his father died. A perilous and propulsive game of cat-and-mouse ensues. Although the film is a bit light on character detail and a few key moments, such as the unearthing of the missing swag, feel abruptly rendered, Devenish has crafted an impressive feature debut with an expert assist from cinematographer Seth Johnson and a sound team that includes Oscar nominee Tony Lamberti (Inglourious Basterds). ------------- Misfortune Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes. Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Exact and exacting, made with formidable skill and unwavering focus, Lady Macbeth is a film that demands to be admired and cares little if you actually like it. A cold and unnerving tale of the twin deranging powers of passion and oppression, its a 19th century costume drama impeccably made on a minuscule budget with some very modern thematic concerns in mind. The first feature by accomplished British theater director William Oldroyd and spotlighting a breakthrough performance by 21-year-old Florence Pugh, Lady Macbeth is only tangentially related to the Shakespearean character. Advertisement Rather this story of a young woman who spectacularly rebels against a horrific marriage is an uncompromising adaptation by playwright Alice Birch of Nikolai Leskovs 1865 Russian novella Lady Macbeth of the Mitensk District, later turned into an opera by Dmitri Shostakovich that Josef Stalin famously couldnt stand. Made for less than half a million dollars over 24 shooting days in a single location in Britains remote Northumberland region, Lady Macbeth has made expert use of some top below-the-line talent including editor Nick Emerson, production designer Jacqueline Abrahams and costume designer Holly Waddington to create its claustrophobic world. First among equals is cinematographer Ari Wegner, who rarely moves the camera and whose spare, elegant compositions allows us to experience the emotional tension that threatens to explode out of every frame while holding everything at a remove. Which is mostly but not entirely a good thing. For while director Oldroyds theatrical past insures that the focus of Lady Macbeth is completely on feeling and character, the rigorous nature of the piece emphasizes the distancing coldness of both action and depiction. Though all the skill involved tempts you to ignore it, Lady Macbeths difficulty, which it never completely overcomes, is that it asks us to form a bond of complicity with some heedlessly amoral characters who act monstrously even though theyre presented as dispassionately as specimens in a laboratory experiment. Thats a big ask. It all begins for 17-year-old Katherine (Pugh) on the night of her wedding to the much older Alexander (Paul Hilton), the son and heir of the elderly Boris (Christopher Fairbank), a well-off mine owner. Boris not only engineered the marriage, we soon find out he more or less bought Katherine in a deal with her father that included some unproductive land as a kind of cover. Alexander, for his part, is a hostile cipher, a curt, dismissive bully whose contemptuous behavior on their wedding night is a shock to Katherine and to us as well, an early example of screenwriter Birchs ability to veer toward the unexpected. Both father and son are intent on keeping Katherine under their thumb, to all intents and purposes a prisoner not allowed to so much as leave the house or do anything while in it. Committed to insuring that we will feel Katherine is understandable if not justified when her inevitable push-back takes place, Lady Macbeth depicts her as as savagely constricted within this empty life as she is ferociously tied into the corsets of the day by her distant, mysterious maid Anna (Naomi Ackie.) Yet it is in the nature of Pughs performance that we can see that submissive docility is not in Katherines nature, that she has a strong-willed spiritedness that is only waiting for the right melodramatic moment to make itself known. That happens when the plot contrives to conveniently take both her husband and her father-in-law away from the house at the same time. During this period of absence Katherine discovers Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis), a newly hired groomsman, as the ringleader of a sexually sadistic game being played with a compliant Anna. A cheeky ruffian who is catnip to women and knows it, Sebastian soon makes a play for Katherine and before you can say Lady Chatterleys Lover the two are involved in the most torrid of torrid affairs. This is, obviously, a classic amour fou, a mad passion that comes out of nowhere and completely consumes both participants, and actors Pugh and Jarvis are especially good at conveying the sense of almost predatory eroticism that consumes them. But having liberated herself, the question Lady Macbeth asks of its transgressive heroine is whether she will be constrained again by anything that smacks of morality, whether, as the story continues to unfold, the rage she has been forced to stifle will overwhelm everything in its path. The mood created by Oldroyd and his collaborators is so intense you can hear a pin drop as these complications play out in Birchs increasingly unexpected scenario. Like it or not, we are fully involved, but this does not mean our involvement goes at all beneath the surface to a deeper, more profound place. For this undeniably accomplished and ambitious film, that remains a bridge too far. Lady Macbeth Rating: R for some disturbing violence, strong sexuality/nudity, and language Running time: 1 hour, 29 minutes Playing: Arclight Hollywood, Landmark West Los Angeles. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran In theory, a romantic drama featuring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin should be a grown-up love story that viewers cheers for. But Blind stumbles with unlikable characters and a lack of depth, leaving audiences simply wishing for its ending, happy or not. High-powered businessman Mark Dutchman (Dylan McDermott) isnt just ruthless when it comes to deals; hes also emotionally abusive to his wife, Suzanne (Moore), and cruel to everyone else. After hes convicted of a white-collar crime, she is sentenced to community service for her unwitting involvement in his shady behavior. Her punishment involves reading to blind writer, professor and enormous jerk Bill Oakland (Baldwin), but their initial dislike quickly turns to attraction. Though Blind centers on a celebrated author, its own script from John Buffalo Mailer is full of bad writing. The dialogue leans on eye-rolling cliches that would make Oaklands red pen bleed if one of his students submitted them. The film lacks texture and detail, whether its glossing over the experience of a newly blind man, the life of a rich New York wife or the corruption in the financial industry. Advertisement Blind veers between tones and genres like a drunken socialite. Five minutes of free-spirited romantic comedy feel like they belong in another movie, and director Michael Mailer (brother of the screenwriter; their father was Norman Mailer) cant bridge these moments. Everyone involved deserves better than what we get here, especially the audience. ------------ Blind Rating: R, for for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes Playing: AMC Dine-In Sunset 5, West Hollywood See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Showtimes stunning Twin Peaks revival has been a welcome reminder of David Lynchs genius, showing that even at age 71 he can still layer the dreamy artificiality of classic Hollywood with his own nightmarish vision of American rot. So the time is right for Peter Braatzs experimental documentary Blue Velvet Revisited, which unearths a trove of behind-the-scenes photographs and Super 8 footage that the director shot on the set of Lynchs 1986 masterpiece. Described by Braatz as a meditation on a movie, Revisited isnt a straightforward look back at what happened more than 30 years ago. Cued to an original score by atmospheric musicians Tuxedomoon, John Foxx and Cult With No Name, Blue Velvet Revisited is more collage-like, organized by theme and mood rather than chronologically. Braatz takes his conversations with Lynch (some on-camera, some not), and cuts them together with on-screen text excerpts from their correspondence and from the script, woven around mundane (but fascinating) shots of the cast and crew hanging around between shots. Advertisement The approach isnt always satisfying. Some clips could use more setup, or even just a basic explanation. But its a treat to see the youthful Lynch waxing enthusiastic about the then-latest filmmaking technologies; or even to see him personally finishing the detailing on a background prop. The impression that comes across is that this is what it takes to be a great artist: awareness, imagination and a willingness to do whatever needs to be done. ------------- Blue Velvet Revisited Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes. Playing: Downtown Independent, Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Buenos Aires and New York are forests of romantic entanglement, identity-searching and adventure in Argentine filmmaker Matias Pineiros artfully frothy Hermia & Helena, its title taken from the pair of love-struck young women in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. Having journeyed from South America to accept an artists residency in Manhattan, theater director Camila (Agustina Munoz) finds herself easily distracted from translating the Bard into Spanish by enigmas new and old: a string of mysterious postcards from a woman named Danielle (Mati Diop); playing emotional footsie with a boyfriend back home (Julian Larquier), an American flame (Dustin Guy Defa) who makes experimental films, and her fellowship liaison (Keith Poulson) in New York; and seeking out the American father (Dan Sallitt) she never knew. Pitched as a series of time-hopping, duet-like passages played out with flirtatiousness and wry comedy and appealingly steered by Munoz Camilas excursions are indisputably eccentric. But theyre also tinged with the melancholy of being torn between home and away, between the text of life and how to translate it into meaningfulness moving forward. (The soundtracks use of wistful Joplin rags is sublime.) Advertisement Pineiros camera also has a remarkable way of seeming fixed but active, like an engaged spectator who knows the lyrical pull of a wide pan across the city or an inserted close-up of a hand or a flower or room detail, and even how to turn superimposed handwritten text into jolts of whimsy. For discerning moviegoers, the affably disorienting Hermia & Helena might just be the right kind of midsummer nights dreaminess. ------------- Hermia & Helena In English and Spanish with English subtitles Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 27 minutes Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica; Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies Movie recommendations from critics Kenneth Turan, Justin Chang and other reviewers. Baby Driver Edgar Wrights exuberant, one-of-a-kind vehicular-action-thriller-musical-romance stars Ansel Elgort as a tinnitus-afflicted, music-loving getaway driver alongside a superb supporting cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm and Eiza Gonzalez. (Justin Chang) R. Beatriz at Dinner Salma Hayek gives perhaps the best performance of her career as an empathetic holistic healer who comes face to face with a rotten billionaire real-estate mogul (a marvelous John Lithgow) in this queasily funny and suspenseful dark comedy from director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Mike White. (Justin Chang) R. Advertisement The Beguiled Superbly acted by an ensemble that includes Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Colin Farrell, Sofia Coppolas Southern gothic chamber piece brings artful precision and a deft, distinctive feminist reading to a Civil War-era story previously adapted in 1971 by Don Siegel. (Justin Chang) R. The Big Sick Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan are terrific as a young couple navigating the challenges of interracial romance and Muslim immigrant identity in director Michael Showalters delightful, serious-minded comedy, which also features powerhouse supporting turns from Holly Hunter and Ray Romano. (Justin Chang) R. Dawson City: Frozen Time An aesthetic knockout thats crammed with amazing facts, a documentary thats also a detective story, a history of a particular place that turns into an examination of an entire art form, this Bill Morrison documentary inspired by the Klondike gold rush and a legendary cache of silent films will make you swoon. (Kenneth Turan) NR. Endless Poetry The second chapter of Alejandro Jodorowskys autobiographical fantasia is a visually ravishing, thrillingly strange tale of personal, artistic and social liberation set against the backdrop of the 1940s and 50s Santiago, Chile. (Justin Chang) NR. A Ghost Story Casey Affleck dons a bedsheet and stars opposite Rooney Mara in writer-director David Lowerys quietly compelling low-budget experiment, a simple story of love and loss that gradually pries open a window onto eternity. (Justin Chang) R. Hermia & Helena Buenos Aires and New York are forests of romantic entanglement, identity-searching and adventure in Argentine director Matias Pineiros artfully frothy film. (Robert Abele) NR. Icaros: A Vision This West meets way-out fable takes us into a shaman retreat in the Peruvian Amazon, where an American woman (Ana Cecilia Stieglitz), diagnosed with life-threatening breast cancer, seeks plant-based healing; directed by Leonor Caraballo (who died before filming could be completed) and Matteo Norzi. (Robert Abele) NR. My Journey Through French Cinema A passionate, opinionated, drop-dead fascinating documentary essay about key decades in that countrys film history put together by clear-eyed enthusiast Bertrand Tavernier. (Kenneth Turan) NR. War for the Planet of the Apes An eerie quiet descends over this grim and masterful third Planet of the Apes prequel, directed with bleak beauty by Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and crowned by another superb performance-capture turn from Andy Serkis as the soulful chimpanzee Caesar. (Justin Chang) PG-13. Wonder Woman With forthright emotion, spirited humor and a surprisingly purposeful sense of spectacle, director Patty Jenkins and her superb star, Gal Gadot, have made a thrilling new superhero saga that might just save the typically nonthrilling DC Extended Universe. (Justin Chang) PG-13. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies At the beginning of To the Bone, Ellen (Lily Collins), a moody 20-year-old struggling with anorexia nervosa, is kicked out of a Los Angeles inpatient treatment center after expressing her brutally honest thoughts about a fellow patient. Its the fourth such facility from which shes been dismissed, and neither her health nor her outlook has improved much by the time she enters the fifth: By that point, shes seen and endured too much to get her hopes up. To the Bone, the first feature written and directed by television veteran Marti Noxon (Girlfriends Guide to Divorce, Unreal), affects a similarly sardonic, seen-it-all attitude. It does this in part to inoculate itself against the charges of cloying earnestness and maudlin sentimentality that can plague so much disease-themed film and TV fare. But the movie, which Noxon based partly on her own history with anorexia and bulimia, also wants to seem sufficiently authoritative on a tough and relatively underdramatized subject. It means to convey some essential, hard-won truths about the experience of those who struggle with eating disorders, even as it filters that experience through one not-so-ordinary young womans story. Advertisement To tell that story, Collins, who incarnated the radiance of a classic Hollywood ingenue in movies like Mirror Mirror and Rules Dont Apply, has undergone the sort of startling physical transformation that usually winds up being praised for its bravery or dismissed for its awards-baiting self-regard. Both reactions are understandable, even if neither, in this case, seems entirely adequate. Collins, who has spoken out about her own experience with eating disorders, reportedly took special care in slimming down into the skeletal presence we see on-screen, her emaciated frame not quite concealed by loose knitted sweaters and baggy overalls. Noxons camera accentuates the visible evidence of her stars weight loss gaunt cheeks, stick-like limbs, sharply protruding bones with a gaze that can be clinical but never fetishistic, and which scrupulously avoids telling us how we should feel about what we see. Ellen may be a gorgeous ideal to some and a grotesque aberration to others, but the filmmakers ... try to see her clearly for who she is. Do you think thats beautiful? asks Ellens overbearing, well-meaning stepmother, Susan (Carrie Preston), perhaps not realizing the double-edged nature of her question. You may recoil from Ellens sallow complexion and ravaged physique, and still be struck by Collins beauty a beauty that, according to some early critics of To the Bone, runs the risk of glamorizing her struggle and turning Ellen into an avatar of what is known online as thinspiration, an anorexics physical ideal. At one point, we learn that Ellen, a gifted artist, recently posted some drawings of her body online, with controversial results. You can read a hint of defensiveness into this subplot, as if the filmmakers were preempting attacks on their own representational choices. Yet one of the movies insights, tossed off in a group discussion between Ellen and the other patients, is how deeply eating disorders are rooted in psychology and perception. The gravely ill Ellen may be a gorgeous ideal to some and a grotesque aberration to others, but the filmmakers, to the best of their abilities, try to see her clearly for who she is. They are also keen to suggest, and then immediately discard, some obvious root causes of Ellens struggle particularly in her family life, which is tumultuous in ways that flirt with cliche. Ellen used to live in Phoenix with her mother, Judy (Lili Taylor), and Judys partner, Olive (Brooke Smith), but then moved to L.A. to be with her stepmother and half-sister, Kelly (Liana Liberato). Ellens father lives with them too but is almost entirely absent from the picture a decision that pointedly keeps the many women in the story front and center. Most of Ellens fellow patients are young women roughly her age, though there are a few men in the mix as well. Some levity and romantic interest are provided by the centers sole male patient, Luke (English actor Alex Sharp), who has a sufficiently firm grip on his demons to be able to mock the centers various rules and restrictions while still basically upholding them. The doctor who heads up the facility is also a man, one apparently renowned for his unconventional treatment methods, though apart from the fact that hes played by Keanu Reeves, nothing about his live-your-best-life bromides seems especially radical. To the Bone, for its part, hews closely to formula in a way thats easy to forgive, in part because Noxon hits even her most obvious notes with a light, sure touch. Part character study, part PSA, the movie chronicles a brief but meaningful period in its protagonists healing journey, and if there are few surprises along the way, there are equally few easy answers or miraculous breakthroughs. In a different film, Ellens sharp tongue might have made her an insufferable fount of wisecracking negativity picture a hungrier, angrier Juno but Collins performance is subtler than that, and the script gives her ample opportunity to reveal the characters more complicated, vulnerable edges. Im sorry that Im not a person anymore, she says during an especially fraught family-therapy session. Im a problem. To some extent, the movie agrees with her there is calculation aplenty in its empathy but it also has the wisdom to leave that problem unsolved. ------------ To the Bone Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Playing: iPic Theaters, Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang Rufflemania is on prominent display this summer. Frills, flounces, flutters whatever the term you use, the decidedly feminine ruffle is front and center again this season. Like everything, there is definitely a way to make ruffles your own, says Caroline Constas, whose self-named New York-based brand features heavy use of ruffles. It really depends where the ruffle placement is. You just have to find that style that is right for you. And if theyre your thing, youre in luck. Designers and brands are using ruffles for edgier lines or, in some cases, bold one-shoulder or cold-shoulder looks (or in some combination), which offer a chic vibe. I love femininity, [and] ruffles are the essence of femininity, romance and sensuality. And that is very much my style, Constas says. I think theyre graceful, feminine and fun. And feminine is never going to go out of style. Without question, ruffles are also joyful to wear. They have personality, she says. You feel like you are wearing something special. Here, brands and designers, including Constas, put their spin on the ultra-feminine ruffle. Caroline Constas Smocked off-the-shoulder Appolonia dress in green gingham poplin with dramatic flared ruffled sleeves. (Caroline Constas) New York-based Canadian designer Caroline Constas smocked off-the-shoulder Appolonia dress in green gingham poplin with drama-filled flared ruffled sleeves. Made in New York of 100% cotton with a 15% donation to global warming causes. $495, also available in black, coral, navy, orchid and periwinkle gingham. Available at CarolineConstas.com. Emilio Pucci Lilac satin and crepe off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved ruffled halter-neck blouse. (Emilio Pucci) (Emilio Pucci) Classic graceful lines of Emilio Puccis lilac satin-and-crepe off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved ruffled halter-neck blouse show off a low back and ties at the neck. $1,050, www.SaksFifthAvenue.com. Rosie Assoulin Crystal embellished hat. (Rosie Assoulin) Brooklyn, N.Y.,-born Rosie Assoulins chic oversized ecru hemp summer hat is embellished on the rim with brightly colored Swarovski crystals. $995, www.Farfetch.com. Tory Burch Ruffle sneaker. (Arian Camilleri / Tory Burch) (Arian Camilleri / Tory Burch) Vineyard green ruffles alongside white shoelaces help elevate Tory Burchs low-top, white leather sport sneakers. Also available in navy sea, Nantucket red and cotton pink. $225, www.TorySport.com Adriana Degreas Red ruffled bikini. (Adriana Degreas) Brazilian designer Adriana Degreas red ruffled bikini is a nod to Elsa Schiaparellis infamous lobster gown and has high-rise briefs with an adjustable triangular top that ties at the front. $315, www.Net-a-Porter.com. Sea One-shoulder ruffled cotton-gabardine and jersey midi dress. (Sea) New Yorks Sea shows off a soft and breezy off-the-shoulder ruffled neckline that sits atop a sand-colored crisp cotton-gabardine with a vibrant contrasting navy-and-ivory striped jersey bodice. $385, www.Net-a-Porter.com. Jonathan Simkhai Oxford-stipe blue-and-white cold-shoulder button-down shirt with tiered bracelet sleeves. (Jonathan Simkhai) Jonathan Simkhais love of the ruffle is showcased in this oxford-stripe, blue-and-white cold-shoulder button-down shirt with tiered bracelet sleeves. $385, www.SaksFifthAvenue.com. Milly Black-and-white dotted Italian silk georgette crewneck top. (Milly) (Milly) New York-made Millys black-and-white dotted Italian silk georgette crewneck top has double layer flutter ruffled sleeves and a keyhole back closure. $355, www.Milly.com. Citizens of Humanity Estella high-rise ankle denim jeans. (Citizens of Humanity) A long asymmetrical fringed side ruffle lends drama to Citizens of Humanity Estella high-rise ankle denim jeans. $328, ShopBop.com. Puma Fenty x Rhianna Layered drawstring bag. (Puma Fenty x Rhianna) (Puma Fenty x Rhianna) Fenty by Rhiannas Marie Antoinette-inspired tiered, ruffled, pinkish-toned ivory drawstring backpack for Puma. $180, www.Bloomingdales.com. Tome Black-and-white gingham mermaid skirt. (Tome) (Tome) Tomes black-and-white gingham mermaid skirt mixes sexy with sweet feminine appeal. $1,195, TomeNYC.com. Alexis Blakely one-shoulder romper. (Alexis) The family-founded, Miami-based label Alexis short denim Blakely one-shoulder romper drapes a bold ruffle cross-body. $398, IntermixOnline.com. Fashion Videos image@latimes.com For fashion news, follow us at @latimesimage on Twitter. ALSO Zaha Hadid, the late world-famous architect, offers a surprise a style collaboration with Perrin Paris John Paul DeJoria, billionaire co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair-care brand, shares his 'Good Fortune' and more Allbirds opens a pop-up shop featuring footwear and specialty food and home goods at Grand Central Market The Los Angeles Times today announced the lineup for The Taste, its annual festival celebrating the flavors of the world in Southern California style. Hosted by The Times Food staff and acclaimed L.A. chefs and bartenders, The Taste will transform Paramount Pictures Studios into the ultimate epicurean pop-up and block party over Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-3). Admission to each of the five events includes unlimited tastings from the citys best kitchens and a variety of wine, beer and seasonal cocktails: Opening Night; Fri., Sept. 1, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The Tastes most intimate soiree features a focused collection of tastings, distinctive cocktail and wine offerings, and a chance to party on the backlot with The Times hosts and the weekends participating chefs and mixologists. Restaurants include Barans 2239, Bourbon Steak, Chinese Laundry, Crying Tiger, Fat Dragon, Friends & Family, Georgie, Hatchet Hall, Lao Tao, Little Fatty, Mainland Poke, Scratch Bar & Kitchen, Side Chick, Simone, Tabula Rasa Bar and Tar & Roses. Field to Fork Hosted by Amy Scattergood, Times Food Editor, and Sang Yoon, Chef/Owner of Fathers Office and Lukshon ; Sat., Sept. 2, noon to 3 p.m. Inspired by Southern Californias agricultural roots and DIY attitude, Yoon and Miles Thompson (Michaels) will each share their farmers market savvy through individual cooking demos using their favorite bright and flavorful ingredients. Scattergood will lead a discussion about the importance of farms and eating local with Romeo Coleman (Coleman Family Farms), Alex Weiser (Weiser Family Farms) and Wes Whitsell (Manuela). Restaurants include Aqui es Texcoco, Banh Oui, Cento Pasta Bar, ConiSeafood, Cruciferous, M Cafe, Maurys Bagels, McConnells Fine Ice Creams, Roberts Catering Service and VCHOS Pupuseria Moderna. Dinner with a Twist Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, Jenn Harris, Times Deputy Food Editor, Antonia Lofaso, Chef/Owner of Scopa Italian Roots and Black Market Liquor Bar, and Marco A. Ramos, Mixologist at Scopa Italian Roots; Sat., Sept. 2, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. L.A.'s dining and cocktail culture takes the stage with a chef-bartender demo by Lofaso and Ramos, and by Allan Katz and Jonathan Whitener (Heres Looking At You). Breana Jackson (Sugar & Spice: Baked by Bre), Danielle Bennett (Lady on the Rocks), Derrick Lewis (Not Your Mamas Kitchen) and Chef E Dubble (E Dubble Catering/Grilled Fraiche) will celebrate urban gastronomy with a collaborative showcase of their signature concoctions, and Meredith Hayman (Michaels), Gabriella Mlynarczyk (Accomplice Bar) and Brynn Smith (Sotto) will shake it up with a group demo. Restaurants include Barrel & Ashes, Beauty & Essex, Black Market Liquor Bar, Faith & Flower, Mayura Indian Restaurant, Pedalers Fork, Scopa Italian Roots, Szechuan Impression, The Bellwether, The Ponte and Wolf. Sunday Block Party Hosted by Noelle Carter, Times Test Kitchen Director, and Sherry Yard, Chef/Owner of Tuck Room Tavern; Sun., Sept. 3, noon to 3 p.m. Great food and good times are the order of the day at the block party on the backlot, where Yard will demystify pastry-baking for home cooks and David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post) will give a master class on making biscuits. Carter will host a talk with Chris Phelps (Salts Cure) about what it means to brunch at some of the most innovative spots around town, with additional panelists to be announced. Restaurants include Cheezus, Cocobella Creamery, E.A.K. Ramen, Hotville Chicken & Chops, Hummus Yummy Food Truck, MessHall, Otium, Rosaline, The Butchers Daughter and Tuck Room Tavern. Flavors of L.A. Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, and Gilberto Cetina Jr., Chef/Owner of Chichen Itza and Holbox; Sun., Sept. 3, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Closing night of The Taste embraces the depth and diversity of flavors that make Los Angeles one of the most exciting places to dine through demos by Cetina, Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos) and the team behind Badmaash: Pawan, Nakul and Arjun Mahendro. Gold will explore Korean barbecue with masters of the grill: Jenee Kim (Parks Barbeque) and Chris Oh (Seoul Sausage Co.). Restaurants include Chichen Itza, Franklands Crab & Co., Guss World Famous Fried Chicken, Holbox, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Meals by Genet, Pasta Sisters, Revolutionario North African Tacos, Same Same and Worldwide Tacos. Los Angeles Times The Taste presented by JetBlue Plus Card is produced in association with Best Events. The Collins College of Hospitality Management, L.A. Regional Food Bank and Midnight Mission are the events charity beneficiaries. Opening Night tickets are $150. Saturday and Sunday event tickets range from $95 to $130; a $25 discount is available exclusively to Times subscribers. Details and tickets: latimes.com/TheTaste. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheTasteLA (#TasteLA). Even after years of debate and litigation over teacher evaluations and tenure, California had no official definition of what constituted a bad educator until now. Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, states must report on whether disadvantaged students have a higher proportion of ineffective, out-of-field or inexperienced teachers than do their peers. But to supply that answer, California needed to define, concretely, what an ineffective teacher looks like. On Wednesday, the Board of Education approved a profile that does not touch on teacher performance: An ineffective teacher is now officially one who is improperly assigned or does not have proper credentials. In less than two months, the board must submit its plan for satisfying the federal law which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Its members opted to address the requirement dealing with teachers Wednesday, but leave until later the completion of a formula for identifying low-performing schools, as the law also requires. California's new education ratings tool paints a far rosier picture than in the past What, exactly, is an ineffective teacher? The states new definition mirrors language in the Local Control Funding Formula law, as well as a proposal from the California Teachers Assn. union. Tom Adams, deputy superintendent of public instruction, said California was using it because thats the system we have in place. But some education advocates were critical of the decision. "It refuses to consider teacher effectiveness ... as something related to performance and impact on students, the Education Trust West, an Oakland-based nonprofit focused on closing the achievement gap, wrote in a letter. Similarly, the Assn. of California School Administrators wrote that the definition misses "a teacher who is fully credentialed but ineffective in instructional practices." Some, including Carrie Hahnel of EdTrust-West, have suggested considering teacher turnover and absentee rates to get at how well they are performing without using the controversial, quantitative evaluation systems that rely on students standardized test scores. Board President Mike Kirst said that he was interested in some of those ideas, but that there wasnt enough data to justify their use. One board member said the conversation gave her heartburn. How does California identify underperforming schools? Where No Child Left Behind used a stringent system to reward and punish schools for their standardized test performance, Every Student gives states much more leeway. At the bare minimum, the federal law requires that states identify the lowest-performing 5% of their high-poverty schools, as well as high schools with persistently low graduation rates, and help them improve. The state recently created the California School Dashboard, a website that uses a variety of metrics to analyze schools and displays the results in a color-coded scheme: red is the worst, blue is the best. A Times analysis found that it was possible to have more than half of students underperforming on standardized tests and still be classified as "good" under this system. California plans to use the dashboard color ratings to identify its lowest-performing schools: Those deemed red across all measures, or all red with one orange category, will be flagged. But by using that method, experts said, the state will be able to identify only one-third of the number of schools it would need to reach the full 5%. So the board Wednesday also voted on a motion that said it needed one more year of testing and dashboard data to figure that out, thus missing the federal deadline. After a January meeting, they plan to flesh out their strategy and send it to the government as an addendum. Board member Feliza Ortiz-Licon voted no, saying she wasnt convinced that the plan showed precisely how the state would close achievement gaps. And Children Now, an education advocacy group, said using the dashboard model was a bad idea because it collapsed nuanced information into blunt categories. The whole ineffective teacher definition gives me heartburn. California State Board of Education member Ting Sun What will California do to help low-performing schools improve? The state has proposed letting county education officials take the lead on holding districts accountable. The Equity Coalition, an umbrella group representing more than 20 California education advocacy organizations, wrote in a long critique that the states education plan offers far too few details regarding how school improvement will happen. Kirst said the lack of detail was deliberate, and part of a long-running effort to not let the federal government direct Californias schools. The state plan is essentially a contract with the federal government, he said. The more details we include, the less flexibility that we have to adjust. Times staff writer Howard Blume contributed reporting. Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com @Joy_Resmovits The Bakersfield Police Department has launched an internal investigation after a teenage girl claims she was beaten by officers and attacked by a police dog in June after they mistook her for a male suspect. The probe was triggered only after Tatyana Hargrove described the police encounter in a video that was posted this week on the NAACPs Facebook page. The confrontation has also sparked a petition demanding that the officers be placed on leave and that charges be filed against them. In the widely circulated video, the 19-year-old Bakersfield resident, using crutches, said officers never told her why they stopped her on the afternoon of June 18. After they beat me and threw me in the cop car, thats when they told me, she said. Mistaken identity She said officers told her she matched the description of a suspect who was armed with a machete and had visited a grocery store. According to a Bakersfield police report obtained by The Times, officers had received a report of a man with a machete who attempted to stab an employee earlier that day inside the store. The employee told officers that he believed the suspect attacked him because they had banned him from the store. The suspect was described as a 30-year-old black male who was 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighed 160 pounds and had a shaved head and goatee, according to the police report. The man was carrying a backpack and pink duffel bag. Hargrove is black, and stands 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds, according to the police report. I cant breathe. I cant breathe Hargrove said she had visited a neighborhood store that day to pick up a gift for Fathers Day. The store was closed, so she got on her bicycle and rode home in the blistering heat. At some point, Hargrove said she stopped to take a sip from one of three water bottles in her backpack. When Hargrove turned around, she saw three patrol cruisers and an officer pointing a gun at her, she said. The officers then asked her if she had stopped by the grocery store. Hargrove said she told them No and asked another officer what was happening. The officer then demanded she hand over her backpack, she said. When Hargrove asked if he had a warrant, she said, he pointed toward a police dog. I looked behind me and it was a big K-9 dog, Hargrove said. I then got scared and then I was like Here just take the backpack. She said an officer then grabbed her wrist and neck and punched her. He then threw me onto the ground and then thats when the K-9 came and started eating at my leg, Hargrove said. After Hargrove was rolled around, she said, the officer put his knees on her back and head. I told him I cant breathe. I cant breathe, Hargrove said, and then I started yelling out: Somebody help me. Somebody help me. They gonna kill me. The officer then picked her up, tied her hands and feet and tossed her into the back of a cruiser, she said. Hargrove said she heard someone say: Thats not the guy. Thats not the guy. Tatyana Hargrove says she was attacked by a Bakersfield police dog after she mistaken for male suspect. (NAACP Bakersfield) She appeared to be a male The officers accounts of the moments leading up to the takedown are very different from Hargroves. Officer Christopher Moore wrote in his report that he saw Hargrove on her bike and noticed she had a backpack, so he yelled, Police K-9, put your hands in the air and pointed his weapon at her. She appeared to be a male and matched the description of the suspect that had brandished the machete and was also within the same complex the suspect had fled to, he wrote. After yelling at her, Moore wrote, she looked at him and said, What you all stopping another black person for. Im out of here. A second officer arrived and also drew his weapon. Moore said he then told Hargrove she was being detained because she matched the suspects description. He said he warned her that if she didnt follow his commands, he would release his dog on her. Once Hargrove set her backpack on the ground and raised her hands, the second officer approached her and grabbed her hands. But Hargrove spun into the officer, who then fell to the ground, Moore wrote. She landed on top of the officer and mounted him, he said. The officer then punched her once in the mouth and was able to push her off, according to the report. But Hargrove tried to get back onto the officer, he said. Because the officers did not search Hargrove for any weapons, Moore said, he released his dog and it bit her right thigh. As he ordered her to stop resisting, Moore said, she grabbed the dogs muzzle and sat up. After Hargrove was pulled onto her stomach, she started shouting obscenities and kicking violently, he wrote. Moore said he then placed his knee on her face and pinned her to the ground as he put handcuffs on her. As Hargrove spun around and kicked at them, the second officer placed his knees on her back and her ankles were placed in police hobbles. Hargrove was carried into the back of the patrol cruiser, Moore said. According to the report, when Hargrove told officers her name is Tatyana, Moore said: Dont lie to me, thats a girls name. What is your name? Hargrove responded, Im a girl, I just dont dress like one. This was when I first discovered she was a female, Moore wrote in his report. She was coming home to celebrate Fathers Day with me. Its not right As paramedics tended to Hargroves injures, the victim from the grocery store told officers she was not the suspect, according to the report. Hargrove was taken to a hospital and called her parents. Her father said he asked to speak to an officer who told him it was mistaken identity. I am like Wow, is she OK? he said in the video. He said the officer responded, saying, Well, shes alive and shes in the hospital. She was coming home to celebrate Fathers Day with me, said Hargroves father, Craig Reece. Its not right. Hargrove was ultimately arrested on suspicion of resisting an officer and assault on a peace officer, according to the report. She suffered puncture wounds from the dog bite, and cuts to her face and right knee. Bakersfield police Sgt. Ryan Kroeker, a department spokesman, declined to comment on the allegations, saying only that there are two sides to every story. He said the officers involved in Hargroves arrest have not been placed on leave. As for the suspect in the grocery store assault, police later arrested Douglas Washington after the victim identified him from a photo lineup, according to the report. Washington told investigators he is schizophrenic and did not intend to harm the victim, the report said. Patrick Jackson, president of the NACCPs Bakersfield branch, said Hargroves encounter was uncalled for, and demanded the Police Department hold the officers accountable. The organization is also asking that any charges filed against her be dropped. Hargrove is scheduled to be arraigned Monday. All of this for a mistaken identity? Jackson asked. An investigator with the Orange County district attorneys office was unable to confirm several allegations in a probe of county Supervisor Todd Spitzer, according to a report obtained by the Orange County Register. The report, written by the lead investigator in the district attorneys investigation, said that many of the allegations could not be corroborated and that others such as whether Spitzer spent campaign money for personal benefit needed more investigation. The Orange County Register described the contents of the report less than a day after the Los Angeles Times reported on the existence of the investigation, which raised questions because Spitzer is a bitter political rival of Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas. Advertisement On Monday, Spitzer announced that he would challenge Rackauckas in 2018 for the seat of Orange Countys top prosecutor. On Thursday, Spitzer sent a letter to state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra requesting that his office assume any pending investigation being conducted by Mr. Rackauckas office. It is absolutely clear that Mr. Rackauckas has an intolerable and improper conflict of interest in conducting any investigation or criminal proceeding against me or any candidate for the very same office he is seeking re-election, Spitzer continued, adding that he was also sending a copy of the letter to the office of U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. In a phone interview with The Times, Spitzer said a senior assistant district attorney overseeing the countys investigation told him recently that he had closed it about a month ago. He said there was nothing there, Spitzer said he was told. He said that some allegations came from three former and current employees; at least one has filed a lawsuit against Spitzer. This is truly, truly scary, Spitzer said. Theres nothing more outrageous and dangerous than a district attorney who investigates his enemies using the investigative powers of the government. In a written statement to The Times, Michelle Van Der Linden, spokeswoman for Rackauckas, wrote that numerous allegations accusing Spitzer of political corruption had been made to the district attorneys office. The district attorney has an obligation to investigate all complaints and conducted an investigation into the allegations in partnership with the Fair Political Practices [Commission] and in consultation with the State Attorney Generals Office, she wrote. All the information gathered has been submitted to the appropriate enforcement agencies for their review, thus it would be inappropriate for the OCDA to speak about any individual allegations. The states Department of Justice declined to comment on the matter. The status of the investigation is unclear, the Register reported. Spitzer told the Register that he had been informed by a high-level prosecutor that the probe ended 30 days ago and found nothing. A source close to the district attorneys office told The Times that, as of Wednesday, the probe remained open. Spitzer had been Rackauckas handpicked successor and a protege until Rackauckas fired him seven years ago, triggering a public feud that persists to this day. Spitzers announcement that he would try to unseat Rackauckas next year had been long anticipated. In an interview with The Times, a legal ethics expert questioned whether the district attorneys office had an impermissible conflict of interest by conducting the probe and whether Rackauckas was benefiting by making possible donors to Spitzers campaign fearful of contributing money. The Register said the June 7 report was written by investigator Tom Conklin, who along with another investigator and the former chief of investigations have filed claims against Rackauckas alleging misconduct. Investigators could not corroborate whether Spitzer engaged in pay-to-play to extort political contributions from developers, according to the Registers account of Conklins memo. A witness who worked for Spitzer and was quoted in Conklins report alleged that Spitzer ordered him to change the bid rating for developers who did not donate to him, but later recanted his statements, the Register reported. The probe also focused on claims by Christine Richters, a former law client, that she paid off legal bills owed to Spitzer using money she earned working for his campaign and later his supervisorial office, Richters and other sources familiar with the investigation told The Times. Conklins report said that allegations from Richters was unsubstantiated by bank records, according to the Register. Spitzer said that he would be willing to address the allegations made by Richters as long as he gets an attorney-client privilege waiver from her allowing him to legally do so. Adam.Elmahrek@latimes.com @adamelmahrek Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report. UPDATES: 1:40 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Supervisor Todd Spitzer. This article was originally published at 11:30 a.m. When Lily Gonzalez was released from Valley State Prison in Chowchilla in 2012, all she wanted to do was put incarceration behind her. She hoped to go back to work, continue her education at Cal State Northridge and reconnect with her 11-year-old daughter. I tried to assimilate, she said. And I couldnt. Gonzalez had been convicted of multiple felonies for falsifying signatures on documents something stupid I did when I was 18 years old, she said. Instead of returning to her old life, including a job with the countys Department of Consumer Affairs, Gonzalez found herself stuck. I applied for jobs everywhere, she said. Id go in for an interview, and theyd be reviewing my resume, and then theyd get to the application and see the box [asking about a criminal record] and just in their body language you could see they werent interested anymore. Advertisement Los Angeles County may soon join the City of Los Angeles and others around the country in making it easier for people like Gonzalez to find employment. Two motions approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday direct county officials to recommend standards for establishing fair chance ordinances in L.A. County. The ordinances, which would apply to county government, businesses that contract with the county and businesses that operate in unincorporated L.A. County, would do away with restrictions on employment that are based solely on prior criminal records. This could include such policies as not asking job seekers about criminal convictions until a conditional offer of employment is made, giving them an opportunity to appeal if an offer is rescinded and fining businesses that repeatedly flout the guidelines. Once someone has paid his or her debt to society, they ought to be afforded the opportunity to become productive citizens in the context of their respective communities, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said during discussion of the motions on Tuesday. If adopted, Los Angeles Countys ordinances would follow similar policies that have been put in place elsewhere. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti supports a motion to ban criminal background checks in the early stages of job applications. (Soumya Karlamangla / Los Angeles Times) According to the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy and research organization that tracks these policies nationwide, 28 states and more than 150 counties and cities now have ban the box policies, which eliminate the check box on job applications that asks about prior criminal convictions. In nine states and 13 cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, these policies extend to private employers. A California state law that went into effect in 2014 prohibits public employers from asking about criminal history on the initial application. The state legislature is considering a bill that would make it unlawful for any employer, including private businesses, to ask about an applicants criminal history until a conditional offer of employment is made. Some business groups have opposed such legislation, arguing that it slows down the hiring process and exposes businesses to legal liability and litigation. At Tuesdays meeting, Sarah Golden with the Valley Industry Commerce Assn., which represents 400 businesses in L.A. County, said it is essential that businesses not be overly burdened by lengthy appeal periods. A 10-day appeal period, she said, means two workweeks that a position goes unfilled and possibly the loss of second- and third-choice candidates to other companies. We are also concerned that a fair chance ordinance will spawn costly and frivolous litigation, she added. Those in favor of employment policies aimed at helping people who have been incarcerated emphasized their importance in helping reintegrate those who have been released from prison back into society and preventing recidivism. Peter Espinoza, head of the countys Office of Diversion and Reentry, said that, in addition to substance abuse and mental health issues, chronic unemployment is one of the primary barriers to smooth reentry. Others argued that helping former felons benefits everyone, by reducing crime. A lack of hope and a lack of opportunity is actually a public safety problem, said chief probation officer Terri McDonald. Approximately three-quarters of released prisoners re-offend within five years, according to the National Institute of Justice. Studies have consistently shown that steady employment and close ties to family members decrease the likelihood of returning to criminal behavior; one 2011 study, published in the peer-review journal Justice Quarterly, found that post-release employment was the single-most important factor. But people with criminal records are less likely to get jobs. The policy of prohibiting employers from gathering information about an applicants past incarcerations is not without its unintended consequences, some research shows. In 2015 and 2016 Sonja Starr, a law professor at the University of Michigan, and Amanda Agan, an economist then at Princeton University, conducted a randomized, controlled experiment using 15,000 fictitious job applications to compare outcomes for young white and black men before and after ban the box policies went into effect in New Jersey and New York City. While they confirmed that applicants who check the box are far less likely to get called back for an interview, they also found that once employers removed the box from the application, they turned to race as a proxy for criminality, relying on wildly exaggerated stereotypes about the difference in conviction rates between white and black men, Starr said. The effect of that was to very greatly increase the callback gap between our white and black applicants, Starr said from 7% to 43%, with the effect being that the split about evenly helped white applicants with records and harmed black applicants without them. An ordinance in L.A. County to keep employers from looking at applicants pasts, Lily Gonzalez said, would mean everything. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Gonzalez, for one, said that the box itself was the obstacle. She eventually turned to Homeboy Industries, a job training and reintegration program for former gang-involved and incarcerated men and women. Gonzalez worked in maintenance there and later went back to school for her bachelors degree. She was readmitted to Cal State Northridge, but couldnt get a job on campus. Her graduation was overshadowed by the difficulty she knew shed face in finding work. Having a degree no matter how many I had, it wasnt going to make a difference, she said. Three months ago Gonzalez was hired as a community organizer at A New Way of Life Reentry Project, which provides housing and supportive services for formerly incarcerated women. An ordinance in L.A. County to keep employers from looking at applicants pasts, she said, would mean everything. We come home to nothing you cant find a job, you cant find a place to live, she said. People ask, Why do people go back to prison? This is why. nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina ALSO California water bill passes House, but Democrats vow to fight it in the Senate Beachgoers run for safety as parolee leads authorities on car chase through the sand He is a monkey: Federal appeals court appears doubtful that a monkey who took a selfie can sue The U.S. Postal Service has stopped delivering mail to a neighborhood in Glassell Park once considered among the most dangerous in Los Angeles after a carrier was nearly shot there last month, a USPS official said. Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of our employees while providing service to our customers, spokeswoman Evelina Ramirez said in a statement. We are reviewing all options to come up with the best solution. For now, residents living in the 3300 and 3400 blocks of Drew Street have to travel about a mile to the Glassell Park Station office to pick up their mail, Ramirez said. Advertisement The letter carrier was nearly hit by bullets in the neighborhood June 27, Ramirez said. Los Angeles police confirmed there was a shooting but provided no other details of the incident. The postal service said it was communicating with police and local representatives about the incident. Glassell Park has a long history with violence, but the neighborhood appeared to turn the chapter in 2008 and 2009, when more than 140 Avenues gang members were indicted, including 70 from the Drew Street clique. The crackdown came about a year after Avenues members shot and killed a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy outside his home, which was within city limits. Shootings and violent crime have remained about the same for about the last two years for the substation that oversees Glassell Park, according to LAPD statistics. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. ALSO Thats not the guy: Teen says Bakersfield police beat her after mistaking her for male suspect Five injured when teenage DUI suspect hits pedestrians, crashes car in Santa Ana, police say Murder suspect caught days after escaping Fresno police headquarters through window, police say Police pursuit on the beach: Beachgoers run for safety as parolee leads authorities on car chase through the sand A $5-million program to assist homeless veterans has helped only 268 get off the streets over 18 months, according to a recent Los Angeles County civil grand jury report in part because a $1.2-million contract to provide interim shelter has been delayed for nearly a year. Homes for Heroes, a county program funded by the federal government, provides interim shelter to veterans and pays for move-in costs and minor repairs for landlords who agree to rent to ex-service members. But from January 2016 to June 2017, the report said, the program has helped more property owners, 363, than it has veterans. The bridge housing contract was put out to bid by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority in September, but the agency had not reached agreement with providers by the time the report which was released in late June was prepared, the grand jury said. Advertisement Tom Waldman, spokesman for the homeless services authority, said the contract process began in November and the agency reached agreement in April with a provider to house eight veterans. A second provider, Volunteers of America, had been expected to furnish shelter for 72 more but lost its site. That contract will be executed when Volunteers of America finds a new location, Waldman said. Phil Ansell, director of the countys homeless initiative, said the grand jurys information was seven months old. In the ensuing months, progress has been made, although more certainly remains to be done, Ansell said in a written statement. Despite housing thousands over the last three years, Southern California continues to lead the nation in veteran homelessness, with 4,800 living on streets and riverbeds countywide including 2,700 in the city of Los Angeles, the report said. Mayor Eric Garcetti had made a pledge to end veteran homelessness a signature of his administration, but scrapped a timetable earlier this year after the numbers continued to climb. The mayors office referred comment on the report to the homeless services authority and county officials. The grand jurys report also expressed concern about Homes for Heroes administrative costs. Officials with the homeless services authority told jurors that portion represented 15% of the total funds, the report said. But as no contracts have been awarded, we were not able to obtain the actual administrative cost for the contractors. According to the report, federal rent vouchers go unused because veterans cant find a place to use them before they expire. These voided vouchers go back to the county for reassignment to other homeless veterans waiting for housing, the report said. A county spokeswoman disputed this finding, saying that 100% of its veteran vouchers are being used. The grand jury also found that many homeless veterans dont know where to get help. They may be living on skid row, where they receive assistance from the missions but have trouble getting government aid available at downtowns Patriotic Hall or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs campus in West Los Angeles, the report said. Another impediment is that much of the housing that accepts veteran rent vouchers is for men only; their family members must find shelter elsewhere, the report said. The grand jury also found that homeless veterans lack storage for their belongings, and that police use ticketing and arrests to remove them from neighborhoods where they are unwanted. In order to help alleviate the crisis, the report recommended, among other things: Considering using the General Hospital building north of downtown, or other vacant structures, to house homeless veterans and their families. Expanding county benefits for homeless veterans from one to two years. Setting up a county mobile outreach service for veterans at the missions. Giving the missions more county homeless funds. Establishing county storage facilities for homeless veterans. Speeding up the procurement and contracting process. gholland@latimes.com Twitter: @geholland ALSO Bathroom access on skid row is worse than in a Syrian refugee camp, report says Advocates denounce VA delays in developing housing for homeless veterans at West L.A. site 1 in 5 L.A. community college students is homeless, survey finds The inspector general for the Los Angeles Police Department, who for six years has played a key role in civilian oversight of the agency, will take on a new role as watchdog for the University of California. The UC Board of Regents on Thursday approved Alexander Bustamante for a position in the presidents office, naming him senior vice president and chief compliance and audit officer. Starting Sept. 5, Bustamante will operate as an independent and objective officer, leading efforts to audit and monitor the university systems compliance with various rules and regulations in areas such as cybersecurity, sexual violence and harassment, and access for the disabled, according to a UC statement and documents. Bustamante will earn a base annual salary of $350,000. Advertisement Alex Bustamante was selected for this critical position at the university based on his impressive career focused on legal and compliance matters, UC President Janet Napolitano said in a statement. Im confident his breadth of expertise and leadership will further strengthen UCs oversight systems. A former federal prosecutor, Bustamante has worked as the LAPDs watchdog since 2011. His office, which is independent of the police department, reviews police practices and policies, investigates when officers fire their guns or use other serious force, and serves as the investigative arm of the civilian Police Commission, which oversees the 10,000-officer LAPD. Bustamantes oversight role drew more attention in recent years as the Police Commission intensified its efforts to reduce shootings by officers. Findings by his office helped influence the commissions decisions to revamp training and LAPD policy including one that requires officers to attempt to de-escalate tensions in potentially violent situations as the panel tried to drive down the number of police shootings. Matt Johnson, the commissions president, said Bustamantes work led to tangible improvements to policing in Los Angeles. Alex shaped the Office of the Inspector General into a national model, and redefined what civilian oversight can and should be at a time when the nations attention is intensely focused on police accountability, Johnson said. In a statement, Bustamante said he was honored and excited to return to the UC system, where he earned his bachelors degree from Berkeley. I look forward to ensuring UCs compliance systems are unequaled within academia, he said. Johnson said the Police Commission would work with the citys Personnel Department to ensure that the search for Bustamantes successor is thorough. He said he hoped to have the next inspector general in place within 90 days, but stressed that it was essential to find the right person for the job. If necessary, he said, the commission would consider putting an assistant inspector general in the role until the search was complete. Finding the right successor is more important than finding one quickly, Johnson said. kate.mather@latimes.com Twitter: @katemather UPDATES: 4:05 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Matt Johnson, the president of the Los Angeles Police Commission. This story was originally published at 2:35 p.m. Environmentalists, the National Park Service and ranchers have reached a settlement over disputed usage rights at Point Reyes National Seashore. The settlement, which was announced Wednesday, would give conservationists, ranch owners and others an opportunity to offer input on an amended general management plan for the rugged Bay Area peninsula. The National Park Service, which leases land for cattle grazing, must complete the plan by 2021. Advertisement A number of groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Resource Renewal Institute, filed suit against the park service in 2014 as it prepared to grant another round of decades-long leases to ranch owners. Plaintiffs argued that there had been insufficient opportunity for the public to give input on how the parkland was managed. The park service has been granting one-year authorizations for ranchers to continue operating in the park since 2014, but Wednesdays agreement allows the leases to increase to five years. The agreement still must be approved in court. We are pleased that park ranchers, local government, environmental groups and the park were able to come together and agree to move forward on this important topic, said Steve Mietz, the parks acting superintendent. This approach initiates a comprehensive, robust and durable planning process to define future uses of these lands managed by the park while providing interim stability and authorizations for park ranchers during the new planning process. The settlement comes 45 years after the seashore was first established in 1972, when the National Park Service bought out dairy farms and cattle ranches and leased the land and homesteads back to the families who now live there at favorable rates. Approximately 15 companies graze beef and dairy cattle on 24 lease units covering 18,000 of the parks 71,000 acres. This settlement is a victory for the public and Point Reyes National Seashore, and sets a precedent for protecting our national heritage by guaranteeing citizens a voice in how their public lands are managed, Deborah Moskowitz, president of the Marin-based Resource Renewal Institute, said in a statement. Past generations fought to create the Seashore this settlement helps safeguard this precious public asset for future generations. The existence of commercial livestock and dairy operations is rare in the national park system but was allowed in the federal enabling legislation for Point Reyes. Congress intended agriculture to remain in the park, a landscape normally set aside for day-use tourism and sightseeing. The public deserves an opportunity to provide input on a range of options, including prioritizing public benefit over commercial livestock interests, Erik Molvar of Western Watersheds Project said in a statement. Thanks to the settlement, everyone will now have that chance. Rules on governing agriculture, transferring farming rights and expanding operations in the park have been issues for business owners for years. Conservationists are concerned about the effect domesticated cattle have had on the environment and native species such as the Tule elk. Tule elk are found only in California. In 1978, park workers reintroduced a group of 10 elk in a fenced area on Tomales Point designated as an elk reserve. The herd since has grown to 300 to 500 animals that range widely beyond the designated zone, venturing onto ranch pastures, trampling fences, drinking from stock ponds and feeding on grass used for cattle. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. Long Beach police are seeking help from the public in identifying two men who punched and dragged a 62-year-old woman while robbing her. The violent robbery occurred May 10 around 9:40 p.m. as the woman was walking in the area of 9th Street and Linden Avenue. Police said the two robbers approached the woman from behind and suddenly one of them punched her in the face, causing her to fall. Once the woman was on the ground, one of the men dragged her several feet down the sidewalk. The men ran off after taking her cellphone. Advertisement Authorities released video footage from surveillance cameras that captured the attack. In the black-and-white recordings the two men are seen wearing hoodie sweatshirts and walking behind the woman before they begin to assault her. The men are described only as males with dark complexions, standing 5 feet 8 to 6 feet and weighing about 160 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to contact Long Beach Police Det. JJ Johnson at (562) 570-5731. Anonymous tipsters may call (800) 222-8477. ruben.vives@latimes.com For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter. ALSO Man accused of murder climbs through window and escapes Fresno police headquarters, chief says Video shows San Diego police dog repeatedly biting handcuffed man Pasadena man gets 26 years to life in prison for brutally murdering the mother of his two children An 87-year-old man is believed to have shot his wife to death Wednesday morning in Arleta before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide attempt, police said. Family members told investigators that the man was struggling with board-and-care facility bills for his wife, who had numerous medical conditions, said Los Angeles Police Officer Tony Im. Shortly before 10:30 a.m., police were called to a home in the 12800 block of Wingo Street, where they found the 73-year-old woman in a wheelchair with a gunshot wound to her head. Advertisement About five feet away, her husband was lying on the couch, holding a handgun and suffering from a gunshot wound to his head. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while her husband was rushed to a hospital for treatment. A doctor told police the man would not survive, Im said. Authorities did not identify the couple. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek ALSO Long Beach police seek 2 men who punched and dragged a 62-year-old woman and stole her cellphone Man in custody said to be responsible for 25 fires in Burbank and Glendale Man accused of murder climbs through window and escapes Fresno police headquarters, chief says Pasadena man gets 26 years to life in prison for brutally murdering the mother of his two children Los Angeles County sheriffs detectives are investigating an officer-involved shooting in San Fernando that left a man hospitalized Wednesday evening, officials said. Around 5:30 p.m., sheriffs homicide detectives were called to the 12900 block of Foothill Boulevard to help San Fernando police investigate the shooting, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Details on the suspects condition, and the circumstances of the shooting, were unavailable. Advertisement alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek ALSO Elderly man struggling with board-and-care bills shoots his wife before turning gun on himself, police say Long Beach police seek 2 men who punched and dragged a 62-year-old woman and stole her cellphone Man in custody said to be responsible for 25 fires in Burbank and Glendale Pasadena man gets 26 years to life in prison for brutally murdering the mother of his two children The pool, the dining hall and a single cabin are all that remain of the 290-acre Boy Scouts facility at Rancho Alegre, which the Whittier fire swept across Saturday. Most of the property, nestled in the Los Padres National Forest, was gutted or reduced to ash. Gone from the 52-year-old grounds were the yearlong staff residences, classrooms, even the camp pets two snakes and an iguana. It brought me to tears, said Carlos Cortez, who oversees Boy Scout activities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. He returned to the camp on Sunday morning and tried to salvage equipment and files, to little success. Advertisement Thinking about all the history we had there for 50 years and all the memories people built there, and how it went in about an hour that was pretty sad, Cortez said. Residents slowly returned to their homes to take stock of the damage after firefighters increased their containment of destructive wildfires in central California on Wednesday, aided by cooler temperatures and slight humidity. In some ways, the two counties were lucky. There were no reported fatalities and few injuries. And the fires stayed clear of towns and housing developments. But for many who visit or live in the coastal mountain areas, the fires were a dramatic wake-up call and left some indelible memories. The Whittier fire burns in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Goleta. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) It was a little spooky The Whittier fire in Santa Barbara County forced thousands of visitors to evacuate from a Lake Cachuma campground. In their hurry to leave, campers left coolers and picnic tables set for lunch. It was a little spooky, said Jeff Lindgren, Santa Barbara County parks operation manager. It was kind of like a zombie apocalypse movie, where everything but the people was still there. As of Wednesday evening, Santa Marias 29,000-acre Alamo fire listed as 70% contained had destroyed two homes. The Whittier fire, 48% contained, had destroyed eight homes and spread through 12,000 acres. Hundreds of miles to the north, the 6,000-acre Wall fire had destroyed 41 residencies and damaged three others. It was 60% contained. There is certainly a lot of active fire out there, but we have a pretty good plan in place for keeping it slow, Lee Beyer, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, said of the Whittier fire. The activity over the last two days, he said, had been what we expected. The blazes had spread rapidly during a heat wave, with the Alamo fire growing by thousands of acres overnight Friday. The slight weather cool-down kept activity at a minimum Tuesday and Wednesday, allowing firefighters to improve their containment lines. Evacuation orders were reduced to warnings Wednesday for the Alamo fire and the Wall blaze. Several locations remained closed because of the Whittier fire. One evacuation order for a road just outside Goleta was reduced to a warning. Some residents were allowed to return to their properties, but officials urged them to be careful and avoid fallen trees and electrical wires. A helicopter drops water on the Alamo fire near Santa Maria on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) It was all black and charred Rancho Alegre staff members who were allowed to return to retrieve their belongings found piles of ash and warped metal. Each of their living quarters had been destroyed. Ben Spring, education director of the Outdoor School, a four-day program aimed at teaching children about nature, lived in Rancho Alegre with his girlfriend. All the fire had left him was a surfboard and some camping equipment. The 34-year-old had been leading a kayaking tour near Santa Cruz Island on Saturday when he saw a plume of smoke lifting from the mountains across from the Santa Barbara Channel. The cloud appeared close to Rancho Alegre, but it was so large that Spring thought it was the Alamo fire. He continued kayaking. Only when he finished, about 4 p.m., did he learn his home had burned. Girlfriend Karis Joldersma, 30, who was at the beach when the fire roared through, said the location of their home was stunning. The evening before, she and Spring had walked to the top of a hill overlooking nearby Lake Cachuma and gazed out at the landscape, taking in the colorful flowers and birds. We were thinking how beautiful a place it was where we were living, Joldersma said. Then the next day it was all black and charred. Lindgren said the fire had damaged about 50 campsites in a remote area near the lake. The campground issued refunds to visitors who evacuated and to people who had intended to camp this week. Lindgren hopes the campground will reopen next week. Near Santa Maria, the Alamo fire had snaked through Tepusquet Canyon, charring farmland and demolishing two houses. Bob Acquistapace never left his cattle ranch, even after officials issued an evacuation order. Instead, he helped firefighters navigate the steep, rugged terrain of the canyon and cut fences so bulldozers could roll through. He put too much sweat and blood into this ranch, which has been in the family for generations, to leave. His wife and two young children, on the other hand, evacuated Friday afternoon. On Tuesday, Acquistapace stood on a hill overlooking his property, where he estimated 1,800 acres had been engulfed in flames. Just days before, its rolling hills were tinted a hazy ochre and studded with grazing cows. Now they were charred black and dusted with gray-white ash. Its a moonscape, Acquistapace said, shaking his head. Its all but gone. He lost several important water sources to the fire, miles of barbed wire fence, at least one cow and one calf. Now that the fire had slowed, Acquistapace said, he planned to spend the next few days assessing the damage and figuring out how to rebuild. A flag as a symbol of hope The destructive weekend was not without its glimmers of hope. On Saturday, firefighters battling the Wall fire took time to protect an American flag that was hanging from a house balcony. Their actions, documented by freelance photographer Josh Edelson, won widespread praise across social media. Russell Fowler, a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said the crew of three firefighters had been tasked with clearing out brush and items that could ignite homes in the path of the wildfire. Were not going to let the symbol of Americans freedom perish in the fire, Fowler said. megan.bernhard@latimes.com Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Veronica Rocha in Los Angeles contributed to this report. The University of California is headed toward allowing all campuses to use letters of recommendation in admissions decisions for the first time, despite concerns that the policy could hurt students who have less access to teachers and counselors who could artfully write the endorsements. As the systems nine undergraduate campuses grapple with a record number of applicants nearly 210,000 last fall UC Berkeley has sought to invite letters from all prospective students. But a systemwide proposal approved Wednesday is far more limiting, preventing campuses from inviting more than 15% of freshman applicants to submit letters, and then only when schools need additional information to make an admissions decision. Advertisement Under the proposed policy unanimously approved by a UC regents committee, campuses also may use senior-year grades received after the applications are submitted in the fall as well as a questionnaire inviting students to elaborate on special talents, extraordinary circumstances and other considerations. If approved by the full regents board Thursday in San Francisco, the policy will take effect when the application season for fall of 2018 begins, on Aug. 1. Letters will likely be used sparingly, since UC officials say 98% of admissions decisions are made using grades, courses, test scores, activities and essay responses on standard applications. But the issue sparked long and lively debate among regents and disagreement between the systems two most competitive campuses, UC Berkeley and UCLA. UC Berkeley began a pilot program inviting letters two years ago, which prompted UC President Janet Napolitano to ask the UC Academic Senate to develop a systemwide policy. We have very competitive programs, and we believe better information will help in our efforts to have a diversified student body that mirrors the population of California, said Robert Powell, chairman of the UC Berkeley Academic Senate. UCLA, which became the first university in the nation to receive more than 100,000 freshman applications last year, said it doesnt need letters. Its not a good idea, said Susan Cochran, chairwoman of the UCLA Academic Senate. She said she works with students trying to transfer to the Westwood campus, and asking them to seek out someone for a recommendation letter could be a burden. Similar concerns surfaced among regents Wednesday. Regent Eloy Ortiz Oakley asked what useful information the letters offered and expressed concern that students with savvy counselors and teachers could have an unfair advantage. Regent John A. Perez questioned whether the new policy could have unintended consequences by throwing students who were on track to be admitted into a pool with students being asked for letters. But Regent Sherry Lansing said letters could illuminate hardships and talents a student might otherwise be too reticent to share. Lansing, who formerly taught math and English in Watts, objected to the perception that teachers in low-performing schools would not write high-quality letters. Some of our best teachers are in underserved schools, she said. But some high schools have fretted that widespread requests for letters could impose a huge burden on them, said Stephen Handel, UC vice-president of undergraduate admissions. Carol Christ, Berkeleys new chancellor, said more information would be helpful to make extraordinarily difficult choices among the bulk of applications that are virtually indistinguishable. Berkeley received more than 103,000 freshman and transfer-student applications for this fall. Under Berkeleys pilot program, letters were requested from about 40% of applicants in 2015-16 and 30% in 2016-17, Powell said. Two studies of the program found that letters did not hurt underserved students and likely helped them. The studies also found that those students were more likely not to submit a letter, but that the positive impact outweighed the negative. Campus officials shared excerpts of letters they said made a difference, highlighting students empathy, persistence and love of learning. James Chalfant, the Academic Senate chair, said the proposed policy represented a compromise and would be monitored and tweaked as needed. teresa.watanabe@latimes.com Twitter: @teresawatanabe Police responded to a bomb threat at a UCLA recreation center Wednesday night and university officials evacuated several residence halls at the Westwood campus. A UCLA Bruin Alert the campus emergency notification system was issued about 12:20 a.m. Thursday, announcing that the threat was unfounded and students could return to their dorms. The first emergency alert was issued shortly after 10 p.m., telling the university community about the bomb threat at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. Advertisement Residents from more than a dozen dorms were evacuated, and some were directed to Drake Stadium on UCLAs campus. (Alene Tchekmedyian / Los Angeles Times) Bomb threat at Sunset Recreation. Residents are requested to remain indoors unless otherwise instructed. Avoid the area until further notice UCLA BruinAlert (@UCLABruinAlert) July 13, 2017 The threat was phoned into the campus police stations dispatch center, said University of California at Los Angeles police Capt. Bob Leinweber. More than a dozen residence halls were evacuated, officials said. Police searched the recreation center with four bomb-detecting dogs, and just before midnight, said that no explosives had been found so far. Weve just about concluded the search and nothing found, Leinweber added. The Bruin Alert system announced just after midnight that residents of two dormitories, Dykstra Hall and De Neve Plaza, could return. Others will be allowed to reenter as they are determined to be safe, the alert said. Drake Stadium, where a large crowd of evacuated students had gathered, erupted in cheers when it was announced that students could return to some of the residence halls. Were free, someone shouted. The Hill is in emergency. Please evacuate to Drake Stadium. Please retweet and share. More information will be provided as it comes in. UCLA Housing (@UCLAhousing) July 13, 2017 Lemoine Dillon, 19, was staying in the Rieber Vista residence hall when the fire alarm sounded. She was among hundreds of people directed to the stadium. Others were taken to a nearby tennis court, she said. Dillon said the dorms were filled with a range of residents, including those like her who were enrolled in a summer pre-dental course. She estimated that some in the dorms were between eight and 12 years old and staying on campus for summer programs and sports camps. Many kids were crying as the dorm was evacuated, she said. It was really hectic cause no one really knew what to do or where we were going, Dillon said. Drake Stadium being cleared out now after bomb threat at UCLA pic.twitter.com/9Cjc8eH9Ox Alene Tchekmedyian (@AleneTchek) July 13, 2017 About 30 minutes after the first alert, a second notice was issued stating that the situation is still active. Aerial images on local television showed a cluster of residence halls with emergency lights flashing inside. The telephonic bomb threat comes hours after the conclusion of the first orientation program for new UCLA students. The next three-day orientation program for new students is scheduled to begin July 19, according to the universitys website. Times staff writer Alene Tchekmedyian reported from Westwood. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com matt.hamilton@latimes.com ALSO California water bill passes House, but Democrats vow to fight it in the Senate Beachgoers run for safety as parolee leads authorities on car chase through the sand He is a monkey: Federal appeals court appears doubtful that a monkey who took a selfie can sue UPDATES: 12:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about students returning to dorms. 12:05 a.m.: This article was updated with Capt. Bob Leinwebers comments and details about students returning to some dorms. 11:35 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from witnesses on campus. 11:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. 10:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Brian Haas. This article was originally updated at 10:25 p.m. Jack Shaheen, a prominent writer, scholar and activist who persistently though diplomatically challenged negative stereotypes of Arabs in film and television, has died at age 81. Shaheen, who died Sunday in South Carolina after battling cancer, took on studio executives, offered counsel to actors and directors and lectured around in the world in his relentless quest to persuade Hollywood to move beyond the cinematic image of Arabs as just billionaires, bombers and belly dancers. For the record: An earlier version of this story stated that Homeland is on HBO. Its on Showtime There is no escaping the Arab stereotype, Shaheen wrote in the preface to his 2001 book Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, before digging into what he said was the unrelenting portrayal of Arabs and Muslims as barbaric, uncultured, wealthy and unspeakably violent. Advertisement These notions are as false as the assertions that blacks are lazy, Hispanics are dirty, Jews are greedy and Italians are criminals, he wrote in The TV Arab, a painstaking study of hundred of television shows, from sitcoms to cartoons. He was the one who would say This is not OK Michele Tasoff, daughter In 1993, his efforts helped persuade Disney to change the lyrics to the song Arabian Nights in its animated musical Aladdin. When the film premiered, the lyrics seemed the stuff of racism to people like Shaheen: Oh, I come from a land From a faraway place Where the camels roam Where they cut off your ear If they dont like your face Its barbaric, but hey, its home. In a opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, Shaheen protested that Disney had managed to deliver a painful reminder to millions of Arab Americans that the abhorrent Arab stereotype is as ubiquitous as Aladdins lamp. Disney yielded and trimmed the ear-cutting lines from the video release of the film, but refused to erase the its barbaric line, arguing it was a reference to the landscape, not the people who lived there. It was emblematic of the small victories Shaheen would win. Never expecting seismic change in how the industry would portray Arabs, he was comfortable winning converts one by one, lecture by lecture, email by email, book by book. He felt the greatest disservice would be to stand back and say nothing, his daughter Michele Tasoff said. Shaheen was born in Pittsburgh on Sept. 21, 1935, the son of Lebanese immigrants. He grew up in nearby Clairton, an ethnically diverse mill town whose bleakness was captured in the movie The Deer Hunter. His mother who raised Shaheen wanted to be a school teacher, but settled for being a janitor at the schoolhouse instead in order to provide for her three children. He became the first in his family to attend college, graduating from whats now Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and earning a masters degree in theater arts from Penn State. He received a doctorate in communications from the University of Missouri before joining the faculty at Southern Illinois University, where he would teach for decades. He also was a visiting professor at New York University, where his archives papers, notes, scripts, childrens toys and thousands of films dating back to the silent movie era are housed at the Hagop Kevorkian Center. His drive to find and if possible root out the unflattering and often ugly portrayals of Arabs in film arrived when his two children were watching a cartoon. When they ran into the living room and announced that there were bad Arabs on TV, Shaheen came in for a look. He was aghast, and it dawned on him that is was quite possible his children would grow up without ever seeing a humane Arab on television. He began collecting movies, television shows, other media that he believed offered clear and lasting evidence that Arabs and Muslims were rarely depicted as ordinary people. It was a painful and unpleasant task, his daughter said, but one he felt was necessary. He was the one who would say This is not OK, Tasoff said. But he made inroads. George Clooney used Shaheen as a consultant on both Three Kings and Syriana, both set in the Middle East, and directors sought him out for advice. He recently consulted on Nickelodeons Shimmer and Shine, an animated childrens series about a pair of in-training genies. Shaheen and his wife, Bernice, who worked as his consultant, established a scholarship for Arab American mass communication students. The community lost one of its best, said American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Chairman Safa Rifka. His work started a conversation about the representation of Arabs in Hollywood and the need for more nuanced depictions of the community. Dr. Shaheen will be greatly missed. Tasoff said her father was optimistic, yet pragmatic. Forward momentum may have been slowed with 9/11 and a wave of new television shows like Showtimes Homeland. President Trumps proposed travel ban offered further discouragement. But he always remained hopeful, she said. He is survived by his wife, his daughter, a son Michael and four granddaughters. steve.marble@latimes.com Twitter: @stephenmarble A Pennsylvania man confessed to authorities Thursday that he killed four young men who went missing last week, his attorney said. The confession by Cosmo DiNardo, 20, came a day after authorities found human remains buried 12 feet deep on a farm owned by his parents. He confessed to his participation or commission in the murders of the four young men, his attorney, Paul Lang, said in a televised news conference outside a courthouse in Bucks County in eastern Pennsylvania. Advertisement In exchange for that confession, Mr. Di Nardo was promised by the district attorney that he will spare his life by not invoking the death penalty. Update: Pennsylvania man admits he killed and burned 4 after drug deals, source says Human remains were discovered Wednesday after search crews worked through sweltering heat and into the night to excavate a grave. Cadaver dogs had led authorities to the burial place. I dont understand the science behind it, but those dogs could smell these poor boys 12.5 feet below the ground, Bucks County Dist. Atty. Matt Weintraub said at a news conference early Thursday, before DiNardos confession. Only one body recovered from the grave has been identified, that of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro. Authorities have yet to say how many other bodies were recovered. Finocchiaro was one of four young men who went missing in eastern Pennsylvania a week ago. Finocchiaro and the others Jimi Patrick, 19; Tom Meo, 21; Mark Sturgis, 22 all vanished within a few days of each other. Investigators said it appears some of the men knew each other. The discovery on the sprawling Bucks County farm Wednesday came five days after an intensive investigation on the property involving at least five municipal police departments, state police and the FBI. As is often the case in an investigation of this magnitude, it is all hands on deck, Weintraub said at a news briefing earlier in the week. The property belongs to Antonio and Sandra DiNardo. Earlier Thursday, their son had been named as a person of interest in the investigation. Hours before officials announced that human remains of one of the missing men were discovered, police arrested DiNardo on suspicion of stealing the car belonging to Meo. Meo, who is a diabetic, went missing on July 7. Two days later, DiNardo attempted to the sell the vehicle to a friend for $500, Weintraub said. Officials found Meos 1996 Nissan Maxima at 4 a.m. Sunday near property belonging to the DiNardo family. Police said they found Meos diabetic kit inside the vehicle. His family told officials he never traveled without his diabetes medicine and that its not likely he could survive without it if he were to go into diabetic shock. DiNardo was first arrested Monday and held on $1-million bail on an unrelated gun charge stemming from an incident in February, when he was caught with a shotgun and ammunition, which he was not authorized to possess because of mental health issues, officials said. His father paid $100,000 to bail him out the next day. The first of the young men to vanish was Patrick of Newtown Township. He was last seen July 5. Finocchiaro, Meo and Sturgis were all reported missing two days later. Patricks grandparents said he had recently finished his first year at Loyola University in Maryland, where he was studying business. He was accepted on a full scholarship. The families of the four missing men have kept a vigil outside the farm in Solebury, a community on the Pennsylvania-New Jersey state line. melissa.etehad@latimes.com Twitter: @melissaetehad ALSO: Donald Trump Jr.: The unapologetic son who courts controversy Nevada has a drug problem: Shops are running out of marijuana Seattle is sticking it to the rich with a tax on the wealthy in a state with no income tax UPDATES: 3:50 p.m.: This article was updated to report that attorney Paul Lang said Cosmo DiNardo confessed to killing the four missing men. 3:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional quotes from Bucks County Dist. Atty. Matt Weintraub and details on the investigation. This article was originally published at 10:05 p.m. on July 12. A nationwide law enforcement push aimed at the opioid crisis netted more than 400 arrests nationwide, top federal officials announced Thursday. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions said the record number of arrests, which included more than 120 people allegedly involved in prescribing opioids, are a preview of a more aggressive approach to combating the nations spiraling epidemic of drug addiction. We believe there are a lot more cases that need to be brought, Sessions said, saying that some of the arrests started with computer work to identify outliers who were prescribing far more drugs than average. Advertisement Most of the arrests took place this week, including 77 people in Florida who were charged in various schemes including recruiting addicts to move to Palm Beach in return for gift cards, casino trips and visits to strip clubs. In the Los Angeles area, 17 people were charged in schemes, including the unnecessary prescribing of oxycodone. Most of the cases involve false billings of Medicare for pills, equipment and services that were never provided. All told, the cases involve more than $1.3 billion in fraud, officials said. Top officials said the government must find ways to reduce the demand for prescription narcotics. Four out of five new heroin addicts start with prescription pain pills, said Chuck Rosenberg, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration We would like to see a reduction in the prescription of opioids, Sessions said. I believe those numbers are way too high. The U.S. is by far the highest-prescribing opioid nation in the world; no other nation is close to it. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said the Trump administration is committed to combating the crisis in other ways besides enforcement. Many people are not getting into recovery programs, he said. In West Virginia, he said, one firefighter revived the same young lady three times in one day. Thats a system that is failing that individual. Senators from West Virginia and other states with large numbers of addiction cases, however, have said they fear the healthcare legislation the administration backs would worsen those problems by cutting Medicaid, which covers care for large numbers of addicts. ALSO How a 5-sentence letter helped fuel the opioid addiction crisis In rural America, opioid prescriptions continue to flow, new CDC report shows As opioid addiction skyrockets, treatment for addicts lags far behind, insurance data show Tens of thousands died due to an opioid addiction last year. With an Obamacare repeal, some fear the number will rise UPDATES: 9:25 a.m.: This article has been updated with staff reporting. This article was originally published at 7:20 a.m. California is the nations leader in the effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions and an increasingly influential player on the world stage. That was made all the more evident last week in Hamburg, Germany. While President Trump was getting the cold shoulder from other world leaders at the G-20 confab for pulling out of the Paris accord, a video of Gov. Jerry Brown was beamed to cheering crowds across town as he announced that California would host a global summit on climate change. Yes, I know President Trump is trying to get out of the Paris agreement, but he doesnt speak for the rest of America, Brown said in the video. We in California and in states all across America believe its time to act. Yet for all their environmental bravado, Brown and state lawmakers know they are walking a tightrope when it comes to climate change policy. California is so far ahead of other states and many nations in adopting aggressive greenhouse gas reduction policies that there is no guidebook, no model for how to decarbonize one of the worlds largest economies. And because others are watching how California does it, failure would have repercussions for both the states and the worlds efforts to combat global warming. Advertisement Thats why Brown has been pushing so hard to extend the states cap-and-trade program, which is set to expire in 2020. The program is a market-based system that gives companies an incentive to cut emissions without dictating how they meet the state limits, which tighten over time. And its among the cheapest options for California to reduce greenhouse gases, which helps keep down the costs for companies and consumers. What will happen if key industries close shop and move to states with fewer regulations and no commitment to slowing climate change? After months of negotiations, Brown and legislative leaders unveiled a deal this week with two bills: One would extend cap and trade through 2030; the other would launch a new program to step up efforts to clean the air in the most polluted communities. The package strikes the right balance: tackling dirty air at home while continuing a proven program to cut global greenhouse gases without slowing economic growth. So far, California has demonstrated that a state can aggressively cut carbon and not slow economic growth. But even some of the most pro-climate lawmakers privately worry whether that success can continue in light of the more ambitious goals adopted last year in Senate Bill 32, which obligated the state to reduce emissions 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. What will happen, for example, if compliance costs are higher than expected and Californians face price spikes at the gas pump or on their utility bills? Will voters turn against the climate change program and force lawmakers to undo SB 32? This is no idle worry just ask recalled Gov. Gray Davis what happened after the electricity crisis in the early 2000s. Californians have a history of ballot-box revolutions. What will happen if key industries close shop and move to states with fewer regulations and no commitment to slowing climate change? Could that deter developing nations from joining the fight against global warming for fear of stalling their growing economies? That fear of doing too much, too fast and triggering a backlash has cast a shadow over the states climate change goals. Its why Brown wants the more business-friendly cap-and-trade program instead of strict, direct regulations on every source of pollution, as some environmentalists have sought. Its also why the proposed extension would cap the price of the credits that businesses can buy in lieu of meeting the carbon-reduction targets, which should hold down compliance costs. Some environmentalists particularly those representing the most polluted communities argue that in pursuing a cap-and-trade extension, Brown made too many concessions to the oil industry. The deal, for example, shelves a rule recommended by the California Air Resources Board that would have forced refineries to install equipment to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which could have the added the benefit of reducing air pollution in the surrounding communities. Instead, the bill would allow refineries to buy pollution credits or pay for emissions reductions elsewhere in the country to meet their mandates. True, thats an immediate win for the oil industry. But the companion air quality bill would require refineries and other major polluters to modernize their emissions control equipment by 2023. That mandate, plus new monitoring requirements, increased penalties for polluters and community-specific air quality plans should, over time, be a win for residents living with dirty air. Lawmakers from both parties are balking at some of the deals Brown made to muster a two-thirds majority the threshold for tax bills, as some critics claim the cap-and-trade legislation is. But, ultimately, Brown was right to compromise in pursuit of the larger goal. California has stepped up to help lead to fight to slow global warming, and the state must have a workable, affordable program to fulfill its ambitious yet much-needed climate goals. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook When he talks about his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Trump almost always asserts that Obamacare is exploding. Republican members of Congress make similar claims, insisting that Obamacare is unsustainableand that they therefore have no choice but to repeal and replace it. There is some basis for this argument. More than 1,300 counties only have one insurer in their exchanges, meaning there is no competition. But there is a nuance that Republicans willfully ignore: This is a problem of their own creation that is largely confined to red states. Where Republican governors have sought to sabotage the program, they have largely succeeded. Where Democratic governors have tried to make the ACA work, they too have largely succeeded. Advertisement Here are the basic numbers. In states with Republican governors, more than 40 million people live in counties with only one insurer. In states with Democratic governors, there are 10.7 million people who live in such counties. Republican governors had little interest in making their exchanges work. The difference is far more dramatic if we exclude North Carolina from the Democratic list. While North Carolina does now have a Democratic governor, it had a Republican governor until January, and even now the Legislature is overwhelmingly Republican. Not counting North Carolina, only 2.1 million people in Democratic states live in counties without competition. Put another way, if someone lives in a state with a Democratic governor other than North Carolina, they have a 1.8% probability of only having a single insurer in their exchange. If they live in a state with a Republican governor, there is a 20.7% probability of the same. There are two main ways in which Republican governors have been effective in sabotaging Obamacare in their states. The first and most important was by refusing to expand Medicaid. Governors who chose to expand that program pulled many lower-income people out of the Obamacare insurance pool people who tend to be less healthy and have higher medical bills on average. By taking this higher-cost population out of the exchanges, they reduced the risk to insurers. Applying this logic inversely, governors who refused to expand Medicaid ended up with a less-healthy mix of people in the exchanges. The other issue is the extent to which states took the initiative to promote Obamacare. Less healthy people generally dont have to be prodded to buy insurance, since they know they need it. The issue is whether more healthy people buy into the system. Insurers are going to lose money if all the people they insure have serious health problems. Democratic governors generally tried to persuade people to buy insurance, while Republican governors were more often neutral, if not openly hostile, to the program. As a result, fewer healthy people bought into the exchanges in their states, making the system less profitable for insurers. In addition, Republican governors and Republican insurance commissioners were often less cooperative with insurance companies. While Democratic governors cajoled insurers to enter and stay in the exchanges, and met reasonable regulatory concerns, Republican governors had little interest in making their exchanges work. Now we see Trump and the rest of the GOP boasting about their sabotage. Because Republicans have been so successful in keeping many of their residents from getting insurance, they think the country should trust them to overhaul the ACA. Sorry folks, it doesnt work that way. Dean Baker is the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, an independent think tank in Washington. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Donald Trump has a sketchy relationship with Abraham Lincoln. Great president, Trump said. Most people dont even know he was a Republican, right? Trump also conjectured that had Andrew Jackson been a little later, you wouldnt have had the Civil War, though Jackson had died many years before. But what would the 16th president have thought of the 45th? Beyond pure speculation, we can find clues in Lincolns first formal speech, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions, in which he criticized attacks on the free press and warned against a future demagogue who would threaten the fragile American experiment. On Jan. 27, 1838, mounting the podium before the Springfield Lyceum for Young Men in Illinois, the 29-year-old Lincoln, a member of the Illinois Legislature, described the mobocratic spirit. Advertisement Lincoln began by decrying a spate of recent crimes that reduced the rule of law to the caprice of a mob, including the lynching of a black prisoner in St. Louis. Having ever regarded Government as their deadliest bane, they make a jubilee of the suspension of its operations; and pray for nothing so much, as its total annihilation. He also condemned the bands of hundreds and thousands who throw printing presses into rivers, shoot editors which everyone in the audience would have recognized as a reference to the Lovejoy case. Trumps sense of history is as limited as his self-control. On Nov. 6, 1837, in Alton, Ill., Elijah P. Lovejoy, an antislavery editor, was murdered by a group of men who stormed his warehouse to destroy his printing press. Lovejoy had been driven out of St. Louis for publishing antislavery articles. Moving his base of operations across the Mississippi River, he soon joined in calling for the formation of the Illinois Anti-Slavery Society. Lovejoys assassination made him the first martyr of the abolitionist movement. His killers were acquitted in a trial that reached its verdict eight days before Lincoln delivered his speech. The overwhelming view in Illinois was that Lovejoy deserved his fate. Promoting antislavery opinion was deeply unpopular. In Washington, lawmakers upheld a gag rule that barred the presentation of antislavery petitions to Congress. Former President John Quincy Adams, now serving in the House of Representatives, stubbornly led the resistance. But Northern legislature after legislature passed resolutions in solidarity with Southern states to affirm the gag rule. On March 3, 1837, Lincoln and only one other member of the Illinois House signed a dissenting statement declaring that the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. Lovejoy, according to Lincoln, did not bring about his own death. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he was wholly innocent, the victim of the vicious. Those who shoot editors were not simply breaking the law, but also assailing the basic right of free speech the very foundation of American government. The attack on Lovejoy, whether one agreed with his opinions or not, was an attempt to subvert our national freedom. Then Lincoln pointed to an even greater menace than rampaging mobs, a probable case, highly dangerous. He warned against the emergence of a man driven to power by a fierce desire for celebrity and fame who thirsts and burns for distinction. This demagogue scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however illustrious, and believing that nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down. There is a contemporary figure who resembles that fame-hungry demagogue, one who tears down institutions and incites the mobocratic spirit, subverting the right to free expression and, with it, our national freedom. These Lincolnian terms describe our reality-TV-star-turned-president, who called the FAKE NEWS media the enemy of the American people, and tweeted an altered video that showed him body-slamming a man with the CNN logo in place of his head. But Trump would no more understand Lincolns forewarning than he will accept responsibility for his incitement. Trumps sense of history is as limited as his self-control. If we can deduce how Lincoln would perceive Trump, we can also surmise how he would advise Americans to handle him. This is what he said about the possible rise of an American demagogue: And when such a one does, it will require the people to be united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, to successfully frustrate his designs. Sidney Blumenthal is the author of Wrestling With His Angel, The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, Volume II, 1849-1856. A Self-Made Man, The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, Volume I, 1809-1849, describes Lincolns Lyceum Address. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook MORE FROM OPINION L.A.'s streets have become a de facto toilet. We need more public restrooms The six categories of Trump apologetics Obamacare is only exploding in red states Now that Donald Trump Jr. has confessed to organizing a campaign meeting with a Russian lawyer said to have information that would incriminate Hillary Clinton as part of Russia and its governments support for his father, we can say with ironclad certainty that special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation will be the single dominant story in President Trumps first term. Which means we can also be sure that in front of us stretch months and years of contortionist apologetics from Trump loyalists, partisan commentators and C-list opportunists. Recognizing their patterns of defensive dissembling will not only help clear away some of the fog, but also provide a cautionary tale to all of us about the intellectual degradations of sucking up to power. Some broad categories of hand-waving are already familiar to us here at the halfway point of Trumps first year. The notorious fake news head-fake. The whataboutism: Why arent the same standards placed on the Democrats, the president complained yesterday. Look what Hillary Clinton may have gotten away with. And the anti-anti-Trump school of commentary that reserves its most fiery wrath not for the person atop the worlds largest nuclear arsenal but for the inevitable media hysterics bungling facts and shrieking treason! Advertisement By such means are the last tottering norms of political decency bulldozed. But recent days have highlighted three other genres of throne-polishing that are sure to mark the next phase of Republicanisms moral descent. Two plus two DOES equal five! In the 13 hours between Trumps tweet Sunday that he had discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded, and his later clarification that he doesnt necessarily think it can happen, some administration officials leaped into the breach to make this obvious nonstarter look like a genius plan. I think that this is a very important step forward, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on ABCs This Week. This is like any other strategic alliance, whether were doing military exercises with our allies or anything else. This is about having capabilities to make sure that we both fight cyber together, which I think is a very significant accomplishment for President Trump. This has been a recurring pattern these last six months: Either the president floats an absurd trial balloon that he later pops (secret White House tapes, anyone?), or he lets his underlings vociferously deny a report that he later confirms. As Los Angeles Times columnist Jonah Goldberg wrote over at National Review, If there is one thing weve learned from this president, its that going too far out on a limb brings out the saw. The inverted Rumsfeld Remember how former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was fond of saying that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence? Though controversial in Rumsfelds application to the more discretely measurable question of whether Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq 15 years ago, the age-old observation contains the tautological truth that there might be stuff we havent learned yet. Trumpists have replaced the inherent humility of this proposition with a premature, pugnacious certainty that all wrongdoing has been definitively ruled out. I dont know what else the mainstream media can talk about other than the fact that there was no collusion between Russia and Trump, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said as recently as Saturday. There was no coordination. Now, the president is taking this issue directly to the president of Russia and raised it, so now I think the issue is officially dead. Having serially failed to produce full public exonerations from Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, National Security Agency chief Michael S. Rogers and former FBI Director James B. Comey, Trump and his underlings just keep stating his innocence as fact. It is less true by the day. The goalpost transplant Donald Trump Jr. and various members of the administration have been caught up in repeated, sometimes belligerent lies about whether members of the Trump campaign met with various Russians in 2016. Confronted on CNN with this track record and asked point blank, Was it a good idea for Don Jr. to meet with this Russian lawyer? deputy assistant to the president Sebastian Gorka trotted out some whataboutism (Was it a good idea for the DNC to send its operatives to the Ukrainian Embassy?) before declaring that the meeting was just fine because Trump was a private citizen, and digging for dirt is what political campaigns do. By such means are the last tottering norms of political decency bulldozed. Republicans rightly criticized Clinton and her apologists for serially lying about her handling of emails as secretary of State. They were correct in roasting President Obama for endlessly prevaricating about so many aspects of his signature legislative accomplishment. Those who participate now in the whitewashing of an administrations mounting pile of bull are not only soiling themselves, but encouraging their political adversaries to treat legitimate criticism like a cynical partisan club. We will not soon climb out of this 21st century political black hole we find ourselves in until we begin holding everyone to a higher standard, beginning with ourselves. Matt Welch is editor at large of Reason, a magazine published by the libertarian Reason Foundation, and a contributing writer to Opinion. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook To the editor: Per released emails, we now know that President Trumps onetime campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr. all took a meeting with someone they were told was a Russian government attorney who had information obtained by the Russian government, which they were told was working to support Trump. (Donald Trump Jr. emails reveal knowledge of Russian government offer to aid fathers campaign, July 11) If the Trump-Russia investigation is still a witch hunt, we will need to check everyones broom closets. In true Trumpian fashion, Donald Jr. first insinuated this meeting was really just about helping Russian orphans. In truth this was like dirty cops listening in on what they hoped was a bribe offer. It strains credulity that Russian President Vladimir Putin would unilaterally subvert our election process without a wink and a nod and an expectation of reciprocity from Trump. Advertisement This Republican-led Congress needs to table any dreams of transformative legislation and deliver truth and justice to the American people. Robert Fox, Los Angeles .. To the editor: If anything, Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya strengthens the presidents claim that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government. Donald Jr. was talked into a meeting with Veselnitskaya in hopes of finding information damaging to the Hillary Clinton campaign. Veselnitskaya, according to Donald Jr., had no information to offer. Apparently she wanted to talk about adoption of Russian children. Donald Jr. was apparently lied to, and he took the bait. If this is indicative of the level of communication between Trump and the Russians, it makes charges of collusion look pretty weak. Nathan Post, Santa Barbara .. To the editor: How typical of the Republicans: Whenever Trump or someone in his circle crosses the line on what is decent or legal, they merely move the line. Donald Trump Jr. met with someone with ties to the Russian government, specifically to receive damaging evidence concerning Clinton that might have influenced our 2016 election in favor of his father. He claims he received no useful information for that purpose, so no crime was committed. Intent to commit a crime is still a crime. Stings are set up by police departments that make it possible to catch a pedophile by arranging a meeting with an imaginary minor, then arresting him when he shows up because his intent was to engage in an illegal act. Jennifer Rabuchin, Burbank .. To the editor: Hey, Republican members of Congress, now that youve heard Donald Trump Jr. lie about his meeting with a Russian attorney, will you please wake up? Both the president and his son are shameless liars. I know you know this, so quit sidestepping. Please do the right thing. You have no integrity with the American people, but you can still do something far more patriotic than passing a healthcare bill. You can impeach this liar. Tony Wood, Claremont .. To the editor: Donald Trump Jr. agreed to meet with a Russian lawyer in anticipation of receiving damaging information about the then-likely Democratic presidential nominee. His minimizing his own culpability because he received no concrete information is akin to a bank robber who, when apprehended, pleads innocence because his monetary haul was not as large as anticipated. Larry Lasseter, Brea Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Kamala Harris works to forge relationship with Central Valley Sen @kamalaharris talking grapes with Fowler Packing Co president Dennis Parnagian in the fields outside metro Fresno pic.twitter.com/smVuRfbSpQ Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 5, 2017 The drought may be over in the minds of urban Californians, quite literally washed away by huge accumulations of rain last year that filled reservoirs and left the states mountains covered with snow even now. But the farmers and others in the Central Valley, veterans of multiple drought-and-flood cycles, know the reprieve is only temporary. On Wednesday they pressed new U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris to work to ensure a more reliable source of water for the nations most bountiful farming region. This area is drying on the vine, Ryan Jacobsen, executive director of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, told Harris during a roundtable with Central Valley officials. A long-term solution can only come through federal and state action to protect the areas water supply, he said. Jason Phillips, chief executive of the Friant Water Authority, said recent rainfall had done little to stem problems caused by nearly a decade of drought. A canal that runs from Fresno to north of Bakersfield sunk in some places as much as 2 feet in two years, he said, wreaking havoc on a system that operates on the force of gravity. We cannot get all the water to our growers, he said. The meeting between Harris and nearly two dozen agriculture and water officials was meant to ease what is typically a fraught relationship between the states Democratic leaders all of whose power bases are in metropolitan areas and the mostly Republican Central Valley powers that traditionally look at them with skepticism. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has worked for two decades to aid the agricultural industry at the roundtable, several nodded as Harris referred to the senior senator as an incredible warrior for the area. But Harris predecessor, former Sen. Barbara Boxer, was allied more with environmental groups that have fought dams and other water systems. As a result, she was viewed negatively by many here. Harris was intent Wednesday on persuading the Central Valley representatives of her interest in places beyond her base in Alameda and San Francisco counties. They, on the other hand, worked to convince her to be more in the Feinstein mold on issues important to the area from reliable water to immigration programs to environmental protections that take into consideration the areas needs. President Trump was highly popular in much of the Central Valley, apart from Fresno County, which leans Democratic because of its metropolitan shadings. But some issues important to the valley cut in politically unorthodox ways. Republicans here are more concerned than those elsewhere with passing a plan that would give legal status to immigrants, on whom agriculture depends. With undocumented workers worried about deportation, and the border tightening to those not yet here, the labor supply has already shrunk, farmers said. Theyre out there working, being productive people, said farmer Joe Del Bosque. They work hard for us, and we have nowhere to reach. Del Bosque said he recently held a training session for new workers. Of the 200 people who showed up, only a handful were born in the United States, he said. Environmental regulations prized by Democrats elsewhere are often frowned on by some party members here and blamed for the areas water difficulties. Several of the participants lobbied Harris for her support of dams that have long been under consideration by federal and state officials, particularly the Temperance Flat Dam, which would be constructed on the San Joaquin River. Harris offered no assurances on the topic to the group on Wednesday. Afterward, speaking to reporters, she also did not take a position. One of the things that were going to have to figure out ... is what is the right solution for that, she said of a plan to construct the Temperance Flat Dam and several others. Is it going to be about the building of dams? Is it also going to be about looking at also looking at other sources of renewable and sustainable reliable sources? Both sides signaled they did not expect an alliance on all fronts. But Harris said she would serve as an advocate for farmers during the crafting of a new farm bill and other measures before the Senate. William Bourdeau, executive vice president of the politically influential Harris Farms, told the senator he wished the majority of her supporters who reside in urban areas would have a better understanding of the risks and challenges of farming. We need somebody to explain the symbiotic relationship we have, he said. I agree with you completely, she replied. President Trump arrives in Paris on Thursday for a hastily planned visit to meet with Frances new, young president and attend Bastille Day celebrations, his first public appearances after four days that have been dominated by mounting questions over what he knew about Russian efforts to assist his campaign. Trump has been out of sight since returning Saturday from last weeks Group of 20 summit of world leaders in Germany. The unusual four-day stretch without a public appearance came as Trumps administration tried to cope with the most threatening news to date in the long-running Russia inquiry: his eldest sons attempt last year to get damaging information on Hillary Clinton from a Russian lawyer who was described to him as connected to the Kremlin. Advertisement Trumps aides had initially planned to have the president spend much of this week pressing Congress to act on his imperiled healthcare initiative. Beyond two tweets from the president on Monday, the healthcare push was not evident. Instead, on Monday, a group of evangelical pastors and religious leaders prayed with Trump in the Oval Office, with some laying their hands on the president, their heads bowed, according to photos posted online. And on Wednesday he gave an interview to the conservative televangelist Pat Robertson, host of The 700 Club program, on Robertsons Christian Broadcasting Network. The moves highlighted the White Houses strategy of solidifying support among evangelical conservatives, a core constituency. In the CBN interview, Trump spoke for the first time about his lengthy sit-down with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 in Hamburg last week. I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesnt make sense not to have some kind of a relationship, Trump said, pointing to a cease-fire in a section of Syria the two leaders negotiated during that meeting. Trump also asserted, contrary to what is indicated by his sons emails and the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community, that Putin really would have preferred to see Clinton win the 2016 election. Why would he want me? Trump said, citing his support for more money for the U.S. military and energy production. Judging from his daily tweets, Trump has spent much of this week stewing in frustration over the nonstop media coverage of Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with the Russian lawyer and his emails related to it. I think that the president is, I would say, frustrated with the process of the fact that this continues to be an issue, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. And he would love for us to be focused on things [like] the economy, on healthcare, on tax reform, on infrastructure. The focus on the Russia investigation has undoubtedly complicated Trumps stalled legislative agenda. But his quick and hastily assembled Paris visit isnt likely to advance that program. Trump was invited by French President Emmanuel Macron just two weeks ago to see the French national day parade on the citys grand boulevard, the Champs-Elysees, and mark the 100th anniversary this year of U.S. troops coming to Frances aid in World War I. Now, questions about how much Trump knew about the Russian governments effort to help his campaign will probably overshadow the pomp and circumstance of the trip, which was initially designed to bring together Macron and Trump, both surprise winners in their countries recent elections. On Thursday, Trump will go to the tombs of Emperor Napoleon and Frances World War I commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch. The time spent in Paris regal halls and Fridays parade down the Champs-Elysees will provide the ceremony and photo ops that Trump enjoys. It is the first time in more than a quarter of a century that a U.S. president has been invited for Bastille Day. The White House has agreed that Trump, who broke with tradition and avoided the media at the G-20 summit, will hold a joint news conference with Macron after the two leaders meet privately to discuss ways to combat terrorism and cooperate on the next steps in Syria. It would be the first time hes faced reporters since his sons controversial emails were released. Macron had hoped the visit would be a chance to showcase his own diplomatic skills, especially with an American president nearly twice his age, and to assert Frances prominence on the world stage. This is a risky political maneuver for Macron, given Trumps high unfavorable ratings in France and Europe, but it adds to his luster as someone who breaks the mold, and, by stepping up, it raises Frances game, said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. At first blush, the two presidents could not be more different. Macron, 39, is a globalist who believes in European integration and multinational alliances. Trump, 71, espouses an America first doctrine that is increasingly isolating his country. Macron was angry when Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accord in which almost every country in the world agreed to take action against global warming. But they also share areas of agreement. Officials from both countries said the presidents discussions will focus on fighting terrorism, which both governments have cited as their No. 1 priority. France has suffered a string of devastating terrorist attacks, including one in Nice on Bastille Day a year ago. France also is one of the United States closest military partners in the war against the Islamic State. Although Macron has a reputation as an anti-establishment maverick, having ridden to political power with a party he recently founded, he has numerous centrist, establishment-oriented viewpoints. On immigration, Macron has at times sounded more like Trump than some other European leaders such as Germanys Angela Merkel, who welcomed more than a million refugees to her country. Although France has never proposed a ban on Muslims, Macron on Wednesday said on Twitter that it was crucial to distinguish between political refugees and economic immigrants, suggesting the latter need not receive the same favorable reception. The final G-20 communique last week borrowed some of Trumps language on immigration, saying that a countrys sovereignty had to be respected in admitting refugees. French officials said this week they were comfortable with the language. There is less agreement on other issues, such as Syria and Iran. France is much more insistent on the removal from power of Syrian President Bashar Assad. And France is enthusiastically supportive of the landmark arms control agreement with Iran that limits Tehrans ability to build nuclear weapons. Trump has said it was a terrible deal and threatened to walk away from it. Those issues are not likely to dominate the conversations, aides say. For Trump, the Paris visit is something of a do-over where Europe is concerned. His two previous visits, to Italy and Brussels for summits in May and to Germany last week for the G-20, were marked by awkward moments that exposed Trumps growing isolation. The difference between France and all the other European countries in its relation to the United States is that since the election campaigns, there hasnt been as much open criticism from either side, said Boris Toucas, a French visiting fellow in the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That gives Macron and Trump more room to maneuver, he said. Twitter: @ByBrianBennett brian.bennett@latimes.com ALSO Trumps choice to head FBI backs special counsel and promises independence Trumps environmental rollbacks are hitting major roadblocks Obamacare 101: Repair instead of repeal? Heres what a smaller fix might look like With their bid to roll back the Affordable Care Act only a vote away from collapse, Republican leaders scrambled Thursday to rally GOP senators behind revised healthcare legislation in hopes of passing it next week. The new version which represents Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells latest bid to unite his fractious caucus would still enact historic cuts in federal healthcare assistance to low- and moderate-income Americans and fundamentally scale back Medicaids half-century-old guarantee of health coverage for the poor. The revised bill would further loosen insurance requirements to allow health plans to offer stripped-down, cheaper plans, a move designed to win over skeptical conservative senators. Advertisement The new approach also includes a provision to expand Americans ability to use tax-deferred Health Savings Accounts to pay insurance premiums, which primarily benefits those in higher income-tax brackets. The bill would earmark an additional $70 billion in federal money to help stabilize health insurance markets across the country, funded in part by preserving two Obamacare taxes on wealthy Americans that the previous GOP legislation eliminated. And in an effort to woo several GOP senators from states dependent on Medicaid to address the opioid crisis, McConnell earmarked an additional $45 billion in the bill to confront the epidemic. But Medicaid appeared to remain as a major stumbling bloc for at least half a dozen wavering GOP senators, who met privately with Senate leaders Thursday afternoon to discuss ways to protect poor patients, tens of millions of whom stand to lose health protections in the Senate bill. McConnell (R-Ky.) has been meeting behind closed doors to adjust the legislation after being forced to abandon a vote last month amid a revolt within his party. Republicans have promised for seven years to repeal Obamacare, but the process is proving more difficult than expected. The earlier version would have left 22 million more Americans uninsured and has been vehemently opposed by leading doctor, patient and other healthcare advocacy groups. Several Republican senators said Thursday that they were hopeful the changes to the legislation would allow it to advance, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a conservative who opposed the original bill, said he would support this version. I think were making good progress, said Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). But two GOP lawmakers Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky said they would still vote no. A number of other key lawmakers remained undecided. Every Democrat is expected to oppose the bill. With 52 members in his caucus, McConnell can afford to lose only two votes and still advance the legislation. Passage remains uncertain, and many senators are skeptical that changes they want could be added once formal debate on the legislation begins, as soon as next week. The new version is still fiercely opposed by many patient advocates and others. The latest proposed changes to the Senate healthcare bill would make access to health coverage worse for those with preexisting conditions like cancer, said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Societys advocacy arm. The reluctance by senators to include patient feedback and other relevant stakeholder perspectives in the process is preventing the development of a reasonable, bipartisan consensus that could improve the law and pass the Senate. Also critical of the bill was Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, an influential conservative, who said it was a mistake to retain the two Obamacare taxes a 3.8% investments tax and a 0.9% payroll tax on individuals earning $200,000 or more and couples earning $250,000 or more. All Obamacare taxes should be repealed, Norquist said. It remains unclear whether the new bill would resolve differences between the GOPs conservative and centrist factions. In fact, even before the revised bill was released, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana floated their own rival plan, though it appeared their proposal would not go anywhere. President Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson in an interview excerpt that aired Wednesday that he wanted Congress to send him a bill to sign. I will be very angry about it and a lot of people will be very upset, Trump said of the measures potential failure. Referring to McConnell, Trump added: Mitch has to pull it off. Hes working very hard. But as he traveled to Paris on Air Force One, Trump acknowledged the challenge. Id say the only thing more difficult than peace between Israel and the Palestinians is healthcare, he said. Some GOP senators are worried their leaders dont even have the 50 votes needed for a procedural vote to start debate of the healthcare bill on the Senate floor. McConnell has indicated he intends to push ahead once the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has reviewed the revised legislation. The agencys estimates are expected Monday. We will be voting next week, he told reporters staking out his Capitol office. McConnells challenge now appears to be finding support from more than half a dozen Republican senators who remain concerned about Medicaid, including Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada, Rob Portman of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Hoeven of North Dakota and Cassidy. All of them met with GOP leaders late into the afternoon Thursday, with the administrations top Medicaid official, Seema Verna, on hand to answer their questions. Senators are looking at providing additional money to states that could be used to help poor patients now on Medicaid buy commercial health plans, according to Hoeven. Several senators emerged from the Thursday meeting sounding hopeful at the progress. Portman, the Ohio Republican, said he welcomed the $45-billion fund to handle the opioid crisis as progress, no question about it. But we still have concerns, he added. The revised bill also included key revisions to bring conservatives like Cruz on board. Cruz won a provision to further loosen requirements on health plans. It would allow insurance companies to offer bare-bones plans that do not include the full set of currently required benefits, such as maternity care and treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. Conservatives say the change will drive down premium costs for consumers. But critics say Cruzs plan essentially does away with Obamacares protections for patients with preexisting medical conditions by allowing insurers to charge high rates to sick people who need more extensive coverage and leaving everyone else with skimpy, if cheap, plans that provide inadequate coverage. Thirteen patient groups including the American Heart Assn., the American Lung Assn., the March of Dimes, AARP and the American Cancer Societys advocacy arm sent senators a strongly worded letter this week lambasting Cruzs proposal as a betrayal of the commitment to protect Americans from price discrimination based on a preexisting health condition. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com noam.levey@latimes.com Twitter: @LisaMascaro and @NoamLevey ALSO Trump wants a border wall, but few in Congress want to pay for it Trumps election has mobilized a resistance like no other, but will Democrats answer to the tea party divide the ranks? With a push from Trump, House Republicans pass Obamacare overhaul More coverage of Congress More coverage of politics and the White House UPDATES: 3:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background and reaction. 12:50 p.m.: This article was updated with President Trumps comments. 11:30 a.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction. 10:25 a.m.: This article was updated with more information about the revised bill and reactions. 8:55 a.m.: This article was updated with the bills release, and additional details and background. This article was originally published at 3 a.m. Presidents have long been known to essentially auction off ambassadorships as a reward for political and financial support, and President Trump has been no exception. As of July 13, Trump has nominated 25 ambassadors out of the 77 posts he now gets to fill. Eighteen of the picks are so-called political appointments, meaning they were nominated based on their personal ties to Trump. These are typically the more desirable postings, like those in Europe. Advertisement The nonpolitical career appointments usually go to long-serving State Department diplomats with experience in less-coveted regions, such as Africa. Of the 18, six are known to have made significant financial contributions to the Trump Victory Fund, while the other 12 nominees do not appear to have made any identifiable personal donations to the campaign. Comparatively, only nine of the 44 political appointees that former President Obama made did not donate to his campaign, a smaller ratio. But because Trump is refusing to release information about his campaigns bundlers who work to gather contributions from friends and family it is possible the 12 nominees offered substantial help to Trumps fundraising effort. Most previous presidential candidates have released information about their bundlers. Its also possible that supporters made personal donations to groups that are not required to disclose contributors. Of the people known to have donated to Trumps campaign, the six donated an average of $237,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. Most of these nominees, as well as two others, also donated to the Republican National Committee, with an average donation of $71,000. In the Obama administration, private donations averaged $190,000 and bundler donations averaged $469,000, although information on some of these donations are only in a range of possible contributions. When factoring in bundler data, political ambassadors under Obama donated an average of $398,000 in private or bundler donations, according to a 2012 study looking at historical trends in ambassadorships. During his campaign, Trump was adamant that he would drain the swamp of political insiders, something that critics are now questioning. White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended Trumps ambassador nominations, saying in a June news conference that its pretty traditional that you would have somebody supportive of you and your agenda to go out and be an ambassador to speak on behalf of the administration. Although the Foreign Service Act does not allow presidents to consider political donations when nominating an ambassador, both parties benefit from the practice so it hasnt received much pushback from legislators, according to Dennis Jett, former ambassador and coauthor of the 2012 study. Its been true for basically the entire post-World War II era that this is what presidents do with ambassadorships, Jett said. He said that the system is just as bad as its always been under Trump, but that the current president so far has focused more on people who are purely political supporters, rather than big donors. As of mid-July, six of Trumps nominations have been confirmed by the Senate. This is fewer than usual at this point in a presidency, which Trump is blaming on the Democrats in the Senate, and Democrats blame on the administrations slow pace in making nominations. In an unprecedented move, Trump did not allow any political appointees from the Obama administration to apply for an extension of their terms, meaning he has more positions to fill than usual. Of the 188 total ambassadorships, 52 positions are vacant and do not have any nominations. Here are the six nominees known to have donated to Trump: Kelly Knight Craft, head of the business advisory firm Kelly G. Knight LLC, who donated about $260,000 to the Trump Victory Fund and about $16,600 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Canada. Lewis Eisenberg, cofounder of Ironhill Investments, which donated $35,800 to the Trump Victory Fund and $25,000 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Italy and San Marino. George Edward Glass, owner of MGG Development and former president of Pacific Crest Securities, who donated more than $77,000 to the Trump Victory Fund and $38,400 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Portugal. Doug Manchester, chairman of Manchester Financial Group, who donated more than $500,000 to the Trump Victory Fund and about $222,000 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Bahamas. Jamie McCourt, former co-owner of the Dodgers, who donated about $400,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, as ambassador to Belgium. Robert Wood Johnson IV, chairman and chief executive of the Johnson Co. and owner of the NFLs New York Jets; who donated $100,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, $5,000 to Trump for President and $151,000 to the Republican National Committee; as ambassador to Britain. Here are the 12 whose financial support could not be verified: Terry Branstad, former Iowa governor, as ambassador to China. His nomination has been confirmed by the Senate. Scott Brown, former lawyer and U.S. senator, as ambassador to New Zealand. His nomination has been confirmed by the Senate. Kelly Eckels Currie, formerly with the State Department, as ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Sharon Day, who has served as co-chair for the Republican National Convention three consecutive election cycles and donated $10,000 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Costa Rica. David Friedman, Trumps longtime bankruptcy lawyer, as ambassador to Israel. His nomination has been confirmed by the Senate. Callista Gingrich, president of Gingrich Productions and wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, as ambassador to the Vatican. William Francis Hagerty IV, former member of the Tennessee governors Cabinet and a member of the 2016 Trump presidential transition team, who donated $33,400 to the Republican National Committee, as ambassador to Japan. Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor, as ambassador to the United Nations. Her nomination has been confirmed by the Senate. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. senator from Texas, as ambassador to NATO. Stephen King, a businessman and Republican Party activist, as ambassador to the Czech Republic. K.T. McFarland, formerly on the National Security Council, as ambassador to Singapore. Jay Patrick Murray, formerly with the State Departments Bureau of Political Military Affairs, as ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the U.N. Career appointees Trump has nominated: President Trump on Thursday again defended the decision by his eldest son, Donald Jr., to meet with a Russian lawyer to get derogatory information about Hillary Clinton during last years presidential campaign, saying that most people would have taken that meeting. Separately, the president significantly scaled back one of the central promises of his campaign, telling reporters that there is no need for a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexican border. Trump also said he would personally decide the future of the Obama administration program that shields from deportation some 750,000 so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. His statement appeared to close off the possibility, touted by some officials, that subordinates could kill off the program without Trumps direct involvement. Advertisement The developments came during a hastily planned visit to Paris in which Emmanuel Macron, the recently elected French president, assiduously wooed Trump with pomp, pageantry and a playing down of issues on which he disagrees with the American leader he called dear Donald, notably climate change. The French presidents warm embrace of Trump came as a welcome change for a White House that has been beleaguered of late, most recently because of Donald Trump Jr.s release of emails surrounding his June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. The emails showed that the friend of Trump Jr.s who arranged the meeting had described Veselnitskaya to him as a Russian government attorney who had official documents and information that would incriminate Clinton and be very useful to your father. Her information was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump, the emails said. The emails were the most concrete evidence to date that senior officials in Trumps campaign had knowledge of Russian efforts to interfere in the election. His son went to the meeting with Veselnitskaya along with Trumps campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, and son-in-law Jared Kushner. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered a wide-ranging effort to sway the election in Trumps favor. That effort, and any evidence that people close to Trump potentially collaborated in it, forms the center of a criminal investigation headed by a special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Trumps nominee to head the FBI, Christopher Wray, said Wednesday during his confirmation hearing that any person offered information from a foreign entity about a political opponent should call the FBI. Asked about that at a news conference with Macron, Trump praised Wray but asserted that his son had done nothing wrong. Obtaining what he referred to as opposition research is very standard in politics, Trump said. In the news conference, Trump twice referred to his son as a young man at 39, he is 10 days younger than Macron and insisted that nothing happened from the meeting, zero happened. The press made a very big deal over something that really a lot of people would do, he said. Political operatives in both parties have disputed that, saying that taking information from a foreign government to use in a political campaign would be highly unusual. Doing so may also violate federal law, which prohibits campaigns from taking anything of value from foreigners. The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles Grassley of Iowa, said Thursday that the panel was seeking to have Trump Jr. appear soon at a public hearing. Officials from foreign countries have sometimes passed information to groups affiliated with the American political parties. Some Ukrainian officials, for example, shared information with Democratic operatives last year about the Trump campaign manager, Manafort. Typically those countries are U.S. allies rather than adversaries like Russia. Moreover, Russias interference in the U.S. election as well as elections in France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe is unprecedented in its scope and constitutes a serious threat, U.S. officials of both parties have said. The news conference was the main public event in a presidential visit to Paris that included much of the pomp and showmanship that Trump delights in, all part of what appeared to be a determined effort by Macron to forge a bond with the U.S. president. Both presidents appeared intent on conveying a picture of harmony. Macron at one point broke into fluent English to respond to a question about Trumps relationship with Putin, saying that its important that both of us have direct discussions and contact with the Russian leader. And Trump, asked about remarks he made earlier this year in which he said Paris was unsafe because Frances softness on immigration left it vulnerable to terrorism, said that the situation had changed with Macrons election. You have a great president, he said, a tough president, who is not going to be easy on people that are breaking the laws. Youre going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris, Trump said, adding that he planned to return. And youre always welcome, Macron responded. The news conference came after Trump and Macron met for about an hour at the presidential palace. The two discussed trade, the wars in Syria and Iraq and fighting terrorism, Macron said. They agreed to put new pressure on Internet companies to restrict propaganda by Islamic State and other extremist groups, he said. Trump also said that his administration and Russia were trying to work out a second cease-fire in Syria to supplement one they agreed to last week that covers a small section of the southwestern part of that country. The two also talked about their disagreement over global warming, on which Macron played down earlier criticism of Trump. Last month, Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris agreement on climate, which President Obama helped negotiate in 2015 among nearly 200 countries. Macron and other European leaders strongly opposed Trumps decision. Asked about the issue, Macron, speaking through an interpreter, said that the two leaders have a number of disagreements but that he understood Trumps desire to fulfill his campaign pledge to withdraw from the agreement and to save jobs. Disagreements on that one issue should absolutely not block the U.S. and France from pursuing other topics, he said. Trump said that they had briefly hit on the Paris accord in their talks. At the news conference, in which each president called on two reporters, Macron took questions from two French journalists, while Trump took one question from an American and one from a reporter from Chinese state television, who asked about Trumps relationship with Chinas president. Trumps positions on trade, climate change and immigration have made him deeply unpopular in much of Europe the White House, for example, has scrapped plans for the president to visit Britain this year, in part because of concerns about street protests. The president has had notably tense relations with several European leaders, particularly German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But Macron, a politician of the center-left who won his election in part by capturing votes from the center-right, appears to have decided to try to establish a closer connection, despite Trumps fairly open preference during this years French election for his opponent, Marine Le Pen, the right-wing nationalist. The wooing of Trump began two weeks ago, when Macron invited him to watch the Bastille Day parade on Friday, noting that the event this year would commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I. The effort continued with a ceremonial arrival designed to commemorate the long history of alliance between the U.S. and France. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, greeted the president and First Lady Melania Trump at Les Invalides, the site of Napoleons tomb and other monuments to the French military. Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful, Trump declared as he stepped out of the presidential limousine to a welcome featuring French soldiers, including Republican Guard members wearing their distinctive red-feathered caps. The ceremonial portion of the day was heavy with French military history, including a tour of the tomb and the nearby burial site of French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, commander of the Allied armies in the First World War. At the end of the tour, Trump complimented the appearance of Macrons wife, telling the French president that she is in such good shape beautiful. The fact that Macron is married to an older woman has been much remarked on. She is 64, and their relationship began when she was his high school teacher. The day ended with the two couples eating dinner together at a restaurant high up in the Eiffel Tower. On the flight to Paris, Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One. The conversation was initially off the record a standard practice on presidential trips in several administrations. Trump later decided to put the remarks on the record. Among other topics, he scaled back his plans for a border wall. You dont need 2,000 miles of wall because you have a lot of natural barriers, Trump said, adding that 700 to 900 miles would suffice. Some 600 miles of the border is already lined by fences and other barriers. On the fate of the deportation shield law, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Trump said, Its a decision that I make, and its a decision thats very, very hard to make. I really understand the situation now. Administration officials who oppose DACA had devised a plan that might have allowed Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to kill the program without Trumps involvement by refusing to defend it in court. Trumps remarks appeared to rule out that possibility. Bennett reported from Paris and Lauter from Washington Twitter: @ByBrianBennett brian.bennett@latimes.com ALSO Divided Senate Republicans take another crack at an Obamacare repeal bill Donald Trump Jr.: The unapologetic son who courts controversy Trumps ambassador picks so far a mix of rich donors and loyal supporters UPDATES: 3 p.m.: This article was updated with additional detail from an earlier interview Trump gave reporters on Air Force One. 11:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional detail from the news conference between Trump and Macron. The article was originally published at 10:15 a.m. Heres a scenario to ponder on a sweltering summer day: Youre walking down the street when you notice a distressed dog trapped in a locked car. What do you do? A California law that went into effect in January says that if youre concerned for a vehicle-bound animals safety and cant find its owner, youre legally allowed to break into the car to rescue the dog but only if you call authorities first. You would be expected to wait with the dog until an authority animal control, fire department, law enforcement or 911 emergency service arrives to the scene. The understanding of the law is that if you were to follow the steps above, youd be in the clear and protected from civil and criminal liabilities that exempt you from paying for property damage or trespassing. But there are some gray areas here, namely pertaining to perception. In response to a tweet about the law (from this author), several people chimed in to argue that if youre a person of color, a police officer or bystander might not realize that youre trying to save an animal. Advertisement Be Black & break into that car if you want to. The cops will show up & You AND that dog will be dead. They'll do CPR on the dog though. ReMona (@ReallyRemona) July 8, 2017 Be Black & break into that car if you want to. The cops will show up &You AND that dog will be dead. Theyll do CPR on the dog though. A sad fact. I suggest finding the nearest guy who looks like me to do it. It makes me sick to say that, but the numbers don't lie. Michael Clarkson (@m_clarkson78) July 8, 2017 A sad fact. I suggest finding the nearest guy who looks like me to do it. It makes me sick to say that, but the numbers dont lie. This makes me sad. I just visualized someone being shot while trying to save a dog because they were perceived as a criminal. https://t.co/09kyIsAltY Renee Hamilton (@ReneeMHamilton) July 8, 2017 This makes me sad. I just visualized someone being shot while trying to save a dog because they were perceived as a criminal. In the wake of some high-profile police shootings over the last several years, there has been an increased national conversation about racism from law enforcement toward minorities. A recent study from Stanford University showed that police require less suspicion to search black and Latino drivers than white drivers. Another found that police in Oakland treat black citizens with less respect than white citizens. Assemblyman Miguel Santiago a coauthor of the hot car bill said race was not a topic of discussion when the law was put forward. When you have a good bill with a bipartisan effort, that transcends boundaries of gender, race, religion and sexual orientation. This is based on ones love for their pets, he said. Santiago notes that the bill was created by himself, a Democrat and dark Latino and Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, a white Republican. The intention of the law is to protect the animal. As animal advocates remind people every summer, it takes only 15 minutes for a hot animal to suffer brain damage. On Sunday, police arrested a woman in Ontario after a dead dog was found in the back of a her vehicle, and another distressed dog and cat were rescued. While the law does not spell out every actionable logistic, Heather Rouhana, Steinorths chief of staff, believes that a conversation would take place between law enforcement and the person breaking into the vehicle before any sort of action was taken. I imagine that if law enforcement approached the person attempting a rescue, there would be time for questions, she said. Of course, that might not always be the reality. The whole point is that you cant be trigger-happy and break someones window. The point is that the animal has to be in danger of dying. Heather Rouhana, chief of staff for Assemblyman Marc Steinorth What if the owner of a vehicle returned mid break-in, and disputed the rescuers claim that they were gone for a long time? The law is technically silent on this question, but Rouhana said the amount of time an owner is away from a vehicle does not matter if a rescuer determines the animal is in distress. The person on dispatch would ask if they are in clear danger, if theyre unconscious, or something that warrants them in the clear, she said. The whole point is that you cant be trigger-happy and break someones window. The point is that the animal has to be in danger of dying. Ultimately, the law is intended to save an animal in need. Santiago hopes that the education surrounding the bill will reduce the number of instances when an animal is left in a vehicle. The best-case scenario is that its not implemented, he said. While the hope is that discriminatory action or confusion would not occur if the law was put into practice, it cant be guaranteed. Its illegal to leave an animal unattended in a car that poses danger, just as its illegal to leave a child age 6 or younger alone in a car thats running, has keys in the ignition, or otherwise threatens their safety, without the supervision of someone 12 or older. So ideally, owners will let their sleeping dogs (and cats) lie at home. Questions? Comments? Tweet @cshalby or email colleen.shalby@latimes.com. ALSO: What is that dog trying to say? Ask its owner Every day is bring your dog to work day at more and more L.A. offices Op-Ed: The unspoken code of dog walking Some of Californias decisions about how to use its water would be relegated to the federal government under a bill passed by the House on Wednesday. Republicans say the bill will bring more water to the parched Central Valley. Californias Democratic senators have promised to fight the bill in the Senate because it weakens Californias ability to manage its own resources. The Gaining Responsibility on Water Act, sponsored by Central Valley Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), was approved in the House by a 230-190 vote largely along party lines. Advertisement Republicans say the bill would streamline dam construction and other water storage projects, and allow more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to be used in the Central Valley rather than flowing out to sea. This is a reasonable approach, were trying to fix some real problems that need to be adjusted, Valadao said. Democrats say it would preempt California water laws and impede the Endangered Species Act by waiving some of the most stringent environmental reviews required by the law. Californias congressional delegation has long disagreed over how to respond to the the states water needs, often pitting protecting endangered species and preserving waterways against agricultural demands and drying wells. Only one California Democrat, Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno), voted for the bill. He said he has concerns about two parts of the bill that affect his district, but he expects changes to be made in the Senate. Much of the bills provisions have passed the House before, but stalled in the Senate. With opposition from both California senators, and the Obama White House promising to veto, the Republican-led Senate never brought it up for a vote. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton) expects opposition from Californias senators and governor to be enough to stop the bill before it reaches President Trump. Every two years we fight this thing out, McNerney said. Its good political theater for some colleagues, but its not going to get through the Senate. But Valadao said he thinks having a Republican president improves its chances. I feel really good about it. I know were going to have to negotiate with our senators, hopefully theyll come to the table, Valadao said. The bill builds on a previous water measure that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) negotiated last year, McCarthy said in a video released by his office. This will provide more water ... allow more of that water to come through the Valley where its needed instead of out to the ocean, he said. .@RepDavidValadaos #GROWAct will make more water available to families, farmers, and entire communities in CA and bordering Western states. pic.twitter.com/IjiHtvw5Jo Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) July 10, 2017 The previous measure was the result of years of negotiations between Californias GOP members and Feinstein. It focused on environmental restrictions that have at times limited water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. It also allowed officials at state and federal water management agencies to exceed environmental pumping limits in order to capture more water during storms. It passed over the objection of many California Democrats, including now-retired Sen. Barbara Boxer, who said it opened the door to bypassing the Endangered Species Act. In a statement released early in the week, Feinstein and the states new Sen. Kamala Harris, both Democrats, said they would do what they can to stop the bill in the Senate. Californias Central Valley helps feed the world. It deserves sensible and responsible water solutions this measure doesnt even come close to meeting that test, they said in a statement. Gov. Jerry Brown pleaded with House leaders Monday to respect Californias right to manage its own water and not hold the vote. California is the sixth-largest economy in the world and its future depends on the wise and equitable use of its water. Making decisions requires listening to and balancing among the needs of Californias nearly 40 million residents and taking into consideration economics, biodiversity and wildlife resources, Brown said in a letter to lawmakers. All of this is best done at the state and local level not in a polarized political climate 3,000 miles away. sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics ALSO: A problem too big to ignore how years of congressional wrangling led to a water compromise In this California congressional district, water is more important than Donald Trump Updates on California politics While conversations over climate change have dominated recent debate at the Capitol, California lawmakers are accelerating bills to address the states housing affordability crisis, and may vote on a series of measures before they break for summer recess next Friday. The move comes after progressive Democrats in the Assembly balked at approving an extension to cap and trade, the states landmark program to fight climate change, without also addressing housing problems. Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) announced a cap-and-trade deal Monday that would strengthen the states air quality rules and extend through 2030 the program that forces businesses to pay to pollute. The three had hoped for a vote late Thursday to comply with a new rule approved by voters requiring legislation to be publicly available for 72 hours before final action is taken. Advertisement De Leon and Rendon said in a joint statement Wednesday that moving the vote to Monday will avoid a late-night floor debate and will also allow our discussion on long-term housing affordability solutions in California to catch up to the climate effort. For two years, Brown and lawmakers have discussed increasing funding for low-income housing and reducing local government barriers to development, but have yet to reach any major decisions. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for Brown, called the current housing discussions productive. The governor has been pushing lawmakers to approve a cap-and-trade extension this year, and wants a two-thirds supermajority vote in the Legislature to insulate the decision from potential legal challenges. But some legislators have been reticent to embrace the plan, with many wanting to address the states housing problems first. Housing is the biggest problem facing the state of California, said Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego), one of the Assembly Democrats pushing for faster action on housing. While climate change, of course, is an existential threat, we can do both. We need to do both. This rescheduling I think is a reflection of the fact that the concerns that we have voiced are being heard and addressed. While legislative leaders said housing was the reason for the cap-and-trade delay, there were other concerns that pushed back the vote. A faction of Republican lawmakers who have been active in negotiations had concerns about how a key priority for them, a tax credit for manufacturers, was written into the legislation. They also sought more specific details on how the revenues from the cap-and-trade program would be spent. Brown, De Leon and Rendon didnt say what might be part of a housing package. But high-profile bills introduced this year include a new $75 fee on real estate transactions to raise roughly $250 million a year in low-income housing subsidies, a $3-billion low-income housing bond to be put before voters in 2018, a measure allowing cities to require developers to build low-income housing in their apartment projects and a bill forcing cities that have fallen behind on state goals for home building in their communities to ease development regulations. One complication in the housing debate is that the funding bills also require two-thirds votes to pass. Democrats hold supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature, but have waning interest in making such decisions, especially after agreeing to hike gas taxes in April. Extending cap and trade and boosting low-income housing funding could mean at least two more supermajority votes. Brown and lawmakers, however, are nailing down key details in housing legislation in anticipation of a larger deal. This week, theyre finalizing an agreement with the state construction workers union, a major interest group influencing both the housing and cap-and-trade discussions, over provisions in Senate Bill 35, said Cesar Diaz, political director of the State Building & Construction Trades Council of California. That legislation, from Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would eliminate multiple local planning reviews for individual projects that met certain zoning and affordability standards. Under the deal with the union, Diaz said, projects of more than 10 units that qualify for expedited approval will have to pay union-level wages to construction workers, and developers of some larger projects also will have to agree to union-standard work rules or apprenticeship programs. Diaz said the union is going to throw its weight behind a housing deal, including more funding for low-income development. Were working collaboratively with both houses, the Assembly, the Senate and the governors office to get an entire package done, he said. Wiener, whose bill passed the Senate last month, said he anticipated a vote on his legislation in the Assembly as early as next week. It is my hope we will be voting on housing funding bills as well, Wiener said. Times staff writer Melanie Mason in Sacramento contributed to this report. liam.dillon@latimes.com @dillonliam ALSO Gov. Brown has unveiled a new cap-and-trade proposal for California. Heres why theres tension behind the plan Gov. Brown and Democratic leaders offer plan to extend cap and trade, with aim for approval this week California lawmakers have tried for 50 years to fix the states housing crisis. Heres why theyve failed Updates on California politics If youre rich and get arrested, youll probably waltz out of jail after writing a big check. If youre broke, its likely youll be locked up. Is that fair? Emblematic of the American Way, at least as we like to think of it? Of course not. But its how the bail bond system works in California and most states. Its based more on the size of your bank account than on your probable guilt or innocence, or your risk of bolting town and skipping trial. Advertisement Hardly anyone defends the current system. Well, maybe the bail bond agents who make their living off this unjust system. But even they agree it should be changed. But changed precisely how? The Legislature has been arguing over that for months. We need a system that makes sure everyone arrested is treated the same, regardless of background or income level, says state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), author of the lone bail reform bill still alive in the Legislature. The present bail system punishes the poor for being poor, contends Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), whose similar bill was killed by the Assembly on June 1. Bonta is helping Hertzberg push his bill. Pushing back are prosecutors, law enforcement, the judiciary and bail bondsmen. The legislation would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and cause the mass release of defendants into our communities, claims the Golden State Bail Agents Assn. Hertzbergs bill, SB 10, would scrub the old bail system and attempt to ensure that suspects awaiting trial are not jailed solely because they cant afford bail. Counties would be required to establish a pretrial services agency tasked with developing a risk-assessment procedure to assess a suspects threat to the community and likelihood of fleeing. Defendants generally considered non-threatening and who are not flight risks would be freed awaiting trial, probably without bail. Although judges still could require it based on a suspects ability to pay. The bill was approved Tuesday on a 4-2 vote Democrats for, Republicans against by the Assembly Public Safety Committee and sent to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Unfortunately, this action followed an increasing legislative trend: Committees even houses scooting bills along before theyre fully cooked. Half-baked bills get social promotions like unprepared schoolchildren being moved up a class before theyre ready. Like some teachers, many legislators mostly Democrats in Sacramento have a problem just saying no. Thats mainly due to traditional go along to get along political schmoozing. All lawmakers have their own bills theyre shepherding and try not to make enemies by voting against a colleagues measure. Theres also party unity to a fault, with legislators voting the party line rather than thinking independently. Thats a curse of partisan politics. Moreover, there are way too many bills hundreds of frivolous measures that waste legislative time and leave less opportunity for critical thinking and planning. And there are artificial deadlines that lawmakers strive to meet though theyre essentially meaningless. If legislative leaders want, the deadlines can be waived anyway. Updates from Sacramento So over the years, substantive legislative committee work has dissipated, if not vanished. Rather than a policy committee taking months or a couple of years to write a comprehensive bill with workable details and solid funding, it quickly kicks the can down the road. The most ludicrous example this year was the Senates passage of a so-called single-payer healthcare bill. It didnt contain details on healthcare delivery, cost controls or the astronomical funding. To his credit, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) sent the bill back to the Senate with an admonition to fix it. The bail bill is much more responsible. But there was a loud complaint about its alleged impracticality during the committee hearing by an opponent from the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Stop right now, pause and get it right, Deputy Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Ratinoff urged the committee. Ratinoff called the bill unworkable and said the committee should take its time to analyze and compromise. After all, she said, its a two-year legislative session that wont end until September 2018. But 2018 will be an election year, when controversial bills are even harder to pass, Hertzberg and Democrats realize. Beyond that, theres a suspicion that the heavy bashing of President Trump by California Democrats will result in his cutting off substantial federal funds to Sacramento next year. And, anyway, were about due for another economic downturn. So Hertzberg and Democrats believe the window is open now for major legislation costing money. Hertzberg wants to get his bill passed by Sept. 15, when this years session ends. One supporter, however, said shes concerned about the high cost of pretrial services and risk-assessment procedures. A committee analyst estimated it at hundreds of millions of dollars. Im really worried about where this bill is at this point, said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego). I just dont see how without spending a lot of money a lot of money on this bill that it works. Shes chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, the bills next hurdle. Gov. Jerry Brown also is worried about the bills cost, an insider says, but hes all for the concept of not locking up suspects merely because theyre paupers. A concept is not a comprehensive plan, however. Hertzberg is amending his bill as it moves along, searching for compromise. Hopefully hell find the sweet spot this year or next. Our current bail system is indefensible. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter ALSO AT&T and Verizon want free rein to put new wireless transmitters in your neighborhood. Heres why thats a bad idea Bored by state races, young Californians increasingly forsake their right to vote In blocking a bad single-payer healthcare bill, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was not cowardly quite the opposite 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: White House news briefing with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 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 Police are investigating whether four burglary suspects arrested Wednesday morning are responsible for a string of recent break-ins at pharmacies across Orange County, including three in Newport Beach. At 3:23 a.m. Wednesday, Tustin police responded to an alarm at 13151 Jamboree Road and found that the front door of a Rite-Aid there had been busted open, Tustin police Sgt. Andy Birozy said. Officers discovered that when the burglars took cash from the store, they inadvertently took a GPS security device with them, Birozy said. Police tracked the device to a gas station near the 5 Freeway and Oso Parkway in south Orange County, where they detained four men who were there in two cars, Birozy said. According to police, officers found cash taken from the Rite-Aid in at least one of the cars. Birozy said investigators are interviewing the suspects, whom he declined to identify, and have reached out to other police agencies that have been looking into similar break-ins. Three pharmacies in Newport Beach were burglarized in the early morning of March 10, according to police. Surveillance footage from Hill Pharmacy at 1441 Avocado Ave. showed two people wearing masks breaking glass before stealing prescription drugs along with cash from a register. The same night, less than 2 miles away, burglars pried into and took cash from ATMs at Rite-Aids at 3141 E. Coast Hwy. and 1610 San Miguel Drive, according to Newport Beach police. A spokeswoman for the Police Department said detectives were looking into the possibility that the burglaries were coordinated or carried out in succession by one group. Within the past week, burglars also broke into Rite-Aid stores in Fountain Valley, Dana Point and Westminster, according to the Orange County Register. A 17-year-old program that allowed some of Laguna Beachs high-ranking employees to live in the city will stop, the City Council decided Tuesday In a unanimous decision, the council voted to discontinue a housing program that provided financial help through a combination of loans and equity sharing. The city pays a portion of the purchase price in exchange for corresponding ownership interest in the property. The council established the program in 2000 to encourage employees with essential emergency response duties such as department heads to live in Laguna and respond quickly to emergencies, according to a staff report. But council members said times are different and pointed to real estate as one of the contributing factors in their decision. The economic circumstances in the city in terms of housing costs and also on the compensation side have changed dramatically since it was passed, Councilman Bob Whalen said. Its been used sparingly. Weve demonstrated in the last few years that we can hire excellent staff without the assistance. If the program continued, the city said it would likely need to pay $1.8 million upfront as opposed to $625,000 in 2000. The median price for a Laguna Beach house is $2 million, which eclipses the county average of $775,000, the city said. Ongoing costs for repairs, taxes and insurance could reach $8,000 per property. Resident George Weiss said the program is an unnecessary perk. I see the program may pay for itself in the long-term, but its a lot of money out for the city in the meantime, Weiss said. You could fly them in on a helicopter [during an emergency] for that kind of money you are talking about. When Laguna officials approved the program in 2000, it was thought the city could make money or break even by investing funds into the program normally used to invest into the citys portfolio, the staff report said. Since 2000, the council approved agreements with six employees: former Fire Chief Mike Macey, Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse, who will retire in August, Fire Division Chief Tom Christopher, former Water Quality Supervisor Graham Wright, Public Works Director Shohreh Dupuis, and City Manager John Pietig. Agreements with Christopher, Dupuis and Pietig will continue, Finance Director Gavin Curran said Wednesday. As of June 26, Laguna has a fire division chief on duty at all times to respond to emergencies, LaTendresse wrote in an email. bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce After interviewing 15 candidates for one open seat on the La Canada Flintridge City Council considering newcomers and longtime commissioners, attorneys and business owners, pilots and volunteers the council selected Greg Brown, a former city councilman and mayor, to rejoin the dais. He will fill the seat left vacant by the unexpected May 16 death of Councilman Dave Spence. Brown was attending a family reunion at a remote Utah ranch and had to conduct his candidate interview Tuesday via a conference call. He is expected to be sworn in at the councils next regular meeting on July 18. Council members assured the public and the 14 candidates not chosen (Public Works and Traffic Commissioner Chuck Gelhaar withdrew from consideration Monday) their choice was not a foregone conclusion, but rather based on a desire to seat someone who could hit the ground running. Greg has his fingerprints on a lot of progress and a lot of things that have gone on in the city, said Mayor Mike Davitt. Hes done a good job, and I think hes going to serve and be supportive of the council. Interviews were conducted in two special meetings held Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. City Manager Mark Alexander explained council members had a choice to either appoint one candidate or to call for a special election, to be held in November. After some discussion on both sides of the issue, the council decided to move forward with its decision to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next general municipal election in March 2019. At that election, Browns appointed seat will be up for a two-year period (the remainder of Spences term), while three council seats belonging to Davitt, Mayor Pro Tem Terry Walker and Councilman Len Pieroni will be up for four-year terms. Brown, a former planning commissioner, served on the City Council from 2003 to 2011 and was appointed mayor for a one-year period in 2006. When he announced his plans to retire to the Valley Sun in November of 2010, he said many of the goals set during his two terms in office had been accomplished and that he wanted to make room for new blood. Among the councils achievements, Brown named improved controls over developments, increased recreational facilities through joint-use agreements with La Canada Unified School District, development of La Canadas Town Center, new public parks, lower crime rates, the installation of sewers north of Foothill Boulevard and completion of the the citys trails system. In his interview Tuesday, Brown said he hoped his experience might be useful to council members as they looked to fill the vacancy left by Spence. Theres value that comes from having been elected and having served, Brown said. And part of the issue here, too, is this is a short-term period, so just getting up to speed and being able to immediately contribute, I think, is helpful. I can bring some immediate usefulness, if you will, to the council rather than just a learning curve. Walker joined fellow council members in thanking all applicants for their desire to serve and encouraging them to continue their civic engagement. Still, she said, Browns civic resume set him apart from other candidates. I really appreciate fresh views and new faces and new perspectives. And it was very interesting during the interview process hearing the new ideas and the freshness in a lot of the less mature [candidates] that came forward, she said. I think it could be really energizing for a council. [But] at this time, for this position, I think experience matters. Applicant Keith Eich, who ran an unsuccessful campaign against Spence and fellow incumbent Jon Curtis in March, attended Tuesdays announcement. Applicant and Planning Commission Chair Rick Gunter was also present for the councils decision. Both said they were still interested in pursuing a council seat in the future. Im not going anywhere, said Gunter, whose term on the commission expires in April 2018. Ive been called to serve as long as I can remember, and I feel like the next step for me is to contribute at the council level. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine In October, Innocent Mbarushimana was caught stealing a few bananas in the village of Kabeza in western Rwanda. Two months before that, an improverished farmer named Jean Kanyesoko was caught red-handed stealing someones sugarcane. They and dozens of others were shot dead or beaten to death in the last year by Rwandan security forces, including soldiers, police and members of a military auxiliary force, Human Rights Watch reported Thursday. Among those summarily executed were suspects accused of taking cows, motorcycles or lightbulbs. Smugglers who sneaked across the nearby border with the Democratic Republic of Congo met the same fate, as did fishermen in Lake Kivu who used illegal nets. Advertisement Kanyesoko, the impoverished farmer, was 64 and had five children to feed when he was shot by soldiers after he was caught stealing sugar cane, Human Rights Watch said. A soldier standing next to his body told the dead mans neighbors to take the body away, adding that orders had been issued to kill all thieves. At least 37 petty criminals were executed without trial by security forces, with at least six other credible reports of similar cases, according to the organization, which reported that the killings appeared to officially sanctioned. Rwanda, a tiny, densely populated, neat-as-a-pin nation in east Africa with a reputation for efficiency and progress, has a darker side to its story after its stunning emergence from the genocide of 1994, during which the government says more than a million Tutsi people were killed. Rwanda has been widely praised for rebuilding and fostering healing after the genocide. Infrastructure development, health and education statistics and female political representation are all impressive, and the death penalty has been officially abolished. But dissent is not tolerated, and fear is pervasive amid extrajudicial executions and disappearances. According to Human Rights Watch, most family members of the slain petty criminals were afraid to demand justice, and those who did were often threatened. Rwanda is heading to elections in early August, when President Paul Kagame is certain to win by a huge margin. Kagame took power in 2000 and is nearing the end of his second term. While the country had a two-term limit, Parliament dominated by Kagame supporters --voted in 2015 to abolish it, enabling Kagame to remain in power until 2029 if he wishes. Kagame and his supporters brush aside Western critics of the governments repressive approach, saying that outsiders do not understand what Rwandan people want. President Kagame on critics:We are not interested in fighting a war of words,we are interested in building our nation without harming anyone Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) July 13, 2017 According to the Human Rights Watch report, many of the killings came after local authorities warned people in community meetings that new orders had been issued that all thieves would be killed. In some cases local officials drew up lists of people to be targeted. The rights group cited 40 witnesses who said military and local government officials in the Rubavo and Rutsiro districts in western Rwanda declared that thieves would be arrested and killed. National government officials did not respond to Human Rights Watch requests for comment. One local official, Mayor Jeremie Sinamenye of the Rubavo district, said the groups charges were rumors spread by Rwandas enemies to destabilize the country. What the people are telling you is not true, he said. In Rwanda, we follow the law. If someone is suspected of a crime, they are taken to the police and they will go to court. ... There is no new law saying that thieves should be killed. There is nothing of the kind. The widow of one of the dead men, who was not identified by name, said that she saw soldiers with her husbands body. The soldiers told us not to be sad and not to cry. They said if we dared to cry, we would risk being shot, she said. robyn.dixon@latimes.com Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT ALSO Theyre killing babies and torching villages: Who is behind the Democratic Republic of Congos ugly new war? How a London PR firm was forced to apologize for sowing racial division in South Africa People cheered the release of Nigerias Chibok girls but thousands of others were kidnapped, raped and forgotten The parents of Charlie Gard were back in court Thursday to try to persuade a judge to allow them to bring the terminally ill British baby to the United States or Italy for experimental treatment. At an emotionally charged hearing, an American doctor testified over a video link that there was new clinical evidence suggesting the 11-month-old boy, who suffers from an extremely rare genetic condition, might improve with the treatment. The London facility that has been caring for Charlie since October, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, obtained a court order in April allowing doctors to remove life support because they dont think the treatment will help and could cause the boy additional pain and distress. Advertisement Britains Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom agreed with the decision, and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, declined to take up the case last month. But when hospital officials were contacted by two other facilities willing to take over Charlies care, they agreed to return to the original court to give the judge a chance to reconsider. The case has become an international cause celebre for its mix of heartbreak and complex ethical and legal considerations. President Trump and Pope Francis have tweeted their support for Charlies parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, who are both in their 30s. Evangelical Christian and antiabortion groups in the U.S. have also taken up the familys cause. But Judge Nicholas Francis cautioned at a preliminary hearing Monday that he has to decide the case not on the basis of tweets but on the basis of clear evidence. Under British law, when disputes arise between doctors and families about a course of treatment, it is left to the courts to decide what is in the best interests of the patients especially when patients cant speak for themselves. Charlie suffers from an inherited condition known as infantile onset encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, which has left him with severe brain damage and unable to move or breathe on his own. In a statement submitted in court Thursday, the London hospital said he has no quality of life and no real prospect of any quality of life. But the American doctor, who cannot be identified because of a court order, said he was willing to administer a treatment known as nucleoside therapy that has shown some promise with children with another form of mitochondrial depletion. Although he has not had a chance to evaluate Charlie in person, or to read his complete case file, the doctor said he believed there was at least a 10% chance of improvement to the boys muscle function. He could not say whether the treatment, which is not a cure, might improve Charlies brain function or allow him to be taken off a ventilator. The judge asked the doctor whether he would be willing to travel to London to meet Charlie and his medical team, to which he agreed. The judge then asked lawyers for both sides to work out the details with their clients and report back to him Friday. Francis cautioned, however, that he did not want the case to drag on in perpetuity, because a small boys life was at stake. It has been a long, emotional journey for Charlies parents, who have complained repeatedly that their rights as parents have been stripped away. They have raised more than $1.7 million and are willing to pay for their sons treatment themselves. In court Thursday, they looked pale and exhausted. When the judge suggested at one point that they had acknowledged that their sons quality of life was not worth sustaining in its current state, they abruptly left the courtroom, leaving behind a small stuffed monkey belonging to the boy. We didnt say that hes suffering, his mother said. But the couple appeared more upbeat during the doctors testimony. Yates blew kisses at the video monitor and her husband saluted the screen. At the end of the daylong hearing, a family friend read a statement on the couples behalf, saying they had rushed back to their sons bedside. Lets pray that British justice that is known throughout the world for being fair, for being decent, for being compassionate, comes through for baby Charlie, the statement said. alexandra.zavis@latimes.com Twitter: @alexzavis Special correspondent Boyle reported from London and Times staff writer Zavis from Los Angeles. ALSO Charlie Gards mom says terminally ill baby isnt suffering Malnourished 5-year-old found in chains in Mexico may be returned to U.S. Kids in pro-Trump rural areas have a lot to lose if GOP rolls back Medicaid UPDATES: 3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting, including details from the doctors testimony and reaction from the family. This article was originally published at 10:20 a.m. The heavily armed fighters peered out of a broken second-story window at their outpost in a crumbling house on the western edge of this shell-shocked city, where Islamic State is fighting a furious battle to hold on to the capital of its self-declared caliphate. They ducked to avoid snipers camped in nearby high-rise apartments. Armed drones hovered nearby. Just before 2 p.m. came the crack of sniper fire. For the record: An earlier version of this article said slain U.S. volunteer Nicholas Warden, 29, was from Buffalo, N.H. He was from Buffalo, N.Y. Thats our guy, Kevin Howard, 28, said as he rose and prepared to return fire. Advertisement The ones who are loved and trusted are the ones on the front line, volunteer Macer Gifford, right, said of fellow foreign volunteers fighting islamic State with Syrian opposition forces in Raqqah. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Howard is not one of the hundreds of U.S. troops deployed in Syria. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran from San Francisco came here as a volunteer, part of a small group of freelance recruits who have traveled to Syria from the U.S., Europe and other regions to help local forces fight Islamic State. Americans have a history of volunteering to fight overseas. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade fought fascists in the Spanish Civil War; U.S. pilots flew for Britain and China before World War II; and U.S. citizens have served in the Israel Defense Forces. The war in Syria and Iraq has been more problematic. Americans who try to travel there to fight alongside Islamic State face immediate arrest, and many have been detained at U.S. airports as they prepared to respond to the militant groups global call to arms. Those who volunteer to fight the jihadis with U.S.-allied Kurdish and Syrian militias, though the State Department advises against it, face no such legal consequences. Several hundred such volunteers have arrived since the Syrian civil war began six years ago, according to local estimates, and several dozen remain. Some, such as Howard, are military veterans who served in the Middle East and felt they had left a job unfinished. Others are young people drawn to the plight of the Kurdish rebels, or by the powerful lure of combat in a faraway land. In the last week, as the battle for Raqqah has turned into a violent death spiral for Islamic State, three of the volunteers have died. Nicholas Warden, 29, of Buffalo, N.Y., Robert Grodt, 28, originally of Simi Valley and Luke Rutter, 22, of Birkenhead, England, were killed as Kurdish forces, aided by coalition air support, advanced on Raqqah. Everyone is really torn up over losing those three guys, especially all at once. And they were only a few months out of the [Kurdish training] academy, said Lucas Chapman, who returned to Washington this year after fighting alongside the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, the largest force fighting in eastern Syria. Warden had served with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and with the French Foreign Legion, Chapman said, and came to fight Islamic State in February because of the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Orlando, Fla. Kevin Howard, 28, is part of a small group of Western volunteers who traveled legally to Syria to help local forces fight Islamic State. Howard was raised in a San Francisco orphanage. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Grodt, who graduated from Monte Vista School Independent Learning Academy in Simi Valley and studied philosophy at Moorpark College, was an idealist, friends and family said. A few years ago, he had hitchhiked cross-country to New York to join Occupy Wall Street protests and proposed to a young woman he met there in Zuccotti Park, the Occupy movements base. The couple settled in New York and had a 4-year-old daughter. In April, he traveled to Syria to join the YPG, after researching the groups cause and meeting other volunteers who had returned to the U.S. He didnt consider joining the U.S. military, because he wasnt sure it was getting the job done, according to his mother, Tammy Grodt, of Simi Valley. My reasons for joining the YPG was to help the Kurdish people in their struggle for autonomy in Syria and elsewhere and also to do my best to help fight Daesh and help create a more secure world, Grodt said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State in one of a series of videos he made from Syria, this one as he sat in uniform in a field, clutching his rifle. He was killed by a mine explosion July 6, his body taken to a martyrs center at a YPG cemetery in Qamishli, his mother was told. Tammy Grodt, a nurse and mother of six, learned of her sons death Saturday. The State Department is working to bring him home to us, she said. After Robert Grodt, 28, of California died while fighting Islamic State with Kurdish forces in eastern Syria last week, his body was taken to Qamishli Memorial Center. His family is hoping it will be flown home for burial. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) She said her son had seen other volunteers return home unscathed and truly counted on coming back. He last called home from Syria on May 11, chattering excitedly about his battle buddies and promising to return in August. Many may question why he chose a task that seemed so far from being one that could be successfully accomplished, she said. He had a lot of passion and dedication and believed with his effort and enthusiasm, working with others just as dedicated, he could accomplish anything he set his mind to. Others have had similar aims. Arriving in Raqqah last week from northeastern Syria, Swedish volunteer Olivia Mefras said she had left to join the Kurdish Womens Protection Units without telling her parents. Theyre not that happy about it, said Mefras, 22. The high school graduate said she had rudimentary firearms training and was eager to head to the front line. We all want to do something meaningful. We know it doesnt make a difference to the people here they would fight anyway. But it makes a difference to us in our lives, she said. Daman Frat, a YPG commander stationed east of Raqqah, said several foreign volunteers were fighting alongside his units in remote areas outside the city, most of whom had served previously in U.S. or European military units and wanted to be in the thick of the fight. They know what Daesh means, and that if they control the area, they will go to Europe more to mount new attacks, he said. At their west Raqqah outpost last week, Syriac Military Council fighters, from left, Hasan Abja, Kevin Howard and Taylor Hudson display the rudimentary homemade bomb and string they are issued, for use in demining. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) Syrian Democratic Forces fighters, including Western volunteers, are paid about $100 to $250 a month, depending on which forces they serve with and for how long. U.S. coalition support for the SDF does not include those salaries, said Maj. Josh T. Jacques, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, who described the fighters as the coalitions local ground force partner in the fight against ISIS in northern Syria. Coalition forces continue to support the SDF as part of their advise and assist mission, providing equipment, training, intelligence and logistics support, precision fires, and battlefield advice, he said. Kino Gabriel, a spokesman for the Syriac Military Council, or MFS, whose Assyrian militia joined the alliance against Islamic State, said volunteers receive basic military training, and are given standard-issue Kalashnikov rifles with limited access to other weapons, including the Russian sniper rifle Howard used. Their mine-clearing equipment: homemade bombs and string. So many foreign volunteers have been martyred fighting for our cause, and for that they shall always be remembered among us, Gabriel said. In his west Raqqah outpost, surrounded by snipers and the occasional armed drone, Howard said Western volunteers in Syria seem to fit into one of three groups: There are the anarchists and socialists, the starry-eyed dreamers. Then there are the people that are running away from their past. Finally, he said, there are the people that are legitimately crazy. Across the room, Taylor Hudson, a volunteer from Pasadena, noted that Howard hadnt said to which group he belonged. Howard laughed. I just want to help people, he said, pausing. Im probably crazy, he said. To do this to leave home, put your life on the line you have to be kind of crazy. Howard was raised in a San Francisco orphanage and went straight into the Marines at age 17. Stationed in Southern California at Twentynine Palms, he served for about five years, including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq at the height of American deployments there. Howard and his friends returned home with post-traumatic stress, in his case due in part to traumatic brain injury, he said. He had been looking forward to civilian life, he said: Go to college, white picket fence. But he grew restless. I missed this, he said, gesturing at the abandoned house that had become his home. So many Western volunteers, including Americans, have fought and died alongside Kurdish volunteers battling Islamic State in eastern Syria that a memorial to them has been erected in the northeastern city of Qamishli. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) When Islamic State captured the Iraqi city of Mosul three years ago, Howard said, he was stricken by reports about atrocities the militants had committed against Yazidi religious minority communities in the area of northern Iraq where he had served as a Marine. He joined the French Foreign Legion, but didnt get sent to Syria, even after the terrorist attacks in Paris in January and November 2015 instead he was scrubbing toilets. So he quit and came on his own this year and quickly found his niche with a 30-member unit of the MFS. Some fellow veterans have had trouble adjusting, he said. This is total anarchy, guerrilla war, he said. A lot of military guys cant handle it because there isnt structure. It just sort of flows. Hudson, 33, an ironworker, also joined the French Foreign Legion for a few months before coming to Syria last year. He had studied medicine at Eastern Washington University and though he never earned his degree, he has served as a medic since he arrived in Syria, where local fighters call him Doc. He arrived planning to volunteer with Kurdish forces, then discovered the plight of the Assyrian minority, the groups history of persecution in the region and lack of resources compared with Kurdish forces. Now he is working with the same militia as Howard. The war in Syria, he said, is about more than defeating Islamic State. For Hudson, its about establishing a democracy that will protect minorities such as the Assyrians. Howard had planned to leave once Raqqah was freed. So did Hudson. Now they are reconsidering. This is the most important fight in the world right now, Howard said. Staff writer W.J. Hennigan in Washington and special correspondent Kamiran Sadoun in Raqqah contributed to this report. molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com Twitter: @mollyhf ALSO Iraqi forces and rescue crews in Mosul look to save civilians and pull bodies from the rubble Iraqi prime minister congratulates armed forces on great victory against Islamic State in Mosul Photos: The long and bloody battle for Mosul U.S. and Russia have declared another cease-fire in part of Syria, but will it stop the fighting? Israeli and Palestinian officials said Thursday they had agreed to a water-sharing plan to help Palestinian communities suffering chronic shortages, a goal included in a broader 2013 deal that involves Jordan. The water agreement was crucial for residents of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, officials and analysts said. This will reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people, which has been worsened by the beginning of summer and the crises that they are living through, said Mazin Ghunaim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority. Advertisement The announcement was made during a visit by U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, who officials credited with mediating the water agreement. The Trump administration appointee has also conducted meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in recent months to try to revive the moribund peace process between the two sides. When you focus on the issues and not on history and background, or personal emotions, or other disturbing elements, the common denominator is much bigger than what separates us, said Tzachi Hanegbi, Israels minister for regional cooperation. The agreement announced Thursday is part of a broader water sharing deal that includes Jordan. The plan envisioned drawing water from the Red Sea to a new desalination plant in the Jordanian port of Aqaba and then moving some of the fresh water to the neighboring Israeli city of Eilat. In return, Israel would boost supply to Jordans north from the Sea of Galilee. The plans also call for sending brine from the Aqaba plant through a pipeline to help alleviate the evaporation of the Dead Sea. The Israeli-Palestinian component completed Thursday calls for Israel to sell more water up to 8.7 billion gallons annually at a reduced rate to the Palestinian territories, about two-thirds to the West Bank and the rest to the Gaza Strip. The shortages are so acute that most of the groundwater is not fit for drinking and the additional water is considered a fraction of what is needed. The deal will double Israels supply to Gaza and boost the amount to the West Bank by a third. Some peace process analysts suggested that the sides should focus on piecemeal agreements like Thursdays deal that will improve the lives of Palestinians in the near term and build confidence to eventually reach the ultimate peace deal that would create a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. Many analysts said that the gap between Israels right-wing government and the Palestinian Authority is too large to bridge, and that another failed effort at negotiating a comprehensive peace deal might do more harm than good. It is impossible to reach a grand bargain over the major outstanding issues like Jerusalem, refugees and borders, so instead of trying and failing again, the two sides should focus on what can be done in the immediate future through incremental measures, said Oded Eran, a former Israeli ambassador to Jordan. You create a better atmosphere and a constructive relationship, and build on that to build not only goodwill but to show benefits between the sides, Eran said. Palestinians, however, are deeply suspicious that interim agreements on economic issues will be used by Israel as a salve to indefinitely delay progress on a statehood deal. The water agreement comes as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has deteriorated in recent days, where a shortage of power has caused daylong outages amid a summer heat wave. The crisis began last month when Israel, complying with the Palestinian Authoritys decision to cut funding for electricity in coastal strip controlled by the rival Hamas faction, cut its supply to the strip almost in half. Supply is about one-fifth of demand, and residents are getting about three hours of power followed by 24-hour breaks. Power lines to Gaza from Egypt, meanwhile, have not supplied electricity since last week. Generators, which are running ragged from overuse, cannot compensate but are the only thing keeping Gaza hanging by a thread in the face of a full-on humanitarian disaster, Gisha, an Israeli human rights group monitoring the Gaza crisis, said in a statement. The group noted that the lack of power is affecting businesses, homes, hospitals and water desalination and purification facilities. The boosted water supply to Gaza from Thursdays water deal will ease the risk of a cholera and typhoid outbreak, said Gidon Bromberg, the Israeli co-director of EcoPeace Middle East, a organization created by Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians. Greenblatt expressed hope that the water deal would serve as a harbinger for improved relations, though he declined to answer reporters questions on his shuttle diplomacy to restart the peace talks, saying that deal is not connected to the broader negotiation process. Mitnick is a special correspondent. @joshmitnick All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. President Moon Jae-in told his Cabinet on Tuesday that South Korea cannot resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff or achieve global consensus on it on its own and urged them to bolster Seoul's position through diplomatic efforts. "The truth is that we realistically do not have the strength to bring about an agreement" about the North Korean nuclear crisis, Moon said. He was briefing the Cabinet about his trip to Germany for the G20 Summit. "We were able to win the international community's support although the issue was not on the agenda of the summit," he said. Although it "may seem a distant goal right now," Moon also urged the North to accept an offer he extended during a speech in Berlin last week, calling it Pyongyang's "last chance to choose the right path." Easton's mayor remembers the days when the Sterling silk mill supported a working-class community on Easton's South Side. He has a dream to rebuild a similar community, but it's going to take lots of state aid to make it happen. Mayor Sal Panto Jr. unveiled plans Thursday for the community at 620 Coal St., the former site of the silk mill. It's now known as the Black Diamond Enterprises site after John Robinson bought it in 1995 to make stainless-steel tabletops, sinks and accessories for the food service industry. Nothing's been manufactured at the site for years. Developer Tim Harrison wants to put in 126 apartments, a clubhouse and a retail space that might include a small grocery store and health clinic. Harrison is the man behind the Hamilton Crossings strip mall in Lower Macungie Township. Some residents in the new community would be on social security. Others would need to earn 30 to 60 percent of the area's median income in order to qualify for a lease. "We're making this plan a priority because it's a beautiful middle-class neighborhood," Panto said. In order to move ahead, the developer will apply in October for state funds to clean up oil tanks, asbestos and possibly toxic dyes used long ago in the silk-making process. Cleanup could cost $1.5 million to $2 million, Harrison said. He said the first of the two phases of development, 60 homes, will cost in excess of $10 million. The developer also needs to convince the zoning hearing board on Monday to grant relief. Harrison brought in PIRHL, or Partners in Residential Housing Leadership of Cleveland, Ohio, to help with the project. The firm has built similar communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio. The model would be similar to that of the Neston Heights public housing project: leases with no tolerance for gun or drug activity, and a community clubhouse where the Easton Boys & Girls Club could offer afterschool care, a local hospital could offer clinics, banks could offer credit counseling or neighbors could get together to watch the Super Bowl. "We are very, very excited about this project," said Lara Schwager, the vice president for development at PIRHL. A fire last year destroyed most of what was left of the mill. The project would convert the existing "powerhouse" building into the clubhouse, but the rest of the buildings would be leveled for the apartments. It's taken the developers and city two years of planning to get to this point. Now they're hopeful they can get state funding to see the project through. "This project has a long way to go," Panto said. BY THE NUMBERS Some details about the Sterling silk mill project: Phase 1 calls for a 48-unit apartment building, a 12-unit apartment building and a 2,500-square-foot clubhouse. There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in the plan. Phase 2 calls for a 20-unit apartment building with 10,780-square-feet of retail space, a 28-unit apartment building and an 18-unit apartment building. Plans call for 170 parking spaces. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Tuition at Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities is going up 3.5 percent this school year, but the hike won't help universities avoid major budget cuts. The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education approved the 2017-18 academic years tuition hike Thursday, according to a news release. The base tuition rate for full-time in-state students will rise $127-per-semester to $3,746 a term or $7,492 for the full year. About 90 percent of all of the students enrolled at state schools live in Pennsylvania. The increase is needed to help offset half of a projected $71.7 million budget deficit across the state system. All of the universities still will need to trim a combined total of almost $37.8 million to balance their individual budgets. A consulting firm issued a bleak assessment Wednesday of Pennsylvania's state-owned university system, recommending a series of changes but not dramatic steps such as closing or merging any of its 14 institutions. Over the last 12 years, the universities have already cut spending by almost $325 million to close budget gaps and hold down student costs, the release states. "The universities -- despite the enormous challenges they have faced over the last decade, and continue to face today -- have done an extraordinary job of controlling their expenses in order to maintain the best quality and affordable higher education for our students," Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira said in the press release. "We all are committed to ensuring this continues." Under Gov. Tom Wolf's administration, the state has restored about $40 million of the $90 million cut from the system's annual funding at the start of the recession. This year's state budget includes $453.1 million in system funding, an $8.9 million increase in state aid. "We are grateful to Gov. Wolf and the general assembly for this latest increase in support, the third increase in a row," Shapira said. "It's a strong endorsement of the important role we play as Pennsylvania's public universities." Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will also rise by 3.5 percent and range from $11,238 to $18,730 for 2017-18. The in-state graduate tuition rate will increase by $17 to $500 per credit. Out-of-state graduate tuition will rise by $25 per credit to $750. Full-time, in-state students will pay a $464 technology fee while out-of-state full-time students will pay $706. The universities that comprise the system are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. "We need minibuses and cars to pick people up at the little port and take them to school buildings," Matteo Rizzo, mayor of San Vito Lo Capo, wrote on Facebook. "Let's all do something." There were no reports of injuries caused by the blaze at the Calampiso seaside resort west of the island's capital Palermo, but the mayor of a nearby town appealed for help in the rescue. Seven hundred tourists were evacuated by boat from wildfires in Sicily on Wednesday, local media reported, as swathes of southern Italy burned after months with little rainfall. Temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104F) in arid southern regions. Twenty-three fires were raging on Wednesday, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in a speech, adding the government was "actively following this difficult situation." Blazes on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius have sent vast clouds of smoke into the air near the port city of Naples, and Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti said a man had been arrested on suspicion of arson. "If someone set fire to Vesuvius, I want to see them in jail for 15 years," Galletti was quoted saying in Italian media. He added that a decision would be made in the next few hours about whether to send the army to the affected areas. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said thousands of people, animals, and a nature reserve were at risk around the volcano. "The situation is extreme, so extraordinary action needs to be taken," WWF said in a statement. Drought in the northern agricultural provinces of Parma and Piacenza prompted the government last week to declare states of emergency, which will free up extra funds to tackle the crisis. Opposition politicians called for a similar response to the wildfires. Beppe Grillo, leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, wrote on his blog: "#Vesuviusisburning" and called for a national state of emergency to be declared. Plans for a 400,000-square-foot manufacturing plant are underway in Lower Nazareth Township. Lewis Ronca, owner of Wind-Drift Development, presented plans Wednesday to township supervisors for the proposed plant. The 28-acre project would be in the Hecktown Road Business Park on Commerce Park Drive near the Route 33 interchange. Ronca said the development would be for a light manufacturing use but he would not name the future business at this time. The plant would operate 24 hours per day in three shifts. Preliminary plans call for 85 day-shift workers, 45 workers for the second shift, 35 workers for the overnight shift and up to 15 office jobs, Ronca said. The one-story plant would have 40 loading docks and 240 parking spaces. Township engineer Al Kortze said a new traffic study would need to be performed for this development. Township solicitor Gary Asteak agreed that consideration for traffic needs to be addressed. "Traffic is a very sensitive issue," Asteak said. Ronca's lawyer Charles Bruno said development for the lot was approved in 2001. Previously approved plans on the lot were for a beer distributor, which would have resulted in 1,000 vehicle trips in and out of the property per day, he said. The new manufacturing plant would see far fewer trips, according to Bruno. "I believe it will be less of an impact than the previous use," Bruno said. Before the project can begin, Ronca will need to get further approvals from Lower Nazareth Township and Bethlehem Township since a small section of the property lies within that township's borders. John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates East Midlands Airport is gearing up for its busiest summer ever - and is looking for new recruits to help out. Around 502,000 travellers passed through the Leicestershire airport in May 4 per cent up on the same month last year. Latest figures show that more than 4.7 million people used the airport over the last 12 months. And with more than 200 Leicester and Leicestershire schools set to break up on Friday, summer 2017 will be busier than any before. Around 100 additional members of staff had been recruited for the summer season with some job vacancies still available details of which can be found here. Airport management said they had experienced 18 months of consecutive growth and said more than 125,000 additional people were already booked to travel over the next couple of months. This also represented a 4 per cent rise on summer 2016. Airport managing director Andy Cliffe said: 2017 promises to be our busiest summer on record, with new connections to popular city and holiday destinations as well as 125,000 more people booked on flights compared to last year. As we grow and offer more destinations to our customers and the businesses that call our region home we will ensure that we maintain our high levels of customer service. Not for you? For more jobs in Leicester, there are loads right here. We have invested in new security lanes to help make sure that queues are kept to a minimum even during our busiest times, employed more staff to provide customers with information and help as they pass through the airport and refurbished our bars, restaurants and shops. This summer the airport will provide new connections to Budapest and Reus with Ryanair; Split and Almeria with Jet2.com; and Girona and Naples with both Ryanair and Jet2.com. The airport also has a new Starbucks coffee shop and more seating in its most popular restaurants and bars. Manchester Airports Group, which owns the Castle Donington airport, said it had recorded six consecutive years of growth in profits. MAG increased earnings to 343.2 million in the year to Match 31, and increased passenger numbers to 55.9 million, a 7.7 per cent increase on the number carried last year. In the past year East Midlands Airport has invested 15 million in resurfacing its runway while minimising the impact on its passenger and cargo flights. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest crime news direct to your inbox with the Crime & Punishment newsletter A long sentence was inevitable but that didn't stop the barrister for Theodore Paget doing his best to secure the shortest term possible. Despite the 'minor celebrity' shooting doorman Dan Lewis in a scuffle outside Sub8ten last May defence counsel, Satyanand Beharrylal said the incident was 'out of character'. He said Paget may have had the gun for his own protection. Mr Beharrylal said: Whilst hes amassed a number of previous convictions none of them include firearms offences. He does have matters of violence recorded against him but none of those include gun crime. This incident was out of character against the background of those previous convictions. Your Honours conclusion is that he went to the club with the gun, but he maintains he didnt go there with the gun. In many respects it matters not, because of the use to which the gun was put. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Mr Beharraylal said the police were aware of a threat on the defendants life in 2013 and it may have been he had a gun for his own protection. The barrister added: From when he produced the gun to (intimidate the first doorman) Ricky Baxter, to when he was punched by Danny Lewis (the second doorman), the firing of the gun at Mr Lewis and making off towards New Walk; it was a matter of 30 seconds. It may have been a combination of drinks, drugs, being ejected from the club and the insults (from Mr Baxter who refused him re-entry) that all culminated in the production of the gun. (Image: Leicestershire Police) It wasnt a robbery and the gun wasnt kept to support a lucrative drug dealing business. Taking into account the references, its possible to say his behaviour on that morning isnt the measure of the man he is. References speak of a good side of his involvement in the music industry - and hes capable of contributing positively to society, hes capable of so much more. It may have been a serious lack of judgement on his part, due to a previous threat on his life, although its no excuse to go and arm yourself up. He told the jury he never intended to injure anyone. His remorse remains the same. Hes regretted it from an early stage. Hes put himself forward for the restorative justice programme that would enable him to meet and apologise directly to the victims of the crime. If hes not able to do that he has written a letter to Mr Lewis, which makes clear that, whatever the result of the trial, his remorse remains of genuine concern for his behaviour and what he did to Mr Lewis. (Image: Chris Gordon) He apologises to Mr Lewis and Mr Baxter for what he did. Theres not likely to be a repeat of this conduct. The court heard that Paget had 21 previous convictions including two for class A drug dealing as a teenager, assaults and two offences of possessing knives in public. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest crime news direct to your inbox with the Crime & Punishment newsletter A city school for pupils with profound learning difficulties and complex needs has been slammed for a raft of health and safety breaches after a teenager with special needs nearly drowned in a swimming pool. Marylyn Smith (62), of Lee Rise, Ratby, and Eileen Coull (64), of Groby Road, Leicester, were each handed 12-month conditional discharges at Leicester Crown Court this afternoon for their role in the near-tragedy, at West Gate School, in Glenfield Road, on January 27, last year. The defendants had previously pleaded guilty to the Health and Safety at Work offence of failing to take reasonable care of 18-year-old Sam Sebastian, who has severe mental and physical disabilities, as he played in the schools hydro-therapy pool. Sam had been using a rubber ring to float in the pool, but slipped underwater for about 90 seconds. He suffered a cardiac arrest and spent more than four months in hospital. Judge Nicholas Dean QC, however, showed leniency to the two women after hearing of their otherwise impeccable career records and the role health and safety breaches,including a lack of risk assessments, training and monitoring played in the incident. He said: Their culpability seems to me if not to be wholly subsumed within, or extinguished by, the manifest failings in the systems of work that have been identified, then very largely so. The failings here were, in truth, not primarily those of the defendants, but rather those responsible for systems of work and safety at West Gate School. Judge Dean added: In my judgement, punishment as such is not required in this case. The punishment lies in the fact of prosecution and in the acceptance by both these defendants of guilt, the acceptance by each of them of culpability for tragic events. The defendants were originally charged with willful neglect of a person without mental capacity. They denied this at an earlier hearing before admitting the alternative charge. Leicester Crown Court was told Sam has Angelman Syndrome, cerebral palsy and epilepsy, severe developmental delay and is unable to speak. He also needs assistance to walk and required one-to-one assistance in the pool. The court head that Smith had been in the water with Sam, known affectionately as Appu, as he required direct one-to-one, while Coull has a supervisory role as a spotter at the poolside to make sure he was safe. In a personal impact statement read out in court, Sams mother, Minimol Mathew, said it was a miracle he survived. She said the severity of Sams condition when he arrived at Leicester Royal Infirmary was such that the family priest was called upon to administer last rights. Doctors told me it was a miracle he was alive, she said. Sam spent nine weeks in hospital before he was well enough to be transferred to the brain injury unit at Leicester. He spent a total of four months in hospital before he was well enough to return home. Since the incident, however, his mother said he has suffered numerous chest infections, prompting fears each time that it will turn into a life-threatening pneumonia. Mrs Mathew said that Sams life has been severely compromised as a result of his injuries. She said it has affected his vocal ability and mobility. He lost the ability to walk, is unable to eat solid foods and remains prone to infection. She added that she had suffered from depression since the incident, which has also had a huge impact on family life and her job as a nurse, where she suffers occasional flashbacks when dealing with other very ill young people. Simon Osborne, joint vice chair of governors at West Gate, said: A number of changes have been made at West Gate since this tragic incident, including changes to the governing body. There is also a new policy in place around the operation of the swimming pool. We have three lifeguards on duty and every student has an allocated worker while they are in the pool. He added: Under the new headteacher we are now focusing on moving forward as a school community, with the safety of our students absolutely paramount to everything that we do. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get City transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox Derby are considering making a 4million move for Leicester City midfielder Matty James, according to reports. The Rams are said to be keen on the 25-year-old who enjoyed a strong loan spell at Barnsley having brought to an end a nightmare 20 months out with knee ligament injury. James has one year left on his contract at the King Power Stadium but the Daily Mail report that Leicester are willing to offer the midfielder a new deal. (Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) Rams boss and former City defender Gary Rowett is said to want to add to his midfield following the sales of Will Hughes and Tom Ince this window. City boss Craig Shakespeare has already hinted that James is firmly in his plans for the coming season, having insisted that he will be given every opportunity to prove himself . James made just one Premier League appearance for City last season, in the 4-2 win over Manchester City, before impressing on loan at Barnsley. That appearance was Jamess first since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2-0 victory over Southampton in May 2015, going on to miss the entire Premier League title-winning campaign. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Central midfield is an area where City are now blessed with options, though, especially after the 12m signing of Sevilla captain Vincente Iborra . Shakespeare now has James, Iborra, Danny Drinkwater, Wilfred Ndidi, Andy King, Daniel Amartey and Papy Mendy all vying for places. James is not the first City player to be linked with Derby this summer, with the Rams also keen on bringing forward Tom Lawrence to Pride Park. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates A retired Leicestershire detective, whose efforts have already seen him raise more than $1 million for a hospice in the Cayman Islands, has completed his latest challenge. Derek Haines, 68, a former superintendent with the Leicestershire force, now lives on the western Caribbean island, where he served as detective chief superintendent with the Royal Cayman Islands Police. His latest effort, to raise $50,000 for the Central Caribbean Marine Institutes Reef Research, was to climb two volcanoes in Guatemala. Derek, who was awarded an MBE for services to community and sport on the Caribbean islands two years ago, climbed the 13,045 ft Volcano Acatenango and 8,373 ft Volcano Pacaya with daughter Lizzy, 30, and friend Gaby Amado, from Guatemala. Their efforts came two weeks before the latest eruption of neighbouring Volcano de Fuego whose summit is less than a mile from the one they were climbing. On Monday, people living near the erupting volcano were on standby ready to evacuate as it spewed ash up to a kilometre into the air. Derek said: We were there two weeks too early. De Fuego was 700 feet below us and when its erupting it spews out lava and huge boulders like cannonballs. An initial plan to climb the 12,336ft Agua had to be changed as heavy rains and earthquakes caused major landslides, closing the trails. Derek said; Our guide, Rodrigo strongly advised tackling Acatenango at dawn on June 30 while the weather was clear. This was agreed as the best option, although it meant little time to acclimatise. Arriving at the starting point among corn fields at 7am distant booms from neighbouring active volcano Fuego could already be heard. The party reached the volcanos rim after almost five hours. Derek said: Fantastic views took in surrounding volcanic peaks that rose out of the clouds that lay far below. The booms from earlier were now seen to accompany the intermittent plumes of grey smoke belching from Volcano Fuego, close across the valley and some 700 feet below. The three climbers proudly waved the Cayman Islands flag from the rim and took photographs and videos before descending on a treacherous surface of loose scree. Ten hours after leaving the car the group returned exhausted yet exhilarated by the days adventure. Derek said: Not as grueling or high in altitude, Pacaya had erupted only six weeks earlier, which added its own thrill to the challenge. Our guide, Paulina, was able to give personal accounts of the strong eruption in 2010 that forced her and nearby villages to evacuate due to the lava flow." It is considered too dangerous because of eruptions and gases to climb to the rim and climbing higher than about 7.000 feet is forbidden. The lava flows from the recent eruptions were clearly seen stretching down the volcano sides and into the farm lands below. However, as the party approached the ridge, a ferocious thunderstorm broke out and further progress was deemed too dangerous. A hasty retreat was made back down the tracks which were quickly turning into rivers of mud. The hikers were relieved to get back to Antigua for a warm, dry celebratory dinner. The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest crime news direct to your inbox with the Crime & Punishment newsletter The 'arrogant' gunman whose barrister told jurors he was a minor celebrity has been given an earful by the sentencing judge. Judge Philip Head didn't hold back when he sent Theodore Paget to prison for 20 years - saying he had an 'exaggerated regard for his own significance'. The 29-year old shot doorman Dan Lewis outside Sub8ten nightclub in King Street last May. Imposing a 20-year-sentence, with an additional five year extension to Pagets licence period, Judge Philip Head said: The facts of this case and your record make me sure youre someone with a short temper, particularly when drunk, as you often are when offending. You have an exaggerated regard for your own significance. You were telling people Do you know who I am, Im Anton from Kirby Frith, During the trial your barrister described you as a minor celebrity in the local music and fashion industry. You felt belittled by door staff who failed to acknowledge your status you said you wanted them to feel scared, belittled and small. (Image: Chris Gordon) Youre quick to resort to violence with a weapon to protect your fragile ego. You pointed that gun, a loaded lethal weapon, with intent to cause fear. It was a Baikal semi-automatic self-loading pistol. Your conviction meant the jury was sure your account was false, about how you acquired the weapon, how it was discharged and in relation to the misfired bullet at the scene. It may be you had the weapon partly due to an incident in 2013 when the police warned you your life was in danger, or you had other reasons, I cant be sure. Youd drunk no less than 10 vodkas, as you told a doctor, and not seven vodkas, as you told the jury. Before 6am you got involved in an argument with another man in the club, you were violent and told the leave. You were deeply aggrieved and warned a doorman things would pop off. You were refused re-entry and were laughed at, and called some names by door staff in front of your friends. You withdrew the loaded gun and thrust it, making contact, with the face of Mr Baxter, a doorman. Mr Lewis reacted entirely properly, by punching you in the face. During a struggle you deliberately fired the gun at very close range at him to get him to release you. Mercifully his injuries werent very serious. A misfired bullet at the scene showed Paget had attempted to fire it again, to effect his escape. Judge Head said: This is another example of really serious early hours street violence outside a pub or club, fuelled by alcohol. Mr Lewis was serving the public, seeking to maintain order. Your arrogance and false regard for your status blinded you to any consideration for others. You produced the gun for revenge and intimidation. The judge said he accepted references showed a more positive side to his character and that youre capable of better things. A 64-year-man who left the scene after rear-ending a car and later told gardai he thought the other car had simply broken down, had a prison sentence lifted on appeal before Portlaoise Circuit Court. Martin Keenan (64) received a driving ban and a one-month prison sentence when the matter came before the district court, for an incident in which he failed to provide information after a traffic collision. He appealed the prison sentence at the recent sitting of Portlaoise Circuit Court. State solicitor, Mr Donal Dunne gave evidence that on September 2, 2015, at the toll plaza in Portlaoise, there was a traffic collision in which a car was smashed from behind. The driver of the smashed car got out and saw damage to the rear of her vehicle and the driver of the other car, Martin Keenan, admitted crashing into her. He then drove off and when the gardai later made contact with him he said he had been travelling with a friend from Navan and stopped because he thought the woman had broken down. He had 39 previous convictions over a 20-year period, said Mr Dunne, many for road traffic matters. Barrister, Ms Geraldine Fitzpatrick said her client had contested the matter in the district court, but was now entering a guilty plea. She said he would accept the driving disqualification if the court would give him a chance regarding the prison sentence. Ms Fitzpatrick said that her client was a father to 24 children, 17 of whom are still living, and lives in very impoverished circumstances in a hut. She said the appellant suffered with Bells Palsy and was quite debilitated, taking a multitude of tablets. He is on social welfare for his disability, and should have known better regarding the offence, said Ms Fitzparick. Ms Fitzpatrick concluded by saying that her client had been of some assistance to the gardai, even though the reason he initially gave them for not remaining at the scene contradicted what actually happened. Judge Keenan Johnson recapitulated that the appellant had been guilty of hit and run and failing to give information. He had rear-ended a vehicle and stopped to inquire about the woman, but he knew he had rear-ended her before he drove off. The district court had imposed a one month prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for one year, but now at the age of 64 he was in poor health. Judge Johnson noted that the accused had insurance and the woman whose vehicle he had rear-ended had been compensated. Judge Johnson said the appellant was not fit to hold a driving licence, but justice would not be served by sending him to jail. Imposing a three-year driving disqualification, the judge lifted the prison sentence. He imposed a two-month sentence, suspended for two years on condition the appellant enter a peace bond of 500. As part of the opening evening of the Portarlington French Festival, a Bon Jovi Tribute Act will take to the main stage. The festival will be officially opened on Friday, July 14 at 7pm. Con Jovi will get the festival off to a rip roaring start from 8pm on Friday. This ultimate tribute to world-renowned and legendary New Jersey rockers, Bon Jovi. The band has over 20 years experience touring Ireland and the UK, this act is sure to gather a rocking crowd on the streets of Portarlington. We cannot wait for the Portarlington Festival. It is always a great atmosphere doing these festivals and we have had a few great ones this year, just a few weeks ago at the Salmon Leap Inn Festival we had people who usually go more country embracing there inner rock god! We think Portarlington could be one of the best yet, said Con Jovi frontman Dee. Con Jovi mark the beginning of a lively weekend in Portarlington with a huge amount of activities taking place in the town over the three days and nights. Festival organiser Arlene Foy is looking forward to the weekend as there is already a buzz around the town. "The festival is back for the full weekend this year and the committee is very excited about this. We have some fun new activities planned and as always a great music line up. There is already a real buzz around the town and we are delighted with the support we have already received from locals, businesses, organisations and clubs. It's lining up to be a fantastic weekend," she said. See a full line up of what's on for the Portarlington French Festival here. U.S. President Donald Trump, who in the past has disparaged Paris as an unsafe city because of terrorist attacks, leaves for the French capital on Wednesday for counterterrorism talks with President Emmanuel Macron and to mark the 100th anniversary of U.S. troops entering World War I. Trump a year ago described Paris as "so, so, so out of control, so dangerous," and more recently suggested that Islamic State attacks in Paris had diminished it as a world-class destination. As he pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 international Paris accord to control greenhouse gas emissions, Trump said he was elected to represent "Pittsburgh, not Paris." But on a two-day trip to Paris, Trump plans to meet with the newly elected Macron, have lunch with military officials, tour the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte and on Friday attend Bastille Day events on France's major national holiday. The two leaders are set to hold their meeting Thursday before speaking to reporters. "We will talk about all the issues which are of interest to us both, including those about which we have disagreements when we have them, but also a lot of the issues on which we are working together -- the terrorism threat, the crises in Syria and Libya, and a lot of issues which are of interest to us both," Macron said. A senior U.S. official told reporters the White House expects the civil war in Syria and U.S.-French cooperation both there and on other counterterror issues to take up most of the discussion, while there could also be some follow-up to last week's G-20 summit in Germany. A Catholic priest, honoured by the Pope, is to be celebrated in the Laois Carlow border parish which is partly named after the priest. A 100th Anniversary mass will be celebrated in August to commemorate the death of Very Rev Fr Hugh Cullen a former Parish Priest of Graiguecullen - Killeshin on the Carlow Laois border. During his time as parish priest in Graigue-Killeshin from 1909-1917, Fr Cullen was conferred with the title of High Priest by the Pope and to perpetuate his memory. The name Graigue was changed to Graiguecullen shortly after his death. To commemorate this event a special Mass will be celebrated on Bank Holiday Monday, August 7 at 10am in St Clares Church. Following the Mass people will gather at the new community centre in Killeshin at 11.30am and will process behind Killeshin Pipe Band for the oration and unveiling of a plaque at his grave. The parish encourages all clubs, groups and societies to come out and celebrate this very special occasion. Kildare carers are being encouraged to have their say on the future of home care via an online public consultation by August 31 next. The idea is to help inform the development of a new statutory scheme and system of regulation for home care services in Ireland is underway. Launched by the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, TD, and Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly, TD, it is aimed at people who use Home Care services, their families and the general public. However, everyone with an interest, including health and social care providers; health and social care workers; advocacy groups; those providing complementary services such as meals-on-wheels and social activities; and representative organisations are all welcome to participate. Kildare South TD Martin Heydon is encouraging Kildare carers to contribute to the consultation. We must ensure that everyone has the chance to stay in their homes and in their own communities for as long as possible," he said. "While nursing home care is essential for some people, its not right that the Fair Deal scheme is currently the only statutory scheme in place to care for our elderly people. The Governments plan is to put Home Care on a statutory footing, and to make it affordable and sustainable. Regulation of the sector will also be key to the new plan. Families availing of Home Care must be assured that the services on offer are of the highest standard." The consultation paper can be found online at http://health.gov.ie/consultations or a hard copy can be obtained by calling 01-6354402. The closing date for submissions is 31 August 2017. The Bog of Allen Nature Centre at Lullymore will host a raft of events celebrating local wildlife this weekend. There will be wildlife walks, talks, exhibitions and hands on activities will be available for members of the public to get engaged with wildlife. Join Kildare Bat Group at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on Saturday July 15 at 9.30pm to find out more fascinating facts about Irish bats and using a bat detector use your own sense of hearing to investigate what species of bat are living locally in Lullymore. The following day on Sunday 16th July, events will take place between 11.30am and 5pm. Join Moths Ireland at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre and get up close with some live moths that have survived the previous nights bat feast. Chat with BirdWatch Ireland Kildare Branch who will introduce visitors to the wonders of local birds. This wildlife celebration will draw to a close with a historical walk of Lullymore. All are welcome to attend this free event. For those intending to take part in one of the walks suitable clothing for the outdoors is recommended including strong footwear. Lidl has been refused planning permission to construct a two storey new building on the Dublin Road, N4 Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim. Registered letters were sent out to all the 129 individuals who submitted an objection/ observation on the planning this morning. The Leitrim Observer has seen the letter and it confirms that Leitrim County Council has refused planning to the controversial application. The letter outlines the two main reasons for refusal, the first reason is that the application for the size of floor space exceeds the retails cap in the county as per Leitrim County Council's Retail Strategy 2015 -2021. The letter from the council also notes the planning application had been refused by An Bord Pleanala previously and says the new application cannot be justified. The news has been welcomed locally, with Councillors Enda Stenson, Sinead Guckian and Finola Armstrong McGuire saying it is the best decision for the town. Leitrim County Council have yet to directly confirm the planning refusal, the details on their planning site says the a decision on the application has been "decided." But the registered letters this morning confirm the decision and councillors say they heard the new direct from County Executive Frank Curran. 129 submissions have been made on the planning application and 126 of these are objections. The other submissions come from public bodies and make demands from the council to supply information from the applicant about various aspects of the application. The majority of the objections come from residents of Carrick-on-Shannon including Cortober. Letters are signed by individuals, businesses and groups. The overall impression is that Lidl is welcome in the area but not on the site of the planning application. The main objections follow a similar line to the public meeting held in Carrick-on-Shannon a number of weeks ago. Objections focus on an increase in traffic to the area and at the Tesco roundabout, concerns over flooding and the use of the Circular Road as an alternative route during flooding of the N4. The green and attractive site is cited as being an advantage to tourism and many objectors claim a successful Lidl planning application could have a possible negative effect on the potential to lure a multinational into the old offices of MBNA. Many more also note health and safety issues for students from Carrick Community School who need to cross several lanes of traffic. One of the main objectors to the application were Roscommon County Council, they stress that the granting of planning permission for change of use of the Lidl business in Cortober should in no way be taken as an endorsement of Lidls apparent proposals to close the existing store on site in Cortober. They state the existing Lidl store in Cortober is appropriately located. Roscommon County Council also ask Leitrim County Council to take a holistic view of Carrick-on-Shannon and consider the overall adverse impacts of the developmental proposal. They add that both councils are to prepare a joint Local Area Plan for Carrick-on-Shannon. Carrick Town Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire told the Leitrim Observer that local councillors will need to sit down with Leitrim County Council to discuss future re-zoning and plans for the "green site" in front of MBNA on the Dublin Road. As searches continue for the remains of Pat Heeran in Aughavas this week, we recount the bachelor's last known movements on October 3, 2011. Gardai believe Patrick Heeran left his home at 4 Cois Easa, Aughavas on October 3, 2011 with the intention of returning to it shortly afterwards. On that day he was captured on CCTV at Baxter's supermarket, Mohill at 4.21pm. However, it is understood he made his way back home to Cois Easa, Aughavas as his phone signal placed him around the area of his house at 5.46pm on the same day. Inspector Ray Mulderrig told the Leitrim Observer they know the number which was in communication with Pat Heeran's phone and the call made contact with the closest mast to the area. Gardai believe Patrick Heeran left his home in circumstances which suggest that he did not plan on leaving for an extended period. The TV and lights were left on in the house, an open can of cider and cigarettes were left on the table. Gardai disclosed that he did lock the door when leaving and there was no sign of a disturbance in the house, which points that he left of his own accord. Described as being five foot nine inches tall and of stocky build with fair hair, he was last seen wearing brown shoes, blue jeans and a brown jacket. Gardai stated Mr Heeran, who was 48 years old in 2011, had no prior history of going missing. Mr Heeran had lived in Australia from 1983 to 1995 and in the Netherlands prior to 2002. He had been resident at Cois Easa since 2004. Gardai also said Mr Heeran had no recorded history of mental illness, but he was taking prescribed medication. He has not made contact with any member of his family since his disappearance. Any information on Pat Heeran should be made available to Gardai at 087 98062 of the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111. Nick Clegg has the following to say in his regular column for Inews: The more you lose your grip, the more you hold on to what you know. It is a sure sign that an institution is in steady decline when it fixates on past glories. A belief in the traditions of the past often masks discomfort about the challenges of the present. And so John Hayes, a jovial mid-ranking Conservative Minister with reliably anti European, traditional views, revealed more than he probably intended when he recently declared in the House of Commons, I will not be taking interventions by anyone who is not wearing a tie, on whatever side of the house they sit. Yes, you read that correctly. As the country slides towards an economic downturn, as the Government stumbles cluelessly towards Brexit, as living standards tumble, as Britains international standing declines daily a Minister of State truly, madly, deeply feels that whether an MP wears a tie or not is of national importance. So important, in fact, that he pronounced from the despatch box that he would henceforth refuse to speak to any tieless MP. As ever, Nigel Farage was available to add spleen to stupidity, condemning John Bercow (who had ruled that MPs could attend the Commons without a tie) as a low-grade lightweight with no respect for our institutions or our history. Britain is becoming marginal in European affairs Theresa May sitting friendless at Helmuth Kohls funeral said it all Obsessed with the small things. This is what happens when a country is cut adrift, moving helplessly towards the rocks of a hard Brexit. The architects of our misfortune, paralysed by the impending damage of their own prejudices, dwell instead on the minutiae of small differences. British observers the Johnsons, Goves and Letts of this world regularly remark how boring the debates in the German Parliament are. They have none of the rhetorical pyrotechnics of Prime Ministers Questions, none of the raucous shouting and repartee of the Commons Chamber. Instead, the debates are sober, largely humourless and staid. And to cap it all off, Members of the Bundestag are sometimes seen without ties. Of course, much of the German political system its emphasis on consensus and coalitions, its constitutional checks and balances, its aversion to referenda, and its prohibitions against extremism was designed by British and American officials after the war. They imparted their knowledge of Anglo-American democratic traditions with barely concealed condescension. Is it any wonder that not a single new democracy in Central and Eastern Europe copied the Westminster model after the collapse of the Berlin Wall? Harold Ingrams, a British colonial administrator who led the design of German local Government, loftily declared: Our democracy, the most robust in the world it is on British soil that it flourishes best but we do export it andit grows and flourishes in diverse lands. But I wonder whether the complacency about our democratic traditions is now becoming a hindrance to realising our own failings? Some countries suffer from an inferiority complex. Perhaps were suffering from a superiority complex? The Germans are aghast that the Brexit referendum like a party game which suddenly goes horribly wrong could have occurred in such a flippant and careless way without any constitutional restraint, without any super majority or minimum turn-out. In an excoriating forthcoming book, Democracy and Its Crisis, AC Grayling charts the way that American and British democracy insulated for so long from war, occupation and revolution has become flabby, corrupt and hollowed out by narrow vested interests, big money and unrepresentative elites. Is it any wonder that not a single new democracy in Central and Eastern Europe copied the Westminster model after the collapse of the Berlin Wall? Our neo-colonial self confidence after the war has now given way to a position of constitutional isolation where no other European democracy has followed our lead. No wonder German observers are starting to value their boring conventions. Because being boring is better than being in decline. People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo on Wednesday faced the press for the first time since it emerged that his party was the source of fabricated evidence against President Moon Jae-in during his election campaign. Ahn apologized for the fabrication and pledged to take responsibility for what happened. "I hold all political and moral responsibility as the party's presidential candidate. I shall bear all the burden. I apologize once again," Ahn said. "I will put everything aside and reflect on my five-year political career." The IT mogul-turned-lawmaker said the scandal has left a mark on the party's efforts to reform Korean politics, and pleaded for a chance to straighten out the party. His remarks come some three weeks after the centrist party was thrown into crisis when prosecutors traced the false evidence to prominent party figures. Prosecutors early Wednesday arrested Lee Jun-seo on charges of spreading false evidence that Moon wrangled a cushy public-sector job for his son in 2006, when Moon was presidential chief of staff. Another party member, Yi Yu-mi, is already in custody after admitting she fabricated the evidence. She got her brother to pose as a friend of Moon's son and make the claim in an audio file which she passed on to Lee. Prosecutors believe that it was Lee who planned the crime. Lee's arrest raises questions about the People's Party's own internal probe into the fabrication, which concluded that no top lawmakers were involved in the scheme. There is speculation that the latest development could lead to a wider investigation on whether the party as a whole knew of the deceit. Earlier, the People's Party apologized and pledged to cooperate with an investigation, but it claimed prosecutors are "politically motivated" and called for an independent counsel to investigate. THE story may not be new; it is one that has been read by millions of people the world over and seen on the big screen. But Frank McCourts standout work Angelas Ashes, which spawned a generation of misery literature, has been retold in an all-singing, all-dancing production. Running until this Saturday in the Lime Tree Theatre, the brand new musical by acclaimed producer Pat Moylan will soon reach audiences in Dublin and Belfast, and is hotly-tipped for even bigger stages in London and New York. It has the potential to be Limericks greatest export since ham and seems poised for world stardom, after leaving audiences once dubious as to the accuracy of McCourts account of life here enthralled and spellbound. Limerick playwright Mary Coll said initially her perception was who would want to go to a musical based on that miserable book? I did not expect to be on my feet at the end hollering. I did not expect to laugh and cry in equal measure. It was terrific. Im so pleased to have been wrong. And I want a statue in Limerick to Angela McCourt and women like her who kept pushing through for the sake of their children, she said after seeing the musical. Nerves were on high as the curtain was finally raised after years of work on the show, which was initially brought to Limerick via an amateur production from Derby in England several years ago, before being transformed by Moylan, in association with composer Adam Howell and writer Paul Hurt. Actress Jacinta Whyte, who plays the alcoholic Malachys long-suffering wife and Franks mother, sought and has no doubt achieved to do justice to Angela, a mother from Limericks slums besieged by moments of poverty, and tragedy after tragedy. The added pressure she felt was getting the nuances of the Limerick accent right, she explained. All the hallmarks of local life are there Souths pub, where Frank famously had his first pint, Leamys school, St Vincent de Paul, the damp descending from the River Shannon, and even the Limerick Leader gets a notable mention. The memoir shot McCourt to stardom, but the musical will catapult Angela to heroine status and it is her story, as much as Franks, which packs emotional punch after emotional punch in the musical. It begins with Frank reading from his own work, with the now classic lines about how the only thing worse than a miserable Irish childhood, is a miserable Catholic Irish childhood. Then the cacophony of voices sets in the naysayers, the people from his past, which remained ever present. McCourt said that he enjoyed many acts in his life, particularly when he emigrated to America. The audience in Limerick could only crave a third act of this production after a two-hour viewing. In the words of Frank, when relishing a rare treat of fish and chips, it was so good that you could have licked all the front pages, and all the headlines. ADARE has historically been strong for small businesses, and that fact still holds true today. The varied businesses in the village include a number of fashionable boutiques, multi award-winning restaurant 1826 Adare, and airy art gallery Draiocht. The Heritage Centre on Main Street has been a central hub for tourism since its opening in 1994, with souvenirs and hearty meals being served in tandem. Tours for all the attractions are also organised. Things are great. The facilities of the centre cater to the demands of the huge influx of people to the town. A lot of people dont know that we are open every day except Christmas Day and St Stephens Day, said manager Maeve Martin-Kelly. And theres no shortage of fine watering holes, with both the Collins family and the Chawkes catering to the beverage market, along with several others. Luxury hotels Dunraven Arms, the Woodlands House Hotel and the revamped Adare Manor do their bit to keep tourists in Adare for as long as possible. Business is good in the village, said Louis Murphy of the Dunraven Arms. The English market is down at the moment, so US visitors are increasingly important. And since we are just 25 minutes from the airport, tourists are using us as a first stop off before heading south to Killarney and so on. But now, Adare is a destination in itself for tourism. The wedding market is also huge for us, he said. Many of the villages entrepreneurs organise themselves under the Adare Business Association, as they work together to maximise success. Chairperson Wade Murphy is the chef at 1826 Adare, and owns the trendy thatched-cottage restaurant along with his wife Elaine. A precursor of the business association, Adare Innkeepers, was very active during the 80s and 90s, and was instrumental in bringing tourism and business to Adare. Billy Chawke, who once owned Aunty Lenas, remembers time spent travelling to shows and conventions with the group, promoting Adare. Weddings in Adare were great, he said, as there would be a round of drinks in the pub across from the park while photographs would be taken. The ripple effect of weddings on the entire community is fantastic, said Ms Martin-Kelly. AN INMATE serving a 10-year sentence in Cork Prison has testified as a State witness in an aggravated burglary trial of three men in Co Limerick. Limerick Circuit Court has heard that John Cahill, 33, originally from Cappamore, wrote to gardai in Limerick in March 2016 offering to help with their investigation, after he was convicted in 2014 of an aggravated burglary at Sunville House, Pallasgreen in April 2012 and one count of arson relating to a BMW car. He received a five-year sentence for the charge of aggravated burglary, and a three-year sentence for the charge of arson to run concurrently. The jury heard that in another case he received a seven-year sentence with two years suspended, for unlawful possession of a firearm, which was imposed at Nenagh Circuit Court. The Limerick sentence is running consecutively to the Tipperary case, totalling 10 years in all. Sergeant Mike Reidy, of Henry Street garda station, formerly of Bruff garda station, gave evidence that he received a handwritten note from the Governors office in Cork Prison in March 2016, stating that inmate John Cahill wished to speak to him. Three men have pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary and false imprisonment at Sunville House, Pallasgreen, on April 16, 2012. Father and son Patrick, 52, and Philip Roche, 24, who both reside at Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, Dublin, and Alan Freeman, 37, of Pearse Park, Tipperary Town, deny the charges. Both Patrick and Philip Roche also deny further charges of aggravated burglary and false imprisonment in a separate incident at the Creed family home in Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen, on May 31, 2012. In his evidence, Cahill told the court that some time before the aggravated burglary in Sunville House he owed 10,000 to Freeman and he later sold one vehicle on DoneDeal to help repay his debt. Cahill testified that Freeman asked him to drive a car on the night of the Sunville case, and he was told to be at the old ESB yard in Monard, Co Tipperary, at 9pm that night. There, he said, he met with the three accused and a fourth man. Cahill said that he observed Patrick Roche changing the number plates on the sky-blue BMW in one of the warehouses in the yard. He said that he also saw two sets of handcuffs, cable ties and balaclavas. Cahill alleged that Patrick Roche was in possession of a gun and that Freeman had a screwdriver. I was told to wait in the car, that Id be phoned to drive up and drive in, he told the court in relation to the Sunville case. Asked about the demeanour of the men after the alleged aggravated burglary, he said: It was kind of panicked, rushed. Cahill said he saw Freeman pulling out a white envelope in the vehicle which had money in it - Sterling and other foreign money, he claimed. Cahill said that some time later the men split between two different cars, and that he was later told by Freeman to burn the BMW. The defence put it to Cahill that he has a large number of previous convictions, although many are for driving offences. Cahill denied any involvement by him in the burglary in the Creed home. He said that he was only the getaway driver in the Sunville case because he the debt he owed. During the aggravated burglary at Sunville House, Pallasgreen, Ann and Gerry Garvey and three of their four children were held at gun point at their home by a three-man armed and masked gang. A second State witness has given evidence in the Creed case, after he received a suspended sentence for his involvement in that case. William Gammell, 32, of Co Tipperary, was arrested on June 6, 2012, in relation to the aggravated burglary at the Creed family home in Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen. On July 20, 2014, Gammell received a five-year suspended sentence for that offence. Sergeant Reidy also gave evidence that on the morning of April 9, 2015, while he was stationed at Bruff garda station, he received a hand-written letter in his postal tray from Gammell. He told the court that Gammell wrote that he wished to declare that he was willing to help gardai in the Creed family case or in any investigation. Gammell told the court this week that he was taking to the stand because he has a conscience. Following his arrest on June 6, 2012, he was interviewed on four occasions in Bruff garda station. He denied under questioning from Blaise O'Carroll SC that his story was rehearsed and spun to minimise his involvement. The first few days I was in custody, I didnt know what I was saying, he told the court. Once I spoke to my solicitor I put things right. He said he had never been in a garda station before. Gammell said if any of the accused were in possession of any weapons he did not see them. I didnt terrorise the Creeds, he added. The court heard that the three elderly Creed siblings living in the home were left battered and covered in blood after two armed and masked men burst into their isolated farmhouse and robbed them. One of them rushed at me and knocked me to the ground, Willie Creed, 79, told gardai. He was stabbing me on the head with a screwdriver. There was blood running down along my face. The court heard the three pensioners were beaten, tied up, and threatened their throats would be cut if they didnt hand over cash. The Creeds told gardai the raiders were armed with a butchers knife, a screwdriver, sticks, and iron bars. They asked for money and they said they knew we had three pensions and a lot of land, Willie Creed told gardai. They told us they would cut our throats. One of them said hed cut off my hands. The trial continues before Judge John Hannan. THE Public Accounts Committee has said it is not satisfied that the substantive matters raised at the University of Limerick have been dealt with adequately. The committee published a 64-page report this week, following the scrutiny of spending funding across the third-level sector. Representatives of UL appeared before the PAC twice this year, including two successive presidents, Professor Don Barry and Dr Desmond Fitzgerald, who has called for a much wider review of a series of allegations damaging UL. The review will focus on, amongst other issues, the treatment of two women in ULs finance department who remain suspended for two years on full pay. A third woman in the same department also brought her issues to the PAC in 2012. The PAC said the treatment of those who made protected disclosures in relation to a number matters at UL, but predominantly in the area of finances, has not been appropriate. The committee became aware of three protected disclosures in relation to financial matters at UL, particularly in relation to the processing, approval and payment of expense claims. The matters also refer to bullying and a hostile and potentially damaging work environment, it noted. The committee remains deeply concerned that the infrastructure in place in third-level colleges may not be sufficiently strong or established to support those who make protected disclosures, it states. A report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority into matters at UL made 15 recommendations, 12 of which have been implemented. Meanwhile, Dr Richard Thorn, former president of Sligo Institute of Technology, is leading the new review into allegations of misconduct at UL. More than 20 submissions have been received, and a report is due by September. Among the issues flagged are substantial severance packages not sanctioned by the Department of Education. The PAC noted that the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) identified three severance payment cases in UL totalling 635,000 with an average value of 212,000 per case. The PAC said that members of staff whose employment with a public body has been terminated by means of a severance payment should not be re-engaged on contract or by any other arrangement. In exceptional circumstances where it is being considered, Departmental and/or Higher Education Authority approval should be required. The report also states UL was non-compliant in 23 cases of procurement to the value of 888,492, while payments to those on sabbatical leave was also highlighted as a major issue. UL amended its policy of sabbatical expenses payments after the C&AG pointed out that they may not be in compliance with Revenue rules. UL undertook a full review which resulted in a revised sabbatical policy and a voluntary disclosure to Revenue. The eventual settlement to Revenue amounted to 184,926 which included interest of 22,819. The committee said it is concerned that this issue may not be confined to UL and it is quite possible that other third-level institutions may not be fully tax compliant in regard to their sabbatical leave arrangements. Accounts held from private sources by UL, under the UL Foundation, were the second highest in the State, at 15.5m, behind NUIG, which holds 57.6m. In the cases of all third-level institutions these donations were not consolidated with the accounts. It also addressed the timeliness by institutions in the reporting of their financial accounts, with 12 months having elapsed between ULs accounting year end and certification by the C&AG. The committee acknowledged the support of the new president, Dr Fitzgerald, for the impending review into governance, HR and financial practices and procedures at UL. EX-PATS living in Australia, USA, Canada plan their holidays around the Kilteely-Dromkeen festival and they wont be disappointed. The organising committee have five jam-packed days from this Thursday, July 13, to Monday, July 17. It has gone from strength to strength and is getting better year after year. We look forward to our exiles returning home. They contact us in January for the dates, said Valerie Greene, one of the committee. It commences with a commemoration walk and historical talk to mark the 150th anniversary of the Fenian Rising (1867-2017) this Thursday, July 13. It will focus on the activities in Kilteely during that period and those involved. A walk goes from Ballyvistea Creamery to Kilteely at 7pm, then a historical talk in the hall at 8.15pm. Friday night kicks off with an adult and childrens fancy dress parade at 7pm. A junior lip sync battle is at 7.30pm; bingo in Cill Bhride at 8.30pm; junior dodge ball at 8.45pm; rambling house in Aherns at 9.30pm and music in Hanleys at 10pm. Saturday starts at 10.30am with a juvenile GAA tournament;1.45pm - juvenile and adult tag rugby in the GAA gield; 5pm dog show at the back of Kilteely NS and 8pm adult lip sync battle. All contestants have been busy for the past few weeks and Valerie promises a hilarious evening. Sunday dawns with a funfair at 1pm and then the soapbox derby at 3.30pm. Over 1,500 are expected to watch the thrills and spills. Elvis is arriving at 7.30pm and the mayoral election is at 9.30pm. Eimear Dalaigh, Sean OGrady, Cedric Laffan and Philip Gleeson are all winners, said Valerie. Then on Monday it is the skittles final. Phew! SHANNON Airport has said that it is disappointed after United Airlines announced the suspension of its Shannon to New York this winter. United currently operates daily flights from the Shannonside airport to Newark, New Jersey, which is a short distance from New York. And according to the major international carrier, it will suspend its daily service during the upcoming 2017/18 winter season, between November 26 and March 9. This is in response to a seasonal reduction in market demand. A spokesperson for Shannon Airport said: We are disappointed by Uniteds decision to reduce its Shannon/New York service for the winter period. United have operated services at Shannon since 1999 and are a core and valued customer. We remain very committed to working with them and our other airline partners to continue to provide services and access to key markets. Maximising the potential for Shannon will continue to be a priority. United Airlines decision means that Norwegian Air International will be the only New York-bound flight coming from Shannon Airport, for the January to March period. Norwegian Air International, which was launched in recent weeks, will provide additional transatlantic capacity this year of 40,000 seats, with 80,000 across 2018 when the flights operate year round for the first time. This will bring transatlantic capacity at Shannon next year to over 550,000 seats. A BIKER shot a member of a rival motorcycle club dead over a territorial dispute in Limerick, a prosecuting barrister told a murder trial jury. Alan McNamara, 50, of Mountfune, Murroe, Co Limerick has pleaded not guilty to murdering Andrew ODonoghue, 51, in Murroe, Co Limerick on June 20, 2015. His stepson, Robert Cusack, 28, is charged with impeding Mr McNamara's apprehension knowing or believing him to have committed a serious offence. Mr Cusack has also pleaded not guilty and both men are being tried together at the Central Criminal Court. Opening the trial Michael Delaney SC for the prosecution told the jury that they will hear evidence that Mr O'Donoghue, a retired carpenter, was a member of the Road Tramps motorcycle club which is based at Mountfune. The accused man, Alan McNamara, left the Road Tramps in the 2000s and later became a member of the Caballeros motorcycle club, based in Limerick City. Counsel told the jury they would hear evidence that the shooting was linked to a territorial dispute between the two clubs. On Friday June 19, 2015 Mr McNamara and his wife went to the village of Doon in Limerick by bike where they went to Kelly's Pub. Mr McNamara was wearing the colours of the Caballeros, which consisted of a badge or emblem worn on the back of a black sleeveless jacket. This, Mr Delaney said, was a "provocative act" as Doon is in the Road Tramps' area. When word got out, three members of the Road Tramps went to Doon to confront Mr McNamara and at about 8.20pm, as Mr McNamara emerged from the pub, he was set upon by two of these men. His colours were forceably removed, leaving Mr McNamara "very vexed" at the insult to him and his club. Mr Delaney told the jurors: "This formed the backdrop to the fatal shooting of Mr O'Donoghue." Giving evidence Seamus Duggan told Mr Delaney that he has been member of the Road Tramps for about five years. He said the club had made alliances with others in Wexford, Waterford and Dublin to keep out big international clubs like the Caballeros, whom he said were only in Ireland a couple of months in June 2015. He said he had heard of Mr McNamara, who was known as 'Cookie,' but he had not met him before Friday June 19. On that day he received a phone call from another club member who said that Cookie was in a pub in Doon wearing Caballero colours. He said he and two other Road Tramps went to Doon to find out if it was true. Doon, Murroe and Cappawhite are Road Tramps' areas while Limerick City belongs to the Caballeros, he explained. "We wouldn't go to Limerick City drinking," he added. When the three arrived in Doon they saw Mr McNamara coming out of the pub. One of them told Mr McNamara to take off his colours. "He didn't, so they manhandled him," he told the court, adding: "They removed his waistcoat from him." Mr Duggan said he held the accused man's wife back. Mr Duggan and the two other Road Tramps then left in one car. As they pulled away, he said Mr McNamara threw his helmet at the side of the car and shouted, "You're dead," at one of them. The following day Mr Duggan was in Doon when he saw a man he knew to be a member of the Caballeros pass him in a car. There were two or three others in the car but he didn't know them. He said: "I jumped in to my van and took off as fast as I could because I knew they were following me when I saw them do a u-turn." He said he drove at speeds up to 100mph as he tried to get away from his pursuers. Mr Duggan will continue his evidence tomorrow. Mr Delaney had previously told the jury that Mr Duggan decided to go to the Road Tramps clubhouse where he would be met by other members of the club. They planned on letting him in the heavy gate of the club. The deceased, he said, was at the clubhouse waiting, going in and out the gate and looking down the road, when Mr McNamara arrived carrying a sawn-off double barrel shotgun and coming from the direction of his own home, 1.5km in the opposite direction. As Mr McNamara ran towards the gate Mr O'Donoghue tried to close it. Counsel said there would be evidence Mr McNamara then shot Mr O'Donoghue once in the head at point blank range. Mr Delaney said the accused man tried to reload while a member of the Road Tramps closed the gate and Mr O'Donoghue lay fatally wounded on the ground. Mr Delaney said there would be evidence that Mr Cusack took the shotgun from his father. The weapon was later found in a wooded area. The trial continues on Friday in front of Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. A PARALYSED woman has been left heartbroken as plans to build her dream home in county Limerick have been refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanala. Patricia Ingle, 28, received an award of 10.6m from the High Court in a personal injuries case, after she was left paralysed and brain damaged after contracting a rare disease. Ms Ingle spent over 1,000 days in hospital when she suddenly fell ill in 2008, allegedly after working in a pet store in Limerick, which she had hoped would be the start of her career working with animals. It was alleged that she contracted the disease as a result of inhaling dust from the faeces of parrots suffering from chlamydia psittacosis - an airborne infection which can be transmitted from birds to humans while working in the Petmania store on the Ennis Road in Limerick. A single objection was lodged against the plans to build a home for Ms Ingle, given her unique and self-evident needs, at Five Cross Road, Farnane, Murroe. Her family said that they had examined between 50 and 60 potential sites for a purpose-built home for Ms Ingle in recent years, but this site represented the most suitable location for her. Letters of support from the wider community in Murroe were also sent on her behalf. The plans for a six-bedroom home for Ms Ingle and her family on a 3.7 hectare site were granted planning permission by Limerick City and County Council in November last, but appealed to An Bord Pleanala by a sole objector. It is just devastating news for us all and particularly Patricia after months of anticipation, her mother Annette told the Limerick Leader. She loved that site, and we had all been so very hopeful, as other potential sites had fallen through. She is heartbroken and so are we for her. It is another cruel blow for Patricia. She has gone through an awful lot of disappointment in her life and this is the latest one in a long road. We were not trying to build a hotel its a single storey house and it just feels very unfair for someone who is disabled through no fault of their own, she said. Representatives for the family had appealed to planners that these were truly extraordinary circumstances, and that if passed, this development could positively contribute to her long-term health and well-being. Cork-based CBA Architecture, on behalf of Ms Ingle, urged planners to recognise that Patricias home will be her most important asset. Patricia will spend more time in her home than the average person and this is one of the reasons why this site is suitable for Patricia. It has been advised by medical professionals that Patricia will benefit greatly from this [proposed home] psychologically and this may have a positive knock-on affect physically. We have analysed Patricias existing home and the site is not capable of supporting her needs moving forward. We accept that under normal circumstances one off housing in the countryside has to be discouraged, but we cant emphasise enough that these are truly extraordinary circumstances. Unfortunately our planning policies do not appear to support situations such as Patricias, which are difficult to anticipate and do not comply with the usual requirements. A house catering to her special needs is not catered for in a rural context by any development, stated the architects. They said that she does not desire to live alone in sheltered accommodation, but in a family home, where they can support each other. The owner of the land in Murroe had entered into a contract with Ms Ingle to sell the landholding to her subject to her obtaining permission for a suitable dwelling. One objector stated that the proposed development is in the same field previously found to be unsuitable for housing on two separate occasions by An Bord Pleanala, in February 2000 and in August 2001. The objector also stated in her documentation submitted that there was inadequate site notice, that the planning authority failed to notify her that significant new information and revised plans had been submitted, that urban sprawl should be prevented, and that the site is unsuitable for the proposed development. An Bord Pleanala refused the development on the grounds that it conflicts with the Limerick County Development Plan, that the applicant has not demonstrated that she has a genuine rural housing need, and that the site is not capable of being drained satisfactorily. As a result, they said the development would be prejudicial to public health and would be contrary to proper planning and sustainable development of the area. Nine years on, her family said that she continues to require a mini-industry of health professionals for her 24-hour care. She remains dependent on a ventilator, has to be tube fed, is in a wheelchair, and requires constant care. Her father Pat told the Leader that she requires care 24/7, including a care nurse and a health care assistant, night and day, who could have been facilitated to stay overnight in the proposed new home for Patricia. She has also requires speech therapy, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist and a psychologist. Jul 13, 2017, 8 AM Great Britains July 23 Landmarks Buildings set includes two strips of five se-tenant stamps each. One strip shows the London Aquatic Center, the Library of Birmingham, the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow, the Scottish Parliament, and the Giants Causeway Visito The second strip of five nondenominated first-class stamps in the Landmarks Buildings set pictures the National Assembly for Wales, the Eden Project in St. Austell, the Everyman Theater in Liverpool, IWM (Imperial War Museums) North in Manchester, and the By Denise McCarty Great Britains Royal Mail issued 10 stamps July 13 featuring landmark buildings. In announcing the stamps, Royal Mail said that they celebrate excellence in contemporary architecture and engineering in the United Kingdom and the renaissance in architecture of the past two decades in Britain. The Landmark Buildings stamps are se-tenant (side-by-side) in two strips of five. All the stamps are nondenominated with the inscription 1st, indicating that they pay the first-class domestic letter rate, currently 65 pence. One strip of five pictures the London Aquatics Center, the Library of Birmingham, the SEC (Scottish Exhibition Centre) Armadillo in Glasgow, the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, and the Giants Causeway Visitor Center in Northern Ireland. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Shown on the other strip are the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff, the Eden Project in St. Austell, Liverpools Everyman Theater, IWM (Imperial War Museums) North in Manchester, and the Tate Moderns Switch House in London. Zaha Hadid Architects designed the London Aquatics Center, one of the main venues of the 2012 London Olympics. The Hadid firm said that the concept for the design was inspired by the fluid geometry of water in motion, creating spaces and a surrounding environment in sympathy with the river landscape of the Olympic Park. After the Olympics, the center was transformed into a public facility, reopening in March 2014. Mecanoo, an architectural firm based in the Netherlands, designed the Library of Birmingham. Francine Houben, one of the founders of Mecanoo, called the library a peoples palace, adding that it serves as a center for learning, information and culture that unites people of all ages and backgrounds. At approximately 350,000 square feet, it is the largest public library in the United Kingdom. Sitting at the top of its 10 levels is a rotunda that houses the Shakespeare Memorial Room. The oldest building in the stamp set and the only one that was completed in the last century (1997) is Glasgows SEC Armadillo. Foster and Partners, the British architectural firm that designed this conference center and concert hall, was inspired by the citys shipbuilding heritage, and the buildings unusual shape is based on interlocking ship hulls. The Spanish firm Enric Miralles, Benedetta Tagliabue (EMBT) and the Scottish firm RMJM partnered to design the Scottish Parliament. Miralles, who died in 2000 before the project was completed, wanted the building to reflect the land, which it represents. EMBT describes this concept: Unlike the [Holyrood] palace, which dominates the landscape, the new Scottish Parliament drops literally into the hillside terrain, the lowest part of Arthurs Seat, and appears to sprout from the living stone. Heneghan Peng used a similar concept of blending into the landscape in its design for the Giants Causeway Visitor Center in Antrim, Northern Ireland. In reporting that the visitors center had been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling prize for excellence in architecture, Lucy Townsend of BBC News wrote: From one side it is basalt columns and shiny glass. From the other it is a grassy bank, barely seen at all. The Giants Causeway Visitor Centre is an attempt to balance buildings with the environment. It is meant to look like it has been pulled up from the earth. The basalt columns rise into the air, echoing the famous stones of the Causeway. Founded by Shih-Fu Peng and Roisin Heneghan in New York in 1999, the firm Heneghan Peng now is based in Dublin, Ireland, and Berlin, Germany. Richard Rogers Partnership, now known as Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, created the design for the National Assembly for Wales to reflect the democratic values of openness and participation. While all of the other stamps depict exterior views, the stamp for the assembly, or Senee, shows an interior scene of the Siambr, the circular debating chamber. Tim Smits vision for Eden Project, an ecological park, was realized in an old clay pit in Cornwall through the geodesic domes designed by Grimshaw Architects. One of these domes contains what has been hailed as the worlds largest rainforest in captivity. Architect Nicholas Grimshaw was influenced both by the work of geodesic dome pioneer R. Buckminster Fuller and by the ability of soap bubbles to adapt to any surface they settle on. Eden Project said, Basing the lean-to Biome structures on soap bubbles was a perfect way to build on the uneven and shifting sands of the pit. Liverpools original Everymans Theatre opened in 1964 in a building that had previously served as chapel, concert hall, and a cinema. Approximately 25,000 bricks from the original structure were used in constructing the auditorium for the new theater. It reopened in 2014. The architecture firm Haworth Thompkins received the Stirling prize for the best building of the year for this redevelopment project. The war museum IWM North was the first United Kingdom project of Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind of Studio Libeskind. Studio Libeskind said of the project: The design concept is a globe shattered into fragments and then reassembled. The interlocking of three of these fragments representing earth, air, and water comprise the buildings form. The Earth Shard forms the museum space, signifying the open, earthly realm of conflict and war; the Air Shard serves as a dramatic entry into the museum, with its projected images, observatories and education spaces; and the Water Shard forms the platform for viewing the canal, complete with a restaurant, cafe, deck and performance space. After six years of construction, the Tate Moderns Switch House opened in 2016, adding 60 percent more display space to the modern art museum. Earlier this year, the name of this 10-story extension to Tate Modern was changed to the Blavatik Building. The Swiss firm Herzog and de Meuron designed this building, and was also the architect for the original transformation of the Bankside Power Station into the Tate Modern. The design and advertising agency GBH designed the stamps. International Security Printers printed them by offset. The stamps are square, 35 millimeters by 35mm, and are perforated gauge 14.5 by 14.5. Royal Mails other products for the Landmark Buildings set include first-day covers, 10 postcards reproducing the designs of the stamps, and a presentation pack. The pack, which is presented in the style of architectural plans, includes mint examples of the stamps and text by architectural critic and journalist Rowan Moore. Ordering information is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland. Royal Mails two agencies in the United States are Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557; and the British Stamp Service in North America, 1 Unicover Center, Cheyenne, WY 82008. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. The restaurant and hotel industry lost around 38,000 jobs last month compared to June 2016, the first decline in five-and-a-half years, according to Statistics Korea on Wednesday. The industries employed 2.26 million workers as of last month, down 1.7 percent on-year. A Statistics Korea official said, "This is due to decreased hiring by the industry amid slow private consumption." Small restaurants or coffee shops are a favorite start-up among retired people over 50 and among young entrepreneurs. But according to the Bank of Korea, their average life span is just 3.1 years, which is shorter than for retailers and wholesalers (5.2 years) and repair and other personal services (5.1 years). Despite booming exports, private spending is showing no signs of picking up, resulting in a steep decrease in people opening their own businesses. Some 213,000 people started their own business in February, 127,000 in March, 105,000 in April, 51,000 in May and just 41,000 in June. Statistics Korea said the market is increasingly tight for new ventures. Meanwhile, youth unemployment among people between 15 and 29 years stood at 10.5 percent in June, the lowest since 1999. But the real rate including those who have given up looking for jobs stood at 23.4 percent, the highest level since June 2015. The Seoul Central District Court will wrap up the trial of de facto Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong in August. Presiding Judge Kim Jin-dong said Wednesday that he will summon ex-President Park Geun-hye as a witness next Wednesday and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil the following Wednesday. The court will then hear the final arguments of defense and prosecution on July 28 and 31 to close the trial on Aug. 2, Kim said. Lee's attorneys asked for the sentencing hearing to be delayed by at least a few days. It is customary for defendants accused of offering bribes to be sentenced together with those they are accused of bribing. But Park was only indicted in April because it took her so long to vacate Cheong Wa Dae, while Lee was already indicted in February, so the two are being tried separately. Lee's trial is nearing its end, while Park's is set to run on much longer because of the huge number of charges and witnesses. Inspection to FTZ as his first stop On July 10, at Yangling demonstration zone in Xianyang city, Premier Li spoke highly of the administrative reform in the Shaanxi Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ). The reform allows business owners to remotely apply for business licenses by scanning QR codes through WeChat, and complete construction project applications at one window of the service hall. Premier Li has high expectations from FTZs as they are entrusted with the mission of the countrys reform and opening-up. He inspected Shanghai Pilot FTZ three times in three consecutive years, and made tours to FTZs in Guangdong, Fujian and Henan provinces. Within only three years, the Shanghai FTZ has become a success and its mode has been expanded to 10 more provincial-level areas covering the whole country, with Shaanxi FTZ being one of them. Administrative streamlining, strengthening supervision and improving service are not slogans, but should be fully implemented, said Premier Li. Encouraging farmers to start own business Premier Li inspected a greenhouse at an innovation park at the Yangling Agricultural High-tech Industrial Zone in temperature reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius in Shaanxi province, on July 10. As the first national zone of this kind, Yangling has cultivated and improved agricultural varieties and introduced information technology including agricultural cloud to promote modern agriculture. The high-tech zone also established land banks and encouraged joint stock cooperatives to innovated agricultural development. The integrated development of agriculture and modern technology will change the weak position of agriculture industry, said the Premier during the inspection. Premier Li also urged local government to expand advanced agricultural technology and innovative mechanism to other major agricultural production areas and nationwide. Stressing poverty alleviation On July 10, Premier Li arrived at a village in Shaanxi province to meet villagers who are due to be relocated to better homes. As the village is scheduled for relocation, villagers said they are looking forward to moving into their new houses. In response, Premier Li said he hopes this will improve the quality of their lives. During his talk with the villagers, the Premier urged local governments to make long-term plans on poverty-relief relocation, considering both villagers settlement and employment, as well as the innovative development of original villages. Startup teams help upgrade Chinese manufacturing How many of you have joined in startups and innovation? Premier Li Keqiang asked when he visited Qinchuan Machine Tool Group in Baoji, Shaanxi province. Almost all the workers raised their hands. In the company which produces advanced machine tools and sophisticated equipment, 98 percent of their output is customized and various startup platforms have been set up. Over 700 workers have become internal entrepreneurs. The Premier has found the significance of mass entrepreneurship and innovation to big companies traditional standardized production cannot meet individualized market needs, so big companies must innovate organization, encouraging internal startups. I hope you continue working on core technologies, write a new chapter of Made in China 2025 and promote better growth of our economy, the Premier said, also his wish to Chinese equipment and manufacturing. Im surprised that the Premier knows our life so well How many toilets are there? How long does it take to fetch water? Are you using coal or wood to cook? When the Premier visited a shantytown in Baoji city, he asked about the daily life of two families living there. Im surprised the Premier knows our life so well, a resident in the shantytown said. On July 11, The Premier walked along a bumpy and narrow road and visited the shantytown, which was built in the 1950s and now accommodates 156 households. They will soon move into new apartments. Knowing that the project has financial surplus, he said the money should be invested in follow-up constructions. Shantytown renovation is always one of the top concerns of Premier Li. Under his leadership, 80 million shantytown residents have moved to new apartments in 4 years. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The wife of disgraced ex-San Antonio lawyer Todd Prins, Paula, who went on a $30,000 shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus in the months leading up to the couples bankruptcy filing, will have to actually pay for her new Jimmy Choo shoes. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta on Wednesday refused to allow Paula Prins, 41, to wipe out her bills through bankruptcy. Paula Prins agreed to repay her debt to avoid having her bankruptcy case contested at a trial, according to a court filing. Gargottas ruling comes two weeks after Todd Prins pleaded guilty to wire fraud for fabricating court papers and other documents, forging judges signatures and taking money from his law firms trust account for his own use. Todd Prins, 51, gave up his law license earlier this year. Todd Prins faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced Sept. 18. Martin Seidler, the couples bankruptcy lawyer, didnt respond to a request for comment. The Prinses filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in September. They have reported almost $1.6 million in assets and about $934,000 in liabilities in bankruptcy schedules. Bankruptcy court records show that on the day of the filing, Paula Prins was at Saks Fifth Avenue buying a Gucci handbag and accessories for $3,125, Louboutin pumps for $731 and skinny jeans for $436. The purchases capped a roughly seven-month, $30,000 shopping spree at Saks and Neiman Marcus, where she spent almost $11,000 on Prada, Jimmy Choo and other designer shoes, as well as $6,700 on high-end handbags and accessories all charged to her credit cards. Paula Prins extravagant lifestyle was detailed in a March lawsuit filed by the U.S. trustee overseeing the bankruptcy case. The trustee had filed suit seeking a court order blocking her from getting her debts released. In waiving the release of her debts, Paula Prins did not admit to the trustees allegations. The couple valued their clothing and and accessories at $2,500 in a March filing. The trustee alleged that Paula Prins repeatedly testified falsely to questions about the clothing and accessories she bought last year. A May court filing shows that if the case had gone to trial, Paula Prins was prepared to testify about the values of property set forth in her schedules and her lack of intent to mislead or misstate anything. The couple took a European vacation after they filed for bankruptcy. It later was revealed that Todd Prins spent about $800,000 of $2.4 million in proceeds from an Oct. 4 foreclosure sale his firm conducted without a Houston courts approval. The remaining $1.6 million was later seized by the government. As of part of his plea agreement, Todd Prins forfeited any rights and interest to the $1.6 million. Beautiful Animals By Lawrence Osborne Hogarth. 287 pp. $25 --- The globe-trotter Lawrence Osborne is attuned to the often catastrophic clash of civilizations that a mobile world sets in train. One imagines he might endorse fellow British writer David Goodhart's distinction between the Somewheres and the Anywheres: people rooted profoundly in one place and culture vs. peripatetic, well-educated elites who derive their only real sense of location from one another's company. Osborne is certainly clued up about the blundering of decadent tourists amid more morally grounded locals. His cynical take on Western decay is pitiless, matter-of-fact. Osborne's riveting third novel, "The Forgiven," explored the dire consequences of louche Europeans partying in conservative Morocco. His new novel, "Beautiful Animals," transports us to the Greek island of Hydra, where two young women strike up a somewhat hierarchical friendship while vacationing with their families for the summer. The worldlier of the two, a few years older at 24, Naomi Codrington is the daughter of a wealthy British art dealer who has owned a house on the island since the 1980s. Samantha Haldane is the more naive and therefore (of course) American. When the footloose pair discovers a Syrian refugee, Faoud, washed up on a deserted beach, Naomi is determined to make the young man their summer project. But the altruism of her intention to help him reach mainland Europe rings hollow. She is a mischief-maker and idly attracted to Faoud, who is instinctively leery of non-Greeks bearing gifts. To secure funds to finance a new life in Italy for their pet Syrian, Naomi proposes to facilitate his burglary of her own house. Though Samantha balks at becoming involved, she has fallen under the savvier girl's sway. For the reader, the iffy scheme seems unrelated to Naomi's newfound social conscience, and instead bound up with ambivalent relationships to her father and stepmother. Perhaps needless to say, the plan goes horribly wrong. Osborne is a master at imbuing his text with both dread and inexorability. "Beautiful Animals" positively drips with this-can't-end-well. Unless a novelist assumes the kind of full-on humanitarian perspective that simply isn't this author's bag, the morally thorny European migration crisis is difficult to write about (if we're still calling it a crisis; the steady flow of people trafficked into Southern Europe from Africa and the Middle East seems more like a new normal). Osborne's oblique approach to this subject matter is ideal. Only rarely is the subject addressed directly, as when Naomi's father declares, "You have to wonder whether Europeans are just too stupid to survive now. We don't seem to understand obvious things that are staring us in the face. ... If we keep them out it destroys them; if we let them in it destroys us. Do we have the stomach for that dilemma?" The portrayal of Faoud is sympathetic but unsentimental. Confident, wary and single-minded, the refugee will do what he must survive (always a little chilling). He has his Darwinian wits about him in a way that the Westerners no longer do. When pursued by the "soft officers of European law," Faoud has a natural leg up: "They, after all, cared about their lives: it was a tremendous, perhaps fatal, disadvantage." He is casually dismissive of Christian culture in Italy: "Their world didn't matter anyway - it was nearly a ruin." In kind, Osborne has a good feel for the contempt many poor locals feel for the wealthy Anywheres on whom they depend for income. The maid at Naomi's summer home observes that the Codringtons "were long asleep, dulled by their sleeping pills and booze. Their snores could be heard throughout the house. ... It was a disgusting sound, a sound commensurate with her bestial employers. ... That night they were in full roar, like huge fattened tropical frogs." Osborne is both a consummate stylist and a keen observer. Provincial Italian towns are "defiantly morose." A walk under a midday sun is "the kind of torment that only the affluent unemployed would inflict upon themselves." A certain generation of older Europeans "drank in a way that was now incomprehensible to younger people. For them it was like showering or taking out the dog." (Indeed, Osborne's 2013 nonfiction book, "The Wet and the Dry," addresses different attitudes toward alcohol around the globe.) His dialogue can simmer with something close to wisdom: "You think there's unconditional love, but there isn't. The conditions are everything." So let's not mince words. This is a great book. Truly difficult to put down, the novel exerts a sickening pull. Its climax and resolution will not disappoint. The social perspective is sophisticated, smart and uncomfortable, and the story is cracking. Osborne published two novels, in 1986 and 1990, then plunged into nonfiction and journalism, only emerging as a fiction writer again with "The Forgiven" in 2012. Yet comparisons to Graham Greene and Paul Bowles might already qualify as trite. By publishing four novels in the past five years, he seems to be working from a fat, tattered file titled "Human Condition: Notes," and is making up for lost time. Lucky for us, too. --- Shriver's most recent novel is "The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047." Movie directors get all the credit. But what of the many film-industry workers who toil away behind the scenes, creating memorable cinematic worlds? Documentarian Daniel Raim certainly deserves accolades for rescuing two unsung Hollywood heroes from obscurity in "Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story." Chances are you've never heard of its subjects -- storyboard artist and production designer Harold Michelson and his film-researcher wife, Lillian -- even though they worked on some big movies, including "The Birds," "The Apartment," "Scarface," "Spaceballs" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," to name just a few. Also listed among their impressive accomplishments is a marriage that lasted 60 years. Their contributions are everywhere. As "Spaceballs" director Mel Brooks explains, those ridiculous spherical helmets -- among other "little goodies" from the film -- were all Harold's idea. Old storyboard drawings also reveal that it was Harold who came up with the famous shot in "The Graduate" that framed Dustin Hoffman beneath a close-up of Ann Bancroft's bent knee. Lillian, meanwhile, was insatiably curious, almost traveling to South America with a drug kingpin to research "Scarface" -- before Harold talked her out of it. Her research library, which moved locations a few times, was a hot spot where Tom Waits and other boldfaced names liked to hang out. The film is filled with delightful historical tidbits, such as the story about Harold visiting Dalton Trumbo, sketching beside the bathtub where the screenwriter was known to soak and type. But the film's subjects are just as engaging. Lillian, an orphan, was surprisingly progressive for someone born in 1928. When Harold asked her to take a train from Florida and move to Los Angeles to marry him, she suggested that they live together first, to make sure they really liked each other. Harold talked her out of that, too. The movie works both as a heartwarming celebration of two extremely likable people and as an illuminating glimpse behind the curtain at the contribution of storyboard artists. When Harold's sketches for "The Ten Commandments," for instance, are compared to the film's finished scenes, the similarities are unmistakable. In a sweetly appropriate flourish, much of the story -- told by Harold (who died in 2007) and Lillian themselves -- is rendered as animated drawings, some of which are accompanied by actors reading letters and poems the couple exchanged: "I love you so much I can't even draw right," Harold wrote in one. "Harold and Lillian" won't break any cinematic ground. The story it tells is conventional, chronological and straightforward. And that's enough. With a story this charming, who needs bells and whistles? - Three stars. Unrated. Contains nothing objectionable. 100 minutes. Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. Photographer Elsa Dorfman is known for her large-format Polaroid portraits, created on 20-by-24-inch instant film, using one of the five cameras originally built by the company, which stopped making the specialized film after it went bankrupt in 2008. Dorfman stockpiled as much of it as she could get her hands on, but as it ran out, the artist, now 80, decided to retire a couple of years ago. Directed by the idiosyncratic documentarian Errol Morris ("The Unknown Known"), "The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography" is a love letter to Dorfman, who is also the filmmaker's friend. Both are based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Morris and his family have sat for Dorfman's camera many times over the years. Now it's her turn in front of the lens. "B-Side" is structured, for the most part, as a conversation between Morris and Dorfman, who is shown pulling out one giant print after another from storage cabinets as she talks about the subjects (including the late writer Allen Ginsberg and other literary luminaries) and her working methods. Typically, Dorfman offers clients a selection of two shots; one print goes to the customer, and she keeps the reject (or B-side) - which is often, as it turns out, the more intriguing of the two images. Along the way, she stops to muse on the ephemerality of life: Ginsberg's death, Dorfman's advanced age, the demise of Polaroid and the fact that her once-vibrant prints are now starting to fade all underscore a single theme - one that's echoed in the still unresolved question of what will become of Dorfman's archive after she's gone. Though her work is owned by several museums, including Harvard University's Fogg Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, no institution or patron has yet come forward to rescue her archive from encroaching oblivion. The most interesting parts of this conversation come when Dorfman talks about the art of portraiture. "I'm really interested in the surfaces of people," she says, in a departure from what many other portrait artists say about getting beneath a subject's skin. "I'm totally not interested in capturing their souls." Dorfman, who makes for a lively and loquacious subject, is equally contrarian about the putative "truth" of photography, insisting that it's precisely the artifice - or falsehood - of portraiture that fascinates her. As rare and highly specialized as her instrument is, Dorfman likens the 20-by-24-inch camera to a crude tool. It's the "spoon" with which one eats, she says, not the "soup" (i.e., the art) itself. In another metaphor, Dorfman compares photography to a hammer attempting to "nail down the now." In a film that ultimately becomes a provocative meditation on impermanence, the artist laughs at the futility of that effort. "The now," she says, "is constantly racing beyond you." - - - Three stars. Rated R. Contains graphic nudity and brief strong language. 76 minutes. Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. There are over 55 lakh eligible voters in the state, for whom 7,881 polling stations have been set up. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Laredo Community College is proposing $429,056 in step increases to employees' salaries despite facing a $2.1 million budget shortfall. At LCC's regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening, trustees received a brief budget update. Nora Stewart, LCC chief financial officer, said the college is not proposing to increase student tuition and fees or the property tax rate to help balance the budget. LCC said the shortfall was caused in part by the passage of Senate Bill 1, the state's two-year budget, which will decrease the college's funding by 2 percent, or $193,000. READ MORE: 25 restaurants in Laredo earned perfect health inspection scores for May Originally, LCC's budget committee projected a 6 percent decrease in state funding. Since early March, the committee has been working on the budget. In May, the college was facing a $4.7 million shortfall but was able to reduce it after reviewing equipment line items, or items required for instructional program enhancement. LCC was able to reduce these line items by about $1.9 million. RELATED: 20-year-old driver indicted in Uvalde church bus crash that killed 13 To present a balanced budget, the budget committee will request approval next month to use about $1.8 million in savings accrued during 2016-17 before it goes into the operating fund balance. Administration is expecting about $2.4 million in savings. A bulk of it came from not filling vacant positions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former Webb County justice of the peace was among those critically injured Wednesday in a Laredo-area vehicle crash that also left one dead. Former Precinct 2, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Ricardo Rangel and Roberto Perez, 25, of Rio Bravo, were airlifted to San Antonio-area hospitals following a three-vehicle collision reported at about 7:50 a.m. near Cotulla, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Rangel, 50, was the passenger of a 2006 Ford Ranger driven by Perez. Perez was airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio. State authorities said both sustained "major injuries." A resident of San Juan, Texas, identified as Noe Alex Moreno, 24, died at the scene. He was the driver of a 2013 Chevrolet Impala. READ MORE: 2 dead, 1 in critical condition after single-vehicle crash in north Laredo DPS said the crash occurred 11 miles south of Cotulla on Interstate 35. A preliminary investigation revealed the Impala was traveling south on I-35 while the Ranger and a 2007 Freightliner semi-trailer were heading north on the freeway. "The Chevrolet Impala veered off into the center median and into the northbound lanes. The ... Impala collided with the semi-trailer (and) then was hit by the Ford Ranger," said DPS Sgt. Conrad J. Hein. "The Ford Ranger caught fire. Troopers continue to investigate the crash. RELATED: Failure to control speed may have caused north Laredo crash that killed 2, injured 1, police say News of Rangel being involved in the crash spread on social media. Facebook users uploaded a photo of him and tagged his relatives. In the posts, many shared links with information about the crash and asked the community to keep Rangel in their prayers. "Family and friends, I want to thank everybody for their support. This (is) just an update on my father. He is very hurt. I ask for each and one of (you) to keep him in your prayers ... God bless and thank you," Ricardo Rangel Jr. posted on Facebook on Wednesday evening. Failure to control speed may have caused a single-vehicle crash in north Laredo that killed two locals and critically injured a third one, Laredo police said. Authorities identified the deceased as Orlando De la Cruz, 24, and Juan Mateo Herrera Jr., 25. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The city of Laredo was stunned Wednesday morning by a pair of crashes in the area that killed three and left three more critically injured. Two Laredoans, Orlando De la Cruz, 24, and Juan Mateo Herrera Jr., 25, were killed in the first of the two crashes, which happened in north Laredo around 1 a.m. Chanute Trevor Reaves, 38, of Humble, was airlifted to the San Antonio Military Medical Center due to the severe injuries he sustained in the crash, according to police. In a separate crash that killed Noe Alex Moreno, 24, of San Juan, Texas, a former Webb County justice and another man were critically injured. That crash occurred around 8 a.m. near Cotulla. READ MORE: Failure to control speed may have caused north Laredo crash that killed 2, injured 1, police say People on social media came in droves to offer their support for all of the victims involved in Wednesday's tragedies. "Juan Matheo, Orlando de la Cruz, Bobert Batey and DJ Heavy ALL IN ONE WEEK," one person posted to Facebook. "Too many young lives lost...RIP #rip #allinthemusicscene #tooyoung" Click through the gallery above to see the prayers and condolences people offered on social media for the victims of the Laredo-area crashes. jray@LMTonline.com courtesy photo Summer Creek High Principal Nolan Correa has been promoted to Humble ISD associate superintendent for support services, according to an announcement from Terry Kraemer, assistant superintendent for high schools, to parents and staff on Wednesday, July 12. Correa will be responsible at Humble Independent School District for building and opening new schools, maintaining and updating established campuses, operating the 42 school cafeterias and providing the school bus transportation services for the 42,000 students within the district. The leader of Britain's Labour Party credited Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., with some of his social democratic campaign planks, telling the writer Naomi Klein that he embraced comparisons with the Vermont senator. "Bernie called me the day after our election here," Jeremy Corbyn said in an interview published Thursday by the Intercept. "I was half asleep watching something on television. And Bernie comes on to say, well done on the campaign, and I was interested in your campaigning ideas. Where did you get them from? And I said, well, you, actually." Five members of Congress who head anti-human-trafficking groups called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday to launch a criminal investigation of Backpage.com after a trove of documents revealed that the website hired a company in the Philippines to lure advertisers and customers seeking sex. Senators Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who lead a subcommittee that has investigated Backpage since 2015, along with Sen. Tom Carper, D-R.I., and Reps. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., and Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., demanded that the Justice Department investigate the classifieds site, after information about the documents was reported by The Washington Post this week. Wagner and Maloney accused Backpage of "knowingly advertising and financially benefiting from participation in sex trafficking." "Backpage.com has long argued that it is a mere third-party platform with no responsibility for the sex trafficking ads that are posted on its website," the congresswomen wrote in a letter to Sessions. "This is an utter lie." The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Portman, found in January that Backpage was removing offensive terms from its sex ads but allowing the ads, some containing possible child trafficking, to remain posted. The committee wrote to Sessions Thursday that it had "determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that violations of law may have occurred." The newly revealed documents, obtained through an unrelated lawsuit, show workers at Avion BPO in the Philippines focused on adding and promoting sexual ads. In some instances the workers used language including "Let a young babe show you the way" and "Little angel seeks daddy" in fake ads they posted on other sites in an effort to attract customers to Backpage. A Backpage attorney did not respond to a request for comment on the letter Thursday. Avion did not respond to requests for comment on the documents. In various court cases, Dallas-based Backpage has contended that it aggressively screens for improper ads and is legally protected by the federal Communications Decency Act, which shields website operators from being held liable for content posted by their users. Backpage has long claimed that it was not involved in the creation of content on its site. The company also has stressed that when police or federal agents request help with a case Backpage is quick to comply. Backpage and some advocates say that having the ads in one location is preferable to having the ads disperse to sites in countries with less enforcement. Wagner and Maloney have also proposed an alteration to the Communications Decency Act, clarifying that the 1996 law "was never intended to provide legal protection to websites that facilitate traffickers" and enabling "vigorous enforcement" under both criminal and civil law for websites with content "relating to sexual exploitation of children or sex trafficking." The bill was introduced in April and now has 30 co-sponsors. It would also allow states to pursue criminal cases and victims to seek civil remedies. The Senate, whose Homeland Security Committee issued a scathing report on Backpage in January, is expected to introduce its own legislation soon. Both bills are certain to face serious opposition from those fearing abuse of the law and First Amendment violations that would inhibit the freedom of the Internet. "I support the Communications Decency Act and the cause of internet freedom," Portman said in a statement Thursday, "but it's clear to me that the CDA was never intended to protect those who knowingly facilitate criminal activity. . .I look forward to the result of the Department of Justice criminal review." The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Backpage is an online classified ad site similar to Craigslist. In 2010, after Craigslist closed its "adult services" section under intense pressure, many of the ads migrated to Backpage. The ads now in Backpage's "dating" section are seen by many as thinly veiled offers of prostitution, and underage women who have been trafficked on the site have come forward in recent years to detail their ordeals. In their letter to the attorney general, Wagner and Maloney urged Sessions to go after Backpage under an existing criminal law banning sex trafficking of children. "We see no reason," the congresswomen wrote, "why a criminal case should not be brought against Backpage.com for its criminal role in sex trafficking in America." Backpage has said that it uses both automated filters and human moderators to remove ads potentially involving trafficking of minors and other illegal activity. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - Christopher A. Wray, President Trump's nominee to head the FBI, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that if the president improperly pressured him to drop an investigation, he would first try to talk him out of it - and if that failed, resign. He testified during his confirmation hearing that no one has asked him for a loyalty oath as part of his nomination, adding, "And I sure as heck didn't offer one." Wray, a low-key former senior Justice Department official, was nominated after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James B. Comey in May amid a bureau investigation of potential coordination between Trump associates and the Kremlin to interfere in last year's presidential election. Comey's dismissal hung over the proceedings, as a number of lawmakers said they wanted to avoid a repeat of the controversial firing. The former FBI director has testified that the president asked him for his "loyalty" and suggested that he drop an investigation of former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn. The issue of the FBI's independence took on even more significance this week in the wake of revelations that Trump's son, son-in-law and then-campaign manager met last year with a Russian lawyer who Donald Trump Jr. believed might offer damaging information about Hillary Clinton, his father's chief Democratic opponent. Wray said he would never allow the bureau's work to be driven by "anything other than the law, the facts and the impartial pursuit of justice." He said: "My loyalty is to the Constitution and the rule of law." Wray's promise to resign before yielding to such pressure appeared to satisfy Republicans and Democrats that he would assert his independence on the job. Asked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat, to commit to alerting the panel if he learned of any "machinations to tamper with" the investigation, Wray said he would consult with officials to ensure he was not jeopardizing the inquiry. "But I would consider an effort to tamper with Director Mueller's investigation unacceptable and inappropriate and would need to be dealt with very sternly indeed," he said, referring to former FBI director Robert S. Mueller II, the special counsel leading the investigation of ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) sought Wray's position on the meeting with the Russian lawyer in June 2016 attended by Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort. Wray did not answer directly. But when asked whether someone like Graham should take such a meeting, Wray responded: "Senator, I think you'd want to consult with some good legal advisers before you do that. . . . I think it would be wise to let the FBI know." In Wray, 50, the president chose an accomplished lawyer with a classic establishment pedigree: a Yale Law School degree, a clerkship for a respected and conservative appellate judge, experience as a federal prosecutor and work at a corporate law firm. Wray's tenure in President George W. Bush's administration, in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, raised questions from Democrats about his role in reviewing policies about the harsh interrogation of detainees that were blessed by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the Bush administration. From 2001 to 2002, Wray worked directly under the deputy attorney general, and from 2003 to 2005, he headed the Justice Department's criminal division. Some Democrats noted that former OLC head John Yoo testified in 2008 that Wray was among the senior Justice Department officials who would have reviewed memos relating to interrogation techniques during Bush's first term. Wray said he did not remember commenting on or approving any memo for Yoo on the subject. "I understand he thinks it's possible he might have," he said. "I can only tell this committee I have no recollection of that, and I think it's the kind of thing I'd remember." Wray said that while he headed the criminal division, the department prosecuted a CIA contractor, David Passaro, who had "gone overboard" in interrogating a detainee in Afghanistan. Passaro was convicted in 2006 by a federal jury in North Carolina. "That was not only an important case in its own right, but sent a message about the criminal division's intolerance for that kind of conduct," Wray said. During the hearing, Graham asked Wray whether he thought, as Trump has said, that the special counsel investigation of Russia led by Mueller is a witch hunt. "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," Wray said. When pressed by Graham, Wray also said that he has "no reason to doubt the conclusions of the intelligence community" that the Russian government interfered in the election with the intent to help Trump win - a finding that the president has cast doubt on. Wray was asked about Comey's handling of the case involving Clinton's emails while she was secretary of state, especially his decision to hold a news conference to announce the conclusion of the investigation. "I can't imagine a situation where, as FBI director, I would be giving a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talking in detail about it," Wray said, noting that department policies restrict such actions. Wray also spoke publicly for the first time about a 2004 incident in which he, along with Comey and other senior officials, was prepared to resign over a Bush administration warrantless surveillance program. Wray said that although he was not privy to the program's classified details, then-Acting Attorney General Comey told him there was an "ongoing dispute over a program that was constitutional and legal in nature." Comey also identified the officials who were prepared to resign over the issue. "Knowing those people, and that they were hardly shrinking violets in the war on terror, there was no hesitation in my standing with them," Wray said. He said he told Comey to let him know if they were about to resign, "and I'll resign with you." Wray said he has had two meetings with Trump and other officials at the White House as part of the nomination process, and went into them "listening very carefully" for any hints of pressure. "If anything had been said that made me remotely uncomfortable, I would not be sitting here today," he said. After several hours of questioning, Wray seemed to have made a positive impression on senators from both parties. "I'm looking around and feeling that you had a good hearing today," said Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who in past confirmation hearings - including that of Attorney General Jeff Sessions - has aggressively questioned nominees. "Best of luck to you." --- Video: Christopher Wray, President Trump's nominee for FBI director, answered questions about his impartiality, independence and views on the Russia investigations before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 12. (Video: Jenny Starrs/Photo: Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) URL http://wapo.st/2tey6Tq This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENVILLE, Miss. - Each day, Perteria Allen walks her grandson through his morning routine - but it doesn't always work perfectly. Sometimes he shoves towels into the toilet until the floor floods. He fights Allen and she has to wait outside until he calms down. He throws his medications. Allen's 21-year-old grandson, Bertrand Andrus, is severely autistic. At 68 years old, Allen says she desperately needs someone to help care for him in her Greenville, Mississippi, home. "It's a lot of work for one person at my age," she said. For nearly eight years, Andrus has been on the state's waiting list for a Medicaid-funded in-home caretaker during the day, a service designed to keep people with intellectual or developmental disabilities out of mental health facilities. Just as her grandson was making it to the front of the line, Allen received a letter from the state Department of Mental Health in April informing her that access to the Medicaid program had gone from slow-moving to a complete stop. Previously, new recipients were added each year; now, someone would have to die or leave Mississippi before Andrus could move up the waiting list. The month before, lawmakers approved statewide budget cuts, reducing the Department of Mental Health's budget by $10 million for fiscal year 2018,which began this month. Though that amounted to about a 4 percent decrease in funding, the cost of providing care is expected to rise in the next year, leading to a total budget hit of $19.7 million, department officials said. The cuts included a cap on spending for new enrollments for the Medicaid-based services that could help Andrus, called Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability (ID/DD) waivers. The reductions were unavoidable amid declining state revenues, said state Sen. Buck Clarke, R, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Funding the Department of Mental Health would mean cutting other critical services, he said. "That's where we're at," Clarke said. "It's hard, it's a tough decision." Advocates worry more states will cut the ID/DD waivers if Congress passes the Republican health-care plan. Both the House and Senate proposals would reduce Medicaid spending by about $800 billion over the next decade compared with current spending plans, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. When funding is limited, ID/DD services often are hard-hit because the federal government does not require states to offer them, said Mary Lee Fay, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services. In addition to in-home care, the program also funds training to help people like Andrusto become more independent, learning simple tasks such as pushing a shopping cart at a grocery store and assisting with orders at a fast-food restaurant. The Republican health-care proposals would fundMedicaid through block grants that lock states into a fixed share of money per enrollee, while allowing some flexibility for states to determine how they'll fund non-mandatory Medicaid programs. If the cost of providing care for those with developmental disabilities increases at a faster pace than the federal dollars available, the ID/DD services are optional pools of spending that states could scale back. The health-care bill is "going to be a huge barrier for states to support people in the future," Fay said. "It's hard to envision how it will work out for the developmentally disabled community." According to the Urban Institute, Mississippi would lose nearly $2 billion in Medicaid funding between 2019 and 2028 under the House American Health Care Act. Through a spokesman, U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., declined to comment on the potential Medicaid cuts. Cochran has previously called the GOP's proposed health-care plan a "work in progress." The office of U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., did not respond to requests for comment. Though ID/DD services aren't federally mandated, the U.S. Department of Justice has sued some states with lengthy waiting lists - including Mississippi - saying a failure to provide adequate services that keep people out of state hospitals is a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. "Unnecessarily forcing people with disabilities to enter institutions to get services constitutes unlawful discrimination," the Justice Department wrote in an August news release about the Mississippi lawsuit, citing a 1999 Supreme Court decision on the issue. Most states have more individuals seeking ID/DD services than they have available slots, according to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation. In 2015, there were more than 428,000 individuals on waiting lists for the services nationwide, with an average wait time of 43 months. After the cuts, Mississippi's waiver services werecapped at 2,515 enrollees and allotted a maximum budget of $28.5 million, according to the Department of Mental Health. Andrusis on a waiting list with more than 1,400 others. Since the Justice Department's 2011 report, Mississippi has expanded funding for community mental health centers to establish mobile crisis response teams, community outreach and youth courts, among other program boosts, said Adam Moore, spokesman for the state Department of Mental Health. Between the 2012 and 2016 fiscal years, 437 people transitioned back to the community from care facilities, according to the department. Those who choose institutionalization aren't immune from the ramifications of budget cuts: The state mental health department has to reduce its workforce by 650 positions, which will impact the state hospitals as well. Will Dunn, who has Prader-Willi syndrome - a genetic condition that causes cognitive disabilities and behavioral problems - moved from Illinois in the early 1990s to live in a North Mississippi Regional Center group home after he graduated high school. The facility is among the state-run mental health programs that was frozen under the state budget cuts. Dunn's parents, William and Carol Dunn, are in their 70s and say they wouldn't be able to care for Will, now 42 years old, without the program. "It would be very disruptive to him now to have anything change," William Dunn said. For Allen, she said she and Andrusjust have to wait. In the meantime, she continues trying to give her grandson new experiences, even accompanying him to his school's prom in April. "I want him to have his own life," Allen said. "I know he can have his own life." A Prince George's County grand jury indicted a Maryland man on one count of murder in the stabbing of a Bowie State University student that is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The indictment, issued Thursday against Sean Urbanski, 22, comes nearly two months after Richard Collins III was killed visiting the University of Maryland campus in College Park. Local and federal law enforcement said they are still sifting through evidence to decide whether Urbanski should also be charged with a hate crime - a determination expected in the coming weeks. "Developing a motive is always a challenging . . . and in this case and every other case, we can't get it wrong," Angela Alsobrooks, the state's attorney for the county, said in announcing the murder charge Thursday. Collins was visiting two friends at U-Md. on May 20 when Urbanski approachedthem at a bus stop around 3 a.m., police said. Urbanski told Collins to move, police said, and Collins refused. Urbanski, who is white, then pulled a knife and stabbed Collins, an African American, in a "totally unprovoked" attack, police said. Urbanski fled but was later found near the scene of the stabbing with a folding knife in his pocket, police said. The incident was captured on video, prosecutors said. "He was simply standing with friends when, completely unprovoked, he was repeatedly stabbed at the bus stop," Alsobrooks said. Collins's slaying came during what should have been a time of celebration for the young man, who was to graduate from Bowie State days later and had recently been commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. Urbanski's attorney, who did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, said previously that drugs and alcohol may have played a role in the incident. The possibility of drugs and alcohol in Urbanski's system are "still aspects of our investigation that we're not prepared to discuss," Alsobrooks said. When reached Thursday, a spokesman for the Collins family said they would not be commenting on the indictment. If Urbanski is convicted, Alsobrooks said her office would seek the maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Collins's killing drew national attention and outcry. Urbanski's association with a Facebook group that is called "Alt-Reich: Nation" stoked concerns of a possible hate crime amid heightened racial tensions at the University of Maryland and at other colleges across the country. Authorities said the group posted racist and inflammatory material, but one of the site's creators told the media that the page was intended to be satire. In response to Collins's slaying, the University of Maryland announced a number of initiatives intended to review how the college investigates, reports and prevents hate crimes. Initially, authorities said it didn't appear that the stabbing was racially motivated, but they later enlisted the FBI's help after finding Urbanski's link to the social media page. Alsobrooks said law enforcement officials still have "quite a bit of evidence to go through" as they determine possible hate-crime charges. Urbanski had "multiple digital devices" that will take time to analyze, she said. If authorities determine that Collins's killing was racially motivated, prosecutors can request a superseding indictment from the grand jury to charge Urbanski with a hate crime. "Because we appreciate and respect that this family deserves to know as best we can why this happened to their son, it's important for us to get it right," Alsobrooks said. "The 'why' is something we all want to know." The awkward relationship between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron that began with a white-knuckle handshake and the U.S. president's repudiation of the Paris climate accords gets a chance for a reset with Trump's two-day visit to France. For Trump, a businessman who first rose to prominence with a book celebrating deal-making, the meeting with the new French president offers an opportunity for the type of face-to-face transactional diplomacy he relishes. The occasion, the annual Bastille Day parade down the Champs Elysees and the 100th anniversary of the U.S. intervention in World War I, also allows Trump a majestic moment in a European capital with minimal risk of a hostile reception. Even so, controversy over his son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer will follow him across the Atlantic. A news conference in Paris set for Thursday will be his first since the meeting's disclosure. For Macron, a political novice eager to demonstrate international credibility, it's an opportunity to show that he can face up to Trump on issues where they disagree -- climate and trade -- while strengthening their partnership on anti-terrorism and Syria. "Trump's visit is a political coup for Macron who hasn't got much of an international career behind him," said Martin Quencez, Paris-based senior program officer at German Marshall Fund of the U.S. "There's been little opposition to the visit because there's little to gain in marring France's national day or the memory of the U.S. troops in the war. And if Trump doesn't respect protocol or blurts out something like he doesn't believe in climate change, no one will blame Macron. It's win-win." Trump is no more popular in France than elsewhere in Europe -- only 14 percent of the French expressed confidence in him, according to a Pew Research Center poll published in June, compared with 84 percent who expressed confidence in his predecessor Barack Obama. He and Macron began their relationship with an awkward handshake during a photo op at a May 25 NATO summit during which the two leaders, ages 71 and 39 respectively, appeared to literally test each other's strength. Yet the French public backs Macron's decision to host Trump, with 59 percent approving of the invitation, according to an Elabe poll released on the eve of the visit. None of France's major opposition parties or unions have called for protests, though some American expatriate organizations and fringe French groups are planning minor rallies on the outskirts of the capital. Central Paris is already under lock-down ahead of the parade. Macron is eager to reassert France as a global power, and his invitation to Trump comes on the heels of a similar visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin and a made-for-TV photo-op in which Macron rappelled from a helicopter onto the deck of a French nuclear submarine. The visit -- which will include dinner at the Eiffel Tower -- shows him in the mix of global diplomacy. "Macron is ambitious and wants to position France as a strong leader internationally," said Erik Brattberg, director of the Europe Program and a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. "Standing next to the Russian president and the U.S. president in Paris furthers those goals." Trump arrived in Paris early Thursday morning, his motorcade winding through the city in a route that hugged the Seine and offered the president and first lady views of some the French capital's best known monuments. He began his day meeting U.S. military leaders at the ambassador's residence just blocks from the Elysee Palace, Macron's official residence. The two leaders will focus in their meeting on the turmoil in Syria and the Western coalition fight against Islamic State, according to both White House and Elysee officials who requested anonymity to discuss the meeting before it occurred. During the G-20 summit last weekend, the U.S. announced it had struck a cease-fire agreement to curb violence in southwest Syria. Trump and Macron spoke by phone last month and agreed to carry out joint air strikes should the Syrian regime use chemical weapons again. Trump is not expected to ask the French to step up their troop contributions or defense spending during their meeting, the White House official said. French troops are still in Mali fighting Islamic militants after a 2013 intervention, and the U.S. provides logistical and intelligence support. France was the first European country to join U.S. air attacks on Islamic State in Iraq and then Syria, and French special forces and an artillery unit supported Iraqi troops in their battle for Mosul. The White House also hopes to largely dodge another contentious issue: climate change. While acknowledging the topic may come up when the two leaders meet, the White House official said he didn't expect the president's decision to exit the Paris climate accord to dominate discussion. That tracks with expectations French diplomats set for the meeting. While climate change may come up, "the main objective is to show our strong friendship over the years and that despite differences we remain close allies," Emmanuelle Lachaussee, a spokeswoman for the French embassy, said in an email. Lachausse described the trip as "mainly a symbolic visit" and noted events planned to commemorate U.S.-French joint military efforts, such as visiting the tomb of WWI Supreme Allied Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch. As the invitee of honor, the Army's 1st Infantry Division -- the first U.S. unit to enter France during World War I -- will march at the front of the parade and six General Dynamics F-16s and two Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors will join French fighter jets for an overflight. That pageantry of power against a backdrop of monuments and buildings familiar on both sides of the Atlantic may be the biggest draw for two populist outsiders who were both propelled into office in large part because of their instinctive showmanship. "I do think Macron does -- and both leaders quite frankly understand -- social media and imagery," said Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Whats the future for the Vietnam petroleum market after 2018? VietNamNet Bridge - The Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemicals Complex with capacity of 10 million tons per annum will open in 2018, changing the supply-demand situation of Vietnams petroleum market. The Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemicals Complex with capacity of 10 million tons per annum will open in 2018, changing the supply-demand situation of Vietnams petroleum market. In 2009, Dung Quat Oil Refinery officially became operational with the designed capacity of 6.5 million tons of crude oil per annum, satisfying 30 percent of the domestic demand (it provides 2.746 million tons of petrol and 3.068 million tons of DO).The Nghi Son Complex has designed capacity of 10 million tons per annum, and would provide 8.75 million tons of products of different kinds, satisfying 40 percent of domestic demand. (2.307 million tons of petrol and 3.674 million tons of DO).Other condensate plants such as PVOil Phu My, Saigon Petro, Nam Viet Oi and Dong Phuong have the designed capacity of 690,000 tons of petrol per annum. With the predicted economic growth in the next five years, the total demand for petroleum products in 2018-2022 is expected to reach 6.5 million tons of petrol and 8.5 million tons of DO. Meanwhile, Dung Quat and Nghi Son can provide 6 million tons of petrol a year and 7 million tons of DO, satisfying 92 percent and 82 percent, respectively, of domestic demand. This means that Vietnam would still lack 0.8 million tons of petrol and 1.8 million tons of DO a year, which would be fed by imports from regional countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, SK and China. GDC said Vietnam imported 1.12 million tons of petroleum products of different kinds in May 2017 alone, worth $551 million, an increase of 6.9 percent in quantity and 1.5 percent in value compared with the month before. As such, the total import turnover of petroleum products in the first five months of the year reached 5.1 million tons, valued at $2.7 billion, a 4.6 percent decrease in volume, and 30.8 percent increase in value in comparison with the same period last year. The imports in the first five months of the year mostly came from Singapore (2.12 million, worth $1.05 billion, down by 0.6 percent in quantity, but up by 34.8 percent in value), South Korea (1.2 million tons, $728 million, up by 74.6 percent in volume and 111.8 percent in value) and Malaysia (1 million tons, $465 million, down by 33 percent in volume and 14.9 percent in value) To compete with petroleum products from Nghi Son Complex and imports, the Binh Son Refining & Petrochemical Co Ltd (BSR) needs to build up a reasonable business strategy. Not only targeting the domestic market, BSR is considering exporting products to regional countries including Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia. RELATED NEWS Vietnam prepares for opening of petroleum market Vietnam imports petroleum products worth $433m in 2 months Thanh Lich A missing 16-year-old girl who is said to be in grave or immediate danger might have traveled to Houston, according to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Dinuba Police Department. Maria Valencia, who may also go by Maria De La Luz, is described as a Hispanic teen with black hair and brown eyes. She is 5-feet 5-inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy Photo / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Immigration officials on Thursday deported a Salvadoran man whod been arrested in South Texas and who is wanted in his home country on charges he took part in the killing of a federal prosecutor. Border Patrol agents apprehended Carlos Vidal Navarro Montecinos, 22, in 2015 near Mission, according to a news release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Navarro was ordered deported the following year, but his appeal of the removal order wasnt decided until June, according to ICE. The agency would not say why the case took so long or if hed claimed asylum. GALVESTON A Galveston yacht captain caught living a double life under a secret alias was sentenced Wednesday to three years in federal prison, resolving one case but leaving unanswered questions about the mysterious deaths of her husband and baby nearly three decades ago. Cynthia Knox known for years to island residents as Capt. Christina White choked up in court before the sentence was handed down over her use of a dead childs name in an effort to start anew amid investigations in California in the family members deaths. The 53-year-old League City woman mouthed desperate last words to her supporters as she was led away after offering a somber statement framing her arrest as a chance at a clean slate. But prosecutors described the motive in the case as egregious and the background as perhaps even gruesome, citing ties to the two deaths, which together netted a hefty insurance payout. Your Honor, she changed her identity to hide from her relationship to these deaths, and the financial windfall she gained from this should not be ignored, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman said as he argued for a three-year prison term. Knoxs attorney, John T. Floyd III, heartily objected, pointing out there was not a shred of evidence connecting his client to the deaths. Honestly, I was disgusted by their attempts to allude that she had anything to do with the death of her daughter, he said in response to the prosecutions claims. The chain of events that sparked Knoxs transition into the locally beloved Captain Christina started back in November 1988, when her then-husband, Harold Skeeter Lyerla, was found brutally stabbed to death in the couples Lompoc home, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The following year, a landscaping contractor named Victor Parea was convicted of first-degree murder in the slaying and sentenced to 56 years in prison. But the investigator in the case remained convinced that Knox and another man her lover, John Litchfield were somehow involved. For years, Parea maintained that hed been set up, but in a 2012 parole hearing he claimed that Litchfield had paid him $4,000 for the slaying. Prosecutors said Wednesday that theres evidence Litchfield forked over at least $2,000. But Litchfield maintains that money was for landscaping work not for murder. Litchfield bought Knox a $12,500 diamond ring and married her on May 6, 1989, just as Pareas murder trial got underway. The pair divorced two months after the trial ended, but apparently stayed together. What happened next is a matter of court record, Goldman told the court. First, Knoxs infant daughter, Kajsa, nearly died from swallowing too much Advil, he said. Then, the infant a beneficiary of her slain fathers life insurance almost died in a bathtub, prosecutors said. Then finally the child died in (Knoxs) sole care in a fishing pond, Goldman said. Lyerlas mother sued Knox and Litchfield in 1992, accusing them of conspiring to kill Lyerla and the baby in order to get $279,000 from his life insurance policy. The case eventually was dismissed after an appeals court ruled that Lyerlas mother did not have legal standing to sue. The same year the civil lawsuit was filed, Knox obtained the birth certificate of a day-old infant named Christina White, who died in 1965, and used that document to establish a new identity. Using the dead babys document, Knox snagged a Social Security number, state ID, a merchant mariners license and transit worker identification credentials, prosecutors said. She even used the fake name to buy a firearm. Slowly, Knox and Litchfield built a new life for themselves. In the mid-1990s, the pair moved to the Galveston area and launched a League City-based cruise business offering yacht charters and dinner cruises out of Kemah and Galveston. Knox worked her way into the community, building a new life as the beloved Captain Christina, a friendly and regular presence in the South Shore Harbor Marina. It was initially thought that her years of deceit caught up with her when she went to renew her mariners license. But officials with the Diplomatic Security Service, a law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State, said Wednesday that her scheme began to unravel when she applied for a passport. Something on the application authorities wont say what ignited suspicion. A Diplomatic Security Service investigation confirmed that the real Christina White was long dead. After searching investigative databases and cross-checking information on the falsified application against other records, authorities connected White to Knox, according to Michael Perkins, special agent-in-charge of the DSS Houston Field Office. Then, agents caught another red flag when they came across old news reports surrounding the 1988 killing. To shore up the evidence that Knox and White were one and the same, DSS asked the U.S. Coast Guard for fingerprint records associated with her mariners license application. And those prints turned out to match older ones taken in California at the time of the Lyerla murder investigation. After uncovering Knoxs hidden identity, authorities swarmed the South Shore Harbor Marina in March 2016 to arrest the party boat captain for identity theft. While prosecutors allege the duplicitous mariner launched her new life to avoid connections to the deaths and the ensuring life insurance payouts Knox has argued the motive was less sinister. I understand your explanation for why you did what you did, to start fresh, Judge George C. Hanks Jr. told her in court. But, respectfully, you just cant do that. Hanks sentenced the former captain to 36 months in prison 12 months for making false statements in a passport application and 24 months for aggravated identity theft. Afterward, shell have a year of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. Knox has the option to file an appeal, but theres still a trail of damage to clean up. In her duties as a party boat captain, Knox sometimes performed marriage ceremonies. Hanks asked whether those marriages would still be legal and Goldman said its not clear. Thats being litigated now. But as the legal system deals with such technicalities, Lyerlas surviving relatives are celebrating. Were overjoyed, his niece, Tamara Pickarts, said Wednesday.Weve been waiting and waiting for this day to come. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Houston Democrat Al Green, the first member of Congress to call for President Donald Trumps impeachment on the House floor, signed his name to a resolution Wednesday to do just that. Green joined a long-shot bid initiated by California Democrat Brad Sherman that accuses Trump of obstructing justice by firing then-FBI Director James Comey over an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. I dont see this as a long shot or a sure shot, Green said in an interview. I see this as the right thing to do. Ive always felt that if Im doing the right thing, my conscience is clear. And I think history will vindicate me regardless of how the House votes. Sherman said in a statement that the article of impeachment in a Republican-led Congress is the first step on a very long road. So far, the only sponsors of the impeachment resolution are Sherman and Green. Democratic leaders generally have distanced themselves from impeachment talk, fearing it could be either premature or politically counterproductive. Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee has called for the House Judiciary Committee to launch an impeachment inquiry but has stopped short so far of calling for impeachment. She also has called on Trump to resign on his own. Greens calls for Trumps impeachment in May were met with racist death threats, prompting protests by black community leaders in Greens defense. Green said his motives are not political. This is not about the right or the left, he said. Its not about Democrats, its about democracy. Its not about Republicans, its about the republic. He suggested that he and others in the House may eventually file additional impeachment resolutions but that, in any case, he is committed to his course. I dont know what the vote will be if I bring this to the floor of the House, he said. But I can assure you of this: There will be one vote for impeachment because I will vote for the resolution. Calls for impeachment have become an increasingly common part of presidential politics since President Bill Clintons various sex scandals, which led to impeachment charges in the House but acquittal in the Senate. His successor, George W. Bush, faced 35 articles of impeachment filed by Democratic U.S. Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler. The House voted to refer the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, but no further action was taken. There also were frequent calls for the impeachment of President Barack Obama, including one by former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But no formal resolutions were filed. The Trump impeachment bid comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on Christopher Wray to replace Comey as FBI director. It also comes amid reports that the presidents son Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign in the belief that she would have damaging information from the Russian government about Democrat Hillary Clinton. But Green said it was Comeys firing and Trumps threatening admonitions to Comey on Twitter that form the basis of the impeachment case against the president. When you combine those things, you have an impeachable act, and for that the president has to answer to Congress, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas lawmakers have been busy this year. The legislature, which met for 140 days stretching from January through May, managed to pass a number of new laws that will have a notable impact for Texans, and some that may be a little more niche. One of the most high profile new regulations concerns texting while driving, which many lawmakers have been attempting to ban for years. On Sept. 1, Texas will become the 47th state to ban the dangerous practice, with a few caveats for mobile phone use. ALL CLEAR: Feds say Texas' voter ID law no longer discriminatory A more niche regulation concerns the carrying of bladed weapons in public. Until this session, people were only allowed to carry a blade of less than 5.5 inches, but now swords, machetes and other weapons are fair game. While the state waits for the legislature to tackle some of the most hot-button issues in special session, take a look at the most impactful laws passed by the legislature this year. On the front page of the San Antonio Express-News on July 2, the article Eateries here go begging for help discussed the difficulty restauranteurs face filling positions, skilled or otherwise. Crosspoint, a transitional services organization, can attest to the fact that a largely untapped pool of workers is available to San Antonio employers. Approximately 7,000 formerly incarcerated men and women return to our community every year from state and federal prisons. The employers who extend them an employment opportunity can take advantage of the work opportunity tax credit to reduce their federal income tax liability by as much as $9,600 per employee hired. Further, they can obtain free fidelity bonding services through the Texas Workforce Commission and the Workforce Development Boards. Last month, one of us, Commissioner Tommy Calvert, spearheaded a Bexar County 2nd Chance Job Fair that introduced more than 100 employers to these formerly incarcerated citizens and the many benefits of hiring them. These citizens face collateral consequences that, while not part of the formal sentence they received, can last long past the time they have completed their debt to society. In Texas, criminal convictions can have a broad range of serious invisible sanctions for the offender, limiting access to employment, housing, voting, education funding, federal assistance, public office and jury service. This is also a problem for fellow citizens because it affects public safety and damages our economy. With 2.3 million citizens incarcerated in prison and jails and approximately 80 million Americans with criminal records in the FBI database, these roadblocks impact a huge segment of society. Felony conviction can lead to automatic revocation of or ineligibility for dozens of federal and state licenses required for various occupations (e.g., barber, auto parts recycler, electrician, elevator inspector). See Chapter 53 of the Texas Occupations Code for details. The EEOC issued guidelines in 2012 stating that blanket discrimination based on criminal record alone is insufficient reason to deny employment. When employers contemplate a background check policy, the EEOC recommends they consider the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction and/or completion of the sentence, and the nature of the job sought to be sure that the exclusion is important for the position. The use of arrest and conviction records to deny employment can be illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it is not relevant to the job. Based on state and national research, employment clearly reduces recidivism, but the impact is directly tied to how quickly employment is procured. According to research by Peter Cove and Lee Bowes of America Works(2015), statewide rates of recidivism range from about 31 to 70 percent, while the rates for those placed in jobs shortly after their release ranged from 3.3 to 8 percent. Crosspoint provides housing, case management, life-skills classes and job-skills training to approximately 700 of these individuals annually, viewing them as highly motivated, workforce-ready job candidates. The Bexar County Reentry Center also provides various services for releasees from both state and federal prison. For more information, call 210-335-8744. It is time to embrace the fact that full restoration of citizenship (including living-wage employment) for the formerly incarcerated makes our communities safer and stronger. Kevin J. Downey, Ph.D, is the CEO of Crosspoint. Tommy Calvert is Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 4. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: July 13 2017 FAA Outlines Concrete Steps to Address Noise Levels. Long Island, NY - July 13, 2017 - On Tuesday, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens), in his capacity as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Quiet Skies Caucus, convened a very productive meeting with representatives from the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) that resulted in the FAA outlining significant action to help local residents struggling with airplane and helicopter noise. Quiet Skies Co-Chair Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D District of Columbia) and Vice-Chair Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) were also in attendance. Im happy to report that communicating at a high level with the FAA resulted in them outlining concrete actions to address this issue. Folks living in Northeast Queens and Nassau County have been suffering for far too long. Im hopeful these actions will move us in the right direction toward giving our residents the relief they desperately need, said Congressman Suozzi. Congressman Suozzi and the other caucus members voiced the concerns of residents to the FAA. The FAA confirmed the following steps: Studying the systemic dispersal of flight patterns to try and alleviate noise levels Conducting several noise initiatives and health surveys to better understand the effects of airplane and helicopter noise levels on residents Creating a central FAA repository where all resident complaints will be stored and organized via the internet Providing enhanced community outreach Local News, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause By Long Island News & PR Published: July 13 2017 Funds raised as part of the July 2016 Give a Heart campaign. Long Island, NY - July 13, 2017 - Long Island McDonalds Restaurants and its customers raised $70,000 for the July 2016 Give a Heart campaign. Due to the overwhelming support of customers supporting our 1st Annual Give A Heart campaign last year, customers can once again donate $1 for a Heart during the month of July. The Heart will be displayed in the McDonalds restaurant. As a thank you, customers will receive a certificate for a Free Small Soft Drink with any purchase. We are touched by the overwhelming support from our customers that was demonstrated by the Long Island Ronald McDonald HouseGive a Heart campaign last year says Luciana Montuoro, Long Island McDonald Marketing & Public Relations Director. We realize that there are so many worthy charities one can donate to, and yet, customers wholeheartedly supported the LI Ronald McDonald House. I take pride in saying that Long Islands best kept secret is the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. It is what I like to call a rock on Long Island, offering some stability for those in times of need, and helping families stay close. Thank you Long Islanders, and others visiting and frequenting our stores, that donated $1 for our Give a Heart campaign last year. You all helped to further the mission of the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island,says Luciana Montuoro. There are 80 McDonalds restaurants in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. For information on Long Island McDonalds programs, and to see how we serve in our communities, visit us at www.LIMcDonalds.com About the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island In November 2001, the Board of Directors at the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island embarked on a $5 million journey to more than double the size of the existing facility. The reason for this project was to help alleviate the pressures the resident managers faced when forced to turn away families in need. The new building, consisting of 24 additional bedrooms along with expanded community areas, has allowed the House to serve approximately one thousand families each year. Keeping families close in the midst of a medical crisis The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is the 100th House of over 350 Ronald McDonald House programs worldwide. Located in New Hyde Park on the campus of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Childrens Medical Center of New York, the House accommodates families in a warm and supportive environment. Through a series of programs and services, families staying at RMH-LI are able to focus on their childs recovery. Officials: Amityville Man Arrested for Public Lewdness After Exposing Himself to 12 Year-Old Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: July 13 2017 The newly re-elected Board of Education trustees took the oath of office for new three-year terms. SCPD have arrested Narciso Chavez of Amityville, 51, for exposing himself to a girl in Copiague earlier this month. Copiague, NY - July 13, 2017 - Suffolk County Police arrested an Suffolk County Police arrested an Amityville , New York man on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at approximately 12:30 p.m. for exposing himself to a girl in Copiague earlier this month. A 12-year-old female was walking on Bayview Avenue near Sunrise Highway when a man exposed himself in a lewd manner on July 3 at approximately noon. Following an investigation, First Squad detectives charged Narciso Chavez, 51, with Public Lewdness 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Chavez will be held at the First Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow at First District Court in Central Islip At a ceremony commemorating a Revolutionary Guard commander recently slain in Iraq, Major General Qassem Soleimani hailed victory in Mosul against the Islamic State on July 10. Addressing the crowd with the flags of the Islamic Republic, Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestine and Iraq draped behind him, the Qods Force chief praised Iraqi actors, as well as Irans material and combat support to Iraq during the war. Soleimani, however, omitted US military support, which has been crucial in the campaign. Answering to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Soleimani is in charge of Tehrans Iraq portfolio. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has called him an official adviser to its government. The Iranian general began his speech by praising Hamid Taghavi and Shaban Nasiri, senior Qods Force commanders who have been killed in Iraq. The commemoration was held for Nasiri, who died in late May west of Mosul. Some of our Iraqi brothers consider themselves the soldiers of the great supreme leader, Soleimani said. Indeed, a number of Iraqi Shiite militias are open about their loyalty to Khamenei and the velayat-e faqih, the Islamic Republics founding ideology. Sardar [honorific title given to generals] Taghavi was a commander, but in order to export a culture, he was a soldier at the front lines. Where in the world does a general grab a rifle and fight ahead of soldiers? Soleimani stressed that this operational procedure had a significant impact on a small number of senior Iranian forces forging relations with foreign militiamen. Soleimani praised Tehrans support of the Iraqi government throughout the war, crediting Khamenei. Irans defense ministry worked triple shifts to produce weapons, and dispatched Sukhoi Su-24s, which were seized from Saddam Hussein during the First Gulf War, as soon as the Iraqi prime minister made the requested, according to Soleimani [note: the delivered warplanes were Su-25s]. He called Abu Mahdi al Muhandis the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) operations commander a living martyr and a mujahid with [a record] of 40 years of resistance who has held the key to the Islamic Republics weapons depots. Working alongside the Revolutionary Guard since the 1980s, Muhandis has been regularly photographed with Soleimani when the Iranian has visited Iraq. Soleimani has once again communicated that Muhandis is his top deputy in Iraq. We are the soldier of Abu Mahdi with honor, and consider this front as righteous and soldiering in it an honor, Soleimani proclaimed. The Iranian general also bequeathed the living-martyr title to Hadi (aka Abu Hassan) al Ameri, the head of the Guard-backed Badr Organization who is also parliamentarian and a senior PMF figure. Soleimani furthermore praised Lebanese Hezbollah for transferring experience to the PMF: I should kiss the hand of the great sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, Soleimani said of the Hezbollah chief, who answers to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Qods Force chief laid out what he considered were the factors for victory in Mosul and, more broadly, achievements against the Islamic State: the Iraqi and Syrian peoples, Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the PMF, the Iraqi armed forces, the Iraqi parliament and Prime Minister Hayder al Abadi. In particular, Soleimani praised Sistanis leadership and guidance throughout the years. He was keen to form a united front with Sistani and the Shiite clergy, who hold significant sway in Iraq particularly among the Shiite community, which is witnessing escalating infighting among its political groups. This pure tree [the PMF] was established following the fatwa of this great [Sistani], and the unity of the Iraq in at this date is rare, he claimed. The blood of Shiite youth spilled to save the Sunni youth, which is valuable and showed that none can divide this nation.all of these are owed to the effects of Ayatollah Sistanis fatwa. Sistanis office clarified that the clerics intention behind the 2014 fatwa to mobilize and drive the Islamic State from the country was for Iraqis to join existing security forces. Former, pro-Tehran prime minister Nouri al Maliki instead formed the PMF, a conglomeration of Iraqi militias dominated by Guard-backed formations. Sistani, nevertheless, blessed the formation of militias tied to Shiite shrines that answer to him; at least one of these militias has accepted direct combat support from the Guard. There are rumors that Sistani may issue another fatwa to disband the PMF. We no longer see the effects of the Baath party in the Iraqi army, and this army is moving toward a national Islamic-national army and a hezbollahi army, he said. Soleimani appeared to be discussing the Iraqi Army, not referring to the armed forces as a whole. At face value, his claim that the Army is becoming more ideological is an exaggeration, as segments of the Army particularly the US-trained Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), who have borne the brunt of the fighting in Mosul have previously fought Guard-backed militias during the Second Gulf War and have acted as an institutional counterweight to Tehran. His statement, however, has a kernel of truth to it. For years, Badr has been infiltrating the Iraqi security forces, to the extent that significant numbers of the Federal Police are Badr members; Badr also controls the Interior Ministry which commands the police. The Guard-backed Badr Organization controls the leadership and manning of the Iraqi Army 5th Division in Diyala province, as covered by Michael Knights at The Washington Institute. Soleimanis statement may suggest plans for the continuation of this strategy in the post-Mosul environment, particularly as the Iraqi Army is rebuilding. The success of this plan, however, is far from clear at this point; the Iraqi army and the CTS have institutional relationships with the United States. Soleimani praised the Iraqi parliament for approving the PMF as an official part of the Iraqi armed forces last year. He echoed Tehrans policy to eliminate US influence in Iraq. Today the Iraqi army is a reliable army and there is no need for any foreign force to impose itself over the Iraqi for the excuse of assistance, and Iraq will not permit the presence of any [foreign] armed forces. Soleimani excoriated the Islamic State as the most divisive force within Islam since the khawarij (the seceders, a sect that broke from the first caliphate and is known for extremism, divisive role in the first fitnah, or sedition, a period of civil war). Those who thought that Iran would kneel have themselves faced horrific events, he said. [See FDDs Long War Journal report: Qassem Soleimani: Islamic State was created to fight Iran] While the Islamic State and the Guard Corps fight each other, they have both benefitted from the cycle of sectarian violence that each has perpetuated. [Iraqs] Shia, Sunni and Kurds have reached the conclusion that they themselves must manage [Iraq] and not permit any foreigner to meddle, he declared. Soleimani and Tehran, of course, have regularly meddled in internal Iraqi politics since 2003, to the extent that the selection of Iraqi prime ministers has required Tehrans sign off. As Iraq faces reconstruction, militant insurgency and provincial and parliamentary elections, Soleimani aspires to continue building enduring alliances in Iraq, particularly with the Shiite clergy, while using the vehicle of the PMF to legitimize proxies and encouraging figures affiliated with the latter to hollow out the Iraqi security forces. All the while, Soleimani seeks to project an image of supporting Iraq and its independence while orchestrating a strategy that may once again prove detrimental to the countrys stability. Amir Toumaj is a independent analyst and contributor to 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. [Editors Note: Below is Thomas Joscelyns testimony before the House Homeland Security Committees Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States. The hearing is titled, The Terrorist Diaspora: After the Fall of the Caliphate. A version with footnotes will also be posted.] Chairman Gallagher, Ranking Member Watson Coleman, and other distinguished Committee Members, thank you for inviting me to testify today concerning foreign fighters and the threat some of them pose to the U.S. and Europe. The fall of Mosul and the likely fall of Raqqa wont be the end of the Islamic State. The group has already reverted to its insurgent roots in some of the areas that have been lost. It also still controls some territory. The Islamic State will continue to function as a guerrilla army, despite suffering significant losses. In May, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) assessed that even though it was losing significant ground, the Islamic State will likely have enough resources and fighters to sustain insurgency operations and plan terrorists [sic] attacks in the region and internationally going forward. Unfortunately, I think ODNIs assessment is accurate for a number of reasons, some of which I outline below. I also discuss some hypothetical scenarios, especially with respect to returning foreign fighters or other supporters already living in Europe or the U.S. Recent history. The Islamic States predecessor quickly recovered from its losses during the American-led surge, capitalizing on the war in Syria and a politically poisonous environment in Iraq to rebound. Indeed, Abu Bakr al Baghdadis organization grew into an international phenomenon by the end of 2014, just three years after the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq was completed. Baghdadis men did this while defying al Qaedas leaders and competing with rival jihadist groups. This recent history should give us pause any time we hear rhetoric that sounds too optimistic about the end of the Islamic States caliphate. The enterprise has had enough resources at its disposal to challenge multiple actors for more than three years. There is no question that the Islamic States finances, senior personnel, and other assets have been hit hard. But it is premature to say its losses amount to a deathblow. Uncertainty regarding size of total membership. While it is no longer at the peak of its power, the Islamic State likely still has thousands of dedicated members. We dont even really know how many members it has Iraq and Syria, let alone around the globe. Previous U.S. estimates almost certainly undercounted the groups ranks. In September 2014, at the beginning of the US-led air campaign, the CIA reportedly estimated that the Islamic State could muster between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters. This figure was more than three times the previous estimates, CNN noted. By December 2016, the U.S. military was estimating that 50,000 Islamic State fighters had been killed. By February 2017, U.S. Special Operations command concluded that more than 60,000 jihadists had perished. Two months later, in April 2017, the Pentagon reportedly estimated that 70,000 Islamic State fighters had been killed. Taken at face value, these figures (beginning with the September 2014 approximation) would suggest that Abu Bakr al Baghdadis enterprise was able to replace its entire force structure more than two times over, while fighting multiple enemies on numerous fronts. This is, of course, highly unlikely. Even with its prolific recruiting campaign, it would be impossible for any cohesive fighting organization, let alone one under the sustained pressure faced by the Islamic State, to train, equip and deploy fighters this quickly. It is far more likely that the U.S. never had a good handle on how many jihadists are in its ranks and the casualty figures are guesstimates. The purpose of citing these figures is not to re-litigate the past, but instead to sound a cautionary alarm regarding the near-future: We likely do not even know how many members the Islamic State has in Iraq and Syria today. The Islamic State is an international organization. Since November 2014, when Abu Bakr al Baghdadi first announced the establishment of provinces around the globe, the Islamic States membership grew outside of Iraq and Syria. This further complicates any effort to estimate its overall size. Some of these provinces were nothing more than small terror networks, while others evolved into capable insurgency organizations in their own right. The Libyan branch of the caliphate temporarily controlled the city of Sirte. Although the jihadists were ejected from their Mediterranean abode by the end of 2016, they still have some forces inside the country. Similarly, Wilayah Khorasan (or Khorasan province), which represents the caliphate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, seized upwards of ten districts in Afghanistan as of early 2016, but has since lost ground. More recently, jihadists in the Philippines seized much of Marawi, hoisting the Islamic States black banner over the city. Wilayah Sinai controls at least some turf, and is able launch spectacular attacks on security forces. It was responsible for downing a Russian airliner in October 2015. Other provinces exist in East Africa, West Africa, Yemen and elsewhere. In May, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) reported that the so-called caliphate is seeking to foster interconnectedness among its global branches and networks, align their efforts to ISISs strategy, and withstand counter-ISIS efforts. Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, has said that Wilayah Khorasan went through an application process and the Islamic State mothership provided it with advice, publicity, and some financial support. Although it is impossible to judge the extent of the Islamic States cohesion, as much of the data is not available, there is at least some connectivity between the groups leadership and its provinces elsewhere. This is best seen on the media side, as the organization is particularly adept at disseminating messages from around the globe in multiple languages, despite some recent hiccups in this regard. While their fortunes may rise or fall at any given time, this global network of Islamic State provinces will remain a formidable problem for the foreseeable future. Not only are they capable of killing large numbers of people in the countries they operate in, this structure also makes tracking international terrorist travel more difficult. For instance, counterterrorism officials have tied plots in Europe to operatives in Libya. This indicates that some of the Islamic States external plotters, who are responsible for targeting the West, are not stationed in Iraq and Syria. The U.S.-led air campaign has disrupted the Islamic States external operations capacity by killing a number of jihadists in this wing of the organization. But others live. The cult of martyrdom has grown. A disturbingly large number of people are willing to kill themselves for the Islamic States cause. The number of suicide bombings claimed by the so-called caliphate dwarfs all other jihadist groups, including al Qaeda. In 2016, for instance, the Islamic State claimed 1,112 martyrdom operations in Iraq and Syria alone. Through the first six months of 2017, the organization claimed another 527 such bombings (nearly three-fourths of them using vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, or VBIEDs) in those two countries. These figures do not include suicide attacks in other nations where Abu Bakr al Baghdadis loyalists are known to operate. To put the Islamic States current martyrdom operations in perspective, consider data published by the Washington Post in 2008. According to the Post, there were just 54 suicide attacks in all of 2001, when al Qaedas martyrs launched the most devastating terrorist airline hijackings in history. The Islamic State currently eclipses that figure every month in Iraq and Syria, averaging 93 suicide bombings per month in 2016 and 88 per month so far in 2017. Many of these operations are carried out by foreign fighters. These suicide bombers have been mainly used to defend Islamic State positions, including the city of Mosul, which was one of the self-declared caliphates two capitals. For instance, half of the martyrdom operations carried out in Iraq and Syria this year (265 of the 527 claimed) took place in the Nineveh province, which is home to Mosul. The martyrs were dispatched with increasing frequency after the campaign to retake the city began in October 2016, with 501 claimed suicide bombings in and around Mosul between then and the end of June 2017. Some caveats are in order. It is impossible to verify the Islamic States figures with any precision. The fog of war makes all reporting spotty and not every suicide bombing attempt is recorded in published accounts. Some of the claimed martyrdom operations likely failed to hit their targets, but were counted by the Islamic State as attacks anyway. The U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces have routinely taken out VBIEDs before drivers could reach their mark. Not all martyrs are truly willing recruits. For instance, the Islamic States figures include numerous children who were pressed into service by Baghdadis goons. Still, even taking into account these caveats, it is reasonable to conclude that the number of people willing to die for the sake of the so-called caliphate is disturbingly high much higher than the number of willing martyrs in 2001 or even much more recently. Even though most of these people have been deployed in war zones, it is possible that more will be used outside of Iraq and Syria if they survive the fight and are able to travel to other countries. The Islamic State has already had some success in instigating would-be recruits to die for its cause in the West after they failed to emigrate to the lands of the caliphate. It is certainly possible that more will be sent into Europe or the U.S. in the future. Children used in suicide attacks, executions and other operations. The Islamic State has a robust program, named Cubs of the Caliphate, for indoctrinating children. It is one of the most disturbing aspects of the organizations operations. Not only does the Islamic States propaganda frequently feature children attending classes, its videos have proudly displayed the jihadists use of children as executioners. Earlier this month, for instance, the groups Wilayah Jazirah disseminated a video entitled, They Left Their Beds Empty. Four children are shown beheading Islamic State captives. The same production is laced with footage of the terrorists responsible for the November 2015 Paris attacks, as well as other plots in Europe. Indeed, the children are made to reenact some of the same execution scenes that the Paris attackers carried out before being deployed. The Islamic States message is clear: A new generation of jihadists is being raised to replace those who have fallen, including those who have already struck inside Europe. The Cubs of the Caliphate program is not confined to Iraq and Syria, but also operates in Afghanistan and elsewhere. This means that numerous children who have been indoctrinated in the Islamic States ways will pose a disturbing challenge for authorities going forward. As I noted above, some have already been used in martyrdom operations in Iraq and Syria. It is possible that others could be used in a similar fashion outside of the groups battlefields, in Europe or the U.S. One purpose behind making children or adults commit heinous acts is to shock their conscience into thinking there is no way back, that they have crossed a threshold and there is no return. There are no easy answers for how to best deal with this problem. Diversity of terrorist plots. There are legitimate concerns about the possibility of well-trained fighters leaving Iraq and Syria for the West now that the Islamic State is losing its grip on some of its most important locales. We saw the damage that a team of Islamic State operatives can do in November 2015, when multiple locations in Paris were assaulted. Trained operatives have had a hand in other plots as well. This concern was succinctly expressed by EUROPOL in a recent report. The number of returnees is expected to rise, if IS [Islamic State], as seems likely, is defeated militarily or collapses. An increasing number of returnees will likely strengthen domestic jihadist movements and consequently magnify the threat they pose to the EU. While a true military defeat will be elusive, the central point stated here has merit, even though the number of arrests of returnees across Europe has recently declined. According to EUROPOL, [a]rrests for travelling to conflict zones for terrorist purposesdecreased: from 141 in 2015 to 77 in 2016. And there was a similar decrease in numbers of arrests of people returning from the conflict zones in Syria and Iraq: from 41 in 2015 to 22 in 2016. However, the overall number of arrests related to jihadist terrorism rose from 687 in 2015 to 718 in 2016, meaning that most of these terror-related arrests do not involve returnees. Still, returnees and the logistical support networks that facilitate travel to Iraq and Syria were prominently represented in court cases tried by EUROPOL member states. As evidenced in the past couple of years, the majority of the verdicts for jihadist terrorism concerned offences related to the conflict in Syria and Iraq, EUROPOL reported in its statistical review for 2016. They involved persons who had prepared to leave for or have returned from the conflict zone, as well as persons who have recruited, indoctrinated, financed or facilitated others to travel to Syria and/or Iraq to join the terrorist groups fighting there. In addition, [i]ndividuals and cells preparing attacks in Europe and beyond were also brought before courts. These data show that while the threat posed by returnees is real, it is just one part of the overall threat picture. The Islamic State has encouraged supporters in the West to lash out in their home countries instead of traveling abroad, directed plots via remote-control guides, and otherwise inspired individuals to act on their own. These tactics often dont require professional terrorists to be dispatched from abroad. The Islamic State has also lowered the bar for what is considered a successful attack, amplifying concepts first espoused by others, especially al Qaeda. A crude knife or machete attack that kills few people is trumpeted as the work of an Islamic State soldier or fighter. On Bastille Day in Nice, France last year, an Islamic State supporter killed more than 80 people simply by running them over with a lorry. Other Islamic State supporters have utilized this simple technique, repeatedly advocated by Abu Bakr al Baghdadis propagandists, as well. However, I would urge caution. While the amateurs or individual actors have become more lethal over time, the risk of professionally-trained jihadists carrying out a mass casualty attack remains distinct. On average, the professionals can still do more damage than their amateur counterparts if they are not stopped beforehand. The threat to aviation demonstrates the point. In October 2015, the Islamic States Wilayah Sinai downed a Russian airliner, killing all 224 people on board. Although the jihadists claim to have used a crude improvised explosive device, the plot required that well-placed personnel implant it at an optimal location within the aircraft. U.S. officials are attempting to stop even more sophisticated devices, built by either the Islamic State or al Qaeda, from being placed on board flights bound for Europe or America. Other professionally-planned attacks could involve bombing commuter trains, Mumbai-style sieges, or multi-pronged assaults. Therefore, if the professionals are able to evade security measures, they could easily kill more people than the average amateur. Counterterrorism services in Europe and the U.S. have stopped a number of professional plots through the years. Some of those foiled in the past year may have been more serious than realized at the time. However, there is a risk that as counterterrorism authorities deal with a large number of individual or amateur plots, the professional terrorists will be able to find another window of opportunity. The various threats posed by the Islamic State have placed great strains on our defenses. The Islamic State could seek to exploit refugee flows once again. The influx of refugees and migrants to Europe from existing and new conflict zones is expected to continue, EUROPOL reported in its review of 2016. The Islamic State has already exploited the flow of refugees and migrants to send individuals to Europe to commit acts of terrorism, which became evident in the 2015 Paris attacks. The so-called caliphate and possibly other jihadist terrorist organizations may continue to do so. While the overwhelming majority of migrants are seeking to better their lives, some will continue to pose a terrorist threat. European nations are dealing with this, in part, by deploying more investigators to migration hotspots in Greece and soon also to Italy. These guest officers will rotate at key points on the external borders of the EU to strengthen security checks on the inward flows of migrants, in order to identify suspected terrorists and criminals, establishing a second line of defense. This makes it imperative that U.S. authorities share intelligence with their European counterparts and receive information in return to better track potential threats. The U.S. has led efforts to disrupt the Islamic States external attack arm and probably has the best intelligence available on its activities. But European nations have vital intelligence as well, and only by combining data can officials get a better sense of the overall picture. Recent setbacks with respect to this intelligence sharing, after details of British investigations were leaked in the American press, are troubling. But we can hope that these relationships have been repaired, or will be soon. It should be noted that would-be jihadists who are already citizens of European countries could have an easier route into the U.S. than migrants fleeing the battlefields. It is much easier for a British citizen to get on a plane headed for the U.S. than for an Islamic State operative posing as a Syrian refugee to enter the U.S. clandestinely through Europe. Given recent events in the UK, and the overall scale of the jihadist threat inside Britain, this makes intelligence sharing on potential terrorists all the more crucial. British officials have said that they are investigating 500 possible plots involving 3,000 people on the top list of suspects at any given time. In addition, 20,000 people have been on the counterterrorism radar for one reason or another and are still considered potentially problematic. Exporting terror know-how. It is possible that more of the Islamic States terrorist inventions will be exported from abroad into Europe or the U.S. As the self-declared caliphate sought to defend its lands, it devised all sorts of new means for waging war. It modified drones with small explosives and built its own small arms, rockets, bombs and the like. Al Qaeda first started to publish ideas for backpack bombs and other IEDs in its online manuals. The Islamic State has done this as well, but we shouldnt be surprised if some of its other inventions migrate out of the war zones. The group could do this by publishing technical details in its propaganda, or in-person, with experienced operatives carrying this knowledge with them. 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. The next person to be appointed will be the thirteenth to hold the role in 12 years and the third in just two months New Delhi : The National Green Tribunal today passed a slew of directions to rejuvenate River Ganga, declaring as 'No-Development Zone' an area of 100 metres from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres from the river. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also declared that an environment compensation of Rs 50,000 will be imposed on anyone who dumps waste in the river. The apex environment watchdog directed all authorities concerned to complete various projects including setting up of a sewage treatment plant and cleaning drains within two years. It also said the Uttar Pradesh government should be "duty-bound" to shift tanneries within six weeks, from Jajmau in Kanpur to leather parks in Unnao or any other place it considers appropriate. The NGT also directed the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of Ganga or its tributaries. The tribunal also appointed a supervisory committee, headed by the secretary of the Water Resources Ministry and comprising IIT professors and officials from UP government to oversee implementation of the directions passed in its 543- page verdict. It also asked the committee to submit reports at regular intervals. PTI The crisis of capitalism has given rise to a mood of questioning and mass movements across the world. From the Spanish Indignados, to the Syntagma Square in Greece, and more recently the Nuit Debout in France, youth are starting to take action and challenge the capitalist system. As part of this general mood, recent years have also seen a number of spontaneous movements erupt against the multiple forms of oppression that different layers of the working class experience under capitalism. Original Article published by Fightback Canada Inspiring movements such as Idle No More, Black Lives Matter, the worldwide demonstrations against violence towards women on March 8, and elements of the anti-Trump movement are just a few recent examples of the increasing desire among workers and youth to fight oppression and discrimination. A prevalent outlook adopted by the leadership of many of these movementsoften members of, or influenced by, the academic leftis that of intersectionality. Therefore it is not surprising that a layer of young people and students who are becoming politicised as part of these movements come to view oppression through this lens. But what does intersectionality mean, is it useful for fighting oppression, and is it compatible with Marxism? Intersectionality is most commonly used to describe the existence of multiple and overlapping forms of oppression which intersect in different configurations for each individual, creating unique experiences and sets of social barriers. The need to be intersectional is a common phrase used in the movement, implying that any given struggle must be inclusive and representative of individuals experiencing overlapping oppressions, as opposed to narrowly focused on one group or form of oppression. Marxists agree that individuals or groups can experience multiple forms of overlapping oppressions simultaneously, and that each configuration presents a unique set of social barriers. From a Marxist standpoint, no one form of oppression can be understood or overcome in isolation, and the struggle against oppression and exploitation must draw in and include all layers of the oppressed. Marxists also firmly oppose discriminatory attitudes and behaviours and argue that these only serve to divide us, preventing the unity of the working class required to achieve emancipation. On the surface, then, it may seem as if Marxism and intersectionality are complementary. However, if we look beneath the surface into the theory underpinning intersectionality, we can see that in its understanding of oppression and how to fight it, it is very different from Marxism. Intersectionality, despite the best intentions of many of its proponents, cannot adequately explain the origins of the varying forms of oppression, and therefore the solutions. It cannot be overemphasized that Marxists fight against all forms of oppression. Critiquing a differing approach to understanding oppression in the movement is not equivalent to disregarding the reality of multiple forms of oppression; on the contrary, because it is our ultimate goal to end all forms of oppression and exploitation once and for all, it is our duty to advance the ideas and methods which the workers and youth need to achieve emancipation. Hiding our differences does not do the movement any good. Intersectionality in Context In order to understand the limitations of intersectionality from a Marxist perspective, we of course have to consider the main tenets of intersectionality itself, and the historical context in which it gained ascendency. The rise of intersectionality coincided with a defeat of the revolutionary waves of the 1960s and 1970s, followed by reaction in the 1980s that culminated with the collapse of the Soviet Union. During the resulting ebb of the class struggle, identity politics gained ascendency. Identity politics, having developed in that particular period, are based on defining people based on personal characteristics (ethnicity, sex, etc) rather than their class or political viewpoint. This has been used by the ruling class to promote the advancement of careerist petty bourgeois elements which are easily incorporated into the capitalist system. Identity politics are used by the labour movement bureaucracy and by the ruling class against the left and class struggle positions within the movement. This increased orientation towards separate axes of identity and oppression was the result of the failure of the labour, social democratic, and Stalinist leadership in leading the workers in the overthrow of capitalism, which could have eradicated the social and economic basis for the various forms of oppression. Stalinism in particular played a treacherous role. While the Russian Revolution of 1917 led by the Bolsheviks under Lenin and Trotsky had made major advances for women, lesbian and gay people, and oppressed nationalities, the degeneration of the Soviet Union under Stalin saw many of these gains clawed back. The isolation and backwardness of the Soviet Union meant that scarcity continued and the Stalinists used all the old divisions and forms of oppression to maintain their power and put a brake on international proletarian revolution. Stalinist policies such as re-criminalizing homosexuality in the Soviet Union, reflected in discriminatory practices in Stalinist Communist parties around the world, understandably repelled many workers and youth living under the burden of oppression from the socialist struggle. Such policies have nothing in common with genuine Marxism and influenced the splintering of the movement into separate axes of struggle, while genuine Marxism stands against all forms of oppression and calls for class unity. Intersectionality, an offshoot of feminism, was actually a reaction against traditional identity politics which tended to cordon off the movement into separate struggles. Black women in particular had been highlighting for decades that the womens movement was largely dominated by white, upper-class women who ignored the reality and needs of black, working class women, and that the anti-racist movement was dominated by black men who often trivialized the oppression of womennot unimportant critiques. However, the ideological foundation of intersectionality rests on post-Marxist theories such as postmodernism and poststructuralism, theories that gained popularity in academic circles precisely in a period of capitalist reaction and the collapse of Stalinism, when the labour and left leadership abandoned even the pretence of struggling for socialism, and came out openly for a more humane capitalism. Whereas radical social and economic transformation was the emphasis in the preceding period, the realm of ideas, thought and language became the target of analysis and change during the ebb in the class struggle that followed. Having lost faith in the working classs ability to radically transform the economic and social foundation of society, the academic left retreated to an emphasis on changing how individuals think. Stemming from this ideological trend, intersectionality emphasizes subjective experience and individual thought, language and behaviour as the lens through which to understand and overcome oppression. This is a profoundly idealistic approach which is based on the idea that in order to change society, you need to change people's views firstor even worse, that by changing discourse you can transform reality. The truth is that the dominant ideology in a class society is that of the ruling class. The ideology of the people who carry out revolutions, the exploited and oppressed masses, is imbued with all the reactionary ideas and prejudices imposed by the ruling class. It is in the course of the struggle to transform society that people (in large numbers) become transformed and change (to a large extent) their points of view. This is very well explained by Marx in The German Ideology: Both for the production on a mass scale of this communist consciousness, and for the success of the cause itself, the alteration of men on a mass scale is, necessary, an alteration which can only take place in a practical movement, a revolution; this revolution is necessary, therefore, not only because the ruling class cannot be overthrown in any other way, but also because the class overthrowing it can only in a revolution succeed in ridding itself of all the muck of ages and become fitted to found society anew. African-American legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw is attributed with coining the term intersectionality in 1989, specifically to describe how the US court system failed to account for compound discrimination that black women experience in the workplace. In her article Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics, Crenshaw cited several court cases in which the court would only consider either claims of sexual discrimination or racial discrimination in the workplace, refusing to acknowledge that black women experience compound discrimination, not just as women or just as black individuals, but as black women. For example, in the case of DeGraffenreid v General Motors, the court dismissed the plaintiffs complaint of sexual and racial discrimination because General Motors had hired white women and black men in the preceding period. There is no argument to be made against the reality that black women and other groups experiencing compound discrimination fall through the cracks in the capitalist legal system. These are structural gaps which pose a real significant barrier for oppressed layers of the working class to achieving a genuine equality of rights. Marxists support legal reforms that allow for an increased ability for workers and oppressed layers of the class to fight for their rights and improve their living conditions. But we must also explain that racism and sexism are rooted in class society and the needs of capitalism which the court system ultimately exists to defend. The class nature of bourgeois justice cannot be reformed out of the court system as long as it rests on a capitalist foundation. So while Crenshaws demand was for the creation of a new designation of a protected minority within the court system for black women, we must stress that this would not fundamentally change the material and social conditions that gives rise to the compound discrimination she aptly highlighted that they experience in the workplace and broader society. While the writings of some intersectional feminists have contributed insightful observations about how compound discrimination is experienced by those living under multiple oppressions and the barriers they face, Marxists explain the need to move beyond observation. An infinite number of categories could be created within the court system to reflect all the possible intersections of oppression, but as Marxists we must pose the question: Why does that oppression occur in the first place, and how can it ultimately be eradicated? Thought and social reality In a TED Talk entitled The Urgency of Intersectionality given in 2016, Crenshaw referred to the failure of the court system to address the double discrimination black women were experiencing in the workplace as a framing problem. The suggestion is that if judges or policy makers had a better frame for understanding oppression and the nature of compound discrimination, individuals or groups experiencing overlapping oppressions wouldnt fall through the cracks. Discriminatory attitudes held by judges which influence their rulings obviously have an impact on the lives of oppressed groups and perpetuate their marginalization. While black men and women experience high rates of police brutality and killings while killer cops enjoy impunity, judges in the US and Canada have repeatedly let white male sexual assault offenders walk free. It is glaringly clear that judges are free to act on their disgusting discriminatory attitudes, and that this works to sustain oppression in society and keep oppressed groups subjugated. But where do these attitudes arise from and how can we rid society of them? The harmful discriminatory attitudes of judges and policy makers reflect the needs of the capitalist system. The capitalist state and its court system exist to uphold the rule and profits of the capitalist class. Under this system, where justice officials are unelected, campaign promises are broken as soon as politicians come to power with no option for recall, and many of the most important decisions are made behind closed doors with unelected officials (i.e. bankers and executives), there is no genuine democracy or accountability. Similarly in the workplace it is very difficult to hold employers to account for discriminatory practices because they control our livelihoods and there is no democratic oversight in capitalist production. While discrimination lawsuits have been hard fought and won, this often involves years in court, astronomical costs, and many other barriers that make this an impossible route for many oppressed workers to pursue, especially considering that the employer can always afford a better legal team and that the justice system is already skewed in their interest. When the bosses do receive penalties, it is often small change to them, while the complainants life has been dragged through the mud. So while attitudes can clearly play a pernicious role in perpetuating oppression, it is the social and economic foundation that these institutions rest on that are the real barrier to overcoming oppression. To put it another way, it is the capitalist nature of the institutions that is the root of the problem, not the attitudes of the officials who hold posts in them. For Marxists, then, it is not fundamentally a problem of framing or how people think about oppression. The notion that thought and language are the dominant forces shaping social reality stems from philosophical idealism, whereas Marxists approach history from a materialist standpoint and argue that it is social reality that shapes thought. We arent born with worked-out worldviews, nor do the ones we develop over time drop from the sky. What we learn and come to believe about the world will be influenced and shaped by the material and social conditions of the historical epoch that we live in and which mode of production lays the basis for how the rest of society is organized. This doesnt mean that every single thought or element of culture is a direct product of the economic base of society, but that the economic base lays the general foundation for the dominant views of any given epoch and sets certain limits on how we think. Of course it is not just individuals in powerful positions who hold and wield discriminatory ideas in their own narrow interest. Every-day working and poor people are socialized with these attitudes as well. The dominant ideas in society are those of the ruling class, which under capitalism is the bourgeoisie. The capitalist class relies on discriminatory attitudes to keep the working class divided on the basis of race and ethnicity, language, sex and gender, religion and many other divisions. These divisions serve multiple functions such as creating a downward pressure on wages and a race to the bottom between competing workers and nations and keeping the majority of exploited and oppressed from uniting against their common oppressor, the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie owns and controls the prime means of disseminating ideas such as the major media and cultural outlets. The ideas of the ruling class are also reproduced through the church, the education system and the family. The content of our thought is shaped by these institutions, which reflect capitalist society. Capitalism forces the working class into a dehumanizing and cut-throat competition that distorts how we relate to ourselves and each other. People are not born inherently greedy or discriminatory, but are raised in an individualistic society that pits us against each other and uses powerful divisive messaging to keep us from uniting. Challenging how we think without changing the material and social conditions that give rise to discriminatory attitudes is therefore a limited approach to fighting oppression. The emphasis on thought and ideas divorced from their social and material origins inevitably results in an individualist subjective understanding of oppression, detracting from the economic structural roots and risking atomizing the movement. In the last analysis, the material base of all social division is scarcity. A society that can provide a good job, a home, and schooling to its citizens will not need to blame an other for the lack of housing, schooling, or employment. Conversely, a society in crisis will see a rise in these attitudes. Marx put it well when he said, When want is generalized, all the old crap revives. Such attitudes cannot be completely eradicated while scarcity persists. Under capitalism, scarcity is entirely artificial, as we have such advanced means of production that we already have more than enough wealth and resources for everyone to have a good standard of living. The problem under this system is that a majority of the wealth is appropriated by a tiny minority and the rest of us are left to fight for crumbs. This is why Marxists call for the expropriation of the the capitalist class, so we can put all of this wealth to use in the interest of the majority and eradicate the material roots of division and oppression. Root of oppression: subjective or objective? In intersectional feminist writings there is often reference to structural oppression, but from an idealist standpoint rather than a Marxist, materialist one. For example, in regards to the multiple and intersecting forms of oppression, bell hooks states that, For me it's like a house, they share the foundation, but the foundation is the ideological beliefs around which notions of domination are constructed. In line with this view Patricia Hill Collins asserts that Empowerment involves rejecting the dimensions of knowledge, whether personal, cultural, or institutional, that perpetuate objectification and dehumanization. Thus, the roots of oppression are seen to be in a societys belief system around superiority and inferiority of different groups and the end to oppression entails rejecting those beliefs. The main limitation with this approach is that is does not explain why and how such beliefs came to exist, and therefore cannot provide a way to eradicate those beliefs on a mass scale. By making how we conceptualize reality the primary target for change, the implication is that oppression is predominantly perpetuated at the individual and interpersonal level. From this standpoint, everyone who isnt experiencing a given form of oppression is complicit in perpetuating it and benefits from it. As there are infinite configurations of overlapping oppressions and dominant characteristics, intersectionality theory posits that we all exist in an infinite web in which we are all simultaneously oppressing and being oppressed by each other. The working class becomes the enemy instead of the ruling capitalist class. While it is obvious that discriminatory and oppressive attitudes and behaviours are carried out by individuals and within interpersonal dynamics (which must be condemned and fought by revolutionaries), these attitudes have social and historical origins and are rooted in the structures of class society. Similarly, what is considered a dominant characteristic that is systemically favoured by society has also developed historically. White supremacy and racism, which are inherently social and structural phenomena, were developed by the ruling classes of colonial European nations to justify colonial conquest and slavery, which the development of capitalism was built upon (read more on the origins of racism here). The oppression of women has not always existed, but emerged with the split of society into classes and the establishment of marriage as an institution meant to control womens sexuality in order to ensure paternity for the purpose of passing down property. Racist and sexist attitudes reflect these material and social processes. While individuals can certainly hold and act on discriminatory attitudes in very harmful ways, these attitudes and actions ultimately only benefit the ruling exploiting class. However, the concept of privilege is often evoked in the movement by proponents of intersectionality to imply that those who are not victim to a particular form of oppression have an interest in maintaining it over others, or actively contribute to it by receiving unearned benefits. Marxists agree that people who are oppressed in multiple and overlapping ways experience greater social barriers and the impacts of compound discriminations. However, what are often described as privileges should in our view be considered human rights that everyone should be equally afforded. We have to abolish the system that stratifies the working class and deprives oppressed layers of these rights, keeping us divided and fighting for scraps under the table of the bankers and bosses. We say, Dont equalize down and create an equality of poverty. Equalize up, and take what we need from the exploiting and oppressing class! The oppression of one group works to sustain the capitalist system which exploits and oppresses all of us in different ways. It is not in any workers interest for the domination and oppression of another group to continue. On the surface it may look like some workers get benefits at the expense of others and therefore benefit from their oppression. For example, it is well known that men get paid more than women all over the world for the same work. However, men dont get paid more because women get paid less or vice versa. There is more than enough wealth for everyone to get a massive pay increase, but a majority of the wealth generated by the workers gets appropriated by the minority ruling class. The capitalist class benefits from underpaying or discriminating against women workers, immigrants, racial and gender minorities, because as previously explained it puts a downward pressure on all wages and forces layers of the working class to be more flexible and available for precarious, part-time work. Marxists actively work to educate the working class that it is not in their interest to oppress and discriminate against each other. It is mostly through the concrete experience of struggle that individuals will become transformed, and their ideas will change accordingly. A so-called privileged worker that perpetuates discriminatory attitudes is actually contributing to pushing their own wages down via low wage competition by more oppressed workers, which sustains the profits of the bosses and the capitalist system that exploits and oppresses all of us. Workers who are not experiencing multiple oppressions have a lot more to lose by perpetuating oppression towards others as it only perpetuates their own exploitation. All workers have the world to win by uniting in the struggle for socialism, which would allow for a massive increase to everyones standard of living. Instead of class solidarity, intersectionality puts forward the concept of allies, suggesting different sectors of the working class and oppressed have different interests and should have their own separate organizations. Marxists argue for a common struggle based on common interests, organized through mass socialist and labour parties and the trade unions that fight against all oppressions inflicted upon the workers, and against class exploitationthat is, fights against the whole capitalist system and all that it upholds. The danger with privilege politics is that it leads to activists trying to convince sectors of the workers that they actually do benefit from oppressing other layers of the working class and therefore have opposing interests from them, instead of explaining how it is in all of our interest to unite against the capitalist class. This plays right into the hands of the capitalists who actively try to perpetuate this myth and who use racism, sexism and other forms of oppression and discrimination to justify it. When privileged and oppressed workers unite against the bosses and demand equal pay and conditions, then the power of that unity allows all sectors to win more from the exploiting class. The oppression and discrimination of some layers of the working class also serves as a convenient scapegoat for the ruling class. When capitalism is in crisis, the ruling class and their representatives in the state blame the impasse on this or that oppressed or marginalized group, trying to pit us against each other. When people are struggling to survive and no genuine left-wing alternative is being presented, these ideas can take hold. This was clearly demonstrated in the US elections: Once Bernie Sanders was removed from the ticket, Donald Trump was able to rise to power by whipping up racist, misogynist and xenophobic sentiments amongst a frustrated layer of workers (notably, only 25 per cent of the population actually voted for him) who saw Hillary Clinton as representing the status quo. Polls have suggested that significant numbers of this layer could be won over to a left-wing platform that attacks the billionaire class instead of scapegoating oppressed groups. Those who voted for Trump were not born inherently oppressive or discriminatory, but were fed these ideas as an explanation for their own poverty and hardship. This is a concrete example of how discriminatory attitudes are rooted in the structures of class society, reinforced by scarcity, poverty and frustration with the capitalist system, especially when the left is unable to provide a genuine alternative. Its not difficult to imagine how much less traction discriminatory ideas would have if everyone was guaranteed a high standard of living with universal access to skills training and post-secondary education, childcare, healthcare, transportation, housing, recreation, culture and so on. It would be difficult to blame any one group for another's suffering when everyone was guaranteed access to the resources and opportunities that lead to a high quality of life. However, this is not possible under capitalism which is based on production for profit instead of human need. A united class struggle is required to unify all layers of the oppressed in the struggle against the capitalist system that exploits and oppresses all of us. Class struggle and the fight against oppression Marxists are against the sectioning off of people on separate axes of oppression and argue for the need for unity. The struggle of any one oppressed group cannot be understood separately from other forms of oppression and the capitalist system that gives rise to them. Yet while proponents of intersectionality argue against sectioning off of people into single-axis issues, the outcome of the subjectivist approach is instead the sectioning off of people according to an infinite number of configurations of compound oppressions and privileges, with no overarching common denominator between them. This is what is suggested by intersectional feminist theorist and scholar Patricia Hill Collins, in her work Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment (1990), when she states that the overarching matrix of domination houses multiple groups, each with varying experiences with penalty and privilege that produce corresponding partial perspectivesNo one group has a clear angle of vision. No one group possesses the theory or methodology that allows it to discover the absolute truth. This outlook is rather pessimistic, leaving us with only our partial subjective realities and nothing to explain the origins of oppression or how to overcome it once and for all. It is a point of view which leads to individualism and self-contemplation rather than collective struggle to transform reality. The world exists concretely outside of our thoughts and feelings. Our understanding of that world is by necessity partial and individual, but it remains a reflection of an objective reality and our ideas about that reality are continuously tested in practice against it. The set of social and economic relationships that make up capitalism exists objectively. If you dont believe so, see what happens if you dont work for a living or pay your rent! Because the vast majority of us live under capitalism and are exploited by it, class analysis and struggle represents the greatest angle of vision and greatest theoretical tool towards uniting and achieving emancipation for all. While intersectionality views all forms of oppression as equally fundamental, Marxists highlight that class is the fundamental dividing line in capitalist society. The capitalist mode of production is based, at its core, on the extraction of surplus value from the workers by the owners of the means of production, the capitalists. This does not mean that class exploitation is the worst form of oppression in terms of suffering, or that the working class is in any way superior to other oppressed groups. It means that as long as we live in a society where a parasitic ruling class exploits and oppresses the majority, no one oppressed group can ever be genuinely emancipated as there will always be systemic inequality. Any representative of the minority ruling class, regardless of their gender, race or sexual orientation, will ultimately serve their class interests which relies on the division and oppression of the majority of us. The massive profits accumulated by the capitalist class represent the unpaid labour of the working class who are not paid the full value of their labour. This is what Marxists mean by class exploitationnot to be confused with classism, which refers to discrimination of poor people perceived to be of a lower class, rather than an economic relationship. While Marxists acknowledge the significant role of discrimination and oppression in maintaining the capitalist system, the economic reality of exploitation puts workers in a unique position to bring the system down, as they are the ones who produce all the wealth in society. Additionally, while not all workers experience overlapping oppressions, the vast majority of the oppressed are exploited as workers or declassed, unemployed or living under modern-day slavery. This makes class exploitation the unifying factor for all the oppressed. The working class encompasses the vast majority of oppressed layers of society and it is precisely the class struggle which can unite all layers of the oppressed against our common enemy, the exploiting class, serving to break down discriminatory attitudes in the process. Unfortunately, most leaders of the student and labour movements have failed to organize a militant class struggle that can unite all layers of the oppressed. Meanwhile, these same bureaucracies often adopt intersectional language to mask the reality that they are not fighting for meaningful reforms to advance the conditions of the students and workers. Tokenistic policies like gender parity and other identity-based quotas are employed without consideration of ones class outlook or political orientation, which in reality results in a few advantageous positions for a handful of bureaucrats who are not committed to mobilizing a fight for the conditions that would alleviate oppression and exploitation for the majority who make up the rank-and-file and broader society. The ruling class uses similar policies to try appease the oppressed while leaving their system of exploitation completely intact. One has to look no further than many of the largest banks websites, which boast about the diversity of their employees, to see this. Representation of oppressed groups in banks and large companies does not change the reality for the majority of oppressed layers of the working class, and without changing the material conditions that give rise to oppression, representation in our student and trade unions on its own wont either. The idea behind representation is that if only more people from oppressed groups were to take up positions (as elected officials within student and workers organisations and in electoral politics, as well as CEOs, company directors, etc, in the private sector) that would help eradicate or alleviate their oppression. Its important to understand that oppressed groups are not oppressed because they are underrepresented; they are underrepresented because of systemic oppression in society that create barriers to participation in public life and politics. The best way to achieve genuine representation of oppressed groups in the movement is to build militant fighting organizations that can actually begin to eradicate those barriers as part of the struggle to end these oppressions. This would enthuse wider layers of historically oppressed and marginalized groups to unite and strive to overcome the systemic barriers that have hindered their participation. Such a struggle will encourage the development of genuine leadership from below, rather than tokenism from above. Socialism is precisely about drawing in all layers of the exploited and oppressed into the struggle for a better world. Our representatives must be elected based on their politics and capacity to lead a genuine fight. The election of women like Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel, Theresa May or Hillary Clinton to some of the highest political offices possible has not served to advance the cause of womens emancipation, and revolutionaries actively campaigned and continue to campaign against them. The same can be said of, for instance, IMF director Christine Lagarde, and the list goes on. Similarly, standards of living for black Americans continued to decline under Obama. As revolutionaries, we would support a left-wing politician against any of them regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, race or ethnicity. Representation is a powerful tool in the hands of the ruling class as they use it to create illusions in supporting leaders who represent the interests of capitalism solely because of their race, sexual orientation, gender, etc, instead of their class interests. Members of the ruling class like Hillary Clinton have even adopted the language of intersectionality to garner support. To their credit, Crenshaw and other proponents of intersectionality condemned this and highlighted that since women is not a homogeneous category, Hillary does not represent the interests of all women due to her imperialist policies. However, the fact that intersectionality does not target the root of oppression means that it is ultimately not a threat to the capitalist class or their reformist allies, which is why they can so easily adopt its language in an effort to seem more progressive. It doesnt threaten members of the ruling class to highlight that there are multiple and overlapping forms of oppression, as long as the question of why and in whose interest is avoided. There is a reason why the HRCs of this world are not adopting Marxist language on the need for all layers of the oppressed to unite in class struggle and overthrow capitalism! Reform or revolution? Does this mean that Marxists suggest that persons and groups experiencing multiple layers of oppression should put their struggles on the back burner in the name of the class struggle, and that nothing can be done to combat or alleviate oppression until after the socialist revolution? That is not the case at all. Marxists stand firmly against all forms of oppression and discrimination in the here and now, and fight divisive and discriminatory attitudes in the movement and broader working class tooth and nail, as they only play right into the hands of the ruling capitalist class. Marxists go further to highlight that we cannot change ideas en masse without changing their material origins, namely scarcity and competition. This is one of the reasons why Marxists participate in the day-to-day struggle for reforms and link them up with the need for socialism. As reforms are never handed over willingly by the ruling class without a struggle, the best way to win any reform is through mass, militant, and collective action from below that make the bosses and politicians sweat for fear of revolution. The struggle against oppression and for any reform to alleviate it should not just be the responsibility of the group experiencing the particular oppression or discrimination in question, but must involve the whole working class, encompassing all oppressed groups. Men and heterosexual workers have a vested interest in standing up for womens and LGBTQ rights, white workers must join the struggle against racism, and so on. Our strength is in our unity, and a gain for any layer of the working class is a gain for the whole class and all of the oppressed. It is through the united class struggle that the masses begin to learn about their unified strength and about the limits of capitalism to be able to provide meaningful improvements to their lives. If we look around the world today it is very clear that new reforms are not the norm. On the contrary, workers and oppressed people everywhere are fighting to keep the very basic human rights and gains won in the past. So while we fight for reforms that would alleviate oppression and improve living conditions for the working class, we explain that no reform is sustainable under crisis-ridden capitalism. In order to permanently win improvements they must be combined with the struggle for the socialist transformation of society. When profits are threatened and capitalism enters into crisis, the bosses and bankers and their friends in the state will not hesitate to claw back everything weve fought for and won in the past. This also tends to lead to a rise in racism and other forms of prejudice as right-wing populists and a section of the media point the finger at various oppressed groups as being to blame for cuts and austerity measures. The only way to hold on to gains of the past, fight against oppressive attitudes today, and advance to a truly equal society is to put an end to production for profit so that the vast wealth and resources already in existence can be put to democratic use in the interest of the majority. The revolutionary transformation of society Credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany This doesnt mean that discriminatory attitudes would disappear overnight following a socialist revolution. Oppression in all its forms has existed for generations and in some cases thousands of years, stamping its mark on the consciousness of the human race. However, mass movements have a profound impact on consciousness as people come to see each other for their shared interests and commonalities instead of seeing each other for their differences, as competitors. It is much more difficult to hold on to discriminatory attitudes towards women, immigrants or LGBTQ individuals when they are out on the streets fighting for the same thing as you, putting their life on the line. During labour strikes it becomes clear that workers do not have any interest in discriminating against each other, as this would only undermine the strike. During a mass movement this understanding is reached on a massive scale. One recent powerful example is the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 that saw the fall of Hosni Mubarak. While women in Egypt have historically experienced high rates of discrimination and violence and Muslims and Christians have been embroiled in bloody conflict for decades, men and women of all religious backgrounds came together in Tahrir Square. Discriminatory and stereotypical thinking about oppressed groups broke down through the struggle against a common oppressor. While the Egyptian Revolution has not yet overthrown capitalism, this is just a glimpse of what can occur on a generalized scale through a socialist revolution and the collective effort to build a new society. By radically transforming the economic and social foundation of society along socialist lines, the structural and economic roots of oppression would be eradicated. Without a minority exploiting class producing for profit, there would be no social or material drive for the majority to be divided and stratified along sex, gender, orientation, ability, race, language, religion or any other category. When we are no longer forced to compete for employment, education, child care spots, food, water and affordable housing, the way we relate to each other will change on a fundamental level. Democratically elected and immediately recallable leaders in our workplaces in addition to democratic oversight over hiring processes can serve to prevent discriminatory practices in the workplace. Collective and democratic ownership and control of the media and educational institutions will go a long way towards combating discriminatory attitudes in society and ensuring that the beautiful diversity of humanity is both taught and celebrated. Changing the socio-economic foundation of society would see a profound change in the world outlook and attitudes of the masses. Marxists are often criticized for having a top-down, one-size-fits all solution for everybody. On the contrary, socialist revolution is about everyday people taking their fates into their own hands and building a new society for themselves. The Marxists wish to guide the masses in the successful overthrow of capitalism and establishment of a socialist society, creating the social and economic foundation where inequality, oppression and exploitation no longer have a material basis. From there, historically oppressed groups will have the opportunities and resources they require to address their own unique needs arising from generations of oppression and discrimination. On this basis of genuine social equality, people can begin to relate to each other on a fundamentally more genuine and humane level; through the building of a new society, a new collective consciousness will be made possible. For the last month the Gulf state of Qatar has been blockaded by its neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, who along with Egypt have severed all diplomatic ties with the country. These events have opened up a crisis situation in the Gulf region, which is being viewed with trepidation by the major powers on the world stage. [Note: it appears, as we predicted, that pushed by the US administration, a deal with Qatar seems to be in the making, but this doesn't change anything fundamental in the present article, which was written a few days ago] Over a third of food supplies and consumer goods in Qatar are imported from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. What is more, most of the investment projects within Qatar are tied up with investors from these countries. Consequently, the sanctions have led to an economic crisis inside Qatar, whose stocks slumped 8% at the beginning of June blowing a $13bn black hole in its economy. Residents have been panic-buying food and household supplies, hastening longer-term shortages if the blockades continue. The two million foreign nationals who make up the majority of the population (many of them working in semi-slave conditions) have been stranded in the country without an obvious route out. The diplomatic row which led to the present situation supposedly began when a report emerged on the Qatar News Agencys website in May of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani saying, There is no wisdom in harbouring hostility towards Iran. Qatar has since shut down the website, claiming that the report was fake and that it had been hacked. US officials threw in their two cents, taking up the convenient Russian hackers did it excuse. But the whole affair is very suspicious when one considers how Saudi news outlets were spitting out dozens of articles of reports and long articles attacking Qatar almost immediately after the leak, which happened in the middle of the night! The Al-Thanis, they claimed, had proven their treacherous allegiance to Iran and to terrorism - severe measures had to be taken. On the 23rd June the Saudis issued a list of demands which Qatar would have to meet within ten days for the blockades to be lifted. These include distancing itself from Iran, cutting all ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah (and Islamic State and al-Qaeda for good measure), shutting down its Al-Jazeera Media Network and handing over the political dissidents of its fellow Gulf States. Qatar is being told in no uncertain terms that it must get back into line with the interests of its more powerful neighbour. It has not been made clear, however, how the situation would be escalated further if the demands were not agreed to. The demands in full Curb diplomatic ties with Iran and close its diplomatic missions there. Expel members of Irans Revolutionary Guards and cut off any joint military cooperation with Iran. Only trade and commerce with Iran that complies with US and international sanctions will be permitted. Sever all ties to terrorist organisations, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State, al-Qaida and Lebanons Hezbollah. Formally declare those entities as terrorist groups. Shut down al-Jazeera and its affiliate stations. Shut down news outlets that Qatar funds, directly and indirectly, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and Middle East Eye. Immediately terminate the Turkish military presence in Qatar and end any joint military cooperation with Turkey inside Qatar. Stop all means of funding for individuals, groups or organisations that have been designated as terrorists by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, the US and other countries. Hand over terrorist figures and wanted individuals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain to their countries of origin. Freeze their assets, and provide any desired information about their residency, movements and finances. End interference in sovereign countries internal affairs. Stop granting citizenship to wanted nationals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain. Revoke Qatari citizenship for existing nationals where such citizenship violates those countries laws. Stop all contacts with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain. Hand over all files detailing Qatars prior contacts with and support for those opposition groups. Pay reparations and compensation for loss of life and other, financial losses caused by Qatars policies in recent years. The sum will be determined in coordination with Qatar. Consent to monthly audits for the first year after agreeing to the demands, then once per quarter during the second year. For the following 10 years, Qatar would be monitored annually for compliance. Align itself with the other Gulf and Arab countries militarily, politically, socially and economically, as well as on economic matters, in line with an agreement reached with Saudi Arabia in 2014. Agree to all the demands within 10 days of it being submitted to Qatar, or the list becomes invalid. [Source: The Guardian] So far Qatar has refused to budge. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated on Saturday that they do not fear military action from the blockading nations. The Qatari regime claims that the demands which have been raised are so far-fetched that they were designed not to be met. They have baulked at the ten-day deadline, which was first passed, was then extended by forty-eight hours and finally swept under the carpet by the Saudis. German Foreign Minister Sigmund Gabriel, who took part in talks with the countries involved, attempting to defuse tensions, echoed the fears of some bourgeois commentators when he said, There is a danger that this dispute could lead to war. This conclusion is somewhat drastic, nonetheless the United States and other imperialist powers are viewing these events with serious concern, not least because Qatar hosts the largest US base in the Middle East, the al-Udeid Air Base. Given the severity of this crisis, it is important that we should understand why it is happening. It is also important to counter the misinformation of various bourgeois media outlets, which along with US President Donald Trump seem especially taken with Saudi Arabias sudden commitment to fighting terrorism. Saudi Arabia and counter-terrorism Saudi Arabia is the principal source of Islamist terrorism the world over. Since its inception, the Saudi regime has openly aided and abetted the spread of Wahhabi fundamentalism throughout the Middle East. The Saudi royal family has always considered that the main threat to its power within Saudi Arabia would come from either Sunni radical Islamism which, although it forms the ideological basis of its regime, prefers a Caliphate as opposed to a monarchy. In order to kill two birds with one stone the regime has allied itself with the most extreme brand of Sunni Islamism to oppress revolutionary movements, the countrys Shia minority and other groups of people which the two see as their enemies. The Saudis have accordingly poured more than $100bn into the coffers of Wahhabi mullahs and the organisers of mass terror attacks from Western Europe to Indonesia. Zacarias Moussaoui, one of the 9/11 plotters, confessed to US authorities that members of the Saudi royal family had been giving money to al-Qaeda before the attacks. More recently, Saudi Arabia has been the main source of funding for Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda which has itself funnelled weapons and finance to the Islamic State. It is laughable that the Saudis are now calling on another nation to sever all ties with terrorist organisations. That Donald Trump has taken credit for the move, only further condemns him as a supporter of the most barbaric regime on the face of the planet. This is not to say that the Qatari regime isnt also funding many of the same terrorist groups as Saudi Arabia and shouldnt be reviled for its actions. Apart from keeping many of its inhabitants in conditions that would not have been out of place in Ancient Greece or Rome, Qatar is more than happy to sponsor whatever reactionary or terrorist organisation serves its interests internationally. But to go along with the Saudi line and believe that counter-terrorism has anything to do with the current sanctions against Qatar is to enter the realm of fantasy. It is true that Qatar has formally backed several key organisations which the other Gulf States oppose. Many observers have focused on the Muslim Brotherhood connection, given that Egypt has joined in the sanctions against Qatar. But although Saudi Arabia historically is mistrustful of the Muslim Brotherhood neither it nor Hamas or Hezbollah pose any immediate threat to the interests of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain or any of their respective allies in the region. When the Muslim Brotherhood was a threat while in power in Egypt Saudi Arabia was silent about Qatars support for it. And when the Brotherhood was overthrown and Sisi took power, Qatar actually supported him, proving the general point that in the Middle East as anywhere else there are no permanent allies, only permanent interests. Egypts role in the current crisis is actually as a lackey of Saudi Arabia, a role it is developing rather well as it becomes more and more desperate for the Gulf Powers financial support. The real causes To find the real reasons for the current Qatari crisis we need only to look at the first and final (12th) demands on Saudi Arabias list. Qatar has begun to reach too far above its station for Saudi Arabias liking. Compared to the dominant power in the Gulf, it is a tiny state seemingly with little political sway and a very small army. Yet its access to disproportionately large natural-gas reserves have allowed it to accumulate an investment portfolio around the world to rival its much larger neighbours. Qatar has also traditionally been an outpost for Western imperialism in the Gulf. Since the 1920s, first Britain and then America have used the country as a base for military campaigns. Since the time of the Ottoman Empire in fact, Qatar has been supported by one or another imperialist power to counter the weight of other clans and fiefdoms on the Arab Peninsula. The Qatari government spent $1bn building the al-Udeid base after joint military operations with the US during the Gulf War. When the US invaded Iraq, they moved their air operation headquarters from Saudi Arabia to al-Udeid and it has remained there throughout the US intervention in Syria. Although closely interlinked with its neighbours, both its enormous gas profits and its strategic importance to the United States have enabled Qatar to throw its own political weight around and to act independently of the Saudis. As long as Saudi Arabia was the predominant power amongst the Arab nations and the world economy was growing this was tolerated by the Al-Sauds. But after the Iraq war and the 2011 Arab revolution, Saudi Arabia emerged weakened both internally and in the region where Irans power was expanding. Qatars independent role in the region became a bigger threat to Saudi interests, as was the case when Qatar supported the Morsi regime in Egypt after the revolution, when Saudi Arabia was fiercely opposed. As the previous order in the Middle East has been breaking up, Qatar has increasingly gone its own way posing a danger to the fragile Al-Saud regime. The Al Jazeera news network and Middle East Eye web magazine for instance, have become key propaganda weapons throughout the region and represent a direct threat to the totalitarian nature of Saudi rule. The pivotal divergence from Saudi interests which has provoked this crisis is Qatars increasingly close alliance with Iran. Iran and Qatar share control over the worlds largest natural gas field, South Pars/North Field in the Persian Gulf. Earlier this year, almost simultaneously, first Iran and then Qatar each decided to develop their extraction of their own part of the field, in Qatars case for the first time since 2005. When asked if this involved collaboration between the two, Qatar Petroleums chief executive Saad al-Kaabi said: What we are doing today is something completely new and we will in future of course... share information on this with them [Iran]. This comes three years after Qatar openly offered help to Iran to advance their own gas extraction, with one official stating: We have many studies on the field that Im sure can benefit Iran. In return for these benefits Qatar expects a far larger share of the field than Iran. But at a time when Saudi Arabia is becoming dangerously unsettled by the growing prominence of Iran as a power in the region, Qatar working so closely with this rival power has created tensions among the Gulf States. Donald Trump with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud- wikipedia commons Central to the shifting dynamic in the entire region is the sudden turnaround in Irans fortunes. The country has emerged from the bloody civil war in Syria with its military authority in the region strengthened and with new trade opportunities with the West opening up. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have played a vital role in smashing Qatar- and Saudi-backed al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State in Syria, as well as in shoring up the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The victory in Syria further strengthened Irans position and it is clear that Qatar is in talks with Iran and Turkey to cut a deal in Syria possibly even stepping in with investments in the rebuilding of Syria. Such a deal, would leave the Saudis to take the biggest losses, financially, politically and geo-strategically. The rise of Iran represents an existential threat to Saudi Arabia, not only to its imperialist ambitions in the region, but also militarily and internally as a potential patron of a rising Shia movement in the oil rich eastern regions of the Kingdom. To up the ante, the Saudis responded by starting a war in Yemen which has proved foolish and irresponsible even on their own terms; to claim two Red Sea islands from Egypt in return for a small bailout package; to cut an arms deal of historic proportions with the United States; and now to sanction their junior neighbouring power, threatening them with a stern ultimatum. The other Qatari allegiance which is now making Saudi Arabia uneasy is with Turkey. Diplomatic ties between the two countries have been strengthening lately. In December 2015, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the establishment of a Turkish military base in Qatar, following the Turkish and Qatari armies joint training exercises. While Saudi Arabia is a declining power, Turkey has been on the rise becoming by far the strongest economy and military of the Middle East. Erdogans Anatolian backers have always had neo-Ottoman ambitions and the Arab Peninsula, home of Mecca and Medina, is no small part of this plan. Erdogan is determined in the long run to conquer Saudi Arabias position as the leader of the Islamic world. The relationship with Qatar and the building of a military base there has given Turkey its first foothold on the Arab Peninsula since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The previous Obama administration acknowledged the weakness of Saudi Arabia, which is why it cut a deal with Iran. The 2015 agreement on nuclear power with the UN Security Council was a result that reflected Irans newfound position of strength and ended the sanctions which had weakened their position in the region for decades and which in turn strengthened its position vis a vis Saudi Arabia. But Donald Trump, backed up by religiously anti-Iranian layers within the US state bureaucracy, such as Secretary of Defence James Mattis, has pledged to roll back Iranian influence. That was the basis of Trumps Middle East trip in April and May where he signed a supposed $350 billion deal with Saudi Arabia and supported the setting up of an Arab NATO essentially aimed at Iran. With the full support of the US, the Al-Sauds decided to work towards re-establishing the previous balance of power. Firstly the Kings son, Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS), in an unprecedented move settled the score internally, crushing opposing factions within the rotten ruling family and established himself as the crown prince. Having been Minister of Defence since his father came to power, bin Salman has been the driving force behind the war in Yemen and was no doubt heavily involved in the arms deal with the US. In return for selling shares from its own companies - including Aramco, the state oil company - MBS plans for Saudi Arabia to establish a $2trn sovereign wealth fund through which to export Saudi capital. MBS is now the real ruler of the Kingdom and has concentrated all power in his hands. The direction in which the country is heading on both counts is expressed in the person of this hot-headed young prince. How will the crisis end? Secondly, feeling the false comfort of the support of the Trump administration, MBS thought that he could draw a line in the sand, Either you are with us, or you are against us! Thus, the illusion of Sunni Arab unity and an Arab NATO collapsed before the ink was dry. The Trump administration which arrogantly strutted around in the Middle East - showing Obama how its done has since been frantically running around to stop a clash between these two key allies. The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been negotiating day and night to bring the sides back together and to minimise the damage. The Americans are very worried about the crisis, having sizeable financial and military interests tied up in both sides of the stalemate. The whole manoeuvre which was aimed at isolating Iran and propping up Saudi Arabia has only led to strengthening ties with this key GCC country and Turkey gaining a serious military foothold on the Arab Peninsula. The UAE has suggested that if Qatar fails to meet the demands set, then the next step would be an indefinite continuation of the current sanctions. But Qatar has withstood the blockades for a month they have not had the effect that Saudi Arabia would have desired. The longer the issue is left hanging, however, and the more matters will escalate. The point is, how will Saudi Arabia enforce any of its demands. This goes to the root of the question. The Kingdom has suggested a potential invasion of many occasions. But this is a pipe dream. The first problem is the al-Udeid Air Base, which houses both USAF and RAF forces. Saudi Arabia cannot invade a country which houses a US military base without the full cooperation of the US army - which is not interested in invading a new country in the Middle East anytime soon. Secondly, it would be facing a Turkish force which would not accept a Saudi invasion and possibly an Iranian force as well. If anything, this crisis has pushed Qatar further into the arms of Iran, who have come out strongly against the blockades. They have been alleviating food shortages by sending 1,100 tonnes of fruit and vegetables and sixty-six tonnes of beef to Qatar on a daily basis. Moreover, the Turkish government has opposed the blockades and deployed two extra divisions of their army to Qatar since the crisis began. It is also worth bearing in mind that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have been working with the Qatari army since 2010, when an officer of the IRGC announced: IRGC and Qatar's navy can have close cooperation in intelligence, security and training fields. The Qatari Defence Minister went on to state that Qatar is ready to have joint military training exercises with Iran. The Saudi army would not stand a chance against any of these forces. In fact the Saudi Army has never been in real war. Even in Yemen it is relying on Emirati organised mercenaries and local reactionary clans rather than its own armed forces. The reason is Saudi Arabias historical weakness as a regime. The regime commands little to no legitimacy amongst the population which is made up of Wahhabi anti-royal extremists, oppressed Shias, democratic youth, semi-enslaved migrant labour and tribal elements, all of whom are opposed to the regime for their own reasons. It is this fundamental weakness of Saudi Arabia which in the conditions of the crisis of capitalism is emerging as an existential threat to the Al-Sauds. A Saudi war against Qatar is inconceivable. This whole affair will only serve to highlight this fact and add to the Saudi crisis. Of course this wont mean that Qatar will not budge at all. The entire Qatari economy fundamentally relies on GCC agreements, mainly with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The most likely scenario is that a deal is struck and a gradual normalisation of ties is achieved over time. Qatar may give some minor concessions, but the real loser will be Saudi Arabia which will have exposed its own weakness. However, a patch-up deal would only delay the tensions developing in the region from boiling to the surface particularly in relation to the mutually antagonistic aims of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Qatars relationships with Iran and Turkey only reflect the real situation in the region, one where Saudi Arabia is in decline while Iran and Turkey are rising to become the main powers in the region. This new balance of forces is based on the real economic and military situation in the region. While Iran and Turkey (along with Egypt) are the only real nation states in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is an artificial state which could only survive due to a particular position it had, in particular as the main source of oil for US imperialism. But today the regime has completely rotted from the inside, as is evident from the shortsightedness of its representatives, while its international position has been weakened by the newly found oil-selfreliance of the US. Meanwhile Turkey and Iran are expanding their influence and for the world powers there is no way around this. The Trump promoted idea of rolling back Iranian influence, as witnessed here, will only accelerate the ongoing process. The economic crisis, the Arab revolution and the crisis of US imperialism, which all emerge from the crisis of Capitalism, have thrown the Al-Sauds into a violent struggle for their own existence. Like a cornered and wounded animal it is lashing out on all sides. The Qatar-crisis has only moved this struggle closer to the heart of the Kingdom. SPRINGFIELD -- Ground Up Cafe, the coffee shop planned for the Springfield Innovation Center, will have coffee, pastries, yogurt, sandwiches and bone broth. Bone broth? It's a savory brew made from simmering bones with vegetables for a long time and it is chock full of vitamins and collagen. Bone broth is a steaming-hot trend in the culinary world and Ground Up Cafe head chef John Peter Wentworth plans to make bone broth in house and serve it for the price of a cup of coffee. "We have spent a lot of time thinking about the menu and what we want to offer," Wentworth said. Wentworth, who grew up in and around New York City, has lived and worked in the Pioneer Valley since 1995. He was formerly co-head chef at The Dirty Truth in Northampton, general manager at King Street Eats and chef and beverage manager of Gateway City Arts in Holyoke. He's part of the management team for Ground Up along with Jared Henshaw, previously the GM for Rao's Coffee in Amherst and Northampton, who will run the coffee program. The plan is to start renovations to the space in the next week or so and open by September. Ground Up will offer coffee and other beverages, breakfasts and lunches and vegetarian dishes on the go, along with high-end cocktails and snacks for the after-work crowd. "Get them when they are coming into town for the workday and get them when they are leaving work, either for home or in between work and dinner at a restaurant nearby," Wentworth said. "If you come in at breakfast and lunch and hit the serving line there will be five or six hot sandwiches just made and ready to go. You can grab and go." If you want something made to order, Ground Up will be able to handle it in just a few moments. The cafe will also make a signature chai, a type of tea served in India, and will use sustainably sourced coffee from Share Coffee in Hadley. A Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the cafe has a goal of raising $10,000 toward renovation costs. Funders at different price points get different packages of goodies in return. The $7,500 level includes having a menu item named in your honor. Kickstarter helps artists, creators and businesses fund projects. Kickstarter cannot be used to offer financial returns or equity, or to solicit loans, according to the website's FAQ. "We thought it would be good publicity," Wentworth said of the crowdfunding campaign. "It would let people know we are here and that the project is moving forward." The money also will allow Wentworth, Henshaw and the investors who own Ground Up to build a second kitchen sooner rather than later. The second kitchen will give Wentworth prep space and also will serve as a restaurant incubator, giving new food-related businesses space to experiment and get a toehold without having to build their own commercial kitchen. "We want to create job opportunities by creating more businesses," Wentworth said. "People can use this space to springboard into food trucks or into brick-and-mortar." Creating and shepherding new businesses is the goal behind the Springfield Innovation Center, a project of DevelopSpringfield that will soon be home to Valley Venture Mentors, co-working space for new companies and rental office space. The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts has already moved in upstairs. "We are completing this project from the top down," said Jay Minkarah, CEO of Develop Springfield. He plans to have the 24,000-square-foot building at 270-284 Bridge St. completed by fall. The $5.5 million project cost includes money spent buying the properties. DevelopSpringfield received a $2.2 million grant from the state's MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $500,000 from MassMutual Financial Group and $30,000 from the Beveredge Family Foundation. Historic preservation tax credits also help finance the project. The rest is money DevelopSpringfield borrowed. DevelopSpringfield is a public-private partnership that redevelops decrepit property in Springfield that private developers won't tackle with the goal of rejuvenating neighborhoods. The Innovation Center joins neighbors like The Dennis Group, United Personnel, TSM Design and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. HOLYOKE -- Tapestry Health has collected 475,175 used drug needles and distributed 438,100 clean ones since its needle exchange program began in 2012 at 15A Main St. The latest report about needle exchange shows "compelling and encouraging" steps are taking place to deal with the heroin crisis, Mayor Alex B. Morse said Wednesday. "I have always believed that this program is beneficial to our city. Today, more people are in treatment, less needles are on our streets and in our public spaces, and transmission of HIV and 'Hep C' via intravenous drug use is down," Morse said. The Tapestry Health office has dealt with 24,562 clients since the needle exchange began. Some clients visited more than once but over 6,000 were unique visits, said Liz Whynott, Tapestry's director of HIV health and prevention, in a presentation to the Board of Health on July 6. Tapestry has been updating the Board of Health since the needle exchange program began operating in July 2012. The program had to stop for a few weeks in 2012 because of an allegation of an Open Meeting Law violation and the program has been operating continually since August 2012. Between May 1, 2016 and May 1, 2017, Tapestry collected 202,367 used needles and distributed 187,494 clean ones, Whynott said. In that year, Tapestry had 9,171 encounters with clients, including over 2,800 unique visits, she said. Brian Fitzgerald, Holyoke Health Department director, said the Board of Health gets an update from Tapestry every six months and members were pleased with the results. "They're doing a lot of good work," Fitzgerald said. Supporters of needle exchange said client visits are important because they often are the only way that an intravenous drug user can be exposed to referrals for treatment. In needle exchange, intravenous drug users submit used, or infected, needles and get new ones in return. Supporters, including a physician and a registered nurse on the Board of Health, say such an exchange saves lives and money. Giving clean needles to heroin users discourages them from sharing needles that could be infected and lead to the spread of HIV-AIDS or hepatitis C, diseases for which there are no cures, they said. Opponents of having a needle exchange program here have said they doubt such benefits occur. They questioned the wisdom of giving users the means to take illegal drugs by putting needles in their hands and then counting on them not to share needles. Having a needle exchange program in Holyoke draws more drug users to a city already dealing with heroin and other illegal drug problems. It also declares Holyoke is a haven for drug use, opponents of needle exchange said. Morse spearheaded the establishment of the needle exchange in 2012. "IV drug use in Holyoke has been around long before Tapestry began the needle exchange program. Yet today we have what we didn't have before, that is: needle collection and regular needle clean ups, successful referrals to substance abuse treatment, a syringe disposal hotline and overdose prevention education that has yielded a decline in Holyoke overdose deaths," he said. Such steps and others are necessary for Holyoke to deal with the heroin crisis, he said. "Doing anything less would be immoral and inhumane," Morse said. The establishment of needle exchange in 2012 prompted a lawsuit in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield filed by City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain and some other councilors. The basis of the suit was that local approval was needed before such a program could operate and since local approval was defined as a City Council vote that hadn't been granted, the program was illegal. That became a moot point on July 1, 2016 when a new Massachusetts law identified a city or town's board of health as the entity that can grant local approval over needle exchange. The Holyoke Board of Health unanimously re-authorized Tapestry Health's right run the needle exchange program in October. Voters here rejected needle exchange twice in nonbinding referendum questions in 2013 and 2001. Jourdain declined to comment on the latest Tapestry needle exchange report beyond saying in a text message, "Public voted against this twice and their wishes should have been honored." Tapestry's Holyoke Syringe Access Program collects needles in the following ways, Whynott said: Part of a MassLive special report on untested rape kits in Massachusetts. _____________ As preparations continue to transform a former National Guard building into a facility to store Massachusetts State Police and Trial Court evidence, including sexual assault kits, the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security is now planning to look at what storage is needed for local police departments. A new law signed in October 2016 by Gov. Charlie Baker extends the preservation of rape kits to 15 years. It was previously just six months. With the signing of the law, a need for a storage facility properly equipped to hold such evidence was evident. But as EOPSS officials work on the facility for State Police and the Trial Court, for now, the plan is to reach out to local police departments in order to see what is needed to house evidence, including rape kits, at the former National Guard facility in Milford. To know what storage is needed, officials still need to know how many rape kits, tested and untested, are being stored at the local department level. "I believe it is the time to make sure we know what is out there for untested kits. You always have to be aware of what is your capability for testing those kits within the lab itself," said EOPSS Secretary Daniel Bennett. "I do believe it's time for us to ask every police department individually how many kits they have that they have not submitted to the lab." But EOPPS can't force the local departments to respond, unlike State Police, which is under Bennett's umbrella. A 2015 report shows EOPPS sent out surveys to departments across the state, including the State Police, in order to attain the number of untested rape kits in the agencies' possession as of Sept. 1, 2014. However, only 75 departments and the State Police responded out of the 351 communities in Massachusetts. The state reported the number of untested kits in the backlog, which in 2007 was roughly 16,000, was reduced to almost 500 in 2015. But officials never elaborated on how they reduced those kits, or whether the kits actually went to the lab for testing. "Of the reporting municipal police departments, 59 (83 percent) had no untested sexual assault evidence collection kits containing forensic evidence as of September 1, 2014," according to the Inventory of Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits reports. "Fifteen departments had at least one untested kit in their possession with numbers ranging from one untested kit to 29 untested kits." MassLive sent public records requests to roughly one dozen police departments and the State Police Crime Lab to see how many untested rape kits were in the agencies' possession. Worcester, Boston and Springfield were among the departments that reported no backlog. Worcester, for example, said the department had roughly 1,300 kits in evidence and the crime lab had tested all of them. As of March 2017, the State Police Crime Lab has 98 untested sexual assault kits in their possession. There were 92 kits for reported assaults and eight kits for unreported assaults, according to a public records request made by MassLive. The crime lab holds the kits for the State Police and the district attorney's offices across the state. David Procopio, spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police, said the crime lab made testing kits a priority. "That was one of the priorities over the last few years by our forensic group to accelerate the testing of kits and to reduce the turnaround time," he said. "I think the success the lab has had in meeting that goal is reflected in the fact that they have obtained full accreditation for all the labs in the system." The sexual assault kits are tracked in an electronic database by the crime lab, Procopio said. The data is in the Laboratory Information Management System, which contains the date the kit was taken from a hospital. Some advocate groups find it hard to believe there are no untested kits in many departments. "I don't know if we can ever have an effective audit without that accountability. You are relying on whatever internal systems they might devise," said Heidi Sue LeBoeuf, director of counseling services at Pathways for Change in Worcester. "If we don't have universal systems statewide, then we are comparing apples and oranges." Ilse Knecht, director of Policy and Advocacy at the Joyful Heart Foundation in New York, called the state's 2015 audit "unfortunately sort of a failure." Knecht said there are six key areas that should be considered when it comes to rape kits: An audit of any backlog; the testing of all untested kits; mandatory testing of new collected kits; notification to survivors; the ability for survivors to track their kits; and funding to ensure kits are tested and create a tracking system for survivors. A House bill sponsored by Rep. Natalie Higgins of the 4th Worcester District and Rep. Carmine Gentile of the 13th Middlesex District, proposes the creation of a tracking system for sexual assault kits. The bill proposed that all sexual assault kits will be tracked and allow for victims to check the status of their kits. The bill, which was proposed in January and is still being discussed, also would require the EOPSS secretary to submit semiannual reports detailing the total number of sexual assault kits in the system and by jurisdiction. Along with the total number, the bill mandates reports on where forensic analysis was completed, the number of kits added to the system, the number of kits not tested and the average and median length of time for sexual assault kits to be submitted for analysis. There are also mandates in the bill requiring a report on how many kits were destroyed. Keeping track of the sexual assault kits through a bar code system appears to be part of the new EOPSS facility. Bennett said the facility would give the crime lab the ability to use bar codes. "With this facility, we would have the opportunity to use a bar code system to track sexual assault kits, which would be a better way in the future to track kits," Bennett said. MassLive reporter Melissa Hanson contributed to this story. The Berkshire Museum plans to sell 40 of its pieces, including two works by famed Stockbridge painter Norman Rockwell, to fund what it's calling a "new vision" for the 114-year-old Pittsfield institution. Planned out by approximately 235 people, ages 8 to 55, over two years, the $60 million plan seeks to create a complete experience for visitors by hammering home the relationships between the disciplines of science, history and the arts. As part of this process, the South Street museum will undergo an extensive renovation and seeks to sock away a sizable endowment of $40 million. The auctioning off of the 40 pieces -- which together are expected to fetch more than $50 million, The Eagle reports -- is a crucial part of the overall plan. Sotheby's will run the auction, expected to take place inside six months. Norman Rockwell paintings regularly fetch multi-million dollar prices on auction. In December 2013, Sotheby's auctioned off three of Rockwell's popular Saturday Evening Post cover paintings for $57.8 million. Van Shields, executive director of the museum, revealed the plans during an official announcement at the museum Wednesday. "We will inspire curiosity, wonder and creativity in all our audiences that will continue to nurture the social, cultural and economic development of Pittsfield and the Berkshires," Shields said in a video released to promote the announcement. 1Berkshire President and CEO Jonathan Butler praised the plan on Facebook on Wednesday. Our region is changing and evolving, kudos to the leadership of the Berkshire Museum for recognizing the right moment to... Posted by Jonathan Butler on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 Over recent years the museum has catered to young people with more interactive exhibits. "If this is the future of the museum, sign us up," Pittsfield Director of Cultural Development Jennifer Glockner said. Zenas Crane of the famous Dalton family behind Crane & Co. founded the Berkshire Museum in 1903. The State Police bomb squad searched and found no danger at four Massachusetts schools that received bomb threats on Thursday morning, officials said. No devices were found in the schools, one in Belmont and three in Waltham, according to Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal, whose office oversees the bomb squad. The bomb squad had cleared out from all the schools by 1:30 p.m., Mieth said. Threats were made via email on Thursday morning, according to State Police. One email went in to Belmont High School, and another email was sent targeting schools in Waltham, including Waltham High School. It was not clear what the messages said or if they were connected. It was also unknown if students were in any of the buildings. The decision to evacuate students from schools during such threats is made by local authorities, Mieth said. No further information was available. The bomb squad is responding to four public schools in Massachusetts for threats that came in through email, State Police say. An email went in to Belmont High School, and another email was sent targeting schools in Waltham, including Waltham High School. Local police and the bomb squad is responding to the schools, according to State Police spokesman David Procopio. The bomb squad will assess the credibility of the threat. It is unclear if there are any students in any of the buildings. Authorities do not know if the emails are connected, Procopio said. It is a possibility. The exact content of the email messages was not immediately available. On Monday, there was a separate email threat to schools in Wareham. SAVOY -- After more than a decade of process and debate, plans for a five-turbine wind farm on a high Berkshire County ridge are moving forward. The $31 million facility on 293 acres in Savoy won a special permit from the town in 2010. But the company didn't procure a wetlands permit from the state until late 2016. Minuteman then started excavating with a local building permit in hand, reports the Berkshire Eagle. The company plans to take delivery of the turbines in mid-2018. Residents at a town meeting in June authorized the Select Board to negotiate a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, which could bring much-needed revenue to the tiny town, which hosts many acres of non-taxable state forest. The site is owned by longtime resident Harold "Butch" Malloy, who has a 20-year lease arrangement with Minuteman Wind, LLC. The project proved divisive. Neighbors concerned about noise, the "flicker effect" from turbine blades, and impact on surrounding property values opposed the project. Others said it would fragment a large tract of deep forest habitat. Residents of nearby Hawley worked against the plan, but ultimately had little say. The site on West Hill Road is only 1,000 feet from the town border, and the plans show turbines 425 feet tall. Hawley has a bylaw limiting wind turbines to 200 feet. The turbines will be visible from Savoy and Hawley and parts of Charlemont, Florida, Windsor and Plainfield. The 12.5-megawatt project is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 3,000 homes. Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com HADLEY -- Library officials here didn't expect their proposal for a new facility to receive state funding right away. Now, after the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners on Thursday awarded the town $3.9 million, they're accelerating their plans. "We're thrilled. We're beyond thrilled. We're kind of flabbergasted," said Goodwin Memorial Library Director Patrick Borezo. "We felt very confident," he said, but officials never expected to be funded in the first round after filing a grant application last fall. Hadley's library is one of nine to receive state funding for construction this year. Plans call for a 11,805-square-foot library on the site of the old Hooker School on Middle Street. Town Meeting voters this fall will be asked to provide $3.5 million for the town's share of the project. Voters at large will also have to approve the funding because it requires borrowing. "After years of planning, we are thrilled to receive notice of the Commonwealth's investment in our town's library," Jo-Ann Konieczny, chairwoman of Hadley's Library Trustees, said in a statement. "This project is about building community and creating an accessible, open space for everyone." The current library was built at the turn of the century for town of 1,800 residents, according to a press release. "Now with Hadley's diverse population close to 6,000, the historic building is inaccessible, lacks space for the library's collections and has inadequate parking," according to the press release. "The new library will be an energy efficient structure well designed for innovative programs for children, young adults and seniors," according the press release. The Hooker School will be razed to make way for the library. The town's senior center, now housed in the school, is building a new facility as well. The timeline for the library project is unclear at this point. "We were mentally prepared to be in the next round," said Konieczny. She said library officials will be meeting with architects to try to move things along more quickly. "We have a lot of fun work ahead," she said. That the Hadley proposal was accepted immediately underscores the merits of the project, Borezo said. "That confirms we had a very strong proposal. We have a very strong need," he said. "That's incredibly thrilling -- we're over the moon." In a statement, Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, congratulated the town. "Libraries are the doors to the world, and ensuring access to a good public library is one of the cornerstones of building a great society," he said. The only other Western Massachusetts library to receive state funding this year was the East Forest Park branch of the Springfield City Library. It received $4.9 million. Amherst also applied for state funding for a library renovation and expansion. The Jones Library is ninth on a wait list for funding. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology research scientist made $120,000 on two corporate merger bets he made using inside information he allegedly obtained from his wife, a corporate lawyer. Fei Yan, 31, a Chinese national who lives in Cambridge, faced charges of securities fraud and wire fraud in Boston federal court Wednesday before being released on a $500,000 bail, according to The Associated Press. Authorities say Yan knew ahead of time about South African company Sibanye Gold Ltd planned $2.2 billion acquisition of Stillwater Mining and another corporate merger last year thanks to his wife. A spokeswoman for MIT told Yan was post-doctoral associate in the college's Research Laboratory of Electronics. The evidence against Yan includes internet searches he did prior to the mergers concerning how to "commit insider trading" while avoiding detection by law enforcement. SPRINGFIELD -- Defense lawyer Timothy Bradl told a jury Thursday his client had no motive to shoot Larry Santiago Jr. Bradl and Hampden Assistant District Attorney Eduardo Velazquez both told jurors in their opening statement that video from inside the Open Door Cafe in Ludlow shows Santiago and Jorge Concepcion-Pesquera drinking and talking at the bar together. Concepcion-Pesquera, 22, of Springfield, is charged with fatally shooting Santiago, 26, of Ludlow, in the early morning hours of March 13, 2016, while Santiago sat in the driver's seat of his SUV in the bar's parking lot. The trial began Thursday before Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page. Velazquez said video from outside the bar will help jurors determine it was Concepcion-Pesquera who shot Santiago. Bradl said the video will not show that at all, saying the case is one of mistaken identity. After talking together at the bar, the two men left in Santiago's white BMW, Velazquez said. They came back, and video shows Santiago get out of his vehicle and have a spirited discussion with the man in the passenger seat, then get back in the driver's side. The prosecutor said although it is not captured in the video, Concepcion-Pesquera gets out of the passenger's side and goes to the front of the vehicle and fires 13 shots in the SUV's direction. Velazquez said the fatal shot entered Santiago's chest. "The weapon was never recovered," Velazquez said. Bradl told jurors to evaluate the motives and lack of motives of witnesses as well as "their ability to see what they say they saw" based on the video. He said although Santiago and Concepcion-Pesquera left the bar together in Santiago's SUV, it is "quite a different proposition" as to whether Concepcion-Pesquera came back. Four-hundred and twelve people have been charged in connection with $1.3 billion in fraud against public health care programs, in what the Department of Justice is calling the largest bust in the 10-year history of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The enforcement action, which also swept up two defendants in Massachusetts, has led to charges against 115 medical professionals and suspension actions for 295 doctors, nurses and pharmacists, the DOJ said in a press release. And 120 of the defendants were charged in connection with the prescription of opioids and other narcotics. "Too many trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses and pharmacists have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. "Amazingly, some have made their practices into multimillion dollar criminal enterprises. They seem oblivious to the disastrous consequences of their greed. Their actions not only enrich themselves often at the expense of taxpayers but also feed addictions and cause addictions to start." The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office coordinated with federal authorities on the investigation and arrested two people on Monday who allegedly stole $2.7 million from the state's Medicaid program. Elena Kurbatzky, 44, of Boston, and 43-year-old Natan Zalyapin of Burlington are facing multiple counts of Medicaid false claims and larceny for allegations that their company, Harmony Home Health Care, billed Medicaid for nursing services that were not actually provided. "The AG's investigation revealed that between February 2015 and October 2016, Harmony billed MassHealth for home health services allegedly provided to 38 patients, but either provided no services to those patients or billed for more services than were actually provided," the Attorney General's Office said in a statement. "Specifically, authorities allege that on numerous instances, Harmony billed MassHealth for nurses who allegedly provided services to several patients in different locations at the exact same time, so those services could not physically have been performed as claimed." The investigations focused on providers who submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE, a health program for service members and veterans. Some treatments were allegedly medically unnecessary and others were never provided at all, the DOJ said. And many of the schemes allegedly involved the payment of kickbacks to patient recruiters and beneficiaries in exchange for patient information that could be fraudulently submitted to federal health programs, according to the DOJ. "This week, thanks to the work of dedicated investigators and analysts, we arrested once-trusted doctors, pharmacists and other medical professionals who were corrupted by greed," Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said. "The FBI is committed to working with our partners on the front lines of the fight against heath care fraud to stop those who steal from the government and deceive the American public." The bulk of the charges stemmed from federal investigations, by both U.S. attorneys offices and the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Service's Medicare Fraud Strike Force. 77 people were charged in the Southern District of Florida, 32 in the Eastern District of Michigan and 26 in the Southern District of Texas due to strike force actions, the DOJ said. "In one case, the owner and operator of a purported addiction treatment center and home for recovering addicts and one other individual were charged in a scheme involving the submission of over $58 million in fraudulent medical insurance claims for purported drug treatment services," the DOJ said. "The allegations include actively recruiting addicted patients to move to South Florida so that the co-conspirators could bill insurance companies for fraudulent treatment and testing, in return for which, the co-conspirators offered kickbacks to patients in the form of gift cards, free airline travel, trips to casinos and strip clubs, and drugs." But in some states -- including Massachusetts -- the charges were driven by state-level Medicaid Fraud Control Units, who coordinated with federal authorities. Statistics released by the Justice Department show a steady rise in arrests linked to federal health care fraud investigations, from 89 in 2013, to 301 last year, to 412 so far in 2017. Bethany Yellowtail has made a name for herself in the Los Angeles fashion world, but her dream is to return home to Montana to manufacture her lines. Yellowtail, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, said Wednesday in Billings that her experience growing up on the Crow reservation is woven into her clothing line, B. Yellowtail https://www.byellowtail.com/ , created in 2014. She lives and manufactures in southern California. "I learn from you guys. I see 100 B. Yellowtails when I go home," the 29-year-old said at the downtown DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. The B.Yellowtail Collective https://www.byellowtail.com/all/ features products from Native American artists across the Great Plains tribal regions. By ERIK OLSON [email protected] Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/business/northern-cheyenne-fashion-designer-credits-her-l-a-success-to/article_e04ac159-1e27-5fd4-a42c-1c90e9a91cd5.html *** Meet Montanan Bethany Yellowtail, a Native American fashion designer whos inspiring a whole generation of women http://www.matr.net/article-77953.html Over the past few years, Disneys accelerator classes have been transitioning away from what was once a roughly standard early-stage growth framework. Rather than the "adopt-a-company" models prevalent among most accelerators, it has been leaning hard into how it can create mutually beneficial relationships with companies that run the gamut from well-established to really just beginning. The latest class, announced today, really shows how far the model has evolved beyond its early partnerships with Techstars. The press release that came along with the list rightly calls out Sphero as a success story from its last batch. The little-robot-company-that-could had been making a very cool controllable ball for a while but had struggled to really latch into the customer consciousness. by Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) Full Story: https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/11/disney-puts-a-new-spin-on-the-accelerator/ Simms Fishing Products is a leader in the fishing industry driven to create growth and vitality in the community. We build trustworthy and angler-driven products. Our employees communicate openly, keep their commitments and inspire trust. We build for the long haul with products that last and a brand that endures. Our employees are our most important catch. To be a great fit at Simms, you must embrace the fishing culture and follow our practice to work like we fish with purpose, passion & curiosity. Be prepared to share your latest fishing adventures. Opportunities: https://www.simmsfishing.com/explore/employment.html *** Bozeman-based fly fishing giant Simms scores private investment for expansion effort http://www.matr.net/article-77962.html A security researcher says a lapse has exposed data from millions of Verizon customers, leaking names, addresses and personal identification numbers, or PINs. Verizon Wireless says 6 million customers were affected, but the company says that none of the information made it into the wrong hands. The company says the only person who got access to the data was the researcher who brought the leak to its attention. Full Story: http://www.kulr8.com/story/35872178/security-lapse-leaks-data-from-millions-of-verizon-customers Vijay Makhan a publie dans la presse mauricienne une reflexion sur le niveau atteint par les deputes pour la legislature 2014-2019. Il debute avec ces mots:- On a bien rigole durant cette legislature. Toutefois, cest un constat de nivellement vers le bas que lon fait. Mis a part quelques rares exceptions, cest une mediocrite, un abetissement sans parallele quon a atteint au sein de lhemicycle. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Advertisement Following Zika virus infection of the human placental cells, the genes promoting autophagy were activated or turned on. When drugs that promoted autophagy were added, the viral count in the placental cells surprisingly went up. On the contrary, when drugs that suppressed autophagy were added, the viral count in the placenta went down. Five days after infection, both groups had the same amount of virus in their bloodstreams. However, the mice with suppressed autophagy had 10 times less virus in their placenta compared to their normal counterparts. compared to their normal counterparts. There was less placental damage and less neurological damage to the fetus in mice with suppressed autophagy response. Female mice with a normal autophagy response were infected with Zika virus on day 9 of gestation. These mice were then divided into two groups, one dosed with hydroxychloroquine and the other group with placebo over the next five days. Mice treated with hydroxychloroquine showed significantly less virus in their placentas and fetuses. Also the damage to the placenta and fetus was significantly lower in comparison to mice not treated with hydroxychloroquine. Also the damage to the placenta and fetus was significantly lower in comparison to mice not treated with hydroxychloroquine. The fetuses resumed normal growth and development in treated mice. However, the virus count in the bloodstream of both groups remained the same, indicating that hydroxychloroquine was able to protect fetal and placental damage inspite of circulating virus in the mother. More recently, in 2015, doctors in Brazil noticed the birth of several babies with microcephaly indicating the possible spread of the virus in tropical America. Helpless as they were withsuch as wearing protective clothing or using repellent creams or sprays.The current research team focused their attention on theso to say, when other mechanisms fail to eliminate the virus and look for concrete solutions to protect both the mother and the fetus.The mechanism by which placenta performs its immune function isthat ultimately destroy and get rid of unwanted cellular proteins and debris as well as foreign agents such as microbes.However, the Zika virus was found to be able to invade the placenta and also multiply within the placental cells, breaching all defence mechanisms.The study team wished to explore how the Zika virus managed to do this and proceeded with their research to get answers.The following are the key observations made by the study team when they experimentally induced Zika virus infection in the placenta and noted their findings.These surprising findings led to the conclusion that. In other words, the virus had found a way to breach the well-established cellular defence mechanism and use it to its advantage.The team, after infecting them with the Zika virus."It appears that Zika virus takes advantage of the autophagy process in the placenta to promote its survival and infection of placental cells," said Bin Cao, PhD, and a postdoctoral fellow at the University.The scientists then went onwould reduce transmission of Zika virus infection to fetal mice. This was because"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."In conclusion, the current study strongly suggests that hydroxychloroquine protects against fetal Zika virus infection when administered during pregnancy. This drug is already approved for use in pregnancy for other conditions, notably malaria. However,"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."Source: Medindia #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... BAD AXE -- Mosquito abatement is becoming a biting issue in the county. The Huron County Board of Commissioners was split this week on whether to get a legal opinion about putting mosquito abatement on an upcoming ballot. Corporate Counsel Steve Allen has said in the past that it's illegal for the board to call for a referendum on the issue, and that it must be done by citizen petition. Board Chairman Sami Khoury supported a Legislative Committee motion to have Allen seek a Michigan Attorney General's opinion on whether the county has the authority to place a mosquito abatement millage proposal on a ballot. "People are having a hard time just staying outside," Khoury said, noting that the issue could hurt property sales. Commissioner John L. Bodis said that the county had, in the past, paid for outside opinions that supported Allen's position. Allen did not attend Tuesday's meeting. The vote on the motion was 3-3, with Commissioner John A. Nugent absent. The tie meant that the side voting against the issue prevailed. At the end of the meeting, Khoury asked the board for permission to call Nugent to get his opinion on the issue. And if Nugent agreed that it was a good idea, Khoury said he would make sure the issue is on the next meeting's agenda. No one objected. Khoury said there is a petition to put the matter on the ballot circulating in the Sebewaing area. Commissioner Todd Talaski said he has heard of such a petition in Caseville as well. Commissioner Steve Vaughan said his constituents in the middle of the county would not reap the benefits of mosquito abatement, as the problem is most prevalent near water. However, he did later note he has some concerns regarding diseases spread by mosquitos. Khoury argued that the entire county would recoup the cost of mosquito abatement through a boost in tourism and increased home values. Commissioner Ron Wruble questioned whether the chemicals used to control mosquitos could pose a threat to the general public. Vaughan questioned whether organic farms in the county could be harmed. Khoury stated that in Tuscola County, mosquito abatement workers are aware of where the organic farms are located and they stay away from them when spraying for mosquitos. Another argument in favor of mosquito control was that it would limit local instances of the West Nile virus and Zika. Vaughan said that one of his neighbor's horses once fell ill with the West Nile virus. "If it will kill a 1,500-pound horse, us old people don't stand a chance," Vaughan said. There have been no reports of Zika infecting anyone locally. The board discussed costs associated with mosquito abatement, which Vaughan said could be $2 million. Tuscola County residents pay a 0.65-mill tax levy for their mosquito abatement services. 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... President Donald Trump was boarding Air Force One for Paris on Wednesday night to attend Bastille Day ceremonies and a military parade down the Champs-Elysees that will be led for the first time by U.S. troops. About 200 troops from U.S. European Command will have the honor of leading the parade to mark the centennial of the U.S. entry into World War I in 1917. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and an F-22 Raptor will also conduct a flyover of the parade. "France stood with us during the American Revolution, and that strategic partnership endures today," Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, EuCom commander and NATO supreme commander, said in a statement. "On behalf of the 60,000 service members standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the French to ensure Europe is whole, free and at peace, we are honored to lead the Bastille Day Parade and help celebrate French independence," he said. "During the centennial of America's entry into World War I, we commemorate America's sons and daughters who defended peace -- many of them descendants of European immigrants who came to America seeking freedom, opportunity and a better life," Scaparrotti said. "Amidst the horrors of war, over four million Americans served in World War I and more than 100,000 Americans made the ultimate sacrifice," he said. The troops participating in the parade will include soldiers from the Army's 1st Infantry Division, which was the first unit to enter France in World War I, a senior White House official said in a background briefing Tuesday. Other units participating will be the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade; the Army's 10th Mountain Division; U.S. Army Europe's 7th Army Training Command; sailors from U.S. Naval Forces Europe; airmen from U.S. Air Forces Europe; and Marines from U.S. Marine Forces Europe. Bastille Day, a national holiday in France, marks the storming on July 14, 1789, of the Bastille, which was used by the kings of France as a state prison. The taking of the Bastille was a catalyst for the French Revolution. Since 1880, the signal event of Bastille Day has been the military parade down the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. Trump said last month, "I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris," in declaring that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris climate accords. However, in a phone call to the White House last month, new French President Emmanuel Macron, who has clashed with Trump on climate change, immigration and other issues, invited Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to come to Paris for Bastille Day and they accepted. Last Saturday, Macron acknowledged that he and Trump may not be the best of friends but "What our two countries share is stronger [than our differences], given our peoples and our histories and our values as well." "So yes, there is a disagreement, like I said to President Trump, and then I said it publicly, because there is nothing to hide. That being said, it does not prevent us from cooperating in many fields," Macron said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. [July 12, 2017] Belgium - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Belgium's regulatory Strategic Plan to 2019 focussed on fibre broadband Belgium's telecom market has long benefited from comprehensive DSL and cable networks, complemented by limited but increasingly prevalent fibre deployments. Though relatively small, the market has attracted investment from some of the region's major players, including Liberty Global and Orange Group. There have been significant developments in the competitive landscape in recent years, fostered by regulatory measures which require cablecos to allow competitors access to their networks. This has enabled Orange Belgium to become a viable force in the market for bundled services offerings, hitherto dominated by Proximus. Nevertheless, Orange Belgium has seen its influence in the mobile market wane in recent years, principally through having lost two key MVNOs which are now hosted on the network of its main rival BASE, owned by Telenet. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04062621/Belgium-Telecoms-Mobile-Broadband-and-Digital-Media-Statistics-and-Analyses.html Telenet's acquisition of BASE in early 2016, and of SFR Belgium in June 2017, has made the telco the second largest in the country, a position bolstered by a strong presence in the TV and broadband sectors. Broadband penetration has made considerable progress in recent years, largely thanks to regulatory measures to promote wholesale and bitstream access. In the mobile sector LTE availability is nearly universal, while there are ongoing investments in developing applications and services for 5G. Belgium's mobile market is served by the three network operators Proximus, Orange Belgium and BASE (owned by Liberty Global's local unit Telenet) and by a number of MVNOs. Mobile networks have upgraded with HSPA and LTE technologies while Proximus and Telenet have initiated trials to develop services based on 5G. The market continues to see activity, with two new MVNOs licensed in late 2016 and with Lycamobile acquiring Telenet's MVNO Ortel Mobile in June 2017. With BASE already the dominant host network for MVNO, the switch of Lycamobile from the Orange Belgium to he BASE network meant that BASE now commands about 90% of all wholesale mobile connections. There is effective competition in Belgium between the DSL and cable platforms, while in recent years government support has also encouraged investment in fibre networks. Telenet, supported by its parent Liberty Global, has invested in developing services based on the new DOCSIS3.1 standard, which is capable of providing data at 1Gb/s and higher. The incumbent telco Proximus (formerly Belgacom) has also engaged in extensive fibre/VDSL and FttP deployments, with which it has promoted a range of bundled services. Belgium's market for bundled services has grown on the back of upgraded cable and DSL infrastructure and by a growing concentration among operators to develop fibre networks. The broadcasting sector is characterised by language variations to accommodate the French and Dutch speaking regions. Analogue broadcasts have been switched off nationally, which enabled digital dividend spectrum to be auctioned for mobile broadband services at the end of 2013. In recent months there has been renewed impetus in the digital media market, particularly following the acquisition of KNP's BASE subsidiary by Liberty Global's Telenet division. This has created a multi-play operator providing viable competition to Proximus for bundled service offerings This report profiles Belgian's mobile market, providing the latest statistics on the main players, as well as recent developments on HSPA and LTE rollouts as well as the future deployment of 5G. This report provides data and analysis on key aspects of the Belgian telecom market. It assesses the latest statistics on fixed-network services and also reviews key regulatory issues, noting the status of interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability and carrier preselection. The telecom infrastructure and major fixed-network operators are also profiled. This report provides a review of bundled services developments, as well as a comprehensive overview of the country's digital media market. It provides statistics on the major service providers, and also notes the status of digital, cable and satellite TV. This report profiles Belgium's fixed and wireless broadband markets. It provides broadband forecasts for selective years to 2022 and assesses developments in related technologies such as FWA, WLAN and Wi-Fi. Key developments: Regulator issues Strategic Plan covering 2017-19; Lycamobile Belgium switches host network from Orange Belgium to BASE; Proximus begins 5G trials with Huawei; Public consultation on the release of 30MHz in the 700MHz band expected by late 2017; Pre-paid mobile SIM cards registration comes into force; Broadband Belgium to set up TD-LTE wireless network using 3.5GHz and 10.5GHz spectrum; Proximus engaged in 3 billion 'Fibre for Belgium ' investment program to 2027; Competition authority approves Telenet's acquisition of SFR Belgium; Proximus's VDSL2 network providing extensive population coverage; Broadband networks on track to reach national 30Mb/s connectivity by 2020; Altice sells its SFR Belgium unit to Telenet; Report update includes the regulator's market data for 2016, regulator's 2016 annual report, telcos' financial and operating data to Q1 2017, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report: Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04062621/Belgium-Telecoms-Mobile-Broadband-and-Digital-Media-Statistics-and-Analyses.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/belgium---telecoms-mobile-broadband-and-digital-media---statistics-and-analyses-300487315.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 12, 2017] Mouser Electronics-Backed Formula E Race Team Gears Up for New York The Mouser Electronics-sponsored Faraday Future Dragon Racing team will take to the streets of Brooklyn in the New York City ePrix on July 15-16. The race will be the first FIA-sanctioned motorsports event to take place in the city. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006315/en/ The Mouser Electronics-sponsored Dragon Racing team will take to the streets of Brooklyn in the New York City ePrix on July 15 and 16. Mouser is a proud sponsor of the 2016-2017 Dragon Racing all-electric car team in collaboration with TTI, Inc. and valued supplier team members Molex and Panasonic (News - Alert). (Photo: Business Wire) Drivers Loic Duval and Jerome D'Ambrosio will navigate a 1.21-mile track through the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. The waterfront track will feature views of the iconic Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. "Duval and D'Ambrosio are talented drivers with a strong team backing them," said Todd McAtee, Vice President, Americas Business Development for Mouser Electronics. "We are proud to support this exciting new technology as a sponsor alongside TTI, Molex (News - Alert), and Panasonic. Best of luck to the team as they head to New York for this historic race." Mouser is a proud sponsor of the 2016-2017 Dragon Racing team in collaboration with TTI, Inc. ad valued supplier team members Molex and Panasonic. This is the third straight year that Mouser Electronics is sponsoring Formula E racing. Formula E features cars powered exclusively by electric power and represents a vision for the future of the motorsports industry, serving as a framework for research and development around zero-emission motoring. "These skilled drivers and their cutting-edge cars are incredible," said Mike Morton, TTI Global President. "TTI is proud to play a part in the pursuit of sustainable automotive technologies of the future." "Molex is excited to again work with Mouser in sponsoring this racing venture," said Fred Bell, Vice President of Global Distribution for Molex. "We look forward to watching electric automotive technology in the hands of truly talented drivers." "At Panasonic, we are pleased to be part of a forward-thinking technology that could determine the future of our automotive industry," said Jeff Howell, President of Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America. "Through this sponsorship, Mouser consistently proves its dedication to technological innovation," added McAtee. After New York, the final two races will take place in Montreal on July 29 and 30. To learn more about the Formula E series, visit www.mouser.com/formula-e/. With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser strives to empower innovation among design engineers and buyers by delivering advanced technologies. Mouser stocks the world's widest selection of the latest semiconductors and electronic components for the newest design projects. Mouser Electronics' website is continually updated and offers advanced search methods to help customers quickly locate inventory. Mouser.com also houses data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools. About Mouser Electronics Mouser Electronics, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an award-winning, authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor focused on rapid New Product Introductions from its manufacturing partners for electronic design engineers and buyers. The global distributor's website, Mouser.com, is available in multiple languages and currencies and features more than 4 million products from over 600 manufacturers. Mouser offers 22 support locations around the world to provide best-in-class customer service and ships globally to over 500,000 customers in 170 countries from its 750,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility south of Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit www.mouser.com. About Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America is the advanced industrial components and electronic devices sales division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. The company provides cutting-edge components that power a diverse range of wireless and mechanical devices. Standard and custom components range from industrial automation devices to passive components, relays, connectors, sensors, wireless connectivity, semiconductors and more. About Molex Molex brings together innovation and technology to deliver electronic solutions to customers worldwide. With a presence in more than 40 countries, Molex offers a full suite of solutions and services for many markets, including data communications, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, commercial vehicle and medical. Trademarks Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. All other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006315/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More With the reference to above captioned subject, notice is hereby given that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the company to be held on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at the registered office of the company at 140L ,Cavel 'X'Lane No.7,Room No.6,Chira Bazar, Mumbai- 400002 at 6.00 P.M., to consider the following agenda:1. To resign Prathamesh Sanjay Ashtekar having DIN: 07682365 as Independent Director of the Company.2. To resign Jeny gowadin from the Post of Company Secretary of the Company3. To consider any other matter with the permission of the chair.Source : BSE live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In 2010 Nitesh Estates Limited had acquired 50% ownership in Courtyard Construction Private Limited (CCPL).Pleased to announce that the Company has acquired remaining 50% ownership of Courtyard Construction Private Limited (CCPL), thereby making CCPL a 100% wholly owned subsidiary.This gives 100% ownership of prime land parcel of 21,000 Sq.ft situated in Cunningham Road, Bangalore, owned by CCPL.The Company will be launching its Luxury Residential Project shortly, which will garner Rs 110 Cr topline revenue over next 24 months.We request you to take on record this significant announcement.Source : BSE CA Rudramurthy of Vachana Investments told CNBC-TV18, "I have a buy call on Reliance Industries. In fact from levels of Rs 1,135 where Reliance gave a big breakout, this stock is in a roaring bull market. Again, Rs 1,475 will be a crucial breakout which it has seen very closely now and stock is definitely headed further upwards. Rs 1,550 can be initial target on Reliance future and have a stop loss of Rs 1,510." "I have a second buy call on Bharat Financial. This stock should definitely head towards 4-digit very soon. However, now it has given a fresh breakout at levels of Rs 760 and this stock is now headed initially towards levels of Rs 820. The levels of Rs 860 and Rs 925 are also possible and this stock can be bought keeping a stop loss at Rs 760 which has been the recent breakout level." "I have a last buy call on Ujjivan Financial. This stock is showing a rounding bottom formation which is very strong on technicals. Today a lot of open interest addition of over 20 percent is seen in the stock; Rs 360 plus will initially will come and even Rs 400 is possible on Ujjivan. Have a stop loss for this long call on Ujjivan at levels of Rs 335 and look at long on this stock," he said. : Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Moneycontrol Research With domestic passenger traffic crossing the 10-million mark for the first time in a month of May 2017 and passenger load factor touching a new high of 88.9 percent, Indian carriers look set to fly high. The aviation industry, though highly competitive, is experiencing a sweet spot thanks to benign fuel prices and an increase in passenger traffic driven by middle-class affluence. In this environment, we believe that the players having excellent networks and performance along with sound financials are well placed. Interglobe Aviation, better known as IndiGo, the market leader in the domestic skies, is now aiming big with its announced intent of acquiring Air-Indias international operations, along with Air-India Express. Is it being too ambitious, or is the cherry-picking of parts of the national carrier a well-considered strategy that will generate value in the long run? Industry Tailwinds Indias domestic traffic registered a growth of 20 percent compounded over FY14-17, gaining market from the railways where rail upper class passenger traffic registered a meagre growth and rail non-suburban passenger traffic witnessed a decline. The industry is building additional capacity and has placed orders for as many as 829 aircraft (current fleet size is 498). As per a report from IDFC, 251 additional aircraft will be added to the fleet by FY20, translating into a capacity increase, as measured by ASKM (Available Seat Kilometers), of 15 percent compounded over FY17-20. This additional capacity is expected to serve a 17 percent increase in passenger traffic. The industry has witnessed load factor growing from 78.8 percent in FY15 to 81.7 percent in FY17. Load factor is estimated to be stable at around 80 percent with additional capacity and passenger growth. The paradigm shift in the industry came from the decline in fuel prices -- from above USD 100 per barrel to the current levels close to USD 45 per barrel. As fuel alone contributes around 30-35 percent of the total cost of an airline, declining prices have led many airlines to turn profitable after recording losses for years. IndiGo: Dominates the Indian Sky IndiGo dominates the Indian skies with 40 percent market share; if international traffic is thrown in, its market share is still a healthy 34.9 percent. Its passenger traffic registered a significant growth of close to 28 percent compounded over FY12-17, as against industry growth of about 10 percent on the back of its no-frill products at competitive prices, its reach and on-time performance. Cost Optimization IndiGo is navigating well in skies on the back of its operational efficiency. The company has focused on reducing every component that appears in its cost structure. IndiGos per unit cost is lower compared to other players in the industry, as shown in the table below. Even when oil prices were ruling very high, the company was consistently able to make profit. Now, with low prices, earnings are poised for takeoff. Efficient Sweating of Assets The company also has a young fleet (average age of five years), which gives it a better fuel efficiency. Use of single aircraft and class configuration also help it to reduce training costs. Additionally, the company has been able to utilise its assets much better than its peers: Its aircraft utilisation stands at 12.7 hours per day (SpiceJet: 10 hours per day). (EBITDAR is Earnings before Interest, Tax, Debt, Amortization and aircraft and engine Rentals, an important metric to value airline carriers) Asset-light model The company has a very strong balance sheet, thanks to its asset-light model. It has a fleet of around 131 aircraft out of which 114 (87 percent) are on operating lease, reducing capital requirements. On the back of low capital requirement, the company has been able to generate a very high free cash flow yield, which stands at 11.8 based on FY17 numbers, up from 2.5 in FY15. On the capacity front, IndiGo has 411 aircraft on order and is expected to reach a fleet size of 200 aircraft by FY19, representing a growth of 24 percent compounded over FY17-19. The higher capacity is expected to serve various new routes and support growth in passengers. Air India the New Feather in the Cap? As far as reach is concerned, the management wishes to capture share in the long-haul international market and believes that there are untapped international opportunities. This is where a potential acquisition of parts of Air-India comes in. Air Indias international operations have a 44.1 percent market share among Indian carriers, and Air-India Express offers Indigo an opportunity to expand its low-cost franchise. Acquisition of Air-Indias international operations would give IndiGo immediate access to the various restricted and closed foreign markets, strengthen its reach and give it access to highly coveted slots at foreign airports. The management, which is adept at running the low-cost model successfully in India, is confident of tackling the challenges that come with the deal including absorbing huge debt, a different type of fleet and potential labour union problems, to name a few. It also believes that, without this deal, it would take many years to establish its footprint in the international market. We did some back-of-the-envelope calculations and found that IndiGo is expected to face stress on both its balance sheet (debt burden of Rs 242 billion) and income statement with the acquisition of Air-Indias international and Express operations. However, we believe that margin will reach close to IndiGos pre-acquisition average level by FY20E. In spite of industry challenges, IndiGo has performed well in the past. The stock trades at a trailing multiple of around 7.7 times EV/ EBITDAR, 5.1 times projected FY20 (without Air India) and 5.5 times FY20 (with Air India). We have high comfort on the business and the valuation and we would advise investors to build positions gradually for the long haul especially if there is short-term turbulences on account of a possible Air-India acquisition. Sharvil Patel, the new chief of Cadila Healthcare, part of Ahmedabad-based drug maker Zydus Cadila group, said his vision is to build a research-based pharmaceutical company, while maintaining the best standards in terms of quality and compliance in the industry, in an exclusive interview to CNBC-TV18. Sharvil Patel took over as Managing Director of Cadila Healthcare, after his father Pankaj Patel stepped down from the role yesterday to hand over mantle of the company to his son. Pankaj Patel will continue as Chairman of the company largely taking up the mentoring role. Pankaj Patel aspired to transform Cadila Healthcare from a largely copycat generics company to a research-driven one by developing a pipeline of novel molecules, biosimilars and vaccines. We have moved a lot of products from the bench to clinic and we need to make sure that we successfully complete our clinical trials and make sure that these products are ready for the global launches, said Sharvil Patel. We are going to be strongly driven to make sure that this product portfolio comes to the market, which will be value accretive for us, Sharvil Patel added. Sharvil Patel said the company will be spending 6-8 percent of its sales on research and development going ahead. For the year ended March 2017, Cadila Healthcare had a turnover of Rs 9,753.9 crore. The Patel family holds 74.79 percent stake in the company. Sharvil Patel, who spearheaded companys efforts to successfully resolve the warning letter issued by US FDA in record time, said the company has done a lot of initiatives at its facilities like automation, simplification of operating procedures, bringing in accountability and ownership at the facility level and developing a thorough review mechanism in terms of compliance and quality metrics at all its facilities. We are very happy that we had a very successful audit this year. But I think we are as good as our last (US) FDA audit and we need to continuously improve, Sharvil Patel said. Moraiya facility, critical to Cadilas US business, got a warning letter in December 2015, blocking new approvals. The facility was re-audited after Cadila initiated remedial measures from February 6 to 15 this year with zero observations. The company now expects 30 approvals from Moriaya in FY18 out of the 40 filed. So far things are looking bright for Cadila run-rate of 5-6 approvals every week including limited competition anti-inflammatory generic drug Lialda. The other big approvals include generic Namenda, phentermine hydrochloride tablets, generic Zetia, and levofloxaxin injection among others. Sharvil said the company plans to file for 40-50 abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) a year with a healthy pipeline of approvals. Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview. Ekta: You have only been in the company for two decades, but now, you are going to start day to day operations. What do you think is the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity for Cadila Health? Sharvil Patel: The biggest opportunity for our company is the research pipeline that we have been working very hard at for the last two decades. Ever since 2000, we have been working on our new chemical entity (NCE) pipeline, our biologics and biosimilars product portfolio and our new emerging vaccines portfolio. And we are seeing tremendous opportunity going forward for all of these three portfolios as the clear differentiators for ourselves in both India, emerging markets and also some of the developed markets. So I and my team are very excited about this opportunity that we might be poised to deliver on in the next five years. Ekta: One of the things which really stood out to me when we spoke to Mr Pankaj Patel earlier was that you were at the helm of the Moraya facility clearance and it is a big achievement for the company considering you had a warning letter in December, 2015 and you managed to successfully get zero observations from the US Food and Drug Administration. What is your biggest challenge when it comes to regulatory issues especially with the Moraya plant? What can we expect from Cadila and what is the kind of focus that you have when it comes to the US FDA? Sharvil Patel: The regulatory and compliance is an ongoing journey. We have done well this year in terms of our audit, but I think it is a continuous journey that we have embarked upon in terms of enhancing our standards and going beyond compliance. We have done a lot of initiatives in our facilities all the way from automation, simplification to making sure that there is good accountability and ownership at the facility levels. We have a very thorough review mechanism for all our facilities in terms of both compliance and quality metrics. We are following the FDA's quality guidelines and metrics and trying to make sure that we are on top of it in terms of what the FDA and the other regulators expect out of our facilities. It is an ongoing journey. We have taken the initial steps. We keep an eye out for all the observations that are made and make sure that we are able to keep up to date with those observations and make sure that we are able to adhere to the changes in the FDA and the improvements in the FDA guidelines. So it is a journey that we have embarked upon. We are very happy that we have had a successful audit this year, but I think we are as good as our last audit and we need to continuously improve. Latha: That is a good point, but these are day-to-day matters. You are now at the helm. You have to give the company the vision. How are you different from your father? Sharvil Patel: I do not see myself very different from my father in terms our vision. We are very well aligned. Ever since I joined the business, my vision was also similar to what he has aspired to build which is to build a research based pharmaceutical company. My endeavour is to make sure that our innovation portfolio becomes very strong. We have moved a lot of products from the bench to the clinic and we need to make sure that we successfully complete our clinical trials and make sure we are ready for these products for the global launches. So we are going to be strongly driven to make sure that this portfolio comes to this market which is very value additive and enhanced for us. So all, when I t comes to NCE, biologics and vaccines, I want to work very hard with the team to make sure that what we have envisaged and what we have planned for comes to fruition in the next five years. So that is something that is going to be very important going forward. Then finally, compliance and quality has to be as the benchmark for the industry and we want to work very hard to make sure that we keep applying ourselves to make sure we have the best standards in terms of quality and compliance. Latha: What is that one dream which you could perhaps, not complete and you want Sharvil to do it for you? Pankaj Patel: My dream was to make a complete research based pharmaceutical company which is still a work in progress and I am happy that Sharvil also has a similar idea and dream to actually make it happen. And that is what I want to see that world knows India as an innovative pharmaceutical company from India and also world knows that India can innovate and contribute to the overall healthcare of the world. Prashant: I just want to stick to that point, Research and Development (R&D). One of the things one hears from investors is that beyond FY19, what is the visibility that you have in terms of growth and one of the push-backs in a way which is that Cadila is compared to other pharma majors is not spending that much on R&D as a percentage of sales. Could you throw some colour and light in terms of how you think about this and if you have any specific numbers in mind in terms of increasing that? Sharvil Patel: I personally do not agree with spending as a benchmark of true R&D. Most of the innovative or differentiation of breakthrough developments across the world have not happened by just spending a lot of money. So what we truly believe in is to make sure that we work on the right therapy targets, we work on differentiated targets, we work on first-in-class targets where the barrier of entry is higher but the rewards and recognitions are also higher. And if you look at some of our programmes, they are poised to be the breakthrough therapies. So I think that the spending is dependent upon the kind of products and portfolio you select. What I think I have significantly learned from our Chairman and seen in the last 15 years is that we have been able to do a lot of this effort in-house, we have built all this core capabilities all the way from pre-clinical to clinical in-house in terms of what our scientists are able to do and that helps us to maintain our costs lower because we are able to not only execute faster, but also maintain our costs. So that has been a differentiator for us compared to many of our peers that we have focused strongly on building core capabilities inside the organisation and not outsource these capabilities and that has helped us both in terms of time and efficiency and we are able to deliver more projects in a similar amount of money. So I feel going forward, we should be around the same range-bound effort in terms of R&D spends which is between 7-8 percent. Once we reach our phase-III programmes and if we need to invest more, we will look at that, but currently we are able to manage our biologics, our vaccines, our NCE pipelines in the current R&D spends we are managing. Ekta: You take over the company as the Managing Director in the same year that Trump is chosen as president in the US as well. Nobody can stop talking about how exactly drug prices are probably going to see new levels or new lows in the US markets. On the other hand we also have India where there is that generic prescriptions which could probably become a reality soon. If you had to talk about how you are going to combat the challenges in the US on one hand as well as India where both, in terms of commonality is drug pricing pressure, how would you do it? Sharvil Patel: These are more external factors and I do not think we can control external factors. What we need to do and what we have decided is that when there will be pressures on pricing, we have to make sure our operational efficiency improves significantly in order for us to maintain our margins. So our endeavour has been to continuously improve the efficiency both in terms of operational efficiency as well as cost. We have been working for the last five years. It is not something that we just started to do, on different initiatives where we are able to optimise our costs and remain competitive both when it comes to the domestic business as well as the international business. The external indicators will affect each and every company in the same way, so what we need to be is just agile and make sure that we are competitive when it comes to our positioning in terms of efficiency as well as costs. Latha: On that issue, is there a danger, a negative point that you want Sharvil to avoid? Probably a mistake you made which you want him to avoid or an opportunity you missed. What would be your advice in what he should avoid as red flags? Pankaj Patel: I would always tell Sharvil not to just do a merger and acquisition (M&A) for the sake of increasing topline, but be very focused on value addition on any merger, any acquisition. He also should actually focus on remaining on top of the cost of operations to make sure that we are always competitive. We are a generic industry. By name or nature of the industry, it is going to be always hyper competitive and could be very important that efficiency at all levels are continuously achieved to ensure that we are successfully competing in the world and maintaining our market shares and markets. Latha: Would you look at inorganic moves a little more aggressively than your father did? Sharvil Patel: My view is also very similar. I know we do not want to do M&A just for the revenue recognition point of view. Unless it is very strategic and value additive in the next three years of the transaction we do not want to be spending our resources behind that. We have a lot of development and R&D portfolios that we have for ourselves. We would rather adhere to making sure we invest behind research and the pipeline that we want to create. But as geographical expansion happens, as opportunities come up both from brands point of view or speciality business point of view, we will keenly explore those opportunities and if we are able to give a good payback to our shareholders, we will definitely go ahead and do M&A, but we are not going out of bound in terms of going crazy on M&A. Ekta: Would it be a company or would it be say, specific assets like for example, one active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) plant of an ex-company, etc? Sharvil Patel: It will depend on the geography and market specific ideas. In India mostly it could be brand specific. In the US, it could be a mix of brand as a company. But, I would say it is different for different geographies. Ekta: What is the plan with the US pipeline? I know it is a little more operational, my question, but if you have to talk about the pending abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA) or US filings that you have at this point in time, what can we expect in terms of say, the launch pipeline for the US as well as maybe what is happening with Lialda? Sharvil Patel: We have been getting steady approvals in the last two months, almost 5-6 approvals in a week. We have a healthy pipeline. We have been able to file between 40-50 ANDAs a year, so our pipeline will continue to deliver over the next three years in terms of filing. We have a pending portfolio of more than 170 ANDAs and we hope for steady approvals to come to with the expedited reviews happening at the FDA. We see a good stream of products coming through. The challenge to the team is to be capable enough to launch a large number of approvals and we are geared towards that. We have planned for the next 15 months in terms of what should be prepared in terms of launches. And we are on track to do that, both in terms of capital investments which has been made and people in place. Latha: Your father made big inroads into the US markets. Would you eye other markets now? Sharvil Patel: Yes, we are looking at emerging markets as a third pillar of growth for our organisation. We are happy in terms of the geographies we are present in. there are a few gaps, not significant, but a few gaps in terms of some geographies which we are keen to pursue, so we will continue to look at that. We have a very healthy pipeline of portfolio for these markets, so they would come up in the next couple of years. And also, we want to have a good play in the biosimilars and vaccines in these markets and we have seen a significant value addition happening for these two portfolios in the emerging markets. Latha: You are not much in the European Union (EU). Sharvil Patel: In Eu, we have a presence in France and Spain. We cover about 67 percent of the portfolio when it comes to the coverage. So we have a decent coverage. We do have an issue of scale, but we are managing the cost by cost efficiency and having the right products launched and through out-licencing we are able to manage and grow the business, but we do not have significantly more plans in terms of expanding our Europe presence. Ekta: What about the transdermal opportunity in the US? Sharvil Patel: We have been working actively for the many years. Transdermal has a strong regulatory hurdle in terms of the kind of work we need to do. We are hoping that we will be getting approvals starting from end of this year and following onto next year. Many of our complete response letters (CRL) have been closed and we are looking forward to approvals coming through this year. Latha: It appears that the next big challenge that not just Cadila, the entire Indian pharmaceutical space and basically, pharmaceutical countries anywhere will face will be the digital challenge, the digitisation and the extent of ability to use analytical tools. Do you see that as very big? Is that where you would want Cadila to concentrate? Sharvil Patel: What you said is very true. If you look at it from our manufacturing operations and quality operations, we have done a lot of effort on information technology and digitalisation as well as automation. That has helped us significantly not only in our last audits, but also will help us going forward in operational efficiencies. When it comes to front end presence which is the marketing and sales, a lot has not been done there. We are actively working on a few projects to work on the digital and IT platform to enable us in terms of big data analytics to be able to make the right decisions when it comes to the market place. We are initiating a few projects this year with renowned consultants and hopefully if they succeed we will roll it out on a larger platform, but it is still work in progress. A lot of teething trouble and a lot of effort we will need to make to make sure we get the model right, the algorithms right and get good data for us to make the right judgements. But we are actively pursuing the digitalisation aspect of the front end of the business. Ekta: If you had to focus on one particular parameter to grow in the next three years if it is your topline, if it is your margins or if it is your bottomline, which one would it be? Sharvil Patel: Operational efficiency would be the most important aspect of what we need to do in the next couple of years. We know there are going to be pricing pressures. We have large capital investments made. Now we need to make sure we have good operational efficiency coming out of all our facilities, maintain costs and manage costs in an efficient manner. So that is going to be the need of the hour and we are working very hard to make sure that we are on top of it. Latha: There are the other lucrative pharma attached areas which are doing exceptionally well now. Hospital business for one, wellness. Bigger over the counter (OTC), lifestyle drugs. Will you want to branch out into any of these as well, not losing your core competence? Sharvil Patel: We have focused, we do have our OTC consumer goods business which is poised for good growth. We had a few challenges in the last couple of years, but if you see now, it has started to do very well with the realignment of the distribution as well as the promotional metrics that we have done and we significantly hope to enhance that side of the business both in the OTC as well as the consumer goods space. Latha: Not hospitals or diagnostics? Sharvil Patel: No, currently hospitals and diagnostics is not something that I am focusing on right now, but definitely consumer goods and OTC side is something that I will focus on. Ekta: Can we expect much more initiatives on that front? Larger healthcare initiatives and what your plan would be considering that you might have a little more time on your hands now? Surely, that is another area as a family we decided that we should create some kind of what is not available in the state of Gujarat and become a Gujarat based hospital chain to offer people in Gujarat the best in class medical care along with all what is possible anywhere else in the world brought in into Gujarat. So my focus of course is going to be, I am going to spend some time on that to make sure that that dream of the family comes true. A worker walks at Nahr Bin Umar oil field, north of Basra, Iraq December 21, 2015. Iraq has signed deals worth $1.4 billion to ship about 160,000 barrels per day of crude to two Indian refiners in 2016, sources said, upping the ante in a race among exporters to cement their market share in Asia - the world's top oil consuming region. Global demand for oil will be slightly higher than expected this year, driven by increased consumption in India, the US, and Germany, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted on Thursday. "Estimates of global oil product demand growth in 2017 have been revised up... to 1.4 million barrels per day, on surprisingly robust preliminary second quarter demand numbers," the IEA wrote in its latest monthly oil market report. After "lacklustre" oil demand growth in the first quarter, "there was a dramatic acceleration" in the second quarter, "due to a combination of expected increases in India, and some surprise additions in the US and Germany," it said. In total, global oil demand was projected to reach 98 million barrels per day this year. And it was set to increase at around the same pace again next year to 99.4 million barrels per day, the IEA said. In a bid to reduce the glut of oil and shore up prices, OPEC countries agreed to cut production from the start of the year, with non-cartel producers led by Russia partially matching the cuts. But some observers feel that the so-called "rebalancing" of the market and the resulting rise in prices is taking too long to materialise. The IEA called for patience. "Oil investors are going through a period of waning confidence with prices recently returning to levels not seen since early November," it wrote. "The widespread interpretation of this is that investors believe, perhaps impatiently, that oil market re-balancing is taking too long with some calling for additional action by producers to speed up the process." The agreement to cut output had subsequently been extended and now runs until March 2018. "And success is judged over the whole period rather than in one month," the IEA said. "It is OPEC's business to manage its output and we must wait and see if the changing supply picture from the group as whole forces an adjustment to the current arrangements." The IEA noted that compliance from the 10 non-OPEC producers who volunteered to cut production improved in June, "higher than the rate achieved by OPEC." OPEC output increased to 32.61 million bpd in June from 32.21 million bpd in May. Producers are now set to meet in Saint Petersburg in Russia on July 24 to review the output situation. Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The first quarter of the financial year 2018 will likely throw a mixed bag of results with passenger vehicles and two-wheelers marking a slight growth in volumes whereas commercial vehicles continuing their struggle. While factors such as new model launches and wedding season rush boosted the demand, fear of rise in prices post implementation of goods and services tax (GST) and BS-IV implementation dented the numbers. Car market leader Maruti Suzuki is likely to lead the auto pack yet again on the back of a 13 percent growth in volumes during the quarter ended June 30, selling 394,571 units. New models such as Ignis, Brezza, Dzire and Baleno have generated consumer interest in Maruti surpassing supplies. However, analysts believe that higher raw material prices and steeper than usual discounts will eat into Marutis margins. A report from KR Choksey stated: We expect Maruti to post nominal topline growth of 6 percent. Improved mix of Baleno and Brezza is likely to drive realisations up by about 5 percent. We expect the EBITDA margin to decline by 123 bps on the back of higher discounts and increase in operational cost due to rise in input cost. PAT margins to remain stable but decrease by 111 bps. Tata Motors will be tested yet again, thanks to the fall in volumes of margin-rich subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and slump in demand for trucks and buses. This is even as its passenger vehicle business unit showed signs of a much-awaited turnaround. Volumes for JLR were nearly flat with a growth of just 1.8 percent during the reporting quarter at 136,758 units as compared to the same quarter last year. Commercial vehicles volumes in the domestic market dipped 17 percent, majorly because of preponed buying due to the Supreme Court-imposed order on BS-III class of vehicles. Exports crashed 30 percent during the same quarter. In comparison, two-wheelers had a slightly better quarter despite the after-effects of BS-IV switchover. Wedding season in the North and launches of new models helped push volumes. Sales of market leader Hero Motocorp (HMCL) rose 6 percent to 1.84 million units during the quarter. While its motorcycle volumes went up by 7 percent, scooter volumes remained flat. HMCL reported an increase in volumes in the June quarter after a fall in the previous two quarters. Expecting realisations to be higher by 1 percent, revenue would grow by 7 percent. Benefits of its cost reduction programme should help margins but owing to the higher price raw material inventory, EBITDA margin is expected to be at 16.1 percent, lower by 50 bps, said a report by Prabhudas Liladhar. While Eicher Motors-owned Royal Enfield saw volumes increase by 25 percent to 183,998 units, total volumes of Pune-based Bajaj Auto dipped 11 percent to 888,434 units. For Bajaj Auto, we forecast an operating margin decline of 207 bps owing to operating deleverage and adverse currency movement, said a report by IIFL. 10| Tata Consultancy Services | Revenue: Rs 1,50,774 crore (Image: Reuters) Indias largest software services exporter Tata Consultancy Services on Thursday reported first quarter results largely below estimates, hurt by currency fluctuations and continued sluggishness in BFSI and retail businesses. The net profit during the first quarter ended June fell by 10.1 percent on a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis to Rs 5,945 crore which was below CNBC-TV18 analyst poll of Rs 6,195 crore. Total revenue declined 0.2 percent on a QoQ basis to Rs 29,584 crores from Rs 29,642 while rose marginally by about 1 percent on a year-on-year basis. TCS chief executive Rajesh Gopinathan blamed currency fluctuations and one-time impact of salary hikes for erosion in profitability during the quarter. The impact was 150 basis points on salary hike, and 80 bps on currency, leading to a total impact of 230 basis points, he said. Margin fell to 23.4 percent from 25.7 percent in the previous quarter. Gopinathan added that while retail was structurally stressed, there was a challenge at the upper-end of the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) business. The decline in top line and bottom line performance by TCS in the current quarter is reflective of current macro economic circumstances of uncertainty, currency fluctuations and shrinkage in IT spending on large global transformational projects, and cannot be considered unexpected in its entirety, said Sanjoy Sen, Doctoral Research Scholar, Aston Business School, UK. Indian IT firms have been seeing a slowdown in their business from large banks as they adopt greater automation and newer technology such as blockchain to reduce settlement times. There has been some commentary of a turnaround in financial services, but that does not seem to have translated on ground. Retail, which is also a big vertical business for IT service firms, has also been stressed as brick-and-mortar establishments suffer the impact of e-commerce players gaining prominence. All industry verticals except Retail and BFSI exhibited strong growth at over 3.5 percent sequentially, TCS said in a statement. Gopinathan, however, said that TCS had excellent wins across all markets and have a good deal pipeline across industries that positions us well for growth in FY18. In the first quarter, TCS also reorganised its service lines and added new ones such as Cognitive Business Operations which grew 5 percent quarter-on-quarter, IoT (Internet of Things) based services that saw high client traction, cybersecurity which had a dobule digit Q-O-Q growth and digital interactive services. Among its major geographies of business, TCS reported the highest growth in Europe, with growth of 5.9 percent Q-o-Q, followed by North America and UK. Among growth markets, Latin America grew the most at 2.8 percent Q-o-Q followed by India, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. 'No layoffs' The management stressed that there were no layoffs taking place at the company. Reacting to a piece about TCS shutting down operations in Lucknow, impacting 2,000 employees, Gopinathan said that all talk of layoffs was malicious rumour-mongering, and that the company is consolidating its operations in Noida. However, Ajoy Mukherjee, Executive vice president and Global Head, Human Resources at TCS said the company would hire fewer people this year, and that lateral hiring would happen on a requirement basis. There will be net growth in headcount, we will be positive in almost all geographies we are operating in, he said. TCS said the total employee strength at the end of the first quarter was 385,809 on consolidated basis, and net addition of 1,414 employees during the quarter. The total IT attrition was 11.6 percent. The company also said it does not see any visa cost impact this quarter and will continue to evaluate the onshore-offsite mix, hire onsite, and skilling and reskilling employees in digital technologies. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More IT services provider Cyient is expected to report sequential profit growth of 22.4 percent at Rs 96 crore in the quarter ended June 2017. According to average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18, revenue is likely to fall 1.7 percent quarter-on-quarter to Rs 925 crore but dollar revenue may increase 1.77 percent to USD 143.5 million amid seasonally a soft quarter due to seasonality in Rangsons business or DLM that accounts for 10-12 percent of total revenue. Constant currency revenue growth may be at 1 percent. Topline will also include an incremental contribution from the Certon acquisition. Cyient signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent in Certon in January 2017, which strengthens the company's aerospace and defence vertical. Operating profit during the quarter is also expected to fall at Rs 120 crore from Rs 124.7 crore and margin may shrink to 13 percent from 13.25 percent on sequential basis due to currency and part impact of wage hikes. If margin turns out to be weaker in Q1, investors could look at the company's guidance of 50bps improvement in margin in FY18 sceptically, analysts feel. FY18 guidance is likely to be maintained as analysts expect the company to deliver a double digit earnings growth in FY18, backed by a strong pipeline and order backlog. Country's second largest IT services exporter Infosys will release June quarter earnings report on July 14. Every expert on the Street expects IT companies' performance to be subdued during the quarter due to rupee appreciation, wage hikes and tepid growth in BFSI (banking, financial, services, insurance) & retail segment. Let's check out these 10 factors that one should keep an eye on:- Bottomline Infosys' profit is seen falling 4.9 percent sequentially to Rs 3,426 crore and revenue may slip 0.6 percent to Rs 17,014 crore in the quarter ended June 2017, according to average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18. Dollar Revenue Dollar revenue is expected to increase 2.6 percent to USD 2,636.2 million QoQ and constant currency revenue growth may be at 2 percent. "Contraction in legacy app service business from cloud based SaaS adoption, and no meaningful signs of pick-up in both financial & retail verticals (two combined are 50 percent of Infosys' revenues) will impact revenue growth," Goldman Sachs said while retaining sell call on the stock. Operational Performance EBIT (Earnings before interest and tax) during the quarter is seen declining 4.4 percent to Rs 4,025 crore and margin may contract by 95 basis points to 23.65 percent compared with previous quarter. Factors that impact earnings Analysts feel its India business growth could be strong from GST contract but consulting is likely to remain muted in Q1. Infosys has also indicated during the quarter that resurgence of BFSI spending is still not visible. Rupee strength, visa costs and local hiring at onsite costs may impact its margin performance. Wage hikes deferred from Q1 to Q2 also indicated sluggish revenue momentum (and unlikely to be retrospective), analysts say. Company's Q4FY17 was a muted quarter which the company attributed the weakness to unanticipated execution challenges and distractions in a seasonally soft quarter. Any Revision in FY18 Guidance? Analysts feel the IT bellwether is likely to maintain its constant currency revenue guidance at 6.5-8.5 percent (against 8.3 percent in FY17 and 13.3 percent in FY16) and operating margin guidance at 23-25 percent for the current financial year (revised down from 24-26 percent earlier). In the beginning of financial year, Infosys has guided for FY18 dollar revenue at 6.1-8.1 percent (against 7.4 percent in FY17), implying revenue CQGR (compounded quarterly growth rate) of about 2.1-2.9 percent over the four quarters. Based on Q1FY18 estimated performance, achieving upper end of the guidance band seems difficult; a more realistic expectation would be closer to 7.5 percent, analysts feel. The company expects its rupee revenue for FY18 at 2.5-4.5 percent (against 9.7 percent in FY7). Capital allocation? Investors would be keenly looking for details on the share buyback plan announced during the Q4FY17 results including exact quantum, buyback dates and any ceiling price. Infosys increased its payout to 70 percent of free cash flow from 50 percent of post tax profits starting FY18 (via dividend or buyback), implying a marginal increase in payout. For FY18, company will pay an additional Rs 13,000 crore via dividend or buyback as it has cash of Rs 38,773 crore as of March 2017. Any disappointment on either guidance or buyback plans, Goldman believes, could lead to a downward reaction in the stock price. Deal Pipeline Analysts feel the large deal pipeline continued to be healthy but deal pipeline skewed towards renewals (legacy IT) rather than new wins. Infosys COO Pravin Rao statements at Morgan Stanley conference He said the company is not seeing any pricing pressure as such but seeing tremendous cost takeout in run side of business. "We are seeing cost take outs of 30-40 percent over life of the project of 3-4 years in the run side of the business (which is 70 percent of total), he said, adding clients are looking at taking cost out and reinvesting into new side of business. However, cost take outs are not incremental and it has been happening for the last couple of years. Segmental Performance Analysts continued to be optimistic about financial services as there is expectation of BFSI spend late in year. Analysts further said they have not seen any tangible sign so far of banking spend having picked up yet but we might see positive impact towards the end of year. Retail segment will continue to be volatile as retail store closures, especially Brick & Mortar in the last few months, have been higher than the past. Overall consulting business of the company is likely to be muted this year. Repurposing of consulting will take whole of this year, analysts feel. North America consulting business is doing well and focus is on newer areas like digital analytical (but this is a small portion of the business), they said. The company has seen challenges in Europe consulting business (Lodestone) in the last 12-18 months, which is not out of the woods yet. Key things to watch out for > Comments on pick-up in US BFSI spending> Senior management attrition and tussle with ex-founders. Sandeep Dadlani, Infosys head of Americas, Retail, CPG and Manufacturing quits> Postponing wage hikes to Q2 (versus Q1 normally)> Deal win momentum as management is targeting to achieve USD 1 billion quarterly total contract value (TCV)> Slower reallocation to digital deals is a concern> Update on the USD 2 billion dividend/buyback plan (the company has been waiting for regulatory clarity to finalise the details)> Reports suggested that Infosys founders may be exploring selling entire stake. Founders hold 12.75 percent in the company, which is valued at Rs 28,000 crore. Sale is likely through block deals and in tranches. > Infosys is is increasing onsite presence to counter rising protectionism. It will hire 10,000 people in 2 years and open 4 centres in the US. In the year 2017 so far, Infosys has underperformed TCS by 9 percent and currently trades at close to 15 percent discount to TCS. RN Bhaskar By now, almost every savvy person in the bullion markets is familiar with the saga of gold smuggling into India. What is worse is that the government itself has abetted the smuggling of gold by changing its import duty structure for this yellow metal. Earlier, it used to be anywhere between Rs 100-250 per 10 gms. Today, it is 10 percent higher which translates into Rs 2,500 or more. At these rates the business of smuggling this yellow metal into India has become immensely lucrative. Easy Money The economics of this business is simple to understand. There is a cost involved in smuggling in gold. There is the cost of converting local money into foreign exchange (less than 1 percent for this trade) and the cost of transporting gold to India. Since this is a low-volume-high-value item, the cost of transportation is almost nil. Gold traders will tell you that the entire cost of smuggling gold into India is under 5 percent. This includes risk premiums, too, because one has to take into account some losses through accidents or seizures. This is where a 10 percent import duty actually becomes an incentive to smugglers. They make huge amounts of money in this line of business. Check the numbers carefully. Let us assume the domestic price of gold to be Rs 25,000 per 10 gm. It is a bit over Rs 27,000 currently, but a benchmark price of Rs 25,000 is convenient. Each year sees at least 100 tonnes of gold being smuggled into India (during the last four years, at least 280 tonnes were smuggled in; Read: Why Indias (part-illicit) love affair with gold will sizzle on. The actual numbers, say trade sources, could be a lot bigger). That gives the total quantum of smuggled in gold to be around Rs 25,000 multiplied by 1 lakh units of 10 g. The money involved is thus Rs 25,000 crore each year. A 5 percent profit on this volume translates into Rs 1,250 crore per annum at the very minimum. Now the government has added a 3 percent GST on this gold. This brings up the domestic cost by 13 percent. Thus profit margins swell to Rs.2,000 crore per 10g. This is because the costs remain the same. Only the end price has changed. At a 13% markup, smugglers stand to make more profit than before. Smuggling was just not viable when duty rates were between Rs 100-250. But smuggling is not the only problem. The biggest danger is that gold now begins to subsidise a clandestine import channel involving transporters, landing points, agents and compliant officials. The longer gold smuggling continues, the stronger this clandestine import channel becomes. Sooner or later this channel begins to be used for drugs. Or worse still, it can be used to smuggle in arms as well to aid terrorism. That is why savvy governments try to ensure that no smuggling racket becomes so lucrative that it begins to undermine not just the currency, but also the security of a country. Poor Defence The governments standard defence is that its enforcement officials are ever vigilant and can cope with any situation. Really? Just look at three instances which show how ineffective even a government machinery can become when dealing with a well-oiled, well-organised smuggling syndicate. Instance #1. In a statement before the Lok Sabha on February 3, 2017 (in reply to the unstarred question no. 387), the government admitted this implicitly. It stated that the Income Tax Department conducted more than 1,100 searches, seizures and surveys and issued more than 5,100 notices, during the period November 9, 2016 to January 10, 2017, for verification of suspicious high-value cash deposits in old high denominations. These actions led to seizure of valuables of more than Rs 610 crore which includes cash of Rs 513 crore. The rest of the seized valuables are mainly in the form of gold, jewellary and silver. This means that unaccounted gold & jewellery was just Rs 97 crore! Remember the fanfare with which the government claimed that it would root out black money? Of the 100 tonnes of gold smuggled in each year, the total seizure accounted for just 0.003 percent! Instance #2 Look at the governments own figures. In its reply to the Lok Sabha unstarred question No. 384 of February 3, 2017, the government stated (see table) that the total seizure of gold (and gold ornaments) accounted for just 7.1 tonnes during the latest three-year period (2013-14 to 2015-16). The biggest seizures were in Delhi, followed by Mumbai and Chennai. If local anecdotes are taken into account, many of these seizures, too, are the result of the smuggling syndicate pointing out small fry who try to make a quick buck. Moral: The smuggling syndicate, too, does not like competition! Each seizure is accompanied with a high-decibel media coverage. The impression created is that the customs has been doing an excellent job. But the smuggling syndicate has channels that seldom get broken, because the profit margins are obscenely high. Even other data released by the government tell the same story. Take the information given out by the government about the country sources from which this gold came in (see table). The total seizures in this table are a bit higher than the one in the earlier table at 9.3 tonnes. But even this figure is a fraction of the 100 tonnes collected each year. And do bear in mind that these are figures for cumulative collections over a three-year period. But what is interesting from this table is that it is no longer the Middle East that is the source point of gold that is smuggled in. Countries like Singapore and Malaysia have also become active hubs. Nepal used to be a small-time source for gold. Now, it is big. Ditto with Bangladesh. Thailand is the country through which most jewellery gets imported clandestinely because the government there has encouraged jewellery making in ways that the Indian government hasnt. Then there are times when the government offers data about collections made by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (see reply to Lok Sabha unstarred query no +648 of November 18, 2016) which puts the seizure at 2.85 tonnes. None of them come close to even 5 percent of the gold that is smuggled in each year. Instance #3 When the profits from gold are enormous, the customs benefit in three ways. The few seizures they make allows officers to become eligible for a promotion. They even get rewards based on the amount of gold seized. But corrupt elements in the ranks aided by a system that does not know how to prevent fraud makes money using another method. Consider the admission of the government that its own enforcement authorities had discovered ways to break into the gold vaults where the seized gold was kept. In order to prevent easy discovery of their theft, they replaced the stolen gold with counterfeit packages. Delhi saw the maximum corrosion of such practices. But Mumbai and Trichy had begun doing similar things as well. This does raise questions about accounting procedures. If the gold is part of the governments reserves, should it not have been transferred to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)? The fact is that gold that is seized is just an accounting entry not finding reflection in either the revenue or the capital accounts of the government. Ideally, all seized gold should be auctioned off within three months of seizure. In fact, this is one of the processes that the government will have to modify sooner or later. Read the next part of this series for what the government should do to tackle the smuggling menace. Read More: This is how government can clean up gold trade and make it both healthy & profitable The Monster Employment Index saw an 11 percent jump in June 2017 on a year-on-year basis reflecting a pickup in online recruitment activities. The banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector saw a 44 percent rise followed by home appliances sector at 34 percent and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) at 33 percent. In terms of the cities, Kolkata (up 40 percent) continued to lead long-term growth followed by Baroda (up 36 percent). Online hiring activity in Delhi-NCR matched the year-ago level. Sanjay Modi, Managing Director, Monster.com, APAC & Middle-East said, The implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) is a progressive step and is likely to have an encouraging impact on the job market nudging the overall growth. Of the 27 industry sectors monitored by the Index, 20 sectors saw increased demand on-the-year. BFSIs rate of growth paced up from 39 percent in May 2017. The sector has been witnessing progressive growth on an annual basis since April 2017. In the past three months between March and June, there has been a 21 percent growth in hiring in the sector. The IT sector Hardware, Software (up 13 percent) has remained unruffled in the past few months, according to the index. The BPO/ITES (down seven percent), on the other hand, saw online demand ease below the corresponding period last year first negative growth since April 2014. The decline in demand is reflected on all other parameters as well; down six percent (month-on-month), down nine percent (three-month) and down eight percent (six-month). Among other sectors, engineering, cement, construction, iron/steel registered a two percent year-on-year growth following low demand in April (down one percent) and May (down three percent) 2017. But, the real estate (down three percent) sector continued to exhibit weak hiring demand. The retail sector recorded steep month-on-month growth up at 12 percent up from -20 percent in May 2017; the most notable increase among all monitored sectors. The year-on-year growth rate also recovered from -14 percent in May to negative one percent in June 2017. Recruitment in e-commerce sector witnessed an eight percent growth between June 2016 and 2017. Month-on-month, demand increased by one percent and exceeded the three-month and six-month level by nine percent and 11 percent, respectively. Launched in May 2010 with data collected since October 2009, the Monster Employment Index is a broad monthly analysis of online job posting activity in India conducted by Monster India. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities, culled from a representative selection of online career outlets, including Monster India, the Monster Employment Index presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide. Urjit Patel_ RBI RBI is still counting the old denotified notes banned by the government in November last year. RBI governor Urjit Patel told this to a parliamentary panel on Wednesday in Delhi. Patel was appearing before the Finance Standing Committee of Parliament. Opposition members who posed some difficult questions to the RBI chief were not satisfied with the answer. A member wondered if the counting would get over before May 2019 when the term of the Narendra Modi government ends. Read more: http://www.news18.com/news/business/rbi-is-still-counting-demonetised-rs-500-and-rs-1000-notes-urjit-patel-1459631.html Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be releasing Rs 2,000 crore worth of currency to banks in Telangana, to meet the currency crunch in the state. In a meeting with bankers on the issues of farmers loans, Dattatreya said as much as Rs 9,000 crore was released during June and another Rs 2,600 crore during the first week of this month. Dattatreya said he has spoken to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the issue of sufficient currency supply to the banks. "An amount of Rs 9,000 crore was released to the banks by the RBI by June 2017, Rs 2,600 was released in the first week of July 2017 and another Rs 2,000 crore will be released to banks in Telangana on July 13," a statement from the minister said. He noted that Rs 3,600 crore is currently available in the cash chests of various banks in Telangana. "With the total availability of Rs 5,600 crores approximately in the state, he hoped that the crisis would find a reasonable solution," the minister added. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has drawn the attention of Telecommunication Minister Manoj Sinha to the problem of poor telephone connectivity in Konkan region, including Sindhudurg district. A native of Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, Prabhu currently represents Andhra Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha. In a recent letter to Sinha, the railway minister has highlighted the "poor infrastructural facilities, shortage of staff and frequent disruptions in services after every rainfall and storm" in the region. "I would like to bring your attention towards the problems faced by the residents of Konkan region, including district Sindhudurg, with regard to the telephone connectivity," Prabhu has said. Sinha is also the minister of state for railways. He has said the problems are "related to shortage of staff, need to upgrade infrastructure facilities, including national optical fibre network (NOFN) and base transceiver stations (BTS)". Restoration of services becomes a major challenge owing to shortage of staff, he has said in the letter. Describing the topography of Sindhudurg as "unique", Prabhu has said, "As a matter of fact, the mobile coverage is very poor in difficult and hilly areas of Sindhudurg district." Seeking a permanent solution to the problem, he has demanded additional infrastructure and upgradation of the existing facilities in the region. Fast track implementation of national optical fibre network (NOFN) would complement the overall efforts of improving connectivity in the region, the letter said. "I request you to pay personal attention in the above matter and instruct officials to take necesary steps for extending the telecom services to the last mile in the district of Sindhdurg and Konkan region effectively," Prabhu has said. Moneycontrol Research A proud Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis tweeted that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between his government and Walmart India for setting up 15 modern wholesale cash and carry stores in the state. The American retail chain will invest Rs 900 crore on these outlets which will generate 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. Walmart already has 21 cash and carry stores in India out of which two are in Maharashtra in Amravati and Aurangabad. The company had said earlier that they are keen on setting up 50 stores over the next 4-5 years. One might think that at a time when few private players are investing, any such announcement is lapped up by politicians to showcase their pro-industry approach. However, in the case of Maharashtra-Walmart pact, there are other issues at play which would rightfully make any state proud. The deal is the first one after the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST). For retailers GST is considered a boon as it reduces the need for setting up warehouses in every state, now that taxes are standardized. This helps them in economies of scale as they can choose to set up bigger warehouses in fewer locations. Maharashtra, because of its geographical location is centrally placed and offers logistical benefits for the state. Good port, road and rail connectivity has already made the state a preferred location for companies in the logistics sector. The dual advantage of GST and logistics has helped Fadnavis score over other states in attracting Walmart. As a sweetener Fadnavis has said that the proposal will be given a single window clearance to smoothen the implementation. There are two key takeaways from the developments that have taken place. One is that states are competing aggressively among themselves to attract investment and create employment and are willing to shout from the top of the roof on their wins. However, the poorer states will have more difficulty in competing with the bigger ones, thus increasing the gap between rich and poorer states. And second is that even as Indian companies are not willing to commit investments in India, foreign players are willing to bet on the country. Their experience across various countries and access to cheap funds is prompting their investment. Indian companies will have to put in more effort to play catch-up. A general perception is that investments by companies like Walmart or e-commerce companies like Amazon do not benefit the economy and it is something that the state and Centre government should not be really proud of. General perception is that most of the goods sold by these companies are sourced from abroad. This affects the manufacturing base in the country. The US itself has faced the impact of retailers where the manufacturing base of the country was eroded as companies like Walmart imported goods cheaply from countries like China. However, in the recent tie-up between Walmart and Maharashtra government this will not be the case. Walmart already sources between 90-95 percent of its goods from local market, which is likely to continue in the new stores. However, the same cannot be said about tie-ups with global e-commerce players who continue to import. Small and medium enterprises (SME) are anyway affected by GST and struggling to get their act together. Increased presence by e-retailers who through their buying power and international reach can procure a good from the cheapest source can make life tough for the SME players. SMEs are where most of the jobs are created. Mahindra & Mahindra, India's second biggest utility vehicle maker, today launched the minivan version of 'Jeeto' priced at Rs 3.45 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). Talking at the occasion of the launch, Rajan Wadhera, President-Auto, M&M told CNBC-TV18 the company is very optimistic of strong sales of Jeeto. In this segment there is a need for a good looking, safe, comfortable and high earning potential vehicle and Jeeto meets all those requirements, said Wadhera. According to him, since these are all weather vehicles, one will see proliferation in the CV segment as roads get better. They hope to gain 4-5 percent market share in the sub 3.5 tonne light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment before FY18 end, he said. Currently, they have a market share of 50 percent plus in less than 3.5 tonne LCV segment. Related stories Rajan Wadhera chief executive, Truck & Power Train Div, Head - MRV|M&M He is hopeful of the upcoming festive season boosting sales. However, July month could be a bit subdued in terms of sales because of GST pre-buying done in June, he said. On the hybrid vehicle side, he said representations are being made to the government to reduce tax on them. Electrification of most of the platforms will happen over a period of time consequent to both regulatory and other sustainability requirements. Therefore, platforms like Jeeto will also get electrified over a period of time, adding that three-wheeler electric vehicle will be out soon. Source: www.kremlin.ru The People's Bank of China on Thursday injected USD 53 billion into the banking system through its medium-term lending facility, thereby signalling to market participants that the regulator is easing up on its fierce deleveraging campaign, which has been causing unrest among lenders in recent times. The Chinese central bank has been tightening liquidity in the system ever since President Xi Jinping told the politburo in April that financial security would be a top policy priority this year. The banking regulator also started a regulatory crackdown on excessive borrowings by corporates through bonds and from banks. This injection of liquidity by the central bank will let many market experts heave a sigh of relief, since they had been growing increasingly concerned about the default risk being posed by issuers of bonds, particularly of the junk variety. Chinese junk bonds have been attracting a lot of investor interest of late, causing yields on these bonds to fall to their lowest in over 3 years. Issuers are coming out with more issuances and investors are lapping it all up. In June alone, non-bank companies with domestic credit ratings of AA or lower issued yuan-denominated bonds worth 24 billion yuan, over 3 times more than in May. This has caused some concern among market experts, who reckon that investors are betting on riskier assets at the wrong time, since an increased number of Chinese companies are expected to run into debt repayment problems in the second half of the year. So, why these junk bonds rallying? Ever since the number of defaults by Chinese companies significantly dropped in the second quarter and since money market rates in China have declined, investors are on the lookout for instruments with higher yields. As a result, they have been buying bonds issued by companies with a rating of AA or lower, thereby pushing yields on these bonds down. In fact, the difference between the yield on AAA-rated and AA-rated Chinese onshore paper has gone down to below 150 basis points, its lowest in over 3 years. However, experts believe that the party wont go on for much longer. Hidden debt risks in Chinas economy have been coming to light of late, particularly those pertaining to cross-guaranteeing of debt. In fact, as recent as the last week of June, a chemical manufacturing company located in the Shandong province of China had trading in its bonds suspended because of some uncertainty surrounding its operating performance. This resulted in a sell-off of a neighbouring companys dollar-denominated bonds, since the latter had guaranteed the formers debt. Since these guarantees of debt are not a part of either companys balance sheet, there is no knowing the extent of cross-guaranteeing unless something like this happens. Earlier this year, these same concerns caused a sell-off in corporate notes of companies belonging to the Shandong province. In addition to this, the junk bonds also face the challenge of maturity, as a record amount of these bonds are due to mature in the second half of this year. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Chinese lower-rated companies have to repay as much as 90 billion yuan of bonds in the second half of the current year. Market participants are of the view that the Chinese government will step in at some point, reiterating its position against excessive borrowing. They also believe that general monetary easing is unlikely to happen in the immediate term, which will also put pressure on bonds. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Drug firm Cadila Healthcare said its chairman and MD Pankaj R Patel has stepped down as Managing Director of the company. His son Sharvil P Patel, who is Joint Managing Director, will take over as the new MD as part of succession planning, according to a regulatory filing by Cadila Healthcare. The Board of Directors of Cadila Healthcare has unanimously approved the appointment of Sharvil P Patel as the Manging Director of the company, Cadila Healthcare said in a filing to BSE. Commenting on the development, Pankaj R Patel said: "...We at Zydus have been working on our succession planning programme over the last decade. In line with this and also to ensure the continuity of business going forward, Dr Sharvil Patel has been appointed as the Managing Director". He has been associated with the company for close to two decades and has been actively associated in managing the business for over a decade, he added. Representative Image The government-promoted Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) will now also cover treatments will respect to mental health. But, will this be enough? While the RSBY scheme will cover procedures/treatments related to mental health, hospitals are not equipped to deal with them, said a senior official of a private general insurance company. The insurance companies will provide coverage for day care treatments/procedures for psychiatric and psychosomatic illnesses, said the tenders released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the tender document reviewed by Moneycontrol, the insurance coverage includes screening and follow-up care including medical costs. In individual health insurance plans offered by general insurers, only New India Assurance offers coverage for mental health ailments. The beneficiaries under the scheme are entitled to hospitalisation coverage of up to Rs 30,000 per annum on family floater basis, for most of the diseases that require hospitalisation. The benefit will be available under the defined diseases in the package list. In March, the Mental Healthcare Bill that was passed by the Parliament that decriminalises suicide and encourages coverage for mental health-related ailments. With this, Indian insurers are looking to bring out products or add in clauses in their health policies to cover hospitalisation that will cover any expenses incurred if an individual is admitted to the hospital due to a suicide attempt. Insurers also fear that the current limits under RSBY are restrictive. Pills for depression and related issues are very expensive and so is therapy. The current limits under the scheme could be prohibitive from a coverage perspective, said the chief executive of a mid-size non-life insurer. He added that smaller hospitals that fall under RSBY, will have limited beds and will not be in a position to allocate beds for these ailments. Under New Indias Premier Mediclaim Policy, all the psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders diagnosed for the first time during the continuous coverage plan will be covered by up to 5 percent of sum insured. The insured needs to be admitted as in-patient and treatment will not be covered under a day-care procedure. The government has framed indicative package rates for the hospitals for a large number of interventions. Pre-existing conditions are covered from day one and there is no age limit. The coverage extends to maximum five members of the family, which includes the head of household, spouse and up to three dependents. Additionally, transport expenses of Rs. 100 per hospitalisation will also be paid to the beneficiary subject to a maximum of Rs. 1000 per year per family. Under RSBY, the beneficiaries need to pay only Rs 30 as registration fee for a year while central and state government pays the premium as per their sharing ratio to the insurer selected by the state government on the basis of a competitive bidding. Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest. Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well. This week, Ruchit Jain, Kunal Saraogi and Vishvesh Chauhan battle it out for top honours. Below their top stock picks and analysis: Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking Buy Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (GSFC) with a stoploss at Rs 121 and target of Rs 137 Buy Just Dial with a stoploss at Rs 360 and target of Rs 390 Buy Bajaj Finance with a stoploss at Rs 1410 and target of Rs 1495 Buy HeidelbergCement India with a stoploss at Rs 132 and target of Rs 146 Kunal Saraogi of Equityrush Buy NCC with a stoploss at Rs 93 and target of Rs 97 Buy Adani Enterprises with a stoploss at Rs 138 and target of Rs 148 Buy Muthoot Finance with a stoploss at Rs 465 and target of Rs 480 Sell Ajanta Pharma with a stoploss at Rs 1505 and target of Rs 1450 Vishvesh Chauhan of Monarch Networth Capital Buy Bank of India with a stoploss at Rs 141 and target of Rs 151 Buy NCC with a stoploss at Rs 92 and target of Rs 99.5 Buy PNB Housing Finance with a stoploss at Rs 1500 and target of Rs 1615 Buy Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) with a stoploss at Rs 386 and target of Rs 405 crude_300_64552660 Sushil Finance's commodity report on crude oil Oil futures rose, maintaining some gains from earlier in the day, as a report showing hefty drawdowns in U.S. crude inventories was offset by data pointing to lackluster gasoline demand. U.S. crude inventories fell 7.6 million barrels last week, its biggest weekly plunge in 10 months, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said. That was much more than the 2.9 million - barrel crude draw forecast in a Reuters poll but was slightly less than the 8.1 million - barrel decline reported by the American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday. But at 495.4 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories were in the upper half of the average range for this time of year. Traders noted suggestions from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that the oil market will see a surplus next year also weighed on Wednesday's price gains. OPEC said its oil production jumped in June and forecast world demand for its crude will decline next year as rivals pump more, pointing to a market surplus in 2018 despite an OPEC - led output cut. Those output cuts, in place since the start of the year, have lent prices some support, but in recent weeks rising output from Libya and Nigeria - OPEC members exempt from the output reduction deal - has pushed supply higher. We expect crude oil prices to trade positive on the back of EIA inventory data. Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Hatsun Agro Products rose 7 percent intraday Thursday as it has entered into a pact with Germany-based GEA for setting up its greendfield plant in Tamil Nadu. "Hatsun Agro Product is currently establishing an automated greenfield dairy project at Dharapuram near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. The company has contracted GEA to install it (the factory) on turnkey basis", a company statement issued by GEA said. The factory, expected to become operational next year, would have a capacity to produce three lakh litres of milk per day in pouches and 1.50 lakh liter of curd, it said. The manufacturing unit is expected to be fourth largest plant for the Chennai-based dairy maker. GEA would provide an RO plant for concentration of skimmed milk at the factory. It would also provide specialised equipment like homogenizer and flow components at the factory. "So far, GEA had been supplying components to HAP and it is a great pleasure to be able to partner HAP (Hatsun Agro Products) on their turnkey project", GEA India Cluster, Country Managing Director, Abhay Chaudhari said. GEA a largest supplier for the food processing industry and to other industries, with consolidated revenue of Euro 4.5 billion in 2016, the release added. The company's board meeting will be held today to consider and approve the un-audited financial results of the company for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. The board will also consider the proposal for declaration of interim dividend for the financial year 2017-18. With inputs from PTI In an interview to CNBC-TV18's Anuj Singhal and Surabhi Upadhyay, SP Tulsian of sptulsian.com shared his views and outlook on the fundamentals of the market and specific stocks. Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview. Anuj: Your thoughts on Sintex Industries and if the move is getting overdone? Between yesterday and today, we have seen a huge move. A: That is right. Even today, it is up by about 14-15 percent and definitely this is just a momentum play because if you take a call on the textile space, you have umpteen number of stocks available and it is very essential to see the numbers after the restructuring because generally what happens when you have the restructuring prior to that, sometimes they overlap between the segments also the profits seen moving between one segment to another segment. But taking pure valuation call, pure fundamental call, I do not think that these kind of valuations are really warranted because textile stocks are not having a very rich kind of price-earnings ratio (P/E) application. They are all ruling at a very low valuation. I am not referring enterprise value (EV) to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) which is of closer to about 10 for this company but I am referring to the P/E multiple which is seen quite low for many of the companies, maybe in the single digits. But you need to understand the growth prospects going forward and that is very important. So unless and until we get to see the results, we are in fact keeping positive view on the plastic division, the share which is yet to get listed. But at the current valuations, the share is definitely of the Sintex, this textile play now which is traded and which is seeing the momentum, we will remain away from the stock. Anuj: AU Small Finance Bank, I do not know what is happening here. This is a bit of a scarcity premium or something that we have seen, but is there a risk of a brutal correction here because of the way the valuations have just gone out of toss? A: Even if I will not be taking an extreme view that there will be a brutal correction, but yes on a fundamental basis and in fact all these data points while analysing our issue, we have given a comparative table of all these eight companies where we have given net interest margins (NIM), we have given the loan book and all sort of things. And even if you see the NIM, I have seen people talking that they are not into the microfinance business, but ultimately now they are into the small finance bank and you have said that the market cap of AU Bank is equal to or maybe more than Ujjivan Financial Services and Equitas Holdings put together, but it is the market cap of AU Finance is now two Equitas and two Ujjivan put together. That means the market cap of both the companies, Equitas and Ujjivan is Rs 10,000 crore and AU is Rs 20,000 crore. So I do not think and even if you take the NIM because that is the efficiency and that is the barometer. One can also add to the valuations in case of Ujjivan and Equitas, in both the cases, the NIM is anywhere between 11-13 percent while in case of AU Bank it is sub-10 percent. So I do not understand the logic and in fact you cannot compare the Bajaj Finance. Bajaj Finance is just numero uno in the NBFC space and actually, if today, maybe they have crossed the landmark of exceeding the Bajaj Auto market cap also. In fact this is what we have apprehended and we have projected in the month of April that probably in the year 2017, Bajaj Finance will exceeded Bajaj Auto. So you cannot compare these companies with the company like Shriram City Union Finance or Bajaj Finance which have a loan book of anywhere between Rs 50,000 crore and Rs 80,000 crore. So definitely these are all momentum. It is difficult to say that how long this strength or maybe the momentum, I will not call it that how long it will really continue and sustain. But at some point even those who have been holding the prices will go for profit booking. And it remains us of the olden days when the people have always been bullish on the rising stocks and the kind of corrections which we have seen. So difficult to take a call whether it will be a brutal correction will be seen or not, but definitely extremely expensive valuations and I do not give any logic for these valuations because as I said on the branch parameter, NIM, with two comparable peer, I do not think that these kind of valuations are justified. Anuj: Do you track Rallis India? Is it a stock that you would recommend holding on to? A: Actually the query, the way he has said that he has been holding it for three years and now he is seeing the cost or virtually seen to having come to the cost. Actually if you see, I am extremely positive on the agro chemical space and Rallis, they are into the agro chemical space, but the stock which we like most is UPL because if you see the global presence and after having Advanta having merged with UPL, I in fact keeping an extremely positive view on UPL. I am not saying that Rallis is a bad stock. One can compare Rallis with Tata Global Beverage where the performance is not seen having reflected into the price. Maybe on a P/E multiple if you take a call, PI Industries, Dhanuka Agritech and Rallis India, they may all find at the same level. But if this person or this investor is prepared to take a shift from Rallis to UPL, that will be a logical move. Surabhi: Any thoughts on this recent listing? Would you recommend any sort of a buy on Eris Lifesciences? A: At the time of IPO, we gave a buy all because for the simple reason that the kind of growth which we have seen in FY17 for the company on topline, they grew by 30 percent but on bottomline, they grew by 70 percent, number one. Number two, they do not have any kind of global presence. It is a pure 100 percent domestic company, they only cater to the Indian market and they do not have any exposure to US or no apprehensions, no concerns or no worry for the US FDA kind of things. So we have been keeping a positive buy and actually at the time of IPO, we gave a buy call. So we continue to have the same view of buy call on the stock because of the growth which we will be expecting to see from the company in FY18 as well on the bottomline which I think will not be less than 30 percent. So taking that into account, the buy call is maintained on the stock. Anuj: Your thoughts on Cadila Healthcare as a stock? A: Actually we have been keeping a neutral stance on all the pharmaceutical stocks and I have said in the past also that except for three stocks, I am not saying that we have a negative view on Cadila, but looking to the valuations and all other parameters, I do not think that this justifies a buy because we have only been giving a buy call on three stocks that is Aurobindo Pharma Glenmark Pharma and Divis Laboratories . So probably, Cadila may not remain on our buying recommendation. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In the backdrop of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) buzz in the oil and gas space, oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been reacting in a varied manner on the stock markets. Shares of HPCL surged over 6 percent intraday, while ONGC and IOC fell between 1 and 2.3 percent. Investors cheered the prospects for HPCL post the reported merger talks. Meanwhile, they turned cautious on the rest as the deal would mean more trouble or pain for these two. Oil minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, on Wednesday said that the merger between the two companies will be completed in the current financial year, CNBC-TV18 reported, quoting agencies. It was reported by news agency PTI earlier this month that the government was looking to sell 51 percent stake in HPCL to ONGC for over Rs 26,000 crore. After the Cabinet nod, the government could move to appoint valuation and transaction advisers while ONGC too may decide to hire merchant bankers to arrive at the valuation of government shareholding. ONGC is said to have a cash reserve of Rs 13,014 crore and to fund the government stake acquisition in HPCL, it will have to borrow at least Rs 10,000 crore, the source said. Major global brokerages highlighted the good times in store for HPCL, but said that the deal could mean tough times for IOC and ONGC. Moneycontrol takes a look at what are their views on the transaction. Brokerage: Citi The global financial services firm said that given that such a transaction could be considered as an inter se transfer of shares among promoters, it may not require minority shareholder approval and may also not trigger a mandatory open offer. But, minority shareholders in both the companies could have a say in such transactions, it added. HPCLs minorities, the report stated, may argue for a valuation exercise to be conducted to determine a fair value for the stock and ascertain whether a control premium is warranted. The governments likely intention (as reported) to seek the opinion of independent valuers and also to seek exemption from an open offer may therefore indicate prudence on its part as both issues could be contentious for minorities, Citis report added. Furthermore, it highlighted how ONGC could have to sell its stake to fund the acquisition. It quoted media reports which said that the energy major could consider selling 13.8% stake in IOC. This could make logical sense for ONGC given the value of its stake equals USD 4.1 billion, almost equal to the value of the 51% governments stake in HPCL ($4.3bn at CMP), the firm wrote in its report. Citi further said that the developments of strong fuel consumption trends and daily fuel pricing are positive. While Q1 may be impacted by inventory losses, we would urge investors to look past these as one-offs, it added. Brokerage: CLSA CLSA too quoted media reports about the deal completion by the fiscal year-end. Moreover, it also highlighted how ONGCs debt could rise on the back of this proposed transaction. More importantly, it would create a holding company structure for ONGC that implies possible value leakage of up to Rs 6.5/sh (4% of the current price) using a 50% premium for HPCLs current price and assuming the market assigns a holding company discount (say 20%), analysts at the firm wrote in their report. Meanwhile, on minority shareholders, it said that since this is a government-to-government transaction, it may not require any specific approval from the minority shareholders. On monetizing its stakes, it said that along with ONGCs plan to sell stake in IOC, the government also plans to sell some of its 57 percent in IOC. We see overall supply of USD 6 billion or 20 percent stake in IOC in the near to medium term which may act as a huge overhang for the stock, the report added. Further, it said that the activity could lead to many such transactions. Within the oil space, it said, IOC could be the next big company which may be asked to acquire the smaller Oil India. If proposed, like ONGC, it would lead to value leakage for IOCL and be a negative, the report said. At 13:12 hrs Hindustan Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 374.80, up Rs 15.50, or 4.31 percent on the BSE. Meanwhile, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation was quoting at Rs 159.85, down Rs 3.00, or 1.84 percent, while IOC was quoting at Rs 380.60, down Rs 12.10, or 3.08 percent. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) rose 2-3 percent intraday Thursday after both stocks adjusted for bonus shares issue. On May 29, 2017 L&T has approved the issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 1:2. The post-bonus paid-up share capital is expected to be around Rs 283,48,42,834, consisting of 141,74,21,417 equity shares of Rs 2 each, company said in release. Bharat Petroleum Corporation has approved issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 1:2 by way of capitalisation of its reserves. GPT Infraprojects and City Union Bank were also trading ex-bonus today. GPT announced bonus issue in the ratio of 1:1 and City Union Bank 1:10. GPT Infraprojects gained 7.4 percent and City Union Bank rose 7 percent intraday Thursday. At 15:06 hrs Bharat Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 459.95, up 0.84 percent and Larsen & Toubro was quoting at Rs 1,175.65, up 1.33 percent on the BSE. Posted by Rakesh Patil Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Speciality Restaurants, the operator of Mainland China chain of restaurants, soared nearly 5 percent intraday on Thursday as investors cheered the companys expansion plans. The company entered into a franchise agreement on July 11 with Resolute Restaurant Management LLC, granting the right to the Franchisee to open three franchise restaurants under its brand Mainland China Asia Kitchen in the United Arab Emirates within the time stipulated in the Franchise agreement, it told the exchanges in a notification. Further, it added, that the restaurant will be opened in BurJuman Mall, New Wing, in Dubai, UAE. The Company will manage the day to day operations of restaurant and charge Franchise Fees and Management Fees, in accordance with the terms of the Franchise Agreement, the exchange notification added. In a recent interview to CNBC-TV18, Rajesh Kumar Mohta, its CFO said that the worst was behind the company and things should look good in FY18. We have shut loss-making restaurants, added Mohta. "As far as topline is concerned, we hope that we would be stable at that number. It all depends on spend increase and couple of restaurants getting opened," he said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More CLSA has recommended sell rating on Biocon. The oncology drugs advisory committee meeting is scheduled to be held today to discuss Mylan/Biocons Trastuzumab US filing. The committee will discuss biosimilarity of the product and label extrapolation application by Mylan/Biocon given that they have conducted clinical trials on only one of the three indications, said CLSA. The advisory committee will vote on all discussions and explain their reasons for the same, post which it may recommend the USFDA to approve the product (with or without extrapolation) or it may reject the filing, it added. A favourable vote from the committee will be a positive development for Mylan/Biocon but it would not mean an approval. The committee can only guide the US FDA, which takes the final call on the product filing and the plant compliance status at the time of approval. The biosimilar manufacturing plant in Bangalore was inspected by the US FDA in Mar/Apr-17 with 8 observations and by the EU regulator with 35 observations. These observations are still unresolved and may lead to approval delays or denial, CLSA added. Assuming a US launch in early CY19 and EU launch in 2HCY18, research firm estimate the Trastuzumab opportunity at Rs 52 per share on an NPV basis. At 10:18 hrs Biocon was quoting at Rs 365, down Rs 2.30, or 0.63 percent on the BSE. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The dark clouds on Indian IT industry are unlikely to go away anytime soon. Infosys, which is scheduled to report its results for the quarter ended June 30 on Friday, is unlikely to offer any positive surprise, going by the analyst commentary. Infosys' net profit is seen falling 4.9 percent sequentially to Rs3,426 crore and revenue may slip 0.6 percent to Rs17,014 crore in the quarter ended June 2017, according to an average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18. Dollar revenue is expected to increase 2.6 percent to USD 2,636.2 million QoQ and constant currency revenue growth may be at 2 percent. Infosys which created wealth for investors year after year lost steam in the past 18-24 months. The stock slipped little over 3 percent so far in the year 2017 and by about 18 percent in the last 1 year. The stock has given a negative return in all the four quarters on the day of results. It fell a little over 8 percent in the first quarter of FY17 and about 2-3 percent in all the preceding quarters. This IT giant is generally considered as a slow and steady mover; but, when it comes to quarterly results, we see the daily price range expanding by a fair margin, Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst- Technical and Derivatives, Angel Broking Pvt Ltd told Moneycontrol. If we consider past four quarterly results day, the stock prices have been falling after posting a days high in the initial reaction. But, on the last occasion, this corrective move only lasted to the result day as we saw a smart rally after a small consolidation around the 900 mark, he said. Investors who hold Infosys should continue holding the stock as most experts think that IT as a sector has bottomed out and should see revival soon. Although, the time horizon for investors should be more than 1 year. Considering the overall chart structure, analysts are upbeat on the stock and are expecting Rs1030 1040 level in the near-term. The Risk Reward is not favorable to initiate a fresh long at the current juncture. In last four occurrences, we witnessed a selling pressure in the counter post its quarterly results, Jay Purohit, Technical & Derivatives Analyst at Centrum Broking Limited told Moneycontrol. Traders who are willing to create any fresh positions in the stock, should initiate fresh longs only on a decline towards Rs920 - 930 levels post its quarterly result. Traders are advised to keep a stop loss at Rs 875 on the closing basis, he said. Going by the buzz on D-Street we have collated views from different experts on how to trade TCS ahead of Q1 results: Pritesh Mehta of IIFL Private Wealth Multiple support point around Rs890-910 has been acting as a savior since March 2015. The same is placed near the midpoint of previous gann channel, which came into play in last week of June; as the stock reversed after marking a low of Rs921. The third line of defence as per gann rule of 8 is also placed near Rs930. The confluence of support points indicates that downside is limited in Infosys. However, range bound movement since October 2016 also indicates that the stock has lacked buying impetus on the upside. Post a rally of 4% in this weeks trade, in the near term, it can rally towards Rs1,030-1,050. Navneet Daga is Head of Derivatives at IIFL Wealth Options build-up suggest stiff hurdle zone of 1000 levels on the upside for Infy as maximum open interest to the tune of ~14 lakhs shares seen, while on downside stock has taken multiple support zone near 920 levels. Theta and Vega decay would be profitable for the strategy. Maximum Profit and Loss is fixed. Short Iron Butterfly strategy on Infosys: July Series 4 Leg strategy with fixed profit and loss payoff. Strategy: Sell 980 CE & PE at spread of 60 points (July series) Buy 1040 CE & Buy 920 PE at spread of 17 points (July series) Net current inflow 43 pointsMax gain 43 points at 980 levels on July expiry. Max Loss 17 points expiry above 1040 and below 920 levels. Jay Purohit, Technical & Derivatives Analyst, Centrum Broking Limited From last few quarters we are not, seeing huge swings in Infosys on result days; thus, going long in strangle/straddle may not be an ideal deal. At the same time, the implied volatility of the stock is already on lower side, which refrains us to form short strangle/straddle at the current juncture. We would like to highlight few technical observations on the stock. The stock is moving in a broader range of 885 1040 from last eleven months and currently hovering in the middle of the same. In previous instances, 880 890 zone acted as a sheet anchor for the stock. Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst- Technical and Derivatives, Angel Broking Pvt Ltd. Considering the positive structure along with rising volumes, we would advise holding long positions in the stocks. In fact, in the case of a sustained move above Rs985 990 (which looks likely) post the result announcement, traders can look to buy the stock for the first target of 1030 and then it might test October 2016 highs of Rs1055. Traders with a broader perspective can expect a breach of this hurdle (1055) in next few months to resume its previous multi-year uptrend. Since this stock is known for its higher volatility and some whipsaw nature on the result day, it would be a prudent strategy to follow a strict stop loss below Rs920 on a closing basis. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decision. Tata group's global engineering services arm Tata Technologies today opened a new 20-million pound European innovation and development centre at Warwick in England which will serve as the headquarters for the continent. The new facility will create 200 new engineering jobs and will serve England and Europe and is following growth in its business across the region, the company said in a statement issued from Warwick. The new facility will house the company's engineering support services, two advanced engineering labs, as well as a modern R&D centre that will further develop the company's capabilities and growth opportunities in key sectors, including automotive, aerospace and industrial machinery, said its chief executive Warren Harris. The centre will serve as its European headquarters and comes on the heels of opening new delivery centres in Paris and Gothenburg in Germany earlier this year. The facility can accommodate around 600 staff and will create over 200 additional jobs for design engineers and programme managers-creating STEM (science technology, engineering and math) job opportunities at all levels, the company said. Tata Technologies has close ties with the Coventry University, wherein it backs the varsity's Ada Lovelace scheme that supports women studying engineering and computing. It also has a partnership with the Warwick University and is exploring collaborations with Birmingham, Aston and Loughborough universities as key partners for recruitments and training, Tata Technologies chairman S Ramadorai said in the statement. Tata Technologies employs over 8,500 engineers who serve its clients in advanced engineering, research and development, product life cycle management consultancy and software, and connected enterprise IT solutions apart from doing designing, engineering and products testing. TCS live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has decided to close its operations centre in Lucknow, sources in the company told News18. TCS vice president Tej Paul Bhatla was in Lucknow on Wednesday, where he met and asked project managers to finish their programmes by December or shift to the centres in Indore, Noida and continue working there. The project managers have also been asked to convey the message to their team members. The companys move is set to put the jobs of more than 2,000 IT professionals, working at the TCS Lucknow centre, in jeopardy. With almost 50 percent of those working in the Centre being women, living with their families in Lucknow, finding a new job or shifting to a new city might well be an immense challenge for them. However, when TCS released its earnings later in the day, the management stressed that there were no layoffs taking place at the company. CEO Rajesh Gopinathan said that all talk of layoffs was malicious rumour-mongering, and that the company is consolidating its operations in Noida. Read more: http://www.news18.com/news/india/tcs-to-wind-up-operations-in-lucknow-2000-it-professionals-in-jeopardy-1459939.html Pakistan said today that it was considering a visa application of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav for a visit to meet her son who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. "Pakistan is considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan. Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantikas visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "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 had tweeted. However, Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms", Pakistan's newspaper Dawn reported. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. Representative image Floods continue to ravage Assam and other states in the Northeast, with the death toll jumping to 80 on Thursday. A total of 58 districts have been affected owing to floods and landslides across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur, said Union minister Jitendra Singh. Five people were victims of the flood in Assam on Thursday. Five more people had died on Wednesday wherein one death each was reported from Majuli, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Golaghat and Nagaon districts, according to the government. Among the five people who lost their lives in the flood were two minors and a woman, the Times of India reported. Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home, landed in Assam with his team on Thursday to visit Majuli and Dhemaji, which are among the worst-hit areas. He said he would evaluate the situation and submit a report to the Centre. Singh said the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the Prime Minister's Office are closely coordinating with the Rijiju-led team. How many people affected: More than 17 lakh people across 24 districts in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys in Assam have been affected by the floods. The flood has also caused devastation in large parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) along with the police have so far rescued 7,814 people, who were stranded in 16 districts, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said. Till now 49 people have lost their lives in the flood by drowning or electrocution. Around one lakh people have been displaced and they are currently staying in 231 relief camps. District authorities are supplying food, water, medicines and other essentials to them.. In Arunachal Pradesh, as many as 14 people died in a landslide caused by flash flood on Tuesday, owing to non-stop heavy rainfall for more than three days. Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu has directed the state administration to rescue people living in vulnerable areas of Itanagar and asked people to take shelter in relief camps. According to media reports, hundreds have been rescued in Manipur and vulnerable areas have been evacuated. The state was only just recovering from landslides and flash floods after Cyclone Mora hit it in May. Two houses were reportedly washed away in Senapati district of Manipur on Tuesday. Affected areas ASSAM The mighty Brahmaputra river and its side-streams have submerged around 2,500 villages while destroying 1.06 lakh hectares of crop-land in the state. The flood has cause damage to infrastructure by eroding and overflowing on the embankments and blocking roads and bridges, causing landslides thereby disrupting surface communication, according to the state's disaster management authority. Sonowal has flown to his constituency of Majuli, which is worlds largest river island inhabited by humans. Majuli is situated where the Brahmaputra river meets Subansiri river and has around 33,000 residents who have been affected by the floods. According to reports, more than half of Kaziranga National Park, which is famous for its rhinoceroses, is inundated. At least eight hog deer have died in the flooding and animals including deer, elephants and the rhinos have been fleeing to higher ground. The chief minister has also visited Kaziranga National Park to assess the gravity of the situation. ARUNACHAL PRADESH Flood and landslides triggered by torrential rain in last few days have completely cut off many district headquarters in the state from the rest of the country. The state capital Itanagar is cut off with its main connecting road - NH 415 - eroding at the entry point. Government had predicted a flood situation in the state owing to River Siang and Kameng overflowing. A report from Seppa, the headquarters of East Kameng district, said that surface communication has been wholly or partially snapped in the district with rivers Kameng, Bichom, Pappu, Pakke and their tributaries flowing above the danger mark. MANIPUR Incessant rains caused major rivers to overflow and displacing people living near the river banks. On Wednesday, water levels increased in Manipur's main rivers Imphal, Iril and Thoubal within a short while after daylong heavy rain, the Hindustan Times reported. Large parts of Manipur's agricultural field, especially that of paddy, have been affected by the recurrent calamities. Lower parts of the valley comprisingImphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubalare submerged in water. (With inputs from PTI) Led by the banking, insurance and financial services sector, online hiring grew 11 percent in the June quarter over a year ago, a Monster.com report said on Thursday. "The implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) is a progressive step and is likely to have an encouraging impact on the job market nudging the overall growth," Monster.com APAC & Middle-East Managing Director Sanjay Modi said. Monster Employment Index, a gauge of the country's online job demand rose to 263 in three months ended June 2017 from 237 in the year-ago period. India is on the brink of major transformation owing to several economic reforms and digital disruption over the last few months, Modi said. "The Monster Employment Index for June has captured this sentiment reporting 11 percent year on year growth. It was majorly driven by banking, financial services and insurance sector making Mumbai (up 15 percent) the only metro to have exhibited a double-digit annual growth," he added. In terms of sectors, banking/financial services, insurance led long-term growth chart with a 44 per cent year-on-year growth followed by home appliances (34 percent) and consumer goods/ FMCG, food and packaged food industry (33 percent). Among cities, Kolkata topped with the highest growth in online recruitment, up 40 percent, followed by Baroda (36 percent), Ahmedabad (20 percent) and Mumbai (15 percent). Chennai saw the steepest decline, down 12 percent, while Delhi-NCR matched the year-ago level. "The short-term growth parameters also indicated reduced demand in Delhi-NCR; down one percent month-on-month, down six percent in three-month and down two percent in six-month," the report noted. India said on Thursday it will continue to use diplomatic channels with China to resolve Dokalam standoff and insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held "conversation on a range of issues" in Hamburg. There is a stand off between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16. "We have diplomatic channels available. We have embassies in both countries. Those channels will continue to be used," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said when asked about the nearly month-long stand off in Dokalam. He also referred to Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar's remarks at an event in Singapore on the issue. Baglay noted that there were well-established and mutually agreed mechanisms to address differences on border issue as well as tri-junctions. "I would only refer you back to the information we put out after the meeting (in Hamburg). There was a picture that we had tweeted. There was a brief text that...said at the BRICS leaders' informal meeting at Hamburg on the sidelines of the G0-20 summi, the BRICS leaders an informal meeting was hosted by China. "Prime Minister Modi and President Xi had a conversation on a range of issues," Baglay said when asked about the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman's remarks that there was no bilateral meeting between the two leaders. However, he refused to give details on the "range of issues", saying, "It is not for me to comment as to what grounds the two leaders covered." On whether Dokalam stand off also figured during the "conversation on a range of issues" between Modi and Xi, Baglay said, "There was a conversation between them. There were a range of issues that was the subject matter of that conversation." Asked if his remarks on the diplomatic resolution of Dokalam stand off indicated any shift in Chinese demand for withdrawal of Indian troops from the area, he said India has already outlined its position on the issue. "There was also a 'conversation on a range of issues' between the leaders of India and China in Hamburg. And today I have said that there are diplomatic channels which will continue to be used. So, you have to see everything in totality," he asserted. On strong rhetorics in Chinese media warning India on the Dokalam stan doff, Baglay said, "This matter we are dealing with is a serious matter and it has implications. We remain engaged in addressing this matter..." On whether National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was travelling to Bejing on July 26, he said there was no information with him. Doval, who is the Special Representative for the India- China border talks, is expected to visit Beijing on July 26 to attend the meeting of the NSAs from BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Baglay also declined to comment on a recent meeting between the top Chinese envoy and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, saying the MEA does not comment on activities of embassies or political parties. The Congress targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged silence over the attack on Amarnath pilgrims with party vice president Rahul Gandhi accusing him of pursuing policies that created "space for terrorists" in Kashmir. The Congress vice president also said that the prime minister's "pursuit of short-term political gains" from the BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir had cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. "Modi's policies have created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Grave strategic blow for India. Short term political gain for Modi from PDP alliance has cost India massively," he said in a series of tweets. Gandhi also tweeted, "Modi's personal gain = India's strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood". Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the attack happened due to "gross and grave intelligence failure" despite specific inputs and condemned the prime minister for not coming forward to either admit the grave security failure or assure the nation of decisive action. "BJP government is 'soft on terror' and has compromised national security. The government's failure to decisively fight and contain terrorism arises out of policy failure, intent and clear direction," he said. He added, "No amount of chest thumping, false bravado and TV studio warfare can now be an escape route for the BJP to hide its massive failures". Singhvi said since the past 38 months, India only has a "part time" defence minister, which is a "sad commentary" on the state of affairs. He questioned why the prime minister should not own responsibility for "endangering our national security". "We have not even heard a single syllable on the momentous failure on the part of PM Narendra Modi on steps being taken," he alleged. The Congress leader said after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, MoS Home Hansraj Ahir claimed that the government "will look into security lapses and will fill in the gaps", while MoS in PMO Jitendra Singh showered praises on the prime minister and said that "he is personally monitoring the situation". Singhvi said while the Union ministers and BJP's deputy CM in Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Singh is conceding that "there was definitely a lapse in security", BJP General Secretary in- charge of the state Ram Madhav sharply contradicted them saying "there was no security lapse". "Why is the BJP speaking in multiple, contradictory, antithetical and discrepant voices?" he asked. Singhvi said the Congress wants to ask the BJP government why no concrete preventive steps were taken even after a specific intelligence tip-off on June 27. He accused the government of offering "similar platitudes" after every terror attack with the prime minister refusing to come forward. Singhvi claimed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was grim and the BJP-PDP government was unwilling to accept its "gross failures" with the situation in the state reaching a "point of no return". "How many times do we need to remind BJP-PDP of their Constitutional obligations to govern and provide basic security to the people? Merely tweeting on Kashmiriyat and replying to a troll will not absolve the Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh of the primary responsibility to maintain peace and tranquillity," he said. The Congress vice president had yesterday termed the attack on Amarnath pilgrims a "grave and unacceptable security lapse" and asked the prime minister to accept responsibility. He had also said India would never be intimidated by terrorists. Opposition parties had also asked the government to introspect on its failure to prevent the "cowardly and ghastly" terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims despite reports of advance intelligence inputs. Rajnath Singh Even as the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Doklam plateau is now in its fourth week, the government is making efforts to reach out to the Opposition and brief them on the current situation. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are expected to brief a host of Opposition leaders on Thursday at Rajnaths residence. Invitations have been extended to the Parliamentary leaders of all major Opposition parties from Congress to JD(U) to Trinamool to Left. This measure in itself is quite extraordinary. The Opposition has often in the past accused the government of keeping it in the dark on important policy matters. Some of the most significant decisions taken by the Narendra Modi government like demonetization have been done without keeping the opposition in the loop. Read more: http://www.news18.com/news/politics/sushma-rajnath-to-reach-out-to-opposition-amid-india-china-standoff-1459917.html DCIM100MEDIADJI_0181.JPG Hyperloop One successfully completed the first full-scale test of its 'Hyperloop' technology in Nevada, United States on Wednesday. The technology proved workable as the test vehicle travelled at a speed of 70 miles per hour (roughly 102 kilometres per hour) for a short distance. Hyperloop is being pitched as a new means of transportation wherein passengers and cargo will be travel in pods at near supersonic speeds. The pods will use electromagnetic propulsion and magnetic levitation technology (mag-lev) inside their nearly airless tubes, to travel at a speed of more than 1126 kmph - faster than the Boeing 747. The company also unveiled prototype model of its first aerodynamic pod which is 28 feet long and is made of structural aluminium and carbon fiber. Hyperloop One's XP-1 vehicle being prepared for testing in Nevada (Photo Courtesy: Hyperloop One) In the next phase of testing, the team's goal is to make the vehicle travel at approximately 402 kmph. The concept was first conceived by SpaceX's founder Elon Musk in 2013. Talking to CBS News, the company's co-founder Shervin Pishevar said that the test was their Kitty Hawk moment, comparing it with the "first flight" milestone of the Wright Brothers. Los Angeles-based company had in May announced that it is in talks with the Indian government to partially build and operate the vehicle on some of the major routes of the country. Air India Gulf carrier Oman Air's CEO Paul Gregorowitsch said on Thursday the airline had no intention to bid for Air India or any of its wings. He said that as the Gulf economies were in 'crosswinds', the Muscat-based airline would prefer to focus on a strategy different from other Gulf carriers that had invested in other airlines either in India, Asia or Europe, and had ;not been successful'. The Union Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India, after the government's think tank NITI Aayog proposed complete privatisation of the national carrier, which is saddled with a debt of Rs 52,000 crore. "You never say no but if you ask me today if I would write a cheque to participate in (the bidding for) Air India, (I would say) we leave this to the priority of other Indian carriers," Gregorowitsch said at a press meet here. Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo wrote to the government with an expression of interest in buying out the international arm of Air India and if that was not possible, it said it would like to buyout the entire Air India flight operations as well. It plans to expand its fleet to 70 aircraft and serve 75 destinations by 2023. Observing that cyberspace is the "new battlefield", a top Microsoft official has called for a global digital convention to combat cyberattacks that have morphed into sophisticated nation state attacks. "What started a decade-and-a-half ago as a sense that there were some teenagers in the basement hacking their way has moved so far beyond that. It has morphed into sophisticated international organised crime and, worse, sophisticated nation state attacks," Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer, Brad Smith, said in his keynote address at the Microsoft Inspire 2017 Conference here on Wednesday. "We see that in the headlines of the last few months. We see that in the attacks that have taken place. We see it in the nation state threats to which it has led. We see it even in the last two weeks, in an attack on a country that then spread around the world," Smith said, addressing thousands of partners of Microsoft at the conference. There were over 170 participants from India. "One thing has unfortunately become all too clear: cyberspace is the new battlefield and when you think about all of these recent incidents, this is a wakeup call. It is a wakeup call to all of us. It is a wakeup call to Microsoft and every partner and every customer and we hope to every government in the world, Smith said. As a company, he said, Microsoft has launched a four-part approach to strengthen cybersecurity including identity and access management. "We recognise as a company that we have the first responsibility to keep our customers safe," he said. Underlining that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, he said "It is a responsibility that all of us in this room share together, it is a responsibility that all of us share with our customers, because so much turns on the ability of customers to implement such important security fundamentals." "Fundamentals like two-factor authentication, fundamentals like the updating and patching of systems, fundamentals like whitelisting applications that should be downloaded, fundamentals like using our latest software, he told the Microsoft partners. Smith asserted that there is need to recognise together that cybersecurity is a cause. "It's a cause that is global in scope and paramount in importance and, unfortunately, it is a sobering time," he said. "It is a sobering time when you think about this, after World War II, seven decades ago, all the governments of the world got together and they agreed, they undertook an obligation legally that they would protect civilians in times of war, said the top Microsoft official. Given the seriousness of the issue, Smith said, one can take inspiration and learn from what the governments of the world learned from World War II. "When they came together in Geneva in 1949 and adopted what was called the Fourth Geneva Convention, a convention that pledged that they would not attack civilians in times of war. What we need today is a new Geneva Convention. We need a Digital Geneva Convention that will call on the governments of the world to pledge that they will not attack civilians through cybersecurity measures in times of peace. That is what we are calling for," Smith said. "As we ask governments to act, as we encourage them to act, we have the opportunity as an industry to act as well, to come together with our own accord, a tech sector accord that enables us to work together more effectively as an industry, that asks all of us as a global community and as global leaders to stand together behind a straightforward pledge that the world can count on us to stand up for our principles of 100 per cent defence, 0 per cent offense," he said. "We will not help any government attack any customer anywhere. To the contrary, we will help defend every customer everywhere," Smith said amidst applause from the audience. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today refused to resign despite demands for his exit in the wake of a damning report by the Panama case probe panel that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. While addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, Sharif, 67, termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of "allegations and speculation", Dawn Online reported. Pointing to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, Sharif said: "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post." Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot". The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," Sharif said and announced that that he would not resign on demands of conspirers. According to the paper, the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif looks out the window of his plane after attending a ceremony to inaugurate the M9 motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad, Pakistan February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz - RTX2ZI70 Amid demands for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today convened an emergency Cabinet meeting to chalk out a strategy to counter the Panama case probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. Sharif, 67, is expected to seek an endorsement from the Cabinet in the form of a resolution or a declaration, apart from briefing members about the party's strategy to challenge the Joint Investigation Team report in the Supreme Court, official sources said. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house, attended by members of Sharif's Cabinet and his legal team, including Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif is not ready to quit and his daughter Maryam confirmed it in a tweet. "Insh'Allah he won't resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him," she tweeted. Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time before serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. Students cheer for the Indian cricket team as they watch India and Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy match on a television screen inside a college, in Chandigarh, India, June 4, 2017. REUTERS/Ajay Verma - RTX38Z10 Indian and other foreign students enrolled in universities and colleges in the United States may have to apply for fresh permission every year if the US administration approves a proposal by the Department of Homeland Security. According to a report in The Washington Post, the proposal, which is at a preliminary stage, is linked to the Donald Trump administration's plan to tighten national security. It could take up to 18 months for the plan to be implemented, if approved. Under the plan, study programmes will set an end date for foreign students which will force them to reapply for permission to stay if they switch from undergraduate to graduate programmes. Students will also have to reapply if they are unable to finish the course within the stipulated time. If approved, the plan could make studying in the US more expensive and tiresome, and is likely to impact the US economy too. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June, the White House's senior official claimed Indian students generated an estimated USD 5 billion in economic activity and supported as many as 64,000 American jobs. Nearly 1.6 lakh Indian students were enrolled in US universities in 2016. According to government-funded agency Open Door, Indian and Chinese students accounted for 47 percent of all foreign students in the US. SINGAPORE: Asias 0.5% very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) crack against Dubai crude fell to $12.28 a barrel on Wednesday, down from $13.31 a barrel in the previous session, amid rising crude oil prices. This came as oil rose on Wednesday, supported by an OPEC+ decision to stick to its plan to restore supply to the market gradually and by the slow pace of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. By contrast, the VLSFO cash differential extended gains, contracting its discount to minus $1.99 a tonne to Singapore quotes, the narrowest in three weeks. The narrower discount came despite an absence of deal activity in the Singapore window and was seen as a reflection of relatively firmer front-month swaps contracts for the fuel, trade sources said. Meanwhile, fuel oil inventories in the Fujairah bunkering and storage hub soared 23% to a four-week high in the week ended May 31, data released on Wednesday showed. The higher inventories came amid lower exports from the Fujairah oil hub together with firm imports, trade sources said. Fujairah Oil Industry Zone inventories for heavy distillates and residues jumped by 2.78 million barrels, or about 438,000 tonnes, to 14.65 million barrels, or 2.31 million tonnes, data via S&P Global Platts showed. However, Fujairahs fuel oil inventories were 9% lower than year-ago levels. Exports from the UAE fell to 150,000 tonnes in the week ended May 30 which were the lowest weekly exports since December 2020 and less than half the year-to-date weekly average of 334,000 tonnes, according to assessments by Refinitiv Oil Research. This follows a strong month of Fujairah fuel oil exports which were at 1.56 million tonnes in May, according to Refinitiv Oil Research. No 0.5% VLSFO or high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) cargo trades were reported in the Singapore trading window.Reuters 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, Send items for Worship News to religion@thereporteronline.com. Address questions to Nancy March, editor, at nmarch@thereporteronline.com. Deadline is noon Thursday to appear in the Saturday Worship News and Notes. Presentation of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church has one more Sidewalk Ukrainian... Friends In Pink is still on the radar and growing every year Letter to editor: Voting is necessary to protect democracy July 13, 2017 Syria Summary - Will The Trump-Putin Agreement Hold? The conflict between the U.S. and Russia over Syria seems to have calmed down after the recent G-20 meeting between Putin and Trump. Some kind of agreement was made but neither its scope nor its bindingness is known. One common current aim is the defeat of ISIS. Source: Fabrice Balanche/WINEP - bigger At the meeting between the Presidents Trump and Putin in Hamburg a temporary truce was agreed for the south-west area of Syria. The Syrian government (violet) holds the city of Deraa while various foreign sponsored insurgent groups (green), including al-Qaeda and ISIS, occupy the borders towards Israel and Jordan. There had been some serious fighting after recent al-Qaeda attacks on Baath city neat the Golan. During these the Israeli airforce had multiple times supported the al-Qaeda groups with attacks on the Syrian army. Under the truce agreement the Russian side guarantees that the Syrian government and its allies stop fighting while the U.S. guarantees that Israel, the various FSA groups, al-Qaeda and ISIS stay quiet. The truce has now held for several days. There were no spoilers. The U.S. seems to have strong influence with ALL those entities. East of the Deraa area in the governate of Sweida the Syrian army has continued operations against U.S. supported Free Syrian Army groups. Within a few days it has taken a lot of ground against little resistance including a deserted U.S. base that was not publicly known. It is possible that a secret part of the Deraa truce agreement allows for the Syrian army to liberate the whole area next to the Jordan border towards the east up to the U.S. held border crossing at al-Tanf. The U.S. base in Tanf had become nonviable after the Syrian army had taken all ground north of it and Iraqi militia had blocked it from the Iraqi side. The U.S. had trained some Syrian mercenaries at Tanf and had planned to march those north towards Deir Ezzor. As that route is now blocked some of the trained mercenaries were recently transferred by air to Shadadi base in north-east Syria where they will have to fight under Kurdish command. Others have refused to move north. Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra, previously called the New Syrian Army, is mostly made up of local men who probably do not want to leave their nearby families and do not want to come under Kurdish leadership. The U.S. should send them home and leave the area. Today a new two-pronged move against the ISIS siege on Deir Ezzor was started. Syrian army forces and its allies moved east from their Palmyra positions and south-east from their positions south of Raqqa. An additional move against Deir Ezzor may come from the Syrian forces further south-east near the Iraqi border. The Iraq air force has recently flown attacks against ISIS position in the Deir Ezzor areas. This was done in agreement with the Syrian government. That may be a sign that Iraqi forces will join the fight to relief the city with an additional move south-west from their positions near Tal Afar. The U.S. military has for now given up its dream of assaulting and occupying Deir Ezzor with its proxy forces. The west and north west of Syria have been relatively quiet. A rumored imminent Turkish attack on Kurdish held areas has not happened. The mostly al-Qaeda held areas in Idleb governate are still unruly. Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Turkmen, Uighurs, Kurds, local Free Syrian Army gangs all have their little fiefdoms in the area. Assassinations and attacks on each other are daily occurrences. There is no reason for the Syrian government to intervene in that melee. The agreement between Trump and Putin over Syria might be more wide ranging than is publicly known. For now it seems that the parties have agreed on areas of influences with the U.S. for now; occupying the north-east currently under control of its YPG proxies. It is building more bases there with the total number now being eight or nine. At least three of these have their own airstrips. It is asking Congress to legalize further base building. It is obvious that the U.S. military plans to stay in the area even after ISIS is defeated. But the Kurds in Syria are only a minority in almost all areas they currently control. They are not united and the YPG, the only U.S. partner, is a radical anarcho-marxist group that has no legitimacy but force. The area is landlocked and all its neighbors are against Kurdish autonomy. The U.S. effort to impose itself on the area is doomed. The use of the Kurds as a Trojan horse is unlikely to succeed. The Defense Department, it seems, has not yet accepted that fact. It still may try to sabotage whatever Trump and Putin have agreed upon. Posted by b on July 13, 2017 at 18:09 UTC | Permalink Comments next page < Only 10 members of the public showed up for a July 10 workshop encouraging participation from residents in shaping new Morgan Hill City Council election districts, but the experienced demographer hired by the city to gather data and coordinate the process described that as a good turnout. < Voters are still encouraged to submit their suggested maps dividing the city limits into four districts, each to be represented by and vote on only a single council seat every four years. Mapmakers are encouraged to submit their maps by July 17, so the first round of submissions can be presented at the July 26 council meeting. However, there will be more chances to present maps before the council settles on a final district map in late August or early September. < Demographer Doug Johnson, President of National Demographics Corporation, demonstrated the three tools at the July 10 workshop that residents can use to draw and submit their suggested four-district maps to the council: on paper, with an Excel spreadsheet or an online software program available for free. < NDC will also submit a number of proposed four-district maps for the councils consideration. < These tools and resourcesincluding maps to print and the Excel templateare available on the website drawmh.org, which was created by NDC and the City of Morgan Hill at the end of June to guide the public through the districting process. The site, which is available in English and Spanish, also provides loads of data about Morgan Hills demographics, including charts and tables depicting the demographic makeup of each of the 52 population units within the city, and maps that show where different minority populations are concentrated throughout the city limits. < The current council voted to make this change from the existing at-large systemin which every voter in the city can vote for every seat up for grabs in each electionon June 7 in response to a demand letter from an Oakland law firm claiming the old way is in violation of the California Voting Rights Act because it discourages representation of minority groups. < It is up to the council to approve a single map depicting four council districts that will stand up to legal scrutiny, but council members have said they plan to use the maps submitted by the public to create the official map. < Johnson offered a list of requirements and suggestions for the public in drawing their maps. First, any map to be considered for approval has to conform with three federal voting guidelines, Johnson said: each district must have an equal population, the district demographics must conform to the federal Voting Rights Act and there can be no gerrymandering. < You cant divide a map in a way that separates a protected class (or minority neighborhoods), Johnson said. < In Morgan Hill, each district must consist of about 9,500 residents. That number is based on the 2010 U.S. Census. Johnson noted that district lines are subject to being redrawn after every Census, with the next one occurring in 2020 that will likely force significant changes to any map approved by the council this go-around. < But there is also a list of traditional or preferred criteria in drawing election districts, Johnson explained. These include: keeping communities of interest or established neighborhoods undivided, making district boundary lines compact and contiguous, using visible landmarkssuch as major streets and roads or creeksas boundaries, considering voters desires to see incumbents names on the next ballot (not drawing two or more existing council members into a single district) and planned future growth of the city. < Johnson, whose company has assisted more than 300 jurisdictions who have faced claims of CVRA noncompliance, added that most neighborhoods like to stay within a single district to consolidate their representation by a common elected official. But sometimes neighborhoods like to be split between two districts in order to potentially gain two voices looking out for them on the dais. Public weighs in < Morgan Hill resident Doug Muirhead has already proposed a four-district map and is working on another one. Residents can submit as many maps as they want, Johnson said. < Muirhead said his first map, created with the online tool at drawmh.org, is population balanced, and it ignores demographic characteristics and instead focuses on geographic representation for South City by creating a new council district. < He added that since no current council member lives south of Dunne Avenue, his proposal would put the four existing incumbents into three districts. < That runs counter to the recommended requirement for continuity in office (which I would call incumbent protection), he said in an email. I reject the claim that elected at-large implies representation of all of the city; representation is not the same as understanding. < Johnson added that voters can make the map drawing process easier on themselves by submitting a map with only a single district proposal for the area where they live, or even just their own neighborhood. Doing so will give the council an idea what residents define as their neighborhoodoften an unofficial or nebulous conceptor area of political interest. < Former Morgan Hill Unified School District Trustee Bob Benevento asked Johnson at the July 10 workshop if the council is required to draw a district with a protected minority class as the majority of voters. < Johnson, who also helped MHUSD draw its new districts after it was threatened with a CVRA lawsuit in 2015, said the city should draw such a district if possible in Morgan Hill. < Morgan Hill resident Jody McRoberts was one of the few who attended the July 10 workshop. She said she might take up the offer to submit a map with a single district or neighborhood, but the task of proposing four complete districts that comply with the law and are fair to all residents seems daunting. < This is a difficult process for the city, McRoberts said. I appreciate the fact theyre including all of us in this process. Its really tough but hopefully this will be helpful to the council to make a wise decision. < The city plans to continue to elect the mayor in citywide, at-large elections. However, the law firm that sent the initial demand letterGoldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Hoargued in a June 19 letter to the Morgan Hill City Council that this would continue to be in violation of the CVRA. < The city hired NDC on a $43,000 contract to provide demographic information and mapmaking expertise to transition to the by-district election system. < The next council meeting where the by-district election process will be presented, along with any maps submitted by residents, will take place 7 p.m. July 26 at council meeting chambers, 17555 Peak Ave. Morgan Hill has seen a steep increase in the number of homeless individuals within its city boundaries, according to newly released statistics from a 2017 county homeless report. The survey revealed a 13 percent increase in homelessness across the county since 2015, with a point-in-time census of 7,394. In Morgan Hill, the number of unsheltered homeless increased 379 percent from 81 in 2015 to 388 in 2017, according to the Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey Report. We saw that our numbers went up pretty significantly, said Morgan Hill Chief of Police David Swing after reviewing the report. If you were to ask any of our officersthey will tell you they have seen the increase in our homeless population in Morgan Hill. Would they tell you it went up by 379 percent? That seems like a high percentage to me. Swing, as well as longtime homeless advocate Jan Bernstein-Chargin, said the 307-person increase of homeless counted in Morgan Hill over the last two years could be skewed for several reasons, although she agrees that there are more homeless. They pointed to the rising cost of housing and rental properties in Morgan Hill and the temporary closure of the Thousand Trails RV Park on Uvas Road west of Morgan Hill as two major factors. I think (the numbers for 2017) are pretty accurate. The 81 (homeless people counted in 2015), I think, was pretty low two years ago, said Bernstein-Chargin, Board President of Gilroy-based Compassion Center that assists homeless throughout South County. Were seeing more families becoming homeless, and that means its not just one individual but a family of four or six on the street. The federally required biennial Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Survey was conducted in Santa Clara County during the last 10 days of January 2017, only weeks after Thousand Trails was evacuated due to flooding. The survey provides a snapshot of homelessness in the 15 cities and unincorporated areas that comprise Santa Clara County. Yes, our numbers have increased. Yes, that does impact our services, Swing said. Yes, we have seen an increase in our calls to service related to quality of life issues related to homelessness. MHPD officers have responded to and seen an increase in reports of someone sleeping or passed out on a sidewalk who may be in need of medical assistance, according to Swing. They have also seen an increase in public nuisance calls such as urinating in public. In neighboring Gilroy, the unsheltered homeless numbers also increased from 179 in 2015 to 295 in 2017, according to the county homeless census. The sheltered homelessGilroy has transitional housing for homeless unlike Morgan Hill and a cold-weather shelter in winter monthsalso went from 427 to 439 for a total of 722 homeless counted, an increase of 64 percent over those two years. This year, 215 volunteers, service providers and county and city employees conducted the count along with dozens of currently or recently homeless paid guides. Many community and faith-based organizations also assisted with volunteer recruitment to identify census workers. More homeless living in RVs One newer trend among homelessand something that has become more visible in Morgan Hill and Gilroyis the use of Recreational Vehicles, or RVs, that are parked on the side of roads or in shopping center parking lots. These individuals count as unsheltered because they are not in an area designated for housing with coinciding services such as water and sewer hookups. These are not retired couples traveling the country in (large) RVs. These are people who found vehicles to live in that may have no working appliances, that are filled with mold, that may not drive at all or they may have nothing to haul it with, but thats where they are sleeping, Bernstein-Chargin said. In Morgan Hill, where nonprofits such as Cecilias Closet offer clothing and St. Catherines Parish distribute food to needy families, MHPD has partnered with Morgan Hill Unified School District, the Compassion Center and some faith-based organizations on a new pilot safe parking program for those displaced but living in RVs. It just started July 8 and allows for up to nine vehicles to park in designated areas (not disclosed to the public) for up to 90 days while they are assisted in finding more permanent or stable living situations. Its really time to think outside the box and try more nontraditional methods (to help remedy the homeless problem), said Bernstein-Chargin, whose Compassion Center has begun an effort to build a tiny homes village in South County. They plan to bring it before the County Board of Supervisors in the coming months. We want to be able to use nontraditional solutions to provide safe and legal methods to get people back on their feet, she added. Donations to the Compassion Center can be made at compassioncenter.org or by visiting its Facebook page. They will also host a Sept. 30 fundraiser at Castillo Hillside Shire Winery in Morgan Hill. Tickets are $75 each. For information, contact [email protected] Ways to help with homelessness While the report shows decreases in the number of homeless veterans and people with disabling conditions who have been chronically homeless for one year or more, the community saw increases in the number of families and unaccompanied youth ages 0-24. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designated this year as the baseline data collection year against which progress toward ending youth homelessness will be tracked. While the overall community saw an increase driven by runaway housing costs, Im heartened by the decrease in areas weve been focusing on, such as chronic and veteran homelessness, County Board of Supervisors President Dave Cortese said. Cortese added that the homeless count will help in allocating Measure A (Affordable Housing Bond) funds, which total $215 million this fall to build housing and to complement our current county investments that provide essential services to our homeless residents. The point-in-time count includes both unsheltered persons and those in emergency shelters and transitional housing. The vast majority of the homeless counted were unsheltered, living on the street, in abandoned buildings, in vehicles or encampments The biennial Homeless Census and Survey uses a consistent federally-approved methodology to estimate the number of people who are homeless in Santa Clara County at a point-in-time with a goal to develop strategies to reduce homelessness. The full report can be viewed at sccgov.org/sites/oah/coc/census/Pages/home.aspx. Donations at compassioncenter.org or facebook.com/gilroycompassioncenter Fundraiser on Sept. 30 at Castillo Hillside Shire Winery in Morgan Hill. Tickets are $75 each. Contact [email protected] Morgan Hill City Manager Steve Rymer, who has received glowing evaluations from the city council and a number of salary raises since he was appointed to his current position in 2013, has applied for a similar job in his native state of Minnesota. Rymer was one of three finalists chosen by the Rochester, Minn. City Council to interview for their City Administrator position, according to a news report from the Rochester Post Bulletin. Rymer and the other two candidates will be interviewed by the Rochester City Council in public July 14. Like Morgan Hill, Rochester is a progressive city with an exciting future, Rymer said in a statement to the Times. Being their next City Administrator would provide me an opportunity to work and live in a nationally recognized community and for us to be closer to our family. Rochesters City Administrator is the citys top staff job and highest-paid position, with an annual salary of $170,625 as of the end of 2016, according to the citys website. Rochester, which is located about 80 miles southeast of Minneapolis, has a population of about 107,000. Rymer, who is originally from Minnesota, has worked for the City of Morgan Hill since 2006, starting in recreation services. The council appointed him to city manager in 2013. At a May 3 meeting, the council voted to raise his annual salary in Morgan Hill from $233,700 to $248,000. In 2014, the council offered Rymer, a Morgan Hill resident, a low-interest $950,000 home loan, plus a $110,000 home improvement loan in 2015. Editor's Note: Steve Jordons first World-Herald byline appeared 50 years ago this week. I am a reporter. My job is covered in the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendments guarantee of a free press. Its a duty that I take seriously, and it carries responsibilities fairness, accuracy, objectivity, thoroughness, constancy. The goal is to be the eyes, ears and brains for people who cant be everywhere but want to stay informed. Im uncomfortable using I a lot as I write this, because I dont think of injecting my own views into a story. Its a practice I learned early on, reinforced by years of looking at all sides of the issues, not my own opinions, and telling readers those views. Its not just a matter of writing style. Its the whole idea of keeping my personal views out of news stories. I may not like a persons attitude, or I may think a proposal is wrong-headed. But my job is to gather facts so readers can decide whats right, wrong or not worth thinking about. I dont expect readers to read every word. Thats why someone invented headlines. If a topic doesnt interest you, move on. (This is one reason I love printed newspapers. For me, its easier to scan headlines on a page than on a screen, phone or pad.) I think my work carries value, and I believe that people should pay for the value they receive. At the same time, I love reading other newspaper websites for free. That represents a conundrum the news industry has yet to resolve. But were working on it. Sometimes the job is easy. I learn about something, talk with people who know whats going on, get all sides of a story, write it, run it through the editors, and its published. Sometimes the job is hard. Things are happening nobody will admit, or theres an active cover-up underway. Its tough to build trust with people who want to keep a secret or are afraid to deal with a reporter. Maybe they think they were treated unfairly in the past. The deadline clock is ticking. Its a challenge. Along the way, Ive seen things. Immigrant workers, without papers, supporting their families by installing drywall on a big public project in Omaha. The body of a robber who killed a bystander before being fatally shot in a gun battle with police. The husband of a woman killed in a bank robbery, gathering his thoughts to talk about her while in the yard she had lovingly landscaped. An abandoned ranch house whose former owner was in prison for fraud. The funeral for a Boy Scout killed in a tornado. A bank president rushing into his bank to find it shut down by federal regulators. A trapper checking his traps along the Platte River. A mother and father holding the first baby of the year. I am no different from other reporters, except that we are all different different backgrounds, different habits, different tastes, different opinions, different styles, different ways of reporting and writing. But the sameness is what counts: We want our readers and listeners to be informed, to be smarter about things and people, to make better decisions. I want a better world. I want to end the bad stuff poverty, violence, war, ignorance and all that comes with them. Or at least see improvement. There are things I am not. I am not influenced to write untruths. Being a human, I am not immune to errors. I am not an enemy of the people. I am not engaged in a conspiracy. I am not separate from society. I am not special compared with other reporters only older than most. I am not understanding when it comes to people who dont subscribe to their local paper. I am a seeker of truth. I am a chronicler of live history. I am caring about readers. I am passionate about my role. I am dedicated to doing the best job I can. I am a reporter. Contact Steve Jordan at steve.jordon@owh.com. This article is part of the Morningstar's Guide to Emerging Market Investing. Click here to find out just what an emerging market is and which regions hold the potential to boost your investment portfolio. Emma Wall: Hello, and welcome to the Morningstar Series, 'Why Should I Invest With You'. I am Emma Wall, and I'm joined today by Gary Greenberg, Manager of the Hermes Global Emerging Markets Fund. Hello, Gary. Gary Greenberg: Hi. Wall: So, we are running a Special Emerging Markets Week this week, and today we're focusing on China. Now, I know, of course, you are a Global Emerging Markets Fund manager, which means you get the pick of that sector. But I wanted to ask, as you do have a large allocation to Asia, how much is China the dominant player in that region? Do you have to consider China with every investment you make? Greenberg: Well, you have to consider digital disruption with every investment you make. And China does have some of the companies that are really at the forefront of that, especially Alibaba. And Alibaba is expanding outside of China. So, in that sense, yes, there is that factor. But actually, if you look in India, for example, there are many companies that aren't really affected at all, especially in services. And so, really bottom-up you can look at companies anywhere in Asia that may or may not have any real affect. Wall: And so, I think, Asia probably in the past, those smaller countries that were very dependent on China, is that fair to say, but now the region is more heterogeneous and they are all standing on their own, both as an economy, but also with equities? Greenberg: Yeah. You've got a lot of companies in Asian markets that have gone global. Taiwan Semiconductor, for example, is a global company. Some Indian industrial, such as Motherson Sumi, Tata Motors, Bharat Forge are global companies. So, especially, with Indian companies, but also with some others, the language is no barrier. People travel all over the world. The supply chains are global. So, it's really one interconnected world. Wall: Looking to sort of economic health of Asia, again, does China sort of dominate that, because there were, although they seem to have eased off, some concerns about Chinese growth and Chinese debt levels? Does that have a ripple effect through the region? Greenberg: It has a ripple effect on some countries. Korea and Taiwan are particularly exposed to Chinese growth. Indonesia also through their commodities. Having said that, I think it's fairly clear that China will continue to slow, but it's such a large economy that even slow growth for a $10 trillion economy is substantial. And so, if the countries that are economically dependent will see gradually slowing source of pull for their exports, but nothing traumatic. We don't expect China to come to a hard stop. And we don't expect the debt situation to come to an explosive danuma anytime in the next year or two. Wall: Looking then at your portfolio, where are you seeing the greatest opportunities? I know you're a stock picker, but are there any particular countries that because of the macro are really standing out for you in Asia? Greenberg: Actually, right now, everything is sort of gradually slowing in Asia. India needs to recapitalise its public-sector banks to get a real cyclical upturn. That's not happening yet. Taiwan and Korea are globally exposed and, as I mentioned, exposed to China, which is slowing a bit. Indonesia is a big commodity exporter. However, even though that's slowing, nevertheless, domestic demand in Indonesia is keeping the growth rate pretty decent. So, overall, things look steady, things look relatively calm with the exception of North Korea. And it's really sorry to say, it's really more on picking stocks. Wall: Gary, thank you very much. This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The struggling offshore energy sector may have finally bottomed out, analysts said, with Ensco leading the rebound by winning several new West African drilling contracts. Lond0n-based Ensco, which has its operational headquarters in Houston, said it won deepwater drilling contracts with "Big Oil" giants like Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and Paris-based Total offshore of Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. "We believe that this new work positions us well for follow-on opportunities, benefiting future utilization for our rig fleet," said Ensco CEO Carl Trowell. Ensco also is leading in industry consolidation with its pending acquisition of Houston's Atwood Oceanics, another deepwater drilling player. Ian Macpherson, an analyst at the investment bank Piper Jaffray & Co., said the news supports a "bottoming thesis" for what's proving to be a more "resilient-than-expected" offshore sector that will still continue to struggle for the foreseeable future. Houston energy investment banking firm Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. called it the first encouraging sign for ultra-deepwater rig demand "in a long while." It's an encouraging sign that major players like Chevron and Shell have figured out ways to reduce costs enough to start moving forward with some deepwater projects, especially in historically expensive offshore Nigeria. On the flip side, these projects are still few and far between and the rig contractors likely are giving deep discounts to win work, the firm added. In terms of details, Ensco said it's reactivating a drillship in August to work offshore of Nigeria for Chevron on a two-year contract. Likewise, another rig idled since last year will drill for Total offshore of the Ivory Coast starting in November. Lastly, Ensco is moving up the construction timeline for a brand-new floating rig so it can go to work for Shell early next year offshore of Nigeria. These new Ensco contracts are positive news and show the deepwater drilling market may have stopped sinking, if not showing small signs of recovering, said James West, an analyst at investment bank Evercore ISI in New York. Apart from low oil prices, geopolitical disputes also have stalled energy production in Nigeria and these deals indicate Africa's largest nation is moving forward, West added. It's also a particularly good week for Ensco because Houston's Talos Energy announced a "historic oil discovery" offshore of Mexico using an Ensco floating drilling rig. Talos' Zama-1 well is the first offshore exploration well drilled by a private company in Mexico's history. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The 2017 Tall City Blues Fest will take place indoors and outdoors across three venues. The MVP Vodka Lounge and the Category 5 Ballroom will be inside the DoubleTree by Hilton Midland Plaza. The Cimarex Outdoor Main Stage will be located at Loraine Street and Missouri Avenue. For complete information on the festival, visit tallcitybluesfest.com. Tickets General admission to Category 5 Ballroom, $20 per day General admission to MVP Vodka Lounge, $20 per day General admission to Cimarex Outdoor Main Stage, $20 per day All-Venue Pass with unlimited admission, $65 per day Midnight Troubadours $50 Tall City Gospel Brunch, $35 with promo code, $50 general admission. VIP packages Packages include unlimited access to all venues, parking, catered meals, prime seating, restroom access and Midnight Troubadours jam session. VIP pass per day, $150 Blues Bed and Brunch weekend package, which includes two nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton, $925. More for you Singer living a Cinderella story in the blues Friday Jump Jive and Swing Showcase in the Category 5 Ballroom 6 p.m. | Grits and Groceries Orchestra 7:30 p.m. | Eight OFive Jive, pictured. Women in Blues Showcase at the MVP Vodka Lounge 7 p.m. | West Texas Invitational Act: Marfa Lake Social Club 8:15 p.m. | Missy Andersen 9:30 p.m. | Tullie Brae 11 p.m. | Heather Gillis Guitar Slingers Showcase on the Cimarex Outdoor Main Stage 8 p.m. | Ruben V 9:15 p.m. | Dennis Jones 10:45 p.m. | Noah Wotherspoon Saturday Women in Blues Showcase at the MVP Vodka Lounge 12:30 a.m. | Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers Youth Music Showcase at the MVP Vodka Lounge Noon | Grace Kuch 1:15 p.m. | Chase Walker One Man Bandstand at the MVP Vodka Lounge 3 p.m. | Randy McQuay 4:15 p.m. | One Man Band Ben Prestage 5:45 p.m. | Brody Busters One Man Band Southern Soul Showcase at the Category 5 Ballroom 4 p.m. | Ally Venable 5:15 p.m. | Voo Davis 6:30 pm. | Kara Grainger Sass and Brass Showcase at the MVP Vodka Lounge 7:30 p.m. | Rochelle and the Sidewinders 8:45 p.m. | Toots Lorraine 10:15 p.m. | Southern Avenue Boogie Woogie Block party on the Cimarex Outdoor Main Stage 8 p.m. | Guy King 9:15 p.m. | Victor Wainwright 11 p.m. | Santini-Jensen Project Sunday 12:30 a.m. | Midnight Troubadours after-hours session at the Category 5 Ballroom 10:30 a.m. | Gospel Brunch by Macedonia Baptist Church with Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Guy King and hosted by Sue Roseberry at the DoubleTree Ballroom. Tall City Blues Fest Educational Workshops Tall City Blues Fest teams up again with Midland College to offer 10 workshops taught by artists performing in the festival. The one-hour classes are Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Early registration is $15 and $20 at the door, unless otherwise noted. Proceeds from the workshops will go to support Kids College scholarships. To learn more about these classes or to register early, visit midland.edu/blues. 10 a.m. | Record and Go: Blues Bass Approaches and Styles Building Stage Confidence 11:15 a.m. | Master Class: Harmonica 12-Bar Blues and Lee Oskar Quick Guide Tips (This back-to-back class is $25 in advance and $30 at the door.) 11:30 a.m. | Master Class: Guitar Improvisation and Phrasing 1:30 p.m. | One Man Band Techniques 2 p.m. | Improvisation Melody Workshop 3 p.m. | Slide Guitar Tips and Tricks 4 p.m. | Master Class: From Delta to Electric Blues 4:30 p.m. | Record and Go: Drum Workshop 6 p.m. | Band Business: How to Run Your Band Like a Business and Actually Make Money 'The big truck is still on ... Three sea turtles are back in the Atlantic Ocean after months of care with the team at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. 3 sea turtles released at Sebastian Inlet State Park All 3 had been rescued and nursed at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Pop, Crackle and Golden Graham were all released at Sebastian Inlet State Park Wednesday. Golden Graham, a large Loggerhead turtle, was rescued March 30. She was underweight and malnourished. Crackle, a Loggerhead, and Pop, a critically endangered Kep's Ridley sea turtle, were both found April 19. Crackle was emaciated and covered in barnacles when she was found, which means she had been sick for a long time. Pop, meanwhile, was found emaciated, floating and lethargic. All three sea turtles were found on the East Coast of Florida. To see before and after shots of the three turtles, head to the aquarium's Facebook page. Law enforcement officials are finding more skimmers throughout Florida, and they want you to know how to protect yourself. Almost 300 skimmers found on Florida gas pumps since January Orange County found 2 skimmers on ATMs in the last week Check security devices on gas pumps, use a credit card or cash Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings held a news conference with Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam Wednesday to talk about the rash of skimmers in the Orlando area and across the state. Since January, almost 300 skimmers have been found on gas pumps around Florida. That's more than the number of skimmers found throughout 2016. "Within the last 18 months we have located 19 different skimmers between gas pumps and ATMs in the area," Demings said. In the last week, the sheriff's office says they've found two such devices on ATMs, largely in the tourism areas. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; Skimmers are devices attached to gasp pumps, ATMs and other card reading devices that allow thieves to steal payment data. Florida lawmakers have stepped up penalties for those caught using skimmers, or even being in possession of one before they are added. More security measures are being added to gas pumps and ATMs, and the petroleum industry is working to better train gas station to recognize skimmers. However, the skimmer technology is also getting better. So law enforcement officials offer this advice to consumers. Don't use debit cards at a gas pump. Use a credit card, which has better security. Or pay inside or with cash. Look for security devices on the gas pump. Make sure the pump cabinet is locked. There should be no open doors. Make sure the security seal is intact. Use the pumps that are in the gas station clerk's line of sight. Out of view pumps are more likely to have skimmers. In the case of pumps or ATMs, tug on the card reader and make sure it doesn't move. Be sure to hide your PIN as you input it. Some skimmers include tiny cameras over the number pad. Routinely monitor personal accounts to spot any fraudulent charges. If you see anything suspicious, notify the gas station employees and local law enforcement. You can also call the FL Dept. of Agriculture's consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352), or in Spanish at 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832). Originally posted on: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:48 p.m During an emotional hearing Thursday at Orlando City Hall, a pension board granted permanent disability benefits to a former Orlando Police officer diagnosed with PTSD after the Pulse shooting. Gerry Realin had waged an ongoing battle with the city of Orlando over his retirement benefits. Pulse owner Barbara Poma and a retired New York Police Department officer who survived the Sept. 11 tragedy testified on Realin's behalf at Thursday's public hearing. In urging the city pension board to grant the pension to Realin, Poma said this is "not business as usual." How many lives are you going to let our shooter take, or affect, when you have a chance to help someone be saved from what happened here? said Poma. The mother of one of the 49 people killed at Pulse also spoke to the pension board. I just cant fathom what Officer Realin went through, saw and experienced on that terrible day, said Mayra Alvear, the mother of Amanda Alvear. At one point, Realin's wife, Jessica, emotionally walked out of the hearing while asking, "Can I have a moment, please?" Hearing underway for OPD officer seeking pension for #PTSD from #Pulse response. Pulse's owner and mom of a victim here to speak. @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/qcMsHp3MlX Jeff Allen (@News13JeffAllen) July 13, 2017 Orlando police officer's wife crying after decision to grant him pension. Says "weight has been lifted." @MyNews13 Jeff Allen (@News13JeffAllen) July 13, 2017 Realin himself was not present at the hearing; a doctor advised him not to go. An advocate for Orlando Police argued that Realin was "angry" at the department and had "other motivations" in seeking a pension. The city had previously said that it was committed to helping Realin but met its limit to reimburse. It also said it made other jobs available to Realin, which he did not take. An attorney for the city questioned whether Realin would suffer from the PTSD for the rest of his life. The attorney also argued there were inconsistencies in what Realin told his doctors. Soon after the June 2016 mass shooting, Realin was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and entered therapy. A year later, he had exhausted his sick and vacation time. Realin and his family said they were hindered by Florida law, which does not grant worker's compensation benefits to first responders suffering solely from PTSD. I dont think that someone who serves our community, who lives their life on the line, should have to worry about losing everything," Jessica Realin said days before the hearing. Democratic Rep. Darren Soto had written a letter to the pension board on Realin's behalf. That letter can be viewed here. Jessica Realin said the unanimous decision to grant pension was like a huge weight had been lifted off the familys shoulders. This has been a very hard time for my family, and listening to the evidence today was even harder to have my husband questioned, said Realin. Beginning in August, Realin will begin getting 80 percent of what his salary was. The pension board can eventually review Realins disability status and re-evaluate the pension. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Although it took almost three years, from initial application, through an exhaustive screening process, demolition and construction, they all admit it was worth the wait. On Wednesday, three local families took possession of new homes constructed by the Texas HOME program. Grant funding was provided by the Homeowner Rehabilitation Assistance program through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The three houses, which now belong to Abraham and Rosa Martinez at 404 E. Third, Shasha Olvera at 1311 Smyth and Irma Pantoja at 1209 Joliet, where the last of eight houses constructed through the 2014-15 Plainview HOME Grant. The grant program is designed to reconstruct substandard housing within the city. The South Plains Association of Governments provided grant administration for the project. According to SPAG, After some adjustments to the program, the City of Plainview has been able to fund the reconstruction of eight homes. Construction on the first five homes began in 2015, after all required documentation from both the city and each individual homeowner was submitted to TDHCA. Construction on these final three homes began in late 2016. Each home is an entirely new construction and is approximately 1,170 square-feet with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and includes new appliances, carport, parking pad and energy efficient windows and doors. Although each house follows the same basic floorplan, homeowners were able to pick their own exterior brick colors as well as interior paint schemes and flooring. They had the option for either gas or electric stoves. This is such a wonderful program which helps families who are in homes which are usually beyond repair, commented Mayor Wendell Dunlap. It takes a lot of effort to make this happen, and each of the families had to do a lot of homework. Irma Pantoja will be sharing her new home at 1209 Joliet with three children, sons Aaron and Adrian and daughter Angelica. Its been a long three years, she said Wednesday after receiving keys from Dunlap. It took two years after we submitted our initial application and another 11 months for construction. A Plainview resident for the past 30 years, she has lived at 1209 Joliet since 1990. Her original home was demolished before construction could begin on the new house. In the interim she and her children lived in an apartment or stay with friends. Its wonderful to be able to finally move back home, she said. It means a lot to Rosa Martinez to return to 404 E. Third from the Date Street Apartments, where she and her husband stayed during construction. My father used to live here, she said Wednesday. I was raised right here, and its been our home for many years. It really feels good to be back here again. She and her husband are retired. I really believe that getting into a brand new home will add another 10 years to your life, Dunlap told Rosa and Abraham Martinez. Thats because you dont have to worry about upkeep and repairs associated with an older home. Shasha Olvera got emotional Wednesday when she received keys to her new home at 1311 Smyth. Thats because she had planned to share the residence with her mother, who died while it was under construction. Im glad this is finally done, Olvera said. It was her (mothers) dream to get the keys in her hands. According to Herald records, the homes were constructed by Qualls Custom Homes of Abernathy. In 2014, Snyder explained, Participating homeowners must meet certain income qualifications, have clear title to their homes and be current on their taxes. Homes generally were in serious disrepair. This program involves total demolition and reconstruction, he explained. Once complete, the homeowner will own the new houses outright, but will not be allowed to sell them for a specified eligibility period which can vary from five to 20 years. The new homes will generally be three-bedroom, two-bath 1,070 square-foot brick homes with carports, washer, dryer, dishwasher and tankless water heaters. When the city opened the application process in August 2013, it initially had 26 homeowners sign up. Some did not meet income guidelines while others withdrew voluntarily or their residences required only minor repairs. The list was reduced to 10 with two alternates. Ultimately just eight homes were constructed. Plainview has applied for another round of grant funding. According to SPAG, Floydada also is seeking to participate in the HOME project. Thirteen residences in Motley and Dickens counties have been constructed through the program in the past five years. AMARILLO Five defendants appeared in federal court this week and were sentenced for their roles in robbing the Education Credit Union in Amarillo on Sept. 23, 2016, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater sentenced Leonard Jovon Coulter, 29, Raul Garcia, 28, and Desire Valverde, 23, this afternoon. Coulter was sentenced to a total of 171 months in federal prison. Garcia was sentenced to a total of 147 months in federal prison and Valverde was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison. Yesterday U.S. District Judge Fitzwater sentenced Richard Charles Cunningham, Jr., 39, to 169 months in federal prison and Keli Edwards, 35, to 21 months in federal prison. Cunningham was ordered to pay $26,724.50 in restitution and the remaining defendants were ordered to pay $53,519.50 in restitution, joint and severally. According to the plea documents, on Sept. 23, 2016, Coulter and Cunningham Jr. entered the Education Credit Union located at 1801 FM 2381 in Amarillo. Coulter approached the teller counter, pointed a firearm at the teller, and told the teller to give him all her money in the drawer. Coulter told the teller to not do or push anything or he would shoot her. The teller told Coulter the drawers were locked. Coulter jumped the counter, pressed the firearm in the tellers back, and told the teller to hurry. Coulter got money out of the tellers drawer, and then he demanded access to the vault. The teller stated she could not access the vault. The manager was then ordered to come and open the vault. After Coulter took the money from the vault, the tellers and manager were ordered to the ground. Coulter and Cunningham exited the Credit Union with approximately $60,067. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Potter County Sheriffs office investigated the robbery. Agents learned through their investigation that Garcia was a get-a-way driver and planned this robbery with Coulter and Cunningham. Later, agents stopped Garcia in his pickup and located $5,020 in United States currency packaged in Education Credit Union bank bands. Agents also recovered two firearms in Garcias vehicle, including the firearm Coulter used during the robbery. Agents conducted a search warrant on Garcias residence. Agents located a backpack that had $23,890 in United States currency, and some of the bills were packaged with Education Credit Union bank bands. Later, FBI agents learned that Garcia and Coulter were involved in another Education Credit Union robbery on May 25, 2016. Agents learned through their investigation that Valverde, an employee of Education Credit Union at the time, helped Garcia plan both robberies by providing Garcia information of how and when to commit each robbery. FBI agents discovered that Valverde was in contact with Garcia by phone during each robbery. On May 25, 2016, Valverde was working as a teller and gave Coulter money from her drawer. Garcia paid Valverde a portion of the money taken from the Education Credit Union robbery on May 25, 2016, for her help. According to plea documents filed in Edwards case, Edwards was Coulters girlfriend and was watching out for law enforcement on Sept. 23, 2016, when Coulter and Cunningham entered the Credit Union to commit the robbery. Edwards drove Cunningham away from the Credit Union after the robbery to Garcias vehicle. Cunningham, Coulter, and Garcia met at Edwards residence prior to the robbery and discussed committing the robbery. The FBI, Amarillo Police Department, the Potter County District Attorneys Office and the Potter County Sheriffs Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto prosecuted. The annual Resource and Health Fair is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Abundant Grace Church, 1011 N. I-27 in Plainview. Thirty-four vendors representing various organizations, businesses and medical services will be on hand providing information on such topics as wills, drivers license reinstatements, tax law immigration and more. The program will include free health screenings, diabetes screenings with HGBA1c, cholesterol, blood pressure and regular glucose screenings. Information will be provided on stoke awareness, mammograms, and the hk2020 program. Dr. Jessica Cherest will be there to provide OB/GYM awareness information. UMC will be on hand to provide information on Synthetic Drug Awareness. Plainview/Hale County Health Department will be on hand with adult vaccinations, including Pneumonia for those 65-plus, Shingles vaccine for 60-plus and Hep A & Hep B, all available for those with no insurance. One of the July Walk with the Doc walks will take place Saturday morning. Representatives from the Plainview YMCA also be present. ACCION for Rural West Texas will be providing cancer screening services. ACCION is a colorectal cancer prevention program grant-funded by CPRIT (Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas) and offered through the Department of Public Health at the TTU Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. The program integrates education and service delivery components, recruitment of participants in their own communities, and strong and varied community partnerships. ACCION for Rural West Texas offers CRC education, FIT testing and colonoscopies to eligible community members, and patient navigation services, all at no-cost to participants. It is for residents of Crosby, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn and Terry counties who are ages 50-75, uninsured, never had colorectal cancer and no symptoms, and not up to date with colorectal cancer testing. Dr. H and Lady Karin of Ricks Magic/Ricks World of Illusion will perform at the event in an effort to help educate, protect and support human trafficking awareness. Described as modern-day slavery, human trafficking is the Illegal exploitation of any person -- including sex trafficking, forced labor and domestic servitude. Scheduled booths include: ACCION for West Texas TTUHSC, Area Community Hospice, Catholic Charities, Community Partner Program, Compassionate Care, Covenant Health Plainview cholesterol screening, Covenant Health Plainview glucose screening, Covenant Health Plainview HGBA1c screening, Covenant Health Plainview hk2020, Covenant Health Plainview mammogram information, Covenant Health Plainview NEIDS, Covenant Health Plainview stroke awareness information, Creative Zones HeadStart, Crisis Center of the Plains, FirstCare Health Plans, Grand Hearing Center, Plainview/Hale County Health Department, Immigration Attorney G. Castillo, Leal Aid of Northwest Texas, Paws Pet Adoption, Plainview Police Department, Regence Health Network, Ricks Magic Show, South Plains College, South Plains Community Action, SPCAA Champs, Superior HealthPlains, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas Tech Law School Tax Clinic, UMC Drug Awareness Program, YMCA, Walk with a Doc Plainview, Waypoint Counseling, and Drs. Webb & Webb Optometrists. The Resource and Health Fair is hosted by Regence Health Network, Covenant Health Plainview, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and Abundant Grace Church. Event sponsor is John Bertsch of Investment Centers of America, Inc. For information, contact Dora Garcia-Ruiz at 293-8561 ext. 1231 or Sylvia Chavez at 806-293-8491. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Wedding planning got a lot more hectic on Thursday for Alfred Angelo customers as social media buzz of a rumored bankruptcy spread and the company remained silent. Alfred Angelo advertises itself as a company that has helped brides realize their "wedding dreams" for more than 80 years at more than 60 Signature Stores across the country. But many Alfred Angelo brides seem to be experiencing more of a nightmare and are crying foul on social media, demanding the bridal store to explain why they were not notified of reported store closures. As of 4:30 p.m. Thursday, after a day of rumors spreading, neither the brides nor mySA.com had received official word from the company. One customer was told that the I-10 location would be closing for good as of 8 p.m. Thursday. RELATED: Gymboree closing 350 stores after filing for bankruptcy A report in the Palm Beach Post said that the national chain's corporate office was empty and that employees left the building carrying boxes Thursday. Local Alfred Angelo stores refused to comment and Patricia Ann Redmond, the Florida-based lawyer the company is directing their customers and media inquiries to, did not respond to several attempts to reach her. Kirstynn Stoltz, a La Vernia bride, and her bridal party bought their gowns from two San Antonio locations, at 209 Northwest Loop 410 and 9951 Interstate 10. Stoltz told mySA.com that a manager at the I-10 location called her Wednesday evening saying the company was filing for bankruptcy and that she would need to pay the remaining $170 balance and pick up the bridesmaids gowns by the end of the night. The bride said she rushed in from about an hour away to get the dresses. Unlike other brides left in limbo, Stoltz has the dresses she needs for her October wedding in her possession, but many of them need alternations that were supposed to be completed by Alfred Angelo. READ ALSO: Teen retailer takes itself off the block and shares plunge "It's a huge mess right now, I'm really stressed out," Stoltz said. "I already have enough to pay for." Stoltz said she was not issued a refund for the alterations and her gown still needs sleeves a problem she needs fixed soon with her bridal photos quickly approaching. Another bride, Christine Danielle Pegg, told mySA.com that the Houston location she was a customer at wouldn't answer her calls. Another location told her, "We're all basically screwed" and that all stores would close on Thursday at 8 p.m. She said she has not received any communication on the status of her order as of this write. "This is all just a guessing game for now. No official word. So messed up," she said in a message. "At this point I don't think they have any intention of refunding our money or fulfilling our orders." A Dallas bride named Danielle, who did not want her full name used, echoed Pegg and Stoltz. She told mySA.com that she is without gowns for herself and her bridesmaids. She has been emailing Redmond with no avail. "Now I am a victim to their bankruptcy," she said. Though Alfred Angelo has yet to respond to the nationwide questions, employees at their Delray Beach corporate offices were seen leaving the building "en masse," according to myPalmBeachPost.com. One employee told the website that there was a "mass exodus before lunchtime." "Everyone left one-by-one with cardboard boxes, plants," the anonymous employee told myPalmBeachPost.com. "One of them said it they were all fired today ... It was so bizarre." mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye Daniel Acker /Bloomberg Starbucks Corp., facing slowing sales growth in the U.S. and an increasingly saturated coffee market, thinks its found a new way to get customers in the door: on-tap brews from a keg. The Seattle-based company is expanding a test of nitrogen-infused cold coffee a foamy, nonalcoholic drink that baristas pour from a spigot after seeing strong demand from customers. Starbucks plans to bring the offering to more than 1,400 U.S. locations by the end of the year, up from less than 1,000 now. Exxon Mobil has added 2.8 million acres to its portfolio in the South American Guyana-Suriname Basin, off the coast of Surinames capital, Paramaribo. The company announced on Thursday it signed a production-sharing contract with the national oil company of Suriname to develop block 59, in water as deep as 12,000 feet. Thomas B. Shea /For the Houston Chronicle Conducting an online search on how to evade detection for insider trading didnt help a Massachusetts research scientist from getting caught for allegedly making illegal trades. The Securities and Exchange Commission said in a complaint Wednesday that Fei Yan, 31, of Cambridge, searched the internet for how sec detect unusual trade before loading up on stock and options with insider information ahead of two corporate acquisitions. NASA on Thursday took its testing regimen to the Gulf of Mexico with a trial run of getting crew out of its Orion spacecraft off the coast of Galveston. This spacecraft is being designed to take people to Mars and land in the ocean upon return. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The terminator has found love in a Texas BBQ store. On Wednesday, Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q in Austin leaving the actor and former California governor smitten. The BBQ joint's first location was in San Antonio. RELATED: S.A. snags 2 spots on Texas Monthly's new Top 50 BBQ list "Just had the best meal I've ever had at a gas station here," Schwarzenegger said on a Snapchat story, rebutting the store's "worst bar-b-q in Texas," tagline. "It was the best of the best." According to his selfie video, it was love after first bite of Rudy's ribs. A Rudy's spokesperson told mySA.com it's unclear why Schwarzenegger was in Central Texas, but the actor clearly enjoyed his time at the popular Austin spot. READ ALSO: Watch The Rock Butcher His Arnold Schwarzenegger Impersonation (Video) In May, dining guide and blog Eater Austin, reported that Schwarzenegger visited Killen's Barbecue in Houston, scribbling his claim-to-fame, "I'll be back," on the restaurant's wall of fame. jthorpe@express-news.net @jerilynnthorpe Snapshot: Big Hops' no-frills aesthetic concrete floors, picnic tables keeps the focus on the beer. That's obviously true at the craft beer bar's newest location on Bitters, where the most noteworthy wall decor is the tap wall from the original now closed Big Hops on Broadway. The Bitters store has a few extras, though, plus a friendly, low-key vibe, room to spare and a convenient North Side location near the Embassy Theater, all of which make it a great place to hang out, even if you dont really know what a kolsch or a gose is. Behind the bar: Craft beer, all from independent brewers, on 32 taps, with the majority from San Antonio and Texas. The variety of styles from sour beers and hoppy IPAs to middle-of-the road wheat beers, lagers and stouts means there should be something for every palate. When a keg pops, its replaced by something new, so the bar may not have the Bells Pooltime Ale you enjoyed last time, but likely has addded something equally quaffable on a hot summer day to the tap lineup Southerleighs Orange Cream Ale, for instance. Oh, what an unforgiving path chef Anthony Mesa has had to walk. His first task when he joined the staff of the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in late 2016 was to ride the hotels celebrated Citrus restaurant gently into the sunset. His second job as part of the hotels $10 million renovation was to rebrand that space into an Argentine bistro called Dorregos, which rolled out its full menu in May. How do you replace a restaurant like Citrus, which was shaped into one of the citys best by chefs like Jeff Balfour, now at Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery; Robbie Nowlin, now at Boudros and Zinc; and David Gilbert, who had the now-defunct Tuk Tuk Tap Room? Add to that question the notion that Argentine cuisine is a constricting fit for a hotel restaurant that must serve many masters and serve them three times a day, with snacks in between. The scope of most peoples Argentine food knowledge likely threads the same metaphorical line as the Argentine wines at Dorregos: A few bottles here and there, mostly malbecs. Thats likely why Mesa spent a few weeks in Argentina as the restaurant plan took shape, working in kitchens there to get a feel for the food and culture. So it falls to Dorregos named for a cafe-centric plaza in Buenos Aires to both feed and educate us as best it can, to bring us chorizo and grilled meat and flaming cheese and dulce de leche and octopus and yes, malbec. More Information Dorrego's * 150 E. Houston St. at Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, 210-230-8454, hotelvalencia-riverwalk.com/dining.htm Quick bite: Boutique hotel restaurant and bar on the River Walk serving grilled meat, seafood and international dishes reflecting Argentina's wide range of culinary influences. Hit: Short rib ravioli, Argentine parrillada, grilled branzino Miss: Grilled octopus, Gulf prawns, De La Casa salad Hours: Breakfast: 6:30-10:30 a.m. daily. Lunch: 11 a.m. -2 p.m. daily. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. daily. The bar offers a smaller chef's menu 2-5 p.m. and 10 p.m.-1 a.m. daily. Price range: Breakfast, $3 for tacos to $18 for eggs Benedict. Lunch: Salads, $9-$14; sandwiches, $14-$16; entrees, $14-$24. Dinner: Salads and pasta, $9-$14; sides, $6-$9; large and smaller plates grouped by air, land and sea, $14-$30; Argentine Parrillada grill plates, $38 for two people, $65 for three to four. Desserts, $7-$9. Alcohol: Wine, beer and cocktails **** Superior. Can compete nationally. *** Excellent. One of the best restaurants in the city. ** Very good. A standout restaurant of its kind. * Good. A restaurant that we recommend. (no stars) We cannot recommend this restaurant at this time. See More Collapse And it does so, with gusto. The kind of gusto you get from the staff at a new theme park, even if they dont know quite how everything works yet. At this point, Dorregos feels like that: an Argentine restaurant theme park, one that isnt all the way finished yet. For example, there are no appetizers to speak of, neither on the lunch nor the dinner menus. You launch right into salads. One, a toss of greens, sliced hearts of palm and sharp romesco sauce was missing the croutons listed on the menu, and it was a bland introduction to an Argentine staple. But it was not as uninspiring as a De La Casa salad of greens and grilled chicken that was either missing or harbored only trace elements of the onion escabeche and charred jalapeno ranch the menu promised. For appetizers, youd have to seek out the bar menu, with its requisite chicken wings, meat and cheese plates and chips and salsa. In the main room, you might consider grilled street corn. Reconsider. With so little cheese, mayo or spice, it would never survive on the streets. The closest the dinner menu gets to an appetizer is a pan of flaming Argentine provoleta cheese. Ill applaud the spectacle of setting cheese on fire with high-test alcohol, but the dishs simple build of high-moisture cheese, broiled skin and a few crispy pork bits on top will not impress San Antonians accustomed to the wiles of chile con queso. Id rather have tortilla chips than the rock-hard grilled baguette slices that came with the cheese and several other dishes. Breads a weak link here. The dinner rolls bore the bad news first, with hard and leathery edges. Theyre free, but Im always happy to pay for bread service if it means better bread. Even an otherwise top-flight lunch burger with bacon and a crispy grilled provoleta chip suffered from bread that seemed like it was left out overnight to thaw. Same with a sandwich of fat, juicy Argentine chorizo. Both the sandwich and the burger flickered with traces of light. But that light came full blast with a whole grilled branzino, a fish with skin so crisp and meat so milky white that youll abandon the civility of the amber-lit room and its decor trifecta of leather, wood and linen to gnaw on the bones like a Neanderthal. Your higher brain will appreciate the orange marmalade and fresh thyme stuffed inside for a perfume that infuses every bite. Speaking of light on full blast, the restaurants east-west orientation means the late afternoon sun unleashes a supernova glare on half the dining room, blazing through hazy windows until it hides behind rooflines across the river. Sunglasses on. Back to the food. Branzino was the bright spot of an otherwise poor seafood experience at Dorregos. The promise of full-body, head-on Gulf prawns with saffron-tomato jus lost its hold when the shrimp came out mealy, undercooked and impossible to shell without the whole thing turning into a biology-class dissection. With curled tentacles like an undersea coral bloom, grilled octopus put on a great show, with side players of fried quail eggs and potatoes fried in duck fat. But it was just for show. The octopus itself was mealy, with an outer membrane that sagged like spent hosiery once the cutting began. Some of the frustration was compounded by a waitstaff still finding its way around the profession of waiting. Earnest, enthusiastic and cordial, sure. But none of that will keep your water glass full, nor get your glass of wine to the table in less than 20 minutes, nor keep most of the food from hitting the table at the same time. My heart goes out to waiters-in-training, but I didnt expect that sympathy motor to engage in a hotel restaurant at this level on a Friday night. If this review seems fairly grim so far, its because Im following the arc of three visits to Dorregos that got progressively better, and now weve gotten to the better parts. The fact that some of those parts came with a habanero margarita and brisk gin cocktail infused with the South Amercian brew called mate is purely coincidental. I can recommend a pan of ravioli with a rich, energized aggregation of shredded beef short rib, fine tomato concasse and ripe Burrata cheese put to the torch for a righteous bubbled crust. That same skill with fire extended to a pork chop with the will to steal back the thunder of beefs long-bone tomahawk chop, especially the fattier flesh at the base. Between visits two and three, Dorregos added housemade sorbet to a dessert roster that already had found a sweet spot with apple empanadas, a lighter chocolate lava cake and the ubiquitous caramel bliss of dulce de leche ice cream. Scoops of astringent blood orange-thyme and prickly pear-lemongrass sorbets tied for second place behind the queen of them all: tannic, manic mango draped in housemade sweet-hot chamoy jam. Argentina left its strongest traces in a parrillada pan of grilled meats designed for two or more but worth staking territory over. Layered in that pan were slices of beef short rib as smoky as Hill Country pit brisket, Iberico pork as robust as a beef strip steak, Wagyu beef shoulder with a glowing medium-rare center, morcilla sausage like savory red velvet cake and sweet-spicy snap-case chorizo. Its only drawback was a room-temperature enameled cast iron service pan that seemed to suck the heat away. A missed sizzle platter opportunity. After weeks of a slow rollout and a month and a half with the full menu, a hotel restaurant at this level should be farther along with staff training, kitchen timing and consistency. But after watching improvements happen in real time over three visits, Im comfortable with a one-star recommended rating for Dorregos, if just to see where the Argentine theme park ride takes me next. msutter@express-news.net Twitter: @fedmanwalking This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BETHEL Eight families were left homeless and several businesses displaced when fire ripped through one of the towns most historic buildings early Thursday fire so intense that it took 100 firefighters and more than three hours to put it out. Ten adults and five children living in upstairs apartments in the building at 178 Greenwood Avenue escaped with the help of three police officers, who crawled on hands and knees through billowing smoke to make sure everyone got out safely. The fire started around 1 a.m. and moved quickly through the 177-year-old structure, said Bethel Volunteer Fire Chief Scott Murphy, explaining that outdated construction methods in the older building left voids in the walls that helped the fire move quickly from apartment to apartment. Firefighters were ripping down the ceilings and the walls to get to the fire, mostly with their hands, Murphy said. Police Capt. Stephen Pugner said Officer Lynn Morris was sitting in her police car around the corner when the call came in about the fire. She arrived within seconds and, joined quickly by two other officers, ran inside the burning building to begin evacuating residents. One officer, Matt Dirago, crawled on his hands and knees through a smoke-filled apartment in the back of the building, screaming for anyone trapped inside, Pugner said. When he found a disabled man who was unable to escape on his own, Dirago called for help from Morris and Officer William Holland, who carried the man from the building. The man suffered smoke inhalation and was sent to Bridgeport Hospital. One firefighter suffered minor injuries, officials said. Pugner said police normally leave it to the fire department to evacuate residents, but in this case they had to act fast. The only time we go into a burning building like that is to save a life, Pugner said. None of the officers was injured. They were in a good state, Pugner said. They got in and out quick enough where they did not get any smoke inhalation. First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said new smoke alarms installed in the building in recent months likely saved some lives, adding that one resident awakened by an alarm made the initial call to 911. He added that the fire, which appeared to have started in the apartment occupied by the disabled man, did not appear to have been intentionally set. Murphy said the fire was going strong when firefighters arrived. They went to work first on a second-floor apartment, but the flames moved quickly through the building, which also houses the Doherty Petri School of Dance and other businesses on the first floor. We attacked the apartment where the fire started, but it had already vented through the front window and worked its way into the eaves, Murphy said. We had to keep chasing the fire. Thanks to a brick wall at the buildings western end, the fire did not spread to the adjacent Opera House building. But apartments in the adjoining building on the eastern side were damaged by smoke and water. Everyone did a great job last night holding the fire to that one building, Murphy said. More than two dozen fire trucks from departments throughout the region responded to the call, and at one point firefighters were pouring 800 gallons of water a minute onto the flames, Murphy said. Medics from Danbury Hospital set up a triage center across the street in the Bethel Public Library for firefighters and evacuated residents. Murphy said firefighters rotated in and out of the triage center for 20-minute breaks to get water and have their vital signs checked before returning to fight the fire. It was a difficult fire that really took a physical toll on the firefighters, Murphy said. Local and state fire marshals were just beginning their investigations Thursday morning. Were gonna start (our) photographs, start documenting the interior of the building and looking for the origin and cause of the fire, said Bethel Fire Marshall Tom Galliford. The Red Cross is putting up some of the displaced families in nearby hotels and providing clothing, food and comfort kits, said chief communications officer Stefanie Arcangelo. Keegan Finlayson, who lives in second-floor apartment in an adjoining building, said he awoke to the smell of smoke and saw flashing lights outside. He grabbed his wife, four children and two dogs and ran downstairs and out the front door. Flames were shooting out of the building next door, he said. We felt the intense heat on our backs," he said. We didnt realize that the worst of the fire was toward the front. Finlayson, whose family had stayed in a motel after fleeing the fire, returned to the building Thursday afternoon to recover some belongings from his apartment. The flames did not reach the apartment, but there was significant damage from water and smoke, he said. Several businesses on the first floor of the main building suffered water and smoke damage. Among the businesses is the Doherty Petri dance school. Founded in 1991 by Karen and Lisa Petri, the school has become one of the pre-eminent Irish dance schools in the world, with more than 140 dancers. On Thursday, the school moved classes to its Long Island location. Also on the ground level is the Giggling Pig Art and Party Studio, which appeared to have been gutted by the blaze. The owner of the Giggling Pig, an art space for children, already arranged to reopen Friday in new quarters across the street. I was standing there at 3 a.m. watching the fire when I saw a For Lease sign across the street, so I left a message, said Hannah Perry. We talked this morning and I signed the lease. We are working on the space right now and should be open (Friday) morning. Although the studios materials and equipment were destroyed, Perry said, she has additional stock at another location in Shelton that. Knickerbocker credited the work by the Bethel Volunteer Fire Company, the Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department and other firefighters for limiting the damage to the one building. If if wasnt for all their hard work, the whole block could have been lost, Knickerbocker said. Jay Lawrence, who was just about to open a new restaurant in the Opera House, said he just received his certificate of occupancy Wednesday. We just finished all the construction work a few days ago and got the all-clear to use the building yesterday, he said. Thank God we didnt get any damage. Just a little bit of cleaning, but other than that were in good shape. Lawrence, who also owns Pippas in Danbury, said he still hopes to open soon. Heather Hansen-ONeill, president of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, said the towns annual Summer Fest, planned for Greenwood Avenue on Saturday, will move forward despite the fire. The fire marshal has assured me that he will do everything he can to make the area safe for the festival, she said. Reporters Dirk Perrefort, Julia Perkins, Cedar Attanasio and Jim Shay contributed to this report. In the last six months, the United States has hurled itself off the chessboard that is international trade, leaving the Trans Pacific Partnership, threatening to leave or drastically rewrite NAFTA, and leaving a U.S.-EU trade pact to wither on the vine, all while hoping to fill the gap with bilateral trade deals. All the other pieces on the board, meanwhile, are taking advantage - and continuing to move. While the White House has embraced an anti-free trade message at odds with nearly two centuries of economics, other nations have redoubled their efforts to make sure that the recent slowdown in global trade doesn't become a permanent fixture by working to craft ambitious, multi-nation deals that lower tariff barriers and tackle longstanding obstacles to greater international commerce. "The Trump administration has shown no desire to engage in any of the kinds of modern 21st century trade agreement talks that the rest of the world is moving into," said Chad Bown, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Here's a sampling of Washington's once-courted partners who are now busily filling up their own dance cards, all while the United States shuffles along alone. - The European Union-Japan trade deal. This potential agreement, announced ahead of the recent G-20 summit in Germany which underscored Donald Trump's isolation on everything from trade to climate change, would lower trade barriers on nearly all the goods the two sides trade. The European Union, even in the throes of Brexit, is the world's largest economic bloc; Japan remains the world's third-largest economy. Both are anxious to find a replacement for the deals with the United States that each had spent years working on during the Obama administration. "Although some are saying that the time of isolationism and disintegration is coming again, we are demonstrating that this is not the case," said Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, at a news conference in Brussels. "The world really doesn't need to go a hundred years back in time. Quite the opposite." Europe wants to pry open the Japanese market to European foodstuffs, while Tokyo wants to sell more Japanese cars in Europe. The EU is expected to phase out a 10 percent tariff on Japanese passenger cars over a seven-year period. Japan, in turn, is expected to lower tariffs on European food products like cheese, pasta, pork and wine. To smooth the way, contentious points like logging and whaling are left by the wayside. European and Japanese negotiators expect the deal to be finalized within months. - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. This sprawling pact, China's counter to the 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership, would create a free trade zone between 16 Asian nations. Just as TPP deliberately left out China, RCEP does not include the United States. And now that the U.S. withdrawal from TPP leaves that once-giant pact smaller and uncertain, it has also made RCEP member nations more eager to see the pact through. "If we can successfully conclude these negotiations quickly, it will be an important statement in favor of free trade and economic integration," Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters Monday in Beijing after meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Prior to Trump's election, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned leaving TPP would badly hurt U.S. credibility in Asia. RCEP is as massive as TPP could have been. The TPP, the centerpiece of the Obama administration's pivot to Asia, would have included economies amounting to 40 percent of world GDP and about 800 million people. By comparison, RCEP covers 39 percent of global GDP and 3.4 billion people. (It also includes India, another country left out of TPP.) But RCEP is more modest than TPP - free trade with Chinese characteristics. The American-led trade deal would have created a free trade zone across the Pacific while also raising environmental and labor standards across the region. RCEP lowers tariffs - but does not address other issues. Several signatories have expressed hope that the pact could be finalized by the end of the year, but previous deadlines have been missed. Douglas H. Paal, an Asia expert and vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said India could end up being an obstacle to completing the deal. "They don't want it to happen," Paal said on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Modi, a protectionist like Trump, is pushing his "Make in India" initiative to keep jobs and money in his country, and India's economy has been relatively closed for decades. "There's a strongly held belief that this will bring in unwanted competition." - Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. This EU-Canada pact will largely go into force in September; all that remains is last-minute wrangling over European accords to Canadian cheese and pharmaceutical markets. The agreement will eliminate 99 percent of tariffs between the EU and Canada. It also allows EU firms to bid on Canadian public contracts, the first time foreign companies will be able to do so. Once in place, CETA is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods and services by 22.9 percent, or $29 billion over time. In 2015, bilateral trade between the two sides was $72 billion. - One Belt, One Road. Though not strictly a trade pact, China's push to connect East Asia to Europe via Central Asia and the Indian Ocean is winning new converts seemingly every day. Japan is now making cooing noises about joining President Xi Jinping's biggest initiative, and Europe - especially Greece and much of Eastern Europe - is eagerly playing ball. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has put its faith in laborious, bilateral trade deals with individual countries - on paper, at least. There's been little or no action so far. Trump has talked up a trade deal with the U.K., but that can't happen until London leaves the EU, a process which could take years. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has floated the idea of reviving a version of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union, but European leaders have shown little interests in doing so. Trump has also promised to rewrite the free trade agreement with South Korea - which only went into force in 2012 - which would be a spectacular waste of limited negotiating resources to revise a five-year old pact. Meanwhile, American companies are the ones bracing for pain. Japanese carmakers like Toyota and Honda will gain greater access to the massive European market. But because TTIP is off the table for now, Detroit is out of luck. Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, which would have been pried open by TPP, are instead edging closer to Beijing and its model of international commerce. "It's really unclear what the Trump administration's proactive trade strategy is, if there is one at all," Bown said. "It seems as if their strategy is to disengage." First, Caitlyn Jenner claimed she wanted to be a "trans ambassador" to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during his presidential campaign. Then she cast her ballot for President Donald Trump in the November election. And now, Jenner -- the famed transgender icon and one of the few high-profile celebrities to throw staunch support behind the Republican commander in chief -- says she has been meeting with members of Trump's administration to discuss issues of significance to the LGBT community. During an appearance Thursday on the ABC talk show "The View," Jenner was asked if she'd had the opportunity to sit down with any members of Trump's administration to talk to them about the LGBT community. She said yes -- but she wouldn't name names. BEIJING -- For friends and admirers of writer and activist Liu Xiaobo, China's only Nobel Peace Prize laureate, his death Thursday brings a dark crossroads. To many, Liu represented hope for a freer China with more room for dissent. Now that he is gone, they said, that dream looks more distant. "He fought for freedom and democracy for more than 30 years, becoming a monument to morality and justice and a source of inspiration," said Wen Kejian, a fellow writer. "His spiritual legacy will never fade away," he added. "The torch he carried high will be passed on." Liu, who passed up opportunities to leave China for a life in exile, had been in a Chinese prison since his conviction for "subversion" in 2009. He was awarded the Nobel while in prison in 2010. The Nobel committee said in a statement that the Chinese government bears "heavy responsibility" for his "premature death." On June 25, officials announced that Liu had late-stage liver cancer and was being moved to a hospital, starting a macabre battle about where and how he should be treated - and where and how he would die. His friends said that Lui and his wife wanted to travel to Germany or the United States for treatment. Doctors from both countries cleared it, but Chinese officials insisted he was too sick to leave. As he lay dying, foreign governments, including the United States, joined rights groups and Chinese dissidents-in-exile in calling for his release. The government rebuffed their pleas, saying it was an internal matter. Chinese authorities, who have kept Liu out of the public eye for years, have thus far said little about his death. Strict censorship has stopped most ordinary Chinese from following his case. "Even as Liu Xiaobo's illness worsened, the Chinese government continued to isolate him and his family, and denied him freely choosing his medical treatment," said Sophie Richardson, China director of Human Rights Watch, in statement. "The Chinese government's arrogance, cruelty and callousness are shocking - but Liu's struggle for a rights-respecting, democratic China will live on." Hu Jia, a fellow dissident who counts Liu as a close friend, said the scuffle over his final days proved some of what Liu had been saying all along: that the ruling Communist Party could be "coldblooded and cruel." What he most admired, he said, was Liu's commitment to nonviolence. That would be his legacy, he said. --- Luna Lin contributed to this report. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 WASHINGTON - Sen. Cory Gardner faces one of the tougher political predicaments of any Republican deciding how to vote on the GOP health-care bill. The Colorado Republican, a rising star who defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2014, leads the campaign committee responsible for protecting and expanding the GOP majority. That makes him a close ally of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is pressing every Republican to support an unpopular proposal barreling toward a vote by the end of next week. Gardner, 42, holds a leadership post that normally comes with an expectation of loyalty. But he has remained below the radar, both back home and inside the Capitol, declining to take a position on legislation that would replace portions of the Affordable Care Act. For starters, he has home-state interests that make this one of the more difficult roll calls of his career. Colorado's popular Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, accepted the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid funding - extending medical coverage to more than 400,000 state residents. He has become a leading spokesman against the Republican plan to dramatically cut back those federal funds for the 31 states (plus the District of Columbia) that chose that option. Gardner also has to concern himself with his own reelection in 2020, a presidential cycle with a different political climate than his first Senate race in one of the nation's marquee swing states, when he campaigned heavily for "repeal and replace." All of it makes Gardner's a classic case of the inside-outside dilemma. He can vote for the bill and earn points in Washington, or he can cast a vote that would likely be an easier sell to voters back home. Just don't try to get an answer now on which way Gardner will go. On Tuesday, he appeared with McConnell's leadership team at the weekly news conference. After listening to several others discuss their derisive views of "Obamacare," Gardner avoided talk of the most pressing issue of the day. Instead, he bemoaned Democratic delay tactics on President Trump's nominees and applauded the decision to stay in session a few extra weeks to confirm more sub-Cabinet and judiciary positions. "It's critically important that we do the job the American people sent us here today," Gardner said. It was the first time Gardner, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, had spoken at the weekly Tuesday leadership press event in more than a month. The last time, on June 6, while some GOP leaders talked health care, Gardner chose to speak about developing a strategy to combat Islamic State terrorists. Aides to Gardner, who declined to talk for this piece, said that he is still looking over the legislation and keeping his powder dry until McConnell releases more revisions. "Senator Gardner is still reviewing the legislation as there will likely be some changes made to the discussion draft that was released a few weeks ago," Casey Contres, a spokesman, said in an email. "In regards to his leadership role in the Senate, it never impacts how he votes for Colorado, period." Some Democrats have accused Gardner of ducking the issue. AARP is airing an emotional radio ad against him and four other Republicans, urging them to oppose the legislation. One Democrat who has declined to criticize Gardner is Sen. Michael F. Bennet, Colo., his home-state colleague who understands the competing political pressures. In 2014, Bennet served as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the counterpart to the post that Gardner how holds for Republicans. Bennet said that the pressure to remain loyal is real, but not from colleagues. It comes from the donors who fund these multimillion-dollar campaigns in the battleground states. "You feel the pressure from people that are donating to the committee, who as a general matter are expecting consistency, understandably, with the leadership, and so I think that pressure builds," he said. Despite Bennet's leading role opposing Gardner in 2014, the duo have worked out one of the better relationships among same-state senators. Bennet has consistently declined to criticize Gardner's reluctance to take a position on the health bill. Those who know Gardner, who was a two-term member of the House before his Senate run, believe he is adhering to an approach that John A. Boehner used to advise when he was the House speaker: "Never say what you'll never do." This means that you keep your head down, don't negotiate through the media and try to work behind the scenes to shape the legislation in your direction. When the time comes, you cast your vote. In one of Gardner's only public moves, back in February, he joined three other Republicans from states that accepted Medicaid expansion to declare their opposition to how the initial House draft would quickly eliminate that funding. The draft, they wrote, "does not provide stability and certainty for individuals and families in Medicaid expansion programs or the necessary flexibility for states." The most recent Senate Republican proposal offers a longer wind-down, eventually ending up with a near 50-50 split between federal and state funding for the working poor who had become newly eligible for Medicaid coverage under the ACA.. Under the ACA, Washington picks up the entire tab, with the figure phasing down to 90 percent by 2020 - a huge handout to the states expected to approach $1 trillion over the next decade. Some Republicans have embraced the cost-splitting proposal as a suitable plan. Others have recoiled at estimates that it would still leave 22 million fewer people without insurance than under the current law. "You have started to see positive directions from the bill," Gardner said during a radio interview back in Colorado over the Fourth of July recess. This has left the impression in some quarters that he will side with McConnell, following through on many pledges - and previous votes - to repeal the ACA. It's a balancing act that some Democrats understand. "I think the pressures are higher in some ways," said Bennet, "but the answer is always the same, that you've got to put your state first." WASHINGTON -- More than 400 people across the country have been charged with participating in health care fraud scams totaling about $1.3 billion in false billings, including for the prescription and distribution of opioids. In what federal officials Thursday called the "largest ever health care fraud enforcement action" by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, 412 individuals, including 115 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, were arrested in a nationwide operation that involved more than 1,000 law enforcement agents in at least 30 states. "One American dies of a drug overdose every 11 minutes and more than 2 million Americans are ensnared in addiction to prescription painkillers," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a news conference. "We will continue to find, arrest, prosecute, convict and incarcerate fraudsters and drug dealers wherever they are." Sessions said the operation began with tips from people in the affected communities and from "very sophisticated computer programs that identify outliers." The investigation particularly focused on medical professionals who were involved in the unlawful distribution of opioids and other prescription narcotics, officials said. The abuse of pharmaceutical opioids is widely blamed for a medical crisis involving tens of thousands of overdoses on heroin and fentanyl. "Last year, an estimated 59,000 people died from a drug overdose. . .opioids play an enormous role in that total number," said Chuck Rosenberg, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. "This is an epidemic." Approximately 91 Americans die every day of an opioid related overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the 412 defendants, 120 were charged with opioid-related crimes. Six of the doctors were charged with operating a scheme in Michigan to prescribe patients with unnecessary opioids, some of which were then sold on the street. The doctors allegedly billed Medicare for $164 million in false and fraudulent claims, according to federal officials. A clinic in Houston allegedly gave out prescriptions for cash. Officials said one doctor at the clinic provided 12,000 opioid prescriptions for over two million illegal painkiller doses. And a rehab facility for drug addicts in Palm Beach that is alleged to have recruited addicts with gift cards, visits to strip clubs and drugs billed the government for over $58 million in false treatments and tests. "Narcotics officers have arrested schoolteachers, doctors, nurses and fellow law enforcement personnel," said acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. "Many who succumb to the lure of the opioid high are kids. . .In some cases, we had addicts packed into standing-room only waiting rooms, waiting for those prescriptions." McCabe said that some doctors wrote out more prescriptions for controlled substances in one month than entire hospitals were writing. Some of the health care fraud scams have been identified by local reporters in the communities where they occurred. The Palm Beach Post has covered the issue extensively and recently highlighted the Palm Beach County Sober Home Task Force, which in the past eight months has arrested and charged 28 owners and operators of drug treatment centers and sober homes with buying and selling insured addicts. And the national publication, STAT, has chronicled "addict brokers" who can earn tens of thousands of dollars by recruiting and arranging transportation and insurance coverage for desperate addicts from the Northeast and Midwest to go to drug rehab centers in Florida. Some of the centers are run by operators with no training or expertise and they often provide few services to the addicts, according to the STAT report. "Health care fraud is a reprehensible crime," said Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel Levinson. "It not only represents a theft from taxpayers who fund these vital programs, but impacts the millions of Americans who rely on Medicare and Medicaid." This comes amid a larger debate about how the country should address the government estimates are addicted to opioids. The epidemic has swamped hospitals, even as public health authorities urge doctors to cut back on the prescriptions they offer. The shortage of treatment for people with opiod-use disorder has even complicated efforts in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. States struggling with the issue have objected to a proposed roll back of the ACA's expansion of Medicaid, which is helping fund treatment for many people, for example. "Last year, an estimated 59,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, many linked to the misuse of prescription drugs. This is, quite simply, an epidemic," said Chuck Rosenberg, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency. --- Sessions announces charges against 412 people, the largest takedown in U.S. history Video embed coding: http://wapo.st/2tNjYEa A new tax break for the upper middle class was offered up Thursday in Senate Republicans' revised version of their bill to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The legislation would make health-insurance premiums more affordable for consumers who buy the kinds of inexpensive policies that are crucial to the GOP health-care agenda. Yet independent analysts caution that the benefits would mainly accrue to affluent households, and the provision might not substantially expand coverage among the uninsured. The language relates to health savings accounts (HSAs), vehicles that allow consumers to set aside a portion of their income without it being taxed and then use that money to pay for medical expenses. Currently, the accounts can only be used for out-of-pocket costs, such as insurance deductibles and co-payments. The GOP bill would allow owners of these accounts to use the money to pay for premiums as well. Doing so would make the accounts much more attractive, allowing taxpayers to claim a break on a major monthly expense rather than only on their out-of-pocket costs for doctor visits and other health-care items. The provision would primarily benefit more affluent households, in part because they are the ones that can afford to divert money into the accounts. And because marginal rates on income are steeper for wealthier taxpayers, they save more when they are able to write off an expense and reduce the income on which they have to pay taxes. About 44 percent of households - mostly those that are less well off - do not pay any federal income tax, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. These households would not benefit from being able to pay premiums out of health savings accounts. Additionally, the most important benefits would go to people who are too affluent to qualify for the federal subsidies that would be available to help modest-income households buy private coverage on the individual market. Since the subsidies cover part of the cost of premiums, those who receive them would be able to deduct less from their incomes. Under the GOP bill, the subsidies would be available to households with up to 350 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $71,000 for a family of three. For that reason, critics of the GOP bill were skeptical that the change with HSAs would help uninsured Americans obtain coverage, noting that many who would be wealthy enough to benefit meaningfully already have insurance - coverage typically through an employer. "It's going to provide the greatest benefits to higher-income people who already can afford health insurance, so it's not going to do much in the way of helping people afford coverage who are going to lose it," said Edwin Park, a vice president for health policy at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) - the two nonpartisan agencies responsible for supplying lawmakers with information about federal taxes and spending - have forecast in a preliminary analysis that the latest change to the rules around health savings accounts would increase coverage, according to a Senate aide. A precise estimate was not yet available on Thursday, however. Predicting exactly how the provision would affect the number of uninsured Americans would be extremely difficult, outside experts said, and the result would depend on how the change would interact with other revisions. For instance, another element of the bill - put forward by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas - could also make health savings accounts more common. Under current federal law, the accounts are only available for people who purchase plans with higher deductibles. Cruz's proposal would make it easier for insurance companies to offer such policies, and if health savings accounts were more widely available because of the GOP legislation, more people might take advantage of the opportunity to write off their premiums. As a result, the number of people who would benefit depends on how attractive the cheaper offerings would be under the Cruz proposal relative to the individual plans that would comply with the ACA's essential health benefits. Since policymakers have to date not allowed taxpayers to pay for insurance out of their health savings accounts, any forecasts are part guesswork. That is true not only for the number of people who might take advantage of the new system, but also for how much revenue the federal government would lose. "I'm really reluctant to guess how much it's going to cost," said Linda Blumberg, an economist at the nonpartisan Urban Institute. "I don't think it's going to be huge money necessarily, but I think it's going to have an impact." "It will be a pretty imprecise guess," Tom Miller, an economist at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, wrote in an email. "The only number that will matter will be supplied" by the CBO and JCT next week, he noted. The two agencies will release a comprehensive analysis of the revised bill. That new bill version would keep several of the ACA taxes paid mainly by the very rich. Initially, GOP lawmakers had proposed repealing those. One is a levy on the salaries of people earning more than $200,000 a year as individuals, or $250,000 for married couples. The other taxes include a surcharge on certain investments for households in that income category and what is effectively a special tax on the compensation executives receive from their firms in the insurance industry. "Beautiful" is one of President Donald Trump's favorite words. He's used it at least 1,500 times on Twitter and in speeches since he began running for office, according to the database at Factba.se. He uses it indiscriminately, the way a teenager might use "cool." At times, though, it's awkward. On Thursday, Trump met with Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, and his wife Brigitte. As they greeted one another, cameras picked up Trump's praise for France's first lady. That "you're in great shape" attracted some negative media attention, as you might expect. But the "beautiful" was almost predictable. After all, in the last month alone, Macron is the third wife of a president to earn that descriptor, after the first lady of South Korea and Trump's own wife. Over that period, Trump has described 35 different things as beautiful, according to Factba.se's data and news reports from the day. They range from soldiers killed in combat to foreign countries to two different three-word phrases to abstract concepts. Our index of the past month, below. Were any of the beneficiaries of Trump's compliment inclined to bask in it, this list might give them pause. Were they so inclined. - June 13, Pewaukee, Wis. A speaker system. "This is quite a place - with a beautiful speaker system, I will tell you." - June 15, White House. The United States. "In these difficult hours, it's more important than ever to help each other, care for each other, and remind each other that we are all united by our love of our great and beautiful country." - June 16, Miami The Cuban people. "Over the years, a special sympathy has grown between this land of the free, and the beautiful people of that island, so close to our shores and so deeply woven into the history of our region." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The red on electoral maps. "And those maps, those electoral maps, they were all red. Beautiful red. Beautiful." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The lives lost in Afghanistan. "The lives, the lives, thousands and thousands and thousands of lives. $6 trillion and thousands of young, beautiful lives." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Farming. "Farming - which is something that is very beautiful to me. I'm not a farmer, but I'd be very happy to be one. It's a very beautiful world to me." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Clean water. "No longer will the EPA be telling you how to run your business or do your job or live your life. Instead, it will focus on its true mission, clean air and clean, beautiful, crystal water. Nice, beautiful, clean water." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Television studios. "But they had these beautiful studios. And if Karen Handel had lost, they would've blamed it on me, which is fine." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Otto Warmbier. "But you look at North Korea, what's going - look at Otto, beautiful Otto. Went over there a healthy, wonderful boy and you see how he came back. You see how he came back." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. America's airports in the past. "You know, we used to be the leader in airports. We had the most beautiful airports." - June 21, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The solar panels on the border wall. "I've told that to, a solar wall. Makes sense. Let's see. We're working it out. We'll see. Solar wall, panels, beautiful." - June 22, White House. Steve Scalise's children. "We are so touched that joining us here this evening are Steve and Jennifer's children, Harrison and Madison. Beautiful children." - June 23, White House. The World War II memorial on the Mall. "Earl began asking his patients if they planned to visit the new World War II Memorial - which is beautiful - right here in Washington, D.C." - June 23, White House. Honor flights. "That is how the first Honor Flight was born. Honor Flight - a very beautiful thing." - June 26, White House. The words "We the people". "Not many people know it, but both American and the Indian constitutions begin with the same three very beautiful words: We the people." - June 29, Department of Energy. Clean coal. "We have nearly 100 years' worth of natural gas and more than 250 years' worth of clean, beautiful coal." - June 29, Department of Energy. The myth of clean energy. "But we now know that was all a big, beautiful myth. It was fake." - June 29, White House. Kim Jeong-Suk, wife of the president of South Korea. "It's a great honor to have you at the White House and your very beautiful and lovely wife." - June 30, Washington, D.C. The unknown. "It is America's destiny to be at the forefront of humanity's eternal quest for knowledge and to be the leader amongst nations on our adventure into the great unknown. And I could say the great and very beautiful unknown. Nothing more beautiful." - June 30, Washington, D.C. A ceremony commemorating the Korean War. "This morning, President Moon and Vice President Pence laid a wreath at the Korean War Veterans Memorial to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the Korean War. A beautiful ceremony." - June 30, Washington, D.C. Lives of murder victims. "These beautiful American lives were stolen because our government refused to do its job. - July 1, Washington, D.C. The Kennedy Center." "So on behalf of this very large group, in this beautiful building, Senior Master Sergeant Miller, Happy Birthday." - July 1, Washington, D.C. Choral music. "[T]o every musician and member of the choir who has performed with such incredible grace and skill - and I heard them backstage, I said let me out there that is the most beautiful music." - July 4, Arlington, Va. The Tomb of the Unknowns. "Representing the United States Army is Captain Jean Gwon. She served 14 years, and today she is Company Commander in support of Old Guard, where she oversees the 120 soldiers who protect the Tomb of the Unknowns. It's beautiful." - July 6, Warsaw. The sights in Poland. "It's a spectacular place. Some of the most beautiful sights that we just saw coming over." - July 6, Warsaw. Melania Trump. "The United States has many great diplomats, but there is truly no better ambassador for our country than our beautiful first lady, Melania." - July 6, Warsaw. A room. "This is a beautiful room, I must say. I love beautiful rooms and this is one of them." - July 6, Warsaw. The press he'd like to see. "And what we want to see in the United States is honest - beautiful, free but honest press. We want to see fair press." - July 6, Warsaw. Krasiski Square. "This is my first visit to Central Europe as President, and I am thrilled that it could be right here at this magnificent, beautiful piece of land. It is beautiful." - July 7, Hamburg. The words "Made in America". "For more than two centuries, those three beautiful words have been the world standard for quality, craftsmanship and excellence, and they still are today." - July 8, Twitter. The G-20 summit. "The #G20Summit was a wonderful success and carried out beautifully by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Thank you!" - July 10, Twitter. A new health-care bill. "I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!" - July 13, Paris. Brigitte Macron, wife of the president of France. "You know, you're in such great shape. Beautiful." - July 13, Paris. Paris. "I think this is one of the great cities, one of the most beautiful cities in the world." - July 13, Paris. Another room. "Nice room. Isn't that a beautiful room?" The picture shows Lake Windermere in the Lake District. [Photo/VCG] LONDON - England's largest national park, the Lake District, said Wednesday it expects a boost in visitor numbers after it was declared this week as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The accolade is to be celebrated this weekend on July 15 and 16 with local people and visitors across the Lake District being invited to a massive Picnic in the Park, marking its first weekend as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Already a leading tourism attraction in Britain, the mountainous region and its famous lakes, are a magnet for tourists from every continent. Landscapes shaped by glaciers from the Ice Age and modern agricultural systems have provided a combination of nature and manmade scenery. A dramatic view of Ullswater was included in the Lake District's bid for World Heritage Status, citing it as an example of a cultural landscape blending an ancient farmed landscape with a picturesque landscape. Daffodils in the woodlands around Ullswater inspired the famous poem by William Wordsworth, "I wandered lonely as a cloud". UNESCO's decision at its World Heritage Committee meeting in Krakow follows the efforts of 25 organizations in the Lake District National Park Partnership who had put the bid together for the prestigious cultural badge. Three key themes underpinned the bid for World Heritage Site status, recognizing the Lake District National Park as a cultural landscape of international significance. These include world ranking examples of identity, the dramatic farmed landscape; inspiration, art, literature and love of the place. This in turn sparked the birth of conservation as people fought and invested to look after this special corner of England. S. Allen Counter, a Harvard scientist best known for championing the achievements of African American explorer Matthew Henson and for traveling to Greenland, where he found descendants of Henson and fellow polar explorer Robert E. Peary, died July 12. He was 73. Rakesh Khurana, dean of Harvard College, announced the death but provided no further details. Counter, a neurobiologist, joined the Harvard faculty in 1970 and later became a neurology professor at Harvard Medical School. He was also the longtime director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. In his academic work, Counter branched into ethnographic studies of African descendants around the world and produced award-winning documentaries about isolated populations of former slaves in Ecuador and Suriname (the former Dutch Guiana). "There is no purer group of Africans in the Western hemisphere than those communities living along the rivers of the Suriname interior," Counter told New African magazine in 2009. "These people have changed very little in 300 years. In many ways they were more African than many Africans today!" As a child, Counter had learned about Henson, who was sometimes described as Peary's valet. In fact, they were near-equal partners during more than 20 years of Arctic expeditions that began in 1888. Henson spoke local Inuit languages better than Peary did and helped lead several journeys aimed at reaching the North Pole. "Henson," Counter told The Washington Post in 1987, "was simply my hero." On April 6, 1909, Henson planted the U.S. flag at or near the North Pole. (Peary was too ill from frostbite at the time and was carried in a sled.) Scholars have debated whether the explorers actually reached the pole, but Counter was convinced they had. Peary was promoted to the naval rank of rear admiral. After he died in 1920, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Henson died in poverty in 1955 and was buried in the Bronx. While studying in Sweden in the 1970s, Counter heard stories of dark-skinned residents of Greenland, possibly related to Henson. "The only black man known to have interacted with the Eskimos was Henson," Counter told the New York Times in 1986, "so I decided to track down his descendant." That year, he traveled to a small settlement in northern Greenland and was directed to one of the village's eight houses. "I walked up to the house,'' Counter said later. "An old man came out. I told him my name through the interpreter and said I was looking for the son of Mai Palug, which means Matthew the Kind One. He laughed and said it was he." His name was Anaukaq, and he had been born to an indigenous woman after Henson and Peary had visited the region. He was 80 years old and had five children and 22 grandchildren but, until he met Counter, had never met anyone with the same features and skin color. "You must be a Henson who has come to look for me," he told Counter. Anaukaq also said that Peary had a son in Greenland, and Counter continued his journey until he found another 80-year-old man, Kali Peary. In 1987, Counter brought both men to the United States, where they were reunited with cousins they didn't know they had. Anaukaq died soon afterward. A year later, Counter arranged for Henson to be reinterred next to Peary at Arlington National Cemetery. Descendants of both explorers, from the United States and Greenland, attended the ceremony. "Welcome to the company of your friend Robert Peary," Counter said. "Welcome to a place always yours by right but denied you." Samuel Allen Counter Jr. was born July 8, 1944, in Americus, Georgia, and grew up near West Palm Beach, Florida. His father was a business manager, and his mother was a nurse. Counter graduated in 1965 from Tennessee State University, a historically black institution, and five years later received a doctorate in neurobiology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He later obtained another doctorate, in medical science, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. In 1981, Counter was named the first director of the Harvard Foundation, which conducts programs for the university's students and faculty on cross-cultural and international understanding. He remained director of the foundation, and a member of the medical school faculty, until his death. Counter had three daughters, but complete information about his survivors was not available. In 1991, Counter published a book about Henson, "North Pole Legacy: Black, White and Eskimo." He said Henson and Peary both had long-term relationships with Inuit women during an expedition in 1905 and 1906. (Peary had a wife in the United States; Henson was single.) The two women, who had children with the explorers, eventually married Inuit brothers and raised their half-American sons as cousins. "They said their children, and their children's children would sing songs of Matthew Henson," Counter said in 1992. "He was more like them than anyone from the outside." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate State Sen. Jose Menendez criticized the University of Texas Systems selection process for UTSA president, issuing a scathing public statement Thursday saying Latinos were underrepresented on a committee that recommended a finalist for the position last month. The systems Board of Regents followed the recommendation on June 30 and unanimously picked Taylor Eighmy, a vice chancellor for research at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, as the next University of Texas at San Antonio president. Another vote to confirm the appointment is expected within weeks. While I congratulate Dr. Eighmy on his selection to lead UTSA, I am dismayed at the lack of transparency or consideration for a Latino(a) candidate, Menendezs statement said. Calling the selection a tone-deaf decision, he expressed disappointment at the low number of Latinos on the 16-member search committee Menendez said there were two; the UT System said there were three and said UT System officials should have exposed candidates to public vetting or presented them at an open forum. The names of applicants cannot be released because both they and the System are bound by non-disclosure agreements, said Jenny Lacoste-Caputo, director of communications for the UT System. She said she doubted officials could even release demographic information about the candidate pool, including how many of them were women, but said the group of candidates interviewed by the Board of Regents was diverse, both by gender and ethnicity. The Board of Regents was extremely pleased with the extraordinary caliber of candidates this national search attracted and delighted to have identified a sole finalist of Dr. Eighmys standing. UT System leadership appreciates Sen. Menendezs support for and interest in the continued success of UTSA and looks forward to further discussion, LaCoste-Caputo added. In an interview, Menendez said he repeatedly had advised the system about the desireability of a Latino or Latina president. At one point he gave officials a list of eight or nine university presidents hed identified from across the country as good fits for the UTSA position. Im not taking the ultimate step and making any kind of arrogant statement like, They need to stop what theyre doing, Menendez said. But I am asking (the UT System) to share what their process was to see if everything was done to get a diverse applicant. Eighmy, 60, has a heavy research background and the UT System executive vice chancellor of academic affairs who chaired the search commitee, Steve Leslie, said that would help further the goal of making UTSA a Tier One institution. This fall, assuming Eighmy is voted in as president, none of the UT Systems 14 academic and health institutions will have Latino presidents. Only two are women. Hispanics are a majority in Bexar County and are expected to be statewide by 2020, but the UT leadership disproportionately represents white males, Menendez said, adding, Its frustrating that Im sitting here having to make this case to them. As of fall of 2015, the student bodys largest ethnic group across UT System institutions was Hispanic. And Hispanic students comprised 51 percent of UTSAs total enrollment last fall. The UT System began the search for UTSAs next president soon after former President Ricardo Romo, who grew up on the West Side and was seen as a local example of achievement through education, announced his retirement plans last September. Romo later resigned after an internal investigation determined he had sexually harassed employees through unwanted hugs. I think the president of UTSA has to be someone who has the qualifications and talent to take us to the Tier One status that we know UTSA needs to achieve, and should achieve, Menendez said. But also the president should have the capability to be a role model. sfosterfrau@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonians will have to cut back on watering their lawns beginning Friday as the city goes into Stage 1 drought restrictions, officials said. City officials declared the restrictions Thursday after the Edwards Aquifer well level dropped below 660 feet, they said in a San Antonio Water System news release. Watering lawns or using irrigation systems will only be allowed before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m., once a week. The final number of residents' home addresses will determine which day of the week they can water their lawns. RELATED: Video: San Antonio realtor stumbles upon snake pit in house water meter Here is a breakdown of who can water their lawn, when: Monday: 0-1 Tuesday: 2-3 Wednesday: 4-5 Thursday: 6-7 Friday: 8-9 The days begin and end at midnight and lawns cannot be watered overnight. Handheld hose watering is still allowed any day and any time under the restrictions, officials said. The Stage 1 restrictions will be in effect until 15 days after the aquifer is above 660 feet. "While the rain we received earlier this year provided great recharge to the aquifer, it wasn't enough to completely avoid drought restrictions," said SAWS President Robert Puente, in the news release. "We have an ample supply of water from the Edwards Aquifer as well as seven other sources, but state law requires us to cut back on pumping when the Edwards Aquifer drops to this level." kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street, London, Britain, July 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] LONDON - Britain will publish on Thursday the legislation that will sever its political and legal ties to the European Union, beginning what is likely to be a divisive debate that will test Prime Minister Theresa May's ability to lead the country. The Repeal Bill is central to the government's plan to exit the EU in 2019, providing the mechanism for decades of EU law to be turned into British law, and to enact Brexit by repealing the 1972 legislation that made Britain a member. Its passage through parliament could make or break May's future as prime minister. The election she called last month cost her an outright parliamentary majority and reopened the debate on the nature of Britain's EU exit. Within May's Conservative Party, pro-Brexit lawmakers are fiercely defensive of her plan for a clean break with the EU. Pro-Europeans are looking to extract concessions that soften the divorce terms. Rebellion by either side could derail the legislation and test May's ability to negotiate a compromise or find support from opposition parties. If she fails, her position could swiftly become untenable. "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union," Brexit minister David Davis said in a statement The publication of the bill is the first step in a long legislative process, with no formal debate in parliament expected on Thursday. It will be closely examined to see how the government plans to carry out the difficult and time-consuming technical exercise of transposing EU law. Lawmakers have expressed concern that the sheer volume of work created by the shift could limit parliament's ability to scrutinise it effectively and ensure the government is not introducing policy change by the back door. Too late? The bill will also face scrutiny from British companies, many of which have spent the year since Britons voted to leave the EU trying to figure out how the change will affect their business. A successful shift to British law is crucial for many industries that depend on EU-wide regulation. Davis said the bill would enable Britain to exit the EU with "maximum certainty, continuity and control." But the financial industry, a major component of Britain's $2.5 trillion economy, is already warning that the government has left it too late to convince them it can strike a deal to soften the impact of Brexit before they start shifting jobs from London. May's attempts to build broad political support for the Brexit plan she set out in January, which involves leaving the EU's single market and prioritising immigration control, have so far fallen on deaf ears. The opposition Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn has committed to Brexit. But, emboldened by a surge in public support for his leftist agenda he has set out his own parallel plan for Brexit, hoping that May's government will fall. WASHINGTON You can drain the swamp, but you can't always fly home on a non-stop flight. That's the message from a group of Washington area lawmakers to members of the Texas congressional delegation. Or, in words they might better understand: Don't mess with Reagan National Airport. Some Texas lawmakers, always looking for direct flights home without stop-overs, are in a new tiff with the Beltway crowd over long-standing limits on the distance that flights can travel to and from the capital city's favorite, close-in airport. The long-standing dispute has come up again in an amendment filed by Laredo Democrat Henry Cuellar that would grant a narrowly-drawn waiver to the current limit of 1,250 miles. Cuellar's plan, which he wants to add to a defense spending bill, would exempt certain flights serving airports "within 25 miles of a military medical center, an extremity injury and amputee center of excellence, as defined by the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2009, or a traumatic brain injury or burn treatment facility." That happens to fit the bill for San Antonio International Airport, nearly 1,400 miles from D.C. Washington area lawmakers are not amused. "It's certainly clever," Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat who represents northern Virginia, told the Washington Post. Beyer and other D.C.-area lawmakers have opposed Cuellar's amendment, arguing in a joint letter to the House Rules Committee that his request is outside the scope of a defense appropriations bill. Washington's two airports, Reagan and Dulles International, are both subject to oversight by Congress. Though Dulles is much bigger, Reagan is vastly more popular because of its close proximity to the city, particularly to the U.S. Capitol. Washington area officials worry about increasing traffic and congestion at Reagan long known locally as "National" as well as the need to boost traffic at Dulles. So far, they've been able to beat back previous attempts to allow extended flights from Reagan, including one last year by Texas U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold of Corpus Christi, which is 1,384 miles from Reagan. For some Washingtonians, it's a question of local control. "No Member of Congress appreciates another representative meddling with the asset in their state or district," the local lawmakers wrote in their letter. "We, too, strongly oppose any attempts by other Members to dictate operations at these airports for their own personal convenience at great cost to our communities and constituents." Whether their plight is heard this time around remains to be seen. The House Rules Committee Chairman? Texas Republican Pete Sessions of Dallas. Americans once had a shared commitment to the traditional liberal democratic values: individual liberties, human rights, tolerance of dissent, free and fair elections, a free press, due process and separation of powers. Or more concisely: liberty and justice for all. Slowly but surely, we have been abandoning these shared values and drifting toward authoritarianism and mob rule. Whos leading the charge left or right depends on where you sit. Both sides claim to be the true champions of liberal democracy, yet neither seems particularly intent on safeguarding it when doing so hurts their team. Last week, for example, an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found striking levels of hostility toward political and civil freedoms among Republicans. A quarter of Republicans believe the country has gone too far in expanding the right to vote. Worse, 4 in 10 believe the United States has too greatly expanded freedom of the press. The same share also says that the right to protest or criticize the government has gotten out of hand. This is astonishing coming from a party whose entire raison detre for eight years was to protest and criticize the White House. The shares of Democrats agreeing that these rights to vote, to a free press, to criticize the government are too expansive were relatively tiny (5, 11 and 7 percent, respectively). This partisan gulf is not some one-off result. In February, a Pew Research Center survey found large gaps between Democrats and Republicans on civil and political liberties. Three-quarters of Democrats said that the freedom of news organizations to criticize political leaders is important for maintaining a strong democracy. Slightly less than half of Republicans agreed. Is anyone on the right actually reading those pocket Constitutions theyve made into such a trendy fashion accessory? In other surveys over recent years, conservatives have been more supportive of book-banning and other forms of censorship. At the state level, conservatives have used government power to gag speech and ideas they consider offensive, and even to mandate speech they deem politically pleasing (by requiring doctors to spout junk science about abortions, for instance). More anecdotally, the past few years have provided lots of vivid examples of pitchfork-wielding lefty students and cowardly administrators shutting down speech with which they disagree. This has led to demands for resignations and, sometimes, threats of violence. So the question is, whats changed? What or whom should we blame for this deteriorating commitment to dissent and other liberal values, whether on campuses or in statehouses? To some extent, Americans like citizens of other Western democracies experiencing similar backlashes are actively rejecting democratic institutions and norms they believe failed them. The financial crisis and, before that, stagnating living standards left Americans angry, disillusioned and ready to burn it all down with the it in this case including some of our shared values. Theres another obvious villain in this story, though: our increasingly corrosive and tribalist partisanship. This just shows the degree to which partisan identity and loyalty to a political leader go deeper than a commitment to any particular values, Yascha Mounk, a lecturer at Harvard University, argued last week by phone when I asked him about the Marist findings. He notes that confidence in Russias authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin, has doubled among Republicans since 2015, while declining slightly among Democrats. This is probably not so much due to any actual familiarity with Putins murderous quashing of dissent as a perception that hes on the (Republican) presidents team. The same perception may motivate Republicans rising antipathy toward a free press. Maybe Americans are not exactly hostile toward liberal democratic ideals, so much as indifferent. In todays partisan climate, thats just as dangerous. crampell@washpost.com From now on, ignore the conventional wisdom about how the Russia scandal is not resonating with President Trumps still-loyal base. The question at this point is what strikes a chord with special counsel Robert Mueller and what kind of legal jeopardy Trumps closest associates, including his eldest son and son-in-law, might eventually face. Trump spent Monday morning live-tweeting fawning segments from his favorite cable news show, Fox & Friends. Within the cozy confines of that alternate universe, the story everyone is still talking about was said to be video of the president, before boarding his helicopter at Andrews Air Force Base , scrambling to retrieve a Marines wind-blown hat. In Muellers office suite, though, Im confident there was much more talk about Donald Trump Jr.s stunning admission over the weekend: In June of last year, he summoned Trump then-campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner to a meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer described as having close connections with the Kremlin in hopes of receiving derogatory information about Hillary Clinton. The meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya was first reported Saturday by The New York Times. Initially, Trump Jr. told the newspaper that the short meeting was to discuss a program about the adoption of Russian children. On Sunday, however, he acknowledged that he agreed to the meeting because he was told that Veselnitskaya might have information helpful to the campaign. The lawyers dirt about Clinton was vague, ambiguous and made no sense, however, and Trump Jr. ended the meeting after 20 to 30 minutes. After months of categorical denials, we now have an admission of attempted collusion, at least, involving three top-ranking figures in the Trump campaign. Despite what Trump apologists may say, it is not normal practice for a campaign to welcome information undermining an opponent regardless of the source. In 2000, for example, the Al Gore campaign was anonymously sent briefing books and a video that George W. Bush had used to prepare for an upcoming debate. Gore campaign officials immediately turned the material over to the FBI which opened a criminal investigation. Veselnitskaya is best known as a tireless crusader for repeal of the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law blacklisting Russian officials believed responsible for the death of a well-known human rights activist. When President Obama signed the law, Russian President Vladimir Putin was so vexed that he halted U.S. adoptions of Russian children in retaliation. It is safe to assume that if Veselnitskaya raised the subject of adoptions, as Trump Jr. says, it was part of an argument against the Magnitsky law. The Veselnitskaya meeting is just one of several encounters with Russians that apparently slipped Kushners mind when he filled out disclosure forms required for his White House post. It came to light only after he amended those forms and someone familiar with their contents dropped a dime to the Times. Trump Jr. claimed in March that he had had no meetings with Russians that were set up ... and certainly none that I was representing the campaign in any way, shape or form. Trump Jr. said in a statement Sunday that he was asked by an acquaintance to arrange the meeting; he claimed not even to have known Veselnitskayas name beforehand, let alone anything about her. He said he did not tell Manafort or Kushner of the meetings purpose in advance, and said President Trump had no idea the meeting was taking place. At the time, Manafort was running a presidential campaign roughly like being at the vortex of a tornado and Kushner was one of the campaigns chief advisers. The idea that they could spare even five minutes to meet an unknown person about an unknown subject is absurd. Manafort and Kushner have already retained high-powered lawyers. Its no surprise that, on Monday, Trump Jr. did the same. eugenerobinson@washpost.com A casual perusal of cases in which the U.S. Justice Department interceded to protect the civil rights of Americans will see one offender come up too frequently Texas. The federal government, through the department, has successfully challenged the state in the past on voter ID, voting generally, the rights of language minorities and redistricting, just to name a few of those civil rights issues. With Jeff Sessions Justice Department now acquiescing in Texas favor over the states discriminatory voter ID law, we fear the departments role as a stalwart defender of the disenfranchised has come to an end. And that is bad news for all Americans. Last week, the Justice Department submitted a legal filing that says Senate Bill 5, passed in the regular session and signed by the governor, fixes the discriminatory effects of the states voter ID law, which courts have ruled disproportionately impact minority voters. It does not do so sufficiently enough. But what the challengers to the law the Justice Department once being among them seek in any case is a remedy for the discrimination that occurred in 2011. Texas has a long, sordid history of discrimination and there is no reasonable expectation that it wont attempt to discriminate in the future given current state leadership. That means the correct remedy is to once again require Texas to submit to pre-clearance for changes to its voting laws. It was required to do this before the U.S. Supreme Court upended a key section of the Voting Rights Act. Challengers to the Texas law are now citing another section, seeking pre-clearance. Last year, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas minorities were disproportionately among the states residents to be without the forms of photo identification required by the law. It ruled therefore that the law had discriminatory effect. A federal judge in Corpus Christi ruled later that this discrimination was intentional. She applied some fixes in time for the 2016 election and the new state law mimics these, but not in a fashion that absolves Texas of its original intentional sin of discrimination, nor in a way, the laws challengers reasonably claim, that is totally non-discriminatory. Voters without the required forms of identification which, by the way, include a concealed weapons permit but not student identification can now sign affidavits attesting that they had a reasonable impediment to obtaining the required identification. They can produce other identification, such as utility bills. But, if they are found to have had access to the required identification, they could be subject to criminal penalties. So, the segment of the states population disproportionately without the required identification, will have to produce alternative documents proving they are who they say they are and will therefore be disproportionately subject to criminal penalties if some misunderstanding causes them to err on the affidavit. In any case, the Legislature, with this law, was nonsensically applying a fix to something that wasnt even broken. Texas does have a voting problem, but that lies with the relatively paltry voter turnout numbers the state generates. But there was no problem with the method for voting legally register and you get to vote, without photo ID. In-person voter fraud, the malady the measure allegedly sought to address, is exceedingly rare. But the number of Texans blocked from voting is not. They have been estimated to number about 600,000. The Texas Civil Rights Project recently released a report that documented hundreds of voters delayed and others turned away during the presidential election because of the voter ID law, even with the court-ordered changes. And a previous report by ProPublica pointed to state lapses in explaining the law to voters and local election officials. This law is discriminatory no matter how amended. Legislatures, the courts have now said for Texas and elsewhere, have been transparent in their goal to suppress votes that might threaten Republican dominance in state and U.S. houses. No doubt, the courts will give Texas voter ID law another look after Senate Bill 5 and the Justice Departments recent legal filing. But even before any future ruling, there is already cause for fear and regret. The Trump Justice Department is signaling by this and other actions that it will not aggressively challenge states that upend voting rights. Everyones rights are cheapened if that happens. Sri Lankan navy saves elephant from the sea The Star Whale Strikes and Kills Canadian Rescuer After He Helps Free It NYT (RM). :-( Critter cams help NC residents and scientists learn whats creeping around News & Observer The post box in Bermuda numbered 666 which receives Google profits worth 8BILLION a year Daily Mail Fed chair Yellen gives succour to inflation doves FT One-eyed man Reuters. Gary Cohn at the Fed? The New Abnormal in Monetary Policy Nouriel Roubini, Project Syndicate Rooftop Solar Is No Match for Crony Capitalism Bloomberg (Re Silc). Brazils ex-President Lula convicted of corruption BBC Syraqistan Why Europe needs more migrants The Economist EU regulators clamp down on social media searches on job applicants FT Brexit Five examples of Britains chocolate orange Brexit strategy Guardian. Now the head of the UKs public spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, has issued a remarkable criticism of the government on the subject. Amyas Morse said that he had seen no ministerial plan to push through the necessary legal and statutory changes for the UK to leave the EU. We have an issue there because we have departmental government, he said. What we dont want to find is that at the first tap it falls apart like a chocolate orange.' The Great Repeal Bill which does the opposite of what it says could be the Brexit act that finishes off Theresa May Independent Labour threat to defeat Theresa May over Brexit bill Guardian Brexit: EU negotiator Barnier firm on citizens rights EU Brexit: Irish business leaders warn of calamitous divorce BBC EU wants legal jurisdiction over UK to last for years after Brexit The Telegraph Richard Smith: Trial balloon from an expendable ex-MEP. Step change in the mood music though: The morning when Theresa May is about to unveil the first installment of her Great Repeal Bill, the press is reporting on full bore alarms from the National Audit Office about a Brexit disaster in the making: a sure to be failed Customs systems upgrade that will tie UK ports in knots. For Whitehall, NAO is using strong language. Serious alarm bells. Even for those not already alarmed by the words "large Govt IT project". https://t.co/73NPtydL59 Richard Smith flagged the Independents account: Among risks outlined in the NAOs report is the possibility that Britains final deal with the EU might require features in the IT system not yet anticipated by its designers requiring last minute changes and causing more delays. Publishing his report on the Customs Declaration Service, Sir Amyas said the IT system to record declarations on imports and exports threatened to become a horror show. In unusually tough language, auditor general Sir Amyas Morse said ministers were only beginning to understand the momentous task of Brexit and that without further resources would find that at the first tap, this falls apart like a chocolate orange The 157m system is due to be completed just two months before Brexit in March 2019, but the NAO says delays common to new IT would cause massive disruption. In a scathing assessment, the National Audit Office said the computer system might not be ready by the time Britain leaves the EU, potentially plunging the UKs ports into chaos. The UKs spending watchdog has warned the Governments post-Brexit IT system for customs is heading for a horror show that could risk 34bn of public income. Recall that during Obamacare, the reason the rollout was such a disaster was specs being changed six months before the launch date. Lambert was first to recognize the significance of that and correctly predict an IT disaster. And mind you, that was in the context of a presumably largely settled development plan. Based on a Financial Times story last November that didnt get the attention it merited, we similarly predicted that the Customs rollout would be a mess and Brexit would only compound the magnitude of the damage in Another Huge Brexit Spanner in the Works: UK Faces Customs Train Wreck With Need for IT Upgrade: As the preceding discussion shows, if UK loses access to the single market, that means tariffs. And for US readers, the UK is now on this path with its plan for a hard Brexit. Theresa May and her Brexit boosters have committed themselves to restricting immigration. The EU has insisted from Merkel on down, from the very day the referendum results were in that if the UK wanted to continue to have access to the single market, it had to accept the four freedoms, which includes movement of EU nationals in and out of the UK and vice versa. What has escaped the notice of many observers is that tariffs for manufactured goods means that the charges are levied based on the country of origin of the constituent parts. This means a very elaborate customs declaration and tariff computation for goods of real complexity. And yes, there are customs inspections too (I assume on a sampling basis; readers can clue me in). The amount of extra hassle constitutes a non-tariff trade barrier in and of itself. And that over time will encourage manufacturers to simplify their supply chains. Auto-makers, for instance, will find it less attractive to send parts into the UK for further assembly to be re-exported to Europe; theyll presumably over time restructure production so as to have manufacture for the rump EU market in the EU, and have parts made in the UK mainly to be included in any final assembly there. While that is bad enough, a looming problem is far worse. All this border documentation is managed by computer systems. The UKs present system for handling non-EU-related trade is almost 25 years old and was set for replacement. The new system, called CDS for Customs Declaration System, to be ready by 2018 and to have the capacity to handle 100 million transactions,. At double the current level of 50 million, that would have seemed to be ample headroom. Reading between the lines of the Financial Time story, there seems to be some doubt as to whether the original spec could have been pulled off in time. But now with Brexit, the project suddenly has a major spec change: it has to handle 350 million transactions. And what the story does not mention, but seems likely to be the case, is that there are tons of other spec changes that have yet to be identified and documented related to EU and UK tariffs on specific goods. And if the system tracks things like port of embarkation and disembarkation, more data fields need to be added for all the EU ports and air cargo locations. And of course, the Euro currency data field needs to go in too. In addition, since the negotiations will be in progress, the levels, and potentially even some of the categories are likely to be in flux. Given that olives are a very important export good for the EU, how will olives be treated versus olive oil versus products made from olives, like olive paste? Will green olives be treated differently than ripe ones? How all this sorts out affects the coding As Richard Smith said by phone, Even if the UK government had a full team of top-drawer developers, crackerjack managers, a completed project specification, and enough budget, this wold be daunting to complete by 2018. And the reason most big IT projects founder or fail utterly is that the project parameters almost never stay static. They wind up changing as the developers turn over rocks and the client has a further think about what it needs. Needless to say, UK industrialists are fretting. From the Financial Times: Industry is seriously alarmed by the administrative test of applying customs checks and separate tariffs to EU trade. Noting the danger of major disruption at the border, the paper to the joint committee argued it was difficult to see how CDS or Chief would cope by 2019 with any substantial changes to what we do now. Desmond Hiscock, director-general of the UK Association for International Trade, said there was growing frustration among his members over the uncertainties and risks. The existing system will be not be able to cope and there is not much confidence that the untested and still incomplete replacement, CDS, will fare much better. Listing a range of additional administrative requirements, uncertainty over duties, databases, security checks, listings and rules of origin procedures, Mr Hiscock said his members had a very real fear HM Revenue & Customs have neither the infrastructure nor the trained personnel to cope. And there do not appear to be good kludges. From the same article: The most effective workarounds would require EU countries to establish a separate, streamlined customs system for UK trade. But most EU countries will be loath to invest in a huge overhaul of systems; EU officials expect Britain to be treated like any other non-EU country outside the customs union. The only sort of good news is that because a replacement trade deal is very unlikely to be concluded two years after the UK pulls the Article 50 lever, the developers will have more time. But that really isnt a solution, since much of the coding will depend on having final specifications, and a good deal will be in play as talks are underway. No assembly required: Nanoparticles that put themselves together (Nanowerk News) When you bring a box home from the furniture store, you don't expect the screws, slats, and other pieces to magically converge into a bed or table. Yet this self-assembly occurs every day in nature. Nothing tells atoms to link together; nothing tells DNA how to form. Living materials contain the very instructions and ability to become a larger whole. "Self-assembly is the universal process by which very complex structures are put together in nature. They are dynamic, they are multi-functional, they are adaptable," said Nick Kotov, a University of Michigan researcher. Unlocking self-assembly could allow us to create materials that don't exist naturally and we can't currently create ourselves. Scientists from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory discovered a family of synthetic polymers that self-assemble into nanotubes with consistent diameters. (Image: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Using self-assembly, scientists could create custom materials that are both versatile like biological systems and tough like industrial ones. These materials could be used in better water purifiers, more efficient solar cells, faster catalysts that improve manufacturing, and next-generation electronics. Using self-assembly in manufacturing could also lead to cheaper and more efficient processes. "We want to make synthetic materials that rival what we see in nature," said Ron Zuckermann, a researcher at the Molecular Foundry, a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility. "Biological systems are very sensitive and fragile. We want to make rugged industrial-grade materials that can do the same things [they do]." But scientists can't create things that combine the best of both biological and synthetic characteristics out of just any substance. Nanoparticles are likely to be the key. When scientists assemble these tiny particles into sheets or tubes, the final product is often just one atom tall. Because of their size, nanoparticles act differently than large amounts of the same material. For example, a chunk of gold doesn't scatter light the way a diamond does. But gold nanoparticles scatter light very well, making them useful in electron microscopes. Unlike regular materials, scientists can control nanoparticles' characteristics by changing their size and shape. Right now, industry can only use one type of nanoparticle at a time. That's what you see in sunscreen and fabrics that use nanoparticles. However, to build custom materials, scientists need to make multiple kinds of nanoparticles interact. Currently, the only way to do this is to construct these materials particle-by-particle. This is a very time-consuming process. To expand nanoparticles' potential applications, the Department of Energy's Office of Science is supporting research to harness self-assembly. Because nanoparticles of metals or semiconductors won't self-assemble in the same ways as living systems do, scientists are examining their differences and similarities. Spontaneous Construction Some materials, scientists found, will self-assemble if you place them together in a liquid solution. They snap together as if by magic. But it's up to researchers to figure out which materials and solutions to mix together to give the shapes and characteristics they need. Researchers at DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) discovered a family of synthetic polymers that form hollow nanotubes when you put them in waterExternal link. Nanotubes could improve catalysts, transport other nano-technology, and move antibiotics through the body. This discovery could also lead to making nanostructures that perform the huge number of functions that proteins do, but are sturdier and longer-lasting than proteins. "I'm really excited by the ability to make protein-mimicking materials," said Zuckermann. These nanotubes have two major advantages over previous ones. Scientists could manipulate them to have a consistent length and diameter. This is essential for building bigger structures with more practical applications. The hollow tubes also formed in a way that makes them less likely to collapse into a solid cylinder. A similar effort at the University of Michigan found a form of cadmium sulfide, which is used to make solar panels, that self-assembles into shellsExternal link in water that is moderately basic. Living systems use nanoshells for essential functions, such as controlling the location of chemical reactions. The synthetic shells, which are about half the diameter of a virus, could be used in gene therapy. The University of Michigan researchers modeled the shells at the DOE Office of Science's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center user facility before they created them in the lab. DNA and Tiny Diamonds: The Smallest Guides Imaginable Unfortunately, spontaneous self-assembly relies heavily on the particles' characteristics. Use different particles, and self-assembly will either form different structures or not occur at all. Researchers at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered how to combine DNA and nanoparticles so that the nanoparticles self-assemble into a variety of 3D structures. (Image: Brookhaven National Laboratory) But researchers are looking into a different approach that will work no matter what type of particle they use. With this method, scientists attach a material that wants to self-assemble to a different nanomaterial that doesn't. The materials that want to self-assemble act like Velcro strips used to hang pictures. Normally, the pictures and wall wouldn't stick together. But by applying a Velcro strip to each one and pushing on them, they lock in place. With this method, scientists could connect any type of nanoparticles and do so in whatever form they wish. DNA is one of the most promising forms of this nano-Velcro. Scientists at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory, are investigating this method. "Using DNA, we can instruct particles how to connect to each other," said Oleg Gang, a CFN researcher and Columbia University professor. When scientists attach synthetic DNA to nanoparticles, the DNA strands pair up in the same way they do in every living thing, bringing the nanoparticles along. "It's a ?smart' tool," said Fang Lu, a CFN researcher. "We can design what kind of bonding is attractive, what kind of bonding is repulsive." In a 2015 study, scientists used the DNA to connect different types of nanoparticle shapesExternal link. While spheres would normally attach only to spheres, using DNA allowed them to also connect with blocks. After that, researchers moved on to creating 3D frames out of the DNAExternal link. This study took what they had learned about connecting different shapes together to the next level. First, the scientists placed a nanoparticle with a few single-stranded DNA hanging off of it into each corner of a synthetic DNA frame. These strands connected the particles, bringing together the particles and frames to form three-dimensional objects. By connecting frames that had a variety of shapes ? cubes, octahedrons, and tetrahedra ? scientists could form different 3D architectures. This method could lead to materials industry could use for manipulating light, making chemical reactions faster, and influencing biological processes. Now, scientists are using these frames to build customized 3D nanoshapes. So far, they've been able to design zig-zags, stick figures, and other designsExternal link. By sticking a gold nanoparticle in the middle of each frame, they even created a crystal structure similar to that seen in diamondsExternal link. Scientists hope that by changing configurations and adding new types of particles, they can coax out even more characteristics. At DOE's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, researchers are using tiny diamonds themselvesExternal link. They discovered how to self-assemble "diamonoids" into the smallest nanowires ever made that are still stable enough to meet scientists' needs. Unlike smaller nanowires, scientists can store diamonoid ones in air without them breaking down or disperse them in solvents without changing their structure. "The really shocking thing was that we got this beautiful three-atom cross-section of nanowires," said Nick Melosh, a SLAC researcher. In comparison, the smallest carbon nanowires are 10 atoms wide. To make these nanowires, the scientists attached a sulfur atom to the molecular-scale diamond particles. When they placed this combination in a solution with copper ions, the sulfur latched onto the copper. This created the basic nanowire building block - a diamonoid cage carrying copper and sulfur atoms. The diamonoids in the separate blocks then drew together spontaneously, pulling the other nanoparticles along. This formed the nanowire. The next big challenge is to use self-assembly to design materials that can solve specific problems, such as capturing the right type of light for solar cells, or filtering out microbes from water. Research makes robots better at following spoken instructions (Nanowerk News) A new system based on research by Brown University computer scientists makes robots better at following spoken instructions, no matter how abstract or specific those instructions may be. The development, which was presented this week at the Robotics: Science and Systems 2017 conference in Boston, is a step toward robots that are able to more seamlessly communicate with human collaborators. The research ("Accurately and Efficiently Interpreting Human-Robot Instructions of Varying Granularities") was led by Dilip Arumugam and Siddharth Karamcheti, both undergraduates at Brown when the work was performed (Arumugam is now a Brown graduate student). They worked with graduate student Nakul Gopalan and postdoctoral researcher Lawson L.S. Wong in the lab of Stefanie Tellex, a professor of computer science at Brown. People give instructions at varying levels of abstraction -- from the simple and straightforward ("Go north a bit.") to more complex commands that imply a myriad of subtasks ("Take the block to the blue room."). A new software system helps robots better deal with instructions whatever their level of abstraction. (Image: Tellex Lab / Brown University) "The issue we're addressing is language grounding, which means having a robot take natural language commands and generate behaviors that successfully complete a task," Arumugam said. "The problem is that commands can have different levels of abstraction, and that can cause a robot to plan its actions inefficiently or fail to complete the task at all." For example, imagine someone in a warehouse working side-by-side with a robotic forklift. The person might say to the robotic partner, "Grab that pallet." That's a highly abstract command that implies a number of smaller sub-steps -- lining up the lift, putting the forks underneath and hoisting it up. However, other common commands might be more fine-grained, involving only a single action: "Tilt the forks back a little," for example. Those different levels of abstraction can cause problems for current robot language models, the researchers say. Most models try to identify cues from the words in the command as well as the sentence structure and then infer a desired action from that language. The inference results then trigger a planning algorithm that attempts to solve the task. But without taking into account the specificity of the instructions, the robot might overplan for simple instructions, or underplan for more abstract instructions that involve more sub-steps. That can result in incorrect actions or an overly long planning lag before the robot takes action. But this new system adds an additional level of sophistication to existing models. In addition to simply inferring a desired task from language, the new system also analyzes the language to infer a distinct level of abstraction. "That allows us to couple our task inference as well as our inferred specificity level with a hierarchical planner, so we can plan at any level of abstraction," Arumugam said. "In turn, we can get dramatic speed-ups in performance when executing tasks compared to existing systems." To develop their new model, the researchers used Mechanical Turk, Amazon's crowdsourcing marketplace, and a virtual task domain called Cleanup World. The online domain consists of a few color-coded rooms, a robotic agent and an object that can be manipulated -- in this case, a chair that can be moved from room to room. Mechanical Turk volunteers watched the robot agent perform a task in the Cleanup World domain -- for example, moving the chair from a red room to an adjacent blue room. Then the volunteers were asked to say what instructions they would have given the robot to get it to perform the task they just watched. The volunteers were given guidance as to the level of specificity their directions should have. The instructions ranged from the high-level: "Take the chair to the blue room" to the stepwise-level: "Take five steps north, turn right, take two more steps, get the chair, turn left, turn left, take five steps south." A third level of abstraction used terminology somewhere in between those two. The researchers used the volunteers' spoken instructions to train their system to understand what kinds of words are used in each level of abstraction. From there, the system learned to infer not only a desired action, but also the abstraction level of the command. Knowing both of those things, the system could then trigger its hierarchical planning algorithm to solve the task from the appropriate level. Having trained their system, the researchers tested it in both the virtual Cleanup World and with an actual Roomba-like robot operating in a physical world similar to the Cleanup World space. They showed that when a robot was able to infer both the task and the specificity of the instructions, it responded to commands in one second 90 percent of the time. In comparison, when no level of specificity was inferred, half of all tasks required 20 or more seconds of planning time. (Natural News) The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) recently ruled that the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust broke the law, as it failed to comply with the Data Protection Act when it transferred 1.6 million patient records to DeepMind, an artificial intelligence research group owned by Google. In response to the ruling, NHS signed an undertaking to fix this oversight within three months, along with providing the ICO proper justification for why this ethical breach of conduct was allowed. The data transfer was part of NHS and DeepMinds partnership to develop the heathcare app, Streams, which was a detection system for acute kidney injury. Supposedly, Streams would save lives by alerting hospital trusts when a patient was undergoing a critical kidney condition. However, as ICOs investigation concluded, the transfer of records was done without the patients being adequately informed on the decision. Elizabeth Denham, a representative of the ICO told TheGuardian.com, Our investigation found a number of shortcomings in the way patient records were shared for this trial. Patients would not have reasonably expected their information to have been used in this way, and the Trust could and should have been far more transparent with patients as to what was happening. Denham added: Weve asked the Trust to commit to making changes that will address those shortcomings, and their co-operation is welcome. The Data Protection Act is not a barrier to innovation, but it does need to be considered wherever peoples data is being used. (Related: Amazon grocery store wants to be able to track you, must forfeit privacy for use.) Despite these admirable statements, it would appear that Google is not stopping in its quest to digitize healthcare. The information giant is reported to be speaking with Genomic England, the company behind the 100,000 Genomes Project, to see how DeepMind could become involved. The 100,000 Genomes Project is the new initiative started by the British Department of Health to sequence 100,000 genomes from approximately 70,000 people to pinpoint individuals who are at risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer or other genetically-predefined illnesses. Already,the U.K.s Chief Medical Officer, Sally Davies, is asking for an expansion of the project, according to DailyMail.co.uk. A Freedom of Information (FoI) request made by Edward Hockings, a researcher at the University of the West of Scotland, revealed that the purpose of the study was to support care and research, and the acceleration of industrial usage. Yet, in the same statement, it goes on to say that the expansion of the study would inevitably exceed the original 100,000 genomes, we do not anticipate that there will be a set target for how many genomes it should contain. This has caused some alarm among people who claim that this can be another way for private information to be used and sold for profit. Whatever the intentions are, patient records reveal a vast amount of data which unscrupulous companies can use to pattern their marketing campaigns. Take note that Googles DeepMind quintessential focus was to create a set of powerful algorithms that would solve general intelligence issues and allow machines to become capable of learning for themselves. If and when these patient records are fed into the AI system, DeepMind could potentially design a customized feed for each person. However, the full extent of the concern extends beyond monetary gain. Access to personal information could also lead to a system wherein companies mandate potential employees to undergo genetic testing. Furthermore, as these algorithms get better, DeepMind could allow Google users to ask questions such as, What job should I take? or even, Am I more susceptible to so-and-so condition? Health and genomic data could make predictions on the probability a person could develop genetic diseases, or even certain mental illnesses (which are seen to be reliant on genetics). Nevertheless, the possibility of an outcome does not necessarily mean it would happen. Therein lies the conundrum: the potential for genomic sequencing combined with the unwavering resolve of companies like Google to get data without proper consent, could place undue pressure, both commercial and governmental, on how people make life choices. Ones genetic profile could become the passport to various sectors of society. It is not unreasonable to argue that insurance companies, or any health group, would want to look at a persons genome structure to determine potential costs and risks. It remains unclear whether Google will succeed in their endeavor or if governments would allow such a collaboration. Read more articles like this on Research.news. Sources include: TheGuardian.com 1 TheGuardian.com 2 GenomicsEngland.co.uk ICO.org.uk DailyMail.co.uk (Natural News) Around 34,000 people got infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C via Englands National Health Services (NHS) blood drive back in the 1980s, with more than 2,000 of them losing their lives while others incurring life-long ailments. Lauren Palmer, who is now 33 years old, lost both of her parents to the NHS contaminated blood scandal. Palmer was only nine when her parents Steven and Barbara both passed away. She related how devastating life had become after her father was given blood that was infected with HIV and hepatitis C, which he unwittingly passed on to her mother. My father had a blood disease called hemophilia which he got blood transfusions for. [He] was given Factor VIII not knowing that it was infected with HIV and hepatitis C. He then also passed it on to my mother and they both died when I was nine years old, within eight days of one another. My dad had known for eight years that he had HIV but my mom was only told shortly before her death. When she was diagnosed she had Burkitt Lymphoma, which is a late-stage auto immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Shed obviously had it longer but hadnt been diagnosed with it. Factor VIII, an essential blood-clotting protein plasma that is also known as an anti-hemophilic factor, is made from imported blood. Palmer said that aside from the illness, her parents had to cope with mental issues as well, as a result of the unfortunate incident that happened to them. My mom became very mentally ill and had a drinking problem because of it, which I remember hugely impacted me. I think she was sectioned twice and my middle brother had to care for her. I think he was 12 years old [at the time]. Palmer said that for years, her mother tried to knock at the governments door and ask help for their plight, but her pleas reached deaf ears. My auntie [also] tried for years writing letters to MPs (member of parliament) and Princess Diana (Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales) but sadly that fell short too. Back in 1992, The Daily Mail started a drive that sought to illuminate the public about the mishap that the government was behind of that caused dangers to thousands of hemophiliacs in the United Kingdom. (Related: Scandal-hit hospital left child dehydrated after heart surgery, sucking on wet wipes until his death) Now the matter is being revived. During the first week of July 2017, Labour Party MP for Hull North Diana Ruth Johnson said the NHS contaminated blood scandal is a criminal coverup of an industrial scale and asked Prime Minister Theresa Mary May to launch an investigation into it, noting, 2,400 people have died as a result of the NHS contaminated blood scandal, more than Hillsborough, and all the other disasters over the previous few decades put together. For her part, Prime Minister May said: She raises an important issue and I know that the thoughts of members of the House will be with all of those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy, in relation to contaminated blood. Read up on more stories such as this one at BigGovernment.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk BristolPost.co.uk (Natural News) While violent criminals continue to get shockingly short jail sentences, a Kentucky man has just been given six years behind bars for misbranding herbal products. Sam Girod of Bath County is an Amish farmer who sold homemade treatments for skin problems and sinus infections. When the FDA took issue with a label saying one of the ailments his cream was good for was skin cancer, he removed the term from the packaging. The FDA contacted him again in 2013, and a federal court in Missouri ordered him to stop selling his products until an FDA inspection could be carried out. At that time, he agreed to stop selling a bloodroot salve they expressed concern about, but the Amish man refused to allow the agents onto his familys farm after they broke their promise not to take photographs, which go against his religion. He said that not only did his products not fall under the FDAs purview because they were not drugs, but requiring their approval was also a violation of his religious freedom as a member of the Amish faith. Judge Danny Reeves handed down the harsh sentence earlier this month. Following six years in prison, he will undergo three years of supervised release. He must also pay fines of more than $14,000 and cease production and distribution of his products. Girod represented himself during his trial and said that he does not recognize the courts authority, only the authority of his higher power. Why target Amish farmers when what Big Pharma sells is far more dangerous? Its always a good idea to follow the rules, even if you dont agree with them, and in this case, its understandable that there might be a fine and a ban if people had been harmed by this mans products. However, its hard to wrap your head around such a harsh punishment for the crime of being stubborn with the FDA when said organization regularly looks the other way while Big Pharma sells toxic pills to the masses. Activists are urging President Trump to pardon the man. A former Arizona sheriff and supporter of Girod, Richard Mack, has said that he feels the man was punished for being stubborn and is among the many voices seeking a pardon from the President. Mack said he had personally used his chickweed salve without any side effects. Join Natural News in supporting Girod by signing the Change.org petition entitled Free KY Amish Farmer Samuel Girod. On the Change.org page, youll find a link with information on sending emails, letters and making phone calls to President Trump along with seven Kentucky legislators. More than 28,000 people have already pledged their support, placing them a little over 6,000 signatures short of their goal of 35,000. An attorney who acted as a standby lawyer for Girod, Michael Fox, pointed out that serving hard time will be particularly challenging for him given his lifestyle. Keep in mind that Sam Girod is Amish. He does not live with electricity, phones, concrete, steel. Those are not normal; those are not natural in his life. An incarceration in a prison setting is going to be more punishment for him than a normal person. According to a report on Zero Hedge, no one has ever been harmed by Girods products, and similar products are sold online. They use simple ingredients, and anyone can make them at home. Sadly, its not even that surprising that the profit-minded FDA pursued a 56-year-old Amish farmer so vigorously for selling homemade creams that sickened no one while allowing Big Pharma to sell toxic drugs and vaccines that have caused countless people to become ill or even die. This is just a typical day at work for the FDA. Sources include: TheDailySheeple.com NaturalNews.com WKYT.com ZeroHedge.com From HempCon, one of the biggest medical marijuana trade shows in the world, to Northern Californias Cannabis Cup, run by High Times magazine, county fairgrounds have been hosting cannabis fairs for more than a decade. When Senate Bill 94, which provided sweeping legalization measures for marijuana, included a provision mentioning Californias fairgrounds, there was speculation that its distinctive scent might be wafting through the county fairs food courts next year as well. However, according to several in the cannabis industry, it is unlikely weed vendors will get a spot next to the funnel cake just yet. "This really just makes it legal," said Hezekiah Allen, the executive director of California Growers Association. "I would be surprised if we saw sales and consumption at a county fair anytime soon." According to the Cannifornian, the Contra Costa County Fair already has decided against it until there is more clarity surrounding marijuana policies. Allen said both the cannabis industry and district agricultural boards, which make decisions regarding its local county fair, generally like to keep the two events separate. However, when and if that should change, Allen says it will be up to the county to decide. "This is really just about respecting the local control and diversity," Allen said. A diversity of opinion, he says, that separates places like Tulare or Fresno counties, which voted against marijuana legalization, from other places like rural Humboldt County, where Allen was raised. Each county does have the right to permit marijuana vendors, according to the bill, provided they offer a designated enclosed space and regulate the consumption of marijuana to people over the age of 21. However, if you have ambitions of growing a prize-winning pot creation, dont fret. Your blue-ribbon recognition may not be far away. The Oregon State Fair plans to host its second agricultural cannabis competition, according to Donald Morse, the president of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, along with an exhibition. "Were going to have live flowering plants, actual examples of edibles, oils, concentrates and tropicals on display," Morse said. Morse says the exhibit doesnt sell any marijuana and uses its space to spread educational materials, answer questions from older folks and get the correct information out to those curious about consuming or growing cannabis. A new animation based on in-flight data provides a closer look at a near-disaster involving an Air Canada jet at San Francisco International Airport. Last Friday, just before midnight, the Airbus A320 that was carrying 135 passengers nearly landed on a taxiway occupied by four other fully loaded planes awaiting permission to take off. The new video obtained by NBC Bay Area shows just how close the pilot was to landing in the wrong area before an air traffic controller quickly redirected the plane to pull up and make another approach. In the animation, Air Canada Flight 759 is shown approaching the airport and its altitude drops as it heads toward the SFO runway. It had been cleared to land on Runway 28R, which is the second strip from the right. Instead, the plane begins to approach Taxiway C, the strip on the far right, where the other planes were lined up. In an audio recording of conversations between air traffic control and pilots, the Air Canada pilot tells air traffic control he sees other lights on the runway before being told there are no other planes on 28R. When an air traffic controller realized the plane was headed for the taxiway, he prompts the plane to abort its landing attempt and try again. The animation shows the pilot dropping to as low as 335 feet above the ground before sharply pulling back up. The altitude begins to rise and eventaully the jet circles back around and successfully lands on the correct runway. A top California state official said Wednesday he was a passenger on the flight from Toronto. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones was returning from a conference of insurance regulators. "It was just really strange because clearly something was wrong, but they didn't really give us any information afterward," Jones said. "So to see that we almost landed on four planes full of passengers is a little disturbing." Passengers were not told about the near-calamity after the plane landed safely, Jones said. Instead, he said the pilot told the passengers on board that there was more traffic than usual and everything was fine, he said. But he said he knew something was wrong because as the plane descended, the engines revved, and then the plane climbed. "I've never experienced something like that for as low we were," Jones said. "You could tell something wasn't right." The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident. A 38-year-old man killed in a plane crash Thursday near the Sonoma Skyport Airport has been identified as William Sachs Goldman of San Francisco, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. Goldman was an assistant professor of international studies at the University of San Francisco. The crash occurred around 12:45 p.m. in Schell Vista in the area of San Luis Road and Broadway south of Sonoma, according to Sonoma County Fire and Emergency Services. Three others were injured in the crash. The wreckage could be seen in a field about 1,000 feet west of Sonoma Skypark. The Sonoma County Fire Department said two children under 16 were airlifted to Children's Hospital in Oakland. The injured children were Goldman's son and daughter. The extent of their injuries were unknown. One person is dead and three others are injured following a small plane crash Thursday afternoon in Sonoma County, fire officials said. Cheryl Hurd reports. A woman passenger also was injured in the crash and transported to a hospital. Her relationship to the family was not clear. Goldman was being remembered by the campus community as a scholar, generous teacher and valued member of the university. "The University of San Francisco community is devastated to learn of the death of faculty member Bill Goldman in a Sonoma County plane crash," USF President Paul Fitzgerald said in a statement. "Bill, an assistant professor in international studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, was an accomplished scholar, a beloved and generous teacher, and a valued member of our community. He will be greatly missed by his colleagues, students and the countless alumni who were inspired by him in and out of the classroom. Bill's wife Serra is an alumna of the USF School of Law and a member of the university's Board of Trustees. We are standing in prayerful solidarity with her and with Bill and Serra's young children, George and Marie, now and in the days ahead." Officials investigate a small plane crash that killed one person and injured three others in Sonoma County. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the plane was a single-engine Cirrus SR-22, a plane equipped with a parachute system that can deploy in case of emergencies. Robert Castillo was one of several people who ran straight for the crash site when they heard a plane in distress. He helped pry the children out of the plane. Single-Engine Plane Crashes in a Field West of Sonoma Skypark "Maybe it was about 75 feet in the air and descending, and thats when I heard a bang and saw the parachute come out of the back of the air plane," Castillo said. "It sputtered louder, cut out, started sputtering, cut out and was off. "When I got there, there was a little hand in the back window," Castillo continued. "I said, 'Oh my gosh, someones alive, lets see what we can do.'" Preliminary information shows the plane crashed under unknown circumstances, Gregor said. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, Gregor said. A two-alarm structure fire burned two homes in Antioch on Thursday, according to the Contra Costa County Fire District. The fire started about 2 p.m. in an alleyway in the 300 block of West 18th and West 19th streets, fire officials said. One house sustained serious damage and a second house had minor damage. Several cars also were damaged in the blaze. The fire was under control a little after 3 p.m. No injuries were reported. A man in his 70s was being checked out by firefighters but should be OK, Fire Inspector Steve OBear said. The cause of the blaze was unknown and under investigation. UPDATE: Cosmo DiNardo confessed Thursday to participating in the killing of the four men, his attorney tells NBC10. Cadaver dogs helped lead investigators to a patch of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, farmland where the remains of at least one missing young man were buried deep underground, the county's district attorney announced early Thursday. The discovery at the farmstead estate in the rolling, lush hills above New Hope marked a grim turn in the intense search for four men who disappeared late last week. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said the remains of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, of Middletown Township, were positively identified. Finocchiaro graduated from Neshaminy High School last year. Weintraub said there were other human remains buried in the 12-1/2 foot deep "common grave" on the vast 90-acre Solebury Township farm, but that investigators are still working to distinguish identities. "A hole that's getting deeper by the minute," Weintraub said Thursday morning. Weintraub also revealed that Finocchiaro's death was ruled a homicide, though he did not reveal an exact cause. "This is a homicide, make no mistake about it," Weintraub announced shortly after midnight during a news conference attended by a throng of media and residents, as well as friends of the missing men. "We just don't know how many homicides. We are yet to know the answer to that question." Finocchiaro, along with 22-year-old Mark Sturgis of Pennsburg, Montgomery County; 21-year-old Tom Meo of Plumstead Township; and 19-year-old Jimi Taro Patrick of Newtown Township, vanished last week. Meo's grandfather, Chuck Meo, told an NBC News producer that crews found the remains under a blue tarp after lifting a propane tank out. Weintraub didn't reveal what else was found in the large hole. Newtown Township Police, Middletown Township Police Bucks County District Attorney's Office The sprawling property, which is bordered by three roads, is about three miles west of the trendy borough on the Delaware River, in a secluded part of the county where hidden mansions are marked by names like Idlewild and Mountaintop. The property consists of three separate parcels that Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, of Bensalem, purchased between 2005 and 2008 for a combined nearly $6.5 million. The DiNardos' son, Cosmo, 20, is being held on $5 million bail for allegedly trying to sell a car belonging to one of the missing men. Cosmo DiNardo was named a person of interest in the case on Tuesday. DiNardo was arrested Wednesday after investigators determined he tried to sell Meo's 1996 Nissan Maxima to a friend after his disappearance. He has not been charged, however, in Finocchiaro's death. DiNardo is being held in the Bucks County jail on $5 million cash bail. DiNardo was also arrested Monday on an unrelated weapons charge but left the Bucks County jail Tuesday night after his father, Antonio DiNardo, posted 10 percent of $1 million bail. According to an affidavit obtained by NBC10, DiNardo was accused of possessing a 20-gauge shotgun and ammunition in February despite being barred from owning a firearm due to a history of mental illness that included an involuntary commitment. A district judge dismissed the charge in May, but the district attorney authorized for it to be refiled on Monday. A family lawyer released a statement Wednesday, before the human remains were discovered, on behalf of DiNardo's parents. "As parents, Mr. and Mrs. DiNardo sympathize with the parents and families of the missing young men and they are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation being conducted by law enforcement," the family attorney wrote. High-powered attorney Fortunato Perri Jr., who has represented several local celebrities including Philadelphia hip-hop artist Beanie Sigel, was hired to represent DiNardo in court. Perri had no comment to reporters as he arrived at court Thursday morning with DiNardo's parents. Perri doesn't represent the parents, only Cosmo DiNardo. DiNardo and the missing men all appeared to know one another, prosecutors said. Bucks County District Attorney's Office According to Sturgis' father, Mark Potash, Sturgis and Meo are longtime friends who work in construction for him. Finocchiaro was a mutual friend of theirs, Potash said. Investigators began looking at DiNardo after they received tips indicating he was seen with the men shortly before they went missing. Patrick went missing on Wednesday, July 5 and has not contacted family or friends since, police said. Finocchiaro was last seen alive Friday around 6:30 p.m. getting into a vehicle. According to a newly obtained criminal complaint, Meo's mother reported him missing Saturday. Meo's girlfriend said she last texted him Friday at 6:53 p.m. and didn't hear from him after. Meo is an insulin-dependent diabetic. Sturgis, who was last seen leaving his home on Walt Road in Pennsburg around 6 p.m. Friday, told his father he was going to meet with Meo in Doylestown. On Sunday at 2:10 a.m., Sturgis' vehicle was found in the area of Peddler's Village in Buckingham Township about two miles away from a DiNardo estate. Unlike neighboring estates, the DiNardo property has no name markers at the main entrance on Lower York Road. Only a broken mailbox, with fading numbers, marks the driveway. On the other side of the property, along Aquetong Road, a small and crumbling white house stands near the road. A marked police cruiser held guard over that location Thursday, idling in front of a decrepit garage several yards from the house. The car of Thomas Meo was found inside the still open structure less than two hours after Sturgis' car. Detectives say they found Meo's car keys hanging up on the wall of the garage. They also found Meo's diabetic supplies inside the vehicle. On Sunday at 4:30 p.m., Bucks County detectives interviewed DiNardo's friend, whose identity police are withholding. The friend told police DiNardo had called him Saturday at 5 p.m. The two then met on Bristol and Galloway roads in Bensalem where DiNardo allegedly offered to sell Meo's Nissan Maxima to him for $500, the criminal complaint reads. Police also interviewed DiNardo Sunday. DiNardo allegedly told detectives he was driving a silver Ford pickup truck Friday night. A Solebury Township police mobile license plate reader data found DiNardo's Ford pickup truck was on 2541 Street Road in Solebury Township Friday at 7:49 p.m. Within a few seconds, the license plate reader also captured Meo's vehicle at the same location. The location where both vehicles were captured is within two miles away of the DiNardo home and less than one mile away from where Sturgis' vehicle was found. Based on the information, investigators say they had probable cause that DiNardo did "unlawfully take and retain control" of Meo's vehicle. [PHOTOS]Timeline: Murder of Four Young Men in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Law enforcement members scoured the DiNardo family's Solebury Township farm for several days. Investigators also used heavy equipment to dig on the property and deployed canines to search for clues. Susan Coleman, a woman who lives near the farm, told NBC10's Deanna Durante that she heard gunshots from around the property on Saturday hours after Meo and others were last seen. "We heard a series of blasts, they were loud," Coleman said. Coleman said she was sitting outside with her husband when she heard the gunfire but at first didn't think much of it since people go hunting in the area. But, she decided to talk to investigators after hearing what sounded like more gunshots then yelling and commotion. Family members kept vigil Wednesday though some relatives of one of the victims were seen fighting amongst each other in the early evening. Weintraub said he notified Finocchiaro's family about the discovery of their son's remains shortly before he made the public announcement. About 50 students, faculty and staff also gathered at a chapel at Loyola University in Maryland where Patrick was a rising sophomore to pray for him and the three other men. Director of Campus Ministry Sean Bray told the Baltimore Sun the group wanted to honor the request of Patrick's grandmother to "storm heaven with our prayers for Jimi's safe return." Patrick, who graduated from Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem, was on the Dean's List at Loyola, his grandparent Sharon and Rich Patrick said in a prepared statement supplied to reporters. Officials continue to work to identify the other human remains that were found Wednesday night. The investigation is ongoing. "We're going to remain strong," Weintraub said after announcing Finocchiaro's death. "We're going to see this investigation to the end and we're going to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another. And we will not rest until we do that." The FBI set up a new tip line for information, 1-800-225-5324 (1-800-CALLFBI), then hit option 7, or submit a tip online. This story is developing. Check back for updates. NBC10 journalists Deanna Durante, Denise Nakano, Drew Smith, Dan Stamm and Brandon Hudson contributed to this report. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron set aside lingering differences on climate change during their meeting in France on Thursday, asserting that it shouldn't prevent them from working together toward a post-war roadmap for Syria and to enhance Mideast security. Trump, standing alongside Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have "occasional disagreements" but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution. He remained non-committal about the United States eventually rejoining the global climate agreement that bears Paris' name, telling Macron, "if it happens that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't that will be OK too." Macron acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation. "Should that have an impact on the discussions we're having on all other topics? No, absolutely not," he said. Trump arrived in the French capital on Thursday for a whirlwind, 36-hour visit to meet with Macron and tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and discuss broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump planned to participate in Bastille Day celebrations on Friday. The president landed in Paris amid questions about emails showing that his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., welcomed the prospect of receiving Russian government support in last year's presidential campaign between his father and Hillary Clinton. Trump defended his namesake, saying that "most people would have taken that meeting," a message that contradicted his incoming FBI director's testimony that Donald Trump Jr. should have instead alerted authorities. Trump called his son a "wonderful young man" and continued to downplay the issue, saying that "nothing happened" as a result of the meeting. Topics like resolving the years-long civil war in Syria and countering terrorism gave both leaders areas to cooperate. The two said they also discussed the security situations in Ukraine and Libya. Trump praised a cease-fire in southern Syria that he helped broker last week with Russia and Jordan and said the U.S. was working on a second cease-fire in a "rough part of Syria." Macron said he discussed with Trump a road map for the country that would help stabilize the situation after the war ends. He has argued for intervention in Syria, saying that President Bashar Assad is a threat to the war-ravaged country and the Islamic State group is a threat to France. France has been plagued in recent years by extremist attacks and Trump noted that during last year's Bastille Day celebrations, a 19-ton cargo truck deliberately plowed into crowds in Nice, killing more than 80 people. Macron said there was "no gap" between the U.S. and France in combatting terrorism. White the U.S. has split with the major world powers on the environment, the two leaders tried to patch over those differences. Trump has said the climate deal was unfair to the U.S. but said the country was committed to protecting the environment despite his recent withdrawal decision. That decision that was expected to prompt anti-Trump protests while he was in town. Macron, a staunch advocate of research to combat global warming, has beckoned "all responsible citizens," including American scientists and researchers, to bring their fight against climate change to France. Trump, Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders huddled last week in Hamburg, Germany during a summit of the world's leading rich and developing nations. Merkel and Macron met again Thursday in Paris, before Macron's meeting with Trump. Trump and Merkel were not expected to meet. Merkel said during a joint appearance with Macron that it was important they keep talking with Trump even where the differences between them are clear. She said last week's summit showed that common ground exists, for example, on fighting terrorism, but that "we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not." She added: "We did not paper over these differences, but nevertheless contact, the ability to speak is of course important." Trump and Macron spent several hours together Thursday in some of Paris' most opulent settings, with a visit to the golden-domed Invalides monument followed by meetings at the presidential palace. He also marked the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I by visiting U.S. troops. The visit, along with the celebration of French national pride on Bastille Day, was cast by the White House as a commemoration of the U.S.-French military alliance both then and now. The leaders and their wives were capping Thursday with a lavish dinner at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. All of which put Trump in the awkward position of being feted in a city he has repeatedly disparaged. When he announced his decision on the climate agreement, Trump said he was "elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris." And he has frequently said in the past that the city has been ruined by the threat of terrorism, which he ties to immigrants. "Paris isn't Paris any longer," he said in February. Asked about those comments, Trump called Paris "one of the great cities, one of the most beautiful cities in the world" and heaped praise on the recently-elected Macron, telling reporters, "You have a great leader now, you have a great president." "You're going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris and I'm coming back," Trump said, needling Macron, "You better do a good job please. Otherwise you're going to make me look very bad." His dutiful host, Macron, responded, "You're always welcome." CORRECTION (July 13, 2017, 10:40 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified how high up the restaurant Jules Verne is in the Eiffel Tower. After several days of violence in Brockton, Massachusetts, the Plymouth County District Attorney and Mayor Bill Carpenter are getting proactive. "These have not been random events," Carpenter said Wednesday. "We know the most effective way to stop any retaliation shootings or stop any more violence is to get that shooter off the street." Early Monday morning, 26-year-old Stephen Cabral was murdered. Several other people were shot in separate shootings. Now, District Attorney Timothy Cruz is requesting State Troopers join Brockton Police in patrolling streets. Patrols will be increased, especially on impact shifts, mainly Thursday to Sunday nights. "When we do that, we are able to get a significant number of individuals off the street which will drive down the gun violence and will take the bad guys and put them where they belong, which is in jail," Cruz said. In addition, more detectives have been added to Cabral's murder investigation. "I think that it sends a message that we have responded with additional personnel, and you are going to have to think twice about carrying a gun around in this city," Carpenter said. The mayor says the additional troopers will focus on high-visibility traffic stops and patrolling areas prone to crime. "It is what we would call a surge, we are putting a law enforcement surge on right now to send a message that someone has to really think twice before heading out on the street with a gun," Carpenter said. According to the mayor, gun violence is down 30 percent in the city over the last three years. The hope is that this weekend's "surge" will continue that downward trend. Northern Illinois has been inundated with storms and historic flooding in recent days, but there has been no word or sighting of Governor Bruce Rauner following the deluge. As of Thursday evening, the governor has yet to visit the areas impacted, and has yet to issue a press release detailing what his office is doing to help the areas that are underwater. Across the border in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker toured Kenosha and declared a state of emergency in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties because of the widespread flooding. Hes also called in 100 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers to help local officials with traffic control and to check on residents in the affected areas. Rauner is in the midst of a staff shakeup in Springfield, and his new team has not responded to questions about the governors whereabouts. However, sources say after NBC 5 started asking there is word the governor will tour the impacted area Friday. Federal officials have located a Connecticut doctor accused of fleeing the country after being named a suspect in an investigation into what authorities are calling the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action by the federal Medicare Fraud Strike Force in the country. Dr. Bharat Patel, 70, of Milford, and 47-year-old Dr. Ramil Mansourov, of Darien, are accused of running a pill mill and selling prescriptions for drugs, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, to addicts and drug dealers, who would then sell the drugs on the streets. In all, 412 defendants have been charged across the country, including 115 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving approximately $1.3 billion in false billings. Patel was arrested at his Milford home Wednesday, has been detained and is scheduled to appear in court on July 17. Federal authorities were searching for Mansourov, who they believed fled to Canada. He was taken into custody at a Marriott in Montreal Thursday. The local investigation began after allegations that the two doctors might be writing prescriptions outside the scope of legitimate medical practice. Patel and Mansourov operated out of Family Health Urgent Care, at 235 Main Street in Norwalk, which is closed until further notice. Some of those addicts they are accused of selling to referred to the defendants medical practice as The Candy Shop, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. Patel owned the previous practice, which was known as Immediate Health Care, and sold it in 2012 to Mansourov, who renamed it, according to the United States Attorneys Office. Authorities said Patel regularly provided prescriptions for narcotics, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, to patients he knew were addicted or had been arrested for distributing or possessing controlled substances. On several occasions, he sold the prescriptions to patients under the table for $100, including to some who used a state Medicaid card, then distributed the drugs, officials said. In some instances, Patel wrote prescriptions for people who were not his patients in exchange for cash, federal officials said, and Mansourov provided Patels patients with unnecessary prescriptions. In 2014 alone, more than $50,000 in cash was deposited into Patel and his wifes bank accounts and some of that money went to buy the house Patel currently lives in, according to federal authorities. These two doctors are charged with violating their oaths and recklessly prescribing highly addictive painkillers, U.S. Attorney Deidre Daly said in a statement. Dr. Patel is alleged to have regularly sold to addicts solely for his own profit. Many of these patients filled the prescriptions using state healthcare benefits, and then turned around and sold the pills on the street, contributing to our devastating opioid epidemic. Mansourov is accused of defrauding the states Medicaid program of more than $4 million between November 2013 and December 2016 and moving some of that money to a bank account in Switzerland. He is accused of billing for home visits he never made, billing for nursing home visits he never made, billing for office visits that never happened and billing for visits that he claimed took place on dates on which he was actually out of state or out of the country, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Too many trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement about the nationwide crackdown. Amazingly, some have made their practices into multimillion dollar criminal enterprises. They seem oblivious to the disastrous consequences of their greed. Their actions not only enrich themselves often at the expense of taxpayers but also feed addictions and cause addictions to start. The consequences are real: emergency rooms, jail cells, futures lost, and graveyards. While today is a historic day, the Department's work is not finished. In fact, it is just beginning. We will continue to find, arrest, prosecute, convict, and incarcerate fraudsters and drug dealers wherever they are, Sessions added. As rain moves out of the Chicago area, several suburbs continue to grapple with flooding concerns Thursday morning, a battle that is far from over after record rainfall hit many northern communities. Lake County declared a state of emergency in the area late Wednesday night. County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor announced Thursday that he signed a proclamation declaring "severe flooding has created a disaster in Lake County," sending the declaration to Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. "We expect the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers to crest above major flood level on Saturday, July 15," a statement from the county read. "The Lake County Emergency Operations Center is actively monitoring river levels and weather forecasts. We are also coordinating with local jurisdictions and partners to ensure resources are getting to where they need to go." Lawlor said widespread flooding has "compromised roadways and other public works infrastructure." The past 24 hours have been very challenging for the residents of Lake County as we respond to the flood," Lawlor said in a statement. "Once the waters recede, recovery, clean-up, and damage assessment will continue for weeks. Its important to remember we are all in this together. Homes and businesses in numerous suburbs were surrounded by sandbags as residents rushed to keep the rising waters at bay. A Flood Warning remained in effect Thursday morning along the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers. The alert warned the Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Des Plaines, River Forest, Riverside and Russell communities along the Des Plaines River and the Algonquin and Montgomery communities along the Fox River that both waterways were expected to rise above flood level by Thursday morning and will continue to rise. Jack Linehan, the public information officer for Gurnee, said the river height in the area had reached 10.8 inches by early Thursday morning and was predicted to crest at about 12 feet. "If that happens that is a new record high," he said, adding that river heights that level haven't been seen since the 1980s. ComEd reported roughly 300 customers remained without power Thursday morning, most in the northern suburbs. On Wednesday, more than 70,000 power outages had been reported. The company said it hopes to restore power to the remaining users by the end of the day Thursday. The American Red Cross responded to Cook, Lake and McHenry counties to aid those affected by the flooding and power outages. Responders provided shelter, food and water to numerous residents. Shelter locations include: Magee Middle School, 500 N Cedar Lake, Round Lake Beach Foss Park Youth Center, 1730 Lewis Ave, North Chicago The Chapel in Grayslake, 25270 IL- 60, Grayslake In Gurnee, officials called for volunteers to help fill sandbags across the area. Area flooding had earlier forced Six Flags Great America to close for the day Wednesday and several roadways remained shut down in the northwest suburb Thursday morning. Drivers should avoid traveling through standing water in flooded communities, officials said. In Libertyville, which saw more than 7 inches of rain in less than 24 hours and declared a state of emergency, officials urged residents to check in on neighbors and be careful with utilities in flooded basements. Gas and electric services could also be shut off in some areas for safety reasons, officials warned. Residents are also being told to avoid playing or standing in the high waters, which may be contaminated. It remained unclear how long the state of emergency would last. Meanwhile, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital had its power restored after evacuating some of its patients amidst concerns over power outages and flooding in the area, the medical facility reports. Still, the hospital will remain closed for clinical operations Thursday. Our primary goal is to assure the safety of our patients and staff, the facility wrote on its website. Popular Lake County hotel, the Lincolnshire Marriott, was also closed Thursday and tweeted that "all guests and staff are safely evacuated." Middletown Mayor Dan Drew announced his run for governor Wednesday. Drews entrance into the race makes him the best-known Democrat running so far. In his announcement, he spoke about investing in education including wanting free public higher education - as well as the need to reform the property tax system, implementing tolls, and legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. We have to recommit ourselves to finding good jobs for every person in our state who is able and ready to work. We much recruit and retain companies and help our small businesses grow, Drew said. One way to help workers and employers is linking workforce development to industry needs, he added. The mayor also said that if Washington isnt willing to have a single-payer healthcare system, then Connecticut should do it on its own. The election is still more than a year away. Some of the well-known candidates on the Republican side include former US Comptroller General David Walker, as well as Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti. And on the Democratic side, there are several high-profile names that have opened exploratory campaigns. That includes former Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jon Harris, State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, and Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim. The sense of urgency by U.S.-led coalition forces to liberate the ISIS strongholds of Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, has come at a heavy cost particularly for the civilians trapped in the two cities, NBC News reports. ISIS is known for using civilians as human shields and killing Iraqi residents trying to flee, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office. The U.S.-led coalition airstrikes meant to root out the jihadists have wreaked extensive collateral damage in Mosul and Raqqa, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. At least 603 civilians had "more likely than not" been "unintentionally killed" by airstrikes since August 2014, the U.S. military confirmed Friday. Its been nearly a year since a house in Vernon exploded with a family inside. Eleven months later, the Connecticut State Police investigation has wrapped up and the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters took a look at the report. But the family told NBC Connecticut through attorneys that they disagree with the findings inside the report from the State Police Fire Explosion Investigation Unit. The Kerstetter family home on East Street in Vernon was destroyed by a liquid propane gas explosion blew up in August. Three adults and four children were inside. Then fire chief, now Fire Marshal Bill Call remembers it vividly. I heard at least four-five trapped in building, some self-extricated and a child in front of the home." Luckily everyone healed and picked up the pieces with help from the community. State police concluded the explosion was caused by a gas leak from a quarter-inch hole in an appliance line connecting a basement dryer to the propane line. According to the report, a neighbor told investigators he ran over and shut the valves on the tanks off when the explosion happened, and rushed to help homeowner Steven Kerstetter, who told troopers later that his bedroom wall blew out. "As I went through the wall and into my backyard I saw that my house was in pieces. My attention immediately turned towards finding my family and making sure they were okay. I started to dig through the debris and tried to find my daughter and her kids. I could hear my families voices coming from underneath the debris, Steve Kerstetter said in that state police report. The report notes that it is unclear what caused the hole in the appliance line, and that it is next to impossible to determine what ignited the explosion. NBC Connecticut asked Call, who was not involved in the state police report, to weigh in. It could be anything, it could be static electricity someone could have flipped on a light switch, he hot water kicked on, there's so many factors involved with combustible gases probably never ever, ever pinpoint exact cause of ignition," he said. The Kerstetter familys attorneys Alisha Mathers and John Laudati disagreed. They released the following statement to NBC Connecticut: We have reviewed the report and the conclusions set forth in the State Police investigation into the cause of the August 4, 2016 explosion at our home. We have also consulted with independent experts, with whom we shared our personal experiences and knowledge regarding the events leading up to the explosion. At this time, we respectfully disagree with the conclusion of the Connecticut State Police and have directed our attorneys to fully investigate the cause of the explosion and specifically, to explore alternative theories which we feel are more consistent with the facts and information that have been presented. As we have not had a formal opportunity to thank all those who provided help and assistance to our family during that time, we wanted to send a very heartfelt thank you and extend our deepest gratitude to everyone for the support, love and most generous contributions and donations. Our family is eternally grateful and will remember always how the community came together to take care of us. Thank you, The Highlands School in Irving had tens of thousands of unwanted guests this summer as a hive of bees took up residence near the school's chapel. "I've heard they've been there about five or six years," school employee Janet Thrash explained. "They started migrating to some of the offices." On Wednesday, American Honey Bee Protection Agency came to the rescue of both the school and the bees. "It was actually kind of shocking because I didn't know it (the hive) was that big," Thrash said. Bee wrangler Richard Siegrist loaded up the bees and took them to a new home in a wooded area near North Lake College with other relocated hives. "Now we set them on a nice piece of property like this where they have a lot of Texas wildflowers, and now they just do what they do in peace," he said. Away from the students they will now continue to pollinate local flowers and hopefully the hive will grow. "Right now Colony Collapse Disorder is causing the honey bees to be [endangered]," Siegrist said. An unpermitted skateboarding event near San Francisco's Dolores Park Tuesday night escalated into an angry confrontation with police after a skateboarder and a San Francisco police officer collided. The incident has led to allegations online from some witnesses who say the SFPD officer deliberately blocked the skateboarder on a downhill run, causing a crash that injured both the skateboarder and the officer. Officer Robert Rueca said Wednesday morning that police are looking into those allegations and studying videos posted on social media of the incident and its aftermath. "The matter is under investigation," Rueca said. Police were first called to the park around 7 p.m. on a report of activity in the area of 19th and Dolores streets. More officers were called out to the scene after police assessed the size of the crowd that had gathered for an unpermitted skateboarding event described online as "The Fastest Hill Bomb Contest" or "The Hill Bomb." Videos show police cars blocking the street in some areas and skateboarders skating around them or using the sidewalks instead in some instances. The event turned uglier after a skateboarder on a high-speed downhill run collided with an officer as he skated toward a gap in police cars. Several witnesses posted videos after the event stating the officer had pushed or deliberately bumped the skateboarder, who fell and was injured. Twitter user Joel Hamill posted a video of the incident with the statement "#sfpolice purposely push skateboarder into car causing serious injury." Instagram user "swarmlife" also posted a video of the same incident from another angle and stated "Cop just caused a kid to eat sh**." Police say they were trying to shut down a dangerous event. Skaters say police overreacted. Some people in the neighborhood say the fun turned dangerous when the crowd made it difficult for medics to get to a patient. Fire crews had to wash blood off the street after skateboarders wiped out on the pavement. Brother Damien Joseph of the San Damiano Friary said people called him outside when Thrasher magazine editor Jake Phelps smacked his head on the street. Joseph said the crowd turned on police as they tried to help Phelps. "People were upset, crowding around him, refusing police direction to get out of the way so medics could get through," Joseph said. A hospital spokesperson said Phelps was in fair condition Wednesday night. Rueca said police attempted to provide medical aid to anoher injured skateboarder, but he refused assistance and officers were unable to interview him. The officer in the collision was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, Rueca said. During the ensuing confrontation, police say a crowd gathered and some people allegedly threw projectiles at officers and vandalized two police cars. Police Chief Bill Scott updated the police commission Wednesday night. "I found video disturbing," Scott said. The chief said the deaprtment will review video from social media and body cameras. "We are addressing the concerns Ive heard about in terms of a collision with an officer," Scott said. "He was injured but is OK. Well take a look at it and investigate it." A number of skateboarders fell during the incident, but most refused medical aid from police, Rueca said. One was transported to a hospital after a fall. Rueca said police made several announcements asking the crowd to disperse, and tried to take a defensive line to contain it and protect both the skateboarders and vehicles and pedestrians in the area. "We didn't have advance notice of this, this was an unpermitted event," Rueca said. "We were trying to make the situation safer and to keep it from getting worse." The event, a race that was reportedly sponsored last year by Snack Skateboards and Skate Jawn, among others, took place last July with less conflict, according to witness and published accounts. Videos posted online show skaters racing down Dolores Street with police standing by and even blocking traffic to facilitate. Attempts to reach Snack Skateboards for comment this morning were unsuccessful. Police remained on the scene until around 11 p.m. No arrests were made, Rueca said. NBC Bay Area's Jean Elle contributed to this report. Police say a bank robbery suspect was arrested after officers found him hiding inside a couch at his Southern California home. Investigators say Francisco Hernandez was caught on surveillance video June 30 entering a bank, pulling a semi-automatic handgun from a large envelope and demanding money. The 39-year-old was identified as a suspect and a search warrant was served Wednesday at his home in Ventura. SWAT officers entered the house and with the help of a police dog located Hernandez, who was found inside a couch that had been modified. The Ventura County Star says Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery. It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney. A famed ocean explorer who discovered the Titanic is leading an expedition of the California Coast on a state-of-the-art vessel. His mission: to map the mostly unknown sea floor of the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary and live stream every minute of it to classrooms, learners and scientists across the country. The Exploration Vehicle Nautilus' "telepresence" technology lets experts lead the research team from anywhere in the world if the crew makes a discovery or is unsure of a finding's significance. Dr. Robert Ballard, who found the Titanic in 1985 and has conducted 150 deep sea expeditions, said he has been dreaming of the technology since 1981. Ballard's ties to LA run deep. He was raised in Downey, educated at UC Santa Barbara and the University of Southern California and he lives in the area. "We will bring the brightest minds in America to the point of discovery within 30 minutes," Ballard said. Parts of the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary remain a mystery. Ballard said more is known about the moon and Mars than the chain of eight islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. As of 2014, 50 percent of the region's sea floor was poorly mapped, according to the research team's expedition overview. Two remote operated vehicles, the Hercules and the Argus, allow the team to conduct exploratory dives and gather samples from the sea floor. Each is equipped with a camera that feeds live footage to a website. Viewers can ask questions in real time and receive answers from the crew. During a recent trip, the team says it answered 60,000 inquiries. The three-week expedition is part of a collaboration between AltaSea and the Ocean Exploration Trust that aims to provide access to science for kids in Southern California. Three educators will join the research team during different parts of the expedition. "The Nautilus can help kids in this region, including some who live within walking distance in pretty rough neighborhoods, to make the right decisions in their lives as they fight to overcome very difficult circumstances," said Jenny Krusoe, executive director of AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles. The research team set sail Friday from the Port of Los Angeles, where the Nautilus is based. A similar vessel will be housed on the East Coast. After the Channel Islands expedition, Ballard and the Nautilus will head to Baja California before returning to LA in November. Hundreds of residents staying at the University of California, Los Angeles were evacuated from their dorms Wednesday night after a phoned-in bomb threat to the campus' recreation center. Fire alarms went off and school officials alerted residents through Twitter and text alerts just after 10 p.m to leave their dorms and evacuate to Drake Stadium as a precaution for an unspecified emergency. Someone had called in for a bomb threat toward the school's Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, said UCLA spokesman Brian Haas. At 12:20 a.m. Thursday, UCLA officials said the threat was unfounded and did not find a suspicious advice, according to the college in Westwood, a neighborhood in the northern central region of West Los Angeles. Residents were allowed to return to their dorms and "resume normal activities," according to the school's emergency alert system. Aerial footage showed hundreds of students streaming into the stadium, gathering on the soccer field and on the bleachers. Vikatoria Lulio, who is attending UCLA for a summer program, told NBC4 she was outdoors practicing for a talent show when a woman told her group to evacuate to Drake Stadium. John Pardon, a math professor from Princeton University, said he was sleeping when his residence hall's fire alarms started blaring. Residents of De Neve Plaza and Dyksta Hall were allowed to come back to their dorms just after midnight. The Los Angeles Times reported more than a dozen residence halls were evacuated because of the threat. The university is currently in its summer session, with a mix of residents including summer students, visitors attending camps and workshops and faculty members living in the residence halls. The survivors of a 1940 roundup of Romanian Jews called are finally being given access to pensions under an agreement negotiated with Germany, NBC News reported. Around 15,000 people died in the Iasi Pogrom, which was planned by Romanian and German officials. Survivor George Herscu, 90, was 13 at the time. He escaped death by hiding in a cornfield, but his father didn't survive. He told NBC News that "justice is done" for the "barbaric way" his father died on a transport train. Germany refused to compensate the Iasi survivors for years in the same way it compensates other survivors. But now the Iasi survivors who meet the criteria will receive pensions of about $400 a month and are eligible for more home car services. A New York politician is urging the Food and Drug Administration to investigate an Orlando companys chocolate powder product created to be ingested through the nose. Coco Loko, a Legal Lean product, is made with chocolate powder and is intended to be snorted. A company spokesperson told Orlando NBC 6 affiliate WESH it can be mixed with water or milk to drink and can impair your ability to drive. The spokesperson also said its effects are comparable to those of coffee or an energy drink. Nonetheless, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke out against one of the companys online advertisements that compares the snortable chocolate to ecstasy. What kind of product should be on a candy shelf that's similar to ecstasy? What kind of product should kids be allowed to buy that's similar to ecstasy? And why does the company have such gall that they advertise it this way?" Schumer said. The New York Senator also slammed the product as a brazen example of narcotic marketing a product that is marketed like a drug, as well as made to be consumable like a drug and seem cool to teens and young people. An FDA spokesman told WESH that the agency needs to evaluate the product before issuing a statement. A cluster of strong storms set rain records Wednesday for Miami and prompted a Flood Advisory in South Florida, forcing some Miami-bound flights to be diverted Wednesday evening. Nearly five and a half inches of rain fell in the city, smashing the previous record set in 2012. Eight flights headed to Miami International Airport were diverted to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Ft. Myers, Palm Beach and Orlando because of the thunderstorms, an airport spokesperson said. A Flood Advisory was issued for parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties and more rain is likely for the majority of South Florida on Thursday Cellphone footage showed heavy downpours in Davie and in the Kendall area. Nonstop rain & lightning in the Kendall area right now @NBC6 pic.twitter.com/KViAFXH3ej Michael Spears (@MichaelKIRO7) July 13, 2017 A lightning strike was reported at an office building on 186th Street and 87th Avenue in Northwest Miami-Dade around 9:30 p.m. The lightning bolt struck through the building's glass roof to the first floor, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said. No injuries were reported. The deluge also put a damper on the U.S. Open Cup Quarter Final game between Miami FC and FC Cincinnati at the Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami. [[434173453, C]] A group of Miami Beach teens who were set to share the stage with rocker Roger Waters at his AmericanAirlines Arena show Thursday night won't be participating, city officials said. The twelve drama participants from the Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Teen Club were pulled out of the Waters event after the Greater Miami Jewish Federation accused him of anti-Semitism over his alleged anti-Israel beliefs. "In light of recent information surrounding this event, the Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Teen Club will no longer be participating," the city said in a statement Thursday. "Miami Beach is a culturally diverse community and does not tolerate any form of hate." Waters, the co-founder and former frontman of Pink Floyd, is scheduled to perform at the arena as part of his Us + Them Tour. The teens were expected to participate in a dress rehearsal, receive autographed photos and have orchestra pit seating. A message on the Jewish Federations website urged Waters to stop using his platform to "spout venomous and hateful rhetoric, employing anti-Semitic symbols and anti-Israel language during your performances." "Mr. Waters, your vile messages of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and hatred are not welcome in our community, the post said. "We in Miami are better than that!" In a 2013 Facebook post, Waters wrote that he is "anti-war, anti-apartheid, anti-racist, pro human rights, pro peace and pro self-determination for all peoples" but not anti-Israel or anti-Semitic. There's nothing wrong, of course, with teenagers taking summer jobs working retail at the mall, flipping burgers at McDonald's or preparing lattes at Starbucks. There are, however, more challenging and more rewarding options, such as interning at a business. Thanks to the Miami-Dade Public Schools' Summer Youth Internship program, being an intern is not just for college students anymore. "Well for many of them, it's an entree into the world of work," said Lupe Ferran Diaz, the school district's director of career and technical education. "But in addition, the networking, the fact that they do get academic credit, and if you talk to a few of these young people, they'll tell you they're changing the world, changing Miami." More than a dozen businesses and institutions are taking part in this year's internship program, sponsoring more than 1,700 high school students from all over the county. Thanks to community partners, including the Children's Trust, the rising seniors get paid for their work. They come back better focused individuals, more mature. They know what it's like to actually work, to save money," Ferran Diaz said. NBC 6 watched students at a tech training company called i2Labs design a video gaming tournament for high schools, which they plan on making a reality in the fall. At a company called Proper John Music, interns were busy learning how to write lyrics, compose melodies, make music videos and more, all while using state-of-the-art computer programs. This is a tech-savvy generation, so what do they get out of these internships? "A sense of the marketing world because I never had any experience when it came to that," said Hugens Casimir of North Miami High. D'Avian Williams, a student at Miami Lakes Tech, said, Im learning how to sell and fundraise to people, how to talk to people and how to manage a whole entire business. Some students told NBC 6 just being in a creative environment, surrounded by other students who share their interests, is inspiring. In my creative process, whether it's learning how to write what I'm feeling, putting pen to paper and saying exactly what needs to be said," said Daniel Tomassi of Mourning High, explaining what he valued most from his internship. The internships aren't a one-way street. The business owners benefit from the presence of the teenagers as well. They've been amazingly helpful with social media, they understand it more than my generation, and so they've been really helpful promoting our message, our actual content," said John Stewart, owner of Proper John Music. "I like the idea of not just finding talent that already exists but really developing it from the ground up." In Stewart's case, the target demographic skews way young for a product he's involved with, the BattleMe rap music app. So grooming young talent helps his business and the students, too. Everybody wins. More than 24 hours after the shooting death of an AAA worker outside a Kendall home, detectives were still at the murder suspects home searching for clues. The bomb squad detonated several novelty grenades found in Jesus Esquivels home Wednesday, Miami-Dade police said. Earlier in the day, the 63-year-old suspect appeared in bond court on a second-degree murder charge. Esquivel is accused of fatally shooting 38-year-old Magdiel Hernandez, who responded to a service call. Detectives said Esquivel went on a violent rampage after he apparently waited for too long for service on his car. Hernandez had been sent as a replacement AAA technician after the suspect argued with the first driver over the phone about the response time for help with a car battery, police said. NBC 6 learned this was not Esquivels first run-in with the law. Fabian Reyes once did electrical work for the suspect. He told NBC 6 in Spanish that Esquivel pistol-whipped him during a dispute about a pay check. Esquivel was charged in that incident. Reyes said the 63-year-old was unstable and he feared he would hurt someone. Esquivel was being held in jail with no bond. Our servers are temporarily down. We're doing our best to fix the problem, and expect to be up and running again soon. Please check back shortly, and sorry for the inconvenience. A man has been released from a Pennsylvania prison after more than two decades following what he called a "bitter pill" of a no contest plea to a Harrisburg bar slaying he has maintained he didn't commit. Forty-seven-year-old Lorenzo Johnson was freed Tuesday after a Dauphin County judge accepted his plea to third-degree murder and conspiracy in the December 1995 slaying of Tarajay Williams. Under a no contest plea, a defendant doesn't admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction. Johnson said he acted to spare his relatives. He said "I felt it was time to take the pain away." Johnson was freed in 2012 after a federal appeals court threw out his conviction, but he was back behind bars four months later after prosecutors appealed. Virginia Republican Corey Stewart announced Thursday that he will seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, challenging former vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine for his seat. Stewart revealed his plans at his historic home in Woodbridge. Stewart told Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey he's starting so early to tap into the many donors nationwide he says are interested in trying to "knock off" Kaine. "It's going to take a lot of money to remove him, but there is a lot of interest in removing him," Stewart said. Stewart said if he becomes the GOP nominee, he's "going to be running a ruthless campaign against Tim Kaine." "I'm a fighter. It's going to be a vicious race," Stewart added. In June, the Prince William County Board chairman almost pulled off an upset of Ed Gillespie in his bid to become the GOP nominee for Governor. Stewart only lost by about one percentage point. The next day, Stewart said he might challenge Kaine for the U.S. Senate in 2018. It's unknown who else Stewart might face for the GOP nomination, but there has been speculation that both former Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and conservative radio host Laura Ingraham could be interested in trying to challenge Kaine. Stewart said he'd be the strongest GOP candidate because of his proven ability to win in northern Virginia in an important bellwether county -- Prince William. "I almost won Loudoun County," said Stewart. "I understand what it takes to win here. I've done it (won Prince William) four times in a row countywide. No other Republican candidate considering running for the Senate can say that." Already some Republicans are critical of Stewart's decision to put a spotlight on the Senate race at the same time as Gillespie's GOP ticket is working to get voter attention on its 2017 campaign. Bearing Drift's Jim Hoeft writes, "This is the time for Ed Gillespie, Jill Vogel, and John Adams. These constant Stewart interventions in which he hopes to maintain a degree of relevance are tedious and tiresome. What he really ought to be doing is discussing how awesome this Republican ticket is." When asked about whether President Trump's unpopularity in Virginia could be a drag on him, Stewart said he believes as time goes on the economy will improve, tax cuts and health care reform will take effect, and Trump's image will improve. Stewart served as Trump's Virginia campaign chairman, but was fired by the campaign last October for publicly clashing with the RNC over what he felt was its lack of support for Trump in the commonwealth. Senator Kaine has been a vocal critic of the president, and has suggested the investigation into Trump's potential ties to Russia could be moving into the territory of treason. A man accused of running down a transgender woman with his car in Northeast D.C. last week, leaving her in critical condition, has been arrested. Startwaune Anderson, 18, was arrested Wednesday. Police said Anderson used his car like a weapon when he struck 26-year-old Davon Washington. Amia Bagley, Washington's friend, said a group of friends was walking along K Street NE about 2 a.m. July 5, after leaving a club, when two men in a dark hatchback approached them. Bagley said the men wanted Washington's phone number, but she wasnt interested, so the group continued walking. Washington was dancing near the middle of the street, near 4th Street, when the driver ran over her, Bagley said. When she was hit, it happened so fast that none of us had time to think, but call 911, Bagley said. It was just, 'Don't move her body because she went all the way in the air We were panicking because she wasn't moving. She wasn't conscious at the time. Washington's friends believe she was targeted because she is transgender. "You have homophobic people out here," one friend said. "You have people who don't like transgender people." Police said in a news conference Wednesday that Anderson's motivation for striking Washington is not known. The LGBT unit of the police department is assisting in the investigation. Washington remains in critical condition. July has been a violent month in Prince George's County, Maryland, with 12 men killed in the first 11 days of the month. The homicides occurred across the large county. In one case, a 55-year-old father of four was shot on the Capitol Beltway as he headed home. In another case, two men in their 20s were shot in Suitland. One victim ran into a Popeyes restaurant for help. People who live near the shooting scenes said they're afraid. Many people refused to speak on camera, for fear of retaliation. The Prince George's County Police Department announced Tuesday that officers' shifts will be extended to 12 hours. "It's a measured and temporary response to something we're seeing," Police Chief Hank Stawinski said. "I'm confident that the men and women of this department will bring stability and then we'll move back to normal operations quickly." Some neighbors worry that the shift extensions for officers won't work. "I think 12 hours is too much," said a woman who has lived for 30 years in District Heights, near one shooting scene. The police chief said he believes the shift extensions will work and end quickly. "They're among the best at what they do," he said about the department's officers. A Maryland woman paid hundreds for a new walkway but was left with a mess in her yard. When Michelle Farr decided to get a stone walkway leading to her basement, she reached out to Paul Epps, who she had hired for landscape work before. I said, Hey, do you know anyone that does hardscape? And he said, Oh, I do it, Farr said. I said, Perfect. She said she gave Epps half the cost up front, $750. Work started weeks later after several delays, Farr said. He comes out once and he does a little digging, she said. He has a couple of gentlemen with him, and so what I say is he was playing in the dirt, because they were building the trench, however there wasn't anything really happening. After that, the work was sporadic, Farr said. Epps blamed the weather, she said. He went to her house two more times over the next month, she said, and posted photos on Facebook boasting the work he was doing there. There was a lot of posting on Facebook to give one the impression that there was activity, Farr said. But then the work stopped, she said. He left my home and my yard a complete wreck, she said. He left his equipment here. I still have two wheelbarrows here that belong to him. Epps initially told NBC4 Responds he agreed to refund her. I actually thought I was going to get a check, Farr said. There was a check that was supposedly in the mail, but as we are here today, there's no check. Theres been no sign of Paul Epps. NBC4 Responds repeatedly tried to contact him by phone, email and going to his house. After speaking to a family member, Paul Epps still didnt get in contact. Farr finally got her walkway by hiring someone else. I had to pay extra to get that, she said. I paid half of what I had agreed to pay with [Epps], $750, and then I had to pay another $2,200 to actually get this done. Here are four things you need to know before starting any home improvement project: Make sure the person you hire is licensed to do the work. Paul Epps was not licensed in Maryland. Get a written contract and dont sign anything until you completely understand the terms. Keep your deposit or down payments to 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less, and don't pay cash. Get three references and review past work. Sometimes a simple Google search will raise red flags. A guard in a jail in Montgomery County, Maryland, admitted to sexually assaulting a transgender inmate in her cell, police say. Olukunle A. Oyekanmi, a correctional officer at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds, near Clarksburg, is accused of attacking the inmate early Tuesday morning. An investigation showed that Oyekanmi, 41, entered the woman's cell about 6:20 a.m. and sexually assaulted her, police said. Surveillance video showed Oyekanmi was in the inmate's cell at the time of the alleged attack. During an interview with Montgomery County police department detectives, Oyekanmi admitted to the assault, police said. He was arrested Tuesday evening at his home. Information on Oyekanmi's lawyer was not available immediately. Oyekanmi is charged with second-degree sex offense, second-degree assault, sexual contact with an inmate and malfeasance in office. He was released after he posted $20,000 bond. Sexual assault rates are strikingly high among transgender people. A U.S. Department of Justice program cites data suggesting that 1 in 2 transgender individuals are sexually abused or assaulted at some point in their lives. The white University of Maryland student accused of stabbing a black Bowie State University student to death this spring has been indicted, and video of the entire encounter has been instrumental in the case, officials say. Sean Christopher Urbanski, 22, is headed to trial for allegedly killing Richard Collins III, 23, on May 20, just three days before Collins was set to graduate from the historically black college. The killing that police say was unprovoked sparked discussions across the country about hate on college campuses. The killing was investigated by local police and the FBI as a possible hate crime, but prosecutors were not able to bring hate crime charges against Urbanski, Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said. "We didn't have enough today," she said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. Urbanski previously was found to have been a part of a Facebook group called "Alt-Reich Nation," where members post disparaging material about African Americans and others. It's often difficult to build a hate crime case, Alsobrooks said. "Developing a motive is always a challenging aspect of a case. In this case, and in any other case, you can't get it wrong," she said. "Why is something that we all want to know," Alsobrooks continued. The investigation is ongoing. Should the evidence warrant it, it's still possible that Urbanski could be charged with a hate crime in the future. Video of the fatal attack has been crucial to the case, said Chief Joseph Ruddy, who leads the Prince George's County homicide unit. "There's video evidence that captured the entire incident that occurred and the stabbing of Lieutenant Collins," he said at the news conference. Security cameras are mounted near the bus stop where Collins was stabbed. Prosecutors will seek a life without parole sentence on murder charges for Urbanski. They are still going through Urbanski's electronic devices for possible evidence. Collins served in the ROTC and had just been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. He had a "loving and giving heart," his devastated father said in the days after Collins' death. Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story. Matt Weintraub was an intern in the Bucks County District Attorneys Office in the early 1990s, before moving up through the ranks in other offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Now, as law enforcement officials investigate a quadruple homicide in the bucolic suburbs of Philadelphia, Weintraub is back in Bucks, and hes a long way from his internship. He has risen all the way to district attorney, and those who know him say he is the right person to handle the high-profile case. Matt will not leave any stone unturned. Hes very, very thorough, said Brian Hessenthaler, the chief operating officer of Bucks County. He doesnt back down from a challenge. And hes got one right now. Bucks County prosecutors have led the investigation into the disappearance of four young men, which became a homicide investigation Thursday as 20-year-old Cosmo DiNardo confessed to his participation in the slayings of all four men. DiNardo agreed to plead guilty to four murder counts, attorney Paul Lang said. The FBI and other local police departments have been assisting in the investigation. This is a homicide, make no mistake about it. We just dont know how many homicides, Weintraub announced at a midnight news conference on Thursday. "We're going to remain strong. We're going to see this investigation to the end and we're going to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another," he added. "And we will not rest until we do that." Police arrested DiNardo Wednesday for attempting to sell a car owned by one of the missing men. DiNardo also lives on the property where the remains were found. Questions remain: Will Bucks County prosecutors charges anyone else? Will they get a conviction? Weintraub did not immediately respond for a request for comment. But colleagues who have worked with him throughout his career are confident he is up to the task. Hes a humble man of conviction with a thorough work ethic, former and current colleagues told NBC. Hes also a seasoned and aggressive prosecutor who was appointed as Bucks County district attorney because of his experience. After his internship in the Bucks office, he went on to work in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and Cape May, New Jersey, until he was essentially summoned back to Bucks County for the district attorney job in 2016 by his predecessor, David Heckler. When he announced his mid-term retirement, Heckler told NBC he handpicked Weintraub to succeed him to the extent that I could. The district attorney appointment had to be approved by county judges, who ultimately saw in Weintraub what Heckler did. To me, nature or something picked him, Heckler told NBC. I saw most of the senior people in the DAs office when I was a trial judge. He was just clearly the pick of the litter. He was aggressive, Heckler said. He knew what he was in the courtroom for and he got the job done. When he took the job, his former colleague Michelle Henry agreed. He is a top-notch prosecutor in every sense of the word," Henry told Philly.com at the time. Weintraub is up for election this fall for the first time in Bucks County. Even with an unpopular president of the same party, Heckler seemed confident Weintraubs personal and professional credentials will carry him to victory. But first theres the quadruple homicide to put to bed. Weintraubs press conferences about the case are now beamed through TV and computer screens nationwide. Were going to start looking seriously at those homicide charges, Weintraub said at one of those press conferences Wednesday night. In fact, we already have. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into the alleged irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison pointed out in a report by deputy inspector general of police D Roopa. The report also implicates director general of police (prisons), H N Sathyanarayana Rao. The leaked report submitted by D Roopa to DG & IGP alleged that the prison provided special kitchen facilities for AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala. Roopa alleged that a superior officer was paid off Rs 2 crore for the same. The report also said that 18 of the 25 inmates subjected to drug tests failed the test, he said. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry. 1/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 However, DGP Sathyanarayana Rao, dismissing the allegations, said none of the inmates were under the influence of drugs. "The tests were conducted not on inmates, but on persons who were under judicial custody at the prisons," he said. Other allegations made in the report included providing an assistant to Abdul Kareem Telgi, king-pin of fake stamp paper scam. Rao claimed that the report was deliberately leaked as he had issued a memo to D Roopa, for skipping a meeting of IPS officers chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah recently. "I had issued a memo to D Roopa for providing an explanation. But she is still yet to respond to it and is now diverting the issue", he added. Speaking to reporters, Rao said that if Roopa had observed any violations in the prison or dereliction of duty among the jail officials she could have discussed it with him. "But she shared the report to the media before it reached me. She does not know the prison rules and regulations and has made a report. I may seek legal help against her baseless allegations," he said. Following the development some of the inmates in the Central Prisons protested inside their barracks and shouted slogans against D Roopa for damaging the image of the inmates. BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into the alleged irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison pointed out in a report by deputy inspector general of police D Roopa. The report also implicates director general of police (prisons), H N Sathyanarayana Rao. The leaked report submitted by D Roopa to DG & IGP alleged that the prison provided special kitchen facilities for AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala. Roopa alleged that a superior officer was paid off Rs 2 crore for the same. The report also said that 18 of the 25 inmates subjected to drug tests failed the test, he said. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry. 1/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 However, DGP Sathyanarayana Rao, dismissing the allegations, said none of the inmates were under the influence of drugs. "The tests were conducted not on inmates, but on persons who were under judicial custody at the prisons," he said. Other allegations made in the report included providing an assistant to Abdul Kareem Telgi, king-pin of fake stamp paper scam. Rao claimed that the report was deliberately leaked as he had issued a memo to D Roopa, for skipping a meeting of IPS officers chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah recently. "I had issued a memo to D Roopa for providing an explanation. But she is still yet to respond to it and is now diverting the issue", he added. Speaking to reporters, Rao said that if Roopa had observed any violations in the prison or dereliction of duty among the jail officials she could have discussed it with him. "But she shared the report to the media before it reached me. She does not know the prison rules and regulations and has made a report. I may seek legal help against her baseless allegations," he said. Following the development some of the inmates in the Central Prisons protested inside their barracks and shouted slogans against D Roopa for damaging the image of the inmates. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: An aero space engineer from the United States, who had worked with NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in the past, was arrested on July 12, 2017, along with a businessman on charges of possessing narcotic drugs. Anish Dundoo (29) has been living in Hyderabad for the past three years after incubating a start-up in the city. He was found in possession of 16 blots of LSD procured from darknet sites when he was nabbed at his office by the State Task Force of the enforcement wing of the prohibition and excise department. Based on the information given by Anish, the task force sleuths also arrested Ritul Agarwal, a businessman dealing in steel. The 26-year-old graduated in business administration from ICFAI Business School. According to officials, both Anish and Ritul used to order psychotropic drugs from darknet sites paying bitcoins or crypto currency. Anish Dundoo With Wednesdays arrest, the total number of persons arrested in the last 10 days in connection with drug peddling in Hyderabad has risen to 12. Anish and Ritul met at a party in the city. Earlier, officials had said that it was difficult to keep track of persons who buy narcotics from deep dark web as the package is sent through couriers. Based on specific tipoffs, Anish was trapped. It is, however, not known whether Anish and Ritul had any contacts with the others arrested in the case. Investigation into Anishs activities revealed that he accessed darknet site Lunacy at least eight times in the last couple of months and ordered various quantities of narcotic substances.Officials found out that Anish ordered five Ecstasy pills(green ecstacy) and 2 gm of MDMA on May 17. He also ordered 10 papers (100s of blots) of LSD in the last week of May. Further, he ordered for 2 gm of cocaine and 100 Ecstasy pills (pink), 10 gm of MDMA, 6 gm of cocaine and 50 Ecstasy pills (green). Anish stated that these substances, bearing Netherland markings, were delivered to him by courier. Anishs profile D Anish, as per his LinkedIn profile, is a US national who went to Doon School, Dehradun. He obtained Bachelors degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is also pursuing an MBA from HEC Paris. The profile also says Anish worked as a Scientist - Collision Analyst with NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre HYDERABAD: An aero space engineer from the United States, who had worked with NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in the past, was arrested on July 12, 2017, along with a businessman on charges of possessing narcotic drugs. Anish Dundoo (29) has been living in Hyderabad for the past three years after incubating a start-up in the city. He was found in possession of 16 blots of LSD procured from darknet sites when he was nabbed at his office by the State Task Force of the enforcement wing of the prohibition and excise department. Based on the information given by Anish, the task force sleuths also arrested Ritul Agarwal, a businessman dealing in steel. The 26-year-old graduated in business administration from ICFAI Business School. According to officials, both Anish and Ritul used to order psychotropic drugs from darknet sites paying bitcoins or crypto currency. Anish DundooWith Wednesdays arrest, the total number of persons arrested in the last 10 days in connection with drug peddling in Hyderabad has risen to 12. Anish and Ritul met at a party in the city. Earlier, officials had said that it was difficult to keep track of persons who buy narcotics from deep dark web as the package is sent through couriers. Based on specific tipoffs, Anish was trapped. It is, however, not known whether Anish and Ritul had any contacts with the others arrested in the case. Investigation into Anishs activities revealed that he accessed darknet site Lunacy at least eight times in the last couple of months and ordered various quantities of narcotic substances.Officials found out that Anish ordered five Ecstasy pills(green ecstacy) and 2 gm of MDMA on May 17. He also ordered 10 papers (100s of blots) of LSD in the last week of May. Further, he ordered for 2 gm of cocaine and 100 Ecstasy pills (pink), 10 gm of MDMA, 6 gm of cocaine and 50 Ecstasy pills (green). Anish stated that these substances, bearing Netherland markings, were delivered to him by courier. Anishs profile D Anish, as per his LinkedIn profile, is a US national who went to Doon School, Dehradun. He obtained Bachelors degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is also pursuing an MBA from HEC Paris. The profile also says Anish worked as a Scientist - Collision Analyst with NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre By Express News Service Keni, which will have Parthiepan playing an important role, will also mark Jaya Pradas comeback to Tamil cinema after a decade. The actress was seen last in Kamal Haasans Dasavatharam. Directed by Malayalam filmmaker MA Nishad, the story revolves around a water dispute that crops up between the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on account of a well. According to sources, the film is set in 1965 when Kerala was formed as a separate state. Jaya Prada will be seen as the resident of the house with the well, while Parthiepan will play the person who helps resolve the water conflict. Keni will also have Nasser and Thalaivasal Vijay playing important roles. Keni, which will have Parthiepan playing an important role, will also mark Jaya Pradas comeback to Tamil cinema after a decade. The actress was seen last in Kamal Haasans Dasavatharam. Directed by Malayalam filmmaker MA Nishad, the story revolves around a water dispute that crops up between the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on account of a well. According to sources, the film is set in 1965 when Kerala was formed as a separate state. Jaya Prada will be seen as the resident of the house with the well, while Parthiepan will play the person who helps resolve the water conflict. Keni will also have Nasser and Thalaivasal Vijay playing important roles. By Express News Service Rajinikanth, who was in the United States for a medical check-up, is now back in the city and will resume shooting for Ranjiths gangster film, Kaala. Sources say that the actor and his daughter Aishwaryaa had left the country after completing the first schedule, which was wrapped up on June 27, and returned to Chennai a couple of days ago. CE learns that a special set resembling Mumbais famous Dharavi area has been put up for the film, and Pa Ranjith and the team are all set to continue the shoot there. In the film, Rajinikanth plays Karikalan, a don who stands up for the rights of Tamil people in Mumbai. He appears in Kaala in the same salt-and-pepper look as in his previous film, Kabali. Rumour has it that, after completing Kaala, Rajini has plans to quit acting and become a full-time politician. However, there is no confirmation on this yet. Rajinikanth, who was in the United States for a medical check-up, is now back in the city and will resume shooting for Ranjiths gangster film, Kaala. Sources say that the actor and his daughter Aishwaryaa had left the country after completing the first schedule, which was wrapped up on June 27, and returned to Chennai a couple of days ago. CE learns that a special set resembling Mumbais famous Dharavi area has been put up for the film, and Pa Ranjith and the team are all set to continue the shoot there. In the film, Rajinikanth plays Karikalan, a don who stands up for the rights of Tamil people in Mumbai. He appears in Kaala in the same salt-and-pepper look as in his previous film, Kabali. Rumour has it that, after completing Kaala, Rajini has plans to quit acting and become a full-time politician. However, there is no confirmation on this yet. By Express News Service With multiple films across languages, it appears that Rakul Preet Singh has a lot going for her these days. A source reveals that planning the schedules has been a challenging exercise. She has been shooting simultaneously for her upcoming Telugu-Tamil bilingual Spyder and Karthis action-thriller Theeran Adhigaram Ondru. Apart from this, she has also signed her third Bollywood film Aiyaary, and will soon begin work on it. She is now in Chennai to shoot for a dance number with Karthi for Theeran Adhigaram Ondru. After this, she will leave for London on July 15 to begin shooting for Aiyaary.This schedule will go on till the end of the month, after which she will land in Hyderabad, and then head to Romania to complete the shoot for Spyders song in the first week of August. Actress Rakul Preet Singh. Its a hectic schedule, but she has found a lot of strength to handle it both physically and mentally, the source adds. With multiple films across languages, it appears that Rakul Preet Singh has a lot going for her these days. A source reveals that planning the schedules has been a challenging exercise. She has been shooting simultaneously for her upcoming Telugu-Tamil bilingual Spyder and Karthis action-thriller Theeran Adhigaram Ondru. Apart from this, she has also signed her third Bollywood film Aiyaary, and will soon begin work on it. She is now in Chennai to shoot for a dance number with Karthi for Theeran Adhigaram Ondru. After this, she will leave for London on July 15 to begin shooting for Aiyaary.This schedule will go on till the end of the month, after which she will land in Hyderabad, and then head to Romania to complete the shoot for Spyders song in the first week of August. Actress Rakul Preet Singh. Its a hectic schedule, but she has found a lot of strength to handle it both physically and mentally, the source adds. Murali Krishna CH By Express News Service Actor Rajasekhar is known for his ruthless cop roles and most of the films where he donned khakhi were big hits. And this time, he plays a NIA (National Intelligence Agency) officer in National Award winning director Praveen Sattarus upcoming suspense-action-thriller PSV Garudavega. The film has a universal theme that connects with all sections of the audience, said Praveen. The film is set in the backdrop of the NIA. Rajasekhar plays a NIA officer, who develops a turbulent relationship with his wife due to his professional commitments. He always makes futile attempts to balance his personal and professional life and is frustrated with the way things turnout at work. He ends up in big trouble and how he gets out of it forms the crux of PSV Garudavega, says Praveen. In an industry where success and failure seals the fate of an actor or a technician, the director had qualms in signing up Rajasekhar, who was off the radar and was going through a lean patch for some years now. If you see the last couple of years, films with strong content worked wonders. If we come up with captivating experience and gripping narrative, then sky is the limit. In that case, nobody is bothered about who plays the lead role. Does Praveen think Garudavega is a game changer for him? Not really. A film should be based on the script and there is no rule to spend huge bucks on each film you direct. Except a good script, neither the budget nor a big star will fetch you any dividends. The film also has a special number of Sunny Leone. There are only two songs in the film. One is a special number and the other being a montage shot on Rajasekhar, shares Praveen, adding, Its ultimately my producers call to rope in Sunny in the film and I must say the song flows with the narrative. Does the film have any leads to a sequel? Praveen reveals, We have ideas for a sequel and incorporated our thoughts during the end credits. We may take a call only after the film releases. Praveen explains shooting Garudavega in real locations of Hyderabads Old City and Narayanaguda flyover was challenging as it required them to shoot in places where acquiring permission was difficult. When we shot an action sequence on Narayanaguda flyover, we were given just two hours permission from 5 am to 7 am. Considering the logistics and the star cast in place, its hard for any filmmaker to complete the shoot in such a short time. Its expensive and costed us Rs 18 lakh a day. We also shot in highly crowded places like Chowmahalla Palace for 10 days. Somehow, my team managed to get permission to shoot there. Frankly speaking, if you want realistic cinema, give us permissions. It has to be a one-stop thing and there has to be transparency. The government should provide police security and they should recognise Tollywood and its people as an industry and support us in all endeavours. The director says the problem is not just prevalent in Hyderabad but holds the same across the country. We wanted to shoot an action sequence on a railway track in Darjeeling. We had to spend Rs 25 lakh to get the permission for just two hours. So, we choose Georgia as an alternative and shot the entire train block over there. We blocked the main railway track for three days and you will be surprised to know that we spent less compared to that of Darjeeling.Also starring Pooja Kumar and Kishore in other roles, PSV Garudavega has wrapped up the shooting and is slated to hit the screens in August. Actor Rajasekhar is known for his ruthless cop roles and most of the films where he donned khakhi were big hits. And this time, he plays a NIA (National Intelligence Agency) officer in National Award winning director Praveen Sattarus upcoming suspense-action-thriller PSV Garudavega. The film has a universal theme that connects with all sections of the audience, said Praveen. The film is set in the backdrop of the NIA. Rajasekhar plays a NIA officer, who develops a turbulent relationship with his wife due to his professional commitments. He always makes futile attempts to balance his personal and professional life and is frustrated with the way things turnout at work. He ends up in big trouble and how he gets out of it forms the crux of PSV Garudavega, says Praveen. In an industry where success and failure seals the fate of an actor or a technician, the director had qualms in signing up Rajasekhar, who was off the radar and was going through a lean patch for some years now. If you see the last couple of years, films with strong content worked wonders. If we come up with captivating experience and gripping narrative, then sky is the limit. In that case, nobody is bothered about who plays the lead role. Does Praveen think Garudavega is a game changer for him? Not really. A film should be based on the script and there is no rule to spend huge bucks on each film you direct. Except a good script, neither the budget nor a big star will fetch you any dividends. The film also has a special number of Sunny Leone. There are only two songs in the film. One is a special number and the other being a montage shot on Rajasekhar, shares Praveen, adding, Its ultimately my producers call to rope in Sunny in the film and I must say the song flows with the narrative. Does the film have any leads to a sequel? Praveen reveals, We have ideas for a sequel and incorporated our thoughts during the end credits. We may take a call only after the film releases. Praveen explains shooting Garudavega in real locations of Hyderabads Old City and Narayanaguda flyover was challenging as it required them to shoot in places where acquiring permission was difficult. When we shot an action sequence on Narayanaguda flyover, we were given just two hours permission from 5 am to 7 am. Considering the logistics and the star cast in place, its hard for any filmmaker to complete the shoot in such a short time. Its expensive and costed us Rs 18 lakh a day. We also shot in highly crowded places like Chowmahalla Palace for 10 days. Somehow, my team managed to get permission to shoot there. Frankly speaking, if you want realistic cinema, give us permissions. It has to be a one-stop thing and there has to be transparency. The government should provide police security and they should recognise Tollywood and its people as an industry and support us in all endeavours. The director says the problem is not just prevalent in Hyderabad but holds the same across the country. We wanted to shoot an action sequence on a railway track in Darjeeling. We had to spend Rs 25 lakh to get the permission for just two hours. So, we choose Georgia as an alternative and shot the entire train block over there. We blocked the main railway track for three days and you will be surprised to know that we spent less compared to that of Darjeeling.Also starring Pooja Kumar and Kishore in other roles, PSV Garudavega has wrapped up the shooting and is slated to hit the screens in August. By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Union Minister of State PMO Jitendra Singh Wednesday said India of 2017 was more equipped to deal with China than 1962. It was a matter of national security and Minister for Defence, Arun Jaitley had already placed on record that India of 2017 was different from India of 1962, Singh said in response to a question by reporter during a joint press conference with Union MoS Home Hansraj Ahir, here. He said India of 2017 is not that of India of 1962. The minister said the country was more equipped today to deal with China than it was in 1962. The minister's statement assumes significance as it comes at a time when Indian and Chinese troops are involved in stand-off in Sikkim. It is the longest stand-off between troops of two countries after 1962 war. To a question on Pakistan, Singh, who is MP from J&K, said Pakistan was a hostile power. He, however, said India was prepared to deal with what Pakistan was doing. Lauds Kashmiri people for condemning yatra attack The union minister praised people of Kashmir for condemning militant attack on Amarnath yatris. Nobody has been apologetic in condemning the killing of yatris. Civil society and other groups have strongly condemned the attack on yatris, he said. Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 19 injured in militant attack on their bus at Botengo in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Monday evening. Singh said the attack was condemned by every section of society within and outside the State, which shows that there was no place for violence in the society. Singh hailed the civil society members, people of state particularly Kashmiris for coming out and condemning the attack in unequivocal terms. He said morale of civil society and people was so high that yatris were insistent that the pilgrimage should not be suspended even for a single moment. The civil society, he said, has proved and vindicated the faith that India stands for. He also acknowledged role of security forces in fighting militancy in the State. We have the best forces of the world which are capable to giving befitting reply to enemies of humanity. Singh said the civil society cannot survive without the security forces. The security forces also know that they have to restrain themselves during their duty while dealing with the situation. They have to restrain sometimes even at the risk of their own lives and jobs. Militancy in last phase The MoS PMO said militancy in J&K was in its last phase. He said the protracted phase of militancy and violence would finally meet its end. It is in last phase with decisive headway being made by security forces in last few weeks and months to combat militancy in the State. I am very optimistic that this militancy is going to outlive its life as we have seen happening in other parts of the country, he said. The minister was referring to killing of top Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants by security forces in the Valley recently. Kashmiri youth want to be part of Modis development Singh said youth of Kashmir was keen to be a part of developmental journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In last three years, Kashmiri youth have been availing new schemes like Start Up India, Stand Up India wherein they get tax holidays and three-months exit period, he said. Singh said in last three to four years, toppers of civil services were coming from Kashmir. A youth from Anantnag last year secured second rank in IAS and now was in Rajasthan cadre, another Kashmiri youth was in Indian Forest Services, 12 more boys from J&K passed Indian Medical Academy exams, and 16,000 applications were received for 700 posts of sub inspectors, he said. So in the aspirational Kashmir, where is India versus Kashmir conclusion, the MoS PMO said adding, This is just prejudicial talk. About the failure of New Delhi in roping in Kashmiri youth who were being pushed toward militancy by atrocities committed by Jammu and Kashmir Police, troops and paramilitary forces, Singh said everything cannot be left to government. SRINAGAR: Union Minister of State PMO Jitendra Singh Wednesday said India of 2017 was more equipped to deal with China than 1962. It was a matter of national security and Minister for Defence, Arun Jaitley had already placed on record that India of 2017 was different from India of 1962, Singh said in response to a question by reporter during a joint press conference with Union MoS Home Hansraj Ahir, here. He said India of 2017 is not that of India of 1962. The minister said the country was more equipped today to deal with China than it was in 1962. The minister's statement assumes significance as it comes at a time when Indian and Chinese troops are involved in stand-off in Sikkim. It is the longest stand-off between troops of two countries after 1962 war. To a question on Pakistan, Singh, who is MP from J&K, said Pakistan was a hostile power. He, however, said India was prepared to deal with what Pakistan was doing. Lauds Kashmiri people for condemning yatra attack The union minister praised people of Kashmir for condemning militant attack on Amarnath yatris. Nobody has been apologetic in condemning the killing of yatris. Civil society and other groups have strongly condemned the attack on yatris, he said. Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 19 injured in militant attack on their bus at Botengo in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Monday evening. Singh said the attack was condemned by every section of society within and outside the State, which shows that there was no place for violence in the society. Singh hailed the civil society members, people of state particularly Kashmiris for coming out and condemning the attack in unequivocal terms. He said morale of civil society and people was so high that yatris were insistent that the pilgrimage should not be suspended even for a single moment. The civil society, he said, has proved and vindicated the faith that India stands for. He also acknowledged role of security forces in fighting militancy in the State. We have the best forces of the world which are capable to giving befitting reply to enemies of humanity. Singh said the civil society cannot survive without the security forces. The security forces also know that they have to restrain themselves during their duty while dealing with the situation. They have to restrain sometimes even at the risk of their own lives and jobs. Militancy in last phase The MoS PMO said militancy in J&K was in its last phase. He said the protracted phase of militancy and violence would finally meet its end. It is in last phase with decisive headway being made by security forces in last few weeks and months to combat militancy in the State. I am very optimistic that this militancy is going to outlive its life as we have seen happening in other parts of the country, he said. The minister was referring to killing of top Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants by security forces in the Valley recently. Kashmiri youth want to be part of Modis development Singh said youth of Kashmir was keen to be a part of developmental journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In last three years, Kashmiri youth have been availing new schemes like Start Up India, Stand Up India wherein they get tax holidays and three-months exit period, he said. Singh said in last three to four years, toppers of civil services were coming from Kashmir. A youth from Anantnag last year secured second rank in IAS and now was in Rajasthan cadre, another Kashmiri youth was in Indian Forest Services, 12 more boys from J&K passed Indian Medical Academy exams, and 16,000 applications were received for 700 posts of sub inspectors, he said. So in the aspirational Kashmir, where is India versus Kashmir conclusion, the MoS PMO said adding, This is just prejudicial talk. About the failure of New Delhi in roping in Kashmiri youth who were being pushed toward militancy by atrocities committed by Jammu and Kashmir Police, troops and paramilitary forces, Singh said everything cannot be left to government. Pradip R Sagar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Amid tension on borders with Pakistan and China, the Centre has allowed the Army to make emergency procurements, without going through the red-tape, to be prepared for a short and intense war. A notification issued by the government last week empowered Vice Chief of the Army to make hardware procurements up to Rs 40 thousand crore to meet critical deficiencies. Army has identified critical deficiencies in 46 types of ammunition and certain spares for 10 types of weapon platforms. According to Defence Ministry sources, after the Uri attack, an internal audit was conducted to review Armys preparedness. Though the Special Forces carried out surgical strikes 10 days later, the audit exposed several lapses in Armys critical procurement in order to fight a short and intense war that would last 15 days. ALSO READ: India of 2017 more equipped to deal with China: Minister of State PMO Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during last years interactions with top military commanders, had said prospects of full-scale wars would be rare and future battles would be short and intense and need to be fought with clinical precision. Hence, soon after Uri attack, Army made emergency procurements worth `12,000 crore through 19 separate contracts 11 of which were exclusively on ammunition and spares. With this notification, Army does not have to go through the Defence Acquisition Council or Cabinet Committee on Security. All purchases under the category of emergency procurement will be done at the office of the Vice Chief of Army, said a ministry official. The government feels the Army should be made self-sufficient to meet its own requirements, they said, adding that the Navy and Air Force would be given similar powers soon. Now, China wants to be the mediator on Kashmir, between India and Pakistan China has offered to mediate between India, with which its currently engaged in a border standoff, and Pakistan, its all-weather friend where it has invested millions of dollars in building an economic corridor, to resolve the conflict in Kashmir. The situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community, Chinas Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. The statement came days after the Chinese governments mouthpiece media said, Indias logic in stopping the Chinese military from constructing a road in the Doklam area of Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan can be applied to Kashmir as well. ALSO READ: China to downsize army to under a million in biggest troop cut The conflict near LoC would not only impact peace and tranquillity of India and Pakistan but also affect the region, Beijing said on Wednesday. Interestingly, the offer comes from a nation that has standing border or territorial disputes with almost every neighbouring country. NEW DELHI: Amid tension on borders with Pakistan and China, the Centre has allowed the Army to make emergency procurements, without going through the red-tape, to be prepared for a short and intense war. A notification issued by the government last week empowered Vice Chief of the Army to make hardware procurements up to Rs 40 thousand crore to meet critical deficiencies. Army has identified critical deficiencies in 46 types of ammunition and certain spares for 10 types of weapon platforms. According to Defence Ministry sources, after the Uri attack, an internal audit was conducted to review Armys preparedness. Though the Special Forces carried out surgical strikes 10 days later, the audit exposed several lapses in Armys critical procurement in order to fight a short and intense war that would last 15 days. ALSO READ:India of 2017 more equipped to deal with China: Minister of State PMO Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during last years interactions with top military commanders, had said prospects of full-scale wars would be rare and future battles would be short and intense and need to be fought with clinical precision. Hence, soon after Uri attack, Army made emergency procurements worth `12,000 crore through 19 separate contracts 11 of which were exclusively on ammunition and spares. With this notification, Army does not have to go through the Defence Acquisition Council or Cabinet Committee on Security. All purchases under the category of emergency procurement will be done at the office of the Vice Chief of Army, said a ministry official. The government feels the Army should be made self-sufficient to meet its own requirements, they said, adding that the Navy and Air Force would be given similar powers soon. Now, China wants to be the mediator on Kashmir, between India and Pakistan China has offered to mediate between India, with which its currently engaged in a border standoff, and Pakistan, its all-weather friend where it has invested millions of dollars in building an economic corridor, to resolve the conflict in Kashmir. The situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community, Chinas Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. The statement came days after the Chinese governments mouthpiece media said, Indias logic in stopping the Chinese military from constructing a road in the Doklam area of Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan can be applied to Kashmir as well. ALSO READ: China to downsize army to under a million in biggest troop cut The conflict near LoC would not only impact peace and tranquillity of India and Pakistan but also affect the region, Beijing said on Wednesday. Interestingly, the offer comes from a nation that has standing border or territorial disputes with almost every neighbouring country. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Condemning the alleged lynching of a Muslim man in Nagpur on suspicion of carrying beef, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said attacks by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes shift focus from the ineffectiveness of the Narendra Modi government-led Centre. Salim Ismail Sheikh (31), of Katol in Nagpur was allegedly beaten up in the Bharsingi areaon Wednesday by a four-member gang. Four persons, all of whom belong to the Prahar organisation, have been arrested said police. Prahar is a non-governmental organisation having special consultative status in the Economic and Social Council to the United Nations since 2014. Along with ally Shiv Sena, opposition Congress and the NCP too came down heavily on the BJP. The BJP, however, tried to downplay the incident, denying a law and order situation in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena also targeted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that it is high time state gets a full time home minister. Devendra Fadnavis had been in charge of the home department since the formation of the government. People being lynched over suspicion of carrying beef had started in UP and it has now spilled over to this progressive state. To make matters worse, this incident has happened in the heartland of the RSS. If this continues, there will be chaos in the nation, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande. How can it be that the PM warns gau rakshaks but they ignore him? We are of the view that there is an ulterior motive behind this. Attempts are being made to shift focus from the ineffectiveness of the Narendra Modi government in responding to the terrorists who killed the Amarnath yatris, she added. State Congress President Ashok Chavan said that his party will raise the lynching issue in the Lok Sabha as well as the Maharashtra Assembly and force the government to take the issue seriously. More than 27 people have been lynched across the country. This issue is becomes grave with each passing day. People brazenly killing in the name of beef shows nobody takes the Prime Minister seriously, said Ashok Chavan. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik asked if Devendra Fadnavis will ensure that there is no repeat of the incident. After Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, it is Maharashtras time now. The CM is from Nagpur hence the gravity of the incident is more. Will the CM ensure that this does not repeat in future, Nawab Malik asked. Nawab Malik further said that Devendra Fadnavis should guide workers of the BJP and the RSS through the difference between cow and buffalo meat as the latter is not banned. MUMBAI: Condemning the alleged lynching of a Muslim man in Nagpur on suspicion of carrying beef, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said attacks by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes shift focus from the ineffectiveness of the Narendra Modi government-led Centre. Salim Ismail Sheikh (31), of Katol in Nagpur was allegedly beaten up in the Bharsingi areaon Wednesday by a four-member gang. Four persons, all of whom belong to the Prahar organisation, have been arrested said police. Prahar is a non-governmental organisation having special consultative status in the Economic and Social Council to the United Nations since 2014. Along with ally Shiv Sena, opposition Congress and the NCP too came down heavily on the BJP. The BJP, however, tried to downplay the incident, denying a law and order situation in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena also targeted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that it is high time state gets a full time home minister. Devendra Fadnavis had been in charge of the home department since the formation of the government. People being lynched over suspicion of carrying beef had started in UP and it has now spilled over to this progressive state. To make matters worse, this incident has happened in the heartland of the RSS. If this continues, there will be chaos in the nation, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande. How can it be that the PM warns gau rakshaks but they ignore him? We are of the view that there is an ulterior motive behind this. Attempts are being made to shift focus from the ineffectiveness of the Narendra Modi government in responding to the terrorists who killed the Amarnath yatris, she added. State Congress President Ashok Chavan said that his party will raise the lynching issue in the Lok Sabha as well as the Maharashtra Assembly and force the government to take the issue seriously. More than 27 people have been lynched across the country. This issue is becomes grave with each passing day. People brazenly killing in the name of beef shows nobody takes the Prime Minister seriously, said Ashok Chavan. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik asked if Devendra Fadnavis will ensure that there is no repeat of the incident. After Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, it is Maharashtras time now. The CM is from Nagpur hence the gravity of the incident is more. Will the CM ensure that this does not repeat in future, Nawab Malik asked. Nawab Malik further said that Devendra Fadnavis should guide workers of the BJP and the RSS through the difference between cow and buffalo meat as the latter is not banned. By Express News Service MUMBAI: A software engineer who recently started work in Pune jumped off a hotel terrace reportedly triggered by the looming fear of job insecurity in the IT industry, according to his signed suicide note. In the note left in his hotel room, police said Gopikrishna Durgaprasad (25), a native of Andhra Pradesh, has blamed the hardships of working in the IT sector. Im scared that I may not look after my family properly. Please take care of my family. Sorry Guys Im worried about future as we are not that much strong. Love you all. Good bye. In IT there is no job security. Im worried a lot about my family, said the note. Police also said Gopikrishna Durgaprasad had attempted to slit his wrists but chose to jump after several failed attempts. The hotel was reportedly provided by his company, the name of which was not divulged. The incident was reported by the hotel manager at 2 am after which the body was shifted to a hospital for an autopsy. It was reported that he had fractured his right arm and some ribs, said police. A few of Gopikrishna Durgaprasads relatives, who work in the IT sector in Pune, were at the hospital and said that he was a young man with no bad habits. The incident shocked them as they claimed Gopikrishna Durgaprasad was a soft natured man who did his work and lived peacefully. Gopikrishna, who had worked in Hyderabad and Delhi earlier, had joined the new company just three days back. His body has been taken to Andhra Pradesh, said a senior officer from Pune. This is the third case of a techies suicide in Pune in the last few months. Though the exact reasons of suicide in all the previous cases are not clear, one of the deceased engineers was on a break, said the officer requesting anonymity. MUMBAI: A software engineer who recently started work in Pune jumped off a hotel terrace reportedly triggered by the looming fear of job insecurity in the IT industry, according to his signed suicide note. In the note left in his hotel room, police said Gopikrishna Durgaprasad (25), a native of Andhra Pradesh, has blamed the hardships of working in the IT sector. Im scared that I may not look after my family properly. Please take care of my family. Sorry Guys Im worried about future as we are not that much strong. Love you all. Good bye. In IT there is no job security. Im worried a lot about my family, said the note. Police also said Gopikrishna Durgaprasad had attempted to slit his wrists but chose to jump after several failed attempts. The hotel was reportedly provided by his company, the name of which was not divulged. The incident was reported by the hotel manager at 2 am after which the body was shifted to a hospital for an autopsy. It was reported that he had fractured his right arm and some ribs, said police. A few of Gopikrishna Durgaprasads relatives, who work in the IT sector in Pune, were at the hospital and said that he was a young man with no bad habits. The incident shocked them as they claimed Gopikrishna Durgaprasad was a soft natured man who did his work and lived peacefully. Gopikrishna, who had worked in Hyderabad and Delhi earlier, had joined the new company just three days back. His body has been taken to Andhra Pradesh, said a senior officer from Pune. This is the third case of a techies suicide in Pune in the last few months. Though the exact reasons of suicide in all the previous cases are not clear, one of the deceased engineers was on a break, said the officer requesting anonymity. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In its report to the union home ministry, the Jammu and Kashmir police has said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba group that attacked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims had four members and were led by Pakistani operative Mohammad Abu Ismail and another accomplice from across the border. The module also consisted of two local LeT/Jamat-ud-Dawah members. The Jammu and Kashmir police also told the Centre that it had definite leads on the module that hit the pilgrims and had a comprehensive plan to nab them, a senior union home ministry official, said quoting from the report. Proactive operations have been launched, mainly in south Kashmir, to track down Ismail. The bus carrying the pilgrims strayed away from the convoy of buses with security cover from Baltal after darshan at the cave shrine on July 8 and stayed in Srinagar for two days. Thereafter, the pilgrims left for Katra at 4.30 pm on July 10. Katra is the base point from where the pilgrimage for Mata Vaishno Devi shrine begins. The bus was registered as part of the convoy of pilgrimage buses for the onward journey through Baltal base camp, but did not register for the return journey. The tyre of the bus got punctured 10 km away from Khanabal at 6.30 pm on July 10, the day of the attack. The bus halted at the place for about an hour. The terrorists probably got to know that the bus was carrying Amarnath pilgrims from Gujarat and decided to attack it, the official said. Minister of state for Home Hansraj Ahir along with MoS (PMO) Jeetendra Singh, who returned from Srinagar on Wednesday after reviewing the security preparedness of the Yatra, briefed union home minister Rajnath Singh. Ahir is learnt to have advised that the duration of the road opening patrol that is undertaken till 7 pm be extended to 11 pm. NEW DELHI: In its report to the union home ministry, the Jammu and Kashmir police has said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba group that attacked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims had four members and were led by Pakistani operative Mohammad Abu Ismail and another accomplice from across the border. The module also consisted of two local LeT/Jamat-ud-Dawah members. The Jammu and Kashmir police also told the Centre that it had definite leads on the module that hit the pilgrims and had a comprehensive plan to nab them, a senior union home ministry official, said quoting from the report. Proactive operations have been launched, mainly in south Kashmir, to track down Ismail. The bus carrying the pilgrims strayed away from the convoy of buses with security cover from Baltal after darshan at the cave shrine on July 8 and stayed in Srinagar for two days. Thereafter, the pilgrims left for Katra at 4.30 pm on July 10. Katra is the base point from where the pilgrimage for Mata Vaishno Devi shrine begins. The bus was registered as part of the convoy of pilgrimage buses for the onward journey through Baltal base camp, but did not register for the return journey. The tyre of the bus got punctured 10 km away from Khanabal at 6.30 pm on July 10, the day of the attack. The bus halted at the place for about an hour. The terrorists probably got to know that the bus was carrying Amarnath pilgrims from Gujarat and decided to attack it, the official said. Minister of state for Home Hansraj Ahir along with MoS (PMO) Jeetendra Singh, who returned from Srinagar on Wednesday after reviewing the security preparedness of the Yatra, briefed union home minister Rajnath Singh. Ahir is learnt to have advised that the duration of the road opening patrol that is undertaken till 7 pm be extended to 11 pm. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Struck by cupid in the valley of Kashmir, Sandeep Sharma of Muzaffarnagar held by J&K police last Sunday for waging war against the country, wanted to marry a Kashmiri girl at any cost. As a pre-condition to marriage, he converted to Islam and renamed himself Adil about a year ago. Sharing these inputs after interrogation of the youth by a team of UP ATS, IG Aseem Arun said Sandeeps multipleflings led him to the path of terror. Sandeep had a driving licence in his name and used to ferry arms of the terror operatives from one location to other, said the interrogation report. Despite knowing the repercussions of his association with terror elements, his romantic affiliations stopped him from keeping himself away from anti-national activities. He eventually joined Lashkar ultras and its leaders gave him arms training in Kulgam last year in November and December, said the report. The ATS sleuths could also make out from his interrogation that initially Sandeep, aka Adil, was interested in more than one girls in the Valley, but finally he decided to be loyal to one woman. The UP ATS sleuths, who had gone to the Valley to quiz Sandeep, found that he was contemplating to marry soon. Unravelling Sandeeps journey from Muzaffarnagar to Kulgam in Kashmir, the ATS sleuths said that he operated on expected lines. In search of employment, Sandeep left his home town Muzaffarnagar and moved to Punjab six years ago when he was a teenager. Having learnt the nuances of gas metal welding from his father before his death, Sandeep found work in Patiala. During the winters, a large chunk of young men move down to Himachal, Punjab and other parts of the country from Jammu and Kashmir. Sandeep came in contact with some Kashmiri youths in Patiala. The friendship deepened and he started frequenting the Valley in summers for odd jobs along with them, added IG Arun. He started off with petty crime by stealing construction material and graduated to ATM heists. He learned to operate arms. On June 16, when six policemen were gunned down in Achabal area of Anantnag district, it was Sandeep aka Adilwho drove the vehicle ferrying terrorists. On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Sharma and Kulgam residentMuneeb Shah for indulging in terror incidents. The ATS sleuths suspected him to be involved in half a dozen ATM robberies across Kashmir. LUCKNOW: Struck by cupid in the valley of Kashmir, Sandeep Sharma of Muzaffarnagar held by J&K police last Sunday for waging war against the country, wanted to marry a Kashmiri girl at any cost. As a pre-condition to marriage, he converted to Islam and renamed himself Adil about a year ago. Sharing these inputs after interrogation of the youth by a team of UP ATS, IG Aseem Arun said Sandeeps multipleflings led him to the path of terror. Sandeep had a driving licence in his name and used to ferry arms of the terror operatives from one location to other, said the interrogation report. Despite knowing the repercussions of his association with terror elements, his romantic affiliations stopped him from keeping himself away from anti-national activities. He eventually joined Lashkar ultras and its leaders gave him arms training in Kulgam last year in November and December, said the report. The ATS sleuths could also make out from his interrogation that initially Sandeep, aka Adil, was interested in more than one girls in the Valley, but finally he decided to be loyal to one woman. The UP ATS sleuths, who had gone to the Valley to quiz Sandeep, found that he was contemplating to marry soon. Unravelling Sandeeps journey from Muzaffarnagar to Kulgam in Kashmir, the ATS sleuths said that he operated on expected lines. In search of employment, Sandeep left his home town Muzaffarnagar and moved to Punjab six years ago when he was a teenager. Having learnt the nuances of gas metal welding from his father before his death, Sandeep found work in Patiala. During the winters, a large chunk of young men move down to Himachal, Punjab and other parts of the country from Jammu and Kashmir. Sandeep came in contact with some Kashmiri youths in Patiala. The friendship deepened and he started frequenting the Valley in summers for odd jobs along with them, added IG Arun. He started off with petty crime by stealing construction material and graduated to ATM heists. He learned to operate arms. On June 16, when six policemen were gunned down in Achabal area of Anantnag district, it was Sandeep aka Adilwho drove the vehicle ferrying terrorists. On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Sharma and Kulgam residentMuneeb Shah for indulging in terror incidents. The ATS sleuths suspected him to be involved in half a dozen ATM robberies across Kashmir. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up Election Commission of India for not taking a stand on a plea which demanded that convicted politicians should be barred for life from contesting elections. Presently, under the Representation of People Act, a politician is barred from contesting polls for a period of six years after serving the sentence. During the hearing, the counsel appearing for poll panel told the Bench that it had supported the plea for decriminalisation of politics. This prompted the Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha to ask the commissions counsel, We understand that you have sent your recommendations to the union government on electoral reforms, but what is your stand on this specific issue? On this, the counsel stated that the particular issue fell under the legislative domain and they were not the competent authority to decide on the matter. This led the Bench to ask: If a civil servant is convicted, he is debarred from service for life. Why a politician for six year only? Why not life-long ban? The commission is an independent authority. You are silent on this. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up Election Commission of India for not taking a stand on a plea which demanded that convicted politicians should be barred for life from contesting elections. Presently, under the Representation of People Act, a politician is barred from contesting polls for a period of six years after serving the sentence. During the hearing, the counsel appearing for poll panel told the Bench that it had supported the plea for decriminalisation of politics. This prompted the Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha to ask the commissions counsel, We understand that you have sent your recommendations to the union government on electoral reforms, but what is your stand on this specific issue? On this, the counsel stated that the particular issue fell under the legislative domain and they were not the competent authority to decide on the matter. This led the Bench to ask: If a civil servant is convicted, he is debarred from service for life. Why a politician for six year only? Why not life-long ban? The commission is an independent authority. You are silent on this. By ANI NEW DELHI: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, whose security personnel were yesterday accused of manhandling the mediapersons gathered to jot down his reaction as he emerged to speak to the media after a cabinet meeting, held by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Thursday clarified that when multitudes of mediapersons jostle to take a person's byte, it becomes difficult for the security guards to manage the crowd, while adding that he would personally look into the matter and get it investigated. Tejaswi took to his Facebook and posted a note that said he regrets and condemns any charge on the media. "There are misleading information about attack on media persons, on request of them I patiently waited abt 5-7 mins so that they stop meddling with each other out of competition however that was in vein. I totally understand know how difficult is their job, specially the cameramen. They were falling & competing with each other. Couple of media person were putting mike behind me & brushed my ears & head also. There were moments when around ten mikes were about to hit my nose, I saved myself & duty personals were protecting it while being on duty," the statement read. "Personally I wasn't aware what's happening other side as was addressing the media and completely surrounded by media only. Even a cameraman hardly hit the Health minister with his camera on head while boarding the car & it wasn't reported at all, rather no need to as it happens out of rush. Many security guards had minor bruises. On such critical moments when hundreds of media surrounds & suddenly jumps for byte, it becomes bit difficult for us, media & security guards also. There were reports on few channels stating that it happened on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried the assault which is totally undesirable, baseless & meaningless. We always have been friendly with media and respond to them. I regret & condemn any charge on media. Such incidents must not take place, I will personally look into the matter & get it investigated," the statement added. The Bihar Chief Minister had called the meeting of all MPs, MLAs and other office bearers and leaders of the state to discuss the political situation in the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on alliance partner Lalu Yadav and family, following which, it was reported that Tejaswi's security personnel manhandled mediapersons outside the Bihar Secretariat. An ANI reporter, by the name of Rahul Singh, was amongst one of the mediapersons who were pushed aside. Meanwhile, holding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) solely responsible for the corruption charges slapped against him, Tejaswi Yadav remained defiant about not succumbing to the pressure or resigning, citing that the charges were a part of a political vendetta against him and his family. Tejaswi further said he was not surprised when the saffron party had a problem with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo and his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, but to be fearing the 28-year-old him is beyond his imagination. "The BJP is surprised to see a 28-year-old to not just rule the state, but also govern it efficiently. We will take an action against them. They don't deserve a place here," he said. Further denying the charges made against him, Tejaswi said that the charges date back to 2004-2006, when he was a 14-year-old and a teenage couln't be committing crimes. Earlier last week, 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 Tejashwi. 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. NEW DELHI: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, whose security personnel were yesterday accused of manhandling the mediapersons gathered to jot down his reaction as he emerged to speak to the media after a cabinet meeting, held by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Thursday clarified that when multitudes of mediapersons jostle to take a person's byte, it becomes difficult for the security guards to manage the crowd, while adding that he would personally look into the matter and get it investigated. Tejaswi took to his Facebook and posted a note that said he regrets and condemns any charge on the media. "There are misleading information about attack on media persons, on request of them I patiently waited abt 5-7 mins so that they stop meddling with each other out of competition however that was in vein. I totally understand know how difficult is their job, specially the cameramen. They were falling & competing with each other. Couple of media person were putting mike behind me & brushed my ears & head also. There were moments when around ten mikes were about to hit my nose, I saved myself & duty personals were protecting it while being on duty," the statement read. "Personally I wasn't aware what's happening other side as was addressing the media and completely surrounded by media only. Even a cameraman hardly hit the Health minister with his camera on head while boarding the car & it wasn't reported at all, rather no need to as it happens out of rush. Many security guards had minor bruises. On such critical moments when hundreds of media surrounds & suddenly jumps for byte, it becomes bit difficult for us, media & security guards also. There were reports on few channels stating that it happened on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried the assault which is totally undesirable, baseless & meaningless. We always have been friendly with media and respond to them. I regret & condemn any charge on media. Such incidents must not take place, I will personally look into the matter & get it investigated," the statement added. The Bihar Chief Minister had called the meeting of all MPs, MLAs and other office bearers and leaders of the state to discuss the political situation in the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on alliance partner Lalu Yadav and family, following which, it was reported that Tejaswi's security personnel manhandled mediapersons outside the Bihar Secretariat. An ANI reporter, by the name of Rahul Singh, was amongst one of the mediapersons who were pushed aside. Meanwhile, holding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) solely responsible for the corruption charges slapped against him, Tejaswi Yadav remained defiant about not succumbing to the pressure or resigning, citing that the charges were a part of a political vendetta against him and his family. Tejaswi further said he was not surprised when the saffron party had a problem with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo and his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, but to be fearing the 28-year-old him is beyond his imagination. "The BJP is surprised to see a 28-year-old to not just rule the state, but also govern it efficiently. We will take an action against them. They don't deserve a place here," he said. Further denying the charges made against him, Tejaswi said that the charges date back to 2004-2006, when he was a 14-year-old and a teenage couln't be committing crimes. Earlier last week, 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 Tejashwi. 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. Karamatullah K Ghori By Most commentators analysing the fate of Pakistans long-beleaguered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agree that the findings of the Joint Investigating Team (JIT) probing the huge business empire of Nawaz, his siblings and progeny, are highly damaging and could spell doom for the first family. Some of the comments are disparaging and scathing, to say the least. The Panama Leaks, detailing the stealthy commercial shenanigans of many world political leaders, in the spring of 2016, are history in most countries. But not in Pakistan. There, the issue has been a national preoccupation and of utmost interest to all and sundry ever since. The Panama papers or Panama gate, its more popular sobriquet in Pakistan, became a national obsession because the prime minister and his extended family were involved. What the leaks revealed wasnt novel. The people of Pakistan have had a fairly good inkling of how the Sharifs had risen from obscurity to political stardom in the span of only two generations. What had astounded most was their gathering of business fortunes in the process. Theirs was a story of typical carpetbaggers becoming fabulously rich overnight. Nawazs father was a man of humble origins from a little village outside Amritsar in Indias Punjab. He was a maker of run-of-the-mill metal pots and pans. But then, he knew the art of giving ego-massages to the denizens of power in Punjab, Pakistans heartland, that eventually paved the way for his sons to enter politics and use it as a vehicle to lard huge business fortunes of dubious provenance. The Panama Leaks opened a Pandoras box as far as the Sharifs shady business enterprises were concerned. The people of Pakistan, who had earlier believed they knew all they needed to about the Sharifs, were stunned to learn of half-a-dozen offshore companies registered in the names of Nawazs children. The revelations spoke of a web of questionable business undertakings of the PMs progeny, ensconced in the plush comfort of four luxury flats in Londons most expensive mile of prime properties. Such was the deafening roar of the peopletaken to a crescendo by an iconic Imran Khan, the Nawaz familys unrelenting tormentorfor accountability from the PM and his siblings and progeny that the countrys Supreme Court was compelled to start legal proceedings to get to the bottom of the sordid saga of corruption leading its trail up to Nawazs doorstep. It was the apex courts hung verdictwith two of the five judges finding Nawaz guilty of heading a Sicilian mafia with the other three opting for a more thorough look into the familys extensive business activitiesof April 20, that spawned the need for the JIT to probe the saga of the Pakistani first familys alleged money lust. The JIT was given 60 days to come up with its report. The submission of JITs report to the apex court, on July 10, instantly triggered a train of speculations and prognoses about Nawazs political future, with much of the fodder coming from the reports damaging findings of his familys ill-begotten billions. The JIT found Nawazwho appeared before it, a first in Pakistans chequered history with a sitting PM being grilledevasive, speculative and non-cooperative. Put on the mat, Nawaz was found deliberately parry(ing) most of the questions put to him ostensibly to conceal facts. Nawazs two sons, ensconced in the four high-end Mayfair flats for more than two decades and presiding over the shady businesses from there, didnt do any better, either. They dug themselves into holes by coming up with contradictory statements and obfuscating about the money-trail that has led them to El Dorado. Official communications from the governments of UAE and Qataron which Nawazs team of defence lawyers banked so much, gave a thumbs down to the Sharif familys canards. Documentation from Dubai revealed Nawazwho had strongly protested his non-involvement in the businesses of his two sonswas still a share-holder in a business enterprise located in Jebel Ali and drawing a monthly salary of ten thousand Dirhams. But the most damaging and sensational of all is JIT finding the first daughter Maryam Nawaz guilty of submitting bogus and fabricated documents to it in an attempt to establish her innocence. Surprisingly, and most interestingly, Maryam seems to have been done in by technology. The JIT found out she submitted an affidavitproving her being lily-whitebackdated to 2006, but using the Calibri font of Microsoft Word that hit the market for the first time in January 2007, while her affidavit bears the date of February 2006. Maryam is, or was until now, Nawazs heir-apparent, groomed by him, a la Indira Gandhi anointed by Pandit Nehru or Benazir by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She has long taken upon herself to tweet, abrasively, Donald Trump-style, almost daily, to be her fathers spokesperson. Her tweets, at times, have had more vitriol than Trumps. The JIT report has lobbed the ball back into the court of the apex court. However, at the bar of the peoples court, Nawaz and his thieving clanfamily and friends includedhave already been found guilty and condemned. As for Nawazs political detractors and opponents, led by a cavalier Imran Khan, they all think his goose has been cooked. The chorus for Nawazs immediate resignation is reaching a feverish pitch, already. Not surprisingly, the band of thieves larding his partys cadres has chosen to hit back questioning JITs impartiality. Their ploy seems focused on provoking a political crisis to spawn anarchy that may force the hands of a thus-far quiet-spectator-like military brass to intervene. Nawaz may relish the idea of becoming a political martyr. But the apex court may still have the last word in the episode. The drama has just begun. Karamatullah K Ghori Former Pakistani diplomat Email: K_K_ghori@hotmail.com Most commentators analysing the fate of Pakistans long-beleaguered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agree that the findings of the Joint Investigating Team (JIT) probing the huge business empire of Nawaz, his siblings and progeny, are highly damaging and could spell doom for the first family. Some of the comments are disparaging and scathing, to say the least. The Panama Leaks, detailing the stealthy commercial shenanigans of many world political leaders, in the spring of 2016, are history in most countries. But not in Pakistan. There, the issue has been a national preoccupation and of utmost interest to all and sundry ever since. The Panama papers or Panama gate, its more popular sobriquet in Pakistan, became a national obsession because the prime minister and his extended family were involved. What the leaks revealed wasnt novel. The people of Pakistan have had a fairly good inkling of how the Sharifs had risen from obscurity to political stardom in the span of only two generations. What had astounded most was their gathering of business fortunes in the process. Theirs was a story of typical carpetbaggers becoming fabulously rich overnight. Nawazs father was a man of humble origins from a little village outside Amritsar in Indias Punjab. He was a maker of run-of-the-mill metal pots and pans. But then, he knew the art of giving ego-massages to the denizens of power in Punjab, Pakistans heartland, that eventually paved the way for his sons to enter politics and use it as a vehicle to lard huge business fortunes of dubious provenance. The Panama Leaks opened a Pandoras box as far as the Sharifs shady business enterprises were concerned. The people of Pakistan, who had earlier believed they knew all they needed to about the Sharifs, were stunned to learn of half-a-dozen offshore companies registered in the names of Nawazs children. The revelations spoke of a web of questionable business undertakings of the PMs progeny, ensconced in the plush comfort of four luxury flats in Londons most expensive mile of prime properties. Such was the deafening roar of the peopletaken to a crescendo by an iconic Imran Khan, the Nawaz familys unrelenting tormentorfor accountability from the PM and his siblings and progeny that the countrys Supreme Court was compelled to start legal proceedings to get to the bottom of the sordid saga of corruption leading its trail up to Nawazs doorstep. It was the apex courts hung verdictwith two of the five judges finding Nawaz guilty of heading a Sicilian mafia with the other three opting for a more thorough look into the familys extensive business activitiesof April 20, that spawned the need for the JIT to probe the saga of the Pakistani first familys alleged money lust. The JIT was given 60 days to come up with its report. The submission of JITs report to the apex court, on July 10, instantly triggered a train of speculations and prognoses about Nawazs political future, with much of the fodder coming from the reports damaging findings of his familys ill-begotten billions. The JIT found Nawazwho appeared before it, a first in Pakistans chequered history with a sitting PM being grilledevasive, speculative and non-cooperative. Put on the mat, Nawaz was found deliberately parry(ing) most of the questions put to him ostensibly to conceal facts. Nawazs two sons, ensconced in the four high-end Mayfair flats for more than two decades and presiding over the shady businesses from there, didnt do any better, either. They dug themselves into holes by coming up with contradictory statements and obfuscating about the money-trail that has led them to El Dorado. Official communications from the governments of UAE and Qataron which Nawazs team of defence lawyers banked so much, gave a thumbs down to the Sharif familys canards. Documentation from Dubai revealed Nawazwho had strongly protested his non-involvement in the businesses of his two sonswas still a share-holder in a business enterprise located in Jebel Ali and drawing a monthly salary of ten thousand Dirhams. But the most damaging and sensational of all is JIT finding the first daughter Maryam Nawaz guilty of submitting bogus and fabricated documents to it in an attempt to establish her innocence. Surprisingly, and most interestingly, Maryam seems to have been done in by technology. The JIT found out she submitted an affidavitproving her being lily-whitebackdated to 2006, but using the Calibri font of Microsoft Word that hit the market for the first time in January 2007, while her affidavit bears the date of February 2006. Maryam is, or was until now, Nawazs heir-apparent, groomed by him, a la Indira Gandhi anointed by Pandit Nehru or Benazir by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She has long taken upon herself to tweet, abrasively, Donald Trump-style, almost daily, to be her fathers spokesperson. Her tweets, at times, have had more vitriol than Trumps. The JIT report has lobbed the ball back into the court of the apex court. However, at the bar of the peoples court, Nawaz and his thieving clanfamily and friends includedhave already been found guilty and condemned. As for Nawazs political detractors and opponents, led by a cavalier Imran Khan, they all think his goose has been cooked. The chorus for Nawazs immediate resignation is reaching a feverish pitch, already. Not surprisingly, the band of thieves larding his partys cadres has chosen to hit back questioning JITs impartiality. Their ploy seems focused on provoking a political crisis to spawn anarchy that may force the hands of a thus-far quiet-spectator-like military brass to intervene. Nawaz may relish the idea of becoming a political martyr. But the apex court may still have the last word in the episode. The drama has just begun. Karamatullah K Ghori Former Pakistani diplomat Email: K_K_ghori@hotmail.com By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Expressing his desire to make Amravati even better than Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asked the Japanese to help in making it possible. Participating in the Andhra Pradesh-Japan Public-Private Joint Conference held in Vijayawada, Naidu asked Japanese to treat Amaravati as their second home and contribute in making it even better than Tokyo. He said once all the infrastructure is in place, Japanese would feel at home in Amaravati and other parts of the State. Stating that Yosuke Takagi, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan is one the few VIPs he is constantly in touch with, Naidu said with help of Japanese technology, Amaravati can be turned into an enviable place. Showering praise over the Japanese minister, who, he said, had won elections five times in a row and held different portfolios, Chief Minister said, while Japan has technology resources and know how, India has ample opportunities. Japan is a developed nation, which is growing at 2-3 per cent, while India, being developing nation, is growing at 7.5 to 8 per cent and my State Andhra Pradesh is going at 11.6 per cent and I intended to see it cross 14 per cent, he said, indicating that Andhra Pradesh is the best bet for Japanese to make their investments. He also wanted more Japanese companies to be set up in the proposed Coastal Employment Zone. Japanese Minister Yosuke Takagi was all praise for AP, its Chief Minister and people. He said he was there when the foundation stone for Amaravati was laid the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was happy to see the progress. Mentioning the existing projects in the country and in AP, he said in past couple of years, the progress has been good. He hoped that relations between Japan and Andhra Pradesh would continue to improve further. A total eighteen presentations were made on different issues including smart infrastructure master plan, comprehensive traffic and transportation study of AP Capital Region, Traffic Decongestion System of Vijayawada, Water Treatment System etc. VIJAYAWADA: Expressing his desire to make Amravati even better than Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asked the Japanese to help in making it possible. Participating in the Andhra Pradesh-Japan Public-Private Joint Conference held in Vijayawada, Naidu asked Japanese to treat Amaravati as their second home and contribute in making it even better than Tokyo. He said once all the infrastructure is in place, Japanese would feel at home in Amaravati and other parts of the State. Stating that Yosuke Takagi, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan is one the few VIPs he is constantly in touch with, Naidu said with help of Japanese technology, Amaravati can be turned into an enviable place. Showering praise over the Japanese minister, who, he said, had won elections five times in a row and held different portfolios, Chief Minister said, while Japan has technology resources and know how, India has ample opportunities. Japan is a developed nation, which is growing at 2-3 per cent, while India, being developing nation, is growing at 7.5 to 8 per cent and my State Andhra Pradesh is going at 11.6 per cent and I intended to see it cross 14 per cent, he said, indicating that Andhra Pradesh is the best bet for Japanese to make their investments. He also wanted more Japanese companies to be set up in the proposed Coastal Employment Zone. Japanese Minister Yosuke Takagi was all praise for AP, its Chief Minister and people. He said he was there when the foundation stone for Amaravati was laid the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was happy to see the progress. Mentioning the existing projects in the country and in AP, he said in past couple of years, the progress has been good. He hoped that relations between Japan and Andhra Pradesh would continue to improve further. A total eighteen presentations were made on different issues including smart infrastructure master plan, comprehensive traffic and transportation study of AP Capital Region, Traffic Decongestion System of Vijayawada, Water Treatment System etc. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: The seizure of a series of wildlife items by a joint team of Crime Branch and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) from Bargarh has exposed the dark underbelly of Forest Department in Odisha. The main accused, Sushil Bhue, who was arrested with a foot-long ivory, weighing about 900 grams, was a watcher with the Bhatli Range under Bargarh Forest Division. Bhue hails from a village under Ambabhona police limits. The Department, however, has no clue about his past. Basing on the intelligence inputs from WCCB, the Crime Branch formed a joint team which carried out a decoy operation during which Bhue was arrested with the ivory. We have information that he was engaged with protection duty as a temporary staff. We would seek his termination from the job now as he has been arrested, said Special DG, Crime Branch, Bijay Kumar Sharma. The Crime Branch is trying to ascertain if the ivory belonged to an elephant which died in Bhatli range. Another raid led to seizure of a leopard skin, bear nails and at least 153 pieces of pangolin scales from Mahendra Bariha and Daitari Sara. Initial investigation shows that new pockets of Western districts are now finding place on the illegal trade map. Pangolin hunting and smuggling appears to be rampant in these pockets, Sharma said. Bargarh, an agricultural belt, did not report much wildlife while illegal trade was almost unheard of. This spate of seizures had busted the myth now. Wildlife poaching and clandestine trade is huge in many parts of Western Odisha given its proximity to Central India, where poaching communities from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh operate. Graziers from these landscape regularly visit the forests in the bordering districts and work as a communication point for the hunters. Gandhamardan and Sunabeda are their happy hunting ground, sources said. Bariha and Sara, both from Mahasamud in Chhattisgarh, had brought the pangolin scale from MP for sale in Bargarh. A minor species, pangolin is being hunted rampantly for its meat as well as scales. Much of it also goes to Mizoram. Pangolin scales are a massive trade in these pockets and those are believed to be finding their way to China too, where it is sold at US 3,000 dollars a-kg. The accused could be part of a larger network of poachers and smugglers active in Western pockets and trade the wildlife items. The fact that the forest staff were even unaware of the raids conducted by a team from WCCB Delhi and CB, speaks volumes about the pathetic intelligence system of the Forest Department. Another search operation by CB and WCCB yielded an animal skin, a second hide, a skull and some bones. The skull is stated to be that of a leopard. The items were handed over to Bargarh division for identification. BHUBANESWAR: The seizure of a series of wildlife items by a joint team of Crime Branch and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) from Bargarh has exposed the dark underbelly of Forest Department in Odisha. The main accused, Sushil Bhue, who was arrested with a foot-long ivory, weighing about 900 grams, was a watcher with the Bhatli Range under Bargarh Forest Division. Bhue hails from a village under Ambabhona police limits. The Department, however, has no clue about his past. Basing on the intelligence inputs from WCCB, the Crime Branch formed a joint team which carried out a decoy operation during which Bhue was arrested with the ivory. We have information that he was engaged with protection duty as a temporary staff. We would seek his termination from the job now as he has been arrested, said Special DG, Crime Branch, Bijay Kumar Sharma. The Crime Branch is trying to ascertain if the ivory belonged to an elephant which died in Bhatli range. Another raid led to seizure of a leopard skin, bear nails and at least 153 pieces of pangolin scales from Mahendra Bariha and Daitari Sara. Initial investigation shows that new pockets of Western districts are now finding place on the illegal trade map. Pangolin hunting and smuggling appears to be rampant in these pockets, Sharma said. Bargarh, an agricultural belt, did not report much wildlife while illegal trade was almost unheard of. This spate of seizures had busted the myth now. Wildlife poaching and clandestine trade is huge in many parts of Western Odisha given its proximity to Central India, where poaching communities from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh operate. Graziers from these landscape regularly visit the forests in the bordering districts and work as a communication point for the hunters. Gandhamardan and Sunabeda are their happy hunting ground, sources said. Bariha and Sara, both from Mahasamud in Chhattisgarh, had brought the pangolin scale from MP for sale in Bargarh. A minor species, pangolin is being hunted rampantly for its meat as well as scales. Much of it also goes to Mizoram. Pangolin scales are a massive trade in these pockets and those are believed to be finding their way to China too, where it is sold at US 3,000 dollars a-kg. The accused could be part of a larger network of poachers and smugglers active in Western pockets and trade the wildlife items. The fact that the forest staff were even unaware of the raids conducted by a team from WCCB Delhi and CB, speaks volumes about the pathetic intelligence system of the Forest Department. Another search operation by CB and WCCB yielded an animal skin, a second hide, a skull and some bones. The skull is stated to be that of a leopard. The items were handed over to Bargarh division for identification. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar on Tuesday announced that fish landing centres would be established at 10 coastal villages with all required facilities. The fish landing centres in 10 villages will be set up at a cost of Rs 89.50 crore, he told the Assembly at the end of a debate on the demand for grants for his department. One of the centres will be at Kunthukal village in Ramanathapuram district with a view to decongesting fishing vessels at Palk Bay, a fish landing centre which will have boat berthing facility, T-jetty and other facilities. The other places are: Kodiakarai, Chinnangudi, Kameshwaram, Pushpavanam (Nagapattinam district), Vempar (Thoothukudi), Kattumavadi and Ponnagaram (Pudukottai), Soolerikattukuppam (Kancheepuram) and Thazhanguda (Cuddalore). In order to help fishermen, who use catamarans, to purchase fibreglass boats, the government will provide 50 per cent subsidy. As many as 100 fishermen will be provided with a combined sum of Rs 2.12 crore during the current financial year. Similarly, Rs 1.60 crore would be distributed to inland fishermen as subsidy to help them purchase fishing net and fibreglass coracles. Meanwhile, the Policy Note on Fisheries department said that the government had issued orders to diversify trawlers from Palk Bay into deep sea tuna fishing long liner-cum-Gill netter boats in a phased manner in three years with funding assistance from the Centre and the State. The estimated unit cost of the new Tuna long liner cum Gill netter is Rs 80 lakh per boat. The scheme will be implemented with 70 per cent subsidy assistance subject to a maximum of Rs 56 lakh per boat and 20 per cent institutional finance and 10 per cent beneficiary contribution. Diversification of trawlers will prevent Tamil fishermen from straying into Sri Lankan waters. The Fisheries minister said a comprehensive scheme with a combined estimate of about Rs 2,000 crore was under study to protect coastal villages in the State. The scheme will be implemented with funding from the Centre.He also said steps would be taken to resolve the strife between Kasimedu fishermen and fisherfolk in Andhra Pradesh over fishing along the peripheries of Exclusive Economic Zone. CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar on Tuesday announced that fish landing centres would be established at 10 coastal villages with all required facilities. The fish landing centres in 10 villages will be set up at a cost of Rs 89.50 crore, he told the Assembly at the end of a debate on the demand for grants for his department. One of the centres will be at Kunthukal village in Ramanathapuram district with a view to decongesting fishing vessels at Palk Bay, a fish landing centre which will have boat berthing facility, T-jetty and other facilities. The other places are: Kodiakarai, Chinnangudi, Kameshwaram, Pushpavanam (Nagapattinam district), Vempar (Thoothukudi), Kattumavadi and Ponnagaram (Pudukottai), Soolerikattukuppam (Kancheepuram) and Thazhanguda (Cuddalore). In order to help fishermen, who use catamarans, to purchase fibreglass boats, the government will provide 50 per cent subsidy. As many as 100 fishermen will be provided with a combined sum of Rs 2.12 crore during the current financial year. Similarly, Rs 1.60 crore would be distributed to inland fishermen as subsidy to help them purchase fishing net and fibreglass coracles. Meanwhile, the Policy Note on Fisheries department said that the government had issued orders to diversify trawlers from Palk Bay into deep sea tuna fishing long liner-cum-Gill netter boats in a phased manner in three years with funding assistance from the Centre and the State. The estimated unit cost of the new Tuna long liner cum Gill netter is Rs 80 lakh per boat. The scheme will be implemented with 70 per cent subsidy assistance subject to a maximum of Rs 56 lakh per boat and 20 per cent institutional finance and 10 per cent beneficiary contribution. Diversification of trawlers will prevent Tamil fishermen from straying into Sri Lankan waters. The Fisheries minister said a comprehensive scheme with a combined estimate of about Rs 2,000 crore was under study to protect coastal villages in the State. The scheme will be implemented with funding from the Centre.He also said steps would be taken to resolve the strife between Kasimedu fishermen and fisherfolk in Andhra Pradesh over fishing along the peripheries of Exclusive Economic Zone. By PTI DHAKA: At least nine children from an ethnic minority community have died of a mysterious disease in Bangladesh with doctors struggling to diagnose the cause of the deaths. Forty-six others were being treated at a specialised hospital in southeastern Bangladesh. All the children, who have died in four days, belong to the Tripura tribe. "The children, aged between two and 10 years, belonged to the Tripura tribe... they were suffering from the disease with symptoms of watery diarrhoea, vomiting and respiratory complications," chief government doctor of Chittagong Azizur Rahman Siddique said. The disease appeared to be infectious one but so far was concentrated in one village, he said. Siddique asked the villagers to temporarily confine nearly 600 school-going children at home so that the disease could not spread. Officials of Sitakunda sub-district, where the disease broke out, said all the children belonged to the Tripura community. Four of them died today. A health ministry spokesman said a special medial team has been sent to the area for further actions. DHAKA: At least nine children from an ethnic minority community have died of a mysterious disease in Bangladesh with doctors struggling to diagnose the cause of the deaths. Forty-six others were being treated at a specialised hospital in southeastern Bangladesh. All the children, who have died in four days, belong to the Tripura tribe. "The children, aged between two and 10 years, belonged to the Tripura tribe... they were suffering from the disease with symptoms of watery diarrhoea, vomiting and respiratory complications," chief government doctor of Chittagong Azizur Rahman Siddique said. The disease appeared to be infectious one but so far was concentrated in one village, he said. Siddique asked the villagers to temporarily confine nearly 600 school-going children at home so that the disease could not spread. Officials of Sitakunda sub-district, where the disease broke out, said all the children belonged to the Tripura community. Four of them died today. A health ministry spokesman said a special medial team has been sent to the area for further actions. By PTI SINGAPORE: Subra Suresh, an eminent Indian- origin scientist in the US was today named as the President of Singapore's prestigious Nanyang Technological University. Suresh, 61, will begin his term as the fourth president of the NTU on January 1, 2018, taking over from current president Bertil Andersson. Prof Suresh joins NTU from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) where he was President for the last four years. Chairman of the NTU Board of Trustees, Koh Boon Hwee (Chairman of Agilent Technologies, Inc, former Chairman of both Singapore Airlines and DBS Bank), announced Prof Suresh's appointment in an email to NTU faculty, staff, students and alumni this afternoon, the NTU said in a statement. "The succession planning started last year and in line with international best practices of universities, NTU had conducted a global search for its next president in Singapore and internationally. The eight-member search committee chaired by Koh unanimously selected Prof Suresh for the top role at NTU, and his appointment has been strongly endorsed by all members of the NTU Board of Trustees," the statement said. "Prof Suresh understands the Singapore higher education and research systems, as well as those in North America, Europe, China and India, having actively engaged with various public and private agencies and boards, and as a member of a number of national academies of science and engineering. He is an educator, scientist, advisor, inventor, entrepreneur and leader all rolled into one," Koh said. Suresh is considered one of the most distinguished scientists in the US, if not the world. He was chosen by former US President Barack Obama to serve as Director of the National Science Foundation, the agency charged with advancing science and engineering research and education in the US between 2010 and 2013. His undergraduate degree was from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Chennai. In 2013, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in the US. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, making him one of the only 19 American scientists to be elected to all three branches. He also holds the distinction of being the first Asian- born professor to have served as engineering dean of the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he attained his doctorate in science. In 2011, Suresh was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India. SINGAPORE: Subra Suresh, an eminent Indian- origin scientist in the US was today named as the President of Singapore's prestigious Nanyang Technological University. Suresh, 61, will begin his term as the fourth president of the NTU on January 1, 2018, taking over from current president Bertil Andersson. Prof Suresh joins NTU from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) where he was President for the last four years. Chairman of the NTU Board of Trustees, Koh Boon Hwee (Chairman of Agilent Technologies, Inc, former Chairman of both Singapore Airlines and DBS Bank), announced Prof Suresh's appointment in an email to NTU faculty, staff, students and alumni this afternoon, the NTU said in a statement. "The succession planning started last year and in line with international best practices of universities, NTU had conducted a global search for its next president in Singapore and internationally. The eight-member search committee chaired by Koh unanimously selected Prof Suresh for the top role at NTU, and his appointment has been strongly endorsed by all members of the NTU Board of Trustees," the statement said. "Prof Suresh understands the Singapore higher education and research systems, as well as those in North America, Europe, China and India, having actively engaged with various public and private agencies and boards, and as a member of a number of national academies of science and engineering. He is an educator, scientist, advisor, inventor, entrepreneur and leader all rolled into one," Koh said. Suresh is considered one of the most distinguished scientists in the US, if not the world. He was chosen by former US President Barack Obama to serve as Director of the National Science Foundation, the agency charged with advancing science and engineering research and education in the US between 2010 and 2013. His undergraduate degree was from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Chennai. In 2013, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in the US. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, making him one of the only 19 American scientists to be elected to all three branches. He also holds the distinction of being the first Asian- born professor to have served as engineering dean of the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he attained his doctorate in science. In 2011, Suresh was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India. By Associated Press MOSCOW: The convicted killer of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors on Wednesday had asked for Zaur Dadayev to be sentenced to life. It was not immediately clear why the judge chose the shorter term. Four others convicted in involvement in gunning down Nemtsov on a bridge near the Kremlin in 2015 were sentenced to terms ranging from 11 to 19 years Thursday. Nemtsov was a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin and the killing sent shockwaves through Russia's beleaguered opposition supporters. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Nemtsov's allies have criticized investigators for not studying a possible role of Kadyrov in the killing. MOSCOW: The convicted killer of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors on Wednesday had asked for Zaur Dadayev to be sentenced to life. It was not immediately clear why the judge chose the shorter term. Four others convicted in involvement in gunning down Nemtsov on a bridge near the Kremlin in 2015 were sentenced to terms ranging from 11 to 19 years Thursday. Nemtsov was a top opponent of President Vladimir Putin and the killing sent shockwaves through Russia's beleaguered opposition supporters. Dadayev was an officer in the security forces of Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Nemtsov's allies have criticized investigators for not studying a possible role of Kadyrov in the killing. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Amid demands for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today convened an emergency Cabinet meeting to chalk out a strategy to counter the Panama case probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. The prime minister is expected to seek an endorsement from the Cabinet in the form of a resolution or a declaration, apart from briefing members about the party's strategy to challenge the Joint Investigation Team report in the Supreme Court, official sources said. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house, attended by members of Sharif's Cabinet and his legal team, including Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif is not ready to quit and his daughter Maryam confirmed it in a tweet. "Insh'Allah he won't resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him," she tweeted. Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time after serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. ISLAMABAD: Amid demands for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today convened an emergency Cabinet meeting to chalk out a strategy to counter the Panama case probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. The prime minister is expected to seek an endorsement from the Cabinet in the form of a resolution or a declaration, apart from briefing members about the party's strategy to challenge the Joint Investigation Team report in the Supreme Court, official sources said. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house, attended by members of Sharif's Cabinet and his legal team, including Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif is not ready to quit and his daughter Maryam confirmed it in a tweet. "Insh'Allah he won't resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him," she tweeted. Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time after serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. By Associated Press JERUSALEM: Israeli police questioned a close confidante and cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday over his involvement in the purchase of German submarines. David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and his personal attorney, arrived for questioning following revelations that he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal, raising the prospect of a conflict of interests. Shimron told reporters after leaving the investigators' offices near Tel Aviv that he "must respect the investigation and the investigators," and that he, therefore, could not comment. Police suspect Shimron was hired by the Germans because of his ties to Netanyahu so he could push the deal through. Police reportedly barred Shimron from communicating with Netanyahu, and Israeli representatives of German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp from discussing the case with their parent company. Israeli police have declined to comment on any details of the investigation. Suspicions of impropriety were heightened when former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said he was sidelined on the purchase plans which went forward after he was replaced last year. A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel also declined commenting on the investigation, saying it was an internal Israeli matter. Israel has ordered six submarines from Germany in the past two decades, with the final one scheduled for delivery in 2018. Israel recently decided to purchase three new vessels to replace its older submarines. Police have questioned Netanyahu over separate corruption allegations regarding questionable ties to top media, business and Hollywood executives. Netanyahu has dismissed the accusations as "baseless." JERUSALEM: Israeli police questioned a close confidante and cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday over his involvement in the purchase of German submarines. David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and his personal attorney, arrived for questioning following revelations that he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal, raising the prospect of a conflict of interests. Shimron told reporters after leaving the investigators' offices near Tel Aviv that he "must respect the investigation and the investigators," and that he, therefore, could not comment. Police suspect Shimron was hired by the Germans because of his ties to Netanyahu so he could push the deal through. Police reportedly barred Shimron from communicating with Netanyahu, and Israeli representatives of German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp from discussing the case with their parent company. Israeli police have declined to comment on any details of the investigation. Suspicions of impropriety were heightened when former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said he was sidelined on the purchase plans which went forward after he was replaced last year. A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel also declined commenting on the investigation, saying it was an internal Israeli matter. Israel has ordered six submarines from Germany in the past two decades, with the final one scheduled for delivery in 2018. Israel recently decided to purchase three new vessels to replace its older submarines. Police have questioned Netanyahu over separate corruption allegations regarding questionable ties to top media, business and Hollywood executives. Netanyahu has dismissed the accusations as "baseless." By PTI DOHA: Qatar Airways' outspoken boss Akbar Al-Baker accused neighbouring Gulf states today of "bullying" his country during the region's political crisis and said his company's profits would be hit by the dispute. Baker insisted that Qatar could sustain the impact of what he called a blockade imposed on Doha, but conceded that an impact on profits was inevitable for the Gulf carrier. "It has to (affect profits) because we have additional costs to operate in and out of the country," he said. "And this is normal when you are blockading somebody. They will have additional costs to operate in and out of the region." Pressed on how much of an impact there would be, Baker declined to give numbers. Last month the airline announced profits of USD 540 million for the financial year to March 2017, a 22 per cent increase on the previous 12-month period. But the airline faces a hit after the June 5 decision by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to impose sanctions on Qatar, over accusations it supports Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. Among the sanctions was a decision to close the airspace of the countries to Qatar Airways. This means the Doha-based carrier can no longer continue its lucrative services to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and has to divert some flights on longer routes because of airspace restrictions. Qatar denies the charges. Baker said Qatar could endure the crisis for "as long as it is there". "All the people have a normal life, all the supplies are available, actually more than what it was before, so what is the problem? "We need our neighbours to know that this kind of bullying doesn't work because the people of Qatar are very robust and we have no issue to have our normal life. "This is a loss for them not for us." He was speaking at a ceremony in Doha to show his company's support for Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al- Thani. Qatar Airways unveiled the latest in a growing number of huge billboards that have sprung up around Doha depicting a profile of the emir, with the words "Tamim the glory". The image has become the symbol of the country's defiance during the crisis and Qataris and non-Qataris have queued up to sign the boards expressing their support for the government. DOHA: Qatar Airways' outspoken boss Akbar Al-Baker accused neighbouring Gulf states today of "bullying" his country during the region's political crisis and said his company's profits would be hit by the dispute. Baker insisted that Qatar could sustain the impact of what he called a blockade imposed on Doha, but conceded that an impact on profits was inevitable for the Gulf carrier. "It has to (affect profits) because we have additional costs to operate in and out of the country," he said. "And this is normal when you are blockading somebody. They will have additional costs to operate in and out of the region." Pressed on how much of an impact there would be, Baker declined to give numbers. Last month the airline announced profits of USD 540 million for the financial year to March 2017, a 22 per cent increase on the previous 12-month period. But the airline faces a hit after the June 5 decision by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to impose sanctions on Qatar, over accusations it supports Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. Among the sanctions was a decision to close the airspace of the countries to Qatar Airways. This means the Doha-based carrier can no longer continue its lucrative services to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and has to divert some flights on longer routes because of airspace restrictions. Qatar denies the charges. Baker said Qatar could endure the crisis for "as long as it is there". "All the people have a normal life, all the supplies are available, actually more than what it was before, so what is the problem? "We need our neighbours to know that this kind of bullying doesn't work because the people of Qatar are very robust and we have no issue to have our normal life. "This is a loss for them not for us." He was speaking at a ceremony in Doha to show his company's support for Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al- Thani. Qatar Airways unveiled the latest in a growing number of huge billboards that have sprung up around Doha depicting a profile of the emir, with the words "Tamim the glory". The image has become the symbol of the country's defiance during the crisis and Qataris and non-Qataris have queued up to sign the boards expressing their support for the government. By PTI WASHINGTON: An influential American lawmaker has called for removal of country-specific quota for legal permanent residency, also known as Green Card in the US. Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder from Kansas, who yesterday became the lead sponsor of the previously Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, argued that the existing country-specific quota for Green card is unjust for people from countries like India and China. A report released this week said that the average wait time for an Indian technology professional or those seeking green card under employment category is more than 12 years. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act was previously introduced by former-Representative Jason Chaffetz, with Yoder as an original cosponsor. Currently, 230 Members of Congress are signed on as cosponsors of the bill, with more than 100 Members from each party in support. Yesterday, Yoder became its lead sponsor. The Act reforms the legal immigration system by eliminating the existing, arbitrary per-country percentage caps that have caused backlogs in the employment-based green card system, he said. "Under the existing per-country percentage caps, large nations like India and China, which account for more than 40 percent of the world's population, receive the same amount of visas as Greenland, a country that accounts for one-one thousandth of a per cent of the world's population," he said. "With about 95 per cent of the employment-based green card applicants already living and working in America on temporary visas, the vast majority of applicants are simply waiting in line to get approved for permanent residence. But high-skilled immigrants from large countries are forced wait two to three times longer under existing law, Yoder said. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act would correct this problem and leave in place a system where all equally-qualified, highly-skilled employees will receive green cards in the order they apply and based solely on the skills they are bringing to America, he asserted. Asserting that the United States is a nation of immigrants, as well as a nation of laws, Yoder said this legislation strikes the perfect balance by achieving significant reforms of employment-based green card system, helping American companies hire high-skilled immigrants to help grow the American economy. "Importantly, our bill helps them do it through the proper legal channels the right way which are all too often forgotten in debates over border security and illegal immigration. "And it helps the many immigrants who are already living and working here on temporary visas obtain permanent residence theyve earned through hard work and dedication to our country and its values, raising their families and children as Americans right here in our communities," Yoder said. WASHINGTON: An influential American lawmaker has called for removal of country-specific quota for legal permanent residency, also known as Green Card in the US. Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder from Kansas, who yesterday became the lead sponsor of the previously Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, argued that the existing country-specific quota for Green card is unjust for people from countries like India and China. A report released this week said that the average wait time for an Indian technology professional or those seeking green card under employment category is more than 12 years. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act was previously introduced by former-Representative Jason Chaffetz, with Yoder as an original cosponsor. Currently, 230 Members of Congress are signed on as cosponsors of the bill, with more than 100 Members from each party in support. Yesterday, Yoder became its lead sponsor. The Act reforms the legal immigration system by eliminating the existing, arbitrary per-country percentage caps that have caused backlogs in the employment-based green card system, he said. "Under the existing per-country percentage caps, large nations like India and China, which account for more than 40 percent of the world's population, receive the same amount of visas as Greenland, a country that accounts for one-one thousandth of a per cent of the world's population," he said. "With about 95 per cent of the employment-based green card applicants already living and working in America on temporary visas, the vast majority of applicants are simply waiting in line to get approved for permanent residence. But high-skilled immigrants from large countries are forced wait two to three times longer under existing law, Yoder said. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act would correct this problem and leave in place a system where all equally-qualified, highly-skilled employees will receive green cards in the order they apply and based solely on the skills they are bringing to America, he asserted. Asserting that the United States is a nation of immigrants, as well as a nation of laws, Yoder said this legislation strikes the perfect balance by achieving significant reforms of employment-based green card system, helping American companies hire high-skilled immigrants to help grow the American economy. "Importantly, our bill helps them do it through the proper legal channels the right way which are all too often forgotten in debates over border security and illegal immigration. "And it helps the many immigrants who are already living and working here on temporary visas obtain permanent residence theyve earned through hard work and dedication to our country and its values, raising their families and children as Americans right here in our communities," Yoder said. By AFP KHARTOUM: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir today suspended negotiations with Washington aimed at ending sanctions against Khartoum, after the United States extended its embargo for another three months, state media said. US President Donald Trump prolonged a review period overnight to October 12 before his administration decides whether or not to permanently lift the decades-old sanctions. His predecessor Barack Obama had eased the sanctions in January, but kept Sudan on review for six months, a period that ended today. Obama had made the permanent lifting of the sanctions dependent on the North African country's progress in five areas of concern at the end of the review period. In his executive order issued on yesterday, Trump extended the deadline, saying "more time is needed" for the review. And today, Bashir decided to suspend the talks between Washington and Khartoum. Bashir "issued a presidential decree ordering the suspension of the committee that was negotiating (the lifting of the sanctions) with the United States until October 12," the official news agency SUNA said, quoting a presidential decree. The committee has been negotiating for more than a year with US officials on lifting the American trade embargo in force against Khartoum since 1997. Prior to Bashir's decree, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour voiced Khartoum's disappointment over Trump's order. "We regret such a decision that came out after long negotiations between Sudan and the United States," he said. "The United States, Europe, Africa and the international community admit that Sudan has fulfilled its commitments when it comes to the five tracks, which is why we don't see any reason for extending the review period," he told reporters. "But we are still hoping that the sanctions will be lifted permanently." The areas of concern -- or "five tracks" -- include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan. "I have decided more time is needed for this review to establish that the government of Sudan has demonstrated sufficient positive action across all of those areas," Trump's order said, noting that "the government of Sudan has made some progress". 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 the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, the UN says. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and war crimes related to the conflict, charges he steadfastly denies. The UN said it had hoped the United States would make a "positive decision" on the sanctions against Sudan for allowing more humanitarian aid access across war zones. But some think-tanks had called for the review period to be extended, saying Khartoum needed to do more for the embargo to be lifted. The Enough Project, a Washington-based think-tank, said the Trump administration should now devise a new set of "smart and modernised" sanctions that would spare Sudan's people. They should "target those who are most responsible for grand corruption and atrocities, including air strikes on villages, attacks on churches, obstruction of humanitarian aid, jailing and torturing opposition figures and civil society leaders, stealing elections, and undermining peace efforts", said John Prendergast, founding director of Enough Project. KHARTOUM: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir today suspended negotiations with Washington aimed at ending sanctions against Khartoum, after the United States extended its embargo for another three months, state media said. US President Donald Trump prolonged a review period overnight to October 12 before his administration decides whether or not to permanently lift the decades-old sanctions. His predecessor Barack Obama had eased the sanctions in January, but kept Sudan on review for six months, a period that ended today. Obama had made the permanent lifting of the sanctions dependent on the North African country's progress in five areas of concern at the end of the review period. In his executive order issued on yesterday, Trump extended the deadline, saying "more time is needed" for the review. And today, Bashir decided to suspend the talks between Washington and Khartoum. Bashir "issued a presidential decree ordering the suspension of the committee that was negotiating (the lifting of the sanctions) with the United States until October 12," the official news agency SUNA said, quoting a presidential decree. The committee has been negotiating for more than a year with US officials on lifting the American trade embargo in force against Khartoum since 1997. Prior to Bashir's decree, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour voiced Khartoum's disappointment over Trump's order. "We regret such a decision that came out after long negotiations between Sudan and the United States," he said. "The United States, Europe, Africa and the international community admit that Sudan has fulfilled its commitments when it comes to the five tracks, which is why we don't see any reason for extending the review period," he told reporters. "But we are still hoping that the sanctions will be lifted permanently." The areas of concern -- or "five tracks" -- include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan. "I have decided more time is needed for this review to establish that the government of Sudan has demonstrated sufficient positive action across all of those areas," Trump's order said, noting that "the government of Sudan has made some progress". 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 the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, the UN says. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and war crimes related to the conflict, charges he steadfastly denies. The UN said it had hoped the United States would make a "positive decision" on the sanctions against Sudan for allowing more humanitarian aid access across war zones. But some think-tanks had called for the review period to be extended, saying Khartoum needed to do more for the embargo to be lifted. The Enough Project, a Washington-based think-tank, said the Trump administration should now devise a new set of "smart and modernised" sanctions that would spare Sudan's people. They should "target those who are most responsible for grand corruption and atrocities, including air strikes on villages, attacks on churches, obstruction of humanitarian aid, jailing and torturing opposition figures and civil society leaders, stealing elections, and undermining peace efforts", said John Prendergast, founding director of Enough Project. By AFP JEDDAH: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks today with four Arab states boycotting Qatar as part of a round of intense shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the regional crisis. Tillerson flew into Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country leads a four-state alliance that has cut ties with Qatar over accusations it supports extremism. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson is seeking to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. In a setback to his efforts, the four Arab states yesterday dismissed a counter-terrorism deal signed between Qatar and the United States that day as "insufficient". But today Tillerson underscored the shared mutual interests between the United States and Saudi Arabia notably in the areas of "security, stability... and economic prosperity". Speaking after meeting with the Saudi crown prince, the king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics, Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The secretary of state also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an attempt to mend fences between the crucial US allies. The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. Yesterday, after a stop in regional mediator Kuwait, Tillerson travelled to Doha where he described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. He also signed a deal which he said "lays out a series of steps the two countries will take over the coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter-terrorism activities globally." The deal meant Qatar was "the first to respond" to Trump's call at a summit in Riyadh in May "to stop the funding of terrorism", Tillerson said, suggesting such deals could be signed with the other Arab states as a step toward ending the crisis. But yesterday's initiative was dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saudi-led bloc. Commitments made by Qatari authorities "cannot be trusted," said a joint statement published by Saudi state news agency SPA. The bloc has issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar including closing broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, downgrading ties to Iran and shutting a Turkish military base in the emirate. Iran, Saudi Arabia's main arch-rival, has offered to export food to Qatar and today announced it was boosting ties with the Gulf state of Oman. Oman has maintained ties with Qatar and joined the Kuwaiti and US-led crisis talks this week. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain on June 5 announced sanctions, effective immediately, against Qatar over accusations Doha supported Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. They severed all diplomatic ties, suspended transport links with Doha and ordered all Qataris to return home within 14 days. Qatar refused to comply with the ultimatum and has consistently denied accusations of ties to Islamist groups. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on June 30 said the demand to close Al-Jazeera represented "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion," prompting a harsh response from the United Arab Emirates. In a letter to the rights chief, UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash accused Al-Jazeera of antiSemitism and inciting viewers to discrimination and violence. The letter lists the broadcasting of "sermons by the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, in which he praised Hitler, described the Holocaust as 'divine punishment'" and the regular airing of the speeches of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and others as examples of hatred. Tillerson's visit is the latest in a series by officials to the region, including UN diplomats and the foreign ministers of Germany and Britain, to try to resolve the row. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit the Gulf this weekend, with stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. JEDDAH: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks today with four Arab states boycotting Qatar as part of a round of intense shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the regional crisis. Tillerson flew into Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country leads a four-state alliance that has cut ties with Qatar over accusations it supports extremism. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson is seeking to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. In a setback to his efforts, the four Arab states yesterday dismissed a counter-terrorism deal signed between Qatar and the United States that day as "insufficient". But today Tillerson underscored the shared mutual interests between the United States and Saudi Arabia notably in the areas of "security, stability... and economic prosperity". Speaking after meeting with the Saudi crown prince, the king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics, Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The secretary of state also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an attempt to mend fences between the crucial US allies. The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. Yesterday, after a stop in regional mediator Kuwait, Tillerson travelled to Doha where he described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. He also signed a deal which he said "lays out a series of steps the two countries will take over the coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter-terrorism activities globally." The deal meant Qatar was "the first to respond" to Trump's call at a summit in Riyadh in May "to stop the funding of terrorism", Tillerson said, suggesting such deals could be signed with the other Arab states as a step toward ending the crisis. But yesterday's initiative was dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saudi-led bloc. Commitments made by Qatari authorities "cannot be trusted," said a joint statement published by Saudi state news agency SPA. The bloc has issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar including closing broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, downgrading ties to Iran and shutting a Turkish military base in the emirate. Iran, Saudi Arabia's main arch-rival, has offered to export food to Qatar and today announced it was boosting ties with the Gulf state of Oman. Oman has maintained ties with Qatar and joined the Kuwaiti and US-led crisis talks this week. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain on June 5 announced sanctions, effective immediately, against Qatar over accusations Doha supported Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran. They severed all diplomatic ties, suspended transport links with Doha and ordered all Qataris to return home within 14 days. Qatar refused to comply with the ultimatum and has consistently denied accusations of ties to Islamist groups. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on June 30 said the demand to close Al-Jazeera represented "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion," prompting a harsh response from the United Arab Emirates. In a letter to the rights chief, UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash accused Al-Jazeera of antiSemitism and inciting viewers to discrimination and violence. The letter lists the broadcasting of "sermons by the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, in which he praised Hitler, described the Holocaust as 'divine punishment'" and the regular airing of the speeches of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and others as examples of hatred. Tillerson's visit is the latest in a series by officials to the region, including UN diplomats and the foreign ministers of Germany and Britain, to try to resolve the row. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit the Gulf this weekend, with stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. By AFP DOHA: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today wrapped up a four-day mission to the Gulf with little sign of progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia and its allies against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip, before heading back to Washington. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to their arch-rival Iran. The diplomatic slack now appears likely to be picked up again by the Europeans, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heading to the region at the weekend. A French diplomatic source in Paris said that Le Drian would try "to recreate confidence, create an interest of all parties to engage in de-escalation". "We must find a way out." Le Drian's visit will follow similar trips made by his counterparts from Germany and Britain in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar since June 5. They have imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar. They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to end the worst political crisis in the region for years. Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands "unrealistic". It also claims the boycott has led to human rights violations, and today one group said abuses were one consequence of the crisis. "Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries' orders or leaving behind their families and job," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. Tillerson arrived back in Doha after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 24 hours earlier. On his previous visit on Tuesday, the US and Qatar signed an agreement to combat terror funding, subsequently dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saud-led states. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson has sought to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. Speaking after meeting with Prince Mohammed -- the Saudi king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics -- Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. On Tuesday, speaking in Doha, Tillerson described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. But an ongoing crisis may not looked upon as such a bad thing in the west, at least according to one analyst. "For public consumption at least, the US State Department is trying to send out a signal that it has worked hard with its three allies -- Saudi, UAE, Qatar -- to try to find a mutually agreeable solution," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP. "Britain, and now France, are also trying to do much the same. "Underneath the surface however... the US -- including Tillerson -- likely sees significant strategic and lucrative benefits to any long-running stand-off between these states." DOHA: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today wrapped up a four-day mission to the Gulf with little sign of progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia and its allies against Qatar. Tillerson met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip, before heading back to Washington. Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remained high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of supporting extremism and being too close to their arch-rival Iran. The diplomatic slack now appears likely to be picked up again by the Europeans, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian heading to the region at the weekend. A French diplomatic source in Paris said that Le Drian would try "to recreate confidence, create an interest of all parties to engage in de-escalation". "We must find a way out." Le Drian's visit will follow similar trips made by his counterparts from Germany and Britain in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar since June 5. They have imposed sanctions on Doha, including closing its only land border, refusing Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from Qatar. They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands with which to comply to end the worst political crisis in the region for years. Qatar denies the charges of extremism and called the demands "unrealistic". It also claims the boycott has led to human rights violations, and today one group said abuses were one consequence of the crisis. "Hundreds of Saudis, Bahrainis, and Emiratis have been forced into the impossible situation of either disregarding their countries' orders or leaving behind their families and job," said Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. Tillerson arrived back in Doha after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 24 hours earlier. On his previous visit on Tuesday, the US and Qatar signed an agreement to combat terror funding, subsequently dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saud-led states. The United States, a longtime ally of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis. While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states' decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson has sought to broker a diplomatic solution. The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington's top diplomat. Speaking after meeting with Prince Mohammed -- the Saudi king's son and a highly influential figure in regional politics -- Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership". The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world's oil supplies. While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military's largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet. On Tuesday, speaking in Doha, Tillerson described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states. But an ongoing crisis may not looked upon as such a bad thing in the west, at least according to one analyst. "For public consumption at least, the US State Department is trying to send out a signal that it has worked hard with its three allies -- Saudi, UAE, Qatar -- to try to find a mutually agreeable solution," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP. "Britain, and now France, are also trying to do much the same. "Underneath the surface however... the US -- including Tillerson -- likely sees significant strategic and lucrative benefits to any long-running stand-off between these states." By AFP PARIS: US President Donald Trump is willing to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House, but not yet, according to remarks released by the White House on Thursday. During a conversation aboard Air Force One flying into Paris, Trump said he was willing to engage the Russian leader despite controversy over the country's involvement in the 2016 US election. Asked whether he would invite Putin to the White House, Trump said he would "at the right time. I dont think this is the right time, but the answer is yes, I would." PARIS: US President Donald Trump is willing to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House, but not yet, according to remarks released by the White House on Thursday. During a conversation aboard Air Force One flying into Paris, Trump said he was willing to engage the Russian leader despite controversy over the country's involvement in the 2016 US election. Asked whether he would invite Putin to the White House, Trump said he would "at the right time. I dont think this is the right time, but the answer is yes, I would." By IANS BEIJING: China on Thursday said the Kashmir row between India and Pakistan is a bilateral dispute, days after a commentary in a daily indicated that Beijing is ready to resolve the issue because of its "vested interest". The Foreign Ministry told IANS that Beijing will not change its position on Jammu and Kashmir because of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which cuts through the disputed territory between India and Pakistan. "China's position on the issue of Kashmir is clear and consistent. It is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan and shall be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiation," the ministry said in an email statement. India has been opposed to third party mediation in the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, the northern third of which is held by Pakistan and the southern two thirds by India. "Building of the CPEC does not affect China's position on this issue. We sincerely hope that India and Pakistan will properly handle differences by increasing communication and dialogue, and jointly uphold regional peace and stability," the ministry said. "China is willing to make constructive efforts for the improvement of India-Pakistan relations." On Tuesday, a commentary in the Global Times daily said China was ready to resolve the Kashmir dispute between because it wanted to protect the multi-billion dollar CPEC. "Given the massive investment that China has made in countries along the One Belt One Road, China now has a vested interest in helping resolve regional conflicts including the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan," said the commentary. "China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, but that doesn't mean Beijing can turn a deaf ear to the demands of Chinese enterprises in protecting their overseas investments," it said. The $46 billion CPEC project, a key component of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road project, connects China's Kashgar in Xinjiang with Pakistan's Gwadar port in Balochistan - restive regions in both countries. India has opposed the route, saying it passes through Pakistani Kashmir. New Delhi claims the region as its own. China, which is hosting a mega Belt and Road Conference this month, wants India to be a part of the project. India has been non-committal about its attendance in the conference, which is likely to see participation by some 30 heads of state. BEIJING: China on Thursday said the Kashmir row between India and Pakistan is a bilateral dispute, days after a commentary in a daily indicated that Beijing is ready to resolve the issue because of its "vested interest". The Foreign Ministry told IANS that Beijing will not change its position on Jammu and Kashmir because of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which cuts through the disputed territory between India and Pakistan. "China's position on the issue of Kashmir is clear and consistent. It is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan and shall be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiation," the ministry said in an email statement. India has been opposed to third party mediation in the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, the northern third of which is held by Pakistan and the southern two thirds by India. "Building of the CPEC does not affect China's position on this issue. We sincerely hope that India and Pakistan will properly handle differences by increasing communication and dialogue, and jointly uphold regional peace and stability," the ministry said. "China is willing to make constructive efforts for the improvement of India-Pakistan relations." On Tuesday, a commentary in the Global Times daily said China was ready to resolve the Kashmir dispute between because it wanted to protect the multi-billion dollar CPEC. "Given the massive investment that China has made in countries along the One Belt One Road, China now has a vested interest in helping resolve regional conflicts including the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan," said the commentary. "China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, but that doesn't mean Beijing can turn a deaf ear to the demands of Chinese enterprises in protecting their overseas investments," it said. The $46 billion CPEC project, a key component of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road project, connects China's Kashgar in Xinjiang with Pakistan's Gwadar port in Balochistan - restive regions in both countries. India has opposed the route, saying it passes through Pakistani Kashmir. New Delhi claims the region as its own. China, which is hosting a mega Belt and Road Conference this month, wants India to be a part of the project. India has been non-committal about its attendance in the conference, which is likely to see participation by some 30 heads of state. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Contamination at a German factory that makes crucial machines used during open-heart surgery is the likely source of a global outbreak of deadly infections tied to the devices, the largest analysis to date shows. Scientists using whole-genome sequencing matched the DNA fingerprints of samples taken from infected heart-surgery patients from several countries, including the U.S., to samples from the devices, called heater-cooler units, in multiple hospitals and at the production site. The study, published Wednesday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, concludes that heater-cooler devices made at the LivaNova PLC plant in Munich, Germany, were contaminated during production. The analysis provides a critical piece of the puzzle behind more than 100 severe and sometimes fatal infections in cardiac surgery patients worldwide since 2013, researchers said. "Our study closes the missing gap," said Stefan Niemann, a professor with the German Center for Infection Research and one of the study's co-authors. However, officials with LivaNova said that the study was too limited to draw conclusions. "LivaNova is concerned that the article expresses a level of certainty about a point source tie to the manufacturing process that is not warranted by the data," spokeswoman Deanna Wilke wrote in an email. Scientists from Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland analyzed 250 DNA samples of Mycobacterium chimaera, an organism typically found in soil and tap water. The review included samples from 21 infected patients in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and data from another 12 in the U.S. and Australia. The analysis included samples from heater-cooler devices by LivaNova and a second German brand, Maquet, plus hospital water sources and environmental sources. Scientists found a high degree of similarity in samples from the patients and from the LivaNova heater-cooler units and the LivaNova factory. The authors noted that they were not able to link individual patients to particular heater-cooler units because they lacked enough water and air samples to document transmission. Infections have been linked to contaminated water in the devices that is then misted into the air. They also warned against ending investigations into the problem too soon. Researchers found that some hospital water systems and Maquet heater-coolers were contaminated, raising concerns about local contamination. Vincent Karst, 55, of York, Pa., was among those infected with Mycobacterium chimaera. Known as Vinnie, the father of five and grandfather to 15 appeared to do well after open-heart surgery in March 2015. But, according to a lawsuit, he fell mysteriously ill and had to be re-hospitalized with what doctors later said was an infection tied to the heater-cooler unit used during his operation. Karst died in May from complications of the infection, his lawyer said. Patients in several other states have filed lawsuits claiming they were infected, too. Karst's surgery used a Sorin 3T heater-cooler, a device that circulates water to warm or cool patients' blood during bypass operations. More than 250,000 operations using the devices are performed each year in the U.S., and about 60 percent are done with the Sorin 3T models approved for sale in 2006. After a 2015 merger, Sorin became LivaNova. At least five other manufacturers also sell heater-coolers in the U.S. and they all share a design that could pose a risk for infections, experts say. The heater-cooler devices use fans to regulate airflow. If the water in the system is contaminated with bacteria, the machines can send the germs into the air, where they can settle in open surgical sites or on cardiac implants before insertion. One complicating factor is that it can take months or even years to detect the slow-growing infections. Early reports of infections tied to heater-cooler units date to 2002, and Food and Drug Administration officials have said they were aware of the problem by 2014. At least 15 people in the U.S. have died, according to reports submitted to the agency. But the FDA waited more than a year to warn the public about the risk and even longer to provide recommendations for action to hospitals and patients. Critics contend that if the agency had intervened earlier, more patients would have avoided infections, even death. The agency now warns that for 3T devices manufactured before September 2014, there is strong evidence of common contamination at the manufacturing site in Germany. But spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said local contamination can also occur and hospitals should "perform appropriate follow-up measures." Lawrence Muscarella, a Pennsylvania patient-safety consultant, said he's concerned that a focus on contamination at the factory might lead hospitals to relax their vigilance about what are often called Nontuberculous mycobacteria, or NTM, infections. "[They] might incorrectly conclude that what's to blame for these infections is contamination at a company's manufacturing plant, something the hospital can do nothing about, rather than understanding that hospitals can reduce the risk of NTM infections in open-chest patients," he said. At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where six patients developed infections tied to heater-cooler units, experts solved the problem by putting the devices in a room connected to but separate from the operating room, said Dr. Michael Edmond. "I don't think we can safely say the machines can be decontaminated," said Edmond, a clinical professor of infectious diseases. "The only safe mitigation strategy is you have to separate the air that comes out of that machine from the air in the operating room." Since the hospital took that action in January 2016, no new infections have been detected. "It works beautifully," Edmond said. CANCER researchers in the UK may have stumbled across a solution to reverse antibiotic drug resistance and stop infections like MRSA. Experts warn we are decades behind in the race against superbugs having already exploited naturally occurring antibiotics, with the creation of new ones requiring time, money and ingenuity. But a team of scientists at the University of Salford say they may have found a very simple way forward - even though they weren't even looking for antibiotics. And they have created and validated several new antibiotics already - many of which are as potent, or more so, than standard antibiotics, such as amoxicillin. "A little like Alexander Fleming, we weren't even looking for antibiotics rather researching into new compounds that might be effective against cancer stem cells," explains Michael P. Lisanti, Chair of Translational Medicine at the University's Biomedical Research Centre. "I think we've accidentally invented a systemic way of creating new antibiotics which is simple, cheap and could be very significant in the fight against superbugs," added Dr Federica Sotgia, a co-author on the study. The Salford group specialize in cancer stem cells and specifically methods of inhibiting energy production in mitochondria, the "powerhouse" of cells which fuels the growth of fatal tumors. One of the team's work streams is how antibiotics can be effective against these mitochondria, so while searching a library of compounds for potential 'ammunition', they switched the focus and started hunting for compounds that were effective against mitochondria and could be tested as antibiotics. "Mitochondria and bacteria have a lot in common," stresses Lisanti. "We began thinking that if what we found inhibited mitochondria, it would also kill bacteria. So, these new anti-cancer agents should also be potential antibiotics. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The team sorted through 45,000 compounds, using a three-dimensional structure of the mitochondrial ribosome - first identified by Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel-prize winner (Cambridge, UK) and President of The Royal Society. They identified 800 small molecules which might inhibit mitochondria based on their structural characteristics and then whittled this down to the most promising 10 compounds, which they discovered using traditional phenotypic drug screening. Their results showed that these synthetic compounds - without any additional chemical engineering - inhibited a broad spectrum of 5 types of common bacteria, including Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, E. coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). They also killed the pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans. These new antibiotics are called 'Mito-riboscins' because they were found by targeting the mitochondrial ribosome in human cancer cells. 'Mito-riboscins' are equally if not more potent than standard antibiotics. "We have accidentally invented a new strategy for identifying and designing new antibiotics to target drug-resistant bacteria," added Professor Lisanti. "This was under our nose. The bottleneck with antibiotic discovery has been that there was no obvious systematic starting point. We may now have one. These broad-spectrum antibiotics were discovered, by simply screening candidates first on mitochondria in cancer cells." Nagoya University-led team reviews skin diseases to define a new type of genetic-based inflammation for improving diagnosis and treatment of rare skin conditions. Dry scaly skin, blistering, rashes. Many people will experience some kind of skin problem at some time in their life, if only briefly. However, some individuals are severely affected by chronic skin problems throughout their lives. Most sufferers of any kind of skin problem will agree that the timing and triggers of skin flare-ups are somewhat mysterious. Medical science has only recently begun to separate the environmental and genetic factors behind these conditions. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Now, an international collaboration lead by Nagoya University researchers has drawn on their experience helping patients with serious skin conditions to define a whole new category of genetic skin diseases. "Many skin disorders are put into the very broad group of inflammatory keratinization diseases. This term is not very helpful because is covers so many kinds of skin problems and doesn't consider if the route cause is inflammatory or genetic, or a combination of both," says group leader and lead author Masashi Akiyama. Keratinization is the process that forms the outer layer of our skin, based on tough and water-resistant proteins, including keratin and lipids, such as ceramides. However, any number of problems can stop keratinization from working properly, leading to familiar skin problems. For example, immune or allergic reactions and many types of eczema involve an inflammatory response, where the body's own immune system attacks itself, overreacting to an irritant. In their recent perspective article, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the Nagoya group argues that some skin conditions are actually an "autoinflammatory" response with a genetic basis. These conditions reflect a more uncontrolled primitive response of the body's deeper immune system, which does not necessarily depend on exposure to an irritant. "We have been finding more and more of these autoinflammatory related skin diseases and it's time we recognize this as a new category of inflammatory keratinization disease," says co-author Kazumitsu Sugiura. "A better understanding of the root causes of skin problems is the only way for physicians to help patients manage their conditions and develop more effective treatments." Around the country, a handful of nursing home companies have begun selling their own private Medicare insurance policies, pledging close coordination and promising to give clinicians more authority to decide what treatments they will cover for each patient. These plans are recent additions to the Medicare Advantage market, where private plans have become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional fee-for-service coverage. Unlike other plans, these policies offered by long-term care companies often place a nurse in the skilled nursing facility or retirement village, where they can talk directly to staff and assess patients' conditions. Some provide primary care doctors and nurses to residents in the homes or in affiliated assisted living facilities or retirement villages with the aim of staving off hospitalizations. "The traditional model is making decisions based on paper, and in our model, these decisions are being made by clinicians who are really talking to the staff and seeing the patient," said Angie Tolbert, a vice president of quality at PruittHealth, which began offering its plan to residents in 10 of its nursing homes in Georgia last year. "It's a big shift in mindset." Not everyone finds such plans superior. Some patients who are in disputes with the insurers have faulted the nursing home staff who work for the same company for not helping challenge decisions about coverage. They complain that the company holds an unfair advantage over Medicare beneficiaries. "There's a conflict there," said Toby Edelman, a senior attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy. In an Erickson Living retirement village in Silver Spring, Md., Faith Daiak signed up for an Erickson Advantage plan sold by a nurse whose office was in the main village building, according to her son, J.J. Daiak. After a bout with the flu last February weakened her enough to need a 10-day hospitalization, she was sent to her village's skilled nursing facility. There, the insurer repeatedly tried to cut short her stay. Erickson Advantage first said it would stop paying for Daiak, 88, because she wasn't getting healthier in the nursing facility. Her son appealed by pointing out that Medicare explicitly said as part of the 2014 settlement of a class-action lawsuit that patients do not have to be improving to qualify for skilled nursing care. Daiak's appeal was denied, but the issue was sidelined in March when her rapid weight loss in the nursing home sent her back to the hospital, he said. After Daiak returned to the nursing home with a feeding tube in her stomach, the insurer again tried to curtail her time there, saying she did not need that level of care. The family successfully appealed that decision after noting that Medicare's manual said feeding-tube maintenance required the skilled care of a nursing facility. In April, Erickson Advantage again said it would not continue paying for Daiak's stay. It reversed that decision after Kaiser Health News asked the company about the case, J.J. Daiak said. He said the plan did not explain its turnaround. While this Medicare Advantage plan touts its "team that knows you personally and wants to help," J.J. Daiak said he found the registered nurse at Erickson's Silver Spring community not helpful. "All I see is her trying to get Erickson out of having to pay for the nursing home," he said. He subsequently switched his mother to traditional Medicare coverage with a supplemental Medigap policy, which she had until this year. Erickson Living, the parent company of the nursing home and insurer, declined to discuss individual cases but noted that Medicare has given its insurance plans the best quality rating of five stars. In a written statement, the company said that "medical service determinations for Erickson Advantage members are based on reviews by licensed clinical staff and clinical guideline criteria. Our primary focus is always on ensuring that the healthcare being provided for our residents matches a patient's needs and established clinical treatment protocols." Edelman said the dispute was particularly troubling because Erickson's retirement villages are marketed on the promise that the company will care for seniors in all stages of aging. "They don't tell you what they won't pay for," she said. Popular Alternative There are nearly 18 million enrollees in the overall Medicare Advantage market. Medicare pays private insurers a set amount to care for each beneficiary. In theory, this payment method gives the insurers motivation to keep patients from needing costly medical services such as hospitalizations. A subset of Medicare Advantage plans are designed exclusively for people who either require or are expected to require at least 90 days of skilled services from nursing homes, assisted living facilities or other long-term care institutions. UnitedHealthcare directly offers three-quarters of these plans with about 40,000 enrollees, far more than those offered by nursing home companies. Matthew Burns, a UnitedHealth spokesman, said the majority of the company's plans are rated four stars or better on Medicare's five-star quality scale. "Our plans offer members quality and peace of mind and they are considered above average to excellent by CMS quality and performance standards," he said in a statement. United also underwrites Erickson's policies, which have around 200 enrollees, and were the first Advantage plans offered by a long-term care operator. Under the arrangement, Erickson Advantage decides when a nursing home stay is covered. Nick Williams, PruittHealth's care integration officer, said its Medicare insurance plan has resulted in 30 percent fewer hospitalizations among residents since it began last year. The company intends to expand the insurance coverage to residents at 42 of its other nursing homes in Georgia. Other nursing home chains are experimenting with this model in Missouri, South Carolina, Virginia and elsewhere. Anne Tumlinson, a Washington health care industry consultant who specializes in long-term care, said that when a nursing home's company is on the hook for the cost of hospitalizations of their patients, it is more likely to make efforts to prevent them. "It gets them out of hospitalizing people at the drop of the hat," she said. "If you live in a nursing home or are living in assisted living and they have one of these plans going, they're going to be investing heavily in 24/7 access to primary care." She said big insurers have so many different types of enrollees that they are less focused on the particular needs of nursing home patients. "They're too big, they're bureaucratic, and they are insurers, not providers," she said. The Costs Patients Face In Hingham, Mass., Suzanne Carmick has been frustrated with the Erickson plan's unwillingness to pay for most of her mother's prolonged stay. Last October, 98-year-old Lorraine Carmick went into Erickson's nursing home after a hospitalization. Eleven days later, Erickson Advantage notified Suzanne Carmick it would stop paying for the facility because it said her mother was strong enough to move with the help of a rolling walker. Under Medicare's rules, nursing home stays are not covered if a patient does not need daily physical therapy. Erickson said two or three days was sufficient for Carmick. Suzanne Carmick appealed the decision, saying Erickson exaggerated her mother's recovery, noting that she had dementia, an infection and was wearing two stiff leg braces. She said getting therapy five days a week provided in the nursing home would help her mother recover faster. "She still cannot stand up or sit down or go anywhere without an aide helping her by pulling her up or setting her in a chair," Carmick wrote. "She is improving but is now supposed to stop or decrease PT [physical therapy], and she must start paying out-of-pocket?" After a weeks extension, the nursing home began billing her mother at its daily rate of $463, which rose to $483 this year as Lorraine Carmick remained in the nursing home. A Medicare appeals judge subsequently ruled Ericksons action was justified, based on the testimony from the nursing home staff all Erickson employees. If the insurer had covered a maximum stay, Carmick would have avoided more than $30,000 in bills she now owes. Suzanne Carmick said her mother has been on a wait list for six months for a bed on a less expensive floor in the nursing facility. "It is a closed system where the skilled nursing facility, physicians and Medicare Advantage plan are all one and the same," she said. "The Erickson Advantage plan is turning out to be quite a disadvantage at this point." New pledges will ensure young people are given a voice when forming future research and policies Global HIV leaders have committed to ensuring young people affected by HIV/AIDS play an integral part in shaping new research and policies to strengthen HIV prevention, testing and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. The agreement was made during a special roundtable discussion organized by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the charity Sentebale and its Co-Founding Patron Prince Harry. His Royal Highness joined School Director Professor Peter Piot and Sentebale Chief Executive Officer Catherine Ferrier, along with other key global health figures to hear first-hand why youth in the region are failing to test for HIV and access the relevant follow-up care and treatment. Sentebale youth advocates from Lesotho and Botswana described the challenges of living with HIV, and the barriers that prevent young people in Southern Africa from knowing and managing their HIV status, including stigma, poor education and services that rarely engage with the reality of being a young person living with or at risk of HIV. While great progress has been made in tackling the HIV epidemic in recent years, evidence shows adolescents have been left behind. UNICEF reported in 2015 that the number of adolescent deaths from AIDS had tripled in 15 years. UNAIDS estimates highlight that in 2016, there were 150 deaths every day amongst adolescents due to AIDS-related illnesses, and HIV remains one of the leading causes of death for adolescents in Africa. The situation is particularly urgent for adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, nearly 7,500 young women aged 1524 years acquired HIV each week. Sentebales Co-Founding Patron Prince Harry said: To me it is totally absurd that in today's world that for young people, the first time they hear anything about HIV and AIDS, its 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 and say, Ive lived it [] and I want to come forward and make a difference. At the roundtable event, key representatives from organizations including UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, PEPFAR, and the International AIDS Society outlined commitments as to how they, as the leading figures in the AIDS response, could help address the needs of youth across the sub-Saharan African region. These commitments included raising the voice of youth in southern Africa at next years International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, providing a stronger platform for evidence-based decision-making around HIV prevention, testing and treatment among adolescents, and enhanced support for lobbying Ministries of Health to tackle policy issues. The youth advocates insights help pave the way for new research avenues, and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine experts outlined how they will work to ensure the best scientific evidence is available to help shape interventions and improve the quality of life of young people living with HIV. Marijke Wijnroks of The Global Fund said: We need to incorporate young people into programmes and research, not just make them the focus of it. Presenting at the roundtable were youth advocates Tlotlo Moilwa, a young woman from Botswana, and Kananelo Khalla, a young man from Lesotho, both of whom are living with HIV. Tlotlo calls herself OctoberBabie because she was born in October; she lost both her parents during the month of October; she was diagnosed with HIV in October and began treatment the same month. In March 2016, she came out publicly about her HIV status with the main aim of supporting and motivating other adolescents living in despair because of HIV. Kananelo is active in youth and paediatric HIV/TB care and treatment in Lesotho and has previously received help through Sentebales psychosocial support programme and through school bursaries. Sentebale Youth Advocate, Kananelo, said: I want to give a sense of hope that there is still life if you are HIV-positive [] I have a vision of keeping the next generation alive. Also representing the voice of young people at the roundtable was Tsepang Maboee, a young woman from Lesotho, who made the decision, with the support of her grandmother, to publically share her status during her visit to London. Tsepang lives in Mafeteng, a district with one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country. Tsepang became a youth advocate having become involved in Sentebales peer educator programme, because she felt that young people were rarely able to access youth-friendly services, and as a result they did not opt to seek the health services they needed. The barriers to accessing healthcare were amongst the core issues discussed at the roundtable. Guests at the event included Dr Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, Ambassador Deborah Birx, US Global AIDS Coordinator for PEPFAR, Marijke Wijnroks from the Global Fund, and Midori Miyazaki from the Handa Foundation among others. The key themes that emerged were around the importance of reducing the stigma of attending health facilities to encourage people to test for HIV, better education on sexual reproductive health, and rights and psychosocial support to those who are HIV-positive to help them lead healthy, productive lives. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to working with partners like Sentebale to provide high-quality research to help inform HIV programmes targeted towards young people in sub-Saharan Africa. School researchers will bring together the latest and most rigorous scientific evidence on barriers to young people in sub-Saharan Africa knowing and managing their HIV status, along with best-practice approaches to address these challenges. They will also develop a brief that consolidates evidence and builds on research on the drivers of HIV for young people, including alcohol, intimate partner violence, transactional sex, stigma and social norms. Professor Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who was formerly founding Executive Director of UNAIDS, said: The largest ever generation of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk of HIV and yet the world is not listening to them. Young people should be involved every step of the way, from research development to policymaking. It was a privilege to welcome Prince Harry and other global HIV/AIDS influencers, and especially the youth advocates. Hearing their experiences should be a wake-up call for researchers and policymakers as HIV/AIDS is not over, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Working with Sentebale we will develop a roadmap for best practice in tackling issues faced by young people affected by HIV, and the School will continue to be at the forefront of HIV/AIDS research. We need to listen to young people and understand what they are going through. Their experiences remind us that we must work together as a global health community, allowing all young people whatever their HIV status to lead healthy, happy and productive lives. Ahead of the roundtable session, Prince Harry was given a tour of the School where he learnt of its vital work in combating some of the world's most pressing health issues. His Royal Highness heard about Peek, an organization which aims to increase access to eye care by using apps and other technology to find people living with avoidable blindness, and was given an overview of the Schools response to the recent Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The Prince met researchers working on various HIV interventions including de-stigmatisation, saw a demonstration of an HIV self-testing kit currently being used in a trial in Malawi, and learnt of the links between domestic violence and women and girls risk of HIV. This event forms part of Sentebales newly developed initiative called Let Youth Lead, which Co-Founding Patron, Prince Seeiso launched in Lesotho in April. The programme provides a platform for youth to advocate to their peers to test for HIV and manage their status whether it is negative or positive, and to drive positive change in HIV interventions that better support the needs of this age group in the region. The programme has evolved from the charitys presence at the International AIDS Conference in Durban in 2016, where Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso presented with Sir Elton John and a group of young people living with HIV in a session called Ending AIDS with the Voices of Youth. This, combined with Sentebales expertise of working with youth delivering programmes of psychosocial support and peer-led HIV testing and counseling services, has guided the charity to launch this new initiative aimed at encouraging all youth across sub-Saharan Africa to know and manage their HIV status by 2020. Sentebales ambition for 2020 is to be operating in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This began in 2016 with expansion into Botswana, and will continue forward with Sentebale expanding its programme of psychosocial support to reach more 10 to 19 year olds living with HIV in Malawi, helping ensure they adhere to their medication and can lead healthy, happy lives. Proscia Inc., a software solutions provider for digital pathology, announced today the introduction of its new concept: Software as a Lab. Proscias President and CEO David West will outline how the pathology lab of the future will operate in a session at the 2017 Digital Pathology Congress: USA on July 10-11 in Chicago. He will address how the role of the pathologist will change as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques are applied to digital pathology. Just as radiology has been transformed over the past decade, pathology is set to experience a similar disruption, said West. Proscia is building software that will augment the work of the pathologist through deep learning and image-based diagnostics. The concept of Software as a Lab begins a deeper exploration of what this evolution means for the pathologist. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Until recently, pathology labs have relied on the same optical microscopes and techniques in use for the past 150 years. With the introduction of whole slide imaging and artificial intelligence software, pathology labs are on the verge of a massive digital evolution. While a majority of pathology labs are just being introduced to whole slide imaging, those who have adopted this cutting-edge technology are already experiencing many of its benefits. This includes telepathology, where slides can be reviewed by experts located anywhere in the world, and whole slide image analysis, where software is trained to highlight features not easily visible to the human eye. It is inaccurate to think of this digital evolution as man vs. machine, added West. This is a great opportunity to develop innovative techniques that will ultimately improve the work of the pathologist when it comes to researching and diagnosing cancer. The transformation is happening, and we aim to educate pathologists on ways they can take advantage of our groundbreaking software. The 2017 Digital Pathology Congress attracts over 200 industry and academic experts in the field of pathology who want to fully understand both the technology and accompanying informatics and image analysis tools and utilize digital pathology to its greatest potential. In particular, the meeting will examine the applications and benefits of adopting digital pathology as well as the business case to be made for it. Source: https://proscia.com/ To enhance the visibility of organs as they are scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), patients are usually injected with a compound known as a contrast agent before going into the scanner. The most commonly used MRI contrast agents are based on the metal gadolinium; however, these metal compounds can be harmful for young children or people with kidney problems. Researchers from MIT and the University of Nebraska have now developed a metal-free contrast agent that could be safer to use in those high-risk groups. Instead of metal, this compound contains organic molecules called nitroxides. Furthermore, the new agent could be used to generate more informative MRI scans of tumors because it can accumulate at a tumor site for many hours without causing harm. "This is an entirely organic, metal-free MRI contrast agent that would allow cancer researchers to start to think about how to image tumors in a dynamic way over long periods of time," says Jeremiah Johnson, the Firmenich Career Development Associate Professor of Chemistry at MIT. Johnson is the senior author of the study, which appears in the journal ACS Central Science. The paper's lead author is MIT graduate student Hung Nyugen. Other MIT authors are former postdoc Qixian Chen, postdoc Peter Harvey, graduate student Yivan Jiang, and professor of biological engineering Alan Jasanoff. Alternatives to metal MRI scans often rely on contrast agents that interact with water, influencing how the water molecules respond to a magnetic field. Contrast agents that exert a strong effect are said to have high "relaxivity," which enhances the visual contrast between the target organ and surrounding tissue. Most MRI contrast agents are based on gadolinium, which has very high relaxivity. These agents are usually excreted by the kidneys within about half an hour, so they can't be used in people with certain types of kidney problems because the gadolinium will build up and exacerbate the kidney damage. Some agents are also considered potentially unsafe to use in babies. "Gadolinium agents are by far the most commonly used, clinically," Jasanoff says. "However, people do have some safety concerns about them, despite their wide use. There has been interest in going to non-gadolinium-containing contrast agents." Less often used are contrast agents made from iron oxide nanoparticles, which are considered somewhat safer because the body already contains iron. But some of these have also generated safety concerns recently. As a possible alternative, scientists have tried developing nonmetal agents such as organic radicals, which are organic compounds that have unpaired electrons. However, these compounds tend to be very unstable, so they are usually broken down in the bloodstream within minutes. Also, these molecules generally have only one unpaired electron, so they don't produce as much MRI contrast as metal agents. In a study published in 2014, Johnson and his colleagues tried to improve the relaxivity of nitroxide radicals by assembling them into a structure known as a bottle brush polymer. This improved their stability and relaxivity, but not enough for imaging over long time periods, which is often necessary in cancer imaging. In the new paper, the researchers loaded the nitroxide molecules into a different type of polymer structure known as a brush-arm star polymer (BASP). This structure consists of many polymer chains arranged so that the spherical particle has a hydrophilic (water-attracting) core surrounded by hydrophobic (water-repelling) shell. The researchers found that creating a high density of nitroxide molecules at the interface between the shell and core of the nanoparticles greatly increased the MRI relaxivity of the overall particle, to a level similar to that of metal-based agents. The polymer shell also protects the radicals from being broken down in the bloodstream. The particles are stable enough to last in the bloodstream for up to 20 hours, long enough to accumulate in a tumor in mice. The researchers also showed that the nitroxide BASP nanoparticles are not harmful to mice even at very high doses. Long-term monitoring Johnson says that these particles could be designed to carry drugs as well as an MRI contrast agent, which would allow for long-term imaging of a tumor to monitor whether the drug is shrinking it. He is also working with researchers at MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research to attach the contrast agent particles to antibodies that would help them to target specific cells for imaging and possibly drug delivery. Another possibility is attaching the contrast agent to immune cells engineered to attack a patient's tumor, allowing the cells to be tracked inside the body. "We're trying to make particles that we can dock on cells and then watch the cells move in vivo," Johnson says. His lab is also working on improved versions of the contrast agent which have an even higher density of nitroxide, thus improving their relaxivity and enhancing the MRI contrast even more. Source: http://news.mit.edu/2017/metal-free-mri-contrast-agent-could-be-safer-some-patients-0712 The rise in direct-to-consumer DNA testing has increased the likelihood of individuals unexpectedly finding out they are donor-conceived, raising important ethical questions, warns social scientist Dr Marilyn Crawshaw from the University of York. In the commentary, published in Human Fertility, it is highlighted that, due to the rise in direct-to-consumer DNA testing, there is now a need for fertility services to alert prospective parents to the possibility that if they decide not to tell their children of their donor-conceived origins themselves, they may later learn of them in unplanned ways due to direct-to-consumer DNA testing. Equally, it is highlighted that donors should be informed that their anonymity under UK law cannot be guaranteed due to the rise in these services. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today As a result of direct-to-consumer DNA testing, Crawshaw recommends the genetic testing industry should provide information and support to anyone who is affected by uncovering unexpected information. The science of DNA is fast moving and we cannot ignore it. As a result, as well as parents deciding whether to tell their donor-conceived children of their origins, we now have adult children having to decide whether to tell their parents that they themselves were donor-conceived. Secrets have become even more dangerous said author Dr Crawshaw. There have been reports for some time of donor-conceived individuals successfully searching for their donor or donor-related siblings. However, the experiences described in this commentary show that individuals of all ages may unintentionally discover that they were donor-conceived if they or their family members take DNA tests for unrelated reasons. Many of the users of these direct-to-consumer DNA tests use the services to find out their familys health history, or to discover who their ancestors were, and finding information about their or their relatives donor conception origins is wholly unexpected. As the cost of direct-to-consumer DNA testing drops, and with over 3 million people already having used sites such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA, there is a strong likelihood of am uptake in genetic testing - leading to many more instances of people uncovering unexpected genetic relationships. The commentary illustrates the challenges and rewards faced by three older women (and their families) on learning not only of their donor conception origins but also their genetic relationship to each other and 16 other donor-related siblings. Editor in Chief of Human Fertility Professor Allan Pacey from the University of Sheffield said: Children conceived using donor sperm have similar health and well-being to the general population, according to a study published in Reproductive BioMedicine Online. The study of 224 Australian children aged between 5 and 11 was the largest study to date to examine the psychosocial development of school-aged children conceived using donor sperm. This was also the first study to describe health outcomes of these children. "For prospective parents, the decision to use donor sperm can seem like a step into the unknown," said Professor David Amor from Murdoch Children's Research Institute. "Our results should provide reassurance that the physical, psychological and mental health of children conceived using donor sperm is similar to that of children in the general population." The retrospective, descriptive study used questionnaires with validated scales to measure the psychosocial and mental health, healthcare needs and child development. These questionnaires were completed by the mothers of the children. The results showed that the well-being and health of the children were similar to the general Australian population. The rise in the use of donor sperm means that this is an increasingly important topic. This study should be reassuring to anyone who was a child conceived through the use of donor sperm, or who is thinking about starting a family using this method. More studies looking at the health and well-being of children conceived using a sperm donor in different populations are needed to confirm these findings in the wider population. An interesting additional finding of the study was that the type of family structure (heterosexual couples, single women or lesbian couples) did not appear to impact the health or well-being of the children. The mothers' health and well-being were also measured using a questionnaire with the results suggesting that these women appeared to have better physical and mental well-being than the general Australian population. Japanese automaker, Nissan has appointed Thomas Kuehl as president of its India Operations. In this role, Kuehl, who joins Nissan from Volkswagen, will be responsible for both Nissan and Datsun brands and will head all operations in India including Marketing and Sales, Manufacturing and Research and Development.Nissan India is an increasingly important part of Nissans future growth plans, said Peyman Kargar, chairman of Nissans Africa, Middle East and India region. Thanks to his diverse and deep global auto industry experience, Thomas will help drive our business forward with a focus on delivering the best products and satisfaction for our customers, dealers, and employees in India. Kuehl brings more than 22 years of automotive experience in different countries and different areas of the value chain, as well as a deep knowledge of the Indian market gained during his time as Brand Head of Skoda Auto India and Executive Director Corporate Strategy for Volkswagen Group, India.Commenting on his appointment, Thomas Kuehl said, I am excited to be returning to India with Nissan. I have the first-hand experience of the dynamism and great potential of India, which is on track to become one of the top three auto markets worldwide.Nissan is also poised for significant growth with an expanding range of great products, technologies and services across the Nissan and Datsun brands and a well-established and quality-driven national retail network, supported by local production and R&D in Chennai, added, Thomas.Kuehl replaces Guillaume Sicard, who stepped down from the role as President, India Operations recently to take up a new post with Alliance partner Renault as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific and Managing Director, South Asia. Kolkata: In a boon for unorganised sector, the Union government is planning to create a social security fund. The social security fund is a scheme to support various segments of unorganised sector in India. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Thursday said, "We are planning to create a social security fund and will soon start working on Unorganised Workers Identification Number (UWin) card within few months." While inaugurating the new office building of the Employee's State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), he said, "A committee has already been set up to look after the matter and nearly 43 crore labourers working in unorganised sector will be benefitted under the scheme." He said, "It will be linked with Aadhaar and initially 10 crore unorganised workers will be registered under the UWin card scheme. I would like to urge the state government to help centre in this project." Regarding EPFO's investments in the stock market, he said, "The Centre has decided to invest 15 percent of its investible fund to exchange traded fund (ETF) in 2017-18. Nearly Rs 23,000 crore of the Rs 1.5 lakh crore of investible funds of the Employee's Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will be invested in ETF. While expressing his unhappiness over the absence of state labour minister from the inaugural event, he said, "It is unfortunate that the state Labour Minister (Moloy Ghatak) and the state government representatives skipped today's event. They should have attend this programme because it was not a political event but an event for the labourers." New Delhi: Tata Consultancy Services has decided to shut its operations centre in Lucknow and has asked project managers to finish their programmes by December. While the company has given the employees an option to shift to other locations, #SaveTCSLucknow was trending on Twitter as IT professionals claimed their jobs were at risk. Hours after this announcement, India's biggest IT firm declared disappointing financial results for the quarter ended June 2017. The company's profit fell 10% while revenue declined 0.2%, compared with the previous quarter. With profit margins shrinking, the pressure to stay competitive has increased. Trimming the headcount is the most immediate solution that management embarks on. And the layoffs story may get worse. The IT sector is projected to shed 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh jobs every year over the next three years as the industry is disrupted by new technologies like automation, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. And the only option before techies is to learn new skills. Mid-level techies who are in the 35 plus age bracket and earning between Rs 20 lakh and 2 crore per annum are the most at risk, according to Kris Lakshmikanth, CEO and Managing Director of Head Hunters India, an executive search firm. Rather than outright firing, management may resort to other means to persuade them to leave. "They may shut a Lucknow operations Centre and give the employees an option of moving to Patna or some other small centre. How many people would want to move? Many of them would have a home, a family and a home loan which they cannot afford to let go off," he told News18. Earlier this year, global consultancy firm McKinsey in a report said that nearly half of the IT workforce of nearly 40 lakh will be irrelevant over the next 3-4 years. The report suggested that firms must invest in new service lines and solutions and build new capabilities besides acquiring and re-skilling employees in emerging technologies. The business model of IT firms till now was based on price arbitrage: the premise a techie in India could do the same work that a techie in America does at a fourth or a fifth of the cost. This led to India becoming the outsourcing and services hub of the world. Typically, an Indian IT firm was skilled in application maintenance, 50% of revenues came from this. However, the digital transformation underway is making this stream redundant. Most applications now are cloud based and the need for maintenance has come down. One can work on the cloud on the go: A bank or finance professional with a mobile/laptop and an internet connection can work from anywhere, cutting out the need for an IT firm to upgrade and maintain systems, which Indian companies specialised in. The McKinsey report said: "India's IT-BPM industry is feeling the impact of the global slowdown and global political uncertainties as clients go slow on their decision-making and investment processes." Lakshmikanth said that there is tremendous pressure on Indian companies to reduce costs by 10% annually in order to stay competitive. Increasing automation is also taking a toll. IT can be automated upto 25% and that is happening to cut overhead costs. The fate of BPO is even more precarious because the extent of automation is even greater. Upto 80% of a call centre's function can be automated, thus reducing the headcount. The billing model of Indian IT companies in the past was a function of time and manpower. On a certain project they calculated the number of people and the man hours each put in and worked out the project cost on that basis. But now clients are paying per transaction. So it makes more sense to automate as much as possible, increasing the efficiency and speed of transactions processed. The technological and geopolitical headwinds that Indian IT is running into mean that disruptive forces will change the nature of the industry. Unfortunately, layoffs are the most visible and distressing manifestation of this. New Delhi: RBI is still counting the old denotified notes banned by the government in November last year. RBI governor Urjit Patel told this to a parliamentary panel on Wednesday in Delhi. Patel was appearing before the Finance Standing Committee of Parliament. Opposition members who posed some difficult questions to the RBI chief were not satisfied with the answer. A member wondered if the counting would get over before May 2019 when the term of the Narendra Modi government ends. The RBI governor informed the panel headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily that more than 15 lakh crore of currency of the 17-odd crores demonetised is back in circulation. Moily said the Committee will present its report on demonetisation in the Monsoon Session of Parliament and that the RBI governor will not be called again on the note ban issue. The session is scheduled to start on July 17 and is expected to conclude on August 11. We had a lengthy discussion (on demonetisation and various other issues)... The panel will not be calling RBI Governor again on the issue of demonetisation," Moily told PTI on Wednesday. Patel appeared before the panel for the second time on Wednesday after cancellation of old Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes on November 8 -- a government decision which had attracted a lot of criticism from the Opposition. In January too, the RBI governor had appeared before the committee and had told the members that he would submit a statement on the amount of money that came back into the system after demonetisation. Along with Patel, RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra was also present at Wednesday's meeting. After the meeting, a senior member, who did not want to be named, said the governor did not provide any figure but gave details on remonetisation. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present at the meeting, did not ask any question to the governor, according to three panel members. Interestingly, it was Singh who had rescued Patel from a tough grillnig during the January meeting when he intervened to say that the central bank and the governor's position as an institution should be respected. Replying to queries from the members on demonetisation and its fallout, Patel said counting of banned old Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes goes on continuously for six days in a week. Patel told the panel that the RBI has cut down on holidays to complete counting of the junked currency note and that its staff is working "round the clock" except on Sundays, a member quoted Patel as having said. According to some members, the central bank chief informed the panel that besides Saturdays, many other holidays have also been suspended in order to complete counting of the scrapped notes. The RBI has also issued tenders for new machines for counting of the notes, the meeting was told. RBI has a staff strength of 15,000. During the course of the meeting, one Congress member even asked whether RBI would be able to provide details of amount of cash deposited post-demonetisation by May 2019--the time when the NDA government completes its five-year term. Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has dropped out of a pop-up vegan restaurant project on the French Riviera just days after its opening, saying the venture did not meet "expectations or agreements". The actress and animal-rights activist said Wednesday that she could no longer be associated with "La Table du Marche" (The Market Table), run by French chef Christophe Leroy at his Moulins de Ramatuelle inn in Saint-Tropez, because of "circumstances out of my control". In a statement on her foundation's website, Anderson referred to "the mistreatment of staff" and a "complete lack of respect" but did not provide details. The restaurant opened July 4 with the former Playboy cover girl promising a "sexy" and 100 percent vegan experience for 50 days on France's southern coast. She had also given a public invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, hoping to convince them to offer asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for five years. "As a resident of France, my adopted home, I would like to meet with you and discuss Julian's situation," she wrote at the time. Anderson has become a fixture along the Riviera, and appears to be following in the footsteps of another famous starlet -- Brigitte Bardot, who has lived largely as a recluse in Saint-Tropez for years and is also a fervent defender of animal rights. "I'm extremely disappointed in this missed opportunity, but will keep finding creative ways to help animals and vulnerable people all over the world. I'm sorry," Anderson wrote on Wednesday. Jaipur: At least one person was killed and 25 others, including the Nagaur SP was injured, in clashes between police and members of the Rajput community demanding a CBI probe in gangster Anandpal Singh's death in Sanvrad village of Nagaur following which curfew has been imposed. ADG Law and Order NRK Reddy on Thursday said curfew was clamped on Wednesday night in Sanvrad where tension prevailed during a rally called by Rajput community which turned violent. Reddy said a man was killed in firing. However, he said that police did not open fire. "In the clashes, 25 people, including Nagaur SP Paris Anil Deshmukh, IPS officer Monika Sen and 16 policemen sustained injuries," Reddy said. Four of the injured were referred to Jaipur in a critical condition, police sources said. The mob also confiscated an AK-47 and a service revolver from policemen. Massive police deployment has been made and 10 persons have been detained, police said. Scores of members belonging the Rajput community had reached Sanvrad on Wednesday, the native village of the slain gangster to press for their demand for a CBI inquiry in the police encounter in which he was killed. Singh was killed in a police encounter on June 24 and the body is yet to be cremated. Police sources said a large mob pelted stones on police while they were trying to maintain law and order. To control the agitated protesters, police first fired tear gas shells and cane charged them, but did not open fire, Reddy said. A 40-year-old man accused of carrying beef was beaten up by four men in Nagpur's Bharsingi area on Wednesday.The police said Ismail Shah was travelling in his two-wheeler when the accused stopped him and alleged that he was carrying beef. Shah kept on saying the meat was not beef but they refused to hear him out.According to sources, the four accused belong to the Prahar Sangathana. An officer said that all four of them have been arrested."We had received the complaint yesterday. We have arrested four people. We are still investigating the issue," DCP Shailesh Balkawde said.Sources said the meat has been sent to the forensic lab for analysis.This comes days after 16-year-old Junaid who was allegedly stabbed and beaten to death while several others were injured on a local train in Haryana after a group of people accused them of carrying beef in a bag Last month thousands turned up in Delhi and four other cities across the country holding aloft placards as a part of the #NotInMyName demonstrations calling for an end to the lynching of innocent Muslims by mobs of cow vigilantes.A Facebook post by a filmmaker against the lynching of a Muslim teenager has spawned a powerful online campaign, leading to protest marches being held in five cities across the country. Kochi: Kerala Police are set to question arrested Malayalam actor Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan as the probe into the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent South Indian actress got murkier. Police sources said Kavya herself a popular Malayalam actress and her mother are likely to be quizzed sometime over the next few days about their alleged connection with prime accused Sunil Kumar a.k.a 'Pulsar' Suni. Police sources say that they have got CCTV visual from a nearby shop of Suni entering Lakshya, Kavya's boutique after the crime. Investigators would question her on this and also why CCTV footage at the shop was allegedly erased during the days February 16-18. They would also examine whether someone at the boutique paid Suni Rs 2 lakh after the crime was committed, sources added. The place is managed by Kavya's mother, which is why she would also be questioned. The charge against Dileep is that he offered Suni a supari of Rs 1.5 crore to abduct and assault an actress who was once his leading lady and a close friend of the family. Six men sexually assaulted the actress in a moving car on February 17 and recorded the act but police are yet to recover the mobile camera used. Police believe Dileep started hating the actress after she allegedly tipped off his first wife Manju Warrier that he was cheating on her with Kavya. Dileep divorced Manju in 2013 and married Kavya two years later. There were also reports that the three were involved in land deals that later became a source of dispute. The 48-year-old actor, who has been among the frontline stars over the last two decades, was arrested earlier this week and charged with abduction gang rape and criminal conspiracy. Police are now trying to collect more evidence on where the alleged conspiracy was hatched. As I said in the morning. Your intentions matter the most. AIB's intention is not to make people laugh but to hurt. AIB will die eventually. https://t.co/QWcyWG05Cn Maithun Kashmiri (@Being_Humor) July 12, 2017 Admit it that AIB deliberately posted that pic knowing that few will get angry and they can delete and later play victim, as usual. Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) July 13, 2017 These idiot think they have God Given Right to Insult anyone mindless copy cats who know nothing about Humour Cheap Mindset No +ve Humour Rohit Sahai () (@rohitsahai_) July 13, 2017 they made fun of sachin sir / Lata mam... so they think they r cool n they can do anything.. Yogesh Singh Chauhan (@YCtwi) July 13, 2017 (Today's AIB saga TL;DR) AIB: Ye lo. Joke on Modi. BJP: WTF! REPORT! PUNISH! AIB: OK. Taking it down. Cong: WTF! REPORT! PUNISH! THE END Meghnad (@Memeghnad) July 13, 2017 At least not COWARD & Hypocrite like you all at AIB. Relax, Rohan! The rhetoric isn't going to build a spine for you. Please keep crawling! https://t.co/vaKhu21Dbg Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) July 13, 2017 Thank you for bringing this to our notice.We are forwarding this to the cyber police station. Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) July 12, 2017 So Mumbai police laughs off a woman's complaint that a man masturbated at her, but thinks AIB's jokes are serious enough to take action? https://t.co/IyYkjRewc8 Zehra Kazmi (@ArhezImkaz) July 13, 2017 HI. YOU'VE REACHED THE TWITTER ACCOUNT OF ME. IF YOU'RE FROM A POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR SOCIAL GROUP PLEASE LEAVE AN OUTRAGE AFTER THE BEEP Rohan (@mojorojo) July 13, 2017 So so frustrated. Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) July 13, 2017 You actually hold some responsibility. Waking up in the morning and trying to shame some comedians for deleting a meme. Ispe utar gaye ho. Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) July 13, 2017 PS: Will continue making jokes. And deleting if necessary. And making jokes again. And Apologizing if necessary. Don't care what you think. Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) July 13, 2017 Comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) is controversys favourite child. Whether it is a roast on Bollywood stars or a snapchat video showing Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar, they have always managed to ruffle feathers.And so it happened again on Thursday after they took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his frequent foreign visits. The groups Facebook page posted a photo of a Modi lookalike with a Snapchat dog filter and captioned it Wanderlust.The result of this seemingly innocent attempt at poking fun was a day full of outrage, political wars between Congress and BJP workers on social media, and an over-eager Mumbai Police ready to file an official complaint against the group.AIB had to delete the Facebook post and oscillated between going on the offensive and the defensive after a barrage of accusations.Some Twitter users explained how things reached the state they were in.Congress workers accused AIB of being scared of the BJP and called its member, Rohan Joshi, of being a coward for deleting the post and not standing up to BJPs online army. They said their party would never rob anyone of their freedom of speech.Some Twitter users were also quick to tag Mumbai Police on the offensive post, saying a police complaint should be filed against AIB over the offensive picture.And Mumbai Police was quick to respond, unlike the case when cops laughed off a complaint from a 22-year-old woman who was flashed and masturbated at by a man in a local train. Here, the police said it would forward the complaint to its cyber unit. The tweet, however, was later deleted.In response, the AIB reminded that they had made fun of all political parties, including PM Modi, on several occasions in the past. Tanmay Bhatt responded to the outrage with a series of tweets, saying he was so, so frustrated with all the drama over a Facebook post. Congress leaders and BJP trolls both getting mad over a goddamn silly snapchat filter meme smh, he wrote on Twitter.Bhatt also made a sly reference to an old tweet by PM Modi, where he said humour is very important and vowed to continue making jokes. Kolkata: A police vehicle escorting Tourism Minister Gautam Deb was reportedly attacked by the agitated Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters at Panighata near Siliguri on Thursday morning. The attack took place when the minister was on his way to attend a public meeting. A large number of Morcha supporters tried to torch the police jeep, pelted stones at the policemen and also attacked the Panighata police station. Sources said the minister was heckled but there was no official confirmation. The minster was escorted to event venue in Siliguri and the situation is now under control, a senior police officer said. However, the minister claimed that his convoy was attacked and urged the people of Hills to ensure peace. Meanwhile, early in the morning, nearly 30 masked men set the Selimbong Beat Office on fire. The mob also ransacked seven government forest guard quarters in Dodhrey range. A FIR has been lodged but no arrest was made so far. Trouble escalated in the Hills since Wednesday after GJM supporters took out a massive funeral procession in Darjeeling with the body of Ashok Tamang, who died on Tuesday at a private hospital in Sikkim. Tamang was admitted to a hospital in Sikkim after he was allegedly injured in clashes between the police and GJM supporters few days ago. On July 11, the all-party meeting convened by GJM decided to continue with their indefinite strike in Darjeeling and set July 14 as the deadline for all chairpersons of all development boards to resign for the cause of separate Gorkhaland. The meeting was convened by the Morcha under the banner of Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) at Mirik. GJM had accused the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of divisive politics by forming separate boards for the indigenous people in the Hills. New Delhi: In a major decision, the government has empowered the Army directly to procure critical weapons systems and military platforms to maintain combat readiness for short duration "intense wars", a top government official said on Friday. The move, aimed at filling the "voids" in the Army's combat readiness, comes amid nearly a month-long standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area as well as heightened Indo-Pak tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the decision by the government, the Vice Chief of Army has been given the "full" financial powers to procure ammunitions and spares for 10 types of weapons systems and equipment after an internal review found that optimum level of "war stores" were not being maintained, the official, who is privy to the development, said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media. The official said the financial power vested, depending on the budgetary support available, to buy the complete range of weapons system may translate into Rs 40,000 crore. "The decision is primarily aimed at filling the voids for short duration intense wars," the official said, adding "gaps" in combat readiness were found during an internal review in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack last September. According to the decision, the Vice Chief of the Army has also been empowered on a routine basis to review the optimum holding state and maintaining it in a recurring manner. The official said the procedure will be part of revenue procurement of the Army for in-service equipment and weapons and it will not require to go through numerous procurement stages which often cause inordinate delays. As part of the decision, the Army has been allowed to procure 46 types of ammunition and spares for 10 different types of weapons systems. Another proposal to allow the Army to procure 20 types of armament and 6 types of mines is also under consideration. The Army has been pressing the government for ensuring speedy procurement of key military platforms citing evolving security challenges. "It is a major move to fill various gaps in our combat readiness," said a senior Army official. In April, top Army Commanders had brainstormed over the prevailing security scenario as well as external threats facing the country and decided to enhance the combat effectiveness of the Army. New Delhi: 'Saamaan' or 'pudia' are the code words for drugs in the national capital. They bother to ask about your age only when you want a second pudia in a day. They ask for an accompanying adult for they fear a second dose of heroin might kill the children who are now addicts. And they don't want "bekar ka tension" (unnecessary hassles). CNN-News18 investigation has blown the lid off Delhi's worst kept secret. Drug peddlers are at large, hunting for their next prey, and children are their easy targets. At least 25,000 children in Delhi's east and north-east districts have turned addicts with police and local administration virtually turning a blind eye to the growing menace. Our investigation spanned distinct areas in Delhi and came back with the harsh reality about children getting hooked on to narcotics with heroin being available as easily as chocolates in all nook and corners. Children, often thrown out of schools due to their addiction (schools say they want to protect other kids), are committing the heinous crimes to buy their dug dose, while peddlers get away owing to laxity by law enforcement. The three sting operations that CNN-News18 carried out in a month-long undercover operation, made it glaringly clear that drugs have infiltrated almost every neighborhood and have attacked the most vulnerable of them all kids. Children as young as 6-year-old are addicted; they are out of school and do anything to get the money to buy smack, charas, ganja etc. Priced between Rs 50 and Rs 450, depending upon the quality and quantity of what one wants, drugs are sold by men and women, in houses, in the open, and even while on the move. Where is the police in all this? We questioned some parents who had come to meet their addicted children in a juvenile justice home. Their answer: "Police don't care...they are either complicit or think these are not high society kids so let them die. Nobody will question them." Kochi: The sexually assaulted Malayalam actress in Kerala on Thursday responded to arrested actor Dileep's allegation of foul play, saying she never framed anyone. "I have not tried to make anyone an accused either due to personal enmity or any other reasons. I have not said any name anywhere," she said in a letter to the media. She said that she came to know only through the media that the police found evidence of conspiracy against Dileep. "The actor claims that he has been framed in a false case, if so, I wish even that comes out fast. Whether he has committed the crime or not, it should be proved fast," she said. She also revealed that her relation with Dileep had soured over personal issues, and that all rumours of realty deals between them were false. She was once Dileep's leading lady in many films and a close friend of his first wife, Manju Warrier. Police believe Dileep fell out with her after she tipped off Manju that he was having an affair with another actress, Kavya Madhavan. Dileep subsequently married Kavya in 2013. The actress was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving car in Kochi on February 16 by six men, who also filmed the act. Nearly five months after the crime, police in Kerala arrested Dileep and charged him with conspiracy, abduction and gang rape. Sources close to the investigation said police had evidence that Dileep offered Suni, the main accused in the case, Rs 1.5 crore to target the actress. Police are now investigating who else were involved in the conspiracy. Police sources said Kavya herself a popular Malayalam actress and her mother are likely to be quizzed sometime over the next few days about their alleged connection with Sunil Kumar a.k.a 'Pulsar' Suni. Police sources say that they have got CCTV visual, from a nearby shop, of Suni entering Lakshya, Kavya's boutique, after the crime. Investigators would question her on this and also why CCTV footage at the shop was allegedly erased during the days February 16-18. They would also examine whether someone at the boutique paid Suni Rs 2 lakh after the crime was committed, sources added. The place is managed by Kavya's mother, which is why she would also be questioned. New Delhi: In 2016, the government in a statement to the Parliament said that over 50% of teaching positions are lying vacant at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT). Cut to 2017, the situation seems to be no better and the centers of higher education in India are now scuttling here and there to bridge the gap between demand and supply. No Strong Army of Gurus The firsts of the IITs sprung up in Bombay, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Delhi, followed by Guwahati in 1994. In 2001 an IIT in Roorkee was created and the next batch was established in 2008 and 2009, which included Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Patna, Ropar, Indore and Mandi. Benaras Hindu University (BHU) IIT was formed in 2012. The latest batch of IITs was announced over the last two years: Palakkad, Tirupati, Bhilai, Goa, Jammu, Dharwad and the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. A look at numbers in IITs across the country does not paint a rosy picture. One of the first to be established, IIT Bombay is short of 389 teachers against the 1017 sanctioned by the ministry of human resource development. In the national capital, IIT Delhi is short of at least 40% of the staff that it requires for its student strength. Speaking to News 18, IIT Delhi director Prof V Ramgopal Rao, acknowledged there was a big divide between the number of teachers wanted and the actual strength. Were short of 40% of what is needed. In next 5-7 years, for the 23 IITs the requirement of faculty will be of 5000. But in the next 20 years it will be more, he said. Worldwide Hunt For Teachers While IIM Lucknow is all set to start a faculty development center, IIT Delhi conducted roadshows in July to attract a pool of talent to the IITs from across the world. IIT Bombay has approached potential faculty candidates across the world, including those in other institutes and universities in the country. The institute is also leveraging the help of alumni through its faculty alumni network to identify potential candidates. Rolling advertisements are being put up on websites and in newspapers. We also take the help of distinguished professors from top universities and industry professionals as adjunct and visiting faculty to fill the gap temporarily, said source from IIT Bombay. IIT Delhi, that is facing a shortage of 40% staff, sent a team to Harvard, MIT, Princeton, University of Houston, and Stanford University for attracting potential faculty candidate. They ran an Unlimited IIT Delhi campaign in some of the best universities around the world to attract talent to the institute. We projected our achievement and also the facilities that come with being an IIT teacher, Rao said. The recruitment rules are generous one can take up consultancy policies and yet be in IIT. Rao has rooted for international collaborations to solve this problem of shortage. There should be more fellowships for students to go abroad and study. There should be a talent pool from around the world, he added. Though there is no permanent post for the overseas candidates, the faculty is working on contract for the same. IIM Lucknow is also doing its best to fill the vacant posts. Professor Pushpendra Priyadarshi, associate professor (Human Resource Management), and also chairperson, corporate communication and media relations, said, We are fully aware of the shortage, and are trying our level best. Quality of faculty is an issue. We are also in the process of setting up a Faculty Development Center at Noida to mitigate this problem. It will be launched on 5th September (Teachers Day). Beyond The Worrying Numbers It has been observed by some in IITs that, in the past, 80% students would go to study in universities out of India and that number has declined in past 10 years due to opportunities in India. Older IITs like Kharagpur, Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Kanpur should have more students graduate armed with PhDs and serve as a faculty training institute, Rao added. There are many IITs that are in a safe place. While they have completed a round to recruit teachers for elective courses, IIT Palakkad is now looking at hunting faculty for specialized courses. With the latest recruitment, their faculty strength will go to 40. Considering that we are only in the third year of establishment, were doing pretty fine, said the director, prof. P.B. Sunil Kumar, adding that they may still need a few more teachers. But for that well turn to our mentor institution, IIT Madras, he said. Kumar was also quick to add that the institute did have problems in finding suitable faculty for particular courses. There are some areas for which demand in the industry is high. We need highly motivated academicians for that. Not just IITs, many other places are on the lookout for such people, he said. Operating Systems, VLSI and Electrical Machines are some of the specialized areas where very few applications for teachers came up. The center had applicants from abroad, and many have been accepted. The problem of shortage has not been faced by IIT Mandi and they attribute it to their academic culture, which is different from the rest. Speaking to News18, director Timothy Gonsalves said, We have an inter-disciplinary academic culture. The undergraduate programs are project oriented, which lay more emphasis on practical work than on lectures. Were of the staunch belief that lectures, in the coming times, will become less relevant. Because of our emphasis on practicality, we need very few lecturers. New Delhi: Peoples Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China has referred to an editorial from 1962 to warn India against encroaching on its territory. The editorial titled If This Can Be Tolerated, What Cannot, that appeared in the year of the India-China war, accused Indian soldiers of firing (unprovoked) at Chinese soldiers across the border on September 21, 1962. The Peoples Daily is considered the partys most influential paper. The editorial further goes on to allege that India was encroaching on its territory behind the talks that were being held to resolve the issue. The piece warned that there would be Indian casualties if the conflict continues. While the Chinese media has rarely mentioned the war in all these years, the 1962 editorial is the latest in the sharp commentaries that Chinese media has been publishing off late and, to a certain extent, has echoed what the Chinese government says now. Indias aggressive plan to encroach our territory, the editorial said, was audacious and delusional. It said that this attempt put forth the lack of desire on the Indian part to settle the boundary issue. The editorial claimed that Indias attempt to encroach revealed the lack of desire to negotiate a settlement of the boundary issue. However, the patience of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and the Chinese border guards will not be unlimited, the PD editorial said. In order to protect the border troops in Zero Bridge area of China, in order to restore their contact with the rear, China will have to take necessary precautionsdont blame us that we didnt warn you, it further said. The edit also said that the McMahon line is completely illegal and has never been recognized by successive Chinese governments. The vast area from south of the McMahon line to the foothills of the Himalayas has historically been Chinas territory, the edit said. The piece was published in the newspaper amidst the standoff between the Asian giants near the Sikkim border. China has accused India of trespassing into Doklam, which is also claimed by Bhutan. New Delhi: A day after China offered to mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue, India on Thursday snubbed the offer and asserted that it was a bilateral matter between it and Pakistan. At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India, including on the people of the state of J&K. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region, emanating from a particular source, is threatening peace and stability in not only India but our other neighbours as well, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters. Indias strong reaction came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said China was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving Indo-Pak ties, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC). He also said the situation in Kashmir has attracted "international" attention. Gopal said that the government has been very consistent and clear in its position on the Kashmir issue. We have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan among other issues, (including) J&K in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan, including the Kashmir issue, in a bilateral framework has not changed," he said. He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India is against the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anyone in any situation. Baglay also hit out at the Pakistan government for "reading" from Lashkar-e-Taiba's terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in July last year. Chinas helping hand comes as tension continues over the standoff in Doklam near the Bhutan tri-junction. Baglay said India will continue to use diplomatic channels with China to resolve the standoff. We have diplomatic channels available. We have embassies in both countries. Those channels will continue to be used," Baglay said when asked about the nearly month-long standoff in Doklam. He also referred to Foreign Secretary S Jaishankars remarks at an event in Singapore on the issue. Baglay noted that there were well-established and mutually agreed mechanisms to address differences on border issue as well as tri-junctions. Two days ago, foreign secretary S Jaishankar had said that India and China have a history of handling border issues and there is no reason the two countries will not be able to resolve the latest standoff. It is a long border, as you know no part of the border has been agreed upon on the ground. It is likely that from time to time there are differences, Jaishankar said. Chennai: Unidentified persons on Thursday hurled a kerosene-filled bottle at Teynampet Police Station, resulting in a fire. However, no one was injured in the incident. Miscreants hurled the bottle filled with kerosene which landed on the pathway, resulting in a fire, City Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan told PTI. "The fire was immediately put out and none suffered injuries," he said. Viswanathan, who visited the spot along with senior officials, said a probe was on into the incident and that they were looking into different angles as part of the investigation. Nagpur: Cow vigilantes were at it again. On Wednesday they thrashed a Muslim man in Nagpur, accusing him of transporting cow meat. But a day later, the Muslim was found to be a member of none other than the BJP. Salim Shah Bharsingi was attacked by a mob who accused him of carrying beef. The incident was widely condemned and a video clip of it circulated on social media. Just when it looked like another case of mobs targeting a local apolitical Muslim, it came to notice that Shah was a BJP member after all. Talking to media from his hospital bed, where he is recuperating from injures he incurred in the mob attack, Shah claimed that he has been a member of BJP for last 12 years. There were also posters of him shared with local media showing him as the President of Muslim Minority Cell of BJPs Katol Taluka. A lotus symbol and photos of prominent party members including Prime Minister Narendra Modi are prominently displayed in the background. I have been President of BJP's minority cell for the last 12 years for my district. This year I was made its general secretary, said Shah. He is a trader and deals in cotton, soybean and pulses. Shah was reportedly beaten up by four to five people on the pretext of transporting beef. He was thrashed with rods and sticks by a few men said to be members of Prahar Sanghatan, a fringe group that is allegedly linked to local MLA Bachchu Kadu. They got hold of me and started beating me. And they beat me so badly that I thought I was going to die. I kept telling them that it was mutton and not beef, said Shah. His case may be the first instance of a registered BJP member having been roughed up by cow vigilantes. The attack on Shah comes a fortnight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called violence wrecked across the country in the name of 'cow', mostly against Muslims and Dalits, as unacceptable. Killing people in the name of Gau Bhatki is not acceptable. This is not something Mahatma Gandhi would approve...no person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country [sic]...Violence never has and never will solve any problem, Modi had said in a public address in Ahmedabad on June 29. The condemnation of such attacks came just a day after NotInMyName protests broke out through the country following the mob lynching of 16-year-old boy Junaid Khan on a train in Haryana. See, how Lalu's son spreading Gundagardi in Bihar? pic.twitter.com/mTrcKQLwBK Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 13, 2017 Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday defended his security men who have been accused of manhandling journalists after a cabinet meeting in Patna on Wednesday.A ruckus broke out as journalists tried to question the Deputy Chief Minister. Tejashwis security staff allegedly thrashed a camera man, others who tried to mediate were also targeted by the police. The video went viral was condemned by other political parties.Tejashwi said the security personnel were only trying to protect him. They (journalists) were falling and competing with each other. Couple of mediapersons were putting mike behind me and brushed my ears and head. There were moments when around 10 mikes were about to hit my nose. I saved myself and the security men were only doing their duty and protecting me, he said in a Facebook post.The RJD leader said allegations that he instructed the security staff to attack journalists was baseless. Reports on a few channels that the incident occurred on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried out the assault are0 totally baseless.Opposition parties, including the BJP, have criticised Tejashwi for the incident and there are protest marches planned on Thursday.Tejashwi posted a few video clips on his Facebook page and Twitter handle in which he said poor policemen too have self-respect and they cant sit idle when they are under attack. New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi said there was no shame in cleaning ones own toilet. Cleanliness for him was a powerful symbol of political mobilisation. Over the years, many leaders have attempted to tread the same path. Rahul Gandhi has sought to break bread with Kalawati and spoken eloquently about his experiments dining with the downtrodden in the Lok Sabha. BS Yeddyurappa is doing an encore in Karnataka these days. Swachh Bharat is Prime Minister Modis pet project. Sulabh International chief Bindeshwari Pathak is inspired by PMs initiative. So hes penned a book on the life of Narendra Modi, which was released in the presence of Amit Shah and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday. Leaders spoke eloquently. It made news. The stories from the sidelines of the high-profile book release function escaped the media glare. These are stories of Alwar and Tonk ke Brahmins. Women clad in bright yellow sarees standing under placards proclaiming their new identities. They work for Sulabh International. We were Valmikis earlier. But Pathak Ji has helped us turn into Brahmins. We used to do scavenging. Now, under Sulabh, we are doing better jobs, Usha Chamar is quite forthcoming. She heads Sulabh's team in Alwar, Rajasthan. We dont wear the old blue colour uniforms associated with scavengers profile. We now wear these beautiful yellow sarees... doesnt this colour remind you of what pandits wear? She asked me with a broad smile and a sense of pride. But How Does A Dalit Convert Into A Brahmin? Last year, we went to a temple in Alwar where we performed the rituals to become Brahmins. Pathak Ji is a learned Brahmin and he has made us Brahmins, said Usha. Has it led to any change in her life? Now I feel like a part of the main society. In fact, I have learnt the mantras so well that sometimes I correct Pandit Ji. More importantly, now my family has a better life and our children go to school, she said. Mamata, from Tonk district in Rajasthan, said, We learn mantras in our centre every day. It is a part of our routine. Pandit Ajay Tewari explains the entire process. Janam se sab shudra hai aur karm se hum uchch hote hain... hum logon ko karmon ke madhyam se uchch bana rahe hain. (Everyone is a lower caste being by birth and rises in caste hierarchy by his deeds... we are helping people rise in caste by their work, said Tewari. Ambedkar also sought to annihilate the varna system. But he converted to Buddhism. The history of India is nothing but a history of a mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahminism, Ambedkar wrote. Kanshi Ram has perhaps been the biggest Dalit leader after him to use political power to bring about social transformation. Both shunned rituals. Ashok Bharti, chief adviser of National Confederation of Dalit Organization, says, People either want to lift us up or bring us down. No one wants to assign us equality. One can be a Dalit and not practice scavenging. Dalits prefer to adopt a caste neutral religion like Buddhism. So did 180 Dalit families after caste violence in Saharanpur in May 2017. Today, around 87% of Buddhists in India are neo-converts; the rest belong to traditional Buddhist communities, said a recently published report by IndiaSpend. Dalit activist Chandra Bhan Prasad says,Dalits in India are either escaping the identity by saying we are Brahmins or challenging it by saying that we are the great chamar... This is because there is no reward for being a Dalit. Lucknow: IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has decided to close its operations centre in Lucknow, sources in the company told News18. TCS vice president Tej Paul Bhatla was in Lucknow on Wednesday, where he met and asked project managers to finish their programmes by December or shift to the centres in Indore, Noida and continue working there. The project managers have also been asked to convey the message to their team members. The companys move is set to put the more than 2000 IT professionals, working at the TCS Lucknow centre, in jeopardy. With almost 50% of those working in the centre being females, living with their families in Lucknow, finding a new job or shifting to a new city might will be an immense challenge for them. As per the highly placed sources in the company, the operations were not profitable for the company and the revision of the rent contract of TCS Lucknows premises added to the woes. The 10-year lease, which expired in May 2017, was extended for another 11 months after failed negotiations between the builder and the company. TCS Lucknow currently houses in Awadh Park, located in the Vibhuti Khand area of Gomti Nagar in Lucknow. Regional Head of TCS, Amitabh Tewari had earlier dismissed the news of lease expiry. When News18 tried to contact him, Tewari was not available for comment. A few employees have allegedly written a letter to UP CM Yogi Adityanath and raised questions about how a company earning Rs 25,000 crore in profits could be short of funds. The employees have asked for an inquiry into the matter and stated that the company was not going to invest a rupee in Varanasi, but were looking to outsource it. Reacting to the report, TCS came out with an official statement and said, The Lucknow centre had less than 1000 employees. It was not a convenient place for client related work. TCS is looking to consolidate its operations in Uttar Pradesh and the current Lucknow workforce will shift its operations to Noida and Varanasi. All employees will be relocated, no one will be fired. New Delhi: The Minister for Rural Development clarified that there was never any provision to provide extra funds to Members of Parliaments to adopt villages into model ones in their constituencies under the Pradhan Mantri Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told News18 that it was up to each MP, being an influential person, to adopt a village, turn it into a model one, and ensure that both central and state sponsored schemes worked up to full capacity in the selected village. According to recent media reports, as the Yojana entered Phase III, only 40 out of 788 MPs adopted gram panchayats in the 2017-2018 financial year, most citing lack of fund allocation for the scheme. Without a separate fund allocation, the MPs reportedly could create the desired adarsh village. People did not understand the concept, said Tomar. It was never said that there would be separate funds for yojana. The idea was that, as influential people, MPs would help a village progress, help it stand on its feet, while the centre would make sure the schemes worked a 100% in those villages. This is what the Prime Minister said. The sansad has to decide which village to select, how much work theyll do there, the feeling to work for villages should come from within said Tomar. The Yojana was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in 2014, and launched 11 October that year on the Jayaprakash Narayans birth anniversary. The first phase reportedly saw 88 percent of MPs adopting villages. The PM has, so far adopted two; Jayapur and Nagepur. Im pleased to say that the selected villages have done well. Not everything that could have been done has been done, still, much work has happened, said Tomar. Weve recently reviewed the work, their development, and asked the MPs to work faster. Tomar has written to MPs to adopt more villages in this phase. He claimed that selected villages had become open defecation free or fully electrified, or have children going to schools and immunised, have solid and liquid waste management plans. Tomar also dismissed the problems MPs reportedly face; apart from lack of resources, theyre worried about antagonising the villages in their constituency in the vicinity of the model village. There is no problem he said, the feeling to work for villages and to donate money should come from within. The person who has gained influence over people through votes should use this influence for their good. Its up to a person how much they want to donate Visited Peshmarga frontline in Mosul area to seek information on Indians held by ISIS. Peshmerga still clearing ISiS held areas. pic.twitter.com/ND1Auczcz7 Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) July 12, 2017 Met with Dr. Ibrahim Al Jaafari, Foreign Minister of Iraq. pic.twitter.com/m053NJ5U1U Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) July 13, 2017 General VK Singh on Thursday tweeted from Iraq claiming that the frontline areas of Mosul were being cleared by the Kurdish military forces in Iraq, Peshmerga, and that he was still looking for information on the 39 Indian held in the area by ISIS. Relatives of the missing have now said that they would wait till June 16 for news about those abducted, failing which, they will all get together and once again reach Delhi.Family members are questioning why despite Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh reaching Erbil and Mosul there is still no information regarding the missing construction workers.Union Minister Harsimrat Badal had earlier said they know the exact map location of the missing Indians.Searching for the missing Indians, most of whom are from Punjab, Gen VK Singh had met with Peshmerga fighters at the frontlines of Mosul. Later, Gen Singh tweeted he had a meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr Ibrahim Al Jaafari.After Mosul was liberated by Iraqi forces and the external affairs ministry had given relatives of the construction workers assurances that they had credible source based information on the whereabouts of the missing Indians. The 39 construction workers had last been in contact with their family members three years back. Following their capture, there have been no news of either their well-being or their whereabouts.I always suspected that the government was not sure of their exact location or even for that matter their well-being. Whenever we asked for information, all that they told us was to have patience. If we do not get any news by Sunday, we will all go to Delhi and seek answers, says Gurpinder Kaur, whose brother is among the missing.On July 10, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the missing Indians.Air Indian 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. Patna: Employees of a Bihar government office in East Champaran district have to wear helmets while working due to the dilapidated condition of the building. Not just employees, even people visiting the bloc office in Areraj prefer to cover their heads before entering into its premises. Lalan and Parvej Ahmad who work in the land records department of the office told News18 that many members of the office staff have been injured when parts of the roof fell on them. This is quite an old building. Walls and the roof of the building are in a very bad shape. Water starts trickling the moment it rains. The roof can cave in any day. Since we cant be absent from our duties, we all decided to wear helmets, they said. Bihar governments building construction department declared the office dangerous last year, but despite that people continue to work there. From celebrating 25 years of music maestro AR Rahman to Bollywood A-listers taking on the stage in New York, the 18th edition of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards promises to be a grand celebration of Hindi cinema in the US.IIFA, which celebrates the achievements of Bollywood in different cities across the world, will be held at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York from July 13-15.But before the Bollywood stars wow us with their stunning attires on the red carpet of the gala event, we take a look at some of the best looks from IIFA 2016.B-town beauties including actresses Deepika Padukone, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha and Bhumi Pednekar, set the red carpet on fire with their killer looks. On one hand, while their point on sartorial choices impressed the fashion connoisseurs, on the other their perfect makeup, spot on choice of accessories accentuated their look. Take a look.Deepika who opted for a white Sabyasachi Mukherjee gown inspired by Spanish bull fighters teamed with a Godet skirt and cape, looked ravishing at the awards. The floral embellishments on the netted cape gave looked regal. Deepika's stunning emerald jewellery and perfect makeup was the highlight of her look. With her hair pulled by in a tight ponytail with center parting, Deepika nailed the red carpet look.(Photo: Deepika Padukone at IIFA 2016/Getty Images)Actress Aditi Rao Hydari donned an emerald green Shantanu and Nikhil shimmering gown which she teamed with Outhouse jewellery. The actress looked like a true diva in the attire.(Photo: Aditi Rao Hydari at IIFA 2016/Getty Images)Bhumi Pednekar looked lovely in a grey Shantanu Nikhil gown which featured lace overlays.(Photo: Bhumi Pednekar at IIFA 2016/Getty Images)Sonakshi Sinha looked like a doll in Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla floral embroidered mesh bodice dress. The actress styled her outfit with glittering pumps, a dash of bold red on the lips and a low bun with side parting.(Sonakshi Sinha at IIFA 2016/Getty Images)Among the men, actors Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal and television host Manish Paul looked dapper in their outfits. Take a look.(Photo: Ranveer Singh, Anil Kapoor Manish Paul and Vicky Kaushal at IIFA 2016/Getty Images)(With input from PTI) Lonely Planet has released their list of the best destinations to visit in Asia in 2017, which spotlights emerging, under-the-radar gems like Gansu, China, a province that lies in north-central China and is home to ancient Buddhist caves, rainbow sandstone peaks, and the end road of the Great Wall of China. For many readers, LP's best of Asia list will be an enlightening one, representing a cross-section of destinations throughout Central, East and South Asia, from Japan, India, Kazakhstan to Malaysia. Topping the list is Gansu, which has become more accessible in recent years thanks to the development of high-speed rail lines, a new metro service in the provincial capital of Lanzhou, and upgraded highways. The province is also one of the least populated in China, given its remote location and desert landscape. Some of the region's star attractions include Instagram-worthy rainbow rocks at Danxia National Geopark, an otherworldly landscape where sandstone peaks are striped in various hues of red, orange, yellow and blues. In 2015, the Mogao Caves, which house ancient collections of Buddhist art, underwent major restoration efforts. Food lovers may already be acquainted with Lanzhou's signature hand-pulled noodles, which attract hungry Chinese tourists from around the country. Freshly-pulled noodles are most commonly served in a beef broth with chili and herbs. In second place, editors recommend visiting a pair of seaside cities which lie south of Tokyo: Yokohama, for its eclectic architecture, microbreweries and local cuisine; and Kamakura, for its temples, shrines, and surf. And in third place, editors highlight Northern Kerala, India, which they describe as unduly underrated. While the beaches of south Kerala attract major tourists, the opening of a new international airport in Kannur will allow visitors to discover beaches in the north. In anticipation, a string of homestays and resorts have been opening up in recent years. Here are Lonely Planet's picks of the best destinations to visit in Asia in 2017: 1. Gansu, China 2. South of Tokyo, Japan 3. Northern Kerala, India 4. Keong Saik Road, Singapore 5. Astana, Kazakhstan 6. Takayama, Japan 7. Xi'an, China 8. Sri Lanka's Hill Country 9. Melaka City, Malaysia 10. Raja Ampat, Indonesia Authorities in the Balearic Islands, home to the party resorts of Ibiza and Magaluf, on Wednesday asked Spain and the European Union to ban alcohol on flights and in airports as they battle "anti-social tourism". The plea comes after recent, much-publicised reports of drunken brawls or alcohol-fuelled sexual frolics on flights to an archipelago which attracts millions of visitors every year -- with many flocking to resorts notorious for their sex and booze excess. "We ask the central government and the European Commission to ban the consumption of alcoholic drinks on flights and in airports," said Pilar Carbonell, in charge of tourism for the local government of the Balearic Islands. In a statement, she said authorities were asking that these measures be taken "to guarantee security... and tackle anti-social tourism." The statement did not say if the local authorities were asking for alcohol to be banned on all EU flights, or simply those going to the Balearic Islands. "The aim of the measure is to improve passenger security and also that of security forces in planes and airports in our islands, who are often faced with drunk passengers," it said. The Balearic Islands have long been a magnet for visitors looking for sun and fun on a cheap budget, but some of its resorts have now become notorious examples of a dark underbelly of tourism, with drink and drug binges that have at times proved deadly. The "balconing" craze, for instance, in which people jump from a hotel or apartment balcony into a pool, is endemic in the archipelago. Fuelled by alcohol or drugs, the jumpers sometimes miss the pool, ending up in hospital or dead. According to a study carried out by doctors at the Son Espases hospital in Palma de Majorca, most of those who end up in the trauma centre due to "balconing" are British, followed by Germans. But tourists sometimes get the party started before they even get to the resorts, while still on the planes taking them there. In May, Spain's Guardia Civil police force had to board a Ryanair flight in Palma to drag away three drunk men who had brawled all the way from Manchester in Britain, according to The Manchester Evening News. The newspaper published a video of the police agents marching onto the plane to applause from the rest of the passengers. Some flights have even had to be diverted because of rowdy passengers. While father Jackie Shroff and brother Tiger have garnered huge appreciation, courtesy their contribution to Bollywood, Krishna has shown no qualms in taking up a different path. Krishna, who aspires to be a filmmaker, has assisted director Sabbir Khan on Tiger's upcoming film Munna Michael. While she wants to be a director, we think she can be a glamorous actress too.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff Heres all you wanted to know about KrishnaCredit: @ Krishna Shroff Krishna also worked as an associate producer on Black Sheep - a documentary which gives an insight into the lives of transgenders.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff The film bagged the Gold Award at the World Human Rights Awards, Best Documentary at the Bollywood International Film Festival.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff Black Sheep was also the official selection for the London International Film Festival, all in 2016.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff Just like Pooja Bedi's daughter Aalia Furniturewalla, Krishna was also slammed by the haters for sharing a series of steamy photographs.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff But Jackie was quick to come to her rescue. "I don't like interfering in my kids' lives. Both Tiger and Krishna are well brought up kids and they understand what to do and how to do. They will be the best to answer about themselves. I don't like talking about them because I am comfortable with whatever they do," he had said in an interview Credit: @ Krishna Shroff Krishna has a great fan following on Instagram even before everyone wants her to make a Bollywood debut. What else a star kid wants!Credit: @ Krishna Shroff But does Krishna have acting plans? Going by what she has often said in her interviews, she isnt really interested.Credit: @ Krishna Shroff Mumbai: National Award winning actress Konkona Sen Sharma says historically, regardless of class, religion and region, women were always treated as property. In the forthcoming film Lipstick Under My Burkha, she will be seen playing a pivotal role. The film had a tough time in getting its certification. Asked about the power of cinema, Konkona told IANS here: "I believe that any good idea can change the world. Now all films are not meant to be thought-provoking, but some of them are, surely." "There are films that can generate powerful ideas, which can propel us to think differently. This film is one of such that addresses women across religion and different age groups and their desire. So yes, I think this is an important film." Konkona is playing a Muslim housewife, Shirin Aslam, who is deprived of basic freedom of choice of a woman in a patriarchal society. "Shirin is in the 30s with three kids and not living a good married life. She has to wear the burkha every time she steps out of her house. She doesn't know much about feminism and patriarchal society like the way we know. "But she is trying to find little loopholes within her limitation to achieve a little air of freedom that we, modern urban women, take for granted. The amount of ingenuity and enthusiasm that she has to put... to get that, breaks my heart." She added: "Historically, regardless of class, religion, and region, women are always treated as property. Today, for people like us, we are enjoying a lot of freedom but 100 years ago, it was not easy even for us. "But strong minded women before our generation fought the struggle, they protested and there was a feminist movement that enabled us to lead our lives the way we want to, today." The story of Alankrita Shrivastava directorial revolves around four women from different socio-cultural backgrounds belonging to different age groups and dealing with different sets of desire for their liberation. According to Konkona, the best part of the film is that it captures different phases of women's lives. She said: "The question is how do we see women? When it comes to on screen, we hardly see any representation of elderly women say after their 30s. So does that mean we do not want to know about women once they cross their 30s, have children and husband?" "This film addresses them all, it's so tabooed to talk about elderly women's sexuality, but why?" Therefore, the actress believes that after watching the film, the audience will get a wider perspective about women and "next time, the CBFC will not behave so stupidly". MOM may be Sridevis 300film, but the Bollywood icon remains with her feet on the ground. In a video posted by a fan, she became quite emotional while speaking about her Pakistani co-star Sajal Ali, who plays her daughter in the film.Sridevi has mentioned before how close she became to Sajal and her other co-stars during the filming of MOM, and broke down at the mention of Sajal in the video, while lauding the work done by her and co-star Adnan Siddiqui in the film. While the MOM cast and crew have been doing the promotional rounds for the film, the Pakistani actors have been unable to join them because of the travel ban imposed on performers from the country.Check out the video below. New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is planning a sequel to his just concluded Jana Samparka Abhiyan. He's decided to invite all of 27 Dalit couples he visited for breakfast during his pre-election campaign to Bengaluru. The state BJP president will throw a lunch for these families at his Dollar Road residence in the last week of July. "Political leaders, like Rahul Gandhi, visit Dalit homes for food which is mere symbolism. I was so touched and moved in my interaction with these families that I decided to call them to my house for a meal," says the BJP leader. BSY had embarked on a statewide campaign to mobilise cadre for the Assembly elections slated for April next year. The party under Yeddyurappa's leadership in the state has been putting in extra effort to wean away a section of Congress's traditional Dalit vote bank. In the process, BSY, during the course of his Yatra, made it a point to have breakfast at Dalit homes. The going has not always been smooth. On one occasion, TV cameras recorded party workers procuring food from restaurants for BSY's breakfast at a Dalit home. The ruling Congress milked the controversy to question BJP leader's commitment to social justice. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry. 1/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing. 2/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered an inquiry into allegations made by DIG Roopa that interim AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala paid bribes and got special VIP favours for herself in the Bengaluru prison where she is currently lodged.We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry, tweeted Siddaramaiah.Roopa, in her recent letter to DGP of prisons HSN Rao, said Sasikala - who is in prison for a corruption case - is getting facilities, including a special kitchen counter to cook food for her.The letter also stated that there were rumours that Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore as bribe to jail officials, including the DGP himself, to get these illegal benefits.The report, accessed by CNN-News18, also said other convicts, like stamp paper scam accused Abdul Kareem, too get special facilities. Telgi has three undertrials assigned to give him a massage.The DIG also claimed that after conducting drug tests on 25 inmates, 18 of them tested positive for ganja (cannabis). However, no action has been taken to curb free flow of ganja in jail premises."Since such grave allegations and rumours are doing the rounds and even cast aspersions at you, I urge you to take heed of this and take strict action against any jail staff or officials or others who are involved," her letter concluded.DGP (prisons) HSN Rao has come out strongly against the allegations and said, Forget 2 crore, we have not even taken 2 paisa from anyone. We have to ensure that Sasikala is not poisoned.Ganja in prison is not new. Every time new inmates are taken in, people try to smuggle ganja. We are constantly trying to stop this, said the DGP.The DGP also claimed that Roopa was not aware of the rules and ways of the prison but was still commenting on it, despite a memo by Rao over putting up social media posts or going to the media.Certain things in jail are sensitive and this must be kept out of public eye. Who is she (Roopa) to make allegations against me? For the last 20 days she has not given me any report, verbally or in writing, said Rao. New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has stepped in to set up a new department to monitor and oversee party's communication strategy. The group, including some from the old guard, will meet daily and assist the communications department of the AICC. The decision comes days after fiasco over Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's meeting with the Chinese envoy in New Delhi. The new group consists of P Chidambaram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh, Sushmita Dev and Jyotiraditya Scindia a clear mix of leaders who are believed to be Sonia and Rahul loyalists. But what went wrong in the Congress' highly guarded darbar politics leading to multiple blunders would probably never come out. Whether it was a classic case of Chinese whispers or right hand not knowing what the left hand was up to. But it took a seemingly routine meeting between the Chinese envoy and the Congress Vice-President to bring forth the utter confusion and disarray the party finds itself in. It all started with a denial of media reports that the Congress leader had indeed met the Chinese Ambassador. Party spokespersons pulled all stops accusing the press of taking plants from the Intelligence Bureau. A couple of hours later, the same Congress leaders had to eat their words, only to admit that Rahul Gandhi had not only met the Chinese envoy but also Bhutanese envoy. "Rahul Gandhi was intrigued by the silence of the PM and the government over the China standoff. He frequently meets domain experts for clarity on raging political issues and China was one," Congress leader Manish Tewari said. The change in stance, from within the party, threw the internal party tiff out in the open. It was laid out on the table for the opponents to feed on. Different versions of the party, over a meeting, which the party termed was 'normal', proved to be a major slip. But how did it happen? As the Chinese embassy put out an official statement about the Congress heir meeting Ambassador Luo Zhaohui, the party scuttled to deny it. Sources told News18 that Gandhi was unaware that his party was denying the meeting. "He was very upset that the party had denied the meeting. He knew the meeting could not be hidden for long so there was no reason for the party to deny any such meeting," sources added. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is also said to have expressed her displeasure at the party brass for trying to hide facts about the meeting. Sources also told News18 that the Congress vice president has pulled up many people, who initially decided to deny the meeting. Amid these concerns, the party has gone into damage control mode. Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala and Manish Tewari tried their best to save the party's and their leader's face. But was it enough? Maybe not. While the party took to social media to take jibes at the government over its silence on the India-China standoff, the opportunity to question the government was lost. Can the Congress come out of this self-goal? From what we see of Rahul Gandhi on Twitter, it seems the young leader sees nothing wrong in meeting the Chinese envoy. "It is my job to be informed on critical issues," he said. Yes, indeed. The young leader, however, must make sure his party is on the same page. Does this also indicate that top bosses have lost faith in the existing communications department? "No", says a source. "They are there to assist but these people are experts in their field and can help improve our stand against BJP and also ensure that we all are on same page". Congress is a status quoist party. The party leadership is inherently reticent. There is a feeling in the Congress now that both the leadership and the party need to talk more. More importantly, talk right. New Delhi: Even as the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Doklam plateau is now in its fourth week, the government is making efforts to reach out to the Opposition and brief them on the current situation. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are expected to brief a host of Opposition leaders on Friday at Rajnaths residence. Invitations have been extended to the Parliamentary leaders of all major Opposition parties from Congress to JD(U) to Trinamool to Left. This measure in itself is quite extraordinary. The Opposition has often in the past accused the government of keeping it in the dark on important policy matters. Some of the most significant decisions taken by the Narendra Modi government like demonetization have been done without keeping the opposition in the loop. Even on foreign policy matters it is rare for a government to consult or inform the Opposition. On its Pakistan policy for example, the government has made numerous U-turns, first trying to isolate Pakistan, then Modi and Sushma travelling to that country, and finally after the Pathankot attack, again going back to trying to isolate Pakistan. But the feeling within the government is China is a completely different kettle of fish. The government wants to ensure that this issue is not hyped up by Opposition parties during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Hence, this outreach. Over the last four weeks of this standoff, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued only one statement compared to the bellicose briefings by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, virtually on a daily basis. The feeling within government is to play down the faceoff with China at the level of optics. But on the ground the troops have been given standing instructions not to cede an inch to the Chinese. The fear in South Block is China is using the same playbook it used against the Japanese and the Filipinos in their respective islands disputes. With China its always two steps forward, one step back, explained one official to illustrate how China has changed the status quo both in the South and East China seas. Rahul Gandhis meeting with the Chinese Ambassador has also not gone down well with the ruling establishment as it is being seen as an attempt to fish in troubled waters. However, the government realizes the need to carry the Opposition along for any policy changes it might make with regard to our most important and dangerous neighbour. Asus Zenfone AR has been launched in India at a price of Rs 49,999. The first smartphone embedded with Google Tango and Daydream has now come to India and comes with a USP of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality experiences that users of the smartphone can indulge in. Another worlds first tag that the smartphone carries is that of housing an 8GB RAM. The latest Asus offering comes as the companys flagship with specifications like a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, powered by a tweaked Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC to better support the phones dedicated usage i.e. its AR and VR features. Asus Zenfone AR comes with an 8GB RAM coupled with a 128GB internal storage that is further expandable up to 2TB. It runs on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat and is powered by a 3,300 mAh battery. Major focus has been put on the smartphones camera. Apart from the impressive 23-megapixel Sony IMX318 sensor at the back and an 8-megapixel front snapper (f/2.0), the features of these cameras are what make the phone special. The primary camera comes with features like dual Phase-Detection Auto-Focus, 4-axis OIS, TriTech+ Autofocus System, 2nd- Gen Laser Focus and continuous focus. The software of the smartphone enables Motion tracking Area Learning and Depth Perception. The 4K video recording capabilities of the Zenfone AR are complimented by a 3-axis EIS. Asus has partnered with Reliance Jio and is offering up to 100GB of additional data to the Zenfone AR buyers. Coupled with this offer, is a complimentary Jio Prime membership for the buyers. The Asus Zenfone AR will be available exclusively on Flipkart at a price of Rs 49,999 starting 4 pm today. Flipkart also offers the Google Daydream View VR, which will be seeing a Rs 2,500 discount when bought along with the Asus Zenfone AR. Beijing: China's first-half trade with North Korea rose 10.5 per cent year-on-year, Chinese officials said on Thursday, as the US urges Beijing to apply economic pressure on its neighbour. Customs administration spokesman Huang Songping said exports to the hermit nation rose 29.1 per cent in the first six months of the year, although imports were down 13.2 per cent. But Huang said imports from North Korea have sharply decreased every month since March and insisted that Beijing was upholding United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear programme. "Simple accumulated data cannot be used as evidence to question China's severe attitude in carrying out UN Security Council resolutions," Huang told a press briefing. "UN Security Council sanctions are not a total ban on shipments. Trade related to DPRK people's livelihood, especially those that reflect humanitarianism should not be influenced by the sanctions." Regional tensions escalated after North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last week. US President Donald Trump later complained that trade had gone up between the countries after he had called on Beijing to use its diplomatic and economic clout over its neighbour to convince Pyongyang to drop its nuclear programme. "Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 per cent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us but we had to give it a try!" Trump tweeted on July 5. Moscow: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny complains his wife and two children are being tracked by the security services, but says he's not afraid to challenge Vladimir Putin for the presidency whatever the risks. Navalny, a 41-year-old lawyer who has organised the biggest anti-Kremlin protests in years, hopes to run against Putin in a presidential election in March and told Reuters he planned to call for more big anti-government demonstrations. "My mood is generally really positive," said Navalny. "I have 125,000 volunteers, people turn out to demonstrate, they are detained, campaign literature is confiscated. (But) I see that people support us." Putin, who has dominated Russia's political landscape for the last 17 years and remains highly popular according to opinion polls, has yet to confirm whether he will run for what would be a fourth term, but is widely expected to do so - and to win. "I constantly hear that it's impossible to change anything and that there is this 86 percent (which supports Putin). But I don't see this 86 percent," Navalny said in an interview in his office overlooking a grey Moscow suburb. "In an authoritarian country, such a number is not relevant. There will be an election campaign, people will see an alternative, and this 86 percent will crumble." Previous opposition contenders have struggled to get their message across in a tightly-controlled media landscape where state TV hews closely to the Kremlin line and either ignores or denigrates rivals. They faced a particular challenge in areas of the vast Russian Federation far from Moscow and St Petersburg. Navalny, who has used the Internet to try to tap into public anger over official corruption, is battling to even be allowed to take part in the election after the Central Election Commission said a suspended conviction for embezzlement he describes as politically-motivated disqualified him. He has been jailed twice in recent months for his role in organising anti-government protests, had a caustic liquid thrown in his eyes by an assailant, and investigators have raided his Moscow election headquarters. Police have also confiscated copies of his campaign newspaper and hundreds of his supporters have been detained at protests and election events. "How many times can you be afraid?" quipped Navalny, whose sprawling offices inside a business centre buzz with young people working on laptops, as well as allies broadcasting from a small studio to his online TV channel. "The Kremlin's strategy is to prevent our activities. That's because the only reason for Putin's support is because nobody else is carrying out any other (political) activity." His investigations into the high-rolling lifestyles of top government officials have riled the authorities and Navalny says his own family is now under constant pressure. Navalny has a 9-year-old boy and a 15-year-old daughter. "The security services are following us," said Navalny. "They follow my children, my wife and me. Cars are constantly passing by. I don't even pay attention to it any more, but Yulia (his wife) is really bothered by it." Some opposition activists left the country after opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin walls in 2015. Oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky was arrested on fraud charges in 2003, after expressing political ambitions, and imprisoned until 2013 when he was allowed to go abroad. Since being temporarily blinded in one eye in the caustic liquid attack, Navalny sometimes appears with a bodyguard. The FSB security service did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CRITICS Among Navalny's pledges: To depoliticise the judiciary, to champion a free media, to promote free market economics, to legalise personal handguns and to introduce a visa regime for visitors from Central Asia and the South Caucasus. He told Reuters he would be willing to organise "an honest referendum" in Crimea which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 to see which country its residents wanted to be part of. The way Moscow had seized it, he said, was illegal. But he also said he thought the Crimea problem, which has soured relations with the West and triggered sanctions against the Kremlin, looked "intractable" and could poison relations for years ahead. Critics have accused him of harbouring dangerous nationalist tendencies with one fellow activist suggesting he was a Kremlin stooge designed to create the illusion of political competition. Navalny says he has no time for such "ridiculous" conspiracy theories and that his immigration policies are in line with "normal" European practice. Dressed casually in jeans and a white shirt, Navalny said he was certain the authorities would relent and allow him to run in next year's election. "I have no doubt I will take part in the election and that we will achieve our goal," he said. One opinion poll earlier this year put his support as low as 1 percent. Navalny, however, points to the Moscow mayoral election in 2013 when he came from a low base to place second with almost one third of the vote. He said he was using 125,000 volunteers and 60 election offices across Russia in a campaign designed to force authorities to allow him to run. If he were barred from the election, he said, the ballot could not be regarded as fair. He said he would deploy an army of volunteers as poll observers to ensure the 2018 vote was fair. Top officials right up to President Putin are careful never to mention Navalny's name in public, even when asked direct questions about him. Putin, when asked at the G20 in Hamburg earlier this month why he refused to pronounce Navalny's name publicly, said he wasn't interested in a dialogue with people out to promote themselves and again didn't mention Navalny by name. "I understand the rules of the political games pretty well and what they (the Kremlin) do and what I must do," Navalny said. "We are conducting a real campaign which nobody else is doing. We are changing the political landscape." Al Khor: A first herd of boycott-busting cows has been airlifted to Qatar to boost milk supplies five weeks after neighbouring Gulf states cut links with the emirate. The several dozen Holsteins were flown in from Budapest, the first of 4,000 cattle to be imported by August. The bemused bovines took to their new surroundings at a farm 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Doha on Wednesday, despite being the centre of attention from journalists and the pride of Qatar, which sees their arrival as a sign of its defiance in the Gulf crisis. "We brought in 165 Holsteins, all highly bred Holsteins, especially for dairy," said John Dore, a senior manager at Baladna Livestock Production. "There are 35 milking cows, that are in milk at present and there's 130 that will calve in the next two-to-three weeks." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut all ties with Qatar last month, closed the only land border and halted all exports of food to the emirate. The Gulf states accuse Qatar of supporting extremism, a charge it denies. Prior to the crisis, Qatar largely relied on dairy imports from Saudi Arabia, especially of milk. Its population of 2.7 million was dependent on foodstuffs from Gulf countries, which made up almost half of all imports. However, since the political crisis began Qatar has resorted to importing food from different countries including Turkey, Iran and Morocco. Qatar aims to increase by five-fold the number of cattle it has in the country as it looks to lessen its food dependency on imports because of the ongoing crisis. Dore said the livestock were the first steps in Qatar trying to become "self-sufficient in beef", and it aims to boost cattle numbers in the country from a current 5,000 to some 25,000 in the near future. The cattle will be farmed for both milk and meat. "Local supply covers between 10 and 15 percent at present" of Qatar's needs, Dore told reporters at the farm, as the cows quietly munched on grass laid down next down to the large pens in which they are housed. Qatar uncowed Despite their journey of more than 3,700 kilometres and adjusting to new heats of 41 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit), the animals seemed unworried by their new surroundings, and certainly unaware of their political significance. "Before, most of the milk in Qatar was imported from Saudi Arabia and the UAE," said Dore. "At the moment the gap is being filled by Turkish imports, which are welcome for the present but the quality won't compare with local produce." Qatari officials have confidently claimed they can withstand the boycott "forever". The cows were brought in by a Qatar Airways cargo plane on Tuesday. Moutaz al-Khayyat, the chairman of Qatari firm Power International which bought and imported the cows, told Bloomberg News that once all the 4,000 cows arrive in Qatar, they will meet around 30 percent of the country's dairy needs. He said it could take up to 60 flights to bring all the cattle into Qatar. Paris: US President Donald Trump suggested Thursday he could change his position on the Paris climate accord, in remarks after talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Something could happen with respect to the Paris accord, he said at a joint news conference with Macron, six weeks after announcing that the United States would abandon the 2015 pact, adding: Well see what happens. Macron said he respected Trumps decision but France remained committed to the accord. Earlier Thursday, the 39-year-old French leader said he had a "strong disagreement... about the climate" deal, with Trump, adding: "I hope in the end to be able to persuade him." Trump, whose country is the world's second biggest producer of greenhouse gases after China, drew widespread criticism when he announced on June 1 that he would quit the pact. The two leaders set aside lingering differences on climate change during their meeting on Thursday, asserting that it shouldn't prevent them from working together toward a post-war roadmap for Syria and to enhance Mideast security. Trump, standing alongside Macron at a news conference, said the two nations have "occasional disagreements" but that would not disrupt a friendship that dates back to the American Revolution. Macron, playing host to Trump ahead of the annual Bastille Day celebrations, acknowledged sharp differences on the Paris climate pact but said the two leaders could find other areas of cooperation. "Should that have an impact on the discussions we're having on all other topics? No, absolutely not," he said. Trump arrived in the French capital on Thursday for a whirlwind, 36-hour visit to meet with Macron and tackle potential solutions to the crisis in Syria and discuss broader counterterrorism strategies. Trump planned Friday to participate in Bastille Day celebrations and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I before returning to Washington. The president landed in Paris amid questions about emails showing that his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., welcomed the prospect of receiving Russian government support in last year's presidential campaign between his father and Hillary Clinton. Trump defended his namesake, saying that "most people would have taken that meeting," a message that contradicted his incoming FBI director's testimony that Donald Trump Jr. should have instead alerted authorities. Trump called his son a "wonderful young man" and continued to downplay the issue, saying that "nothing happened" as a result of the meeting. Washington: US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday President Donald Trump's eldest son should testify in Congress about alleged links between Trump's inner circle and Russia. "I think any witness who's been asked to testify in Congress should do that," Ryan said at a news conference. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican, plans to send a letter on Thursday to Donald Trump Jr. to ask him to testify before his committee in a public session, CNN reported. Trump Jr. disclosed this week that he had met with a Russian lawyer who sought to provide damaging information on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the lawyer, who he was told was part of Moscow's official support for his father's campaign, according to emails the son released this week. The emails were the most concrete evidence that Trump's campaign might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the election, a subject that has cast a cloud over Trump's presidency and prompted investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and Congress. Trump told Reuters on Wednesday he did not fault his son for meeting the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, in June last year. New Delhi: Students of Shri Ram School and DMRC personnel partipate in a plantation drive at DMRC premises along the Metro viaduct near Qutab Minar on Thursday. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in association with the Shri Ram School, Gurgaon has launched 'Swacch Chetna - An Eco Club'-- an initiative to spread awareness about keeping environment clean and green. (Image: PTI) No One Will Ever Smash Stuff Quite Like He Did Authorities and relatives are at a loss to explain how the cremated remains of a Georgia woman mysteriously washed up on a Florida beach, the AP reports. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that a box containing the ashes of an Atlanta-area woman was found by a man walking the beach. They were in a bag that identified the ashes as those of Ngacloan Hua, who died in DeKalb County, Georgia, last April. Police contacted a funeral home identified on the bag and were able to reunite the cremains with Hua's sister, who told police the box containing the ashes disappeared as the family found a quiet place to pray in Georgia. The sister had no idea how the ashes ended up along the Florida coast. (Read more ashes stories.) A Texas doctor wrote unnecessary prescriptions for powerful drugs that contributed to the overdose deaths of at least seven people over a four-year period, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday. Howard Diamond, 56, was arrested Tuesday on charges that include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and health care fraud, the AP reports. Prosecutors contend that Diamond began issuing prescriptions in 2010 that had no legitimate medical purpose. The prescriptions were for drugs such as fentanyl, hydrocodone, and morphine, according to the indictment. Authorities say the overdose deaths occurred in the Texas cities of Abilene, McKinney, and Sulphur Springs, and in the Oklahoma cities of Ardmore, Hugo, Idabel, and Yukon. In each case, the seven people died within a month of filling the prescription provided by Diamond, the indictment states. One person filled a prescription for methadone in May 2013 and was dead two days later. In another instance, a woman only identified in the indictment by the initials T.H. filled a prescription in July 2014 for alprazolam, morphine, oxycodone, and zolpidem. She died 10 days after receiving the drugs. Diamond pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday. He is due in court again on Friday for a detention hearing. (Read more drug overdose stories.) And so it begins? Rep. Brad Sherman formally launched a bid to impeach President Trump on Wednesdaybut the move has next to no support among his fellow Democrats, let alone the House Republicans whose votes would be needed for impeachment. The measure's only co-sponsor was Rep. Al Green from Texas. Sherman, who represents a district in suburban Los Angeles, introduced the articles of impeachment on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reports. He said he hopes the move will inspire an "intervention" in the White House that will see "incompetency replaced by care." The latest: Sherman says the firing of FBI director James Comey was obstruction of justice, which amounts to the "high crimes and misdemeanors" that warrant impeachment, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. "We now begin the effort to force the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on obstruction of justice and Russian interference in our election," he said in a statement. Democratic leaders are wary of supporting the longshot bid, preferring to focus on fighting the ObamaCare repeal and calling for an independent commission to investigate Trump's Russia links, the Hill reports. Nancy Pelosi "has repeatedly called for an outside, independent commission to get to the bottom of Trumps connection to Russias interference in our election," a spokeswoman for the House minority leader said. The White House reacted with what Breitbart calls "disdain." "I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst," spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. The move shows that "talk of impeachment isnt going away," even though most Democrats see it as a distraction from their policy agenda, writes Claire Foran at the Atlantic. Most analysts believe Sherman's effort has little chance of success, though he describes it as "the first step on a very long road" and predicts that Republicans will support the move "many, many months from now." (Read more Trump impeachment stories.) "This is the most exciting thing I've seen in my lifetime," Dr. Timothy Cripe said Wednesday after voting in favor of a groundbreaking new cancer treatment. The oncologist and nine other members of a Food and Drug Administration panel voted unanimously to recommend approval of the treatment, which uses a patient's own genetically modified cells to fight cancer, the New York Times reports. There are still concerns about side effects, but the FDA is expected to follow the panel's advice and approve the "living drug" therapy for people ages 3 to 25 whose bodies have resisted other treatments like chemo or who've relapsed after receiving chemo for the most common US childhood cancer, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, reports NPR. The treatment, which is on course to be the first gene therapy product ever approved by the FDA, involves removing immune cells from a patient, altering them to fight cancer cells, and putting them back as a personalized treatment for each patient, NBC News reports. Its creator, Novartis, is one of numerous companies that have been researching gene therapies for years. The firm is working on similar treatments for other kinds of cancer. Tom Whitehead, whose daughter Emily has been cancer-free since receiving the treatment as a 6-year-old in 2012, spoke before the panel. "The benefits that we gained from this treatment far outweigh the risk," he said. "She's standing right beside me, and it's because of this treatment." (This mom with cancer planned on delivering her twins early.) Investigators are re-examining overheard conversations in which Russian government officials discuss dealings with Donald Trump's associates, given confirmation of Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer, US officials say. Though the conversations were recorded by US intelligence in early 2015, months before Trump announced his campaign for the presidency, investigators are interested in mentions of meetings between Russian officials and Trump associates, some of which reportedly occurred outside of the US, the Wall Street Journal reports. It isn't clear if the associates referred to were involved in Trump's business interests in Russia or later became part of his presidential campaign. Officials say it's commonplace for Russian officials to discuss players with major business interests in the country, Trump among them. Indeed, intelligence agencies initially took little from the conversations. But Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer who claimed to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton has since renewed interest. President Trump said Wednesday he only became aware of the meeting with the lawyer "a couple of days ago," per Reuters. Hours after Trump Jr. confirmed the meeting on June 7, 2016, however, Trump promised in a speech to address Clinton's "corrupt dealings" to give "favorable treatment" to "the Russians," in what the White House is calling a coincidence, reports the New York Times. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) The Afghan girls are coming after all. In an about-face, US officials say the team can take part in an international robotics competition next week in Washington, DC, Politico reports. Even as the six girls struggled to build their robot, the US Embassy in Kabul twice denied their bid for a one-week visa, touching off howls of protest that included President Trump lobbying for the girls to be allowed to compete. No reason was given for the denial, or the reversal, on Wednesday, but Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell says, "We could not be prouder of this delegation of young women who are also scientiststhey represent the best of the Afghan people." Members of a Gambian robotics team were also granted visas, the AP reports. Gambia was the only other country denied a visa, out of 163 nations competing, raising questions since neither country is on Trump's travel-ban list. (Read more robotics stories.) It was a world-class stroke of good luck. An antique "typewriter" snapped up by an eagle-eyed expert in Romania for about $114 at a flea market turned out to be a rare Nazi Enigma cipher machine, CNN reports. The German Wehrmacht Enigma I sold for $51,500 to an anonymous bidder at an auction in Bucharest on Tuesday. During World War II, the German military used the machine to encrypt and decrypt sensitive messages. Depicted in the 2014 movie Imitation Game, dogged English cryptologists at Bletchley Park cracked the code, which the Germans believed unbreakable. Their work was said to have shortened the war by two years. The collector who spotted the rare machine was a cryptography professor who "knew very well what he was buying," Cristian Gavrila of Artmark auction house tells Reuters. Alas, the flea market seller, who thought it an ordinary old typewriter, did not. Romania was an ally of the Nazis until 1944, and historians believe there may be more Enigmas lying undiscovered in attics there. Thousands of machines were produced but very few have come up for sale, per CNN. But the latest sale isn't the biggest by far: A 1944 Enigma machine sold at Christie's New York last month for a record $547,500. Before that, an Enigma machine featured in the 2001 Kate Winslet film Enigma sold in London for $208,137. (Adolf Hitler's purported red phone sold for $243,000.) President Trump's visit to Paris on Thursday will take him to a city he has repeatedly deridedand at the side of a French leader best known to Americans as the earnest young man with the endless handshake. "Paris isn't Paris any longer," Trump declared in February, implying the city had been ruined by jihadi attacks. "I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris," he said just last month as he announced the US would leave the Paris climate agreement. But Trump isn't the only politician who can use Paris to make a symbolic point. When Trump arrives in the French capital, it will be as French President Emmanuel Macron's guest of honor, the AP reports, with a private tour of Napoleon's tomb, dinner at the Eiffel Tower and, to top off the Paris tourist trifecta, a seat at the tribune as American troops open the Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Elysees. Macron extended an invitation to Trump to join the national day celebrations, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I. And the meetings on Thursday have been billed by both governments as a time to deepen the ties that bind the US and France. "It's important to establish a relationship that is functional, for both Mr. Macron and Mr. Trump, to know where the other stands, so they can speak to each other, to facilitate trans-Atlantic relations," says a political scientist. Trump departed the White House on Wednesday evening, joined by Melania Trump and top aides, including chief of staff Reince Priebus and National Security Adviser HR McMaster. (Read more President Trump stories.) Shia LaBeouf has apologized for a racist rant after his arrest last weekend, saying he's been "struggling with addiction publicly for far too long." TMZ reports the mea culpa came after a video emerged of the out-of-control actor telling a black police officer in Savannah, Ga., who was fingerprinting him, "You're going to hell, straight to hell, brother." He adds, "You especially, deputy. That's savage as f---, man. ... Because you're a black man." When a white cop responds, "That doesn't mean he's going to hell," LaBeouf says, "It means a whole lot, bro." The Transformers star was busted early July 8 after unleashing an expletive-filled tirade on a bystander who refused to give him a cigarette, and then ignoring a cop's order to get lost, per the Hollywood Reporter. In the cruiser, LaBeouf turns his fury on the black cop, saying he was arrested only for being white, per TMZ. LaBeouf, 31, was charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and obstruction, and later released on a $7,000 bond. He tweeted on Wednesday that he had reached a "new low." He writes, "I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuse for it. I don't know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me." He adds that he is "actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety." LaBeouf was arrested in January after he tangled with a man who disagreed with him over his art project, #HeWillNotDivideUs, per the Guardian. (A bartender who refused LeBeouf a drink is suing him for assault and defamation.) A tourist from New Zealand was killed by a jet blast Wednesday at a Caribbean beach famous for being under low-flying aircraft. According to 721News, the 57-year-old woman was holding on to the fence separating St. Maarten's Maho Beach from Princess Juliana International Airport when the blast from a departing Boeing 737 threw her to the ground, causing a fatal head injury. The beach is popular with thrill-seekers and plane-spotters, and warning signs reading, "Do not stand. Danger. Jet Blast" urge tourists to stay away from the fence, the New York Daily News reports. This is the first death at the site, though a woman was seriously injured in a similar incident in 2012. (Read more St. Maarten stories.) President Trump has warned senators that he will be "very angry" if they fail to repeal ObamaCare as promised. In an interview with televangelist Pat Robertson, the president said "a lot of people will be very upset" if Senate Republicans don't pass the legislation this summer, Politico reports. "I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me," Trump said. "It has to get passed. They have to do it. They have to get together and get it done." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is expected to present a revised version of the bill to senators Thursday morning, "has to pull it off," Trump said. "He's working very hard. He's got to pull it off." McConnell urged senators Wednesday to drop procedural objections to the bill and let a vote move forward, saying, "If we sit on our hands, families will continue to suffer," the Hill reports. McConnell can only afford to lose two Republican votes, and Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday that he can't support the revised bill because it is "the same as the old bill, except it leaves in place more taxes," the Washington Post reports. McConnell also faces opposition from moderate senators and conservatives including Sen. Ted Cruz, who's pushing for an amendment that would allow insurance companies to sell plans that don't meet federal coverage requirements. (McConnell has cut the Senate recess by two weeks.) After years of fighting for it, about 1,000 living survivors of Nazi persecution in Romania are now eligible for compensation from the German government. The New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany on Wednesday said Jews who survived the 1941 pogrom in the Romanian city of Iasi and the subsequent "death trains" where many died of suffocation and dehydration can now start receiving monthly payments. Under the agreement the Claims Conference reached with Berlin earlier this month, survivors will receive payments of $384 per month, the AP reports. "These survivors endured unimaginable suffering," Claims Conference negotiator Stuart Eizenstat said in a statement. "For those still with us, we have obtained a small measure of justice." NBC News reports the Claims Conference has been fighting for retribution for Iasi for three years, with Germany three times declining to label the city a ghetto. NBC explains that 100,000 Jews lived in Iasi in the early years of World War II; 8,000 were killed on-site in an initial massacre, and many of the 7,000 put on the "death trains" died. Those who survived were pushed into one part of the city. In total, Germany has paid more than $80 billion in compensation for Nazi crimes, primarily to Jewish survivors. (Read more Nazi stories.) It's something one might do while on vacation on a Greek island: Ask a waitress at a bar to take a selfie with you. For American Bakari Henderson, it was allegedly a fatal move. Police tell the Washington Post that the bar fight that left the 22-year-old University of Arizona grad dead was sparked by his selfie request. Greek police rep Theodore Chronopoulos says the bar on Zakynthos island was hosting a night for Serbians last Friday, and a 33-year-old Serbian patron had an issue with the waitress regarding the selfie. The rep didn't elaborate further; CBS News has a somewhat different angle, reporting surveillance video shows a male and female taking a selfie near Henderson before the fight broke out. The Serbian is suspected of being one of as many as 15 people who began fighting, some of whom chased a fleeing Henderson from the bar and beat him to death in a mere 30 seconds, says Chronopoulos. Indeed, CBS News says in the span of fewer than 20 seconds the video captures a group starting to beat Henderson and then backing away from his motionless body. The AP reports nine menone Greek, seven Serbians, and a Brit of Serbian originwere charged with intentional homicide. Henderson had planned to launch a clothing line and was in Greece to do a photo shoot for it, reports the Post. (Read more Bakari Henderson stories.) The parents of a baby with a rare genetic disease stormed out of a London court hearing in an emotional outburst Thursday, as the couple tried to convince a judge to let them take 11-month-old Charlie Gard to the United States for medical treatment. A succession of judges has backed specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital, who argue experimental treatment in America won't help and may cause suffering for Charlie. The parents hoped to present fresh evidence to alter that view. Two hours into the High Court hearing, questions from Judge Nicholas Francis prompted tensions to boil over. Charlie's mother, Connie Yates, accused Francis of misquoting her earlier statements about Charlie's quality of life. "We said he's not suffering and not in pain," Yates yelled. "If he was we wouldn't be up here fighting." Chris Gard then slammed his water cup down and the couple left the courtroom, the AP reports. The BBC notes the court had earlier discussed the issue of Charlie's head size, with Yates claiming she had measured it this morning and found it 3/4 of an inch larger than what the hospital has logged. The hospital maintains it has seen no growth in three months, signifying a lack of brain development. Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which has left him brain damaged and unable to breathe unaided. The hospital says there is no known cure and believes his life support systems should be turned off. The parents want to try to treat himbut it isn't up to them under British law. A decision is not expected Thursday. President Trump and the pope have weighed in on the case. (Read more Charlie Gard stories.) Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo has died at age 61, the AP reports. Liu, the country's most prominent political prisoner, was first put behind bars in 1989 in connection with the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. His fourth and last prison sentence, for inciting subversion thanks to his work advocating for more human rights and political reforms in China, began in 2008, BuzzFeed reports. He was awarded the Nobel in 2010. Liu, who had been hospitalized for advanced liver cancer that was diagnosed in May, died of multiple organ failure. China had said he was receiving the best care in the country and that he wasn't medically cleared to travel abroad for treatment, but doctors had recently disagreed. The White House had renewed calls for Liu's release this week, the Guardian reports. He died in a hospital in China, still under police custody, making him the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to die while in custody. Friends, supporters, and fellow activists are expressing their grief over his death, with some calling for Liu's wife, Liu Xia, to be allowed to leave China, the AP reports. She was put under house arrest after Liu won the Nobel, despite having been convicted of no crime; China was angered by the prize being awarded to Liu. Liu was a visiting scholar at New York's Columbia University when he returned to China in May 1989 to join the movement challenging the Communist Party; his first prison sentence lasted almost two years. He was detained again in 1995 after writing a plea for political reform, then again later that year for co-authoring another paper regarding problems in China. That sentence lasted three years. (Read more Liu Xiaobo stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Washington: US Beef is back again in Chinese market after a long time of 14 years. President Donald Trump credited this to trade deals with China.Before 14 years ago,Chinese used to importbeef worth USD 70 million from America. After 14 years, US beef hits Chinese market.Trade deal is an exciting opportunity for agriculture, Trump shares this with 33.7 million followers on twitter. The ceremonial cutting of American beef was done by Agriculture Secretary late last month, thus giving the US access to the USD 2.5 billion Chinese beef market. According to the Gazette newspaper, the meat shipped last week by a South Omaha meatpacker was reported to be the first shipment of US beef to China since 2003 after officials sealeda long-sought trade deal this month. This is a big deal. It's definitely very positive news, Lee Schulz, an Iowa State University Extension livestock economist was quoted as saying. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The much awaited event of the year the 18th International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is all set to begin on July 14 in New York. Indeed, the awards night is going to be a starry affair, with the entire B-town preparing to mark their presence at the prestigious award night. But as most of the celebs are rushing to New York for IIFA 2017, Priyanka Chopra is in a mood to give the award show a miss. According to the media reports, PeeCee who has been in NY for a while now has flown back to India ahead of IIFA 2017. While it is quite surprising for many that the diva is given the even a miss, the reason behind Priyanka's absence is her birthday. Reportedly, Priyanka, who will be celebrating her 35th birthday on July 18, is planning to ring in her special day with her family back home. She even shared a picture of herself on Instagram, revealing her birthday plans and wrote, aSummer sun calling #mumbaibound #mumbaimerijaan #birthdaytime #familynfriendsa. Summer sun calling #mumbaibound #mumbaimerijaan aiYZYYYY #birthdaytime #familynfriends A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jul 12, 2017 at 9:28am PDT In fact, Priyanka even tweeted about her arrival on micro-blogging site Twitter and wrote "Vacaaaaaayyyy mode.. when everything is balanced. Nothing needs to move.. and it's ok.. nice. #mumbaibound". Vacaaaaaayyyy mode.. when everything is balanced. Nothing needs to move.. and it's ok.. nice. #mumbaibound a PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) July 12, 2017 Well, while Priyanka will be busy ringing her birthday with her family, the stage is being set for the grand event on NY. Bollywood celebs such as Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, etc will seen spilling their magic during IIFA 2017. The 18th Edition of IIFA will air exclusively live on Colors from New York at 9 am. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Jodhpur Tourist Guide Association of Rajasthan has approached Shah Rukh Khan with an Honorary Membership. Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destination in India, for both domestic and international tourism. Endowed with natural beauty , great history, and with a rich culture Rajasthan has a flourishing tourism industry. Tourist guide association of Rajasthan is a leading service provider of Tour operators service. This association is a 148 member body consisting of Tourist Guides from the city of Jodhpur. As a gesture of awe Jodhpur Guides association will confer Shah Rukh with a membership and a badge.Shah Rukh will be seen playing the role of a Tourist Guide in his upcoming film 'Jab Harry met Sejal'. This membership will be an addition to a list of felicitations and doctorates from around the world as possessed by Shah Rukh Khan. Imtiaz Ali directorial 'Jab Harry met Sejal' will feature Shah Rukh as a proffesional Tourist Guide in Canada. Film is set to release on August 4th. The actor will be seen in a intersting character whose frienship with roads is unique to watch. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: As it was speculated that AIADMK general secretary and convict in corruption case, VK Sasikala is receiving special treatment in Parappana Agrahara central prison, a report prepared by DIG (Prisons ) D Roopa divulged that former Jayalalithaas aide has allegedly bribed Rs two crore to jail officials including DG (prisons ) Satyanarayan Rao to enjoy the facility. The DIG (Prison) stated in her report to the additional chief secretary, DGP (Prisons) and home secretary that a special kitchen has been set up for Sasikala which is against the norm. Special kitchen functioning for AIADMK's V Sasikala inside Parappana Agrahara central prison: DIG (Prisons) D Roopa in her report #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/ItyqJ9599y ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 In the report, it is said that special treatment is also being given to Abdul Karim Telgi who is convicted in fake stamp paper scam. DIG (Prisons) D Roopa also said that 3-4 convicted prisoners have been deputed to Abdul Karim Telgi for body massage. 3-4 convicted prisoners allotted to Abdul Karim Telgi for body massage: DIG (Prisons) D Roopa in her report #Bengaluru ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 D Roopa, DIG (Prisons) said she was on government sanctioned leave and found this after returning to the job. I was on a Govt sanctioned leave, came back on duty & found this: DIG (Prisons) on questions on her work/1.5 yr leave & "vested interest" pic.twitter.com/v2T2p1xIAy ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 The DIG (Prisons) further said it could be a lapse on her part if she does not report to the government. She further said that the government should do a fact-finding report whether her report was correct or not. Government should do a fact finding enquiry and see if my report is correct: DIG(Prisons)D Roopa on report of spcl facilities to Sasikala pic.twitter.com/CkT6YUQ41G ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 On the other hand, DG (prisons ) Satyanarayan Rao denied all allegations, saying that he is ready to face any probe. Rao also said that DIG (Prisons) D Roopa should discuss with him if she observed any wrongdoing in prison. He said there was no truth in her report. Rao said that they are following court orders as the court had stated to give her assistance. Also Read: Banners featuring Sasikala removed from AIADMK headquarters For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: One person was killed and 25 others injured after a clash erupted between police and members of Rajput community in Sanvrad village of Nagaur. SP Nagaur was among the injured. The members of Rajput community were demanding a CBI probe in gangster Anandpal Singhs death. Later, curfew has been imposed. ADG Law and Order NRK Reddy on Thursday informed that curfew was clamped late last night in Sanvrad where tension prevailed during a rally called by Rajput community which turned violent. Reddy said a man lost his life during firing. However, he said that police did not open fire. In the clashes, 25 people, including Nagaur SP Paris Anil Deshmukh, IPS officer Monika Sen and 16 policemen sustained injuries, Reddy said. Nagaur (Rajasthan): 16 injured in protest by Rajput community demanding CBI enquiry into the encounter of gangster Anand Pal Singh (12.07) pic.twitter.com/GtKO8uqRw1 ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Four of the injured were referred to Jaipur in a critical condition, police sources said. The mob also confiscated an AK-47 and a service revolver from policemen. Massive police deployment has been made and 10 persons have been detained, police said. Scores of members belonging the Rajput community had reached Sanvrad yesterday, the native village of the slain gangster to press for their demand for a CBI inquiry in the police encounter in which he was killed. Singh was killed in a police encounter on June 24 and the body is yet to be cremated. Police sources said a large mob pelted stones on police while they were trying to maintain law and order. To control the agitated protestors, police first fired tear gas shells and cane charged them, but did not open fire, Reddy said. (With PTI Inputs) Also Read: Notorious gangster Anandpal Singh killed in encounter with Rajasthan Police For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lakhimpur: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday undertook an aerial survey of flood-hit districts in Assam, where the death toll due to the deluge has mounted to 45. The minister of state for home was accompanied by officials of the National Disaster Response Force, NITI Ayog and National Disaster Management Authority. Before the survey, Rijiju met district administration officials in Lakhimpur, which has been hit the hardest by floods, and visited deluge-ravaged Pasnoi Baolidan village. More than 3 lakh people have been marooned by flood waters in Lakhimpur district alone. Though rains eluded the district over the last two days, the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark in several areas. Lakhimpur district officials briefed the minister on the relief operation being conducted in the district. They told him that the water level has started receding. Heavy rainfall in upper catchment area of Arunachal Pradesh as well as Lakhimpur increased the water level of all the 14 rivers and their tributaries in the district. ALSO READ | Assam floods: More than two lakh people affected in eight districts Ranganadi, Dikting and Singra rivers swelled up after a huge quantity of water was released from NEEPCO dam in Yazuli, the district officials told Rijiju. This is the condition of North Lakhimpur & Majuli at this point of time. I'm on aerial as well as spot visit now. pic.twitter.com/FaEpIHAgq1 Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 13, 2017 A total of 431 villages in seven revenue circles have been inundated by the deluge and as many as 3,27,729 people are bearing the brunt of floods in Lakhimpur. "Twenty relief camps and 205 health camps have been set up in the district," an official said. Rijiju asked the district administration to expedite the relief operation as there has been no rain in the last two days. He went through an initial report of the flood situation in the district and assured them of all possible assistance from the Centre. During his visit to Pasnoi village, Rijiju met the affected local villagers and promised them succour. Around 15 lakh people in 24 districts in the state have been hit by floods. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A mob set Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Tourist Information office on fire late night on Wednesday at Chowrasta in Darjeeling. A day before, the angry Pro-Gorkhaland supporters had set ablaze a panchayat office and had damaged a few government vehicles on the 28th day of the indefinite shutdown. The agitation spearhead Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) had taken out a rally at Chowkbazar with the body of Ashok Tamang, who died last night in a hospital where he was admitted after being allegedly injured in Saturday's clashes between the police and GJM supporters. The GJM had claimed that Tamang received serious head injuries during a baton charge by the police. The police, however, said it was not clear whether he died of injuries or some other reason. West Bengal: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Tourist Information office at Chowrasta, #Darjeeling set on fire by a mob late last night pic.twitter.com/a23WggNLLH ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 "We are waiting for the post-mortem report. We can only comment after seeing it," a senior police officer had said. The panchayat office in Mirik sub-division was set on fire by the activists, who also damaged a few government vehicles in the hills, the police had said. Also Read | Darjeeling unrest: Youth shot dead by police alleges Gorkha Janmukti Morcha For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a major decision, the government has empowered the Army directly to procure critical weapons systems and military platforms to maintain combat readiness for short duration intense wars, a top government official said on Wednesday. The move, aimed at filling the voids in the Armys combat readiness, comes amid nearly a month-long standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area as well as heightened Indo-Pak tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the decision by the government, the Vice Chief of Army has been given the full financial powers to procure ammunitions and spares for 10 types of weapons systems and equipment after an internal review found that optimum level of war stores were not being maintained, the official, who is privy to the development, said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media. The official said the financial power vested, depending on the budgetary support available, to buy the complete range of weapons system may translate into Rs 40,000 crore. The decision is primarily aimed at filling the voids for short duration intense wars, the official said, adding gaps in combat readiness were found during an internal review in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack last September. According to the decision, the Vice Chief of the Army has also been empowered on a routine basis to review the optimum holding state and maintaining it on a recurring manner. The official said the procedure will be part of revenue procurement of the Army for in-service equipment and weapons and it will not require to go through numerous procurement stages which often cause in-ordinate delays. ALSO READ | Military Sexual Trauma may lead to drug abuse in Army personnel: Study As part of the decision, the Army has been allowed to procure 46 types of ammunition and spares for 10 different types of weapons systems. Another proposal to allow the Army to procure 20 types of armament and 6 types of mines is also under consideration. The Army has been pressing the government for ensuring speedy procurement of key military platforms citing evolving security challenges. It is a major move to fill various gaps in our combat readiness, said a senior Army official. In April, top Army Commanders had brain-stormed over the prevailing security scenario as well as external threats facing the country and decided to enhance combat effectiveness of the Army. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A day after China proposed to play a aconstructive rolea in improving ties between India and Pakistan, New Delhi rejected the mediation offer. India on Thursday claimed that that cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was at the "heart" of the matter which was a threat to regional peace and insisted that the Kashmir issue was a bilateral matter between it and Pakistan. "At the heart of the matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India including on the people of the state of J&K. So, the matter is that cross-borderterrorism in our region emanating from a particular source isthreatening peace and stability in not only India but otherneighbours," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay told reporters. Cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular source threatening stability & peace in the region: MEA pic.twitter.com/9LkXSIBIFk a ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 As far as the Kashmir issue itself is concerned, the government's position has been very consistent and clear, he asserted. "We have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan amongother issues (including) J&K in a bilateral framework. That position of addressing all issues with Pakistan including the Kashmir issue in a bilateral framework has not changed," Baglay said. There was conversation on range of issues b/w two leaders at Hamburg, diplomatic channels remain available to both sides: MEA on India-China pic.twitter.com/eVcGHQ1HmS a ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 He also strongly rejected allegations by Pakistan that India was using chemical weapons in Kashmir, saying India is against the use of chemical weapon anywhere by anyone in any situation. Baglay hit out at the Pakistan government for "reading"from Lashkar-e-Taiba's terror script in glorifying Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in July in 2016. There was conversation on range of issues b/w two leaders at Hamburg, diplomatic channels remain available to both sides: MEA on India-China pic.twitter.com/eVcGHQ1HmS a ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a tragic incident, a man was allegedly beaten for carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi on Wednesday. According to reports, no arrests have been made yet. Earlier, a Muslim teenager was allegedly stabbed and beaten to death while several others were injured on a local train in Haryana after a group of people accused them of carrying beef in a bag, said news report. According to Hindustan Times, the incident triggered when a family of five was returning home after Eid shopping in Delhi and got involved in an argument over changing of seats when things took a communal turn and Hafiz Junaid was stabbed to death. The police have arrested one person in connection with this incident, and the accused has confessed to his crime. #UPDATE: Case registered by Nagpur police, four persons detained for interrogation. #Maharashtra a ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal's ruling banning Chinese 'manja' - the string used to fly kites - is a "lifesaving" step, animal rights body PETA said on Tuesday. The NGT on Tuesday truled that there will be a complete ban on the Chinese manja strings or any synthetic material which is non-bio degradable as it poses a threat to the environment. "This prohibition on the use of synthetic and nylon manja is a lifesaving step and now we must press on until all dangerous manja is banned. "Particularly worrying is glass-coated manja which has caused injuries and deaths of children, birds and others and so must also be banned," said Nikunj Sharma, Lead, Public Policy, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In a statement, the body claimed that the ruling was in response to its petition filed in NGT in August, 2016, calling for a nationwide ban on all forms of sharp kite-flying strings. NGT directed all state governments to prohibit the "manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use" of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic strings used for flying kites with immediate effect. PETA will continue its work to protect birds and humans from all forms of manja, the statement said. In March 2017, a man in Chennai died after his throat was slit with sharp manja while he was driving a bike. On August 15, 2016, three people including two 3-year-olds ? were killed in Delhi when their throats were slashed by manja. Recently three people died in a similar manner while riding motorbikes, including a man in Ghaziabad in July, 2016, a man in East Delhi in August 2015, and a 5-year-old boy in Chennai who was riding with his father in 2015, PETA claimed. The body said that thousands of birds are also killed every year when they are cut or trapped by manja, which can get entangled in trees or buildings for weeks. According to estimates, more than 300 birds were injured and over 100 died because of manja during Makar Sankranti in Hyderabad in 2015, it said. In 2014, the environment ministry had issued an advisory to all states and union territories asking them to address the manja threat while in 2013, the Animal Welfare Board of India had written to all states and UTs urging them to ban it, PETA said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Former Chief Minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar didnt take action against Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav because he didnt wanted to go against the alliance. Manjhi said that Nitish was unable to take action against Tejashwi as he is son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and it is difficult for Nitish to go against the alliance in Bihar. Earlier on Tuesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting of JD(U) MLAs and MPs during which the party decided to give more time to Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. After the meet, JDU leader Ramai Ram said that after 4 days we will discuss it again on Tejashwi Yadav. JDU leader Neeraj Kumar said that they know how to maintain alliance and it is expected that the people who have been accused will present facts in public domain. The meeting was called to discuss future strategy over alliance with a corruption case RJD after CBI conducted 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. Also read: Around ten mikes were about to hit my nose, says Tejashwi on guards manhandling mediapersons Also read: Will wait for JDUs action against Tejashwi Yadav, says BJP leader Sushil Modi For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that there has been no change in Pakistan's position on providing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and visa for his mother. The MEA said that there is no progress on that front. However, as per the reports in Pakistani media, the Pakistans Foreign Office said that they are considering issuing visa to Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother on Indias request. So far, Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. And India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. Till now, India has not received any information on the status of appeal or the petition given by the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav. Earlier, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said it was up to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to decide the future course in the case. India moved the International Court of Justice against Jadhav's death penalty and the ICJ on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing the death sentence. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. Also read: Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan once again denies India's appeal for consular access Also read: Jadhav files mercy plea, India slams Pakistan over 'confessional video' For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj are going to brief leaders of opposition parties on the stand-off with China and the situation in Kashmir on Friday, official sources said. Leaders of prominent opposition parties are being invited for the meeting where the two senior ministers will give a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation along the Sino- Indian border and Jammu and Kashmir and the government action, sources said. Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well on Kashmir issue. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers 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 onstruction 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. In Jammu and Kashmir, seven pilgrims were killed by militants in Anantnag district while returning from Amarnath cave shrine on last Monday. Four districts of the state -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag -- have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. Also Read: Ulterior motives prompted India to include tri-junction in Sikkim standoff, says China Seventy-six people, besides two police personnel, were killed during the five-month unrest in the Valley following the killing of Wani. The unrest resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Opposition leaders have been criticising the government for the way it has handled the China and Kashmir matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Gandhi on Wednesday accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Also Read | Amarnath terror strike: 2 Pakistanis among 4 terrorists involved in attack, says govt He also alleged the prime minister's pursuit of short- term political gains from the BJP-PDP alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for claiming that the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be published by December 31. The NRC is meant to identify original residents of Assam to check illegal migration. The top court said when it was monitoring the process of publication of the draft NRC, no agency or authority can make a statement like this. "We don't appreciate any other authority intervening inthe matter of preparation and publication of the draft NRCwhen this court has been monitoring the process," the benchcomprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman said. During the hearing the bench was informed that though thedeadline for the publication of draft NRC was said to be March 31, 2019, the Chief Minister has stated that this would bedone on or before December 2017. "Last time you had told us that you will do it by March2018. It is good that you are doing it. But we have an on-record statement of Chief Minister of Assam that the draft NRCwill be published in December 2017. Let him supervise then. We will wash off our hands. "When the Supreme Court is monitoring it, we don't seeany other agency or authority to say that we will do it like this," the bench said. It also said that the apex court has already spend itsenergy, time for almost two years and "it is not fair to thecourt". The apex court had earlier asked for preparation of NRC to keep a check on illegal migration from Bangladesh. The apex court was hearing a matter relating to fencingof Indo-Bangla border. With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bengaluru: A day after DIG Roopa made allegations that interim AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala paid bribes and got special VIP favours for herself in the Bengaluru jail, where she is currently lodged, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has ordered an inquiry into the matter. We have taken serious cognizance of allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered high level inquiry. Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing, Siddaramaiah tweeted. As it was speculated that AIADMK general secretary and convict in corruption case, VK Sasikala is receiving special treatment in Parappana Agrahara central prison, a report prepared by DIG (Prisons ) D Roopa divulged that former Jayalalithaas aide has allegedly bribed Rs two crore to jail officials including DG (prisons ) Satyanarayan Rao to enjoy the facility. The DIG (Prison) stated in her report to the additional chief secretary, DGP (Prisons) and home secretary that a special kitchen has been set up for Sasikala which is against the norm. In the report, it is said that special treatment is also being given to Abdul Karim Telgi who is convicted in fake stamp paper scam. DIG (Prisons) D Roopa also said that 3-4 convicted prisoners have been deputed to Abdul Karim Telgi for body massage. D Roopa, DIG (Prisons) said she was on government sanctioned leave and found this after returning to the job. ALSO READ | AIADMK leader Sasikala paid bribe to get VIP treatment in Karnataka jail, claims DIG (Prisons) The DIG (Prisons) further said it could be a lapse on her part if she does not report to the government. She further said that the government should do a fact-finding report whether her report was correct or not. On the other hand, DG (prisons ) Satyanarayan Rao denied all allegations, saying that he is ready to face any probe. Rao also said that DIG (Prisons) D Roopa should discuss with him if she observed any wrongdoing in prison. He said there was no truth in her report. ALSO READ | Charges framed against Sasikala in FERA violations case Rao said that they are following court orders as the court had stated to give her assistance. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: There are around 18 deaths in Mumbai because of tuberculosis (TB) daily and the number of Mumbaikars opting out of demanding TB treatment redoubled from 9% in 2012 to 19% in 2016-17, the latest information released by NGO Praja said on Wednesday. However, civic officials rejected the NGO's analysis. "A health programme cannot be analysed based on some data randomly gathered using RTI," said civic TB officer Dr Daksha Shah. The truth is that, the BMC public health department had, in its RTI reply, asked Praja to examine the data with Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) officials. Praja officials were unyielding. "There is clearly something wrong with BMC's TB control programme," said Praja's Milind Mhaske. "There has been a sharp drop in the number of people signing up with the RNTCP for treatment. This shows people prefer to go to the private sector for treatment. Moreover, the drop-out rate in the government programme has increased from 9% in 2012 to 19% in 2016," he added. Praja brings out an annual health report, scrutinizing data collected from BMC's health department with the use of RTI. It utilizes information cited in death certificates to compute the death toll because of various diseases - a step the BMC is against as its officials say the death certificates are not scientifically filled out (BMC is in the process of conducting educational programmes for doctors on how to fill a death certificate in accordance with World Health Organisation norms). At a press conference held on Wednesday, Mhaske said, "Mumbai's health budget for 2017-18 was Rs 3,312 crore. This is only marginally lower than the entire budget for Thane Municipal Corporation (Rs 3,390 crore). Yet, there is a lot more that needs to be done." BMC officials said the data was irrationally put together. A senior BMC official on Wednesday was quoted as saying that Praja pursued data about "new registrations" in 2016 from the BMC. "We replied that new registrations are 15,767. Now, TB treatment stretches from six months to three years, leading to some patients continuing treatment for years," said the official. Praja should have preferably requested for total number of patients taking treatment in a particular year. Dr Shah further said that Praja data could contain lot of duplication as it had gathered data from dispensaries, hospitals as well as the public health department. She added the BMC had done an examination of the number of defaulters. "Around 30% of the defaulters' list is made up of migrants who return home as soon as they feel better. The second major group is alcoholics," said Dr Shah. Also Read | India lagging in global standards for tuberculosis: Report New Delhi: A latest study has found that men generally become victims to military sexual trauma (MST) and that it can indicate alcohol complications years later. 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 have not only cause 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." 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 it is imperative for the public to be aware that MST is 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 won't get treatment if they are too afraid or ashamed to report the events to anyone." For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Others News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Yaounde: According to security sources, in northeastern Cameroon two bombers blew themselves up killing 14 people and injuring 30 people in an attack likely staged by Boko Haram jihadists. The bombings, which took place Wednesday evening in Waza near the Nigerian border, targeted a busy area in the market town, the sources said. The bombers struck an area with restaurants, telephone cabins and kiosks, a local official said. The town has been sealed off. Nobody can enter and nobody can leave, the source said, adding that some of the wounded were in quite serious condition. Though Boko Haram was born in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, prompting the formation of a regional force to fight back. Cameroons Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm. Six civilians were killed in mid-June in a double suicide attack in Kolofata, and two others died in Limani at the start of last month when a female bomber blew herself up near the towns public school. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their homes in fear of the violence. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Amid clamour growing for his resignation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday called an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss future course of action to counter the Panama case probe panels damning report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. Sharif, 67, is expected to seek an endorsement from the Cabinet in the form of a resolution or a declaration, apart from briefing members about the partys strategy to challenge the Joint Investigation Team report in the Supreme Court, official sources said. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif familys business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene the Cabinet was taken during an informal meeting at the prime ministers house, attended by members of Sharifs Cabinet and his legal team, including Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali. Also Read | Panamagate: Imran Khan demands Sharif's resignation All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif is not ready to quit and his daughter Maryam confirmed it in a tweet. InshAllah he wont resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money during five tenures in power has been proven against him, she tweeted. Sharif is serving prime minister for a record third time before serving twice as chief minister of Punjab in 1980s. Also Read | Panamagate: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif won't flee country, assures PML-N leader For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. An undersea earthquake off the coast of North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test, the South's media reported Thursday. The 5.9 magnitude quake struck about 190 km (120 miles) southeast of the reclusive state's third-largest city, Chongjin, in the early hours of Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. North Korea has staged five nuclear tests --- including two last year --- and has made significant progress in its missile capability under Kim Jong Un, who took power in 2011. But the quake, which did not trigger a tsunami warning, was not caused by a nuclear test, Yonhap news agency reported USGS geophysicist John Bellini as saying. A 71-year-old nurse has been arrested on a charge of attempted murder after allegedly drugging the drinks of two people and causing them to have a car accident, the Chiba Prefectural Police said. Police arrested Aiko Hatano on Tuesday for allegedly letting a 69-year-old woman who works at the same nursing care facility and her 71-year-old husband drink tea laced with a sleep-inducing drug on May 15, knowing they would later drive home. The two crashed into a van driven by a 56-year-old man in Sakura, Chiba. The woman broke her rib in the accident, and the two men suffered slight injuries. Hatano, from the city of Inzai, was first arrested on June 21 on suspicion of giving a colleague a beverage mixed with a sedative, according to the police. Since April, a number of workers reported feeling dizzy, sleepy and unsteady on their feet, according to the facility. Police said Hatano has admitted that she mixed the drugs into her colleaguesa drinks but was vague about whether she intended to kill them. An investigative source said Wednesday that another 60-year-old female worker at the facility was killed in a car accident on Feb. 5, and that police are investigating possible connections to other cases. DANBURY Danbury Hospital has been named one of this years Most Wired hospitals by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, a nationwide publication for health systems. The magazine also listed Norwalk Hospital, which is part of Western Connecticut Health Network, along with Danbury Hospital, according to a press release from the network. STRATFORD - A UPS employee was arrested after police said he sexually assaulted the companys cleaning woman inside the mens room. Police said the woman was bent over refilling the soap dispensers in the mens room at the Honeyspot Road facility when 48-year-old Darryl Bonds came up behind her and squeezed her buttocks. TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /CNW/ - 407 International Inc. (the "Company") announced today revenues of $331.0 million for the second quarter of 2017, compared to $290.8 million for the same period of 2016. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"1) totalled $291.2 million for the second quarter of 2017 as compared with $257.4 million for same period of 2016. The Company reported net income of $124.6 million for the second quarter of 2017 as compared with $94.4 million for same period of 2016. The Board of Directors declared an eligible dividend of $0.277 per common share, payable on or about July 13, 2017, to shareholders of record on July 13, 2017. The Company is owned by Cintra Global Holding Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovial S. A. (43.23%), by indirectly owned subsidiaries of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (total 40%), and by SNC-Lavalin (16.77%). News releases are available at www.407etr.com. ______________________________ 1 EBITDA is not a recognized measure under International Financial Reporting Standards and investors are cautioned that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net income or cash from operating activities as an indicator of the Company's performance or cash flows. The Company's method of calculating EBITDA may differ from other companies' methods, and may not be comparable to measures used by other companies. EBITDA less depreciation and amortization, interest and other expenses and income tax expenses, results in net income. Highlights Unaudited Three-month period Six-month period ended June 30 ended June 30 2017 2016 2017 2016 Selected Financial Information (in millions) Revenues $ 331.0 $ 290.8 $ 591.7 $ 516.1 Operating expenses 39.8 33.4 80.0 71.1 Depreciation and amortization 26.5 27.0 50.9 52.8 Interest and other expenses 94.4 101.6 171.6 175.4 Income before tax 170.3 128.8 289.2 216.8 Income tax expenses 45.7 34.4 77.2 57.8 Net income $ 124.6 $ 94.4 $ 212.0 $ 159.0 Traffic Total trips (in thousands) 33,575 32,486 60,117 59,278 Average revenue per trip $9.99 $8.92 $9.70 $8.65 Average workday number of trips 427,209 422,411 397,728 391,424 Total vehicle kilometres (in thousands) 699,776 677,925 1,263,950 1,212,262 Number of transponders in circulation at June 30 1,387,290 1,297,990 SOURCE 407 International Inc. For further information: Investors: Geoffrey Liang, Chief Financial Officer, Tel: 905-265-4070; Media: Kevin Sack, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Government Relations, Tel: 905-264-5374 LONGUEUIL, QC, July 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Agropur is supporting the people affected by the wildfires in British Columbia by donating $25,000 to the Canadian Red Cross's British Columbia Fires Appeal. The fund provides immediate relief and financial assistance to the victims. Our thoughts are with the thousands of evacuees and we want to do what we can to help alleviate their hardship. About Agropur Agropur Cooperative is a North American dairy industry leader founded in 1938. With sales of $6.0 billion in 2016, the Cooperative is a source of pride to its 3,345 members and 8,000 employees. Agropur processes more than 5.9 billion litres of milk per year at its 39 plants across North America and boasts an impressive roster of brands and products including Natrel, Quebon, OKA, Farmers, Agropur Signature, Agropur Grand Cheddar, Island Farms, BiPro, and the Ultima Foods joint venture's iogo and Olympic brands. Agropur's Quebec head office is certified LEED Silver. SOURCE Agropur For further information: Veronique Boileau, Vice President, Communications, Agropur Cooperative, Phone: 450-878-1844 Related Links http://www.agropur.com/fr/ MONTREAL, July 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - At its International Congress in Colombia, AIESEC today announced that it has decided to locate its new international secretariat in Montreal. AIESEC, one of the largest associations in the world, with 50,000 students and recent graduate members, picked Montreal over other finalist cities after launching a call for tenders in April. The city's application, spearheaded by Montreal International, was successful thanks to support from some thirty partners, as well as concerted efforts by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Quebec's Ministere des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie and the City of Montreal. Montreal's status as the best student city in the world, as ranked by QS, also played in favour of the city's bid. AIESEC's mission is to develop the leadership potential of young people through international work and volunteer exchanges so they can make a positive contribution to society. AIESEC will relocate its current offices from Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Montreal in September 2018. In doing so, the organization will join the 64 governmental and non-governmental international organizations already based in Montreal the largest international organization community in North America, after Washington, D.C., and New York City. In addition to generating close to $300 million in annual economic spinoffs, international organizations enhance the city's international profile, make it easier for local businesses to access international networks and bring unrivalled expertise to the province. Since 1996, Montreal Internationalthe only economic development agency in the world with a program dedicated to attracting international organizations and helping them expandhas managed to bring in about half the international organizations in the city. Quotes: "Montreal stands out due to its strategic location, economic stability, competitive cost of living and safe urban environment. What's more, Montreal is home to a large and vibrant student community. The city's got everything we need to fulfill our mission. We would like to thank Montreal International for having presented such a comprehensive and convincing case, and for providing so many services to help international organizations such as ours grow and thrive." Niels Caszo, President of AIESEC International 2017-18 "We are delighted that AIESEC chose Montreal and we would like to thank the thirty organizations that helped with the city's bid, particularly student groups and educational institutions, as well as youth organizations and private sector businesses. Our partners' engagement and ability to work together were decisive factors in AIESEC's choice, providing a glimpse of the full business potential the organization can tap into to grow and strengthen its position across the world." Hubert Bolduc, President and CEO of Montreal International "The Government of Canada has set a goal to implement favourable conditions so that enterprises can rely on the best talent to innovate and grow. When Canadian businesses prosper, they create good jobs, strengthen the middle class and foster the development of skills required for the jobs of tomorrow. The arrival of AIESEC in Montreal will definitely help ensure that future leaders and entrepreneurs join Canadian businesses and help them reach new heights." The Honourable Navdeep Singh Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED "I am very pleased about this new addition to Montreal's student and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Government of Canada's support for the arrival of the AIESEC confirms the importance we place on youth and higher education. Montreal can rely on universities that are highly specialized in fields of the future, such as engineering, computer science and applied science. Their collaboration with economic development players is a key factor in the success of Canadian enterprises." Marc Miller, Member of Parliament for Ville-MarieLe Sud-OuestIle-des-Surs and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "Just like Quebec, AIESEC wants to leverage the potential of young people to develop tomorrow's world. Enhancing youth and student mobility is a key objective of Quebec's International PolicyQuebec on the world stage: involved, engaged, thrivingas is attracting international organizations. We are proud to have AIESEC among the great many international organizations that have chosen to settle in Quebec." Christine St-Pierre, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie "AIESEC's reach extends across the globe and the organization has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) and is in official relations with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As the best student city in the world, Montreal was the logical choice for AIESEC, and we believe the organization's arrival will shine a global spotlight on Greater Montreal and position the region as an attractive student and business destination." Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal and Chair of the Communaute metropolitaine de Montreal About AIESEC (www.aiesec.org) AIESEC is the world's largest youth-led organization creating opportunities for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. With offices in more than 122 countries and territories, AIESEC is a non-political, independent, not-for-profit organization run by students and recent graduates of institutions of higher education. Around the world AIESEC partners with more than 2,600 universities and 8000 organizations to facilitate professional and personal development experiences for young people across the globe. About Montreal International (www.montrealinternational.com) Established in 1996, Montreal International is a non-profit organization funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Quebec, the Communaute metropolitaine de Montreal and the City of Montreal. Its mission is to attract foreign investment, international organizations and skilled talent to Greater Montreal. SOURCE Montreal International For further information: Media relations - AIESEC: Tanya Landysheva, Vice President for Public Relations, +31 10 443 4383, [email protected]; Media relations - Montreal International: Julie Brunet, Communications Advisor, 514-987-9327, [email protected] Related Links www.montrealinternational.com Product photos are available at http://bit.ly/2uTqqbr OTTAWA, July 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Loblaw Companies Limited is recalling President's Choice brand Pub Recipe Chicken Nuggets from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below. The following product has been sold nationally. Recalled product Brand Product Size UPC Codes President's Choice Pub Recipe Chicken Nuggets Uncooked Breaded Cutlettes 800 g 0 60383 13171 5 2018 MR 15 What you should do If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor. Check to see if you have recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased. Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis. Background This recall was triggered by findings by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings. The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing recalled product from the marketplace. Illnesses There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. More information SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) For further information: Media enquiries, CFIA Media Relations, 613-773-6600 Related Links http://www.inspection.gc.ca CALGARY, July 13, 2017 /CNW/ - Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, and Mexican Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, Jose Calzada, issued the following statement at the conclusion of their bilateral meeting which took place in Calgary, Alberta on July 13, 2017. Canada and Mexico are committed to creating a more integrated North American market for agriculture to help our respective sectors grow their businesses and remain globally competitive. Together, we have cultivated a robust bilateral agricultural trade relationship that is mature, balanced, and complementary. Our meeting in Calgary provided a valuable opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to continue collaborating in areas of common interest such as science and technology, which is helping to advance key areas of research including climate change, and developing more disease resistant wheat and potato varieties. As a region and bilaterally, we have also coordinated in the areas of plant and animal health, trade of biotechnology products and improved regulatory cooperation. We recognized the importance of expanding this type of collaboration, including through the Canada-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture and the Canada-Mexico Agri-Business Working Group, to help ensure favourable market access conditions and increased trade of our agri-food products within North America and globally. Canadian agri-food imports from Mexico (CAD$2.4 billion or US$1.8 billion) and Mexican agri-food imports from Canada (CAD$2.1 billion or US$1.6 billion) are balanced and complementary. For example, 95 per cent of all the avocados consumed in Canada are from Mexico. And over 90 per cent of canola seed imported by Mexico is from Canada. We are stronger together. Working with the United States, we have created a trading relationship that is the envy of the world. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has created a more competitive, prosperous and integrated agriculture and food industry across North America. Canada, Mexico and the United States recently affirmed their shared commitment to collaboration and open and transparent markets during trilateral agriculture meetings held in Savannah, Georgia, in June 2017. Our countries will continue to work together to show the world the benefits of an open-trade relationship that grows the economy and supports millions of jobs in North America. SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada For further information: Canada Media Relations, Phone: (613) 773-7972, Email: [email protected]; Mexico Communications, Email: [email protected] Related Links www.agr.gc.ca VANCOUVER, July 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Taseko Mines Limited (TSX: TKO; NYSE MKT: TGB) ("Taseko" or the "Company") is updating the operating status of the Gibraltar Mine in light of the severe wildfire conditions in the Cariboo region of British Columbia. While there are no fires in the immediate vicinity of Gibraltar and receiving supplies is not an issue at this time, the severity of the situation has impacted our employees' ability to travel to the mine. Mining and milling operations are continuing but have been scaled back due to the reduced workforce availability. Russell Hallbauer, President and CEO of Taseko, stated, "Currently, the wildfire situation remains extremely critical with many evacuation alerts and orders in effect for Williams Lake and neighbouring communities. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our employees and their families and we are adjusting schedules for employees who are unavailable to work because of fire threat to their homes and property. These are difficult circumstances with many employees already evacuated from their homes. We will balance Gibraltar operations with employee requirements as this dynamic situation develops." Russell Hallbauer President and CEO CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward looking statements") that were based on Taseko's expectations, estimates and projections as of the dates as of which those statements were made. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, believes, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "outlook", "anticipate", "project", "target", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "should" and similar expressions. For further information on Taseko, investors should review the Company's annual Form 40-F filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission www.sec.gov and home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com, including the "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Information Form. SOURCE Taseko Mines Limited For further information: on Taseko, please visit the Taseko website at www.tasekomines.com or contact: Brian Bergot, Vice President, Investor Relations - 778-373-4533 or toll free 1-877-441-4533 Related Links www.tasekomines.com CALGARY, July 13, 2017 /CNW/ - TransAlta Corporation ("TransAlta" or the "Company") (TSX: TA; NYSE: TAC) is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed the Honourable Rona Ambrose to its Board of Directors effective July 13, 2017. "On behalf of our Board, it is my pleasure to welcome Rona," said Ambassador Gordon Giffin, Chair of the Board. "We believe that Rona's extensive public policy experience and demonstrated ability to bring people of divergent views together for a common purpose will strengthen our Board. Her experience, along with her Alberta roots, will also help further our strategy of becoming Canada's leading clean power company through good governance, operational excellence, and growth." The Honourable Rona Ambrose was the former Leader of Canada's Official Opposition in the House of Commons and former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. She also acted as Minister of the Crown across nine government departments, including serving as Vice Chair of the Treasury Board and Chair of the cabinet committee for public safety, justice and aboriginal issues. In addition to serving as an independent director, the Honourable Rona Ambrose is a Global Fellow at the Wilson Centre Canada Institute in Washington D.C. focusing on key Canada-U.S. bilateral trade and competitiveness issues. TransAlta looks forward to the contributions of the Honourable Rona Ambrose to its Board of Directors. About TransAlta Corporation: TransAlta is a power generation and wholesale marketing company focused on creating long-term shareholder value. TransAlta maintains a low-to-moderate risk profile by operating a highly contracted portfolio of assets in Canada, the United States and Australia. TransAlta's focus is to efficiently operate wind, hydro, solar, natural gas and coal facilities in order to provide customers with a reliable, low-cost source of power. For over 100 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud contributor to the communities in which it works and lives. TransAlta has been recognized on CDP's Canadian Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI), which includes Canada's top 20 leading companies reporting on climate change, and has been selected by Corporate Knights as one of Canada's Top 50 Best Corporate Citizens and is recognized globally for its leadership on sustainability and corporate responsibility standards by FTSE4Good. For more information about TransAlta, visit our web site at transalta.com, or follow us on Twitter @TransAlta. SOURCE TransAlta Corporation For further information: Investor Inquiries: Sally Taylor, Manager, Investor Relations, Phone: 1-800-387-3598 in Canada and U.S., Email: [email protected]; Media Inquiries: Stacey Hatcher, Manager, Communications, Phone: Toll-free media number: 1-855-255-9184, Email: [email protected] Related Links http://www.transalta.com Nearly half of importers in the region are looking for new international suppliers in various industries, including growing automotive sector MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 13, 2017 /CNW/ - UPS (NYSE:UPS) announced the results of its 2017 UPS Business Monitor Export Index Latin America (BMEI) report. The study focuses on the purchasing behaviors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a segment representing more than 90 per cent of companies in Latin America1. It reveals insights about importers that will help exporters sell and supply products to this growing sector. The insights include importer's preferred methods to evaluate and contact new suppliers, the criteria they use to purchase products, and factors in the supply chain that influence their purchasing decisions. The nine countries included in the survey include: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the United States. "The BMEI study provides importers and exporters with a deeper understanding of the purchasing dynamics of SMEs in Latin America," said Jose Acosta, president of Public Affairs, UPS Americas Region. "The SME sector in the Americas is playing a significant role in the region's economic growth and global trade." The 2017 BMEI, a UPS study conducted in conjunction with the RGX Global Export Network, surveyed 2,170 importers from the industrial manufacturing, automotive, apparel and high-tech industries regarding the factors that influence their purchasing behavior about the products they buy. By taking an in-depth look at SME importers' buying trends, exporters are provided with insights to help them tailor their outreach strategies to tap into current and new markets. The study highlights the importance that importers place on the quality of the products they buy, which is as critical as price, but the automotive industry in particular places great value on other key considerations. "The importance of logistics and shipping solutions provided by the vendor, as well as flexible payment terms, are two elements that must be considered by exporters to address these markets," said Craig Rayner, vice president of automotive, UPS Canada. "Canadian exporters in this sector would be well served to initiate trade activities in markets with existing trade agreements in place and, where possible, a local industry that is open to international competition." _____________________ 1 https://www.caf.com/en/currently/news/2016/06/latin-america-in-search-of-more-competitive-sme/?parent=30234 Main Study Insights According to this year's study, 47 per cent of Latin American importers are looking for new international suppliers, which suggests an opportunity for Canadian exporters to find new buyers. Industry fairs and trade shows were cited as the most frequently used channel for finding new suppliers at 28 per cent, followed by trade missions at 21 per cent. In the region, 21 per cent of respondents indicated they expect potential suppliers to contact them, which reflects an opportunity for proactive Canadian exporters to present focused and well-researched business proposals via email or telephone. Brazilian importers are the most proactive in seeking new suppliers, with only five per cent indicating they do not contact new suppliers but rather wait to be contacted. Importers in the U.S. were the least proactive, with one out of three (31 per cent) indicating they do not contact suppliers. Importers indicated the top two product attributes influencing their purchasing decision were quality (97 per cent) and price (87 per cent) followed by seller services, such as, flexibility in payment terms and after-sales services. In the industrial manufacturing sector, almost half (45 per cent) of companies surveyed indicated that they import raw materials and basic inputs for production. This result is fully aligned with the nature of industrial manufacturing in the Americas, where domestic factories import their production inputs. In addition, over half (56 per cent) of industrial manufacturing importers looking for new suppliers use internet search engines to contact them, and 34 per cent said potential suppliers contact them directly via email, from which it can be inferred that online communications are a viable channel for exporters to reach out to new potential customers. For the automotive sector, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru have the highest percentage of importers looking for new suppliers and the most marked tendency toward digital behaviour. The high-tech sector has the highest level of online purchasing activity in the buying process. This is explained by importers' preference for online searches when looking for new suppliers, the high number of respondents completing purchases completely online (50 per cent), as well as the more frequent and varied use of online promotional tools. In the apparel segment, exporters looking for new markets to develop should consider the U.S., Costa Rica and Chile. These countries had the highest percentage of respondents looking for new suppliers. Warranty policies and product certifications were named as the most valued content on a potential supplier's website. For more information and press materials on the BMEI study, please visit www.pressroom.ups.com About 2017 UPS Business Monitor Export Index Latin America The BMEI Study included interviews from 2,170 individuals responsible for international purchases from the following industries: Industrial Manufacturing (36 per cent), Automotive (22 per cent), Apparel (21 per cent) and High-Tech (21 per cent). The study was conducted in nine countries including: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the United States. A sample per country was defined based on the size ratio between each market with a margin of error between +/- 4.7% and +/- 9.1%. The respondents were asked a series of questions using a CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing) system. The selected importers completed at least five transactions in the 12 months prior to the interview. The BMEI was commissioned by UPS (NYSE:UPS) and conducted by the RGX Global Export Network. About UPS UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com or pressroom.ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_Canada on Twitter. SOURCE UPS Canada Ltd. For further information: For all media inquiries, please contact: Steven Vitale, 905-676-1708, [email protected]; Jose Cano, 305-869-8191, [email protected] Related Links http://www.ups.com/canada Northern youths have called on the United Nations, UN, to declare Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a terrorist group.This is coming in less than two months after the coalition of Arewa youths issued a quit notice to Igbos to leave the North before October 1, 2017Addressing newsmen in Abuja, on Thursday, the Arewa youths, under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Groups, also called on the UN to intervene, by initiating processes for a peaceful referendum.They pointed out that it was the only option to finally settle the Biafran issue.They made the demand in a letter dated 12th of July 2017 and addressed to the UN.The groups said since the end of the Nigerian Civil War, Igbos had intermittently continued to taunt and rebel against other parts of the country, by demanding to secede and form an independent country.They maintained that the dclaration that Igbos should leave the north was not a call to violence, but a precaution.Speaking on behalf of the coalition, its coordinator, Shettima Yerima, said, Not withstanding all the efforts by the Acting President and responsible regional leaders, Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, remains undaunted and even intensified their violent divisive campaign which is the main issue of contention.Their continued action is a clear signal that they are committed to breaking away from the Nigerian federation which buttresses our earlier concerns.Worried by the recent threats, we became concerned that Kanu has finally crossed the boundaries of Nigerian laws and has blatantly breached international laws that specifically frown at the use of terror to achieve a goal.We are calling on the UN to invoke the relevant statuses to which Nigeria is a signatory to pronounce Kanu and IPOB as a terror outfits, proscribe their activities and initiate criminal actions against them.Since it is becoming all the more obvious by the way IPOB and Kanu enjoy massive support from the Igbo back home that the issue of the drive for Biafra nation is still a boiling one, we urge the UN to intervene by initiating processes for a peaceful referendum as the only option to finally settle the Biafran issue.The letter the Coalition of Northern Groups made up of fourteen northern associations wrote and addressed to the Resident Coordinator, United Nations, read in part, To prevent the impending war and genocide being incited by Kanus IPOB, we urge the international community to look deeply into the evidence We have attached here and make a necessary decision in line with what International Jaw and the international criminal curt laid down as precedents in dealing with people and groups that openly call for war and genocide.We further submit that the Conduct of Kanu and IPOB qualify as acts of terrorism against the state and the people they target.We rely on the UN! Security Council Resolution 1566 read alongside resolution 1373 that qualifies terrorism as: criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.In line with the above resolution, it is our belief that the campaign waged by Kanu and his group constitutes, to a large extent, acts of terrorism as it provokes a state of terror in the general public and intimidates a population.It is equally important to stress that Kanu and IPOB have, in their campaign, carved out territories they intend to annex in their planned Biafran nation, even when some of these places are outside the key five lgbo States of the South East.The leaders of these neighboring states have since expressed deep concern and apprehension that the grand plan of Kanu and IPOB is one that also includes the design to annex unwilling neighbors.This is not only against international Law, it is also a catalyst for violent resistance as we have seen in various parts of the world; the recent being Crimea.The position of international law is also clear as contained in the ICJ report 1986: A Prohibited intervention must... be one bearing on matters in which each State is permitted, by the principle Of State sovereignty, to decide freely One Of these is the choice of a political, economic social and cultural system end the formulation of foreign policy. Intervention is wrongful when it uses methods of coercion in regard to such choices, which must remain free ones.ICJ Reports 1986, Judgment, June 27, 1986, p. 14, 108 (Para. 205).We accordingly demand that the only enduring solution to this scourge that is being visited on the nation is complete separation of the states presently agitating for Biafra from the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a peaceful political process which includes:Taking steps to facilitate the actualization of the Biafran nation in line with the principle of self-determination as an integral part of contemporary customary international law.The principle of self-determination has, since World War II become a part of the United Nations Charter, which states in Article 1(2), that one of the purposes of the UN is to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.We submit that this protocol envisages that people of any nation have the right to self-determination, and although the Charter did not categorically impose direct legal obligations on member States; it implies that member States allow agitating or minority groups to self-govern as much as possible.This principle of self-determination has since been espoused in two additional treaties: The United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 1 of both international documents promote and protect the right of a people to self-determination. State parties to these international documents are obliged to uphold the primacy and realization of this right as it cements the international legal philosophy that gives a people the right to self. determination.As the Biafran agitation persists and assumes threatening and violent dimensions, we submit that there is a need for the lgbo to have the opportunity to exercise the right to self-determination as entrenched in the aforementioned international statutes to which Nigeria is a signatory.We call on the UN to, on behalf of the peace loving and good people of Nigeria, impress on our International friends and partners, i.e. the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Israel to distance themselves from these threats to peace made by Kanu and ban further activities of his violent group on their soils in addition to appropriately labeling it a terror organization.Recognizing the right of self-determination in international law as the legal right of a people to attain a certain degree of autonomy from a sovereign state through a legitimate political process, we strongly demand for the conduct of a referendum in a politically sane atmosphere for the Biafran lgbo to have a democratic voice over their future and the future of the nation.We pray the UN to call on all lgbo from all over the country and in the Diaspora to converge in their region in the South-East for a plebiscite under the supervision of the UN and other regional bodies to categorically decide between remaining with Nigeria or actualizing the Biafran dream.We pray the UN to resolve to ensure that the Nigerian authorities should at the-end of the plebiscite implement Whatever is agreed and resolved in order to finally put this matter to rest. Local authorities say two suicide bombers killed 12 people and wounded over 40 others in a small town in northern Cameroon near the Niger... Local authorities say two suicide bombers killed 12 people and wounded over 40 others in a small town in northern Cameroon near the Nigerian border late on Wednesday.An army colonel responsible for evacuating the wounded, who asked to remain anonymous, said: there were 14 deaths, including the two suicide bombers, and 42 wounded.The attack was perpetrated by one suicide bomber, and the other was shot dead.The attack was carried out by two women, who walked into a busy area in the centre of Waza, eight km from the Nigerian border, said Midjiyawa Bakari, the governor for the Far North region where the attack took place.He said that 13 had been killed and 43 wounded.The source said a baby was among the dead.He said many were seriously wounded and were flown to nearby hospitals.No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the region has been a frequent target of Boko Haram militants in their eight-year bid to carve out an Islamic caliphate beyond Nigeria.On June 2, nine were killed in the town of Kolofata when two children carrying explosives blew themselves up near a camp housing people displaced by Boko Haram violence.In eight years, Boko Haram attacks have killed more than 20,000 people in the Lake Chad region, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger and, according to the latest UN refugee agency figures, displaced 2.7 million. (Reuters/NAN) A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday granted bail to a former Governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki, who was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja on July 4.Justice Yusuf Halilu granted him bail on conditions which merely required him to submit his traveling documents to the registry of the court, produce two reasonable sureties who are residents in Abuja and sign a register to be opened at the EFCC office every two weeks.The anti-graft agency produced the former governor in court on Thursday in compliance with an earlier order of the judge.The EFCCs lawyer, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, who had opposed Turakis request for bail, had informed the judge that the former governor was arrested at an event in Abuja on July 4, following an arrest warrant issued against the suspect about three years ago.The lawyer explained that the Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State, had issued the arrest warrant following the failure of the former governor to attend court to face trial for charges filed against him about five years ago. Sacked National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that he is still in shock over the judgment of the Supreme Court which removed him from office on Wednesday.Sheriff said he was still waiting for his lawyers to brief him on the details of the judgment.His reaction was sent to our correspondent by his erstwhile deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh and the former Spokesperson for his faction, Mr. Bernard Mikko, in Abuja on Thursday.Mikko, who signed the statement said Nigerians should continue to pray for the country.The three-paragraph statement said, We received with shock the 12th July judgement of the Supreme Court on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party.Though we still await the full written judgement of the highest court from our lawyers who will fully brief us on the details of the judgement. In the interim, we ask all members and supporters to remain steadfast in prayers for Nigeria.Meanwhile, we continue with our avowed demands that the party must be given back to the owners at the grassroots to always elect their party officials and those to contest elections for them at all levels. Internal democracy must be institutionalized in the party.Sheriff was removed by a five-man panel of justices of the Supreme Court and installed the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee as the authentic leader of the former ruling party.His sacking ended the 18-month leadership crisis in the party. The Police in Lagos on Thursday announced the arrest of a man who allegedly attempted to defraud his brother of N60 million by staging h... The Police in Lagos on Thursday announced the arrest of a man who allegedly attempted to defraud his brother of N60 million by staging his own kidnap.The spokesman of the Lagos State Police command, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the arrest to newsmen.According to Famous-Cole, on July 3, one Victor Udoh reported to the command that his younger brother, Ufom Edet Udoh, was kidnapped by unknown persons at Liverpool in Apapa area of Lagos state.Famous-Cole said men of the commands Anti-Kidnapping Squad, quickly swung into action and traced calls the complainant received on his phone.He said that this led to the arrest of one Paul Philips Okiemute, who reported the case at the work place of the supposed victim.Okiemute, upon questioning, confessed that Udoh staged his own kidnap to collect money from his elder brother, to solve his financial problems.Udoh was not kidnapped at all. It was all a planned attempt to stage his own kidnap, so that he can be paid a N60 million ransom by his elder brother.The suspect said he made calls to the victims elder brother with an unknown number, demanding a ransom of N60 million. Ufom Edet Udoh was later picked up and he confessed to the crime.He confessed to have checked into a hotel at Iyana-Ipaja area on July 3, where he spent three nights without food and water, hoping to cash the money, Famous-Cole said.The image maker added that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr Fatai Owoseni, however, ordered that the suspects should be immediately charged to court, to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to cause a breach of the peace in Lagos State. A former Governor of Abia , Dr Orji Kalu, has said that those peddling rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari is on life support have be... A former Governor of Abia , Dr Orji Kalu, has said that those peddling rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari is on life support have been proven wrong. Kalu, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke with Newsmen on Thursday in Abuja. He said the visit of acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to Buhari in London had shown that the rumour peddlers were liars.Kalu said that everything possible should be done to reduce increasing hate speeches and `death wish in the country. The confirmation of the Presidents health status by the acting president and wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari is something good Christians and good Muslims should embrace with joy.Those wishing the President dead and spreading false rumours about his health are exposing their ignorance about life and death. I do not understand what joy people derive in wishing their fellow human being dead. Anybody can fall sick, but no good Christian and Muslim would wish someone dead, he said.The former governor also commended Osinbajo for the visit, noting that he had ` not only shown leadership, but also maintained the virtues of the President. He also urged all Nigerians to pray for Buharis quicker recovery in the hope for a better and stronger Nigeria. The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, says the electoral defeat suffered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 8 senatorial bye-election will not affect the fortunes of the party.Salaam, in a statement issued on Thursday in Osogbo by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Goke Butika, described the defeat as an electoral set back and a wake-up call.The speaker, who said the development would strengthen the APC for future elections, promised that all the loopholes identified during the poll would be critically addressed.The APC caucus in the assembly, he said, however, passed a vote of confidence on Gov. Rauf Aregbesola.Salaam said the enduring achievements of the governor in the areas of education, security, infrastructure and health could not be ignored.APC administration under the leadership of Gov. Aregbesola has saved the state from cheap death that could be caused by flood through proactive measures.It secured the state from criminals that almost overran financial institutions located in the state before he took the mantle through coordinated security architecture.Our loss in the election cannot affect the fortunes of our party and government but rather, it is a weight shedding exercise to renew its pact with the people for better delivery.We affirm our strong faith in the party, he said.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 97,480 votes to defeat Sen. Mudashiru Husain, the APC flag-bearer, who scored 66,116 votes during the election.Adeleke won in nine out of the 10 local government areas in the senatorial district. The Ahmed Makarfi led leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi, has described the sacked National Chairman of the... The Ahmed Makarfi led leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi, has described the sacked National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, as a distraction that threatened the very existence of the party.Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the erstwhile chairman put the party in extremely difficult situation throughout the 14 months the leadership crisis lasted.The distraction caused by Sheriff and his loyalists put us under intense pressure to a point that we could not pay salaries of secretariat staff while the crisis lasted, Adeyeye added.Among others, he blamed Sheriff for the partys defeats in the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections where Sheriff fielded parallel candidates against the partys choices.According to him, the task of uniting factions created by Sheriff in the various state chapters has become a difficult one that would require a great deal of wisdom for the party leadership to accomplish.The party spokesman said doing justice to the numerous distortions created by the former chairman would certainly hurt some groups and individuals who benefited from the illegal parallel structures erected by Sheriff in some states.On the way forward, we are going to do justice that some people may certainly not be happy with because doing justice might hurt some people, particularly those occupying certain positions illegally. These people will surely lose their positions, Adeyeye stated.Some of the states where parallel structures were erected by Sheriff during his 14-month reign included Ondo, Anambra, Imo, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Adamawa and Kaduna among others.Adeyeye, however, announced what he described as general amnesty for Sheriff and his loyalists under the new leadership, warning however that further infractions after the amnesty window would attract the appropriate sanctions.The party spokesman lamented that the distraction caused by Sheriffs recalcitrance affected the focus and sense of direction of the PDP in its role as an opposition party.He accused the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) of unprecedented arrogance and impunity in the running of the country, saying the PDP now has a solid platform to take on the APC.Adeyeye said: Now we are in the position to offer viable opposition. The APC should be prepared for a virile and credible opposition; the type they gave us before the 2015 general elections.With the Supreme Court judgment, Nigerians now look up to the PDP as an alternative platform to actualise their hopes and aspirations. We are going to roll out our programmes in the days ahead, after due consultations with all stakeholders. Immediately after an emergency this morning (Thursday),Members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic... Immediately after an emergency this morning (Thursday),Members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),declared that there is vacancy in the Aso Rock come 2019.The Rep. Leo Okuweh Ogor, (Delta)led opposition in the House at a press briefing stated this to highlight the struggles it passed through in the course of the partys legal battles that resulted in the victory at the supreme court.Speaking on behalf of the House,Ogor told journalists that the APC administration has been all promises and no action, and has occasioned the impoverishment of Nigerians who now live in hunger and insecurity.He said the APC having failed to improve the countrys situation better than it met it, it should see the PDPs legal victory at the supreme court as a quit notice towards 2019. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday arraigned one Abubakar Sani for providing fa... The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday arraigned one Abubakar Sani for providing false information to the commission.Sanis information had led to the raid on the residence of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo on June 28, in Kaduna by ICPC and DSS operatives.Since the raid on the property, the ICPC had not said if anything incriminating was found.The whistle blower, who was arraigned before Justice Aliyu Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court, is facing two-count charge of providing false information and misleading a public officer while on lawful duty.Counsel to the commission, Elijah Akaakohol, said the accused had provided the false information to an official of the commission on June 21, 2017.Akaakohol told the court that Sani had claimed to have transported boxes of money in local and foreign currencies to the house at Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna in 2013 from Abuja Airport, which money you suspected to be ill-gotten wealth and still laying in boxes in that said house at the moment of your report.And of which you made the officers of the commission of the ICPC to carry out a sting operation that turned out to be false.You thereby committed an offence, contrary to, and punishable under section 64 (3) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.Sani is also being charged for making false statement to one Mr Olusegun Adigun, an official of the ICPC while in the course of duty as a public officer, contrary to section 25(1) and punishable under section 25(1b) of the ICPC Act 2000.Sani, who appeared without a legal counsel, however pleaded not guilty of the charges.The Judge directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till Thursday, Nov. 2 for hearing.Before the adjournment, Justice Tukur advised the accused to get a counsel to stand for him at the next hearing of the case. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI pledged his independence yesterday during his confirmation hearing. "My commitment is to the rule of law, to the Constitution, to follow the facts wherever they may lead," Christopher Wray told the Senate judiciary committee. Wray represented Gov. Chris Christie when he was interviewed by the FBI as part of the Bridgegate scandal. Wray broke with the Republican president in some key areas yesterday, rejecting the idea that an investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign is a "witch hunt." He told senators yesterday that he would never let politics get in the way of the bureau's mission. And he said he "sure as heck" would not offer a pledge of loyalty to the president. Trump abruptly dismissed James Comey as FBI director in May. Yesterday's hearing was the first public window into Wray's views. His responses to questions seemed to satisfy both sides of the aisle on the Senate Judiciary Committee, with many signaling their support for him. Do you think Wray should be confirmed as FBI director? Vote in our informal, unscientific poll and tell us how you voted in the comments. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. President Trump still can't see what this "witch hunt" over Russia is all about. His son had a meeting last year with a lawyer who happened to be from Russia. So what? Move on, folks. "The press are making a very big deal over something that really a lot of people would do," he said in Paris Thursday afternoon. "It's standard in politics." Standard? Let's take a look. This began when Donald Trump Jr. received an e-mail from a British friend who arranged this meeting. In the e-mail, the Brit friend said the Russian government wanted to pass on dirt about Hillary Clinton to help his dad win the presidency. It was an explicit offer of collusion. "Love it," Junior responded. The big question is whether the president knew about this. Junior shared the smoking e-mails with Paul Manafort, the campaign manager, and with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. We are supposed to believe that the president's closest circle of senior advisors, including his own son, saw this offer of collusion as important enough to attend this meeting, but none of them ever mentioned it to Trump, who was sitting in his office one floor above them. We don't know a lot about this. Did the Russian lawyer deliver damaging information on Hillary? Is that why the drip-drip release of emails hacked by the Russians began just a few weeks later? And what exactly is this lawyer's connection to the Kremlin? We know she is close to oligarchs and political figures allied to Vladimir Putin, but we do not know if she was acting on his behalf during this meeting. So we don't know if the Trump campaign actually colluded with the Russians. We just know they wanted to. We know they made time for this meeting after receiving an explicit offer of collusion, in writing. And we know now that President Trump sees nothing wrong with that. For the record, the Russians offered to help Hubert Humphrey during his campaign against Richard Nixon in 1968. He turned them down cold. If this meeting was standard practice, then why did Junior lie about it, saying at first that it was all about adoptions? Why did Kushner fail to mention it when asked to list any meetings with Russian nationals as part of his security clearance? We are supposed to believe it just slipped his mind? No, taking this meeting was not standard. It was a betrayal of this country, a craven attempt to make common cause with Putin in his efforts to weaken Western democracies, all for a little help in beating Hillary. This is no witch hunt. It is more like a fox hunt. And the dogs are on the scent. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- Calling President Donald Trump's allegations of voter fraud a "lie" and a "sham," U.S. Sen. Cory Booker on Wednesday introduced legislation to put his commission out of business. Booker's bill would revoke Trump's executive order setting up the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Trump formed the panel after claiming without evidence that millions of illegal ballots prevented him from winning the popular vote against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. "This is plainly and flatly not true. It is a lie. It is wrong," Booker (D-N.J.) said at a Capitol press conference. "Our bill goes right after this fraud, this farce, that is being committed right now using taxpayer dollars," The White House referred questions to Vice President Mike Pence, the commission chairman. His office did not respond to a request for comment. Booker, the first black to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate, has expressed concern that the Trump administration will use allegations of voter fraud as a smoke screen to seeking to hold down voting by minorities who traditionally support Democratic candidates. Trump embraced a voter identification law in North Carolina that a federal appeals court to have targeted blacks "with almost surgical precision." "This sham of a commission is falling in line with those efforts," Booker said. That concern was evident in the identities of the House sponsors: Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Richmond invoked the names of civil rights activists Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered in Mississippi while trying to register blacks to vote. The Trump commission "is taking this country back to a place where we don't want to go," he said. One concern is the panel will recommend voter-ID laws to curb in-person fraud, which studies show is virtually non-existent but prevent minorities from voting. Several commission members, most notably Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and former Federal Election Commission member Hans von Spakovsky, have been proponents of such laws. Opponents also are worried that the panel's report will be used to justify large-scale purges of registered voters since different people with same name and birth date will be wrongly flagged as the same individual registered in two different states. "Far from ensuring the integrity of our elections, the president's commission is preparing to undermine it," said Todd A. Cox, director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "It is a sad day when we need Congress to prevent the White House from taking part in a campaign to strip away voting rights, but unfortunately, that day has arrived." The commission recently asked all 50 states to turn over information about registered voters, including names, addresses and birth dates to include last four digits of Social Security numbers, voting history, felony convictions, military service and registrations in other states. Most of them, including New Jersey, rejected all or part of the request. Robert Giles, director of New Jersey's division of elections, said no data would be released "that is not publicly available or does not follow the appropriate legal process for information requests." Booker last week asked state officials to go even further and not to provide any information. The Trump panel said in a court filing earlier this week that it no longer would pursue the data. Booker's bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Marie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who called voter fraud allegations "shibai," a Hawaiian word translated as a vulgarism for "not true." Trump's campaign talk about voter fraud led the Democratic National Committee to unsuccessfully claim last year that the Republican National Committee was violating a New Jersey consent decree barring the party from activities that could discourage minorities from going to the polls. The court order, imposed after the state's 1981 gubernatorial election, expires this year. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie replaced his chief counsel on Thursday, naming James DiGiulio his top legal adviser for governmental matters. DiGiulio is an attorney at the law firm of O'Toole Scrivo, Fernandez Weiner Van Lieu. The firm just formed this spring when another Christie chief counsel, Thomas Scrivo, stepped down to head the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and to return to private practice with longtime Christie ally, retiring state Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex). DiGiulio replaces Gregory Acquaviva, the former chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno whom the governor nominated in June to serve as a Superior Court judge after serving as his chief counsel for only since March. Christie praised Acquaviva, saying that while he would miss "his expertise on my senior staff, the public will be well served as he brings his intellect and thoughtfulness to the New Jersey bench." Acquaviva is also a former law clerk to President Donald Trump's sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, who is a judge at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. As a former senior counsel to the governor, DiGiulio spearheaded the effort to achieve savings in the state health benefits program and led the governor's initiative to pass legislation to provide health insurance coverage for struggling with substance abuse. A graduate of Rutgers University School of Law in Camden, DiGiulio handled commercial litigation for O'Toole Scrivo. Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Verrick Bills, 37, was shot dead March 17 in the parking lot of a strip mall on Kabel Drive in Algiers. How Tales of the Cocktail changed the way the world drinks John Kennedy has no place telling New Orleans what to do: Letter 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. A celebration was held Tuesday to honor a downtown Council Bluffs bank building that is rich in history. Mayor Matt Walsh and dozens of others gathered for the 70th anniversary of the building, which today houses the Council Bluffs branch of the Great Western Bank, 509 West Broadway. Completed in 1947, it was constructed of limestone by the Bank Building Equipment Co. of St. Louis, and featured in the companys full-page advertisement in the July 1947 issue of Fortune Magazine, according to press release provided at Tuesdays event. In its early days, the bank had the only drive-through service of any bank between Council Bluffs and Chicago. Still a part of the banking process today are five original vaults with the main vault constructed of 18-inch reinforced concrete with a 12-inch thick door weighting 15,000 pounds. The building has been used as a bank since the beginning, first as the State Savings Bank building, followed over the years by the Council Bluffs Savings Bank, First Federal/Tier One Bank, and today owned by Great Western Bank. Its a symbol of stability and long time roots in the community, said Chris Wiedenfeld, the banks Omaha Group president. Its in fabulous condition. It is unique. Tuesdays ceremony brought back memories for Katherine Kitty Williams, who came to America the same year the building was completed and who worked there for several years beginning in 1959. Williams mentioned the main entrance was on Broadway, whereas today its on the west side. Near her office was a drive-through lane where the west parking lot is located today. Its changed some, but not all that much, she said. Actor and media personality Scott Siepker encouraged attendees at the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Mid-Year Meeting Wednesday to help each other and not be afraid to ask for help. Siepker, who rose to fame through the Iowa Nice viral video and similar iterations that followed, spoke of growing up in a small town near Carroll and getting into acting while at Iowa State University. Along the way he learned to seek help from experts in his desired fields acting and video production. Surround yourself with talented people and ask for help, he offered the crowd. Iowans, were good at giving advice, but not at asking for it. But we can rely on each other. Its ingrained in us to help each other. Siepkers keynote address was infused with comedy, the crowd bursting with laughter often. The unabashed fan of all things in the state of Iowa poked fun at our neighbors to the west more than once. Any Nebraska fans here? he asked the crowd, followed by a smattering of hands shooting up. Ill speak slower. The luncheon was a chance to celebrate the accomplishments so far in 2017 and honor people whove made an impact in the community, according to the chamber. So far this year 43 businesses have joined. Things are good, said James Watson, chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors. The economy is strong, we hope to add more. Watson noted the board is interviewing candidates to fill the Chamber president and CEO role. Former organization head Bob Mundt left in April after almost 25 years in Council Bluffs. Watson said the board received resumes from across the country and abroad and has conducted phone interviews thus far. Theyve narrowed the candidate list down to six. During Wednesdays event the Chamber of Commerce gave out a number of awards. The Chamber recognized Alisa Roth of Bloomworks with its Chamber Champion Award. The florist has spent nearly a decade on the 100 Block supporting the community, Watson said. The second Chamber Champion is all of Council Bluffs, with countless organizations, businesses, the school districts and city government recognized for the effort that led to Council Bluffs being named an All-American City last month. The Chambers Beautification Award went to the Grass Wagon Event Center for work at its facility at 110 S. 29th St. and to the Council Bluffs Fire Department for its effort to restore and hang a historic bell. The Chamber handed out three awards for small businesses. Palm Beach Vapors and owner John Avey received the Entrepreneur of the Year award. Rachel Nagunst and Anytime Teams took home honors for Microbusiness of the Year, for businesses with 10 or fewer employees. And Smith Davis Insurance and Jeff Brehmer were honored as Small Business of the Year, for businesses with 11 to 25 full-time employees. TS Bank was recognized as the first Certified Platinum Member of GrowCB, which promotes the involvement of businesses in area education efforts. The luncheon was also a chance to recognize the 2017 Leadership Council Bluffs class. Over the course of the past year enrollees learned about a variety of issues, participated in community projects and developed leadership skills. The graduates include Sandra Day, Patricia Garcia, Mitchell Kay, Kimberly Kolakowski, Patricia LaBounty, Nicole Lindquist, Brenda Moran, Lorelle Mueting, Ryan Muldoon, Wesley Nordquist, Adria Putnam, Keith Quernemoen, Kathy Rieger, Melanie Ryan, Justin Schultz, Chris Sorensen, Joe Splichal, Kristi Waffle, Marge Welch, Mike Wolf and Kristin Wolford. It gets people in the community involved, Watson said, noting people are often hesitant to step into leadership roles even when theyre qualified and have good ideas. Weve had some real quality people go through that, people who are leaders in the community today. The class has helped. PROVIDENCE, R.I. The nations governors gather this week amid great uncertainties for their states on health care, solutions to the opioid overdose epidemic, even how to address the effects of climate change without help from the federal government. Proposed changes to the nations existing health care law will be front and center as Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate seek ways to salvage their overhaul effort. Governors from both parties have spoken out against elements of the most recent bill, which could have enormous consequences for the states. Their nonpartisan group, the National Governors Association, has called on the Senate to give governors a say in shaping any reforms. Their summer meeting begins Thursday in Providence and will include an address by Vice President Mike Pence. Governors in states that expanded Medicaid under former President Barack Obamas health care law are especially concerned as Republicans in Congress try to make good on their repeated promises to repeal and replace the law. A bill that passed the House and one proposed in the Senate eventually would phase out the federal subsidy that most states used to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults who dont have children at home. The expansion has provided coverage to about 11 million Americans in 31 states. The GOP bills also would cap how much the federal government would pay for state-run Medicaid programs in the future while giving states more say over how to use the money they do receive. Medicaid is the biggest source of federal revenue for states and is among the largest expenses in most state budgets. Its important for us to figure out a way to speak with one voice to the Trump administration to explain that this is going to hurt a lot of people in a lot of states, regardless of whether theres a Democrat or Republican in the governors mansion, said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat who is hosting the summit. Reaching a consensus on the future of the Affordable Care Act is proving difficult, in part because some states expanded their Medicaid programs while others did not. Those that did not also would have to grapple with the cuts to Medicaid overall. In either case, states would have to figure out how to afford coverage for low-income residents or deal with people who would go without insurance and turn up in emergency rooms when they needed care. Yet many governors also face turmoil in their states private health insurance market, as people who do not get coverage through their employer or Medicaid have faced skyrocketing premiums and fewer choices. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said she wants Congress to get something done on replacing the Affordable Care Act but declined to offer specifics. In Iowa and many other states, steep losses have forced carriers to exit the insurance exchanges set up under the Obama-era law. Governors prefer a bipartisan approach to any changes, said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who works with a Legislature controlled by Democrats. Many times, one of the big messages we deliver to our colleagues in Washington is you should all try to work a little harder to get along with one another and find common ground, he told reporters Tuesday when asked about the health care debate. Governors from more than 30 states and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have said they will attend the gathering in Rhode Island. A governors-only session will give the chief executives a chance to ask questions of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Seema Verma, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicaid funding is a key topic for governors for another reason: Its become essential in states ability to address the opioid addiction crisis. Discussing the widespread problem of overdoses from prescription painkillers and illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl is on the meetings agenda. Also up for discussion is how to move forward on ways to combat climate change after the Trump administration said it would pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate pact. Raimondo, the Rhode Island governor, said she wants to see governors collectively say they will commit their states to the Paris standards and thinks they can work directly with world leaders to address the problem. Among those expected to attend is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is scheduled to speak about international collaboration and has said he wants to find common solutions on climate change. Trudeau has said he was deeply disappointed with Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement. Foreign dignitaries have attended the associations meetings in recent years, though not heads of government. AP reporters Gary Fineout in Tallahassee, Florida; Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina; Barbara Rodriguez in Des Moines; Bob Salsberg in Boston; and Will Weissert in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. Keeping contraband from getting into the hands of inmates at the Pottawattamie County Jail is, in the words of Sheriff Jeff Danker, a battle all of the time. Tragically, we recently found out the hard way that it is a battle with deadly consequences. On May 1, Pottawattamie County Deputy Sheriff Mark Burbridge was killed while trying to prevent a jail break. The inmate accused of Burbridges murder, allegedly attacked the deputy after he disabled his handcuffs and foot shackles. The inmate, later identified as Wesley Correa-Carmenaty, is accused of then shooting Burbridge and Deputy Pat Morgan. Burbridge died as a result and Morgan was seriously injured. On Tuesday, Danker and Jail Administrator Tiffany Mass told the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors that inmates often go to great, creative lengths to smuggle in items that arent allowed in the jail. The two asked the board to consider the purchase of body scanners to increase security. Mass explained the scanner would be used on inmates as they enter the jail, along with trips to and from the courthouse. Mass said shes in the process of looking at the products of about five body scanner vendors and she has spoken with law enforcement agencies in California, Florida, Illinois and Colorado that use the machines. Danker said prices for the machines are in the $175,000 to $200,000 range, with additional costs for yearly maintenance. Danker said through research and contact with other agencies hes seen and heard about the scanners spotting drugs that an inmate had ingested and a stray bullet inside someones body. It detects small objects you normally wouldnt find, the sheriff said, praising his employees efforts to search inmates but noting the machine would be able to see more. This is a tool we can use. Supervisor Tim Wichman noted the jail had recently brought in a net of $600,000 above anticipated revenue from the federal government for prisoners held by the U.S. Marshal Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies, and those monies could be used toward the cost of the scanners. Before Burbridges death, the county wasnt actively searching to put a body scanner at the jail, Danker told the board. This has brought it to the forefront, he said. If such a thing as a body scanner can prevent another person be it a deputy, corrections officer or even another inmate from having their life cut short, the county would do well to make the purchase. As we have all too recently seen, the cost of not having one is far too high. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A drink-driver was jailed for 16 weeks after surgical implants failed to stop his boozing - and police needed a taser to detain him. Former doorman Kryzysztof Glowacz was already banned from driving when caught on the A52 at 11.20pm on Tuesday, a court heard. An off-duty police officer saw Glowacz's Lexus car swerving around the dual carriageway. Its speed was "constantly changing," prosecutor Lee Shepherd told Nottingham Magistrates' Court. "The officer thought the driver may be drunk. He contacted police and continued to follow," said Mr Shepherd. They talked outside Glowacz's home on Gregory Court, Chilwell, until officers arrived. They noted that he was "unsteady on his feet and slurring his words". Glowacz failed a roadside breath test and checks showed that he received a one-year ban for drink driving when he appeared before magistrates in September. He became aggressive and so officers called a transit van to take him into custody. Mr Shepherd went on: "Whilst being escorted to the van, he managed to get one hand from his handcuffs, took hold of one of the officers and shook him, causing a muscular injury to the back. To regain control, they had to use a taser." At the police station, Glowacz gave a reading of 137 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 102 over the limit. He admitted this offence, driving while disqualified and assaulting a police officer. District Judge Leo Pyle imposed a four-year driving ban which will begin when Glowasz is freed from prison. The painter and decorator must also pay 200 compensation to the injured officer. The judge told him: "Court orders are to be obeyed. Not only did you flout the order of disqualification which was imposed for a drink driving offence but you consumed so much alcohol you were just under four times the legal limit. "Driving in that state, you placed the community in danger because you were unable to control your vehicle safely." Louise O'Driscoll, mitigating, said Glowacz had been an alcoholic for 12 years. When he sought help in the UK, he was given pamphlets and so decided to return home to Poland to get medical help. "He was given implants which effectively made him sick when he consumed alcohol. They last six months and he had another," she said. But at the time of the offence, he was owed 700 for a redecoration project and the customer refused to pay. This drove him to drink. Miss O'Driscoll added: "He is crying out for people to help him. He needs medical intervention, therapeutic help and guidance to change his behaviour." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A mother serving life behind bars for the brutal killing of her baby daughter should have her murder conviction overturned after fresh evidence emerged, her lawyers have claimed. Kathryn Helen Smith, who previously lived in Annesley, was found guilty of murder and child cruelty after 21-month-old Ayeeshia Jane Smith was beaten and stamped to death at her home in Burton-upon-Trent. The 24-year-old was ordered to serve at least 24 years behind bars at Birmingham Crown Court in April last year. Smith, 24, now of Overseal, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, is challenging her murder conviction at the Court of Appeal, in London, with her lawyers arguing it was unsafe. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, was due to announce the courts ruling in March after the case was heard in November. However, the decision was delayed after her lawyers revealed new evidence had come to light as part of a serious case review into Ayeeshia's death. Barrister John Butterfield QC said a doctor's opinion now available cast doubt upon some of the evidence given by medical experts during the trial. He today told the court there was a "misunderstood entry" in Ayeeshia's medical records, which meant her weight had been wrongly recorded in the months before her death. This, he said, was "profoundly troubling" as it gave jurors the incorrect impression that the child's weight had "plunged" dramatically while she was being cared for by her mother. He argued that, in the context of a trial where Smith and Ayeeshia's stepdad, Matthew Rigby, who lived in Bramcote, were each blaming the other for her death, this evidence could have caused serious prejudice to Smith. Rigby, 23, was found guilty of causing or allowing Ayeeshia's death but was cleared of murder and child cruelty. Mr Butterworth said the weight loss issue was "particularly concerning that it went to her detriment in a cut-throat case." The barrister also said it had emerged that a blister on Ayeeshia's finger was sustained when she was in the care of someone else. But Christopher Hotten QC, for the Crown, argued the convictions should be upheld, despite the new evidence. He said Smith's own statements to police had placed her alone with Ayeeshia around the time the toddler suffered the fatal injuries. Lord Thomas, sitting with Mr Justice Wyn Williams and Mr Justice Goss, said the court would give its ruling on Smith's appeal at a later date. He said that, if Smith's conviction challenge fails, a decision will be made on whether to cut her minimum jail term. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss an Arnold story and read the latest headlines with our free email updates A carvery has been transformed into an upmarket steakhouse with swish surroundings and premium beef. Miller & Carter Sherwood Forest will officially open at the former Seven Mile Inn on the A60 at Arnold tomorrow, Friday July 14. The 177-seater restaurant specialises in 30-day aged steaks. The company boasts: At Miller & Carter we know a thing or two about steak. In fact, we could say that we're one of the best steakhouses in Nottingham. But we'd rather leave that to your judgement. Steak lovers will be spoilt with 12 to choose from - starting with an 8oz rump at 14.75 up to the ultimate ribeye, a show-stopping 30oz long bone tomahawk to share that costs 49.95. All the staff - both in the kitchen and waiters - have tried all the dishes so they can personally advise customers and recommend the best cooking method for each cut. Chef Andy Quigg, who used to work at Browns in the city centre, said: Steak is a beautiful thing. Every guest has their own preference and we try and give them the best experience. (Image: James Turner) Assistant manager Josh Bramley added: We are steak geeks. We will not challenge the guests but try and educate them to enhance the experience. We are genuinely passionate. So if a customer asks for a fillet cooked medium to well done, the waiter will recommend they have it medium rare so its not dry and chewy. Alternatively, if they insist on well done, theyre better off opting for ribeye as the fat will make it juicier. With a new extension at the rear - featuring an al fresco dining area - plush red leather booths and Miller & Carter's trademark artwork putting bulls in the picture, its unrecognisable from the carvery. Josh said: It has changed dramatically. Its all about brass and glass, perfectly polished. Theres an extra 70 covers with the extension. Customers can accompany their steak with side dishes of lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach and fried egg or stuffed bone marrow. The menu isnt all beef. Theres lamb, chicken and barbecue ribs as well as fish, pasta and salad - plus mouthwatering desserts. Should a vegan venture into the steakhouse, there's a Moroccan style superfood salad with broccoli, butternut squash, quinoa and a pineapple and ginger dressing. Serving food from midday, the restaurant has a fixed price lunch menu with two courses from 10.95 from a choice of nine dishes including steak frites, steak and melted cheese brioche, sea bass and chicken schnitzel. More than 100 people have reserved tables for tomorrows opening day but theres still time to book. Paul Halton, from Papplewick, is looking forward to a visit. The carvery wasnt really for us. Ive come to look for a menu. If youre getting a nice steak you will pay, he said. This is the chain's 70th restaurant and the second in Notts. More than 40 jobs have been created. Some of the carvery staff have stayed on and there's still some jobs up for grabs. The first Miller & Carter Steakhouse opened at Wollaton Vale last September - also in a former carvery - with mixed reviews. We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Police are appealing for witnesses after a safe containing a 'substantial amount of money' was stolen in Newark. Nottinghamshire Police received reports that three men were seen carrying the safe after a burglary at a property in Hawton Road. The incident happened at about 1.50pm on June 21. A box containing a quantity of cash was also taken by the men, who were wearing balaclavas. A dark coloured jeep-style vehicle, occupied by men of a similar description, was seen shortly afterwards travelling on Elizabeth Road. A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: "Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 502 of the 21 June 2017, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A review of signage and safety rings at Beeston Weir will be carried out by the Canal and River Trust following the death of 12-year-old Owen Jenkins. The Chilwell School pupil died in the River Trent attempting to rescue two girls on Monday evening. Concerns have been raised about the lack of signs and safety rings at the popular beauty spot and an urgent meeting has been called with all relevant bodies at Broxtowe Borough Council offices. The area is owned by the Canal and River Trust. Following the news of Owen Jenkins death, a spokesman for the Trust said: "We're deeply saddened by the tragic news from Beeston and our thoughts are very much with the family at this incredibly difficult time. "We will give the emergency services every assistance in finding out exactly what happened. "We will also work with the authorities and local land owners to review safety at the site and work as part of the Nottingham Water Safety Partnership to see what lessons can be learnt to prevent a similar tragedy happening in the future. This will include a review of signage and safety rings. "I don't think there will be any immediate (i.e. in the course of the next few days) measures being put in place but I'm sure it will be discussed at the meeting. "We've had no previous fatalities reported to us at Beeston Weir." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Stuart Broad will look to make a difference on the pitch, while his family try to make a difference off it at Trent Bridge on Friday. The third oldest Test ground in the world will host the second Test between England and South Africa and once again the Broad Appeal will be represented on day one. The Appeal was launched by Stuart, his sister Gemma and their father, former Nottinghamshire batsman and England international Chris Broad to raise awareness of motor neurone disease. Stuart, who will be playing in his 104th match, is grateful to Nottinghamshire and chief executive Lisa Pursehouse for supporting the charity once more. Weve been so fortunate with Notts. Lisa has really helped look after us and shes got us some good exposure here at Trent Bridge, he told the Post. The fans have always been very supportive. Were incredibly lucky to be able to raise awareness for motor neurone disease. A lot of thanks goes to the club for that. The trio launched the charity after Chris' wife 'Miche', Stuart and Gemma's stepmother, took her own life in 2010 after suffering the debilitating, progressive illness, which attacks the nervous system. It is incurable but the Appeal is working to change that alongside the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The Broad Appeal will once again have a stand at the ground which supporters are invited to visit during Friday. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Thieves smashed their way into a popular board game cafe and fled with money from the till. The Dice Cup cafe in Mansfield Road was burgled sometime between Tuesday night (July 11) and Wednesday morning (July 12), after the culprits smashed the shop door. The board game cafe, which is a popular hang-out for students, has only been open for a year. Once the door was smashed, thieves crawled through the broken glass and snatched around 100 from the till. Matt Pritchard, 41, owner of the cafe, told the Post: "I got a phone call from the police at 2am to say that the window had been broken. I went down to the cafe and they had smashed the window in the door and crawled in. They took cash from the till, about 100. "We are tight for money at the moment and we have to pay ourselves week by week rather than monthly so it certainly has not helped. It certainly does not feel good. It is annoying that we are doing this good thing and being part of the community and someone goes and does this. "It is a very popular cafe with students and there has been a lot of reaction on Facebook. A few people have said they would do some fund-raising to raise money to cover the costs." One Facebook user said: "This is a massive blow to a fantastic independent shop, if anyone can help then please do. I can set up a crowd-funder. This shop only exists because of the awesome Nottingham community and if we can rally round now then that would ease this awful blow." Another added: "Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear this, I hope you guys are OK. I made my first visit to the Dice Cup at the weekend and it was a great venue. I hope they catch the thief(s)." A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: "Officers are investigating after we were called at 2am on July 12 to a report of a break in at an address in Mansfield Road, city centre. An amount of cash was stolen." If you have any information about the incident, please call the police on 101, quoting incident number 48 of 12 July 2017. Actor/comedian Brad Zimmerman is happy to be spinning his life's story once again on stage in his hit one-man show. "My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy" runs through Aug. 13 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Zimmerman brought his show to the Chicagoland area for the first time last year and the production received positive feedback. "Through word of mouth, it did phenomenally. That's why we're back," said Zimmerman, about the production. "My Son the Waiter" offers audience members a look into Zimmerman's life as hes gone in quest of his dreams, his interactions with his Jewish mother, his childhood, his struggles traveling the acting route and his time spent as a waiter as well as other aspects of his everyday existence. The comedian said "My Son the Waiter" is pretty much the same production audience members saw last year with "some new bits." He also occasionally tweaks the show. "I want to give the experience as if I'm doing the show for the first time," Zimmerman said. The engaging production has a type of spontaneous feel to it. "It's a very unusual piece," Zimmerman said, explaining it's basically a look at the concept of "not giving up and eventually seeing the fruits of your labor." The comedian said "My Son the Waiter" doesn't only appeal to audience members who are Jewish but individuals with varied religious and cultural backgrounds. "It's not just a Jewish piece, it's a universal piece," he said. Zimmerman called the work a mixture of comedy and theater which offers a look at the "human condition" and one person's journey. In a past interview, Zimmerman said he had almost given up on doing a one-man show but decided he really wanted to present this type of production. I was getting older (and I thought) if I was going to make a dent (in the business), a lot was going to depend on this show, he said. The comedian, who has opened for entertainers such as Dennis Miller, George Carlin, Joan Rivers and others, said he's in the process of working on a sequel to "My Son the Waiter." He'll test out that show "My Rise to the Middle" on Aug. 9 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. According to Zimmerman, the key to comedy lies in truth. "Relaying the truth is everything," he said, adding if you're just trying to write funny, without a basis of truth, it usually doesn't work. Another key is "writing about what you know and don't try to pander." Zimmerman said he essentially writes for himself. FYI: "My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy" continues through Aug. 13 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets start at $46. Call 847-673-6300 or visit MySonTheWaiter.com. If your radio is constantly tuned to the '90s station, you're in for a treat this weekend. The I Love the '90s tour heads to Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Michigan on Saturday bringing some of the top acts from that decade to the stage. Starring on the roster will be Vanilla Ice, Salt N Pepa, Color Me Badd, Tone Loc and Young MC. Get your vocal chords ready to belt out familiar tunes such as Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and "Ninja Rap." When Salt N Peppa hits the stage, it's a sure thing fans will be grooving to songs such as "Shoop," "Push It," and "Whatta Man." From Color Me Badd, audience members will hear hits such as "I Adore Mi Amor," "I Wanna Sex You Up" and "All 4 Love." "Funky Cold Medina" will no doubt blast through the music venue courtesy of Tone Loc while fans will "Bust a Move" with Young MC. The I Love the '90s tour was launched in 2016. It hit more than 100 cities and sold 600,000 tickets. This season's tour, which features a rotating cast of '90s artists, has been expanded to include visits to Australia and New Zealand. GARY A local businessman who has been instrumental in saving several Miller Beach landmarks, including the South Shore station and Marquette Park's Aquatorium, said his organization is eyeing another rescue. George Rogge, who owns Rogge Insurance Co. and is president of the Miller Citizens Corp., said the organization has had a couple of preliminary discussions about establishing an entity that could take over the three Gary Community School Corp. schools in the Miller neighborhood and operate them. The three schools are the Wirt-Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High Ability Academy, Jacques Marquette Elementary School and Benjamin Banneker Achievement Center. "It's still very early," Rogge said Thursday by telephone. "We haven't put together a proposal. We don't know how it would be funded yet. We've just talked about the possibilities. This is just in the very preliminary stages." Rogge said he will be at a public meeting Thursday night regarding the Gary Community School Corp. Senate Enrolled Act 567 directs the state's Distressed Unit Appeals Board to appoint an emergency manager to supplant the elected Gary School Board and exclusively exercise all financial and academic authority over Gary schools, with a goal of balancing the budget and reducing the $101 million of debt. DUAB will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Wirt-Emerson's Auditorium, 210 N. Grand Blvd. At the meeting, selected applicants for the emergency manager position have been asked to present their qualifications and proposed approach to the job. Public comment will not be taken during the meeting, but DUAB will provide information on how to submit written comments after the meeting. Rogge said, "The state is looking for ideas, and the MCC has a wealth of professionals including professors, retired principals and teachers and the whole gamut of educators who live in the Miller area." Rogge said he has had some preliminary discussion with Gary School Board member and retired teacher Carlos Tolliver. "Carlos thought it was an interesting idea," Rogge said. Tolliver could not be reached for comment. Gary schools Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt declined to comment. State Board of Education member and Gary attorney Tony Walker said, "They will have to win the approval of the Emergency Manager and the DUAB. Under the new law, I believe DUAB's jurisdiction supersedes the authority of SBOE over Gary Community School Corporation and addressing the GCSC issues is now the responsibility of DUAB." Gary state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, said, "It's plausible. It's a possibility." Smith said he'd have to do more research. "DUAB certainly has the authority to do that," he said. "The legislation says it can change the geographical composition of the district. They would probably have to have a separate administration and advisory board. It's an interesting concept," Smith said. Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said she is open to reviewing any plan. "The final decision rests with the emergency manager and the Gary School Board," she said Thursday by telephone. CROWN POINT A trial is scheduled later this month for a 26-year-old Illinois man charged with attempted murder in a shooting earlier this year at a FedEx distribution center in Munster. Roberto P. Pettigrew-Sanders told Judge Samuel L. Cappas at a court hearing Thursday he rejected a plea deal from the state that would guarantee him a 13-year prison sentence and instead wished to go to trial. Pettigrew-Sanders also requested a new attorney represent him. Cappas told the defendant his request needed to be directed to the public defender's office. Pettigrew-Sanders is scheduled to appear at trial July 31 on charges of attempted murder, armed robbery, felony battery and two felony gun offenses. Pettigrew-Sanders, of Dolton, Illinois, is accused of shooting a woman during an attempted carjacking the morning of Feb. 3 at the FedEx distribution center, 101 45th St., according to a probable cause affidavit. Pettigrew-Sanders and a co-defendant, Hexadore C. Randall, were arrested after the shooting at a fitness center in the 9900 block of Calumet Avenue. Randall, 23, of Chicago Heights, Illinois, is charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and felony battery. A pretrial conference is scheduled July 27 for Pettigrew-Sanders. CROWN POINT A new trial date has been scheduled for Thomas R. Smith, the 66-year-old man charged with murder in the killing of David Krawczenia in November 2014. Smith is scheduled to appear at trial Feb. 19 in Lake Criminal Court. Defense attorney Casey McCloskey told Judge Diane Boswell at a status hearing Wednesday he expected the trial would take eight days to finish. A previous trial for Smith in February ended in a mistrial after a state witness made an improper statement. Police allege Smith fatally shot Krawczenia Nov. 1, 2014, at an automotive wholesale business in the 2600 block of Colorado Street in Gary. Krawczenia's dismembered body was found two weeks later in the trunk of his vehicle, which was parked outside an apartment complex in Griffith. Krawczenia was 48. PORTAGE TOWNSHIP A 56-year-old grandmother is dead and several were injured after a 17-year-old pulled out in front of a Jeep Cherokee along McCool Road on Wednesday morning, according to a news release from police. Lisa Barnes, of Kentucky, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Porter County Sheriff's Office. Police responded at 11:18 a.m. to the intersection of McCool Road and County Road 875 North for a fatal, two-vehicle crash. A preliminary investigation shows the 17-year-old who is also Barnes' granddaughter was driving eastbound in a 2007 Chrysler Town and Country when the crash occurred. The teen failed to yield the right of way and pulled out in front of the Jeep heading northbound on McCool Road, police said. Unable to avoid the crash, the Jeep struck the vehicle on the passenger side, fatally wounding Barnes, the front seat passenger, police said. Two other passengers, ages 14 and 17, were transported to Porter Regional Hospital in Valparaiso with minor injuries, police said. Another 14-year-old boy who was also in the Chrysler was transported to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and later airlifted to the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Childrens Hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Jeep, Celenia Schmitt, 37, of Portage, was uninjured, police said. The crash forced roads to be closed in the area of McCool Road and County Road 875 North for several hours. The roads reopened Wednesday afternoon. Agencies assisting at the scene were South Haven Fire and EMS, Porter EMS, Precision Towing, Porter County Highway and Porter County Coroners Office. VALPARAISO A law enforcement blitz Monday in Porter County resulted in nearly 120 stopped vehicles and 15 arrests, police announced Wednesday. The blitz lasted from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a focus on U.S. 30, U.S. 20 and U.S. 6, according to the Porter County's Sheriff Office news release. During the blitz, police attempted to serve 20 warrants and made three house visits to documented gang members currently on parole, police said. A total of 117 vehicles were stopped for various traffic violations. Fifteen arrests were made for alleged cocaine possession, marijuana possession, paraphernalia possession, a felony aggravated battery warrant, driving while suspended and other traffic-related offenses. The agencies participating were the Porter County Sheriffs Office, Indiana State Police, Valparaiso Police, Portage Police, Burns Harbor Police and officers with Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group and Indiana Parole. GRIFFITH The Town Council might consider replacing its current petition to leave Calumet Township with a new one. Last month, Lake Superior Court Judge John R. Pera granted a request from the township to ask an appeals court to move its lawsuit against Griffith back to Superior Court. Currently, the issue dwells in the Indiana Tax Court after being transferred there by Pera, who says the proper jurisdiction rests with that court. With a potential lengthy time in the appeals court, Griffith will consider asking to dissolve its current petition in favor of one based on the 2017 state township assistance budget numbers, said Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd. "We will be discussing our options in the next couple weeks," he said. As with the 2016 numbers, Ryfa said the township is more than 12 times over the state average when true numbers are used instead of weighted numbers. In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly approved a law which says any township's assistance budget that exceeds 12 times the assistance average of the state's 1,004 townships gives its member towns the option to leave that township. In 2015, the Department of Local Government Finance calculated the state average using a "weighted" method. "Weighted average is taken by adding up all the (state assistance tax) levies and dividing by the sum of all the assessed values," Ryfa said. By this method, the township was calculated to be just under the state average, he said. Ryfa noted that any given year's assistance tax rate is always divided by the previous year's state average. "(Thus) the township knows ahead of time what the rate must be to stay under when they submit their budget." However, the Indiana attorney general's office said last year the true arithmetic average instead of weighted numbers is what the state legislature intended. "Arithmetic average is taken by adding up all the township rates in the state and dividing by the number of townships," Ryfa said. In response, the DLGF announced in 2016 it would switch to the arithmetic method, which caused the township to go far above the limit. Ryfa said the town will see if any movement takes place within the appeals court. If not, a new petition could be filed around September. CHESTERTON Indiana Dunes Tourism is looking for the best taco in Porter County. Previously, Indiana Dunes Tourism hosted the Burger and Pizza Wars to showcase great food establishments throughout the Indiana Dunes area. This year, tacos will get all the attention. Over the next week, visitors and locals will nominate up to 10 restaurants to compete in the battle for the "Best Porter County Taco." Nominations started Wednesday and will be open for one week. The first 10 restaurants nominated will then move onto the voting that kicks off July 21. Voters can log in to vote once each day to make sure their favorite restaurant gets the credit it deserves. Participants can check the website IndianaDunes.com/taco-wars for progress and a chance to win prizes throughout the voting process. Indiana Dunes Tourism will announce the winner after the voting ends July 31. The "Best Porter County Taco" will then move on to a regional competition against the nearby county winners to vie for "Best Taco in Indianas Cool North." The regional round kicks off Aug. 4 and will finish Aug. 14. Indianas Cool North Taco Wars is a joint initiative of the Northern Indiana Tourism Development Commission and its member convention and visitors bureaus: Indiana Dunes Touris and LaPorte, St. Joseph, Marshall, Koscuisko, Elkhart and LaGrange counties. KOKOMO, Ind. Receding floodwaters revealed damage to dozens of homes and buildings in parts of central and northern Indiana hit by deluges of rainfall this week. Much of the damage happened around Kokomo and in the Franklin area south of Indianapolis from waves of storms that moved across the state Monday and Tuesday. Officials say 5 inches or more of rain fell in those areas, with some low-lying roads remaining under water Wednesday in Franklin. Numerous houses in Kokomo had basement walls cave in, with resident Wesley Jeffries telling WISH-TV he's worried his home might have to be torn down because of the foundation damage. A Johnson County government office building in downtown Franklin was closed as officials inspected its flooding damage. At least two Franklin apartment complexes were flooded. Karen Lauerman credits her first job at the Whiting Dairy Queen as providing her with a sound foundation for her continued good work ethic. "It was at the Dairy Queen that I learned work ethics; that there was no job too large or too small," Lauerman said. Lauerman, 47, grew up in the Robertsdale-Whiting area with parents and a big sister who were all hard-working role models. "We know that in Northwest Indiana we have to make things and get things done. It goes back to motivation. ... Northwest Indiana is a great place to live, work and play," Lauerman said. A George Rogers Clark High School graduate, Lauerman received a degree in journalism and public relations at Purdue University. The jobs she held after college include: working at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago; the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare; Woodfield Shopping Center; the Dental Assisting National Board; and the Illinois Institute of Technology. "I've never not had a job," Lauerman said. Lauerman and Don Koliboski, were asked to join Lake County's new economic development agency, Lake County IN Economic Alliance, on Sept. 22, 2014. She serves as president and CEO, and he is vice president of economic development for the LCEA, a centralized effort to attract companies to the county's 19 cities and towns. Marketing Lake County, attracting good jobs "We are boots on the ground. Our job is marketing Lake County, attracting and attaining quality jobs and investments and facilitating the economic development process from general inquiries and site selection to working with communities on incentives and ultimately landing projects and bringing them here," Lauerman said. Prior to starting work in October 2014 at LCEA, Lauerman had served as the Northwest Indiana Forum director of marketing and communications for 10 years. When it came time to search for an individual to head up LCEA, Lauerman was head and shoulders the board's No. 1 pick, said Joel Gorelick, NWI board member of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., which is Indiana's commerce department, and formerly a banker at Peoples Bank. Gorelick was chairman of LCEA at the time. "She's extremely professional and has a strong economic background. She jumped right in and is well-known throughout the state," Gorelick said. While Lauerman was employed at the Northwest Indiana Forum, she worked with John Cain on the "Just Around the Corner" series of 20 South Shore posters, Cain said. Cain is executive director of South Shore Arts and the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. "For about seven years, we assisted businesses and organizations interested in commissioning a poster with the development of an original work of art that conveyed the appropriate message while promoting our Region. And of course, we worked closely with the artists as well," Cain said. "Over her career, Karen has developed a terrific network of contacts in our Region, which, along with her enthusiasm, makes her very effective at her job. Plus, people genuinely like her, so that helps, too." Can-do attitude garners results, praise Daryl Pomranke, who serves as the current LCEA board chairman, calls Laurerman "an incredible person. "It's been an honor to work with her. I couldn't be more pleased with the work she has done and the work she has undertaken," Pomranke said. "Because of Lauerman's work heading the alliance, there has been some stunning success including bringing employers into Indiana to create jobs for Hoosiers." Pomranke points to the addition last year to East Chicago from the western suburbs of Chicago-area forklift manufacturing company, Hoist Liftruck. Pomranke credits Laurerman and her staff for that move and others. "That's a huge transaction, which brought 300 jobs to our area. Previously 300 people who had worked in Illinois are now in Indiana," Pomranke said. Pomranke said others helped with that effort, as well, including Lori Tubbs, a real estate broker from the Region, who also is named in this year's Professionals to Watch. "There were lots of pieces and lots of people involved" in the Hoist Liftruck effort, Pomranke said. Making a difference Gorelick said that when the LCEA was formed in 2013, the goal was to consolidate the various economic development entities in the county, some 22 at the time. "She works hand and hand with the Forum, and I truly believe we wouldn't be where we are without her leadership," Gorelick said. Don Babcock, a founding alliance board member, said Lauerman did a great job marketing and building pride in the Region in her position at the Forum. Now, in her role as CEO and president of the LCEA, Lauerman is doing a similar job by building relationships between businesses and communities. Lauerman, who lives with her husband, Scott, in Highland, said she has no problem promoting and marketing Lake County because for her there is no better place to live and work. "I have a great career, but this is the most amazing time in my life and career to make a measurable difference for the communities, county and our people," Lauerman said. She gives a lot of credit to Koliboski, her second-in-command. "It's our combination of institutional knowledge and our expertise when merged that creates one of the strongest economic teams in the state," Lauerman said. "What we are doing now is laying the groundwork of the future." Although the LCEA office is in the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce in Merrillville, that will change later this summer when staff moves to its own quarters a few blocks from there. "This reinforces the board's belief that the alliance will take the county to the next level," Lauerman said. There's rarely a good excuse for conducting the public's business behind closed doors. Combine that unacceptable practice with a zoning decision that appears prohibitive to expanding modern technology, and you get an example of bad government by Lake County officials. The Indiana public access counselor, who monitors how state and local government agencies adhere to open meeting and record laws, recently chastised Lake County officials for violating the state's Open Door Law by signing declarations behind closed doors. Counselor Luke H. Britt warned members of the Lake County Board of Commissioners and County Council that "... binding decisions taken in secret by a governing body do nothing but erode the public's trust ..." That rebuke followed a formal complaint filed against county government alleging they acted, without a public meeting, to be exempted from provisions of another state law. In the spring, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law to aid in the anticipated 2020 rollout of new 5G wireless communications technology in the state. The new tech promises to speed wireless communication up to 10 times faster than today's 4G connections. 5G communications requires more antennas in more locations to work consistently. In general, the new state law allows telecommunications companies to install 5G antennas on existing utility poles, or to install new above-ground poles, with only limited need for local approval. The law also allows companies to install their above-ground antennas even in communities that require all new utility work to be placed underground. Racing to beat a May 1 state deadline to continue enforcing Lake County's underground installation rules, county government attorneys drafted a resolution signed in private by two of the three county commissioners Mike Repay and Jerry Tippy as well as declarations signed privately by five of the seven County Council members Ted Bilski, Christine Cid, David Hamm, Jamal Washington and Eldon Strong. County officials and attorneys claimed they didn't learn of the May 1 deadline until it was too late to call a public meeting to deal with the matter. But violating state open meetings laws is never the right solution. All government officials and employees, elected or otherwise, are obligated to conduct public business in the light of day. It's a cornerstone of our democracy, ensuring important checks of government business don't fall by the wayside. Adding to this bad decision is even more folly. It appears county officials just violated state law to pass a resolution and declarations that are widely expected to be repealed by the Legislature next year. And the county's act ultimately makes it more difficult for cutting-edge communications technologies to establish needed infrastructure in our Region. "We must support technology to keep our state moving forward, and this bill achieves that goal," Gov. Eric Holcomb said when signing the 5G utility bill into law earlier this year. We agree. Lake County officials managed to oppose this progress while violating open meetings law in the process. The private act amounts to a public embarrassment. The Bronx man accused of mowing down a crowd of people in Times Square pleaded not guilty Thursday during his arraignment in Manhattan. Richard Rojas was indicted on more than 50 charges, including murder and attempted murder, before the State Supreme Court. The 26-year-old is accused of intentionally driving his car into a group of pedestrians in May, including Alyssa Elsman, 18, from Michigan, killing her. Elsman's sister and dozens of others were injured, some of them critically. After the deadly incident, the Manhattan district attorney said Rojas, who is a Navy veteran, told police he smoked marijuana that was laced with PCP and that he wanted "to kill them all." Prosecutors also allege Rojas said police should have shot him in order to stop him. Rojas's lawyer said he is looking into a mental illness or temporary insanity defense. He said his defendant deserves a fair trial regardless of the circumstances. "Terrible, terrible what happened to people in this case. But we live in a civilized society, so we have to do the best we can," said Enrico Demarco, Rojas's lawyer. "And what we do for this man will show us what kind of society we are." The family of Jessica Williams of New Jersey was at the court appearance. Williams was critically injured and is still recovering from the crash. Her family gave Rojas the middle finger when he turned back towards the audience. Rojas has multiple prior arrests, including two for driving while intoxicated. Richard Rojas is expected to be back in court at the end of October. The New Federalism Fund, a Denver-based coalition comprised of regional and national cannabis industry-related companies, has hired consulting firm Trimpa Group for Capitol Hill representation on law enforcement, banking, appropriations and tax issues as they relate to the legal marijuana industry. NFF is a nonprofit dedicated to states rights issues, particularly as they relate to protecting states freedom to regulate their own cannabis laws without federal intervention. Members include Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Seattle-based legal cannabis private equity firm Privateer Holdings and Tempe, AZ-based medical marijuana provider Tryke Companies, as well as Colorado-based cannabis dispensaries Medicine Man and LivWell Enlightened Health and product manufacturers Dixie Elixirs & Edibles and Native Roots. NFFs lobbying retainer comes as Congress prepares to vote on the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment as part of its Fiscal Year 2018 appropriations bill. That amendment, introduced by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), grants federal marijuana protections by prohibiting the Justice Department from funding pot-related prosecutions against states that are acting in accordance with their own marijuana laws. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has previously characterized cannabis as dangerous and has recently asked a Justice Department task force to revisit its drug-related policies, has voiced opposition to the amendment, claiming it prevents that federal agency from enforcing its authority under the Controlled Substances Act. In a May letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sessions wrote that it would be unwise for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Department to fund particular prosecutions, particularly in the midst of an historic drug epidemic and potentially long-term uptick in violent crime. NFF earlier this year retained lobbying powerhouse Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for a similar $60,000 pact to provide pot-related advocacy work in Washington. The New Federalism Fund account will be led by Trimpa founder Ted Trimpa, a Democratic strategist and operative who was previously a Hogan Lovells partner and longtime Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck staffer. Earlier in his career, Trimpa was a legislative aide to Senator Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS). Trimpa Group maintains offices in Denver and Washington D.C. With movies like Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp, and Piranha, the summer camp horror movie genre has kept audiences on the edge of their seats for years. Clueless campers fight to survive deranged killers slashing their way through bunkhouses and wooded areas at camps like Camp Crystal Lake and Camp Arawak. Tonight, local horror movie buffs will get a chance to see the genre from a more local angle as Corner Bar is set to host a free screening of A Twisted Tale at 9 p.m. The film was produced by Debbie Fortner and Susan Engel, under Lightswitch Films, and was filmed at the old Fremont Family YMCA Camp Christian as well as Two Rivers State Park. Her (Engel) and I were just in my basement one night, kind of wild haired and started talking about a film concept we had and just went with it, Fortner said in a phone interview with the Tribune. That concept would become A Twisted Tale, which follows a group of troubled teens who are sent to a hippie camp to find inner peace. While at the camp the teens become obsessed with a haunted legend known as the FireLady, and begin to conjure up the unsettled spirit in the woods. The genre they put on Amazon Prime for the film is under mystery, thriller, horror, and comedy so it is like four different genres wrapped up into 55 minutes, Fortner said. Susan is more of a horror film type of a gal, and I am more of a comedy person so we brought some of both of that to the film. Along with producing the film, Fortner also appears as an actor in the film. She plays camp counselor Barb Oshkinoggle. The name of the camp in the film is Camp Harmony and I play a camp counselor who is kind of a wacko, but I kind of play myself, laughed Fortner. But I came up with my characters name, Im Barb Oshkinoggle and it is kind of a hippie camp that we are at in the film, and we are all in tie dye. Fortner is also a tie dye artist and created all of the tie dye shirts that are worn, as well as tie-dye tapestries, in the film. According to Fortner, she and Engel relied on family, friends, and lots of local talent to make the film as they only had around a $3,000 budget. She (Engel) directed it, we both produced it, we did all the set location, casting, pretty much everything on less than a $3,000 budget, which is insanely low, she said. So we had a lot of friends and family helping out that were willing to pick up roles and do other things for credits. The film is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime, and with distribution through Shami Media Group out of New York they are hoping to make the film available through more streaming services and other avenues. What we thought was going to be something that we would all get a DVD for, kind of a bucket list thing, now is on Amazon Prime, Fortner said. With our distributor Shami Media Group we are also trying to get it on other avenues, because we have been getting some good feedback for it. According to Fortner, when she found out that the project that started as a lark in her basement was on Amazon Prime, she couldnt believe it. Its kind of surreal because my jaw dropped when she told me we were on Amazon Prime, when I saw my name on the website I couldnt believe it, she said. I said, Are you kidding me, is this a joke?. For Fortner the project involved a bevy of friends and family that made creating the even that much more enjoyable. My son and daughter are in the movie, my niece is in the movie, and my son and daughters best friends are also in it, so there are lots of local people in it, she said. A couple of the gals I went to high school with played camp counselors with me and it was just a blast we had so much fun filming it, and I cant thank the cast and crew enough for all their help and support. The screening is free with a movie theater flare. We even have a love seat at the front, like a two seater love seat with cup holders and we are going to raffle off two front row seats, Fortner said. We will also have a popcorn bar with free popcorn and little snacks and goodies. The raffle is also free, each audience member will receive a ticket upon entry and before the show starts. Corner Bar owner Tammy Trahan will draw to determine who will get the front row seats. For her (Trahan) to put this on for us is just amazing and it should be a fun way to kick of JCF Days weekend, Fortner said. Agricultural News Kim Anderson Says Latest WASDE Projections Above Market Expectations, Causing Drop in Prices This week on SUNUP! Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Market Economist Dr. Kim Anderson joins host Lyndall Stout again, with an update on the US Department of Agriculture's latest World Agriculture Supply & Demand Estimates report. According to Anderson, most of the information included in this report could be viewed neutral to slightly positive, given the current market situation. He reports the data shows global wheat production is slightly lower compared to the previous month's report. Domestic ending stocks, though, were raised slightly, but lowered a bit worldwide. He also notes that the average annual price for the 2017/18 marketing year for wheat was raised by approximately $0.50. The problem, however, is that the information in this edition of the WASDE report, was above market expectations. This caused the trade to adjust the price of wheat down. Despite the dip in price, Anderson has good things to say about this year's crop. He says HRW wheat this year is looking relatively good, with excellent milling qualities and good test weights at near 60 lbs. the average. However, protein levels are disappointingly low. Anderson says the takeaway from this year's crop, is to consider protein premiums. He insists they will be around next year, too, and will be available to producers who find ways to take advantage of them. You can watch their visit tomorrow or Sunday on SUNUP- but you can hear Kim's comments right now by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below. Beyond Dr. Anderson's weekly chat - the SUNUP crew has a very full lineup for your viewing this weekend: This week on SUNUP, Carol Jones shows us around the new OkState Fire Protective Services Training, grain bin safety demonstration trailer. - In the Mesonet weather report, Gary McManus explains why drought is lingering in some parts of the state. - Dave Lalman has a formula for determining how many animal units to use when estimating pasture stocking rates for cattle. - In Cow-Calf Corner, Glenn Selk says it is important to test nitrate levels in potential hay crops before cutting. - Finally, in Shop Stop, Wayne Kiner and Randy Taylor explain the importance of safety overload devices on PTO-driven equipment. Join us for SUNUP: Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at 6 a.m. on OETA-TV You can watch their visit tomorrow or Sunday on SUNUP- but you can hear Kim's comments right now WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News OK, one more bite, Matthew says, taking one more giant bite. This is so great. He takes another. Hey! I say. Thats two bites. He shrugs, blissfully enjoying a scoop of chocolate and a second of vanilla stuffed between two warm chocolate chip cookies. Really, though, I couldnt blame him. Because only one more bite doesnt make much sense when ice cream is as good as what youll find at Coneflower Creamery, in the Blackstone District. The only thing that truly makes sense is taking all the bites until your ice cream is gone, and youre staring longingly at the bottom of a paper cup. Omaha has a lot of good ice cream. Coneflower is giving your old favorites a run for their money, though, with creative-but-palatable flavors, a farm-to-cone approach that means all milk and cream is local, seasonal flavors and toppings so homemade they even make their own sprinkles. Owner and chef Brian Langbehn and pastry chef Katie Arant, both Omaha natives, met while working at 801 Chophouse and, years ago, discussed the someday plan of opening a chef-driven ice cream parlor in Omaha. Arant left for California, and Langbehn stayed here. I was hanging out in Blackstone more and more, and seeing what was happening, and when I saw the open spot, I thought this is too good to be true, he said. He convinced Arant to return to Nebraska, and together the two launched the tiny shop, making everything from scratch, including the 20 or so varied flavors in the case, the cookies, the cones and all the toppings, save for nuts. The fruit in the ice cream comes from local vendors Langbehn picked the strawberries himself for the strawberry ice cream and the milk comes from one of two local dairies, Burbach and Branched Oak. That commitment of time and care shows. And I appreciate that the shops flavors are original and often creative, but still tasty. Thats by design, Arant said. We dont want to be weird or creative just for the sake of being weird and creative, she said. We want flavors you havent tasted before that really do taste good. Most evenings when we visited Coneflower, the line went at least to the door, and sometimes beyond. But it moved fast, and its hard to get crabby waiting for ice cream. We didnt find a flavor to dislike. Brown butter and almond brittle had the kind of sweet depth that comes from the best baked goods, like croissants, with crunchy nuts throughout. Archetype coffee, made with a special blend from the shop across the street, had a creamy depth, not too far away from the best cappuccino, but with the punch of a perfectly executed espresso shot. The cookies and cream is packed with big chunks of cookie no crumbs here and the mint chip is made with fresh herbs from Squeaky Green organics. Salted caramel played with the now classic sweet-salty pairing, and didnt scrimp on the latter. Matcha green tea had a refreshing grassiness. The ice creams consistency, no matter the flavor, is about perfect: creamy and rich, just a touch stretchy, not too hard or soft. On another day we tried the shops rich ice cream sandwich, made with two warm homemade cookies stuffed with chocolate pieces, their tender crumb holding a generous scoop each of rich dark chocolate and creamy house vanilla. If you want to treat yourself, this is the way to do it. I couldnt visit without trying Coneflowers version of the Tin Roof Sundae the Nebraska original about which I wrote a whole story earlier this summer and theirs is a bit different from the Potter, Nebraska, original. Coneflower uses a generous amount of its creamy vanilla ice cream (no chocolate); house-made hot fudge, which is delicious; skin-on salted Spanish peanuts; and a swirl of whipped cream. Its a lovely version, to be sure, and Im thrilled theres one on an Omaha menu. I did wish, though, for marshmallow cream, because I can only imagine how good Coneflowers version would be. My only other wish was for the option of a malt or a shake; Langbehn said there are no plans to add either for now, but theyve received many requests. I dont foresee Coneflower getting any less creative. We can get 22 flavors in the case, and we want them all to sound amazing and interesting, Langbehn said. Were trying to elevate the experience. If my visits and the lines stretching out the shops door are any indication, Omaha is taking a liking to this little shops sweet, thoughtful and finely crafted treats. Coneflower Creamery Address: 3921 Farnam St. Phone: 402-913-2399 Hours: Tuesday through Saturday noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Monday Hits: Dont leave without trying the made-to-order ice cream sandwich. Misses: Coneflowers version of a Tin Roof Sundae is missing the marshmallow cream of the classic; the homemade hot fudge almost makes up for it. Drinks: local root beer, artisan soda and ice cream floats Prices: A medium dish, which includes three scoops of ice cream, is $4.50. Other things to know: Coneflower is tiny and seating is sparse; lots of outdoor benches along Farnam Street help. Actor and musician Billy McGuigan has been performing in Nebraska and beyond since he was a high schooler in the 1990s. His turn as a rock legend in The Buddy Holly Story at the Omaha Community Playhouse in 2002 led to a long-running revue, Rave On. He created and headlined a Beatles tribute show, Yesterday and Today. He performed at area clubs. Literally thousands of people across the country have seen McGuigans productions over the years. Until this week, I wasnt one of them. The premiere of a brand-new McGuigan project, Rock Twist, gave me a great excuse to change that. Now Im wondering why it took me so long to check out his shows. At Tuesdays preview, I discovered what lots of other Omahans already know: Billy McGuigan has tons of talent, stage presence and charisma. Like Rave On and Yesterday and Today, the new show also is at the Playhouse. It has a fairly simple premise: McGuigan chose songs he loves standards, pop and rock n roll and gave them each a twist. Rockers such as Elvis Presleys Heartbreak Hotel got a big-band treatment, with wailing saxes and blasting horns, and standards such as Frank Sinatras Luck Be a Lady had tinges of both rock and jazz, with syncopated rhythms amid old-school touches. Audience members ate it up. They bounced in their seats and screamed as though they were at an arena concert. The surprising diversity of the set list makes the show you never know whats coming next. McGuigan expertly veered from a modern-sounding rendition of Sinatras Come Fly With Me to a hard-driving, piano-heavy version of The Doors Touch Me. He opened with Billy Joels Scenes From an Italian Restaurant and then took a left turn to Peggy Lees sultry Fever. Through it all, he bantered, building a rapport with the crowd and teasing at what was to come. I have eclectic tastes, he told us at the outset, and before intermission, he promised that the second act would feature an unlikely climax that employs the word twist nothing that has to do with the dance. That song Im not going to spoil the fun and give it away was the evenings best. It was totally amazing, and I was so taken with the performance that the twist reference didnt register right away. (Hint: Its a hit by a high-profile British rock group.) None of this would have been possible without McGuigans tight backup band, which featured some of the citys top musicians: standouts included trumpeter Doyle Tipler, pianist and vocalist Tara Vaughan, bass player and music director Steve Gomez and tenor saxophonist Andrew Janak, who arranged all the songs. Set designer Jim Othuse and lighting designer Steven Wheeldon added their own special touches: curtains that changed colors depending on the mood and mod projections on a screen behind the band in the second act. McGuigan, however, was the main draw. He joked about getting old hes 42 and remembering what inspired dated song titles and lyrics: pay phones (If I could call you up, invest a dime ... ) and 634-5789 (he said his kids dont know phone numbers anymore, just favorites on their cells). But nobody with his energy should even blink at being 42. His gymnastic moves and guitar leaps would wear out a guy in his 20s. By the time hes closing the show with a blistering Johnny B. Goode, youre wondering how he keeps it up after more than two hours and four costume changes. Youre also selfishly hoping for an encore. Alas, no such luck. ****** Billy McGuigans Rock Twist What: musical revue Where: Omaha Community Playhouse, Hawks Mainstage, 6915 Cass St. When: today through July 23 Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays Tickets: $40 general admission The seeds were sown as a free health clinic and a food pantry for the poor, but now look they are sprouting into an uncommon $10 million initiative called Kountze Commons. Set to open in September on the west end of downtown, the 17,500-square-foot, two-story addition to Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church will embody its mission of feeding the hungry, healing the sick, tending the soul. It will include the Methodist Health System and Lutheran Family Services as well as volunteers from many faiths. Church leaders say the location at 26th and Douglas Streets, the former site of KETV studios, is where north and South Omaha meet near Interstate 480 and the North Freeway. And that, they say, makes it a perfect strategic spot for Kountze Commons. It will be a visible sign at this crossroads that the church and civic partnerships can work together for the common good, said the Rev. Ashley Hall, associate pastor. Its an important message that the church is faithful to its mission and can reach out to many partners to pull this off. To make it more accessible to the needy, a bus stop is being relocated to just outside the buildings front door. Helping those in need has been a hallmark of this 111-year-old church, the origins of which date to 1858. For years, it has quietly operated the food pantry on Monday mornings and the free clinic on Thursday afternoons. On a recent day at 4, in upper-floor church hallways and converted storage rooms, the makeshift primary-care clinic was abuzz. *** Dr. Eugene Speedy Zweiback, a retired surgeon, was seeing a 20-year-old mother of two with dizziness, nausea and internal discomfort. He suspected gallstones and would order tests. I think we should be very aggressive, he told her. We might not make you well right away, but if you hang in there with us, well get you well. Stepping away, the doc said he enjoys volunteering along with other physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical students and clerical staff. This is a great clinic, and the church is wonderful, Zweiback said. Im Jewish. Its pretty ecumenical, isnt it? Four young Mormon sisters on an 18-month mission in Omaha helped keep things organized. Other volunteers wore smocks bearing logos of Creighton University Medical School and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, as well as pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens. Wenting Tong, a native of Hong Kong who just finished her second year at the CU Medical School, said volunteering is a great learning opportunity. I also love the patient population here, she said. They are vulnerable people who are trying to better their health, and they are so appreciative. Pete Noriega, 50, waiting for a doctor to look at an infected finger, was effusive. This place is incredible, and the people are super-friendly, he said. I was a bartender and restaurant worker for 25 years and never have had insurance. The clinic, he said, was recommended to him by an instructor at Metro Community College. Alas, space is limited, and there is a waiting list for appointments. Leaders say they will be able to see more patients at the free clinic when Kountze Commons opens. About 40 to 50 patients are now seen at the free clinic each Thursday. The pantry, with help from the Food Bank for the Heartland and local supermarkets and bakeries, feeds up to 450 each Monday. The free services are supported financially by church members and by outside donors. The church also has a long relationship with the nonprofit Together Inc., which Kountze helped to establish in the 1970s. For many, the clinic and the pantry are lifelines. But those services will be just a part of what happens when the new structure opens including behavioral and mental health care. *** A key to the entire Kountze Commons project, said the Rev. Dean Bard, interim senior pastor, was the involvement of Methodist Health System. Without Methodist and its early buy-in, he said, this project would never have gotten started. And it would have been much poorer without the Lutheran Family Services buy-in later on. In contrast to the churchs existing clinic and pantry, the two new partners will be full-time five-day-a-week operations. For years, the Methodist Family Health Clinic was located at the Salvation Armys Lied Renaissance Center, 36th and Cuming Streets. That building is being razed. The Methodist clinic moved to the Lutheran church in February and will lease space at Kountze Commons. Under the direction of Dr. Lindsay Northam, the clinic will provide medical services to the uninsured, underinsured and low-income people on a sliding fee scale. Lutheran Family Services, the church says, has a strong history of providing mental health services to children, families and individuals and will offer outpatient behavioral and mental health counseling in partnership with the Methodist clinic. Another vision for Kountze Commons is to provide enrichment through the arts to youth and families beyond the church. For more than a half-century, Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church, facing Farnam Street, stood back to back with KETV, facing Douglas. In 2013, when the television station announced plans to move to the old Burlington train station, the church prayerfully put on its thinking cap. *** Leaders wanted to make sure the future of the KETV property was compatible with the neighborhood, noting that the church-owned deFreese Manor apartments for the elderly sits a block to the north. And with $2.2 million in the endowment, Pastor Bard said, the church saw an opportunity to do something significant. Negotiations began and by 2015, the endowment paid for the purchase of the old TV building, which would be razed. As part of the negotiation, Kountze agreed to let KETV keep its transmission tower there. Lots of churches have steeples, so why not a TV tower to mark Kountze Commons from a great distance? Planning intensified. Parishioner Del Weber, retired chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, has helped lead much of the fundraising, especially with foundations. The congregation itself pledged another $2 million. People have bought into this, Weber said. It was not a hard sell in this church at all. Initial estimates of the total cost were $7.2 million, but as the project expanded, so did the price tag now more than $10 million. The church is getting close to its goal of gifts from foundations. Church leaders note that the new construction, attached to the church by an enclosed walkway, augments other improvements in the area, including to the west in Midtown Crossing and the Blackstone District. The opening of Kountze Commons coincides with a big celebration for Lutheran churches worldwide the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. On Sept. 1, Kountze Lutheran welcomes a new senior pastor, the Rev. Olaf Roynesdal, coming from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He replaces Bard, who formerly served in Wittenberg, Germany, and attended the re-dedication of the Castle Church where Friar Martin Luther posted his famous document breaking from the Catholic Church in 1517. On Sept. 11, Kountze welcomes Catholic Archbishop George Lucas, who has granted Lutherans request to celebrate Reformation Sunday Oct. 29 at St. Johns Catholic Church on the Creighton University campus. Yes, the Lutherans, who needed a big space, will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in a Catholic church. Why not? In a city gaining attention for building a tri-faith campus with a synagogue, a mosque and a church, other interfaith efforts abound. So Lutherans and Methodists will work together at Kountze Commons, along with volunteers who are Mormon, Jewish, Catholic and other faiths. Kountze Commons grew from seeds planted long ago. As the Bible says, you reap what you sow. More than 400 people, including an Omaha dentist, have been indicted in the largest crackdown on health care fraud on record, according to the U.S. Justice Department. The cases involve more than $1.3 billion in falsified billings, many for narcotics and opioids that have helped fuel the nations drug crisis, federal officials said Thursday. Omaha dentist Gregory Garro Jr. has been indicted on 24 counts of health care fraud related to the Nebraska Medicaid program. Federal officials say he submitted claims and received reimbursements for dental services he didnt provide. Garro, 58, declined to comment, according to a person answering the phone at his office. The indictment alleges that Garro received $82,554 for 129 claims in dental services that he did not provide between February 2013 and January 2016. The maximum penalty on each count is 10 years imprisonment plus a $250,000 fine. His initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for July 24 in Lincoln. In southwest Iowa, U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel in the Southern District of Iowa said five people were indicted in two schemes involving the distribution of opioids. He said Shawne Marie Widener, 47, of Hamburg is charged with multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone and oxycodone. Charged with conspiracy and distribution of the drugs are Mark Edward May, 31; Chiann May Jones, 32; Clara Ann Milks, 37; and Jeremiah Jones, 40, all of Missouri Valley. Nationally, 412 people were indicted on charges of falsely prescribing opioids and other narcotics, health care fraud, money laundering and violations of anti-kickback statutes. Of those indicted, 115 were doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals. As part of Thursdays announcement, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is suspending payment to 295 providers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists. The investigation focused on schemes that took advantage of three federal programs: Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE a health insurance program for members and veterans of the armed forces and their families. Also indicted were people who recruited patients for unneeded services and family members who supplied beneficiary information to health care providers to use in fraudulent medical bills. The recruiters and family members were paid cash kickbacks, according to the Justice Department. Health care fraud is a problem nationwide, and Nebraska is not immune from it, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said in a statement announcing the indictments. The investigation was undertaken by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which includes more than 20 state Medicaid fraud control units. This report contains material from the Associated Press. A $9.5 million face-lift at the Metropolitan Utilities Districts massive Florence Water Treatment Plant a few miles north of downtown is restoring the nearly 130-year-old plants pumping facility to reflect what little is left of its former grandeur. Among the most dramatic changes: The buildings original arched window openings, filled with brick and covered up in the last round of updates in the 1960s, have been re-opened for the first time in decades. The last updates that obscured many of its early features, including the radial stone arches atop the original windows, have given way to an overhaul that MUD officials say restores as much of the pump stations original features as are left. Where the last project left two tall, narrow window shades on the buildings east side facing John J. Pershing Drive, contractors brought back the five originals. On the front of the building, seven narrow apertures have given way to 12 originals. We are going to preserve that original architecture and take the opportunity to bring in more borrowed (natural) light, said Mike Koenig, MUDs director of water production and pumping. Some of the original stonework from the 1880s hadnt been seen since the 1960s. Contractors since January have been working to complete cosmetic renovations that include stripping 50-year-old stucco finish from the buildings interior and exterior walls. Other work for reliability purposes has included tearing out and replacing electrical wiring and controls that in some cases havent been updated since the 1940s and 1950s, and MUD directors in September authorized the purchase of a $450,000 pump to replace one that had been in operation there since the 1930s. The edifice is the veritable powerhouse for MUDs largest and oldest of three water treatment facilities that supply water to nearly 212,000 customers across the Omaha area. In short, water pumped directly from the Missouri River MUDs Platte West and Platte South plants are fed by groundwater is first transported via underground pipes to the plants headworks at the south end of the sprawling facility, where it rests in basins that allow sediment to settle out. After that, water is fed into primary treatment basins for softening and further clarification. It then continues through the treatment process, which includes physical filtration and chemical disinfection. By the time that water meets the massive pump equipment inside of the Minne Lusa building, its ready to be sent to customers taps, spigots and water fountains. On a recent 97-degree day that had the plant ramped up to churn out about 50 million gallons of water per day, Koenig said it takes about 24 hours for water to make its way from the river and through the treatment process. On cooler days when demand is less, that time frame extends to about 48 hours. The current phase of upgrades is the third of five comprising a $150 million, 20-year capital improvement plan MUD directors approved in 2010. Phase III upgrades will cost about $39.5 million. In 2017 dollars, the approximate value of the overall plan is $175 million. Proceeds from a $41 million bond issue in late 2015 are bankrolling the current phase of improvements; MUD officials say they anticipate those funds will be exhausted by mid-2019, at which time another series of bonds will be issued. Mineral deposits streaking the rough-hewn limestone slabs undergirding the Minne Lusa Pump Station the structure is named for the neighborhood in which it was built in 1889 betray its age, but the facilitys foundation remains solid. That wasnt so certain as recently as early 2010, when the gas and water utilitys board and management ordered a study to determine if it even had a future. Our engineering study answered the question of whether there is value here or is it time to start over, said MUD President Scott Keep. We found that there is tremendous value here. As one might imagine when dealing with such a makeover, Koenig says the project hasnt been without its surprises. There was lead paint everywhere, said Koenig, MUDs director of water production and pumping. But we also found that the old brick had been covered with stucco in the 1960s, so we were able to preserve it and made wine out of smashed grapes. To date, MUD has already spent about $55 million on improvements preceding the current phase. Those have included updates to electrical systems across the site and a $14 million renovation of the filtration plant at the north end of the facility that was built in phases in the 1920s, 1930s and 1950s. The pump station currently surrounded by scaffolding was the crown jewel of the plant, which was originally built by the American Water Works Co. of Chicago. According to MUD archives, the Florence facility was the citys second behind the first at Burt Street, north of downtown, which began operations in August 1881. Rylee Hall, community engagement coordinator at the Douglas County Historical Society, said his organizations archives on the Florence plant indicate that more than 500 guests took a train from Omaha to inaugurate the facility in August 1889. I dont know if the celebration was just about this technological wonder of the pumping station ... but they did a lot of pomp and circumstance for its opening, Hall said. The celebrations didnt stop there, either. The historical societys archives contain an oral history describing frequent parties replete with two orchestras playing for revelers at the large and airy and immaculately clean Minne Lusa Pump Station hosted by Capt. B. Frank Reynolds, the American Water Co.s chief engineer. The facilitys incipient grandeur featured a trio of wooden turrets that jutted skyward out of the rolling riverside landscape. Those turrets eventually succumbed to damage by termites, and the splendor of the pump station was largely eradicated by the time the 1960s renovations were through. Made of limestone quarried from west-central Missouri and bedecked in red oak, the Florence facility as described in an April 1889 preview in The World-Herald boasted that the citizens of Omaha will be astonishing their interior furnishings with the best water from the most perfect water works system between Chicago and the Rocky Mountains. When the big works are completed and a merry throng of Omahas best citizens are gathered there to celebrate the event, The World-Herald continued, let the first toast be, The American Water Company, may they never go into, but always remain in liquidation. LINCOLN Gov. Pete Ricketts on Thursday named a new international trade council tasked with expanding overseas trade and raising the states profile internationally. The group that includes officials from the governors Cabinet, the University of Nebraska and the states largest chambers of commerce will meet once a year and check in with each other quarterly. Ricketts said the meetings will help the state better leverage its international relationships and resources. The group aims to build upon the states trade successes, including its role in exporting Nebraska beef to China and upcoming trade missions to Canada in August and Japan in September. All of these help us expand and contribute to our growth in Nebraska, Ricketts said. Representatives on the council include Nebraska Economic Development Director Courtney Dentlinger, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Barry Kennedy. A number of business groups also are involved. Ricketts urged any group interested in participating to contact his office. The council is scheduled to meet after the governor returns from Japan. Ricketts announced the council as his second annual economic development summit kicked off. Two people were shot and two others were assaulted Wednesday night during a disturbance in southwest Omaha, police said. Joshua Martin, 21, told officers that he was upstairs at an apartment near South 87th and Q Streets, police said, when he heard a commotion downstairs. According to police, a disturbance involving several people had erupted, and Martin was assaulted. Gunshots were fired. Martin drove a shooting victim, Elijah Smith whose age was not released to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy about 11:15 p.m. with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. While officers were at the hospital, police said another male shooting victim, whose name and age had not been released late Thursday, arrived. That victim was wounded at the same time as Smith, police said, and his injuries were also not life-threatening. Meanwhile, officers at the crime scene found another victim, Marjus Gjoka, 22, who had been assaulted and robbed. LINCOLN An overdose of illegal drugs caused last months death of a 22-year-old inmate at the Tecumseh State Prison. A copy of an official death certificate obtained Wednesday by The World-Herald stated that Daelan LaMere of Omaha died of combined amphetamine/Ecstasy (MDMA) overdose. The certificate also indicated that LaMere had suffered a heart attack when he died June 6 in the intensive care unit of a Lincoln hospital. In addition, an autopsy was conducted, which determined the death was accidental, according to the certificate. At the time of LaMeres death, the Department of Correctional Services issued a press release stating that meth and Ecstasy had been detected in the inmates system and that an autopsy had been ordered. The Nebraska State Patrol launched an investigation to determine how LaMere obtained the drugs in the maximum-security prison near Tecumseh. Dawn-Renee Smith, spokeswoman for the Corrections Department, said no staff members have been implicated in LaMeres death, nor has disciplinary action been taken. She also believed the investigation remains ongoing. Prison staff were called on May 27 to LaMeres cell, where he was found unresponsive and struggling to breathe. He was taken to the hospital in Tecumseh before being transferred to Lincoln, where he remained on life support without regaining consciousness before his death. Because LaMere died in state custody, a grand jury investigation must be conducted. He was sentenced in Douglas County to six to 11 years after pleading no contest to four counts of robbery at a convenience store and one count of use of a firearm to commit a felony. His sentence began in 2013, and he would have been eligible for parole starting next year. His mandatory release was scheduled for 2020, according to prison records. LaMere was the fourth inmate from the Tecumseh prison to die this year. Charges have not yet been filed in the deaths of the two inmates killed during a March 2 melee in which a housing unit was taken over by roughly 60 prisoners for more than three hours. In April, a third inmate, who was close to being released, was found slain in his cell; his cellmate, who was serving a life term for first-degree murder, has been charged in connection with that death. Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert will create a Native American advisory board and Omaha police officers will receive training on Native American culture after a man died last month in police custody. City of Omaha officials and leaders in the Native American community met on June 28 after the June 5 death of Zachary Bearheels. Bearheels, a Native American, died after he was repeatedly shocked with a Taser, punched and dragged by the ponytail. Police encountered Bearheels after they were called to a convenience store at 60th and Center Streets to investigate a disturbance involving a person who was refusing to leave the store. Two police officers involved in the Bearheels case, Scotty Payne and Ryan McClarty, have been recommended for firing by Chief Todd Schmaderer. Bearheels had been traveling by bus from Murdo, South Dakota, to Oklahoma City when he was kicked off the bus. Relatives have said he suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and think he had stopped taking his medicine. Bearheels was an enrolled member of his fathers tribe, the Rosebud Sioux of South Dakota, but was buried at the Comanche Indian Cemetery in Apache, Oklahoma, near where he grew up. His mother comes from the Apache and Kiowa Tribes of Oklahoma. Lucas LaRose, a commissioner on the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, said the meeting was scheduled to talk about how Native Americans are treated in Omaha and to find solutions. He said he was pleased with what Stothert, Schmaderer and City Council President Ben Gray said in the meeting. Theres this general belief that if youre a person of color in this city, a lot of times your opinion doesnt count, LaRose said. Having them take the time out of their day to really address this issue shows that theyre serious. I was encouraged by the fact that they confessed to some errors. Stothert will create the Native American advisory board by executive order, as she has for boards focused on LGBTQ, veterans and millennial issues. Details on how many members the board will have and how they will be selected still are being finalized. Schmaderer plans to organize training for the department on Native American culture sensitivity. Those specifics also are being finalized, but Rudi Mitchell, another Indian Affairs commissioner, offered to train officers. Both Mitchell and LaRose said they found it troubling when they heard that one officer had dragged Bearheels across the parking lot by his ponytail and waistband. Having long hair is considered sacred for Native American men, Mitchell said, and they cut it during a special ceremony. Mitchell said 130 different tribes and nations call Omaha home, but he said he would give a general overview of traditions and customs. For example, he said, officers should know that Native Americans show respect by not giving eye contact. Direct eye contact for a long period of time is inappropriate, Mitchell said. Its not that were trying to hide or conceal anything. Mitchell said its still traumatizing for him to look at a police car because it makes him think about what Bearheels went through. But he acknowledged that the meeting generated potential solutions to prevent a similar situation from happening again. Its a start in the right direction, he said. The soldiers were returning from a nine-month deployment to Iraq, where they spearheaded a new type of unit that integrates into a division headquarters to augment its staff. LINCOLN The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission on Wednesday agreed to reconsider the penalty imposed on a Lincoln nightclub where a woman was attacked. The commission canceled the liquor license for Cocos Nightclub after its owner pleaded guilty to denying law enforcement entry and failing to render aid to a 24-year-old woman found unconscious and having a seizure. An attorney for the club at Ninth and N Streets said his client believed the club would face a lesser penalty in exchange for pleading guilty to the two charges. The commission will reconsider the penalty at its meeting next month. 20 women MPs visit Mumbai's Byculla jail after inmate's death India oi-Anusha An all-women parliamentary panel visited the Byculla jail on Thursday to take stock of facilities and security arrangments for inmates. 20 parliamentarians from across the country visited the jail after an inmate was allegedly murdered for complaining over food. 20 women members of parliament who are part of the Parliamentary Empowerment of Women committee interacted with inmates at the Byculla Jail. The panel intends to collect information about security, facilities, the treatment meted out to women prisoners and raise the same in the Parliament. The group is headed by Bijoya Chakravarty, an MP from Assam, and also includes Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party, Raksha Khadse of the BJP, NCP Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan, and M K Kanimozhi of the DMK among others. The women parliamentarians hope that their visit will help the inmates voice their concerns and jail authorities in undertaking corrective measures. The parliamentarians at Byculla jail premises in a bus with escort on Thursday morning. The visit comes weeks after Manjula Shetye, an inmate was brutalised and murdered allegedly by jail guards for questioning the quality and quantity of food being served in the prison. The panel will suggest policy changes if required and also provide support to genuine concerns of women prisoners. Byculla jail authorities went on a cleaning drive on Wednesday after the women panel's visit was confirmed. Inmates of Byculla jail indulged in arson and vandalism after jail staff assaulted Shetye on June 23 killing her. Six people, including jailor Manisha Pokharkar, have been arrested for assaulting Shetye by the Mumbai Crime Branch police. OneIndia News 7 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested By Sri Lankan Navy, Palaniswami writes to Modi India pti-PTI Rameswaram, Jul 13: Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by Sri Lankan navy, prompting Chief Minister K Palaniswami to dub the recurring mid-sea apprehensions a 'deliberate' bid to derail India's efforts to permanently resolve the vexed issue of fishing rights. The fishermen from nearby Mandapam were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to Sri Lankan coast when they were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Assistant Director of Fisheries Gopinath said. Two boats used by them too were impounded by the SL navy personnel, he said. This is the third instance of arrest of state fishermen by the Lankan navy this month on charges of fishing in their territorial waters. Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested on July 6 by the Lankan navy while three were arrested on July 9. Palaniswami shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to find a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests. "Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail India's efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue," he said in the letter. "A sense of vulnerability and insecurity prevails in the villages of the five coastal districts of Palk Bay in the state," he said. "The state government reiterates the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of fishermen in Palk Bay by annulling the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan agreement following which Katchatheevu was ceded to the island nation by India, he said. Palaniswami also wanted Prime Minister Modi to take up the matter with Sri Lankan government to secure the immediate release of 60 fishermen and 146 fishing boats currently in the Sri Lankan's custody. PTI According to a new report on 2017 luxury travelers in China, travelers have visited an average of 18 countries, and take an average of 3.3 overseas trips annually, amounting to 27 days, of which tourism accounts for 69%. Continue reading for their popular destinations and airline preference for travel. These are the results of the 2017 Chinese Luxury Traveller report, issued jointlyby Hurun Report and ILTM, focusing on the behaviour and demands of China's high-end tourists, to understand and interpret the direction in which the industry is heading. When it comes to destinations, Europe and Southeast Asia are preferred by a considerable margin. Europe of course, with its cultural heritage and picturesque natural scenery, is long-established as the destination of choice among the Chinese jet set, while Southeast Asia is more newly established, having surpassed the Americas as one of the hottest destinations for luxury travelers over the past two years. The latter finds particular favor among the millennial generation, with a staggering 34% choosing it as their top pick, transforming it from the fourth most popular destination last year to the first. The region's convenient geographical proximity and lush tropical climate are the factors attracting ever-increasing droves of high-end Chinese tourists. In terms of reasons for travelling abroad, travelling for leisure remains the most common motivation, with 41%. The recent trends of polar exploration and adventure travel continued to grow in popularity, with 31% and 20% respectively. Island travel saw the most noticeable upsurge in 2016, becoming the third most popular reason for travel at 23%, ahead of taking road trips (13%) and cruises (14%). Among millennial respondents, visiting islands was the most popular choice, with 46%. From the above we can see that luxury travelers are becoming increasingly adventurous, with the growth in popularity of polar exploration a case in point. Islands, with their balmy climates and sparkling ocean views and beaches, also hold a particularly strong allure for respondents, especially for the millennial generation. As well as offering exciting water sport opportunities like surfing and diving for the more active, islands are also viewed as a family-friendly option which allow for a high degree of personal space. Air China, Emirates Most Popular Domestic and International Carriers Air China is by far the most popular domestic airline, selected by 53.9%, followed by China Southern Airlines (22.4%) and Cathay Pacific (21.9%). Between both age categories, Air China comes out on top, earning impressive customer loyalty, with more than half of respondents ranking it the highest due to its good reputation. For overseas airlines, Emirates and Singapore Airlines set the benchmark for luxury flight experiences, leaving their competitors trailing far behind with figures of 23% and 22% respectively. Both airlines count cost-effective services among their main selling points. The fact that Singapore and Dubai airports are such important hubs for flight transfers also contributes to their popularity. Respondents have taken an average of 1.7 cruises before, although 34% have never been on one. A fatal puncture that gave terrorists an hour to plot attack on Amarnath yatris India oi-Vicky By Vicky A flat tyre between Pampre and Bijbehara proved to be fatal and gave the terrorists an opportunity to target the bus carrying Amarnath yatris on Monday. Seven persons were killed in the attack carried out by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The police say that the terrorists who were on bikes had attacked the bus twice. Sources further point out that the puncture delayed the bus by almost an hour. A report to this effect has been submitted to the Union Home Ministry. The tourists became vulnerable as the terrorists had ample time to plot their next move. While the bus was trailed for two days before the attack, investigators believe that the attack would have been countered by the security forces. However it was the stopping of the bus for over an hour that gave the terrorists advantage, sources also say. Recommended Video Amarnath Attack : Flat tyre change fate of bus carrying Amarnath yatris | Oneindia News What gave the terrorists further advantage was that the bus was not accompanied by any convoy. Moreover the bus was not registered with the Amarnath yatra board as a result of which it was not under any security cordon. The bus was on its way to Jammu from Baltal when it came under attack. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:16 [IST] A terrorist funeral with a difference: No pro Pak slogans in Valley this time India oi-Vicky By Vicky It was a different kind of funeral for terrorists in the Valley on Wednesday. Three terrorists who will killed in an encounter at Budgam on Wednesday. When their bodies were taken to the village, three persons claiming to be part of the Zakir Musa faction prohibited the people from chanting pro-Pakistan slogans. One of the journalists, Mohammad Omar who was covering the funeral said that the youth said that they follow Zakir Musa who believes in the Islamic State. The youth also did not allow the people to drape the bodies of the terrorists saying that the Islamic State prohibits it. Interestingly all the directives given by these persons were complied with. Zakir Musa had released a video in which he threatened to behead the separatists of Kashmir. He had a falling out with the Hizbul Mujahideen following the incident. He is said to have quit and floated his own outfit. He initially said that he subscribed to the views of the al-Qaeda. However given the recent incident it appears as though he is following in the footsteps of the ISIS. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 8:01 [IST] Accused in Reliance Jio data breach case wanted to set up search engine India oi-Vicky By Vicky A 24 year old was held in connection with the Reliance Jio data breach case. It is alleged that he had posted data of the telecom firm on a website. The man identified as Imran Chimpa said during his questioning that he wanted to set up a search engine. He further adds that he sought to set up a search engine with the data base of all telecom companies. The accused who holds a Masters in Computer Application was arrested in Rajasthan and then taken to Maharashtra for investigation. During the questioning he made no attempts to hide the digital trail. He said that he had designed a software which was used to transfer the data. He said that he obtained the data from the application on the website. He said that he had only sourced phone numbers, names and emails of customers. He was designing the website in such a way that people could search for the names and numbers of customers. While he said that his only aim was to set up a search engine, he also added that he was unable to source details of other telecom operators. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:37 [IST] Achhe din? Congress accuses Modi of step-motherly treatment towards Assams flood victims India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Guwahati, July 13: The politics over floods in Assam started on Wednesday as the opposition Congress hit out at the Narendra Modi government for its "step-motherly" treatment towards providing rescue and relief measures to the victims. Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments--both at the Centre and the state--Congress leaders of Assam questioned why PM Modi never visited Assam during floods in the last three years. Every year, during monsoon the state is hit by floods. However, this time the damage caused by the floods is unprecedented. The death toll in the current wave of flood in the state now stands at 45. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora in a press meet in Guwahati on Wednesday said, "Our state witnesses a serious flood scenario almost every year but the Modi government that promised achhe din (good times) showed no sincerity towards the problem. Recommended Video Assam floods : Over a month and people still in distress | Oneindia News Modi had visited Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Tamil Nadu during the floods but he did not visit Assam in the past three years. Only Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh made an aerial survey for two hours during the last year's floods. No special package has been announced for Assam. The Centre has not cleared the funding proposal of Rs 1,200 crore submitted during 2015-16 when the Congress government was in power in the state. Another proposal of Rs 1,000 crore, submitted by the state government last year, is also awaiting clearance." The leaders of the Congress from the state on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to PM Modi, seeking his intervention as the state government "failed miserably" to control the floods and provide relief to the victims. In the memorandum, the Congress urged the PM to rush a central team of ministers and officials to Assam. "No central minister has visited the state yet although 40 people have died and over 15 lakh people have been affected in over 3,000 villages in 23 districts till Wednesday. The water level has crossed the danger mark in several rivers but the state machinery has failed to reach out to the flood victims with relief materials. Owing to a lack of a contingency plans by the state government, there is no drinking water, baby food or medical teams in the affected areas. During Congress rule, we had a contingency plan to tackle such situations but the BJP government has failed to draft such a plan and, therefore, people are suffering more this time," Bora said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told reporters that the Centre is providing all necessary help to fight against the floods. "We have enough funds to deal with the current flood situation," the CM said. "CM Sonowal on Monday said funds of Rs 62 crore has been released for flood relief but the deputy commissioners and circle officers are unable to spend the money because of lack of proper co-ordination with the state government," Pradyut Bordoloi, another senior Congress leader, said. A statement issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Wednesday said PM Modi has expressed his anguish over the flood situation in various parts of the Northeast. "I am anguished by the situation arising due to floods in various parts of the Northeast. I share the pain of all those affected by the floods. The entire nation stands with the people of the Northeast during this time. The Centre assures of extending all possible help to normalise the situation. I have spoken to Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu and other officials both in New Delhi and in the region on the flood situation. I have also asked my colleague Kiren Rijiju to personally supervise the rescue and relief operations and facilitate all possible help needed," the statement quoting the PM said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:43 [IST] Bharat Jodo Yatra will proceed to Srinagar, come what may, says Rahul Gandhi as march enters Maharashtra After the Rahul-Chinese envoy embarrassment, Sonia put her men in charge India oi-Vicky By Vicky The denial about meeting with the Chinese envoy and then accepting it has only made many wonder what was Rahul Gandhi being so secretive about. It was a major communication blunder about Rahul Gandhi's meeting with the Chinese envoy. At first Rahul's army declared the news as fake. The Chinese website went on to take out the link. After this the Congress came out and confirmed that Rahul had indeed met with the Chinese envoy. Sonia Gandhi has had enough of it and decided to revamp the entire communications team to ensure that such a blunder does not take place. The new team comprises party veterans who according to Sonia will not bungle on key issues. The new team: Ghulam Nabi Azad P Chidambaram Mallikarjun Kharge Anand Sharma Mani Shankar Aiyar Jairam Ramesh Jyotiraditya Scindia Sushmita Deb. Back to old ways: The Congress also plans to bring in the practice where members of the AICC's media department would meet regularly and discuss the day's developments. During these meetings a proper response mechanism and how to face questions before the media would be discussed. However this process was completely discarded. Now with the course correction set to take place, the Congress has decided to re-introduce this practice. The Congress also plans to set up a formal mechanism. Earlier all decisions would need a clearance from Sonia Gandhi through Ahmed Patel. However that practise too had stopped with Rahul being at the helm of affairs. OneIndia News Amarnath yatra attack: Abu Ismail emptied a magazine on the victims India oi-Vicky By Vicky Investigations being into the Amarnath yatra attack have shown that the operation was coordinated by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. Investigations also confirmed that Abu Ismail was part of the attack and he was one of the two Pakistanis on the scene. Ismail was the one who opened fire at the ill-fated bus. It is said that he had emptied two magazines on the pilgrims while the others too continued to fire at the bus. The security forces have launched a manhunt for the four persons-two from Pakistan who carried out the attack. They have been identified and it is only a matter of time before they are either caught or killed an officer said. We are working with the Intelligence Bureau for further inputs on the matter in a bid to track down the four terrorists, the officer also said. Meanwhile investigations have found that the bus had not stopped once, but twice. This made the yatris vulnerable.The first time it stopped as the yatris wanted to shop and the second time was to fix a flat tyre. This made it is a vulnerable target and terrorists of both Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen carried out the attack. The first stop was near Pampore where the yatris got down to shop. By the time the bus got moving, it was already 7 pm. However after traveling 3 kilometres, the bus had to stop again owing to a tyre puncture. This is when the terrorists unleashed the attack at the Batingu village in Anantnag. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 14:49 [IST] Amarnath yatra attack: Mehbooba breaks security protocol to be with victims India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehabooba Mufti broke security protocol to travel from Jammu to Anantnag to console victims of Amarnath Yatra attack which left seven killed and several injured, reports said. Mehabooba's approach towards victims hailed as 'an unusual display of solidarity' by Times of India report. She covered 50 km within an hour of the attack, reached the spot and spent the night at the district police lines along with the families of those killed and injured. Also, Mehbooba interacted with the Amarnath Yatris who were injured in a militant attack, before they were airlifted to New Delhi, at the airport in Srinagar on Tuesday. Bus driver Salim Shaikh, saved at least 50 pasanagers' lives, said that the CM reached the spot soon after he parked the bus. There were many injured and dead bodies laden in the bus, and she came to see everyone, he told. Recommended Video Amarnath Attack : Mehbooba Mufti condemns shameful attack on pilgrims | Oneindia News Yesterday Mehbooba reiterated that all concerned parties in Kashmir are with victims of Amarnatah Yatra terror attack which left seven pilgrims dead in Anantnag district in south Kashmir. 'The Amarnath terror attack has been unequivocally condemned. It was an attack on our brotherhood,' Mehbooba Mufti told ANI. She once again reminded that the attack goes against the ethos of Kashmir. After many years everyone in Kashmir is on the same page on something. We all believe this is not what Kashmir stands for: CM Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/1U02DjUjm2 ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2017 'After many years everyone in Kashmir is on the same page on something. We all believe this is not what Kashmir stands for,' she added. OneIndia News Amid China standoff, Sushma Swaraj to brief opposition on situation India oi-Vicky By Vicky Amid the standoff with China, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will brief the opposition. The minister will provide the updates on the situation at the border during a meeting to held on Friday. This is an attempt by the government to reach out to the opposition amid the standoff with China which has lasted four week now. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too is likely to be part of the meeting. Invitations have been set to all the leaders of the opposition regarding the meeting. The decision to brief the opposition was taken in the midst of allegations that the government keeps the opposition in the dark regarding important matters. It is however unclear whether the exercise is a consultation process or just a briefing of what is happening with China. Early in June, Indian soldiers stopped Chinese troops from constructing a new road that Delhi has described as a major security concern because it gives China access to the Chicken's Neck - a thin strip of land that connects mainland India to its seven north-eastern states. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:55 [IST] Bihar's Grand Alliance on verge of collapse: Will BJP back Nitish? India oi-Vicky By Vicky Is the 'Grand Alliance' in Bihar on the verge of a collapse. Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of the State is adamant that his deputy and Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejaswi put in his papers following the CBI raids. The RJD is however adamant that no resignation will take place. The next two days are crucial for the alliance as they would take part in a series of meetings to decide on the next course of action. Bihar's Grand Alliance on shaky wicket: Here are the numbers if govt falls The BJP on the other hand is ready to offer support to Nitish if he ends the alliance. The BJP however would wait and watch the developments over the next couple of days. A BJP leader in Delhi told OneIndia that action would have to be taken against Tejaswi. Nitish Kumar cannot allow someone who has been raided by the CBI to continue in office. Whether of not support would be extended to NItish if the alliance falls is something that we are discussing, the leader also said. On the other hand, Lalu Yadav who too is under immense pressure to act against his son. For Lalu there is no way but to continue supporting the alliance. If he pulls out, he will not be able to form the government in Bihar even with the support of the Congress despite being the single largest party. He is likely to pull out all his ministers from the government and extend outside support. How the numbers stack up: Total number of seats in Bihar 243 Magic number 122 RJD 80 JD(U) 71 Congress 27 Others 12 Alliance: If the RJD 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. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:52 [IST] People of Himachal have decided to go with Modi; all other factors irrelevant: CM Thakur BJP counters, 'without a moustache' statement by Tejaswi Yadav India oi-Vicky By Vicky The BJP has countered the 'no moustache,' statement made by Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister, Tejaswi Prasad Yadav. When he became the owner of the property he had turned an adult with a moustache and a beard said BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Yadav the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav had said that he was a minor without a moustache at the time of the land for hotels deal. "Can you believe that a 14-year-old child, whose moustache is yet to come, will indulge in corruption?," Tejaswi asked and dubbed the FIR as a "farzi" (fake) one. Recommended Video Tejaswi Yadav dismisses corruption allegations, blames Modi He cannot put a veil on his crime by pleading that he was a minor at that time," added Modi. The BJP leader claimed that the Kochhar brothers had sold a commercial property on February 25, 2005 in the form of a three-acre land in Patna, through 10 sale deeds for Rs 1.47 crore, to Delight Marketing, in which Sarla Gupta, the wife of former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, was a director. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, owned by the Kocchars, the ownership of Delight Marketing also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav between 2010 and 2014, he alleged. Modi dared Tejaswi to announce that he did not own the said land, on which Bihar's biggest mall was coming up. "Tejaswi should also announce that he does not own a four-storied building at New Friends Colony in Delhi, the value of which is Rs 115 crore today," he said. The BJP leader once again urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sack Tejaswi. Tejaswi has virtually ruled out the possibility of resigning from the state cabinet and dubbed the FIR against him as a part of a "political vendetta". "The FIR (in the land-for-hotels case) is part of a political vendetta. BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are conspiring against me and my family members because of political reasons," he told reporters. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:22 [IST] VisitBritain announced strong growth in the number of overseas visits to the UK from markets including China, Australia, France and the US in the first three months of 2017. The figures show it was a record first quarter for overall inbound visits and spend, with 8.3 million visits, up 10%, and spending up by 16% to 4.4 billion compared to January to March last year. The UK saw a record 54,000 visits from China from January to March this year, up 27% on the same period last year, with visitors spending a record 91 million, up 27%. The statistics also show that in first three months of 2017, visits from the US, the UKs most valuable visitor market, grew by 16%, to 641,000, compared to the same period last year, with visitors spending a record 604 million, up 29%. Visits from Australia set a record for quarter one, up 10% on last year to 174,000, and spend up to 180 million. Strong growth was also seen from France, with 991,000 visits, up 9% on the first quarter of last year, and spend up 15% to 321 million. VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates said, It is very encouraging to see such strong growth from some of our largest and most valuable markets, including France and the US, as well as markets that are important for our future, such as China. With forward-bookings for international arrivals tracking ahead for the coming months, we are anticipating a strong summer holiday season as we promote the message of value and welcome globally, showing people why they should book a holiday to Britain right now. Latest data from ForwardKeys shows that flight bookings from China to the UK are tracking 35% ahead for July to September compared to the same period last year, and 21% ahead from the US to the UK. Bookings overall for international arrivals to the UK during the summer are currently tracking 9% ahead of the same period last year. Other markets showing strong growth in the first three months of this year include Belgium, Denmark, India and Japan. Visits from India grew 32% to 68,000, while visits from Brazil were up 16% to 53,000. A new record was set for the number of inbound visits from Spain, which grew by 18% to 656,000, and spending up 17% to 230 million, another quarter one record. Tourism is worth 127 billion annually to the UK economy, creating jobs and boosting economic growth across its nations and regions. After 'The Kashmir Files', Agnihotri back with 'The Vaccine War' Bomb scare at Mumbai's Churchgate station turns out to be hoax India oi-Anusha The bomb scare at the Churchgate station in Mumbai turned out to be a hoax. Officials received a call about a bomb being planted in the station. The call was received at around 10.45 am on the helpline of the Railway Protection Force. The RPF immediately swung into action. A thorough search was conducted and officials declared the area as safe. The commuters were told not to panic. Thursday incidentally is the sixth anniversary of the 13/7 blasts. 26 persons had died and over a 100 injured in the blasts. The police are now trying to trace the caller. OneIndia News CBI begins probe into Rs 2,900 crore Pilatus deal by UPA govt India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun its probe into the 2012 Pilatus aircraft deal by the previous UPA government. A preliminary enquiry (PE) was registered after going through the Income Tax investigation report against Sanjay Bhandari, the defence dealer. Bhandari is currently not in India. Following a raid in 2016 by the IT department a trove of documents had been seized. One of the documents allegedly showed a payment of7,50,000 Swiss Francs from Pilatus to Bhandari. The CBI will now probe why this amount was transferred to Bhandari. The CBI would also go into the emails exchanged in connection with a property deal in London which allegedly link Bhandari to Robert Vadra. While the PE would help the CBI ascertain the nature of the alleged offence, a full fledged probe would be launched after that. The Pilatus deal amounting to Rs 2,900 crore was signed by the UPA government to procure 75 basic trainer aircraft (BTA) from the Swiss firm. The aircraft, according to investigators, was chosen over American-made Beechcraft T-6C Texan II and the South Korean KT-1 aircraft. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:09 [IST] Coal smuggling case: Who is Rujira Banerjee and why has ED issued warrant against her? Coal scam: SC dismisses Naveen Jindal's plea to challenge trial court's order India oi-Vikas By Vikas The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed industrialist Naveen Jindal's plea seeking to challenge a trial court's order in the High Court in connection with coal block allocation scam. The apex court said accused in the coal allocation scam case can not challenge any special court order before the High Court during trial of the case. Jindal is facing trial in two cases. One is the allocation of the Urtan North coal block in Madhya Pradesh and the other is a case pertaining to the allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. The court had on May 25 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. Besides Jindal, the case also involves former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda as accused. All the accused have denied the allegations levelled against them. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:16 [IST] Congress readies social media army to counter tech savvy BJP in online battle India oi-Anusha To take on BJP's "fake posts" and to boost its online presence ahead of key elections, the Congress is preparing an online army. A new team, right from the top, is replacing the party's social media wing to engage a strong social media campaign ahead of assembly elections in key states. But is the revamp only to counter the BJP or is it the result of an intraparty tussle? The Congress party is looking for social media specialists to enhance its presence online. In a bid to counter the tech-savvy BJP, the grand old party is hiring professionals. Party leaders maintain that a new team has taken over to improve the party's social media presence. Sources from the party, however, indicate that a need to made fresh recruitments arose after a host of IT cell members chose to leave after Ramya replaced Deepender Hooda as chief. "We have redone the social media team and we have set up a whole different team which will be working full time. We see false posts being put up on social media and people tend to believe it. We need to counter that because the BJP effectively indulges in morphing images, falsifying facts, misrepresenting issues and portraying Congress in a bad light," said AICC spokesperson Dinesh Gundu Rao. Taking the fight online The BJP has always been tech savvy. BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself have been lauded for social media presence and management. The same has not been the case for the Congress. Realising the importance of social media as a game changer in electoral politics, the Congress chose Ramya as its IT chief owing to her online presence and command. While Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi made a late entry to Twitter, the party and its chief do not have handles, unlike the BJP that has a massive online presence. While the battle lines are drawn in assembly elections, the Congress claims that it is now also ready for an online battle. "We want the truth and facts online. BJP is taking advantage of not having anyone to counter. We are now prepared to give it back to them and also ensure that the right message reaches the people and not fiction," Dinesh Gundu Rao added. [Also read: West Bengal BJP IT cell secretary arrested for spreading fake news] The BJP has come under severe fire after its IT cell chief from Asansol in West Bengal, Tarun Sengupta, was arrested for posting fake pictures about Bengal unrest. The Congress has alleged that the BJP only indulges in misrepresentations and deliberate sharing of fake or edited posts and pictures to support their narrative. Congress insiders, while happy that the party has taken notice of social media as a mass influencer, are also convinced that the revamp in IT cell has more to do with internal party affairs than taking on the BJP. OneIndia News Russia not reliable for energy or security, US warns India The Western bias and why it cannot digest Indias success Explained: Why has US removed India from its currency monitoring list India hits out at China's offer to mediate Kashmir issue India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar India on Thursday rejected China's offer to mediate Kashmir issue and said it will address all the issues with Pakistan in 'bilateral framework'. India will continue using its diplomatic channels to defuse border standoff with China in Doklam area, said MEA Spokesperson on Thursday. In the latest tussle, India had expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, MEA spokesperson, Gopal Bagley, said that there was conversation on a range of issues between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Hamburg in an informal meeting of BRICS countries. We remain engaged, seriously and sincerely with senior most authorities: MEA on Indians missing in #Mosul pic.twitter.com/TQLPAYvNNu ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Asked about the missing Indians in Iraqi city Mosul, he said, 'We remain engaged, seriously and sincerely with senior most authorities.' he said. In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Baglay said that cross-border terrorism is emanating from a 'particular source' which is threatening stability and peace in the region. Regarding a query on visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother he said there was no change in Pakistan's stand. 'There has been no change in position on providing consular access and visa for his mother.' According to information available to Yemini authorities Indian-origin pastor Father Tom is alive. Yemeni authorities are are making efforts to locate him and working for his early release. OneIndia News Gurung to skip date with the public on October 30 'GJM activists attacked us', claims WB minister India pti-PTI Siliguri(WB), Jul 13: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists on Thursday denied West Bengal Tourism minister Gautam Deb's allegations that their activists hurled stones at him when he had gone to Panighata to attend a programme. "We had gone to Panighata to attend a programme but GJM activists, armed with khukri (Nepalese knife) assembled there and hurled stones at us", he alleged. Deb had gone to Panighata to attend the birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya. The GJM workers also damaged a police vehicle there, the minister charged and added that this was not a movement but vandalism and "the Centre is giving them support". However, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri refuted Deb's charge and said that his party had no hand in it. "We are launching movement in a democratic way. The only solution is Gorkhaland and the Centre should open a dilogue on it", he said. On Thursday, the indefinite bandh in the hills entered the 29th day which has brought life to a standstill across Darjeeling and neighbouring areas. [Darjeeling unrest: GJM supporters torch Gorkhaland tourist information office] According to ANI, a mob late on Wednesday night set on fire the office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Tourist Information at Chowrasta in Darjeeling. PTI West Bengal Government provides financial relief to the Hills of North Bengal Darjeeling unrest: GJM supporters torch Gorkhaland tourist information office India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Darjeeling, July 13: There seems to be no end to violence in restive Darjeeling as pro-Gorkhaland supporters on Wednesday set ablaze a panchayat office and damaged a few government vehicles on the 28th day of the indefinite shutdown, reported PTI. On Thursday, the indefinite bandh in the hills entered the 29th day which has brought life to a standstill across Darjeeling and neighbouring areas. According to ANI, a mob late on Wednesday night set on fire the office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Tourist Information at Chowrasta in Darjeeling. West Bengal: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Tourist Information office at Chowrasta, #Darjeeling set on fire by a mob late last night pic.twitter.com/a23WggNLLH ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 The supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which spearheaded the agitation, took out a rally at Chowkbazar in Darjeeling on Wednesday, with the body of Ashok Tamang. Tamang died on Tuesday night in a hospital where he was admitted after being allegedly injured in Saturday's clashes between the police and GJM supporters. The GJM claimed that Tamang received serious head injuries during a baton charge by the police. The police, however, said it was not clear whether he died of injuries or some other reason. Recommended Video Gorkhaland struggle: Protest in Darjeeling continues, GTA tourist office set ablaze | Oneindia News "We are waiting for the post-mortem report. We can only comment after seeing it," a senior police officer said. The panchayat office in Mirik sub-division was set on fire by the activists, who also damaged a few government vehicles in the hills, the police said. Internet services remained suspended for the 25th day. While an Army column, comprising around 50 personnel, has been deployed in Kalimpong since Monday night, two columns have been positioned at Darjeeling and Sonada from Saturday after large-scale violence and arson took place in those areas. The GJM has claimed that eight of its supporters have been killed in police firing, including four on Saturday. But the police have said two persons have been killed in the hills, including a truck driver whose vehicle was set ablaze during the over month-long agitation that turned violent on June 17. A meeting of the hill parties in Mirik had on Tuesday decided to go on with the indefinite shutdown and start a hunger strike to press the demand for a separate state of 'Gorkhaland' from July 15. The police and the security forces maintained a tight vigil at all entry and exit points. OneIndia News Himachal Pradesh: 6 arrested for rape-and-murder of minor girl India pti-PTI Shimla, Jul 13: Six people were arrested on Thursday for gang-rape and murder of a minor girl in Shimla district's Kotkhai in Himachal Pradesh. The rape-and-murder of the Class X student in Kotkhai area of Shimla district sparked state-wide outrage. Her body was recovered from a nearby forest two days later. Addressing mediapersons here, Director General of Police (DGP) Somesh Goyal said, "We have technical, forensic, physical, circumstantial and confessional evidence against these accused and the SIT is in the process of collecting more evidence to strengthen the case." Police said all the accused had been living in Kotkhai area for quite some time. The arrested were Ashish Chauhan alias Ashu (29), a resident of Sharaal village in Mahasu area of Kotkhai; Rajender Singh alias Raju (32), the driver of a pick-up vehicle and a resident of Hiliala village; Subash Singh Bisht (42) and Deepak alias Deepu (29), both residents of Pauri Garwal; Suraj Singh (29) and Lok Jung alias Chotu (19), both hailing from Nepal. Goyal said the crime was not pre-planned. All the accused were drunk when the picked up the girl in Raju's vehicle, he said. Eighty-four people were questioned and call details of 28 people were screened in the course of the investigation, the police chief said. The investigation led the police to Ashish, who was then arrested. Police arrested the other accused following interrogation of Ashish. Referring to some photographs which have been doing the rounds of social networking sites and apps, the DGP appealed to people not to circulate unverified news and photographs related to the case on social media. Such posts can attract civil and criminal liability, he said, apart from making the case more complicated. He also requested people of the state to have patience and trust in the police. PTI Hyderabad: Doon School alumnus used 'Lunacy' to acquire drugs from Netherlands India oi-Anusha Dundu Anish, the 29-year-old aerospace engineer and former employee of NASA who was arrested as part of Hyderabad drug haul case took the 'Lunacy' route to access drugs. The Doon school alumnus was sent narcotics via courier and curiously, all the courier packages had Netherland markings. Between May 17 and June 8 this year, Anish ordered drugs via darnet network 'Lunacy' at least eight times. The officials of the Telangana Prohibition and Excise department have traced his transaction in detail. Anish had ordered Ecstasy Pills- 5 (Green Ecstasy), MDMA -2 grms, LSD-10 papers, Cocaine- 2 grms, Ecstasy Pills-100 (Pink), Cocaine-6grms, Pills-50(green) between May and June using dark websites. All of these were narcotic and psychotropic substances. On the basis of Anish's statement, officials arrested a steel businessman, Ritul Agrawal all of 26 years of age. He, just like most others arrested in the case, holds a BBA degree from ICFAI business School. The modus operandi was the same. Order the drugs online undetected and pay using bitcoins or cryptocurrency. What is bothering the investigating officials currently is the description of the courier that delivered the drugs. According to the duo, the packaging contained Netherland markings. After the first few arrests in the case, the Excise Department officials suspected the involvement of a person from Chicago in supplying the drugs to peddlers. With the latest arrests, the courier from Netherland has sprung a surprise. Why peddlers, dealers and addicts are hooked to darknet Most communication, the transaction is untraceable when a user chooses to access the darknet. Lunacy is one such website. "Darknet is used to deal with a repressive government and if you want to hide your identity. Take for example Tor, anyone can access it but it is not present on Google. While accessing Tor you can have a website or network only inside the Tor network. It is not accessible from the regular internet. .onion is used just like .com and .co.in is used in regular websites," said Kiran Jonnalagadda, the founder of Hasgeek. Over the years multiple dark websites have come up and it is almost impossible to find out who is running the website unless it is mentioned it on the website itself. With no name or way to trace the user, it becomes hard for law enforcement agencies to figure out who is running the website and who is using it. "Agencies can't track anyone unless people put out their details like phone numbers or name. If you are getting drugs then you have to exchange contact information because somebody is got to contact you some way to pick up your consignment. There have been arrests in the past because people who put out information did so carelessly," Kiran added. Most transactions that take place on the darknet are via bitcoins or crypto coins. Currently, one bitcoin is worth Rs 1,53,381.18. Bitcoins are preferred since they help protect identity but make transactions public. Under the protection of anonymity of the dark web, drug peddlers, pushers and clients attept to hoodwink law enforcement agencies. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 13:16 [IST] FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K In J&K, 14,000 dropouts find their way back to schools One Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist gunned down in Jammu and Kashmir J-K: Afghan national arrested for staying illegally in Baramulla India oi-Madhuri Security Forces on Thursday arrested one Afghan national from Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, who was living illegally in the Valley. J&K: Security Forces arrested one Afghan national from Baramulla, who was living illegally in the Valley pic.twitter.com/oLBL09XXKD ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Police sources said the Afghan national wanted to ex-filtrate to Pakistan via LoC. He is currently being questioned. He is currently being questioned by the police officials. Offences have been registered against him under relevant sections of the Passport (Entry Into India) Foreigners Act. This comes after the latest attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag which left seven dead and several others injured. OneIndia News Geekologie has shut down. Thank you to everybody. Now go be happy. Local terrorists backed by 2 Pakistanis carried out Amarnath yatra attack India oi-Vicky By Vicky While confirming that four terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba were involved in the Amarnath yatra attack, Union Home Ministry officials say that two were from Pakistan. On Monday terrorists killed seven Amarnath yatris. There were two local terrorists involved in the attack, official sources also confirmed. A massive manhunt has been launched to find the four terrorists and their master Abu Ismail, officials also said. The terrorists were on motorcycles, the probe has also found. They said the Gujarat registered bus, which was attacked, reached at Jammu on 7 July and got registered at Amarnath shrine facilitation centre. Initially, the bus was part of the regular convoy of the pilgrims and travelled together till Baltal. The pilgrims in the bus paid their obeisance at the cave shrine on 8 July and returned. On the way back, the pilgrims left the convoy and drove to Srinagar. The Gujarati pilgrims stayed in Srinagar for two days as tourists. On 10 July, around 4:30pm, they left Srinagar for Katra. The vehicle got punctured at a place 10kms away from Khanabal around 6:30pm. Then the passengers went down and had food at a roadside eatery. When the bus resumed its journey, it came under attack from the terrorists at Khanabal around 8:17pm. Facing the bullets, the driver of the bus, Salim Sheikh, charged past the area but had to face another group of terrorists after crossing just 75 metres. The driver again did not stop the bus despite facing the terrorist attack for the second time in quick succession. The bus was finally stopped at a police point after a few kilometres and the policemen on duty took the pilgrims to the Anantnag police line where the injured were given first aid before being shifted to a hospital. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:48 [IST] Gap between rich and poor has widened, needs to be bridged: Gadkari Lynching over beef continues, this time Nagpur Muslim man beaten up by gau rakshaks India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Mumbai, July 13: In spite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning violence in the name of cow protection, a Muslim man was beaten up by four men on Wednesday. The attack took place at Bharsingi area of Nagpur in Maharashtra. The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Ismail Shah. Shah, currently undergoing treatment in a hospital, said that the meat he was carrying was not beef, but mutton. He added that he was carrying mutton for an event and he was not at all involved in any "beef-selling" business. Recommended Video Gau Rakshaks attack again; Nagpur man beaten up by mob | Oneindia News Wasn't beef but mutton.Told them carrying it for event&this isn't my profession.They hit me&left me there.Police took me to hospital: Victim pic.twitter.com/vsWlat5Oqg ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 According to police, Shah was travelling in his two-wheeler when the accused stopped him and alleged that he was carrying beef. In spite of Shah's repeated denial that the meat was not beef, but they refused to hear him out. "#WATCH: Man beaten up for allegedly carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi, no arrests have been made yet. #Maharashtra (July 12th)," tweeted ANI. #WATCH: Man beaten up for allegedly carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi, no arrests have been made yet. #Maharashtra (July 12th) pic.twitter.com/JiFAZMfRSS ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Reports suggest that the four accused belong to the Prahar Sangathana. An officer added that all the accused have been arrested. "We had received the complaint yesterday (Wednesday). We have arrested four people. We are still investigating the issue," DCP Shailesh Balkawde was quoted as saying by News18. The meat was sent to the forensic laboratory for test, added police. In recent times, the country has witnessed several cases of mob lynching in the name of cow protection. The most recent death is that of Junaid Khan, a 16-year-old boy, who was stabbed to death on a train in Haryana by a mob in June. Junaid's alleged killers accused him of being a "beef-eater" and "anti-national" before stabbing him to death. Prior to Junaid's murder, Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, was beaten to death by gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes), on suspicion of cow smuggling in April in Rajasthan. In fact, a campaign, #NotInMyName, was started across the country demanding an end to mob lynching and cow vigilantism. OneIndia News Maharashtra makes Social Boycott a crime India oi-Anusha Social boycott is now a punishable crime in Maharashtra. President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, making the state the first ever in India to make social boycott a punishable offence. The initiative that was the brainchild of slain rationalist Dr Narendra Dhabolkar is now a reality but his daughter Mukta Dhabolkar hopes that effective implementation is ensured. "It was initiated by Dr Dhabolkar and even after his murder, it did not stop. We fought for it relentlessly. Several people have been waiting to register their complaints under this law and this comes as great relief to them. In this law, the term 'Jat Panchayat' has been defined very well. It is very important to define it since people of various communities call such panchayats under various names and try to escape from the law," said Mukta Dhabolkar. Following the murder of rationalist Dhabolkar, the movement gathered momentum and the Maharashtra legislature passed the law unanimously in 2016. After a long wait, the President is said to have given his assent in June this year after which it was published in the state Gazette. With a lack of definition for caste panchayats, many communities resort to using terms like Bhavki, Ghavki, Mandal or Sabha but his law defines jat panchayats well and activists are confident that it will help hundreds who have been oppressed. "Social boycott is the major tool in the hands of caste panchayats. People pay fine and take the punishment to avoid excommunication. This law will change the way caste panchayats function and their nature. In itself, it won't bring any changes but it needs to be taken to the state and our organisation will work with the state to take it to the people," Mukta Dhabolkar added. With the new law, the state can now take action against extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats. The offence of imposing social boycott will now attract a maximum punishment of three years imprisonment or fine up to Rs 1 lakh or both. Abetment of the offence also attracts the same punishment under the new anti-social boycott law. OneIndia News Mamata takes stock of situation in Darjeeling hills India pti-PTI Kolkata, Jul 13: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday held a meeting with senior officials to take stock of the situation in Darjeeling hills. Official sources said Chief Secretary Malay De, Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya, DGP Surajit Kar Purkayastha and three IPS officers entrusted to oversee the law and order situation of the hills were at the meeting with Banerjee. The three IPS officers are Javed Shamim, Siddhanath Gupta and Ajay Nanda. Banerjee, who came to the secretariat after a three-day tour to Digha to hold administrative meetings there, was briefed about the current situation in the hills, sources said. However, what transpired in the meeting is not known. A GTA office, a railway station and a forest bungalow were torched and several vehicles were damaged in the hills by agitators demanding separate Gorkhaland state the 29th day of the indefinite shutdown today. State Tourism minister Gautam Deb also alleged that GJM activists hurled stones at him when he had gone there to attend a programme. PTI Next Vice-President of India: Why opposition chose Gopalkrishna Gandhi India oi-Prabhpreet By Prabhpreet The name and the timing of declaration of the candidate for the post of Vice-President of India by a joint opposition have brought into focus not only the credentials of the choice but also the importance of the election itself. With the names of candidates, for the President's election, from the governments and the opposition's side having been made clear more than a fortnight ago, the name of Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Gopalkrishna Gandhi was announced by a united front of eighteen opposition parties, led by the Congress, as its nominee for the post of Vice-President. Gandhi, whose name was also in the reckoning as the choice of the same group until they chose to go with Meira Kumar to take on the BJP-led NDA's Ram Nath Kovind to take over from President Pranab Mukherjee, has accepted the backing given to him. By declaring Gandhi's name, the opposition has also tried to make sure that it avoided repeating the mistakes that were committed in the case of picking a nominee to replace Mukherjee as the resident of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Opposition's choice for the next President of India, too little too late In showing such initiative, not only has the process of learning from past mistakes come to the fore but also the importance of the post currently held by Hamid Ansari for a second tenure in a row, especially given the current political reality. The Chair does matter The importance, which also usually exists during the tenure of other governments as well, has assumed even more value during the reign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since 2014. Electoral College: Here is how the next President of India will be elected This is so, as for nearly three decades, the Lok Sabha was made up of a coalition government and this had created a dynamic in the lower house of Parliament which provided enough checks and balances, sometimes more than required, on the ruling dispensation. Such a trend was broken with the Modi-led BJP romping home in the general elections and the party earning a majority on its own, in addition to which the seats won by the other allies in NDA, made those in opposition mere spectators. This has moved the initiative of performing the duty of playing the watchdog and trying to hold the government responsible, to the constituents of Rajya Sabha, as the ruling alliance still does not have the numbers to be in a majority in the upper house of Parliament. Herein lies the importance of who becomes the next Vice-President of the country, with the incumbent also being the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who presides over the sessions of the house. Though by convention the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are to perform their duties in a neutral manner, where which party they belong to should not influence their performance, the reality is that though usually the holders of such posts largely remain true to such a requirement of them, when push comes to shove they hold great power in deciding the workings of the house they preside over and in how they wish to control it. And this is what will make both, the party in power as well as the opposition, trying their best to get their man or woman, into the hot seat in the Rajya Sabha. As the BJP would try to get an individual who would help it ease its way through a house where the opposition still has considerable strength and presence, at least till the representatives from the states that it has won since coming to power in 2014 become members of the house and give it control over it. While the opposition will try hard to get its candidate, who even though cannot show it much favor, can at least give it a fair chance to raise its voice and concerns in the Rajya Sabha, given the minuscule numbers it has in the Lok Sabha as well as being left in power in a few states, given that the BJP is now running the government in 17 states, 13 on its own and 4 in coalition. Why Gandhi is a good choice This highlights the importance of not only whom it has chosen but also the way it has done so. The choice of Gandhi much in advance than the NDA is unlike the delay shown in the case of the election of President, which had gotten the Congress-led opposition plenty of criticism, in addition to that for who they had chosen. The fact that Gandhi's credentials allowed him to be a unanimous choice which led to a quick decision, has secured that none of the two major issues that the choice of Kumar had raised, will be repeated. Firstly there will not be any loud allegations of the opposition being reactionary in nature and lacking initiative, which also showed the lack of unity among them. As a number of opposition leaders decided to back the nomination of Kovind, before Kumar's candidature was even announced. This had also brought into focus similar and other criticism from most political observers and other leaders among the opposition itself such as Nitish Kumar. And Nobel laureate and renowned public intellectual like Amartya Sen even blamed them for taking a tactical step instead of a strategic one even though the BJP has regularly proven to be better tactically than the opposition at every step of the way. Sen even mentioned that Gandhi would have been a much better and inspiring pick as the opposition's nominee for the President's post. Similar concerns though would not be raised this time around. Secondly, in choosing Gandhi, who not only is the grandson of the Mahatma but also another major leader of the partition era, C Rajagopalachari, they have picked someone who ticks most of the boxes that could be considered important in making a pick for an important post. He comes with prominent credentials with having previously served as the Governor of West Bengal, and also as High Commissioner to the South Africa and Sri Lanka. He was also in the coveted Indian Administrative Services and has also served as a secretary to the President of India. Even though he was chosen as Governor he is considered an apolitical figure that does not mince words when it comes to airing his concerns no matter which party they are aimed at. Examples of this could be seen by his time as governor or his writings in different publications since, where he has regularly called out political parties irrespective of their political ideologies. While it could be argued that nominating a senior political leader able to draw support from both sides of the political divide would have had a better chance of winning, Gandhi's nomination will not be easy for the BJP to take on for the very fact that he is not from the realm of politics, is seen as a neutral and highly respected, and could enjoy support from beyond political lines. The ball is in BJP's court After seemingly doing everything right when it came to picking its nominee for the post of President, such as keeping the RSS satisfied, outsmarting the opposition, and selecting a clear Modi candidate, the opposition's early move in declaring Gandhi for the Vice-President has again put the ball in BJP's court. Next President of India: Why Modi chose Ram Nath Kovind For the party and its allies while the expected win in the President's election would mark a major symbolic success as well as ease in governance at the national and state level, the need to get its pick right to ensure victory is equally if not more important. That is why the names that have been the round as its potential candidates till now have included those of political heavyweights such as former party president and current cabinet minister Venkaiah Naidu, speaker of Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan among others. This is where the choice of Gandhi has also complicated matters for the BJP. The fact that naming someone from the political party would be considered odd against an apolitical figure, it could easily divide vote along party lines with many from its side choosing to back him. It would also not be easy to find a person in the same category of being considered apolitical who could aspire the same support from all over the political spectrum. In addition, this could very well be considered the first time that the BJP under the Modi and party President Amit Shah, will have to react to the opposition rather than leading the way in decision making, a process in which they have excelled so far. Though whether the opposition is able to get its candidate to actually win the election will only be clear after the votes are counted on August 5, the fact is that for the first time in a long while that the opposition with choosing Gandhi has been able to get something done together at the correct time and in turn give Modi-Shah duo something to think about. Which was the real reason behind this exercise of choosing a joint nominee and trying to figure out a way of working together to take on the BJP in 2019. OneIndia News Away from Manipur in TN, Irom Sharmila to begin new innings after marriage At 46, Iron Lady of Manipur Irom Sharmila gives birth to twins on Mother's Day No more politics? Irom Sharmila plans to lead a peaceful life as an ordinary woman post marriage India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Chennai, July 13: Marriage is a 'big' thing for most women, of course for men too. Life inadvertently changes for good or bad post marriage for almost all of us. Same might likely to happen in the life of noted human rights activist from Manipur, Irom Sharmila, who is all set to tie the knot with her longtime beau, Desmond Coutinho, in Tamil Nadu's hill town of Kodaikanal, in mid-August. On Wednesday, Irom and Desmond, who is a British citizen, visited the sub-registrar's office in Kodaikanal to submit papers for their marriage. The marriage will be registered under the Special Marriage Act as both belong to different religions. Desmond told Mumbai Mirror, "The wedding will happen on August 11 or 12 in a small service at the Church in Tirunavmmalai city in TN." When asked about her post-marriage plans, Irom told The Hindu that she wished to lead a peaceful life as an ordinary woman in Kodaikanal. The 45-year-old activist, who broke her 16-year-long hunger strike against the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), last year, did not, though, rule out her participation in struggles for women's rights in the future. After losing her maiden election, which she contested from Manipur, early this year, Irom decided to stay away from the limelight. In fact, she left her hometown Imphal in March this year. Since her "shocking" defeat in the Manipur Assembly Elections 2017, where she managed to get just 90 votes, Irom is on a south India tour. In fact, she celebrated her 45th birthday in Kerala on March 14. After breaking her fast last year, Irom formed her political party--the Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA). The PRJA fought elections from three constituencies in the 60-member Manipur Assembly. The party failed to win a single seat. After her "humiliating" defeat, Irom decided to quit active politics. However, she stressed that family life did not mean that she won't fight for the rights of the people of Manipur as an activist. Irom added that her crusade against the AFSPA will continue. She said, "I will continue my struggle, not as a politician but as a civil activist. After my marriage, I'll lobby international bodies to urge India to scrap the draconian law AFSPA." "In September I am putting up the AFSPA issue in the International Youth Conference (IYC) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. I will be lobbying for more than 400 youth from various SAARC countries of the world," Irom informed. Post marriage, the couple plans to settle in Kodaikanal because they like the peaceful atmosphere of the hill town. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:57 [IST] Now Google a toilet near you India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Now finding a toilet in Delhi is easy. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has launched a toilet locator awareness campaign wherein toilets can be located on Google maps. The Google Toilet Locator Awareness Campaign had already been commissioned as a pilot project last year, and more than 5,000 toilets have now been geo-tagged on Google Maps in Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida. Toilets in the NDMC area can be found using the NDMC Mobile App - NDMC311. The civic body is also in the process of building 'smart toilets' which will have facilities such as ATMs, rooftop solar panel, sanitary pad vending machine, digital health clinic and online user feedback tablet. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:00 [IST] Morbi Bridge is not the only Incident - Quality of Bridges, roads and Highways in BJPs government! Kerosene bomb hurled at police station in Chennai India oi-Anusha Bike-borne miscreants hurled kerosene bomb at Teynampet police station in Chennai early Thursday morning. City top cops visited the spot to take stock of the situation. A kerosene bomb was hurled at the police station at around 4 AM on Thursday by miscreants who came on a bike. CCTV footages in and around the police station have captured the two bike-borne miscreants on the footage. The same is now being scrutinised to identify them. Police personnel deputed on night shift were at the police station when the bomb was hurled. While no casualties were reported, minor damage was caused to the police station property. A K Viswanathan, the commissioner of police, Chennai visited the spot early on Thursday. The attack is suspected to be in retaliation to the police crackdown on some residents of a nearby slum locality. Staff from the Teynampet police station allegedly assaulted a group of youth late Wednesday night after an altercation. The police are now on the lookout for four youngsters who have been missing from the locality since Thursday morning. This is not the first time that police stations have come under attack. Ice House police station and vehicles were set ablaze by protesters during the Jallikattu agitation in Chennai. A case has been taken up in this regard and investigations are underway to ascertain the identity of the miscreants. Oneindia News Prisoners can get anything in Bengaluru Central Jail for a price, even drugs India oi-Anusha A special kitchen, personal masseur and even drugs. Inmates can get anything they want in Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara albeit at a price. A report filed by DIG Prisons, IPS officer Roopa D exposes how inmates, money power and jail authorities bent the rules to make punishment a retreat. After the issue was highlighted, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, has ordered a probe into the matter. We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in Bengaluru Central Prison & ordered a high level inquiry. 1/2 CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 13, 2017 Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe for special privileges in jail, says DIG Prisons report A report dated 12, July 2017, addressed to the DG and IGP of Karnataka as well as DG Prisons exposes how right under the nose of top officers, drugs were being supplied to prisoners but no action was being taken. Roopa D, the first ever woman officer in Karnataka to be posted as DIG Prisons paid a surprise visit to Bengaluru Central Prison. "After receiving information that drugs are being supplied to prisons inside the prison, I along with a team of medical officers used drugs test kit on 25 prisoners. It was shocking to see that 18 prisoners tested positive for Ganja," says the report that is in the possession of OneIndia. 18 inmates tested positive for usage of Cannabis, Benzodiazepine, Barbiturate, Morphine. It is not just drugs but cases of molestation are also going unpunished inside the Bengaluru central prison, the report claims. A nurse posted in the jail hospital was molested by an undertrial inmate in June. Despite it being escalated to prison authorities, no action was taken against the accused, according to the report. Incidents of prisoners attacking medical staff have been reported but yet again, despite the prisoners being monitored directly by DG prisons via CCTV camera, no action has been taken. Stamp paper scam accused Telgi gets special privileges Multicrore stamp paper scam accused Abdul Karim Telgi is a VVIP in Bengaluru cental prison. A little money can fo wonders and for Telgi it even bought his own minions. "Four or five undertrials are always accompanying Abdul Karim Telgi and are assigned to give him massages. Allowing undertrials to mingle with a convict like Telgi is in violation of rules," says the report. Six months ago, when Telgi was confined to a wheelchair owing to poor health, the court had approved assigning help for him. "But now Telgi is hale and hearty and walks around just fine. Despite him not needing a wheelchair anymore, undertrials have been assigned to carry out menial work for him," the report alleges. It is not just Telgi who gets VVIP treatment but all those prisoners who are willing to shell out money, according to the report. "It is being alleged that Sasikala Natarajan paid Rs 2 crore in bribes to get special treatment in jail and the allegation in being made out directly against you," Roopa D told DG Prisons HN Satyanarayana Rao in the report. The report also questions how the top authorities let such irregularities carry one despite all of this being captured and recorded on CCTV footages. The report even suggests that the DG Prisons has direct access to footage from CCTV cameras installed in all prisons and most illegal activities are being carried out right under his supervision. The report also alleges that Roopa D was pulled up for her surprise visit to the Bengaluru Central Prison. OneIndia News Railways terms protest that held up Deccan Queen as 'anti national' India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Railways decided to term the activities of three women as 'anti national,' while describing their actions which led to the stalling of a train for 45 minutes. In a press release, the Railways said that, " such anti national acts will not be tolerated and action would be taken as per the law. Commuters are requested not to take the law into their hands and must cooperate with the administration," a note released by the Railways stated. Pune's Divisional Railway Manager, B K Dadabhoy described the action by three women as 'anti national.' On Monday several persons took part in a protest demanding that the Railways operate the Deccan Queen from platform one. They said that this had been the case since many years. However the Railways directed that the train operate from platform five due to certain compulsions. During the probe the Railways identified three women government servants in the age group of 50 and 55. The probe suggested that the women who are regular travelers between Pune and Mumbai had pulled the chain and stopped the train from leaving the platform. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 5:52 [IST] Rajasthan: One dead in firing in Nagaur after agitation by Rajput's turns violent India oi-Madhuri Around 16 people were injured and one civilian was killed on Wednesday in a protest by Rajput community in Rajasthan demanding CBI enquiry in the encounter of gangster Anand Pal Singh. According to sources, Three seriously injured policemen were referred to a Jaipur hospital. Thousands of persons had gathered in the village from all over the state to demand a probe by the Central Bureau of Inquiry into the death of gangster Anandpal Singh on June 24. Section 144 imposed, internet services were suspended till tomorrow in Nagaur, Churu, Sikar and Bikaner districts of Rajasthan. The protesters also damaged a section of the railway tracks in the area, following which rail traffic was diverted between Ladnu-Kuchaman section. OneIndia News Ram Nath Kovind as President a foregone conclusion, says Naidu India pti-PTI Shimla, July 13: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that Ram Nath Kovind's victory result was a foregone conclusion as 38 political parties were supporting him. The Information and Broadcasting minister, infact, wondered why the UPA had fielded a candidate. Naidu, alongwith the NDA presidential candidate Kovind and Union minister J P Nadda arrived at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh today to meet BJP MLAs and MPs for their support. Talking to the media persons, Naidu said that Kovind's victory was a foregone conclusion as he enjoyed the support of 38 political parties and wondered why the UPA had fielded its candidate. He ridiculed the claim of the Congress that it was a fight between two ideologies and its call for a conscience vote. He said that in the past also Congress leader and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had given call for a conscience vote and the official candidate of the party, Sanjeeva Reddy, was defeated. The fate of Meira Kumar would be no different, he claimed referring to the opposition nominee. Referring to the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, Naidu said that a high level meeting has been convened on the issue and pleaded to political parties not to politicise the matter. BJP's Himachal Pradesh incharge Mangal Pandey also said that Kovind's victory was certain and expressed confidence that he would get more votes than the strength of the party in the Assembly inspite of the fact that Congress was in power in the state. Kovind was scheduled to reach Shimla but the programme was changed at the last minute and the meeting of BJP MLAs was called at Parwanoo. He was given a rousing reception on his arrival at Parwanoo where leader of the opposition P K Dhumal honoured him by presenting him a Himachali cap and shawl. The BJP has 28 MLAs in the 68 member house and enjoys the support of two independents. The BJP has also four Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha MPs from the state. The Congress has two Rajya Sabha members and 36 MLAs and also claims the support of two independents. PTI Indian fishermen thank Pakistan foundation after release India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Amritsar, July 13: Indian fishermen, who returned to India on Monday had all praise for a Pakistani NGO for making their two-day journey memorable. Pakistan released 78 Indian fishermen detained by maritime security agency for trespassing into Pakistani territory, from a Karachi jail on Sunday, following which the Edhi Foundation took up the responsibility. The journey from captivity to freedom was laborious, but the Indian nationals said they can forget their years of imprisonment, thanks to a renowned Pakistani social organisation. Speaking to Times of India an Indian prisoner Kanji, who was among those released, said he was first afraid about being handed over to some unknown people, but he was in for a surprise as upon their release they were given food, cash and gifts by the foundation's volunteers. "I wish governments of both the countries would behave like the volunteers of Edhi Foundation," Kanji added. The love and affection showered by Edhi Foundation volunteers is unforgettable. "I may forget the time spent in jail but not the love and affection shown by Edhi Foundation volunteers, he said. The organisation was so generous that they gave Rs 5,000 along with gifts. As there were no tickets available for the required date, the NGO had to book an entire compartment on a Karachi-Lahore train for the fishermen. 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. OneIndia News TCS to shut Lucknow operations, but employees wont' be fired India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Lucknow: IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has decided to close its operations center in Lucknow due to unprofitable opearations, reports said. TCS vice president Tej Paul Bhatla had met and asked project managers to finish their programmes by December or shift to the centres in Indore, Noida and continue working there. The project managers have also been asked to convey the message to their team members, reports News18. With almost 50% of those working in the center being females, living with their families in Lucknow, finding a new job or shifting to a new city might be an immense challenge for them. According to reports, the operations were not profitable for the company and the revision of the rent contract of TCS Lucknow's premises added to the woes. However, in reply to News18 report, TCS issued an official statement that the Lucknow center was not a convenient place for client related work and had less than 1000 employees. It is looking to consolidate its operations in Uttar Pradesh and the current Lucknow workforce will shift its operations to Noida and Varanasi. All employees will be relocated, no one will be fired. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 14:33 [IST] Tejashwi Yadav assures investigation into attack on media persons India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav rubbished reports saying that media persons were roughed up on his instructions on Wednesday at the premises of Bihar Secretariate. In Facebook post, he said that, in fact, reporters initiated the scuffle and his staff merely retaliated. The scuffle broke out when Tejashwi emerged to address the media after a Bihar cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the corruption case against him. "There are misleading information about the attack on media persons, on request of them I patiently waited abt 5-7 mins so that they stop meddling with each other out of competition however that was in vein. I totally understand know how difficult is their job, specially the cameramen. They were falling & competing with each other. Couple of media person were putting mike behind me & brushed my ears & head also. There were moments when around ten mikes were about to hit my nose, I saved myself & duty personals were protecting it while being on duty." "Personally I wasn't aware what's happening other side as was addressing the media and completely surrounded by media only. Even a cameraman hardly hit the Health minister with his camera on head while boarding the car & it wasn't reported at all, rather no need to as it happens out of rush. Many security guards had minor bruises. On such critical moments when hundreds of media surround & suddenly jumps for byte, it becomes bit difficult for us, media & security guards also. There were reports on few channels stating that it happened on my instructions and few RJD supporters carried the assault which is totally undesirable, baseless & meaningless. We always have been friendly with media and respond to them. I regret & condemn any charge on media. Such incidents must not take place, I will personally look into the matter & get it investigated," the statement added. Yesterday a video posted by ANI showed security personnel dragging the media personnel out of the Secretariat building amid the commotion. News agency ANI had claimed that one of their reporters was among media personnel manhandled. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 15:41 [IST] The end of terror in sight as Valley placed on 'highest ever alert' India oi-Vicky By Vicky India is on the last phase of terrorism several Union Ministers said in the aftermath of the Amarnath yatra attack in which seven persons were killed. The statements by Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Jitendra Singh comes in the wake of Kashmir being placed on the highest ever alert. The decision to place Kashmir on the highest state of alert was taken following intelligence inputs suggesting more attacks. The Army is confident of a clean up and has assured the strongest possible action against those who carried out the Amarnath yatra attack on Monday. On Tuesday during a high-level meeting of the Union Home Ministry a concrete action plan was drawn up to battle terrorists in the Valley. An all out offensive especially in South Kashmir has been planned and the Army has been directed to go all guns blazing. The centre is in touch with the officials in the state as well as Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti. The centre says that there would be a collective response and terrorism will end soon in the Valley. The fight against the problem continues to remain three pronged in nature. The war will be fought against terrorists, ideology and financing, sources in New Delhi said. Complete normalcy will restored in the Valley very soon, the official also said while also confirming that the Army has been given a free hand. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 6:10 [IST] This baba on bike rocks, just paid his obeisance at Amarnath temple with dogs riding pillion India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Srinagar, July 13: There is a sense of despondency across the country in the wake of the killing of seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday night. No matter how depressing the atmosphere is, there are always some tales that would help you uplift your mood. Here is the story of a sadhu (priest), who on his bike, just paid his obeisance at the Hindu shrine of Amarnath cave, located at Pahalgam in the Valley. What is most interesting about his journey is that the sadhu made the arduous trip on his bike accompanied by his pet friends, a couple of dogs, as his co-passengers. Recommended Video Biker Sadhu visits Amarnath Shrine with his dogs, Watch Video | Oneindia News According to ANI, sadhu Dula Nath has been visiting religious places across the country on his bike with dogs as his co-passengers for the last 10 years. Nath loves his canine friends so much that he addresses them as "devotees". Sadhu Dula Nath along with his dogs travels to religious places on a bike, calls them 'devotees'; says travelling with them for last 10 yrs pic.twitter.com/SgT4hbZ1e9 ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 "I've been taking the dogs to religious places. We just visited the Amarnath temple. I don't leave them alone," Nath told ANI at Udhampur in Kashmir. I've been taking them to religious places, just visited Amarnath Temple. I don't leave them alone anywhere: Sadhu Dula Nath in Udhampur,J&K pic.twitter.com/6ymvIOxO2L ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 The story of the sadhu is a perfect example of how devotees, in spite of all odds, including the shadow of terror, are determined to visit the holy shrine in restive Kashmir. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 11:16 [IST] World condemns Amarnath yatra attack, but China, Pak stay mum India oi-Vicky By Vicky The two countries that are quiet after the Amarnath yatra attack are China and Pakistan. Condemnation for the attack in which seven persons were killed came from the world over. But Pakistan and China have decided to remain mum. While Pakistan is the main perpetrator of such attacks, China continues to face off with India at the border. The Portuguese government condemned the Amarnath attack and expressed its support for the authorities and solidarity with the Indian people, while the Spanish President in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India can count on Spain in the fight against terrorism. "In these moments of pain caused by this barbaric act committed for religious motives, I would like to convey the solidarity of the government and people of Spain, and reiterate our condemnation to all types of terrorism," said Spanish President Mariano Rajoy Brey in the letter. The official release by the Portuguese government said it expresses "firm condemnation of extremism and any form of terrorism, regardless of the perpetrators and their motivation". The US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Norway, Canada, Iran apart from The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries-Afghanistan, Bangladesh. Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal-are among those which have already condemned the attack. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 7:02 [IST] Democratic Congressman introduces articles of impeachment against Donald Trump International oi-PTI Washington, Jul 13: For obstruction of justice in the federal investigation of the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections a US lawmaker for the first time has introduced an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. Democratic Congressman from California Brad Sherman, who often takes a tough position on Pakistan, was joined by Congressman Al Green from Texas in introducing an Article of Impeachment (H. Res. 438) against Trump for High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The House of Representatives needs to pass it by majority vote for the article to move forward. Trump's Republican party has an advantage of 46 votes in the current House of Representatives and it is unlikely that the GOP lawmakers would vote on such an impeachment move. "Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump's campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. "It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe. "I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice," Sherman said after introducing the article of impeachment against Trump. Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of America's amateur President, he said, adding that ignorance accompanied by a refusal to learn. "Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses. "We're no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the office and no matter how dangerous to the country," he said. "But the Constitution does not provide for the removal of a President for impulsive, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a President for High Crimes and Misdemeanors," Sherman said. As the investigations move forward, additional evidence supporting additional Articles of Impeachment may emerge, he noted. The Democratic lawmaker said that, however, as to Obstruction of Justice, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 1512 (b)(3), the evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 10:32 [IST] At least 34 missing after military ship sinks off Cameroon Boko Haram has killed around 400 people in Nigeria, Cameroon since April Emmanuel Macron can be a peacemaker in Cameroon Macron in Cameroon offers look at past, help for future Over a dozen killed in twin suicide bombings in Cameroon International oi-Vikas By Vikas At least 12 people were killed and around 40 injured in twin suicide bombings in Cameroon on Thursday, said reports. In June, two children carrying explosives blew themselves up near a camp in northern Cameroon housing civilians displaced by Nigeria's Boko Haram militants. The incident left nine people dead and around 30 wounded. Cameroon has suffered a great deal in recent past due to Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerian refugees have flooded across the border and entered Cameroon due to Boko Haram menace in Nigeria. Though Boko Haram was born in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon. OneIndia News Higher seas to flood US cities in the next 20, 50 or 80 years International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, July 13: In the next 20, 50 or 80 years higher sea levels due to climate change will flood hundreds of US cities including New York, Boston, San Francisco and Miami, says a study. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released a study Wednesday listing the cities that will be inundated with water in the years to come, with inundation defined as a "non-wetland area is flooded at least 26 times per year or the equivalent of a flood every other week", reports CNN. "Between 165 and 180 chronically inundated communities in just the next 15 to 20 years; between 270 and 360 in roughly 40 years, depending on the pace of sea level rise; and 490 by end of century with a moderate sea level rise scenario," co-author and senior climate analyst for UCS, Erika Spanger-Seigfried said. "With a higher sea level rise scenario, that number rises to about 670; that's about half of all of the oceanfront communities in the lower 48." Ninety communities are considered "inundated today", mostly in Louisiana and Maryland, where seas are rising and the land is sinking. "This study highlights something it's really important for people to understand. Sea level rise means sharp growth in coastal flooding. In fact, most coastal floods today are already driven by human-caused sea level rise," CNN quoted Strauss as saying. According to the study, the cities expected to be inundated by 2035 include places along the Jersey Shore and in parts of North Carolina, south Louisiana and neighbouring areas that have been known as vulnerable for years. By 2060, the list grows to hundreds of coastal communities, large and small: cities like Galveston, Texas; Sanibel Island, Florida; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Ocean City, Maryland; and many cities along the Jersey Shore. By the end of the century, the study said, more than 50 cities with populations of more than 100,000 could be affected. Cities like Boston; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and four of the five boroughs of New York will be considered inundated. Even places like San Francisco and Los Angeles will be on the list by 2100 although the West Coast seems to be spared the brunt of inundation over the next few decades. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 10:28 [IST] "India making a missile that can target the whole of China" India oi-PTI India's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on China, two top American nuclear experts have claimed. An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal After Midnight has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India. India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article- "Indian nuclear forces 2017". "While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China," they wrote. "That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons' role against Pakistan," they said. Recommended Video India-China standoff : India making missile that can destroy entire China | Oneindia News Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile. "At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land- and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade," it said. India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium, sufficient for 150-200 nuclear warheads; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, the article said. Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 kilometres is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China. Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India including Beijing and Shanghai, India is also developing the longer-range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100-plus miles), it said. "The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China," the research article said. Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing. PTI Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how Pakistan accuses India of conducting 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 International pti-PTI Islamabad, Jul 13: Pakistan accused India of conducting 542 ceasefire violations so far in 2017 resulting in the death of 18 people. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria also said that Pakistan shares international community's "growing concern over the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control." At his weekly press briefing here, he claimed that Indian forces have committed 542 ceasefire violations in 2017 so far resulting in the death of 18 people. "The Indian belligerent attitude is a threat to regional peace and security, and international community including the UNSG has expressed concern," he said. "Pakistan has consistently maintained that the Jammu & Kashmir dispute can be resolved only through realisation of the right of self-determination through a fair, free and transparent plebiscite under the auspices of the UN in accordance with the UNSC resolutions," he added. Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue, he said, pointing out that the UN chief, the US President, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue. Responding to a question, he said it was reprehensible that there has been no progress on the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack case in which 42 Pakistanis lost their lives despite the passage of 10 years and repeated requests from Pakistan. PTI Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how Panama papers probe: Sharif rejects JIT report; refuses to resign International oi-PTI Islamabad, July 13: At a crucial cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly rejected the Joint Investigation Team report about his family's financial assets, and affirmed not to tender resignation in the wake of growing political pressure. While addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting, Sharif, 67, termed the Joint Investigation Team report a pack of allegations and speculations, Dawn Online reported. Pointing to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, Sharif said: "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post." Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot". The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," Sharif said and announced that that he would not resign on demands of conspirers. According to the paper, the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an "informal meeting" at the prime minister's house. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. Sources said the ruling party is gearing up to challenge the JIT report in the Supreme Court. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 16:01 [IST] US aims to withdraw all forces 'within 14 months': US-Afghan sign agreement for bringing peace No Afghan national will be asked to leave India without MHA's approval: Officials Trump allows Afghan girls team into US for robotic contest International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Washington, July 13: With the intervention of President Donald Trump, a group of Afghan teenage girls will now be allowed to travel to the United States to take part in an international robotics competition. The decision was taken following worldwide backlash to the news that the six teens had been denied US visas. Critics had argued that the visa denials sent the wrong message to the people of Afghanistan even as US troops are still fighting Taliban militants. Homeland Security Department spokesman said in an email that the agency had approved a request from the State Department for the six girls on the robotics team and their chaperone to enter the country and attend the competition, which is set to bring teams from more than 160 countries to Washington next week. reports PTI. Reportedly, Trump raised the issue with his national security adviser, HR General McMaster, during his trip to Germany last week for the Group of 20 summit, and had asked for additional options. The State Department and Department of Homeland Security came up with several with the idea and the US has opted to parole the girls. Parole is a temporary status in which a person who is otherwise ineligible to enter the country is allowed in temporarily because of an emergency or humanitarian purpose. Earlier, the girls' visa requests at least twice without spelling any proper reason. Though the girls were denied permission , their robot was not. If they hadn't been allowed to come to America, the girls planned to watch their creation compete through Skype. The decision gains importance in the wake of President Trump's ban on Muslims from entering the country. The ban restricts visas to citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries, but Afghanistan is not on the list. In a latest development, the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, tweeted her support on Wednesday, saying she looked forward to welcoming "this brilliant team of Afghan girls" to Washington next week. The girls, had constructed a ball-sorting robot to enter in the First Global Challenge, an international robotics contest that aims to promote interest in science and technology. The girls wanted to show the world that Afghans could also construct a hand-made robot and they had been deeply disappointed by the initial rejections. OneIndia News ( with PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 17:12 [IST] UK government set to publish Brexit repeal bill International ians-IANS By Ians English London, July 13: Britain will leave the EU "with maximum certainty, continuity and control," Brexit Secretary David Davis said as the UK government prepared to publish key Brexit legislation Thursday. Known as the Repeal Bill, the legislation will transpose EU law into UK law so the same rules apply on the day of Brexit as the day before, reports the BBC. Formally known as the European Union Withdrawal Bill, the draft legislation is a key plank of the government's Brexit strategy. It will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 which took Britain into the EU and remove the supremacy of Brussels law, convert EU law into UK law and create temporary powers to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. It is not expected to be debated until later this year, but it will have to pass by the time the UK leaves the EU, March 2019, the BBC reported. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said the bill would allow the UK to leave the EU with "maximum certainty, continuity and control". "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union," the BBC quoted Davis as saying. Besides the Repeal Bill, the government will also publish three position papers for exit negotiations. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 13:55 [IST] US calls on China to free Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's widow International oi-PTI US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday mourned the death of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo and called on the Chinese government to release his wife from house arrest and allow her to leave the country. 61-year-old Liu, who was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while in jail and was represented by an empty chair at the ceremony in Oslo, died today due to multiple organ failure following a battle with cancer while still in custody. "In his fight for freedom, equality, and constitutional rule in China, Liu Xiaobo embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards. In his death, he has only reaffirmed the Nobel Committee's selection," Tillerson said in a statement. "I join those in China and around the world in mourning the tragic passing of 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died while serving a lengthy prison sentence in China for promoting peaceful democratic reform," he said. Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty, Tillerson said in a statement. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail for his strident opposition to the one party rule of the Communist Party of China. He served eight years in jail before he was diagnosed with cancer. "My heartfelt condolences go out to Liu's wife Liu Xia and all of his loved ones. I call on the Chinese government to release Liu Xia from house arrest and allow her to depart China, according to her wishes," Tillerson said. Noting that the world grieves the loss of Liu, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi termed his death as a tragedy. "On this day, the world grieves the loss of Liu Xiaobo one of the great moral voices of our time. His clarion call for democracy and human rights in China represented the best hopes of humankind; his courage became a poignant symbol for freedom-loving people across the globe," Pelosi said. As Speaker, Pelosi had attended the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway as part of the official delegation on behalf of Xiaobo and his wife. "Liu Xiaobo's death is a tragedy and a deep affront to the basic notions of justice and human dignity. The role that poor medical care in prison played in his death and the cruelty of confining a dying man in captivity, away from his family and friends should disturb us all," she said. "His arrest for the so-called crime of putting his political views into writing is a sobering reminder of China's shameful disregard for basic freedoms," Pelosi said. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 23:33 [IST] At UNSC, US calls on world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats US hits 50,000 refugee cap; refugees with "bona fide relationship" to be allowed International oi-PTI Washington, Jul 13: Additional refugees entering the United States in the next few months will not be stopped, but they will now face tighter standards, as the US has reached the Trump administration's limit of 50,000 refugees for this budget year. A Supreme Court order last month said the administration must admit refugees beyond the 50,000 cap if they can prove a "bona fide relationship" with a person or entity in the United States. That was part of a broader ruling that allowed President Donald Trump to partially administer his contested travel ban affecting six Muslim majority countries. As of yesterday, 50,086 refugees have been admitted since the budget year began last October. All those refugees have to undergo a strict screening process. Additional refugees will face the same screening, but will also need to prove they have a close relative living in the United States, a job awaiting them, or admission to a college or university. The State Department, which oversees the refugee program, said yesterday that it had advised resettlement agencies that the cap was reached, though anyone travelling to the US would still be admitted. The additional requirements are supposed to be in place for 120 days, while the government examines security and screening procedures that Trump suggested aren't stringent enough. But a new cap will take effect before then, when the new budget year begins in October, and everything is subject to change after the Supreme Court hears arguments on the travel and refugee bans that month. It's unclear what the new cap will be. Trump set the refugee limit as part of the broader executive order that sought to keep out foreigners from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen. The first iteration of the order in January caused panic and confusion at airports in the US and abroad as foreigners were either denied boarding for US-bound flights or stopped at a US airport and sent back overseas. A federal court blocked that order, and Trump issued a second order that sought to overcome the legal challenges. The Supreme Court opinion lets the government partially enforce the order against anyone without a bona fide relationship. Kay Bellor, vice president for programs at the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said yesterday that her group and other aid agencies still expect to welcome some refugees in the coming months. Bellor said roughly 26,000 refugees have already been vetted, interviewed and approved for relocation to the United States and an untold number of those people will be able to prove a valid relationship. Lee Williams, vice president of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, said some refugees his agency is helping have strong relationships with people in the United States, but they are in limbo while the government examines their cases. Williams said that it is a sad day for the US. The travel ban destroys families and it does nothing to add security to the immigration process. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 10:50 [IST] 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. by Graham Pierrepoint Theres barely a day that goes by in the UK press without some form of development often fairly interesting with regard to Brexit. The UKs decision to leave the European Union has grabbed headlines in the country like no other while also forcing a rather thin wedge between those who voted remain and those who voted leave. There are, of course, those who didnt vote, too but the referendum was settled and the government not least Prime Minister Theresa May is keen to press on with negotiations ahead of the countrys proposed removal from the Union in March 2019. Comments made on either side of the debate, however from Mays benches and those running the EU seem to still be grabbing headlines and, according to The Guardian, it appears that it is one Boris Johnsons turn to face the quiet consternation of the Unions representation. Johnson former Mayor of London and once at the head of the leave campaign had previously advised that those in charge of the EU could go whistle if they were to consider presenting the UK with fees a divorce bill, if you like for leaving the EU. These comments have been met with concern by Michel Barnier, negotiator in behalf of EU during the process, who returned fire. I am not hearing any whistling, Barnier advised at a press conference, Just a clock ticking. The exact cost of Brexit has been up in the air since the referendum first rolled out and Barnier fully expects Britain to pay its dues before heading out. Its not an exit bill, its not a punishment, its simply settling accounts, the negotiator advises, further adding You can discuss this or that budget line, but they have to start by recognizing that they have entered into commitments. Barnier made mention of the fact that the EU does not expect the UK to pay any more than that which they have legally agreed to provide. Money is just one of several issues currently bogging down Brexit talks, with citizenship rights in the UK remaining a sticking point for negotiation. While the ideal leave date is set for March 2019, it will remain to be seen if a mutually beneficial deal can be thrashed out by then or even before, or after. With the UKs leadership still teetering on the brink, anything could happen in the next 20 months. Sky News 18 Oct 2022 Four men were shot and dismembered before their bodies were thrown into a river in Oklahoma, US police have said. euronews (in English) 29 Jun 2022 From the "independence" referendum in Kherson to Ukrainian troops battling encirclement in the Donbas and the detention of a.. Sola Sobowale and Titi Kuti Veteran actress, Sola Sobowale and Titi Kuti, popularly known as Ade Tiger, have dismissed rumours of being in a s3xual relationship. The King of Boys stars sparked dating rumours on a few occasions over their seeming strong bond and chemistry on the movie set. However, in a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo, Sola and Titi Kuti debunked the rumours. Sola Sobowale said they share a mother and son relationship. The 57-year-old said: Its more than acting now because I see him as my son and I love him so much. Theres something about Titi Kuti, hes a good listener, very very respectful and has a lot of etiquette. Well brought up! She continued: When you see a chap like this, youll see that he is down to earth, very very Humble. So when I saw him, I said, omo you got to move, dont stay behind there. I told him something that he has to be a pilot, he has to go do that and Im pushing him on it, I wont let him stay, hes still moving. On the move, we move. Ade Tiger, yeah yeah till I die! Ade Tiger said he is very much aware of tongues wagging that he is Solas boyfriend. We go for parties together, we go for Owambes together, we have heard all sorts, you see what you guys saw on KOB, people have been saying all those things before KOB, that thats her boyfriend. Trust me because we will go for parties together, we rep each other all the way, like no holds barred, Ade Tiger said. Watch Video Below; A serving corps member, Adetuberu Christopher Adetoyese and two others are currently cooling their heels in the custody of the Ilorin zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The other two are Muhammed Soliu from Woru, Ilorin East local Government Area, Kwara State and Olayiwola Tunde Saheed, an aluminum fabricator from Olorunda, Oshogbo Local Government Area of Osun State. The trio was arrested in separate operations carried out by operatives of zonal command of the EFCC over offences bordering on cyber-fraud. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren. The statement said the corps member, Adetoyese, 28, hails from Ilesha, Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun State and currently serving in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, was arrested at Ogele area of Eyenkorin, Ilorin. According to the statement, the suspects arrest followed credible intelligence on the activities of fraudsters otherwise known as Yahoo-Yahoo Boys within Ilorin metropolis and its environs. It further said items recovered from Adetoyese at the point of arrest include a Lexus Car with registration number RBC 126 BJ, Laptop, iPhone 11 Pro Max and Samsung S9 Plus. In the course of investigation, Adetuberu Adetoyese revealed that he ventured into Yahoo Yahoo Business in 2016 and had among other things built a house and sponsored himself in school with the proceeds of the illegal activities, the statement reads briefly. The statement also said upon interrogation of the two other suspects, Muhammed, 25, confessed that he joined Yahoo-Yahoo business in 2020 and specialized in dating/love scam. According to him, he had bought a Toyota Camry car with registration number KSF 846 HG worth N2.7million and built a house with the proceeds of the illegal activities, the statement added. In the same token, Olayiwola, 30, who claimed to be a Loader in the Yahoo-Yahoo business confessed to have bought a Toyota Camry car worth over N2million with the proceeds of the alleged crime. The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of the ongoing investigations. A new level of organised scrabble tournament has been cracked open in the firmament of the sport as a new competition, Scrabble In The Jungle lands in Nigeria. The Super-tournament will see a selection of eight top-ranked players by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation including four wildcard nominees, compete over a massive 36 round of games in a closed location over a three days period. The 12 players will be kept in a boot-camp like arrangement in a controlled space where the juggernauts will test their prowess against one another at a highly competitive level from the 26th to 28 of this month. The heavyweights will hunt for points on the boards with different strategies as they square up against one another in what has been described by many as blockbuster showpiece. Interestingly, fans and supporters have also been given the rare chance of getting into adopting any of the players who they bet could go on to win the title and the grand prize-money at the end of the show. An excited Musa Olasupo, President of Scrabble Las Vegas, the organisers of the Scrabble in the Jungle series while speaking with the media said that the desire to raise the stakes and make the sport more attractive and sustenable birthed the new variant of scrabble event which will be the first in the world. The Scrabble In The Jungle is a boot camp arrangement where we keep players under one roof to live, eat and drink scrabble for 3 days, he stated. Read Also: #2022CWG: Enekwechi Battles Walsh Again For Shot Put Gold Our focus is to encourage competitive scrabble that will reward excellence. This maiden edition, he continued, will feature the top 8 players according to NSF July ratings and 4 wildcards. Management of Vegas have discretionary powers on the 4 wildcards but we hope to make the players of equal strength. Olasupo further stated that he hopes the tournament would grow to a level where they can muscle enough resources to have live viewings, eliminations and so many other innovations to make it bigger and more glamourous. Nigeria remain the best scrabble playing nation in the world and also successfully became the first African nation to win the World English Language Speaking Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC) when Wellington Jighere made history in Perth, Australia in 2015. Copyright 2021 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. The governors aide also added that 1,000 health workers were also reinstated into the service, saying their earlier disengagement was due to the faulty process in their recruitment by the previous administration. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri The government of Adamawa State has reinstated 1,699 workers dismissed from service by the past administration. Solomon Kumangar, the Director General, media and communications to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, disclosed this in Yola on Monday, August 8. He said the affected workers were 699 batch D teachers who were earlier recruited and deployed to primary and secondary schools. He added that 1,000 health workers were also reinstated into the service, saying their earlier disengagement was due to the faulty process in their recruitment by the previous administration. As she voluntarily entered the police interrogation room in Moline, Illinois, four years ago, Dorothy Varallo-Speckeen thought she was there to help solve a child abuse case. She soon realized, however, that Detective Marcella OBrien thought she, a then-22-year-old babysitter with no criminal record, had abused the child, a felony punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment. Im not trying to point fingers, but I know for a fact that the injury occurred during the time when you guys were watching Brylee, OBrien said, referring to Varallo-Speckeen and her girlfriend and, by name, the baby they were watching. That statement came early in a video-recorded interrogation obtained by IowaWatch. In the video, OBrien subjected Varallo-Speckeen to an interrogation that sought to extract a confession. Her tactics are common in law enforcement, but many experts say they can coerce false confessions and should be abandoned. The tactics mirrored the Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation, which researchers describe as the gold standard for interrogating suspects. A majority of law enforcement officials are being trained to use it or another method based on it. OBrien talked over Varallo-Speckeen, interrupted and rejected or cut off denials and repeatedly pushed in the interrogation OBriens theory that Varallo-Speckeen had broken the legs of the 15-month-old toddler. After nearly two hours in the interrogation room and after OBrien once more insisted that Varallo-Speckeen must have caused the injuries, Varallo-Speckeen relented. Looking back on that day, July 24, 2013, Varallo-Speckeen now 26, said she believes OBrien coerced her confession. Critics relate Reid Technique to the fact that more than a fourth of wrongfully convicted suspects later exonerated with DNA evidence had given a or incriminating statement, according to the Innocence Project, a non-profit that works to exonerate the wrongly convicted. But, Joseph Buckley, president of John E. Reid & Associates, stands by the technique, saying it is an ethical and efficient way to obtain justice, and he denies false confessions and the Reid Technique are related. To understand police interrogation techniques, IowaWatch interviewed experts, read police records of the case, analyzed the video and transcript of Varralo-Speckeens interrogation and compared it to Reid methods. The video was provided by Sharon Varallo, Varallo-Speckeens mother. The detective and Moline police officials declined several requests for interviews over several months about the case and interrogation practices. SERIES OF EVENTS The July 2013 events that put Varallo-Speckeen, who graduated from Iowa City High School before moving to Moline with her mother, in an interrogation room began about two months earlier. Thats when she and her girlfriend, Jennifer Schafer, 30, moved into a basement apartment in the home of Schaefers friend, Jami Kepple. Kepples mother, Kim Linhart, and cousin, Brad Hessell, lived in the apartment upstairs. On Monday, July 22 at 5 a.m., Kepple took her daughters to the apartment of her mother, Linhart, before leaving for work. Normally Linhart watched her grandchildren, but Hessell, the cousin, said he watched the girls because Linhart was ill. Around 7:30 a.m., Hessell took the girls downstairs for Varallo-Speckeen and Schafer to watch while he went to work. Hessell told Schafer that Brylee was not feeling well and to give her Tylenol. The baby slept until 11 a.m., when Schafer changed her diaper. When I picked her up to change her diaper, she was real fussy, Schafer told IowaWatch. Like every time you moved her, like when I picked up her legs to slide the diaper in and out, she just kind of screamed a little at me; I thought maybe her belly hurt, thought maybe when I pulled her legs up it squished on her belly. Later, Schafer took Kepples eldest daughter outside to play, while the Brylee and Varallo-Speckeen napped on the couch. When Kepple returned from work at 1:30, she drove Brylee to Illini Hospital in Silvis, Illinois. Schafer told OBrien that Kepple said the hospital found nothing seriously wrong with the baby. The next day, Tuesday, July 23, both of the childs legs were swollen, and Kepple took her to Trinity East Hospital in Moline, where staff discovered the childs legs were broken. THE INTERVIEW When the Reid Technique was introduced in 1974, it was meant to replace interrogation tactics that involved threats, beatings and even torture. The creator of the technique was a former Chicago detective, John E. Reid, and he had elicited his first confession using it in 1955. Whether OBrien had received Reid training could not be determined, because she declined repeated interview requests. However, her tactics followed its technique. Starting with a behavioral analysis interview, investigators are taught to ask non-threatening questions to understand the individuals demeanor, then decide whether he or she is lying based on verbal and non-verbal cues. But Reids opponents say it is impossible to detect deception accurately. You simply cannot tell whether a person is lying or telling the truth based on those cues, said Stephanie Madon, an Iowa State University psychology professor who researches why individuals confess to crimes they didnt commit. The Reid Technique tells interrogators there is not any one cue or response that can determine deception, and that all behavioral cues need to be analyzed. But in the course of a high pressure investigation, these are snap judgments being made by detectives, and theyre often wrong, said Steve Drizin, legal director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions, which works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted and reform the justice system. Youve already decided a person is guilty, so now youre looking for confirmation, said James Trainum, author of "How the Police Generate False Confessions" and a former Washington, D.C., homicide detective. Trainum said he realized this after eliciting the confession of a woman he was sure was guilty in 1994. When evidence proved she could not have committed the murder to which she had admitted, he began to wonder what had gone wrong. The truth you are trying to get is the truth you believe in, Trainum said. However, Buckley, the Reid and Associates president, said the Reid Techniques core principles are in place to prevent false confessions. To safeguard against false confessions, interrogators should get corroborating details in the suspects written statement. THE INTERROGATION Throughout the police interrogation, OBrien told Varallo-Speckeen she was guilty or knew what happened to the injured baby 36 times. OBrien presented Varallo-Speckeen with a variety of accidental ways the injuries could have occurred. It was OBriens suggestion that it could have happened during a diaper change, although Schafer and Varallo-Speckeen told OBrien Schafer was the only one to change the childs diaper while watching the baby July 22. When Varallo-Speckeen said she didnt remember doing anything that could have hurt the baby, OBrien cut her off. At one point, OBrien handed Varallo-Speckeen a baby doll, instructing her to demonstrate how she changed diapers. OBrien watched as Varallo-Speckeen put a diaper on the doll. But OBrien didnt accept her demonstration. That wouldnt be enough force, OBrien said. Well, thats how I change diapers, Varallo-Speckeen responded. Nevertheless, the detective continued pressing her theory, and Varallo-Speckeen began to waiver. If OBrien believed Varallo-Speckeen was guilty, that must be what happened, she told OBrien, adding she was willing to take the consequences. Why would Varallo-Speckeen take responsibility for something she didnt do? OBrien asked her. I just want it over, Varallo-Speckeen told OBrien. In an IowaWatch interview, Varallo-Speckeen said: I feel like I admitted to a story that I was told. Varallo-Speckeen was charged with felony aggravated battery against a child. Two years later, she accepted a plea bargain, pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery causing bodily harm. Id rather be guilty of the lesser charge and only have to have one to two years of consequences versus going to trial and chancing six to 30 years, where my life is gone for something I know I didnt do, she said. The month she spent in jail in 2013 was counted toward her sentence, and she remained under court supervision for 12 months. Following the charges, the babys mother, Kepple, told Schafer in a Facebook message that she didnt know who hurt her daughter, that she didnt trust the police and that she just wanted Brylee to be okay. Kepple declined talking to the press then and declined to comment for this story. DEBATE Reid critics say other interrogation methods would prevent false confessions and that police need more training in interviewing and interrogating. But Reids proponents dont believe the techniques cause false confessions, nor that other options would help close cases. Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, an Illinois consulting firm that has trained thousands of law enforcement officials nationwide, stopped offering Reid training in 2017. Its not the Reid method thats the problem as much as the misuse of the Reid Technique, Wicklander-Zulawskis Shane Sturman, chief executive officer, said. I do not believe that Reid or anyone else teaching intends to elicit a false confession, Sturman said, but that the confrontational nature of Reid could explain missteps. Buckley, Reid & Associates president, said if a false confession occurs, it is not a matter of misusing the Reid Technique but rather not using it at all. When you research false confessions, the majority of them come when officers participate in inappropriate behavior, Buckley said. Reid methods say interrogators should treat subjects with respect, not make promises of leniency, threaten physical harm or inevitable consequences, deny their rights or the opportunity to satisfy physical needs. At Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, officers get six hours of interviewing and interrogation training, instructor Molly Jansen said. Any further training would be at local departments, she said. Buckley said the Reid textbook cant be covered in a three-day seminar because it is more than 400 pages long, but that the safeguards and principles are. He said police get on-the-job training by spending more time talking to people than anything else they do. Meantime, Varallo-Speckeen said she has several regrets: Agreeing to pretend that everyone is a good guy, and its all going to work out. I regret talking at all, now. EVANSDALE | While Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of the disappearances of Lyric Cook-Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins, the pain and fear within the community has gradually faded but will never be forgotten. The girls memory, along with those of others whose lives ended too soon, will always remain in Angels Park, where brightly-colored flowers and other vegetation, gazebos, benches and a new painting allow those in the community to honor them. The painting was created by Florida artist Jeff Sonkes, who visited the area after his father died last December. He completed the artwork in his basement before assembling it in the park earlier this summer. On one side of the mural are the girls faces, on the other side a pair of angel wings. They face out to Highway 20 for all to see driving by. It has since been admired by the locals as they relive that sad stretch of days five years ago. On July 13, 2012, Cook-Morrissey, 10, and Collins, 8, two cousins who were riding their bikes at Meyers Lake, were kidnapped and killed. Hundreds searched around the park for days as they tried to find the two girls. It wasn't until five months later that the girls' remains were found in a rural Bremer County park. No one has ever been apprehended for their slayings. Aftermath Mary Grosse has been running her home day care out of Evansdale for more than 20 years, and had taken some of her kids to the park on the afternoon of July 13, 2012. It wasnt until later that night that she learned of the girls disappearance, and immediately joined the search parties. I felt like I shouldve seen something, but I also had to keep an eye on the kids, Grosse said. I never dreamed I would have to do that and I still dont believe it happened. For a long stretch after that day, Grosse refused to take her kids outside or go outside herself. In the back of her mind were thoughts of distrust toward those she knew as she and the rest of the community were overtaken by sadness and disbelief. Today, Grosse said she now feels safe in the community despite the lack of arrests. On Thursday, she took the kids to eat lunch at the park. As they explored the playground and chased each other with squirting water bottles, she kept a close eye. They like to go over and see the tank, but we go as a group. I dont want them getting behind it where I cant see them, she said. We all just stick together. The tragic incident taught many parents the value in closely monitoring their children. Grosse said for nearly a year after, the streets that were usually filled with screaming and laughing children were empty and quiet. It scared me as a parent that things like that could happen, but Im proud that the community came together and put their differences aside to be concerned about one thing, said Christi Sires. After spending her childhood in the area, Sires moved away for a short time before returning last year. Regardless of their location, she and her family also participated in the searches. Now, she knows where her 15-year-old twin sons are at all times and even installed trackers on their phones. While she didnt know the family or girls personally, Sires is still desperate for information on their situation and often thinks of them as she takes strolls through the park and gazes at the painting while kayaking in Meyers Lake. Theyre a constant thought in my memory. When I take walks I always look up at the trees and think, if only the trees could talk,'" she said. While the trees may not be able to reveal what occurred that day, the ultimate message is continuously passed from person to person. Ricky Siebrands, a Waterloo native who now resides in Cedar Falls, acts as the life teacher for his grandchildren and teaches them about anything from the flowers growing in the ditches to how roads and cars work. He also emphasizes Cook-Morrissey and Collins story and the importance of staying close. When I was a kid, my brothers and I would leave in the morning and wouldnt come back until that night, just spend all day outside. Well, things have changed, he said sadly. For that reason, he brought his three grandchildren to Angels Park, where they learned the stories of every girl honored there. As they curiously gazed at the statue and admired the flowers, the children were always peeking over their shoulders to keep their grandpa in sight. I thought it was important that they came and saw it and experienced it in real life rather than seeing it on TV, Siebrands said. I wanted them to know the history. According to the pastor, he provided everything for the assistant, but he went ahead to sleep with his wife. A video has surfaced online showing a heartbroken pastor confronting his assistant after catching him in bed with his wife. The video shared by Instagram user, @thandiubani has since gone viral has left tongues wagging on social media. In the video, the pastor could be seen shouting at the assistant whom he said betrayed him. According to the pastor, he provided everything for the assistant, but he went ahead to sleep with his wife. Watch video below: /* custom css */ .tdi_59.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_59 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_59.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_59.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_59.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba has expressed disappointment at reports of brutality and extortion of members of the public by some police operatives. Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated in Abuja on Monday that Baba consequently directed all supervising Commissioners of Police and Tactical/Strategic Commanders to ensure strict supervision of their personnel. Baba warned that further incidences of brutality or extortion would be viewed strictly. /* custom css */ .tdi_58.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_58 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_58.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_58.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_58.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } He ordered a holistic overhauling of the Intelligence Response Team, the Special Tactical Squad, and the Special Weapons and Tactics Units. He directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau to supervise the three units to ensure their operations were professional and productive. Baba said the AIG would ensure that the operation of the units did not infringe on the fundamental rights of members of the public. He added that the overhauling was to ensure that the operations of the units were in tandem with the purpose for which they were created. He said the current overhauling would improve the effectiveness of the units and rid them of negative elements who deviated from the standard operating procedure of the units. Baba added that the overhauling was also to ensure maximum effectiveness and output in line with the mandate of the current administration of the force and public safety. The police boss announced the dismissal of a Police Constable, Mr Liyomo Okoi with Force No. 524503, attached to Ekori Divisional Headquarters in Cross River for gross misconduct. He said the misconduct of the dismissed officer was recorded in a viral video circulated in the social media on July 31. Baba said the officer, whose dismissal was with immediate effect was recorded flogging a man with a machete. The I-G reiterated his commitment to ethical regeneration and restoration of professional standard and enhancement of the anti-corruption drive with dedication to entrenching human rights-driven policing. /* custom css */ .tdi_60.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_60 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_60.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_60.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_60.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: An above-average proportion of Singaporean HNW wealth is allocated to alternative investments - the majority of which is held in hedge funds, according to the latest research by ReportLinker. In its report entitled, Wealth in Singapore: HNW Investors 2017, it said that it expects the alternative space to gain further traction amongst Singaporean high-networth individuals (HNWIs). The study said that current investment demand is particularly pronounced for equities and corporate bonds. However, the latter are forecast to fall out of favor as investors are looking for new means of diversification in the alternative investment universe. Led by pension and financial planning, overall demand for planning services is moderate. However, going forward the study expects increased demand for tax planning. "Singapore's HNW population remains dominated by business owners and those who accumulated their wealth through earned income. HNW individuals invest around half of managed wealth with their main wealth manager, and the majority of wealth is held via discretionary mandates," the study said. It added that Singaporean HNW individuals have amassed their wealth mainly through earned income. However, taken together those who earned their wealth either through first-generation entrepreneurship or family business ownership constitute the largest segment. The most prominent industries from which HNW individuals have amassed wealt...................... To view our full article Click here Japan Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com/ https://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com/ https://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ Japan Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017If you want to ask a sample report or place an order, please contact us:Email: lynne@qyresearch.com Web:Report SummaryThe Japan Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic market analysis is provided for the Japan markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on Japan major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.With 188 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Key Players covering:SGL Carbon SeTeijin Ltd.Toray IndustriesNippon CarbonMitsubishi Rayon Carbon Fiber and CompositesFormosa Plastics CorpCytec Solvay GroupDowaksa UsaGKN AerospaceHexcel Corp..........Key Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry OverviewChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced PlasticChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants AnalysisChapter Four Sales Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic by Regions, Product Type, and ApplicationsChapter Five Sales Revenue Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic by Regions,Product Type, and ApplicationsChapter Six Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Production, Supply, Sales and Demand Market Status 2010-2017Chapter Seven Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Key ManufacturersChapter Eight Price and Gross Margin AnalysisChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced PlasticChapter Ten Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Production, Supply, Sales and Demand Development Forecast 2017-2020Chapter Eleven Industry Chain Suppliers of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic with Contact InformationChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced PlasticChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Japan Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Report 2017Main Chapter ShowedRelated Reports:Global Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017China Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017United States Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017India Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Industry Market Research Report 2017Thank you so much for reading the article.If you are interested in the report or have any question, please feel free to contact me. Looking forward to your email.Lynne | Sr. Manager Global SalesQYResearch CO.,LIMITED Professional Market Research Report Publisher.QYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Phone: +86-20-22093278Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Lynne | Sr. Manager Global SalesQYResearch CO.,LIMITED Professional Market Research Report Publisher.QYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Phone: +86-20-22093278Web:VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou China Smart Home Appliances Market Overview, Top Key Players and Growth Analysis by Forecast to 2023 Smart Home Appliances Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3775 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-home-appliances-market-3775 Market Highlights:In this rapidly changing world of technology, smart home appliances market is projected to show major growth prospects during the forecast period. Changing consumer preferences and increasing demand for innovations are the major factors driving the growth of smart home appliances market.As compared to other regions, the smart home appliances market in North America is expected to witness significant growth and hold the largest market share during the forecast period. U.S and Canada are anticipated to drive the growth of smart home appliances market. This is owing to the presence of large number of established key players and investments in smart grid projects in that region. In addition to this, the region also has a well-established infrastructure which allows higher penetration of devices which ultimately provides high speed connectivity and is expected to be a major factor for the growth of Smart Home Appliances Market. Increasing government initiatives for the adoption of energy efficient devices is another factor contributing to the growth of smart home appliances market.The smart home appliances market is growing rapidly over 23% of CAGR and is expected to reach at approx. USD 33 Billion by the end of forecast period.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 100 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Smart Home Appliances Market - Forecast to 2023.Major Key Players: Electrolux (Sweden), Haier Group Corporation (China), LG Electronics, Inc. (Korea), Samsung Group (Korea), Whirlpool Corporation (U.S.), Dacor (U.S.), Fujitsu General Limited (Japan), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany) Voltas Limited (India)Request a Sample Report @Smart Home Appliances Market Segmentation:The smart home appliances market has been segmented on the basis of product and technology. The product segment is further bifurcated into refrigerators, dish washers, air conditioners and others.Out of these, the refrigerators segment is expected to dominate the smart home appliances market. This is owing to the key players in smart home appliances market emphasizing on development of next generation refrigerators.Market Research Analysis:The global smart home appliances market, by geography, has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America. In the global smart home appliances market, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness relatively faster adoption and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period as compared to other regions. Within Asia Pacific, smart home appliances market is projected to contribute faster to the growth of revenue backed by increasing demand for innovative products and growing demand for smart homes in countries such as Japan, China and India.Across Europe, countries including Germany, France and the U.K. are anticipated to drive the growth of smart home appliances market. In Europe, the high standards of living of people have led to an increase in investments in smart homes and hence is the major driving factor for the growth of smart home appliances market. The presence of advanced infrastructure and with the increasing adoption of technology and technological advancements in numerous countries are other factors driving the market growth of smart home appliances market.Smart Home Appliances Market (MRFR) Research Analysis:Smart home appliances market in the South America region is anticipated to witness relatively slower market growth. However, Brazil and Argentina among other countries are projected to witness slow yet steady growth. Smart home appliances market in Middle East and Africa occupies a relatively smaller pie of the global Smart home appliances market.Smart home appliances market can be segmented on the basis of product and technology. The product segment comprises of refrigerators, air conditioners, dish washer and washing machines. The refrigerator segment, being the most commonly used, has dominated the market share of smart home appliances market. Whereas, the washing machines segment is expected to generate the highest revenue in the smart home appliances market. Reduction in energy consumption is the major driving factor in the growth of smart home appliances market.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of smart home appliances market is being studied for regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The major growth in smart home appliances market in North America is attributed to the increasing investments in the smart grid projects and changing preferences of consumers in that region.Intended Audience Technology investors Research/Consultancy firms Technology providers ConsumersBrowse Full Report Details @Table of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope Of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size EstimationContinuedList of TablesTable 1 Smart Home Appliances Market, By ProductTable 2 Smart Home Appliances Market, By TechnologyTable 3 Smart Home Appliances Market, By RegionsContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Smart Home Appliances Market, By Product (%)Figure 3 Smart Home Appliances Market, By Technology (%)ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureMarket Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Wireless Charging Market Predicted to Surpass US$ 27 Billion http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/wireless-charging-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10789 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/wireless-charging-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com According to Persistence Market Research, the global market for wireless charging is currently valued over US$ 2.6 billion. By the end of 2024, revenues emanating from global sales of wireless charging devices & services will grow at an exponential CAGR of 34% and bring in revenues worth over US$ 27 billion.As we head towards an era where wires wont necessarily be a requisite for powering up devices, tech companies from around the world are intensifying their efforts towards production of advanced and immaculate wireless charging systems. Innovative technologies supporting the working mechanism of wireless charging devices is also piquing the curiosity of tech enthusiasts as well as common consumers. From green vehicles to smartphones, Persistence Market Research has published its research study on how wireless charging is spanning the globe as the next-gen mode of charging electric devices.Browse Complete Report @The report further reveals the significance of components in driving the sales of wireless charging devices. Considering that wireless charging systems will eventually put an end to wired chargers, the components used in such systems will play an instrumental role in shaping up the future of wireless charging. Much like today, the feature of charging multiple devices at same time will continue to trend in the long run. In the global market for wireless charging, components used as power transmitters will garner a dominant position. In 2017 and beyond, transmitters are expected to account for more than three-fourth of global wireless charging revenues. Nevertheless, surplus power transmission will necessitate the use of advanced receiver components revenues from which are projected soar at highest CAGR of 35.2%.A key challenge faced by manufacturers of wireless charging systems hovers around the selection of suitable charging technology to assure compatibility with all electronic devices in the world. Availability of diverse electric devices brings uncertainty over expanding product portfolio of wireless charging systems. Research findings compiled in the report suggest that consumers of wireless charging devices are growing more inclined towards devices that use resonance charging technology. After accounting more than US$ 800 million revenues in 2016, the resonance charging technology will continue dominating the global wireless charging market by procuring nearly 40% value share through 2024. The global demand for inductive charging technology will incur a major downtrend, while revenues accounted by radio frequency (RF) charging technology will soar at nearly 40% CAGR during the projected period.A sample of this report is available upon request @While every other wireless charging device sold in the world will be used for powering smartphones, tablets, laptops and other consumer electronics, the report projects a lucrative growth for automotive application of wireless charging systems. During the forecast period, revenues procured from sales of wireless charging devices in the global automotive industry will be elevated at a staggering 42.1% CAGR. Rampant sales of electric vehicles will be factoring this growth, making automotive the most favorable application of wireless charging. Additionally, complications and hazards arising from wired power cables in manufacturing plants will also propel the demand for wireless charging in industrial applications. Through 2024, more than US$ 5 billion worth of wireless charging devices are likely to be consumed by industries across the globe.Request to view table of content @Additional Highlights of the Report include:Asia-Pacific will be the largest consumer of wireless charging systems in the worldSales of wireless charging devices in North America and Europe will procure more than 60% of global revenues throughout the forecast periodTech giant, Apple Inc., recently made the news for joining the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) to be a part of the global organization that develops widely-used wireless charging standard for smartphones and other electronic devicesThe report has profiled similar tech companies that are partaking in the growth of global wireless charging market, which include Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Texas Instruments, Inc., Leggett & Platt, Inc., Energized Holdings, Inc., Integrated Device Technology, Inc., WiTricity Corporation, ConvenientPower HK Limited, PowerbyPoxi, and Powermat Technologies Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: PLA 3D Printer Filament Market Outlook 2017: Aleph Objects, AFINIA, MakerBot Industries, Octave Systems PLA 3D Printer Filament http://bit.ly/2t8swCg http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-pla-3d-printer-filament-market-2017-demand-insights-key-palyers-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022 PLA 3D Printer Filament Market Research 2017A market study Global PLA 3D Printer Filament Market examines the performance of the PLA 3D Printer Filament market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the PLA 3D Printer Filament market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of PLA 3D Printer Filament market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global PLA 3D Printer Filament Market 2017 report includes PLA 3D Printer Filament market Revenue, market Share, PLA 3D Printer Filament industry volume, market Trends, PLA 3D Printer Filament Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, PLA 3D Printer Filament Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global PLA 3D Printer Filament Market 2017:1. ProtoParadigm2. MakerBot Industries3. Aleph Objects4. Octave Systems5. AFINIAPLA 3D Printer Filament Market : By Application Household Printers Commercial PrintersPLA 3D Printer Filament Market : By Type Color Changing Filament Color Filament Cleaning FilamentFirstly, the report covers the top PLA 3D Printer Filament manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the PLA 3D Printer Filament report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of PLA 3D Printer Filament industry, PLA 3D Printer Filament industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. PLA 3D Printer Filament Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The PLA 3D Printer Filament 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 PLA 3D Printer Filament market revenue worldwide.Finally, PLA 3D Printer Filament 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 NEWTON | A Charles City man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a Newton man. Randy Louis Linderman, 52, was taken into custody Thursday in Charles City and was transported to the Jasper County Jail, according to a news release from the Jasper County Sheriffs Office. Law enforcement says Jose Luis C. Ramirez Berber was discovered deceased inside his rural Jasper County residence March 6. An autopsy determined Ramirez Berber died from blunt force trauma, according to the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner. No further information is available at this time, according to police, who say the arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Charles City Police Department, Floyd County Sheriffs Office and Jasper County Sheriffs Office. Ashley Miller EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017 http://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/ Ask a report sample or have any requirement, please contact tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atThe D-Erythorbic Acid Industry Market Research Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the D-Erythorbic Acid industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The D-Erythorbic Acid 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 D-Erythorbic Acid 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 D-Erythorbic Acid market competition by top manufacturers/players, with D-Erythorbic Acid sales volume (K Doses), price (USD/Dose), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingCompany 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5......Table of contents:1 D-Erythorbic Acid Overview2 EMEA D-Erythorbic Acid Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 Europe D-Erythorbic Acid (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application4 Middle East D-Erythorbic Acid (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application5 Africa D-Erythorbic Acid (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application6 EMEA D-Erythorbic Acid Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data7 D-Erythorbic Acid Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10 Market Effect Factors Analysis11 EMEA D-Erythorbic Acid Market Forecast (2017-2022)12 Research Findings and Conclusion13 AppendixRelated Reports:Global D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017Europe D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017China D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017USA D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017India D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017Korea D-Erythorbic Acid Market Report 2017Japan D-Erythorbic Acid Market 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 Global Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com http://qyresearchjapan.com/ SummaryThe Global Paper Products Shredders Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Paper Products Shredders industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Paper Products Shredders 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 Paper Products Shredders industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):Franssons (Spain)Vecoplan LLC (U.S.)Zhengzhou Huahong Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. (China)WEIMA Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany)Zhangjiagang Sevenstars Machinery Co.,Ltd. (China)Kobra Shredder (U.S.)Krug & Priester GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)Allegheny Shredders, Inc. (U.S.)Widesky Machinery Co., Ltd. (China)Fellowes Brands (U.S.)Fujitsu Limited (Japan)Key Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Paper Products Shredders by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Paper Products Shredders by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Paper Products Shredders by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Paper Products ShreddersChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Paper Products Shredders Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017India Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017China Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Paper Products Shredders Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) |(JP) By 2025, Smart Grid Sensors Market to Rise at 30.3% CAGR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/smart-grid-sensor-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3962 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/smart-grid-sensor-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Key findings in the report exhibit that the global smart grid sensors market will have a steadfast growth during the assessment period, 2017-2025. In this period, the dynamic growth of the global smart grid sensor market will be impacted by several factors, among which following have an enduring influence:Extreme Weather Conditions: Severe climate and harsh environment is disrupting the operational efficiency of smart grids, compelling the deployment of thermal sensors that can detect temperature differences and adapt to drastic weather changes, particularly in the US.Electricity Thefts: Rising incidence of electricity thefts in developing & underdeveloped regions is driving the adoption of smart grids. In Latin American countries, power authorities are monitoring such malpractices with help of sensors that identify faux power glitches.Proliferation of IoT: Internet of Things (IoT) is influencing the sales of smart grid sensors but remuneratively. Presently, utilities companies in Europe are looking to leverage IoT to improve development and operation of smart grids by connecting unique devices, which will end up creating an intelligent & self-sustained energy ecosystem.Browse Complete Report @The global energy sector is transitioning into intelligent, efficient network of power supply, and smart grids are actively replacing conventional power grids across the world. The demand for smart grid sensors grows in parallel with surging adoption of smart grid technology. In todays day and age, detection and monitoring operations have helped save potential losses worth millions of dollars. Therefore, smart grid sensors are also expected to gain surplus demand in tomorrows energy industry. Persistence Market Researchs latest report on the global market for smart grid sensors projects that the market, which is presently valued at a little over US$ 128 Mn, will soar at a stellar CAGR of 30.3% to bring in US$ 1,447.3 Mn in revenues by the end of 2025.A sample of this report is available upon request @Ineffectiveness of older power grids, increasing energy demands, and implementation of smart metering systems has also propelled the global demand for smart grid sensors. According to the report, titled Smart Grid Sensors Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 20172025, rising concern regarding safety & security of smart grids, and high implementation costs of smart grid sensors is likely to impede the global markets growth, but to a certain extent.Request to view table of content @Based on the region, Latin Americas smart grid sensors market is projected to exhibit a relatively high growth, registering a robust CAGR of 36.1%. The demand for voltage/temperature sensors, in particular, is projected to remain high throughout the forecast period. The report estimates that in 2016, more than 40% of global smart grid sensor revenues were accounted by sales of voltage/temperature sensors. In terms of application, smart energy metering is expected to dominate with more than 40% share, while revenues amassed from other applications such as lead management, energy storage and renewable energy will be registering a speedy growth at 38.1% CAGR. The report also profiles key participants in the global smart grid sensors market, which include ABB Ltd., Aclara Technologies LLC, General Electric Company, Honeywell International Inc., Eaton, Toshiba Corporation, Networked Energy Services Corporation, QinetiQ Group PLC, Torino Power Solutions Inc., Sentient Energy, Inc., ARTECHE, Siemens AG, Ingenu Inc., GIPRO GmbH, GRID20/20 Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Vibration Sensor Market Set to Witness an Uptick by 2022 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/vibration-sensor-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/8959 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/8959 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Vibration sensor can also be termed as vibration transducer that converts vibrations into an electrical equivalent output (such as voltage). Vibration means any motion of object from its mean position. It can be caused due to number of reasons such as external excitation, unbalanced centrifugal force, friction between surface and wind. Vibration has various advantages as well as disadvantages. It is used to detect any catastrophic events and to take preventive measures. However, in industrial and commercial sector this vibration is undesirable as it causes damage to machines. Furthermore, excess damage is also unsafe for human beings. Hence, to avoid this dangerous situation vibration level should be measured with the help of vibration sensor.To View Complete Report @ :The global vibration sensor market is expected to witness significant growth over the period of forecast. Factors which are driving the growth of global vibration sensor market are wide range of frequency, self-generating capability and long service life. Furthermore, rapid improvement and customization options are few additional drivers of global vibration sensor market.On the other hand, major factor hindering the growth of global vibration sensor market is maturity of end-user segmentA sample of this report is available upon request @The global vibration sensor market can be segmented on the basis of product type, technology, material and application. On the basis of product type, the global vibration sensor market can be segmented into accelerometers, electrodynamic velocity transducer and non-contact displacement transducer.On the basis of technology, the global vibration sensor market can be segmented into piezoresistive, strain gauge, variable capacitance, hand probe, tri-axial sensorsOn the basis of material, the global vibration sensor market can be segmented into doped silicon, quartz and piezoelectric ceramics.On the basis of application, the global vibration sensor market can be segmented into automobile, aerospace, consumer electronics, coal & quarry sector, oil & gas, machine & structure monitoring, medical & pharmaceuticals and others. The global vibration sensor market growth is accelerated because of high adoption of vibration sensors in aerospace industry. Furthermore, vibration sensors are used in wide areas such as vibration in shock treatment, breathing monitoring, measuring machine vibrations and other applications. Vibration sensors are also used in digital displays and touch screens.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @On the basis of region, the global vibration sensor market can be seven regions which include - North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East & Africa. North America is dominating the global vibration sensor market and expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. However, Asia Pacific is expected to expand at highest compound annual growth rate over the forecast period.Key players in global vibration sensor market are ASC GmbH, Dytran Instruments, Inc., TE Connectivity Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology Inc., National Instruments Corporation, Colibrys Ltd., Hansford Sensors Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH and others. Key players are focusing on development of new technologies in order to gain competitive advantage. For example, in November 2015, Hansford Sensors Ltd. launched new compact vibration switch to protect machinery against unexpected shutdown and repair cost. In July 2015, Colibrys Ltd., released its new vibration sensor, The VS1000 the second generation vibration sensor of the Colibrys VS family. The market is also witnessing a trend of customization of vibration sensor as per its size, frequency range and load capacity. Therefore market players are focusing on providing the vibration sensors as per the need of different applications.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Learn details of the Advances in Aerogel Market Forecast and Segments, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-927 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-927 www.futuremarketinsights.com The global aerogel market is on the rise due to increased applications of aerogel in industries such as oil & gas, marine, automotive, and aerospace. Aerogel is an extremely low density solid material, mainly composed of air, and is manufactured using conventional gel. Global aerogel market consists of material exhibiting numerous properties, making it suitable for the applications in aforementioned industries. These properties include thermal & acoustic damping, low density, high degree of porosity and other desired properties in various applications industries. In addition to the abundant uses of aerogel in industrial applications, one of the key reasons for increasing global aerogel market is due to the fact that the material is being witnessed as a good replacement for thermal insulation materials, since it is providing cost competitiveness to other high performance thermal insulating materials.Aerogel Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing demand of aerogels by the end users such as oil & gas, automotive, marine & aerospace , etc. are driving the global aerogel market. Growing globalization leading to an increase in investments, new establishments for construction and properties of aerogel such as high insulation, being cheap and abundant availability of the raw material are some of the factors driving the growth of global aerogel market. High production cost is the major challenging factor for the growth of global aerogel market.Request For Report Sample@Aerogel Market: SegmentationIn terms of application industry, the global aerogel market is segmented into key applications:Oil & gasMarine & aerospacePerformance coatingsLVHSDay-lightingAutomotiveConstructionWithin these applications, the oil & gas industry accounts for a leading share in the global aerogel market. Among other applications, wherein significant growth is likely to be witnessed is automotive and construction applications, wherein thermal insulation properties of aerogel material are being exploited.On the basis of product types, the global aerogel market is can be segmented into:SilicaPolymerCarbonThese different types of aerogel are being utilized in the global marketplace, wherein polymer type of aerogel is expected to witness the highest growth in coming years. In terms of market share, the global aerogel market has been dominated by silica type aerogel, which is likely to continue its dominance through the forecast period as well.Request For TOC@On the basis of forms, the global aerogel market has been segmented into:MonolithBlanketArticlePanel formThe global aerogel market is dominated by blanket form of aerogel, which is widely used for thermal insulation applications across the industries. The global aerogel market is expected to witness the tremendous growth in particle form of aerogel, which is expected to contribute towards the growth in demand for aerogel in global aerogel market during the forecast period.On the basis of processing segment, the global aerogel market has also been segmented into:Virgin processedFabricatedIn terms of processing, within the global aerogel market, virgin aerogel is witnessed to be the dominating processing segment. This is due to the fact that virgin aerogel is free from composites and additives, which enables its applications in research & development activities. Further virgin aerogel is accompanied with high commercial availability in the global aerogel market.Aerogel Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global aerogel market has witnessed increased growth in North American region, which accounts for a leading share in the global aerogel market. Followed by North America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region accounts for the second leading regions in terms of aerogel consumption across the globe, which is due to high amount of consumption in China. However, the European market is likely to be the leading region, in terms of annual growth, in years to come.Aerogel Market: Key PlayersThe global aerogel market is dominated by major players such as Cabot Corporation, Aerogel Technologies LLC, Aspen Aerogels, Inc. and BASF SE, to name a few.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Gluten Free Flour Market 2017 : General Mills, Cargill, Agrana Beteiligungs and Sunopta Gluten Free Flour https://goo.gl/Y3QDxm https://goo.gl/RCyhsj This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering- General Mills- The Scoular Company- Enjoy Life Foods- Parrish and Heimbecker- Cargill- Agrana Beteiligungs- Sunopta- Archer Daniels Midland Company- Hain Celestial Group- Associated British FoodsThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Gluten Free Flour market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Gluten Free Flour market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.Click Here To Sample Report @The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Gluten Free Flour market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Gluten Free Flour market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Gluten Free Flour market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Inquiry For Buying @Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Gluten Free Flour industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803 Enterprise VSAT Market 2017 Trend, Analysis and Forecast to 2021 ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/global-enterprise-vsat-market-2017-2021 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001522778/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001522778/buying VSAT terminals are communication terminals that transmit and receive text, audio, and video data using satellite broadband Internet services. These terminals operate toward geostationary satellites on Ku, Ka, and C bands. The size of the terminals is between 1.2 and 2.4 meters in diameter. A VSAT network consists of a main station or hub and other sites located in remote places, which communicate with the geostationary satellite. These networks provide wireless broadband connectivity in remote and underserved areas that are not covered by wireline networks. They also provide value-added services such as local area network (LAN) services, Internet access, and data transmission.Publisher's analysts forecast the global enterprise VSAT market to grow at a CAGR of 9.53% during the period 2017-2021.For more information about this report:Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global enterprise VSAT market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of VSAT terminals used in the enterprise segment. VSAT equipment includes VSAT antenna dishes, indoor units, and outdoor units.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:-Americas-APAC-EMEAPublisher's report, Global Enterprise VSAT Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors-Gilat Satellite Networks-Hughes Network Systems-ViaSat-VT iDirectRequest Sample Copy atOther prominent vendors-Bharti Airtel-Cambium Networks-Comtech Telecommunications-Emerging Markets Communications (EMC)-GigaSat-Newtec-OmniAccess-SageNet-SkyCasters-Tatanet Services-TelespazioMarket driver-Increased use of satellite services for cross-vertical applications-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge-Congestion of frequency bands-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend-Cloud-based big data services-For a full, detailed list, view our reportInquire for Report atContact 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 Global Oolong Tea Market 2017 : Tetley, Generation Tea, Teavana and Bigelow Tea Oolong Tea https://goo.gl/zFyZUx https://goo.gl/d19Lz6 This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering- Tetley- ESP Tea Emporium- The Republic of Tea- Harney & Sons- Generation Tea- Teavana- Mighty Leaf Tea Company- Bigelow Tea- Choice Organic TeasThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Oolong Tea market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Oolong Tea market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.Click Here To Sample Report @The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Oolong Tea market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Oolong Tea market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Oolong Tea market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Inquiry For Buying @Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Oolong Tea industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803 Global Carbon Brush Market Trends, Regulations And Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1047 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1047 www.futuremarketinsights.com Rotating electrical devices necessitate the transfer of current from a stationary part to the rotating part of the device. A carbon brush is defined as a sliding contact that is used to transmit current from a static part of a motor or a generator to the rotating part. The name carbon brush originates from the use of a bunch of copper wires assembled in the form a brush which acted as an element that transmitted current to the rotating part of the device. The use of carbon brushes has experienced a wide scale use over the recent past. The properties such as good electrical conductivity, lower coefficient of friction, lower modulus of elasticity and the fact that carbon does not melt but directly passes into vapour phase at nearly 3500oC, has resulted in it emerging as the most preferred material for transmitting current to the rotating part. The most commonly used types of carbon brushes, depending on the material used, are electro-graphite, metal-graphite, resin-bonded graphite, carbon-graphite, graphite among the others.Carbon Brush Market: Drivers & RestraintsCarbon Brush market is expected to register a steady year-on-year growth throughout the forecast period. The steady economic growth in developing regions of the globe, especially of the countries in Asia Pacific region coupled with steady industrial growth in these regions is expected to in turn fuel the demand for carbon brushes during the forecast period. Moreover, growth of global carbon brush market is expected to be driven primarily by the growth in demand for these from automotive industry. Also, another major application segment where these carbon brushes are used is household appliances, as such, the growth in demand for household appliances is likely to translate into growth in demand for carbon brushes during the forecast period.Request For Report Sample@Carbon Brush Market: SegmentationOn the basis of end use industries, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into following key market segments:AutomotiveElectrical Hand toolsIndustrial ApplicationsHousehold AppliancesOthersDepending on the type of product type, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into the following key market segments:Electro-graphiteMetal-graphiteResin-bonded graphiteCarbon graphiteGraphiteOthersDepending on the type of applications, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into the following key market segments:MotorsGenerators & AlternatorsCurrent & signal TransmissionGrounding DevicesOthersCarbon Brush Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, global Carbon Brush market is segmented into seven key market segments namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, Asia Pacific is expected to witness a relatively faster CAGR during the forecast period.Request For TOC@Carbon Brush Market: Key PlayersSome of the identified major players operating in the global Carbon Brush market are as follows:Schmidthammer Elektrokohle GmbHMorgan Advanced Materials plc.Elektrokarbon, a.s.Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.MersenAvo Carbon GroupHelwig Carbon Products, Inc.Schunk GmbHABOUT 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: Learn details of the Advances in Autonomous Vehicles Market Forecast and Segments, 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1526 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1526 www.futuremarketinsights.com Autonomous vehicles also known as robot cars are driverless vehicles, controlled by the computer, which is yet to be commercialized in the market. Autonomous vehicles have sensors installed in it, which detects the objects in its surroundings via radar, GPS, lasers and computer vision and chooses the appropriate path and direction. With the increasing road accidents due to human error while driving provides lucrative opportunities for autonomous vehicles over the forecast period, as the autonomous vehicles are comparatively safe when compared with manually controlled vehicles. The autonomous vehicles will also help in reducing the CO2 emissions to the environment. The commercialization of autonomous vehicles will also contribute to the revenue growth of different industries such as, IT, technology and electronics. The use of autonomous vehicles are not limited to passenger cars, it can be used in industrial fleet, construction, public transportation and for agricultural applications. The merits of an autonomous vehicle over manually operated vehicles are, increased fuel efficiency, safety and low emissions among others. Considering the aforementioned factors, the global autonomous vehicles market will project a healthy growth rate over the forecast period.The global autonomous vehicles market is primarily driven by the numerous advantages of an autonomous vehicle such as increased safety reduced driving stress, efficient parking reducing the costs, fuel efficiency, reduced CO2 emissions to the environment and increasing geriatric population will have a positive impact on the global autonomous vehicles market. Apart from the aforementioned factors, the autonomous vehicles will have a positive impact on the economy as a whole. However, the data security concerns might pose as a restrain to the global autonomous vehicles market as the controlling software can be hacked by unauthorized parties, and input spurious information to the system.Request For Report Sample@The global autonomous market is segmented based on level of automation, application and region. Based on automation level, the global autonomous vehicles market can be segmented into Driver Assistance, Partial Automation, Conditional Automation, High Automation and Full Automation. Based on applications, the global autonomous vehicles market can be segmented into Passenger Cars, Public Transportation, Industrial fleet, Construction and Agricultural applicationsBased on the geographic regions, global autonomous vehicles market is segmented into seven key market segments namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, the Western Europe market holds the largest share of global autonomous vehicles market, due to the higher adoption of autonomous vehicles in the region. North American market for autonomous vehicles is trailing behind the Western European market. Over the forecast period, China in the Asia-Pacific market will surpass the European as well as American market for autonomous vehicles. The adoption of autonomous vehicle in the developing economies such as Latin America and MEA will be low as compared to other region. Overall, the global autonomous vehicle market will project a healthy CAGR over the forecasted period considering its tremendous advantages over conventional vehicles and impact on environment.Request For TOC@Autonomous Vehicles Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the global autonomous vehicles market are Google, BMW AG, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla Motors, Audi AG among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: MASON CITY | A Mason City man accused of trying to strangle someone with a belt is now being held on a immigration detainer. Police say Leonardo Elivar Trejo, 34, Mason City, assaulted an individual by placing a fabric belt around the person's throat and applying pressure, leaving visible injury. Trejo was charged with felony domestic assault (strangulation) in the incident, which was reported around 3:06 a.m. Tuesday at a residence in the 10 block of 14th Street Southeast. A trial date hasn't been set. Trejo is being held without bond in the Cerro Gordo County Jail due to an immigration hold placed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ashley Miller Automotive Brake Fluid Market is Increasing Rapidly in Recent Years http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2856 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2856 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ In the automotive market, initially mechanical brakes were used which were gradually replaced by hydraulic brakes, where brake fluid was required. The first hydraulic system was developed in 1914 by Frederick Duesenberg, an American automotive pioneer. Today, most automotive brake fluid is either silicone based (DOT5) or glycol based (DOT3).Most drivers check their engine oil or tire pressure regularly, but very often drivers check the brake fluid in their vehicle. Automotive brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic clutches & brake applications in motorcycles, automobiles and some bicycles. It plays a crucial role as it transfers force when a driver applies the brake. Additionally, automotive brake fluid helps prevent corrosion and serves as lubricant for all movable parts.Automotive brake fluids, across the world, are regulated products and need to meet certain specifications and recommendations set by industry agencies and associations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Japanese Standards Association (JSA the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations (FMVSS), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and GB12981-2003 in China.Request For Report Sample:Automotive Brake Fluid Market: DynamicsThe burgeoning demand for vehicles in countries like China and India is forecasted to drive growth for the automotive brake fluid market. Companies are establishing production sites in these regions so as to satiate the local demand. For instance, BASF opened an automotive brake fluid production plant in Pudong, Shanghai to support the demand of local customers; which in turn is driving demand for automotive brake fluid in China. However, the lack of awareness/understanding among end user is restraining growth of the global automotive brake fluid market.The main route to this market is via the aftermarket, which includes workshops, automotive service centers and retailers for supply to DIY (do it yourself) end users. The retail aftermarket includes general & automotive retailers and petrol forecourts. The remaining market for brake fluid is held by OEMs for the first fill in a vehicle. Therefore, tie ups with OEMs becomes an important driver across all regions since they provide an assured route to the market through the sale of new cars.Automotive Brake Fluid Market: SegmentationAutomotive brake fluid are of two types: petroleum and non-petroleum. Petroleum-based automotive brake fluids are rarely used in the automotive industry.The DOT (department of transportation) classifies automotive brake fluids by their chemical composition and boiling point. Therefore, the global automotive brake fluid market can be segment by type as: DOT 3 (glycol ether based), DOT 4 (glycol ether based/borate ester), DOT 5 (silicone based), DOT 5.1 (borate ester/glycol ether). DOT 5.1, DOT 4, DOT 3 are based on poly glycol compounds and DOT 5 is based on silicone. Gylcol fluids are used in 99% of the motor vehicles in various grades. Additionally, most cars run on DOT 3 which has lower water content since fluid causes corrosion in the brake system. Brake pistons, cylinders and lines undergo wear and tear as a result of braking over a period of time. The cost of replacing any component is significant and replacing brake fluid can help save a major portion of that cost. Automotive brake fluid varies from vehicle to vehicle, depending on various factors such as model, vehicle production year and type of brake system.Request For TOC:Automotive Brake Fluid: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global automotive brake fluid market identified across the value chain include:Beijing Haidian Huiyuan Synthetic AgentsBoschCoptonCnpcCastrol(Bp)CaltexExxon MobilDelian GroupFuchsFaw(First Automobile Works) Group CorporationJilin HairunIrico GroupOriginalLaikeShenzhen Pingchi Industry CoShellSinopecTotalTeecZhuhai Gaida ShiyeTianjin Xuqi GongmaoABOUT 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: Industrial Air Compressor Market segmentation and Dominate Worldwide by 2027 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2885 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2885 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Rapidly growing industrialization, particularly in developing nations, and significant emphasis on energy conservation has led to noteworthy advancements in compressor technology. Industrial air compressors are designed to compress large volumes of air to a high pressure and harness this as a potential energy source. Compressed air finds a large field of applications in various end use industries, such as power generation, automobile, food & beverage, chemical, oil & gas and other manufacturing. Various applications or end uses of industrial air compressors include supplying clean air to fill gas cylinders, drive pneumatic HVAC systems, and drive pneumatic tools. Industrial air compressors are generally positive displacement compressors or dynamic compressors. The positive displacement type compressor is expected to hold a relatively high market share in the overall industrial air compressor market. Reciprocating and rotary screw air compressors are common types of positive displacement compressors and find applications in various end use industries. Rotary compressor, is mainly classified into centrifugal and axial flow air compressors. Over the past few years, remote sensing technology has gained significant attraction in the industrial compressor market, as it is highly reliable and energy efficient. Flexibility, low operational cost, low maintenance cost, high safety and reduced weight remain the prime focus of key manufacturers in the market.Global Industrial Air Compressor Market: Market DynamicsTechnological innovation remains one of the prominent driving market forces in the global industrial air compressor market, which results in significant replacement demand for the industrial air compressor. Moreover, over the past few years, the market has witnessed a considerable upsurge in demand for energy efficient products. Rapid industrialization of developing countries in Asia Pacific, such as China and India, and countries in Middle East & Africa, such as South Africa, is expected to fuel the market growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, upcoming investments are expected in new oil and gas projects, which in turn will create demand for industrial air compressors.Request For Report Sample:On the other hand, factors such as noise pollution from industrial compressors pose a challenge to market growth. Performance of various end use industries will also significantly affect the growth of the global industrial air compressor market over the forecast period.Global Industrial Air Compressor Market: Market SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the industrial air compressor market can be segmented into:Positive displacement industrial air compressorReciprocating compressorRotary compressorDynamic industrial air compressorCentrifugal compressorAxial flow compressorOn the basis of seal type, the industrial air compressor market can be segmented into:Lubricated industrial air compressorOil free industrial air compressorOn the basis of power range, the industrial air compressor market can be segmented into:Up to 50 kW50 kW250 kW251 kW500 kW500 kW and AboveOn the basis of end use industry, the industrial air compressor market can be segmented into:Power generationOil & GasAutomotiveChemicalsFood & BeverageOthersGlobal Industrial Air Compressor Market: Region-wise OutlookBy region, the performance of the industrial air compressor market in North America is anticipated to remain weak owing to the sluggish performance of some of the major end use industries. The market is expected to witness moderate growth in Europe, due to existing economic uncertainty in some of the countries, which are prominent markets for industrial air compressors. Asia pacific is expected to witness fast CAGR growth over the forecast period. The major driver of the market growth in Asia Pacific is the robust ongoing industrialization in developing countries, particularly India and China. The market in Middle East & Africa is also expected to witness moderate growth, GCC countries and South Africa are anticipated to remain major contributors to the growth of the market in the region.Request For TOC:Global Industrial Air Compressor Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants identified in the global industrial air compressor market are:Atlas Copco ABHitachi Ltd.Siemens AGSulzer AGDoosan Infracore Co. Ltd.Ingersoll-Rand PLC.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Boge KompressorenGE Oil & GasHowden Group Ltd.Kirloskar Pneumatics Co. Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Automated Truck Loading System Market Poised for Steady Growth and Forecast in the Future http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2920 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2920 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ In certain product categories, logistics costs accounts for the major portion of the total costs, which has led to shift the focus towards more economical and efficient logistics operations. Now a days, manufacturers emphasized on improving production efficiency as a means to gain a competitive edge, as well as to achieve operational excellence. Introduction of automation in logistics improves operations and flexibility, while ensuring high efficiency. Manufacturers are focusing on post-manufacturing operations so as to cut costs, an area that has been totally neglected in the past. There are significant opportunities to cut costs in post manufacturing operations and effectively speed up the entire cash cycle.There has been growing use of automated truck loading systems for loading and unloading of goods or materials. This reduces labor cost, minimizes product damage, optimizes time management and ensures high efficiency in the supply chain. Traditionally, the manual truck loading process was adopted in the industries; however, labor scarcity manifests a major hurdle. As a result, it has emerged as the strongest factor pushing for consolidation and automation in logistics operations. Consequently, there is a steady rise in the adoption rate of automated truck loading systems in many industries, such as food & beverage, paper, automotive, dairy, chemical-cosmetic, pharmaceutical, electrical, glass, tobacco, and general manufacturing.Retirement of the skilled warehouse workers and truck drivers in developed regions such as Europe and North America is another factor that has led to an increase in the adoption of automated truck loading systems as a post manufacturing solution in industry logistics.Request For Report Sample:Global Automated Truck Loading System Market: DynamicsDrivers:The major factor driving the growth of the automated truck loading system market is cost-cutting in the operations. As compared to traditional loading, the automated truck loading system can save significant value of the total cost of products sold.Additionally, automated truck loading systems reduce dependency on labour, save goods from being damaged and improve safety of work environment. These factors are estimated to fuel growth of the global automated truck loading system market.Restraints:Abundant availability of cheap labour in the Asia-Pacific region is estimated to be a key restraining factor that may hamper growth of the global automated truck loading system market.Steep costing of automated truck loading systems is estimated to be a major restraint in the growth of the global automated truck loading system market in cost sensitive regions such as India and China.Global Automated Truck Loading System Market: SegmentationThe global automated truck loading system market is segmented as follows:The globalautomated truck loading system market can be segmented on the basis of system type as follows: skate loader, load runner, and conveyor systems. The conveyor systems segment can be further divided into: chain system, slat system, carpet system, belt system and roller track system.The global automated truck loading system market can be segmented on the basis of loading dock as follows:saw tooth dock, flush dock, and enclosed dock.The globalautomated truck loading system market can be segmented on the basis of application industry as follows: air cargo, FMCG, paper, automotive, consumer durables, post & parcel, and other application.Request For TOC:GlobalAutomated Truck Loading System Market: Regional OutlookThe Asia-Pacific automated truck loading system market is forecasted to register stable growth over the forecast period, owing to the growing demand for automation in operations such as truck loading and unloading, new strategies in production cost cutting and safety of the work environment. In this region, India and China are projected to drive the growth owing to the low penetration rate of automated truck loading systems. The North America and Europe truck loading system market is estimated to grow steadily in the forecast period.Global Automated Truck Loading System: Market ParticipantsExamples of some market participants in the global automated truck loading system market identified across the value chain are:ATLS LtdActiw OyAsbreuk Service B.V.Beumer GroupCargo Floor B.V.C&D Skilled Robotics, Inc.Joloda International LtdMaschinenfabrik Mollers GmbHSecon Components S.L.Ancra Systems B.V.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: Guillain-Barre Syndrome Market Research Report Forecast to 2025 Guillain-Barre Syndrome Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/guillain-barre-syndrome-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26765 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Globally, there are very high unmet needs for the Guillain-Barre syndrome therapeutics market, this fact proves that the market for therapeutics is extremely attractive. For the present treatment options, the cost of therapy is very high, the available treatment options have difficulties in safety profile, low efficacy and diagnosis and lack of adequate treatment options clearly prove that there are extremely high unmet needs.Guillain-Barre syndrome is disorder where a part of the peripheral nervous system is attacked by the bodys immune system. In Guillain-Barre syndrome, the patient experience a tingling sensation in the legs and a varying degree of weakness. In many patients, the abnormal sensation spreads to the upper parts of the body such as the arms. In severe conditions, the patient may totally become paralyzed due to increase in the intensity of symptoms to such an extent that some muscles stop functioning. Hodgkins lymphoma, mycoplasma pneumonia, Epstein-Barr virus, and influenza virus are few of the risk factors of the disorder. The market for Guillain-Barre syndrome is weak as there are limited treatment options available. The European Medical Agency (EMEA) approved three intravenous immunoglobulin products: Flebogamma (intravenous immunoglobulin, Ig) marketed by Grifols Biologicals, Inc.; Kiovig (Gammagard Liquid + rHuPH20) marketed by Baxter Biotherapeutics division (Baxter International Inc.); and Privigen (intravenous Ig) marketed by CSL Behring. Other pharmaceutical companies also offer many intravenous immunoglobulin therapies which provide symptomatic relief to patients suffering from the disorder with off-label treatment options. As there is no presence of another competing class of drugs, the competition is weak. In the U.S., there are no approved drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the disorder and an off-label treatment intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) are prescribed.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Market:The global Guillain-Barre syndrome drugs market can be segmented on the basis of trends and opportunities. Increasing awareness about the condition, high prevalence of the disorder, improvement in patient security policies, and growth in international and domestic investment in research and development for unmet needs in treatment procedures are factors which are likely to propel the growth of the Guillain-Barre syndrome therapeutics market. However, the skepticism surrounding the stigma attached with the Guillain-Barre syndrome along with its treatment and the social pressure might restraint the market growth. In underdeveloped countries, the situation is more critical as there is no penetration of the medical advancements yet. Furthermore, there is creation of bottleneck for the market due to inadequate government initiatives even though there is high prevalence of unmet needs in underdeveloped countries.In developing countries such as India and China, the market is expected to expand during the forecast period owing to increased spending by governments in the healthcare sector. In addition, supportive reimbursement policies, availability of advanced treatments at affordable prices, increasing medical tourisms in these countries, and launch of novel therapeutics are expected to fuel the market growth during the forecast period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:The global Guillain-Barre syndrome drugs market can be segmented by cause, diagnosis, treatment, and region. The cause segment includes autoimmune disorder, virus, old age with diabetes or heart conditions, and others. The diagnosis segment includes lumbar puncture, electromyogram, nerve conduction velocity, and others. The treatment segment includes plasmapheresis, immunoglobulin, medications, physical therapy, hydrotherapy, counseling, prognosis, and others.Geographically, the global market is distributed over North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and rest of the world. The expanding favorable initiatives and healthcare industry supporting the growth will help market participants rake high profits in the region.The key players operating in the global market include Grifols Biologicals Inc., Baxter Biotherapeutics, and CSL Behring.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Aircraft Braking System Market Analysis, Forecast, 2017-2027 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3460 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3460 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Deployment of highly efficient aircraft braking system in modern aircrafts is of utmost importance. Safety primarily relies upon the efficient working of the braking system, since brakes are used to slowdown and stop the aircraft whenever necessary. The aircraft braking system must be capable of braking on the smooth runway surface with limited length. This leads to the development of complex braking system, which requires unwavering focus in terms of technology and material. Modern aircraft braking system comprises of aircraft disc brakes, thrust reversers, air brakes and drogue parachutes. All these components play significant roles in reducing the aircraft speed, thereby, ensuring safe landing. The brakes are replaced when the tyre tread or brake material is worn. This failure is examined by the maintenance staff, during which the entire brake/ wheel assembly is routed for replacement. The global aircraft braking system market is primarily driven by the refurbishment of brakes in existing fleet rather than the demand for new aircraft. This demand is primarily due to increase in airline traffic, which requires frequent upgrade of braking systems. According to the Airbus S.A.S, the global Revenue Passenger Kilometre is expected to grow by 4.5% every year, over the period 2014-2034.Further, aircraft manufacturing focusing on lightweight and downsizing of aircraft components is expected to create opportunities for research & development in aircraft braking system for development of new products. Chances of corrosion in braking material while operating in extreme environment conditions is one of the major challenges faced by aircraft OEMs. This is further expected to create significant opportunities for OEMs to monitor, remove and protect aircraft brakes against corrosion. Favourable macroeconomic conditions in developed and developing nations are expected to boost the market growth, as an increase in aircraft production will, in turn, create demand for aircraft braking system. OEMs are forming strategic alliances with component manufacturers to upgrade their existing braking system. This move will further assist the OEMs to gain customer confidence and will aid them to drive profitable growth in the competitive environment. In October 2016, UTC Aerospace Systems signed a contract with Ducommun to build electronic assemblies for the up gradation of its braking system.Request For Report Sample:Global Aircraft Braking System Market: SegmentationThe global Aircraft Braking System market is segmented on the basis of product type, deployment type, end-use, aircraft type and region.Based on product type, the global aircraft braking system market is segmented into carbon brakes and steel brakes. Deployment of particular brake type in aircraft depends on the desired operating environment. Carbon brakes are primarily deployed in military and commercial aircraft.Based on sales channel, the global aircraft braking system market can be segmented into OEM and after-market. After-market is expected to emerge as a fast growing segment owing to rising demand for the refurbishment of worn brakes in existing fleet.On the basis of end-use, the global Aircraft Braking System market can be segmented into general aviation, civil aviation and military aircraft.By aircraft type, the global Aircraft Braking System market can be segmented into narrow-body aircraft, wide-body aircraft, regional jets, freighter and turboprops.Request For TOC:Global Aircraft Braking System Market: Regional OutlookAsia-Pacific is expected to emerge as a fast growing region in terms of revenue growth in the global aircraft braking system market. This is primarily attributed to the significant growth in aircraft fleet. Further, shifting production base from North America and Europe to Asia-Pacific region due to reduced labour cost is also expected to drive noteworthy volume growth opportunities in the region. In terms of market share contribution, North America and Western Europe jointly share the larger pie of the market since one-third of the global fleet is present in North America with over twenty percent in Western Europe.Global Aircraft Braking System Market: Market ParticipantsGlobal Aircraft braking system market is highly consolidated with a handful of players contributing to the major share in the market. This includes Honeywell International Inc, UTC Aerospace Systems, Meggitt PLC and Safran Landing Systems among others. Companies are primarily focusing towards the development of the combination of wheel and braking system that can operate at high temperature and high speed.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: Commercial Helicopter Market Size By End-use Industry 2017-2027 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3655 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3655 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Rising use of helicopters in transportation, touring, and VIP movement has fuelled the demand for helicopters over the past few years. Helicopters can be employed in emergency situations as well, since they offer enormous manoeuvrability especially in small space and can reach to any affected area avoiding all the traffic on road as well as any natural calamity such as earthquake and flood. Moreover, these helicopters are equipped with passenger seats, better sound proofing capabilities, and air conditioning. Manufacturers are trying to make more visually appealing, carpeted interior and glossy finished commercial helicopters.The commercial helicopters can be used in the tourism industry, oil & gas transport, and VIP or corporate shuttle. In tourism industry, tour companies hire or purchase the fleet of helicopters for the transportation of the tourists offering aerial viewpoints of the tourist places. Secondly, corporate shuttle and VIP are preferred by leasing companies, VIP service or corporates. These helicopters are featured with advanced cabin comfort features. Thirdly, oil & gas support duties include pipeline patrols and light lift cargo flights.Commercial Helicopter Market: DynamicsThe increasing per capita income coupled with aging fleet is expected to fuel the demand for global commercial helicopter market. Moreover, growing tourism industry is further expected to upsurge the demand for commercial helicopter market during the forecast period. However, stringent emission norms and high cost associated with helicopters can act as challenges for the growth of commercial helicopter market. Most of the countries impose tax on commercial helicopters, thereby hampering the growth to an extent.Request For Report Sample:Helicopters produce sound level up to 110 decibels that is slightly less than the noise produced by a large chainsaw. The pressure on helicopter manufacturers to make more eco-friendly helicopters is likely to rise in the near future owing to the increasing number of rotorcrafts entering service. The developing countries such as Brazil, India and China are experiencing increase in demand for commercial helicopters owing to the growing tourism industry. Moreover, manufacturers expect that attractive financing schemes will encourage market sales, as consumers are getting favourable terms on purchase of new helicopters.Commercial Helicopter Market: OutlookCommercial helicopters cause pollution in two ways: gas emission from engine and noise pollution through its blades. Airframe and engine manufacturers are under immense pressure from environmental activists and governments to reduce the impact of rotorcrafts. Asia Pacific and Europe are estimated to be the promising markets for the delivery of helicopters in the upcoming decade. In Europe, the Clean Sky initiative by private/public partnership involving EU is developing technologies, which can be implemented in the production of new aircrafts. Similarly, Green Rotorcraft project is also taking initiatives to reduce emissions from commercial helicopters. Moreover, FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) imposed new rules on helicopter air ambulance services.Commercial helicopters are often the transportation option available to reach remote locations and hence play an important role by supporting lifesaving missions such as medical emergencies and rescue & search operations. The commercial helicopter fleet is also used for commerce and businesses such as in filmmaking, mineral, oil & gas, tourism, and mining.Commercial Helicopter Market: SegmentationOn the basis of size, the commercial helicopter market can be segmented into:Light Helicopter (< 4.5 T)Medium Helicopter ( 4.5 to 8.5 T)Heavy Helicopter (> 8.5 T)On the basis of engine type, the commercial helicopter market can be segmented into:Single EngineMulti EngineRequest For TOC:Commercial Helicopter Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global commercial helicopter market identified across the value chain include-Airbus Helicopter (Airbus Group)Lockheed Martin Corporation (Sikorsky)Leonardo S.p.A.Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.MD Helicopters Inc.Russian Helicopters, JSCRobinson Helicopter CompanyABOUT 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: Plumbing Fixtures Market Size, Value Chain and Forecast 2017-2027 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3749 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3749 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/plumbing-fixtures-market http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Plumbing fixtures are a replaceable device that can be connected with the plumbing system to drain and deliver water. Plumbing fixtures have evolved along with all the other areas of the plumbing industry. Fixtures have changed drastically in the last few decades in terms of colour, material and style. There are various types of plumbing fixtures available in the market which include bathtubs, drinking fountains, channel drains, showers, urinals, etc. Various standards regarding the design & effective operation of plumbing fixtures are made by various governments. Both the component material as well as the design of plumbing fixtures (wash-basins, tubs, sinks, toilet pans, etc.) are subject to standards and certifications which are required to ensure safety and integrity.Earlier, conventional plumbing fixtures were used as they used to be not only affordable but also easily available. However, nowadays, manufacturers are focussing on the development and utilization of electronic-based plumbing fixtures. These days, most public places such as showrooms, malls and hotels, people generally have sensor-operated urinals with fewer moving parts -- this reduces wear and tear and also elongates the life of urinals. Manually-operated flush valves are becoming increasingly rare. Sensor-operated valves also reduce the consumption of water by the way of intelligent flushing schedules based on fuzzy logic.Request For Report Sample:Global Plumbing Fixtures Market: SegmentationGlobally, the Plumbing Fixtures market can be segmented on the basis of material type, product type and application.Based on the material type, the global plumbing fixtures market can be segmented into:MetalsCast IronOthersPlasticsPolymersFiber GlassAcrylicsOthersBased on product type, the global plumbing fixtures market can be segmented into:BathtubShowersSinkToiletOthers (channel drains, etc.)Based on application, the global plumbing fixtures market can be segmented into:ResidentialCommercialGlobal Plumbing Fixtures Market: DynamicsRising drought-like conditions in various countries of North America and in other regions and an aging sewer system and water distribution system is impelling the construction professionals to look for alternative ways of conserving water. An effective approach is to install plumbing fixtures that consume less water. Further, the demand for plumbing fixtures is being impelled by the strong growth in the construction industry. The residential application of plumbing fixtures is expected to foresee the most rapid growth. This growth will be further enhanced by the increasing number of housing completions and new design trends that demand large and more number of bathrooms and kitchens. Commercially, the demand for plumbing fixtures is being supported by rising construction of bathroom-intensive structures such as offices, hospitals and hotels. The above-mentioned factors are expected to propel the demand for plumbing fixtures in near future and in turn, drive the growth of the global plumbing fixtures market.The major challenge identified for the manufacturers in the global plumbing fixtures market is to design fixtures keeping in mind the set standards for various materials utilized in the manufacturing of products.Request For TOC:The key trends identified in the global plumbing fixtures market include innovation in the design of the fixtures in order to attract customers towards the products and utilization of sensor-operated fixtures in order to provide performance, personal-comfort, aesthetics and germ-free bathing.Global Plumbing Fixtures Market: Region-wise OutlookAs far as regions are concerned, Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the market owing to various reasons, one of which is the regions growing population which supports the construction industry. Moreover, countries such as India and China are a manufacturing hub and provide numerous opportunities for the production of plumbing fixtures at lower costs. Plumbing fixtures are mainly utilized in residential and commercial buildings, the region is also witnessing major growth in these sectors. Asia-pacific is expected to be followed by North America, Europe and other regions of the world.Global Plumbing Fixtures Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the examples of the market participants in the Plumbing Fixtures Market identified across the value chain include Geberit AG, Jacuzzi, Inc., Kohler Co., Masco Corporation, LIXIL Group Corporation, TOTO LTD., Roca Sanitario S.A., Moen Incorporated and others.Browse Full Report:Manufacturers are focusing on product development in order to enhance the market share.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Medical Electronics Market size and Key Trends in terms of volume and value 2014-2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-72 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-72 www.futuremarketinsights.com Medical electronics is a branch of electronics that deals with design, implementation and use of electrical devices and equipment for medical purposes such as research, examination, diagnosis, treatment, assistance and care. Medical electronics utilizes field disciplines of both electronics and biomedical.Portable biomedical electronic devices are essential to movemedical products from the hospital atmosphere to home, and to move medical examination from the laboratoryand offer one-touch access to users. These devices offer secure access and enable both patients and doctors to stay in touch with each other remotely.Conventional medical devices have evolved over time, which is obvious with the advent of handheld smart phone-sized ultrasound systems, digital stethoscopes and digital X-ray systems.Small-sized medical devices are available for monitoring blood sugar levels, insulin, blood pressure and blood coagulation levels at home, and can send periodical reports to a doctor in a connected environment. Even consumer devices such as toothbrusheshave become modernized enough to send periodic information to dentists in a similar connected environment.The potential benefits associated with this technology includes improved quality of healthcare, increased output accuracy, remote health data availability,precise billing mechanism, easy to update patient electronic records and increase in level of patient experience. On other hand, there are some negative aspects such as decrease in productivity of medical professionals, lack of standard terminologies, significant learning difficulties and issues related to violation of patient data security.Request For Report Sample@Increase in income levels,higher standard of living, rising health awareness rise in aging population in developed countries and development in health facilities in developing countries are key factors driving the rapid growth of the medical electronics market. High availability of electronic components such as microcontrollers, memory devices, display technologies etc., has contributed majorlyto the development of biomedical devices and equipment.The acceptance of electronic medical devices is difficult for the users as well as the doctors due to its high prices.The global medical electronics market is segmented on the basis of type, components, application and geography. Medical electronic device types vary depending on size, from handheld devices to heavy base devices, wearable gadgets to wireless connected devices, and from RFID-based health tracking device to RADAR technology-based ultrasound machines.On the basis of components, the market is segmented into sensor, battery, display, processors and memory. On the basis of application,the market is segmented into imaging, health monitoring, digital assistance, digital diagnostic, medical therapy, fitness and wellness and healthcare. On the basis of geography, the market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, Western Europe, EasternEurope and the Middle East & Africa.The advancements in medical electronics include dynamic power path management, remote patient tracking, integrated analog front ends and tissue analysis of cancer cells. Some of the innovative products still in the developmental stage, which are to be introduced in the future, includeneedle-free diabetic care, robotic checkups andtouchscreen systems for treatment rooms.The opportunity for handheld wireless monitoring devicesis high.Visit For TOC@Siemens AG,Analog Devices, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Canada), GE Healthcare (U.K.), Maxim Integrated (U.S.), Texas Instruments Incorporated (U.S.), Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc.,ON Semiconductor Corporation (U.S.), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (U.S.), Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, GE,and Biotronik GMBH & CO.KG. (Germany) are some of top players in the medical electronics market. The key strategies adopted by most of these players to maintain and enhance market sharesinclude mergers& acquisition, joint ventures, product launches and product enhancement. The medical electronics market is expected to grow along with technological innovations and focus more on accuracy, cost effectiveness and technological platform portability with other medical equipment. With the rise in data security threats and legal claims from patients, more technologically safe and data secured devices need to be deployed in the market to meet the medical infrastructural needs of society.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: Intragastric Balloon Market forecast to see growth of 9.5% from 2016 to 2024 Global Market Insights, Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1173 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/intragastric-balloon-market https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1173 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/body-fat-measurement-market https://www.gminsights.com https://gminsights.wordpress.com According to research report Intragastric Balloon Market Size By Product (Single, Dual, Triple), By Filling Material (Saline, Gas), By End-use (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Clinics), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, Japan, India, China, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt), Application Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Intragastric balloon market having held a revenue of USD 120 million in 2015, is projected to register a CAGR of 9.5% over the period of 2016-2024.Over the recent years, intragastric balloon market has been occupying a chunk of the ever-evolving healthcare industry. The modern day hectic lifestyle is causing a plethora of risk factors, with obesity as the prime concern in the checklist. A recent estimation by WHO depicts that global obese population has doubled since 1980, primarily driven by U.S. and Sub-Saharan region. There has always been a surge in demand for cost effective and safe weight reduction methods for the treatment of obesity. Intragastric balloons have proved to be an attractive intermediate alternative to address this need.Request for a sample of this research report -Mostly, intragastric balloons are inflated with saline or gas. Gas-filled intragastric balloon market demand is heightening, as its three-layered bacteria resistant design ensures patients comfort in case of balloon deflation. This market is anticipated to exhibit a significant annual growth rate of 10% over the coming seven years. Saline filled intragastric balloon market dominated the industry in 2015 and is projected to generate substantial revenue in the years ahead, with an estimated annual growth rate of more than 9% over the period of 2016-2024.Based on the product types, single, dual, and triple are the three categories of intragastric balloons prevalent in the industry. Single intragastric balloon market covered more than half of the total market in terms of revenue in 2015 and is anticipated to record a striking annual growth rate of 8.5% over the coming seven years. Dual intragastric balloon industry is also projected to record significant gains with a forecast revenue of USD 85 million by 2024. Growing patient inclination toward minimally invasive surgeries over bariatric surgeries such as sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass etc. is pushing triple intragastric balloon market. The study estimates the triple intragastric balloon industry to register a CAGR of 11% over the timeframe of 2016-2024.Browse key industry insights spread across 110 pages with 99 market data tables & 8 figures & charts from this 2017 report Intragastric Balloons Market in detail along with the table of contents at:US is one of the leading regions spending heavily in healthcare programs, with a major focus on chronic ailments. Obesity is becoming a prime concern for the U.S. population taking into account the increasing premature deaths in the region from obesity driven diseases such as strokes, heart diseases, and even cancer. As per the statistics provided by the OECD, in 2014 35% of the U.S.population were examined to be obese. Driven by the aforementioned fact along the improved patient awareness level, favorable government initiatives, and advanced healthcare infrastructure, U.S. intragastric balloon market is poised to witness a lucrative roadmap in the coming years.Hospitals and clinics are the major end-use sectors of the intragastric balloon market making an appreciable revenue contribution to the global share. Intragastric balloon industry share from hospitals is likely to exceed a value generation of over USD 100 million by 2024. Moreover, increasing spending on healthcare facilities has considerably fueled the clinics market contribution which is set to display a CAGR of 10% over the period of 2016-2024.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Ambulatory surgical centers are also poised to observe a steady growth potential with its enhanced quality of patient care and cost-effective services. Intragastric balloon market share from ambulatory surgical centers is forecast to register a CAGR of 9.5% over the period of 2016-2024.The inclination toward enhancing the healthcare infrastructure in terms of cost, treatment methodologies, and technological developments will significantly fuel intragastric balloon industry size in the coming years. In response to this fact, India and Brazil each are estimated to record a CAGR of 10% over the coming seven years.Taking into consideration the competitive outlook, the major intragastric balloon industry players are adopting mergers & acquisitions as the key strategy to accomplish global expansion and recognition. Allurion Technologies, Obalon Therapeutics Inc., ReShape Medical Inc., Silimed, Districlass Medical and Apollo Endosurgery Inc. are few of the notable participants of the intragastric balloon market.Browse Related Reports:Body Fat Measurement Market Size By Product (Bioimpedance Analyzers, Body Fat Skinfold Calipers, Air Displacement Plethysmography, Hydrostatic Weighing, Dual Emission X-ray Absorptiometry), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., UK, Germany, China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022 - HP, Jenzabar, IBM, Toshiba, Apple, Blackboard Global Education Technology Market 2017- 2022 http://bit.ly/2sSEAIj http://bit.ly/2tPkUGC http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-education-technology-ed-tech-market-2017-production.html The market research report Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022 in Global market Professional Survey 2017 : Size, Share, Trends, Industry Growth, Opportunity, Application, Production, Segmentation, Cost Structure, Company Profile, Product Picture and Specifications during the Forecast period by 2022.For sample Free download Full Report with Toc:The recent report on Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022 offers insightful information about the present scenario of the market across the globe. The report, titled Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market points out the key factors affecting the growth of the market. Latest market trends as well as the future growth opportunities have been mentioned in the report. The report takes into account the various micro- and macro-economic factors governing the overall growth of the Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) 2017- 2022 Market market and assesses the valuation and size of the market in the coming yearsInquiry Before Buying:Global and Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022 Key Manufacturers AnalysisAppleBlackboardDiscovery CommunicationDellDynavox Mayer-JohnsonHPJenzabarIBMToshibaThe report discusses the competitive vendor landscape of the Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022 in the globe. Some of the key players in the market have been profiled in the report and crucial information about them such as their business overview, revenue segmentation, and product segmentation have been mentioned in the report. The report takes note of the market share held by the key players and estimates their future growth through SWOT analysis. It serves as a useful guide for the new entrants in the Global and China Education Technology (Ed Tech) Market 2017- 2022.Access Full Report With TOC @MRS Research Group is the worlds giant collection of the Market research Reports. Where we specialized in global publisher, tailor made reports and specialists consulting. Global Publisher provides in-depth analysis of global and Chinese market.3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442, FORT DODGE | Several police officers testified Wednesday in Peter Veals double homicide trial that an alleged eyewitness told them Veal shot Mindy Kavars on Nov. 17 in Mason City. Veal, of Lake Mills, is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Kavars and Caleb Christensen. He also is charged with attempted murder for allegedly attempting to shoot the eyewitness, Ron Willis, who called 911. Police: Witness in Mason City double homicide called 911 MASON CITY A man considered a witness to a double homicide in Mason City earlier this mont Willis might be testifying on Thursday, according to Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen. This is a brutal murder, Dalen said during opening statements Wednesday afternoon. He said Kavars was shot in the neck and Christensen was stabbed 25 times in the head and shoulders. Willis reportedly was socializing with his friends Veal and Christensen and his cousin Kavars at Christensens house in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Avenue when Veal got out of his chair at around 2:15 a.m. and shot Kavars. Veal then pointed the gun at Willis and pulled the trigger, but it didnt fire because it jammed, Dalen said. He said Veal then hit Willis over the head with the gun and Willis ran out the door and called 911. He had just seen a murder and had barely gotten out alive, Dalen said. If Willis hadnt escaped and called 911, the police might not have been able to identify a suspect, according to Dalen. Willis saw Veal leave the house while he was still talking on his cell phone to a dispatcher, Dalen said. Officers responded to the scene. One of them spotted Veal, who took off running, according to Dalen. Police found Veal on someones porch a short distance away and arrested him, he said. Public defender Steven Kloberdanz told jurors you will hear a rather bizarre tale during the course of the trial. He also told jurors to pay close attention to Willis testimony as well as details of the investigation including both what officers did and didnt do. Dont take their (the states) case at face value, Kloberdanz said. No one likes to admit that they made a mistake. Also on Wednesday, jurors were shown graphic photos taken at the crime scene of the bodies of the victims. Veal's trial was moved to the Webster County Courthouse in Fort Dodge due to pre-trial publicity. Jury selection began Monday, but was halted due to a defense motion to strike the jury panel to allow more time to investigate whether African-Americans were being systematically excluded. Judge rejects striking jury for Mason City double homicide trial FORT DODGE | A judge has overruled a defense motion to throw out the jury pool in a double h District Court Judge Rustin Davenport overruled that motion Tuesday morning and jury selection resumed in the afternoon. The jury wasnt selected until around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. The trial resumes at 9 a.m. Thursday. Wellness Services Market Revenue, Opportunity, Forecast and Value Chain 2014-2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-128 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-128 www.futuremarketinsights.com Wellness is a vital process of becoming aware of and taking responsibility for making choices that directly contribute to health. It is a balanced amalgamation of ones body, mind and spirit. Wellness means valuing and taking good care of ones body. The objective of wellness services is to change the association between service users and health services by allowing individuals to preserve and improve their health. It spread knowledge, motivation, and skills toward enhancing personal fitness and health. Wellness services help make healthy and positive choices regarding a variety of factors, such as nutrition, physical activity, sexuality, sleep, the use of alcohol and drugs, self-care, and the appropriate use of health care systems. The services help enhance awareness of our current state of health in multiple dimensions with the initiative, tools and support to make lasting changes towards a more optimal life. The primary dimensions of wellness are: mental, physical, spiritual, social, environmental, emotional and occupational. The integrated model of wellness services encompasses a broader spectrum that includes a healthy lifestyle, family and early years, welfare, community development and leisure, work, learning and skills, self-care and independent living, and healthy protection and personal safety.Wellness services include rejuvenation, slimming, beauty, counselling, alternative therapy and fitness. Among these, rejuvenation services such as spas and ayurvedic treatments are trending while slimming and fitness centres also augment the global wellness services market. Primary drivers of this market are increase in population and their per capita income. People are becoming health conscious and focusing more towards relaxation and proper maintenance of physical fitness. Increase in life expectancy, non-uniform reach of medical systems and globalization are some of the major trends in wellness service industry.Request For Report Sample@A key advantage of wellness services is that consumer spending in this market continues to be buoyant, due to which the demand for wellness is rapidly increasing developed economies as people are becoming more aware of fitness and beauty. However, there are some disadvantages too, like paucity of skilled and trained personnel, usage of low-value, ineffective and harmful products by wellness services providers with a view to regulate costs, regional differences in the probable wellness service offering, leading to a non-standardized approach for offerings, etc.The global wellness services have a strong market presence in the U.S. and Europe as these regions are more attentive towards health and wellness. Additionally, demographics-driven wellness services and anti-ageing treatments, younger people and escalating middle-classes are augmenting the growth of global wellness services market. The market is emerging in Asia-Pacific where the population is growing and there is awareness among its people for health and wellness. Industrial growth in the corporate sector is one of the reasons in developing countries to demand for wellness services, thus acting as a growth opportunity for the global wellness services market. Key vendors in the global wellness services market include Gold's Gym International, Inc., Johnson & Johnson and others. A growing concern over health and fitness has led these companies to expand their business. For instance, Golds Gym, the world leader in fitness and wellness, collaborated with Microsoft on its just-unveiled smart wearable band for people who want to live healthier and be more productive. Also, Johnson & Johnson recently collaborated with Janssen and USAID (United States Agency for International Development) to fight against the health threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.A wellness Service offers support to people in order to improve their health and well-being. The service aims to build peoples capacity to live healthy lives by motivating the factors that impact health and well-being.This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the wellness services market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as market geographies, types and applications.The report covers an exhaustive analysis onMarket SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition and Companies InvolvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaAsia-PacificJapanWestern EuropeEastern EuropeMiddle East & AfricaVisit For TOC@The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. It provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Next Generation Memory Industry Analysis and Forecast Report 2017-2025 The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000339 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000339 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/next-generation-memory-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000339 The Insight Partners, Global Next Generation Memory Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Next Generation Memory industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Next Generation Memory market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Next Generation Memory market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Next Generation Memory players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request Sample Copy atThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Next Generation Memory market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Next Generation Memory market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire for Discount Copy atAlso, key Next Generation Memory market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Key Company Profiles- Micron Technology, Inc.- Avalanche Technology, Inc.- Cypress Semiconductor Corporation- Adesto Technologies Corporation Inc.- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.- Fujitsu Ltd.- Intel Corporation- SK Hynix, Inc.- Crossbar, Inc.- Everspin Technologies Inc.View Complete Report atReason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Next Generation Memory market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Inquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Pune, India Laser Technology Industry Report 2017 - Global Market Analysis and 2025 Forecasts The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000229 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000229 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/laser-technology-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000229 The Insight Partners, Global Laser Technology Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Laser Technology industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Laser Technology market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Laser Technology market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Laser Technology players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request Sample Copy atThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Laser Technology market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Laser Technology market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire for Discount Copy atAlso, key Laser Technology market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Key Company ProfilesCoherent, Inc.Corning Inc.Cymer Inc.Frankfurt LaserIPG Photonics CorporationJDS Uniphase CorporationNewport CorporationROFIN-SINAR Technologies Inc.Schott Glass TechnologiesTRUMPFView Complete Report atReason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Laser Technology market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Inquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Pune, India North America and Europe Retail Automation Market Growth, Trends, Absolute Opportunity and Value Chain 2014-2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-na-200 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-na-200 www.futuremarketinsights.com OverviewAutomation is the latest advancement set to revolutionise the global retail market. The retail automation market is expected to witness steady growth, owing to such avant-garde collaboration between global retail and consumer goods sector, and the global electronics and IT industry. Considering the fact that retail industry drives the growth of several business and trade ventures around the world, the influence of automation will bring more efficiency to billions of retail transactions.Visual merchandising, planogram, and big data in retail are the key trends fuelling the demand of automated services in retail markets. Effective automated products and programs that speed up the sales mechanism, create efficiency in product supplies, and develop easily-accessible business platforms that can produce a lucrative environment for the growth of the retail automation market globally.The global market for retail automation is gaining traction in Asia Pacific, Western Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The two most lucrative regions for the growth of the global retail automation market are North America and Europe.Request For Report Sample@Retail Automation in North AmericaOf these two regions, North America is the current market leader, holding the greater pie of retail automation market share. The North American retail automation market is likely to register high growth rate during 2014-2020 period.North America remains a lucrative market for retail automation globally, with the US and Canada witnessing steady demand. North American consumers have adopted the prominent trend of relying on retail automated products and services for business transactions, which has made an affirming impetus on the retail automation market. Economic progress and rising purchasing power of consumers are some of the trends, specific to North America, that make the outlook of retail automation market considerably positive.The European Retail Automation MarketEurope, on the other hand, is closing in on North America in order to become the leading key region in the global retail automation market. Several retail chains and multiple product lines established in Europe are helping the setting up of retail automation in European nations. The European regional market is primarily segmented into UK, Germany, Spain, France and others. Britains exodus from EU is likely to impact the implementation of automation in UKs retail market. But, the economic stability in other European countries is expected to create a supportive dais for building up the retail automation market.Factors Benefiting the Growth of Retail Automation MarketNorth America and Europe, collectively, will continue their prominence in the global market, with respect to the market size, revenue share, and overall demand. The factors that will incite this growth are,Growth of Local Retail & Customer ReceptionLocal retail markets are growing in several parts of North America & Europe. Combined with a positive consumer response, automated retail will continue flourishing in niche retail markets.Overflowing Investments on Automation Products & ServicesRetail giants dominating the existing retail market are investing in automated programs and devices for creating efficient output. The cost advantage is increasing the demand for automated retail services.Proliferation of Shopping Centres and SupermarketsConsumers in the US and European countries prefer buying from hypermarket and malls, which is great platform for automated retail kiosks.Challenges in the Global Retail Automation MarketThe retail automation market in North America and Europe is growing steadily, but there are a handful of factors that may restrain or slow down its growth. In the US and Canada, a key challenge for retail automation is its greatest disadvantage -- the loss of job. Labours and working professionals at retail outlets are a major contributor of the regions economy. Rising unemployment levels could plunge the local economy, having a rippling effect on the national economies of North America.In Europe, the instability of economies across its constituent nations is restraining the growth of its retail automation market. Improving financial conditions in Turkey, Russia and Poland could influence the expansion of automated retail products; however, theundulating economies of Spain, Italy as well as Britain, can impede the adoption of automation in European retail sector.Besides, maintaining the continuous supervision of retail kiosks, high dependency on electricity and the implications arriving from variable internet regulations are some other restraints recoiling the progress of retail automation in Europe and North America.SegmentationThe segmentation of the retail automation market is done on the basis of geography, the operator type and the product type.Geographic SegmentationNorth America (sub-segmented into United States, Canada & others)Europe (sub-segmented into Spain, France, UK & others)Operator Type SegmentationUnattended TerminalsHuman-Operated TerminalsProduct SegmentationCurrency CounterBarcode ReaderBill PrinterCash CounterCash RegisterCard ReaderSelf-Checkout SystemWeight ScaleKiosks/Vending MachineOthersVisit For TOC@Key CompetitorsElectronic companies such as Seiko Epson, Fujitsu, First Data Corp., Siemens, Toshiba and Wincor Nixdorf are some of the top players in the global retail automation market. Most of these ICT companies are headquartered in Europe, making the region a credible platform for new manufacturers and startups in retail automation. Meanwhile, North American retail giants such as Walmart and Kroger are developing their own devices and services to reap benefits from the amalgamation of retail and automation.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: Knee Braces Market 2017 Key Trends, Demand, Growth, Size, Review, Forecast to 2022 Knee Braces Market http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/report/132678/request-sample http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-knee-braces-market-industry-analysis-size-share.html http://www.9dresearchgroup.com Market Research Report on Global Knee Braces Market 2017 Supply, Application, Segmentation, Opportunity, Market Development, production, capacity utilization, supply, Analysis and Forecast by 2022The Knee Braces market report has an absolute blend of assessable trends and forecasting analysis. This analysis provides avant-garde approach for our thousands of customers in the Knee Braces market. Using authorized data sources along with different techniques and tools to collect and analyze information, our privileged team of researchers, analysts, and consultants has taken extra efforts in forecasting the global market. The report represents the most recent and the most consistent data crucial for businesses in the global market in order to sustain in a competitive market.Request for Sample Report:This study estimates, analyzes, and forecasts the global market in terms of revenue and volume. The market numerals provided in the report portray the global demand for the product, except the supply or production. The Knee Braces market report also examines a number of restraining and driving factors and their effect on the global market in the future.The report furnishes an in-depth analysis of the global market by its key applications too. The report further categorizes the global market on the basis of key geographical areas as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. In addition, the report provides revenue and volume for each application segment for every region. This comprises several unique country-specific information.On the basis of country and application, the Knee Braces market report highlights the magnetism of every country and segment with the help of various tool. The overall study consists of value chain analysis that gives a thorough understanding of major players in the supply chain, particularly ranging from raw material manufacturers to end-users. Moreover, the report provides the global market cutthroat competition with the help of Porters Five Forces Analysis.Read Complete Report with TOC:Various researches used in the study include Primary research and Secondary research. Both of these researches have their own specialties in their own way. Primary research consist of various methods used to gather the information on the primary level. Secondary research mainly consists of different external sources such as external patented databases, financial reports, broker reports, annual reports, stockholder presentations, and so on. With the help of primary and secondary research approach, several aspects of the market such as supply, demand, profit, latest market trends, competitive players, their in-depth study, and many more are covered in the Knee Braces market report.9D Research Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact UsJoel JohnTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@9dresearchgroup.comWeb: Text Analytics Market Research Report 2017 - Trends, Technology, Key Manufacturers and 2025 Forecasts The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000198 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000198 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/text-analytics-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000198 Global Text Analytics Market Research Report 2017-2025 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Text Analytics Market. This report studies Text Analytics in Global market, especially North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM).The Insight Partners, Global Text Analytics Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Text Analytics industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Text Analytics market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Text Analytics market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Text Analytics players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request Sample Copy atThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Text Analytics market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Text Analytics market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire for Discount Copy atAlso, key Text Analytics market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Key Company ProfilesSAS IncorporationClarabridgeOpenTextLexalyticsIBM CorporationSAP SERapidMinerBasis TechnologyAngossAttensityView Complete Report atReason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Text Analytics market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Inquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Pune, India Beverage Container Market trends for 2017 & industry forecast to 2023 www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/140 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/beverage-container-market www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/140 www.gminsights.com/ Global Market Insights has a new study based report titled " Beverage Container Market Size, Industry Outlook, Regional Analysis (U.S., Germany, UK, Italy, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Application Development, Competitive Landscape & Forecast, 2016 2023".Global beverage containers market size is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 3% from 2016 to 2023 and it is estimated to exceed USD 65 billion by 2023. Demand growth can be subjected to attributes offered by containers such as external environment protection, product support along with tampering resistance to beverages.Metal beverage containers segment is the second largest beverage container type in terms of units is expected to register less growth owing to descending soft drink production and meagre increases in beer production from 2016 to 2023.Request for Detailed Table of Contents of this report@Flourishing demand for alternatives to the carbonated drinks along with increasing consumer preferences for single serving containers is expected to drive beverage containers market growth over the forecast period. In addition, these containers also assist in minimizing post production damage which is further expected to fuel the industry demand.1. Beverage Container Market size & forecast by product & application2. Growth drivers, pitfalls & industry challenges3. Key Beverage Container Market growth opportunities & emerging businessmodels4. Competitive benchmarking with market share analysis and company profilesAggressive marketing campaigns accompanied by propagation of new product introductions are anticipated to positively impact the industry growth over the next few years. Furthermore, encouraging demographic trends such as dynamic gains in millennial and in the ageing population is estimated to augment the demand growth for beverages and associated containers.The beverage container market can be segmented on the type of container such as plastic, paperboard, metal and glass. Plastic containers can be further segregated into bottles and pouches. Metal segment can be classified into aluminium and steel.Browse Beverage Container Market report summary@The Beverage Container Market Report Consists of,1. Methodology and Scope2. Executive Summary3. Beverage Container Market Industry Insights3.1 Industry segmentation3.2. Industry size, forecast and growth expectations, 2012 - 20233.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.4. Raw material insights3.5. Technology insights3.6. Regulatory framework3.7. Industry dynamics3.8. Key growth opportunities3.9. Porter's analysis3.10. Company market share, 20153.11. PESTEL analysis3.14. Regional price trends4. Beverage Container Market Product Insights5. Beverage Container Market Application Insights6. Beverage Container Market Regional Insights7. Competitor ProfilesPlastic containers are also expected to witness solid growth from bottled water industries. In addition, demand for this segment is attributed to various benefits offered such as light weight, reseal ability, portability and shatter resistance. These factors have made plastic containers more appealing for on-the-go consumption. Growing maturity and environmental concerns related to the PET bottles market volume in landfills is anticipated to challenge the demand growth over the forecast period.Inquire About to purchase this research report@Asia Pacific beverage containers market size accumulated around 34% of the overall industry share in 2014. The surge in the industry is due to increasing demand for glass bottles from beer industry in the region over the forecast period. Advent of various alcoholic beverages is also expected to fuel the demand for glass bottles. In addition, glass bottles are preferred over plastic ones due to the chemical inertness offered by the glass bottles.key industry participants occupying major beverage containers market share include Amcor Limited, Ampac Packaging LLC, Alcoa Incorporated, Anchor Glass Container Corporation, Ardagh Group SA, Anheuser-Busch, Ball Corporation, CCL Industries Incorporated, Berry Plastics Corporation, CKS Packaging Incorporated, Consolidated Container Company LLC, Coca-Cola Company Incorporated, Crown Holdings Incorporated, Empaque, Dean Foods Company, Evergreen Packaging, Gallo (E&J) Winery, Exal Group, Graham Packaging and Hindalco Industries Limited among others.About Global Market Insights, Inc.:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: At a CAGR of 2.02%, Global Pulp Market to grow over 2016-2020 - APP, Arauco, Fibria, Suzano, UPM http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=720158 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Global Pulp Market 2016-2020 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.Pulp is a type of fibrous material that is largely composed of water, cellulose fibers, lignin, and hemicelluloses. Cellulose fibers are essential for the production of paper, while lignin is a type of polymer that binds these fibers together. Hemicellulose, like cellulose, is a carbohydrate-based polymer that binds closely to cellulose fibers and along with cellulose fibers, provides strength to paper. Water, cellulose fibers, lignin, and hemicelluloses constitute over 95% of the composition of pulp. In some pulp grades, extractives account for the remaining composition. Air-dried pulp, which is available in the market, has a lower amount of water (less than 10% by weight).The global pulp market to grow at a CAGR of 2.02% by production capacity during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global pulp market for 2016-2020. For the purpose of arriving at the market size or the total pulp production capacity, the study considers both the market pulp (pulp produced for sale to end-user) and integrated pulp (pulp produced for internal consumption) capacity of vendors, which also includes any unutilized capacity of a given vendor in 2015.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Pulp Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- APP- Arauco- Fibria- Suzano- UPMOther prominent vendors- Altri- APRIL- Ballarpur Industries (Bilt)- Burgo Group- Canfor- Catalyst Paper- Clearwater Paper- Domtar- Eldorado Brasil- ENCE (Energa y Celulosa)- Heinzel Holding- Holmen- International Paper- Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing- Mercer International- Mets Group- Mitsubishi Paper Mills- Mondi- Nippon Paper- Oji Holdings..........Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Latest Report Details Of Reinsurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1224453 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1224453/reinsurance-in-china-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Reinsurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"SynopsisTimetrics 'Reinsurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Chinese reinsurance segment. It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, reinsurance ceded and reinsurance accepted during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).The report also analyses information pertaining to the competitive landscape in the country, gives a comprehensive overview of the Chinese economy and demographics, and provides detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Chinese insurance industry.The report brings together Timetrics research, modeling and analysis expertise to enable reinsurers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and access profiles of reinsurers operating in the country.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @SummaryTimetrics 'Reinsurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Chinese reinsurance segment, including:The Chinese reinsurance segments growth prospects by reinsurance ceded from direct insuranceA comprehensive overview of the Chinese economy and demographicsDetailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Chinese insurance industryThe competitive landscape in the Chinese reinsurance segmentScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the reinsurance segment in China:It provides historical values for the Chinese reinsurance segment for the reports 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Chinese reinsurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.It provides a detailed analysis of the reinsurance ceded from various direct insurance segments in China, and the reinsurance segment's growth prospects.View Report @Reasons To BuyMake strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Chinese reinsurance segment, and each category within it.Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Chinese reinsurance segment.Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.Gain insights into key regulations governing the Chinese insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.Key HighlightsAt the end of 2016, China overtook Japan to become the worlds second-largest insurance market, after the US.The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) implemented the China Risk Oriented Solvency System (C-ROSS) framework in January 2016 with the objective of improving regulatory control and establishing a solvency supervisory system.The government and the CIRC approved the establishment of three domestic reinsurance companies in 2016: Taiping Re (China), PICC Re and Qianhai Re.In June 2015, CIRC established a consortium of 45 qualified companies with the objective of providing earthquake insurance for residential properties in urban and rural areas.In November 2014, the China Agriculture Insurance Reinsurance Community was established by 23 agricultural insurers, with the objective of developing agricultural insurance.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz US Insurance IT Spending Market Trends 2016-2020 - Accenture, CSC, Fiserv, Guidewire Software, Oracle http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=720157 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Insurance IT Spending Market in the US 2016-2020 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.The insurance industry in the Americas is highly competitive and regulated in nature. The insurance market in the US is influenced by economic and political conditions of the country. GDP is one of the major factors that can influence the growth rate of the insurance industry. Currently, the economy of the US is stronger than rest of the world (ROW). The upcoming Presidential election in the US might impact the insurance business in the US. We forecast the formation of new government in the US will lead to changes in policies in the financial sector of the country.The IT Spending by Insurance in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% during the period 2016-2020. Insurance firms in the US face intense competition, tight market regulations, and high customer expectations. These firms are under pressure with rising operational complexities, shrinking profit margin, regulatory changes for IT security, market consolidations, and fraudulent policy claims. Insurers also need to replace their traditional IT systems and obsolete technologies to remain competitive in the domestic as well as international market. Insurers seek multi-channel marketing strategies due to increased number of digital consumers using smart devices to explore insurance servicesGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the IT Spending by Insurance in the US for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, we consider revenue generated from the following types of IT spending in insurance sector of the US.- Software spending- Hardware spending- IT services spendingTechnavio's report, IT Spending by Insurance in the US 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Accenture- CSC- Fiserv- Guidewire Software- OracleOther prominent vendors- Andesa- Cognizant- EXL Service- FIS- Genpact- Majesco- Microsoft- Pegasystems- SAP- StoneRiverKey questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: MASON CITY | A man considered a witness to a November double homicide in Mason City testified Thursday he saw his cousin draw her last breaths after being shot in the neck. "That was too much for me," Ron Willis said Thursday during the trial of Peter Veal, who is accused of first-degree murder in the deaths of Melinda Kavars and Caleb Christensen. Willis then testified he pleaded with Veal when he pointed the gun at his head. Veal pulled the trigger but the gun didn't fire, Willis said. Veal hit him in the head with the gun, Willis said, and something told him to "get the hell out of there." He discovered the door was locked, but he was able to unlock it, escape and dial 911. A recording of the 911 call was played for the jury. This is a developing story. Check back later for more details. Our earlier story: MASON CITY | A man considered a witness to a November double homicide in Mason City is testifying during the trial Thursday in Fort Dodge. Ron Willis allegedly saw Peter Veal shoot his cousin, Melinda Kavars around 2:15 a.m. Nov. 17. Willis had been socializing with his cousin and friends, Veal and Caleb Christensen, at Christensen's house in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Ave. Veal, of Lake Mills, then pointed a gun at Willis and pulled the trigger, but it didn't fire because it jammed, Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen said Wednesday. Dalen said Veal then hit Willis over the head with the gun, and Willis ran out the door and called 911. He had just seen a murder and had barely gotten out alive, Dalen said Wednesday. Veal, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kavars and Christensen, also faces an attempted murder charge for allegedly attempting to shoot Willis. Update: One victim in Mason City double homicide stabbed 25 times, prosecutor says FORT DODGE | Jurors in the trial of a man accused of a double homicide in November in Mason This is a brutal murder, Dalen said during opening statements Wednesday. He said Kavars was shot in the neck and Christensen was stabbed 25 times in the head and shoulders. This is a developing story. Check back later for more details. Global Small Hydropower Market: China and India Make Asia Pacific a Highly Profitable Region http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=489556 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=489556 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Small Hydropower Market, by installed capacity - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.A research report on the global small hydropower market for published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), estimates the market to expand at a CAGR of 2.85% during the period from 2015 and 2023. In 2014, the market stood at 110.77 GW in terms of installed capacity. Analysts expect this market to reach an installed capacity of 146.65 GW by the end of the forecast period.The research report is titled "Small Hydropower Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast, 2015 2023."Small hydropower refers to hydroelectric power plant with a very small installed capacity. Although the upper limit of installed capacity of these power plants varies from country to country, small hydropower with an installed capacity of equal to or less than 10 MW is mostly utilized across the world. The emission-free, efficient, renewable energy, which can be utilized on-grid as well as off-grid, produced by small hydropower is boostingits popularity remarkably in the global arena.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Small hydropower plants are ideal for remote areas with no infrastructure to support electricity transmission. This factor is significantly driving growth of the small hydropower market, worldwide, states the report.The research report studies the global market for small hydropower on the basis of its regional spread. North America, South and Central America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa have been identified as the key regional markets for small hydropower. In 2014, Asia Pacific led the global market with a share of 70.3%. Europe emerged second in the overall market that year and was closely followed by North America.China dominates the small hydropower market in Asia Pacific and is followed by Japan and India. Various initiatives of the Government of China such as tax credits and incentives for the installation of small hydropower systems are driving the China market for small hydropower.The Europe small hydropower market has been led by Italy since the last few years. The trend is expected to continue during the forecast period. The implementation of well-structured policies and high investments to increase research and development activities in the field of small hydropower are likely to stimulate the market in Italy over the next few years.The U.S. and Canada are leading the North America market for small hydropower and Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt are driving the market in the Middle East and Africa. The increasing demand for electricity is likely to propel the Middle East and Africa small hydropower market significantly during the forecast period, notes the research study.Analysts have also studied this market taking its competitive landscape into consideration. The profiles of major players functioning in this market have been evaluated to determine the current market hierarchy. Voith GmbH, Alstom, Ontario Power Generation Inc., Fortum Oyj, StatKraft, BC Hydro, Andritz AG, Agder Energi AS, RusHydro, and Siemens AG are the leading market participants profiled in this research report.The global small hydropower market is segmented into:By RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaSouth and Central AmericaTable of ContentCHAPTER 1 PREFACE1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Scope1.3 Market Segmentation1.4 Research MethodologyCHAPTER 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 Global Small Hydropower Market: SnapshotCHAPTER 3 GLOBAL SMALL HYDROPOWER OVERVIEW3.1 Introduction3.2 Value Chain Analysis3.3 Market Dynamics3.3.1 Growth Drivers3.3.2 Restraints3.3.3 Opportunities3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis for the Small Hydropower3.5 Suppliers Power3.6 Buyers Power3.7 Threat from New Entrants3.8 Threat from Substitutes3.9 Degree of Competition3.10 Market Attractiveness Analysis of Small Hydropower, by Region (2014)3.10.1 North America3.10.2 Europe3.10.3 Asia Pacific3.10.4 South and Central America3.11 Company Market Share Analysis, 2014 (Value %)CHAPTER 4 GLOBAL SMALL HYDROPOWER MARKET GEOGRAPHICAL SEGMENT ANALYSIS, 2014 2023 (GW)4.1 Overview4.2 North America4.2.1 U.S.4.2.2 Rest of north America4.3 Europe4.3.1 Russia4.3.2 Norway4.3.3 Italy4.3.4 France4.3.5 Spain4.3.6 Rest of Europe4.4 Asia-Pacific4.4.1 China4.4.2 India4.4.3 Japan4.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific4.5 Middle East and Africa4.6 South and Central America4.6.1 Brazil4.6.2 Rest of south and Central AmericaCHAPTER 5 COMPANY PROFILES5.1 Voith GmbH5.1.1 Company Overview5.1.2 Financial Overview5.1.3 Business Strategy5.1.4 Recent Developments(Note: Similar data points will be provided for the companies mentioned below)5.2 Agder Energi AS5.3 Ontario Power Generation Inc.5.4 ALSTOM5.5 SIEMENS AG5.6 ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH5.7 StatKraft5.8 BC Hydro5.9 RusHydro5.10Fortum OyjMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies Market Share, Size, Growth and Trends 2021 http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-autoimmune-monoclonal-antibodies-1174/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-autoimmune-monoclonal-antibodies-1174/request-sample www.marketdataforecast.com http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies Market is expected to reach USD 1,758.3 million by 2021 from USD 1,299.7 million in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 6.23% during forecast period 2016-2021. Irregular functioning of humans immune system results in autoimmune disorders. Overproduction of self-reactive immune cells (such as antibodies & T-cells) damage regular functions of /cells/tissues/organs. This lead to different autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and others diseases. Typically, drugs are used as a treatment to cure autoimmune disorders. The adverse effects associated with drugs has made switched to concentrate on monoclonal antibodies.Full report at:Monoclonal antibodies have the ability to offer less toxic and more efficient therapeutic alternatives to treat autoimmune diseases. Recent years have seen the emergence of monoclonal antibodies being used to treat wide array of diseases that are related to immune response. These antibodies are mono-specific comprising of identical immune cells which are clones of a single parent cell and are directed towards a specific cellular target. Thus monoclonal antibodies due to its customizable nature can be used to treat the self-reactive immune cells not impacting the normal ones.Presence of healthcare regulations & procedures to promote early treatment of diseases using advanced therapeutics and growing number of public policies to support early screening & effective treatments for various diseases are driving the growth of autoimmune monoclonal antibodies market in Latin America. However, limited accessibility of monoclonal antibodies therapeutics, and lack of awareness among patients about advanced therapeutics are limiting the growth of autoimmune monoclonal antibodies market in Latin America.Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market is segmented based on source, application, and end user. Based on source, the market is further sub-segmented as Murine, Chimeric, Humanized, and Human. Among these, humanized segment is expected to command the largest share in Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market, by source in 2016. Based on application, the market is further segmented as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Transplant Rejection/Graft Versus Host Disease, and Others. Of these, rheumatoid arthritis application is anticipated to command the major share in Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market, by application in 2016. Based on end user, the market is further segmented as Hospitals/Clinics, Research Institutes, and Diagnostic Laboratories. Among these, Hospitals/Clinics segment is expected to hold the major market share in Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market, by application in 2016.Request sample:On the basis of geographical areas, Latin America Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market is segmented as Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.The key players in Autoimmune Monoclonal Antibodies market include, GlaxoSmithKline plc (U.K.), AstraZeneca plc (U.K.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Bristol-Myers Squibb (U.S.), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), Innovent Biologics, Inc. (China), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. (Japan), Amgen Inc. (U.S.), Biogen Inc.(U.S.), and UCB Company (Belgium).About Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit,Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.comVisit MarketDataForecast Blog @View latest Press Releases of MDF @ Chromatography Instrumentation Market Set for Rapid Growth And Trend, by 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-383 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-383 www.futuremarketinsights.com Chromatography is the most essential and well known separation technique which is extensively used across various industries. Chromatography is referred to as a technique that is used for the purification of biomolecules in which the components that are to be separated are distributed between two phases. Among these two phases, one is stationary phase and other is a mobile phase. All types of chromatography systems work on the same principle i.e., separation of sample mixture into stationary phase (solid or liquid supported on solid) and mobile phase (liquid or gas). Over the years chromatography technique and its instrument are being used in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for the development of pure drug molecule. The instruments that are utilized in the chromatography have benefitted the researches due to their ability to separate, analyze and purify a molecule in an efficient and effective manner. These chromatography instrumentation techniques are used in various application areas such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food production, diagnostics, genetic engineering, drug discovery and water analysis.The global market for chromatography instrumentation can be segmented as follows:By systemGas chromatography systemLiquid chromatography systemHigh pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)Ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC)Low pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC)OthersIon-exchange chromatographyAffinity chromatographySuper critical fluid chromatographyColumn chromatographyThin layer chromatographyRequest For Report Sample@By consumables and instrumentsColumnsSyringe filtersVialsTubingsDetectorsAutosamplersPumpsFraction collectorsOthersBy end usersBiotechnology and pharmaceuticals industriesHospitals and research laboratoriesAgriculture and food industriesOthers (cosmetic industries, environmental agencies and nutraceutical companies)The market for chromatography instrumentation holds an immense potential due to increasing number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Rising government investments for research purpose, expansion of chromatography companies in the Asian region and increasing collaborations among the existing players in the market are some of the other propelling factors for this market. The chromatography instrumentation market is also witnessing huge advancements in the design of column which is consequently raising the demand for development of better analytical resins and reagents. Additionally, emergence of green chromatography, usage of nanomaterial in chromatography and increasing usage of chromatography instrument for monoclonal antibody purification are some of the other opportunities that are fuelling the growth of this market. However, high cost of the chromatography systems and economic slowdown across the globe has resulted in decreased sales of chromatography systems. In addition need of skilled personnel for operates chromatography instrument is a factor which might restrict its demand in the global chromatography instrumentation market.Geographically, North America accounts for the largest share of the chromatography instrumentation market followed by the European region. The dominance of these regions in this market is seen due to growing government investments and funding for research. Further, augmented research and development activities of drugs and biologics and increasing number of conferences on chromatography are some of the key drivers of this industry. However, in the near future the U.S market is expected to decline its market share owing to the market maturity. Asia-Pacific region is expected to show healthy growth in the near future due to expansion of chromatography companies in the regions of India, China, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam. Additionally, several major pharmaceutical companies are also increasingly outsourcing their drug and development services especially in the Asian region which is indentified as another major driver that is augmenting the demand of chromatography reagents in this region.Visit For TOC@Major players operating in this market includes Agilent Technologies, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories, GE Healthcare, Life Technologies Corporation, Pall Corporation, Regis Technologies, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Waters Corporation, Helena Laboratories, Phenomenex, Inc. WWR International, Tosoh Corporation and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Testing and Analysis Services Market to Log 5.6% CAGR from 2015 to 2023 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=489508 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=489508 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Testing and Analysis Services Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the testing and analysis services market studies the current as well as future prospects of the market. The stakeholders of this report include testing and analysis companies catering to Pharmaceutical, biomedical, petroleum, energy, food and beverages, mining, metal, and other heavy industry. In addition, the report also include extensive coverage of instruments for testing services which may help equipment firms to understand this market form consumer prospective.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @This report comprises an elaborate executive summary with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered in the study scope. The section also provides with overall information and data analysis of the testing and analysis services market globally with respect to the leading market segments based on sample type, analysis type, industry, and geography. On the basis of sample types, the market has been further categorized into water, soil/sediment, clay mineral, metal alloy, biological sample, food, chemicals, corrosion, oil and gas, and minerals and ores. By analysis type the market has been classified into elemental, organic, isotopic, particle size, mineralogical, metallurgical, petroleum and petrochemical, biomedical and biopharmaceutical, and others. The industry covered in the report includes food/beverages, pharma/medical device, energy, minerals, chemicals and other commodities, environment and metal and alloy. The market revenue in terms of USD million for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2015 to 2023 are provided for all segments under sample type, analysis type, and industry considering 2014 as the base year.On the basis of geography, the market has segmented into: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Rest of the World (RoW). Market revenue in terms of USD million for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2015 to 2023 are provided for all region classified under the geography, considering 2014 as the base year.Each of the segments has been analyzed in detail for market trends, recent developments, outlook, and opportunities. The market overview section of the report explores market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have strong impact on the global elemental analysis services market and could influence the market in the future as well. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition between leading market players. Porters five forces analysis is also explained in this section to understand the market considering different parameters that have an impact on the sustainability of the companies operating in the market.The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competitive landscape section of the report. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their respective market shares globally. The report also profiles major players in the testing and analysis services market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments.Major players operating in the testing and analysis service market include Bureau Veritas , SGS S.A., Intertek Group plc, ALS Global, Eurofins, Exova, TUV Rheinland, Acuren, Maxxam, Koninklijke Philips N.V., TUV SUD, Applus, and LECO Corporation. Many of these players continuously innovate by developing new testing methodologies with technological advances in order to maintain their positions in the global market.The Testing and Analysis Services Market is segmented as follows:Global Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Sample Type, 2015 - 2023 (US$ Mn)WaterSoil/SedimentClay MineralMetal AlloyBiological SampleFoodChemicalsCorrosionOil and GasMineralsServiceGlobal Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Analysis Type, 2015-2023 (US$ Mn)ElementalOrganicIsotopicParticle SizeMineralogicalMetallurgicalPetroleumBiomedicalOthersGlobal Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Industry, 2015-2023 (US$ Mn)Food/BeveragesPharma/Medical DeviceOil, Energy, GasMineralsChemicalsEnvironment and AgricultureMetal and AlloysGlobal Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Geography, 2015-2023 (US$ Mn)North AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and North AfricaLatin AmericaRest of the WorldTable of Contents1. Introduction1.1. Report Description1.2. Market Segmentation1.3. Research Methodology2. Executive Summary2.1. Global Testing and Analysis Services Market Share, by Geography, 20142023 (US$ Mn)2.2. Global Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Analysis Type, 2014 (US$ Mn)2.3. Global Testing and Analysis Services: Market Snapshot3. Testing and Analysis Services Market Industry Analysis3.1. Introduction3.2. Future Trend and Development3.3. Market Dynamics3.3.1. Drivers3.3.1.1. Regulation and Standard3.3.1.2. Growing Trend of Outsourcing3.3.1.3. Manufacturing Migration and Short Product Life Cycle3.3.1.4. Global Trade3.3.2. Restraints3.3.2.1. High Capital Requirements3.3.2.2. Competition and Highly Competitive Pricing3.3.3. Opportunities3.3.3.1. Investment in Emerging Markets of Asia Pacific3.4. Porters Five Force Analysis3.5. Market Attractiveness Analysis Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Geography (2014) (%)3.6. Competitive Landscape Testing and Analysis Services Market, by Key Players, 2014 (%)4. Market Segmentation By Sample Type4.1. Introduction4.2. Global Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.3. Global Water Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn4.4. Global Soil/Sediment Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.5. Global Clay Minerals Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.6. Global Metal Alloy Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.7. Global Biological Sample Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.8. Global Food/Beverages Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.9. Global Chemicals Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.10. Global Corrosion Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.11. Global Oil and Fluid Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)4.12. Global Mineral and Ores Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5. Market Segmentation By Analysis Type5.1. Introduction5.2. Global Testing and Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Analysis Type 20132014 (US$ Mn)5.3. Global Testing and Services Market Revenue, Analysis Type 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.4. Global Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, Analysis Type 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.5. Global Non/Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue by Analysis Type and Detection Type 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.6. Instrument Distribution Across Companies 20145.7. End-user Analysis for Elemental Analysis Services 20145.8. Global Organic Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.9. Global Organic Analysis Services Market Revenue by Test Type and Sample Type 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.10. Global Isotopic Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.11. Global Isotopic Analysis Services Market Revenue by Isotope Type and Sample Type 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.12. Global Particle Size Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.13. Global Mineralogical Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.14. Global Isotopic Analysis Services Market Revenue by Test Type and Sample Type 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.15. Global Metallurgical Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.16. Global Petroleum and Petrochemicals Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.17. Global Petroleum and Petrochemicals Services Market Revenue by Test Type, 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.18. Global Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.19. Global Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Services Market Revenue by Test Type, 2013 and 2023 (US$ Mn)5.20. Geographical Distribution of Biomedical Sample 20145.21. Global Biopharmaceutical Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)5.22. Global Others Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)6. Market Segmentation By Industry6.1. Introduction6.2. Global Testing and Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Industry 20132014 (US$ Mn)6.3. Global Testing and Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Industry 20132023 (US$ Mn)6.4. Global Food and Beverages Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)6.5. Geographical Distribution of Food & Beverage Companies, 2014, (Value, %)6.6. Global Pharma and Medical Device Analysis Services Market Revenue, 20132023 (US$ Mn)6.7. Sample Share, Biopharmaceuticals, Medical Devices and Biomedical Materials, 20146.8. Environmental Industry Revenue, by Industry, 20152023, (US$ Mn)6.9. Environmental Industry Consumer Analysis, 2014 (Value % )6.10. Energy (oil & gas) Industry Revenue, by Industry, 20152023, (US$ Mn)6.11. Energy Industry Consumer Analysis, 2014(Value % )6.12. Mineral and Mining Industry Revenue, by Industry, 20152023, (US$ Mn)6.13. Mineral and Mining Industry Consumer Analysis, (Value % ), 20146.14. Chemical and Other Commodities Industry Revenue, by Industry, 20152023, (US$ Mn)6.15. Chemical and Commodities Industry Consumer Analysis, 2014 (Value %)6.16. Heavy Industry Revenue, 20152023, (US$ Mn)7. Market Segmentation By Geography7.1. Introduction7.2. Global Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Geography, 20132023 (US$ Mn)7.3. North America Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn)7.4. Europe Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn)7.5. Asia Pacific Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn)7.6. Middle East & North Africa Elemental analysis Services Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn)7.7. Latin America Elemental Analysis Services Substitutes Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn7.8. Rest of the World Elemental Analysis Services Market Revenue, by Country, 20132023 (US$ Mn)8. Company Profiles8.1. ALS Limited8.2. Activation Laboratories Ltd.8.3. EAG Inc.8.4. Element Materials Technology8.5. Elemental Analysis, Inc.8.6. Galbraith Laboratories8.7. Intertek Group plc8.8. Eurofins Scientific Group.8.9. Maxxam8.10. Acuren8.11. Laboratory Testing Inc.8.12. Lucedeon Limited8.13. Micro Analysis, Inc.8.14. Midwest Microlab, LLC8.15. NSL Analytical Services, Inc.8.16. Particle Technology Labs8.17. SGS SA8.18. Solvias AG8.19. Exeter Analytical (UK) Ltd.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Green Cement Market 2016-2020 Key vendors - Anhui Conch Cement, CEMEX, China National Building Material (CNBM), Italcementi, LafargeHolcim http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=729229 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=729229 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Green Cement Market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Cement is an essential material in any construction. It is used as a part of the blend with different materials such as bricks, stones, and sand. Cement is a gray-colored inorganic substance with extreme pressure driven binding properties. It is a finely ground blend of minerals that turns into a stone-like material when mixed with water, sand, and gravel. It is used as a part of the production of concrete, which is an essential building material for mass construction. Cement and mortar are the two fundamental mixtures used in construction. Cement, for the most part, is used as a construction material as a part of residential, non-residential, and infrastructure segments. It is also used for building beautifying applications, for example, expanding the visual offer of construction.Technavios analysts forecast the global green cement market to grow at a CAGR of 14.95% during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global green cement market for 2016-2020.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEuropeMEAGlobal Green Cement Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAnhui Conch CementCEMEXChina National Building Material (CNBM)ItalcementiLafargeHolcimOther prominent vendorsCeraTechCaleraKiran Global ChemsMarket driverRise in urbanizationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeIncrease in construction costsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendUse of alternative fuels (AF)For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Table Of ContentPART 01: Executive summaryHighlightsPART 02: Scope of the reportMarket overviewPART 03: Market research methodologyResearch methodologyEconomic indicatorsPART 04: IntroductionKey market highlightsCementCement manufacturing processFactors related to choice of cementGreen cementEnvironmental issuePART 05: Global cement marketMarket outlook and forecastPEST analysisPART 06: Market landscapeGlobal green cement marketFive forces analysisPART 07: Geographical segmentationOverviewGreen cement market in AmericasGreen cement market in EuropeGreen cement market in APACGreen cement market in MEAPART 08: Market segmentation by end-useOverviewGlobal green cement market by residential segmentGlobal green cement market by non-residential segmentGlobal green cement market by infrastructure segmentPART 09: Market driversSide-effects of cement manufacturingRise in urbanizationIncrease in residential projectsOvercoming challenges of traditional cementIncrease in investments in construction industryPART 10: Impact of driversPART 11: Market challengesIncrease in construction costsLack of skilled workforceChallenges involved in setting up a cement plantPART 12: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 13: Market trendsUse of waste as AFAnticipated future challengesUse of CCS plantsInnovative progressionPART 14: Vendor landscapeCompetitive scenarioGlobal customer base concentrationPorter's generic strategyCompetitive advantageKey market vendorsOther prominent vendorsAnhui Conch CementCEMEXChina National Building Material (CNBM)ItalcementiLafargeHolcimPART 15: AppendixList of abbreviationsMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Portable Medical Devices Market Trends, Regulations And Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-404 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-404 www.futuremarketinsights.com The portable medical devices market encompasses all healthcare associated diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices that are miniature in nature and can be easily transported from one location to another without any inconveniences. The market for portable devices has evolved greatly over the years particularly due to miniaturization of electronic components. Low power consumption technology has also greatly helped in developing portable technologies. As the world has begun shrinking due to increased connectivity, telemedicine, home-care and remote monitoring have become familiar terms with modern healthcare. Several factors led to the increasing need for portable devices, of which the major impact factors include increasing demand for diagnostics in remote areas of the world where a significant population continues to reside, increasing number of emergency medical services such as ambulances and helicopters that are required to be well equipped, military medicine for on-field applications and aging population that has begun to feel the pressure of moving to and fro from hospitals for simple diagnostic procedures. In a field like healthcare, the upcoming markets such as wearable medical devices and smart wearable sensors have culminated in the large revenue generation since the past several years which is expected to continue in the coming years as well.Several government initiatives to reduce the hospitalization time for patients has begun over the world and particularly in North America primarily enforced due to high healthcare expenditure that the government has had to endure. Re-hospitalization may be investigated by government to understand if there has been a shortfall from medical experts that led to re-hospitalization and may result in the medical expert being penalized along with the hospital. Thus portable medical devices will play a major role to reduce healthcare expenditure and increase space in hospitals by freeing beds for serious patients.Request For Report Sample@The market can be perceived and segmented through various aspects such as the general medical application such as cardiovascular, urological, neurological etc. Pacemakers, defibrillators, heart rate monitors, electrocardiographs and dialyzers are some portable devices available today. Increased wireless capabilities with the help of networking technologies such as Bluetooth, LAN, and WAN have also led to a significant rise in the portable technologies market. This increase in connectivity and safety has led to the inception of new consumer markets of medical devices that do not require intensive training. Portable devices such as activity monitors and heart-rate monitors are increasingly popular with all ages of people and are also used in veterinary science. A large number of companies such as Nike, Adidas, BodyMedia, Lark Jawbone, Polar, Fitbit, Sketchers and Scosche have ventured and gained considerable success in this field.Larger diagnostic machines such as bone densitometers and blood pressure monitors became popular due to the use in remote areas for monitoring health of villagers and non-urban population due to low awareness.In contrast, urban areas such as cities have seen increasing demand for complex portable medical devices such as defibrillators for usage in offices, public areas such as parks and railway stations due to rising incidence of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attacks and other cardiovascular ailments. Companies manufacturing this automated external defibrillators and bone-densitometers include GE Healthcare, Hologic, Philips, Cooper Surgical, HeartSine, Sorin Group, Zoll Medical, PhysioControl, Schiller AG and Cardiac Science.Visit For TOC@In terms of geography this market is distributed into four major regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World of which North America accounts for a significant portion mainly due to a large number of companies manufacturing portable medical devices and equipment. Along with this, a greater amount of marketing takes place in the region which increases the awareness. Europe is also a significant market for devices such as defibrillators, home monitoring and remote patient monitoring along with on-field medical devices. Asia-Pacific market is expected to rise tremendously in coming years due to increasing awareness, connectivity and availability of portable medical devices. This will be further supplemented by the downward trend of cost of these devices which will result in a greater affordability. Rest of the World region will soon follow suit with Asia-Pacific as emerging economies such as Brazil, Middle-East and North African countries are already exhibiting greater purchasing power of portable medical devices.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Men Personal Care Products Market 2017 Top Manufacturers - L'Oreal S.A., Johnson & Johnson, Kao, P&G, Unilever, Shiseido, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Avon http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1224758 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1224758 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Men Personal Care Products Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Men Personal Care Products market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Men Personal Care Products in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Men Personal Care Products market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingL'Oreal S.A. (France)Johnson & Johnson (U.S.)Kao Corporation (Japan)Procter and Gamble Co (P&G), (U.S.)Unilever (UK)The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. (U.S.)Shiseido (Japan)Avon Products, Inc. (U.S.)Colgate-Palmolive Company (U.S.)Beiersdorf Akteingesellschaft (Germany)On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHair CareShavingOral CarePersonal CleanlinessSkin CareOthersOn 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 Men Personal Care Products for each application, includingOnline SalesOffline SalesIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of ContentsGlobal Men Personal Care Products Market Research Report 20171 Men Personal Care Products Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Men Personal Care Products1.2 Men Personal Care Products Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Hair Care1.2.4 Shaving1.2.5 Oral Care1.2.6 Personal Cleanliness1.2.7 Skin Care1.2.8 Others1.3 Global Men Personal Care Products Segment by Application1.3.1 Men Personal Care Products Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Online Sales1.3.3 Offline Sales1.4 Global Men Personal Care Products Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Men Personal Care Products (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Men Personal Care Products Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Men Personal Care Products Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Men Personal Care Products Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Men Personal Care Products Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Men Personal Care Products Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Men Personal Care Products Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Men Personal Care Products Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Men Personal Care Products Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Men Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Men Personal Care Products Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Men Personal Care Products Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Men Personal Care Products Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Men Personal Care Products Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Men Personal Care Products Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Men Personal Care Products Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Men Personal Care Products Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 L'Oreal S.A. (France)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Men Personal Care Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 L'Oreal S.A. (France) Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Johnson & Johnson (U.S.)7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Men Personal Care Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Johnson & Johnson (U.S.) Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Kao Corporation (Japan)7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Men Personal Care Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Kao Corporation (Japan) Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Procter and Gamble Co (P&G), (U.S.)7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Men Personal Care Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Procter and Gamble Co (P&G), (U.S.) Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Unilever (UK)7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Men Personal Care Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Unilever (UK) Men Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Paper Products Shredders Market 2017 Top Manufacturers - Franssons, Vecoplan, Kobra Shredder, Fujitsu, Widesky Machinery http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1224760 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1224760 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Paper Products Shredders Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Paper Products Shredders market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Paper Products Shredders in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Paper Products Shredders market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingFranssons (Spain)Vecoplan LLC (U.S.)Zhengzhou Huahong Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. (China)WEIMA Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany)Zhangjiagang Sevenstars Machinery Co.,Ltd. (China)Kobra Shredder (U.S.)Krug & Priester GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)Allegheny Shredders, Inc. (U.S.)Widesky Machinery Co., Ltd. (China)Fellowes Brands (U.S.)Fujitsu Limited (Japan)On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoStrip CutCross CutMicro CutOn 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 Paper Products Shredders for each application, includingCommercial ApplicationOffice ApplicationHousehold ApplicationIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of ContentsGlobal Paper Products Shredders Market Research Report 20171 Paper Products Shredders Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Paper Products Shredders1.2 Paper Products Shredders Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Strip Cut1.2.4 Cross Cut1.2.5 Micro Cut1.3 Global Paper Products Shredders Segment by Application1.3.1 Paper Products Shredders Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Commercial Application1.3.3 Office Application1.3.4 Household Application1.4 Global Paper Products Shredders Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Paper Products Shredders (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Paper Products Shredders Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Paper Products Shredders Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Paper Products Shredders Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Paper Products Shredders Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Paper Products Shredders Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Paper Products Shredders Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Paper Products Shredders Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Paper Products Shredders Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Paper Products Shredders Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Paper Products Shredders Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Paper Products Shredders Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Paper Products Shredders Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Paper Products Shredders Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Paper Products Shredders Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Paper Products Shredders Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Paper Products Shredders Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Franssons (Spain)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Paper Products Shredders Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Franssons (Spain) Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Vecoplan LLC (U.S.)7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Paper Products Shredders Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Vecoplan LLC (U.S.) Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Zhengzhou Huahong Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. (China)7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Paper Products Shredders Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Zhengzhou Huahong Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. (China) Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 WEIMA Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany)7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Paper Products Shredders Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 WEIMA Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany) Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Zhangjiagang Sevenstars Machinery Co.,Ltd. (China)7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Paper Products Shredders Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Zhangjiagang Sevenstars Machinery Co.,Ltd. (China) Paper Products Shredders Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Research report covers the Bariatric Surgery Devices Market share and Growth, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-451 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-451 www.futuremarketinsights.com Market OverviewUndertaking a bariatric surgery has become relatively necessary for the majority of the global population, especially the obese and the overweight demographic. The fact that obesity is one of the most prevalent and endangering health disorders has increased the awareness about bariatric surgery and devices. The demand for bariatric surgery devices has registered a considerable surge by the virtue of growing preference for less-invasive bariatric surgeries. Additionally, the rising expenditure on weight loss procedures has promoted the sales of bariatric surgery devices at the individual level. Regional government initiatives are also influencing the growth of the global market for bariatric surgery devices.Demand for Bariatric Surgery Devices: Drivers & RestraintsThe high occurrence of obesity cases is regarded as the primary driver of the global bariatric surgery devices market. The growing awareness among the obsess population is expected to fuel the demand for bariatric surgery devices. Apart from that, the other factors driving the growth of the bariatric surgery devices market include,Availability of surgeons specialised in bariatric surgical techniquesSince bariatric surgeries are gaining demand, the existing as well as the new medical surgeons are developing and qualifying their surgical skills accordingly. As a result, the demand for bariatric surgery devices is experience a positive impact.Request For Report Sample@Prevention of weight-related risksIncidence of diabetes, hypertension, gastric reflux disorders and blood pressure complications are at a higher risks among obese patients. As the surgeries intend on preventing occurrence of such diseases, the demand for bariatric surgery devices has surged extensively.Less-incisive methodsBariatric surgeries such as the sleeve gastrectomy require lower incision, which helps the patients adopt the surgeries without apprehension. This results more consumption of bariatric surgery devices by hospitals and weight-loss clinics.However, the implications arriving post-surgery are posing to be the major challenge in the global market for bariatric surgery devices. Since the surgical procedures are operated on the stomach and the intestines of the patient, there is a high risk of acquiring infections. Gastrointestinal ulcers, internal bleeding, small bowel obstruction, gastric band slippage, and hernias are some of the common implications that lower the use of bariatric surgery devices.Market Segmentation & Regional OutlookThe global market for bariatric surgery devices can be segmented on the basis the type of bariatric surgery and the device used.Based on the different kinds of bariatric surgery procedures, the market is classified into,Gastric Bypass SurgerySleeve Gastrectomy SurgeryGastric Banding SurgeryOthersBy device-type, the global market is further segmented into,Stapling DevicesGastric BandsGastric BalloonsBased on the regional segmentation, North America is expected to lead the global bariatric surgery devices market on the account of the high obesity levels in the US and Canada. Subsequently, the higher risks of diabetes and blood pressure disorders are equally inciting the demand for bariatric surgery devices. Asia Pacific & Japan are anticipated to expand at a remarkable CAGR, owing to the rising expenditure on weight-loss treatments in APEJ countries.Visit For TOC@Key PlayersJohnson & Johnson, Covidien Plc, Cousin Biotech, and Pare Surgical, Inc., among others are the some of the key companies in the global bariatric surgery devices market. Pharmaceutical and medical devices leaders such as Medtronic has launched flagship devices for sleeve gastrectomy, indicating the positive expansion of the global market. The government funding is also playing a major role in providing manufacturers with the capital required to produce enhanced devices for bariatric surgeries.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: ePharmacy Information and Analysis with forecast growth - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=497262 "ePharmacy Market (By Geography - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-With the rise of Internet penetration, there has been a dramatic shift in the buying behavior of customers toward increased online purchasing. From essentials such as groceries and apparel to luxury products, everything is available for purchase on online retail platforms. The healthcare sector is no exception to this online retail trend, with pharmacies going online. With advantages such as round-the-clock availability and delivery of drugs, complete information on the prescribed drug, and knowledge of cost-effective substitutes, the market for ePharmacies is expected to experience a surge of growth in the coming years.Get Sample Report With TOC @Operating within all the guidelines and standards set by their respective national governments, ePharmacies have emerged as ethical business entities and have become an effective source of prescription medicines. The trend of ePharmacies was initially witnessed in the developed economies of North America and Europe; however, with the rising penetration of the Internet and growing awareness among customers about prescription medicines, the market for ePharmacies is gaining momentum in the emerging countries in Asia Pacific.This research study focuses on providing a comprehensive market assessment on current trends in the global ePharmacies market, along with a focus on various factors affecting the markets growth. The influential factors that affect the growth of the ePharmacy market have been analyzed under the market dynamics section, which comprises market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. The report also provides comprehensive assessment of vendor strategies for excellence in the business. The report segregates the market into five different geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. Some of the major countries/regions analyzed in the report include the U.S., the EU7, the CIS, China, Japan, the Indian Subcontinent, Australasia, the GCC countries, North Africa, and South Africa. The report provides market size estimates and forecasts for all the regional and country segments for the ePharmacies market.The research study estimates the global ePharmacies market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) for the period 2013 to 2023, which comprises:2013: the base year2014: estimated value20152023: forecast periodThe market estimates have been evaluated considering different technological, economic, political, environmental, social, and legal factors. The market positioning analysis of major players in the market is provided in the research study, which would help the buyers of this report understand the key strategies adopted by these players.The company profiles section in the report provides competitive profiles of the leading players (however not all the market players) in the market. This section elucidates on the below details:Company addressGeographical presenceProduct/service portfolioRecent developmentsHistorical roadmapFinancial performanceBusiness strategiesSome of the leading players profiled in the report include Banner Health, Dr. Fox Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd., eDrugstore.MD, Walgreen Co., DocMorris NV, Rowlands Pharmacy, MediSave, CVS Caremark, and PlanetRx.com.ePharmacy Market Segmentation:ePharmacy Market, by Geography:North AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeEU7 (UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands)CISRest of EuropeAsia PacificJapanChinaIndian Subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, and Guinea)Rest of Asia PacificMiddle East and AfricaGCC CountriesNorth AfricaSouth AfricaRest of MEALatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaTable of ContentChapter 1 Preface1.1 Report Description1.2 Market Segmentation: Global ePharmacy Market1.3 Research Methodology1.3.1 Phase I : Secondary Research1.3.2 Phase II : Primary Research1.3.3 Phase III : Expert Panel Review1.3.4 Data ModelsChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Market Snapshot: Global ePharmacy Market (2014 and 2023)2.2 Global ePharmacy Market, by Geography, 2014 (US$ Bn)Chapter 3 Global ePharmacy Market Analysis3.1 Market Overview3.2 Key Trend Analysis3.2.1 Impact on Consumers and Retailers (Pharmacists/Chemists)3.3 Market Dynamics3.3.1 Drivers3.3.1.1 Increasing Internet Penetration Driving the Shift toward Online Purchase of Drugs3.3.1.1.1 Worldwide Internet Penetration (Million Users)3.3.1.1.2 World Internet Usage and Population Statistics, 2015 (%)3.3.1.2 Cost Effectiveness and Round-the-Clock Delivery of Drugs3.3.1.3 Rise in Aging Population3.3.1.3.1 Worldwide Aging Population Statistics, 2013 2050 (Million)3.3.2 Restraints3.3.2.1 Likely Occurrences of Substance Abuse3.3.2.2 Presence of a Large Number of Rogue ePharmacies Hampering Customer Trust3.3.3 Opportunities3.3.3.1 Large Untapped Market in Asia Pacific and Latin America3.4 Competitive Landscape3.4.1 Market Positioning of Key Players, 20143.4.2 Competitive Strategies Adopted by Leading Players3.5 RecommendationsChapter 4 North America ePharmacy Market Analysis4.1 Overview4.1.1 North America ePharmacy Market Revenue and Forecast (US$ Bn) and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2013 20234.2 North America ePharmacy Market Analysis, By Region/Country, 2013 2023 (US$ Bn)4.2.1 OverviewChapter 5 Europe ePharmacy Market Analysis5.1 Overview5.1.1 Europe ePharmacy Market Revenue and Forecast (US$ Bn) and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2013 20235.2 Europe ePharmacy Market Analysis, By Region, 2013 2023 (US$ Bn)Chapter 6 Asia Pacific ePharmacy Market Analysis6.1 Overview6.1.1 Asia Pacific ePharmacy Market Revenue and Forecast (US$ Bn) and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2013 20236.2 Asia Pacific ePharmacy Market Analysis, By Region, 2013 2023 (US$ Bn)Chapter 7 Middle-East and Africa (MEA) ePharmacy Market Analysis7.1 Overview7.1.1 Middle East and Africa ePharmacy Market Revenue and Forecast (US$ Bn) and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2013 20237.2 MEA ePharmacy Market Analysis, By Region, 2013 2023 (US$ Bn)Chapter 8 Latin America ePharmacy Market Analysis8.1 Overview8.1.1 Latin America ePharmacy Market Revenue and Forecast (US$ Bn) and Y-o-Y Growth (%), 2013 20238.2 Latin America ePharmacy Market Analysis, By Region, 2013 2023 (US$ Bn)Chapter 9 Company Profiles9.1 CVS Caremark9.2 Banner Health9.3 DocMorris NV9.4 PlanetRX.com Inc.9.5 Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd9.6 Dr. Fox Pharmacy9.7 eDrugstore.MC9.8 MediSave9.9 Walgreen Co.9.10 Rowlands PharmacyResearchMoz 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 FORT DODGE | Jurors in the trial of a man accused of a double homicide in November in Mason City were given graphic details about the case during opening statements Wednesday. One victim was shot in the neck and the other was stabbed 25 times, a prosecutor said during opening statements. Jurors were shown photos of the crime scene, including bodies of the victims. Peter Veal of Lake Mills is facing two counts of first-degree murder. He's accused in the Nov. 17 deaths of Mason City residents Mindy Kavars and Caleb Christensen at a residence in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Avenue. A defense attorney told the jury not to take the state's case at face value. The trial has concluded for Wednesday and will resume Thursday at the Webster County Courthouse in Fort Dodge. Our earlier story: FORT DODGE | The jury has been selected in the trial of a man accused of a double homicide in Mason City in November. Trial proceedings are expected to resume around 2 p.m. at the Webster County Courthouse in Fort Dodge. Our earlier story: FORT DODGE | Jury selection is still underway in the third day of the trial of a man accused of a November double homicide in Mason City. Peter Veal of 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. An additional count of attempted murder was filed due to Veal's allegedly trying to kill another person. Veal's trial was moved to Webster County due to pre-trial publicity. Jury selection began Monday, but was halted due to a defense motion to strike the jury panel to allow more time to investigate whether African-Americans were being systematically excluded. Judge rejects striking jury for Mason City double homicide trial FORT DODGE | A judge has overruled a defense motion to throw out the jury pool in a double h District Court Judge Rustin Davenport overruled that motion Tuesday morning and jury selection resumed in the afternoon. This is a developing story. Check back later for more details. Tissue and Hygiene Products Market To Make Great Impact In Near Future by 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-528 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-528 www.futuremarketinsights.com The personal care products market comprises hair care, skin care, toiletries, fragrances convenience products and others. Among all these segments toiletries and skin care comprises the major segments for the market, constituting with high market value with favorable perspective in the near future. Tissue and hygiene is the sub-segment of toiletries segment. Tissue and hygiene products help consumers to maintain healthy and hygienic lifestyle in day to day schedule. Tissue and hygiene products are further categorized as disposable razor or blades, sanitary pads, nappies, cleansers, sprays, cotton wool and others.Tissue and hygiene Market SegmentationTissue and hygiene market can be segmented on the basis of distribution channel which includes health and beauty stores, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores, supermarkets, convenient stores, e-retailing and others. Among all these distribution channel segments, sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets account for the highest market share in 2014 followed by convenience stores. Growing retail industry is fuelling the demand for sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets across the globe. Moreover, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores segment is also expected to show a potential growth in terms of sales of tissue and hygiene products during the forecast period. In addition, sell out through internet is expected to show a sustainable growth in the forecasted period. The growth of online purchasing is supported by the increasing penetration of internet and rising concern for convenience among the consumers across the globe.Request For Report Sample@The tissue and hygiene market can also be segmented on the basis of product type. The segmentation includes cotton wool/buds/, incontinence products, nappies/diapers, sanitary protection, wipes and others. Among all these segments sanitary protection and nappies/diapers are collectively expected to account for the highest growth in terms of revenue followed by wipes. Increasing concern of women for healthy and hygienic lifestyle is expected to support the growth of sanitary protection product market across the globe. Moreover, wipes are also expected to show a tremendous growth in the forecast period due to continuous and aggressive promotion of the product.On the basis of geography, North America contributes to the largest in terms of revenue in tissue and hygiene market followed by Europe. In North America United States is the major contributor in tissue and hygiene market followed by Canada. In Europe, countries such as Germany and France accounts for the largest market share followed by United Kingdom. Whereas, Asia pacific is concerned it is expected to register a double digit CAGR growth by 2020. In Asia pacific region China is expected to be the most dominant market for tissue and hygiene followed by Japan. Rising awareness through various corporate advertisements and government educational campaigns coupled with increasing concern of women to be hygienic in their day to day life has fueled the growth of tissue and hygiene market in China. Moreover, women in China prefer for premium feminine hygiene product categories, which is expected to bolster the growth of feminine hygiene products in terms of revenue. In addition, India is also expected to witness a robust growth in tissue and hygiene market. Increasing number of working women in urban areas, rising awareness among the consumer for healthy and hygienic lifestyle has supported the growth of tissue and hygiene market in India. Furthermore, government educating and awareness campaigns in rural areas and in schools is expected to support the growth of tissue and hygiene market particularly in India.Tissue and hygiene Market DriversRising disposable income coupled with increasing consumer expenditure for health care products is driving the growth of tissue and hygiene market across the globe. In addition, consumer awareness through aggressive corporate advertisement and various government campaign programs in rural and urban areas especially in school and colleges is also fueling the tissue and hygiene market growth of tissue and hygiene market in the forecast period. In addition continuous launching of new product variant is expected to fuel the growth of tissue and hygiene market in the near future.Visit For TOC@Tissue and hygiene Market: Key PlayersThe major international players operating in tissue and hygiene market includes Sterling Hygiene Tissue Procter & Gamble, Gulf Manufacturing EST, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Unilever and Hengan International Group Company Limited. among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Industrial Emission Control Systems Information and Analysis with forecast growth - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=497241 "Industrial Emission Control Systems Market, by Emission Source (Power Plants, Chemical Process Industry, Marine Industry, Waste to Energy Industry, and Other Industries), Device Type (Electrostatic Precipitators, Catalytic Reactors, Incinerators, Filters, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-This research study analyzes the market for industrial emission control systems in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The industrial emission control systems market has been segmented on the basis of emission source, type of emission control device, and geography. The geographical segmentation includes regions which are further divided into eight countries (major players in the global industrial emission control systems market). For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional as well as country-specific level from 2015 to 2023. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the industrial emission control systems business.Get Sample Report With TOC @The report also includes the key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global industrial emission control systems market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the global industrial emission control systems market with the help of Porters Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the structure and profitability of the global industrial emission control systems market. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the industrial emission control systems business globally. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. The most prominent drivers include stringent government regulations and emission standards, and growing demand for power in the wake of industrialization in the emerging markets. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the industrial emission control systems market on the basis of end-use. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market in different regions.The industrial emission control systems market was segmented on the basis of emission source (power plants, chemical process industry, marine industry, waste to energy industry, and other industries), device type (electrostatic precipitators, catalytic reactors, incinerators, filters, and others), and geography. The industrial emission control systems market was analyzed across four geographies: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (the Middle East, South America, and Africa). Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the industrial emission control systems market. Key players in the industrial emission control systems market include Alstom Group, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc., GEA Group AG, Johnson Matthey PLC, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Limited (MHPS), CECO Environmental Corp., and BASF Catalysts LLC. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments.Industrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Emission SourcePower PlantsChemical Process IndustryMarine IndustryWaste to Energy IndustryOther IndustriesIndustrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Device TypeElectrostatic PrecipitatorsCatalytic ReactorsIncineratorsFiltersOthersIndustrial Emission Control Systems Market: By RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyU.K.Rest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldResearchMoz 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 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Respiratory Trainers Information and Analysis with forecast growth Report 2017 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1047117 "EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Respiratory Trainers Market Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-In this report, the EMEA Respiratory Trainers 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 split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Respiratory Trainers for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Get Sample Report With TOC @EMEA Respiratory Trainers market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Respiratory Trainers sales volume (Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingPowerBreatheCordiO2BreathslimIngMar MedicalMichigan InstrumentsRescue CrittersLungTek Ltd...On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoUltrabreathe Respiratory TrainersPowerbreathe Respiratory TrainersPowerLung Respiratory TrainersExpand-A-Lung Respiratory TrainersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (Units), market share and growth rate of Respiratory Trainers for each application, includingChildrenAdultsTable of ContentsEMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Respiratory Trainers Market Report 20171 Respiratory Trainers Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Respiratory Trainers1.2 Classification of Respiratory Trainers1.2.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Ultrabreathe Respiratory Trainers1.2.4 Powerbreathe Respiratory Trainers1.2.5 PowerLung Respiratory Trainers1.2.6 Expand-A-Lung Respiratory Trainers1.3 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Children1.3.3 Adults1.4 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Respiratory Trainers (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA Respiratory Trainers (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Respiratory Trainers (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)3 Europe Respiratory Trainers (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application3.1 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 Europe Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.2 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Type3.3 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Application3.4 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries3.4.1 Europe Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.2 Europe Respiratory Trainers Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.3 Germany Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.4 France Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.5 UK Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.6 Russia Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.7 Italy Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.8 Benelux Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4 Middle East Respiratory Trainers (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application4.1 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.2 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Type4.3 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Application4.4 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries4.4.1 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)4.4.2 Middle East Respiratory Trainers Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.4 Israel Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.5 UAE Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.6 Iran Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5 Africa Respiratory Trainers (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application5.1 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Africa Respiratory Trainers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.2 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Type5.3 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales and Market Share by Application5.4 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries5.4.1 Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)5.4.2 Africa Respiratory Trainers Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.4.3 South Africa Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.4.4 Nigeria Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.4.5 Egypt Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.4.6 Algeria Respiratory Trainers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6 EMEA Respiratory Trainers Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data6.1 PowerBreathe6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Respiratory Trainers Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 PowerBreathe Respiratory Trainers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 CordiO26.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.2.2 Respiratory Trainers Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 CordiO2 Respiratory Trainers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Breathslim6.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.3.2 Respiratory Trainers Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Breathslim Respiratory Trainers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 IngMar Medical6.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.4.2 Respiratory Trainers Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 IngMar Medical Respiratory Trainers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Michigan Instruments6.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.5.2 Respiratory Trainers Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Product A6.5.2.2 Product B6.5.3 Michigan Instruments Respiratory Trainers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 Rescue CrittersResearchMoz 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 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Information and Analysis with forecast growth Report 2017 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1047433 "United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices 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 Ophthalmic Laser Devices 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 Ophthalmic Laser Devices in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).Get Sample Report With TOC @United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Ophthalmic Laser Devices sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAbbott LaboratoriesCarl Zeiss Meditec AGEllex Medical Lasers LimitedNovartis AGZiemer Ophthalmic SystemsIRIDEX CorporationLumenisNIDEKQuantel GroupSCHWIND eye-tech solutionsTopcon CorporationValeant Pharmaceuticals InternationalOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoDiode LasersFemtosecond LasersExcimer LasersNd:YAG LasersArgon LasersSLT LasersOn 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 Ophthalmic Laser Devices for each application, includingHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersOphthalmic ClinicsTable of ContentsUnited States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Report 20171 Ophthalmic Laser Devices Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Ophthalmic Laser Devices1.2 Classification of Ophthalmic Laser Devices by Product Category1.2.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Diode Lasers1.2.4 Femtosecond Lasers1.2.5 Excimer Lasers1.2.6 Nd:YAG Lasers1.2.7 Argon Lasers1.2.8 SLT Lasers1.3 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Ambulatory Surgical Centers1.3.4 Ophthalmic Clinics1.4 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market by Region1.4.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Ophthalmic Laser Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Ophthalmic Laser Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Ophthalmic Laser Devices Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Price by Region (2012-2017)4 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Ophthalmic Laser Devices Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data6.1 Abbott Laboratories6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Ophthalmic Laser Devices Product Category, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 Abbott Laboratories Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG6.2.2 Ophthalmic Laser Devices Product Category, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Ophthalmic Laser Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Ellex Medical Lasers LimitedResearchMoz 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 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Information and Analysis with forecast growth Report 2017 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1047162 "EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-In this report, the EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices 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 split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Get Sample Report With TOC @EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices sales volume (Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAQUETHolding B V & Co KGMicroport Scientific CorporationMedos Medizintechnik AGSorin GroupMedtronicTerumo Cardiovascular Systems CorporationNipro Medical Corporation...On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSingle-Ventricular DeviceBiventricular DeviceOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (Units), market share and growth rate of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices for each application, includingHospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersCardiac Catheterizations LaboratoriesOtherTable of ContentsEMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Report 20171 Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices1.2 Classification of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices1.2.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Single-Ventricular Device1.2.4 Biventricular Device1.3 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Clinics1.3.4 Ambulatory Surgical Centers1.3.5 Cardiac Catheterizations Laboratories1.3.6 Other1.4 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)3 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application3.1 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.2 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Type3.3 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Application3.4 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries3.4.1 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.2 Europe Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)3.4.3 Germany Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.4 France Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.5 UK Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.6 Russia Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.7 Italy Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.4.8 Benelux Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application4.1 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.2 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Type4.3 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Application4.4 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries4.4.1 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)4.4.2 Middle East Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.4 Israel Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.5 UAE Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.4.6 Iran Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application5.1 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.2 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Type5.3 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Market Share by Application5.4 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume and Value (Revenue) by Countries5.4.1 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales Volume by Countries (2012-2017)5.4.2 Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.4.3 South Africa Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Life Support (VV ECLS) Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)ResearchMoz 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 Global and Chinese P-Xylidine (CAS 95-78-3) Industry Evaluation and Assessment, Forecast, 2017-2022 Chemical-Industry Research Report - MRH http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1152036 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-and-chinese-p-xylidine-cas-95-78-3-industry-2017-market-research-report-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1152036 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ The use of P-Xylidine for the production of dyes and other chemicals adds to its market revenue to a great extent. To analyze further, Market Research Hub (MRH) has lately added a research study titled as Global and Chinese P-Xylidine (CAS 95-78-3) Industry, 2017 Market Research Report to its vast report repository. It is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global P-Xylidine (CAS 95-78-3) industry with a focus on the Chinese market forecast till 2022.Request Free Sample Report:P-Xylidine is the isomers of xylene amine, which is generally toxic. It is a liquid with melting point 11.5 C and boiling point 215 C. The isomer has the chemical properties of clear yellow to red-brown liquid and have a general description as a dark brown liquid. It has a variety of uses such as in the agricultural, production of antioxidants, pharmaceutical, rubber chemicals and other target organic molecules.The intelligent analysis starts with the detailed introduction of P-Xylidine along with the development and status of the detailed industry. It further describes the manufacturing technology of the chemical with development, analysis, and trend analysis. The companies at the global scale are also profiled in the research with their product information, 2012-2017 production information and contact information. The global and especially Chinese market of 2012-2017 is also evaluated for P-Xylidine Industry capacity, production and production value, cost/profit, supply/consumption and import/export.Browse Full Report With TOC:In the following section, the market status of the compound is discussed for competition by the company, country (U.S.A, EU, Japan and China) and consumption by application/type. Further, the market is forecast for 2017-2022 by various market factors. The industry chain of the discussed compound is also accessed with industry chain structure, upstream raw material, and downstream industry. It further discusses the global and Chinese economic impact on P-Xylidine industry, market dynamics of the industry and concludes by the new projects market entry strategies, countermeasures of economic impact, various marketing channels and new projects investment feasibility study. The study is a comprehensive report that provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global and Chinese P-Xylidine industry covering all important market parameters. The provided research detail the key statistics on the market status of the P-Xylidine manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for the companies and individuals interested in the industry.Make An Enquiry:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite: Luxury Goods in Germany ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001521985/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/luxury-goods-in-germany http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001521985/discount http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW0001521985/buy/1210 Luxury goods enjoyed further positive growth in Germany in 2016, with volume and value sales increases seen in all nine categories covered by Publisher. The highest overall growth was seen in the rather young category of luxury portable consumer electronics, while the slowest growth was reported in the rather old-fashioned category of luxury writing instruments and stationery. Ultimately, the current value growth rate registered across luxury goods in 2016 was in line with the cu...Request a Sample atPublisher's Luxury Goods in Germany report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the Luxury Goods market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market and their effects on Luxury Goods retailing along with the development of consumers' shopping patterns. Forecasts to 2020 illustrate how the market is set to changeBrowse Complete Report atProduct coverage: Designer Apparel and Footwear (Ready-to-Wear), Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits, Luxury Eyewear, Luxury Jewellery, Luxury Leather Goods, Luxury Portable Consumer Electronics, Luxury Timepieces, Luxury Writing Instruments and Stationery, Super Premium Beauty and Personal Care.Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.Why buy this report?* Get a detailed picture of the Luxury Goods market;* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;* Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.Publisher has over 40 years' experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago, Sydney, Tokyo and Bangalore and a network of over 800 analysts worldwide, Publisher has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.Get discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:Table 1 Sales of Luxury Goods by Category: Value 2011-2016Table 2 Sales of Luxury Goods by Category: % Value Growth 2011-2016Table 3 NBO Company Shares of Luxury Goods: % Value 2011-2015Table 4 LBN Brand Shares of Luxury Goods: % Value 2012-2015Table 5 Distribution of Luxury Goods by Format: % Value 2011-2016Table 6 Distribution of Luxury Goods by Format and Category: % Value 2016Table 7 Forecast Sales of Luxury Goods by Category: Value 2016-2021Table 8 Forecast Sales of Luxury Goods by Category: % Value Growth 2016-2021Table 16 Sales of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits by Category: Value 2011-2016Table 17 Sales of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits by Category: % Value Growth 2011-2016Table 18 NBO Company Shares of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits: % Value 2011-2015Table 19 LBN Brand Shares of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits: % Value 2012-2015Table 20 Distribution of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits by Format: % Value 2011-2016Table 21 Forecast Sales of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits by Category: Value 2016-2021Table 22 Forecast Sales of Fine Wines/Champagne and Spirits by Category: % Value Growth 2016-2021Purchase 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 Global Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com http://qyresearchjapan.com/ SummaryThe Global Hemostat Powders Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Hemostat Powders industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Hemostat Powders 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 Hemostat Powders industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):PfizerEthiconC. R. BardGelita MedicalEquimedicalBiocerCeloxHemostasisMBPMediraHemotec MedicalStarch MedicalSuccess PharmaceuticalChangsha HairunKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Hemostat PowdersChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Hemostat Powders by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Hemostat Powders by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Hemostat Powders by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Hemostat PowdersChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Hemostat Powders Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017India Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017China Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Hemostat Powders Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) |(JP) Global Slack Wax Market: Merck Serono, MSD, IBSA, Ferring, Livzon, Techwell, GenSci, Forecast to 2022 Slack Wax http://www.globalinforeports.com/request-sample/247736 http://www.globalinforeports.com/report/global-slack-wax-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022-d-25 http://www.globalinforeports.com/check-discount/247736 http://www.globalinforeports.com/send-an-enquiry/247736 http://www.globalinforeports.com http://www.globalinforeports.com/blog This report studies the Slack Wax market. Slack wax is a mixture of oil and wax, obtained from lubricating oil. Slack wax is the crude wax produced by chilling and solvent filter-pressing wax distillate. It serves as feedstock and that is further refined and blended to create value-added petroleum wax products.Get a Sample of Slack Wax Market Research report from @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Slack Wax in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Major Players Included in Slack Wax Market :ShellExxon MobilBPIRPCPertaminaH&R GruppeAmerican Refining GroupIranol OilThai OilSinopecCNPCAnd Many OthersScope of the Follicle Slack Wax Market on the basis of region:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Browse full Report with table of contents and data tables For Slack Wax Market Report @Market Segment by Type, coversSlack Wax LMOSlack Wax MMOSlack Wax SPOOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCandleParticle Board & MDFPolishingSealingOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Slack Wax market.Chapter 1, to describe Slack Wax Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Slack Wax, with sales, revenue, and price of Slack Wax, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Slack Wax, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Slack Wax market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Slack Wax sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceCheck for Discount @Some points from TOC:-1 Market Overview1.1 Slack Wax Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Slack Wax LMO1.2.2 Slack Wax MMO1.2.3 Slack Wax SPO1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Candle1.3.2 Particle Board & MDF1.3.3 Polishing1.3.4 Sealing1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Shell2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Slack Wax Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Shell Slack Wax Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Exxon Mobil ContinuedFor more help Speak to our Experts @No. of Report Pages: 117Price of Report (Single User Licence): $3480About Global Info Reports:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Blogs- Service Robot Market Global Competitive Situation of Manufacturers Research 2017 to 2022 ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001869797/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001869797/discount http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW0001869797/buy/2600 In this report, we analyze the Service Robot 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. We also make a prediction of its production and consumption in coming 2017-2022.At the same time, we classify different Service Robot based on their definitions. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What is more, the Service Robot industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.Request a Sample atThe report can answer the following questions:1. What is the global (North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, China, Japan) production, production value, consumption, consumption value, import and export of Service Robot?2. Who are the global key manufacturers of Service Robot industry? How are their operating situation (capacity, production, price, cost, gross and revenue) ?3. What are the types and applications of Service Robot? What is the market share of each type and application?4. What are the upstream raw materials and manufacturing equipment of Service Robot? What is the manufacturing process of Service Robot?5. Economic impact on Service Robot industry and development trend of Service Robot industry.6. What will the Service Robot market size and the growth rate be in 2022?7. What are the key factors driving the global Service Robot industry?8. What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Service Robot market?9. What are the Service Robot market challenges to market growth?10. What are the Service Robot market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Service Robot market?Objective of Studies:1. To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Service Robot market.2. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Service Robot 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 Service Robot market.Get discount on report purchase atFew Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Service Robot1.1 Brief Introduction of Service Robot1.1.1 Definition of Service Robot1.1.2 Development of Service Robot Industry1.2 Classification of Service Robot1.2.1 Type One1.2.2 Type Two1.2.3 Type Three1.3 Status of Service Robot Industry1.3.1 Industry Overview of Service Robot1.3.2 Global Major Regions Status of Service Robot2 Industry Chain Analysis of Service Robot2.1 Supply Chain Relationship Analysis of Service Robot2.2 Upstream Major Raw Materials and Price Analysis of Service Robot2.3 Downstream Applications of Service Robot2.3.1 Application 12.3.2 Application 22.3.3 Application 33 Manufacturing Technology of Service Robot3.1 Development of Service Robot Manufacturing Technology3.2 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Service Robot3.3 Trends of Service Robot Manufacturing Technology5 Global Production, Revenue and Price Analysis of Service Robot by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications5.1 Global Production, Revenue of Service Robot by Regions 2012-20175.2 Global Production, Revenue of Service Robot by Manufacturers 2012-20175.3 Global Production, Revenue of Service Robot by Types 2012-20175.4 Global Production, Revenue of Service Robot by Applications 2012-20175.5 Price Analysis of Global Service Robot by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications in 2012-20177 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Sale Price Analysis of Service Robot by Regions7.1 Global Consumption Volume and Consumption Value of Service Robot by Regions 2012-20177.2 Global Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Growth Rate of Service Robot 2012-20177.3 China Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Growth Rate of Service Robot 2012-20177.4 Europe Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Growth Rate of Service Robot 2012-20177.5 Asia excepting China Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Growth Rate of Service Robot 2012-20177.6 North America Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Growth Rate of Service Robot 2012-20177.7 Sale Price Analysis of Global Service Robot by Regions 2012-2017Purchase 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 MASON CITY | Rend Collective, one of the top bands in Christian music, will headline a concert Saturday, July 29, on the lawn of Grace Church. Rend Collective is one of the top five selling (Christian bands) in the country. To have that quality in Mason City is pretty unique, said Tyler Anderson of Roller City, producer of Thrive Concerts. The band, known for its "foot-stomping revival hymn" Build Your Kingdom Here, and the upbeat My Lighthouse, hails from Northern Ireland and incorporates homemade instruments in its songs. Anderson describes the bands style like being around a large campfire being drawn into it. Thats how their music feels. GAWVI, a producer for Christian rappers, has launched a solo career. Anderson said hes been watching him on Spotify, where hes rocketed up to 400,000 listeners per month. Hes a very talented electronic dance guy, Anderson said. Great workout music. Mike Mains, a talented indie rocker from Michigan, has performed in Mason City several times, and returns for the Thrive Festival. The final artist is Shawn McDonald, whom Anderson describes as an acoustic hippy guy. Anderson returns to the concert scene after a three-year absence. It has been quite the journey, he said. It has transformed into a huge event, a larger version of what weve done in the past. He connected first with Nick Burgus of Grace Church and considered using the Bridge, the churchs new, 700-seat venue. He's also teamed up with Jesse Wunderlich at Grace. In terms of the leadership team Gods brought into the fold, its a constant confirmation were doing the right thing. Anderson said Lynn Brady caught the itch to bring bands to Mason City. Lynn Brady has been my right hand man, Anderson said. Hes been essential. Hes understood it. He could take it and run with it. The concert fills a void created by the cancellation of Sonshine Festival in Willmar, Minnesota, and Bash on the Farm in Forest City. Its a really unique opportunity for us. The doors opened wider for us. Anderson said he has targeted the Minneapolis and Des Moines markets heavily, with 700 presold tickets. He also did what he called guerrilla marketing, handing out free tickets to anyone caught lip-synching along with them in Clear Lakes July 4th parade. The concert follows Friday Night Live on July 28. Main Street Mason City is partnering with the NIACC Performing Arts and Leadership Series to bring Yesterday And Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience to downtown Mason City. Its going to be a huge weekend in North Iowa. Its been fun to see how its all come together, Anderson said. Anderson said hes very excited. I never thought wed have Rend Collective. Its not every day you get a band like this to play on the lawn. Doors will open for the outdoor concert at 3:30 p.m., with music beginning at 5 on the lawn of Grace Church, 440 N. Illinois Ave., Mason City. The music will go until 11 p.m. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Food will be available from Mr. Taco, Ritz Rings & Things, the Iowa Grill, and Roller City Sno Shack. Tickets are $20 per person, $15 with groups of 10 or more, available at tinyurl.com/thriveiowa, iTickets.com, the Grace Church office, and North Iowa Community Credit Union, and at the door. Global Irons for Clothes Detailed Analysis Report by Players, Regions, Product Type, Consumers Projection to 2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/575214-global-irons-for-clothes-detailed-analysis-report https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=575214 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/575214-global-irons-for-clothes-detailed-analysis-report https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/575214-global-irons-for-clothes-detailed-analysis-report A new research document with title 'Global Irons for Clothes Detailed Analysis Report 2017-2022 ' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like United States, EU, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and important players/vendors such as Panasonic ,Supernon , Steamfast ................The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022Request a sample report @SummaryThis report splits Irons for Clothes by Tank Volume, Stalls, Hot Pot Material, and Price. This shares the history data information from 2012 to 2016, and forecast from 2017 to 2022.And this report mainly introduces volume and value market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also their price change details. As a Detailed Analysis report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinion in Irons for Clothes industry.This report focus Global market, it covers details players regions product type and other details as following:Major Companies of Irons for ClothesBLACK+DECKER(US)Rowenta(Germany)Sunbeam(US)Panasonic(Japan)Supernon(US)Steamfast(US)Smartek(US)Conair(US)Hamilton Beach(US)Laurastar(Swiss)Braun(Germany)Brentwood(US)Jiffy Steamer(US)Proctor Silex(US)Haan(Korea)T-fal(France)Generic(US)Oster(US)Premium(CHINA)Silver Star(US)Midea(CHINA)PHILIPS(NETHERLAND)Haier(CHINA)CHIGO(CHINA)POVOS(CHINA)SUPOR(CHINA)FLYCO(CHINA)SALAV(CHINA)HG(CHINA)LEXY(CHINA)Main RegionsUnited StatesEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandPolandOthersChinaJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaOthersBuy this report @Main Product TypeIrons for Clothes Market, by Tank Volume2LIrons for Clothes Market, by Stalls3 Stalls and below4-6 Stalls>6 StallsIrons for Clothes Market, by Hot Pot MaterialAluminum AlloyStainless SteelOthersIrons for Clothes Market, by PriceUnder $25$25 to $50$50 to $100$100 to $200$200 to $500$500 to $1000$1000 & AboveMain ApplicationsHousehold UseCommercial UseGet customization & check discount for report @Table of ContentsChapter One Irons for Clothes Market Overview1.1 Global Irons for Clothes Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20221.2 Irons for Clothes, by Tank Volume 2012-20221.2.1 Global Irons for Clothes Sales Market Share by Tank Volume 2012-20221.2.2 Global Irons for Clothes Revenue Market Share by Tank Volume 2012-20221.2.3 Global Irons for Clothes Price by Tank Volume 2012-20221.2.4 2L1.3 Irons for Clothes, by Stalls 2012-20221.3.1 Global Irons for Clothes Sales Market Share by Stalls 2012-20221.3.2 Global Irons for Clothes Revenue Market Share by Stalls 2012-20221.3.3 Global Irons for Clothes Price by Stalls 2012-20221.3.4 3 Stalls and below1.3.5 4-6 Stalls1.3.6 >6 Stalls1.4 Irons for Clothes, by Hot Pot Material 2012-20221.4.1 Global Irons for Clothes Sales Market Share by Hot Pot Material 2012-20221.4.2 Global Irons for Clothes Revenue Market Share by Hot Pot Material 2012-20221.4.3 Global Irons for Clothes Price by Hot Pot Material 2012-20221.4.4 Aluminum Alloy1.4.5 Stainless Steel1.4.6 Others1.5 Irons for Clothes, by Price 2012-20221.5.1 Global Irons for Clothes Sales Market Share by Price 2012-20221.5.2 Global Irons for Clothes Revenue Market Share by Price 2012-20221.5.3 Global Irons for Clothes Price by Price 2012-20221.5.4 Under $251.5.5 $25 to $501.5.6 $50 to $1001.5.7 $100 to $2001.5.8 $200 to $5001.5.9 $500 to $10001.5.10 $1000 & Above....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.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) Industrial Robot Report on Global Market by Players, Types and Applications, Status and Forecast, 2017-2022 Industrial Robot Market 2017 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/352137 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/2017-market-research-report-on-global-industrial-robot-industry http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/352137 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/discount/352137 http://orbisnewsrelease.com/ The Report Global Industrial Robot Market provides Key Benefits, Key Market Segments, Secondary and Primary Research, Analyst Tools and Models to 2022. The report will assist reader with better understanding and decision making.In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Industrial Robot Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Industrial Robot Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Industrial Robot Market report is a noteworthy.Request Sample of Industrial Robot Industry Report at:The Global Industrial Robot Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Industrial Robot Industry market report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Industrial Robot Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Industrial Robot Market report.Browse Industrial Robot Market Report at:The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Finally, the Industrial Robot Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Industrial Robot Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Buy Report at:Major Points from TOC:Chapter One: Industrial Robot Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Industrial Robot Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Industrial Robot Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Industrial Robot Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Industrial Robot Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Industrial Robot Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Industrial Robot Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Industrial Robot Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global Industrial Robot Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixCheck for Discount offered on this Report at:About 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.comFor More Press Releases, visit: Portable Generators Market Study on Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application 2017-2022 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001872526/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/global-portable-generators-market-professional-survey-report-2017 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001872526/discount http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW0001872526/buy/3500 ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Portable Generators Market Professional Survey Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBriggs & StrattonHonda PowerGeneracYamahaKOHLERTechtronic IndustriesEatonChampionScott'sWacker NeusonHoneywellHyundai PowerSawafujiPramacHGIPerkinsMi-T-MWincoRequest a Sample atBy types, the market can be split intoDiesel TypeGasoline TypeGas TypeBrowse Complete Report atBy Application, the market can be split intoCommercialResidentialBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaGet discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Portable Generators1.1 Definition and Specifications of Portable Generators1.1.1 Definition of Portable Generators1.1.2 Specifications of Portable Generators1.2 Classification of Portable Generators1.2.1 Diesel Type1.2.2 Gasoline Type1.2.3 Gas Type1.3 Applications of Portable Generators1.3.1 Commercial1.3.2 Residential1.3.3 Application 31.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Portable Generators2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Portable Generators2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Portable Generators2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Portable Generators3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Portable Generators3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Portable Generators Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Portable Generators Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Portable Generators Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Portable Generators Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Portable Generators Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Portable Generators Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Portable Generators Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Portable Generators Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Portable Generators Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Portable Generators Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Portable Generators Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)Purchase Complete Report atAbout Us:ReportsWeb.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.Contact 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 Situation and Prospects Report 2017: Automotive Guide pin Industry Analysis, Market Share and Growth Rate ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/global-automotive-guide-pin-industry-situation-and-prospects-research-report-2017 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001739847/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001739847/buying In 2016, the world economy expanded by just 2.2 per cent, the slowest rate of growth since the Great Recession of 2009. Underpinning the sluggish global economy are the feeble pace of global investment, dwindling world trade growth, flagGuide ping productivity growth and high levels of debt. World gross product is forecast to expand by 2.7 per cent in 2017 and 2.9 per cent in 2018, with this modest recovery more an indication of economic stabilization than a signal of a robust and sustained revival of global demand. Given the close Guide pins between demand, investment, trade and productivity, the extended episode of weak global growth may prove self-perpetuating in the absence of concerted policy efforts to revive investment and foster a recovery in productivity. This would impede progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , particularly the goals of eradicating extreme poverty and creating decent work for all.For More Information About This Report:Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Automotive Guide pin 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 marAutomotive Guide pin by regions (United States, EU, China, India 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. What's more, the Automotive Guide pin industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Request Sample Copy At:Table of Content2 Industry market structure analysis2.1 Supply & Consumption Analysis 2012-20172.1.1 North America2.1.2 Europe2.1.3 Japan2.1.4 India2.1.5 China3 Industry market environment analysis3.1 Industry requirements for resources and technology3.2 Industry technology development trend3.3 The impact of national macro policy on Industry3.4 Other influencing factors4 Competitive pattern analysis4.1 Industry competitive structure analysis by Region 2012-2017 344.2 Industry competitive structure analysis by Manufacture 2012-20174.3 Market barriers to entry analysis4.4 Threat of substitutesInquire 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 Charge Control Agent for Toners Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1817 http://bit.ly/2uU2mFj https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1817 https://www.gminsights.com/ Charge control agent for toners market is segmented in product A and B. In A the number of CL substitution is 2 and in B its 1. On the basis of molecular weight B is more than A. The agent is used in various applications that includes pen inks, printers, electro photography, water based ink, oil based markers, gel ink, ink for fountain pens and whiteboards.Purchase This Report by calling Global Market Insights, Inc. at 1-888-689-0688 (Toll Free) or 1-302-846-7766.Charge Control Agent for Toners Market size is estimated to grow in the forecast time frame with its use as a material in electrophotography. It is consumed to control tribo-change in photocopier and laser printer. The product along with pigment provides color to the toner that makes it suitable to be used in various types of writing inks such as ball point pens, marker pens and fiber tipped pens. It was developed with due consideration being paid to the electrical characteristics of dyes. They are mostly deployed in laser beam printers and copying machine.Growth in printing industry over 1.5% in near future will raise demand for charge control agent for toners market. It adds clarity and effects in the image, thus demand for high end resolution has accelerated the product usage. Preliminary factors driving the demand include high environment safety, high resolution and definition images and a wide range of specifications, ranging from commercial to household products.Request for table of contents of this research report @Developing education system is highly contributing in charge control agent for toners market. Growth in paper industry by over 4% is further influencing demand of the product. Schools, colleges and hospitals are widely using paper in their daily activities. The product is used as powder form paint that gives colors in printed images. Majority of the population uses pen in their daily work, that is boosting its consumption.Supply chain of charge control agent for toners market is initiated in laboratories. It is formulated through chemical reaction that has zinc as its active ingredient. The product is a coloring agent and binder resin for toner. Post production it is transported to various locations for general use in printers and pens. The agent is blended in numerous applications and are made available in retail stores for end customers.Browse Full Report summary @Shift from paper industry to digital is major challenge in charge control agent for toners market. Further, growth and innovation in digital field in minimizing the use of paper. Most of the countries has completely moved to digital world. Additionally, high printer cost is another reason limiting the growth. Elevating global warming is switching people to save tress as over 90% raw material used to make paper comes from tree. Rising awareness and campaign to save tress are impacting charge control agent for toners market.Reasons to Buy This Report:1. Charge Control Agent for Toners Market size & share forecast by product & application 2017-20242. Growth drivers, pitfalls & industry challenges3. Charge Control Agent for Toners Market growth opportunities & emerging business models4. Competitive benchmarking with market share analysis and company profilesAsia Pacific Charge Control Agent for Toners market is estimated to observe steady growth in upcoming years. The product provides relief from irritation and discomfort caused by bug bites. Developing countries with lack of favorable working environment for people working particularly in mining and oil fields will observe substantial demand for Charge Control Agent for Toners apparels.The Charge Control Agent for Toners Market Report Consists of:1. Methodology and Scope2. Executive Summary3. Charge Control Agent for Toners Industry Insights4. Industry segmentation5. Industry size, forecast and growth expectations, 2017 - 20246. Industry ecosystem analysis Raw material insights7. Technology insights8. Regulatory framework9. Industry dynamics10. Key growth opportunities11. Porter's analysis12. Company market share, 201713. PESTEL analysis14. Regional price trends15. Charge Control Agent for Toners Product Insights16. Charge Control Agent for Toners Application Insights17.Charge Control Agent for Toners Regional Insights18. Competitor ProfilesMake an inquiry for purchasing this report @Key contributors in charge control agent for toners market are Esprix Technologies, Orient, Ding Long, Hodogaya Chemicals, E Ink, Stratasys Inc, Angstrom Technologies, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Kyocera, and Hgst Netherlands. Kyocera announces Ultra-Wide Print head offering simultaneous four- color output for industrial inkjet printing from textile to billboards.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook Global Smart TV Market Report 2017-2025: Research, Competitive Analysis, Key Manufacturers and Development The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000274 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000274 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/smart-tv-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000274 The Insight Partners, Global Smart TV Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Smart TV industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Smart TV market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Smart TV market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Smart TV players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request Sample Copy atThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Smart TV market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Smart TV market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire for Discount Copy atAlso, key Smart TV market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Key Company Profiles- Apple Inc.- Samsung- LG Electronics- Philips- Microsoft- SONY- Toshiba- Haier- Panasonic- Google Inc.View Complete Report atReason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Smart TV market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Inquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Pune, India Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market 2017 - Mobile Devices, Mobile Applications & Enterprise Mobility Platforms : Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2023 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=497346 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=497346 Albany, New York, July 13, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Healthcare Mobility Solutions (Payers, Providers, and Patients (Individuals)) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023" globally.The research study titled Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2023 provides strategic analysis of the global healthcare mobility solutions market along with the market growth (size in US$ Bn) forecast for the period from 2015 to 2023. The report includes competitive analysis of various market segments based on types of products and services, applications, end-users, and in-depth cross-sectional scrutiny across different geography segments of the healthcare mobility solutions market. In order to aid in strategic decision-making, the report also includes competitive profiling of the leading healthcare mobility solutions vendors in the industry, their market positioning, recent developments, and the winning strategies adopted by them. Other in-depth analyses covered in the report provide insights into industry competition, market dynamics, and the most profitable segments in the healthcare mobility solutions market. Furthermore, the report analyzes the current and future market potential for healthcare mobility solutions across the globe.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @The report also provides the breakdown and review of the various factors affecting the growth of the healthcare mobility solutions market, appropriately described as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. These factors emphasize upon the existing trends and their impact on the market growth. Overall, the report includes a holistic analysis of the global healthcare mobility solutions market and provides growth estimates for the period from 2015 to 2023, keeping in mind the various factors affecting the market.On the basis of types of products and services, the healthcare mobility solutions market is segmented into: mobile devices, mobile applications, and enterprise mobility platform. The market revenue and forecast for different products and services segments have been included in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. Furthermore, the report also segments the healthcare mobility solutions market on the basis of applications in to enterprise solutions and mHealth applications. The market revenue and forecast for different applications have also been included in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. Similarly, the market is further categorized on the basis of end-users into payers, providers, and patients (individuals). The market revenue and forecast for different end-use segments have been covered in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. The regional analysis of the healthcare mobility solutions market gives in-depth insights into the current trends prevailing in different regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW (Middle East and Africa, and Latin America). Each of these segments provide market size and forecast for the period from 2013 to 2023, highlighting the key factors responsible for influencing and challenging the market growth.Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By Products and ServicesMobile DevicesMobile ApplicationsEnterprise Mobility PlatformsHealthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By ApplicationsEnterprise SolutionsmHealth ApplicationsHealthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By End-usersPayersProvidersPatients (Individuals)Make an Enquiry of this report @Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By Geography:North AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeEU7CISRest of EuropeAsia PacifiJapanChinaAustralasiaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMoz90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States What are the Factors that drives the Growth & Opportunities for Of Global Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Market? https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1766 http://bit.ly/2ulK82A https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1766 https://www.gminsights.com/ Molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market is diversified into types such as pastes, high performance industrial lubricating oil, compounds, dispersions and anti-friction coating. Based on container into bottle, can, pail, tote, cartridge, drum, ken, spray and tube. They are used in various sectors which are construction and automotive. Various types of application are construction equipment, trucks, industrial and rock crushing plants.Purchase This Report by calling Global Market Insights, Inc. at 1-888-689-0688 (Toll Free) or 1-302-846-7766.Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Market size will depict a significant growth in next seven years. The product is smooth textured with high melting point, it is water resistant and is used to reduce wear by maintaining lubrications under high friction and shock load conditions. The compound has a characteristic to provide lubrication after grease has been displaced. It is highly suitable in chassis lubrication for trucks and construction vehicles working in heavy duty services. The product is extensively used in automotive and industrial sector for smooth functioning of the equipment.Growing automotive industry is preliminary driver for molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market. The product is used widely for lubrication in steering linkages, pedal shafts, wheel bearing, ball joints and control arms. It is commonly consumed as fifth wheel lubricants in trucks as it maintains protection after grease has be displaced. High performance, extreme pressure load capacity and high oxidation capacity of the compound is boosting molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market.Request for table of contents of this research report @Rise in construction sector by over 3% annually from past five years is propelling molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market. The product is recommended for lubrication of heavily loaded journal bearings used in rock crushing and industrial plants. It provides excellent oxidation stability, corrosion protection and water resistance to the heavy load plants. Further, non-adverse effects on human health is complementing the product penetration.Supply chain of molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market initiates from its manufacturing. It is formulated by base oils, thickener and additives. Post manufacturing, the compound is packed in varied size and shape containers to ease its transportation. The product is distributed to strategic locations for its usage, it is even made available for the customers in the retailer and dealers.Challenges that can restrict molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market growth is limitations of the product. They can pose harm to slow speed gear application, such as it can cause high wear rates known as polishing. Additionally, product is not suitable for low temperature applications as it does not charge fully with the agent, that can affect working of the machinery.Browse Full Report summary @Asia Pacific, led by China, India and Japan will register decent CAGR in molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market. Growth in the construction industry is boosting heavy duty vehicle demand, that consumes the product majorly. It is anticipated that India will be the fastest growing country in the construction industry by 2021 with the global share of over 6%. Indonesia will witness growth of over 5% in construction output per year. North America, especially the U.S.Reasons to Buy This Report:1. Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Market size & share forecast by product & application 2017-20242. Growth drivers, pitfalls & industry challenges3. Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Market growth opportunities & emerging business models4. Competitive benchmarking with market share analysis and company profilesGermany will provide a positive outlook of the molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market. The country hosts giants in automotive manufacturing and engineering companies such as Volkswagen, BASF and Daimler. The product is extensively used in automotive and industrial equipment.The Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Market Report Consists of:1. Methodology and Scope2. Executive Summary3. Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Industry Insights4. Industry segmentation5. Industry size, forecast and growth expectations, 2017 - 20246. Industry ecosystem analysis Raw material insights7. Technology insights8. Regulatory framework9. Industry dynamics10. Key growth opportunities11. Porter's analysis12. Company market share, 201713. PESTEL analysis14. Regional price trends15. Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Product Insights16. Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Application Insights17.Molybdenum Disulfide Extreme Pressure Lithium Grease Regional Insights18. Competitor ProfilesMake an inquiry for purchasing this report @Prominent formulators in molybdenum disulfide extreme pressure lithium grease market are JX Groups, Molyslip, Whitmore, Chevron, Castrol, Total, Shell, Texano, Dow corning and Exxon Mobil. Chevron merged with Texano in 2000, the merger was planned to become a leading company in total stockholder return among the competitors. The move created the fourth largest oil company of the world with 25000 retail stores in over 6 continents.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook Medical Connectors Market Size Is Projected To Be Around $4 Billion By 2025: Medical Connectors Market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/medical-connectors-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC0631 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/send-an-enquiry/HC0631 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/customization/HC0631 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/small-bore-connectors-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/automotive-connectors-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/cables-and-connector-market https://blog.crystalmarketresearch.com http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com A research study titled, Medical Connectors Market by Product, Application, and End User - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the medical connectors market is projected to be around $4 billion by 2025.Medical connectors are used in transferring signal, data, power or media. Medical connectors should be compact, sealed, sterilizable, durable, hermetic and lightweight. Medical connectors are used in defibrillators, diagnostic devices, surgical instrumentation, medical imaging systems, patient monitoring devices, cardiology devices, neurology devices, respiratory devices, and endoscopy devices.Flat surgical silicone cables segment held the major share of the overall medical connectors market in 2016. This is attributed to the advantages offered by the technical features of these cables along with their biocompatibility and versatility. In 2016, the patient monitoring devices segment held the largest share of the global market due to rising awareness about benefits of patient monitoring systems globally. Hospitals & clinics segment held the major share of the global market in 2016, due to the primary applications of patient monitoring devices in hospital setting in cases of chronic diseases and electrosurgical therapy.Browse full research report with TOC on Medical Connectors Market by Product, Application, and End User - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 at:U.S accounted for the major share of the North America medical connectors market in 2016, due to increasing incidence of chronic disorders and rising aging population. Emerging economies such as China and India will witness favorable growth over the forecast period with rise in healthcare expenditure and adoption of advanced medical devices in the region.Acquisition is a major strategy adopted by the companies operating in the global medical connectors market in order to strategically expand their existing product portfolio. For instance, in June 2014, LEMO acquired Northwire Inc., a specialty cable manufacturer in order to strengthen its high quality complete cable connector solutions. Likewise, in June 2016, Amphenol Ltd. acquired Martec Ltd. to expand its presence in the field of hermetic interconnects.Some of the major companies in this market include ITT Corporation, Esterline Technologies Corporation, LEMO S.A, Molex, TE Connectivity Ltd, Delphi Automotive LLP, Amphenol Corporation, Fischer Connectors and Samtec.Request a sample copy of Medical Connectors Market Research Report @Key Findings of the Research Study: Flat surgical silicone cables segment occupied major share of the global market in 2016 and is projected to grow with the highest CAGR over the forecast period as they offer superior biocompatibility and versatility. Patient monitoring devices segment occupied major share of the overall market in 2016, owing to the rising demand and adoption of patient monitoring systems globally. North America accounted for the major share of the global medical connectors market in 2016 due to the rise healthcare expenditure, growing prevalence of chronic disorders and increasing aging population in the region. Asia-Pacific market exhibits high growth potential for medical connectors during the forecast period due to increased healthcare expenditure and rising awareness about advanced healthcare devices.Inquire more about this report at:Medical Connectors Market SegmentationBy Product: Flat Surgical Silicone Cables Power Cords With Retention System Lighted Hospital-Grade Cords Radio-Frequency Connectors Disposable Plastic Connectors Embedded Electronics Connectors Hybrid Circular Connectors And Receptacle System Magnetic Medical Connectors Push-Pull ConnectorsBy Application: Cardiology Devices Dental Instruments Diagnostic Imaging Devices Analyzers And Processing Instruments Neurology Devices Patient Monitoring Devices Electrosurgical Instruments Endoscopy Devices Respiratory Devices Enteral Devices Other ApplicationsBy End User: Diagnostic Laboratories and Imaging Centers Hospital & Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers OthersBy Region: North Americao U.S.o Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao Turkeyo United Arab Emirateso OthersGet Customization in the Report At:Related Reports:Small-Bore Connectors Market by Type and End User - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Automotive Connectors Market by Connection Type, Mounting style, and Contact Plating - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Cables and Connector Market by Installation Type, Industry Vertical, and Product Type - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Akhil V.304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website: Need Of Power Tools Global Market For Manufacturing And Construction Industry By Technology, By Application During The Period 2015 - 2021 Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=497298 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=497298 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Need Of Power Tools Global Market For Manufacturing And Construction Industry By Technology, By Application During The Period 2015 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Power tools are primarily used in manufacturing and construction industry for the purpose of reducing workload and increasing the output. These tools have several types of operation such as drilling, chiseling, sanding and screw driving among others. The market has been analyzed to grow steadily due to the increasing need for infrastructure development in emerging economies.There are various types of tools such as electric, pneumatic, which are operated with the help of external power sources. The economic condition in the developing nations such as India and China is changing which is creating a demand for urbanization. The power tools are one of the primary equipments in the construction industry. Furthermore, the rising concept of DIY technique is creating the demand of power tools in the residential sector. In addition, easy availability of these tools on e-commerce websites is also aiding to the growth of the market. Moreover, the use of the power tools reduces the time of the output. The idea of DIY was previously restricted to the developed regions like U.S. and the U.K. However, the changing lifestyle and increasing disposable income in the emerging economies is driving the idea of DIY thereby increasing the sale of power tools. In addition, the manufacturing industry is gradually recovering from the economic slowdown. This is return is creating a demand for the power tools market in the industrial sector.However, one factor that is hampering the growth of power tools is the additional maintenance cost associated with it. The power tools once bought require continuous maintenance over a period of time, is limiting the demand in the market. Moreover, in some case, the contractors with limited funding take these tools on lease, which in turn blocks new market for power tools especially in developing nations. This factor is acting as a restraint for the market during forecast period.This report projection has been provided in terms of revenue (USD Million) from 2015 to 2021. Furthermore, the drivers and the restraints affecting the power tools market over the forecast period have also been covered in the study. In addition, the opportunities that are expected to help the market in future have also been discussed.The power tools industry has been divided into three categories: by technology, by application and by geography. In terms of technology, the market has been further segmented into electric power tools, engine driven power tools, pneumatic power tools, powder-actuated power tools and hydraulic power tools. By application, the market has been segregated into automobile, construction, aerospace and electronic application. Furthermore, the market has been segregated geographically into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world. Each of these segments has been analyzed in terms of revenue (USD Million).In order to get a better understanding of the power tools market, a key trends analysis has been included for all the segments. In addition, for a better understanding the market, the market attractiveness for the application segment has been provided. Furthermore, the market share of the key players in the power tools market has also been discussed in terms of market share revenue held globally.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Company profiles of the key players have also been included in the report. The company profiles cover, the overview, key developments, financial overview and business strategy of the players focusing on the power tools market. In addition, the historical milestones and the business segments have also been provided The key players profiled in the power tools market include, Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Stanley, Black & Decker, Inc. (U.S.), Emerson Electric Co.(U.K.), Makita Corporation (Japan), Actuant Corporation (U.S.), SKF (Sweden), Techtronic Industries (China), Hilti Corporation (Germany), Danaher Corporation (U.S.) and Hitachi Koki Ltd (Japan).Power Tools Market: By TechnologyElectric power toolsPneumatic power toolsEngine driven power toolsHydraulic power toolsPowder-actuated power toolsPower Tools Market: By ApplicationAutomobileConstructionAerospaceElectronicsPower Tools Market: By GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeU.KGermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldLatin AmericaMiddle EastAfricaThe report provides a cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following regions:North AmericaEuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)Rest of the World (RoW)Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ A bad budget is better than nothing. But only a constitutional amendment can fix that which is tanking Illinois. And that's where Gov. Bruce Rauner should redouble his efforts. The nearly $5 billion tax increase enacted Thursday by Illinois House through an override of Rauner's veto won't make for a good budget. The spending plan doesn't right the deep structural failings that are sinking Illinois. It hikes taxes without meaningful reform. And by and large, Rauner didn't get much of what he wanted, a significant political defeat after more than two years. At the end of the day, Illinois couldn't suffer any more starts and stops. It couldn't withstand more of this showdown between Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan. Put simply, even a terrible budget is better than the past two years of layoffs at state universities, shuttered social services clinics and a state teetering on a junk bond status credit rating. Illinois teetered on a fiscal cliff on Thursday, on the cusp of running out of cash. Inaction in the House was simply not an option. Rauner's veto earlier this week was a mistake, even more so now that several General Assembly Republicans aided in its override. In one fell swoop, necessity steamrolled Rauner's political capital and his agenda and reasserted Madigan's dominance over Illinois. But, the defeat could also liberate the Republican governor, who could abandon his stalled agenda for something exponentially more impactful. Rauner has been obsessed with relatively small tweaks that could never right Illinois' fundamental failing: The public pension. Billions are spent propping it up, money better spent on schools and roads. Courts have tossed all prior attempts at any meaningful overhaul. No measure of tweaking will mean much until an amendment to the Illinois Constitution drastically rolls back protections for state pensions, underfunded by more than $100 billion and growing every day. This issue, and this alone, should have been Rauner's sole focus from day one. Instead, he got mired in term limits and municipal dissolution. He immediately made enemies with powerful union bosses by flirting with right-to-work-zones. Even now, several of the core aspects of his "turnaround" agenda, such as workers' compensation reform, were given as justification for his shortsighted veto of the budget. But, in essence, Rauner's agenda has been little more than a collection of dissimilar, inconsistent conservative planks. On their own, each have merit. But as a collection, they lack a rational unifying theme. After more than two years of statewide damage, Rauner misread the tea leaves, and it burned him. He failed to appreciate just how motivated lawmakers would be once faced with a junk status bond rating. The tax hike is inelegant, but there simply weren't any other options. Thing is, Rauner's attention should be laser-focused on pension reform. All the other bits, including a property tax freeze, are only helpful if and when state pensions no longer bleed Illinois dry. The city of Rock Island, for instance, spends all of its property tax revenue on police and firefighter pensions. Only sales tax props up Rock Island's day-to-day operations. That's not solid government. Same is true at the state level. Spending is out of control, sure. But too much of the available cash isn't spent the very services that have suffered throughout this senseless two-year standoff. Illinois finally has a budget. It brings to an end a period of museum-grade partisan gridlock. Illinois' schools will know their funding levels. Public universities can count on stable grant funding. Social service agencies can actually plan. Even the lottery might remain operational. In the short term, all of this is to Illinois' benefit. The rampant insecurity of the years-long budget impasse was bad government and bad business. Thankfully, that's over now. But all the stability in the world wouldn't count for much until Illinois fixes its fundamental structural flaw. After this defeat, Rauner should abandon his defunct turnaround agenda and focus solely on meaningful pension reform. It's the only way Illinois ever finds solid financial footing. This editorial appeared in the July 7 edition of the Quad City Times, another Lee Enterprises publication. Competitive Analysis Of Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market, by Application (Onshore and Offshore) For The Period 2015 - 2023 Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=497295 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=497295 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Competitive Analysis Of Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market, by Application (Onshore and Offshore) For The Period 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.This research study analyzes the market for wind turbine operation and maintenance (O&M) in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The wind turbine O&M market has been segmented on the basis of application and geography. The regional segment has been described separately for onshore and offshore wind turbine O&M market. Regional segment of onshore wind turbine O&M market is further divided into 37 sub-segments that comprise 33 countries, which are major players in the global wind turbine O&M market. Regional segment of offshore wind turbine O&M market is further divided into 12 sub-segments that comprise nine countries. For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional as well as country-specific level from 2015 to 2023. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the wind turbine operation and maintenance market.The report also includes the key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global wind turbine O&M market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive industry analysis of the global wind turbine O&M market with the help of Porters Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the market structure and profitability of the global wind turbine O&M market. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition. The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the wind turbine O&M business globally. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. Some of the most prominent drivers are increasing number of aging turbines and the rising number of gearbox and generator assembly failures.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The wind turbine O&M market was segmented on the basis of application (onshore and offshore). Some of the key players in the global wind turbine O&M market are Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica, Enercon GmbH, GE Wind Turbine, Nordex SE, Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technologies, Co. Ltd., Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Siemens Wind Power GmbH, Suzlon Group, Guodian United Power Technology Company Ltd., and Upwind Solutions, Inc.Wind Turbine Operation and Maintenance Market: By ApplicationOnshoreOffshoreOnshore Wind Turbine Operation and Maintenance Market: By RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeAustriaBelgiumDenmarkFinlandFranceOffshore Wind Turbine Operation and Maintenance Market: By RegionNorth AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeBelgiumDenmarkGermanyMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Shot Blasting Machines Market 2017 : Pangborn, Agtos, Goff, Siapro, longfa, Fengte, Taiyuan Shot Blasting Machines http://bit.ly/2tPl8NQ http://bit.ly/2uckEUH Top Manufacture Analysis Of Shot Blasting Machines Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Shot Blasting Machines market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. In-depth analysis of the Shot Blasting Machines Market limitations and thus the opportunities modify the user to create the long run projection. The report to boot includes current trends supported the manufacturing ways, technological advancements, and innovations.Free Sample Copy Of Report :Global Shot Blasting Machines Market key Manufactures square measureSintoPangbornAgtosGoffSiaproKaitaiQingdao ZhujiQingdao HuanghelongfaRuidaFengteTaiyuanGlobal Shot Blasting Machines Market 2017 report to boot options an outline of Compound Annual rate (CAGR) in command of worth for the actual quantity for Shot Blasting Machines market which will assist the user to conclude the selection supported a front chart. The Shot Blasting Machines Market report to boot contains in-detail information of the key players beside vendors and suppliers. The report to boot focuses on the geographical distribution of the Shot Blasting Machines market across the globe with the analysis done by our qualified researchers.The Shot Blasting Machines market report provides Associate in Nursing in-depth outline of various segments supported application, end-user industries, technology, and merchandise kind. The regional analysis of the Shot Blasting Machines market is developed by considering the performance of the Shot Blasting Machines trade inside the particular region. Hence, the similar analysis is used to estimate the long run forecast of the globe Shot Blasting Machines market.Inquiry For Report :The report to boot provides in-depth information regarding the specification, definitions, related to the Shot Blasting Machines trade and to boot highlights the modification and changes created to ease the assembly procedures. certain trade chains and government authorizations relevant to the Shot Blasting Machines market are engulfed inside the report.The characteristics of the Shot Blasting Machines trade square measure evaluated throughout a qualitative and quantitative due to compare the Shot Blasting Machines market regionally and globally. Moreover, the report is crafted with many graphical representations that embrace graphs, figures, and diagrams supported the mathematics data beside precise revenue graphs and analysis of the merchandise.About Us :Worldwide Industry are a trusted brand in the research industry with capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Worldwide Industry, we believe in building long term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Disposable medical device sensors market Size is projected to be around $8 billion by 2025: http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/disposable-medical-device-sensors-market http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC0630 http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/send-an-enquiry/HC0630 http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/customization/HC0630 http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/smart-pills-market http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/biosensors-market http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/nanosensors-market http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/image-sensors-market https://blog.crystalmarketresearch.com http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com A research study titled, Disposable Medical Device Sensors Market by Product, Technology, and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the disposable medical device sensors market is projected to be around $8 billion by 2025.Disposable medical sensors are portable or handheld devices used for therapeutics, diagnostics and patient monitoring. CMOS image sensors are used for capsule endoscopy applications. With constant decrease in the size of electronic devices, a camera can be fitted in a swallowable capsule. Creating such devices has been possible because of CMOS image sensors. These sensors aid in high resolution 3D imaging. Moreover, CMOS technology assists in manufacturing of radiation resistant devices that are much sturdier as compared to CCD-image sensors. Implantable sensors are used in medical research to measure parameters such as pressure, force, torque and temperature inside human body. With advancements in micro-fabrication and nano-fabrication technologies, these implantable sensors can be incorporated into implants providing unique and personalized data for each patient which can be used to optimize the diagnosis process. During the past few years disposable medical sensors market has been growing rapidly and is expected to grow consistently during the forecast period.Browse full research report with TOC on Disposable Medical Device Sensors Market by Product, Technology, and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 at:Strip sensors market dominated the global disposable medical sensors market in 2016, owing to their rising usage in disease diagnostic processes and glucose monitoring tests. However, ingestible sensors market is anticipated to grow with the fastest rate over the forecast period due to increasing demand for capsule endoscopes and smart pills.Image sensors market is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period due to their primary applications in capsule endoscopy procedures. Biosensors market held the largest share of the overall market in 2016 owing to the rising demand for these sensors in drug development processes.U.S. dominated the North American disposable medical device sensors market in 2016 followed by Canada. This can be attributed to the large scale adoption of sensor oriented medical devices for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Europe is the second largest market for disposable medical device sensors, due to rising adoption of technologically advanced medical devices coupled with high purchasing power in the region.The major companies operating in this market emphasize on product development for ensuring competitive advantage. For instance, in May 2014, Honeywell International, Inc. launched Nanopower Anisotropic Magnetoresistive Sensor ICs which provide high level of magnetic sensitivity to be used in medical applications such as medication dispensing cabinets and infusion pumps.Request a sample copy of Disposable Medical Device Sensors Market Research Report @Some of the major players competing in the global disposable medical device sensors market are STMicroelectronics, Given Imaging, Inc., Honeywell International, Inc., Covidien Plc., Medtronic, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Smiths Medical, Philips Healthcare, Measurement Specialties and Sensirion AG.Key Findings of the Research Study: Strip sensors segment accounted for almost half of the overall market in 2016.This large share can be attributed to their benefits such as ease of use, cost effectiveness and non-infectious nature. Biosensors segment accounted for nearly two-third share of the global market in 2016 owing their large scale adoption in study of bio-molecules and their interactions as well as in drug development processes. Ingestible sensors market is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR during the forecast period owing to their increasing applications in capsule endoscopes and smart pills. North America held nearly two-fifth share of the global market in 2016 followed by Europe. This large market share can be attributed to the large scale usage of sensor-based disposable medical devices in hospitals. Asia-Pacific market will grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the growing per capita income, rise in geriatric population and increasing demand for advanced healthcare technologies.Inquire more about this report at:Disposable Medical Device Sensors Market SegmentationBy Product: Implantable Sensors Invasive Sensors Wearable Sensors Ingestible Sensors Strip SensorsBy Technology: Image Sensors Pressure Sensors Biosensors Accelerometers Temperature Sensors OthersBy Application: Patient Monitoring Diagnostic TherapeuticBy Region: North Americao U.So Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao United Arab Emirateso OthersGet Customization in the Report At:Related Reports:Smart Pills Market by Target Area and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Biosensors Market by Product and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Nanosensors Market by Product and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Image Sensors Market by Product and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Akhil V.304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website: Medical Device Connectivity Market Size Is Projected To Be Around $ 2.1 Billion By 2025: https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/medical-device-connectivity-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC0636 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/send-an-enquiry/HC0636 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/customization/HC0636 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/homecare-medical-device-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/healthcare-integration-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/healthcare-it-services-market https://blog.crystalmarketresearch.com http://www.crystalmarketresearch.com A research study titled, Medical Device Connectivity Market by Technology and Component - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the Medical Device Connectivity Market is projected to be around $ 2.1 billion by 2025.Medical device connectivity is installation and maintenance of connection which is used to transfer data between medical devices and information systems. It is gaining significant importance as it facilitates exchange and access of vital information which is necessary for better patient information exchange and monitoring. These devices carry vital information such as patients history, maintenance schedule, and real time patient tracking information for providing best available care to patients. Increase in geriatric population, rise in incidences of chronic diseases, rise in demand for homecare devices, and advanced technologies (such as mobile health, and wireless and Wi-Fi enabled patient monitoring) will play a key role in growth of the market during the forecast period. Various healthcare providers and institutes are highly focused on advancing medical device connectivity as medical device dataneeds to be more reliable, accurate and standardized to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety.Browse full research report with TOC on Medical Device Connectivity Market by Technology and Component - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 at:Medical device connectivity services segment dominated the global market in 2016. This can be attributed to increase in demand for maximum utilization of connectivity services by end users. However, medical device connectivity solutions segment will experience robust growth over the forecast period due to rising adoption of interoperability solutions and electronic health record (EHR) systems in healthcare organizations. Technological advancements in wireless technology such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enable medical devices for monitoring will further contribute to the market growth.U.S. dominated the North American medical connectivity devices market in 2016, due to the rising adoption of home care medical devices to manage and improve prolonged medical conditions. As medical device connectivity facilitates connection between physicians and medical devices, it becomes convenient to continuously monitor patients health parameters. Emerging economies such as India and China will witness favorable growth for medical devices connectivity market over the forecast period due to rising demand for advanced healthcare services in these countries.Strategic collaborations and acquisitions are the major strategies adopted by the leading companies in medical device connectivity market. For instance, in September 2015, Qualcomm Life Inc. acquired Capsule Technologies, a global leading provider of clinical data management and medical device integration solutions. Likewise, in October 2014, Philips Healthcare collaborated with Eseye, global provider of M2M cellular connectivity, for supplying Multi-IMSI AnyNet connectivity for their telehealth platform, Philips Motiva.Some of the key players in the medical devices connectivity market are Phillips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Cerner Corp., Honeywell HomeMed LLC, Drager Medical GmbH, eDevice Inc., Capsule Tech, Qualcomm Inc., Lantronix Inc., and Cardiopulmonary Corporation.Request a sample copy of Medical Device Connectivity Market Research Report @Key Findings of the Research Study: Medical devices connectivity services market accounted for the largest share of the overall market in 2016, due to the need for effective implementation of connectivity solutions. Medical devices connectivity solutions market will witness favorable growth over the forecast period, due to the need for integrated healthcare solutions to improve the quality and outcome of healthcare systems. North America occupied major share of the global medical devices connectivity market in 2016, due to rising adoption of healthcare information systems in the region. Europe held the second largest share of the global medical devices connectivity market in 2016. Increasing need of real time and continuous patient monitoring and information management will further drive the growth of this market over the forecast period.Inquire more about this report at:Medical Device Connectivity Market Segmentation:By Component: Medical Device Connectivity Services Medical Device Connectivity SolutionBy Technology: Wired Technologies Wireless Technologies Hybrid TechnologiesBy Region: North Americao U.So Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao Turkeyo United Arab Emirateso OthersGet Customization in the Report At:Related Reports:Homecare Medical Device Market by Product Type and Mode of Distribution - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Healthcare Integration Market by Product Type and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Healthcare IT Services Market by Product Type and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Akhil V.304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website: Male Hypogonadism Market - Highly Flexible, Scalable, & Efficient way for Buildings & Locations of all Sizes & Types https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1127 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1127 https://www.tmrresearch.com/male-hypogonadism-market Global Male Hypogonadism Market: SnapshotHypogonadism in males refers to a condition in the male body where the testes show a significantly reduced level of functioning than normal. The overall result of male hypogonadism is a reduction in the rate of biosynthesis of male sex hormones. This state is more commonly known as interrupted stage 1 puberty. Hypoandrogenism, or the low androgen or testosterone level in a male can vary in severity from person to person. It is often the cause of partial or complete infertility. There are multiple forms of male hypogonadism and even more ways to classify them. Most endocrinologists commonly classify male hypogonadism on the basis of the level of defectiveness of the male reproductive system.In many cases, doctors also measure the level of gonadotropins to classify a patient between primary and secondary male hypogonadism. Primary male hypogonadism refers to the cause of the condition being due to defective gonads. There are different types of primary male hypogonadism, including Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. Secondary male hypogonadism is caused by defects in pituitary or hypothalamic glands. They include Kallmann syndrome and hypopituitarism.Global Male Hypogonadism Market: OverviewMale Hypogonadism refers to a clinical condition, wherein the testes fail to produce enough testosterone leading to delayed puberty or incomplete development. The condition is related to impaired development of muscle mass, development of breast tissues, impaired body hair growth, and lack of deepening of the voice.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The male Hypogonadism market can be segmented by therapy, type, drug delivery, and geography.The report presents an in-depth analysis of the global male hypogonadism market with current trends and future estimates to explain the imminent investment pockets. The quantitative analysis of the market for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025 will enable stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing growth opportunities.Global Male Hypogonadism Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe top driver of the male hypogonadism market includes rising prevalence of testosterone deficiency among men, increasing infertility rates, and increasing awareness among individuals about hypogonadism treatment due to awareness drives organized by several governments across the world. Moreover, high risk of hypogonadism among the geriatric population with obesity and diabetes, and increasing prevalence of chronic disorders among the geriatrics are further expected to boost the markets growth.Request TOC of the Report @However, factors such as high side effects of testosterone products are challenging the growth of testosterone replacement therapy market. Top players in the market are focused on research and development to introduce newer products with fewer or negligible side effects and improved results. For example, LPCN 1111, a product which is under development from Lipocine Inc., is a newer testosterone prodrug that utilizes Lipral technology for enhanced systemic absorption and for enhanced solubility of testosterone. Nevertheless, technological advancements are anticipated to extend new opportunities to the markets growth.Global Male Hypogonadism Market: Regional OverviewThe global male Hypogonadism market can be analyzed with respect to the regional segments of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America held the majority share of the global market in the recent past and is expected to retain its dominant position in the near future. This is mainly due to the rise in the number of individuals suffering from primary and secondary conditions of hypogonadism, and rising awareness among individuals about treatment options for the condition. Moreover, the presence of ultra-modern healthcare infrastructure and increasing popularity of technologically advanced products are expected to offer new opportunities for top players in this market. The region is closely followed by Europe.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Asia Pacific is expected to offer lucrative opportunities to this market due to the modernization of the healthcare infrastructure in the emerging economies of India and China and the increasing awareness about the treatment for the condition. In Asia Pacific, the increasing prevalence of hypogonadism and infertility rates along with the rising geriatric population base with diabetes and obesity are propelling the growth of this market. China, Taiwan, and Malaysia are some of the countries that display the highest rate of male hypogonadism.Major Companies Mentioned in ReportSome of the key players in the male Hypogonadism market include AbbVie Inc., Astrazeneca plc, Eli Lilly and Company Ltd., Merck & Co. Inc., SA, Finox Biotech, Laboratories Genevrier, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Allergan plc, Bayer AG, Endo International plc, IBSA Institut Biochimque, and Ferring.Key players are focused on product approval for growth considerations and to cater to the changing demand of the industry. The introduction of innovative and technologically advanced products is also the focus of key players to increase their market share and for serving patients in a better manner.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global Wood Pellets Market - Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2016 - 2025 https://www.progressivemarkets.com/industry-research/wood-pellets-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com/enquiry-about-report/wood-pellets-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com Progressive Markets published a report, titled, Global Wood Pellets Market - Size, Trend, Share, Opportunity Analysis, and Forecast, 2014-2025. As per the report, the global wood pellets market is expected to register a CAGR of 15.2% from 2017 to 2025. The report offers an extensive analysis of changing market scenario, revenue growth, investment opportunities, and new developments. Moreover, the study the demands of market players for thorough understanding of the industry for the historic period, 2014-2016 and the forecast period, 2017-2025. These insights will help market players, investors, VPs, stakeholders, and new entrants to gain detailed analysis devise strategies for the future and gain maximum profitability.The report offers an executive summary to help management executives, VPs, CEOs, and investors save time and determine strategies with future-centric approach. It helps them in devising a prolonged growth strategy and sustain in the global industry. Key findings of the industry are outlined in the study along with market attractiveness. Current market trends are provided to determine recent news and policies. Moreover, recent industry developments are explored in the study to help market players give a brief idea about current happenings. Significant terminology is defined along with scope of the report. Research methodology implemented by analysts is provided to outline sources of data and information. Primary and secondary methods are implemented to gather data, statistics, and information and present it in the form of tables and graphs.Request Sample At:The report offers detailed analysis of changing market dynamics of the global wood pellets market in terms of drivers and challenges. The driving factors for the market include regulatory policies focused on increase in the utilization of renewable energy for domestic, industrial, and commercial applications for heat and power generation along with rise in environmental concerns that resulted in need to find alternatives for fossil fuels. However, less availability of woody biomass along with fluctuating feedstock prices would hinder the growth of the global wood pellets market. These insights help market players gain insights on changing scenario and capitalize on growth opportunities for the future.The report outlines competitive intensity across the globe with the help of Porters Five Forces model. Bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants, and industrial rivalry are parameters upon which analysis is carried out to help market players and investors develop business strategy. Market share analysis for the historic period as well as the forecast period is provided in the research using tabular format.The research provides insights on key segments of the global wood pellets industry. Key segments analyzed in the research are feedstock, application, pellet heating appliances, and geography. Based on feedstock, the report classified the market into forest residues, agricultural residues, and energy crops. Application segment is further classified into power generation in industries, co-firing in industries, heating in residential sites, and heating in commercial sites. Pellet heating appliances are segmented into free standing pellet stoves, pellet stove inserts, and pellet boilers. Geographically, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The report discusses historical market size by region for the historic period and market forecast by region for the forecast period. Revenue generated by each segment is provided for the historic period and the forecast period with the help of tabular and graphical format. These insights help gain detailed understanding of dominating segments and capitalize on them to gain competitive edge.Enquire About Report At:The report offers an extensive analysis of key manufacturers active in the global wood pellets industry. The report provides an extensive analysis of each players in terms of company snapshot, financial segments, business segments, and recent developments. These insights are helpful to determine competitive scenario, enable geographical expansion roll-ups, and grow a national footprint. Key manufacturers profiled in the research are Green Circle Bio Energy Inc., Corinth Wood Pellets LLC, New England Wood Pellets LLC, Energex, Graanul Invest AS, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc., Weyerhaeuser, Mitsubishi Corporation, Borregaard LignoTech, and German Pellets GmbH. Tables and figures offer an overview of each manufacturer to help reader gain a brief understanding of each market player. This information also help investors to determine companies to invest in to gain maximum returns.Progressive Markets is the answer to every possible business query. It is a market research and business consulting firm, headquartered in India with an aim to deliver up-to-date executive support to foster overall growth of an organization in its domain.Contact Us:Asia Pacific Intelligence CentreUnited StatesEAST COAST U.S.Direct: +1-646-564-2246Toll Free + 1-888-906-9222Email:help@progressivemarkets.comWeb: Global Industrial Grade Fulvic Acid Market 2017 : Valagro SpA, Biolchim SpA, Koppert B.V, Saint Humic Acid Industrial Grade Fulvic Acid http://bit.ly/2uhJkej http://bit.ly/2tOXn8N Top Manufacture Analysis Of Industrial Grade Fulvic Acid Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Industrial Grade Fulvic Acid market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. 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Moreover, the report is crafted with many graphical representations that embrace graphs, figures, and diagrams supported the mathematics data beside precise revenue graphs and analysis of the merchandise.About Us :Worldwide Industry are a trusted brand in the research industry with capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Worldwide Industry, we believe in building long term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Global Vascular Imaging Systems Market 2017 : Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips NV Vascular Imaging Systems http://www.marketsnresearch.com/request-for-sample.html?repid=11875 http://www.marketsnresearch.com/inquiry-for-buying.html?repid=11875 Global Vascular Imaging Systems Market 2016 - 2017A market study based on the " Vascular Imaging Systems Market " across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Vascular Imaging Systems Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Vascular Imaging Systems industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Vascular Imaging Systems market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This Research ReportSiemens HealthineersGE HealthcareKoninklijke Philips NVOrthoScanToshiba Medical Systems CorporationShimadzu CorporationHitachi Aloka Medical AmericaCarestream Health...By types, the market can be split intoComputed Tomography (CT) SystemsMagnetic Resonance (MR) SystemsX-Ray SystemsUltrasound SystemsBy Application, the market can be split intoHospitalsSpecialty ClinicsDiagnostic CentersThe report studies the industry for Vascular Imaging Systems across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Vascular Imaging Systems market & dynamics of demand and supply of Vascular Imaging Systems into consideration. The ' Vascular Imaging Systems ' research study covers each and every aspect of the Vascular Imaging Systems market globally, which starts from the definition of the Vascular Imaging Systems industry and develops towards Vascular Imaging Systems market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Vascular Imaging Systems market is classified and analysed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Vascular Imaging Systems market. The geographical segmentation of the Vascular Imaging Systems industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Vascular Imaging Systems is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Vascular Imaging Systems market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Vascular Imaging Systems market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Vascular Imaging Systems market 2017 is also analysed on the basis of product pricing, Vascular Imaging Systems production volume, data regarding demand and Vascular Imaging Systems supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. 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Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries including Energy, Chemicals and Materials, Automotive and Aerospace.Contact Us :Market and ResearchUnited States Global Propamocarb Hydrochloride Market 2017 : Tri-DWARF Industrial, Titanunichem, Jiangsu Baoling Chemical Propamocarb Hydrochloride http://bit.ly/2vfAevG http://bit.ly/2ucjKrf Top Manufacture Analysis Of Propamocarb Hydrochloride Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Propamocarb Hydrochloride market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. In-depth analysis of the Propamocarb Hydrochloride Market limitations and thus the opportunities modify the user to create the long run projection. 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Moreover, the report is crafted with many graphical representations that embrace graphs, figures, and diagrams supported the mathematics data beside precise revenue graphs and analysis of the merchandise.About Us :Worldwide Industry are a trusted brand in the research industry with capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Worldwide Industry, we believe in building long term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Special Purpose Needle Market : Demand is Increasing Rapidly in Recent Years 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1154 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1154 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1154 Global Special Purpose Needle Market: SnapshotHypodermic needles have long been manufactured and used in a specific standard format over the years. Commonly known as a part of the family of medical sharps, these needles are essentially very thin tubes designed to puncture the upper layers of skin in order to either deliver drugs or withdraw blood or urine from a patient. The most common usage of a medical needle is by attaching it to a syringe in order to easily inject or draw fluids. Hypodermic needles form one of the core parts of rapid drug delivery processes. There are, however, several issues regarding the use of standard hypodermic needles. Two of the key problems are the spread of diseases through the reuse of needles without sterilization, and the massive volume of waste generated through the use of disposable needles. Both issues are of extremely high concern to the healthcare industry, and several players are already pushing intensive investments into the research and development for newer types of needles, or special purpose needles.Special purpose needles, or safety needles, allow for the reuse of needles while negating the spread of diseases. They are also designed to protect the healthcare worker from injury or infection due to accidental contact. The most commonly developed mechanism uses a barrel from which a worker can inject or draw fluids, while the needle maintains its position in a retractable manner. According to the CDC, between 62% and 88% of accidental needlestick infections can be avoided by using safety needles. Another type of special purpose needle includes pre-filled syringes.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Special Purpose Needle Market: OverviewNeedles are considered as one of the most used disposables in the medical industry. The growing focus on using safe and unused needles in order to avoid infections is expected to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the near future. Moreover, several initiatives taken by governments and medical facilities to create an awareness for the use of safe needles are further estimated to supplement the growth of the market.The research study on the global market for special purpose needle provides a thorough overview, highlighting the key factors and market dynamics that are likely to impact the overall development of the market. With the help of various analytical tools, the research study offers a strong understanding of the product segmentation, applications, current trends, key regional segments, and the competitive landscape of the global special purpose needle market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Special Purpose Needle Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing consciousness among patients regarding hygiene and the easy availability of cost-effective, advanced, and user-safety products are some of the major factors that are anticipated to fuel the growth of the global special purpose needle market in the next few years. The rising expenditure and the development of the healthcare sector are some of the other factors encouraging the markets growth across the globe.On the flip side, the increasing popularity of needle-free technology in the healthcare sector and the high cost of products are projected to restrict the growth of the global special purpose needle market in the next few years. Nevertheless, the growing use of self-injection devices among patients and the rising awareness regarding AIDS/HIV and other diseases are likely to boost the demand for special purpose needle market in the coming years.Request TOC of the Report @Global Special Purpose Needle Market: Region-wise OutlookAccording to the research report, North America is projected to witness a significant growth in the global special purpose needle market and register a progressive growth rate throughout the forecast period. The rapid growth of this region can be accredited to the presence of advanced medical facilities in developed economies such as Canada and the U.S. Moreover, the rising consciousness among consumers regarding several infections spreading due to the use of used needles is anticipated to accelerate the growth of the market in the near future.On the other hand, Latin America and Asia Pacific are projected to grow at a robust pace in the next few years. The development of the healthcare sector across these regions and the substantial contribution from China and India are expected to accelerate the growth of the special purpose needle market in Asia Pacific and Latin America. Furthermore, the share, size, and the growth rate of each regional segment have been provided in the study.Key Players Mentioned in the Research Report are:Some of the key players operating in the special purpose needle market across the globe are Medtronic, Terumo Corporation, Cook Medical, Novo Nordisk A/S, Stryker Corporation, Becton, Argon Medical Devices Inc., SERAG-WIESSNER GmbH & Co., Smiths Medical, NIPRO Medical Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Dickinson Company, and Boston Scientific Corporation. A significant rise in the competitive level is expected in the global market, which is likely to supplement the growth of the market in the next few years.The research study offers a detailed overview of the competitive landscape of the global special purpose needles market. The business strategies and policies that are being used by the prominent players have been discussed at length in the scope of the research study. Moreover, the financial overview, inception details, product portfolio, SWOT analysis, contact information, and the recent development if any have been included in the study to offer a clear understanding of the market.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com English Latvian With effect from 1 August 2017, Stefan Jugel will be taking over from Dainis Senbergs as CFO and Vice President of the Valmiera Glass Group. Mr Dainis Senbergs is stepping down from the Board of Directors for personal reasons on 31-07-2017, but will retain close ties with the company, for which he will continue to work in an advisory capacity. Mr Stefan Jugel studied Economics in Germany and has held the position of Managing Director for various activities of the Preiss-Daimler Group since 2002. He joined the Board of Directors of Valmiera Glass in 2009, focusing mainly on expansion, strategy and organisational development. In May 2016, Mr Jugel moved the focus of his work to Latvia and has been at the companys full disposal since 01-06-2017. From 01-08-2017, the Valmiera Glass Group, with sites in Valmiera (Latvia), Sherborne (UK) and Dublin (USA), will be led by the three Executive Directors, Andre Schwiontek, Stefan Jugel and Doloresa Volkopa. We would like to thank Dainis Senbergs for his eight years of tireless commitment to the company, during a period that saw its largest ever expansion. We wish him all the very best for the future, both personally and professionally. Cup Fill and Seal Machine Market - Rapid Growth Witnessed in the Food and Beverage Industry drives Demand http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22661 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cup-fill-seal-machine-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The ever increasing demand for cups across different product categories such as fresh fruit juices, dairy foods mineral water, etc. has led to an urgent need for technological advancements in packaging equipment. Some of these innovations include seal machines and cup fills. Seal machines and cup fills are quick functioning and easy to use, providing packaging support and operational efficiency. Seal machines and cup fill are capable of packaging products of a diverse nature such as water-based liquid solutions or thick stews. The packaging market has unveiled a number of packaging systems meant for single servings to cater to the working population demand. The products offered are extremely versatile and can be customized for the user in a number of forms such as multiple stations, rotary tables, different frame sizes, and output rates.For more information on this report, fill the form @Market Dynamics of Cup Fill and Seal Machine MarketIncreasing personal disposable income is the biggest factor contributing to cup fill and seal machine market. Rapid growth witnessed in the food and beverage industry and the resulting innovations have boosted the industry, raising the profile of cup fill and seal machine market. Seal machines and cup fill are automatic and are easy to use with minimal failure rate. The presence of sterile sealing rooms and highly hygienic conditions function as a critical factor for the sustained growth of cup fill and seal machine market. These machines are manufactured with aluminum alloy and stainless steel that shield it from any form of rusting or corrosion, increasing shelf life and allowing greater machine flexibility, enabling cup fill and seal machine market to grow. Another notable trend in cup fill and seal machine market is the variety of machines being unveiled such as the linear, pneumatic, and rotary cup fill to customize the machines as per the customers requirements.Market Segmentation of Cup Fill and Seal Machine MarketCup fill and seal machine market can be classified on the basis of end use, machine type, lid type, and cup material type. Under the machine type, cup fill and seal machine market can be segmented into manual, automatic, and semi-automatic machines. Amongst these, the automatic cup fill and seal machines are the largest contributors to the supply. With respect to end use, cup fill and seal machine market is divided into salads, dairy products, confectioneries, baked foods, and others. By cup material type, cup fill and seal machine market is segmented into aluminum cups, plastic cups, and paper/paperboard cups. Based on lid type, the cup and fill machine market is classified into pre-cut lids, straight seals, and others.Browse Market Research Report @Regional Outlook of Cup Fill and Seal Machine MarketCup fill and seal machine market is a worldwide market consisting of local and international companies. Cup fill and seal machine market has been analyzed on the basis of five strategic regions namely North America, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and Europe. North America is the leader in terms of primary packaging and it also boasts of leadership in the manufacturing of cup fill and seal machine. North America is followed by APAC that is predicted to record substantial growth over the forecast period. Even Europe is expected to have a healthy growth over the course of the study.Key Players in Cup Fill and Seal Machine Market-:Some of the prominent companies active in cup fill and seal machine market are Robert Bosch GmbH, Ilpra S.p.a., Novapac Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH, Serac Group SA, Packline Ltd, Trepko A/S, Orics Industries Inc., Prasanna Packaging Machinery Pvt. Ltd., and Amtec Packaging Machines.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Specialty Fats and Oils Market is Considered as One of the Rapidly Growing Dynamic Markets, 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1151 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1151 https://www.tmrresearch.com/specialty-fats-oils-market Global Specialty Fats and Oils Market: SnapshotSpecialty fats and oils find a diverse array of niche applications across a number of fields, especially in the food and beverages industry. The properties of specialty fats and oil are quite different from the general fats and oils, the latter group including cream fats, pastry fats, margarine, shortening, and a number of other products. Some of the largest applications for specialized fats and oils come from the chocolate and confectionary makers. Specialized fats, for instance, are finding a growing scope of applications in chocolate products, especially ones that are molded, including chocolate bars.The demand for specialty fats and oils is also growing among the manufacturers of chocolate products, such as chocolate wafers and biscuits, fruits and nuts, and other similar applications. Specialty oils and fats are also being used in the confectionery industry. A lot of applications of specialized fats distinguish them largely as cocoa butter alternatives, more specifically, cocoa butter substitutes, cocoa butter replacements, and cocoa butter equivalents. There is a growing but currently niche segment of exotic fats, but nearly all specialized fats find most of their applications in the confectionery and bakery goods production. Other end users of specialized oil and butters include the personal care and cosmetics markets, the manufacturers of animal feed, and the manufacturers of dairy products or processed foods.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Specialty Fats and Oils Market: OverviewThe world specialty fats and oils market is prognosticated to grab a massive chuck of demand in the food and beverages industry with a number of products fetching indispensable applications. The global market is deemed to be a highly fertile ground for high-paying business opportunities. Specialty fats and oils are lavishly used in a multiple food applications and possess the capability to enhance sensory and physiochemical characteristics such as appealing flavors, creamy and rich texture, and smoothness. Most countries have already restricted the usage of trans fats that risk the consumers with fatal heart diseases. This could be a great opportunity for the manufacturers dealing with trans-free specialty fat and oil products to rake in handsome revenues.The report offered here considers the vital segmentation categories of the global specialty fats and oils market, viz. form, application, oil type, and fat type. With our customized approach, all of these segments can be comprehensively analyzed to determine the most lucrative market types and ensure a tangible business success.The tailor-made reports prepared at TMR Research, a market research hub, are a foolproof guideline to capitalize on the most promising and unrevealed opportunities. Buyers of this report can prepare their businesses to get aligned in just the right direction for securing a reliable growth in the international specialty fats and oils market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Specialty Fats and Oils Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe market for cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) is anticipated to count its dominance on the application in compound coatings and chocolates. CBEs are extensively used in confectionery and bakery products. The flourishing rise of this specialty fats type segment could significantly raise the bar of growth for the world specialty fats and oils market. Since CBEs reduce the risk of heart disease by being free of trans fats and non-hydrogenated, the demand growth is expected to elevate even more in the global market. In addition to that, CBEs can be used to enrich the flavor of the ingredients used in various products. Besides CBEs, exotic fats, dairy fat replacers, cocoa butter improvers (CBIs), cocoa butter replacers (CBRs), and cocoa butter substitutes (CBSs) could fairly contribute to the market.The liquid form of specialty fats and oils is foreseen to hold the potential to register a higher CAGR against the dry form specialty fats and oils market because of its saturated fatty acid melting point properties. A large number of chocolate and confectionery items today are produced without trans fats. As a result, there has been an augmenting inclination toward trans-fat-free chocolate and confectionery products, which could intensify the demand in this segment. With respect to its exhaustive availability and usage in the making of different products such as confectionery fillings, palm oil is forecasted to gain traction over other specialty oils type markets.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Specialty Fats and Oils Market: Regional OutlookThe Asia Pacific region is prophesied to emerge as a leading market for specialty fats and oils with a host of remunerative opportunities in store. The global specialty fats and oils market has recently witnessed the birth of a broad-ranging scope of applications in Asia Pacific, viz. animal feed, cosmetics, and personal care. This is envisaged to mark a rising rate of demand in the region. Palm oil and other specialty oils are consumed in vast amounts in India while China, Indonesia, and Malaysia are hailed as the authoritative makers of specialty oils and fats. In this regard, Asia Pacific could record an impressive CAGR against the background of other key regional markets such as North America. Such a dominance of the Asia Pacific market is expected to be in place with reference to both value and volume.Global Specialty Fats and Oils Market: Companies MentionedThe top companies making their mark in the international specialty fats and oils market could take advantage of the new geographies yet to be explored. Salient business strategies such as collaborations with key players, investments and agreements, joint ventures, and launch of novel offerings are predicted to be implemented by most firms operating in the global market. Some of the leading organizations anticipated to take charge are AAK AB, Wilmar International, IFFCO, Bunge Ltd., and Cargill.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Aerospace 3D Printing Market by Global Countries, Manufacturers, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/454366-global-aerospace-3d-printing-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=454366 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/454366-global-aerospace-3d-printing-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/454366-global-aerospace-3d-printing-market-3 HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 118 pages on title 'Global Aerospace 3D Printing Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North & South America,Europe ,Asia-Pacific, America ,Middle East & Africa and important players such as SLM Solutions, EnvisionTEC, VoxelJet AG ..................Summary3D Printing is a layer-by-layer process of producing 3D objects directly from a digital model. 3D Printing produces functional parts and discussed benefits that have been realized in the medical, aerospace & defense sectors, and aerospace field is mainly discussed in this report.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Aerospace 3D Printing in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversStratasys3D SystemsArcam GroupRenishawExOneOptomecSLM SolutionsEnvisionTECVoxelJet AGSciaky IncEOS e-Manufacturing SolutionsGEMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPlastics MaterialCeramics MaterialMetals MaterialOther MaterialMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCivil AviationMilitary AviationSpacecraftOthersBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Aerospace 3D Printing market.Chapter 1, to describe Aerospace 3D Printing Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Aerospace 3D Printing, with sales, revenue, and price of Aerospace 3D Printing, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Aerospace 3D Printing, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Aerospace 3D Printing market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Aerospace 3D Printing sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceGet Customization in the Report, Enquire Now @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Aerospace 3D Printing Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Plastics Material1.2.2 Ceramics Material1.2.3 Metals Material1.2.4 Other Material1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Civil Aviation1.3.2 Military Aviation1.3.3 Spacecraft1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.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) Global Yarn Lubricant Market 2017 By Base Stock, Key Vendors, Drivers, Challenges, Strategies, Trends, Geography, Applications And Forecast To 2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/345647 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-yarn-lubricant-market-2017-forecast-to-2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/345647 Latest Research Report on Global Yarn Lubricant Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 added by OrbisResearch, In-depth Analysis by Industry Experts Report Covers Market Size, Share, Growth Factor, Sales, Consumption, Manufacturers Analysis, Key Regions, Strategies, Challenges and Economical Growth.Yarn Lubricants, also called spin finish, are applied on the yarns to overcome fiber to metal friction and to control static charges during the yarn manufacturing process. The amount of spin finish applied on yarn is based on the type of post processing the yarn will experience after extrusion.Request PDF Sample of Yarn Lubricant Market Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Yarn Lubricant in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Achitex Minerva Clearco Products Rudolf GmbH Siam Pro Dyechem Group Total Bozzetto Group Klueber Sar Lubricants Schill & Seilacher Zhejiang Communication Takemoto Matsumoto Yushi Seiyaku Tianjing Textile Auxiliaries Resil Chemicals Indokem Synalloy Chemicals Dr.Petry Archroma Vickers Oils NICCA Zschimmer & Schwarz Pulcra CHT/BEZEMA Hangzhou SuratBrowse Full Report with TOC:Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, covers DTY FDY POY OtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into Polyester Nylon Acrylic OthersPlace Purchase Order for this Report@There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Yarn Lubricant market. Chapter 1, to describe Yarn Lubricant Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Yarn Lubricant, with sales, revenue, and price of Yarn Lubricant, in 2016 and 2017; Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017; Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Yarn Lubricant, for each region, from 2012 to 2017; Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions; Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017; Chapter 12, Yarn Lubricant market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022; Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Yarn Lubricant sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceTable of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Yarn Lubricant Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Polymer Coating1.2.2 Ceramic Coating1.2.3 Metal Coatings1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Offshore1.3.2 (Including Offshore Blades, Offshore Tower, Offshore Interior)1.3.3 Onshore1.3.4 (Including Offshore Blades, Offshore Tower, Offshore Interior)1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Achitex Minerva2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Yarn Lubricant Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Achitex Minerva Yarn Lubricant Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Clearco Products2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Yarn Lubricant Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Clearco Products Yarn Lubricant Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Rudolf GmbH2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Yarn Lubricant Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Rudolf GmbH Yarn Lubricant Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)3 Global Yarn Lubricant Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.2 Global Yarn Lubricant Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.3 Global Yarn Lubricant Price by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.4 Market Concentration Rate3.4.1 Top 3 Yarn Lubricant Manufacturer Market Share3.4.2 Top 5 Yarn Lubricant Manufacturer Market Share3.5 Market Competition Trend4 Global Yarn Lubricant Market Analysis by Regions4.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 Global Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 North America Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.4 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.5 South America Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.6 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5 North America Yarn Lubricant by Countries5.1 North America Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 North America Yarn Lubricant Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 North America Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.2 USA Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.3 Canada Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.4 Mexico Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)6 Europe Yarn Lubricant by Countries6.1 Europe Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries6.1.1 Europe Yarn Lubricant Sales by Countries (2012-2017)6.1.2 Europe Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)6.2 Germany Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)6.3 UK Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)6.4 France Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)6.5 Russia Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)6.6 Italy Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)7 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant by Countries7.1 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries7.1.1 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant Sales by Countries (2012-2017)7.1.2 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)7.2 China Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)7.3 Japan Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)7.4 Korea Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)7.5 India Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)7.6 Southeast Asia Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)8 South America Yarn Lubricant by Countries8.1 South America Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries8.1.1 South America Yarn Lubricant Sales by Countries (2012-2017)8.1.2 South America Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)8.2 Brazil Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)8.3 Argentina Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)8.4 Columbia Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)9 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant by Countries9.1 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries9.1.1 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant Sales by Countries (2012-2017)9.1.2 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)9.2 Saudi Arabia Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)9.3 UAE Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)9.4 Egypt Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)9.5 Nigeria Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)9.6 South Africa Yarn Lubricant Sales and Growth (2012-2017)10 Global Yarn Lubricant Market Segment by Type10.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)10.1.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)10.1.2 Global Yarn Lubricant Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)10.2 Polymer Coating Sales Growth and Price10.2.1 Global Polymer Coating Sales Growth (2012-2017)10.2.2 Global Polymer Coating Price (2012-2017)10.3 Ceramic Coating Sales Growth and Price10.3.1 Global Ceramic Coating Sales Growth (2012-2017)10.3.2 Global Ceramic Coating Price (2012-2017)10.4 Metal Coatings Sales Growth and Price10.4.1 Global Metal Coatings Sales Growth (2012-2017)10.4.2 Global Metal Coatings Price (2012-2017)11 Global Yarn Lubricant Market Segment by Application11.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales Market Share by Application (2012-2017)11.2 Offshore Sales Growth (2012-2017)11.3 (Including Offshore Blades, Offshore Tower, Offshore Interior) Sales Growth (2012-2017)11.4 Onshore Sales Growth (2012-2017)11.5 (Including Offshore Blades, Offshore Tower, Offshore Interior) Sales Growth (2012-2017)12 Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.1 Global Yarn Lubricant Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)12.2 Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast by Regions (2017-2022)12.2.1 North America Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.2 Europe Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.3 Asia-Pacific Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.4 South America Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.2.5 Middle East and Africa Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.3 Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast by Type (2017-2022)12.4 Yarn Lubricant Market Forecast by Application (2017-2022)13 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers13.1 Sales Channel13.1.1 Direct Marketing13.1.2 Indirect Marketing13.1.3 Marketing Channel Future Trend13.2 Distributors, Traders and Dealers14 Research Findings and Conclusion15 Appendix15.1 Methodology15.2 Analyst Introduction15.3 Data SourceList of Tables:Figure Yarn Lubricant PictureTable Product Specifications of Yarn LubricantFigure Global Sales Market Share of Yarn Lubricant by Types in 2016Table Yarn Lubricant Types for Major ManufacturersFigure DTY PictureFigure FDY PictureFigure POY PictureFigure Other PictureTable Yarn Lubricant Sales Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Polyester PictureFigure Nylon PictureFigure Acrylic PictureFigure Others PictureFigure USA Yarn Lubricant Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Canada Yarn Lubricant Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Mexico Yarn Lubricant Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Germany Yarn Lubricant Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure France Yarn Lubricant Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Orbis Research 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 customised 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 specialisation. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required Market research study for our clients.Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com Global Power Battery Management System Market 2017 : Hyundai Kefico, LG Chem, SK Innovation, Tesla Motors, Lithium Balance Power Battery Management System http://bit.ly/2tLSYFq http://bit.ly/2uUvmN7 Top Manufacture Analysis Of Power Battery Management System Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Power Battery Management System market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. In-depth analysis of the Power Battery Management System Market limitations and thus the opportunities modify the user to create the long run projection. The report to boot includes current trends supported the manufacturing ways, technological advancements, and innovations.Free Sample Copy Of Report :Global Power Battery Management System Market key Manufactures square measureHitachi Automotive SystemsMitsubishi ElectricHyundai KeficoLG ChemSK InnovationTesla MotorsLithium BalanceVectureRimacAutomobilDigi-Triumph TechnologGlobal Power Battery Management System Market 2017 report to boot options an outline of Compound Annual rate (CAGR) in command of worth for the actual quantity for Power Battery Management System market which will assist the user to conclude the selection supported a front chart. The Power Battery Management System Market report to boot contains in-detail information of the key players beside vendors and suppliers. 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Moreover, the report is crafted with many graphical representations that embrace graphs, figures, and diagrams supported the mathematics data beside precise revenue graphs and analysis of the merchandise.About Us :Worldwide Industry are a trusted brand in the research industry with capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Worldwide Industry, we believe in building long term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Silver Nanoparticles Market Size, Trends and Forecast 2022, Business Opportunities & Future Investments Silver Nanoparticles Market https://emarketorg.com/pro/global-silver-nanoparticles-market-research-report-2017/ https://emarketorg.com/product-enquiry/?product-id=102493 https://twitter.com/emarketorg The Silver Nanoparticles market is also explained to the clients as a holistic snapshot of a competitive landscape within the given competitive forecast period. A comparative analysis of regional players and segmentations, which helps readers get a better understanding of the areas and resources. The study presents an evaluation of the factors that are expected to inhibit or boost the progress of the global Silver Nanoparticles market. The global Silver Nanoparticles market has been examined thoroughly on the basis of key criteria such as end user, application, product, technology, and region.For this report, the Silver Nanoparticles market value is provided for 2016 in USD millions, an expected CAGR % as well as USD million worth of industry in 2022. Regionally, the globe is segmented into United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and India to study their market size and local analysis. End user applications of Silver Nanoparticles market covering Food And Beverage, Apparel, Textiles, Medical And Life Sciences, Electronic Products and Other are studied in this research. Share of Silver Nanoparticles market is covered by applications as well supported with potential applications in the future.Buy the complete Silver Nanoparticles report with Comprehensive table of contents @The research methodology used to estimate and forecast the Silver Nanoparticles market involves a primary and a secondary research. A systematic procedure has been used to arrive at the global size of the Silver Nanoparticles market and present revenue of key players in the market. Accurate data has been collected by conducting extensive interviews with people holding key decision making positions in the industry such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and executives.Inquire for discount for this report @Industry chain analysis covering upstream raw materials and equipments of Silver Nanoparticles market, their suppliers' information as well as analysis of downstream major consumers for Silver Nanoparticles is provided to understand the complete industry chain structure. Overall market analyzed in this report is divided by regions, types and manufacturers/companies. The research estimates 2017-2022 Silver Nanoparticles market development trends covering capacity, production and revenue forecasts as well as regional supply consumption forecasts.Towards the end, this report includes a feasibility analysis of New Project Investment covering SWOT analysis of Silver Nanoparticles OR marketing strategy analysis and market effect factor analysis. Overall, the report provides factual insights collected and analyzed with detailed primary and secondary research on Silver Nanoparticles market.The research compiles profiles of small and big Silver Nanoparticles market companies covering their product details as well as important statistics on production, capacity, price and more. These active companies' numbers are supported with information on marketing traders and/or distributors of the Silver Nanoparticles industry along with their contact information. This data gives valuable industry insights and direction to individuals and/or companies that are new entrants, eyeing to enter or grow in the Silver Nanoparticles market. Some of the Key vendors profiled in this research include: Cima NanoTech Cline Scientific EMFUTUR Meliorum NanoHorizons American Elements Advanced Nano Products Ames Goldsmith Applied Nanotech Bayer MaterialScience Nanoshel NovaCentrixPartial list of Tables and Figures for this report include:Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Capacity (K Units) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Capacity Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure Global Silver Nanoparticles Capacity (K Units) of Key Manufacturers in 2016Figure Global Silver Nanoparticles Capacity (K Units) of Key Manufacturers in 2017Figure Global Silver Nanoparticles Major Players Product Production (K Units) (2012-2017)Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Production (K Units) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Production Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Silver Nanoparticles Production Share by ManufacturersFigure 2017 Silver Nanoparticles Production Share by ManufacturersFigure Global Silver Nanoparticles Major Players Product Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Revenue (Million USD) by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Silver Nanoparticles Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table 2016 Global Silver Nanoparticles Revenue Share by ManufacturersTable 2017 Global Silver Nanoparticles Revenue Share by ManufacturersTable Global Market Silver Nanoparticles Average Price (USD/Unit) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure Global Market Silver Nanoparticles Average Price (USD/Unit) of Key Manufacturers in 2016Table Manufacturers Silver Nanoparticles Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales AreaAbout Us:eMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Contact Details:Ronald Aldensales@emarketorg.cominfo@emarketorg.comeMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Starting with market research reports, eMarketOrg.com plans to add conferences, knowledge products, which can be periodically subscribed to, and more to its range of business offerings. Spread across the globe, our network of partners, in collaboration with our service specialists, ensure that our clients receive the right product, service and/or solution that meet their requirements in convenient timelines and within comfortable budgets that neither go underutilized nor dig a big hole into their monthly, quarterly and/or yearly spends.Get in touch with us to experience a new one-stop market intelligence and business service.F/3, 4A Bharat Pushpa Apt.,Subhash Nagar, Shukrawar Peth,Pune 411002 Adherence Monitoring Cap Market is Expected to Continue Flourishing in Developed and Developing Regions of World, 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/adherence-monitoring-cap-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15826 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/15826 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The first understanding which strikes our mind with the word adherence monitoring cap is that packaging targeted only to specific age of people who are in urgent need and capable to handle such system for their own benefits . Adherence monitoring cap has been engineered for convenience of senior aged people who has specific needs such as easy reminder of medication dosage, visually detectable, clearly communicates the benefits of taking the product and the repercussions on skipping or neglecting the prescribed dosages. Adherence monitoring caps are integrated with microcircuits which does records the date and time whenever a patient opens a vial. The adherence monitoring cap which wirelessly transfer dosing data when used in conjunction with a cap reader. Adherence monitoring caps also features an LCD that displays the number of doses taken in the past 24 hours and the number of elapsed doses. Adherence monitoring cap also acts serves the purpose of child resistant packaging and minimizes the fatality of child poisoning. With expansion in population of those aged 50 plus and beyond and subsequent demands of intelligent packaging for consumers, the market of adherence monitoring cap market is bound to grow at a healthy CAGR over the forecast period.To view complete report @Market: Drivers & RestraintsRise in senior age population, governing agencies pushing stricter norms on packaging and growing public interest for smart packaging are few of the drivers which will drive adherence monitoring cap market. The average age of the entire population of the globe is almost crossing 35 years. In coming next 5 -10 years this population will be beyond 45. With increase in age the ability to remember and the urge of doing something in routine diminishes. Further the change in habit of consumer in present times, educated and affluent class reach for goods and products which are inundated with smart technology that can contribute vastly towards consumers comfort and thus diminishes effort.A sample of this report is available upon request @High price of adherence monitoring market, sophistication of adherence monitoring cap will lead to restriction its usage in more robust way, lack of awareness about product can be possible few of the restraints of the adherence minoring market.Adherence Monitoring Cap Market: Regional OutlookBased on the geographies, global Adherence Monitoring Cap market is segmented into five key regions North America, Latin America, Europe, AP EJ, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, North America market is expected to be the dominant region for adherence monitoring cap market in terms of value share, which can be attributed to the rise in population of senior age population in North America and the expansion of packaging industries which manufactures adherence monitoring cap followed by Western Europe. In APEJ region the senior packaging market is in introduction phase, the market is growing and will eventually gain a strong foothold over the forecast period in countries such as South Korea, China owing to the availability of R&D activities to develop such adherence monitoring cap for general public usage at a reasonable price. Japan being one of the formidable player in developing various electronic commodities will also gain a strong foothold in adherence monitoring cap. Moreover Japan has the worlds oldest population who will be in need of such adherence monitoring cap package system for their medication usage. In MEA and Latin America at present the market is yet to acknowledge the idea of adherence monitoring cap product and those market demand of adherence monitoring cap mostly relies on imported products but with rise in awareness and growing demand the market will witness growth by the end of our forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Adherence Monitoring Cap market: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified in the global Adherence Monitoring Cap market areWestRock Company, etectRx, Vitality, Inc. and Vitality, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Rewritable PVC Cards Market is Growing at Significant Rate, 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/rewritable-pvc-cards-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15829 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/15829 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com PVC cards are specifically used for purposes which are designed for specifically for a typical ID card. PVC cards are also used for making for identification, credit/debit cards, membership cards, access cards, and more. Making such cards with PVC enables better longevity and durability of such cards. But for re-usability of such PVC cards, a new type of product rewritable PVC cards were developed and launched as per consumer preference. Rewritable PVC cards are ideal for applications that is time-sensitive or changes often. Rewritable card printing offers card issuers in a market of varieties a unique and affordable way to change the information on a photo ID or other plastic card without issuing a new card and saving lot of unnecessary expenses. With expansion of usage of rewritable PVC cards in various avenues, it can be well anticipated that rewritable PVC cards market will gain significant growth over the forecast period.To view complete report @Rewritable PVC Cards Market: Drivers & RestraintsPrimary factor for growth of rewritable PVC cards market is its extensive usage in making of cards such as id proof, shopping cards, etc. In order to eliminate hassle of carrying physical currency there has been extensive circulation of such rewritable PVC cards which are being used in various avenues. Such rewritable PVC cards are associated with a single account of the user which can be recharged with desired amount and then such rewritable cards are good to use anywhere it is acceptable. Number of literates are rising globally yearly a huge number of students do join schools and universities yearly. This is another factor which is fuelling the market of rewritable PVC cards market for making of identity card. Real estate and large official complexes are witnessing growth, for safety and security reason these premises implements various security norms which again will further boost the market of rewritable PVC cards which will be utilized in making of various type of entry and exit passes. Utilization of such PVC cards are rising across in various businesses for various conveniences associated with rewritable PVC cards.A sample of this report is available upon request @Restraint for rewritable PVC cards market can be witnessed in developing nations where due to lack of awareness and consumer attitude the market wont be able to gain momentumRewritable PVC Cards Market: Regional OutlookRegarding geography, coffee bean market has been categorized into five key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to register a healthy CAGR for Rewritable PVC Cards market owing to the rapid adoption of Rewritable PVC Cards across establishments. Moreover in North America rewritable PVC Cards technology has been constantly undergoing innovations and technology altercations to make it more efficient and user friendly. Next to North America, Western Europe stands for rewritable PVC Cards market, countries across Western Europe are adopting this technology for meeting various requirements. Rewritable PVC Cards market is also gaining pace in APEJ and Eastern Europe, at present the market has not been such lucrative but over the forecast period it can be anticipated that market will gain a significant share. Region such as MEA, Latin America have also gained a considerable amount of rewritable PVC Cards market but over the forecast period. In Japan due to prevalence of a population and society influenced with technology, there has been a considerable amount of market for rewritable PVC cards market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Rewritable PVC Cards Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the Rewritable PVC Cards market are:-AlphaCard, ID Card Group, Shenzhen SMART ONE Technology Company Limited, OthersAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Hermetic Packaging Market : Understanding of Competitive Landscape and Major Key Product Segments for 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1136 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1136 https://www.tmrresearch.com/hermetic-packaging-market Global Hermetic Packaging Market: SnapshotThe global hermetic packaging market is predicted to witness strong opportunities emerging from the ascendency of ceramic-metal sealing (CERTM) demonstrating a higher growth rate and share in terms of type. There are some crucial factors that could propel the demand for CERTM in the market. The assurance of failure-free operation and passenger safety in the automotive sector is anticipated to fortify the growth of CERTM sealed sensors such as differential non-contacting, chassis level, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sensors. The growth of the market could also gain a telling impetus on the back of an elevating demand for low-porosity and thermal shock-resistant hermetic packaging materials.Although military and defense could take a leading share in the global hermetic packaging market on the basis of application, healthcare, food and beverages, petrochemicals, and consumer electronics are also expected to be significant. The healthcare market is prognosticated to record an impressive demand while riding on major advancements in technology for medical implants and other critical fields. The need to protect food from dirt, yeasts, molds, and bacteria could intensify the demand for hermetic packaging in the food and beverages sector. Glass bottles and rigid metal cans employ hermetic packaging seals as per the standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Request Sample Copy of the Report @Expansion and new product launch are envisaged to be some of the top strategies adopted to gain a strong foothold in the global hermetic packaging market. For instance, Amkor Technology expanded its China test factory and assembly in 2015 and Schott AG launched Puravis and autoclavable Solidur LED in 2017.Global Hermetic Packaging Market: OverviewExhibiting a positive CAGR between 2017 and 2025, the global hermetic packaging market is forecast to spawn into a multi-billion dollar industry by the end of the forecast period. The need to protect the sensitive electronic components used in sectors such as defense and military against invasion of moisture, oxygen, humidity, and any other forms of contaminant, which may result in system failure is the key factor spurring the demand for hermetic packaging. Besides this, with the growing use of hermetic packaging across end-use industries such as aeronautics and automobile electronics, experts see strong growth on cards for the market in the coming years.The report provides a holistic market overview, covering growth witnessed across end-use industries, key application segments, and major regions. The classifications under these segments are studied in detail. The study also includes an in-depth analysis of various drivers and restraints projected to impact the markets trajectory across the aforementioned segments. It therefore compiles exhaustive information regarding the market obtained via proven research methodologies. The market study also identifies the most lucrative segments in the market and gauges the investment feasibility for the new market players.Request TOC of the Report @Global Hermetic Packaging Market: Trends and OpportunitiesAmong major end users, the demand for hermetic packaging is considerably high in the military and defense sector. This segment is expected to gain from the high budget allocation in the defense sector in countries such as the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Besides this, the high demand from the defense industries in India and China will boost the hermetic packaging market in Asia Pacific. In the coming years, the rising demand from the aeronautics and space industry will contribute to the markets growth as well.Among other segments helping the market gain pace, the contribution of the multilayer ceramic segment is worth mentioning. The market players are expected to witness considerably high opportunities in response to the increasing adoption of multilayer ceramic packages across high-frequency applications such as wireless communication, optical communication, and data communication. Multilayer ceramics allow a large volume of electrical feed-throughs, which is a key factor fueling its demand, subsequently gaining increased traction for the overall market.In the coming years, the use of hermetic packaging transistors is expected to increase at a robust pace. This growth will be stoked by the increasing uptake of hermetically sealed transistors for designing home appliances and telecommunication circuits. Spurred by the increasing applications across diverse segment, the global hermetic packaging market is forecast to report strong growth in the coming years.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Hermetic Packaging Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, the leading manufacturers will find a lucrative market in Asia Pacific. The region exhibits increasing demand for energy, backed by growth in the rate of GDP across emerging nations such as India and China, which will create growth opportunities for hermetic packaged electronic component manufacturers. Besides this, India, Japan, and China are now allotting increased funds in space research. The growth in space-related activities such as exploration missions and satellite launches in these countries will give impetus to the Asia Pacific hermetic packaging market. Additionally, North America and Europe will continue offering attractive opportunities to the enterprises operating in the market.Global Hermetic Packaging Market: Vendor LandscapeTeledyne Microelectronics, AMETEK, Inc., SCHOTT AG, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Amkor Technology, Legacy Technologies Inc., Micross Components, Inc., Willow Technologies, KYOCERA Corporation, and Materion Corporation are among the established players in the global hermetic packaging market. Besides in-depth assessment of the companies profiled, the report also studies the impact of the strategies they adopt on the overall market.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Industrial Batteries Market - Industry Shares, Market Strategies and Key Players 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=968 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=968 https://www.tmrresearch.com/industrial-batteries-market Global Industrial Batteries Market: SnapshotThe global market for industrial batteries is gaining traction from a number of factors, such as rising demand for grid-connected solutions for uninterruptable power supply, government incentives for clean energy sources, growing adoption of electric vehicles, and high requirement of lithium-ion batteries in various applications. On the other hand, safety issues pertaining to battery usage and high capital investment are the two most prominent factors obstructing the global industrial batteries market. Nevertheless, escalating demand from telecom companies and data centers is expected to open new opportunities for the vendors of this market, provided they cope up with the advent of new technologies including compressed energy storage, chemical energy storage, and pumped hydro technology. Increasing the power density of these batteries is another requirement for the companies to overcome.This report on the global industrial batteries has been created using proven research methodologies and aspires to serve as a credible business tool for targeted audiences such as manufacturers of industrial batteries, industrial battery traders and suppliers, government and research organizations, raw material suppliers, and shipping companies. The report provides detailed analysis of all driving and restraining factors that will impact the demand in the global industrial batteries market, gauges the potential of smaller segments, highlights the most lucrative geographical regions, and profiles a number of leading vendors in order to understand the competitive landscape, as well as their recent development strategies and activities.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Industrial Batteries Market: OverviewThe world industrial batteries market is projected to march its way along the path of a steady expansion while spreading its presence to different sectors. Telecom and data communication being the stallion end-user sector is foreseen to secure a larger share in the international market. A major part of the demand in this sector is foretold to take charge while riding on the need for high-efficient electricity backup and upswing in telecom growth. High capital investment and safety problems could check the expansion of the market but to a minimal extent. Howbeit, the soaring want of telecom businesses and datacenters for industrial batteries, adoption of powered automobiles, and clean energy sources supported by government incentives are envisaged to provide laudable opportunities.In respect of product type and end use, the report on the global industrial batteries market can provide a meticulous segmentation for the buyers to comprehend the forecasted share of each segment.Request TOC of the Report @In a customized form, the publication enlightens the interested parties about the vital dynamics of the global industrial batteries market, viz. industry-specific challenges, opportunities, restraints, and drivers. It also strategically profiles the important industry players and analyzes the crucial developments witnessed on a competitive platform. Apart from a compendious evaluation of the competitive landscape, the report has stood for its preciseness and usability by studying the top market leaders with SWOT analysis. It is well-addressed to a range of target audiences extending from manufacturers to industry associations.Global Industrial Batteries Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe international market for industrial batteries could look forward to attain an imposing revenue growth on the back of a decent CAGR. With reference to energy density, industrial batteries offer a superior performance which is called for by the end users in different sectors. Lithium-based and lead-acid industrial batteries can be recycled with amplified efficiency. This has obtained support from the burgeoning growth witnessed in the renewable energy field. Besides this, the automotive domain has been counting on industrial batteries as one of the key operational components. All of these factors have pronounced the advancement of the global market.Although the lead-acid segment by type has been sitting at the apex of the world industrial batteries market, lithium-based industrial batteries are forecasted to advance as a faster growing segment in the near future. On the grounds of their impressive attributes, i.e. low emission, recyclability, and long life, lithium-based batteries have been swiftly adopted for a number of industrial applications. Applications which deem low maintenance, temperature sensitivity, weight, and volume more important than initial cost have found extreme suitability for lithium-based batteries.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Industrial Batteries Market: Regional OutlookThe world industrial batteries market is prognosticated to rest its tangible furtherance on the back of the demand for power backups boasting a higher capacity and multiplying industrial undertakings in North America and Asia Pacific. With countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea on the scene, the Asia Pacific region will look to capitalize on the implementation of renewable energy in various devices supported by the governments. The lengthening demand for industrial batteries in this region is expected to help it grow faster than other geographies such as Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East and Africa.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com 13 July 2017 Acron Group's Fertiliser Output Up 29% in H1 2017 Group's Consolidated Output (including operating results for Acron, Dorogobuzh and North-Western Phosphorous Company) Product, '000 t H1 2017 H1 2016 ** YOY, % MINERAL FERTILISERS Ammonia 1,258 952 32.1 Incl. in-house consumption 887 919 Nitrogen fertilisers 1,927 1,766 9.1 Incl. in-house consumption 525 321 AN 990 859 15.2 Incl. in-house consumption 304 92 Urea 440 370 18.8 Incl. in-house consumption 221 229 UAN 497 536 -7.3 Complex fertilisers 1,394 966 44.3 Incl. in-house consumption 31 9 NPK 1,108 941 17.8 Incl. in-house consumption 31 9 Bulk blends 285 25 11x increase Total commercial output for Mineral Fertilisers* 3,144 2,435 29.1 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS Organic synthesis products 217 177 22.4 Incl. in-house consumption 100 93 Methanol 51 35 45.4 Incl. in-house consumption 32 33 Formalin 78 66 17.7 Incl. in-house consumption 67 60 Urea-formaldehyde resins 88 76 15.9 Incl. in-house consumption 1 1 Non-organic compounds 368 339 8.5 Low-density and technical-grade AN 75 109 -30.8 Calcium carbonate 263 201 30.8 Liquid carbon dioxide 27 26 2.4 Argon 3 3 -10.9 Total commercial output for Industrial Products* 485 423 14.6 PHOSPHATE INPUTS Apatite concentrate 544 584 -6.8 Incl. in-house consumption 449 405 Total commercial output for apatite concentrate* 95 179 -46.9 TOTAL COMMERCIAL OUTPUT* 3,724 3,037 22.6 * Commercial output is output less in-house consumption. ** Excluding Hongri Acron output (due to sale of the plant in 2016) Chairman of Acron's Board of Directors Alexander Popov comments on the results: In H1 2017, Acron Group companies increased mineral fertiliser output nearly by a third to over 3 million tonnes. The record high results were due to the stable operation of the new ammonia unit, commissioned in 2016 at Acron's Veliky Novgorod facility, and to upgrades of core operations at both of the Group's production sites. Acron's Veliky Novgorod facility increased the capacity of its four urea units, commissioned in 1969-1970, to 1,800 tonnes per day. Once the upgrades on the fifth urea unit are completed, aggregate capacity will reach 3,000 tonnes per day. We also decided to build a sixth urea unit with a capacity of 600 tonnes per day. That project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2018. Acron's Veliky Novgorod facility also posted record high numbers for its NPK units, where an overhaul was started in early 2016. During this period, each of the two units increased NPK output more than 10% to 2,000 tonnes per day from 1,840 tonnes per day. The Company plans to ramp up production to 2,100 tonnes per day. In 2016, Dorogobuzh completed an overhaul of its ammonium nitrate and NPK units, and the Company launched an upgrade of its ammonia unit this year. Once the project is completed, capacity will be up to 2,100 tonnes per day from 1,740 tonnes per day, for an annual output of 130,000 tonnes. The decrease in apatite concentrate output at the Oleniy Ruchey mine is due to extensive stripping operations in Q1 2017. At the same time, the output in Q2 2017 reached a historical record high. The mine is expanding, and the start of ore production is scheduled for this year. Thanks to our investment projects, we intend to continue increasing production volume. Market Trends The mineral fertiliser market in the second quarter is traditionally characterised by low seasonal demand. In this context, the increase in global urea supply pushed prices for this product down from local record highs seen in Q1 2017. The slowdown in India's imports added pressure. At the same time, exports from China shrank to half what they were the previous year. China remains a stabilising factor in the market. According to our estimates, the cost of urea production for most Chinese producers is $245 FOB per tonne because of the high prices for coal, used as a raw material, and the strengthening of the yuan in recent months. Consequently, we do not expect a considerable drop in global urea prices from the current levels. The prices for premium nitrogen fertilisers - ammonium nitrate and urea-ammonium nitrate - also declined in Q2 2017, although more moderately than for the basic product - urea. As a result, these products' premiums increased. NPK prices in Q2 2017 were relatively stable. Amid lowered prices in the nitrogen and phosphorous segments, NPK fertilisers were supported by higher potash prices. NPK premiums to the product basket remain high. Average Indicative Prices, USD/t, FOB Baltic/Black Sea Q2 2017 Q1 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 2017 / Q1 2017 change Q2 2017 / Q2 2016 change NPK 16-16-16 264 262 308 +1.0% -14.3% AN 168 202 154 -17.2% +8.6% UAN 137 158 143 -13.3% -4.2% Urea 191 237 196 -19.2% -2.5% Ammonia 284 302 274 -5.8% +3.6% Media contacts: Tatiana Smirnova Public Relations Phone: +7 (495) 777-08-65 (ext. 5196) Investor contacts: Ilya Popov Investor Relations Phone: +7 (495) 745-77-45 (ext. 5252) Background Information Acron Group is a leading vertically integrated mineral fertiliser producer in Russia and globally, with chemical production facilities in Veliky Novgorod (Acron) and Smolensk (Dorogobuzh). The Group owns and operates a phosphate mine in Murmansk region (NWPC) and plans implementing a potash development project in Perm Krai (VPC). It has a wholly owned transport and logistics infrastructure and distribution networks in Russia and China. In 2016, the Group sold 6.4 million tonnes of various products to 63 countries, with Russia, Brazil, Europe and the United States as key markets. In 2016, the Group posted consolidated revenue under IFRS of RUB 89,359 million (USD 1,333 million) and net profit of RUB 25,525 million (USD 381 million). Acron's shares are on the Level 1 quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and its global depositary receipts are traded at the London Stock Exchange (ticker AKRN). Acron employs over 11,000 people. For more information about Acron Group, please visit www.acron.ru/en. Global Feed Minerals Market 2017 : Nutreco, Pancosma, Phibro Animal Health, Tanke Biosciences, QualiTech Feed Minerals http://bit.ly/2sTwX4m http://bit.ly/2vfItrE Top Manufacture Analysis Of Feed Minerals Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. 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Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Global Feed Palatabilty Enhancers Market 2017 : Evonik Industries, FMC Corporation, Addcon Group, Adisseo France Feed Palatabilty Enhancers http://bit.ly/2ucEYp8 http://bit.ly/2ui5vAR Top Manufacture Analysis Of Feed Palatabilty Enhancers Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Feed Palatabilty Enhancers market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. In-depth analysis of the Feed Palatabilty Enhancers Market limitations and thus the opportunities modify the user to create the long run projection. 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Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Extrusion Coating Market Invention Analysis, Size, Share, Evolution, Styles & Prediction 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=971 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=971 https://www.tmrresearch.com/extrusion-coating-market Global Extrusion Coating Market: SnapshotThe global market for extrusion coating is gaining traction from a number factors, such as increasing use of extrusion coating in numerous packaging applications, prosperity of the food and beverages industry, growing demand from emerging economies in Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa, continuous merger and acquisition, and development of new products by diverse companies. On the other hand, although the demand is expected to continue flowing in throughout the forecast period of 2017 to 2025, substitutes such as bio-based polymers and increasing carbon footprint are posing considerable challenge to the development of the market for extrusion coating. The use of some of the common polymers such as EVA, LDPE, PET, and PP can generates harmful by-products.This report on the global extrusion coating market provides quantitative and qualitative analysis of all factors that may influence the demand in the near future, as well as catching some of the latest trends that may open new opportunities for the early birds. The report segments the market into smaller aspects to gauge their potential, highlights the most lucrative regions as well as countries, and profiles a number of leading companies in order to understand the existent competitive landscape of the global extrusion coating market. The report has been prepared using proven research methodologies and aspires to serve as a credible document to the targeted audiences such as extrusion coating manufacturers, traders and distributors of extrusion coating materials and products, end-use entities connected to the different segments and aspects of the market, government and research organization, environment support agencies, investment banks, and private equity firms.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Extrusion Coating Market: OverviewThe world market for extrusion coating is forecasted to gain impetus from the soaring count of packaging applications in a diverse scope of end-use sectors. On a global platform, liquid packaging is prophesied to be a larger extrusion coating segment in terms of application. It finds application in the packaging of goods such as household cleaning products, spirits and wines, and beverages and liquids. Out of the miscellaneous forms of liquid packaging available to this day, stand-up pouches, caps and closures, bottles, and bag-in-boxes are the most prominent.The eminent areas of segmentation of the global extrusion coating market include application and type of material. These critical segmentation areas are further segmented and analyzed while considering the volume and value forecasts.Request TOC of the Report @All the reports published by TMR Research can be tailor-made as per the demands of the buyers. Our analysts have procured the vital findings of the world extrusion coating market while taking into consideration a wide compass of target audiences, including manufacturers, distributors, and investment and equity firms. The report authors have assessed different elements to carefully draw the competitive landscape of the global market.Global Extrusion Coating Market: Trends and OpportunitiesWith a moderate CAGR, the international extrusion coating market is expected to reach an admirable figure in terms of both value and volume. A number of activities performed by different players in the industry in relation to new product development apart from their acquisitions and mergers are prognosticated to encourage a tangible growth in the global market. The packaging sphere is foreseen to significantly contribute for the dilation of the market growth. One of the reasons for this is the driving demand for the process of extrusion coating and their application in various packaging procedures.For the forecast period, low density polyethylene (LDPE) is anticipated to stand as a dominating segment by material type in the global extrusion coating market. LDPE finds vigorous applications in a gamut of packaging domains such as commercial, flexible, and liquid. Preferable sealability properties and excellent moisture barrier are some of the astounding characteristics of LDPE that have given it much importance in the packaging sector. LDPE is anticipated to help the world market reach great heights of success on the back of its elevating number of applications. These applications belong to a range of end-use sectors such as pharmaceutical and medical, construction and building, and automotive, not just packaging.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Extrusion Coating Market: Regional OutlookUntil the end of the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region is foretold to demonstrate supremacy in the international extrusion coating market. The food and beverage sector of developing countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, India, and China is witnessing a strong growth in the packaging domain. This has resulted into the extensive usage of extrusion coating in Asia Pacific. Besides this, the aggravating strength of the Asia Pacific population and aggressive economic growth in the region have upgraded the maturation of the global market. For the forecast years, China is predicted to be a faster rising market in the developing region.Some of the regional markets associated with the global extrusion coating industry could suffer because of the pernicious by-products generated with the employment of certain polymer resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), and LDPE. These polymers are mostly used during the process of extrusion coating. However, the towering growth opportunities birthed in emerging countries of the Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific are envisaged to dilute the effect of the restraint. Moreover, the increasing number of applications in various innovative forms of packaging such as liquid packaging is envisioned to offer good opportunities in the long run.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global Physiotherapy Instrument Market 2017 : STORZ MEDICAL, Cos-Medico, GZ LONGEST, Guangzhou Kean Physiotherapy Instrument http://bit.ly/2ucjzw2 http://bit.ly/2vg0UfY Top Manufacture Analysis Of Physiotherapy Instrument Market 2017 Includes Market outline, section by Application, Market by Region and Production, Revenue (Value), worth Trend by kind. The Markets And analysis study delivers necessary information and realistic data of the globe Physiotherapy Instrument market. The report presents a deep study of the market growth factors and drivers. In-depth analysis of the Physiotherapy Instrument Market limitations and thus the opportunities modify the user to create the long run projection. The report to boot includes current trends supported the manufacturing ways, technological advancements, and innovations.Free Sample Copy Of Report :Global Physiotherapy Instrument Market key Manufactures square measureDJOGymnaSTORZ MEDICALCos-MedicoGZ LONGESTGuangzhou KeanGlobal Physiotherapy Instrument Market 2017 report to boot options an outline of Compound Annual rate (CAGR) in command of worth for the actual quantity for Physiotherapy Instrument market which will assist the user to conclude the selection supported a front chart. The Physiotherapy Instrument Market report to boot contains in-detail information of the key players beside vendors and suppliers. 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Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide IndustryUnited States Track Geometry Measurement System Market is Anticipated to Show the Robust Growth During 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1118 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1118 https://www.tmrresearch.com/track-geometry-measurement-system-market Global Track Geometry Measurement System Market: SnapshotThe prosperity of the global track geometry measurement system market is owing to several factors, such as increasing need for safety and security in railway transport, growing railway networks and metro lines, and deployment of intelligent techniques in railways. On the other hand, slow infrastructure growth in a number of emerging economies is hindering the market from attaining its full potential. Nevertheless, the stockholders connected to the value chain of the track geometry measurement system market will gain new opportunities from the growing requirement from public and private partnerships (PPP) and diversification of services and solutions offered by these measurement systems.Based on operation-type, the global market for track geometry measurement system can be segmented into contact based and no contact based, while on the basis of measurement-type, this market can be categorized into cant and cant deficiency, track gauge, twist, curvature, vertical profile, alignment, dipped joints, dynamic cross-level, and others such as inclination and cyclic top. High-speed railways, heavy haul railways, light railways, and mass transit railways can be some of the categories of the global track geometry measurement system, whereas component-wise bifurcation of the market can be software, navigation equipment, lighting equipment, computer, communication equipment, camera, data storage, sensor, and power supply equipment. Geographically, this report takes stock of the potential of the track geometry measurement system market in all important regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The report is a comprehensive representation of the current scenario of the market for track geometry measurement system and provides analysis as well as forecasts on its future prospects.Global Track Geometry Measurement System Market: OverviewThe global track geometry measurement system market is projected to exhibit a positive CAGR between 2017 and 2025. The market will benefit from the increase demand for improved security in railway transport and the growling metro lines and railway networks. Besides this, the deployment of cost-effective and smart technologies in railway drive will give the global track geometry measurement system market significant impetus during the forecast period.The report studies growth exhibited by the tract geometry measurement system market based on various parameters such as railway type, measurement type, operation type, component, and region. It covers various aspects such as growth drivers, key restraints, opportunities, and challenges that companies are likely to witness. The profiles of some of the most prominent enterprises operating in global market are included as well.Request TOC of the Report @The report is therefore compiled with the intent of presenting a comprehensive overview of the global track geometry measurement system market. It gauges the impact of Porters five forces on the overall market and analyzes the investment feasibility for new players. Exhaustive information included in the report is obtained from trusted industrial sources via proven research methodologies. It is aimed at helping readers gain a clearer perspective about the prevailing dynamics and trajectory of the global track geometry measurement system market.Global Track Geometry Measurement System Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe rising demand for improved safety in railway transport is the chief driver of the market. The recent incidents of train mishaps have raised concerns worldwide compelling governments to digitize the mode of transport to ensure safer journey. The demand for cost-effective yet smart technologies for maintaining tracks and ensuring operational safety is therefore at all-time high. This however can be achieved through calculating the geometry parameters in real-time. Track geometry measurement systems assist in maintenance works conducted to detect any track irregularities, which is a key factor enabling the market gain impetus.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@While these factors will support the markets expansion, slow infrastructure growth will restraint it to an extent. Furthermore, data management and control is a sensitive concern for the track geometry measurement systems market. It is therefore very important to ensure protection of data generated via diverse measuring devices. This is a key challenge posing threat to the market as well.Global Track Geometry Measurement System Market: Regional OutlookNorth America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are among the key regional markets for track geometry measurement system. Among these regions, the market is witnessing highly lucrative opportunities in Asia Pacific. The rising demand for track geometry measurement system in China, which as of 2016 had the longest high-speed railway network in the world, is supporting growth witnessed in the region.Besides this, the market is also gaining from the rapid expansion of metro networks in countries such as Australia and India. Growth in railway networks also fuels the demand for advanced maintenance to ensure risk-free travel to the passengers. Since, railway networks constitute the key transport across emerging Asian economies, the region exhibits a considerably high demand for track geometry measurement system.Global Track Geometry Measurement System Market: Vendor LandscapeSome of the most prominent enterprises operating in the global track geometry measurement system market are Ensco, Inc., MER MEC S.p.A., Fugro, Balfour Beatty, Plasser & Theurer, Egis, MRX Technologies, R. Bance & Co., Ltd. Inc., and Goldschmidt Thermit Group.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Innovative Opportunity : Global Pump Coffee Machines Market Research Report 2017 - Delonghi, La Pavoni, Hamilton Beach & Russell Hobbs http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=973828 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=973828 Albany, New York, July 13, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of " Development of Pump Coffee Machines Market in Global Industry : Trends and Application 2017 " globally.This report studies Pump Coffee Machines in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringDelonghiLa PavoniHamilton BeachRussell HobbsKrupsCapressoNespressoGaggiaMr.CoffeeDualitEspressioneMinimokaSolacKeurigGet PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Pump Coffee Machines in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Pump Coffee Machines in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Table of Contents1 Pump Coffee Machines Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pump Coffee Machines1.2 Pump Coffee Machines Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Pump Coffee Machines by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.3 Pump Coffee Machines Segment by Application1.3.1 Pump Coffee Machines Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.4 Pump Coffee Machines Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Pump Coffee Machines (2012-2022)Make an Enquiry of this report @2 Global Pump Coffee Machines Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Pump Coffee Machines Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Pump Coffee Machines Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Pump Coffee Machines Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Pump Coffee Machines Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Pump Coffee Machines Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Pump Coffee Machines Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Pump Coffee Machines Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMoz90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States Ultra-mobile Devices (UMD) Market Research and Forecast Analysis Report of Top Countries 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1103 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1103 https://www.tmrresearch.com/ultra-mobile-devices-market Global Ultra-mobile Devices (UMD) Market: OverviewUltra-mobile devices (UMD), also referred to as ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPC), the notebook computers with physical features such as screen and overall size scaled down to bring about a reduction in weight make the devise more compact, have emerged as one of the largest selling computing devices in the past few years. These portable and easy to carry computing devices, which majorly pack capabilities and functionalities similar to those of a traditional personal computer, are steadily outpacing the conventional personal computer models.The market for ultra-mobile computing devices is expected to expand at a promising pace in the next few years as the trend of mobility gathers further pace. This report on the global ultra-mobile devices market provides a thorough analytical overview of the market in the present times and several forward-looking statements predicting the growth prospects of the market and its segments for the period 20172025, wherein 2016 is considered the base year.The report covers a detailed analytical overview of all the key trends expected to play a key role in the overall development of the market over the said period. The study highlights factors such as drivers, restraints, regulations, and opportunities expected to impact the growth prospects of the market during the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Ultra-mobile Devices (UMD) Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe report states that of the key varieties of ultra-mobile devices available in the market, including basic UMD, utility UMD, and premium UMD, the segment of premium UMD accounted for the leading share in revenues in the global market. Operational capabilities equal or enhanced as compared to conventional personal computers, compact size, and high cost have made premium UMDs one of the most profitable UMD segments in the global market in the past few years.On the basis of operating system, the global UMD market can be segmented into Windows, Mac, Android, and open source. Presently, the Windows category accounts for the dominant share in the global market and is expected to retain dominance over the next few years as well.Request TOC of the Report @Global Ultra-mobile Devices (UMD) Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsFrom a geographical perspective, the report analyzes the UMD market across regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Of these, the North America market contributed to the leading share in the global markets revenue. The presence of an affluent consumer base and some of the worlds leading UMD manufacturers have helped the region take the top spot in the UMD market.Emerging economies across regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America have become some of the worlds profitable destinations for the personal computers market owing to the rising population of affluent and digitally aware consumers and the burgeoning enterprise and education sectors. However, the high prices of UMDs could crop up as one of the key challenges for markets expansion in these regions, making people favor budget computing devices over UMDs. The consumer perception that UMDs lack in data processing or operating functionalities as compared to conventional personal computers could also be a factor limiting the overall demand for ultra-mobile devices to mostly business professionals and enterprise circles in these regions.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@The study also includes business profiles of some of the leading players operating in the global immersive simulator market with details such as recent developments, growth strategies, market share, market positioning, finances, and product portfolio. Some of the leading companies operating in the global UMD market are HTC Corporation, Google, Dell, Microsoft Corporation, Lenovo, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Apple Inc., Sony, HP Development Company L.P., and Samsung.About TMR Research :TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Non-destructive Testing (NDT) Services Market - Detailed Analysis of Current Industry Figures with Forecasts Growth By 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=992 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=992 https://www.tmrresearch.com/non-destructive-testing-services-market Global Non-destructive Testing Services Market: SnapshotPredictive maintenance is increasingly becoming a more prominent part of everyday operations and processes in a number of high-growth and lucrative industries such as aerospace and forensics. The trend has emerged as a highly promising growth opportunity for the global non-destructive testing (NDT) services market and has directed it towards a healthy growth path. By expanding access to a rising set of non-destructive testing methodologies, the market aims to enable companies in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service sector to accomplish the evaluations of in-service safety of tools and operations in a number of industries more efficiently, while saving downtime and cutting costs.The aerospace industry, for instance, is becoming an avid user of a number of non-destructive testing services to enable safer and quicker decisions regarding instances such as in-service defect in aircraft parts. There are several benefits provided by the present-day technologically-advanced non-destructive testing services, such as the 3D scanning technique, which are difficult to gain from traditional methodsnamely lighting strike, hail damage, and bird impacts on the aircrafts wings and fuselage. When combined with advanced inspection tools, such testing solutions help reduce the operators impact on measurements, reduces the time to reach to the final report, and helps ease the process of decision-making.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Recently, Creaform, a world-leader in the field of portable 3D measurement solutions and engineering services, announced that it will extend its expertise in NDT services to the aerospace industry. To ensure that its solution reflects the needs of the aviation maintenance industry effectively, the company is collaborating with leading aircraft companies to undertake beta testing; the solution is projected to be marketed by October 2017. The company has already achieved considerable success in extending its services to the aerospace industry when it comes to its HandySCAN 3D metrology-grade laser scanner. The product has been added to the Technical Equipment Manual of Airbus.Global Non-destructive Testing (NDT) Services Market: SnapshotNon-destructive testing (NDT) is a broad group of evaluation techniques which are employed in the science and technology industry in order to analyze the properties of a system, component, or material without triggering damage. As non-destructive testing does not alter the article in inspection permanently, it is an extremely valuable technology that helps saving both time and money in terms of product research, troubleshooting, and evaluation. Basic NDT methods comprise low coherence interferometry, eddy-current testing, remote visual inspection, radiographic, liquid penetrant, magnetic-particle, and ultrasonic. NDT is generally employed in art, medicine, aeronautical engineering, systems engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, and forensic engineering. Innovations in the area of non-destructive testing have initiated reflective impression on medical imaging, comprising digital radiography, medical ultrasonography, and echocardiography.Request TOC of the Report @Evaluation and recording a non-destructive failure mode is likely to be accomplished employing a high speed camera which can record incessantly till the failure is noticed. Failure detection can be accomplished by the use of a stress gauge or a sound detector which releases a signal in order to activate the high-speed camera. After the fiasco, the camera will eventually stop recording and thus, the captured pictured can be played backwards in slow motion to exhibit the events after and before the non-destructive situation.The market intelligence report investigates into the conceivable growth prospects for the global NDT services market and the sequential growth of the market during the course of the forecast period. It also exclusively provisions the mandatory data related to aspects such as the dynamics manipulating the progress in all possible reflective manner. Numerous pervasive and non-pervasive trends have also been stated in the report. An outlook of extensive nature keeping in mind the Porters five forces analysis has been provided to make the vendor landscape transparent to the reader. The report further points out several activities related to R&D, mergers, acquisitions, and crucial conglomerates and corroborations. The companies in attention have been examined on the basis of market shares, prime products, and key marketing strategies.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Non-destructive Testing (NDT) Services Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe numerous applications of non-destructive testing services include shipyards, oil refineries, nuclear power plants, construction sites, and manufacturing plants. In the last couple of years, the demand for non-destructive testing service has significantly gained momentum owing to the expansion of profit margins and propelled capital expenditure after the recovery of the U.S, from deep recession. In the near future, incessant technological innovation is expected to make non-destructive testing services more efficient and cost effective for the end-user industries, thus eventually bolstering the demand for it in the coming years. The demand for NDT services is expected to intensify over the coming years owing to the significant growth in the development of new infrastructure and the aging infrastructure. Furthermore, due to the shift towards advanced non-destructive testing techniques from conventional NDT techniques is expected to enhance the skills of the technicians. Thus, due to this the demand for NDT services is likely to gain momentum owing to the dearth in trained professionals.Global Non-destructive Testing (NDT) Services Market: Regional OverviewOwing to the large number of ongoing infrastructural projects and progressing manufacturing sector in countries such as China and India, Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as a prominent region favoring the growth of the market. North America is also anticipated to aid the growth of the market due to progress in aerospace and defense verticals, oil and gas sector, power transmission, and transportation.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com PPR Pipe Market by Global Countries, Manufacturers, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/454383-global-ppr-pipe-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=454383 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/454383-global-ppr-pipe-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/454383-global-ppr-pipe-market-1 HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 115 pages on title 'Global PPR Pipe Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North & South America,Europe ,Asia-Pacific, America ,Middle East & Africa and important players such as Pipelife, Kingbull, Rifeng ..................SummaryPPR pipe is made of Polypropylene Random Copolymer (PPR-C) type 3, which is approved for the production of pipes according to DIN8078 standards, designed for the transportation of portable hot and cold water distribution system with a really long lifetime. Installation technique is one of the extraordinary properties of ppr pipe as the ppr pipes and fittings are connected and welded by melting. It will be perfectly welded from separate parts and body to a interconnected systems without any leakage points. The installation technique and the multifunctional ppr piping system, the welding method and wonderful physical and chemical features make PPR pipes and fittings a Superior and reliable product quality.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the PPR Pipe in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversZhejiang Weixing New Building MaterialsGeorg Fischer (GF Piping Systems)KaldeGindeAQUA-SCIEUponorYonggaoChina LessoWavinPipelifeKingbullRifengGoodyZhejiang Nanxin PlasticNeltexShanghai White Butterfly PipeaquathermNamsokAKAN Enterprise GroupShandong Huaxin Plastic PipeDadexB?nningerShandong Golden TideMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversComposite PPR PipeHot and Cold Water PPR PipeOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercial BuildingResidential BuildingOther ApplicationBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global PPR Pipe market.Chapter 1, to describe PPR Pipe Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of PPR Pipe, with sales, revenue, and price of PPR Pipe, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of PPR Pipe, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, PPR Pipe market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe PPR Pipe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceGet Customization in the Report, Enquire Now @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 PPR Pipe Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Composite PPR Pipe1.2.2 Hot and Cold Water PPR Pipe1.2.3 Other1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Commercial Building1.3.2 Residential Building1.3.3 Other Application1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.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) Synthetic Menthol Market to Remain Lucrative During 2017 - 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/synthetic-menthol-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Menthol is a crystalline organic compound which can be produced synthetically or obtained naturally from corn mint, mint oil and peppermint, among others. Menthol has high medical and nutritional value; owing to which it is used in various confectionary products such as chewing gums and candies. It is also utilized in pharmaceuticals in ointments, and inhalation products among others. Conventionally, menthol is obtained naturally i.e. by harvesting and processing mints. However, variations in climatic conditions tend to affect the overall menthol supply and also result in volatility in prices. Currently, India and China account for a significant share in overall global natural menthol supply. Demand for menthol from key end use industries has witnessed a steady growth over the past decade. In order to meet this growing demand, efforts were channelized towards adoption of alternative synthetic source for commercial production of menthol. Synthetically obtained menthol is relatively more pure as compared to natural menthol. Also, synthetically obtained menthol is relatively cost effective as compared to naturally obtained menthol. Moreover, supply of raw materials required for synthetic menthol production is ample; thus ensuring consistency in production. Consequently, synthetic menthol has emerged as a viable alternative for natural menthol. Currently, natural menthol dominates the overall consumption of menthol across the globe. However, consumption of synthetic menthol is expected to witness a relatively faster growth over the forecast period.To access full report @Global Synthetic Menthol Market DynamicsGrowth of synthetic menthol market is driven, primarily, by increasing demand from key end use industries such as pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, and cosmetics industries, among others. Synthetic menthol is relatively higher in purity. Moreover, over the recent past, drop in crude oil prices has in turn resulted in a drop in prices of raw materials required for the production of synthetic menthol. Thus making production more cost effective. Demand for synthetic menthol has, over the past couple of years, exceeded the actual supply. Moreover, a handful of players operate in global synthetic menthol market. As such supply security is one of the factors that is expected to influence the growth of synthetic menthol market over.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Synthetic Menthol Market SegmentationOn the basis of grade, the global synthetic menthol market is segmented into:Pharmaceutical gradeFood gradeOthersOn the basis of application, the global synthetic menthol market is segmented into:PharmaceuticalsCosmeticsOral HygieneFood & BeveragesOthersGlobal Synthetic Menthol Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific is expected to account for a major share in global synthetic menthol market owing to strong presence of key food and beverages manufacturers in the region. Demand for menthol is rising in North America and thus the region is expected to register healthy growth over the forecast period. Europe is expected to carry the second largest share in global synthetic menthol market owing to the presence of major players in Europe and the increasing demand for synthetic menthol and its products. Europe is expected to register strong growth over the forecast period. The Middle East and Africa region, although accounting for a relatively small share in overall synthetic menthol market, is anticipated to register steady growth over the same time period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Synthetic Menthol Market PlayersSome examples of market participants in the global synthetic menthol market, as identified across the value chain, include BASF SE, Symrise AG, and Takasago International Corporation, among others. The companies are expected to channelize efforts towards expanding their existing production capacities in order to better address the growing demand for synthetic menthol across the globe.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, grade, and applications.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue ChainRegional analysis includes:North AmericaLatin AmericaAsia PacificJapanWestern EuropeEastern EuropeMiddle East & AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts, and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors, along with market attractiveness within the segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and various geographies.Report highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: English French Paris (France), Washington D.C. (US), July 13, 2017 - Atos, a leader in digital transformation, launches Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack, a fully integrated hybrid cloud service, powered by the DELL EMC Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack hybrid cloud platform. The new solution is a complete end-to-end Cloud offering, bringing together the combined experience from Atos, Dell EMC and Microsoft to make it easier for businesses to manage workloads and build and share cloud-native applications across both private and public clouds. Canopy is the Atos brand for Cloud and a key component of Atos' Digital Transformation Factory strategy. Hybrid Cloud: strategy adopted by 80% of large organisations Interoperability between public and private cloud resources has quickly become a top requirement for many organizations' IT infrastructures. A recent study by IDC* shows that 80 percent of large organizations have a hybrid cloud strategy and 51 percent already use both public and private cloud infrastructure resources. Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud for Azure Stack Azure Stack is an extension of Azure, enabling new hybrid cloud applications. Using the combined experience and expertise from Atos, Dell EMC and Microsoft, this offering enables businesses to simply and quickly build a hybrid cloud deployment based on Microsoft Azure Stack. It offers automated delivery of IT services for both cloud-native and traditional applications. Additionally, it unifies the experience across the Azure public cloud platform and on-premises with Azure Stack, so businesses can manage workloads and deploy new apps in the cloud more easily, regardless of which cloud they are deployed to. Businesses will benefit from increased control, flexibility and agility as well as reduced costs, without compromising on compliance or security. As a result, organizations can better engage with their customers, reduce time to market for new services, and free resources to focus on adding business value. Peter Pluim, Executive Vice President IDM, Atos says: "We believe the hybrid cloud is the foundation of the digital transformation of our clients. This truly integrated solution supports businesses on their hybrid digital transformation journeys and enables them to respond swiftly to the market and create exceptional customer experiences." Peter Cutts, Senior Vice President, Hybrid Cloud Platforms, Dell EMC comments: "Adopting a hybrid cloud strategy is key to both IT and digital transformation because it enables IT to rapidly develop and deploy new applications, optimize resources, control costs and deliver the best possible customer experiences. Our trusted hybrid cloud platforms make the complex simple, helping customers accelerate delivery of cloud services, reduce cost, and allow them to focus on adding value to their business." Availability The new solution is expected to be available in the second half of calendar year 2017. To find out more, watch our video or visit our website here. ### *Global IDC study commissioned by DELL EMC which interviewed 1,000 mid- to large-sized organizations that are using and/or evaluating private and public cloud. About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 72 countries and annual revenue of around 12 billion. The European number one in Big Data, Cybersecurity, High Performance Computing and Digital Workplace, The Group provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across various business sectors: Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Energy & Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. About Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud Atos Canopy is the Atos brand for Cloud. Atos Canopy Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud is Atos' cloud service offering, which provides businesses with end-to-end managed, digital services including service orchestration and application and infrastructure transformation and management, over a combination of private and public clouds for all applications. Atos' aim is to support businesses on their digital transformation journeys so that they may benefit from the advantages of a full Cloud solution - improved operational efficiency, reduced IT operational costs, security and scale - so that these businesses may better engage with their customers, reduce time to market for new services, and free up resources to focus on adding business value. Press contact: Laura Fau - laura.fau@atos.net - +33 6 73 64 04 18 @laurajanefau Business Process Management Global Market, By Navigation Technology & Data Mining, Analysis and Forecast 2022 reportsweb http://www.reportsweb.com/business-process-management-bpm-global-market-outlook-2016-2022 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001583415/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001583415/buying According to Publisher, the Global Business Process Management (BPM) market is accounted for $5.51 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $17.96 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 18.4%. The factors that are fueling the market growth include increasing business dexterity, cost efficiency and return on investment from BPM suites. Whereas factors such as impedance to BPM solutions from IT staff, delusion about BPM solutions among end-users and perception of BPM as an IT matter are hindering the market growth.For more information atNorth America is estimated to be the largest market, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The US is undeniably the world's biggest market for BPM. Until 2010 North America accounted for more than half of the global BPM market by revenue. The top 3 BPM software vendors, Pega, IBM and Oracle, are headquartered in the United States. With a suite of products that perk up every year, IBM is the global leader in the business process management market. Organizations are starting their digital transformation, which means a shift towards using an intelligent business process management suite (iBPMS) by rethinking their business models and processes to tackle customer expectations.Some of the key players in global market include Oracle Corporation, Microsoft Biz Talk Server, IBM Corporation, Software AG, Fujitsu, Capgemini, Global 360, Opentext, Inc., Appian Corporation, Adobe, BP Logix, Inc., SAP, Pegasystems, Inc., Fabasoft, Hewlett Packard, Red Hat, Inc. and Tibco Software.Organization Size Covered:- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES)- Large EnterpriseDeployment Types Covered:- Cloud- On-PremisesSolutions Covered:- Automation- Content and Document Management- Integration- Monitoring and Optimization- Process Modelling- Other SolutionsServices Covered:- System Integration- Training and EducationBusiness Functions Covered:- Accounting and Finance- Human Resources- Manufacturing- Operations and Support- Sales and Marketing- Supply Chain Management- Other Business FunctionsRequest Sample Copy:Verticals Covered:- Defense and Government- Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)- IT and Telecom- Healthcare- Retail- Manufacturing- Transportation and Logistics- Automotive- Other VerticalsRegions Covered:- North Americao USo Canadao Mexico- Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe- Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao Egypt13 Company Profiling13.1 Oracle Corporation13.2 Microsoft Biz Talk Server13.3 IBM Corporation13.4 Software AG13.5 Fujitsu13.6 Capgemini13.7 Global 36013.8 Opentext, Inc.13.9 Appian Corporation13.10 Adobe13.11 BP Logix, Inc.13.12 SAP13.13 Pegasystems, Inc.13.14 Fabasoft13.15 Hewlett Packard13.16 Red Hat, Inc.13.17 Tibco SoftwareMake an enquiry: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 Quality Management Software Market Invention Analysis, Size, Share, Evolution, Styles & Prediction 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1034 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1034 https://www.tmrresearch.com/quality-management-software-market Quality Management Software Market: OverviewThe global quality management software market is witnessing a substantial rise, thanks to the increasing uptake of quality management tools in enterprises due to their dynamic business models. The escalating adoption of quality management software by med-sized businesses is prime factor behind this tremendous growth of this market.Over the coming years, the worldwide market is projected to experience a tremendous rise in the demand for quality management software on the grounds of the rising trend of the globalization of the marketplaces. The augmenting emphasis on the compliance of standards and regulations is also expected to add to the growth of this market significantly in the near future.Although the market will gain greatly from the rising focus of the enterprises on meeting the demands of consumers and the improving the efficiency of businesses over the next few years, the security threats associated with the usage of cloud-based platforms may limit the adoption of this software in the years to come, reflecting negatively on this market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Strategic mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships are expected to surface as the most efficient methods of the leading players to gain an easy access to the developing markets as well as enhance their technological competence. Moreover, the product advancements and differentiation are anticipated to prove to be beneficial to companies functional in this market.Global Quality Management Software Market: SummaryIn order to improve operational visibility and productivity of the quality assurance process, service and product driven organizations require quality management software. The quality management software offers a variety of functions such as document control, nonconformance, calibration, change management, and complaint handling, among others, making it an indispensable utility for an organizations overall quality control.Request TOC of the Report @On the basis of application, the market can be segmented into consumer goods and retail, IT and telecom, defense and aerospace, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, and others. Cloud and on-premise are the segments based on deployment in the market. Based on solution, the market is can be further classified into non-conformances / corrective & preventative, audit management, supplier quality management, document control, calibration management, complaint handling, change management, employee training, and other.In the report, TMR Research presents a thorough analysis of drivers and restrictions in the global quality management software market. It also provides insight to the various segments and regions of the market.Global Quality Management Software Market: Trends and ProspectsGlobalization of marketplaces, the growing importance of standards and regulations compliance, increased concentration of organizations on meeting customer demands and improving the efficiency of businesses, and the growing demand for cloud-based QMS solutions due to implied accessibility and scalability are the major factors affecting the global quality management software market in a favorable way.The manufacturing and transportation and logistics segment account for a large market share, and is expected to lead the market in the coming years as well. The demand is always constant from these sectors due to the strong demand for quality management software owing to the stringent regulations as well as the complex processes and integrated business systems.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Currently, the on-premise deployment segment is the key contributor to the market share, however, in the coming years the demand for cloud-based deployment is expected increase as more and more companies are moving to cloud.The non-conformance/ corrective & preventive and document control solution segment is expected to lead the market in the forecast period. Large organizations have to mandatory maintain quality adherence in these processes, thereby increasing the demand growth.Owing to the growing adoption of standard complaint handling processes and tools, the complaint handling segment is projected to further grow to become the market leader over the said period.Global Quality Management Software Market: Regional AnalysisThe global quality management software market can be geographically segmented into Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. North America and Europe are expected to be the key contributors to the market, and are projected to dominate the market over the forecast period. Early adoption of software and implementation of international standards by industries are the factors supplementing the growth of the market in this region.Asia Pacific is another promising region exhibiting lucrative opportunities for the quality management software market. The reasons for the fast development in this region include the growing awareness about standard compliance, availability of quality management software and presence of small and medium enterprises. Plus, emerging economies such as China and India are expected to fuel the growth of the marketAbout TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com By 2024, PCOS Drugs Market to Rise at 4.6% CAGR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-drugs-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3682 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-drugs-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global polycystic ovary syndrome drugs market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period 20162024 and is expected to expand 1.5x in terms of revenue by 2024. The report analyzes the global PCOS drugs market performance and provides information on key drivers and trends likely to impact the market during the forecast period.Growth of the global polycystic ovary syndrome drugs market is mainly driven by increasing prevalence of the disease and a growing awareness among the patient population. Increasing purchasing power among people and rising awareness of PCOS are factors expected to drive growth of the global PCOS drugs market. The need for effective management of diseases associated with PCOS such as hirsutism, obesity, and infertility is likely to boost the demand for PCOS drugs. Also, a growing popularity of combination drugs and their rising adoption among the patient population is expected to boost revenue growth of the PCOS drugs market in the coming years. A rising expenditure on research and development activities and introduction of novel drugs is further expected to boost growth of the global polycystic ovary syndrome drugs market over the forecast period. However, lack of FDA approved drugs, a low level of awareness of PCOS in underdeveloped countries, and increasing side effects associated with generics might hamper market growth during the forecast period.The global market for PCOS drugs presents several growth opportunities for market players. There is a good growth potential in emerging markets and pharmaceutical drugs manufacturers are focusing on emerging economies in the Asia Pacific and Africa such as Kenya, Nigeria, etc. to target a large patient population. Also, effective reimbursement policies and reduction in the costs of drugs used for the treatment of PCOS is likely to increase the adoption of PCOS drugs across the globe. Leading market players are also investing significantly in developing new branded drugs to treat PCOS, owing to an anticipated high rise in the global patient population. The demand for branded PCOS drugs is likely to increase significantly during the forecast period.Browse Complete Report @The global PCOS drugs market is segmented based on Drug Class into Oral Contraceptives, Insulin Sensitizing Agents, Anti-Depressants, Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors, Aromatase Inhibitors, and Diuretics. The contraceptive drug class segment is projected to register a CAGR of 5.4% over the forecast period. Oral contraceptives are generally the preferred first line therapy for the treatment of PCOS as they are easily available as OTC drugs. The insulin sensitizing agent segment is expected to register a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period. About 70% of PCOS patients are overweight and are in the category of possible candidates for type 2 diabetes. As a result, insulin sensitizing agents are the widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of PCOS today. In terms of value, the oral contraceptives and insulin sensitizing agents drug class segments are collectively expected to remain the dominant and most attractive segments over the forecast period.The global PCOS drugs market is segmented based on Distribution Channel into Hospital Pharmacies, Drug Stores/OTC, E-Commerce, and Fertility Clinics. The hospital pharmacies segment is likely to lead the global PCOS drugs market in terms of revenue growth and is estimated to be valued at US$ 575.4 Mn by the end of 2024. In terms of value, the drugs stores/OTC segment is estimated to account for 27.0% share of the overall market by the end of 2016.A sample of this report is available upon request @On the basis of region, the market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the MEA. The North America market is expected to emerge as the dominant market for polycystic ovary syndrome drugs owing to a high diagnosis rate and increasing adoption of prescription drugs. North America is estimated to dominate the PCOS drugs market with maximum value share of the overall market by the end of 2016. The presence of well-established pharmaceutical companies in North America as well as a relatively high instance of patients being diagnosed in hospitals for PCOS is a major driver for market growth. The market in the Asia Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period. Significant increase in healthcare services spending along with rapid economic growth and increasing awareness about health issues are some of the key factors likely to push the sales of PCOS drugs in the APAC market.Request to view table of content @The report also includes detailed company profiles with company-specific long-term and short-term strategies, key offerings, and recent developments in the polycystic ovary syndrome therapeutics market. Some of the leading companies profiled in the report are Sanofi, Novartis, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, Addex Therapeutics Ltd., BIOCAD, Merck KGaA, and AstraZeneca Plc. These companies are primarily focused on enhancing their product portfolio through research and development activities and the introduction of innovative and cost-effective treatment procedures in order to gain higher market share and to strengthen their respective position in the global market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) Analyzers Market - Global Industry Analysis 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/erythrocyte-sedimentation-rate-analyzers-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18632 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can be defined as the rate at which red blood cells or erythrocytes sediment in a period of one hour. ESR is usually measured in millimeter per hour (mm/hr) and a value above 100 mm/hr indicates a disease condition, such as a disease that causes inflammation, active infection, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, blood disease, diabetes, and collagen vascular disease. However, ESR is a non-specific test for inflammation and is used in conjunction with other tests such as C-reactive protein.Normal ESR result does not rule out the possibility of inflammation. Similarly, an elevated ESR without any symptoms of the disease does not aid in making any medical decision. ESR analyzers are devices employed to measure the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes for an accurate reading. Automated ESR analyzers need to comply with the 2011-published Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for measuring ESR. The analyzer works on the basic principle of Westergrens method followed to determine ESR.Browse Market Research Report @The ESR analyzers market can be segmented based on modality, end-user, and region. In terms of modality, the market can be segmented into automatic analyzers, semi-automatic analyzers, and manual analyzers. Based on end-user, the ESR analyzers market can be segmented into hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and academic institutions. In terms of region, the ESR analyzers market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.ESR is one of the basic hematology tests performed to identify various disease conditions, which would contribute to the growth of the ESR analyzers market. Technological upgrades leading to the development of automated ESR analyzers from manual ESR analyzers would also contribute to the growth of the market. In addition, the increasing number of infections leading to various health hazards would contribute to the rising number of ESR tests, which in turn would drive the ESR analyzers market in the near future.However, the non-specificity of the tests and the necessity for other tests to be performed to confirm the diseased condition could have a negative impact on the ESR analyzers market, as demand for specific tests increases. Furthermore, false negative results of ESR due to the effect of drugs such as oral contraceptives, dextran, methyldopa, penicillamine procainamide, theophylline, vitamin A, aspirin, cortisone, and quinine also make ESR less desirable, thereby impacting the growth of the ESR analyzers market.Automatic analyzers are expected to dominate the ESR analyzers market during the forecast period, owing to their abilities to enhance the workflow and turnaround time. Diagnostic laboratories and hospitals are expected to be the leading segments of the ESR analyzers market. Geographically, North America is expected to be the major market for ESR analyzers. Growth of the market in the region can be attributed to the well-developed health care infrastructure in the region.For more information on this report, fill the form @Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to increasing infections, evolution of new diseases, and poor sanitation conditions which lead to increased infections among the population. In addition, government focus on enhancing the health care infrastructure and providing better health care facilities to the population contribute to the growth of the ESR analyzers market in Asia Pacific.Leading players in the ESR analyzers market include Sysmex, R&R Mechatronics International B.V., TRANSASIA Bio Medicals Ltd., Diesse Diagnostica Senese Spa, Vital Diagnostics, Caretium Medical Instruments Co, Limited, Grifols, S.A., Beckman Coulter, Inc., ALCOR Scientific, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Perlong Medical, BPC Biosed Srl, and SFRI.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Differential Scanning Calorimetry Systems Market Snapshot by 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16066 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16066 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/differential-scanning-calorimetry-systems-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Some of the global players in the market in the differential scanning calorimetry system market include Perkin Elmer, Hitachi, Shimadzu, Malvern, Linseis, Setaram, TA Instruments, NETZSCH-Geraetebau GmbH, Rigaku, Mettler Toledo and many others.Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is the most regularly used technique for thermal analysis. It works by measuring the enthalpy changes in various samples because of the changes in their physical and chemical properties as a function of temperature or time. It measures heat of the sample relative to a reference at the time of physical transformation such as phase transition. Digital Scanning Calorimetry is one of the widely accepted technique in analytical chemistry. With this technique, it becomes possible to detect fusion, crystallization events, glass transition temperatures and study about oxidation as well as other chemical reactions. With this technique, one can learn a lot more than just a polymers heat capacity. Researchers and scientists are able to gather critical data before, during and after creation of different products for industries including the pharmaceutical industry, food science and more.Digital scanning calorimetry systems are most often used thermal analysis method, because of their speed, simplicity, availability, low noise and compact furnace. Only a few mg of material are required to run the analysis. These systems are available with a wide range of temperatures.Differential Scanning Calorimetry Systems Market: Drivers & RestraintsA large number of industrial base and requirement for quality control in every industry are the driving factors for this technique. Applicability in almost every type of industry is also growing its market. Usage in advance material research, analytical services, multipurpose analysis in various industries increases its demand. Continuous advancement in the technology also runs the market. With the development of new complex formulations, characterizing them becomes very difficult, the development of more precise, sensitive and durable differential scanning calorimetry systems have helped in finding out the solutions and keep its market growing. Limiting factors include the dependence of operational efficiency on too many aspects for checking the results such as sensitivity for changes, lack of operator efficiency and others. High cost and maintenance also restricts the growth.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Differential Scanning Calorimetry is a commercially available instrument extensively used in many industries as one of the quality control instrument because of its applicability in evaluating sample purity. In chemical industry, during general chemical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry assists in different procedures, including purity analysis. Additionally, recent advances in this field have made it possible to evaluate the purification yield of various pharmaceuticals such as antibodies. It is widely used to evaluate the stability of a protein or other biomolecule in its native form. The design, resolution, temperature range, calibration and adjustment, automation are some of the key factors that vary the price range of instruments. Many patents in the technology provides an edge to the innovation and progress. Other innovations in the technology such as large range of temperature, high measurement 3D technology, micro calorimetery, performance, interchangeable modularity by the industry fuel its market and increase competitiveness. Greater sensitivity and accuracy is the requirement of market for these instruments.Request to View Tables of Content @A geographic condition regarding the Differential Scanning Calorimetry Systems Market, it has been segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. With large number of research organizations and a number of quality control standards in various industries in North America depicts an established market for these instruments. Asia Pacific is the growing market because of establishment of more industries and increasing need of quality checks. Japan and China are the leading markets in the Asia Pacific region.To Know About Latest Report Click Here:About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.305 Broadway 7th FloorContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: By 2024, Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market to Rise at 6.7% CAGR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/remote-patient-monitoring-device-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3287 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/remote-patient-monitoring-device-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global remote patient monitoring device market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% and is estimated to reach US$ 1,502.9 Mn by 2024, creating incremental opportunity of US$ 657.1 Mn between 2016 and 2024. Persistence Market Research analyzes the overall performance of the global remote patient monitoring device market and provides key insights on the factors and trends likely to influence the market during this eight-year period.Rising prevalence of cardio vascular diseases, respiratory disorders, and diabetes in the general population are major factors driving the growth of the global remote patient monitoring device market. Increasing healthcare expenditure and increasing availability of effective treatment solutions for chronic diseases is also projected to boost revenue growth of the global remote patient monitoring device market. Other factors boosting market growth include an increasing awareness among people to self-monitor before disease advancement and government reimbursement issued on homecare settings facilities.Lack of trained professionals to help with remote patient monitoring devices is expected to hinder market growth of the global remote patient monitoring device market. Insufficiency in maintaining the privacy and security of the stored data, lack of uniformity in device functionality, and lack of general awareness on patient monitoring devices are the key restraints challenging the market.Browse Complete Report @The global remote patient monitoring device market is segmented on the basis of Product Type (Cardiac Monitors, Respiratory Monitors, Hematological Monitors), Application (Cardiac Arrhythmia, Diabetes, Ischemic diseases, Hypertension, Sleep apnea, Chronic respiratory diseases, Hyperlipidemia), End User (Hospitals, Homecare Settings, Long-term Care Centers, Others), and Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, APEJ, and MEA).By product type, the cardiac monitors segment is expected to remain the largest segment and is anticipated to reach US$ 765.4 Mn by the end of 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.9% over the forecast period. By the end of 2024, the respiratory monitors segment is projected to reach US$ 435.0 Mn, expanding at a CAGR of 6.5% over the forecast period. By application, the cardiac arrhythmia segment is estimated to reach US$ 307.7 Mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. The diabetes segment is projected to reach US$ 196.8 Mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 5.6% over the forecast period. By end user, the hospitals segment is anticipated to reach US$ 690.1 Mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period. The homecare settings segment is anticipated to reach US$ 347.3 Mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Among regions, North America is estimated to dominate the global remote patient monitoring device market with 31.4% revenue share of the overall market by the end of 2016. The Europe remote patient monitoring device market is anticipated to reach US$ 341.1 Mn by 2024. By 2024, North America and Europe markets are expected to account for over four-fifth share of the global remote patient monitoring device market revenue.Request to view table of content @Some key companies covered in the report include Boston Scientific Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Abbott Laboratories, Nihon Kohden Corporation, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., LifeWatch AG, Medtronic, and St. Jude Medical. These companies are primarily focused on enhancing their product portfolio through research and development initiatives and through the introduction of innovative technologies in order to gain higher market share and to strengthen their respective positions in the global market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: European GDP Association nominates new Advisory Board Member www.good-distribution-practice-group.org www.good-distribution-practice-group.org www.eca-foundation.org So far the Board of the European GDP Association comprised four members from the industry side, supported by a representative from the Finnish Medicines Agency FIMEA. Now a new Board Member has been nominated on the industry side.Dr Laura Ribeiro, who is a Responsible Person at ID Logistics (formerly Logiters) in Portugal, has recently accepted her nomination as the fifth member of the GDP Association's Board. Prior to her position at ID Logistics she was R&D and regulatory affairs manager in the pharmaceutical industry, invited Professor at Escola Superior de Tecnologias da Saude de Coimbra and later deputy Technical Director at Logiters, being responsible for quality and GDP related activities."I am pleased that Laura accepted our invitation to join the ECA GDP Board" said Dr Afshin Hosseiny, GDP Association Advisory Board Chairman. "GDP is a developing subject for the pharma industry, and I am really excited that our team can have a positive influence in the future both on developing industry understanding and providing supporting guidelines for the practitioners. Laura's professional experience will be a very valuable addition to our team." "I felt honoured about the invitation to join the Association's Advisory Board" Dr Laura Ribeiro stated upon her nomination. "And I very much look forward to working with the other members to help advance the group".Read more about the Advisory Board Members of the European GDP Association atAbout the GDP AssociationThe Good Distribution Practice Group was founded in March 2013 then as an Interest Group. In November 2016 it was transferred to the European GDP Association and today counts close to 1.900 members from almost 80 countries. The Association represents all stakeholders e.g. from Pharmaceutical Industry, Authorities and Logistic Providers and supports them by providing them with information about the implementation of GDP. Although it has a strong focus on European GDP Regulations and their implementation into the different EU member states, it also supports harmonisation of the requirements with other regions of the world - wherever medicinal products, APIs, Excipients, etc are distributed.The Association is a not for profit organisation under the umbrella of the ECA Foundation. Due to this support, the European GDP Association is able to offer a free membership to all individuals involved in Good Distribution Practice. To find out more please visitAbout the ECA FoundationFounded as an independent not for profit organisation in 1999, the ECA Foundation is Europes leading association for pharmaceutical Quality Assurance and GMP compliance. Its goal is the exchange of information between representatives of the industry, regulatory authorities and universities in the field of pharmaceutical quality assurance, especially with regard to the area of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). For that purpose the organisation has set up several Interest Groups and Working Groups as well as an Academy for advanced education. Individuals can become member of the ECA Groups and in the Academy. In total more than 7.000 professionals have joined the ECA organisation. Its largest group, the European Qualified Person Association, alone counts close to 2.400 QPs. The ECA Foundation Groups developed a range of tools like several Good Practice Guides. For further information on the ECA Foundation please visitECA FoundationWolfgang HeimesAdministration ManagerP.O. Box 10 21 6869011 HeidelbergGermanyheimes@gmp-compliance.org Study of EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Biorefinery Market provides the market size information and market trends 2017 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1225118/emea-europe-middle-east-and-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1225118 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearchreports-biz MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Biorefinery Market Report 2017"View Full Report at:DescriptionIn this report, the EMEA Biorefinery 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 split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K MT), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Biorefinery for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.EMEA Biorefinery market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Biorefinery sales volume (K MT), price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAbengoa Bioenergy CorpPacific EthanolNeste Oil OYJRenewable Energy Group IncUOP LLCValero Energy Corp...On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K MT), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/MT), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLignocellulose RefiningWhole Grain RefiningGreen RefiningOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K MT), market share and growth rate of Biorefinery for each application, includingBiofuelsEnergy FromfoodstockNon-food Energy CropsRequest Sample Copy of This Report at:Table of ContentsEMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Biorefinery Market Report 20171 Biorefinery Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Biorefinery1.2 Classification of Biorefinery1.2.1 EMEA Biorefinery Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Biorefinery Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Lignocellulose Refining1.2.4 Whole Grain Refining1.2.5 Green Refining1.3 EMEA Biorefinery Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Biorefinery Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Biofuels1.3.3 Energy Fromfoodstock1.3.4 Non-food Energy Crops1.4 EMEA Biorefinery Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Biorefinery Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Biorefinery (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Biorefinery Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Browse Latest Industry Press Release at:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn: Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market Set to Witness an Uptick During 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16069 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16069 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/plaque-psoriasis-treatment-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Some of the plaque psoriasis treatment market contributors are Allergan, Johnson and Johnson, Amgen, Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Dermira Inc., Novartis, Galectin Therapeutics, Cellceutix Corporation and Biogen Inc., Bayer.Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disorder which leads to overproduction of skin cells. The skin is characterized by inflamed, raised, scaly, red plaques and lesion. The intensity and frequency of psoriasis are affected by environmental factors such as sun exposure, smoking, HIV infection, and alcoholism. Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are common in psoriasis patients. Psoriasis increases the chances of myocardial infarction in younger psoriasis patients by three folds.Moreover, severe psoriasis leads to 3.5 years reduced life expectancy in males relative to individuals without psoriasis. Psoriasis arthritis is a distinct syndrome which occurs in one-third of psoriasis patient with the onset of rheumatic arthritis.Psoriasis plaque are distinguished by three features, an infiltrate featuring T-cells, the extravagant growth of poorly differentiated keratinocytes and the presence of dilated dermal blood vessels. Most of the introduced therapies for psoriatic were developed as to target T-cells or their inflammatory mediators including cytokines, receptors, and ligands.Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: DynamicsThe demand for plaque psoriasis treatment market is expected to boom with the increasing number of pipeline psoriasis molecule and the number of biologics being launched. Janssen Biotec is seeking for the market approval of Guselkumab. The molecule is in the Phase III trial as a subcutaneous administered therapy for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.Moreover, Gelantin Therapeutics Inc. announced positive data from its phase 2 study of its drug GR-MD-02 to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The company is now seeking for strategic partnership for its drug development program.The advent of biologics has also shifted the preference from systemic therapy to meet the existing need. The systemic therapy suppresses the entire immune system as the clinician needs to do routine laboratory monitoring because of myelosuppression, hematologic side effects and increased renal and liver toxicity. Moreover, the systemic therapy is also contraindicated in nursing mothers, pregnant women, and individuals with kidney and liver diseases.Around 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis out of which 80%, have plaque psoriasis. The need for safe plaque psoriasis therapy in children is essential as about one-third of the psoriasis cases are in children. Etanercept was approved by the DA as an extended indicated for children of age 4 and above.On the basis therapy the plaque psoriasis treatment market can be segment as:Topical therapyPhototherapySystemic agentsBiologic therapiesPhototherapy and systemic therapy should only be used in cases where a topical treatment is inadequate. Novel systemic treatments are now being introduced where a range of biologics are sed. The mode of treatment follows a psoriasis treatment ladder. Initially, topical treatment is given, if the skin fails to respond then phototherapy is given. The third step involves the use of systemic treatment which may be through the administration of pills or injection.On the basis drug class the plaque psoriasis treatment market can be segment as:TNF- inhibitorsIL-12/23 inhibitorIL-17 inhibitorsTNF- inhibitor was the first class of biologics which were successful in delivering the treatment while still maintaining the safety profile. Enbrel was the first molecule to be approved followed by Remicade and Humira. The introduction of these molecules increased the overall sales of the psoriasis drugs and also increased the physicians comfort and familiarity.TOC Sentence Request to View Tables of Content @Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America region dominates the plaque psoriasis market owing to the increasing approval of pipeline drugs and supplemental biologics. In November 2016, the FDA approved supplemental biologics license for the use of Etanercept for children aged four and older having moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The approval is the first of its kind indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Amgen had performed a year-long phase 3 study and 5-year open-label extension testing for the approval.AsiaPacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region owing to the huge population base and changing lifestyle habits such as smoking. Moreover, the global market players are also exploring the developing market. Novartis launched its Cosentyx in Japan for the treatment of psoriasis arthritis in adults who are not adequately responding to systemic therapy.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: Market PlayersCompany manufacturer is converting innovative research into a new therapy by constantly investing in research activities. The number of drugs approved for plaque psoriasis is constantly increasing the number of treatment options for the physician and patients. Eli Lillys interleukin inhibitor was approved by the FDA, second molecule to be approved after Novartis Cosentyx.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Immunofluorescence Assays Market is Expected to Witness a Steady Growth by 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16096 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16096 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/immunofluorescence-assays-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Some of the global key players in the Immunofluorescence assays market for manufacturing kits and reagents for diagnosis areThermofischer, Biorad, Universla Biologicals, Perkin Elmer, Maxvision Biosciences Inc., Euro Diagnostica, Sigma Aldrich and others. Some companies involves in the fluorescence microscope market includes Olympus lifescience, Leica Microsystems, EuroImmun AG.Immunofluorescence is the specific antigen and antibody reaction where the antibodies are labeled with a fluorescent dye and the antigen-antibody complex is visualized using fluorescent (UV) microscope. Some of the commonly used fluorochromes include Acridine Orange, Lissamine, Rhodamine, and Calcofluor white. Various factors determine the type of immunofluorescence assay used such as time consumed, cost, complexity, flexibility, sensitivity, cross reactivity and many others. It is used in all disciplines of biology including medicine for diagnostics and research. Immunofluorescence assays are used to detect specific proteins in cells that may be in specimen, in culture, in tissues, on microbeads and microarrays, etc. Two types of immunofluorescence assays are usually performed: Direct and Indirect immunofluorescence. Direct immunofluorescence used less often as the antibody against the molecule of interest is conjugated chemically to a fluorescent dye, so to spot every antigen, the specific antibody will have to be conjugated with FITC. In indirect immunofluorescence assay, the antibody specific for the molecule of interest i.e. the primary antibody is not labeled, and the second anti-immunoglobulin antibody focused toward the first antibody i.e. the secondary antibody is tagged with some fluorescent dye. Indirect fluorescence is used more commonly as the tagged secondary antibody and can be used to detect many different antigens. However, the primary antibody will have to be specific for the antigen to be detected.The fluorescence can be read as a qualitative result or quantitative result using fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescence can also be quantified using a flow cytometer, array scanner or automated imaging instrument.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Immunofluorescence assays Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe improved versions of kits and reagents increases its demand. Increase in the number of cancer incidences and various infectious diseases rising the demand. Investments in research by various governmental and non-governmental organizations is upsurging the demand for these kits. Some of the restraining factors include the potential of cross reactivity, lower signal and higher costs of kits. Introduction of more safer and cost effective tests which diverting the preference of clinicians and researchers from immunofluorescence assays.Immunofluorescence assays has demand in both the research as well as clinical diagnostics purposes. Market includes various antibodies, regents, kits, microscopes, labeling dyes etc. Immunofluorescence preparations can be analyzed by various microscopy techniques such as Epifluorescence, TIRF, and GSDIM depending on the type of application it is used for. Thus, with the increase in immunofluorescence assay, need of fluorescence microscopy increases. Technological development, expansion in the field of immunofluorescence assays, commoditization of products and strong network of distributors at global and regional level also contributing to the growth of market.Request to View Tables of Content @A geographic condition regarding the Immunofluorescence assays market, it has been segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. High incidences of chronic and infectious diseases, laboratory automation, improved technology and favorable reimbursement scenario are some of the factors which have led North America dominating the immunofluorescence assay market. It is followed by Europe and most of the market in Germany. Asia Pacific is increasing in the immunofluorescence assay market because of the increasing number of market players and rising demand of improved products in diagnostics as well as academic purpose. India, China and Japan are the countries with highest growth rate in Asia Pacific region and increases the chances of business opportunities in these sectors.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: English Norwegian (2017-07-13) Kitron ASA today reported strong revenue growth and the achievement of an important margin goal in the second quarter. Kitron's revenue in the second quarter amounted to NOK 649 million, a 16 per cent underlying growth compared to 563 million in the same quarter last year. Profitability expressed as EBIT margin was 7.0 per cent, compared to 5.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2016, an EBIT growth of almost 38 per cent. Peter Nilsson, Kitron's CEO, comments: "The EBIT margin is in line with the long-term target that we presented at the Kitron Capital Markets Day in February 2016, and this is the first quarter in which we have achieved this ambition. While the margin will vary from quarter to quarter, this is an important milestone in the improvement process that has been under way the past couple of years. We also deliver on growth and capital efficiency, and at the same time we are investing in capacity and capabilities in order to improve our competitiveness further. We're seeing growth in general with our customers. Together with new business awards Kitron demonstrates stronger growth than the industry in general. The strong first six month report of 2017 presented today proves that Kitron creates value for its customers and has a strong platform for further growth." Strong revenue growth Kitron's revenue for the second quarter increased by 15 per cent compared to the same period last year. Adjusted for foreign exchange effects, the increase was 16 per cent. Growth compared to the same quarter last year was particularly strong in the Industry market sector. Defence/Aerospace and Energy/Telecoms also recorded solid growth. Improved profitability Operating profit (EBIT) was NOK 45.5 million, compared to 33.1 million last year, an increase of 37 per cent. EBITDA was NOK 59.0 million, an increase of 31 per cent compared to last year. Net profit amounted to NOK 31.4 million, an increase from 21.4 million. This corresponds to earnings per share of NOK 0.18, compared to NOK 0.12 last year. Solid order backlog The order backlog ended at NOK 1 018 million, an increase of 3 per cent compared to last year. Orders received in the quarter were NOK 590 million. Improved capital efficiency Net working capital increased by 8 per cent from NOK 521million to NOK 565 million compared to the same quarter last year, continuing the trend of decreasing net working capital compared to revenue. Operating cash flow was NOK 63.1 million, compared to 61.0 million in the second quarter 2016. Key contracts won in the quarter Kitron signed important contracts with key long-term customers in the second quarter. In May, Kongsberg Defence Systems awarded Kitron a NOK 34 million order for military communications equipment. In June, Kitron signed a contract with a potential value of NOK 600 million over a five-year period with Husqvarna Group. The new agreement includes five products for the Husqvarna Robotic Lawn Mowers product range and is in addition to existing manufacturing volumes. Investing for further growth Over the past years, Kitron has invested in its facilities, ensuring that they are modern, highly competitive and able to handle expected growth. In the second quarter, the move and major upgrade of the Swedish plant in Jonkoping was completed, with the official opening being celebrated in May. In the second half of 2017 Kitron will invest in SMT equipment for increased capacity in the US, Lithuania and China. In addition, further investments in Norway, Sweden and Lithuania will focus on automation and robotics. Outlook For 2017, Kitron expects revenue to grow to between NOK 2 150 and 2 350 million. The EBIT margin is expected to be between 5.6 and 6.4 per cent. Revenue is now expected to be in the higher end of the indicated range. The growth is primarily driven by customers in the Industry sector. The profitability increase is driven by cost reduction activities and improved efficiency. Enclosed in PDF are the quarterly report and the presentation. The interim report is presented today at 2:00 p.m. CEST. The presentation will be given in English by CEO Peter Nilsson and CFO Cathrin Nylander, and will be webcast at the following link: http://webtv.hegnar.no/presentation.php?webcastId=58375952 For further information, please contact: Peter Nilsson, CEO, tel: +47 948 40 850 Cathrin Nylander, CFO, tel: +47 900 43 284 E-mail: investorrelations@kitron.com Kitron is one of Scandinavia's leading electronics manufacturing services companies for the Defence/Aerospace, Energy/Telecoms, Industry, Medical devices and Offshore/Marine sectors. The company is located in Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, China and the United States. Kitron had revenues of about NOK 2.1 billion in 2016 and has about 1 350 employees. www.kitron.com Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Market Opportunities and Forecasts, 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16099 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16099 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/sickle-cell-disease-treatment-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Sickle Cell Disease Market: Market PlayersThe company already existing in the sickle cell disease treatment market are boosting their hematology pipeline by acquiring startups. Novartis is one such company who recently acquired Selexys Pharmaceuticals for USD 665 million. The deal is expected to help Novartis expand its product offerings as blood disease have high prices due to increasing demand.Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder and is the most common inherited genetic disorder. People with the sickle cell disease have abnormal shaped red blood cells that get blocked in the small blood vessels. This leads to a restricted flow of blood and oxygen in the body. Sickle cell disease is potentially a fatal disease as a patient may undergo vital organ failure, painful crisis, and other complications.Sickle cell disease is broadly categorized as sickle cell disease, sickle cell disorder, and sickle cell anemia. The sickle cell disorder includes patient with positive sickle preparation smear. Sickle cell disease is where the patient faces serious morbidity such as vas-occlusive crises or organ failure. Sickle cell anemia is for patients who are homozygous for hemoglobin S.Sickle Cell Disease Market: DynamicsThe main driver driving the sickle cell treatment market is the increasing number of new molecules in the pipeline and also the molecules which the government regulatory bodies are approving. Sickle cell disease treatment has given a new area of expansion for market players already in the sickle cell treatment market and for those who are trying to establish a new area in this market.Modus therapeutics has been granted two U.S. patents for its drug Sevuparin, for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The molecule has been granted a patent for its manufacturing process and other for the treatment of sickle cell disease.Moreover, researchers have moved ahead of treating sickle cell disease by antibiotics to the genome level. Researchers from Stanford School of Medicine successfully corrected the genes carrying the gene for sickle cell disease and transplanted those with healthy cells. By using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) technique, researchers replaced the sickle cell disease cell genes with the one which did not carry that gene.The prenatal diagnosis using CVS has opened a window of opportunity for a couple expecting their child. The test gives information about the hemoglobin genotype of the unborn child. CVS and amniocentesis are both invasive procedure used for the identification of the presence of sickle cell disease DNA.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Sickle Cell Disease Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America dominated the sickle cell disease treatment market owing to the various insurance coverage policies and also the research undertakings by institutes and sickle cell treatment industry players. Medicare recently announced that it will cover most of the clinical trials which use stem cell transplantation for the treatment of sickle cell disease. Before the Medicares decision, adult patients found it difficult to use the chemo-free treatment as it was very expensive.Apart from government support, the amount of approved treatment options for sickle cell disease is also increasing. The FDA recently accepted Emmaus Life Science NDA review for L-glutamine. Once accepted, this would be the first orally administered treatment option for children with sickle cell disease.Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region as various industry players funding for the stem cell research and also researchers bringing in new technologies for DNA analysis. Infosys donatedUSD 1.11 million for stem cell research in India. The donation would be used for developing gene therapies for disorders such as sickle cell disease and hemophilia.TOC Sentence Request to View Tables of Content @Some of the sickle cell disease treatment providers are Gamida Cell, Biogen, Genetix Pharmaceuticals Inc., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sangamo Biosciences, Acceleron Pharma, Global Blood Therapeutics Inc., Anthera, Mast Therapeutics, Inc. and Emmaus Medical, Inc.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Swine Diseases Treatment Market is Expecting Worldwide Growth by 2017 2025 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16531 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16531 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/swine-diseases-treatment-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Some of the major players across the value chain of swine diseases treatment market are Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Elanco, Zoetis, Inc., Merck Animal Health, Ceva Sante Animale, Ashish LifeSciences Ltd., Cipla Pharmaceuticals.Swine diseases treatments help in improving health, increase production of livestock and prevent transmission of diseases among animals in a cost effective manner. Swine diseases treatments is the most lucrative product segment of focus for veterinary drug manufacturers. Growing awareness on animal health with early disease detection and preventive medicines will be responsible for rapid growth of swine diseases treatment market. The increasing prevalence of diseases such as swine influenza and porcine parvovirus will increase the demand for swine diseases treatment in the global market. Due to preventive nature of veterinary healthcare, the swine diseases treatment market is estimated to witness considerable growth over the forecast period.The global swine diseases treatment market is driven by factors such as rapid changing pattern of diseases among the animals. Technological innovations with increasing production of drugs and vaccines will propel the growth of swine diseases treatment market. The growing awareness among the people about animal health and rise in invest by government bodies for veterinary treatment will boost the growth of swine diseases treatment market. Increasing prevalence of porcine diseases such as swine influenza will also show a dramatic growth for swine diseases treatment market. Rising cost for storage & maintenance of vaccines and also the economic slowdown will restraint he growth of swine diseases treatment market. Increasing adoption of vegetarian food owing to increased risk for obesity by consumption of livestock food will also slow down the growth of swine diseases treatment market.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @The global swine diseases treatment market is classified on the basis of disease type, treatment type, and distribution channel.Based on disease type, swine diseases treatment market is segmented into followingExudative dermatitisCoccidiosisRespiratory diseasesSwine dysenteryMastitisPorcine parvovirusBased on treatment type, swine diseases treatment market is segmented into followingDrugsAnti-infective AgentsAntibioticsCorticosteroidsAnti-inflammatory AgentsVaccinesBased on distribution channel, swine diseases treatment market is segmented into followingPrivate Veterinary HospitalsPrivate veterinary pharmaciesGovernment veterinary clinicsOthersThe swine diseases treatment market is expected show remarkable growth over the forecast period due to increasing consumption of livestock food. The swine diseases treatment market is expected to classified on the basis of disease type, treatment type and distribution channel. On the basis of disease type, the swine diseases treatment market is segmented as exudative dermatitis, coccidiosis, respiratory diseases, swine dysentery, mastitis, porcine parvovirus. Exudative dermatitis and Coccidiosis hold maximum market share for the swine diseases treatment market by disease type. On the basis of treatment type the swine diseases treatment market is classified is drugs and vaccines. Drug treatment segment is expected to dominate the market share for swine diseases treatment market over the forecast period. Among all distribution channel, private veterinary hospitals segment is expected to show faster growth over the forecast period.Request to View Tables of Content @On the basis of geography, global swine diseases treatment market is segmented into North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa. Europe is account for highest share for swine diseases treatment market which is followed by North America owing to high consumption of livestock food. Europe and North America is estimated to share more than 60% of swine diseases treatment market share. However Asia Pacific region is expected show remarkable growth over the forecast period. In Asia Pacific region China and India will dominate the swine diseases treatment market. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are also least lucrative market owing to less investment by government and veterinary treatment.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Refining Catalysts Market, Share, Analysis, Trend, challenges, Opportunities and Forecast to 2027 Refining Catalysts Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1564 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1564 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/refining-catalysts-market Market Synopsis of Refining Catalysts MarketRequest a Sample Report @The Global Refining Catalysts Market has experienced a notable growth over the past few years and it has been expected that the global market will remain in a growing stage due to the increasing demand of refining catalyst in the in fuel and energy across the globe. The refining catalysts are primarily used in refining and enhancing the fuel which are used for transportation. The growing demand for fuel will escalate the demand of Refining Catalyst specifically in emerging as well as developed regions. On the other hand, the market would be restricted by the factors such as high production cost, stringent rules and regulations, fluctuating crude oil prices and others. Geographically, North America would be the leading regions due to the huge demand for fuel and growing transportation industry, followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe.Key PlayersThe leading market players in the Global Refining Catalysts market include Haldor Topsoe, W.R. Grace & Co, BASF, Honeywell, Clariant, DuPont, Exxon Mobil, Johnson Matthey, Albermarle Corporation, Chevron Corporation and others.Make an Enquiry before Buying this Report @Study Objectives of Refining Catalysts MarketTo provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of various segments and sub-segments of the global refining catalysts MarketTo provide insights about factors affecting the market growthTo analyze the global refining catalysts Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc.To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW)To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospectiveTo provide country level analysis of the market for segment by category and raw materialsTo provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the marketTo track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Refining Catalysts MarketSegmentationAs per MRFR analysis, the Global Refining Catalysts Market has been segmented into:By Category: Hydro processing, Cracking, Isomerization, Alkylation and othersBy Raw Materials: zeolites, metals and others.Regional Analysis of Refining Catalysts MarketThe Global Refining Catalysts Market is poised to reach $XX million in 2015 from $XX million in 2021, with a CAGR of XX% during the forecasted period.Browse Complete Report with TOC available @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact Market Research Future:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Saxophones Market Global Status and Outlook, 2017-2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/350446 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/350446 http://orbisnewsrelease.com Our Popular Market Research Report on Global Saxophones Market Covers Industry Present Trends, Statistics, Demographics and Future ProjectionIn our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Saxophones Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Saxophones Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Saxophones Market report is a noteworthy.Global Saxophones market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including1. Yamaha2. Yangisawa3. Stephanhouser4. Jupiter5. Keilwerth6. Conn7. Martin8. Buescher9. Sahduoo Saxophone10. Cannonball11. Vito12. KingRequest a sample of this report @The Global Saxophones Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Saxophones Industry report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Saxophones Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Saxophones Market report.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Tenor saxophone Alto saxophone Soprano saxophone OthersOn 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 Saxophones for each application, including Jazz Classical Music Popular Music Marching BandsThe report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Place a purchase order of this report @Finally, the Saxophones Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Saxophones Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Major Points from Table of Content:Chapter One: Saxophones Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Saxophones Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Saxophones Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Saxophones Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Saxophones Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Saxophones Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Saxophones Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Saxophones Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global Saxophones Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixContact sales@orbisresearch.com for more information.About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. 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This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019For More PRs: High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) Market Share 2017 Magotteaux, Estanda, Christian Pfeiffer, Scaw Metal High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) http://bit.ly/2tPXLDY http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-high-chrome-mill-internals-hcmis-market-2017-industry-research-report/ High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) Market Research ReportA market study Global High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) Market examines the performance of the High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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Botou Dawanzhai Alloy Liner11. Ningguo Dongfang Wear-Resistant Material...Firstly, the report covers the top High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) industry, High Chrome Mill Internals (HCMIs) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Radionuclide Scanning Services Market Estimated to Flourish by 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16639 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16639 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/radionuclide-scanning-services-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com The radionuclide service providers includes the hospitals and private laboratories. Some of the key players in the radionuclide scanning services market include Sonic Healthcare, Aditya Birla Health Services Ltd., Cleveland Clinic, The London Clinic, The GEL Group, Inc., Alliance Medical, Global Diagnostics and many others.Radionuclide scanning also called nuclear medicine imaging is the test that scans internal body parts with the use of radioactive material. This overcomes the limitations of standard X-Ray systems to reach and scan every body part. A radionuclide is used as a label to the substance that accumulates in specific part of the body such as Iodine is used to make thyroid hormones and thus accumulates in the thyroid glands similarly, Diphosphonate accumulates where bone is repairing or rebuilding itself. The tracer is swallowed, inhaled or injected under the skin which emits gamma rays, so the doctors can detect the location of tracer by the use of special scanners or cameras. Highly qualified personnel are required for this process.Radionuclide scanning can be used to visualize images in 2D using Scintigraphy technique as well as in 3D representation using SPECT. Some of the commonly used radionuclides for the service include Iodine-131, Yttrium-90, Samarium-153, Fluorine-18 and many others.Radionuclide Scanning Services Market: Drivers & RestraintsWith the surge in the nuclear medicine imaging industry, the radionuclide scanning services market is also anticipated to increase during the forecast period. Furthermore, wide applications of the technique, painless diagnosis and in-depth analysis results in increasing the market. In most of the developing and under-developed countries, less popularity of the technique and high cost is the restraining factor for the market to grow in. The harmful effects of the radiations also hinders the growth in the diagnosis services market. Lack of skilled personnel for carrying out the diagnostic practices using radionuclide tracers is also a limiting factor in the market growth.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Radionuclide Scanning Services Market: SegmentationBy Visualization Type:Heart blood flow and functionsDifferential lung functionBody Infections & inflammationsBone fracture & infectionsGall Bladder & Bile Duct FunctionsGastrointestinal bleedingTumor LocalizationOthersBy ApplicationsDiagnosisPrognosisBy Distribution ChannelsHospitalsClinicsDiagnostic CentersBy GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeLatin AmericaAsia-PacificMiddle East and AfricaLarge number of players in the market increases the competition. R&D activities, continuous innovation and improvisation of the technique also helps in moving the market ahead. Providing safe, cost effective and reliable services is the demand in the market. The brand name of various service providers are attracting the business. Various marketing strategies are adopted by the service providers to lure the doctors and patients for the services.Request to View Tables of Content @A geographic condition regarding the radionuclide scanning services market, it has been segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America holds the largest market share in the radionuclide scanning services due to large number of service providers in the region, good reimbursement scenario and health facilities in the reach of most of the population. This is followed by Europe because of better healthcare infrastructure and large number of government funded hospitals and laboratories. Asia-Pacific is still considered to be the growing segment because of increasing number of service providers in the region, but does not meet the high population density in the region.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global PVC Paste Market 2017 - Vinnolit, Mexichem, Solvay, KEM ONE, Sanmar Group, LG, Chemical, Hanwha, Thai Plastic and Chemicals Global PVC Paste Market https://goo.gl/iZWLnV https://goo.gl/Pb5djT http://www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "PVC Paste Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "PVC Paste Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global PVC Paste industry, and estimates the future trend of PVC Paste market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "PVC Paste Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportVinnolitMexichemSolvayKEM ONESanmar GroupLG ChemicalHanwhaThai Plastic and ChemicalsKanekaTosohFPCTianjin Bohai ChemicalShenyang ChemicalYidong GroupShanghai Chlor-Alkali ChemicalJiangsu Tiankui Shuzhi Co.The market research report explores the PVC Paste market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "PVC Paste Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the PVC Paste market based on major product types, application and end users industries of PVC Paste. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for PVC Paste market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for PVC Paste is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, PVC Paste market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the PVC Paste market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide PVC Paste market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, PVC Paste production volume, data pertaining to demand and PVC Paste supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of PVC Paste along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for PVC Paste across the world.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz Global OTR Tires Market 2017 - Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Yokohama Tire, China National Tyre & Rubber, Titan, MRF, Continental, Belshina, Cheng-Shin Rubber Global OTR Tires Market https://goo.gl/VZwWg6 https://goo.gl/rbqfLP http://www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "OTR Tires Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "OTR Tires Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global OTR Tires industry, and estimates the future trend of OTR Tires market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "OTR Tires Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportBridgestoneMichelinGoodyearYokohama TireChina National Tyre & RubberTitanMRFContinentalBelshinaCheng-Shin RubberEurotireLinglong TireBKTAlliance Tire GroupDoublestarTriangleFujian Haian RubberPrinx ChengshanApolloPirelliDouble Coin HoldingsMaxam TireShandong Taishan TyreShandong YinbaoJK TyreTechking TiresHawk International RubberThe market research report explores the OTR Tires market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "OTR Tires Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the OTR Tires market based on major product types, application and end users industries of OTR Tires. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for OTR Tires market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for OTR Tires is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, OTR Tires market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the OTR Tires market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide OTR Tires market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, OTR Tires production volume, data pertaining to demand and OTR Tires supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of OTR Tires along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for OTR Tires across the world.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz Vinasse Market By Type And Application, Forecast To 2017 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16693 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/vinasse-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Vinasse is a byproduct of sugar industry. Vinasse is a liquid residual left after fermentation and distillation of alcohol. Vinasse is used for production of biogas, and also for the production of methane which is used to generate electricity. The mineral nutrients present in vinasse are useful for algal and plant growth, especially for sugarcane. The use of vinasse in chemigation is increasing for agriculture areas, substituting potassium fertilizers and furnishing water, organic matter, and other mineral nutrients in negligible quantities which is increasing the market for vinasse.Market SegmentationVinasse is segmented by its type, application, form, and region. By its type, it is further segmented as beet vinasse and sugarcane vinasse. Beet vinasse is derived from the production of alcohol from sugar beet. Beet vinasse has a high fertilizing value. It provides a significant level of phosphorous and nitrogen. Beet vinasse is useful for organic farming and used as a fertilizer especially for arable crops. Sugarcane vinasse is used in alcohol. Sugarcane vinasse is high in organic matter and various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, and othersRequest to View Tables of Content @By its application, it is segmented as animal feeding, beverages, and agriculture. In agriculture, it is useful in irrigation, especially for sugarcane. In the beverage industry, the distillery vinasse is low feed, as the sugar presents in the molasses used for alcohol production. Vinasse is used in liquid form for animal feeding, and it also used in powdered form which makes it easier to improve the intake. The use of vinasse as an additive is better for feeding and to increase weight and growth due to the presence of organic acids. It also used for feeding birds.By form, it is segmented by liquid and powdered. Liquid vinasse is useful for plants growth which shows rapid recovery.Regional OutlookThere is an increasing demand for vinasse throughout the globe with the major exports accounting to the following region; North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and APAC. North America accounts for a significantly bigger market, whereas there is an increase in market demand from developing countries. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow to a considerable fraction during the forecast period.DriversIncreasing demand for beverages is projected to rise the vinasse market over the forecast period. As it is an effluent from sugarcane, it is useful for alcohol production. Vinasse has high levels of potassium, calcium, and organic matter as well as nitrogen and phosphorous which is useful for crop production. In agriculture, it used as a fertilizer and as a raw material for single cell protein production and for energy conversation which is fuelling the demand for vinasse. Along with this, vinasse is mixed with soil to obtain soil vinasse which is then used for the production of non- structural bricks. As vinasse is rich in protein, it is helpful for animal feeding.Increasing popularity and consumption of beverages among consumers is expected to increase the market share of vinasse over the forecast period. The use of vinasse in agriculture is important, but it has several challenges due to its high polluting potential to soil and subterranean water i.e., underground water. Vinasse has high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) values that contribute to pollution. A high BOD can cause damage to aquatic life.Key global market players manufacturing different types of vinasse areHeineken, Carlsberg Group, Tsingtao Brewery Co, Ltd, SABMiller, Anheuser-Busch Company LLC, Suntory Holdings Limited, etc.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Bauxite Cement Market 2017 - Kerneos, Almatis, Calucem, AGC Ceramics, Cimsa, RWC, Ciments Molins, Hanson https://goo.gl/xV4t8U https://goo.gl/mn5NVY www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Bauxite Cement Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Bauxite Cement Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Bauxite Cement industry, and estimates the future trend of Bauxite Cement market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Bauxite Cement Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportKerneosAlmatisCalucemAGC CeramicsCimsaRWCCiments MolinsHansonOrient AbrasivesGorkaZhengzhou DengfengZhengzhou YuxiangHuayan IndXinxing CementJiaxiang IndThe market research report explores the Bauxite Cement market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Bauxite Cement Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Bauxite Cement market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Bauxite Cement. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Bauxite Cement market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Bauxite Cement is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Bauxite Cement market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Bauxite Cement market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Bauxite Cement market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Bauxite Cement production volume, data pertaining to demand and Bauxite Cement supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Bauxite Cement along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Bauxite Cement across the world.About UsWe provide global enterprises and businesses across different industry verticals comprehensive market research services from off-the-shelf research reports to customized research conducted by our highly experienced industry analysts.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Head155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexresearch.bizWebsite - FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. 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Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market 2017 - Ortech, Ceramtec, Precision-ceramics, 3M, Coorstek, Toshiba, Ferrotec, Amedica, C-Mac, International Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market https://goo.gl/c91jpw https://goo.gl/4DzmHy http://www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Silicon Nitride Ceramics industry, and estimates the future trend of Silicon Nitride Ceramics market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportKyoceraOrtechCeramtecPrecision-ceramics3MCoorstekToshibaFerrotecAmedicaC-Mac InternationalMorgan Advanced MaterialsSyalonsDynamic CeramicRogersFraunhoferHonsinHoover PrecisionITIWinsted Precision BallSinomaUnipretecGaoyueMokaiKaifaJinshengFCRIZibo Silicon Nitride ProductsShichaoHSCCERKove BearingThe market research report explores the Silicon Nitride Ceramics market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Silicon Nitride Ceramics Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Silicon Nitride Ceramics market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Silicon Nitride Ceramics. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Silicon Nitride Ceramics market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Silicon Nitride Ceramics is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Silicon Nitride Ceramics market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Silicon Nitride Ceramics market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Silicon Nitride Ceramics market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Silicon Nitride Ceramics production volume, data pertaining to demand and Silicon Nitride Ceramics supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Silicon Nitride Ceramics along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Silicon Nitride Ceramics across the world.About UsApex Research offer latest market research reports and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemica1l and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.bizPhone: +177390426831155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606 Diatomite Market 2017 - Imerys, Domolin, Dicaperl, EP Minerals, Showa Chemical, CECA Chemical,Chanye Diatomite Market https://goo.gl/7JuPsi https://goo.gl/WJPmYo http://www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Diatomite Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Diatomite Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Diatomite industry, and estimates the future trend of Diatomite market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Diatomite Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportImerysEP MineralsDomolinShowa ChemicalCECA Chemical (Arkema)DicaperlDiatomite CJSCAmerican DiatomiteDiatomite DirectJilin Yuan Tong MineralChanyeZhilan DiatomSanxing DiatomiteShengzhou Xinglong Products of DiatomiteShengzhou Huali Diatomite ProductsChangbai Mountain filter aidQingdao Best diatomiteThe market research report explores the Diatomite market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Diatomite Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Diatomite market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Diatomite. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Diatomite market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Diatomite is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Diatomite market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Diatomite market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Diatomite market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Diatomite production volume, data pertaining to demand and Diatomite supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Diatomite along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Diatomite across the world.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz Pallet Shrink Film Packaging Market is driven by growth in the consumption of packaged food and beverages products across the globe http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pallet-shrink-film-packaging-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24653 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Pallet Shrink Film Packaging Market: OverviewAmong the packaging industry, flexible packaging is one of the fastest growing segments and is widely replacing rigid packaging segment for various applications. One of this types of flexible packaging is the shrink films which are highly used across the supply chain. Manufacturers usually use Shrink films packaging to stabilize heavy and unstable load types that are placed on pallets. Shrink wraps/films are loosely covered around a product/loads which are placed on pallets & then this film shrinks tightly when exposed to heat.Obtain Report Details @Shrink films are heated with the use of heat gun that releases hot air or in another case, shrink packed products are passed through shrink tunnels. Pallet shrink film is usually made from polyolefin plastics. Pallet shrink film is typically employed to protect products from external factors such as dust and thus firmly combine smaller objects together. Pallet shrink film is widely used for covering foods & beverages across the globe and is also used for packaging of consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial products.Pallet Shrink Film Packaging Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe market for pallet shrink film is anticipated to be driven by growth in the consumption of packaged food and beverages products across the globe. Pallet shrink films are weather resistant, provides the least amount of packaging damage during logistics and transportation are also breathable in nature. These all factors appeal the manufacturers across the globe to use pallet shrink films/wraps and thus drive the growth of the global pallet shrink film packaging market. However, higher machine cost used in heating shrink films is the major drawbacks of pallet shrink film. Moreover, Biodegradability has arisen as environmental challenges thus hampering the growth of pallet shrink film market to a great extent. As a result, promotion of bio-based materials by governments of various countries has emerged as an opportunity to develop biodegradable pallet shrink film for market players.For more information on this report, fill the form @Pallet Shrink Film Packaging Market: SegmentationThe pallet shrink film packaging market is segmented as followsOn the basis of product type, the pallet shrink film packaging market is segmented into:Polyolefin plasticsLinear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE)Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)Polypropylene (PP)OthersOn the basis of applications, the pallet shrink film packaging market is segmented into:Food & Beverages packagingIndustrial/bulk product packagingPharmaceuticals packagingConsumer product packagingOthersPallet Shrink Film Packaging Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the pallet shrink film packaging market is segmented into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).The pallet shrink films markets in Europe and North America are rather in a mature stage and are thus likely to lose a considerable share of the global market to Asia Pacific. Key players that currently operate in developed shrink films packaging markets such as Europe and North America are focusing on APAC to grow in revenue by optimally utilizing the resources available in India and other ASEAN countries at a very low rate.The Asia-Pacific market is projected to develop as the most lucrative market for the growth of shrink film packaging. Asia Pacific region offers lucrative opportunities for players that operate in the manufacturing of pallet shrink films as a result of the rise in investments in the manufacturing sector, increasing disposal income with growing urbanization. This increase is also attributed to the growth in the packaging of food & beverages, consumer products, Electronic appliances and pharmaceuticals products from the developing economies such as India and China.Latin America and Middle-east & Africa region are expected to show a positive rate of growth over the forecast period. Higher demand for packaging for food and beverages products, industrial goods, pharmaceutical etc. are some of the primary reason for the growth of pallet shrink film packaging market in this region.Overall, the pallet shrink film packaging market is estimated to witness a healthy CAGR over the forecast period.Pallet Shrink Film Packaging Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players that operate in the pallet shrink film packaging market across the globe are AEP Industries Inc., Bemis Company, Inc., Amcor Limited, Coveris Holdings S.A., Sigma Plastics Group, Inc., DongGuan HuaYu Packing co., Ltd., Grafix Arts. Clondalkin Group Holdings BV and Berry Global, Inc.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Solar PV Systems Market 2017 - Top Players Huawei, SMA Solar, JinkoSolar, SUNGROW, Trina Solar, Enphase Energy, First Solar http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1224763 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1224763 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Solar PV Systems Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Solar PV Systems market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Solar PV Systems in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Solar PV Systems market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingHuawei TechnologiesSMA Solar TechnologyJinkoSolarCanadian SolarSUNGROWTrina SolarEnphase EnergyFirst SolarChint GroupDAQO NEW ENERGYDelta GroupFronius InternationalFlin EnergyGoodWe (Jiangsu) Power Supply TechnologySineng ElectricSolarEdge TechnologiesRisen EnergySchneider ElectGrowatt New Energy TechnologyJA SOLARKACO new energyLavancha Renewable EnergyLuminous IndiaMICROTEK INTERNATIONALOMRONSharp CorporationShunfeng International Clean EnergyOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoOff-grid Photovoltaic Power Generation SystemsGrid-connected PV SystemsDistributed Photovoltaic Power Generation SystemsOn 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 Solar PV Systems for each application, includingResidentialUtilityOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of ContentsGlobal Solar PV Systems Market Research Report 20171 Solar PV Systems Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Solar PV Systems1.2 Solar PV Systems Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Solar PV Systems Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Solar PV Systems Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Off-grid Photovoltaic Power Generation Systems1.2.4 Grid-connected PV Systems1.2.5 Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation Systems1.3 Global Solar PV Systems Segment by Application1.3.1 Solar PV Systems Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Residential1.3.3 Utility1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Solar PV Systems Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Solar PV Systems Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Solar PV Systems (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Solar PV Systems Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Solar PV Systems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Solar PV Systems Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Solar PV Systems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Solar PV Systems Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Solar PV Systems Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Solar PV Systems Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Solar PV Systems Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Solar PV Systems Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Solar PV Systems Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Solar PV Systems Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Solar PV Systems Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Solar PV Systems Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Solar PV Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Solar PV Systems Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Solar PV Systems Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Solar PV Systems Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Solar PV Systems Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Solar PV Systems Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Solar PV Systems Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Solar PV Systems Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Solar PV Systems Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Solar PV Systems Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Huawei Technologies7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Solar PV Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Huawei Technologies Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 SMA Solar Technology7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Solar PV Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 SMA Solar Technology Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 JinkoSolar7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Solar PV Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 JinkoSolar Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Canadian Solar7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Solar PV Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Canadian Solar Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 SUNGROW7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Solar PV Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 SUNGROW Solar PV Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Build-in Straw Pouch Market - Key Players, Growth, Analysis, 2017 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/buildin-straw-pouch-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24233 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Build-in Straw Pouch Market: OverviewBuild-in straw pouch is a new technique for production for stand up pouches. Build-in straw pouch style of packaging presentation is light in weight and flexible in nature. Squeeze means to manage to get or through a narrow space and straw is a thin hollow tube of plastic for sucking drink from the pouch. There is a great demand for innovation in packaging has led the manufacturers to enter with an innovative product. The market is mainly driven by increased demand for ready-made fruit juice and soft drink and demand for convenient packaging from the consumer side. The Build-in straw pouch packaging is expected to register at impressive CAGR during the forecast period. The rising ready-made fruit juice, synthetic milk, and other beverage have led the global build-in straw pouch market to expand at substantial growth.Browse Market Research Report @Global Build-in Straw Pouch Market: DynamicsThe availability of a wide range of innovative packaging solutions is likely to have a significant influence on the demand for overwrap packaging market during the forecast period. Packaging industry witnessed large scale technology adoption in terms of films, equipment and packaging methods. Change in demand along with the rising per capita disposable income in the developing region has fueled the consumption across a broad range of products, with subsequent growth in demand for the global build-in straw pouch packaging of these goods.There are a large number of local and international vendors are present in the packaging world which heats up the innovation in product designing and presentation. The vendors are coming with plastic and laminated pouches prepared with a high barrier coating technology to upturn its shelf life and minimize the risk of saturation and now new technique in build straw pouch which is easy to form and easy to operate. With the technological innovations in the market, there is increasing demand for convenient packaging format. The global demand for Build-in straw pouch packaging is expected to witness remarkable growth rate in the near future.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Global Build-in Straw Pouch Market: SegmentationThe Build-in Straw Pouch can be segmented on the basis of material type, application and region. On the basis of material type market can be segmented on plastic, paper and foil material. On the basis of application market is segmented into alcoholic product, dairy product, fruit juice, soft drinks, and other beverages. Among all material type plastic is gaining preference over other because plastic is light in weight, compatible lower in cost and are available in various design. The development of plastic packaging solution will be key driver for the growth of overall build-in straw pouch packaging market. The increasing demand for alcoholic beverage has pushed vendors to focus on shelf-life packaging that is easy to store, easy to transport and is convenient to unpack. On the basis of region build-in straw pouch market is segmented, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa.Global Build-in Straw Pouch Market: Regional OverviewNorth America build-in straw pouch packaging market is expected to register strong growth in near future while the market is expected to be a slowdown in its largest market of Europe. Europe market is focusing on the innovative packaging so that product become more appealing to consumers. The launch of easy open convenient Build-in straw pouch in Europe is expected to create demand for new packaging product which can add volume sale in this region. Build-in straw pouch packaging market in Asia Pacific region is expected to show nominal growth during the forecast period. Middle East and Africa is expected to witness nominal growth in the Build-in straw pouch packaging market in near future year future GlobalBuild-in Straw Pouch Market: Key PlayersThe main player of Build-in Straw Pouch in market are Glonroy Inc. Amcor limited , Ardagh group, Ball corporation, Crown Holdings, Rexam Owens-Illinois.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Recessed Lighting Market Growth, Development and Key Manufacturer Analysis Report 2017-2021 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1358 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/recessed-lighting-market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/request-toc/1358 Market Research Future adds new report of Global Recessed Lighting Market Research Report - Forecast to 2021 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentKey PlayersThe key players of Global Recessed Lighting Market report include- Osram GmbH Elegant Lighting Inc. Philips Lighting Holding B.V. Halo Commercial Cree Inc. Globe Electric Acuity Brands Lighting Inc. General Electric Company Eterna Lighting Ltd. Herbert Waldmann GmbH & Co. KGRequest a Sample Report @Market Segments:Global Recessed Lighting market is segmented on the basis of Components, Frame Types, Application and Region. On the basis of Components; it is segmented as Trim, Housing and, Bulb On the basis of Frame Types; it is segmented as Aluminum, Steel, Plastic On the basis of Application; it is segmented as Commercial, Residential On the basis of Region; it is segmented as North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the WorldMarket Highlights:The overall recessed lighting business part is driven by the creating improvement division nearby extended elegant and planning purposes of intrigue. The expanding land grandstand builds the market for recessed lightings which are used extensively in lodgings, residences, work environments and showrooms. Other than open variety, shades and versatility of fitting making it inside big-hearted and this drives the market of recessed lighting. The overall recessed lighting business area is depended upon to and achieve US$ Million toward the complete of the evaluated period and is required to exhibit an astounding improvement at CAGR from 2016 to 2021.Browse Report Details @Study Objectives of Global Recessed Lighting Market To give separated examination of the market structure close by guess for the accompanying 10 years of various segments and sub-pieces of the Global Recessed Lighting Market To give bits of learning about factors affecting the market advancement To Analyze the Global Recessed Lighting Market in perspective of various factors esteem examination, stock system examination, guardians five constrain examination et cetera. To give certain and guess salary of the market pieces and sub-areas concerning four crucial geographies and their countries North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (ROW) To give country level examination of the market concerning the present market size and future unavoidable To give country level examination of the market for segment by Components, Frame Types, Application and Region.Request Table of Contents for this Report @Regional AnalysisAPAC overpowers the overall recessed lighting market with its rapidly creating business segment far and wide. It will develop at a CAGR over the gauge time period. The region is required to demonstrate quick money related and infrastructural improvement. With part of interests in the areas of China and India, the improvement division is creating. The inflow of outside enthusiasm for India furthermore builds the market for Recessed Lighting. North America is depended upon to grow rapidly more than million by 2021. Europe and Rest of the World are moreover foreseen that would create at CAGR separately from 2016 to 2021.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Spain Fermentation Ingredients Market 2023 Top Key Vendors Cargill Incorporated, Evonik Industries AG, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Novozymes A/S https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2984 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spain-fermentation-ingredients-market-2984 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2984 Market Research Future adds new report of Spain Fermentation Ingredients Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentKey Findings The Spain Fermentation Ingredients market is projected to reach USD 1,530 million by 2023 of 3.46% In Spain, application of fermentation ingredients in pharmaceutical is growing at higher rate of 3.83% In Spain., Alcohol fermentation ingredients type holds the major market share for the year 2017Key PlayersThe leading market players in the Spain Fermentation Ingredients market primarily are Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. The Dow Chemical Co Cargill, Incorporated E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Evonik Industries AG Novozymes A/S UquifaKey players are focusing on expansion of their fermentation ingredient business. From six years, strategy of product launch and expansion of the fermentation ingredients business together holds around 50% of strategy share by key players. Acquisitions and agreement are two main factors which are contributing more than 40% of strategy share as it helping company to enhance their fermentation ingredients production capacity and to capture more market share in Spain and other regions in Europe.Request a Sample Report @Report Description:Spain fermentation ingredients market is projected to reach USD 1,530 million by the year 2023 with growth rate of 3.46%. Andalusia and Catalonia together holds more than 50% of market share in 2017 as large fermentation ingredients companies are located in Catalonia and Andalusia. Spain is the third major country for production of fermentation ingredients for chemical and pharmaceuticals application which is supporting the growth of the market in Spain. Madrid will witness higher growth rate during the forecast period.On the basis of type, Alcohol (i.e. Ethanol, butanol, BDO and Acetone) and Antibiotics (i.e. Beta-lactam, tetracycline and clavulic acid) fermentation ingredients holds more than 50% market share in the year 2017 as in Spain majority of fermentation ingredients is used for chemical and pharmaceutical application. Amino acid is projected to grow at higher rate during the forecast period. Polymers and organic acids together holds more than 30% of market share in the year 2017due to increasing demand of polymer over organic acid in Spain.Browse Report Details @Liquid form of fermentation ingredients holds more than 55% market share in the year 2017, as in Spain majority of fermentation ingredients such as alcohol and organic acid are produced in the form of liquid. Dry form is projected to grow at higher rate compare to liquid form during the forecast period due to increasing demand of polymer and industrial enzymes from last few years.Increasing awareness about application of fermentation ingredients in personal care and pharmaceutical products is driving the growth of fermentation ingredients market. Rising popularity of food and beverages products made by using fermentation ingredients is boosting the market growth in Spain. Introduction eco-friendly production system from fermentation ingredients manufacturers and advance technologies in fermentation process is also influencing the growth of the market. Rising production of sugar cane, beet, tapioca and corn is playing the major role in the growth of fermentation ingredients market in Spain.Target Audience Fermentation Ingredients Manufacturers Food and beverage Industry Chemical Industry Pharmaceutical Industry Retailers and wholesalers Traders, importers and exportersRequest Table of Contents for this Report @Regional and State wise Analysis of Spain Fermentation Ingredients market Development and Demand Forecast to 2023 MarketThe reports also cover region level analysis:Spain Andalusia Catalonia Madrid Valencian Community Rest of SpainAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Huntingtons Disease Therapeutics Market Segmentation and Major Players Analysis and Forecast to 2025 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/huntingtons-disease-therapeutics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26753 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Huntingtons disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder of the central nervous system. The disease results in progressive degeneration of the brain cells. A physician named George Huntington described the disorder in detail as hereditary chorea in 1872. Thus, earlier it was known as Huntingtons chorea or HC. Huntingtons disease usually develops symptoms in adulthood between the age of 30 years and 40 years. In case the symptoms of the disease are developed before the age of 20 years, it is referred as juvenile Huntingtons disease. Both men and women are susceptible to this disease. Studies show that one in every 10,000 people in America has HD and more than 250,000 people are at risk of inheriting the disease from a parent.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Huntingtons Disease Therapeutics Market:The disease causes a wide range of symptoms in an affected person. Primarily, it leads to difficulty in motor control (movement), cognition (thinking), and behavior. Motor problems include impairments in voluntary movements as well as onset of uncontrolled involuntary jerking. People suffering from HD also have muscle problems such as muscle contracture (dystonia) or rigidity, impaired gait, posture, and balance. Loss of motor control hampers a persons daily activities and causes difficulty in living a normal life. The disease also leads to speech and swallowing problems (dysphagia). These occur when the centers of the motor or cognitive control responsible for these functions are affected. A significant behavior and cognition disorder associated with Huntingtons disease is depression that results due to brain injury and loss of brain function.Although medical science has no cure for this disease, the symptoms of this disease can be detected and treated. Drugs to treat movement disorders include tetrabenazine (Xenazine), antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol (Haldol), chlorpromazine, and others. Antidepressants such as escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft) are given as treatment. Development in scientific research has led to increased awareness about Huntingtons disease. This is one of the key drivers for the growth of the Huntingtons disease therapeutics market. In addition, increased prevalence of the disease is a key growth driver of the market. Unmet medical needs have driven scientists and researchers to develop therapy for Huntingtons disease, which in turn is likely to drive the global market. Increased investment by many pharmaceutical companies in the research and development sector to develop innovative and curative drugs for the disease is driving the growth of the global market. Further, alternative therapies, including speech therapy, psychotherapy, and physiotherapy, increase the potential of the market growth for Huntingtons disease therapeutics.Geographically, the global Huntingtons disease therapeutics market is distributed over North America, Europe, APAC, and Latin America. North America dominates the global market due to increased awareness about the disease. In the North America market, the U.S. holds the largest market share, followed by Canada. Europe accounts for the second largest market globally. In Europe, countries such as France, Germany, the U.K., and Spain contribute major shares of the market. Increasing awareness about the disease along with growing infrastructure for scientific research is projected to lead to market establishment for Huntingtons disease therapeutics in other parts of the world such as China, India, Japan, Africa, Argentina, and Brazil.Request for the Sample Report:Key players contributing highest market shares include Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., AmpliPhi Biosciences Corp, Pfizer, Lundbeck, Prana Biotechnology Ltd., Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., Cortex Pharmaceuticals Inc., Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, GlaxoSmithKline, Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Ceregene Inc., SOM Biotech, Siena Biotech, Raptor Pharmaceutical, Palobiofarma, and Ipsen.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Antiemetic Drugs Market Analysis Report and Industry Forecast to 2025 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/antiemetic-drugs-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1513 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ An antiemetic is a drug which is effectively used to prevent vomiting and nausea, side effects of opioid analgesics, etc. It is available as over-the-counter and prescribed drug at recommended doses. It is mostly used to prevent motion sickness rather than treating it. Presence of antihistamine and central anticholinergic properties make antiemetic drugs quite effective. The drug is as effective as cetirizine, a non-sedating antihistamine, does not cross the blood-brain barrier, and is not effective in either preventing or treating motion sickness. Nausea and vomiting is identified as the primary symptoms and in sometimes it can leads to other complications such as erosion of the tooth dehydration, and loss of appetite. These can affect daily activities and the quality of life if left untreated. Antiemetic drugs work by suppressing the vomiting reflex in the body. Motility stimulants work by increasing the movement through the gastrointestinal tract and serotonin antagonists suppress the signals to and from the vomiting center of the brain. Various types of antiemetic drugs are available with a number of medical applications. Antiemetic drugs can be administered orally, intramuscularly, or as a suppository.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Antiemetic Drugs Market:Based on drug class, the antiemetic drugs market has been segmented into 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, dopamine antagonists, NK1 receptor antagonists, H1 receptor antagonists, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, and steroids. In terms of application, the market has been categorized into dizziness, motion sickness, and others. The rapid rise of geriatric population is diagnosed with different types of disease like cancer where chemotherapy is a standard treatment and it poses side effect such as vomiting. Moreover, increasing number of gastroenteritis patients drives the antiemetic drugs market. However, the clinical pipeline for antiemetic drugs is dry and has been identified as one of the major factors likely to restrain the global antiemetic drugs market. Presently, rising cost in various research and development processes is exerting a lot of pressure on various drug making companies. Productivity in the antiemetic drugs market has also declined significantly in the past few years. This has induced companies to rethink before undertaking any new molecule or drug research projects. Hence, large drug manufacturing companies have started collaborating with various small biotechnology and research companies. These small biotech research companies do not have sufficient capital to carry out various late stage clinical trials that incur high capital expenditures, but have strong R&D capabilities. Therefore, large firms obtain the rights of the drug through one-time payment to these small companies and some royalties are paid on recurrent sales. For instance, in July 2011, Trius Therapeutics, Inc. entered into a partnership with Bayer AG for the development and commercialization of its antibacterial drug Tedizolid phosphate (in phase III clinical trials). In July 2013, Cubist Pharmaceuticals acquired Trius Therapeutics. Hence, Cubist and Bayer are now in the late stage clinical trials of the drug which will treat some gram positive infections including MRSA.In terms of region, North America dominates the global antiemetic drugs market. This is attributed to well-established health care infrastructure, technological advancements, and favorable government support in the region. Europe holds the second position in the global antiemetic drugs market. Rapid rise in geriatric population and growing number of cancer patients are boosting market growth in the region. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to grow at the highest rate owing to rapid rise of health care infrastructure, rising disposable income of people, improving economic conditions, and increasing purchasing power of people.Request for the Sample Report:GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, Merck & Co., Novartis AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Astellas Pharma, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Abbott, Cipla Ltd., Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd, Baxter International, and IPCA Labs are the major players operating in the global antiemetic drugs market.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Power Transmission Cables Market Estimated to Post a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 6.5% from 2017 2022 Power Transmission Cables Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1768 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/power-transmission-cables-market-1768 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1768 Market Research Future adds new report of Global Power Transmission Cables Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentMarket Scenario:Power Transmission Cables are typically used to carry the electricity from generating units to the end users. Rising inclusion of renewable power resources, high quality and uninterrupted electricity, upgradation of aging grid infrastructure result in the growth of the power transmission cables market. Rapid urbanization and industrialization are the major factors in the Global Power Transmission Cables Market. Power Transmission Cables market is expected to register a high growth of around 6.5% CAGR in the next six years.Market Segmentation By Installation; Overhead, Underground, and Submarine By Voltage; High and Medium By Users; Utility and Industrial By Region;Request a Sample Report @Study Objectives of Global Power Transmission cables Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next six years of various segments and sub-segments of the global Power Transmission cables market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the global Power Transmission cables market based on various factors such as supply chain analysis, and Porters five forces analysis 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-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by service and by region To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by Installation, by Voltage, and by Users To provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Power Transmission cables marketBrowse Report Details @Key PlayersThe key players of Global Power Transmission cables Market report include- General Cable Technologies Corp. Southwire Co. LLC Zhejiang Shengda Steel Tower Co. Ltd. KEC International Ltd. Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd. Nexans S.A. Prysmian S.p.A. Shandong DingChang Tower Co. Ltd. Nanjing Daji Iron Tower Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.Target Audience Power Transmission cables service providers Industry Associations and Publications Investment bankers and M&A ConsultantsRegional Analysis of Global Power Transmission cables MarketAsia Pacific held the largest share within the Power Transmission cables market, and is expected to retain its majority by 2022. This region is expected to be fastest growing market for power transmission cables. China and India are the main drivers for the growth in Asia Pacific region. North America was the second largest market for power transmission cables in 2014. Hugh investments in power transmission infrastructure by Saudi Arabia and others countries are expected to drive the market in the Middle East. Middle East is expected to be second fastest growing market for transmission cables.Request Table of Contents for this Report @The report covers brief analysis of country level market information Asia-Pacific China India Indonesia Malaysia Rest of Asia-PacificNorth America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Norway Russia The Netherland Rest of EuropeMiddle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE Kuwait Egypt Algeria Rest of Middle East & AfricaLatin and Central America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin AmericaAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com TORONTO, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dynaCERT Inc. (TSX-V:DYA) (OTCQB:DYFSF) ("dynaCERT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that certain major shareholders including directors of the company have extended and increased the formal strategic Voluntary Lock-Up Agreement to over 75,000,000 shares effective immediately. The Voluntary Lock-Up Agreement stipulates that these shareholders shall not assign, deal in, pledge, sell, trade or transfer in any manner whatsoever, or agree to do so in the future, any of the shares or any beneficial interest in them, on or before December 31, 2017. This undertaking will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable in Ontario. dynaCERTs President and CEO, Jim Payne, states, We are very pleased by the continued support and commitment of the directors and major shareholders involved in the Voluntary Lock-up Agreement. By increasing and extending the agreement to the end of 2017, this reaffirms their confidence in dynaCERTs ability to increase shareholder value as we continue growth of production and global expansion along with research and development of future product suite. About dynaCERT Inc. dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. Our patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these additives through the air intake to enhance combustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Our technology is currently in use with on-road applications. More information can be found at www.dynaCERT.com. READER ADVISORY Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to periodic updates of results, testing programs and results, negotiations with third parties concerning potential business transactions, and the timing of certain going forward projects. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the release. On Behalf of the Board M.E. James Payne, CEO & President Geosynthetics Market 2015 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/geosynthetics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=7934 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Geosynthetics Market: SnapshotThe current boom in infrastructure is a key driver for the global geosynthetics market. Railway stations, dams, airports, roads, and bridges are the more common infrastructure end-user areas of geosynthetics. They can make full use of the excellent physical properties that geotextiles, geogrids, and geocomposites have to offer in terms of reinforcement for new construction projects. The scope of utilization for geosynthetics is immense in the modern construction industry, which is showing a high growth rate in key parts of emerging economies.Another extremely favorable use for geosynthetics that has grown in popularity over the past years is to promote environmental protection strategies. A wide array of geosynthetics can be used as barriers and reinforcements for natural landscapes to prevent the growing rate of soil erosion in the world. This is expected to become a massive driver for the use of geosynthetics over the years to come.View Report @There are, however, quite a few problems that manufacturers of geosynthetics are facing. The leading factor deterring many players is the volatility of raw material costs. Polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester, the three main raw materials used to manufacture geosynthetics, are all derivatives of crude oil products. Crude oil is a highly demanded product in the world today, and coupled with its depleting natural reserves, the prices of crude oil are subject to high volatility.The overall revenue growth of geosynthetics can be summarized in a 9.1% projected CAGR from 2015 to 2023. By the end of 2016, this revenue is expected to reach US$11.30 bn and US$20.80 bn by 2023.APAC Booming Construction Industry Attracts Global Geosynthetics MakersAsia Pacific, with its burgeoning set of economies and equipped with a robust growth rate in the construction industry, is set to be the leading consumer of geosynthetics till 2023. By the end of 2023, 40.2% of the total volume of geosynthetics in the world is expected to be taken up by Asia Pacific. Over half of the annual demand for geosynthetics in Asia Pacific comes from China, a rapidly developing economy in the region and already a highly attractive country for geosynthetics manufacturers to enter.Other regions with a high growth rate in the demand for geosynthetics include ASEAN and the GCC. These are regions that have been showing a consistently high growth in construction activity and infrastructure development. Similar growth in geosynthetics demand is expected to be witnessed in Japan, Brazil, and most of the MEA, while geosynthetics sakes in North America are Europe are showing a moderate amount of attractiveness for manufacturers.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Geosynthetics Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Geotextiles and Geomembranes to Become Top Geosynthetics FunctionsBy 2023, 43.1% of the globally produced volume of geosynthetics is expected to be taken up in the geotextiles. Formed by weaving polymer fibers together, geotextiles are porous and very flexible. As a result, the construction industry finds them extremely useful in various areas.Geomembranes are another function of geosynthetics that are finding their way to all corners of the world and getting a high demand. Geomembranes are usually provided in sheets that are thin and highly resistant to chemicals. They are primarily used to channelize of store fluids. Geomembranes are also finding massive scope of use n landfill protection and other environmental functions.The key providers of geosynthetics in the world include TenCate Geosynthetics, GSE Environmental, Inc., Officine Maccaferri S.p.A., NAUE Gmbh & Co. KG, and Low & Bonar PLC.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Bioadhesive Market 2016 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bioadhesives-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=5654 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Bioadhesive Market: SnapshotThe global market for bioadhesive has been gaining significantly over the recent past. Thanks to the increasing implementation of stringent rules and regulations, compelling industries to limit the application of petroleum-based products, the focus on eco-friendly, bio-based adhesives has increased, which is reflecting greatly on this market. The technological advancements in research and development activities and the resultant advancements in adhesives is also supporting the adoption of a variety of bioadhesives across the world. Going forward, the increasing entry of new vendors in this market is likely to back up its growth over the next few years.As per Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global market for bioadhesive, which stood at US$251.6 mn in 2015, is anticipated to rise at a healthy CAGR of 12.90% during the period from 2016 to 2024a and is projected to increase to US$736.0 mn by the end of 2024.View Report @Demand for Animal-based Bioadhesives to Remain HighThe global market for bioadhesives is broadly analyzed on the basis of the source and the end user. Based on the source, the market has been classified into plant-based bioadhesives and animal-based bioadhesives. Among the two, the animal-based bioadhesive segment led the global market in 2015 with a share of nearly 80%. Researchers expect it to continue like this over the forecast period as well on the ground of the rising utilization of these adhesives in the medical and healthcare industry for specialty applications, such as open surgeries and wound closures.By the application, the market has been categorized into the paper and packaging, medical, personal care, wood works and furniture, and the construction industries. With a share of more than 30%, the paper and packaging industry surfaced as the leading consumer of a varied range of bioadhesives in 2015. Over the coming years, the industry is expected to continue as the key end user of bioadhesives, thanks to the steady rise in the global packaging industry.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Bioadhesive Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Europe to Retain its Top PositionGeographically, the worldwide market for bioadhesives is led by Europe. In 2015, the European market accounted for more than 35% of the overall market, thanks to the increase in the construction activities. Over the forthcoming years, the regional market is likely to remain dominant on the grounds of the high demand for bioadhesives in several industries, such as construction, packaging, and wood works and furniture in this region. Germany is anticipated to emerge as the leading consumers of bioadhesives in Europe in the near future.Apart from Europe, North America is also expected to display lucrative growth opportunities for the market for bioadhesives. The rising implementation of stringent norms and policies concerning the usage of petroleum-derived products in this region is likely to boost the North America market for bioadhesives in the years to come. The development of novel products with efficient adhesive properties is also projected to provide momentum to the North American market over the next few years.Adhesives Research Inc., 3M Co., SCION, Adhbio, Bioadhesive Alliance Inc., Meredian Holdings Group Inc., Ecosynthetix Inc., Ashland, Cryolife Inc., and Henkel Corp. are some of the key players operating in the global bioadhesive market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Methanol Market 2016 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/methanol-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1249 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Methanol Market: SnapshotThe global methanol market has undergone several changes over the past decade or so, brought on by the development of new application areas, a shift in the dominance of regional demand, and the establishment of several new production facilities.Over a decade ago, China played a rather small role in the development of the methanol industry, with North America and Europe enjoying the top spot as far as demand was concerned. However, thanks to rapid economic growth in the country, China has now surpassed both Europe and North America in the consumption of methanol. The primary feedstock for methanol has almost always been natural gas. But with China now in the picture, its rich coal reserves and surge in demand for methanol have resulted in a sharp rise in the production of coal-based methanol. This has had a considerable impact on the global methanol market.The methanol market is projected to witness moderate growth in the coming years, as forecast by Transparency Market Research. In 2015, the global methanol market was valued at US$ 101.4 bn and is likely to reach US$145.6 bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 4.2% therein.View Report @Formaldehyde Top Application Area of MethanolThe growth observed in the methanol applications such as formaldehyde and acetic acid is expected to be slow over the coming years. Nevertheless, formaldehyde accounted for the leading share of 29.6% in the global methanol market in 2015, followed by acetic acid.Formaldehyde is used in the manufacturing of building materials and certain household products. It is also employed in making wood products such as particleboards, plywood, and fiberboards. Acetic acid finds application in the manufacturing of terephthalic acid and vinyl acetate monomer.DME and gasoline are identified as highly lucrative application segments and both are projected to register a 4.8% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. While gasoline is primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines, DME is used as an automotive fuel, in electric power generation, and in domestic appliances.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Methanol Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.U.S. and China Emerge as Leading Contributors to Global Methanol MarketFrom a geographical standpoint, Asia Pacific dominates the global methanol market and accounted for a share of more than 65% in 2015. The increasing demand for methanol is attributed to its widespread application in formaldehyde, acetic acid, MTBE, DME, gasoline and other industries. China has been a major producer and consumer of methanol, which is driven by rising population and the soaring demand for fuel. India and ASEAN are forecast to offer considerable growth opportunities for the methanol market in the coming years.North America and Europe together accounted for more than 20% of the total consumption of methanol in 2015. The methanol market in these regions is anticipated to exhibit stable growth during the forecast period. In terms of country, the U.S. constituted a significant share in the global methanol market in 2015. Although formaldehyde and acetic acid have been the primary applications of methanol in the U.S. over the years, it has also been majorly used as a raw material for the manufacturing of various other products.The methanol market in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is expected to grow at a steady pace over the coming years due to the easy availability of raw materials in these regions. Latin America is projected to be a beneficial market for methanol by 2024 since it is a major exporter of methanol, primarily to North America and Europe.Key players operating in the global methanol market include Methanex Corporation, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Reliance Industries Limited, AR-RAZI Saudi Methanol Company, RAMA Petrochemicals Ltd., and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers & Chemicals Limited.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Algae Market SWOT Analysis Of Top Key Player Forecasts To 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/algae-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=14804 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Algae Market: SnapshotThe global algae market is developing at a gradual pace around the world, with a number of algae oil production facilities yet to be fully commercialized. Growing concerns regarding the emission of greenhouse gases have driven the adoption of renewable energy sources, algae being a prominent one. Apart from a rising demand for algae-based biofuels in road, marine, and aviation applications, the plastics industry has also upped its demand for algae to produce biodegradable plastics.The global algae market was valued at US$608.0 mn in 2015 and is projected to reach US$1.1 bn by 2024, at a CAGR of 7.39% therein. In terms of volume, the market is poised to expand at a 5.32% CAGR between 2016 and 2024.View Report @Low Investment Requirements Drive Adoption of Open Pond Cultivation TechnologyIn terms of cultivation technology, the algae market has been classified into open ponds cultivation technology, raceway ponds cultivation technology, closed photo bio-reactors, and closed fermenter systems. On a global scale, more than 80% of algal biomass is generated through open pond cultivation technology. Open pond cultivation systems require low investment and as a result are utilized on a larger scale.However, in recent years, established players such as Algae Tec and Solazyme, Inc. have been investing more on emerging cultivation technologies such as closed photo bioreactors and fermenter systems for better productivity under the close monitoring of automated systems.Closed photo bio-reactors are an emerging technology used to promote biological growth by controlling environmental parameters such as light. The only disadvantages presented by this technology are high capital costs and long payback periods.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Algae Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Surge in Algae Cultivation in North America a Key Contributing FactorIn terms of geography, the global algae market comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. In 2015, North America led the global algae market. Countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico house more than 135 companies engaged in algae cultivation and this is a key factor driving the algae market in the region. The North America algae market is single-handedly driven by the U.S., constituting around 86.4% of the market by volume and around 87.6% by value in 2016. The U.S. is anticipated to dominate the algae market through 2024 thanks to the expansion of production facilities and efforts to overcome the demand-supply gap. The North America algae market is considerably more mature than other regional markets such as Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and MEA.Countries in Asia Pacific are focusing on algal biotechnology in wastewater bioremediation and CO2 capture and utilization. Asia Pacific hosts five of the top 10 carbon emitters in the world India, China, Japan, Indonesia, and Iran who contribute to more than 40% of the global emissions. Strong movements are under way to fully commercialize the production of biofuels from algae. Currently, more than 50% of the algae produced through various cultivation technologies are utilized in DHA production to manufacture chemical components for medicines, health foods, cosmetics, and food additives.Key players in the global algae market include Algae Tec, Pond Biofuels Incorporated, LiveFuels, Inc., Algae Systems LLC, Sapphire Energy, Inc., Solazyme, Inc., Diversified Energy Corporation, Algenol, Kai BioEnergy Corp., Algix, DSM Nutritional Products, Dao Energy, LLC, Phycal LLC, and Kent BioEnergy Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Flexible Battery Market:Technological Advancements, Evolving Industry Trends and Insights 2017 - 2025 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/flexible-battery-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23513 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The flexible battery market is presently at a nascent stage and is anticipated to rise rapidly with increasing research and development taking place in the field of battery technology. Huge investments from companies such as Panasonic Corp. and Samsung SDI Corp. Ltd. among others is expected to have a positive impact in the field of battery technology.Flexible batteries are light weight and easy to use and are increasingly used in products with limited internal space. As flexible battery are thin and bendable, they can be used as power sources on curved surfaces. Moreover, these batteries are eco-friendly and have low impact on the environment.The growth of global flexible battery market is driven by factors such as rising demand for IoT devices. Technological advancement in portable devices is expected to fuel growth of the global flexible battery market over the forecast period. Flexible batteries are used in portable devices as they can be adjusted in any size for different purposes.The surging demand for wearable devices in the past few years is positively impacting the growth of this market. With innovation in wearable electronics, the demand for flexible power source with high performance that can be integrated into various products is expected to be on the rise. Moreover, the increasing demand for thin flexible batteries across various application segments such as smart cards, medical devices, and wearable devices due to its low self-discharge rate is anticipated to have a positive bearing on this market over the forecast period.The global flexible battery market was valued at US$230.0 mn in 2016 and is expected to be worth US$2437.6 mn by 2025, rising at a CAGR of 32.9% between 2017 and 2025.Obtain Report Details @The global flexible battery market is segmented in terms of chargeability into chargeable flexible battery and single use flexible battery. Of the two, the segment of chargeable flexible battery held the leading share in 2016 and is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period.On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into thin film and printed battery, flexible zinc carbon battery, laminar lithium-polymer battery, and advanced lithium ion battery. Thin film and printed battery, among these, held the leading market share in 2016 and is anticipated to maintain its dominance over the forecast period.In terms of end user, the market is segmented into consumer electronics, smart packaging, healthcare, and transportation and logistics among others. Smart packaging displayed the leading demand for flexible batteries in 2016 accounting for 26.6% of revenue contribution. The segment is expected to display rapid growth owing to development of smart packaging industry across various parts of the world. The segment of smart packaging is anticipated to display the leading demand for flexible batteries among other end-use segments.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketOn the basis of geography, the global flexible battery market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. In 2016, North America held the leading share of 32.5% in the market and was followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The North America flexible battery market is predominantly driven by the U.S. This is due to the presence of a large number if flexible battery manufacturers combined with rising investment in extensive research and development pursuits in the field of battery technology.Top companies operating in the global flexible battery market include Panasonic Corporation, LG Chem Ltd., Ultralife Corporation, Blue Spark Technology, NEC Energy Solutions Inc., ST Microelectronics N.V., Enfucell Oy, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., and Brightvolt Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Printed Antenna Market: Stick Point Analysis For Changing Competitive Dynamics http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/printed-antennas-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23573 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global printed antenna market is displaying steadfast growth on account of high-value applications of printed antennas. The rising adoption of printed antennas in the aerospace and defense industry is catapulting growth of this market by leaps and bounds. This is because printed antennae in combination with radio frequency identification technology facilitates efficient data transfer needed in aircrafts, spacecraft, missiles for navigation and information sharing. Not only this, the cost effectiveness of printed antennae due to its easy fabrication using advanced printed circuit technology is fuelling their demand across several end-use industries.Apart from this, considerable research and development for improvement in printing quality and efficiency is further triggering the growth of this market.Printed antennas have substantial applications in telecommunications industry. These antennas form an integral component of several mobile communication devices thereby enhancing the data transmission capabilities of these devices. For example, the flourishing telecommunication industry in emerging economies such as India and China presents ample growth opportunities to the printed antennas market.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global printed antennas market is poised to be worth US$12.87 bn by 2025 increasing from US$6.66 bn in 2016 at a CAGR of 7.7% between 2017 and 2025.printed antenna marketObtain Report Details @The global printed antennas market is divided into five segments of ink-jet printing, screen printing, flexography printing, gravure printing, and others based on printing technology. The segment of screen printing leads the market in terms of value. Being one of the traditional forms of printing technology, screen printing is suitable for printing on large number of substrates such as plastic, paper, cellophane, and others. In addition, its application across several verticals and high accuracy outcomes adds to the advantage of screen printing.However, ink-jet printing technology is expected to rise at a considerable CAGR over the forecast period. Ink-jet printing supports digital printing and thus has rising applications across industries. Flexography printing is the newest form of printing technology and finds widespread application in military packaging and labelling. With the growth of the pharmaceuticals and defense sectors, flexography printing technology is anticipated to secure considerable market share over the forecast period.In terms of end-use, the segments into which the global printed antennas market is divided are automotive, telecommunication, aerospace and defense, pharmaceuticals, and others. In 2016, aerospace and defense held the leading share of the global printed antennas market. Printed antennae in combination with radio frequency identification technology extends efficient data transfer capabilities. The increasing use of printed antennas in the pharmaceuticals sector as an add-on in blood flow monitoring devices is expected to bode well for this end-use segment over the reports forecast period.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketThe key geographical segments into which the global printed antenna market is divided are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America holds the leading share in the overall market on the back of increasing use of printed technology in defense sector that uses printed antennas for design of aircrafts. This, along with the growing investment in telecommunication and healthcare sectors is boosting the growth prospect of printed antenna market in North America.On the other hand, Asia Pacific holds immense potential to contribute to the growth of printed antenna market on account of rising penetration of mobile devices in the region.Some of the leading players in the global printed antenna market profiled in this report are Neotech AMT GmbH, Shure Inc., nScrypt Inc., Optomec Inc., Optisys Inc., Cobham plc, GSI Technologies, Mars Antenna & RF System, Thales S.A, and Texas Instrument Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: High Throughput Screening Industry: Global Survey, Trends, Outlook, Overview and 2027 Forecast https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1280 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/request-toc/1280 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/high-throughput-screening-market www.marketresearchfuture.com Global High Throughput Screening Market Trend and Major Key Players are Roche, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Thermo Fisher Scientific, IncGlobal High Throughput Screening Market Information, by product types (software, instruments, consumables and others) by applications (Target Identification, Primary Screening, Toxicology, Stem Cell Biology) by end users (Hospitals and clinics, pharmaceutical companies, government organizations, research facilities) - Forecast to 2027High Throughput Screening (HTS) is a drug-discovery process generally utilized as a part of the pharmaceutical business. It influences mechanization to rapidly examine the natural or biochemical action of an expansive number of medications like compounds.Get a Sample report atStudy Objectives of High Throughput Screening Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the High Throughput Screening Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the High Throughput Screening Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by product type, by application by end users and its sub-segments. To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global High Throughput Screening Market .Global High Throughput Screening Market has been segmented on the basis of applications which comprises of Target Identification, Primary Screening, Toxicology, Stem Cell Biology and Others. On the basis of product which consists of software, instruments, consumables and others. On the basis of end users Hospitals and clinics, pharmaceutical companies/ Manufacturers, government organizations, research facilities and others.Get a Table of Content atKey Players for High Throughput Screening Market: Aurora Biomed Inc.(Canada) Beckman Coulter, Inc. (US) Agilent Technologies Inc. (US) Life Technologies Corporation (US) Luminex Corporation (US) Roche (Switzerland) Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. (US) Bio-Rad Laboratories (US) Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US)The report for Global High Throughput Screening Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different markets segments and regionsBrowse Complete Report atAt 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.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W: Low Smoke Halogen Free Flame Retardant Polypropylene Systems - Global Industry Analysis 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/low-smoke-halogen-free-flame-retardant-polypropylene-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=5231 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ A new research report by Transparency Market Research offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global Low Smoke Halogen Free Flame Retardant Polypropylene Market. The study, titled Low Smoke Halogen Free Flame Retardant Polypropylene (PP) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023, is available for sale on the firms website.Advancements in denier polypropylene fiber, which has in-built flame retardant properties, have created significant interest among various end-user industries such as packaging, construction, aerospace& aircraft, electrical &electronics, and automotive. Currently, there are two methods that are popular in the flame retardant polypropylene market: halogenated and non-halogenated. Both these methods have been effective in imparting flame retardant properties to polypropylene polymer; however, non-halogenated flame retardants are preferred to halogenated flame retardants. Halogenated flame retardants use bromine and chlorine chemicals for fire safety purposes. However, increasing consumer awareness regarding environmental safety and rising number of government regulations on low smoke flame retardant polymers have hampered the usage of halogen flame retardant polypropylene. Therefore, the use of halogenated (brominated and chlorinated) flame retardant polypropylene has been waning in the flame retardant polypropylene market. Non-halogenated(halogen free)flame retardants include alumina trihydrate (ATH), magnesium hydroxide (MDH), nitrogen, antimony trioxide, and phosphorous-based flame retardant polypropylene.Browse Market Research Report @Low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene is a type of polymer that offers high resistance to fire. This property helps delay the combustion process; moreover, it produces little smoke when burnt. Currently, halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene is considered to be a promising flame retardant due to its environment-friendly properties. Construction industry is one of the major end-users of the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market. Increasing usage of low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polymers in wires and cables applications is another driving factor for the market. Development of synergistic systems of polypropylene with other polymers such as epoxy resins, engineered polymers (ETP), and styrenics is expected to provide significant opportunities for growth of the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market during the forecast period.Biodegradable low smoke halogen-freeflame retardant polymers and composites are anticipated to provide significant growth opportunities to the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market in the near future. Based on end-user industries, the market can be divided into six major segments: building and construction, electrical and electronics, automotive, aerospace and aircraft, wires and cables, and others.Low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene is used significantly in end-user industries such as construction, electrical and electronics, and automotive. This can be ascribed to the fact that these industries have high degree of fire risk, which can cause significant loss of life and property. Construction is the most crucial end-user industry in the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market. Increasing amount of flame retardant plastics and polymers provides thermal insulation to the residential and office buildings. This is one of the factors driving the construction industry. Similarly, demand for environment-friendly flame retardant polypropylene is rising in the automotive end-user industry for the production of automotive parts, seat covers, automotive interiors, and under hoods of cars.Asia Pacific and Europe are the key markets for low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene. China constitutes the largest market for low smoke halogen-free retardant polypropylene in Asia Pacific due to robust industrialization in the country. This has resulted in strong growth of the construction industry in China. Thus, the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness substantial growth during the forecast period. Western Europe held significant share of the global low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market in 2014. Automotive is the one of the major end-user segments driving the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market in Western Europe. Aerospace and aircraft accounted for substantial share of the low smoke halogen-free flame retardant polypropylene market in North America in 2014.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Low Smoke Halogen Free Flame Retardant Polypropylene market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market@Some of the leading players in the low smoke halogen free flame retardant polypropylene market include SIMONA AMERICA INC., Albemarle Corporation, Vycom Corporation, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont), Dover Chemical Corporation, Bayer AG, The Lubrizol Corporation, RTP Company, Teknor Apex Company, Celanese Corporation, and Lati S.p.A.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends.Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Monosodium Glutamate Market is Expected to Grow At ~4.9% CAGR During 2016-2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2699 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2699 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/monosodium-glutamate-market-2699 www.marketresearchfuture.com Global Monosodium Glutamate Market Information-by Application (Additives, Flavor Enhancers, Acidity regulators, Preservatives, and Others), by End User (Food Processing Industry, Cosmetic Industry, Pharmaceutical industry, Animal Feed, and Others) and by Region - Forecast till 2022The global monosodium glutamate market has been segmented into application and end use industries. On the basis of application, the market has been divided into additives, flavor enhancers, acidity regulators, preservatives, and others. Among these applications, additives and flavor enhancer have cover the largest market followed by acidity regulators, preservatives, and others. In 2015, additives as in application accounted the market share of 28% whereas flavor enhancer acquired 24%. Geographically, Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the largest market in terms of value and volume. The dominance of China in APAC as well as global market is fueling the global demand. Moreover, Europe and North American market would be a small market for MSG which consumes combines 15% of the total market.Request for sample report atFrom the end use industries, the global monosodium glutamate market has been divided into food processing industry, cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry, animal feed, and others. Among the end use industries, food processing and cosmetic have acquired the largest market share in 2015 owing to its increasing demand from the growing economies, especially from China. The growing demand from end use industries have augmented the market for monosodium glutamate which will further have a positive impact during the forecast period.The Global Monosodium Glutamate is expected to witness a significant growth of USD ~6,200 million by 2022 with CAGR of ~4.9% between 2016 and 2022Monosodium glutamate, which is an amino acid with the linear formula C5H8NNaO4 H2O is an important industrial chemical to enhance flavor of foods monosodium glutamate commonly used in fast foods. Although MSG is tasteless by itself, it is a flavor enhancer that can be used to improve the taste of meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, and soup. It is said to provide a unique flavor that is neither bitter, sour, sweet, nor salty. It is highly used by the food & beverage industry in frozen, canned, and dried foods. It has also been used, with sugar, to change the flavor of bitter drugs.Monosodium glutamate has found in various applications such as additives, flavor enhancers, acidity regulators, preservatives, and others. Increasing in demand of food industries is likely to drive the monosodium glutamate market growth. The growing food industries and animal feed industry on account of developing domestic as well as commercial market particularly in Asia-Pacific and Middle East has boosted the global monosodium glutamate market over the forecasted period.In addition monosodium glutamate has undoubtedly been the controversial focal point of a decades it causes health care issues such as seizures, migraines, chest pains, and brain lesions this can be hamper global monosodium glutamate market. The key players of monosodium glutamate are planning to provide natural alternatives foods.Get a discount atAsia Pacific is the largest market of monosodium glutamate due to demand in various applications such as additives, flavor enhancers in China region followed by Japan. Increasing demand for fast food in the Indian, Taiwan, and South Korea has made Asia Pacific largest consumer of the global monosodium glutamate market followed by increasing in the consumption of monosodium glutamate market in North America region. The third largest market of monosodium glutamate is Europe. Latin America and Middle East also witnessed in growth of monosodium glutamate market due to various application such as additives, flavor enhancers, acidity regulators, preservatives, and others.The global monosodium glutamate market is majorly segmented on the basis of application, end users and region. Based on application of monosodium glutamate the market is segmented into additives, flavor enhancers, acidity regulators, preservatives, and others. Based on end user the market segmented into food processing industry, cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry, animal feed, and others and based on region market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.Key players of the global monosodium glutamate market are Fufeng Group (China) AJINOMOTO Co.Inc.(Japan) Vedan International (Holdings) Limited. (Hong Kong) Ningxia Eppen Biotech Co.(China) KYOWA HAKKO BIO CO.LTD. (Japan) Shandong Linghua MSG Co., Ltd (China) Shandong Qilu Biotechnology Group (China) Shandong Shenghua Group (China) Jianyang Wuyi MSG Co. Ltd. (China)The report about Global Monosodium Glutamate Market by Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with detail analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts and key opinion leaders to gain a deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives a clear picture of the current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report further provides detail information about strategies used by top key players in the industry. It also gives a broad study about different market segments and regions.Browse complete report atAt 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.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W: Tachycardia Market share will expand till 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/tachycardia-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13355 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Tachycardia Market: OverviewTachycardia refers to rapid abnormal heartbeat that exceeds the normal heartbeat range and the irregular heart rhythm is usually more than 100 beats per minute. Due to higher-than-normal heartbeat, there is an increase in the need for oxygen by the heart muscle and the heart is not able to pump oxygenated blood to the body efficiently. Reaction to certain medications, heart abnormalities, coronary artery diseases, heart muscle diseases, hypertension, and hyperthyroidism are few of the causes of tachycardia. Various symptoms related to tachycardia are breathlessness, dizziness, heart palpitations, fainting, weakness, and chest pain.View Report @There are treatments which can possibly treat or manage tachycardia, which are as follows:Radiofrequency catheter ablationPacemakerImplantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)Vagal maneuversMedications (Lanoxin, tapazole, acetaminophen etc.)SurgeryBased on the type of tachycardia, this market can be further segmented as follows:Atrial fibrillation: It is the rapid rate of heart beat in the two upper chambers, the atriaAtrial flutter: The hearts atrium beats rapidly but at a regular rate due to weak contractions of the atriaSupraventricular tachycardia: This tachycardia originates above the ventricular tissue and is caused by abnormal electric signals inside the heartVentricular tachycardia: Abnormal heart beat rate in the ventricles, due to which the ventricles is not able to contract efficientlyVentruicular fibrillation: It occurs when rapid electrical heart signals cause the ventricles to tremble instead of pumpingTachycardia Market: Growth DriversThe major factors, which will drive the growth of the tachycardia market are increase in the prevalence of various heart diseases (i.e., atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter); growth in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter can be linked to the rapidly increasing aging population, sedentary lifestyle and related risk factors such as lung diseases and hypertension. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions prediction, 12 million people will be affected with atrial fibrillation by 2050 worldwide. On the other hand, a few adverse effects of therapeutic drugs such as bleeding risk and toxicity in the brain would most likely impede the growth of the tachycardia market.Tachycardia Market: Region-wise InsightGeographically, North America dominates the tachycardia market followed by Europe. The prime factors that have boosted the growth of this market in these regions are high awareness of the population about cardiovascular diseases coupled with geriatric population, which is rapidly increasing. According to the National Health Service (NHS), the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the U.K. was estimated to be 1.4 percent in 2011.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Tachycardia Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Moreover, technological advancement and improvements and increased competition from small market players have further fuelled the growth of the tachycardia market. Asia-Pacific is growing at the fastest rate and is one of the most lucrative regional markets for tachycardia treatments. Advantageous factors which will augment the growth of this market in Asia-Pacific are presence of emerging economies, improvement in healthcare infrastructures, constantly changing lifestyles of people which has accelerated the prevalence of heart diseases and the increasing need of individuals to opt for the most sophisticated treatment options. The co-operative initiatives and allowances offered by domestic governments to the healthcare sector in this region are remarkably high and thereby it will increase the chances of growth of this market in Asia-Pacific.Tachycardia Market: Key PlayersSome of the major market players operating in the tachycardia market are Medtronic, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Terumo Corporation, Atrium Medical Corporation, Sorin Group, Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd. and many others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MGX Minerals Inc. (MGX or the Company) (CSE:XMG) (FKT:1MG) (OTC:MGXMF) today announced that the Company has received approval from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to unitize its oil and gas leases within the Companys Paradox Basin Petrolithium project in Utah (Paradox Basin or the Project). This newly unitized area (the Unit) encompasses 80,380.84 acres of Federal, State of Utah, and private lands and provides MGX with a base of operations to conduct petrolithium exploration in Utah. Because of the high percentage of committed oil and gas leases, MGX has retained effective control of operations on committed oil and gas leases within the Unit. The Company currently controls mineral claims inclusive of lithium and other industrial minerals within the overwhelming majority of the Unit and the contiguous Lisbon oilfield. MGXs rapid extraction process harvest minerals like lithium and magnesium from petroleum brine- the salt water that accompanies oil and gas to the surface at oil wells (also known as produced water)- thats normally considered a waste product from oil and gas production. The patented process yields lithium- a crucial mineral for the renewable energy economy- in a matter of days, rather than the months or years required for traditional lithium extraction methods. While extracting minerals, MGXs technology also treats the produced water for reuse or simple disposal. Reservoir Study Nearing Completion The Company also reports that the Ryder Scott Company (Ryder Scott) is nearing completion of an independent resource evaluation for oil, gas and water for the Project. MGX expects to receive the report shortly. Paradox Basin and Lisbon Valley Oilfield MGX controls 110,000 acres of oil and gas leases and approximately 118,000 acres of largely overlying mineral claims within the Paradox Basin, located in close proximity to the Lisbon Valley oilfield 40 miles southeast of Moab, Utah. Brine content within the Lisbon oilfield have been historically reported as high as 730 ppm lithium (Superior Oil 88-21P). The Paradox Basin has been noted by the USGS as having one of the largest undeveloped oil and gas fields in the United States (Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources in the Paradox Basin Province; USGS; 2011; https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3031/FS12-3031.pdf). According to production statistics, as reported by the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Oil, Gas and Mining Division, cumulative lifetime production within Lisbon Valley oilfield, contiguous with the Blueberry Unit, has totaled 51.4 million barrels of oil as of February 2017 (Oil Production by Field, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil, Gas and Mining; February 2017; http://oilgas.ogm.utah.gov/Statistics/PROD_Oil_field.cfm). Qualified Person The technical portions of this press release were prepared and reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards. MGX may decide to advance its petrolithium projects into production without first establishing mineral resources supported by an independent technical report or completing a feasibility study. A production decision without the benefit of a technical report independently establishing mineral resources or reserves and any feasibility study demonstrating economic and technical viability creates increased uncertainty and heightens economic and technical risks of failure. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure. About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource company with interests in petrolithium, magnesium and silicon assets throughout North America. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements including the completion of the rights offering (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Telepathology Service Market - Future Scope Detailed Analysis to 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/telepathology-service-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13427 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Telepathology Service Market: OverviewTelepathology refers to the electronic transmission of high quality pathological data by the means of telecommunications technology to practice pathology from a distance. It opens the door for transfer of high quality image-rich pathological data between different locations for the purposes of diagnosis, education, and research. This technology is being utilized for purposes such as expert opinion on referral cases, emergency services, diagnosis at remote location, quality assurance, conferences and meetings, and for educational training. Telepathology is an emerging technology that offers advancement of telecommunication to reach out patient in remote location and provides best diagnostic inference to distant healthcare provider.View Report @This market research provides in-depth analysis of global telepathology service markets. It includes trends and sales in the telepathology service market. Key market players, service segments, supporting technologies, market dynamics, and competitive impact analysis are discussed in depth. The intended audience for this report includes Pathological Labs, Clinicians and Medical Practitioners, Medical Equipment Vendors, Outsourced Clinical Service Providers, Researchers and Academics, Healthcare Consultants, telecoms and tech start-ups among several other readers.Telepathology Service Market: Growth EnablersIn the current economy, cost cutting is a cardinal driver for the advancement of any technology which offers cost effectiveness and global reach to the entire market. Accurate pathological assessment, quick diagnoses, timely treatment and delivery of high-quality healthcare are some of the prime factors that would emphasize the global market demand for telepathology.In addition to that, the widespread presence of cancer, the increasing workload of healthcare providers, and advances in laboratory diagnostic tests drives the growth of telepathology market globally. However, the high initial setup cost and error in sampling pathological data would be catastrophic for global telepathology service market. Other factors which may restrain the telepathology services markets are rigorous regulatory requirements for telepathology systems as different issues arise in quality assurance and assessment of competence.It is of paramount importance to have equivalence between telepathology system and pathologist`s usual method of practice in order to recognize and acknowledge differences. The telepathology systems attributes and advantage differ from one company to the other. Every companys system differs in their telecommunication technology, scanning software and backup. The key to establishing a presence in the telepathology service market is to have a setup with a system design for pathologists that are service provider-centric, that is based on requirements of provider and designed to meet end-user requirements.Telepathology Service Market: SegmentationTelepathology is primarily segmented in three domains, namely, static image-based systems, virtual slide systems, and real-time systems. The global market for telepathology is segmented based on scanning technology, application type (hospital based, home based), software and hardware configuration, clinical application and geography. An aging population in North America and Asia Pacific and rising demand for home-based treatment are expected to boost the current and future telepathology market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Telepathology Service Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.23 million individuals aged 80 years or over were living in China in 2013. The USA contributed to about 12 million, followed by India and Japan, which had 10 million and 9 million, respectively. Apart from this increase expenditure in healthcare is also responsible for the shifting paradigm for future technology. It reflects the net result of the aging of the population on demand of technology that would be utilized for home based pathological diagnoses.Telepathology Service Market: Key PlayersMajor market players profiled in this report includes include Canada Health Infoway, University Health Network, Meyer Instruments, Inc., Telemedicine Clinic (TMC), AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc., Emerge MD, Focal Point , Nationwide Medical Licensing, Polycom, Inc, Remote Medical Technologies, USAC - Universal Service Administrative Company, Visual Share, Inc., Wolf Vision 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.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Laser Processing Market: Latest Trends and Forecast Analysis up to 2020 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/global-laser-processing-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3297 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Advantages of laser technology for material processing over other conventional techniques are fueling the adoption of laser technology in industrial processes. Laser technology is used for processing wide range of materials including metals, non-metals, polymers, glass, rubber and others. This encourages manufacturers to adopt laser technology in their manufacturing operations. Growing automobile and aerospace industry across Europe and Asia Pacific regions is expected to drive demand for laser processing systems during the forecast period. Furthermore, laser processing systems are expected to witness high demand during the forecast period owing to the rising consumer electronics industry in countries such as China, South Korea and others.Laser processing systems offer accurate processes at low costs as compared to conventional methods such as waterjet cutting, flame cutting and other processing methods. In addition, laser technology also offers permanent marking on consumer goods, electronic equipment and other products. Due to government regulations regarding clear marking on consumer products such as food, pharmaceuticals and others, laser technology is expected to be widely adopted for marking and engraving purpose. Furthermore, advanced laser products such as fiber lasers are expected to boost the demand for laser processing in manufacturing operations. These lasers offer large number of applications and are highly cost effective as compared to other laser products.Obtain Report Details @Material processing using laser technology led the global laser processing market with highest revenue share in 2013. This was mainly due to large number of applications offered by laser technology. Laser technology provides high precision cutting, welding, drilling and marking and engraving without damaging the material. Additionally, laser technology enables clean processes and minimal human intervention which helps in minimizing errors.In 2013, Asia Pacific held the largest market share and accounted for 42.6% of the global laser processing market. This growth was attributed to the high demand for laser technology in material processing from original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the region. The Asia Pacific region is also expected to be the fastest growing regional market for laser processing owing to the rise in number of manufacturing plants of different companies across this region. High demand for laser technology is majorly from countries such as Japan, China and South Korea. China is among the leading contributors to the laser processing market owing to high industry growth and presence of laser machine manufacturers such as Hans Laser Technology Co. Ltd.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketThe global market for laser processing was dominated by leading players such as Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG, Amada Co. Ltd., Hans Laser Technology Co. Ltd. and Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. These players together accounted for 49.4% share in 2013. The competition among these companies is expected to remain high over the forecast period. Other players in the laser processing market include Coherent Inc., Eurolaser GmbH, Epilog Laser Inc., IPG Photonics Corporation, Bystronic Laser AG and others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Industrial Robotics Market Research Report with regional analysis and forecast 2020 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/global-industrial-robotics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3187 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global industrial robotics market was valued at USD 28.93 billion in 2013, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020. ISO 8373 defines an industrial robot as an automatically reprogrammable, controlled, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes. It may either be fixed or mobile, as per its required use in industrial automation processes. There are different types of industrial robots which include cylindrical robots, articulated robots, Cartesian robots and SCARA robots among others.All these types of robots offer unique features and advantages, and are hence used majorly in a number of industry verticals namely, electrical & electronics industry, automotive industry, machinery industry, chemical, rubber & plastics industry, metals industry, precision & optics industry and food & beverages industry among other types of industries. These robots carry out a number of functions namely, materials handling, soldering and welding, assembling & disassembling, milling, cutting and processing, and painting and dispensing among other types of functions, in all the above mentioned industry verticals globally.Obtain Report Details @Articulated robots led the global market revenue share by types in 2013, followed by Cartesian robots. The other types of robots which include SCARA robots and cylindrical robots among others are also expected to witness significant growth owing to the increasing usage of industrial robotics across varied industry verticals, over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. The global industrial robotics market was dominated by the automotive industry segment which accounted for over one-fourth of the market revenue share in the year 2013. However, this sector is experiencing reduced growth compared to previous years due to slowdown in industrial production. Metals, foods & beverages, and precision & optics were the most attractive segments in the year 2013 and are analyzed to grow at the fastest pace compared to other industry verticals.The global industrial robotics market revenue share by functions was dominated by the materials handling segment which accounted for over one-third of the global share in the year 2013 and is also analyzed to continue its dominance over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Rising demand among varied industry verticals such as packaging, consumer electronics and electrical in the APAC and RoW regions are expected to further propel the industrial robotics market in this segment. In 2013, soldering and welding function was another major segment which accounted for over one-fourth of the global industrial robotics market owing to high end usage in machinery industry, where precision and accuracy are key factors.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketAsia Pacific led the global industrial robotics market revenue share in the year 2013, accounting for over half of the global market revenue share. The region is analyzed to dominate the market over the forecast period 2014 to 2020 owing to the immense research and development infrastructure growth in countries such as Japan, Australia, China and India. Moreover, the adoption of robotics in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is further expected to bolster the industrial robotics market in the Asia Pacific region. North America and Europe trailed Asia Pacific by accounting for over 20% of the global market revenue share in the year 2013. In North America, Mexico is expected to offer tremendous potential across varied application sectors in the coming years.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Recent Report Covers Upcoming Opportunities in Automatic Window Trim Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automatic-window-trim-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25685 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com An automotive window trim helps to protect a vehicles glass windows from external environment. The external look and feel of a car depends on quality and design of automotive window trim.The major types of automotive window trims are polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cloth or fabric finish, fire retardant and stainless steel among others. The PVC trims are flexible products of various dimension ranging from 4.5mm by 8mm to 16.8 mm by 17mm. Some PVC trims have internal clips and segmented metal spine to better hold automotive windows. Automotive window trims come in black, chrome, silver, white, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, red, white and other colors. Cloth or fabric trims are covered on top by wool or other soft materials. Stainless steel trims are generally found in automotive aftermarkets. Some automotive trims are fire retardant and made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPV).Obtain Report Details @By material, the market is segmented into PVC plastic, TPV, cloth/ fabric, steel and others. By vehicle type market is categorized into light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and others. Passenger vehicles hold the dominant share in the automotive window trim market.By geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Asia Pacific is a leading automotive window trim market. The major markets in this region are China, Japan, South Korea and India. China is the largest automotive window trim market in the world. Japan, South Korea and India are a significant automotive window trim markets. North America is also a leading automotive window trim market. The U.S., Canada and Mexico are the major markets in North America. The U.S is a significant automotive window trim market in the world. Europe is a major automotive window trim market in the world. Germany, the U.K, France, Italy and Spain are major markets in Europe. Germany is a significant automotive window trim market as it is the fourth largest passenger vehicle market in the world. In Middle East & Africa, the significant automotive window trim markets are Iran and South Africa. In Latin America, the significant markets are Brazil and Argentina. Currently Brazil is going through a recession which is anticipated to be over by end of 2017.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketRising demand for passenger vehicles and increasing production of automobiles across the world is anticipated to improve the demand for automotive window trim. The market size of automotive aftermarket industry is increasing which is anticipated to further increase the size of automotive window trim market. Globally, the average age of vehicles are rising which increases the maintenance cost and subsequently demand for automotive window trims will rise. Rising penetration of passenger vehicles across the world due to high disposable income will subsequently lead to increased demand for automotive window trims. A major opportunity for this market is increasing acceptance of electric and hybrid vehicles across the world. Leading automotive manufacturers such as BMW AG, Volvo Car Corp., Tesla Inc. plans to sell thousands of electric vehicles in future which is anticipated to increase the demand for automotive window trims.The report provides the various competitive strategies adopted by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles include company details, market presence by segment and geography, strategic overview, SWOT analysis and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. Some of the major companies in the automotive window trim market are Dura Automotive Systems (the U.S), The Automobile Trimmings Co. (the U.K), Active Manufacturing Corp. (the U.S), Trim-lok (the U.S), Gemini Group (the U.S), SO.F.TER. (Italy), Cascade Engineering (the U.S), Enthone Automotive Solutions (the U.S), Grupo Antolin (Spain), Guardian Industries (the U.S) and UFP Technologies (the U.S).About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Automotive Wipers Market to Witness Impressive Growth in the Near Future http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-wipers-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25646 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Automotive wipers are commonly known as windshield wipers. Such wipers are used for the purpose of removing dirt, water and snow from the windshield of a vehicle. An automotive wiper is a metal arm attached with a rubber blade on the lower part of the windshield of a vehicle. Some vehicles also have wipers installed in front of headlights and the back glass. In most of the vehicles the wiper is powered by an electric motor whereas in few vehicles it is pneumatic powered. The major types of automotive wipers are standard hinged wiper blades, hingeless wiper blades and winter wiper blades.Standard hinged wiper blades are installed in most vehicles, which have light stamped metal frames with numerous pivots. These wipers have been used over a decade and very economical to the buyers. In extreme winter condition, the metal frame of the wiper collects ice from the windshield. This makes the wiper less effective by not allowing the rubber edges of the wiper to press against the glass. Therefore, such wiper blades need to be cleaned regularly under extreme cold conditions. Hingeless wiper blades on the other hand is made up of flexible plastic. As there is no metal frame, there is less surface for ice and snow to build up on. In addition, there are no hinges to limit the range of movement of the wiper.Hingeless wiper blades are premium blades, which are priced higher than standard hinged wiper blades. Winter wiper blades are similar to standard hinged wiper blades having a metal frame and a rubber edge but unlike standard hinged wiper blades, winter wiper blades has its entire frame encased in a rubber boot. This makes it difficult for the ice and snow to stagnate on the surface of wiper. Winter wiper blades are excellent for cold conditions but during the summer, the rubber boot can deteriorate quickly resulting in crack or tear.Obtain Report Details @The automotive wipers market can be classified by type, by application, by vehicle type and by geography. The type segment can be classified into standard hinged wiper blades, hingeless wiper blades and winter wiper blades. By application, the market can be segregated as windshield wipers, headlight wipers and rear wipers. By vehicle type, the market can be categorized as passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles. By geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.In the automotive wipers market, Asia Pacific holds the largest market share in terms of revenue followed by Europe, North America, Latin America and, Middle East and Africa (MEA). In the Asia Pacific region, countries such as China and India has been witnessing heavy demand and production for passenger vehicles. This in turn is increasing the application of automotive wipers in passenger vehicles of above mentioned countries. The market in North America and Europe tends to be a bit saturated but the market is expected to remain stable during the forecast period. By the end of the forecast period, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America are expected to show significant growth, considering the growth in automotive sector and rising demand for passenger and commercial vehicles in the regions.Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketThe report also provides company market share analysis of the various industry participants. Acquisition is the main strategy being widely followed by leading market players. In case of an acquisition, the acquirer takes advantage of existing synergies. As a result, both companies are expected to emerge more profitable and stronger than before.Key players in the global automotive wipers market have been profiled and their company overview, financial overview, business strategies and recent developments have been covered in the report. Major market participants profiled in this report include: Wexco Industries, Inc. (U.S.), PMP Auto Components Private Ltd. (India), TRICO (U.S.), Saver Automotive Products, Inc. (U.S.), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Denso Corporation (Japan) and Federal Mogul Corporation (U.S.) among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Smartphone OS Market Heating Up due to the Growing Demand from Industries http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smartphone-os-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25313 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A smart phone operating system (OS) is essential engine which helps to run the smart phone smoothly. Operating systems of a smart phone manages both the software and hardware to create an easy user experience. Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Windows are the most common OS used in smart phone.In addition, increasing number of mobile devices and mobile users has fueling the market of smart phone OS and is expected a significant growth during the forecast period. Rising use of mobile devices and growing dependency on smart phone in daily life the market of smart phone OS in rising and is anticipated a positive growth during the forecast period. However, the complexity in design of smart phone is acting as a restraint of this market. Many manufacturers are focusing on this matter and they are trying to make it user friendly, therefore the impact of this restraint is medium and is expected to be low during the forecast period.The market of smart phone operating systems (OS) is segmented into two categories: by type and by region. By type the market of smart phone operating systems (OS) is segmented by Android, iOS and Windows and others.Obtain Report Details @The Android OS is Google's open and free programming stack that incorporates a middleware, operating systems and key applications for use on cell phones, including smart phone. Updates for the Android OS have been produced under "dessert propelled" adaptation names (Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jellybean, Kitkat, Lollipop, Marshmallow and Nougat) with new version is coming base in sequential order arrange with new upgrades and enhancements. iPhones operating systems was initially created for use on its iPhone gadgets. Presently, the smart phone operating system is known to as iOS and is supported on different Apple gadgets including the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The iOS operating system is accessible only in Apple gadgets as the organization does not permit the OS for outsider equipment. Windows Mobile is Microsoft's operating systems utilized as a part of smart phone and mobile phones. The Mobile OS based on the Windows CE 5.2 kernel. n 2010 Microsoft announced another mobile phone organize called Windows Phone 7. In others segment includes BlackBerry, MeeGo OS, Palm OS.The BlackBerry operating systems is an exclusive versatile working framework created by Research in Motion for use in the organization's mainstream BlackBerry handheld gadgets. The BlackBerry stage is well known to corporate clients as it offers synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise, Lotus Domino email and different business programming, when utilized with the BlackBerry Enterprise ServerRequest a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketBy geography the global smart phone operating system (OS) market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America smart phone operating system (OS) held the largest market share in 2016, and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) smart phone operating system (OS) market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing adoption of smart phone and changing lifestyle is the major driving factors in North America and is expected to provide a significant growth of smart phone operating system (OS) market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is expecting the fastest growth due to the rising economics such as China and India. Middle East and Africa has shown a remarkable growth in mobile BPMmarket followed by Latin America in recent years.The key players participating in the smart phone operating system (OS) market is marked by some strong competition from the major players operating in this industry. Numerous merger and acquisition, joint venture and partnership agreement, product innovation, research and development and geographical extension are some of the key strategies adopted by this player to ensure long term sustenance in these market key participants in the global smart phone operating system (OS) industry include are Microsoft Corporation (Washington, U.S.) Apple Inc. (California, U.S.), Google (California, U.S.), AsusTek Computer Inc. (China), Canonical Ltd (London, U.K.), Access Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and Others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Smart Home Theater Systems Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/global-smart-home-theater-systems-industry-2017-market-report http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001852000/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001852000/discount ReportsWeb.com has added a new report titled Global Smart Home Theater Systems 2017 Market Report, to the database, the report focuses on Product Price, Profit, Capacity, Production, Capacity Utilization, Supply, Demand and Industry Growth.Smart Home Theater Systems Report by Material, Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China) .Get more information about this reportThe report firstly introduced the Smart Home Theater Systems basics: definitions, Classifications, plications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturingProcesses; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.The report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) basic information;2.) the Asia Smart Home Theater Systems Market;3) the North American Smart Home Theater Systems Market;4) the European Smart Home Theater Systems Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.Get free Sample Copy of ReportFew Points from Table of ContentPart I Smart Home Theater Systems OverviewChapter One Smart Home Theater Systems OverviewChapter Two Smart Home Theater Systems Up and Down Stream Industry AnalysisPart II Asia Smart Home Theater Systems (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Three Asia Smart Home Theater Systems Market AnalysisChapter Four 2012-2017 Asia Smart Home Theater Systems Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Five Asia Smart Home Theater Systems Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Six Asia Smart Home Theater Systems Development TrendPart III North American Chapter Seven North American Smart Home Theater Systems Market AnalysisChapter Eight 2012-2017 North American Smart Home Theater Systems Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nine North American Smart Home Theater Systems Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Ten North American Smart Home Theater Systems Development TrendPart IV Europe Smart Home Theater Systems Analysis (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Eleven Europe Smart Home Theater Systems I Market AnalysisChapter Twelve 2012-2017 Europe Smart Home Theater Systems Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Thirteen Europe Smart Home Theater Systems Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Fourteen Europe Smart Home Theater Systems Development TrendPart V Smart Home Theater Systems Marketing Channels and Investment FeasibilityChapter Fifteen Smart Home Theater Systems Marketing Channels Development Proposals AnalysisChapter Sixteen Development Environmental AnalysisChapter Seventeen Smart Home Theater Systems y New Project Investment Feasibility AnalysisPart VI Global Smart Home Theater Systems ConclusionsChapter Eighteen 2012-2017 Global Smart Home Theater Systems Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nineteen Global Smart Home Theater Systems Development TrendChapter Twenty Global Smart Home Theater Systems Research ConclusionsGet Discount on Report Purchase -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.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 ORANGE, Calif., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharing Services, Inc. (OTC Markets:SHRV) announced today it has entered into an agreement with Equities.com, Inc. Equities.com connects global investors, executives, financial experts and industry professionals with emerging growth companies. Equities.com is a financial technology company that provides editorial news coverage, company information, and profiles about exciting new companies. We sought out and found the right news source and digital publication to help us share Sharing Services, Inc. with the world, said Jordan Brock, Sharing Services, Inc.s CEO. Equities.com is unique in that they really care about the quality of their publication and accuracy of what theyre reporting, we love the veracity over the hype, said Brock. Our goal is to provide compelling independent news, content and data on fast growing companies to millions of potential investors, influencers, and decision-makers, says Enzo Villani, CEO of Equities.com. Sharing Services has developed a unique model for the online travel industry, and were very excited to be working with them. Equities.com provides independent content from over 80 contributors and internal staff and its revenue model is focused on investor relations. Equities.com develops profiles for corporate clients that include video content, executive summaries and premier news the company provides. Equities.com has developed proprietary investor targeting tools to facilitate distribution and engagement with potential investors and shareholders. Equities.com, Inc. has over 4.2 million active investors using our platform annually and over 250 million potential investors across our proprietary investor targeting and content network, social media and news distribution services. About Equities.com Equities.com is a financial technology company connecting emerging growth companies, global investors, executives, fund managers, financial experts, and industry professionals on one platform. Equities.com provides trading services, breaking editorial news coverage, and financial information on public and private companies. As an emerging growth and investor community with over 4.2 million visitors per year, Equities.com encourages investors to trade and consume independent news, content and data on fast growing companies while highlighting emerging market trends. Equities.com helps public and private companies gain visibility in front of millions of potential investors, influencers, and decision-makers. About Sharing Services, Inc.: Sharing Services, Inc. is a diversified travel holdings company specializing in ride sharing, mobile applications, 4.0 meta-search technologies, relationship marketing, group travel programs, brick-and-mortar travel agencies and now vacation funding. The Companys direct-to-consumer online travel agent (OTA) platform delivers unprecedented access to many of todays most popular travel destinations, and all with savings of up to 30% and 80% off published rates. Visit http://www.sharingservicesinc.com, call 714.203.6717, or email info@sharingservicesinc.com, to learn more. Find us on Facebook. Precautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in the Company's disclosures or filings with the SEC. View Online Thursday, 3 August 2017, 9:00am (CET) - presentation for media, analysts and investors Dear Sir/Madam GAM cordially invites you to participate in the presentation of its 2017 half-year results which will take place as follows: Date: Thursday, 3 August 2017 Time: 9:00am CET (8:00am GMT, 3:00am EST) New location: Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel, Room Bavaria AB, 1st floor, Turbinenstrasse 20, 8005 Zurich The results will be presented by Alexander Friedman, Group CEO, and Richard McNamara, Group CFO. Please indicate if you would like to attend the presentation by completing and returning the attached registration form or by replying to this email invitation by 22 July 2017. Telephone dial-in facilities and a live webcast will be available for those who are unable to attend the event. Detailed information on the 2017 half-year results of GAM will be available on www.gam.com from 7:00am CET on Thursday, 3 August 2017. Kind regards, Elena Logutenkova Media Relations GAM Holding AG Patrick Zuppiger Investor Relations GAM Holding AG To listen in to the presentation by telephone: UK Free Phone 0800 279 5004 UK Local +44 (0) 20 3427 1903 USA Free Phone 1877 280 2296 Switzerland Local +41 (0) 44 580 7215 Germany Local +49 (0) 69 2222 10628 Please provide the code 2511011 when requested. Please dial-in approximately 10 minutes before the start of the presentation in order to register. Telephone participants will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentation. Presentation playback: UK Local +44 (0) 207 984 7568 USA Local 888 203 1112 Switzerland Local +41 0) 22 567 5709 Germany Local +49 (0) 69 2000 1800 Please enter the code 2511011 when requested. This playback facility will be available after the presentation until 5 August 2017 at 1:30pm CET. To watch the webcast of the presentation: The webcast will be accessible, both live and as a replay, on www.gam.com, along with the accompanying presentation slides. Please note that there will be no facility to ask questions via the webcast. You will need to log in and register prior to the event. Investor distribution list: If you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please email us at media@gam.com Environmental Impact Study Filed for Drill Permits and Pumping Tests Montgomery and Associates Retained for NI 43-101 Technical Report VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NRG Metals Inc. (NRG or the Company) (TSX-V:NGZ) (OTCQB:NRGMF) (Frankfurt:OGPN). The Company is pleased to announce that it has filed an Environmental Impact Study seeking permits to conduct exploration drilling, pumping tests, and evaporative testing at the Hombre Muerto North Project, located in the Province of Salta, Argentina. The study was completed on behalf of the Company by EC&Asociados, an ISO 9001 certified environmental consultancy based in Salta. Once permits have been obtained, the Company plans to drill up to eight diamond core holes to depths ranging from 150 to 200 m. Depending upon the results obtained from the drilling, the depth of the holes may be extended to as much as 400 m. Core holes with positive results will be followed up by larger diameter tricone holes (approximately 12 inch diameter) for pumping tests. While permitting is underway, the company will complete a geophysical survey to existing data. The company is planning to engage a drilling contractor as soon as the permits are granted. In addition, the Company is planning to construct a pilot test pond to assess evaporative conditions and chemical features of the brine which will be used to calibrate and validate a mathematical model to size the ponds, liming and carbonation plants. NRG plans to utilize the considerable experience of its lithium team to quickly evaluate and potentially develop the Hombre Muerto North property should the economic viability and technical feasibility of the project be established by a Feasibility Study. Upon completion of permitting, the company will complete an exploration drill program, and if results warrant, further advance the project through the necessary work and studies to estimate a resource and, if a resource is delineated, determine the optimal size for any potential commercial production supported by a PEA, PFS or FS. Jose de Castro, Chief Operating Officer is quoted, I am very excited with the land package we have assembled in the Hombre Muerto salar, which is the premier lithium producing salar in Argentina, and I am looking forward to advancing the project quickly. The Company is also pleased to announce that it has retained Montgomery and Associates of Santiago, Chile, to perform confirmation sampling at the project and complete a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report. Twenty surface samples collected on behalf of the project vendor in 2016-2017 returned lithium values ranging from 48 to 1,064 mg/L Li, and averaged 587 mg/L Li. Magnesium to lithium ratios were low by industry standards, ranging from 1:1 to 10:1, averaging 4.6:1. The 43-101 report will provide details of the project geology and the Companys planned drilling program. NRG Metals Inc. is an exploration stage company focused on the advancement of lithium projects in Argentina. Company management are highly qualified in the exploration and development to production, of lithium brine projects. In addition to the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project, the Company is evaluating the 29,000 hectare Carachi Pampa Lithium Project in the province of Catamarca, which is in the final stage of drill permitting. NRG Metals Inc. currently has 66,330,885 shares issued and outstanding, and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under symbol NGZ, on the OTC QB Market under symbol NRGMF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under symbol OGPN. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of NRG Metals Inc. Adrian F. C. Hobkirk President and Chief Executive Officer / ahobkirk@nrgmetalsinc.com TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE The preparation of this press release was supervised by Mr. William Feyerabend, a Certified Professional Geologist and a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Feyerabend approves the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this press release. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed the content of this news release and therefore does not accept responsibility or liability for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release. This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The transaction described in this news release is subject to a variety of conditions and risks which include but are not limited to: regulatory approval, shareholder approval, market conditions, legal due diligence for claim validity, financing, political risk, security risks at the property locations and other risks. As such, the reader is cautioned that there can be no guarantee that this transaction will complete as described in this news release. We seek safe harbor. ATHENS, Greece, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Hudson Shipping Lines Incorporated for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Alcyon. The gross charter rate is US$8,800 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum twelve (12) months to maximum fifteen (15) months. The charter is expected to commence on July 21, 2017. The m/v Alcyon is currently chartered, as previously announced, to Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S, Copenhagen, at a gross charter rate of US$5,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The Alcyon is a 75,247 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2001. This employment is anticipated to generate approximately US$3.17 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter. Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet currently consists of 51 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 5 Kamsarmax and 23 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet is approximately 5.9 million dwt with a weighted average age of 7.95 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release. About the Company Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. Disability Network of Mid-Michigan hosted its annual meeting at the Great Hall Banquet and Convention Center on May 23. Community partners, stakeholders, staff and consumers attended the dinner. Elected to serve as executive officers of the board of directors were President Greg Pollock (The Dow Chemical Co.), Vice-President Jordan Summers (Chemical Bank), Secretary Mary Reif (Shine Window Care), Treasurer Robbie Waclawski (Special Olympics Michigan) and Past-President Norm Donker (Michigan Attorney Generals Office). DNMM welcomed two new members to its board: Dennis Palmer (Disability Advocate) and Michelle Ursuy (Smart ID Works). They join current at-large board members Mary Laforet (MEL Associates), John Searles (Midland County Educational Service Agency) and Tom Provoast (The Dow Chemical Co.). Ursuy is an account manager for Smart ID Works, an Amerisource Bergen Company handling customer service and conflict resolution across an 18-state service area. She previously worked as an instructor at the Olympia Career Training Institute and in various roles in the pharmacy and pharmtech fields, during which time she served as president of the Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians. Palmer worked several years an executive sales manager and a product development manager before acquiring a traumatic brain injury following an accident. Since his injury, he has dedicated his life to advocating the independent living philosophy for people with disabilities. He meets regularly with employers and lawmakers about the obstacles people with disabilities face on a daily basis. It is an exciting time to be a part of Disability Network of Mid-Michigan, said newly instituted board President Pollock. I am very proud of the organizations growth and am committed to strengthening the role it plays in serving our community. "As a non-profit agency servicing 12 counties, we are fortunate to have a diverse and active board of directors dedicated to building accessible and inclusive communities and to advancing our mission of promoting independence for all people with disabilities, said Steven Locke, DNMM executive director. Paducah, KY (42003) Today Cloudy with periods of snow after midnight. Low around 30F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of snow after midnight. Low around 30F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Toronto, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransPod, the startup that is building the worlds leading hyperloop system to disrupt and redefine commercial transportation, today released the results of its Initial Order of Magnitude Analysis to build a TransPod ultra-high-speed line in Southwestern Ontario between the cities of Toronto and Windsor, with multiple stops in between. The study indicates that building a TransPod hyperloop system will cost half the projected cost of a high-speed rail (HSR) line along the same route, while offering faster and more efficient transportation for passengers and cargo, at more than four times the top speed of HSR. The Government of Ontario recently announced an investment of $15 million for an environmental assessment of its plans for an HSR line along the same Toronto-Windsor corridor. Premier Kathleen Wynne introduced a study conducted by former federal minister David Collenette, to present one option for a way forward to tackle the growing challenges of urban mobility, environmental sustainability, and economic growth in the region. Southwestern Ontario accounts for 50 per cent of the provinces GDP, and developing high-speed transportation for the region will absolutely benefit and strengthen its economic growth and global competitiveness," said Sebastien Gendron, co-founder and CEO, TransPod. But we need to future-proof ourselves, and we cant continue with outdated technology. Countries like China, Japan, and South Korea have already moved past high-speed rail and begun building much faster trains using magnetic levitation the age of high-speed rail has come and gone, and the technology will soon be obsolete. We strongly urge the Government of Ontario to consider hyperloop feasibility, for its cost efficiency and speed advantages, in its next assessment. Key findings from TransPods report, with comparisons to the Collenette study, are as follows: Parameters for the full Toronto-to-Windsor corridor TransPod hyperloop line High-speed rail Total cost $10.3 billion* $20.9 billion* Total end-to-end travel time 30 minutes 2 hours Cost per kilometre (total: 350 km) $29 million $55 million Maximum speed Beyond 1,000 km/h 250 km/h Average speed 700 km/h 150 km/h * Includes contingencies Key benefits of a TransPod hyperloop line are as follows: Its more affordable to build: The initial cost analysis to build a TransPod hyperloop line in the Toronto Windsor corridor is 50 per cent less than the projected cost of HSR. The initial cost analysis to build a TransPod hyperloop line in the Toronto Windsor corridor is 50 per cent less than the projected cost of HSR. Its much faster: The average speed of the TransPod vehicles will be 700 km/h, and its top speed is beyond 1,000 km/h. This is more than four times faster than HSR, which is projected to travel at an average speed of 150 km/h and a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The average speed of the TransPod vehicles will be 700 km/h, and its top speed is beyond 1,000 km/h. This is more than four times faster than HSR, which is projected to travel at an average speed of 150 km/h and a maximum speed of 250 km/h. Its environmentally sustainable: TransPods technology is powered by renewable energies including self-sustainable solar power with zero fossil fuel consumption, for reduced carbon emissions. TransPods technology is powered by renewable energies including self-sustainable solar power with zero fossil fuel consumption, for reduced carbon emissions. It will alleviate challenges with housing affordability: TransPods convenient, ultra-high-speed trips will allow commuters more flexibility on where they can live in relation to where they work, by drastically cutting down commute times and helping to realize true urban mobility. This is expected to encourage housing development in the region, and will alleviate housing pressure on larger urban centres like Toronto. TransPods convenient, ultra-high-speed trips will allow commuters more flexibility on where they can live in relation to where they work, by drastically cutting down commute times and helping to realize true urban mobility. This is expected to encourage housing development in the region, and will alleviate housing pressure on larger urban centres like Toronto. A hyperloop system will realize regional benefits: This includes relieving traffic congestion on major roads such as Highway 401, attracting and retaining talent who are not held back by commute times, and supporting economic growth in the area. Smart infrastructure can help to alleviate environmental, economic, and even housing concerns, in order to sustain future growth, said Gendron. We cannot continue to be laggards, especially in a province whose economic growth and quality of life may potentially have rippling effects across the country. TransPod, would appreciate and welcome the opportunity to work with the Ontario government to assess hyperloop feasibility. TransPods breakthrough research, and made-in-Canada technology, will enable convenient, safe, ultra-high-speed journeys to be as simple as waiting five minutes for the next station departure, said Ryan Janzen, co-founder and CTO, TransPod. The TransPod vehicle uses cutting-edge aerospace technology, while the interior will be reminiscent of an advanced aircraft cabin with rows of seating. The riding experience is smooth, comfortable, and fast. This technology is being developed in Canada with TransPods global industrial partners, to redefine future transportation. For more information: In November 2016, TransPod announced the closing of a seed round for $15 million USD, and is continuing to invest in research, product development and global growth. In March 2017, TransPod announced the opening of three offices in North America and Europe to accelerate the development of a commercially viable hyperloop system by 2020. In June 2017, TransPod announced a partnership with Liebherr-Aerospace to develop next-generation thermal management technology for the TransPod hyperloop system. About TransPod TransPods goal is to disrupt and redefine commercial transportation between major cities in developed and emerging markets. The startup was founded in 2015 to build the worlds leading hyperloop system to connect people, cities, and businesses with high-speed transportation that is affordable and environmentally sustainable. TransPod is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. For more information, visit www.transpodhyperloop.com. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd229ef4-056a-4e2d-974a-f65c4d36b016 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e65c3b8-6076-4c60-87c8-55f043c75461 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7527a5dc-769c-4e67-85e7-5cb04e483e0b We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apparel charity Dignity U Wear, based in Jacksonville, FL has become a part of Nashville, TN based non-profit Soles4Souls. With a similar mission Soles4Souls has acquired all of Dignity U Wears current clothing inventory and assets. Dignity U Wear has grown beyond the resources of a small agency. The organization has seen a tremendous increase in need across the entire country as well as the cost of logistics and transport. Soles4Souls has a global infrastructure for product collection, warehousing and distribution which will expand on the Dignity U Wear mission, benefiting those in need domestically and internationally by providing much needed clothing. By joining forces, Soles4Souls will be able to leverage the Dignity U Wear apparel inventory to help hundreds of thousands around the world, said Buddy Teaster, Soles4Souls President and CEO. At the same time, the Dignity U Wear network will allow Soles4Souls to significantly expand its domestic distribution of free clothes. We are excited about these new avenues to serve those in need and increase our impact. For 17 years, Dignity U Wear has been providing free new clothing to those in need. With humble beginnings providing underwear and socks to the homeless to serving thousands of recipients with donated, new clothing to restart their lives. Dignity U Wears distribution network has helped 1.3 million individuals. Since its founding in 2006, Soles4Souls has grown to provide short-term relief, bridging economic gaps for families, through direct assistance programs providing new shoes and clothing to millions of people annually through more than 1,000 charitable partner organizations in the US and around the world. Soles4Souls also creates long-term solutions to global poverty through a micro-enterprise model which provides entrepreneurs in developing nations the ability to start small businesses by providing a steady supply of high-quality, low-cost product: a powerful and sustainable way for people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Soles4Souls continues to act as second wave responders providing footwear and clothing to those in need during times of disaster. Soles4Souls micro-enterprise operations are focused in sub-Saharan Africa, Moldova, Haiti, and Honduras with plans underway to expand to additional regions of the world with extreme poverty. Services provide the distribution of more than 2.5 million pairs of shoes and 1 million pounds of clothing annually. About Soles4Souls Soles4Souls disrupts the cycle of poverty by creating sustainable jobs and providing relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the organization repurposes product to supply its micro-enterprise, disaster relief and direct assistance programs. Since 2006, it has distributed more than 30 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries. A nonprofit social enterprise, Soles4Souls earns more than half of its income and commits 100% of donations to programs. Visit soles4souls.org for more information. ### Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6527a890-4a3b-4e6c-aa2c-6cb7df82e39e Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/628756eb-2c94-44e9-b075-17d52b8d7c1a BLOOMINGTON A veterans court scheduled to open next year will offer service members an opportunity to address mental health conditions that may have contributed to their alleged criminal misconduct. Judge Robert Freitag told the McLean County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Wednesday that planning is underway for a veterans court in the 11th Judicial Circuit, which includes McLean, Livingston, Logan, Tazewell and Ford counties. The number of eligible defendants may be small, said Freitag, but "clearly we do have veterans who become involved in the criminal justice system who will benefit from this program." Representatives from the five counties have been working on plans for the court, which would be open to qualifying non-violent offenders. The group will visit existing veterans court in Effingham and Peoria next month. The new state law mandating a veterans court in each judicial circuit is not without some hurdles, said Freitag, including the logistics of getting clients to the specialty court. Freitag is a military veteran. The veterans courts will be similar to those for defendants with mental health and substance abuse issues. A probationary term would include requirements for treatment and cooperation with efforts by the court team to help the offender obtain housing, employment and other services. The first veterans court opened in the United States in 2008 in New York and now includes 350 in 32 states. Madison County opened the first veterans court in Illinois in 2009. In other matters, the justice council reviewed a report on use of the county and recidivism rates for offenders. Bookings for felonies in 2017 have been the lowest since 2013, while misdemeanor bookings are slightly higher than last year, according to the study. The number of beds days a measurement of overnight stays for felonies is similarly down. The ISU Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development conducted the study at the request of CJCC, which wanted to examine recidivism rates for convictions in McLean County between 2002 and 2017. The report indicates that of the 18,521 people convicted of felony or misdemeanor charges, 21.9 percent, or 4,053 offenders, were convicted of a new offense. The calculations include all cases where a person is convicted of a misdemeanor or felony within two years of a previous conviction, during probation, or within two years of their previous probation period. Narrowing the review to those who picked up a new offense within two years following completion of probation puts the recidivism rate at 28 percent for 1,131 offenders. The criminal justice council is comprised of judges, attorneys and others who are involved or interested in the operation of the criminal justice system. BLOOMINGTON A Bloomington man accused of killing his former wife is asking for the return of half his bond to fund expert witnesses required for his defense, according to recently filed court documents. Kirk Zimmerman needs $100,000 to pay for experts to respond to potential evidence the state intends to present at his trial, according to a motion filed Monday by St. Louis defense lawyer John Rogers. Zimmerman is accused of the November 2014 shooting death of his ex-wife Pam Zimmerman, said the motion filed by Rogers. Pam Zimmerman's body was found in her Bloomington office. Her former husband was arrested eight months later. Kirk Zimmerman posted $200,025 on Nov. 24, 2015, and agreed to bond conditions that require him to remain at home on electronic monitoring unless he has medical or legal appointments. The conditions prevent Zimmerman from seeking employment, his lawyer said in this week's motion. The defense wants to hire expert witnesses to analyze and testify on evidence that includes gunshot residue allegedly found on the gear shift of Kirk Zimmerman's car. Zimmerman cannot fund these necessary portions of his defense with his current resources, according to his lawyer. The $100,000 remaining in bond would be sufficient to guarantee Zimmermans appearance in court, said Rogers, based on Zimmerman's track record since his arrest. Zimmerman violated his bond conditions once when he stopped at a restaurant on his way home. A previous request from Zimmerman to leave his home for employment purposes was denied by Judge Scott Drazewski. The defense also has filed motions seeking to ban from the jury a report by FBI forensic accountant Thomas L. Byers. The report is misleading and inaccurate, said the defense motion. The defense argues that the accountants estimate of a $518,000 pre-divorce net worth was based on two incomes. Zimmerman's net worth shrank to $107,000 after the 2012 split was finalized. Characterizations that Kirk Zimmermans 2014 spending on housing cleaning services, computer games and home improvements was superfluous are irrelevant and should be kept from the jury, said the motion. The financial review was compiled without input from Zimmerman or those close to him, leaving it open to baseless speculation, said the defense filing. The defense also has asked that the state be prohibited from sharing with the jury any information from the portion of the Bloomington Police investigation related to Zimmerman's alleged trip to Indiana to purchase a gun about two weeks before the murder. Police failed to uncover any evidence showing defendant intended to buy a firearm, or that he made contact with any person in Crawfordsville/Lafayette area at all, the defense argues. Using telematic data from Zimmermans car and internet search data from his home and work computers, investigators believe Zimmerman may have traveled to Indiana on Oct. 24, 2014. As part of their theory that Zimmerman went out of state to buy a gun, police conducted their own search of online gun sales and located an advertisement for a Keltac P11 9 mm pistol for sale by a man in Lafayette. In his motion, Rogers notes the gun owner was deceased at the time of the January 2015 investigation. Two witnesses who were present when the gun was sold could not identify Zimmerman as the man who had bought the firearm, Rogers said. Allowing the jury to hear that evidence would be unfair and prejudicial, Rogers argued. A ruling is expected Monday on whether the state will be allowed to present statements from witnesses who allegedly heard comments from Pam Zimmerman about fears she had of her former husband. The judge ruled earlier this week that evidence from 17 search warrants will be allowed at trial. BLOOMINGTON City Manager David Hales is in the running for a similar job in Topeka, Kan. Bloomington Communication Manager Nora Dukowitz confirmed Hales is a finalist for Topeka city manager. Hales was out of the office Thursday and could not be reached for comment. The finalists for the Topeka job are slated for interviews during the week of July 17-21, said Amy McCarter, City of Topeka spokeswoman. Topeka officials plan to release the number and names of the finalists Friday morning, McCarter said. The search firm Topeka is working with to help find a city manager requested that information be announced after the finalists' backgrounds had been checked out. Topeka City Manager Jim Colson resigned last October to return to Arizona. He was hired in July 2012 when he was then Glendale, Ariz., deputy city manager. Topeka is significantly bigger than Bloomington. In the most recent census data, the Kansas city has a population of almost 128,000; Blooomington's population is around 79,000. In March, Hales withdrew his name from consideration as one of three out-of-state finalists to replace retiring Racine, Wis., city administrator Tom Friedel. "Ultimately, I decided that the fit was not right for me at Racine," Hales told The Pantagraph at that time. In May 2016, the Bloomington City Council approved extending Hales' contract 18 months, through July 11, 2018. The contract extension was shorter than two previous contracts for Hales. His initial employment agreement was from Dec. 8, 2008, to April 30, 2009. The city then entered into a second contract with Hales, which expired in April 2013. A third contract expired Jan. 11, 2017. When Hales was hired in December 2008 to replace retiring City Manager Tom Hamilton, he was the finance director in West Jordan, Utah, and previously served as city manager at Bend, Ore., and Kannapolis, N.C. NORMAL Central Illinois state legislators returned to a familiar target early and often while addressing Twin City business leaders on Thursday at Illinois State University. "(House) Speaker (Michael) Madigan inserted a clause into the budget bill that holds schools hostage," said State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet. "No one in this room would ever say, 'This is a legitimate negotiating tactic, let's hold schoolchildren hostage.' ... Those type of tactics from the speaker not only aren't right, but make it almost impossible to find some sort of consensus." Rose joined Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady, State Sen. Jason Barickman and State Rep. Dan Brady, all Bloomington Republicans, in blaming Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, for many of the state's ills during a forum with the McLean County Chamber of Commerce at the Hancock Stadium Club. The conversation centered on the state budget and controversial income tax hike approved last week. The agreement ended a two-year stalemate during which the state operated without a budget and accumulated $15 billion in unpaid bills, but at the cost of an income tax bump from 3.75 to 4.95 percent. Those proposals made it through both state legislative chambers despite vetoes from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who sought business-friendly changes, including a property tax freeze and workers' compensation reform. Madigan has said those proposals would hurt middle class Illinoisans. All four lawmakers speaking Thursday voted against the tax hike, which was supported by several Republicans, including State Rep. Bill Mitchell of Forsyth. "No one's more disappointed than the four of us" about the lack of reforms, said Bill Brady. He added education funding reform "is a leverage point we have that we hope we can use to get the reforms that were on the table." The budget requires a new state funding formula for K-12 schools before they receive additional money the tactic Rose criticized. When asked about Bill Brady including similar language in his budget proposal which Rose endorsed Press Secretary Patty Schuh said that bill was "part of a whole package intended to solve both issues simultaneously. Both chambers have approved a new formula, but Senate President John Cullerton has placed a hold on it, preventing it from heading to Rauner's desk. The governor has threatened to veto the Democrat-sponsored bill; Barickman has sponsored an alternative. "A lot of people who voted on the budget last week said they wanted schools to open this fall," said Barickman, who referred to the tactic as "a booby trap." "My hope is (to) give certainty to our schools as soon as possible." The legislators also criticized Madigan for ignoring compromises reached by others in favor of pushing his own budget plan. "It's a very rude awakening to find out the deal's off," said Dan Brady. WASHINGTON, DC, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) called on Congressional appropriators to stave off cuts to the Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) program and provide at least the funding levels President Donald Trump proposed for the vital public safety program. In a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations, USCM President and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged the House Committee on Appropriations to amend the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill set to zero out COPS funding. A full committee markup of the FY2018 spending bill is scheduled for Thursday. The U.S. Conference of Mayors was involved in the creation of the COPS Office and its programs and has strongly supported them ever since, the mayors wrote. We have done this because ensuring safety and security is a top priority for mayors throughout the country, and the COPS Office has been critical to our ability to do that. It must continue to be able to play this important role. Mayors asked Congress to consider the impact cutting COPS will have on American state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies. The letter identifies clear benefits coming as a direct result of the COPS grants and initiatives, including: Hiring grants have helped 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies hire and redeploy approximately 129,000 officers, thereby strengthening police-community relations and improving public safety. Community Policing Development (CPD) Grant Program and Microgrants Initiative have supported training and technical assistance, the development of innovative community policing strategies, applied research, guidebooks, and best practices that are used and replicated by departments across the country. The COPS collaborative reform initiatives have helped mayors and law enforcement executives to assess individual agency needs and tailor effective technical assistance approaches. At USCMs Annual Conference in June 2017, a bipartisan group of mayors outlined an agenda that, among other things, calls for increasing the number of community policing officers on the streets and investing resources directly in cities to support police training in areas including implicit bias, de-escalation, and cultural sensitivity, hiring, technology and equipment, data collection and analysis, use-of-force policies, and officer safety and wellness. Mayors are available for comment. About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8c5de18-8b08-485e-aed6-b84eb1805700 A bit more time won't hurt Bloomington's plans to issue a resolution supporting immigrants, although the delay is annoying to supporters. The council plans to formally voice its support of immigrants, welcoming them to the Twin Cities, as part of a response to federal discussions earlier this year that would put a yield sign in front of some immigrants moving here from other countries. Now, before members vote, the council is awaiting possible action by Gov. Bruce Rauner on a state proposal. The Illinois Trust Act would prevent state law enforcement agencies from assisting in immigration actions unless there's a warrant, and would offer protections from immigration enforcement to some safe havens such as schools. If Rauner signs that bill, the Bloomington council may well need to revise or issue a new resolution. Waiting to work with the state verbiage is prudent. The town of Normal has decided to wait on the state outcome and also see what advances at the federal level. A resolution is a concrete way to show our support, although we still believe the best way to help is to offer personal support to those affected, and to share your concerns by letter, traditional and social media, phone call or poster board with your federally elected leaders. In a letter reacting to a March editorial on this topic, Bob Grosse of Normal said, "If the arc of the moral universe is long but bends toward justice, then this is a time for our community to stand up for justice, a time when our immigrant neighbors need our support more than ever because their families are under increasing threat of being torn apart." Hundreds of immigrants in Central Illinois legal or not are worried about whether they will be able to stay in their country of choice. Their status also is concerning to American-born citizens who disagree with the Trump administration, and to business owners and farmers who depend on immigrants who work in the hospitality, agriculture and tech industries and in the fields of education and medicine. Thanks to our businesses and schools, Central Illinois is home to a large number of people who were not born the United States. Our foreign-born neighbors bring a global awareness to the Twin Cities that many smaller cities may not enjoy. We learn first-hand about politics, food, religion and culture from countries we may never visit ourselves. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding that comes from insular behavior is often the impetus behind rules that limit religions, cultures, language and beliefs. Knowing how others live makes our own lives richer. Supporting our neighbors with a resolution is a concrete way to show that. So much of what Donald Trump says does not make sense. Early in June, Trump said that the United States will continue to be the cleanest and most environmentally friendly country on Earth. This does not make sense because the U.S. cannot continue to do something it is not now doing. Numerous studies report that Trumps claim of our number one ranking is not true. Furthermore, the irony is that the progress the U.S. has made in these regards is due in large part to government regulations that Trump intends to roll back: e.g., The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. After the deadly terrorist bombing in Manchester, England in early June, Trump called the attackers losers. He had used this same label previously for many individuals and groups, including Scottish farmer Michael Forbes, John McCain, Cher, Barack Obama, Marco Rubio, Stevie Wonder, George Will and Karl Krauthhammer (two columnists in The Pantagraph), CNN commentators, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Jerry Seinfeld, Roger Federer, Dr. Thomas Frieden (CDC Director), Lindsey Graham, and Megan Kelley. It does not make sense to add terrorists to this list. Three things do stand out about this list of people. First, they are very diverse. Second, they are highly accomplished people. Neither of these two characteristics qualify them for the label losers. But third, they all have disagreed with Trump. He cannot tolerate anyone who disagrees with him. In his mind, anyone who does so is a loser. That does not make sense. Herman Brockman, Congerville This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Patna: Powerful musclemen of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) heir-apparent and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav on Wednesday roughed up a number of media reporters and photographers who wanted to have a word with him about him being charged in a corruption case filed by the CBI. {gallery}newsimages2017/july/071217{/gallery}Yadav, who made his first public appearance since being charged by the CBI following raids at various properties owned by him, his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and other members of his family last Friday, was in no mood to talk to the reporters. The incident occurred outside the Old Secretariat building where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had called for a Cabinet meet to discuss the fate of the so-called Mahagathbandhan, or Grand Alliance, in the wake of corruption accusations against the Deputy Chief Minister and other members of his family. As soon as Tejaswi Yadav came out after attending the meeting, a group of microphone and camera-toting reporters approached him to ask him questions about the CBI charges against him. Instead of getting a response, his bodyguards slammed the reporters and grabbed one by the neck while landing at least half a dozen punches on him. When other media-persons tried to rescue the photographer, they were also assaulted by Yadav's bodyguards as the Deputy Chief Minister stood there watching the drama unfold before his eyes while doing absolutely nothing to stop the situation from further escalating. This is the second-time media-persons had been bullied by musclemen on RJD payroll in less than a week. Last Friday during the CBI raid at Rabri Devi's residence, heavily armed security guards hurled invectives at the reporters while also physically throwing them out on the street. Reactions to today's incident were, as expected, on the party line. While Janata Dal U leaders called the incident 'unfortunate', Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders condemned the brawl in the strongest terms demanding criminal action against both Yadav and his bodyguards. "Thuggish behavior is not uncommon in the Lalu family. When faced with tough questions or challenges, they have a history of resorting to hurling abuses and even physical violence against reporters and opposition leaders. No one is surprised by it. What would really be surprising if Nitish Kumar does not take any action against these criminals who assaulted the photographer today," BJP state President Nityanand Rai said. Rights Activists Urge Iran's President Rohani to Nominate Women to His Cabinet 07/13/17 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran "If women were given the opportunity, they could show that they are equally capable and competent [as men] at serving in high levels of government," journalist and women's rights activist Asieh Amini told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). "We have many well-qualified women in politics, business, social services and cultural affairs who could handle being ministers or even the president," she added. Asieh Amini, journalist and women's rights activist. (photo by Javad Montazeri) President Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected for a second term on May 19, 2017, did not nominate any women to his first cabinet. As he prepares to introduce his new cabinet to a more sympathetic Parliament for approval, his female allies are urging him to include women. "Women are trying hard to have a presence in local governmental positions," said Rouhani on June 25, 2017 during a speech to a group of women's rights advocates. "If a woman does not have local governmental experience, you cannot promote her overnight," he added. "You have to move up step by step." A women's rights activist responded in a tweet that holding women back has prevented them from gaining that experience. "Rouhani says women have not been in high positions and therefore can't suddenly expect to run a ministry. But why is it that we don't have women in those high positions? Did women refuse to accept them, or were they prevented?" said Marzie Rasouli on June 25. Based in Norway, Amini, one of the founders of the Stop Stoning Forever Campaign, told CHRI that Rouhani failed to produce policies that would benefit women. "In his last government, Rouhani did not make women's issues his priority, but I believe we had good signs of progress especially in rural areas," she said. "For instance there has been tremendous growth in women's participation in local governmental affairs in Sistan and Baluchistan Province." Continued Amini: "One would expect that the government would take a stand against discrimination and prove its support for women's presence in all areas, but unfortunately, that has not been the case regarding sensitive posts." "Rouhani has not shown the strength or will to pay a price on this issue," she said. In Iran's city and village council elections, held on the same day as the May 19 presidential election, voters elected 415 women to local councils in Sistan and Baluchistan, up almost 45 percent from the 185 who were elected four years earlier. More women serve in local governmental positions in the southeastern province than anywhere else in the country. "I don't believe Mr. Rouhani when he says we don't have enough competent women," Amini told CHRI. "For instance, Elaheh Koulaei has all the qualifications of a stateswoman who could easily sit in Mr. Rouhani's place." Koulaei, a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, previously served as a member of Parliament from 2000-04. "But there's a lack of vision in seeing women's equal level of competence," continued Amini. "Politicians give lip service about gender equality until they have to make sacrifices." Women in Iran are not legally or constitutionally prohibited from serving in top government posts. Rather, their main obstacle is the country's powerful religious establishment, which opposes women exceeding their traditional roles as wives and mothers. Still, Rouhani's conservative predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-13), nominated three women to serve in his second cabinet. Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi received the Parliament's vote of confidence as minister of health, but Fatemeh Ajorlou and Sousan Keshavarz were rejected for the ministries of welfare and education. "We don't have political parties and organizations in any real sense and that's a big problem," Amini told CHRI. "This has caused a shortage of trained politicians among men as well as women." "But men are always given opportunities in the lowest to the highest levels of government while women are not," she added. The Rouhani government's most senior female official, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, stated a month before the presidential election that Rouhani would introduce "two or three women" to his second cabinet. "Introducing women into the cabinet has been one of Hassan Rouhani's goals and right now it would be unjustifiable if he did not do so," she said on April 18, 2017. Related coverage by Shargh daily: Which women will become ministers? Islamic feminist scholar Jola Movahed Shariat Panahi has also urged Rouhani to nominate women to his cabinet. "Mr. Rouhani could nominate at least three women to lead the ministries of health, education, and labor, among others," she said in a June 2017 interview with CHRI. "Parliament seems receptive and, God willing, MPs will give their vote of confidence," she said. "We know there are many educated women with substantial expertise, so it would appear to be reasonable and logical to nominate three female ministers." IRVINE, Calif., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SecureAuth Corp., the leader in adaptive access control, today announced the addition of Stephen Moore to its Advisory Board. Moore, the Staff Vice President of Cyber Security Analytics at Anthem, Inc., will provide advice to the SecureAuth team, board and customers on innovative ways to address cybersecurity challenges by addressing white space between security and identity solutions. At Anthem, we maintain a diligent focus on data security and make significant, ongoing investments in our Information Security program to protect, control, and maintain our technology environment, Moore said. Joining SecureAuth, an authority on risk and threat protection, will allow me and the Anthem Cyber Security team to share best practices; be an active participant in information security discussions; learn about the latest threats and techniques to combat them; and share ongoing strategy jointly benefiting Anthem and the industry as a whole. Moore brings more than 15 years of experience in information security, intrusion analysis, threat intelligence, security architecture and web infrastructure design. More recently, he was the architect of the new 6,000 square-foot Anthem Cyber Security Operations Center in Indianapolis. Prior to joining Anthem in 2009, Moore served in a variety of roles at Sallie Mae (now known as Navient and Sallie Mae Bank) within the Web Infrastructure, Program Management and Information Security organizations. Stephens real-world experience is sought by many in the cybersecurity industry, SecureAuth CEO Jeff Kukowski said. Stephen is a proven industry expert and sees the critical need of not only strong identity and access management, but also the critical intersections amongst security solutions to enable better protection and detection. SecureAuths Advisory Board is composed of industry innovators who provide counsel to address cybersecurity challenges. About SecureAuth SecureAuth is the leader in adaptive access control solutions, empowering organizations to prevent the misuse of stolen credentials. SecureAuth has been providing SSO and MFA solutions for over a decade. For the latest insights on adaptive access control, follow the SecureAuth blog; follow @SecureAuth on Twitter and LinkedIn; or visit www.secureauth.com. SecureAuth is a registered trademark in the United States and/or other countries. Iran, EU start first ever joint project on nuclear safety 07/13/17 Source: Press TV Iran and the European Union have launched their first joint project aimed at strengthening bilateral nuclear safety cooperation on the eve of the second anniversary of Tehran's nuclear deal with six world powers. The peaceful nuclear energy (cartoon by Javad Takjou) At a Wednesday meeting in Tehran, the EU delegation, headed by Oliver Luyckx, the director of the EU nuclear safety unit, and the Iranian side led by Hojjatollah Salehi, the director of Iran's nuclear safety center, officially announced the start of the 2.5-million-euro project. The project was signed in April within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It is part of a five-million-euro package approved in 2016 with regard to Iran-EU cooperation on nuclear safety. Under the agreement, Tehran-EU nuclear safety cooperation will last for a period of three and a half years. One of its key objectives is to enhance Iran's nuclear safety capabilities in different spheres including, the establishment of a nuclear safety center as foreseen in the JCPOA. Under the project, the EU will also support the Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (INRA) in developing a nuclear regulatory framework, working toward the accession by Iran to several international nuclear conventions, and reviewing the results of the stress test to take place in the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The project also seeks to provide more training opportunities to Iranian experts with regard to nuclear safety procedures. On June 21, Iran and the EU also agreed on another four-million-euro project in support of Iran's nuclear safety procedures in the upcoming years. The implementation of the first nuclear safety project comes as the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 states is about to turn two. On July 14, 2015, Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - plus Germany signed the JCPOA. The deal took effect in January 2016. The UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned the JCPOA into international law. Under the agreement, limits were put on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic. The President of Switzerland, Doris Leuthard has revealed that Ghana leads Switzerland in terms of mobile phone penetration and thus congratulated the government and individuals who made this possible. According to her, Switzerland supports the development of platforms which makes it easier for businesses to have access to relevant laws and financial services via mobile phones which are helpful for SMEs and in this context realised Ghana has already overtaken Switzerland. Ghana has now overtaken us Swiss in terms of mobile phone penetration. The latest figure shows a rate of 139 percent in Ghana versus a 135 percent in Switzerland, taking into account that just 10 years ago the rate in Switzerland was more than 4 times higher than your penetration in Ghana. This is particularly impressive she said. She made these remarks as she delivered a speech on Governance in the age of social media on July 12 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, an event organised by policy think-tank IMANI Africa. In the early hours of today July 12, 2017, the Federal Republic of Switzerland earmarked an amount of $80 million to support the enhanced competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises in the global market space as well as help in governments efforts at diversifying the Ghanaian economy. The teams from Ghana and Switzerland held discussions in the areas of Foreign Affairs, UN Reforms, Finance, Security and Agriculture, aimed at deepening the bilateral relations existing between them, as well as exploring other areas of co-operation. She further said Ghana was the first country in Africa to get connected to the internet which is in 1994 making us the pioneer on the continent. Video- Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The first and second floors of City Lights Limited, located at East Legon near American Int. School, was engulfed by fire on Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear what caused the fire, which was reported to have started at about 4:30pm. Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service with support from the police managed to douse the fire after hours of fighting it. According to a shop attendant, she was inside when a colleague standing outside started shouting fire from the first floor. The company deals in electrical equipment, lighting and security systems. Both the first and second floors served as a showrooms. Superintendent Cephas Arthur, East Legon District Police Commander, who confirmed the incident to TV3 News 360 said the situation is under control. The Ghana National Fire Service has commenced investigation into the cause of the inferno. 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. Featured Video The Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has bemoaned extreme partisanship in Ghanas parliament, warning the country risks having a democracy that will be useless. Parliament is weak, the Asawase MP said on Starr Chat. According to him, for the countrys law-making chamber to meet international standard it is incumbent on legislators from both sides of the House to be nationalistic in their attitude. Speaking Wednesday July 12, 2017 on Starr Chat with Bola Ray, he said we have a very huge responsibility as a country to be able to grow our democracy beyond elections and for him there are two things that needed to be done to achieve that feat. If we dont get those two things fixed our democracy will just be reduced to mere elections, he warned. The Asawase legislator in the Ashanti region further noted that he was not surprised when the Ghanaian parliament was ranked second to none in Africa by a research published in 2015 because it is simply becausethere is too much partisanship in parliament. Too much partisanship. Almost everything we politicize it, he stressed, clarifying that the antagonism, however, is no more. He said the protectionism being exhibited in parliament is dangerous to the nations democracy and the situation has to change. If we dont [change the current situation] we risk having a democracy that will be useless. Because believe me, all the issues that we are talking about that our institutions are weak, there is corruption, there is this, there is that it is because parliament is weak, he noted. Source: starrfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The coming days may not be too palatable for a leading member of Occupy-Ghana, Sydney Casely-Hayford, as he is likely to be hauled before the Privileges Committee of Parliament to answer to some contempt charges that may be brought against him by the Legislature. His fate would be determined by the outcome of a case filed on the floor of Parliament by the lawmaker for Kumbungu constituency, Ras Mubarak, of which has been referred to the leadership of the House. The Kumbungu lawmaker, Thursday, drew the Houses attention to a mews item which was published on www.ghanaweb.com on July 9, 2017, with the caption Ghanaian MPs only make stupid decisions and pass stupid laws which was attributed to Mr. Casely-Hayford. The said story, he added, was accompanied by a video where Mr. Casely-Hayford was allegedly seen making certain comments which the MP considers affront the dignity of the House. Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A 22-year-old American tourist in Greece was beaten to death after an argument stemming from his request to take a selfie with a waitress, local police claim. Bakari Henderson was killed on Friday morning by a group of as many as 15 men outside a bar on the island of Zakynthos. Police spokesperson Theodore Chronopoulos said authorities believe the incident started inside the venue, when Henderson requested to take a selfie with a waitress. Chronopolous said another 33-year-old took issue with the photograph, and argued with the waitress. The man then struck Henderson, who then broke a beer bottle over the mans table. Conflicting reports state that the altercation began when Henderson placed two drinks on a table that was already occupied. Shortly after the incident inside the bar, Henderson was chased outside by several men. CCTV footage of the incident shows them chasing Henderson onto the street, before forcing him against a parked car. The men can be seen severely beating and kicking the recent University of Arizona graduate as he lay on the ground. Two of Hendersons friends, who were present at the time, performed CPR on him once the men had left the scene. He was rushed to hospital soon after. So far, nine people have been arrested over the deadly incident, and have been charged with intentional homicide. Theyre set to face court this week. Hendersons friends and family have described him as a top bloke; he was in Zakynthos to undertake a photoshoot for his new eco-friendly clothing line, after undertaking a degree in business finance on a full-ride scholarship. In a statement, his family wrote he was a big thinker and enjoyed coming up with new business ventures. Bakari was an inspiration to all he met. He loved life to the fullest. His body is set to be returned to the United States in the next few days. Source: Washington Post / LA Times. Photo: Bakari Henderson / Facebook. If you are a person who comes home from work or heads to work before 6.30am on Brissys bus network on a weekday, next week is not your week. Or if you are a person who gets turnt and tries to stumble on home from the other side of town on a Tuesday night, next week is also not your week. Or if you are a person whose gym or yoga studio or wholesome Wednesday morning recreational activity is only a bus ride away, next week is also not your week. Because ~drum roll~ buses wont be running between 4.30am and 6.30am on Tuesday and Wednesday. Nope, just none. No buses at all is definitely worse than infrequent buses, or when a series of totally packed buses drive by you, or when youre 20 metres from the stop just as your bus arrives, but no one stalls the driver. Brisbanes council bus drivers will be on strike during those two-hour periods over shift-work requirements and health and safety provisions, as they try to hash out a new enterprise agreement. According to the Rail Tram and Bus Union, workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of protected industrial action. The industrial action comes in the wake of the gruesome murder of bus driver Manmeet Alisher while he was driving a Brisbane council bus at the end of last year. Source: Brisbane Times. Photo: Jonathan Wood / Getty. Seemingly fed up with the constant jibes about Queensland being decades behind the rest of the country, Brisbane is doing its best to prove that it, like Sydney, can also drain the joy and economic feasibility out of its own nightlife. While Sydneys lockout laws faced a dickload of scrutiny and public backlash (very notably in the form of the Keep Sydney Open movement), the ebb and flow of Brisbanes struggle against similar laws has gone relatively unnoticed, despite the risk that they, too, will deeply enshitten the current going out experience. Thankfully, at this stage, Brisbanes lockout situation is still not quite as bad as Sydneys. Laws came into effect in July last year giving venues inside Queenslands 15 Safe Night Precincts a ban on serving alcohol after 3am. Additionally, the bill contained a 1am mandatory lockout for Safe Night Precinct venues, that was due to come into effect July this year. Ultimately, that part of the bill was scrapped following reports that showed little if any noticeable downturn in alcohol-related violence in the precincts, but the same bill that removed the proposed lockout also introduced mandatory ID scanning after 10pm for venues in the precincts that trade past midnight, and a halving of the number of permits issued to venues for extending their licensed hours for special events. Just weeks after the ID scanner laws came into effect, theyve already been causing huge problems for venues in Brisbane. Last week, a dozen French winemakers had to be turned away from The Gresham, one of Brisbanes most prestigious bars, because two of them werent carrying their passports. Venue manager Ryan Lane told The Courier Mail that he was not bloody happy: I was embarrassed that I had to turn away these international tourists in my industry. I was embarrassed that I had to explain this new law and embarrassed for my venue. They are seventh generation winemakers but they cant drink it after 10pm because they dont have the right ID. Benjamin Nichols, venue manager at Netherworld Bar and Arcade in Fortitude Valley, says the laws have already started to fuck their shit up: We only generally open until 11pm most nights, but as a result of the new laws we have to scan from 10pm. That means we do almost our entire days trade, then have to scan from 10pm until 11pm. What exactly does that achieve? Beyond that, we have no smoking area, so customers smoking twice an hour are likely to get scanned 6 times in a visit. Only a security guard can use the machine, so if they need to take a shit, we need to ask people not to come into the venue until theyve finished up. Netherworld has apparently already seen a loss of trade as a result: The biggest issue is that theres been no education to the public on whats happening whatsoever. Its difficult to communicate what they need to do because, granted, a lot of it is silly. Yes, I realise youre a 55-year-old who has their ID on them, but no, you cannot come into the venue because its two days expired. So what happens is the group of 10 people who are obviously adults that the person is with end up going to another venue because one person who is clearly of drinking age has a two day expired license. As for foreign passports, we have lots of visitors from overseas. The machines are not really ready to deal with them properly so they must be entered manually. A group of 8 international visitors came to visit and the lineup went from nothing (normal for a quiet time) to a 20-minute wait as a result. Everyone in line was frustrated because it wasnt even busy. One poor soul, who was in the venue for her birthday with a group of 15 and had been there for hours before, left to hug a mate she saw in the line outside then, of course, tried to come back in with an expired ID. The ridiculousness of the law doesnt allow for that person to re-enter the venue. Its embarrassing. According to Nichols, the laws have seen them had to hire extra security and have just moved punters, dangerously, onto the street: As a result of the lines out the front of [Wickham Street venues] The Elephant Hotel and Prohibition, you couldnt move on the sidewalk and people were all over the street. The scanners on that strip are going to result in someone being hit by a car and fights from frustrated punters who wont understand why theres a 45-minute wait to get into a venue that usually takes a minute or two. Hes seen a similar impact on other venues, especially in the Caxton Street precinct, which has to deal with huge numbers of people from the adjacent Suncorp Stadium: Caxton Street seems to be the hardest hit. Our mates over at Brewski basically werent given a choice. As they shared footpath dining with normal foot traffic, it would have been impossible to manage, so theyre just had to pull their license back to midnight and have to lose the trade. Good freaking luck to them on game nights, its going to be a shit fight to get into anywhere in less than half an hour on Caxton Street. I know The Gresham in the city have some frustrating issues like a toilet thats not in their licensed area, resulting in re-scanning every time you need to take a piss. That is insane. Dave Marshall who manages Leftys Old Time Music Hall on Caxton Street says theyve had very similar problems with punters who have no idea whats happening: We were promised that there would be an extensive marketing campaign so that people knew and understood what their obligations were going to have to be if they wanted to come into these precincts after 10pm. When that did get rolled out, it was limited to [the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation]s YouTube channel and their Facebook account which has 1,200 likes. It was basically condensed to 5 animated between-15-and-30-second videos that didnt really give any real information. Some guy leaning on a couch clicking his fingers and smooth jazz playing and it says like sign in for a safe night or something. Realistically, the questions that were being asked and the questions were having to field on the doors are questions of privacy and questions of why expired drivers licenses, why 50-year-olds, why this, and we cant get straight answers from licensing as to why these things are. As you can see, not hugely helpful: They also have similar concerns about to attempting to manage the number of people forced out onto the street: Thats a big frustration for us, in just managing the queue, managing the people, managing peoples expectations when they go out and also maintaining a safe environment. The thing that has also come from Liquor Licensing directly is that the onus is on the venue to maintain a safe environment in and around the premises. If its extra lines, its our job to police that. In Caxton Street, were one of the smaller Safe Night Precincts and we were told again through those consultation meetings that there would be dedicated police officers on the street on Friday / Saturday nights and were just not seeing it. If someone becomes irate, we then have to waste resources on security to detain that person and then wait even longer for the [Queensland Police Service] to arrive because theres just no QPS presence on our street. Marshall says that, under provisions included in the bill, a majority of venue owners on Caxton Street had voted to dissolve the streets Safe Night Precinct, but were forced back in when the bill was changed, and are now only allowed six instead of twelve longer trading permits to benefit from the huge crowds drawn to Caxton Street on game days and special events: In general, its not been a great year for the industry. Theres probably a million mitigating factors to that but and I can only attest to Caxton Street in the past, its always been the little bit of cream on top. Our business and Brewski never really wholly and solely relied on game days, but this year weve sort of felt the pinch a lot more and, if it wasnt for our ability to milk those game days for all theyre worth, thered probably be a lot more businesses in trouble. Weve just had Statler and Waldorf close and they were a multi-award winning gastropub. So I guess, for us, thats our frustration. Weve elected to be not involved in this Safe Night Precinct stuff and then either were lumped back at very much extra cost to ourselves or we relinquish our trading hours. That means not just for my staff but also for musicians, on which we spend hundreds of thousands employing every year, they will miss out on gigs. Theres no two ways about it. Clearly, its not a super great time to be a venue or a punter in Queensland. You will be shocked, shocked to learn who is exempt from this bullshit: you guessed correctly, the casinos and gaming rooms. What a surprise. Apparently, Caxton Street venues are going to be going ahead with ID scanning tonight when a fair portion of the 50,000 people who attended Origin III tonight stumble up for a beer or six, itll be interesting to see how that goes down. Photo: Benjamin Nichols. Shia LaBeouf has issued an apology following a gross spate of verbal and racial abuse, which he unloaded during his recent arrest for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. ICYMI, LaBeouf was taken into custody in Savannah, Georgia over the weekend after he attempted to bum a cigarette from a stranger. Things escalated pretty wildly, and police intervened when he allegedly became disorderly and dropped some swears in front of a kid. Footage of the arrest was obtained by TMZ. TMZ also got their hands on footage of LaBeouf at the police station, in which he can be heard telling a white officer that his wife probably watches X fucking videos, and shit. Like licking a black dick. Dont you feel fucked up, being white, about that? Dont you feel like fuck man, I aint got all the goods?' In response to the entire incident, LaBeouf now writes that he is dealing with substance abuse issues, and that I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and make no excuses for it. I dont know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am gratfeul for their restraint. The severity of my behaviour is not lost on me. My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps to securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes. LaBeouf was released from jail after posting bond equivalent to $9,200. Source: Shia LaBeouf / News.com.au / TMZ. Photo: TMZ / YouTube. One of the unexpected outcomes of Donald Trump Jr inexplicable tweeting out evidence of collusion with Russia is that it basically broke a US journalist whod been following the story for a year. Jared Yates Sexton found himself in disbelief yesterday that the presidents idiot son just casually tweeted screenshots of the emails like it was NBD. Like he just tweeted them out. This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. Theres not even a close second. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) July 11, 2017 I chased this story for a year and he justtweeted it out. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) July 11, 2017 Iworked on this story for a yearandhe justhe tweeted it out. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) July 11, 2017 I tracked down sources. Followed so many dead leads. Labored over this. And then, he just, you know, tweeted out the proof. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) July 11, 2017 Im not entirely convinced Im not having a break from reality. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) July 11, 2017 You cant help but feel a bit bad for the guy. He wasnt the only one working on this story, but to be owned by the dumbest member of the Trump family is definitely humiliating. But that being said, Twitter is now owning the living shit out of Saxon. Nothing is sacred online. Criminal activity? Mental breakdowns? A gag is a gag is a gag, and this is one helluva joke. Iworked on this story for a yearandhe justhe tweeted it out. pic.twitter.com/dK1AgbOumL KRANG T. NELSON (@KrangTNelson) July 12, 2017 Iworked on this story for a yearandhe justhe tweeted it out. pic.twitter.com/yVVkKtzHin Kaleb Horton (@kalebhorton) July 12, 2017 Special mention to my man Rob over here. i have worked on this story for a year which you were probably saving for your website forgive me for just tweeting it out rob (@robarcand) July 12, 2017 Photo: Leigh Vogel / Getty. Santa Clara, Calif. and Shanghai, China, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GLOBALFOUNDRIES and VeriSilicon today announced a collaboration to deliver the industrys first single-chip IoT solution for next-generation Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks. Leveraging GFs 22FDX FD-SOI technology, the companies plan to develop intellectual property that could enable a complete cellular modem module on a single chip, including integrated baseband, power management, RF radio and front-end module combining both Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M capabilities. The new approach is expected to deliver significant improvements in power, area, and cost compared to current offerings. With the proliferation of connected devices for smart cities, homes, and industrial applications, network providers are developing new communications protocols that better meet the needs of emerging IoT standards. LPWA technology takes advantage of the existing LTE spectrum and mobile infrastructure, but focuses on delivering ultra-low power, extended range, and much lower data rates for devices that transmit small amounts of infrequent data, such as connected water and gas meters. The two leading LPWA connectivity standards are LTE-M, which is expected to get traction in the U.S. market, and NB-IoT, which is gaining ground in Europe and Asia. For example, the Chinese government has targeted NB-IoT for nationwide deployment over the coming year. The combination of these two technologies is expected to push cellular M2M module shipments to nearly half a billion by 2021, according to ABI Research. GF and VeriSilicon are developing a suite of IP to enable customers to create single chip cost- and power-optimized solutions for worldwide deployment, based on a dual-mode carrier-grade baseband modem with integrated RF front-end module. The design will be fabricated using GFs 22FDX process, which leverages a 22nm FD-SOI technology platform to provide cost-effective scaling and power reduction for IoT applications. 22FDX is the only technology that allows efficient single-chip integration of RF, transceiver, baseband, processor, and power management components. This integration is expected to deliver more than an 80 percent improvement in both power and die size compared to todays 40nm technologies. Our 22FDX technology is perfectly positioned to support the explosive growth of low-power, battery-operated IoT devices, said Alain Mutricy, senior vice president of product management at GF. We are especially excited about the opportunities presented by the China market, which is leading the way with a nationwide commitment to IoT and smart cities. This new initiative expands on our long standing relationship with VeriSiliconan important partner helping us build an FD-SOI ecosystem around our new 300mm fab in Chengdu. Started from more than five years ago, as a Silicon Platform as a Service (SiPaaS) company, VeriSilicon has developed FD-SOI IPs and achieved first silicon success of many chips based on FD-SOI technologies. For IoT applications, besides cost advantages, integrated RF, body bias, and embedded memory, such as MRAM, are the key benefits of FD-SOI technologies beyond 28 nm bulk CMOS. said Wayne Dai, VeriSilicon Chairman, President and CEO. Integrated with RF and PA on GF 22FDX, the baseband and protocol stack are being implemented on our energy efficient and programmable ZSPnano that is optimized for control and data flow with powerful low latency, single cycle instructions for signal processing. GFs new 300 mm fab for FDX in Chengdu and IP platforms such as this single chip solution for integrated NB-IoT and LTE-M, will have significant impact on China IoT and AIoT (AI of Things) industries. GF and VeriSilicon expect to tape out a test chip based on the integrated solution, with silicon validation in Q4 2017. The companies plan to pursue carrier certification in mid-2018. About GF: GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the worlds most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Development Company. For more information, visit http://www.globalfoundries.com. About VeriSilicon: VeriSilicon Holdings Co., Ltd. (VeriSilicon) is a Silicon Platform as a Service (SiPaaS) company that provides comprehensive System on a Chip (SoC) and System in a Package (SiP) solutions for a wide range of end markets including mobile internet devices, datacenters, the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive, industrial, and medical electronics. Our machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies are well positioned to address the movement to intelligent devices. SiPaaS provides our customers a substantial head start in the semiconductor design and development process and allows the customers to focus efforts on core competency with differentiating features. Our end-to-end semiconductor turnkey services can take a design from concept to a completed, tested and packaged semiconductor chip in record time. The breadth and flexibility of our SiPaaS solutions make them performance effective and cost efficient alternatives for a variety of customer types, including both emerging and established semiconductor companies, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs), and large internet/cloud platform companies. VeriSilicons camera-in, display/video out pixel processing platform includes high-fidelity ISP, embedded Vision Image Processor (VIP) with machine learning acceleration, Vivante low power GPU and high performance GPGPU, Hantro ultra high definition video codec, and rich featured display controller, which work seamlessly together to deliver best PPA (Performance, Power, Area). In addition, based on our ZSP (digital signal processor) technologies, HD audio/voice platforms and multi-band/multi-mode wireless baseband platforms including BLE, Wi-Fi, NB-IoT, and 5G provide scalable architectures for both ultra-low power and extremely high performance applications. Our value-added mixed signal IP portfolio enables energy efficient Natural User Interface (NUI) platforms for voice, gesture and touch. Founded in 2001 and head-quartered in Shanghai, China, VeriSilicon has over 600 employees with five R&D centers and nine sales offices worldwide. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/045ee0d6-91c0-422c-b44a-df5e8cf2231f Its only four freakin days until Aussies get to set our peepers on the ludicrously anticipated first episode of Game of Thrones season 7, and until then you bet your arse were devouring any and all GoT news with reckless abandon. Today in Los Angeles, for examps, current and former (i.e. their characters were brutally murdered before our eyes) cast members took to the blue carpet (winter is here, remember) alongside the usual Hollywood fare, for the official HBO Premiere event and heres all the notable shiz that went down. (NB: this does not including the fact Joe Dempsie a.k.a. long-lost GENDRY, was in attendance, cause that shookening experience needed its own article.) 1. Kit Harington aka Jon Snow, still hasnt learnt how to smile. Harington, who plays broody motherfucker Jon Snow on GoT, is an extremely handsome dude, theres no denying it. Somehow though, his moody on-screen persona has transported its way into Kits everyday life to the point where I cant remember ever seeing a photo of him doing anything closely resembling a smile. Should I crack a grin.. nah. Even the fact that he attended the event with his former-GoT and now IRL girlfriend, Rose Leslie (in a stunner of a dress mind you), wasnt enough to crack his somber facade. Cheer up mate, youre a crazy hot millionare actor. At least Rose is giving it a crack. 2. Isaac Hempstead froths a particular theory about Bran Stark. The worst part about being an actor on Game of Thrones would no doubt be having to listen to super-fans shit on about their latest, wildly speculative theory on your character. Kudos to Bran Stark actor Isaac Hempstead though, who seems legit into this one theory, which reckons Bran, who is now the One Eyed Raven, will do some more timey-wimey spectral travel and visit past-Bran, to tell him what Future-Bran should do. No, I have no fucking clue what it means either, but look how frothed he is on it: Isaac Hempstead Wright has a favorite fan theory for Bran Starks future. #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/943gvxYp81 Variety (@Variety) July 13, 2017 3. An actual orchestra played the epic intro music. I will freely admit to being one of those scumbags who, in an effort to more quickly get to the nudity and the people being set on fire etc., Ill often skip through the GoT opening credits, which in Season 6 went for approximately 38 minutes an episode. Oh but you wont see the cities theyre focusing on as they zoom round the map, I hear you say. Yeah, no shit Sherlock. Guess Ill have to wait until theyre actually represented on the show Im literally about to watch. Bloody nerds. Anyway, the music for the intro at the HBO premiere was performed live by a big ol orchestra, and its pretty dang cool: 4. Bronns favourite actor is Bronn, obviously. I adore when GoT actors mimic personality traits of their respective characters and it looks like the dude behind the legendary and hilarious Bronn, Jerome Flynn, is very Bronney. The actor told The Hollywood Reporter that he does indeed have a dream spin-off in mind for when the show ends and it includes, well, Bronn. Throw in Daenerys for good measure, and he reckons itd be a gem of a show. Cant argue with the man, really. 5. The after party looked kinda cooked. At time of writing its only 11pm in L.A., meaning the post-viewing festivities are probably only just getting started, but this semi-leaked pic from the official after-party looks a bit like a local councils attempt at a Game Of Thrones family friendly fun day at the local hall. Cool Youre Mum, probably. 6. Bran and Sansa were finally reunited! Ok, well, the actors had a hug on the red carpet and someone made it into a gif but, seriously, if the pair dont reunite in Season 7 and have ONE MINUTE OF HAPPINESS at least, Im going to George R.R. Martins house and peeing on his door. Sansa and Bran Stark are reunited at the #GameOfThrones season 7 premiere @SophieT pic.twitter.com/AMvtF6d3Cg Variety (@Variety) July 13, 2017 7. There was obviously Snapchat filter. Every gathering of more than 5 people legally needs to have its own Snapchat event filter these days, so yes the premiere had one and I wouldnt be bringing it up if it werent for Arya Stark herself giving it a crack. Tres cute. 8. The rest of the cast in attendance all looked appropriately killer. I love all of them so much and they just all smashed their sartorial choices out of the bloody park. Yessssss Sophie. YAS Gewndoline and for some reason Queen Latifah. YASSSSS Nathalie. YOOOOOO Nikolaj! Omg slay Maisie. Yeah, you get the idea. Dive on in to this mornings analysis of the brand new Season 7 on-set pictures here, if youre stinging for more GoT goodness, otherwise well see you all by the TV next Monday July 17. Pictures: Steve Granitz / Getty. There is a small but hopeful chance that the long-lost son of Westeros, Gendry, will be back in Season 7. Now we DONT WANT TO GET YOUR HOPES UP weve been burnt before here but Gendry, the last remaining bastard son of Robert Baratheon, could well be back, and holymotherofgodweneedthis. The evidence? Joe Dempsie, who brings Gendrys blacksmith-earned rippling abs to life, was at the premiere of Game of Thrones S7 in Los Angeles. THERE HE IS. WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME GENDRY?!?! sorry i just miss you so much ???? #GoTPremiereLA #GameOfThrones #WinterIsHere pic.twitter.com/hIvcsRovTL ???~???~?~?~? (@_riseROSErisen_) July 13, 2017 NO ITS REALLY HIM. WHERES HIS BOAT THO. Joe Dempsie is at tonights #GameOfThrones premiere and I know that doesnt mean anything but maybe it means everything WHERE TF IS GENDRY?! pic.twitter.com/2sO2xTtjbN Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) July 13, 2017 On its own, this isnt hard and fast evidence. Dempsy has turned up to premieres before, and we still havent seen that sucker since season three. But you have to agree: its pretty bloody suspicious. Does Joe have nothing better to do with his time than to rock up and party with his 2013-era castmates? (Possibly.) The official Game of Thrones Instagram even put up this shot of him, an honour only reserved for a) current cast members and b) the showrunners and their partners. Winter has arrived at the #GoTPremiereLA. #WinterIsHere and so is @josephdempsie. #GoTS7 A post shared by gameofthrones (@gameofthrones) on Jul 12, 2017 at 7:47pm PDT For example, Kit Harringtons girlfriend Rose Leslie, who played the now-deceased Yigrette, was there, but do you think she made it to the GoT Instagram? Not a chance. King In the North. Kit Harington has arrived to the #GoTPremiereLA blue carpet. #WinterIsHere #GoTS7 A post shared by gameofthrones (@gameofthrones) on Jul 12, 2017 at 7:31pm PDT Its just Kit, all on his own. Plus, theres the teeny tiny fact that Dempsie was spotted in Belfast late last year, when Game of Thrones was filming. The last time a cast member was spotted in Belfast who later turned out to be returning to the series was, oh, KIT HARRINGTON SHORTLY BEFORE JON SNOW WAS BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD. No biggie. At last, Gendrys row (might have) ended. Photo: HBO. Sydneys lockout laws have had a serious impact on the citys live music scene, but musos are only goin harder because of it. DJ and MC Joyride is the latest talent to have a red hot crack at the legislation in his newie Kings And Queens, which takes aim at the policies that keep the city quiet and the people who are working to enforce them. Old mate makes his take well-bloody-known when his effected voice intones we knew what its about / So try to kick us out / Youll hear out voices in the thousands when we start to shout. Oh, and the video clip? Its Play School meets Godzilla, thanks to artful contributions from his lil nieces. Kings And Queens is the first track from his upcoming solo release. If this one is anything to go by, you can expect to get political in the club when it drops in full. Source and photo: Joyride / VEVO. Could this be the first shot in a summertime assault of New Jersey Shore beaches by Portuguese Man O' War and their long, stinging tentacles? No one seems to know for sure. But the first sign has shown up on New Jersey's Harvey Cedars Beach, where the beach patrol found a Portuguese Man O' War washed up late last week, CBSPhilly.com reports. And it could be an unwanted harbinger of things to come. CBSPhilly.com notes that several Man O' War were reported along the Jersey Shore in 2016 and hundreds stormed the beaches there in 2015. Montclair State University marine biologist Dr. Paul Bologna tells CBSPhilly.com it's impossible to know how many Man O' War will turn up in New Jersey this summer. Yet, he fully expects to hear more reports of sightings in the days and weeks to come. Here's what to look out for on the New Jersey Shore, according to CBSPhilly.com: Portuguese Man O' War, which actually aren't jellyfish, have a purple or pink balloon-like bladder that acts like a sail floating them up the Gulf Stream. Their poisonous tentacles can be several feet long and produce a burning tingling sensation that can radiate throughout the limb and other parts of the body. Pittsburgh-set "This Is Us" earned 11 Emmy nominations for its first season. In addition to being set in Pittsburgh, show creator Dan Fogelman lived in Bethel Park as a child and used that experience to shape the show. And "This Is Us" has another Pennsylvania tie: one of the writers is a Milton Hershey School alumnus and University of Pittsburgh grad. "A lot of what I learned at MHS, both actively and organically, was a sense of independence," said Kay Oyegun in a "Success Stories" interview with Milton Hershey School. "I had to learn to find answers, and as I got older, that became a quickly realized skill set." MORE: TV shows set in Pittsburgh (and where they were really filmed) The family series that follows multiple timelines is one of seven series up for outstanding drama. Most of the nominations, however, are for acting. Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia both earned nods for lead actor; Ron Cephas Jones was nominated as a supporting actor; Chrissy Metz earned a nomination in the supporting actress category; and guest actors Denis O'Hare, Brian Tyree Henry and Gerald McRaney all picked up nods. Other nominations include casting for a drama, contemporary costumes and makeup. The Emmy Awards airs Sept. 17 on CBS. At 3:05 p.m. on July 14, 2004, an F-3 tornado touched down in South Londonderry Township, Lebanon County. On the ground for 10 to 15 minutes, the tornado cut a path of destruction 7.5 miles long through Country Squire Estates and other nearby areas. Winds whipped between 175 mph and 200 mph. In its wake - 37 homes were destroyed, 30 homes were severely damaged, 80 homes were moderately damaged and 24 people were hurt. Up to 500 acres of crops were lost and agricultural damage topped $3 million. Nine farm buildings were damaged or destroyed and six farm animals were killed. Thousands of people were left without electricity and temporarily homeless. Volunteers rallied. They prepared meals, helped to clear debris and begin repairs. Donations poured in - soda, water, diapers, first-aid kits, batteries, toys, clothing, food and cash. Residents were glad to be alive. Garth Warner was blown out the back wall of his house clutching 3-year-old Madison while his wife, Michelle, huddled with their 1-year-old on the floor, which was all that was left of their house. "It sounded a little like a freight train, a sound I will never forget," he said. "I was getting pelted. I was screaming for her, but I couldn't hear my own screams. I thought I was going to die, I truly did. But we're here. I'm talking to you. The house can be rebuilt." A few days after the tornado, The Rev. Dwight C. Hein talked to his congregation at Salem United Church of Christ about hope and optimism. "I'm not naive to think that everyone is in that place right now," Hein said. "When the people were being evacuated, I could see in their eyes that hope was not in ample supply. But soon I saw tears of desperation changed to tears of thankfulness." Nine days after the tornado, Kurt Yordy said he believed the response of volunteers to help him and other victims should be remembered for generations. He and other victims have set up a fund to collect donations for use toward recognizing the volunteers' work. "I get more choked up about these volunteers than what happened to me. People took off their work, their jobs to come and work for me," Yordy said. "I don't want them to be forgotten, what they did." Carole Ackerman of Campbelltown wrote this letter to the editor July 23, 2004: "Our clocks still read 3:05 p.m. -- the time a tornado tore apart our beautiful homes in Country Squire Estates in Campbelltown. For 15 minutes I listened to our windows blowing out, siding being ripped off and house alarms blaring. I prayed for it to end and that everyone would emerge unharmed. I was not prepared for what I found when the storm passed and everyone came running outside -- a sight that no one will ever forget. It has been more than a week now and the backhoes are scraping up the lost trees and what is left of demolished homes. Monstrous Dumpsters hold the remains of so many beautiful possessions. But we are still here, safe and accounted for. God was watching over us, despite the storm's devastation. Our spirits are high because of the hundreds of volunteers and emergency personnel who have flocked here to help. The fire companies, ambulance staff, rescue squads, Red Cross, Salvation Army and the local and state police have been outstanding. They are well-trained for disasters and their work here was evident of that. Everyone should be proud of it. The landscape looks different now. But we're still neighbors helping neighbors. The hugs are more plentiful and the smiles are broader, the handshakes last longer now. We'll be even closer now. Thanks to all who have helped in any way. Their prayers and thoughts are much appreciated." Live. Work. Play. That's the motto of a town center, a newer kind of shopping experience. These spaces combine retail with restaurants and are set up as mini communities, complete with public green spaces. The goal of a town center is for one to never have to leave, which is why they're often located around apartments, office buildings and medical centers. Town centers and mix-use spaces are popping up all over the state and country. In Pennsylvania, there's the Hershey Towne Square and Hershey West End, both in various stages of early development. Lancaster's 101NQ, slated to open in 2019, is another. They're not necessarily new either. Near Pittsburgh, Southpointe Town Center in Cecil Township opened in 2014. Perhaps the latest is the Philadelphia-area King of Prussia Town Center in Upper Merion Township, which opened in 2016. For those curious about the town center model, it's a good one to look at. Located in the Village at Valley Forge, it has multiple apartment complexes as neighbors. Also part of the giant 122-acre mixed-use space is Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, King of Prussia, Specialty Care & Surgery. The King of Prussia Town Center itself has a mix of restaurants, retail stores and salons as well as a gym (LA Fitness) and a grocery store (Wegmans). It is still a work-in-progress, as the leasing group in charge of it, CBRE, tries to find the perfect retailers to claim its remaining open spaces. It's not a decision they take likely. The town center itself is like a puzzle, as the leasing agents try and figure out the right combination and placement of stores. For example, at the King of Prussia Town Center Duck Donuts has a spot across the street from one of the main public gathering spots near several large restaurants "That space, we had always planned for it to be some sort of sweets, confectionary store to play off people hanging out here before or after meals," explained Adam Kohler, executive vice president for CBRE. The idea was that people would grab a donut, chill out at the pavilion and then walk around to explore more of the stores. It's about making areas active spaces and playing off of them. It's not the usual way of thinking. "In a lot of the shopping centers we work on, you fill space -- you just fill space," Kohler said. "Here, it's really about being far more patient, saying no to a lot of people that have nice businesses, but it's just not the right fit." Part of being the right fit is about being special, a destination in and of itself. "The tenants we have here are unique," Kohler said. "They're not the kind of tenants who roll out hundreds of stores." "I think a lot of the draw to this was a lot of the uniqueness. The company that developed this from the ground up, the architecture, the different building materials and the feel of this is just really unusual even for an open air center," Kohler said. "It's very unique in how it presents itself." That word unique gets mentioned a lot when talking to Kohler about King of Prussia Town Center and could very well be the theme of the center itself. It comes into play with choosing the restaurants as well. "Restaurants have really become an anchor for a lot of retail projects and putting together a unique collection is actually key to creating a destination," said Mallory Scaccetti an associate with CBRE. "We like to think we've created a dining destination within the market here by steering clear of the chains that are every ten miles down the road and choosing these concepts that will only have one, maybe two at the most in the entire market." Another key part of any town center is the public space. The pavilion at the King of Prussia Town Center is the home of outdoor concerts, yoga sessions and movie screenings. It's the heart of the town center, situated on its Main Street and surrounded by restaurants and their patio dining spaces. That public space helps make the town center an experience, not just a shopping stop. That's what the public want, according to Kohler. "The consumer, the public is just begging for this kind of social and experiential opportunity," he said. He isn't alone in that assessment. Selling an experience has been the goal for King of Prussia Mall for years and it's one of the reasons for its continued success in a country where malls are on the decline, according to David Contis, president of Simon Malls, which owns King of Prussia Mall. It's all about offering the consumer a reason to come shop, rather than just do so on the internet. "So many retailers now and landlords have to consider how is the internet going to impact my shopping center or my tenants in my shopping center," Kohler said "The internet doesn't offer experience. It offers quick results and delivery. So retailers that in the past never had to focus on experience now have to ask 'Why is somebody going to come to my store as compared to sit at my computer and buy the product?'" That's where restaurants come in and other unique concepts. Muse Paint Bar is one of those stores that offers an experience. It's concept is to have customers come in, paint, drink wine and eat light fare. "That's something you can't do on the internet," said Mallory Scaccetti, an associate with CBRE and one of the leasing agents for King of Prussia Town Center. "Even Nordstrom Rack -- it's all about the treasure hunt and you can't always do that on the Internet," she said. Not every business is a good fit because of that, which means turning down potential leasees. "We have space available, we could have it leased tomorrow if we were willing to lease to any tenant or retailer out there," Scaccetti said. "We believe strongly that the merchandising is critical for the future success of this project. So, we're being selective with the tenants that are going to fill the remaining spaces. We're looking more for boutiquey type concepts, a lot of local tenants, possibly regional." A lot of that selectiveness is due to the fact that the town center resides in the shadow of King of Prussia Mall, which is minutes away. "They have every single national apparel, accessories, home furnishing store out there," Scaccetti said. "We're not looking to compete with that, we're looking to complement it." "We feel like we've done a good job of complementing it to date with the restaurant collection and the element of everyday needs: the Wegmans, your LA Fitness, Nordstrom Rack, Ulta, REI, PNC Bank, Starbucks," Scaccetti said. "We're serving the community and also the region with the mix of everyday needs and also dining." King of Prussia Town Center is located at 155 Village Drive in Upper Merion Township. For more information visit kingofprussia-towncenter.com. Want more stories about Philadelphia area? Click here to read all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love. A group of Afghan teenage girls will be allowed to travel to the United States to partake in an international robotics competition after their visa applications were denied twice, U.S. officials said Wednesday. A Homeland Security Department spokesman said in an email that the agency had approved a request from the State Department for the six girls on the robotics team and their chaperone to enter the country and attend the competition, which is set to bring teams from more than 160 countries to Washington next week. Politico, which broke the story Wednesday evening, reported that President Donald Trump had personally intervened and asked officials at the National Security Council to take action. The president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, tweeted her support on Wednesday, saying she looked forward to welcoming "this brilliant team of Afghan girls" to Washington next week. The decision resolves a dispute that drew intense backlash from human rights activists and raised questions about whether U.S. agencies were retreating from previous efforts to advocate for young women in Afghanistan, where they are often denied educational opportunities. The criticisms also fueled arguments that Trump is seeking to ban Muslims from entering the country. The most recent version of Trump's travel ban restricts visas to citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries, but Afghanistan is not on the list. The head of FIRST Global, the organization hosting the competition, cheered the news in a statement Wednesday. "I truly believe our greatest power is the power to convene nations, to bring people together in the pursuit of a common goal and prove that our similarities greatly outweigh our differences," said FIRST Global President Joe Sestak, a former U.S. Navy admiral and Democratic congressman. "That is why I am most grateful to the U.S. Government and its State Department for ensuring Afghanistan, as well as Gambia, would be able to join us for this international competition this year." It remains unclear why the State Department denied the girls' visa applications in the first place. A spokesperson for the agency told the Associated Press on Wednesday that "all visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with U.S. law." In allowing the girls to travel to the United States, the Department of Homeland Security granted them "parole," authorizing a one-time, temporary entry into the country for humanitarian reasons or "significant public benefit," a spokesman told The Post. Members of a robotics team from Gambia were also granted visas Wednesday after being previously being barred from entering, as the Associated Press reported. Teams from Syria, Iran and Sudan, all countries included in Trump's travel ban, have not faced similar setbacks. The girls, all high schoolers, had constructed a ball-sorting robot to enter in the FIRST Global Challenge, an international robotics contest that aims to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and math (the acronym stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). After convincing their parents to let them attend, the team made two 500-mile trips from their hometown of Herat in western Afghanistan to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul to apply for visas, as The Washington Post reported. When they got the news that their visa applications had been denied, the girls were heartbroken. "They were crying all day," Roya Mahboob, an Afghan software executive and one of the team's sponsors, told The Post earlier this month. The girls wrote on their competition page: "We want to make a difference, and most breakthroughs in science, technology and other industries normally start with the dream of a child to do something great. We want to be that child and pursue our dreams to make a difference in people's lives." LONDON, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imagination Technologies (IMG.L) announces the launch of MIPSfpga 2.0, the next generation of its highly successful CPU education infrastructure. MIPSfpga 2.0 represents a comprehensive set of teaching materials for teaching computer architecture including full, open access to a MIPS CPU to let students see the actual RTL code and study the inner workings of the processor. MIPSfpga 2.0 is part of the Imagination University Programme (IUP), which provides students with a unique opportunity to learn using a commercially available CPU architecture. MIPSfpga 2.0 includes two expanded packages: a Getting Started Guide and MIPSfpga Labs which gives students practical exercises that take them deep into the CPU design. The Getting Started Guide enables students and professors to set up the MIPS core on an FPGA platform, program it and debug it. This package contains the unobfuscated RTL of the MIPS microAptiv CPU, reference guides, an installer for Open OCD and Codescape Essentials, plus other essential elements. The MIPSfpga Labs package has a total of 25 practical exercises 16 more than in the original MIPSfpga materials including a look at how the pipeline works, an exploration of cache memory, and creating User Defined Instructions (UDIs). A third package, MIPSfpga SoC, focuses on Linux loading and configuration. Dr. Sarah Harris, associate professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and co-author of the MIPSfpga 2.0 teaching infrastructure, says, With MIPSfpga 2.0, the number of practical exercises has increased considerably. The original MIPSfpga exercises focused on working with the core from the system level. With the new MIPSfpga Labs, students can start modifying the core itself and explore and modify the memory system. For students trying to understand the cache, how the pipeline works, how stalling affects performance, plus many other things, they can now get inside the core and find out for themselves. They can test different strategies and truly learn by doing. This is a game changer for CPU architecture education because it brings the theoretical, practical, and professional practice together for the first time. MIPSfpga was first released in 2015 and to-date is being used in 600+ universities and colleges around the world including Harvey Mudd College, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and many more. Robert Owen, manager, Worldwide University Programme, Imagination Technologies, says, When we first launched MIPSfpga, we transformed the teaching of CPU architecture. Never before had a commercial CPU been available in unobfuscated form to academics. Today, two years on, we are taking things further by placing greater emphasis on deep practical learning. The engineers of tomorrow need to know what a CPU looks like from the inside out. With MIPSfpga 2.0 were arming them with this knowledge and skill set. Accessing MIPSfpga 2.0 The MIPSfpga 2.0 CPU and related materials are available as free-to-download packages from the Imagination University Programme (IUP) website now. Academics should visit http://community.imgtec.com/university to register for the IUP and get started. MIPSfpga Workshops The first MIPSfpga 2.0 workshop will be held on Thursday 7th September 2017 during the International Conference on Field-Programmable Logic and Applications (FPL) 2017 in Ghent, Belgium. The tutorial is open to academic faculty members. It includes short talks, demos, and hands-on activities. More information on the workshop and registration for the conference can be found here. Supporting Quotes MIPSfpga helps students increase their engineering ability rather than just teaching them the theory of the CPU. I can show my students what a real commercial CPU looks like, helping increase their engineering ability and not just teaching them the theory. MIPSfpga 2.0 is about to be used in our postgraduate course and I believe the practical exercises will benefit our student extensively. It will greatly increase their knowledge of the CPU by enabling them to explore and modify the Verilog code and boot code of MIPSfpga and to quickly test new architectural features. - Professor Dai Zhitao, School of Computer, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China Zhe Jiang University was the first to use MIPS architecture in its classrooms in China. Were very much looking forward to using MIPSfpga 2.0 with our students, especially in OS and computer hardware system integration, enabling them to truly modify and experiment with every aspect of the computer architecture. - Professor Shi Qingsong, Zhe Jiang University, China MIPSfpga 2.0 perfectly complements most of the concepts explained in the courses that I teach: Integrated Systems Architecture and Computer Organisation. It could also be used in many other courses taught at the University Complutense of Madrid including those about computer architecture, SoC design and HW/SW codesign. What I really like about MIPSfpga 2.0 is the availability of an industrial-level soft-core (microAptiv), which bridges the gap between existing curricula, usually based on simplified MIPS processors, and industrial-level work with a real MIPS core. This really helps students in upper-division undergraduate and master-level courses to work on projects extremely close to the ones that they will face in their professional careers. - Associate Professor, Daniel Angel Chaver Martinez University Complutense of Madrid, Spain At Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, we used MIPSfpga as part of a graduate-level class project. The students adopted the MIPS RTL and set out to make changes to it to support message-passing between a cluster of cores. We selected MIPS to support our course because we wanted the processor to be in VHDL/Verilog, a language familiar to the students already. The code was modular, easy to understand, and well-documented, and the feedback from students was very positive. We were able to take the class project and package it into an FPGA 2017 conference short paper, a noteworthy outcome for the students beyond simply fulfilling class requirements. - Assistant Professor, Nachiket Kapre Nanyang Technology University, Singapore I have been involved with MIPSfpga and Imagination Technologies University Program from the start - I attended the first U.S. workshops and so it is great to see the momentum that is now behind MIPSfpga 2.0. Personally, I really like the quality of the instructional material and the open source nature of the project. I also like that MIPSfpga has been integrated into the Vivado IP flow. - Westside Program Director, Roy Kravitz Portland State University, USA At Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, we will be using MIPSfpga and MIPSfpga 2.0 to help our students realise SoCs on an FPGA and to connect peripherals to the processors. The course support materials are excellent, both from my perspective as the teacher and from the students point of view. Well be using MIPSfpga 2.0 from October 2017 and I expect that my students will benefit greatly from such comprehensive learning materials. - Professor, Michael Huebner Ruhr University Bochum, Germany About the Imagination University Program The Imagination University Program (IUP) is designed to provide practical help to teachers around the world so that they can use Imaginations technologies in courses and student projects. The focus is on providing the four vital elements needed to teach a course: a suitable hardware platform at a reasonable price, free software development tools, effective technical support, and excellent teaching materials that serve genuine teaching needs. The IUP is open to all members of academia. For more information, visit http://community.imgtec.com/university. About Imagination Technologies Imagination is a global technology leader whose products touch the lives of billions of people across the globe. The companys broad range of silicon IP (intellectual property) includes the key processing blocks needed to create the SoCs (Systems on Chips) that power all mobile, consumer and embedded electronics. Its unique software IP, infrastructure technologies and system solutions enable its customers to get to market quickly with complete and highly differentiated SoC platforms. Imaginations licensees include many of the worlds leading semiconductor manufacturers, network operators and OEMs/ODMs who are creating some of the worlds most iconic products. See: www.imgtec.com. Follow Imagination on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, RSS, Facebook and Blog. Imagination Technologies and the Imagination Technologies logo are trademarks of Imagination Technologies Limited and/or its affiliated group companies in the United Kingdom and/or other countries. All other logos, products, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BOSTON (AP) -- A proposal at Harvard University would ban all fraternities, sororities and single-gender clubs starting in fall 2018, a measure that's largely aimed at the school's exclusive, all-male social clubs that have been blamed for problems with sexual assault and alcohol abuse. The recommendation was announced Wednesday by a faculty committee that was created in March to examine the school's rules surrounding single-gender clubs and suggest improvements. The final decision on any change now falls to Harvard President Drew Faust. Hearing for 18 charged in Penn State student's death at frat house In its 22-page report, the committee said it hopes to create an environment where clubs "cease to have a pernicious influence on undergraduate life." "In order to move beyond the gendered and exclusive club system that has persisted -- and even expanded -- over time, a new paradigm is needed," the committee wrote, "one that is rooted in an appreciation of diversity, commitment to inclusivity and positive contributions to the social experience for all students." BREAKING: A Harvard faculty committee has recommended students be forbidden from joining social groups. https://t.co/3l28tzJUU1 The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) July 12, 2017 For years, Harvard's administration has sought to crack down on secretive all-male social clubs that are known on campus as "final clubs." They include a handful of groups that have been around for decades, including the Porcellian Club, which dates to the 18th century and counts President Theodore Roosevelt among its past members. But the faculty committee said those clubs are a product of their times and "due to their resistance to change over the decades, they have lapsed into products behind their time." A separate Harvard committee reported in March that members of the clubs have "deeply misogynistic attitudes" and a "sense of sexual entitlement." A school survey found that 47 percent of female seniors who interacted socially with the clubs had experienced non-consensual sexual contact during college. Students and alumni from some clubs have strongly denounced those accusations and said they don't have problems with sexual assault. Messages left with several final clubs were not returned on Wednesday. The proposal would forbid students from joining final clubs, fraternities or sororities -- even those that are co-ed -- starting with incoming students in fall 2018. Students found to have violated the rule would face disciplinary action from the university. Although Harvard doesn't officially recognize fraternities or sororities, there are several local chapters open to Harvard students. One fraternity, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Massachusetts Gamma Chapter, posted a statement on its Facebook page Wednesday saying the committee "has chosen to dismiss the concerns" of many Harvard College students who've benefited from membership in social organizations. "Our chapter, like many other Greek organizations, is proud to foster an environment where people of different backgrounds, opinions, and identities may come together in authentic ways," the statement said. "Our open rush process and need-blind financial aid programs are cornerstones of who we are, and we take great pride in recruiting and accepting members of all races, creeds, religions, sexual orientations, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds." A group that represents three fraternities that include Harvard students also spoke out against the proposed ban. "Freedom of association and speech are paramount for the intellectual and spiritual growth of students," Heather Kirk, spokeswoman for the North-American Interfraternity Conference, said in a statement. "We urge Harvard to focus on creating a culture of health and safety on campus that also respects students' rights." If approved, Harvard would join other colleges that have taken heavy actions against Greek life groups. The Harvard proposal is based on longstanding fraternity bans at Williams College in Massachusetts and Bowdoin College in Maine. More recently, some schools have banned alcohol at fraternity parties following student deaths. Pennsylvania State University tightened its rules after 19-year-old student Tim Piazza died in February from injuries he suffered during a fraternity pledge night. The Harvard committee said its proposal is partly a reaction to those types of stories. "The committee's deliberations were carried out under the shadow of tragic events relating to hazing and excessive drinking at other campuses across America," the group wrote. "The Committee's recommendation is in part intended as a preventative step." By COLLIN BINKLEY, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Linda Bell, a beekeeper and farmer who makes about $11,000 a year, feels Washington power brokers have no intention of making health care affordable. "They don't care about people like me," says the Bosque County, Texas, resident. Three-quarters of Americans agree that people like themselves have too little influence in Washington, rare unanimity across political, economic, racial and geographical lines and including both those who approve and disapprove of President Donald Trump, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Majorities also don't have a great deal of confidence in most of the nation's institutions. That's especially true of Congress, which takes the biggest hit, and the presidency. Even at a time of deepening economic and political divisions, the poll finds widespread agreement that small businesses, poor Americans and workers have too little power in Washington, while lobbyists, big business and rich people have too much. The results are notable because Trump won his presidency with a populist call-to-arms to make "forgotten Americans" his priority and to restore jobs to people still struggling amid the economy's recovery. Republicans who control Congress echoed Trump's vow to overhaul President Barack Obama's national health care law and cut people's taxes as part of a drive to restore the American middle class. Those efforts have wobbled, however, amid Trump's efforts to crack down on Muslim immigration, his feud-filled Twitter feed, investigations into allegations of collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign and Congress' inability so far to come up with a replacement for "Obamacare." "He said he was going to restore the middle class, and I thought he would pick really good people who would do that. But the people he picked seem to be not in touch with the middle class," said Hobart, Indiana, resident James Pavelka, 60, a health and safety instructor who said he voted for Trump. He was referring to Trump's Cabinet, thought to be the wealthiest in modern times. "During the campaign, he said, 'I'm for the little guy.' People were angry and he fed on that and he knew how to do that." It's not just Trump who makes people feel like they lack power. Only 6 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in Congress, with wide agreement across party lines. Fourteen percent of people said they have a great deal of confidence in the executive branch, which includes the president and all of the Cabinet agencies, and 24 percent say the same of the Supreme Court. Most Americans feel solid about the armed forces, with about 56 percent saying they have a great deal of confidence in the people running the military. About 3 in 10 Americans say they have a great deal of confidence in the FBI, and a third says the same of the scientific community. Both are trusted more by Democrats than Republicans. Beyond government, only about 11 percent of Americans say they have a lot of confidence in the news media, the target of angry tweets by Trump. And just 1 in 10 says they have a great deal of confidence in major companies, banks and financial institutions, or labor unions. There's no question that Trump, a Manhattan real estate magnate with a global business empire, has little personally in common with the majority of people in the U.S., where the median household income is around $54,000 a year. But Jennifer McDonald, an office manager from Arvada, Colorado, says the president shares her loathing of the Washington establishment. Still, she says she's disappointed in Trump's "hissy fits" on Twitter and downright angry with the leaders of Congress who share her party but not her priorities of "just getting things done"-- such as cutting taxes and replacing Obama's health care law. "There are times when I'm watching them and thinking, 'I just don't know who you're speaking for,'" McDonald, 44, says of the GOP Congress. "All they do is stand there and argue and I think, 'My God, would you please realize what you have here: You have control of both houses. Get it done.'" Bell, the 55-year-old Texas beekeeper, says she still likes Trump because "he's scrappy. I like someone who's a little scrappy." It's early in Trump's administration, she notes, "and I do believe he has more respect for people like me than has been shown in the past." But she doubts any health care law Congress passes and Trump signs is going to make it easier for her to afford insurance -- which she says would eat up $675 of the roughly $881 she nets every month. "They are not thinking about people, they are thinking about politics," Bell said of Washington power brokers. "It's kind of like I accepted when I was in my early 20s that, OK, I'm going to be lied to coming out of Washington, and I have been." The AP-NORC poll of 1,068 adults was conducted June 8-11 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. WILLIAMSPORT -- A federal appeals court says it found troubling the allegation the Quran was placed on the floor and condoms put on the desk of a state prison employee responsible for organizing observances and other activities for inmates of the Muslim faith. But, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday affirmed the dismissal of civil rights suit Mustafa Abuomar filed in 2014 against the Department of Corrections and several officials at the Coal Twp. state prison. The appeals court found Abuomar failed to provide sufficient evidence to support claims that included illegal seizure, hostile work environment, retaliation and a due process rights violation. Abuomar, who retired in May 2014 after nearly 20 years at the prison in Northumberland County, had appealed the decision of U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann, who had dismissed his complaint. The litigation was an outgrowth of an issue Abuomar had with another employee who he claimed had made inappropriate ethnic, racial and religious comments toward him. In an effort to resolve the matter, Abuomar was asked to attend a March 5, 2014, meeting in prison training room. The appeals court rejected his illegal seizure and due process violation claims related to the meeting. Abuomar was not grabbed, prevented from leaving or deprived of any liberties, the opinion states. It points out he was permitted to leave work early that day for a prescheduled appointment. Other than his statements, there is nothing to support his claims of hostile work environment, retaliation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the appeals court said. SARNIA, Ontario, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. (LLLI) invites investors and law enforcement authorities to listen to a new radio interview with company CEO Barry Lamperd. The interview was recorded this week on the national business radio show, Equity Strategies hosted by Stu Taylor and can be accessed via this link: http://lllico.com/press-interviews/. A National broadcast of the program will be made on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Follow-up interviews with Barry Lamperd are also being planned for the near future. In this latest interview Barry Lamperd covers many topics of high importance to the growing needs of law enforcement and military authorities, both domestically and globally. Mr. Lamperd describes how Lamperd Less Lethal has been developing new generations of products which will provide the most effective solutions for crowd control and other high tension situations with emphasis on protecting officers and civilians from serious harm or fatality. Attention is also given to how Lamperd products are designed to prevent fires that can cause millions of dollars in liability costs and how Lamperd products are the most economical with many reloadable designs. Lamperd Less Lethal has been receiving increasing customer interest and orders for many of its new products in 2017. The company is currently prepared to fill any large orders from all parts of the world as they are needed, and also establishing new distributor. The company will be hosting a major introduction and demonstration event this September in Sarnia, Ontario Canada, this event will showcase the latest developments in the Lamperd product line. The event will be highlighted by our latest invention for crowd control the 1.5 Oz Aerial Burst Pepper Spray Grenade that controls crowds a space of 200 square feet per grenade for up to twenty minutes. The event is currently being scheduled at either the local college or university. Interested parties and investors are invited to contact the company for details on attending this event beginning next Tuesday. About the Company Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. (LLLI) is a developer, manufacturer and international sales company for advanced less lethal weapons, ammunition and other security products marketed to police, correctional, military and private security forces. The company sells over 300 different products including small & large caliber projectile guns, flash grenades, pepper spray grenades, 37mm & 40mm launching systems and interlocking riot shields. Lamperd also offers advisory services and hands-on training classes run by highly accredited instructors. This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in future operating results. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements. While these statements are made to convey to the public the company's progress, business opportunities and growth prospects, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements represent management's opinion. Whereas management believes such representations to be true and accurate based on information and data available to the company at this time, actual results may differ materially from those described. The company's operations and business prospects are always subject to risk and uncertainties. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ are and will be set forth in the company's periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Tabitha Speer is seen at Guantanamo Bay on Oct. 31, 2010. A lawyer for the widow of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan is slated to square off in court in Toronto today against counsel for Omar Khadr. THE CANADIAN PRESS, Colin Perkel AUSTIN, TX, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CLEAResult, a leader in designing and implementing technology-enabled energy efficiency programs for utilities, today released a white paper titled, Creating Customer and Investor Value Through Energy Efficiency. The white paper shows how four states innovated to improve their regulatory systems, giving utilities meaningful financial incentives to empower their customers to reduce energy consumption. The new white paper is a follow-up to a previous report titled, Lower Spending, Higher Returns. According to the study, Michigan, Illinois, Utah and Maryland have all found unique ways to align utilities interests with those of their customers to both expand energy efficiency offerings and lower costs, while increasing shareholder value and earned returns. For example, the state of Michigan recently put into effect a new comprehensive energy policy, which includes an energy efficiency goal and enhanced incentive mechanism, and introduces an integrated resource planning process. Customer preferences and expectations are changing rapidly, and energy efficiency gives us tools to better serve and empower customers to manage their energy use and monthly bills, said DTE Energy Manager for Strategy in Michigan, Manish Rukadikar, who participated in a May webinar about the CLEAResult white paper. Were very excited about the 2016 Michigan energy legislation which we believe will yield better outcomes for customers, enable more rapid deployment of new technologies, and help us adapt to the changing energy landscape. Any state wishing to lower system costs and empower its citizens to better control energy use while providing financial incentives to utilities could adopt one of these progressive models, said co-author Doug Lewin, vice president of regulatory affairs and market development at CLEAResult. There are infinite possible variations, so states can, and should, continue to focus on regulatory innovation as a way to benefit their citizens. The regulatory tools exemplified by these four states prove that regulatory systems can result in wins for all stakeholders, said co-author Peter Kind, executive director at Energy Infrastructure Advocates. Its possible to create a system that provides meaningful incentives to utilities for empowering their customers to use less energy. This both lowers costs and increases earned returns and shareholder value, while increasing customer engagement and satisfaction. For more information, download the paper Creating Customer and Investor Value Through Energy Efficiency here: https://www.clearesult.com/insights/whitepapers/creating-customer-and-investor-value-through-energy-efficiency/. About CLEAResult CLEAResult is the largest provider of energy efficiency programs and services in North America. Through proven strategies tailored to clients unique needs and market dynamics, the combined strength of experienced energy experts and technology-enabled service offerings help CLEAResult change the way people use energy for hundreds of utility and business partners. Founded in 2003, CLEAResult is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has close to 3,000 employees in more than 70 cities across the U.S. and Canada. CLEAResult is a portfolio company of General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm. For more information, visit clearesult.com. ### Follow us on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d438ed81-cd29-46e8-8b13-0b8e30339e03 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c6913ae9-c395-4ddc-9cb2-c7df03bf4fd5 French English Issuance by INNATE PHARMA of 3,343,748 ordinary shares to Novo Nordisk A/S in consideration for RIghts in ANTI-C5aR The acquisition of the anti-C5aR, a first-in-class clinical-stage antibody, announced on June 2, 2017, is now finalized; The 3,343,748 new ordinary shares have been issued to Novo Nordisk A/S at a price of 11.12; Novo Nordisk A/S's stake in the share capital of Innate Pharma increases from 10.3% to 15.5%; This press release is made in accordance with Article 17 of the French Autorite des Marches Financiers ("AMF") Instruction n 2016-04 dated October 21, 2016. Marseille, on July 13, 2017 On June 2, 2017, Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 - IPH) (the "Company") entered into a contribution in kind agreement with the company Novo Nordisk A/S ("Novo") under which Novo undertook to transfer shares to the Company by way of contribution (the "Contribution"), which contribution relates to all the shares held by Novo in a company named NN C5aR S.A.S. ("NN C5aR"). NN C5ar was set up for the purpose of acquiring the exclusive development and commercial rights in the anti-C5aR antibody by Innate Pharma. Prior to completion of the Contribution, Novo transferred to NN C5aR all rights and proceeds relating to the anti-C5aR antibody (which will become the IPH5401 program) in accordance with a license agreement governing the subsequent rights and obligations of the parties. The Company will soon absorb NN C5aR and will itself become a party to the license agreement. The terms of the agreement provide for an upfront payment of 40m, of which 37.2m will be paid in the form of new shares in the Company and 2.8m will be paid in cash. Novo is eligible for up to 370m by way of development, regulatory and sales milestone payments and to double digit royalties on future net sales. With the allocation of the newly issued shares in the Company, Novo's stake in the share capital of Innate Pharma increases from 10.3% to 15.5%. This capital increase is effected through the 17th resolution of the June 2, 2016 General Meeting of Innate Pharma held on 2 June 2016, pursuant to which the shareholders granted the Company's Management Board powers to increase the Company's share capital in consideration for asset contributions. The Supervisory Board of the Company, at its meeting of June 1st, 2017, unanimously approved the Contribution proposal. The Management Board, at its meeting of June 2, 2017, approved the draft contribution agreement and license agreement, authorised the Company CEO to execute these agreements and approved the proposed capital increase of the Company in consideration for the Contribution. The management board, at its meeting of July 13, 2017, noted the completion of the Contribution, settled the 3,343,748 new ordinary shares issued in consideration for the Contribution and noted the completion of the capital increase. The reasons and terms of the transaction are described hereafter. Reasons for the transaction The Contribution is the last step in the acquisition of the exclusive development and commercial rights in the anti-C5aR antibody by Innate Pharma. This acquisition will allow Innate Pharma to strengthen its proprietary pipeline with the acquisition of anti-C5aR (which becomes the IPH5401 program), a clinical-stage antibody, which could start clinical trials in oncology in 2018. IPH5401 is a "first-in-class" therapeutic antibody that specifically binds and blocks C5a receptors (C5aR) expressed on subsets of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and neutrophils. Part of the innate immune system, these types of cells secrete inflammatory and angiogenic factors which promote tumour growth. In addition, they potently suppress anti-tumour T and NK cells and hamper the activities of PD-1 checkpoint blockers. C5a, a factor in the complement cascade, is often overexpressed in tumours, where it attracts and activates MDSC and neutrophils in the tumour's microenvironment. IPH5401 is an entirely human antibody that blocks the binding of C5a to C5aR, thereby reducing the accumulation and activation of MDSC and neutrophils in tumours. Treatment with IPH5401 may initiate anti-tumour activities of T cells and NK cells. Preclinical trials support the development of IPH5401 as single agent and in combination with PD-1 checkpoint blockers or other cancer immunotherapies. Under the transaction, Innate Pharma does acquire worldwide rights to anti-C5aR/IPH5401 in all indications from Novo. Terms of the transaction 2.1 Parties to the transaction Issuer - Beneficiary of the Contribution Innate Pharma, a French societe anonyme, whose registered office is located 117 avenue de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, registered with the registre du commerce et des societes of Marseille under number 424 365 336. Contributor Novo Nordisk A/S, a Danish corporation (Aktieselskab), whose registered office is located Novo Alle, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Danemark, registered with the Danish Central Trade Register (Det Centrale Virksomhedsregister) under number 24 25 67 90. Prior to the Contribution, Novo was a shareholder of the Company and owned 10.3% of the Company's share capital. Furthermore, Novo has had a seat on the supervisory board of the Company since June 26, 2007 and is represented by Mr. Karsten Munk Knudsen. Company whose shares are contributed NN C5aR S.A.S., a French societe par actions simplifiee, whose registered office is located 95 rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, registered with the registre du commerce et des societes of Paris under number 830 680 476. Following the transaction, a simplified merger (fusion simplifiee) will be implemented between the Company and NN C5aR, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, leading to the absorption of NN C5aR by the Company. 2.2 Shares subject to the Contribution The shares subject to the Contribution, i.e. 5,500,000 shares, represent 100% of the share capital and voting rights of NN C5aR S.A.S (the "Contributed Shares") and are fully contributed by Novo. By mutual agreement between Novo and the Company, the Contributed Shares were valued at 37,166,667. 2.3 Terms of the Contribution The Contribution is effected under ordinary contributions in kind legal regime as defined by the provisions of Article L. 225-147 of the French commercial code. The Contributed Shares have been valued at their actual value, which, as it has been agreed between the parties, is 37,166,667. The contribution agreement stipulated that the number of shares to be issued as consideration for the Contribution (representing 37.2m) would be calculated on the basis of the volume-weighted average Innate share price during a period of 10 consecutive trading days starting on June 26, 2017, with a minimum of 2,700,000 shares and a maximum of 3,500,000 shares, i.e. an implied share issue price of 10.62 and 13.77. The volume-weighted average share price during a period of 10 consecutive trading days starting on June 26, 2017 equals to 11.12, i.e. a number of shares to be issued of 3,343,748 (the "New Innate Shares") with a nominal value of 0.05 each, entirely assimilated to the existing shares of the Company. Such issue price shows a premium of 1.74 % compared to the closing price of July 12, 2017. The New Innate Shares will be subject to an application for admission to trading on Euronext Paris to be assimilated with the existing listed shares of the Company (ISIN code FR0010331421). The resulting share capital increase of the Company is 167,187.40, which brings the Company's share capital to 2,867,817.60, divided into 57,356,352 ordinary shares. The new shares represent 6.2% of the share capital of the Company before the issuance and any shareholder holding 1% of the share capital pre-issuance will hold 0.94% following the issuance. Novo agreed to a 180-day lock-up period related to the New Innate Shares starting on July 13, 2017. Given that the transaction constitutes a contribution of assets resulting in an issuance of securities representing less than 10% of the securities of the same category already admitted to trading on a regulated market, the parties are not subject to the requirement to publish a prospectus approved by the AMF pursuant to Article 17 of the AMF instruction n 2016-04 dated October 21, 2016. 2.4 Assessment of the value and remuneration of Contribution Pursuant to Article L. 225-147 of the French commercial code and to Recommendation n 2011-11 of the AMF, Ms. Lison Chouraki and Mr. Luc-Rene Chamouleau were appointed as contribution auditors (the "Contribution Auditors") for the purpose of the Contribution, by ordinance of the President of the Commercial Court of Marseille dated June 1st, 2017, with the task of assessing the value of the Contribution and the fairness of the remuneration for the contributed NN C5aR shares. The Contribution Auditors' reports were filed at the registered office and published on the Company's website on July 5, 2017. Conclusions of the Contribution Auditors on the value of the Contribution In their report on the value of the Contribution dated July 5, 2017, the Contribution Auditors state that: "Based on our work and at the date of this report, we believe that the adopted value of the contribution, amounting to 37,166,667, is not overvalued and, therefore, that the net contributed asset is at least equal to the amount of the capital increase of Innate Pharma, plus the issue premium." Conclusions of the Contribution Auditors on the remuneration for the Contribution In their report on the remuneration of the Contribution dated July 5, 2017, the Contribution Auditors state that: "Based on our work and at the date of this report, and subject to the share price of Innate Pharma falling within the value range implied in the contribution agreement, we believe that the proposed remuneration for the contribution, leading to the issuance of 2,700,000 to 3,500,000 Innate Pharma shares decided by the parties, is fair." The price of the capital increase corresponding to the average share price provided for in the contribution agreement is 11.12, within the 10.62 to 13.77 range of the implied Innate Pharma share issue price mentioned in 2.3 above. About Innate Pharma: Innate Pharma S.A. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a focus on discovering and developing first-in-class therapeutic antibodies that harness the innate immune system to improve cancer treatment and clinical outcomes for patients. Innate Pharma specializes in immuno-oncology, a new therapeutic field that is changing cancer treatment by mobilising the power of the body's immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells. The Company's aim is to become a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company in the area of immunotherapy and to focus on serious unmet medical needs associated with cancer. Innate Pharma has pioneered the discovery and development of checkpoint inhibitors to activate the innate immune system. Innate Pharma's innovative approach has resulted in three "first-in-class", clinical trial-stage antibodies targeting natural killer cell receptors that may address a broad range of solid and hematological cancer indications as well as additional preclinical product candidates and technologies. Targeting receptors involved in innate immunity also creates opportunities for the Company to develop therapies for inflammatory diseases. The Company's expertise and understanding of natural killer cell biology have enabled it to enter into major alliances with leaders in the biopharmaceutical industry including AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi. Based in Marseille, France, Innate Pharma has more than 170 employees and is listed on Euronext Paris. Learn more about Innate Pharma at www.innate-pharma.com. Information about Innate Pharma shares: ISIN code Ticker code FR0010331421 IPH Disclaimer: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Although the company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the company's actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors ("Facteurs de Risque") section of the Document de Reference prospectus filed with the AMF, which is available on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org) or on Innate Pharma's website (www.innate-pharma.com). This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to shares in Innate Pharma in any country. For additional information, please contact: Innate Pharma Contacts Presse Laure-Helene Mercier Chief Financial Officer ATCG Press (France) Marie Puvieux Tel.: +33 (0)4 30 30 30 87 Mob: +33 (0)6 10 54 36 72 investors@innate-pharma.com presse@atcg-partners.com Consilium Strategic Communications (ROW) Mary-Jane Elliott / Sue Stuart / Jessica Hodgson Tel.: +44 (0)20 3709 5700 InnatePharma@consilium-comms.com Truck driven into Charlevoix's Round Lake, driver taken to hospital The driver was alive when retrieved from the vehicle and taken to hospital. DENVER, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) announced today that the IASLC 18th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) will take place on October 15-18, 2017, in Yokohama, Japan. The WCLC is the worlds largest meeting dedicated solely to lung cancer and other thoracic malignanciesgathering over 6,000 delegates from more than 100 countries to discuss the latest scientific advances in the field. Year after year, the WCLC is a must-attend event in the lung cancer community due to the quality of research presented and the singular focus on these particular malignancies, said Fred Hirsch, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and School of Medicine and CEO of the IASLC. This is the premier lung cancer meeting of the year, and beyond disseminating new scientific achievements, the meeting also fosters global collaboration and networking. We look forward to gathering the brightest minds and to bringing the latest developments to the many patients who need it. The WCLC features a variety of programming that will explore deep insights across disciplines and specialties, including sessions on clinical trial results, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, prevention/screening, nursing and advocacy. The educational sessions and abstract presentations will highlight the latest advancements in treatment and breakthroughs in research. Conference attendees include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists, epidemiologists, basic research scientists, nurses, allied health professionals and industry representatives. The WCLC also welcomes lung cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates, ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice. For more information, please visit: http://wclc2017.iaslc.org/ About the WCLC: The World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) is the worlds largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting over 6,000 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to disseminate the latest scientific achievements; increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer; and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. Organized under the theme of Synergy to Conquer Lung Cancer, the conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit http://wclc2017.iaslc.org/. The International Energy Agency on Thursday projected that Marcellus Shale gas production will increase 45 percent in the next six years as drillers produce more gas with fewer, more efficient rigs. The gas field is largely centered in Pennsylvania. The Paris-based IEA, in a new report, said that the global natural-gas market is undergoing a major transformation driven by new U.S. shale-gas supplies, and that more than half the expected U.S. production will be used for liquefied natural gas for export. Demand from China will drive much of the global growth, according to IEA. By 2022, the agency said that the United States "will be on course to challenge Australia and Qatar for global leadership among LNG exporters." Michael Pestronk, left, and his brother, Matthew Pestronk in front of their apartment conversion project at the Atlantic Building, at Broad and Spruce Streets. This photograph was shot in October, 2012, just as the brothers were in a rancorous dispute with Philadelphias busilding trades over open-shop construction at their Goldtex project at 12th and Pearl streets. (ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ) Read more When Philadelphia contractors and the building trades talked peace more than a year ago, there was a lot of good dining going on, with the players choosing gnocchi or chicken marsala at Spasso's Italian Grill in Center City or one of those hefty hot pastrami sandwiches at the Famous 4th Street Deli on South Street. They are not eating together now they're too busy holding their collective breaths to see whether a fragile labor peace eked out over meals between union leaders and the Pestronk brothers, who challenged union hegemony over city construction, will hold during the apartment conversion of the 1920s Atlantic office tower at Broad and Spruce Streets. At the moment, the truce is looking fragile. "We're not trying to flick anyone in the eye," said Michael Pestronk, chief executive of Post Brothers, the name he and his brother Matthew gave their business. No one has forgotten what happened the last time the brothers developed in Center City nearly five years ago, in the fall of 2012. The Pestronks wanted to convert a former textile factory at 12th and Wood Streets, the Goldtex building, into apartments, using a mix of union and non-union contractors. Construction stopped for months as union workers objecting to the use of non-union workers blocked entrances to the site. The protests were organized by the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, then led by Patrick Gillespie, who is now retired. One disturbing video showed a worker trying to get on site falling down as eight men crushed him between a chain-link fence and a stone wall. Two people were arrested and others were sought. At one point, as many as 100 protesters were on site and the Pestronks were paying the Philadelphia Sheriff's office $2,000 a day to enforce a court-order keeping them 45 feet away from the building. Eventually, the building got rehabbed, tenants moved in, and the Brick and Mortar bar opened on the ground floor. Then, in November 2015, John Dougherty, the newly elected head of the Building Trades Council, grabbed lunch with the Pestronk brothers at Spasso's. Dougherty also leads Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a politically powerful union. In theory, an agreement was reached: The brothers would use union contractors to rehab the Art Deco building, figuring that the reliability of building without hassle would compensate for higher union construction costs. "As we saw on Goldtex, when the unions are upset with you, they do a lot to obstruct the schedule and delay things," Michael Pestronk said at the time. In January, 2016, there was another meal at the Famous deli, with Dougherty, the Post brothers and Pierce J. Keating, chairman of Daniel J. Keating Co., a large general contractor. Trade sources said the brothers asked them to promise a price of about $119 million to convert the building. After negotiations with about 30 contractors and the unions that work with them, that number was reached. Then the brothers asked for a lower number, $105 million. Again, the unions and contractors reached that number, with "value engineering," cutting costs and materials. But no deal was reached, and the union side wondered whether the brothers used their numbers to negotiate better deals with non-union contractors. "We thought we had crafted an appropriate deal between the Post brothers and the unions," Keating said. "We would still like to build the building." Pestronk denied shopping the deal. He said that Keating met both numbers, but that the value engineering meant unacceptable grades of materials and finishes. And, so the brothers decided to handle their own general contracts. They reached signed sub-contracts at the $105 million price, which was enough to get construction financing, Pestronk said. He said he hopes the building, designed to include a rooftop deck, pool and fireplaces, will be fully leased by the first quarter of 2019 with the first apartments available next summer. He said demolition work is being handled by a union subcontractor employing members of a laborers' union local, a fact confirmed by Ryan Boyer, business manager of the Laborers' District Council. On Wednesday, workers were at the building with entrances manned by security guards. An alley or driveway behind the building was fenced off with black cloth mostly blocking views of the site. Whether Pestronk will use union subcontractors for the larger contracts remains to be seen. "We're working together with all the trades," Pestronk said, saying the building will be built "majority union." He declined to say if he'll use union electrical contractors. Boyer said he heard the Post brothers were envisioning a replay of what happened at Goldtex and if they do, "we'll do everything in our legal power" to prevent them from having non-union workers there. "We had a tacit agreement," Boyer said. John Dougherty, who is facing a wide-ranging federal corruption probe, was unavailable. His spokesman, Frank Keel, said there were still a lot of "open-ended discussions. I don't think anyone has given up or thrown in the towel." They were just three words not even uttered in real life but in a Hollywood movie that nevertheless came to define American politics over the last 40-plus years. "Follow the money." That's what the fictional portrayal of the whistleblower "Deep Throat" told Bob Woodward in the 1976 movie version of "All the President's Men" was the key to tracing the real roots of the Watergate scandal follow the flow of illegal campaign money into Richard Nixon's 1972 campaignwho it came from and where it was going. It turned out, of course, that the money from favor-seeking millionaires paid for illegal bugging, break-ins and other dirty tricks, and Nixon became the first and only president to resign in disgrace (so far). Despite that, the role of money in propelling political power in America grew only stronger. Now it's 2017 and things have changed. Money is still important, and more dark money flows into our politics than ever before. But that's because money helps campaigns buy the real source of political power: Knowledge. And in the computer era, knowledge means data: Where to find your voters, how to reach them, what to tell them that will guarantee they turn out to vote for your candidate or how to make the other side stay home. If there was a Deep Throat in the Trump-Russia scandal, this is what he'd be telling today's Woodwards and Bernsteins: Follow the data. With all the drama over this week's bombshell disclosures of Donald Trump Jr.'s emails and a previously unknown Trump Tower meeting between top campaign officials and a woman who'd been pitched to them as "a Russian government lawyer," there was another investigative report that arguably could have equal or greater significance in the ongoing probes of wrongdoing in the 2016 campaign. It said probers are now taking a much closer look at possible cooperation between Russia which had an operation to churn out "fake news" about Hillary Clinton during the fall campaign and the Trump campaign's data operation. The campaign's data effort was overseen by President Trump's son-in-law and arguably his closest adviser, Jared Kushner. Here's what the McClatchy News Service reported Wednesday: Investigators at the House and Senate Intelligence committees and the Justice Department are examining whether the Trump campaign's digital operation overseen by Jared Kushner helped guide Russia's sophisticated voter targeting and fake news attacks on Hillary Clinton in 2016. Congressional and Justice Department investigators are focusing on whether Trump's campaign pointed Russian cyber operatives to certain voting jurisdictions in key states areas where Trump's digital team and Republican operatives were spotting unexpected weakness in voter support for Hillary Clinton, according to several people familiar with the parallel inquiries. The Washington Post also took a deep dive into the important of the "fake news" blitz in helping bring out Trump's surprise victory in November. In October of last year, Bloomberg News reported that the campaign's digital arm, run by Brad Parscale, would target possible Hillary Clinton voters for an inverse pitch. The Trump campaign would not show them ads making the case for voting for Trump; instead, they showed videos that they hoped would dampen enthusiasm for Clinton and get the voters to stay home. [A] young staffer showed off a South Park-style animation he'd created of Clinton delivering the "super predator" line (using audio from her original 1996 sound bite), as cartoon text popped up around her: "Hillary Thinks African Americans are Super Predators." The animation will be delivered to certain African American voters through Facebook "dark posts" nonpublic posts whose viewership the campaign controls so that, as Parscale puts it, "only the people we want to see it, see it." Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia back in May questioned how the Russian fake-news-spreaders knew which voters to contact. He said: "When you see some of the explanation and some of the fact that it appears that, for example, women and African Americans were targeted in places like Wisconsin and Michigan, where the Democrats were too brain dead to realize those states were even in play It was interesting that those states seem to be targeted where the bots where they could could create a lot of these fake Twitter and Facebook accounts, could in fact overwhelm the targeted search engines that would end up saying on your news feed, you suddenly got stuff that "Hillary Clinton's sick" or "Hillary Clinton's stealing money from the State Department." It's fascinating: Most of the media attention has focused on the emails that were hacked i.e., stolen a felony from Democratic sources, allegedly by the Russians, and then leaked to help Trump's campaign. The key points in the Trump Jr. emails bombshell were that 1) Russia wanted Trump to win the election and 2) Trump's inner circle seemed eager to cooperate with them. And so if the Trump campaign somehow provided data to Russia's "fake news" content farms, that would suggest an even closer level of cooperation between the winning presidential campaign and an adversarial foreign power that wanted a new president to lift economic sanctions. Here's where it really gets interesting. The Trump campaign, including Kushner (who also took part in the Trump Tower confab with the Russian lawyer) worked closely with a data firm Cambridge Analytica connected to Trump's richest, most secretive and arguably most influential backer, hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, and his daughter Rebekah. That circle also includes another top Trump adviser, Steve Bannon, who was on the Cambridge Analytica board of directors, and Kellyanne Conway, who did consulting work for the Mercers before she connected with Trump. Much of this scenario was spelled out in an article that appeared on the website Just Security in May. After the election, Kushner bragged that micro-targeting was Trump's secret weapon, and he specifically praised the Mercer-run outfit for Forbes: This wasn't a completely raw startup. Kushner's crew was able to tap into the Republican National Committee's data machine, and it hired targeting partners like Cambridge Analytica to map voter universes and identify which parts of the Trump platform mattered most: trade, immigration or change. A deeply reported investigative piece in the Guardian, also published in May, made two explosive claims about Cambridge Analytica's work over the course of 2016 that go well beyond Kushner's claims. The first was that a key part of the Mercers' firm's work was indeed to suppress the Democratic turnout last November. Specifically: Cambridge Analytica worked on campaigns in several key states for a Republican political action committee. Its key objective, according to a memo the Observer has seen, was "voter disengagement" and "to persuade Democrat voters to stay at home": a profoundly disquieting tactic. It has previously been claimed that suppression tactics were used in the campaign, but this document provides the first actual evidence. Second, it claims that Cambridge Analytica also played a critical role in the other 2016 vote that shocked the world: The successful Brexit campaign to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union. Both that result and Trump's election achieved the key strategic goal of Russia: Destabilizing the Western alliance. That's no proof of collusion, of course. But you can see why investigators are stepping up their probes. In the case of hacking, we know that the Trump campaign was seeking dirt on Hillary Clinton and the Democrats and that dirt courtesy, it is alleged, of Russian hackers appeared just weeks later. In the case of data, we know that Jared Kushner wanted to target specific voters and the Russians set up an operation to create "fake news" content for exactly those readers. Either it's the world's greatest coincidence, or something darker was going on. This take by the Guardian's writer Carole Cadwalladr is as dark as it gets: There are three strands to this story. How the foundations of an authoritarian surveillance state are being laid in the US. How British democracy was subverted through a covert, far-reaching plan of coordination enabled by a US billionaire. And how we are in the midst of a massive land grab for power by billionaires via our data. Data which is being silently amassed, harvested and stored. Whoever owns this data owns the future. To say it more simply: Follow the data. FILE In this July 10, 2013, file photo, prospective students tour Georgetown University's campus in Washington. The good news is that Americans are saving more than ever for college. The bad news is that the average amount still isnt enough to cover one year at a four-year public university. In a report released Tuesday. Sept. 9, 2014, the College Savings Plans Network found that the average college savings or prepaid tuition account is now worth about $20,671 _ almost double what these 529 accounts were worth during the dog-days of the recession. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Read more David Brooks of the New York Times wrote a column this week that got a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons. If you are of a certain age, you might remember the hit duet that Frank Sinatra sang with his daughter Nancy called "Something Stupid" the chorus going, "Then I had to spoil it all by saying something stupid like" In the song, it was "I love you." For David Brooks, it was types of ham soppressata and capicollo which were the punchline to a bizarre anecdote about how he allegedly embarrassed a never-attended-college friend by taking her to a lunch spot with absurdly cosmopolitan lunch meats on the menu. The online ridicule was then piled higher that a pastrami sandwich at a Lower East Side deli which is kind of a shame because (warning: I'm about to express a highly unpopular opinion here) the rest of Brooks' column actually made a lot of sense. The piece with an apocalyptic headline, "How We Are Ruining America" focused on how educated, upper-middle-class elites increasingly erect barriers that prevent social mobility for everybody else, creating class resentment and other bad tidings that are very unhealthy for America's body politic. This was arguably the best example: Educated parents live in neighborhoods with the best teachers, they top off their local public school budgets and they benefit from legacy admissions rules, from admissions criteria that reward kids who grow up with lots of enriching travel and from unpaid internships that lead to jobs. It's no wonder that 70 percent of the students in the nation's 200 most competitive schools come from the top quarter of the income distribution. With their admissions criteria, America's elite colleges sit atop gigantic mountains of privilege, and then with their scholarship policies they salve their consciences by offering teeny step ladders for everybody else. In the non-lunch-meat part of the column, Brooks managed to touch on an issue that I've been pondering for a long, long time. The more I've covered about American politics in the 21st Century, the more I see that its No. 1 driving force is anger and resentment. And nothing seems to fuel that divide more than the topic of education and how we perceive it especially at the college level. The evidence is hiding in plain sight. Nothing drove the changes in the American electorate that, for better or worse, gave us President Trump more than level of educational attainment: Trump and his politics of rage surged among white men lacking a college degree, and conversely while it's been largely ignored by the pundits Hillary Clinton killed it in communities with high levels of college education like Philadelphia's Main Line, where she even outperformed her Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. Ask a conservative what gets him or her worked up these days, and they're likely to tell you about the latest "political correctness" outrage on some college campus somewhere. Ask a liberal progressive what he or she is really irked about, and what I hear more often is Republicans' hostility toward science, especially on climate change. But what lies beneath all these feelings is a much, much bigger problem: Higher education in America is a mess. Even at a time when it's increasingly difficult to get a job without a diploma from a four-year institution, college in these United States is completely unaffordable, not to mention hard to get into if you don't come from the right zip code or the right parents. For the lucky and the few who gain admission and can pay that huge bill, universities and their ridiculously overpaid administrators have created an insular world where fitness clubs and posh dorms are a lot easier to find than a "C", let alone an "F," on a report card and where controversial viewpoints are too easily censored. Consider these various strands that have been in the news recently. Depending on your perspective, some of the things may be important and some may be silly, but they all contribute to this big giant mess: A new Pew Research Center poll found that 58 percent of Republicans now think that universities have a negative effect on American life, a dramatic change from just two years earlier when a majority of GOPers (54 percent) said the impact of higher ed was positive. Their viewpoint is completely the opposite of Democrats 72 percent of whom still think that college is a positive for America. Those poll numbers may best be dramatized by the experience of one high-profile school, the University of Missouri, which has seen a dramatic freshman enrollment drop of 35 percent after making national headlines during 2015 protests over campus racism. A New York Times article noted that the aftermath of the unrest has scared off not just white conservatives but non-white applicants worried that the complaints about racial bias on campus were valid. The campus is shedding jobs and programs as a result. Writer Richard Reeves has just published a provocative-sounding book called "Dream Hoarders" that argues that benefits in America have flown less to The 1 Percent than The 20 Percent, the broader upper-middle class, and that exclusionary college policies are a big part of this. Wrote Reeves in the New York Times recently: "The United States is the only nation in the world, for example, where it is easier to get into college if one of your parents happened to go there. Oxford and Cambridge ditched legacy preferences in the middle of the last century. The existence of such an unfair hereditary practice in 21st-century America is startling in itself. But I have been more shocked by the way that even supposedly liberal members of the upper middle class seem to have no qualms about benefiting from it." Nowhere is the college picture a bigger mess than here in Pennsylvania, where in-state tuition for public institutions is among the highest in the nation, which discourages enrollment (which has been shrinking in recent years) even as the state's sagging economy desperately needs a better educated workforce. A series of backward-minded funding cuts (Pa. ranks fourth in the nation in that department) and tuition hikes has brought the state system to the crisis point where there was even consideration of some campuses shutting down. You could write a whole book about all the problems and the potential solutions, and many people have (Philly's own Sara Goldrick-Rab is a good place to start). The basics are clear: In a time when a college diploma is as critical for success as a high-school degree was in the 20th Century, we need the moral equivalent of war to enact programs that will ensure that no citizens are not attending college because he or she can't afford it. And ending legacy admissions would be one small step toward the broader goal of opening up campuses to more kids from city rowhouse streets and from rusty ex-factory towns in the Midwest. In return, colleges need to clean up their act: Pay your adjunct professors a lot more and your president a lot less, and again become the beacons of free speech and free exchange of ideas that you used to be. One or two of those things are typically called "liberal ideas," and one or two of those things get lumped with "conservative ideas" but really they just seem like common sense. And here's the thing: If we make college more accessible to more people, and encourage a greater exchange of ideas after that more diverse student body finally gets there, the results could be less cultural resentment and more understanding of people from different backgrounds. More of our citizens will begin to again trust science, because more of them will be learning science. And perhaps once people stop seeing the American system as rigged because right now too much of it actually is rigged then just maybe our politics will grow less bitter and angry, less divided, and more constructive. But that won't happen unless somehow our current, broken system picks itself off the floor to accomplish this one basic thing: Fix America's colleges. HARRISBURG The highly anticipated report on restructuring Pennsylvania's struggling state university system perhaps was more noteworthy for what it didn't recommend than what it did. Pennsylvania should keep all 14 state universities rather than close or merge institutions to solve ongoing financial and enrollment woes, a national consultant told the system's governing body Wednesday. But schools with the largest enrollment declines and budget gaps should face consolidation and staff cuts while keeping core programs, the National Center on Higher Education Management Systems report recommended. The report was presented at a meeting of the board's finance committee at which it recommended a 3.5 percent tuition hike for 2017-18. If approved by the full board on Thursday, tuition at all 14 state universities would rise from $7,238 a year to $7,492. State board members said they need the tuition hike to cut half of a projected $71 million shortfall next year, as the 105,000-student system which lost 12 percent of its enrollment since 2010 expects another decline for the fall. "I'm sure that we disappointed folks that we didn't get more radical," said Dennis Jones, emeritus president of the Boulder, Colo.-based consultant, which was paid nearly $400,000 for the study. "The reality is you don't have silver bullets in higher education." The firm also called for an overhaul of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's governance system, replacing its board of governors which hired the consultant to study the system with a board of regents who have no political ties or obligations to other entities. The 20-member board of governors currently includes four legislators, the governor or his designee, the secretary of education, three students, and 11 gubernatorial appointees. "I think the board of governors needs to have fewer direct ties to the political structure of this state," Jones said. "Members of the board ought to be folks who are not in elected office, haven't been for five years at least, aren't employees of institutions, aren't on the councils of trustees of institutions, and essentially don't represent one of the stakeholders directly." That recommendation would require a change in state law. Financial and enrollment health varies by institution. West Chester University is the system's largest campus, with more than 17,000 students, and the one that has seen the most growth. Also part of the system is Cheyney, a historically black university in Delaware and Chester Counties that has lost more than half of its enrollment in six years. Other universities in the system are: Bloomsburg, Indiana, California, Mansfield, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Kutztown, Slippery Rock, Shippensburg, Lock Haven, and Clarion. In addressing action for the weaker universities, Jones did not name them during his presentation but later said Mansfield in north central Pennsylvania, Clarion in the west, and Cheyney need change. Cheyney is in the process of restructuring under an appointed task force. All three schools have notified staff that layoffs may occur for 2018-19; California and Edinboro also have given notification of possible staff cuts as enrollment declines. Under the consultant's recommendation, the universities would keep their own presidents and identities but import many of their programs from other institutions and as a result be able to reduce staff and costs, Jones said. "They've got more staff than they can sustain, but you still want to provide service to the regions they serve, and the way you do that is to provide student services at those institutions and programs from somewhere else," he said. To help with staff reduction, he said, the state should allow the system to offer retirement incentives to employees. Board chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira said she and her colleagues would study the report and come up with an action plan. She offered no comment on it after the presentation and went into a private workshop with the consultant and the board. System chancellor Frank T. Brogan said he was encouraged by the findings. "I was comfortable that it took on very candidly some of the key issues that I personally believe and professionally believe need to be dealt with to create a more sustainable system," said Brogan, who heard the findings for the first time along with the public. But Kenneth M. Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties labor union, while heartened that no closures were recommended, was underwhelmed by the findings. "I don't think you wound up with anything earth-shattering here," Mash said. Better funding for the state's higher education system is needed, he said. The state's 2017-18 budget calls for a 2 percent or $9 million increase for the state system. Also in the report was a recommendation for Pennsylvania to establish an entity to coordinate various higher education institutions across the state, something that Brogan agreed is sorely needed. "Missing in this state is any kind of an entity where you can have a conversation about statewide goals, how you allocate state monies to the entirety of the enterprise," Jones said. "You're not going to have enough money in higher education to be nonstrategic about how you spend it." Jones also said the system should offer more support and guidance to its university presidents and honor existing collective bargaining agreements, but going forward should allow some variation by institution in work assignments. The full report for the system won't be available for a couple of weeks, but the consultant's presentation can be downloaded. English French Tours-sur-Marne, July 13, 2017 Laurent-Perrier Group Financial Press Release Laurent-Perrier plans for the future, changes announced to Supervisory Board. The meeting of the Laurent-Perrier Supervisory Board held on 11 July 2017, chaired by Mr Maurice de Kervenoael, duly noted the resignation for personal reasons of Mr Bernard de La Giraudiere from his position as member of the Supervisory Board. Bernard de La Giraudiere joined Laurent-Perrier in 1967 to assist Bernard de Nonancourt in the brand's development and international distribution. He has held many positions and in 1983 was appointed a Director of Laurent-Perrier. The members of the Supervisory Board expressed their thanks and gratitude for the quality of his unbroken contribution to the development of Laurent-Perrier over the years, especially in international markets, and in the United Kingdom market in particular, where he will continue as Chairman of the UK subsidiary. Furthermore, the Laurent-Perrier General Shareholders Meeting held on 12 July 2017, appointed Ms Jocelyne Vassoille as a member of the Supervisory Board. The appointment will strengthen the Board, bringing experience in human resources, in particular within the international luxury industry, along with her expertise in corporate organisation and strategy. Jocelyne Vassoille, 51, trained as a Civil Aviation engineer and started out as an airline pilot. In 1991, she joined a Human Resources consultancy as Managing Director. Having completed a PhD in European Human Resources at IGS, Jocelyne Vassoille joined the Danone Group in 1996, where she became Southern Europe Director of Human Resources, Talent Management in the Fresh Dairy Products Division, and Group Sales and Marketing functions. In 2008, she moved to LVMH as Head of Human Resources in charge of Group Sourcing and the Selective Distribution, and Cosmetics and Fragrances Divisions, subsequently being appointed Director of Global Human Resources at Christian Dior. In late 2013, on the strength of this extensive experience in human resources management, Jocelyne Vassoille joined Vivarte (Minelli, Andre, San Marina, Caroll, Naf-Naf, Chevignon, etc.) as Group Head of Human Resources and a member of the Executive Committee. Since 2016, Jocelyne Vassoille has held the position of Director of Human Resources of L'Oreal's Research & Innovation Division. The Supervisory Board now comprises ten members (Maurice de Kervenoael, Chairman, Patrick Thomas, Vice-Chairman, Marie Cheval, Claude de Nonancourt, Yann Duchesne, Eric Meneux, Jean-Louis Pereyre, Bernard Rascle, Wendy Siu and Jocelyne Vassoille), who will provide Laurent-Perrier with a range of complementary skills to steer the Group's future development. Following the General Shareholders Meeting, the Supervisory Board met to renew the terms of office of Management Board members. At that meeting, Michel Fauconnet, Group Head of Supplies and Production and Cellar Master, asked to be allowed to devote his time fully to the handover and completion of ongoing operational projects in the Laurent-Perrier Group in order to prepare for his phased succession, to accompany the teams and to assist the Group as long as is necessary. Michel Fauconnet will continue to provide the Group and the Management Board (henceforth composed of Stephane Dalyac, Chairman, and Alexandra Pereyre and Stephanie Meneux Chief Executive Officers and majority shareholders) with the benefit of his advice, experience and skills. The Management Board confirmed that it intended to maintain its chosen strategic course of long-term value creation, in particular to consolidate its sales growth drivers and to continue investing in its flagship Laurent-Perrier brand while henceforth benefiting from its enlarged, optimised production capacity. Laurent-Perrier is one of the few champagne houses listed on the French stock exchange dedicated exclusively to champagne and focused on the premium segment. Laurent-Perrier offers a broad range of products renowned for their quality, and sold under the Laurent-Perrier, Salon, Delamotte, and Champagne de Castellane brands. ISIN: FR 0006864484 Bloomberg: LAUR FP Reuters: LPER.PA Laurent-Perrier belongs to compartment B of Euronext Paris. It is part of the EnterNext PEA-PME 150 and Euronext Family Business indexes. Contact : Flore STEINMETZ Patrice KIRSCH Didier MONCEAUX Groupe Laurent-Perrier - Telephone : +33 3 26 58 91 22 www.finance-groupelp.com Former Philadelphia School District contractor David Shulick, left, said he was pressured to rehire Chaka Chip Fattah Jr. in 2011. Read more In testimony made public for the first time Wednesday, a former Philadelphia School District contractor said he was pressured six years ago to reoffer a $144,000-a-year job to the son of then-U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah or face consequences to his business. David Shulick president of the now-defunct Delaware Valley High School, which held $4 million in contracts to run two alternative schools for the district said that after firing Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr. in the summer of 2011, he was summoned to a meeting with the congressman where he was ordered to give the then-28-year-old his job back. "I was told to rehire him," Shulick testified in a deposition last year. "I had a subsequent meeting with my lobbyist, Herb Vederman, and said I did not want to rehire him. I was told I had no choice." That testimony was read into the record Wednesday during the second day of a civil case that the younger Fattah has filed against the federal government, alleging that leaks to the media during the 2012 bank- and tax-fraud investigation that eventually sent him to prison ruined his reputation and prospects of earning a living. But beyond its limited relevance in that case, Shulick's previously undisclosed account of the pressure he faced to hire Fattah Jr. revealed new allegations of misconduct by his now-incarcerated father and shed additional light on how the elder Fattah exerted his considerable political clout to line the pockets of friends and family members during his two-decade tenure. Everyone involved in the 2011 scene Shulick described in his deposition including the former congressman, his son, the lobbyist Vederman and Shulick himself has since been convicted of or charged with unrelated federal crimes. None has faced charges connected to how Fattah Jr. came to be employed by Delaware Valley High School, a job government lawyers have said he was woefully unqualified to hold. Though he had no college degree or experience working in the education field, Fattah Jr. cemented a $450,000 subcontract with Shulick in 2010 that helped bring Delaware Valley into compliance with School District rules requiring 10 percent of all contracts go to firms run by women or minorities. Fattah Jr. was supposed to spend much of that money in service to Delaware Valley, but testimony at his 2015 criminal trial suggested that he blew most of the contract award on himself, filling his closets with designer clothing, renting a pricey condo at the Residences at Ritz-Carlton across from City Hall, and living the lifestyle of an up-and-coming young mogul. Shulick later hired Fattah Jr. to work directly as Delaware Valley's chief operating officer until gambling debts he incurred at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester, Delaware County, set off a chain of events that resulted in his firing in summer 2011 Testifying in his civil case Tuesday, the younger Fattah said he first learned about a potential problem from George Burrell, a former Philadelphia City Council member and longtime adviser to his father. Fattah Jr. said Burrell called him to warn that a local news organization was preparing to publish a story that he had been gambling with public money he stole from Delaware Valley. That story never ran and Fattah Jr. denied the allegations, saying Tuesday that he was "gambling with money from my company and my income." Still, shortly after that exchange with Burrell, Fattah's consulting firm bounced a check to one of Delaware Valley's vendors. Shulick learned of the younger Fattah's gambling and fired him for what he described in his deposition as "gross malfeasance." In video testimony played in court Wednesday, Andre Bean, Delaware Valley's former operations director, said Shulick seemed to be glad to be rid of Fattah Jr. and sent an email to top-level staff describing the thousands of dollars the School District contract required him to pay the man each month. "He talked about how much money he was making and that Chaka raped him metaphorically, not literally in terms of how much he was making," Bean said. Yet within months, Shulick had rehired Fattah Jr., though at a reduced $144,000-a-year salary. Bean said he questioned Shulick about that decision at the time. "The response was, Chaka's dad told him, 'You have to do what's best for your company,' " the school director recalled. In his own deposition, Shulick testified that he only begrudgingly rehired Fattah Jr. because of pressure from the congressman and his associates. But, in an effort to cast doubt on that account, the younger Fattah pointed Wednesday to Shulick's checkered relationship with the truth and his history of past statements contradicting his deposition claims. Shulick, according to Bean, initially told Delaware Valley staff that he wanted Fattah Jr. to come back to the company. "He felt that Chaka was a good person who hit a bad spot with the gambling and he wasn't willing to just throw him away," he said. And in an Inquirer article from 2012 nearly a year after Fattah Jr. was rehired at Delaware Valley Shulick dismissed as "absurd" any notion that the congressman's influence had anything to do with the decision to give his son a job. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said at the time. The congressman and Vederman were both convicted last year in an unrelated bribery and corruption case stemming from the congressman's use of the money of others government grants, political donations, and bribes from Vederman to cover his personal and political debts. Lawyers for both men did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday on Shulick's allegations. Shulick faces his own federal indictment for allegedly skimming thousands of dollars from his company to pay housekeepers, nannies, and contractors working at his mansion in Gladwyne. He refused to testify in court for Fattah Jr.'s civil case, vowing that if forced, he would assert his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Fattah Jr. was also convicted, in part, for stealing from Delaware Valley. He is two years into a five-year prison sentence for defrauding banks and clients of his businesses as well as the Philadelphia School District through inflated budgets he and Shulick submitted for their operations at the company's alternative schools. In his civil case, Fattah Jr. has sought nearly $3 million in damages for negative publicity that he says destroyed his reputation after an FBI agent leaked information about the execution of a search warrant at his Ritz-Carlton condo in 2012. Government lawyers have acknowledged the agent violated bureau standards and agreed that the congressman's son is entitled to some damages, though they have scoffed at the amount he has demanded. The trial concluded Wednesday with U.S. District Judge Timothy Savage saying he would issue a ruling on the case within the coming weeks. A tobacco pipe with Irish markings currently on display at display at Immaculata University Library exhibit about the Duffys Cut victims, 57 Irish railway workers that were victims of cholera and violence. Read more The quest to uncover the truth about the deaths of 57 Irish railroad workers on the Main Line in 1832 has led to an encouraging discovery: Ground-penetrating radar last month found several anomalies that suggest more bodies remain buried at Duffy's Cut, a patch of woods between an Amtrak line and a manicured Chester County cul-de-sac. The young immigrants arrived in the United States from Derry to work on a stretch of rail on the old Philadelphia & Columbia line, about 30 miles from Center City in Malvern. Within several months, all of the workers were dead. Official reports at the time listed the cause of death as cholera. For decades, the circumstances of their deaths have drawn the curiosity of the Irish American community, which suspected foul play. In 2002, twin brothers William and Frank Watson discovered documents kept by their late grandfather, who had been the executive assistant to the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The file came with instructions that the information be kept private. The documents contradicted the story released during the cholera epidemic. They revealed that instead of eight deaths, 57 people had lost their lives. But untreated cholera has a mortality rate of only 50 percent. Something didn't add up. Why did everyone die? The Watsons embarked on 15 years of research. The burial site happened to be just minutes from Immaculata University, where William Watson is a history professor. Excavations between 2009 and 2012 unearthed the remains of six men and one woman, who was a cook and laundress. Forensic examiners determined the seven had died violently, by bullets and blows from sharp implements like axes. William Watson said he believes a vigilante group murdered the immigrants out of a fear of cholera and prejudice against the Irish, who were often blamed for the epidemic. The Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad then covered up a massacre. "What happened at Duffy's Cut is kind of an epitome of the fear of cholera, of the fear of the foreigner," said the Rev. Frank Watson, president of the Lutheran Archive Center in Mount Airy. "It certainly speaks to some of the worries and concerns people have today and the craziness that we see perpetrated in different communities around the world." Forensic scientists identified two of the bodies, which were given proper burials in their hometowns in Ireland. In 2012, the five others were buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery. Other discoveries of artifacts included a pipe stem with the word Derry imprinted, now requested by the Maritime Museum there, and a clay pipe bowl with an Erin Go Bragh flag on it, which William Watson believes is one of the oldest examples of Irish nationalism in the United States. Recovery of more bodies halted for several years due to cost constraints and safety considerations given the proximity to the Amtrak line. This summer, radar surveys identified anomalies in the ground that suggest seven more bodies, as well as one large presence underneath a 1909 stone monument, which the Watsons suspect could signify a mass grave. If more foul play is confirmed, William Watson believes Duffy's Cut could be the site of the worst mass murder in Pennsylvania history. The researchers hope to give any bodies burials that respect religious tradition. The brothers said they now have full support of Amtrak. Railway workers of Irish descent have volunteered to help excavate the site. "We went out there and it just kind of got in our blood," said Pearse Kerr, an Amtrak worker and representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. "It's something that pulls on your heartstrings. As Irish railroaders, it's a perfect fit for us. This is our predecessors." The story has taken on a life of its own, spurring international attention as well as documentaries, books, albums, and an opera. A new documentary, The Cut: The Journey of the Men and Women of Duffy's Cut, is aimed for a summer television release. "The connections of loss and grief and covering up of stories transcend boundaries, transcend religions and denominational differences in a very powerful way, " Frank Watson said. Immaculata offers a scholarship for students to travel to Ireland in recognition of Duffy's Cut. Last year the school held a two-week training program for teachers to incorporate the event into history lessons, funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Investigators plan to take core samples around the seven anomalies within the next few weeks to look for evidence of decomposition and hope to start excavating by August. US Radar surveyor Harold King estimates a 70 percent chance that the anomalies lead to seven more remains. "We kind of were in something of a limbo," Frank Watson said. "We wanted to finish it. We knew that this was a story that had grabbed a hold of our souls. We've continued with the hope that we actually will be able to finish this out. Our philosophy is, leave no man or woman behind." On Sunday, Ric Gillespie settled into his living room in central Pennsylvania and flipped on a new History Channel documentary about Amelia Earhart, one that promised "shocking" new evidence that proved what had happened to the famed aviator. Hundreds of miles away, in Florida, Mike Campbell did the same. Both were armed with a notepad and a healthy amount of skepticism, albeit for different reasons. For most people, what became of Earhart during her doomed 1937 trip to circumnavigate the globe is a passing, sepia-toned concern, a historic relic occasionally brought up in articles like this one. Gillespie and Campbell, however, belong to small, competing fraternities of people who have dedicated decades to solving the mystery of Earhart's disappearance. For them, any new shred of Earhart-related information is enough to make their heart race or their blood boil even 80 years after Earhart's plane vanished. If there's one thing the men share, it's their adamant refusal to believe that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 1937. The U.S. government accepts this theory and declared Earhart and Noonan dead following a fruitless, months-long search. Gillespie and the people at the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) believe Earhart and Noonan were swept off course by strong Pacific winds and crash-landed on what was then called Gardner Island, injured but alive. The pair used the plane's radio to send distress calls until it was pulled into the ocean. They ultimately died as castaways, Gillespie believes. Campbell, a retired journalist who authored Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, insists along with others that Earhart and Noonan were captured in the Marshall Islands by the Japanese, who thought they were American spies, and died in Japanese custody after being tortured. Throughout the decades, the two opposing camps have frequently clashed gathering evidence, bolstering their own theories and publicly trashing others whenever new Earhart evidence surfaces. The History Channel documentary sparked the latest conflagration. In previews and media accounts the week before the documentary aired, producers had teased the program with a black-and-white photograph they said had been dredged up from the National Archives. The grainy picture supposedly showed Earhart and her navigator in Jaluit Harbor in the Marshall Islands after their disappearance lending credence to the theory that Earhart had survived her final flight and been taken into Japanese custody, according to History Channel representatives. "When you look at the totality of what we put together and then hold that photograph. . . . I think that photograph is as close to a smoking gun as you're going to have in a cold case that's 80 years old," Shawn Henry, a researcher featured in the documentary, told the Washington Post last week. However, after the program aired, a Japanese military history blogger matched the photo in question to one first published in a 1935 Japanese travelogue. It couldn't have depicted Earhart and Noonan, he said, because it had been published at least two years before the pair set off on their trip around the world. The History Channel released a statement Tuesday acknowledging the questions. "HISTORY has a team of investigators exploring the latest developments about Amelia Earhart and we will be transparent in our findings," the statement read. "Ultimately, historical accuracy is most important to us and our viewers." In a news release Tuesday, Gillespie said he suspected the photo wasn't really of Earhart and Noonan even before he sat down on his couch with his notebook and turned to the History Channel. He outlined a litany of reasons: "The picture was undated; there were no Japanese, no guards, the figure alleged to be Amelia had hair that was much too long; the identification of a man as Fred Noonan depended upon a photo of Noonan that had been reversed to make the hairline match; their clothes were wrong; an indistinct blob behind a ship was proclaimed to be Earhart's Electra on a barge and yet, to dozens of media outlets, the photo was heralded as 'proof' of Earhart's fate." Gillespie dismissed the History Channel documentary as a rehash of "thoroughly debunked Japanese capture nonsense." He also noted that his wife had refused to watch the show with him. "She's just not going to deal with me in that situation," he said. "I've got my notepad in front of me. And I'm laughing out loud to myself, talking to the screen. 'You didn't just say that!' " Meanwhile, in Florida, Campbell finished the documentary with mixed feelings. On his blog, he later blasted the History Channel for its "bogus photo claims" marking a rare instance in which he and Gillespie agreed. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; this photo offers none and fails completely," Campbell wrote. On the other hand, Campbell told The Post that it had been a "pleasant surprise" to see all the eyewitness accounts in the documentary, including firsthand and secondhand interviews from the Marshall Islands and Saipan. Those included a "still mentally sharp" 91-year-old Josephine Blanco Akiyama, he said, who told investigators she saw Earhart being taken into Japanese custody in Saipan, as well as old footage of other eyewitnesses talking about Noonan being treated aboard the "Koshu" Japanese merchant ship as Amelia watched. "These witnesses are magnificent, significant and revealing figures whose convincing accounts, if known and accepted by enough concerned Americans, might help unlock the deepest locks in Washington, the ones with the top-secret Earhart files," Campbell told the Post. It was a shame that the hubbub over the grainy photo had undermined what had been perfectly good evidence presented in the documentary, Campbell said. "The evidence presented in the documentary is all old evidence that researchers like me know about," Campbell said. "To use the photo as a predicate to enter into this History Channel kind of a bogus investigation thing is just ridiculous." In his book, Campbell accuses the U.S. government of covering up what he says really happened to Earhart and Noonan: that they were captured by the Japanese, taken to Saipan and killed. He cites a 1960 Office of Naval Intelligence report as proof of "the government's ongoing interest in the Earhart case an activity that continues to this day, quietly and behind the scenes." Gillespie continues to look for evidence to support his Earhart theory. His group recently went on a National Geographic-sponsored expedition with TIGHAR to Nikumaroro, or Gardner Island, hoping to find the spot where Earhart died. Their secret weapon: border collies trained to sniff out human remains. TIGHAR hoped that the dogs would help locate a bone that could provide a DNA link to Earhart. It's one of a dozen TIGHAR expeditions that have not produced a smoking gun. When asked about TIGHAR's latest expeditions, Campbell refused to comment. "I don't have anything to do with Gillespie or TIGHAR . . . I don't want to attack him here. It's not relevant anymore," he said. "This has been such a cottage industry for these frauds and I'm sitting back here with 5,000 threads, a book that would kill a horse with information that absolutely proves she was there (on the Marshall Islands)." The men who lead such expeditions and each school of Earhart theory have strikingly similar views of their universe: They each think they know the truth about what happened to Amelia Earhart and are one piece of evidence away from proving it to the world. And they wish other folks would stop spouting bogus theories in public. "This is like fundamentalist ministries of the Deep South," Gillespie said. "This guy's got the ministry of the laying on of hands. And this guy's got the snakes. And this guy's got the speaking in tongues. It gets really passionate and everybody ends up screaming at each other." Manco & Mancos new 9th Street pizza palace its third boardwalk location and now its flagship store was built inside the former Strand movie theater. It opened on June 29. Read more OCEAN CITY, N.J. Toni Zuccaro snags the first spot in line. "Tony!" she shouts across the boardwalk, waving to her husband, a tub of caramel popcorn tucked under his arm. Toni gazes at the looming lollipop of a street clock: 10:51 a.m. In minutes, Toni and Tony will be eating Manco & Manco. Tony quietly approaches and gestures toward his wife's arm. "Why don't you give me the bag?" He takes the saltwater taffy and his popcorn tub and finds a seat on one of the wooden benches set like church pews next to the new crispy cathedral. While Tony is along for the ride, Toni is the one dead-set on starting Independence Day with an American favorite. Around 10:53, Charles "Chuck" Bangle, his dark hair freshly spiked, pushes through the glass front door. "Folks, how we doin' today?" Toni cups her hand over her leopard-print visor. "Good!" she shouts, wagging her finger at him. "11 or 11:30?" "11!" Bangle yells over his shoulder as he wades through the throng of shoobies. "We're ready for ya!" "We're having steak and Jameson in there," he jokes. "We're going to open the doors shortly." Considering recent events, it is amazing the doors opened at all. The new Ninth Street pizza palace Manco's third boardwalk location and now its flagship store was built inside the former Strand movie theater. Its bold and broad marquee cuts an imposing presence on the boardwalk, much like its popular owner, who opened the store on June 29 with borrowed time. Bangle will start serving a 15-month prison term in September after pleading guilty to evading nearly $92,000 in federal taxes a few years back. The start of his sentence was delayed so he could help complete the multimillion-dollar opening during the summer rush. That's how big this pizza is in Ocean City: The owner of the boardwalk pizza empire can't go to jail because he has to ensure the new flagship store succeeds. Behind Toni, the people in line fidget. A ponytailed mother dances with her daughter, sending the teen's beaded red, white, and blue necklaces twirling. A young father, tailing his baby girl as she circles the street clock, pipes up: "Better be good, I've been waiting for 20 minutes." They're all willing to wait for it. Not just pizza, but Shore pizza. Location matters when you take that first bite into the piping hot gob of oil, cheese, and tomato sauce just feet from the beach and miles from everyday troubles. People routinely stop and ask: "What time they open up?" The line, in unison, calls out "11." The askers look at the clock and throw up their arms, roll their eyes, groan. Bangle returns, now coolly sipping a cup of coffee. "Couple minutes, folks." The kids start scheming: "The back entrance is probably unlocked." The moms start confessing: "I'm ready to go back. I was secretly drinking on the beach all day yesterday." Toni checks the clock: 11:01 a.m. "They're late!" She yells. "Hello!" Toni and Tony usually vacation in Cape May, but they made an exception this year for a special stay in Somers Point. Of course, Toni doesn't complain much about the wait. "I've been in here all week." It's impressive how far some Manco superfans will drive just for a taste of the good stuff. "My daughter lives in West Islip, New York, and she will drive the three hours all the way here," Toni says. "You know what? When you have good food, you don't mind driving." Bangle props open the front door at 11:11. "Hallelujah," says Toni, waving Tony over from his bench. They're the first customers inside. Tony and Toni grab seats at the expansive new counter, and order a pie for two. The fresh slices are thin and crispy, just enough oil to count as breakfast, washed down with just enough Mountain Dew to count as lunch. Hey, when you're vacationing in a dry, family-first town, is there any better indulgence than a fresh slice of pizza? Tony takes a bite and nods. Toni lightly smacks him. See that, honey! President Trump put the onus squarely on Senate Republicans on Wednesday to pass a health-care bill, declaring that he will be "very angry" if the chamber falls short on a long-standing promise of his party. The comments, coming in an interview at the White House with televangelist Pat Robertson of CBN News, intensified public pressure on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), who plans to release a revised version of his health-care legislation Thursday morning. "I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me," Trump said. "It has to get passed. They have to do it. They have to get together and get it done." The president's remarks also came amid concerns from conservative lawmakers and activists that McConnell's revamped measure would not undo the Affordable Care Act aggressively enough. Those worries, alongside lingering anxiety among centrist Republicans that the bill is going too far, threatened to leave the rebooted effort short of the votes it will need to pass next week, when McConnell hopes to bring it to a vote. He can only afford two Republican defections. "As far as I can tell, the new bill is the same as the old bill, except it leaves in place more taxes," Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) said on a Wednesday conference call with reporters. "I can't support it at this point." Paul was referring to two taxes for high-earning Americans that McConnell is prepared to preserve, according to Republican senators and aides: an investment income tax and a Medicare payroll tax on wages and self-employment income. In McConnell's original draft bill, the taxes were repealed. But some Republican senators pushed for keeping them and using the revenue to provide more assistance to help lower-income Americans pay for health care. At least two Republican senators predicted Wednesday that the way the new bill addresses insurance subsidies will be different from the old version. "The insurance subsidies are going to be beefed up," Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) said. Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) said, "I think there will be some changes there." Amid the discord, some signs emerged that McConnell was making progress. Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.), one of five GOP senators who so opposed the original draft that they planned to block the bill from moving to the Senate floor for debate, said Wednesday that he no longer plans to do that. Johnson said the extra two weeks since the collapse of the original bill gave him sufficient time to talk to experts and constituents. Now, he said, he is open to starting debate. The bigger concern among most hard-right activists and lawmakers was whether a controversial amendment that Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) has been pushing would be included in the package that McConnell releases Thursday. "It needs to be in the underlying text," Cruz told reporters, dismissing the suggestion that he could instead introduce it during an open amendment process if and when the bill heads to the Senate floor. Conservatives worry that the Cruz plan probably would not have enough support to pass as a stand-alone amendment. Corker said he believes McConnell will release two versions of the revised bill on Thursday one with Cruz's amendment and one without it. GOP leaders were more circumspect. "There should be a lot of information released," Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R., Texas) told reporters. "But I can't speak to the exact format." Cruz's proposal would allow insurers to sell plans that don't comply with Obamacare coverage requirements as long as they offer at least one plan that does. Cruz argues that it provides consumers with more choice. But critics assert that it would lead to less healthy people ultimately paying more for coverage. America's Health Insurance Plans, a major trade association of insurers, took aim at Cruz's amendment in a two-page statement Wednesday. "This proposal would fracture and segment insurance markets into separate risk pools and create an unlevel playing field that would lead to widespread adverse selection and unstable health insurance markets," the group said. Leading conservative activists, however, demanded that McConnell either include the Cruz proposal as a core element of the final Senate bill or move on to the original GOP pledge to simply repeal the law. "We were promised [repeal] many times by leaders in the White House as well as Congress," former South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint said during a conference call with reporters. "Now we're looking at a version that basically is trying to fix Obamacare in different ways." Meanwhile, Toomey, who opposes the Obamacare taxes, nevertheless indicated that preserving them wouldn't be a dealbreaker. Toomey said he expected the updated bill to index Medicaid growth to the same rate as the original draft. But that could turn off some Republicans who worry about long-term federal spending cuts to the program. As the Republican push to revamp the ACA has stalled again, even some Trump boosters have questioned whether he has effectively used the bully pulpit afforded by his office. They also have been increasingly frustrated by what they view as distractions related to the Russia investigation. The urgency that Trump placed on the effort to pass the bill Wednesday stood in sharp contrast to his comments last month, when he said that it would be unfortunate if the bill didn't reach his desk but that it would be "OK." In the interview with Robertson, Trump suggested that McConnell was most responsible now for the fate of the bill overhauling the ACA. "He's got to pull it off," Trump said. "Mitch has to pull it off. He's working very hard. He's got to pull it off." Trump has spoken out repeatedly about the shortcomings of Obamacare, which he brands a "disaster." But he has made relatively little effort to detail for the public why Republican replacement plans would improve on the former president's signature initiative. Trump's public efforts to dismantle the health-care law contrast sharply with former president Barack Obama's efforts to build support in advance of its 2010 passage. Obama gave a joint address to Congress on health care. He fielded questions at town-hall meetings around the country. He even bantered on live television with hostile lawmakers at a Republican retreat. McConnell is expected to present his new bill to GOP senators at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Republican senators and aides. On Wednesday, many GOP senators said they had yet to see the full picture of what McConnell plans to release and would reserve judgment until they do. Said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska): "I am going to choose to not comment on what may show up tomorrow." With the Russia scandal and self-inflicted wounds paralyzing his White House, it's easy to lose sight of the tectonic forces that powered President Trump's victory last year. But they continue to exist, and they're a major reason why he remains remarkably popular among Republicans. Republican lobbyist Bruce Mehlman, who has long represented technology companies, sees parallels between the cycle of disruption that's churned through Silicon Valley and what's now wreaking havoc on Washington. "The forces that set the stage for Donald Trump's election are long-term, structural and global," Mehlman told me this week. "Much like Uber, Trump perceived the opportunity to reach directly to the public to disrupt a dysfunctional marketplace that lacked innovation and failed to satisfy consumers. Also much like Uber, he flouted conventions and tested the limits of traditional rules, fighting the entrenched establishment while seeking its acceptance . . . Disruption is hard and, well, disruptive. It usually leaves observers feeling exhausted, uncertain and ultimately either angry or exhilarated." In a new PowerPoint presentation for his clients, Mehlman notes that voters sought change in five of the past six elections. Exit polls last November showed that a candidate's ability to "bring change" mattered far more to voters than whether they had the "right experience" or "good judgment." How did we get here? Mehlman diagnoses seven long-term trends that are both symptomatic of and drivers of disruption: 1) Substantial social change. The United States is a very different place than it was 50 years ago. In 1967, the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans controlled 27 percent of the wealth. Now they have 42 percent. Fewer than one in 10 kids were born out of wedlock; now it's four in 10. Foreign-born people make up three times the share of the U.S. population (15 percent) as they did then. There are vastly more women in the workforce, vastly fewer whites with no college degree and one-third of 18- to 34-year-olds now live with their parents. 2) Accelerating technological change. It used to take 387,923 workers to manufacture $1 billion in goods. Now it takes 26,785. It took 75 years for the telephone to reach 100 million homes after it was invented. It took just a few months for Candy Crush to reach that milestone. 3) Weakened anchor institutions. Seven in 10 adults were married in 1967. Now it's 50 percent. Three in 10 workers were members of labor unions then. Now it's 11 percent. Two-thirds of Americans trusted government. It's never been close to that since Vietnam and Watergate. The latest studies show only about 20 percent of the country trusts the feds to do the right thing. 4) The loss of honest brokers. Trust in media has been on a steady decline among not just Republicans but also Democrats and independents since Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in America in 1972. 5) Leaders over-promised and under-delivered. Mehlman cites four examples: Barack Obama told people they could keep their doctors if they liked them under Obamacare. Dick Cheney said Americans would be "greeted as liberators" in Iraq. Bill Clinton said he did not have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. George H.W. Bush told the country to read his lips as he promised no new taxes. 6) Politicians deferred hard choices. Entitlement spending has eaten up a bigger and bigger share of the federal budget, and Washington has lacked the political will to make tough choices. Mandatory spending rose from 53 percent of the budget in 1976 to 69 percent in 2016. 7) The parties have lost their primacy. Outside groups, which tend to be more ideological and focused on single issues, have made the Republican and Democratic Party apparatuses less relevant since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision. This has empowered plutocrats. Most insiders believe that next year's midterms will become the sixth change election in the past seven cycles. The only question is whether it will be a big enough wave to let Democrats win the House. What remains remarkable about the past six months is how durable the president's support has been among Republicans. Despite objectively losing almost every news cycle since he took office, Trump's approval rating among GOP voters is still at the same level in Gallup's tracking polls as George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan at this point in their presidencies. The number who "strongly approve" of the job Trump is doing has slipped, though, and a few recent polls have suggested that another split is starting to emerge too. Mehlman notes that the most recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll asked people who voted for the president whether they did so because they were "for" him or "against" Hillary Clinton. Among the 60 percent who said they said they voted for Trump, 95 percent approve of the job he's doing. Among the 40 percent who got behind him because they were against Clinton, his approval rating slipped from 87 percent in February to 81 percent in June. Trump has also not expanded his base. The 35 percent of independents who approve of how Trump is doing is even lower than the 38 percent who approved of Gerald Ford after he pardoned Richard Nixon. It's lower at the six-month mark than for any president since Gallup began tracking under Dwight Eisenhower. The same goes for his approval among Democrats. At this point in Obama's presidency, 20 percent of Republicans still approved of him. Only 8 percent of Democrats approve of Trump. Mehlman, a lifelong Republican, notes that Democrats are right to be encouraged by their strength in the generic ballot, their overperformance in recent special elections and the surge of new candidates filing to run. But he also notes that neither party enjoys the kind of polling advantages on individual issues that they did before the most recent waves in 2014 and 2006. The closest is health care: The WSJ/NBC poll gave Democrats a 17-point edge on which party is best suited to handle it. In 2006, though, Democrats had a 31-point advantage on health care. So what's going to get done this year? "Congress will do what it must," said Mehlman, a partner at the bipartisan firm Mehlman, Castagnetti, Rosen & Thomas. That means passing a bunch of funding and extension bills by Sept. 30, as well as reauthorizing FISA surveillance by Dec. 31. He thinks a short-term government shutdown ("two weeks") is possible this fall. He's unsure about Congress's ability to pass a big-ticket bill on health care and forecasts tax cuts rather than a paid-for permanent overhaul of the tax code. Mehlman's somewhat pessimistic view comports with what I'm hearing from other plugged-in GOP lobbyists on K Street. WASHINGTON Investigators at the House and Senate Intelligence committees and the Justice Department are examining whether the Trump campaign's digital operation overseen by Jared Kushner helped guide Russia's sophisticated voter targeting and fake news attacks on Hillary Clinton in 2016. Congressional and Justice Department investigators are focusing on whether Trump's campaign pointed Russian cyber operatives to certain voting jurisdictions in key states areas where Trump's digital team and Republican operatives were spotting unexpected weakness in voter support for Hillary Clinton, according to several people familiar with the parallel inquiries. Also under scrutiny is the question of whether Trump associates or campaign aides had any role in assisting the Russians in publicly releasing thousands of emails, hacked from the accounts of top Democrats, at turning points in the presidential race, mainly through the London-based transparency web site WikiLeaks. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told McClatchy he wants to know whether Russia's "fake or damaging news stories" were "coordinated in any way in terms of targeting or in terms of timing or in terms of any other measure with the (Trump) campaign." By Election Day, an automated Kremlin cyberattack of unprecedented scale and sophistication had delivered critical and phony news about the Democratic presidential nominee to the Twitter and Facebook accounts of millions of voters. Some investigators suspect the Russians targeted voters in swing states, even in key precincts. Russia's operation used computer commands knowns as "bots" to collect and dramatically heighten the reach of negative or fabricated news about Clinton, including a story in the final days of the campaign accusing her of running a pedophile ring at a Washington pizzeria. One source familiar with Justice's criminal probe said investigators doubt Russian operatives controlling the so-called robotic cyber commands that fetched and distributed fake news stories could have independently "known where to specifically target to which high-impact states and districts in those states." All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation, led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, is confidential. Top Democrats on the committees investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election have signaled the same. Schiff said he wants the House panel to determine whether Trump aides helped Russia time its cyberattacks or target certain voters and whether there was "any exchange of information, any financial support funneled to organizations that were doing this kind of work." Trump son-in-law Kushner, now a senior adviser to the president and the only current White House aide known to be deemed a "person of interest" in the Justice Department investigation, appears to be under the microscope in several respects. His real estate finances and December meetings with Russia's ambassador and the head of a sanctioned, state-controlled bank are also being examined. Kushner's "role as a possible cut-out or conduit for Moscow's influence operations in the elections," including his niche overseeing the digital operations, will be closely looked at, said the source knowledgeable about the Justice Department inquiry. Kushner joined Donald Trump Jr. and Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort at a newly disclosed June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York. The meeting, revealed by The New York Times, followed emails in which Trump Jr. was told the lawyer for the Russian government would provide him with incriminating information on Clinton and he replied "If it's what you say I love it." That disclosure could only serve to heighten interest in whether there was digital collaboration. Mike Carpenter, who in January left a senior Pentagon post where he worked on Russia matters, also has suspicions about collaboration between the campaign and Russia's cyber operatives. "There appears to have been significant cooperation between Russia's online propaganda machine and individuals in the United States who were knowledgeable about where to target the disinformation," he said, without naming any American suspects. Trump has repeatedly repudiated or equivocated about the finding of four key intelligence agencies the FBI, CIA, National Security Agency and the Directorate of National Intelligence that Russian cyber operatives meddled with the U.S. election. Last Friday, during their first face-to-face meeting, Trump questioned Putin about Russia's role in the election meddling and Putin denied culpability, said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was present. Trump then said the two countries should find ways to move forward in their relationship, Tillerson said. A Russian official who was at the meeting said the two sides agreed to form a working group to address cybersecurity, including interference in other countries' internal affairs. However, Trump backtracked Sunday night, saying in a tweet that he doesn't believe such an effort can happen. As more has been learned about the breadth of the Russian cyber onslaught, congressional Democrats have shown growing resolve to demand that the Republican-controlled intelligence committees fully investigate ways in which Trump associates may have conspired with the Russians. Among other things, congressional investigators are looking into whether Russian operatives, who successfully penetrated voting registration systems in Illinois, Arizona and possibly other states, shared any of that data with the Trump campaign, according to a report in Time. "I get the fact that the Russian intel services could figure out how to manipulate and use the bots," Virginia Sen. Mark Warner told Pod Save America recently. "Whether they could know how to target states and levels of voters that the Democrats weren't even aware (of) really raises some questions How did they know to go to that level of detail in those kinds of jurisdictions?" The Russians appear to have targeted women and African-Americans in two of the three decisive states, Wisconsin and Michigan, "where the Democrats were too brain dead to realize those states were even in play," Warner said. Twitter's and Facebook's search engines in those states were overwhelmed, he said, meaning they couldn't discern fake news from real news. "On your news feed, you suddenly got 'Hillary Clinton's sick' or 'Hillary Clinton's stealing money from the State Department,'" said Warner. It started even before Trump locked up the nomination. Throughout the Republican primary elections in early 2016, Russia sent armies of bots carrying pro-Trump messages and deployed human "trolls" to comment in his favor on Internet stories and in social media, former FBI special agent Clint Watts told Congress weeks ago. Watts, now a cybersecurity specialist with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said the targets included former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. As Donald Trump was locking up the Republican presidential nomination in May 2016, a U.S. intelligence intercept picked up Russians discussing ways to spread news damaging to Clinton, two people familiar with the matter said. No one has proved that Russia's attack influenced the vote count in the Nov. 8 general election., but it wouldn't have taken much to tip the results and change the course of history. Clinton lost the decisive states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania by a combined 77,744 votes out of 13.9 million ballots cast. She could have won Michigan if 5,353 Trump voters had gone for her instead, Wisconsin if 11,375 votes had flipped to her and Pennsylvania if 22,147 Trump voters had instead picked her. Kushner's pivotal role in the Trump cyber effort was underscored by his hiring in 2015 of Brad Parscale, a Texas-based digital guru who previously had done work for the Trump Organization, said two GOP operatives familiar with the campaign. Parscale's company raked in about $90 million for work targeting many states with paid advertisements, social media messages and other cyber tools. As the Trump campaign's top digital director, Parscale ran much of the operation from his San Antonio offices. He is expected to appear before at least one of several congressional committees investigating aspects of Russia's interference in the election. Parscale could not be reached for comment. CNN quoted him last month as dismissing suggestions that Russian-directed online bots would have been effective in swinging votes to Trump. He said the campaign did not find Twitter where those bots mainly functioned to be an effective tool. Washington attorney Abbe Lowell, who was recently hired to be Kushner's chief defense counsel and has "a reputation as a guy you hire if you're going to do battle with the government," according to one former federal prosecutor, declined to comment on the Russia inquiries facing Kushner. Shortly after his name arose in the inquiry, Kushner publicly volunteered to tell Congress about his Russia contacts and to answer questions about all issues for which he's being scrutinized. Another of Kushner's lawyers, Jamie Gorelick, says he will cooperate with both congressional and Justice Department investigations. However, no interview date has been set, and Kushner's attorneys decline to say whether he has produced records sought by the Senate Intelligence Committee. English Finnish Oriola Corporation Stock Exchange Release 13 July 2017 at 19.00 Oriola Corporation revises guidance for continuing operations adjusted operating profit Despite the recent improvements in the performance of the Consumer business, the result of the Business Area in 2017 will remain below 2016 level. The go-live of the IT systems in Finland, planned for June, is postponed to the third quarter of 2017. The delay will result in additional costs in the Services Business Area in 2017. In the Healthcare business the costs for starting the Swedish dose dispensing production for the Norrland region are higher than anticipated, and the result of the Healthcare Business Area will stay negative in 2017. Oriola has decided to divest its businesses in the Baltic countries. In the Half Year Financial report the Baltic businesses will be classified as discontinued operations and the assets and related liabilities will be classified as Assets for sale. The net sales of the Baltic businesses in 2016 were EUR 54 million and the Adjusted EBIT EUR 1.2 million. Oriola's and Kesko's joint health and wellbeing store chain was approved by the competition authorities in June 2017, and the joint venture agreement was finalized on June 30. Oriola will report 50 per cent of the result of the joint venture in the Consumer Business Area EBIT. The joint venture is expected to be loss making during the build-up phase 2017 - 2019. Oriola's share of the loss in 2017 is estimated to be EUR 1.5 million. Revised outlook for 2017 The Adjusted EBIT of continuing operations on constant currency basis is estimated to decrease from the 2016 level. The 2016 Adjusted EBIT from continuing operations, at comparable currencies, was EUR 59.3 million. The previous guidance, published 13 February 2017 and repeated 28 April, 2017, was that the Adjusted EBIT will stay at 2016 level, which was EUR 61.1 million. Oriola Corporation will publish the Half Year Financial report 1 January - 30 June 2017 on July 21 at 8.30. Oriola will organize a meeting for investors, analysts and the press on Friday, 21 July 2017 at 10.00 a.m. at Hotel Scandic Simonkentta, meeting room Tapiola, Simonkatu 9, 00100 Helsinki, Finland. For further information, please contact: Eero Hautaniemi, President and CEO, Tel. +358 10 429 2109, E-mail: eero.hautaniemi@oriola.com Sari Aitokallio, CFO, Tel. +358 10 429 2112, E-mail: sari.aitokallio@oriola.com Distribution: NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd., Key media www.oriola.com Joshua Nagle, who uses food stamps, looks through the food selections of Fair Food Farmstand in the Reading Terminal Market. Reading Terminal Market sees more food-stamp purchases than almost any other single location in the state. Meanwhile, it's the go-to spot for well-off shoppers looking for the best cheeses and meats in the city. Most people food-shop in their own neighborhoods, but the Market is a rare exception that brings people of all classes together. Read more On a scale of two-aisle bodega to Whole Foods Market, most city food-shopping options divide along economic class lines, with people generally sticking to their own neighborhoods when it's time to feed their families. One big exception is the Reading Terminal Market, a nationally known foodie mecca, but less famous for accepting more food stamps than nearly any other shopping site in the state. For generations, low-income Philadelphians in supermarket deserts such as North Philadelphia have taken the bus to shop at the Terminal, buying produce and pork chops alongside food tourists and high-waged gourmands who think of the place as a gotta-go destination for $36-a-pound artisanal cheese, specialty meats, and innumerable edibles (Beiler's Bakery doughnuts, anyone?) of varying prices. "Here, unlike anywhere I can think of, people from all walks of life cross paths," said Sarah Levitsky, marketing and event manager at the Terminal. "And no barriers between people exist." There is a Walt Whitmanesque quality to the image of hungering multitudes flocking to the Center City spot, said Bryn Mawr College English professor Kate Thomas, who volunteers at the Fair Food Farmstand in the Terminal. The stand offers coupons to shoppers using food stamps, adding as much as $40 a month toward a person's purchases. "Whitman would love a crowd and the flow of humanity. It's accessible and democratic." I hear America shopping? Leaves of Arugula? The other day at Iovine Bros. Produce, 70-year-old Cuban refugee Veronica Hernandez paid for her cantaloupes with food stamps, while Debbie Oliver, 55, a retired IRS worker, bought her fruit with cash. Neither knows the other, but they were in line together, sharing a Market moment. For Oliver, the Reading Terminal is a lively place with "a mixed crowd with no incidents." She added, "Anyone who uses food stamps here is shopping wisely." Yamila Williams, 42, a nurse and Hernandez's daughter, spoke for her mother, who knows only Spanish. "Reading Terminal is middle ground for anybody from North or South Philly," said Williams, who augmented her mother's food stamps with money from a designer wallet. "You see people with the income of my mother, who's on disability, shopping with others making an income closer to mine." And, Williams added with a laugh, "everyone knows it's the best part of jury duty." Underscoring the whole Whitman/democracy-in-motion vibe, the market is a favored lunch spot of jurors from the nearby Municipal Court building performing their civic duty. Around noon, shoppers appear to give wide berth to solemn formations of people wearing "Juror" stickers, as though onlookers fear an incautious word may sway a verdict in some unknown case. In his 2011 book, The Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life, Yale University sociologist Elijah Anderson lauded the Reading Terminal Market as a space where diverse people crossing class and racial lines gather and feel at ease. That's how Wayne Baranek, manager of Martin's Specialty Sausage Co., sees it. His customers are "an eclectic blend," he said, adding, "We get our fair share of food stamp users, a lot of them older folks." People with food stamps can buy meats, dairy, produce, and some bakery items, but no prepared or hot foods, according to federal rules. The exact ranking of the Terminal as a redeemer of food stamps, now known as SNAP benefits (for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), is not available because the U.S. Department of Agriculture won't release sales figures. An ongoing court case in which an organization representing retail food stores sued to keep sales information secret precludes the agency from providing statistics, a USDA spokeswoman said. But, Levitsky said, the USDA "has told us multiple times that we are one of the largest, if not the largest, single-location redeemers of food stamps in the state." In all, around 1.8 million Pennsylvanians receive SNAP benefits, more than 482,000 of them in Philadelphia. Nationally, 75 percent of SNAP recipients are children, the disabled, and the elderly, according to figures from the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. The average benefit per person is a little more than $120 a month, according to the coalition. That means that although the Terminal is welcoming, a shopper using SNAP benefits has to be careful. "There are better deals at the Italian Market," asserted Joshua Nagel, 43. The South Philadelphia construction worker, who gets SNAP benefits, balked at buying a $2 yogurt, but added, "I was so hungry." The Terminal is still worth it, he added. "You grin and bear the bus ride to get here," he said. "I love the diversity, the accents, the Amish and the Mennonite food stands. This is a hub of good food. And I can feel comfortable here." Republicans, stand up to Trump What will it take for the leaders of the Republican Party to put the values and needs of the American people ahead of their desire for power and their goal of destroying whatever "liberal" successes the previous administration had accomplished, such as health care and clean air and water? House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have refused to condemn or criticize the latest revelations of duplicity and mendacity by the Trump family ("Emails escalate Russia furor," Thursday). Donald Jr.'s tweeting of emails detailing his meeting with a Russian lawyer who was said to have harmful evidence about Hillary Clinton was not done for transparency, but to lessen the impact. His almost humorous defense was that the information wasn't useful, so it couldn't be a crime, and besides, look at what Clinton did. And our elected representatives continue to cower. They say nothing about the damage to our country's reputation and influence, or to the safety, health, and constitutional rights of our people, or they make weak excuses for fear the base will not reelect them if they take a stand against their leader, who campaigned on "Make America Great Again." Who knew it would be so hard to govern? Marlene Lieber, Medford Toomeys terrible Medicaid cuts No one in Pennsylvania not even a Republican should back Sen. Pat Toomey's Medicaid cuts in his Trumpcare bill. Gov. Wolf wonders how Pennsylvania will "deal with the terrifying reality of deep cuts to Medicaid." One example: my disabled brother lives in a Medicaid personal-care home in Hazleton. If his Medicaid is cut, he'll be homeless with no medication. Washington Post columnist George Will ("Toomey's Medicaid reform," Thursday) should visit this home and see the desperate people who live there. They rely solely on Medicaid to stay alive. How many more stories are there like this in Pennsylvania? Additionally, this home provides jobs for Hazleton. Toomey's bill (the Inquirer has called Toomey the ringleader of Trumpcare) has been denounced by the American Medical Association, the Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, and more. The AARP said it will harm seniors, and University of Pennsylvania researchers found it would harm the disabled. Interestingly, Toomey received millions of dollars in campaign contributions from HMO stakeholders and medical-equipment manufacturers. It seems that Toomey is more loyal to his campaign contributors than Pennsylvanians. Claire Gawinowicz, Oreland A painful pill for Pennsylvania "Fiscal hawk Pat Toomey is not an economist (he has a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Harvard). He adheres to theories that many experts have discredited, including the "trickle-down" theory that helping the richest sectors grow richer will benefit the rest of us by stimulating economic growth. He opposes a minimum wage or any measure that would stimulate demand (and growth) from the bottom up. His argument that reducing Medicaid support for health care will not harm anyone because states can make up the difference is bonkers ("Toomey holds firm," Thursday). Has he paid any attention to Pennsylvania, a state that two years in a row passed a budget without any revenue to support it? A state with a structural deficit its legislators are unable or unwilling to fix? Toomey has business experience, but it is becoming obvious that entrusting the business of government to businessmen is a fundamental mistake. Dale Kinney, Bala Cynwyd Unite to fight opioid crisis Where politicos and bureaucrats have failed miserably, "We the People" takes a new meaning in the person of one courageous grandmother who is fighting back against the hell that surrounds her Kensington home, threatening her family and neighbors ("Hope amid heroin crisis," July 2). Mariana Bernard is taking back her neighborhood one street at a time, a far smarter plan than hopelessly waiting for a solution from inept city leaders. Bernard is the true community leader. While reading the horrifying reports of the suffering in this once-proud and thriving community, we must wonder whether there cannot be a "call to action" to other grandparents and groups to assist Bernard and her "bodyguard," Gladys Moyes. Philadelphia may have a dismal record for its government, but Philly people have always had a can-do attitude. The courage of these two ladies challenges us to respond. Yo, Philly, any thoughts from seniors clubs, scouts, student community-service projects, church outreach, or social clubs? Adopt a street for the children. Let them learn the true spirit of brotherly love. Margaret Smith, Ocean City Asked about the latest GOP plans to reduce health-care spending, Rick Petaccio rolls up his work shirt to show a scar on his left bicep, one of many he bears from abscesses due to injection-related infections. "I was on Medicaid when treated for all of my abscesses, and my hepatitis A, B, and C were detected with the aid of Medicaid," the Philadelphia man said. His hepatitis D was found later, during Petaccio's 21 years of sobriety that followed his 21 years addicted to various drugs, mainly opioids. Since his substance-abuse treatment was successful and he now has a job, treatment for the hep D was covered by the commercial insurance policy he got through his employer. Petaccio, 58, now manages a Northeast Philadelphia methadone clinic where 90 percent of patients are covered through public funding, mainly Medicaid. If Republican health-care proposals in Congress cut back those dollars, the cash-strapped state would most likely have to take steps such as limiting the duration of methadone maintenance. "It would put them in jeopardy of relapse," Petaccio said, and the fentanyl that is sometimes mixed in with heroin could be fatal. "You don't know what you are sticking in your arm anymore." The bill offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Thursday offers a bone to moderates from addiction-devastated states who have worried about cutting Medicaid: an extra $45 billion over 10 years targeted to opioid addiction. Petaccio and others like that idea but only if people can still get the other health-care services Medicaid pays for. Without that care, Petaccio's hepatitis infections common among drug injectors, and also contagious could have grown far worse. They were diagnosed through routine health care generally available only to people with insurance. The bills in Congress would roll back the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid and place caps on the growth of the entire program, which was set up a half-century ago to increase according to need. Conservative Republicans say spending has grown out of control. Sen. Pat Toomey (R. Pa.) calls the opioid epidemic "a full-blown crisis," but he has downplayed the potential impact that changes to Medicaid would have on treatment, and pointed to the billions of dollars added in the latest version of the GOP bill to help address substance abuse. "I've never bought the argument that the changes in Medicaid are going to be harmful for the treatment of opioids," Toomey said this week. He has argued that as federal Medicaid spending scales back, states can pick up more of the cost. Democrats and some Republicans, especially governors, say that's unrealistic. An analysis of McConnell's original Senate bill by the consulting firm Manatt Health found that New Jersey would have to come up with $12.3 billion in state funds between 2020 and 2026 just to maintain current levels of Medicaid coverage. Pennsylvania would need $13.7 billion. Anything less could mean balancing opioid treatment against health coverage for the elderly and disabled children. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) dismissed the enlarged GOP fund for substance abuse. "The bill still pulls the rug out from under those who need treatment for an opioid addiction. Those suffering from addiction and their families need coverage and long-term quality treatment, not some grant," Casey said in a statement Thursday. Benjamin Cocchiaro, a family medicine physician at a clinic run by the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, grew animated during an interview about the issue outside a Wednesday night community meeting on the opioid crisis in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. "The cost of taking away Medicaid is incalculable," he said, referring to dollars as well as lives. "If a patient comes to me and says, 'Hey, Doc, I have this sports injury and I need more Percocet,' I can help my patient," he said, by weaning him off opioids and treating the pain with alternative therapies. In the absence of health coverage, however, a dependency on prescription medications that could have been handled through primary care visits may instead "ramp up" to more potent street drugs, deteriorating health, and an overdose. That patient, if he lives, may have "turned into a million-dollar ICU admission," Cocchiaro said. Elvis Rosado, outreach coordinator for Prevention Point Philadelphia, the syringe-exchange and health-care provider that organized the community meeting, seemed briefly befuddled when asked about the congressional notion of targeting $45 billion to tackle opioids while at the same time capping federal spending on Medicaid. "Would you put money into diabetes but take away insurance coverage?" he said. Staff writer Jonathan Tamari contributed to this article. Dr. Ian Malcolm Goonewardene did not care much about making money. If his patients were too ill to come to his office in Gibbstown, Gloucester County, he went to them. He once accepted a 40-pound sack of potatoes as payment and donated it to a food bank. Other times, he refused to cash checks if he thought his clients needed the money more than he did, his family said. Yet another time, a patient who hunted rabbit paid his bill with meat ready to cook. On Saturday, July 8, Dr. Goonewardene, 91, formerly of Mount Laurel, died of heart failure while in the end stage of cancer, his family said. He had been placed in hospice while living in Collingswood Manor, a health-care facility for the elderly. His son, Michael, said his father considered his own good fortune "a gift that should be shared," and took care of the poor because of a strong work ethic his parents instilled while he was growing up in Sri Lanka. His compassion had been largely influenced by his years in the developing country in South Asia, which he took his family to visit during the 1970s. His son recalls eating an orange and seeing children run to eat the discarded peels. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Goonewardene worked in emergency rooms, and volunteered in Camden and for Amnesty International. "You have poor in the United States, and then you have dirt poor," his son said. "I think that's what has always driven him, and why he was always willing to help those in the city of Camden." He never boasted about his achievements, said his daughter, Amy. Only after he died did they find awards and recognition he received over the years. "He was very humble about it," his daughter said. "We had to dig to find stuff." Dr. Goonewardene completed college and medical training at the University of Ceylon, the former name of Sri Lanka, and came to the United States in 1955. He did a second residency here. He served as an intern at St. Vincent's Hospital in Staten Island, N.Y. While doing his residency in internal medicine at Philadelphia's Frankford Hospital, he met his wife of 53 years, Joan. Dr. Goonewardene also completed his fellowship in internal medicine at Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, and did postgraduate studies in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Goonewardene's son said his mother "was the original supermom." She was a nurse at the family practice and cared for the children before and afterward. Dr. Goonewardene was the disciplinarian who took an interest in their education and aspirations. "He always showed his love by being there and providing," his son said. He was proud of his oldest daughter, Darshini, who was an outstanding student. When she died of cancer after her first semester of college, "it devastated him," his son said. Dr. Goonewardene first worked at a practice in Paulsboro before opening his own practice in his Gibbstown home. He also worked in the emergency room at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, where he was the director of emergency medicine. For many years, he had an office in Haddonfield. Despite his busy schedule, he made house calls for homebound patients, his family said. He retired from active practice at age 75, but volunteered with the Community Health Practice in Camden, providing care to the uninsured. In retirement, Dr. Goonewardene maintained his philanthropic spirit, supporting domestic and international charities and participating in church programs at Grace Bible Church, where he was a longtime member. He taught English to immigrants and remained active with Amnesty. "He was very humble. If there's a stereotype of a doctor, he did not fit it," said Amnesty volunteer Janet Bruner. "He was a very kind man, very fatherly, and nurturing. He was also very concerned for those less fortunate than himself." Among the accolades he received, Dr. Goonewardene was honored as a 50-year member of the Camden County Medical Society, received the Joseph A. Pacera Community Benefit Lifetime Achievement award from Lourdes Health System in 2004, and was honored by New Jersey Magazine for his volunteer work in Camden. In addition to his son and daughter, he is survived by sons Kumar and Shanth, and seven grandchildren. In addition to his daughters Darshini and Kelly, who was stillborn, Dr. Goonewardene was predeceased by his wife. Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, July 15, from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. at Grace Bible Church, 822 S. Church St., Mount Laurel, N.J. 08054. Services will follow at noon. Donations may be made in Dr. Goonewardene's memory to the church program Roofs for the Roofless. Checks should be made payable to Grace Bible Church and sent to the above address. This obituary has been changed to correct the names of the daughters who preceded Dr. Goonewardene in death. Police caught on video engaging in unethical if not criminal behavior has made even good officers leery of becoming the subject of a candid camera moment. That's fine until their shyness rubs up against the First Amendment, in which case the Constitution must prevail. Two recent court decisions on each side of the Delaware River affirmed that standard, which protects citizens' right to know without preventing any police officer from doing his job. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that video and other police records must be made available to the public in certain cases. The ruling concerned dashboard camera footage and other records in the 2014 death of Kashad Ashford, 23, who was shot by police while driving a stolen SUV. A grand jury ruled the shooting justified. The Record and the weekly South Bergenite newspapers sought audio and video recordings of the incident, but were denied by police under an exemption in New Jersey's open records law concerning police investigatory records. The newspapers sued and a Superior Court ordered the records released, but an appeals panel reinstated the exemption. The state Supreme Court, however, ruled that the public can't be denied records just because the police say the information is related to an ongoing investigation. The police or any other public agency must provide specific reasons why releasing the records would be harmful to the public interest, and not generic reasons that would apply to all cases. Meanwhile, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled Philadelphia police were wrong to restrain two people photographing officers. Richard Fields, a Temple University student, was handcuffed to keep him from photographing police trying to break up a party in 2013. Amanda Geraci, a member of the Up Against the Law group, said she was "attacked" by officers when she tried to video-record them arresting an anti-fracking demonstrator in 2012. A civil rights suit filed for Geraci and Fields by the ACLU of Pennsylvania was rejected by a lower court judge, who said for the First Amendment to apply a person must announce to the police that they are being recorded prior to taking pictures. Not so, said the appeals court, pointing out that the value of recording police activity might not be immediately obvious to a person until he starts recording it. Former Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey told officers three years ago they "should reasonably anticipate and expect to be photographed, videotaped, and/or audibly recorded by members of the general public." With cameras just about everywhere today, that is good advice for police and citizens alike. Acting as if we are always under scrutiny may improve our public behavior and keep us out of trouble. In May, UK exports of fresh and frozen pork increased by 15% on the year to 19.1 thousand tonnes, according to latest data from HMRC. This is the first month since the start of the year that volumes have recorded an annual rise. Furthermore, increased average prices led to the value of Mays shipments rising by nearly 40% on the year to 26.6 million. A rise in volumes shipped to European markets, especially Denmark (+38%) to 2,650 tonnes and Germany (+18%) to 2,780 tonnes, was the main driving force behind the overall increase. On the other hand, exports to Poland collapsed to only 20 tonnes on the year in May, likely partly driven by the fall in import demand as production has been increasing. Interestingly exports to some third countries also contributed to the annual rise in May. While shipments to China remained relatively stable on the year, Hong Kong imported 44% (330 tonnes) more British pork and UK exports to South Korea more than trebled to over 270 tonnes. UK imports of fresh and frozen pork climbed once again on the year in May, by 17% to 40.1 thousand tonnes. Similar to April, but in contrary to months previous, the increase was not primarily driven by Danish shipments. Imports from Denmark in May, actually fell on the year by 6% to 12.6 thousand tonnes. The main driving force behind the overall rise in May was a 45% rise in volume shipped from Germany. Likewise, the UK imported more pork on the year from the Netherlands and Ireland. The 4% increase in bacon imports in May hides the one third reduction for Denmark, being more than offset by an increase of 46% for the Netherlands compared to a year earlier. Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE: SFL) ("Ship Finance" or the "Company") announces that its 2017 Annual General Meeting will be held on September 22, 2017, at Hamilton, Bermuda. The record date for voting at the Annual General Meeting is July 24, 2017. The formal Notice of Annual General Meeting and associated information will be distributed prior to the meeting. The Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F can be found on the Company's website at www.shipfinance.bm. July 13, 2017 The Board of Directors Ship Finance International Limited Hamilton, Bermuda About Ship Finance Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE: SFL) has an unprecedented track record in the maritime industry, being consistently profitable and paying dividends every quarter since 2004. The Company's fleet of more than 70 vessels is split between tankers, bulkers, container vessels and offshore assets, and Ship Finance's long term distribution capacity is supported by a portfolio of long term charters and significant growth in the asset base over time. More information can be found on the Company's website: www.shipfinance.bm Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements. These statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including Ship Finance management's examination of historical operating trends. Although Ship Finance believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, Ship Finance cannot give assurance that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or intentions. Important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this presentation include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in the Company's operating expenses including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who was involved in a crash that killed a pedestrian Saturday has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle. Officer Phillip Barker, 24, was driving his patrol vehicle at 100 mph in a 35 mph zone when he struck and killed 28-year-old James Michael Short, police said. The crash happened Saturday at 3:20 a.m. Police said Barker was driving a marked Chevrolet Caprice patrol car when he hit Short. Barker was responding to a different crash at the time with a team of other officers, police said. Short was pronounced dead at the scene. Police Chief Kerr Putney told the Charlotte Observer speed was the determining factor in charging Barker. Putney said Barker had his sirens and lights on, and was traveling through a green light. The chief said officers are allowed to speed when their lights are on, but they have to do so with regard for the safety of others. Jacksonville, FL, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conference organizers of the 2017 High Horsepower (HHP) Summit, North Americas largest event focused on the economic and environmental benefits of natural gas for high horsepower applications, today announced early bird registration for the sixth-annual event. The event showcases the innovative and growing use of natural gas in both its liquefied (LNG) and compressed (CNG) form, across a wide variety of energy-intensive downstream applications, including rail, marine, mining, E&P, and power generation. In the last 12 months, transformative growth has swept the North American natural gas market for high-fuel-use applications, noted Erik Neandross, CEO of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates, the U.S. clean transportation and energy consulting firm that produces the conference. Nowhere is this more evident than in Jacksonville, Florida, where LNG and CNG projects are hitting the water, tracks, and gravel month-after-month. HHP Summit 2017 attendees will have the unique opportunity to participate in off-site technical tours to see this incredible market activity firsthand. In the months leading up to HHP Summit, Jacksonville will become home to more LNG-fueled ocean-going vessels, locomotives and over-the-road trucks than any place in the world, as well as the launching point for the export of natural gas to remote power generation and industrial markets in the Caribbean and beyond. To support these operations, three new LNG production plants are under construction, including a state-of-the-art facility from six-time HHP Summit presenting sponsor, Pivotal LNG. The Summit will provide insight into real-world natural gas project deployments during comprehensive educational sessions and workshops. Confirmed executive level speakers include: Thomas Crowley, CEO & Chairman, Crowley Marine Peter Keller, Executive Vice President, TOTE Marcel LaRoche, Director, LNG Engineering, BC Ferries Svein Steimler, President & CEO, NYK Group Europe Tom Strang, SVP, Maritime Affairs, Carnival Chad Verret, Executive Vice President, Harvey Gulf Additional speakers, a detailed agenda, and co-located events will be announced over the next several weeks. Early bird registration offers attendees a $400 savings through August 4. For more information, visit www.hhpsummit.com. ### About the Natural Gas for High Horsepower (HHP) Summit HHP Summit is North Americas largest and most comprehensive conference and expo focused on the economic and environmental benefits of natural gas for marine, mining, rail, drilling, pressure pumping, and remote power generation operations. Since its inception, the HHP Summit has served as the official meeting place of high horsepower industry stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges offered by natural gas in high-fuel use operations, in both compressed and liquefied form. Working together with our event stakeholders, the Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) team creates the HHP Summit program, drawing upon insight gathered from more than 20 years of clean transportation and energy consulting experience. About Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) GNA is the leading North American consulting firm specializing in market development for low-emission and alternative fuel vehicle technologies, infrastructure and fuels for both on and off-road applications. For more than 20 years, GNA has pioneered the nations largest and most innovative alternative fuel projects in the on-road and off-road sectors. In addition to its technical consulting practice, GNA hosts North Americas leading alternative fuel and advanced vehicle technology conferencesincluding the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, the Rethink Methane Symposium, and the High Horsepower (HHP) Summit. www.gladstein.org Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a0a3f7f-8c84-4827-abd3-f1567c109781 The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund issued a new report with preliminary data through June 30, 2017, revealing that 65 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2017a thirty percent increase over the same period last year (50). Of these 65 officers, 26 were killed in traffic-related incidents, 23 were killed by gunfire and 16 died due to other causes such as job-related illnesses. Traffic-related fatalities, including officers being struck by vehicles, were the leading cause of law enforcement deaths for the first half of this year, with 26 fatalities in 2017, compared to 21 over the same period in 2016an increase of 24 percent. Notably, 10 of the incidents were single-vehicle crashes, where an officer crashed without making impact with another vehicle. This represents an alarming 233 percent increase from the first half of last year (3). Additional circumstances are included in the 2017 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities Report. Firearms-related fatalities (23) rose slightly from the 21 during the same period in 2016. Domestic-related incidents continue to be the leading cause of officers being shot and killed in the line of duty, with five in the first half of this year so far. Three officers were killed in ambush-style attacks as of June 30. Of the 23 firearm-related fatalities, six were shot and killed in May, the most of any other month. Sixteen officers died of other causes as of June 30 that include job-related illnesses, drownings and illnesses related to rescue and recovery efforts after 9/11. Georgia and New York lead the country in officer fatalities with five officers lost in the line of duty in each state for the first half of 2017. California, Florida and Texas each have had four officers killed, while three were killed in Louisiana as of June 30. When our law enforcement officers put their badges on at the start of their shifts, they do so with the intention of protecting the citizens of their communities and this country, said NLEOMF president and CEO Craig W. Floyd. They risk their lives each day and it is outrageous that 65 officers have died in the line of duty in the first half of this year. Officers have been targeted for the job that they do, shot and killed or hit with vehicles. I ask all of our citizens to do their part to protect our law enforcement heroes, as they continue to protect us. Yancey County, SC, sheriff's K-9 Chris was shot and killed in a kennel outside his handler's home. (Photo: Yancey County SO) The Yancey County (SC) Sheriffs Office announced the death of K-9 Chris Wednesday morning. The 8-year-old Dutch shepherd was found with a gunshot wound in his kennel at the home of his partner, Deputy Austin Wilson, in the Bald Mountain community. Chris was taken to Reach Animal Hospital in Asheville, NC, where he died. The Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook, Chris was a beloved member of the Yancey County Sheriffs Office for the past seven years. The Yancey County Sheriffs Office is offering a $1,000 reward that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved. Wednesday afternoon, the reward was increased to $1,500, WYFF TV reports. Chris was scheduled to retire at the end of this year. He was a favorite at the Yancey County Humane Society, where Wilson sometimes took him to be bathed. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print As most of the political world unites in condemning Donald Trump Jr.s secret and previously undisclosed meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya last year, the President of the United States applauded it on Wednesday. In an interview with Reuters, Donald Trump said, I think many people would have held that meeting. More from Reuters: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was unaware of his son Donald Trump Jr.s meeting last year with a Russian lawyer at the heart of a White House controversy, telling Reuters he only learned of it a couple of days ago. Asked if he knew that his son was meeting with the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June last year, Trump said in a White House interview: No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscows official support for his fathers presidential election campaign, according to emails the son released on Tuesday. In the interview, Trump said he did not fault his son for holding the meeting. I think many people would have held that meeting, the president said. Lets be very clear about what the President of the United States just condoned. What Trump Jr. did was take a meeting with a Russian lawyer after being informed that he would be given damaging info about Hillary Clinton, which was supplied by the Russian government. As Slate noted yesterday, citing Fordham University School of Laws Jed Shugerman, the presidents son likely violated 52 U.S. Code Section 30121. The law states, in part, that it is illegal duh for a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State, or local election. A Russian lawyer connected to the Kremlin giving the son and close advisers of Trump damaging information about Hillary Clinton in the heat of a presidential campaign? That is literally the definition of what the law says is illegal. Donald Trump can crow all he wants about how many people would have taken such a meeting, but that doesnt make it true. Perhaps the folks in Trumps inner circle a group of individuals who have repeatedly skirted the law and put politics before country would take such unlawful meetings in order to win an election, but thats not standard operating procedure in American politics. The fact that a President of the United States is essentially applauding his own sons collusion with a foreign government is stunning even for Donald Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Frustrated that constant Russia revelations are sucking the oxygen out of the room, John McCain threw a tantrum on Wednesday, saying that the latest developments are keeping Congress from doing the important work they were sent to Washington to do like take health insurance away from more than 20 million Americans. Its sucking the oxygen out of the room, everybody knows that, McCain said to CNN. Video: John McCain whines that Russia scandal is distracting Congress from taking health care away from millions of Americans pic.twitter.com/ZRIoHx09Q3 Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) July 13, 2017 The Arizona senator and failed GOP presidential nominee added, I think its very difficult when you have this overwhelming barrage of new information that unfolds every few days. I think its obvious. While McCain and other Republicans in Congress are angry that the barrage of Russia bombshells is distracting them from passing their dangerous health care legislation, their frustration is actually the bright side of what is a troubling Trump scandal. The flurry of Russia news, especially the New York Times bombshell that Donald Trump Jr. met with a lawyer linked to the Russian government, is a very serious matter. After all, the man who is now president or his close associates may have worked with a foreign adversary to swing a presidential election in his favor. None of these stunning developments should be brushed off, but there is an upside believe it or not and that upside was put on display by McCain and other Republicans on Wednesday. After all, each day that we focus on the serious matter involving the Trump campaigns questionable and troubling ties to Russia, the GOP is kept from passing Trumpcare. That may irk Republicans in Congress, but its good news for the millions of Americans who will continue to have access to health care through the Affordable Care Act at least for now. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) will propose an amendment that will ban Trump from using any federal money to fund his voter fraud commission. Rep. McCollum office described her amendment as, A simple, one-sentence proposal: None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, as established under Executive Order 13799 (82 Fed. Reg. 22389; relating to Establishment of Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity). President Trumps sham election commission exists to justify his outrageous falsehoods about illegal voting and to further the Republican Partys voter suppression agenda, Congresswoman McCollum said. This commission is an affront to our democracy and a waste of taxpayer dollars. The American people should not have to foot the bill to indulge President Trumps Twitter rants and conspiracy theories. The House Appropriations Committee is likely to vote down the amendment along party lines, but Democrats arent sitting back and allowing this president to carry out a massive voter purge without trying to stop him. The Election Integrity Commission is a sham, which is why the states have so roundly refused to hand over sensitive voter data. Democrats are fighting back, and if Republicans care at all about states rights and the private information of voters, they will also support McCollums amendment. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print As Donald Trumps presidency continues to collapse under the weight of the increasingly explosive scandal involving his campaigns ties to Russia, the president is leaving the country for Paris. In a tweet, Trump said he was getting rdy to leave for France, and not a moment too soon. Getting rdy to leave for France @ the invitation of President Macron to celebrate & honor Bastille Day and 100yrs since U.S. entry into WWI. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 While most Americans are grateful the president has spent so much of his time in recent weeks far, far away, hes leaving behind a massive disaster that will likely get worse while hes away. Trumps trip to Paris was scheduled well in advance, but it comes as new explosive developments in the ongoing Russia scandal continue to be revealed each day most recently, the news that Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian lawyer to obtain damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Call it what youd like: treason, collusion or, at the very least, an unlawful campaign contribution from a foreign actor during a campaign its still a disaster that threatens to bring down the entire Trump presidency. Trump is also running from what appear to be the early stages of an effort to impeach him. Just today, Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman of California formally introduced the first articles of impeachment HR 438 on the floor of the House of Representatives. Though Democratic leaders in Congress have tried to quiet any talk of impeachment this early in Trumps presidency, its likely they are just a few unhinged tweets and bombshell Russia revelations away from joining the effort to remove Trump from office. Trump may be far away, but the stench of scandal and controversy that has plagued his presidency since day one will follow him to France, and the situation in Washington will be just as dire for him when he returns. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was unaware of his son Donald Trump Jr.s meeting last year with a Russian lawyer at the heart of a White House controversy, telling Reuters he only learned of it a couple of days ago. Asked if he knew that his son was meeting with the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in June last year, Trump said in a White House interview: No, that I didnt know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this. Trump Jr. eagerly agreed to meet the woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscows official support for his fathers presidential election campaign, according to emails the son released on Tuesday. In the interview, Trump said he did not fault his son for holding the meeting. I think many people would have held that meeting, the president said. The emails were the most concrete evidence that Trump campaign officials welcomed Russian help to win the 2016 election, a subject that has cast a cloud over Trumps presidency and prompted investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and Congress. In Wednesdays interview, Trump also said he directly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if he was involved in what U.S. intelligence says was Russian meddling in the presidential campaign and that Putin had insisted he was not. Trump said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his more than two-hour meeting with Putin last Friday in Germany on the election meddling subject. I said, did you do it? And he said no, I did not. Absolutely not. I then asked him a second time in a totally different way. He said absolutely not, Trump said. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Howard Goller and Peter Cooney) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print At a joint press conference in Paris, Donald Trump finally took a question from a reporter about his son Donald Jr.s meeting with a Russia government attorney and his answer was to try to blame former Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch for his Trump Jrs problems. Video: WATCH: Trump's full answer on Don, Jr.: "From a practical standpoint, most people would have taken that meeting." pic.twitter.com/FHa3q11uya Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 13, 2017 After lying about his not taking a meeting with a Russian government lawyer, Trump said, Nothing happened from the meeting. Zero happened from the meeting, and I think the press made a very big deal over something that really a lot of people would do. Now, the lawyer that went to the meeting, I see that she was in the halls of Congress also, and somebody said that her visa or her passport to come into the country was approved by Attorney General Lynch. Now, maybe thats wrong, I just heard that a little while ago. Thats why she was here, because of Lynch. Trump made it sound like the person to blame for Trump Jrs meeting with a Russian government lawyer was Loretta Lynch, because Lynch let her into the country, which even Trump says may not be true, but that is the story that he is telling. Also, Don Jr. is good boy who fooled by a nasty Russian, who is Loretta Lynchs fault, into taking a meeting where he was offered dirt on Hillary Clinton but instead was forced to listen to a pitch about adoption, which really wasnt about adoption, but rolling back a law related to Russian human rights abuses. Trump appeared to be lifeless during the press conference. His answer on Don Jr. was the epitome of the barely with it President that America has come to expect when Donald Trump travels to anywhere overseas. Trump did not look good. He did not sound good, and his effort to blame Loretta Lynch for his sons Russia collusion was absurd. Alexandria, VA, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization welcomed Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg on July 13 to the official dedication of the new exhibit on permanent display at NHPCOs headquarters in Alexandria. Hospice: A Historical Perspective documents the history of the hospice and palliative care community and efforts to better care for patients and families facing serious and life-limiting illness. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of St. Christophers Hospice, outside of London. Recognized as the birthplace of the modern hospice philosophy of care, the interdisciplinary model created by Dame Cicely Saunders at St. Christophers was introduced in the U.S. through work done at the Yale School of Nursing led by the Dean of the school, Florence Wald. In 1978, the Hospice Demonstration Project was developed by Health Care Financing Administration (now known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) with 25 pilot sites across the country. By 1982, dedicated advocates and Congressional champions created the legislation that led to the Medicare hospice benefit. Since then, hospice care, and more recently palliative care, has been recognized as the ideal model of care for people with serious and life-limiting illness. Provided by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and trained volunteers, hospice care offers expert pain management, symptom control, psychosocial and spiritual support, and more to patients and their families when a cure is not possible. Palliative care brings the same philosophy of care to patients earlier in the course of a serious illness. NHPCO, originally the National Hospice Organization, was created in 1978 to foster growth of hospice as well as innovation in care of the dying. As curators of the exhibit, Hospice: A Historical Perspective, NHPCO is honoring the legacy of the hospice community and paying tribute to the rich tapestry that makes up the history of hospice care. During the dedication event on July 13 at NHPCOs offices, Mayor Silberberg remarked, I applaud NHPCO for curating this important display, not only to celebrate the contributions of a group of wonderful and dedicated hospice leaders, but as a way to let our past help inform our future. As our nations leaders currently debate how to reform our health care system, I think they could learn a thing or two from Dame Cicely. In recent years, NHPCO staff have been reviewing historic papers, reports, publications, photographs, and other items with a focus on documenting key elements from the hospice communitys history. During NHPCOs Capital Campaign, funding was provided by Hospice of the Bluegrass (now Bluegrass Care Navigators) to produce a historical perspective of hospice. Display cases have been designed and installed in the offices of NHPCO to highlight and preserve a first-of-its-kind history of hospice in the United States. NHPCO is proud to welcome visitors who may wish to see the exhibit Hospice: A Historic Perspective. Interested individuals should contact NHPCO at 703-837-1500 to inquire about office hours and access to the exhibit. Learn more about hospice and palliative care at NHPCOs Moments of Life: Made Possible by Hospice website at www.momentsoflife.org. -###- Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9ab6156d-b80a-40e6-b277-7e64a7f413de EU refers Croatia to court for failing to amend law on INA sell-off The European Commission has referred Croatia to the Court of Justice for failing to amend the law on the privatisation of the energy company INA-Industrija Nafte, d.d. (INA). The EU executive has decided on Thursday to refer Croatia to the ECJ for failing to align the 2002 law on the privatisation of INA with EU rules on the free movement of capital and the freedom of establishment.INA is the main Croatian energy company, partially owned by the Croatian Government. The INA law grants the State special powers in this company, including vetoing INA's decisions relating to the sale of shares or assets above a certain value. The State can also oppose important management decisions, such as a change in the company's activities, the granting of concessions or authorisations and the location of its registered office. The fact that the Croatian State can refuse to approve important decisions that would be in the company's interest may negatively impact company shares and reduce the INA's attractiveness to investors," the EC argued. The Commission considers that the State's special powers provided for in the INA lawIt acknowledges that the objective of protecting the security of energy supply is a legitimate public interest shared by the EU and could justify restrictions to the freedoms listed in TFEU. However, such restrictions must be proportionate. In the present case, the INA law empowers the Croatian State to oppose important company decisions without needing to justify their veto in terms of potential threats to security of supply or other public policy, or in the public interest. In the Commission's view,The Commission remains open to efforts by the Croatian authorities to find a solution to this case, notwithstanding today's decision.Croatia took the commitment to align the so-called INA law with EU rules before its accession to the EU in 2013. In November 2014, the European Commission decided to take action against Croatia for failure to amend such law. After assessing the observations of the Croatian authorities in December 2016, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Croatia to formally request the amendment of the INA law, on the ground that it violates the rules of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on the freedom of establishment and the free movement of capital. To date, Croatia has not complied with the Commission's reasoned opinion.The law approved in 2002 stipulates that as long as the ownership of the Croatian state in INA reaches or exceeds 25% while it remains a minority owner, no INA stake larger than 25% of INAs total value may be sold without government approval.Hungarian oil and gas group Mol holds a 49.08% stake in INA and it also holds controlling interest, whereas a 44.84% package is held by the Croatian state. Kalyn Oyer is a Charleston native who covers arts & entertainment and food & bev for The Post and Courier. She's a music festival & concert photographer and used to write about music for the Charleston City Paper, among other publications. In Georgetown County's closest race, the board of elections and voter registration certified Scott DuBose's election to the county school board with a margin of victory of just three votes out of 4,343 cast. Read moreGeorgetown Co. elections: DuBose's election to District 2 school board seat certified Maya T. Prabhu covers the Statehouse from Columbia. She previously covered city government and other topics in South Carolina and Maryland. Maya has a bachelors in English from Spelman College and a masters in journalism from the University of Maryland. NEW YORK, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guggenheim Investments, the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners, announced today that Jerry W. Miller has been named President of Guggenheim Investments. Mr. Miller was formerly Head of Asset and Wealth Management, Americas at Deutsche Bank and before that was President and CEO of Van Kampen Investments. Jerry is a highly respected executive with extensive management experience who possesses a deep understanding of all facets of leadership and of the asset management business, and we are excited to have him join us, said Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners. Chairman of Guggenheim Investments and Global Chief Investment Officer Scott Minerd said, We are very pleased to welcome Jerry to Guggenheim, and I look forward to working with him to further build our business. Mr. Miller completed Harvard Business Schools Advanced Management Program for Senior and Executive management and received his B.A. from Swarthmore College. He is based in Guggenheims New York office. About Guggenheim Investments Guggenheim Investments is the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners with $217 billion1 in total assets across fixed income, equity, and alternative strategies. We focus on the return and risk needs of insurance companies, corporate and public pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, consultants, wealth managers, and high-net-worth investors. Our 275+ investment professionals perform rigorous research to understand market trends and identify undervalued opportunities in areas that are often complex and underfollowed. This approach to investment management has enabled us to deliver innovative strategies providing diversification opportunities and attractive long-term results. 1Guggenheim Investments total asset figure is as of 03.31.2017. The assets include leverage of $11.7bn for assets under management and $0.4bn for assets for which we provide administrative services. Guggenheim Investments represents the following affiliated investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners, LLC: Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC, Security Investors, LLC, Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC, Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC, Guggenheim Real Estate, LLC, GS GAMMA Advisors, LLC, Guggenheim Partners Europe Limited, and Guggenheim Partners India Management. The main value of Veterans Day is, unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, not so much in our participating in a particular event or tradition but in our remembering at least once a year the debt we all owe to those who have served our country in uniform. Read moreEditorial: Remember our veterans today and every day Terry Graham, interim director for Richland County's elections office, previously said he planned to resign in January, but now plans to stay on as deputy director for a few more years after the Nov. 8 election had few issues. Read moreRichland County interim elections director decides not to resign after successful election AUSTIN A man about to be released from prison has been charged in Mower County District Court with sexually assaulting a child in 2014. Mario Antonio Burciaga, 31, who's in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater, is scheduled to make his initial appearance Monday. He faces three counts of felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The investigation began in February 2014, when Austin law enforcement received a report about a child who'd disclosed possible sexual abuse. The child had "speech issues" at the time that made communication difficult, the complaint says; she didn't respond to some of the questions asked. However, when she saw a diagram of a female body, the victim pointed to the genital area and said "butt," the complaint says, and made some "vague statements" about "Da" and her "butt." ADVERTISEMENT A medical examination of the child revealed vaginal tearing that had healed, and that likely occurred within the previous year, court documents say. Two of her main caregivers said they'd never noticed any blood in her diaper, nor had she indicated any pain. In July 2016, a detective met again with the victim, who was brought to the law enforcement center by a relative. The woman said the child was now living with her, was in therapy and was more "verbal." The child allegedly told the woman she'd been sexually abused by Burciaga when the family lived in Austin. The victim was "talkative and easy to understand," and told the investigator Burciaga had touched her "privates" while her mother was at work, the complaint says, and was able to accurately identify body parts on male and female diagrams. The child said Burciaga hurt her, the document continues, and she was bleeding after the incident. Burciaga was sentenced in February to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty in September to felony terroristic threats. He was given credit for 316 days already served so has an anticipated release date of July 24. The latest charges carry a penalty of not less than 144 months or more than 30 years in prison, a $40,000 fine, or both. A "dangerous" two-hour search for an armed man in the Izaak Walton League Wetland ended safely Wednesday evening, according to Olmsted County authorities. After a large law enforcement response, which was assisted by the use of a helicopter and a drone, authorities brought a 27-year-old Rochester man peacefully into custody, said Capt. Scott Behrns of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office Thursday morning. The man is not being identified by authorities because of his mental health issues, but was taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. He could face charges ranging from a disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor charge, to a felony charge for terroristic threats, Behrns said. The incident began around 5:32 p.m. Wednesday, when a dispatcher received a "very convoluted" 911 call that was difficult to make sense of, Behrns said. It led authorities to the man at the Izaak Walton League Wetland, near the 500 block of Salem Road Southwest. Initially, the two or three officers who responded ran into people who were leaving the wetland but hadn't seen anything unusual. While officers were talking with them, they heard a shot fired to the south of the entrance at Salem Road. ADVERTISEMENT Deputies retrieved safety equipment from their vehicles before heading into the wetland, and heard another shot as the search began. They continued slowly through the woods when they saw a man with a red shirt, and a shotgun that was pointed at the ground. Deputies told the man to "come this way," Behrns said, but he disappeared into the vegetation. They did not follow him because they didn't know if he was alone and the situation could have presented the opportunity for an ambush. They heard more shots and yelling, but the shots were "not necessarily directed" at deputies, Behrns said, noting about five shots were fired in the presence of law enforcement. Behrns added that it's not normal for people to carry firearms in the wetland. It was the first time law enforcement has used the Rochester Police Department's new drone to locate someone in an active situation, Behrns said, allowing law enforcement to cover lots of ground in a much safer way. Deputies requested additional help, including every on-duty deputy from the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, Rochester police and the emergency response unit. The Minnesota State Patrol Special Response Team, a tactical unit, also responded, as did a State Patrol helicopter. The helicopter located the man about a half mile from the wetland, walking northeast toward Salem Road, in a corn field. When the man saw the helicopter he put his gun down and waved his arms. He was taken into custody at about 7:30 p.m. by the Emergency Response Unit. ADVERTISEMENT A loaded single-shot shotgun was recovered by officers, as was a gun case and multiple empty shell casings in the wetland. The man alleged another man was with him, but officers didn't find anyone, Behrns said. The man has been living in Rochester since March, Behrns said, and an interview with the victim and his family indicate a mental health history in conjunction with a substance abuse issue. The firearm was legally purchased, and law enforcement will not identify the seller because "they did everything they were supposed to." Behrns said he was thankful the "dangerous" situation ended peacefully. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies spent more than two hours Wednesday evening searching through a wooded area in southwest Rochester after receiving a report of a man with a gun. Deputies with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office responded about 5:30 p.m. to Salem Road Southwest, west of West Circle Drive, after several people spotted a man walking in the area, carrying a shotgun. He was asking to use a phone, according to scanner traffic; when deputies arrived, he ran off. Several more officers responded to set up a perimeter and look for the man, who was described as white, in his late 20s or early 30s, with curly brown hair and a mustache or beard. He was wearing a red shirt and dark pants. At least one gunshot was heard coming from the wooded area during the search. All roads in the area were blocked during the incident. ADVERTISEMENT Rochester Police Officer Rey Caban was called to deploy the department's new drone to join the search, the first time the unit has been used in an active situation. The search concentrated in the area near the Izaak Walton League . About 7:30 p.m., an officer "made contact" with the suspect along a field line; a gun was found nearby. The man was "agitated," according to the discussions on the scanner, and said someone else was with him. A thorough search of the area by ground and air didn't locate anyone else, though the state patrol helicopter remained at the scene past 8 p.m. to watch for other suspects or a victim. Officers on the ground found an empty gun case and a shell casing in the wooded area; they continued to monitor the area until dark. The man believed to be from the Richfield area was taken to a local hospital for a physical and mental health evaluation. Preliminary information gave no indication he'd been involved in a crime before the woman spotted him walking with the gun. Temperatures during the search were in the high 80s, with high humidity and very little wind. No injuries were reported. ADVERTISEMENT In keeping with its touted advantages, Rochester's new drone was in the air at least 30 minutes before a helicopter from the Minnesota State Patrol arrived to assist. Its camera picked up a person standing in the woods; it's unclear if that turned out to be the suspect or an officer keeping the perimeter. IRVINE, Calif., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Khang & Khang LLP (the Firm) announces the filing of a securities class action lawsuit against Tahoe Resources Inc. (Tahoe or the Company) (NYSE:TAHO). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between March 12, 2015 and July 5, 2017, inclusive (the Class Period), should contact the firm in advance of the September 5, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased Tahoe shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., of Khang & Khang LLP, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. There has been no class certification in this case yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may also choose to take no action and remain a passive class member. According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, Tahoe made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that consultation obligations relating to the permitting of the Escobal mining license were not fulfilled; that the Escobal mining license is subject to suspension; and that as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On July 5, 2017, Tahoe disclosed that the Supreme Court of Guatemala issued a provisional decision suspending the Escobal mining license of its subsidiary Minera San Rafael, in connection with an action brought by CALAS against Guatemalas Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM). CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca Indigenous peoples right of consultation in advance of granting the Escobal mining license. When this news was announced, Tahoes shares declined in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions. AUSTIN An area woman has been charged with multiple felonies after authorities say she used altered checks to deposit nearly $80,000 into her bank accounts. Lisa Marie Sheehan, 52, of Adams, pleaded not guilty last week to three counts of felony theft by swindle and three counts of felony check forgery. She was released on her own recognizance and is due back in court Nov. 3. The investigation began Feb. 28 with a report from a financial services firm that Sheehan had deposited a check for $29,868.50 that was later determined to be fraudulent, the complaint says. The financial adviser said Sheehan had come to his office in December, claimed she was receiving an inheritance from an uncle and wanted to deposit a check and invest it. She returned about a month later with the check from a New York company; the check was deposited into a bank account Jan. 23, but the forgery wasn't discovered until after Sheehan had withdrawn the money from the account, court documents say. ADVERTISEMENT The financial firm learned the check was stolen from a produce company in Canada. On March 3, a detective spoke with Sheehan, who said she received the check from her boyfriend, whom she'd met on the internet. The man, Chris Johnson, was in Germany, and was "getting the problem sorted out." Sheehan told the investigator the people dispensing the estate of Johnson's father had done something incorrectly, but a new check would be coming and it would "clear things up." Johnson was from California, Sheehan said, and she'd never met him. She was arrested March 28. The next day, when told she'd "helped facilitate fraudulent transactions," Sheehan said the only thing she did wrong was to "trust somebody that said they loved me," the complaint says. She said several times that she'd contacted her boyfriend and he repeatedly told her "it was being handled." He'd also advised her not to talk to the police, the document says. Sheehan maintained the nearly $30,000 check was from her boyfriend's inheritance of $9 million, claiming he had transferred the money from the financial firm into Sheehan's local bank account. She'd shared her account information including passwords with the man, who had since changed the passwords. Sheehan said she made two withdrawals and mailed it to "Steve something" in California, the report says. The money was being invested so she and her boyfriend could get married and take care of their kids; Sheehan said she hadn't received any money for conducting the transactions. ADVERTISEMENT A search warrant of her home turned up no cash and nothing of value. In addition to the $30,000 check, Sheehan also allegedly cashed or attempted to cash three other checks, including: An altered check from Bakkavor Foods USA, Inc. in the amount of $25,965. She deposited the money into a credit union, then reportedly made two withdrawals one for $18,000 on Jan. 26. The check was originally made out to Deloitte Tax LLP. Both entities have filed "declaration of claimant on misused check" forms. An altered check from Cooper Tires in the sum of $46,922.92. The credit union put a hold on those funds until the check cleared; it was returned as "altered/fictitious" and no loss occurred. A deposit of about $24,000 into a second bank account, with a withdrawal of $18,000 on Feb. 2. Sheehan said she made the withdrawal at the request of her boyfriend, then mailed the cash, the complaint says. The altered checks cashed totaled $79,834 not including the one from Cooper Tires. The known withdrawal amounts total $51,000. It's unclear if Chris Johnson exists; throughout the criminal complaint, his name and the word "boyfriend" were put in quotes. The most serious charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. The lesser counts are punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both. As the groundwork continues to get underway for the city's newest parking ramp, proposals are being sought for the space above it. The city is offering developers a chance to to build above the eastern half of the six-level ramp being built on First Avenue Southeast between Center and First streets. The potential apartments would sit above the existing rail spur line. 1. City paid extra for the option. Last year, the Rochester City Council added $512,000 to construction plans in order to reinforce the ramp for up to 10 floors of housing, with 10 apartments per floor. Some costs could be recouped by having a developer pay air rights for construction in lieu of typical downtown property costs, said Terry Spaeth, the city's redevelopment director. ADVERTISEMENT Added revenue would come from property taxes on the development. 2. Affordable housing is unlikely. While the proposal is open to other types of development, the request specifically states housing is preferred. Last week, council member Michael Wojcik asked to add extra points for proposals considering affordable housing, but Public Works Director Richard Freese said such development is unlikely. "The feedback we've gotten is it's not going to be viable on this project," he said regarding use for affordable housing. The council approved adding 50 bonus points to the 1,000-point scale being used to rate proposals. The point system offers up to 250 points each for developer experience, project team experience and the quality of the proposal. Another 150 could be earned based on sustainability elements and 100 during an interview process, if needed. 3. The project started with a smaller goal. In February 2016, when the concept was first being discussed, the proposal for adding housing to the ramp started with three to four stories. ADVERTISEMENT Freese said early conversations led to the proposal to seek 10 stories. He said South Dakota developer Nate Stencil of Stencil Group indicated a 100-unit apartment complex at market rate would be required to make the project workable under proposed guidelines. 4. Expected response is unknown. "I'm not sure how much interest there will be," Spaeth said, noting new developers could be lured by the unique opportunity. Last week, he told the council he's working to make sure contractors throughout the state know about the new opportunity, which could come with an added bonus of finding saving by working with contractors already involved in the ramp construction. "We'll see what level of interest there is out there," Spaeth said. "We already had a number of developers working here in the city express interest." 5. Developers could expect 40 parking spaces. The ramp is being constructed with 631 parking spaces. Ninety of those will be underground and reserved for the Hilton Hotel being constructed on the corner of Broadway and Center Street. Freese said 40 spaces could be assigned to the development. "That would be part of the cost proposal," he said. ADVERTISEMENT Council member Ed Hruska voiced some concern about dedicating too many spots for other uses. 6. Construction likely would start in 2018. The city's timeline sets a Sept. 22 deadline for proposals, with a monthlong review process. Under the plan, the council would make a conditional selection by Oct. 31, with plans for a contract to be awarded Dec. 4. Spaeth said the ramp isn't expected to be complete until August in 2018. LAS VEGAS A man who fled federal custody more than 25 years ago couldn't escape new-age crime fighting, thanks to facial recognition technology. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles said it nabbed 64-year-old Robert Frederick Nelson in June as he tried to renew his state identification card. Nelson has since been turned over to the federal Bureau of Prisons. He's expected to serve his remaining sentence and additional time for fleeing federal custody in 1992. Federal authorities aren't clear on how Nelson fell through the cracks for so long, said Chris Clifford, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service in Minneapolis. "We almost had to rebuild the entire case," he said. Nevada DMV spokesman Kevin Malone said a technician processing Nelson's paperwork at the North Las Vegas station called agency investigators after noticing something suspicious about him. Nelson left the DMV unaware a full-scale probe would follow by officers in the department's Compliance Enforcement Division who investigate identity theft and related issues. ADVERTISEMENT "The facial recognition was only part of it. It was good, old-fashioned police work," Malone said. The investigators discovered Nelson's ID card photo resembled another man: Craig James Pautler, who had a commercial driver's license and a state ID card dating back to 1993. Nelson began using his true identity in 2013 when he got an ID card under his real name, which he attempted to renew last month. In Nevada, people apply for identification in person and leave with a paper detailing their information. The DMV processes the application, and if approved will mail the identification card to the applicant. In the case involving Nelson, the resemblance between the two identities prompted investigators to run his criminal history. They found felony convictions under both names, and that he had eluded federal authorities in Minnesota for decades. Nevada officials called to inform him of a problem with his application and asked him to return to the DMV office, where he was arrested June 20. Malone said the DMV has used a facial recognition technology since 2008, after moving to a central processing system for all state-issued ID cards to tighten security. The technology is strictly for mug shots and isn't the higher-tech type that can pick people out of a group. The facial recognition software shows possible matching faces, allowing the DMV to further scrutinize applications. Malone said most cases just link similar-looking photos but the department catches ID fraud two to three times a month. "We've caught a lot of ID theft and ID fraud cases," said Malone. "This is the first time I'm aware of that we've captured an escaped prisoner." The program pre-dates the state's compliance with the federal Real ID Act of 2005, which required all states to enhance ID standards. The process and regulations for state IDs were more lenient before 9/11, which Malone said is probably how Nelson got his other identification documents. Federal court records from Minnesota show that Nelson was arrested in January 1990 and charged with six counterfeiting counts. Under his plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to one count and the rest were dropped. U.S. District Judge Robert Renner sentenced him in May 1990 to 2 years imprisonment. Nelson was listed as having escaped from the Federal Medical Center in Rochester in 1992, Clifford said, but he didn't know the circumstances. However, according to the Post Bulletin archives, the escape of inmate David A. Wieling on Aug. 8, 1995, was the first escape from FMC in the prison's history. A prison spokesman could not comment on the discrepancy. ADVERTISEMENT Nelson somehow ended up in state custody in Nevada in 1992 or 1993, and the Marshals Service filed a "detainer" to return him to federal authorities after Nevada was finished with him, Clifford said. But he said Nevada released Nelson without telling them. Marshals Service officials didn't learn Nelson was free until they were contacted by Nevada investigators, who "did a great job of putting two and two together," said Clifford. At the moment, it appears that the Republican Congress will not be able to pass any meaningful health insurance reform legislation. I hope that assessment is too pessimistic, but in any event, President Trump doesnt need to wait for Congress. There is a great deal he can do, administratively, to reverse the damage being caused by Obamacare and help to preserve private markets for health care. In response to a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, Peter Nelson, my associate at Center of the American Experiment, has prepared a set of recommendations for administrative actions that the Trump administration can take. He has submitted the following memo to HHS, and it has been endorsed by a large number of state think tanks. A common criticism of the GOP is that it is incapable of governing. Congresss current paralysis gives credence to that view. The Trump administration has an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that conservative principles can generate practical policies that will, in this case, help to stop the inexorable slide toward socialized medicine. RE: Request for Information: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act & Improving Health Care Choices to Empower Patients [CMS-9928-NC] RIN 0938-ZB39. As representatives of state thinks tanks from across America, we are pleased to respond to your request for information on how the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can reduce regulatory burdens imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Though we all represent independent organizations, we share a common vision for what policies and what governance structure best secures freedom and prosperity for all Americans. Particularly relevant to this request for information, we believe the U.S. Constitution wisely established a balance of power between the state and federal governments. Allowing the two different levels of government to exercise power independently enhances freedom for citizens because each government acts as a check on the other if one begins to abuse its authority. We also believe state governments are often better situated than the federal government to address public policy problems because state lawmakers are closer to the problem, more responsive to citizen demands, and able to address issues more promptly with less red tape. So, we are delighted that HHS has set out to review the regulations it issued under the ACA, guided by a goal to return regulatory authority to the states. By returning more power to the states, HHS will empower the people better situated to accomplish the other goals set out by HHS, including empowering patients, promoting consumer choice, stabilizing markets, and enhancing affordability. Every state is different and the federal government is not equipped to address the different health insurance market problems emerging across the country with the speed and sensitivity that states can provide. With thousands of pages of new regulations under the ACA, the process of reviewing them poses a daunting task. As policy makers committed to the success of health insurance markets in each of our states, we are also committed to helping HHS identify strategies to improve the regulation of insurance in the states. This response to HHSs request for information recommends eight actions the agency should consider taking to help meet the goals outlined by the agency. I. Give states flexibility to define essential health benefits. The ACA requires that health insurance sold in the individual and small group market cover a set of essential health benefits (EHB). Federal regulations implementing the EHB requirement forces health plans to sell coverage that exceeds what is truly essential and makes it very difficult for states to pare back benefits once they are deemed essential. By mandating this more generous benefit set, the federal regulation increases the price of health insurance. HHS should give states flexibility to define EHBs. If states fail to define EHBs, then HHS should establish a default EHB limited to benefits that are truly essential. While essential suggests the EHB should cover only absolutely necessary benefits, the ACA further requires that the EHB cover benefits equal to the scope of benefits provided under a typical employer plan. Federal rules, however, require even more than what is typical. Federal regulations set the EHB for each state based on one of four benchmark plans. States can choose their EHB from among these benchmark plans and, if a state does not choose, the default benchmark plan is the second largest small employer plan in the state. While this default might appear to be a good proxy for a typical employer plan, the benefits offered in these plans can be anything but typical. The attachment to this letter provides a table that compares the differences in EHBs required in Idaho, Maryland, and Minnesota. The table lists only those EHBs that are covered by one state and either not covered by another state or covered at a much less generous level. Among the three states there are 57 different benefits mandated through the EHB in one state but not another. Examples of atypical benefits in these state EHBs include coverage for bariatric surgery, private-duty nursing, clinical trials, and abortion services. On top of requiring atypical benefits, the EHB makes it harder, if not impossible for a state to pare back its own mandates. As originally set, the default EHB is based on plans sold in 2012, which incorporates any state benefit mandate in existence as of 2012. For 2017, the default EHB is based on plans sold in 2014. Because the EHB for any plan sold in 2014 is based on plans sold in 2012, the 2012-based EHB becomes a floor. State benefit mandates from 2012 continue to be incorporated in the 2017 EHB, regardless of whether a state repealed the mandate or not. Under this arrangement, benefits can only be added to the EHB in each update and never subtracted. To address these problems, HHS should give states the flexibility to define EHBs. By allowing states to pick from among benchmark plans that were subject to state regulations in existence prior to the ACA, HHS has already acknowledged the value in giving states flexibility and also acknowledged that the benefits provided prior to the ACA were generally adequate to meet the ACAs EHB requirement. Giving states more flexibility would help cure the problem where adding benefits to the EHB is easy, but subtracting is nearly impossible. This may be especially important in states now locked into expensive state benefit mandates that predate the ACA. Under the ACA, HHS will need to provide reports to Congress reviewing the state-defined EHBs. If a state fails to define the EHB, HHS will need to define a default EHB for those states. Any default should be limited to what is truly essential. For a starting point, HHS should consider the current default benchmark from the state that includes the fewest benefits. However, this should just be the starting point. Even this benefit set might require more than essential coverage. II. Rescind the guidance on State Innovation Waivers and release new guidance that more closely follows the text and intent of the ACA. Section 1332 of the ACA allows states to apply to the Secretary of HHS for a State Innovation Waiver from several of the laws health coverage requirements. With so many state insurance markets imploding as a result of the ACAs requirements, the ability to waive at least some of the requirements is a critical tool states need to save their markets. Unfortunately, guidance issued in December 2015, contrary to the text and intent of the ACA, severely curtails what states can waive. This guidance should be rescinded and replaced with new guidance that gives states meaningful tools to strengthen their crumbling health insurance markets. Under Section 1332 of the ACA, a waiver must meet four requirements, often called guardrails, to be approved. First, coverage must be at least as comprehensive as provided under the ACA. Second, coverage and cost-sharing protections must be at least as affordable as under the ACA. Third, the waiver must provide coverage to a comparable number of people as under the ACA. Fourth, the waiver must not increase the federal deficit. These guardrails already impose substantial restrictions on what can be waived, but the guidance imposes even tighter restrictions in the following ways: * HHS retains discretion to deny a waiver even if the four guardrails are met. * In addition to assessing whether the waiver covers a similar number of people with as comprehensive and affordable coverage on average, the guidance applies these three guardrails to subgroups, including low-income individuals, elderly individuals, people with serious health conditions or risks. * Though the ACA requires HHS to develop a process for coordinating and consolidating State Innovation Waivers with Medicaid waivers, any savings accrued through a coordinated Medicaid waiver cannot be factored into whether the State Innovation Waiver meets deficit neutrality requirements. * The federal government failed to develop a federally-facilitated exchange platform and IRS administrative processes that can accommodate different sets of rules in different states. Thus, states relying on the Federally-Facilitated Exchange (FFE) cannot currently waive any requirement that would require a special accommodation from the FFE and no state can waive a requirement that requires special accommodation from IRS administrative processes. * Instead of judging the guardrails over the term of the waiver, the waiver must generally meet each guardrail in each year the waiver is in effect. * Despite State Innovation Waivers being an existing component of the ACA, the costs associated with changes to federal administrative processes are a factor in calculating deficit neutrality. In practical terms, these tighter restrictions on granting waivers curtail most states from altering how people receive coverage in the individual market in any significant way. This includes waivers that significantly alter requirements related to essential health benefits, qualified health plans, exchange marketplace rules, cost-sharing reductions, premium tax credits, and individual and employer coverage mandates. The tightness of these restrictions undermines the intent and the text behind the ACAs State Innovation Waiver provision. For instance, the ACA clearly intended to allow states to waive the EHB, but the guidance for all practical purposes makes this impossible. To better honor the intent and the text underlying Section 1332 of the ACA, HHS should rescind the State Innovation Waiver guidance and introduce new guidance that includes the following provisions: * Guarantee that states will be granted a waiver so long as they meet the four guardrails. * In applying the guardrails, assess whether the waiver covers a similar number of people with as comprehensive and affordable coverage based on a statewide average. States are better positioned to balance the impact of a waiver on various subgroups to improve health coverage for everyone. * Judge how the waiver impacts the guardrails over the entire term of the waiver. States may need to sacrifice certain guardrails in the first year or two of the waiver, especially the deficit neutrality requirement, to accomplish long-term results that satisfy the guardrails. * Allow any savings from moving people in Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program into private insurance coverage to be a factor in calculating deficit neutrality. * Allow savings from moving people off other federal transfer programse.g., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Familiesto count when calculating deficit neutrality. * Do not count federal administrative costs to implement waivers when determining deficit neutrality. From the outset, administering State Innovation Waivers should have been built into the architecture of the FFE and the IRS administrative processes using the federal allotments for these programs. The fact that HHS and the IRS may now have to spend federal dollars to add functionality that they failed to provide in order to make the ACA ready for waivers in 2017 should not be a factor in calculating deficit neutrality. III. Issue guidance providing advice and examples to states on how they can use a State Innovation Waiver to stabilize individual health insurance markets. Many state lawmakers and policy personnel are now in the midst of investigating how to stabilize their individual health insurance markets through a State Innovation Waiver. As HHS reported in May, average premiums in state individual insurance markets doubled between 2013 and 2017, and more than tripled in three states. Moreover, as more and more insurers signal they will not participate in the insurance market next year, residents in hundreds of counties across the country face the possibility of not having access to insurance coverage. Alaska, one of the three states where premiums tripled, stepped forward with the first State Innovation Waiver request to create a new program to moderate premium increases. In 2016 Alaska created a state fund to reinsure certain high-cost enrollees with state funding. By using state funds to pay a portion of claims for high-cost enrollees, the state keeps premiums lower for everyone else. However, by lowering premiums for everyone else, Alaska would receive less federal funding for tax credits because tax credits are tied to the price of a premium. Alaska is now applying for a State Innovation Waiver to receive federal funds to support the reinsurance program that would have otherwise gone to fund tax credits for Alaskans. Many states are considering a similar reinsurance program. But there are other possible approaches for states using a State Innovation Waiver. What works for Alaska may not be the best approach for another state. There are pros and cons to any approach. For instance, reinsurance will reduce an insurers incentive to control the costs that are covered by reinsurance. Prior to the ACA, states used to cover high cost people through high risk pools. A benefit of high risk pools is that insurers prospectively determine risk when people enroll, and then provide insurance based on that expected risk. This approach more closely follows how a normal insurance market operates. HHS has already issued a helpful checklist to help states apply for State Innovation Waivers to lower premiums, improve market stability, and increase consumer choice. However, given the immediate need for relief and the complications states face in crafting new programs to stabilize insurance markets, states would greatly benefit from further guidance that provides (1) information on the various approaches states are now considering, (2) advice on what factors states should consider in designing a new program, and (3) guidance on what approaches are likely to be approved by HHS. This would be similar to guidance HHS has provided on state development of Medicaid waivers, such as guidance issued in 2013 on establishing and implementing Medicaid managed long-term services and supports programs. In developing this guidance, HHS would benefit from issuing another request for information to gather the most up-to-date information on what states are considering or should be considering. IV. Provide presumptive approval for certain Medicaid state plan amendments and waiver requests. Year after year the cost of Medicaid consumes ever larger shares of state budgets, crowding out funds for other priorities like education and transportation. At the same time, there are growing concerns over the Medicaid programs effectiveness in improving health, providing adequate access to doctors, engaging patients, reducing dependency, and detecting fraud and abuse. All of these concerns have led to substantial interest from states to fundamentally reform the Medicaid program. In the past, states ran into frustrating roadblocks with their federal partner in pursuit of even modest reforms proposed through state plan amendments or waiver requests. To guarantee the sustainability and effectiveness of the Medicaid program, its time for the federal government to become a more equal partner with states in administering the program. That means giving states more flexibility, collaboration, and certainty in granting state plan amendments and waivers. As a starting point to improve the partnership between the federal government and the states, HHS should begin by giving presumptive approval for certain Medicaid state plan amendments and waiver requests. There are certain Medicaid reforms that states have a common interest in pursuing. Examples include funding health savings accounts to encourage savings and patient engagement, offering commercial insurance coverage alternatives, providing incentives for healthy behaviors, allowing states to not provide retroactive eligibility, increasing premiums or copays to encourage financial responsibility, and adopting work requirements to help move people from dependency. In cases where multiple states are making similar state plan amendment and waiver requests for Medicaid reforms, HHS should define and approve templates for these reforms in consultation with the states. A state wishing to adopt any approved template should be granted presumptive approval of their request. Not only will this speed the approval process, it will also promote more effective state planning by giving states more certainty over elements of their plan. V. Offer states the option of a State Partnership Exchange in which the federal government provides, at a minimum, the services necessary to facilitate direct enrollment in a qualified health plan through brokers or health plans. After the ACA passed and many states began considering what type of insurance exchange to implement, every exchange model presumed people must be able to directly enroll in coverage through the exchange. Every exchange model save for a single-payer model considered in Vermontpresumed an exchange must become a marketplace that, in effect, replicated services that already existed in the private marketplace. Yet, the ACA nowhere explicitly requires an exchange to directly sell QHPs and replicate existing health insurance markets. Instead of replicating the existing health insurance market, HHS should give states the option of a State Partnership Exchange that minimally facilitates direct enrollment in QHPs through brokers or health plans. The ACA requires an Exchange to facilitate the purchase of a QHP. It further requires an exchange to make available QHPs to qualified individuals and employers. But facilitate and make available do not necessarily mean directly sell insurance to the public. In common parlance, a facilitator is someone who helps and assists. Notably, the functions the ACA requires for each exchange generally fall into the helper/assister category and no function requires an exchange to directly sell insurance. Thus, from the beginning, states should have had the option of creating exchanges that only facilitatedi.e., helpedpeople in the process of buying coverage through traditional sales outlets. The fact is, with exchange enrollment consistently missing targets across the country, relying on existing, experienced sales outlets may have been far more effective. Unfortunately, this more modest, and possibly more effective approach to a state exchange never materialized and, at this point, it is highly unlikely any state would attempt to build a new facilitator model exchange from scratch. There are states, however, that may be interested in partnering with the federal government to rethink and redesign how an exchange operates. HHS already allows State Partnership Exchanges in which states basically pick and choose which exchange functions are provided by the federal government and which functions are provided by the state. HHS should provide for a new partnership model where the federal government offers only the direct enrollment services already provided through the FFE. This approach will give states the maximum freedom to administer exchange functions, while letting states rely on the federal government for the task that was always federal, determining eligibility for tax credits. VI. Revisit regulations restricting employers from contributing to individual health insurance market premiums and consider alternative regulatory approaches that give employers more flexibility to offer defined-contribution health plans while maintaining stable markets. After the ACA passed, some legal professionals believed the law created new opportunities for employers to offer defined-contribution (DC) health plans in which employees receive a defined cash contribution to purchase coverage in the individual health insurance market. Many employers might prefer this type of health plan because it gives employers better control over their health care spending and gives employees choice, ownership, and security in a portable health plan they can keep when they leave their job. Prior to the ACA, DC health plans were difficult to administer due to differences between how the individual and group markets were regulated. The ACA largely eliminated the regulatory differences that posed an obstacle to DC health plans and appeared to open the way for these plans. However, HHS regulations issued in 2015 incorporate prior 2013 guidance that effectively bans employers from offering DC health plans. Because the legal rationale for this regulation is so thin, HHS should revisit the regulation and consider whether any alternative regulatory approaches can better satisfy the agencies legal and policy concerns. The regulation specifically holds that funding individual market health insurance through a group health plan violates the ACAs annual dollar limit prohibition and the preventive services requirements. According to the guidance, these provisions are violated because individual market coverage cannot be integrated with a group health plan. Thus, two health plan requirements effectively change the tax treatment of employer contributions to individual coverage, not any change to the tax code. The legal rationale for this regulation is very thin. Legally, the regulation is largely undermined by the fact that the two ACA requirements apply to both the individual and group markets equally. Therefore, whether an employer funds individual or group coverage, their employees will ultimately be covered by plans that meet the two requirements. The regulation fails to explain why a violation exists only in the context of integrating individual market coverage with a group health plan. Moreover, the regulation contradicts prior federal court and agency holdings that found individual coverage could integrate with group coverage. It also conflicts with provisions in the ACA that show Congress intended to continue allowing employers to fund individual premiums pre-tax. The policy rationale supporting the regulation is stronger. Though the regulation and the prior guidance never explains the policy reasons, the Obama administration did discuss the policy behind the guidance privately with representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber cites two reasons. First, the administration was concerned that large employers would dump sicker employees into the individual market. Second, the administration worried that some people might be able to double dip on both tax credits in the exchange and tax-free premium contributions from their employer. Without a strong legal basis for the regulation, HHS should revisit it and consider whether there are more appropriate ways to address the policy concerns without undermining the option for employers to offer DC health plans. While there is a risk that large employers might dump sicker populations, DC health plans could also grow and stabilize individual health insurance markets with a more balanced pool. States are in a position to assess whether DC health plans are harming the market and have the power to limit DC health plans if problems emerge. Congress already started the job of revisiting the regulation when it passed the 21st Century Cures Act last year. The Act allows small employers to establish small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) to help finance individual health insurance premiums for their employers. This is a solid start, but more can be done to broaden access to DC health plans if HHS agrees to revisit the regulation. VII. Establish special enrollment periods for small employer health reimbursement arrangements. While the creation of Small Employer HRAs creates important new opportunities for employers to offer DC health plans, the 21st Century Cures Act failed to address how this new arrangement with individual coverage coordinates with the markets enrollment period. Without any further action, this creates two main issues. First, a new employee hired outside the open enrollment period may not be able to sign up for coverage if they dont qualify for some other special enrollment period (SEP). Second, a company that does not currently offer coverage and wants to start offering a Small Employer HRA needs to wait until open enrollment to set one up. A possible third issue might arise if an employer already operates a group health plan and wants to switch. If the group health contract ends outside the open enrollment period, then ending the group plan will presumably create a SEP for every employee covered, but any employee not covered probably wouldnt qualify for the SEP, and would need to wait until the open enrollment period to get coverage. To address these enrollment issues, HHS should establish or issue guidance on how states can establish SEPs to allow an employer to begin offering a Small Employer HRA at any time during the year and to allow new hires to sign up for individual coverage at any time during the year. The SEP created for new hires is an especially important tool to make sure the Small Employer HRA provides a similar incentive to a prospective hire as a traditional group health plan. VIII. Work with the Department of Labor to clarify whether the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act (ERISA) preempts states from funding insurance market stability programs through fees on third-party administrators (TPA) of self-funded health plans. While the request for information specifically requests information for actions within HHSs authority, there is an important issue under the authority of the Department of Labor that impacts how states establish high risk pool/state-operated reinsurance programs through a State Innovation Waiver. A critical component to any successful program will be for states to establish a stream of revenue to provide the states portion of funding to support the program. However, there is legal uncertainty as to whether ERISA preempts fees imposed on TPAs that service self-funded health plans. HHS should work with the Department of Labor to clarify ERISA does not preempt states from assessing fees on TPAs. Ideally, the funding source for insurance market stability programs would be both broad-based and reliable. The funding should be broad-based because the high risks that make their way into the individual marketthe source of the individual markets higher risk profilecome from all over. Some high risks were already in the individual market pool, but many others made their way from employer-sponsored group plans. Insurers also need a reliable, stable funding source they can count on from year to year. If states want insurers to come to the market and stay in the market, the insurer needs to be confident that the funding wont drop away in the states next budget crisis. The ACA recognized funding for its transitional reinsurance program should be broad-based and so the law applied a reinsurance fee to all commercial health insurance carriers and self-funded major medical plans. Federal law does not allow states to do the same. ERISA preempts states from assessing fees on self-funded plans, which represents a majority of group health plans. Prior to the ACA, many states assessed fees on TPAs that service self-funded plans to fund state health care programs as an alternative approach to directly assessing fees on self-funded plans. However, the legality of assessing TPAs remains unclear. Back in 1991, the Fifth Circuit, in E-Systems v. Pogue, preempted a Texas tax on TPAs who received service fees to administer self-funded health plans. In 2016, however, the Sixth Circuit, in Self-Insurance Institute of America v. Snyder, affirmed a Michigan assessment on claims paid by carriers and TPAs to fund Medicaid. The Sixth Circuit case sets a stronger precedent than E-Systems because it relies on a landmark ERISA opinion the U.S. Supreme Court issued shortly after E-Systems was decided. Nonetheless, legal uncertainty remains. HHS should work with the Department of Labor to clarify whether states are free to assess TPAs servicing self-funded plans. While any guidance or rules issued on the matter would be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor, the resolution of this issue is important to the success of the insurance market stability programs states are now creating through State Innovation Waivers under the authority of HHS. Because programs under the authority of HHS have a stake in the outcome, it is appropriate for HHS to take steps to encourage the Department of Labor and, if appropriate, to work with the Department of Labor to help give states more legal certainty on this question. major medical plans. Federal law does not allow states to do the same. ERISA preempts states from assessing fees on self-funded plans, which represents a majority of group health plans. Prior to the ACA, many states assessed fees on TPAs that service self-funded plans to fund state health care programs as an alternative approach to directly assessing fees on self-funded plans. However, the legality of assessing TPAs remains unclear. Back in 1991, the Fifth Circuit, in E-Systems v. Pogue, preempted a Texas tax on TPAs who received service fees to administer self-funded health plans. In 2016, however, the Sixth Circuit, in Self-Insurance Institute of America v. Snyder, affirmed a Michigan assessment on claims paid by carriers and TPAs to fund Medicaid. The Sixth Circuit case sets a stronger precedent than E-Systems because it relies on a landmark ERISA opinion the U.S. Supreme Court issued shortly after E-Systems was decided. Nonetheless, legal uncertainty remains. HHS should work with the Department of Labor to clarify whether states are free to assess TPAs servicing self-funded plans. While any guidance or rules issued on the matter would be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor, the resolution of this issue is important to the success of the insurance market stability programs states are now creating through State Innovation Waivers under the authority of HHS. Because programs under the authority of HHS have a stake in the outcome, it is appropriate for HHS to take steps to encourage the Department of Labor and, if appropriate, to work with the Department of Labor to help give states more legal certainty on this question. This David Brooks column called How We Are Ruining America has received lots of attention on the internet, but I dont think we have commented on it. According to Brooks, members of the college-educated upper middle class the top 20 percent or so are ruining America by making sure their kids have good opportunities and, supposedly, making sure that kids from lower classes dont get them. Brooks says they have conferred good opportunities on their kids by embrac[ing] behavior codes that put cultivating successful children at the center of life. He concedes theres nothing wrong in devoting yourself to your own progeny. I would go further. Theres everything right with it. Brooks beef is that the college-educated upper middle class is excluding other peoples kids from access to the opportunities their kids have. But Brooks has just told us that the way we confer these opportunities is to embrace behavior codes that put cultivating successful children at the center of life. This tactic is available to members of all classes. Anyone can embrace behavior codes that put their kids at the center, and generations of immigrants and poor people have done. If, today, too many members of lower classes dont embrace these codes, then they, not members of the upper middle class, are excluding their offspring from access to opportunities. The easy objection to my argument is that members of the college educated upper middle class find it easier to place their kids at the center of their lives. Im not sure thats true. A couple consisting of two hard working lawyers wont find it easy to focus on their children. Its the codes (to use Brooks term), not the income or status, that makes most of the difference, in my view. But what about educational opportunity? Brooks complains that zoning restrictions keep the poor and less educated away from places with good schools. Why, though, arent the schools in poorer neighborhoods good? Its not for lack of resources, at least not in cities like the District of Columbia. Rather, its mainly because of the poor behavior and lack of studiousness displayed by many students who attend these schools. And the poor behavior and lack of studiousness stem mainly from the behavior codes of parents who have kids when they are too young, saddle them with poor family structures, succumb too often to drug use, and too often run afoul of the law. In effect, Brooks and the experts he cites in his column are blaming people with winning behavior codes for the woes of the children of people with losing codes. Thats an absurd and potentially corrosive stance. The solution, implied by Brooks and embraced by the left, is government action to bring poor people into affluent neighborhoods AFFH, and all that. But is this really a solution? Students who arent serious about school, who chronically misbehave and/or use drugs arent likely to benefit from attending the same school as students who dont share these characteristics. They are likely to detract from the quality of the educational experience of serious, well-behaved students, unless the school responds by becoming, in effect, two separate schools. If anything, blacks understand the behavioral root of the problem better than whites do. Recently, I heard William Julius Wilson, the Harvard sociologist (and an African-American), deliver a lecture covered by C-SPAN. He was making the same argument as Brooks and his experts. However, Wilson noted the rising level of income inequality among blacks and how this is translating into what he called income segregation among African-Americans. In other words, blacks with winning behavior codes are fleeing areas populated by blacks with losing behavior codes. They arent necessarily moving to white neighborhoods. Often, they move to black middle class ones. The key is to escape the behavioral blight and the social pathology that produces it. Brooks has his own take on why economically integrated neighborhoods arent a panacea. He argues that lower class folk wont feel at home in opportunity-rich areas because the educated class establishes class barriers not through material consumption and wealth display but by establishing practices that can be accessed only by those who possess rarefied information. In other words: American upper-middle-class culture (where the opportunities are) is now laced with cultural signifiers that are completely illegible unless you happen to have grown up in this class. They play on the normal human fear of humiliation and exclusion. Their chief message is, You are not welcome here. Brooks illustrates his point with this anecdote: Recently I took a friend with only a high school degree to lunch. Insensitively, I led her into a gourmet sandwich shop. Suddenly I saw her face freeze up as she was confronted with sandwiches named Padrino and Pomodoro and ingredients like soppressata, capicollo and a striata baguette [Ed. I have no idea what any of these things are]. I quickly asked her if she wanted to go somewhere else and she anxiously nodded yes and we ate Mexican. Brooks has often written with insight about this sort of stuff. Here, however, he approaches self-parody. If cultural signifiers are a meaningful barrier to opportunities for those outside the top 20 percent, how does Brooks explain the success of various immigrant populations? These populations dont understand the right barre techniques, sport the right baby carrier, have the right podcast, food truck, tea, wine and Pilates tastes, not to mention possess the right attitudes about David Foster Wallace [whos he], child-rearing, gender norms and intersectionality, to list the signifiers cited by Brooks. Yet, they flourish. Brooks has it right at the beginning of his article. Its all about behavior codes. If you get them right, it doesnt make that much difference what neighborhood you start out in, and you dont even need to know what a latte is. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno was in town Thursday, touting her signature property-tax reform plan that she says could save average New Jersey residents about $1,000 on their annual tax bill. Speaking at a roundtable of residents on Robert Best Road, Guadagno said her plan would cap the amount homeowners pay in school taxes to 5 percent of the households income. The homeowners would receive a tax credit for any amount above that cap, up to $3,000. For example, if a household making $100,000 per year has a school property-tax bill of $6,000, they would receive a $1,000 credit. School taxes are often the largest portion of tax bills. In Egg Harbor Township, 64 percent of tax money goes to the school district, Mayor James Sonny McCullough said. People in New Jersey just cant afford to live here anymore, Guadagno said, adding schools will not lose funding under the plan because it will be supplemented by the state. New Jersey consistently ranks among the highest property taxes in the nation. Guadagno said the next governor must make bringing down taxes one of their top priorities, and said her opponent, Democrat Phil Murphy, will only raise taxes on residents. A spokesman for Murphy did not return a request for comment Thursday. Opponents have questioned how Guadagno will pay for the plan, specifically because schools being supplemented by the state come from taxpayer dollars anyway. Guadagno said the payment will come from savings generated by a state audit on spending, specifically by stopping sick-pay abuse by public workers, reforming health-care costs, and forcing shared services on municipalities to cut costs. In the Republican gubernatorial primary, Guadagnos opponent, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, R-Somerset, said funding the plan through undetermined cost savings was irresponsible. But Guadagno pointed to other states that have successfully passed tax reforms that mirror this proposal, including Massachusetts and Illinois. It works in Massachusetts and it works in Illinois, and those are both blue states, she said. One of the reasons we picked this program is because it was passed by legislatures in blue states, and we would be working with the same kind of scenario. Guadagnos visit to the area came a day after Murphy sat down with the firefighters union in Atlantic City over state-imposed cuts to contracts and proposed layoffs of 100 firefighters. Murphy also toured Stockton Universitys Gateway project in Atlantic City and ate lunch at Ducktown Tavern. Guadagno, meanwhile, traveled to Avalon after the roundtable in Egg Harbor Township for the official opening of the Icona Golden Inn. UPPER PITTSGROVE TOWNSHIP Seventeen years after his death, Navy Ensign John R. Elliott will be honored with a roadside memorial at the site where he was killed by a drunken driver. Elliott was the son of HERO Campaign founders Bill and Muriel Elliott, who started the anti-drunken driving foundation in his honor. The roadside memorial to be dedicated noon July 21 replaces an earlier memorial at the same site created by dairy farm owner James Eller in 2002 on his private farmland. The new memorial was created by volunteer craftsmen from the Bricklayers and Iron Workers trade councils. Bill and Muriel Elliott and their daughter, Jennifer, will be joined at the ceremony by state and local dignitaries, including Richard Tolson, president of The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers/Administrative District Council of New Jersey, and Richard Sweeney, president of Iron Workers Local 399 and himself a victim of a drunken driving crash. New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, also a vice president of the International Ironworkers, will attend and is expected to discuss his bill renaming a section of Route 40 in honor of Ensign Elliott. The ceremony will take place at 881-899 Pole Tavern Woodstown Road/Route 40 in Elmer. Parking is available across the road from the memorial on the access road to the Hidden View Dairy. ATLANTIC CITY A New York City-based private equity firm has tendered a $220 million offer to purchase the former Revel, according to Alex Fredericks, director of operations for Digital Launch, the company representing the firm. The offer by the firm, which Fredericks declined to name, was made in the last 10 days, he said. Glenn Straub, owner of the more than 6 million-square-foot Boardwalk property, said he was unaware of any offer for the resort, which he has renamed TEN. Straub also said he has never talked to any equity firms regarding a sale. I dont know any private equity firms, Straub said. Straub bought the $2.4 billion Revel for $82 million in bankruptcy court in August 2015. Since then he has repeatedly talked about reopening the property, and has set several deadlines for doing so, but it remains closed. Digital Launch is a development and management firm that designs and implements innovative strategies to effectively market product and talent through both the hard goods and digital commerce landscape, according to its website. The firm has done ad work with Geico, Coke and Pepsi. State gaming officials have told Straub he is required to get some type of gaming license if there is going to be a casino on the property, but he maintains he shouldnt be required to apply for one since hes leasing the casino area to a third-party vendor. Straub previously talked about opening the facility as a resort without a casino. Straub has appealed the Casino Control Commission ruling that required him to have some level of casino license. If they rule in our favor, we will open the casino, Straub said. If they rule against us, maybe we will have to look for someone else. The closed casino sits at the end of the Boardwalk near the Inlet, where few people were walking Wednesday. But Jean Muchanic, executive director of the Absecon Lighthouse that sits a couple blocks behind the closed casino at Rhode Island and Pacific avenues, walked past and said the prospect of a sale is exciting. We saw it from scratch to the place that it is now, she said. It would be amazing if it could go from nothing for the past two years to once again a thriving attraction and a fun place to visit. That area of the Boardwalk is described as a hidden gem, she said, adding the idea of a potential buyer makes her hopeful. Calls for Straub to sell the property have continued to grow as inaction at the property has continued. Last month, Mayor Don Guardian said several groups of investors have expressed interest in the property over the past couple months. Gov. Chris Christie also has raised the idea of a change in ownership. Christie, on his June Ask the Governor radio show on New Jersey 101.5, said he hopes Straub sells the casino because he hasnt been able to deliver. Before buying the closed Trump Taj Mahal, Hard Rock International and its investors looked at purchasing Revel. Recently, rumors of the impending sale of Revel have circulated in the city. Straub, when contacted regarding those rumors, has steadfastly denied the property was being sold, although he has said there is no question that all of our properties are for sale for the right price. Al Craig, who lives at The Ocean at 101 Board-walk apartments, which sit next to the former Revel, said he hopes a sale goes through to bring some life to the area. Hopefully it will open and bring some activity to this end of the Boardwalk, he said. Its a magnificent building. BAMAKO - 7 & 8 DECEMBER 2017 The Invest in Mali Forum 2017, a major international event to promote Mali as a strategic location for business and investments in sub-Saharan Africa organised by the Mali Investment Promotion Agency (API-MALI) and supported by the World Bank will take place on December 7th and 8th 2017 in Bamako, Mali. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535585/Invest_in_Mali_Forum_2017.jpg ) A FORUM TO "CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ON MALI" "Bet on Mali!" as claimed Moussa Ismaila Toure, General Manager of Mali Investment Promotion Agency, sets the stage for this event with a clear call to action to "make our country an attractive option for regional and international investors." TWO DAYS OF PANELS, CONFERENCES AND BUSINESS MEETINGS The Invest in Mali Forum 2017 will include high-level conferences and panels, tailored B2B meetings, site visits, discussions with major international players, exhibitors and a Village of Mali's Regions. Aiming to showcase the country, as an economic hub in West Africa. INVESTING IN HIGH-POTENTIAL SECTORS This forum will give investors an overview of Mali's economic development strategy, investment incentives and measures to encourage stakeholders to commit to new projects in the targeted four key sectors: agriculture, livestock farming, infrastructure and energy. LEADING PARTNERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO MALI With the support of leading partners such as the World Bank with its Investment Climate 3 and PACAM programmes, USAID, the Feed the Future initiative, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Dutch Cooperation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mali (CCIM) and the National Council of the Patronage of Mali (CNPM) among others, this event will gather powerful players with a determined goal: Bet on Mali as it looks to the future and where anything is possible. Stay up-to-date on the latest from the Invest in Mali Forum 2017: http://www.foruminvestmali.com ABOUT THE MALI INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY - API-MALI The Mali Investment Promotion Agency (API-MALI) is a public administration organisation created in 2005 under the Ministry of Investment. API-MALI serves as a single point of contact for all business creation procedures, investor assistance and the issuance of authorisations and certifications for investments in Mali. SOURCE API-MALI BOSTON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 1,200 registered nurses at Tufts Medical Center, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, are prepared to return to caring for their patients at 7 a.m. Thursday, July 13 following the conclusion of their one-day strike for safe patient care, fair retirement benefits and market competitive wages. Nurses began an historic one-day strike Wednesday morning as Tufts management failed to agree to a fair settlement that ensures patients have the highly skilled nursing care they deserve. The strike the first by nurses in Boston in 30 years and largest nurses' strike in Massachusetts history is scheduled to last until 6:59 a.m. on July 13. Tufts management has threated to lock out nurses following the 24-hour strike for an additional four days, bringing in mercenary replacement nurses who do not know Tufts patients, staff, the hospital or community. "Our 24-hour strike was necessary because the hospital refused to negotiate a fair agreement that protects our patients and values our nurses. The strike has shown the incredible strength that comes when Tufts nurses and our community stand together," said Mary Havlicek Cornacchia, an OR nurse and bargaining unit co-chair. "Tufts nurses are ready to return to work and care for our patients on Thursday morning. If the hospital follows through on its threat to lock us out for four days, that decision and its consequences will entirely be the responsibility of Tufts Medical Center." RN Public Schedule for Thursday-Monday 6:59 a.m. Thursday, July 13: One-day RN strike ends. Nurses will gather outside the hospital at 800 Washington St. in Boston and those scheduled to work plan to enter Tufts to care for their patients. The hospital has threatened to lock out nurses for four days. 7 a.m. Monday, July 17: Tufts' threatened four-day lock-out is scheduled to end. Nurses will be ready then, as they will be on Thursday morning, to return to caring for their patients and fighting for a fair agreement. Tufts nurses are seeking much needed improvements in staffing levels to ensure nurses have more time to spend with patients as well as an increase in their salary to keep them competitive with other Boston hospitals (Tufts nurses are the lowest paid nurses in the city) and to preserve and enhance their pension benefit (which is also the worst in the city). "Instead of caring for our patients, the nurses of this hospital will be out on the strike line tomorrow to demonstrate our resolve and our commitment to fight for what is best for our patients and our professional practice," said Barbara Tiller, union co-chair and an IV/PICC/CRN nurse. "We have been trying for months to convince Tufts management that our patients and nurses are suffering because they refuse to provide us with the resources, appropriate patient assignments, and the compensation we need to ensure quality patient care." The Truth about Tufts Strike Replacement Nurses During the 24-hour strike by Tufts nurses, TMC management planned to bring in mercenary replacement nurses from all over the country who do not know the hospital, are not highly specialized like the Tufts nurses, and who the Massachusetts Nurses Association believes will endanger patient care. History, academic studies and unionized registered nurses can all testify to the fact that mercenary replacement nurses cannot make up for the temporary loss of nurses who are specialized in their fields and knowledgeable of their patients and the hospital systems. A 2010 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded, "Hiring replacement workers apparently does not help: hospitals that hired replacement workers performed no better during strikes than those that did not hire substitute employees." During the 2000 strike by the MNA nurses at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, three replacement nurses recruited by the same strike replacement nurse agency Tufts plans to use were fired after separate incidents in which they left a patient alone after surgery and also gave the wrong baby to a nursing mother, according to news reports by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and WCVB Channel 5. Another patient was given a nearly fatal overdose of morphine because a replacement nurse misunderstood a doctor's order, according to Channel 5. "It can take several weeks to train even an experienced nurse to provide quality care under normal conditions in a new hospital setting," said Havlicek Cornacchia. "How can they possibly expect to safely operate this hospital with nurses drawn from all parts of the country who have no experience with our facility? It is irresponsible. Instead of issuing ultimatums and spending millions of dollars to ignore us, they should have listened to us and offered a fair settlement." Key Issues in Dispute The need for improved nurse staffing with safer patient assignments for nurses throughout the hospital The need for more IV nurses and clinical resource nurses The need to have charge nurses who are free of patient assignments at the start of all shifts, in all units. A charge nurse is an RN who is responsible for managing all aspects of nursing responsibilities during each shift, from processing patients in and out to delegating nursing rounds. Being free of an initial patient assignment will allow Tufts' charge nurses to provide desperately needed support to patients and nurses at the busiest time (i.e., change of shift) charge nurses to provide desperately needed support to patients and nurses at the busiest time (i.e., change of shift) The need for wage improvements that will make the hospital market competitive, thereby improving nurse recruitment and retention The need for pension protections/improvements that will make the hospital market competitive Concerns over Safe Staffing and Safe Patient Care In the current environment at Tufts, nurses across all units and floors are contending with unsafe staffing situations on a daily basis, with many units reporting constant unsafe staffing levels. The result is too many RNs are regularly carrying patient assignments that are too large and unsafe. Every day, the hospital sends RNs blast-text messages asking them to pick up shifts that are open due to the bare-bones approach management uses to staff the hospital. Simultaneously, hospital management insists on using a fragmented and broken system of temporary reassignment as a way of trying to deal with its chronic staffing challenges. This results in RNs being directed to work on units and floors where they are unfamiliar and/or untrained to safely care for patients. In addition, there are not enough specialty nurses to help with patients' IV needs or in an emergency. "We have offered a variety of proposals and amended proposals, and doubly amended proposals that would address staffing," said Tiller. "But management's responses have been so inadequate that they don't get to the heart of the problem. They insist on offering us staffing proposals that are disjointed and superficial. What we need from them is simple: more full-time RNs and specialty nurses, and charge nurses without an initial patient assignment. That's what will keep our patients safe." Market Competitive Compensation In addition to having some of the worst staffing conditions in Boston, Tufts Medical Center has also become the hospital that offers its nurses the lowest wages and retirement benefits in the city. "The hospital's proposals have not adequately addressed these issues," said Havlicek Cornacchia. "Without market competitive wages and benefits, Tufts cannot recruit and retain the nurses it needs, and the staffing problem spirals downward." Management has also proposed freezing the defined benefit pension plan for approximately 350 RNs and instituting a divisive, inequitable, and complex catchup mechanism as part of a proposed higher-risk 403(b) matching program. That change would result in significant losses in retirement funding for most nurses. Meanwhile, RNs already in the defined contribution plan would continue to receive the lowest employer contribution of all nurses in the city. The nurses have countered with an innovative proposal that would benefit all RNs while still saving the hospital millions of dollars annually. This proposed plan, which is a multi-employer defined benefit pension plan, would add as much as $11 million to Tufts' bottom line, would eliminate more than $85 million in pension liability. Management has refused to engage in any real talks on this issue. "The pay and retirement benefits at Tufts just aren't competitive," said Tiller. "We know it, Tufts knows it, and the other hospitals in the city know it. As a result, we've become the nurse training ground for all the other facilities. New graduates come here, they get their experience, and they move on. This cycle won't stop until the hospital makes us competitive. And in the meantime, our patients suffer." MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Related Links http://www.massnurses.org WASHINGTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond reiterated AARP's firm opposition to the latest version of the harmful Senate health bill: "This bill may have changed but the results are the same: higher costs and less coverage for older Americans. We urge the Senate to vote 'NO' and start from scratch on a new health bill that lowers costs and maintains vital protections and coverage that millions of Americans count on. "AARP reiterates our opposition to the Age Tax which would allow insurance companies to charge older Americans five times more than everyone else for the same coverage while reducing tax credits that help make insurance affordable, and we strongly oppose increasing costs for people with pre-existing conditions. "AARP also remains alarmed at the Senate bill's drastic Medicaid cuts. The proposed cuts would leave millions of Americans, including 17.4 million poor seniors and people with disabilities, at risk of losing the care they need and their ability to live independently in their homes and communities. "AARP will hold all 100 Senators accountable for their votes on this harmful health care bill. Our members care deeply about their health care and have told us repeatedly that they want to know where their elected officials stand. We strongly urge the Senate to reject this bill." See and embed AARP's latest television advertisements against the Senate bill here: https://youtu.be/wht4xbN4jkA?list=PLErIJrtiGWSxXgW6DlpLFXeJhtc5e7oSa About AARP AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARPand @AARPadvocateson social media. SOURCE AARP Related Links http://www.aarp.org TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When synthetic Fentanyl arrived on the streets in 2015, dealers were quick to market their product as top-rate. They offered free samples, inviting would-be customers to test a newly-created batch. They provided top-notch customer service. Soon, business was booming. The rapidly-growing demand for the powerful drug, often described as 100 times more powerful than morphine, has racked up a staggering death toll across Canada in last 2 years. One dealer's recorded fentanyl sales reveal that they have sold nearly 400 grams of the high-potent synthetic opiate, enough to make roughly a hundred thousand pills. Addiction Recovery Network has seen an increase in opiate-related clientele but more has seen an increase overall for all addiction treatment. The Alberta clinical director for Addiction Recovery Network says, "Since the media has increased surrounding overdose deaths in this province, all families with an addicted loved one seem to be scrambling to save their life with much-needed addiction treatment." He further stated, "The addiction can be to any drug or alcohol but doesn't matter as families seem just worried about deaths brought about by addiction in Alberta." Drug markets on the web aren't new either, this drug and others are being sold online and shipped by regular mail but despite fears over the nefarious activities happening on the unregulated, virtually untraceable corner of the internet, the majority of the marketplace postings are for small amounts of marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine. Opioids like heroin and OxyContin are readily available on the sites, but fentanyl and other "RCs" short for research chemicals, which usually include drugs that were developed but never meant for human consumption have quickly found demand on the dark corners of the web. Since fentanyl first appeared on the market in 2015, The rise of the drug has mirrored a growing crisis across Canada as is in the U.S. Statistics on the drug are new and not yet abundant to formulate accurate conclusions, as health agencies in Canada are only now trying to get a handle on the extent of the problem since it has become a clear epidemic. In Alberta, the provincial health authority reports that the death toll went from 66 in 2013 to 272 two years later. In neighboring British Columbia, fentanyl was implicated in 474 overdoses in 2015, and in 2016 fentanyl proved to be even deadlier; nearly 1000 overdose deaths have been reported for the year, prompting the province to declare a state of emergency. Scoring fentanyl is proving easier and easier as demand grows across the country. The fact that fentanyl is so concentrated and easy to transport, by powder, patch, pill, or liquid, makes it all the more attractive to would-be dealers or traffickers. In Canada, significant quantities are coming into ports from China, where the drug is not controlled by the government. The epidemic seems to have started out west and is migrating east, recently 2016 soaring deaths in BC and Alberta. In Canada, organized crime and gangs are directly importing from China, and made some in their own labs. Gang dealers are purchasing powder and pressing out hundreds of pills on each order. Each black market produced pill contains roughly four to five milligrams of the drug. Doctors say that two milligrams can be enough to kill the average person. One buyer on the street sold product says, "This stuff almost killed me! I took a very small amount and spent the next 6 days in the hospital." Sirens scream non-stop through the urban heart of Vancouver, as responders race toward drug addicts overdosing and dying in such numbers that the city's morgues are full. This wealthy Pacific Coast city is the epicenter of an opioid epidemic that has claimed thousands of lives in Canada and in fact drug overdoses are fast becoming the leading cause of accidental death. "A lot of people here are under care, and targeted by drug dealers," said one manager of one of Vancouver's supervised injection sites, and further says the demand for the prescription Heroine promised by the government is increasing expedientially. Addiction Recovery Network is totally against these and other government run harm reduction facilities. Proposed solutions by Addiction Recovery Network's Executive Director are "we need the government to make grants available to private addiction treatment centres so they may open up some small centres that may make government sponsored beds available, after all these people have worked front line and know what it takes to make addicts successful in recovery, well a lot more successful than any government run programs or facilities." The main issue with any government run treatment program is the long wait lists, lack of medical detoxification, and NO therapy. Medical Detox is the most important first step for any Opioid addict entering treatment and at Addiction Recovery Network their Medical detox clinics are on sight at every facility across Canada. The experts and advocates at the Addiction Recovery Network agree the solution is to reduce the numbers of drug users by solving issues that begin, for most, in a mental breakdown in the individual. It has been made known in the last 2 years that Addiction is a mental health condition brought about by concurrent disorders. Asked to describe the current opioid epidemic, a spokesperson for the Addiction Recovery Network said, "to call it a 'crisis' implies there will be an end, but we are wondering if this is now our normal with no end in sight." Addiction Recovery Network is the foremost and leading Canadian organization in treating opioid and other drugs including alcohol. To avail more information or for any query, you can contact us through email at [email protected] Or you can also call us at 1-844-364-3737. Related Files Fentanyl.jpg Addiction11.jpg Related Links Addiction Recovery Network Reviews Addiction Recovery Network News Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEHFLubOcMw SOURCE Addiction Recovery Network Related Links http://www.i-newswire.com The litigation arose from a 2010 agreement between Coloroso and Andrew Faas, a Canadian philanthropist and retired senior executive, to collaborate on a book on bullying in the workplace for HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. However, Coloroso refused to complete her share of the book, accusing Faas of plagiarism. Both HarperCollins and Faas were willing to address Coloroso's concerns through the editing process, but Coloroso declined. HarperCollins terminated the agreement, as no finished manuscript was delivered. Faas and Coloroso sued each other for breach of contract. The action was commenced in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Court File No. CV-12-454927). In 2013, Faas sought to publish his own book on bullying in the workplace, The Bully's Trap, with a new publisher. Unbeknownst to Faas, the publisher made The Bully's Trap available for sale on its website before it was finished. Coloroso purchased the book and claimed that it infringed her copyright. The Bully's Trap was immediately pulled from the website. Only two electronic and paperback copies were sold during the six weeks that the book was offered for sale, one of each to Coloroso. Nevertheless, she claimed $5 million from Faas for copyright infringement. Coloroso told a Toronto Star newspaper reporter Amy Dempsey about her dispute with Faas, and gave her a copy of The Bully's Trap. Dempsey wrote an article about the dispute, which the Toronto Star published on August 24, 2013. The article favoured Coloroso and portrayed Faas as a plagiarist, but did not reveal Coloroso as Dempsey's source. During an examination on March 5, 2014, Coloroso committed perjury by stating under oath that she "did not give the story to Amy Dempsey" and that she had no knowledge of how The Toronto Star had come to publish the article. She also denied sharing her copy of The Bully's Trap with the Toronto Star, and denied any knowledge of who had done so. Normally, the Toronto Star article would have dropped over time in the ranking of Google search results on Faas' name. However, the article still ranks at the top of the Google search results for Andrew Faas. Faas commissioned a report from a search engine optimization forensics expert, who concluded that the article was highly ranked largely because it had been linked to multiple times by the website of an anti-bullying organization called the Workplace Bullying Institute. One of the directors of the Institute is Dr. Gary Namie, a friend and colleague of Coloroso. The trial of Faas' action and Coloroso's counterclaim was scheduled to commence on Monday, June 12, 2017. Dempsey was to be one of the first witnesses, and Faas' lawyers intended to ask her who her source was. By letter sent on June 9, 2017, Coloroso admitted through her lawyers that she had given the story to the Toronto Star and had provided a copy of The Bully's Trap to Dempsey, contrary to what she had previously said under oath. The case settled without a trial. Coloroso received nothing for her claims. She agreed to make a $20,000 (Canadian currency) payment to Faas and to use best efforts to cause Dr. Gary Namie to remove the Workplace Bullying Institute web postings, which have now been taken down. Coloroso also settled a defamation action commenced against her by Faas in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Court File No. CV-16-551504) by providing Faas with a written apology for a mass e-mail that she had sent to more than 200 of Faas' friends and colleagues. While Faas is pleased with the outcome of the case, he says the harm to his reputation from Coloroso's actions lives on, in the form of damaged relationships, loss of business opportunities, and interference with his many philanthropic endeavors. "Namie, Barbara Coloroso and the Workplace Bullying Institute should not be in the business of giving bullying advice other than how to bully," said Faas. ANDREW FAAS is an author, activist, revolutionist, philanthropist and management advisor promoting psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplaces. Before becoming a philanthropist, he led some of Canada's largest public corporations for over three decades as a senior executive, developing a sterling reputation in conflict management. He founded the Faas Foundation, which supports non-profit organizations concerned with workplace well-being and other personal health and research endeavors. Currently he is partnering with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence on a groundbreaking initiative, Emotion Revolution in the Workplace, which will revolutionize the way organizations operate, leveraging the power of emotional intelligence; and Mental Health America, to help reduce unnecessary stress factors at work and eliminate stigma around a condition that affects one in five adults. Meryl Moss Media Meryl Moss | [email protected] Deb Zipf | [email protected] 203.226.0199 SOURCE Andrew Faas Related Links http://www.andrewfaas.com Aii is proud to release its latest policy analysis, "Building a Smarter Electric Grid: How Investing in Smarter Electricity Infrastructure Will Energize America." The paper identifies priorities for future investment to help companies and governments smooth the transition to a more digitized grid and safely and efficiently integrate DER, energy storage, electric vehicles, and other advanced energy technologies such as smart hardware, software, and analytic capabilities. The grid itself is the backbone and platform that can facilitate the coordinated adoption of these emerging technologies and processes to achieve a cleaner, more modern, efficient, reliable and secure power system. However, to accomplish this transition, grid infrastructure needs to be properly modernized to safely and efficiently facilitate the flow and storage of the energy and information that makes the smart grid possible. This costly and complex challenge will require both Utilities and State and Federal Regulators to work together, with investments and improvements to protect reliable energy and a strong economy. Aii Chairman, Brigham McCown stated, "At a time when cybersecurity is of utmost importance, shoring-up the grid is critical for the security of all Americans." The paper can be downloaded here: www.aii.org The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) consists of two non-profit organizations, The National Infrastructure Safety Foundation (NISF) a 501(c)(4), and the Public Institute for Facility Safety (PIFS) a 501(c)(3). The Foundation and the Institute focus on non-partisan policy issues and are governed by separate volunteer boards working in conjunction with the Alliance's own volunteer Advisory Council. Contact: Jill Leist (707) 888-1213 [email protected] SOURCE Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure Related Links http://www.aii.org MONTREAL, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (TSXV: ALG "Algold" or the "Corporation") today announced the signature of a strategic partnership agreement with its Mauritanian-based business partner, Wafa Mining & Petroleum SA ("Wafa"). The agreement underscores Wafa's continued confidence in the Corporation by providing a locally recognized partnership for Algold to pursue its exploration and development efforts in Mauritania. "Wafa is a well-known and skilled Mauritanian-based industrial firm and has been a valued Algold partner since 2013," commented Algold Chairman Benoit La Salle. "Through this new strategic agreement, Wafa not only further validates its long-term support, but provides Algold with the opportunity to significantly accelerate the development of the Corporation's Mauritanian exploration projects. We are privileged to have Wafa as a strategic partner and look forward to our ongoing collaboration, as Algold continues its quest to unlock the true potential of its Tijirit gold project including the high-grade Eleonore structures." Wafa has agreed to complete a private placement (the "Offering") of units of Algold, under which it will subscribe for a number of Algold's common shares (each a "Common Share") equal to 10% of the outstanding total, at a price of $0.20 per unit. Based on the current total of 167,250,275 outstanding Common Shares, Wafa would subscribe for 18,583,364 units, for total gross proceeds of $3,716,673. Each unit will be composed of one Common Share and 0.5538 of one Common Share purchase warrant, for a total of 10,291,682 such warrants. Each whole warrant (a "Warrant") will entitle Wafa to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.30, for a period of 18 months from the closing of the Offering. Upon closing of the Offering, Wafa will have the right to nominate one member to Algold's board of directors and would be granted the right to participate in any future offerings to allow Wafa to maintain its ownership stake. "We are extremely pleased to further strengthen our collaboration with Wafa, which has a significant mining presence in Mauritania and is active across many sectors through its various subsidiary businesses," said Algold CEO Francois Auclair. "Wafa is a much-valued strategic shareholder that will ensure, in collaboration with Algold, that the Corporation takes full advantage of advancement opportunities to ultimately create shareholder value." The Offering, which remains subject to receipt of the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, is expected to close no later than July 28, 2017. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to carry out exploration drilling on Algold Mauritanian properties and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction. In addition, Algold has agreed that, no later than July 31, 2018, it will make the cash payment of US$200,000 due to Wafa under their agreement previously announced on January 29, 2013. Wafa had previously deferred that payment, as previously announced on November 25, 2015. Wafa's non-participating ownership stake in Societe Mauritanienne d'Exploration (or a successor entity), which holds the existing Kneivissat permit, will also be increased from 10% to 12%. ABOUT WAFA WAFA Mining & Petroleum is part of Groupe WAFA SA. Groupe WAFA SA is an important family enterprise in Mauritania. The Ghadda family business established itself in the import and distribution of food products. Since then the business has diversified into construction, industrial fisheries, real estate, public works, distribution of petroleum products and banking. Its mining business, WAFA Mining and Petroleum, was established in 2010 as WAFA Mining SA then extended in 2012 its scope to the petroleum sector. It holds several tenements of mineral substance in Tasiast, Amsaga and the Mauritanides. ABOUT ALGOLD Algold Resources Ltd. is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned resource industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this press release may be forward-looking. Such statements include those with respect to Corporation's ability to raise funds under the Offering, the use of the proceeds raised thereunder and the rights to be granted to Wafa post-closing. Although the Corporation believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) Algold will be successful in its efforts to pursue the exploration activities referred to in this news release, (ii) Algold's management will not identify and pursue other business objectives using the proceeds of the Offering, (iii) Wafa and Algold will not negotiate terms for the Offering (including Wafa's post-closing rights) different from those described above and (iv) the price of gold will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Corporation's gold projects sufficiently low so as to permit Algold to implement its business plans in a profitable manner. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) the Corporation's failure to make effective use of the proceeds of the Offering, (ii) Wafa and Algold agreeing to terms that are different from those described above for any reason, (iii) the failure of the Corporation's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations or other reasons, (iv) the Corporation's inability to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for the Offering, (v) a decrease in the price of gold below what is necessary to sustain the Corporation's operations, (vi) an increase in the Corporation's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations, (vii) accidents, labour disputes or the materialization of similar risks, (viii) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Corporation from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis and (ix) generally, the Corporation's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason. A description of other risks affecting Algold's business and activities appears under the heading "Risk Factors" on pages 19 to 21 of Algold's 2016 annual management's discussion and analysis, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this press release will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that Algold will derive therefrom. In particular, no assurance can be given as to the future financial performance of Algold. Algold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in order to account for any new information or any other event, except as required under applicable law. The reader is warned against undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. 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 Algold Resources Ltd. Related Links www.algold.com Currently, only New York, Florida, and Georgia have passed resolutions marking July as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month. [i] Led by The White Dress Project , efforts are underway to expand Fibroid Awareness throughout the U.S., with the ultimate goal of having it become a national observance. Uterine fibroids are abnormal growths that develop in or on a woman's uterus. Studies suggest that greater than 80 percent of African American and 70 percent of Caucasian women will develop fibroids by age 50.[ii] "Allergan is focused on developing and bringing forward innovative treatments and supporting patients who have unmet medical needs," said Gavin Corcoran, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Allergan. "Programs that build community and support patients are important, and the White Dress Project's dedication to the uterine fibroid community aligns with Allergan's commitment to best serve and support patients." "So many women with fibroids suffer in silence, assuming it's a normal by-product of being a woman, and that there is little that can be done," said Tanika Gray Valbrun, Founder of The White Dress Project. "It's very encouraging that an organization like Allergan has stepped up to help us drive the much-needed disease-state recognition, which will help more women feel supported by a community that better understands the suffering they may experience with fibroids." In observance of Fibroid Awareness Month, Allergan has launched the first in a series of video patient stories to help build awareness of the fibroid patient journey amongst healthcare professionals, patients, and regulators. The first story will feature Tanika Gray Valbrun, founder of The White Dress Project and uterine fibroid sufferer. To watch the video and learn more about Tanika's story visit YouTube. About Uterine Fibroids According to a analysis published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), an agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in the United States, an estimated 26 million American women between the ages of 15 and 50 could be affected by uterine fibroids, and millions of them may experience associated symptoms or health issues. A disproportionate number of African-American women are among those with symptoms, in part due to earlier age of fibroid onset, with larger and more numerous fibroids.[iii] The cause of uterine fibroids is not well understood, and a variety of factors including ethnicity, age of first period and parityhave been examined. In addition the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone play an important role in the growth of fibroids. Symptoms range from excessive bleeding and anemia, to pelvic pressure/pain, urinary frequency, abnormal bowel function and painful intercourse. [iv] Current treatment for fibroids ranges from pharmacologic therapy to various surgical procedures including hysterectomy and myomectomy. The only permanent method to remove existing and future fibroids is hysterectomy, a procedure that removes the uterus, resulting in infertility. Between 2001- 2005, approximately 3.1 million hysterectomies were performed in the U.S., and the percentage associated with uterine fibroids was 32.4 percent.[v] 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. [i] https://changethecycle.com/blog/2016/07/why-is-fibroid-awareness-month-important/. [ii] Baird, D. D., Dunson, D. B., Hill, M. C., Cousins, D., & Schectman, J. M. (2003). High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: Ultrasound evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 188, 100107. [iii] Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Evidence-based Practice Center Systematic Review Protocol: Management of Uterine Fibroids. www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Published March 1, 2016. Accessed July 6, 2017. [iv] De La Cruz MS, Buchanan EM. Uterine Fibroids: Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Jan 15;95(2):100-107? [v] Merrill, R.M. (2005). Hysterectomy Surveillance in the United States, 1997 through 2005. Med Sci Monit, C26. CONTACTS: Allergan: Investors: Daphne Karydas (862) 261-8006 Media: Mark Marmur (862) 261-7558 Tara Schuh (201) 427-8888 SOURCE Allergan plc Related Links http://www.allergan.com (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535257/Welcome_Real_Time_Logo.jpg ) (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535258/Alpha_bank_Logo.jpg ) After 10 years of successful collaboration on the renowned Bonus loyalty programme in Greece, Alpha Bank decided to rely on the Welcome Real Time powerful XLS solution to support its new rewards programme in Romania, Alpha Shop. Alpha Shop provides the customers of Alpha Bank Romania with a multi-partner loyalty scheme, where the customers collect points when using any of the credit cards offered by Alpha Bank Romania, having the opportunity to earn more points for each ron spent from the Alpha Bank retail partners who participate in the programme. In addition, customers also collect points when spending with their Alpha Bank debit cards in the participating retail partners and in any supermarket in the country. The main retail partners in the scheme include Gant, Carturesti, Lacoste, Bata, Salomon, Intersport, Mobexpert, where Alpha Shop members may also redeem points. With the support of Welcome Real Time, Alpha Shop in Romania is steadily gaining customer attention and enables the Bank to reward its customers for their loyalty "The highly advanced loyalty platform provided by Welcome Real Time, with more than a decade of proven success in Greece, is one of the key ingredients for a successful programme designed to delight our customers and offer true recognition for their loyalty ", stated Mr. Cristian Dragos, Executive Retail Vice President of Alpha Bank Romania. "We are glad to continue supporting Alpha Bank in the launch of this new Alpha Shop rewards programme. Having supported them for the past 10 years on Bonus, one of the most successful Financial Services loyalty programmes in Europe, Welcome Real Time is proud to be the partner of choice for this new programme launch, this time in Romania" said Thierry Reginato, General Manager, Welcome Real Time. About Welcome Real Time Welcome Real Time is part of the Collinson Group, a global leader in shaping and influencing customer behaviour to drive revenue and add value for our clients. Through our range of proven and innovative banking and payment based solutions, Welcome Real Time helps organisations run real-time loyalty and marketing programmes leading to improved customer satisfaction, retention and profitability. http://www.welcome-rt.com About Alpha Bank Alpha Bank, founded in 1879, is one of the largest banks of the private sector in Greece, with a wide Network of over 1,000 service points in Greece and one of the highest capital adequacy ratios in Europe. In the area of Cards business, Alpha Bank is the largest Acquirer in the country with more than 40% market share and one of the leading Banks in cards Issuing with more than 30% market share. http://www.alpha.gr Contact: Mathilde Cerdan, Marketing & Communications Manager, [email protected], +33-4-42-97-09-45 SOURCE Welcome Real Time and Alpha Bank LA JOLLA, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Altegris Advisors, a provider of leading alternative investment strategies, today announced that Robert S. Naka has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Naka will report to Martin Beaulieu, Executive Chairman and CEO of Altegris. Following a strategic review of the firm's offerings and priorities to better meet the evolving needs of its clients, this appointment reflects the firm's commitment to delivering best-in-breed alternative investment solutions to individual and institutional clients. At Altegris, Mr. Naka will oversee the firm's Operations and IT departments to optimize the operational infrastructure of the firm's systems, processes and personnel. He joins Altegris from Salient Partners, where he was Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Mr. Naka planned and executed on the operational integration of Forward Funds and Salient Partners following Forward's sale to Salient in 2015. He was also responsible for overseeing the functions of Operations, IT, Fund Accounting and the Risk Committee, and for upgrading the firm's operations and information technology to an institutional-grade level. "After closely evaluating our firm's offerings and growth objectives, strengthening and expanding our operations is a clear focus as we aim to be the leading provider of customized alternative investment solutions," said Mr. Beaulieu. "Rob joins at an important time for Altegris, and his deep expertise and proven track record enhancing core alternative investment operations will be instrumental in paving the way for Altegris' growth moving forward." As a result of the firm's strategic review, Altegris has additionally hired Leah Curtis as Director of Marketing and Preeti Malik as Head of Strategy. Ms. Curtis joins the firm from Matthews Asia, where she was Vice President of U.S. Marketing in the firm's San Francisco office. At Matthews Asia, Ms. Curtis was responsible for the firm's channel marketing activities across the U.S. and Latin America, and previously held senior roles at Calamos Investments and Partners Wealth Management. At Altegris, she will work closely with the firm's distribution teams to develop marketing initiatives for key distribution partners and specific client segments. Preeti Malik joins Altegris from Salient Partners, where she was most recently Vice President of Strategy. At Salient, Ms. Malik teamed with the firm's management team to determine ongoing strategic initiatives, develop growth strategies and execute on strategic business investments and acquisitions, including the post-merger integration of three strategic acquisitions by Forward Management and the Salient/Forward integration. "We are pleased to have Rob, Leah and Preeti on board, and look forward to leveraging their extensive experience in product development, strategy and mergers and acquisitions as we explore new opportunities to enhance our platform," added Mr. Beaulieu. "We are focused on continuing the momentum of 2017 and build upon our success by expanding our existing capabilities and bringing on new ones that match the needs of our clients." As a talent scout for alternatives, Altegris follows a disciplined process for identifying, evaluating, and monitoring what we believe are best-in-breed alternative strategies to deliver to institutional and individual investors through both public and private structures. Altegris offers managed futures, global macro, long/short equity, private equity, and event-driven strategies, among others. About Altegris Altegris is an investment research firm, with deep expertise in alternative manager selection, structuring unique solutions, and providing portfolio management and oversight. Beginning with an analysis of the current and anticipated investment environment, our solutions are based on themes that we believe solve the most important client needs. For more information about the Altegris family of alternative strategies, visit Altegris.com. Please contact Maria Gonzalez at 212-279-3115 X 260 or [email protected], or Brigitte Remy-Yee at 858-731-8666 or [email protected], for more information. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives, generate profits, or avoid losses. Altegris Advisors LLC is a CFTC-registered commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, NFA member, and SEC-registered investment adviser that sponsors and/or manages a platform of alternative investment products. The Altegris group of affiliated companies is wholly-owned and controlled by (i) private equity funds managed by Aquiline Capital Partners LLC and its affiliates ("Aquiline"), and by Genstar Capital Management, LLC and its affiliates ("Genstar"), and (ii) certain senior management of Altegris and other affiliates. Established in 2005, Aquiline focuses its investments exclusively in the financial services industry. Established in 1988, Genstar focuses its investment efforts across a variety of industries and sectors, including financial services. The Altegris companies include Altegris Investments, Altegris Advisors, and Altegris Clearing Solutions. SOURCE Altegris Advisors Related Links http://Altegris.com LINKOPING, Sweden, July 13, 2017 International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra's (STO: SECT B) solution for medical education and clinical training, Sectra Education Portal, is now in use at the Amsterdam Center for Radiological Anatomy (ACRA). ACRA is part of the Academic Medical Center (AMC) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Sectra Education Portal and its interactive tools such as the Sectra Table provide teachers and students with virtual representations of real bodies rendered from clinical imaging. All medical students at the Amsterdam University Hospital will now be able to digitally interact with renderings of real-life medical cases, allowing for deeper understanding and insight into anatomy. To bring radiology and anatomy closer together, bodies used for medical education at Amsterdam University Hospital will now be scanned and rendered. Teachers and students will thus be able to access and interact with these cases repeatedly during their education. Through Sectra Education Portal, the cases can be shared with other portal users outside AMC and also be accessed remotely by teachers and students. This creates an international workspace in which users from all over the world learn from each other's cases. "To interact with the 3D renderings on the Sectra Table enables our students to learn and explore in a realistic environment. The portal itself is yet another way for enhancing medical training since students can access cases from their own workstations," says Bernadette S de Bakker, MD Lecturer in Anatomy and Embryology at Academic Medical Center. AMC currently has around 500 existing full body CT cases and will use the solution for its approximately 150 new cases per year. About Sectra Medical Education With the possibility of repeated interaction with virtual representations of real bodies rendered from clinical imaging throughout their education, students, residents and medical professionals are able to gain deeper understanding and insight into anatomy, and the functions and processes inside the body. Easy access to all types of medical images, including 3D renderings, provides the ability to demonstrate anatomical variations and, in combination with the possibility to study multiple cases, this contributes to enhanced medical education and clinical training. With Sectra Education Portal, a cloud-based sharing portal, teachers and students have access to an extensive library of cases, providing them with a wide variety of clinical content. Through Sectra's collaborative network, institutions can share cases and knowledge with other Sectra users from around the world. For further information, please contact: Dr. Torbjorn Kronander CEO and President Sectra AB 46(0)705-23-52-27 Jakob Algulin, Managing Director Sectra Medical Education and Training 46(0)70-221-04-64 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/amsterdam-university-hospital-breaks-ground-in-its-medical-training-with-sectra-education-portal,c2306660 The following files are available for download: http://news.cision.com/sectra/i/sectra-medical-education,c2181984 Sectra Medical Education SOURCE Sectra SEATTLE, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from participants in Milliman, Inc.'s annual comprehensive study of universal life (UL) and indexed universal life (IUL) issues indicate a staggered approach in implementing recent regulatory changes. Principle-based reserves (PBR) may be implemented as early as January 1, 2017, and 27 survey participants reported they expect to implement PBR for all of their UL/IUL products spread over the three-year phase-in period allowed. Resource issues, time needed, financial impact/cost/benefits, clarification/finalization of PBR/IRS regulations, and PBR implementation of other products first were cited as factors impacting the rationale for implementation plans. Similarly, the earliest effective date for the use of the 2017 Commissioner's Standard Ordinary (CSO) mortality table was January 1, 2017. The 2017 CSO is the new valuation mortality table to be used in the determination of CRVM, net premium reserves, tax reserves, nonforfeiture values, etc. Twenty-two survey participants reported that they would implement this table for all of their UL/IUL products spread over the three-year phase-in period allowed. Ten participants reported implementation of the 2017 CSO would be product dependent; implementation will be immediate for some products and over the three-year phase-in period for others. "It's not surprising that these regulatory changes are not being implemented immediately, given the complexity of the regulations, the potential impact on pricing and the bottom line, and the strain on resources, especially for smaller carriers," says Sue Saip, consultant in Milliman's Chicago office. The 10th annual Milliman study, "Universal Life and Indexed Universal Life Issues", focuses on current topics relative to universal life with secondary guarantees (ULSG), cash accumulation UL, current assumption UL, and the corresponding indexed UL (IUL) versions. Thirty-two carriers of universal life and indexed universal life products participated in this annual survey. In addition to PBR and the 2017 CSO information, the survey also indicates that the use of new underwriting approaches is gradually gaining popularity. Scoring models are being used by 11 survey participants to underwrite their UL/IUL policies. Eight of the 11 use these models for fully underwritten policies, one uses them for simplified issue policies, and the final two use them for both fully underwritten and simplified issue business. Eight participants reported using scoring models with automated rules. The types of scoring models used include lab scoring models, credit scoring models, and scoring models relative to motor vehicle records. The survey also revealed that 10 of the 32 participants utilize fluid-less underwriting programs at face amounts where they previously would require fluids. The study includes detailed information on product and actuarial issues, such as sales, profit measures, target surplus, reserves, risk management, underwriting, product design, compensation, pricing, and illustrations. The 447 page "Universal Life and Indexed Universal Life Issues Detailed Report" is available for purchase by visiting the Milliman website at http://us.milliman.com/insight/2017/Universal-life-and-indexed-universal-life-issues--2016-survey/ or by calling Gina Ritchie at (312) 499-5605. Participating companies receive a complimentary copy of the detailed report, as well as individual company responses reported on an anonymous basis. About Milliman Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit www.milliman.com. SOURCE Milliman, Inc. Related Links http://www.milliman.com LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Report Details Visiongain's new 216 page report assesses that the global Aseptic Packaging market will reach $40.6 billion in 2017. Are you involved in Aseptic Packaging Market or need to understand its market dynamics? If so, then you must read this report Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4693479/ It's vital that you keep your knowledge up to date. You need this report. Market scope: This brand new report from visiongain is a completely fresh market assessment of the Aseptic Packaging market based upon the latest available information. Our new market study contains forecasts, original analysis, company profiles and, most crucially, fresh conclusions. The report not only gives detailed forecasts and analysis of Aseptic Packaging markets by region and end-use sectors. The Aseptic Packaging Market Forecast 2017-2027 report responds to your need for definitive market data: - Where are the Aseptic Packaging market opportunities? - 215 tables, charts, and graphs reveal market data allowing you to target your strategy more effectively - When will the Aseptic Packaging market grow? - Global, national and Aseptic Packaging submarket forecasts and analysis from 2017-2027 illustrate the market progression - Which Aseptic Packaging submarket applications will grow from 2017-2027? - Food Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Beverages Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Pharmaceutical & Medical Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Other Aseptic Packaging Applications Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - What Aseptic Packaging submarket type will flourish from 2017-2027? - Cartons Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Bottles & Cans Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Bags & Pouches Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Vials & Ampoules Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Prefilled Syringes Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Other Aseptic Packaging Types Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Which Aseptic Packaging submarket material will drive growth from 2017-2027? - Plastic Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Metal Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Glass Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Paperboard Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Where are the regional Aseptic Packaging market opportunities from 2017-2027? Focused regional forecasts and analysis explore the future opportunities Regional forecasts from 2017-2027 - Asia Pacific forecast 2017-2027 - Europe forecast 2017-2027 - North America forecast 2017-2027 - Middle East and Africa forecast 2017-2027 - Central & South America forecast 2017-2027 National forecasts from 2017-2027 - China forecast 2017-2027 - Japan forecast 2017-2027 - Australia & New Zealand forecast 2017-2027 - India forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Asia Pacific forecast 2017-2027 - Germany forecast 2017-2027 - U.K. forecast 2017-2027 - France forecast 2017-2027 - Italy forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Europe forecast 2017-2027 - U.S. forecast 2017-2027 - Canada forecast 2017-2027 - Saudi Arabia forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Middle East & Africa forecast 2017-2027 - Central and South America forecast 2017-2027 What are the factors influencing Aseptic Packaging market dynamics? - SWOT analysis explores the factors. - Research and development (R&D) strategy - Supply and demand dynamics - Advances in product quality Who are the leading 10 Aseptic Packaging companies? - We reveal market share, positioning, capabilities, product portfolios, R&D activity, services, focus, strategies, M&A activity, and future outlook. - Greatview Aseptic Packaging - Robert Bosch - Becton, Dickinson and Company - Tetra Laval Group - Reynolds Group Holdings - Amcor Limited - Bemis Company Inc. - DuPont - Schott AG - IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA Who should read this report? - Anyone within the Aseptic Packaging value chain, including - Food manufacturers, - Medical companies - Pharmaceutical companies - Raw material suppliers - R&D specialists - CEO's - COO's - CIO's - Business development managers - Marketing managers - Technologists - Investors - Banks - Government agencies Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4693479/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com "As health care in our country continues to evolve, NPC plays an important role in demonstrating through its research and partnerships the value and impact of pharmaceutical innovation," Dodson said. "I look forward to working with NPC and my fellow board members to generate actionable data and analysis that help to spur continued medical innovation and ensure meaningful access to medicines for patients." Dodson has extensive research experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. In her current role, Dodson is responsible for the strategic direction of the Medical Affairs Americas organization, including medical support of in-line products, late-stage development compounds and ongoing business evolution across the region. During her time at Astellas, she has been integral in helping lead the Medical Affairs organization through alignment of practices, policies and standards across the globe including the launch of multiple global Medical Affairs systems and the execution of innovative disease registries and collaborative real-world data and health economics/outcomes research projects. After several years of service in direct patient care at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dodson worked at Pfizer, Inc. and GTx, Inc. in various medical affairs leadership roles. Dodson, who also is a board member of the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR), has received multiple awards for leadership and innovation during her career, including the National Healthcare Business Women's Association Rising Star and Astellas Vision Award. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University School of Pharmacy and completed a postdoctoral residency at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Astellas has been a member of the National Pharmaceutical Council since 2013. About Astellas Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at http://www.astellas.us/. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasUS, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AstellasUS or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/astellas-pharma. About the National Pharmaceutical Council The National Pharmaceutical Council is a health policy research organization dedicated to the advancement of good evidence and science, and to fostering an environment in the United States that supports medical innovation. Founded in 1953 and supported by the nation's major research-based pharmaceutical companies, NPC focuses on research development, information dissemination, and education on the critical issues of evidence, innovation and the value of medicines for patients. For more information visit www.npcnow.org and follow NPC on Twitter @npcnow. SOURCE Astellas Related Links https://www.astellas.us CURITIBA, Brazil, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Last June, Atlantic Renewable Energies started the construction of Lagoa do Barro Wind Farm Complex (Complexo Eolico Lagoa do Barro), in Piaui state, Brazil, a development expected to cost R$ 1.3 billion. At full operating capacity, it will have eight wind farms with installed capacity of 195 MW, generated by 65 wind generators in an area of 2,854 hectares. This is the company's fifth development. Headquartered in the city of Curitiba, in southern Brazil, Atlantic Renewable Energies has been operating since 2009 in the development, implementation and operation of projects to generate electricity from renewable sources. The company currently has active operations in Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina -- 652 megawatts of power have already been sold. By combining wind farms and a small hydroelectric power station (or PCH, Pequena Central Hidreletrica), Atlantic has established a safe and profitable business model for investors, keeping its commitment to supplying clean and reliable energy. The cornerstone of Atlantic's developments is quality, featuring high levels of capacity and guaranteed power generation. The company is also committed to a management model that follows the principles of ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance), adopts high technology and comprises a staff of qualified professionals who guarantee reliable operations. Since 2016, Atlantic is a 100% controlled by the British investment fund Actis, a leading private equity firm focused in emerging markets, with a growing portfolio of investments in Asia, Africa and Latin America. To learn more about Atlantic Renewable Energies, visit our website: http://atlanticenergias.com.br/en/ For further information: A2ad Maria Clara Moreira - [email protected] Nailson Pereira - [email protected] Phone : +55 (11) 3872.5565 SOURCE Atlantic Energias Renovaveis Related Links http://atlanticenergias.com.br/en Said Craig Stevens, M.D., Ph.D., chairman, Radiation Oncology, Beaumont Health, "Beaumont's Proton Therapy Center is the first in Michigan to treat cancer patients with this powerful and precise form of treatment that deposits energy directly in the tumor, sparing nearby healthy organs and tissue from harm. It was many years in the making, but we never gave up in our efforts to bring this advanced cancer therapy to patients and families in Michigan." Beaumont's center is one of just 25 operational proton therapy centers in the U.S. "This means that cancer patients from other states and countries will travel to Michigan for proton therapy, making Beaumont even more of a destination center for cancer care," said Dr. Stevens. According to independent research, conducted by NRC Health, Beaumont Health is one of the most preferred providers of cancer care in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. How proton therapy works Proton therapy is a high-tech alternative to X-ray radiation. A scanning beam of proton radiation with online image guidance offers greater precision to destroy cancerous cells, sparing adjacent healthy tissue with fewer side effects. Proton therapy uses positively charged atomic particles, traveling up to two-thirds the speed of light, to fight cancer. A cyclotron, or particle accelerator, creates protons from hydrogen molecules. The proton beam is sent to the treatment room through a transport system consisting of magnets, called the beam line, finally arriving in the gantry, a device that rotates around the patient. The beam is directed to the patient through a nozzle that targets the tumor. While proton therapy is not effective against all cancers, Dr. Stevens explained it is effective in treating many solid and localized tumors, including: pediatric cancers soft tissue cancers that develop in bone or muscle brain and skull base tumors eye tumors head/neck cancers abdominal/pelvic tumors liver tumors lung and thoracic cancers left-side breast cancer "Proton therapy is an ideal treatment option for many patients, especially those with tumors close to vital organs," added Dr. Stevens. "For children, those most vulnerable and susceptible to the damage of traditional radiation therapy, proton therapy offers less radiation exposure while reducing side effects." Advanced technology "Our IBA ProteusOne single-room treatment system includes precision technologies," said Dr. Stevens. "Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy, which combines Pencil Beam Scanning and 3-D Cone Beam CT, can target a tumor within less than a millimeter." Pencil Beam Scanning refers to the delivery of protons in a thin beam. Like a pencil, the beam uses back and forth motions to target the treatment area the shape, size and depth. It "paints" a radiation dose on tumors layer by layer. Compared to X-ray beams, which pass through a patient, proton beams deliver targeted radiation to the tumor and then stop resulting in no exit dose. Radiation oncologists at Beaumont are well versed in precise image guidance, having developed cone beam CT technology almost 20 years ago. Image guidance allows doctors to analyze soft tissue and bone contrast to see tumor changes. Single-room facility Unlike larger, multiroom proton treatment facilities, Beaumont's compact, single-room treatment center is more affordable to build and maintain. Along with advanced, image-guided technology, Beaumont's facility includes the Philips Ambient Experience system that lets patients select a color theme, music and video for relaxation during treatment. "Our center offers the most advanced proton technology available anywhere in the world," said Dr. Stevens. "We will have the ability to potentially cure patients that have failed conventional treatment at other centers." In February 2015, construction began on the $40 million Proton Therapy Center. The two-story building is 25,200-square-feet, including a basement. The first floor houses the Proton Therapy Center, including a cyclotron and gantry that produces and delivers proton beams to a single-room treatment area. The second floor will soon be the home of Beaumont's Center for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders. Beaumont chose Ion Beam Applications S.A., or IBA, of Belgium, to manufacture, install and maintain the proton system. An Atlanta-based proton therapy development group, Proton International, is lending its operational expertise. Beaumont's Facilities Management department oversaw design and construction, with Kasco Construction as the contractor and SmithGroupJJR, as the architect. Comprehensive cancer care Proton therapy is an important addition to Beaumont's comprehensive arsenal of leading-edge cancer treatments. Beaumont's Radiation Oncology department is ranked among the nation's best for advanced technology, innovative treatment and research. Advanced radiation treatments developed at Beaumont include adaptive radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, intensity-modulated arc therapy, high-dose rate brachytherapy and hyperthermia therapy. To learn more about the new center and its capabilities, call Beaumont's Radiation Oncology program at 248-551-8402 or go to www.Beaumont.org/proton-therapy. SOURCE Beaumont Health Related Links https://www.beaumont.org HOUSTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (NYSE:BWP) will report its second quarter 2017 earnings on Monday, July 31, 2017. A conference call for analysts and investors will begin at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and will be hosted by Boardwalk's Chief Executive Officer, Stan Horton, and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Jamie Buskill. Boardwalk will issue its earnings news release before the market opens on Monday, July 31, 2017. The news release and a live webcast will be available online at the Boardwalk website (www.bwpmlp.com). Please go to the website at least 10 minutes before the event begins to register and to download and install any necessary audio software. Those interested in participating in the question and answer session of the conference call should dial (855) 793-3255 for callers in the U.S. or (631) 485-4925 for callers outside the U.S. The Conference ID for the call is 49473667. Following the call, an online replay will be available on Boardwalk's website. About Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (NYSE: BWP) is a midstream master limited partnership that primarily transports and stores natural gas and liquids for its customers. Additional information about the Partnership can be found on its website at www.bwpmlp.com. CONTACT: Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP Molly Ladd Whitaker, 866-913-2122 Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications SOURCE Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP Related Links http://www.bwpmlp.com AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two BorgWarner turbocharger manufacturing facilities achieved recertification under Caterpillar's Supplier Quality Excellence Process (SQEP). BorgWarner's facility in Ningbo, China , received platinum certification for 2016, the program's highest honor and a first for a Caterpillar turbocharger supplier in China . The facility also achieved gold certification in 2015. , received platinum certification for 2016, the program's highest honor and a first for a Caterpillar turbocharger supplier in . The facility also achieved gold certification in 2015. BorgWarner's facility in Asheville, North Carolina , received recognition for two product segments. For new original equipment turbocharger production, the facility was awarded silver certification for 2016, following bronze certification 2015. For remanufactured (REMAN) turbocharger production, the facility received gold certification for 2016, after earning bronze certification in 2015. "For over 50 years, BorgWarner has supplied Caterpillar with a full range of turbochargers for a variety of off-highway construction equipment, from wheel loaders and mining trucks to excavators and bulldozers," said Frederic Lissalde, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Turbo Systems. "BorgWarner is honored to receive this recognition and grateful to the many employees who work tirelessly to achieve the highest quality standards." Caterpillar created the SQEP to recognize those suppliers that demonstrate their commitment to excellence, and drive a "zero defects" culture within their organizations. Certification levels include Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, reflected in order of increasing difficulty. Suppliers are certified through SQEP by meeting or exceeding stringent supplier performance standards, such as product quality and shipping performance, which are measured over the course of a calendar year. About BorgWarner BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. With manufacturing and technical facilities in 62 locations in 17 countries, the company employs approximately 27,000 worldwide. For more information, please visit borgwarner.com. SOURCE BorgWarner Related Links http://www.borgwarner.com Highlights Drill hole NC17-226 intersected 9.0m of 5.2% Zn Eq. including 2.4m of 12.6% Zn Eq. within 20m of surface and located 350m north of the Nash Creek Deposit; Drill hole NC17-224 intersected 14.8m of 3.6% Zn Eq. including 2.7m of 6.9% Zn Eq. and 2.4m of 5.6% Zn Eq. within 100m of surface and located 250m northeast of the Nash Creek Deposit; and An additional ten holes were drilled within a 450m long by 200m wide target area to the north of the Nash Creek Deposit. VANCOUVER, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Callinex Mines Inc. (the "Company" or "Callinex") (TSX-V: CNX; OTCQX: CLLXF) is pleased to announce assays results from the first five holes drilled at the Company's 100% owned Nash Creek Project (the "Project") in the Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick (See Figure 1). Drill hole NC17-226, located 350m north of the Nash Creek Deposit, intersected 9.0m of 5.2% zinc equivalent mineralization ("Zn Eq.") (3.6% Zn, 1.2% Pb and 28.0 g/t Ag) including 2.4m of 12.6% Zn Eq. (9.0% Zn, 2.7% Pb and 59.2 g/t Ag starting at a depth of 11.0m (See Table 1 and Figure 2). Additionally, drill hole NC17-224, located 250m northeast of the Nash Creek Deposit, intersected 14.8m of 3.6% Zn Eq. (2.6% Zn, 0.4% Pb and 32.7 g/t Ag) including 2.7m of 6.9% Zn Eq. (4.8% Zn, 0.9% Pb and 58.6 g/t Ag) starting at a depth of 77.0m. These drill holes are located in an area that is largely untested and the deposit remains open for further expansion. Max Porterfield, President and CEO, stated, "We are encouraged by these initial drill results which indicate potential to expand the Nash Creek Deposit considerably farther to the north. We look forward to receiving additional assay results from several holes drilled over a 450m long by 200m wide target area." Mr. Porterfield continued, "The focus to grow the Company's zinc-rich resource base within close proximity to infrastructure in the Bathurst Mining District comes during a major global supply shortage. Given that mine production is unable to meet demand and the market is relying on above ground inventories, prices are well positioned to increase in the near future." Drill holes NC17-226 and NC17-224 indicate potential for mineralization located closer to surface with higher grades as compared to the northern extent of the Hickey Zone to the south (See Figures 2 and 3). Additionally, NC17-226 encountered extensive zinc mineralization with 43 samples that exceeded 1% Zn Eq. before the hole ended in mineralization grading 1.2% Zn (See Figure 4). After completion of these two holes an additional ten widely-spaced holes were completed to conduct a first pass evaluation over a 450m long by 200m wide area (See Figure 2). The near-surface mineral resource estimate for the Nash Creek Deposit includes an Indicated resource of 9.0 Mt grading 3.6% Zn Eq. totaling 712 M lbs of Zn Eq. mineralization and an Inferred resource of 1.1 Mt grading 3.6% Zn Eq. totaling 88M lbs of Zn Eq. mineralization over a 1.5km strike length with an average lateral extent ranging from 100 to 300m (See Table 2 and Figure 2). The Nash Creek Project is ideally situated approximately 1 km south of Provincial Highway 11 and has access to power supplied by a nearby 450 MW power station. Additionally, the Project is located 100 km by road to Trevali's Caribou Mine and 25 km by road to Glencore's Belledune lead/silver smelter, which has direct railway access to Glencore's Canadian zinc smelting and refining operations. Mineralization at the Nash Creek Deposit is hosted in both felsic and mafic units, with porosity and structure (specifically faults/fracture zones) being the key features that control the extent and distribution of the mineralization. Zinc mineralization is hosted in a low iron sphalerite that is difficult to visually estimate and lead mineralization is hosted in galena. The mineralized envelopes (lens) are sub-horizontal and appear to cross-cut the shallow east dipping lithological stratigraphy. Four distinct envelopes of mineralization make up the defined resource of the Hickey Zone. Drill hole NC17-226 intersected a fifth potential envelope between 241.7m- 246.0m (See Figure 4). The hole was drilled to a greater depth than previous drilling in the area and further work will be required to evaluate the significance of this fifth potential envelope. Based on preliminary test results, the current resource grade of 3.6% Zn Eq. could be upgraded with the use of dense media separation ("DMS") to a head grade of 5-7% Zn Eq. (See News Release dated September 12, 2016). DMS is a well established density separation process that rejects lower specific gravity ("SG") material, such as internal dilution, before it is transported to a concentrator. Over 6,000 density measurements collected from Nash Creek drill core have demonstrated a correlation between higher grades and a higher SG. DMS testing has particular promise for the Project by removing internal dilution that tends to 'sandwich' relatively higher grade zones. Additional metallurgical testing has indicated that the Nash Creek Deposit is amenable to conventional flotation techniques with recoveries of 91% for zinc and 82% for lead based on a coarse grind size. This test work produced a zinc concentrate grading up to 64% Zn and a lead concentrate of approximately 50% Pb. The Nash Creek phase of the 2017 drilling campaign included 24 holes totaling 4,622m. Samples from four additional holes have been shipped to the lab for analysis while an additional 10 holes are being prepared for shipment. Callinex anticipates additional results to be released over the next 60 days. Jason Levers, P.Geo, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 and a Staff Geologist for Callinex, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. Table 1: Nash Creek Initial Drill Results Nash Creek Initial Drill Results(1)(2)(3) Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Zn Eq (%) Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag (g/t) NC17-222 208.44 210.00 1.56 1.80% 0.78% 1.07% 3.4 Including 208.44 208.97 0.53 3.52% 0.81% 2.94% 6.3 NC17-223 89.10 90.30 1.20 4.50% 1.80% 2.76% 12.9 NC17-224 67.00 93.37 26.37 2.48% 1.71% 0.27% 23.2 Including 77.00 93.37 16.37 3.42% 2.43% 0.35% 30.0 Including 77.00 91.83 14.83 3.63% 2.56% 0.37% 32.7 Including 78.65 81.30 2.65 6.89% 4.79% 0.87% 58.6 and 88.58 91.00 2.42 5.62% 4.68% 0.45% 23.5 and 103.75 104.63 0.88 1.54% 1.34% 0.16% 2.6 and 115.33 115.97 0.64 2.55% 1.36% 0.98% 14.8 and 195.16 196.16 1.00 1.55% 0.70% 0.81% 6.5 NC17-225 No significant results NC17-226 11.00 20.00 9.00 5.24% 3.59% 1.15% 28.0 Including 16.86 19.30 2.44 12.64% 8.96% 2.65% 59.2 and 29.00 41.00 12.00 1.78% 1.40% 0.19% 9.3 Including 31.00 33.00 2.00 4.52% 3.80% 0.36% 17.6 and 210.90 213.00 2.10 1.59% 1.29% 0.25% 3.3 and 219.40 220.34 0.94 1.68% 0.91% 0.77% 4.4 and 231.00 231.42 0.42 2.43% 2.09% 0.21% 7.0 and 235.38 235.90 0.52 3.16% 2.47% 0.42% 13.8 and 241.72 246.00 4.28 1.79% 1.50% 0.15% 7.0 including 245.31 246.00 0.69 4.53% 3.77% 0.33% 20.9 Note(1)(2(3): 1. Zinc equivalent grades are based on the following metal prices: zinc US$2,525/t (1.15/lb), lead US$2,205/t (1.00/lb), and silver US$18.0 per oz. Metal recoveries of 100% were applied in the metal equivalent calculations. The zinc equivalent calculation is as follows: ZnEq = 100 ((Ag Price in (g) x Ag Grade) + (Pb Price*2204.6 x Pb Grade(%)/100) + (Zn Price*2204.6 x (Zn Grade(%)/100))/Zn Price*2204.6). 2. The numbers may not add due to rounding. 3. True widths are not currently known. Table 2: 2016 Nash Creek Mineral Resource Estimate Nash Creek Mineral Resource Estimate Resource Classification Tonnes Zn. Eq. (%) Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag (g/t) Hickey Zone Indicated 3,174,000 3.09 2.38 0.53 15.8 Inferred 177,000 3.09 2.24 0.68 16.7 Hayes Zone Indicated 5,859,000 3.84 3.01 0.59 19.4 Inferred 936,000 3.67 2.95 0.55 15.3 Total Indicated 9,033,000 3.58 2.79 0.57 18.16 Inferred 1,113,000 3.58 2.83 0.57 15.51 Notes: 1. Estimation and reporting of the mineral resource estimate adheres to NI 43-101 guidelines and CIM Definition Standards. 2. Zn. Eq. is calculated using three-year trailing metal prices of $0.90/lb Zn, $0.87/lb Pb and $17.73/oz Ag, and recoveries of 90.5% Zn, 81.5% Pb and 50% Ag based on preliminary results from metallurgical testing. 3. Mineralization was constrained using a 2.00% Zn. Eq. wireframe, and segmented in 16 domains in the Hickey Zone, and 5 domains in the Hayes Zone. The cut-off grade for the mineral resource estimate is 2.00% Zn. Eq. which is considered suitable for reporting mineral resources for a potential open pit project and depth of mineralization. The estimate is not constrained by a conceptual pit. 4. Densities vary by grade and rock type with an average specific gravity of 2.84 for the Hayes Deposit and of 2.82 for the Hickey Deposit. 5. The mineral resource estimate was calculated using an ordinary kriging (OK) methodology. The block model was constructed with block dimensions of 5 x 5 x 5 meters. 6. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves and have not been demonstrated to have economic viability for extraction. The quantity and grade of reported inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource.It is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. 7. Numbers may not add exactly due to rounding. Table 3: NQ Diamond Drill Hole Data Hole ID UTM Zone 19T NAD 83 East UTM Zone 19T NAD 83 North Elevation (m) Azimuth (o N UTM) Dip (o) Length (m) NC17-222 716691 5308307 73 0 -90 261 NC17-223 717003 5308349 49 0 -90 177 NC17-224 717060 5308540 52 0 -90 237 NC17-225 717220 5309050 39 0 -90 183 NC17-226 716859 5308688 59 0 -90 271 Figure 1: Map of the Bathurst Mining District of Northern New Brunswick Figure 2: Plan Map of Nash Creek Drill Holes Figure 3: Long Section View of the Nash Creek Deposit Figure 4: Cross Section View of Drill Holes NC17-226, NC05-10 and NC17-224 QA/QC Individual samples were labeled, placed in plastic sample bags, and sealed. Groups of samples were then placed in security sealed bags and shipped directly to SGS Canada Inc in Vancouver, B.C. for analysis. Samples were crushed to 75% passing 2mm and pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns in order produce a 250g split. All copper, zinc and silver assays were determined by Aqua Regia digestion with a combination of ICP-MS and ICP-AES finish, with overlimits (>100 ppm Ag, >10,000 ppm Zn, and >10,000 ppm Cu) completed by fire assay with gravimetric finish (Ag) or Aqua Regia digestion with ICP-AES finish (copper and zinc). All samples were analyzed for gold by Fire Assay of a 30 gram charge by AAS, or if over 10.0 g/t were re-assayed and completed with a gravimetric finish. QA/QC included the insertion and continual monitoring of numerous standards and blanks into the sample stream at a frequency of 1 per 10 samples, and the collection of duplicate samples at random intervals within each batch at a frequency of 1 per 10 samples. SGS Canada Inc carried out some or all of following methods to obtain the assay results for Callinex: G_LOG02 Pre-preparation processing, G_WGH79 Weighing and reporting, G_PRP89 Weigh, dry, crush, split, pulverize, G_SCRQC QC for crush and pulverize stages, G_CRU22 Crush >3kg, G_DRY11 Dry samples, GE_FAA313 @Au, FAS, AAS, 30g-5ml (Final mode), GE-IC14A Aqua Regia digestion/ICP-AES finish, GE_IMS14B Aqua Regia digestion/ICP-MS package, GE_IMS14 Aqua Regia digestion, GO_FAG303 30g, Fire assay, gravimetric finish (Au)(Final Mode), GO_FAG313 30g, Fire assay, gravimetric finish (Ag)(Final Mode), G0_ICP13B Ore Grade, Aqua Regia digest/ICP-AES. Ag >10ppm was analyzed by ICP and GO_XRF77B-pyrosulfate fusion. About Callinex Mines Inc. Callinex Mines Inc. is focused on discovering and developing zinc and copper rich mines within prolific Canadian VMS mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively exploring its Pine Bay Project, located in the Flin Flon mining district of Manitoba, which hosts significant historic VMS deposits that are within close proximity to a processing facility. The larger project portfolio hosts three significant zinc rich mineral resources including the Point Leamington, Nash Creek and Superjack Projects located in Eastern Canada. 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. Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete the proposed drill program and the timing and amount of expenditures. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Callinex does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. SOURCE Callinex Mines Inc. Related Links www.callinex.ca LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cascade Energy, Inc. (OTC PINK: CSCE), today announces its plans to become Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc., focusing on outsourced staffing and employment opportunities in the fast-growing medical and legal recreational cannabis sectors. The Company is in process of applying to FINRA for both formal name and ticker changes upon FINRA's approval. While there were, according to Marijuana Business Daily, between 100,000 and 150,000 jobs in the legal cannabis marketplace as of January 2017, the number of cannabis workers is expected to climb to well over a quarter million over the next few years. In fact, the cannabis industry is expected to create more jobs in the American economy than will the manufacturing sector by the year 2020. With this rapid growth in employment, the Company believes the outsourced staffing opportunity is very substantial. Simon Yu, CEO, commented, "We already have numerous opportunities to staff the operations of several Washington State I502 license holders and as a result, we are working on filling out our new management team to address what we believe are very substantial industry opportunities. We will be providing our investors with more news shortly pertaining to our name and ticker symbol changes and on the status of our funding raising efforts. We could not be more excited about focusing on helping legal cannabis businesses to meet their growing staffing requirements." The management team of the new Cannabis Strategic Ventures is headed by Mr. Simon Yu who already experienced considerable success in the business staffing sector by way of over nine years in related staffing sales, operations, and senior management functions. Mr. Yu also has launched startups in E-commerce, import/export, and medical devices. Additionally, he is a Startup Advisor at the University of Southern California's Business Incubator and an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at California State University, Los Angeles. Simon graduated from the University of Southern California with an MBA and a Graduate Certificate in Technology Commercialization. Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "would," "could," "will" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report. Contact: Phone: +1-310-359-6860 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Cascade Energy, Inc. NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Casio America, Inc., a leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, is showcasing its expansive lineup of digital keyboards and pianos at Summer NAMM 2017, including the brand new AP-270, PX-770 and PX-870, the newest models in its industry leading Celviano and Privia digital piano lines. These digital pianos, along with Casio's full portfolio, will be on display in the company's booth (#5900) from July 13-15 at Music City Center in Nashville, TN. "Casio is thrilled to head to Nashville once again to showcase its latest digital pianos from an ever-expanding portfolio," said Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio's Electronic Musical Instruments Division. "Whether music enthusiasts are looking for a contemporary styled Privia digital piano or the elegant look and feel of the Celviano, Casio provides instruments that make it easy for users to embrace their love of music through ground-breaking technology and innovative design." New Celviano and Privia Digital Pianos Casio's new Celviano AP-270 and Privia PX-770 and PX-870 digital pianos boast a redesigned cabinet with all of the controls located on the side panel. These new models are equipped with an 88-key Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard with simulated ebony and ivory textured keys to reproduce the touch feeling of an acoustic piano while the scaled weighted action keyboard provides the depth and integrity of an acoustic piano. They also offer improved grand piano tones with damper resonance, Concert Play with 10 songs, three pedals, USB MIDI, two-track recording for beginners and advanced musicians alike. In September, the AP-270 (MSRP: $1,499.99), PX-770 (MSRP: $1,099.99) and the PX-870 (MSRP: $1,499.99) will all be available at select music dealers nationwide. Portable Keyboards Casio's latest Portable CTK-3500 and CTK-2550, and Key Lighting LK-265 and LK-190 keyboards are outfitted with Casio's Voice Fingering Guide and Step-up Lesson System which enable beginners to learn built-in songs, phase-by-phase, at their own individual pace. With the LCD display, consumers can learn both music notation and correct hand positioning, while Casio's innovative Scoring System evaluates performance so users can track their progress. With the Key Lighting keyboards, players can also practice with the help of the lighted 61-key piano keyboard making learning both fun and entertaining. In addition, all of these new keyboards feature Casio's exciting new Dance Music Mode, which divides the piano keyboard into different instrument sections like drums, bass, and more. The CTK-3500 (MSRP: $199.99), CTK-2550 (MSRP$: 169.99), LK-265 (MSRP: $259.99), and LK-190 (MSRP: $129.99) keyboards are available now at select music dealers nationwide. Chordana Play App The new CTK-2550, CTK-3500 and LK-265 can also connect to Casio's Chordana Play app - a free music app that enables people who have no experience playing an electronic keyboard to have fun, while also helping seasoned keyboard players expand their repertoires. The app can automatically play 50 songs, from pop to classical and more and is expandable through MIDI files that can be downloaded from the internet. As the song plays, the app displays the correct keyboard position for both hands in real time in the piano roll window. Users can also play by touching the virtual keyboard which also offers lesson and scoring functions. The CTK-2550, CTK-3500 and LK-265 connect directly to the app using a standard 1/8" stereo cable between an iOS or Android device and the keyboard. Casio's Chordana Play app is available for free in the App Store and on Google Play. To learn more about Casio's full portfolio of electronic musical instruments, please visit www.CasioMusicGear.com. About Casio America, Inc. Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to fulfill its corporate creed of "creativity and contribution" through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit www.casiousa.com. SOURCE Casio America, Inc. Related Links http://www.casiousa.com PITTSBURGH, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Elizabeth Chodos has been named the director of Carnegie Mellon University's Regina Gouger Miller Gallery. Chodos joins CMU from Ox-Bow, school of art and artists' residency, in Saugatuck, Michigan, where she has worked since 2010, most recently as executive and creative director During her career, Chodos has focused on promoting the work of contemporary artists through residencies, higher education, exhibitions and public programming, a practice she said she would continue at CMU. "I believe deeply that art has the power to transform and that contemporary art offers society a vehicle to participate directly in social change," she said. "Miller Gallery has a history of blending rigorous exhibition practices with higher education, and it is an honor to join the gallery and continue this work." Since it first opened 16 years ago, the Miller Gallery has evolved from regionally focused exhibitions to curating and presenting challenging contemporary work by national and international artists. Dan J. Martin, dean of the College of Fine Arts, said the gallery is now becoming a combined art, teaching and research space that creates projects linked directly to Carnegie Mellon's educational, creative and research interests. "Our new approach to programming and exhibitions is indicative of Carnegie Mellon's ability to provide a rich, reflective hybrid experience for our students, and to present new ideas and creative propositions to a general audience," Martin said. "Elizabeth is the perfect fit to lead us in this new direction. She has strong and successful arts-center management experience and also brings aesthetic and curatorial skills." Chodos said the opportunity to work at Miller Gallery appealed to her because of Carnegie Mellon's reputation as a renowned research institution. The combination of a rich research environment and extensive arts programs is a setting, she said, that creates connections across fields and demonstrates how "the arts, politics, science and technology intertwine and overlap." Chodos said she hopes to offer exhibitions and related public programming, publications and interactive web-based platforms that spark conversation about society and issues that matter locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, Chodos earned her bachelor's degree in art history and creative writing, and her dual master's degree in art history, theory and criticism, and arts administration. Visit cmu.edu/news for more information about Chodos. SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University Related Links http://www.cmu.edu The horrible trend of classic NYC diners closing continues with news that Cup & Saucer on the border of the Lower East Side and Chinatown will serve its last Greek omelette. The Lo-Down reports the diner's last day will be July 17th but an employee at the diner told Gothamist it would remain open until the end of July. The diner, located at 89 Canal Street, has been run by John Vasilopoulos and Nick Castanos since 1988, when they purchased the Jewish diner of the same name that had been in operation since 1940. In 2013, owners worried that a recent sale of the building would lead to a rent increase and it seems their fears have been realized: a new asking rent is $15,000 per month including real estate taxes, according to The Lo-Down. We've thus far been unable to confirm the previous rent with the owners, but a rent hike of this amount wouldn't be surprising considering the type of high end establishmentsincluding fancy diners!beginning to open in this part of Manhattan. "It's a tiny diner on this pedal to the metal, traffic-choked pollution-producing boulevard between the Manhattan Bridge and the Holland Tunnel, a way station for truckers, delivery men, local shopkeepers, Canal Street bargain hunters, and loutish layabouts like me," Forgotten NY wrote in 2014. Cup & Saucer was recently included in a roundup of the city's best diners by Grub Street. In case you don't get the opportunity to visit before the diner closes, live the experience through this contented (spoiler alert) pancake-eater: JACKSON, Mich., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy announced today that it will discuss its second-quarter results and provide a business and financial outlook at 9:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, July 28, 2017. A webcast of the presentation will be available on CMS Energy's website, www.cmsenergy.com. An audio replay will be available approximately three hours after the webcast and will be archived for 30 days on CMS Energy's website in the "Investor Relations" section. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business and also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at www.cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website. SOURCE CMS Energy Related Links http://www.cmsenergy.com ATLANTA, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aptos, Inc., a recognized market leader in retail technology solutions, today announced Cole Haan LLC has selected the cloud-based Aptos Enterprise Order Management solution to enhance its best-in-class omni-channel retail operations. Headquartered in Greenland, N.H., Cole Haan is an iconic American lifestyle accessories brand and retailer of premium men's and women's footwear, handbags, leather accessories, outerwear and eyewear. Through the years, what began in 1928 as the vision of Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan to manufacture the highest quality leather footwear, has grown and evolved to a global retail powerhouse with an expansive range of products representing the distinctive Cole Haan commitment to craftsmanship, timeless style and design innovation. In recent years, Cole Haan has transformed its business model. Exclusively a wholesaler until 1982, the company today has extensive retail operations, with 259 stores across 30 countries, along with a thriving e-commerce business. Cole Haan leverages the Aptos Singular Commerce platform, including Aptos Store for point of sale and mobile point of sale, Aptos Customer Relationship Management and Aptos Audit and Operations Management. The addition of Aptos Enterprise Order Management will support Cole Haan's direct-to-consumer initiatives with robust omni-channel capabilities to integrate its digital and physical retail channels and support one complete view of customers, inventory, orders and more. Aptos Enterprise Order Management functions across all in-store and digital touch points, including complete integration with Aptos Store, for a unified view of the online/offline intersection of commerce, order brokering, order management, order fulfillment, logistics and analytics. "Aptos has been a tremendous partner in helping Cole Haan to provide seamless customer experiences throughout the entire shopping journey," said Ron Edwards, chief operating officer, Cole Haan. "The addition of Enterprise Order Management will allow us to gain efficiencies and consistency with unified processing of all orders originating from the store or ColeHaan.com, while enabling associates to provide customers with 'endless aisle' capabilities and streamlined returns of online purchases in the store." "Cole Haan captures the hearts and minds of loyal fans the world over with its combination of high-quality, distinctive merchandise and its unwavering focus on the customer," said Noel Goggin, Aptos CEO and culture leader. "We're proud to partner with Cole Haan to expand and enhance its omni-channel proficiency. With one view of the customer, inventory and orders, Cole Haan will be well-positioned to deliver on seamless customer journeys that transcend shopping channels." With over 125,000 stores live on its Singular Commerce platform available in the cloud, more than 500 retail brands across the globe rely on cloud-ready Aptos solutions. About Aptos "Engaging Customers Differently" In an era of virtually limitless choice, sustained competitive advantage only comes to retailers who engage customers differently by truly understanding who they are, what they want and why they buy. At Aptos, we too, believe that Engaging Customers Differently is critical to our success. We are committed to a deep understanding of each of our clients, to fulfilling their needs with the retail industry's most comprehensive omni-channel solutions, and to fostering long-term relationships built on tangible value and trust. More than 500 retail brands rely upon our Singular Commerce platform to deliver every shopper a personalized, empowered and seamless experienceno matter when, where or how they shop. Learn more: www.aptos.com Follow Aptos on Twitter @Aptos_Retail Aptos, the Aptos logo, "Engaging Customers Differently" and "Singular Commerce" are trademarks of Aptos, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Aptos, Inc. SOURCE Aptos, Inc. Related Links http://www.aptos.com NOVI, Mich., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CPS) will hold a conference call on Friday, Aug. 4 at 9 a.m. ET. The Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Edwards and Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Banas will discuss Cooper Standard's second quarter 2017 results, provide a general business update and respond to investor questions. The Company expects to release results for the second quarter 2017 on Thursday, Aug. 3. The Company's earnings results will also be posted to the Cooper Standard website (http://www.ir.cooperstandard.com) once released. A link to the live webcast of the call (listen only) and presentation materials will be available on Cooper Standard's Investor Relations website at http://www.ir.cooperstandard.com/index.cfm. To participate by phone, callers in the United States and Canada should dial toll-free 800-949-4315 (international callers dial 678-825-8315) and provide the conference ID 95008494 or ask to be connected to the Cooper Standard conference call. Representatives of the investment community will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentation. Callers should dial in at least five minutes prior to the start of the call. Individuals unable to participate during the call may visit the investors' portion of the Cooper Standard website (http://www.ir.cooperstandard.com) for a replay of the webcast. About Cooper Standard Cooper Standard, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry. Products include rubber and plastic sealing, fuel and brake lines, fluid transfer hoses and anti-vibration systems. Cooper Standard employs approximately 30,000 people globally and operates in 20 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cooperstandard.com. CPS_F Contact for Analysts: Contact for Media: Roger Hendriksen Sharon Wenzl Cooper Standard Cooper Standard (248) 596-6465 (248) 596-6211 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. Related Links http://www.cooperstandard.com IRVING, Texas, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) will hold a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 10, 2017, to discuss the Company's second quarter 2017 financial results. The teleconference will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET and will be hosted by Mr. Randall Stuewe, CEO and Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Patrick Lynch, EVP and Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, the Company will have a slide presentation available to augment management's formal presentation, which will be accessible via the investor relations section of the Company's website. The related press release will be issued after the market closes on August 9, 2017. Due to historically high call volume, the company is offering participants the opportunity to register in advance for the conference through the following link: http://dpregister.com/10109759 Registered participants will receive an email with a calendar reminder and a dial-in number and PIN that will allow them immediate access to the call on August 10, 2017. Participants who do not wish to pre-register for the call may dial in using 844-868-8847 (U.S. callers) or 412-317-6593 (international callers), and ask for the "Darling Ingredients" call. A replay will be available two hours after completion of the call through October 17, 2017. To access the replay, please dial 877-344-7529 (U.S. callers), 855-669-9658 (Canada) and 412-317-0088 (international callers) and reference passcode 10109759. The live webcast and archived replay also can be accessed on the Company's website at http://ir.darlingii.com. About Darling Darling Ingredients Inc. is the world's largest publicly-traded developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and specialty products for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, technical, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries. With operations on five continents, the Company collects and transforms all aspects of animal by-product streams into broadly used and specialty ingredients, such as gelatin, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstocks, green energy, natural casings and hides. The Company also recovers and converts used cooking oil and commercial bakery residuals into valuable feed and fuel ingredients. In addition, the Company provides grease trap services to food service establishments, environmental services to food processors and sells restaurant cooking oil delivery and collection equipment. For additional information, visit the Company's website at www.darlingii.com. Safe-Harbor Statement Statements contained in this release that state the Company's or management's expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "estimates," "intend," and other similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. For reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and on Darling's website at http://ir.darlingii.com. For More Information, contact: Melissa A. Gaither 251 O'Connor Ridge Blvd., Suite 300 Vice President Investor Relations and Irving, Texas 75038 Global Communications Phone: 972-717-0300 [email protected] SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc. Related Links http://www.darlingii.com ATLANTA, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today reported financial results for the June quarter 2017. Highlights of those results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are below and incorporated here. Adjusted pre-tax income for the June 2017 quarter was $1.85 billion, a $172 million increase from the June 2016 quarter, primarily driven by higher revenue. Delta recorded a June quarter 2017 adjusted operating margin of 18.4 percent. Delta delivered these results despite a $125 million negative impact from the operational disruption following severe storms in Atlanta in early April. "The June quarter ranks among the best in Delta's history as our people delivered top financial, operational, and customer satisfaction results and it is an honor to recognize that performance with an additional $338 million toward our 2017 profit sharing," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer. "While 2017 is a transition period for Delta, we are encouraged by the improvement in unit revenues, leading to increasing conviction in our ability to expand margins as we move through the back half of the year." Revenue Environment Delta's record operating revenue of $10.8 billion for the June quarter was up $344 million versus prior year, despite a $115 million headwind from April's operational disruption. Passenger revenue increased $261 million, including $100 million from Delta's Branded Fares initiatives. Passenger unit revenues increased 2.5 percent on 0.4 percent higher capacity. Cargo revenue increased 11 percent, driven by higher volumes in freight and mail. Other revenue increased 5 percent primarily due to higher SkyMiles revenue and third-party refinery sales. "The June quarter marked Delta's return to unit revenue growth after two and a half years. This improvement resulted from a strengthening demand environment and our commercial initiatives to provide customers more choice, an innovative experience, and a broader global network," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's president. "We expect this momentum to continue in the September quarter, with passenger unit revenue growth of 2.5 to 4.5 percent as we focus on driving a sustainable revenue premium to the industry." Increase (Decrease) 2Q17 versus 2Q16 Change Unit Revenue 2Q17 ($M) YoY Revenue Yield Capacity Mainline 4,962 5.1 % 2.5 % 1.9 % 2.5 % Regional 1,532 2.2 % 5.1 % 4.6 % (2.8) % Total Domestic 6,494 4.4 % 2.8 % 2.1 % 1.6 % Atlantic 1,501 (0.6) % (1.9) % (7.1) % 1.3 % Pacific 578 (12.9) % (2.2) % (0.1) % (10.9) % Latin America 658 14.1 % 10.8 % 6.4 % 3.0 % Total Passenger 9,231 2.9 % 2.5 % 0.8 % 0.4 % Cargo Revenue 183 10.9 % Other Revenue 1,377 4.9 % Total Revenue 10,791 3.3 % 2.7 % See Note A for reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures September 2017 Quarter Guidance For the September quarter, Delta is expecting its margins to expand relative to prior year, as unit revenue improvement continues and fuel prices and non-fuel cost pressures moderate. Cost Performance 3Q17 Forecast Operating margin 18% - 20% Fuel price, including taxes and refinery impact $1.55 - $1.60 Compared to 3Q16 Passenger unit revenue Up 2.5% - 4.5% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing2 Up ~4% Normalized CASM-Ex, including profit sharing3 Up ~2% System Capacity Up ~2% See Note A for information about reconciliation of projected non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted fuel expense4 decreased $325 million compared to the same period in 2016 as prior year hedge settlements offset higher market fuel prices. Delta's adjusted fuel price per gallon for the June quarter was $1.66, which includes $0.01 of benefit from the refinery. CASM-Ex, including profit sharing increased 7.3 percent for the June 2017 quarter compared to the prior year period. Normalized CASM-Ex, including profit sharing increased 5.5 percent versus the prior year period, driven by employee wage increases, product investments, and 1 point of pressure from April's operational disruption. Interest expense increased $10 million year-over-year from debt issuances in the March quarter used to fund Delta's defined benefit pension liabilities. "The June quarter represented the peak for non-fuel cost pressures this year and we expect our CASM trajectory to moderate to approximately 2 percent for the September quarter as we annualize product investments, improve productivity through upgauging and better asset utilization, and lap one-time costs from last August's technology outage," said Paul Jacobson, Delta's chief financial officer. "Our cost foundation is an essential component of sustainable performance, allowing the benefits of our commercial initiatives to drive margin improvements in the future." Cash Flow, Shareholder Returns, and Adjusted Net Debt Delta generated $2.8 billion of adjusted operating cash flow and $1.9 billion of free cash flow during the quarter. The company used this strong cash generation to invest nearly $1 billion into the business for aircraft purchases and improvements, facilities upgrades and technology. In the first half of 2017, Delta contributed $3.5 billion to its defined benefit pension plans, bringing its unfunded pension liability to $6.9 billion, down $3.7 billion versus year-end 2016. Adjusted net debt at the end of the quarter was $8.4 billion, up $2.3 billion versus year-end 2016 as a result of Delta's March quarter 2017 unsecured debt issuance. For the June quarter, the company returned $748 million to shareholders, comprised of $148 million of dividends and $600 million of share repurchases. June Quarter Results Special items for the quarter consist primarily of mark-to-market adjustments on fuel hedges. GAAP Adjusted ($ in millions except per share and unit costs) 2Q17 2Q16 2Q17 2Q16 Pre-tax income 1,891 2,350 1,854 1,682 Net income 1,224 1,546 1,201 1,124 Diluted earnings per share 1.68 2.03 1.64 1.47 Operating margin 18.8% 23.2% 18.4% 17.4% Fuel expense (including regional carriers) 1,687 1,447 1,739 2,064 Average fuel price per gallon 1.61 1.38 1.66 1.97 Consolidated unit cost (CASM/CASM-Ex) 13.23 12.16 10.24 9.54 Operating cash flow 2,386 3,215 2,818 2,615 Total debt and capital leases (adjusted net debt) 9,014 7,804 8,399 6,777 About Delta Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 334 destinations in 62 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta. End Notes (1) Note A to the attached Consolidated Statements of Operations provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release to the comparable GAAP metric and provides the reasons management uses those measures. (2) CASM - Ex, including profit sharing: In addition to fuel expense, Delta believes adjusting for certain other expenses is helpful to investors because other expenses are not related to the generation of a seat mile. These expenses include aircraft maintenance and staffing services Delta provides to third parties, Delta's vacation wholesale operations and refinery cost of sales to third parties. The amounts excluded were $296 million and $284 million for the June 2017 and June 2016 quarters, and $588 million and $597 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Management believes this methodology provides a more consistent and comparable reflection of Delta's airline operations. (3) Normalized cost comparison: Delta's new pilot contract was ratified on December 1, 2016 and was retroactive to January 1, 2016. As a result, Delta recognized $475 million in retroactive wages and other benefits in the December 2016 quarter. Prior year cost comparisons are normalized for the portion of the pilot contract expense recognized in the December quarter 2016 attributable to the June quarter 2016. On a normalized basis, approximately $107 million of this amount related to the June 2016 quarter. We believe that adjusting this period allows investors to better understand and analyze the company's core operational performance on a year-over-year basis. (4) Adjusted fuel expense reflects, among other things, the impact of mark-to-market ("MTM") adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. See Note A for a reconciliation of adjusted fuel expense and average fuel price per gallon to the comparable GAAP metric. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this investor update that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact of fuel hedging activity including rebalancing our hedge portfolio, recording mark-to-market adjustments or posting collateral in connection with our fuel hedge contracts; the availability of aircraft fuel; the performance of our significant investments in airlines in other parts of the world; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements could have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub, gateway, or key airports; breaches or security lapses in our information technology systems; disruptions in our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third party regional carriers; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe's Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain management and key employees; competitive conditions in the airline industry; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; uncertainty in economic conditions and regulatory environment in the United Kingdom leading up to and following the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union; and the effects of the rapid spread of contagious illnesses. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2016. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of July 13, 2017, and which we have no current intention to update. DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, (in millions, except per share data) 2017 2016 $ Change % Change 2017 2016 $ Change % Change Operating Revenue: Passenger: Mainline $ 7,699 $ 7,471 $ 228 3% $ 14,103 $ 13,915 $ 188 1% Regional carriers 1,532 1,499 33 2% 2,816 2,817 (1) -% Total passenger revenue 9,231 8,970 261 3% 16,919 16,732 187 1% Cargo 183 165 18 11% 343 327 16 5% Other 1,377 1,312 65 5% 2,677 2,639 38 1% Total operating revenue 10,791 10,447 344 3% 19,939 19,698 241 1% Operating Expense: Salaries and related costs 2,616 2,391 225 9% 5,089 4,702 387 8% Aircraft fuel and related taxes 1,448 1,228 220 18% 2,688 2,455 233 9% Regional carriers expense Fuel 239 219 20 9% 481 386 95 25% Other 842 877 (35) (4)% 1,710 1,716 (6) -% Depreciation and amortization 535 470 65 14% 1,075 956 119 12% Contracted services 543 484 59 12% 1,066 960 106 11% Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs 475 446 29 7% 993 895 98 11% Passenger commissions and other selling expenses 458 437 21 5% 862 825 37 4% Landing fees and other rents 379 376 3 1% 744 724 20 3% Passenger service 271 221 50 23% 491 410 81 20% Profit sharing 338 324 14 4% 489 596 (107) (18)% Aircraft rent 86 66 20 30% 170 132 38 29% Other 533 485 48 10% 1,000 978 22 2% Total operating expense 8,763 8,024 739 9% 16,858 15,735 1,123 7% Operating Income 2,028 2,423 (395) (16)% 3,081 3,963 (882) (22)% Non-Operating Expense: Interest expense, net (103) (93) (10) 11% (197) (200) 3 (2)% Miscellaneous, net (34) 20 (54) NM (78) 21 (99) NM Total non-operating expense, net (137) (73) (64) 88% (275) (179) (96) 54% Income Before Income Taxes 1,891 2,350 (459) (20)% 2,806 3,784 (978) (26)% Income Tax Provision (667) (804) 137 (17)% (979) (1,292) 313 (24)% Net Income $ 1,224 $ 1,546 $ (322) (21)% $ 1,827 $ 2,492 $ (665) (27)% Basic Earnings Per Share $ 1.68 $ 2.04 $ 2.51 $ 3.25 Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 1.68 $ 2.03 $ 2.50 $ 3.23 Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 728 758 728 766 Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 731 763 731 772 DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Statistical Summary (Unaudited) Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 Change 2017 2016 Change Consolidated: Revenue passenger miles (millions) 57,575 56,415 2.1% 105,527 104,140 1.3% Available seat miles (millions) 66,227 65,979 0.4% 124,098 124,124 -% Passenger mile yield (cents) 16.03 15.90 0.8% 16.03 16.07 (0.2%) Passenger revenue per available seat mile (cents) 13.94 13.59 2.5% 13.63 13.48 1.1% Total revenue per available seat mile (cents) 16.29 15.83 2.9% 16.07 15.87 1.3% TRASM, excluding refinery- see Note A (cents) 16.19 15.76 2.7% 15.96 15.77 1.3% Operating cost per available seat mile (cents) 13.23 12.16 8.8% 13.58 12.68 7.1% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing - see Note A (cents) 10.24 9.54 7.3% 10.56 9.91 6.6% Passenger load factor 86.9% 85.5% 1.4 pts 85.0% 83.9% 1.1 pts Fuel gallons consumed (millions) 1,047 1,046 0.1% 1,965 1,976 (0.6%) Average price per fuel gallon $ 1.61 $ 1.38 16.7% $ 1.61 $ 1.44 11.8% Average price per fuel gallon, adjusted - see Note A $ 1.66 $ 1.97 (15.7%) $ 1.68 $ 1.67 0.6% Number of aircraft in fleet, end of period 986 944 42 Full-time equivalent employees, end of period 87,263 84,791 2.9% Mainline: Revenue passenger miles (millions) 52,135 50,847 2.5% 95,209 93,633 1.7% Available seat miles (millions) 59,611 59,173 0.7% 111,100 110,883 0.2% Operating cost per available seat mile (cents) 12.79 11.60 10.3% 13.09 12.18 7.5% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing - see Note A (cents) 9.94 9.10 9.2% 10.22 9.49 7.7% Fuel gallons consumed (millions) 893 891 0.2% 1,665 1,675 (0.6%) Average price per fuel gallon $ 1.61 $ 1.37 17.5% $ 1.61 $ 1.46 10.3% Average price per fuel gallon, adjusted - see Note A $ 1.67 $ 2.06 (18.9%) $ 1.69 $ 1.74 (2.9%) Number of aircraft in fleet, end of period 847 822 25 Note: except for full-time equivalent employees and number of aircraft in fleet, consolidated data presented includes operations under Delta's contract carrier arrangements. DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Three Months Ended June 30, (in millions) 2017 2016 Cash Flows From Operating Activities: Net income $ 1,224 $ 1,546 Depreciation and amortization 535 470 Hedge derivative contracts (1) (414) Deferred income taxes 651 791 Pension, postretirement and postemployment payments greater than expense (602) (61) Changes in: Hedge margin - 427 Air traffic liability (45) (33) Profit sharing 338 324 Other working capital changes, net 286 165 Net cash provided by operating activities 2,386 3,215 Cash Flows From Investing Activities: Property and equipment additions: Flight equipment, including advance payments (697) (880) Ground property and equipment, including technology (291) (166) Net redemptions (purchases) of short-term investments (4) (80) Other, net 14 14 Net cash used in investing activities (978) (1,112) Cash Flows From Financing Activities: Payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations (276) (690) Repurchases of common stock (600) (1,026) Cash dividends (148) (103) Fuel card obligation 7 (137) Other, net (57) (193) Net cash used in financing activities (1,074) (2,149) Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 334 (46) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 1,907 1,708 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 2,241 $ 1,662 DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) June 30, December 31, (in millions) 2017 2016 ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,241 $ 2,762 Short-term investments 747 487 Accounts receivable, net 2,164 2,064 Fuel inventory 537 519 Expendable parts and supplies inventories, net 401 372 Prepaid expenses and other 1,087 1,247 Total current assets 7,177 7,451 Property and Equipment, Net: Property and equipment, net 25,367 24,375 Other Assets: Goodwill 9,794 9,794 Identifiable intangibles, net 4,855 4,844 Deferred income taxes, net 2,077 3,064 Other noncurrent assets 2,545 1,733 Total other assets 19,271 19,435 Total assets $ 51,815 $ 51,261 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases $ 1,098 $ 1,131 Air traffic liability 6,365 4,626 Accounts payable 2,726 2,572 Accrued salaries and related benefits 2,259 2,924 Frequent flyer deferred revenue 1,726 1,648 Other accrued liabilities 2,457 2,338 Total current liabilities 16,631 15,239 Noncurrent Liabilities: Long-term debt and capital leases 7,916 6,201 Pension, postretirement and related benefits 9,623 13,378 Frequent flyer deferred revenue 2,281 2,278 Other noncurrent liabilities 1,885 1,878 Total noncurrent liabilities 21,705 23,735 Commitments and Contingencies Stockholders' Equity 13,479 12,287 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 51,815 $ 51,261 Note A: The following tables show reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures. The reasons Delta uses these measures are described below. Delta sometimes uses information ("non-GAAP financial measures") that is derived from the Consolidated Financial Statements, but that is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP"). Under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules, non-GAAP financial measures may be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. The tables below show reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Forward Looking Projections. The Company does not reconcile forward looking non-GAAP financial measures because MTM adjustments and settlements will not be known until the end of the period and could be significant. Pre-Tax Income and Net Income, adjusted. We adjust for the following items to determine pre-tax income and net income, adjusted, for the reasons described below: Mark-to-Market ("MTM") adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. Adjusting for these items allows investors to understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown. Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments. We record our proportionate share of earnings from our equity investment in Virgin Atlantic in non-operating expense. We adjust for Virgin Atlantic's MTM adjustments to allow investors to understand and analyze the company's core financial performance in the periods shown. Income tax. We included the income tax effect of adjustments when presenting net income, adjusted. We believe that presenting the income tax effect of adjustments allows investors to understand and analyze the company's core financial performance in the periods shown. Three Months Ended Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 June 30, 2017 Pre-Tax Income Net Net Income (in millions, except per share data) Income Tax Income Per Diluted Share GAAP $ 1,891 $ (667) $ 1,224 $ 1.68 Adjusted for: MTM adjustments and settlements (52) 19 (33) Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments 15 (5) 10 Total adjustments (37) 14 (23) (0.04) Non-GAAP $ 1,854 $ (653) $ 1,201 $ 1.64 Year-over-year change 172 Three Months Ended Three Months Ended June 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 Pre-Tax Income Net Net Income (in millions, except per share data) Income Tax Income Per Diluted Share GAAP $ 2,350 $ (804) $ 1,546 $ 2.03 Adjusted for: MTM adjustments and settlements (617) 227 (390) Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments (51) 19 (32) Total adjustments (668) 246 (422) (0.56) Non-GAAP $ 1,682 $ (558) $ 1,124 $ 1.47 Operating Margin, adjusted. We adjust for the following items to determine operating margin, adjusted, as described below. Adjusting for these items allows investors to understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown: MTM adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. Refinery sales. Delta's refinery segment provides jet fuel to the airline segment from its own production and from jet fuel obtained through agreements with third parties. Activities of the refinery segment are primarily for the benefit of the airline. However, from time to time, the refinery sells fuel by-products to third parties. These sales are recorded gross within other revenue and other operating expense. Pilot contract impact, normalized. Delta's new pilot contract was ratified on December 1, 2016 and was retroactive to January 1, 2016. As a result, Delta recognized $380 million in retroactive wages and other benefits in the December 2016 quarter. On a normalized basis, approximately $107 million of this amount related to the June 2016 quarter. Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 Operating margin 18.8 % 23.2 % Adjusted for: MTM adjustments and settlements (0.5)% (5.9)% Refinery sales 0.1 % 0.1 % Operating margin, adjusted 18.4 % 17.4 % Pilot contract impact, normalized % (1.1)% Operating margin, adjusted, including pilot contract impact, normalized 18.4 % 16.3 % Total Revenue Per Available Seat Mile "TRASM", excluding refinery. We adjust TRASM for refinery sales to third parties to determine TRASM, adjusted because these revenues are not related to our airline segment. TRASM, adjusted therefore provides a more meaningful comparison of revenue from our airline operations to the rest of the airline industry. Three Months Ended Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 Change TRASM (cents) 16.29 15.83 2.9% Adjusted for: Third party refinery sales (0.10) (0.07) TRASM, excluding refinery 16.19 15.76 2.7% Six Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 TRASM (cents) 16.07 15.87 Adjusted for: Third party refinery sales (0.11) (0.10) TRASM, excluding refinery 15.96 15.77 Fuel expense, adjusted and Average fuel price per gallon, adjusted. The tables below show the components of fuel expense, including the impact of the refinery segment and airline segment hedging on fuel expense and average price per gallon. We then adjust for MTM adjustments and settlements for the reason described below: MTM adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. Adjusting for these items allows investors to understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown. Consolidated: Average Price Per Gallon Three Months Ended Three Months Ended June 30, June 30, (in millions, except per gallon data) 2017 2016 2017 2016 Fuel purchase cost $ 1,676 $ 1,440 $ 1.60 $ 1.37 Airline segment fuel hedge impact 17 (3) 0.02 - Refinery segment impact (6) 10 (0.01) 0.01 Total fuel expense $ 1,687 $ 1,447 $ 1.61 $ 1.38 MTM adjustments and settlements 52 617 0.05 0.59 Total fuel expense, adjusted $ 1,739 $ 2,064 $ 1.66 $ 1.97 Year-over-year change $ (325) Six Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, (in millions, except per gallon data) 2017 2016 2017 2016 Fuel purchase cost $ 3,207 $ 2,533 $ 1.63 $ 1.28 Airline segment fuel hedge impact 12 270 0.01 0.14 Refinery segment impact (50) 38 (0.03) 0.02 Total fuel expense $ 3,169 $ 2,841 $ 1.61 $ 1.44 MTM adjustments and settlements 136 462 0.07 0.23 Total fuel expense, adjusted $ 3,305 $ 3,303 $ 1.68 $ 1.67 Mainline: Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Mainline average price per gallon $ 1.61 $ 1.37 $ 1.61 $ 1.46 MTM adjustments and settlements 0.06 0.69 0.08 0.28 Mainline average price per gallon, adjusted $ 1.67 $ 2.06 $ 1.69 $ 1.74 Non-Fuel Unit Cost or Cost per Available Seat Mile, Including Profit Sharing ("CASM-Ex"). We adjust CASM for the following items to determine CASM-Ex, including profit sharing for the reasons described below: Aircraft fuel and related taxes. The volatility in fuel prices impacts the comparability of year-over-year financial performance. The adjustment for aircraft fuel and related taxes (including our regional carriers) allows investors to understand and analyze our non-fuel costs and year-over-year financial performance. Other expenses. Other expenses include aircraft maintenance and staffing services we provide to third parties, our vacation wholesale operations, and refinery cost of sales to third parties. Because these businesses are not related to the generation of a seat mile, we adjust for the costs related to these sales to provide a more meaningful comparison of the costs of our airline operations to the rest of the airline industry. Pilot contract impact, normalized. Delta's new pilot contract was ratified on December 1, 2016 and was retroactive to January 1, 2016. As a result, Delta recognized $380 million in retroactive wages and other benefits in the December 2016 quarter. On a normalized basis, approximately $107 million of this amount related to the June 2016 quarter. Consolidated CASM-Ex: Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 Change June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 CASM (cents) 13.23 12.16 13.58 12.68 Adjusted for: Aircraft fuel and related taxes (2.55) (2.19) (2.55) (2.29) Other expenses (0.44) (0.43) (0.47) (0.48) CASM-Ex 10.24 9.54 7.3% 10.56 9.91 Adjusted for: Pilot contract impact, normalized 0.16 CASM-Ex, adjusted for pilot contract impact, normalized 10.24 9.70 5.5% Mainline CASM-Ex: Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 Mainline CASM (cents) 12.79 11.60 13.09 12.18 Adjusted for: Aircraft fuel and related taxes (2.41) (2.08) (2.40) (2.21) Other expenses (0.44) (0.42) (0.47) (0.48) Mainline CASM-Ex 9.94 9.10 10.22 9.49 Operating Cash Flow, adjusted. We adjusted operating cash flow because management believes this metric is helpful to investors to evaluate the company's ability to generate cash that is available for use for capital expenditures, debt service or general corporate initiatives. Adjustments include: Pension contribution. In the second quarter, we contributed $500 million to our pension plans using net proceeds from our debt issuance. We adjusted operating cash flow to exclude this contribution to allow investors to understand the cash flows related to our core operations in the periods shown. Hedge deferrals, including early settlements. During the March 2015 quarter, we effectively deferred settlement of a portion of our fuel hedge portfolio by entering into transactions that, excluding market movements from the date of inception, would provide approximately $300 million in cash receipts during the second half of 2015 and require approximately $300 million in cash payments in 2016. During the March 2016 quarter, we further deferred settlement of a portion of our hedge portfolio until 2017 by entering into transactions that, excluding market movements from the date of inception, would provide approximately $300 million in cash receipts during the second half of 2016 and require approximately $300 million in cash payments in 2017. Additionally, during the June 2016 quarter, we early terminated certain of our outstanding deferral transactions and made cash payments of $170 million, including normal settlements. Operating cash flow is adjusted to include the impact of these deferral transactions in order to allow investors to understand the net impact of hedging activities in the periods shown. Hedge margin and other. Operating cash flow is adjusted for hedge margin as we believe this adjustment removes the impact of current market volatility on our unsettled hedges and allows investors to understand and analyze the company's core operational performance in the periods shown. Three Months Ended Three Months Ended (in millions) June 30, 2017 June, 2016 Net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) $ 2,386 $ 3,215 Adjustments: Pension contribution 500 Hedge deferrals, including early settlements (68) (170) Hedge margin and other (430) Net cash provided by operating activities, adjusted $ 2,818 $ 2,615 Free Cash Flow. We present free cash flow because management believes this metric is helpful to investors to evaluate the company's ability to generate cash that is available for use for debt service or general corporate initiatives. Adjustments include: Pension contribution. In the second quarter, we contributed $500 million to our pension plans using net proceeds from our debt issuance. We adjusted free cash flow to exclude this contribution to allow investors to understand the cash flows related to our core operations in the period shown. Hedge deferrals. During the March 2016 quarter, we deferred settlement of a portion of our hedge portfolio until 2017 by entering into transactions that, excluding market movements from the date of inception, would provide approximately $300 million in cash receipts during the second half of 2016 and require approximately $300 million in cash payments in 2017. Free cash flow is adjusted to include the impact of these deferral transactions in order to allow investors to understand the net impact of hedging activities in the period shown. Three Months Ended (in millions) June 30, 2017 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 2,386 Net cash used in investing activities (978) Adjustments: Pension contribution 500 Hedge deferrals (68) Net purchases of short-term investments and other 14 Total free cash flow $ 1,854 Adjusted Net Debt. Delta uses adjusted total debt, including aircraft rent, in addition to long-term adjusted debt and capital leases, to present estimated financial obligations. Delta reduces adjusted debt by cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, and hedge margin receivable, resulting in adjusted net debt, to present the amount of assets needed to satisfy the debt. Management believes this metric is helpful to investors in assessing the company's overall debt profile. Management has reduced adjusted debt by the amount of hedge margin receivable, which reflects cash posted to counterparties, as we believe this removes the impact of current market volatility on our unsettled hedges and represents the continued progress we have made on our debt initiatives. (in millions) June 30, 2017 June 30, 2016 December 31, 2016 Debt and capital lease obligations $ 9,014 $ 7,804 $ 7,332 Plus: unamortized discount, net and debt issuance costs 108 112 104 Adjusted debt and capital lease obligations $ 9,122 $ 7,916 $ 7,436 Plus: 7x last twelve months' aircraft rent 2,265 1,834 1,995 Adjusted total debt 11,387 9,750 9,431 Less: cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments (2,988) (2,951) (3,249) Less: hedge margin receivable (22) (38) Adjusted net debt $ 8,399 $ 6,777 $ 6,144 SOURCE Delta Air Lines Related Links http://www.delta.com RICHMOND, Va., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) and Dominion Energy Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: DM), will host their second-quarter earnings conference call at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017. Management will discuss second-quarter financial results and other matters of interest to the financial community. Domestic callers should dial (877) 410-5657. International callers should dial (334) 323-9872. The passcode for the conference call is "Dominion." Participants should dial in 10 to 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Members of the media also are invited to listen. A live webcast of the conference call, including accompanying slides, and other financial information will be available on the investor information pages at www.dominionenergy.com/investors and www.dominionenergymidstream.com/investors. A replay of the conference call will be available beginning about 1 p.m. ET Aug. 2 and lasting until 11 p.m. ET Aug. 9. Domestic callers may access the recording by dialing (877) 919-4059. International callers should dial (334) 323-0140. The PIN for the replay is 89026239. Additionally, a replay of the webcast will be available on the investor information pages by the end of the day Aug. 2. About Dominion Energy Dominion Energy is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 26,200 megawatts of generation, 15,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,600 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion Energy operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 1 trillion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves more than 6 million utility and retail energy customers. For more information about Dominion Energy, visit the company's website at www.dominionenergy.com. About Dominion Energy Midstream Dominion Energy Midstream is a Delaware limited partnership formed by Dominion Energy, Inc., to grow a portfolio of natural gas terminaling, processing, storage, transportation and related assets. It is headquartered in Richmond, Va. For more information about Dominion Energy Midstream, visit its website at www.dominionenergymidstream.com. SOURCE Dominion Energy; Dominion Midstream Partners, LP NEW YORK, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Douglas Elliman Real Estate, the largest brokerage in the New York Metropolitan area and the fourth largest residential real estate company nationwide, today releases the second quarter 2017 Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties Market Report. The report reveals heavy sales volume with rising prices and a decrease in inventory across all three counties. "We've been seeing heavy sales volume in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties for the past two years, but now we are experiencing upward price pressure," said Scott Durkin, Elliman's Chief Operating Officer. "Westchester's single family properties have shown median price gains for two consecutive quarters and the county's single family luxury properties have also shown median price gains. We are seeing growing interest in the northern suburbs of New York City for both primary and second homes." "Conditions have clearly improved," added Jonathan Miller, author of the report. Putnam and Duchess Counties are consistently showing rising prices, high sales volume and falling inventory. I suspect this pattern will only continue as the Hudson Valley gains more attention as an affordable second home market." Highlights of the Douglas Elliman Q2 Market Reports: WESTCHESTER SALES MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Overview - Most second quarter sales recorded since 1982 - Lowest second quarter listing inventory 14 years - After two years of heavy sales, upward price pressure is evident for overall single family market - Luxury single family median sales price increased annually for 3rd consecutive quarter - Market remains tightest in the entry-level and softest at the top. - Fastest moving second quarter in at least 22 years Key Trend Metrics (compared to same year ago period) - Median sales price increased 1.6% to $500,000 - Average sales price rose 2.1% to $675,509 - Number of sales jumped 18.2% to 2,684 - Listing inventory dropped 13.9% to 4,431 - Days on market was 89 days, down from 92 days - Listing discount was 2.1%, down from 2.9% - Monthly absorption rate was 5, down from 6.9 By Property Type Single Family Market - Median sales price increased 4.6% to $670,000 - Number of sales rose 10.5% to 1,627 Condo Market - Median sales price increased 4.7% to $375,500 - Number of sales declined 4.1% to 354 Co-op Market - Median sales declined 0.8% to $161,000 - Number of sales surged 70% to 522 Multifamily (2-4) Family Market - Median sales price increased 7.6% to $455,000 - Number of sales fell 18.9% to 145 Luxury Market (upper 10% of all 1 family sales) - Median sales price increased 6.7% to $2,200,000 - The luxury price threshold rose 11.3% to $1,725,000 PUTNAM SALES MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Overview - Sales were the second highest second quarter total since 2006 - Largest annual price increase in more than 3 years - Faster marketing time with more negotiability Key Trend Metrics (compared to same year ago period) - Median sales price rose 9.6% to $328,750 - Number of sales slipped 1.1% to 266 - Listing inventory fell 23.7% to 635 - Days on market was 128 days, down 3.1% - Listing discount was 4.5%, up from 3.4% DUTCHESS SALES MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Overview - Most second quarter sales in at least 21 years - With the decline of inventory, the pace of the market accelerated - Continuation of faster marketing time with less negotiability Key Trend Metrics (compared to same year ago period) - Median sales price increased 1.4% to $265,000 - Number of sales jumped 31.3% to 323 - Listing inventory fell 10.9% to 778 - Days on market was 104 days, down 4.6% - Listing discount was 3.9%, down from 6% About Douglas Elliman Real Estate Established in 1911, Douglas Elliman Real Estate is the largest brokerage in the New York Metropolitan area and the fourth largest residential real estate company nationwide. With more than 6,500 agents, the company operates approximately 90 offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, Long Island, the Hamptons & North Fork, Westchester, Greenwich, South Florida, Colorado and Beverly Hills. Moreover, Douglas Elliman has a strategic global alliance with London-based Knight Frank Residential for business in the worldwide luxury markets spanning 59 countries and six continents. The company also controls a portfolio of real estate services including Douglas Elliman Development Marketing; Manhattan's largest residential property manager, Douglas Elliman Property Management with over 250 buildings; and DE Commercial. For more information on Douglas Elliman as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, please visit www.elliman.com. SOURCE Douglas Elliman Related Links http://www.elliman.com Studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans will be available, all appointed with high-end finishes and sophisticated accents that blend vintage inspiration with modern design to offer Tempe residents something truly unique. The Local's overall design blends exposed concrete and brick, distressed and rich wood tones, and living plant and art details to create a warm, authentic and welcoming vibe. The Local will feature such five-star amenities as: Resort-style, variable depth pools including a bubbling jet water table and hot tub Lushly landscaped pool courtyard with mister-equipped cabanas, covered grilling and dining areas, sunbathing decks, outdoor TV wall, and indoor/outdoor bar Sound-proof karaoke/music/entertainment lounge with views and access to the outdoor courtyard Expansive fitness studio equipped with the latest cardio, weight and circuit training equipment Separate yoga/barre/Zen studio with outdoor terrace Cantilevered, eighth floor game and clubroom space overlooking University Drive Intimate ninth floor rooftop sky lounge with dual-sided fireplace, catering prep kitchen, entertainment/lounge space and outdoor drink rail to capture the breathtaking views "We are so excited to bring this offering to Tempe," said David Clock, Development Manager at Forum Real Estate Group. "This project is the perfect fit for such a vibrant city, and we're honored to have a presence in this community. It's our goal that The Local and the Whole Foods Market 365 will become a true neighborhood destination." Whole Foods Market 365 stores focus on an affordable and convenient shopping destination. The design, technology and carefully curated product selection at Whole Foods Market 365 stores provides a streamlined and modern experience for customers, while still adhering to Whole Foods Market's industry-leading quality standards. Customers can look forward to unique in-store venues with the "Friends of 365" program and the free 365 Rewards program to save even more. "We are thrilled to announce that our region's first Whole Foods Market 365 in Arizona store will be located in Tempe," said Patrick Bradley, president, Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific Region. "Our 365 stores deliver the same quality that our customers have come to expect, but in a convenient and fun new format that provides exceptional value." "Our residents have been asking for a major grocery store in downtown Tempe for more than a decade and Whole Foods Market 365 is a perfect fit for The Local," said Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell. "This development will build on the great urban living experience Tempe has to offer and brings together urban living and needed amenities in our downtown, just steps away from vibrant Mill Avenue restaurants and bars, some of our biggest employers and recreation at Tempe Town Lake." At a groundbreaking ceremony, stakeholders, including Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell; Tempe City Council; and, representatives from Forum Real Estate Group, Whole Foods Market 365, and zoning attorneys for the project, Sender Associates, buried a time capsule that will be unearthed in 20 years containing a variety of local artifacts to commemorate the City's rich history. Many items for the time capsule were provided by the Tempe History Museum. Decorative shovels designed by local artists from the Art Resource Center were used to bury the time capsule and will later be displayed as an art installation within The Local. Sender Associates, a Tempe-based zoning law firm completed the entitlements for the project. The general contractor for the project is JE Dunn Construction. The architects are Humphreys & Partners Architects, and interior design was done by ESG Architects. Scheduled occupancy for The Local is the first quarter of 2019. Join in the conversation on social media with #TheLocalTempe. For more information, visit www.thelocaltempe.com. SOURCE Forum Real Estate Group TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - SQI Diagnostics Inc. ("SQI" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SQD; OTCQX: SQIDF), today announced that following a personal decision to return to the USA Dr. Jaymie Sawyer has resigned her full-time responsibilities as Vice President of R&D of the Company, effective 24 July 2017. SQI is excited to also announce that Dr. Sawyer has been engaged as a Scientific Advisor and will serve on SQI's Scientific Advisory Committee to provide on-going scientific expertise to the Company's research and development efforts. During her seven years as head of R&D, Dr. Sawyer has made valuable contributions to the Company's product development programs and has built a strong and expert team of scientists to continue executing the Company's product development strategy. The Company has launched a search for Dr. Sawyer's replacement and expects to fill the R&D leadership position in the coming weeks. "We want to thank Dr. Sawyer for the strong leadership she has shown in our R&D initiatives and we very much look forward to working closely with her in her new capacity" said Andrew Morris, CEO of SQI Diagnostics. About SQI Diagnostics SQI Diagnostics is a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops clinical grade multiplexed microarray and molecular assays run on its automated instrumentation for the pharmaceutical research, animal health, and clinical diagnostics markets. SQI develops custom research and diagnostic assays that are multiplexed; meaning the simplification, consolidation and automation of many individual tests into one. This increases sample throughput, reduces time, cost and chance for human error, and provides excellent data quality. For more information, please visit sqidiagnostics.com. Investor Relations Contacts: Chief Executive Officer Vice President, Finance and Administration Andrew Morris Patricia Lie 416.674.9500 ext. 229 416.674.9500 ext. 277 [email protected] [email protected] Forward-looking Statements This press release contains certain statements including, without limitation, the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "believe", "in the process", "benefits", "leading to", "position" "possible", "is subject to" and other similar expressions which may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: our ability to market and sell our products including our novel multiplexing technologies and detection platforms; our ability to maintain any technical or product advantages; the success of our Diagnostic Tools and Services business and our intent to build near-term revenue streams from this business; the successful regulatory filing and receipt of regulatory approvals for our later stage quantitative diagnostic consumable kits; adverse changes in general economic conditions; international risk and currency exchange fluctuations; competitor activity; technology changes; regulatory approvals and the impact of healthcare reform legislation; and, SQI's ability to raise additional funds in the future. Such statements, risks and uncertainties are detailed in the Company's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, and are available to the public at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE SQI Diagnostics Inc. Related Links www.sqidiagnostics.com SAN JOSE, Calif. and TEL AVIV, Israel, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Excelero, a disruptor in software-defined block storage, today announced the addition of Kirill Shoikhet to its team as Chief Architect. Among Kirill's responsibilities will be defining the architectural roadmap that will further develop Excelero's innovative and disruptive software defined block storage technology. Drawing on 20 years' experience in software, algorithms and architecture, Kirill will work closely with Excelero's technical and product leadership to define future product strategy and design a comprehensive and complete set of next generation NVMe storage services to meet the needs of the company's customers. Click to Tweet: @ExceleroStorage adds @DellEMCXtremio engineering top gun as chief architect #NVMe http://bit.ly/2ufm40q Prior to his move to Excelero Kirill spent seven years at XtremIO, an all-flash array specialist acquired by EMC in 2012. Over the past two and a half years Kirill headed up the team developing the next generation of XtremIO's architecture as well as other projects. In recognition of the results he achieved, Kirill was awarded the prestigious title of Distinguished Engineer. Of his motivation to join Excelero, he explains "Excelero has a very innovative approach to software-defined storage and how to make composable infrastructure possible. Excelero's NVMesh truly unleashes the full potential NVMe brings to storage. Organizations need solutions that are developed from the ground up to address current challenges. An existing product that's undergone a few tweaks just won't cut it. Innovation is key and Excelero is leading the way." Excelero's innovative NVMesh is a software-defined block storage solution that enables true converged infrastructures by logically disaggregating storage from compute. Customers are able to design server SAN infrastructures for the most demanding enterprise and cloud-scale applications, leveraging standard servers and multiple tiers of flash. Working closely with the technical and product leadership, Kirill will continue to develop this product and its future roadmap. On Kirill's appointment, Yaniv Romem, CTO said: "We are very proud that Kirill shares our vision and will be joining our team. The fact that we are attracting top technologists and forward thinkers like Kirill from major storage companies such as EMC is hugely significant. It confirms the relevance of our technology and demonstrates confidence in the product we are building." About Excelero Excelero enables enterprises and service providers to design scale-out storage infrastructures leveraging standard servers and high-performance flash storage. Founded in 2014 by a team of storage veterans and inspired by the tech giants' shared-nothing architectures for web-scale applications, the company has designed a software-defined block storage solution that meets performance and scalability requirements of the largest web-scale and enterprise applications. With Excelero's NVMesh, customers can build distributed, high-performance server SAN for mixed application workloads. Customers benefit from the performance of local flash, with the convenience of centralized storage while avoiding proprietary hardware lock-in and reducing the overall storage TCO. The solution has been deployed for hyper-scale Industrial IoT services, machine learning applications and massive-scale simulation visualization. Follow us on Twitter @Excelerostorage and visit us at www.excelero.com to learn more. SOURCE Excelero Related Links http://www.excelero.com Verizon, which you might remember from sending you cellphone bills or from being sued by the city of New York for failing to install citywide FIOS cable by the end of 2014, is in hot water after millions of customer records were exposed by a third party vendor the telecom giant worked with. Cybersecurity firm UpGuard first called attention to the exposed data, charging that up to 14 million customer records (including things like names, phone numbers and addresses) were carelessly exposed by a vendor who didn't secure the data. Verizon has disputed this number; according to a company spokesperson there were 6 million records in the data. According to UpGuard's report on the matter, the Verizon data was stored by NICE Systems, a company that provides technology to run call centers efficiently but also has a "history of supplying technology for use in intrusive, state-sponsored surveillance." The Verizon data that NICE had access to was stored on a publicly-accessible server, and could be downloaded by anyone who came across the page either on purpose or accidentally. The files that UpGuard reviewed contained records like customer names, phone numbers and addresses, and most disturbingly in some cases, unmasked PIN numbers, which can be used to impersonate customers and change their account settings. In one text file alone, six thousand PIN numbers were left unmasked. UpGuard also claims that they contacted Verizon about the data breach on June 13th, but that the customer records remained publicly available until June 22nd. A "senior Verizon employee" told ZDNet that "the company was unaware that the data was being exfiltrated or exported, and Verizon had no control over the server." However, UpGuard suggests that the excuse that this was the fault of a third party rings hollow, since Verizon customers may not have even known a third-party vendor had access to their data and "any breaches of data on the vendors side will affect customers as badly and cost the business stakeholders as dearly as if it had been leaked by the enterprise." David Samberg, a spokesperson for Verizon, told Gothamist that the company has "been able to confirm that the only access to the cloud storage area by a person other than Verizon or its vendor was a researcher who brought this issue to our attention. In other words, there has been no loss or theft of Verizon or Verizon customer information." Samberg declined to go into detail about how that determination was reached because the company does not reveal details of their investigations. HOUSTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- alliantgroup, a leading tax consultancy in the area of government-sponsored credits and incentives, announced today the addition of former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns as the firm's new Chairman of Agriculture. A former Governor and U.S. Senator for Nebraska, Johanns brings more than 30 years of experience in government and a strong background in both agriculture and economic development. In his new position, Johanns will play a key role in guiding the firm's outreach on various tax credits and incentives available for the benefit of the agricultural industry. With his lifetime of public service and extensive network within the sector, Johanns will be alliantgroup's main advisor for the industry and support the firm's growing team of agricultural professionals. In addition to helping build alliantgroup's agricultural practice, Johanns will be a resource to the firm's clients, CPA partners and industry alliances by providing insight on the inner workings of Washington and updates on potential policy changes and their anticipated impact on American businesses. "My new role with alliantgroup has given me the chance to bring real economic opportunity back to rural America," said Johanns. "During my years of public service, I was committed to supporting small and mid-sized businesses and alliantgroup's mission falls perfectly in line with that commitment. Having grown up on a farm in Iowa, agriculture is a personal passion of mine, and I'm eager to help this industry grow and stay competitive in the global market. I look forward to helping alliantgroup educate companies on the powerful business incentives available." "Throughout his time in the executive branch and as the governor and senator of a largely rural state, Secretary Johanns has built lasting relationships within the agricultural community," said Shane Frank, alliantgroup COO. "No one understands the changes and challenges facing this industry better than Secretary Johanns." As the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005-2007, Johanns managed 18 different agencies that comprised a staff of 90,000 employees worldwide and a budget of $93 billion. During his tenure, Johanns opened or expanded access to 40 international markets and was responsible for multiple agricultural breakthroughs as a negotiator for the Doha Development Round. "I am so honored that Secretary Johanns has joined our firm," said Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO. "Secretary Johanns is recognized as a premier leader in agriculture and economic development, having led both large and complex government agencies. This experience will be invaluable as we educate agricultural companies and co-ops on government-sponsored tax incentives and the immense value they can bring back to this sector of the economy. By joining our firm, Secretary Johanns has further elevated alliantgroup as a leader in tax expertise." Johanns was also the Governor of Nebraska from 1999-2005 and was one of the state's United States Senators from 2009-2015. His bipartisan approach and willingness to reach across the aisle earned him the respect of colleagues and constituents, producing numerous legislative achievements to benefit agriculture. In addition to this role with alliantgroup, Johanns currently serves on the Board of Directors for Deere & Co. and on the Board of Managers for Burlington Capital and OSI Group. In 2016, he was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve a term on the Millennium Challenge Corporation Board. alliantgroup is a premier specialty tax services consultancy that assists U.S. businesses and their CPA firms in identifying and properly claiming all available federal and state tax incentives. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, and with offices in New York, Chicago, Boston, Sacramento, Orange County, Indianapolis, Orlando and Washington, D.C., alliantgroup has helped agricultural-based businesses claim over $500 million in tax incentives. In total, the firm has helped over 20,000 American companies claim over $5 billion in government-sponsored credits, incentives and deductions. For more information, please follow alliantgroup on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE alliantgroup Related Links https://www.alliantgroup.com The most popular time to post in r/GameOfThrones is 1pm EST on Wednesdays . . There is a direct correlation as to whether a character is underrated or overrated based on the screen time he/she receives, and the action they're undertaking in that time. House Frey narrowly beats the houses of Greyjoy and Arryn to round out the top-five most discussed houses on r/GameOfThrones. "The great thing about social data is that it allows you to not only interpret what people are saying on social, but the thoughts and feelings that fuel their posts," said Dr. Ney. "Game of Thrones is the perfect subject to examine through social data, and with its massive universe and character roster, people have a lot of topics to cover online." The data reveals that popular characters, like Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, dominate conversation of the show, but it also divulged that many unsung characters get their time in the social spotlight when fans discuss and dissect aspects of the show on Reddit. You can discover all of the Reddit data insights in our in-depth blog here. For more information on Brandwatch social intelligence, contact [email protected]. In our most recent customer survey, 95% of respondents disclosed that they think Brandwatch technology is superior to their last social intelligence platform. Discover how you can do more with your business data. About Brandwatch Brandwatch is the world's leading social intelligence company. The company's flagship products, Brandwatch Analytics and the Vizia platform, fuel smarter decision making around the world. The Brandwatch Analytics platform gathers millions of online conversations every day and provides users with the tools to analyze them, empowering the world's most admired brands and agencies to make insightful, data-driven business decisions. The Vizia platform distributes visually-engaging insights to the physical places where the action happens. The Brandwatch platform is used by over 1,300 brands and agencies, including Unilever, American Airlines, Whirlpool, Asos, Walmart, British Airways, and Dell. Brandwatch continues on its impressive business trajectory, recently named a global leader in enterprise social listening platforms by the latest reports from several independent research firms. Increasing its worldwide presence, the company has offices around the world including Brighton, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Stuttgart, Paris and Singapore. Brandwatch. Now You Know. www.brandwatch.com |@Brandwatch |press office |contact About Dr. Jillian Ney Dr. Jillian Ney is a Digital Behavioral Scientist. She uses social data to understand how people make decisions, giving her clients the insight they need to nudge their customer behavior. Contact: Kellan Terry, [email protected], 347-474-3075 SOURCE Brandwatch Related Links http://www.brandwatch.com TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Golden Star Resources (NYSE MKT: GSS; TSX: GSC; GSE: GSR) ("Golden Star" or the "Company") will be releasing its results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 after market close on August 1, 2017. The Company will conduct a conference call and webcast to discuss these results on August 2, 2017 at 10:00 am ET. The access details are as follows: Toll Free (North America): +1 866 393 4306 Toronto Local and International: +1 734 385 2616 Conference ID: 53427025 Webcast: www.gsr.com A recording and webcast replay of the call will be available at www.gsr.com following the call. Company Profile: Golden Star is an established gold mining company that owns and operates the Wassa and Prestea mines situated on the prolific Ashanti Gold Belt in Ghana, West Africa. Listed on the NYSE MKT, the TSX, and the GSE, Golden Star is strategically focused on increasing operating margins and cash flow through the development of its two high grade, low cost underground mines both in conjunction with existing open pit operations. The Wassa Underground Gold Mine commenced commercial production in January 2017 and the Prestea Underground Gold Mine is expected to achieve commercial production in the third quarter of 2017. Gold production in 2017 is expected to be 255,000-280,000 ounces with cash operating costs of US$780-860 per ounce. SOURCE Golden Star Resources Ltd. Related Links www.gsr.com CHICAGO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based Golub & Company, an international real estate investment and development firm, announced the acquisition today of 300 South Wacker, a 36-floor, class A office building, in a partnership with Boston-based real estate private equity firm Alcion Ventures. The new owners plan to expand on a 2014 renovation of the building with a focus on tenant experience and amenities. "This area of South Wacker is poised for continuing high demand with the Union Station and Old Main Post Office redevelopments driving the neighborhood's transformation," said Michael Newman, CEO of Golub & Company. "Our renovation of 300 South Wacker will spotlight its attractive location and deliver the amenities and design today's workforce is seeking." A team from Golub, led by Adam Short and Ania Najder, along with Alcion Ventures negotiated the transaction. The seller, Beacon Partners, was represented by JLL. JLL's Managing Director Keith Largay also arranged financing for the deal through Deutsche Bank on behalf of the purchaser. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "This acquisition continues our strategy of investing in well-located value-added opportunities," said Mark Potter, Co-Founder and Partner of Alcion Ventures. "We're eager to bring a revitalized office option to Chicago businesses in this re-emergent area of the CBD." The 536,000-square-foot property, originally built in 1971, boasts unobstructed 360-degree views of downtown Chicago and is located directly on the Chicago River. The building also features smaller footplates of 16,000 square feet, allowing small to mid-size companies to occupy full floors. Other amenities include 24/7 staffed security, a 17-car executive parking facility, a new destination dispatch elevator system, and a fitness center. Planned updates will focus on the lobby, indoor and outdoor common areas, and a new tenant amenity lounge. "The office market in Chicago's central business district continues to be one of the strongest in the country, with limited opportunities to buy significant space along the coveted Wacker Drive corridor and extremely strong tenant demand," said JLL International Director Bruce Miller. "Our purchaser recognized the strength of the Chicago market and had confidence this strength will continue for years to come." About Alcion Ventures Founded in 2004, Alcion Ventures is a real estate investment manager with extensive experience of generating risk-adjusted returns for institutional investors through the active repositioning of assets across property types. Alcion's senior team have worked together for almost two decades resulting in a disciplined, thesis-driven investment strategy that leverages a deep network of relationships and targets seven major North American cities. Based in Boston, Alcion invests on behalf of major U.S. and international institutional investors including public and private pensions, endowment and foundations and high net worth individuals. For more information, please visit www.alcionventures.com. About Golub & Company LLC Since its founding more than 55 years ago, with three generations of professionals working in the business, Golub & Company has built a strong reputation as a trusted co-investor and developer with its many institutional and private capital partners. It's a reputation based on track record; Golub and its affiliates have owned, leased or managed more than 50 million square feet of commercial, mixed-use and multifamily real estate properties, including 45,000 residential units, valued in excess of $10 billion located across the United States and internationally. Access more information by visiting www.golubandcompany.com. Media Contacts: Patricia Agos [email protected] 773-758-5044 SOURCE Golub & Company LLC Related Links http://www.golubandcompany.com BOISE, Idaho, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodWell announced today that 1% for the Planet has successfully achieved GoodWell certification for fair, equitable, and humane workplace practices. 1% for the Planet is the first nonprofit, member organization to achieve GoodWell certification. 1% for the Planet is a global member network with thousands of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals who contribute 1% of their annual sales or income to environmental causes. Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet members have contributed more than $150 million to environmental nonprofits in 40 countries across the world. "The 1% for the Planet mission is focused on building a global movement for a healthier planet, and we believe that how we do this work matters," said Kate Williams, 1% for the Planet CEO. "Certifying with GoodWell gave us an objective way to understand and assess our organization's personnel practice and ecosystem. It was a simple process that yielded lots to celebrate and lots to learn - just like our broader work in the world." GoodWell founder Pete Gombert said he's seeing heightened interest in GoodWell certification from a broad group of entities comprising businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities. "Employers are looking for a valid way beyond lip service to demonstrate they are positive, empowering places to work," said Gombert. "GoodWell certification provides this in a quantifiable, transparent way and helps turn workplaces into a powerful advantage for attracting and retaining talented employees." GoodWell's certification uses 11 metrics to determine if an organization is healthy and sustainable. The process gives leaders an objective view of their practices as an employer and demonstrates their organization's values to employees and the broader community. About GoodWell GoodWell, a public benefit corporation headquartered in Boise, Idaho, is an independent performance standard that strengthens employee satisfaction by certifying fair, equitable, and humane workplace practices. GoodWell's certified organizations range from small businesses to global nonprofits and large municipalities. Its 100% metrics-based certification system provides actionable management insights and a framework for benchmarking and improvement. These human metrics are designed to work for any employer regardless of size, industry, geography or organizational structure. For more information about becoming certified, visit goodwellworld.com. Contact: Max Stein 215-932-9882 [email protected] SOURCE GoodWell Related Links http://www.goodwellworld.com HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- High level representatives of governments, the finance sector, the (re)insurance industry and other sectors will consider specific risks posed by changes in the world's oceans caused by climate change and other man-made impacts at a first-of-its-kind conference to be hosted in Bermuda in May 2018. The Ocean Risk Summit will focus on how governments and the business sector should respond to the risks of existing and projected changes in the ocean which until recently have been poorly understood. The summit is being sponsored by insurance and reinsurance group XL Catlin along with other scientific and Bermuda based partners. These include the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Ocean Unite, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Bermuda Business Development Agency and the Bermuda Tourism Authority*. The planned summit comes in the midst of rising concern from global governments and businesses about the threats related to changes in the oceans. Last month saw the first-ever United Nations Ocean Conference in New York to discuss the implementation of an ocean-specific sustainable development goal. The upcoming COP23 climate change negotiations are expected to focus more than ever on ocean issues. The summit will showcase the latest research on the complex and often interrelated changes taking place in the ocean and their potential impacts. For example, ocean temperature increases caused by climate change are leading to rising sea levels and an increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones, thus escalating the impacts of storm surges, coastal flooding, inundation and erosion. One recent estimate suggests that the expected cost of hurricane damage to Miami alone is set to increase from USD 255 billion in 2020 to USD 3.5 trillion in 2050[1]. Other ocean related risks to be considered include the geopolitical and economic impacts of Arctic sea ice loss, threats to regional food security from overfishing and pollution, as well as the human cost of the spread of tropical diseases from water borne viruses. The summit will provide expert data and analysis to help businesses and governments identify their potential exposure to these and other ocean risks. XL Catlin's CEO Mike McGavick said: "The insurance industry should be at the forefront of helping economies prepare for the consequences of climate change. Ocean risk means looking at all the ocean-driven implications not just the societal and environmental - but the geopolitical, legal, economic and regulatory perspectives too. We have a responsibility as an industry to drive understanding of how to increase resilience, but also to help those communities that are severely underinsured and less able to adapt to ocean specific risks." XL Catlin has played a leading role in pushing for greater understanding of our oceans, supporting the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences as well as sponsoring independent scientific research into key indicators of change including extensive work on coral reefs and Arctic sea ice loss**. It has most recently partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to develop scientific analyses of climate-related problems such as ocean warming. Carl Gustaf Lundin, Director of the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme, welcomed the planned summit as timely. He said: As IUCN's analysis makes clear, ocean warming is possibly the greatest hidden challenge of our generation. Whilst coastal and marine communities bear the brunt of ocean warming, overfishing and marine pollution, the consequences go well beyond that and can only be expected to worsen. It is crucial that we use the latest science and work with industry and governments to help increase our resilience in the face of these looming changes." Bermuda's Minister of the Environment, The Hon. Sylvan Richards JP MP said: "Bermuda is already a hub for both marine science and the insurance industry. Our history and geography is inextricably tied to the ocean, and as an island we need to be aware of our vulnerabilities. We face the prospect of rising sea levels and a likely increase in tropical cyclone intensity. Our healthy coral reefs are hugely important for both fish stocks and our protection against storms. We need to understand our exposures and act accordingly". The Ocean Risk Summit will take place in Bermuda on the 9-11th May 2018. For information on attendance at the summit and to register interest, go to OceanRiskSummit.com Notes to Editors * Ocean Risk Summit Partners About XL Catlin XL Catlin, presenting partner of the Ocean Risk Summit, is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd's (NYSE:XL) insurance and reinsurance companies which provide property, casualty, professional and specialty products to industrial, commercial and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises throughout the world. Clients look to XL Catlin for answers to their most complex risks and to help move their world forward. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com . **XL Catlin sponsors impartial ocean science research and promotes its free distribution to the world's scientific community. Alongside its long running support of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, it has investigated the impacts of changes to the Arctic Ocean (2009-2011), created the first freely available digital baseline of coral reef health with the XL Catlin Seaview Survey (2012-2016) and helped to develop a standardized framework for assessing deep ocean habitats through the XL Catlin Deep Ocean Survey (2016). XL Catlin is also part of the insurance industry's ClimateWise initiative aimed at addressing the so-called climate-risk protection gap. This is the growing gap between the costs of climate-related natural disasters and the amount insured, currently estimated at $100 billion annually. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) www.iucn.org IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together. Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world's largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of 1,300 Member organisations and some 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards. IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development. Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people's well-being. https://twitter.com/IUCN Ocean Unite http://www.oceanunite.org/ Ocean Unite is a one of four Global Leadership Initiatives being incubated by Virgin Unite, the Foundation of the Branson Family and Virgin. Its goal is to unite and amplify impactful voices to secure a healthy and vital ocean. Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences www.bios.edu The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is an independent U.S. non-profit scientific research and educational organization based in Bermuda. For over 100 years BIOS-based researchers and visiting scientists have worked to explore the ocean and address important local and global environmental issues. Research at BIOS spans the branches of oceanography--biological, chemical, physical, and geological--and includes work in the related disciplines of environmental science, resource monitoring and conservation, atmospheric science, and risk prediction. Bermuda Business Development Agency www.bda.bm The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) is an independent, public-private unit that works to empower the island's economy. It promotes inward investment, enhances the jurisdiction's reputation, and supports Bermuda-based global businesses to retain and create jobs. Bermuda Tourism Authority www.gotobermuda.com The Bermuda Tourism Authority is an independently managed, government-funded organisation that promotes Bermuda globally as a world-class destination for leisure and group travel and tourism investment. [1]Repetto, Robert. "Economic and environmental impacts of climate change in Florida." Demos, New York (2012): 10. For media enquiries please contact: Patrica Roy: Phone +34 696 905 907 Email: [email protected] For insurance industry enquiries please contact: Carol Parker-Trott: Phone +1 441 294-7290 Email: [email protected] SOURCE XL Catlin Related Links http://www.xlcatlin.com LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Data-driven Solutions and Co-development are Key Growth Drivers The Western European Oncology Diagnostics Market, Forecast to 2021 study presents an overview of the oncology diagnostics market landscape in the Western European countries, with a focus on EU 5. The analysis provides forecasts for the EU 5 markets, segmented by types of cancer, which include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5001057/ The oncology diagnostics market is experiencing consolidation between the major pharma and diagnostic participants who are collaborating to devise and implement disruptive technologies for cancer diagnosis. The research focuses on highlighting some of the major trends occurring in the market alongside these strategic partnerships. Furthermore, emphasis is on the key challenges in the European market in terms of regulations pertaining to companion diagnostics for cancer detection and monitoring. The deliverable outlines some of the major drivers and restraints, impact analysis of major growth opportunities, as well as market engineering measurements. With early detection being a key imperative in oncology diagnosis, the study highlights some of the major technology trends in the market with the application of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data as well as Liquid Biopsy and Next Generation Sequencing, which are expected to reduce the turnaround time for cancer detection, thus speeding up the treatment uptake. Emphasis is given to the emerging biomarkers across the types of cancer, which are expected to aid in faster and easier diagnosis of the disease. Furthermore, analysis is provided for the key participants that are working towards devising new solutions which help to detect these biomarkers, thereby supporting accurate detection and monitoring. In addition to the key participants across the market, new market entrants by different cancer types have been profiled. Some of the key questions answered by the study include: How is the market attractiveness for oncology diagnostics building up over the years? What is the future market potential? How is the adoption of technology affecting the European oncology diagnostic market? Which are the disruptions affecting the value chain equilibrium? How are the new technology trends impacting service providers? How is the changing economic scenario affecting the regional market? Which are the most opportune markets in Europe? What is the application of companion diagnostics on the overall market? How is it expected to impact the market over the next few years? Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5001057/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com BIRMINGHAM, Ala. and SEWICKLEY, Pa., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE: HLS) and Heritage Valley Health System today announced they have entered into an agreement to jointly own HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley, an existing 44-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital owned by a subsidiary of HealthSouth. Upon the formation of the joint venture, Heritage Valley Health System will contribute its inpatient rehabilitation business at Heritage Valley Beaver Hospital to the joint venture. The HealthSouth Sewickley hospital will remain in its current location at 303 Camp Meeting Road in Sewickley, Pennsylvania; however, construction on a new 55-bed, replacement hospital is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2017. The replacement hospital will be located on the existing HealthSouth Sewickley campus and has an anticipated opening of the first quarter of 2019. Once the replacement hospital is operational, Heritage Valley Health System will contribute its inpatient rehabilitation business at Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital to the joint venture. "We are excited about our joint venture with Heritage Valley Health System and will work collaboratively to continue providing high-quality rehabilitative services to Sewickley, Beaver and surrounding communities," said Peter Mantegazza, president of HealthSouth's northeast region. "This joint venture will allow HealthSouth Sewickley to carry on its well-known and respected legacy as a premier provider of comprehensive medical rehabilitation services long into the future." "In these ever changing and ever challenging healthcare times, Heritage Valley Health System is pleased to enter into this joint venture with HealthSouth," said Norm Mitry, president and CEO of Heritage Valley Health System. "This type of creative relationship with an organization such as HealthSouth, who has an excellent clinical reputation, enables Heritage Valley Health System to continue to provide high quality, cost effective rehabilitation services to all people in the communities that we serve." The formation of the joint venture is subject to customary closing conditions, and the joint venture's operation of the new replacement hospital is subject to regulatory approvals. The new hospital represents an approximately $28 million investment in the community and provides up to 140 full-time jobs. HealthSouth Sewickley will continue to serve patients who have experienced stroke, trauma, brain and orthopedic injuries and other major illnesses or injuries through comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative services. About Heritage Valley Health System Heritage Valley Health System is a $480 million integrated delivery network providing comprehensive health care for residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in Pennsylvania; eastern Ohio; and the panhandle of West Virginia. In partnership with 3,500 employees and more than 450 physicians, Heritage Valley offers a broad range of medical, surgical and diagnostic services at its two hospitals, Heritage Valley Sewickley and Heritage Valley Beaver; in 60 physician offices; and 18 community satellite facilities. For more information about Heritage Valley Health System, please visit www.heritagevalley.org. 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 those relating to the likelihood, timing and effects of the finalization of this joint venture project, are forward-looking statements. In addition, HealthSouth 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 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. HealthSouth's actual results or events 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 results or events to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the regulatory review and approval process; any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings that may be brought by or against HealthSouth or this joint venture; the possibility this project will experience unexpected delays; the ability to successfully complete and integrate this project consistent with HealthSouth's growth strategy, including realization of anticipated revenues, cost savings, and productivity improvements arising from the related operations and avoidance of unforeseen exposure to liabilities; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry at either or both of the federal and state levels; competitive pressures in the healthcare industry and HealthSouth's or this joint venture's response thereto; this joint venture's ability to maintain proper local, state and federal licensing; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of the hospitals' or either partner's information systems; the ability to attract and retain nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals in a highly competitive environment with often severe staffing shortages and the impact on labor expenses from potential union activity and staffing shortages; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for 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 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. HealthSouth Contacts: Media: Casey Lassiter, 205 447-6410, [email protected] Investor Relations: Crissy Carlisle, 205 970-5860, [email protected] Heritage Valley Health System Contact: Media: Suzanne Sakson, 412 749-7454, [email protected] SOURCE HealthSouth Corporation Related Links http://www.healthsouth.com LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Report Details Visiongain's new 191 pages report assesses that the Heat Resistant Coating market will reach $5.13 billion in 2017. Are you involved in heat resistant coating or need to understand its market dynamics? If so, then you must read this report Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4781964/ It's vital that you keep your knowledge up to date. You need this report. Market scope: This brand new report from visiongain is a completely fresh market assessment of the Heat Resistant Coating market based upon the latest information. Our new market study contains forecasts, original analysis, company profiles and, most crucially, fresh conclusions. The report gives detailed forecasts and analysis of the Heat Resistant Coating markets by region and end-use sectors. Heat Resistant Coating Market Forecast 2017-2027 report responds to your need for definitive market data: - Where are the Heat Resistant Coating market opportunities? - 163 tables, charts, and graphs reveal market data allowing you to target your strategy more effectively - When will the Heat Resistant Coating market grow? - Global, national and the Heat Resistant Coating submarket forecasts and analysis from 2017-2027 illustrate the market progression - Which Heat Resistant Coating submarkets will flourish from 2017-2027? - Liquid Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Powder Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Silicone Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Epoxy Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Acrylic Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Polyester Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Modified Resin Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Other Resin Type Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Automotive Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Industrial Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Consumer Goods Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Building & Construction Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Others Submarket Forecast 2017-2027 - Where are the regional Heat Resistant Coating market opportunities from 2017-2027? Focused regional forecasts and analysis explore the future opportunities - Asia-Pacific forecast 2017-2027 - North America forecast 2017-2027 - Europe forecast 2017-2027 - Latin America forecast 2017-2027 - The Middle East & Africa forecast 2017-2027 - China forecast 2017-2027 - Japan forecast 2017-2027 - India forecast 2017-2027 - South Korea forecast 2017-2027 - Thailand forecast 2017-2027 - Indonesia forecast 2017-2027 - Australia forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of APAC forecast 2017-2027 - U.S. forecast 2017-2027 - Canada forecast 2017-2027 - Mexico forecast 2017-2027 - Germany forecast 2017-2027 - Russia forecast 2017-2027 - U.K. forecast 2017-2027 - France forecast 2017-2027 - Italy forecast 2017-2027 - Turkey forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Europe forecast 2017-2027 - Brazil forecast 2017-2027 - Argentina forecast 2017-2027 - Chile forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Latin America forecast 2017-2027 - Iran forecast 2017-2027 - Saudi Arabia forecast 2017-2027 - Africa forecast 2017-2027 - Rest of Middle East forecast 2017-2027 What are the factors influencing Heat Resistant Coating market dynamics? - SWOT analysis explores the factors. - Research and development (R&D) strategy - Supply and demand dynamics - Advances in product quality Who are the leading 10 Heat Resistant Coating companies? - We reveal market share, positioning, capabilities, product portfolios, R&D activity, services, focus, strategies, M&A activity, and future outlook. - AkzoNobel - Axalta Coating Systems - Hempel - Jotun A/S - PPG Industries, Inc. - The Sherwin-Williams Company - Kansai Paint Co. - RPM International - Tikkurila OYJ - KCC Corporation Who should read this report? - Anyone within the Heat Resistant Coating value chain, including - Automotive - Industrial - Consumer Goods - Building & Construction - Raw material suppliers - R&D specialists - CEO's - COO's - CIO's - Business development managers - Marketing managers - Technologists - Investors - Banks - Government agencies - Contractors Get our report today Heat Resistant Coating Market 2017-2027: Forecast By Form (Liquid & Powder), By Resin Type (Silicone, Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyester, Modified Resin), By End-Use Industry (Automotive, Industrial, Consumer Goods, Building & Construction) & By Region Plus Profiles of Top Companies. Avoid missing out order our report now. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4781964/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com Police are searching for a man who urinated on a woman's face on a J train early this morning. According to investigators, the incident occurred around 2:00 a.m., as the 27-year-old woman was passing the 75th Street-Elderts Lane station in Jamaica on a Brooklyn-bound J train. "She was listening to music with her eyes closed when she felt something wet hitting her," a police spokesperson told Gothamist. "She opens her eyes and realizes that a male is urinating on her." The victim told the man to stop, and the man fled the train at the Cypress Hills station, according to police. The suspect is described as a 5 feet, 3 inches tall, wearing a red shirt and black pants. The woman reported the crime to NYPD transit police, and was not hospitalized, police said. We'll update as more information about the suspect becomes available. Hillphoenix CO 2 Second Nature systems with ejector refrigeration technology are some of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration systems available in the market today. In warmer climates, like Georgia, an ejector system combined with parallel compression technology can boost efficiencies and yield substantial savings. According to Jeff Newel, director of refrigeration systems R&D for Hillphoenix, ejector technology combined with parallel compression can yield significant savings in warm ambient areas like Georgia in the southern United States. "Lab testing conducted in our Conyers, Georgia lab revealed that while parallel compression alone increased the peak energy efficiency of a standard booster system by 8%, using a Danfoss ejector configured as a gas ejector with parallel compression in the same test system increased peak savings to 11.3% when operated under non-optimized conditions. When the system has been optimized as revealed in tests carried out by our Advansor operation in Europe, savings for parallel compression alone and parallel compression combined with gas ejector technology can achieve peak energy reductions of 15% and 23% respectively. As they have consistently demonstrated over the last several years, Sprouts continues its commitment to responsible retailing and showing that there are viable options that are available for others who are searching for a more sustainable, energy-efficient refrigeration systems. About Hillphoenix Hill PHOENIX Inc., a Dover Company, is based in Conyers, Georgia. The company designs and manufactures commercial refrigerated display cases and specialty products along with commercial and industrial refrigeration systems and integrated power distribution systems. Training, design, energy and aftermarket services are available through the Hillphoenix Learning and Design Centers and The AMS Group. Our mission is to provide fresh, innovative solutions that help our customers stay relevant and competitively differentiated. Our vision inspires us to deliver creative, flexible and responsible innovations in food retail refrigeration. Visit www.hillphoenix.com or call 800-283-1109 for more information. About Sprouts Sprouts Farmers Market is a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices. Sprouts offers a complete shopping experience that includes fresh produce, meat and seafood, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, deli, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items catering to consumers' growing interest in health and wellness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Sprouts employs more than 25,000 team members and operates more than 260 stores in 15 states from coast-to-coast. For more information, visit sprouts.com or @sproutsfm on Twitter. SOURCE Hillphoenix Related Links http://www.hillphoenix.com ALISO VIEJO, Calif., July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Verismic, the maker of Cloud Management Suite and a global leader in cloud-based IT management technology, has released alerts following Microsoft's Patch Tuesday security updates. A breach, including biometric data and human errors in IT security are highlighted. On July 4, payment kiosk vendor Avanti Markets experienced a security breach. According to investigator Brian Krebs, the company systems were infected by malware that stole customer data including names, e-mail addresses, credit card accounts and biometric data. Robert Brown, Director of Services at Verismic said, "This is evidence of the diversity used by attackers to collect company and personal data. Any device with an operating system and software needs to be updated for compliance. Devices with outdated software or missing operating system updates are easier to exploit and can expose millions of personal details including credit card information." Employees are hiding IT security incidents in 40 percent of businesses, according to a report from Kaspersky Lab and B2B International, "Human Factor in IT Security: How Employees are Making Businesses Vulnerable from Within." With 46 percent of IT security incidents caused by employees each year, this vulnerability must be addressed beyond the IT security department. Uninformed employees are a top cause for cybersecurity incidents second only to malware. While malware becomes more sophisticated, the human factor can be a greater threat. Since many current attacks are utilizing known vulnerabilities, always deploy the latest security updates. Industry experts believe that deploying the oldest missing updates can reduce the risk of exposure by 20 to 30 percent. "Our customers must know what operating system updates are missing and what software needs to be updated," says Brown. "Cloud Management Suite proactively identifies the highest severity missing updates for Microsoft, Linux and third-party software. It's simple to schedule with no visible end user disruption and easy to protect your environment." For more information, please visit: https://www.cloudmanagementsuite.com/july-patch-tuesday-2017/ Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12651917 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Verismic CHICAGO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ipsos' latest survey of all Americans finds the (relevant) public almost equally divided in their support for Jon Snow (26%) and Daenerys Targaryen (24%). The two favored candidates are trailed by Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister at 14%, Sansa Stark at 8%, and Jaime "The Kingslayer" Lannister at 6%. Trailing even further behind her brother (with benefits!) is incumbent Cersei Lannister who ascended the throne amidst some controversy following the unexpected deaths of most of King's Landing. C. Lannister is tied in the poll with Peter "Littlefinger" Baelish who has to date not formally confirmed his candidacy. Trailing the list is little-known Euron Greyjoy (1%), who may fare better in future polls as his public awareness ratings improve. Looking at the crossbreaks, we find differential support by gender between Snow and Targaryen. Experts hypothesize that Daenerys' recent retort to an episode of extreme "mansplaining" at the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen (resulting in Targaryen's ascendency to the Dothraki leadership) may explain her higher support among women (28% of women prefer Targaryen vs. 21% of men). Snow is garnering more support from men, with 29% of men vs. 23% of women indicating a preference for seeing Snow on the throne. For more analysis on this data, visit GenPop. For study methodology details, visit https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/game-of-thrones-iron-throne-snow-2017-07 Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management. Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, and generated global revenues of 1,782.7 million in 2016. SOURCE Ipsos Related Links https://www.ipsos.com LONG BEACH, New York, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ipsidy Inc. (www.ipsidy.com) (OTC: IDGS), (formerly known as ID Global Solutions Corporation), a provider of secure, biometric identification, identity management and electronic transaction processing services, today announced its results for the year ended December 31, 2016 and provided a business strategy update. In a world that is increasingly digital and mobile, but also fraught with account breaches and stolen identity information, our vision is to offer solutions that provide pre-transaction verification of identity as well as embed identity verification within every electronic transaction message processed through our platform, or other electronic systems. We believe that it is essential that businesses and consumers know who is on the other side of an electronic transaction and have an audit trail, proving that the identity of the other party was duly verified. Ipsidy is therefore developing solutions intended to provide our customers with the next level of transaction security, control and certainty operating in both physical environments leveraging mobile eco-systems. We are building upon our existing capabilities in biometric identification and multi-factor identity management solutions to develop an identity transaction platform for our customers. The platform enables mobile users to more easily authenticate their identity to a mobile phone or portable device of their choosing (as opposed to other identity solutions requiring dedicated hardware). Our system allows participants to complete transactions with a digitally signed authentication response, including the underlying transaction data and embedded attributes of the participant's identity, accessible to the business. Our strategy is to leverage our identity transaction platform to support a variety of vertical markets. These vertical markets include but are not limited to border security, public safety, public transportation, enterprise security, electronic payments transactions and banking. In addition, our platform is designed to be highly available and language agnostic thereby accessible to customers around the world. We believe that the various technologies that Ipsidy is developing and has acquired can be combined into a unified offering. Ipsidy's digital mobile wallet application, or electronic account holder, will contain different services and accounts that enable users to conveniently and securely authenticate and authorize a variety of electronic transactions, using their identity. For example, our closed-loop payment account and digital issuance platform is intended to offer secure and cost-effective methods of conversion of cash and paper to electronic payments. Consumers accessing this system, using their mobile phones, electronic devices, or smart card payment tokens will be able to participate in the digital economy thereby facilitating financial inclusion for the un-banked and under banked population around the globe. Another example is for consumers and employees to use their mobile application to verify identity, in order to access secure digital, or physical environments. "In an increasingly digital and connected world compromised passwords, security breaches and stolen identities, represent one of the biggest dangers to everybody globally," said Philip Beck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ipsidy "Our mission is to enable people to authenticate their identity to their own device, before commencing a transaction. We are facilitating the processing of diverse electronic transactions, be they payments, votes, or physical or digital access, embedded with the participant's identity." Financial Highlights for the Year Ended December 31, 2016 Total revenue for the year was $1.9 million , compared to $0.7 million for 2015. , compared to for 2015. Net loss for the year was $9.9 million , compared to $36.7 million for 2015. , compared to for 2015. Basic and diluted net loss per share for the year was $0.05 cents , compared to $0.21 cents for 2015. , compared to for 2015. Adjusted EBITDA loss for the year was $4.3 million , compared to $2.4 million in 2015, as the Company invested in people, infrastructure and technology to support future operations. Refer to Table 1 for reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure). Subsequent Events Subsequent to the end of 2016: Announced the appointment of Philip Beck as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive and President on January 31, 2017 and the appointment of Stuart Stoller as Chief Financial Officer on January 31, 2017 . as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive and President on and the appointment of as Chief Financial Officer on . Converted outstanding debt and accrued interest in the amount of approximately $6.3 million into approximately 84.8 million shares of common stock. into approximately 84.8 million shares of common stock. Repaid an additional $0.3 million of outstanding debt, canceled 3.6 million warrants and cancelled 2.5 million shares of the Company's common stock. of outstanding debt, canceled 3.6 million warrants and cancelled 2.5 million shares of the Company's common stock. Secured $7.0 million of additional debt and equity financing. The combination of the above events has helped clean up the Company's balance sheet and provided near-term working capital requirements. Operational Highlights Acquired FIN Holdings Inc. with its businesses of cutting-edge biometric fingerprint software technology and algorithms, as well as secure credential products and government customers in the United States and Africa . and . Continued process improvements to the Company's MultiPay bill pay transaction platform in Colombia . . Continued development of the Ipsidy identity transaction platform Acquired and continued development of a digital processing platform comprising modules for payment card issuance, HCE, tokenization, and a consumer mobile wallet as well as a merchant acquiring gateway and mobile point of sale, and mobile-commerce, beacon marketing and loyalty products all designed to facilitate to new business models. Signed agreement for the provision of automated fare collection kiosks for the City of Bogota Transit Authority and installed the first 80 kiosks under the previous pilot agreement. Management Changes After the year end, the Company reorganized its Board of Directors and senior management, in particular appointing Philip Beck as Chairman and CEO and Stuart Stoller as CFO. Philip founded and was CEO and Chairman of Planet Payment, Inc., a provider of international payment and transaction processing services, in more than 23 countries. Stuart, a CPA previously served as a Senior Vice President of both The New York Times Company and Macy's, Inc. Mr. Stoller began his career as an auditor in the Deloitte New York audit practice. The Company also hired senior technical and operational executives to oversee the Company's operations. Additional analysis of the Company's performance can be found in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2016 to be filed at www.sec.gov and posted on the Company's investor relations website. About Ipsidy: Ipsidy is a provider of secure, biometric identification, identity management and electronic transaction processing services. Ipsidy is headquartered in New York and has operating subsidiaries: MultiPay in Colombia www.multipay.com.co and Cards Plus in South Africa. www.cardsplus.co.za. In a world that is increasingly digital and mobile, our vision is to enable solutions that provide pre-transaction verification of identity as well as embed identity verification within every electronic transaction message processed through our platform, or other electronic systems. We believe that it is essential that businesses and consumers know who is on the other side of an electronic transaction and have an audit trail, proving that the identity of the other party was duly verified. We are therefore developing solutions intended to provide our customers with the next level of transaction security, control and certainty. Further information on Ipsidy can be found at www.ipsidy.com or contact us at [email protected]. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. Information contained in this announcement may include "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical facts included herein, including, without limitation, those regarding the financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations of both Ipsidy and its business partners, net revenue, net income, Adjusted EBITDA, diluted earnings per share, future service launches with customers and new initiatives and customer pipeline are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions regarding Ipsidy present and future business strategies, and the environment in which Ipsidy expects to operate in the future, which assumptions may or may not be fulfilled in practice. Implementation of some or all of the new services referred to is subject to regulatory or other third party approvals. Actual results may vary materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risk factors, including the risk that implementation, adoption and offering of the service by customers, consumers and others may take longer than anticipated, or may not occur at all; changes in laws, regulations and practices; changes in domestic and international economic and political conditions and others. Additional risks may arise with respect to commencing operations in new countries and regions, of which Ipsidy is not fully aware at this time. See the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2016 to be filed at www.sec.gov for other risk factors which investors should consider. These forward-looking statements speak only as to the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Ipsidy expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. Non-GAAP Financial Information. The Company provides certain non-GAAP financial measures in this statement. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA, when viewed with our results under GAAP and the accompanying reconciliations, provides useful information about our period-over-period results. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because management believes it provides additional information with respect to the performance of our fundamental business activities and is also frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of comparable companies. We also rely on Adjusted EBITDA as a primary measure to review and assess the operating performance of our company and our management team in connection with our executive compensation. These non-GAAP key business indicators, which include Adjusted EBITDA, should not be considered replacements for and should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial measures. We define Adjusted EBITDA as GAAP net loss adjusted to exclude: (1) interest expense, (2) interest income, (3) provision for income taxes, (4) depreciation and amortization, (5) stock-based compensation expense (5) derivative income (expense) and (6) certain other items management believes affect the comparability of operating results. Please see "Adjusted EBITDA" below for more information and for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Table 1 Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA Year Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Net Loss $ (9,851,403) $ (36,679,169) Interest Expense 3,625,984 1,136,528 Gain (loss) on derivative liability (7,345,000) 26,647,021 Depreciation and amortization 421,494 147,052 Taxes 2,946 - Write-off of asset 225,862 200,000 Stock compensation 8,648,212 6,320,114 Adjusted EBITDA $ (4,271,905) $ (2,428,454) IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS December 31, December 31, 2016 2015 ASSETS Current Assets: Cash $ 689,105 $ 349,873 Accounts receivable, net 138,359 509,027 Current portion of net investment in direct financing lease 44,990 - Inventory 150,679 516,663 Other current assets 166,479 134,224 Total current assets 1,189,612 1,509,787 Property and Equipment, net 115,682 37,775 Other Assets 358,343 319,592 Intangible Assets, net 3,474,291 1,436,534 Goodwill 6,736,043 166,689 Net investment in direct financing lease, net of current portion 674,015 - Total assets $ 12,547,986 $ 3,470,377 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current Liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 1,687,900 $ 717,500 Convertible notes payable, net 250,000 383,346 Derivative liability 8,388,355 25,445,645 Contingent purchase consideration - 370,125 Notes payable, net 109,819 634,069 Deferred revenue 398,680 - Total current liabilities 10,834,754 27,550,685 Long-term Liabilities: Convertible notes payable, net, less current maturities 2,245,596 - Notes payable, net, less current maturities 3,051,603 - Derivative liability, net of current portion 9,668,276 - Total long-term liabilities 14,965,475 - Total liabilities 25,800,229 27,550,685 Commitments and Contingencies Stockholders' Deficit: Common stock $0.0001 par value: 500,000,000 shares authorized; 234,704,655 and 187,854,139 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively 23,470 18,785 Additional paid in capital 35,341,669 14,923,936 Accumulated deficit (48,925,993) (39,074,590) Accumulated comprehensive income 308,611 51,561 Total stockholders' deficit (13,252,243) (24,080,308) Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit $ 12,547,986 $ 3,470,377 IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Year Ended December 31, December 31, 2016 2015 Revenues: Products and services $ 1,877,446 $ 235,364 Product and services, related party 500,000 Lease income 52,492 - Total revenues, net 1,929,938 735,364 Operating Expenses: Cost of Sales 492,237 - General and administrative 14,243,363 9,003,143 Research and development 340,317 480,789 Depreciation and amortization 421,494 147,052 Total operating expenses 15,497,411 9,630,984 Loss from operations (13,567,473) (8,895,620) Other Income (Expense): Gain (loss) on derivative liability 7,345,000 (26,647,021) Interest expense (3,625,984) (1,136,528) Other income (expense), net 3,719,016 (27,783,549) Loss before income taxes (9,848,457) (36,679,169) Income Taxes 2,946 - Net loss $ (9,851,403) $ (36,679,169) Net Loss Per Share - Basic and Diluted $ (0.05) $ (0.21) Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Basic and Diluted 217,570,666 175,696,214 IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Year Ended December 31, December 31, 2016 2015 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net loss $ (9,851,403) $ (36,679,169) Adjustments to reconcile net loss with cash used in operations: Depreciation and amortization expense 421,494 147,052 Gain on sale of property and equipment (3,681) - Stock-based compensation 8,648,212 6,320,114 Common stock issued for services 311,103 557,750 Amortization of debt discount 2,480,662 832,775 Amortization of debt issuance costs 684,417 154,447 (Gain) loss on derivative liability (7,345,000) 26,647,021 Write-off of assets 225,862 200,000 Loss on investment - 72,000 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 682,535 (448,355) Lease receivable 28,939 Other current assets (32,255) (62,442) Inventory (190,471) (433,598) Accounts payable and accrued expenses (248,068) 229,677 Deferred revenue 398,680 - Net cash flows from operating activities (3,788,974) (2,462,728) CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Purchase of property and equipment (23,565) (16,265) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 8,007 - Payment of patent costs (19,200) (37,621) Work-in process (264,613) (133,117) Cash acquired in acquisitions 419,042 - Net cash flows from investing activities 119,671 (187,003) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Proceeds from issuance of notes payable and common stock, net 1,550,000 1,040,000 Proceeds from issuance of notes payable and warrants 1,375,000 2,200,000 Proceeds from issuance of notes payable, related parties 13,609 202,000 Debt issuance costs paid (229,423) (296,400) Proceeds from sale of common stock 1,250,000 - Payment of equity issuance costs (120,242) - Advances from related parties - (60,200) Principal payments on notes payable to related parties - (91,322) Principal payments on notes payable (87,459) (205,331) Net cash flows from financing activities 3,751,485 2,788,747 Effect of foreign currencies 257,050 51,561 Net Change in Cash 339,232 190,577 Cash, Beginning of the Year 349,873 159,296 Cash, End of the Year $ 689,105 $ 349,873 Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information: Cash paid for interest $ - $ 199,967 Cash paid for income taxes $ - $ - Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities: Issuance of common stock for conversion of notes payable and accrued interest $ 21,222 $ 181,205 Issuance of common stock in settlement of contingent liability $ 59,681 $ - Issuance of common stock with debt $ 222,815 $ - Issuance of common stock for debt issuance costs $ 257,696 $ 298,400 Issuance of warrants for inventory $ 79,081 $ - Debt discount for fair value of warrants issued in connection with debt $ 358,411 $ 1,062,704 Debt discount for fair value of embedded conversion feature $ 290,425 $ 42,275 Reclassification of derivative liabilities upon conversion of convertible debt into common stock $ 692,850 $ 2,706,167 Reclassification of inventory to net investment in direct financing lease $ 747,944 $ - Note payable, related party and accrued interest settled through issuance of convertible notes payable $ - $ 172,095 Acquisition of FIN Holdings (2016) and MultiPay (2015), respectively: Issuance of common stock as consideration $ 9,000,000 $ 860,491 Assumed liabilities 914,218 909,721 Inventory (112,408) - Accounts receivable (311,867) (295,655) Property and equipment (100,339) (20,000) Intangible assets (8,970,562) (1,454,557) Cash acquired $ 419,042 $ - SOURCE Ipsidy Inc. Related Links http://www.ipsidy.com/ Neighborhood Flavor will explore five hometowns through mini documentaries focusing on popular cultural centers in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Oakland and Houston. The series will shed a light on communities such as Chicago's Burnside, New York's Bushwick and East Atlanta Village. Starring top music artists Mick Jenkins, Statik Selektah, St. Beauty, E-40 and LeToya Luckett, the docu-series will highlight the culture, people and places that played a part in who they are today. "Growing up on the South Side of Chicago made me the man I am today," says hip-hop artist, Mick Jenkins. "Neighborhood Flavor allows me to celebrate where I'm from and shine a positive light on my neighborhood for the world to see." The summer-long program will culminate with block parties, inclusive of live music performances, food and vendors specific to the culture of the neighborhood, as well as signature Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey cocktails. Guests will experience Jack Daniel's hometown of Lynchburg, Tennessee, where every drop of the Tennessee Whiskey is made, with a virtual trip to the distillery and more. "Mr. Jack Daniel was very invested in his hometown of Lynchburg, Tennessee," says Casey Nelson, Brand Director, Jack Daniel's Flavor Portfolio. "With Neighborhood Flavor, we are honoring his legacy by celebrating neighborhoods that are special to our friends, and bringing a little bit of our home to each of these cities." The Neighborhood Flavor block party series will kick off in New York and travel to Atlanta, Oakland, Houston and Chicago this summer. Please visit www.JackHoneyNF.com for more information on the featured artists and neighborhoods or to RSVP for an event near you. Must be at least 21 years of age to access content and attend events. About Jack Daniel's: Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel's is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select, and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails. Fly Straight. Drink Responsibly. JACK DANIEL'S TENNESSEE HONEY is a trademark of JACK DANIEL PROPERTIES INC. 2017. Jack Daniel's. Whiskey Specialty, 35% ALC./VOL.(70 proof). Produced and Bottled by JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, Lynchburg, TENNESSEE, U.S.A. SOURCE Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Related Links http://www.JackHoneyNF.com RICHMOND, Va., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Keith Smith and Willow Oak Asset Management today announced the launch of a private investment partnership named the Bonhoeffer Fund, LP. The Bonhoeffer Fund's portfolio will be managed by Keith Smith with administrative support provided by Willow Oak Asset Management, a subsidiary of Sitestar Corporation (OTCQB: SYTE). Mr. Smith will employ a long-only, concentrated, value-oriented strategy with a focus on global securities of companies with market capitalizations of $100 million to $500 million. "This partnership gives outside investors an opportunity to access the investment strategy that I have developed and executed for more than 15 years across various international markets. Bonhoeffer Fund will benefit from Willow Oak's operational infrastructure, which allows me to search the globe for investment opportunities and like-minded partners," said Keith Smith, Bonhoeffer's Fund's Portfolio Manager. "Keith is a special investor and we are excited to partner with him on the Bonhoeffer Fund. His value investing framework and long-term focus fit perfectly with our investing philosophy, and his strategy complements Willow Oak's existing partnerships with Alluvial Fund and Bridge Reid Fund," said Steven Kiel, Sitestar's CEO. Bonhoeffer Fund launched on July 1 and is open to accredited investors. Additional information can be found at bonhoeffercapital.com. About Sitestar Sitestar Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in several diverse business activities in the following industries: internet, real estate, asset management, and HVAC and plumbing. The company's philosophy centralizes capital allocation decisions at the corporate level and decentralizes operational decisions among subsidiary managers. About Bonhoeffer Capital Based in Rochester, New York, Bonhoeffer Capital is the general partner of the Bonhoeffer Fund. The firm is owned by Willow Oak Asset Management, a division of Sitestar Corporation. Bonhoeffer Fund is a private hedge fund for accredited investors that utilizes value-oriented investment principles. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" covered by the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not guaranties of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those forecasted. Copies of Sitestar's press releases and additional information about Sitestar are available at www.sitestar.com. SOURCE Sitestar Corporation Related Links http://www.sitestar.com ESC Minneapolis brings the leading embedded systems suppliers and innovators to share their latest advancements and give insight into the future of the industry. The event will feature a dynamic show floor highlighting the latest in embedded design. This event is co-located with Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) Minneapolis, as well as Automation Technology Expo (ATX) Minneapolis, Design & Manufacturing Minneapolis, MinnPack, and PLASTEC Minneapolis. To learn more about the midwest's only embedded systems design event, please visit: http://escminn.com/ "With these keynote speakers, ESC Minneapolis will explore expanding the intelligence and innovation of engineering, be that helping embedded systems designers broaden their own creativity through a neuroscience approach or through AI, widely expected to advance robotics rapidly in the coming years," Suzanne Deffree, content director for the Embedded Systems Conference series, says. "Open to all ESC registrants, these keynotes are complemented by more than 39 conference sessions across four educational tracks, plus AI demonstrations in the ESC Engineering Theater, offering attendees the opportunity to expand their own understanding of embedded design and the inspiration behind it." About the Keynote Speakers: Ransom Stephens, Ph.D: Stephens is a prominent physicist, engineer, inventor, and author. A pioneer in jitter analysis, Stephens has invented new methods for extracting signals from noise and has served on several high data rate standards. His many best-selling books include The God Patent, The Sensory Deception, and his latest work The Left Brain Speaks, The Right Brain Laughs. Stephens brings expert-level analysis to ESC by discussing the neural processes that turn insights into consciousness. He will also discuss the physics of lateral thought, the power of perspective, the value of novelty, and how your brain selects and rejects ideas. The presentation, The Keys to Innovation: Priming Your Brain to Percolate Brilliant Ideas, will cover methods for fine-tuning the balance of stress and confidence, concentration and distraction that prime our brains to overcome the challenges that technological innovators face. He will cover the neuroaesthetics or perceptions of what makes technological products and discoveries good, bad, and valuable. "When you announce those two most satisfying syllables'Aha!'it means that you're onto something, that you're close to solving a problem, a world-changing innovation, or a masterpiece of art, science, or engineering," says Stephens. "I'm totally psyched to present The Keys to Innovation: Priming Your Brain to Percolate Brilliant Ideas at ESC Minneapolis to my people, engineers. You're the only audience that understands the slide that uses an op-amp to show the feedback loop of innovation." Following Stephens' keynote, the author will sign and distribute 50 copies of his latest book, The Left Brain Speaks, The Right Brain Laughs, as complimentary gifts to interested ESC attendees. Maria Gini, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota: As a professor at the University of Minnesota, the Editor-in-Chief of Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, Gini brings expert insight into the future of AI to ESC Minneapolis. Gini's presentation, Artificial Intelligence: What Will the Future Be?, examines the progress that AI has recently made and looks at the potential problems with incorporating robots into our society. During the keynote, she will explore how in the future intelligent systems and robots will become part of our daily lives, helping us with routine tasks, handling dangerous jobs, and keeping us company. But these robots could also become capable of making decisions that violate our ethical principles, take control of our lives, and disrupt society. Gini plans to demonstrate the advances in AI by utilizing an AI-enabled humanoid robot live on stage as she discusses the art of intelligent systems, future developments, and open challenges. To register as press for ESC Minneapolis, please contact [email protected] To learn more about the keynote speakers, please visit escminn.com/keynotes To register for ESC Minneapolis, please visit: minneapolis.am.ubm.com/2017/registrations/ESC Follow us on social: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter #AdvMfgExpo #ESCconf About Advanced Manufacturing Expos & Conferences UBM's Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is the leading B-to-B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3 trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the advanced manufacturing market and leverage our proprietary 1.3 million name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is organized by UBM plc. UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM. About UBM UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM SOURCE UBM Americas LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis Timetric's 'Life Insurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Chinese life insurance segment. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4089263/ It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020). The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Chinese economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Summary Timetric's 'Life Insurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Chinese life insurance segment, including: - The Chinese life insurance segment's growth prospects by life insurance category - Key trends, drivers and challenges for the life insurance segment - A comprehensive overview of the Chinese economy and demographics - The various distribution channels in the Chinese life insurance segment - Details of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in China - Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Chinese insurance industry Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in China: - It provides historical values for the Chinese life insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period. - It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Chinese life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020. - It analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in China. - It profiles the top life insurance companies in China and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Reasons To Buy - Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Chinese life insurance segment, and each category within it. - Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Chinese life insurance segment. - Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance segment. - Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories. - Gain insights into key regulations governing the Chinese insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future. Key Highlights - At the end of 2016, China overtook Japan to become the world's second-largest insurance market, after the US. - The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) increased the guaranteed interest-return cap from 2.5% to 3.5% for traditional and participating products in October 2015. In September 2016, the return cap was reduced to 3.0% for universal products. - In June 2016, the government established the Shanghai Insurance Exchange (SHIE), China's first insurance exchange platform. In September 2016, the CIRC allowed Chinese insurers to invest in Hong Kong shares through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program. - In January 2016, 46 corporate entities, including 27 domestic insurers and 15 insurance asset-management companies, formed the China Insurance Investment Company to invest in infrastructure and transport projects. - In July 2016, the CIRC issued licenses to HeTai Life Insurance, the first online-only life insurer in China; it received approval to start operations in January 2017. - In June 2016, the CIRC approved the establishment of three mutual insurance associations for the first time. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4089263/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GCC Lubricant Packaging Market: Overview This report provides forecast and analysis of the GCC lubricant packaging market. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (Mn units) and revenue (US$ Mn). It includes drivers, restraints and the ongoing trend for the lubricant packaging market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of opportunities available in the GCC market for lubricant packaging. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4833601/ It includes value chain analysis with list of raw material manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and end users in the value chain. In order to provide the users of this report with comprehensive view of market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players. The competitive dashboard provides detailed comparison of lubricant packaging manufacturers on parameters such as company's revenue, unique selling propositions and key strategic developments. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type. Market statistics have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of lubricant packaging and the revenue is derived through regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment has been provided in the context of the GCC markets. GCC Lubricant Packaging Market: Segmentation The lubricant plastics packaging market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are average regional prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous lubricant packaging manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key end users have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents. Regional demand patterns have been considered while estimating the market for various end users of lubricant packaging in GCC. Top-down approach has been used to estimate the GCC lubricant packaging market. Market numbers for the GCC packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of region's demand. The market has been forecasted based on constant currency rates. A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include Factiva, World Bank, IMF reports, Philips Capital and company annual reports and publications. Companies Mentioned in this Report The report provides detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the GCC market. Key players in the GCC packaging type, lubricant type, material type and end use type segments market include, Duplas Al Sharq, Takween Advanced Industries, Saudi Can Manufacturing Company Ltd, Zamil Plastics Industries Ltd, Mold Tek Packaging Ltd, Neelkamal Plastics Factory LLC, First Press Plastic Moulders Ltd. The GCC lubricant packaging market is segmented below: By Packaging Type Stand up pouches Bottles Drums Pails Cans Tubes Kegs Bag-in-box Intermediate Bulk Containers By Lubricant Type Engine Oils Transmission & Hydraulic Fluids Process Oils Metalworking Fluids General Industrial Oils Gear Oils Greases By Material Type Metal Steel Tin Plastic Polyethylene LDPE HDPE Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Polyamide (PA) Polypropylene (PP) Polystyrene (PS) By End User Automotive Metalworking Oil & Gas Power Generation Machine Industry Chemicals Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4833601/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com CHICAGO, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Madison Capital Funding LLC, today announced the closing of MCF CLO VI LLC, a $325 million collateralized loan obligation. The CLO will have a 5.5 year reinvestment period. Proceeds will be available to partially fund eligible loans. Madison Capital will serve as originator and collateral manager. Madison Capital is a market leader in supporting middle market private equity sponsors with cash-flow based corporate finance solutions across a broad spectrum of industries. Since its founding in 2001, the company has invested over $26.2 billion in net funded commitments in over 997 financing transactions. Madison Capital manages over $8 billion in assets for New York Life and other third party clients. About Madison Capital Funding Madison Capital is a premier finance company focused exclusively on the corporate financing needs of middle market private equity firms. Madison Capital has closed transactions with over 271 different private equity firms and provides enterprise-value leveraged financing for acquisitions, recapitalizations, and LBOs. The company was founded in April 2001 by a group of experienced corporate finance professionals, with over 100 years of middle market experience, drawn from a number of leading investment banking and lending institutions. Madison Capital is based in Chicago, Illinois and is a subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company. Media Contact: Jacqueline Meere New York Life Insurance Company +1.212.576.5301 [email protected] MCF #1742670 SOURCE Madison Capital Funding LLC Related Links http://www.newyorklife.com/madisoncapitalfunding When SFMOMA launched their Send Me project, it was an instant success. The feature is simple, and highly addictive: if you text "send me [x]" to 572-51, within seconds SFMOMA will text you back a piece of art that, in some way, shows you that thing. X can = a keyword, a color, and even an emoji, and the image you receive is one of the 34,678 pieces of artwork in their collection. The feature was first introduced briefly at the end of March, and was officially relaunched in June; over the past week it's gotten so much attention as word has spread worldwide, that it broke down. But the project is here to stay, SFMOMA told us this week. "There is no end date in mind," Jay Mollica, creative technologist at SFMOMA, told SFist. "It started out as an experiment and quickly went viral, revealing a deep appetite for art among the public. We hope to provide Send Me SFMOMA as long as the public embraces it." So what is everyone asking for? "The most requested terms are: love, happy/happiness, flowers, dog and dogs, cat and cats, ocean, San Francisco, food and music," we were told. And the most requested emoji are: Click through for a look at what some of those requests have yielded (or try it out yourself!). You can also request colors, and so far the most popular are blue, purple, green, pink, red, yellow, black, orange, white, turquoise and grey. In the past week, since July 7th, SFMOMA has received 2 million texts. "The project's beta test began March 31st and ran for 4 days before the major carriers blacklisted it do to its popularity (they thought we were spamming people with art)," a rep tells us, adding, "We officially reintroduced Send Me SFMOMA to the public on June 19th." Since then, the biggest issue came when Neil Patrick Harris tweeted it out to his 26M+ followers, which brought down the museum's servers and caused an outage. SEOUL, South Korea and SAN JOSE, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MagnaChip Semiconductor Corporation ("MagnaChip") (NYSE: MX) will hold a conference call Thursday, August 3, 2017 at 5 p.m. EDT to discuss the Company's second quarter 2017 financial results. Participating in the call will be YJ Kim, MagnaChip's CEO and Jonathan Kim, Executive Vice President and CFO. The earnings press release will be issued after the market closes that day. The conference call will be webcast live and also is available by dialing toll-free at 1-844 536 5472. International call-in participants can dial 1-614-999-9318. The conference ID number is 53163731. Participants are encouraged to initiate their calls at least 10 minutes in advance of the 5 p.m. EDT start time to ensure a timely connection. The webcast and earnings release will be accessible at www.magnachip.com. A replay of the conference call will be available the same day and will run for 72 hours. The replay dial-in numbers are 1-404-537-3406 or toll-free at 1-855-859-2056. The access code is 53163731. About MagnaChip Semiconductor MagnaChip is a Korea-based designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor platform solutions for communications, IoT, consumer, industrial and automotive applications. The Company's Standard Products Group and Foundry Services Groups provide a broad range of standard products and manufacturing services to customers worldwide. MagnaChip owns a portfolio of approximately 3,300 registered and pending patents, and has extensive engineering, design and manufacturing process expertise resulting from its 30-year operating history. For more information, please visit www.magnachip.com. Information on or accessible through, MagnaChip's website is not a part of, and is not incorporated into, this release. CONTACTS: In the United States: In Korea: Bruce Entin Investor Relations Tel. +1.408.625.1262 [email protected] Chankeun Park Director, Public Relations Tel. +82.2.6903.3195 [email protected] SOURCE MagnaChip Semiconductor Corporation Related Links http://www.magnachip.com Facebook's Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, Director of Platform Partnerships, gave a sneak preview of Meitu's soon-to-be-launched AR camera effects during his speech titled "Building Communities" at RISE Conference in Hong Kong. Of the companies chosen to participate in the beta program so far, Meitu is the first company selected specializing in AR facial recognition technology, and also the first based in Asia. "Meitu's fun selfie experiences make it a natural fit for the Camera Effects Platform," said Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, Director, Platform Partnerships at Facebook. "We're excited to expand the AR Studio beta to our first Asia-based developer, and we think the camera effects that Meitu has built with this technology will delight the Facebook community around the world." Announced at F8 in April, Facebook's AR Studio enables artists and developers to build their own AR experiences such as animated frames, masks, and interactive effects that respond to motion, interactions during Live broadcasts, or third-party data. Approved effects made with AR Studio are made available in the new Facebook camera for use with photos, videos or Live broadcasts. Meitu is among the earliest AR Studio beta partners chosen to build camera effects that can help delight and engage Facebook's communities in a new way. "Since Meitu launched its first AR-powered app in 2010, we've seen first-hand how the adoption of AR technology has transformed the way we interact with each other and express ourselves through the stories we share with the world," said Frank Fu, Managing Director of Meitu's global operations. "We are honoured to be selected by Facebook to kick-off this incredible new feature, and excited to come along for the ride as the platform further reshapes the social media experience." Meitu's three full AR camera effects (with front-facing and rear-facing experiences) are coming soon to the Facebook camera: Selfie from the Future A unique, robotic eyeglass effect that transposes your face onto a Head-Up display below. The rear camera effect features a touch-activated Meitu robot. A unique, robotic eyeglass effect that transposes your face onto a Head-Up display below. The rear camera effect features a touch-activated Meitu robot. Meitu Family Meitu's own popular cartoon characters with a donut munching effect as a nod to Meitu Family character, Louis. The rear camera effect includes a game where you can uncover hidden Meitu Family characters within floating donuts in your environment. Meitu's own popular cartoon characters with a donut munching effect as a nod to Meitu Family character, Louis. The rear camera effect includes a game where you can uncover hidden Meitu Family characters within floating donuts in your environment. Instant Glam Go from drab to fab, in an instant! Start off in a shower cap and brush your teeth before your makeup brushes magically come to life to glam you up for the day! The rear camera effect reveals red, squeezable lips floating throughout your environment. A pioneer in mobile beauty and selfie experiences since 2008, Meitu's photo and video-editing apps are used by more than 450 million monthly active users worldwide, generating more than 6 billion photos and videos each month. Meitu's apps use its own patented facial recognition and machine learning algorithms to map each user's individual facial features while reading their unique skin tone, achieving the most precise and natural photo retouch and virtual makeup application. Meitu's suite of apps have emerged as the leading digital ecosystem for beauty encompassing virtual try-on, AR filters, content exploration, trend spotting, makeup tutorials and m-commerce. About Meitu, Inc. Meitu, Inc. (SEHK: 1357) is a global mobile internet platform and innovator in mobile video and photography, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithm-based proprietary facial recognition and virtual "try-on" technologies for hair and makeup. By leveraging its technology leadership and global user base, Meitu is building a mobile beauty ecosystem where users can discover, create and share new looks right from their smartphone. Today, Meitu's apps are installed on over 1.1 billion unique mobile devices around the world, with billions of photos generated by Meitu's apps each month. More information about Meitu, Inc. can be found at corp.meitu.com/en. For more information on Meitu, please contact: Liz Goodno, Meitu [email protected] SOURCE Meitu Related Links http://corp.meitu.com/en WILSONVILLE, Ore., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor, a Siemens business, today announced the availability of Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) for the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC. By combining the features of the Mentor Embedded software solutions and the Xilinx heterogeneous multiprocessor system-on-a-chip (SoC), developers can safely introduce Android into advanced applications targeting the industrial, medical, automotive, and aerospace and defense markets. This Android implementation includes the Mentor Android 6.0 board support package (BSP) built on the Android Open Source Project, as well as source code and pre-compiled binaries for the Xilinx ZCU102 development platform. Graphics output can be routed to the built-in Display Port, or to an Ozzy display and I/O module offered by iVeia. The Android software is available for immediate, no-charge download directly from the Mentor Embedded Systems Division. Users can leverage the Android support community, or they can engage directly with Mentor for support, customization, or extension for new versions of the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC family of devices. Embedded developers can mitigate risk, realize time and cost savings, and create graphics using this solution. "Since the introduction of the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC, Xilinx has seen a lot of customer interest in Android for their advanced designs. Now, with Mentor Graphics embedded solutions, our customers can extend the benefits of the Android ecosystem to their critical designs," stated Simon George, director, product Marketing Embedded Software at Xilinx. "We're already beginning to see how the Mentor Embedded solutions reduce our customer's program risk, particularly for safety-critical applications development." Advanced designs running both the Android and Mentor Nucleus real-time operating systems (RTOS) are made possible by unique Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC features. These features include a dual- or quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 application processor for operating systems such as Android, a dual-core ARM Cortex-R5 real-time processor, FPGA logic, and Xilinx IP, which allow specific peripherals and memory regions to be uniquely assigned to each processor type. By enabling Android side-by-side with the Nucleus RTOS, the Mentor Embedded Hypervisor, the Mentor Embedded Linux platform, and the Mentor Embedded Multicore Framework, engineers can meet fundamental software requirements for advanced heterogeneous safety-critical designs. Mentor Graphics lowers project risk by providing the software, tools, support, and professional services necessary to help engineers develop, debug, and optimize advanced designs for Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC devices. "By providing Xilinx customers with an embedded ecosystem that includes technologies and services for Linux and Android-based devices, we are enabling our customers to create innovative products. The combination of low power consumption, high performance integrated programmable logic, isolation between general-purpose and real-time subsystems, and safety certification provides many opportunities for the deployment of Android into non-traditional markets," said Warren Kurisu, director of product management, Runtime Solutions, Mentor Embedded Systems Division. "We look forward to supporting Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC customers on Android as well as a range of other software and tools available within the Mentor Embedded product line." Product Availability The Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) is publicly available today at no cost from Mentor Graphics Embedded Systems Division for the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC. Mentor Graphics commercial support, customization services, platform porting, and feature enhancements to Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoCs will also be available to customers, as part of a larger full software solution package for Xilinx products. For additional information visit: www.mentor.com/embedded-software/semiconductors/xilinx. About Mentor Embedded The Mentor Embedded Systems Division enables embedded development for a variety of applications including automotive, industrial, smart energy, medical devices, and consumer electronics. Embedded developers can create systems with the latest processors and micro-controllers with commercially supported and customizable Linux-based solutions including the industry-leading Sourcery CodeBench and Mentor Embedded Linux products. For real-time systems, developers can take advantage of the small-foot-print and low-power-capable Nucleus RTOS. For more information, visit www.mentor.com/embedded Contact for journalists Larry Toda Phone: 503-685-1664; E-mail: [email protected] Mentor Graphics Corporation, a Siemens business, is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services, and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronic, semiconductor, and systems companies. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. Web site: http://www.mentor.com. Mentor Graphics, Mentor and Nucleus are registered trademarks and Sourcery is a trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owner. The registered trademark Linux is used pursuant to a sublicense from LMI, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a world-wide basis. SOURCE Mentor, a Siemens business Related Links http://www.mentor.com NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Report Details Military Aircraft Avionics our new defence market study reveals the trends, R&D progress, and predicted revenues What is the trajectory within the Military Aircraft Avionics market space? If you are involved in avionics sector you must read this brand new report. Visiongain's report shows you the potential revenues streams to 2027, assessing data, trends, opportunities and business prospects there. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04671985/Military-Aircraft-Avionics-Market-Report.html Discover How to Stay Ahead Our 273 page report provides 311 tables, charts, and graphs. Read on to discover the most lucrative areas in the defence electronics industry and the future avionics market prospects. Our new study lets you assess forecast sales at overall world market and regional level. You will see financial results, interviews, trends, opportunities, and revenue predictions. Much opportunity remains in this growing Military Aircraft Avionics market. Forecasts from 2017-2027 and other analyses reveal the commercial prospects - In addition to revenue forecasting to 2027, our new study provides you with recent results, growth rates, and regional market shares. - You will find original analyses, with business outlooks and developments. - Discover qualitative analyses (including SWOT/PEST analysis), product profiles and commercial developments. Discover sales predictions for the world market and submarkets Along with revenue predictions for the overall world market, you will find revenue forecasts to 2027 for the following submarkets at the global level and also within each of the 10 leading national markets. - Fixed-Wing Military Aircraft Forward-Fit Avionics - Fixed-Wing Military Aircraft Retrofit Avionics - Rotary-Wing Military Aircraft Forward-Fit Avionics - Rotary-Wing Military Aircraft Retrofit Avionics Our investigation discusses what stimulates and restrains business. You will understand the dynamics of the military avionics industry and assess its potential future sales, discovering the critical factors likely to achieve success. What are the prospects in the leading regions and countries? You will discover individual revenue forecasts for 10 leading national military avionics markets from 2017-2027 which are also segmented further by the 4 individual submarkets. - Australia - France - Germany - India - Israel - Italy - Japan - Saudi Arabia - UK - US - ROW Find details of 70 Military Aircraft Avionics contracts & programmes Contracts are detailed by leading national market and by leading company There will be growth in established Military Aircraft Avionics markets and in developing countries. Our analyses show that India and the US will both continue to achieve high revenue growth to 2027. Leading companies and the potential for market growth Overall world revenue for Military Aircraft Avionics will reach $22,549m in 2017, our work calculates. We predict strong revenue growth through to 2027. Market entry of matured US defence programme products, investment from countries like India and Israel and increasing demand for retrofit avionics suites will increase sales to 2027. Our work identifies which organisations hold the greatest potential. Discover their capabilities, progress, and commercial prospects, helping you stay ahead. - Airbus Group SE - BAE Systems plc - The Boeing Company - Elbit Systems - Harris Corporation - L-3 Communications Holdings - Leonardo-Finmeccanica - Lockheed Martin Corporation - Northrop Grumman Corporation - Raytheon Company - Rockwell Collins Inc - Textron Inc - Thales Group What issues will affect the Military Aircraft Avionics industry? Our new report discusses the issues and events affecting the Military Aircraft Avionics market. You will find discussions, including qualitative analyses: - Value of avionics systems - Fear of unstable defence investment - Technological issues - Barriers to entry You will see discussions of technological, commercial, and economic matters, with emphasis on the competitive landscape and business outlooks. How the Military Aircraft Avionics report helps you In summary, our 273 page report provides you with the following knowledge: - Revenue forecasts to 2027 for the world Military Aircraft Avionics market and 4 submarkets discover the industry's prospects, finding the most lucrative places for investments and revenues - Revenue forecasts to 2027 for the leading 10 national markets Australia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, US, and ROW - Further qualitative analysis of 2 national markets in the Rest of the World section: China and Russia - Predicted revenues of 4 leading Military Aircraft Avionics submarkets to 2027 see the potentials of leading products - Discussion of what stimulates and restrains companies and the market - Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market You will find quantitative and qualitative analyses with independent predictions. You will receive information that only our report contains, staying informed with this invaluable business intelligence. Information found nowhere else With our survey you are less likely to fall behind in knowledge or miss opportunity. See how you could benefit your research, analyses, and decisions. Also see how you can save time and receive recognition for commercial insight. Visiongain's study is for everybody needing commercial analyses for the Military Aircraft Avionics market and leading companies. You find data, trends and predictions. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04671985/Military-Aircraft-Avionics-Market-Report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com DURHAM, N.C., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuroCog Trials (NCT), a clinical technology and research services company dedicated to supporting global drug development, announces the general availability of its new flagship eCOA platform, NCT Pathway. Developed with input from seasoned clinical investigators, Pathway has the dynamic technical capabilities and user-driven design to meet the needs of virtually any clinical trial, from Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia to oncology and cardiology. The platform is currently in use by large sponsors in several late stage clinical trials. "I am thrilled to be presenting Pathway to the clinical trials community. We have dedicated ourselves to creating a tool that has a beautifully simple user interface, rigorous attention to scientific and regulatory detail, and a seamless back-end data transfer and storage system," said Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Richard Keefe. Other key benefits of NCT Pathway include: automated features and assisted scoring for improved protocol compliance, real-time data capture, central review portal, CDISC compliant storage and data transfer, and integrated security and regulatory compliance features. Recognized globally for expertise in clinical and cognitive measurement and data quality assurance, NeuroCog Trials implements rigorous testing and validation procedures to proactively anticipate challenges and ensure the highest level of performance across all its software solutions. NCT delivers innovative technology and science-driven data solutions with unrivaled dependability. To learn more about NCT Pathway, please visit http:/www.neurocogtrials.com/products/pathway-ecoa/. About NeuroCog Trials NeuroCog Trials (NCT) is a cognition and clinical assessment services and technology company devoted exclusively to applying rigorous standards for key endpoints in multi-site clinical trials in many different indications. It has provided consulting, site screening, rater training and certification, translation, and data services for more than 100 clinical trials in over 25 countries. Founded in 2005, NCT is a privately held, certified woman-owned business, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. Contact Jenna Piunti Office +1 919 433 2429 Switchboard +1 919 401 4642 Email [email protected] Website www.neurocogtrials.com SOURCE NeuroCog Trials Related Links http://www.neurocogtrials.com "The conclusion appears inescapable that some type of flying object has been sighted. Identification and the origin of these objects is not discernible at this Headquarters." Major General C.P. Cabell, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Air Force, November 3, 1948 Unidentified explores that intelligence failure, beginning during World War II and continuing over some three decades of official inquiries. It also profiles the events including inter-service and inter-agency political posturing which prevented the problem from being elevated to a level of true national security tasking. The ongoing Air Force decision to study the problem only at the level of individual incidents and the larger failure to task the broader intelligence community with a longer term, strategic analysis of security related UFO activities ensured that the fundamental problem was simply not addressed. The end result was nothing more than over a thousand highly unconventional and anomalous UFO reports officially classified and archived as "Unknowns." "Sightings of unidentified flying objects at great altitudes and traveling in the vicinity of major U.S. defense installations are of such a nature that they are not attributable to natural phenomena or known types of aerial vehicles." Marshall Chadwell, Assistant Director, Office of Scientific Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, December, 1952 In Unidentified, Larry Hancock turns to the strategic intelligence practices better known as indications analysis that were not tasked to the national intelligence community. He presents a series of indications studies which suggest something very different from the official statement on UFOs officially offered by the Air Force. In these studies Unidentified examines and details patterns of UFO activity strongly suggesting that "unknown parties" actively probed America's strategic military capabilities at the same time demonstrating an undeniable ability to project force against the nation's atomic war-fighting complex. Beyond that, the operational patterns in the UFO activities revealed in the analysis also suggest a clear effort at "messaging," one which appears to have failed. "Alert message from Commander in Chief NORAD to all units 'suspicious objects' have been recently sighted at Loring AFB, Wurthsmith AFB, Malmstrom AFB and the Canadian Air Force station at Falconbridge, Canada. Attempts at interception and identification with Air Guard helicopters, SAC helicopters and NORAD F-106 interceptors have all failed." NORAD Command Directors Log, November 11, 1975 Larry Hancock brings his formal training in history and cultural anthropology to his research and writing on military history and national security subjects. Following service in the United States Air Force, his career in computer/communications and technology marketing allowed him the opportunity to become involved in and consult on strategic analysis and planning studies related both to capital investment and business/marketing planning. His current interests include the application of indications and pattern analysis to long term studies of national security subjects. With six books in print, Hancock's related works include NEXUS (the CIA and Political Assassination), Shadow Warfare (covert political and paramilitary action) and Surprise Attack (national command authority and command and control practices during crises). Unidentified is published by Treatise Publishing, a new company whose goals are to publish expert analysis of government documents and events. Treatise, noun, a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject. Available July 2017 ISBN: 978-0-692-89229-9 Printed in the United States Contact: Treatise Publications P.O Box 92874 Southlake, TX 76092 Debra Conway, President [email protected] 817-371-1260 Press and Media Contact: Larry Hancock [email protected] 580-347-3213 SOURCE Treatise Publications CLEVELAND, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Content Marketing Institute (CMI) just released a brand-new, original research report focused exclusively on how content marketers strategically manage their organizations' content. The inaugural 2017 Content Management & Strategy Survey shows there are opportunities for marketers to get more from their content when they manage it as a business asset. The research was conducted to support CMI's Intelligent Content Conference, which focuses on content strategy for marketing practitioners. To see our analysis and download the full report visit: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2017/07/content-management-strategy-research The CMI Research team surveyed 411 marketers from the CMI audience to learn how they manage content within their organizations. What did we find? There is a huge opportunity for marketers to get more from the content they're developing. Other Key Highlights: Most marketers say their organization values content as an assetbut it isn't treated as such. 92% of content marketers say their organization views content as a business asset, yet fewer than half (46%) have a documented strategy for managing content as a business asset. Many of the structures needed to manage content as an asset are not in place. For example, only 29% of respondents have established a message architecture/messaging framework. Too much human intervention is needed to repurpose content. Fewer than one in four (24%) respondents say they can always or frequently repurpose content without a great deal of human intervention. Technology is underutilizedor is lacking altogether. Only 18% of respondents feel their organization has the right technology in place to manage their content marketing efforts. Another 45% say they have technology tools, but aren't using them to their potential. "Our inaugural Content Management & Strategy Survey shows there is a huge opportunity for marketers to get more from their content investments to plan, create, and strategically deliver content in a more efficient manner," says Lisa Murton Beets, Research Director, Content Marketing Institute. "The research showed most organizations view content as a business asset, yet many are in the early phases of putting the right structures in place to effectively manage content. Marketers can use this research to see how they compare to their peers in terms of managing content." The Intelligent Content Conference will be held March 20-22, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information visit: http://www.intelligentcontentconference.com/ To view all CMI research visit: contentmarketinginstitute.com/research To subscribe to the Content Strategy for Marketers newsletter visit: http://info.contentmarketinginstitute.com/acton/form/5141/0022:d-0001/0/index.htm About Content Marketing Institute Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. CMI's Content Marketing World event, the largest content marketing-focused event, is held every September in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and the Intelligent Content Conference event is held every spring. CMI publishes the bi-monthly magazine Chief Content Officer, and provides strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the best-known brands in the world. Watch this video to learn more about CMI. Content Marketing Institute is organised by UBM plc. UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organiser in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM. SOURCE Content Marketing Institute Related Links http://contentmarketinginstitute.com LONDON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Corporation plc (NYSE: NE) today announced that its report of drilling rig status and contract information has been updated as of July 13, 2017. The report, titled "Fleet Status Report," can be found on the Company's Website www.noblecorp.com, under the "Investor Relations" section of the Website. About Noble Corporation plc Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. The Company owns and operates one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 28 offshore drilling units, consisting of 14 drillships and semisubmersibles and 14 jackups, focused largely on ultra-deepwater and high-specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. Noble is a public limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 08354954 and registered office at Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ England. Additional information on Noble is available at www.noblecorp.com. SOURCE Noble Corporation AURORA, ON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG; NYSE: MGA) We will hold a conference call for interested analysts and shareholders to discuss our results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, on Friday, August 11, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern). The conference call will be chaired by Don Walker, Chief Executive Officer. The number to use for this call from North America is toll-free 1-800-698-5833. International callers should use 1-416-981-9091. Please call in at least 10 minutes prior to the call start time. We will also webcast the conference call at www.magna.com. The slide presentation accompanying the conference call will be available on our website Friday prior to the call. For anyone unable to listen to the scheduled call, the rebroadcast numbers are as follows: North America 1-800-558-5253 | International 1-416-626-4100 | Reservation number 21855492 and will be available until Friday, August 18, 2017. SOURCE Magna International Inc. Related Links http://www.magna.com HARRISBURG, Pa., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, July 31, 2017 for the purpose of receiving additional evidence regarding the ownership of Stadium Casino, LLC which had previously been selected by the Board to be awarded the second Philadelphia casino license. The hearing is in response to a June 20, 2017 opinion by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in relation to appeals of the Board's licensing decision. The Court agreed with the Board on two key issues raised in the appeal, but remanded to the Board for the taking of additional evidence in order for the Board to make a determination whether Stadium Casino, LLC principal Watche Manoukian, who holds a controlling interest in the license for Parx Casino, possesses a financial interest in the proposed Stadium Casino, LLC project that would exceed the 33% ownership cap in a second casino as provided by the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. The hearing, which will begin at 2:00 p.m., will be held in the Board's Public Hearing Room on the second floor of Strawberry Square in Harrisburg, The hearing will be streamed live on the Board's web site, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. Copies of the Court's opinions are also available on the web site homepage under Quick Links. About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board : The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state's casino industry. There are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along with the two smaller resort casinos. These facilities collectively employ 18,000 people and annually generate approximately $1.4 billion in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play. The largest portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners. Additional information about both the PGCB's regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania's casino gaming industry can be found at www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl. CONTACTS: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey (717) 346-8321 SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Related Links http://www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov Tanzanian Royalty's recently released Mine Feasibility Study (MFS) defines 1.064 million ounces of open pit minable gold, and initiates discussion on development of the underground Mine potential. TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Tanzanian Royalty Exploration ("TRX" or the "Company") (NYSE: TRX) (TSX: TNX) is providing an update to its shareholders, discussing the findings of its recently completed Mining Feasibility Study ("MFS" or the "Study") on its JV-owned Buckreef Gold Mine Project (the "Project"). The Study was led by an external consultant team from MaSS Resources Ltd. of Tanzania, with technical support provided by an internal team and combined previous published Preliminary Economic Assessment study results by Venymn of South Africa, as well as other historical feasibility studies conducted over the years on this historic deposit. The Buckreef project is in the Geita District in Lake Victoria Greenstone Belt in central Tanzania, East Africa. The full study can be found on the home page of the Company's website: www.tanzanianroyalty.com "We want to take this opportunity to inform our loyal investors of not only the next steps towards mining production but also direct their attention to the discussion of the underground potential of Buckreef.," stated Jeffrey Duval, Acting Chief Executive Officer of TRX. We have included a small portion of the underground discussion in this release and are excited with the potential that our last the deep drilling program uncovered. The results mirrored favorably with the historical records from the old Buckreef underground workings. "As you can see in the slide, the underground mineralisation extends several hundred meters below the bottom of the open pit mine and the drill hole is open in all directions. It is this feature that has us most excited for the future." "We are also pleased to have achieved third-party validation of the tremendous economic potential for the open pit portion of the Buckreef Project. "The Company maintains a 55% economic interest in the Buckreef project, which infers a 55% interest in the 1.064 million ounces of gold reserves at Buckreef, which has been validated by independent consultants. When one compares our current stock price levels to the Company's economic interests at Buckreef, measured at gold prices levels throughout the last several years, our stock price is trading at significantly discounted levels. "The Study results reflect the continued refinement of pit optimized mining reserves, mine production schedule, process plant ore feed schedule and financial projections & analysis based on comprehensive cost estimations for process plant (design, fabrication, construction and operation) and mining (equipment purchase and mine production) on the Buckreef Project. The Company has begun active negotiations to complete financing on a straight loan basis. This will ensure that we have the necessary capital to complete the reconditioning and construction of new modules for our modern Gravity/CIL plant. We have brought in a team of experts with decades of experience in building and maintaining these types of plants. We have the utmost confidence in their ability to complete the project under budget and ahead of schedule. Importantly, this Gravity/CIL plant will allow us to run pay dirt at an efficiency rate of 90% or higher in the recovery of gold. We anticipate the plant being built in approximately 8 months. The Company has successfully operated in Tanzania since 1992. The significant experience of our technical team, as well as the consultants in Tanzania contributes to the integrity of the results. The soon-to-commence grade control drilling will be essential to further refine the mineable reserves during the pre-stripping development plan, and in advance of our process plant construction," concluded Mr. Duval. Highlights Conventional open pit mining methods selected in pit designs. Over LoM, a total of 17.49Mt of ore with a strip ratio of 8.1:1 will be mined. Pre-existing stockpile (ROMPAD) ore totaling 119,726t grading 1.89g/t to be used for process plant commissioning. 1.064Moz of gold to be mined over the life of the project. Recoveries of 89% for primary ore and 93%for saprolite ore, utilizing a simple EDS comminution, flotation and leaching process with gravity recovery circuit for free Au component collection. 0.91Moz of gold will be produced over the life of the project. Initial capital cost outlay estimated at US $32.5 Million with a Life of mine cost over the three phases of US $59.6 million and sustaining capital, excluding closure costs. with a Life of mine cost over the three phases of US and sustaining capital, excluding closure costs. Cash operating costs of US $696 /oz produced equivalent US $35.95 per tonne milled. /oz produced equivalent US per tonne milled. Generation of a positive NPV of US $243 million at a 5% discount rate and an IRR of 53.7% Major Assumptions Gold price of US $1250 /oz /oz Effective Tax Rate of 15.25% Royalty Rate of 4.3% Transport refining cost of $15.00 /oz Au /oz Au Discount rate of 5% Mineral Resources and Reserves The mineral resources and reserves of the Buckreef deposits were classified using logic consistent with the CIM definitions referred to in National Instrument 43-101. The mineral resource block model, which serves as the basis of the Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves in the Study, were developed utilizing 3D lithology models. Table 1 summarizes the Mineral Resources for the Buckreef project as of February 14, 2014. The mineral resource is reported at a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. Table 1 Buckreef Mineral Resources Prospect MEASURED INDICATED INFERRED MEASURED+INDICATED EXPLORATION TARGET Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz Au) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz Au) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz Au) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz Au) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz Au) Buckreef 8.902 1.72 491,529 13.100 1.41 594,456 7.528 1.33 322,902 22.022 1.53 1,085,985 4.385 1.10 155,321 Eastern Porphyry 0.087 1.20 3,366 1.016 1.17 38,355 1.239 1.39 55,476 1.103 1.18 41,721 1.324 1.14 48,664 Tembo 0.017 0.99 531 0.185 1.77 10,518 0.267 1.29 16,521 0.202 1.71 11,048 0.095 1.12 3,429 Bingwa 0.906 2.83 82,387 0.569 1.38 25,274 0.312 1.36 12,922 1.475 2.26 107,661 0.049 1.25 1,982 TOTAL 9.912 1.81 577,813 14.870 1.40 668,603 9.346 1.36 407,821 24.782 1.56 1,246,415 5.853 1.11 209,396 The pit optimization was produced using NPV Scheduler software which utilizes the industry standard Lerchs Grossman algorithm for analysis. Updated cost and recovery inputs in conjunction with new geotechnical parameters and ramp design from the preliminary economic assessment study were incorporated in the final pit design process. The base case US $1,100 gold shell was selected for the ultimate pit design. The final pit contains approximately 17.5Mt of ore (saprolite and primary), with 142Mt of waste resulting in an overall strip ratio of 8:1. Table 2 summarizes the Project Mineral Reserves effective as of April 27, 2017. Reserves were calculated using a US $1,100 per oz gold price and the corresponding cut-off grade of 0.59 g/t for all ore categories. Table 2 Buckreef Mineral Reserves Mineral Reserve Category Tonnes (T) Grade (g/t) In-Situ Gold (Ozs) Measured 12,249,856 1.78 702,169 Indicated 4,256,531 2.17 297,619 Measured + Indicated 16,506,387 1.88 999,788 Inferred 984,710 1.99 63,064 Mining The deposit is projected to be mined utilizing owner-operated conventional open pit mining methods. Mining will be completed using 5 meter benches in the saprolite zone and 10 meter benches in the primary sulphide zone. Updated pit wall angle designs and Tanzanian mining regulations were incorporated into the mine plan. The mine is estimated to produce sufficient ore to maintain an initial process plant feed scheduled at 60tph (Yr1-Yr4) with upgrades to 120tph (Yr5-Yr9) and 180tph (Yr10 onwards). Targeted ore production during commercial production is 1,500,000 tonnes per year LOM. Stockpiling of ore over LOM will result in surplus ore to be processed up to Year 17. Mineral Processing The process design for the Buckreef Project is based on extensive metallurgical test-work. Results from the work have established that high gold recoveries can be achieved with a conventional process of comminution (using the latest EDS system as a replacement for the conventional ball & roller mill circuit), gravity concentrate, flotation and flotation concentrate leaching circuit. Buckreef project ores are projected to be treated at a rate of 1.5Mt per annum with process plant capacity upgrades in Yr-5 and Yr-10. Overall recoveries from the flotation and cyanide leach circuits are expected to be 89% and 93% for primary ore and saprolite ore, respectively. Over the life of the mine an average of 53,534 oz Au per annum will be produced as dore. Project Economics Cost estimates were developed to a feasibility level of accuracy. Budget quotations for mobile and plant equipment were obtained from international suppliers. Unit rates for material commodities (earthworks, concrete, and steel) in Tanzania were verified from contractor and supplier quotations and based on current practice in Tanzania. Construction and labor costs applicable for the region were built up from first principles for salaries, burdens and overhead. Contingency was applied to each item based on the source and accuracy of the estimate data, resulting in an overall initial contingency of 10%. The Project Capital Cost Summary is included in Table 3. Table 3 Project Capital Cost Summary Item Description Initial (US#) A Mining 12,649,184 B Process Plant 35,384,625 C HR & Community 3,795,000 D HSE 100,000 E Finance & IT 2,241,519 Total Direct Costs 54,170,328 Indirect Costs Owner's Costs Contingency (10%) 5,417,033 Total Installed Cost 59,587,361 Operating costs were also developed from first principles, inclusive of labor, consumables, fleet maintenance and repair, and general and administration costs, and data from current operations in Tanzania. The estimated Operating Cost is summarized in Table 4. Table 4 Operating Cost Summary Operating Costs Units LOM Average (US$) Mining Cost (mined) $/t mined 1.94 Mining Cost (ore) $/t ore 17.67 Processing Cost $/t milled ore 16.89 G&A $/t ore 7.89 Direct Operating Cost $/t ore 42.44 Direct Operating Cost $/t ounce 696 The Project economic analysis has been carried out for a range of gold prices with $1,250 per ounce selected as the base case. The analysis demonstrates that the Project is expected to generate a positive NPV at a 5% discount rate of US $243 million and a positive IRR of 53.7%. Sensitivity of the Project NPV and IRR to changing metallurgical recovery or operating costs to fluctuations in gold price are illustrated in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Sensitivity Analysis Gold price is very sensitive to project NPV. An increase in gold prices by 20% will result in double the project NPV. Though a decrease in gold price has a negative impact on project NPV, the project remains viable with a 30% decrease in Gold price Metallurgical recovery follows the same trend as gold price variations. A decrease in recovery results into low project NPV. This is an important parameter to be monitored as slight negative change in recovery has big impact on project profitability The project is sensitive to OPEX. A decrease in operating cost result into cash-flow saving and hence increase in project NPV. While the base case demonstrates a positive return at the Feasibility capital and operating costs, the chart demonstrates further opportunities for improving the economics of the Project by investigating Capital and Operating cost savings. TRX is confident that the capital and operating costs can be further optimized, improving the value of the project. Permitting The SML renewal permitting process for the Buckreef Project continues to advance with positive support of the local communities and government authorities of Geita Municipality and Republic of Tanzania. The preparation of documents for the renewed 10-year permit was completed in October 2016 and the offer letter confirming approval and granting renewal of the SML was received in February 2017. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was approved in October 2016. The original Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certification was granted in October 2014, and encompassed the mining, ore processing and support infrastructure. Underground Mining Potential Mining of the Buckreef open pit will commence in year 0 (pre-stripping). Production from the underground can commence towards the end of current LOM of the open pit via development of an access decline/ramp without leaving a crown pillar below the pit floor. An accurate cutover point between open pit and underground can be calculated by comparing the cost to mine one tonne of mineralized material considering waste movement and development costs by both methods. Underground Mineralization The main Buckreef prospects are near surface deposits that are amenable to be mined by open pit methods which in this project are assumed to extend to a depth of 150-200 meters below surface. This is an arbitrary cutoff point and it is most likely that further optimization of the mineralization through grade control drilling would result in either deeper or wider pits given the grades and vein thickness (Figure 13.15). The two vein systems being considered are assumed to be robust in terms of continuity and thickness. The extents of the zone are 300m long and 15m wide at depths below 150m. The dip is assumed to be sub-vertical to vertical. Figure 0.1a Schematic Section of Mineralisation at Buckreef One of the veins has already been mined in the past and openings extend down to 150m from surface. Considerable caution would need to be exercised if mining near the old workings as voids may not have been surveyed correctly and ground conditions around old workings are often unstable. Figure 13.15b: Section view - West East Buckreef Main Pit Figure 12.15c: Section View - North South Buckreef Main Pit Materials Inventory No materials inventory (reserves) has been estimated for this study. From initial ore-body modelling, an assumption that the bulk of the inferred resource for the Buckreef Main deposit estimated to contain about 35.54Mt grading 1.50g/t Au will constitute the bulk of the underground resource inventory. The geological continuity and grade distribution of the Buckreef mineralisation is well constrained and the upside potential to define additional Mineral Resources in extensions of the known ore body has been confirmed through drilling. Exploration should concentrate on laterally expanding open pit mineralization down to say 100m and on deeper high grade underground targets. Further detailed drilling will ensure that the project economics would improve accordingly. Accordingly, drilling should be concentrated in this target to firm up a resource estimate. Project Development A conventional approach to mining and processing provides a solid platform on which to develop this well-defined gold deposit. Opportunities to improve the economics and value of the project have been identified in the study. These areas will continue to be investigated as development of the project continues. Thank you for your continued support of the Company as we move forward toward commercial gold production. The Company's Qualified Person, Mr. Peter Zizhou, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Zizhou is the COO of Tanzam2000, a subsidiary of Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation Limited. He has a Master of Science (Exploration Geology) degree from the University of Zimbabwe (2000) and is a registered scientist with SACNASP (Reg. No.400028/08). Respectfully Submitted, "James E. Sinclair" James E. Sinclair Executive Chairman Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements Certain of the statements made herein may contain forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified using words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information herein include, but are not limited to the Positive Feasibility Study on Buckreef. 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 and even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: gold price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risk; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; risks of sovereign investment; currency fluctuations; speculative nature of gold exploration; global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 25, 2016. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S. Cautionary Note Regarding Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources The terms "Mineral Reserve", "Proven Mineral Reserve" and "Probable Mineral Reserve" used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on August 20, 2000 as may be amended from time to time by the CIM. These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC") Guide 7. In the United States, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made. The terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource", "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instruction 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the CIM Standards. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. For a detailed discussion of Buckreef resource and reserve estimates and related matters see the Company's reports, including the Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 25, 2016 and technical reports filed under the Company's name at our website at: www.TanzanianRoyalty.com. Cautionary Note to US Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources Note to U.S. Investors. While the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource", and "inferred mineral resource" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. As such, information contained in this report concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S companies in SEC filings. With respect to "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" there is a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and a great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "indicated mineral resource" or "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. 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 Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation Related Links http://www.tanzanianroyalty.com ARLINGTON, Va., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) today announced that eTIPS, an online responsible alcohol server training and certification program, was approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's Bureau of Alcohol Education (PLCB) to provide Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP) server/seller training. In Pennsylvania, all sellers and servers of alcohol must complete RAMP server/seller training within six months of being hired by a licensee unless the individual successfully completed RAMP server/seller training prior to being hired. eTIPS is now an approved RAMP training course. eTIPS is the web-based version of the TIPS program. This program helps licensees comply with Pennsylvania liquor laws and teaches strategies to ensure responsible alcohol service and to prevent illegal alcohol sales to underage and/or intoxicated guests. Additionally, eTIPS can help Pennsylvania licensees reduce exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lower insurance rates, and improve customer satisfaction. "eTIPS offers Pennsylvania licensees a convenient option for completing RAMP server/seller training while receiving their TIPS certification at the same time," says HCI Vice President Trevor Estelle. The eTIPS program is a self-paced, innovative approach to alcohol server and seller training. It allows participants to obtain practical and valuable training anywhere and at any time. Participants that register with a Pennsylvania address will receive RAMP server/seller training, in addition to TIPS certification. The course is customized to deliver PLCB required information. Through interactive lessons, scenarios and quizzes, eTIPS gives servers the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and teaches them to effectively intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. To learn more, visit http://gettips.com/online/index.shtml. About Health Communications, Inc. Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1982 by the Health Education Foundation and Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Over 5 million people worldwide have been certified in the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) program. Proven effective by third-party studies, TIPS is a skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. TIPS offers seven programs that address the unique environments where alcohol is served, sold, and consumed, including On Premise, Off Premise, Concessions, Gaming, University, Seniors, and Workplace. To learn more, visit www.gettips.com. Contact: Trevor Estelle 703-524-1200 ext. 357 [email protected] SOURCE Health Communications, Inc. Reducing the symptoms of mild psoriasis Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the U.S., affecting as many as 7.5 million people in the country and a total of around 125 million people worldwide [1]. Clinical studies [2,3] have demonstrated that the UV-free blue LED light emitted by Philips' BlueControl wearable device induces natural, drug-free processes in the skin to significantly reduce symptoms of mild psoriasis vulgaris - the most common form of psoriasis - such as redness, scaling and thickness of psoriasis plaques. Building on the roll-out in Europe Designed with patients in mind, BlueControl's wearability provides complete freedom of movement. A patient can wear the rechargeable, battery-powered device comfortably on affected areas such as the arms, legs, elbows and knees using the adjustable straps. Philips obtained CE-marking for its BlueControl device in 2015, and has been successfully marketing it in selected countries in Europe, including Germany and the UK. Following the FDA clearance, Philips will start to engage with dermatologists and patient support groups in the U.S. and prepare for the commercial launch of BlueControl in the U.S. market in early 2018. "As a company, we aim to improve people's health with a broad portfolio of proven therapy solutions to enable patients with chronic conditions to manage their health at home," said David Aubert, General Manager of Philips' Light & Health business. "Philips BlueControl is a clinically proven light therapy device that can be easily integrated into a patient's daily routine. We are pleased that we can now start marketing this innovative home treatment solution for psoriasis to dermatologists in the U.S., so that they will be able to prescribe Philips BlueControl to their patients." Psoriasis vulgaris Eighty percent of psoriasis patients worldwide suffer from the most common form psoriasis vulgaris, also known as plaque psoriasis [1]. It is caused by the overly rapid proliferation of skin cells and can be accompanied by painful inflammation. Philips BlueControl light therapy is enabled by high-intensity blue LEDs with tailored light settings. It helps the patient's skin to renew itself properly by slowing down the accelerated production of skin cells associated with plaque psoriasis [4]. With its anti-inflammatory properties, blue light controls unregulated inflammation and can alleviate the symptoms of affected skin [5]. Clinical studies Philips conducted two consecutive clinical studies [2,3] in partnership with the University Hospital of Aachen in Germany to investigate the efficacy and safety of Philips BlueControl to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis vulgaris. In the second of these studies, patients were treated for a duration of three months. Eighty-four percent of patients showed an improvement in plaque symptoms (thickness, redness and scaling) compared to the beginning of the study. In some cases, complete disappearance of the plaque was observed. Eighty-three percent of patients rated the usability and comfort of the device as ideal or excellent [3]. [1] National Psoriasis Foundation USA "About Psoriasis" fact sheet and media kit, accessed July 2017. [2] Weinstabl A et al. Dermatology. 2011; 223(3): 251-9. [3] Pfaff S et al. Dermatology. 2015; 231: 24-34. [4] Liebmann J, Born M, Kolb-Bachofen MV. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2010; 130: 259-269. [5] Fischer M et al. Experimental Dermatology. 2013; 22: 554-563. For further information, please contact: Bjorn Teuwsen Philips Emerging Businesses Tel.: +31 6 130 789 75 E-mail: [email protected] Steve Klink Philips Group Press Office Tel.: +31 6 10888824 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 Related Links http://www.philips.com VANCOUVER, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Polaris Materials Corporation (TSX:PLS) (the "Company", "Polaris" or "we") today reported preliminary sales volumes for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, increased its full year sales expectations, and announced the addition of new quarry and logistics management personnel. Q2 2017 SALES VOLUMES Sales volumes in Q2 2017 were 650,000 tons, an increase of 16% over Q1 2017, and consistent with our expectations for the quarter. Year to date, sales volumes are 1.21 million tons, consistent with our expectations for the first half, compared to 1.46 million tons in the first half of 2016. That said, sales volumes grew by nearly 5% YTD (excluding the impact of the conclusion of the Hanson contract). Construction activity continues to climb in California, as projects that were delayed due to the exceptional rainfall are now catching-up in the summer. While Q2 shipments were lower than last year's Q2, the strong construction demand has drawn down inventories, requiring additional shipments in the second half of the year. Volumes in our Long Beach terminal were approximately 93,000 tons, up 51% from Q2 2016, albeit below our initial expectations for the quarter. Construction of the Silver Lake Water Treatment Facility commenced in late Q2 versus an original target of early Q1, however our customer is working on an accelerated schedule and we expect the majority of the work requiring Orca sand and gravel to be completed within the calendar year. We are also pleased to confirm our first sale of Fine Sand in the quarter, with a shipment being delivered to Hawaii in May. In addition, our Richmond terminal has recently broken its previous one-day sales record, with a 6,226 ton day to supply a foundation pour for the Transbay Center, and our superb Orca quarry team recently passed 669 days (22 months) of operations without a lost time incident. INCREASED FULL YEAR VOLUME EXPECTATIONS We are pleased to announce that we now expect full year sales volumes to be 3.0 to 3.2 million tons, a 0-5% increase from 2016. The increase is primarily driven by improved market share in San Francisco, following the suspension of activities at a local aggregate production facility, as well as increased domestic barge sales at the quarry. Volumes are increasing in San Francisco as our largest Bay Area customer has recently won several significant new contracts. Improvements in San Francisco and BC are offset by the modest reduction to the original Long Beach Terminal sales expectation for 2017, due to the above-mentioned delay to the Silver Lake project. While our second half is usually stronger than our first half, this effect will be punctuated in 2017, with 13-14 ships committed for delivery in Q3 and a further 10-12 ships scheduled (pending commitment) for Q4. Current sales expectations for Q3 2017 are in the range of 1.0 to 1.15 million tons, consistent with our increased full year expectations. We continue to focus on managing operating costs while positioning the business to meet significantly increased demand in the latter half of the year. Our quarry management team is finalizing plant improvements to significantly reduce scraper cycle time and help to improve equipment availability and further reduce mobile equipment costs. NEW QUARRY AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT We are pleased to announce that, effective July 1, 2017 Tyson Mackay has been promoted to the position of Mine Manager of the Orca Quarry. Brian Buckley, who has been the Interim Mine Manager, will continue to assist in a consultative capacity. Born and raised in the north Vancouver Island community, Tyson joined Orca in 2013 and has been a significant and invaluable contributor to the success of the operation from day one. He is also the leader of our superb Mine Rescue team, and recently led our team to a top 5 placing in the provincial competition against teams from significantly larger operations. As well, Tyson's leadership of the Orca safety culture led to the company's 5th Stewart/O'Brien Award in 10 years for zero lost time accidents. We are also pleased to announce that we recently hired Keven Wasylyshyn to the newly created position of Director, Supply Chain. Keven joined Polaris on January 18, 2017 after having served as Director of Terminals and Logistics for Northern Transportation Company, Limited (NTCL), a First Nations owned tug and barge operator with one of the largest fleets in Canada. Keven will focus on continuing to improve the efficiency of our logistics and working with our customers on delivery schedules and inventory management practices, where has already provided a significant benefit. Ken Palko, President and CEO, commented: "Q2 was a solid quarter operationally, and we are well positioned for a significantly increased pace of sales activity in the second half of the year. Our Long Beach terminal continues to perform well during its ramp-up and we expect very healthy volumes in the second-half as several projects that were delayed are working hard to make up time. We are proud of the safety milestone achieved at the quarry and the focus our operating teams have placed on safety, consistency and quality. I would also like to congratulate Tyson on his promotion to Mine Manager and to welcome Keven to the team at Polaris. Tyson is an instrumental part of our improved safety and operating performance, while Keven has already had a significant impact on further reducing our shipping and logistics costs. We look forward to many more years of their contributions to the success of our business." About Polaris Materials Corporation: Polaris Materials Corporation is engaged in the development and operation of construction aggregate quarries in Canada to supply distribution facilities in the United States through coastal shipping. The Company's active construction aggregate interests consist of its Orca Sand and Gravel Quarry in British Columbia and two associated receiving terminals in Richmond and Long Beach, California. The Company also owns the Black Bear Project located in close proximity to the Orca Quarry, and a controlling interest in the Eagle Rock Quarry Project, located on the south coast of Vancouver Island. For further information, please contact: Nicholas Van Dyk Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development Polaris Materials Corporation Tel: (604) 915-5000 Ext. 104 [email protected] Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements and information appear in this document and include estimates, forecasts, information and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, the future financial or operating performance of the Company, including increases in gross margins, increases in sales volumes (including in the Long Beach market), shipments and selling prices, costs of production, capital and operating expenditures, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of quarrying operations, environmental risks, reclamation expenses, and title disputes, the Canadian dollar compared to the US dollar, increases in Californian construction activity and US infrastructure funding, statements regarding potential new customers and the development of Black Bear. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "should", "plans", "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "budget", and "scheduled" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's continuous disclosure documents which are filed with Canadian regulators on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's Annual Report and under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form. Such factors include, amongst others, the effects of general economic conditions, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations, industry supply levels, competitive pricing pressures, mineral resource and reserve estimates and the timing and development of the Black Bear project. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. All written and oral forward-looking statements and information attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. SOURCE Polaris Materials Corporation Related Links http://www.polarismaterials.com NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS Potential Medicaid Cuts Put Savings of Middle-Class Elderly at Risk College Admissions Lawsuit Represents Step Backward MEDIA JOBS Cybersecurity/Defense Tech Reporter FCW (DC) Education Reporter Politico Pro (VA) Reporter, Refined Products Argus (CA) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES 4 Ways to Build Trust Through Authentic Content Blogger Events: Top Events to Attend in July Blog Profiles: Office Fashion Blogs ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: Potential Medicaid Cuts Put Savings of Middle-Class Elderly at Risk Kelley Bentley Elder Law Attorney Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC, Houston The health care bill the U.S. Senate is fine-tuning could have profound effects on elderly people who rely on nursing home care. Says Bentley: "The bill proposes large cuts to federal Medicaid support over several years with reliance on states to decide funding in the future. While many people may assume the program pays solely for health care for the poor, it also fills a gap for long-term care, including at-home and nursing home care for the elderly population. The cost of long-term care in the U.S. can be substantial and a serious drain on an individual's assets. That includes middle-class retirees who sometimes have managed to save substantial assets. Some people simply outlive their savings for long-term care. Older people should take a hard look at their savings long before any health problems. The secret is to start to plan early, before the need arises as there are more options available for the preservation of assets. The goal is not necessarily to preserve assets for future generations, but to ensure that an individual (or married couple) has sufficient assets to cover any future long-term care needs." Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected] College Admissions Lawsuit Represents Step Backward Shonn Brown Trial Lawyer Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, Dallas In another attempt to change the admissions process at the University of Texas at Austin, a group -- led by a man who unsuccessfully sued the university previously over its admissions process -- has filed a lawsuit claiming the school's use of race and ethnic considerations violates state law and gives African-American and Hispanic candidates preference over white and Asian applicants. Says Brown: "The University of Texas still struggles to obtain a diverse student population. It proceeds under an admissions policy that has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. This group and its actions seek a return to the 'days of old' and if put into place would likely take UT backwards in its attempts to utilize additional across-the-board processes that assist in increasing diversity in the UT student population." Contact: Sophia Reza, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Cybersecurity/Defense Tech Reporter FCW (DC) Education Reporter Politico Pro (VA) Reporter, Refined Products Argus (CA) ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line. 4 WAYS TO BUILD TRUST THROUGH AUTHENTIC CONTENT. When it comes to branding, we're hearing the buzzword "authentic" a lot lately. But what does that actually mean? How can a brand like yours be authentic, especially in its content marketing? Being authentic doesn't mean pulling crazy stunts like Burger King did recently when it hacked Google Home with its ad. Authenticity isn't attention-seeking or off-the-wall. It's real. It feels comfortable. So how can you build trust through authentic content? Find out here: http://cisn.co/2tFkKDr BLOGGER EVENTS: TOP EVENTS TO ATTEND IN JULY: Blogger Events is a monthly column of what's happening in the blog world. Here are some events that should be on your radar for July: http://bit.ly/2ufcsU1 BLOG PROFILES: OFFICE FASHION BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at office fashion blogs: http://bit.ly/2tKaZlR **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com CHICAGO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Radio Flyer was founded 100 years ago with one guiding principle, to bring joy to every boy and every girl. During the last century, millions of children have played for countless hours with Radio Flyer products, cementing the brand's iconic status. To celebrate 100 years of outdoor play and adventures, Radio Flyer is giving back to its fans to say thank you. Radio Flyer CWO Robert Pasin and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel celebrate Radio Flyer's 100th anniversary in Chicago on July 13, 2017. (Peter Wynn Thompson/AP Images for Radio Flyer) Radio Flyer, maker of the beloved little red wagon, celebrates a century of inspiring imagination "My grandfather would be so proud of what his dream has become, I never take for granted the nostalgia and feelings people have for the Radio Flyer brand," said Robert Pasin, Chief Wagon Officer of Radio Flyer and grandson of Radio Flyer founder Antonio Pasin. "I want to say thank you to everyone who has found joy with our products, we cherish our role in American childhood." To pay homage to the millions of families who have enjoyed Radio Flyer products, the brand created a video that brings to life the 100th year theme of Time Flies, Enjoy the Ride. The heartwarming video is a snapshot of everyday childhood moments during the past 100 years, and highlights the sense of imagination and adventure, joy of outdoor play and nostalgia that are central to Radio Flyer. Today, Radio Flyer also looks to bring more joy and warm memories to those most in need by donating wagons to Starlight Children's Foundation partner hospitals across the country. Radio Flyer is donating 2,000 wagons to hospitals nationwide to help transport children to and from tests and surgery. Radio Flyer has a long-standing relationship with Starlight, in addition to the Arbor Foundation and KaBOOM!. To celebrate this milestone in its hometown of Chicago, Radio Flyer rolled out the World's Largest Wagon on Michigan Avenue to pay special tribute to its history and host a day of smile-worthy celebrations. The wagon, which holds the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the largest toy wagon, is nine times the size of the classic red wagon, weighs 15,000 pounds and is 27 feet long. It was inspired by the Coaster Boy exhibit at the 1933 World's Fair where Radio Flyer founder Antonio Pasin took a great risk to create the exhibit which included a large wagon with a boy riding on it. From that point forward, Radio Flyer became a household name and a staple of American childhood. The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, praised Radio Flyer for its commitment to the Chicago business community and driving innovation, during the press event today. "100 years ago, Radio Flyer was created by an Italian immigrant on Chicago's west side and has now grown into a global icon," Mayor Emanuel said. "I want to congratulate Radio Flyer on this milestone and thank them for a century of commitment to bringing jobs to Chicago and joy to families throughout the world." For more information about Radio Flyer's 100-year history, visit www.radioflyer.com/celebration. To stay in touch for more updates on 100th anniversary celebrations, follow @RadioFlyerInc or www.facebook.com/RadioFlyer. About Radio Flyer Radio Flyer, Inc., maker of the famous and beloved Little Red Wagon is the world's leading producer of wagons, tricycles, pre-school scooters and other ride-ons. Radio Flyer has more than 100 award-winning products available in 25 countries. Since 1917, the family-owned company has created icons of childhood, building a legacy of high quality, timeless and innovative toys that spark the imagination and inspire outdoor, active play. Radio Flyer wheels have carried, hauled and fueled more kids' play and adventures than any other ride-on toy. Radio Flyer has received numerous awards, including "Best Places to Work" by Fortune, "Top Small Workplaces," by The Wall Street Journal and "5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America," by Inc. For more information visit www.radioflyer.com. SOURCE Radio Flyer, Inc. Related Links https://www.radioflyer.com CANYON, Texas, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A bright idea three years ago is paying off in Randall County, where elections will soon be handled by the most advanced voting technology certified in Texas, Hart InterCivic's Verity Voting system. In 2014, Verity was not yet available, but Elections Administrator Shannon Lackey told county commissioners that it was time to figure out a plan for replacing aging voting equipment. The new Verity Touch electronic voting system from Hart InterCivic makes voting straightforward with an easy to read touchscreen. The compact, lightweight devices save cost and effort for storage, transport and setup. Randall County's forward-looking officials set up a savings fund with a three-year timeline. As the County saved money, Verity was launched and certified, and Lackey prepared for change. On June 27, commissioners approved the Verity purchase, adding Randall County to a growing number of Texas jurisdictions thoughtfully choosing technology backed by a trusted Texas partner, Hart InterCivic. "Hart customer service is second to none," said Lackey, who has worked in the elections office since Hart's previous system was installed in the Panhandle county in early 2006. "Our commissioners were proactive they set up a savings fund for a replacement. I've got to thank them for that," she said after the 5-0 vote for Verity. "The timing is perfect." Lackey is looking forward to using Verity's updated technology. The system's easy-to-use touchscreen is familiar to voters, and a lightweight, removable tablet plus an array of accessibility features accommodate all voters, including those with disabilities. "It is important for a Vote Center county to be 100 percent electronic," Lackey added. With 85,000 registered voters, Randall County has used convenient and popular Vote Centers since 2013. Verity, which also handles paper ballots for absentee voting, is the only second generation digital scanning technology certified in Texas. Once election workers learn ballot programming and production, voter education on the new system will begin, Lackey said. "So far, all I've heard is 'awesome,'" she added. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of Hart InterCivic's Verity Voting system in mid-December, 16 Texas counties have purchased the state-of-the-art system. Federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in numerous jurisdictions throughout the U.S. "We welcome Randall County to the rapidly growing Verity family in Texas. It is gratifying to see counties' enthusiastic response to Verity's leading-edge technology in our home state," said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience. "Verity is the logical, trustworthy choice for Texas jurisdictions," Braithwaite said. "It is a versatile election system with state-of-the-art hardware and software designed in Austin and based on input from officials across the state, as well as other election experts nationwide." Hart's deep election background and strong reputation for customer care built a decade of trust in Randall County. "Anyone who hasn't worked with Hart is missing out. The equipment sells itself, and if there are ever needs or problems, help is just a call away," Lackey confirmed. "We'll use it next November, and my staff is very excited." For more information on the Verity Voting system, please visit www.hartintercivic.com/verityoverview. About Hart InterCivic, Inc. Austin-based Hart InterCivic is a full service election solutions innovator, partnering with state and local governments to deliver secure, accurate and reliable elections. Working side-by-side with election professionals for more than 100 years, Hart is committed to helping advance democracy one election at a time. Hart's mission fuels its passionate customer focus and a continuous drive for technological innovation. The company's new Verity Voting system makes voting more straightforward, equitable and accessibleand makes managing elections more transparent, more efficient and easier. Only Hart offers a completely new, certified voting system with both electronic and paper options. SOURCE Hart InterCivic, Inc. Related Links http://www.hartintercivic.com LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis Timetric's 'Reinsurance in Belgium, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the trends, drivers and challenges in the Belgian reinsurance segment. It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, reinsurance ceded and reinsurance accepted during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020). Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4966645/ The report also analyses information pertaining to the competitive landscape in the country, gives a comprehensive overview of the Belgian economy and demographics, and provides detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Belgian insurance industry. The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise to enable reinsurers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and access profiles of reinsurers operating in the country. Summary Timetric's 'Reinsurance in Belgium, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Belgian reinsurance segment, including: - The Belgian reinsurance segment's growth prospects by reinsurance ceded from direct insurance - A comprehensive overview of the Belgian economy and demographics - Detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Belgian insurance industry - The competitive landscape in the Belgian reinsurance segment Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the reinsurance segment in Belgium: - It provides historical values for the Belgian reinsurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period. - It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Belgian reinsurance segment, and market forecasts to 2019. - It provides a detailed analysis of the reinsurance ceded from various direct insurance segments in Belgium, and the reinsurance segment's growth prospects. Reasons To Buy - Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Belgian reinsurance segment, and each category within it. - Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Belgian reinsurance segment. - Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories. - Gain insights into key regulations governing the Belgian insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future. Key Highlights - Amendments to the Reinsurance Act 2009 were implemented in March 2016, renaming it the Insurance and Reinsurance Supervision Act, which aims to bring greater transparency into the operations of Belgian reinsurers. - In February 2016, the European Union (EU) passed new data protection and security regulations, effective from May 2018, which will oblige organizations to take out cyberinsurance and reinsurance. - In March 2016, the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) issued a circular stipulating additional specifications on the application of reinsurance cessions to the non-life catastrophe risk sub-module. - The Solvency II regulatory framework was implemented in January 2016, and is expected to drive reinsurance demand. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4966645/ 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 http://www.reportbuyer.com MILWAUKEE and TROY, Mich., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- REV Group (NYSE: REVG) and Meritor, Inc. (NYSE: MTOR) today announced a new standard supplier agreement. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, REV Group will equip its bus, fire and specialty vehicles with Meritor's fully dressed axle assemblies. Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of REV Group said, "REV Group's focus on continuously improving quality and reliability drives our strategic supplier selection. Partnering with Meritor allows REV to further strengthen our value proposition to customers." "This strategic partnership with REV Group positions Meritor as a supplier of choice for a growing company," said Joe Muscedere, general manager, Off Highway, Specialty & Defense, North America for Meritor. "We look forward to continued work with the REV Group on new products and the development of future designs." Training and support for end customers is available from DriveForce, Meritor's industry-leading North America sales and service organization that offers solutions before, during and after the sale. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based REV Group is the parent company of 29 brands with more than 240,000 vehicles in service. REV brands included in the agreement are: E-ONE, aerial ladders and platforms, command and communications apparatus, tankers, quick attack units and rescue vehicles Ferrara, ladder, platform, pumper, tanker, rescue, industrial and law enforcement vehicles KME, aerial, airport, industrial, pumper and rescue Capacity Trucks, yard trucks and terminal tractors El Dorado, heavy duty commercial buses for paratransit, public transit, university transport, airport parking, group tours, hotel shuttle and assisted living services About REV Group REV (REVG) is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services. REV serves a diversified customer base primarily in the United States through three segments: Fire & Emergency, Commercial and Recreation. REV provides customized vehicle solutions for applications including: essential needs (ambulances, fire apparatus, school buses, mobility vans and municipal transit buses), industrial and commercial (terminal trucks, cut-away buses and street sweepers) and consumer leisure (recreational vehicles ("RVs") and luxury buses). REV's brand portfolio consists of 29 well-established principal vehicle brands including many of the most recognizable names within our served markets. Several of REV's brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. Investors-REVG About Meritor Meritor, Inc. is a leading global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets. With more than a 100-year legacy of providing innovative products that offer superior performance, efficiency and reliability, the company serves commercial truck, trailer, off-highway, defense, specialty and aftermarket customers around the world. Meritor is based in Troy, Mich., United States, and is made up of approximately 8,000 diverse employees who apply their knowledge and skills in manufacturing facilities, engineering centers, joint ventures, distribution centers and global offices in 18 countries. Meritor common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MTOR. For important information, visit the company's website at www.meritor.com. SOURCE Meritor, Inc. Related Links http://www.meritor.com BERKELEY, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rigetti Computing, a full-stack quantum computing company, announced the appointment of retired Marine Corps General Peter Pace to its board of directors. General Pace served as the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2005-2007. "It's an honor to have General Pace join our board as an independent director. He has deep experience in leading mission-driven organizations," said Chad Rigetti, founder and CEO, Rigetti Computing. "I have come to know him over the past several months and have seen firsthand the integrity, intellect, and warmth that make him a great person and an accomplished leader." With more than four decades of leadership, strategic, and long-term planning experience, General Pace has demonstrated success in both military and business arenas. He currently holds leadership positions as a board member or advisor for several corporations and non-profit organizations. "I'm delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Rigetti Computing team," said General Pace. "I am genuinely impressed with their innovation in quantum computing, and I look forward to supporting their mission to build the world's most powerful computer." General Pace joins Chad Rigetti, CEO, Rigetti Computing; Charlie Songhurst, angel investor; and Vijay Pande, general partner, Andreessen Horowitz, on Rigetti Computing's board of directors. About Rigetti Computing Rigetti Computing is a full-stack quantum computing company. The company designs and manufactures quantum chips and builds software to integrate its systems with cloud infrastructure. Rigetti's Forest is the world's first full-stack programming and execution environment for quantum/classical computing. Currently in public beta, Forest can be used to develop and run quantum algorithms over the cloud. Rigetti Computing was recently recognized by MIT Technology Review as one of the world's 50 Smartest Companies. Rigetti Computing was founded in 2013 and is based in Berkeley, Calif. and Fremont, Calif. Press Contact Calisa Cole [email protected] SOURCE Rigetti Computing Related Links http://www.rigetti.com IRVINE, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When the members of more than 1,000 Fab Labs around the world gather in Santiago, Chile for FAB13 July 31 through August 6, 2017, Roland DG will once again be on hand as a key sponsor of this annual gathering of the global Fab Lab community. This marks the fifth time Roland DG has sponsored the event which features presentations by thought leaders, hands-on workshops and demonstrations of digital fabrication, followed by a two-day "Fab Festival" open to the public. Roland DG's wide-format inkjet printers, 3D milling machines and other advanced digital devices used as the equipment of choice in many Fab Labs will be featured throughout the show in Roland's booth and workshop. Fab Labs, originated by the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, allow anyone from students and hobbyists to entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality. As a sponsor of FAB13, Roland DG will demonstrate the capabilities of its innovative products, including 3D milling machines, desktop vinyl cutters, wide-format inkjet printers and UV benchtop flatbed printers, at the event. In addition, Roland DG will conduct an interactive workshop covering the use of the company's CAMM-1 GS-24 cutter, CutStudio software and new Project Based Learning (PBL) tutorials. Centered around the theme "Fabricating Society," FAB13 will focus on new opportunities and new ways of doing things. The event will unite individuals from the political, business, academic, and professional arenas to discuss, collaborate and create communities around different local and global interests related to digital manufacturing, innovation and technology. "Roland is committed to the expansion of the Fab Lab movement, STEM programs, and digital fabrication around the world," said Andrew Oransky, President of Roland DGA. "Our cutting-edge devices are playing a crucial role in these educational environments, helping people develop ideas and products that improve our daily lives and our planet." As a desktop fabrication pioneer for over 30 years, Roland DG printers, cutters and milling machines have been recommended as tools for Fab Labs around the world. Combining the latest digital technology with compact size, ease of use and affordable prices, Roland DG's digital devices allow individuals from a wide variety of fields, including product designers, engineers, graphic designers, decorators, students, makers and hobbyists, to bring their ideas to life. To learn more about Roland's complete product lineup, visit https://www.rolanddga.com. Link to images related to this press release: https://www.rolanddga.com/en/company/pressroom/images/2017/fab13-and-logo About Fab Lab A Fab Lab is an open workshop offering digital fabrication as well as analog tools with the aim to make "almost anything." The concept was originally proposed by Professor Neil Gershenfeld, the Director of the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Currently, there are over 450 Fab Labs in over 55 countries, which under the three concepts MAKE, LEARN, SHARE, support Personal Fabrication, giving people the unprecedented ability to design and then produce their own customized products. Each local Fab Lab is connected to a network of Fab Labs around the world in order to freely share information, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate on solving problems and accomplishing projects. The Fab Lab Conference takes place once a year in a different city around the world, and serves as a forum to gather Fab Lab managers, core members and practitioners from the global Fab Lab network and beyond. For more information, visit http://fab13.fabevent.org. About Roland DGA Roland DGA Corporation serves North and South America as the marketing, sales and distribution arm for Roland DG Corporation. Founded in 1981 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Roland DG of Hamamatsu, Japan is a worldwide leader in wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, personalization and vehicle graphics markets; engravers for awards, giftware and ADA signage; photo impact printers for direct part marking; and 3D printers and CNC milling machines for the dental CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, part manufacturing and medical industries. SOURCE Roland DGA Related Links https://www.rolanddga.com BOSTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scotties Facial Tissues By Royale announced today that they will be partnering with the Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) to surprise the students at up to three deserving schools with backpacks full of school supplies. The donation of $25,000 will purchase backpacks filled with pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks, and of course, Scotties Facial Tissues. The Kids In Need Foundation provides school supplies to kids who need them most, nationwide. In 2016 alone, KINF supported more than 5.4 million students with supplies. "Pencils, notebooks, and backpacks mean more to a child in need than you'd think," said Scotties Marketing Director, John Robertson. "Being prepared for school gives a child confidence in themselves that spills over into their everyday life, and fosters much more than just productive day of learning." "Our research shows that when students have access to the tools they need to learn, their classroom participation increases, and their interest in learning increases," said Dave Smith, executive director, The Kids In Need Foundation. "We are thankful for the generous donation from Scotties Facial Tissues, because we know many more students will have the confidence that comes from having the supplies they need to succeed." To make this donation happen, Scotties is putting the call out to all parents to support them in their mission. As part of their 2017 Ready, Set, School! campaign, Scotties will donate one backpack for each video created and shared under the hashtag #ReadySetSchool. In less than 45 seconds, Scotties would like to see responses from kids to the following question: "If you could put one thing in a backpack and then give it to a kid who needed help getting through the school day, what would that one thing be and why?" Upload those videos to social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) and share them using the hashtag, and Scotties will donate one backpack full of school supplies for every video created. To see examples of videos, click here. About Kids In Need Foundation (KINF): The Kids In Need Foundation's mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed in the classroom by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need. The Kids In Need Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995, has distributed nearly $900 million in school supplies, directly benefiting 5.4 million students and nearly 200,000 teachers annually. For more information, visit KINF.org, and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @KidsInNeed About Scotties Facial Tissues by Royale: Considered one of the top facial tissue manufacturers in the United States, Scotties Facial Tissues by Royale is owned by Irving Tissue, Inc. a Canadian-based and family owned company committed to managing its operations in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible manner. For more information visit www.scottiesfacial.com. SOURCE Scotties Facial Tissues Related Links http://www.scottiesfacial.com LAS VEGAS, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Las Vegas summers can be brutally hot, with temperatures in July averaging 92 degrees Fahrenheit. However, thanks to the low incidence of precipitation, almost non-existent humidity, and temperate winters, the city provides a surprisingly hospitable environment for the homeless. At the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, such individuals have established a semi-permanent 'tent city' where they reside full-time. These encampments have a tendency of springing up here and there across the city, leading nearby business owners and residents to complain to city officials about the eye-sore or property damage. Police are sent to remove the offenders, only to see identical campsites spring up in the surrounding areas. This is a common tactic employed by municipalities looking to 'Do Something' about the homeless problem, but is far from a solution, and does nothing more than shuffle the homeless population around from place to place. On a larger scale, many cities, such as San Francisco, Portland, and yes, Las Vegas, even resort to buying homeless individuals one-way bus tickets to wherever they would like to go, as long as it's anywhere else. After settling a lawsuit regarding this practice, Las Vegas has since begun searching for a more contemporary solution to solving the homeless crisis. In recent months, the city unveiled a project entitled the "Corridor of Hope," which aims to provide a central base of operations for the delivery of services and aid to Vegas's homeless population, as well a temporary place of residence for those in need. The Corridor will consist of a plaza of buildings located on Foremaster Lane, between Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard North, and will contain shaded areas, service providers, a cooling station, port-a-potties, and other amenities. The Corridor of Hope project represents a dramatic shift in thinking about how to address the issue of Las Vegas's homeless, and a legitimate step in the right direction. However, a significant portion of that population (designated as "service-resistant") hold the government, and facilities of care, in suspicion, and avoid them whenever possible. This group is composed of some of the most at-risk individuals: those with disabilities, mental illnesses, and drug or alcohol addictions. It is this group that Las Vegas's newest Federally Qualified Health Center is focused on. Silver State Health Services, a government-sanctioned non-profit tasked with providing affordable or free treatment to underserved populations, is one of a select few FQHCs to be awarded a grant of $50,000 to be used exclusively to provide the homeless with physical and mental health care. The center is currently designing Mobile Clinics in order to reach these service-resistant individuals and treat them where they dwell. Silver State's CEO, Ryan Linden, offered perspective on the situation in Las Vegas. "The area north of Downtown has really become the epitome of a tent city. It's estimated that around 2,300 people are permanently located in this area, primarily due to the immediate proximity of the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and other service providers. The city's Corridor of Hope plan is a great idea, but they haven't stopped periodically uprooting homeless groups and relocating them. This practice satisfies business owners and residents, but, for a lot of homeless folks, fosters a lot of distrust of anyone 'official.' We want to let them know that, despite any of the city's actions, we will help you. We want to address any medical and mental needs, as well as assist with housing and government aid. We'll come to you, or we'll help you get to us." Mr. Linden and one of Silver State's board members recently accepted an invitation to attend the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council's annual symposium in Washington D.C., where they listened to panels discussing trends in homeless populations and the latest methods of treatment for at-risk populations. During this time in Washington, Linden met with Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada) and members of his team on Thursday, June 15, to discuss Nevada's homeless situation and lobby for their assistance. "We met with Senator Heller and his staff last Thursday. They were extremely receptive, and want to do all they can to alleviate this problem. I emphasized just how important Medicaid is to the continued functioning of Nevada. The expansion was one of the single most important events in improving the rate of care for our state's mentally ill population, not to mention for those under or near the poverty-line. If the legislature were to cut Medicaid, it would be devastating for Nevadans." The office is located at 1909 S. Jones Blvd., Las Vegas NV, 89146. For those who are seeking expert physicians, Silver State offers primary care, mental health services, and community assistance. Silver State strives to improve the health and well-being of homeless persons and others in need. They are partners of The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council. Social workers at Silver State Health Center are focused on assisting patients with critical needs such as housing, transportation, food, and much more. Silver State Health Services offers appointments via their official website or by phone at 702-471-0420. About Silver State Health Services Silver State Health Services, located just north of Sahara at 1909 S. Jones Blvd. is the newest (FQHC) Federally Qualified Health Center in Nevada serving Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Silver State Health Center offers primary care, mental health services, community services, and social services. SOURCE Silver State Health Services Related Links http://www.silverstatehealth.org DALLAS, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TeamSupport, a top B2B help desk and customer support software solutions company, today announced their latest built-in integration with Microsoft (MSFT) Visual Studio Team Services, also known as Team Foundation Server. Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) is a bundled suite of DevOps tools that can also integrate with other business tools. TeamSupport's integration with VSTS makes it even easier for software developers to keep track of all their development work and collaborate with other team members. VSTS helps users plan, build, and ship software across a variety of platforms. They offer both cloud (VSTS) and installed (TFS) versions to meet any organization's needs. VSTS offers a wide range of functionality including version control, code sharing, and tracking of features, bugs, work items, and more. With a focus on agile development including continuous integration and deployment, the integration is a natural fit for TeamSupport, who focuses on team collaboration and hyper-efficient customer support for business to business software and technology companies. "Helping our customers' to collaborate more effectively within and across teams to improve issue resolution is our primary focus," said Robert C. Johnson, CEO of TeamSupport. "Integrating with VSTS seemed like a no-brainer since a large portion of our customers incorporate software development. By integrating TeamSupport with VSTS, support teams and developer teams can share pertinent information faster and more efficiently." With the new integration, TeamSupport customers who use either VSTS or TFS can quickly and easily share information about projects, such as bug tracking or feature development. The native integration supports syncing of various standard and custom fields, and allows multiple TeamSupport tickets to be linked with VSTS work items. Comments and actions are also shared seamlessly, so both support reps and developers can be updated in real time. "In software companies the support team tends to work very closely with the development team, especially on feature requests and bug fixes, so sharing information is critical to maximizing efficiency," Johnson observed. "With TeamSupport's VSTS integration, collaborating on these issues is easier than ever before." Designed by B2B support professionals especially for organizations that provide external customer support, TeamSupport offers an array of tools that make it easy for teams to work together, share information, and access their collective knowledge to solve customer challenges. TeamSupport's solution makes it easier for support agents to resolve individual tickets while managing the overall customer relationship. Find out more at www.teamsupport.com. About TeamSupport TeamSupport, based in Dallas, Texas, is an online help desk and customer support application built specifically for business to business support. Built by a team of veteran software company executives, TeamSupport has won many industry awards, including being ranked on CRM Magazine's elite list of Rising Stars recognizing the industry's most innovative and growing CRM-related software solutions. Learn more about why TeamSupport is one of the best help desk software solutions today and the trusted customer support software provider to prominent business clients worldwide by visiting www.TeamSupport.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Lloyd SSPR 541-490-7116 [email protected] SOURCE TeamSupport Related Links https://www.teamsupport.com/ SAN DIEGO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Teradata (NYSE: TDC), the leading data and analytics company, today announced the acquisition of StackIQ, developers of one of the industry's fastest bare metal software provisioning platforms which has managed the deployment of cloud and analytics software at millions of servers in data centers around the globe. The deal will leverage StackIQ's expertise in open source software and large cluster provisioning to simplify and automate the deployment of Teradata Everywhere. Offering customers the speed and flexibility to deploy Teradata solutions across hybrid cloud environments, allows them to innovate quickly and build new analytical applications for their business. In addition to technology assets, the acquisition also includes StackIQ's talented team of engineers, who will join Teradata's R&D organization to help accelerate the company's ability to automate software deployment in operations, engineering and end-user customer ecosystems. "Teradata prides itself on building and investing in solutions that make life easier for our customers," said Oliver Ratzesberger, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer for Teradata. "Only the best, most innovative and applicable technology is added to our ecosystem, and StackIQ delivers with products that excel in their field. Adding StackIQ technology to IntelliFlex, IntelliBase and IntelliCloud will strengthen our capabilities and enable Teradata to redefine how systems are deployed and managed globally." "Our incredibly high standards also apply to the people we hire," continued Ratzesberger. "As Teradata continues to expand its engineering (R&D) skills to drive ongoing technology innovation, we are seeking qualified, talented individuals to join our team. Once again, StackIQ has set the bar with stellar engineers who we are honored to now call Teradata employees." Under terms of the deal, Teradata will now own StackIQ's unique IP that automates and accelerates software deployment across large clusters of servers (both physical and virtual/in the cloud). This increase in automation will occur across all Teradata Everywhere deployments, dramatically reducing build and delivery times for complex business analytics solutions and adding the capability to manage software-only "appliances" across hybrid cloud infrastructure. The speed of Teradata's new integrated solution also allows for rapid re-provisioning of internal test or benchmarking hardware, as well as swift redeployment between technologies to match a customer's changing workload requirements. "Joining Teradata, the market leader in analytic data solutions, truly validates the importance of StackIQ's engineering and the talent we have cultivated over the years," said Tim McIntire, Co-Founder at StackIQ. "We are looking forward to bringing a bit of San Diego's start-up culture to Teradata, and working together to simplify Teradata's customer experience for system software deployment and upgrades." The terms of the acquisition agreement were not disclosed. Relevant News Links About Teradata Teradata helps companies achieve high-impact business outcomes. With a portfolio of business analytics solutions, architecture consulting, and industry leading big data and analytics technology, Teradata unleashes the potential of great companies. Visit teradata.com. Get to know Teradata: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/teradata Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Teradata LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/teradata YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/teradata Teradata and the Teradata logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Teradata Corporation and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and worldwide. SOURCE Teradata Related Links http://www.teradata.com NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reached the stage where it is sufficiently advanced and affordable to warrant practical implementation in financial services. Banks are busy exploring ways in which they can harness the power of AI to streamline internal processes and improve the customer experience. This report will explore what AI applications are relevant in banking at this time, examine where AI is already making an impact, and offer recommendations on how banks should proceed. Several aspects of banking are ripe for AI-driven intervention. Many of their data-driven back-office processes are high volume and repetitive in nature, and hence are ideal candidates for intelligent automation. At the front end, with the majority of customer interactions occurring through digital channels, there is also considerable scope for AI to improve the quality of and add value to the user experience. Key findings include in this report - - AI encompasses a wide range of technologies, including robotic process automation (RPA), natural language processing (NLP), advanced data analytics, and image analytics. Use of these technologies will help banks improve both front-office and back-office processes. - Customer-facing uses of AI include chatbots that improve communication between banks and their customers, advanced analytics that can offer proactive advice to consumers and take simple financial decisions on their behalf, and facial recognition that improves onboarding and makes it easier for consumers to log into their accounts. - Back-office AI implementations include algorithms that can identify and block cases of fraud and money laundering, and analysis of non-traditional data to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers who lack standard credit records. Critical success factors - Improve data quality: AI algorithms depend on access to high quality data to work effectively. Banks must move away from siloed and fragmented databases towards a single view of their customers. This will give the algorithms access to enough data to make effective decisions. - Collaborate with AI specialists: AI is an incredibly complex field, and banks are best advised to partner with AI specialists. This will enable them to launch AI-based services quicker and cheaper than if they were to develop solutions in-house. - Address potential execution risks:Banks need to be aware of the possible pitfalls of using AI, such as algorithm bias, a lack of transparency around decision-making, and concerns with data privacy. Steps should be taken to minimize these risks. The report "The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Banking" examines the most significant uses of AI in retail banking, in both front-office and back-office implementations. Additionally, this report insight into following - - The particular manifestations of AI that have the most relevance for banking. - How leading banks are already implanting AI-based solutions. - The factors banks need to address when introducing AI applications. Companies mentioned in this report: Admiral, Amazon, Atom Bank, Bank of America, DataVisor, Ernest, EyeVerify, Facebook, Google, IDnow, Kasisto, Lenddo, Moneyhub Enterprise, Olivia, PayPal, Personetics, Plum, POSB, Starling Bank, USAA, TrustingSocial, Wells Fargo, ZestFinance. Scope - AI encompasses a wide range of technologies, including robotic process automation, natural language processing, advanced data analytics, and image analytics. Use of these technologies will help banks improve both front-office and back-office processes. - Customer-facing uses of AI include chatbots that improve communication between banks and their customers, advanced analytics that can offer proactive advice to consumers and take simple financial decisions on their behalf, and facial recognition that improves onboarding and makes it easier for consumers to log into their accounts. - Back-office AI implementations include algorithms that can identify and block cases of fraud and money laundering, and analysis of non-traditional data to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers who lack standard credit records. Reasons to Buy - Discover where AI will have the most impact upon the delivery of banking services. - Learn how your competitors are already using AI to improve customer outcomes and profitability. - Understand what issues you must resolve in order to successfully launch AI-based services. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04978306/The-Future-of-Artificial-Intelligence-in-Banking.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com SAN FRANCISCO and LOUISVILLE, Colo., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, LLC, a leading private equity investment firm, today announced that it has completed its sale of Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX), a provider of connected intelligent healthcare supply chains, to Temasek, an investment company headquartered in Singapore. Under the agreement, Temasek acquired a majority stake while Thoma Bravo, the existing owner, retained a minority position. Financial details were not disclosed. GHX is unique among supply chain providers as it creates and connects healthcare's largest collaborative trading partner community, including providers, suppliers, distributors and group purchasing organizations (GPOs), to improve healthcare business processes with increased data accuracy and automation. Headquartered in Louisville, Colo., the company has employees in the United States, Canada and Europe and is known for its electronic trading exchange, electronic payment solution, and supply chain solutions. "Over the course of our partnership, GHX has pursued a solid pro-growth strategy and now maintains a strong position in North American and Europe. Thoma Bravo has worked alongside GHX's management team to make significant operational improvements and strategic growth investments, with the goal of achieving a leadership position in the healthcare supply chain," said Seth Boro, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. "We are confident that GHX will continue this trajectory and look forward to continuing to work with and support GHX in its next phase of growth." "GHX perfectly aligned with Thoma Bravo's buy and build strategy and our expertise in building market-leading companies in fragmented but consolidating industry sectors," added Arvindh Kumar, a Principal at Thoma Bravo. "Our partnership with GHX has proven to be another successful investment for us in the healthcare technology space, and is a prime example of the value Thoma Bravo brings to each of our portfolio companies." "Our goal at GHX has always been to deliver solutions that have a measurably positive impact on our customers' businesses and the patients they serve. Thoma Bravo has helped us expand our solutions, grow our business and ultimately, drive improved efficiency and results in healthcare," said Bruce Johnson, CEO and president of GHX. "We are excited about the addition of Temasek to GHX's ownership and look forward to working with both organizations to grow our business." About Thoma Bravo, LLC 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 GHX Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) drives costs out of healthcare with cloud-based supply chain management technology and services to help enable better patient care and savings by maximizing automation, efficiency, and accuracy of business processes. GHX offers healthcare providers and suppliers an open and neutral electronic trading exchange that delivers procurement and accounts payable automation, contract and inventory management, vendor credentialing and management, business intelligence, payment management and other supply chain-related tools and services. For more information, visit www.ghx.com and The Healthcare Hub. About Temasek Incorporated in 1974, Temasek is an investment company headquartered in Singapore. Supported by 10 offices globally; including New York and San Francisco in the U.S., London in Europe, Beijing in China, and Mumbai in India, Temasek owns a S$275 billion (US$197b) portfolio as at 31 March 2017, mainly in Singapore and Asia. Temasek's portfolio covers a broad spectrum of industries: telecommunications, media & technology; financial services; transportation & industrials; consumer & real estate; life sciences & agriculture; as well as energy & resources. Its investment activities are guided by four investment themes and the long-term trends they represent: Transforming Economies; Growing Middle Income Populations; Deepening Comparative Advantages; and Emerging Champions. Temasek's current and prior investments in the U.S. include Airbnb, Ancestry.com, Dell Technologies, Intapp, Internet Brands, Jasper, Univar, Verily Life Sciences and Virtu Financial. For more information, visit www.temasek.com.sg. For Thoma Bravo: Matthew Gorton Hiltzik Strategies 212-76-1161 [email protected] For GHX: Kathy Wilson Tier One Partners 781-652-0499 [email protected] SOURCE Thoma Bravo, LLC Related Links https://thomabravo.com WASHINGTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thycotic, a provider of privileged account management (PAM) and endpoint privilege management solutions for more than 7,500 organizations worldwide, today announced the release of version 10.3 for Secret Server and Privilege Manager, solutions that enable organizations to store, distribute, change and audit enterprise passwords in a secure environment while easing the burden of least privilege with application whitelisting and privilege elevation. Updates within v10.3 include a European datacenter for Secret Server Cloud to comply with new data protection regulations, as well as a Mac Agent for Privilege Manager to continue to allow enterprises to strengthen their security posture. As the data protection regulation across the European Union begins its enforcement, organizations in Europe and any organizations that collect or process EU Citizen's personal data require a way to protect their data from cyber attacks that target Privileged Accounts. European Union Data protection laws, specifically those in Germany, require that data is stored and controlled in a datacenter within the EU. In support of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Thycotic's Secret Server v10.3 is now making Secret Server Cloud available from datacenters located within Germany. These datacenters, along with Thycotic's Dual Control capabilities, allow organizations to easily protect Privileged Accounts in accordance with these data protection regulations. "European based organizations and all organizations who collect or process EU Citizen's personal data need a privileged account solution, that can help them protect privileged accounts immediately, while still maintaining budget and financial control," said Joseph Carson, Chief Security Scientist at Thycotic. "At Thycotic we are committed to the global protection of organizations from cyber attacks, and with these enhancements we continue to ensure our solutions adhere to data protection laws internationally." In addition to its EMEA datacenter, this release includes a Mac Agent for Privilege Manager, allowing central privilege management and application control on Mac endpoints, alongside Windows. With this enhancement, Thycotic now offers Privilege Management for Windows, Mac, and Unix, with additional granular application control for Windows and Mac. "Operating under least privilege is a cultural shift that can be difficult for organizations to implement and maintain, often creating a burden on the IT and Helpdesk teams," said James Legg, CEO at Thycotic. "It is just no longer an option. Executives must understand that the risk is too great to leave administrative rights on employee computers. No matter which type of organization, Privilege Manager can help alleviate the help desk and IT support burden of least privilege by allowing end users to install approved software and change allowed system settings without administrative rights." For more information on Secret Server v10.3 visit: https://thycotic.com/products/secret-server/. To learn more about Thycotic and their PAM solutions, please visit the company's website and follow Thycotic on Twitter at @Thycotic. About Thycotic Thycotic, a global leader in IT security, is the fastest growing provider of Privilege Management solutions that protect an organization's most valuable assets from cyber-attacks and insider threats. Thycotic secures privileged account access for more than 7,500 organizations worldwide, including Fortune 500 enterprises. Thycotic's award winning Privilege Management Security solutions minimize privileged credential risk, limits user privileges and controls applications on endpoints and servers. Thycotic was founded in 1996 with corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C. and global offices in the U.K. and Australia. For more information, please visit www.thycotic.com. For further information, please contact: Steve Kahan Jacqueline Velasco Thycotic Lumina Communications T: 202-802-9399 T: 408-680-0564 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] SOURCE Thycotic Related Links http://www.thycotic.com Under the planned succession, Mr. Buckley, 48, will become the firm's fourth CEO since its founding in 1975. Mr. McNabb, 60, who has served as Vanguard's CEO since 2008, will remain as chairman of the board. Greg Davis, 46, global head of Vanguard's Fixed Income Group, assumes the position of chief investment officer. Commenting on his decision to step down as CEO, Mr. McNabb said: "As the firm continues to grow, evolve and expand globally, it is the right time for a new leader and the Board is unanimous in its belief that Tim Buckley is the ideal next chief executive for Vanguard. I have worked alongside Tim for many years and he brings a strong passion for serving Vanguard clients and crew, a global mindset, and significant leadership experience in all facets of our operations." Mr. Buckley has been a member of Vanguard's senior leadership team since 2001 and has served as Vanguard's chief investment officer since 2013. He joined Vanguard in 1991 as assistant to then Chairman John C. Bogle. He was elected as a principal of the firm in 1998, and subsequently held senior leadership roles in two divisions, including as chief information officer and head of Vanguard's Information Technology Division from 2001 to 2006, and head of Vanguard's Retail Investor Group from 2006 to 2012. Mr. Buckley is also a long-tenured member of Vanguard's Global Investment Committee, which has oversight responsibilities for Vanguard's in-house equity and fixed income management functions, as well as the 27 external investment advisory firms employed by Vanguard. Mr. Buckley earned an A.B. in economics from Harvard in 1991, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1996. "Vanguard's mutual structure and client-focused culture serve as the foundation for everything we do, and I am honored to lead this great organization into its next chapter," said Mr. Buckley. "Thanks to Bill's strong leadership over the past ten years, Vanguard is well-positioned to continue helping clients achieve investment success. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Bill over the next six months as I transition to my new role." Mr. McNabb joined Vanguard in June 1986 and became a member of Vanguard's senior leadership team in 1995 as head of Vanguard's Institutional Investor Group. He was named CEO in 2008 and chairman in 2009. Mark Loughridge, lead independent trustee of Vanguard's board, stated: "Bill has been an extraordinary leader, deftly navigating the firm through the most turbulent market environment in modern history into an era of unprecedented growth and global expansion, while developing a strong management team and a deep bench of talented investment professionals. Above all, he has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to our clients, which is the hallmark of Vanguard, and we are grateful that he will continue to serve as chairman of the board." As chief investment officer, Mr. Davis assumes oversight responsibility for more than $3.8 trillion managed by Vanguard's Fixed Income, Equity Index, and Quantitative Equity Groups. The more than 300 mutual funds and ETFs managed by these groups encompass active and index stock, active and index fixed income, money market, and stable value mandates. Mr. Davis has led Vanguard's Fixed Income Group since 2014, with responsibility for portfolio management, strategy, credit research, trading, and planning functions. He also previously served as the company's Asia-Pacific chief investment officer and a director of Vanguard Investments Australia. He earned a B.S. in insurance from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Philadelphia. "We are fortunate to have Greg at the helm of our global investment teams and as a new member of our senior leadership team," said Mr. McNabb. "His experience as a portfolio manager and as a leader of investment management teams, long-term orientation, and exceptional judgment make him an excellent steward of our clients' assets." About Vanguard Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies. As of June 2017, Vanguard managed $4.4 trillion in global assets. The firm, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, offers 369 funds to its more than 20 million investors worldwide. For more information, visit vanguard.com. For more information about Vanguard funds, visit vanguard.com or call 800-523-1036 to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing. Please note that a preliminary prospectus is subject to change. 2017 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. SOURCE Vanguard Related Links http://www.vanguard.com "Toys"R"Us is all about bringing joy to children and families, and together with St. Jude, we are bringing smiles to their faces at a place and time that really matters most," said Dave Brandon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "St. Jude is saving lives, plain and simple. The gravity of what they do for families around the world is unmatched, as they lead in treating and defeating life-threatening diseases affecting children." "Toys"R"Us is a brand that cares deeply about the patients and families of St. Jude," said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "The first year of our partnership has been remarkably successful. Toys"R"Us and its incredibly kindhearted customers, who are genuinely passionate about our mission, have helped us deliver joy to so many families at St. Jude, and their generosity will continue to help St. Jude find cures and save the lives of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening diseases in communities everywhere." Learn more about other Charitable Partners that Toys"R"Us works with here. About Toys"R"Us, Inc. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 879 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam, and in 815 international stores and over 255 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com, the company provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is headquartered in Wayne, NJ, and has nearly 65,000 employees worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Over the past three decades, the Company has given more than $100 million in product donations to children's charities. Since 1992, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has also donated more than $130 million in grants. For more information, visit Toysrusinc.com or follow @ToysRUsNews on Twitter. About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Our purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude). Charitable Giving at Toys"R"Us The philanthropic mission of Toys"R"Us, Inc. and the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund is to keep children safe and help them in times of need. The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund contributes millions of dollars annually to various children's organizations, including those providing disaster relief to victims of large-scale crises, as well as those supporting America's military families. The Fund also provides grants to leading special needs organizations, furthering the company's commitment to children of all abilities. In addition to financial and product donations, Toys"R"Us, Inc. hosts in-store and online fundraising campaigns annually that raise millions of dollars for the company's signature philanthropic partners. SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc. Related Links http://www.toysrus.com AUSTIN, Texas, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Twisted X Brewing Company is pleased to announce that beer and spirits executive Mark King has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. King had been previously appointed to the Company's Board of Directors. Also, effective immediately, Hunter Stewart will become the Company's Executive Chairman. In this role, Mr. Stewart will lead the Board of Directors, and provide advice and counsel to the CEO and the Twisted X leadership on Company and business strategies, portfolio choices, and organization decisions. "We were disappointed two years ago when we offered the position to Mark, but he had decided his work was not finished as President and co-founder of fast-growing and popular Austin Eastciders", said Hunter Stewart, Chairman of the Board. "We expect Mark will bring continuity to the transformation presently underway at the Company while evolving a strategy and vision for the future that will continue to deliver results for our customers, team members, distributor partners and shareholders". In his prior position, Mr. King laid the foundation for Austin Eastciders to be a high-growth and beloved craft cider brand that it is today. As co-founder, King's early work in 2013 included the import of the first finished ferments from Europe, and he has since helped navigate the company to its current status as the #1 selling cider in Austin and the #4 independent craft brand in Texas. Mr. King will be joining 5-time Great American Beer Festival (GABF) award winner and Master Brewer Brian Bush and AB InBev industry veteran Kelley Davis as he rejoins the craft beer industry as they continue the expansion of the rapidly expanding craft brewer. "I am thrilled to be joining Hunter, Brian, Kelley and the whole Twisted X team as they continue to outperform the market", commented Mark King. "I look forward to working together with the Twisted X team across the state to continue building a strong future for the company, our customers, distributor partners, shareholders and our communities". About Twisted X Brewing Company Founded in 2011, BWBC, Inc., dba Twisted X Brewing Company is one of the fastest growing craft brewers in Texas, with distribution now covering most of the state. Learn more at www.TwistedXBrewing.com If you would like more information, please contact Hunter Stewart at (512) 831-8531 or email at [email protected]. Related Files MARK_KING_resume Distribution.pdf Related Images image1.png image2.jpg image3.jpg SOURCE Twisted X Brewing Company Related Links http://www.TwistedXBrewing.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Universitatsklinikum Erlangen (UK Erlangen) has joined the TriNetX health research network, becoming the first healthcare organization in Germany to join TriNetX. The UK Erlangen dataset covers more than one million patient lives and makes demographic, diagnoses, medications, and lab data available for query on the TriNetX network. TriNetX is a network comprised of healthcare organizations representing over 84 million patients globally, biopharmaceutical companies, and contract research organizations (CROs). UK Erlangen joins other network members who are working together to improve protocol design, site selection, patient recruitment, and collaborative research across a range of therapeutic areas and development stages. "We have been looking to establish a comprehensive infrastructure to support translational research for the hospital and our faculty for many years," said Hans-Ulrich Prokosch, Chief Information Officer at UK Erlangen. "We have been evaluating platforms to support local feasibility studies and to connect us with a network of biopharmaceutical companies. We felt TriNetX provided the best solution." Founded in 1815, UK Erlangen is located in Bavaria in southern Germany and serves the Erlangen/Nuremberg metropolitan area. UK Erlangen, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the city of Erlangen are collaborating with scientific, commercial, and political partners to gain an international leadership position in the field of optimal healthcare and best medical engineering. UK Erlangen is also the coordinating site for the MIRACUM consortium in Germany and was a founding member of the Electronic Health Records for Clinical Research (EHR4CR) project. "We selected TriNetX because of their ability to easily load data from our i2b2 data warehouse which minimized the ETL process from our side," said Prokosch. "We were also impressed with their data security and governance concepts as well as their user-friendly interface for identifying and exploring patient cohorts." "Sponsors conduct most trials on a global scale so adding prestigious international healthcare organizations like UK Erlangen to the network is critical," said Gadi Lachman, CEO of TriNetX. "Like their U.S. peers, international clinical research sites want to connect with biopharma and get more trials, have a need to perform research on their own data, and love to collaborate with other global sites. With the right data governance and regulatory framework, they are very comfortable achieving these goals through TriNetX." Network members utilize TriNetX's cloud-based, health research platform to analyze patient populations with search criteria across multiple longitudinal data points. TriNetX's advanced analytics modules provide intelligence on the most impactful criteria as well as identifying the rate at which new patients present. Each de-identified data point in the TriNetX network can be traced to healthcare organizations who then are able to identify individual patients, allowing clinical researchers to develop virtual patient cohorts that can be found in real-world clinical trial settings. Researchers can discover patients for industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated studies, as well as for collaboration with peer research institutions. "We now hope that the TriNetX platform will be actively used by our medical researchers at Erlangen University to identify feasible cohorts based on routinely documented EHR data for future research projects," said Prokosch. "We are looking forward to successful connections with biopharmaceutical companies which might enable further clinical trials with UK Erlangen as a participating partner." About Universitatsklinikum Erlangen Located in Bavaria in the south of Germany, the Universitatsklinikum Erlangen generates first class medical achievements for patients recovering from physical, mental, and social illnesses. They promote the advancement in research, teaching, and medical care through knowledge exchange with external resources. They serve 64,000 inpatients and conduct 520,000 outpatient visits annually in the Erlangen/Nuremberg metropolitan area. For more information, visit The Universitatsklinikum Erlangen, http://www.uk-erlangen.de/en About TriNetX TriNetX is the global health research network enabling healthcare organizations, biopharma and contract research organizations (CROs) to collaborate, enhance trial design, accelerate recruitment and bring new therapies to market faster. Each member of our community shares in the consolidated value of our global, federated health research network that connects clinical researchers in real-time to the patient populations which they are attempting to study. For more information, visit http://www.trinetx.com. Media Contacts Jennifer Haas TriNetX P: (978) 697-3921 E: [email protected] Barbara Mestel Universitatsklinikum Erlangen P: (0049)9131 85 46678 E: [email protected] SOURCE TriNetX Related Links http://www.trinetx.com COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Multiple sites operated by Vectrus within the Department of Defense Information Network, were selected as Facility of the Year by the Defense Information Systems Agency-Europe (DISA-E). The Facility of the Year award recognizes facilities that demonstrate outstanding performance in all areas of the program. Competing in six categories, five Vectrus locations on the Operations, Maintenance and Supply-Europe (OPMAS-E) program, and one on the Enterprise Legacy Voice and Information System (ELVIS) program were chosen as winners. "We are honored that Vectrus locations won in each category and look forward to continuing to support DISA-E as a trusted partner," said Chuck Prow, president and chief executive officer of Vectrus. "OPMAS-E and ELVIS are important components of the DISA-E mission and we are extremely proud of their continuous commitment to driving high levels of service and client success." The Facility of the Year winners were: Small Defense Information System Network (DISN) Transmission Facility: OPMAS-E Katterbach Tech Control Facility in Germany . . Medium DISN Transmission Facility: OPMAS-E Vincenza Tech Control Facility in Italy , while the OPMAS-E Grafenwohr Tech Control Facility received the runner-up. , while the OPMAS-E Grafenwohr Tech Control Facility received the runner-up. Large DISN Transmission Facility: OPMAS-E Wiesbaden Tech Control Facility in Germany. Defense Red Switch Network Facility: OPMAS-E Vaihingen located in Germany , while the ELVIS Ramstein Air Base received the runner-up. , while the ELVIS Ramstein Air Base received the runner-up. Defense Switched Network End Office: ELVIS Royal Air Force Lakenheath Dial Central Office located in the United Kingdom . . Facility Control Office: OPMAS-E U.S. Army Europe Facility Control Center located in Wiesbaden; an eight time winner since 2007. DISA-E manages the European portion of the Department of Defense Information Network. It provides information systems and services to operational components throughout NATO, and supports U.S. interests in more than 100 countries in Europe, Africa, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East. As a forward deployed element of the DISA in Washington, D.C., DISA-E is a vital combat support element to the forward deployed commander of the United States European Command. Contact: Mike Smith, CFA 719-637-5773 [email protected] Polli Ogilvie 719-637-4972 [email protected] About Vectrus Vectrus is a leading, global government services company with a history in the services market that dates back more than 70 years. The company provides facility and logistics services, and information technology and network communication services to U.S. government customers around the world. Vectrus is differentiated by operational excellence, superior program performance, a history of long-term customer relationships, and a strong commitment to their mission success. Vectrus is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., and includes about 5,600 employees spanning 143 locations in 18 countries. In 2016, Vectrus generated sales of $1.2 billion. For more information, visit our website at www.vectrus.com or connect with us on Facebook , Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. SOURCE Vectrus Related Links http://www.vectrus.com TORONTO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Venus Concept Ltd., a privately-held and innovative global aesthetic technology leader, today announced the closing of a $38 million equity investment. The equity investment was led by EW Healthcare Partners along with significant participation from HealthQuest Capital and Madryn Asset Management. This financing will help support the rapid growth of Venus Concept's industry first and only subscription-based business model, the ongoing expansion and maturation of its 27 direct global offices, and the continued development of products to serve the aesthetic marketplace. Scott Barry, Managing Director of EW Healthcare Partners, also commented on the investment: "We are pleased to be supporting Dom and the management team of Venus Concept as they continue to successfully expand their product portfolio and services globally. We believe that their differentiated subscription model and unique products positions them well to take full advantage of tailwinds in the non-invasive aesthetic market. We are excited to participate in the growth of the company." In conjunction with their investments, EW Healthcare Partners and HealthQuest will each receive one seat on Venus Concept's board of directors. Northland Securities, Inc. acted as the sole Placement Agent for this transaction. About Venus Concept Venus Concept is a global medical technology company that develops, commercializes, and delivers safe, efficacious, and easy-to-use aesthetic technologies and related practice enhancement services in a unique, industry-disruptive subscription-based business model. Venus Concept's devices have been designed in cost-effective and proprietary ways that enable the company to expand beyond the aesthetic industry's traditional markets of dermatology and plastic surgery, and into non-traditional markets such as family practice, general practice, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and medical spas. Approximately 70 per cent of its devices are sold in non-traditional markets. The company has expanded its subscription platform and is now selling its devices in over 60 countries, including 27 with direct offices. The company now has over 400 global employees whose customer-centric approach has supported the rapid growth of the company. For more information, please visit www.venusconcept.com. About EW Healthcare Partners With over $3.0 billion under management, EW Healthcare Partners is one of the largest and oldest growth equity firms pursuing investments in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare services, and healthcare information technology. Since its founding in 1985, Essex Woodlands has maintained its singular commitment to the healthcare industry and has been involved in the founding, investing, and/or management of over 150 healthcare companies, ranging across sectors, stages, and geographies. The team is comprised of over 20 senior investment professionals with offices in Palo Alto, Houston, New York, and London. For more information, please see www.ewhealthcare.com. About HealthQuest Capital HealthQuest Capital makes early growth investments in innovative commercial-stage healthcare companies that are improving both patient outcomes and healthcare economics. Investments focus on medical products, diagnostics, healthcare IT, and technology-enabled healthcare services. HealthQuest Capital is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with west coast and east coast offices. Learn more at www.healthquestcapital.com. About Madryn Asset Management, LP Madryn Asset Management, LP is a leading alternative asset management firm that invests in innovative healthcare companies specializing in unique and transformative products, technologies, and services that create attractive economic opportunities. Backed by a seasoned executive management team, the firm draws upon its diverse expertise and original insights to deliver attractive returns for its limited partners while creating long-term value in support of its portfolio companies. For further information: Melissa Kang, Phone: (888) 907-0115 ext. 139, Fax: (855) 905-0115, Email: [email protected] SOURCE Venus Concept Related Links http://www.venusconcept.com HOLMDEL, N.J., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage (NYSE: VG), a leading provider of cloud communications for business, announced that the Vonage for NetSuite SuiteApp, powered by gUnify, has achieved "Built for NetSuite" status. The Vonage for NetSuite SuiteApp is designed to help enterprise customers increase efficiencies within their sales organizations and improve customer engagement by syncing customer interaction data into their NetSuite workflow. Built for NetSuite is a program for NetSuite SuiteCloud Developer Network (SDN) partners that provides them with information, resources and a method to verify that their applications and integrations, built using the NetSuite SuiteCloud Computing Platform, meet NetSuite's standards and best practices. The "Built for NetSuite" program is designed to give NetSuite customers additional confidence that SuiteApps meet these standards. The Vonage for NetSuite SuiteApp enables sales professionals to easily connect and exchange information with NetSuite. This allows Vonage business customers who use NetSuite to effortlessly track client interaction and business workflow by providing access to critical customer data in real-time. The SuiteApp also allows employees to maintain a consistent business presence from anywhere, whether they are in the office or on-the-go. "With the Vonage for NetSuite SuiteApp, Vonage is helping businesses to enhance the efficiency and productivity of their employees by providing them with solutions to help them stay connected no matter how - or where - they choose to work," said Kenny Wyatt, Chief Revenue Officer for Vonage. "Providing a seamless integration with business systems helps us deliver on our goal to drive better business outcomes for our customers. By becoming a NetSuite partner to expand upon our gUnify middleware technology, we are delivering greater flexibility, mobility and functionality to address the growing needs - and increasing mobile workforce - of our enterprise customers." "Vonage's portfolio of advanced cloud communications solutions provides enterprise businesses with the ability to seamlessly connect a large and distributed sales force with their customers and across multiple locations," said Guido Haarmans, Vice President, SuiteCloud Developer Network at Oracle NetSuite. "Together, we are changing the way our customers do business." With the SuiteApp, customers can also: Make calls to any contacts directly from within NetSuite instead of launching a separate application. Capture all call logs, regardless of the device used. Receive notifications for incoming calls with real-time lookups into the NetSuite contacts directory. Track activity history or create searchable notes associated with that history. Additional features include inbound and outbound screen pop ups with answer, decline or voicemail options, note taking, dashboard and reporting. For information about Built for NetSuite SuiteApps, please visit www.netsuite.com/BuiltforNetSuite. For more information about the integrated solution, please visit www.suiteapp.com. About Vonage Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of cloud communications services for business. Vonage transforms the way people work and businesses operate through a portfolio of cloud-based communications solutions that enable internal collaboration among employees, while also keeping companies closely connected with their customers, across any mode of communication, on any device. Vonage's Nexmo API Platform provides tools for voice, messaging and phone verification services, allowing developers to embed contextual, programmable communications into mobile apps, websites and business systems. Nexmo enables enterprises to easily communicate relevant information to their customers in real time, anywhere in the world, through text messaging, chat, social media and voice. The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions. In 2015 and 2016, Vonage was named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as-a-Service, Worldwide. Vonage has also earned Frost & Sullivan's 2015 Growth Excellence Leadership Award for Hosted IP and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Services and the 2016 North American Cloud Communications Product Line Strategy Leadership Award. For more information, visit Vonage Business. Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage. About SuiteCloud NetSuite's SuiteCloud is a comprehensive offering of cloud-based products, development tools and services designed to help customers and commercial software developers take advantage of the significant economic benefits of cloud computing. Based on NetSuite, the industry's leading provider of cloud-based financials / ERP software suites, SuiteCloud enables customers to run their core business operations in the cloud, and software developers to target new markets quickly with newly-created mission-critical applications built on top of mature and proven business processes. The SuiteCloud Developer Network (SDN) is a comprehensive developer program for independent software vendors (ISVs) who build apps for SuiteCloud. All available SuiteApps are listed on SuiteApp.com, a single-source online marketplace where NetSuite customers can find applications to meet specific business process or industry-specific needs. For more information on SuiteCloud and the SDN program, please visit www.netsuite.com/developers. Trademarks Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. (vg-a) SOURCE Vonage Related Links http://www.vonage.com TOKYO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Wacom Co., Ltd. announces the DTH-1152 its most full-featured, compact pen display for businesses looking to implement electronic review, completion and signing of documents. With its combination of Wacom's industry-leading pen input and a multi-touch screen, the DTH-1152 gives organizations such as banks, hospitals, insurance companies and public sector departments an improved way to make signing documents paperless and user-friendly. Within its compact footprint, the DTH-1152 features a vibrant 10.1-inch, full HD screen to present documents. Utilizing the touchscreen capabilities, users can intuitively scroll, pan and zoom making it easy to review the document. With the pen, you can annotate, fill-out and sign documents with all the ease of pen on paper. The pen is powered by Wacom's patented electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology and, when combined with compatible signature software, captures secure, biometric signatures. Additional features make the DTH-1152 a top choice for organizations looking to eliminate paper when signing documents. The hardened, anti-glare surface is extremely durable, makes it easy to read the screen in different lighting conditions and provides a tactile feel like writing on paper. Wacom's unique 3-in-1 cable design means minimal clutter for installation while still providing standard USB and video (HDMI and VGA) connectivity. The standard video connectivity provides greater flexibility in a variety of virtualized desktop configurations, while the DTH-1152 can also emulate a serial connection over USB to support legacy virtualized environments. Wacom also implements state-of-the-art RSA/AES encryption to ensure transactions are performed safely and securely by protecting the signature data transmitted between the pen display and workstation. "With the DTH-1152, we continue to support paperless initiatives by offering a best-in-industry solution for eDocument review and eSignature capture," said Peter Sommer, Senior Vice President of Wacom Business Solutions. "We've built upon our very successful compact pen display family and added features to the DTH-1152 that make presenting and signing electronic documents even easier and more intuitive." Because of its high resolution screen, when not being used for document review and signing, the DTH-1152 can be used to display slideshows and videos for promotion, advertising and other purposes further maximizing the return on investment. The DTH-1152 joins the DTU-1031X, DTU-1141 and DTK-1651 in Wacom's portfolio of pen displays for eDocuments and eSignature. The entire family is supported by Wacom's collection of software development kits (SDKs) that allow developers to integrate support for signature capture into their applications using these pen displays. Availability The DTH-1152 pen display will be ready to ship in July. For more information on the new product, please consult Wacom's Business Solutions website at http://signature.wacom.eu/en-us/products/hardware/dth-1152/. About Wacom Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange 6727) with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries. Wacom's vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world's leading manufacturer of interactive pen tablets and displays as well as of digital styli and solutions for saving and processing digital signatures. The advanced technology of Wacom's intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with leading interface technology to express their personality. Wacom's eSignature solutions are utilised in a variety of application areas in which achieving a digital workflow with high-level security is crucial, such as: POS, ePayment, electronic passports, insurance, banking and hotel check-in. For further information about our solutions, please also see http://business.wacom.com PR contact Name: Douglas Little Company: Wacom Technology Corp. Tel: 503-525-3174 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Wacom Related Links http://signature.wacom.eu "Elaine is a respected professional with great knowledge of the industry and a focus on being consumer centric in her approach," said Chris Doerschlag, CEO of WD Partners. "With twenty years of experience across agencies, clients, and a variety of influential brands like Under Armour, Target, and Victoria's Secret, Elaine is poised to make an immediate impact on our business, offering expert oversight on creating integrated customer experiences and strategies for our clients." With a creative background and an eye for trends, Kleinschmidt is an expert in scaling powerful brands to meet the ever-changing demands of multi-channel connectivity. At WD Partners, she will be directly responsible for the firm's approach to the customer journey, identifying key insights, moments and opportunities for brands to make an impact in their customer's lives. Kleinschmidt will also support the firm's Business Development team in the pursuit and acquisition of new clients and work hand-in-hand with the design team leaders to connect the strategy to the creative execution. "I'm thrilled to be joining such a highly accomplished firm like WD Partners and for this amazing opportunity to build and grow the Strategy & Experience Design practice," said Kleinschmidt. "With the retail industry and consumer markets in such a state of flux, I'm looking forward to collaborating with the team on a shared vision for our growth, and driving success for our clients." Kleinschmidt joins WD Partners from Big Red Rooster, where she most recently served as VP, Digital Experience leading transformative work for brands like Macy's, Under Armour and Cabela's with a focus on innovation, OmniExperience strategy, and digital engagement. Previously, Kleinschmidt held creative leadership positions at Tweenbrands, Resource Interactive, Target, and Victoria's Secret, where she consistently brought vision and drive to profitable growth and market dominance. A creative by trade, Kleinschmidt earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in Visual Communications Design. With over 50 years of experience, WD continues to put the customer at the center of the journey and experiences the firm creates in partnership with their clients. Elaine's background, expertise and holistic approach make her the ideal person to drive that forward into the next era. ABOUT WD PARTNERS WD's mission is to drive and shape the future of customer experience. With a passion to solve our clients' challenges and anticipate their future needs, we are customer fanatics that pride ourselves on being on the forefront of change. WD's integrated services include: strategy & insights, brand & design, digital, architecture, engineering and construction services. We are thinkers that do. SOURCE WD Partners Related Links http://www.wdpartners.com NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Vice President of Legal Markets and Innovation Dean Sonderegger will present on disruption and innovation in the legal industry at the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Meeting and Conference in Austin, Texas on Monday, July 17. With more than two decades of experience at the cutting edge of technology across industries, Sonderegger will explore technology's impacts on the practice of law, and point to similar factors that impacted the accounting industry. The presentation will focus on how the accounting industry transformed as a result of these challenges and opportunities, and what legal markets might learn from that transformation. "Widespread access to technology for consumers has the potential to disrupt the legal industry; the impact of technology on the accounting industry over the past decade offers a view of what that impact could look like," said Sonderegger. "There are a lot of lessons that legal practitioners can learn from the accounting industry's evolution. Where there is challenge, there is also opportunity." Sonderegger's insights on the future of legal markets include: Ongoing expansion of legal "expert" tools will disrupt the consumer legal market. The trend toward the "insourcing" of legal work to in-house counsel will continue with increased availability to efficiency tools. Technology embedded into workflow and efficiency tools will continue to transform the practice of corporate law from within law firms. While new technology will present some challenges to law firms, it will also offer tremendous opportunity. Those law firms that embrace innovation and become early adopters and experts of new tools are likely to both gain market share and set new gold standards for quality of counsel. Following Sonderegger's presentation, Ben Snipes, Product Line Director of Tax, will demonstrate Wolters Kluwer's new Standard Fed Plus. This first-of-its-kind solution, recently named a 2017 SIIA CODiE Awards finalist in two categories, provides a centralized location to monitor U.S. federal tax statutory and regulatory changes and features cutting edge point-in-time research capabilities. Held in Austin, Texas from July 15-18, the AALL Annual Meeting and Conference celebrates innovation and leadership within the legal profession. As the largest gathering of law librarians in the country, AALL brings together legal information experts of all backgrounds for the advancement of legal information and information policy. About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is a part of Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL), a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2016 annual revenues of 4.3 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide. For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Linda Gharib Director, Communications Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Related Links http://www.wolterskluwerlr.com CLIFTON, N.J., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Comodo, a global innovator and developer of cybersecurity solutions and the world's No. 1 certificate authority, today announced a competitive upgrade program exclusively for owners of Symantec, Thawte and GeoTrust digital certificates seeking greater relations and longer life for their extended validation (EV) certificates. Under the program, Comodo and its partners will provide an equivalent certificate that includes one year free for all existing Symantec, Thawte and GeoTrust certificates. The offer targets owners of Symantec-issued digital certificates who want an upgrade. Recent news reports have discussed issues with respect to Symantec certificates and Google Chrome browser. When visitors to a site are using Google Chrome, the industry-leading browser, based on Google's proposals, Symantec-issued certificates will have a shorter life and not have the green trust padlock indicator. These proposals have the potential to cost businesses more for the shorter life cycle certificates, and potentially reduce traffic and revenue if consumer and partner use of the site declines. One proposal under consideration is for Chrome to stop recognizing the EV status of all certificates issued by Symantec-owned certificate authorities for at least one year, and to limit the maximum life of Symantec certificates to nine months, according to posts by the Google development team in online forums. Symantec's response to the proposal and a public discussion may be found here. Since Google Chrome has a majority of the browser market, if and when Google delivers on its intentions, enterprises with Symantec certificates would not have the benefit of showing the organization's name in green for at least one year, a user-friendly security feature that is available in Chrome for EV certificates. In addition, certificates may have to be rotated more frequently, since the maximum accepted validity period will be reduced to nine months or less. Enterprise IT teams owning Symantec, Thawte and GeoTrust certificates, or using the Symantec MPKI platform, can contact [email protected] or call 1-855-478-7740 to get more information on the upgrade program. Companies that have previously purchased a Symantec certificate from a webhost or domain name registrar should contact their current provider, who may be able to offer a replacement Comodo certificate. Additionally, Comodo has created an online website certificate assessment tool to evaluate if a website is affected and explore options. More information about Comodo's certificate issuance and management services is available online. Resources Comodo blog: "Google Chrome: 'Intent to Deprecate and Remove: Trust in existing Symantec-issued Certificates'" Online Domain Checking Tool for At-risk Symantec Certificates Comodo Certificates Website About Comodo The Comodo organization is a global innovator of cybersecurity solutions, protecting critical information across the digital landscape. Building on its unique position as the world's largest certificate authority, Comodo authenticates, validates and secures networks and infrastructures from individuals to mid-sized companies to the world's largest enterprises. Comodo provides complete end-to-end security solutions across the boundary, internal network and endpoint with innovative technologies solving the most advanced malware threats, both known and unknown. With US headquarters in Clifton, New Jersey, the Comodo organization has offices in Silicon Valley, China, India, the Philippines, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit comodo.com. Comodo and the Comodo brand are trademarks of the Comodo Group Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. The current list of Comodo trademarks and patents is available at comodo.com/repository. Keep up to date with the latest Comodo News from the Comodo blog at https://blog.comodo.com/ and on Twitter @ComodoNews. Connect with Comodo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/comodo. For more information, media and analysts may contact: Deb Montner Montner Tech PR [email protected] 203-226-9290 SOURCE Comodo San Francisco, July 8 : Facebook and Google have decided to participate in the 'Internet-wide Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality' protest scheduled for July 12 in the US. Being organised by advocacy groups Fight for the Future, Free Press, and Demand Progress, the 'Day of Action' has already received support from Amazon, Netflix and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), among others. "The protest is being organised against the US Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) recent regulatory behaviour (or lack thereof) that open internet advocates fear could roll back years of legislative progress," Fortune reported on Saturday. "The participation of Google and Facebook could be a game-changer because their sites are visited by hundreds of millions and a message from them could rally new opposition to the FCC plan," the report added. The July 12 campaign is reminiscent of another day in 2012 when the tech industry rebelled against a controversial copyright bill known as SOPA by altering or even blacking out their websites. The resulting uproar resulted in Congress withdrawing the bill, the report noted. President Donald Trump had appointed India-origin Ajit Pai to head the powerful FCC, the US communications regulatory agency. The advocacy groups are urging tech companies and others to oppose Pai's plan to gut the net neutrality order which was issued in 2015. It reclassifies broadband as a utility service and imposed several common carrier regulations -- including prohibitions on throttling or blocking content and on charging companies higher fees for prioritised delivery. Beijing, July 10 : 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) Lindau (Germany), July 11 : Noted Italian geologist and cave explorer Francesco Sauro, who has led successful expeditions to one of the world's oldest cave systems in Venezuela's Tepui mountains, is gearing up to explore the "lost world" in India's Meghalaya, which harbours some of the longest and deepest cave systems in the world. Sauro, a speleologist, who has close to 20 years of caving experience, has participated in studying these hidden environments around the world, of which six expeditions have been to the Tepuis, the table top mountains of South America. Speleology is the scientific study of caves. The 2014 Rolex Young Laureate recipient in exploration for his "exploration of ancient quartzite caves in the table-top mountains of South America", now hopes to delve into the magnificent cave systems of Meghalaya, home to Krem Liat Prah, the longest natural cave in India. Most of them are limestone and sandstone caves. "There were recent discoveries of cave systems in mid-Meghalaya. I will be going there in February to join the expedition team. This is part of the multinational 'Caving in the Abode of the Clouds' project to systematically explore the caves of Meghalaya. By studying them we can shed light on the evolution of life and the paleoclimate," Sauro, one of the most well-known explorers of his generation, told IANS in an interview on the sidelines of the 67th Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting. He said these caves or "dark continents" form in Karstic regions and they are one of the most ancient and common features. The 33-year-old cave explorer's hallmark is multi-disciplinary research where chemists, microbiologists, biologists and other experts contribute to dissecting the samples and findings in Karst caves. Karst is a special type of landscape that is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, including limestone and dolomite, and the terrain is usually characterised by barren, rocky ground, caves, sinkholes, underground rivers, and the absence of surface streams and lakes. From 1992 till March 2015, more than 400 km of cave passages have been surveyed in Meghalaya, pinpointing whereabouts of at least 1,500 caves and cave locations. "Since the time was much longer (formation and existence) what you can find inside in terms of evolution, minerals and other resources is extraordinary. It is like a blueprint or snapshot of what happened millions of years ago. So if we discover features which are common to Meghalaya and the Venezuelan cave systems, and same features in other parts of the world, then we can expand the search," Sauro explained. Likening these caves to a USB storage device, Sauro said "the more ancient it is the more records it contains". "Understanding paleoclimate is crucial to us. If you know how it was working in that age then we can understand what is going on now in terms of climate. We are also looking at evolution of bacterial species because this could have implications for antibiotic resistance, drug development, etc.," he said, emphasising on tapping heavily into local talents for expeditions. "Karstic regions cover almost 20 percent of the continents' surface, and we know actually that speleologists in the last 50 years have explored roughly 30,000 kilometres of cave passages around the world, which is a big number," he says. "But geologists have estimated that what is still missing, to be discovered and mapped, is something around 10 million km. That means that for each metre of a cave that we already know, that we have explored, there are still some tens of kilometres of undiscovered passages," he noted. Though he said one will never be able to explore this endless continent completely, this is just the beginning of scientific exploration of caves. For example, on one Tepui expedition, Sauro and his team (including Italian exploration association La Venta) discovered a new mineral, rossiantonite, as well as other rare silica and sulphate formations. Additional finds include a blind cat fish trapped in an underground river, for thousands of years, which could reveal a close relationship to some African species. Sauro, who started caving as a 13-year-old in northern Italy, also leads a training programme for European Space Agency astronauts. "There is a big future for cave research as this is just the beginning. It is the same for oceans and glaciers -- difficult environments that have not been well studied. There is fear of the unknown and the lost world, but fear is what keeps you going and keeps you alive," he added. (Sahana Ghosh was in Germany at the invitation of the Council for the 67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. She can be reached at sahana.g@ians.in) New Delhi, July 11 : Congress leader Jyotiradtiya Scindia says the party should project a chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh for the assembly polls next year, a decision he feels should have been taken six months ago. He also says the party needs to project a chief ministerial candidate in each of the states that will go for polls ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, stating that people want to know whom they are going to put their trust in. However, he would not comment as to whether senior leader Kamal Nath could be party's chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh. "I certainly think so. I think politics in the country has changed and I think you have to project a face," he told IANS, when asked if the party should project a chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh where elections will be held by the end of next year. "It is very important that the party works unitedly. It is very important that the workers have a sense of energy and for that, and also to be able to gain the trust of 7.5 crore voters in Madhya Pradesh, or for that matter in any other state, it's very important to define who will lead the state in the event that the voters repose their trust and faith in the party," said Scindia, who is chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha. Asked how soon this decision should be taken in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia said, "According to me, it should have been taken six months ago." To a question if the party was late, he said: "Don't put words in my mouth. But, yes, I think we need to take it sooner rather than later." To a query if the leadership was moving in the direction of taking a decision, Scindia said he certainly hoped so. "We have less than 15 months left. I think we need to move quickly." Scindia, who is MP from Guna in Madhya Pradesh, said the Congress should project a chief ministerial candidate in each of the states going to the polls before the 2019 elections. "That's my opinion. I think people in this country, whether it is a parliamentary election, vidhan sabha election, zila panchayat election, nagar palika election, janpad election, nagar nigam election, councillor election, they want to know who is it that they are going to put their trust in," he said. To a question about perception that senior leader Kamal Nath was resourceful and could be the face of the party in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia said it would not be right or fair to comment. "I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Kamal Nathji. He and I share a very strong and wonderful relationship. So, therefore, it's not something that I would want to comment on. He is a very senior and very capable leader. Someone who has done a lot of work in his 40 years of political life," he said. He said Congress unit in Madhya Pradesh was united to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has won the previous three assembly polls. "We are all united. We may have various views, but I think we are all united in terms of the idea of working together to dislodge the BJP and form a Congress government in Madhya Pradesh," he said. Asked who will be the face of the party in the state, Scindia said it was for the "party to decide". The party has several senior leaders in the state including former Union minister Kamal Nath, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and leader of party in the assembly Ajay Singh, besides Scindia himself. Asked about his role in the election, Scindia said he was a soldier of the party. "My role will be the same role that I have played for the last 15 years which is being the soldier of the party," he said. Asked if young leadership should be promoted in Madhya Pradesh, he said "capable leadership" has to be promoted. Scindia, who is into his fourth term as a parliamentarian, said the party has raised the voice of farmers and termed the death of five farmers last month in police firing in Mandsaur "a dastardly act". "We are fighting for justice to them and that is what I did in my eight-day tour of Madhya Pradesh last month," Scindia said. Scindia, who is touring the state to raise issues concerning farmers, said he will also meet families of farmers who had committed suicide. (Sidhartha Dutta can be reached at sidhartha.s@ians.in and Prashant Sood at prashant.s@ians.in) Islamabad, July 11 : The Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam of presenting fake documents to the probe team, which it said is a criminal offence. The JIT, which is probing allegations of money laundering against Sharif and his family, said Maryam Nawaz, her brothers Hussain and Hassan Nawaz as well as her husband Captain Mohammad Safdar (Retd.), had signed false documents to mislead the Supreme Court. Maryam is also accused of accumulating "assets disproportionate and beyond means of known sources of income", Dawn newspaper reported on Tuesday. The JIT's report said, "She (Maryam) had been receiving heavy gifts from Rs 73.5 million to Rs 830.73 million within period of 2009-2016." It said that the "accumulation of Maryam's assets shows a drastic hike in the early 1990s with no declared source of income". Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz rejected the JIT report in a tweet: "Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in the Supreme Court." According to legal experts, these developments may not disturb her plan to enter politics, at least for the time being. The Supreme Court has sought objections from all parties in the Panama Papers case within a week and the next hearing of the case is scheduled for July 17. Raja Amir Abbas, former Deputy Prosecutor General with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), said Maryam Sharif can contest the elections till the charges against her are proven. Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Syed Ali Zafar, however, said that in case the Supreme Court confirms the JIT's allegations regarding the submission of false documents, Maryam may be disqualified from contesting the elections. The JIT was formed on May 5 to ascertain the money trail of the Sharif family-owned properties in Park Lane, London. Islamabad, July 11 : The Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam of presenting fake documents on two 2006 declarations to the probe team using the "Calibri" font which was not commercially available till January 30, 2007. The JIT, which is probing allegations of money laundering against Sharif and his family, said Maryam Nawaz, her brothers Hussain and Hassan Nawaz as well as her husband Captain Mohammad Safdar (retd), had signed false documents to mislead the Supreme Court. The team that probed offshore assets of Sharif family said in its report that Maryam Nawaz claimed herself to be "trustee not the owner" of Avenfield properties in London, which linked her to Minerva Services and Samba Financial, Geo News reported. The JIT said that her claim turned out to be completely wrong and it was proven that she owned the properties managed by Minerva Services. The JIT concluded that Sharif's daughter was the real and ultimate beneficial owner of the Avenfield apartments. It said that the font used in documents submitted by Maryam Nawaz suggested that the 2006 declarations were fake and called it a federal crime, said a report in the Express Tribune. Maryam Nawaz was also accused of accumulating "assets disproportionate and beyond means of known sources of income", Dawn newspaper reported. The JIT's report said: "She had been receiving heavy gifts from Rs 73.5 million to Rs 830.73 million within period of 2009-2016." It said that the "accumulation of Maryam's assets shows a drastic hike in the early 1990s with no declared source of income". Soon after the "font" portion of JIT report went viral, Twitterati targetted Maryam Nawaz in a hilarious manner. "I already thought Calibri was the greatest font ever but I never imagined it would achieve legend status," one Twitter user said. "Calibri font invented by our daughter Maryam Nawaz in Arfa Kareem tower Lahore: Shahbaz Sharif," wrote another user. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz rejected the JIT report in a tweet: "Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in the Supreme Court." The Supreme Court has sought objections from all parties in the Panama Papers case within a week and the next hearing of the case is scheduled for July 17. The JIT was formed on May 5 to ascertain the money trail of the Sharif family-owned properties in Park Lane, London. New Delhi, July 12 : Congress on Tuesday said that it will stage a protest against Goods and Services Tax in its present format outside Parliament on July 18. "A gherao of Parliament House would be held to protest against GST in its present form on July 18," Congress' Delhi Chief Ajay Maken told reporters at a press conference here. "Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has opposed the GST in its present form because the BJP-led central government has created six slabs in the GST with a 40 per cent outer limit whereas the party was in favour of GST with 14 per cent as the outer limit," he said. The former Union Minister also said that lakh of people demonstrated against GST in Gujarat's Surat in which not only traders, but also workers and common people participated. He also said that the traders of the city were fed up with GST and from time to time, the traders' associations of Delhi had informed about their plight and problems. Maken said the adverse impact of GST was not only affecting the traders, but also the common people. Hitting out at the centre, he said: "The world over, wherever GST has been implemented, an outer limit has been set, but the BJP-led Central government has created six GST slabs with an outer limit of 40 per cent." He further said that said after implementing the GST by the BJP-led Central Government, the "roti, kapada aur makan" of the common people have been affected as prices have soared sky-high, and the prices of essential commodities have gone beyond the reach of the common people. Beijing, July 12 : Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo remained in intensive care on Wednesday, according to the hospital treating him, after he suffered multiple organ failure a day before. Liu has terminal liver cancer and the condition of his liver has deteriorated further, while bilirubin levels continued to increase, the Shenyang Health Centre was quoted as saying by Efe news. On Tuesday, the doctors treating the activist said he had been suffering from a stomach infection, peritonitis, organ dysfunction and septic shock, a critical condition that can be fatal. The latest medical tests were held amid widespread criticism from the international community which was pressuring Beijing to release the Nobel laureate and his wife, Liu Xia, so that they could seek medical treatment abroad. Both Liu and his wife were under strict surveillance in the hospital along with a small group of family members. The Global Times, which is affiliated to the ruling Communist Party, had dismissed the requests from the US and Germany and from human rights organisations to allow Liu to seek medical assistance abroad, claiming that "Western forces" were politicising the issue for ulterior motives. "What they care about is not Liu's treatment, but transferring him abroad. This is a political charade," the Global Times reported in an editorial on Tuesday. A group of volunteers comprising Liu's friends and activists from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan began a petition on Change.org, to call for the release of the renowned dissident which has reached over 34,000 signatures in just 10 days, according to a statement released on Wednesday. Liu was hospitalised at the beginning of June after he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer following almost nine years in prison. In 2009, Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inciting subversion, after he helped pen a political manifesto urging the Communist regime to initiate democratic reforms. Patna, July 12 : RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said the state's ruling Grand Alliance is intact and will remain so, after attending his first cabinet meeting since the CBI raids against him. Tejashwi, the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, said allegations of corruption against him were lies and a conspiracy of the BJP led by Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Mere upar lage arop jhuthe hain. Yeh aarop nahi, yeh sajish hai BJP ka," Tejashwi told the media after attending a Bihar cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here. With this statement, Tejashwi has made it clear that he will not resign. Tejashwi also said he strongly believes in zero tolerance for corruption. Yadav said he will go to the people to explain how and why the BJP, led by Shah and Modi, has conspired against him. "This allegation is of 2004 when I was merely 14 years old, and my moustache and beard had not begun to sprout on my face. Do you think a minor like me would have committed a scam?" "Kya 14 saal ka bachcha ghotala kar sakta ya karega? Us samay mere darhi ya much bhi nahi nikla tha," he said. Tejashwi said: "Mahagathbandhan atut (intact) hai, rahega aur chalta rahega. Some people including a section of media are disappointed over no reports of a break up in the alliance." The ruling Grand Alliance, comprising Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, is headed by Nitish Kumar. Tejashwi said that since he became Deputy Chief Minister there have been no corruption allegations against him. He said "Earlier the BJP was afraid of Laluji but now they are afraid of me, a 28-year-old man." His statement to the media came a day after the JD-U, headed by Nitish Kumar, put pressure on Tejashwi, named accused in a CBI case in connection with benami property, to step down. JD-U's major ally RJD, which has 80 legislators, is adamant that Tejashwi will not resign. "After JD-U's stand, the RJD has decided that Tejashwi will not resign," RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav said on Wednesday. However, JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok on Wednesday said: "FIR darj hone ke baad court aur janta dono ko jawab dena hota hai. Mahagathbandhan chalane ki jimmedari sabki hai (After an FIR is filed, one has to reply to the court and the public. Running the Mahagathbandhan is the responsibility of everyone)." According to sources in the RJD, after Lalu Prasad returned from Ranchi on Tuesday, an emergency meeting of senior RJD leaders including ministers and MLAs was held late in the night at his official 10, Circular Road residence, in which it was decided that Tejashwi will not resign. "In view of the JD-U's stand, we have decided that Tejashwi will not step down," another RJD leader said. On Tuesday, the JD-U made it clear that it will not compromise with corruption and crime Nitish Kumar said his government will do its own work and the law will do its own. "Main apne sidhanto se samjhauta nahi karunga, main corruption ke khilaf zero tolerance par kayam hun (I will not compromise with my principles of zero tolerance against corruption)," Nitish Kumar told his party leaders and workers at his official residence here. Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi have been named as accused in a CBI case relating to transfer of three acres of prime land in Patna to the family by two businessmen allegedly in return for licences to run two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri when the RJD chief was Railways Minister. Panaji, July 12 : The Goa Police on Wednesday booked state BJP Vice President Anil Hoble, his wife and son for dowry-related harassment and assaulting his daughter in-law. Hoble and the others were booked after an FIR was filed at the women's police station here by the victim's mother Suchitra Shirodkar, who is based in Mumbai. They were booked under sections 498 (a), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (ii) (Criminal intention) and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. Citing the complaint, a senior woman police officer told IANS that the victim's mother received a call from Hoble at round 2 a.m. on Tuesday, asking her to pick up her daughter from his home near Panaji. "When we arrived there, my daughter had injury marks. Hoble also threatened to shoot us and chop us up with a knife," Shirodkar alleged in the complaint. The complainant also alleged that Hoble and his family had been making dowry demands since 2009 when his son Milind and her daughter got married. Speaking to IANS, Hoble called the accusations "baseless". "There are no basis to these accusations. We have done nothing. I will speak the truth at the right time," Hoble said. The police official said the case was under investigation. Patna, July 12 : A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked him to come clean, RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday dubbed the corruption charges against him a "conspiracy" hatched by the BJP brass. Tejashwi Yadav, facing an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also made light of the allegations against him, saying they relate to a period when he was 14 years old. As for the ruling Grand Alliance of the JD-U, RJD and Congress, he declared that it was intact and would remain so. After attending his first cabinet meeting since the CBI raids against him, Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, said the corruption allegations against him were a pack of lies. They were a conspiracy hatched by BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he told the media. He said he too strongly believed in zero tolerance vis-a-vis corruption. He added he would go to the people to explain how and why the BJP had conspired against him. "This allegation relates to 2004 when I was merely 14 years old, when my moustache and beard had not begun to sprout. Do you think a minor would have committed a scam?" Tejashwi Yadav said the Grand Alliance won't break. "Some people including a section of the media are disappointed that there is no break up in the alliance." He said that since he became the Deputy Chief Minister, there had been no corruption allegations against him. "Earlier the BJP was afraid of Laluji but now they are afraid of me, a 28-year-old man." Tejashwi Yadav's statement came a day after Nitish Kumar asked the RJD to come with a detailed rebuttal of the charges against the RJD leader in connection with benami property. The RJD, which has 80 legislators, is adamant that Tejashwi Yadav will not resign. JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok said on Wednesday: "After an FIR is filed, one has to reply to the court and the public. Running the Mahagathbandhan is the responsibility of everyone." Nitish Kumar has said he won't compromise on the issue of corruption. Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav have been named accused in a CBI case related to the transfer of three acres of prime land in Patna to the family by two businessmen allegedly in return for licences granted to run IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri when the RJD chief was the Railway Minister. Srinagar, July 12 : A massive manhunt has been launched in Jammu and Kashmir for Pakistani LeT terrorist Muhammad Abu Ismail, who, according to police sources, headed the group that attacked a bus carrying Amarnath yatris, killing seven pilgrims. Police sources here said the 26-year old Ismail infiltrated into the Valley two years back and has since been carrying on terror activities in south Kashmir area. "Abu Ismail with at least one foreign terrorist and two to three local terrorists of LeT carried out the attack on the Yatra bus on Monday," said a source, adding information based on intercepts indicates that the attack was planned by him too. "The terrorists came on two motorcycles and fired at least a hundred rounds from their automatic weapons at the bus at two places. "After the first attack, the terrorists chased the bus and fired at it for the second time," said a source, noting that although investigations into the terror attack were in the initial stages, yet the involvement of Abu Ismail had been established beyond any doubt. Police believe the attack was carried out in revenge against the arrest of LeT terrorist Sandeep Kumar Sharma who had been produced before the media by the police. Sharma, according to police, was involved in the killing of an SHO and five policemen in Achabal area of Anantnag district last month. New Delhi, July 12 : Eight months after demonetisation, RBI Governor Urjit Patel still refused to give the amount of junked notes deposited with banks, saying they are still being counted. He also parried a question on Wednesday at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on the names of 12 industrialists whose outstanding loans amounted to 25 per cent of the Non-Performing Assets in the banking system. Patel was deposing before the committee, which is expected give a report on demonetisation during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning next week. He was specifically asked to give details of the value of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which were allowed to be exchanged till December 30. He is learnt to have told the panel that the process of counting the junked notes was still on and the central bank has to verify fake notes for which specialised machines are being procured. While some machines have been procured, tenders have been floated to procure more, Patel was quoted by sources as having told the committee. Another reason given for the delay was the window given to the central bank to accept the junked notes collected by District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) as well as pending issues with Nepal where Indian currency is used widely, sources said. Patel is learnt to have told the panel that the process was being expedited with help of machines and staff putting in extra hours. Patel said the total money in circulation in the country now was Rs 15.4 lakh crore against Rs 17.7 lakh crore at the time of demonetisation in November last year, according to sources. The government last month allowed the District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) to deposit the demonetised notes, collected during the five-day period after demonetisation was announced on November 8, 2016, with the Reserve Bank of India in 30 days. Sources said a member told the RBI Governor that since the junked notes have so far not been been counted, how will the central bank know how much of these were fake or genuine. Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal staged a brief walk out from the meeting after not being satisfied with the response to his questions. He is understood to have demanded the names of 12 industrialists whose outstanding loans amounted to 25 per cent of the Non-Performing Assets in the banking system. The meeting of the panel, chaired by Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily, lasted for about three hours. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was among those present. Members also asked questions about the vigil being maintained over the use of bitcoins. Issues relating to GDP growth and progress towards digital economy also figured in the meeting. Members are learnt to have asked about transaction cost being levied on digital payments and inadequate presence of banks in rural areas. Washington, July 13 : The President of the United States departed the White House for a two-day trip to Paris on Wednesday to meet with his French counterpart. Donald Trump will be welcomed by Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, and will attend the annual July 14 Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, Efe reported. The Air Force One carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump left Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Wednesday afternoon. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn have also travelled to Paris. The French president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were set to receive Trump and the First Lady at the Hotel des Invalides and accompany them to the tombs of Napoleon and French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, supreme Allied commander in World War I. Trump and Macron were expected to follow up on their bilateral meetings at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany last week. The two leaders will then convene a meeting with top advisers on "Syria and counter-terrorism topics" and then hold a joint press conference, according to the White House. Tokyo, July 13 : Japan on Thursday executed two death row inmates, the Ministry of Justice announced. According to Kyodo News, Masakatsu Nishikawa, 61, one of the executed inmates, was convicted of murder in 1991, though he had filed a retrial plea. The second inmate, Koichi Sumida, 34, was found guilty of killing a female co-worker in 2011. The execution order was signed by the Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda, who had approved another execution in November 2016, reports Efe news. Japan's reluctance to stop the practice has been strongly criticized by organizations like Amnesty International. Kaneda has publically expressed his opposition to the abolition of capital punishment, citing data from opinion polls, which show that more than 80 per cent of Japanese people are in favour of capital punishment. Bengaluru, July 13 : An international group of experts has called for united global action on unproven and potentially dangerous stem cell therapies being offered through advertisements. Writing in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group of 15 from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, has called for coordinated global action to control the global industry of stem cell-based medical procedures and their advertising. Currently only a few conditions can be successfully treated with stem cells, including blood cancers, some immune diseases, and severe burns, says their report. "Despite this, unlicensed clinics advertise stem cell-based treatments directly to patients promising a cure for various ailments through the internet and social media." They add that patients are vulnerable to these online marketing strategies due to the hyped media coverage of stem cell research and lack of international guidelines and conflicting national regulations on procedures. The misleading direct-to-consumer marketing leads patients to forgo alternative validated therapies and resort to invalid stem cell-based procedures, which they say have led to deaths in Australia, Germany and Russia. The appeal by the expert group to ban advertising unproven stem cell therapies follows the deaths of two children at a clinic in Germany that exploited a legal loophole to offer untested treatments. The clinic has since been closed. In addition to the potential harm to patients, the authors caution, "unfulfilled promises may bring regenerative medicine research and development into disrepute". Their report calls for controls on advertising and international standards for the manufacture and testing of cell- and tissue-based therapies, similar to global drug quality standards set by the World Health Organisation. "I am against advertisement of stem cell therapies," S.G. Ananda Rao, a pioneer in stem cell research and founder trustee of Society of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering in Mumbai, told this correspondent. "We have been combating this menace from 2004 onwards." The group has also called for tighter regulation of stem cell tourism that takes gullible patients to the hundreds of medical centres around the world promising to offer treatment for a range of conditions, including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. "Stem cell therapies hold a lot of promise but we need rigorous clinical trials and regulatory processes to determine whether a proposed treatment is safe, effective and better than existing treatments," the report cautions. (K.S. Jayaraman is a senior writer on science. He can be contacted at killugudi@hotmail.com) After less than an hour of deliberation, a Helena jury found a man guilty of attempted deliberate homicide for a shootout with a cabin owner. Kaleb Edward Daniels was 23 and wanted by Great Falls authorities when he broke into a home near Wolf Creek in December and ended up exchanging gunfire with the startled homeowner. The jury also found Daniels guilty of felony charges of aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence. Daniels' defense attorney Steven Scott didn't deny that his client is a criminal and a liar. "Ladies and gentleman, Kaleb is a burglar, he's not a murderer," Scott told jurors in his closing arguments. "He's a burglar." Daniels was a wanted probation absconder when authorities apprehended him for these crimes. Scott said his client lied and gave a false name in an attempt to avoid further incriminating himself. "He didn't want to compound his mounting legal battles," Scott said. "He knows he's in big trouble so he denies his involvement." The homeowner shot Daniels' accomplice in the leg during the shootout. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher countered that Daniels shot at the cabin owner in an attempt get away with his crimes. Daniels is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 13. Gallagher asked District Judge Mike McMahon to have Daniels jailed with no bond until his sentencing hearing. The judge obliged. Daniels became upset at the ruling and sighed loudly while shaking his head. During three days of testimony, jurors viewed more than 190 pieces of evidence. These items included photos of the cabin and shell casings. The incident began when a husband and wife arrived at their cabin Dec. 28 on the 4000 block of Little Wolf Creek Road to find an unfamiliar sport utility vehicle parked outside and two men inside burgling the residence. Prosecutors say Daniels pointed a handgun at the homeowner and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire. He then reportedly tried to chamber another round. The homeowner then shot Daniels' accomplice, Jory Russell Strizich, in the leg, authorities said. Strizich, 26, was hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his right shin. Strizich is facing a felony charge of aggravated burglary. The cabin owner reported shooting Strizich, who was allegedly approaching him in a threatening manner while Daniels attempted to rack his gun. The victim said he fired a warning round into the ground just before shooting again, striking Strizich. Daniels then fired his gun toward the victim. The two suspects ran away. Authorities launched a manhunt, including the local SWAT team. After another armed homeowner called 911 to report Daniels trying to break into a home on Recreation Road, Daniels was apprehended in a snowbank following a short foot chase with officers about three hours after the shooting. New Delhi : As the monsoon begins, some parts of Bangladesh are already flooded, and the Brahmaputra and Ganga rivers are expected to burst their banks sooner rather than later. But the people are now more aware of potential disasters thanks to improved flood forecasting and monitoring systems. "We made a forecast for the ongoing flood in the Surma-Kushiyara basin prior to June 30, and now we are forecasting that the water level at many points of the Brahmaputra and Ganga might cross the danger level in the next three days," said Sazzad Hossain, Executive Engineer at the Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC). The projections made by the centre are based on data about water flow upstream in the Brahmaputra, Ganga, Teesta, Feni and Barak -- all transboundary rivers flowing in from India. It is provided to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department by their Indian and Chinese counterparts and gives the authorities more time to prepare and even evacuate the vulnerable residents if necessary. Under bilateral agreements between the countries, India and China provide information twice a day during the monsoon to help Bangladesh update its flood forecasting systems. India provides data from two points on the Ganga, five on the Brahmaputra, and one each on the Teesta, Feni and Barak rivers, while China provides river flow information from three points on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet. People living in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin are used to floods during the monsoon season. Just last year, Bangladesh experienced a severe flood due to heavy monsoon rains in the Brahmaputra basin and in 2015, 200,000 hectares of Aman paddy and 50,000 hectares of vegetable fields were inundated with floodwater, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). In early June this year, heavy rainfall in Bangladesh and in Assam and Meghalaya caused floods in some parts of the country. Northeastern Bangladesh was badly hit, with the Surma river in Sylhet district flowing 72 cm and 78 cm above the danger level at two points. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the ongoing flood has affected several hundred people in the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Moulovibazar, where 280 schools have been closed and around 300,000 people have been cut off. But now that the country can learn about potential hazards a few days in advance, preparations can be made earlier. The DAE has made preparations to provide fresh Aman paddy seeds to farmers, in case crops are damaged by the floods. "We have enough preparation to supply farmers Aman paddy seeds after the flood so that they can continue their cultivation," Chaitanya Kumar Das, Deputy Director of the DAE, told thethirdpole.net. "Considering the FFWC's forecast, we have made preparations, including relief and rehabilitation mechanisms, to tackle the natural disaster," Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram district administration, told thethirdpole.net. "We get enough time to evacuate people living in low-lying areas near the rivers." Meanwhile, in Assam, over 1.25 million people have been affected by the floods, and at least 33 already reported killed. Major highways have been disrupted, and the famed Kaziranga National Park, home of the one-horned rhinoceros, is mostly under water, with animals seeking higher ground. It is unclear why, if Bangladesh is better prepared for floods at least partially due to information shared by India, Indian states do not seem to be. In the past, the states of West Bengal and Assam have blamed lack of information from upstream riparians such as Bhutan and China. The floods are a regular catastrophe, occurring year on year with comparable amounts of people affected. And while it is argued that India and Bangladesh must work together to deal with transboundary floods, the challenges for India seem to be as much within than outside its borders. (In arrangement with thethirdpole.net. Views expressed are those of thethirdpole.net. Feedback at information@thethirdpole.net) Paris, July 13 : US President Donald Trump arrived here on Thursday for a two-day visit to take part in the July 14 French national day celebrations. Trump arrived at Orly airport south of Paris early morning. From there, he was due to take meetings at the American Ambassador's residence before being greeted in a formal welcoming ceremony by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, CNN reported. Later, the US leader will tour Napoleon's tomb at the Les Invalides before sitting down for extended security talks with Macron at the AlysAe Palace. The pair will then take questions from reporters in the evening, and dine with their wives in a Michelin-starred restaurant on the second landing of the Eiffel Tower. On Friday, Trump will be the guest of honour at a military parade marking Bastille Day that commemorates the start of the French Revolution. American troops will march alongside French personnel down the Champs-AlysAes. The march will give Trump a view of France's military hardware and point to the long history of cooperation between the two countries, the report said. The White House said American troops would participate this year. Trump's stop in Paris is designed to mark the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I, and the security theme will carry over in talks between the leaders, which the White House said would centre on Syria and counterterrorism efforts. Officials said that Macron hopes to demonstrate to Trump the willingness of France to play a broader role in global security affairs. While last week's G20 Summit in Germany was marked by widespread violent protests, the French were not expected to stage large scale demonstrations during Trump's visit here. According to the report, at least 11,000 police and gendarmes were deployed on the streets for the US President's tour. Mumbai, July 13 : Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently busy shooting for his upcoming film "102 Not Out", says he never had the privilege of prosthetics, green backgrounds, VFX, 'post' touch ups and face replacements during his time. The 74-year-old actor also said that it takes three hours for his make-up for "102 Not Out". "The '102 Not Out' continues unabated. And involves a good three hours in make-up and removal after for an hour. The pains taken by a host of artists that specialise in the craft is so commendable," Amitabh wrote on his blog. The "Wazir" actor added: "And now this be the norm... The young and the agile give way to the old and the prosthetics, to the green backgrounds, to the VFX, to the 'post' touch ups and face replacements... All part of film making today, but never had such privilege in our time." Amitabh also spoke about the 2001 film "Aks" and called it a "unique concept". "'AKS'! a film made with great conviction and care. Unique in its concept and its execution. Valid in the times of today, and its value in ascendent," he wrote. Big B also wrote about director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who was then called Rakeysh Mehra. "Rakeysh Mehra, the director before he started spelling his name thus, was the one that did an ad with me for Pepsi and then came the film...We sat on it for days and we still do on many ideas and thoughts," he said. Amitabh said that "Aks" was always special and different. "The shoot in Budapest and the first brush with the french beard, which then because permanent and has never been disturbed since," he added. London, July 13 : Criticism by documents posted by global whistleblower WikiLeaks on Twitter played a key role in the failure of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 US presidential race, an analysis of tweets suggests. The study, which analysed viral tweets during the final two months of the 2016 election race, showed that Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, was much more heavily criticised on the microblogging site as compared to her rival Trump. Posts relating to WikiLeaks were the most common form of attack on social media for Clinton, who was also heavily criticized on Twitter over an FBI investigation into her use of a private email server. "Our findings reveal a wide disparity between traditional media, which was very critical of Donald Trump, and social media, where Hillary Clinton was much worse off," said lead researcher Walid Magdy from the University of Edinburgh. An analysis of the top 50 most retweeted posts each day between September 1 and November 8 revealed that there were thrice as many posts attacking Clinton than posts in her favour. By contrast, viral tweets relating to Trump were split equally in favour and against his campaign, the researchers said. The results will be presented at the Social Informatics 2017 conference in Oxford in September. Further, the posts from Trump's social media campaign and his supporters had a more positive tone than that of Clinton, with effective reach for slogans, policy promises and campaigning for swing states. Whereas, tweets that backed Clinton compared her with Trump and attacked Trump rather than praising Clinton. For the study, the team used computer analysis to analyse the top viral tweets. They analysed almost 3,500 posts, which together were retweeted more than 25 million times. Tweets were labelled as being favourable to Trump, Clinton or neither. Islamabad, July 13 : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday rejected calls for his resignation at an emergency Cabinet meeting to chart out a counter to the Panamagate probe panel's report that recommended the filing of a graft case against Sharif and his family. Addressing the Cabinet members, Sharif termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a "concoction of allegations and stories" regarding his family's private businesses, Geo News reported. "Without any hesitation I presented myself and family before the JIT," the Prime Minister said, adding that his family business predates the entry of any family member into politics. "My family didn't earn anything from politics but did lose a lot," Sharif said, adding that despite reservations he accepted the formation of the JIT to probe allegations of money laundering against him and his family. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader said that the language used in the JIT report displayed "malafide intentions", Dawn newspaper reported. Pointing to the opposition parties who were demanding his resignation following the release of the JIT report, Sharif said that the PML-N had bagged more votes than those of the opposition parties combined. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," said Sharif. He said he will not let the country's development become a "target of conspiracies". "The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," Sharif said. The members of the meeting agreed that there's no legitimacy to the demands for Sharif's resignation and expressed their complete support in him, said the report. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan expressed the hope that Sharif will be exonerated. "We are not one to be worried as we have faced such difficulties before with the people's help," said Khawaja Asif, Minister for Water and Power and Defence. Several projects related to power generation and other economic initiatives of the government were also discussed in the meeting. On Wednesday, Sharif presided over an informal consultative meeting where he was briefed by legal and constitutional experts regarding the preparations of the government's stance on the JIT report, Geo News reported. The JIT in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court earlier this week 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. Maryam Nawaz Sharif had on Wednesday expressed the party's resolve in a tweet that Sharif will not step down. "Insh'Allah he won't resign. Should Nawaz Sharif resign because not a single allegation of misuse of public money has been proven against him?" she said. Beijing, July 13 : About 100 Chinese automobile companies attended the "Make in India" seminars organised in two Chinese cities. At the event, a representative of China's largest truck maker, Beiqi Foton Motor, said the company has expansion plans in India. The Chinese companies were briefed about the investment opportunities in the growing auto sector and newly-implemented Goods and Services Tax law. The two Seminars on Investment Opportunities in Automobile & Auto-Components Sectors in India were organised in Chongqing and Changchun on July 11 and 13. There were 180 representatives of Chinese companies at the seminars. Some raised questions about the taxation structure in India and the incentives offered to Chinese investors in India. Prashant Lokhande, Counsellor (Economic) at the India Embassy here, talked about the important role played by the auto sector in India and highlighted the potential for collaboration between Indian and Chinese companies in this sector. These events are part of a series of industry and sector-specific "Make in India" events being organised across China this year and were organised in partnership with the local Foreign Affairs Offices and China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Sub-Councils of Chongqing and Changchun cities. Santosh Pai, Partner of Link Legal India Law Services, gave a presentation introducing the legal and regulatory framework in India with a special focus on the Goods and Services Tax. Zhong Tiantian from Beiqi Foton Company Limited gave a presentation on the company's plans of expansion in India and their experience of working in India. (Gaurav Sharma is the Beijing-based correspondent of IANS. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com) Cairo, July 13 : US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Kuwait, a mediator in the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and four Arab countries, on Thursday and met the country's Foreign Minister. Tillerson and Sabah Khaled al-Sabah reviewed efforts to resolve the diplomatic crisis during the meeting held at Bayan Palace, the official KUNA news agency reported. The top US diplomat plans to return to Doha, which he visited on Tuesday, to have a working lunch with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said a report in Efe news. On Wednesday, Tillerson in Jeddah met his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, the four countries that in June broke diplomatic relations with Doha and implemented an economic and commercial blockade against the country. During Tillerson's visit to Doha earlier this week, the Qatari government signed a memorandum of understanding in which it pledged to fight the financing of terrorism, the main claim against Qatar by the four Arab countries. However, these countries considered that this pact was not enough to solve the crisis. Gurugram, July 13 : Haryana Agriculture Minister O.P. Dhankar on Thursday said that a seed bill will be introduced for the first time in the next session of the state Assembly. Dhankar has instructed his department's officials to prepare a seed bill on the suggestions given by experts in the second session of the two-day seminar held in Gurugram's Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA). He said that the draft of this Act should include all species of seeds related to the Agriculture and Horticulture Department, besides full details of pesticides and insecticides management. Dhankar also directed the officers of the Horticulture Department to set up labs for testing horticultural seeds in all the districts of the state. He instructed the officials to establish a modern lab with the facility of checking genetic seeds at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University in Hisar. He said that he will also establish a state of the art test lab with the help of Iowa State University. Considering the improvement of agriculture and horticulture, the Agriculture Minister said that Haryana farmers have a huge market in the National Capital Region and farmers of the entire state can benefit from it. He said that different groups will be formed under the leadership of experts for brainstorming on the challenges. He added that 16 different groups on water management, soil health, organic farming, crop management, risk management, innovation and land management would be set up. In the seminar, Ambala's leading young farmer Puneet Singh suggested that young farmers need to know the art of selling their produce in the state. Learning how to sell products in the market from countries such as in Africa, he has been producing and selling 70 products since the past one and a half years. Farmer Shrikishan Kaushik said that water in their area is saline. If sweet water or irrigation facilities can be made available in the area, then production can increase manifold and farmers' income can more than double. Maan Singh Yadav of Farukhnagar suggested that farmers should get support from the government to fence their fields, so that they can protect their crops from stray animals. Kurukshetra's Deputy Agricultural Director Kamchand suggested that there should be a date-wise programme for crop procurement in all mandis (markets) which will save the farmers' time and prevent mandis from being crowded. Paris, July 13 : US President Donald Trump arrived here on Thursday for a two-day visit in a diplomatic move to soften divergence with France over climate change and trade liberalisation by seeking common ground on security and fight against terrorism. Trump arrived at Orly airport south of Paris early in the morning, beginning his second European trip in two weeks. The visit was set in motion by a call French President Emmanuel Macron had made to discuss Syria, for which he invited Trump to the July 14 Bastille Day celebrations. After his arrival the US President, who is under fire over Russian connections, met American Embassy staff where he was scheduled to have lunch with military officials, CNN reported. Later, Trump will tour Napoleon's tomb at the Les Invalides before sitting down for talks on Syria and counterterrorism with Macron at the AlysAe Palace. Macron, who denounced Washington's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, will seek to press Trump to do more for deteriorating climate change, local media reports said. The pair will then take questions from reporters in the evening, and dine with their wives in a Michelin-starred restaurant on the second landing of the Eiffel Tower. On Friday, Trump will be the guest of honour at a military parade marking Bastille Day that commemorates the start of the French Revolution. American troops will march alongside French personnel down the Champs-AlysAes. The march will give Trump a view of France's military hardware and point to the long history of cooperation between the two countries, the report said. The White House said American troops would participate this year. Trump's stop in Paris is designed to mark the 100th anniversary of the US's entry into World War I, and the security theme will carry over in talks between the leaders. The US President comes to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Emails released earlier this week suggested that his eldest son welcomed Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Officials said that Macron hopes to demonstrate to Trump the willingness of France to play a broader role in global security affairs. Speaking to regional newspaper Ouest France, Macron said: "Both countries have an essential point of convergence: The fight against terrorism and protecting our vital interests in the Middle East and in Africa." "We need the US. That's why I invited Donald Trump... to pay tribute and celebrate a relationship which is unavoidable in the security field," he added. While last week's G20 Summit in Germany was marked by widespread violent protests, the French were not expected to stage large scale demonstrations during Trump's visit here. According to the report, at least 11,000 police and gendarmes were deployed on the streets for the US President's tour. Kabul, July 13 : A commander of Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Afghanistan's Kunar province was killed along with his bodyguard in a drone strike on Thursday, officials said. "Acting upon intelligence report, an unmanned plane attacked IS hideout in Manogai district this morning, killing the group's notorious commander Esmatullah and his bodyguard," government spokesman Ghani Musamim was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. The elimination of Esmatullah, involved in terrorist attacks in Manogai, Watapor and Chapa Dara districts, could prove a major setback to the IS group in Kunar and neighbouring Nuristan and Nangarhar provinces. The IS group did not make any comment on Esmatullah's killing. BUTTE After meeting privately with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt Tuesday, Sen. Steve Daines says hes confident Pruitt will visit Butte this year. In an interview with The Montana Standard Wednesday, Daines said Pruitt is determined to get results with the Superfund program. Some of these sites have been languishing for decades. Administrator Pruitt is focused on outcomes, Daines said. Daines said he renewed his earlier invitation to Pruitt to visit Montana, this time specifically suggesting a trip to Butte, and got a positive response. Daines didnt spare the business jargon as he discussed Montana and the Superfund site, saying that said getting Pruitt out on the ground is key. Theres nothing like getting out and kicking the tires. Its management by walking around you want to get face to face and see what youre dealing with. "We need to know what success looks like," Daines said. "I had a saying during my 28 years in business. It was, If you aim at nothing, youll hit it. The soonest Pruitt could visit Butte would probably be the fall, Daines said, but added that he was confident the visit would take place before the end of the year. If theres a complaint Im hearing from Montanans about EPA, its that there is not enough community involvement and engagement at the highest levels of the agency, Daines said, so we can address that head-on by getting Pruitt to the state. Id like to get him in a room with local leaders and other community members, so they can share specifically whats working and whats not working, Daines said. Daines said he used Tuesday's meeting with Pruitt and three of his top aides to reiterate his concern about the 31 percent cut some $330 million to the Superfund budget currently proposed by the Trump Administration. That closely parallels the overall cut of more than 30 percent proposed for the entire EPA. The Superfund budget that the White House has proposed is clearly inadequate, Daines said. We need to ensure adequate funding for these Superfund cleanups. Otherwise we will forever live with liability from the messes created by past generations. It has to be fixed. As a member of the Appropriations subcommittee dealing with the EPAs budget, Daines said he would be fighting to ensure adequate funding. "While I applaud that the president is working to bring some fiscal sanity to Washington, its all about prioritization, Daines said. We have an obligation and a commitment to continue working on these cleanups and bring them to completion. Of Buttes cleanup, Daines said, Its been a 1,000-mile journey. Theres another 1,000 miles to go. But we cant let it be a 10,000-mile journey. Weve got to bring it to an end. Thats something the administrator agrees with, Daines said. I admire the focus and intensity Pruitt is bringing to the Superfund situation. Hes an action-oriented administrator, Daines said. Hes going to see if he can close some of these long-running chapters. Daines also discussed health care legislation during his interview with The Montana Standard. He said he was gratified that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, agreed with calls made by Daines and others to work through the August recess if necessary to make legislative progress. McConnell announced Tuesday that the start of the August recess would be delayed until the third week of the month. The primary goal of the extra time is health care legislation. With the Better Care Reconciliation Act -- the Senate Republicans bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act -- taking heavy criticism, the caucus decided to pull the bill back and revise it. A new version is expected to be released Thursday. Daines said he didnt know specifics of what would be presented in the new bill, but speculated that it may not cut taxes on investment gains, as the earlier version did. Removing that tax cut, which primarily benefits the very affluent, would free up some $170 billion, Daines said, that could be spent figuring out a way to deal with the expense of the meth and opioid scourges that we face across the country, including in Montana. ... Most of those patients, or addicts, come into the system through Medicaid. Theres got to be a better way to treat them, he said. New Delhi, July 13 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday announced its support for opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the July 17 Presidential election. "The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) headed by (Delhi) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has decided to support the united opposition candidate Meira Kumar," party leader Sanjay Singh said here. He said the former Lok Sabha Speaker's representatives had telephoned Kejriwal and sought support for her candidature. The AAP's vote share accounts for a little over 9,000 as it has over 60 MLAs in Delhi and 20 in Punjab apart from four MPs from Punjab, which is less than one per cent of the total votes in the Presidential election. Sanjay Singh said the AAP was backing Meira Kumar since the opposition had a huge role to play in the country in the present circumstances. Bhubaneswar, July 13 : The Odisha government on Thursday requested the Centre to enhance cargo handling infrastructure in the existing ports of the state. The government said the transportation cost of major goods, like coal, can be reduced substantially with the enhancement of cargo handling infrastructure at ports. Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi requested the Union Ministry of Shipping to develop cargo handling infrastructure in the existing ports of Odisha - Paradip, Dhamara and Gopalpur. "Development of port infrastructure will add to the strength and viability of coastal shipping in the state," said Padhi while addressing a national level workshop on 'Promotion of Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation in India' here. He said that it is a matter of concern that in recent days the shipping and coastal route has taken a back seat in the transport sector in spite of its comparative advantage over rail and road transport. "Transportation through coastal shipping is cost effective and environment-friendly. It reduces the logistic cost of cargo, making the business more competitive in the world market," said Padhi. He said development of coastal shipping through Sagaramala project will reduce congestion on the rail network and National Highways. Padhi also mentioned about the need for evacuation of coal from the mines of Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd (MCL). In recent days, MCL has enhanced its production and there is a need for quicker evacuation of the excavated coal from its mining area. Sagaramala Project authorities should take the initiative from their side for evacuation of coal from the MCL mining field to the ports so that those could be transported to destination points through the sea route, he added. Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Shipping, Rabindra Kumar Agarwal said around 1 billion tonnes of coal will be mined in the coming years, of which MCL alone will contribute around 25 per cent. Presently, 61 per cent of the power plants in the country are thermal-based. There is a need for increasing coal production and transportation, Agarwal said. He maintained that at times, the logistics cost of the coal and other minerals became more than the cost of the mineral itself. "Sagaramala is an ambitious national initiative aimed at bringing about a change in India's logistic sector performance. It aspires to achieve overall cost saving of Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore per annum through reduction of logistic cost for EXIM and domestic cargo," Agarwal said. New Delhi, July 13 : Rebuffing China's offer, India on Thursday ruled out any third party mediation on Kashmir about which it is ready to talk to Pakistan at a bilateral level as terrorism is at the core of the problem between the two countries. Reacting to the Chinese Foreign Office spokesperson's remarks that China was ready to mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said cross-border terrorism was at the heart of the issues between New Delhi and Islamabad. "Our stand is absolutely clear. You are all aware of the fact that at the heart of the matter is the issue of terrorism perpetrated on India, including on the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. So, the matter is that cross-border terrorism in our region emanating from a particular force is threatening the peace and stability in not only India but other neighbours and also the entire region and the world," Baglay said in his weekly media briefing. "As far as the Kashmir issue is concerned, you know that the government's position has been very consistent and clear. We are ready, we have been ready to have dialogue with Pakistan... That position of addressing all the issues with Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, in a bilateral framework has not changed." The Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday offered to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties over Kashmir where the "situation has attracted the attention of the international community". Baglay also rubbished Pakistan media reports hinting at use of chemical weapons in Kashmir. "The claims are completely baseless and incorrect. India is against the use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world." He said it was "quite surprising" to see what the government of Pakistan was talking about and reading from the terror script of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. "They have taken a leaf out of the book of Lashkar-e-Taiba on those ridiculous comments. The government is taking its cue from an internationally banned terrorist organisation," he added. Patna, July 13 : The RJD reiterated on Thursday that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, son of party leader Lalu Prasad, won't resign despite the corruption charges hurled at him. "Tejashwi will not resign at any cost. RJD has 80 legislators. We will do what we want," Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virender told the media here. He was responding to questions over Janata Dal-United requests that the RJD would have to decide the fate of Tejashwi Yadav. Virender, a loyalist of Lalu Prasad, said Tejashwi Yadav will not resign despite demands by some. "RJD is intact, there is no if and but in the party over Tejashwi. He will not resign." JD-U state President Vashisht Narain Singh has said that the JD-U was not satisfied with Tejashwi Yadav's reply to corruption allegations against him. "Our party is not satisfied. Now a final decision will be taken over it," he said. A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked him to come clean, Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday dubbed the corruption charges against him a "conspiracy" hatched by the BJP brass. Tejashwi Yadav, facing an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also made light of the allegations against him, saying they relate to a period when he was 14 years old. Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav have been named accused in a CBI case related to the transfer of prime land in Patna to the family by two businessmen allegedly in return for licences granted to run hotels in Ranchi and Puri when the RJD chief was the Railway Minister. Panaji, July 13 : High litigation fees may result in Goa accepting the Karnataka government's suggestion to resolve the Mhadei inter-state water dispute through tri-partite dialogue, rather than slugging it out in a central government-appointed tribunal, Water Resources Minister Vinod Palienkar said on Thursday. Speaking to reporters here, Palienkar said that there was no harm in attending the tri-partite meeting requested for by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday. "The litigation fees (in the inter-state water dispute tribunal) are very high. Because of the fees, we are considering the Karnataka Chief Minister's offer of talks," Palienkar said. "What is the harm in having a discussion," Palienkar said, adding that he would speak to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar about the issue. Goa and Karnataka are currently battling it out over the latter's controversial Kalsa-Bhandura dam project across the waters of the Mhadei river at a central tribunal. Mhadei, also known as the Mandovi river, is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of the state. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa. While the river traverses 28.8 km in Karnataka, it is 81.2 km in length in Goa. Karnataka plans to construct seven dams on the river, aimed at diverting the waters into its water-starved Malaprabha basin in north Karnataka. Siddaramaiah had written to Parrikar on Wednesday asking him to agree to a joint meeting with their Maharashtra counterpart in order to find an 'out of court' and amicable resolution to the Mhadei water dispute issue. Beijing, July 13 : Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate and dissident Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday of terminal cancer at a hospital in the country's north, authorities said. Liu, 61, died after spending almost nine years in prison, Efe news reported. In 2009, Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of inciting subversion after he helped pen a political manifesto urging the Communist regime to initiate democratic reforms. He was released on medical parole and was being treated at a hospital in Shenyang city. The activist's wife, Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest. Several countries including the US were eager to treat Liu but China termed those calls as "interference in its domestic affairs". Since his release in late June, the international media relentlessly called for Liu to be flown abroad for medical treatment but officials stuck to the official Chinese line of "non-interference in its domestic affairs". The Global Times daily, affiliated to the ruling Communist Party, had also dismissed requests from human rights organisations for Liu's treatment abroad, claiming that "Western forces" were politicising the issue for ulterior motives. "What they care about is not Liu's treatment, but transferring him abroad. This is a political charade," it said earlier this week. Human Rights Watch condemned the Chinese government's treatment of Liu, noting that the last Nobel Peace laureate who died in state custody was pacifist Carl von Ossietzky in Nazi Germany in 1938. "The Chinese government's arrogance, cruelty and callousness are shocking -- but Liu's struggle for a rights-respecting, democratic China will live on," Sophie Richardson, the China Director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. Judicial authorities in Shenyang, where Liu was being treated, said he was given emergency treatment beginning Monday after his condition continued to deteriorate. In 2010, Liu received the Nobel Peace Prize for his activism in favour of democracy in China. He also played a significant role in the Tiananmen protests of June 1989 which ended in bloodshed when they were quashed by troops. Liu and other activists negotiated the safe exit of several hundred demonstrators and was credited with saving the protesters' lives. His campaign for the freeing of those detained during Tiananmen landed him in a labour camp in north-eastern China for three years but he was permitted to marry poet Liu Xia there in 1996. New Delhi, July 13 : Ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session, the government has called leaders of opposition parties on Friday for a briefing on the India-China standoff in Doklam in Sikkim sector, as also the Kashmir situation in the wake of killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the opposition in the meeting, to be held at the latter's residence. The meeting is primarily aimed at taking the opposition leaders into confidence on both issues ahead of the Parliament session which commences on July 17. The standoff between India and China in the Doklam Plateau, adjoining the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan, is now a month old, with no end to it yet in sight. Sources said the government also wants to discuss in the meeting the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed a spate of violence following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in July last year. Militants attacked a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, killing seven people and injuring 19 others in Jammu and Kashmir's Khanabal area on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway on July 10 evening. However, the opposition, which has been severely critical of the Narendra Modi government over deteriorating law and order situation in Kashmir, did not appear keen to discuss the Kashmir issue outside Parliament. "Yes, we will attend the meeting. The meeting will only be on the developments on the India-China-Bhutan borders. Doklam is a matter of great concern. Hope the government apprises us what is its assessment and how it proposes to address the crisis," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told IANS. Asked if the Kashmir situation will also be discussed in the meeting, Sharma said: "I am not going to discuss this because the meeting is for a specific purpose. We have Parliament as a forum to raise matters. As the session begins, this will be raised in Parliament." Janata Dal United (JD-U) Spokesman K.C. Tyagi, too, confirmed that his party would attend the meeting but refused to comment on the agenda. New Delhi, July 13 : Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed militants have been asked by their handlers across the border to remain in hiding in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir and not trust locals in the wake of "unprecedented level of collaboration" among security forces to flush out foreign terrorists, officials said. In the aftermath of Monday's attack on Amarnath pilgrims, in which seven persons were killed, security forces have shifted their focus to culling the Pakistani terrorists in the valley. "Forces are coordinating at an unprecedented level to corner these foreign terrorists, that is the top priority right now," an official told IANS. Sources in the Indian Army told IANS that around 115 foreign or Pakistani terrorists are estimated to be in the Kashmir valley, of whom around 90 belong to the LeT and 20 are from the JeM. As per estimates of the security forces, there are more than 250 terrorists in the Kashmir valley over all. The foreign terrorists are concentrated in Kupwara and Bandipora, the sources added. According to intelligence inputs, the terrorists have been tasked with reviving terrorism in northern Kashmir. The terrorists have also been instructed to keep hiding in the forest and not trust locals, "or allow local cadre". "They have been asked to remain in isolation, instructions are given by their bosses across the border," another source said. For communication, these terrorists use an integrated mobile and radio device, and a highly coded communication which is difficult to track. "They use something called YSMS - it is a coded communication, with an integrated mobile and radio set," the source said. According to sources, local support for terrorists has seen some decline post the killing of 22-year-old Kashmiri Army officer Lt. Ummer Fayaz in May. However, the terrorists who have infiltrated from Pakistan target the Gujjar and Bakarwal shepherds for supplies and other support. Around 128 infiltration attempts were made by terrorists this year in Jammu and Kashmir, of which 32 were successful, the source said. This year so far, the forces have killed 97 terrorists in the valley. Guwahati, July 13 : Assam Power Minister Pallab Lochan Das on Thursday said the government plans to go for re-conduction of old wires and electric lines after 21 electrocution deaths were reported in the state this year. The government is also going to make installation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) mandatory in every house that has a electricity connection above 2 KW, said Das addressing a press conference. "This year 21 people have died so far due to electrocution in Assam. We have taken certain decisions to improve the safety related to electricity across the state. We have decide to go for an electric auditing in Guwahati so that electrocution can be avoided," he said. Das said the government has already installed 40,000 line spacers in Guwahati to ensure that electric wires do not fall from the poles. "In Guwahati we have about 2,500 km wire network. All the wiring is many years old and we are also planning to re-conduct at least 1,200 km of wiring afresh with new wires to ensure that there is no untoward eventuality," the Minister said adding that the Central government has already given Rs 149 core for the plan. He said that the re-conduction of 1,200 km wiring will be completed by October this year. Asked about the infrastructural lapses like faulty electric wires hanging on roadsides that often leads to fatalities, Das blamed the previous government and said that there was no mechanism in the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) to check the discrepancies. Das also said the power department is planning to include some tricks to avoid electrocution in school curriculum. "Talks are on with the state education department in this regard," he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered an inquiry into the chronology of circumstances leading to an alleged spurt in the incidents of electrocution deaths during seasonal floods in Assam. London, July 13 : Close combat roles in the Royal Air Force will be open to women from September, Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced on Thursday. Speaking at the annual RAF Air Power Conference in London, Fallon said: "A diverse force is more operationally effective force. So, I'm delighted that the RAF will be open to recruitment to women from September. "Individuals who are capable of meeting the standards for the regiment will be given the opportunity to serve, regardless of their gender," he said. The RAF will become the first branch of the British Armed Forces to recruit women to all of its roles, the Daily Mail reported. "This is a defining moment for the RAF as it becomes the first service to have every trade and branch open to both genders." Women who sign up to the close combat roles will be deployed protecting RAF bases, aircraft and equipment at home and abroad. The RAF was due to open its recruitment to women by the end of next year, alongside the Infantry and Royal Marines, but they brought forward the plans. The move comes after the first female Army recruit to graduate for combat duties joined the force in April. British Prime Minister Theresa May attended the female recruit's ceremony back in April, and told of her "incredible pride" at the officer, according to the report. The woman, who was not named, joined the Royal Tank Regiment as an officer. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, said: "The RAF is committed to providing equal opportunity to all so it's fantastic to be able to open recruitment to the RAF Regiment to women ahead of schedule. "We want the best and most talented individuals to join the Air Force, regardless of their gender, race or background." In July last year, then-Prime Minister David Cameron announced the ban on women serving in "ground close" combat roles would be lifted following a recommendation from the Chief of the General Staff General Sir Nick Carter. The Army and Navy are set to follow in the RAF's footsteps and lift all gender bars to recruitment by the end of 2022. However, the move sparked a backlash in some quarters. The new version of the Senates plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act doesnt make broad changes from the previous renditions wiping out of Medicaid expansion and hasnt won over the support of Montana lawmakers and those in the health care industry who opposed it before. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican who has not taken a public position on any iteration of the bill, did not have a stance yet Thursday. "Sen. Daines is currently reviewing the bill while waiting for additional analysis on the bill and listening to Montanans," a spokeswoman said. Daines previously has said he needs to see a Congressional Budget Office markup, which would estimate the impacts of the bill, before he decides. With the previous version of the bill, he said he wanted to hear from Montanans during a town hall conducted by telephone before making up his mind. Daines has said in the past he wants a bill that improves access to care and lowers costs while preserving Medicaid for the disabled and children and not ripping the rug out from those covered by Medicaid expansion. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, sent out a news release Thursday that conveyed his continuing opposition. This plan rips away coverage from thousands of Montanans, allows insurers to deny Montanans coverage if they have pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure, and imposes an age tax on folks in their 50s and 60s, Tester wrote. This pig got more lipstick, but it still smells like a pigpen. Congress needs to work together to address rising premiums and deductibles, and when they are ready to work in a bipartisan manner, Ill be waiting at the table. Much of the focus on the effects of the bill in Montana has centered around changes to Medicaid and Medicaid expansion. More than 216,000 Montanans are covered by Medicaid, 96,846 of whom are children and 19,085 are adults who have disabilities. Nearly 80,000 people earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or $16,400 a year, gained coverage under expansion starting in 2016. The state gets an enhanced federal match for money it spends on expansion coverage. But the Senate plan lowers the match severely and eliminates it entirely by 2024. The state could not afford to keep the program running without the enhanced match. Language in state law also calls for the expansion to be shut down if the federal match rate drops below what was set in the Affordable Care Act. Aaron Wernham, CEO of the Montana Healthcare Foundation, said Thursday he doesnt see any improvements to the Medicaid situation. The foundation enlisted Manatt Health earlier this month to estimate the impacts of the previous bill on Medicaid and found it would cost the state $5.3 billion in federal funding between 2020-2026. Cuts would be so severe the state would struggle to pay for other priorities like education and infrastructure. While the bill does put more money, $45 billion over 10 years, into addressing the opioid epidemic, Wernham said that likely wouldnt be enough to offset the losses in Medicaid funding that covers behavioral health, mental illness and substance abuse. Thats one of the most important tools Medicaid has offered us is a way to stably reimburse practices that want to take care of those patients, he said. We recognize this bill has some funding added to take care of those problems but it doesnt really appear to make up in any way for the funding thats in Medicaid itself. He also said that funding through grant programs that may or may not be reauthorized dont encourage hospitals to hire staff or take on additional areas of service. John Doran, the divisional vice president of external affairs at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, said Thursday he was still reviewing the specifics of the new version of the bill, but from the insurers standpoint the No. 1 need is still to stabilize the insurance marketplace. Currently theres a lot of uncertainty on the rules and regulations, which is adding to the instability of the marketplace, he said. The new bill offers the option for insurance companies to sell plans that don't meet some of the requirements laid out in Obamacare, such as covering preventive care, something critics have said would create a separate pool for healthy young people who dont want to pay for full coverage and drive up costs for older people. Doran said that choice in plans is a good thing, but its important to not create two different pools of customers. He also emphasized Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana wants to see a bill that has some sort of mechanism to encourage broad and continuous coverage and ways to help offset the cost of purchasing coverage. The new version of the bill does not have a requirement for individuals to have insurance or employers to provide it. It does increase the subsidies to defray the cost of buying insurance for those who qualify. There needs to be some incentive for people to buy a health insurance and keep it throughout the year, Doran said. Heather OLoughlin, co-director of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, said the new bill doesn't make any changes that sway her organizations opinion that the bill is bad for Montana. It is clear that this bill cannot be fixed, and the Senate should scrap this plan and find ways to make health insurance more affordable and stabilize the markets. The Senate continues to make minor changes to the legislation, but the facts remain the same: it will end Medicaid expansion and make health care unaffordable for many of those with pre-existing conditions and older Montanans." Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, who championed Medicaid expansion, echoed Testers makeup-on-a-farm-animal comments when assessing Tuesdays version of the Senate bill. "They tried to put lipstick on a pig and failed, Bullock said in a statement. The bill still slashes Medicaid, still threatens coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions, and still means higher costs for less care for millions of Americans. It's certainly no improvement." Also on Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, announced on CNN they are working on their own health care bill that would send money to states in the form of block grants. Graham said on CNN the bill would keep taxes in place on the wealthy, repeal the individual and employer mandate and medical device tax and let states have more control. "Rather than try to run health care from Washington, we're going to block grant it to the states and heres what will happen: If you like Obamacare, you can re-impose the mandates at the state level. You can repair Obamacare if you think it needs to be repaired. You can replace it if you think it needs to be replaced. It will be up the governor. They have a better handle on this than any bureaucrat in Washington, Graham said. New Delhi, July 13 : A Ghaziabad resident has been booked for rape after a 27-year-old woman filed a complaint of repeated sexual assault on the pretext of marriage, police said on Thursday. Police said the woman, a resident of Masoodpur in south Delhi, said in her complaint to Vasant Kunj police in south Delhi that she met accused Rohit Choudhary, 30, on social networking site 'Facebook' in November 2015. The woman said in her complaint that she and Chaudhary first met face to face here in December 2015. She said he took her to a Paharganj hotel in February 2016 and established sexual relations with her against her will. Since then, the woman claimed, Chaudhary had sexually assaulted her on several occasions and she became pregnant twice but had to abort. "When I asked him about marriage, he said he will do so after his younger sister got married," the complainant said. She said he also extorted money from her on different occasions and threatened her that he will put her intimate photographs on the internet, if she approached police. Chaudhary, booked for rape, criminal conspiracy, and threatening to kill, is at large. Abuja, July 13 : The Nigerian government was on Thursday urged by a key expert to lift a ban on import of some luxury goods. Fitzgerald Umah, the Chairman of Lagos Chapter of Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. He said that the government could increase import duty on these luxury goods, instead of placing a total ban on them. The NIA chairman said the government should be more concerned about implementing policies that would promote bilateral trade between Nigeria and other countries. "The fact the country wants to encourage local manufacturers to increase local productivity does not imply that total ban will be placed on majority of imported goods," Umah said. He said that the world is changing and it is a global market where international trade is necessary. "I do not mean government should allow importation of inferior goods like tooth-pick, plastic, matches, among others... But luxury and essential products like floor and wall tiles, furniture, WC toilet system and the likes can be allowed into the country," he said. Umah said he was concerned because some of the banned luxury goods were being smuggled into the country in spite of government's ban and restriction. "Therefore, it is not a wise decision to ban these goods because they will still be smuggled in and no payment maybe paid to the government and government stands to lose." New Delhi, July 13 : Two interstate arms smugglers have been arrested and their illegal firearms factory in Uttar Pradesh unearthed, police said on Thursday. Twenty pistols, including semi-automatics, and 180 cartridges apart from four magazines were seized from Ramgopal, 52, of Etah in Uttar Pradesh, and Naseem, 37, of Munger in Bihar, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Delhi Police Special Cell men arrested Ramgopal from Daryaganj in central Delhi on Tuesday and seized 10 pistols and 150 cartridges. His interrogation led to the arrest of Naseem from Agra on Wednesday along with eight pistols and 30 cartridges, police said. The same day, police raided the firearms factory run from Ramgopal's house in Etah and seized two more pistols and four magazines. Several arms-making tools and machines were also seized. Police said the factory was in operation for the past five years. Earlier, Ramgopal procured finished and semi-finished pistols for 10 years from Naseem, a notorious arms manufacturer with several cases against him in Bihar, police said. Later, Ramgopal started to assemble illegal firearms at his Etah house. Yadav said several interstate firearm syndicates have been busted and more than 450 semi-automatic weapons seized since January 2016. New Delhi, July 13 : Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, leading a high-level central team to supervise rescue and relief in flood-hit north-eastern states, on Thursday visited the affected districts and took stock of the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the Minister of State for Home to personally supervise the relief operations and facilitate all possible help to the affected states. The team comprises members from the National Disaster Management Authority, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, and National Disaster Response Force. It was scheduled to visit Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur from Thursday to Sunday. At Lakhimpur in Assam, Rijiju held a meeting with state ministers and officials to review the extent of damages caused by the devastating flood and relief measures taken by the administration. "The district administration pointed out that the release of large volume of water from the NEEPCO dam in Yazuli, Arunachal Pradesh, caused the flood crisis in Lakhimpur," an official release said. Rijiju said the NEEPCO incharge would be directed to hold talks with the Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner to solve the issue of excess release of water from the dam and the resultant flooding of riverine areas of Lakhimpur. Later, Rijiju inspected the breached Ranganadi embankment which was washed away and interacted with the displaced people of Changmai village to take stock of their plight. He assured of early repair and completion of the damaged embankment. Rijiju also expressed concern over the damage caused to standing crops and loss of human lives. He directed the Public Works Department to take immediate steps for temporary repair of damaged roads. Later, reviewing the flood situation at Dhemaji district, Rijiju said that the Centre is very much concerned about the flood situation in the north-east and assured of all possible central assistance to the state governments to cope with floods. He said sufficient emergency funds have already been released to the state governments and Rs 500 crore is available in the SDRF Fund. He said a high-level inter-ministerial team would be deputed to the states within a month to assess the damage. Rijiju also conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas. Mumbai, July 13 : Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) posted net profit of Rs 5,945 crore for the first quarter of the current fiscal, registering a decline of 5.9 per cent from Rs 6,608 crore in the previous quarter of the last fiscal, said the IT bellwether on Thursday. The decline is 10 per cent compared to Rs 6,317 crore same quarter year ago. In a regulatory filing on the BSE after trading on the bourses, the software major said revenue for the quarter under review (Q1), however, remained flat sequentially (0.2 per cent) at Rs 29,584 crore as against Rs 29,642 crore in the last quarter but up one per cent year-on-year (YoY) from Rs 29,305 crore in same period year ago. Under the International Financial Regulatory Standard (IFRS) or in dollar terms too, net income declined seven per cent sequentially to $924 million in the quarter under review (Q1) from $994 million quarter ago and 1.8 per cent from $940 million year ago. Revenue, however, increased 3.1 per cent sequentially to $4,591 million in Q1 from $4,452 million quarter ago and 5.2 per cent YoY from $4,362 million in same period year ago. "Operating margin for the quarter was 23.4 per cent, while net cash from operations grew 104 per cent of net profit," said the city-based IT major in a statement here. Demand from major markets led to 3.1 per cent growth in dollar terms, while volume growth was 3.5 per cent. "Strong deal closures in the first quarter signal annual momentum," asserted the company in the statement. Earnings Per Share (EPS) was Rs 30.40 for the quarter under review. The company declared an interim dividend of Rs 7 per equity share of Re 1 each. "The interim dividend will be paid to the shareholders on August 1," added the statement. The company's blue chip scrip closed at Rs 2,444.05 per share, gaining Rs 4.95 (0.22 per cent) over Wednesday's closing price of Rs 2,439.10 after opening at Rs 2,449.90 and trading at a high of Rs 2,471 and a low of Rs 2,427.10 during the intra-day session on the BSE. "We have seen steady growth across industries in Q1. Robust volumes from major markets driven by good client additions across revenue bands and accelerating digital adoption among customers have given us the right start to the year," said TCS Chief Executive Rajesh Gopinathan at a news conference later. Digital business accounted for 18.9 per cent of the revenue, growing at 7.6 per cent quarterly and 26 per cent annually. "We had excellent wins across markets and have a good deal pipeline across industries that positions us well for growth in the current fiscal (FY2018)," said Gopinathan. The outsourcing major added one client in the $50-100 million rate, 12 in $10 million rate and 8 in $ million during the quarter. "As we go through the early stages of Business 4.0, enterprises are reimagining as leaner, responsive data-centric organisations by embracing Agile, Cloud, Analytics and Automation. We have re-tooled our structures and go-to-market teams and introduced new service lines like Cognitive Business Operations and Digital Transformation to capture new opportunities," added Gopinathan. Chief Operating Officer N. Ganapathy Subramaniam said holistic growth across industry segments, a strong order pipeline and closure of large platform-based transformation opportunities gave us the confidence that overall growth momentum would increase in the coming quarters. "Though currency volatility, including sharp rupee appreciation against the US dollar during the quarter resulted in Rs 650-crore loss in reported revenues, we remained disciplined in our financial management, focused on generating strong cash flows and invested in our digital business," said Chief Financial Officer V. Ramakrishnan in the statement. As 82 per cent of the company's revenue comes from major markets like Americas, Britain, Europe and Australia, its annuity-based income is less volatile to currency fluctuation. On the human resource front, though the company hired 11,202 people during the quarter, net addition was 9,788, as 1,414 techies left, resulting in the total headcount decline sequentially to 385,809 by June 30 from 387,223 on March 31. IT attrition rate, however, remained flat sequentially at 11.6 per cent as against 11.5 per cent quarter ago. Women employees accounted for 34.8 per cent and the number of nationalities increased to 134 from 130 quarter ago. "We continue to hire talent across markets and help TCSers gain new digital skills so they can participate in the digital economy," said human resources global head Ajoy Mukherjee on the occasion. In a related development, the company clarified that it was consolidating its Uttar Pradesh operations at Noida and there would be no job loss due to closure of its operations in the northern state's capital Lucknow. Bengaluru, July 13 : Karnataka's Director General of Prisons H.N. Satyanarayana Rao on Thursday denied charges by a woman police officer that he had taken money to provide special facilities to jailed AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala. Director Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons D. Rupa Moudgil has alleged that Sasikala, 59, was getting VIP treatment with a makeshift kitchen in her cell in the Parappana Agrahara Jail on the city's southern outskirts, with another inmate preparing food for her. Moudgil levelled the charges in a report to Director General of Police R.K. Dutta and Chief Secretary S.C. Khuntia on Wednesday. State Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra has promised to launch a probe and take action, if necessary. Rao, however, said the allegations were false. "There is no facility given to Sasikala. She is an ordinary prisoner. No undue favours have been given to her," he said. He said if Moudgil had come to know about the so-called special facilities, she should have discussed it with him. "But to go and discuss it in the open without evidence is wrong." Rao said in the past he had given memos to her on two occasions when she had gone public on some issues. Refuting Moudgil's charges, Rao asked his deputy for proof to corroborate that special provisions were made for Sasikala in the women's cell of the jail. "If Moudgil had observed something unusual during her inspection of the jail premises, she should have brought it to my notice and discussed with me than going to the media. If she thinks she has serious charges against me, I am ready for a probe," Rao told reporters here. Maintaining her charge, Moudgil demanded a fact-finding probe into what she had said. "There are facts in the report (sent by me)." Asserting that she had no vested interest in accusing Rao and other prison officials of grave charges mentioned in her four-page report, Moudgil said she was shocked to find many irregularities in the jail premises during her inspection rounds on return from leave recently. "In mentioning about the charges and rampant corruption in the prison in the report, I have not flouted any rule or norm. I am ready to substantiate them (charges)," Moudgil told reporters here. The 2000 batch IPS officer is the first woman in the southern state to have been recently (June 23) appointed the DIG of Prisons Department. She also alleged that Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to Rao and jail officials, including its warden for undue favours. Convict Sasikala and two co-convicts -- her sister-in-law Elavarasi and nephew V. K. Sudhakaran -- are serving a four-year sentence in the central jail since February 15 after they were held guilty by a trial court in September 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court on February 14 in the two-decade-old disproportionate assets case of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. In a related development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered a high-level inquiry into the bribery and other charges Moudgil levelled in her report to the state government. "I request all to wait for the outcome of the inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrong doing," said Siddaramaiah in a tweet. Meanwhile, AIADMK spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi said in Chennai that Sasikala was dragged into a fight between the two officials because she was a VIP, as accusation against an ordinary person would not have attracted (media) attention. Kolkata, July 13 : The Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned veteran Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee for questioning in the Narada sting case. Mukherjee, however, told the CBI that he needed "reasonable time" before he could visit the CBI office. "Mukherjee was in Digha (in East Midnapore district for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's administrative meeting). He came to know there that they (CBI) have suddenly called him. He has no intention of not going to the CBI. He will go whenever he is called, but he has sought reasonable time," his lawyer said. Subrata Mukherjee was among a dozen Trinamool leaders allegedly caught on video tape while receiving money in exchange for a promise to dole out favours to a fictitious company. The clipping was uploaded on the Narada news portal in March last year ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal. The Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI preliminary inquiry into the case on March 17, and asked the agency to submit the report within 72 hours. The Trinamool Congress moved the Supreme Court, which extended the deadline for the preliminary probe to one month. On April 17, the CBI filed an FIR against a dozen senior Trinamool leaders, including former and current state ministers, MPs, and an MLA, besides an Indian Police Service officer. Among others named in the First Information Report are Trinamool Vice President and Rajya Sabha member Mukul Roy, Lok Sabha members Sougata Roy, Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, Aparupa Poddar, and Prasun Banerjee. Also featuring in the list are state ministers Firhad Hakim, Suvendu Adhikari, city Mayor and state Minister Sovan Chatterjee, legislator Iqbal Ahmed, and former minister Madan Mitra apart from IPS officer S.M.H. Mirza. The accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Kolkata, July 13 : Ajit Jain, a Kharagpur Indian Institute of Technology alumnus and President of Berkshire Hathaway Insurance group, has donated stocks of the company to IITKGP USA Foundation for his alma mater, the institute said on Thursday. Jain graduated with B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the IIT in 1972, and moved to the United State six years later and earned an MBA from the Harvard University. He then held various positions at top management consultancy McKinsey & Co., before joining Berkshire Hathaway in 1986. Ahmedabad, July 13 : The Gujarat High Court on Thursday directed for placing on record before it an RBI directive to a consortium of 22 lenders to initiate insolvency proceedings against Essar Steel following its high Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Hearing the July 4 petition filed by the major steelmaker to seek quashing of insolvency proceedings, a single bench of Justice S.G. Shah expressed its surprise that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directive to a consortium of lenders led by the State Bank of India and Standard Chartered Bank had not been placed on court record neither by the petitioner nor the respondents. It is this directive that is under challenge by Essar Steel, which has claimed in the court, among other things, that it was kept in the dark while the central bank asked the lenders to initiate the insolvency proceedings when the company was in a restructuring mode. The company also alleged that it is being singled out for action among all 12 major accounts identified as NPAs totalling Rs 7,50,000 crore. Essar Steel had a debt of Rs 45,655 crore, of which Rs 31,671 crore had turned NPAs for banks by March 31, 2016. This increased to Rs 32,864 crore by March 31 this year. The RBI, meanwhile, has disputed the company's claims. The central bank's counsel Darius Khambata told the High Court that it was crystal clear from the minutes of the meeting between the company and its lenders that it was "far from reaching any restructuring settlement". Also, he contended, Essar Steel was quite aware of insolvency proceedings against it at the National Company Law Tribunal. As for the company's allegation that it was being singled out, the RBI counsel said the insolvency proceedings would actually help the company and added that the objective of the proceedings at the NCLT was to recover "maximum value in a minimum time-bound manner". "The IBC (The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code) is not for winding up a company but to resolve and restructurea to avoid winding up," Khambata said. The RBI counsel said the list of 12 large NPAs against which the RBI had advised banks to initiate insolvency proceedings had been drawn to prevent the loss of public money. "The NCLT follows a time-bound, structured process, under statutory provisions. Its purpose is to maximise the value of assets and put it back into the system." The hearing in the case will continue on Friday. Kohima, July 13 : Claming Nagaland Chief Minister ShArhozelie Liezietsu had "lost the support of a majority" of the assembly members, Governor P.B. Acharya on Thursday again asked Liezietsu to prove his majority on or before July 15. The Nagaland Cabinet had turned down Acharya's directive to summon an emergent assembly session for the floor test. On Tuesday, Acharya had asked Liezietsu to prove his majority by July 15 in the wake of turbulence within the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) and demands for him to step down. "This directive comes following the claim submitted by former Chief Minister T.R Zeliang to form the new government on the ground that he commands the support of 34 legislators as well as seven Independent MLAs in the assembly," said an official communique. "The state Cabinet was of the firm opinion that there was no justification for an emergency assembly session to discuss or resolve the internal affairs of the ruling NPF," the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Panjak Kumar said in a joint statement. Following the Cabinet's decision, Acharya wrote to the Chief Minister, saying his refusal to summon an emergent session "did not seem justified." Moreover, the Governor said Liezietsu did not refute Zeliang's claim that he enjoys the support of 44 legislators in a house of 59. "The question is not that this issue is an internal party matter but whether the Chief Minister enjoys the support of a majority of the members of the house or not," the Governor said. Pointing that he was of the opinion that the Chief Minister has lost the support of the majority of members, Acharya reiterated the Chief Minister call an emergent session of the assembly to prove his majority on the house floor as early as possible. The rebellion within the ruling party erupted as some members accused Liezietsu of indulging in nepotisma by appointing his son Khriehu Liezietsu as his adviser with Cabinet status and pay. Meanwhile, Zeliang said he is prepared for the floor test. In the 60-member assembly one seat is vacant. The ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland coalition has 47 NPF legislators, four Bharatiya Janata Party members, and eight Independents. Lucknow, July 13 : The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday signed an MoU with the Centre for the construction of a 750-bed All India Medical Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Gorakhpur, the Parliamentary constituency of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in presence of the Chief Minister by the Health Ministry Joint Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary for Medical Education Anita Bhatnagar Jain. Yogi Adityanath said he hoped the AIIMS -- proposed to be built on 112.2 acres of land at Mahadev Jharkhandi village at a cost of Rs 1,750 crore -- would be completed by its 2020 deadline and prove a boon for the poor in eastern Uttar Pradesh, who now have to either go to Delhi or Lucknow for treatment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of AIIMS at Gorakhpur on July 22 last year. Jain told IANS that under the MoU, the state would provide land on lease, construct a four-laned link road at identified spot, provide potable water and power feeder. The Centre would construct the AIIMS at the selected site under the AIIMS Act and will run it thereafter. It will also be responsible for educational and non-educational appointment procedure. AIIMS complex would house an academic block and night shelters for attendants and relatives of patients. An auditorium and guesthouse would also be built. A hostel for 120 male students and 240 female students in undergraduate courses would also be constructed along with 172 residences for doctors. A postgraduate hostel for 599 students and a hostel for 432 nursing students will also be established. There will be three Out Patient Departments, in which surgery, medicine, and gynecology would be super-specialisations along with 29 departments. The state government has given the land for the project to the Centre on a 90-year lease. Mexico City, July 14 : Gunmen murdered 11 people attending a party in Hidalgo, a state in central Mexico, security officials told media on Thursday. The gunmen, who were "apparently wearing hoods", killed "seven men and four women", Hidalgo Public Safety Secretariat spokesmen said, Efe news reported. Several children survived the shooting early Thursday at a house in the city of Tizayuca, security officials said without providing figures on the number of survivors. The emergency services center received a call at around 12.10 a.m. for assistance, the secretariat said. Police and paramedics arriving on the scene found "11 dead people inside the house," security officials said. Investigators are gathering evidence at the crime scene, the secretariat said. Randi Zuckerberg Everything is Dot Complicated and with every great opportunity comes hidden challenges. I hope to help Accountex attendees decode these challenges so that we can make the most of this exciting wired world we find ourselves in. Accountex USA announced Randi Zuckerberg as a keynote speaker at the September Accounting Technology Conference & Expo in Boston. Randi will captivate the audience with her business-keynote-meets-one-woman-comedy-show where she does a deep dive into the latest, greatest, most exciting trends in technology, business, and entrepreneurship. Join Accountex USA and Randi Zuckerberg for a signing of her New York Times Best Selling book, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives. Randi Zuckerberg is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and media personality. She is the founder of Zuckerberg Media, with the mission of creating media content that puts intelligent, tech-savvy, entrepreneurial women and girls at the forefront. She has published three books: Dot Complicated, a New York Times bestseller, about our (sometimes overly) wired lives, and Dot, a childrens book about a tech-savvy little girl, which airs as an animated childrens show on NBC Sprout, in partnership with Jim Henson Productions. Randis third book, Missy President, a graphic novel about a 9-year-old girl who becomes President, was released in Fall 2016. Randi discussed how her passion for mentoring entrepreneurs will translate to the Accountex USA audience, Helping to build the next generation of amazing businesses is the ultimate way I can help to support entrepreneurs. But watch out! Everything is Dot Complicated and with every great opportunity comes hidden challenges. I hope to help Accountex attendees decode these challenges so that we can make the most of this exciting wired world we find ourselves in. Accountex, the leading independent expo and conference on accounting technology. The event provides a three-day schedule focused around the solutions that move accounting and finance forward. The educational conference offers CPE with content from more than a single vendor perspective. Sessions are taught by experts, resulting in a high-caliber learning experience with real-world lessons and practical takeaways that can be implemented seamlessly. Registration is now open at AccountexUSA.com. The Accountex expo brings together the largest selection of technology solutions and offers professionals in-person time to learn about the latest upcoming trends. The expo is the premier event of the year for the accounting and finance professional as well as the developer community. About Accountex Accountex is the leading independent expo and conference focusing on accounting technology. Accountex USA focuses on the technology that moves accounting forward as well as the business processes and organizational success needed in the marketplace. It is an independent conference, which means that it offers more than one viewpoint of solutions. Accountex features the most accounting technology solutions at one major event, plus latest trends and the traditional technologies that still dominate, without any focus on a singular suite of products. http://www.accountexusa.com. James Madison High School Were excited to partner with eCore and Move On When Ready to help our students continue their education beyond JMHS. Dual enrollment can help high school students transition more easily to college-level coursework. James Madison High School has partnered with the eCore College Credit Program to help its students earn college credit through eCores Move On When Ready (MOWR) program. eCore, a collaborative program with the University System of Georgia (USG), was established with the goal to make higher education more accessible within the state of Georgia. The eCore program offers students the opportunity to complete undergraduate and general educational requirements online via colleges and universities within the USG. Through the Move On When Ready (MOWR) program, in conjunction with eCore and the University of West Georgia, high school students in 10th through 12th grade can take college courses and earn college and high school credits simultaneously, gaining valuable college credit before they finish high school. Were excited to partner with eCore and Move On When Ready to help our students continue their education beyond JMHS, said Megan Bowen, principal of James Madison High School. Dual enrollment can help high school students transition more easily to college-level coursework. The eCore program was designed specifically for traditional high school students in Georgia, but since JMHS is an online school with students all across the nation, the partnership is not limited to students in Georgia. Out of state students can also participate and pay only $169 per credit hour. Move On When Ready, however, is only available to Georgia students. eCore courses are developed and maintained by dedicated instructional design professionals and distinguished faculty members. The classes are delivered entirely online via USG colleges and universities, ensuring their quality. eCores classes offer free textbooks, free online tutoring and the convenience and flexibility JMHS students already enjoy through learning online. Courses are available in full 16-week sessions as well as accelerated eight-week sessions in fall, spring and summer and students can earn up to 15 credit hours per semester. According to Bowen, students can begin earning college credit as soon as they are ready. The earlier a student gets started in the program, the more college credits they can graduate from JMHS with, she said. This can help them graduate sooner and save money on their college tuition. To enroll in the program, JMHS students should visit jmhs.com/academics/ecore-classes/. An official high school transcript and SAT or ACT scores will be required. About eCore eCore is a program of the University System of Georgia (USG), in which affiliate institutions collaborate to offer general education courses to their students in an online setting. eCore courses are taught fully online in both 16-week and 8-week formats. Course credits earned through eCore are awarded by the students affiliate home institution and are transferable within the USG as well as to other regionally accredited institutions. For more information, visit ecore.usg.edu. About James Madison High School James Madison High School is an online high school option for students of any age who desire to earn their high school diploma. Headquartered in Norcross, GA, they are regionally accredited by AdvancED Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). In addition, JMHS is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Find more about James Madison High School at https://www.jmhs.com or calling 1-800-349-6861. Mediware Information Systems, Inc., a provider of comprehensive post-acute healthcare software, announces that Oncology Pharmacy Group has licensed CareTend hosted software for its specialty pharmacy business. Oncology Pharmacy Group has provided oral and infusion chemotherapy services to cancer patients in Florida since 2013. When evaluating software options, Bryan Lara, operations director at Oncology Pharmacy Group, realized the importance of selecting a software system designed for specialty pharmacy rather than retail. Our retail system lacked the comprehensive patient tracking that is crucial for specialty pharmacy. With CareTend, the workflow management, billing, clinical management, and reporting tools match our needs as a pharmacy that delivers high-touch clinical care, says Lara. We are looking forward to using the real-time business intelligence tools that will help us obtain additional accreditation as well as satisfy payer and manufacturer requirements, he adds. We look forward to working with Oncology Pharmacy Group, says Paul OToole, vice president and general manager of the Home Care Solutions division of Mediware. In the specialty pharmacy industry, data is king, and with CareTend, providers can take full advantage of the business intelligence tools that will guide their businesses today, tomorrow, and into the future, he adds. About Mediware: Mediware delivers interoperable best-of-breed software systems that improve efficiencies and address safety concerns, enabling healthcare organizations to improve care processes while decreasing costs. Core Mediware solutions include blood management technologies for hospitals and blood centers; cell therapy solutions for cord blood banks, cancer treatment centers, and research facilities; medication management solutions for hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and infusion and specialty pharmacy providers; and rehabilitation therapy and respiratory care solutions. For more information about Mediware products and services, visit our website at http://www.mediware.com. Judson Garrett, Director of Education, accepting Proctorio's Top Companies award. We are deeply rooted in the Arizona education and business communities. azcentral.com and Republic Media (The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com, La Voz) announced that Proctorio has earned a spot on the list of 2017 azcentral.com Top Companies to Work for in Arizona. Proctorio is the worlds most advanced automated proctoring solution for protecting academic integrity in online education. Proctorio is proud to be recognized as one of Arizonas Top Companies to Work for in our first year of eligibility, says Mike Olsen, Co-founder/CEO. We are deeply rooted in the Arizona education and business communities. Proctorio is made up of alumni, current students, and former faculty from Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, The University of Arizona, and Grand Canyon University. We were in Cohort 2 at Seed Spot, an innovative and collaborative startup incubator in Phoenix. Olsen continued, reflecting on Proctorios success in online education, "Our employees are the reason we are experiencing tremendous growth as the leading automated proctoring solution for online education and computer-based exams. We are gratified to know that our employees experiences and feedback are at the core of this honor and recognition. Our ability to attract and retain top talent helps us build deeper, longer-term relationships with our K-12, corporate, and higher education partners. All participating companies completed a two-part assessment process conducted by the independent workplace research firm, Best Companies Group (BCG). Part one of process was the Employer Questionnaire, where BCG asked about benefits, HR policies and the fun things the employers do for their employees. Part two was the Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey which measured the employee experience in 8 core focus areas: Leadership and Planning, Corporate Culture and Communications, Role Satisfaction, Work Environment, Relationship with Supervisor, Training, Development and Resources, Pay and Benefits, and Overall Engagement. Using the combined data from both parts of the survey process, BCG determined the top 100 organizations that made the grade. This Top Company list gets more competitive each year, says Denise Gredler, Founder and CEO of BestCompaniesAZ and consulting partner for the program. The list of winners had very impressive employee survey results averaging an overall favorable rate of 90 percent and an overall employee engagement score of 92 percent, which is more than double the national average. These winners should be very proud of their engaged workforces. This presents a powerful opportunity for award-winners to promote their company culture to retain and attract the best talent. The 100 Top Companies" were honored at an awards breakfast reception on June 29, 2017, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and published in a special supplement in the July 2, 2017 issue of The Arizona Republic, as well as online at topcompanies.azcentral.com and http://www.BestCompaniesAZ.com. For complete details visit http://www.proctorio.com or topcompanies.azcentral.com. About Proctorio: Proctorio is a fully automated, remote proctoring service that provides a scalable, cost-effective solution to validating student identities and activity during online exams. Proctorios customizable exam settings allow instructors to set-up unscheduled, on-demand exam proctoring specific to their own assessment needs. Proctorio levels the playing field for students by increasing accountability, deterring cheating, and promoting a culture of academic integrity while improving learning outcomes. Request a product demonstration: https://proctorio.com/signup About Republic Media: Republic Media is a consultative media company that provides you with the means to deliver your message to the right audience in the most effective way. From online to print to direct mail, Republic Media encompasses an array of products including The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com, and La Voz. Since 1890, The Arizona Republic continues to be Arizona's most trusted and most read newspaper. http://www.republicmedia.com/about-us About BestCompaniesAZ Arizonas Employer Branding Partner: BestCompaniesAZ specializes in helping corporate clients develop, strengthen and market their unique employer brands through a variety of events, awards and communications programs. Recognition and promotion for award-winning clients is supported through a variety of marketing programs, including recruitment marketing, search engine optimization, public relations and social media outreach. For more information contact dgredler(at)bestcompaniesaz(dot)com or call 480-545-5151. Venture Construction Group (VCG) proudly sponsored the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjustors (FAPIA) 2017 Silver Conference at Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, Fla. The annual event featured educational courses and demonstrations of some of the latest, state of the art insurance claim related products and services. Over 350 insurance restoration professionals, contractors, suppliers, attorneys, public adjusters, sponsors and guests attended. It was great to have the Venture Construction Group team at our Silver Anniversary Conference. We appreciate the support and are very happy that they were able to help us celebrate this important milestone in our associations history, says FAPIA president, Don Phillips. Often hailed as the gold standard of state public adjuster associations, FAPIA launched 25 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, and has grown from a small group of insurance professionals to the largest state association of public insurance adjusters in the country. FAPIA is on a mission to improve insurance advocacy for policyholders, and in our line of work, this is a must. We appreciate their work, their advocacy, and their commitment. We help property owners every day navigate through this process, says Stephen Shanton, president of Venture Construction Group. Founded in 1998, VCG is a leader in residential, multi-family, and commercial construction, roofing, siding, storm damage restoration, storm damage repairs, and emergency services. Venture Construction Group is a full-service multi-state licensed general contractor and licensed roofing contractor that has assisted and rebuilt thousands of properties after hail storms, wind Storms, hurricanes, floods, and fires throughout the nation. About Venture Construction Group Venture Construction Group (VCG) is a leader in residential and commercial construction, roofing, renovations, restoration, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services. We are a full-service general contractor and assist property owners throughout Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, D.C. Founded in 1998, VCG services commercial and residential properties throughout the East Coast, Greater Mid-Atlantic Region, Gulf Coast, and Midwest. Operational excellence is our mission in every project we undertake, and we pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service. Venture Construction Group is a proud Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor, Platinum Preferred Certified Contractor with the National Insurance Restoration Council, WindStorm Insurance Network WIND Certified Umpire, WIND Certified Appraiser, WIND Certified Fellow, member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors. VCG credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third party Global Risk Management Solutions. With offices nationwide and a solid reputation throughout the country, we are able to respond to your needs with quality, ease, and top-notch service. For more information call 866-459-8348 or visit us online at http://www.VentureConstructionGroup.com. About Florida Association of Insurance Public Adjusters Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) was founded in 1992 to protect residential and business policyholders in the wake of devastating Hurricane Andrew in South Florida. Today, FAPIA consists of nearly 400 members who are committed to ensuring homeowners who suffer an insured loss receive full and fair compensation from their insurance carriers. FAPIA members are located throughout the state and commit to a strict code of ethics as well as continuing education requirements to ensure policyholders receive the best representation. FAPIA consists of licensed insurance professionals who use their expertise to advocate for the consumer. The association is working to grow and enhance the industry by improving laws and regulations that govern public adjusters and their services to policyholders. For more information, visit http://www.fapia.net. Media Inquiries: Matt Orlewicz Elev8 Consulting Group Ph: 386.243.5388 Web: http://www.elev8cg.com This years five $1,000 winners of the Guardian Debt Relief Scholarship are Alexandra Pirsos from New Jersey, Kayla Myers from Pennsylvania, Candace Jensen from South Carolina, Lydia James from Ohio, and Michael Van Wyk from Virginia. This scholarship means the world to me, says Alexandra Pirsos, who will be attending Elon University in North Carolina. I am thrilled to be able to use the Guardian Debt Relief Scholarship to continue to enhance my education in the coming years. As a prospective business major, I hope to capitalize on many opportunities over the next four years, and this scholarship will definitely aid in doing so. Hand chosen from many college hopefuls, these five talented students have distinguished themselves as inspired leaders in their schools and their communities with an unparalleled determination to succeed. We at Guardian Debt Relief understand the importance of obtaining a higher education. It is our goal to make sure that these driven individuals can keep their focus more on their education and less on the cost of their tuition, says Michael Millington, Communications and Marketing Strategist for Guardian Debt Relief. Though weve had hundreds of amazing entries for this scholarship, these five applicants have risen to the top. The Guardian Debt Relief Scholarship will be offered annually with the next opportunity to apply currently open for applications for the 2018 Fall semester. Weve seen far too many hard working people struggle with student loan debt, says Mr. Millington. We hope this scholarship helps to alleviate some of that burden for these very talented students. About Guardian Debt Relief Guardian Debt Relief is a top-rated debt relief company based in New York City. Theyve helped thousands of people lower their debt and take back their lives through their BBB A+ rated debt negotiation program. If you are struggling with debt, let Guardian Debt Relief secure and defend your financial freedom. temporary relocatable modular classrooms of any size, to high-end custom permanent modular construction solutions Vanguard Modular Building Systems, LLC will exhibit at the 2017 ASBA Southern Region Leadership Conference. Prominent school representatives and education leaders from school board associations and school districts from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi will attend Arkansas School Boards Association's SRLC for superb networking and professional development opportunities. Additionally, top education leaders will be speaking about a broad range of issues including legislative matters, technology, leadership, community relations, and more. The conference is held July 16-18 2017 in Hot Springs, Arkansas at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Vanguard Modular Building Systems' display and modular buildng representatives will provide comprehensive information demonstrating how we have partnered with many schools to provide them with fast turn-key construction of modular classrooms, offices, cafeterias, restrooms, press boxes, laboratories, libraries, and more. Our building solutions range from temporary relocatable modular classrooms of any size, to high-end custom permanent modular construction solutions. About Vanguard Modular Vanguard Modular Building Systems, LLC is a custom modular building dealer supplying temporary and permanent modular offices, classrooms, and specialty buildings to industries including: education, commercial, industrial, healthcare,oil & gas, energy, corrections, government, and more. Our experienced team is uniquely equipped to provide clients with tailored solutions that solve their individual space needs. We offer the flexibility of lease, purchase, and financing options. Vanguard Modular Building Systems, LLC Contact Mark Meyers Vice President, Marketing Services (877) 438-8627 mmeyers(at)vanguardmodular(dot)com "At Huntington, we've always believed that you can do good and do well at the same time." This summer, Huntington Learning Center celebrates its 40th year as the nations leading tutoring and test prep provider for the K-12 market and as a family-owned-and-operated business. Founders Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Eileen Huntington opened the first Huntington Learning Center in June 1977, and today, there are nearly 300 centers across the country. Over the years, Huntington Learning Center has helped millions of students across the country learn the skills and build the confidence and motivation to achieve their potential. Our company mission is to give every student the best education possible, and it gives us great pride to do so as a family business helping families, says Dr. Huntington, chairman and co-founder. At Huntington, we have always believed we can do good and do well at the same time. Eileen and I started this business because we saw children who needed help. Four decades later we still sincerely believe this is our purpose. People who work here with us know that our mission and vision guide every decision we make as a company. We feel that a mission-based culture is one of the keys to our success and longevity. With Dr. Huntington serving at the helm as chairman, Mrs. Huntington as chief executive officer and their daughter, Ms. Anne Huntington, as vice president, the Huntington family is committed to carrying out the Huntington mission for years to come. There will always be a need to help students, says Ms. Huntington. Education provides endless opportunities and we provide the best education possible at our centers with our individualized approach that has 40 years of proven success. Every day, Huntington changes lives and we will continue to fulfill our mission for the next 40-plus years. Huntington saw an opportunity to expand through franchising in 1985. By then, Huntington had company-owned centers throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. By 2000, Huntington had grown to 148 franchised locations. The company added 30 new centers in 2016 and plans to open 48 new centers across the country in 2017. Today, Huntington operates 35 company-owned centers. Huntington has several multi-generational franchisee families who are continuing the gift of entrepreneurship while making a difference: The Sutcliffe family owns three Huntington Learning Centers in Kenmore, Orchard Park and Williamsville, New York. Its hard to believe its been 30 years since we opened our first Huntington Learning Center, says Wayne Sutcliffe, Sr., whose son, Wayne Sutcliffe, Jr., and daughter, Karen Myers now run the centers. Wayne Jr. and Karen each worked in various positions before opening centers of their own. Sharon Nicoll has been with Huntington Learning Center for over 10 years, holding various center positions before joining the training department where she is a corporate trainer based at Huntingtons main office in Oradell, New Jersey. Sharons daughter, Jackie Nicoll, saw her mothers success over the years. Jackie was a preschool teacher before she joined Huntington, continuing her familys legacy with Huntington first as an assistant director, then a center director. She became a Huntington franchisee with partners and purchased her first center in Acton, Massachusetts. Soon thereafter, Jackie opened a second center in Nashua, New Hampshire. Jackie says, Huntington provides the platform for me to truly help a lot of kids, be my own boss and make good money doing it. The Schellenberg/Weisinger family opened their first Huntington Learning Center franchise in Weddington, North Carolina, in February 2016. Jewel Weisinger was a school psychologist while her husband, Adam, her father, Bob, and mother, Leila [Schellenberg] had backgrounds in sales and marketing. Within 12 months, the Weddington center doubled its space and Jewel and Adam had a child. There really is a family atmosphere in our center. We are so lucky to have the community school systems support for the great work were doing. As Huntington celebrates its anniversary this year, the company reflects on its successes through the yearslike its rankings on Entrepreneurs 2017 Franchise 500 (no. 63), 2017 Top 50 Franchise (based on franchisee satisfaction) and Top 50 Franchise for Women by Franchise Business Review. We are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools as well as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and we were one of the nations first approved supplemental education services providers under No Child Left Behind, says Mrs. Huntington. While we received numerous awards and accolades over the past 40 years, our greatest joy is knowing we have helped millions of students gain the skills, confidence and motivation to succeed in and outside of the classroom. About Huntington Learning Center Huntington Learning Center is the nations leading tutoring and test prep provider for the K-12 market with locations in 40 states. It was founded in 1977 with the mission to give every student the best education possible, which is what continues to drive every business decision to this day. The company prides itself on personalized attention and proven results with individualized programs taught by certified teachers at accredited centers. Areas of instruction include phonics, reading, writing, vocabulary, math, science, study skills, executive functioning skills, ACT, SAT, PSAT, high school entrance exams, and state and other standardized exams. To learn more about Huntington Learning Center and stay updated on scheduled events and activities for its 40th anniversary, visit HuntingtonHelps.com. For franchise opportunities, visit HuntingtonFranchise.com. 2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc. WorldBuild365 cake WorldBuild365 connects businesses and professionals from Build, Interiors and HVAC industries. WorldBuild365, the international business platform that unites the building, interiors and HVAC industry, is proud to celebrate its 2nd anniversary this month. The B2B platform unites buyers from around the world with global suppliers to the building, architecture, design, decor, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning industries. WorldBuild365 also features a product directory for the worlds largest portfolio of build and interiors exhibitions, organised by ITE Group plc. WorldBuild365 offers a way for businesses to remain in touch beyond the duration of a trade event. While exhibitions provide a setting for face-to-face communication between companies and industry professionals, WorldBuild365 enables people to maintain commercial relationships online, thus minimising time and geographical constraints. In this way, WorldBuild365 supports and provides even more value to ITEs exhibitions and contributes to its mission to connect its clients businesses to the world. With over 1.5 million users in the past year, WorldBuild365 is now the largest digital exhibition platform. Featuring the latest products and services from thousands of suppliers, it also provides industry insights, leading industry news, as well as design and architectural inspiration. WorldBuild365 demonstrates ITEs commitment to develop and digitise the exhibitions industry, bringing value not only for companies selling their products and services online, but even for businesses who are not otherwise digitally developed. We are grateful to our users for their help in making the platform the international leader it is today, said Valentyna Podgorodetska, Head of WorldBuild365. Our reputation and value have been built largely on their cooperation and we thank them for their trust and confidence. We have been able to add value to the building industry by attracting and retaining key industry players, some of whom are world leaders in their fields. Looking to the future, Ms Podgorodetska added, Our ongoing success will depend on us continuing to retain the trust of our clients and we will continue to work hard to bring value by connecting the industry. For more information, please visit http://www.worldbuild365.com. Captive Alternatives (CapAlt), the Atlanta based risk management consultancy that pioneered the Protected Captive, has hired operations and business development professional Emilie Gastley to be Director of Marketing. In that capacity, Gastley will be charged with educating High Net Worth (HNW) financial professionals and business owners about the benefits of owning a Private Insurance Company. Captive Alternatives Private Insurance Company is so innovative, it will change the way HNW business owners and families approach risk management, asset protection, estate and tax planning and exit strategies, said Gastley. The structure and domicile of the CapAlt Private Insurance Company make it a better risk management product and I am excited to be assisting in the effort to create awareness about this opportunity. Prior to joining Captive Alternatives, Gastley lead operations and business development for a successful medical group with locations throughout north Georgia. Gastley graduated from Agnes Scott College with a degree in Economics and earned Masters degrees in Business Administration and Health Administration from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. Emilies experience and expertise in business operations, health administration and business development make her uniquely qualified to lead our marketing and business development initiatives, said CapAlt COO David Kirkup. We are delighted to have Emilie join our team. About Captive Alternatives Captive Alternatives is a leading consultancy helping business owners control their cost of risk through the use of a Private Insurance Company. CapAlts innovative business model, the Protected Captive, helps owners manage hidden risks, protect assets and reward themselves for effective risk management. CapAlt delivers custom risk management and insurtech solutions through an industry-first Puerto Rico International Insurer, and manages operations from offices in Atlanta and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit http://www.captivealternatives.com. Envysion provides the infrastructure and support services that allow the cream of the crop to rise to the top of our company. ZAK Family Foods, LLC, a YUM! Brands franchisee with 31 locations across four Midwestern states, announced the full deployment of the Envysion Managed Video Solution for its loss prevention and employee training operations. Envysion is a leader in loss prevention technology, providing actionable insights through the integration of live and recorded video, audio, and data for investigating loss. In conjunction with exception-based reporting tool Delaget Guard, Envysion offers store managers a unified interface for side-by-side video and transactional data, creating 360-degree transparency across each stores operations. With the upgraded video surveillance solution, restaurant managers and company leaders can instantly identify and verify incidents of loss in any store and issue appropriate extended training or disciplinary action. Envysion provides the infrastructure and support services that allow the cream of the crop to rise to the top of our company. The in-depth surveillance and reporting capabilities create greater transparency across our business, enabling us to recognize teams for consistently great work, or address performance issues when they arise, says Jason Zakaras, President and CEO of ZAK Family Foods, LLC. Thirty one locations spread across four states is a large area to cover, and Envysion helps us be in every store at every minute to remain in constant communication with our staff. ZAK Family Foods anticipates significant growth on the horizon and plans to utilize Envysion to support future expansion. Leveraging the intuitive loss prevention tools and ongoing product training from Envysion, the company will continue to fine tune its in-store operations and further cultivate a culture of accountability and respect that differentiates it from any other in the industry. Its remarkable what that kind of accountability [Envysion] offers to the restaurant level. We had a situation where we were flat in sales, with a brand-new store, we found a twenty-dollar theft situation, we did not publicize it, but we made sure everyone was aware that we know whats going on. Since then we have been up 16%-20% every single day going forward. Im going to attribute it to the Envysion Loss Prevention Audits that...we have had 100% positivity with the team, and isolated the few people that were problematic and removed them from the system. The culture has changed and sales are growing. It has been pretty neat to see that. About ZAK Family Foods, LLC ZAK Family Foods is the premier restaurant management company in the midwest. Serving communities in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin with world class operations in Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Long John Silvers. The ZAK Vision "Every Guest Leaves Happy" is achieved only through our Mission, "a promise to position our restaurant family to WIN every day." About Envysion Envysion is a leading video-based loss prevention solutions provider offering restaurant and retail operators instant and actionable insight, and enabling them to increase profitability 10-15% through broad utilization of powerful managed video and loss prevention solutions. Envysion has transformed video surveillance into a strategic management tool for users across operations, loss prevention, marketing and human resources. Envysions award winning software platform quickly scales to 1,000s of locations and 10,000s of users without straining the IT department or network. http://www.envysion.com About Delaget Delaget helps new and growth-oriented restaurant franchisees expand their business and improve profitability by freeing them from IT and home-office tasks and equipping them with actionable business insights, so they can focus 100% on their store operations and growing their business. Delagets Data Management Platform and suite of reporting, analytics, and outsourcing solutions dramatically reduce the complexity of running a restaurant and support rapid growth. We were born of the Quick Service industry, understand its unique challenges and requirements, and know how to help restaurateurs run smarter, more profitable operations. Our customers include KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Hard Rock Cafe, IHOP, Panda Express, Hardees, Sonic, and more. We found the Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) ERP solution, along with Copleys deep experience in the FDA regulated space, will enable us to scale our operations rapidly and meet growing market demands without compromising quality or service." Trinity Sterile, Inc., a fast-growing healthcare industry provider of medical kits, trays, and disposable and reusable medical supplies has chosen The Copley Consulting Group to implement and deploy the Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) solution. Anticipating significant growth, Trinity Sterile seeks to align its internal and backend operations to streamline efficiencies to meet the increasing demand for cost-saving and standardized solutions. With a product line focused on reducing the risk of infections and decreasing re-admission rates, our on-site sterilization capabilities enable us to have a significant cost advantage that is passed on to our customers, stated Stephen Burris, Chief Operating Officer of Trinity Sterile. We found the Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) ERP solution, along with Copleys deep experience in the FDA regulated space, will enable us to scale our operations rapidly and meet the expanding customer and market demands without compromising quality or service. Our expectation is that Copley and the Infor CloudSuite Industrial solution will accelerate Trinity Steriles anticipated growth trajectory, said Bill Cary, Vice President of Sales at The Copley Consulting Group. We are delighted to partner with them on this important initiative. The Copley Consulting Group will provide installation, training, education, and implementation consulting to facilitate the deployment of the acquired application. About Trinity Sterile, Inc. Trinity Sterile is one of the fastest growing Certified Minority Owned businesses serving the healthcare industry. Based in Salisbury, Maryland, Trinity Sterile assembles and sterilizes Standard and Custom Procedure Kits and Trays and distributes a wide range of disposable and reusable products. With a focus on technology, expertise and world-class customer service, Trinity Steriles efficient processes, innovation, and highly skilled resources deliver quality and value for customers, suppliers, and partners. http://www.trinitysterile.com About The Copley Consulting Group For over 25 years The Copley Consulting Group has delivered Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) implementation success to more than 400 enterprises. From Fortune 1000 companies to start-up operations, Copley has provided education, training and technical services melded with a focus on Best Practices. As one of Infors premier Gold Level Channel Partners, Copleys team of dedicated professionals is committed to increasing the productivity and profitability of our customers. http://www.copleycg.com ''We are honored to be apart of this special moment before these soldiers are deployed.'' says Chad Price President of Mako Medical MAKO Medical Laboratories partnered with Secretary Strickland, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Military Family Assistance Fund (MFA) to bring 140 soldiers back home to Louisiana to visit with their families one last time before being deployed. MAKO Medical Laboratories provided the funding to coordinate the travel and logistics needed for these soldiers. "MAKO Medical Laboratories is committed to supporting our deployed soldiers and their families. We just wish we could bring them all home," said Chad Price, President and CEO of MAKO Medical Laboratories. The MFA Fund was originally established in 2005 to help members of the Louisiana National Guard and Reserves, and their families address financial hardships they may encounter when they are placed on active-duty status. In 2016, the fund was made available to all Louisiana Veterans and their families (when eligibility criteria is met). MFA can assist with a variety of items for those that qualify. Those items might include: food, utilities, housing assistance, medical expenses, auto repair, housing repair, etc. While the MFA fund has been expanded to serve all Louisiana Veterans, the MFA Fund remains committed to providing for our Guard and Reserve members serving in distant lands to protect our freedom and helping their families back home. Within the last year, MFA has already paid over $45,000 to bring members of LANG home from their deployments. This is an investment that is well worth it, because there have been times in the past that this was the last time some of Louisiana's heroes were able to see their families before paying the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Mako Medical Laboratories has quickly become a regional leader in providing top-quality laboratory services to medical institutions in the region. Mako Medical Laboratories handles diagnostic testing for 12 states and is quickly becoming the fastest growing lab in the United States. Mako Medical Laboratories is a high complexity laboratory that performs diagnostic testing for hospitals, physicians, and urgent care facilities around the country. Mako Medical Laboratories is known for its state-of-the-art facilities, use of robotics, innovative cloud/app technology, and its proprietary method development. Mako Medical Laboratories also handles specialized testing typically only found at the Mayo Clinic. Mako's team is comprised of nationally renowned doctors and Ph.D.'s that have extensive experience with method development. Mako Medical laboratories has pioneered efficient and cost effective solutions for health care professionals around the country. Mako Medical Laboratories hires U.S. Military Veterans to operate its logistics fleet and has committed life-saving instrumentation to counties in need. Mako Medical also supports missionaries overseas, partners with local community colleges, and supports over 302 charities. SULLIVAN The Mattoon woman charged in a February bus accident that sent five Teutopolis students to the hospital waived her right to a jury trial in Moultrie County Court on Thursday. Scarlett McKinzie, 36, appeared in front of Judge Hugh Finson with her court-appointed attorney, Public Defender Marvin Hanson, for a scheduled pretrial hearing with State's Attorney Jeremy Richey. Hanson told the court he expected a plea agreement after McKinzie undergoes a psychological evaluation. She has pleaded not guilty to aggravated driving under the influence in the accident. Court documents show her blood-alcohol level was 0.25 percent, and a urine test was positive for cocaine. The accident happened at the intersection of Illinois 32 and the BruceFindlay Road in Moultrie County. Rau questioned why the evaluation had not happened since McKinzies last court appearance May 10. If they havent called you with an appointment, you need to call them back, he told her. Dont let this drag on. McKinzies next scheduled court appearance is Aug. 22. She is free on bail. This story was updated on July 17 to correct the judge's name. The result is a modern, streamlined end-user experience and reduced administrative handling by credit union staff. Vertifi is pleased to designate WRG as its first Platinum Partner. Wescom Resources Group (WRG), a provider of software and technology service solutions for credit unions, is the first mobile banking software developer to participate in the Platinum Partner program created by Vertifi Software. Vertifis patented remote deposit capture (RDC) technology, DeposZip Mobile, is licensed to more than twenty service providers of mobile banking services. Its new Platinum Partner program recognizes a mobile banking provider whose integration of RDC technology meets all of Vertifis best practices standards. These standards are meant to encourage mobile platform providers to explore next-generation innovation that can provide end users with fast deposit experiences. Automatic deposit amount field completion and tap-less picture capture are two of several features a service provider must successfully integrate to be a Vertifi Platinum Partner. The two companies initiated discussion of Vertifis Platinum Partner program and best practices standards in January 2017, and WRG officially obtained Platinum Partner status in June of 2017. With over 30 credit unions using Vertifis RDC technology on WRGs mobile applications, WRG was enthusiastic about undertaking the uplift to a tighter integration with DeposZip. For us to be successful in mobile banking, we need to deliver exceptional end- user experiences, stated Dave Cerwinski, Vice President of Sales and Client Services at WRG, The latest Vertifi technology helps us achieve that in our Symmetry eBanking Mobile software by providing an even better member experience when making remote deposits. Were really excited to roll this out. It was obvious from the onset of the project that our companies goals were in alignment. A tight integration of Vertifis newest on-device technology and a top-notch end user experience were the overarching objectives, said Chris Smith, Vertifis President, as he continued: The result is a modern, streamlined end-user experience and reduced administrative handling by credit union staff. Vertifi is pleased to designate WRG as its first Platinum Partner. About Wescom Resources Group Backed by Wescom Credit Union, one of the nations largest credit unions, with nearly $3.6 billion in assets and serving 190,000 members, Wescom Resources Group provides credit unions with advanced technology solutions that increase their competitive edge. With 130 clients, WRG is a leader in innovative technologies for the credit union industry. Through its Symmetry eBanking suite, WRG offers an integrated digital channel solution that includes Online and Mobile Banking, Bill Pay, eAlerts, Multi-Factor Authentication, Member-Directed ACH, online account opening and more. WRG also offers Unitri, one of the most robust Service Bureau solutions in the credit union industry. WRGs Tellergy solution provides branch automation for todays modern credit union. For more information, visit http://www.wescomresources.com. About Vertifi Vertifi Software, LLC (Vertifi) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Corporate Federal Credit Union (EasCorp). It was established in 2009 to provide payment systems software and services to financial institutions throughout the United States. The company specializes in Check 21 activities including image cash letter processing, and branch and remote capture software and services. Its flagship products, DeposZip and DeposZip Mobile, were the first remote deposit capture service built for household consumers and made available commercially through financial institutions. Vertifi also provides financial institutions with state-of-the art statement rendering services for both mail and electronic delivery. Vertifi and its parent company, EasCorp, offer a wide range of products and services. Yacht Club On June 27th, US Capital Partners Inc. organized and sponsored a HealthTech reception, presentation, and networking event for select accredited investors interested in highly vetted, investment-ready opportunities. The event was held in New York City at the historic W. 44th St. clubhouse of the New York Yacht Club, a private, invitation-only social club. US Capital Partners is a full-service private investment bank headquartered in San Francisco. Through its affiliate broker dealer, US Capital Global Securities, LLC, the firm provides private placement services and has wide distribution for debt and equity private placements. The exclusive event showcased two of the firms early-stage portfolio companies, Provia Laboratories and Digital Skin Imaging. Both companies are selling into their respective markets and seeking growth capital. Howard Greenman, CEO, presented on behalf of Provia Laboratories, a revenue-generating stem cell processing and bio-storage company that focuses on personalized autologous (cells from you, for you) consumer and commercial services. Karleen Seybold, CEO and Founder, spoke on behalf of Digital Skin Imaging, the first-to-market total body imaging solution for detecting, tracking, and monitoring critical skin changes (skin cancers, eczema, moles, psoriasis, and rashes). Pat Steele, Senior Vice President at US Capital Partners introduced the speakers. In addition to company presentations and Q&A, the thought-provoking evening was structured to provide attendees with the unique opportunity for direct conversations with the speakers representing the startups, as well as with guest speaker Dr. Richard Carmona, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. About Provia Laboratories, LLC Provia Laboratories is a revenue-generating stem cell processing, manufacturing, and bio-storage company with a leading position in dental stem cell storage and related services. Provias primary service, Store-A-Tooth, provides private storage of stem cells from childrens teeth for future use in the childs personalized regenerative medicine. Store-A-Tooth is a similar service to cord blood stem cell banks like ViaCord (purchased by PerkinElmer) and Cord Blood Registry (purchased by AMAG Pharma). About Digital Skin Imaging Digital Skin Imaging is a medical device company that develops and manufactures a patented imaging device designed to enable physicians to detect, track, and monitor critical skin changes. The system is an FDA-approved Class I medical device that combines total body imaging, standardization of imaging and post processing, and automation. Between 2015 and 2016, the company completed a beta testing program, with four units installed and subsequently converted into commercial ones. The company is now seeking capital to build the first twenty commercial units and scale operations. About US Capital Partners Inc. Since 1998, US Capital Partners Inc. has been providing well-structured, custom finance solutions to private and public companies in the United States and abroad. Headquartered in San Francisco, US Capital Partners, operating with its affiliate US Capital Global Securities, LLC, is a full-service private investment bank with a wide distribution for debt and equity private placements. The group makes debt investments between $500,000 and $100 million, participates in debt facilities, and offers asset management, financial advisory services for buy-side and sell-side engagements, and capital formation, including early-stage financings requiring equity or debt. For more information, visit http://www.uscapitalpartners.net. From 5-7 pm on Friday, August 4th, Allen Brown will give his first solo art show at the Karen Wray Gallery at 1247 Central Avenue, Suite D-2, Los Alamos, NM. Allen is an artist who should be more well known. He understands light, shadow, composition, design, and perspective, said Karen Wray, gallery owner. He has lots of heart. He feels it, and you can see that in his work. This exhibit will feature Browns New Mexico Landscapes series in oils and watercolor. Brown said, I love the abstract quality of canyon shadows and rugged landscapes. While many artists have a specific story about when they first became interested in art, Brown cant remember a time when he wasnt an artist. My father was a painter and Ive been painting my whole life. My relatives have always been very encouraging. It never occurred to me not to paint. Brown has always been a doodler, and some of the earliest gifts that his relatives gave him reflect his early talent and their support. At the age of five, one of his uncles gave him a How to Draw book. When he was young, he entertained himself trying to draw what he saw. When he was eight, another uncle gave him a student oil painting set. It was so frustrating! he said. I didnt know anything about oil painting at the time, so it was very hit or miss. One of his cousins got into paint-by-number, and he loved to watch her do that. It was a lesson in itself to see how the paint flowed. He grew up in Wales, Maine, a small farm community with a population of 400 people. Even in elementary school, where they would spend an hour a week doing art, he noticed that people would give him a lot of positive feedback because he could draw. When he was 13, he moved to California where he enrolled in Redwood Junior High. At first it was a culture shock because his new class was bigger than the entire town of Wales. It was 1959, and they had wonderful schools with an entire art department led by Mrs. Windweigh. She was wonderful. She had a fondness for oriental art, which focuses on the abstract quality of everyday things. She taught us rules of balance and composition. After you catch on, you look into the viewfinder of a camera and you can just see it. She also taught the importance if simplicity, drama, focal points, and balance. After high school, he served in the Navy for six years. After military service, he went to Napa Junior College, where he took many art classes. They had a really good art department for such a small place, said Brown, who did a lot of oil painting and drawing. His drawing teacher focused on hand-eye coordinationwith the idea that if you can see it you can draw itand contour drawing. He was very effective at helping his students get what they want on the paper and building confidence. Whenever someone tells Brown that they cant draw, he thinks of one of his fellow students in the drawing class. There was a very shy woman who joined the class. She had never taken an art class in her life. She never even picked up a pencil to draw anything. But she did all the assignments. At first, she was awful, but her work got better with every assignment and she got an A in the class. She was open to learning. She had the right attitude, Im a beginner; its supposed to be hard at first. When you take a class, you should relax and enjoy the experience. Allen Browns is featured at the Karen Wray Gallery. There will be a reception on August 4th from 5-7 p.m. He will be teaching watercolor classes at the gallery this fall. Call (505) 660-6382 to sign up. The Karen Wray Gallery is located at 1247 Central Avenue, Suite D-2, Los Alamos, NM 87544. Their website is http://www.karenwrayfineart.com. Dana Palmblad, APS VP of Sales & Marketing We are excited to have Dana join APS and feel his substantial, results-driven accomplishments in growing specialized businesses make him a powerful asset to our growth strategies and our mission to help pilots bring everyone home safely... Past News Releases RSS APS Introduces Upset Training... APS Announces 2018 Upset Training... New Master Certificated Instructor... APS, the global leader in fully comprehensive Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT), is pleased to announce Dana Palmblad as its new Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Dana will oversee the sales and marketing departments at APS and provide leadership for the company as it continues to expand its global reach and grow to meet increasing demand coming from all sectors of aviation. Dana Palmblad brings an impressive wealth of experience to his role as VP of Sales and Marketing at APS. He most recently served as the Vice President, Centers of Excellence at the Miller Heiman Group, where he worked for seven years and helped build Miller Heiman into one of the largest sales and training organizations in the world. Dana also founded and served as CEO of Resolution Software, one of the leading mid-market CRM software integrators in the country. Dana has an excellent track record in developing and executing sales and business strategies to deliver impressive growth and improve market positioning, strengthening companies from the inside out through thoughtful, effective and synergistic leadership. More about Dana Palmblad: apstraining.com/palmblad We are excited to have Dana join APS and feel his substantial, results-driven accomplishments in growing specialized businesses make him a powerful asset to our growth strategies and our mission to help pilots bring everyone home safely, said Paul BJ Ransbury, the president of Aviation Performance Solutions. His robustly developed business expertise, genuinely thoughtful demeanor, and engaging leadership style align seamlessly with the APS familys culture of safety, success, innovation, and excellence. Faye Hamilton, APS longstanding and proven former VP Sales & Marketing has transitioned into her self-selected ideal role on the APS team as the VP Service & Customer Experience. APS delivers critical training for pilots in an industry that is truly exciting and challenging, said Dana Palmblad. I am thrilled to be driving sales and marketing for the company and believe that APS is well-positioned for continued growth as the industry further acknowledges the efficacy and need for upset training. About Aviation Performance Solutions Aviation Performance Solutions LLC (APS), headquartered at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona, trains thousands of professional pilots and instructors in comprehensive Upset Prevention and Recovery Training skill development. APS provides integrated LOC-I solutions via industry-leading computer-based, on-aircraft (jet and piston), and full-flight simulator Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT). All training is in full compliance with the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid, FAA Advisory Circular 120-109A on Stall and Stick Pusher Training, ICAO Manual on Aeroplane Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, IATA Guidance Material and Best Practices for the Implementation of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training, and the FAA Advisory Circular 120-111 on Upset Prevention and Recovery Training. APS is the only Part 141 Flight School certified in the delivery of complete upset prevention & recovery, stall/spin and instrument upset recovery training courses worldwide. With additional training locations in Dallas (USA), The Netherlands (Europe), and military division in Dothan (USA), APS provides global access to the highest quality Upset Prevention and Recovery Training available. http://www.apstraining.com Despite businesses of all sizes becoming increasingly security conscious, a new study from OneLogin, the identity management provider bringing speed and integrity to the modern enterprise, reveals many businesses arent doing enough to guard against security threats brought on by ex-employees. The research is based on the results of a quantitative survey completed by 500 U.S.-based IT decision makers. Each of the respondents serves in a corporate IT department where they have some-level of responsibility over the companys IT security. All of the companies represented provision and deprovision employee logins in-house. Quotas were applied to gender, the age of respondent and the region in which they reside to ensure that the sample was nationally representative. According to 20 percent of the respondents, failure to deprovision employees from corporate applications has contributed to a data breach at their organization. The research found that nearly half (48 percent) of respondents are aware of former employees who still have access to corporate applications, with 50 percent of IT decision-makers ex-employees accounts remaining active once they have left the company for longer than a day. A quarter (25 percent) of respondents take more than a week to deprovision a former employee and a quarter (25 percent) dont know how long accounts remain active once the employee has left the company. The study finds close to half (44 percent) of respondents lack confidence that former employees have been removed from corporate networks at all. This points to an increasing need for companies to use a security information and event management (SIEM) system, of which nearly half (41 percent) arent currently using. A SIEM solution can help monitor employee app. usage to detect threats to the corporate network. Integrating a SIEM solution with the companys identity and access management system can help enforce login policies across their entire application portfolio to provide businesses another layer of security. The bottom-line is that companies arent following very basic but essential security measures around employee provisioning and deprovisioning, said Alvaro Hoyos, chief information security officer, OneLogin. This should be a cause for concern among business leaders, especially considering how many data breaches are caused by ex-employees. That said, at least now were at a point where we are acknowledging there is a problem, added Hoyos. The next step is going to be for IT decision-makers to be proactive about addressing this issue. Modern enterprises need technology that can automate the provisioning processes to help companies become more secure, productive, and efficient. Resources: Product Page: OneLogin Real-Time User Provisioning Blog post: OneLogin integration with Sumo Logic SIEM About OneLogin, Inc. OneLogin brings speed and integrity to the modern enterprise with an award-winning single sign-on (SSO) and cloud identity and access (IAM) management platform. Our portfolio of solutions secures connections across all users, all devices, and every application, helping enterprises drive new levels of business integrity, operational velocity, and team efficiency across all their cloud and on-premise applications. OneLogin manages and secures millions of identities around the globe. We are headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit http://www.onelogin.com Drs. Gregory Baum and Anthony Deboni are excited to offer patients the latest advancement in breast implants called Natrelle INSPIRA SoftTouch. Recently FDA-approved, Natrelle INSPIRA SoftTouch is a round, silicone-filled implant with medium firmness that can provide patients with a full, natural-looking roundness to their breasts. SoftTouch is the most recent addition to the Natrelle line of implants produced by Allergan, a global pharmaceutical company that manufactures a wide range of cosmetic products, including Botox, Juvederm, and Latisse. In addition to providing patients with a natural-looking fullness to the breasts, Natrelle INSPIRA SoftTouch also offers the additional benefit of having a round shape, which avoids the rotation concerns that can accompany other shapes of implants. There are many reasons women seek breast implants, including reconstructive surgery after breast cancer, restoring symmetry, and enhancement to create a fuller look to the breasts. To help meet every patients unique needs, CNY Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery in Syracuse offers numerous options for women seeking breast implants, from silicone gummy implants to saline-filled breast implants. Drs. Anthony Deboni and Gregory Baum help patients choose their ideal implant and devise an optimal surgery plan through in-depth, informative personal consultations. For more information about breast implant surgery or the new gummy implant Natrelle INSPIRA SoftTouch, call 315.663.0112 or click here to schedule a consultation. About CNY Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery For the highest standard of excellence in cosmetic surgery and one of the most comprehensive selections of procedures and aesthetic treatments in Central New York, you can trust CNY Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery in East Syracuse, NY. Thousands of satisfied clients have received the widely acclaimed and highly personalized care of CNY Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery, led by our experienced team of board-certified cosmetic surgeons Dr. Gregory Baum and Dr. Anthony Deboni. Drs. Deboni and Baum are two of the most highly respected and trusted plastic surgeons in Central New York. Both doctors attended medical school at the SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, where they also completed their general surgery training. They traveled to well-respected universities to complete their plastic surgical training and brought that training, knowledge, and experience back to Central New York. With years of surgical experience, they are well-versed in the most effective and leading cosmetic techniques. About Dr. Anthony Deboni Dr. Anthony Deboni is a recognized expert in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery with particular interest and experience in aesthetic surgery of the breast and body contouring. His notable accomplishments include board certification with the American Board of Plastic Surgery, membership with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, clinical instructor of surgery at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY, and clinical instructor of otolaryngology at Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY. Dr. Deboni is a recognized leader in breast and body aesthetic surgery. He came to Syracuse in 1998 and quickly established his expertise in breast surgery, being the first to perform the microsurgical TRAM flap breast reconstruction procedure. Dr. Deboni rapidly became known as a regional expert in breast and cosmetic surgery, and was invited to speak at several regional and national conferences. In 1997, he was the first in the area to be awarded appointment to the National Advisory Council for Leaders in Breast Aesthetics (NOVO) and was invited by Allergan Medical to advise on advancing the science in breast aesthetics. About Dr. Gregory Baum Dr. Gregory Baum is a recognized expert in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery with an emphasis on breast surgery. His noteworthy accomplishments include board-certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, chief of plastic surgery at St. Josephs Hospital in Syracuse, NY, clinical instructor of surgery at University Hospital in Syracuse, NY, and membership with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Baum has lectured extensively throughout Central NY on topics in cosmetic surgery, breast reconstruction, skin cancer treatment, and skin care. He was appointed to the advisory panel for Skinceuticals by L'Oreal in 2012 and was appointed to the National Advisory Council for Leaders in Breast Aesthetics in 2012 by Allergan. He was sought after for his advice in advancing the science of breast aesthetics; participation in this national forum is by invitation only and is based on overall excellence in plastic surgery and a commitment to superior outcomes. Tracts enables companies to lower title risks and capitalize on opportunities faster than ever, such as acquiring a hotly contested tract in the Permian Basin, and in todays fast-paced and competitive leasing arena, thats a real edge. Past News Releases RSS Tracts announces the launch of its title software to accelerate the mineral ownership reporting required by oil & gas companies. Designed for land departments, the new product automates much of the title process using patent pending technology, which significantly reduces legal preparation time. In an industry that spends billions annually on title, Tracts new product is poised to reduce costs for oil & gas companies by 50% or more. The software developer is venture backed by Chip Davis of Houston Ventures and is strategically headquartered near Houstons energy corridor. Oil & gas companies must determine legal ownership of land and minerals before it can be leased for exploration and production. Unlike a real estate title search, oil & gas title research often involves hundreds of parties who own surface land and subsurface mineral rights. Moreover, a chain of title must be documented linking current owners with the first, sovereign, landowner, which can span hundreds of years. The resulting process is labor intensive and time consuming, costing companies in the United States billions of dollars every year in title costs. Tracts founders realized that much of the traditional mineral title process was redundant, lacked standards and could be largely automated. Using a patent pending math engine and data visualization process, Tracts designed a modern solution to the historically complex problem of running title. The companys title software guides users through the process of entering data from legally executed ownership records, or instruments, which are obtained from physical or digital courthouses. As instruments are added, the software dynamically creates chain of title, runsheet, ownership flowcharts, and other reports. Tracts has the immediate upshot of saving oil & gas companies time, which translates to 50% or more cost savings on title projects that can run into millions of dollars, said Ashley Gilmore, CEO and co-founder of Tracts. But even more importantly, Tracts enables companies to lower title risks and capitalize on opportunities faster than ever, such as acquiring a hotly contested tract in the Permian Basin, and in todays fast-paced and competitive leasing arena, thats a real edge, Gilmore added. Gilmore co-founded Tracts with David Dewey. Dewey, Tracts CTO, is an experienced computer scientist who, together with Gilmore, pioneered the companys patent pending data visualization process and math engine. Passionate about replacing antiquated title processes with a modern approach, the co-founders set out to disrupt the status quo in the oil & gas title industry with cutting-edge technology. The companys Houston headquarters has grown rapidly in the last year, adding four new employees, including Matt Chamberlain, a marketing and sales executive with extensive experience growing technology startups. Given the continued need for cost-efficiency after the industry downturn and with rig counts and prospecting on the rise, Tracts expects high demand for its new title processing software. The developer worked with several oil & gas companies to build and successfully field-test its product. About Tracts Tracts is a venture funded software startup focused on modernizing the way oil and gas land departments determine mineral ownership. The company uses a patent pending math engine and data visualization to simplify the highly complex, manual process of establishing legal ownership, which exploration and production companies require in order to acquire, or lease land, and drill. As a result, E&P companies reduce the time needed to establish title by up to and exceeding 50%, providing much needed cost and operational efficiencies in the United States energy market. Based in Houston, Texas, Tracts was founded in 2014 by legal professionals and computer scientists with extensive experience in the oil & gas title process. Visit http://www.Tracts.co for more information. IT Authorities, a world-class IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) in Tampa has been named to the Tampa Bay Business Journals Fast 50 list, representing the fastest growing companies in the Tampa Bay area. This is IT Authorities second time to be named to this list. Since its founding 11 years ago, IT Authorities has become a leader in the managed service sector reaching many significant milestones, including revenue growth of 140 percent year over year, the creation of more than 100 new jobs and the establishment of a nearly 20,000 square foot headquarters in Tampa. Its very exciting to be named to the Fast 50 list for the second time, said Jason Pollner, Co-Founder of IT Authorities. Tampa Bay is a great place to be in the tech business, but being on this list demonstrates the hard work of our entire team. During the last six months, the company has been implementing a comprehensive leadership plan to ensure it can continue its growth and commitment to excellence for its clients. Recently, the company announced it hired Phil LaForge as its new CEO, with Co-Founders Jason Pollner and Jason Caras moving into new roles as Co-Chairs of the IT Authorities Board of Directors. This company has been able to successfully grow because of its commitment to its employees and customers, said new CEO Phil LaForge. Moving forward, we expect to increase market share and work on more interesting and challenging projects. Its an honor to be part of this wonderful team. Companies named to the Fast 50 list are privately-held, locally-owned, headquartered in West Central Florida, and have achieved substantially above-market consecutive annual revenue growth from 2014 to 2016. In addition, all nominated companies must submit financial disclosure data that is verified by an independent auditor retained by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The final rankings of the Fast 50 list are announced at the award ceremony on July 27 at the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center. About IT Authorities: IT Authorities, a world-class IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) based in Tampa, Florida, was founded in 2006. Its 135+-person team is available 24/7 to offer IT services under the managed services umbrella including professional services, cloud services, consulting, procurement, disaster recovery solutions and business continuity solutions to its clients. IT Authorities is passionate about helping businesses increase profit, improve productivity and function with peace-of-mind, being assured that its IT systems are in the most reliable and secure state and their people are being taken care of in a world class manner. Visit http://www.itauthorities.com or call toll free at 813-246-5100 to learn more. Say NO to Climate CO2 Coercion! Friends of Science Society denounces the fact that banks and credit unions are under pressure by unelected, unaccountable indigenous and environmental groups to stop financing pipeline projects on climate change grounds Past News Releases RSS As reported by Reuters via CBC News on July 09, 2017, Desjardins, the largest association of credit unions in North America, may stop funding future pipeline infrastructure projects: If it makes the decision permanent, that would likely mean Desjardins would not help finance other major Canadian pipelines projects, including TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL and Energy East and Enbridge Inc's Line 3. Correcting an earlier version of this press release, according to Reuters, Kinder Morgans TransMountain pipeline expansion financing is locked in: "Desjardins commitment to Trans Mountain is already locked in, and the lender has no plans to change that." Friends of Science Society denounces the fact that banks and credit unions are under pressure by unelected, unaccountable indigenous and environmental groups to stop financing pipeline projects on climate change grounds, as reported by Reuters via The Toronto Star on June 8, 2017. Contrary to activist claims, pipeline approvals in Canada are based on the thorough technical, legal and consultative process of the National Energy Board (NEB), as described in this critique of the proposed modernization of the NEB on Friends of Science blog post of May 17, 2017. Desjardins Group is 50% owner of NEI Investments, a group which claimed to have been extremely influential in Canadian energy policies in their Jan. 20, 2016 document, Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Energy System. Friends of Science has been critical of NEIs role as detrimental to the Canadian economy as stated in their blog of Aug. 8, 2016. Credit unions like Desjardins were founded on the principle of community finance with a mission to improve the economic and social well-being of people and communities. Ottawa energy policy consultant, Robert Lyman, shows that the economic benefits of the TransMountain pipeline are significant: $7.4 billion in investment in Canada More than 800,000 person-years of employment during construction and the 20-year operation of the project $46.7 billion in federal and provincial government tax revenues to fund a wide range of public programs $23.2 million per year in increased municipal property taxes in British Columbia $3.7 billion more for Canadian oil producers as a result of increased export sales In a related story, the Swedish group AP7s made a unilateral withdrawal from six large energy companies, including pipeline builder TransCanada, basing their withdrawal on the Paris Agreement and climate change, as reported by Reuters, June 15, 2017, Friends of Science says this claim is unsupported as the Paris Agreement is inequitable and would not achieve the claimed objective of reducing emissions, as shown in their blog post of June 09, 2017, thus aspects of Canadian Competition Act and World Trade Organization laws might apply to this divestment campaign. Friends of Science says the >$100 trillion in assets under management of UNPRI signatories, along with the voluntary reporting to the Rockefeller Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) have become tools to black or white list corporations for investment. Then, carbon risk is being used as a financial lever to force the banking and corporate sector to invest in inefficient, expensive, tax-subsidized wind and solar, detrimental to the competitive edge of fossil fuel rich Canada. The International Energy Agency (2016) reports that the world runs 81% on fossil fuels and only 1.4% on wind and solar. Friends of Science says the UNPRI signatories are operating on outdated climate science of 2002. They say that carbon dioxide is not a control knob on climate. Climate risk and carbon trading plans rely on a failure of analysis of climate data by Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, as discussed by Princeton Energy Advisers analyst Steve Kopits post of Oct. 10, 2015, entitled Fact Checking Mark Carney. This story was corrected July 18, 2017 to reflect the fact that Desjardins' financing for KinderMorgan is locked in; their policy change may only affect future pipeline finance as described above. About Friends of Science is celebrating 15 years of reviewing a broad spectrum of literature on climate change and have concluded the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2). Friends of Science is made up of a growing group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, economists, engineers, and citizens. Friends of Science Society P.O. Box 23167, Mission P.O. Calgary, Alberta Canada T2S 3B1 Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597 Web: friendsofscience.org E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org Web: climatechange101.ca InTech Medical has been growing steadily in the past decade, building strong relationships and becoming one of the world leaders in the manufacturing of surgical instruments in Orthopedics. InTech Medical SAS (http://www.intech-medical.com), the leading Contract Manufacturer of surgical instruments in Orthopedics, has announced today the completion of a major transaction with Eurazeo PME. The reputable French private equity comes in as majority shareholder to drive organic and external growth. The alliance fuels InTech Medicals service offerings while leveraging the companys manufacturing expertise and global footprint. Eurazeo PME is renowned for providing its portfolio companies with industrial expertise as well as financial and organizational resources that contribute to a sustainable development. Following international expansion and heavy investment in capital equipment early 2017, Eurazeo teams up with InTech Medical, as it increases its capacity and offering to support expanding orthopedic reconstruction market. With operations in America, Europe & Asia-Pacific, InTech Medical will rapidly benefit from Eurazeo PMEs business skills and international network. We are very pleased to partner with Eurazeo, said Laurent Pruvost, CEO of InTech Medical. Eurazeo has an excellent track-record as a committed shareholder. Their world-class operational expertise makes them the ideal partner to help us implement our plans for organic expansion and through strategic acquisitions. With Eurazeo on board and thanks to our international team and our global footprint, we are uniquely positioned to serve the growing needs of our customers. On behalf of the 500 employees at InTech Medical, I want to say that we all look forward to the opportunity of working closely with our new partners. We are thrilled to welcome InTech Medical to the Eurazeo portfolio of companies, commented Emmanuel Laillier, Managing Director of Eurazeo PME. InTech Medical has been growing steadily in the past decade, building strong relationships and becoming one of the world leaders in the manufacturing of surgical instruments in Orthopedics. We look forward to the opportunity of contributing to the success story. InTech Medical will be exhibiting in Europe and the United States in the coming months: EuroSpine in Dublin (Oct 11-13) and NASS in Orlando, Fla (Oct. 25-28). An opportunity for all to meet the management team and to catch up with the groups latest innovations, such as the Wayvio smart tools (wayvio.com). ### About InTech Medical Founded in France in 2000, InTech Medical is a global leader in orthopedic contract-manufacturing. With the companys recent expansion in USA and Malaysia, InTech Medical is one of the worlds largest provider of surgical instruments and implants to the Orthopedic Industry. Powered by a diverse product portfolio, an ability to find solutions to complex engineering challenges, and over 500 employees globally, InTech Medical is ideally positioned for sustainable growth and personalized customer care. InTech Medical is also home to The Prototype Garage - prototype dedicated cells located both in Europe & the US, with the intent of serving industry with production-equivalent prototypes in a rapid-delivery setting. About Eurazeo PME Eurazeo PME is an investment firm and subsidiary of Eurazeo dedicated to majority investments in French SMEs with a value of less than 200 million. Eurazeo PME acts as a long-term shareholder, providing its portfolio companies with all the financial, organizational, and human resources they need for a sustained transformation. With an investment horizon generally ranging from 4 to 6 years, the group guides its portfolio companies in creating sustained and, hence, responsible growth. This commitment is formalized and deployed through a CSR (Corporate and Social Responsibility) policy. In 2016, Eurazeo PME generated 965 million in consolidated revenues and accompanied the development of 12 companies: Dessange International, Leon de Bruxelles, Peters Surgical, Colisee, Vignal Lighting Group, Groupe Flash, MK Direct, Orolia, AssurCopro, Smile and The Flexitallic Group and Fondis Bioritech as a minority shareholder. These companies are solidly positioned on their markets and led by experienced management teams. The Illinois State Police submitted their investigation report on the officer-involved shooting on May 31 in Decatur. Four other stories to see are an accident on I-70, Chill on the Hill, Shelbyville housing and an indictment in the kidnapping of a Chinese student. State police finish report on shooting Illinois State Police have finished an investigation into whether an officer-involved shooting of Donald Redmon in June was justified. Macon County State's Attorney Jay Scott says he will go over the report carefully before issuing his decision and did not give at timetable. Two trucks in I-70 accident Two semitrucks were wrecked Wednesday after one failed to reduce speed on Interstate 70, four miles east of Effingham, the lllinois State Police said. Weather cancels Chill on Hill today Due to the predicted inclement weather and heat index for the area, Mount Zion's Chill on the Hill has been canceled for this evening, July 13. Shelbyville looks at housing options Community leaders say a lack of affordable housing is hurting Shelbyville's potential for economic growth. A coalition has begun meeting to address the issue and offer solutions. Chinese student kidnapping indictment A grand jury has indicted a 28-year-old in the abduction of a University of Illinois scholar from China, confirming a decision by federal agents to arrest and charge Brendt Christensen last month. Backroads guests enjoy a hike along Italy's Amalfi Coast Exploring an area on a walking and hiking tour makes adventure accessible to a wide demographic and its a spectacular way to see the world," said Tom Hale, Founder and President of Backroads. Backroads is gearing up for its biggest summer travel season ever, announcing today that Walking & Hiking Tours are the fastest-growing segment for the company, with double-digit growth over recent years. Backroads has been offering Walking & Hiking Tours for nearly 25 years and currently runs over 70 itineraries. In 2017, the segment saw faster growth than any other activity with Cinque Terre & Tuscany Walking & Hiking Tour topping the list. Backroads also offers Multisport Trips that combine walking and hiking with other activities, including biking, kayaking or rafting in locations like Iceland, Yellowstone & Tetons, and the Canadian Rockies, which have consistently ranked in the top 10 best-selling trips for Backroads in the past two years. Additionally, the Taste of Camino de Santiago Walking & Hiking Tour is the most requested custom itinerary for private group travel. The active travel industry has grown considerably in the past decade, reflecting the desire of many travelers to have unique experiences and incorporate adventure and fitness into their vacations. A walking and hiking journey offers Backroads guests the opportunity to more intimately see and connect with the environment, culture and people, and observe everyday life in a more authentic way. Secondly, in addition to its effects on aerobic and muscle strength, studies have consistently shown the health benefits of walking to be greatly significant: improving blood pressure and bone density, decreasing the risk of heart disease, and alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. With a quarter century of expertise on the trail, Backroads delivers on its commitment to creating more flexible itineraries for all paces and abilities with an industry-leading six-to-one guest-to-leader ratio and guaranteed van support on all Walking & Hiking trips. Backroads was initially founded as a biking company, but weve also been running walking and hiking trips around the world for almost 25 years, said Tom Hale, Founder and President of Backroads. Exploring an area on a walking and hiking tour makes adventure accessible to a wide demographic and its a spectacular way to see the world. Look for even more new trips in this segment in 2018 as we add additional adventures across the globe. Backroads Top 2017 Walking & Hiking Trips Top US Walking & Hiking Trips in 2017 California Wine Country Active Culinary Walking Tour Maui & Lanai Walking & Hiking Tour Arizona: Sedona Walking & Hiking Tour Top International Walking & Hiking Trips in 2017 Cinque Terre & Tuscany Walking & Hiking Tour Iceland Walking & Hiking Tour Dolomites Hut-to-Hut Hiking Tour Provence to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour Amalfi Coast Walking & Hiking Tour Mallorca Walking & Hiking Tour A Taste of Camino de Santiago Walking & Hiking Tour Most Popular Multisport Trips Iceland Multisport Adventure Tour Yellowstone & Tetons Multisport Adventure Tour Canadian Rockies Multisport Adventure Tour Bryce, Zion & Grand Canyon Multisport Adventure Tour Alaska Multisport Adventure Tour Top Multisport Trips for Families Dolomites Multisport Adventure Tour Dalmatian Coast Multisport Adventure Tour Hawaiis Big Island Multisport Adventure Tour Costa Rica Multisport Adventure Tour To prepare for a trip, Backroads recommends walking and hiking regularly and including a few hills if possible. Trip Experts at Backroads also emphasize quality footwear and generally suggest light hikers as a good option for most trails and to break them in well before departing for a trip. In addition to providing hiking poles for each guest, Backroads offers unparalleled support on all Walking & Hiking Tours with multiple trip leaders, vans, trail options and more. For more information on Backroads Walking & Hiking and Multisport Trips, visit. http://www.backroads.com or call 1-800-462-2848. ABOUT BACKROADS Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been in business for more than 38 years. The company hosts thousands of guests, 75% of whom are repeat guests or referrals from past guests, in hundreds of locations across the globe. Backroads is a founding member of the Adventure Collection. For more information, please visit http://www.backroads.com or call 800-462-2848 daily, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pacific time. VirtualPBX Introduces 24/7 Customer Support for Dash Users Weve always been focused on customer intimacy and product excellence, and we view investments in our Support Team that differentiate us as achieving both of those goals. VirtualPBX today announced that their award-winning Customer Support Team will now be available around the clock, 24/7. Initially, VirtualPBX garnered much praise from customers and competitors alike by committing so much into their customer support and by offering it free of charge to existing clients. Then, they made waves by unrolling 7-7 coverage that had 12 hours of uninterrupted daily access to for inbound callers. Now, VirtualPBX plans to disrupt the industry again with the announcement of total coverage, around the clock, 24/7 for Dash customers. Weve always been focused on customer intimacy and product excellence, said Lon Baker, VirtualPBXs COO. And we view investments in our Support Team that differentiate us as achieving both of those goals. VirtualPBX is no stranger to bold moves in an otherwise derivative industry. The Dash VoIP platform was revolutionary in that it marked the first move towards a universally adoptable and intuitive interface for business VoIP. The company is also one of the last options available for businesses that include free access to expert customer support as part of all of their Dash Plans. Combining those two key factors along with the news of a 24/7 support hotline is proof of the companys commitment to innovating for the modern workplace. Our customers are all over the world and that means that every minute of the day is an opportunity to keep business moving for one of them, Baker added. Plus, challenges never occur when they are convenient so we wouldnt be comfortable offering anything less than total 24/7 coverage to address them as they arise. The 24/7 Customer Support coverage is available now to all existing and new VirtualPBX Dash customers and the business services telephone numbers and businesses in over 100 countries. For more information about the new VirtualPBX Customer Support window, Dash Plans, and VirtualPBX hosted business phone service in general, visit VirtualPBX.com. About VirtualPBX VirtualPBX was founded in San Francisco in 1997 and brought some of the first commercially available hosted PBX service to market for small business owners. Born from the advent of the hosted telecom industry and driven by the innovative vision of its founders, VirtualPBX continues to deliver leading edge telephony products for business. Backed by award-winning, local, in-house support teams, VirtualPBX offers an array of services including disaster recovery, network monitoring and optimization, and professional system management. VirtualPBX Contact Rachel Anderson Vice President of Design & Marketing 888.825.0800 Ext. 339 Rachel.Anderson(at)VirtualPBX(dot)com Heritage Biologics shows a dedication to patient education and safety through the recognition of quality it received with URACs independent accreditation. Heritage Biologics is proud to announce that it has earned URAC accreditation in Specialty Pharmacy. URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification and measurement. By achieving this status, Heritage Biologics has demonstrated a comprehensive commitment to quality care, improved processes and better patient outcomes. Achieving URAC accreditation is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to the Pharmacy Patient Experience (RXPX). Our Rare Disease Outcomes Management (RDOM) program is based on performance accountability that aligns with URAC requirements, said Heritage Biologics COO Christopher Kennedy. Its necessary for specialty pharmacies to provide a higher level of treatment for patients so desired outcomes are achieved. Heritage Biologics shows a dedication to patient education and safety through the recognition of quality it received with URACs independent accreditation, said URAC President and CEO Kylanne Green. With URAC accreditation, people know that Heritage Biologics strives to adhere to industry best practices." About Heritage Biologics Heritage Biologics is the recognized leader in Rare Disease Outcomes Management (RDOM). We provide preeminent value-based specialty pharmacy and high performance nursing services nationwide. Heritage is credited with developing the industry's first formalized Pharmacy Patient Experience (RXPX) program designed to ensure accountable performance-driven care for patients. We look forward to sharing our "rare tradition of care" with you and your family. About URAC Founded in 1990, URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification and measurement. URAC is a nonprofit organization developing evidence-based measures and standards through inclusive engagement with a range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of healthcare. Our portfolio of accreditation and certification programs span the healthcare industry, addressing healthcare management, healthcare operations, health plans, pharmacies, telehealth providers, physician practices, and more. URAC accreditation is a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability. Were happy to welcome Owner Marvin Feige, General Manager Debra Ruocco and their team to the Crimson Cup community. Training entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses is a big part of our mission as a coffee roaster and coffee franchise alternative. Past News Releases RSS Crimson Cup Welcomes The Office... Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea... Barista Magazine Names Crimson... Columbus, Ohio Coffee Roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea recently welcomed Grinders Coffee to the group of independent coffee shops, cafes and bakeries it supports in 29 states. The shop at 15615 CW Hadan Dr. in Bennington, Nebraska held its grand opening April 18. Were excited to welcome Owner Marvin Feige, General Manager Debra Ruocco and their team to the Crimson Cup community, said Greg Ubert, founder and president. Training entrepreneurs to run their own independent coffee houses is a big part of our mission as a coffee roaster and coffee shop franchise alternative. Feige said he saw an opportunity to provide coffee to the Bennington community. Many people commute to Omaha, and we have limited options in Bennington, he said. He built the store from the ground up to look like early Bennington architecture. The interior features many historical pictures of Bennington on the walls of the coffee shop, provided by Benningtons mayor. Comfortable chairs and tables invite customers to gather and enjoy their coffee. Grinders Coffee serves a full menu of hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks including mochas, lattes and cappuccinos as well as iced coffee and tea, cold-brewed coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and other custom drinks. The food menu includes sandwiches such as a Chipotle Breakfast Burrito, Rise and Grind Biscuit, Stuffed Croissant and the Bennie Melt, as well bagels, croissants, muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies and other sweet treats. The shop offers free Wi-Fi to keep mobile workers, students and business leaders connected while they enjoy their coffee. For coffee-lovers on the go, Grinders also offers drive-thru service. Feige, Ruocco and their team learned how to run a successful coffee shop through Crimson Cups 7 Steps to Success coffee shop franchise alternative program, which is based on Uberts Book, Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry. Our program teaches everything a new owner needs to run a profitable coffee shop, Ubert said. We offer everything a coffee shop franchise does and more but without franchise fees and royalties. Unlike coffee franchises, Crimson Cup enables entrepreneurs to create their own unique specialty coffee businesses. From the name on the door to the location, menu, interior decor and other features, the owners put their stamp on a business that reflects their individual tastes and the needs of their local community. Crimson Cup consultants guide new coffee shop owners in development of a coffee shop business plan and assist with site evaluation, on-site training, marketing materials, menu ideas and much more. Our services are designed to help reduce costs, increase profits and eliminate potential headaches, Ubert said. About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year. Since 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced specialty and craft coffee in small batches, which it sells directly to consumers and as wholesale coffee beans. The company also teaches entrepreneurs to run successful coffee houses through its coffee franchise alternative program, which includes a coffee shop business plan. Crimson Cup coffee is available through a community of more than 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 29 states, Guam and Bangladesh, as well as the companys own Crimson Cup Coffee Houses. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com. Its so satisfying to know that 25 schools and family centers will now get to experience Imagination Playground for themselves Imagination Playground, LLC creators of the breakthrough Big Blue Blocks that encourage child-directed free play, is pleased to announce a full list of all winners from their most popular program to date, Submit To Win. Since the program start back in February of this year, a Big Block Set has been awarded each week by random drawing, as well as two additional prize levels recently drawn at the beginning of July. Imagination Playground is thrilled to announce a summary of all winners today. Big Block Winners: Elida Municipal Schools Kids Discovery Museum Element Church Delta County Libraries Camp Laughing Waters Pine Community Center Anna ISD Early Childhood Center AHA! A Hands-on Adventure Children's Museum Harvest Elementary School Edna C. Stevens Elementary School Air Zoo Genesee Intermediate School District Marshall Area YMCA Middletown Recreational Center Rita Miller Elementary School In addition to the 15Big Block Set winners, five lucky schools will receive a Playdate experience at their school! Imagination Playground will visit the school for the day, with a set of Big Blue Blocks in tow. All children at the school are invited to play and experience block play for themselves. Participants will also receive a Pop Out Mini Playground as their take home gift. Playdate Winners: Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization Lake Norman Baptist Preschool Liberty Elementary School Linda Verde Elementary School Brush Creek Elementary School The five winners of the 3rd prize level are in for a treat! Everyone at the school or family center will receive their very own Pop Out Mini Playground to enjoy. Mini Playground Winners: Sharpsburg Elementary School Munger Hill Elementary School Temple Childrens Museum Martha Reid Elementary School Canton Elementary School Dave Krishock, President of Imagination Playground is pleased with the program and its success at reaching so many children and educators. He says, I was over-whelmed at the level of participation the contest generated across the nation. Tens of thousands of folks submitted to win, the most participation of any of our programs since the companys inception. The program seemed to build excitement each week as we announced winners and included photos and quotes from the happy recipients. Social media was especially instrumental in sharing the excitement of the program, as well as continuing to build awareness and momentum each week. Its so satisfying to know that 25 schools and family centers will now get to experience Imagination Playground for themselves. If you were not a winner this time, please try again. Imagination Playground offers several opportunities each year to win a playground for your organization. Anyone interested in learning more about Imagination Playgrounds creative products or programs are encouraged to call 1-678-604-7466 or email ContactUs@ImaginationPlayground.org. About Imagination Playground, LLC Imagination Playground is a breakthrough play space concept developed to encourage child-directed, creative free play. The kind of play that experts say is critical to childrens intellectual. Social, physical, and emotional development. Invented by architect and designer David Rockwell and the Rockwell group, Imagination Playground enables children to play, dream, build and explore endless possibilities. Imagination Playground finds its home in daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary schools, childrens museums and science, nature, discovery centers, camps, community centers, childrens hospitals, hotels and resorts, public parks and more in North America and over 70 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://www.imaginationplayground.com Tom Eggert, Executive Director of the WI Sustainability Council (middle), presenting the 2017 Sustainable Product of the Year Award to John Pade and Rebecca Nelson, co-founders of Nelson and Pade, In We are truly honored to have been nominated and awarded the Sustainable Product of the Year Award in both 2014 and 2017. This recognition demonstrates our commitment to sustainability in Wisconsin and around the world. The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council awarded Nelson and Pade, Inc. the 2017 Sustainable Product of the Year Award for small business. This is the second time that this prestigious honor was presented to Nelson and Pade, Inc., recognizing their Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems. The award was presented at the 2017 Sustainable Business Awards Celebration at Inpro Corporation. Rebecca Nelson, co-founder of Nelson and Pade, Inc., shares We are truly honored to have been nominated and awarded the Sustainable Product of the Year Award in both 2014 and 2017. This recognition demonstrates our commitment to sustainability in Wisconsin and around the world. Nelson and Pade, Inc. is the most trusted name in aquaponics, an innovative method of food production that combines aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (soilless plant culture). In aquaponics, microbes naturally convert the waste from fish farming into an all-natural fertilizer for plant culture. Nelson and Pade, Inc.s Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems are designed to maximize these natural processes to grow fresh fish and vegetables year round in any climate. To date, Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems are used by individuals, entrepreneurs, schools, Universities and food banks in almost 30 countries. Nelson and Pade, Inc.s Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems with ZDEP (Zero Discharge/Extra Production) have revolutionized the aquaponics industry, providing users with a science-based, proven and profitable aquaponic systems. They are highly productive and continually produce fresh fish and vegetables, 365 days/year, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. Two US patents are held by Nelson and Pade, Inc. for their innovative designs. When comparing lettuce production using 1 acre of Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems to 1 acre of lettuce farming in the Gila Valley, Arizona, Nelson and Pade, Inc.s systems grow 6 times more lettuce per acre using 1/6 of the water on an annual basis. The same system also produces 40,000 lbs. of fish. These systems are energy efficient as well, with a majority of the water flow achieved through gravity. Nelson and Pade, Inc. has its business campus in Montello, WI, where the systems, which are 90% made in the USA, are manufactured. Also on site is a state-of-the-art 14,000-sq. ft. greenhouse facility which houses commercial aquaponic systems for demonstration, a large classroom and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point: Aquaponics Innovation Center. Tours of the facility are available. In addition to manufacturing systems, Nelson and Pade, Inc. also offers the Nelson and Pade Grower Program and the Aquaponics Master Class, which has been attended by individuals from over 100 countries. For more information, visit http://www.aquaponics.com or contact Nelson and Pade, Inc., PO Box 761, Montello, WI 53949, USA, 608-297-8708, info(at)aquaponics(dot)com Palomar Modular Buildings will be exhibiting at the Southern Region Leadership Conference hosted by Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA) in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Convention is being held at the Hot Springs Convention Center from July 16, 2017 through July 18, 2017, and includes participants from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Palomar will have a trade show display exhibiting the companys education building solutions in exhibit space 42 in Hall A at the show. Palomar Modular Buildings will be providing information on their selection of buildings for the public, private and charter education markets in these southern states, including temporary or portable classrooms, and complete school campus complexes. The Southern Region Leadership Conference includes two and a half days of training unique to leadership roles in the public school system. Highlights include exhibits promoting the best products and services for schools, as well as relevant leadership issues such as data device decision making strategies for raising student achievement, educational programs, and expert panels sessions for school personnel, administrators and school Board members alike. About Palomar Modular Buildings Palomar Modular Buildings manufactures advanced modular buildings for a range of industries including office, retail, healthcare, education and workforce housing. The companys state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in DeSoto, Texas, is staffed with a dedicated full-time workforce of skilled tradesmen and production managers has produced hundreds of modular projects from simple additions to complex new facilities. # # # If you would like further information about this press release or to schedule an interview with John Martin, please contact John Martin at jmartin(at)palomarmodular(dot)com or call 1-866-312-4032. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: DECATUR Illinois State Police have finished an investigation into whether the officer-involved shooting of Donald Redmon in June was justified. Macon County State's Attorney Jay Scott said that a report from the state police was filed with his office Thursday morning. It is standard protocol for the state police to investigate all officer-involved shootings. Scott's office will use the report to determine if charges will be filed against Decatur police Detective Jeffrey Hockaday, who shot Redmon in the lower back during a chase following a traffic stop on May 31. Police said Hockaday fired three times, and Redmon was found to have a loaded 9 mm handgun. Scott said his office will not make any decisions regarding its next course of action until after he reads the report. When asked how long it will take to process the report, Scott said he couldn't set a timetable because of the report's length. He also said that he has not determined if a news conference will be announced when his decision is made. "We're going to go through this report with a fine-toothed comb," Scott said. "We'll wait and see what we find out after we read through it." Hockaday, who is a 17-year veteran of the Decatur Police Department, is currently on administrative duties with pay. This is also a standard policy during state police investigations. The update in this case comes one year after Decatur's last officer-involved shooting, which happened July 11, 2016. Decatur police officer Andrew Wittmer shot a 40-year-old man who police said was armed with a knife strapped to his wrist and a BB gun that looked like a semiautomatic handgun. Scott found Wittmer's use of force justified after evaluating the state police's findings. Video footage captured by a camera within a police car was made public during a news conference that August when Scott announced his decision. The Area Leaders Education Response Team, or ALERT, has been in touch with Police Chief Jim Getz and has been kept up to date on the Redmon case, but founding member Jeanelle Norman said the group would have no comment on this investigation at this time. "We expect (Scott) to give us a briefing so we can thoroughly examine what he's telling us," she said. ALERT has been greatly involved in the response of both of Decatur's officer-involved shootings. ALERT was formed in 2015 by Norman, the police department and other community members to spread accurate information in the event of high-profile incidents involving police and the black community. In both of these incidents, the officers have been white and the person shot has been black. Police arrested Redmon after he was released from HSHS St. Marys Hospital on June 4. Redmon was formally charged by Scott with unlawful possession of drugs with intent to deliver, armed violence and an armed habitual criminal charge. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on June 28. A signed police affidavit said the incident began at 1:14 p.m. after two detectives spotted a white Nissan car heading south in the 600 block of South Webster Street. The car appeared to be traveling over the speed limit, the affidavit said, and failed to make a complete stop at the intersection of Webster and Cantrell streets. The affidavit said the detectives stopped the car at Webster Court, west of Webster Street. During the traffic stop, Redmon and Dallas Vorties, who police said was driving the vehicle, fled the car and were pursued by the detectives on foot. Vorties, 30, was seen removing a black semiautomatic handgun in the yard of a residence in the 600 block of East Cantrell Street, the affidavit said. He was taken to the ground and handcuffed by one of the detectives. The affidavit said officers found a black 9 mm pistol under Vorties' chest with a live round in the chamber and live rounds in the magazine. Detectives caught Redmon in the 800 block of South Webster Street. A Ruger 9 mm handgun was found near him, with a live round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine, the affidavit said. Police later found 26 bags of a "crack-based substance" in the vehicle, the affidavit said, which later tested positive for the presence of cocaine. Vorties was charged with intent to sell with a prior, armed violence and possession of a weapon by a felon. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on June 28. Both Redmon and Vorties are being held in the Macon County Jail. Redmon's pretrial is scheduled for Aug. 14, and Vorties' pretrial is scheduled for Aug. 15. Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? 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This translates to between GHC 600 to GHC 2400 Many fishermen have in recent times complained about the use of illegal fishing methods by some of their colleagues in the industry. READ ALSO: The sad story behind the collapse of fruit juice factories in Ghana They usually accuse the government of not doing its best to fight against the illegal actions. These buildings span from state-of-the-art libraries to lavishing hotels all over the continent. Here is a list of the top 7 most costly buildings in Africa. 7) Hilton Durban $61 MillionHilton Durban is a major landmark near the international convention center in Durban, South Africa. 6) Michelangelo Towers $64 Million Located in Sandton, South Africa, this luxurious hotel has hosted stars like Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey and Justin Bieber. 5) The Pearls of Umhlanga $138 MillionThe Pearls of Umhlanga gives you a spectacular coastline experience while cruising in its 31-floor luxury apartments and Dubai-like penthouses. It is located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 4) Portside Tower $138 Million This is the tallest building in South Africa owned by Old Mutual and FirstRand Bank. 3) Corinthia Hotel Tripoli $152 Million This skyscraper is a 5-star hotel situated in Tripoli, Libya, the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli (Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel) and is located in the heart of the city, close to the central business district. 2)AU Conference Center and Office Complex $200 Million The tallest building in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia. This is the headquarters of the African Uion. 1) Bibliotheca Alexandrina $220 Million Joseph Nye, a professor emeritus at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government who formerly served as chair of the National Intelligence Council, also said it was plausible Veselnitskaya was used to determine whether the Trump campaign was open to colluding with Russia. "The Kremlin is not so softhearted that it would set up a meeting to restore adoptions," Nye said. Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, tweeted an email chain on Tuesday from June 2016 in which he entertained accepting damaging information on Clinton as part of the Russian government's support for his father's campaign. The four-page email chain, which Trump Jr. forwarded to his father's campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, and to Trump's son-in-law and current senior adviser, Jared Kushner, culminated in their meeting at Trump Tower on June 9 with Natalia Veselnitskaya a lawyer described in the emails as a "Russian government attorney." The episode signals that the campaign was willing to accept Russian help and has raised questions about what happened during and after the meeting with Veselnitskaya. "The act of offering such information was likely, at minimum, a trial balloon, and at best (from Moscow's perspective), a chance to pass certain information from an agent of the Russian government to the Trump campaign through the candidate's campaign manager and son, thereby also implicating Donald J. Trump himself," wrote former CIA intelligence officer Rolf Mowatt-Larssen and former Department of Defense special counsel Ryan Goodman. "This raises the most important questions," they said. "What did she offer in that meeting? How did Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort respond?" Most important, said Bob Deitz, a former top lawyer at the National Security Agency and the CIA, is determining what exactly was discussed at the meeting. "It probably wasn't as fruitless as Trump Jr. is saying," he said. "It's like peeling an onion. This is just layer after layer that keeps coming out." Indeed, the email exchange between Trump Jr. and Rob Goldstone, the British music publicist who arranged the meeting between Veselnitskaya and the Trump campaign, appears to align with a series of pivotal moments during the 2016 campaign. Trump Jr. has so far maintained that Veselnitskaya offered him "no meaningful information" on Clinton during the meeting and quickly pivoted to discussing a Russian adoption program that was cut off in retaliation for the 2012 Magnitsky Act, which blacklisted Russians suspected of human-rights abuses. Veselnitskaya has also said that "nothing at all about the presidential campaign" was discussed. 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." Either way, the revelations most likely won't be the last to emerge about the meeting. "Some of the remarks in the email exchanges hint at collusion in the hacking of DNC and Podesta email servers," said Mark Kramer, the program director for the Project on Cold War Studies at Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Affairs. Eoyang, the former House Intelligence Committee staffer, said she didn't think "that in the case of the Trump campaign (and officials), the dangles worked the way the Russians would hope in recruiting an asset." Bill Browder, the hedge fund manager who spearheaded the passage of the Magnitsky Act in the US after the death of his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was also skeptical. "The Russians are blunt and extreme," he said. "This is not how they operate." Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert who is a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Relations Prague, said that while "it is possible the Kremlin could have been testing the waters, this seems a fairly clumsy way of doing it." Still, Galeotti wrote on Wednesday: "In Vladimir Putin's Russia, everyone is potentially 'hybrid.' Both who they seem to be, and, at the same time, an instrument of the government ... The idea of Veselnitskaya as a deniable intermediary is not entirely implausible." Collusion does not have to be "coerced, paid, or unwilling to be espionage," Eoyang said. "In fact, it's less useful if they are. You want your asset to be motivated to see the world your way. The question will be what level of coordination existed and whether this can be remedied." Even if Russia didn't float the Veselnitskaya meeting in an attempt to entice the Trump campaign into colluding, it may have reaped other rewards. The Trump campaign "provided a gift to the Russians by covertly signaling to them that this team was ready and willing to be compromised," said Ned Price, a former CIA analyst who served as the senior director of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama. If Veselnitskaya was acting as an agent of the Russian government, then Russia has known for months that the Trump campaign was willing to accept the services of a hostile foreign power working to influence an election. "The moment the Trump team tried to obscure that fact, as they did repeatedly during the campaign, they became compromised to Russia," Price said. "That's the intelligence jackpot." The overwhelming patronage can be attributed to intra-movement with the continent. Annually, tourism growth is estimated at 6% while tourism revenues soared 9% per year. Tourism export revenues rose from $14 billion to $47 billion over the period. This brought tourisms contribution to Africas gross domestic product (GDP) to 8.5%, says the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Economic Development in Africa Report 2017 report. A new report by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development shows that the total number of international tourist arrivals to Africa more than doubled between 1995 and 2014 as international tourist arrivals to Africa reached 56 million in 2014. Between 2011-2014, tourism in Africa was concentrated at the northern side; Egypt (9.9 million), Morocco (9.8 million), South Africa (9.2 million) and Tunisia (6.8 million) recorded the highest average numbers of international tourist arrivals between 2011 and 2014. Those four countries alone accounted for more than 60% of all international tourist arrivals to Africa between 2011 and 2014. Despite massive setbacks like the Arab Spring of 2010, the last two decades have seen an impressive hike in tourism export revenues to about thrice of the figures in previous years. Averagely the revenue per international tourist increased from $580 in 19951998 to $850 in 20112014 totalling a tune of $47 billion in 2014. Southern Africa won a reputation as having a more upmarket tourism industry earning the most tourism export revenue per tourist arrival. Northern Africa, however, received the largest share of tourism export revenues between 2011 and 2014. Also, the percentage of Africans amongst the number of tourist arrivals has seen an appreciable rise. Out of every 10 international tourists, there are now four Africans. This development, the country believes will help diversify the Ghanaian economy. Switzerlands State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) sees Ghana as a priority, in terms of its economic development and it has resulted in the signing of the Swiss co-operation strategy for Ghana. President of Ghana Akufo-Addo made this known at a joint press conference held with the President of Switzerland, Her Excellency Doris Leuthard in Ghana, after bilateral talks between the two countries. The teams from Ghana and Switzerland held discussions in the areas of Foreign Affairs, UN Reforms, Finance, Security and Agriculture, aimed at deepening the bilateral relations existing between them, as well as exploring other areas of co-operation. President Akufo-Addo disclosed that the two countries underlined and reinforced their co-operation in helping to end the scourge of terrorism, and the threats to peace and sustainable development in Africa and the world. Ghana and Switzerland also agreed to work closely within the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as with other UN agencies, and extended mutual support for the candidatures of the two countries, vying for positions on the UN Security Council and other UN bodies. I took the opportunity also to highlight the importance that Ghana and the African Union attaches to the long, overdue process of UN Reform, especially of the Security Council, to correct the longstanding injustice that the current structure and composition of the UN Security Council represent for the nations of Africa, he added President Akufo-Addo also solicited the support of Switzerland for the lead role being played by the AU in its attempts to resolve the crises in Mali, Libya and other States of the Sahel, which are receiving the full brunt of the terrorism menace. On the issue of migration and mobility, which have gripped the attention of the world in recent years, and now goes beyond the individual policies of state, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the high numbers of young Africans taking harrowing risks across the Sahara and around the Mediterranean, trying to reach a better life. Akufo Addo added that if we provide them the right environment in Africa, which enables them to enhance their skills, receive appropriate training, have access to digital technology and enhanced economic opportunities, their energies can be channelled towards making our continent great. He continued, Nonetheless, whilst the necessary measures are being put in place, Ghana and Switzerland, as concerned and responsible members of the international community, have decided to co-operate further in ensuring legal and safer means of migration. On Monday, Juno flew about 5,600 miles above the mysterious tempest more than a million miles closer than any previous spacecraft has flown. The Great Red Spot is a massive storm about twice as wide as Earth. It has tumbled in the planet's atmosphere for at least 350 years. Juno took the new photos on its seventh pass around the gas-giant planet. The spacecraft swings by Jupiter once every 53 1/2 days at speeds approaching 130,000 mph, which makes such close-ups very hard to capture. After each flyby, NASA provides JunoCam's raw image data to the public, and a community of amateurs and professionals turns the muted, unprocessed photos into striking color images. Below are fresh images of the Great Red Spot, along with some other unbelievable shots from previous flybys. "This monumental storm has raged on the solar system's biggest planet for centuries," Scott Bolton, the Juno mission's leader, said in a NASA statement. At its closest point, Juno flew so close to the Great Red Spot that it couldn't capture the whole thing in one view. The image below shows the approximate angle that JunoCam was able to see at that point. Making the task even more challenging: The probe zoomed by at a speed of about 34 miles a second. That's speedy enough to traverse the continental US in a little more than a minute. As a result, JunoCam strafed the planet with a series of images. Getting within a cosmic breath of the storm allowed Juno to beam back images that show the Great Red Spot in unprecedented detail, like the ones below. These remarkable 3D images show the depth of the storm's cloud layers. Winds in the Great Red Spot blow at speeds of about 400 mph. Candice Hansen, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, told Business Insider in an email that "this will not be the only flyover of the Great Red Spot planned, but it is the closest." This composite image places one of Juno's new detailed images of the Great Red Spot on top of an image of the planet captured by Voyager 1 in 1979. The image from Voyager was taken from a distance of nearly 25 million miles (40 million kilometers), whereas Juno flew just (9,000 km) over the Great Red Spot. In the bottom-left corner of Voyager's image is the moon Ganymede. In previous flybys, Juno has captured remarkable shots of other storms and clouds on Jupiter. NASA calls the enormous storm in the image below the "Little Red Spot" even though it's the size of Earth. The photo was taken February 2. This is what part of Jupiter's cloud tops looked like on May 19 from roughly 7,800 miles away. And this is part of the Jupiter's "string of pearls" storm cloud. The image was taken during Juno's fifth flyby, on March 27. Juno has also captured more distant images of Jupiter. This striking view of the planet's south pole was taken May 19 then processed by two "citizen scientists" to bring out the photo's contrast and color. A straight-down view of Jupiter's pole from about 32,000 miles away reveals a blue-tinted patch of cyclonic storms that are each about 600 miles wide. For reference, the US state of Texas is about 790 miles wide. Juno also occasionally looks out away from Jupiter, toward the rest of space. This image may not seem like much, but it's unprecedented: The faint line in the middle is Jupiter's rings of ice and dust. Behind it sits the constellation Orion. Juno settled into orbit around Jupiter on July 4, 2016. Recent studies published in the journals Science and Geophysical Research Letters detailed a bounty of discoveries the probe had helped NASA scientists make since then. Those discoveries include "rivers" of hot ammonia shown in this infrared-light animation. This is a call made by the construction sector of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) when they paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah in Accra. The delegation was led by Construction Sector Chair, Mr Rockson Dogbegah. READ ALSO: 6 ways to survive on a minimum wage as a Ghanaian Dogbegah explained that the delay in payment after they complete their works was affecting the capacity of contractors adversely. 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, he said. Dogbegah said this challenge makes it for local contractors to compete with their foreign counterparts who have access to foreign funds. READ ALSO: GCB Bank to takeover NIB He also recommended that government must ensure strong regulatory task force is put in place to monitor the compliance health and safety requirements on construction sites. In his response, the Minister said frequent meetings of such nature must be held to share ideas and make the sector better. They argue that the decreasing production levels coupled with the lack of raw materials, rising cost of operation as well as the cedi depreciation does not favour their economic activity. READ ALSO: The sad story behind the collapse of fruit juice factories in Ghana The Corporate Affairs Manager of Blue Skies Limited, Alistair Djimatey, told Accra-based Citi FM that if these situations are not resolved they will have dire consequences on the economy. It will be very unfortunate if with all these opportunities we are not able to take advantage of to maximise this opportunity that we have to produce to meet demand and compete with the other companies outside Ghana, he told Citi Business News. In 2016 Ghanas Parliament ratified the EPA. Some West African countries have not signed but the agreement is expected to take off. The agreement will allow some Ghanaian exports to the European Market duty and quota free and vice versa. Major exporters have advocated that Ghana signs onto the deal as it has a lot of opportunities for the economy at large. Meanwhile, some analysts have been against the agreement arguing that it will allow for the dumping of goods from the European market. But Djimatey who is a supporter of the EPA argues that the EPA is the way to go. This was after a meeting by the National Tripartite Committee. From January 2018 the minimum wage by a Ghanaian worker will be 9.68 cedis instead of the 8.80 that was being previously received. READ ALSO: How to calculate your SSNIT pension This means that if you work for 20 days in a month and your company strictly adheres to the minimum wage you will earn GHC 193.6, for 25 days you will earn GHC 242. Even if one works every day in a month, you will not earn up to GHC 300. How is one expected to survive on such an amount? Here are few tips. Co-rent Finding a room in Ghana with a fairly good rent is not an easy task. It will be better if you decide to live with at least one friend in a room so you share the bills. This way it will reduce the cost of rent and bills you need to pay at the end of every month. READ ALSO: 6 ways to make extra money aside your regular income Alternatively, if your parents/family have a house don't be in a rush to move out after school. Stay home and save money. Cut down on transportation cost If your workplace is close to your home then you can walk. If not find someone who owns a car nearby who can drop you at your office. Some can also take you halfway so you walk or join a public transport for the rest of the journey. Practice healthy living Exercise frequently. Even with your meagre salary eat well in order to prevent a frequent visit to the hospital. Minimise alcoholism, dont smoke, drink enough water for each day. Practice any other thing that will keep you healthy and prevent you spending money at the hospital often. Save each month We all agree the money is peanut but save anyway. Even if it is GHC 1 each day, save anyway. It may look small today but will yield some returns in the long run. Mind the use of electronic appliances In todays era, everyone wants to use more electrical appliances to make life easier. But desist from that trend so your utility bills are not high. Do not be wasteful be very meticulous in the use of the utility. Find a side hustle SHELBYVILLE Community leaders say a lack of affordable housing is hurting Shelbyville's potential for economic growth. Lack of housing leads to lack of commitment for employees and that hurts businesses, Shelby County Economic Development Director Anna Kiley told a group of about 40 invited participants Wednesday. We want to look at ways to make affordable housing a reality. The group agreed infrastructure, including sewers and water lines would be necessary to encourage developers to build groups of homes or apartments. Other suggestions, including rehabilitating older and abandoned homes to make them attractive to new residents. With a population of about 4,700, Shelbyville has a median household income of $38,359, according to the 2015 Census Bureau American Community Survey. The survey estimated the city had 2,474 total housing units, of which 1,593 were built before 1970. Of the 1,649 owner-occupied units, 1,112 units were valued at $100,000 or less. The median value was estimated to be $77,900. Renters occupied 558 units. Employees who are happy in their community are more likely to stay in their jobs, said Monicals Pizza owner Mark Shanks. We have a great community here, we just need to give more people ways to actually live in it. Realtor Bruce Steinke said housing problems had been discussed before, but he was more optimistic after the group brainstorming session. There are good ideas that could be options for Shelbyville but were going to have to stick with it, he said. if we dont keep at it and move forward it will be the same old thing and nothing will happen. Shelbyville city council member Martha Firnhaber agreed. Weve heard a lot of 'this is the way its done' and weve always done it this way," she said. Sometimes people have a hard time opening their minds to what is possible. The city needs to be more transparent, said resident John Pogue. They make decisions that should be discussed with the people first. Theres a problem with lack of public engagement, involvement and education, said Steinke. People dont show up at city council meetings where they could get their questions answered. Kiley said future meetings would also focus on including more millennials and even high school students. County board member Rob Amling said school districts should also be invited. There may be tools that could be used that will have tax issues for them, he said. You have to get the schools on board. Kiley said the group would meet in two to four weeks to begin creating a development plan based on the brainstorming ideas. There is momentum and interest in housing right now and we need to keep it going, she said. Moving forward will help not only the businesses currently here, but help attract other new businesses to the area. Mr Anselm Ray Sowah, Managing Director of GCB Limited, Ghanas premiere indigenous bank, today paid in a cheque for Ghc 75,000.00 to the PANAFEST Foundation to help kick-start activities marking the 2017 edition of the Pan-African festival. Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, Chairperson of the foundation received the cheque at a brief presentation ceremony at the headquarters of the bank in Accra. READ ALSO: My biggest challenge is finding jobs for young people PANAFEST, a biennial arts and culture festival has been celebrated in Ghana since 1992 as a platform for reviewing the historical experiences of African societies and addressing the inherent obstacles to progress and development. The festival applies African arts and culture to highlight and deal with the traumatic interruptions which occurred in the natural evolution of African societies that have resulted in the sharp erosion of self-confidence and the freedom of self-determination among most Africans. The much anticipated 2017 edition of PANAFEST will open on 25th of July under the theme, The Power of the Pan-African Culture and will run for nine days, featuring flagship activities like the reverential night and vigil, the grand durbar of Ghanaian Chiefs and people, exhibitions of African visual arts, inventions and cultural heritage, a Colloquium and the ever-popular international musical concerts. As the MD of GCB Bank handed over the sponsorship cheque to Professor Sutherland-Addy, he made the point that it was hardly accidental that Ghanas first indigenous bank has so much interest in the success and future of PANAFEST. As an indigenous Ghanaian Bank with a heritage tied to the independence of Ghana, we (GCB Bank) are happy to be associated with PANAFEST, which seeks to celebrate the strength and resilience of our culture as Africans and the achievements of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora, said Mr Ray Sowah. GCB Bank was established in 1953 as the Bank of the Gold Coast, to prepare the country for independence and address the banking needs of indigenous businesses, traders and farmers who, at the time, could not enjoy the support of existing expatriate banks. GCB Bank is therefore best-positioned to partake in this festival which is celebrated in the spirit of Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance. GCB is indeed excited to be part of the silver jubilee of PANAFEST, Mr Sowah said. Professor Sutherland-Addy herself referred to a seamless convergence of purpose between the bank and the PANAFEST Foundation, explaining that the two entities are both mandated to promote the creative and entrepreneurial potential of Ghanaians and, by extension, of all Africans. She urged Ghanaians to begin to appreciate the value of PANAFEST as a potentially powerful self-marketing tool for their country and start putting in some effort to make it flourish as a major global festival for all Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. READ ALSO: GN Bank begin offering mobile money services Although the festival is held under the auspices of the government and other state agencies like the Ghana Tourism Authority, there is now the need to step up the impetus to enrich the scope of this unique festival, she said. Professor Sutherland-Addy drew attention to the large population of Africans spread all around the world and stressed that it is important that Africans themselves came together to reflect on how and why our brothers and sisters got to be where they are now. According to the organisers- the Ghana office of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the 2017 edition is going to be even more exciting with a lot more add-ons. Themed ACCA Qualification- The future, this years summit will delve into the thorny subject of what the future holds for people in a finance Career as well as persons aspiring to get into the profession in the wake of changing demands of the profession. READ ALSO: Partnership ACCA Ghana collaborates with Jobberman to make job search easier Speaking to Kwaku Anim Boadu-Education Manager for ACCA Ghana, he said the Finance Professional has evolved from the age of number-crunching to a modern day wholistic business support professional providing guidance and advice on aspects of the business that never had been in his/her domain. According to him companies have also evolved. From labor-intensive to data-intensive systems, the role of technology at work cannot be overemphasized. With these fast-pace changes, will the skill set acquired today still be relevant in the medium to long-term? Is there job security for the trainee?, these are the issues we want to address, he continued. ACCAs Portfolio Head of East and West Africa, Norman William indicated that this is the reason why ACCA had assembled resource persons rich in experience and knowledge to address the subject. They include Prof Kwame Boasiako Omane-Antwi-Vice Rector of Pentecost University, Kenneth Thompson - CEO Dalex Finance, Belinda Dede Tandor- CFO Glico Pensions who also doubles as President of the Association of Women Accountants Ghana (AWAG), Aisha Bedewe-Tax Partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Stephen Kwame Omane- President & CEO of OTG Finance Group. READ ALSO: Money Matters Accountants urged to specialise The Summit also features a job fair with over 16 Companies and Training firms providing jobs and Internship opportunities, CV and Career Advice and other support services. They include Dalex Finance, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Barclays, British Council, First Atlantic Bank, Databank, Jobberman, HireGhana, Deloitte, Ernst & Yong, jobsinGhana.com and a lot more. The Summit starts at 8am with exhibiting companies providing job and internship opportunities that have been secured for participants by ACCA Ghana. 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 had decided to pursue the matter in court to the get the entrance exam cancelled. READ ALSO: Group heads to court to stop upcoming entrance exams But the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah said that the applicants failed to demonstrate that there would be an irreparable damage if the examination is allowed to take place on Friday. He further added that the judgment of the Supreme Court declaring as unconstitutional the entrance exam was conditional as it was temporarily suspended till six months time. 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. The accused, residing at No. 22 Railway Line in Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge, bordering on assault. Chukwuka, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. The Prosecutor, Insp. Godwin Oriabure, told court that the offence was committed on June 20 at about 7:30 p.m. at the residence of the accused. He explained that the accused committed the offence, following a heated argument with his wife that led to a fight. The accused beat up his wife and pushed her from a two storey building which caused her grievous body harm, Oriabure stated. He said that the offences contravened Sections 170 (a) and 173of the Criminal Law Cap Ch, C17, Vol.3 Laws of Lagos State Nigeria, 2015. The Magistrate, Mr O.S. Aka-Bashorun, granted bail to Chukwuka in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum. He said that one of the sureties must be a community leader or Eze Ndigbo, whose name must be in the gazette of the Lagos State Government. Adamu, who resides at Abattoir area of Agege, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The accused, however, denied the charges brought against him. The prosecutor, Sgt. Ishola Samuel told the court that Adamu robbed the duo of Chibuike Otubo and John Emmanuel of their phones on June 28 along Jonathan Coker Road, Oko-Oba, Agege. Samuel alleged that the accused conspired with others still at large and collected from the complainants three mobile phones, all valued at N50, 000 at knife-point. The accused and others, who were armed with a dagger and cutlass, attacked Emmanuel and Otubo, while returning from work and robbed them of their phones. The accused was later apprehended by passersby, who handed him over to the police. The offences contravened Sections 287 and 411of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Magistrate, Miss A.R. Onilogbo, granted the accused N50,000 bail with two sureties in like sum. If the takeover happens, it could create the biggest bank in the country in terms of the asset. If the deal is successful, GCB Bank will have the asset in excess of GH10 billion. This automatically means a much healthier balance sheet to fund big-ticket transactions. According to Graphic Business, a source told them discussions have started at the boards level between the two banks. As we speak, GCB Bank is seriously considering a deal with NIB. I will even call it a takeover and there are indications that it can happen anytime soon, the source said. The source added that the discussions started upon request from the common shareholder of both banks; the government. NIB is 100 percent state-owned. But the government together with other quasi-state institutions hold the majority stake of 52.5 percent in the GCB Bank. READ ALSO: Here is how much banks in Ghana charge on agric loans Analysts say this will give way for an easy takeover of NIB by GCB. The deal will only need the blessing of SSNIT (the banks biggest shareholder) with a 29.89 per cent stake and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), which manages the governments 21.36 per cent stake. The source added that It is actually because of the potential takeover that a substantive Managing Director for NIB has not been appointed. The idea is to merge NIB with GCB Bank so that NIB can become a department in charge of project financing, among others. After Ernest Marlie Agbesi resigned from NIB to manage GCB Bank in August 2016, John Kweku Asamoah has been the acting MD of NIB, pending a substantive appointment. Ernest Marlie Agbesi later resigned in June 2017. What will be the outcome of a successful merger? If this consummation is successful, the combined business could have on its payroll over 2,000 employees and about 250 branches and agency offices nationwide. READ ALSO: Producer price of cocoa to be maintained despite global drop NIB would be saved from its underinvestment over the years due to GCBs assets, equities and equivalents. GCB has assets in excess of GH6 billion, equity of GH1.1 billion and cash and cash equivalents of GH1.2 billion (as of December 2016). It will also help raise GCBs assets to some GH10 billion. This will position the bank in a place to compete with rival counterpart banks in neighbouring Nigeria, where similar mergers led to bigger banks accumulating excess capital and that prompted them to expand into the sub-region. Apart from the GN Bank and UT Bank that operate in Liberia and Nigeria respectively, none of the 13 indigenous banks have operations outside the country. This will also reduce the number of banks in the country. Analysts have often argued that Ghana with an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of close to $40 billion and a population of about 27 million people is small for the current 35 banks. Alex Akwasi Acquah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Group, said the move is to complement the effort of government in providing quality but affordable healthcare across the country. He indicated that The Community Hospitals Group has planned to roll out what they termed One District, One Community Hospital so that people can have access to quality healthcare at a very affordable fee. Government is going to roll out the One District, one factory policy but if we dont have a good health facility across the districts, workers will go through hell when they are sick. In view of this, we have decided to partner government to build a Community Hospital in each district, Mr. Akwasi Aquah said. READ ALSO: Ejaculating 21 times a month can lower risk of prostate cancer He also described as worrying the situation whereby residents in remote areas have to travel long distances in order to access healthcare. Mr. AKwasi Acquah made the remarks Wednesday, July 12, 2017, when the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Gifty Twum Ampofo donated an ambulance to The Community Hospital at Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region. The Community Hospitals Group has been operating for eight years now and has since been operating eight health facilities with morgues across the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! During a working visit to northeastern Tavoush Province, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stopped at an army base along the border with Azerbaijan, inspecting conditions at the base for the soldiers. Sargsyan also presented gifts to those soldiers singled out for their dedication and courage. The president thanked the soldiers for their service, noting that it was due to them that citizens of Armenia could work and live in peace and grow the country. Sargsyan then attended the opening ceremony of an armory in the town of Ijevan. Mr. Bismark Tawiah Boateng has urged the incumbent government to look into the wasteful loss of millions of cedis under the leadership of the former minister. Dzifa Attivor signed a contract to the tune of an astonishing GH3.6 million with Smarttys Management and Productions Ltd and the Ministry of Transport to brand 116 Metro Mass Transport (MMT) vehicles. These branded buses had the pictures of the various past presidents of the nation in black and white and that of the former President Mahama in bright colours. This, Mr. Boateng says was a ploy to campaign for the NDC after which it became an utter waste as party failed to regain power in the 2016 elections. He also blamed such actions as the precursor of the short term of the NDCs reign. READ ALSO: Illegal Immigrants Ghanaian deportees in US to come home with belongings The NPP government should be bold enough to invite Madam Attivor for questioning and not entertain the fear that the government will be accused of witch-hunting its political opponents he added. Madam Dzifor Attivor after resigning at the back of the scandal told party supporters in Aflao at a national rally in April 2016 that they retain the NDC government or risk her being jailed. The Deputy Minister was speaking at an event organised by the diaspora community held at the Accra International Conference Centre. He said the diaspora community must not always insist on seeing a minister or top government official before engaging in any meaningful business in Ghana. Nobody likes whiners, people that spend all the time whining really get on peoples nerves. So stop whining; stop saying this doesnt work, that doesnt work; please, we know it doesnt work so stop whining all the time saying it doesnt work. If it worked, you probably wont be sitting there. It is not always that when you have to make a decision you have to see the minister, the deputy or every head; what is this thing, where did it come from? Do you know how many people actually sit down and want to see the minister every day; hundreds of them, he added. READ ALSO: How to calculate your SSNIT pension His comments angered some participants at the forum. A member of the returnees, yet to be named, responded to the remarks in a similar fashion and tone. We came here to sit with the decision makers to help us formulate policies that will integrate us into the system, where are the decision makers, where are they, they are nowhere around here to listen to us." ...And this attitude and arrogance that we are whiners; really? Who travels 3000 miles to be a whiner, we could have been whiners from our constituency, we didnt have to come here to whine. So this attitude has got to change. Some Ghanaians have also hit hard at the Deputy Minister for his comments, and he has since apologised. I wish to assure the people of Ghana and all those who have been offended by my comments that I did not in any way intend to sound offensive in my presentation, a statement issued Thursday and signed by Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay noted. Below is the full statement: 13th July 2017 STATEMENT ON MY SPEECH ON DIASPORA MEETING I refer to recent discussions on a 2 to 3-minute clip from my 14-minute speech given at the Ghana Diaspora meeting in Accra. The clip is a complete misrepresentation of the speech and taken completely out of context.I was asked to give my candid opinion on my experience as a Diaspora returnee and how I would advise others who intend to make a similar journey. My speech was in 5 parts: 1. Your approach to trying to get results in Ghana 2. What you should expect when you make the move to Ghana 3. The opportunities available for you in Ghana 4. The rewards for perseverance5. The next steps The clip being shown referred to section 1 of the speech. Listening to it independent of the other three sections gives a completely different meaning to the speech I would implore all that want to get a true picture of my speech to look at it on You Tube: https://youtu.be/YbkQCoNgSBc None of my comments were meant to cast aspersions. They were an expression of my personal experience. I wish to assure the people of Ghana and all those who have been offended by my comments that I did not in any way intend to sound offensive in my presentation. I hold all Ghanaians in the greatest respect and would not in any way do or say anything that would impugn their integrity. The all-girls team are made up of six students from the Archbishop Porter Girls Senior High School in Takoradi and would represent the country at the FIRST Global Challenge, an Olympic-style robotics competition featuring over 150 countries. Team Ghana will be lead by Linda Ansong, the executive director of STEMbees, an organisation whose aim is to attract and groom young girls into the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The competition will run from from July 16 to July 18 and will take place at Constitutional Hall, in Washington D.C. In an interview with Pulse.com.gh, Linda Ansong said "the robot the girls have built is an efficient one and can perform the challenge ahead of us in this global competition." "For the girls I believe they really want to win this competition because they have been doing robotics for a while and this is the first time they are competing on a global level." The news of Ghana's participation in the competition could not have come at a better time. It follows weeks of intense attention on the annual National Science and Maths Quiz and the recent launch of a According to Ansong, by having an all-girls team, it would serve as an inspiration for many young women to venture into the male-dominated fields of STEM. "At the end of this journey we hope to have inspired more girls to pursue science and technology related causes in school and for the members of the team to have had fun and met new people." READ ALSO: Security Recruitment Prisons Service cleared to recruit 1000 The girls would however be missing a crucial member of the squad, a teacher from their school who guided them to build the robot as he was unfortunately denied a visa to the United States by the embassy. The details of the bill outline a variety of edits but indicate that much of the original BCRA remains intact. Here's a rundown of the changes in the new version of the BCRA: Some of Obamacare's taxes are kept: Increased funding for the opioid crisis: A modified Cruz amendment: Allow people to use tax credits on catastrophic health plans: Increased funding for the state stability fund: Allow people to spend money from health savings accounts on premiums: While many of these changes address some concerns of GOP members, they most likely won't have a big imprint on the projected effects of the legislation, experts said. "This is still a bill that will result in very large reductions in insurance coverage and reductions in the quality and affordability of the insurance coverage for many people who retain coverage," Matthew Fiedler, a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Health Policy, told Business Insider. The score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the first version of the BCRA would result in 22 million more uninsured Americans by 2026 than the current system would. "We're still likely to see many millions of people losing or going without coverage as a result of this bill. Although some of the taxes on wealthy people are retained, the bill doesn't appear to use much of that to cover low-income people," Cynthia Cox, the associate director at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan healthcare think tank, told Business Insider. The biggest issue of concern: The new legislation does not address an approximated $772 billion in cuts to the Medicaid program through 2026. For many moderate detractors in states with large Medicaid populations, that could be a make-or-break issue. Murkowski has blasted the cuts, which would roll back Obamacare's Medicaid expansion and cap the amount of funding the federal government provides. "The ACA allowed for Medicaid expansion. The ACA didn't address traditional Medicaid Why do we not focus on the urgency of the concerns with the ACA?" Murkowski told reporters Wednesday, according to Politico. Other moderate senators like Susan Collins of Maine, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, and Dean Heller of Nevada also expressed concerns about the new version preserving most of the Medicaid cuts. On the other end of the GOP spectrum, conservative-leaning members have remained on the fence about their intentions. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told reporters during a conference call Wednesday that he would not support the bill even after the changes. Paul criticized what he called a "kitchen sink" approach by McConnell to try to win over members by adding spending to the legislation. Paul said the GOP should instead "narrow" the bill to a slim partial repeal of Obamacare, addressing the parts on which the conference could agree. And the amendment offered by Cruz, which would allow insurers to dodge certain regulations created by Obamacare, will be tentatively added to the bill. That will most likely help the legislation earn the support of Cruz and Sen. Mike Lee, but it could also help push moderates to oppose the legislation. On Wednesday, a group featuring some of the US's largest insurers blasted the Cruz amendment, highlighting its potential effects on protections for people with preexisting conditions. That's the new name for President Donald Trump's economic agenda, rolled out in a Wall Street Journal op-ed article by Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, on Thursday. MAGA, of course, is the acronym for sTrump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." The specifics Mulvaney laid out look pretty similar to the plan Trump has advocated on the campaign trail and during the early part of his presidency. The use of the "-nomics" suffix bears resemblance to past economic branding attempts like Ronald Reagan's "Reaganomics" package from the 1980s. In fact, Mulvaney's article mentioned Reagan several times. The core of the plan, Mulvaney wrote, is to get the US back to 3% economic growth, a level much higher than most economists believe is possible over the next few years. Mulvaney took issue with this assumption. "For merely suggesting that we can get back to that level, the administration has been criticized as unrealistic," Mulvaney wrote. "That's fine with us. We heard the same pessimism 40 years ago, when the country was mired in 'stagflation' and 'malaise.' But Ronald Reagan dared to challenge that thinking and steered us to a boom that many people thought unachievable." The way to get there, Mulvaney said, follows common Republican themes including cutting taxes, rolling back regulation, and carrying out welfare reform, new trade deals, and infrastructure investment. Who will MAGAnomics help exactly? Here's how Mulvaney explains it: "MAGAnomics is for everyone, but especially for those who left for work this morning in the dark but came home after their kids were asleep. It's for those who are working part-time but praying for a full-time job. It's for folks whose savings are as exhausted as they are. This president hears you. He knows America's greatness doesn't spring from higher taxes or unnecessary regulations or broken welfare programs. It doesn't come from government at all. It comes from you." Unlike the high-end Oculus Rift headset that's out now, the device will not require a dedicated PC to function, the report said. It will instead be designed to work without an external power supply. Even the low-end Gear VR headset that Oculus makes in partnership with Samsung requires a phone for power. Facebook said last year that it's working on a standalone, untethered version of the Oculus Rift, dubbed the "Santa Cruz" prototype. This $200 headset is reportedly codenamed "Pacific," Bloomberg said. "We don't have a product to unveil at this time, however we can confirm that we're making several significant technology investments in the standalone VR category," a Facebook spokesperson told Business Insider in response to a request for comment on the report. "This is in addition to our commitment to high-end VR products like Oculus Rift and mobile phone products like Gear VR. The headset will be manufactured by Chinese phone maker Xiaomi, according to Bloomberg. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently hired top Xiaomi executive Hugo Barra to lead all of Facebook's VR efforts. This is our closest look at Jupiter's iconic "Great Red Spot." These photographs were taken by NASA's Juno probe. It flew just 5,600 miles above the Great Red Spot an enormous storm that's 1.3 times as wide as Earth. The storm is believed to have lasted for over 350 years. How it persisted for that long is a mystery. But recent studies suggest the Great Red Spot is shrinking. Scientists are studying the new photographs and data to better understand the large and long-lasting storm. Juno has been orbiting Jupiter for over a year. It's already sent back and . We can't wait to see what it sends back next! After more than a decade of designing, editing, and reworking, the students at Rural Studio Auburn University 's architectural-design program built two cottages in 2016 with raw materials that cost just $14,000 each. (The team calls them the "20K Homes.") The goal was to create a model for building homes that are both beautiful and affordable. In late summer 2017, Rural Studio will begin planning two more homes with materials that cost even less than $14,000. The students expects to start construction in early 2018. Take a look inside the first two homes. The Rural Studio students built the homes at Serenbe, a community of nearly 500 people in northwestern Georgia. The site features a 25-acre organic farm, seasonal Saturday farmers markets, art galleries, films, and lectures. "There's a need for affordable homes to be designed with integrity," Serenbe cofounder Steve Nygren told Business Insider. "We need to downsize in general." The 500-square-foot homes' walls are primarily made from local pine lumber, and the roofs are made tin. They share a connected wooden porch. Most state zoning laws (including Georgia's) do not allow for micro homes under 1,000 square feet. But Rural Studios and Serenbe got special permits to build the two cottages, Nygren said. There are a number of design elements that make the cottages feel larger than they are. The windows have deep sills that bounce off natural light, and the open layouts promote ventilation. The interiors feature rustic details, like stained plywood floors, modern light fixtures, furniture with pops of color ... and even vintage typewriters. Nygren admits there's no real secret to the livable micro cottages. "It's just basic good design and simple materials," he said. The micro-cottages will be used for artist residencies. To stay in one, artists apply for its fellowship program. If chosen, they are each granted housing for a one-month stay, a $1,500 stipend, and access to workshops and performances. The two cottages at Serenbe follow a growing minimalist housing trend. Source: "People are downsizing, living in smaller homes on smaller lots in more walkable communities. They are sitting on front porches, and there's more sense of a connected community," Nygren said. "There are a lot of advantages to that." The $14,000 material cost doesn't take into account the permit fees, furniture and interior design, or labor to build the homes, Nygren said. He estimates that, in reality, the entire production costs around $65,000 per home which is still relatively affordable. Source: After rallying more Serenbe volunteers and trying new design patterns, the team will build a third and fourth cottage to see if it can lower the construction price even more. The team will also create an instruction manual that explains how to build the homes outside of Serenbe. Replicating the homes in the real world won't be an easy task, however. Typically, when someone tries to buy a home on a limited income and can't afford $20,000, banks won't give them a loan for a such a small amount of money. Regions Bank, which works with Rural Studio, told the team that a mortgage for a $100,000 house would cost the bank the same amount as a $20,000 house. So banks have little incentive to grant a $20,000 or $65,000 loan for these micro-cottages. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Saidi was, however, given an option to pay a fine of N50, 000 after pleading guilty to the offence. The Magistrate, Mrs Olubukola Olowolagba, ordered that the convict should be kept in Ilesha Prisons until he paid the fine or served the jail term. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Ajayi, had told court that the convict committed the offense on July 10 along Ayetoro Olosedudu Lane in Osogbo. Ajayi said that the convict drove a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number QD 865 SGB in a dangerous manner and against road traffic laws without a valid drivers licence. The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 21 (B) and 18(1) of the Road Traffic Act, Cap 113 Vol.5, Laws of Osun State, 2003. The information was disclosed during a press briefing at the Lagos House, Ikeja, today, Thursday, July 13 while Ogundare and his brother, Mohammed Adams, were being paraded. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, addressed the press briefing; alongside the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem; Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, and top officials of the Department of State Service (DSS). ALSO READ: Traditional ruler kidnapped over leadership tussle According to the reports, Ogundare had claimed that he was kidnapped along the centre for Management Development (CMD) Road in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the State on July 5, 2017. The embattled Baale's suspension was conveyed in a memo with reference number OLGAS.83/S./Vol.1 dated July 13, 2017, addressed to the Sole Administrator of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA. I am directed to convey the approval of His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the suspension of Chief Yusuf Ogundare, Baale of Shangisha with immediate effect in accordance with Section 38 subsection 1 of the Obas and Chiefs Laws of Lagos State which states that the Governor may suspend or depose any Oba or chief whether appointed or after commencement of this law, if he is satisfied that such suspension of disposition is required according to customary law or is necessary in the interest of peace and good government. You are to communicate the decision to the chieftain to stop parading himself as Baale of Shangisha with immediate effect, the memo read. QED reports that the approval came shortly after the Lagos State Police Command paraded the culprits for conspiring to fake the alleged kidnap. On the fateful day of the alleged kidnap, Adams reported the kidnap incidence to the police. While parading the two suspects, Owoseni revealed that the Lagos State Police Command received the report of Ogundares alleged kidnap on July 5 and immediately swung into action, collaborating with other security agencies especially the DSS to secure his release. He said that luck ran out on Ogundare when he was later apprehended by men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Alausa area of the State on July 11, after being dropped off in a suspicious manner by a car that sped off immediately. Speaking further on Ogundare's arrest, Owoseni said: On July 11 at about 10 pm, a team of RRS patrol officers working around Alausa had sighted a vehicle drop a male adult in a suspicious manner close by Shoprite along the Secretariat road. "The speed with which that car drove off attracted them to that spot and fortunately before they got to the spot, the car had taken off and a quick enquiry revealed that it was the Baale that was allegedly kidnapped. Immediately after while Ogundare was being debriefed, he sold a dummy that the kidnappers dropped him off but unknowingly to him, it had been found out that on the 5th of July, the day he was allegedly kidnapped in Lagos, investigation had revealed that he was driving around in Ibadan around Ashi; he went to Ilorin, he went to Iwo, he was just on a frolic. And unknowingly to him as well that because of information that had gotten to security services that his younger brother and his wife were being questioned and were actually in custody because of some discrepancies that were noticed in the interaction they had with security agencies, and in furtherance of the synergy existing between the Police and DSS, we jointly compared notes and our findings were such that the act of the chief was despicable and amounted to crying wolf where there is none. Owoseni added that while making the reports, Adams informed the security agencies that he had been with the Baale at CMD Hotel when they were whisked away by some people who had come in claiming that they wanted to buy land, but that he was later dropped off. However, investigations into the case revealed that he had never been at the hotel with the Baale but had been at the hotel's restaurant and left after some minutes. The wife of the Baale actually drove the car, a Venza, which was allegedly used to abduct the supposed victim from the hotel. The CP added that the suspects confessed to faking the kidnap after being confronted with indisputable facts. ALSO READ: Police unmask female officer who helped Evans escape Owoseni said that Adams went to the community shortly after Ogundare's alleged kidnap, and called the town crier to order the community to close shops and markets, an action reportedly aimed at inciting members of the community against the State Government. He stated that the suspects had planned to falsely accuse the Oba of Shangisha as the brain behind the kidnapping, which they actually did, as revenge on him for being installed as the Oba instead of Ogundare, and also embarrass the State Government and its security agencies for arresting him (Ogundare) when he wrongly displayed the plate number of Oba of Shangisha on his car. Suraja was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dealing suspected to be in Indian hemp, had pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him. After his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case before the court and urged that Suraja should be convicted. Aernan tendered in evidence, a written confessional statement of the convict, a scientific aid form, a test analysis form, and the seized Indian hemp. The court admitted and marked the pieces of evidence as exhibits. In her judgment, Justice Rabiu Shagari, found the convict guilty of the offence as charged and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment, beginning from the date of his arrest. In the charge, the prosecution said that the convict committed the offence on May 12, at a filling station in Ikeja, Lagos. Aernan said that the convict was arrested with 500g of Indian hemp, a restricted narcotic similar to heroine LSD (one of the most potent, mood-changing chemicals). The prosecution counsel said that the narcotic was seized from the convict, arrested and charged to court. The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004. During allocutus (plea for mercy) the convict, who was not represented by a lawyer, implored the court to show mercy on him. Umori, a resident of Ikorodu in Lagos State, is facing a two-count charge. The prosecutor, Insp. Simeon Imhonwa, said the accused obtained N3.8 million from the complainant, Mr Jerry Eneoma, on the pretext of trading with the money. The accused collected the money from the complainant with a promise of remitting on installments with interest. He said the accused committed the offences on Aug. 29, 2014, at Ikorodu. Umoru also issued a FCMB Bank cheque with no. 36581731 dated Oct. 22, 2016 in the sum of N400,000 in favour of the complainant. The cheque was dishonoured because of insufficient funds, the prosecutor told the court. The offences contravened Sections 312 and 319 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sections 312 and 319 provide 15-year jail term for offenders. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. Chief Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. Osunsanmi said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should also produce evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government. I don't know how to tell Damian that I have four abortions in the past and after the last one, the doctor told me I stand the risk not getting pregnant when I get married. I know many will say since it was in the past, I should just let it go but I know the man I have and I know very well he will surely only call off the wedding and no one would make him change his mind. I must confess that when I was much younger, I did what most young girls did and got pregnant for the first time when I was 19 and I was still waiting to get an admission into the university and there was no way I could be saddled with a baby. My parents too would have skinned me alive if I went to tell them I was pregnant, so the wisest thing to do was to get an abortion especially after the guy who got me pregnant bluntly refused to take responsibility. I was in my second year in the university when I got pregnant for a lecturer I was dating and he took me to a doctor for an abortion. I became pregnant two other times and had to get rid of them with the last one almost claiming my life as the doctor had to evacuate the foetus to save my life. After the emergency operation, the doctor told me I had a 70% to 30% chance of getting pregnant when I get married. I have been with Damian for three years and in all that time, I have tried to get pregnant for him especially as he keeps talking about wanting babies but to no avail. We have made love even when I am ovulating but I am yet to get pregnant. I don't know if I should tell him about my past or I should just keep it as a secret? What will happen if I cannot give him the children he so much wants? Won't that be the end of my marriage? Joy." Akoji, whose address was not given, is facing one-count charge of stealing. The Prosecutor, Insp. Akpan Ikem, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 3 at No 6, hundeyin St., Badagry, Lagos State. He added that the defendant, however, sold the laptop and used the money for his personal use." Nwobi reported the matter at the police station and Akoji was arrested. Ikem said the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The governor made the disclosure on Wednesday while inspecting renovation work at the state-owned School of Health Science and Technology, Nguru. He said that some expatriates and Nigerian medical doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other personnel were employed for the newly established state University Teaching Hospital and other health institutions across the state. He said that the government had also embarked on the renovation of General Hospitals in Potiskum, Giedam and Gashua. He said that the government was intensifying efforts to provide affordable and accessible healthcare delivery to residents of the state. Gaidam gave assurance that his administration would complete the renovation of the School of Health and expand facilities in the institution to boost health care delivery. The government will construct five new staff quarters; furnish rehabilitated halls, classes and offices. Government will also construct one kilometre access road from the main road to the school and sink borehole to provide water for staff and students of the institution. Buhari left for London to treat an undisclosed ailment on May 7, 2017. Shortly before the FEC meeting in the nation's capital, Osinbajo had a question and answer session with journalists. Here are a few excerpts from that interaction: 1. Buharis famed humour hasnt left him. According to Osinbajo, the president has retained his wit and sense of humour from the confines of an isolated apartment abroad. Buhari is in very high spirits. He is recuperating very well and we had a very long conversation. We spoke for well over an hour and his humor is all there. He is doing well and he is recuperating fast, Osinbajo said. 2. Before Osinbajos trip to London, he had only been communicating with Buhari over the phone. The acting president said; Well, first as you know, I went to see him. I went to check up on him and find out how he was doing. I had of course been speaking with him on the phone and I thought it will be a good thing to go and see him and you know, generally check up on how he was doing and also to brief him on developments back at home". 3. Buhari is recovering super fast. Don't lose too much sleep over the nation's commander-in-chief because he's recuperating rather nicely, says Osinbajo. ALSO READ: "So we had a very good time, we had a very good conversation on wide-ranging issues and he is in very good spirits. He is recuperating very quickly and he is doing very well", Osinbajo reiterated. 4. Expect Buhari any time soon. There was no time frame, but Osinbajo says you should expect the president back home any time soon. "We are expecting Buhari back in Nigeria very shortly. Very very shortly. I think we should really expect him back very shortly. Like I said, he is recuperating very fast and he is doing very, very well. 5. Osinbajo was tight-lipped when pressed on what was discussed during his meeting with Buhari. If you were expecting a tell-it-all session after this meeting between both leaders, you may have to wait a little longer. We discussed wide-ranging issues. I really cant go into specifics of all of the discussions we had, said Osinbajo. 6. Those ministers waiting to get into the cabinet have to wait a little longer. There are two ministerial nominees who havent been inaugurated into the federal executive council since they were cleared by parliament. The nominees are Prof. Stephen Ikanyo Ocheni from Kogi and Suleman Zamah Hassan from Gombe. Both names were drafted to replace the late James Ocholi who passed away after a car crash and Amina Mohammed who took up a job with the United Nations. Osinbajo gave nothing away when asked whether hes been tasked by the president to swear in the ministers-designate. "Well, Im not in a position to say anything about the ministers-designate. I dont have a date in mind but Im sure very very soon, we will inaugurate them. "No. We didnt discuss inauguration or anything like that. We didnt". 7. No one knows when Buhari will return; maybe not even Osinbajo himself. Buhari has been away for 66 days now. Osinbajo was asked if Buhari will be back before day 90. No, no. Deadlines arent a very good thing but as I said, Buhari is recuperating fast. We are expecting him very shortly. Much sooner than you will expect", the acting president said. Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse has become the inaugural location for a billion-dollar electronic health record and billing system for Mayo Clinic Health Systems nationwide network. Mayo-Franciscan went live Saturday with the Epic records system, which will spread to all Mayo sites by the end of next year. This is a very big switch for us, going to a single system for the entire Mayo enterprise, said Tim Johnson, who works at Mayo-Franciscan in La Crosse as regional vice president for Mayo Clinic in Southwest Wisconsin. The joint planning process began 2 years ago to design and incorporate the system of Verona, Wis.-based Epic, Johnson said during an interview Wednesday. Known internally as the Plummer Project, the initiative sprung from the legacy of Dr. Henry Plummer, who created the worlds first patient-centered health records system at Mayo Clinic more than a century ago. More than 51,000 Mayo staffers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida will be trained to use the Epic system. Just about every person who interacts with patients will have access to it, Johnson said. The system will improve efficiency, quality and patient safety, he said, adding that, upon completion, the electronic records will allow sharing of information throughout Mayo World. Mayo-Franciscan in Wisconsin was tapped as the first step of implementation because Wisconsin is not too big, and not too small, so we can learn, he said. The system has not experienced any major glitches since going live at 6 a.m. Saturday, Johnson said. Were solving hundreds of minor issues as we roll out, he said. Were in the throes of it. Were dealing with the stress of transition. An impressive aspect of the system is that it will accommodate not only community-based hospital care but also the complicated combinations of academic research and subspecialties as well as community care at Mayos Rochester headquarters, Johnson said. Epic, which replaces three electronic health records systems Mayo uses now, extends far beyond medical records and billing to include vast networks of Mayos medical centers, security, radiology, data centers and every other facet of operations, he said. Its taking the best practices of Mayo Clinic to benefit all patients at all sites converging on a common set of tools and bringing the best of Mayo Clinic to each patients care, said Dr. Steve Peters, Mayo Clinics chief medical information officer. For example, Johnson said, a Mayo patient in La Crosse who becomes ill while traveling in Arizona will have the benefit of the fact that Arizona Mayo physicians can tap into the patients records immediately. The cost of the system includes training of staffers and implementation and will be spread over several years, Johnson said. The system will include information as dialed down as medications, allergies and health issues. All billing will be done through one system, and patients will receive one consolidated statement regardless of which Mayo facility where they receive care, Peters said. Attesting to the effectiveness of the Epic system is Dr. Michael Redman, chief medical information officer at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, which began using Epic six years ago. There always are challenges when you go to a new system, said Redman, an otolaryngologist who said Epic is an improvement over the old paper system by 1,000 percent, for sure. Initially, it is a big headache and they probably will find that, too. Like Johnson, Redman noted the advantage of interhospital communication Epic allows, saying, We send a lot of patients to UW-Madison, and vice-versa. Its easier to take care of traveling patients. Having Epics headquarters so close, with Verona less than 150 miles from La Crosse, is an advantage in case problems arise, Redman said. Like Mayos gradual activation of Epic, Gundersen also has been phasing it in throughout its three-state system, with the final move, into cardiology, slated for October, he said. Launching the system at Mayo-Franciscan has included bringing personnel in from Rochester, Arizona and Florida, and Mayo-Franciscan staffers will be on call as experts as Epic rolls to other sites, Johnson said. It is evolving, because Mayo World is so large, he said. It involves a great deal of training. We have a command center here, and Eau Claire has a command center. In Rochester, 200 people are available 24/7. If a nurse, doctor or receptionist runs into a problem, help for them is literally at their elbow, Johnson said. Mayo Clinic sites in Minnesota, except Rochester, are scheduled to go live with Epic in November, followed by the Rochester campus being activated in May and the switch being flipped for its campuses in Arizona and Florida in October 2018. Addressing party supporters who thronged the party secretariat following the judgement that sacked Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff as Acting National Chairman, he said the judgment was victory for all members of the party. Adewale, who had aligned with the Sheriff camp while the leadership tussle lasted, pledged his unalloyed support and that of his followers to Makarfi, who he said is now the leader based on the verdict. He commended Sheriff for his great efforts in the party while he was Acting Chairman, and said switching his allegiance to Makarfi was informed by his commitment to the party and not necessarily about individuals. Adewale said the judgment should not be seen to mean that those who had supported Sheriff were inferior to those who had supported Makarfi before the verdict. He said the judgment actually meant PDP was now one and there was a need for all members to unite and work for the progress of the party. When asked if he still had the right to continue to occupy the secretariat as Lagos PDP chairman following the judgement, he said the verdict announced a new national leadership and did not sack him. Adewale said he was duly elected as PDP chairman of the state and he would remain in the secretariat while awaiting the reconciliation committee promised by Makarfi to reconcile members. He said the Moshood Salvador group, which had formed an electoral alliance with the Labour Party, did not have the right to take over the secretariat from PDP members. Salvador leads the Lagos faction of the party that had always been loyal to the Makarfi caretaker committee, and had earlier formed a temporary alliance with the Labour Party to give its members a platform to contest in the July 22 council polls in Lagos. The group had said it looked forward to the Supreme Court verdict on the leadership tussle at the national level to resolve that of Lagos also. But Adewale said: We are PDP members and we will always be in PDP. When Makarfi won initially, we were in PDP; when Sheriff was affirmed Chairman, we were in PDP, and now that Makarfi has been declared Chairman, we are still in PDP. For us, whether it is Sheriff or Makarfi, we will forever be in PDP. And that has always been our position; that we will abide by the outcome of the case at the Supreme Court. So, we will remain here (PDP secretariat), because the court did not invalidate whatever had happened under Sheriff and we will be waiting for the steps that would be taken by the Makarfi reconciliation committee. You dont expect people who have gone to Labour Party to now come and take over the secretariat. That will be impossible. So, during the trying period, we have been here, and we are still here because we are not opportunists but are committed PDP members. Adewale said the judgement would not alter the list of PDP candidates sent to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for the July 22 council polls in the state, as it was submitted when the court affirmed Sheriff as Chairman. LASIEC has a timetable for the election. We presented candidates for the screening and they were validated. Now, because of the judgement, some people have rushed to LASIEC in an attempt to tamper with the names. These are people who have gone to Labour. How possible? If they have a ground, then will they say the victory of the PDP in the Osun bye election should be invalidated because the election was conducted under Sherrif as PDP leader. So, nobody can tamper with the list. In fact, as we are leaving here, we are going to LASIEC to ensure that nobody tampers with the list, because that is the PDP list, he said. Adewale said he and his supporters were committed to the unity of party and would welcome efforts to reconcile members. He also said preparations for the council election were in top gear to ensure the PDP performed well at the polls. He said the strategies have worked and Osun has been reaping the fruits in forms of increased activities in the food production sector. The Governor said massive supports for farmers, modern technological trainings for enhanced yields, provision of improved seedlings and engagement and encouragements in forms of loans and lands with provision of access roads to farming communities in the state have all helped to bring farming into focus. Aregbesola listed these strategies when he hosted the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh in his Office in Osogbo. Both sought partnership as part of the ways out of the current economic challenges being experienced by Nigerians. The Osun Governor said the present economy has left Nigerians with options of either to develop or destroy, thus calling for massive participation in agriculture. The governor who lamented on the present nation's economy, said agriculture has shown to be the only sector that has capacity to deliver the nation from her current economic bondage. Aregbesola attributed the current recession to inability of Nigerian people to promote agriculture, saying it is high time for every reasonable government to invest largely in agriculture. He said all the reasonable, responsible and progress-seeking nations are looking for alternative to oil to fuel their engines for industrial process, a development which he said will bid a farewell to oil production in the world. According to him, alternative to oil is a quest of all nations. A time is coming when oil will no longer serve the mono-economic that it serves now, thus, Nigeria must come to that grim reality that in 25 years to come, there will not be revenue from oil. "So, considering development, the only viable alternative is to till the land for massive agriculture to ensure better economic alternative. "We all need to go back to the land. Let us start by feeding ourselves. We don't need to wait till we get machineries. Let us develop spirit of farming. Farming is the only way to economic prosperity of the Nigerian nation. "Let's do whatever we can do as individuals, groups and governments to promote agriculture. Desperate situation calls for desperate solution. "It is quite unfortunate that in spite of recession, our nation could not feed itself as we depend largely on importation. It is unfortunate that we borrow money to feed ourselves not to implement infrastructural projects again," he stressed. Governor Aregbesola said it is high time for all to see land as the most valuable entity given by God to salvage themselves and develop the nation. "With the rate at which things are going in Nigeria, we are going towards a position whereby we will be left with just two choices, we will have to decide weather we are to face development or to face disaster. "The prediction for the viability of oil is not more than twenty five years from now, all reasonable and progress-seeking nations of the world are looking for alternative as a means of fueling their engines. So, oil will no longer be viable. "Oil will no longer serve the mono-economic purpose it is serving in about 25 years from now, the only real and viable alternative to our nation is to till the land and bring out wealth. "There is no part of this country that the land is not viable, we all need to go back to the farm and start by even trying to first feed ourselves. "We all need to start developing a new attitude to food production, we need to put food production on the front burner and try to build the capacity to feed ourselves conviniency." While speaking on the state's interventions on agriculture, the Director General, Economic Partnership, Dr. Charles Akinola said Osun has recorded huge success in the agriculture sector. "Osun has institutionalized several agriculture programmes to ensure food security and agricultural self sustainability," he said While speaking, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development said it is unfortunate that Nigeria is still spending billions of dollars on food importation, thus calling for massive collaboration and partnership between and among the various authorities to revamp agriculture. "By December this year we will stop the importation of rice into the country, its a pity that as a nation we spend about N5 million dollars on the importation of rice on a daily basis. "We have no choice in this country now but to get back to the land and begin to till the land to be able to free ourselves and the land from poverty because oil and gas can no longer do it. "Our dreams of big foreign exchange earnings must stop and its a pity that all our revenue is being spent on servicing debts. "In Osun there is a lot of potentials through various crops, just two crops alone are enough for Osun to make over three billion dollars in a month. "We have to find extraordinary means to make agriculture work in this country because by 2050 Nigeria's population would have risen to about 450million and we have to quickly begin to look for means to be able to feed ourselves by then," the Minister stated. The wife of the former Osun state governor, 73-year-old Omowunmi,died at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on Tuesday, July 11. In the letter, the President indicated that he already had a phone call conversation with the former interim National Chairman of the APC, and condoled him over the "irreparable loss." The letter, released through the president's spokesperson, Garba Shehu, read, "I received the very sad news of the death of your dearly beloved wife, Madam Omowunmi Akande this morning. "I am following our phone call with this letter of condolence, which comes from my heart. "To lose a wife, a dear wife after 50 years, a constant and loving companion through good and bad times, is a blow only a man of unshakeable faith can withstand. "Please extend my personal condolences to the immediate and wider Akande family and to friends of the family for this irreparable loss. "May Allah give you the strength and Iman to endure her passing away." Not much has been heard from the president since he left for London on May 7 to resume treatment for an undisclosed illness. He had a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Abuja House in London on Tuesday, July 11, and his deputy said he was "recuperating very quickly and hes doing very well. "I think we should really expect him back very shortly." Osinbajo paid a condolence visit to the bereaved Chief Akande in Ila-Oragun, Osun state on Thursday. ALSO READ: Bisi Akande loses wife in Ibadan According to the Acting President's spokesperson, Laolu Akande, tweeting with his Twitter handle (@akandeoj), Osinbajo described the late Mrs. Akande as, "A true gem, mothering & supporting to the end". The deceased's burial was set for today with a family statement, released yesterday, saying, "The family of Chief Bisi Akande, the Asiwaju of Ila Orangun, announces the passing to glory of our matriarch, Chief (Mrs.) Omowunmi Akande. "Our mother slept in the Lord at 4.30pm on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. Saraki made the call while receiving a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Wednesday. He assured the delegation that the Senate Committee on Basic Education would investigate the complaints by the association on the curriculum with a view to making it acceptable and satisfactory to all religions. Explaining the background to the introduction of the policy, Saraki said the process began in 2010 when the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan came up with a series of reforms. This is with a view to reduce the number of subjects in school curriculum." As leaders, we must continue to seek and find solutions to problems." You will remember that in 2010, the past administration came up with reforms on how to reduce the number of subjects at the basic education level." There were about 20 subjects at that time, and subsequently they were reduced to 12." In the process of implementing those reforms, we have this problem. Why I am saying this is so we dont leave here and believe that it was done to favour one religion over the other." Now the reform is clearly not working. So our responsibility is to look into that reform and make it work." I am sure that there was no intention to make one group feel disadvantaged with this new school curriculum. This is why this Senate will direct our Committee on Education to look at the reform and find out why it is not working with the relevant stakeholders, he said. Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Prof. Charles Adisa, called for the intervention of the National Assembly to ensure genuine respect for Nigerias Constitution. Adisa, who represented, the CAN National President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said: We also call for the abolition of obnoxious laws that infringe on freedom of worship. He said CAN wanted Islamic Religious Knowledge and Christian Religious Knowledge to be offered separately, while Social Studies and Civic Education should be merged. Adisa also said the federal and state ministries of education should employ more teachers for religious subjects. This will allow students to opt for religious studies of their choice in all public schools in Nigeria, he added. Adisa noted that the Constitution was supreme over any other consideration. The products, which were seized by NCSs operatives in Zone ` C Benin, were valued at N94.7 million. The Comptroller of Customs, Abubakar Azarema, who is also the National Coordinator, Comptroller-General of Customs Compliance Team, announced this to newsmen in Benin. He said the drugs were unverified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) and were suspected to be unfit for consumption. He, however, said that the NCS was particular about safeguarding the health of Nigerians. The comptroller immediately handed over the pharmaceutical products to Mr Godwin Tonwuru, the NAFDAC State Coordinator in Edo, where the they were intercepted. Also seized by the operatives according to him, are 2,635 bags of banned foreign parboiled rice valued at N80,631,000. Azarema said that the rice was seized within the zonal area of operation comprising Edo, Delta and Imo. The comptroller said that the service would not relent in the fight against smugglers. He, however, advised importers to always respect the rules by importing legal and approved items. Azarema urged importers to always apply for approval from relevant authorities before importing goods. Osinbajo visited the former Governor of Osun state today, July 13, 2017, to condole him over his wife, 73-year-old Omowunmi,who died at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on Tuesday, July 11. ALSO READ: Bisi Akande loses wife in Ibadan According to the Acting President's spokesperson, Laolu Akande, tweeting with his Twitter handle (@akandeoj), Osinbajo described the late Mrs. Akande as, "A true gem, mothering & supporting to the end". The deceased's burial was set for today with a family statement, released yesterday, saying, "The family of Chief Bisi Akande, the Asiwaju of Ila Orangun, announces the passing to glory of our matriarch, Chief (Mrs.) Omowunmi Akande. "Our mother slept in the Lord at 4.30pm on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. The group made the call at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos on the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of NHIS, Prof. Usman Yusuf. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, had on July 7, directed Yusuf to proceed on three months suspension. The suspension which is to allow for an uninterrupted investigation was with immediate effect. Mr Raji Oyewunmi, Leader of the group said: We are disturbed by the torrents of unfolding events and mind-blowing revelations of corrupt practices in all key sectors of our national life. We are undoubtedly optimistic that if this ongoing drive against corruption is sustained, our country will no longer be a safe haven for looters. The present administration is dedicated to eradicating corruption from our country and as such, people that work with this administration should be part of this vision. Everybody should know their limitations and work according to such limitations; you cannot be a lawmaker and be an executive at the same time. He noted that the suspension of Yusuf could be similar to the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr David Babachir Lawal. Babachirs suspension was carved out of the need to pave way for an uninterrupted and unhindered investigative panel." We therefore, admonish the suspended NHIS helmsman to tow the path of honour by submitting himself to the administrative investigative panel which has the backing of the Federal Government and relevant government agencies." We also call on the EFCC to get involved in the NHIS financial scam and subject all culprits, after investigation processes are concluded, to the dictates of our laws for adequate punishment.?" Nobody should be seen to be above the law of the land irrespective of political affiliation, religious and tribal inclination, he said. The group called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to comb other agencies of the government and ignite the passion for constructive restructuring and reviewing of the NHIS. This is especially as just about two per cent of our people are enrolled, compared to 75 per cent obtained in U.S. The Federal Government needs to see this as a matter of national importance to reassure Nigerians of it its aim to provide easy access to healthcare at an affordable cost through an effective prepayment system." Government also needs to review the processes of engagement and Conditions of Service of all the HMOs in Nigeria to achieve progress in the Managed Healthcare System (MHS) Act, Oyewunmi said. Also, Mr Declan Ihekaire, Chair, Activists for Good Governance, a member of the coalition, urged public servants to be honourable. He also advised the National Assembly not be agents of intimidation. The NHIS boss, Yusuf, has been suspended to face a particular panel investigating some allegations levelled against him." Rather than going to answer the questions against him, he has gone to the NASS to seek refuge." Our NASS should not be seen as gradually becoming agents of intimidation against offices and officers that whistle-blow against certain individuals." Yusuf has been suspended and the NASS is saying that he should be reinstated without finding out what has transpired." We are saying no to that; we are saying that whoever is accused or alleged of anything, once you are a public officer, you should on your own, without force, submit yourself to investigation." Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. The bank said it played a limited role in the spending of the loot because of the structure of the programme adopted by the government at the time. The World Bank disclosed this in a letter addressed to a civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). It said the recovered loots were channelled into Nigeria's budget in line with Olusegun Obasanjo's National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). The bank said, "The funds were returned directly from Switzerland to the Nigerian Government adding that it is committed to helping Nigeria account for the spending of the loots. "They were programmed into the national budget and utilized by the Nigerian Government in line with its National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS)." The financial institution added that the structure of the programme did not allow for the comprehensive audits like the bank would normally do with its own funded projects. The letter further reads, "As agreed with the Nigerian and Swiss governments, the Bank's role was limited to carrying out an ex-post analysis on their use with a particular focus on their contribution to the NEEDS. "This was done as part of the public expenditure review carried out jointly by Nigerian government and the Bank under the Country Partnership Strategy. The monitoring and analysis of repatriated funds was undertaken at two levels through: (1) the Bank-led analysis of general budget expenditure trends, and (2) a budget monitoring survey which was a limited field survey of sample projects funded under the budget program and randomly selected from a list of projects provided by the government. "The budget monitoring survey was conducted by joint teams representing both government agencies and Nigerian civil society organizations. The Banks role in this particular case was limited by the design and different from the type of comprehensive audits we can do when funds are spent in projects supported by the Bank. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to explain the Banks role in this matter in the near future. "We do share your deep commitment to fighting corruption and promoting transparency and accountability. These are key ingredients to successful development and economic well-being. "We believe that the work organizations like SERAP are doing is critical to achieve our common goal of improving the lives of people in Nigeria and beyond." The five-man panel reached a unanimous decision yesterday, July 12, 2017 to put an end to the leadership crisis that rocked the party since May 21, 2016 when it attempted to remove Sheriff as chairman. In a signed statement by the former spokesperson for his faction, Mr. Bernard Mikko, the former Borno state governor has said he is still awaiting details of the judgement. According to the Punch, the statement read, "We received with shock the 12th July judgement of the Supreme Court on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party. "Though we still await the full written judgement of the highest court from our lawyers who will fully brief us on the details of the judgement. In the interim, we ask all members and supporters to remain steadfast in prayers for Nigeria. "Meanwhile, we continue with our avowed demands that the party must be given back to the owners at the grassroots to always elect their party officials and those to contest elections for them at all levels. Internal democracy must be institutionalized in the party." The judgement was read by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who accused Sheriff of displaying "infantile desperation to cling to office at all cost". In addition to the judgement, the court also awarded the sum of N200,000 against Sheriff, as well as Prof. Wale Oladipo who was the party's National Secretary under him. The prosecution tendered the statement as exhibit at the resumed hearing of the case of culpable homicide and conspiracy preferred against the accused and four others. I never sent anybody to attack Dino. My duty is to protect. I dont know those who attacked him. I have never carried any arm to political rallies before. Dino and I have our differences; he wanted to nominate somebody as the Administrator of Ijumu Local Government Area. I was in the hospital looking after my wife who was sick and on admission when the said attack took place, he said. The prosecuting counsel, ACP Lough Simon, had called the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case, Sergeant Abdul Aminu, as a prosecution witness in the matter. However, under cross examination by the defence counsel, Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN), the witness confirmed that the statement of the local government administrator was taken in his presence. The statement was accepted and marked as exhibit by Akogwu, following no objection submission by defence counsel. Insp. Sule Ibrahim, the exhibit keeper, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), A Division Police Station, Lokoja, also tendered two double barrel guns allegedly recovered during investigation in the case, as exhibits before the court. The guns were said to have been recovered from the security men attached to Isa, who claimed to be member of a vigilance group operating in the area. Jonathan stated this on Wednesday on his tweeter handle in his reaction to the court judgment on the partys leadership crisis. The Supreme Court in Abuja on Wednesday set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt that affirmed Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff as PDP National Chairman. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who read the judgment of the five-man panel, declared the Makarfi-led caretaker committee as the authentic leadership organ of the party. I believe in our jurists. We may have issues with some individuals but the Nigerian judiciary deserves respect and commendation. Todays verdict is a judgment where there are no winners or losers. It is a verdict that will bring our party together. He congratulated the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, adding that I strongly urge them not to see this as victory for a section of the party but as moral victory for constitutionality over arbitrariness. Thus, they must take inspiration from Gen. Yakubu Gowon and declare a no victor and no vanquished policy. I hereby call on all those who left the party because of leadership issues to return to their natural home and build the PDP. He added that the PDP was an inclusive vehicle, not an exclusive one, saying we see Nigerians as human beings deserving of the rule of law, separation of power and free market economy that provides level playing ground for all. On this subject, the Qu'ran says, "Punish both of those among you who are guilty of this sin, then if they repent and mend their ways, leave them alone. For Allah is always ready to accept repentance. He is All-Compassionate." (Q4:16) Another verse reads, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds? Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."(Q 7: 80-81) With these verses, it is clear that homosexuality has no place in Islam. This explains why the Internet went crazy when Jahed Choudhury, a Muslim, tied the knot with another man! This made him the first Muslim to have a same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom. He got married to his partner, Sean Rogan, in a low-key ceremony at Walsall registry office on July 11, 2017. According to him, his husband is his 'guardian angel' because he came at a low point in his life. Describing how they met, the newly wed 24-year-old said their first meeting was as he was crying on a bench in Darlaston, West Midlands. This was shortly after leaving the hospital where he had been treated for an overdose. He said, "It was outside Asda of all places. He came up to me and asked if I was OK. I thought he was my guardian angel. I had been crying privately to myself, although I was screaming inside." But when I came out of hospital [after the overdose] I had started to think "enough is enough". Every time I feel down he says to me "don't feel bad" and says a lot of people feel the same as me." After that meeting, they went to the cinema. Eventually, they dated, and started living together in 2015. Choudhury proposed on his husband's birthday in 2016. To disapproving people, Choudhury says that you can be a Muslim as well as a gay person. His argument is that God made him the way he is because he tried to change but just could not escape his feelings. The newlywed said, "I knew I was gay at about six or seven, but I was taught it was wrong so I just kept it hidden." "I did anything to try and change how I felt. I prayed, I read the Koran and went to pilgrimage." "My religion will never change. God's in my heart'. 'My mother tells me "God made you like this - you have love for God". He added, They think it's a disease and can be cured, some of my family still call it a phase. I want to say to all people going through the same thing that's it's okay we're going to show the whole world that you can be gay and Muslim. His husband, 19-year-old Rogan, said: Being gays not wrong, its not a phase'. People just need a bit of support. In spite of these, Muslims have refused to support this union. The Independent reports that the couple has received a lot of insults from fellow believers online. One person wrote, You Cant Be A Gay Muslim, If You Are Then You're Not A Muslim. Islam Forbids This, Im not saying they should Split up and Be Straight Which is the right thing to do, what Im saying is they cant be Muslim If they are Gay. Another said: "It's like eating meat and calling myself a vegetarian you are not Muslims." One person said, "They are not Muslims, we don't have gays and lesbians." These comments certainly go with what the Qu'ran says about homosexuality. I am not a Muslim but one thing I know about the Holy Book is very strict. In it, things are either permissible or not, there is no middle ground, no room for interpretation. So if it calls homosexuality a "sin," then that is what it is. Still, there are people like Choudhury who believe that there is a room for it in Islam. Imam Daayiee Abdullah, who is openly gay, is one of those people. He believes that the issue is how people choose to interpret the Qu'ran. His argument is that "there is nothing wrong with Quran. The problem is with how people have interpreted it." Saraki who took to Twitter on Thursday, July 13 to criticise the industrial action, which has paralysed academic activities in the school said the Senate has taken a stand on the issue. Although the Senate president did not state the stand the Senate took on the issue, but it was reported that the lawmakers had urged the Federal Government to intervene in the crisis bedevilling the University. Meanwhile, the Senate President during a plenary session on Wednesday, July 12 had urged the Oyo and Osun States to save the students future by urgently resolving the problem that led to the prolong strike ALSO READ:Aregbesola blames LAUTECH crisis on school management While discussing the university crisis, the Senate stressed the need for the Federal Government to provide a lifeline for the university so as to further promote science and technology in the country. According to Vanguard, the lawmakers pointed out that the Federal Government could only invest in capital projects in the institution and not spend on payment of salaries and allowances of workers. "5,000 (5,600 euros, $6,400) for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant," he wrote. He described Miller, who was born in what was then British Guiana, as a "boat jumper" and added: "If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles." Judge Emma Arbuthnot said the comments by Philipps, who is also known as Lord St Davids, were racially aggravated. In a statement read to the court in London on Monday, Miller said the comments left her "very scared for the safety of herself and her family". Prosecuting lawyer Philip Stott said: "She took the threat seriously, and it contributed to her employing professional security for her protection." Philipps, who lives in the exclusive London district of Knightsbridge, accepted writing the posts but said they were intended to be humorous and were visible only to his Facebook friends. Judge Arbuthnot ordered the recently bankrupt Philipps to pay 500 compensation. "You are not motivated by love of country, but by your hatred of anybody who has different views to yours," she told him. "You show this hatred by publicly directing abusive threats at others, which is a criminal offence in this multi-racial society we are lucky enough to live in." Miller was subjected to torrents of abuse for her legal challenge, which critics took as an attempt to block Brexit. The government began the process of leaving the EU in March after a referendum last year. The US president's brief 24-hour trip to the French capital coincides with celebrations for Bastille Day, France's national day which is marked on Friday, and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the 71-year-old stepped onto French soil for the first time as president hoping the visit will distract from weighty allegations that his family and inner circle colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election. The scandal has put his son and top aides in legal jeopardy, cast a pall over his efforts to remake the political agenda and may yet imperil his presidency. During the brief visit, Trump -- who sees himself as a transformative figure in US history -- will be the guest of honour for Friday's Bastille Day festivities that mark a pivotal point in the French Revolution. This year's event -- featuring 63 planes, 29 helicopters, 241 horses and 3,720 soldiers -- also coincides with the centenary of America entering World War I. More than 50,000 Americans died in what then-president Woodrow Wilson described as the "war to end all wars," a conflict that forged the trans-Atlantic alliance in steel. Eiffel Tower dinner On the eve of the parade, Trump will visit Napoleon's tomb, hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and share a Michelin-starred dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on joint efforts to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. Macron, 39, is hoping to use the weight of history and French grandeur to charm the unpredictable Trump. But it remains to be seen whether the all the frills and delicate cuisine of acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse will woo this steak-and-ketchup president. Trump may struggle to stop his mind wondering back to explosive emails in which his oldest son Donald Trump junior appeared to embrace the offer of dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russian interlocutors. Shortly before leaving Washington, he had to parry criticisms that his administration was in disarray and his legislative agenda on the rocks. "The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V." he tweeted Point of convergence? In London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, European leaders are wondering how best to handle the US president, whose nationalist "America First" agenda has upended transatlantic relations. There are already tensions over climate change and trade, while Trump was openly critical of the EU last year and snubbed a handshake with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their first meeting in March. "The Western world is fracturing since the American election," Macron said in an interview with regional newspaper Ouest-France published on Thursday. Trump and Macron appear to have little in common, with their views at odds on everything from globalisation to immigration. Macron was even described as the "anti-Trump" during his run for the French presidency this year and is half the US president's age. "It's very difficult to play chess with a man whose strategy is a complete mystery and whose only consistency is his pursuit of American national interest," foreign affairs expert Bertrand Badie of Sciences Po university in Paris told AFP. "To imagine that you might change his mind on something is simply mad." Macron also told Ouest-France that Paris and Washington had "an essential point of convergence: fighting terrorism and protecting our vital interests". However, he also lamented "a protectionist tendency (which) has resurfaced in the United States". "I want to defend free and fair trade," he added. French charm offensive Sources at the White House and in the French presidency insist ties are healthy even after a muscular handshake seen as a battle of wills between the two of them when they first met at a NATO summit in May. "The relationship is excellent," said one member of Macron's team. Objections against Trump's visit to France have so far been muted, with the government insisting on the need to build bridges with the White House and avoid Trump becoming isolated internationally. "What Emmanuel Macron wants to do is to bring him into the circle, include him in discussions," government spokesman Christophe Castaner said Thursday. "If France can play a role as a facilitator, I'm proud that Emmanuel Macron can contribute to that." Part of the charm offensive is a packed agenda for first ladies Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron. The US First Lady -- decked in a red skirt suit and heels -- on Thursday morning visited a sprawling children's hospital in central Paris. Security focus Nearly 11,000 police officers will be on duty, with France in its highest state of alert after a string of terror attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 300 people. And in early July, police charged a 23-year-old suspected far-right activist with plotting to assassinate Macron at the Bastille Day parade. It is also just one day shy of one year ago when on July 14 the country was plunged into mourning again after a truck ploughed into families enjoying a fireworks display in the southern Riviera city of Nice, leaving 86 dead. Trump, who uses the @realDonaldTrump account in office, has been sued by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York, along with seven individual Twitter users, reports said. The suit claimed that Trumps blocking of users who were critical of him was a violation of the U.S. Constituion. President Trumps Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, has become an important source of news and information about the government, and an important public forum for speech by, to, and about the President." In an effort to suppress dissent in this forum, Defendants have excluded blocked Twitter users who have criticized the President or his policies. This practice is unconstitutional, and this suit seeks to end it, the lawsuit read. The lawsuit, which was filed in the federal court in the Southern District of New York, claimed it was a violation to suppress dissent. White House spokesman Sean Spicer noted in June that Trumps tweets are official statements and the White House often sends out official statements everytime the President tweets. Trump, along with Spicer and Dan Scavino, the White House Director of Social mLMedia, are named as defendants in the lawsuit. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University is a New York City-based 501(c)(III) organisation , meaning a nonprofit organisation. The organization works to defend and strengthen the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, and public education, according to the complaint. The seven individual plaintiffs in the suit are writer and political consultant Rebecca Buckwalter, Prof. Philip Cohen, political organiser Holly Figueroa, resident in general surgery Eugene Gu, police officer Brandon Neely, former professional cyclist Joseph Papp and comic/writer Nicholas Pappas. The federal suit is case number 1:17-cv-05205. Air Force One departed at 7:43 pm (2343 GMT) for the trip to Paris during which Trump, who sported a cerulean blue tie for the trip, is expected to include talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and participate as a guest of honor in the country's national holiday festivities. The visit comes days after the release of emails that the US president's son jumped at a Russian offer to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton during the campaign -- the latest development in the probe into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election. "Getting rdy to leave for France @ the invitation of President Macron to celebrate & honor Bastille Day and 100yrs since U.S. entry into WWI," Trump tweeted prior to his flight. He is set to arrive Thursday in Paris for talks with Macron expected to focus on joint efforts against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where American and French troops are in action side-by-side. The two leaders will then dine at the Michelin-starred restaurant embedded in the Eiffel Tower, taking in sweeping views of the French capital with their wives Melania and Brigitte. The following day they will watch French and American troops march down the Champs-Elysees in Paris during the holiday's traditional military parade. Trump and Macron, who both entered office this year, appear to have little in common. Last month the mercurial US leader notably withdrew the US from the global Paris climate change agreement to Macron's dismay. European pioneers In April 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in a civil ceremony. More than a dozen European countries followed: Belgium, Britain (except Northern Ireland), Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In Germany, gay marriage has also been approved and is to take effect within a few months. Some European countries only allow same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships however, including Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland. In October 2014, Estonia became the first former Soviet republic to authorise this type of civil union. Many eastern European countries -- including Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia -- deny homosexuals the right to marry or enter into unions. In December 2015, Slovenians rejected in a referendum a proposal by their national parliament to legalise gay marriage. About 15 western European countries allow same-sex couples to adopt children, whether within marriage or civil partnerships. They include Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany (soon), the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. Finland and Slovenia allow gay people to adopt their partner's children. Progress in the Americas Canada led the way in North America, authorising same-sex marriage and adoptions in June 2005. In the United States, a Supreme Court decision in June 2015 legalised gay marriage nationwide. Fourteen states nonetheless still consider it to be illegal. Mexico's federal capital led the way in Latin America, authorising civil unions in 2007 and marriages in 2009. Same-sex marriages are also legal in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Chile's civil union law recognises same-sex couples, and Costa Rica allows them to share health and pension benefits. Rare in Africa, Asia and Middle East On the African continent, where around 30 countries ban homosexuality, only in South Africa can gays legally marry and adopt children. In the Middle East, Israel leads in terms of respect for homosexual rights, recognising gay marriages performed elsewhere even though such marriages are not performed in Israel itself. Gay couples can jointly adopt children. In the Asia-Pacific region, the only country that allows gays to marry is New Zealand, which passed a law in April 2013. Several Australian states practise civil unions, which are not recognised nationwide. But adoptions by gay parents are legal. Ahmadinejad's disqualification by the conservative-run Guardian Council was no surprise -- he had been advised not to run by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who said it would "polarise" the nation. Ahmadinejad's populist economics and defiant attitude to the establishment had alienated even his hardline backers during his tenure between 2005 and 2013. "Once the supreme leader had told him not to stand, it became impossible for him to be cleared by the Guardian Council," said Clement Therme, research fellow for Iran at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "By his second term, (Ahmadinejad) was even challenging the clerics. He was not useful anymore for the system." The mood in Tehran has been subdued -- many are disillusioned with Rouhani's failure to kick-start the economy despite broad support for his efforts to rebuild ties with the West, notably through a nuclear deal with world powers that ended many sanctions. The election commission ruled on Thursday that live TV debates would be banned, without giving a reason -- a decision criticised by Rouhani and other candidates. Campaigning, which the Guardian Council announced could begin immediately, had not been supposed to start for another week, so little activity was expected on Friday. But experts say the authorities are keen to excite interest in the vote. "They need that for legitimacy -- the turnout is even more important than the result," said Therme. Iran's elections are tightly controlled, with the Guardian Council allowing just six people -- and no women -- to stand for the May 19 vote out of 1,636 hopefuls that registered last week. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, a run-off between the top two is held a week later. Rouhani, a politically moderate cleric, squeaked to victory last time with 51 percent in the first round, helped by a divided conservative camp. The Guardian Council has resisted efforts by Iran's parliament, the Majles, to clarify the criteria by which they choose candidates. The constitution adopted after the 1979 revolution offers only vague guidelines that candidates should possess "administrative capacity and resourcefulness... trustworthiness and piety". Hardline competition The build-up to the vote has injected more interest than many predicted just a couple of months ago, when Rouhani was seen as a shoo-in for a second term if only because the conservative opposition seemed unable to offer a strong candidate. Since then, the 56-year-old former judge and cleric Ebrahim Raisi has emerged as a front-runner for the conservatives. Little-known on the political scene, Raisi runs a powerful religious foundation and business empire in the holy city of Mashhad and is seen as a close ally of -- and possible successor to -- supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But despite emphasising his care for the poor, many say Raisi's hardline judicial background and entourage will turn off voters. "He seems like a good and calm person himself, but the people around him are scary," said a tour operator in Yazd, echoing a widely heard sentiment. Some think he may drop out at the last minute in favour of Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who came second to Rouhani in 2013. Ghalibaf is a war veteran, former Revolutionary Guards commander and police chief -- and could be the preferred choice of powerful backroom hardliners. The other three candidates have been less prominent so far. They include two moderate reformists, Mostafa Hashemitaba and vice-president Eshaq Jahangiri, and a veteran hardliner Mostafa Mirsalim -- a selection that appears designed to give an even balance to moderates and hardliners in the upcoming debates. 'Took risks' There were mixed reactions to Ahmadinejad's disqualification. Despite controversial rhetoric against Israel that worsened ties with the West, and somewhat reckless financial management, he retained considerable popularity, particularly among the poor. "I think Ahmadinejad should not have been disqualified," said Mohammad Barkhordar, 20, doing his military service. "He was the kind of president that took risks, like distributing money among people and giving houses to the poor, and he had big ambitions for Iran's nuclear programme. Rouhani doesn't take any risks." But many were glad to see the back of him. Media reports said gunmen had burst into a children's party at the house and shot dead seven men and four women. Four children were found inside unharmed, aged between four and 14, reported the newspaper Excelsior. One of the children told authorities that masked men wearing police uniforms arrived during the party and killed all the adults, it said. Mexico has seen a new eruption of deadly violence in recent months. Murders hit a record high in May, according to the latest official data: 2,186 homicides, the most since the country began keeping track 20 years ago. The violence is fueled by powerful, ultra-violent drug cartels. Superintendent Marvin Marcos and 18 other officers have been reinstated, police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said, despite still being on bail for the murder of Albuera town mayor Rolando Espinosa. "They are back on normal duties" after serving a suspension period, Dela Rosa told reporters. Justice Department investigators said the men, who have yet to stand trial, shot dead Espinosa and cellmate Raul Yap during a night-time raid on the jail in November last year. But Dela Rosa said they were allowed to return to duty after investigators "tried everything, all the legal remedies were used, the functions of our justice system". The officers' return comes just days after Duterte reiterated that he would not allow any policeman to go to jail for waging his brutal war on crime, specifically citing the Espinosa case. In a speech earlier this week, Duterte said, "I will never, never allow a military man, a government man, a policeman to be imprisoned for doing his duty and obeying my order." Duterte singled out Superintendent Marcos, saying he had not yet been found guilty. "Give him back his job," he said. Duterte, who took office a year ago, is already under fire from human rights groups for his brutal anti-drug campaign which has seen at least 3,200 people slain in police operations with thousands more killed by vigilante groups. Opposition Congressman Gary Alejano said "the reinstatement of Superintendent Marcos et al. to active duty is the height of impunity." "This gives a signal to the police and military that they will be protected by the president even if they violate the law and human rights," he said in a statement. Parks authorities armed with rifles then used a helicopter to track down the injured animal and the third lion. "We had to obviously kill the wounded lion because it becomes very dangerous," South African national parks spokeswoman Janine Raftopoulos told local media. "With the last one remaining, because he had come into contact with the farmer's livestock, we assessed the situation and the decision was taken to put (him) down." She said that if the lion had been returned to the park, it would have tried to escape again and would be a threat to humans and livestock. Four lions were first reported to have escaped. Kruger Park, which borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is home to about 1,500 lions, and nearly the size of Belgium. Animals sometimes slip past the barrier fences, especially during the dry winter season. Two months ago, five other lions escaped from the park. Four were re-captured in neighbouring farms and one is still on the loose. "The people who took this decision (of extending sanctions) will bear the responsibility of any political or security impact resulting from this decision," the deputy chief of Bashir's National Congress Party said. "This decision will encourage the rebels and armed groups to start their activities and disturb security in Sudan and across the region,"Ibrahim Mahmoud said. Bashir on Wednesday suspended talks with Washington aimed at ending the sanctions, a day after US President Donald Trump postponed a decision on whether to lift the trade embargo permanently until October 12. His predecessor Barack Obama had eased the sanctions in January, but kept Sudan on review for six months, a period that ended on Wednesday. Obama had made the permanent lifting of the sanctions dependent on Khartoum's progress in five areas of concern at the end of the review period. The areas of concern -- or "five tracks" -- include giving more access to humanitarian workers in war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan. 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. Russia hoped that trend would continue and that the ceasefire zone would be extended at the next cycle of Syria peace talks in Kazakhstan next month, he added at a news conference with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders. The truce, which was brokered by Russia, the United States and Jordan, has been in force since Sunday in the provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida. The August peace talks, in the Kazakh capital Astana, would look at the possibility of extending the ceasefire zone to three other provinces, said Lavrov. They are Idlib in the northwest, the central province of Homs and the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus. Sunday's ceasefire went into effect just ahead of the start of the latest round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva, which are being held in parallel with the diplomatic efforts in Astana. Female legislators from opposing camps had their hands on each other's throats as a dozen colleagues pushed and shouted trying to separate them in the main chamber during a review of a major infrastructure project. The opposition Kuomintang party is against the plan, saying it favours cities and counties faithful to Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and has been devised to secure support for the party ahead of next year' s regional elections. The project includes light rail lines, flood control measures and green energy facilities. Critics have also questioned whether the whopping Tw$420 billion ($14 billion) cost of the project is really worthwhile. The review hearing was suspended following the brawl as Kuomintang lawmakers occupied the podium. It was expected to resume Thursday afternoon. Tsai has seen her popularity plummet to under 40 percent from nearly 70 percent when she took office in May last year as her government attempts to tackle a range of controversial issues from gay marriage to pension and judicial reforms. Violent protests erupted outside the parliament in April when opponents of pension reforms attacked politicians and scuffled with police, prompting Tsai to call for calm and restraint. The term was handed down against Lula over a giant embezzlement and kickbacks scheme centered on state-owned oil group Petrobras, at the heart of a sprawling corruption probe known as "Car Wash." The judge hearing the case said Lula -- an iconic leftist politician who ruled Brazil from 2003-2010 -- remained free pending a possible appeal, according to the verdict seen by AFP. With Brazil in the grip of prolonged political and economic uncertainty, the sentence risked scuttling a potential comeback bid by Lula in the next elections due in October 2018. The ruling against Lula, 71, "all but rules him out of the running for next year's presidential election, and is likely to give a near-term boost to Brazilian markets," said Capital Economics, an economic analysis firm. However, it and other observers noted that Brazil's justice system could yet end up overturning the conviction against Lula, although the courts often move at a snail's pace. An apartment 'bribe'? Lula has repeatedly denied taking any bribes during or after his presidency. He has described the investigation against him by Judge Sergio Moro as a campaign to preve nt his return to power. That part of the probe focused on allegations that Lula received a luxury seaside apartment as a bribe from one of Brazil's biggest construction companies, OAS. The judge, who ordered the apartment be confiscated, said Lula had illegally received $1.1 million. "Between the crimes of corruption and money laundering, there are sufficient grounds for sentences totaling nine years and six months of incarceration," Moro said in his verdict. The sentence by Moro, whose wide popularity in Brazil for his anti-corruption work has prompted some to see him as a possible presidential candidate, fed into broader political ructions in Brazil. Lula's chosen successor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached and booted from office last year, with her vice president, Michel Temer, taking over the reins. Temer himself is battling for his own political survival after being charged with taking bribes. Two weeks ago, Moro sentenced an influential minister in the governments of Lula and Rousseff, Antonio Palocci, to 12 years in prison for corruption. Palocci played a central role in the "Car Wash" scheme, most of which unfolded when Lula's Workers' Party was in power from 2003 to 2016. Prosecutors said Palocci was a pointman in the flow of "bribes between the Odebrecht construction group and intermediaries of the Workers' Party," laundering more than $10 million used for party campaign finances. The details of the changes are still being worked out by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who is struggling to deliver both tax cuts and reductions to public spending while respecting EU rules on budget deficits. The respected French Economic Observatory at Sciences Po university in Paris issued a first assessment of the impact of the proposed tax cuts on Wednesday, saying that the top 10 percent of households would see 46 percent of the benefits. The think-tank warned that "financing them by cutting public spending would significantly deepen the inequality produced by these measures." Government spokesman Christophe Castaner admitted Wednesday that finalising the budget in 2018 would be even more difficult than this year when savings have been achieved by cutting foreign aid and transport infrastructure spending. "This year was difficult, next year it will be even more so because we will add on the massive cuts in taxes paid by the French people and companies," he said. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in an address to parliament last week that France "cannot remain both the champion of public spending and the champion of taxation." French Economic Observatory saw the economic prospects of France improving, with unemployment likely to fall from its current rate of around 10 percent to 7.6 percent by 2022. Economic growth is set to average 1.6 percent over Macron's five years in office, it said. 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. Religious South Koreans have been a loud fixture at the annual parade for years, holding a rival anti-homosexuality rally while trying to physically block the march. Their presence is the most visible display of intolerance towards sexual minorities in the tradition-bound society, where religious belief is widespread and many homosexuals stay in the closet due to fear of discrimination and social isolation. Homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea. But gay, lesbian or transgender rights remain politically unpopular. Even left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-In -- a former human rights lawyer -- said he "opposed homosexuality" during a campaign debate in April. His conservative opponent and eventual runner-up said homosexuals should be "punished severely for living against divine rules". Gay rights activists say that some progress has been made in recent years, with surveys showing increasing tolerance, particularly among young people, and participation at Pride surging since the first parade in 2000, when only 50 attended. But the event's growing profile has unnerved South Korea's conservative Protestant church groups, which have millions of followers, enormous political lobbying power, and see homosexuality as a psychological illness to be "healed". 'Sodom and Gomorrah' Every year, they petition authorities not to allow public venues to be used for the event, and stage a boisterous prayer rally at which they sing hymns through giant loudspeakers intended to drown out the sound of the parade. Some wave banners accusing homosexuals of paedophilia and bestiality and turning the capital Seoul into "Sodom and Gomorrah", while others scream insults. "We do not want them to showcase homosexuality in public, which can corrupt the minds of our children," said pastor Hong Ho-Soo, secretary general of the Homosexuality Countermeasure Council for Korean Churches. Hong accused gay people of spreading sexual diseases such as AIDS and a "decadent sex culture against the teachings of the Bible", and urged homosexuals not to fete their orientation publicly. "It's okay to celebrate whatever you are at home or privately. Just don't do it in front of others," Hong told AFP, describing his campaign as "a non-negotiable crusade against a religious sin". Police estimated each side's turnout last year at a little more than 10,000 people, and routinely erect metal fences around the parade start point to prevent clashes. Hong said he opposed violence against paradegoers and insisted his campaign "does not constitute hate speech". Pride representatives disagree. "They say, 'Hide yourself. Live in the shadows, because who you are is so harmful and something to be so ashamed of'," Kang Myoung-Jin, chief organiser of the Korea Queer Culture Festival, told AFP. "If this is not hate speech, what would be?" he asked, adding past parades had been marred by physical and verbal attacks by people bearing crosses or loudly reciting prayers. Some throw plastic bottles, food, water and even traffic cones at participants while screaming curses, Kang said, or lie in the street to block parade floats. Political influence Gay rights remain limited in many Asian countries, although Taiwan's constitutional court this year ruled against laws preventing same-sex unions. Pride parades have met with varying degrees of opposition in many nations, but South Korea stands out with its unusually aggressive, well-organised church-led campaigns, analysts say. They have also campaigned against anti-discrimination laws. "It's partly because the Protestant churches are the most well-connected and well-financed lobby machine in this nation," said Kim Jin-Ho, chief researcher at the Christian Institute for the 3rd Era, a Seoul-based religious think tank. Many South Korean churches took their cues from evangelical US megachurches that since the 1980s have expanded their influence through campaigns against abortion and homosexuality, Kim said. South Korea is also home to many megachurches, including the world's largest congregation of nearly 800,000. But their reputation has been tarnished by recent corruption scandals. "For them, the anti-gay campaign is another way to maintain their political influence in this time of crisis," Kim said. But participation in Pride is broadening, organisers say. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea, a state rights watchdog, and the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism -- the country's biggest Buddhist sect -- are taking part this year for the first time. "Our sect has long maintained close ties with sexual minority groups, and wanted to take part as a show of solidarity," said Kim Han-Nah, an official at the Jogye Order. The international community has voiced alarm over the violence, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, according to statistics compiled by the Roman Catholic church. The UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping mission had previously spoken of "more than 400 dead" while about 1.3 million people are estimated to have fled their homes in the Kasai provinces. The investigative mission this month found the latest mass graves in the Diboko and Sumbula areas of the Kamonia territory, the UN said. The violence began last year when Kamwina Nsapu, a tribal chieftain in territory near the southern border with Angola, openly challenged the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government, provoking a crackdown by security forces. Nsapu was killed in a police operation in August 2016, but his armed followers fight on in the belief he is still alive, because he was buried by the regime without respect for traditional rites accorded leaders of his stature which would have opened the way to a rightful succession. Last February, MONUSCO accused the Kamwina Nsapu militia of "atrocities... including the recruiting and use of child soldiers," but also condemned "a disproportionate use of force" by government troops. Two western experts sent to investigate the conflict by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went missing in March and their bodies were found in a shallow grave by peacekeepers a fortnight later. Maintaining the program "no longer (makes) sense for us," an American Airlines spokesman said. "This decision has no material financial impact on American and is an extension of our stance against the illegal subsidies that these carriers receive from their governments." Qatar Airways said in June it wanted to buy as much as a 10 percent stake in American Airlines, which caught the US carrier by surprise. Foreign policy experts viewed the move as an attempt by Qatar to garner foreign support amid a diplomatic clash between Qatar and four neighboring states, including Saudi Arabia. "We remain concerned that both Mr. Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a press briefing. "We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to grant him full parole and to release his wife from house arrest, and provide them the protections and freedoms -- such as freedom of movement and access to appropriate medical care -- consistent with the Chinese constitution, legal system and international commitments." Washington expressed its concern as 61-year-old Liu's condition worsened Wednesday, with his hospital stating he suffered respiratory failure and his liver function had deteriorated. The First Hospital of China Medical University, in the northeastern city of Shenyang, said Liu's family declined to have him put on artificial ventilation, which was necessary "to maintain life." The Chinese government has rebuffed international appeals to let Liu seek treatment abroad, saying he is getting the best possible care from top domestic doctors. In this June 28, 2017, photo, Alessandro Cesario, the director of cultivation, looks at marijuana plants at the Desert Grown Farms cultivation facility in Las Vegas. Recreational marijuana became legal in Nevada on July 1. (AP Photo/John Locher) President Donald Trump's saga of awkward handshakes continues. On Friday, right before he left France, Trump said goodbye to France's President Emmanuel Macron, with the two grabbing and holding hands for a long, long handshake. The entire handshake lasted about 25 seconds -- or five-twelfths of a minute. At one point, while holding Macron's hand, Trump reached over to kiss Macron's wife, Brigitte, on her cheek and grabbed her hand as well -- and held both Macron and his wife's hands at the same time. After Trump left France, he tweeted, "It was a great honor to represent the United States at the magnificent #BastilleDay parade. Congratulations President @EmmanuelMacron!" This isn't Trump's first awkward handshake with Macron. When Trump and Macron met in Brussels in May, the two memorably shook hands in full view of the press. At the time, pool reporter Phillip Rucker of The Washington Post, who was in the room, described it: "They shook hands for an extended period of time. Each president gripped the other's hand with considerable intensity, their knuckles turning white and their jaws clenching and faces tightening." Macron confirmed that there was indeed a deeper significance to the prolonged handshake he shared with Trump in Brussels. "My handshake with him, it's not innocent," Macron told the Journal du Dimanche in an interview published Sunday. "It's not the alpha and the omega of politics, but a moment of truth." Trump's palm press on Friday was even longer than his 19-second shake with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- which went viral after Trump pulled away and Abe made a regrettable facial expression. "Strong hands," Trump said to Abe as the media left the room. In addition to the awkward Abe shake, Trump has foisted his unusual tug-and-pull style on other high-profile figures, including Vice President Mike Pence and Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. A man accused of participating in a dog fighting ring has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge. In January, a federal grand jury indicted 10 men on various charges related to dogfighting, according to federal court documents. Authorities allege there was a conspiracy to conduct dogfighting from sometime in 2011 to April 2016, when federal and local authorities carried out raids in Rock Island. On Wednesday, Terrill Onterial McDuffy, 44, entered a guilty plea before federal Judge Sara Darrow, according to court records filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. His sentencing date was set for Sept. 21. Most of the other defendants in the dogfighting charges also have entered guilty pleas, according to court records: -- Sherrick Cornelius Houston pleaded guilty June 28 to conspiracy and possessing dogs for participation in dogfighting. Ryan M. Hickman pleaded guilty June 13 to possessing dogs for participation in dogfighting. Andre Keywan Lidell pleaded guilty June 13 to sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dogfighting. Stantrel Vontrez Knight pleaded guilty May 18 to sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dogfighting. Simmeon Terrell Hall pleaded guilty May 22 to sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dogfighting. Willie Earl Jackson pleaded guilty June 13 to sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dogfighting. Jaquan L. Jones pleaded guilty May 18 to attending a dogfight. All of the men also are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 21, according to court records. Charges remain pending against two other defendants: DeMarlo A. McCoy is accused of conspiring to take part in a dogfighting ring, sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dogfighting, and possessing dogs for participation in dogfighting. His next court date is Friday. Algerron Lee Goldsmith is accused of conspiracy and possessing dogs for participation in dogfighting. Mr. Goldsmith's next date was not available Wednesday. Prior to criminal charges being filed, the government in April 2016 began civil forfeiture proceedings to seize 64 dogs and other property from a number of the defendants and others. At least 53 of the original dogs and 11 puppies born after the animals were confiscated have been forfeited, according to court records. Nine have been released. URBANA, Ill. (AP) Surveillance cameras at the University of Illinois helped find a suspect in the disappearance of a Chinese scholar, investigators said. The footage showed Yingying Zhang getting into a black Saturn Astra before she disappeared on June 9 in Urbana, the News-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2uiN6oj ) reported. The video was made public after Zhang was reported missing. An FBI affidavit says the vehicle's license plate wasn't legible, but that the footage showed the vehicle had a cracked hubcap. The affidavit says that helped investigators distinguish it from the other vehicles of that model registered in Champaign County. Investigators determined the vehicle belonged to former graduate student Brendt Christensen. Christensen's phone was also allegedly used in April to view a forum called "Abduction 101" online, authorities said. Christensen was arrested on June 30. He was indicted Wednesday on charges of kidnapping. Prosecutors allege Christensen admitted to kidnapping Zhang and spoke about how she fought and resisted, and about what makes an ideal victim. Prosecutors haven't said when or to whom Christensen made the statements. Thomas Bruno, an attorney for Christensen, has said without a source it's hard to judge whether the statements are reliable. He said his client deserves the "presumption of innocence." Zhang was allegedly abducted while on her way to sign an apartment lease off campus in Urbana. FBI officials have presumed Zhang dead, but the agency said the investigation is still active. "The case is ongoing and will continue to be ongoing until we locate Ms. Zhang," said Springfield-based spokesman Brad Ware. Christensen remains jailed pending trial. Democrat Eric Sorensen declared victory at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the race for Illinois' 17th Congressional District against Republican Esther Joy King, but the margin of his lead was not large enough for either the Associated Press or New York Times to project him as the winner. PORT BYRON -- Riverdale school board members on Wednesday learned they could expect $607,000 from the Rock Island County school facilities tax. We can use 75 percent of it to bond and use the other 25 percent for immediate spending, Superintendent Ron Jacobs said. Mr. Jacobs explained that, while school board members had made a list of priority needs for the district, he wanted them to understand the concept behind performance contracting. Scott Engstrom, senior account executive of Ameresco, addressed the board on Building Condition Assessment and the overall process of performance contracting so they could get the best use of their money. With 105 ILCS 5/Art. 19B, the Illinois Legislature gave Illinois schools a procurement tool to combine multiple, comprehensive infrastructure improvement into one turn-key, design-build project," he said. "This tool will reduce utility costs, reduce operational costs, modernize infrastructure and improve the learning environment." No action could be taken at the committee-of-the-whole meeting. Mr. Jacobs said he expected that several performance contractors would be contacted for project proposals. Two years ago, anxiety was keeping me up at night, threatening to spiral out of control. Meanwhile, my husband with his easy confidence -- never seeing a raincloud without a silver lining, always constructing the best possible scenario when confronted with a set of hazy details -- slept like a baby. I decided I wanted that kind of peace in my life. So, I decided to brainwash myself. I pulled out all the stops: I meditated daily (a crazy hard practice). I programmed my iPhone to send me automated texts throughout the day reminding me to not worry. I rewrote my personal history, casting it in a fortunate light. I started holding a pencil with my teeth because I read somewhere it mimics the act of smiling and lifts your mood (this really works, by the way). Then Janice Kaplan's book "The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life" came out, promising that by just being thankful one could crowd out negative thoughts. I started keeping -- and it pains me to say this because it's soooo "Oprah Winfrey Show" and completely out of character -- a gratitude journal. The idea was that just jotting down a few very quick, context-free thoughts every day to engage in the physical act of being thankful would accumulate over time and keep me focused on the positive. The brainwashing worked. The silver bullet was the act of writing. Looking back at two years of these notes, I can feel the relief and gratitude wash over me. For instance, an entry from November 2015: "I'm so, so thankful for not having to get another root canal." I like this one, too, from a cold December 2016 day when my fuel gauge told me I had zero miles left on my tank: "I'm so thankful I made it to the gas station." Other days, I was just thrilled that my son had a good day at school or that my puppy hadn't chewed up my shoes or that I'd found a dollar bill on my walk -- all good stuff that's easy to forget unless you actively recall and transcribe it at the end of the day. Today, I'm at least 10 times happier than I was when I started. And while all the little hacks helped to some degree, it was the tangibility of writing out good things that made the magic. This magic is replicable and demonstrably works. Building upon prior research concluding that psychological interventions like self-affirmation can improve academic performance in vulnerable groups, researchers from Stanford University gave positive writing exercises to Latino and African-American middle-school students in two geographically different areas of the U.S. The students were asked to choose two to three core values that were personally important -- such as relationships, creativity or humor -- and then write a few sentences about why they were important. The exercises took place during stressful times over the course of a year in middle school, including at the beginning of the year and right before exams. (Students in a control group did a neutral writing assignment.) Researchers then tracked the students (African-Americans through college enrollment and Latinos through high school enrollment), using official school records. The results, which were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that of the students who participated in writing about their values, Latino students were more likely to enter a college readiness track than a remedial one near the transition to high school. They also took more challenging courses, such as a college readiness elective, and were also less likely to be placed in remediation. African-American students were more likely to enroll in college seven to nine years later, including relatively more selective colleges. The authors make clear that the intervention was specifically designed for students feeling under threat because of stereotypes but who were at middle-class schools, not at schools with low levels of infrastructure and resources. So, positive writing probably is not a cure-all for what ails students at the lowest end of the spectrum of need. That said, when it comes to overcoming challenges that have root in our insecurities, the power that we have to lift ourselves up is strong. It's a power we should harness for ourselves and teach to our kids so it can be deployed when we most need it. LEAGUE CITY, Texas While I was in Texas doing some reporting, I was a bit bemused that its legislature was enmeshed in a budget predicament of its own. Lawmakers there were pondering whether to dip into the states $12 billion rainy day fund to help balance the states budget. Yeah, you read that right. Texas has $12 billion in emergency savings. Illinois, on the other hand, has $15 billion in unpaid bills. Texas has no income tax. This month, Illinois lawmakers jacked our income taxes up another 32 percent. A nickel of every dollar we earn will now be confiscated by those rascals in Springfield. I might not be so upset by the tax hike if I had any faith that Illinois lawmakers would use the money wisely. But Ive covered the Illinois General Assembly for 18 years and I see no indication that our legislators -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- can exhibit even a modicum of fiscal restraint. Over the years, Ive seen Illinois legislators raise our taxes to address perennial budget crises and inevitably the money eventually is used to just increase spending and delay the states day of financial reckoning. Thats how the Land of Lincoln became the fiscal basket case of the nation. The so called budget passed by Illinois lawmakers this month doesnt even address the $15 billion in unpaid bills the state has accumulated. Do they think its just going to magically disappear? Well, members of the Illinois General Assembly have another word for magic. Its called borrowing. Rather than make long-term structural cuts in programs like prisons, earned income tax credits or entitlements, lawmakers have borrowed and left those tough decisions for future General Assemblies to ponder. Thats how Illinois has accumulated more debt than any other state. Thats why Moodys Investment Services says Illinois has a quarter of trillion dollars in unfunded pension liabilities. And thats why I believe it is all but inevitable that Illinoiss credit rating will be relegated to junk status. The higher taxes now paid by Illinois residents and businesses will simply exasperate the continued exodus of people and jobs from the Land of Lincoln. And as the tax base diminishes, there will be a push to further increase taxes, continuing the states death spiral. But there is hope for Illinois. Thirty years ago, I lived in a state that was struggling financially. It was called Texas. My first job after graduate school was at the Galveston Daily News. I packed up my Ford with all my worldly goods and moved from Springfield to Galveston. Texas was suffering because oil prices were at historic lows and it had failed to diversify its economy. Folks were even talking about instituting an income tax to help the state balance its budget. But when I returned to Galveston County last month to report on a case I covered almost 30 years ago, I returned to a vibrant, robust community. The town of League City only had 20,000 people when I lived near there in 1988. Today it has more than 100,000 -- and its still growing. The folks I talked to had an unbridled optimism about their states future. Their schools and universities are first rate and getting better. So how did Texas recover without massive tax increases? It grew the economy by attracting firms from across the globe. And more importantly it provided a place where entrepreneurs could start their own business and grow. The secret to doing this? It remained a right to work state with an attractive labor climate, it kept government spending under control and it said no to higher taxes. Illinois could learn a lot from the Lone Star State. The approval means construction can begin at the end of this year or early next year. Cipe has set a spending limit of 1.89bn for the first construction lot. The new line from Mazzano near Brescia to Verona will be 73km long with two connections to the conventional network totalling 7km. The line will be equipped with 25kV ac electrification and ETCS Level 2. Key engineering features include a 7.4km tunnel at Lonato del Garda. In December 2014 Italian Railway Network (RFI) awarded the Cepav consortium a 768m contract to carry out civil works on the line. Cepav comprises Saipem (52%), Societa Italiana Condotte d'Acqua (12%), G Maltauro (12%), and Pizzarotti (24%). For detailed data on high-speed rail projects around the globe, subscribe to IRJ Pro. After looking at more than 100 locations around Britain, CAF has decided to build the 46,000m2 facility at the Celtic Business Park, which uses part of the site of the former Llanwern steelworks east of Newport. CAF says it selected this location because of its proximity to main roads, railways and ports, and the local availability of engineering skills. The plant is due to open in autumn 2018 and will initially employ 200 staff, rising to 300 by 2019. Recruitment is expected to begin next spring, and training and apprenticeship schemes will be offered from autumn 2018. CAF says it is investing 30m in the new plant, with grant support from the Welsh governments Inward Investment Programme. CAF currently has contracts to supply 482 vehicles to Britain, with customers including Caledonian Sleepers, Arriva Trains Northern, and TransPennine Express. The company has also supplied LRVs for light rail networks in the West Midlands and Edinburgh. CAF says it is responding to customer demands for British trains, manufactured by British workers, using British-based suppliers. The company is targeting contracts for new trains for London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and High Speed 2, as well as the Wales & Borders, West Midlands, and South Eastern franchises. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK European Commissioner believes Russian foreign agents law impedes human rights MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI) The Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, has criticized Russian foreign agents law noting that it hindered human rights in the country and had a profoundly negative impact on related organizations, according to the CoE document published on Thursday. The law adopted in Russia in November 2012 requires that all NGOs engaged in political activity and receiving foreign funding register as foreign agents. The Commissioner intervened as the third party in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) case over the law between number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Russian state authorities. This right of the Commissioner is reflected in the Declaration on Council of Europe action allowing him to fulfill his duties of providing protection for human rights defenders. According to Muiznieks, the law is incompatible with international and European human rights standards and leads to a major chilling effect on the work of civil society organizations in Russia. In the Commissioners opinion, the law does not provide adequate definition of the political activity forcing civil society institutions in the same broad category leading to overzealous enforcement by authorities and infringement on the rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression. The Commissioner also noted that Russian NGOs were stigmatized as a result and that the law was a major blow for their reputation. This resulted in worsening of relationships between NGOs and other organizations as well as complications of their members lives. Muiznieks believes that NGOs should enjoy the presumption of lawfulness of their activities in law and practice. Under the amendments to the law adopted in 2016, political activity is linked to such fields as state-building, securing Russias sovereignty and territorial integrity, enforcement of law, order and security, national defense, foreign policy, political system integrity, social and economic and national development of the country, regulation of rights and freedoms of man and citizen. Russian Constitutional Court found the foreign agents law to be in line with the Constitution. Several Russian politicians and lawmakers publicly supported the law as well. Russian human rights ombudsman seeks release of disabled convict MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI) Russias High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has filed a petition with the Moscow City Court seeking release of Anton Mamayev, a wheelchair person sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for armed robbery, the ombudsmans website announced on Thursday. Moreover, Moskalkova has lodged a request with the Federal Penitentiary Service to speed up medical examination of the convict. Earlier, she visited Mamayev in a hospital. According to the ombudsman, Mamayev is suffering from a complex of diseases barring the service of sentence, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy. In late June, Moscows Timiryazevsky District Court found Mamayev and his alleged accomplice Vasily Seroshtanov guilty of robbery with the use of force. Mamayev received 4.5 years in prison, Seroshtanov was sentenced to 3 years in prison. According to the Moscow City Court, the lower courts judge during delivering the judgment took into consideration nature and level of public danger of the committed crime qualified as serious, identity of the defendants and their role in the crime, presence of mitigating circumstances or absence of aggravating circumstances, and gave them sentence within sanctions prescribed by the law. The Timiryazevsky District Courts ruling reads that the court took into account that Mamayevs illness is not included in the list of diseases approved by the order of the Health Ministry and the Justice Ministry. Defense lawyers have filed an appeal against the sentence and a motion demanding to release Mamayev from jail. Russian Supreme Court upholds arrest in absentia of ex-judge Baranova MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld arrest in absentia of the Moscow Commercial Courts ex-judge Irina Baranova suspected of assisting in bribery and large-scale fraud, RAPSI learnt from the courts press-service on Thursday. The court dismissed an appeal against her detention for two months after the day she is to be apprehended. Baranovas possible involvement in a corporate raid attempt was revealed during investigation into a case of the hostile takeover of a building in central Moscow. Earlier it was reported that Baranova left Russia in December 2013 on a tourist vacation to Miami where her son was born. It was reported that medical complications made her stay in the U.S. According to investigators, Baranova being a judge helped the buildings former owners, businessmen Mikhail Chernov and Mikhail Balakirev, repossess their property. Baranova allegedly convinced Chernov to bribe a judge in the case, Yulia Bespalova. In September 2013, Chernov and Balakirev were declared guilty of fraud and attempting to launder the proceeds of a crime and received 9 and 7 years in prison, respectively. They have appealed the ruling. Baranova, who has a PhD in law, was appointed as judge in 2007 and became presiding judge in a court that hears cases of privatization, property and lease rights in 2012. The Moscow Commercial Court writes on its website that the total income of Baranovas family in 2012 was 1.2 million rubles ($18,500), of which the judge declared 661,000 rubles ($10,200) and her spouse 590,000 rubles ($9,100). The family did not declare its 2013 income. Russian Human Rights Commissioner drafts bill on release of seriously ill convicts Context Russian human rights ombudsman seeks release of disabled convict MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI) Russias Human Rights Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova has drafted a bill on mandatory release of seriously ill convicts, the commissioners statement reads on Thursday. Moskalkova expressed hope for the bills prompt adoption. Currently, the problem of seriously ill inmates has a systemic nature, she emphasized. On Thursday, Moskalkova lodged a motion with the Moscow City Court demanding to release Anton Mamayev, a wheelchair person suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She also forwarded a request to the Federal Penitentiary Service for acceleration of the convicts medical examination. Moskalkova stressed that Mamayev is an invalid of the first group and he has a set of diseases that prevent serving of punishment in accordance with the list of diseases approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, the statement on the ombudsmans website reads. Currently, the young man is under constant supervision of doctors, he timely receives necessary help, the commissioner said after visiting him in a hospital. In late June, Moscows Timiryazevsky District Court found Mamayev and his alleged accomplice Vasily Seroshtanov guilty of robbery with use of force. Mamayev received 4.5 years in prison, Seroshtanov was sentenced to 3 years in prison. According to the Moscow City Court, the lower courts judge during delivering the judgment took into consideration nature and level of public danger of the committed crime qualified as serious, identity of the defendants and their role in the crime, presence of mitigating circumstances or absence of aggravating circumstances, and gave them sentence within sanctions prescribed by the law. The Timiryazevsky District Courts ruling reads that the court took into account that Mamayevs illness is not included in the list of diseases approved by the order of the Health Ministry and the Justice Ministry. Defense lawyers have filed an appeal against the sentence and a motion demanding to release Mamayev from jail. Those who complain about jobs lost to offshoring generally dont consider that the purpose of working is to consume. Offshoring production to other jurisdictions helps us to make the goods and services we use as efficiently as possible, by casting the widest possible net for the most economic way to fulfill each stage of production. The alternative to offshoring is to pursue autarky and build a closed economy. How well has that worked out? Not very well, as the experience of the old German Democratic Republic demonstrates. The division of Germany after World War II offered a virtual equivalent of a controlled experiment to determine the effectiveness of closed and open economies at creating wealth. While West Germany sought to import what it needed to prosper, East Germany tried to create an economy that offered a virtual mirror image of the world, creating and producing many goods even if they could be obtained at less cost by importing. While East Germany sought self-sufficiency, West Germany pursued interdependence. Which model worked better? One of the best examples of the GDRs pursuit of self-sufficiency was its attempt to achieve a competitive edge in microchips matching the resources that could be marshalled by a state of just 16 million people against the research and development and production resources of the entire western world. The predictable result? From the time East Germany first attempted to pursue a microchip industry in 1977 to the time the Berlin Wall came down, mission microchip swallowed increasing amounts of internal resources and hard currency at a cost that far exceeded the alternative of simply importing the component. The East German economy expended 40 marks to make each 40kb microchip, which it could have purchased from the United States or Japan for just 1 or 2 marks. Producing each 256kb chip cost 534 marks, more than 130 times what it would have cost to import from the West. The great leap forward turned out to be a giant leap backward, squandering human and material resources rather than making the most of them. The East German regime may have thought that their costly investment yielded dividends in the form of jobs. But the costly gamble actually diverted resources that would have been more efficiently deployed in other sectors. They forgot one of the most important principles of wealth creation: Human beings are a resource, capable of producing a number of things. Utilizing that resource to make something that is available less expensively from elsewhere isnt making the most of human resources, it is wasting them. The East German failure to establish a competitive microchip industry demonstrates that fact, and illustrates why globalization not economic insularity is the basis for maximum wealth creation and improved standards of living. Globalization allowed western firms to maximize economies of scale, spreading production costs over a wider and larger market. Meanwhile, East Germany was pouring billions of marks a fortune for one small country in a vain pursuit of the resources available to global entities. Globalization allowed western firms to pursue comparative advantage, making the most of reduced labor costs in some economies while raising standards of living across the board. It allowed western firms to pursue specialization, by delegating production and assembly work to other countries while East Germans were trying to reproduce the efforts and skills available around the world on their own virtual economic island of a few million people. Globalization allowed western firms to pursue technology transfer, using the spillover effect to disseminate knowledge across markets. And globalization of western economies reduced the potential for monopoly power, and drove competitive companies to respond rapidly to changing global demand. Meanwhile, an unwieldy, rigidly centralized East German authority could not match their competitors adaptability and speed. The failure of the East German economy seems like old news now. But the lesson is too often forgotten, or simply never learned: A country doesnt become wealthy by trying to produce everything under their own economic roof. Wealth results from utilizing the resources of the widest possible market. Khlatmaaglin Battulga - a businessman, martial arts star, and the brains behind a famed, 40 metre high, stainless steel statue of Genghis Khan - became Mongolias fifth president this week, rising to power with a populist agenda that promised increased state control of the mining sector and skepticism about Mongolias economic dependence on China. Battulga defeated Miyeegombo Enkhbold, the candidate of the ruling party, and replaces the outgoing Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, who has ruled Mongolia since 2009. While Mongolia has a wealth of natural resources, the election follows a period of slow growth and questionable economic management. Recently it accepted a $5.5 billion IMF bailout to sure up its economy - the fruits of which are yet to be felt by the majority of the population. So it was perhaps not a surpise the Mongolian electorate voted for change on 7 July. Battulgas victory is notable not only for his populist domestic agenda, but also his unequivocal foreign policy posturing. A Russophile, the incoming president went to great lengths to emphasise his pro-Kremlin attitude throughout his campaign, while downplaying the significance of Mongolias trade relationship with China. Battulgas pro-Russia agenda means his election is a significant win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, representing as it does a further proliferation of pro-Kremlin regimes in the states bordering Russias extensive frontier. While tensions still simmer between Russia and its neighbours in the Baltics and the Caucasus, Moscow has courted friendlier neighbours in Eastern Europe like Belarus and on its southern border with Central Asia, where most states remain firmly in the Russia-camp, despite increasing dependency on Chinese investment. With Battulga now at the helm in Mongolia, the Moscow-Ulaanbaatar relationship looks set to deepen. Mongolia might be seen as a bit player in the region: it has a relatively small population of three million (and an electorate around half that), and its GDP is only US$12 billion. Few observers view Mongolia as anything more than the birthplace of Ghenghis Khan who, while a vital figure in world history, lived almost eight centuries ago. However, Mongolia's expansive territory - richly endowed with copper and coal - its embrace of the democratic process so unique to its region, and its geostrategic value, warrant more attention. It is is an important physical buffer between Russia and China - two states with a checkered relationship, both aiming to solidify their own spheres of influences across Eurasia. Should Battulga follow through on his anti-China campaign rhetoric, China may look to double down on its own border alliances elsewhere, including in North Korea - another vital buffer state that China sees as indispensable. In this regard, a waning relationship between Mongolia and China could have ramifications on the broader geopolitics of the region. The Mongolian election represents not only a geostrategic gain for Vladimir Putin, but also may have served as an affirmation of Putin himself, with a desire for Putins brand of leadership seeming to have taken root in the imagination of the Mongolian electorate. Enkhbayar Budeekhuu, head of the Mongolian Community Association in Australia and a supporter of the new president, believes Battulga will make a 'huge difference' and encourage development in the country. Budeekhuu also believes the similarities and ties between Battulga and Putin helped Battulga win, noting many in Mongolia wanted a president in the Putin mould. 'Everyone is saying [Battulga] is quite similar to Vladimir Putin - I think thats the reason Mongolia chose him as the new leader for the next four years,' Budeekhuu said. While some Mongolians want Putins style of leadership replicated in their own country, they are still invested in Mongolias democratic process. This is notable in a region dominated by authoritarianism. East Asian states like South Korea and Japan are democratic bastions but Mongolias two nearest neighbours are anything but. Additionally, the rest of the Russosphere - in which Mongolia is increasingly embedded - has a selective relationship with democracy, utilising questionable mandates merely as a way to bolster regime legitimacy. Mongolians' faith in their electoral process may have been shaken, however, after an election that was marred by claims of corruption and dirty tricks. It was described by some analysts as scandal plagued and the worst election in Mongolias history. Considering the controversy, can the Mongolian people have certainty over the result? According to Budeekhuu, 100 per cent. There are few among us who have never cited some version of the opening of Polonius famous advice about clothing: The apparel oft proclaims the man. Usually we dont connect it to the end of the thought: And they in France of the best rank and station are of a most select and generous chief in that. As France begins a new political season, Shakespeare might well reaffirm that her politicians know better than anyone else that clothes make the man, especially when the man pretends to lead a revolution. Following Emmanuel Macrons victory in the presidential election two months ago, his party, La Republique en Marche, and its allies won a solid majority of seats -- 350 of 577 -- in Junes legislative elections. The traditional parties on the right and left of the political spectrum, Les Republicains and the Socialists, finished respectively with 112 and 30 seats. But this election represents their last hurrah. Like picnic leftovers under a simmering summer sun, both parties are rapidly decomposing. The left and right in France continue to disagree over how to maintain confidence in their traditional ideologies. Setting aside En Marche, the one party not riven by internal dissent is the fledgling La France Insoumise (Defiant France). Seventeen Defiant Ones won seats, including the partys leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon. Composed of former members of the Socialist and Communist parties, as well as splinter groups from Frances hard left, La France Insoumise has risen from the rubble left by the Socialist collapse. According to a recent IFOP poll, a large majority now views Melenchons party as the principal force on the left. Which brings us back to the clothes that make the man and the woman. At the ceremonial opening of the legislative session at the Palais Bourbon -- the home of the National Assembly -- the male contingent of Les Insoumis arrived tieless. As one member, Alexis Corbiere, explained, the people are entering the august chamber. In any case, he added helpfully, this what we mean symbolically. In order to place this symbolism in its proper historical context, Melenchon spoke to the press shortly before the opening of the session. Wearing the red tie that had become his trademark during the presidential campaign -- unlike Donald Trump, Melenchon buys his red ties at discount stores in his downscale neighborhood -- the former history professor explained his decision by citing his countrys revolutionary past: Just as there were the sans-culottes, there will now be the sans-cravates. With that, Melenchon undid his tie and joined his fellow sans-cravates. A little bit of revolutionary symbolism goes a long way in France, especially on the eve of Bastille Day. Hailing mostly from the citys working and artisanal classes, the sans-culottes took their name from the ankle-length trousers they wore, distinguishing them from the knee-length breeches worn by aristocrats. As one of their members declared, they represented the victors of the Bastille. While they quite literally burst onto the historical stage on July 14, 1789, they did so again more fatefully in 1793, when they forced their way into the foreign and domestic policy debates in the National Convention. The sans-culottes emphasized the revolutionary values of equality, liberty, and fraternity, but they also plumped for direct and violent action when they deemed their representatives had gone astray. Tellingly, along with the trousers and red bonnets they wore, the sans-culottes identified themselves by the pikes they carried and, on occasion, used to display the heads of decapitated enemies of the people. Of course, Melenchon and his fellow insoumises, which can be translated as insurrectionaries, are carrying smartphones, not sharp pikes. Moreover, they have no intention of rehabilitating the national razor, or guillotine, in order to shave the countrys five oclock shadow of corrupt politicians and feckless technocrats. But their use of symbols, while not subtle, resonates at a time of widespread public disenchantment with traditional political parties. This remains the case even though, commentator Guy Konopnicki notes, the great tribunes on the French left -- figures such as Jean Jaures, as well as Communist deputies -- all made a point of wearing ties to the National Assembly. It was, he argues, the sartorial means of honoring the workers who voted for them. Nevertheless, it was an untied Melenchon who staged a striking photo-op on July 3. Rather than attending the extraordinary session at Versailles convoked that day by President Macron, his party instead held a rally at the iconic Place de la Republique. Standing in front of the towering statue of Marianne, the personification of the Republic, Melenchon denounced Macrons pharaonic excesses and declared: We are in rebellion and refuse to go to Versailles. Dismissing Macrons address as an interminable shower of truisms, Melenchon depicted a clash not just between two worldviews, but also between two worlds: We are all in our proper world: some at Versailles, others at Place de la Republique. More substantively, the LFIs raison detre is to replace the Fifth Republic, which the party describes as a republican monarchy, with a Sixth Republic endowed with a powerful and unicameral legislature reminiscent of the revolutions First Republic. During his presidential campaign, Melenchon vowed that his first act would be to call a Constituent Assembly in order to midwife this new republic and its constitution into being. (He even considered selecting members of the assembly by the drawing of lots, a procedure familiar to the ancient Athenians and anathema to every republic since.) In addition, Melenchon vowed that his government would pull France out of not only NATO, but, given his promise to reject Brussels monetary and fiscal rules, effectively out of the European Union as well. Given the conjunction of Melenchons visibility and the Socialists invisibility, La France Insoumise has a historic opportunity to redefine the French left. For the moment, though, these revolutionary blueprints will remain on the drawing board. In the short term, Melenchons party will have a greater presence at public places and boulevards than in the Palais Bourbon. As the political scientist Gael Brustier notes, Melenchons party has one foot squarely in the National Assembly, and the other in the street. Just how well it continues to straddle these two worlds will be seen come September, when Macrons government reveals its plans for liberalizing workplace rules. Pikes are not on the agenda, but neither is peaceful confrontation. With or without his red tie, even Melenchons famed oratorical skills may fail to bridge the gap. Yevgeny Shevchuk, the former president of the separatist region of Transnistria, escaped prosecution by the current Transnistrian leadership on June 28, finding refuge in Moldova of all places. Despite speculation of his departure to Malta, Shevchuk appears to be living comfortably with his family in Moldovas capital, Chisinau (Newsmaker.md, July 11). As the new leadership in Transnistria consolidates power in what is an intra-elite power struggle, the Russian State Duma approved a declaration on what it views as negative developments around Transnistria. Specifically, the Duma resolution blames Moldova and Ukraine for allegedly jeopardizing the security and stability of the region by introducing joint checkpoints on the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border and by obstructing Russias regional military presence (Duma.gov.ru, July 7). Soon after, reports revealed that Ukrainian counter-intelligence arrested Russian Army Colonel Valeri Gratov, who had been training separatists in Donbas and was about to be appointed to a leadership position in the Transnistrian security sector (Obozrevatel.com, July 9). All these developments point to growing volatility in the Transnistrian region. After winning the presidential race in Transnistria last December (see EDM, December 16, 2016), Vadim Krasnoselskiwho is backed by the most powerful local oligarch, the head of Sheriff Company, Victor Gusanhas been seeking to do away with any potential challengers. Despite losing the election to Krasnoselski, former president Shevchuk has retained some popular support and remains the leader of the weak but vocal political opposition in Transnistria. Shevchuk has a long and acrimonious history with Sheriff, having served as the companys deputy director and then leader of its political wing, Obnovlenie (Renewal Party). Shevchuk was once a young and promising politician who brought Sheriff its first major political success in the national legislative elections of 2005. However, Shevchuk later fell out of favor with Gusan. Nonetheless, Shevchuk was able to win the 2011 presidential election as an anti-system independent against Gusans candidate, Anatolii Kaminski, who was also backed by the Kremlins United Russia Party. Once in power, Shevchuk challenged Gusans economic grip over the separatist region, but fell short of significantly weakening his opponent. Instead, Gusan was able to undermine Shevchuks own power by employing his vast wealth, control over the Transnistrian legislature, and capitalizing on Shevchuks own failures, particularly when it came to improving the worsening economic conditions in Transnistria. Yet, pulling Transnistria out of the downward economic spiral is a tall order, given the structure of its economy and the adverse regional context. Thus, blaming Shevchuk for all of Transnistrias woes, along with Moldova and Ukraine, is their default option. Still, the fact that Gusan and Krasnoselski allowed Shevchuk to flee Transnistria after stripping him of his parliamentary immunity most likely indicates Moscows reluctance to see Shevchuk convicted. Some of the charges levied against him cast a dark shadow over Russias Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who serves as Putins special envoy for Transnistria and has been, in effect, overseeing Shevchuks alleged criminal activities, including the embezzlement of Russian assistance (Europaibera.org, July 2). Against this background, the timing of the Russian Duma declaration comes as no surprise. The strong rhetoric against Moldova and Ukraine is, at least in part, aimed at deflecting attention from the intra-elite power struggle in Transnistria as well as from Russias own failed record in maintaining the pretense of political stability and economic prosperity in this separatist territory. After the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the Russian accusations of a blockade of Transnistria (Mfa.gov.md, July 7), backed by an equally strong message from Ukraine calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region (Mfa.gov.ua, July 11), Moldovas pro-Russian President Igor Dodon predictably tried to have it both ways when reacting to the declaration of the Russian parliament. Dodon faced domestic ridicule after telling an insistent journalist to read between the lines of his rather vague statement (Newsmaker.md, July 7). Dodons Russian benefactors are not making his life any easier when Russian lawmakers threaten a Donbas-like scenario in Moldova (Newsmaker.md, July 7). Moreover, taking into account the latest incident of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) sending a seasoned Donbas operative to take a leading role in the Transnistrian security apparatus (see above), the threats coming from Russian lawmakers no longer seem empty. Neither Moldovan politicians, be it Speaker Andrian Candu or President Dodon, nor the countrys Prosecutor General (Independent.md, Ziarulnational.md, June 30; Agora.md, July 10), have shown any interest in Shevchuk. Despite enjoying immunity from criminal charges of separatism based on the standing agreements in the Transnistrian conflict settlement negotiations, Shevchuk could, nonetheless, be prosecuted in Chisinau for economic crimes and other offenses. However, it is widely known that each former Transnistrian leader has only been able to accumulate and siphon off large amounts of money due to cooperation with either Moldovan or Ukrainian authorities. It is, in part, thanks to this support network that Shevchuk was granted refuge in Moldova. He is reported to reside in a luxury apartment complex in central Chisinau under heavy protection, thought it remains unclear whether the unmarked guards are protecting a high-value asset or holding a high-priced hostage. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting about Shevchuks future not just in Transnistrian politics, but also in Moldova proper: he may run for parliament if Moldovas de facto ruler, billionaire Vlad Plahotniuc, is successful in pushing the controversial electoral system reform introducing single-member districts. Finally, the handling of Shevchuks case potentially sends a powerful signal to Transnistrian elites that they are increasingly at the mercy of the Moldovan leadership. In reaction, Moscow is likely to increase direct control over the region, which can only lead to escalation of an already precarious situation. Property details: Great piece of property near Disney World in Orlando Apopka, FL Parcel Description: S 50 FT OF N1/2 OF SW1/4 OF SE1/4 OF SE1/4 OF SE1/4 (LESS W 245 FT) OF SEC 16-21-28 Parcel ID: 16-21-28-0000-00219 4092 sq ft/.09 Acre ***NOTE: EASEMENT FOR DRIVEWAY IS INCLUDED*** THIS IS NOT A LAND LOCKED PROPERTY. ***OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE -- email me and let's talk, I am willing to take payments for this property*** HIGHLIGHTS: 1- The land is very centrally located between Orlando airport and Disney World ... Price: $ 10,000 Zip/Postal Code: 32703 Zoning: Residential Type: Homesite, Lot Property Address: 1527 S Central Ave; Apopka, FL Seller State of Residence: New York City: Orlando State/Province: Florida Location: 105**, Port Chester, New York You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Florida , We're sorry, this article is not currently available By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/13/2017 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. The Wisconsin Senates top Republican said Thursday that the Legislature may have to pass a bill to help induce a Taiwanese technology company to bring a plant to Wisconsin. Foxconn, best known for making Apples iPhone, is looking to build a display panel factory in the U.S., with several states in the running. Company officials have held a number of meetings in Wisconsin and looked at sites in the Racine area and central Wisconsin, as well as parcels in Dane County that would not be suitable for a large plant, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The lure of a $7 billion plant that could employ as many as 10,000 people has already prompted U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan to make a pitch for his home state. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told the Journal Sentinel on Thursday that such a prize would be worth additional help. I cant imagine (we) wouldnt at some point, but I dont know what it would look like, Fitzgerald said of potential legislation. Fitzgerald also said he attended a barbecue at Gov. Scott Walkers official residence this week at which Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou was a guest. Were working with (Walkers) administration on discussions about placement in Wisconsin, said Myranda Tanck, Fitzgeralds spokeswoman. We havent ruled out the Legislature would take some action to facilitate a deal. Foxconn assembles smartphones and other devices for Apple, Sony, BlackBerry and other brands. Most of its operations are based in China, where its plants employ about 1 million people. 'Officers have been made the scapegoat for political failure.' 'No effort has been made to find out who scuttled the prime minister's decision to introduce competitive bidding and why and at whose instance.' Former coal secretary P C Parakh speaks to Aditi Phadnis about his bookThe Coal Conundrum: Executive Failure and Judicial Arrogance. You were forced to self-publish your latest book which was released last month. Why? What is the background to the coal conundrum in the country? There was an apprehension that since the book was critical of the judiciary, it might offend the institution; therefore, no one was willing to publish it. The book highlights the damage done to the Indian economy and civil service by the government's inability to bring about timely reforms and judicial intervention in economic decisions without a proper appreciation and understanding of government policy, legislative intensions, and the provisions of the law. The inability of the government to open up the coal sector for commercial mining resulted in a steep increase in India's import of the mineral despite its large resource base adversely affecting our balance of payments. Large investments that could have come in coal went to Indonesia, Australia, and African countries. We lost both on investment and employment generation. By its order cancelling the allocation of all coal blocks made over 15 years and the closure of all operating coal mines, the Supreme Court undermined investor confidence in the country. If years after huge investments have been made, one fine morning the court orders closure of enterprises, who will be foolhardy enough to invest in this country? Much worse were CBI (the Central Bureau of Investigation) investigations and subsequent prosecutions, which have demoralised the civil service. There are serious lacunae in our investigative machinery and administration of criminal justice. These need to be urgently fixed, otherwise the country's administration will be paralysed. How do you think the courts will react to your book? Everyone needs to learn from mistakes. I have sent a copy of the book to the Chief Justice of India. As (former RBI governor) Dr Y V Reddy wrote in his review, the judiciary should not react, but respond positively with possible ways forward so that such injustice does not happen at the hands of the judiciary. I hope the judiciary looks at the book in the right spirit. At the book's release, Dr Reddy said it was 'a masterpiece that highlights dangers of economic reforms without reforming the judicial, parliamentary, and executive wings'. Do you agree? I do not think anyone can disagree with Dr Reddy. With his vast experience in economic administration within and outside the country, he understands wisdom and political courage are required to take up economic reforms. To deal with India's massive problem of poverty and unemployment, there has to be a holistic approach to economic reforms. Policy making and its implementation are within the domain of the executive. Parliament has to provide the necessary legislative support, and the judiciary, in exercise of its powers, should not impose its own economic thinking and frustrate the efforts of the government. In its efforts to punish a few who might have committed crimes, the judiciary need not punish innocent persons. What do your experiences tell you about the CBI? When the CBI registered an FIR (first information report) against me and searched my flat, I was baffled. I was surprised at the inability of the premier investigating agency of the country to distinguish between right and wrong. As I wrote in my first book, the 'CBI is incapable of finding the truth'. The entire approach of the CBI investigations in these cases has been lopsided. No effort has been made to find out who scuttled the prime minister's decision to introduce competitive bidding and why and at whose instance. Officers have been made the scapegoat for political failure. The CBI also needs to eschew unwarranted publicity. There is no need for it to go to the media at the stage of Preliminary Enquiry and FIR. The moment it does, it irretrievably damages the reputation of officers and it can never be restored even if nothing incriminating is found against them. It is unfortunate that the country has no system to compensate citizens for the damage caused to their reputation by State agencies. The only silver lining was that in my numerous interactions, the CBI officers did not misbehave with me and were courteous during questioning. Your reputation and integrity and that of former coal secretary H C Gupta are unimpeachable. And yet you are the two officials named in coal scam. How can this structural flaw be corrected where those who take decisions are the ones who take the maximum risk? CBI investigations and subsequent prosecutions expose weaknesses in the administration of criminal justice. Civil servants are meant to take decisions and they must take decisions; otherwise, the government will be paralysed. But investigating agencies and judicial officers must be trained to make a distinction between bona fide and mala fide decisions. Political leadership should have the courage to stand by officers known for their integrity. Not one political leader from Uttar Pradesh, the parent cadre of Mr Gupta, or the central government, who were aware of his unblemished record in the IAS, gave a statement in his support. Our leaders need to learn from Sardar Patel as to what goes in making a strong and competent civil service. The government is planning to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Prevention of Corruption Act does not define the term 'public interest' as used in Section 13(1) (d) (iii). The concept 'public interest' cannot be precisely defined. Whether a decision is in the public interest or not is a matter of subjective interpretation. The distinction between private and public interest is not purely a legal question, but is also largely a political, economic and contextual one. A law that criminalises an executive action on the basis of a concept that is capable of multiple subjective interpretations and which does not call for strict proof of mens rea is capable of being misused or abused by the police or judiciary out of ignorance or arrogance. The sooner such bad laws are thrown out, the better it will be for governance. Otherwise civil servants will be loath to take decisions. Photograph: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters 'Younger people are taking steps to prevent lifestyle diseases.' 'It is fascinating to partner with consumers on the journey of self-discovery and to help shape people's preferences -- that is what I find most exciting,' Nandini Piramal tells Abhineet Kumar and Aneesh Phadnis. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com One of the first things we find out about Nandini Piramal is that academic success has come easily to her. At the San-Qi restaurant in the Four Seasons, Mumbai, she narrates her scuba diving experience. Her scuba diving course had two parts: A written test based on a prescribed book and a physical test to be taken in the swimming pool. She cleared the written test with flying colours. "I am good at passing tests as I like studying, but getting into the pool and swimming was not for me. I did not enjoy it," she says. A little over a kilometre away from Piramal's office, the restaurant in central Mumbai is a favourite for business lunches and offers set meals. Piramal orders an express lunch of Thai chicken red curry, which is accompanied with som tam, spring rolls and jasmine rice. We order a vegetable biryani with raita, dal makhni and peas tikki. The Piramal family scion -- daughter of Ajay and Dr Swati Piramal -- is focused on her work. She does not like shopping; the only piece of jewellery she wears is her wedding ring and a Franck Muller watch gifted by her father is the only accessory. At 36 she drives the over-the-counter pharma (OTC) products business of Piramal Enterprises, taking it to the number six position in the country from number 40 in 2010. As an executive director, she also oversees the company's larger health care portfolio including the critical care businesses, which is headed by her husband Peter DeYoung. She met him while pursuing her MBA at Stanford University. DeYoung worked with global private equity major Blackstone before joining Piramal Enterprises as president of the life science business in April 2012 and became CEO of Piramal Critical Care two years ago. The pharma business in her portfolio also includes a separate contract manufacturing business (Pharma Solutions) headed by Vivek Sharma as CEO. Piramal joined Piramal Enterprises in 2006 in the operational excellence function, and became the head of human resources in 2010, where she has fixed a major process issue. The company would pay bonuses in September for the year ended March. Since bonuses were paid late, the company would fix employees' key result areas (KRAs) even later in October or November, which had no sanctity with only four to five months left for the year. "I worked backwards and first fixed the KRAs by April 1, and then started paying the bonuses by June. Employees were obviously happier with bonuses coming a quarter early and the company benefited with fixing the deliverables in time," she says. She counts it as one of her success stories at the company. Along with her pharma role, she continues to head the human resources function for the company. "I have carried out operational excellence in OTC and HR, because I believe processes and systems are the bedrock that enables you to do exciting and creative things. You cannot do the fun stuff unless you've got the basics right," she says. Her goal is to take the OTC business among the top three in the Rs 12,000 crore (Rs 130 billion) market in India. This is an ambitious target in a highly competitive market led by multinationals GlaxoSmithKline and Reckitt Benckiser and home-grown Dabur and Emami. She has made seven acquisitions in the healthcare space in the past two-odd years, putting Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) to work. Three of these were made in the OTC business. This includes baby care products from Little's, which helped it enter a new segment. Besides, it acquired four gastrointestinal products from Merck to complement its existing portfolio. It also acquired five legacy brands from Pfizer, including Waterbury's Compound and pain reliever Sloan's Liniment. "What I find interesting about the OTC market is that it is highly fragmented and consumers are still discovering who they trust and what they trust," says Piramal. Industry experts say Piramal is following in her father's footsteps. Ajay Piramal bought Nicholas Laboratories in 1988, when it was ranked 48 in the domestic market, and turned it into the third largest company through a series of acquisitions. In 2010, he sold the domestic formulations business to Abbott for $3.8 billion (Rs 17,500 crore/Rs 175 billion), but retained the OTC, critical care and contract manufacturing businesses. "We are ready for acquisitions -- big and small," says Nandini Piramal, and adds that being among the top three is only a short-term goal. "The OTC market is fragmented. There are big brands in a few categories, but we believe there is a lot of room to play," she says. With a huge war-chest, investment bankers have started queuing up before her office. With urban lifestyles being what they are, the idea of health and wellness is becoming more and more important, says Nandini, widening the playing field. "People are now becoming more aware of what they can do to prevent diseases," she says. "Younger people are more aware and are taking steps to prevent lifestyle diseases." "It is fascinating to partner with consumers on the journey of self-discovery and to help shape people's preferences -- that is what I find most exciting," she says. Though OTC is currently the smallest segment in Piramal's pharma portfolio with annual sales of Rs 537 crore (Rs 5.37 billion) in 2016-2017, it grew at a clip of 26 per cent year-on-year, and is within striking distance of crossing Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 1 billion) by 2020. The Rs 12,000 crore OTC market is growing at 12 to 13 per cent annually. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, OTC is 21 per cent of the $20 billion pharmaceutical industry in India. The company's health care business, spread across three lines, saw its revenue grow 11.6 per cent in 2016-2017 to Rs 4,054 crore (Rs 40.54 billion) over the previous year. "We as a company are very good at buying small under-appreciated brands from other companies and increasing their sales," she says explaining her growth strategy. She and husband DeYoung are also credited with expanding the US-centric critical care business into new geographies and product lines. The couple have a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son who we discover are under strict parenting. The children go to bed at 8 pm and the TV at their residence stopped working as it was not turned on for months. Besides her business acumen, Piramal has also inherited a love for horses from her father, and takes her daughter horse riding at the Mumbai Race Course just as her father did when she was young. The family owns horses and also a polo team. The group also includes the unlisted Piramal Realty, which is headed by Anand, her younger brother. As we approach the end of our lunch, we ask her if she would like dessert. She declines. Is she ambitious? "Very," she says. "But I also look for balance. You have to pay attention to all the things important to your life including health and relationships," she adds. As we prepare to leave we ask if she would be heading Piramal Enterprises, the pharmaceutical business, once it is demerged. "We will know when we get there," she leaves it at that. High voltage power lines next to the Beltline were arcing Wednesday night because five balloons got caught in the lines, forcing the frontage road to be closed for safety reasons as crews worked to remove the balloons. The weird incident happened at about 9 p.m. above the frontage road on the south side of the Beltline, near the Grandview Boulevard intersection between Seminole Highway and Todd Drive. The Madison Fire Department was called out to the scene to assess the hazards, as the Madison Police Department blocked off the frontage road at Kingston Drive and Landmark Place. The power lines, owned by American Transmission Company, have 345,000 volts of electricity running through them, according to the company's project website. The five mylar balloons stuck in the lines were removed by an ATC maintenance specialist after power had been shut down. The frontage road reopened about an hour after the incident was reported. No one was injured. The bankruptcy code will deter defaulters, but NPAs will not cease unless banks are sensitised on credit appraisal and experts are hired by banks to inspect what is happening with their loans, point out Veena Mani & N Sundaresha Subramanian. Neeraj Singhal, promoter and vice-chairman of Bhushan Steel, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August 2014. Singhals arrest came days after the agency had arrested S K Jain, the then chairman and managing director of Syndicate Bank on bribery charges. Soon after, the Bhushan Steel account was referred to a joint lenders forum. It was part of the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) asset quality review in 2015 before being declared a non-performing asset (NPA) by the end of 2015-16. Three years later, Bhushan Steel is one of the 12 companies recommended for insolvency proceedings by Reserve Bank of India. Another complicated case is that of Era Infra Engineering, against which as many as 18 winding-up pleas are pending in courts. The shares of this company were suspended by the bourses over a year ago, implying its troubles are much older. Essar Steel first defaulted on debt repayment in 1999. It went into a corporate debt restructuring in 2002 and came out of it in 2006. Its shares were delisted in 2007, but it still emerged with a loan book of Rs 37,000 crore (Rs 370 billion). In 2014, Essar Steels Canadian acquisition Algoma filed for bankruptcy, two years later Essar Steel Minnesota filed for Chapter 11. Young defaults versus critically ill An insolvency expert whose firm is advising the resolution process of one of the large accounts, said, Each case has to be taken on its merits. While some accounts may be difficult, others might be eminently suitable. There is a view in the industry that the law is more suited for young defaults, when companies are in a better state of health. When insolvency is taken up as the last option, it may not be effective. Pavan Vijay, managing director of Corporate Professionals, said some companies entering insolvency were like patients that need ventilator support. Some of these companies are not a going concern and liquidation is inevitable. Laden with such challenging and chronic cases, banks, especially the public sector ones, have been slow to wake up to the new insolvency regime. The bankruptcy code was passed by Parliament a year ago, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) was constituted in October and registration of professionals began by late November. But the public sector banks (PSBs) swung into action only a few months later. According to regulations, resolution professionals are required to make a public announcement in the beginning of the insolvency resolution process once this has been admitted by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The process has to be completed within 180 days of this announcement, failing which liquidation will be initiated. Missing banks As on July 10, 112 such announcements have been made. Of these, banks account for just 17 announcements, or 15 per cent. State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have been applicants in three cases each, while Bank of India (BoI), IDBI Bank and ICICI Bank account for two cases each. Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction has initiated three cases. A majority of the cases admitted by the NCLT have been initiated by the companies themselves or operational creditors like suppliers and customers. Private lender ICICI Bank was first off the blocks and received the tribunals clearance for Innoventive Industries as early as January. At this point, there were 977 registered insolvency professionals. The NCLT was also not as crowded as it is now. But the PSBs did not do much in the first four months. By the time BoIs application in the matter of Hindustan Dorr Oliver was cleared it was May 5. SBI and PNB came into the picture a couple of weeks later. PNBs first case was in early May in Chandigarh and SBIs account was opened with two cases in Telangana towards the end of that month. State-owned banks were cooling their heels in the first few months, said insolvency professionals. Only after receiving a clear signal of this being the preferred route to dealing with stressed assets did banks begin to scamper for talent, knowledge and other resources. With the government and the RBI on their heels, the late start and bureaucratic processes have added to the challenges for banks. SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharyas comments that the ecosystem had not evolved must be seen against this backdrop, said insolvency professionals. Bhattacharya pointed out that certain mandatory components, such as information utilities, were not yet in place and that there were not enough insolvency professionals. She also pointed to the lack of capacity in the NCLT. Teething troubles Insolvency professionals feel banks are the weak links in the ecosystem. They pointed out that there were about 500 registered professionals and, despite its workload, the NCLT had not delayed hearing insolvency cases. Further, the government has started the process of appointing 15 new members to the NCLT. Mamta Binani, an insolvency professional based in Kolkata and former president of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, said, There are 500 trained professionals available in India to tackle these cases. There is no dearth of insolvency professionals. The IBBI has been stringent in empanelling insolvency professionals. It refused to empanel an applicant working with a multinational auditing and consultancy firm. The IBBIs order states an insolvency professional must not engage in any employment with the entity where he is appointed (as a resolution professional, liquidator, bankruptcy trustee, etc.). To justify this, he has submitted that the objective of the code of conduct is to maintain independence and to avoid conflict of interest. One insolvency professional recalled a meeting of the committee of creditors where the bankers discussed only the debt and not its restructuring. Another professional said bankers were poorly informed about cases and most of them lacked powers to make decisions. Binani said bankers were not yet ready to accept the code. In the case of Palogix Infrastructure, which filed for insolvency, two banks have not filed claims, she added. Insolvency professionals feel the code will deter defaulters, but NPAs will not cease unless banks are sensitised on credit appraisal and experts are hired by banks to inspect what is happening with their loans. Both sides of the arguments are true. While certain parts of the framework, such as the information utilities, are not yet in place, the basic structure is ready, said an expert. On July 16, the deadline for Innoventive Industries, the first case initiated, ends. But the case is in courts on technicalities. There are reports about difficulties in getting multiple lenders to agree on terms. Though there have been challenges in courts, these are part of evolution of any law, say regulators. In a recent interview, M S Sahoo, chairman of the IBBI, said, Nothing develops in a vacuum. Only when something is available will there be a market for it. Photograph: Reuters 'This is potentially escalatory, as China does not believe that India has any basis for interfering in a bilateral dispute between China and one of its neighbours.' M Taylor Fravel, an expert on China's border issues, weighed in on the standoff between that country and India at Dokalam over a dispute with a third country, Bhutan. Dr Fravel, who has written a book titled Strong Borders, Secure Nation about China's various border disputes, offers no facile solutions to the issue, but suggests that both sides may be working under their own constraints: China may be trying to consolidate its position while Bhutan had to go to India, the only power capable of taking on China. In the interview with P Rajendran, Dr Fravel, left, below, also pointed out where the media may have inadvertently muddied the waters by mixing up the locations and helping sow more confusion. What do you think of the current situation involving India and China at Dokalam? Could you compare the relative validity of the arguments by the two sides here? The dispute revolves around two issues. First, the location of the trijunction or where the borders of India, China and Bhutan. Because each country places the trijunction in a different location, and because of the location of the boundaries, the differences over the trijunction creates a dispute between China and Bhutan. Specifically, the source of the disagreement appears to revolve around the starting point of the China-India border named in a 1890 convention between Great Britain and China versus the watershed principle for delimiting the border contained in the same convention. In other words, the challenge is how to implement the relatively terse language of the convention on the complicated geography on the ground. Second, for the first time, India has deployed troops in a third country (Bhutan) to challenge China's actions on the border. This is potentially escalatory, as China does not believe that India has any basis for interfering in a bilateral dispute between China and one of its neighbours. China claims India should not get involved in its border issues with Bhutan. Does India have a say in this dispute, using an argument similar to what it used in the case of Bangladesh in 1971 -- that it is under threat by construction of what will be a road for the Chinese military -- and thus weaken its dominant position there? India appears to be acting based on its treaty with Bhutan. However, India's main reason for acting is its fear that China may consolidate its position in the area and that, in turn, could allow China to dominate Indian forces defending the Siliguri Corridor, or 'chicken's neck', key to India's territorial integrity. With all the disputes -- admittedly most of them at sea -- that it is dealing with, what compulsions would drive China to risk more conflict by building a road on disputed territory? Would it be a way to force a deal with Bhutan, to get it to deal directly with Beijing instead of speaking to its representatives in Delhi? Based on imagery available from Google Earth, China's presence in the area disputed with Bhutan at the trijunction is not new. Images from 2005 (the first year available in Google Earth) show a road or track from undisputed Chinese territory in the Chumbi Valley into the area disputed with Bhutan and terminating as little as 200 meters from an Indian outpost that appears to be Doka La. This road may have been built earlier, however. Also, it is unclear if China was upgrading this existing road or extending it south, toward the trijunction. From China's perspective, its main goal was probably to consolidate areas under its control along its southwestern border, including disputed areas that it has controlled for some time. More generally, China has used border negotiations as a means to engage in direct diplomatic relations with Bhutan, despite the fact that the two countries do not formally maintain diplomatic relations with each other. Nevertheless, it is unclear if China's activities in the disputed area were driven by a desire to accelerate border talks or negotiations with Bhutan. Instead, the most likely explanation is the simplest one, that China's effort to consolidate areas under its control appeared to threaten two of its neighbors. What about Bhutan? What does its relatively quiescent role in the dispute suggest -- despite its demand that China stop building the contentious road? Only India has the capabilities to challenge China's activities in the area, which means that Bhutan must rely on India. You had mentioned in an interview a few years earlier that China only had land disputes with India and Bhutan. Has anything changed since then? No. All of China's other land border disputes have been resolved. Could the Chinese allowing pilgrims to still go to Manasarovar be seen as a sign that some reconciliation is possible? Yes, that would be a clear signal that China had believed that tensions were easing. But China is only likely to do so once Indian troops leave the area that China disputes with Bhutan. What might be an ultimate solution to the impasse, given that the Chinese have already shifted from a call for Aksai Chin to one for land in Arunachal Pradesh, too? Would that be a feint or a set of extra demand to work down during negotiations to the old one? Very hard to say! At the trijunction, the goal should be the restoration of stability. This will likely require, at a minimum, that China halt efforts to extend its roads in the area and that Indian troops return to Indian territory. Ideally, China might also withdraw from the disputed area or at least not move beyond areas over which it exercised control prior to the current standoff. Mutual restraint by both sides could then create an opening for talks regarding the location of the trijunction, which would resolve the dispute in the area. Finally, are there other issues of importance that need to be understood? A few things: First, the area of dispute is the Dolam (or Dokalam) Plateau. The Doklam Plateau is another area disputed by China and Bhutan to the north of the current dispute. Second, much of the discussion in the Indian press appears to miss the fact that China has had a road in the area for some time, at least since 2005, but probably earlier. China is unlikely to leave an area where it believes it had already consolidated its position. Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday at the age of 61, officials say. Liu, 61, died due to multiple organ failure at a hospital in Shenyang in northeastern China following a battle with cancer while still in custody. He was granted medical parole in June after receiving his diagnosis in prison, but Beijing would not let him seek treatment abroad despite Liu's wishes and international pressure. Liu was sentenced to 11 years in jail for his strident opposition to the one party rule of the Communist Party of China. Liu served eight years in jail before he was diagnosed with cancer. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while in jail and was represented by an empty chair at the ceremony in Oslo. A university professor turned rights campaigner, Liu was branded a criminal by the authorities. Responding to Liu's death, Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International commented that he was a man of fierce intellect, principle, wit and above all humanity. "Today we grieve the loss of a giant of human rights," Shetty said. "For decades, he fought tirelessly to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in China. He did so in the face of the most relentless and often brutal opposition from the Chinese government," he said in a statement. Despite enduring years of "persecution, suppression and imprisonment," Liu continued to fight for his convictions, he said. "Although he has passed, everything he stood for still endures. The greatest tribute we can now pay him is to continue the struggle for human rights in China and recognize the powerful legacy he leaves behind," Shetty said. Thanks to Liu, millions of people in China and across the world have been "inspired" to stand up for freedom and justice in the face of "oppression", he said. The death of Liu lays bare the Chinese government's ruthlessness toward peaceful proponents of human rights and democracy, Human Rights Watch said. The last time a Nobel Peace laureate died in state custody was in 1938, when pacifist Carl von Ossietzky died of tuberculosis under guard in a hospital in Nazi Germany, it noted. "Even as Liu Xiaobo's illness worsened, the Chinese government continued to isolate him and his family, and denied him freely choosing his medical treatment," said Sophie Richardson, China director of HRW. "The Chinese government's arrogance, cruelty, and callousness are shocking but Liu's struggle for a rights, respecting, democratic China will live on," she said in a statement. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang rejected all appeals to the Chinese government to allow the dissident to go overseas for medical treatment. He said that the Chinese governemnt is guided by its own laws and other countries should not interfere in the China's internal affairs in the name of human rights. Even after it was announced that Liu suffered from liver cancer, close friends and relatives were barred from visiting Liu during his treatment. He and his family were kept in isolation, watched around the clock by state security agents, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported. Liu's wife, Liu Xia, who herself was under house detention as well as friends and members of the international community appealed repeatedly and unsuccessfully to the Chinese government to allow the dissident to go overseas for medical treatment. Many of his friends and supporters said at the time of his release that they feared the dissident was close to death -- made a martyr by the Communist authorities. "Whether it was gross negligence or political murder, they have committed an unprecedented crime as no other government of the world has ever seen a Nobel Peace Prize laureate die in its custody," said Hu Jia, a leading Chinese human rights activist, when Liu first left jail. A university professor turned rights campaigner, Liu was branded a criminal by the authorities. He had played a major role in the Tiananmen protests of June 1989 which ended in bloodshed when they were quashed by the People's Liberation Army soldiers. In October 2010, while serving his sentence at Jinzhou Prison, near Shenyang, Liu was named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for "his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China." The two agreements were signed during Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's state visit to India in May. Archis Mohan reports. Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel, the Union cabinet chaired by him approved on Wednesday the signing of two agreements between India and Palestine on cooperation in the fields of health and medicine, and information technology and electronics. The two agreements were signed during Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's state visit to India in May. Modi paid a state visit to Israel, the first by an Indian prime minister, from July 4 to 6. He, however, didn't visit Palestine, a decision that has come in for criticism from opposition parties and former diplomats. In October 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee had visited Israel, the first Indian head of state to do so, as well as Palestine. On Wednesday, the cabinet note on the two agreements stated: 'India has strong political support to the Palestinian cause at international and bilateral levels. India has been contributing material and technical assistance to the Palestinian people.' The agreement on health covers capacity-building of health staff, prevention and control of communicable diseases, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, drugs, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. A working group will be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of the agreement. The agreement on IT and electronics will remain in force for five years. It will be implemented by establishing a working group on IT and electronics comprising representatives of the two parties, an official statement said. Under the agreement, both countries will look at promoting closer cooperation in e-governance, m-governance, e-public services delivery, cyber security, software technology parks and start-up ecosystem. 'Bilateral cooperation in ICT (information and communications technology) domain in both B2B (business to business) and G2G (government to government) will be enhanced. It envisages improving B2B collaboration leading to employment opportunities,' the statement said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at Hyderabad House, during the latter's visit to New Delhi in May. Photograph: @MEAphotogallery/Flickr With five more people losing their lives in the deluge in Assam, the toll due to monsoon misery in the state reached 44, while several places in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, including state capital Itanagar, were cut off by floods and landslides. On Tuesday, five persons had been killed and nine went missing as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit eight dwellings in Papum Pare district of Arunachal. Many parts of North India are also flooded. IMAGE: A boy carries fresh drinking water on head as he wades through flooded water at Padder parr village in Karimganj district, Assam. Photograph: PTI Photo With all the districts of Manipur too reeling under rains and floods, the Centre on Wednesday dispatched a team led by Union minister Kiren Rijiju to oversee rescue and relief operations in affected areas in the entire region. The south-west monsoon, meanwhile, continued its advance, as it entered Punjab and parts of Haryana -- a week later than its expected arrival -- bringing moderate to heavy rains in the region. The maximum temperature dropped sharply after showers lashed the region. IMAGE: Rhinos with their calves standing on an elevated land in the flooded Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Photograph: PTI Photo In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a high of 30.5C, five notches below normal, after receiving a heavy downpour (153 mm). Ludhiana, too, was lashed by heavy showers (48 mm) and the maximum temperature in the industrial town settled at 30.3C, four notches below normal. In Haryana, Karnal recorded a maximum of 28.2C, down five notches, after being lashed by showers. Ambala, which received heavy rain, recorded a high of 27.6C, down seven notches. IMAGE: Rescue operation for flood affected people being carried on by the PAC personnel as many areas remain submerged under water after heavy rainfall at Meerapatti area in Allahabad. Photograph: PTI Photo Yamunanagar, Panipat, Jhajjar, Faridabad, Rewari, Rohtak, Panchkula, Bhiwani, Gurugram and Kurukshetra were among the other areas in Haryana that saw rains. Back in Assam, the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries submerged 2,500 villages, destroyed 1.06 lakh hectares of cropland, damaged infrastructure by breaching embankments and overrunning roads and bridges -- disrupting surface communication, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority official said. IMAGE: People throw out water from their house in a flooded locality in Dehradun. Photograph: PTI Photo With the fresh deaths, the toll in the state caused by the floods -- a yearly recurrence -- has gone up to 44. Nearly one lakh people have been forced to take shelter in 231 relief camps. Nearly 75 per cent of World Heritage site Kaziranga National Park has been inundated leading to the drowning of two female hog deer and one male swamp deer in its Northern Range. IMAGE: Rhinos at flooded Kaziranga National Park. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered setting up of a coordination committee for wild life protection. Manipur, meanwhile, has suffered a loss of around Rs 131 crore in the floods since cyclone Mora hit the state in late May, leading to floods and related incidents like landslides. More than 20 per cent of its total paddy fields in five districts of the Imphal valley have been hit by the deluge. IMAGE: A submerged house in Narayanpur area of Lakhimpur in Assam. Photograph: PTI Photo In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has directed the administration to issue orders for evacuation of people living in vulnerable areas of Itanagar to safer areas and appealed to people in such places to shift to relief camps. The state capital was virtually cut off with its lifeline NH 415 getting totally eroded at the entry point, while the alternate road via Jullang remained blocked, leaving only one road -- through Hollongi enroute Lakhimpur district in Assam. Across Bihar, temperatures rose marginally as rains receded today but major towns of the state continued to face water-logging due to previous downpours. Though the rains subsided in Uttar Pradesh, several areas in Allahabad were flooded after showers on Wednesday. IMAGE: Villagers take services of a boat to reach to a safer place as incessant rains created a flood-like situation at Kureni Bori in Morigaon district of Assam. Photograph: PTI Photo Heavy to very heavy rains continued to lash several parts of Himachal Pradesh as the monsoon remained active in the region. Water entered some low-lying residential areas in Una which received more than 140 mm of rains in past two days. The local Met office has predicted a wet spell in the region till July 17. It was a typically humid day in the national capital as the maximum and minimum temperatures settled at 33.2C 26C -- both below the normal levels. While 24.7 mm rainfall was recorded till 8.30 am on Wednesday, no rain was received in the city during the day. The local Met office has forecast overcast skies along with the possibility of light and moderate rains and thundershowers on Thursday. In Rajasthan, light to moderate rainfall occurred at a few isolated places in Udaipur, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions in last 24 hours. PTI TEAM IMAGE: Rescue work in progress after eight houses were buried under the debris caused by a massive landslide at Laptap village under Toru Circle of Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the flood affected Kaziranga National Park in upper Assam and ordered setting up of a coordination committee for wild life protection. Undertaking an extensive visit within 20 km radius of rhino habitat Kaziranga National Park in its Bagori Range, Sonowal assessed the impact of the current wave of floods on the World Heritage Site and its flora and fauna. The chief minister directed to form a coordination committee involving deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and divisional forest officers of five districts with a mandate to maintain close vigil on the movement of animals and their probable threats from poachers during the floods. IMAGE: A woman with her child wades through a flooded street in Agartala. Photograph: PTI Photo Taking stock of the prevailing flood situation and its resultant damage in KNP, Sonowal took a boat ride to oversee the extent of damage in Bagori Range, and said the Coordination Committee involving functionaries of five districts of Nagaon, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, Sonitpur and Biswanath will report to the Forest minister on a day to day basis on the flood situation and protection measures being adopted for the animals. Sonowal asked the DCs and SPs of Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong to take stringent action against possible attempt of poaching. He also asked the Environment and Forest Department to provide fodder and medical attention to the animals taking shelter on high lands. IMAGE: A flooded street in Balurghat in Dinajpur district of West Bengal. Photograph: PTI Photo While visiting the flood affected areas of Kaziranga, the chief minister interacted with the forest guards on duty. Later on holding a meeting at Bagori, Sonowal asked the civil and police administration to be innovative and find ways and means to provide protection to animals in Kaziranga and asked the forest guards to be on high alert to thwart any poaching attempts. He also asked the Veterinary and Forest department to fortify the highlands and plant saplings on them. IMAGE: In Assam, Nearly one lakh people have been forced to take shelter in 231 relief camps. During the meeting, Sonowal directed Health and Public Health Engineering departments of the districts concerned to spray DDT at the flood affected areas and provide halogen tablets to the affected people. He also asked power company APDCL to check electric wires and transformers to prevent accidents. Directing the DCs to reach out to the affected people on a daily basis and allot land to those affected by erosion, Sonowal said steps have already been taken to repair minor breaches on embankments. IMAGE: Rickshaw pullers wade through a flooded street in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo Sonowal also visited two flood relief camps at Hatikhuli at Kohora in KNP and interacted with the inmates there. Environment and Forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma, Water Resources minister Kesab Mahanta and Agriculture minister Atul Bora accompanied Sonowal during his visit. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh is travelling to Erbil and Mosul in Iraq to locate 39 Indian nationals reportedly in captivity in Mosul after Iraq declared victory against the Islamic State group there on Sunday. India said Iraqi authorities have assured it of all cooperation in locating the captives. Visited Peshmarga frontline in Mosul area to seek information on Indians held by ISIS. Peshmerga still clearing ISIS held areas, Singh tweeted, using another acronym for IS. Earlier, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said that the ambassador of India to Iraq and the consul general in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate the Indian nationals on priority. Liberation of Mosul from ISIS is an important milestone in the global war on terror, and India welcomes it... 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 Indians, Baglay had said. 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, he had said. 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 and have been reportedly held hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014. Amarinder had called up Swaraj to seek her intervention, saying that the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following IS defeat and needed the central governments support in bringing them back. Swaraj also told him that V K Singh will coordinate with the Iraqi government and facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there, according to a spokesperson of Amarinders office. IMAGES: MoS for External Affairs V K Singh at Peshmarga front line in Mosul, Iraq. Photographs: @Gen_VKSingh/Twitter President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton had won last year's general election, as this would have made America weak. In his first major interview after his last week's maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. "We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because I'm a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me," Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network in an interview. Russia probe not 'witch hunt': Trump's FBI nominee The investigation into the Trump campaigns alleged connection with the Russians by Special Persecutor Robert Muller is not a witch hunt, Federal Bureau of Investigation director nominee Christopher Wray said on Wednesday. Wray, 50, who has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the FBI after he fired James Comey from this position in May, is a former high- ranking Justice Department official. I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt, he told Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing. Mueller, a former FBI Director and predecessor of Comey, has been appointed as a special prosecutor by the Department of Justice to look into the allegations of the relationship if any between the Russians and the Trump campaign during the presidential elections last year. In several of his social media outbursts, Trump has repeatedly described such investigations as a witch hunt. The question was raised by Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsay Graham during Wray's confirmation hearing. In light of the Don Jr email, and other allegations, that this whole thing about Trump campaign and Russias a witch hunt? Is that a fair description of what we're all dealing with in America? Graham asked Wray, who replied in negative. Wray did not specifically respond to the question if Trump can fire Muller. "And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesn't want to see that," he said, according to the excerpts of the interview released by CBN. "From day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. We're going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. We're going to be exporting energy he doesn't want that. "He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy," he continued. The full interview is scheduled to be telecast on Thursday. "So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think 'probably not,' because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldn't have spent the money on military," he said. "When I want tremendous energy, we're opening up coal, we're opening up natural gas, we're opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that," said the US President. In the middle of a political storm, because of allegation of Russian connections by his campaign, Trump said the two countries can get along together. "Well he wants what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and that's the way it is," Trump told CBN. His meeting with Putin in Germany last week went quite well, he said. "Sometimes you're not going to get along on things and sometimes you will. But we had a good meeting, it was a face to face meeting, it was a long meeting. It was two hours and 15 minutes. Everyone was surprised by the amount of time but that was a good thing and not a bad thing," he said. "Yeah, I think we get along very well and I think that's a good thing, that's not a bad thing. People said, 'Oh they shouldn't get along.' Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn't make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump said. Syria is one area where there is potential of a large cooperation. "I think we had an excellent meeting. One thing we did is we had a ceasefire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days," Trump said. "The ceasefire has held for four days. Those (previous) ceasefires haven't held at all. That's because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and it's held. Now, I don't know what's going to happen. Maybe as we're speaking they start shooting again. But this has held unlike all of the other ceasefires that didn't mean anything," he said. "So, that was a great thing that came out of that meeting. I think a lot of things came out of that meeting but I do believe it's important to have a dialogue and if you don't have a dialogue, it's a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody," Trump told CBN. IMAGE: Putin and Trump exchange pleasantries during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief leaders of opposition parties on the stand-off with China and the situation in Kashmir on Friday, official sources said. Leaders of prominent opposition parties are being invited for the meeting where the two senior ministers will give a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation along the Sino-Indian border and Jammu and Kashmir and the government action, sources said. Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well on Kashmir issue. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doka La area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Doka La 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. In Jammu and Kashmir, seven pilgrims were killed by terrorists in Anantnag district while returning from Amarnath cave shrine on last Monday. Four districts of the state -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag -- have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. Seventy-six people, besides two police personnel, were killed during the five-month unrest in the Valley following the killing of Wani. The unrest resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Opposition leaders have been criticising the government for the way it has handled the China and Kashmir matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'silence' on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Gandhi on Wednesday accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. He also alleged the prime minister's pursuit of short-term political gains from the Bharatiya Janata Party-People's Democratic Party alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-Amma chief V K Sasikala was being given preferential treatment at a prison in Bengaluru, a top police official has claimed amid a swirling suspicion of payment of Rs 2 crore to the official for it, prompting the government to order a probe into it. Deputy Inspector of General-Prisons D Roopa made the allegations in a report to her superior Director General of Police-Prisons H S Sathyanarayana Rao. In a swift response, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a "high-level probe" into the allegations as the two senior officers engaged in a bitter public spat. In the four-page report after visiting the central prison on July 10, Roopa said a special kitchen was functioning in the central prison for Sasikala, a convict in a corruption case, in violation of the rules. "There are rumours that the kitchen is continuing to function despite the issue being brought to your (Rao) notice. There is also a talk that Rs 2 crore has been paid as bribe for this. "As unfortunately these allegations are also against you, it is requested that you look into the matter and take merciless disciplinary action against erroneous officials," Roopa said in the report. Rao, however, rubbished Roopa's charge against him, terming it "absolutely false, baseless and wild" and said he would take legal recourse against his junior. He asserted no special treatment was meted out to anybody, adding that even in the matter of visitations, ministers, MPs and MLAs of Tamil Nadu were not being obliged. Sasikala is lodged at the Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bengaluru ever since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a four year jail term. Taking "serious cognisance" of the allegations of irregularities in the central prison, Siddaramaiah ordered the probe and warned of "strict action" based on the inquiry report, if anyone was found involved in wrong doing. "Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrong doing," he said in a tweet. Refuting Roopa's allegations at a press conference, Rao said no "undue favour" was being shown to Sasikala. He said she was taking prison food as other inmates. "There is no special kitchen. She is like any other prisoner," he said. The DGP said as a subordinate officer Roopa should have discussed it with him first, including the charges against him. "I'm open to any investigation. Instead she has gone to media without any evidence," he said. Rao said he had issued two memos to Roopa for going to the media and posting information on social media (both on other issues) and not attending the chief minster's meeting recently. "Instead of giving reply to the memos, she has come out with this (allegation)," he said. Asked if he suspected any conspiracy against him, Rao said, "Maybe, there is some conspiracy. I do not know." "Instead of attending chief minister's meeting she has gone to prison...who has authorised her. She had to attend the meeting. Instead of giving reply to the memos she has come out with this (allegation)," he said. In her report, Roopa pointed out various "erroneous" practices in the prison, alleging that ganja was being consumed by several prisoners. She said during her visit, she conducted drug tests on 25 inmates using drugs test kit and "shockingly" 18 of them turned out to be positive as per doctors. In the report, she has also mentioned about the 'preferential' treatment being provided to fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi in the prison. Undertrial prisoners in his cell are allegedly being used to do his personal work like pressing his shoulders, arms and legs. Noting that six months ago there was a court direction to provide Telgi with assistants as he was using a wheelchair, the DIG in her report said though now he was dependant on it and was walking properly, three to four undertrials are still allowed in his cell to do his work. "I think you too might have seen this on the CCTV installed in your chamber. Allowing undertrials with convicts like Telgi is against the prison rules. Despite knowing this, the superintendent of the jail has not taken any action," she said. Accusing the DGP of interfering in her functioning, the DIG said she was sent a memo seeking explanation on the very next day of her visit to the prison. Defending her findings, Roopa told reporters that a copy of the report had been sent to the government, adding, "Let there be a fact-finding inquiry." Asked about the allegations in her report being based on "rumours," Roopa said, "There are facts which even now can be proved. Let there be an inquiry. "There is fact and rumour. I have mentioned rumour as a rumour. I have not converted rumour to a fact. I have put it in the report and have given it to the DG himself. He should take it positively," she said when asked if there was truth in the "rumours" mentioned by her in the report. On DGP's memo about her not attending the CM's meeting, Roopa said she was told by the DG earlier that she need not attend the meeting at DG&IGP office unless there were specific instructions from him, and there was no written or oral orders instructing her to attend the meeting. "Why would I skip CM's meeting, it's a privilege to attend. I have not been asked to attend," she added. United States President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that he could change his position on the Paris climate accord, in remarks after talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. "Something could happen with respect to the Paris accord," he said at a joint news conference with Macron weeks after announcing that the United States would abandon the 2015 pact, adding: "We'll see what happens." Macron told the conference he "respected" his US counterpart's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord but that France remained committed to the 2015 pact. "I respect the decision of President Trump," Macron told a joint news conference in Paris. "As a result he will lead the necessary thought and work that correspond to his campaign promises. For my part, I remain committed to the Paris accord," he added. Earlier, the 39-year-old French leader said he had a "strong disagreement... about the climate" deal, with Trump, adding: "I hope in the end to be able to persuade him." IMAGE: US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a joint news conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters Weeks before fatally shooting a woman who was pointing a gun at her head in 2014, two Madison police officers completed a training exercise where instructors commended one for shooting a suicidal man who was pointing a gun at his own head and questioned the other who waited to shoot. Justin Bailey, who waited to shoot, testified in a federal courtroom Wednesday that the exercise with paintball guns was part of his thought process when he decided to shoot a distraught Ashley DiPiazza after she emerged from her apartment bedroom holding a handgun to her head on May 18, 2014. In the debriefing (after the exercise) I was asked why I took so long to shoot, Bailey said. Bailey, who is no longer a police officer, along with Madison police officers Gary Pihlaja and Carey Leerek, are defendants in a trial stemming from a civil lawsuit filed by DiPiazzas family. The lawsuit manintains DiPiazza was shot without making any verbal threats or pointing the gun toward anybody but herself, thus violating her constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and seizures when Bailey and Pihlaja shot her 11 times inside her small apartment in the 1100 block of MacArthur Road. The lawsuit also claims police negotiator Leerek did nothing to stop them. A six-woman, two-man jury will begin deliberations Thursday after closing statements in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The jury also is expected to decide whether to drop Leerek from the lawsuit. Judge William M. Conley told attorneys for both sides that he was having trouble holding her responsible for the actions of the other officers because she wasnt their supervisor. Testimony concluded Wednesday afternoon after witnesses for both sides focused on the training regimen for Madison police officers and the written rules and regulations that guide them. DiPiazza was shot after her boyfriend, who was living with her at the time, contacted police to say that they had a relationship-ending argument and she had been drinking and was holed up in their apartment with his gun. She emerged from the bedroom with a gun pointed to her head just after police entered her apartment and they quickly retreated. She re-emerged while still holding a gun to her head about 30 minutes later and was shot by Bailey and Pihlaja as they stood near the front door of her apartment. Roger Clark, a police procedures expert from Califonia testifying for the DiPiazza family, said DiPiazza never was an imminent threat to any person other than herself by the letter of the law, and that Bailey and Pihlaja failed to follow key tactical guidelines. The defenses expert, Charles Huth, a commander with the Kansas City Police Departments special operations division, said the three officers actions were consistent with contemporary police policies, training and protocol. A Madison police instructor and trainer who was leading tactical response training in 2014 testified that cadets are taught about the importance of reaction time during an exercise in which they are in position to shoot with their gun drawn at a subject pointing a gun at his head. The subject typically is able to get off the first round, said Lt. Tim Patton. That point was reiterated during the in-service exercise for Madison police officers in which they pull over a vehicle and the driver quickly emerges with a gun at his head and yells wildly about how he is about to commit suicide. Pihlaja testified that in the exercise he shot the man with his paintball gun as the man continued to point the gun at his head and said instructors told him, That was the correct thing to do. If Pihlaja hadnt shot the man, the exercise would have continued with the man, still holding a gun to his own head, walking toward Pihlaja, Patton said. If Pihlaja hadnt shot him at that point, Patton said, the exercise would continue with the man eventually pointing his gun at the officer. Bailey testified that was the point in the exercise when he shot the man. Patton said that while rules and regulations may say that a person holding a gun doesnt qualify as an imminent threat, the gun does change the (threat) assessment because of the minimum amount of time it takes to turn a gun on them and fire at them. An internal review by Madison police determined that the officers did not violate departmental policy. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne also cleared the officers of any criminal liability following an investigation by the state Department of Justice. The passenger in a pickup truck who was killed in a crash early Tuesday in Dodge County has been identified as Jessica Miller, 43, of Evansdale, Iowa. Miller was killed when she was thrown from the pickup truck that had crashed into the back left corner of a semi on Highway 151 near Gunn Road in the town of Calumus, the Sheriff's Office said. Miller founded Karsyns Krusaders, a nonprofit to battle childhood cancer, in 2010, according to this story in the Courier of Waterloo, Iowa, that said the community is mourning her loss. "She touched a lot of lives, and thats something thats going to be hard to replace, Aaron Buzza told the paper. The pickup truck was towing an enclosed trailer and was driven by Levi Nielsen, 25, also of Evansdale. The sheriff's report said Nielsen was going north on Highway 151 in the right lane, and approached a semi also in the right lane. He tried to swerve to the left to avoid a crash but the right side of the pickup truck hit the left rear and left side of the semi trailer. Nielsen suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment. The semi driver, Jasvir Kattara, 29, of California, was not injured. The Sheriff's Office said fog was not a factor in the crash, which is still under investigation. 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. World must seize the moment to support South Sudanese refugees Publisher Amnesty International Author Khairunissa Dhala Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, World must seize the moment to support South Sudanese refugees, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59671a794.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. At just 37 years of age, Joyce has seen it all. She's stared into the abyss of human cruelty and lived to tell the story. In September 2016, soldiers stormed her home in Kajo Keji, South Sudan, which she shared with her husband and their children. They tied her husband's arms behind his back and stabbed him multiple times until he lay dead. A single mother with nine children to feed, Joyce decided to run away - to escape the violence in her native land. So she joined the hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese people fleeing southwards to Uganda. But although the trek to Uganda by foot has reduced her risk of being shot dead or raped by soldiers or rebels, her life is still a painful daily struggle. She still lacks basic supplies, including food, water or shelter. And she's not alone, thousands upon thousands of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda - nearly two-thirds of them children - are living in despicable conditions due to a shameful failure by the international community to fund refugee efforts in Uganda, a country that has continued to welcome refugees, despite its limited resources. The world's wealthiest countries are not doing enough to support these refugees. UN funding appeals for refugees remain grossly underfunded leaving millions of refugees in destitute conditions, and dismally few resettlement places are being offered, contrary to international obligations for responsibility-sharing among states. With more than 900,000 South Sudanese refugees already on its territory, and with thousands more arriving each day, Uganda is facing one of the world's biggest refugee crises. Known, and praised, for its progressive refugee policy, Uganda has kept its doors open to refugees against financial odds, but it is buckling under the pressure and needs global support. Under this policy, refugees are given pieces of land to live on and farm, and have equal access to basic services as citizens, including health care and education. They also have the right to work and own businesses. The authorities aim for refugees to be self-sufficient within five years - and to no longer have to rely on aid agencies. And yet the international community has still failed to provide Uganda and its refugees with adequate support. By May 2017, the South Sudan Refugee Response Plan for Uganda was only 15% funded. In 2016, it was only funded up to 51.4%. Not only does this lack of funding risk the sustainability of Uganda's progressive refugee policy, it also a direct and devastating impact on refugees' lives. Amnesty International spoke to more than 80 South Sudanese refugees in settlements across four districts of northern Uganda, as part of a recent report, all of whom gave harrowing accounts of the human rights abuses they had fled from, including killings, rape and torture. Some of them, like Joyce, saw their loved ones being killed. But instead of full support to live in dignity in Uganda, they have been left struggling to cope. Even the most vulnerable, such as trauma victims with urgent mental health needs, have been neglected. Over 64% of the refugees from South Sudan in Uganda are children under the age of 18. Many are at risk and in need of urgent support. Yet appeals by the Ugandan government, the UN and aid agencies have fallen on deaf ears. But it is not too late. Donor countries, including the US, the EU and its member states, Australia, Canada, China and Japan, have an opportunity to change this next week at the Uganda Solidarity Summit on Refugees in Kampala. The international community must step up and show its support to Uganda and the refugees it has given a warm welcome. Their lives depend on it. Khairunissa Dhala is a researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International This article was first published by Aljazeera on 21 June 2017 http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/06/uganda-south-sudanese-refugees-crisis-170621092317423.html Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Poland: New law undermines the independence of the judiciary Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Poland: New law undermines the independence of the judiciary, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59671b534.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. Responding to new legislation adopted by the Polish parliament today that may result in ending the independence of judiciary in the country, Amnesty International's Poland Researcher, Barbora said: "Today's vote puts rights and freedoms in Poland at great risk. The right to a fair trial is one of the key requirements of international human rights law as well as of the Polish constitution. This level of political interference with the judiciary can only lead to decreased trust in the fairness of trials." "Voices warning against the adoption of the law fall on deaf ears and Poland is now heading to a situation where legislative powers will exercise influence over the process of selecting judges, members of the National Council of the Judiciary." An amendment to the law on the National Council of the Judiciary (NCJ) puts this body, which safeguards the independence of courts and judges, under control of parliament. The amendment was met by protests outside the Polish parliament. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Draginja Nadazdin on +48 605 222 705 BACKGROUND Prior to today's vote, several international organizations, including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Consultative Council of European Judges, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, warned against the adoption of the amendment. In response to the amendment, Amnesty International has launched a petition calling on the government of Poland to ensure that reforms of the judiciary are in line with international human rights law. Amnesty International has also submitted an open letter to the European Commission demanding it invokes Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union which allows for the imposition of sanctions, including the suspension of voting rights. Under the amendment, the members of the NCJ, the constitutional organ safeguarding the independence of courts and judges, will be elected by parliament. Out of a total 25 members of the council, 15 members would be judges chosen by the lower chamber of parliament. Another amendment adopted on 12 July by parliament involves the law on Common Courts and changes the nominations of the presidents and vice-presidents of the common courts. The decisive role in this process is now with the Minister of Justice. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Full repeal of Wisconsins prevailing wage requirement is regaining momentum after its lead state Senate supporter said it must be included in the next state budget. The demand from Assistant Senate Majority Leader Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, inserts another wrinkle into talks about how to break the state budget impasse. Lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker already missed a July 1 deadline to enact the new two-year spending plan. Twenty-four GOP lawmakers included prevailing wage repeal in a separate proposal, made public Thursday, that they say would cut costs at the state Department of Transportation. Back on the table Together the developments re-ignite a prevailing wage repeal debate that, at least publicly, had grown dormant in recent weeks. Two years ago, GOP lawmakers and Walker partially repealed prevailing wage, the minimum pay requirement for workers on public construction projects, by removing it from projects funded by local governments. Vukmirs proposal would abolish it entirely by removing it from state-funded projects. Only projects with federal funding would remain subject to the federal prevailing wage requirement, known as Davis-Bacon. The repeal measure enjoys broad support from business groups, GOP lawmakers and Walker, who included it in his original budget proposal. The Legislatures budget-writing committee removed it from the budget in April along with other non-fiscal provisions. Prevailing wage repeal bills sponsored by Vukmir and state Rep. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, were heard by lawmakers this spring, but little has been said publicly about them since. Now, Vukmir and at least two other senators say prevailing wage repeal needs to be back in the state transportation budget. Without a revenue infusion or new borrowing, lawmakers face a nearly $1 billion funding gap to match what they approved for highway improvement spending in the last budget, according to the states nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Any viable transportation proposal must include the repeal of this unnecessary law to receive the support it needs to pass the Senate, Vukmir said in a statement. Vukmir has said she is considering seeking the Republican nomination in 2018 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, of Madison. Senators whose offices told the Wisconsin State Journal they side with Vukmir include Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, and Duey Stroebel, R-Cedarburg. Kapenga, in a statement, said any discussion on a viable transportation package must start with reforming the way WisDOT conducts business and must include a full repeal of prevailing wage. Not all senators are taking a hard line. Sen. Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said hes fine with repealing prevailing wage as part of the budget or as a standalone measure. Spokespersons for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, did not respond to requests to respond to Vukmir. Vos said Thursday he supports the inclusion of prevailing wage repeal in the DOT efficiency proposal offered by the 24 lawmakers, which also include Hutton. Eric Bott, a spokesman for Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin, a conservative advocacy group that has helped lead the push for prevailing wage repeal, said his group fully anticipates that it will be put back in the budget. Counting votes If at least three GOP senators side with Vukmir, they could attempt to ensure prevailing wage be included in any final budget deal. Thats because a budget likely must be passed with only Republican votes all Democrats are likely to oppose it and Republicans hold a 20-13 edge in the Senate. A full repeal of prevailing wage would be another resounding defeat in Wisconsin for labor unions, which helped enact such measures nationwide during the New Deal era. Democrats and labor groups say prevailing wage ensures all contractors have a level playing field when bidding for public projects. That helps Wisconsin contractors compete with those from out of state, while also preventing shoddy contractors from landing state jobs, they say. Prevailing wage repeal supporters say the move is needed to cut costs for transportation projects. Vukmir has said it would save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over time. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau found research on the impact of prevailing wage laws on construction costs is mixed and inconclusive. A fiscal estimate for the bill from the state DOT predicted it will save the department money but said its impossible to predict how much. The estimate notes that since most highway projects use federal funds, the bill only would exempt a small minority of projects from prevailing wage. An estimate from the University of Wisconsin System said it cannot predict the bills impact on the Systems budget. Indiana repealed its prevailing wage in 2015, and the assistant majority leader of its state House, Rep. Ed Soliday, told a group in Milwaukee earlier this year that it hasnt saved us a penny. Soliday said proponents of the measure wildly exaggerated the potential savings, noting the vast majority of road construction costs go to materials, not labor. Iraq: Investigations, not denials needed over appalling civilian death toll in west Mosul Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 12 July 2017 Related Document(s) At Any Cost: The Civilian Catastrophe in West Mosul, Iraq Cite as Amnesty International, Iraq: Investigations, not denials needed over appalling civilian death toll in west Mosul, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59671be64.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. Responding to statements made by spokespeople for the US-led coalition and the Iraqi forces, Lynn Maalouf Head of Research for Amnesty International in the Middle-East said: "We are disappointed by the dismissiveness with which the US-led coalition and Iraqi forces have treated our report depicting the immense civilian suffering in west Mosul. "At the bare minimum, governments who are part of the coalition as well as Iraqi forces must ensure a prompt, impartial investigation into the alleged violations we have documented. "We hope to see an immediate public acknowledgement of the immense cost to civilians that this battle has caused as well as a transparent response from the US-led coalition and Iraqi forces to the violations and attacks documented by Amnesty International in its report on the west Mosul operation. "Even wars have laws and there must be accountability when these are violated. "Amnesty International documented how the armed group calling itself the Islamic State committed horrific war crimes against civilians - but the violations of one party to a conflict is never a justification for its adversary to flout the laws of war." "By using explosive weapons with wide area effects and disproportionate airstrikes in densely populated areas, the US-led coalition and Iraqi forces failed to adapt their tactics to the reality on the ground. "There is no doubt that hundreds, if not thousands, of civilian deaths could have been avoided in west Mosul, had the Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition prioritized their protection, as required by international humanitarian law." Contrary to statements made by the US-led coalition, Amnesty International sent a letter to the US Department of Defense presenting the preliminary findings of the report on 20 June 2017 and asking for input. Amnesty did not receive any formal written response to this letter. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Senior UN officials urge concrete action to end Yemen conflict, ease 'appalling' humanitarian situation Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Senior UN officials urge concrete action to end Yemen conflict, ease 'appalling' humanitarian situation, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596720204.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 the war in Yemen grinds on, the increasing battles of attrition are extracting a terrible toll on the country's women, men and children, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council, calling for concrete action to end the fighting. "The country is not suffering from a single emergency but a number of complex emergencies," said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, noting that more than 20 million across the country are affected, including almost seven million at the risk of famine. Of most concern is the rapid spread of cholera across the country, with at least 300,000 suspected cases and over 1,700 deaths. Tackling the disease has become even more complicated with the Yemen's health system tethering on the verge of collapse. "Tens of thousands of healthcare workers have not been paid for many months, more than half of the country's health facilities have closed and supplies of medicine and medical equipment remain severely limited," added Mr. Cheikh Ahmed. In his remarks, the Special Envoy also commended the efforts of Yemeni civil society for peace in spite of many security challenges there and called on the political leadership to recognize that the continuation of the conflict would lead only to more human and physical loss. "Yemen's political leaders must listen and heed the calls of the Yemeni people demanding peace. History will not judge kindly those who have used the war to increase their influence or profit from the public finances, and Yemenis' patience will not last," he underscored. Also at today's Security Council briefing, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, noted the work done by UN and humanitarian agencies but warned that they "cannot replace State functions." Underscoring the need to ensure payments to the country's public servants and ensuring operations of its health services, Mr. O'Brien called for predictable and stable access for both humanitarian and commercial imports through Yemen's land and port routes. In particular, he stressed the need to ensure that Yemeni people and critical infrastructure are protected. "For as long as military actions continue, all parties must comply with their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law, and all States must exert their influence to ensure the parties do so. Today, they are not doing so. This must change," he said. "As I have said before, this is a man-made crisis, and the sheer scale of humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people is a direct result of the conflict and serious violations of international law. Humanity simply cannot continue to lose out to politics," he underlined. Also briefing the 15-member Security Council today, via video conference, Jose Graziano da Silva, the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) noted that the conflict in Yemen had disrupted agricultural livelihoods, exasperating food insecurity. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification conducted in March this year, registered a 20 percent increase in the number of people estimated to be severely food insecure (IPC Phase 3 and above). Seven million are in IPC Phase 4 meaning they are a step away from being classified to be in Famine (IPC Phase 5). Furthermore, in addition to dwindling agricultural produce, meat and livestock products have also sharply declined on the back of disease surveillance and vaccination programmes have come to a halt pushing the risk of disease outbreaks higher, noted the UN agriculture agency. UN in South Sudan concerned about civilians fleeing clashes in Upper Nile Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN in South Sudan concerned about civilians fleeing clashes in Upper Nile, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596722f14.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. Thousands of South Sudanese civilians are fleeing to neighbouring Ethiopia as Government troops advance on a rebel stronghold in the Upper Nile region, a senior United Nations official today said, expressing grave concern about what is already the world's fastest growing refugee crisis. Reports from the UN International Organization on Migration (IOM) "suggest that Government forces are now approaching the town of Maiwut, 25 kilometres north-west of Pagak. I'm gravely concerned by this ongoing situation," the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan, David Shearer, told reporters from Juba, the capital. He added that while it is unclear which side began the fighting, the military advance by the South Sudan forces "is not in the spirit of the unilateral ceasefire" declared by the Government in May. Mr. Shearer said there has been "active military engagement" over the past week north of Pagak, and at least 25 aid workers have relocated in the area as a result of the insecurity. The senior UN official, who is also the head of the UN Mission in the country, or UNMISS, also voiced great concern about an orphanage near Torit, south of Juba, surrounded by Government and rebel fighters who are preparing to fight. "It's unacceptable that 250 innocent children, and the people who care for them, find themselves in no-man's land between the warring parties," Mr. Shearer stressed. Requests by UNMISS to access the Hope for South Sudan Orphanage have been denied "locally, on the ground." The Government forces central command in Juba yesterday gave UNMISS "the go-ahead to send peacekeepers to the orphanage. I'm hopeful that will happen today," he added. Mr. Shearer urged both sides to reflect on President Salva Kiir's Independence Day message of peace and withdraw from the facility. In addition to accessing the orphanage, a group of Nepalese peacekeepers have been sent to protect civilians and the UN base in Torit. "The number of patrols we can undertake in the town will increase with the additional peacekeepers. In turn, that should provide more security and boost confidence," said Mr. Shearer. He noted that his deputy, Moustapha Soumare, is travelling to Torit tomorrow and will report back. RSF calls for the release of Said Chitour detained arbitrarily for over a month Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF calls for the release of Said Chitour detained arbitrarily for over a month, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596723954.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) calls for the release of Said Chitour, an Algerian freelance journalist and fixer who has been held arbitrarily ever since the intelligence services arrested him when he landed at Algiers international airport on 5 June. There are no grounds for keeping Chitour in pre-trial detention and doing so for more than a month is clearly excessive. RSF is also concerned about the conditions in which he is being held because he is diabetic. Chitour, who is well known in Algiers and works for such international English-language media as the BBC and Washington Post, is accused of passing confidential documents to foreign diplomats. After his arrest at the airport, he was taken directly to Dar Al Beida court, which ordered him held under article 65 of the penal code. This article provides for "life imprisonment for anyone who, with the intention of passing them to a foreign power, gathers intelligence, objects, documents or processes whose compilation and use are liable to harm the nation's defence or economy." But everyone is innocent until proved guilty and pre-trial detention is an exceptional measure that must be justified by clearly stated circumstances, such as a danger of flight or a threat to public order. Neither exists in this case, so Chitour's detention is excessive. Furthermore, pre-trial detention should not be extended indefinitely without a date being set for the trial. "When pre-trial detention is extended without any grounds and without a trial date, it becomes arbitrary and the principle of the presumption of innocence is violated," RSF editor-in-chief Virginie Dangles said. "Said Chitour must be released without delay, especially as he has health problems. "Furthermore, the Algerian authorities - in particular, the president's office, which oversees the intelligence agencies that arrested Chitour - must publicly state the grounds for his pre-trial detention, because we so far know nothing about what he is alleged to have done." Chitour's lawyer, Miloud Brahimi, told RSF that his client should be freed because "he will appear in court and has absolutely no intention of fleeing." When reached by RSF, the president's press office declined to comment. The case has parallels with that of Touati Marzoug, a blogger in pre-trial detention since January at Oued Ghir prison in Bejaia for posting a Skype interview with a person described as "Israeli diplomat." He is facing up to 25 years in prison under article 71 of the penal code. RSF issued a press release in February condemning the disproportionate nature of the charges and possible sentence. In a report entitled "Algeria, the invisible hand of power over the media", RSF describes how the Algerian authorities use the threat of pre-trial detention to intimidate journalists, citizen-journalists and media workers. Algeria is ranked 134th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. RSF's recommendations on Afghan journalists and demonstrations Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF's recommendations on Afghan journalists and demonstrations, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5967240a4.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 response to an increase in the frequency of anti-government protests in the past year in Afghanistan, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is today issuing recommendations on the safety of Afghan journalists at demonstrations. RSF's recommendations take account of the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, which is due to the fact that both the Taliban and Islamic State are carrying out more attacks. Both the frequency and violence of anti-government protests have grown in the past year, and covering them has increasingly been a source of tension between journalists, demonstrators and the security forces. A dozen journalists were mistreated or beaten by presidential bodyguards or by security personnel from Kabul when the president visited the central province of Bamiyan on 29 August 2016. Journalists have also been injured or mistreated during two other major demonstrations. A suicide bombing blamed on both the Taliban and Islamic State killed scores of people at a "Movement of Light" protest in Kabul on 23 July 2016 against the re-routing of a proposed power transmission line away from Bamiyan province. The police used force to disperse a demonstration on 3 June 2017 by the "Uprising for Change" protest movement, which is demanding security reforms and the resignation of senior security officials. One-sided coverage of these three events by certain media outlets has helped to fuel tension in Afghanistan. The right to demonstrate peacefully is enshrined in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Afghanistan is a signatory. The right is also guaranteed in article 37 of Afghanistan's own constitution. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also states that journalists have the right to "seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds." This obviously includes the right to cover a demonstration. In its Resolution 25/38 of March 2014, the UN Human Rights Council recognized the "important role" that journalists play in "documenting human rights violations or abuses committed in the context of peaceful protests." The resolution also urged governments "to pay particular attention to the safety of journalists and media workers covering peaceful protests, taking into account their specific role, exposure and vulnerability." Article 20 of the Covenant stresses the importance of news coverage by distinguishing it from "propaganda for war" and by prohibiting "any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence." The "important role" played by the media and journalists also requires universal and effective respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. RSF stresses that the freedom to inform must not be used irresponsibly. Journalists are not ordinary members of the public, inasmuch as other people listen to and pay attention to what they say. In this light, RSF asks All those present at demonstrations to: - Respect photo-reporting and video-reporting by journalists, and accept that participating in a public event entails the possibility of being photographed or filmed. - Not obstruct the work of journalists, respect their physical integrity and respect their equipment. - Respect the confidentiality of journalists' sources. The Afghan state to: - Implement the recommendation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 25/38, especially paragraphs 8, 10, 12 and 13. - Respect articles 24, 27, 34 and 37 of the constitution (on respecting human freedom and dignity, on the state's obligation to respect and support human dignity, on the principle of legality as regards crimes and punishment, on freedom of the media and on freedom of association). - Pay particular attention to the safety of journalists and to protecting the freedom to inform in connection with demonstrations. - Provide members of the security forces with appropriate training. Police academies must incorporate training about articles 24, 27, 34 and 37 of the constitution (see above), and about press law, image rights and civil liberties. - Prosecute those who obstruct the work of journalists (by arresting them, seizing their equipment and so on) or who attack them while they are covering demonstrations. - Adopt legislation making it a crime (with criminal sanctions) for a public official to obstruct the freedom to inform. - Adopt legislation protecting the confidentiality of journalists' sources and prohibiting the seizure of journalistic equipment and material. - Establish a system of compensation for journalists who are injured and must pay medical fees and/or whose equipment is confiscated or destroyed. The media to: - Respect the principles on the rights and duties of journalists. - Cover events in an ethical manner, without inciting hatred, especially during news broadcasts. - Act professionally when moderating debates and interviews, and not provide a platform to those who promote hatred towards religious and ethnic communities. - Reinforce provisions for protecting Afghan journalists, especially in the country's provinces. - Clarify the nature of their presence at a demonstration. Journalists must make it clear whether they are at a demonstration as reporters, in order to cover it, or as ordinary members of the public exercising their democratic right to demonstrate. RSF reiterates what it has said in the past: "In this war imposed by democracy's enemies against the Afghan people's right to information, RSF has chosen to stand alongside the journalists and to do everything possible to defend the freedom to inform. At the same time, we call on the media and journalists to cover the current grave political and security crisis in Afghanistan with professionalism." For more information, read the Safety Guide for Journalists and the Handbook for Journalists during Elections. Afghanistan is ranked 120th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. Cholera vaccine plan for Yemen scrapped Publisher IRIN Author Naomi Stewart Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as IRIN, Cholera vaccine plan for Yemen scrapped, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596725824.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 plan to deliver a million doses of the oral cholera vaccine in Yemen to help combat the worst outbreak of cholera in the world has been scrapped. There have been more than 313,000 suspected cases of cholera and 1,732 related deaths since the outbreak began in late April, according to the latest statistics. In response, the World Health Organization facilitated an emergency request for 3.4 million doses on behalf of Yemen to the International Coordinating Group (ICG), the body that oversees the global stockpile of vaccines. The million approved doses were to be the largest amount ever deployed since the stockpile was first developed five years ago. However, since the ICG's approval in late June there has been an ongoing dialogue around the vaccine's efficacy in halting the widespread outbreak three months in, at a point when the disease has already spread to all of Yemen's governorates (but not the island of Socotra). The UN's emergency aid coordination body, OCHA, sent an email, seen by IRIN, organising a 10 July meeting in Sana'a between local ministries, the UN, and other aid agencies, saying the epidemic had "surpassed the capacity of WASH [water, sanitation, and hygiene] and health partners and there is a need for a system-wide response." After this meeting, IRIN learnt that a decision had been taken to no longer deliver the vaccine to the war-torn country. "Based on the advice of the local authorities and consultations with local offices of WHO and UNICEF, it was communicated back to the ICG that it was thought that the one million doses were not necessary," confirmed Doctor Robert Kezaala, a senior health advisor on immunisation at UNICEF and executive member of the ICG, speaking from New York. What happened? Exactly what was said in Monday's meeting is still not entirely clear, but there appear to be a variety of factors that went into the decision to stop the rollout. Several aid agencies told IRIN that resources would be better spent on already existing approaches to tackle the current outbreak, including supporting efforts to provide clean water and sanitation, alongside education and health campaigns. "The thinking of the partners is: 'we do not want energy diverted from those activities which are important'," Doctor Sherin Varkey, head of UNICEF's Yemen office, told IRIN. He said the move to cancel delivery of the vaccines was a "technical decision that, considering where the outbreak is today, the benefits do not outweigh the risks of doing a limited campaign." The oral cholera vaccine was originally planned to be one way to help stem the spread of the disease in Yemen, but it confers immunity only on those who have not already contracted it, and is best given in areas of low risk and exposure in two doses, usually two weeks apart. Even though the majority of suspected cases are confined to four governorates, they are present in 288 of Yemen's 333 districts. Doctor David Olson, a cholera expert with the WHO, said this type of decision can also be influenced by the nature of the outbreak's evolution, as the herd immunity conferred by the vaccine may be less useful later on in an epidemic's progression. "It's a fine timeline between knowing that vaccination should be part of the plan, determining who to vaccinate, then getting the vaccine in the country and all planned out. It's a narrow timeframe, and just a matter of a few weeks can change the calculus," he told IRIN from Geneva. "In Yemen in particular at this time, with all the issues around conflict and the ability to logistically carry out a mass vaccination campaign, and because [the outbreak] has gotten quite big quite fast, that window has started to close," he added. Rapid spread and slim resources The outbreak has spread faster and further than originally projected. In mid-June, when there were 124,000 cases, the UN expected that number to more than double by the end of the year. Only a month later and at more than 300,000 cases and counting, the International Committee of the Red Cross says the outbreak "continues to spiral out of control", amidst a devastating conflict that has lasted over two years between Houthi rebels and those loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, on one side, and deposed (but internationally recognised) President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his allies, including a Saudi Arabian-led coalition, on the other. The war has resulted in a dire lack of clean water, attacks on hospitals, unmaintained treatment and sewage systems, and unpaid medical workers, leaving the health of civilians and the country's healthcare infrastructure in a shambolic state. As a result, it is a daily struggle for the Yemen's warring factions and humanitarian aid agencies to provide enough basic oral rehydration treatment and clean water to the population - even though that is all that is needed to prevent cholera fatalities. According to the ICG's Kezaala, a boost of funding for tackling the cholera outbreak from the World Bank, announced last week in Cairo, was also a consideration in the decision. So too was reassessing the best way to manage available resources. "Doing a mass [vaccine] campaign takes a lot of human and financial resources, and it is probably most prudent now to focus on basic WASH, health, and communication interventions," added UNICEF's Varkey. Other humanitarian operators working on the ground agreed, including Nadine Drummond, a spokeswoman for Save the Children. "There are so many cases and the disease is spreading so quickly," she said. "By the time we were even to get the vaccine, there would be so many people with cholera at that point that it makes more sense for Save the Children to help children and their families that already have the disease." "It does not mean we don't care about people who aren't infected, but if we don't find ways to help people who have it now, the death toll will be significantly higher," she added. Several sources told IRIN that some factions in the Houthi-Saleh-run Ministry of Health in Sana'a expressed opposition to the vaccine, and aid partners were concerned that a lack of cooperation would make delivery difficult. The ministry could not be reached for comment. Although both the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels have been accused of delaying and blocking aid throughout the war, that does not appear to have been a major factor in this case. In fact, humanitarians, speaking off the record, said they had seen visas for cholera experts expedited and shipments of supplies to fight the outbreak relatively easy to import. Postponed, not cancelled Although the cancellation does appear to be a major about-face, vaccinations have not in fact been ruled out. On the contrary, the plan now seems to be to delay the campaign until early next year when the outbreak has hopefully subsided and it can be rolled out at a much larger scale. "The thinking is they [local government and aid agency partners] would cover 10 million people at a later date," said the ICG's Kezaala. Such a vaccination campaign would be unprecedented, given that the approval for one million was the largest ever given by the ICG to date. This could also present challenges in securing enough supplies in consideration of future and as yet unknown cholera emergencies in other countries and regions. Nonetheless, Kezaala seemed confident that if a formal request was made by Yemen and approved by the ICG, efforts would be made to secure as many vaccines as possible. "If they prefer to vaccinate 10 million people at a later date, at that time there would be stockpiling," he said. "Vaccines would start to be put aside for Yemen, of course, considering other risk situations like earthquakes." The desire to delay the vaccine until such time as it may be more efficient at inoculating the population was echoed by other experts. "This is probably a better and more effective way of using the vaccine in the first place," said WHO's Olson. UNICEF's Varkey agreed: "Cholera is endemic, and considering the water and sanitation systems and all the other factors that contribute to the outbreak, even if we contain this one we can expect another one next year. Hence it's important and a better use of resources to do a larger campaign next year." Ongoing efforts In the meantime, aid agencies are continuing to battle the deadly disease on all fronts, except the vaccine. Drummond said Save the Children is rolling out a radio campaign in response to the outbreak that "teaches people about hygiene, how to protect themselves if they feel sick, and where they can go to get help." Given that 47 percent of suspected cholera cases in Yemen are children, the group is also actively merging its existing nutrition programmes with cholera efforts to support children who are malnourished and unable to fight off the disease. WHO's communications team in Yemen said its "focus will continue to be on good care for those who do fall ill: providing training to health workers, setting up treatment centres and oral rehydration therapy corners, distributing oral rehydration solution, and working with communities to help them understand how to prevent and respond to cholera." All the aid groups IRIN spoke to continued to call for an end to the conflict as the ultimate solution to the outbreak and suffering of the civilian population. "Everything is related to the conflict, so peaceful resolution is necessary," said Varkey. "We need to try and push for a critical solution. Bombs are dropping and children are dying," added Drummond. Aegean island refugees fear Greek government aid takeover Publisher IRIN Author Ylenia Gostoli Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as IRIN, Aegean island refugees fear Greek government aid takeover, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5967260c4.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. An already overstretched and poorly functioning reception system for asylum seekers stranded on the Greek islands is at risk as many of the NGOs providing health, legal, and other services prepare to pull out or have already left. From 1 August, the majority of EU funding that has been going directly to the NGOs will start to be channelled through the Greek government. But the government has yet to release a plan detailing how it will manage the handover and there are growing concerns the transition will result in the disruption of services and a further deterioration of living conditions for the 14,000 migrants and refugees trapped on the islands. At the height of the so-called refugee crisis in 2015, refugees spent no more than three or four days at camps like Souda on the island of Chios before moving to the mainland and then north along the Balkan route. But the camp is now home to an estimated 950 people, about 30 percent of whom have been there for more than six months, according to municipal estimates. Some have been there since the EU's agreement with Turkey went into effect in March 2016, when Greece began detaining all new arrivals to the islands until their asylum claims were processed. Under the agreement, Turkey was deemed a safe, third country that the majority of asylum seekers could be returned to. But in practice, a backlog of claims and a lengthy appeals process has meant only about 1,000 migrants have so far been deported back to Turkey, while a total of 9,500 refugees and migrants have arrived in the islands so far this year, according to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR. New arrivals continue to outnumber transfers to the mainland. During May and June, for example, 1,149 people arrived to Chios, while only 719 departed for the mainland. Worsening conditions The overcrowding at Souda camp meant that until recently newer arrivals were accommodated in tents on the nearby beach. According to camp manager Theodoris Konstantinidis, two weeks ago there were "orders from above" to move the asylum seekers back inside the camp, where residents complain of rat infestations, outbreaks of scabies, and a shortage of shelters. Talal Hedifah, a 37-year-old marine engineer from Tartous in Syria, was among those told to dismantle his tent on the beach and move back into the camp. He arrived on Chios six months ago and says he came fleeing conscription to President Bashar al-Assad's army. His initial asylum application was rejected and he's now appealing the decision and hoping to avoid deportation to Turkey. "They want us to be here, but they don't want us to be here," he told IRIN, wiping sweat from his forehead in the sweltering tent he shares with four other men. "I just want to go, anywhere, I don't care where. If they want me to stay in Greece, I will stay. Anywhere I can have a normal life." On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch released a report documenting the deteriorating mental health of asylum seekers trapped on the islands in a state of prolonged uncertainty. Rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide attempts are high, and humanitarian workers fear that a poorly planned shift in service provision could worsen the situation. No transition plan While the government is keen to show the Greek public - widely sceptical of the presence of international NGOs in the country - it is taking back control, planning for the transition to government-run services has been anything but smooth. Some NGOs have already left and others are due to withdraw services for which no replacement has been planned. Those hoping to remain are scrambling to find alternative sources of funding to continue their work. "It is the government's attempt to take on more responsibility and directly control the flow of resources," said Gianmaria Pinto, country director of the Norwegian Refugee Council, which is winding down its operations on the islands at the end of July. "It's definitely a more sustainable approach On the other hand, it should come with a plan." Since the government announced the change in February, "we haven't heard a word," he added. A joint letter from several international NGOs to Greece's migration minister, Yiannis Mouzalas, as well as several requests for meetings, have gone unanswered. IRIN also made several attempts to contact the Ministry of Migration but received no response. The EU has spent hundreds of millions of euros on managing the refugee crisis in Greece since 2015. An investigation published by Refugees Deeply in March estimated that $803 million had come into the country, the bulk of it ($654 million) from the European Commission, making it per capita "the most expensive humanitarian response in history". With the Greek government unable to absorb a significant portion of those funds, much of it was channelled to large NGOs and UN agencies via ECHO, the EU's humanitarian aid arm. Under the new system, the government will receive funding from the EU's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and its Internal Security Fund to run reception facilities on the islands. A statement jointly released by seven NGOs on Tuesday welcomed the transition as a positive step "if implemented transparently, promptly and in close collaboration with the organisations currently providing services", but warned that information about how the transition would be implemented was severely lacking. "Without a transition plan, gaps in services will likely occur, and men, women and children may be put at greater risk." Mind the gap In fact, gaps have already opened up. Research by the Refugee Rights Data Project found that nearly two thirds of asylum seekers surveyed in Chios in May had been unable to access basic services there. When IRIN visited Souda, just one doctor, one nurse, and a volunteer with the NGO Medecins du Monde were working shifts at the camp following the withdrawal of another organisation that had been providing medical services. The Red Cross is still providing healthcare services at Vial, the army-run "hotspot" where new arrivals are identified and asylum applications processed, but other NGOs that had been providing medical services there departed at the end of April. New arrivals now have to wait up to three weeks for their medical vulnerability assessment, which is done by one doctor from the Greek army. Similar delays have been reported at the Moria hotspot on the island of Lesvos, where 10 doctors providing vulnerability assessments to the camp's more than 2,700 residents were recently replaced by just three. Pressure on Chios eased slightly in June but shifted to Lesvos, which has received 1,150 people in the past six weeks, according to UNHCR. Moria camp is strewn with uncollected rubbish rotting in the summer heat. Refugees living there told IRIN that the company contracted to do rubbish collection had left three months ago and that a new contractor only collects the rubbish every 10 days. A lawyer who has provided legal aid to refugees on the islands for several Greek organisations over the past 18 months (and didn't want to be named) told IRIN he had recently lost his job due to a lack of funding. "There used to be 14 lawyers in the project I was working for [with a Greek organisation], and that was not enough. Now there are only four left," he told IRIN. "The government has not been hiring enough people and has not been giving enough money to organisations to do their job," he said. "They are ending the collaboration with most NGOs, and they are not organising themselves to provide the services well." Displaced Congolese civilians sent back to a widening war Publisher IRIN Author William Clowes Publication Date 11 July 2017 Cite as IRIN, Displaced Congolese civilians sent back to a widening war, 11 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596726be4.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. Squatting outside a tiny hut of sticks and dried grass in Kaseke, where she and her five children have been living for nearly 10 months, Feza Mwange recounted how her family narrowly avoided death in a conflict the authorities insist, against all the evidence, has been brought to an end. "We fled as the pygmies* arrived at our village to kill us," Mwange told IRIN. "Our chief was killed the day after we left." Similar stories were easy to find at Kaseke and the other displacement camps located around the town of Kalemie, the capital of Tanganyika Province in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. At nearby Kalunga, home to nearly 25,000 internally displaced people, Bulanda Sulemani Cyprien recalled how he escaped one night last November from Kitunda, his village 55 kilometres to the north. "A group of pygmies came suddenly under the cover of darkness to attack us and burn the houses. There was nothing else for us to do but flee with our families." Those who stayed behind or reacted too slowly were murdered by militiamen armed with bows and arrows or machetes, he added. Since May 2013, rival militias composed of Luba, a Bantu people, and Twa, a pygmy tribe indigenous to several Great Lakes' states, have been engaged in a deadly conflict in Tanganyika. Bands of armed men have been invading each other's villages - typically equipped with only traditional weapons - in wave upon wave of reprisal attacks. Widening war From late 2014, troops from MONUSCO, the UN mission in Congo, supported by the Congolese armed forces, have tried to pacify the province. In September 2015, the UN and the provincial authorities launched local councils known as baraza to address the causes of the violence, and it seemed for a time they might put an end to the clashes. However, the Congolese military's bid last July to arrest a Twa warlord triggered fresh bouts of fighting that spread from the territory of Nyunzu to affect five of the province's six territories, while thousands of IDPs have fled to the sixth, Kongolo. A peace forum in Kalemie in February, as well as continuing military activity by MONUSCO and the Congolese army, has succeeded in checking the violence in parts of the province, but attacks continue in others. In recent months, a new front has opened up in the north of Tanganyika, where Twa militias have targeted the livestock-rearing Banyamulenge (Tutsi) community by slaughtering its cows. The conflict, now in its fifth year, has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis in Tanganyika, the most visible symptom of which is hundreds of thousands of IDPs. In late March, the UN's emergency aid coordination body, OCHA, revealed that 3.7 million people are displaced in Congo, the most in any African country. The majority are in either the Kasai region, where the government has been fighting a militia known as Kamwina Nsapu for almost a year, or the Kivus, where dozens of armed groups have wreaked havoc for two decades. But Tanganyika this year has "recorded the strongest growth of IDPs, from 370,000 in December 2016 to 543,000 at the end of March 2017," according to OCHA. About 240,000 are currently living in camps and host communities in Kalemie territory. "Tanganyika has become a humanitarian hotspot, but our current response capacities are being outstripped by the massive levels of critical needs," Mamadou Diallo, MONUSCO's coordinator of humanitarian affairs, has said. Between July 2016 and January 2017, only 27 percent of the province's IDPs received help from UN agencies and NGOs, according to OCHA. Uncountable fatalities Nobody knows how many people have died as a result of the conflict, either directly or indirectly. "It's really difficult to know the number of people who have been killed because neither the government nor anyone else can access all the places," said Benjamin Mulezi, a Twa adviser to the provincial interior minister. "The conflict continues and people continue to die." The UN's Joint Human Rights Office documented the deaths of 91 civilians from January to May 2017, of which 31 were killed by government forces and 60 by armed groups, principally Luba militiamen. However, Jose Maria Aranaz, UNJHRO's spokesman, conceded that this figure was "very conservative" and admitted the real civilian death toll was likely much higher. UNJHRO also recorded more than 150 deaths, at least 200 injuries, and 50 rapes between July 2016 and late March 2017. More than 1,000 people were killed in the Kalemie conflict in the first eight months of 2014 alone, according to UN group of expert figures. Roots of conflict The Twa and other indigenous peoples make up less than one percent of the population of Congo, while the numerous Bantu tribes form a majority. Here, as in other central African countries, the pygmies have long been the victims of discrimination. "For many Bantu, the pygmy is a slave, a thing," said David Ngoy Luhaka, a Kalemie-based priest and activist. Beaute Kyungu Delos, a Twa leader who in 2014 fled his village in Nyunzu and sought refuge in Kalemie, explained the reality of Twa life further: "You, a Bantu, call a pygmy. He works in your field and you don't pay him. You make him work and then give him tobacco or a piece of manioc. He has a wife and children, so will a manioc root suffice? No. So he steals something and you catch him. Perhaps you kill him." Mulezi, the provincial government's Twa adviser, noted: "There is no portion of the land which belongs to the indigenous people. Everything is for the Bantu." Nonetheless, for a long time the Twa of Tanganyika endured second-class citizenship without taking up arms. "They resigned themselves to being mistreated to working in the fields without pay and being treated like slaves," said Mulezi. "They didn't want to rise up." But over the past two decades, the Twa population has become less inclined to tolerate its exploitation and more willing to use lethal violence against those it considers oppressors. Most notably, the important role the community played in Tanganyika's recent war-torn history has raised its expectations. The rebellion, which brought Laurent-Desire Kabila to power in 1997, organised the Twa into paramilitary groups. Kabila and his son Joseph, who assumed power when his father was assassinated in 2001, subsequently deployed these militias to assist the armed forces in the 1998-2003 civil war (during which Twa and Luba fought together), and more recently against the Kata Katanga, a predominantly Luba secessionist movement. "There has been an emancipation due to these armed conflicts," explained Rogatien Kitenge, who campaigns for the rights of indigenous peoples in Congo. "The mask of the Bantus slipped. The pygmies understood that the Bantus were not all-powerful and they could resist them." The state's use of Twa militias in its battles against Kata Katanga helped initiate the current conflict by fuelling Luba hostility towards the Twa population. Premature returns Although clashes continue, the government insists peace has been restored. "There is total calm throughout the whole province," Ali Omari Bin Simukinje, Tanganyika's vice governor, told IRIN. "There is no longer this conflict between the Twa and Bantu The province is secure." With the financial support of the central government, the provincial authorities have started a programme to return all IDPs to their villages of origin and in mid-May dispatched a first train to transport the inhabitants of the Kaseke II camp from Kalemie. Luhaka, the priest and activist, dismissed the move as a publicity stunt - "a trick to show a good image of the province." According to an OCHA bulletin, the Congolese police "destroyed all the shelters" of the roughly 1,800 IDPs who departed on the train. "A few months ago, authorities in North Kivu also embarked on a similar measure to force people to return home. There too we voiced our concern about such decisions that are against international norms," Yvon Edoumou, OCHA's spokesman, told IRIN. Hundreds of those who left Kalemie on the convoy have since returned to Kaseke II. They choose to sleep outside in the open where their huts once stood, rather than risk returning to their villages. "We got off as planned in Nyemba but unfortunately we found the war there," said Kambilo Mutu Abacoulou, one of the returnees. "They were carrying heads. They were carrying arms." Desperate for peace Simukinje told IRIN the provincial government was organising additional trains to send more IDPs home. He urged the UN and aid organisations to help people in their villages instead of in the displacement camps around Kalemie, but the humanitarian organisations are sceptical of the plans. "They believe the province is safe and sound," said OCHA's Edoumou. "But our reading is not quite as emphatic, and the displaced Congolese are not convinced." Mulezi, the provincial government's Twa adviser, was also apprehensive, in particular about the role of the military. "Our hope for security was based on our armed forces, but the same soldiers are behaving like rebels and have started to shoot people," he said. Delos, the Twa leader, whose nephew was recently shot dead by a member of the Congolese military, went further, saying: "To claim that the province is calm is a lie." According to Simukinje, everyone at Kaseke II went home voluntarily. But an OCHA bulletin described the train as a "forced return convoy" and several IDPs told IRIN they were instructed to leave the camp. "Displaced people should never be forced to return," said Edoumou. IRIN spoke with IDPs in several dsiplacement camps. All deplored their current living conditions - the hunger, huts prone to catch fire, the lack of work - but all said it was not yet the time to return. "If security in my village was guaranteed, I would leave today because I cannot bear it here," said Joseph Pende Manteke at Kaseke. Most Twa, having fled attacks, opt to regroup in the countryside and avoid urban centres. There is, however, a small Twa contingent in each of the camps, fearing repercussions. Kisombo Sulemani arrived at Kulungu last November with his wife and seven children from Mukwaka, a village 40 kilometres east. "Our community believes we are traitors, that we are with the Bantus," he said. "There is too much misery here. But if we go back, there's a risk they will kill us." (*Although the term "pygmy" is regarded as derogatory by some, the word is widely used in Congo, including by members of the Twa community) The severe storms and heavy rains that plagued southern Wisconsin the first part of the week have finally moved on, setting the stage for sunny and dry weather at least through the weekend. The heavy rains on Wednesday produced some of the biggest rainfall totals of the summer in Wisconsin, including over eight inches near Burlington, the National Weather Service said. The forecast is much drier. Forecasters are calling for a mix of clouds and sun Thursday with a high in the upper 70s, and less humidity than the sweltering conditions of the past few days. 27 Storm Track meteorologist Branden Borremans is looking at a more comfortable Thursday night with a low of 57, giving air conditioners a break. The Weather Service has partly sunny skies and 73 for Madison on Friday, and sun and 81 on Saturday. There's a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday night, but that's the only rain in the forecast until Tuesday night. Borremans said Monday should be great with sunshine, low humidity and a high of 82, but Tuesday and Wednesday could be scorchers, with highs of 91 and more humidity both days. The heat could be accompanied by storms both Tuesday night and Wednesday. Expect cooler and drier conditions next Thursday. Wednesday's high in Madison was 84, 2 degrees above normal and 20 degrees below the record high of 104 for July 12, set in 1936. The low on Wednesday was 67, 6 degrees above normal and 22 degrees above the record low of 45 for the day, set in 1975. Seven-tenths of an inch of rain fell at the airport on Wednesday, bringing the July total up to 2.86 inches, 1.17 inches above normal. The record rainfall on July 12 was 1.23 inches in 1937. For the meteorological summer of June through August, Madison has received 9.59 inches of rain, 3.36 inches above normal. Since Jan. 1, Madison has received 25.25 inches of precipitation (rain and melted snow), 7.19 inches above normal. Halt the execution of Prabagaran Srivijayan Publisher International Federation for Human Rights Publication Date 12 July 2017 Cite as International Federation for Human Rights, Halt the execution of Prabagaran Srivijayan, 12 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596731174.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. Singaporean authorities must halt the execution of Prabagaran Srivijayan, FIDH said today. Prabagaran, a 29-year-old Malaysian national, is scheduled to be executed by hanging on 14 July 2017. On 22 September 2014, Singapore's High Court imposed a mandatory death sentence on Prabagaran for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, after he was found in possession of 22.24 grams of heroin on 12 April 2012. On 2 October 2015, the Court of Appeal dismissed Prabagaran's appeal against his conviction and sentence. Singaporean authorities have never allowed Prabagaran's attorneys, N Surendran and Latheefa Koya, who were hired by Prabagaran's mother in January 2017, to visit him in Changi Prison. Authorities did not provide any reason for this denial. The denial of Prabagaran to meet with his legal representatives falls short of international fair trial standards. According to General Comment No. 32 concerning Article 14(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), "in cases involving capital punishment, it is axiomatic that the accused must be effectively assisted by a lawyer at all stages of the proceedings." Prabagaran has spent more than five years in prison, including almost three years awaiting execution. International law reserves the death penalty for the "most serious crimes," a threshold that international jurisprudence has repeatedly stated drug-related offenses do not meet. If Prabagaran is hanged, it will be the fourth documented execution in Singapore since the beginning of the year. On 17 March 2017, Singaporean authorities executed an unknown individual. On 21 April 2017 and 19 May 2017, Singaporean authorities executed Jeffrey Marquez Abineno, 52, and Muhammad Ridzuan, 31, respectively, for drug trafficking. While the government publishes annual statistics on the total number of executions, it consistently fails to make public announcements concerning upcoming hangings and does not reveal the number of prisoners on death row. FIDH, a member of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP), reiterates its strong opposition to the death penalty for all crimes and in all circumstances. FIDH calls on the Singaporean government to reinstate the moratorium on executions that was lifted in July 2014, and to make progress towards the abolition of capital punishment for all crimes. Title Report submitted by the authorities of Andorra on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)14 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 5 December 2016 Country Andorra Citation / Document Symbol CP(2017)5 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the authorities of Andorra on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)14 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 5 December 2016, CP(2017)5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596732de4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Recommendation CP(2017)1 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Armenia Publication Date 10 March 2017 Country Armenia Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Recommendation CP(2017)1 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Armenia, 10 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59673387f.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report submitted by the Austrian authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2015)14 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 30 November 2016 Country Austria Citation / Document Symbol CP(2017)11 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Austrian authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2015)14 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 30 November 2016, CP(2017)11, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596734bc4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Reply from Azerbaijan to the Questionnaire for the evaluation of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Parties Publication Date 1 July 2017 Country Azerbaijan Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2017)21 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Reply from Azerbaijan to the Questionnaire for the evaluation of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Parties, 1 July 2017, GRETA(2017)21, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596735324.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Second evaluation round (Reply submitted on 1 July 2017) Title Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Belarus Publication Date 3 July 2017 Country Belarus Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2017)16 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Belarus, 3 July 2017, GRETA(2017)16, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596735e24.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Adopted on 31 March 2017 Title Report submitted by the authorities of Cyprus on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2015)15 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 12 December 2016 Country Cyprus Citation / Document Symbol CP(2017)12 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the authorities of Cyprus on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2015)15 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 12 December 2016, CP(2017)12 , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5967392f4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report submitted by the authorities of Iceland on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)15 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 17 February 2017 Country Iceland Citation / Document Symbol CP(2017)6 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the authorities of Iceland on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)15 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 17 February 2017, CP(2017)6, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59673cbf4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report on Italy under Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure for evaluating implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 30 January 2017 Country Italy Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2016)29 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report on Italy under Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure for evaluating implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 30 January 2017, GRETA(2016)29, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59673d5d4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Latvia Publication Date 23 March 2017 Country Latvia Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2017)2 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Latvia, 23 March 2017, GRETA(2017)2, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59673e134.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Adopted on 2 December 2016 Title Report submitted by the Moldovan authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2012)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 12 June 2014 Country Republic of Moldova Citation / Document Symbol CP(2014)8 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Moldovan authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2012)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 12 June 2014, CP(2014)8, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596740904.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Recommendation CP(2016)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Republic of Moldova Publication Date 23 May 2016 Country Republic of Moldova Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Recommendation CP(2016)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Republic of Moldova, 23 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5967418f4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report submitted by the Montenegrin authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2012)9 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 5 November 2014 Country Montenegro Citation / Document Symbol CP(2014)21 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Montenegrin authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2012)9 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 5 November 2014, CP(2014)21, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596743b74.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Montenegro Publication Date 28 September 2016 Country Montenegro Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2016)19 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Montenegro, 28 September 2016, GRETA(2016)19, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596744ce4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Adopted 8 July 2016 Title Report submitted by the authorities of the Netherlands on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)11 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Being Publication Date 16 February 2017 Country Netherlands Citation / Document Symbol CP(2017)8 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the authorities of the Netherlands on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2014)11 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Being, 16 February 2017, CP(2017)8, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596746234.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report submitted by the Norwegian authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 8 June 2015 Country Norway Citation / Document Symbol CP(2015)9 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Norwegian authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)6 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 8 June 2015, CP(2015)9 , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596746a54.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Norway Publication Date 21 June 2017 Country Norway Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2017)18 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Norway, 21 June 2017, GRETA(2017)18, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596749094.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Adopted on 31 March 2017 Title Report submitted by the Polish authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)7 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 26 May 2015 Country Poland Citation / Document Symbol CP(2015)10 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Polish authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)7 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 26 May 2015, CP(2015)10 , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59674d8d4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Title Reply from Portugal to the Questionnaire for the evaluation of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Parties Publication Date 25 November 2015 Country Portugal Citation / Document Symbol GRETA(2015)30 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Reply from Portugal to the Questionnaire for the evaluation of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Parties, 25 November 2015, GRETA(2015)30, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59674f074.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Comments Second evaluation round (Reply submitted on 9 November 2015). Title Report submitted by the Portuguese authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)4 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Publication Date 16 February 2015 Country Portugal Citation / Document Symbol CP(2015)11 Cite as Council of Europe: Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Report submitted by the Portuguese authorities on measures taken to comply with Committee of the Parties Recommendation CP(2013)4 on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 16 February 2015, CP(2015)11 , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59674f5b4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Iraq: Alleged ISIS Families Sent to 'Rehabilitation Camp' Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Iraq: Alleged ISIS Families Sent to 'Rehabilitation Camp', 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596780c44.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. Iraqi Security Forces have forcibly relocated at least 170 families with alleged Islamic State members to a closed "rehabilitation camp" east of Mosul, Human Rights Watch said today. Local authorities are also demanding the eviction of families thought to have ties to the Islamic State (also known as ISIS), many of whom have been the target of threats and attacks. On June 19, Mosul's district council issued a directive that so-called ISIS families should be sent to camps "to receive psychological and ideological rehabilitation, after which they will be reintegrated into society if they prove responsive to the rehabilitation program." On July 9, authorities in Nineveh opened the first "rehabilitation camp" in Bartalla, 14 kilometers east of Mosul. Forced displacements and arbitrary detentions have been taking place in Anbar, Babil, Diyala, Salah al-Din, and Nineveh governorates, altogether affecting hundreds of families. Iraqi security and military forces have done little to stop these abuses, and in some instances participated in them. "Iraqi authorities shouldn't punish entire families because of their relatives' actions," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "These abusive acts are war crimes and are sabotaging efforts to promote reconciliation in areas retaken from ISIS." On July 11, Human Rights Watch visited Bartalla camp, where 150 families, mostly women and children from areas of west Mosul, were being held. The camp received another 20 families by the next day. Human Rights Watch interviewed 14 families, each with up to 18 members. New residents said that Iraqi Security Forces had brought the families to the camp and that the police were holding them against their will because of accusations that they had relatives linked to ISIS. None said they had been accused of any wrongdoing themselves. They did not know when they would be allowed to leave. The camp had a mobile medical clinic, but only very limited humanitarian services were being provided, with no education, training, or other programs. Medical workers at the camp said that at least 10 women and children had died traveling to or at the camp, most because of dehydration. The camp is managed by local authorities and draws funding and support from the Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration. Human Rights Watch witnessed ethnic Shabak fighters from an Iraqi government Popular Mobilization Forces unit manning a checkpoint outside the camp. A Mosul emergency police unit stood guard at the camp entrance. Despite the absence of adult men in many of the families, no female police officers were evident, raising concerns about vulnerability to gender-based violence. Camp officials said that at least 20 unaccompanied children were at the camp, all under 12, who had been settled into tents with larger families. Nineveh officials told Human Rights Watch that the camp, intended as the first of many, was constructed for 2,800 families, and that officials were planning to bring in ISIS families from other camps and areas. Residents and Nineveh officials said a committee would screen people inside the camp and allow them to leave if the committee found they did not actually have relatives in ISIS. They said some families had been released during the first two days. The families said they hoped the screening committee would clear them for release. All said that Iraqi Security Forces had forcibly brought them in military trucks from two army mustering points for displaced people fleeing the fighting in west Mosul. Six families said they had fled the fighting in areas in and around the Old City of west Mosul, eight from the Tel Afar area. Only two of the families included adult men. Many said their male relatives were killed during the fighting. Others said that the men fled their homes later and had tried to join them at the camp but were turned away by the police. One said her two sons had been ISIS fighters and were killed, and another said her husband and son had been detained by Iraqi Security Forces as they fled. One young woman said that after she got divorced at an ISIS-run courthouse in Mosul last year, the judge took her to his house and held her as a sex slave. When fighting neared, he and his family fled but kept her locked in their home. Iraqi Security Forces who retook the area presumed she was an ISIS family member because she was found in a known ISIS resident's home, and took her to the camp. Human Rights Watch has previously reported on the forcible relocation of at least 125 so-called ISIS families from Salah al-Din to a de facto detention camp near Tikrit. Human Rights Watch has also reported on calls for evictions of so-called ISIS relatives in Anbar and Babil governorates. Since May, local tribal and governorate authorities in Hammam al-Alil, Qayarrah, and Mosul have issued eviction calls against so-called ISIS families, in tandem with grenade and other attacks on the families, as well as threatening letters and demands to deny these families humanitarian assistance. As a result, many of these families have been forced to move to nearby camps housing families displaced by the fighting in Mosul. In June, a circular was sent to alleged ISIS families in Mosul telling them to leave the city by July 15, 2017, or "you will be shot," according to social media. In July, an international organization said that some so-called ISIS family homes were set on fire. In Qayyarah, 60 kilometers south of Mosul, a Popular Mobilization Forces fighter and a senior security officer said that a group of families who were ISIS victims, with the backing of local tribal leaders, drew up a list of 67 families whom they demanded should leave the city. A video posted on Facebook on June 17 but later taken down showed residents going door to door, threatening the so-called ISIS relatives that if they did not leave, their lives would be at risk. The security officer said that some people threatening the families had resorted to violence. He said he detained four of them, and that as a result of the threats and violence, at least 25 of the 67 families left for the nearby Jadah camp. Aid workers said that in May and June 2017, so-called ISIS relatives from Mosul living in Hammam al-Alil, 30 kilometers south of Mosul, told them that the local tribal elder warned them that they might be killed if they did not leave. The aid workers also said that there had been numerous cases of vigilantes vandalizing homes of people believed to be relatives of ISIS members, leading a number of families to leave town. A local police chief said that his forces had intervened to stop the attacks and evictions in mid-June. However, a Dutch journalist said that another local police chief told him that the police would not stop or arrest members of an armed group called the "Hamam al-Alil Revolutionaries" that had publicized on Facebook grenade attacks on homes of so-called ISIS families. The journalist also reported that a local lawyer collected signatures calling for evicting all ISIS families. International law requires that punishment for crimes only be imposed on people responsible for the crimes, after a fair trial to determine individual guilt. Imposing collective punishments on families, villages, or communities violates the laws of war and amounts to a war crime. Under the laws of war, forced displacement of civilians is strictly prohibited except when displacement is necessary to protect civilians or for imperative military necessity, and then only for as long as needed. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, it is a war crime to order the unlawful displacement of civilians during a conflict, such as in Iraq. Widespread or systematic unlawful forced displacement of a civilian population imposed as a policy of the state or organized group can amount to a crime against humanity. Local authorities should reverse any decrees targeting the families of alleged ISIS affiliates in violation of international standards. Iraq's prime minister should issue a decree requiring local authorities to rescind the decrees and to cease the forced displacements. The government should order the security and armed forces not to participate in unlawful displacements and to take appropriate disciplinary action against those who do. The authorities should immediately facilitate the return of families who want to return to areas not affected by ongoing military operations, allow families to stay in camps that allow for free movement and communications if they choose, or to relocate elsewhere. Where authorities cannot ensure the safety of families because of threat of revenge attacks, they should allow families to freely choose to relocate to camps or other areas where authorities can provide adequate protection. "The camps for so-called ISIS families have nothing to do with rehabilitation and are instead de facto detention centers for adults and children who have not been accused of any wrongdoing," Fakih said. "These families should be freely permitted to go where they can live safely." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Dire year for journalists under state of emergency in Turkey Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Dire year for journalists under state of emergency in Turkey, 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596784bf4.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 year after an attempted coup, the level of media freedom in Turkey is abysmal, as the following assessment by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) shows. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has used a state of emergency to step up a witch-hunt against critics. Turkish journalism is in its death throes. A year ago, on 15 July 2016, the Turkish people managed to thwart a bloody coup attempt. But instead of reflecting the people's democratic aspirations in its response, the government has carried out an unprecedented crackdown on the pretext of combatting those responsible for the failed coup. The state of emergency declared five days after the coup attempt has allowed the government to summarily close dozens of media outlets. And Turkey, which is ranked 155th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index, is now the world's biggest prison for professional journalists, with more than 100 detained. "We call on the Turkish authorities to immediately release all Turkish journalists who have been imprisoned in connection with their work and to restore the pluralism that has been eliminated by the state of emergency," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk. "Prolonged arbitrary detention without reason and the isolation of detainees must be regarded as forms of mistreatment. Until Turkey restores real possibilities of legal recourse, we call on the European Court of Human Rights to issue a ruling as quickly as possible in order to end this tragedy." Prison first, trial later Nearly a year without trial The arrival of the first anniversary of the coup attempt means that most of the detained journalists are approaching the first anniversary of their arrest. But the indictments only began being issued in the spring and the big trials are only now starting to get under way. The "justices of the peace," the regime's new henchmen, systematically order pre-trial detention and usually reject release requests without taking the trouble to offer legal reasons. Thirty employees of the daily newspaper Zaman - 20 of whom have been held for nearly a year - will finally begin being tried in Istanbul on 18 September. These journalists, who include Sahin Alpay, Mumtazer Turkone and Mustafa Unal, are each facing three life sentences. Their crime is simply having worked for an opposition newspaper that was closed by decree in July 2016. The indictment describes Zaman as the "press mouthpiece" of the movement led by Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Turkish cleric who is accused of masterminding the attempted coup. This means they are charged with "membership of an illegal organization" and involvement in the coup attempt. Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a lawyer and former columnist, is also facing life imprisonment simply for having acted as Zaman's defence lawyer. The release of 21 other journalists was blocked at the last moment on 31 March and the judges who had ordered their release were suspended. The Istanbul prosecutor's office provided the grounds for this U-turn by initiating new proceedings against 13 of these journalists - including Murat Aksoy and Atilla Tas - for "complicity" in the coup. They are due to appear in court on 16 August on this additional charge as well as the previously existing one of membership of the Gulen Movement. Each of them is now facing the possibility of two life sentences. The well known journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazl Ilcak will have spent a year in detention when their trial resumes on 19 September in Istanbul. They are accused of transmitting "subliminal messages" in support of the coup during a broadcast. They and 14 other journalists who are co-defendants are facing the possibility of three life sentences plus an additional 15-year term. In the provinces, conditional releases have slowly been granted to some journalists accused of complicity with the Gulen Movement. In Antalya, Zaman correspondents Ozkan Mayda and Osman Yakut were released on 24 May after eight months in provisional detention. But in Adana, Aytekin Gezici and Abdullah Ozyurt, two journalists who are part of a group of 13 people accused of membership of the Gulen Movement, are still in prison. The trials continue in both cases, with the possibility of long prison sentences. New spate of arrests The trial of 19 journalists and other employees of the republican daily newspaper Cumhuriyet will start in Istanbul on 24 July. Twelve of them, including editor Murat Sabuncu, columnist Kadri Gursel, cartoonist Musa Mart and investigative reporter Ahmet Sk, have been held for the past seven to nine months. Charged with links to various "terrorist" groups because of the newspaper's editorial policies, they are facing up to 43 years in prison. But the harassment of this newspaper has not stopped there. On the grounds of a tweet deleted after 55 seconds, Cumhuriyet website editor Oguz Guven is now facing the possibility of ten and a half years in prison on a charge of Gulen Movement propaganda. He was freed conditionally in mid-June after a month in pre-trial detention. Sozcu, a national daily that is one of the few remaining government critics, is now also being targeted. Mediha Olgun, the news editor of its website, and Gokmen Ulu, one of its reporters, were jailed on 26 May for publishing an article on the eve of the failed coup about where Erdogan was on holiday. They are charged with the "attempted murder of the president" and supporting the Gulen Movement. Universal state of exception The systematic use of pre-trial detention is not just applied in case of alleged complicity in the coup attempt. Not a week goes by without more arbitrary arrests of journalists. They include Tunca Ogreten and Omer Celik, who have been detained since late December in connection with their revelations about Erdogan's son-in-law, energy minister Berat Albayrak. Documentary filmmaker Kazm Kzl spent nearly three months in provisional detention in Izmir before being released under judicial control on 10 July. Arrested while covering a demonstration, he was accused of "insulting the president" in his tweets. The authorities have also used the state of emergency to silence the remaining critics on the Kurdish issue. The justice system, which is more politicized than ever, tends to treat anything related to this issue as terrorist in nature. In the trials of participants in a campaign of solidarity with the pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, a prison sentence was issued for the first time on 16 May against journalist and human rights defender Murat Celikkan. Appalling prison conditions Ailing detainees denied release Sahin Alpay, a 73-year-old former Zaman columnist, has respiratory and cardiac problems, and is diabetic. He cannot sleep without the aid of a respiratory mask in his cell in the top-security prison in Silivri. But this has not stopped the judicial authorities from extending his provisional detention for the past year. The situation is the same for 72-year-old Nazl Ilcak, a veteran of Turkish journalism and politics. Aysenur Parldak, a young Zaman reporter detained since August 2016, has been in very poor psychological health ever since her release, ordered by an Ankara court, was blocked at the last minute in May. Her family fears that she could take her own life. Isolation - another form of mistreatment RSF regards the prolonged isolation of Turkish detainees - including the reduction of visits to the barest minimum and a ban on correspondence - as a form of mistreatment. Its victims include Die Welt correspondent Deniz Yucel, a journalist with Turkish and German dual nationality who has been in pre-trial detention since February. He is charged with "propaganda for a terrorist organization" for interviewing Cemil Bayk, one of the PKK's leaders. But in reality he is a hostage of the diplomatic dispute between Turkey and Germany, with President Erdogan referring to him publicly as a "traitor" and a "terrorist." His lawyer, Veysel Ok, said: "He is in total isolation, denied contact with anyone aside from the visits from his lawyers and members of his family. With one or two exceptions, he is not allowed to send or receive letters. His indictment has still not been prepared. And we have still not been able to see his case file, because of judicial investigation confidentiality." Like other civil society activists, RSF's Turkey representative, Erol Onderoglu, has sent postcards to many imprisoned journalists. But these postcards have never been delivered. Trampling on defence rights Veysel Ok is also defending the well-known novelist and columnist Ahmet Altan. He described to RSF how the state of emergency is violating this client's right to legal defence. "I am allowed only one hour a week to discuss the indictment and the dozens of appended files with my client," Ok said. "An exchange of documents with him takes at least 20 days. The papers have to go through the prison management, the Bakrkoy prosecutor's office, the Caglayan prosecutor's office and finally the court that is handling the case. It is impossible to prepare for the trial properly under these circumstances." Year-long denial of justice European Court - last hope for jailed journalists Turkey's constitutional court used to play a key role in efforts to ensure respect for free speech, but it has been paralysed since the state of emergency was declared. The cases of many of the imprisoned journalists have been referred to the court but it has yet to issue a ruling on any of them. In the absence of any effective legal recourse, more and more imprisoned journalists have turned to the European Court of Human Rights, whose decisions are binding on the Turkish state. So far, the appeals of around 20 of these imprisoned journalists have been registered with the court, including Sahin Alpay, Murat Aksoy, Ahmet Altan, Deniz Yucel and Ahmet Sk. RSF organized a demonstration outside the court's headquarters in Strasbourg on 29 May to highlight the fact that all hopes are now pinned on the court. A few days later, after 10 months of waiting and negotiating, the court amended its statutes, allowing it more flexibility in the order in which it handles cases. The court can now give priority to cases from Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan even if they do not involve "the right to life or health." No recourse for pluralism More than 150 media outlets have been closed without reference to the courts. They have been closed by decrees issued under the state of emergency. Media pluralism has been reduced to a handful of low-circulation newspapers. Around 20 of the closed media outlets were eventually allowed to reopen, but the overwhelming majority have had no right of recourse. The left-wing TV channel Hayatn Sesi, the pro-Kurdish daily Ozgur Gundem and many other outlets have appealed to the constitutional court in vain. Given this inaction, the lawyers of the pro-Kurdish TV channel, IMC TV, have also referred its closure to the European Court of Human Rights. The constitutional court may nonetheless relinquish part of its responsibilities to a new Commission of Appeal that the Turkish authorities created in February 2017 in an attempt to avoid international condemnation. This commission is supposed to examine the appeals of some 200,000 individuals who have been targets of administrative sanctions, and the appeals of media outlets, associations and foundation that have been liquidated under the state of emergency. However, the Commission of Appeal is not yet operational. It will begin receiving cases on 23 July. And there are serious doubts about its independence, given that five of its seven members are named by the government. Arbitrary administrative sanctions The lack of legal recourse has also affected the many journalists who have been the targets of administrative sanctions in the past year, including the withdrawal of press cards, the cancellation of passports and the seizure of assets. The targeted journalists include Kutlu Esendemir, who learned at the Istanbul airport on 2 April that his passport had been cancelled as part of an investigation into Karar, a newspaper he worked for. There has so far been no response to the appeal that he filed three days later with the Istanbul prosecutor's office. It was almost a year ago that Dilek Dundar was banned from leaving Turkey to join her husband, Can Dundar, a journalist forced to flee to Germany. After waiting for months for an explanation from the justice ministry, she appealed to the constitutional court, but the court has yet to respond. Read RSF's previous reports on the crackdown in Turkey since the coup attempt: Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used. A Trip to Port Clyde During a June trip to the Rockland/Camden area in Maine we decided to take a day trip to Port Clyde. Port Clyde is a delightful midcoast fishing village that is about 20 minutes from the Rockland area. It was a beautiful clear day and I thought the blue sky would work well with the white lighthouse and gangplank. Marshall Point Lighthouse Marshall Point lighthouse is located at the very tip of the St. George's Peninsula in Maine. It is a rather short lighthouse that sits about 50 feet offshore on a rocky ledge. This ledge is exposed at low tide and is connected to the shore by a white wooden walkway. The placement of the lighthouse is a photographers dream. It is easy to get a great shot without anything in the way. An interesting fact about this lighthouse is that it was seen in the movie "Forest Gump". In the scene where Tom Hank's character runs cross country and he ends by running up the wooden walkway and then turning around and starting over again. Watch this classic movie and see the scene with the lighthouse! The coast around the lighthouse was beautiful. Wildflowers grew all along the coast and I enjoyed walking around the area and capturing the beauty of the coast. Port Clyde Harbor Port Clyde General Store and Dip Net Restaurant Looking out at Port Clyde Harbor Port Clyde is a small town (just over 300 people) but I was delighted with all it had to offer. After we visited the lighthouse we drove down to the harbor, which is the center of the town. There we found a general store and a couple of restaurants. One was the Port Kitchen which was in the general store. There you could eat or have them pack you a picnic lunch to take with you on your excursion. The other choice was the Dip Net restaurant on the deck by the dock. We chose the Dip Net restaurant and enjoyed some wonderful lobster rolls sitting outside on the deck. They had several different ways you could have your lobster rolls fixed and my husband and I both chose to have our lobster sauteed in butter and then put in the toasted rolls. It was an excellent choice and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The painter Andrew Wyeth lived in the area and now his son Jamie lives in the area on an island just off the coast. Upstairs from the general store is Linda Bean's Wyeth Art Gallery. Here you can purchase works by Jamie and also some rare prints of his father's. Marshall Point Lighthouse on Zazzle Products Marshall Point Light Guidebook for Maine I have found this guidebook very helpful in finding all of the little out of the way places to photograph. It also gives great ideas for places to take photographs and best angles to shoot. Along with that it has directions to get to the areas and lots of helpful hints. Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases. Cambodias opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) must remove all images of its leadership from banners nationwide and cut all ties with its former party chief or risk being dissolved following the passage of a controversial amendment to the countrys electoral law, experts said Thursday. The warning came as the CNRP said it was preparing to ask King Norodom Sihamoni to reject the changes to the Law on Political Parties recently passed by the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) controlled parliament that bans it from associating with Sam Rainsy due to criminal convictions widely seen as politically motivated. Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service Thursday, political analyst So Chantha advised the CNRP to remove all banners throughout Cambodia depicting Sam Rainsy alongside current party president Kem Sokha and replace them with ones that simply display the partys sunrise logo to avoid legal trouble when the new law goes into effect. By placing an image of any individual on the party bannersshould that concerned individual be involved in any legal issuethe entire party is subject to dissolution, he said. So Chantha noted that with Kem Sokha still facing legal action in government-backed cases related to his alleged affair with a young hairdresser, even using photos of the partys current president is risky. Kem Sokha still has lawsuits pending at the court, he said. Hence, I think that if the party continues to display images of any individual on its [banners], similar problems may exist. New law On Monday, Cambodia approved Article 44(2) at a session of the National Assembly, or parliament, boycotted by CNRP lawmakerseffectively severing ties between the party and Sam Rainsy ahead of a general election scheduled for next year. The amendment to the Law on Political Partiesproposed by Prime Minister Hun Sens CPP and adopted with votes in favor by 65 of its 66 present members of parliamentbans parties from associating with or using the voice, image, or written documents of anyone convicted of a criminal offense. All 55 CNRP lawmakers boycotted the voting session on the grounds that the proposed changes were part of a bid to suppress political parties and potential challengers to the ruling party, which the opposition said went against the principles of rule of law and a pluralist democracy, as guaranteed by the constitution. Article 44(2) also prevents parties from supporting or organizing plans with anyone to undertake actions against the interest of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and using a name or acronym that is similar to one used by another party. Political parties found in violation of the proposed amendment could be banned from political activities for up to five years and prohibited from competing in elections, or even dissolved. Sok Sam Oeun, chief attorney at Amrin Law and Consultations Group, told RFA Thursday that based on the contents of the newly amended law, the CNRP and its officials must end all contact with Sam Rainsy, both officially and privately. Opposition response Responding to concerns over the partys continued ties with Sam Rainsy, CNRP spokesperson and lawmaker Yim Sovann said the CNRP is yet to consider this issue. I will notify you later if the [party] makes any decision about this matter, he said. Yim Sovann also said he had no knowledge of a reported meeting recently held between a high-ranking CNRP delegation led by Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy in Hong Kong. The CPP had also proposed an amendment to the Law on Political Parties which was approved amid a boycott of parliament by opposition lawmakers in February, banning convicted criminals from holding a leadership position in a party and forcing Sam Rainsy to resign as president of the CNRP. The former opposition chief has been living in self-imposed exile in France since November 2015 to avoid jail time for convictions widely seen as politically motivated and delivered by courts beholden to Hun Sens government, but his image appears on CNRP billboards throughout Cambodia and he regularly speaks at opposition events via Skype. The CPP won last months commune elections, but the CNRP received nearly 44 percent of all votes to the ruling partys 51 percent. Amendment status While the new amendment was adopted in the National Assembly Monday, it must now be approved by the Senate and the Constitutional Councilwidely seen as formalitiesbefore being signed into law by King Sihamoni. CPP spokesperson Sok Ey San said Thursday that the newly amended law will be sent to the Senates Expert Commission on Friday, after which it will be forwarded to the Senates Permanent Committee. When the two bodies complete their reviews, a plenary session will be scheduled for Senate approval. If the Senate passes the law and the Constitutional Council determines it to be in line with the constitution, the National Assembly will forward a final version to King Sihamoni for promulgation. The law can be enforced 90 days after it is approved by the King. Sok Ey San was unable to confirm how long it would take for the new law to be implemented. In a recent interview with Radio France International (RFI), CNRP vice-president Eng Chhay Eang said that all 55 opposition lawmakers plan to write a letter to King Sihamoni by Friday requesting him to reject the new legislation. The February amendment of the Law on Political Parties was approved by Senate president Say Chhum, who had assumed the role of Acting Head of State while the King was in China for a medical examination. Disappearing act Brad Adams, executive director of HRWs Asian division, called the CPP-led amendment an attempt to make the opposition disappear ahead of next years elections. The CPP and Hun Sen are absolutely scared to death of Sam Rainsy and the CNRP winning the next election, he told RFA. Theyve probably done polling and realized that they will lose and they cant think of any other way to hold onto power except to make Sam Rainsy disappear and become a non-person. But of course, that wont work. Adams said that Sam Rainsy can continue to rally his supporters online, and that even if his name does not appear on next years ballot, the public knows that if they vote for the CNRP and the party wins, it would quickly repeal the amendment and permit the former party chief to rejoin. He dismissed the amendment as a pointless anti-democratic exercise that would seriously damage the CPPs image worldwide, and could call the legitimacy of a ruling party win in 2018 into question. Furthermore, Adams said, if the CNRP is prohibited from participating in the general election because of the new law, people wont show up at the polls. Governments have tried this in many countries around the world and it usually fails, he said. This is usually the finish line for a dictatorial government, when it has to proceed like this, and it will undoubtedly blow up in the face of the CPP. Reported by Vuthy Tha for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Plunging pumpkin and corn prices in Cambodia are driving farmers in two provinces to destroy their crops and block roads in protest in an effort to convince the government to help develop the agricultural market, growers in the two areas said on Thursday. Farmers in Sam Ang commune, Thala Borivath district, in northeastern Cambodias Stung Treng province said they have destroyed several tons of pumpkins because plunging prices have left them unable to offset their labor costs. They have now called on government to help develop the market for their vegetables, they said. As a result of falling prices, most of them are now heavily indebted, and their lands are subject to confiscation by banks from which they have taken out loans, they said. Phann Narith, a farmer in Sam Ang commune, said on Thursday that farmers have been concerned for years about falling prices for their produce and a lack of markets where they can sell them, though government institutions have said they would resolve the issue. Some farmers who grow pumpkins on small plots of land ranging from one to five hectares per household have decided to destroy several tons of the vegetable because of falling prices, he said. The price of pumpkins has hit its lowest point ever at between 150-180 riels (U.S. $0.036-0.044) per kilogram comparing to an average price of 1,000 riels (U.S. $0.24) per kilo two years ago, he said. Other farmers, including me, have borrowed money [from banks] to [grow pumpkins], and we depend on being able to sell them to repay the loans, he said. I requested that the government help find [new] agricultural markets for pumpkin farmers because we are heavily indebted, he said. Another farmer, Chhoeun Chhay, said he has little hope that area growers will be able to settle their debts without intervention from the government and nongovernmental organizations. Some farmers have been forced to look for work outside Cambodia to earn enough money to pay off their loans because they have had to borrow millions of riels from banks or microfinance institutions to get capital for their farming operations, he said. Around 30-40 percent of them have chosen to migrate to Thailand and China so that they can earn money [to survive], he said. With prices of pumpkins and other produce such as potatoes continuing to fall, farmers now do not have enough money to buy fuel for their tricycle tractors, he said. A sensitive issue Un Sokha, acting head of the Stung Treng Provincial Department of Commerce, could not be reached for comment on the issue. Stung Treng province spokesman Men Kong said provincial authorities do not have grounds for controlling the fluctuating prices of agricultural products, but instead have encouraged relevant institutions to study the issue and determine the causes of drastic price drops. Authorities always encourage farmers to familiarize themselves with fruit and vegetable prices in other regions before deciding to sell their produce, he said. Middlemen or traders purchase agricultural products at lower prices so that farmers must study prices [in other regions] before they decide sell their produce through middlemen or traders, Men Kong said. Our working group always disseminated this information to farmers when visiting them at their localities, he said. Ngeth Chou, an economy and finance expert, considers the falling prices a sensitive issue to which the government must pay attention and not leave farmers in the lurch by having to sell their agricultural products according to their own luck. He suggests that the government help farmers market their agricultural products as a measure to improve the national economy and reduce the occurrence of various social crises such as migration. Such market connections cant happen just by thinking about them. Farmers today say they dont have an adequate market for their agricultural products, he said, adding that there should be a liaison to which farmers can turn to help them sell their fruits and vegetables. Farmers now appear to be losing faith that the government will resolve the pricing issues for them. Protest over corn prices Hundreds of farmers in the Kamrieng district of northwestern Cambodias Battambang province staged a daylong protest on Thursday, blocking roads in downtown Takry commune, to show their displeasure with the rapidly dropping price of corn. Farmers used more than 100 trucks to block crossroad number 30 in the communes heavily trafficked downtown area. Nak Vanny, a farmer who participated in the protest, told RFA that he has lost at least U.S. $20,000 annually for the last two consecutive years because of falling corn prices. Farmers have asked authorities to intervene to ensure that their corn can be sold at a price of at least 400-600 riels per kilogram so they can offset their production costs, he said. Growers in Kamrieng district decided to stage the protest to put pressure on authorities to help them, he said. In the past, traders from neighboring Thailand bought dried corn from the farmers at an average price of five baht, or 600 riels, per kilo, Nak Vanny said. But now the traders will purchase them for only 3 baht, or 400 riels, per kilo or less. The protest ended after Battambang provincial authorities promised to address the issue within three days. Yang Saing Komar, former director of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), said the root causes of the plunging pumpkin and corn prices might stem from the fact that agricultural products such as rice, corns, beans, and sesame are all low quality and fail to meet market demand, or that farmers have failed to form communities or groups to facilitate produce sales. He also noted that the government and relevant ministries are providing less support to farmers than they have done in the past. The government is fully capable of stopping prices from falling by encouraging companies or firms to process agricultural products domestically rather than exporting them, or by directly contacting overseas markets, Yang Saing Komar said. In addition, government officials could teach farmers better production techniques or let them create a group or community to sell their output, he said. At the same time, the state should provide additional loans to companies to purchase agricultural products from farmers, he said. Reported by Chanthy Men and Sonorng Khe for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Prominent Chinese dissident and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo has died of liver cancer after being transferred to hospital from prison only after his disease was in the final stages. He was 61. Liu's late diagnosis, and the refusal of the ruling Chinese Communist Party to allow him to go overseas on medical parole, had sparked widespread public anger, with the governments of Germany and the U.S. offering him the best possible treatment. At the time of his death, Liu had been serving an 11-year jail term for "incitement to subvert state power," linked to his online writings promoting democracy and constitutional government. They included Charter 08, a document that was signed by more than 300 prominent scholars, writers, and rights activists around the country. In it, the former literature professor called for concerned Chinese citizens to rally to bring about change, citing an increasing loss of control by the Communist Party and heightened hostility between the authorities and ordinary people. "Among the great nations of the world, China, alone, still clings to an authoritarian political way of life," said the Charter, translated into English by California-Riverside East Asian Studies Professor Perry Link. "As a result, it has caused an unbroken chain of human rights disasters and social crises, held back the development of the Chinese people, and hindered the progress of human civilization." The Charter called for a genuine use of the Constitution and institutions that uphold the rule of law, democratic reforms, and human rights, warning of disaster amid growing social tensions in the absence of such reforms. Before the Charter, Liu had served as the president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center writers' group from 2003 to 2007, as well as heading Democratic China magazine since the mid-1990s. Empty chair in Oslo He was the third person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in prison or detention, and was represented at the awards ceremony in Oslo in by an empty chair. Born in Changchun, in the northeastern province of Jilin, Liu was taken by his father to Inner Mongolia in 1969, when intellectuals across China were sent "down to the countryside" during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), and initially worked as a farm laborer. But with the reinstatement of China's universities, Liu joined the rest of his generation in applying to college, winning a place to read Chinese literature at Jilin University in 1977, and receiving his master's degree from Beijing Normal University, and began to make a mark in literary and ideological circles with his radical opinions. He went on to lecture at the same university after gaining his PhD, and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University, the University of Oslo, and the University of Hawaii. His books were banned in China soon after the 1989 student-led pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square. Liu was detained by police two days before the Charter went public on Human Rights Day 2008, and formally arrested on , 2009. His lawyers said the case against him was mostly built around six articles he published since 2005, as well as his participation in the drafting and promotion of Charter 08. The articles appeared on foreign news Web sites including China Observer and the BBC, and including titles such as "China's Dictatorial Patriotism," "The Many Facets of Chinese Communist Party Dictatorship," and "The Negative Effects on World Democracy of the Rise of Dictatorship." House arrest for Liu's wife The indictment document described Liu's crimes as "very great," accusing him of "using rumors and slander to overthrow the socialist system." He was found guilty on Dec. 25, 2009 of "engaging in agitation activities, such as the spreading of rumors and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialist system" and handed an 11-year jail term, which he served mostly in Liaoning, far from his Beijing-based friends and family. After his Nobel peace prize was announced in , Liu's wife Liu Xia was held for several years under house arrest at the couple's home in Beijing, and prevented from receiving visitors or earning a living. She suffered from pronounced mental and physical health problems that friends blamed on this unofficial incarceration. During his last illness, many retired officials and Chinese intellectuals expressed their anger over Liu's treatment at the hands of the government. Former top Communist Party aide Bao Tong said Liu had never been guilty of subversion. "To subvert the state would be to remove power from the people and put it elsewhere. Any act that does not have this result cannot be called subversion," Bao wrote in a Dec. 23, 2009 essay ahead of Liu's trial. "It is patriotic to defend the sovereignty of the people. All movements that try to do this are patriotic movements," he wrote. "It is patriotic to defend the right to freedom of speech, publication, association, demonstration, and public protest, and to safeguard the public's right to know what is happening, to express themselves, to take part in political life and to oversee the government." In a statement written on the same day, which was never read out at his trial, Liu said he didn't blame the authorities for their treatment of him. "I have no enemies, and no hatred," he wrote. "None of the police who have monitored, arrested and interrogated me, the prosecutors who prosecuted me, or the judges who sentence me, are my enemies." "For hatred is corrosive of a persons wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nations spirit, instigate brutal life and death struggles, destroy a societys tolerance and humanity, and block a nations progress to freedom and democracy," Liu wrote. But while he said he hoped to "defuse hatred with love," Liu added: "I do not feel guilty for following my constitutional right to freedom of expression, for fulfilling my social responsibility as a Chinese citizen." Reported by RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Video grab of political prisoner Liu Xiaobo in an unspecified hospital released about two weeks before his death from cancer on July 13, 2017. Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who received international attention for his role in the Tiananmen Square protests and was serving an 11-year sentence for "inciting subversion of state power died of liver cancer on . The 61-year-old is merely the latest example of the life-shortening effect of time spent in Chinese prison. Liu was granted medical parole, but the Chinese government refused to fully release him from custody. Human rights advocates say Lius case fits a deliberate pattern in Chinese prisons, where dissidents are routinely denied health care and forced to endure harsh prison conditions that aggravate their illnesses. They give people medical parole when they are under political pressure to do so, meaning that they dont particularly want people to die on their watch, China director of the Human Rights Campaign Sophie Richardson told RFA. There are cases where people are let out because they are so sick they couldnt be treated properly in detention. But there are certainly cases where that is not true, she said. Liu, who received a late diagnosis and was suffering respiratory failure as his condition worsened, was offered the best possible treatment by Germany and the United States, but Chinese doctors ruled against the late activists travel amidst international outcry aimed at the ruling Chinese Communist Party. This is not the first time Chinese authorities have withheld medical treatment from prisoners. Former winner of the European Unions Sakharov human rights prize Hu Jia had five applications for medical parole turned down, despite warnings from his wife that his health was rapidly deteriorating. Lawyers tortured Hu told the New York Times that doctors had repeatedly misdiagnosed his abdominal pain as a side stitch. It was not until he was released from prison that he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. His cirrhosis of the liver and now this acute pancreatitis are related to his time in jail, Beijing rights lawyer Sui Muqing told RFA in an earlier report. The deteriorating health of Chinese womens rights activist Su Changlan, who was found guilty of "incitement to subvert state power" by the Foshan Intermediate People's Court in southern Guangdong Province, also received international attention last month after a medical parole request made earlier this year by her husband was denied. Speaking to RFA in mid-May, Jin Bianling, the wife of lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who went missing in , said she was kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition for months. We have recently learned from a sympathetic official source in Changsha that Jiang Tianyong has been tortured. There is a problem with his feet. They are so swollen that he can't stand up. He may be crippled for life, Jin told RFA. I was extremely concerned and worried when I heard about this, she said. I fear for Jiang Tianyong's life and his well-being, because I have seen that other lawyers, Xie Yang, Li Chunfu, and Li Heping released recently had been detained and tortured too. All of those lawyers were caught up in a sweeping crackdown on human rights lawyers launched by Beijing in July 2016. "I worry that Jiang Tianyong won't be able to bear it, Jin added. Let nature do the killing In Tibet, meanwhile, prisoners abused in Chinese custody are frequently left untreated, and are released in poor health only to die soon after. Former top Communist Party aide Bao Tong told RFA in an earlier report inhumane treatment of Chinese citizens dates back to the 1949-76 Mao Zedong era. "They have never treated people like people," Bao said in an earlier report. "They see them as targets for political struggle, oppression, and dictatorship; even their emphasis on a harmonious society means they don't recognize people as human." The Chinese government has a history of human rights abuses that long predates the tenure of current President Xi Jinping, whose predecessor Hu Jintao jailed Liu Xiaobo. Arrested twice and jailed for a total of 18 years for his role in the 1980 Democracy Wall movement, pro-democracy campaigner Wei Jingsheng spent the first 16 years of those 18 years in solitary confinement. He was charged with having passed "secret" information concerning the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war to a foreigner and engaging in "counterrevolutionary propaganda and agitation. Diagnosed with a heart illness in 1984, Wei applied for medical parole for many years without approval, allowing his illness to worsen. After learning that I was diagnosed with heart illness, [then Supreme Leader] Deng Xiaoping personally ordered that I and several other political prisoners be sent to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and ordered that the labor camp we stayed in must be higher than 3,000 meters above sea level, Wei told RFA. Qinghai prisons were afraid to accept us because they knew [the government] was using nature to kill, and they did not want to be a scapegoat, he said. UPDATED at 5:40 P.M. on 2017-07-13 Rights activists around the world mourned the death of Chinese dissident and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo on , following an official announcement that he had died from multiple organ failure while being treated for terminal liver cancer. Liu's death at 61 came amid mounting anger at the ruling Chinese Communist Party over its refusal to allow him to seek treatment overseas and his late diagnosis in May by prison doctors, which many have said is suspicious. "Liu Xiaobo has died. His love, courage and strength will never die," U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao said via Twitter, while other activists called on Beijing to free his wife Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since his Nobel peace award was announced in. Former top Communist Party official Bao Tong said the government had it within its power to treat Liu Xiaobo sooner, and to allow him to seek medical treatment overseas, but didn't. "They govern a huge country; how hard could it be for them to decide to act to save a single life?" a clearly upset Bao told RFA shortly after Liu's death was announced. "Nobody was asking them to pick up Mount Tai and jump over the East Sea with it." "They were just asking for them to show a little compassion, a little humanity," he said. "They weren't even asking for justice, just some morality and compassion." London-based rights group Amnesty International launched a petition on calling for an end to Liu Xia's illegal house arrest, heavy surveillance and harassment by the authorities. "Liu Xia has been kept in isolation since , and she has suffered from psychological stress, anxiety and depression as a result," the group said on its petition page. "Its time the Chinese authorities stop cruelly punishing Liu Xia," the group said. "Our greatest tribute to [Liu Xiaobo] will be to ensure that Liu Xia is free [to travel wherever she wishes]." Veteran U.S.-based dissident Yang Jianli said that while many were expecting the news at any time in China's overseas dissident community, that hadn't lessened their grief. "We were in extreme pain and grief when the news came out, even though we knew Liu Xiaobo didn't have long," Yang told RFA. "We had continued to press for him to be allowed to die in freedom in spite of this, but we didn't succeed, and we are full of regret over that." "The regime couldn't even honor the wishes of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia in allowing them the freedom to be alone together," he said. Mourning in China will be difficult Liu's supporters in China said they will likely be unable to carry out any kind of memorial activities for Liu. "I have wanted all along for the Chinese Communist Party to allow Liu Xiaobo overseas to receive medical treatment, for the last few weeks of his life," Harbin resident Chi Jinchun told RFA. "But people [like us] will only be able to show any mourning for Liu Xiaobo online," Chi said. "I think any other, more concrete, actions will just be too difficult." Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia, who was a close friend of Liu's, said security has already been tightened around the No. 1 Medical University Hospital in Shenyang, where Liu was being treated. "There was a hearse that arrived, which was very unusual," Hu said. "There were a large number of police around, and they had implemented traffic controls, and it drove away with a police escort, which was pretty unusual." "I think this likely had something to do with Liu Xiaobo," he said. He said activists around China are now expecting a clampdown on their activities. "We're not ruling out a stability maintenance operation," Hu said. "It looks likely." In Hong Kong, rights activists met in a public vigil to mark Liu's passing, hitting out at his treatment at the hands of the authorities. "Liu Xiaobo may have died of cancer, but the Chinese Communist Party bears a huge amount of the responsibility," Albert Ho, who heads the Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, told journalists on . "They can be accused of treating human life with contempt, by not acting to carry out proper medical checks on someone who had been in an unhealthy prison environment for a long time," Ho said. "Somebody wanted him gone, and while they may not have murdered him directly, they definitely made sure he died," he said. Widow, lawyers incommunicado Meanwhile questions began to emerge early on over Liu's death, which sparked a massive security operation in Shenyang, with police driving away and detaining bystanders and possible supporters who gathered outside the hospital where he died. Liu Xia, her brother Liu Hui and other relatives were incommunicado, along with Liu's former defense attorneys. Liu Xia is being prevented from contacting other relatives, due to fears she might overturn the official narrative that she and other family members had agreed to Liu being treated in China, rather than overseas, sources said. Repeated calls to Liu's former lawyers Mo Shaoping and Shang Baojun resulted in a "switched off" message late on and into the early hours of . And calls to Bao Tong failed to connect after Bao penned an essay on Liu's political thought to mark his passing. Sources said Liu Xia, Liu Hui and other family members were being housed in a holiday villa after their arrival in Shenyang, with a police guard on the door. Any shopping trips or visits to the hospital were made under police escort, they said. And now that Liu Xiaobo has died, Liu Xia's friends are beginning to worry about her personal safety. "She has very serious sleep deprivation and suffers from extreme fluctuations in her mood," Hao Jian, a Beijing-based film professor and friend of the Lius told RFA. "I have spoken to her by phone a number of times in May and June, but I haven't met her in person." "Sometimes she called me when her mood was very low, and would talk to me about literature, or read me a poem, and I knew that her psychological state was very poor," he said. "Both Liu Xia and Liu Hui have been under huge physical and psychological pressure, and Liu Xia herself very much wants to go overseas to seek medical treatment." An academic following the family's plight said their treatment at the hands of the government was "unacceptable." "The Chinese government has behaved in a cruel and unacceptable manner, and will be condemned internationally for it," the academic said. "I am very angry, too ... and sad at the way the Chinese government has behaved, which will go down in history and be condemned by public opinion." Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service and Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The death China's Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo on Thursday aged 61 after being hospitalized with terminal liver cancer from prison just over a month ago sparked an all-out government propaganda effort to counter domestic and international criticism. His death was confirmed by a statement from the legal bureau of the municipal government in Shenyang, provincial capital of northeastern Liaoning province. "Liu suffered multiple organ failure, and efforts to save him failed," the bureau said. Official media immediately swung into action to counteract a recent chorus of criticism from rights activists and concern from the international community over the ruling Chinese Communist Party's refusal to allow Liu to seek medical attention overseas and end his days free from official control. "Top-notch medical teams had been assigned to treat him with advanced drugs and therapies at the First Hospital of China Medical University [in Shenyang]," the party-controlled Global Times said, reporting Liu's death, aged 61. It quoted German and American doctors as saying that "they could not think of a better alternative, and that the Chinese medical team was doing a great job." The paper said Liu had received regular health checks and cancer screening since 2012 after he entered prison with hepatitis B, which can lead to liver cancer. Propaganda blitz Sources said Beijing's propaganda machine had kicked into high gear shortly ahead of Liu's death. "Right now all the officials are taking a high-pressure hose and trying to wash everything down, to whitewash everything, bit by bit," a retired former official from Liaoning's provincial capital Shenyang said in an interview on Thursday that was recorded shortly before Liu died. "They are launching a public relations campaign to make themselves look squeaky-clean, that's their game," the former official said. He said Liu's treatment has been a public relations disaster for the communist party, however. "First, they managed to turn the guy into a Nobel prize-winner, and now they are turning him into a martyr, whose spirit can't be locked up," he said. "This is a joke that's not funny." Broken promises A retired Beijing-based academic said he was also very angry at the treatment meted out by the authorities to Liu at the end of his life. "Liu Xiaobo's liver cancer was allowed to develop until it became incurable, and I am so angry about that," the academic, who asked to remain anonymous, said. "The Communist Party promised us so much at the start of its rule, and now the situation has gotten this bad, it will need several generations to change it." Sources close to the family said the authorities had earlier stepped up the state security police presence around Liu's ward in the Shenyang No. 1 Medical University Hospital, in preparation for Liu's death. "They have sent more personnel to the 23rd floor," the source said, alluding to the location of Liu's hospital room. "There are also more than 20 people standing guard on the ground floor of the hospital, and an operation team leader." Other reactions In Hong Kong, as Liu's death was announced, a 24-hour silent vigil outside China's liaison office in the city entered its fourth day. A participant surnamed Wong said she had come along in spite of believing that it would have little effect on the communist party. "I know it won't have any effect, because the communist party is a dictatorship, and they pay no attention to us whatsoever," Wong said. "They paid no attention to our Occupy movement for more than 70 days, and they didn't give way an inch, so they will care even less about our vigil." "But I had to do it anyway, because I wanted them to see how determined we are." Germany-based writer Liao Yiwu, who was once jailed for writing a poem commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, said Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had done everything it could to save Liu and his family, amid international calls for him to be treated overseas. "I understand the difficulties Merkel has had trying to deal with the Chinese government," Liao said. "But if Liu Xiaobo dies in China, and his wife isn't allowed to leave China after that, then she may not live long either." "That's why she asked an intermediary to request Merkel's help." Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing and Lam Kwok-lap for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. North Korean residents are showing different responses to the countrys recent successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile and are arguing over its significance, North Korean sources say. The country celebrated for days following the missiles July 4 launch, but many North Koreans are concerned that the test may now be used as a pretext for harsher mass mobilizations, sources told RFAs Korean Service. One source from North Koreas Chagang province, bordering China, said that the missile launch was officially described as a gift to former leaders including Kim Il Sung, whose death anniversary fell just a few days later. Whatever the Central Committees intention was, however, the successful launch of an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the U.S. has created widespread anxiety, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. North Korean residents consider this a critical event, he said. Carried out just hours ahead of the Independence Day holiday in the U.S., the test was the first of North Koreas Hwasong-14 missile, which the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says can now successfully target the heart of the United States. 'Hard to judge' Many North Koreans are unsure of the missiles true abilities, though, a source living in North Koreas Yanggang province said. It is hard to judge the developmental level of the ICBM by global standards, RFAs source said, also speaking on condition he not be named. People here have many different opinions about the ICBM, he said. About one-third of North Koreans are naive and believe that North Korea can defeat the U.S. with its nuclear and missile programs, he said. These are especially people in the countryside who have no contact with the outside world. The launch of a missile that many believe can now strike targets in Alaska nevertheless represents a significant advance in North Koreas weapons program, analysts say. The launch, which was widely condemned around the world, has meanwhile had a negative impact on North Korean traders working in China, who had hoped for better business opportunities owing to recent changes in the government of rival South Korea. North Korean traders in China are very unhappy with the ICBM missile launch, one Chinese trading partner told RFA. One of them even showed his dissatisfaction openly, calling the launch an armed provocation. Reported by Sunghui Moon for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Lillian Andemicael. Richmond, Va. The Richmond Times-Dispatch welcomes community engagement professional Jamie Dumas as events manager in the advertising department. Dumas will focus on increasing the valued role of community events and related consumer experiences at the RTD. Jamies expertise in managing events and vibrant online communities, coupled with her operational business acumen, will play an intrinsic role in integrating events as a robust business at The Times-Dispatch, said Erin Brooks, RTD director of advertising and future revenue. Our growing event business is one of the many tactics that our advertising customers have to choose from within our diversified portfolio of print and digital marketing products and services. Dumas comes to the RTD after serving as a senior events manager at Wedding Wire, a national online startup. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and a Masters in Education from the College of William & Mary. She started her career at the College of William & Mary as the graduate assistant for programming. She became events manager at LivingSocial in Richmond and then joined Yelp as senior community manager, where she developed online communities during her three years there. As the RTD continues to transition in its 167th year of serving Richmond and Virginia, now more than ever the events manager role requires a true community champion who intrinsically understands the heartbeat of our growing Richmond metropolitan region, Brooks added. The Richmond Times-Dispatchs mission is to be indispensable the community. This role is a mirror image of that mission. For more information, contact Thomas A. Silvestri, President and Publisher, (804) 649-6121, tsilvestri@timesdispatch.com. ABOUT THE RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Chesterfield County authorities are seeking a man who was mistakenly released Wednesday from the county jail. Mathew Chambliss Coleman, 35, was brought Wednesday to the Chesterfield Jail from the Richmond City Justice Center after being booked on charges in the city and released on his own recognizance, the Chesterfield Sheriff's Office said in a news release. He was then released on his own recognizance from the Chesterfield Jail after being booked on county charges of vandalism and entering property to damage, the Sheriff's Office said. But Coleman also had outstanding charges in Petersburg and was supposed to be held without bond. The Petersburg charges include eluding police, two counts of hit-and-run driving, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and driving on a suspended license, authorities said. In addition, Chesterfield has obtained an escape warrant for Coleman's arrest. Virginia State Police said Wednesday night that they are on the scene of a three-vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 95 in Chesterfield County. The crash occurred just before 9 p.m. on northbound I-95, just south of exit 62 (state Route 288). Police said the preliminary investigation indicated that a Hyundai was traveling south in the northbound lanes when it struck a Kia head-on. After that, a Toyota then struck the Kia. The driver of the Hyundai, whose identity was not immediately released, died at the scene, and the driver of the Kia was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. The driver of the Toyota was not injured; there were no passengers in any of the three vehicles. A jury has convicted a former Richmond police officer of sex acts with a child, and by default, sentenced him to life in prison. Charles Church, 41, of the 1400 block of West Marshall Street, was found guilty Thursday of object sexual penetration and indecent exposure after a three-day trial. He was acquitted of sodomy and a second count of object sexual penetration. The object sexual penetration conviction carries a mandatory life term. Some jurors appeared stunned when Richmond Circuit Court Judge Walter Stout read the fixed sentence. Typically, jurors are not told of the statutory sentence range before deciding their verdict, as it might sway their decision. The jury, comprising eight men and four women, recommended an additional year of prison time for the indecent liberties conviction, which could have carried up to 10 years. Church will be formally sentenced by Stout later, but judges rarely depart from a jurys recommendation and Stouts hands are also tied by the mandatory sentence. A second count of sodomy was dropped by prosecutors earlier Thursday. Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Kelli Burnett said she thought it would be too confusing for the jury to parse out one act from another. On Thursday, the defense team representing Church called its own DNA expert, Phillip Danielson, who debunked much of what the prosecutions experts said Wednesday. It was highly unlikely, Danielson said, that Churchs DNA wouldnt have been found on the girl after an assault like the child described in court Tuesday. The only DNA recovered that didnt belong to the girl was found in her Barbie underwear, which was found in a pile of Churchs clothes. With just a small amount of trace DNA belonging to Church found in the underwear, its likely that it was transferred from other clothing in the pile, Danielson said. There was also a third possible contributor of DNA, Danielson said. But state experts said it was just an anomaly from testing. With conflicting interpretations of the DNA evidence, the jurors had to weigh the other testimony they heard, including the gripping story from the young girl who said Church sexually assaulted her twice in one night in November 2015. At the time, Church had been a Richmond police officer for 12 years; he was separated from city service in April 2016. After the assault, the girl texted her mother more than 100 times. She also texted with her stepmother, who testified that the messages conveyed the girls fear of Church. Church, a Marine Corps veteran who served during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and received commendation for duty at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md., that immediately followed, had no prior criminal history. His defense team, led by deputy public defender Emilee Hasbrouck, maintained his innocence. Defense attorneys claimed Church was an abusive alcoholic but said the abuse was never sexual. Church also faced child pornography charges in federal court, but those charges were dismissed earlier this year after a federal judge ruled that evidence from his tablet and computer had been obtained during an illegal search. A convicted sex offender from an old-line Richmond family is a suspect in the abduction and sexual battery of a Florida woman almost 20 years ago, according to papers filed in Alleghany County Circuit Court. A June 20 court order and accompanying documents allege that DNA links Cornelius Francis Florman a Reynolds Metals heir convicted of a 1986 rape in Chesterfield County to the 1998 sexual battery of a then-44-year-old woman who was abducted and knocked unconscious after leaving a Fort Myers Beach bar. The Lee County Sheriffs Office in Florida sent evidence recovered from the victim in 1998 to a DNA lab last year as part of a national effort to test backlogged physical evidence kits in sexual assaults. A search of offender databases produced a hit, matching the Florida suspects DNA to that of Florman, according to a Nov. 23 report from the Virginia Department of Forensic Science. Florman, 51, a resident of Low Moor, a small Alleghany County community along Interstate 64 near West Virginia, once lived with his family in the 9200 block of River Road in Henrico County. He is the great-grandson of the founder of Reynolds Metals, Richard S. Reynolds Sr. The firm merged with Alcoa in 2000. The June 20 court order issued by an Alleghany circuit judge is to obtain swabs from the inside of Flormans cheek for another DNA sample. It is unclear if the swabs have been collected and tested. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Lee County Sheriffs Office said, This is an active and ongoing case. We would not be able to comment at this time. Florman could not be reached for comment. However, his lawyer, Melvin S. Black of Miami, sent a statement Thursday by email: We are aware of the investigation about something that supposedly happened 19 years ago, he wrote. We do not know if there will be any formal charges once the investigation is completed. We are committed to vigorously fight any charges and prove Neils innocence in a court of law if any charges are filed. Neil is a good man and a loving father. At this time we have no other comment. Betty Layne DesPortes, a Richmond criminal defense lawyer and president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, said a DNA hit to a database establishes probable cause for police to collect another DNA sample from a suspect. That sample is used for verification and for use at trial, eliminating chain-of-custody issues and making it so the defendant is not prejudiced by a prior conviction, she said. Florman was tried twice, but not convicted, in Henrico of the 1986 rape of a woman who was attacked in her home. He was convicted in 1987 of the violent 1986 rape of a Chesterfield nurse in her home and sentenced to five years, serving less than three years before his release. He also was accused of a 1986 attempted rape in Louisville, Ky., in which he ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges of wanton endangerment and burglary and was given a 7-year suspended sentence. In 1992, he was convicted of two misdemeanors in Dallas County, Texas, for assaulting a hotel maid. In 1993 he was convicted of exposing himself inside a Henrico department store. Though he was not convicted of the Henrico rape, in 1990 the victim sued Florman and a jury awarded her $8.5 million. It was believed to be the first time in Virginia that a person acquitted in criminal court of rape was found liable in a civil trial. He reached out-of-court settlements with at least two other sexual assault victims. Accounts of the trials reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch painted a picture of a privileged lifestyle. Among other things, Flormans meals were prepared by a maid. He spent time bow-hunting for deer on family property along the James River and he attended a couple of classes a week at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College named for his late second cousin, a former Virginia lieutenant governor. Court documents show he was the beneficiary of two Reynolds family trusts. The Henrico rape occurred in the victims Westham Parkway home and terrorized much of the area. The victim said she was at home alone when a man put a jacket over her head, fought with her and then raped her. She said she caught glimpses of the assailant and was certain it was Florman, whom she identified in court. Florman, in testimony corroborated by friends and relatives, said he was searching for a deer he had wounded at the time the rape was occurring. The weeklong trial drew a standing-room-only crowd of West End residents, some of them friends and family members of Florman and some of the victim. At least one stock prospectus was in use as a seat holder in the courtroom during breaks. In the pending Florida investigation, an affidavit by Detective Erik Hurd, with the Lee County Sheriffs Office, says that the then-44-year-old victim reported that she left a bar in Fort Myers Beach between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. and was approached in the parking lot by a man who asked for a ride up the street. She said she agreed to drive him a short distance. Once in her car, the man punched her in the face, knocking her unconscious. She awoke in a passenger seat, attempted to yell and flee and was knocked unconscious again. She next remembered being pulled from the vehicle into a wooded area where he had intercourse with her against her will. After the attack she asked him to drive her to her residence. She was able to flee from the car when it came to a stop. The victim had multiple bruises and abrasions on (her) eye, face, back arms and legs, authorities reported at the time. The car was found in a church parking lot not far from the bar where the abduction took place. The passenger-side window was smashed, and glass was found next to the door and on the passenger seat. South of the vehicles location (a deputy) noted a wooded area and fresh shoe imprints on the grass/weeds, the affidavit says. At the time of the incident, both subjects are described as medium build white males with blond hair, Hurd, the Florida detective, wrote in his affidavit. According to Hurd, Florman was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds, while the suspect was described as 5 feet 10 inches and 160 pounds. The response to an apartment project proposed for Mechanicsville consisted largely of peoples concerns about the impact it would have on traffic on the area. Developer Larry Shaia, a self-described apartment guy, has proposed to build a five-building, 207-unit apartment community behind the Goodwill and Food Lion off Mechanicsville Turnpike. Shaia presented his plans Wednesday night to roughly 25 people in the auditorium of Lee-Davis High School. The first burst of questions from the crowd had to do with existing traffic problems at the intersection of Mechanicsville Turnpike and Lee Davis Road and the fear that Cambridge Square Apartments, as the project is dubbed, would exacerbate congestion. As part of his proposal, Shaia has offered to build a public road that would connect Brandy Run Drive to Brandy Hill Drive, which would link Mechanicsville Turnpike to Lee Davis Road. Were actually creating another road to help, Shaia said. David Johnson listened from his seat unconvinced. I dont see how its going to improve, said Johnson, adding that he opposes the connector road. There would be 414 parking spaces at Cambridge Square Apartments. A traffic study done on the projects impact estimated that 90 cars would be added to the morning commute. Shaia said the apartments are expected to add 113 students to Hanovers school system and wouldnt push nearby schools to capacity. Shaia has requested that 20 acres in the area be rezoned to allow the project to move forward. The proposal is early in the process and expected to go before the Planning Commission in October. The apartments would be expected to hit the market in 2020. Shaia also is the developer behind Charleston Ridge Apartments in Hanover and is tied to Charter Realty and Development Co., which developed Charter Creek Apartments in 1997. Cambridge Square Apartments is planned to have 47 one-bedroom apartments, 114 two-bedroom apartments and 46 three-bedroom apartments. Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. has sold the Madison England Run and Madison Falls Run apartment communities in Stafford County for more than $100 million. The 676-unit apartment portfolio was sold to Virginia-based Chandler Management for $100.5 million. The properties were last sold in 2012, when private equity fund manager Equus purchased it as an affiliate of Philadelphia-based BPG Properties Ltd. for $83.4 million from a subsidiary of UDR Inc. Since that sale, about $3 million has been spent on updates. The communities are about a mile from each other and not far from the Interstate 95 interchange with U.S. 17. "Investor demand for well-maintained and professionally managed apartment communities remains robust," said Greg Curci, Vice President of Equus. "Increasingly, we see investors' appetites turn towards suburban assets in locations exhibiting compelling population and job growth." CHARLOTTESVILLE Late on a recent afternoon, children ran outside at Friendship Court to the sound of bike horns and the sight of teachers riding bicycles carrying free books. For the past five summers, teachers on bicycles have handed out books to students in neighborhoods across Charlottesville as a way of keeping them reading in the summer months and connecting with the communities in which they teach. The program, Books on Bikes, was started in 2013 by Charlottesville school librarians Mary Craig of Clark Elementary School and Rebecca Flowers of Johnson Elementary School. Other educators, such as Greenbrier Elementary School teacher Kellie Keyser, have since joined the team. The programs main goal is to get students reading during the summer months when teachers worry about students sliding back, Keyser said. We often refer to it as the summer slide, she said. They end the year at one reading level and then they come back and theyve lost some reading over the summer. Craig said the difference in students who read over the summer and those who dont cant necessarily be measured quantitatively at the beginning of the school year, but a qualitative effect is seen. You can just see the difference, she said. You can see it theyre coming to the library, theyre excited. All the distributed books have been donated from libraries, other teachers, people in the community and through the programs website, booksonbikescville.org. The program purchased its three cargo bikes after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Attached to the sides of the bikes are custom-built containers carrying dozens of books, which is usually enough for every child to pick two or three books. When the bikes roll into neighborhoods, they bring more than just books with them. Teachers also hand out a freeze pop to each child who selects books. The goal is to create a fun and happy experience in hopes of getting students excited about reading, Craig said. On this visit, Zanijsha Rodgers, a rising fourth-grader at Clark Elementary, picked out a handful of small chapter books, enjoyed her frozen treat and was allowed to honk the bike horns. Its such a simple thing, and it does so much good for something so simple, Craig said. While the books are primarily for students, they are available to anyone . It doesnt happen on every ride, but Craig said its not uncommon to have adults ask for books, so they try to keep books on hand for older readers. Books on Bikes also brings therapy dogs along on rides. During the visit, the teachers brought along Luna, who has been going on Books on Bikes stops for so long that some children recognize her. Stacy Diaz, a teacher at Walker Upper Elementary School, brings Luna and other therapy dogs so children can read to them. The idea is to build confidence in the students, because reading to an audience of people can be nerve-wracking, Diaz said. But when you pull them aside and you put the dog in front of them, it increases their fluency, they feel more natural, she said. Sometimes they pet, sometimes they dont. Sometimes they just sit there and just kind of read to them. Similar efforts to combat the summer slide exist in Albemarle County. One example is a summer reading program at Northside Library from 2 to 3 p.m. every Monday in July organized by Marianne Baker, who works at Agnor-Hurt Elementary School. The goal is to encourage students in the county to check out books during the summer. Its open to students of all ages, but the target is elementary-age pupils, Baker said. Books on Bikes also creates an opportunity for educators and the communities they serve to build relationships outside the classroom. They see you out in their neighborhood, they start to build that relationship with you and then they come to school and its like, Youre the Books on Bikes lady! she said. By Diane T. Atkinson Last month my colleagues on the Virginia Board of Education and I took a historic vote to fundamentally change the way Virginia accredits public schools and chooses to intervene when schools fail to meet state standards. Although school accreditation is technical and, to be candid, a bit wonky, this major reform effort has been underway for over a year and is important for citizens of the commonwealth to understand. But before we can understand the new system, we need to begin with our current structure. At present, the state accredits each school based on the percentage of students passing Virginias standardized end-of-year SOL tests and, for high schools, the graduation rate. A schools results then translate into a dizzying array of accreditation statuses based on how long the school had performed or underperformed. Currently, it takes years of underperformance to prompt a conversation with the state about what kinds of technical assistance or interventions might be needed to help students, teachers and school leaders improve. At the time that our standards, tests, and accreditation system were initially developed in Virginia, they were revolutionary in ensuring all students in Virginia received a high-quality public education. Over the past 20-plus years, state policymakers have refined the system, continued to raise academic expectations, and driven high-quality educational opportunities. Unfortunately, our system has also had a number of unintended consequences. The sole emphasis on test results has contributed significantly to high-stakes testing environments. The system also fails to account for any progress a student has made a significant indicator of the quality of a students learning environment. Finally, that accreditation system fails to reflect the achievement gaps for students of color and economically disadvantaged students gaps that need our attention. In the past year, members of the Board of Education have carefully examined the limitations of our system and what we have learned through school improvement efforts. We have explored alternative models, read the research correlating other indicators to long-term student success, and developed guiding principles for a new system. These principles are straightforward. We want a system that better reflects a schools quality, drives continuous improvement, and helps guide early and targeted interventions for struggling schools. The new system we are proposing meets those criteria and more. Under this proposed system, schools will be held to the same rigorous academic standards, but will also be accountable for a number of other outcomes such as student growth, achievement gaps, dropout rates, and chronic absenteeism. These indicators were selected by the board because of their direct relationship to student success. This new system comes with an expectation that every school will be striving continuously to improve in each of these areas. Our proposal also overhauls how a school ultimately earns accreditation. We have redefined these terms and have moved away from a system in which it is easy to become a failing school but then hard to move out of that status, and even harder to ever shake that failing perception. Far too often, we see schools making remarkable progress with students, but the system fails to recognize their growth, perpetuating the idea that principals, teachers, and students were unsuccessful. We also know that having denied accreditation makes it nearly impossible to recruit strong principals or teachers, who are the most powerful components of high-quality student learning. Under our new system, we will have only three accreditation statuses: accredited, accredited with conditions, and denied accreditation. Schools that meet or are making appropriate progress toward the benchmarks will be accredited. Those schools that are either significantly below the performance benchmarks or are not making appropriate progress will be accredited with conditions. We have entirely redefined accreditation denied and will assign it to schools in which the leadership has failed to implement necessary steps to improve teaching and learning. A schools accreditation status will no longer hinge solely on the test scores of its 8-year-olds on a given day in May. While scores are certainly important, we have learned that they are a part of a much bigger picture that needs to be understood for change to be effectuated. Over the next two months, board members will be traveling around the state hosting public hearings on this proposed system to further refine it through direct input from community members. Citizens are invited to join us at those hearings and/or to submit comments online at the Virginia Department of Education website. Virginias public education system is a shared responsibility amongst us all, one that requires us to continually re-examine its foundation and make changes as needed. Change is never easy, but in the case of Virginias accreditation system, the time has come to build a stronger, more comprehensive, yet equally rigorous system that supports the success of all our students and each of our schools. UPDATE: The project's volunteers are set to gather temperature measurements all across the City of Richmond on Thursday. Though the date for the project was arranged weeks in advance, this scorching weather pattern should make the city's hot spots readily observable. The researchers leading the study expect to complete the computer analysis in the coming weeks. Look for another update to this story when the results are out. Original story: June 22, 2017 A scorching summer day can feel several degrees hotter because of where you live, and a scientific project aims to map out the details of Richmonds hot spots this summer. Local researchers and volunteers from Groundwork RVA will team up to create a neighborhood-by-neighborhood snapshot of temperatures across the city in July. Jeremy Hoffman, a climate and earth scientist at the Science Museum of Virginia who holds a doctorate in geology, designed the project with the goal of making the city more resilient to extreme heat waves. Some details were looking to figure out here in Richmond are just how much does the urban heat vary between and within city neighborhoods, Hoffman said. How do different types of land uses such as city parks, tall buildings, or parking lots affect the Richmond urban heat island? Urban areas can be several degrees warmer than surrounding rural areas, both at day and at night, but there are significant variations in temperature even within a citys borders. Buildings and parking lots absorb the heat of the day and re-release it at night, but trees and vegetation can help to cool the air. On an appropriately hot mid-July day, measurement teams will gather temperature readings along winding paths in every corner of the city. Eight teams will head out with a specially designed temperature sensor mounted to their cars, which will log a reading every second and match it to a GPS location. Volunteers on bikes will be able to gather the temperature of places that cars cant go, like parks and trails. To see how the heat island morphs during the course of a day, the teams will repeat their journeys at daybreak, midafternoon and early evening. Then, a model developed by researchers at Portland State University in Oregon will be used to match the temperature patterns to the landscape features and predict where heat waves could be most dangerous. Once we have an idea about those details, Hoffman said, we can answer important questions like: Are there places in the city that could benefit from heat mitigation strategies such as urban greening, reflective roofing or park development? In addition to helping with the data collection, students and research teams from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond will continue the project by studying where changes in land use practices could make the most impact in the future. The number of days per year with a high temperature above 95 is likely to increase all across Virginia over the next century because of climate change. The findings could also guide the city of Richmonds public health efforts during extremely hot weather. The added temperature of the urban heat island can make the elderly, children and people who work outside more likely to become ill during a heat wave. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, heat usually kills more Americans each year than hurricanes, floods or tornadoes. That will help us better engage with our community members to design realistic solutions that work for them, said Alicia Zatcoff, the city of Richmonds sustainability manager. Thats particularly important for our residents that are most vulnerable to these impacts either due to their socioeconomic status, age or health condition. This study follows the design of a research project that revealed the heat islands of Portland and several other cities. The 2014 Portland study found that temperatures are strongly affected by vegetation and the variation of building heights in a neighborhood. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. A Roanoke man was charged with malicious wounding after a 20-year-old woman was shot in the leg in Salem Wednesday morning, Salem police said. Police responded to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital at 11:15 a.m. after a patient arrived with a gunshot injury. The 20-year-old woman told police that she had been shot in the left calf when a man she knew discharged a handgun at their home. The woman has since been released from the hospital, according to a police news release. Officers later determined that the woman and a man were having a "verbal and physical confrontation" in the 1900 block of Braeburn Drive. The man was holding a gun during the confrontation, and the gun discharged. Police arrested 25-year-old Brandon Davis. In addition to a charge of malicious wounding, he was charged with reckless handling of a firearm and shooting into an occupied dwelling. He is being held in the Western Virginia Regional Jail without bond, according to the release. Back on June 29, I told you the sad story of Victoria Thacker and her dead husbands long-lost T-shirts. Mike Thacker, a retiree from Appalachian Power, died in 2013 from esophageal cancer. One of the things he left behind was a collection of dozens of T-shirts hed bought during his and Victorias travels through 43 years of marriage. In August 2014, Victoria and her daughter Alexa decided to have the emblems on those shirts made into a memory quilt, backed with pieces of flannel shirts Mike also wore. They hired a young woman an acquaintance of Alexas from Girl Scouts and high school to make the quilt. They gave her $100 as a deposit. Thereafter, the quilter proved almost impossible to contact. They visited her house multiple times, left voicemails, tried to message her on Facebook almost always with no luck. Victoria asked for my help. I got the quilters email address. Shes living and working here in the Roanoke Valley. After she and I exchanged emails for a week, she emailed Victoria, apologized profusely and promised to put the shirts in the mail June 30. She did not. July 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 came and went. The mailman brought no shirts to Victoria. On Friday, I emailed the quilter again, asking when she mailed the shirts and from which post office. She didnt respond. Victoria wasnt holding out much hope shed get the shirts back. Neither was my editor. Both believed the promise to mail the shirts was yet another dodge by the quilter, who had been avoiding Victoria for more than two years. They thought the shirts were gone for good. But Monday, someone delivered the shirts personally to Victorias home in a rural part of southwest Roanoke County. About 9:30 p.m., a car pulled up to her house. Someone rang Victorias doorbell. She doesnt answer her door at that hour, and she didnt this time. But about an hour later she checked her doorstep. On it was a large white plastic bag. Inside were the cutout emblems from Mikes T-shirts. Underneath those were his flannel shirts, which the quilter had planned to use as a backing. There was no note, no nothing, Victoria told me Tuesday. However, there was evidence that the quilter had begun making the memory quilt, way back in 2014. She had started on them, Victoria said. Twelve pieces she had sewn together. Victoria was overjoyed. Tuesday was her birthday. This was the best present she could have expected. I told Alexa that if it had not been for you, I never would have gotten them back, she said. Oh, shucks. I got involved because I was struck by a plea from a widow trying to reclaim property of her beloved husbands that was dear to her. Evidently, Victorias plight touched readers, too. It prompted a barrage of emails and phone calls from local quilters. One came from a colleague here in the newsroom, Luanne Rife. If Mrs. Thacker gets her husbands T-shirts back, I will make her a quilt. No charge, Rife wrote me in a message. She was the first but certainly not the last Roanoke Valley quilter who felt moved. Another was Carol Mesimer of Franklin County, who said that for the past 15 years shes worked for a company that sponsors the largest quilt show in America. Id love to help the woman and her daughter with their quilt, Mesimer wrote. But NOT to take the shirts and do it at my home. Id like to help THEM learn how to make the quilt themselves. I have the tools necessary for them to do it. Perhaps meet with them on a regular basis until its done. Anne Tiffany, who moved to Roanoke four years ago, owns Sport-Quilts, a company that has been making quilts from T-shirts for 29 years. Please, if Victoria can get her tees back, I would love to make one for her, Tiffany wrote. Tell her not to worry about the prices, she has had enough sorrow and headaches. Have her give me a call ... I have made well over a 1,000 quilts over the years, and I have never lost one or had it finished later than the date to which we agreed. Roslyn Harris of Penhook also wrote me. I just read your article this morning in the Roanoke Times and want to help Victoria Thacker with her quilt. I am a quilter for 20 years and have made over 50 T-shirt quilts for family and friends. Your story moved me and I would like to make her quilt for free, Harris wrote. Please pass this on to her if she would like me to make it. Nancy Burgess of Roanoke County, who has made quilts for the Rescue Mission, also agreed to make one for the Thackers, gratis. So did one of my neighbors, who stopped by my house the evening the column appeared in the paper. If the lady in your column today can get the tee shirts back [and flannel shirts] I would like to make the quilt for her no charge, Marian Belanger said. Wow, Im bowled over by those responses. So is Victoria Thacker, who said the return of Mikes shirts lifted a weighty burden from her psyche. The feeling is lightness, Victoria said. Thank you! BLACKSBURG Teams from Virginia Tech and Radford University have been readying for a while for what will be a few moments of prime research time on Aug. 21. Thats the day of the first total solar eclipse visible from the United States since 1979. On Wednesday, Magda Moses backyard off Blacksburgs North Main Street was crisscrossed with wires. The Virginia Tech senior, along with a team of students and faculty, was using the yard as a laboratory to test equipment for a project that will measure the effects of next months total solar eclipse on the ionosphere the part of Earths atmosphere where many satellites orbit and signals from HAM radios and over-the-horizon radar bounce off and through which GPS signals must penetrate. The project, led by Tech electrical engineering professor Greg Earle, has been three years in the making. That time has been spent prepping for an event that will last just a couple of minutes in the path of totality. The Aug. 21 eclipse will cut a swath across the United States, leaving many places in total darkness for several minutes during the day. In the Roanoke and New River valleys, the sun will be more than 90 percent covered by the moon as part of the partial eclipse about 2:40 p.m. The next such solar eclipse in the United States will be in 2024, Earle said. Three teams of students and faculty from Virginia Tech will be spread out to measure the eclipses effects on low frequency radar waves: one team in Oregon as the eclipse arrives in the U.S., one in Kansas at mid-eclipse and one in South Carolina as it leaves the country. The students have already given up their summers to work on the project, something well worth it, Moses said. The Wednesday session in Moses backyard was a practice run in measuring the high frequency waves. The team set up four antennas connected to poles in the ground, Earle said. The eclipse offers us a chance to test what happens when theres something unusual [going on], Earle said. The data will be collected and analyzed to see what happens to radio waves when the ionosphere suddenly isnt being pounded by solar radiation, which will be blocked by the moon. The scientists will measure how long the waves take to go up and down off of the ionosphere and compare it to normal conditions. Understanding the data and comparing it to models can help scientists better analyze the effects of space weather events on the earth , Earle said. As humans use more and more computer chips, solar radiation will have a greater effect on technology, said Robert McGwier, director of research for Techs Hume Center, which leads the universitys research efforts related to national defense. McGwier is helping design and assemble the hardware for the project. Many researchers and other eclipse-seekers are traveling to the path of totality where the sun will be totally obscured. And devices such as pinhole cameras are a hot purchase. Mike Freed, a solar physicist who teaches at Radford University, recommended using special eclipse glasses available for purchase online for home viewing of the eclipse . Its a big event for scientists because its the first in almost four decades, Freed said. The 1979 eclipse brushed part of the Pacific Northwest, but this one will travel across the country from Oregon to South Carolina. Freed is leading a team of 10 Radford University students who will record the eclipse in Nashville, Tennessee. The RU team is working as part of the Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse Experiment, which will capture images of the solar corona using telescopes in 60 locations . Freed and his team will record the event and livestream it to Radford Universitys Planetarium . The eclipse provides some of the best conditions for any scientist studying the sun and will serve as the genesis for a multitude of projects. Theres really good science to be had, Freed said. There just arent any tools we have that can do a better job than mother nature for study [of science]. Five members of a Botetourt County church group doing mission work in Guatemala are recovering from injuries after the pickup truck they were riding in overturned on a steep mountain road. The accident happened late Monday afternoon when the group from Fincastle Baptist Church was leaving Bella Vista, a remote village adopted by the church three years ago, associate pastor Warren King said. As the pickup truck loaded with about 10 passengers in the double cab and bed made its way down the mountain, the brakes failed. To avoid a more serious accident, the driver steered the truck into an embankment and a tree, causing it to flip over, King said. An interpreter working with the group broke her arm, and four church members suffered injuries that ranged from broken bones to cuts, including one that required 15 stitches to a mans eye. Aaron Bridges, 14, remains in a hospital in Guatemala with the most serious of the injuries, a broken femur that doctors repaired with a steel rod and pins. Bridges will remain in Central America for about a week with his mother, who was with him on the mission trip, before being flown back to the United States on a medical emergency aircraft, King said. This week, Fincastle Baptist has a team of 39 parishioners in Bella Vista, where over the past three years the church has built a school, provided basic needs such as medical care and spread the Christian gospel, King said. Another 29 are scheduled to leave Friday to help with the most recent project, the construction of a church. The accident does not seem to have dissuaded anyone from their mission. King said that when he spoke to Bridges by telephone, he told Bridges he was sorry about what happened. Im not, Bridges replied. Asked to explain why, King said, the 14-year-old said: Its opened my eyes to how precious life is. If one person comes to Christ, it would be worth it. Ten years ago, a rare form of bone cancer took a 17-year-old boys life, but his mother saved his smile to share with millions of kids like him. Ryan Kerrs zest for life lives on in the vibrant fabrics used to make pillowcases for hospitalized children through Ryans Case for Smiles, the nonprofit Cindy Kerr created 10 years ago after her sons death in Philadelphia. I knew how much joy the pillowcases brought to Ryan, and I wanted to bring the same joy to other kids, Kerr said. The pillowcases are the last thing a child sees before they go to sleep at night at a hospital, and the first thing they see before they wake up. Since its founding, Ryans Case for Smiles has established 120 chapters across the United States and delivered 1.6 million pillowcases to cancer patients. In January 2016, the Allegheny Highlands chapter was established in Roanoke and has since delivered 3,015 pillowcases to Carilion Childrens Hospital. Chapter coordinator Mary Jo Reed said the goal of the group, which has about 25 volunteers, is to deliver 200 pillowcases to the hospital each month. We just get really excited when we get to 80 or 90, because you just think about the smiles, said Elfie Allman, a volunteer from Fincastle. There are many roles for volunteers, including washing the fabric, wrapping it into a burrito form to make the sewing process easier, sewing, folding and putting a card with the finished pillowcase into a plastic bag, said volunteer Faye Amos. We dont sew, but they need us, said Allman, as she wrapped fabric into a burrito. Another volunteer, Sharon Lemanski, said she gave two pillowcases to a little girl in her neighborhood in Salem who had to get a bone marrow transplant. The girl was too sick to receive the cases in person, but Lemanski was still able to see her reaction from a distance. She was jumping up and down and so excited, Lemanski said. Amos said the group took their sewing machines to the childrens hospital on June 22 to sew with the kids. They got so much out of it, Amos said. Parents stopped by and thanked us. About 15 pillowcases were made, but one little boys experience stuck with Amos. She said he was about 7 years old, hooked up to an IV and incredibly tired. He wrapped together the fabric he chose into the burrito but just didnt feel like ironing or sewing. He watched as the volunteers finished his case for him. He was just tickled to death even though you can tell he did not feel well, Amos said. Reed said one 13-year-old girl wanted to make a pillowcase that day but was bedridden and unable to make it to the room where the sewing equipment was set up. Amos and Reed brought a sewing machine to her room but realized she couldnt use her foot to press the pedal. That didnt stop the girl from using her hands to sew while Reed pressed the pedal for her. Being able to make her pillowcase had got her to take her mind off her pain for a while, Amos said. The nurses sometimes use the pillowcases as rewards if a child has to get prepped for surgery or has to get a catheter put in, said Reed. We get some feedback from the nurses, Reed said. They will put pillowcases on the beds before the children are admitted. They tell us how happy that makes the kids. Not only does it brighten the childrens day, but it also affects the volunteers, Reed said. We have some people who are widowed and dont know what to do with themselves, Reed said. We have several people who are breast cancer survivors. Its kind of my give back, said Lorein Peterson, a volunteer from Salem. Ive had breast cancer. For Kerr, sewing gave her a reason to keep getting up every morning and brought her so many friends, including people she may have never met without their common interest. All I have to do is look at my volunteers or the chapters across the country and realize there are so many incredibly good people, Reed said. Kerr said the card included with each pillowcase advertises resources available for family members who may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, which can be caused by having a child or sibling hospitalized. The pillowcase brings a smile to the child and also the resources to help the family with PTSD and coping, Kerr said. Reed said her most memorable moment during her year with the local chapter was watching two brothers pick out a pillowcase for their sick brother. Everyone knew hed pass away, she said. They picked out two pillowcases and let him sleep with them. When he passed away, they got the pillowcases so they could always have the memory of his brother with the pillowcases. WILSON JR. Arthur Alexander July, 12, 2017 Arthur Alexander Wilson, Jr., 78, of Penhook, passed away on Wednesday, July, 12, 2017. Arthur was a talented furniture designer where he traveled the world for over 40 years. He also served in the United States Airforce. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Shirley Dillon Wilson; children, Lisa Wilson Mayfield and Steven Keith Wilson; grandson, Joshiah Alexander Wilson; sisters, Lorene Howington, and Sandy Soroush. He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Alexander Wilson, Sr. and Grace Chilton Wilson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family for financial assistance on expenses, or flowers to be accepted. His family will receive friends 2 to 4 p.m. with Military Honors at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 15, 2017 at Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount. By Nancy Liebrecht Liebrecht is a retired landscape architect and environmental scientist. She lives in Fries. Virginia recently held its primary for the governors race. A total of 908,994 people voted, just 16 percent of the states registered voters. This is appalling, and it is a critical reason why our government is so dysfunctional. People are not involved and are not paying consistent attention to the issues. This is a problem for both parties. It used to be that the Republican Party championed conservative values such as prudence, frugality, self-reliance and a belief in evolutionary versus revolutionary change. National security and upholding our alliances were fundamental. The imperial presidency of Donald Trump reflects none of the partys traditional values or positions. Our credibility on the international stage has been undermined by an impulsive president who has disrupted both old and new alliances. Fiscal responsibility is being jettisoned by proposed tax cuts that will primarily benefit the Trump family, the billionaires in the administration, and the folks with whom Trump associates at Mar-a-Lago. The rest of us may just get a few bucks to spend at Walmart, if that. Trumps trillion dollar infrastructure plan is now exposed as a plan to not build anything but to sell off public assets to corporations. Established climate science is ignored so that energy companies will continue to profit while ordinary people deal with the consequences of global warming, such as disease, increased fire hazard, water shortages, and more catastrophic weather events. In short, the Republican Party seems to have sold its collective soul to the corporate devil. While the Republican Party was becoming a vehicle for oligarchs to gain and hold power, the Democrats were asleep at the wheel. The Democrats used to be the party of the working man, but for the past few decades, they bought into the idea that easy credit was the best means to bolster a slowing economy instead of making hard decisions of how to invest in both public and private sectors to achieve real economic growth. While financial deregulation provided the appearance of economic growth, it fostered the excess of debt that produced the crash of 2008. It fueled speculation that has given us extreme income inequality, stagnant wages, financial instability and a dearth of new enterprises that are the real engines of economic growth. It is estimated that only 15 percent of capital sloshing around in financial institutions is actually used for research and development and creating businesses. While Democrats were along for the ride on the credit rollercoaster, there were some voices in the party who advocated reining in Wall Street and reinvesting in endeavors that provide long-term stability and growth. The two best known are Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, but lately there has been a surge in the formation of grassroots groups that are pushing for reform within the party, and people who never considered becoming politicians are running for office. The Progressive Ninth, a group in our area, is mostly comprised of regular people concerned about the direction of the country and how this will impact our communities. The nascent progressive movement in the Democratic Party is rooted in the same sense of frustration with national politics that spawned the Tea Party, but there is a critical difference between the two movements. The Tea Party views government as being inherently evil and seeks to dismantle as much of it as possible. This leaves a vacuum into which power-seeking oligarchs are happy to move. Democratic Progressives recognize that government exists to provide for the common good and seek to refocus the Party on policies and actions that benefit most of us and not just the wealthy. The current situation regarding health care exemplifies this. Antipathy to government and a desire to shake things up have given us a Republican president and Congress who are now working on a bill that will deprive millions of medical insurance while giving the wealthy a huge tax break. Universal access to health care is a big problem that only government can solve, but our elected representatives will not do this if we do not make our voices heard. That is not going to happen if only 16 percent of the electorate, Democrats and Republicans, can be bothered to learn about the issues, the candidates, and actually vote. We all need to get involved. We need to make an effort to understand the issues. We need to talk to people who may not agree with us, and most importantly, we need people who are genuinely motivated by civic duty to stand for public office. For less than one half of 1 percent of the state budget, Virginia could make a bold move to help rejuvenate the economies of its poorest localities. Thats the rather skimpy potential pricetag on the imaginative dare we say radical proposal that Del. William Morefield, R-Tazewell County, advanced this week. Morefield wants to exempt both people and businesses in the states poorest localities from the state income tax for 10 years. His goal is an ambitious one: To try to reverse the negative economic and demographic trends that are hemorrhaging some of the states rural counties. Suspend the income tax there for 10 years? This may or may not be the best solution, but it is exactly the kind of creative thinking we need, and we hope legislators across the state will give Morefields proposal serious consideration. The historic economic collapse of Southwest Virginia and Southside Virginia is a problem that has bedeviled politicians from both parties, partly because theyre enslaved to ideologies that dont necessarily apply to the facts on the ground. End the war on coal? Sure, except coals big problem now isnt federal regulations but a marketplace that is moving toward cheaper energy sources. Want to blame foreign competition for decimating manufacturing that was once a mainstay in Southside? Sure, except those factories are gone, and arent coming back any more than coal is. The real threat to the remaining manufacturing jobs isnt the Chinese, but automation. Trade barriers wont stop robots and drones. Rural areas face many challenges: Poor broadband connections and a workforce that doesnt have the skills the new economy demands are just two of them. Waiving the income tax wont fix that, but it would put more money into circulation in those counties. That might help the businesses i.e., employers already there. It might serve as a good recruiting tool for new employers. It might also help staunch the exodus of young adults who are fleeing rural areas in unprecedented numbers. This is a big problem, and Morefield has tried to come up with an equally big solution. Something has to be done on a major scale to turn things around, he says. One or two major projects are not going to be the saving grace of Southwest Virginia. Weve really got to do something significant as soon as possible from a policy perspective. In effect, he wants to declare the states poorest localities to be enterprise zones. Thats a Reagan-era idea that was intended to revive inner cities by providing tax breaks for companies to move there. Morefield is simply proposing an enterprise zone on steroids. There are lots of ways to nit-pick this. One possible objection: Any income tax cut helps the affluent more than the poor, because the well-to-do pay more taxes, and at higher tax rates. The counter-argument: So what? Were trying to move the economic needle for an entire region. Another possible objection: Can the state afford to give up revenue? Our counter-argument: Can the state afford to have localities that each year become a bigger drain on the states coffers? Morefield tells this depressing story: He often goes into high schools in his district and asks kids what they intend to do after high school. Some say Im not planning to graduate from high school. I want to get on the draw, he says. We now have generations accustomed to being on welfare. If this economic crisis isnt addressed now, Southwest and Southsides problems will be even bigger. Northern Virginia effectively subsidizes these localities now; do nothing and it will subsidize them even more. Consider this tax waiver an investment. Morefield is still working on a formula that would take into account population trends, poverty figures and the like, so its unclear which localities would qualify and how much money would be involved. We, however, have done some back-of-the-envelope math. The state has 18 counties and one independent city that since 2010 have lost 3 percent or more of their population. Of those, six counties are in the coalfields (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise, Russell, Lee and Tazewell), five localities are in other parts of Southwest Virginia (the city of Galax, and the counties of Alleghany, Bland, Carroll, and Smyth), six are in Southside (Brunswick, Greensville, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and Surry) and two are counties near the Chesapeake Bay (Essex and Mathews). In 2014, the last year for which figures are available, those 19 localities accounted for $250.2 million in income tax collections from individuals. Its unclear how much corporate income tax came from those localities, but statewide, the personal income tax accounts for 69 percent of the states revenues, while corporate income taxes account for only 4 percent. The point being: For our rough purposes here, its sufficient to just look at the individual income tax collections. How much is $250.2 million? Exactly 0.47 percent of the states budget for the current fiscal year. Surely the state isnt going to miss less than one-half of 1 percent of its revenues, especially when it might gain some back through sales taxes on increased economic activity. Unless the state intends to spend $250 million on an economic development program targeting those 19 localities which its not going to do what does the state have to lose here? The situation is getting worse, Morefield says. Sometimes its worth it to take the risk. For the state, its not much of a risk. Not only do these localities represent a tiny fraction of the states revenue income tax collections, but in some of these counties the tax collections are going down because the economic problems and demographic outflows are so severe. In Wise County, income tax collections are down by nearly $2.4 million between 2009 and 2014. If nothing is done, theyll go down even more. Even if Richmond feels no moral reason to help these rural areas, theres an economic incentive to do so. There are lots of details to be worked out in any formula: It doesnt make sense to include Alleghany County and not Covington, or Henry County and not Martinsville. Some high-priced lawyers and accountants can figure out all that. For now, lets focus on the big picture: Morefield has laid out a big idea. Does anyone else have a better one? FIREFIGHTERS managed to stop an arson attack from damaging an industrial unit. Crews from Maltby and Edlington were called to a small unit on Lincoln Street, Maltby, at around 12.40am on Thursday. A spokeswoman said the blaze was outside of the building and did not spread to the inside. Arsonists also set rubbish on fire on Lindsay Place, Swallownest, at around 7.25pm. A crew from Aston was at the scene for 15 minutes. Tyres were also set on fire on Roughwood Road, Kimberworth Park, at 7.50pm. Rotherham station dealt with the incident in 30 minutes. Within the framework of this survey, the scientists have already selected 8,000 samples of minerals in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the Arkhangelsk Region (TASS) The scientists of the Institute of Geology and Mineralogy (IGM) belonging to the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) sponsored by the Russian Science Foundation (RNF) started a large-scale survey of minerals with an aim to search for new diamond deposits in the Arkhangelsk Region. Elena Shchukina, a research fellow at IGM SB RAS told this to TASS on Wednesday. "We selected 8,000 samples of minerals accompanying diamonds in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the Arkhangelsk Region, including pyrope and olivine. The preliminary results allow us to say that there are new, previously undetected diamondiferous objects in this area. After a comprehensive study of these minerals, we will obtain data on the lithospheric structure of the mantle underlying potential mining sites to assess their diamond grade," she said. It is planned to use the obtained results for further exploration and forecast operations in the Arctic territories of the Arkhangelsk Region. "Also, the data obtained will contribute to the study of the deep structure and evolution of the lithospheric mantle belonging to the Archean cratons (ancient platforms - TASS)," Shchukina added. According to the scientist, diamond mining and diamond exploration within the Arkhangelsk diamond province are currently carried out by Severalmaz (Alrosas subsidiary) and Arkhangelskgeoldobycha, while this province remains one of the most poorly studied kimberlite areas in the world. There are two large diamond deposits, which were discovered and are developed in the area - the Lomonosov and Grib diamond fields. However, there are more than 100 potentially diamond-bearing magmatic objects found here. The project is supported by the Russian Science Foundation within the framework of the presidential program contest. (Agencia CMA Latam) - The Brazilian Senate passed the labor reform bill and renewed investor confidence in the country's economic recovery, as the controversial legislation found strong support even amid political turbulence. The bill allows direct agreements between employers and employees to prevail over labor law, eliminates mandatory contributions from workers to unions and establishes the so-called seasonal work - when employees are subordinate to one company in spite of irregular working hours. However, the proposition also enables some controversial measures, which oblige pregnant women to work in conditions of medium or small insalubrity and authorize consecutive 12-hour workdays with 36 hours of rest, for example. The government says that the new legislation will modernize labor rules and boost employment, but unions and judges from labor courts stated that the reform would remove workers' rights and create obstacles to fair decisions in legal disputes between employees and employers. In spite of that, the labor reform bill moved smoothly through the Brazilian Congress. It took seven months from its introduction until a final vote in the Senate. The pension system reform bill, for instance, was introduced in December and is still awaiting a floor vote in the House of Representatives. The new labor rules had the support of 50 senators and 26 votes against it. Market participants feared that the law could have fewer favorable votes because of the declining political strength of President Michel Temer, who is under investigation for corruption and may have to step down. Earlier, Temer said that the bill is a "victory in the fight against unemployment." The latest data show that in Brazil the unemployment rate stood at 13.3% in May. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Merval, the benchmark Argentinean stock market index, gained 0.61%, closing at 22,262.64 points, boosted by rising oil prices after data showed a decrease in US inventories. Petrobras Brasil increased by 4.61% in Buenos Aires after news that Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to 9 years in prison for corruption. Marcos Forquera, an analyst at Buenos Aires Valores, said that the stock market had a positive start today, but profit-taking hit a few shares, leading to a weaker rise at the end of the day. He warned that Merval is near its record high and that market uncertainty is on the rise ahead of the October legislative elections in Argentina, increasing the odds of a sharp correction in the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, the locally traded US dollar fell by 0.30%, to 16.94 Argentinean pesos. According to Fernando Izzo, an analyst at ABC Mercado de Cambio, the decline was a result of lower demand for the greenback and dollar sales from grain exporters. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Ibovespa, the benchmark Brazilian stock market index, rose 1.57%, to 64,835.55 points, after former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was convicted of corruption and sentenced to nine and a half years in jail. It was the highest closing level for the Ibovespa since May 17, only a day before Brazilian stocks collapsed because of an audio recording of a conversation between President Michel Temer and Joesley Batista, one of the JBS' owners, in which they discuss criminal matters. Driven by news of Lula's conviction and higher oil prices, Petrobras shares (PETR3 +3.90%, PETR4 +4.95%) were the main highlight of the trading session. The euphoria in the Brazilian market occurred because "even if this conviction is overturned [by a higher court], Lula's political capital may shrink," increasing the possibility of a pro-market candidate winning next year's presidential election, said Eleven Financial in a report. Lula can appeal against the decision out of jail and may still run for president in 2018. News of the former president conviction overshadowed discussions about corruption charges against the current Brazilian President, Michel Temer. The Senate decision last night to pass the labor reform bill also helped to diminish worries regarding Temer's political strength. Analysts still have doubts about whether the Brazilian stock exchange should climb further. Hersz Ferman, an economist at Elite Corretora, notes that Temer may be unable to garner enough support from lawmaker to pass the pension reform, for instance. The locally traded US dollar closed at the lowest level in almost two months, decreasing 1.41%, to R$ 3.2080 - the smallest closing level since May 8, when the greenback ended the day at R$ 3.1970. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. China's exports grew more than expected in June on robust global demand, official data showed Thursday. In dollar terms, exports increased 11.3 percent year-on-year in June, the General Administration of Customs said. Shipments were expected to gain 9 percent. Likewise, imports logged an annual growth of 17.2 percent versus the expected growth of 14 percent. Consequently, the trade surplus totaled $42.8 billion in June. The surplus was forecast to rise to $42.6 billion from $40.8 billion in May. In yuan terms, exports increased 17.3 percent and imports surged 23.1 percent. Economists had forecast exports to grow 14.8 percent and imports to rise 22.3 percent. Looking ahead, exports should continue to do well given the relatively positive outlook for China's main trading partners, Julian Evans-Pritchard, an economist at Capital Economics, said. "But we are sceptical that the current pace of imports can be sustained for much longer given the increasing headwinds to China's from policy tightening," the economist added. The statistical office is scheduled to issue quarterly national accounts on July 17. The economy had expanded 6.9 percent in the first quarter. The government targets slightly slower growth of about 6.5 percent this year. In the first half of 2017, exports climbed 15 percent from previous year and imports advanced 25.7 percent in yuan terms, customs data showed. 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. The producers of James Bond movies are to make a female-driven spy thriller starring Blake Lively in the lead role. Reed Morano will direct "The Rhythm Section", based on a novel by Britain's Mark Burnell. The movie marks the feature film directing debut for Morano, who directed the hit TV series The Handmaid's Tale. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who have co-produced the last eight Bond films, announced that production on the film will begin this fall with IM Global's financing. Shooting of the film is likely to be in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland. The Bond producers said it is exciting for them to be working with the immensely talented team of director Reed Morano and actress "who have a strong vision for this very compelling story driven by a female protagonist." Lively will play the role of the heroine, Stephanie Patrick, who is on a path to self-destruction after the death of her family in an airplane crash. After discovering that the crash wasn't an accident, her anger awakens a new sense of purpose as she becomes an assassin to track down those responsible. Lively, who is known for her role in "the Gossip Girl", and playing the ageless heroine in "The Age of Adeline", most recently starred in "The Shallows." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The bodies of all the seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims killed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir arrived here on Tuesday as the Gujarat government announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kin of each of the dead. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani received the bodies along with 19 injured pilgrims and 32 others who were flown from Srinagar. Rupani also announced Rs 2 lakh each for those injured in the Monday terror attack. The family members of the killed pilgrims will be provided Rs 10 lakh compensation by the Gujarat government while the injured will be given Rs 2 lakh, Rupani said. On Monday six women and a man were killed and 19 others injured when militants attacked an unescorted bus from Gujarat at Khanabal in Anantnag district on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. Two of the women were from Maharashtra while the others belonged to Gujarat. The bodies of the two Maharashtra women will be later sent to their hometown. Of the 19 injured, eight pilgrims were from Maharashtra. The 40-day Amarnath pilgrimage began on June 29 and will end on August 7. So far, nearly 1.40 lakh pilgrims have reached the cave shrine. The discipline of kids is the structure that helps the child fit into the real world happily and effectively. If we dont discipline them well, we wont guarantee their good futures. Meet Mr Tekoli a teacher at Pata, Falelatai Primary School. Ever since the new policies came in that children are not allowed to be punished Ive seen so much bad behaviour by our kids in school, he said. They over-react knowing they are not going to get punished and they are encouraged to do the wrong thing over and over again. Thats the problem right now in schools and I blame the policy against disciplining kids. He said having the right to punish kids for their wrong mistakes is the foundation for the development of the childs own self-discipline. Disciplining children is one of the most important yet difficult responsibilities of parenting and teachers, and there are no shortcuts, he said. We must stress that teaching about limits and acceptable behaviour takes time and a great deal of energy. Todays society can be an obstacle to effective discipline that is why we need to have the right to punish the kids; I mean we dont punish them in the way they will end up in the hospitals. We teachers, we know how to deal with the kids. Effective and positive discipline is about teaching and guiding children, not just forcing them to obey. Trust between us and a child should be maintained and constantly built upon. The goal of effective discipline of having the right to discipline is to further acceptable and appropriate behaviour in the child and to raise them well. He added, Where Im teaching at Pata, Falelatai, we only have four teachers and two volunteers who are helping us. Its very hard work for us because the school has more than 70 kids for six people. That is why Im saying its very hard with the policy we have right now that the kids shouldnt be punished. We totally understand harsh discipline such as humiliation (verbal abuse, shouting,) will make it hard for the child to respect and trust us, that is why we are well aware of that issue. The most important goal for us, is to protect the child from danger, help the child learn self-discipline, and develop a healthy conscience and an internal sense of responsibility and control. A delegation from the Peoples Republic of China is visiting Samoa on 13-17 July. The delegation is headed by Mme. Luo Juan, Vice Chairlady of the People's Congress of Guangdong Province. It is a Friendship Delegation bringing medical help for the people of Samoa. In the group there are three Ophthalmology (eye) doctors and one nurse to provide free cataract surgery to Samoan patients at the Apia National Hospital in Motootua. There will be a handover ceremony of medical equipment and medicine at 8:30am on Saturday 15 July on the 3rd floor boardroom of N.H.S. This will be followed by a review of eye patients who will have had surgeries on Friday, 14 July, by undoing their dressings. The Chinese Embassy is inviting the media to cover the ceremony and to report on how the patients will have fared after the surgeries. Members of the visiting Guangdong Medical Delegation are: 1. Ms. CHEN Weirong Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center, Sun Yat-sen University Deputy Director, Professor 2. Ms. ZHANG Xinyu Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center, Sun Yat-sen University Associate Professor 3. Mr. LIU Bin Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center, Sun Yat-sen University Associate Consultant Ophthalmologist 4. Ms. CHEN Aihuan Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center, Sun Yat-sen University Nurse-in-charge A man from the village of Sagone, Savaii who is accused of indecent assault of a victim under 12 years old has been granted bail. The matter was called for mention before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu on Monday. The prosecutor is Leone Sua Mailo. According to the police summary of facts, the incident occurred on the 15th of June this year at Sagone. Sione Afemai indecently assaulted a victim under 12 years old from the same village. Chief Justice Patu asked the defendant if he and the victim are related to which the defendant said no. He was also checked to see if the defendant had any relatives that he could stay with in Upolu instead of going back to Savaii. You are on bail on the following conditions. Firstly you must hand in all travel documents to the Registrar, you must reside with your family at Poutasi, Falealili and you are not allowed to go back to Sagone or contact the victim involved in this case. The matter has been set for a two-day hearing on the 23rd and 24th of July. Sefo Tama Tuala and Jason Ah Chong have been charged with theft as a servant while working at a company in town. Before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu, the pair pleaded guilty to stealing $1,386.33 worth of goods while they were employed at Amau Wholesale. Leone Sua Mailo was the prosecutor. According to the summary of facts the incident, occurred on the 21st of June at Matafele. The pair took 1 box of sunflower seeds, 2 boxes of colgate, 3 dozen jars of peanut butter, 6 boxes of tobacco and 4 dozen jars of mayonnaise. During the summary of facts, police charged Mr. Tuala and Mr. Ah Chong with two charges - one of theft as a servant which they pleaded guilty to and one of burglary to which they pleaded not guilty. Chief Justice Patu then asked the pair how they were able to obtain all the goods in question if they were denying the burglary charge. Your Honour, we brought the goods in question outside during working hours, said Mr. Tuala. When we finished work we went home but we came back to collect all the goods in question from outside. Chief Justice Patu then told the prosecutor that there was no burglary in the incident, however Ms. Mailo argued for the matter to be adjourned to the following week for prosecution to decide which charge should be suitable for the unlawful entry of the pair. The goods in question were brought out of the building while the defendants were working and after knock off time they went home and came back to collect them, said CJ Patu. Therefore all these actions fall under the theft as a servant charge which they pleaded guilty to. I cant rewrite the whole charge of burglary to unlawful entry because it is part of theft which they pleaded guilty too. The burglary charge was then withdrawn by the prosecution. The matter is set for hearing on the 7th of August before Justice Mata Tuatagaloa and a report is expected from the probation officer Lynda and her husband Charlie Van Schelkwyk, are impressed with the level of Christianity in Samoa with the monstrous church buildings. The couple from Australia are in Samoa for the week for the first time and so far they are having the time of their lives. They are a part of the travelling group in Samoa, who have been to Thailand, Malaysia, Auckland, Fiji and other Pacific Islands. When we were in Fiji, we thought they were the most gracious people on this planet, but were wrong; even Samoans are as gracious. Moreover, Samoans are very humble and very respectful. That is very rare. Not to say that Australians are not respectful but, in general.... every one you come across here is full of that, respect, said Mrs Van Schelkwyk. The couple is staying at Sheraton Aggie Greys Hotel and were enjoying their time in the Casino. We wanted to do a bit of everything that Samoa had to offer hence the casino visit. But what was amazing about it was the staff singing in there, its something you dont see anywhere else. Ive never seen that anywhere Ive been, said Lynda. The couple along with their group, will take a bus tour among other plans they have. But so far its been a really good experience and largely due to the people. They are just lovely, said Lynda. The couple, who are grandparents, want their two sons to visit Samoa. We would love for them to come here so they can be away from the city and the mainstream life. This can actually be a different holiday and more of a cultural learning experience for our granddaughter. That is what I would love for them to do, said Lynda. I want my granddaughter to come experience what its like to be in the villages, the different cultures and learn from the Samoan people. Mr Van Schelkwyk was very impressed with the numerous church buildings. The population is about 150,000 and yet there are a hell of a lot of churches and the size of the churches, massive and yet Im told that most of the time these monstrous buildings are half empty. I am however, very impressed with the level of Christianity in Samoa, just commenting on why the churches are so big when the population is not that big, he said. Lynda added that another significant thing of the week. That is what we need in Australia, we need something in our lives. I am impressed by how Samoans are committed to the churches, its just amazing. Early yesterday morning, the Associated Press reported that one of the biggest icebergs ever recorded - a trillion-ton behemoth more than seven times the size of New York City - has broken off from the Antarctica Ice Shelf. Captured by satellite, A.P. says the giant chunk snapped off an ice shelf and into the South Pole Sea, and now it is triggering disagreement among scientists over whether or not global warming is to blame. So what is global warming? Lets begin with the term greenhouse gases. These are gaseous compounds in the atmosphere that are capable of absorbing infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. And by increasing the heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases are responsible for the so-called greenhouse effect, which ultimately leads to global warming. But what are greenhouse gases, and what sort of harm are they capable of? Greenhouse gases are a hot topic when it comes to global warming. These gases absorb heat energy emitted from the Earths surface and reradiate it back to the ground. This way, they contribute to the greenhouse effect, which keeps the planet from losing all of its heat from the surface, at night. The concentrations of various greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, determine how much heat is absorbed by the atmosphere, and how much it should reradiate back to the surface. Human activitiesespecially fossil-fuel combustion since the Industrial Revolutionare responsible for steady increases in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The four most significant greenhouse gases are: * Water vapor; * Carbon dioxide; * Methane; * Surface-level ozone The heat they generate is invariably responsible for the carving up of the icebergs in the South Pole, and even though this is not unusual, it is an especially big one this time. According to Project MIDAS, a research group based in Britain, the size of the iceberg that broke off covers an area of roughly 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers), more than twice the size of Luxembourg. Its volume is twice that of Lake Erie, U.S.A. Project MIDAS also said: It broke loose from the Larsen C ice shelf, which scientists had been monitoring for months, as they watched a crack grow more than 120 miles (200 kilometers) long. It also revealed that scientists have indicated that global warming has caused a thinning of such shelves, but they differ on whether the latest event can be blamed on climate change. The iceberg that broke off is considered unlikely to pose any threat to shipping. And since the ice was already floating, the breakup wont raise sea levels in the short term. However, the project also pointed out that the iceberg removed more than 10 percent of the ice shelf, and if that eventually hastens the flow of glaciers behind it into the water, there could be a very modest rise in sea level. Still, another report has revealed that two other Antarctic ice shelves, farther north on the Antarctic Peninsula, collapsed in 1995 and 2002. That sped up the slide of glaciers, which contributed to sea-level rise, David Vaughan, director of science at the British Antarctic Survey, said in a statement. He also said: Our glaciologists will now be watching closely to see whether the remaining Larsen C ice shelf becomes less stable than before the iceberg broke free. Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, said the breaking off of the iceberg is part of a long-term major loss of the ice shelves in the peninsula, progressing southbound and resulting from climate warming. As for Swansea University glaciologist Martin OLeary, a member of the MIDAS project, he called the ice shelf collapse a natural event, and were not aware of any link to human-induced climate change. Still, a spokeswoman for the British Antarctic survey said theres not enough information to say whether the calving is an effect of climate change, though theres good evidence global warming has caused the thinning of the ice shelf. And so the confusing stories continue. As for all of us who are living on these small islands and atolls we call home as theyre tottering unsteadily on the unpredictable South Pacific Sea, let us hope and pray that the ice shelf in the Antarctica would somehow be prevented, from complete collapse at any time now. Indeed, lets pray that the equally unpredictable President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, would quit being a spoiled lout, and declare obsolete all those greenhouse gas-firing equipment and machinery, and ban them from being used everywhere in America. After all, if it hadnt been for those silly greenhouse gases that are being produced everywhere else but here, there wouldnt be any fear among any of us of being swamped out of ones home night or day, here in the South Pacific today. * DANICA KIRKA of the Associated Press, and Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc. were relied upon in connection to certain, relevant matters as this editorial comment was being written. A half brother and sister charged with allegations of incest, appeared in the Supreme Court before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu this week. The Prosecutor in the case is Leone Sua Mailo. In court, Ms. Sua asked if the matter could be further adjourned for the prosecution to finalize charges. I thought these were the final charges? asked Chief Justice. However then he added, This will be the final adjournment of this matter and I will not allow any more adjournments. The matter will be recalled next week Monday for the accused to give us a plea in regards to the allegations against them. However, the sisters husband request to the court if his wife could be released on bail for the sake of their children. We have four children and our youngest child, who is a year old is still being breastfed while our other three children who are at school are affected because they are missing their mother, said the husband. Therefore I want to ask the court if she can be released on bail for the sake of our children. However, Chief Justice denied the request from the husband for bail. The request has been denied because of the seriousness of the offense, said Chief Justice. However, this matter will be called again next week Monday for prosecution to finalize the charges and then you can come again before the court and voice your request again as a reminder about the young children. Last week, the Acting Assistant Commissioner, Salaa Moananu Salaa revealed that the brother and sister have the same father but different mothers. The incident occurred during Mothers Day this year, said Salaa. The sister is 34 years old shes married with children and her brother is 24 so shes ten years older than him. The husband of the 34 year old reported the matter to the police and at the moment the accused are both in custody and will appear in Supreme Court on the 3rd of July. Moreover, Salaa said the father of the pair would also be charged if the investigation confirms that he knew about the incident. The penalty for this kind of crime is imprisonment for not more than 20 years, he said. This is a very serious offence and we cannot tolerate this kind of thing because it goes against our beliefs. Its very hard to accept it because we are a country that is founded on God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and its disgusting. We have values and our culture clearly states this. The whole of Samoa cannot and will not, accept this kind of behavior. The Bank of the South Pacific (B.S.P.) has implemented a multimillion dollar project to enhance security features for all bank cards and banks electronic devices. This follows the incident where two Chinese men stole over $70,000 from B.S.P.s Automated Teller Machines (A.T.M.s). This enhanced security is indicated in the Victim Impact Report by B.S.P. Samoas Country Head, Taituuga Maryanne Lameko-Vaai submitted to the District Court, during the sentencing of the defendants. Last week District Court Judge, Fepuleai Roma Ameperosa sentenced Zhong Shuiming and Yang Quigreen to five years jail. The men were represented by lawyer, Alex Sua with Lupematasila Iliganoa Atoa as the Prosecutor. According to the Victim Impact Report (V.I.R.) that was read out by Judge Ameperosa dated May 5, 2017 B.S.P. suffered a financial loss of $197,000. Whilst the accounts you [defendants] stole from are held overseas, B.S.P. has had to refund all overseas customers who had put in claims for loss of funds. Judge Ameperosa also noted the total amount proven in court was $70,550 which is less than half the sum claimed by the Bank in its V.I.R. Additional funds the V.I.R. says, were also spent to put security guards in place at its office site ATMs following the arrest of the defendants. A multimillion dollar project had since been underway to enhance security features for all cards and banks electronic devices, noted Judge Ameperosa. He further noted the V.I.R. by the bank noted the offending has inconvenienced all international and travelling card holders due to the reduction in access limits for all overseas cards used on B.S.P.s A.T.M.s. There has been pressure on staff in compiling reports and evidence and the consequent need to review the banks internal processes. There have been disruptions to the Banks daily businesses which have impacted its customer service. B.S.P. has also experienced a loss of reputation. The V.I.R. states that the safeguarding secured access to customer funds is a key element of business. Though none of the account holders in Samoa were directly impacted, customers in general started to question the security of their funds and safety of B.S.P.s electronic network to access their funds, stated Judge Ameperosa. He also noted during the sentencing, the consideration by the court on the impact on the overseas customers who held accounts in Saudi Arabia which the defendants accessed and stole from here in Samoa. Judge Ameperosa also noted that from the evidence before the court, the banks loss would be settled by B.S.P. pursuant to an international agreement with VISA and Master Card companies. He pointed out the banks unnecessary trouble they have gone through to recover their loss is what the court took into account. 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 the 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 were 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 the 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. The total amount for these theft charges was $47,350. 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 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 were different from B.S.P.s cards. Frozen taro, scientific services and establishing a commercial arm for Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, with breadfruit flour and avocado oil were some of the issues raised in Parliament last week. Economic Sector Committee, Deputy Chairman, Faalogo Iosefa Sopi, sought the Members of Parliaments approval of the Committees report with recommendations on the S.R.O.S. Annual Report. The Committee called on S.R.O.S. to firmly establish the commercialization of frozen taro and breadfruit products at its high standards. The Committee recommends obtaining an appropriate oven that is capable of preheating these goods before exporting to overseas markets. The members of Parliament heard from the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt that S.R.O.S. has developed the pathways for frozen taro and breadfruit products. The organization is on standby to assist any local business to commercially produce. Also to export these frozen products to New Zealand and Australian markets, especially for frozen breadfruit to both New Zealand and Australia (to bypass the fruit fly biosecurity issue), and frozen taro to Australia (to bypass the leaf blight/ Phytophthora colacasiae biosecurity issue). Recently S.R.O.S. in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries assisted a local exporter on his 20 foot container of 5-kg bags of frozen taro to Sydney, Australia. After the successful launching and sale of his 5-kg frozen taro bags, he plans to prepare another 20 foot container, possibly two, of frozen taro and breadfruit for Sydney, Australia, if time and resources permit. The S.R.O.S. is also exploring a heating oven with the desired heat and appropriate specifications to bake the breadfruit pieces, prior to packaging and freezing, he said. He noted the current situation, that there was a frozen container sent to Brisbane in May, another container scheduled for New Zealand however the Ministry anticipates to export the frozen taro to other parts of Australia and the United States of America. The Committee further called for S.R.O.S. to work in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to motivate farmers to invest in needed products such as coconuts, breadfruit, taro, avocado, ylang ylang, lemon grass and other plants, to ensure the continuous supply of goods for exportation, effectively developing our country and people. Sustainable supply of sufficient volumes of the desired crop varieties for commercial processing, is a critical activity that our M.A.F. is mandated and better equipped to implement. The realignment of S.R.O.S. with M.A.F. under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries post general elections will expedite the formalisation of this partnership and realise sustainable supply of sufficient volumes of the desired crop varieties for commercial processing, noted the Committee report. In response, the Minister says a meeting was held with the Savaii Farmers Association and they were urged to work with other farmers in Upolu, to grow the desired crop varieties starting with breadfruit and avocado to establish the long term supply of the said crops for breadfruit flour and avocado oil productions. In terms of raising the profile for S.R.O.S. services and developments within the country to utilize their research and scientific services, the Minister said promotions have been underway. The S.R.O.S. continues to promote our commercial Technical Services Division on biological and chemical analyses they can provide to the public and private sectors on food and food products, water and environmental samples, regularly on local TV stations. Furthermore S.R.O.S. recently held an Awareness Day event in August 2016, to showcase and promote our product development initiatives and efforts, and plans to hold such events every three years. The S.R.O.S. is a member of the Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (SAME), and uses their membership to regularly promote developed products and processes, as SAME members are the potential up takers of the developed products and processes. The Minister also noted the coverage of S.R.O.S.s ongoing activities and potential partnerships have also been reflected in the media (through local and overseas newspapers). (S.V.S.G.) Awareness of employment rights of domestic workers and the legal responsibilities of the employers has now reached the workplace. The General Manager of the Accident Compensation Corporation and staff welcomed the Nofotane Workplace Awareness Team into their office this week to kick start the workplace awareness consultations. This is all part of Phase II- Awareness Raising, for the Gender Equality Project currently implemented by Samoa Victim Support Group with funding support from UN Women Fund for Gender Equality. The objective of the workplace awareness consultation is to increase employers of domestic workers understanding, and acceptance, of their legal responsibilities when employing women as domestic workers. And the target audience is the workforce, the employers of domestic workers hired to perform domestic duties such as caregiving, babysitting while they are at work themselves. The Awareness Team included the Chair of the Project Advisory Committee, Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo, Cedrela Tamati of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Labour, SVSG staff and volunteers. The Labour Division of the MCIL presented on the Labour & Employment Relations Regulation 2016 which gives legal protection for domestic workers, through employment contracts, entitlements such as leave, NPF contributions and ACC levies, something the Nofotane Project is advocating for. There are no such protections under the Labour & Employment Relations Act 2013 as the Act does not apply to service rendered to a matai under the aiga system. A nofotane domestic workers service falls under this category. Despite the consultation scheduled for an hour, the increased interest from the ACC staff on the Nofotane Project and the domestic worker component, lead to the discussions going beyond the allocated time. It was information empowerment for the staff as they commented and acknowledged the vision behind the Project. According to the General Manager, Muliagatele Makelita Matafeo, E lua a mea taua ia ua ausia e le Toomaga i lenei Polokalame; 1. o le faatauaina lea o le leo o le tina nofotane, 2. o le taui ua ave i le tagata i lana tautua i le matai. Says Muliagatele, there are two significant things SVSG has achieved through this programme; 1. is valuing a nofotanes voice; and 2. payment to a person for service rendered to a matai. Questions raised included: Why focus on the nofotane, what about the men? Will the Employment Contract be in conflict with the FaaSamoa with regards to the tautua? How will SVSG address the social challenges that comes with the economic empowerment of women? The discussions and the sharing of views on these issues formed part of the awareness consultation. The session with the ACC proved to be a very constructive engagement, highlighted by the General Manager pledging ACCs support through making available 2 of the staff from their Community Awareness Team, to be part of The Nofotane Workplace Awareness Team. SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang acknowledges with appreciation the contribution from the Accident Compensation Corporation staff to the Nofotane Project. Thank you so much Muliagatele and the staff for your honest opinions, and your valuable contribution to the Project. As employers of domestic workers and as leaders in your respective villages, you have taken your roles to heart, and that is your contribution to the achievement of the project goal. To improve access of nofotane women in Samoa to sustainable employment and increased participation in domestic and community matters. Downtown buildings tend to look alike glass, steel, boxy and flat topped. So when local architect Joseph Martinez latest client, Toronto developer Ghaseni Ghods, wanted to make a splash in this new market for his company, he gave these marching orders for a 41-story, 384-unit apartment project proposed at Eighth Avenue and Broadway: I dont want to do a box on Broadway; there are too many boxes. Give me something dynamic and rich, but make sure to keep it on budget. Advertisement Civic San Diegos design committee reviewed Martinez solution Wednesday and members saw some good things and some others needing further finessing, as one director put it. It was one of three of downtowns latest crop of high-rise residential towers and each presented challenges to overcome and new ideas worth emulating elsewhere. 800 Broadway Inspired by pomp and parades that have passed along Broadway over the decades, Martinez came up with over-the-top highlights that celebrate downtowns historic ceremonial street with undulating balconies, two levels of retail, a rooftop pool deck and the most provocative feature a 419-foot stainless steel spire that runs the height of the building and will glow with white LED light at night. CivicSD staff and some directors nixed the spire downtown design guidelines call for modest, restrained and focused lighting while others liked it. The boards architectural consultant Jennifer Ayala called the spire a speed bump that detracts from the buildings other admirable features. Director Phil Rath likened it to whacky graffiti. Ted Shaw said the building would be lovely without it. But directors Rich Geisler and Robert Robinson liked the spire, which in their view adds a little more flare to the downtown nightscape. One other debated issue was a ground floor glass canopy meant to shield pedestrians from rain and draw them to window shopping at the storefronts. Some directors thought the canopy might pose maintenance and vandalism problems. Martinez said he would return in September with revisions and hope to gain approval in time to get construction under way next year with a 2020 opening. 6th&A Same architect, same developer for a corner site, down the street from the historic El Cortez. This time Martinez came up with a red metal picture-frame-like cutout at the corner, an attempt to mimic other picture-frame-looking buildings lining Sixth Avenue. The project is to include 389 units in 43 stories. Theres the potential that it could become dated, said Shaw of the red highlight. Geisler thought it might be OK since it wont be lighted at night. Ayala praised the projects simplicity. On another issue, Robinson expressed concern that the 29 low-income housing units on the bottom floors (as well as 34 at 800 Broadway), would rob those residents from the chance to enjoy upper-floor views. They should be able to see the ocean, too, he said. Martinez said after the meeting that grouping those units on a few floors makes sense both economically and culturally, since view units usually command higher rents and low-income renters might prefer living near each other. Hell return with revisions for CivicSD to consider, as well. 499 W. Ash Developer Robert Rechnitz proposes a full-block development with two residential towers with 318 apartments and two hotels, one of which 240-room Carte Hotel is already under construction at the northeast corner of the block. Tucker Sadler Architects is the designer for the project bounded by Ash, A State and Columbia streets. The issue that attracted much attention was the above-ground parking levels that would be masked by metal mesh screen and art walls. Gary Smith, president of Downtown Residents Group who frequently testifies on downtown projects, said the mesh tends to get clogged by soot floating down from overhead airplane exhaust. Id love for the garage to be completely closed, Ayala said, although developers can save construction costs avoiding underground parking. Smith also warned that narrow loading docks can prompt moving van drivers to park on the street and take up spaces other motorists need. Nearby resident Ruth Dapper complained that the project does not set aside any green space for public use. As with Martinez two projects, 499 W. Ash will also include 26 affordable units. Many downtown developers in recent years have opted to pay an inclusionary housing fee instead. But building such units onsite earns them extra floor area for more units. Business roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley The Building Industry Association of San Diego County has filed a second lawsuit against Encinitas over the citys failure to adopt a state-mandated plan for future housing growth that was rejected by city voters in November. The lawsuit, filed last month in Superior Court, notes that the BIA sued the city in 2014 over its lack of a housing plan and, as part of a settlement agreement in that case, the city agreed to get the document done. The new lawsuit says the city has failed to do so and has been out of compliance with state housing law for years because it hasnt updated its original housing plan, which dates from the 1990s. Advertisement The BIA wants the court to compel the city to enact the plan as it appeared on the November ballot, without any amendments. The group also seeks payment of attorneys fees and any other relief that the court may deem just and proper under the circumstances. Our suit aims to cause compliance on a time table that differs materially from the citys feet-dragging record, the organizations CEO, Borre Winckel, wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. He later added, We think the city should comply now. Its up to the judge as to when. Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear said Wednesday that the city is trying to get the job done. We know theres urgency, she wrote in a text. Were working on it. Encinitas is the only city in the county that lacks a current, state-certified Housing Element, a state-required document that details how each city proposes to accommodate its future housing needs, particularly those of low-income people. Over the years, the city has drafted several replacement options for its original, outdated housing plan, but all of them faced opposition and were later dropped. The latest proposal -- the the Measure T At Home in Encinitas plan that voters turned down in November --- took two years to produce and the city is now attempting to tweak it to make it more palatable to voters. It calls for allowing additional housing on a various sites along busy roadways in all five of the citys communities. In order to meet state housing targets, the plan proposes easing the citys building height restrictions and allowing 20 to 30 dwelling units per acre on the various sites. Opponents have argued that the plan will allow the construction of huge, oversized structures, particularly in the citys downtown corridor, and those buildings will destroy the citys small-town charm. Theyve been participating in a series of city-sponsored meetings aimed at revising the housing document, with the next set for 5 p.m. Aug. 10th in City Halls Poinsettia Room. Blakespear said the August meeting will go forward as planned, despite the new lawsuit. Were already proceeding as fast as possible, so the new lawsuit doesnt have an effect on our timeline, she said. Bruce Ehlers, one of the leaders in the No on T campaign, said Thursday that one of the guarantees they want to get out of this revise process is that the upzoning of the properties will actually result in a substantial increase in housing for low-income people. Measure T increased housing density on various properties, but there was no guarantee that the extra housing would go to low-income people, he said. We want to get this done, but we want to get it done right, he said, adding that its untrue that opponents dont want any extra housing density in town. Thats not the way the San Diego Tenants United --- a group thats been active the rent-control movement in San Diego --- sees the situation. One of the groups organizers, Rafael Bautista, said Thursday that the group believes Encinitas is trying to get out of accommodating its low-income housing needs and thats why it hasnt met its state housing plan requirements for years. The tenants group filed suit against Encinitas in April over its lack of a certified housing plan, saying the city was failing to meet the needs of low-income people. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for late August and the group plans to hold a rally in San Diego on the Encinitas issue at that time, Bautista said. Bautista said he wasnt aware that the BIA had filed its lawsuit. Winckel said the BIA hopes the two cases will eventually be consolidated by the courts. Henry is a freelance writer. Perry Alvarez, a parent, didnt have experience drawing maps. And he didnt have any background in studying demographics. Yet his map is the one chosen by Oceanside Unified School District trustees to decide the way they are elected in the future. Alvarezs work defining five new election districts was selected on a 3-2 vote of trustees last month. Until now, trustees have been elected at large from the entire school district. Advertisement Actually, Alvarez is not opposed to that method of electing trustees, but he realizes that they dont have much choice without enduring a costly lawsuit. Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman threatens to sue governmental entities like cities and school boards, saying state voting laws demand they elect by smaller districts within the whole, thereby presumably giving minority residents a chance to elect a representative from their own neighborhood when they might not be able to do so at large. Oceanside trustees had all kinds of maps designated by colors from which to choose. There were orange, green, purple, yellow and maroon options as well as maps titled Libby and OHS (Oceanside High School) and, of course, the winning PAlvarez map. Alvarez, born in Northern California but raised in Oceanside, attended Ditmar and San Luis Rey elementary schools, Jefferson Middle and Oceanside High. He and his wife, Raquel, have been active at Garrison Elementary School, where their son, Michael, 10, will be a fifth-grader in the fall. He said they helped found a booster club when the PTA floundered. Weve never gotten involved in any kind of government, Alvarez said in an interview Monday. But, he said he sat at the computer in the auto repair shop founded by his parents, and started creating maps and putting demographic information through an Excel spreadsheet. Alvarez said his goal was to equalize the districts into populations of 27,000 each and to keep Hispanic percentages as nearly equal as possible. They are 37, 46, 36, 38 and 30 percent respectively. The orange plan had proposed two 47 percent Hispanic districts. I felt very sad, he said, that these (other) maps were separating our city into our neighborhood vs. your neighborhood. The district website says its enrollment of 19,000 students is 58 percent Hispanic. Alvarez put four heavily Hispanic neighborhoods: Crown Heights, Eastside, Libby Lake and Del Rio into four different districts. Anyone from any of these neighborhoods can run (for the board), Alvarez said. Most other maps combined, for instance, Crown Heights and Eastside. Trustee Emily Ortiz Wichmann favored the orange map and cast one of the no votes to Alvarezs plan. We had some community members who preferred keeping Crown Heights and Eastside together, she said Monday. Wichmann said she believes the five trustees do a good job of representing all students, no matter where they live. Ann Corwin, the other no vote, said Tuesday she preferred the OHS plan, believing some others created deliberate gerrymanding. And she didnt like that Alvarezs plan splits Camp Pendleton into two districts. Now, with its approval, Corwin said were all hoping to get on with the job. Board President Robert Camo Gleisberg said Tuesday that he initially favored the maroon map but voted for the Alvarez proposal because he was not affiliated with any board member. He was his own man. Any way the districts are divided, Gleisberg isnt expected to run for re-election in 2018 so that trustee Eleanor Evans, who lives in the same area and has two more years on her term, can keep her seat. Trustee Mike Blessing made the motion for approval of the Alvarez map and was joined by Gleisberg and Evans. In an e-mail, Blessing called Alvarez a modest hero of sorts. I am so glad, he said, that Alvarez spent the time on a pretty darn-good map. He definitely gave thought to many of the decisions he made. I can tell on many of the choices he made that he took a deeper look. Lola Sherman is a freelance writer. Contact her at lola@seaside-media-services.com. City, county, Cal Fire officials and other groups made some tentative progress Thursday when they met to brainstorm possible solutions to the dangerous parking mess along state Route 67 in Ramona, near an unofficial trail that leads to Mt. Woodsons iconic Potato Chip Rock. Authorities say hundreds of car line the busy road on weekends and holidays, with hikers sometimes darting across four lanes of traffic trying to access the trail endangering drivers and pedestrians. As roughly 30 people gathered to discuss the problem at a meeting hosted by Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a representative of a couple that owns 84 acres near the highway suggested a deal. Advertisement A parking lot could be built on part of the land in exchange for the rights to develop the rest of the property, broker Jeff Gan said. Gan said he represents Jerry and Gina Taylor, whose land is adjacent to county-owned property near the trail. No details of how the deal might come together were mentioned, but Jacob said she and county staff would like to the tour the property soon. Afterward she said she thought the meeting had gone well. No solutions at this time, but we have some options we didnt have before the meeting, Jacob said. I think there are some promising possibilities, particularly with the private property. That was new information. For decades, the paved access road to the top of Mt. Woodson has seen a lot of foot traffic from people looking for a quick way up the mountain rather than a longer hike along the official trail that starts at Lake Poway. Cars parking along the highway have been a problem since at least the 1980s, but in recent years, Instagram and Facebook photos showing hikers standing on Potato Chip Rock a thin outcropping of stone near the top of Mt. Woodson has led to an explosion in popularity at the trail. On some days well over 100 cars can be found parked along the shoulders of the highway, as traffic speeds by at 55 to 65 miles per hour. Authorities say its a recipe for diaster. Ive been a paramedic for 37 years and pedestrians struck at those speeds, well, it is a gruesome sight, said Glen Morgan, president of the Ramona Trails Association and a captain with the Oceanside Fire Department, who attended Thursdays meeting. Its not a matter of if but when a pedestrian is going to get struck there, he said. The meeting marked the first time that stakeholders such as the Ramona Community Planning group, Caltrans, the cities of Poway and San Diego, the county parks department, and CalFire sat down to hammer out ideas. Brian Albright, the countys director of Parks and Recreation, said an immediate but temporary solution might be to build a small parking lot for no more than 20 cars on county-owned land near the Mt. Woodson Cal Fire station. The county owns more land in the area, but rest is being used as a landing site for Cal Fire helicopters. We dont want to impact that operation, Albright said. A representative of the Ramona planning group, which has been studying the issues for months, had suggested building a 177-car parking lot on the county land, not realizing the fire helicopter used it. Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head. Sometimes the stations driveway is blocked by parked cars and often it is used by vehicles turning around during their search for a space. Our response times are higher because of the problem, one firefighter said. Firefighters are also tired of hikers many of them visitors to the San Diego area knocking on the stations door looking for directions or for the nearest public bathroom. Jason Graham, a CHP Officer based in Ramona, said one of the biggest problems is people wanting to park along the highway, driving past an open spot, then backing up to get back to the opening as other cars come speeding toward them. There are still many things that will need to come together before any sort of parking lot is built, including who would pay for its construction and maintain it. Another question is would the access road which is not an official trail and is unmarked except by handmade sign ever become an official trail and, if it did, what governmental agency would be responsible for its upkeep. Jacob and everyone at the meeting seemed to agree on two things. Something has to be done before a tragedy occurs, and closing the trail is not a good solution because it is so well used. Casey Lynch of the Ramona Planning Group said shutting down the trail would only make things worse because of the public outcry it would cause, adding that many people hike the road daily for exercise. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones Beyonce, Guns N Roses and Bruce Springsteen are the highest-earning music stars on Billboard magazines Top 50 Moneymakers of 2016 list. Their estimated net incomes last year come out to, respectively, $62.1 million for Beyonce, $42.3 million for Guns N Roses and $42.2 million for Springsteen. Several former San Diego musicians are also included in the annual Billboard tally. Advertisement The Poway-bred punk-pop band blink-182 placed 30th on the list, with estimated 2016 earnings of just over $12 million. Pearl Jam whose lineup includes former San Diegans Eddie Vedder, Matt Cameron and Mike McCready came in at No. 43, with a 2016 take of $9.3 million. In nearly every instance, the Top 50 Moneymakers made the bulk of their earnings from touring. Beyonce, who last month gave birth to twins, grossed a whopping $161 million from her 2016 North American Formation tour, which included a May 12 concert at San Diegos Qualcomm Stadium. The reunion tour by Guns N Roses last year included an Aug. 22 Qualcomm show. Springsteens 2016 tour with his mighty E Street Band skipped San Diego, where he and the group have not performed together since 1981. The rest of the Billboard Top 10 is completed by Drake ($37.5 million), Adele ($37 million), Coldplay ($32.3 million), Justin Bieber ($30.7 million), Luke Bryan ($27.3 million), Kanye West ($26.1 million) and Kenny Chesney ($25.4 million). Coldplay, incidentally, will perform at Qualcomm Stadium on Oct. 8, while Bryan is set to perform at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre on Oct. 27. Only one Spanish language act, Marc Anthony, made the Billboard list, with 2016 earnings of $9.9 million. Jimmy Buffett, whose Broadway-bound musical debuted here in May, placed 45th on the list, with $9.1 million. The 50th spot was claimed by the a cappella group Pentatonix, with $8.2 million. Together, the Top 50 artists on the Billboard list brought in $890.7 million from touring, publishing, streaming and CD sales a hefty jump of 34 percent over last years total. It was also the first time in nearly two decades that music industry revenue increased for two consecutive years. Taylor Swift who topped the 2015, 2013 and 2011 Billboard lists was a no-show this year. Here is the complete 2016 Billboard Top 50 Moneymakers list. george.varga@sduniontribune.com Twitter @georgevarga Art is exploding all around San Diego. Large-scale artwork and murals are moving into multiple restaurants, bringing colorful energy to the dining experience. Rising up in the California art scene with stunning, conversation-starting works, San Diego is propelling the art movement forward and recognizing some of the incredible talent in the citys own backyard. Here are must-see works around San Diego. (Editors note: The work included on this list is large-scale, not smaller, framed works within the space.) Common Theory Public House Art: Hops mural and CT3 Hop Dragon Advertisement Artists: Christopher Konecki and Gloria Muriel (respectively) The scoop: Beautifully combining craft with art, this Convoy Street beer supports the local art scene by commissioning multiple murals. The hops mural by Konecki covers an entire wall. The dragon piece by Muriel commemorated Common Theorys recent third anniversary and the CT3 triple hazy IPA that was brewed in collaboration with Pure Project for the occasion. Muriels dragon is an homage to the owners Chinese heritage and is inspired by the companys logo. 4805 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa. commontheorysd.com Puesto Art: Multiple murals Artist: Chor Boogie The scoop: Already known for his work in San Diego over the years, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the New Childrens Museum, the San Francisco-based artist is known worldwide for his bold, vibrant and colorful murals. Global clients have included the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Google, Hugh Hefner, Jay-Z, and the late Prince. Puesto La Jolla, 1026 Wall St., La Jolla; Puesto at The Headquarters, 789 W. Harbor Drive, downtown. eatpuesto.com Veladora, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa Art: Imploration Artist: Damien Hirst The scoop: Made from actual butterfly wings, this 7-by-7-foot work by the internationally renowned Hirst is a stunning work for art connoisseurs, budding entomologists and mariposa fans alike. 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe. ranchovalencia.com/dining/rancho-santa-fe-restaurants Curadero Art: Multiple murals Artist: Neuzz The scoop: Painted by Mexican muralist Neuzz, the eye-catching downstairs work is a pictorial representation of the merge that took place during European Colonization and Hispano-American miscegenation represented through a native ceremony celebrated by the ritual of fire. Fire represents the fusion of different cultures, knowledge, belief and philosophies. Both cultures intertwined their wisdom and knowledge regarding astronomy, mother nature, healing powers, gods, goddesses, the four elements and food . The other not-to-miss Neuzz mural is upstairs in the Arriba Room of the Hotel Palomar hotel this one depicting a shaman, a curadero. 1047 Fifth Ave. No. 100, downtown. curadero.com Madison Art: Floral motif mural Artist: Celeste Byers The scoop: Spotted recently at the Muse exhibition at La Bodega, Byers painted an ethereal floral mural inspired by the flowers that appear on the tables at the restaurant. 4622 Park Blvd., University Heights. madisononpark.com Blvd Noodles Art: Various, depicting a dragon, cat, and apes Artist: Kara KJ Ashley The scoop: The artists work is spread throughout the restaurant, with a gigantic orange and red dragon on the dining wall, a cat near the back door, and apes relaxing among bamboo on the patio. 8325 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. blvdnoodles.com Campfire Art: 3-D mountain mural Artist: Barbara Rourke The scoop: Paying homage to the restaurants theme, the mural comprises individually carved wood slats that depict the curvature of a mountain landscape. 2725 State St., Carlsbad. thisiscampfire.com The Haven Art: Geometric wood mural Artist: Jason Lane The scoop: Stare long enough at this vibrant, multicolored mural, and you will see shapes and dimensions come out of the woodwork, literally. Children of the 80s will have a happy flashback to the days of the video game Q*Bert. 4051 Adams Ave., Kensington. thehavenpizzeria.com Delk is a freelance writer. After budget overruns and schedule delays, the Navy newest high-tech aircraft carrier will be commissioned this month by the president who recently criticized one of its next-generation advancements. The future Gerald R. Ford will enter the fleet during a July 22 ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia. President Donald Trump will preside over the event, the Navy told the Associated Press on Wednesday. The Ford is the Navys first new carrier design in 40 years, but some of the technology on the $13 billion ship has been criticized for still having some bugs. Advertisement Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day Trump has been one of those critics. In May, Trump told Time magazine that he has a dim view of the electromagnetic catapult that will debut on the new carrier. Instead of being launched off the carrier by a steam-fueled system, as in the past, Navy aircraft will use an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, or EMALS. San Diego-based General Atomics holds the contract to supply that system to not only the Ford, but the Navys two following carriers in that class. Trump told the magazine: I said, No, youre not. You going to goddamned steam, the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and its no good. The digital refers to the electromagnetic system. Meanwhile, the Navy views the Ford and its class of carriers as opening the door to the future of naval aviation. Military Videos On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal jen.steele@sduniontribune.com Facebook: U-T Military Twitter: @jensteeley A federal appeals court appeared highly skeptical Wednesday that a monkey had standing to sue for copyright protection. During a hearing, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals considered a lawsuit by an Indonesian macaque named Naruto. The animal allegedly grabbed a photographers camera in 2011 and snapped a self-portrait. Photographer David Slater included the photo in a book. An animal rights group sued on behalf of Naruto, contending the photographer infringed on the monkeys rights. Advertisement It is absurd to say a monkey can sue for copyright infringement, Angela Dunning, an attorney for the photographer, told the court during a hearing in San Francisco. Naruto cant benefit financially from his work. He is a monkey. It is absurd to say a monkey can sue for copyright infringement.... He is a monkey. Angela Dunning, attorney for photographer David Slater A federal district judge in San Francisco decided last year that Naruto lacked standing to sue. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an animal rights group representing Naruto, appealed. Dunning told the 9th Circuit that PETA filed the case simply to promote its campaign to give animals more rights. The group was not even sure they have the right monkey, she said. Judge Carlos T. Bea asked why the case should not be dismissed. Can you point to a U.S. Supreme Court holding that says man and monkey are the same? Bea asked David Schwarz, a PETA lawyer. Judge N. Randy Smith wanted to know what injury Naruto had suffered. Jeffrey Kerr, general counsel for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, outside federal court on Wednesday after a hearing on the question of whether a monkey has standing to sue. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) There was no loss to the animals reputation or evidence that a copyright would have benefited Naruto financially, Smith noted. I want to know what then is the injury, Smith insisted. Schwarz said the injury was the copyright infringement. Smith, unconvinced, then asked whether the federal copyright act authorized animals as well as people to sue. After Schwarz struggled to convince the court that Naruto had a case, a lawyer for the photographer tried to change the subject to money. Andrew J. Dhuey, representing Slater, said PETA should be required to pay the photographers legal fees to defend himself. Monkey see, monkey sue will not do in federal court, Dhuey said. The 9th Circuit could rule at any time. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Video shows San Diego police dog repeatedly biting handcuffed man Extremely rare shark attack on kayaker triggers 4-day restriction on Santa Cruz beaches That must have hurt: Surfers flock to the Wedge to take on big waves driven by tropical storm A 38-year-old parolee led police on a pursuit through Oceano Dunes state beach Wednesday afternoon, leaving families and children dashing for safety, authorities said. Joshua Anthony Jordan of Bakersfield was wanted in two counties in San Benito County for allegedly making criminal threats and in Kern County on a no-bail warrant for a parole violation, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office. Deputies first began pursing Jordan after he fled following an attempted stop in Nipomo around 2:30 p.m., but called off the chase for safety reasons when the suspect entered the 101 Freeway at Willow Road, driving in the wrong direction. Advertisement An hour and 15 minutes later, deputies in an unmarked car spotted the driver heading north on the 101 Freeway in Pismo Beach and started to follow him again. After exiting and reentering the freeway, Jordan drove through downtown Pismo Beach and along Highway 1, officials said. Eventually, he drove onto Oceano Dunes where the public can legally drive on the beach. State park rangers followed him at roughly 40 mph. @KSBY High speed chase at Pismo Beach....on the beach! pic.twitter.com/ZC9X46WkSA jeremy moore (@jmo34) July 12, 2017 Around 4:15 p.m., Jordan ditched his white Lexus after it got stuck in the sand and ran into the ocean, where he was taken into custody at gunpoint, police said. Jordan was arrested on suspicion of felony willful cruelty to a child with possible injury or death and evading a police officer in a reckless manner. Portions of the chase were captured on video. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek ALSO California water bill passes House, but Democrats vow to fight it in the Senate ATF agents shoot and wound man in San Bernardino after he drove car toward law enforcement, police say He is a monkey: Federal appeals court appears doubtful that a monkey who took a selfie can sue UPDATES: 8:35 a.m.: Updated with link to video of chase. It will be a strange sight: Today at 10:30 a.m. a bucket brigade of men, women and children will pass sheets, towels, pillows, irons, kitchen appliances and dishes hand-to-hand along Childrens Way north to a nearby building at 3101 Berger Ave. Eight years ago, the same scenario played out, except the household items were hand-passed from Berger Avenue to 2929 Childrens Way. The earlier hand-athon was part of a move from the old Ronald McDonald House (RMH) to a modern, larger facility built atop a Rady Childrens Hospital parking structure. The center provides rooms and meals for parents of hospitalized children. Families are asked (but not required) to make a $20 nightly donation. Advertisement Today the old facility, which had been converted by Rady Childrens Hospital to medical office space, has undergone a $550,000 renovation and is re-opening to expand RHM capacity to 55 families. We have a waiting list of 30 families or more every night, sometimes as many as 60, explains Chuck Day, chief of RMH Charities of San Diego. That wait list will be reduced by eight families with the Berger Avenue addition. Don and Leticia Junkin have stayed in both facilities. On Valentines Day 2007, they rushed their 4-year-old daughter, Cassandra, to the ER with a high fever. She was diagnosed with leukemia. When tragedy strikes, you forget about everything eating, bathing, paying bills. We focused all our attention on Cassandra and what she was going through, says Don, a retired UPS driver. To be close to her, they moved into the original RMH for about four months. Later, they spent occasional overnights in the new facility when their daughter returned for monthly blood checks. Now 14 and doing wonderfully, Cassandra recalls the comfort of knowing her parents were close by when she was ill. Its great that they are making more rooms available to parents with kids, she says. The family will take part in Thursdays ribbon-cutting ceremony. We have many memories there a lot of scary times but a lot of good times, too, says Leticia. This is very, very special to us. Chuck Day already has another project in mind: Id like to build another 40 rooms. Well-named honoree: If Nathaniel Goodman, 17, were at the Academy Awards mic, he might be thanking Anderson Cooper. The recent high school graduate didnt win an Oscar, but his film work just earned him a national Diller Award and $36,000. He was first inspired by a documentary on poverty in Myanmar that Cooper produced before he became a household name in TV news. That film inspired the Canyon Crest Academy student to channel his own filmmaking passion toward community service. His mission is to help other people repair the world. To do this, he started producing promotional videos and testimonials for nonprofit groups to help them publicize their missions and attract donations. He called his humanitarian hobby Filmmaking For Good. It began with a documentary on San Diegos homeless and what youth were doing to feed them. He later produced films of trips to Mexico and Hawaii for ReSurf, a group he helped found that mentors youth through surfing. His films were part of ReSurfs 24-hour online campaign that raised $100,000 and fueled its expansion from two schools to 11. Nathaniel, a counselor with the Jacobs International Teen Leadership Institute in Israel this summer, has produced about 10 online videos and numerous short promos for volunteer events and service projects. When his cellphone rang at school with news that he was one of 15 teens nationwide to win a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award for their commitment to social change, Nathaniel exclaimed, I couldnt believe it. He says his volunteer project wont end with his recent high school graduation: As I continue to travel and understand the worlds problems, I will continue to partner up with others and amplify their work. Little Tommy Sablan in 2015 when he was producing the Jeff and Jer Showgram program at KyXy 96.5 radio. (Alejandro Tamayo / SDUT) Keeping tuned: Little Tommy Sablan, producer of KyXy radios recently scuttled morning show, Jeff and the Showgram, has wasted no time putting out feelers for a new job. Last Friday, he visited the local headquarters of Entercom, the huge radio network that announced a merger last February with CBS Radio, which owns KyXy. Entercoms San Diego stations include Sunny 98.1, KSON radio and FM 949. I filled out a job application at the front desk on behalf of Jeff and the Showgram, Sablan posted on Facebook. On the application, I mentioned I was a busboy at Filippis. And, yes, he also added that he is in the National Radio Hall of Fame. diane.bell@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1518 Twitter: @dianebellSD Facebook: dianebell.news A San Diego man was one of 14 people indicted in what federal prosecutors said was a massive $147 million stock swindle that manipulated share prices and trading volume in five companies. Lawrence David Isen, 65, was among those charged in a three-year-long pump-and-dump scheme that often targeted elderly investors with high-pressure sales tactics from a boiler room operation located in Long Island, N.Y. Isen was described in the 50-page indictment from the Eastern District of New York as a marketer who ran the San Diego-based firm Marketbyte. Advertisement He was also once a stock broker but was barred from the industry in 1995 for defrauding customers of the penny stock brokerage company where he worked, by misleading them about the profit potential of buying stock in companies that in reality were having financial problems. He appeared in federal court in San Diego Wednesday for a formal proceeding to remove his case to New York, where it will be heard. The indictment said that the defendants acquired stocks from insiders at five companies, at below-market prices. They then engaged in a sequence of stock trades aimed at artificially pumping up the price of the stock. As the price climbed, members of the ring called and emailed potential investors, many of them elderly, pressuring them to buy the stocks, according to the indictment. At the same time the defendants sold off their own stakes, without telling investors dumping the stocks after pumping up the price. The indictment said that Isen was involved in two such scams, one involving a now bankrupt Houston, Texas, company called Hydrocarb Energy Corporation, and a second involving a Canadian company called Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc. In all, the defendants netted $14 million in profits, according to prosecutors. Isens personal and corporate accounts profited by about $383,000 from trades in the Houston company alone, said the indictment. It was unclear how much he may have made on the second companys trades. Isen was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and a charge of securities fraud. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com San Diego House members are facing new challengers in next years election, with three new candidates announcing their campaigns. Democrat Paul Kerr, a real estate investor, has announced hes running against Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista. He the third Democrat in that race after last years election where the incumbent won a ninth-term by a razor-thin margin. Republican Andrew Zelt, a sergeant in the Sheriffs Department, declared hes running against Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine. At least six Democrats have said theyre running, but Zelt is the only Republican so far Advertisement And Omar Qudrat, a Republican, is the first to challenge to Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego. News of Qudrats campaign broke in May after a reporter discovered his campaign website and social media accounts, but Qudrat officially announced his candidacy Wednesday morning. All three challengers are making their campaign for office, and are facing candidates who have not only the power of incumbency behind them, but experience in re-election efforts. 49th Congressional District Kerr, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran who is now the president of resident of the real estate firm Davlyn Investments, is running in the 49th Congressional District, which spans from La Jolla to Dana Point in Orange County. Kerr said his campaign is focusing on issues that matter to the middle class, including health care, and student loan debt. The struggles that Americans are facing today arent abstract concepts, theyre deeply personal, he said. His family has worried that his mother would lose her health insurance after she was diagnosed with ALS, a neurological illness commonly known as Lou Gehrigs Disease. He had to work as he studied at San Diego State University and took out loans. He has also assisted nieces and nephews with their tuition so they could start their adult lives without debt. If Im in Congress and Im talking about a bill that will help the middle class, Im in favor, he said. If its going to harm the middle class, Im against it. Last year Issa was re-elected by 1,621 votes, beating Democrat Doug Applegate by the closest margin in any congressional race in the country. The Republican party has 37.7 percent of registered voters in the district, while Democrats have 31 percent. Another 27 percent do not belong to a political party. Applegate is running again, and Democrat Mike Levin is also in the race. Issas campaign said the three Democrats are running to the hyper-left to get through the primary, while the congressman is focused on his work in the House. Congressman Issa is going to be focused on doing what really matters: working hard as one of the single most effective legislators in Congress and getting good legislation passed to improve the lives of people here in California, spokesman Calvin Moore said. 50th Congressional District Zelt is running in the 50th District, an area that includes eastern and northern parts of San Diego County, as well as Temecula. Its one of the most Republican districts in California. Zelt said hes running as a conservative alternative to voters who are concerned about Hunters ongoing campaign finance scandal, and disagree with the field of Democrats in the race. I used to be a supporter of Duncan Hunter, I used to be a supporter of his father, Zelt said, referring to the elder Rep. Hunter. And I have lived in East County pretty much my entire life. But as I watched the story develop and how he was going on, I became a bit disenfranchised. Hunter is under federal investigation for the personal use of campaign funds. Zelt said his policies are like Hunters. I am going to have your traditional Republican views, Zelt said. I am for lower taxes, I am pro-life, but I am interested in listening to people. I want to have a two-sided conversation. Hunters campaign did not respond to a request for comment. 52nd Congressional District Qudrat is running in the 52nd District, the only traditionally swing district in San Diego. A reservist in the Army who also does legal and counter-terrorism consulting, he said hes running to make sure that constituents have a better chance than he did in the rough neighborhood where he grew up in Los Angeles, and because of frustration with Washington politics. His career sent him to Afghanistan where he worked on implementing counterinsurgency policy. He said he learned lessons that that are important to keeping the country safe. Its going to take imaginative leaders, he said. Its not going to be enough to be passive and think that if we throw money at (the Department of Homeland Security) and other executive branch departments, that alone is going to do it. We need strategic thinkers to come up with real innovative plans. He grew up in Panorama City, and his neighborhood was hit with an anti-gang injunction. Despite the challenges outside his front door, he said his parents were supportive and he was able to graduate from UCLA, earning three diplomas, including a law degree, from Syracuse University. He lives in downtown San Diego and said more needs to be done to help homeless people, particularly homeless veterans. Peters is known for his effectiveness in Washington, his campaign said. San Diegans have supported Scott Peters repeatedly because they know hes a problem solver who works with everyone to get things done; hes passed laws to help our veterans, create jobs in our innovation economy, and bolster our national security, spokeswoman MaryAnne Pintar said. The primary election is on June 5, and the top-two candidates from each race, regardless of their party, will advance to the November general election. Rep. Darrell Issa raised $455,207 in campaign funds in the second quarter of this year, a sum that likely puts him considerably ahead of his competition in his coastal San Diego district. The Vista Republicans campaign said he received 3,363 contributions and has raised $1.23 million since November. He spent about $294,000 and had $671,529 left in his account as of June 30 From cleaning up San Onofre, to working to stop the proposed toll road extension from dividing our communities, and creating new jobs for Californians, Ive been hard at work delivering real solutions to make a difference in peoples lives, Issa said in a statement. Advertisement Issa is also a part of a joint fundraising committee that has not yet released top-line figures. The amount puts Issa ahead of Democrat Mike Levin, the only other candidate to release the top-line numbers ahead of the July 15 Federal Elections Commission deadline. Levin raised $333,902 in the second quarter, and $617,359 since announcing his campaign in March, and had about $415,000 on hand at the end of last month. While Issa and Levins campaigns have raised a large amount of money, theyll likely be collecting a lot more. In the 2016 election cycle Issa received $2.89 million while his opponent, Democrat Doug Applegate, raised $2.11 million. Issa was able to spend $6.31 million because of funds leftover from earlier campaigns. One of the other Democratic candidates Paul Kerr, just entered the race and does not yet have to file a campaign finance report. The other, Applegate, raised $116,348 in the first quarter of the year, and had $92,476 on hand last month. Applegate lost to Issa last year by 1,621 votes the tightest margin of any congressional race in the country. No campaign has yet released full reports that include a list of donors and the amount of their contributions, transfers from other campaigns, line-item expenses, and transfers from other committees. While Issa far surpassed the $100,000 or so he typically receives in the second quarter of a non-election year, it wasnt a personal record. He raised $550,065 between the beginning of April and the end of June 2013. Except for last year, Issa faced little, if any re-election opposition. Twitter: @jptstewart joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 A man and woman arrested in North Park and Clairemont Wednesday are suspected of fatally shooting a friend whose body was found near Vista about 15 hours earlier. The victim was identified Friday as DAngelo Charon, 21. Sheriffs deputies in tactical gear swarmed onto Alabama Street in North Park about 11 p.m. and arrested Shyrehl Joseph Wesley, 20. He was booked on charges of murder and probation violation, sheriffs homicide Lt. Kenn Nelson said. Advertisement Sheffah Shaddai Chevis, 18, was arrested about the same time at a residence on Clairemont Drive and booked on a murder charge. Nelson said the two suspects were friends with the victim. The body was seen by a passing motorist on Twin Oaks Valley near Gopher Canyon Road, just north of Vista, about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. He had been shot more than once, Nelson said. Investigators worked on the case through the day and into the night, Nelson said. They developed information that led them to the two San Diego homes where the suspects were arrested. Investigators have confiscated a gun and vehicle they believe was used in the homicide, Nelson said. . UPDATES: 5:40 p.m. July 14: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 3 p.m. July 12. A Lemon Grove woman was sentenced to 14 years and 7 months in prison for stealing hundreds of peoples identities and using the information to file false tax returns, pocketing more than $1.5 million in tax refunds. Cynthia Lozano, 35, previously pleaded guilty to 84 counts of aggravated identity theft, mail and wire fraud, false claims to the IRS and other charges stemming from two fraud schemes. She was awaiting sentencing in the first case when she carried out the second scam in 2015, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Advertisement In the first scheme, prosecutors said she used the identities of more than 200 people to file at least 400 tax returns, receiving more than $1.5 million in tax refunds between 2008 and 2013. Prosecutors said Lozano instructed the IRS to deposit the refunds into bank accounts opened under the names of relatives and associates. She later used most of the fradulently-obtained funds to purchase 20 properties in and around Phoenix. In 2013, a 33-count indictment was filed against her in federal court, and two years later, she pleaded guilty to carrying out the scheme, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. She once again would defraud the IRS that same year, in 2015, while she was out on bail awaiting sentencing in the first case. The second time around, she filed false tax returns using the names and Social Security numbers of tenants or prospective tenants at the Arizona properties she purchased with funds from the first scam. This time she instructed the IRS to deposit the tax refunds into bank accounts she had recently opened with the help of two co-conspirators, who since then have been sentenced for their roles. Lozano was subsequently charged in a second indictment with 51 counts stemming from the second scheme. She pleaded guilty to those counts last year. On Wednesday, in addition to handing down the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia ordered Lozano to pay about $1.48 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Prosecutors said Lozano transferred the titles of her Arizona properties to the name of her mother, who lives outside of the U.S. Using her mothers identity as an alias, Lozano obtained authorization to rent some of the homes under the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Section 8 voucher program, which covers a portion of qualifying tenants rent. The lying, cheating defendant went on a white-collar crime spree that continued even after she got caught, acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson said in a statement. It is astounding that she committed a second major fraud while awaiting sentencing for the first. Her greed-fueled rampage ends today, with a sentence that recognizes the significant losses suffered by her victims, including U.S. taxpayers. Breaking News Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez UPDATE: Read our new article about this dispute, containing additional developments and context about the status of women in science. Renowned scientists Vicki Lundblad and Katherine Jones this week sued their employer, the Salk Institute, alleging that they and other women have suffered long-term gender discrimination at the La Jolla science center. Their lawsuits claim that the institute has long been an old boys club with a culture where women are paid less, not promoted and denied opportunities and benefits simply because they are women. Advertisement Lundblad and Jones also alleged that they have faced pressure to downsize their laboratories even though theyve done well in bringing in research money. And they accused Salk administrators of not promoting any female scientist to the rank of full professor since 1999, of retaliating against them for their complaints and of not responding seriously to changes proposed by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, the institutes current president who joined the Salk in late 2015. In a statement, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies said Drs. Jones and Lundblad, whose laboratories have received over $5 million in support from the institute over the past 10 fiscal years, have been treated generously by the institute, including relative to their male peers. Each scientists lucrative compensation package is consistent with well-recognized metrics that have been applied to all Salk faculty in a nondiscriminatory manner. A spokesman for the institute said it wouldnt make any comments beyond the statement because of the pending litigation. Efforts to obtain a response Wednesday from Irwin Jacobs, who served as Salks chairman for the past decade before stepping down late last year, were unsuccessful, as were attempts to reach several faculty members. In their lawsuits, Lundblad and Jones cited 50 defendants a significant number given the Salks small faculty and overall staff. Lundblad and Jones didnt offer comments outside of their lawsuits Thursday, but have agreed to an interview Friday with The San Diego Union-Tribune. Since its opening in 1963, the seaside institute has consistently garnered international attention for its pioneering advancements in basic science. It was founded by Jonas Salk, who developed the worlds first effective and safe vaccine against polio. Over the decades, the Salk has been home to acclaimed researchers in a variety of fields. Today, its faculty members are known for their exploration of viruses, the brain, stem cells, cancer, diabetes, plant biology and other biomedical topics. In the publics eyes, the institute isnt linked with gender turmoil. But in their lawsuits, Lundblad and Jones claimed systematic and discrimination of female scientists. Because of the lack of formal governing guidelines to ensure equitable treatment of women faculty, the Salk Institutes administration has historically demonstrated a lack of desire to address, or even admit, the problems encountered by its tenured women professors, the lawsuits said. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensation in addition to attorneys fees. Lundblad, 64, is a molecular and cell biologist who has done groundbreaking studies of how telomeres, the protective tips of chromosomes, factor into aging and cancer. Telomeres wear down with each cellular division, until the cell stops dividing. Thats a safeguard against unlimited growth, which can lead to cancer. However, premature loss of telomeres sends cells into senescence when it no longer divides and grows, and this milestone hastens aging. Lundblad who joined the Salk in 2003 also has performed research on telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres. Thats also Blackburns specialty; she was awarded her Nobel Prize in 2009 for telomerase research. Lundblads work, performed in yeast, has catalyzed similar research into how the enzyme acts in human cells. In 2015, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the elite society formed during the Lincoln administration to advise the government on science and technology. Jones is a biologist who has done widely cited research on how to fight cancer and conducted studies that have helped to explain how dormant HIV infections can become active. She has spent her entire 30-year career at the Salk Institute. She specializes in a field called transcription elongation, which controls the activity of genes in HIV and cancer. Her analyses revealed how a protein called Tat is activated to cause HIV replication; inhibiting this mechanism could lead to new drugs to control HIV. In other research, Jones determined how stem cells use two molecular pathways to guide their growth into mature cells. This knowledge may help stem cell scientists gain efficiency and get more predictable results in coaxing these cells into developing into specific tissues. Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds Twitter: @grobbins gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com A federal judge this week threw out a lawsuit filed by a San Diego County Department of Animal Services veterinarian who alleged retaliation for raising questions about practices at county shelters. U.S. District Judge Larry Burns granted the countys request to dismiss the case Monday, ruling that veterinarian Bruce Cauble did not present enough evidence to show his First Amendment rights were violated when he was transferred to the South County facility in Bonita against his wishes. Caubles assignment to the busiest shelter wasnt an adverse action, Burns wrote in a 10-page ruling. Cauble voiced his complaints pursuant to his job duties and Animal Services would have assigned Cauble to the same shelter despite his complaints. Advertisement Cauble spent more than 10 years rotating between county shelters. He opposed the move to Bonita but acknowledged in testimony that his surgical services were most needed there. A county spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The county does not generally comment on litigation. In his lawsuit, Cauble alleged that he was reassigned for raising questions about the lack of proper equipment at the county shelters and the conditions animals were kept in. More specifically, he said the X-ray machines were unlicensed and kennel flooring at the Bonita shelter was too cold for dogs. The complaints said shelter staff regularly referred to the animals as ice puppies. Attorney Dan Gilleon said one problem with the case regarded the statute of limitations governing when complaints must be filed in state court, so it was filed federally. For over a year, Dr. Cauble tried unsuccessfully to find an attorney willing to take on the county, Gilleon said. By the time he found us, time had expired. We still think the case under federal law was viable, though, and we plan to appeal this ruling. The dismissal comes about three weeks after the county agreed to pay $65,000 to settle a separate but similar lawsuit filed by another former county veterinarian, Jennifer Zeisse. Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald U.S. Border Patrol agents had to rescue a woman over the weekend who was left dangling on the border fence in Arizona after she was abandoned by smugglers. Dramatic pictures show the helpless woman hanging some 15 feet from the ground with her face toward the tall barrier. Advertisement U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said she was being lowered into the United States from Mexico via a hoist rope and a harness when she was spotted by agents on patrol. The people she was with ran away, leaving the woman helpless. She tried to scramble back up the fence but was unsuccessful. The Mexican citizen was freed by firefighters with the Nogales Fire Department and she was then arrested on suspicion of immigration violations, officials said. 619-293-1710 debbi.baker@sduniontribune.com twitter.com/Debbi_Baker Months of blanket denials of any attempts by the Trump campaign to work with the Russian government in last years presidential election were shown to be false this week with the revelation that Donald Trump Jr. had eagerly accepted a June 2016 invitation to meet with what was described to him as a Russian government lawyer someone who could provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton] and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to [his] father. The email from British publicist Rob Goldstone noted that this offer of obviously very high level and sensitive information ... is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Trump Jr. replied, If its what you say I love it, and agreed to the meeting. The Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, subsequently met with Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, then Trumps campaign chairman, and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is now a top White House aide. She apparently provided no Clinton dirt of any kind, and there is no evidence of any actual collusion between Trump and the nation that has been Americas most menacing geopolitical rival for more than 70 years. But the emails provided by Trump Jr. end the debate over whether the Trump campaign was interested in working with our nations archenemy. It plainly was. But is that impeachable collusion? Or just another screw-up by a naive, inexperienced Trump family unaware of the transgressiveness of its actions? Or not even a story worth covering? Advertisement For some of the left, this was a bombshell that changes everything. Writing in The Washington Post, columnist Ruth Marcus called the email revelation a staggering development in a staggering week. For some on the right, the view was this is still much ado about nothing. A Wall Street Journal editorial headlined Keystone Kops Collusion ridiculed the idea that Don Jr. was canny enough to coordinate a global plot to rig the election but not canny enough to notice that this plot was detailed in his personal emails. A Washington Times editorial ridiculed the idea advanced by some politicians and journalists that what Trump Jr. had done was treasonous, suggesting they ... ... consult Article 3, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution (available in any almanac) for the definition of treason in criminal prosecution: Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them [i.e., the states], or adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. The younger Mr. Trump may be guilty of bad judgment, reckless eagerness to aid his papa, possibly even federal campaign finance law, but he has, so far as anyone knows, not attempted to raise an army against the United States. ... Whatever the younger Mr. Trump did, it could not be treason because the United States was not, and is not, at war with Russia. The Democratic Party at war with the president doesnt count. Neither editorial noted that the previous defenses of President Trumps May decision to fire FBI Director James Comey still easily the biggest headline of his time in office had built off the idea that Trump was genuinely frustrated that Comey was investigating a Russia collusion scandal built on media hype. Unless Trump somehow didnt know of his son and son-in-law and former campaign managers meeting with Veselnitskaya as Trump and Trump Jr. claim firing Comey appears to fit federal laws description of obstruction of justice: an action that influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law. Writing in National Review, a conservative magazine with a low opinion of Trump, Andrew McCarthy knocked both Trump stalwarts and never Trumpers. But then he wrote that what Trump may have done is exactly what the Founding Fathers sought to protect against when describing what was an impeachable offense: One side is mulishly determined not to see outrageous misconduct. The other side is inadvertently trivializing it. But the question is not whether collusion is a crime. It is whether collusion is a high crime or misdemeanor. ... The standard for impeachment ... is not concerned with criminal offenses found in the penal statute books and suitable for courtroom prosecution. It relates instead to the presidents high fiduciary duty to the American people and allegiance to our system of government. The bickering over collusion crimes misses the point. If an unfit person holds the presidency, the danger to our society is that he will abuse the power that he wields. The imperative is to remove him from office. Whether, in addition to that, his misconduct also happens to violate penal statutes and be ripe for criminal prosecution is a side issue. It is a subordinate legal question, whereas fitness for the presidency is a core political issue. ... . We are a good distance from being able to assess whether President Trump should be impeached. It is specious, though, to suggest that this is not a question worthy of exploration, or that its answer hinges on whether collusion with Russia amounts to a criminal-law violation. But is what Trump has done as serious as the Watergate scandal, in which President Nixon was forced to resign after undeniable evidence emerged that he had sought to block an FBI probe of criminal behavior by some of his White House aides and his 1972 re-election team? HBO host John Oliver thinks its an equally serious version, but with a twist: Its a scandal with all the potential ramifications of Watergate, but where everyone involved is stupid and bad at everything. Yet some observers in the international news media, who generally have scathingly negative views of President Trump, werent sure the end was nigh for the 45th president. David Usborne of The Independent, a British daily, concluded the emails were no smoking gun: Nothing about the latest bombshell regarding a meeting that Donald Trump Jr. held at Trump Tower last year with a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin is good. Indeed, this is the most damning tidbit to have come to light so far. It stinks for a variety of reasons and the stink seems to get worse by the hour as new details emerge. But is this the big one that will blow up the entire Trump administration? Doubtful. Is it the last one that will drop? Even more doubtful. Usbornes latter point gets to Olivers point as well about the cluelessness Americans have witnessed. Even after living through Watergate, Donald Trump thought there was nothing wrong with asking an FBI chief to pledge loyalty to him. Even after living his entire life with Moscow aiming nuclear missiles at his hometown of New York, Donald Trump Jr. thought there was nothing wrong with accepting help in his fathers presidential campaign from what he was told was a Russian government lawyer. Who knows how many more examples of such awful judgment remain to be discovered? But the Trumps are businessmen not attorneys who are told on day one of their criminal law class that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Which gets us to McCarthys point about impeachment ultimately being a political judgment, not a legal one. Its certainly possible to envision dozens of House Republicans joining minority Democrats and voting to impeach Trump. Many were furious that he ripped the House health care bill as mean after begging GOP congressmen to make the political risky vote for the measure and celebrating its passage with them at the White House. But House impeachment requires only a majority vote; a Senate conviction requires a two-thirds vote. And there the ignorance of the law is my excuse defense the stupid Watergate defense just might save Donald Trump. Its hard to imagine 67 senators removing a president from office for actions he didnt understand were wrong. Reed, who has no excuse for his offenses, is deputy editor of the editorial and opinion pages. Email: chris.reed@sduniontribune.com. Twitter: @chrisreed99 Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established by President Obamas executive order is both humane and worthwhile. It provides an estimated million-plus young unauthorized immigrants who are on track for constructive, productive lives colloquially known as Dreamers with some legal protections against deportation. In February, President Trump backed away from his previous hardline position by allowing the program to continue and hailing its beneficiaries as incredible kids. This stance was affirmed by the Department of Homeland Security last month when it announced those covered by the program could continue to seek extensions of work permits. Since Trumps tough rhetoric alone is credited with sharply reducing the number of unauthorized immigrants trying to enter the United States since his election, he has political cover as well as good reason to show the heart hes promised to display in considering the fate of the Dreamers. But others in his administration dont seem to be on the same page. Attorney General Jeff Sessions offered clear hints of disagreement with Trump in April. Sessions views are almost certainly why Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Wednesday that he did not expect the administration to defend the program against a challenge to its legality expected to be brought in September by a Texas-led coalition of 10 states. Kelly said that while he supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, lawyers inside and outside the administration expressed considerable doubt that courts would find it acceptable. Advertisement If the president actually believes what he said about Dreamers in February, then he should order his Justice Department to defend the program. A court defeat is possible but not certain. A 2016 Supreme Court decision in a challenge to another Obama executive order on immigration showed there are four justices who believe presidents should be accorded flexibility in deciding how to enforce immigration laws, and there is no way to know with certitude how new Justice Neil Gorsuch would vote, or whether unpredictable swing Justice Anthony Kennedy would once again break with the courts conservative bloc in favor of a policy he might consider good for the nation. Ultimately, however, the best approach is for Congress to pass legislation writing the protections from Obamas executive order into law. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, met with immigration advocates this week to began talking about such a measure. Getting comprehensive immigration reform through Congress has seemed impossible in recent years. But given that House Speaker Paul Ryan has often spoken compassionately about Dreamers, it seems plausible that a narrow bill helping them out might pass. And given what Trump recognizes as Dreamers great potential, this wouldnt just be an act of compassion. It would be good for America. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion The State Board of Educations defining characteristic is its ardent defense of an education establishment more worried about the interests of teachers than students. This is once again on display with the state boards response to the Every Student Succeeds Act, the 2015 federal law that replaced the 2002 No Child Left Behind measure and governs how school systems that receive federal funds must operate. While the new law is much less strict than the old one, it still mandates that schools must come up with improvement strategies if they are at the bottom 5 percent of statewide assessments, graduate less than two-thirds of students or have ethnic groups with consistently weak test results. Advertisement But the State Board of Education is instead on track to approve vague, mushy Every Student Succeeds standards by the U.S. Education Departments September deadline that appear designed to impede accountability, not guarantee it. Now The New York Times reports Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has rejected such attempts to game the federal law by other states, upending expectations that she would defer to local control. Will this lead to the board to do the right thing and adopt meaningful standards? There is no reason for optimism because the board has a very different definition of what is the right thing to do than Californians who care about public schools. Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. --- UPDATES: An error in this editorial was corrected at 11 a.m. July 13. The high-energy San Diego band Ramshackle has been selected to perform at the inaugural Poway Days SeptemberFest celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Community Park. Also featured will be beer and wine tastings, the finals of the Poway Rodeos So You Think You Can Sing competition and a Madame Mechanic classic car show. Early-bird tickets will be $20 for a beer or wine tasting wristband. They may be purchased online at powaydays.com. The five-member Ramshackle rock band was formed in 2008 and has developed a strong local following. The group covers rock, pop and alternative artists over the last three decades. It will perform at 8 p.m. this Saturday and again at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 at Mainstream Bar and Grill, according to the groups website. Thirteen breweries and five wineries so far have confirmed participation in the event, Dawson said Tuesday. Three food trucks have also confirmed, with more likely to be added, he said. Participating breweries so far include Mike Hess Brewing, Green Flash/Cellar 3, Lightning Brewery, Alesmith Brewing Company, Abnormal Brewing Company, BNS Brewing & Distilling Company, Smoking Cannon Brewery, Longship Brewery, Little Miss Brewing, Jacked Up Brewery, Mikkeller, Kensington Brewing Company and Quantum Brewery. Attendees will be invited to cast votes for their favorite IPA beer. Confirmed wineries to date are: Bernardo Winery, Koi Zen Cellars, Highlands Hills Winery, Wolfn Rose Winery and Milargo Farm Winery. Owners of the Born in Brooklyn, Super Q and Criscito Pizza food trucks have agreed to sell at SeptemberFest, according to Dawson. Contestants who passed preliminary tryouts will sing at the festival. Three So You Think You Can Sing winners will be selected to sing the national anthem at the Poway Rodeo on Sept. 22 and 23. Owners of classic cars are invited to sign up for the Poway Days Madame Mechanic Car Show, open to cars built in 1979 and before. Information can be found at madamemechanic.com. Email: editor@pomeradonews.com BOX OFFICE LEADERS Spider-Man: Homecoming PG The Civil War is over, and Peter Parker hopes to return to a normal life of crime fighting until he meets The Vulture. Despicable Me 3 PG Gru meets Dru, his obnoxiously perfect twin brother, who wants Gru to join him in one final but memorable criminal heist. Baby Driver R A ruthless crime boss not so subtly convinces a young getaway driver to take on one last job, a bank heist that is destined to fail. Wonder Woman PG-13 Diana, Princess of the Amazons, learns of evil outside of her world and becomes a crusading crime fighter, Wonder Woman. Transformers: The Last Knight PG-13 While the humans are at war with the Transformers, a new alliance forms with Cade, Bumblebee, and others. Cars 3 G In this 3rd installment of the personified racing cars, Lightning McQueen seeks to prove he is still every bit the racer to the younger cars. The House R When Dad blows his daughters college fund, what better way to fill the kitty than starting an illegal gambling casino in the basement? 47 Meters Down PG-13 Two sisters are trapped in a shark cage with an hours worth of oxygen in the tank while great whites are circling the cage. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales PG-13 In this fifth installment, Captain Jack takes his men on a search for Poseidons trident. Mummy PG-13 A deceased princess comes to life from her buried crypt and begins a reign of evil that has grown to unspeakable heights over time. ***Also Playing in Theaters*** All Eyez on Me, Beatriz at Dinner, The Beguiled, The Big Sick, The Buena Vista Social Club: Adios, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hero, The Journey, The Little Hours, Maudie, Megan Leavey, Mom, Paris Can Wait, Rough Night. Coming to Theaters on July 14 War for the Planet of the Apes PG-13 The gifted simians have suffered a setback, but Caesar devises a plan of victory over the homo sapiens. Stars: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval. Directed by Matt Reeves Coming Soon: Amityville: The Awakening, 13 Minutes, The B-Side: Elfa Dorfmans Portrait Photography, A Ghost Story, City of Ghosts, Santoalla, Wish Upon, Lady Macbeth, The Midwife, Dunkirk, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Girls Trip, The Emoji Movie, Atomic Blonde, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, Menashe, From the Land of the Moon. New on DVD July 11 Fate of the Furious PG13 While Dom and Letty are honeymooning, a mysterious woman woos Dom back into a crime ring and challenges the gang. The Lost City of Z PG13 Two British explorers, Percival Fawcett and Henry Corbin, seek the lost city of Z, buried deep within the Amazon forest. Smurfs: The Lost Village PG Smurfette and her blue buddies Brainy, Hefty, and Clumsy discover a secret map that will reveal a huge Smurf secret. Norman R Norman is a middle-aged hustler who becomes politically connected to influential dignitaries but soon finds himself embroiled in a scandal. Foreign, Classics, Documentaries: Their Finest, A Quiet Passion, Spark: A Space Tail, American Fable. Television: The Magicians s2, The Missing s2, The Tunnel: Sabotage s2, Underground. Traffic on Wildcat Canyon Road, just south of San Vicente Road, was backed up in both directions for about an hour Wednesday afternoon after a two-vehicle collision left a white Pepsi van on its side in the roadway. The collision happened around 3:30 p.m. near the 12.5 mile marker. The driver of the van was southbound entering a left curve when a red Toyota pickup truck was approaching the curve in the opposite direction, said CHP Officer Ed Aquirre. Based on evidence in the roadway, it appeared the pickup truck took the curve too wide, he said. The driver of the van, a San Diego man in his 50s, complained of neck and back pain and was transported to a hospital, said Aquirre. The other driver was a Ramona man, according to the CHP officer, and neither vehicle had passengers. Both lanes of the road were reopened by 4:50 p.m. Any conversation about issues eventually comes down to the origin of facts. Since the 2016 election were pretty sure theres real fake news out there, but whose? And what are they pushing? Knowing how we all favor information that supports our world view and resist new ideas that threaten it should make us both cautious and curious about the news we choose. Take climate change. Its either the biggest hoax ever or one of the most serious threats we face. Trying to sort it out requires looking at the sources of our information and our biases. Im a science person, I admit. Two things really moved me at this springs San Diego Science March. One was the UCSD professor who so beautifully sang the national anthem. The other was a scientist from Scripps Institution of Oceanography announcing that the earth had just passed a CO2 reading of 410 parts per million for the first time in known history. Carbon dioxide may be a harmless trace gas thats vital to all life on earth, but in the atmosphere it absorbs infrared radiation, leading to the build-up of excess heat energy. Oxygen is a harmless gas, too unless youre on fire. Its all a question of context. Scientists have been working for decades to determine the causes of this increase in CO2 levels. The consensus is that burning fossil fuels is a primary contributor. But the science is never settled because science is a method of inquiry. Anyone with a better hypothesis backed by research is welcome to run their claim up the flagpole and see what happens. Just saying no to someone elses theory, especially when its supported by 97% of climate scientists, is a no go. If climate change is not man-made, then what is the explanation for such a relatively sudden and extreme rise in CO2 levels? The suns been around an awfully long time; this problem with greenhouse gases hasnt. Its easy to be confused by the comments of experts, especially when theyre taken out of context. The quotation by economist Ottmar Endenhofer is a case in point. Immediately before the line we redistribute de facto the worlds wealth by climate policy, he said, First of all, developed countries have basically expropriated the atmosphere of the world community. That word, expropriated, implies an unwarranted taking, which puts redistribution in a very different light. So what about the Paris Accord? The agreement allows each country to determine its own nonbinding emissions targets. It doesnt do anything to the U.S. economy that we dont choose for ourselves. Will the transition to renewable energy and lower-emissions technology create losses in some areas? Of course. Its what economist Joseph Schumpeter called creative destruction, a central element of a free-market system. Can we do things to mitigate the disruption? Of course. Thats what we call responsive government. The presidents withdrawal from the Accord doesnt mean states and cities that continue to work toward their own emissions goals are rebelling against federal authority. Nor are individuals who drive hybrids, eat less meat, and install solar panels. Theyre acting on their values, and thats a basic American right, something we all can understand and share. Lark Burkhart is a Ramona resident. View the Video Alex Charfauros Sentenced Christopher Wilson A former probationer whose San Diego apartment was the site of a gunbattle that led to the death of police Officer Christopher Wilson was sentenced Monday to 85 years to life in prison plus 11 years. A San Diego Superior Court jury last month convicted Alex Charfauros, 29, of second-degree murder and other felonies for his role in the officers death. Prosecutors had argued that although Charfauros never fired a gun in the October 2010 shooting, he was responsible for Wilsons death because he failed to warn police there were people, guns and drugs inside the apartment. Witnesses testified during the trial that Charfauros had been asked for those details repeatedly in the moments before the shooting. Each time, he responded by saying, No, or I dont know. Kaylee Wilson, daughter of slain police officer Chris Wilson,addressed the court during the sentencing of Alex Chafauros. SDPD Lt. Debra Farrar was at her side for support. John Gibbins (John Gibbins) Several speakers made statements Monday before Judge Kenneth So, noting that if not for the defendants actions or inaction Wilson would likely still be alive. A great officer was lost that night because of what you did, said Bobby Burns, who had been Charfauros probation officer for years and helped keep him safe during the shooting. I made every effort to help you change to be a better person. ... You knew what was in that residence, and once again you failed to tell us, Burns said. Police Officer Travis Whipple, one of four officers who ducked gunfire inside the apartment on South Meadowbrook Drive in southeastern San Diego, said Charfauros self-serving actions were a direct contradiction to all those who stand up for whats right. Your actions were categorically, profoundly wrong, Whipple said. Wilsons daughter, Kaylee, spoke emotionally about her father and the events that led to his death. She said the last time she talked to him was the day of the shooting Oct. 27, 2010 when she was planning what to wear for Halloween. Later that night, she, her mother and brother learned the tragic news. Wilson said she was just 20 years old at the time of the shooting. Her brother, Conner, was 17 and still in high school. Shes now 23 and planning her wedding without her father. I really dont think that you understand the life that you took, she said. Related How Officer Christopher Wilson died Charfauros told the judge that he prayed each day for Wilsons family members to find the strength to deal with their loss. But he also stressed that he did not kill the officer and that he was unfairly convicted of murder. Im not a killer, he told the judge. Im a human being that once was addicted to meth. He said the actual shooter, Holim Lee, was his roommate with whom he would smoke methamphetamine. He said he was not Lees confidant. The bodies of Lee, 30, and his girlfriend, Lucky Xayasene, 27, were found in the apartment along with several firearms. Both died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said. Lee is believed to have fired the shot that killed Wilson. The murderer is dead, Charfauros told the judge. He left his heavy burden on me. The defendant also had harsh words for the lead prosecutor, saying he had used this case to elevate his own status. Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon responded outside the courtroom, saying it was an honor for the prosecution team to represent the victims, their family members and the San Diego Police Department, but that political or career aspirations were not a factor. We have the same job, no matter what the case is, Runyon said. Patrick Luangrath, 22, who also was charged in the killing, was sentenced this month to 22 years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a gang allegation, and an unrelated burglary charge. A third person implicated in the killing, Melissa Ortiz, will be sentenced next month. Ortiz, 24, pleaded guilty last week to voluntary manslaughter for her role in Wilsons death. Like Charfauros and Luangrath, she did not fire the fatal shot but was accused of aiding and abetting the killing. She has agreed to a prison term of more than 25 years. Learn about the man who influenced the look of early Disney animated features and illustrated the bestselling childrens book of all time. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join When the Saturday Evening Post ran a cover story about Walt Disney in 1955, it needed to find a cover artist with two very different talents: one who could accurately depict Disneys famous [cartoon] creations and one who could handle the quite different job of portraying the cartoonist himself. None of the Posts regular cover artists would do. Art editor Ken Stuart launched a nationwide search for the artist he knew could do the job: Gustaf Tenggren. Eventually, he located Tenggren on a remote farm in Maine and persuaded him to paint this cover: But what made Gustaf Tenggren uniquely qualified to illustrate this particular cover? Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today Like his cover, Tenggren combined qualities from very different worlds. Born in 1896, he grew up on a remote farm near Vastergotland, Sweden. His father abandoned the family, leaving the boy to spend an impoverished childhood with his grandfather under primitive conditions and with few childhood friends. Yet by age 25, he was a successful illustrator in Manhattan. He then moved to Hollywood, where, combining the worlds of art and science, he played a key role in the birth of feature animated films for the fledgling Walt Disney Company. He was also the illustrator of the top-selling childrens book of all time, The Poky Little Puppy. Tenggren eventually left the Disney studio because of artistic differences with Walt Disney. He lived in many places before settling down to live his final days on a farm in Dogfish Head, Maine, because it reminded him of the Swedish countryside. And thats where the Post found him. On June 22, 2017, Tenggren, who died in 1970, was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame. Tenggrens life is a good example of how artists can make creative use of varied experiences. As a young boy, he tagged along with his grandfather, who went door to door painting traditional Swedish designs in the homes of villagers. He recalled, [M]y grandfather was a woodcarver and painter, and also a fine companion for a small boy. I never tired of watching him carve or mix the colors he used when commissioned to decorate, with typical primitive designs, churches and public buildings in the community. Tenggren couldnt afford art school, so the local community arranged for an art scholarship, which changed his life. In 1920, Tenggren left Sweden with his new wife and headed for the United States, where work was plentiful. He settled in Cleveland and within six months was painting a cover for Life magazine (the April 1921 issue). He recalled, Those were busy days, drawing for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, painting six posters weekly for Keiths Palace Theater, fashion drawings for a department store, and at the same time working full time for an art studio. Within two years, Tenggren moved to New York City. The boy who grew up on an isolated, rocky farm in Sweden loved the big city: For many years my studio was in this great city. Work was plentiful and during this period I illustrated a number of childrens books. Tenggren became a well-known book illustrator, working on classics like Mother Goose, Hans Christian Andersen, and Heidi. He illustrated at least 22 books between 1923 and 1939. He also illustrated fiction and advertisements for magazines. In 1934, Tenggren encountered a talent scout for Walt Disney, who was searching for artists to work on the worlds first full-length animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Tenggren jumped at the chance and moved out to California in the early spring of 1936 to start work as an art director on Snow White. Famed Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston witnessed Tenggrens great contribution at the formative stage of the creative process. They wrote: Before any actual story work was begun, Walt would look for an artist of unique ability to make some drawings or paintings that would excite everybody. He brought in top illustrators of childrens books, such as Gustaf Tenggren to explore the visual possibilities of a subject. These inspirational sketches started the whole staff thinking. Tenggren drew upon his childhood experiences with his grandfather for some of the most dramatic scenes, including the rustic cottage of the seven dwarfs, the deep woods where Snow White flees from the hunter and the evil queens laboratory where she concocts the poison apple. Filmgoers today may forget the significance of Snow White, but film critic and historian Roger Ebert wrote, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. (The Russian director Sergei Eisenstein called it the greatest movie ever made.) It remains the jewel in Disneys crown. Technologically, Disneys rich, colorful films were a great leap forward in expressive imagery. Tenggrens success with Snow White earned him an even greater role in Disneys next feature film, Pinocchio. Biographer Lars Emanuelsson described Tenggrens contribution: The look of Pinocchio, on which he was engaged during the major part of 1938, owes much to Tenggrens creative input. The interiors and exteriors, the Tyrolean clothing, the craftsmans workshop, the painted dolls and toys and the decorated and carved wood work were all heavily influenced by the conceptual drawings Tenggren worked on while the film was in production. Tenggrens beautiful watercolors of the small towns with carved wooden beams and furniture, Geppettos workshop with its cleverly painted surfaces, and the underwater scenes remain some of the highlights of Disneys art. Tenggren also worked on the Sorcerers Apprentice section of Fantasia and on shorter cartoons, such as The Ugly Duckling, The Old Mill, and Hiawatha. Shortly after Disney started work on Bambi, he and Tenggren parted company. In 1940, Tenggren produced his first childrens book bearing his own name, The Tenggren Mother Goose. This was followed by books such as the Tenggren Tell-It-Again Book, Tenggrens Storybook, Tenggrens Farm Stories, Tenggrens Folk Tales, and Tenggrens Pirates, Ships and Sailors. These books were highly popular. Tenggren and his wife were able to spend time traveling in search of a home where they could finally put down roots. They tried Mexico, Florida, and Cape Cod before deciding upon a farm in Maine, which they furnished with Swedish antiques. Among his most important and best received projects during this period were Tenggrens Golden Tales from the Arabian Nights which employed rich decorative middle eastern patterns in vivid images and The Canterbury Tales, which updated Chaucers classic for children. But he was best known to the general public for his series of Little Golden Books. He illustrated 28 books in this series between 1942 and 1962, including the classics The Poky Little Puppy, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Shy Little Kitten, The Big Brown Bear, and The Little Trapper. The prolific Tenggren continued to work from his home in Maine until his death from lung cancer on April 6, 1970. Tenggrens induction into the Illustration Hall of Fame confirms his key role at the dawn of animation and the importance of his many illustrated childrens books. His imaginative creations will long be remembered and enjoyed by audiences around the world. Miami, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/13/2017 -- Fusion-Tech UV Black Piping is the first fusible polypropylene pipe solution featuring built-in ultraviolet (UV) protection. With this groundbreaking feature, workers can make more efficient use of their time in terms of labor while substantially easing outdoor fusion pipe installation. Workers no longer have to deal with painting the pipe to boost its UV protection. Fusion-Technick UV Black Piping is built for long-term durability, it uses optimum quality polypropylene and it is the only pipe of its kind designed for industrial strength. Fusion-Tech UV features a one-of-a-kind stabilizer that has undergone extensive testing for powerful UV resistance as well as cement, plaster, and electrochemical reaction resistance. In addition to improving outdoor installation, it also allows for welding or fusing without the need to treat the pipe or the fittings. For additional information on Fusion-Tech UV Black Piping, please visit the MIMECO product page at http://www.mimeco.com/product/fusion-tech-uv-black-piping/. About MIMECO Miami International Machinery & Equipment Corporation (MIMECO) specializes in machinery equipment and machinery supply. The company has over two decades providing professional solutions in The Guianas, the Caribbean, and Suriname, supplying brands such as Performance Pipe, McElroy, Carboline, and more. For more information on products and services, please call 305-570-3831. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/13/2017 -- Global Sodium Methylate Market: Introduction Sodium methylate, also known as sodium methoxide (molecular formula CH3ONa), can be produced by an exothermic reaction between elemental sodium and methanol. Sodium methylate is a white to pale yellow color, odorless solid, obtained in powder form. It is a flammable compound, but not explosive, and it can be decomposed when exposed to high heat. Commercially, sodium methylate is available either in solid or liquid form. Generally, sodium methylate is sold as a 25% to 30% solution in methanol for various applications, such as the production of vitamin A1, B1, trimethoprim, sulfadiazine, and analytical agents, among others. It is also widely used as a catalyst in biodiesel production. Sodium methylate can easily react with oxygen. Hence, it is necessary to avoid the contact of sodium methylate with moisture or water, and air at high temperatures (above 1260C) to avoid its decomposition into sodium hydroxide and methanol. Sodium methylate is highly soluble in alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol, whereas it is insoluble in toluene and benzene. Sodium methylate finds various applications as a catalyst, especially in biodiesel production. To access full report @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/sodium-methylate-market.asp Global Sodium Methylate Market: Dynamics The global sodium methylate market is mainly driven by the increasing demand from various applications, especially in pharmaceutical and agriculture industries, and in the organic synthesis of various products. Rising demand for sodium methylate as a catalyst in applications, such as edible oil processing, grease, and synthetic detergents is further expected to drive growth of the market during the same period. Moreover, sodium methylate market is expected to be driven by anticipated steady growth in biodiesel production where it finds application as a catalyst. Growing demand for biodiesel, coupled with government initiatives in various countries over its blending has in turn resulted in an increase in biodiesel production capacity. This increase in production capacity of biodiesel has led to an increase in the demand for sodium methylate. Besides this, the presence of mercury in sodium methylate solution during its manufacturing leads to contamination of the product and has an effect on the catalytic activity of sodium methylate. Thus, the development of alternative methods with other raw materials in order to avoid mercury presence will help in growth of the global sodium methylate market. A sample of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14953 Global Sodium Methylate Market: Segmentation On the basis of type, the global sodium methylate market is segmented into: Solid Liquid (Solution) On the basis of application, the global sodium methylate market is segmented into: Pharmaceutical Agrochemicals Plastics and Polymers Personal Care Analytical Reagent Biodiesel Others (paint and varnish, etc.) Global Sodium Methylate Market: Regional Outlook Geographically, the Asia Pacific (APAC) region dominates the global sodium methylate market. In APAC, China dominates the sodium methylate market with a relatively higher share in both, production and consumption, followed by India and Japan. Growing demand from pharmaceuticals and chemical industries, among others in APAC is expected to help propel the demand for sodium methylate over the forecast period. It is expected that APAC will register a healthy CAGR over the forecast period. North America, followed by Europe is a large market for sodium methylate in terms of consumption. Rising capacity of biodiesel production in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., etc. has resulted in an increase in the demand for sodium methylate in Europe and North America. Furthermore, in Europe, government initiatives to encourage the use of biofuel and reach a 10% mark in terms of consumption in the transportation sector is expected to boost the demand for sodium methylate over the forecast period. North America and Europe are expected to register significant growth over the same time frame. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa region are expected to register slow growth during the forecast period. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14953 Global Sodium Methylate Market: Market Participants Examples of some of the market participants in the global sodium methylate market, identified across the value chain are BASF SE, Evonik Industries, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Anhui Jinbang Medicine Chemical Co. Ltd., Zibo Xusheng Chemical Co. Ltd., Dezhou Longteng Chemical Co. Ltd., and Inner Mongolia Lantai Industrial Co. Ltd, among others. The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry. The report covers exhaust analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value Chain Regional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa) The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies. Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint 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. Contact Us Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/13/2017 -- WiseGuyReports published new report, titled "South Korea Renewable Energy Policy Handbook". "South Korea Renewable Energy Policy Handbook 2017" is among the latest country specific policy reports from the industry analysis specialist that offers comprehensive information on major policies governing renewable energy market in the country. The report provides the current and future renewable energy targets and plans along with the present policy framework, giving a fair idea of overall growth potential of the renewable energy industry. The report also provides major technology specific policies and incentives provided in the country. The report is built using data and information sourced from industry associations, government websites and statutory bodies. The information is also sourced through other secondary research sources such as industry and trade magazines. GET SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1474097-south-korea-renewable-energy-policy-handbook-2017 Scope - The report covers policy measures and incentives used by South Korea to promote renewable energy. - The report details promotional measures in South Korea both for the overall renewable energy industry and for specific renewable energy technologies that have potential in the country. Key points to buy The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. It will allow you to - Develop business strategies with the help of specific insights about policy decisions being taken for different renewable energy sources. - Identify opportunities and challenges in exploiting various renewable technologies. - Compare the level of support provided to different renewable energy technologies in South Korea. - Be ahead of competition by keeping yourself abreast of all the latest policy changes. Table of Contents 1 Table of Contents 2 1.1 List of Tables 3 2 Introduction 4 2.1 Renewable Energy Policy 4 2.2 Report Guidance 4 3 Renewable Energy Policy, South Korea 5 3.1 Renewable Energy Market, Overview 5 3.2 Major Policies 6 3.2.1 Green Growth Policy 6 3.2.2 Subsidy Program (Renewable Energy Demonstration and Deployment) 6 3.2.3 Research Funding for the Development of Renewable Energy Sources 6 3.2.4 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership 7 3.2.5 The Promotional Law of New and Renewable Energy Development, Use and Dissemination 7 ..CONTINUED FOR ANY QUERY, CONTACT US @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/1474097-south-korea-renewable-energy-policy-handbook-2017 About Wise Guy Reports Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Contact Us Email Us at: sales@wiseguyreports.com Reach Us at: +1 339 368 6938 (US) +44 208 133 9349 (UK) New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/13/2017 -- 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. Contact Us Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/12/2017 -- Phosphorous is an element, which is never found freely on the earth's surface, as it is highly reactive. It exists in two major forms: white phosphorous and red phosphorous. White phosphorous, also known as Willie Pete, is a colorless-toyellow, translucent, wax-like substance with a pungent garlic smell. It emits a faint glow when exposed to oxygen. It is a common allotrope of phosphorous. It oxidizes speedily when exposed to air. Since white phosphorous spontaneously ignites, it is used by the military as an incendiary agent in weapons. It is employed as an igniter in a majority of ammunitions. White phosphorous is the highly common and highly reactive form of phosphorous among the two reactive allotropic forms. It is commonly used in hand grenades, mortar and artillery rounds, and smoke bombs for signaling, screening, and incendiary purposes. As an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus burns fiercely and can ignite clothes, fuels, ammunitions, and other combustibles. Obtain Report Details @: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/white-phosphorous-market.html White phosphorous, the first form of elemental phosphorous, was produced in 1669. It was first used by the Fenian arsonists to cause destruction. It was often used during World War I and World War II to produce smoke screens, as incendiaries, hand grenades, colored flares, and tracer bullets. During war time, white phosphorous is employed to destroy the enemy's equipment such as vehicles as well as storage areas for petroleum, oil, lubricants, and ammunition. White phosphorous is also a highly efficient smoke-generating agent. White phosphorous burns instantaneously, producing a blanket of smoke, which helps in masking from the enemy's movement and position, infrared signatures, or the origin of fire. After the two world wars, white phosphorous was extensively used by Korea, Vietnam, and Russia. In 1998, white phosphorous was employed by the Iraqi Air Force to bomb Halabja. Iraq used it again in 2004 during the Battle of Fallujah. Israel used white phosphorous during the 2006 IsraelLebanon conflict. Thus, white phosphorous has been in use continuously, despite being banned by several military regulations. Recently, white phosphorous was used during ArmeniaAzerbaijan clashes. Asia Pacific dominates the global white phosphorous market. The maximum number of manufacturers of white phosphorus are located in China. Increase in population in countries such as China and India is expected to boost the white phosphorus market in Asia Pacific. White phosphorus is employed to synthesize red phosphorus, phosphoric acid, carbon pentoxide, phosphorus trichloride, and other phosphorus compounds. It is also used as a raw material for the manufacture of organic phosphorus pesticides. Since pesticides are consumed in the maximum amount in Asia Pacific, the white phosphorus market in this region is expected to witness growth. White phosphorus is used in metallurgy, in medicines, and for synthesis of organic compounds. Due to growth of pharmaceuticals, medical, and metallurgy industries in Asia Pacific, demand for white phosphorus is increasing in the region. North America and Europe are favorable markets for white phosphorus. White phosphorus is used on a large scale in developed countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. Demand for white phosphorus in Middle East & Africa is increasing speedily. Saudi Arabia is a major importer of white phosphorus. Competition in the global white phosphorus market is likely to intensify in the next few years, which is estimated to create new opportunities. Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=19934 Some of the manufacturers of white phosphorus are UPL Europe Ltd., Yunphos (Taixing) Chemical Co. Ltd., Changzhou Qishuyan Fine Chemical Co. Ltd., 5-Continent Phosphorus Co. Ltd., Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Prasol Chemicals Ltd. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. [ISLAMABAD] Pakistan is eyeing doorstep healthcare to female HIV patients in the deeply conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where women are not allowed outdoors unless accompanied by closely-related male family members. For such health services, female health workers, who already provide at-home maternity and vaccination services across Pakistan, could be engaged, saysBaseer Khan Achakzai, national manager of the AIDS programme at the federal ministry of health services. Changing societys perceptions and attitudes to favour womens healthcare, and autonomy to seek healthcare and make economic decisions, are important to improving womens access to medical treatment. Abubakar Saeed, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Achakzai tells SciDev.Net that plans to provide anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to female sufferers at their homes are already under discussion with higher government authorities. He says this would significantly help cope with outside mobility constraints on them. A study, published in the July-August issue of Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care found that restrictions on womens mobility, under the religiously-motivated parda (seclusion) system, are particularly severe in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that adjoins Afghanistan. Often husbands, brothers or other closely-related male family members show lack of support or are unavailable for clinical appointments and medical care, says the study which involved interviews with 21 women living with HIV. If they are living with in-laws, the problem becomes graver since they are required to justify absences from home. This can be cumbersome if the patient wishes to conceal her HIV status to avoid social stigma. Factors inhibiting womens access to ART and other healthcare services include distance to the HIV clinic and ages of their children, according to the study. The restrictions are more in the conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa than in the countrys three other provinces, Abubakar Saeed, lead author of the study and scientist at the Islamabad-based COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, tells SciDev.Net. Saeed says that many women learn of their HIV-positive status only after undergoing medical tests recommended to them for some other health issues. The study suggests that policy-makers understand the nuances of local cultures in which women seek HIV treatment so that practical, culturally appropriate and acceptable programmes can be devised. Changing societys perceptions and attitudes to favour womens healthcare, and autonomy to seek healthcare and make economic decisions, are important to improving womens access to medical treatment, says Saeed, adding that faith leaders, teachers, health workers and media practitioners play roles in positively transforming perceptions and attitudes. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk. [SYDNEY] Valerie Amos served as UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator from 20102015. In September 2015, she became director of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, UK the first black woman to lead a British university. Amos has been foreign office minister, secretary of state for international development, leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council in the UK. She has advised on race relations and womens issues, and has been a firm believer in education as the key to development and social change. Amos was in Canberra, Australia, from 18 to 20 June to speak at the Australian National Universitys 2017 Crawford Australian Leadership Forum. She shared her views with SciDev.Net on developmental and humanitarian challenges currently facing the world. Is humanitarian work being hampered by social and political issues, and what role does science and innovation play? Humanitarian work is changing as a result of technological developments, particularly the use of mobile phone technology, and the desire of humanitarian organisations to ensure that people affected by natural disasters and conflicts have a key role in designing the response. There is politicisation of humanitarian aid linked to the desire of governments to exercise sovereignty which can be both positive and negative. We have governments which have faced a number of challenges in terms of natural disasters. Over the years, they have worked to put preventive measures in place working with local authorities, civil society and people affected. They want to manage response to disasters themselves and turn to the international community only when the scale of a disaster becomes overwhelming. The Philippines is an example of this. In conflict situations, sovereignty can be used differently. The permanent members of the UN Security Council may support different sides, as we see in Syria, impacting the ability to agree and implement a sustainable solution. If a major world power turns its back on the international rules-based system it helped to create, this becomes a major challenge for the rest of the international community. Valerie Amos What does moving away from globalisation towards more nationalistic societies mean for global peace, security and cooperation? There is increasing cynicism about traditional political processes and leaders around the world. The growth in social media, concerns about the lack of the shared benefits of globalisation, and increasing inequality have resulted in a rise in protest movements as well as retreat to nationalism in some parts of the world. People want leaders who can explain the challenges we are facing with a consistent message and show compassion, understanding, and authenticity. We have to find a way to ensure that people feel connected and are heard. Will the America first policy of the US impact multilateral institutions like the UN and the development agenda enshrined in the SDGs 2030? There are political leaders in some countries who see the impact of globalisation as a threat and are taking a more nationalistic approach. Globalisation has had positive and negative consequences which leaders need to explain. If a major world power turns its back on the international rules-based system it helped to create, this becomes a major challenge for the rest of the international community for example through [changes in] its contributions to multilateral organisations and support for development and humanitarian operations. Other countries have to step up to fill the gap. Thats why there is so much concern about the announced cuts in the US contribution to the UN. The UN is made up of 193 different countries. So, it's important that there are clear priorities and an integrated agenda. Today's global challenges are connected and require a connected response. It's hard to talk of just three challenges. Right up there are fragility and conflict; environmental degradation and climate change; and poverty and poor governance. The international community needs an interconnected response to these challenges with an agenda that links political, economic and other challenges. The SDGs provide the framework for a more interconnected approach. How will the exodus of rural people to urban areas impact food security and access to water, especially in the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America? Rapid urbanisation is a major challenge. People in developing countries flock to cities looking for work to help their families and communities. An important part of development is job creation in urban and rural areas. To continue to feed the world, we need people in agriculture. Infrastructure, technology and support to small farmers are keys to development. Access to water and sanitation is important for health and development and also for girls education, as spending time fetching water can mean that they miss out on school. Where water has become scarce, we are also seeing more and more conflicts. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk. FLORENCE, S.C. The Lucy T. Davis Elementary School library opened on Wednesday afternoon, allowing students to read books, take Accelerated Reader quizzes and participate in story time. Its fun to see parents reading with their kids, says Debra Heimbrook, the schools media specialist. A lot of times the kids show their parents how they take a quiz or check out a book. To encourage continued reading during the summer months, Lucy T. Davis held four summer reading events for families. Heimbrook said the summer reading program also helps her connect with parents and incoming students. Its a great way for me to interact with the parents and kids on a less formal, relaxed basis, Heimbrook said. Its also a good way for younger kids entering kindergarten to get familiar with the library and feel comfortable here. The reading program hosted about 50 participants each Wednesday. When students checked out books, their names were put in a drawing. The winner of each weeks drawing received a free Scholastic paperback book. Also, participating students got a jump start on earning Accelerated Reader quiz points. These points are counted toward overall goals during the school year. Heimbrook said she chooses books from the South Carolina Book Award program for story time. She also uses the program as a motivator for students to pick up books they may not choose on their own. Beginning in the summer, she challenges students to read 20 of the books nominated to the program. Those who read 20 books form the list and pass their reading quizzes with a 70 or higher will go with Heimbrook to Cicis for a pizza party. While students have until the end of March to complete the challenge, Heimbrook said this year she had an enthusiastic student who has already finished. DILLON, S.C. -- The deputy involved in a Dillon County officer-involved-shooting death has been placed on paid administrative leave, something that is standard practice in such an investigation. Capt. Cliff Arnette, Dillon County Sheriff's Office, said that the deputy's leave and SLED's role as an independent agency brought in to investigate the incident are both standard in such situations. The incident happened Wednesday afternoon when the deputy responded to a call at a White Road residence in the Lake View community, Arnette said. Dillon County Coroner Donnie Grimsley identified the victim as James Gerald Davis, 40. His body will be sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for an autopsy, Grimsley said. The coroner said it will likely be several days before he has the results he needs to issue his ruling on the death. Father and son horses, a transgender womans journey of adjusting to her new identity, humans wearing animal heads as everyday wear, and a sexualized robot. No topic was off limits at the Vidlings and Tapeheads Film Festival, which was held at Ant Hall July 7 and 8 in Hamtramck. Kicking off its inaugural year, the film festival presented short films from around the world, with an emphasis on experimental and unconventional narratives. The screenings were divided into four categories: Made in Michigan, documentary, animation, and fiction. In between programs, attendees could buy a drink and listen to local acts in the adjoining Ghost Light Bar, or peruse original artwork that was just as odd as the films being shown. Filmmakers Ryan Moser and Anne Hu host a Q&A session with festival director, Jerry White. No one was busy that Saturday afternoon like Jerry White. Along with introducing each block, the VTFF director raced around the medium-sized venue in between programs, checking on lighting and sound. Organizing a film festival is nothing new for White. He has been a programmer for the Slamdance Film Festival and FilmQuest in Salt Lake City and served as a juror for the Oak Cliff Film Festival in Dallas. When White was a teenager growing up in Rochester, he often hosted movie screenings at the Planet Art Theater, which is located across the street from Ant Hall. I fell in love with sharing movies with other filmmakers, the connections you meet, the friendships you make, and potential future collaborators, White says. I was living in LA for about nine years, and LA and NYC have no shortage of film festivals. Michigan has a bunch of great ones, too, but I feel like theres still a lot of room here to explore different types of projects, so I wanted to do something in my home state. Planning the festival took about six months. He began accepting entries in January through the submission platform, FilmFreeway. Attracting high interest, White received over 200 short films. The movies were initially screened by two programmers. If the films were approved by him, then other programmers would watch them and deliberate on which titles should be shown in the festival. One of Whites favorite shorts that eventually made its way onto this years festival lineup was the animated film, Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw). The animated film shows the toxic relationship between a human and a large bird. Trapped inside their own house, the couple can't seem to terminate their relationship, despite their unhappiness. Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw) is gross sometimes, but its so masterfully done. It challenges you, and that artist is really saying something, and even if its a little difficult to get through, I think its worth it. It really shows a marriage, and a wife being used. I thought it was interesting to show that in an unconventional way. Jerry White is the director and programmer of the Vidlings and Tapeheads Film Festival. Photo by Micah Walker. Festival attendee Justin Kavoussi came for the animation films. A film editor originally from New York City, he has edited the independent films, Applesauce and Born Guilty. Applesauce premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015, while Born Guilty premiered at the Sarasota Film Festival in Sarasota, Florida earlier this year. Kavoussi said what he enjoys the most about experimental animation and independent films overall, is that they are usually personal, and seem like a unique, creative vision of the filmmaker. It seems more like someone writing a poem or a novel, he said. And you can experiment, you can go off in ways that might not be financially viable. Amy Ingalls enjoyed the animation program as well, calling it her favorite block. She found about VTFF when she met White through her position as production coordinator at Community Media Network TV, a public access channel in Troy. Every time I see one [a film], theres something emotional or story-like that I can find myself in, Ingalls says. Every time I think I have a favorite, theres another one thats just as exciting. I could actually see each block by itself at a venue. Moviegoer Bri Petlock was interested in the documentary block. A film that stood out to her was Back to Abstraction, an autobiographical narrative about Los Angeles artist and writer, Stacy Elaine Dacheux. The film reflects on Dacheuxs days as a teenager to her time as a hospice worker in her 20s. Petlock was not only attending the festival because she is a movie lover, but she also came to support White, who is a longtime friend, and Andy Menko, the media coordinator for VTFF. I know it means a lot to them, and they put a lot of work into this, she said. White plans to bring back the Vidlings and Tapeheads Film Festival next year and hopefully, for years to come. Changes he would like to make to improve the festival include flying in filmmakers whose work appears in the festival, and host panels and workshops. One of Whites panel ideas is to have filmmakers discuss how they reached success in their field in metro Detroit. White is also contemplating on showing feature-length films at future festivals, but said he enjoys the experimental aspect of shorter films. He feels that short films take more risks, and that they challenge the audience more. Im really happy the way it's gone, White said. Im not trying to take over the world with this film festival, and Im not trying to compete with Sundance. I like that were a niche festival, and I want to keep it that way. Under the tenure of Chief Ronald Haddad, who took the top job in Dearborn's police force in 2008, the City of Dearborn went from making the Forbes magazine Most Dangerous City list to more recently, an "Overlooked Dream City" list. Dearborn is the first city in the nation to provide training to avoid the use of violent force. Officers receive training in de-escalation and must attend a seven-week class at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on alternatives to use of violent force. Haddad is the city's first Arab-American police chief. He came to Dearborn after 34 years with the City of Detroit Police Department where he led the city's homeland security efforts. Metromode spoke with Haddad recently about his crime-fighting philosophy and how he'd presided over a reduction in crime in one of Michigan's most diverse cities. Metromode: Why did you decide to leave Detroit to come to Dearborn, what was interesting to you about the city? Haddad: I felt that the mayor was committed to a vision of reducing crime, and providing the entire community with superior service. I'd long known that Dearborn provides their citizens with quite enviable services, that appealed to me. Metromode: What have been the biggest surprises in Dearborn? Haddad: When I first got here, we were on the Forbes Magazine Most Dangerous City list because of per capita crime. We didn't experience the violent crime of other urban areas, but with larcenies and domestic violence and the way that the National Crime Index is figured out it's computed against the resident population. There's no asterisk that says, "Oh by the way, we have 12.5 million visitors at Fairlane Town Center every year and two million people that go into Greenfield Village every year." One problem was that our department didn't really measure anything very well. So we put things online that measured crime, and how our resources were being spent, and to fast forward most recently we were on a very complimentary overlooked cities list. I think we have targeted crime in a very effective and constructive way. The results speak for themselves. What's most important to me is that we don't have any victims, it's not about a statistic, it's about a victim. Haddad joins communigty members in the annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships. Metromode: How have you targeted crime to bring the rate down in Dearborn? Haddad: About three years ago I went to a court meeting, and I said, "By the way, how's our shoplifting cases?" They said, "Well what do you mean? I said, "Well, what are they after, what do they get in court?" They said, "Well we'll have to research and get back to you." Well they did and they found out that in the previous year we issued 900 tickets on site and released for shoplifting and that less than one percent of them showed up in court. So they had all these open cases for larceny from our stores. So I got with the mayor and pushed for a policy change where everybody that gets caught defrauding an innkeeper, not paying their hotel bill, shoplifting, it's not always at the mall, it could be 24 hour drugstore on the corner, you know? They have to pay a 400 dollar bond before they get out. To fast forward, now after two years the courts report that less than one percent are delinquent on their cases or pleading guilt. It went from 900 shoplifters and retail fraud and defrauding cases to something short of 600. So that in turn, when computed against a city population, is a 33 percent reduction. Another thing we did was the lock it or lose it campaign. We had about 900 cases every year where people leave their cars unlocked and they lose valuables from in the car, some of them leave their car keys in the car and they lose the whole damn car, Other people leave the car keys and a loaded weapon in the car, and don't ask me why, but then they're mad at me when their car gets ripped off. So we went on a massive campaign, Lock It or Lose It. And the State of Michigan adopted that campaign for their very own because they saw value in it. Over the last, year and a half or so we've reduced the victims of the larceny from unlocked cars by about 12 percent. We're gonna ignite the campaign again this summer and hopefully we can get that up to about 30 percent. Metromode: How do you connect with the community in Dearborn? Haddad: We have our patrol officers doing an array of things to connect with the community. Everyone has to stop at a school everyday, they have to do business checks, they check all places of worship during peak times, the mosque, the churches on holidays and holy days. They do this everyday. It's not negotiable. The policy says they have to do it. Then when citizens complain about certain traffic infractions or quality of life issues we to the patrol officer assigned, he's gotta go out there and meet with the citizen. And we work with a lot of our social and community agencies. We have our own domestic violence advocate. We push families to counseling. In those cases where the victim doesn't want to prosecute, if there's some repetitiveness to it or egregious, we take them and we prosecute them at the local court ourselves, which the law provides for. We just want to de-escalate and make sure that people are held accountable. Metromode: What do you see as the future challenges; things that you still need to adjust or need more work in the city? Haddad: I think with more people coming into the city we've got to just make sure they're kept safe, from just basic crime. I see that as a challenge. Traffic, believe it or not, is the number one complaint in the city--injuries, accidents, distracted driving. I think that that's a huge challenge. Another huge challenge I see that's impacting our city is the abuse of heroin and prescription drugs. I see that as a very serious challenge not only for Dearborn but for our country. So we're doing a lot of awareness training at all levels, schools, community, places of worship. We also have trained all of our officers and equipped them with Narcan. That's gives somebody another shot at life until they can be brought to the hospital. We've saved many lives, or prolonged their lives anyway. If they keep doing it they're gonna be dead anyway. We try to give them a second chance, to get help. With that drug epidemic comes a series of social and public safety issues. People start stealing from their families, they start stealing from the community, erode the educational process where people drop out of school. Metromode: What can you tell us about how the Dearborn police force has dealt with issues around racial profiling, and all of the racial tensions that have arisen the last couple years? Haddad: You know, we've trained our men and women really hard and they don't profile. We look at crime patterns, we're data-driven on evidence, we've had the U of M Ann Arbor come in and take two looks at our traffic stops and they've determined twice that 68 percent of the time when somebody gets stopped the officers don't have a clue as to who is behind the wheel. We're a very diverse city. We seek police employees at all levels of the department that are prepared and committed to serve a diverse community. Metromode: What do you want people who are maybe thinking about moving to Dearborn or starting a business in Dearborn and might be concerned about crime issues, what should they know? Haddad: I would tell them that our city is very safe, and that we have a fully staffed, not only police department, but a public safety including fire and rescue and EMS, and we have less than a one to three minute response time that's one of the best in the country. Our entire community takes a very aggressive stand against crime and they would benefit from that. Press Release July 13, 2017 Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the reinstatement of Supt. Marvin Marcos et al. The news about Duterte ordering the reinstatement in the police force of Supt. Marvin Marcos no longer shocks me. This is just part of Duterte's commitment earlier made that Marcos will not only be pardoned and reinstated in the service, but he will also be promoted. That was clear from Day 1. The men behind the killing of Mayor Espinosa were just following his orders, according to the President. What is shocking though is the obvious and inescapable conclusion that these actions by Duterte have been adopted with the illegitimate purpose of affording criminals immunity. International law doctrine and jurisprudence consider these actions as clear indicators of "fraudulent administration of justice". There is assurance of executive clemency, downgrading of offense charged to allow the posting of bail, and now reinstatement in the service. Mga hakbang ito upang gawing inutil ang ating mga proseso ng pag-iimbestiga, paglilitis, at pagpapanagot sa kasalanan sa krimeng naganap. These are inconsistent with the State's duty to punish murder as both a crime under international law and a gross violation of human rights. It undermines the rights of the victim and/or his family to effective remedy, to be heard by independent and impartial tribunal, and to know the truth. Ito ang tunay na nakakabahala. Ito ang tunay na nakakahilakbot. Tatanggapin pa rin ho ba ito ng ating mga kababayan? Political events in the Bay Area Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, at noon at Terra Nova High School, 1450 Terra Nova Blvd., Pacifica. Anti-Trump march: A protest against President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, starting with a rally at 2 p.m. at U.N. Plaza, 355 McAllister St., San Francisco. The rally will be followed by a march. For information: http://bit.ly/2t9t5vE. Environmental action: A conversation with the Sierra Clubs executive director and local environmental justice groups on what people can do to take action against President Trumps environmental agenda. The event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the International Hotel Manilatown Center, 868 Kearny St., San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2rWxPUs. Climate forum: Cool Effect, a Bay Area nonprofit focused on climate change, is holding a forum to discuss environmental actions that will help reduce carbon emissions. The event is from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Hawthorn Room at the Golden Gate Club, 135 Fisher Loop, San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2turr9A. Health care film: A free screening of Now Is the Time: Healthcare for Everybody and discussion on single-payer health care. The event is at 7 p.m. at Or Shalom Jewish Community, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco. For information: (415) 469-5564 or www.orshalom.org. Anti-Trump drag show: An Action in Drag, a night of retelling Rage Against the Machines self-titled debut album, by drag performers and visual artists. The event is from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Chapel, 777 Valencia St., San Francisco. For information: www.thechapelsf.com/event/1517674. Evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning in Butte County west of Oroville after a wildfire that started nearly a week ago was 75 percent contained, state officials said. The Wall Fire burned more than 6,000 acres of trees and dry grass, and destroyed 41 homes and 57 structures since it started on Friday near Chinese Wall Road, north of the town Bangor. A popular breed of invasive turtles dumped in Lake Merritt and its tributaries are dying in the brackish water and adding to the growing problem of waste in Oaklands waterways. Despite signage warning that the water is a slow death, not a glorious turtle retirement kingdom some pet owners seem to think it is, volunteer cleaning crews regularly fish out decomposing red-eared sliders amid heaps of litter. James Robinson, executive director of the Lake Merritt Institute, a nonprofit that removes trash from the water, said the releasing of turtles is an ongoing problem. People who buy them at pet stores dont seem to realize they can live upward of 50 years, he said. At some point, your kids grow up and dont take care of Timmy the Turtle anymore, Robinson said. People just outgrow them and then theyre like, Be free, turtle, go be home. And they throw it into the equivalent of a lake of acid. The red-eared slider needs fresh water to survive. In Lake Merritt, a tidal slough where salt water from the bay meets freshwater from creeks and storm drains, the turtles undergo an osmotic process that leads to dehydration or complete organ failure, Robinson said. A few might survive, but they become weakened by the saline water, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less But abandoning the creatures elsewhere is not a good solution, experts say, and they are better off at rescue centers. Red-eared sliders dumped in freshwater ponds or other bodies of water will thrive, but at a huge cost to the environment, according to Brian Simison, a genomics researcher at the California Academy of Sciences who has studied the species. Through their aggression and rapid breeding, the sliders farmed by the millions in China have decimated the population of the western pond turtle, native to California, he said. Such is the case in Golden Gate Park, whose ponds are infested with red-eared sliders, Simison said. A new restoration project at the Presidios Mountain Lake, which has brought back native plants and animals, tries to keep the non-indigenous turtles at bay with netting and catch bins for pet owners looking to part ways with the reptiles, he said. Owen Maercks, the owner of East Bay Vivarium, a reptile store in Berkeley, said he doesnt sell red-eared sliders and sympathizes with anyone who has one. Most people buy them at a flea market or think theyre saving them from being cooked, he said. Theyre not sweet. Theyre not nice. Theres no upside. A few decades ago, Maercks said he noticed the same monks coming into the store over and over again to buy turtles. He later found out they were being released into the ocean as part of a Zen Buddhist tradition and explained to the monks how doing so kills the animals. The ritual appears to be less common now, Maercks said. In Oakland, the releasing of turtles is just one piece of a larger problem of illegal dumping that has leached into the citys waterways, Robinson said. Between January and May, volunteers removed more than 13,000 pounds of trash from Lake Merritt, which is designated an impaired body of water by the Environmental Protection Agency because of its low levels of dissolved oxygen. Regulators have threatened to levy hefty fines against the city if it doesnt cut its storm drain litter by 70 percent compared with 2009 levels. Any penalties wouldnt be enacted until after Sept. 1, the deadline for city officials to submit documentation on waste reduction, said Bruce Wolfe, executive officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Were in a throw-away culture, said Katie Noonan, a board member of the Lake Merritt Institute, who said seeing dead turtles is a disturbing sight. People think if you throw a piece of trash on the ground or dont clean after your pet, the rain will wash it away. But the rain washes it straight into the lake. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov A large fire broke out at a building housing the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday night, completely destroying the structure and an adjoining Italian restaurant and causing more than $1 million in damage, fire officials said. The buildings were fully involved when over 30 firefighters arrived on scene at 11:58 p.m. at 100 Lafayette Circle, said Fire Marshal Robert Marshall of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The Chamber of Commerce and La Finestra Ristorante were completely engulfed in flames and a large portion of the structure collapsed on itself, Marshall added. Firefighters brought the conflagration under control in about 90 minutes. There were no reports of injuries. The total cost of damage was estimated at $1.1 million, though Marshall said he expects the cost to go higher. Residents of adjacent apartment buildings were evacuated for about an hour. That was primarily because the restaurant had some heaters that ran on propane that were outside of the structure, quite a few of them were popping off, Marshall said. When that was going on, we had a concern that the fire might spread. Officials were also concerned about the radiant heat and that the fire might spread to nearby vegetation. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Marshall said. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Coastal neighborhoods in several Bay Area cities are likely to face such frequent flooding from rising sea levels over the next century that residents will simply pack up and leave, according to a new study of the effects of climate change. Every local county will be dealing with frequent inundation of its bay shoreline by 2100, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The group said its report and accompanying maps, published in the peer-reviewed journal Elementa, are the first nationwide effort to identify the point at which coastal communities face the no-win decision of having to flee or fight sea level rise. There have been a lot of great sea level-rise maps, but whats been missing from these is a time frame, said Kristina Dahl, one of the reports authors and a climate scientist in San Francisco. We want communities to understand how long they have not just until permanent inundation sets in, but when flooding gets so bad that it makes a place really unlivable. Already, more than 90 communities across the nation have hit a point of disruption thats driving people away, the report said. Eighty more are expected to reach that threshold within 20 years if global warming continues at a moderate rate. Seventy percent of these cities will be in Louisiana and Maryland, with none on the West Coast in the next two decades, the report said. Ocean levels are generally thought to be rising more slowly along the Pacific coastline. The reports authors put the point of no return at the stage when at least 10 percent of a community experiences flooding 26 days a year, or one day every two weeks. When a town is chronically inundated, the reports authors say, the slow creep of sea level rise causes road closures and sends water into basements, pushing down real estate values. Rather than deal with the constant annoyance and mess, residents head for higher ground. California will increasingly see these problems as the century wears on, the report says. The island city of Alameda, neighboring Oakland and landfill-laden San Mateo, San Rafael and South San Francisco will be chronically inundated even under a scenario of merely moderate global warming by 2100, the report predicts. Under a rapid warming scenario, many more cities will see neighborhoods depopulated within the lifetime of people who are alive now, the report says. By 2065, San Francisco, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Burlingame, East Palo Alto and Palo Alto could see chronic flooding in areas near the waterfront, along with expanded areas of the other flood-prone cities. This scenario is increasingly likely, given accelerating ice-sheet melt in the Arctic and Antarctica, the report said. The Union of Concerned Scientists is a national coalition of researchers that uses its work to advocate for certain policies. The authors of the latest report urge that the output of heat-trapping gases be reduced worldwide and that communities take greater steps to adapt to rising seas. The report uses rates of warming from widely cited federal figures by the U.S. Global Change Research Program to estimate the amount of sea level rise that communities might experience. The actual amount of rise, the authors say, will depend on both the level of global greenhouse gas emissions over the next several decades and how communities respond. Many Bay Area cities are already taking action to combat sea level rise, creating seawalls, implementing new building codes that require more resilient homes and businesses, and expanding wetlands to absorb high water. 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. Last year voters in the nine Bay Area counties passed a 20-year parcel tax that is projected to raise $500 million for marsh and habitat restoration. Larry Goldzband, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, which is spearheading a region-wide plan to adapt to rising seas, said there is still much to do. Were not as prepared as we should be, he said. Were in the midst of getting better prepared, and counties and cities are working hard on this. Goldzband said California has the advantage of time, with several decades before catastrophic levels of damage occur. Fortunately, he said, San Francisco doesnt have to build a 20-foot wall on the Embarcadero tomorrow. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander Read the report The report can be read at http://bit.ly/2vacc5j Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle A pair of 13-year-old East Bay middle school students were arrested at their homes in connection with a string of burglaries at elementary schools in San Leandro, officials said. The two boys, both students at Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro, allegedly burglarized five public schools in the East Bay city, stealing iPads and MacBook laptops, police said. A federal judge showed little inclination Wednesday to accept the governments assurances that President Trump isnt about to strip San Francisco, Santa Clara County and other sanctuary cities and counties of their federal funding for refusing to cooperate with immigration officers. And that was before the judge learned that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in a speech earlier Wednesday, had accused San Francisco of catering to criminals with its sanctuary policies. At Wednesdays hearing in San Francisco, a Trump administration lawyer asked U.S. District Judge William Orrick III to reconsider his nationwide injunction prohibiting the government from enforcing the presidents Jan. 25 executive order by cutting off funding to defiant cities and counties. While Trump spoke in general terms, Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate said, Sessions made it clear in a later memo that the only funds at risk were some small Justice Department grants totaling less than $1 million for the two counties to local governments that violated immigration laws. Now Playing: The House of Representatives approved a bill withholding federal funds from sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The bill now moves to the Senate where it faces a tough battle. Video: KTVU Since both counties have insisted that they comply with the laws, their concerns that all their federal funding is at risk are put to rest, Shumate told Orrick. But the judge said he had rejected similar arguments in his April 25 injunction, which found that the wording of Trumps order, and his public denunciations of sanctuary cities, appeared to threaten the two counties with cutoffs of hundreds of millions of dollars. The president has no such authority over federal funding, Orrick ruled. More for you California counters Sessions claims on sanctuary cities Despite Sessions memo, Orrick said Wednesday, only the president can change his executive order. He said Sessions memo is not binding on others in the government, and noted that Trump could order Sessions to change his position, or could replace the attorney general. San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Mollie Lee chimed in that Sessions cannot rewrite the executive order and that Trump had again threatened two weeks ago to defund sanctuary cities. And as recently as Wednesday morning, Lee said, Sessions renewed his attack on San Francisco in a speech to law enforcement officers in Las Vegas. In his remarks, posted on the Justice Departments website, Sessions said some 300 local and state governments were protecting criminals rather than their law-abiding residents by refusing to cooperate with immigration authorities. When cities like Philadelphia, Boston or San Francisco advertise that they have these policies, the criminals take notice, he said. Shumate responded that the Trump administration has never formally defined San Francisco, or anyplace else, as a sanctuary city. The term could mean a lot of different things, he said. He also said the administration, while suggesting recently that 10 state and local governments including the state of California were violating immigration laws, has never leveled that accusation at San Francisco. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The law, on its face, says only that local governments must allow their police to inform federal officers of the immigration status of inmates in their custody, a requirement that San Francisco and Santa Clara County say they are following. But Lee, San Franciscos lawyer, said the administration has indicated there are additional requirements that the counties are violating. There is a real threat of enforcement and a need for Orrick to maintain his injunction, she said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Vallejo police officials are investigating a complaint that an officer discharged his gun while chasing two armed carjacking suspects, who were eventually arrested without injury, authorities said Thursday. Victor Hurtado, 32, and David Plancarte, 20, both of Napa County, were arrested on Saturday and booked at the Napa County Jail on carjacking charges, police said. A complaint was filed with the police department on Tuesday that an officer fired his gun at Hurtado, who was fleeing on foot and believed to be armed, police said. The person who filed the complaint was not identified. Hurtado was not injured. Police investigating the incident were combing through surveillance footage that shows the incident, officials said. An independent witness also confirmed that at least one of the suspects was armed, police said. The officer who fired his gun was not identified. He was wearing a body camera that also captured the event, police said. Hurtado and Plancarte are known members of the Surenos gang and were on parole at the time of the car theft, police said. 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. In keeping with protocol, the officer was placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated, police said. Anyone with information can contact Detective Robert Greenberg of the Vallejo Police Department Investigations Division at (707) 648-4280. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani DAVENPORT, Santa Cruz County All across California, one storm after another dumped drought-busting rains last winter that put an end to water-saving emergency measures and the doomsday scenario of taps running dry. Except here. On the coastal bluffs just north of Santa Cruz, this hamlet is in danger of drying up because those storms were more than a 100-year-old water pipe could handle. The pipe was Davenports water lifeline a 4-mile conduit that snakes from San Vicente Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the treatment plant for the towns 430 residents. The storms caused landslides that damaged the pipe in two spots, forcing the town to tap into the smaller Mill Creek as an emergency stopgap. But now its summer, the rains have stopped, and Mill Creek is going dry. By the end of July, its expected to be no more than a trickle. That means the old line must be fixed, or the county will have to pay $7,500 daily to truck water 9 miles up Highway 1 from Santa Cruz. Theres just one problem no one has agreed to pay the $220,000 needed to repair the pipe. Santa Cruz County says its the job of a Mexican construction giant that owns the line, which originally was built to deliver water to Davenports old cement plant and the townspeople who worked there. The companys stance is that it has no responsibility to ensure that the pipe can carry water thats the countys job. Ultimately, the cost could fall on Davenports largely low-income residents, who already pay some of the steepest water and sewer bills in the state. Davenport households could see those bills jump $2,200 apiece this year to make sure they can still have water. Imagine if you got a notice that your water may be cut off at any minute, said Ann Parker, 64, who used to work at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, but now is retired. Or there is some sort of water crisis. Imagine a notice that theres a huge bill for it, and you have to pay the cost. You would be upset. Anyone would. The fight revolves around Cemex, the Mexican multinational company that acquired the Davenport cement plant as part of its 2005 purchase of the British concrete producer RMC. The cement factory was a longtime economic mainstay of the town, employing about 120 residents in its heyday. Cemex shuttered the plant in 2010 and is trying to sell it and partial rights to the San Vicente Creek water for as much as $7 million. After the plant closed, Cemex paid for the water pipelines upkeep. But when mudslides severed it in February, company officials refused to fix it, saying the pipeline wasnt on Cemexs land. What they are doing is wrong, and they need to step up, said Ryan Coonerty, who represents Davenport on the county Board of Supervisors and wants the county to consider legal action against Cemex. Cemex, who is out trying to sell this property for millions and sell the water rights for even more, should do what is right and repair the infrastructure and not force a small, low-income community to bear the full cost, Coonerty said. Its really abominable behavior. The added cost would be disastrous for the fixed-income retirees and low-wage laborers living in the cement plants shadow, Coonerty said. Davenport, a town sliced by train tracks and streets with names like Marine View Avenue and Old Coast Road, is inextricably connected to the former cement factory. The bulk of its residents still live in old company housing ringing the plant, which supplied much of the concrete that went into rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire. When Cemex shut down the plant, it also ended its longtime subsidizing of water for the town. Without the company picking up part of the water cost, Davenport residents have to pay the full bill for pumping and cleaning the water. Their bills have since skyrocketed and are among the highest in California, according to the American Water Works Association. Each household pays $3,942 annually, including $1,649 for water and $2,293 for sewer service nearly double what residents used to pay. Cemex says its not the bad guy. The damage to the main water line that was caused by the major storms earlier this year did not occur on Cemex property, the company said in a statement. Cemex did discuss the issues caused by the storm damage with the county staff and sent a letter to Santa Cruz County leaders in May offering them access so the county could make the repairs. The attempt to cast this as Cemex cutting off water supplies is disappointing. Jason Hoppin, a spokesman for Santa Cruz County, said Cemexs response was beyond disappointing and irresponsible and reckless, and has put the whole Davenport community at risk of running out of water. Despite the uncertainty over where Davenport will get its water, theres no mandatory rationing. And some residents said they werent even aware they were about to run dry until Coonerty held a news conference last week at a pullout off Highway 1. On a bright and breezy morning, Stephanie Raugust, a member of the family that owns the Whale City Bakery Bar and Grill, pulled a pecan pie out of the oven and set it on a counter to cool. The 66-year-old has lived in Davenport for 43 years. She has had to boil her own drinking water at times when there were water issues in the town. But residents werent informed about the drying Mill Creek this time, she said. We havent gone through anything like this before, Raugust said. It defies logic in some ways, having this happen after the drought ended. I feel like we have been kept in the dark. However, if you live in this area, you know from the wisdom of country bumpkins that storms create problems in water use. Its not surprising. Down the street from the bakery, Louis des Cognets, 65, worked in the backyard of his home with his Australian shepherd, Tess. He said the cost of shouldering the pipeline repairs wouldnt affect his household but he worried it would for others. Im in a fortunate situation, but so many others are on a fixed income, des Cognets said. We are already paying so much a year. It doesnt sound like Cemex is the answer. I think it will end up being us paying for this, but I hope thats not true. Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn The revised Senate health care bill released by Republicans on Thursday largely maintains the dramatic cuts in federal Medicaid spending and premium subsidies as the previous version of the proposal changes that experts say would lead to millions of poor Californians losing some benefits or paying more for insurance. But the newly released plan also introduces language, advanced by conservative Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, that would allow insurance companies to sell bare-bones plans with lower premiums that do not meet the consumer protection requirements put in place by the Affordable Care Act. To do so, however, the insurers must also offer some plans that do comply with the requirements, which include guaranteed access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and a prohibition on charging sick people more than healthy people. Health policy experts say this would probably separate the individual insurance market into two pools younger, healthier people who would buy cheaper, skimpier plans, and older, sicker people who would be paying much higher premiums for the more comprehensive plans. As a result, many sick people would no longer be able to afford insurance, experts said. Prior to Obamacare, many states allowed insurers to segment the market legally, and Obamacare eliminated that. So all this proposal is doing is reinstating pre-Obamacare market rules, said Gerald Kominski, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. We know what that produces millions of people who are priced out of the market. To address this, the bill would allocate $70 billion to insurance companies to help pay for the higher-cost patients. However, in California which has its own regulations mandating what insurance companies must cover it appears that state law would continue to apply despite the exemptions allowed in the Cruz and Lee proposal, according to the California Department of Insurance. Covered California, the state health insurance marketplace created under the ACA, would not allow the sale of plans that do not comply with state rules, a spokeswoman said. States would still have authority to regulate insurance plans, so they could impose more stringent requirements and prevent the exemptions in the Senate bill from taking effect, said Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation. The newly revised bill also includes some additions designed to appeal to both the conservative and moderate Senate Republicans, whose votes are needed to advance the measure. It would send $5 billion a year, for nine years, to states for opioid addiction and treatment services. And it would keep two Affordable Care Act taxes on high earners that the previous version of the bill sought to repeal a 3.8 percent tax on investment income and a 0.9 percent payroll tax for individuals who earn over $200,000 a year. Like the previous version of the bill, the Senate measure, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act, would eliminate the requirement to buy insurance, known as the individual mandate, that was enacted by the Affordable Care Act. A similar bill, passed by the House in May, would do the same. Both measures are part of Republicans efforts to fulfill their campaign promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tweeted that the plan will give Americans more tools for managing their own health care, not giving more power to the federal government. In California, which operates the nations largest Medicaid program, the Senate bills biggest impact would be to Medi-Cal, which covers 13.5 million residents about a third of the states population. Like the previous version of the bill, the proposal would cap the amount of federal dollars that each Medicaid enrollee could receive each year, resulting in a 35 percent reduction in federal Medicaid spending in 2036, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis of the original bill. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes To make up for the drop in federal money, California would have to come up with an additional $30 billion in 2026 to maintain the programs current benefits. In California, the lifeblood for our safety net of public hospitals and clinics is Medi-Cal funds, said Andrew Bindman, a professor of medicine and health policy at UCSF and a former congressional fellow who helped draft parts of the ACA. If this bill were to pass, our safety net would be dramatically undermined. Wed more than likely lose institutions that have become dependent on the flow of funds from Medi-Cal to sustain their work. The Senate proposal would keep in place the general structure of the ACA subsidies that, in California, go to about 1.5 million residents who buy insurance on Covered California. But it would change the eligibility requirements to receive this assistance, making it no longer available for tens of thousands of low-income people who earn between roughly $42,000 and $48,000 a year. And the subsidies under the Senate bill would be linked to a less generous insurance plan with a higher deductible meaning even those who would continue to receive the assistance would probably pay higher out-of-pocket costs. Meanwhile, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced Thursday on CNN that they are working on an alternative repeal-and-replace plan that would retain most of the ACA taxes but funnel the money to states to allow governors to manage their own insurance markets. It is not a formal bill, and could be incorporated into the official Senate measure as an amendment. The path forward for the Senate Republican bill is narrow. McConnell said Thursday that the chamber will take it up next week, but two GOP senators have already announced their opposition and one more would prevent the repeal effort from even reaching a procedural motion to proceed. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho Companies today know its not enough to do the job they set out to do and call it a day. Increasingly, customers demand that corporations stand for something, a new study found, and work to make the world a better, more equal place. Though this ideology is catching on among businesses and executives, few are actually being the change they want to see in the world. In a study that compiled several Salesforce surveys of thousands of professionals and business leaders, the company found that 80 percent of professionals say businesses have a responsibility to look beyond profit and make a positive impact on society. But only 36 percent of them said their own company was doing that work internally. As diversity remains a flash point for corporations and tech firms, studies like this seem to affirm what many diversity advocates have long theorized: Even socially conscious companies that speak out on behalf of underrepresented groups and social-justice issues may fail to bring that inclusivity to their own offices. Salesforce, whose reputation as an aggressive ally for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people earned chief executive Marc Benioff a 2016 GLAAD award and rallied other corporations to fight discriminatory legislation across the country, is not immune to this critique. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2014 Former Salesforce employee and diversity advocate Kyle Graden, who identifies as pansexual and gender-nonconforming and uses the pronoun they instead of he or she, left their job late last year after becoming disillusioned with the tech giant. Graden, who worked as a product marketing analyst, became a vocal member of Outforce, Salesforces internal group for LGBT employees. Graden said that after working for more than a year to change the companys culture around gender-nonconforming and nonbinary employes those who do not fit neatly into the male-female gender binary they concluded that the company Graden had long idealized and admired was more focused on its presence and presentation at the San Francisco Pride Parade than how to improve internal processes and inclusion. I went into Salesforce with a certain expectation of LGBTQ inclusion, but as I got more into it and as I started leading Outforce ... I just felt like we were getting nowhere, said Graden, who now owns their own business as a gender solutions strategist. All the emphasis and all the budget was put on Pride and marketing the company as inclusive, but meanwhile we still had people from underrepresented groups LGBT, people of color, people with disabilities who were being passed over for promotions and made to feel invisible. A Salesforce spokeswoman pointed to several company initiatives meant to address disparities at the company. As of this year, Salesforce has spent nearly $6 million to adjust employee salaries in an effort to address unexplained pay gaps between men and women and between white workers and employees of color. In June, the tech company instituted a new internal ID system that allows employees to select their sexual orientation, gender identity and pronouns. That initiative, called Proudly Me, also incorporates the internal instant-messaging system, in an effort to prevent employees from being misgendered at work. According to Salesforces survey, which was released Thursday, only about a quarter of professionals believe their company cares about closing the gender pay gap. Just slightly more than a third, 36 percent, say their company fosters an inclusive culture and actively works to be more diverse. Meanwhile, nearly half of professionals surveyed said they do not believe their company provides equal opportunities for all of its employees. I think when you get to a company that has these values, you think, at first, Hey, this is great. Maybe its the first time youre able to be out in the workplace, or the first time you have a support group for people like you, Graden said. But eventually, you start to realize that the company doesnt quite internalize its message of inclusivity as much as they should. And that hits hard. Its so disappointing. In the past, taking stands on social issues and effecting change was largely the domain of local businesses that were ingrained in their communities. They might donate to local nonprofits as a quiet show of support, or make it clear they welcomed certain groups as customers. Experts who track the behavior of businesses say the attitudes of national corporations changed about 2008, when the recession and the rise of social medias influence converged to create a tipping point. Millennials, generally defined as those who born between 1980 and 2000, are 1 times more likely to expect their employers and the businesses they patronize to stand for a social cause than Baby Boomer consumers. Experts who track corporate advocacy have identified several choice issues that seem to have risen to the top of American corporate consciousness: the environment, social justice and LGBT rights. Employees and customers should demand more from corporations than marching in a parade or taking a stand on Twitter, according to Graden. Companies need to incorporate that intersectional and intergenerational diversity into the leadership so it influences the companys decision-making and changes how a company approaches these issues, Graden said. This advice mirrors Salesforces own recommendations, which advise other companies to demonstrate an authentic commitment to a greater objective by setting an example in their own businesses. Actions speak louder than words, Salesforce wrote. Being open, transparent, and active in promoting equality in the workplace can earn enduring customer and employee trust. Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae Shares of Zillow Group slipped almost 4 percent Wednesday after a news report suggested that Amazon.com might have designs on entering the Realtor-referral business. HousingWire reported that a Hire a Web Realtor Web page had popped up on the Internet retailers Home and Business Services section. This is where customers can get price quotes from experts in their area to do things such as repair a computer, install an auto roof rack or replace a sump pump. The Realtor service was not yet operational and labeled Coming soon. After the report came out, the Web page disappeared. HousingWire noted it was offline a little after noon. But the damage was done to Zillow stock, which fell $1.77 per share to $44.62 on a day the overall market was up. Amazon declined to comment. Zillow sells ads to real estate agents, mortgage brokers and landlords on its sites, which include Zillow, Trulia, StreetEasy, HotPads and Naked Apartments. It does not charge for home or apartment listings, employ agents or get paid directly for referrals or transactions, said Camille Chotzen, a Zillow spokeswoman. Its main business is selling prime placement to premier agents on real estate ads, so when buyers are interested in a particular listing, they might call that agent first. Premier agents also get software to help them in their business, Chotzen said. She declined to comment on Zillows stock price. Geoff McIntosh, president of the California Association of Realtors, hadnt heard any rumblings about Amazon entering the Realtor-referral business. But if it did, companies such as Zillow and Realtor.com (a division of News Corp.) could be impacted. Amazon is a big powerful company with the ability to reach lots and lots of consumers. Any business that relies on data aggregation to generate listing leads would be affected, he said. Redfin also displays listings on its website, but unlike Zillow it employs agents. Redfin, which filed for an initial public offering on June 30, declined to comment. Zillow, Redfin and Amazon are all based in Seattle. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender Sonoma County prosecutors continued Wednesday to press their case against a survivalist accused of murdering his brother in Forestville in March, but they have not charged him with the notorious 2004 double slaying of a young engaged couple on a Jenner beach, more than two months after police said he was the culprit. Shaun Gallon, 38, appeared Wednesday morning in Sonoma County Superior Court, where he faces four felonies including murder for allegedly shooting Shamus Gallon, 36, multiple times inside the familys home on the 9800 block of River Road on March 24. Shaun Gallon has not been charged with the Jenner killings, though the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office named him as the sole suspect in early May, saying he had implicated himself while in custody. Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Brady, who is handling the fratricide case, declined to comment outside court on why charges have not been filed. In court, Gallon, with a graying beard and long hair that fell past his shoulders, stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He kept his eyes fixed on Judge Jamie Thistlethwaite as she called each case on the days calender. Lynnette Brown, his attorney, filed a motion to push back a preliminary hearing of the evidence, which had been set for July 20. We need more time, Brown said after Gallon was ordered to return to court Sept. 1. Gallon was arrested the night of his brothers slaying after his mother called the Sheriffs Office to report the shooting and gave police a description of the minivan he fled in, officials said. He was booked in Sonoma County Jail, and remains there without bail. 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. After his arrest, investigators said he shared enough details to tie him to the cold-case killings of Lindsay Cutshall, 22, of Fresno, Ohio, and her 26-year-old fiance, Jason Allen of Zeeland, Mich. Gallon, 25 at the time, shot the couple with a .45-caliber Marlin rifle at close range while they dozed in sleeping bags on Fish Head Beach near the mouth of the Russian River, Sheriff Steve Freitas said in May. A 32-year-old woman was arrested in the fatal stabbing of a 60-year-old man in San Jose, officials said Thursday. Amber Nichole Gerkin, of San Jose, was arrested Sunday shortly after the victim was found stabbed about 9:50 a.m. in a residential area on the 700 block of South Second Street, police said. The victim, a San Jose resident, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. A SWAT team in San Mateo arrested a 26-year-old man wanted for threatening a woman with a gun as she walked with her grandchild, police said Wednesday. The San Mateo Police Department served a search warrant on North Fremont Street near Tilton Avenue southwest of Highway 101 in San Mateo around midnight Tuesday, authorities said. I read on TechCrunch about SFMOMAs new Send Me SFMOMA service, which allows art lovers to text (to 572-51) an emoji or a simple message (send me ...) and receive in response an image filling that description. This system makes use of data on 35,000 pieces of art in its collection, said TechCrunch, and if several works of art match your description, one of them randomly chosen will be sent. Apparently actor Neil Patrick Harris was so taken with the concept that he tweeted about it last week, to 27 million followers, creating a huge spike in usage. From Saturday to Tuesday, the museum had sent more than 1.6 million responses, something like 70,000 per hour at a high point. I couldnt resist trying it. I was in the mood to resee a favorite Elmer Bischoff painting of a woman in an orange sweater. So I wrote send me orange. I got back Joan Brown, Bather #5, a 1982 painting of a woman in kind of a tiger suit. So I wrote send me orange sweater. I got back Josef Albers 1972 painting, Study for Homage to the Square, in which orange was the dominant color. So I wrote back Send me woman in orange sweater. I got back a 1927 black and white photograph by Umbo, Portrait of Rut Landshoff (The Hat). I was definitely not making progress. So I made it easy: send me Bischoff orange. We could not find any matches, said the text I got back, suggesting I should maybe try Send me San Francisco. Its not designed to be a search engine, said the museums Jill Lynch. This is more of an experiential engagement tool. We want you to find other things in the collection that can appeal to you. So, to seekers of visual surprise: bon voyage! If, on the other hand, you want to see that beautiful painting of a woman in an orange sweater, never mind texting, look here. Pleasures of email: California first lady Anne Gust Brown proved her woman-of-the-people credentials a few days ago when her email was hacked. Friends and contacts probably figured out it was unlikely that an email from the governors wife contained only a link and the jaunty greeting, Sup. Peter Scarlet, who was director of the San Francisco International Film Festival from 1983 to 2001, has been appointed artistic director of the Mar del Plata Festiva in Argentina. The festival, says Variety is the only A-list festival in South America; organizers want to make it more internationally known. After leaving San Francisco, Scarlet went to the Cinematheque Francaise, Tribeca and Abu Dhabi festivals. At a Tuesday evening cocktail party for the British artist Sarah Lucas, whose contemporary exhibition, Good Muse, officially opens at the Legion of Honor on Saturday, July 15, Fine Arts Museums Director Max Hollein talked about the institutions new emphasis on contemporary art. After hed been hired, he said, and word was out that hed want to show works by modern artists, hed received an invitation to the Pacific Union Club, not the most cutting-edge club, he said, from museum Acquisition Committee members Bob Bransten and Paul Wattis. Expecting the worst, he said, he began going into a whole spiel, in defense of the modern. It wasnt necessary; as fans of contemporary art, they wanted to encourage that direction. They told him they wanted more contemporary art. Claudia Schmuckli, hired by Hollein as curator for contemporary art, said that Lucas sculptures, created in response to those in Auguste Rodin: The Centenary Installation, are really exciting. Most museum shows are previewed with events for members and more exclusive events for big-donor members. Theres a Friday night members-only preview planned. But the Fine Arts Museums are hoping to attract new audiences. In keeping with that, she said, Thursday nights sneak preview as well as every following one for contemporary art would be open to the public, free, with a cash bar; registration required. Bransten, said Hollein, had told Hollein he was particularly fond of British contemporary art. Max, said Hollein, standing alongside the museum director, you have delivered. P.S.: The artists posse included her pal Andrew Hale, keyboardist for the band Sade. Hed been invited to play the Legions organ his first time ever for the preview party. More on that next week. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping Im more of a philosophical anarchist. Older gentleman to companions at CEra Una Volta restaurant in Alameda, overheard by Bruce Wodhams Environmental groups, ranchers and the National Park Service have reached a settlement over the future of cattle ranches in Point Reyes National Seashore. Under the settlement, announced Wednesday, the Park Service can extend grazing leases to ranchers for five years and must complete a comprehensive environmental assessment and management plan within four years, which conservationists said has been overdue for decades. Three environmental groups Mill Valleys Resource Renewal Institute; Center for Biological Diversity, a national organization with offices in Oakland; and Western Watersheds Project, headquartered in Idaho filed a lawsuit in February 2016. Its goal was to require the National Park Service to complete an environmental assessment and revise its management plan before renewing the leases to about 20 ranches in the park, which previously had been extended for decades at a time. Some of the biggest names in the Bay Areas organic meat and dairy industry lease land in Point Reyes, including Bill Niman and Nicolette Hahn Niman of BN Ranch, David Evans of Marin Sun Farms and a dairy that provides milk to Straus Family Creamery. The ranches became co-defendants in the case with the National Park Service after the suit was filed. The controversy has caused a split in Marin County over what constitutes good environmental practices allow ranchers to let their cattle graze the grasslands, or leave the land in its most natural state without the pollution, erosion and other effects of grazing that impact native tule elk and other wildlife? Both sides are considering the settlement a victory. This is a win for those of us who dont want to see tule elk evicted from the park and for anyone concerned about damage to wetlands, streams and wildlife habitats from cattle grazing, Jeff Miller, with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a news release. The public will get its long-overdue opportunity to weigh in on where native wildlife and public access should trump commercial cattle ranching on Point Reyes park lands. In a release, the plaintiffs said the Park Service will consider a full range of alternatives, including ending or reducing beef and dairy cattle ranching in the park. Ranchers, on the other hand, said they consider the five-year lease agreement a win, because previous discussions had involved giving them only one-year lease extensions. Ranching leases on Point Reyes National Seashore have existed since 1962, when the federal government purchased the ranches to establish the park, and some ranchers have been there for generations. West Marin farming is important to our local economy and environmental protection, food safety and food security, said Stacy Carlsen, Marin County agricultural commissioner, who said that 20 percent of farming in the county takes place in Point Reyes, representing about $20 million in revenue, and the majority of that is organic, which Carlsen said represents the highest quality in farming. This idea that our dairymen and our ranches out there are somehow imposing an environmental impact on the park is not fair, he added. But the environmental groups that filed the lawsuit claimed the National Park Service has put ranchers interests before those of park visitors and wildlife by neglecting to perform environmental impact assessments of cattle grazing on the seashore. The national park is the only one with tule elk, who compete with the cattle for forage; it includes habitat for bobcat, coyotes, bald eagles, elephant seals and other wildlife. When the National Park Service revises the parks management plan, which has not been fully updated since 1980, there will be a public comment period on any changes to appropriate uses and activities in the 71,000-acre park. About 18,000 acres are leased to ranches. Ive always been mystified why the Park Service didnt do their general management plan when they started the process back in 1997, said Laura Alice Watt, environmental historian and professor at Sonoma State University and author of The Paradox of Preservation: Wilderness and Working Landscapes at Point Reyes National Seashore. As long as the plan is done well with a consistent approach, genuine public input and sound science if it proceeds in that way, then the park will benefit from that, Watt said. Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan Jason Henry/Special To The Chronicle Foreign Cinemas Gayle Pirie and John Clark are still in the opening act when it comes to their unnamed wine bar and its 15,000-bottle cellar. Roughly five months after announcing the project, Clark and Pirie are still deciding how exactly to build it. The wine bar will be located at 2540 Mission St., on the opposite side of Foreign Cinemas sister bar Laszlo. Theres no restaurant history at the address. For the last three years, it was being leased as storage space. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In July 2015, Bonni Cohen was sitting by a pool in Montclair, N.J., when her phone rang. It was Diane Weyermann from Participant Media, and she was looking for a filmmaking team to direct the sequel to An Inconvenient Truth, a global warming movie with former Vice President Al Gore. Before she knew it, Cohen and her husband and documentary partner in crime, Jon Shenk, were off to Nashville to meet Gore, an opportunity that the noted documentarians, who live in San Franciscos Inner Sunset, could not pass up. Two years later, Cohen and Shenk are preparing to unveil An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, which promises to be one of the years most high-profile documentaries. Before its national release later this summer, it will screen July 24 at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival: Q: How did the film come about? Bonni Cohen: Everything hinged on meeting Al Gore. What has he been doing the past 10 years, and what kind of film could we make about this man and the climate crisis? Jon Shenk: We saw a 10-hour version of his slideshow. It was clear that the solutions to climate change were now in place, but the question was how quickly we could put them in place. We settled on the idea of following Al around for a year. Q: What was it like working with Al Gore? JS: He was tireless, whether he was getting information for a slideshow, meeting with flood survivors in the Philippines, or working on the Paris climate agreement. We are 20 years younger than him, but he had more energy than we did. Q: The scenes on the Greenland ice sheet were quite dramatic. BC: I was really worried about Jon. He had a harness on, but it was super scary. JS: Greenland looked like another planet the beauty, the danger. I asked a scientist, How do we do this? Where should I be? He told me to put my feet where he put his feet, because the ice sheet is literally like Swiss cheese. Q: What was one of your favorite moments in the film? JS: To be with Al in Paris during the climate negotiations was a privilege. It was like a political thriller. To capture that moment in real time, on camera, was why we went to film school in the first place. BC: We had the huge advantage of having a great leading man in Al Gore. That was essential to our goal of bringing climate change into peoples lives and making it personal for them. Q: What do you want viewers to take from the film? BC: We want people to leave the theater changed from when they first walked in. There are lots of ways to communicate the climate crisis, but we want people unable to remove themselves from the issue, so we can move the needle forward. Q: Since making the film, are you more anxious or hopeful when it comes to global warming? JS: On the whole, were hopeful that we can solve this environmental crisis. Al channeled a lot of optimism in the film that we cant lose hope of salvaging whats left of the Earth, just because weve done some harm. Q: Did you feel the weight of history in making this film? BC: We have two teenage kids of our own. We have thought a lot about how meaningful this film is for them. Its their future, their legacy. Anything we can do to leave a better Earth for them, we want to do. We were grateful to be doing positive work during these divisive times. JS: We really feel we are in a unique moment of the climate crisis. The truth of the environmental devastation is real. We hope that the film will move this issue out of the realm of politics and into the realm of activism and business ingenuity. David Lewis is a San Francisco freelance writer. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power will screen at 7:30 p.m., Monday, July 24, Castro Theatre. Al Gore, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk will be there. www.sfjff.org It is a terrible thing when a species realizes that evolution is not on its side. Its a downright weird thing when a species starts making movies celebrating that possibility. The X-Men movies and even to an extent the recent deluge of superhero pictures all deal, to some degree, with the coming obsolescence or helplessness of normal human beings, the implicit idea being that all just should accept this fact and walk in neat, undisturbed lines into the abyss. But no series has been so obvious in its viewpoint as the new Planet of the Apes series, a three-movie prequel to the original Planet of the Apes (1968), which ended with Charlton Heston screaming on the beach about mankinds self-destruction. In the new series first two films, audiences were asked to root on this inevitability, which was difficult. But in the new film, War for the Planet of the Apes the best of the series, by far the series viewpoint comes into focus, and its a lot more intricate and enlightened than some unthinking death wish. Sci-fi has become the domain for mindless action and spectacle, but War is something different, a subdued and somber science fiction film, with only small pockets of action. Most of the film consists of quiet conversation, and because most of the apes can communicate only through sign language, many of those conversations are subtitled. Love it or simply like it, War for the Planet of the Apes is a conscientious and mostly successful attempt to take science fiction in a thoughtful and intelligent direction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Twentieth Century Fox/Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Twentieth Century Fox Show More Show Less War picks up the story at a difficult point for our simian brethren. The humans have scattered the ape forces and are putting the prisoners into zoos, which arent really zoos, but massive holding pens for thinking beings. Caesar the Lincoln/Gandhi of the apes wants a cease-fire and envisions a world in which humans and apes can live in harmony. But all the momentum seems to be heading toward confrontation. In a movie heavy with special effects we take those apes for granted, but they are computer generated through a process called performance capture War has at least three strong performances. Andy Serkis as Caesar carries himself as if the fate of the world rested on his choices and seems very much a great man, albeit not a man. Steve Zahn plays a chimpanzee known as Bad Ape, a timid fellow with the gift of speech who is traumatized by things he has seen. It is hard to know where to allocate the praise either to the actors with the electrodes on their faces or to the technicians who converted their expressions into performances. But the collaboration resulted in something notable and impressive. Woody Harrelson as the human Colonel, whose ambition is to kill every ape in existence and save the Earth for his own species, is the supposed villain of the piece, but the movie grants him his reasons and lots of backstory to play. He has an encounter with Caesar in the middle of the film, a long conversation in which he explains his ideas and his personal history, and Harrelson makes it a fascinating glimpse into a troubled personality. In Harrelsons insightful rendering, the Colonel has gone off some existential edge, and theres no reaching him. He is in too much emotional pain to be anything but cruel, because if he stopped being horrible, hed have no defense against his inner torment. Though things look grim for the apes at the start of the movie, the humans dont have it all that great themselves. Theres a disease going around that is robbing humans of speech and making them less intelligent, a kind of airborne Alzheimers that can hit anybody. Back in 1968, with World War II a recent memory and the Cold War raging, the destruction of humanity was envisioned as self-inflicted, the result of nuclear war. But that original Planet of the Apes imagined the apes as rising out of the evolutionary ashes. This new series has always posited something different, and the new fantasy human stupidity combined with some random cruelty of nature somehow feels right for our era. That is, an era tormented not so much by paranoia or terror as by a complete and utter philosophical exhaustion. Mick LaSalle is the San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle War for the Planet of the Apes Science fiction. Starring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn. Directed by Matt Reeves. (PG-13. 140 minutes.) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less BARTs police chief said Thursday that his department will look at ways to make information about crime in the system more readily available to the public and media. The transit systems police and administrators have been criticized over the past week for replacing daily police logs with an online crime map that offers no detailed information about crimes on BART, and for their continued refusal to release video footage of an April 22 attack on a train by as many as 60 young people who harassed and robbed passengers. A strenuous attempt to be serious can often lead to laughs, but a strenuous attempt to be funny leads ... nowhere. It leads to empty gestures. It leads to comic flailing. It leads to an audience that comes away beaten up and exhausted by mugging and straining and mirthless, cute absurdity. Lost in Paris is such a comedy. It stars Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, and within five or 10 minutes you dont have to check to see who wrote and directed it, because you can guess. Obviously, the performers made the film themselves, with no collaborator to focus the humor and no outside director to look at their performances and say, Tone it down. This is not funny. It tells the story of a Canadian woman named Fiona (Gordon), who goes to Paris to come to the aid of her elderly Aunt Martha, whose mind is beginning to slip. Martha is played by Emmanuelle Riva, who must be counted as a major get. Riva (Amour, Hiroshima Mon Amour) died in January, a month shy of her 90th birthday, and this is one of her last completed films. Poor Fiona has trouble from the first minute she arrives in Paris. She cant find Martha. She falls into the Seine. She loses her passport, her money and her luggage; however, these are all found by a homeless man named Dom (Abel), and soon the two run into each other, by coincidence, while he is in the process of spending all their money. They dance. They fall in love immediately. She falls into the Seine again. Did I mention its all sidesplitting? No, because its not. Theres one bit that isnt bad, however. At one point, through circumstances not worth going into, Dom is called upon to do a funeral oration for a person he has never met. He starts improvising and, in the course of letting his imagination run free, he ends up condemning the deceased for a series of imagined offenses. The scene works because of the formal constraint of the speech it cant get too zany and because the oration says something revealing and (in the moment) interesting about the state of Doms mind. Riva, to her credit, is game in this, and even more to her credit, she displays a comic sensibility more restrained than that of her co-stars. As a result, some of her scenes have a quiet whimsicality that almost works. And in any case, its nice to see her turn up like this, unexpectedly. But now were not really talking about the movie. Were talking about sitting there distracting oneself with thoughts of Emmanuelle Riva and her career, as a way of white-knuckling it from one minute to the next. 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. In between moments of overplayed comedy, Lost in Paris makes a few lunges in the direction of sentimentality, but theres no real feeling to be had. The filmmakers skim the surface and assume the audience will supply the emotion. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MickLaSalle Lost in Paris Comedy. Starring Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Emmanuelle Riva. Directed by Abel and Gordon. In English and French with subtitles. (Unrated. 83 minutes.) As quickly as chef Anthony Strongs Internet restaurant, Young Fava, appeared in San Francisco, it has gone offline. And its next incarnation, the chef said, may be less virtual. Young Fava was San Franciscos first high-end delivery-only restaurant, selling through UberEats, Caviar, Postmates, DoorDash and other apps. It opened to much publicity in early June and operated for just a few weeks before shutting down. The former Locanda and Pizzeria Delfina chef said this week that he is temporarily closing the operation while searching for a space beyond the kitchen he shared at Turtle Tower, a Vietnamese restaurant in the Tenderloin. There are common explanations for unexpected closures in the food world: high operating costs, staff shortages, rising rent. The Young Fava space opened without signs, little to no staff and no lease agreement. Strong said the decision was spurred by something he wasnt fully anticipating: runaway popularity. On a recent Wednesday night, Strongs kitchen fielded 65 orders between 6 and 8:30 p.m. That was the moment where I realized there was potential there. I also realized that it wouldnt take much for that number to balloon to 120 orders, Strong said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Amy Osborne/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Amy Osborne/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Amy Osborne/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less The concept was always meant to have a short shelf life, the chef added. He considered it a low-risk way of testing the concept and playing around with the process. The experimental venture was lauded from the beginning for its higher-end fare dishes like rice dumplings with mushroom sugo delivered through apps more associated with delivering fast casual or ethnic food. The delivery industry is huge Yelps Eat24 is in 1,500 cities and DoorDash is in 350. Those businesses deliver food from traditional restaurants, whose storefront spaces familiarize people with their offerings. Online-only food-delivery operations have struggled to build brands, refine their menus and fine-tune their operations all at once. Munchery has seen layoffs, while Bento, Sprig and SpoonRocket have shut down. New Yorks Maple, a much-watched delivery-only restaurant backed by David Chang perhaps the best analogue for Young Fava closed this year. Now, as Strong looks for a permanent space, hes considering a conventional dining room in other words, abandoning the whole delivery-only concept. They say chefs are antisocial and all that, but I realized that I just really missed having people around, he said. Already, he had started accepting pickup orders at Turtle Towers Larkin Street location. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Others are still testing the delivery-only market. Baba Afolabi, owner of Oaklands Chop Plentii, a weekly meal-delivery service, said he plans to open a West African delivery-only restaurant. Chang, the chef behind Momofuku, now helps run Ando, another New York delivery restaurant. There is no rulebook for chefs running online delivery operations. Strong said hes still processing what he learned from a month of serving customers through apps. Now, it looks like the next step is finding a space for them to sit and eat. Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips There are few challenges more crucial to Gov. Jerry Browns last term in the governors office than extending Californias cap-and-trade program. With the Trump administrations shortsighted decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, its up to California to lead the battle against global warming. We cant do that without extending our cap-and-trade market, the crucial mechanism for limiting Californias overall greenhouse gas emissions. So it was a very big deal on Monday when the governor, alongside state legislative leaders, announced a package of bills to reduce air pollution and to reauthorize cap-and-trade through 2030. Is the package perfect? No. Even Gov. Brown admits that: Nothing is perfect, Brown said in an interview. Were not in the City of God, were in the City of Man. Does the Legislature need to pass it? Absolutely. If we cant pass this bill, itll be a tragedy for California and a tragedy for the world, Brown said. Brown is right. The proposal consists of two bills. AB398 will extend and modify the cap-and-trade program through 2030. This bill requires approval from two-thirds of the members of the Legislature. The second bill is AB617, which increases air pollution monitoring in certain local communities. The upshot of this package is a delicate balancing act between the demands of business, environmental and community justice groups. Like any big legislative effort, this package requires all of these groups to compromise. Some of those compromises have proved contentious. Brown elected to extend a restricted version of the free permit program, which gives businesses some allowance to pollute. That didnt make environmental groups happy. He also preserved a restricted version of the carbon offset program, which allows businesses to pay for environmental projects in California and elsewhere to ease the cost of compliance. The offset program had been criticized by environmental justice groups as allowing business groups to pollute local communities in exchange for doing good somewhere else. Those groups, along with local government officials, are also alarmed by another key legislative change: a ban on the ability of local air districts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from refineries in their areas. But business groups will find things to grumble about here, too. AB617 enacts stricter penalties for polluters. Theres a new requirement for refineries and other large industrial facilities to upgrade their equipment to cleaner technology within the next several years. Theres the fact that cap-and-trade regulations will continue, and continue to cost polluters money, for the foreseeable future. The stakes for these bills could not be higher, and thats reflected in the length and contentiousness of Sacramentos negotiations. The result a delicately balanced package that threads the needle between the demands of many affected parties is, by its nature, a compromise. Yet the alternative is unthinkable. For California to abandon the cap-and-trade program would mean abandoning our commitment to the rest of the world and our own future generations. The Legislature must pass AB398 and AB617. Tom Stienstra/Jacqueline Douglas / Special to The Chronicle Boat captain Roger Thomas of San Francisco was honored this week with a congressional proclamation by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, at an event at San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf. Thomas, 82, has spent more than 10,000 days on the ocean chasing salmon, albacore and whales on his boat, the Salty Lady, and has also supported salmon and water interests for 40 years. He was inducted last year into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. A new approach to fishing lets call it The Power of Negative Thinking has taken hold this summer. Despite a doomsday spring forecast, salmon fishing has been great out of the Golden Gate for several weeks. This weekend and the 10 days after it may provide best-of-year type prospects. Maybe theyre onto something predict the worst and then summer shows up and the salmon jump in the boat, said Jacky Douglas, one of several skippers who met at Castagnolas at Fishermans Wharf on Monday night for a dinner to honor Hall of Fame skipper Roger Thomas. There seems to be lots of salmon out there and the fishing is good, Thomas said. With social media and the age of instant fishing reports, boat scores and news about trips are instantly verifiable. When even the skippers are amazed at the success, you know youre on to something big. Weve had a great stretch of salmon fishing with limits-style action on a very nice grade of fish, posted Capt. Allen Chin of the TigerFish out of Emeryville, on his Facebook page. The fishing is very good, wrote Capt. Steve Talmadge of the Flash out of San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf. Now is the time to go. This comes after state and federal scientists had predicted about 230,000 ocean salmon this summer (compared with 800,000 to more than 1 million in typical good years). In 2015, a year that turned out to be mediocre, the forecast was 652,000, almost three times what was expected for this summer. The explanation for this summers success, Thomas, Douglas and many others believe, is a 2014 special trucking program for juvenile salmon. A consortium of agencies and organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Golden Gate Salmon Association transported 12 million juvenile salmon from Coleman National Fish Hatchery near Anderson (Shasta County) to the bay and poured them into submerged salmon cages. They were then released in pulses, to minimize predation, and swam a short distance to the ocean, where they could grow an inch and a pound per month and reach adult sizes three years later, this summer. One federal study showed that only about 5 percent of juvenile salmon can make it to the ocean on their own from the Coleman hatchery. The remaining 95 percent wouldnt survive the water pumps, diversions, reverse flows in delta channels, high water temperatures, low water quality and predation, according to the report. There was talk in the spring that we might not even have a season this year, with the forecast of low salmon abundance, Thomas said. Now look at it. If it wasnt for the trucking, I dont think wed have a season this year. Here are some of the factors aligning for best-of-season prospects: Full moon/minus tides: Sundays full moon is gone, and the last of the minus low tides end Thursday and wont return for two weeks. Wind/fog pattern: Just like the days when salmon was king, coastal weather is again in a classic cycle: fog in the morning, wind at 3 knots at 6 a.m. and 14 knots by noon, with a small-craft advisory by afternoon and 17 knots by 6 p.m.; then 10 knots by midnight and decreasing by dawn. Seems like a daily affair again, so different than the El Nino years. Sea temperatures/baitfish: Near the Farallon Islands, the sea temperature has been roughly 52 to 53 degrees, perfect for salmon. In addition, upwelling in May and June has produced plankton to jump-start a rich marine food chain that has attracted large numbers of juvenile anchovies and in the past two weeks vast balls of krill. That has also brought in lots of whales and marine mammals to the Bay Area coast. In the next two weeks outside the Golden Gate, the outlook is so bright for salmon that many believe schools will return to historic summer feeding grounds, located from the Channel Buoys to Middle Grounds to Duxbury, said Todd Magaline (and others) of the boat Blue Runner. As the wind has come and gone in the past month, skippers have found salmon in two- to three-day periods at many locations across the Gulf of the Farallones. To find the fish, boats have trolled to cover the maximum amount of water in the minimum of time. When a bite starts, skippers will relay their position to the rest of the fleet. That fishing world might turn upside down if the krill bite erupts at the Channel Buoys to Middle Grounds, like the old days. Many believe this is imminent. That will allow boats to mooch engines turned off and drifting with the tide not troll. Anglers aboard then dangle their anchovy baits and feel every bite, every nibble. When the bite is on, this is some of the most exciting salmon fishing imaginable. Its been years since this phenomenon, but the anticipation feels like a pressure cooker about to blow the lid off. Maybe the key is to go with an unspoken hope for the best, while speaking only of expecting the worst. This is the new outlook I call The Power of Negative Thinking. It comes courtesy the government fishery experts and might be the best new fishing secret the Golden Gate Fleet has ever come upon. Tom Stienstra is the outdoors writer for The Chronicle. His outdoors report can be heard on KCBS (740 and 106.9) at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. on Saturdays. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com If you want to go Limits: Salmon, two-fish limit, 20-inch minimum size, Point Arena (and along Bay Area coast) to Pigeon Point. Fishing license: Buy your California fishing license prior to trip; (800) 565-1458, or www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales. Sea conditions: Pillar Point Harbor, (650) 726-6070, Extension 2. Tackle: Gus Discount Fishing Tackle, San Francisco, (415) 752-6197, www.gusdiscounttackle.com; His Tackle Box, (650) 588-1200, South San Francisco, www.histackleboxshop.com. Boats/selected harbors San Francisco: Wacky Jacky Sportfishing, (415) 586-9800, www.wackyjackysportfishing.com. Sausalito: Salty Lady, (415) 674-3474, www.saltylady.com. Berkeley: Berkeley Charter Boats, (510) 849-3333, www.berkeleycharterboats.com. Emeryville: Emeryville Sportfishing Center, (800) 575-9944, http://emeryvillesportfishing.com. San Rafael: Executive Fishing Charters, San Rafael, (415) 460-9773. Half Moon Bay: Queen of Hearts, (510) 581-2628, www.fishingboat.com. Bodega Bay: Bodega Bay Sportfishing, (707) 875-3344, www.bodegabaysportfishing.com. Fish reports: USA Fishing, www.usafishing.com/GGreport.html; Berkeley Charter Boats, http://berkeleycharterboats.com/fishing-report/; NorCal Fish Reports, www.norcalfishreports.com; GGFA, www.facebook.com search for Golden Gate Fishermans Association. Tom Stienstra WASHINGTON Orange County Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher called the emails and subsequent meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and an attorney with ties to the Russian government still a nothingburger and the same old fake news. Tulare Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he would not discuss Russia or anything that starts with R. Kings County Republican Rep. David Valadao made it clear he had no interest in discussing the latest blockbuster as he rushed past a reporter on his way to a vote on the House floor. Publicly at least, Republicans on Wednesday were not pointing to fire in the billowing smoke surrounding multiple investigations into Russian meddling in the November election and the release Tuesday of an email exchange that showed President Trumps eldest son welcoming Russias offer to help defeat Hillary Clinton. Aside from a few political outliers with well-known independent streaks, Republicans, by and large, are staying mum on the issue. Thats especially true of California congressional members serving in the seven districts Clinton won and that Democrats are targeting in 2018. When your guy is attacked, the capacity for self-denial is pretty much infinite, said Mike Madrid, a California-based Republican consultant. The wagons have circled. Its the unfortunate reality of American politics today. The June 2016 emails to Trump Jr. from one of his fathers former Russian business partners offered dirt from a Russian official about Democrat Hillary Clinton. I love it, Trump Jr. responded. A meeting in Trump Tower followed, attended by a Russian lawyer with close connections to the Russian government, Trump Jr., Trumps son-in-law and now top White House adviser Jared Kushner, and candidate Trumps campaign manager, Paul Manafort. Trump Jr. released several different accounts of the meeting as the news broke over the past few days, first saying the meeting was about Russian adoptions, and Tuesday night telling Fox News host Sean Hannity that it was a bait-and-switch that wasted 20 minutes. But many House Republicans appeared to remain firmly behind the administration. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., set the tone, dodging questions about whether the younger Trumps actions were appropriate, and pushing the matter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is running an independent investigation into Russian meddling in the election, and the House and Senate Intelligence committees, which are conducting their own probes. I think it is very important that these professionals and these committees do their job so we can get to the bottom of all of this, Ryan said. Rohrabacher, who leads a Foreign Affairs Committee panel that oversees Russian relations and is perhaps Russias strongest supporter on Capitol Hill, said the news media made Trump Jrs. meeting sound sinister. Anybody in public life needs to listen to anybody who says they have something important to talk about, no matter what it is, no matter who they are, Rohrabacher said. Trump Jr. was listening to somebody. Thats what all this is. Concern about the Russia meeting, he said should be treated as it is, a political ploy thats distracting the American people from real issues. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, called the Russia scandal the craziest witch hunt of all time. Despite Democratic claims that the younger Trumps actions are the smoking gun needed to prove collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, Madrid, the Republican consultant, said the revelations are not likely to be a game changer for the presidents strong base of GOP supporters. Whats happening now is similar to Benghazi, he said, referring to the 2012 attack on an American diplomatic compound in Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Republicans in Congress held numerous hearings in an effort to tie then-Secretary of State Clinton to the carnage. You have a base of people consumed by this, including the media, Madrid said. Theres literally nothing that can be done to change those peoples minds. GOP consultant Rob Stutzman agreed. When President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, one step ahead of impeachment, he had the base even when he stepped into the Marine One helicopter to leave the White House, he said. Nonetheless, some Republicans expressed skepticism Wednesday of White House efforts to downplay the Trump Jr. meeting. Rep. Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican, said the latest scandal raises some very serious questions that need some very serious answers. ... It is very important that the American people know the truth. And at his Senate confirmation hearing, Christopher Wray, the presidents nominee to lead the FBI, told senators he did not consider the FBI investigation into possible Russian connections to the Trump campaign as a hoax. I do not consider Mueller to be on a witch hunt, he said. Carolyn Lochhead and John Wildermuth are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com, jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carolynlochhead, @jfwildermuth If youre a progressive, getting an email fundraising pitch from MoveOn.org is like seeing the fog roll in through the Golden Gate. It seemingly happens every day at the same time. But check out the name fronting one that just landed: Sen. Kamala Harris. Rookie senators arent usually asked to lend their name to pitches to MoveOns audience of 5 million, but the California Democrat is already paying dividends as the pitch is getting an unusually strong fundraising return, MoveOn Washington Director Ben Wikler told me Wednesday. Its another sign that in less than seven months on the job, the former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general has become a star fundraiser for the Democrats, who are badly in need of a star. And a lot of that has to do with Harris shedding the word that has dogged her through her career: cautious. Cautious because she felt her jobs as San Francisco and later Californias top law enforcement officer hindered her ability to express her political views as forcefully as she would have liked and as other progressives wished she would have. I almost feel like my hands are tied behind my back, Harris told me in October. She was freed from that restriction on election night when, in the face of Donald Trumps unexpected win, Harris chose to forgo a victory lap. Instead, she cut through the gloom at her victory party by challenging her supporters: What should we do when our ideals and our fundamental values are being attacked. Do we retreat, or do we fight? I say we fight. I intend to fight, she said that night. That message hit the right chord at the right time the beginning of the resistance to Trump. Her digital team sent out a post-election email sounding the same note and got a crazy response, strategist Sean Clegg said. So Harris team invested in growing the mailing list, which has seen an increase of more than 1,000 percent. The momentum continued once Harris got to Washington. She was one of few politicians invited to speak at the huge Womens March the day after Trumps inauguration. She was forceful in opposing 18 of Trumps 22 high-level nominations only three senators opposed more. And shes burnished her growing national reputation by flashing her prosecutorial skills during a series of high-profile Senate hearings. She grilled Sen. Jeff Sessions about his legal basis for refusing to answer questions. A TV audience of 20 million saw how she used her questioning of former FBI Director James Comey to build a case that Sessions acted inappropriately during investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. election. But what perhaps boosted her profile most happened during her pointed questioning with the Senate Intelligence Committee of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Both Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chairman Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., interrupted Harris and chided her for not allowing Rosenstein to answer a question fully. Burr did the same thing when Harris questioned Sessions. Apparently that kind of insolence isnt tolerated from women in the old white guys club known as the U.S. Senate. Harris tweeted her exchange with Rosenstein, including being shushed by McCain and Burr, and it was retweeted more than 25,000 times. She speaks like an actual human being, and thats an ever-valuable commodity in Washington, D.C. and she doesnt pull punches, MoveOns Wikler said. And that fits the national mood. Moments like that have helped her social media presence boom. Last July she had 134,865 Facebook followers. She has five times that many today. A year ago, she had 53,873 Twitter followers; today she has 10 times as many. That type of digital reach has helped her blossom as a reliable fundraiser. Without having to hit the road to give stump speeches at fundraisers, Harris has raised $1.6 million online since election day, with an average contribution of $19. Shes dished out $600,000 to 23 of her Senate Democratic colleagues facing re-election, roughly half of whom sit in states that Trump won. It is a gesture that will engender a lot of goodwill with her more senior Democratic colleagues because, as we know, nothing in Washington speaks louder than cash given to a re-election campaign. Especially from a freshman who just pulled into town. This high-flying start has the East Coast media teeing up an endless series of Is Harris going to run for president in 2020? stories. Easy, now. The real story is that Californias junior senator is quietly building a base of support that will help her do her day job and perhaps win or save a seat or two for Democrats in the Senate. Not bad for someone who hasnt been there long enough to suffer through Washingtons July humidity. Bill Burton, who served in the Obama White House and now works in Los Angeles, said that when he saw first-term Sen. Barack Obama, he realized he could be one of the few people we could send anywhere in the country to raise money. Harris has that same potential, Burton said. She has a broad appeal. But lets not take the Obama-Harris comparison further than that. For now. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Throughout her life, Lucy Spector played many roles a mother to three, a boss to dozens and a female business owner in a time there werent many. She could buy fabric from top designers in Milan one week, and come back to be a grandmother hosting family get-togethers the next, said her granddaughter Sydney Angel. She could work in a pair of badass Louboutins, and bake a mean apple pie. Ms. Spector, co-founder of San Franciscos renowned Britex Fabrics, died July 1 at age 93. She ran the store at 146 Geary St. near Union Square for four decades, transforming it from a small family-owned business to a must-visit destination for fabric fans from around the world. With its bold red sign hanging from the roof of its four-story building, Britex has been a fixture of the city since 1964. Geary Street and Union Square have changed over the years what were once independent businesses in Britexs neighborhood are now high-end fashion stores like Chanel, Lacoste and Jimmy Choo. But Britex has remained the same, mainly due to the business prowess of Ms. Spector. She built its inventory of floor-to-ceiling fabrics, wall of buttons, and yards upon yards of ribbon and trim. The stores reputation was well-known and attracted a cast of famous visitors, including Cher, Oprah Winfrey, Donna Summer and Shirley MacLaine. She had an incredible work ethic, said Spectors daughter and the current owner of Britex, Sharman Spector. Its really one of the finest and most beautiful stores in the United States. Ms. Spector took over the store when her husband, Martin Spector, died in 1966. At the time, Britex was more than $1 million in debt, and Ms. Spector was raising three young daughters and caring for her aging mother. She was more than capable of rising to the challenge, Sharman Spector and her sister, Bev, agree. As a child, Ms. Spector lived an idyllic life in Austria with her parents weekend picnics in the country, spending time with her cousins and learning proper European etiquette. But they were Jewish, and when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, the family was scattered. Her mother fled to London and her father escaped to Shanghai. Ms. Spector was left with her grandparents. She never saw her father again, only exchanging letters until his death in 1941. She moved to London after a year to be with her mother, and a few years later she married. After just six months, her husband died of a heart attack. A widow at 26, Ms. Spector set sail for New York City on the Queen Mary in 1949. There she met Martin Spector, 28 years her senior, and in 1950 they married. He was in the fabric business in New York, but fell in love with San Francisco on vacation. He moved the family to the city and opened a small fabric shop on Geary, a few storefronts from Britexs current location. After her husbands death, Ms. Spector developed higher ambitions for both Britex and herself. Once in charge, she was in the store six days a week, from open to close. Britex was what made her come alive, Sharman Spector said. It was her heart, her soul. It was everything. Ms. Spector left the day-to-day management of the store to her daughters around 2009. Even though she stepped away from the fabric business, she never lost her eye for aesthetics, her granddaughter said. Every time I saw her, she would tell me I had beautiful eyes, Angel said, and to take off that ugly shade of nail polish. Ms. Spector is survived by her daughters, Sharman and Bev Spector of San Francisco and Audrey Spector of Berkeley, and by Angel and five other grandchildren. Services have been held. Alison Graham is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: agraham@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @alisonkgraham A woman who used counterfeit currency to buy goodies at a bake sale raising money for a Rohnert Park school music program was being sought by police on Thursday, authorities said. The woman allegedly used a fake $100 bill to buy treats from a bake sale in the parking lot of an Olivers Market in Cotati about 2 p.m. on Monday, according to the Cotati Police Department. Locals looking to get immersed in a Victorian murder mystery will love this: San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers is hosting a floral whodunnit. The "Murder at the Conservatory" event will be held once a month from August until January. One general admission ticket is $85 and includes a complimentary beer or wine and an artisan cheese plate. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate This year Apple will put augmented reality software in as many as a billion mobile devices. Google beat Apple by three years in releasing AR tools, but its features are on very few phones and havent gained wide acceptance. By contrast, Apple can easily pair its software and devices, an advantage that will help it quickly make up lost ground, developers say. When they make it available, my apps will be in millions of phones, said Alper Guler, who makes AR programs. Its a major update which enables us to push forward far further. AR superimposes digital information for example, video game characters or product prices onto a persons view of the real world. Virtual reality, on the other hand, immerses users in a completely digital experience. The market for both technologies could be worth as much as $182 billion by 2025, according to Goldman Sachs Group. Apple last month lifted the lid on ARKit, the companys first foray into this field. The tool lets developers build applications for iPhones and iPads. Google revealed Tango, its AR software system, back in 2014, with the latest iteration showed off this January. Unlike ARKit, it requires infrared depth perception sensors, and there are currently only two mobile phones available with the technology: Lenovo Groups Phab 2 Pro and Asustek Computers ZenFone AR. Apples ARKit uses the iPhones existing hardware, such as the camera and gyroscope, to achieve similar ends. The crux of the problem for Google is fragmentation. When it updates its Android mobile operating system, hardware makers and cellular network operators are often slow to send the new software to phones. That means the latest features, like Tango, reach only a fraction of Androids more than 2 billion monthly active devices. Eighty-six percent of Apples mobile devices run the latest iOS software, compared with 11.5 percent of Android devices that run the newest Android OS. This is a major drawback when youre building an ecosystem that weds apps made by third-party developers to millions of smartphone-wielding consumers. Tango is on so few Android devices that developers wont risk making apps because they worry no one will use them. Its the opposite with Apple: If only half of all its active devices download the new iOS 11 operating system this fall, that will be 500 million iPhones and iPads with ARKit. (More than 1 billion Apple devices run iOS, but some earlier models will be incompatible with the new OS). Thats an almost-instant market for AR developers to target. Take the designers at digital studio Dift Collective, who considered Tango but still havent been tempted to use it. Yet since Apple released ARKit to developers in June, the team has made AR experiences including a computer-generated rocket landing in a swimming pool and a 3-D moon that floats in the middle of a living room. For us the main step forward is the distribution, said Charly De Venezia, Difts head of operations. Even if Google came up with AR software that didnt require a 3-D sensor, the multiple versions of Android running on hundreds of different phones would create a lot of extra work for developers, he explained. As of early July, there were seven versions of Android running on mobile devices, according to Google. Since developers would have to test and optimize AR apps for so many different devices with varying display resolutions and performance capabilities, it would require a huge effort to take this to Android and make it market-ready, De Venezia said. Google declined to comment. However, the company is trying to tackle the fragmentation issue. Project Treble, unveiled in May, re-designed Android to make it faster and cheaper for manufacturers to update devices. Still, requiring Android hardware makers to adhere to strict standards for their phone cameras is a particularly big hurdle, according to Matt Miesnieks, a partner at VR and AR investment firm Super Ventures. He used to work at Samsung Electronics Co., the largest Android phone manufacturer. Apple, meanwhile, designs its own hardware and software into only one phone, so it can develop cameras to match ARKits exact requirements. The reason Android cant compete with ARKit is that the original equipment manufacturers would need to effectively standardize their camera systems, Miesnieks said. After an early push with Tango and the struggles of the Google Glass head-mounted display, Googles AR efforts seem to have taken a back seat to other priorities. Glass is no longer available for consumers, and Tango remains on just two handsets. For Apple, ARKit is the foundation for a later, but larger push into AR-infused devices. The company has a team of engineers working on smart glasses, and the next iPhone will likely include front- and rear-facing 3-D sensors when its released this year, analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and others have predicted. The first step in making it a mainstream kind of experience is to put it in the operating system, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a June interview. This has a runway. And its an incredible runway. Its time to put the seat belt on and go. A 3-D sensor would permit improved accuracy when placing virtual objects in a real environment. That is essential for e-commerce applications in particular, said Ari Bloom, CEO of Avametric, a maker of AR tools for the fashion industry. Its super important that, if youre going to present something for sale to a customer that you show it extremely accurately, Bloom said, adding that doing so reduces costly product returns. Apple gave Ikea Group early access to ARKit. The furniture giants existing AR tool, which lets customers see how sofas and wardrobes might look in their homes, was built by Metaio GmbH, an AR startup Apple acquired in 2015. After the deal, many of Metaios software tools stopped being available to developers. Theyre showing up again now. Its been closed for two-and-a-half years, said AR developer Guler. What theyve released now is a major, major update. I never saw anything close to this before. Alex Webb is a Bloomberg writer. Email: awebb25@bloomberg.net Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday threatened to cut greenhouse gas emissions through massive new regulations if California legislators fail to extend the states cap-and-trade system for fighting global warming. His heated comments, delivered to a state Senate committee hearing, served as an unsubtle nudge to Republicans and business-friendly Democrats who have reservations about cap and trade, which uses market mechanisms to slowly lower emissions. The current system, which the governor often touts as a model for other states and countries, may lack legal authorization to continue past 2020 unless the Legislature extends it. A bill unveiled this week by Brown and legislative leaders would keep it running through 2030. And with a vote on the bill scheduled for Monday, Brown told senators that the alternative to cap and trade could be worse. If cap and trade dies, the state would switch to using direct command and control regulations, Brown said an approach that could mean ordering specific cuts from specific industries on a set timetable. Cap and trade, by contrast, gives businesses flexibility in how and when they cut emissions and is generally considered to cost less. The system is one of several elements of Californias strategy to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which must fall by more than 40 percent by 2030, according to state law. Were not going to pull back the only question is how to go forward, Brown told a crowded hearing of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. Are we going to do that by an extensive, massive, intrusive regulatory burden that will be three to five times more expensive? ... That is not the way to go. The bill, he said, represents the most important vote of your life. ... Unless you think Im lying. And I was in the seminary three years. His comments highlight the biggest point of contention in the bill, AB398. Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press Hammered out during months of closed-door negotiations, the bill contains language that would bar state and local air regulators from imposing firm emission limits on industrial facilities already covered under cap and trade. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District had been poised to enact a rule limiting oil refinery emissions; it would have been the first local air district in the nation to do so. We object to legislation that attempts to strip away our authority, muddle jurisdictional lines and propose flawed control strategies, said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Bay Area air district, in a statement. Cap and trade works by setting an annual limit on the states greenhouse gas emissions and forcing companies to buy a permit, called an allowance, for every metric ton of heat-trapping gases they emit. The number of allowances available each year equals the cap, and both decrease over time, reducing emissions. If companies have a hard time quickly cutting emissions, they can buy allowances from the state, or from each other. The bill faces opposition from both the right and left, with Republicans questioning its economic impact while environmental justice advocates call it too kind to the oil industry. Brown described the bill as a balancing act and urged legislators not to let partisanship or reservations about specific elements of the bills language block its passage. If we look to Washington, the turmoil, the chaos, the bad feelings exist not just between the parties but inside the parties, Brown told the committee hearing. Lets not be Washington. Lets pull together and show that Republicans and Democrats can come together and respond to an existential threat. Sen. Jeff Stone, a Republican representing Riverside County, countered that his party had been left out of the months of closed-door negotiations that produced the bill. Stone and fellow Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado Hills, voted against it. You excluded Republicans until the last minute, when you needed a few of our votes, Stone told the governor. After hours of discussion, the committee approved the bill on a 5-2 vote along party lines and sent it to the appropriations committee. A vote of the full Senate is expected Monday. The California Chamber of Commerce, a powerful business group, challenged the cap-and-trade system in court as an illegal tax not long after the system launched in 2012. The California Supreme Court recently declined to hear that lawsuit, leaving in place a lower court ruling that rejected the tax argument. Still, Brown wants the bill to pass with the support of two-thirds of legislators the level required for a new tax as insurance against any future challenges. The California Legislative Analysts Office has warned that the system may not have the legal authority to continue past 2020 unless the Legislature extends it. A 2006 landmark California global warning law authorized the cap-and-trade system to run through 2020, but uncertainty has simmered as to whether the law authorized it to continue past that date. Since the bill was unveiled Monday, along with a companion bill to monitor and cut industrial air pollution, unusual coalitions have lined up on both sides. Supporters include such environmental groups as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, as well as the California Chamber of Commerce the organization that sued to upend cap and trade. Opponents, meanwhile, include the Sierra Club which believes the bill is too generous to oil companies and, so far, the Senate Republican caucus. Unfortunately, many of the mechanisms the states regulatory agencies have used to reduce carbon emissions have increased costs for consumers and for employers, read a letter that 11 of the Senates 13 Republican members sent to Brown this week. We are concerned that this rushed effort to enact a cap-and-trade extension will be no different. David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON If the Trump administration gets its way, all Americans boarding international flights will have to submit to a face scan, a plan privacy advocates call an ill-advised step toward a surveillance state. The Department of Homeland Security says its the only way to successfully expand a program that tracks nonimmigrant foreigners. They have been required by law since 2004 to submit biometric identity scans but to date have only had their fingerprints and photos collected prior to entry. Now DHS says its finally ready to implement face scans on departure focused mainly on better tracking visa overstays but also on tightening security. But, the agency says, U.S. citizens must also be scanned for the program to work. Privacy advocates say that oversteps Congress mandate. Congress authorized scans of foreign nationals. DHS heard that and decided to scan everyone. Thats not how a democracy is supposed to work, said Alvaro Bedoya, executive director of the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University. Pilot projects are under way at six U.S. airports: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, New York and Washington. DHS wants to have high-volume U.S. international airports engaged beginning next year. During those projects, passengers will be able to opt out. But a DHS assessment of the privacy impact indicates that wont always be the case. The only way for an individual to ensure he or she is not subject to collection of biometric information when traveling internationally is to refrain from traveling, says the June 12 document available on the website of Customs and Border Protection, which runs the DHS program. John Wagner, the Customs and Border Protection deputy executive assistant commissioner in charge of the program, confirmed in an interview that U.S. citizens departing on international flights will submit to face scans. Wagner says the agency will delete within 14 days all scans of U.S. citizens. However, he doesnt rule out Customs keeping them in the future, after going through the appropriate privacy reviews and approvals. A Customs spokeswoman, Jennifer Gabris, said the agency has not examined any potential law changes. Privacy advocates say making the scans mandatory for U.S. citizens pushes the nation toward a Big Brother future of pervasive surveillance where local and state police and federal agencies, and even foreign governments, could leverage digital faceprints to track citizens wherever they go. Jay Stanley, an American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst, says U.S. law enforcement and security agencies already exert sufficient gravitational pulls in wanting to record and track what masses of individuals are doing, he says. A network of government databases collects face scans which computers read as mathematical formulas, or algorithms, from mug shots, drivers licenses and other images. In an October report, the Georgetown center estimated more than one in four U.S. state and local law enforcement agencies can run or request face recognition searches on their own or others databases and said federal agencies including the DEA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the IRS have all had access to one or more state or local face recognition systems. Bedoya said the images of at least 130 million U.S. adults in 29 states are stored in face recognition databases. He says there is a danger the airport scans could be searched against them meaning travelers faceprints could be compared in real time against those of fugitives. The FBI alone has more than 30 million photos in a single database, and New York state recently announced it would begin scanning the faces of drivers entering New York City bridges and tunnels. Another DHS initiative worrying privacy advocates is TSAs Precheck, the voluntary program designed to speed enrollees through airport security with more than 5 million enrollees. Participants are not being told the digital fingerprints and biographical data they submit for background checks when enrolling are retained in an FBI identity database for life, said Jeramie Scott, an attorney with the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest nonprofit. Since last month, trials that let enrollees use a digital fingerprint scanner to speed through TSA security are under way in Atlanta and Denver. EPIC worries not just about potential governmental abuse but also the vulnerability to hackers. In the 2015 breach of the federal Office of Personnel Management, 5.6 million sets of fingerprint images were stolen. The biometric exit endeavor will cost billions. Thats partly because U.S. airports dont have dedicated secure immigration areas for departing international flights. Domestic and international passengers commingle in the same concourses. Currently, foreigners arriving in the U.S. submit to photo and digital fingerprint recording, initially when applying for visas. There are no exit scans. U.S. citizens are subject to neither; their photos are digitally stored in a microchip in their passports with biographical data. In written testimony to Congress in May, Customs said U.S. citizens leaving on international flights cannot be exempted from face scans because: First, it is not feasible to require airlines to have two separate boarding processes for U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens, and second, to ensure U.S. citizen travelers are the true bearer of the passport they are presenting for travel. Face recognition technology is getting better, but is far from perfect. A smile recorded at the gate could, for example, trigger a mismatch when compared to a serious gaze in a passport photo. In a previous Atlanta pilot program that processed about 28,000 travelers, the match rate was 90 percent or higher, said Gabris, the Customs spokeswoman. Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., said such a failure rate would be a non-starter by slowing the boarding process. Congress last year approved up to $1 billion over the next decade collected from visa fees to get the program rolling technically. That wont cover the additional border agents needed to gate checks, for starters. DHS officials hope to defray costs through partnerships with airlines that are incorporating biometrics to boost efficiencies. Two airlines in the pilot program Delta and JetBlue tout identity-verification technologys convenience for other ends: Delta for speeding baggage handling, JetBlue for eliminating boarding passes. Airline officials reached by the Associated Press declined to discuss the programs potential pitfalls and additional costs reflecting concerns about whether it will significantly enhance security. Even Customs knows it wont have a full picture of who is overstaying visas until face scans are also done at U.S. land and sea borders. Frank Bajak and David Koenig are Associated Press writers. Chinas LeEco once had aspirations to be a major player in Silicon Valley. It spent hundreds of millions of dollars on land in Santa Clara formerly owned by Yahoo and planned to build a campus called EcoCity for thousands of employees. Less than a year later, the future of that property is unclear. Entrepreneur Jia Yueting the public face of the firm stepped down as chairman of a publicly traded LeEco unit; the company laid off hundreds of workers; and a planned merger with Irvines Vizio, a TV maker, fizzled. Vizio this week filed a $110 million lawsuit against LeEco and its subsidiary Le Technology Inc. for backing out of the deal. Legal experts say that if Vizio wins, it could force LeEco to sell its Santa Clara property. It could be a potential source of recovery, said David Furbush, a partner and securities litigation lawyer for the Pillsbury law firm. Furbush said LeEcos Chinese assets are safe from Vizio, because China does not have a treaty recognizing U.S. court judgments. That would turn attention to LeEcos U.S. properties, including the roughly 50 acres it purchased for $250 million from Yahoo last year. But even if Vizio were to win its lawsuit, it might be in a line of creditors seeking money from LeEco. With Shanghai freezing $180 million of LeEcos assets in China, University of Southern California Gould School of Law Professor Michael Chasalow thinks more players are going to pop up to claim its U.S. assets. Its not going to be clear who is first in line and who might get paid first. It might not even be Vizio, he said. What is clear is that LeEco is really struggling right now. LeEco did not return a request for comment. Vizio declined to comment on whether it would seek the sale of LeEcos Santa Clara property but said in an email that its lawsuits seek to recover the unpaid portion of a termination fee promised in the LeEco deal and other punitive damages. Vizio is claiming LeEco owes it $60 million as part of a buyer termination fee after their planned merger fell apart. Of that, $10 million is held in an escrow account. Vizio is also claiming $50 million from Le Technology, charging that it breached an agreement to pay the fee in the event LeEco failed to do so. LeEco currently has a North American headquarters in San Jose, which it opened last year, with about 300 to 400 employees before recent layoffs. The LeEco Santa Clara campus was planned with offices for up to 12,000 employees and spaces where members of the community could gather for live performances at an amphitheater on the property, the company said in a blog post last year. EcoCity would be a place where people could play, explore and co-create with us, LeEco wrote. The city of Santa Clara has supported putting higher-density housing in the area where LeEcos property is located, which is near the Californias Great America theme park. The city said LeEco was interested in a mixed-use property that could possibly include housing. In a report prepared for the City Council, city staff said the timing of he proposal was unclear. City officials declined to comment on the future of the property. Nicholas Cheng and Wendy Lee are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ncheng@sfchronicle.com, wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @nichocheng, @thewendylee A Vacaville man named Sean Moffett might have just broken a world record. The Northern California chiropractor went fishing over the weekend in Clear Lake, and though he had a slow start, he'd wind up reportedly catching a catfish that could break an International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record. The current record, according to International Game Fish Association Outreach & Education Manager Jack Vitek, stands at 80 centimeters. That means that Moffett's fish reportedly measuring 89 centimeters from the nose to the tail may indeed shatter that record. "This particular record category is relatively new (~5 years) and is 100 percent catch and release," Vitek writes in an email to SFGATE. "As the name implies, this category gives recognition based on the length of the fish rather than the weight, which is what all other IGFA record categories use." Moffett's catch was made public by Clear Lake fishing guide Matt Allen, who is the creator of a fishing blog called Tactical Bassin. Allen recorded a video with Moffett (above) about the catch, wherein they discuss the equipment he used that morning on the lake. "It was quite the adrenaline rush first thing in the morning," Moffett said. However, Vitek says that despite reports, the International Game Fish Association has yet to receive Moffett's world record paperwork. "We have not yet received the application," he says, "but we look forward to doing so." Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A family of at least two people who collectively earn $138,000 or less per year will likely soon qualify for one tier of San Francisco's affordable housing that would allow them to buy a home unit, following Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting. With the new proposal, families of at least two who are together earning up to 150 percent of San Francisco's median income can take advantage of that amendment. Based on the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development median salary outlines, that means any family of at least two earning less than $138,400 qualifies. The deal isn't yet finalized; with Tuesday's changes to the law, the Board of Supervisors will have to review and approve the changes again at their next meeting in order for the policy to be finalized. "Because there were new amendments yesterday introduced to it, it has to be passed again," said Supervisor London Breed's Chief of Staff Michael Howerton. Now Playing: A former, two fisted Navy town that fell on hard times when the Navy left, has now become the hottest Bay Area housing market as home buyers desperately seek value. Its lower prices are changing its image from rough and tough, to bargain buys. Video: Brandpoint That amendment, however, doesn't apply to those who hope to rent an apartment in San Francisco using affordable housing guidelines. According to the revised legislative digest, residents who earn less than 90 percent of the median San Francisco income $83,050 total for a family size of two people, or less for a single person can qualify for a "moderate-income"-designated unit. To qualify for the higher-tiered "middle-income"-designated unit, a family can earn up to 130 percent of the median San Francisco income, which works out to be just shy of $105,000. (To qualify for units specified for low-income residents, a family of two must earn around $63,000 or less, or less for a single person.) "This new legislation has ranges," Howerton adds. Supervisors also added that at least 25 percent of all new units must contain two or three bedrooms, and that 10 percent of those be three bedroom units. In addition to the above law change, supervisors approved another piece of legislation relating to the required percentage of affordable housing units in new developments, particularly in relation to larger properties. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. Kenneth Silverman, a longtime English professor at New York University who wrote acclaimed biographies of American innovators as varied as Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel Morse, John Cage, Harry Houdini and Cotton Mather, died in New York on July 7 at age 81. Dr. Silverman was a practicing magician on the stage and on the page, where he made the act of describing a persons life in all its knotty complexity appear almost effortless. His first major biography, The Life and Times of Cotton Mather (1984), won the Pulitzer Prize as well as the Bancroft Prize, awarded annually by Columbia University to two leading works of American history or diplomacy. The author seems virtually to have taken up residence inside Mathers head and heart, the historian John Demos wrote in a review for the New Republic, and the reader is repeatedly invited to see the world as Mather himself would have done looking out. While Mather, the Puritan preacher, was traditionally blamed for the bloodshed of the Salem witch trials, Dr. Silverman offered a more nuanced account. Drawing from thousands of letters, diaries and unpublished works, he offered a portrait of the preacher as a man whose actions were driven by an all-too-human mix of religious faith, political ambition and social courtesy. His research led him to unearth documents at rural auction houses and in hospital basements, and to dip into early Colonial court records that were slowly being organized by Massachusetts archivists. At one point, he sat next to technicians who were bathing centuries-old documents in what he described as troughs of liquid nitrogen. Their work enabled him to learn of a long-forgotten lawsuit over Mathers handling of an indebted estate. The aim, and quite often the result, was a work of literary art derived from a mass of unwieldy facts. The concluding passage of Cotton Mather, for instance, was a litany of objects that Dr. Silverman came across through his research. It made for an interesting biographical detail, but in Dr. Silvermans hands also suggested a larger sense of sacrifice and futility. However luxuriantly he lived in heaven, Mather had not lived affluently on earth, and had lost much, Dr. Silverman wrote. What he left behind, as set down in the inventory of his estate, was dingy and mean: pie plates, lumber, a crosscut saw, three old rugs, four old bedsteads, two old oval tables, two old chests of drawers, old china curtains, old quilt, old warming pan, old standing candlestick, red curtains motheaten, broken stone table, broken fireplace dogs, broken chairs, broken pewter, broken spoons. Kenneth Eugene Silverman was born in Manhattan on Feb. 5, 1936, to parents who emigrated during World War I from what is now Lithuania. His father was a plumber and building contractor who eventually bought the Hotel Wales on the Upper East Side, and his mother helped manage the property. Dr. Silverman studied English at Columbia University, receiving a bachelors degree in 1956, a masters degree two years later and a doctorate in 1964. He began teaching at NYU that same year and remained at the school until his retirement in 2001. Dr. Silvermans initial focus was on American Colonial poetry, and his career was launched by A Cultural History of the American Revolution (1976), a 700-page survey that galvanized the past, the literary scholar John Seelye wrote in the Washington Post, sending electricity down Franklins Promethean kitestring. But two childhood interests, magic and Jewish identity, pushed him in new directions. Growing up, he was often beaten up because he was Jewish, said his daughter, Willa Silverman. He found refuge in part through performing card and coin tricks. His interests culminated in his 1996 Houdini biography, which he titled with a bit of showbiz glamour: Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss, American Self-Liberator, Europes Eclipsing Sensation, Worlds Handcuff King & Prison Breaker Nothing on Earth Can Hold Houdini a Prisoner!!! The book was a remarkable achievement, the magician Teller wrote in a review for the New York Times, and a work of scholarship so extensive that Dr. Silverman published his sources and notes in a separate volume. Dr. Silverman had lung cancer and died at a hospital in Manhattan, his daughter said. His marriages to Sharon Medjuck and Jill Bokor ended in divorce. Survivors include his partner of 34 years, Jane Mallison of Manhattan; two children from his first marriage; and three grandchildren. Dr. Silvermans books also included Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-Ending Remembrance (1991), about the author; Lightning Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F.B. Morse (2003), about the painter and inventor; and Begin Again: A Biography of John Cage (2010), about the composer. At the time of his death, Dr. Silverman had completed a draft of a short biography of the poet Emma Lazarus and started work on a book about author Gertrude Stein, Mallison said. Above the desk where he worked was a quote from the painter Robert Rauschenberg, a kind of motto that spoke to the difficulty that Dr. Silverman said he encountered in writing each of his books: Youre not going anywhere unless theres a wall in front of you. Harrison Smith is a Washington Post writer. WASHINGTON Christopher Wray, President Trumps nominee to be FBI director, sought at his confirmation hearing Wednesday to show lawmakers that he could protect the bureaus independence and resist pressure from the White House. On a day when Trump again called the Russia investigation a Witch Hunt, Wray said he disagreed, told senators that no one at the White House had asked him to pledge loyalty to the president and vowed to resign should the president ask him to do anything illegal. Wrays expected confirmation is seen by many FBI agents as a chance to stabilize an institution shaken by the events of the past year, including Trumps dismissal of its previous director, James Comey, and subsequent revelations about the presidents attempts to influence Comey. Wray, dressed in a pinstripe suit and purple tie, calmly reassured senators that he could rebuff any overtures from Trump. I will never allow the FBIs work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period, Wray told senators. The hearing was a chance for the 50-year-old Wray, a private lawyer and former top Justice Department prosecutor, to demonstrate that he was the person to lead the nations premier law enforcement agency under extraordinary circumstances. Many of the questions from senators centered on how he would deal with Trump, referring to Comeys tense interactions with the president. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., asked what Wray would do if the president requested that he take any steps that Wray believed were illegal. First, I would try to talk him out of it, Wray said. If that failed, I would resign. He also said he had no doubts about the intelligence communitys assessment that Russia interfered in the election, a conclusion the president has questioned. Wray graduated in 1989 from Yale University and earned his law degree in 1992 from Yale Law School. He was hired as a federal prosecutor in Atlanta in 1997 and left the Justice Department in 2005 after rising to the head of the criminal division. Wray warned those listening to the hearing not to underestimate him because they might view him as boring, triggering nods among family members sitting behind him. Anybody who does would be making a very grave mistake, he said. He added that he would resist any political pressure if confirmed. Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt are New York Times writers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Former Attorney General Eric Holder doesnt see a lot of political sunshine on the horizon for anyone who feels aghast at efforts by national Republican power-holders to roll back much of what he and his erstwhile White House boss did before President Trumps inauguration. But he does have some basic advice. You cant just curl up in a fetal position, he said Wednesday night at a gathering of about 800 decidedly liberal lawyers at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Yes, he said in response to on-stage questions from Stanford law Professor Pamela Karlan, he hears disturbing echoes of Watergate in current White House affairs. And yes, he told Karlan, he worries that the arc of the moral universe that Martin Luther King Jr. said always bends toward justice may bend away. But that doesnt mean you give up, said Holder, who as U.S. attorney general under President Barack Obama was the first African American to hold the post. Its the responsibility of all of us to keep our hands on that arc, he said. There is fighting to be done, there are lawsuits to be brought you can never underestimate the power of the American people. Holder was speaking at the annual fundraiser for Legal Aid At Work, a nonprofit that represents low-income workers statewide just the kind of audience ripe for a renowned Democrat whose mission is cast as that of a man fighting against powerful forces hammering down on the little guy. To accent the point of his visit, Holder handed out an award from the nonprofit to retiring U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who in 1962 was the first African American lawyer in the federal Justice Departments civil rights division. Legal Aid at Work Executive Director Joan Graff said Holder was booked for the gig because, with Trump and his Attorney General Jeff Sessions in power, we have grave concerns with respect to the law, and theres no one better than Eric Holder to speak to that. More for you Texas Democrat joins long-shot Trump impeachment bid That aspect had particular local weight considering Holder and the law firm where he is a partner, Covington & Burling, were hired in January to advise the state Assembly and Senate in their fight against Trumps policies. The Assembly allowed the contract to expire in June, but the Senate retained the service. Holder told the crowd Wednesday night that he found it disturbingly curious that the 1960s paradigm of states rights versus federal power has been reversed so much so that hirings like his own seem necessary to combat attempts to roll back his or Obamas achievements on a wide range of issues from LGBT and immigrant rights to health care and environmental protections. Back during the civil rights movement, the worst words that could ever come off somebodys lips were states rights, he said, because they were the rallying call of racists like Alabama Gov. George Wallace for efforts to oppress people. Now, the oppression is reversed, he said. What were talking about now in California ... is an effort not to go back. The ex-attorney general said after his talk that his main advice to California is to be unafraid and determined, because the state is in for a stiff battle. Theres a lot of creative negativity going on in Washington, and were going to have to stay busy, he said. As Holder left the stage, he cocked his ear and smiled. The song pumping from the speakers was Revolution, by the Beatles. Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com A strenuous attempt to be serious can often lead to laughs, but a strenuous attempt to be funny leads ... nowhere. It leads to empty gestures. It leads to comic flailing. It leads to an audience that comes away beaten up and exhausted by mugging and straining and mirthless, cute absurdity. Lost in Paris is such a comedy. It stars Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, and within five or 10 minutes you dont have to check to see who wrote and directed it, because you can guess. Obviously, the performers made the film themselves, with no collaborator to focus the humor and no outside director to look at their performances and say, Tone it down. This is not funny. It tells the story of a Canadian woman named Fiona (Gordon), who goes to Paris to come to the aid of her elderly Aunt Martha, whose mind is beginning to slip. Martha is played by Emmanuelle Riva, who must be counted as a major get. Riva (Amour, Hiroshima Mon Amour) died in January, a month shy of her 90th birthday, and this is one of her last completed films. Poor Fiona has trouble from the first minute she arrives in Paris. She cant find Martha. She falls into the Seine. She loses her passport, her money and her luggage; however, these are all found by a homeless man named Dom (Abel), and soon the two run into each other, by coincidence, while he is in the process of spending all their money. They dance. They fall in love immediately. She falls into the Seine again. Did I mention its all sidesplitting? No, because its not. Theres one bit that isnt bad, however. At one point, through circumstances not worth going into, Dom is called upon to do a funeral oration for a person he has never met. He starts improvising and, in the course of letting his imagination run free, he ends up condemning the deceased for a series of imagined offenses. The scene works because of the formal constraint of the speech it cant get too zany and because the oration says something revealing and (in the moment) interesting about the state of Doms mind. Riva, to her credit, is game in this, and even more to her credit, she displays a comic sensibility more restrained than that of her co-stars. As a result, some of her scenes have a quiet whimsicality that almost works. And in any case, its nice to see her turn up like this, unexpectedly. But now were not really talking about the movie. Were talking about sitting there distracting oneself with thoughts of Emmanuelle Riva and her career, as a way of white-knuckling it from one minute to the next. In between moments of overplayed comedy, Lost in Paris makes a few lunges in the direction of sentimentality, but theres no real feeling to be had. The filmmakers skim the surface and assume the audience will supply the emotion. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MickLaSalle Lost in Paris Comedy. Starring Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Emmanuelle Riva. Directed by Abel and Gordon. In English and French with subtitles. (Unrated. 83 minutes.) The federal judge overseeing the beleaguered Oakland Police Department gave city officials two months Wednesday to report on their failures to respond adequately to officers sexual exploitation of a teenage girl, and said a court-appointed monitor would keep a close watch. Oakland officials continue to say many of the right things, but good intentions are not enough, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson of San Francisco said in a brief order, possibly the last he will issue in a case he has handled for 14 years. Now, more than ever, is the time for action and not just words. Henderson appointed the first in a series of monitors to oversee the police force in 2003 as part of a settlement in a suit against a group of officers known as the Riders, accused of racially motivated searches and beatings. Police appeared to be nearing compliance with the courts standards before the sex scandal last year ended any prospect that Oakland would soon regain full control of the department. The woman known as Jasmine, teenage daughter of an Oakland police dispatcher, has said 29 officers in several Bay Area police agencies had sex with her. Twelve Oakland officers were disciplined, and four were charged with crimes, but the court-appointed monitor and compliance officer reported last month that the Police Department had conducted a halfhearted investigation. The report found that supervisors and detectives instead blamed the young woman, while failing to relay her accusations to the mayor, city administrator or Alameda County prosecutors. Henderson, at a hearing Monday, said city officials had severely mishandled the investigation, but he had hopes of improvement under new Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick, who apologized to the judge and the public and promised greater accountability. Henderson is retiring Aug. 11 and will turn the case over to U.S. District Judge William Orrick III. His order Wednesday stopped short of transferring police management to a court-appointed receiver, as requested by two civil rights lawyers who filed the original suit. Instead, he told the city to conduct its own investigation and report by Sept. 15 on its compliance with changes ordered in last months report. Those changes include more training and tougher standards for reporting suspected police wrongdoing to county prosecutors. For any standards not achieved by Sept. 15, Henderson said, the city must provide a timetable for compliance, and a list of officials who may, if warranted, be subject to contempt proceedings or other sanctions for missed deadlines. With the court-appointed monitor keeping track of the citys efforts, Hendersons order could require high-ranking police officials to accept responsibility or risk losing their jobs, said John Burris, one of the lawyers who filed the original police suit. Hes given the city an opportunity to do it, Burris said. Well see. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko BEIJING Liu Xiaobo, the famed Chinese dissident who won the Nobel Peace Prize while jailed for his pro-democracy writings, has died in a hospital in northeastern China at the age of 61. The Chinese judicial bureau said Mr. Liu died Thursday of multiple organ failure. Mr. Liu had terminal liver cancer and had been granted parole in June after his diagnosis but remained under virtual house arrest. A prominent champion of democracy, free expression and constitutionalism since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, Mr. Liu had been jailed four times and when freed last month was eight years into an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion of state power. When Mr. Liu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, the committee saluted his long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. World leaders praised Mr. Liu as a freedom fighter and towering symbol of human rights. In Hong Kong, pro-democracy activists gathered outside the Chinese central government offices to mourn the death of the countrys most prominent political prisoner. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on China to release Mr. Lius wife from house arrest and permit her to leave the country. Liu Xia has been under house arrest since her husband was imprisoned. Mr. Liu dedicated his life to the betterment of his country and humankind, and to the pursuit of justice and liberty, Tillerson said in a statement. He said that Liu embodied the very core of the Nobel Peace Prize he was awarded but never actually received. Chinese authorities barred Mr. Lius family and closest friends from attending the Nobel ceremony in Norways Oslo City Hall; for many of them, detentions, threats and intimidation were, and continue to be, a feature of daily life. This fact alone shows that the award was necessary and appropriate, said Nobel committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland when the award was presented in 2010. Mr. Lius medal and diploma were placed on an empty chair. It was the first time a Nobel Peace Prize was awarded under such circumstances since 1936, when Nazi Germany barred German journalist Carl von Ossietzky from traveling to Oslo to claim the prize. Among Chinese free-thinkers, the empty chair and Mr. Liu himself stood as symbols of resistance. Chinese authorities released Mr. Liu on medical parole in late June after he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. He received treatment in northeastern China, over the objections of his supporters who submitted a petition requesting that Mr. Liu be allowed to travel abroad for treatment. His final days were spent under virtual lockdown, with only his doctors, brothers and his wife permitted to see him. Jonathan Kaiman is a Los Angeles Times writer. BENGHAZI, Libya A series of military victories over extremist Islamic groups along Libyas Mediterranean coastline has forced hundreds of militants, including Islamic State fighters, to seek refuge in the vast deserts of the North African nation, already home to militias from neighboring countries, cross-border criminal gangs and mercenaries. Libyas lawless, desolate center and south provides a sanctuary for militants to reorganize, recruit, train and potentially plot for a comeback. That is especially important at a time when the Islamic State lost not only its urban holdings in Libya but is crumbling in Iraq and Syria. In Libyas remote stretches near the borders with Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Algeria, Niger and Tunisia, multiple armed groups already operate freely. Arms are easily available. Human trafficking and cross-border smuggling, especially fuel, are rampant and lucrative. Lack of effective border controls has allowed militiamen fighting the Sudanese and Chadian governments to set up camp inside Libya. Alongside them came soldiers-for-hire from places as far afield as Cameroon. Tribal and ethnic rivalries frequently boil over into deadly strife. Militants travel back and forth near the southern borders and all the way to the central parts of the country, robbing traveling cars and attacking civilians, said Brig. Gen. Abdullah Nouredeen of the Libyan National Army. They sometimes work close to the borders since there is money to be made from smuggling and arms trading. The migration of the militants comes after rivals drove them out of coastal cities like Sirte, Benghazi, Sebratha and Derna. Their dispersion into the desert undermines prospects for a return of stability in oil-rich Libya. Claudia Gazzini, the International Crisis Groups senior Libya analyst, said Islamic State militants were generally lying low in the desert south of the coastline, moving in small convoys so as not to attract attention or just going home. Others, she explained, were active around Sirte, staging occasional attacks against their adversaries. Going forward, she said, Islamic State remnants will likely try to influence and win over groups opposed to Gen. Khalifa Hifter, the Egyptian-backed commander of Libyas national army who has been fighting militants. We are already seeing signs that this may have already happened, she said. Some estimates put the number of full-time militiamen in Libya at around 120,000 and Islamic State fighters around 1,000, but there is no way to independently verify these figures. Rami Musa and Hamza Hendawi are Associated Press writers. New Zealand's wool market picked up from its recent doldrums at the latest South Island auction as a weaker dollar and wider range of wool types on offer helped to lift prices at a more robust clearance rate. Some 77 percent of the 4,432 bales offered were cleared, ahead of last season's clearance rate to date of 58 percent, while prices were largely higher than last week's North Island sale, AgriHQ said. The coarse crossbred indicator showed prices rose 9 cents to $2.76 per kilogram as the longer 37 micron crossbred second shear prices climbed 15 cents to $2.80/kg week, outweighing a 5 cent decline in prices for the shorter 37 micron second shear to $2.40/kg. However, the previous South Island auction two weeks ago showed a mixed outlook, with a range of movements over the types of wool. Lower quality crossbred fleece 37 micron dropped 15 cents to $2.95/kg while the higher quality wool lifted 5 cents to $3.10/kg. There was a limited range of lamb wool this week, and of the types offered 31 micron lamb wool prices increased 15 cents to $3.20/kg. New Zealand is the world's largest exporter of crossbred wool and weak demand for the fibre, which makes up about 80 percent of the national clip, saw the worst season since the global financial crisis in 2016/17 as China, the largest buyer of the fibre, switched its preference to fine wool and away from strong wool. In its latest quarterly outlook, the Ministry for Primary Industries projected wool exports fell 28 percent to $550 million in the year through June due to the lack of Chinese demand. That weak demand prompted farmers to stockpile bales in hopes the market will pick up. Industry estimates suggest 150,000-to-200,000 bales may have been stockpiled by farmers, brokers, merchants and exporters, as sellers rejected prices below the cost of production. It is expected that there will be 9,100 bales on offer at next weeks North Island sale. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 The liquidators for Ross Asset Management has written to 160 investors paid fictitious profits from the country's biggest-ever Ponzi scheme with an offer to settle for $21.6 million. PwC's John Fisk and David Bridgman put the offer to those investors after the May 26 Supreme Court ruling that Wellington lawyer Hamish McIntosh could keep the principal he invested in Ross Asset Management but had to return the fake profits. Those investors have until July 21 to accept the deal, otherwise the liquidators "will be considering further recovery action," they said in their latest update on the fraudulent business. The report says another 54 investors cut deals with the liquidators before the Supreme Court decision, allowing them to recover $9.7 million for the 1,200 or so investors out of pocket. They have also told investors facing capital-only claims that they won't be pursued. Wellington-based David Ross built up a private investment service by word of mouth, producing regular reports for shareholders indicating healthy but fictitious returns. Between June 2000 and September 2012, Ross reported false profits of $351 million from fictitious securities trading as part of a fraud that was the largest such crime committed by an individual in New Zealand. In reality, about $100 million to $115 million of investor funds were frittered away in the Ponzi scheme, and the liquidators sought to claw back funds paid out to investors in the lead-up to the collapse, going all the way to the Supreme Court, so as to equally share the money with Ross's victims. Fisk and Bridgman said they will need court directions on the most appropriate way to distribute the funds and have started work on an application which they will show investors before lodging their submission with the courts. "Investors will have an opportunity to make submissions to the court should they wish to be heard on this matter," the liquidators said. "As soon as possible after the model has been approved the liquidators intend to make an interim distribution to investors." The latest report shows Ross Asset Management is sitting on about $9.2 million in cash, including settlements, asset sales and investment income, and after $2 million of legal fees and $1.3 million of liquidators' fees. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 New Zealand's manufacturing activity extended its run of expansion for another month in June, albeit at a slower pace, as firms reined in employment in the face of growing labour shortages. The BusinessNZ-Bank of New Zealand performance of manufacturing index fell 2 points to a seasonally adjusted 56.2 in June, extending its run of expansionary readings above 50 in every month since October 2012. The employment sub-index dropped 5.5 points to 49.5, the first time since the sector contracted since November last year and falling from a 31-month high. BNZ senior economist Craig Ebert said the slump in the employment reading was a "weak spot" in the monthly PMI, although it was too early to say whether it was a "genuinely negative read" given the recent high in May and the volatility in the index. "We did also see manufacturers in the latest QSBO (New Zealand Institute of Economic Research's quarterly survey of business opinion) tone down their reports of staffing over the last three months, and expectations for the coming three months," Ebert said. "In any case, NZ manufacturers would appear to be having problems finding staff in the first place. We got this impression from the QSBO variables on difficulty in finding labour." Government figures show manufacturing accounted for about 9.9 percent of the employed workforce in the March quarter, with 245,300 people employed, an employer, or self-employed in the industry, down from 10.7 percent, or 252,500 in the December period. Today's figures show the production sub-index fell 1.5 points to a reading of 58 in June, while new orders fell 1.9 points to 58.7, which Business New Zealand manufacturing executive director Catherine Beard said showed "healthy expansion", and that the elevated levels over the past four months indicated manufacturing was "still positive and healthy". Finished stocks slipped 0.1 of a point to 54.5 and deliveries fell 1 point to 57.2. Activity slowed in the Northern region, falling to 54 from 63 in May, while Canterbury dropped to 50.9 from 62.6, and Otago activity declined to 54.8 from 56.4. Central was the only region to show an increase in activity, rising to 58.9 from 56.2. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 Businesses can't escape ethical questions, which veteran company director Rob Campbell sees as one of the core values of the next generation coming of age. In a speech to the Parnell Rotary Club yesterday, the former trade unionist and professional company director Campbell said even social agencies adopt commercial models used by business, and the way business is conducted has far-reaching consequences. "If our model is extractive or exploitative we will all bear the downsides of that. Equally, if our model is value-creative, transparent and inclusive the benefits will flow," Campbell said. "Businesses are comprised of people, and it is people who make the decisions about what to do and not to do - not the mechanical demands of capital or that other abstraction the 'market'," he said. "This means that ethical questions and business are inseparable." Campbell said personal guidelines and values are the most important part of ethics policies adopted by leading firms, but they have to be tested and revisited by boards and management often: "We should be prepared to be challenged on them by stakeholders and increasingly we are - just this week by Simplicity founder Sam Stubbs on diversity issues for example." Stubbs said Simplicity may use its position as a shareholder to pressure companies to improve the diversity of their boards and senior management. Campbell dubbed the dominant theme of his generation - which came of age in the 1960s and 1970s - as "the quest for identity", where expressions of gender diversity, social orientation, Maori identity and New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance were "at one with the removal of economic restrictions and regulations", whereas for younger generations the dominant theme was "the quest for authenticity which has strong social values and ethics at its core". That shift has seen a growing tide of investors demanding a greater commitment to social responsibility from listed companies, while some entrepreneurs have embraced the concept of social enterprise where the public good is intertwined with generating profit. Campbell told Rotarians that businesses are a public good in and of themselves, in that people apply their skills, work with others, and meet people's desires in doing so. "We may abstract to units of production like FTEs, but the reality of any business is that far more is happening than is captured in the profit and loss and balance sheet," he said. "Whether it be employee engagement, health and safety procedure, diversity in practice or other holistic aspects of how a business works, this approach to business is not inconsistent with profitability. "Quite the opposite, the research on business performance strongly underpins the view that everyone gains from having this approach," he said. Regulators have got better at reining in the harmful excesses of some businesses, but that "politicians are still a danger of imposing knee-jerk regulations which have negative consequences" and that a "consistent and transparent process" to assess new regulation and an automatic review would improve things, Campbell said. However, regulation was needed when businesses were lax, such as in health and safety, where "only repeated tragedy and eventually regulation has made us behave better," he said. Likewise, environmental sustainability saw business "dragged to a much better position by a few leaders of foresight and a wider strong community sentiment on such issues," which has led to better practices and reporting. While those sorts of regulations have accompanying costs, something noted by Milford Asset Management principal Brian Gaynor in a recent New Zealand Herald column, Campbell said "running a business in New Zealand is not disproportionately difficult to other comparable economies" and the imposition of costs outweighing the benefits are "a side issue for most". (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 Telangana Chief Minister has allegedly not been invited to the inaugural event of Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL), slated to be held on Saturday. Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) has alleged that the chief minister has not been invited in the past too. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) did not send out an invite to the CM to be present as a guest at an official event and CM KCR's associates deemed it as an 'insult' to the people of the state. Also, it was contended that the Ministry of Fertilisers and Chemicals invited the chief minister but normally it is carried out by the PMO. Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir - including the Indian Army, J&K police and paramilitary troops - have eliminated 100 terrorists in the first half of this year in one of the biggest successes in recent years. People carry the body of Sajad Ahmad Gilkar, who was killed in a gun battle with security forces in Budgam, during his funeral in Srinagar on Wednesday (Photo: Agencies) By Ajit Kumar Dubey: As India was ringing in 2017, its forces were still smarting from the loss of 87 troops in fighting terrorists including the Uri massacre that saw 20 soldiers killed. Under these circumstances, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought in Gen Bipin Rawat as Army chief, a specialist in counter-terror operations who could handle the fast-deteriorating situation in Kashmir by taking all government forces along. advertisement The move has apparently paid rich dividends as till the morning of July 11, security personnel had eliminated 100 terrorists in operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Control - one of the biggest successes in recent years. In his initial meetings, Rawat told his commanders to go on relentless offensive against terrorists and make it difficult for them to sustain operations in the Valley, a senior Army source said. After the new chief taking over, there is increased coordination among security forces including the Army, paramilitary troops and J&K police and this led to the elimination of 100 terrorists, a major general rank officer told Mail Today. "The credit-taking game in the Valley is not there any more as everybody is working together and operations are also conducted in the same manner," an Army intelligence officer deployed in the Valley said. '30 TERRORISTS KILLED IN JUNE' Commenting on the recent successes of the forces, Army sources said June was the month when the troops, mainly the counter-terrorist Rashtriya Rifles, were successful in killing 30 terrorists in encounters in both the hinterlands and the Line of Control. The Army started the year normally as 42 terrorists were neutralised in the first four months, but the operations gained momentum with the onset of summer as terrorists made more attempts to infiltrate and carry out attacks on forces. "In May, 17 terrorists were eliminated while in June, 30 of them were killed. This month, till July 11, we have been able to eliminate 11 terrorists taking the overall figure to 100," an Army source said. The officer said the numbers are likely to go up soon as the forces have launched a massive manhunt for the perpetrators of this week's attack on Amarnath pilgrims and would get them soon. The officers also credited the smart deployment of troops on the LoC for the increased kill count of terrorists as the Army headquarters moved a battalion of Rashtriya Rifles in the Baramulla sector to plug the gaps and redeployment of troops in the backwoods as well. advertisement The aggressive approach of the force leadership has also helped thwart several attempts by the Pakistan army to send in infiltrators. "In the 25 Division area itself, several attempts by the Pakistani forces to carry out Border Action Team operations have been foiled as the Army headquarters gave the freedom to units on the LoC to launch pre-emptive strikes on the enemy positions trying to push terrorists into India," an Army source said. The Army headquarters also gave orders to carry out punitive assaults on Pakistani positions including the use of heavy calibre guns of old tanks deployed on forward positions in an innovative manner to send a stern message. "The leadership has now taken the battle to the other side of the LoC as they are also being made accountable and punished for their mischief against India," the sources said. The morale of troops and officers has also gone up considerably as the leadership has backed them fully in operations, which was evident in the Major Leetul Gogoi episode. The force backed the officer and rewarded him for showing his "presence of mind" in tying a civilian in front of an Army vehicle as human shield against stone-pelters, but also didn't accept his method as a standard procedure for others to emulate. advertisement An army official said the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag appears to be in reprisal for the killing of several LeT terrorists including top commander Bashir Lashkari, in an encounter with security forces earlier this month. The terrorists are frustrated at the back-to-back losses suffered by them during counter-insurgency operations over the past month or so and have now resorted to attacking civilians and tourists, the official added. ALSO READ | Operation All-Out: Army's master plan to flush out terrorists from Kashmir ALSO READ | As terrorist attacks increase in Kashmir Valley, number of local militants also go up ALSO WATCH | Modi government will find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue: Rajnath Singh to India Today --- ENDS --- By PTI: Shimla, Jul 13 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, a special investigation team (SIT) probing the July 4 rape-and-murder of a school girl in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh today arrested six people, including a 19-year-old man. The rape-and-murder of the Class X student in Kotkhai area of Shimla district sparked state-wide outrage. Her body was recovered from a nearby forest two days later. advertisement Addressing mediapersons here, Director General of Police (DGP) Somesh Goyal said, "We have technical, forensic, physical, circumstantial and confessional evidence against these accused and the SIT is in the process of collecting more evidence to strengthen the case." Police said all the accused had been living in Kotkhai area for quite some time. The arrested were Ashish Chauhan alias Ashu (29), a resident of Sharaal village in Mahasu area of Kotkhai; Rajender Singh alias Raju (32), the driver of a pick-up vehicle and a resident of Hiliala village; Subash Singh Bisht (42) and Deepak alias Deepu (29), both residents of Pauri Garwal; Suraj Singh (29) and Lok Jung alias Chotu (19), both hailing from Nepal. Goyal said the crime was not pre-planned. All the accused were drunk when the picked up the girl in Rajus vehicle, he said. Eighty-four people were questioned and call details of 28 people were screened in the course of the investigation, the police chief said. The investigation led the police to Ashish, who was then arrested. Police arrested the other accused following interrogation of Ashish. Referring to some photographs which have been doing the rounds of social networking sites and apps, the DGP appealed to people not to circulate unverified news and photographs related to the case on social media. Such posts can attract civil and criminal liability, he said, apart from making the case more complicated. He also requested people of the state to have patience and trust in the police. PTI PCL SMN --- ENDS --- India Today has exclusive access to quotations from reputed pharmaceutical companies to hospitals and stockists that show how pharma firms are hand-in-glove with hospitals in fleecing patients. By Anand Patel: If you thought easy availability and discounted prices of medicines were why people flocked to chemist shops opposite India's topmost hospital - the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), think again. India Today has exclusive access to quotations from reputed pharmaceutical companies to hospitals and stockists that show how pharma firms are hand-in-glove with hospitals to fleece cancer patients. While hospitals receive a particular life-saving drug from pharma firms for a nominal cost, the former charge the patients many times that cost for the same. advertisement This nexus explains why most poor patients can't afford the proper treatment they need and queue up outside chemist shops opposite AIIMS. Sample this. Emcure oncology pharma quotation offers Temecure 250 mg to an Amritsar-based cancer hospital at just Rs 1,950 while patients have to shell out Rs 18,647 for treatment. While one vial of Pemcure 500 mg costs patients Rs 16,500, the hospital has to pay a meagre Rs 3,190 for it. PATIENTS PAYING MANY TIMES OVER COST OF DRUGS AT HOSPITALS Now take a look at the margins offered to the hospitals by Reliance Life Sciences for cancer drugs. Trasturel 440 mg is offered at Rs 30,875 to the hospital, but the patients will have to pay Rs 58,602 for the same. Another drug Rituxirel 500 mg MRP costs a patient Rs 36,916, which is more than twice the price the hospital pays for it - Rs 14,970. Even drugs used for heart ailments are sold to patients at exorbitant prices. A quotation from Abbot, a reputed pharma company shows branded drugs being offered to hospitals at a price three times lower than the MRP. Retelex 18mg, an anti-coagulant used during heart surgery is offered at just Rs 18,000 while its MRP is Rs 32,700. Eptifab 100ml, which is used to treat heart diseases, is offered at just Rs 3,500 while its MRP is 12,331. India Today contacted some of these pharma companies to understand the huge price gap, but none got back to us. Industry sources say that hospitals are offered cheaper drugs since they buy in bulk. But a visit to a crowded oncology department OPD at the country's premier hospital AIIMS shows that sales representatives of pharma companies are trying to lure patients with prescriptions for expensive drugs, offering them better discounts than those available at chemist shops. Health Activist Raj Narain says, "Big hospitals, whether government or private, have become centers of loot. Patients suffering from serious diseases like cancer, cardiac or kidney ailments are fleeced by the touts of pharma companies who roam about freely in these hospitals. These patients are offered higher discounts than market price. There is no control of hospitals on these touts of pharma firms. At times, doctors are also hand-in-glove." advertisement As per industry figures, the business of pharma companies in the country is well over Rs 1 lakh crore. The All India Drug Action Network alleges that 25 per cent of this amount is earmarked for medical corruption which goes to doctors, bureaucrats and politicians. The Modi government has asked doctors to prescribe generic drugs, which are relatively cheaper. But even these generic drugs have different prices from patients, stockists and retailers. DOCTOR's ACCOUNT Dr G S Grewal of Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare told India Today, "The industry says it will stop our R and D, it will stop our production when you are giving me a medicine at Rs 200 for which the MRP is Rs 690. The company has covered everything including the stockist and retailer margins. Why should the government allow this arbitrary MRP? Just because the patient is helpless, this is a massive scandal. We are happy that the Prime Minister has started talking about this. Earlier nobody was even talking about it." The Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare has given a memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding, "An unsuspecting patient has no reason to pay the MRP mentioned on the drugs or implants, which is highly inflated and exorbitant. The MRP on drugs must be meticulously monitored, regulated and strictly enforced." advertisement The All India Drug Action Network has demanded auditing of all medical procedures, implants, stents. It wants all the data to be audited by an independent team to maintain transparency. Dr Meera Shiva of the All India Drug Action Network says, "Nobody consumes medicines by choice, the clause of bringing only the drugs in the National List of Essential List of Medicines under the Drug Price Control is flawed and is an escape route for the pharma companies to evade price control." The Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare and All India Drug Action Network have demanded that its high time that all the medicines be brought under the ambit of essential drugs. Following a nod from the Modi government, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) reduced stent prices. Recently, the NPPA held meetings to discuss capping prices of medical devices like orthopaedic implants and intraocular lenses, but capping of drug prices is still a far cry. MODI GOVERNMENT's RELIEF FOR HEART PATIENTS advertisement In Februrary, the Modi government gave a huge relief to heart patients by reducing the prices of coronary stents by upto 85 per cent. This came after the government's decision to include stents in the National List of Essential Medicines and their classification as a scheduled drug. Surprisingly, the National List of Essential Medicines includes only 376 life-saving drugs. NPPA Chairman Bhupendra Singh told India Today, "NPPA keeps on monitoring the prices of drugs and notified devices on a regular basis. About 20 to 22 per cent drugs are under price control and the rest are not. Government is committed to providing affordable drugs to people and needful intervention is done wherever necessary after due diligence and following the due process as prescribed under the relevant law." The National Health Policy 2017 document says that out of the pocket expenditure on health pushes, nearly 6.3 crore people are below the poverty line, out of which the expenditure on drugs was to the tune of 67 per cent. Also read | Delhi: Medicine traders voice anguish over GST in health sector Also read | Health ministry's surgical strike at Delhi market reveals dark side of medicine hub WATCH THE VIDEO: --- ENDS --- At least 3,500 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in an escorted convoy of 153 vehicles at 3.25 am. The rush of devotees continues unabated despite Monday's terror attack. (Photo: PTI) By India Today Web Desk: Three days after militants opened fire at a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag, a fresh batch of 3,500 pilgrims left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley today. "A fresh batch of 3,500 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in an escorted convoy of 153 vehicles at 3.25 am," officials said here. The rush of devotees continues unabated despite Monday's terror attack in which seven pilgrims were killed and 19 others injured. advertisement The Jammu-Srinagar highway, which the pilgrims use to reach the valley, was closed on Wednesday due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in the Panthal sector of Ramban district. However, it was restored for traffic later in the evening. 1.68 LAKH PILGRIMS REACHED SHRINE All vehicles carrying pilgrims have to cross the Jawahar Tunnel, the entry point into the valley, before 3.30 pm. This precaution has been taken by the authorities to ensure that the pilgrims reach the base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal well before sunset. Wednesday marked the 14th day of the yatra. So far this year, 1.68 lakh pilgrims have reached the shrine located at 3,888 metres above sea-level. The cave houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the size of the moon. Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva. The 40-day long Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine started on June 29 and will end on August 7 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival. ALSO READ | 7 Amarnath pilgrims dead, several injured in terror attack in Anantnag Amarnath Yatra attack: Terrorists acted out of desperation, early assessment shows ALSO WATCH | Arrested Lashkar terrorist Sandeep Kumar gives info on Amarnath attack mastermind Ismail --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 13 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has said that the American beef has hit the Chinese market after a gap of 14 years, crediting this to his trade deals with China. Before Beijing closed the door to the US beef some 14 years ago, America exported beef worth USD 70 million to China. advertisement "After 14 years, US beef hits Chinese market. Trade deal an exciting opportunity for agriculture," Trump told his more than 33.7 million followers in twitter. The ceremonial cutting of American beef was done by Agriculture Secretary late last month, thus giving the US access to the USD 2.5 billion Chinese beef market. According to the Gazette newspaper, the meat shipped last week by a South Omaha meatpacker was reported to be the first shipment of US beef to China since 2003 after officials sealed a long-sought trade deal this month. "This is a big deal. Its definitely very positive news,? Lee Schulz, an Iowa State University Extension livestock economist was quoted as saying. PTI LKJ ARK --- ENDS --- The BJP may look for someone with parliamentary experience as the vice-president is the chairman of Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is not in majority. Amit Shah is currently holding consultations with the RSS on BJP's vice-presidential candidate. Photo: PTI. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) caught the Opposition off-guard when it picked Ram Nath Kovind as National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate. For the vice-presidential polls, the Opposition made the first move and fielded Bapu's grandson Gopakrishna Gandhi as its candidate. The BJP, after a brief lull, has finally started the exercise to finalise a name who can challenge Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the vice-presidential election. advertisement Sources in the BJP said that party's vice-presidential pick will need the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stamp. BJP president Amit Shah has started consultations on the matter with the Sangh today. CONNECTED TO RSS IDEOLOGY According to BJP sources, Amit Shah is currently meeting RSS' number two and general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi to discuss the bench rules for the party's vice-presidential nominee. RSS point person for the BJP Krishna Gopal is also present at the meeting, said sources. A senior RSS functionary said that the Sangh would not like to field a candidate who is not connected to its ideology. The NDA's strength in the House offers the Sangh the opportunity to back people with RSS ideology for the highest offices in the country, the senior RSS functionary said. SOMEONE WITH PARLIAMENTARY EXPERIENCE Caste, gender and region are likely to be on the BJP leadership's mind while zeroing on its candidate for vice-president's post. In case of Ram Nath Kovind, the BJP ticked all the right boxes in its candidate selection. The BJP may also look for someone with parliamentary experience as the vice-president is the chairman of Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is not in majority. Someone who can share a good rapport with leaders across political parties will be able to run the House smoothly. Although nearly assured of a win in the vice-presidential election, the BJP is talking to all non-Congress and non-BJP parties to build support and ensure a bigger margin of victory for its candidate. Following the discussions with the RSS, Amit Shah may finalise the name with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and subsequently present it in front of the BJP parliamentary board. NAMES DOING THE ROUNDS The name of Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu has been doing the rounds as a strong contender for the post of the vice-president. Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah is also believed to have shown interest in her bid to return to Lutyens' Delhi. advertisement The BJP, however, has remained tight-lipped. 'Wait for the announcement' is the stand maintained by all the party leaders. ALSO READ: Vice-Presidential election: Bitter rivals TMC, Left united on support for Gopalkrishna Gandhi Vice-Presidential election dates announced: Polling, result on August 5 Ram Nath Kovind for President: Nitish and Uddhav, 2 tales of shifting goalposts ALSO WATCH: Gopalkrishna Gandhi to India Today: Not seeking votes as a Gandhi descendant --- ENDS --- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has not attacked the Centre in the past few months. Simultaneously, his government is making attempts to reach out to people. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is keeping himself busy with the launch of various schemes. Photo: PTI. By India Today Web Desk: Arvind Kejriwal, who till sometime back, was seen launching attacks on the BJP and the Election Commission for alleged EVM tampering, has remained unusually quiet in the last few months. The Delhi Chief Minister has also refrained from attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His activity on social media is largely restricted to retweeting his Cabinet colleagues' posts. advertisement Simultaneously, in the last few months, the Kejriwal-led AAP government has taken steps towards accessible healthcare and transparency in government functioning. WHAT IS KEEPING ARVIND KEJRIWAL BUSY? Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a healthcare scheme under which a patient who doesn't get a date for surgery at a government hospital within a month would be referred to a private hospital and the government would pay the expenses. The Delhi government has identified 52 life-saving surgeries and 48 private hospitals under the scheme. A few days ago, Arvind Kejriwal launched Delhi government's online Right to Information (RTI) portal and said that the "Delhi government would put all relevant information online to ensure transparency in its functioning". Had gud mtng wid Hon'ble LG. 3 decisions- restart work of greening n landscaping PWD roads, paint all zebra n footpaths, redesign some roads- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 5, 2017 The Delhi Chief Minister sought a report from chief secretary on non-disbursal of scholarships to students from SC, ST and OBC categories in the last two years, affecting more than 5.5 lakh students. Kejriwal has directed the departments concerned to ensure that scholarship disbursements are done by end of July. WHAT FORCED AAP TO CHANGE STRATEGY? Following the humiliating defeat in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls in April, Arvind Kejriwal said it was time for AAP to introspect and go back to the drawing board. "Yes, we made mistakes but we wil introspect and course correct. Time to go back to the drawing board... Need is action and not excuses. It's time to get back to work," the Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM said in a post shared on Twitter. The electoral defeats in Goa and Punjab and then in its own bastion of Delhi in the MCD polls were followed by reports of internal rifts within the party with senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas even threatening to quit. While defeats in elections stung the AAP, the allegations of corruption against the Delhi Chief Minister by suspended party MLA Kapil Mishra gave ammunition to the Opposition to target Arvind Kejriwal, who rose to power on the back of his anti-corruption campaign. advertisement WHAT IS KEJRIWAL's NEW STRATEGY? In the last month-and-a-half, the Delhi Chief Minister has steered clear of any major controversy, and has not made any remark that could create a flutter, thereby ensuring that the focus remains on governance. Kejriwal has not launched public or personal attack on Narendra Modi--a tactic which, the Delhi Chief Minister has understood, only boomerangs. On social media platforms like Twitter, the Delhi Chief Minister has made few comments, and has largely stuck to sharing posts from fellow AAP colleagues or reports regarding the government's work in Delhi. Good Delhi Police. Thank u LG sir. https://t.co/NHLem42PKH- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 28, 2017 Rather, it is Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia who seems to have taken over the task of attacking the Centre on issues such as GST implementation. The Chief Minister, however, makes it a point to retweet the same. After several bitter spats with previous Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, the Kejriwal government has checked itself from publicly attacking L-G Anil Baijal's office. Baijal and Arvind Kejriwal were seen doing yoga together at an event to mark the International Yoga Day last month. advertisement The AAP government while avoiding any public confrontation with the L-G instead knocked on the Supreme Court's door to consider its plea to challenge the Delhi High Court order that held the L-G as the administrative head of the National Capital of Delhi (NCT). The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the AAP government's plea on setting up a Constitution bench to hear the appeal. ALSO READ: Ashish Khetan made adviser to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Delhi: Kejriwal chairs Cabinet meeting, approves 6350 CCTVs for buses Gujarat: Kejriwal-Modi face off unlikely as AAP rethinks decision to contest polls ALSO WATCH: When Arvind Kejriwal was stung by 'Kapil Mishra bewafa hai' bug --- ENDS --- By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree The Brahmaputra river and its tributaries have submerged 2,500 villages, destroyed 1.06 lakh hectares of crop-land and damaged infrastructure by breaching the embankments and overrunning roads and bridges. By India Today Web Desk: In the wake of the floods in Assam, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday said that the Central government will extend every possible help to the people in the state and adjoining areas in the north-east. He added that the government is making sure that people receive food supplies on time. Sonowal said, "I met people in the relief camps and they informed that they are receiving food supply from the government on time." advertisement The chief minister visited the Kaziranga National Park and informed that two veterinary doctors were there to take care of the animals. Meanwhile, Minister of State, Jitendra Singh also assured of all assistance to the affected people. Singh while tweeting about the floods, posted, "Spoke to CM Arunachal Pradesh Sh @PemaKhanduBJP. Coordinating to provide all necessary flood relief assistance. @PMOIndia @MDoNER_India." According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries have submerged 2,500 villages, destroyed 1.06 lakh hectares of crop-land, damaged infrastructure by breaching the embankments and overrunning roads and bridges, thereby disrupting surface communication. LOCALS SHIFTED TO SAFE PLACES Due to the floods, the locals have been shifted to safer places. The flood-hit districts are Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Darrang, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Morigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, South Salmara, Charaideo, Goalpara and Karbi Anglong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday had expressed his anguish over the current flood situation in various parts of the north-eastern region and had assured of all possible help to combat the situation. PM Modi also took to Twitter to express solidarity with the people of the north-east and asserted that the entire nation stands by the people of the affected region. He tweeted, "I am anguished by the situation arising due to floods in various parts of the Northeast. I share the pain of all those affected by floods. The entire nation stands with the people of Northeast during this time. Centre assures all possible help to normalise the situation." PM SPEAKS TO PEMA KHANDU AND KIREN RIJIJU Prime Minister Modi added that he had spoken to Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MoS home Kiren Rijiju. "I have spoken to Arunachal Pradesh CM @PemaKhanduBJP & other officials both in Delhi & the states on the flood situation," Prime Minister Modi said. He added, "I have also asked my colleague @KirenRijiju to personally supervise the rescue, relief operations & facilitate all possible help needed." CM Sonowal convened a high-level meeting at the circuit house, Morigaon, and reviewed the situation emanated from flood and erosion in the district. advertisement (With inputs from ANI) Also read: Flood situation grim in northeast India, at least 20 dead so far Also read: Lightning kills 19 in UP, Bihar; 1 more dies in Assam floods --- ENDS --- A man in Australia lost his thumb when a bull severed it, but the thumb has now been surgically replaced with his toe. By India Today Web Desk: A cattle worker in Australia has been surgically given a relocation of his toe. Zac Mitchel was injured in April while he worked on a remote farming property in Western Australia. The 20-year-old Aussie's thumb was severed by a bull. It was reported on Thursday that Zac has had his toe surgically transplanted in the thumb's position. advertisement "A bull kicked my hand into the fence," Zac told the BBC. Before the odd replacement surgery, Zac underwent two unsuccessful operations to get his thumb re-attached. After the lack of success, the doctors opted to relocate his big toe in surgery lasting eight hours. Zac is also fortunate to have good fellow workers who even tried to preserve his thumb immediately after the accident. "They put it in the cooler with some ice," he told the BBC. Zac was initially reluctant to get such a surgery but the cattle worker agreed to the transplant operation at a hospital in Sydney two weeks ago. "It is a bit of a crazy idea...they (patients) do not want to be injured in another part of their body. "(However) even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function," the BBC quoted Lead plastic surgeon Sean Nicklin. Zac will need more than 12 months of rehabilitation, but he plans to return to farm work to try his new fixture. FYI || MBBS student helps a woman give birth on moving train, uses WhatsApp to seek advice from doctors || FYI || 5-year-old Roona Begum from Tripura with unusual giant head dies before surgery || --- ENDS --- Prosecutors had argued at trial that Conrad Truman's inconsistent stories to police about what happened that night indicated that he killed the woman. His defense attorneys argued that the man's statements were taken moments after the shooting while he was traumatized and panicked about his wife's death. They argued that Heidy Truman shot herself. A member of the ACT Greens tried to water down a damning report about the party's handling of critical incidents during last year's election campaigns, including one allegation of sexual assault. A Greens volunteer has alleged she was sexually assaulted in the back of a car by another volunteer on federal election night last year. The ACT Greens have been accused of mishandling an allegation of sexual assault. Credit:Natalie Grono The allegation is one of three critical incidents discussed but not detailed in an internal report into the campaigns, leaked to Fairfax Media in March. Zach Ghirardello, a former party member and member of the Greens campaign team, has been advocating on behalf of the 21-year-old woman about the alleged assault since the night, when he was called in to deal with it. But Mr Ghirardello has now gone public, frustrated at his inability to get any action from the Greens hierarchy. The queue started at 6am, and didn't slow down all day for Canberra's first ever Mecca Maxima store which opened on Thursday at the Canberra Centre. Alexis Swaby, who secured the coveted first spot in line, said she had been waiting for the cosmetics store to open in Canberra, "for ages". Tayla Macdonald, Naomi Vumbaca, Ingrid Smith, and Alexis Swaby were the first customers in queue for the opening of Mecca Maxima. Credit:Karleen Minney "I'm obsessed, I love makeup," she said. "I have a few items I want to go and grab before they sell out, and then I don't know. But I'll probably spend about $500 without me even realising." Two Canberrans won more than $380,000 in damages after suing a builder and a seller over the shoddy build of a Macgregor home. In July 2009 a woman contracted construction company Hanson Australasia Pty Ltd to build the two-storey, four-bedroom house. Townhouses offer a family friendly alternative to a detached house at a lower entry price. Credit:Louie Douvis A man and a woman arranged to buy the property from the woman in April 2010, before the home was finished. But they began to notice problems shortly after settlement, about three months later. The problems, identified by an engineer's report tendered during the litigation, included rising damp caused by the faulty installation of a vapour barrier, a balcony that directed water into the house, roof faults that allowed water in and cracked concrete in the garage. Retired major general Jim Molan won't be drawn on a tilt at the former bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro, saying he was focused on reform of the NSW Liberal Party first. The author of the Abbott government's hardline boat turnback policy and former commander of allied troops in Iraq is the latest name being being touted for the NSW seat which surrounds the ACT. Focused in NSW: retired Major General Jim Molan. Credit:Jeffrey Chan Local Liberals believe General Molan could defeat fellow veteran and Labor incumbent Mike Kelly, in a race shaping up as a three-cornered fight with the Nationals. The 67-year-old Royalla resident was pushed to the unwinnable 7th position on the Coalition's NSW Senate ticket for the 2016 election, winning more than 10,000 first preference votes. Bank boards may blunt the impact of a new accountability regime on senior bankers' bonuses by bumping up base rates of pay, the federal Treasury has suggested. In a consultation paper detailing various banking measures announced in the budget, Treasury said higher fixed salaries might be a result of a plan to require banks to hold back bonus payments for their most senior staff for at least four years. Under the budget's banking accountability package, at least 40 per cent of the most senior bankers' bonuses must be deferred for at least four years, in an attempt to deter short-term risk-taking. "A potential consequence of requiring variable remuneration to be deferred is that firms may adjust pay structures, shifting the balance of payment from variable to base remuneration," said the Treasury paper, published on Thursday. Yuri I. Drozdov, a Soviet superspy who played a role in key events of the Cold War, from Berlin to Kabul, and masterminded a mysterious network of KGB operatives known as the "illegals," died June 21 in Moscow. He was 91. His death was announced by Russia's foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR., a successor agency of the KGB. "General Drozdov devoted his life to serving the motherland and enhancing the country's national security," President Vladimir V. Putin, who was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB, said on the Kremlin's website. At a 95th anniversary ceremony last month for a Russian foreign intelligence unit, M. Putin named General Drozdov a hero of what is known in Russia as illegal intelligence, which he said "helps identify and block external threats in a timely manner and protect our sovereignty and right to be a free and independent country". The agents overseen by General Drozdov were planted in other countries disguised as residents and lived there while making contacts and gathering information. New York Times Elsa Martinelli, an Italian fashion model turned actress whose Hollywood career included roles opposite Kirk Douglas in The Indian Fighter and John Wayne in Hatari!, has died in Rome, aged 82. Martinelli's modelling career was already on the upswing in 1955 when a photograph of her in Vogue was spotted by Mr Douglas's wife, Anne Buydens. He was producing The Indian Fighter, a western, and was seeking an actress to play Onahti, the daughter of a Sioux chie. "There was a shot of an Italian girl long dark hair, dark eyes coming out of the water soaking wet, a man's shirt clinging to her voluptuous body," Mr Douglas wrote in his autobiography. "Anne said, 'This girl would make a fantastic Indian.' She did look terrific." He tracked her down in New York, but when he spoke to her by telephone she was skeptical that it was Mr Douglas calling until he sang a song from his film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. "Dio mio! Keerka Dooglas!" Mr Douglas said she exclaimed. New York Times In Passing Credit:Fairfax Captain "Tubby" Crawford, who has died, aged 100, was one of the last survivors of the 10th Submarine Flotilla, known as the "Fighting Tenth", and the doyen of the "Perishers". The Perisher course, now formally known as the United Kingdom Submarine Command Course, was introduced in 1917 to qualify officers to command submarines, and is one of the toughest tests of stamina, mental agility and leadership in the world. In August 1940, Crawford served briefly as first lieutenant of the training submarine L23, before being appointed in December 1940 as first lieutenant of the submarine Upholder under the command of the illustrious Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Wanklyn VC, DSO and two bars. Upholder's first war patrol was from Portsmouth to Gibraltar, thereafter Crawford served under Wanklyn on 16 patrols in the Mediterranean. Each patrol lasted two to three weeks, with 10 days between patrols to rearm and refuel in Malta. These rest periods were frequently interrupted by air-raids, at which point Upholder dived to the bottom of the harbour. When it was realised that under the glassy waters the hull could be seen, it was camouflaged with blue paint. Ray Phiri, a South African jazz musician who founded the band Stimela and became internationally known while performing on Paul Simon's Graceland tour, has died at a hospital in the northeastern city of Nelspruit. He was 70. A vocalist and guitarist, Phiri was known for his versatility in jazz fusion and indigenous South African rhythms. "He was a musical giant," President Jacob Zuma said in a statement. "This is indeed a huge loss for South Africa and the music industry as a whole." Paul Simon, centre, with lead guitarist Ray Phiri, left, and actor-comedian Chevy Chase on the saxophone, New York, 1991. Credit:AP His songs resonated among many South Africans, particularly during the era of white minority rule that ended in 1994. Phiri "breathed consciousness and agitated thoughts of freedom through his music", said the ruling African National Congress party, which was the main movement against apartheid until it took power in the country's first all-race elections. Stimela's best-known albums include the 1980s records Fire, Passion and Ecstasy and Look, Listen and Decide. Phiri also contributed as a guitarist to Simon's 1986 Graceland, which evolved from Simon's interest in South African music. By PTI: Melbourne, Jul 13 (PTI) A cattle worker in Australia has had his big toe surgically removed and attached to his hand after his thumb was severed in an accident. Zac Mitchell, a cattle worker was injured while working on a remote farming property in Western Australia. "A bull kicked my hand into the fence," Mitchell said. advertisement Mitchells fellow workers attempted to preserve the thumb immediately after the accident by putting it in a cooler with some ice but were unable to save it. The 20-year-old underwent two unsuccessful operations to reattach his thumb before doctors from Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia opted to relocate his big toe in surgery which lasted eight hours, BBC News reported. Despite initial reluctance, the cattle worker agreed to the transplant operation. "It is a bit of a crazy idea - the patients do not want to be injured in another part of their body," said Sean Nicklin, lead plastic surgeon at Sydney Eye Hospital. "However, even if you have got four good fingers, if you do not have something to pinch against them, your hand has lost a huge amount of its function," Nicklin said. It is rare to transplant a complete toe, like in Mitchells case, although partial toe relocations were more common, the hospital said. "A lot of people think their balance and walking is going to be significantly affected which it generally is not," Nicklin said. PTI APA SAR SAR --- ENDS --- They say the best cure for dealing with arachnophobia is to carry around a jar of huntsman spiders in your handbag. I've never tried it myself which is possibly why I break into a cold sweat every time I see a spider bigger than a thumbnail. But, even for me, that particular phobia pales into insignificance compared with the thought of fronting an empty lecture theatre. Illustration: Andrew Dyson The mere thought of adjusting, yet again, a meticulously prepared class on the fly, in the absence of a critical mass of attendees, literally gives me nightmares. But, just weeks into semester, after exhausting nearly every teaching trick in the book and inventing new ones as I go, that will be my reality. That's assuming everyone who was supposed to turn up in the early weeks actually did. Incredible video has emerged of an elephant being rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy, 16 kilometres off the Sri Lankan coast. In the video, the elephant can been seen floating in the ocean with its trunk upwards, using it like a snorkel. The Sri Lankan navy troops attached to the Eastern Naval Command were going about their routine patrol when they noticed the elephant being dragged out to sea offshore in the Kokkuthuduvai area in Kokilai. Navy officers can be seen swimming alongside the elephant attempting to attach a rope to the animal's neck while a boat helps guide the elephant back to shore. Conservative hero and Australia's second longest-serving Prime Minister John Howard not only "trembled" at the thought of a Trump Administration but admitted he would have struggled to vote for one. But in a wide-ranging interview on Thursday, Mr Howard presented a more sanguine view of Mr Trump in office, a man he said Australians could trust as an alliance partner, expected to last a full term and who was being condemned too hastily as a scandal involving Russian connections with his campaign ensnares family members. "People who are writing him off now are foolish a lot of people doing that still can't accept that they lost [the election]," Mr Howard said. "You've got to look through the style. The things that disconcert people about him are more on the style side." Speaking at the Museum of Contemporary of Art at an event by the United States Studies Centre at The University of Sydney, Mr Howard said it was too early to say if Mr Trump would be a success. Frydenberg laughed it off, noting Jones had made a similar prediction about Turnbull before he became Prime Minister. Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg says his job is "fascinating but challenging". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "I don't think such an endorsement - or lack thereof - from Alan Jones will have any meaningful impact out there," he told ABC radio. "There's no causal connection between what Alan Jones says and what actually happens in politics." The scene when Josh Frydenberg's press conference in South Australia was crashed by state Premier Jay Weatherill. Credit:ABC After last year's election, Turnbull combined two previously separate portfolios, energy and environment, into one super-ministry and handed it to Frydenberg. It was always going to be a busy role, but no one knew energy policy was going to become one of the hottest political issues around. Mr Frydenberg sits alongside former prime minister Tony Abbott during a parliamentary vote last month. Credit:Andrew Meares "Who would have thought there would be a statewide blackout in South Australia, the closure of the Hazelwood power station and soaring gas prices all within a matter of months?" Frydenberg says. Things have changed dramatically in the energy space. Then prime minister John Howard shaves the head of staffer Josh Frydenberg as part of the annual leukemia fund raising event. Credit:Auspic From South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill "crash tackling" him at a press conference to newspaper headlines claiming the government was planning a "carbon tax" on cars, there's always the chance of a landmine exploding. On Thursday he had to slap down prominent backbencher Craig Kelly for saying people would die this winter because renewable energy was driving up power prices. "There is never a dull moment," he says. The job, Frydenberg explains, is complex on many levels. First there are the technicalities - you have to get your head around the details of thermal generation, intermittent supply and battery storage. The states also have significant power over energy policy, meaning the federal government has to take into account what they are doing. Then there are the politics. To the left, the Coalition is unlikely to ever be able to do enough to make environmentalists happy. On the right, climate sceptics in the government would rather do nothing at all. Last year Frydenberg said the government would examine an "emissions intensity scheme" in the electricity sector, but had to backtrack quickly and rule this out after a backbench rebellion. That's why the government is proceeding carefully with the key recommendation of the Finkel report: a new clean energy target. At a special party room meeting after the report was released, Frydenberg gave his colleagues a 30-minute slideshow and spent three hours answering their questions. It's now up to him to devise a solution that provides a credible answer on cutting carbon emissions while ensuring the power supply is affordable and reliable. And to do it without sparking a civil war in the government. The policy debate over energy is being played out against an increasingly heated ideological debate between the Liberal Party's conservative and moderate wings. Last week, Frydenberg took aim at former prime minister Tony Abbott's "constant interventions" and said all he was achieving was helping Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. The Turnbull government has warned the states their threat to "go it alone" on a clean energy target will only create chaos and inefficiency in the nation's electricity system. Energy ministers will clash on Friday as the states seek to pressure the Turnbull government to decide whether it will adopt a clean energy target - the key recommendation of Chief Scientist Alan Finkel's review of Australia's energy security - despite ongoing internal divisions over the policy proposal. Led by South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis, the Labor states on Thursday threatened to bypass the federal government altogether. Without swift progress on Friday they would ask the Australian Energy Market Commission to model how a state-based target would work, Mr Koutsantonis said. Transformers star Shia LaBeouf has apologised for a racist outburst following his arrest in Savannah, Georgia on the weekend. "I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and make no excuses for it." LaBeouf tweeted. "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst." Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested for public drunkenness. Credit:AP The actor stated that this event was "a new low. A low I hope is the bottom." According to police, LaBeouf was arrested and charged with obstruction, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness on Saturday evening. Andrew Woods with daughters Lailah and Ella and his wife Kelly. GoFundMe said medical fundraisers continued to be one of its largest-growing categories, which had raised hundreds of millions of dollars globally for those in need. Director of Public Policy at Cancer Council Australia Paul Grogan said it was great that people had access to crowdfunding websites and help through social media, but it showed there was a greater problem within the Australian medical system. Lailah's prognosis is positive but she will have to endure two-and-a-half years of treatment to be cured. "At the same time it also does highlight where the system is failing people," he said. "That they need to take those sorts of measures into their own hands and really start to rely on the philanthropy in a really unstructured way I think it really points to some shortcomings in the system to provide adequate support for people, which should really be built into what we provide. Mr Grogan said the Cancer Council was currently researching what cancer cost people, looking at everything from loss of income to expensive medicines and treatments, insurance arrangements and basics such as parking and travel costs. "We take great pride in Australia's health system but we can see there are people clearly falling through the cracks," he said. "And what concerns us most is where there are examples of capacity to pay having a direct impact on a clinical outcome." Mr Woods said he was lucky he had a "really good family", who could look after his older daughter for the first few nights of Lailah's hospital stay. But living in Ormeau, a Gold Coast suburb about 44 kilometres from the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in South Brisbane, Mr Woods said the costs of simply getting himself to the hospital as well as to work and home were quickly adding up. "My other daughter was staying with my mum, so I was back and forth between Ormeau, Coomera, Southport, and Brisbane," he said. "It's just constant trips back and forth basically, which is a lot on the fuel and just wear and tear on the car." And then there was the cost of parking. "When I left the hospital after the weekend that she was in there I got half-price parking, and it cost me $75," Mr Woods said. "If I hadn't have gotten that ticket it would have been $150." Once Lailah is discharged to continue treatment as an outpatient, Mr Woods said the family will have to make weekly trips up to Brisbane for blood tests and regular chemotherapy. "Especially from the Gold Coast, I've worked it out to just for the parking and fuel would be about $7000 a year, to and from, if she's going up weekly," he said. And then there's the medicines on top of that, they're pretty expensive and my wife obviously she can't work because she'll be full-time caring for Lailah." Mr Grogan said these issues were a common problem for people with serious illnesses, as many families are not prepared for a diagnosis. "We don't live our lives anticipating that a cancer diagnosis may occur, even though we're somewhere between a one-in-two and a one-in-three chance all of us of having to take that on," he said. "(And) that adds a layer of distress to the reality of having to deal with a serious illness; it's very distressing for people then to have to confront their capacity to pay." Mr Grogan said it showed more research was needed so the government could work on providing better health services and better early detection. "All of these things are costs to the individual and costs to the community as well," he said. "And costs all increase generally if you have a poorer prognosis or if you have a more complex prognosis." Luckily for Lailah and her family, her prognosis is good. "They (the doctors) are confident that they'll cure it but it's a long road," Mr Woods said. "There will be good days, and long days but so far so good, she's responded really well to everything." Talked into setting up the GoFundMe by friends, Mr Woods said he expected the money raised no matter how much would be an immense help to the family. "We still don't know what we're looking for financially we have no idea," he said. Shock jock Alan Jones has warned NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that her head is "in a noose" over her government's mining policy in the Liverpool Plains, one that will tighten once "the truckies and the farmers start", in an extraordinarily fiery radio interview. Ms Berejiklian's government announced on Wednesday it would spend $260 million buying back about 51 per cent of a mining exploration licence over an area encompassing the Liverpool Plains and prime agricultural land, leaving only the adjacent ridges remaining. Jones, a fierce critic of Chinese state-owned company Shenhua's proposed Watermark coal mine, on Thursday said he believed the limitations would not protect farmland and continued to risk polluting its water. "The Shenhua rubbish has the potential to bring down [your] government," Jones said in an interview on Sydney radio station 2GB, part owned by Fairfax Media (which also publishes this website). Work needed for an upgrade to the Wollongong to Sydney rail link that would deliver passengers to Central in 66 minutes produces benefits at up to twice the cost according to a previously unreleased Cabinet in Confidence report. The proposed schedule, also seen by Fairfax Media, has express passenger trains taking 20 minutes to get from Wollongong to Helensburgh, 35 minutes to get from from Wollongong to Hurstville, 54 minutes to Wolli Creek, and 66 minutes to Central. Wollongong to Sydney in 66 minutes possible with a Maldon to Dombarton freight link. Credit:Rob Homer The main expenses would be a $2.9 billion tunnel from Thirroul to near Waterfall on Sydney's southern tip and completion of the long-stalled freight link from Dombarton near Dapto to the commuter line. Costed at between $700 million and $800 million in the Cabinet in Confidence document seen by Fairfax Media, the freight link has a benefit-cost ratio of between 1.5 and 2.4 depending on the scenario chosen. "Obviously I am my father's daughter," baby killer Kathleen Folbigg wrote in her diary in 1996. Folbigg, 50, one of Australia's most notorious serial murderers, was pondering whether she had turned out like her father, an underworld criminal who stabbed her mother to death in a jealous rage. Kathleen Folbigg, pictured here in 2001, has been convicted of assaulting an inmate in Silverwater prison. Credit:Grant Turner Now her own criminal record has got longer, after she was convicted of assaulting an inmate in a protection wing at Silverwater women's prison during a fight over a toaster on April 21. Folbigg, who is 14 years into a 25-year minimum jail term for killing her four children, was sentenced in Burwood Local Court last month to four-months' prison for common assault. There are many claimants to BJP MLA Babulal Gaur's legacy, and BJP would really have a difficult time - first in convincing Gaur not to contest, not even as an independent, and then to choose his successor. By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: A strange but intense lobbying for ticket is going on in country's unique Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh. There are several claimants to the Govindpura seat and all have their own interesting reasons to push their case. Former MP minister Babulal Gaur is the sitting BJP MLA from Govindpura in Bhopal for the past 43 years. He has been winning from the seat since 1974. It is his 10th consecutive term. advertisement In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unwritten age bar criterion for ministers at the Centre and in the BJP-ruled states, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan dropped Gaur, 87, from his Cabinet in June 2016. BJP is unlikely to field him and has given enough indications to Gaur to that effect. But Gaur, who was Chouhan's predecessor and Uma Bharati's successor as the state CM, is bent upon contesting for the 11th term from his Govindpura constituency one more time in the 2018 Assembly elections. He wishes to improve upon his own record and ensure that his name enters in the Guinness Book of World Records for being an MLA from the same constituency for close to 50 years. Gaur's wish notwithstanding, a race to inherit his political legacy has started not just among ambitious BJP leaders but also those of rival Congress. I PUSHED GAUR'S TWO-WHEELER Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma created a flutter when he said publicly on July 12 that he was the real successor to Gaur's political legacy. The logic he gave was strange. While taking part in Bhopal Municipal Corporation's programme in Govindpura constituency, Sharma said, "I am the real inheritor of Gaur's legacy. I have even pushed Gaur's two-wheeler," and added, "I have been campaigning for Gaur ever since I joined politics". I'M GAUR'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW However, Gaur's daughter-in-law and former Bhopal Mayor Krishna Gaur considers herself as his true inheritor. She has been representing Gaur and even accompanying him on most of the official programmes in the Govindpura constituency. Speaking with India Today, Krishna Gaur laughed when asked whether she considered self as her father-in-law's political heir. However, she sought to be politically correct and presented herself as a disciplined BJP worker. "There is no heir in politics. Moreover, there is no such tradition in BJP. One is an heir in properties, which I am. I do not consider myself as a political successor to anyone. I have created my own political standing. I have worked hard to climb up the political ladder," she said. Asked about her plans to contest from Govindpura, she said she was a committed soldier of BJP. The party would choose a candidate on the basis of a worker's merits. advertisement WE WERE SHORTLISTED AS POSSIBLE CANDIDATES Besides Sharma and Krishna Gaur, there are at least two more BJP leaders who have staked claim to succeed Babulal Gaur in Govindpura. The names of these two leaders had got shortlisted along with Babulal Gaur as possible candidates ahead of the 2013 Assembly elections. One of them is state party's chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya and the other is MP Tourism Development Corporation chairperson Tapan Bhowmick. Vijayvargiya told India Today that he had been working among the party workers in Govindpura for several years. "I am a voter in Govindpura. I am active since students' politics days. However, it is the party's prerogative to select a suitable candidate. The state election committee and Parliamentary Board would choose a candidate," he said. BAL THACKERAY TOLD ME IN MY DREAM Not just the BJP leaders but one Congress leader has also thrown the gauntlet in the ring to claim Gaur's political legacy. Pradeep Kumar Sharma said the voters of Govindpura considered him Gaur's successor. Moreover, he said, "One day former Shiv Sena supremo late Bal Thackeray told me in my dreams that only I deserve to be Gaur's political heir." advertisement Sharma has even posted this on his Facebook wall, saying only he can inherit the political legacy of "Govindpura superhero Babulal Gaur". With so many claimants to Gaur's legacy, BJP would really have a difficult time - first in convincing Gaur not to contest, not even as an independent, and then to choose his successor. Also Read: Former MP CM Babulal Gaur set to spell trouble for BJP as he decides to contest Assembly polls for 11th consecutive time Former Madhya Pradesh Minister Babulal Gaur questions functioning of CM Shivraj Chouhan's govt --- ENDS --- The process of constructing a tram line down Sydney's oldest street and to the eastern suburbs was always going to present unexpected challenges. But the requirement to build a dam, sufficient to meet the state's exacting dam safety standards, was probably not high on any list of possibilities. Along the southern edge of Centennial Park, contractors are this year expending significant resources to ensure that what is now considered a dam will not be a threat to safety. The dam is not a new body of water. Instead, the existing Centennial Park Pond has, because of the light rail project, become a dam. An elderly woman who was hit by a van while crossing the road in Sydney's north has suffered serious head injuries and is in a critical condition. The woman, 74, was crossing the road at the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Archer Street in Chatswood about 9.45am on Thursday when she was struck by the van and left unconscious. She was given a blood transfusion and intubated at the scene to stabilise her breathing mechanically, before she was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital. Ambulance, fire and rescue, police and CareFlight medical crews were all at the site, and a CareFlight spokesman said the woman's condition remained "very serious". "She had a head injury and other injuries," the spokesman said. A former professional soccer player and financial planner has been charged over the alleged torture and assault of a young woman at a Bulimba townhouse earlier this month. Jeromy Lee Harris, 41, a former National Soccer League midfielder for the Brisbane Strikers, Marconi and Sydney Olympic, was charged on Thursday with acts intended to disfigure, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, torture, deprivation of liberty and two counts of supply dangerous drug. The 21-year-old woman remains in an induced coma at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after she was found with "horrific" life-threatening injuries all over her body. She was found after a man called emergency services to a Bulimba townhouse on July 2. "Major delays are expected as we restore the timetable, please listen for announcements or defer travel where possible," Metro Trains said in a tweet. Passengers on crowded platforms wait for the network to start up again. Credit:Chris Hopkins Commuters inside trains were told not to force the doors open as they were stuck on board for almost an hour. In further woes for the system, services on the Glen Waverley/Alamein line and Belgrave/Lilydale were forced to run direct from Flinders Street to Richmond due to a female trespasser. Patient passengers at Southern Cross wait, and wait. Credit:Chris Hopkins Crowd control measures were put in place at Southern Cross and City Loop stations as the system started back up. Staff were forced to block commuters from walking down escalators onto overcrowded platforms, as they flocked to catch the first trains to leave the station. Even with the network back in action, Thursday's journey home was less pleasant than usual. Credit:Joe Armao, Fairfax Media. Uber users were hit with surcharges of at least 3.5x to travel from Southern Cross, which translates to an estimated $50 fare to cross the city. Yarra Trams also tweeted that it was experiencing delays due to high demand caused by the train glitch. V/Line trains were also affected. All Metro trains were stopped due to a computer fault. Credit:Tim Young Mr Williams said a computer system error emerged at about 4pm, causing all trains across the network to be brought to a standstill. The system was brought back online shortly after 5pm, he said. "We do anticipate that we'll have significant delays throughout the evening peak as we get moving again," he said. Stranded passengers at Southern Cross Station on Thursday. Credit:Timna Jacks "We apologise to passengers as we understand it's been a frustrating experience getting home this evening." He said that any trains near a level crossing would have caused boom gates to remain down and that some were stuck for about an hour, leading to huge traffic delays. A snapshot of the chaos on the Metro website. Metro says it will conduct a full investigation into what happened. Julie, who works in a marketing agency in the city, said she arrived at the station at 4:30pm, when she heard the announcement that she would have to wait 45 minutes before she could start to head home. Uber surcharges from Southern Cross just before 5pm. "It's a bit frustrating ... I haven't encountered a delay like this before. "There have been no recent updates on how much longer the delay will be. "I'm just going to have to wait, there is no other way of me getting home. I live in Sanctuary Lakes, the only way to get home is via car or the train the Werribee line." Another commuter, Monique Elliott, who lives in Sunbury, said she was worried that she wouldn't get home in time to pick up her kids from daycare at 6:30pm. She wasn't able to find a taxi and an Uber trip would have cost her $212 more than double the usual fare. "I have been waiting an hour ... this is really bad ... why is it broken and why can't it be fixed quicker?" By 5:45pm a Metro officer came over the loudspeaker to announce that "services were getting back to normal" and the station finally started to clear out. Veronica Tucker typed on her phone, as she waited patiently for her Hurstbridge train to arrive. She said her trip home to Eltham would be delayed by about 20 minutes and she would have liked to have been informed by Metro Trains earlier. "Just a text message or an alert when it's that severe and the cost of Ubers and taxis are really high." . The Age's Good Food contributor Larissa Dubecki found herself and four children trapped inside the 3.56pm Hurstbridge train from Flinders Street station for about an hour and ten minutes. Ms Dubecki said she was coming back from a day at Circus Oz with her children aged nine and six, and two of their friends aged nine and five, when the train came to a halt at Parliament station. She said at first Metro Train attempted to conceal the problem telling commuters aboard the carriages that there would be a five-minute delay due to track work. "But another 15 minutes later there was another message over the loudspeaker which said there was a signal problem," she said. "They kept repeating this message over and over and then another 20 minutes later they confessed the whole system was down." Ms Dubecki said she was trapped in the carriage with dozens of other commuters and they warned by Metro Trains not to try and get off the train or open the doors. "We were told not to move from where we were but after an hour people started to get agitated and really frustrated," she said. "There was a group of men at the back of the train who started to get quite worked up and were standing near the doors." But Ms Dubecki said the train resumed again about 5.30pm and she got off at Westgarth Station in Northcote shortly after. A VicRoads spokeswoman advised motorists to avoid level crossings for several hours at least, as boom gates would lower with greater frequency as Metro tried to clear the backlog. There were earlier reports of boom gates being stuck down at Murrumbeena and Northcote but both had since cleared. There are some delays being reported on Tooronga Road, near Gardiner station, and High Street, Glen Iris. Some commuters have jumped on social media to express their frustration at the long delays. [Warning: graphic images and descriptions] A fox squeals helplessly and thrashes back and forth as a dog gnaws on its tail. "Oi, quick get it on video," a man yells. The cries of a large goat are heard across an empty field. "Dogs found some goats," another man says, as the animal is savaged by three canines, from the front, back and middle. A small brown dog walks around a living room with a tiny black kitten in its mouth, "Marley, come on buddy, Marley come on," a man encourages the dog, which drops the cat on the ground and ravages it. Warning: Readers might find the content of this story distressing. She left the nursing home to live with her son and his family. A room to herself, her grandchildren around and her daughter-in-law as carer. It should have been everything a frail and elderly woman needed. Instead authorities allege the woman didn't get the care she needed from her son and his wife in their Melbourne home, and that the last year of her life when she was well into her 80s constituted a case of severe neglect bordering on elder abuse. When, in October 2013, ambulance paramedics were alerted that the woman had died they were appalled by the sight of her in a soiled nappy on a rotten mattress, with food scraps strewn around and a stench through the putrid house. Perth is on the brink of a meth-induced zombie apocalypse and is one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Well, if you believe the UK's Sun Newspaper our humble and quaint capital city has been lumped in with "drug cartel run hellholes to war-ravaged cities where head chopping ISIS fanatics run wild." The map lists Perth as one of the world's most dangerous places. Credit:The Sun Bugger me, that shatters the Dullsville tag that has been hanging around Perth's neck for so long. The Sun has even gone to great lengths of using a graphics map to explain "the most dangerous corners of the earth". A Perth mining exploration company has come under scrutiny by the Australian stockmarket over $4 million in payments to its directors and consultants. The Australian Financial Review reports three directors of Capital Mining have been forced to rearrange their remuneration structure after the Australian Securities Exchange looked into discrepancies in the company's expenditure. Leonard Harlan becomes a senior adviser at Quintet Partners. Credit:Michel Bunn The ASX forced directors Peter Torney, a former stockbroker, and corporate advisers Peter Dykes and Anthony Dunlop to reveal just how much they were paying themselves and their "consultants" as directors of the company, which has a market capitalisation of $4 million. Documents the company supplied to the ASX show Mr Dykes, Mr Torney and Mr Dunlop were paid almost $4 million in directors fees, including $2.1 million in consulting fees to a firm called Chapmans Limited, incidentally run by Mr Dykes and Mr Dunlop. Jakarta: A re-enactment of a brazen Bali jail escape has revealed Australian Shaun Davidson was the first to clamber out of a filthy waste tunnel at 2.30am on June 19 after he and three other prisoners took more than four hours to dig their way to freedom in the pouring rain. Two of the prisoners, who were recaptured in East Timor a few days after the escape, retraced their steps inside and outside Kerobokan jail and at the airport on Thursday in front of heavily armed police. They played themselves while police officers acted the roles of Davidson and Malaysian Tee Kok King, who have been on the run for almost a month and are the subject of an international manhunt involving Interpol. Bulgarian Dimitar Iliev and Indian Sayed Mohammed Said, who are being held in police custody, showed how they changed clothes in a building construction site just metres from the jail and then hailed a taxi to freedom. By PTI: (Eds: Fixes typo in intro) By Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Jul 13 (PTI) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today defended Bangladeshs decision to buy two submarines worth USD 203 million from China, saying the move wont elicit "negative reactions" from other nations as it was for safeguarding the countrys sovereignty. Hasina called China a key-development partner and said Bangladesh purchased two Chinese-made submarines to modernise its defence system by upgrading the Navy into a "three- dimensional force". advertisement "I believe that the decision of buying two submarines from China is related to the national interest of Bangladesh, and it wont create any negative reaction in the political arena in the outside world," she told the parliament late yesterday. Her comments came in response to a lawmakers question on the negative speculation four months after the Bangladesh Navy commissioned the two Type 035G-class submarines, also known as Ming-class, naming them as BN Nabajatra and BN Agrajatra. She said Bangladeshs defence system was further strengthened than before due to induction of the two submarines into the Navy. The prime minister said the two submarines would make important contributions to safeguarding the countrys sovereignty and "besides, its expected that the two submarines would play a special role in the "Blue Economy" meaning the countrys economic uplift. The conventional diesel electric submarines are equipped with torpedoes and mines. Bangladesh analysts said procurement of the two submarines at a cost of USD 203 million reflected the countrys growing economic and defence ties with Beijing. Hasina announced her plan to procure the Chinese submarines in 2013 when Bangladesh signed a billion-dollar deal with Russia to buy fighter training jets, helicopters and anti-tank missiles. PTI AR UZM ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- Beijing: Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, a prominent dissident since the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, died on Thursday after being denied permission to leave the country for treatment for late-stage liver cancer. Liu, 61, was jailed for 11 years in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power" after he helped write a petition known as "Charter 08" calling for sweeping political reforms. Mourning his death, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Liu a "courageous fighter for civil rights and freedom of expression", while the French, British and US governments called on China to allow Liu's family to move around freely. Already seriously ill, Liu, a thorn in the ruling Communist Party's side since he helped negotiate a deal to allow protesters to leave Tiananmen Square before troops and tanks rolled in, was moved last month from prison to a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang to be treated. Paris: US President Donald Trump is holding the door open to a reversal of his decision to pull his country out of the Paris climate accord, but did not say what he would need in return to persuade him to do so. Trump, who has made few friends in Europe with his rejection of the 2015 Paris agreement and his "America First" trade stance, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday as both leaders sought common ground to reset an awkward relationship. "Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords, let's see what happens," Trump told a news conference. "If it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't, that'll be OK too." Trump has said the Paris accord is soft on leading polluters like China and India, putting US industry at risk. Beijing: Liu Xiaobo, the renegade Chinese intellectual who kept vigil on Tiananmen Square in 1989 to protect protesters from encroaching soldiers, promoted a pro-democracy charter that brought him an 11-year prison sentence and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize of 2010 while locked away, died Thursday. He was 61. The bureau of justice of Shenyang, the city in northeastern China where Liu was being treated for cancer, announced on its website that Liu had died. Why are the rulers of a rich and powerful China so worried about one individual?Liu Xiaobo speaks during an interview in 2008 before his detention in Beijing. Credit:AP The Chinese government revealed he had liver cancer in late June only after it was virtually beyond treatment. Officially, Liu gained medical parole. But even as he faced death, he was kept silenced and under guard in a hospital, still a captive of the authoritarian controls that he had fought for decades. The police have kept his wife, Liu Xia, under house arrest and smothering surveillance, preventing her from speaking out about Liu's death and his belated treatment for cancer. Bangkok: A playboy businessman has hit out at Singapore court evidence that he received "huge" sums of money stolen from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund as political figures stoke tensions in Kuala Lumpur ahead of elections. A spokesman for Penang-born Low Taek Jho said allegations against the man better known as Jho Low were politically motivated and "based on unfounded assumptions". Malaysian financier Jho Low at a New York charity event in October 2014. Credit:Getty Images The whereabouts of 34-year-old Mr Low, who hosted lavish parties for Hollywood stars and bought luxury properties in the US, remains unknown. His luxury 91-metre super-yacht Equanimity has been sailing Asian waters. Carwyn Jones, Welsh first minister, called the bill a 'significant attack on devolution'. Credit:Bloomberg If the devolved parliaments of the two countries do not approve the bill, but the British parliament does, it would likely provoke a constitutional crisis and create new uncertainty that the bill was intended to prevent. The bill will also face a rocky path through the British parliament, when it comes up for a vote in the northern autumn. The minority Conservative government holds power through a hard-bought deal with the Northern Ireland DUP, and would be vulnerable to any defection. The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron warned the government "you should be under no illusion, this will be hell" in getting the bill through parliament. Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said his party would not pass the bill unless it was amended. Labour is demanding concessions including a guarantee that workers' rights do not fall behind the EU after Brexit. "Nobody is seeking to frustrate the process; we are determined to ensure that the right approach is taken; and this is all about protecting the rights of citizens in Britain," Starmer told The Guardian. Brexit minister David Davies said the bill would allow Britain to leave the EU with "maximum certainty, continuity and control". "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union," he said. "By working together, in the national interest, we can ensure we have a fully functioning legal system on the day we leave the European Union. "The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country." The bill will likely face stiff opposition to several clauses that give ministers wide-ranging powers to modify European laws as they are translated into British law. The clauses, granting what is known as "Henry VIII powers" to the government, last until two years after Brexit. During that time ministers have power to alter any transposed EU law or regulation, without asking parliament, to change anything they regard as a "deficiency" or which fails "to operate effectively". With a few exceptions, parliament can only overrule the minister's decision after the fact the minister isn't required to seek permission in advance. The government's lawyers believe these powers are necessary, in order to make thousands of minor changes to the imported EU law to make it work properly in the new British context. Given the tight Brexit timetable, putting each modification to parliament would take too long. The government argues this is already standard procedure with other secondary legislation. However, Labour says it wants tighter curbs on ministerial powers to change the law, saying the bill would give the government leeway to make significant changes to the law without parliamentary scrutiny. EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. Rome: Two former officials of a Vatican-owned children's hospital have been charged with misappropriating nearly more than $600,000 for the renovation of the luxurious apartment of the Vatican's second in command under Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the-then Vatican secretary of state in 2008. Credit:AP The officials - Giuseppe Profiti, the former president of the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital, and Massimo Spina, its former treasurer - were ordered to stand trial in a Vatican court on July 18. The indictments - with their indirect connection to the apartment of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, arguably the most powerful internal player during the last pontificate - were yet another sign of Pope Francis' efforts to root out corruption in the church's baroque bureaucracy. Willemstad:--- On July 12th, 2017, two suspects were extradited to the United States, namely M.L.D. (May 8, 1966, Dominican Republic) and K.M.H. (January 22, 1959, Lebanon). They were transferred to the US Marshalls of the United States by officials of the Organized Crime Division (DGC) at Hato Airport in Curacao. L.D. was arrested on July 24, 2015, and H. on March 24, 2016, pending extradition to the United States. M.L.D. left Curacao today on a flight by American Airlines under the guidance of the Marshalls to Miami. K.M.H. left Curacao on a flight specially flown in to take him to New York, JFK. The Joint Court of Justice had positively advised on 3 November 2015, on the extradition request from the United States for M.L.D. The suspect L.D. went into cassation against this positive advice. The Supreme Court rejected, however, his appeal by the judgment of 21 March 2017. In the case of K.M.H. The Joint Court of Justice had advised positively on 21 June 2016, also K.M.H. went to the Supreme Court in the Netherlands (Hoge Raad) but the Supreme Court rejected his appeal by the judgment of 18 April 2017. The Governor of Curacao then signed on 22 June 2017 for both extraditions. Both are suspected of collusion and/or attempted distribution/execution / introduction of narcotics in various criminal cases. H. is a co-accused in the same case of R.M.R, R.G.K, and G.F., already extradited earlier this year on February 15, 2017. Prosecutor's Office Press Release PHILIPSBURG:--- On July 1st, Parliament went on a four-week recess and will resume on Monday, July 31st. In December/January upcoming, Parliament will also take a two-week recess. I hope that our MPs are aware of the fact that a parliamentary recess is not a holiday and that they can be called back to work during their recess. The website of the Dutch Second Chamber or Parliament describes its recess as follows: during the recess periods, the Second Chamber does not convene. Members of the Chamber can study various files and documents and prepare themselves for the next session of meetings. Often, they also use the recess period for working visits, field trips and meetings with their constituents throughout the country. Note, that these are all activities that Dutch MPs are unable to do when Parliament is in session because they are then too busy with meetings of Parliament, Central Committee meetings, Permanent and Ad Hoc Committee meetings. The Dutch Parliament has five recesses during a parliamentary year, which coincide, more or less, with the school vacations. Therefore, many Dutch MPs also take their holidays during the periods of parliamentary recess. However, should any business occur, on which Parliament would need to meet urgently, then parliamentarians know that they are required to break their recess and return to The Hague to attend to the peoples business? In the days of the Netherlands Antilles, I can understand the Antillean Parliament taking over the Dutch parliamentary recess schedule because Antillean MPs at the time hailed from six different Island Territories, three of which were located some 565 miles from the seat of Parliament on Curacao. However, I do not understand the reasoning why fifteen MPs, all living within a radius of a few miles from the House of Parliament, who every other week are given reading and study time and if necessary can interact on a daily basis with their constituents, still get a six-week recess every year. This is clearly a Dutch/Antillean tradition that our Parliament in Sint Maarten has adopted without taking our local context into consideration. As far as vacation is concerned, the holidays of parliamentarians are regulated by the ordinance covering the vacation of the ministers and the minister plenipotentiary. As a result, a parliamentarian is entitled to six weeks of vacation per year, which apparently is equivalent to their six weeks of recess during the year. The Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the National Ordinance on the remuneration of persons holding political authority (AB 2010, GT no. 9) explains in Article 6 that Members of Parliament have no holidays, as Parliament has recess periods. In other words, recess is not a holiday. This would then mean that separate from the recess periods, MPs would not be able to take holidays, neither would they be entitled to the 6% annual vacation allowance which is now being paid out to them. During election campaigns, sitting parliamentarians and would-be parliamentarians are very visible as well as vocal in the media on all kinds of issues related to the people and to the community. Beautiful manifestos are disseminated and many promises are made. You also can find these parliamentarians, aggressively active in the community, trying to get the people to vote for them. But during the period between elections, our parliamentarians seem to forget, maybe even ignore, the people who voted them into office. In the Netherlands, during the parliamentary recess, members of the Second Chamber also use the time to reconnect with their constituents. As our parliamentarians on Sint Maarten are directly elected by the people, they should make time to remain in touch with the people as well: hear their concerns, be their voice, ensure that legislation is initiated or drafted that benefits the people and the community. In this context, I want to commend MP George Pantophlet who, during this parliamentary recess, has taken some time to speak out in the media on the issue of the short-term contract. There are many more issues in the community on which the people would like to hear the views of our parliamentarians. Do members of Parliament have an opinion on the situation, taking place at NIPA, where the education of the students seems to be in jeopardy? What about the views of parliamentarians on the Pearl of China and the Chinese tunnel? What do our Parliamentarians think about the Asset Recovery Team and the latest agreement that our Prime Minister made with the Dutch concerning the Integrity Chamber whereby our Parliament has also been compromised as far as the date is concerned. In 2015, Parliament was very upset with the then Prime Minister, the Honorable Marcel Gumbs and the Minister of Justice, the Honorable Dennis Richardson, for signing an accord with the Dutch without first consulting with the parliament. Two years later lhistoire se repete but thus far we have heard nothing from our parliamentarians concerning this matter. Since our parliamentarians are so busy during the rest of the year, it would be good if, during their parliamentary recess periods, they can be more visible, more vocal and more interactive with their constituents. Wycliffe Smith Leader of the Sint Maarten Christian Party PHILIPSBURG:--- In an effort to make our health care system more efficient, effective and sustainable, the Ministry of VSA, is working on legislation to reform St Maarten's national health insurance system. Worldwide, National Health Insurance is a project that everyone recognizes as important for every community. The World Health Organizations (WHO) technical definition for universal health coverage is the ability of all people in communities to be able to use promotive, preventative, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services that they need of sufficient quality to be effective while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. Minister expounded on some of the terms. Equity and access to healthcare services means that everyone who needs services should be able to get access to them; not only those that can pay. The quality of healthcare services should be good enough to improve the health of those receiving the services, and people should be protected against financial risk ensuring that the cost of the services does not put our people at risk of financial harm. The WHO, in their constitution, identifies health care as a fundamental human right, a principle to which the Ministry of VSA certainly agrees. These are things that all the members of our community, I dont think, have problems to agree on. , said Minister Lee. Globally the discussion about health care (universal health coverage) is a very difficult discussion. It is a topic that very often divides countries. Minister Lee used the discussions in the United States regarding Obamacare and Trumpcare as an example of the difficulties experienced in universal health care discussions. The question about having access to quality healthcare is undeniable. The question becomes, define quality, define access, and the difficult question of how do you fund it?. Fact is that healthcare costs, globally, are steadily increasing. As technologies and new medication become available, those costs only continue to increase. Structuring our healthcare system and our health insurance system is a critical way of managing the quality, the efficiency, the effectiveness, and the cost to the country. There are many people on Sint Maarten that do not have access to affordable health insurance due to various reasons. Instead of denying persons to treatment these costs often are absorbed by the Government to ultimately pay for those service, which eventually comes back to the people in forms of other taxes. Therefore, in order to strengthen our health care system, the Ministry is committed to working toward universal health care coverage, and the Ministry is fairly far in the process. There have been a number of stakeholders consultations over the past year. The conversations are difficult, heated conversations. It is a time-consuming process, with a lot of energy spent on trying to build consensus. It is important that the public realizes that the way things have been continuing right now cannot continue. We need to structure our healthcare sector from all aspects. We need to improve the quality of care, the access to care, and how we finance it., said Minister Lee. Healthcare is currently financed through premiums from individuals salaries in addition to a form of contribution from government. Ultimately, I think that taxing peoples salary for healthcare isnt sustainable. I think that we need to look at some form of a broader taxation. For example, Aruba has a health tax in the form of turnover tax. This would mean that all the tourists that visit the island contribute financially to our healthcare system as well., said Minister Lee. The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, & Labor are working diligently on National Health Insurance and expect to have it in Parliament for debate by the end of this year. Minister Lee thanked the Department of Public Health and team at SZV for their tireless effort toward this project. M2SYS Selects Suprema BioMini Slim 2 Fingerprint Scanner for Its CloudABIS(TM) Biometric Software Solutions SEOUL, KOREA, July 12, 2017 (ACN Newswire) Suprema, a global leader in biometrics and ID solutions, announced that the company and its global network of partners can now leverage the M2SYS CloudABIS(TM) solutions suite to significantly ease the development and implementation efforts required for projects that use Suprema biometric hardware, such as its BioMini Slim 2 fingerprint scanner. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, US, M2SYS is a global leader in biometric identification software with over 300 million enrolled users in projects across more than 100 countries. The latest M2SYS innovation, its CloudABIS(TM) suite of cloud-based biometric software solutions, is designed to remove the burdens and cost associated with developing, deploying, and maintaining a biometric software system. CloudABIS(TM) can be rapidly integrated into any software and can match millions of ISO fingerprint templates per second for fast 1:N matching and de-duplication requirements. Leveraging advantages of the M2SYS cloud infrastructure, an enterprise-level biometric matching system can be implemented within hours and requires just a simple connection to the Internet. Suprema offers a suite of innovative fingerprint readers that satisfy the needs of any biometric project. BioMini Slim 2 is the latest innovation in fingerprint authentication from Suprema. Featuring the worlds slimmest (16mm in thickness) FAP20 optical sensor, the new BioMini Slim 2 produces unrivalled fingerprint image quality and range-leading features including Supremas proprietary Multi-Dynamic Range(MDR) technology, FBI PIV/FIPS 201/Mobile ID FAP20 compliance, high speed USB3.0 interface and Android device support. Its easy enough to procure biometric hardware but thats where the real challenges begin, commented Mizan Rahman, Founder of M2SYS. Many biometric projects fail because of roadblocks, resource constraints, licensing issues, technical problems, or many other factors related to building, deploying, and maintaining the biometric software. Our new CloudABIS(TM) suite of cloud-based biometric software solutions was developed based on 15 years of experience in biometric technology to meet our continued goal of eliminating these headaches with a modern and innovative approach. Now, all Suprema customers have the freedom and flexibility to easily and affordably implement their fingerprint readers without limitations. The integration of Suprema fingerprint scanners with M2SYS CloudABIS(TM) is an ideal combination of best-of-breed solutions in biometrics identification. To maximize the benefits of M2SYSs cloud based solution, Suprema devices such as the BioMini Slim 2 will provide CloudABIS(TM) users with the best fingerprint image quality even under harsh conditions and mobile environments, said Bogun Park, CEO at Suprema ID Inc. About M2SYS Technology M2SYS is a global, award-winning cloud biometrics software company focused on removing the friction from developing and deploying reliable, scalable biometric identity management solutions through three core platform components: CloudApper(TM), a rapid cloud software development toolset, CloudABIS(TM), a biometric-as-a-service (BaaS) matching system, and CloudScanr(TM), a universal plugin to add support for any biometric device and browser. The M2SYS Corporate Blog can be found at blog.m2sys.com About Suprema Suprema is a leading global provider of biometrics and ID solutions. By combining world renowned biometric algorithms with superior engineering, Suprema continually designs and develops industry-leading products and solutions. Supremas extensive range of portfolio includes fingerprint authentication/enrollment scanners, identification solutions and physical access control solutions. Suprema has worldwide sales network in over 130 countries and is one of the worlds Top 50 security company in its turnover (ranked in A&Ss Security 50, 2010-2016). For more information, please visit www.supremainc.com Contact: M2SYS Technology John Trader VP of Communications jtrader@m2sys.com +1-410-491-5354 Suprema Inc. Andy Ahn Head of Marketing Email: andyahn@suprema.co.kr Nine children living in a remote area in Chittagong, Bangladesh have died in less than a week. Doctors have been unable to identify the cause of their deaths. By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Over the last four days, nine Tripuri children living in the remote hills of Sitakunda in Chittagong Hill Tracts have died due to unknown diseases. Four of them died on Wednesday. A total of 35 children were admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases Hospital. All of them showed the same symptoms but doctors have not yet been able to identify the type of disease the children contracted. advertisement One of the parents of the children admitted at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital said that his daughter first started showing symptoms around five days ago. "My daughter first showed symptoms of fever. Later, she suffered from rashes, diarrhoea and abdominal pain". The Chittagong District Civil Surgeon Azizul Rahman Siddiqui confirmed that a total of nine children have died. "The real reason for the death of the children is not known. We collected the patient's blood samples from the spot," he said. He further said that a specialised team of experts is set to come to Sitakunda in order to identify the disease. The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control & Research's senior scientific officer ASM Alamgir said that a four-member delegation from IEDCR has already left for Sitakunda. ALSO READ | New species of mosquitoes from UP bring killer malaria to capital ALSO READ | Dhaka: 10 people, including children, killed after truck carrying cement overturns --- ENDS --- Constellation Software Inc. Announces Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter Results TORONTO, ONTARIO (Marketwired) 07/12/17 Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU) announced today it will host its second quarter conference call and live audio webcast on July 27, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. ET. The Companys quarterly results will be disseminated via press release, and made available on the Companys website () and SEDAR, after the Toronto Stock Exchange closes on Wednesday, July 26, 2017. Mark Leonard, President, and Jamal Baksh, Chief Financial Officer, will be available during the July 27 conference call to answer questions regarding the Companys results. To access the call, please dial 416-340-2217 or 800-898-3989. The webcast will be accessible at . A replay of the conference call will be available as of 12:30 p.m. ET the same day until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 10, 2017. To access the replay, please dial 905-694-9451 or 800-408-3053 followed by the passcode 9155057. About Constellation Software Inc. Constellation Software acquires, manages and builds vertical market software businesses. Contacts: Constellation Software Inc. Jamal Baksh Chief Financial Officer 416-861-9677 Mist Signs Distribution Agreement with WAV, Inc. to Expand Adoption of Industrys First Self-Learning Wireless Network CUPERTINO, CA (Marketwired) 07/13/17 , the pioneer in self-learning wireless networks using artificial intelligence, announced today a strategic partnership with WAV, Inc. for the distribution of Mists Wireless platform in North America. Under terms of the agreement, WAV will be the first company to distribute the Mist learning WLAN in the United States and Canada, expanding the companys early success in the areas of partner development and enablement, while providing additional value-added professional services for installation, support and new business development. WAV is a single-stop distributor that provides the depth of knowledge and expert services required to fully address the specific technology and value-added services needs of the WISP, VAR and solution provider community. With partners across all industries, WAV provides its partners a competitive edge by offering value-added services including (but not limited to): staging and configuration, site surveys and installations, FCC license coordination, path profiles and analysis and site kitting. We are seeing enormous demand for next generation wireless cloud solutions that ensure fast, reliable, predictable and measurable Wi-Fi and high value BLE location services, said Mike Anderson, vice president of channel sales at Mist. WAVs deep understanding of the wireless market and extensive relationships with top wireless solution providers will bolster Mists ability to meet this demand, taking us one step closer to our ultimate goal of replacing all outdated wireless networks with cloud-managed wireless solutions that deliver amazing experiences through automation. Mist built the first wireless platform for the smart device era. By leveraging the latest in cloud, wireless, AI and big data technologies, the Mist Learning WLAN delivers unprecedented insight into the user experience and eliminates the operational burdens of legacy wireless architectures by replacing time consuming manual tasks with proactive automation. In addition, Mist is the first vendor to bring Enterprise grade Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and IoT together to deliver personalized, location-based services for wireless users. Mist brings a breath of fresh air to wireless networking with their innovative cloud architecture and unique AI-driven features that save time and money, while enabling new location-based experiences, said Robert Nelson, chief operating officer at WAV. We are excited to work with Mist and our partners to create and implement new, innovative managed services that will completely change the way people look at wireless networking forever. Mist website: Mist partners: Mist platform: Mist services: Mist BLE overview: Mist built the first AI-driven wireless platform, designed specifically for the Smart Device Era. The Mist Learning Wireless LAN makes Wi-Fi predictable, reliable and measurable by providing unprecedented visibility into the user experience and by replacing time consuming manual IT tasks with proactive automation. In addition, Mist is the first vendor to bring enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, BLE and IoT together to deliver personalized, location-based wireless services without requiring battery-powered beacons. All operations are managed via Mists modern cloud architecture for maximum scalability, agility and performance. The Mist team consists of leading experts in wireless, machine learning and cloud, who are responsible for building the largest and most advanced networks in the world. Founded in 2014, the company is based in Cupertino, CA and funded by top investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Cisco Investments. For more information, visit . WAV, Inc. is a full service distributor of LTE, wireless broadband, networking, and Wi-Fi equipment. Located in Aurora, IL, WAV provides its partners a competitive edge by offering extensive product knowledge & unmatched technical expertise, support for multi-vendor solutions, product availability, as well as professional value-added services for its VAR & WISP communities, including (but not limited to): technical support, predictive analysis services, FCC coordination and installation & diagnostics. We Make the Internet Work. For more information, call (800) 678-2419 or visit the web at: . Tanaya Lukaszewski Kulesa Faul for Mist (916) 712-3791 Net One Partners Signs Distribution Agreement with Mist to Bring First AI-driven Wireless LAN Platform to Japan CUPERTINO, CA (Marketwired) 07/13/17 , the pioneer in self-learning wireless networks using artificial intelligence, announced today a distribution agreement with Net One Partners Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Takahisa Kawaguchi), a group company of Net One Systems Co., Ltd. Under terms of the agreement, Net One Partners will distribute the Mist learning WLAN throughout Japan, providing key channel expansion and enablement functions. Established in November 2008, Net One Partners Co., Ltd. collaborates with partner companies to deliver leading products and value-added services, including sales support, installation, maintenance and operations. The company has played a key role over the years in establishing the newest wireless LAN platforms into the Japanese market. The Japanese market is key to Mists global growth strategy, said Sujai Hajela, CEO and co-founder at Mist. There is an abundance of companies looking to simplify Wi-Fi operations, increase Wi-Fi reliability and deliver new location based services using Bluetooth LE. Net One Partners is well equipped to bring the Mist learning WLAN to the Japanese market and ensure its ongoing success. Mist built the first wireless platform for the smart device era. By leveraging the latest in cloud, wireless, AI and big data technologies, the Mist Learning WLAN delivers unprecedented insight into the user experience and eliminates the operational burdens of legacy wireless architectures by replacing time consuming manual tasks with proactive automation. In addition, Mist is the first vendor to bring enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and IoT together to deliver personalized, location-based services for wireless users. Mist is the market-leading platform for delivering managed Wi-Fi services that are fast, reliable and predictable, as well as new Bluetooth location services that bring unparalleled value to wireless users, said Akiko Kanai, director, marketing & business development at Net One Partners. We are excited to introduce Mist into our partner ecosystem and work with them to bring automated, AI-driven wireless networks to the Japanese market. Mist built the first AI-driven wireless platform, designed specifically for the Smart Device Era. The Mist Learning Wireless LAN makes Wi-Fi predictable, reliable and measurable by providing unprecedented visibility into the user experience and by replacing time consuming manual IT tasks with proactive automation. In addition, Mist is the first vendor to bring enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, BLE and IoT together to deliver personalized, location-based wireless services without requiring battery-powered beacons. All operations are managed via Mists modern cloud architecture for maximum scalability, agility and performance. The Mist team consists of leading experts in wireless, machine learning and cloud, who are responsible for building the largest and most advanced networks in the world. Founded in 2014, the company is based in Cupertino, CA and funded by top investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Cisco Investments. For more information, visit . Net One Partners Co., Ltd. is a group company of Net One Systems Co., Ltd., established in November 2008. Through collaboration with partner companies, we are specializing in the delivery of products and services for various business areas, including sales support / installation, maintenance and operation services. For details, please visit . Tanaya Lukaszewski Kulesa Faul for Mist (916) 712-3791 Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER Ramananda is the son of Suresh Kumar Jha of Shershad village of Benipati thana in Badhummani district of India, revealed Darshana BGB camp company commander Subedar Jahangir Alam. By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh has returned an Indian national named Ramananda Jha (52), who was arrested for illegally entering the country. On Thursday noon he was returned to the Chuadanga frontier near main pillar number 76 after the flag meeting of both border protection forces of the two countries. Ramananda is the son of Suresh Kumar Jha of Shershad village of Benipati thana in Badhummani district of India, revealed Darshana BGB camp company commander Subedar Jahangir Alam. advertisement "Ramananda entered Bangladesh illegally through the Munshipur border in the morning of November 27, 2015. In the afternoon, he was sent to Chuadanga court by Alamdanga thana police after being arrested at Alamdanga town. The court directed he be sent to the district jail," Jahangir Alam said. After a long one year, eight months and 16 days in prison, he was returned after the flag meeting with the BSF. Among those present on the occasion were BGB camp commander Subedar Jahangir Alam, Darshana checkpoint immigration officer SI Aminul Haque, SI Jahangir Alam and 12 others. Company commander of Gede BSF camp, AC Ashok Kumar Mondal, Immigration Officer Tarun Sarkar and Kestoganj Police Station SI Suresh Chakraborty were also present. --- ENDS --- Statement made: 4A No. 1 Washington rocks 3A No. 1 Marian The Washington girls basketball team looked the part of the top team in Class 4A Friday night with a dominating performance over Class 3A No. 1 Marian Both the TMC and RSS have blamed the communal riots in in West Bengal's Baduria and Basirhat on 'cattle-smuggling jehadis'. On the sixth day of the communal flareup in Baduria and Basirhat, a speared-through-the-middle flex hoarding of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealing for harmony, was still standing amid the gutted remains of shops, police vehicles and a palpable sense of fear. Mahmud Ali Ghazi's medicine shop - one of the 14 torched at the Bank of India building in Basirhat's Trimonihaat area - is charred beyond repair. A short distance away, Banerjee Babu's popular tea stall looked equally ravaged. A mob - mostly outsiders, he says - looted the place even as the police personnel stood and watched. advertisement An objectionable Facebook post by a Class IX student in Baduria, a neighbouring town, was said to have sparked off the violence that continued unabated for a week from July 3 night, resulting in one death. Baduria, Basirhat, Deganga and Swarupnagar, in North 24 Parganas district, have been a virtual tinderbox since 2009 when local strongman Haji Nurul won the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat for the Trinamool Congress. Communal clashes have become commonplace since then. Sajal Dhar, a local furniture shop owner, pins much of the blame on the largescale illegal immigration and the cattle smuggling racket centred in neighbouring Bangladesh. West Bengal food minister Jyoti Priyo Mullick insists the Facebook post had nothing to do with the flareup. "The account was fake," says the minister, claiming the trouble was triggered by fundamentalists from Bangladesh following the TMC government's crackdown on the highly lucrative cattle smuggling racket. According to him, it was rampant-reportedly generating Rs 40- 50 crore a day-along the 100 km border in North 24 Parganas district. Interestingly, for once, the TMC and its saffron rivals are on the same page. RSS general secretary Jishnu Basu also blames the "Islamic fundamentalists". He claims the All India Sunnat Al Jamayat, a local social welfare trust, and the terror outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, are in cahoots in running the cattle smuggling operation. Basu also accuses the TMC leaders of being involved, claiming what really triggered off the troubles was differences over sharing the spoils. Meanwhile, a leaflet, purportedly circulated by Jamayat secretary Abdul Matin, which sought to legitimise the violence in light of the FB post, has also sparked trouble. Local resident Ashraf Ali says most of those involved in the rampage had never been seen before in the locality. Minister Mullick claims they were cross-border 'jehadis', saying the state police has phone conversations on tape to prove it. Meanwhile, BJP leaders blame the TMC's Muslim appeasement policy for the situation, saying the state police failed to act. Mamata admits the district administration wasted a night trying to convince the rioters to back off. Her defence is that "hundreds would have died if the police had opened fire". It was five days before Mamata finally ordered a crackdown on the violent mobs. advertisement --- ENDS --- The act was captured on camera when MLA Madkami and Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi had visited some panchayats in Motu area of Malkangiri district. Odisha MLA Manas Madkami defended him being carried by supporters across a muddy patch. (Video grab) By India Today Web Desk: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Manas Madkami loves his sparkling white shoes so much that he wouldn't mind being lifted and carried by his supporters to prevent them from getting dirty. This was evident when he allowed a couple of men carry him across a muddy patch during a visit to his home constituency - Malkangiri on Tuesday (July 11). The video of the incident has now gone viral. advertisement The act was captured on camera when MLA Madkami and Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi had visited some panchayats in Motu area in the district to take stock of welfare projects. #WATCH: BJD MLA Balabhadra Majhi carried by his supporters to cross a waterlogged stretch in Odisha's Malkangiri yesterday pic.twitter.com/GZV8MCdSYw- ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 While Nabarangpur MP crossed the muddy water without the help of supporters, MLA Madkami preferred to be carried by his supporters to keep his shoes and crisp white dress clean and dry. Madkami said that his supporters did it out of love and affection for him. Close enough ????1. Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami2. Shivraj Singh Chouhan was furnished with a "human chair" during his floods survey#Odisha pic.twitter.com/8FIJeZgMVh- Odisha Troll (@odishatroll) July 12, 2017 "It was the overwhelming affection of supporters which prompted them to act in such manner. They felt elated while lifting me and crossing the water body," the MLA said. He said that he had not forced anybody to lift him. Last year, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was mocked for allowing cops to carry him across a water body during a visit to a flood-affected Panna region. ALSO READ: Kissa kursi ka: Cops carry Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Chouhan through flooded area Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh caught urinating in public, Swachh Bharat jokes on Twitter Red over red beacon: Bihar minister accuses PM Modi of demolishing federal structure over lal batti ban --- ENDS --- The greatest danger here is currently posed by the mines IS laid during its retreat. When you carefully open the door to the former city library on the rooftop of the priests' seminary, the ashes of thousands of burned books cover the floor like snow. From up here, you can see the damage caused to the buildings by the airstrikes -- the burned-out rooftops and the collapsed belfry of a church. Inside the Saint Behnam et Sara church, one of the city's most spectacular, benches have been destroyed and charred Bibles lie on the ground. The baptismal font has been blackened by a fire set by Islamic State. The jihadists used the church's inner courtyard for shooting practice and the bullet-riddled mannequin used as a target can be seen in the rubble. Former Qaraqosh residents only dare to return for a few hours at a time. Most come from Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region located about an hour and a half away. They come to inspect their looted homes, bringing food with them which they eat in their empty kitchens. When Father Roni went back to visit his own home, he looked through the window into his old bedroom. "I found Viagra and underwear there. The IS leaders summoned women into my bed," he says. "Should the city be burned down before it is rebuilt, to get rid of the pain? Or would it be better to turn it into a museum?" Around half of the residents of Qaraqosh have left Iraq, with about 40 Christian families heading abroad each week to places like France, Jordan, Australia - anywhere but here, a region that doesn't hold much of a future for them. Some 1.3 million Christians lived in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was in charge. Today that figure is believed to be only 200,000. Christians have been discriminated against and persecuted in the region for hundreds of years and they see themselves as the victims of a Muslim majority. Under Hussein's rule, they were at least halfway safe. As a Sunni Muslim, Hussein was himself part of a minority in the country and he formally incorporated the Christians into the state apparatus as part of his efforts to consolidate power. But their situation deteriorated after the United States' 2003 invasion of Iraq. Despite the Americans' claims of being liberators, the chaos they created further fomented the hatred many Iraqis had for Christians. The post-invasion governments in Baghdad focused on gaining the support of the country's Shiite majority and they no longer needed the Christians as a bargaining chip. Christians who were persecuted in Baghdad at the time fled to Qaraqosh. Personal Horror To speak to former residents of Qaraqosh today, one must travel to Erbil. Zarifa Bakoos, Ayouka's 75-year-old widow, also lives here. An attractive woman with distinctive facial features, Bakoos is still dressed in black when she answers the door to her apartment. Inside, she sits in front of the TV, soap operas being the only escape she still has. Bakoos was crying as she left the cemetery that morning and wasn't in the mood to stay and talk. She says her husband's burial will be her last visit to Qaraqosh. "We were sleeping when the jihadists came to Qaraqosh," Bakoos recalls. She says she and her husband woke up in August 2014 without knowing that almost all the other residents had fled. "We wondered where our neighbors were," she says. "Soon the Muslims knocked on our door and demanded money." IS demanded that old people either convert to Islam or pay them a jizya, a special levy. That's the only way they could obtain protected status, dhimma, and they were told they would be killed if they refused. Zarifa Bakoos can still remember every detail from those terrible years. She describes some with complete incomprehension and others with a defiant humor. She grew up in Qaraqosh and had experienced the town as a safe Christian center in the region. A city with 12 churches that rose into the sky like stone sentinels: Tahira, MarZena, Saint Behnam et Sara. She still fondly recites their names. "They forced me to trample a Madonna figure," she adds. "I had to spit on a cross." Her husband soon fell ill and the jihadists picked him up and said they were taking him to the hospital. They brought Bakoos to a house where an old blind woman lived and the two would then live there together for two and a half years. Even though their door wasn't locked, they didn't dare go outside, living as if they were in jail. Bakoos took care of the woman and they would often talk about the times when they could still walk freely around the streets of Qaraqosh. Now they were forced to wait until an IS man would bring them something to eat and drink - their lives had basically become one long wait, for sundown and sunrise. When the Iraqi army closed in on Qaraqosh last October, the IS began setting fire to buildings and churches and Bakoo and her companion were scared to death. By that point, they had also grown very weak. It had been weeks since the IS men had brought them anything to eat. "We sat on the bed and hugged each other so that we would die together," she says quietly. When the Iraqi soldiers entered their house, they both began crying. It was a long time before they stopped. Since then, Bakoos has been homeless. "Every few days, I sleep somewhere else," she says. A sofa here, a bed there - the Christian community in Erbil is sticking together. They're all familiar with the stories of expulsion and fear. Can Sectarianism be Solved? The province of Nineveh, where the Christians have found refuge, is one of the most ethnically diverse in Iraq. In addition to Christians, it is also home to Yazidis, Sunni Arabs, Shiites and Kurds. As such, it is considered a test case for how the divided country might coalesce once again after the fall of Islamic State. It would cost $10 million (9 million) to rebuild Qaraqosh, but no one knows where the money might come from. And coexistence is little more than a vision given that the forces that have fought against IS have different ideas about how the region should be governed. The Iraqi central government and the Kurds each claim equal control over Qaraqosh and other disputed territories in Nineveh, threatening to create a new conflict. But who would provide protection to the Christians if they were to decide to go back? The next morning, 50 men gather in Saint Behnam et Sara, Qaraqosh's central church, soldiers with the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU), a Christian volunteer army. Their Kalashnikovs are lying on their laps. Above them, the church's ceiling has been blackened by the soot of the fires. The destroyed church is defenseless on the plains and these men are its only protectors. "We're still afraid," says the bishop. "But we want to tell IS that they have lost. We will rebuild our city again and restore life." The bishop of Qaraqosh is also rebuilding his home here in the city, wanting to encourage others to return. One solder after the other kneels before him, pushes his weapon to the side and takes the wafer and wine of communion. The church and the militia are the only forces fighting for Qaraqosh right now but not even they can agree on what the city's future should hold. The church doesn't dare summon its followers back to a region where it cannot protect them and hopes to cooperate with the Kurds who have thus far provided for stability. But the NPU's Christian soldiers are leaning more toward Baghdad. They helped liberate Qaraqosh together with the Iraqi army and have often felt patronized by the Kurdish Peshmerga. In a sparse barracks located right next to the church, around 20 young men sit down to a meal of chicken and rice in NPU quarters. "If it weren't for us, even more Christians would have fled Iraq," says their spokesman, Athra Kado, a self-confident 27-year-old. Given the choice, he would grant sole responsibility for the administration of the Nineveh province to his troops. NPU was formed in late 2014 and it has 500 volunteers, 70 of whom have been assigned to Qaraqosh. The unit also receives financing from the Iraqi central government while the men borrowed their weapons from the Kurds. Many don't have any combat training. Former residents of Qaraqosh would like to see Nineveh become an autonomous region with up to eight provinces, which would in fact be permissable under the constitution. Each province would then be home to a different minority. In this scenario, Nineveh would also remain part of Iraq and subject to its constitution, while international oversight and corresponding laws would provide protection for the Christians. Such is the utopian vision. The young NPU spokesman dreams of a special protected zone in which Christians could live undisturbed by others. "We're at a turning point," he says. "Either we get our own protected homeland or there will soon no longer be any Assyrians here. If we don't separate our ethnicities now, another IS will emerge in Iraq in a few years." After the meal, Kado and his men head back out to continue guarding the destroyed churches, providing instruction to a few trash collectors as they rake up debris, and keeping watch over the entrances and exits to a city that doesn't have anything left to steal. They have also erected a new cross before the city. A Family Returns Few families have returned to Qaraqosh, but the Abosh family is one of them: Two old brothers have returned with their wives and one of their sons. "No one forced us to come here and no one is giving us any support, either," says Hazem Abosh, a 62-year-old man with the hands of a laborer. Before IS arrived, he says, they had a "great life" here and the Aboshs were successful chicken farmers. But IS built tunnels under their old sheds and stole their tractors. The NPU militia delivers water and produces electricity with generators, but there's nothing else. The Abosh's home is located on a ravaged street in the city and the neighboring houses are riddled with bullet holes. A portrait of a saint hangs on the wall of the living room and there's a sofa, but someone stole the television and tiles are missing on some of the walls. "We Christians are the losers in this conflict," Hazem Abosh, says. "But we want to live here." In the kitchen, the women are preparing vegetables they purchased in Erbil - part of their effort to instill a sense of normality in the ghost town. "After the fall of Saddam Hussein, it was the job of the international community to protect minorities," Hazem Abosh says in the living room. "But no one supported us." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Helen Neafsey / GT Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo / ST Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The Salvation Army of Stamford will host a touch a truck event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday July 29 at Union Memorial Church, 58 Church St. The event will benefit the local diaper bank. Entrance fee is a pack of diapers or $5. BJP MLA Brijbhushan Rajput said if Ram temple is not built then why should Muslims be allowed to go to Haj Yatra By India Today Web Desk: A BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh has put up a Facebook video openly saying that he will stop Haj yatris to go on the pilgrimage if the Ram temple is not built in Ayodhya. BJP MLA Brijbhushan Rajput said, "If our Ram temple is not built then why should they be allowed to go to Haj Yatra? They should also be stopped from going to Haj Yatra. The subsidy should stop". advertisement "Agar bhagwan Shree Ram ke mandir banane me Muslim samaj ke logon ne rukawat paida ki to yakin maniye Muslim samaaj ke logon ko Mecca Medina jane se rokne ka kaam apka vidhayak Guddu Rajput karega". (If Muslims try to stop Ram temple then your MLA Guddu Rajput will stop them from going to Mecca and Medina). The Charkhari MLA called upon 100 crore Hindus to take a vow to construct Ram temple in Ayodhya. In a fiery speech taken in a moving car, the BJP legislator raised the issue of minority reservation on religious lines for Muslims saying that since Muslims are 20 crore in number they should not be given reservation. Rajput said, "India is the country of Hindus". He also spoke about the militant attack on Amarnath yatris in Anantnag on Monday night in which seven pilgrims were killed saying the culprits should be killed. Also read: RSS Muslim wing organises Iftar in Ayodhya, fast broken with cow milk 2 sweet vermicelli dishes that are perfect for your Iftar get together this Ramazan Sumangalam: India's new growth model as offered by RSS --- ENDS --- STAMFORD Longtime Town Clerk Donna Loglisci, who sources say is part of an investigation into the alleged mishandling of absentee ballots in the 2015 city election, is seeking her partys nomination to run again in November. Loglisci was interviewed this month by members of the Republican Town Committee, which will choose candidates at a July 19 party convention, Joe Tarzia, chairman of the RTCs Candidates Committee, told the Stamford Advocate. Tarzia said party members asked Loglisci who allegedly provided blank absentee ballots to political-party workers instead of directly to voters in violation of the law about the states attorneys probe during her interview. Loglisci told them that she is restricted in what she can say because of the ongoing investigation, Tarzia said. Prosecutors are looking into the role of former Democratic City Committee Chairman John Mallozzi and volunteers from that party, who allegedly requested more than 30 absentee ballots under the names of unsuspecting voters and cast them for candidates for the Board of Representatives, Board of Finance and Board of Education in 2015, sources with firsthand knowledge of the case have told Hearst Connecticut Media. Loglisci is a witness in that criminal investigation, the sources said. The citys legal director, Kathryn Emmett, has said her office advised Loglisci not to discuss the case. Mallozzi was the Democratic chairman when Loglisci last ran in 2013. Democrats that year did not put up a candidate to run against her. Current DCC Chairman Josh Fedeli said his party will have a candidate this year. I cant say who yet, Fedeli said. That will be determined July 19, when Democrats also will hold their nominating convention. It will be a tough race for town clerk, Fedeli said. Loglisci is a 16-year incumbent her job serves the public and she has served thousands of people, Fedeli said. She is very popular citywide and she will be a tough challenger for anyone who runs against her. Asked whether he thinks the criminal investigation will affect the race, Fedeli said it complicates things theres no other way to look at it. But its an ongoing investigation, so I dont have any other comment on it. RTC member Bob Kolenberg, a former member of the Board of Finance, said Loglisci has broad support among Republicans and Democrats, despite the investigation. I have all the confidence in the world that Donna has done nothing improper, and I think everyone will come to that understanding, Kolenberg said. I dont know the facts of the case, but I can attest to her character as a person. In my dealings with her, she has played by the rules. The investigation has to take its course, but I think she will be exonerated in the end. Payroll records show Loglisci earned $117,224 last year. Tarzia said the committee interviewed another potential candidate for town clerk, city Rep. Dennis Mahoney, R-20, a member of the RTC. Mahoney indicated he intends to run for a citywide office but didnt specify whether it would be town clerk or mayor, Tarzia said. Mahoney did not return a request for comment. Whether anyone else is interested in running for town clerk, I dont know, Tarzia said. RTC Chairman Fritz Blau did not return an email seeking comment. Tarzia said the Candidates Committee will meet an hour before the convention to come up with a slate of names to recommend to the full RTC. During the convention, names that are put into nomination must be seconded and then members vote. Candidates with the most votes win the partys endorsement. Candidates who dont get enough votes but still want to run may collect the required number of signatures on a petition and force a primary before the general election. Thats the fun part - finding out whos the unknown person who may want to primary to get one of the positions, Kolenberg said. angelacarella@stamfordadvocate.com T he crankshaft of the BMW Mini, which is the bit which transmits the power of the engine to the wheels, crosses the English Channel three times while the car is being made. It is cast in France; it goes to a plant in Warwickshire to be milled and finished. It is then shipped to BMWs plant in Germany where the engine is assembled and comes back as part of that whole unit to be fitted into the car at the BMW plant near Oxford. When it is exported to Europe, as very many of these cars are, it crosses the Channel for a fourth time. This is the reality of modern sophisticated manufacturing. Three channel crossings is actually quite modest for a component. Some go back and forth much more. You could tell a similar story about Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover or about the wings of the Airbus aircraft which are made here (though the plane as a whole is assembled in Toulouse) about much of the output of Rolls-Royce or Bae Systems, the pillar of the UK defence industry. We dont have nearly enough world-class manufacturing to support our exports, but what we do have is heavily dependent on key components from the rest of the European Union. This business arrangement becomes totally uneconomic if we do not continue to have free trade but instead had to pay the common EU tariff of 10%. Most of the components industry operates on a profit margin of between 5% and 10% so it would become unprofitable overnight. And if a supplier upped prices to compensate for the tariff it would be uncompetitive. There would also be a huge additional cost in time and paperwork because the component would be subject to customs checks each time it crossed the border. Nissans Sunderland car plant produces two cars a minute and uses upwards of five million components a day on its production line. The whole exercise is done on a just-in-time basis, parts are not stored in warehouses, they go straight in their container to the position on the production line where they are needed. More crucially, to avoid congestion, they have to arrive hours and sometimes minutes before they are needed. So any delay at customs on any of the five million components, almost as trivial as an official coming late back from lunch or leaving early to collect his or her child from school, could easily bring production to a halt. Because this has the potential to destroy the profitability of the British car industry, there is brave talk about getting the components suppliers to set up plants in the UK, and the Government at one point seemed willing to subsidise such a move with taxpayers money. From a business point of view though it does not make sense. If more than half the components come from overseas, which they do, then it is cheaper and simpler to move the assembly factory out of Britain, not the component suppliers here. And that is not the only problem: a detailed investigation this year by The Guardian reported that only 41% of what goes into the cars made in Britain is sourced here. This complicates the trade deals which are supposed to provide an alternative to the EU when we leave because these normally demand that what we export is in fact made in this country. This is to prevent the UK trade deal being used as a Trojan horse by every other nation which could otherwise funnel their exports through us to gain access to these other markets. Thus the rules of origin for the EUs deal with South Korea says specifically that 55% of the car parts must be sourced locally to qualify for free trade. A similar deal between us and South Korea would mean none of our cars were eligible. Given cars are one of the few products we do export, this presents a bit of a challenge for International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and his department, which supposedly exists to make the deals on which Britains future will depend. Some wag suggested the grand plan was to take the other side out to lunch and persuade them to pretend that the EU counts as part of the UK in terms of sourcing. Why the other side would want to do this or accept it is less clear. The brutal fact is that if we lose tariff-free access to the single market it will be disastrous for luxury British manufacturing. Business knows this; the EU knows this; the rest of the world knows this which is why so many of them have shelved all future plans to invest in the UK. But does the Government get it? Prime Minister Theresa May does not seem to but that is probably because she has spent the past 12 months refusing to talk to anyone who does not already agree with her and share her Fifties worldview. In contrast, the ministers more closely involved with Brexit probably do get it, but dont care or dont want to admit it, because pointing out any of the disastrous consequences of Brexit will scupper their chances of being the next leader of the Conservative party. This is the real reason business leaders have such withering contempt for the Government and are in despair about the future of business in the next few years, however cheerful they try to appear in public. It takes more than last weeks publicity stunt of a meeting in Chevening to make a lasting impression on a Government where too many ministers appear willing to put self-interest and party interest before the national interest. T he City today opened its doors to make London the home for the hugely controversial float of Saudi Aramco the $2 trillion state-controlled oil business. The Saudis want to float 5% of Aramcos shares either in London or New York but are stymied by strict City rules that deny a premium listing unless at least 25% of the stock is sold. Today the Financial Conduct Authority proposed a new premium listing category for sovereign-controlled companies. The watchdog said the proposal aims to enable companies which may [be] the subject of major privatisation transactions to choose the higher standards of a premium listing. Though the FCA tried to insist this isnt aimed at the Saudis particularly, it did not name any other company to which the new rules would apply. Saudi Aramco is considered one of the most secretive companies in the world. A short consultation process will run until October. Saudi Aramco says it has yet to decide where to list. It is aiming for an IPO in late 2018. Even a 5% float would be worth $100 billion (78 billion). The Saudis have made it clear they will only float in London if allotted a premium listing. New York has no such restriction on what percentage of shares must be sold. Floating Saudi Aramco in London would be a bonanza for bankers, PR advisers and lawyers, all of whom are bound to argue the City needs to show it is open for business. Human rights campaigners and City fund managers who worry about the bending or changing of rules are likely to be opposed to taking Saudi money. A so-called premium listing is a stamp of approval from regulators that the company concerned has the highest possible corporate governance. Tracker funds are usually obliged to buy shares in companies that make the index. The Saudis have said they are not seeking indexation, however, so another rule may have to be altered. Andrew Bailey, FCA chief executive, said: Regulatory protections for investors lie at the core of the listing regime. However, it is important these protections remain well-targeted. Refining the listing regime in this way would make UK markets more accessible while ensuring that the protections afforded by our premium listing regime are focused and proportionate. Sovereign owners are different from private-sector individuals or companies both in their motivations and nature. Investors have long recognised this and capital markets are well adapted to assess the treatment of other investors by sovereign countries. Oil accounts for 87% of the Saudi kingdoms revenues, 90% of its exports and 42% of its GDP. The Saudi royal family is trying to move the country away from its dependence on oil until a plan called Saudi Vision 2030 which aims to diversify the economy. It hopes to turn the country into a global industrial conglomerate. I nvestors took aim at Dart Group today as the Jet2 owner hinted that Brexit could halt flights to holiday destinations. Shares in the AIM company, which flies to summer hotspots such as Majorca and the Algarve, dived 68p, more than 10%, to 596.5p on the downbeat outlook on Brexit. It warned that leaving the EU, which also means leaving Open Skies the EU-wide agreement which allows flights to operate between the UK and the Continent could affect flights. There remains considerable uncertainty around Brexit negotiations and the effect these could have, both on our freedom to fly and on our customers ability to travel, Dart said. It said this was unsettling but it believes the Government understands the importance of aviation, and added that European countries also value British tourists. Broker Canaccord said the companys annual results were slightly ahead of expectations. Revenues rose 23% to 1.73 billion, though pre-tax profits dipped 14% to 90.1 million. After yesterdays boost when Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen was less hawkish than expected, the FTSE 100 endured a less lively day, up just 2.80 points to 7419.73. Taylor Wimpey put on 2p to 179.3p after Barclays upgraded the housebuilder to Outperform, arguing that fears of a rate rise are overblown. Pearson lost more ground after profits at Barnes and Noble Education, the US college bookstore group, missed expectations yesterday. We have continuously highlighted Pearsons North American Higher Education business as the most structurally challenged and this is further evidence of this, Liberum said in response. Shares dipped 2p to 622p. On AIM, tech investor Mercia Technologies rose 0.1p to 34.7p after injecting another 2 million into nDreams. The virtual reality gaming firm, behind the Bloody Zombies game, has received 7.1 million for a 46% stake. Investors angling for investment ideas were hooked by fishing tackle and equipment retailer Angling Direct. It raised 9 million in the float at 64p, but traded up to 68.4p. By PTI: By Aditi Khanna London, Jul 13 (PTI) The UK government published a repeal bill today, beginning the formal process of Britains divorce from the European Union, an year after Britons voted to exit the worlds largest single market in a historic referendum. The 52-page Great Repeal Bill published in parliament is known as the "European Union (Withdrawal) Bill" and will convert EU law into UK law before Brexit is completed in 2019, giving UK Parliament the power to amend or reject the nearly 20,000 rules and laws as a non-member of the EU. advertisement It repeals the European Communities Act 1972, which took Britain into the EU and remove the supremacy of Brussels law. "This is the one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament. It is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal," said Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House of Commons, in her statement to introduce the bill. "It means we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do," she said, amid cheers from pro-Brexit MPs in the Commons. The bill will also provide temporary powers to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. It will be debated in Parliament from later this year and will need to have been passed by the time the UK leaves the EU ? at the end of the two-year deadline of March 2019. Opposition Labour party has vowed to vote against the legislation unless there were significant changes to the details previously set out, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) said there needed to be "clarity" over which powers repatriated from the EU should go to the devolved nations. The partys Brexit spokesperson, Kier Starmer, said: "Labour has always been clear that Brexit cannot lead to any rolling back of rights and protections. We need effective legislation that protects British workers and consumers, enshrines equality laws, enforces environmental standards and devolves powers across the country. "The governments Repeal Bill falls short on all counts. It is simply not fit for purpose." The Liberal Democrats, who fought the general election on a pledge to stage a second referendum on Brexit, also said they would make the passage of the Bill "hell" for the government. The Theresa May-led ruling Conservatives are relying on the support of Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to win key votes after losing their Commons majority in the June general election. The UKs Brexit minister, David Davis, has argued that the bill will ensure the UK "exits the EU with maximum certainty, continuity and control". advertisement "That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do - ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK," he said. "The eyes of the country are on us and I will work with anyone to achieve this goal and shape a new future for our country," he added. Separately, the UK government has also published three position papers for Brexit negotiations. One covers nuclear materials and safeguards issues, the focus of debate among MPs concerned about the UK leaving Europes nuclear safety regulator. The other two papers cover ongoing judicial and administrative proceedings and privileges and immunities. They will be presented to the European Commission for discussion in the second round of formal exit negotiations in Brussels next week. PTI AK ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- L ess than three months after declaring that he had great confidence China would rein in North Korean belligerence, President Trump ranted on Twitter last week, Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 per cent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us but we had to give it a try! Losing patience with China, Trump may take unilateral, even military, action against North Koreas nuclear programme. Could this escalate into a second Korean War? In my new book, Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydidess Trap?, I argue that on the current trajectory, war between the US and China in the decades ahead is much more likely than is currently recognised. The reason is Thucydidess Trap: a deadly pattern of structural stress that occurs when a rising power challenges a ruling one. This phenomenon was first described by the Greek historian Thucydides in his account of the Peloponnesian War, which devastated Ancient Greece. As he explained: It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable. The Applied History Project I direct at Harvard has found 16 cases in which a major nations rise has disrupted the position of a dominant state over the past 500 years. Twelve ended in war. For a vivid example, consider what was happening 100 years ago. How could the assassination of an archduke ignite a conflagration so catastrophic that it required historians to create an entirely new category: world war? The answer is that the chronic tension caused by a rising powers rivalry with a ruling power produces a deadly dynamic in which otherwise manageable events can trigger a cascade of actions and reactions that lead to results no one intended. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School The fact that war was averted in four of the 16 cases means the outcome is not pre-ordained. The point of Thucydidess Trap is neither fatalism nor pessimism. Instead, it should awaken us to recognise the extreme danger created by current conditions between the US and China. If both sides follow business as usual, we should expect history as usual. The world has never seen anything like the rapid, tectonic shift in the global balance of power from the rise of China. The US accounted for 50 per cent of the global economic market in the years immediately after the Second World War. By 1980 that had declined to 22 per cent. Three decades of double-digit Chinese growth has reduced that US share to 16 per cent today. Meanwhile, Chinas share of the global economy has soared from two per cent in 1980 to 18 per cent in 2016. For many, the idea that China could challenge the US seems inconceivable. Indeed, the Western medias leading story about the Chinese economy in recent years is slowdown, while its favorite adjective about US economic performance is recovering. But despite its slowdown China is growing three times faster than the US. In 2014 China surpassed the US to become the largest economy in the world, measured by purchasing power parity, which both the CIA and IMF agree is the best yardstick. If their current growth continues, Chinas economy will be 50 per cent larger in 2023. By 2040 it will be three times larger. President Trumps claims that the US has been losing to China reflect, in part, the reality of this shifting see-saw. Can Trump and Chinas Xi Jinping manage the most critical geopolitical relationship of the 21st century without going to war? As personalities, Trump and Xi could not be more different. But in many ways they are mirror images. Both have pledged to restore the greatness of their nations with an agenda of radical change. Everyone knows Trumps trademark one-liner. But when Xi rose to power in 2012, he announced his own call to make China great again: his China Dream called for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The world has never seen anything like the rapid, tectonic shift in the global balance of power from the rise of China Both men take pride in what they consider their unique leadership capabilities. Trump built his presidential aspirations on what he portrayed as unrivalled business acumen. Xi has so firmly concentrated power in his own hands that he is now often referred to as the Chairman of Everything. Indeed, the exceptionalism ingrained in each mans political agenda speaks to a broader similarity between the US and China: both have extreme superiority complexes. Each sees itself as without peer. And, perhaps most important, both Trump and Xi view the nation the other leads as the principal obstacle to achieving their core ambition. In this dynamic, the danger is real but war is not inevitable. History shows that major powers can manage relations with rivals, even those that threaten to overtake them, without triggering war. One of the most instructive no war cases was the competition between the ruling Britain and the rising US at the turn of the 20th century. Facing more serious and proximate threats from Germany and Russia, British statesmen distinguished needs from wants and found ways to avoid violent conflict with an increasingly powerful US over territorial disputes in North America. Britain wisely made the best of its lot, managing to accommodate the challenging American demands without sacrificing its own vital interests. The US-UK case and the other three successes offer many lessons for statesmen today as do the cases of failure. Will Presidents Trump and Xi, or their successors, follow in the tragic footsteps of the leaders of Athens and Sparta or Britain and Germany? Or will they find a way to avoid war as effectively as Britain and the US did a century ago or the US and the Soviet Union did in the Cold War? Obviously, no one knows. We can be certain, however, that the dynamic Thucydides identified will intensify in the years ahead. Graham Allison is Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard Kennedy School and the author of Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydidess Trap?, published by Scribe P olitical language, George Orwell tells us, is designed to make lies sound truthful and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. The Great Repeal Bill is a case in point. This is the name Brexiteers have given to the law which will replace the European Communities Act. But it is worth examining what the legislation actually involves to see whether it deserves its grandiose title. First, the name is a deliberate echo of the Great Reform Act of 1832, that milestone on Britains journey to being a modern democracy. The implication is that we are engaged in a similar democratic act taking back control of our affairs by restoring parliamentary sovereignty. Yet the very idea that Parliament can vote to restore its sovereignty exposes the falsity behind the argument. Our Parliament chose to join the EU, and now it may choose to leave it. Proof that Parliament has always been sovereign. Second, a Great Repeal Bill suggests lots of things are being repealed. Far from it. This is the single greatest act of regulation in UK history. Thousands of EU rules are being imported wholesale into our law. Not one is being watered down, and none of the rules are being abolished. Only a tiny minority of Brexit voters thought that by leaving the EU they were voting for freer markets, less red tape and lower taxes. Again they are going to have their delusions exposed. Sunderland and Stoke did not vote to turn Britain into Singapore. There is no Commons majority to deregulate anything. Already lobbying has started for more intervention once the constraints of EU membership are removed. The export of livestock will be banned by regulation. Taxpayer bungs to struggling businesses are to be allowed. More complexity in our tax system, like lots of VAT rates, is going to be encouraged. Regulation The only constraint is that if we are going to have any chance of concluding a deal to allow frictionless trade with our largest export market to continue, we are going to have to agree with a lot of existing EU rules. Our cars will have to comply with its rules on safety and emissions; our financial products will have to comply with its laws on banking and insurance; our industries will have to be subsidy-free in order to sell goods and services into Europe. We will have left the EU, but be left with the EUs rules. Regulation without representation. Brilliant. Finally, the publication of todays bill on the first anniversary of Theresa Mays ill-starred premiership is supposed to suggest this is all part of a cunning plan. The truth is, the deeper we get into Brexit, the more obvious it is that there is no plan at all. We are withdrawing from a host of European bodies that regulate everything from the safety of medicines to the security of nuclear supplies, but no one seems to know what domestic bodies are needed to replace them or how much they will cost. We are repatriating rule-making from European institutions on issues from fishing to finance but have no idea who will make these rules in future is it the Westminster Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, local councils, or are we going to negotiate new treaties so that these rules can be made by European bodies again? The confusion over our relationship with Euratom, which Professor Robert Winston writes about on page eight today, suggests we are going to spend a lot of time trying to replicate what we already have. To gloss over all these unanswered questions, the Great Repeal Bill gives to ministers the decision about who decides what. These are the so-called Henry VIII powers, named after the Tudor monarch who inflated the power of the Crown. The Great Reform Bill was passed in 1832 to transfer some of that power from the executive by abolishing the patronage of rotten boroughs and extending the franchise. How ironic that the Great Repeal Bill of 2017 takes power away from Parliament and gives it back to government. Orwell must be looking down on us with a smile. As my time in my BOB Pop Up shop in the Seven Dials draws to an end, I feel contemplative and nostalgic about good ole London town. It's been the most incredible experience. Not just because I launched my business in a flag ship location, and not just because I learned more than I could ever imagine about my customers, but because I got to be a part of a scene that Ive been hearing about since I was a kid - London fashion. The BEST fashion there is. I may have mentioned once or twice that I am mildly obsessed with 60s clothing. Of course this is because I love the aesthetic of what the designers created, but its also because of what was happening globally in the fashion world - namely that all eyes were on London as it became the epicentre of youth culture and style. Seven Dials - in pictures 1 /5 Seven Dials - in pictures Seven Dials boutiques The BOB pop up shop Picture: Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Seven Dials boutiques Shoppers relax on a bench outside Unconditional Picture: Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Seven Dials boutiques Orla Kiely also situates among these boutiques Picture: Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Seven Dials boutiques Shoppers frequent the quaint area for unique pieces Picture: Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Imagine the turn around when a war beaten city became the swirling, psychedelic, vibrant love fest that London became by the mid sixties. After the baby boom of the second world war 40% of the population were under 25, and it was London that realised they needed to be dressed for their age and state of mind. The British fashion industry had major players, Mary Quant and Biba to name but a few, who were making incredibly stylish and youthful clothing for a generation who didn't want to emulate their parents. When national service was abolished in 1960, and the contraceptive pill came in in 1961 young people were freer than ever. And it was London that stepped up and dressed them appropriately. In 1966 Time Magazine acknowledged this by dedicating an issue to The Swinging City. Now the world was looking to London for inspiration and the clothes that were worn on the streets of our beautiful capital were copied and emulated all over the world. If you give two hoots about fashion, doesn't that make you proud? It makes me proud, which is why I enjoyed my time on Monmouth Street so much. Feels like home: Dawn is all smiles at her pop up shopPicture: Tristan Fewings/Getty / Tristan Fewings/Getty London still has that charm. Sure, there are parts that look the same as any other high street anywhere else in the country, and bother me as that does its just the way it is. I resist the high street but my efforts seem futile. Its taking over from the small business and boutique scene that seemed to valuable not so long ago. I hear about the plans to ruin Soho with mass consumer friendly brands, and wish there was more understanding of how ruinous that will be for small businesses like mine. For artists who are trying to get their work seen. For individuality to thrive, rather than us all getting swept up and lost in conglomerates and corporations that dictate how we should look and feel. I find it all so sad. But then there are The Seven Dials. A quaint little warren of unique boutiques, charm and nostalgia that gave me a hint of how it might have been back in the day. Of course the brands are there, but they are surrounded by one of a kind shops that offer a shopping experience so often lost in major cities. I never wanted to leave, but alas, my time there is up. I just hope it never changes. BOB pop up closes this Sunday at 6pm. BOBbyDOP.com B ecause Ive secretly given up on all forms of contemporary popular culture, Im now exclusively listening to Kenneth Branagh reading The Diary of Samuel Pepys. Its an experience I would recommend to anybody, but particularly to Londoners. And particularly to Londoners who, like me, spend a lot of time trudging through the old Square Mile and down along the Thames. Ill jam in my headphones and tap a button and there he is, a man who lived 350 years ago, chatting away about his life, his worries, his secrets, all while I walk in what were more or less his footsteps, my compulsive stop-offs at Leon notwithstanding. I love Samuel Pepys. Its funny. You think youve outgrown the childish habit of idolising people, only the next thing you know youre totally obsessed with a naval administrator born in 1633 and who spent a good chunk of his 20s and 30s doing these amazingly detailed, stupendously honest brain farts before he went to bed every night. I promise Im not going to try to hector you into liking Pepys just because I do, despite it being my birthright as a white bloke in his mid-30s. I just love revelling in how similar life was back then. I love how Pepys worked in an office, moaned about his colleagues, angsted about his pay packet and generally had the same kind of status anxiety as the rest of us. I love how he was always nipping into pubs and fretting about how he looked in a new item of clothing. I love how he was always jumping into little boats whizzing up and down the river, like so many creaky Ubers. Hes the spiritual ancestor of every frazzled-but-happy Londoner youve ever met. Okay, fair enough, he was an arsehole to his wife, forever eye-humping other women and worse. But then, we all have friends like that. And who, deep down, doesnt love drama? I love how he kept worrying that he was drinking too much, and worrying about his old mum and dad. And Ill always love him for the tears he shed for London after witnessing the carnage of the Great Fire. So I walk around with him blathering on as I go past The Monument or Tower Hill or any of the other places he used to hang at. Its ghostly but remarkably comforting. Like I say, Id recommend it to anyone. Jezza has a bigger crowd than Radiohead did and I LOVE it, tweeted @moaninglsasmile. They need to f*** Ed Sheeran off and let Corbs headline Glastonbury, said @coso9001. Just witnessed a silent disco crowd chant Oh Jeremy Corbyn to Seven Nation Army and it was a beautiful thing, raved @elenistefanou. Glastonbury-goers are more used to channelling Lennon than Lenin but the Labour leader was the unlikely star of the music festival last month. If anyone thought the youth uprising that helped to deliver Labours unexpectedly strong result was a one-off event, the rapturous reception Corbyn received at Worthy Farm disproved it. Young people can and do care about politics they are simply underestimated, says Dr Daniel Nilsson DeHanas, lecturer in political science and religion at Kings College London. If political leaders took them more seriously, I have no doubt that we would vastly improve our political conversations. The rise of youth engagement has surprised many older campaigners and commentators. In the run up to the snap election, many who suggested a high youth turnout was the only way to topple the Tories often sounded desperate. 18-24 year olds, wrote The Thick Of It creator, Armando Iannucci, I beg you on my gnarled and brittle knees; register to vote, and then vote. We now know that he neednt have worried so much: they turned up at polling stations in what DeHanas calls incredible numbers. In 2015 just 43% of voters aged 18 to 24 went to the polls. This time, some 57% of voters aged 18 to 19 voted, while turnout among those aged 20 to 24 was 59%. Among 25 to 29-year-olds turnout was higher still, at 64%. Age replaced class as the most important predictor of voting Labour or Conservative. According to Ipsos Mori, 62% of 18-24s supported Labour and only 27% backed the Conservatives, while 61% of over-65s supported Conservatives and only 25% backed Labour. A young Labour Party supporter shows off his T-Shirt with the face of Jeremy Corbyn / AFP/Getty Images This political youthquake is not just happening in the UK. Around the world, a new generation is experiencing its political awakening. In Russia, a place where large-scale demonstrations are relatively rare, opposition politician Alexei Navalny has sparked protests against the Kremlin all across the nation. Theyve made waves not only for their scale but because of the involvement of young people, previously assumed to be politically apathetic. Meanwhile, in France Emmanuel Macron and his En Marche movement swept to power on the back of the young; in the US Bernie Sanders energised the youth, as has Podemos in Spain. As for Donald Trump well, hes certainly galvanised young people to take to the streets in protest, just not in the way he planned. Members of the rights network Avaaz demonstrate against secret voting in the lower and upper houses of Brazil / AFP/Getty Images The key change is the rise of networked individualism, says Paul Mason, the pro-Corbyn Guardian columnist who has become something of a poet laureate for the young Left in Britain. The self is at the centre of the world for young people but its a networked self. What the old generation sees as self-centredness is actually a set of mental connections. The rise of conservative movements, notably the alt-right or Red Pill movement in the USA, has sparked a culture war much more extreme than the one experienced via mainstream media and the result is a higher level of commitment and engagement once engaged. Thats the true meaning of the Oh, Jeremy Corbyn song. Why is this happening and why now? Economics are working against the youth, for one thing, making them so mad they want to get even. The recession hit the young hard. University tuition fees are rising and skyrocketing house prices mean many cannot afford to live in our biggest cities. Protection for the elderly, notably in the form of the triple lock to safeguard the value of pensions and guaranteed winter fuel payments, convinced many young people that the economic game is rigged against them. Protesters critical of President Donald Trump attend an afternoon rally / Getty Images But theres much more than economics at play which may explain the global nature of the trend. A sense of shifting identities has changed how young people view themselves and one another. Thanks to globalisation and the social media revolution, the new generation now regard themselves as global citizens. Human rights, the environment and cultural diversity were big themes for young people dividing them culturally from older cohorts, says James Sloam of the Youth Politics Unit at Royal Holloway University. Such identities became particularly pertinent in the UK in the run-up to the European referendum. Of those who went to the polls, 73% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted Remain, as did 62% of 25 to 34-year-olds; 60% of those over 65 voted Leave. But its relevant more broadly too where young people see their peers enjoying rights and freedoms in one part of the world, they expect to enjoy them where they are too. And vice versa: so it is that young women in London sport Repeal the 8th T-shirts and totes to support the right of women in Ireland to access abortion. Technology plays another role, too. New platforms have helped to turn young peoples anger into coherent political movements. Look at Labours election campaign: instead of using the old tools of paid for advertising on TV and billboards, or courting traditional media power players, the party embraced viral video and Facebook Live. It worked brilliantly. Daddy, why do you hate me? a mock political broadcast asking people to vote for Theresa May because your children deserve worse was viewed more than 7.6 million times across social media. Momentum claims its videos were watched by more than 22% of Facebooks British users, some 9.8 million people. More than 20 years ago Tony Blair cleared his diary and packed his bags for a fleeting trip to Australia to convince Rupert Murdoch to use his newspapers to support New Labour, says Jim Waterson, the Buzzfeed political editor who has chronicled the rise of the young. But in 2017 Jeremy Corbyns team decided they didnt need to deal with The Sun at all. Members of the global civic movement AVAAZ gather for a celebratory Emoji-flashmob / Getty Images for AVAAZ Likewise, in the US, anti-Trump activists have used social media to organise protests against their controversial President. The recent global womens marches began as a Facebook event calling for a march on Washington after Trumps inauguration. Subsequent protests have made similar use of social media. And in Russia, Navalny has taken to social media and started his own channel on YouTube to get his message across. Tens of millions have watched his videos. Not One Day More protest: Thousands march on Parliament against Tories 1 /13 Not One Day More protest: Thousands march on Parliament against Tories Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott leads the 'Not One Day More' march Getty Images Protesters gather in Portland Square Getty Images Demonstrators carry placards during the 'Not One Day More' march Getty Images Thousands of people marched through central London Getty Images The march ended in Parliament Square Getty Images A dog joins in the march Getty Images A protester holds up Jeremy Corbyn placards Getty Images Anti-Theresa May placards at the march Getty Images Demonstrators carry placards during the Not One Day More march Getty Images Diane Abbott speaks to demonstrators Getty Images Digital marketing company Social Chain, which has offices in Manchester, New York and Berlin, claims to be able to make anything trend within 26 minutes. The company has worked with the likes of Apple, the BBC and Spotify and at the most recent election partnered with Rize Up, a non-profit seeking to inspire political change by getting more young people to vote. It generated a thunderclap posting through multiple accounts at once to saturate social media with a particular message urging young people to register to vote. The stunt was followed by several others, including posting calls to action on popular pages such as Student Problems. By the deadline for voter registrations, well over 1.5 million young people had registered to vote since the election had been called. A stunt portraying Rupert Murdoch as controlling Westminster / Getty Images Then there are campaign organisations such as Avaaz, whose petitions and projects are managed by a team working from more than 30 different countries. They communicate with their 44 million members all over the world using emails with petitions, media friendly stunts and sit-ins to get their message across. Campaigns have ranged from protests against corruption in Brazil to rallying in support of gay pride in Rome. Will the youthquake last and where will it lead? There is something of a life-cycle effect people do tend to become more conservative as they age, says Sloam. However, not as much as people think. In the UK, he argues, young people are much more pro-Labour and economically left-wing than the previous generation of young people. Whether this trend continues depends on the ability of the Conservative Party to pitch policies to this pro-immigration, pro-EU, pro-public spending demographic, especially young women. A London rally against Trump / AFP/Getty Images The Tories know they have some catching up to do and are already working to stop Corbyn and his supporters progress with new social media strategies. The party must win over young metropolitan voters to stay in power, MP Damian Green a senior aide to Theresa May has warned. For its part, Momentum is already gearing up for a fresh election before Christmas. A campaign to reduce the voting age to 16 is hotting up, which could permanently re-draw the political battle lines in Britain, shifting the centre of political gravity to the left. Both Labour and the Tories will have to reconfigure not only their policies but above all the way they formulate them, says Mason. At the end of every queue for the under-30s is a choice: skinny latte or full fat, personalised trainers or exclusive skateboardwear theyll want to shape the political parties at a similar level of detail. N early 50 children from London schools have volunteered to join gang exit schemes in the latest drive against knife crime. Police say a total of 48 pupils have come forward seeking pathways out of gang violence in the last week. Officers have visited 120 schools around the capital in the past two days giving talks on the dangers of knife crime and highlighting ways children can get out of gangs. They are being encouraged to contact teachers or other community leaders who can refer them to charities such as Redthread or Growing Against Violence, which seek to protect young people from gangs. An arrest is made at Cranmer House in Wandsworth today / Jeremy Selwyn Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Sean Yates, the head of the Mets Operation Sceptre initiative against gangs, said: "Every referral is a positive thing and we want to see more children having the confidence to come forward. "They may not always feel confident in approaching the police but there are trusted members of the community such as teachers who they can approach, which is the way forward. He added: We really need to focus on reducing offences by changing hearts and minds, attitudes and behaviours. "The work of our schools officers and the various projects and conferences across the Met are helping to achieve this. Police raid Cranmer House on the Surrey Lane Estate in Wandsworth today / Jeremy Selwyn The Operation Sceptre scheme is to be rolled out nationally next week with an emphasis on diverting youngsters from crime in the summer months. So far this week 66 people have been arrested for possession of knives or offensive weapons in the latest Sceptre initiative in London. Two were held on suspicion of attempted murder. Three youths were arrested near Elephant and Castle Tube station yesterday in a swoop by uniformed and covert officers targeting suspects carrying knives. They were held after a short chase through surrounding streets, and a knife was found nearby. The operation, with the Met working with City of London and British Transport Police officers, involved stop-and-search checks at key transport hubs across London. Mr Yates said: These operations are about protecting young people from knife crime during the summer holidays. A lot of kids travel around on buses and on Tubes and this is about using intelligence-led operations to target offenders in knife crime hotspots. There has been a series of knife attacks and murders in London in recent weeks. A man was stabbed to death in a block of flats in Romford on Tuesday, and a 16-year-old boy is in hospital after being stabbed in a shopping arcade after school in Croydon. A 20-year-old man is recovering after being stabbed in Bethnal Green last night. T he parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard today vowed to keep fighting as they arrived at the High Court to continue their bid to seek treatment overseas. Chris Gard and Connie Yates made the announcement ahead of a High Court hearing. The couple, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, want a judge to rule that 11-month-old Charlie, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, should be allowed to undergo a therapy trial in the US. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Charlie is being cared for, say therapy proposed by a doctor in America is experimental and will not help. They say life-support treatment should stop. Fresh appeal: Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrive at court / Andy Rain/EPA In an emotional statement read outside the High Court by family spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden, whose voice cracked with emotion, the couple said: We are continuing to spend every moment working around the clock to save our dear baby Charlie. Charlie's parents are fighting to save their son / PA Weve raised over 1.2 million and have had invitations from specialised doctors in the US and Italy offer their groundbreaking treatment to us and are confident they can help little Charlie. "We will continue to make the case for us to seek treatment for Charlie with doctors that are actually specialised in Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome and we hope the judge and the courts will finally rule in favour of us seeking treatment elsewhere. "We love him more than life itself. If hes still fighting, then were still fighting. Loading.... Charlies parents have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London. They have also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges in Strasbourg, France, to intervene. A n elderly pedestrian was severely injured after being struck by a police van responding to a 999 call. The 71-year-old, who was walking with a stick, was on a pedestrian crossing outside Hammersmith Underground station when he was struck by the marked police van using lights and sirens. Witnesses said the pedestrian was thrown like a bowling pin after being struck. He was given first aid by a trainee doctor at the scene before being rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Scotland Yard today said his injuries were no longer life-threatening, but potentially life-changing. The van was travelling with its sirens and lights at the time of the crash just before 6pm last night. Witnesses said it had slowed down to allow others crossing the road to reach the opposite side but the pensioner did not make it in time. Roads were closed around Hammersmith roundabout and the Independent Police Complaints Commission was informed of the incident. Officers from the Mets Road and Transport Policing Command are investigating. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A bizarre row has erupted over a plan for an east London borough to split from the rest of the capital in a 'Brexit-style' divorce. Havering Council is set to vote on a plan dubbed 'Hexit', under which it would seek to renegotiate its relationship with the London Mayor and City Hall. But the proposal - tabled by Ukip councillor Lawrence Webb - has split opinion in the borough. Mr Webb said the plan was about "taking control" of the area's future, but critics argued it could lead to major changes in policing and other emergency services. The borough's Ukip leader said: [This move] is about taking control. First and foremost we want Havering out of Londons planning process. We want to negotiate a position that means we make the decisions on housing. Border borough: Havering, in blue, borders Essex It is not dissimilar from David Camerons plan to negotiate Britains relationship with the European Union. The Greater London Authority (GLA) is run very much like the EU. We raise tax through the GLA precept, which is given to the Mayor and then we beg for that money back. "We do not get back as much as we put in. We want control of our own destiny. However, the Tory councils leader Roger Ramsey slammed the idea, saying the potential move would be a complex adjustment for Havering residents that would affect major services. Taking back control: 'Hexiters' want more to renegotiate their relationship with Mayor Sadiq Khan and City Hall / Alex Lentati He said: Were part of the Metropolitan Police, the London Fire Brigade, Transport for London, and that would be lost." Councillors will vote on whether or not the borough, which is on the London-Essex border, should move to attempt to renegotiate Haverings role within the capital on Wednesday, July 26. Mr Webb said a failure to negotiate a good deal could lead to the borough becoming a unitary authority, which would mean the council would be responsible for all of its functions. Mr Ramsey did agree that the borough has its differences with the Mayors office, and acknowledged some residents identify strongly with Essex and do not consider themselves to be to be Londoners. Romford: Havering's principal town / Daniel Lynch He said: I dont deny that in the past [the council has] called for more control of our own spending. As an outer London borough, we do have our differences with the London Assembly. And our residents, particularly the older ones, do identify strongly with Essex. Despite this, he said it would be completely wrong for Havering to split completely from London because it could lose out on services such as the Metropolitan Police. Havering residents have told of their confusion over whether to identify with London or with neighbouring county Essex. Kay Haastrup, who grew up in the borough and went to school in Romford, Havering's principal town, said: There's a dichotomy that people from Havering face. It would be nice for once to finally have an absolute border as opposed to a grey area between the two [Havering and Essex]. Loading.... Another resident added: "There is an identity crisis here, are we from Essex? That's my post code. But we're also from London. Maybe this 'Hexit' idea would be good remedy for that." Others voiced concerns that vital support the borough gets from authorities in the capital would be lost if a move to exit was enforced. Sarah Walters, who manages community projects in Romford, said: I have found the support of the GLA and Sadiq Khan vital. The GLA have funded community [some of our] projects, which would not have happened otherwise. Romford is very much part of London. Havering was the first council in Britain to vote to leave the EU, with councillors voting by 30 to 15 in favour of a motion the UK would be better off out. Seventy per cent of the boroughs population voted to Leave in last year's referendum, making it one of London's most pro-Brexit boroughs. City Hall has been approached for comment. A Buddhist priest in Germany was recently sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail. He was convicted of 25 cases registered against him over 15 years for child abuse. By India Today Web Desk: A German court on July 11, 2017 convicted a Buddhist monk of sexually abusing minor boys and sentenced him to seven years and nine months in prison. The news agencies in Germany reported that the 62 year old monk, identified as Hans D, was convicted in Augsburg state court on the charges of abusing seven children, ages four to thirteen, over a period of almost 15 years. advertisement The monk was also accused of capturing child pornographic content. RT reported that the heinous acts of Buddhist monk were reported in 2016 when a woman approached the police authorities. The lady claimed she met the monk after her husband had died and was seeking help. The priest offered the help and came close to her family. She soon realised that the priest was sexually abusing her two sons and forced them into unnatural sexual intercourse and filmed them, taking obscene pictures. AP AP Judge Lenard Hoesch claimed that the priest used similar way every time he indulged in such activities, he particularly picked the minors in difficulty and assured them of his help. The man although confessed to all his crimes, hence no victims were required to come to the court to record their statements. He can also be seen covering his face in shame outside the courtroom after the trial took place which sentenced him to 8 years behind the bars. ALSO READ: FYI || Couple who survived sexual violence, works for prevention of male-child abuse || FYI || 8-year-old sexually abuses friend, tells cops she learnt it from being repeatedly raped herself || FYI ||The darker side of pornography || FYI ||Shocking: 5-year-old draws pictures of being sexually abused, police arrests priest || --- ENDS --- A vast blue whale skeleton that will form the main exhibit in the Natural History Museum is to be unveiled by David Attenborough. The Duchess of Cambridge, a patron of the museum, will also join Mr Attenborough for the unveiling of the 25-metre long skeleton in the revamped Hintze Hall. The huge marine mammal has replaced the much-loved Doplodocus dinosaur Dippy, which first went on display in the museum in 1979. It came after 14,000 people signed a petition to stop the move to dismantle the dinosaur and install the whale, which will be revealed on Thursday. Natural History Museum: Blue Whale - In pictures 1 /13 Natural History Museum: Blue Whale - In pictures The blue whale skeleton which goes on display from Thursday Alex Lentati It is replacing 'Dippy' the Diplodocus, which will be going on a nationwide tour of museums and galleries PA The impressive whale is being suspended in Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum. PA Kate Middleton and David Attenborough will unveil the exhibit Alex Lentati The Duchess of Cambridge will also tour Hintze Hall's 10 other new displays chosen from the museum's collection of more than 80 million specimens. Alex Lentati Hintze Hall will reopen to the public on Friday PA The opening follows six months of refurbishment, and its displays will include a dinosaur fossil - an 120 million-year-old Mantellisaurus, found on the Isle of Wight in 1917. PA Dippy's replacement, the blue whale, is the largest known animal on Earth. PA The animal became protected under international law in 1966 PA The installation of the blue whale skeleton PA But the museum went ahead, and soon the famous fossil will be going on a nationwide tour of museums and galleries, including a stint at Norwich Cathedral in 2020. The Duchess will also tour Hintze Hall's 10 other new displays chosen from the museum's collection of more than 80 million specimens. Loading.... These displays aim to cover the history of Earth, and include a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite, as well as the full skeleton of a mastodon, a distant relative of the mammoth. Hintze Hall will reopen to the public on Friday following six months of refurbishment, and its displays will include a dinosaur fossil - an 120 million-year-old Mantellisaurus, found on the Isle of Wight in 1917. Dippy's replacement, the blue whale, is the largest known animal on Earth. After coming close to extinction, the animal became protected under international law in 1966, after which its population slowly began to increase. N ew images show plans for a redevelopment in south London that campaigners claim could block views from trendy rooftop hangout Franks Cafe. Artists impressions show dramatic changes proposed to Peckhams Aylesham Centre if plans are passed by Southwark Council. Suggestions put forward by developers Tiger Development outline ideas for a pedestrianised area leading up to Morrisons, close to the area's iconic multi-storey car park and Peckhamplex cinema. A consultation, which opened to residents on Wednesday, showed plans for more independent retailers, a high street and underground parking to replace the current shopping centre off Rye Lane. Proposals have also been put forward for flats and affordable housing above the development which has previously sparked a row over concerns it would block panoramic views from Peckhams trendy rooftop bar Frank's. Hipster hangout: Frank's rooftop cafe in Peckham / Daniel Lynch Thousands of revellers flock to the hangout, situated on top of a multi-storey car park during the bars summer opening hours. Suggestions for a 20-storey tower block were made early on in discussions surrounding the scheme. Eileen Conn, spokeswoman for Peckham Vision, said at the time: During the summer many thousands of people flock to Peckham town centre to enjoy the open spaces that have been created on the roofs of iconic buildings by Frank's Cafe, Bold Tendencies and the Bussey Building, bringing a new buzz and opportunities for economic activities to the town centre. LCA The view over London is a major draw. But that view may be threatened if a planned 20-storey building is built on the nearby Aylesham Centre/Morrisons site. However, a spokesman for the developers said no plans had been made as to how the buildings would be arranged. Further consultations on high rise blocks will take place later in the year, he added. A planning application is due to be submitted to Southwark Council next spring. If the application is passed work is expected to be complete by 2023. T he Queen examined the high-tech weaponry and bomb disposal kit deployed by police in the event of terrorist incidents as she opened the new multimillion-pound headquarters of Scotland Yard. Her majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were given a tour of the 81.9m building on Victoria Embankment, which included viewing a police bomb disposal robot and machine gun. The Queen witnessed a demonstration of the bomb disposal robot in action, put on for her by the Mets explosives officers. The royal couple later met officers demonstrating "a day in the life of the Met", featuring search dogs and uniformed staff - including a dog handler, forensic specialist and a special constable. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh open the new headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service During Thursday's visit The Queen also met representatives from among those who were first responders to the terrorism incidents in Westminster and London Bridge. And she and the Duke were shown a display of police vehicles, and a selection of historical items, including the Second World War uniform of a female PC and an operational order for the Coronation. She was initially greeted by the sight of two police horses and two historic police cars when she arrived for the opening. The royal couple comes face-to-face with a police dog / Alex Lentati With their mounted officers neatly turned out, the horses were standing to attention close to the Curtis Green building, with the famous rotating New Scotland Yard sign nearby. The famous rotating "New Scotland Yard" sign has been erected outside the building, which reportedly cost just under 60 million to refurbish and extend. On display was a former patrol car a Rover SD1 V8 automatic from 1983 believed to be the only surviving vehicle of its type, and a Morris Minor 1000 from 1969 which was used as a supervisor's car to check on local beat officers. Met Commissioner Cressida Dick shakes hands with the Queen (Stefan Rousseau/PA ) / Stefan Rousseau/PA Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey then shook hands with the royal couple. The official launch had been due to take place on March 23 but was postponed following the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack the day before, part of which was witnessed by Mr Mackey. Three people died when Kent-born Khalid Masood drove a car into unsuspecting pedestrians on the bridge, before fatally stabbing Pc Keith Palmer, 48, in the Palace of Westminster's forecourt. A fourth pedestrian knocked into the River Thames died more than two weeks later. The former Met Police building, which was outdated, has been sold to an investment company for 370 million. The force's new HQ is home to senior Met officers and various departments. U p to 70,000 City jobs could be lost in the catastrophic event Britain crashed out of the Single Market when it leaves the EU, a major report has warned. The Centre for London think tank called for Mayor Sadiq Khan to be given a major role in EU negotiations to help mitigate the risk of the capital losing its creative edge and variety after Brexit. One year 'City Maker Visas' should be launched in London to allow EU citizens to come and live in the capital for a year while looking for work or start-up opportunities, the report suggested. The report, called 'Open City', also called for an extended two-year working holiday visa for young Europeans, with fast-track work permit applications for both groups. It warned that while London is better-equipped than some other parts of the UK to the risks of Brexit because of its long-standing ties with other major European cities, it is also "more exposed" in other ways. "Our universities, hotels, restaurants, offices and building sites are powered by students and workers from across the EU to a far greater extent than the rest of the country, the report said. Thousands of City jobs could be lost thanks to Brexit / Dan Kitwood/Getty Images "And our global city service sectors need urgent clarity on how access to the Single Market will be regulated." It added: "Falling out of the Single Market without a comprehensive trade deal or adequate transitional arrangements would be catastrophic for many London businesses, as would the sudden loss of EU workers." The report came as the government was set to unveil the Repeal Bill ending the supremacy of Brussels law. The legislation will transpose EU law into UK law so there is no change to the legal framework on the day of Brexit. The Centre for London also warned that the capital is also threatened by the potential harm Brexit will inflict on its ability to attract the young students, musicians, artists and entrepreneurs from around the world who will go on to be the decision-makers and superstars of the future and act as "lifelong ambassadors for London". "The longer-term risk is more subtle but no less serious - the erosion of the creative edge, liveability and variety that distinguishes London from so many other cities that can offer well-equipped offices and international airports," the report said. "London needs to remain open and also needs to become more affordable and liveable. "It needs to continue to attract students from across the world, and to speak out against attempts to hit arbitrary immigration targets by cutting their numbers." The report raised the possibility that last year's vote for Brexit was in part driven by resentment outside the capital of London's dominant position in the UK. It warned: "It may be that resentment of London was a factor in the EU referendum, but neither capital nor country can afford for London to decline economically or to retreat from international engagement." L abour infighting over Brexit flared up today with Chuka Umunna accusing shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry of being disrespectful to him in a row over the single market. Streatham MP MP Umunna tabled an amendment to the Queen Speech for Britain to remain in the single market after it quits the European Union. It was supported by nearly 50 Labours who defied Jeremy Corbyn by not abstaining during the vote last month. He sacked three shadow ministers - London MPs Catherine West, Ruth Cadbury and Andy Slaughter who voted in favour of the amendment. Ms Thornberry, one of Mr Corbyns closest allies, accused Mr Umunna and other Labour MPs of virtue signalling with the vote, and fighting faux battles. Accusation: Emily Thornberry / Getty Images But the former shadow business secretary hit back today, saying: Im disappointed because frankly when you do things you believe are right on a principled basis you at least I think can expect to have the benefit of the doubt of some of your colleagues, but actually its quite disrespectful of all those people who voted to keep us in the Single Market and also the customs union. He also pointed out that he had supported Ms Thornberry when she was engulfed in controversy when she tweeted a picture of the St Georges flag outside a house in Kent during the Rochester and Strood by-election in 2014, with the caption Image for #Rochester. She was forced to resign as a shadow minister over the row. Mr Umunna, who is now co-chairman of a new cross-party group on EU relations, told the HuffPost UK: When Emily posted a picture of an England flag when she was the Shadow Attorney General on Twitter and there was an avalanche of comment about what she was signaling by doing so, I didnt come out and criticise her and jump on the bandwagon, I actually dropped her a line to check that she and her family were OK given the barrage of comment and criticism she was attracting at that point. He denied that his stance on Brexit was an issue about the Labour leadership. For me this issue goes far beyond party and far beyond any particular individual. It goes to the future of our nation and you have to put the national interest first in that situation, he added. Mr Corbyn, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Kier Starmer, and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, were travelling to Brussels today for talks on Britains departure from the EU with European Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his team. Labour is pushing for a jobs first Brexit with full tariff-free access to the single market. However, it is yet to lay out how it thinks this can be achieved. The talks today will focus on Phase 1 negotiations including EU and British citizens rights, exit obligations and Irelands border arrangements. Mr Corbyn said: Labour would negotiate a jobs-first Brexit deal which puts the economy, jobs and living standards front and centre. Labour would unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK because its the right thing to do. L ondon business chiefs and politicians warned David Davis today that Brexit trade-offs would be a false and damaging choice for the capital. Senior figures including Sadiq Khan wrote to the Brexit Secretary to underline that London needs access both to European markets and international talent to continue to thrive. The letter marks the launch of a hard-hitting report on Brexit from the Centre for London think tank which warns of considerable risks to the capital. It argues that if the capital is going to maintain its competitiveness from outside the EU, it will need continued access to international talent and a trade deal that reflects the importance of service sector exports. The co-signatories, including infrastructure expert Lord Adonis and Tory peer Baroness Wheatcroft, urged ministers to commit to continued membership of the single market and customs union during a transition period, and for a final deal to resemble the status quo. They also backed calls for Londons Mayor to get more powers to help it tackle long-term challenges. Key among these would be property taxes. The report concluded: London faces both short- and long-term risks. Falling out of the Single Market without a comprehensive trade deal or adequate transitional arrangements would be catastrophic for many London businesses, as would the sudden loss of EU workers. But the longer-term risk is more subtle but no less serious the erosion of the creative edge, liveability and variety that distinguishes London from so many other cities that can offer well-equipped offices and international airports. L egislation to convert EU law into UK law, known as the Repeal Bill, is due to be published by Brexit Secretary David Davis. The flagship bill is a central plank in the Government's Brexit strategy but is expected to be the subject of fierce battles between MPs and peers over the shape of the country's exit. Prime Minister Theresa May called this week for opposition parties to work together, while Mr Davis said he will "work with anyone" to make it a success. However with the Conservatives already relying on Democratic Unionist Party support to win key votes, the Government faces opposition. Labour has vowed to vote against the legislation unless Mrs May makes significant concessions, while Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has warned the Government: "This will be hell." Heres what you need to know. What is the Repeal Bill? David Davis has described the first piece of Government legislation relating to Brexit since Article 50 was triggered in March as one of the most significant bills ever to come to Parliament. The Repeal Bill is designed to transpose EU law into British law so the same rules apply on the day of Brexit as the day before. Key Brexit Players - In pictures 1 /8 Key Brexit Players - In pictures David Davis Reuters Michel Barnier AP Tim Barrow AFP/Getty Images Oliver Robbins Sabine Weyand Didier Seeuws AFP/Getty Images It then gives parliaments and assemblies in Westminster, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff the power to drop or change them in the future. It will repeal the 1972 European Communities Act which took Britain into the EU and end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The supremacy of Brussels law will be removed, EU law will be converted into UK law where appropriate, and temporary powers will be created to correct laws that will not operate appropriately after Brexit. The Government hopes it will give confidence to businesses, workers and consumers that they will not face unexpected changes on the day of Brexit. Mr Davis said: "This bill means that we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control. That is what the British people voted for and it is exactly what we will do - ensure that the decisions that affect our lives are taken here in the UK. "It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through Parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the European Union." How much European law is there? The total body of European law dates back to 1958 and in 2010 was estimated to consist of about 80,000 items, covering everything from workers' rights to environment and trade. There are believed to be 12,000 EU regulations, as well as EU treaties, directions and European Court of Justice rulings. May: UK seeks new trade deals after Brexit Meanwhile new EU legislation is being created all the time and will continue to apply in the UK up until Brexit. To further complicate matters, the Governments White Paper on the bill says a proportion of UK law "will no longer work" on exit because, for example, it refers to EU institutions. A House of Lords committee warned recently that "the body of EU law is found in a number of different places, and in a number of different forms" and as such the Repeal Bill presents a unique challenge". A report by the House of Commons library predicts it is likely to be "one of the largest legislative projects ever undertaken in the UK". What's happening when? The Repeal Bill is expected to be published late on Thursday morning, depending on Commons business. Parliamentarians will get their first chance to pore over its contents and consider how they may seek to amend it in an attempt to change the direction of the UK's exit from the EU. However is not expected to be formally debated until Autumn. Separately, the Government will also publish three position papers for exit negotiations. One will cover nuclear materials and safeguards issues and will be studied closely by opposition parties and Tory MPs who have expressed concerns about the Government's commitment to leaving Euratom, Europe's civil nuclear regulator. The other two papers will cover ongoing union judicial and administrative proceedings, and privileges and immunities. They will be presented to the European Commission for discussion in the second round of formal exit negotiations in Brussels next week. Opposition Theresa Mays appeal for opposition parties to cooperate with her minority government has not only just gone down badly with the Labour party, but also her own MPs. She could face a revolt from Remain-supporting Conservative MPs, and only a few Tory rebels are needed to inflict defeat on teh Prime Minister. Meanwhile Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has said he is putting the government on notice and demanding changes on matters from parliamentary scrutiny to workers rights. And Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron that the Government faces "hell" as it tries to get the Bill through the Houses of Commons and Lords. Mr Farron said: "The Government cannot use the Great Repeal Bill to get their way. We have been learning the lessons of Maastricht and I am putting the Government on warning. If you found the Article 50 Bill difficult, you should be under no illusion, this will be hell. "If the Government try any wheeze or trick to force through changes to vital protections, from workers' rights to the environment, they are playing with fire. "I am keen to work across party lines to do everything we can to protect these rights. "If this Tory Brexit Government and their Labour cheerleaders think this will be waved through, they have another thing coming." J ob candidates may soon have to beat rivals in online talent-based competitions broadcast on Facebook. The social network has invented X Factor-style contests to help employers weed out the best applicants for interview with the possibility of cash prizes for those taking part. Candidates could also face having their skills judged by other Facebook users, whose opinions would be submitted to the employer. Facebook, which has more than half the UK population among its two billion worldwide users, believes the system will be a technological advancement over the resume [CV], and will also allow candidates to send images and video to human resources departments. The invention, published by the European Patent Office, is described as a new way to rank and distil talent. The contests would allow applicants to win rewards such as prize money, gifts, interviews and ultimately jobs. Some of them would be played out in public as candidates showcase their employable skills before employers, other users, and neutral judges, who will evaluate and rank them. The patent says: Certain contests, like graphic design for an advertising agency, would lend itself to publicly-judged contests. At the end of the contests, employers could view a ranked list of the most talented candidates. Facebook claims the method could dramatically decrease candidate search time while simultaneously increasing the quality and accuracy of the hiring process. It is described as a try before you buy system for employers to see candidates in action doing relevant work. Competition data would be sent to a personnel manager to make the final hiring decision. Facebook also this month patented machine learning techniques to help firms identify and recruit the most suitable candidates using information on their social profile to rank them. It would aggregate data such as schooling, work experience along with social status, groups the candidates belong to and whether they logged on to Facebook recently, allowing firms to leverage the full potential of such information. Facebook would not comment directly on the job-related patents saying it regularly filed new ideas. Its founder Mark Zuckerberg last year launched Workplace, a newsfeed, messenger, groups, events and live-streaming video platform for the workplace. C CTV has emerged of a brawl outside a bar in Greece that killed a 22-year-old American tourist. The video appeared to show two groups clashing on the street outside of the bar on the island of Zakynthos. Bakari Henderson, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona, was battered to death in the street after the fight broke out around 3am on Friday. The footage, from a camera in a nearby store, shows Mr Henderson running and being pursued by a group of people. Loading.... One man tackles him, throwing him onto a parked car before others join in the beating. Some in the group around Mr Henderson eventually manage to stop the others from attacking him. Pavlos Kolokotsas, the mayor of Zakynthos, told ABC News that both groups involved had been drinking heavily. One of the dead mans friends, Sam Hindsman, said Mr Henderson was such a fun loving person and hes so easy going. So many people just loved him, so it was hard to believe. Five of nine men suspected of the killing were yesterday jailed pending trial. They range in age from 18 to 34 and were expected to be moved from police holding cells to prison by the end of the week. A total of nine men - one Greek, seven Serbs and one British citizen of Serb origin who works as a bouncer in Greece - have been charged with intentional homicide. The remaining four suspects were due in court today. C hinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, the country's most famous dissident has died aged 61, officials have said. China's most prominent human rights advocate and political prisoner had been treated in hospital for advanced liver cancer diagnosed in May. The judicial bureau in the north-eastern city of Shenyang said on Thursday that he died of multiple organ failure. His supporters and foreign governments had urged China to allow him to receive treatment abroad, but Chinese authorities insisted he was receiving the best care possible for a disease that had spread throughout his body. Liu Xiaobo died aged 61 in Beijing / EPA Mr Liu was imprisoned for the first time in connection with the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while serving his fourth and final prison sentence, for inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms and greater human rights in China. Wang Dan, a prominent leader of the 1989 pro-democracy protest movement on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, tweeted: "Xiaobo, my beloved teacher, my dear brother, you accepted too much hardship, rest easy." He also said governments and people worldwide must press for Mr Liu's wife Liu Xia to be allowed to leave China, where she has been held under extralegal house arrest. In Hong Kong, prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong tweeted: "We will strive to carry forward his legacy to fight for democracy in HK and China." The group of MPs interacted with the inmates for over three hours today morning, to assess the incident and furthermore the reason for prison violence. By Saurabh Vaktania: A team of 20 parliamentarians today visited Mumbai's Byculla jail as part of their study tour and to enquire about the death of inmate Manjula Shete. Shete's death in the Byculla prison violence gained media attention after Indrani Mukherjea's name emerged in it- who is believed to have protested to the brutal murder of her fellow inmate. advertisement According to reports, Shete was mercilessly assaulted for protesting against prison facilities and food that led to her death. The group of MPs interacted with the inmates for over three hours today morning, to assess the incident and furthermore the reason for prison violence. They did not speak to the media and sources say that the visit was a futile exercise. But, the committee is expected to take up the case in the Parliament. The case is presently with the Mumbai crime branch. ALSO READ: Mumbai Crime Branch to probe death of Byculla inmate who was 'dragged, stripped, assaulted' Why did Byculla jail officials delay in taking injured inmate to hospital, asks Bombay High Court Indrani Mukerjea to be shifted out of Mumbai's Byculla jail where she was beaten up --- ENDS --- C ongressman Brad Sherman has become the first to formally introduce an impeachment filing against President Donald Trump over his dealings with former FBI chief James Comey. Amid mounting allegations of Russian involvement with the Trump campaign, the Los Angeles-area politician described the nation's position as "dangerous" and said in a statement: "The evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so." While a president could not be impeached for "impulsive, ignorant incompetence", noted Representative Sherman, he could for high crimes and misdemeanours. "Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr indicate that Trumps campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia," said Rep. Sherman. "It now seems likely that the president had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe. "I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI director James Comey constitute obstruction of justice." Impeachment effort: Congressman Brad Sherman / AFP/Getty Images Earlier this week, Mr Trump's son Donald Trump Jr published an email chain revealing that he agreed to meet a Russian official who offered incriminating material about presidential rival Hillary Clinton. The revelations came after months of scrutiny that saw Mr Trump's critics accuse him of firing Mr Comey to suppress a probe into alleged Russian links to his campaign. The US Constitution allows for a president to be impeached if articles alleging "treason, bribery high crimes and misdemeanours" to the House Judiciary Committee pass a simple majority vote. Rep. Sherman's bid is likely to fail since the House is currently controlled by the Republicans, and only one other Democrat - Texas Representative Al Green - has publicly said he supports impeachment. Acknowledging that his filing was the first step on a long road, Rep. Sherman said he hoped that over the coming months Republicans would join the effort. He also expressed hope that the filing could shock the White House into better behaviour, seeing "incompetency replaced by care". "Perhaps uncontrollable impulses will be controlled. And perhaps the danger our nation faces will be ameliorated," he said. O ne of the biggest security operations in French history swung into action today as American president Donald Trump arrived in Paris for his first official visit. He landed at Paris Orly airport shortly before 9am along with an entourage including First Lady Melania Trump. The very excited couple smiled broadly as they prepared for a two-day visit, which will include attending tomorrows Bastille Day celebrations on the Champs-Elysees. Airforce One, the presidents plane, landed in a security bubble policed by at least 500 secret servicemen and police. No mobile phones were allowed to be used in the area, and all airspace above it was closed to commercial flights over an eight-mile area. A huge security operation was set into motion for the arrival of the US President / AP Snipers lined rooftops and mobile surface-to-air missile units were placed discreetly in nearby woods. Mr Trump was dressed in a dark suit and bright blue tie as he got into his armoured limousine, while Mrs Trump was in a bright red designer dress. Mr Trump will take the salute as American troops help celebrate July 14 Frances national day, which recalls the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution of 1789. The US commander-in-chief will also pay tribute to his countrys soldiers who joined the First World War 100 years ago. Their two-day visit will include attending tomorrows Bastille Day celebrations on the Champs-Elysees / Reuters Referring to French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, an American diplomatic source in the French capital said: Both President Trump and the First Lady are very excited to be joining the Macrons. They want to enjoy the City of Light to go up the Eiffel Tower, to see Notre Dame cathedral, to go on a boat trip, to try some French cuisine. But there was also some concern as thousands of protesters prepared to disrupt the visit to a city that Mr Trump has regularly criticised. In February he said that a friend, who he named only as Jim, had stopped going to the French capital because Paris is no longer Paris. Earlier he attracted ridicule from the French authorities by claiming there were police no-go zones in cities such as Paris. Protesters were today setting up Trump No Go Areas, as marches created a security headache for the authorities. There was widespread rioting in Hamburg, Germany, last week during the G20 summit attended by the Trumps. Almost 11,000 police officers were on duty in Paris, where the city is at its highest state of alert following a series of terrorist attacks across France. Earlier this month, police charged a 23-year-old far-Right fanatic with plotting to assassinate President Macron in front of his US counterpart on Bastille Day. H undreds of tourists have been evacuated by boat from a beach resort in Sicily as wildfires rage across southern Italy. Swathes of the country have been hit with the island of Sicily one of the worst affected areas. Some 700 people were helped to escape the fires by boat from the Calampiso seaside resort, west of the capital Palermo, as flames spread around the hotels. Tourists were pictured making their way across beaches in their swimming costumes to be rescued by a flotilla of small boats drawing up in coastal coves. There have been no reports of injuries, local media reported, but the mayor of a nearby town appealed for help. Matteo Rizzo, mayor of San Vito Lo Capo, wrote on Facebook. We need minibuses and cars to pick people up at the little port and take them to school buildings. Smoke rises from wildfires burning on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius volcano, which can be seen from Naples, Italy / AP Lets all do something. One holidaymaker told how she fled the fire with her daughter. Alessandra Giambona said: It looked like the apocalypse. My daughter was asleep, I got out of bed and I ran away with her in his arms. Sicily has been parched from months of very little rainfall and temperatures soaring above 40C. Firefighters across Italy have tackled more than 1,000 brush or scrub fires in recent days. Firefighters at work in the Annunziata district of Messina as a fire rages / AFP/Getty Images Twenty-three fires were raging yesterday as air force planes dumped water in a bid to quench the flames. University buildings in the Sicilian city of Messina were shrouded by smoke as the surrounding hillsides were lit up with flames. On mainland Italy, blazes on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius have sent clouds of smoke into the air near the port city of Naples. The World Wildlife Fund said thousands of people, animals, and a nature reserve were at risk around the volcano. The mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris. has called for Italy to declare a national state of emergency. In a tweet he said the blaze was an environmental disaster, [which has] destroyed our land, a crime against life. Endless pain. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the government was actively following this difficult situation, and environment minister Gian Luca Galletti said a man had been arrested on suspicion of arson. P hotographs reveal the amazing moment a wild elephant was rescued at sea about 10 miles (16km) off the Sri Lankan coast. The images show how Sri Lanka Navy divers tied a rope around an elephant who had strayed into the open sea and was struggling to stay afloat off the north-east coast of the island. The pachyderm had become caught in a current, according to a Navy spokesman who called it a "miraculous escape". Initially spotted in the waters off the coastal town off Kokilai by the crew of a fast attack craft of the island's East Naval Command, the elephant was safely pulled ashore with the help of another fast attack craft and two Cedric boats. Submerged: Elephants use their trunks as natural snorkels when swimming / EPA The rescue took 12 hours, according to a Navy official. It took place under the close watch of wildlife officials and, after the mammal was safely landed ashore, Sri Lanka's Wildlife Authority took over handling its welfare. Navy officers rescue the pachyderm / AFP/Getty Images Despite their large frames, Asian elephants are excellent swimmers, able to use their trunks as natural snorkels. They are known to paddle out to distances of several kilometres from the coast and are even used by people in some countries to ferry lumber across bodies of water. F ootage has emerged of two police officers struggling to explain why they pulled over Floridas first and only black state attorney. Aramis Ayala, the Sunshine States 9th Judicial Circuit state attorney, was pulled over by the patrolmen on June 19. In footage captured on one of the officers body-worn cameras, they can be seen approaching her car before asking for her licence. She then informs them she is the state attorney, which led the officer at the drivers side window to attempt to explain why she was stopped. Handing back Ms Ayala's license, he said: Thank you, your tag didn't come back, never seen that before, but we're good now. Pulled over: Aramis Ayala, the state's only black state attorney gets stopped by police (Orlando Police Department ) / Orlando Police Department We ran the tag, I've never seen it before with a Florida tag, it didn't come back to anything, so that's the reason for the stop. Ms Ayala then asked: what was the tag run for? before the officer continues his attempt at an explanation. Oh, we run tags through all the time, whether it's a traffic light and that sort of stuff, its how we figure out if cars are stolen and that sort of thing, he said. Also, the windows are really dark, I don't have a tint measure but that's another reason for the stop. In the clip, uploaded by Floridas Orlando Police Department on Wednesday, Ms Ayala then asked the officers for their names and asks them for their cards. One of the officers grabs a notepad and writes his and his colleagues names for her. As the attorney drives away, he can be heard saying: There you are, have a good day. People have accused the officers of racially profiling her. The police department said in a statement: The Orlando Police Department allows the running of tags for official business only, and this is done routinely on patrol. "In regards to the video, which was released by the Orlando Police Department last month, the officers stated the tag did not come back as registered to any vehicle. "As you can see in the video, the window tint was dark, and officers would not have been able to tell who, or how many people, were in the vehicle. "No complaint has been filed in reference to this traffic stop. Ms Ayala said: I was pulled over by Orlando Police department on June 19th in Parramore after leaving FAMU Law School, where I taught in the evening. "After public records request, the video was released by the Orlando Police Department. "Since its release, the video has had more than 2 million views and produced a flood of misinformation. To be clear, I violated no laws. The license plate, while confidential, was and remains properly registered. "The tint was in no way a violation of Florida law. Although the traffic stop appears to be consistent with Florida law. "My goal is to have a constructive and mutually respectful relationship between law enforcement and the community. I look forward to sitting down to have an open dialogue with the Chief of Orlando Police Department regarding how this incident impacts that goal. W esteros came to the West Coast for the premiere of the highly anticipated penultimate series of Game Of Thrones. The shows stars, including British actors Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner and Kit Harington, gathered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. They used a Snapchat filter to create pictures of themselves as White Walkers, the supernatural beings which threaten the world of the fantasy series. The face of their leader, the Night King, was beamed onto a screen outside the venue. Transformation: Sophie Turner turns White Walker on the red carpet British actress Turner said that she was frightened about the show ending, telling W Magazine: Ive been trying to wrap my head around it. Its not like Im brushing it under the carpet; I am fully aware that it is coming to an end, but I dont think Ill be ready until I shoot my final scene, and then I think I will be completely an emotional wreck for the next year or so of my life. Im really not looking forward to it. It is terrifying. Sophie Turner: Game of Thrones plotlines are coming full circle A group of White Walkers descended on central London earlier this week ahead of the series launch. The terrifying supernatural ice creatures were spotted at Oxford Circus on Monday morning before they wandered further east later in the day. The seventh series of Game Of Thrones starts on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV on Monday at 9pm. S hia LaBeouf has apologised for his racial outburst following his arrest in Savannah, claiming that he is struggling with "addiction". The actor said he is deeply ashamed of himself after footage of him telling a black police officer that he was going to hell emerged on Wednesday. I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuse for it, he wrote in a statement posted to his official Twitter account. I dont know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me. LaBeouf went on to say that he had reached a new low and was aware that he needed to take active steps to get better. My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom, he wrote. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety and hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes. Shia LaBeouf is arrested while live streaming protest Video footage of the actor in a Savannah police station shows him shouting at black policeman as his fingerprints are taken. He says: Who are you fighting for? You got a president who dont give a s*** about you and you stuck in a police force that dont give a f*** about you, so you want to arrest white people who give a f***, who ask for cigarettes? La Beouf goes on to say that the cop was going straight to hell and claims he that he had been arrested by a black man because he is white. 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. The police report states that LaBeouf asked a bystander for a cigarette and became aggressive when he was refused one. H arry Styles hinted that Dunkirk could be his one and only acting project as he walked the red carpet at the London premiere of Christopher Nolans wartime thriller. The One Direction star plays a young soldier in the eagerly-awaited film, but said he might be one and done when it comes to film roles in the future as hed peaked too soon. Im maybe one and done. Id do this one again, he told Edith Bowman as he arrived in Leicester Square on Thursday night. Ive peaked too soon, there's no place to go. I havent really thought about it to be honest, I loved this and I loved getting to work with everyone, maybe, maybe not. Dunkirk London Premiere - in pictures 1 /18 Dunkirk London Premiere - in pictures Harry Styles makes his film debut in Dunkirk Tristan Fewings/Getty Images Cillian Murphy poses with fans Dave Benett Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley Tim Whitby/Getty Images Prince Harry meets Harry Styles on inside the foyer Warner/YouTube Harry Styles waves to the sea of cameras Getty Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley share a hug on the red carpet Getty PrinceHarry meets the cast inside the cinema Warner/YouTube Harry Styles chats to James D'Arcy on the red carpet YouTube Tom Hardy poses for the cameras ahead of the screening Tim Whitby/Getty Images Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas Harry Styles meets fans outside the cinema Tim Whitby/Getty Images Kenneth Branagh arrives in Leicester Square Tim Whitby/Getty Images Mark Rylance wears his trademark hat for the premiere Dave Benett Aneurin Barnard The pop star admitted that he had an awful first day on set, which made him question whether or not hed made the right decision. My first day was the worst weather day we had on the whole shoot. The first day I thought What am I doing, I want to be back in the studio, he said. Meet and greet" Cillian Murphy poses with fans on the red carpet / Dave Benett I feel privileged to work with such an amazing cast. I feel very spoilt, I may have peaked too soon, he added. Its hard to be around people you're such a fan of and not want to soak it all up. I think its really important to tell this story as well, Im very lucky. Dunkirk - Trailer Styles was joined on the red carpet by Nolan regulars Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, who also star in the acclaimed film. Ive seen it and youre holding your breath for the whole movie. You go through a really experience and you come out of it altered and you think I need a drink, its that powerful, said Murphy. Its very sophisticated story-telling. Oscar-winners Kenneth Brannagh and Mark Rylance were also on hand to launch the film, which opens nationwide on July 21. The premiere even had the royal seal of approval as Prince Harry arrived with WWII veterans to meet the cast and crew and get a first look at the film. A pple summed it up best with its classic Im a Mac, and Im a PC adverts. Microsoft computers are functional, business-like, efficient, a bit square. Apples are, well, cool. Robert Webb is a Mac. David Mitchell is a PC. Better late than never, Microsoft has finally fought back with the Surface laptop, the slick premium Windows computer you sense it has strived for over the past decade but which has never quite materialised until now. The high-end computer is an extension of the flexible Surface Pro tablet line, which proved to be the first real rival to the iPad, thanks to its impressive performance and fully-fledged PC perks such as USB ports and the ability to run full Adobe Photoshop. For one thing, it looks like a MacBook. The 13.5in model follows Apples design rule of clean lines and smooth surfaces, with an aluminium exterior entirely free of screws and fixes. The speakers are hidden under the keys, so theres no unsightly grate for the sound to escape. Even the hinges on the back are hidden from view. There is an original touch in the soft cloth-covered keyboard, though, which doubles up as a screen protector and makes for a comfortable hand rest while typing. Its not just in looks that the Surface Pro competes with Apple: the Intel CPU matches the 7th generation processor thats just been upgraded in the new MacBook Pro, and the highest-spec model packs in up to 16GB of RAM (though youll pay for it). Its slightly thinner and lighter than the MacBook Pro too. Microsoft Of course, choosing the right laptop isnt just down to looks its about picking the right operating system. Apples Mac OS has always been designed in tandem with its hardware for seamless functionality if youre reliant on GarageBand, AirDrop and the Apple ecosystem, best stick with it. But Microsoft is making important strides with Surface, which runs on Windows 10 S and can easily be upgraded to full Windows 10 Pro. While Windows has a one-size-fits-all remit that must be compatible with every PC on the market, the fact that the Surface laptop is designed in-house by Microsoft means its closer to challenging Apples ability to make form and function sing together. One of the most impressive things across the Surface range is the Surface Pen, a hi-tech stylus that lets you draw onto the screen.It costs an extra 60 but its worth it. Even just messing about with Windows 10s basic Paint 3D software, the accuracy and responsive touch of the pen is satisfying. Its force-sensitive, which means you can accurately recreate pencil shading by pressing harder on the screen. The pen also lets you scrawl notes and add highlighter to any webpage or document, and attaches magnetically to the top of the laptop when youre not using it. The best laptop cases- in pictures 1 /8 The best laptop cases- in pictures Take cover with a high quality laptop case... Felt Case A tactile case. Its soft exterior belies a hard core, which can be folded to stand a tablet on. Orange stitching adds an upbeat note. 36, Wallpaper Store, Buy it now Panama Case Hard-wearing calf leather on the outside and a soft suede lining mean this is proper protection. Theres a satisfying gold zip too. 36, Wallpaper Store, Buy it now Camo Commuter Case This case has a comfortable carrying strap and is both sturdy and pleasing to the eye. 130, Marc Jacobs, Buy it now Flamingo Case Perk up your luggage game with this shiny but seriously strong case. 25, Skinny Dip London, Buy it now First Class Leather Tech Case This buttery Spanish leather case is equipped with everything you need to be productive on the go. Theres an in-built charger, a memory stick and plenty of pockets for documents. 375, Stow London,Buy it now Drawing on the screen is fluid and smooth, leaving no marks on screen. If youre a Photoshopper who needs the full functionality of a laptop, this is a compelling proposition. The imagination of the design sets the Surface apart from other premium Windows laptops. The ASUS Zenbook 3, Dell XPS and HP Spectre X360 all pack similar performance into thin, attractive designs that could theoretically rival the MacBook but the Surface laptop combines looks and power with added creativity and functionality under the hood. Microsoft has acquired an edge at last. Follow Ben Travis on Twitter: @BenSTravis Microsoft Surface Laptop, from 979, microsoft.com Beijing had on Wednesday demanded that India withdraw its troops from Doklam in the Sikkin sector as a precondition for any further dialogue. By Geeta Mohan: With the Opposition slamming the government for its handling of the India-China border standoff in Sikkim, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today called an all-party meeting in New Delhi tomorrow over the month-long issue. The meeting has been called to discuss and apprise the political class of the events at the border and the steps taken by the government so far. The decision to convene the meeting was taken to ensure that the sensitive issue is discussed before the monsoon session of Parliament begins next week. advertisement Sources have told India Today that Sushma will convene the meeting with all the parties tomorrow at 5 pm at Home Minister Rajnath Singh's residence. Several Union ministers, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will also be present. The ongoing military standoff has heightened tension at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction leading to heated exchanges between India and China with no letting off from both sides. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar tried to cool tempers by referring to the current Doklam crisis and saying "differences between India and China should not become disputes". Beijing differed by saying that Doklam was different from "previous frictions" reiterating its stand that withdrawal of troops from Doklam was a precondition to de-escalate tensions. "China has explicitly pointed out that the illegal trespass of Indian border troops into China's territory this time took place at the defined Sikkim section of the China-India boundary, which is utterly different in nature from the previous frictions between the two sides at the undefined sections of the China-India boundary," Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang said. In reply, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said India is better equipped today to meet any challenges than it was in 1962. Singh's comments came days after Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said that the India of 2017 is different from the India of 1962. China has accused Indian troops of trespassing in Sikkim's Doklam sector. It said this situation was different from the "frictions in the undefined sections of the boundary" between India and China. -With inputs from Himanshu Mishra ALSO READ | China warns India of serious consequences if it doesn't withdraw troops from Doklam area Doklam border dispute: Villagers near India-China border worried but won't leave their homes ALSO WATCH | Government must conduct diplomacy effectively: Shashi Tharoor on Indo-China border standoff --- ENDS --- Pakistan has said that it is considering a visa application of Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother for a visit to meet her son, who was sentenced to death by a military court. By Press Trust of India: Pakistan said today that it was considering a visa application of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav for a visit to meet her son, who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. "Pakistan is considering India's request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbhushan Yadav," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan. advertisement Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said that she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantika's visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. SARTAJ AZIZ DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY LETTER: SUSHMA She also said that Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not even shown the courtesy to acknowledge my letter", she had tweeted. However, Zakaria said that asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms", Dawn newspaper reported. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. PAKISTAN CLAIMS JADHAV ARRESTED FROM BALOCHISTAN Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay on the execution of Jadhav which was granted. Also read | Kulbhushan Jadhav row: Pakistan snubs India's demand for consular access Also read | Sushma slams Aziz for being mum on visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother VIDEO: Kulbhushan Jadhav's story told by a hanging rope WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Gulf carrier Oman Airs CEO Paul Gregorowitsch said today the airline had no intention to bid for Air India or any of its wings. He said that as the Gulf economies were in "crosswinds", the Muscat-based airline would prefer to focus on a strategy different from other Gulf carriers that had invested in other airlines either in India, Asia or Europe, and had "not been successful". advertisement The Union Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India, after the governments think tank NITI Aayog proposed complete privatisation of the national carrier, which is saddled with a debt of Rs 52,000 crore. "You never say no but if you ask me today if I would write a cheque to participate in (the bidding for) Air India, (I would say) we leave this to the priority of other Indian carriers," Gregorowitsch said at a press meet here. Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo wrote to the government with an expression of interest in buying out the international arm of Air India and if that was not possible, it said it would like to buyout the entire Air India flight operations as well. Oman Air currently has 47 aircraft in its fleet, which comprises Boeing 787S, Boeing 737s, Airbus 330s and Embraer 175s. It plans to expand its fleet to 70 aircraft and serve 75 destinations by 2023. PTI JC SMN ZMN SMN --- ENDS --- GERING A group of local citizens is one step closer to creating a new dog park in Gering after being awarded a $10,000 grant by the Oregon Trail Community Foundation. The community members belong to the Common Grounds Dog Park Committee (CGDPC), a non-profit organization dedicated to establishing and supporting a dog park in the Scottsbluff/Gering community. The group has been working with the City of Gering to establish a five acre off-leash dog park recreation area on the southwest corner of Five Rocks Road and U Street. We believe that developing a dog park would promote responsible dog ownership, provide a safe environment for citizens to exercise their dogs and provide a common ground that enhances a thriving community, said Stacey Fisher, CGDPC President. The generously awarded grant puts the group on their way to raising enough funds to complete the first phase of the new dog park, estimated to cost around $40,000. The first phase includes fencing, gates, a parking lot, shelters, trees and signs. The committee continues to apply for grants and hold special events to meet their fundraising goal. Additionally, theyll be operating a food stand during Oregon Trail Days food fair, and selling raffle tickets for a beautiful large wooden dog house, all with the goal to raise the money to begin building the dog park this year. Establishing this dog park will provide a beautiful space for the communities dogs, their owners and tourists to recreate freely, exercise together and meet and socialize with other community members. We are so excited about this worthwhile project and are looking forward to breaking ground on the park once the funds are raised. Oregon Trail Community Foundations generous contribution to this project will help tremendously, said Amber Schiltz, CGDPC secretary. For more information about the dog park project, or to donate please contact Stacey Fisher at 308-631-6395, or at scottsbluffdogpark@gmail.com. The Oregon Trail Community Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt public charity that offers grants through funds provided by memberships, donations, bequests, trusts and more. OTCF is one of many community foundations across the U.S., but is the predominant community foundation in western Nebraska. For more information about applying for a grant from Oregon Trail Community Foundation, visit www.otcf.org for more information or call 308-635-3393. Military standoffs between Indian and Chinese forces are not known to extend beyond a couple of weeks in the last several decades. But, Doklam standoff is still going on after a month. Does it have anything to do with the military reforms of Xi Jinping? By Prabhash K Dutta: The troops of India and China are in eyeball encounter at Doklam in Bhutan. China has accused India of entering a third nation militarily violating the UN charter. In its defence, India has cited friendship treaty with Bhutan and alleged that China was eyeing Doklam region to alter security scenario in the eastern sector of India-China border. At present, forces are gathering from both sides in the Sikkim sector of the border. advertisement The Chinese assertiveness came as a surprise to many, but it might have been a part of well thought out and concerted strategy. Chinese President Xi Jinping had been working on military reforms since 2012, when he became the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He became the President of China in 2013. Chinese military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) directly reports to and functions under the control of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Xi Jinping has been putting a lot of attention and efforts to make the PLA stronger and cleaner. MILITARY REFORMS UNDER JINPING Towards the end of 2014 - some five months after the Narendra Modi government was formed in New Delhi - Xi Jinping held a meeting with over 400 senior military officials in a two-day conference in Gutian - the former revolutionary base of the CPC. On the basis of his consultations with senior military officer at the old revolutionary base, Xi Jinping announced to reduce the number of troops in the PLA from 23 crore to 20 crore, to phase all the outdated military equipment and develop new weapon system. Since then, the Chinese Army has made transformational changes to adjust with the changing technology particularly in the field of surveillance. Xi Jinping has emphased on improving reaction time of the PLA. The focus has been to make Chinese forces to transform themselves to fight a modern war using modern technology. China has invested about USD 13.5 billion in the US-based starts up working on artificial intelligence for military robots. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) - which tracks military expenditure by individual countries across the globe, China spent USD 215 billion in 2015 on its PLA. China is the second largest spender on military behind the US. India is the fifth largest spender with less than USD 60 billion. PLA GETS A NEW LOOK A series of military reforms was undertaken by China in 2015 and 2016. The Central Military Commission (CMC) of China effected fundamental changes to the organisational structure of the PLA. advertisement Earlier, the PLA was divided into four general departments, known as the General Staff, the General Political, the General Logistics and the General Armament. This structure that worked well for decades was suddenly considered outdated as the new leadership defined the challenges before the Chinese army as different from its immediate past. Now, the PLA was divided into 15 new organs. All organs were directly placed under the Central Military Commission controlled by the CPC. These military organs were arranged into six new departments. These departments are called joint staff, political work, logistical support, equipment development, training and national defence mobilisation. Another wave of structural reforms in the Chinese army was seen in February last year. Earlier, the PLA had seven operational commands called the Military Regions (MRs). Each Military Region was named after its headquarters, which were located at Beijing, Guangzhou, Jinan, Shenyang, Lanzhou, Chengdu and Nanjing. In place of the seven regional commands, five new 'theatre commands' were created. These theatre commands are called northern theatre command, eastern theatre command, southern theatre command, western theatre command and central theatre command. The southern theatre command is engaged in Doklam with Indian Army. One of the objectives of the military reforms by Xi Jinping is to bring the PLA more in alignment with the Chinese leadership. This explains why unlike previous stand-off with the Indian Army, the PLA has not backed off even after a month of engagement this time. advertisement ALSO READ | Doklam standoff: Chinese media invokes 1962 editorial in fresh barb at India Doklam faceoff: Why China wants to grab Bhutan's land and blame India Why China will mend ways to defuse border tension and not boast of 1962 ALSO WATCH | NSA Ajit Doval briefs PM Narendra Modi on China stand-off --- ENDS --- Laura Beth (Reed) Neuwirth, 51, of Morrill, died Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. A Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 11th, 2017 at St. Anns Catholic Church in Morrill with Fr. Mike Wetovick as celebrant. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date at West Lawn Cemetery in Gering. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place in accordance with Lauras wishes. A memorial has been established at Platte Valley Bank. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.jolliffefuneralhome.com. Laura was born August 25, 1965 in Alliance to Melvin and Dorothy (Mangnall) Reed. She attended school at St. Agnes in Alliance until the family moved to Wymore, Nebraska where she graduated in 1983. Laura attended Chadron State College following high school. She received a degree in Home Economics in 1987 with a minor in Special Education. Laura previously worked at the Office of Human Development. She was currently employed by Gering Public Schools as a special education para professional. Her passion was helping special needs children. Laura worked at Camp Scott as a camp counselor. She was also a Sunday school teacher at St. Anns in Morrill. Laura married Craig Neuwirth, the love of her life, on December 30, 1995. Craig and Laura were blessed when they became foster parents to Kaydan Timothy in 2009 and later adopted Kaydan in October 2012. Kaydan brought love and laughter to their lives and completed the family circle. Survivors include her husband, Craig; son, Kaydan; siblings, Linda (Fred) Bagg, Chuck (Barbara) Reed, Mary Reed, Roger (Sue) Reed and Jan (Bill) Coleman; in-laws, Roxanne and Mike Reynolds; sisters-in-law, Melody Marsh and Mary (David) Klemp; brothers-in-law, Shane (Cathy) Reynolds and Jac (Sammie) Reynolds; grandmother-in-law, Evelyn Neuwirth; along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Laura was preceded in death by her parents; paternal grandparents, Roy and Lena Reed; maternal grandparents, Charlie and Florance Smith; father-in-law, Tim Neuwirth; and grandfather-in-law, Edwin Neuwirth. SCOTTSBLUFF The Western Community College Area (WCCA) Board of Governors, the governing body of Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC), has announced its newest District 4 member, Karen Anderson. Andersons addition to the board fills the vacancy that was created when Timothy Daniels resigned due to relocation from the community. District 4 represents the following precincts: Castle Rock A & B, Banner County, Fanning, Ford A & B, Gering Rural, Gering I-IV, Kiowa-Lyman, Mitchell Rural, Mitchell I-II, Morrill, Roubadeau, and Terrytown. For nearly 20 years, Anderson has served as the Executive Director of the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she has also served on the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Executive Board, Mid America Chamber Executives, and the U.S. Chamber Board of Regents for the Institutes for Organization Management. She volunteers with the Rotary Club of Scottsbluff/Gering, and also serves as an assisting priest for St. Francis Episcopal Church in Scottsbluff. Community Colleges are a true asset to our future, Anderson said. Education is key to the success of our community. Two of my children have associate degrees from WNCC, and I have been impressed with the accomplishments of the college. Its an honor to give back to this wonderful institution. For more information about the Board of Governors, contact Board Secretary Coral Richards at richards@wncc.edu or 308-635-6009. SCOTTSBLUFF Monument Prevention Coalition will be conducting a TiPS Training on Concessions. This training is specifically designed for people who sell alcohol at special events. TiPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) for Concessions has a special focus that takes into account the setting and demands of an event and your job as a paid or volunteer server. The training will be held on Saturday, July 15, from 1-4 p.m. at Western Nebraska Community College, Harms Building Room C- 139, 1601 E. 27th Street in Scottsbluff. There is no cost to attend this training. After completion of this training and successful completion of the test, you will be certified for three years. Please contact Mona Leach, Training Academy Coordinator, at 308-633-3818 or mona.leach@panhandlepartnership.com to register for this training. This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page Published: 13 July 2017 Gross domestic product grew by 1.9 per cent last year According to Statistics Finlands revised preliminary data, the volume of Finlands GDP grew by 1.9 per cent in 2016. The initial preliminary data released in March put the rate of growth at 1.4 per cent. The GDP became revised as new data on intermediate goods used as production inputs in various industries in particular became available. Gross domestic product, or the value added created in the production of goods and services, amounted to EUR 216 billion. Annual change in the volume of gross domestic product, per cent Value added grew in nearly all main industries in 2016. Viewed by current price, value added increased most in construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, business activities, other services, information and communication services, and real estate activities, which also includes imputed letting of dwellings. Value added decreased slightly in energy and water supply, public administration and education. The volume of value added increased most in construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and business activities. Volume also grew year-on-year in trade, information and communication services, manufacturing services, real estate activities and other services. The volume of value added declined in energy and water supply and in public administration. Households consumption and private investments boosted demand Demand in the national economy was mainly boosted by households consumption, the volume of which grew by 1.9 per cent. The volume of private consumption grew by 1.8 per cent and the volume of public consumption expenditure by 1.2 per cent. The volume of investments increased by 7.2 per cent. Private investments grew by 7.9 per cent and government investments by 3.9 per cent. Especially construction investments in machinery and equipment increased. By contrast, investments in research and development and in computer software decreased slightly. The volume of exports increased by 1.3 per cent in 2016 and that of imports grew by 4.4 per cent. Import prices declined by clearly more than export prices, imports at current prices increased while exports contracted slightly. Exports of goods decreased but the value of imports of goods increased. Exports and imports of services remained at last years level. Last year, net national income grew by 3.1 per cent in real terms, which was clearly more than the gross domestic product because the terms of trade or the ratio between export and import prices improved. Non-financial corporations profits grew Non-financial corporations' operating surplus describing profits from their actual operations went up by 3 per cent from the previous year. Non-financial corporations entrepreneurial income also increased by three per cent as property income and expenditure changed as much. Entrepreneurial income also takes into consideration property income and paid interests and rents, and corresponds roughly with profit before payment of taxes and dividends. Non-financial corporations net lending, or financial position, showed a surplus of EUR 8.7 billion, as against EUR 8.2 billion in the previous year. The financial position improved as profits increased even if non-financial corporations investments also grew. General governments net lending, or financial position, showed a deficit of EUR 3.8 billion, while the deficit was EUR 5.7 billion in the previous year. Last year, the deficit was 1.8 per cent relative to GDP, which was below the three per cent reference value of the European Union. Last year, the financial position of central government showed a notable deficit for the eight successive year. The deficit (net borrowing) was EUR 5.8 billion, while one year before it was EUR 6.3 billion. The deficit or net borrowing of local government (municipalities and joint municipal boards, etc.) was EUR 0.9 billion. The surplus of occupational pension funds net lending diminished to EUR 2.4 billion from the previous year. The surplus does not include holding gains in assets. Other social security funds showed a surplus of EUR 0.5 billion having been EUR 0.8 billion in deficit in 2015. The size of the public economy is described by general government's share of the gross value added, which was 19.7 per cent in 2016, having been 20.4 per cent one year earlier. Households disposable income grew by 1.2 per cent in real terms. Households adjusted disposable income grew by 0.8 per cent in real terms. Adjusted income also takes into consideration welfare services, i.e. the individual services that general government and organisations produce for households, such as educational, health and social services. Households wage and salary income went up by 1.5 per cent and social benefits by 1.8 per cent. Wage and salary income increased as employment grew. Social benefits increased because the number of pensioners grew. Households property and entrepreneurial income went up by 6.4 per cent. The PDF format table package of the National Accounts will not be produced in future. The publication has included the main aggregates and sector-specific data for the last ten years. The corresponding data are available in Statistics Finland's StatFin database . Source: National Accounts. Inquiries: Tuomas Rothovius 029 551 3360, Olli Savela 029 551 3316 , kansantalous@stat.fi Director in charge: Ville Vertanen Publication in pdf-format (299.9 kB) Updated 13.7.2017 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Annual national accounts [e-publication]. ISSN=1798-0623. 2016. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 12.11.2022]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/vtp/2016/vtp_2016_2017-07-13_tie_001_en.html A white University of Kentucky student accused of physically assaulting a Black student worker while repeatedly using racial slurs says she will withdraw from the school. The decision announced Tuesday by a lawyer for 22-year-old Sophia Rosing came after hundreds of students rallied on campus the night before. News outlets report the students called for unity and for the university to quickly address the situation. Officials say Rosing has been charged with assault, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. She pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Monday afternoon. The altercation at Boyd Hall was captured on video and posted to multiple social media platforms. Chamber of Deputies' Speaker Liviu Dragnea, on an official visit to Israel, met on Thursday with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu with whom he discussed opportunities to strengthen Romania - Israel bilateral cooperation. "Today I had the pleasure to discuss with Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the government of the State of Israel and Minister of Foreign Affairs, opportunities to strengthen our cooperation by attracting Israeli capital to the Sovereign Development and Investment Fund, but also to other sectors of Romanian economy. The main topics also included cooperation in technological and industrial research, mainly the Magurele ELI-NP high-power laser. As a matter of fact, Romania and Israel have an excellent cooperation in the line of defence and education, with this co-operation underpinning the development of bilateral defence and military research as well as cyber-security," the Social Democrat leader said in a Facebook post. Chamber of Deputies Speaker Liviu Dragnea is on an official visit to Israel Tuesday through Thursday at the invitation of Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein. In an ambiguous statement, US President Donald Trump, who is in France right now, indicated that he could change his decision to pull the US out of the historic Paris climate accord. By Reuters: President Donald Trump held the door open to a reversal of his decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord on Thursday, but did not say what he would need in return to persuade him to do so. Trump, who has made few friends in Europe with his rejection of the 2015 Paris agreement and his "America First" trade stance, met with French President Emmanuel Macron as both leaders sought common ground to reset an awkward relationship. advertisement "Something could happen with respect to the Paris accords, let's see what happens," Trump told a news conference. "If it happens, that will be wonderful, and if it doesn't, that'll be OK too." Trump has said the Paris accord is soft on leading polluters like China and India, putting US industry at risk. "I respect the wish to preserve jobs, I think that's compatible with the Paris accord," Macron said at the joint conference. "There is no sudden and unexpected change today, otherwise we would have announced it, but there is the shared intention to continue discussing these issues," the French president added. Trump and Macron's relationship got off to a bumpy start, but both have an incentive to improve relations - Macron hopes to elevate France's role in global affairs, and Trump, seemingly isolated among world leaders, needs a friend overseas. Trump came to France beset by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election, with emails released on Tuesday suggesting his eldest son welcomed an offer of Russian help against his father's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Weeks after Macron hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Palace of Versailles, Trump will bask in the trappings of the Bastille Day military parade on Friday and commemorations of the entry 100 years ago of US troops into World War One. Macron welcomed Trump with a warm handshake and smiles, a contrast to the clenched-jaw greeting they shared at their first encounter in May. "Emmanuel, nice to see you. This is so beautiful," the US president told Macron as they met at the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French war heroes are buried. SYRIA COOPERATION For the 39-year-old Macron, France's youngest leader since Napoleon two centuries ago, the visit is a chance to use soft diplomacy to win Trump's confidence and set about influencing US foreign policy, which European leaders say lacks direction. Macron views it as counter-productive to isolate the United States on the world stage, and said he and Trump had asked diplomats to draw up in the coming weeks a concrete initiative aimed at preparing the future of Syria. advertisement "On the Iraq-Syria situation, we have agreed to continue working together, in particular on the building of a roadmap for the post-war period," Macron said. Trump said work was underway to negotiate a ceasefire in a second region of Syria. On Friday, Trump will be guest of honour at France's July 14 celebrations, a year after a Tunisian man loyal to Islamic State ploughed a truck through revellers on a seafront promenade in Nice, killing more than 80. During the US election campaign, Trump said a wave of militant attacks showed "France is no longer France", and reprimanded the then-Socialist government for allegedly bowing its head to jihadists. In bringing Trump to Paris, Macron has stolen a march on Britain's embattled Prime Minister Theresa May. London's offer of a state visit for Trump met fierce domestic criticism and warnings that he would be greeted by mass protests. An Elabe poll showed that 59 percent of French people approved of Macron's decision to invite Trump. ALSO READ | US pulls out of Paris deal: Why Donald Trump is wrong in blaming India for climate change ALSO READ | Modi's reply to Trump's exit from Paris deal: Mankind cannot exploit nature advertisement ALSO WATCH | US pulls out of Paris Climate Accord; Trump says deal not tough on India, China --- ENDS --- According to Rithvik Dhanjani, who knows Ravi Dubey for over 5 years, says it is very easy to con the Jamai Raja actor. By Parmita Uniyal: Rithvik Dhanjani, Ravi Dubey and Karan Wahi had a lot of fun in Spain while shooting for Khatron Ke Khiladi. They did everything from performing stunts, to shopping, to partying together. But a day after Rithvik left, Ravi Dubey was mugged in Barcelona while he was out shopping. When we asked Rithvik about the incident, this is what he had to say: "I wasn't there. I had left the day before the incident. I was thinking had I been there (pauses for a moment), I would have been the person to mug him (laughs)," Rithvik told India Today Online. advertisement "I wasn't surprised at all because Ravi is the most careless soul in the whole universe, he can forget himself, his identity in less than 20 minutes. He can lose anything and everything in a moment. Getting mugged was very normal for him. Losing phones, money is very regular for him. He does that on everyday basis," he added. Over to Ravi. Also read: Exclusive: Rithvik Dhanjani has this to say about getting hitched with Asha Negi Also read: Rohit Shetty returns to host Khatron Ke Khiladi, says it's tough hosting a show Also read: WATCH: Unseen clip of Manveer Gurjar performing his first stunt on Khatron Ke Khiladi Also read: Khatron Ke Khiladi: Here's what Nia Sharma calls Rohit Shetty on sets of the show Also read: Exclusive: I'm really glad Geeta Phogat said yes to Khatron Ke Khiladi, says Rohit Shetty Also read: Khatron ke Khiladi contestant Shibani Dandekar raises temperature in bikini; see pic --- ENDS --- By PTI: Srinagar, Jul 13 (PTI) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said the absence of BJP leaders at a function to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1931 massacre for the third consecutive year, was due to their "vote bank" politics. "The bloodshed had happened during the Dogra rule (on this day in 1931). How could they (BJP leaders) come here? Their vote bank is there (in Jammu) and therefore it is quite obvious they will not accompany them (PDP leadership)," Abdullah said after paying floral tributes to the martyrs at the graveyard at the famous Naqashband Sahib shrine in downtown Srinagar. advertisement BJP, which is an alliance partner of the ruling PDP, stayed away from the function for the third consecutive year since the coalition came into power. Abdullah, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, alleged that the two parties (PDP and BJP) had forged an alliance just for the sake of "power and loot". PTI SSB MIJ TA KUN --- ENDS --- Lifepack, a maker of compostable paper plates containing flower and vegetable seeds, is trying to raise $15,000 to start a production facility in St. Louis. The company launched its fund-raising campaign last week on Kickstarter. Contributors of $25 or more are promised packages of Lifepack's plantable plates, with estimated delivery next April. Lifepack was founded in Colombia by Claudia Barona and Andres Benavides. They moved to St. Louis in 2015 after receiving a $50,000 Arch Grant, and they also have participated in the Yield Lab agribusiness accelerator. Lifepack has a production facility in Colombia, but Barona and Benavides have said they also want to start small-scale production in St. Louis. The Kickstarter pitch says production would take place at Brick City Makes, a manufacturing incubator on Texas Avenue in St. Louis' Fox Park neighborhood. Editors note: This is the second part of a story about the Lead Belt riots 100 years ago. The author, Mike McGraw, visited his grandparents in the Lead Belt while growing up, but never heard about the riots. FLAT RIVER, Mo. The Lead Belt Mining Riots of 1917 started just after the United States entered World War I and American men were required to register for the draft. At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 13, 1917, miners were in the changing room when a foreign worker reportedly said something that set it all in motion. There are numerous variations of the exact words, but one local paper displayed the level of xenophobia at the time by describing the offending words this way: Me big strong mans, work in mines, you American, must go to war, me no have to go to war, me get your job, make big money, have your frou and your property when you go. The beatings began immediately, with some of the foreign miners jumping out of the changing room windows to escape. Soon, American miners were heading from shaft to shaft to administer more beatings and conduct an impromptu mass expulsion. Walter Dempsey, a clerk for the mining company, would later tell a local author, V.L. Lawson: As far as I know, no foreigner made any statements, but the rumor that circulated But it didnt matter whether those words or words like them were ever uttered. The missed hole had been struck. By nightfall a mob estimated at 1,000 American miners rampaged through the town of Flat River (now Park Hills) throwing rocks and beating anyone who was known or appeared to be a foreign miner. In his book The Great Silent Majority, Missouris Resistance to World War I, historian Christopher C. Gibbs said the rioters gathered the next morning to hear speeches and elect leaders then formed up behind an American flag and headed for the offices of the mining company, where they demanded that the foreign workers be fired. Getting no satisfaction from the St. Joseph Lead Co., called Uncle Joe, they headed for immigrant neighborhoods where they gathered up the foreigners. From there it was off to the train depot for a ride north to St. Louis. Most of the mob then headed home, but some went back to loot the immigrants empty houses. The evidence of destruction and robbery committed by small bands of looters almost beggars description, according to one local newspaper account, and many pitiful stories are told by the aliens who have returned to gather up their effects. trunks were found to have been smashed open, beds overturned, dresser drawers pulled out and scattered about the floors. Many of the trunks had contained sums of money. The exact number forced to leave the area is in dispute, but census figures for St. Francois County show a reduction of more than 2,500 in the number of foreign-born citizens, and those with foreign parentage, between 1910 and 1920. According to the account of another local newspaper, which openly supported the rioters, The Americans went about the work they had determined to do in a systematic manner, and there was little if any disorder throughout the entire proceedings, which had evidently been carefully mapped out in advance. That local support may help explain the action, or rather the inaction, of St. Francois County Sheriff Charles Adams. Adams was a tall taciturn man (who) might have played well the part of Gary Cooper, according to Dempsey, the mine company clerk and stenographer. Adams walked through the mob and into St. Joes offices, where executives were holed up, waiting for him to take action. Instead, he sat in the back silently chewing on a toothpick. Despite the request from some of the officials to go out and reason with the mob, Dempsey said, Adams wanted no part of it. Adams did, however, make a call to Missouri Gov. Frederick D. Gardner, and they agreed that sending in the state militia would be a good option. It was a busy time for the troops; they had been responding to violent strikes, reportedly sparked by other outside agitators and perhaps by resistance to the war in Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis. Troops remained here until the end of the war to ensure uninterrupted lead production. After the soldiers took charge, suspected rioters were turned over to Adams, who was to jail them pending a county grand jury inquiry. On one trip to the county jail, however, seven of those prisoners somehow escaped Adams grasp. Duemler takes stand Dempsey was soon drafted into service to take notes for Lt. Charles A. Barlow of the state militias Battery A. And they show something I hadnt expected; that my grandfather, Henry Duemler, was instrumental in helping to bring the rioters to justice. One of the few in town apparently willing to do so. According to Dempseys notes, Barlow had gotten information from one Mine Capt. Duemler concerning two alleged rioters, Charles Lloyd and J.A. Stroup. Duemler told the militia that Lloyd showed up drunk at the mine safety house the night of July 14 and told of being down in the mob Said he had gone home for his supper, and he was to meet the mob at 1 oclock and lead them through Hunky town. Stroup apparently made similar admissions. Some 113 American miners were eventually indicted by a St. Francois County grand jury reluctantly impaneled by Judge Peter Huck. The lead companies even hired a couple of local lawyers to assist the elected county prosecutor in the case. They were initially charged with serious crimes such as robbery, assault, interference with lawful employment, grand larceny and having a deadly weapon while intoxicated. Among the first charged was Lloyd, the first man Henry Duemler fingered. Later another man, J.A. Overall, was declared the ringleader, telling reporters that he had been elected leader of the rioters Saturday morning and advised the men against violence but was unable to control them. In all, 130 witnesses appeared before the grand jury, most of them apparently speaking in defense of the rioters. But its unclear exactly what they had to say. A search through scores of old files in the historic St. Francois County courthouse in Farmington failed to unearth any of the actual court records taken by a researcher perhaps, or merely lost as an inconvenient reminder of an era few here seem eager to recall. The case is also absent from microfilmed court records kept in the state archives. But it appears that Mine Capt. Duemler, who was apparently immune to the mass amnesia going around, was among the few willing to testify for the prosecution tepid though it was. Newspaper accounts of St. Francois County expenses for 1917 show that he was paid $2.50 to appear as a witness before the grand jury. In the end, most of the men including Overall got off with a $100 fine and no jail time. A common enemy All that was left to remember the lead mines here when I would visit my grandfather in the 1950s and 1960s were the towering chat piles, hundreds of feet tall and made up of 250 million tons of mining waste. A promotional poster for the area once dubbed them The Great Pyramids of St. Francois County. We used to climb them as children. But even the chat piles are mostly gone now hazardous waste ordered removed by the Environmental Protection Agency. As for the riots, theres no outward clue they ever occurred. The only book dedicated solely to the incident, self-published in 1976 and now out of print, is V.L. Lawsons The Lead Belt Mining Riot of 1917. Lawsons preface notes that some people tried to discourage the completion of this account. A state park and museum dedicated to the heady days when lead was king makes no mention of the riots. An employee there said it was a subject to be avoided or at the very least to be judicious about because we never know which side of the issue somebody may be on. While the local press at the time was divided on the issue, The Lead Belt News, where my paternal grandmother worked for years, was one of the few publications to attempt to view the riots from the perspective of the foreign miners. The cause of the riots, it said, seems to be the culmination of long pent-up prejudice against both the companies and the foreigners. The strange part of it all is that the enmity has been visited almost entirely on the foreigners, who in the main have been shipped in here by labor agencies, and are not really responsible for their presence in the district. For poet Christina Pacosz, the riots reshaped the life of the grandfather she never knew. Antoni Pacosz returned to the lead mines the year after the riots, as troops stood by to guarantee his safety. He worked hard in the mines and eventually accumulated the princely sum of $6,000. He returned to Poland intending to buy land. But in the end, he was swindled out of his wealth. Broke and destitute, he came back to America. Alone. Thanks to new anti-immigrant quotas, he was forced to leave his wife and American-born children, including Christinas father, Walter, behind in Poland for nearly a decade. Eventually they all joined him in Detroit, where many of the other displaced immigrants had also settled. But they didnt have much time with him. He was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 1935. As for Mine Capt. Henry Duemler, he was willing to ignore local sentiment and serve as a witness against the rioters. But why? He was a company man, and the company clearly wanted them prosecuted. So, did he stand firm out of loyalty, or because it was the right thing to do? He retired and collected his gold watch from Uncle Joe in 1951, then lived a comfortable life for 11 more years. I spent some happy hours with him in those years, though no light was ever shed on those questions. He died of heart failure at age 77 in 1962. Ryan Hennessy provided research for this story. Mike McGraw is a special projects reporter for Flatlandkc.org, the digital magazine of Kansas City PBS. Reach him at mmcgraw@kcpt.org, and follow his stories online at flatlandkc.org and @FlatlandKC. Panaji Police has booked Hoble and his family for offences including cruelty towards daughter-in-law Shweta Hoble, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation. Shweta (30) was rescued from her marital home of six years on Wednesday afternoon. (Picture for representation) By Mayuresh Ganapatye: The Panaji Police has booked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state vice-president Anil Hoble, his wife Sandhya and son Milind for dowry-related harassment and assaulting his daughter in-law. The Panaji Women's Police Station has booked Hoble and his family for offences including cruelty towards daughter-in-law Shweta Hoble, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation. The trio has been booked under Section 498-A, 323 (domestic violence causing hurt), 506 (ii) (criminal intention) read with 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. advertisement Shweta (30) was rescued from her marital home of six years on Wednesday afternoon following a complaint lodged by her mother Suchitra Shirodkar at the Women's Police Station in Panaji. VARIOUS INJURY MARKS The mother of two, Sweta, had bruises on her neck, a black eye on her swollen face, injuries on her neck and other parts of the body. Citing the complaint, a senior woman police officer told IANS that the victim's mother received a call from Hoble at round 2 am on Tuesday, asking her to pick up her daughter from his home near Panaji. "When we arrived there, my daughter had injury marks. Hoble also threatened to shoot us and chop us up with a knife," Shirodkar alleged in the complaint. ACCUSATIONS BASELESS: HOBLE The complainant also alleged that Hoble and his family had been making dowry demands since 2009 when his son Milind and her daughter got married. Speaking to IANS, Hoble called the accusations "baseless". "There are no basis to these accusations. We have done nothing. I will speak the truth at the right time," Hoble said. ALSO READ | Bihar woman, reportedly killed for dowry, found living with lover; husband in jail 'Torture began from day one': Delhi woman's tale of dowry horror and husband's infidelity Rs 10 crore 'deal' ensured ex-UP minister Gayatri Prajapati's bail in rape case ALSO WATCH | Triple talaq: A story of dowry and domestic violence --- ENDS --- Updated at 7:19 p.m. CHICAGO Tennessee on Thursday imposed restrictions on the use of dicamba, becoming the fourth state to take action as problems spread over damage the weedkiller causes to crops not genetically modified to withstand it. Missouri on Thursday also announced restrictions, partially rolling back an emergency ban announced last week. Dicamba is sprayed by farmers on crops genetically modified to resist it but it has drifted, damaging vulnerable soybeans, cotton and other crops across the southern United States. Farmers have fought with neighbors over lost crops and brought lawsuits against dicamba producers. Arkansas banned its use last week and Missouri, which initially halted dicamba spraying on July 7, has joined Tennessee with tight restrictions on when and in what weather spraying can be done. Kansas is investigating complaints. "We've had damage across just about every acre of soybeans we farm in southeast Missouri," said Hunter Raffety, a farmer in Wyatt, Mo. "In our small town, the azaleas, the ornamentals, people have lost their vegetable gardens. It's a big problem." He suspects between 3,000 and 4,000 acres of soybeans on the 6,000 acres he and his family farm have sustained damage, evidenced by the leaves of plants constricting into cup-like shapes. Monsanto, which said it has spent years working to make dicamba stickier and limit drift when it is sprayed, is campaigning to overturn the bans. It blames early-adoption headaches similar to wind drift and cross-contaminated farm equipment problems the company faced when it launched its popular Roundup Ready glyphosate-resistant crops two decades ago. "In almost every technology in that first year there are kinks that you need to work out," Robb Fraley, Monsanto's chief technology officer, said on a news media call. He said many of the dicamba issues are caused by farmers not following application labels, using contaminated equipment or buying older formulations of dicamba that are cheaper but more prone to drift. The company, together with BASF SE and DuPont , which also produce dicamba-based weed killers, has agreed to additional safeguards for product use, Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said in a statement. The dicamba problem is the latest regulatory woe for Monsanto after California last month announced it would list glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in the state. "It's not good for Monsanto if anything, this is more likely to lead to lawsuits rather than additional sales," Jonas Oxgaard, an analyst with asset management firm Bernstein, said regarding the dicamba launch woes. Dicamba is key to Monsanto's biggest-ever biotech seed launch, which occurred last year. Its Xtend line of soybeans and cotton are designed to tolerate the weed killer, which replaces earlier products that contained only glyphosate. Some weeds have developed resistance to glyphosate, which Monsanto introduced in the 1970s. Crop seeds such as corn, soybeans and cotton are genetically modified to survive the pesticide while yield-sapping weeds die. Dicamba has long been used to kill weeds before crops are planted, but its use has spiked this season across the United States after regulators last year approved it for crops that are already growing. Monsanto sells a new dicamba formulation under the name Xtendimax. The company says that Xtendimax drifts less than older versions. BASF and DuPont also sell less drift-prone formulations. New restrictions in Tennessee include allowing application only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to limit potential pesticide drift and banning use of older dicamba formulations. "I'm confident that we can address this issue as we have in other cases to ensure the safe and effective use of these tools," Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton said in a statement. In Monsanto's home state of Missouri, state Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst commended the quick action to update guidelines on dicamba use, which are similar to those in Tennessee. "The Special Local Need label is designed to provide additional protection for neighboring landowners and still allow the application of Dicamba to control weed problems," he said in a statement ________________________ Our earlier story, posted at 11:24 a.m. The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced Thursday it has lifted its temporary restrictions on the use of certain brands of dicamba. In a statement, Agriculture Director Chris Chinn said, "From the moment the stop sale and use order went into effect, weve been working to get these weed control products back into the hands of our farmers. BASF, Monsanto and DuPont came to the table and agreed to additional safeguards for product use in response to issues weve faced this growing season, she said. The action announced Thursday affects Engenia, XtendiMax or FeXapan herbicides; the statewide ban remains in effect until Dec. 1, 2017, for all other dicamba containing products labeled for agricultural use. The ban, which mirrored a similar move by state regulators in Arkansas, came in response to dicamba drift, which resulted in hundreds of complaints by farmers whose crops were damaged. To reduce "off-target crop injury," Missouri has approved a "special local need" label for each herbicide that outlines special provisions and safeguards. To apply the herbicide to dicamba-tolerant soybeans and dicamba-tolerant cotton in Missouri, the following restrictions must be followed: The herbicide can't be applied when wind speeds exceed 10 mph. Applicators must measure and record the wind speed and direction for each field prior to application. The herbicide can't be applied on crops before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Only a properly licensed Missouri certified private applicator or certified commercial applicator, certified noncommercial applicator or certified public operator can apply Engenia, XtendiMax and Fexapan. Certified applicators have to complete an online web-based form Dicamba Notice of Application prior to the actual application. Go to www.Agriculture.Mo.Gov/dicamba/notice/. Certified private applicators, certified noncommercial applicators and certified public operators have to must keep and maintain a record of use for each application of Engenia, XtendiMax or FeXapan herbicide. The new rules apply to the sale, distribution and use of Engenia (EPA Registration Number 7969-345 SLN label MO-17-0003); XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology (EPA Registration Number 524-617 SLN label MO-17-0002); and FeXapan herbicide plus VaporGrip Technology (EPA Registration Number 352-913 SLN label MO-17-0004). Bob McCulloch the op-ed writer might want to have a little talk with Bob McCulloch the prosecutor. The former wants to crack down on unethical behavior by public servants. The latter appears to be knee-deep in it. On Sunday, the Post-Dispatchs Stephen Deere reported that McCulloch, the St. Louis County prosecutor, and County Executive Steve Stenger sought to change county pension ordinances so that when McCulloch retires, the prosecutors pension will pay more than it otherwise would have. The changes, passed in November by an irresponsibly ill-informed County Council at Stengers request, could offer a significant boost to McCullochs pension. McCulloch, who was one of Stengers largest donors in his run for county executive, acknowledges he discussed making changes to the law with a council member. A couple of months later, before anybody fully understood Stengers plan to pad McCullochs pension, the prosecutor was stumping for a new law that could crack down on similar behavior. In the most recent legislative session, state Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, sponsored Senate Bill 176, which would strengthen official misconduct laws, add harsher penalties, and give the state auditor more authority to work with prosecutors to crack down on such offenses. The bill didnt pass. But in April, as it was still being debated, McCulloch co-signed an op-ed that appeared in this newspaper with state Auditor Nicole Galloway calling for lawmakers to pass it. Missourians cannot tolerate corrupt public officials who seek office to serve themselves at the expense of taxpayers, the authors wrote. A portion of the proposed law seems like it could well have been written to address Stengers unapologetic use of his public office to financially reward his most important political ally. The bill says a public official commits the crime of public misconduct in the first degree if he or she: Knowingly exercises an official function relating to his or her office for the purpose of obtaining an improper, undue, or unreasonable financial benefit for himself or herself or another. Stenger, who has made a habit of using his office to benefit his top campaign donors, would only quibble with whether the benefit he obtained for his friend was improper, undue, or unreasonable. He told Deere that the padded pension for McCulloch, who gave about $100,000 in in-kind donations to Stenger, was an act of fairness and appreciation for a lifetime of faithful service to the public. Think about what that means: If you serve in government long enough, and happen to be a Friend of Steve, Stenger believes you deserve special benefits. Taxpayers, and voters, might see it differently. It was just a short three years ago during Stengers campaign to unseat fellow Democrat Charlie Dooley from the countys top job that Stenger and McCulloch were throwing around the corruption word like candy in describing various Dooley actions that appeared to benefit donors and political allies. Key among the allegedly corrupt actions was the awarding of a construction contract by the county to a company owned by the chairman of the county police board, a Dooley appointee. In that case, the FBI investigated and cleared Dooley of wrongdoing. That didnt stop McCulloch from recording television commercials for Stenger in which he said: This kind of corruption is a disgrace. Three years later, the disgrace is that the prosecutor appears oblivious to the eau de corruption within the county administration building. Meanwhile, McCulloch is maintaining a mirage created out of thin air by Stenger that the prosecutor is considering charges against the new county auditor for being unqualified, or several Metro security officers for impersonating peace officers. Asked about those investigations, McCulloch said in an emailed statement: Both are still under review. The longer McCulloch allows the investigative cloud to hang over those politically charged issues with no clarity, the more it looks like payback for his payday, courtesy of the county executive he helped elect. Three years ago, McCulloch might have called such actions a disgrace. Three months ago, he was seeking to increase the penalties applied to corrupt public officials. As his now more lucrative retirement nears, McCulloch is reading from a different script. POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. Sheriff's deputies answering a domstic disturbance call shot and killed a man at a home near Poplar Bluff, authorities said. The shooting happened Tuesday night as Butler County deputies responded to the call. The coroner, Andy Moore, on Wednesday identified the victim as Steve Scott, 48, of Poplar Bluff. Sheriff Mark Dobbs said Scott was armed when deputies arrived. The sheriff did not say what prompted the shooting, nor did he name the officers involved. The Missouri State highway Patrol is helping in the investigation. ST. LOUIS A man shot in the head early Thursday in the city's Dutchtown neighborhood was hospitalized in critical condition, police say. The victim, in his 30s, was shot before 4:15 a.m. near South Grand Boulevard and Montana Street. Police say he was conscious and breathing when he was taken away by ambulance. He was in critical and unstable condition. India's nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, two American nuclear experts claimed. By Press Trust of India: India continues to modernise its atomic arsenal with an eye on China and the country's nuclear strategy which traditionally focused on Pakistan now appears to place increased emphasis on the Communist giant, two top American nuclear experts have said. An article published in the July-August issue of the digital journal--After Midnight--has also claimed that India is now developing a missile which can target all of China from its bases in South India. advertisement India is estimated to have produced enough plutonium for 150-200 nuclear warheads but has likely produced only 120-130, wrote Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the article- "Indian nuclear forces 2017". India's nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, the two experts claimed. FOUR MORE N-CAPABLE SYSTEMS IN THE WORKS While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China," they wrote. "That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons' role against Pakistan," they said. Noting that India continues to modernise its nuclear arsenal with development of several new nuclear weapon systems, the two experts estimate that New Delhi currently operates seven nuclear-capable systems: two aircraft, four land-based ballistic missiles, and one sea-based ballistic missile. "At least four more systems are in development. The development program is in a dynamic phase, with long-range land- and sea-based missiles emerging for possible deployment within the next decade," it said. INDIA WILL NEED WARHEADS FOR NEW MISSILES India is estimated to have produced approximately 600 kilograms of weapon-grade plutonium, sufficient for 150-200 nuclear warheads; however, not all the material has been converted into nuclear warheads, it said. Based on available information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India has produced 120-130 nuclear warheads, the article said adding that the country will need more warheads to arm the new missiles it is currently developing. Kristensen and Norris said that the two-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile Agni-2, an improvement on the Agni-1, which can deliver a nuclear or conventional warhead more than 2,000 km is probably targeted on western, central, and southern China. Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India (including Beijing and Shanghai), India is also developing the longer-range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100-plus miles), it said. "The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China," the research article said. advertisement ALSO READ: Army may train AEC personnel to fly surveillance drones along borders with Pakistan, China China plays down concern over largest ever Malabar naval exercise India new global growth pole, to keep lead over China: Harvard study ALSO WATCH: Malabar drill in Indian Ocean: India Today on board INS Shivalik --- ENDS --- WASHINGTON The U.S. House has had a 54 percent turnover since 2010, but one group, the Congressional Black Caucus, has been an island of long-term service. The Clays of St. Louis, former Rep. William L. Bill Clay, and his son, the current Rep. William Lacy Clay, both Democrats, have very much contributed to that long-term trend. And now, Bill Clay, 86, is offering a gentle reminder of how public service can be honorable, and impactful. Even as Congress, like many institutions, is mired in division and held in low esteem by Americans. Becoming a member of the United States Congress is a humbling, awesome experience, the senior Clay told the Post-Dispatch. The current Congress longevity claim is led by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., 88, who is in his 53rd year in the House. He is the dean of the current House, and of the Congressional Black Caucus. According to a compilation by the senior Clay, there are a dozen other current members of the Congressional Black Caucus who have been in Congress 20 years, or more: Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga.; Eleanor Holmes Norton (a Democratic delegate from Washington, D.C.); Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.; James Clyburn, D-S.C.; Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.; Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas; Bobby Rush, D-Ill.; Bobby Scott, D-Va.; Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.; Elijah Cummings, D-Md.; and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. Many hold leadership or key committee posts. Bill Clay, who served 32 years in the House before retiring at the turn of the century, cited research showing that fewer than 11,000 people have served in the House in over two centuries. Thats a smaller population than Bridgeton or Branson. Only about 500 have served 20 years or more. Black members with staying power are well represented in that distinguished group, the senior Clay said. It is a singular honor to be among those so cited. Bill Clay said his research has shown that 72 African-American members were elected to Congress in the 20th century, and that he ranked third behind Conyers and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y, who just retired, in length of service of that group. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., who retired in 2015, is the longest-serving House member ever, at 59 years. Conyers would have to be elected three more times to surpass that longevity. The current Rep. William Lacy Clay, who will turn 61 this month, was elected in 2000 to succeed his father. At the end of this term, in early 2019, father and son will then have represented St. Louis in Congress for the last half century. The senior Clay told the Post-Dispatch that standing in the decorous stately chamber, observing the ornate surroundings and absorbing the amazing American history concealed in its rafters, stirred every emotion in my being. The longest-serving U.S. House members from Missouri were Clarence Cannon, a Democrat from Elsberry, 60 miles northwest of St. Louis, who served 41 years and died in office in 1964; and the late Richard Bolling, a Democrat from Kansas City, who retired in 1983, after 34 years. Bill Clay is third. He said that he believed his longevity, even when there was major opposition from all elements of the establishment, had a lot to do with relating to those in need of representation as opposed to those who have too much representation. He said his lifelong ambition was to make a difference in the lives of those who could not defend themselves or could (not) be heard in expressing their concerns. I encountered many struggles, victories, losses, in confronting the racial and class divides at play in the world of real politics, the senior Clay said. But, each crisis was a reminder why I chose politics as a career. His son told the Post-Dispatch in 2015 that he was mindful of the effect that his fathers generation had. They were civil rights pioneers, William Lacy Clay said of his fathers generation. I realized when I got here that I would never be Bill Clay and that I can only do the best that I can do. He was the trailblazer, he was the first in many different categories. I wasnt the first, and so I cant be someone that I am not. Bill Clay said his public service was personally transformative. In a sense, challenging the core of widespread injustice permeating society, presented an opportunity for me personally to become more vigilant, more tolerant, more reform minded, he told the newspaper. Advancing the cause of the underrepresented was validation of lifelong ambitions I established while growing up in St. Louis notorious ghettoes. He said that before he entered politics, I developed a moral compass that envisioned a system where race, color and national origin would not guarantee failure, nor provide an impediment to success. Period leave is a debate that was waiting to happen, and this is what the outcome looks like... By Somya Abrol: Women have periods. They bleed for three to seven days a month, every month, as soon as they hit puberty, till they hit menopause. For some women, the first day of their period is extremely painful--to the extent that it renders them immobile. For some others, it's just like any other day of the month, with a slight bit of discomfort. advertisement The sooner everyone in this country settle with the above-mentioned information, the better. Because a Mumbai-based media company, Culture Machine, has sparked the debate of workplaces granting women period/menstruation leave, yet again, by making First Day of Period Leave a reality in India. The countries that are currently offering period leave to women are South Korea, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and Japan. Now, the introduction of the period leave in India has led to an obvious debate--whether such a leave is indeed required for working women in India or does it make women employees seem "less attractive" to employers, because each woman employee would be requiring 12 days of extra leave each year. Also read: These countries are offering 'period leave' to women. Should India follow suit? Clinical and social analyst, Dr Jayanti Dutta, told India Today, "If you are in pain, get medical leave and stay out. Don't make it public, it will only lead to more room for harassment of women. It's a private, personal affair for a woman, why make it public?"Though we don't exactly agree with Dr Dutta's point of view of it being a personal matter that does not need public attention, we do agree with the fact that given how uneducated most Indian men are about menstruation, period leave sure will create some more room for harassment. In a quote to India Today, Sheetal Mhatre from BMC Corporation, said, "If a woman employee wants a day off, she should be able to tell her boss that she's in pain and needs the day off. I have moved a notice regarding the same here in Mumbai and I'm getting a lot of positive response. We cannot forget that we are biologically different. Today, most women work under a lot of stress, and that leads to periods becoming worse." Devlina Mazumdar, HR Head of Culture Machine, also adheres to the fact that women are biologically different and thus have different needs: "The idea is to come out and ask for leave. In our company, it's an optional leave. It does not make a woman weaker; we have to accept that we are biologically different. Menstruation is not a sickness, that's why one should apply for menstruation leave, and not sick leave, as opposed to what some people are suggesting. Productivity is a state of mind; I don't need to be at work to be a productive. I don't believe the period leave is going to be detrimental to women's status at the workplace. We need to respect the fact that biologically women and men are not the same." advertisement Popular belief too is leaning in favour of menstrual leave. We went around asking the women of Delhi whether women should get the first day of their period off, and this is what they had to say: --- ENDS --- The extremely large supercluster of galaxies is as big as 20 million billion suns. By Press Trust of India: A team of Indian astronomers has discovered an extremely large supercluster of galaxies -- as big as 20 million billion suns -- which they have named Saraswati, Pune-based Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) said today. This is one of the largest known structures in the neighbourhood of the universe, 4,000 million light-years away from Earth and roughly more than 10 billion years old, IUCAA said. advertisement Its mass extends over the scale of 600 million light years, it said. Scientists of this institute were also involved in the path-breaking discovery of gravitational waves last year. The supercluster was discovered by Shishir Sankhyayan, a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Pratik Dabhade, IUCAA research fellow, Joe Jacob of the Newman College, Kerala, and Prakash Sarkar of the National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur. Their findings were published in the latest issue of The Astrophysical Journal, the premier research journal of the American Astronomical Society. "Superclusters are the largest coherent structures in the cosmic web. They are a chain of galaxies and galaxy clusters, bound by gravity, often stretching to several hundred times the size of clusters of galaxies, consisting of tens of thousands of galaxies," the IUCAA said in a statement. Sankhyayan said this "newly-discovered Saraswati supercluster" extends over a scale of 600 million light-years and may contain the mass equivalent of over 20 million billion suns. A cluster could roughly have galaxies ranging from 1000 to 10,000. A supercluster could have clusters ranging from 40 to 43, he added. "Our own galaxy is part of a supercluster called the Laniakea supercluster," the IUCAA said. Joydeep Bagchi from IUCAA, the lead author of the paper in the journal, and co-author Sankhyayan said they were "astonished to spot this giant wall-like supercluster of galaxies", visible in a large spectroscopic survey of distant galaxies, known as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Sankhyayan said the data was then analysed, following which the discovery was made. "This supercluster is clearly embedded in a large network of cosmic filaments traced by clusters and large voids," Bagchi said. He said previously "only a few comparatively large superclusters" had been reported, such as the Shapley Concentration or the Sloan Great Wall in the nearby universe. "The Saraswati supercluster is far more distant," Bagchi said. The two hoped that the work would help shed light on "perplexing questions" like how such matter-density clusters had been formed billions of years ago. --- ENDS --- advertisement Sophia Nomvete as Dexter, with Geoffrey Lumb as Valentin, left, and Nicholas Day as Philoproximus Chipping Campden student Molly Gisbourne reviews Vice Versa, on at the RSCs Swan Theatre until 9 September The opening scene of Vice Versa will make you blush. And be warned, the racy theme continues throughout. The stripped-down plot for this Roman romp looks like this: Dexter is the Generals unwilling servant, she wishes to be with her rightful master and mistress, the loved-up Valentin and Voluptua. Therefore, with a smart mind and optimistic nature, she does everything in her power to conduct the dim-witted characters alongside her to try to get the General to release her and Voluptua. It is basically a lie about identical twins which snowballs into a two-hour comedic experience and finishes with a smile. But to save some time you can just refer to the subtitle, The Decline and Fall of General Braggadocio at the Hands of His Canny Servant Dexter and Terence the Monkey, to explain everything. Even though the plot is simplistic, I didnt feel as though anything was missing from the play. This is due to the incredibly talented actors who, somehow, manage to keep a straight face. A special mention is due to Felix Hayes, for his perfectly mastered facial expressions, as well as his ability to make himself look stupid for our enjoyment. My favourite character was Dexter, played by Sophia Nomvete. It was empowering to see a young, black woman being the smartest character on stage. She was extremely energetic, looked as though she was genuinely having fun, and has an amazing voice too. This contributed to the songs, the happy-go-lucky sort of songs that one would expect from a pantomime. With the audience participation included too - but not the hes behind you kind, more the join in singing! sort. The light-hearted, slapstick comedy would have easily entertained an audience of children however, there were enough innuendos to keep the grown-up audience laughing. Wordplay was successfully performed in the groceries scene. You can imagine the puns already, Im sure. In my opinion, this scene deserved a standing ovation for making me laugh so much and for the actors obvious delight in delivering it. A huge congratulations to the prop department, because there was a lot of props involved, 244 Im told. On a more serious note, this play does manage to subtly tackle modern day issues. The best of which being Donald Trump, or should I call him General Braggadocio? The audience can see this narcissistic character shout make Rome great again! before falling to his knees, humiliated; a dream. The (albeit childish) singing, smiles, bright costumes, and witty facial expressions were very enjoyable to watch. A huge congratulations to the team and cast. Catch it until 9 September if you feel a bit of childish humour is required as a relief from the gore-fest of Titus Andronicus playing next door. Bidford's Stefanie Hall is in the Miss Earth national final in Birmingham this Saturday. BIDFORDS Stefanie Hall is through to this Saturdays national final of the Miss Earth England contest being held in Birmingham. Stefanie, aged 35, is taking part in one of the three largest beauty pageants in the world, rated alongside Miss World and Miss Universe. She entered the contest in May. The legal writer, who is a qualified lawyer in Australia, where she once lived, has the full support of her husband Alan; the couple married in Hawaii and now live in Bidford-upon-Avon. An important aspect to the judging and qualification of Miss Earth is that contestants choose to support and promote a subject that is integral to the environmental well-being of the planet. Stefanie has chosen the plight of the honey bee which plays a vital role in the continued sustenance and nutrition of mankind. I understand a third of the food we eat has at some stage been pollinated by bees but we know their numbers are threatened so I have chosen to write on my poster board To Bee or Not To Bee to underline my support for the cause, Stefanie said. She is involved in three judging rounds on Saturday, a swimwear round where Stefanie has designed something which is creative, earthy and tribal, then theres a cocktail dress round where she carries the poster board - and lastly an evening dress round. If Stefanie wins on Saturday shes through to the international final of Face of The World contest being held in Birmingham in November. If readers may like to learn how I am getting on my instagram account is @stefiehall, said Stefanie. Sharmila filed an application for marriage with her long-time British friend Desmond Coutinho in the office of Sub Registrar Rajesh on Wednesday. Irom Sharmila filed an application for marriage with her long-time British friend Desmond Coutinho in the office of Sub Registrar Rajesh in Tamil Nadu. By Indo-Asian News Service: Finally, Irom Sharmila, the indefatigable fighter against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, has decided to tie the knot. On Wednesday, she filed an application for marriage with her long-time British friend Desmond Coutinho in the office of Sub Registrar Rajesh in this hill station in Tamil Nadu. Sharmila, who had a disastrous debut in assembly elections in Manipur this year, filed the application under the Hindu Marriage Act. The Sub Registrar told her that since it is an inter-religious marriage, they have to file the application under the Special Marriage Act. advertisement Rajesh said their application will be put up on the notice board for any objections and the marriage can be performed after the expiry of the 30-day notice period. Sharmila, who moved to Kodaikanal and has been living with her friend for some months, told reporters that she came to Kodaikanal in search of peace and liked the place. Though defeated in her fight, she said she had not given up her cause. Sharmila is popular for her more than 16-year-long hunger strike demanding the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Manipur. She ended the fast in August last year. ALSO READ | Manipur elections: With just 90 votes, Irom Sharmila quits politics after being "let down" by people Irom Sharmila set to marry her British partner Desmond Coutinho Manipur Assembly Elections 2017: Iron Lady Irom Sharmila makes her political debut on International Women's Day ALSO WATCH | A deeper look at Irom Chanu Sharmila, Iron Lady of Manipur --- ENDS --- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday he will not resign regardless of the demands being made by the group conspiring against him as the people of Pakistan have elected him.The premier made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet. Addressing the cabinet members, Sharif termed the joint investigation team (JIT) report a concoction of allegations and stories regarding his family's private businesses. "Without any hesitation I presented myself and family before the JIT," he stated, adding that his family business predates the entry of any family member in politics. "My family didnt earn anything from politics but did lose a lot," he said, adding that despite reservations he accepted the JIT's formation. Read more: Details of PM's answers to jit's 14 questions The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said, adding that his conscience is clear. "Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves," said Sharif. The premier said the Pakistan Muslim League-N got more votes than all the parties demanding his resignation, adding that he will not let the country's development become a target of conspiracies. The members of the meeting agreed that theres no legitimacy to the demands of the premier's resignation, and expressed their complete support in the prime minister. Other than the political situation in the country arising following the JIT report's submission to the Supreme Court on Monday, the cabinet members are also expected to discuss projects related to power generation and other economic initiatives of the government. The 64-point agenda of the meeting also includes discussion on MoUs signed with various countries and approval of the procedure to appoint the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited's managing director. Read more: Details of PM's answers to jit's 14 questions On Wednesday, the prime minister presided over an informal consultative meeting where he was briefed by legal and constitutional experts regarding the preparations of the governments stance on the JIT report, sources told. The meeting decided to take up the matter of 'baseless, unwanted remarks' against government functionaries in the Supreme Court, asking on what grounds were such comments made [by the JIT], sources added. JIT report The political situation in the country became heated after the JIT submitted its final report to the Supreme Court on Monday. The JIT report observed major disparities in the finances of the Sharif family and their known and declared sources of income. Following the report, the opposition parties demanded that the premier resign. However, the ruling party leaders remarked that they will contest the report in the Supreme Court. Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday called on Opposition leader in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah and discussed with him the current political situation. During the meeting, the AML chief discussed with Shah different option to pressure the Prime Minister to resign. They also mulled over requisitioning the National Assembly session to discuss the JIT report and Panama leaks case. Talking to media after the meeting, Sheikh Rashid said called for uniting opposition on one point agenda of Prime Ministers resignation. He added that Khurshid Shah had also agreed on uniting the opposition in wake of the current situation. The AML chief said that the Prime Minister had no option but to resign. He added that corruption was proved against the Sharif family. By Rohit Kumar Singh: In a virtual threat to its ally, a senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA today said his party has 80 legislators in the Bihar Assembly and therefore, only what they want will happen. "Lalu is our leader and we have 80 MLAs. What we want will happen," Bhai Virendra told India Today in Patna. The statement from the RJD leader underlines the position the RJD has taken since Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was charged with corruption, forcing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to deliberate on whether or not Lalu Prasad's son should stay in his Cabinet. advertisement "All the RJD legislators are together on it. Tejashwi Yadav will not tender his resignation," Virendra said, adding that the matter is related to his party, which will decide what is to be done. "The RJD does not work on advise of others," he said. The RJD leader also denied his party is trying to break Nitish's Janata Dal (United). "We are not trying to break few legislators of the JD(U). We believe in democracy," he said. On Wednesday, after the JD(U) asked him to come clean, Tejashwi had virtually ruled out his resignation, while dubbing the FIR registered against him under various anti-graft provisions as "political vendetta." The FIR was lodged in connection with a private party allegedly giving three acres of land in 2004 in Patna to them in return of getting license to run two IRCTC hotels at Ranchi and Puri when Lalu Prasad was Railway Minister. So far, Nitish Kumar has maintained a studied silence over the allegations against his deputy, thereby continuing the suspense over his next move. In the 243-seat Bihar Assembly, the RJD has 80 seats, JD(U) 71 and the Congress 27. The BJP has 53 MLAs. ALSO READ: Will the real Nitish Kumar please stand up? On Bihar CM's penchant for keeping everyone guessing Nitish Kumar gives ally Lalu Prasad 4 days to decide on son Tejashwi Yadav Ceasefire for now: JDU softens stand on Lalu's son Tejashwi after Sonia rings Nitish Was 13, didn't even have a moustache. Not quitting: Tejashwi Yadav on corruption charges WATCH: Lalu rail scam: Why JD-U silent, what's Nitish Kumar's next move? --- ENDS --- United States (US) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Wednesday with the king of Saudi Arabia and officials from other countries lined up against Qatar as he works to end a rift that has left the tiny, energy-rich state isolated from its neighbours. His trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jeddah follows talksthe previous day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He has also held discussions with the ruler of Kuwait, who is mediating the dispute. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and cut air, sea and land routes with it more than a month ago, accusing it of supporting extremist groups. Qatar denies the allegations. Tillerson met with Saudi King Salman following his arrival in the Red Sea city and later sat down for talks with foreign ministers from the anti-Qatar quartet. He will likely press the bloc to ease up on some of its demands after he secured a deal with Qatar on Tuesday to intensify its fight against terrorism and address shortfalls in policing terrorism funding. The four countries last month issued a tough 13-point list of demands to Qatar that included shutting down its flagship Al-Jazeera network and other news outlets, cutting ties with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country. Qatar has rejected the demands, saying that agreeing to them wholesale would undermine its sovereignty. The head of Qatar's government communication office, Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, on Tuesday accused the quartet of organising a smear campaign in the international media to damage Qatar's reputation and said they are not interested in engaging in honest negotiations to resolve our differences. The anti-Qatar bloc took partial credit for the US counter-terrorism deal Qatar signed Tuesday, saying it was the result of repeated pressures and demands by them and others, but said it fails to go far enough. While welcoming US-led efforts to dry up terrorist funding, they maintained a hard line that Qatar must meet their list of what they said were fair and legitimate demands. The quartet affirms that the measures they have taken were motivated by the continuous and diversified activities of the Qatari authorities in supporting, funding and harbouring terrorism and terrorists, as well as promoting hateful and extremist rhetoric and interfering in the internal affairs of states, they said in a joint statement. The deal struck between Washington and Doha essentially enhances cooperation between the two countries and falls far short of the sweeping demands made by the Arab quartet for Qatar to change its policy of supporting opposition militants in the region. The group has mixed its accusations that Qatar supports extremists with demands that it end support for political dissidents that they have branded as terrorists. That broad definition of terrorism is seen as an overreach by Western allies, which do not view groups like the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations. Saudi commentators were quick to criticise the result of Tillerson's visit to Qatar. What makes Wednesday's meeting in Jeddah difficult is that Tillerson has, since the beginning of the crisis, appeared to be taking the Qatari side, Abdulrahman al-Rashed, the general manager of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya satellite news channel, wrote in a column published in the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. He has to realise that he will be further complicating an already complex matter and prolonging the crisis, he added, emphasising that the goal of the four Arab countries is to change Qatar's agenda. Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of the Saudi daily Arab News, framed the security agreement signed between the US and Qatar as a win for the quartet, but added that it is not time to party just yet. The squabble among five of its Mideast allies has put the United States in an uncomfortable position and risks complicating the Pentagon's operations in the region. Qatar hosts al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East and hub for US-led operations against the militant Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet, while American surveillance planes and other aircraft fly from the UAE. Afghan authorities on Wednesday recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of seven passengers kidnapped by gunmen in the western province of Farah a day earlier, in an attack blamed on the Taliban, police said. The violence, which underscores the fragile security situation in Afghanistan, came after Taliban fighters closed a highway connecting provincial capital Farah to Herat city late Tuesday, stopping a bus and forcing 16 passengers to dismount, Farah police spokesman Iqbal Baher told AFP. They shot at least seven of them, while the remaining nine were taken hostages, he said. The Afghan forces launched an operation early Wednesday to free the hostages and open the highway, clearing roadblocks set up by the militants, Baher said. They recovered the bodies of seven passengers, he continued, adding that six were civilians and one a police officer. It is not clear why the suspected militants kidnapped and killed them, and we are still unsure about the fate of the remaining kidnapped passengers, he said. The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident in Farah province, which has witnessed an increase in the militant group's activities recently, said the provincial officials. Highways around Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous. Civilians are increasingly caught in the crosshairs of Afghanistan's worsening conflict as the Taliban step up their annual spring offensive, launched in April against the US-backed Kabul government. Six civilians seeking work in Farah, the capital of western Farah province, were killed earlier this month when their pickup truck hit a roadside bomb. Authorities blamed the Taliban for the attack. By PTI: Puducherry, Jul 13 (PTI) As part of the Centres Act East policy, a telemedicine network to improve regional cooperation in health care among BIMSTEC nations was today launched with the seven member countries being linked via video conferencing. Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste inaugurated the JIPMER BIMSTEC Telemedicine Network (JBTN) here. All seven BIMSTEC countries -- India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand -- were linked by video conferencing during the launch. advertisement The aim of JBTN is to improve regional cooperation in the field of health care by strengthening telemedicine-based patient care services and share medical knowledge among the BIMSTEC countries, the minister said. "This Bay of BengalInitiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation(BIMSTEC) is an important aspect of the Act East policy of the central government envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Kulaste said. He also inaugurated the foundation day of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), a centrally-sponsored premier medical institution. He lauded the efforts of JIPMER to establish the telemedicine network for the benefit of the poor and the under-servedpopulation of South East Asia. This would indeed be an important step towards fulfilling the dream of the Prime Minister to develop sustainable regional international cooperation with East Asia and to strengthen bonds of friendship between the friendly people of the countries in the region, Kulaste said. Referring to JIPMER, he said it was a happy development that JIPMER was in the process of upgrading and revising its undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum. "We should alsointroduce new courses to keep pace with rapidly changing scenarios of medicine to meet new challenges of health care and medical education," Kulaste said. The High Commissioner of Bangladesh in India, Syed Muazzem Ali, lauded the initiative and described it as "timely and noble". Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in South India, V Krishnamoorthy, termed it as an important initiative to strengthen patient care services and to share medical knowledge among the BIMSTEC countries. Delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India also hailed the launching of the JBTN. The Union minister earlier distributed awards to staff and para medical personnel of JIPMER as a highlight of celebration of the institutes foundation day. PTI COR BN KIS --- ENDS --- A bench comprising of Justices Dipankar Datta and Debi Prosad Dey on Wednesday termed the shortage of judges as a "very major problem" that the oldest high court of the country was encountering. By Indrajit Kundu: Raising concerns about the "dearth of judges" and the urgent need to fill up pending vacancies, the Calcutta High Court has pulled up the Union Ministry of Law in a scathing order. While hearing a bail plea for actor Vikram Chatterjee, a bench comprising of Justices Dipankar Datta and Debi Prosad Dey on Wednesday termed the shortage of judges as a "very major problem" that the oldest high court of the country was encountering. advertisement The observations came as the bench noted that the actor's bail application could not be listed on time by the court due to which he was arrested leaving his plea infructuous. The bench observed that the judicial system may lose its efficacy if urgent measures were not taken, saying "The time is now ripe for speaking our mind out or else this premier institution, which has stood tall despite several odds, would gradually cease to lose its efficacy. The bar and the litigant public have been tolerant so long, but this bench cannot remain a silent spectator waiting for the inevitable ire to explode." With less than half the sanctioned strength, the Calcutta High Court is reeling under an acute shortage of judges to carry out judicial operations, the bench observed. "The sanctioned strength of judges in this court is 72. Till a couple of years ago, the sanctioned strength was 58. Today, this court has a functional strength of 34 judges only. The present functional strength is, therefore, a little less than 50 per cent of the sanctioned strength," it said. DEARTH OF JUDGES Slamming the Centre for "neglecting" the problem for long, the bench accused the executive of being "authoritarian". "It does not require one to be super intelligent to make the right guess. It is the problem of dearth of adequate number of judges in this court. It has continued from yesteryears and assumed the character of a perpetual concern, which the powers that be having the wherewithal to address and resolve have neglected by their various shades of authoritarianism," the court observed. Pulling up lawmakers for their continued neglect, the court asked, "Can the nation think of the Lok Sabha in a functional state with half of its elected members? Similarly, can Legislative Assemblies function at half-strength?" INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY Calling out the "brazen apathy and indifference of the political executive", the court argued that "the independence of the judiciary is regarded as a basic structure of the Constitution, rendering a particular high court ineffective by adopting a step-motherly attitude cannot but draw the frown of a civilised society." advertisement While delivering a stern warning for the Centre to pull its act together, the court also asked the registrar general to intimate the Union law minister about the order on priority. "The politeness of this bench may not be understood as weakness on its part to be firm. It is made clear that continued silence of the Central government in the matter of appointment of judges in the near future despite the concerns expressed in this order, would certainly be viewed seriously as interference in the course of administration of justice and followed by appropriate action as authorized in law," the order states. Also read: Calcutta High Court lawyers want to give up black gowns, coats, write to Bar Council of India Also read: 'Sorry, nevertheless,' said Supreme Court's Justice Chandrachud as he rejected CS Karnan's bail plea --- ENDS --- Go easy on the eye makeup. It makes you look pretty, but at what cost? By Indo-Asian News Service: Meibomian gland dysfunction -- also known as dry-eye syndrome -- is on the rise among women due to excess makeup of the eyes. Though not taken seriously, the condition leads to blepharitis, extreme blurred vision, said doctors. Latest medical cases revealed that though MGD until now was seen due to ageing, now the trend has changed and it is occurring among young women as well. advertisement "The changing trend of make-ups causing MGD is dangerous. Eyeliner and other make-up usually clog the meibomian glands leading to formation of painless lumps in the eyelids hence obstructing the vision," said Mahipal Sachdev, director, Centre for Sight, a chain of eye centres in North India. Elaborating on the condition, Sachadev, who often sees young women with MGD says that the meibomian produce oils that prevent the tears from evaporating quickly. Whenever the glands do not function properly, the blockage in the gland restricts it from producing oil. Also read: 5 cheap, natural remedies to remove that stubborn makeup "The oil may sometimes thicken leading to benign lumps in the eyelids known as chalazion. MGD is the most known and leading cause of dry-eye syndrome, blepharitis and in extreme cases, loss of vision," said Sachdev. Medical Sciences says that there are around 40 such glands that produce oil that flows out of the eyes as tears to keep the eyes moistened. Thickening of this oil restricts its flow causing accumulation and blockage, forming a lump in the eyelid. A blocked oil gland causes this condition of red swollen eyelids. "Around 40 per cent of the women with high usage of eye make-up products tend to get affected with oil gland blockages. Parabens and yellow wax used in mascara and eyeliners to stiffen them to make it waterproof are the same chemicals that also clog the oil glands leading to MGD, chalazion, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis," Parul Sony, senior consultant and director of Gurugram's Complete Eye Care. Stating that anti-ageing eye creams contain retinoids that has also been linked to thickening and degeneration, Sony said that such make-ups kill the blood cells in the meibomian gland ducts. A study by Canada's University of Waterloo said people who apply eyeliner on the inner eyelid run the risk of contaminating the eye and causing vision trouble. --- ENDS --- Warren Lowe had no idea that when he woke up one January morning, that his life was about to change. The 44-year-old was the healthiest and fittest he had ever been in his life and even training for his first crossfit competition, before being diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma at the end of January. Warrens daughter Kelly Molan, who lives in Te Puke, says one morning when he got up to go to the bathroom, her father collapsed. She says a numb sensation started travelling up his leg fast and he thought he was having a stroke. He was rushed to hospital, and within a few hours and a bunch of scans, Warren was told he had three tumours on his brain and one was bleeding. By the end of that night he had lost all sensation to his right side of his body and could not move anything or feel anything. Kelly says her dad went on to have CT scans done and he has many large tumours growing inside his lungs, throat and brain and many, many small ones spread throughout his body. As you can imagine this is an absolute nightmare. He has since suffered a massive clot, which made him blow up too an unimaginable size waist down. After a few weeks and a filter inside him, this has past, thank god as the clot was on its way to his lungs. In March/April, Warren started his treatment with keytruda. Three weeks ago he had a scan to see how it was helping and sadly it has done nothing. Hes been told he has a BRAF mutation, says Kelly. With no treatment he has 6-9months....so says the doctors. While it all may seem lost, Kelly says there is some light at the end of this nightmarish tunnel. There is a treatment he can use that can extend that time frame and better his quality of life. However, his treatment is going to cost $18,000-20,000 per month as its not funded by the government in New Zealand (keytruda was). Pulling together every single cent he has, he has enough money for three months treatment. We are asking and pleading from the bottom of our hearts to please help us fundraise a few more months. Its literally the only option we have, says Kelly. We now have to pray and count on our friends, family and even strangers to please help us in any way possible. People wanting to help can donate via https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/warrenlowe The family has a number of other fundraising ventures lined up. To follow Warrens journey, head over to his Facebook Page. A total of 79 projects from across the globe will compete in the prestigious awards ceremony, spanning nine diverse categories, ranging from grand civic spaces and hospitals to transportation hubs, bars and shops. Hosted alongside the World Architecture Festival (WAF), the awards are part of the INSIDE festival that attracts in excess of 2,000 attendees each year for its three days of talks, awards, exhibitions and fringe events. Highlights on this years shortlist include a spa located in the basement of a shopping mall in Shanghai inspired by the lush tropical greens of contemporary Thai urbanscape, and a Maldives island hotel project featuring a striking Sunset Bar reminiscent of a Whale Shark. Paul Finch, Programme Director of INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, says: Many of the shortlisted designs concern the way that interiors help us to live, work and play more efficiently and more enjoyably. This is appropriate in a year when our conference theme is Performance, which will examine how elements like colour, acoustics and volume contribute to the success of new and refurbished interior projects. All the shortlisted designs will be presented live, so Festival delegates will enjoy a series of mini-performances by designers, as well as conference speakers." Shortlisted designers reflect the global reach of the awards and include Eight (USA), Tomoro Aida and Aida Atelier (Japan), Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (Australia) Carlo Berarducci Architecture (Italy), 3deluxe architecture (Germany), Arquitiectura en Movimiento Workshop (Mexico) and KSM Architecture (India). Australian practice SJB celebrates being the practice with the most shortlisted projects, four in total, while fellow Australian practice BVN and Chinese practice Neri&Hu Design and Research Office achieve three shortlisted projects apiece. All nominees will present their projects to distinguished international juries during the Festival to compete for one of the nine category awards. Open to all festival attendees, the presentations are followed by a live exchange between the designers and jurors. The overall winner of the World Interior of the Year will be announced at an exclusive gala dinner on 17th November. The king had generally been expected to refer to Gibraltar in his address to the UK Parliament, but there was speculation as to what he would actually say. Some Tory MPs threatened to walk out of the chamber if he tried to claim Gibraltar for Spain, but in the end His Majesty was much more diplomatic. After referring to Britain and Spain having a long shared history and saying that the two countries had frequently stood shoulder to shoulder in the best interests of both nations, Felipe VI said there had been rivalries and disputes during that rich and fruitful history but the work and determination of the governments, authorities and citizens have relegated such events to the past. I am certain that this resolve to overcome our differences will be even greater in the case of Gibraltar and I am confident that through the necessary dialogue and effort, our two governments will be able to work towards arrangements that are acceptable to all involved, he went on to say. The phrase our two governments rang immediate alarm bells in Gibraltar, because it indicated that the government and people of the Rock would have no say in any discussions about their own future. Gibraltars chief minister, Fabian Picardo, was quick to respond: In the times in which we live, territories cannot be traded from one monarch to another like pawns in a chess game.The concept of human rights and democracy means that the wishes of people must come first, as much of His Majesty the King of Spains address to Westminster Hall rightly identified. But those principles are not just abstract ones; they apply to Gibraltar and its people too, he insisted. Following the Kings address, a spokesman for the UK government agreed that Britain and Spain have a close relationship but do not see eye to eye on Gibraltar, and reiterated that sovereignty was not up for discussion. The people of Gibraltar have repeatedly and overwhelmingly expressed their wish to remain under British sovereignty and we will respect this, he said. In general, the response to King Felipes speech was positive. He paid a glowing tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, and pointed out that the last time the Spanish royal family - on that occasion his parents - made a state visit to the UK it was in 1986, when Spain was joining the EU. With regard to Brexit he called for solutions to give the necessary confidence and certainty to Spanish citizens who live in the UK and British citizens in Spain. A record number of people used Malaga airport and the high speed AVE rail service during the first six months of this year, even before the start of the peak season, which was already expected to produce record figures. One million more passengers used Malaga airport in the first half of this year, and the AVE to Madrid was used by 36,000 more travellers. In both cases, the figures for 2016 were also higher than ever before. According to figures released by Aena earlier this week, the Malaga-Costa del Sol airport ended the first half-year with a total of 8,394,937 passengers, which was an increase of 13.7 per cent compared with the same period last year. During these six months there were 62,468 flights (an increase of 12.5 per cent). Most passengers travelled on commercial flights, and of those 7,252,943 were on international flights, an increase of 15 per cent. The other 1,118,537 travellers flew to other cities in Spain. The Spanish market grew by 5.5 per cent during this period, and the number of flights to other airports in the country increased by 0.4%. Historic figures for June The figures for June indicate that the summer season began early. During those 30 days there were 12.9 per cent more passengers and 12 per cent more flights at Malaga airport: 1,907,192 and 13,546 respectively. The busiest days were during the last weekend of the month, when nearly 500 planes took off and landed, and Saturday 24th was the day with the highest number of passengers, 73,038. If things continue in this way, Malaga airport will end the year with figures which are far higher thanlast year, when 16.67 million passengers travelled on 123,700 flights. Terminal T3, which opened in March 2010, can handle more than 30 million passengers a year, and now that there are two runways at Malaga there is an ample margin for growth before reaching saturation point. More AVE passengers The AVE rail service has also broken its own records during the first half of this year. The number of passengers travelling high speed between Madrid and Malaga from January to June increased by 3.1 per cent to 1,189,000. In absolute terms, this is an extra 36,000 passengers. Of the total number of travellers, 71 per cent did the whole journey between Madrid and Malaga, in either direction, while the others boarded and disembarked at other stops en route, whch are Antequera-Santa Ana, Puente Genil-Herrera, Crdoba, Ciudad Real and Puertollano. 80-year-old man Managuli has around 6 acres of land. His sons Kankappa and Yalappa have been fighting with him to get their share, but the man did not agree to give them a share of property. By Rohini Swamy: A father was tied up, dragged through field by his two sons in Ningapur village of Badami in Karnataka for a share in his property. 80-year-old man Managuli has around 6 acres of land. His sons Kankappa and Yalappa have been fighting with him to get their share, but the man did not agree to give them a share of property. advertisement So, the sons decided to harass him and torture him by tying the old man's legs and dragging him across the field. If this was not enough, they also attacked their father with a knife which left the old man bleeding. Shockingly, the villagers stood there as mere mute spectators al throughout when the inhuman act unfolded. Finally, Managuli was shifted to a government hospital in Bagalkote with grievous injuries. The police have arrested the two men and have began investigations on the case. --- ENDS --- National Police have arrested a man in connection with four sexual assaults committed in Fuengirola in the last month and a half. The Spanish national, 31, has been detained for a series of crimes using the same modus operandi: following women who are alone, before threatening them with a screwdriver, sexually assaulting them and fleeing in a white van. The first case happened on 31 May when a young woman was followed into the elevator of her building and threatened. The perpetrator, however, fled after hearing other people close by. Most recently, on 6 July, a British woman returning home from work was forced to carry out sexual acts on him, before he fled the scene in his van. On Wednesday, political institutions marked the 20th anniversary of ETAs murder of Miguel Angel Blanco, an event that rocked Spain. The day was mired in controversy however. In Madrid, city hall was criticised for not displaying a remembrance banner and Spains parliament failed to agree on a common declaration. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today paid tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931. While coalition partner BJP skipped the event, Separatists have been barred from holding any rally. Highlighting the valour and selfless sacrifices of the martyrs, Mufti added that they laid their lives for a democratic and a prosperous state. By Ashraf Wani: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Muti and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today paid tribute on Martyrs Day or the 86th Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir that observes the sacrifice of 22 valiant people on July 13, 1931. Highlighting the valour and selfless sacrifices of the martyrs, Mufti added that they laid their lives for a democratic and a prosperous state. advertisement The Chief Minister further said that Kashmiriyat is still alive and thriving in all sections of the society over the people's united condemnation against the horrific terror attack on the Amarnath pilgrims. She said that despite ideological differences, Kashmiris gave a clear message to the country and the world about their Kashmiriyat. National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah said that July 13 1931 was a watershed moment in the history of Kashmir and marked the beginning of a struggle against tyranny, oppression and despotism. Salute to martyrs of July 13, 1931 In his message on today's occasion, National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah said that the sacrifices of July 13 1931 martyrs will continue to be a beacon of humanity's fight for dignity and justice. "I pay my humble tributes to our great martyrs who laid down their lives to pave way for a struggle against despotism and tyranny. It was their sacrifice that proved a turning point in our history and inspired millions of oppressed Kashmiris to rise in unison against an oppression dictatorship. July 13 will always be a day where the people of Kashmir will reiterate their commitment to overcoming evil with kindness, non-violence and peace", Omar Abdullah said in his message. Collation partners in Jammu and Kashmir state government- BJP skipped the event while Separatist leaders who claim to be the custodians of 1931 Kashmir martyrs were not allowed to carry any rally or programme on the eve of the Martyrs Day. To avoid any possible clash, the government has put strict restrictions across Srinagar city and mobile, internet services have been blocked across the Valley. --- ENDS --- Chilhowie has received a big boost to its downtown revitalization project and the town council will be updated at Thursdays meeting. Prior to the 7 p.m. council meeting, Town Manager John Clark will meet with the revitalization committee and project partners at 5:30 p.m. in the town hall community room to discuss a grant to study demolition of the former Superior Mills building on Lee Highway and progress of the downtown project. All committee members and any interested members of the public are encouraged to attend. Chilhowie was recently informed that an application for funding under the Virginia Brownfields Assistance Fund was approved and the town is being awarded a Site Assessment and Planning Grant of $50,000. The grant will support the preparation of Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, including testing for lead paint and asbestos, and a building demolition and grading plan for the Superior Mills Building at 224 East Lee Highway, said Rob McClintock, vice president in research at Virginia Economic Development Partnership. We are pleased and excited that this work can dovetail nicely with the overall work being done as part of the Downtown Revitalization efforts the town is implementing, said McClintock in an email to the town. We understand that you are hoping to have this work done by spring 2018 so as to fit into the overall plan for demotion of the building to remove this blighting influence from this part of the town. Town officials and revitalization committee members worked with Mount Rogers Planning District Commission on this grant and were assisted by Vincent Maiden, brownfields project coordinator for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, who has also been working with Saltville on a brownfields project grant. Chilhowie was informed in early September 2016 that the nearly $1 million Community Development Block Grant for downtown revitalization had been approved. The project in Chilhowie is set to revitalize the old Main Street area and surrounding environ. A master plan was completed with community input. The first phase of the project is expected to include: Improvements to 20 facades as part of a Facade Program in which property owners will match grant funds received with private funds there was $280,000 allocated in the grant application for this item; 850 linear feet of concrete sidewalk, 850 linear feet of concrete curb and gutter, 720 linear feet of brick accent, as well as 480 tons of asphalt and other materials involved with streetscape valued at nearly $287,000; Stormwater system improvements for which there was $440,000 allocated in the application; $7,000 worth of branding and marketing funds; $50,000 worth of clearance and demolition funds; And, another $150,000 in local contribution from the town to further support revitalization and blight removal efforts included in the project area. We are excited about partnering with you on this important project and positioning the town of Chilhowie for further economic revitalization, said McClintock. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- An apology has been posted on the Facebook page belonging to Felix Santos, a Syracuse man who was charged with second-degree manslaughter for a hit-and-run crash that killed a Syracuse toddler. Santos, 18, of 545 Gifford St., Syracuse was arrested in North Carolina, said Sgt. Richard Helterline, a Syracuse Police Department spokesman, on Tuesday. Santos was arrested more than a month after that crash that killed Jameisha Stanford. Jameisha, 2, was playing with chalk in the 400 block of Shonnard Street on May 27 when she was hit by a car. Her father and baby brother were also struck by the car, but survived. Jameisha died in the hospital. "I know I was wrong for leaving the scene but I am a young guy," the Facebook post on his page states. "I was very scared and didn't know what to do at the moment. I was scared and confused, I never been in a situation like this." The message was posted on Santos' page at 12:22 p.m. Wednesday. It is unknown who posted the message, since Santos is in custody at the Onondaga County Justice Center, according to Vinelink, the national victim notification network. It is not known if the message was dictated by Santos in jail. A message to the Facebook page was not returned. The message offered condolences to Standford's family and said Santos was "very sorry." Good afternoon everybody on Facebook. First of all, I really want to send my condolences to Jameisha Stanford family. I... Posted by Felix Santos on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 The Facebook post has been shared more than 300 times. Santos has had the page since July 2015. Before yesterday, his last public post was on May 23., four days before the fatal crash. Santos was charged with second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle collision, reckless driving and other traffic offenses. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- More than six months have passed since Regan Shetsky was killed in a crash in her preschool parking lot. And for the first time, the 3-year-old girl's parents have received an apology from the driver who hit their daughter. A judge with the state Department of Motor Vehicles held a hearing Thursday morning to investigate the crash that killed Regan. The Shetskys and Zung Tung, the driver who hit Regan, attended the hearing. Tung, 39, is a Burmese refugee who lives in Syracuse. She does not speak English. But with the help of an interpreter, Tung told the grieving parents she was sorry. "She wanted to apologize to us," said Kelly Shetsky, Regan's mother, after the hearing. "She said it twice." The hearing lasted over an hour. It was held to determine if Tung should be allowed to drive. Mark Shetsky, a Syracuse firefighter, was bringing Regan to Eastwood Baptist Church's preschool on Jan. 4 when the crash happened. Tung was dropping her son off at the Syracuse preschool when she got distracted by her crying daughter. She hit the gas instead of her brake pedal as she tried to back her SUV into a parking space -- striking Regan and her father. After a lengthy investigation, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said he couldn't find a law to charge Tung for Regan's death. The DMV hearing marked the first time the Shetskys had seen Tung since Regan died. "It was very difficult to sit across from her at the table," Kelly Shetsky said, her voice wavering. During the hearing, the Shetskys learned Tung was convicted in 2015 of driving the wrong way on a one-way street, Kelly Shetsky said. She said the DMV judge is expected to issue a decision about Tung's license in a few weeks. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The owner of a Southern Tier scrap metal business is suing a former worker for libel over the worker's false claims that the owner was involved in an unsolved murder. Adam Weitsman, owner of Upstate Shredding, sued former employee Robert Levesque for defamation, libel and business disparagement. Levesque posted more than 60 false claims on the internet saying Weitsman helped Cal Harris dispose of his wife's body in 2001. Harris was charged with murdering his wife, Michele Harris, who disappeared Sept. 11, 2001. Her body has never been found. Cal Harris was acquitted of all charges last year following his fourth trial. Levesque posted four YouTube videos and dozens of tweets on Twitter in which he falsely accused Weitsman of helping Cal Harris dispose of his wife's body, the lawsuit said. Levesque's posted "numerous highly defamatory, shocking, and cruel statements about (Weitsman and his business), solely to cause (their) reputations to fall into disrepute," Weitsman's lawyer, Patricia Curtin, wrote in the lawsuit filed July 5 in federal court. Levesque worked for Weitsman as a scrap metal inspector at Upstate Shredding's plant in Owego, Tioga County, from 2011 to 2014. Weitsman fired him in March 2014 after Levesque started behaving bizarrely, the lawsuit said. Levesque wore a satanic mask to work and made "racially motivated and derogatory remarks" to and about the company's customers before he was fired, the suit said. Cal and Michele Harris Levesque asked for a second chance and Weitsman rehired him in April 2014, the suit said. But the odd behavior continued, and Upstate Shredding fired Levesque again in December 2014, the suit said. "It was a revenge thing," Weitsman told Syracuse.com today of Levesque's Internet postings. "I put up with it for about two years." He said he'd had enough when Levesque posted photos of Weitsman's wife and 7-year-old daughter. Then Levesque started posting pictures of Weitsman's friends with accusations that they might have been involved, Weitsman said. "I believe in freedom of speech," he said. "I was letting it go. But once he posted a picture of my daughter, I was like, 'This has got to stop.' It's the most ridiculous thing ever." Weitsman said he knows who Cal Harris is -- a car dealer in the area. Weitsman may have spoken to him on the phone about a car or car repair, but they were never friends or saw each other socially, he said. Levesque started posting the false accusations about Weitsman last year, the suit said. In the Twitter posts, he tagged state police, the FBI and local media "in an effort to cause (Weitsman and his company) public ridicule," the suit said. "The Internet makes an easy place for people to attack," Weitsman said. In April, Weitsman's lawyer demanded that Levesque stop making the false accusations and to remove the statements and videos he'd published, the lawsuit said. But he continued, the suit said. Levesque, who lives in Clayton, N.C., could not be reached for comment. Weitsman said his lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to find Levesque and serve him with the lawsuit. Since the lawsuit was filed, Levesque's postings have been deleted, Weitsman said. Upstate Shredding is headquartered in Owego. It has 18 locations and employs 500 workers. Weitsman also owns Krebs restaurant in Skaneateles, which he renovated in 2014. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A doctor is warning the public about the potential danger of using wire brushes to clean barbecue grills after removing a 2-inch-long broken brush bristle from a man's stomach. The 33-year-old Oswego County man came to Crouse Hospital's emergency room early June 29 complaining of sharp neck pain and trouble swallowing. The problem started after he ate steak cooked on a grill. X-rays showed a large piece of wire stuck in the back of his throat and smaller wire fragments in his large intestine. Doctors tried unsuccessfully all day to remove the wire from his throat. Subsequent X-rays showed the wire had slipped into the man's stomach. At 7 p.m. the ER called in Dr. David Kaplan, a gastroenterologist who specializes in digestive system ailments. He removed the wire with an endoscope, a flexible tube. Kaplan said the man passed the smaller fragments without any harm. The 2-inch piece of wire could have pierced the bowel wall, requiring emergency surgery had it remained inside the patient much longer, Kaplan said. Nearly 1,700 Americans went to emergency rooms between 2002 and 2014 after ingesting wire bristles in grilled food, according to a 2016 study in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. One in four had to be admitted to the hospital. Dr. David Chang, the study's lead author, said the number is probably higher than that because the study did not include cases at urgent care centers and other outpatient settings. Injuries to the esophagus, head and neck were more common than abdominal injuries, according to the study. "This can happen to anyone," Kaplan said. Over time wire brush bristles can break and stick on food placed on grill surfaces. Kaplan said people should carefully wipe down grill surfaces with a damp paper towel or sponge after using a grill brush to remove any fragments. The study said consumers should examine brushes prior to each use and discard them if bristles are loose. It also recommended inspecting cooking grates prior to grilling and exploring other cleaning methods. After treating the Oswego County man, Kaplan bought a wooden scraper to remove residue from his own grill. "Will wooden splinters be the next thing reported? Only time will tell," he said. Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245 President Donald Trump is praising his son's "transparency" after Donald Trump Jr. appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show Tuesday night. "My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent," the president wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning. Trump Jr. appeared on "Hannity" to defend his meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer about potentially damaging information on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. He told the Fox News host he "has probably met with other people from Russia," but called any allegations of collusion "ridiculous" and "overplayed." Earlier Tuesday, Trump Jr. released emails about the meeting, which was described to him as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." However, Trump Jr. said the meeting, set up by music publicist Rob Goldstone, delivered no evidence that could allegedly "incriminate" Clinton and her dealings with Russia." Trump's eldest son denied his father knew of the meeting, despite working closely with him on the campaign. "It was such a nothing, there was nothing to tell" his father, Trump Jr. told Hannity Tuesday. He added that he "probably would have done things a little differently" now, but still defended the meeting, which involved top Trump aides Paul Manafort and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as "opposition research." "I had been reading about scandals that people were probably underreporting for a long time, so maybe it was something that had to do with one of those things," Trump Jr. told Hannity. "I didn't know if there was any credibility, I didn't know if there was anything behind it, I can't vouch for the information. Someone sent me an email. I can't help what someone sends me. I read it, I responded accordingly." President Trump, who has repeatedly denied having ties with the Russian government, continued his attack on the media Tuesday. "This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" he tweeted Wednesday. "Remember, when you hear the words 'sources say' from the Fake Media, often times those sources are made up and do not exist." Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow told "Good Morning America" and the "Today" show that the president's son did not violate any laws in the meeting, and said the president was not aware of the meeting and his son's emails until "very recently." Sekulow also said that the president is not being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller has not commented on the Trump Jr. emails, citing the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee is requesting information from the Departments of State and Homeland Security about Natalia Veselnitskaya, the lawyer who met with Trump's eldest son at Trump Tower in New York last year. The Associated Press reports Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said that according to court documents, she was denied a visa to stay in the U.S. past January 2016, six months before the meeting. The letter is part of a larger investigation Grassley has led into the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Grassley has expressed concerns that the law is not enforced. My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 With slogans like "In Rock We Trust," "Pimp of the Nation" and "I'll Rock the Party," it's hard to imagine Kid Rock as a stuffy politician pontificating on tax policy or defense spending. But there was the Macomb County rocker tweeting a link to a website -- KidRockforSenate.com. It featured a photo of him lounging in a leather jacket atop a velvet blue and gold star chair next to a stuffed deer. Beneath the picture were the words "Are you scared?" He also said on Twitter that "I have had a ton of e-mails and texts asking me if this website is real ... The answer is an absolute YES." I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq The answer is an absolute YES. pic.twitter.com/uYCUg6mjW1 Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 12, 2017 Lansing political consultant Tom Shields said nothing surprises him about politics anymore. "I thought Trump was kidding when he first got in the presidential race, but I'm not surprised by anything anymore," he said. "And Kid Rock has been to the White House, which is more than most of us can say." It wouldn't matter that the rocker has a boatload of baggage, from frequent crude insults to a brief marriage to bombshell actress Pamela Anderson, to a picture he tweeted out just a few hours before his Senate tease, showing him flipping an unseen person the bird. "Normal political baggage does not apply here. You're not going to beat him because he dropped an F-bomb somewhere," Shields said. "Traditional political rules don't apply." Kid Rock said he'll have a "major announcement" soon and the website's store features merchandise ranging from a $4.99 bumper sticker to a $24.99 T-shirt. Not to mention the fact that if he did run, the musician would have to take a break from campaigning for a few days in April, when he hosts the annual four-day Kid Rock's Chillin' the Most Cruise that sails from Miami. The incumbent Democrat -- U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow -- took the possible opponent in stride. "I know we both share a love of music. I concede he is better at playing the guitar, and I'll keep doing what I do best, which is fighting for Michigan," she said in a statement. While Kid Rock may be a household name in pop music circles, his ID among voters may not be as strong as he thinks, raising questions about how viable a candidate he could be. A Senate race in Michigan against Stabenow -- who has won three terms including beating an incumbent Republican in 2000 -- wouldn't be easy and would require any candidate trying to replace her to spend a lot of time courting voters at town halls, rallies and debates, as well as developing a media strategy. Being close to President Donald Trump -- considering his low favorability numbers in Michigan -- may be as much a hindrance as a help in a general election. Finally, state Republicans -- who already have two viable candidates declared in businesswoman Lena Epstein and former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Young -- may feel that a more crowded field could split the vote and hurt their chances of coalescing behind a single candidate to defeat Stabenow. In the spirit of the moment, Epstein responded in a statement: "Hey Kid: Welcome 2 the party! I hope we have the opportunity to campaign across the state together and talk about all the reasons we need to take the fight directly to Debbie Stabenow." Shields has his doubts about a rocker in the U.S. Senate. The website doesn't carry the necessary disclaimers, there are no filings with the Federal Election Commission and he copyrighted the slogan. "It sounds like a new tour to me," he said. Wes Nakagiri, a Livingston County Republican, wistfully got the Kid Rock rumor rolling in February when he spoke of hoping to draft Kid Rock, a.k.a. Robert Ritchie, to challenge Stabenow in 2018. Kid Rock, along with fellow musician "Motor City Madman" Ted Nugent and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin were dinner guests of President Donald Trump in April. He's also made appearances on behalf of Republican candidates, including Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard -- when he ran for the U.S. Senate -- and Trump. WASHINGTON (AP) -- The scope of congressional investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential contest came into sharper focus on Wednesday as lawmakers said they intended to question the former chairman of the Trump campaign and to determine whether Russian social media "trolls" were connected to Trump's election efforts. The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to question former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and will subpoena him if necessary, according to the panel's Republican chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. He said he and the committee's top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein of California, have agreed to try to bring Manafort before the panel for questioning about the government's enforcement of a law requiring registration of foreign lobbyists. Feinstein's office confirmed that they plan to question him. Manafort would certainly also be asked about his participation in a Trump Tower meeting last summer with President Donald Trump's eldest son and son-in-law, where the purpose was to hear potentially damaging information about Hillary Clinton from a Russian lawyer. Manafort disclosed the meeting in a package of information he provided to the Senate and House intelligence committees, who have been investigating potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign, as is Robert Mueller, the former FBI director appointed by the Justice Department as the special counsel. "Obviously it would be appropriate for anybody to get into anything that went on at that meeting, and he was at that meeting," Grassley told Iowa reporters. A person close to Manafort said that he hasn't yet received a letter from the Senate Judiciary Committee about a possible interview. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Manafort's private interactions with the committee. Separately, Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said his panel wants to look at the use of Russian social media "trolls" and whether they were connected to the Trump election campaign. That concern is "certainly something we want to explore," along with the Trump campaign's data analytics, as part of a broader committee investigation into Russian meddling, Schiff said. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, oversaw digital strategy for the campaign. The lawmakers spoke one day after Donald Trump Jr. disclosed on Twitter a series of emails that revealed his eagerness to hear negative material on Clinton from a Russian lawyer. The exchange showed Trump Jr. conversing with a music publicist who wanted him to meet with a "Russian government attorney" who supposedly had dirt on Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." He was told the Russian government had information that could "incriminate" Clinton and her dealings with Russia. "I love it," Trump Jr. said in one email response. On Wednesday, the president declared in a tweet that his son was "open, transparent and innocent." Defending his son's conduct, Trump again dismissed the ongoing Russia investigation as the "greatest Witch Hunt in political history." The president's attorney, Jay Sekulow, said in an interview with NBC's "Today" that Trump Jr. did not violate any laws by accepting the meeting. He said the president had not been aware of Trump Jr.'s June 2016 meeting and didn't find out about his son's email exchange until "very recently." Sekulow said the president was not being investigated by Mueller. "I would know a little bit about it. I'm one of the lawyers," Sekulow told ABC's "Good Morning America." As the emails reverberated across the political world, Trump Jr. defended his actions in an interview with Fox News, blaming the decision to take the meeting on the "million miles per hour" pace of a presidential campaign and his suspicion that the lawyer might have information about "underreported" scandals involving Clinton. Trump Jr. said the meeting "really went nowhere" and that he never told his father about it because there was "nothing to tell." "In retrospect I probably would have done things a little differently," Trump Jr. said. Investigations into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign have shadowed the White House for months. In an interview taped Wednesday, Trump told Christian broadcast station CBN that he believes he and Russian President Vladimir Putin "get along very, very well." But he says Putin will always want "what's good for Russia, and I want what's good for the United States." By India Today Web Desk: Katrina Kaif has been giving us her share of damp looks of late, thanks to the promotions of her upcoming film, Jagga Jasoos. With co-star and ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor in tow, Katrina Kaif has been making plenty public appearances looking a little shabby, to be honest, thanks to her recent fixation with floral prints. Also read: Katrina Kaif, you REALLY have to stop ruining flowers for us advertisement Today, however, is not that day. Today is not another day that Katrina Kaif's dressing will leave us wanting more. Today is the day we go back to ogling at her pretty face, marvelling in the beauty that she is, and feeling like lesser mortals. Photo: Yogen Shah At a press conference in a Juhu store, Katrina showed up wearing this one-shoulder pastel-yellow dress by LA-based design label, Black Halo. We adore the tiny frill on the diagonal neck of the dress, and love the fact that Katrina chose to wear just a dainty pair of loops in her ears to accentuate the look. Photo: Yogen Shah Also read: This picture of Katrina Kaif is all you need to get ready for yet another week Those strappy, brown Steve Madden sandals only added more glamour to the elegant look, and made Kat look like she's here purely for business. We sincerely hope you continue this streak of elegant dressing, Katrina, and do not return to your floral-print phase. Also read: 5 lessons Katrina Kaif can give you about dealing with an ex --- ENDS --- The actress who was allegedly molested and abducted on February 17 this year has spoken to India Today days after the arrest of Malayalam superstar Dileep. By India Today Web Desk: Days after the arrest of Malayalam actor Dileep in the molestation and abduction case of a popular Malayalam actress, the actress has now spoken out. Speaking exclusively to India Today Television, the actress said that she had no real estate or financial dealings with 'the accused' (Dileep). "(I had) No real estate or financial dealings with the accused. We had some personal problems and fell out," she said. advertisement The case dates back to February 17, when 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 and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi. Over the last few months, the case has taken several twists and turns, with the latest development being the arrest of Dileep. Dileep was arrested on Monday evening and remanded to a 14-day judicial custody, following which he applied for a bail. Dileep's bail application was turned down, and the actor is now to approach the Kerala High Court. The actress, who went through the two-hour ordeal in February this year, told India Today Television that she had not named anyone in the case. "I have not accused anyone by name to the investigating agencies. Innocent people should not be convicted," she said. However, the actress went on to conclude, "But to my knowledge, (there is) evidence against him." (Reported by Rohini Swamy, India Today Television) ALSO READ: Does the Kerala actress abduction case date back to the Dileep-Kavya affair? ALSO READ: Dileep's rise from a mimic to a powerful force in Mollywood, before his fall ALSO READ: Dileep arrested in Malayalam actress abduction case - How the drama unfolded ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor --- ENDS --- After the police probe, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may attach Dileep's properties due to discrepancies found in his finances. By Rohini Swamy: So it all comes down to money! That's what the investigating agencies think, and now the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is all set to freeze the bank accounts of Malayalam actor dileep. The police say that they have found several discrepancies in Dileep's statements and that has led to simultaneous investigations into his financial dealings. The police has been in touch with the ED as they were scrutinising Dileep's finances - his investments in films as well as the several real estate deals he had entered into. The police have come to know that there are several benami investments that Dileep has made. advertisement Dileep has been an entrepreneur since 2014 when he launched his quirky restaurant Dhe Puttu. Later, he also launched a multiplex called D Cinemas. Additionally, he is said to have invested in several properties in collaboration with some of his co-actors and friends. Dileep is in police custody till July 14. Once the police have finished their investigation, the ED is expected to swing into action. Interestingly a few years ago, the IT wing had submitted a report to the central government on several economic offences in the Malayalam film industry. Dileep's name too featured in that list. A probe began, but it was halted midway. It was as murky as the present case Dileep is facing, with the police alleging that the actor was not only involved in black market racketeering, but through the several stage shows abroad, they could have been involved in several financial conspiracies. At that time, too, Pulsar Suni's name had cropped up. ALSO READ: Dileep's rise from a mimic to a powerful force in Mollywood, before his fall ALSO READ: Mammootty, Mohanlal were puppets in master manipulator Dileep's hands, says Vinayan ALSO READ: Dileep arrested in Malayalam actress abduction case - How the drama unfolded ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor --- ENDS --- People living with celiac disease are now finding it easier to shop for gluten-free food as more stores are beginning to offer specialty food items. However, if you're a devout Roman Catholic, you might still have to contend with the small amount of gluten found in the unleavened bread used for Communion. The Vatican Radio announced on Saturday, July 8, that the Catholic Church has reaffirmed its ban on the use of gluten-free wafers to celebrate the Eucharist during mass. In a letter sent to bishops in June, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments reiterated that the wafers used for Communion must be made following strict guidelines. Cardinal Robert Sarah, the prefect of the congregation, said the bread must be unleavened, made purely of wheat, and prepared recently to avoid the danger of decomposition. He stressed that no other ingredient other than wheat should be used, otherwise the bread will be deemed invalid for confecting the Eucharistic Sacrament. As far as low-gluten variants are concerned, Cardinal Sarah said they can be used provided they still contain enough gluten to obtain the confection of bread without using additional ingredients. They should also be made without the use of procedures that would alter their nature as bread. The new directive should clarify any confusion surrounding the Vatican's doctrine on gluten, a protein found in wheat and other types of grain. Gluten-Free Bread For Communion In 2014, some church leaders started offering gluten-free wafers to their congregants for Communion. This is in response to the growing number of churchgoers developing celiac disease or gluten intolerance. While the Vatican has allowed the use of low-gluten hosts, the bread should still contain the protein even if in small amounts. In the United States, the term "gluten-free" can be used to refer to wheat-based products that have been mostly removed of their gluten content. The maximum amount of gluten they can still carry is set at 20 parts per million. Such gluten-free wafers can be used as altar bread in celebrating Catholic mass. However, the Church will not accept truly gluten-free variants made from other ingredients such as potato, rice, and tapioca flour. The Vatican said there has been much confusion about what can be used as communion bread since many variants can now be found readily available in supermarkets and online stores. These products often have varying labeling and marketing standards, causing many people to become confused. "Until recently, it was certain religious communities who took care of baking the bread and making the wine for the celebration of the eucharist," the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments said. "Today, however, these materials are also sold in supermarkets and other stores, and even over the internet." The Vatican directive released last month reaffirms the Catholic Church's existing policy on the use of gluten-free bread to celebrate the Eucharist. It was set out by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2003 under the leadership of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was later elected as Pope Benedict XVI. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A massive iceberg the size of Delaware has just broken off from the Larsen C ice shelf off western Antarctica and is now drifting in the Weddell Sea. Larsen C Ice Shelf Breaks Off The Larsen C ice shelf, the fourth largest in Antarctica, was long suspected to be on the verge of breaking off as hinted by an expanding deep crack. On Wednesday morning, July 12, a massive iceberg was finally confirmed to have broken off after scientists looked at the area's latest satellite data. The Larsen C ice shelf is now 10 percent smaller as result of the split, an event that scientists said has altered the shape of the Antarctic peninsula. A68 Iceberg An iceberg is a large chunk of ice that breaks off from a snow-formed glacier or shelf, and floats in open water. Spanning 5,800 square kilometers, the new iceberg called A68, is half the size of iceberg B-15, which broke off from the Ross ice shelf in 2000. Scientists believe A68 is one of the 10 largest icebergs ever recorded. 'Business As Usual' Scientists are apparently not alarmed by the calving, which some claim to be a natural occurrence. "I'm pretty sure that Antarctica won't be shedding a tear when it's gone because the continent loses plenty of its ice this way each year, and so it's really just business as usual," said Andrew Shepherd, of Leeds University. Martin Siegert, of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change & Environment, said that the calving does not necessarily mean that the ice shelf is about to disintegrate. He stressed that ice shelves naturally break up as they extend further out into the ocean and this is not the first massive iceberg that formed. Although the Larsen C ice shelf continues to shed icebergs, some researchers say there is possibility that it may regrow. If the ice shelf suffers further calving, the collapse will not likely happen soon. "In the ensuing months and years, the ice shelf could either gradually regrow, or may suffer further calving events which may eventually lead to collapse opinions in the scientific community are divided. Our models say it will be less stable, but any future collapse remains years or decades away," said Adrian Luckman of Swansea University. Will It Raise Sea Levels? The melting of Antarctica raises worry of rise in global sea levels. Scientists, however, said that the new iceberg would not contribute to this rise just like when an ice cube melts in a glass of water. Anna Hogg, from the University of Leeds, explained that the ice cube already floats. If it melts, it does not significantly change the volume of the water in the glass. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A recent report indicated that the new Galaxy S8 flagship is not as successful as the Galaxy S7 before it, but Samsung argues that the comparison is skewed. Samsung is refuting claims that its Galaxy S8 is not selling as good as its predecessor, highlighting that such a comparison is premature at this point. The company explains that last year it launched its Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge globally, whereas this year it released the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 series more gradually. More specifically, Samsung launched its new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus flagships back in April this year but made them available in just a few markets at first. The smartphones reached more markets in May. Too Soon To Gauge Galaxy S8 Success With this in mind, Samsung says that a comparison between the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S7 market success is not really plausible at this point, considering the different product launch schemes. Consequently, Samsung suggests that industry watchers should instead wait a bit longer before attempting to gauge the Galaxy S8's commercial success in comparison to that of the Galaxy S7. Analysts, on the other hand, believe the Galaxy S8 series was off to a strong start but started to drop in demand not long after it hit the market. Samsung has not offered any sales figures for the Galaxy S8 lineup since May, which may further be interpreted as evidence of a drop in demand. The company had announced on May 16 that Galaxy S8 sales topped 10 million up to that point, but has been quiet ever since. "Since the 10 million shipment, Samsung is not revealing sales figures possibly due to slowing sales," said an analyst. "We assume the S8 is selling less than the S7." Samsung Galaxy Note 8 En Route The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are still relatively fresh on the market, however, and they're widely considered among the best smartphones currently available on the market. The two stirred plenty of interest so far and will likely see greater sales going forward, albeit some Samsung fans may be waiting to see what the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 brings to the table before deciding which flagship to purchase. The Galaxy Note 8 is rumored to hit the scene in August or September, around the IFA 2017 trade show, but there has also been some speculation that Samsung might release the flagship sooner in order to offset disappointing Galaxy S8 sales. With no official information, however, take all rumors with a grain of salt. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Today, numerous tech companies are participating in a day of action in support of net neutrality, but some might be wondering what the purpose behind net neutrality is. In short, net neutrality is the idea that all websites should be treated equally in order to foster a free and open internet. As the internet currently stands, users can go to any site they want and that site will not be blocked or throttled by their internet service providers. If someone wants to watch the newest season of Stranger Things, they don't have to worry about Comcast slowing down the stream in order to encourage users to watch a show on cable instead. Strangely enough, Netflix has expressed mixed support for net neutrality in the past. The Future Of Net Neutrality And The Internet That's how the internet currently works, but it could change. Donald Trump's FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, is an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration's policies which classified ISP as Title II carriers. Under this classification, the federal government has far broader powers to regulate ISPs and was able to enforce rules regarding net neutrality. However, if Pai's proposed changes go through then the federal government would lose its power to regulate these industries. For his part, Pai has claimed that the title II restrictions are a burden on the market and could lead to increased prices and a lack of competition in the ISP marketplace. In terms of competition, things weren't very good prior to the title II restrictions, but they haven't gotten any worse either. There's little evidence to support the idea that Title II restrictions are responsible for the lack of competition in the marketplace. That being said, there is a distinct lack of competition, especially in rural areas. There are still parts of the United States where people are forced to rely on either dial-up connections or pay for very expensive satellite internet service. Some tech companies, such as Microsoft, have pledged to fight this issue, but that just disproves Pai's point. Microsoft's plan to expand broadband access to rural Americans does not appear to be contingent on the repeal of Title II. How To Protect Net Neutrality Right now, the future of net neutrality is still up in the air. Pai's proposed changes haven't been voted on yet and the FCC is still taking public comments until July 17 so there's still time to speak out. Simply visit the FCC website and hit "Express" in order to write a comment or "New Filing" to include documents. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dileep's manager is missing and his phone has been switched off for the last two days. By India Today Web Desk: After Malayalam superstar Dileep was arrested in connection with the Kerala actress abduction case, his manager Appunni has gone underground. Reportedly, the prime accused in the case, Pulsar Suni, made calls frequently to a few numbers who allegedly have links with the actor's manager Appunni. These calls were said to be made between November 23, 2016 and February 17, 2017. advertisement According to The Times Of India, Appunni was supposed to be interrogated by the police about his involvement in the case on Tuesday morning. However, he has vanished into thin air and switched off his mobile phone. "His mobile phone is switched off; he is not there in any of the places he is supposed to be in," a senior police officer told the publication. Last month, the police had already questioned Appunni at the Aluva police club in Greater Kochi. However, a lot of contradictions were found in his statement, and the police want to re-interrogate him to find out his involvement in the case. ALSO READ: Dileep's rise from a mimic to a powerful force in Mollywood, before his fall ALSO READ: Mammootty, Mohanlal were puppets in master manipulator Dileep's hands, says Vinayan ALSO READ: Dileep arrested in Malayalam actress abduction case - How the drama unfolded ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor --- ENDS --- To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fast food chain in China, Huawei has launched a limited edition KFC smartphone. The device follows a trend of special editions being launched for smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S8 Pirates of the Caribbean Edition, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Injustice Edition, and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Iron Man Edition. This is the first time, however, that a device looked so finger-licking good. Huawei KFC Smartphone: Here Are The Details The KFC-branded device was released in China to commemorate 30 years of KFC in the country. KFC is now the biggest restaurant chain in China, with more than 5,000 locations as of early this year. The Chinese apparently really love KFC, and how else to take advantage of that than releasing a KFC-branded smartphone? The special edition device is a KFC version of Huawei's Enjoy 7 Plus, a mid-range Android smartphone that was only released in certain markets. Its specifications are nothing to be amazed about, with a 5.5-inch 720p screen and a 12-megapixel camera on the surface and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage under the hood. Customers who are ultimate fans of KFC will try to purchase the smartphone likely because of its design in the back. Near the device's fingerprint scanner is a logo of the man himself, Colonel Sanders, that will make it stand out among the ordinary smartphones of other KFC lovers. The KFC smartphone will also come with pre-installed freebies, including KFC's mobile app and 10,000 K dollars, which is the virtual currency for the KFC app in China. The device will also provide users access to K-Music, a new jukebox function that has been added to the KFC app. KFC enthusiasts in China, however, will need to be quick in purchasing the device if they really want one. Huawei will only create 5,000 units of the KFC smartphone, with the device to go on sale starting July 13 in the fast food chain's Tmall store. It will carry a price tag of 1,099 Chinese yuan, equivalent to just over $160. Will The KFC Smartphone Arrive In The United States? Given that the KFC smartphone was created to celebrate the fast food chain's 30th anniversary in China, it is highly unlikely that Huawei will make more of the device to be sold internationally. A few units might pop up in online retailers such as eBay and Amazon, but it should be noted that the difference in cellular bands means that the device might not work if it is brought into the United States. For hardcore KFC fans, however, a couple hundred of dollars for a collector's item might be something to think about. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The main focus of digital transformation is the digitalisation of the companys value proposal, redesigning processes and, above all, their business models. It also implies thinking about the product or service in terms of the user, the digital perimeter we build, while seeking user loyalty in every interaction. This is a transformation that involves new models of power and a change that requires, above all, the evolution of the culture of organizations and people. The digital technologies we work on may either be driving new business directly related to the new skills they bring, or they may generate transformations in poorly digital value proposals, but that have the potential to scale or diversify. In other cases, efficiency in value creation processes (transformations, integrations, etc.) is improved while generating efficacy through the analysis of data. Value extraction from the data is another of the goals behind this transformation, generating proprietary value proposals power models (defensive) and external ones (disintermediation). Lastly, the challenge of resilience and trust in digital infrastructures must be highlighted, reducing the risk in transformation processes that generate long-term dependencies on digital technologies. By India Today Web Desk: Kerala actress abduction case in turning murkier by the day. A day after Malayalam actor Dileep's bail application was rejected by the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, the police is planning to interrogate his close friend Nadirshah once again in relation to the case. For the uninitiated, the popular actress was abducted on February 17 while she was on her way home after a shoot. Some men got into her car on the way to Kochi and allegedly sexually assaulted her. They also took photos and videos of the act to blackmail the actress. In relation to the case, the police arrested Dileep on Monday evening. advertisement While the 48-year-old actor has maintained that he is innocent, police is continuing with the legal proceedings. And Nadirshah is on their radar. Dileep's friend and director Nadirshah is also a suspect in the case. The police were investigating the possibility of telephonic conversations between the main accused and him. It is said that Pulsar Suni allegedly spoke to Nadir Shah at least three times. These calls were made to discuss a financial transaction between them, and on examination of the SIM cards used by Suni, the police have found that each of the three calls lasted close to eight minutes. Last month, both, Appunni and Nadirshah, were interrogated by the police and their statements were reportedly found to be contradictory on various aspects. The police plans to question them again and ask about Dileep's financial transactions, real estate dealings as well as the foreign trips undertaken by them, to ascertain if these are in any way connected to the case. A report in Manorama Online states that Nadirshah will be interrogated by police soon, but at the same time, police doesn't want Nadirshah to turn approver for the case. For those who don't know, approver is somebody who is indirectly or directly involved in the crime but later turns witness for the case. In return for his confession, his sentence is pardoned off. But considering Nadir's closeness to Dileep, police is a little skeptical of getting him on board as an approver. ALSO READ: Manju Warrier asks for custody of daughter after Dileep's arrest? ALSO READ: Dileep's bail application dismissed, actor to approach Kerala HC ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor --- ENDS --- The police are likely to interrogate Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan and her mother to ascertain if they knew about the conspiracy. By India Today Web Desk: After Dileep's name got linked with the Kerala actress abduction case, his wife Kavya Madhavan's name also cropped up. Kavya's home and place of business was raided by the police after prime accused Pulsar Suni reportedly told the police that he deposited a memory card with photos of the kidnapped actress at the office of Kavya's online boutique Laksyah in Kakkanad. advertisement However, according to The Times of India, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found no evidence yet to link Kavya and her family to the case. The police confiscated the hard disk of the CCTV, but the visuals have been overwritten because months have passed since the incident. Sources told the publication that the erased visuals will be accessed through scientific examination. Meanwhile, the police want to find out if Kavya and her mother, Shyamala, were aware of the conspiracy that Dileep allegedly masterminded. According to Manorama Online, Kavya and her mother are likely to be interrogated. However, the police do not believe that they were involved in the execution. ALSO READ: Does the Kerala actress abduction case date back to the Dileep-Kavya affair? ALSO READ: Dileep's rise from a mimic to a powerful force in Mollywood, before his fall ALSO READ: Dileep arrested in Malayalam actress abduction case - How the drama unfolded ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail rejected, more trouble for the Malayalam actor --- ENDS --- "Dialogue and negotiation in 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 A Jammu and Kashmir police team is expected to come to Patiala soon. By Manjeet Sehgal: To explore links between Khalistan sleeper cells and Lashkar terrorists, Jammu and Kashmir police will soon bring Sandeep Kumar Sharma, alias Adil, to Patiala in Punjab. Patiala is the place where Adil met Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) men. The police now wants to find out how he came in contact with the dreaded terrorist organisation terrorists and later converted to Islam. advertisement "A Jammu and Kashmir team is expected to reach here along with Sandeep Kumar Sharma soon. The main reason to bring him here is to find out how he came in contact with Kashmiri militants and joined the outfit," a senior Punjab Police official, not wanting to be named, said. Punjab Police officials were on toes when the arrested terrorist, during his interrogation, told J&K Police that he had moved from Patiala to Kashmir. Punjab Police had no clues about Sandeep Kumar Sharma's Patiala connection - where he stayed, where he worked and how he converted and met Lashkar men. The police suspect Sandeep as the member of a Punjab gang involved in dacoities and murders. The police is already trying to establish the link between Punjab gangsters, Khalistan terrorists and LeT. DID SANDEEP GET HIS DRIVING LICENSE MADE IN PATIALA? Sandeep Sharma had come to Patiala six years ago and is believed to have stayed in this city for four years. Investigations have revealed that he started working as a gas welder here before he joined the terror group. Highly-placed sources said Adil came in contact with some Kashmiri shawl sellers who usually migrate to plains during winters. He befriended them and started visiting Kashmir during the summers. The suspected LeT terrorists in the garb of shawl sellers used to visit him in winters. Sources said Sandeep fancied Kashmiri girls and wanted to marry one of them which compelled him to convert to Islam. Police sources also said he owned a driving licence which was issued in his real name. He was used as driver or a courier by the Lashkar men. His job was to carry weapons and terrorists from one place to another. Sources also said he also used vehicles which were registered in neighbouring states. The police now wants to find out whether the licence was made in Punjab or any of the vehicles driven by him belonged to Punjab. Patiala is already on the radar of Punjab Police after a pressure cooker bomb factory unit was unearthed here last month. There are reports that sleeper cells of Khalistan terror groups are active in various parts of Punjab including Patiala. advertisement After Patiala, the arrested terrorist is likely to be taken to Muzaffarnagar to get more leads. What is evident is that the police may arrest his sympathisers in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Also read: 100 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year as forces go on relentless offensive Operation All-Out: Army's master plan to flush out terrorists from Kashmir As terrorist attacks increase in Kashmir Valley, number of local militants also go up ALSO WATCH: Modi government will find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue: Rajnath Singh to India Today --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Noted environmentalist and lawyer M C Mehta today demanded a CBI enquiry into the spending of over Rs 7000 crore by the Centre and state government in cleaning the 500 km stretch of the Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh. The issue was raised by the lawyer, on whose petition the National Green Tribunal today delivered a detailed judgement and noted that over Rs 7000 crore have been spent by various authorities on Ganga cleaning without any significant improvement in the river. advertisement "River Ganga is revered by millions across the nation and it is part of our civilisation. The NGT has noted in its judgement on Ganga that Rs 7304 crore have been spent on Ganga cleaning. "The amount spent on cleaning of Ganga has gone waste. I think there should be an enquiry by the Government of India. There is definitely more money spent than Rs 7,000 crore as every authority has spent money on cleaning of the river. There should be a CBI enquiry or a CAG audit on how the funds have been spent, as this is the public money which has been wasted," Mehta said. Welcoming the NGT verdict, he said the tribunal has done its job and now it is for the authorities to execute the directions in a time-bound manner. "This is a landmark judgement as it contains many directions and if they are complied then it will be really good and it will make a change in quality of river Ganga. "This judgement will guide the authorities how to move forward with regard to the cleaning of the river. If all the directions are complied with it definitely improve quality of water in the river," the lawyer said. The advocate, who had first filed the case for cleaning of Ganga in the Supreme Court in 1985, said there has to be proper monitoring by the Centre, the state governments and the National Mission for Clean Ganga. PTI PKS ARC --- ENDS --- By PTI: Nagpur, Jul 13 (PTI) A 31-year-old man was allegedly thrashed by a group of persons here on the suspicion of carrying beef, a police official said today. The police have arrested four persons in this connection. Salim Ismail Sheikh, a resident of the districts Katol town, was returning home last evening on his bike when 5-6 men apprehended him at a bus stop in Bharsingi village of Nagpur rural, and asked him to get off the two-wheeler. advertisement The men asked him to show the meat he was carrying in the dicky of his bike. When he resisted, the men allegedly thrashed him, Nagpur rural Superintendent of Police Shailesh Balkawade said. Sheikh suffered injuries on his face and neck in the attack. He was admitted to a hospital in Nagpur and discharged today, police sources said. Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint against unidentified persons. The police were able to establish the identity of the accused on the basis of the incidents purported video clip which went viral, an official said. Two of the accused were arrested last night and as many others were taken into custody this morning, the SP said. Those arrested have been identified as Ashwin Uike (35), Rameshwar Taywade (42), Moreshwar Tandurkar (36) and Jagdish Chaudhari (25), a police official said. They have been booked under IPC sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), he said. The section 326 of IPC attracts a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The SP said the meat has been seized and sent to a forensic lab in Nagpur for testing. The report is awaited. To a query, he said the police are investigating the incident and trying to find out whether the men were cow vigilantes. The incident is being probed from all angles, he added. PTI CLS GK DV --- ENDS --- Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... Once again, Zachary came out on top in Louisiana on the LEAP standardized tests, collectively showing high mastery in English, math and science, according to results released Wednesday. Zachary students topped all three subjects in the spring LEAP tests, ranging from 45 percent mastery in science to 62 percent mastery in English. Zachary still top in LEAP scores but other districts catching up Although other school districts made up some ground, Zachary once again led the way in the s Ascensions growth stands out as well because several of the school district's schools flooded in August. The district's growth contrasts with other flooded districts, such as the city of Baker, East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes, which all had notable declines. John White, school superintendent for Louisiana, said the evidence so far suggests the impact of the flood was minimal. White, however, said his office plans to release a report in August on individual flood-affected schools that might give a clearer picture of any fallout on academic results from the disaster. Ascension Parish Superintendent David Alexander gave credit to all school employees, but said students were the ones who stayed the course. He said his staff worked hard to make sure they were able to make up the 11 days missed after the flood and to cover the necessary material. Livingston schools hit worst in flooding, but is not alone Of the Louisiana school districts affected by the floods, Livingston Parish is reporting the Among other the capital area school districts, Central also improved slightly, despite extensive flooding in that area. West Feliciana and Livingston parish schools also made it into the top 10 statewide. West Feliciana Parish grew slightly, while Livingston declined, especially in math. Bakers performance on spring testing was a big setback for the small city north of Baton Rouge. Mastery fell in English, math and science, erasing almost all of the progress Baker schools made a year earlier. Superintendent Herman Brister Sr. said he had several classes full of children that were behind all year and never caught up. He said the flooding hurt in terms of lost time from students and teachers out for flood-related reasons. It came as no surprise, he said. We have work to do, and we know what we need to do. A big drag on Bakers results has been the failure in the past to hire teachers early enough, something Brister said he is working to rectify this year. We already have about 90 percent of our staff, he said. It past years at this time, we had only about 50 percent of our staff. The Recovery School District Schools in Baton Rouge were near the bottom of statewide rankings, though they improved slightly overall. And while still low-ranked, St. Helena Parish had one of its strongest testing rounds in years, especially in English where it outgrew every school district in the state. East Baton Rouge Parish, the second largest school district in Louisiana, slipped some, dragged down by declines in English and math, holding steady only in science. It continues to trail the state as a whole in every area. Superintendent Warren Drake said the flooding likely played a part, particularly because of student and teacher displacement and technological damage. I dont think there is any doubt that the flood has had an effect, he said. At the same time, Drake noted bright spots such Claiborne Elementary, which has outpaced the state in growth in mastery over the past two years. LEAP tests, short for Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, are given in grades three to eight. This year, for the first time, students in fifth to eighth grade were required to take the tests exclusively on computer. That requirement led to mass purchases of laptop and other computers by public schools across Louisiana. In 2015, Louisiana rolled out new educational standards. As part of that shift, the state began expecting schools to shoot not just for the basic achievement level, which used to be considered grade level, but to aim higher and achieve mastery or above in tested subjects. This years annual testing, which occurred between April 3 and May 5, was the third where schools have been tasked with meeting this higher standard. New social studies tests were also given during the spring testing window, but the Louisiana Department of Education is still analyzing those scores and has yet to release them. Among individual schools in the capital area, Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School in Baton Rouge had the strongest round of spring testing, placing eighth in the state in mastery. Eighty-five percent of its students collectively showed mastery in English, math and science. That, however, was down from the 89 percent of Westdale Heights students who showed mastery a year earlier. Next highest was LSU Lab School, where 80 percent of students showed mastery on LEAP tests this spring, down from 82 percent in 2016. Looking at the lowest performing schools, North Banks Middle School in Baton Rouge was the poorest performing of the neighborhood, non-alternative public schools. Only 3 percent of its students achieved mastery, down from 5 percent a year earlier. Next lowest neighborhood public school in the capital area was Baker Middle School in Baker, where only 5 percent of students showed mastery. Angles Academy and Jehovah-Jirah Christian Academy were the lowest performing of the capital areas private schools. The two Baton Rouge schools have students who receive publicly funded vouchers, and by law those students are required to take state standardized tests. Only 3 percent of their voucher students showed mastery in English, math and science. Doctors said they were pleased with results of a surgical procedure for injured East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Deputy Nick Tullier, but he was having a difficult time in the aftermath, according to his father. Tullier suffered a seizure after the surgery on Wednesday and was dealing with a high fever and heart rate, as well as severe pain, said his father, James. "Everything had quieted down by about 10 or 11 p.m. Figure the next 3 days will be painful for Nick," James Tullier said Wednesday evening. "Trying to make sure med staff stay ahead of the pain with meds." The surgery involved opening Tullier's intestinal cavity, where there was a large blockage seen during a procedure several weeks ago. The surgery also revealed two fistulas in the intestines as well as an area of infection. "The surgeon told us he was pleased with the results," wrote James Tullier in his daily update on Nick's condition Thursday morning. The latest surgery comes just short of a year after Nick Tullier was wounded in an ambush attack on law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge. Fellow deputy Brad Garafola, as well as Baton Rouge Police officers Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald were killed in the attack. Tullier was initially treated at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge, but was transfered to Houston's TIRR Memorial Hermann hospital in November. Last week, Tullier was identified in the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Black Lives Matter movement for its role in the attack. DeRay McKesson and other leaders were named in the lawsuit, saying the group "incited violence against police" and claim the activists' criticism of law enforcement led directly to the July 17, 2016 attack that left three Baton Rouge law enforcement officers dead. During the fourth meeting of the state higher education council, J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti directed the introduction of local languages including Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi in schools and colleges, while also calling for consolidation of educational infrastructure. By India Today Web Desk: During the fourth meeting of the state higher education council, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed the introduction of local languages including Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi in schools and colleges while also calling for consolidation of educational infrastructure. It was also informed that a student hostel built by the state government at New Delhi at a cost of Rs 30 crore is now complete and about to be made operational. advertisement An official spokesperson said that Mufti also approved the setting up of a horticulture university at Wadura and a law university in the state.Describing the directive of the chief minister for introduction of different languages in schools and colleges as "significant", the spokesman said Mufti asked the higher education department to create faculty for teaching these languages and get them filled accordingly. (Read: Film Appreciation (FA) course to be conducted by FTII in Kashmir University) Other initiatives and projects for which consent was given She directed equipping the institutions of higher learning in the state with requisite faculty, laboratories, workshops, libraries and other accessories Strengthening of student welfare centres at the universities and making students real stakeholders in the affairs of the varsities Setting up incubation centres at the universities so that the students get trained to pursue their careers in a proper manner Reviewing the activities in technical education sector, streamlining of fee structure in all the nursing colleges in the state have been directed Introduction of career counselling and personality development among students from the high school level so that they are properly groomed at the time of career selection Four projects worth Rs 30 crore have been taken up in various universities of the state to upgrade engineering laboratories The spokesman said the council also gave nod to the setting up of two administrative staff colleges at Srinagar and Jammu. He said that work on 25 colleges in the state is apace and out of these, 16 colleges are targeted to be completed this fiscal. Read: IIT JEE Advanced 2017: Utensil merchant's son tops in Kashmir region Read: 10 per cent relaxation offered to J&K students by Haryana government --- ENDS --- Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Top officials of the state Department of Education said Thursday they are encouraged by the federal response to the state's plan for revamping public schools in Louisiana. The proposal, which was submitted on April 15, is required under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Feds seek more information on Louisiana's plan to revamp public schools In their first feedback, federal officials Friday asked state Superintendent of Education Jo The state got a nine-page letter from the U.S. Department of Education on June 30 seeking clarifications on a variety of topics. Jessica Baghian, a top official of the state Department of Education, said many of the questions were "pretty nitty gritty" and similar to those sent to other states. "Basically we take the letter as a good sign," Baghian told the 23-member Superintendents' Advisory Council. Baghian is assistant superintendent for assessments and accountability. The changes, including new rules in how public school letter grades are calculated, are set to take effect for the 2017-18 school year. The proposal sparked months of arguments, including disputes between state Superintendent of Education John White and allies of Gov. John Bel Edwards on when to submit the plan, reduced testing and changes in how public school teachers are evaluated. The state expects a final decision on the proposal from federal officials by mid August, which is when most public schools start the new academic year. "We have received the feedback we are going to receive from the feds," White told local superintendents. The federal law is aimed at boosting student achievement and aiding students from low-income families and those with disabilities. Baghian noted that Louisiana's plan has won praise from two independent groups. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the plan in March despite calls by Edwards and others to delay the submission until September. A total of 17 states submitted their proposals to federal officials in April. Most of the federal feedback focused on clarifications as well as changes in how some topics are categorized, including annual academic growth and how science and social studies are put in Louisiana's accountability system. Federal officials also sought information on how federal programs are managed by state officials for delinquent, migratory and homeless students. The state's response will be filed by July 17, which federal officials said is needed to keep to a mid-August decision. Baghian said school principals can be assured that previous policies will remain in place. "None of this does anything to change the formula they have been studying for the past six months," she said. The council advises BESE on key public school topics. The issue is expected to spark new controversy in August when BESE debates rules and regulations to implement revamped public school policies. Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, right, joins Attorney General Jeff Landry, left, to speak during a press conference to announce a voucher program for distrubuting Nalaxone, a prescription drug that blocks the effects of opioids, to emergency personnel across the state Monday, May 15, 2017, at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office Public Safety Complex in Lafayette, La. Two out of three high school seniors are now applying, at least on paper, for financial aid for college or post-high school job training. That's a great number and a credit to educators pushing the idea that students ought to at least think about their options for education after high school. The state Department of Education reported that 65 percent of high school seniors have applied for assistance, up from 58 percent last year. 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 from the U.S. government 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 long Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is now easier to complete, as tax forms from the previous year are now used for the info in the form, officials said. But forms follow function, and it is the ultimate goal of this new FAFSA push to get students to think about education after high school, and see that there is, in fact, a way to finance it. FAFSA is needed not just for Pell grants and other federal programs, but TOPS eligibility at the state level. State Superintendent of Education John White said that students most in need of the aid typically don't apply, so he has made it a personal cause to get Louisiana's numbers up. No one can disagree, we think, but it is important not to confuse the metric of form completions with the realities of students particularly those White is most concerned about, from lower-income households who might feel that the summit of educational goals is high school graduation. The jobs in a 21st-century workplace require more than a high school diploma. With the exception of a few institutions such as Delgado in New Orleans Louisiana was late to the table with the creation of a system of community colleges, lower-cost routes to professional certifications that are vital to good jobs today. FAFSA completion is only part of the larger movement to show students how much training past high school can mean to them. From the standpoint of institutions, whether four-year or two-year colleges, or technical schools, a significant lowering of state aid over the past decade means that tuition and fees are the largest source of the money to keep the lights on and instructors paid. It's a win-win for post-secondary education if FAFSA completion gets to near 100 percent because it expands the base of potential students, and Louisiana generates over time a better-educated workforce to be competitive in a knowledge economy. When Louisiana Democrats announced they'd sidestep controversy about national party founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson and instead rebrand their annual summer fundraiser as the "True Blue Gala," a Washington Post journalist tweeted out his disappointment that officials didn't just go with two homegrown dynasties and call it the Long-Landrieu dinner. Kind of catchy, actually. Another idea would be to keep it simple and go with the Edwards-Edwards dinner, in honor of a couple of recent governors. These figures aren't everybody's ideal, but then, at least none of them owned slaves or treated Native Americans horrifically, as Jefferson and Jackson, respectively, did. Critics might point to the change as political correctness run amok, but it's more like truth in advertising. Political parties have specific agendas, and in the Democratic Party's case, one is to celebrate how far the country has come from those days. If enough of its members think the Jefferson and Jackson affiliations don't gel with that, then no reason to hold on to tradition for tradition's sake. Changing a private event's name is a lot less fraught than, say, removing monuments from public land. Besides, looking to a party's past leadership is always complicated. Republicans get to cite Abraham Lincoln as a spiritual leader, even though the modern-day party struggles mightily to attract support from the descendants of the slaves he freed. They revere the memory of Ronald Reagan, but some of his policies would never pass muster in today's harder-line atmosphere. Really, the most honest way to advertise either party would be to simply cite its current top dogs, President Donald Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Republicans' case, and House and Senate Minority Leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer for the Democrats. The downside: I'm not sure any of those names would help fill a room. Frank Scurlock, a candidate for New Orleans mayor and would-be developer of the Six Flags site in New Orleans East, was arrested at the Jefferson Davis statue on Canal Street Saturday night. Opposition presidential election nominee Meira Kumar has said that the freedom of the press is presently under grave threat. By Rahul Noronha: Opposition presidential election nominee Meira Kumar has said that the freedom of the press is presently under grave threat. Kumar said, "The presidential contest is one of ideology and not personality. I stand for certain issues such as freedom of expression, caste-based discrimination and religious tolerance. I am fighting for you", she told the media in Bhopal reiterating that the freedom of the press was under threat. advertisement Meeting Congress MLAs in the city, the former Lok Sabha Speaker said, "I have appealed to the inner voice of everyone in the electorate to support me. This country has earlier seen an election based on the inner voice. Do not underestimate the power of the inner voice." I'VE WRITTEN TO ELECTORAL COLLEGE MEMBERS FOR SUPPORT: KUMAR She added that she had written letters to all members of the electoral college seeking their support. When asked whether both the UPA and the NDA had played the Dalit card in naming their appointees, Kumar said that it was wrong to term the choice of candidates in such a way. "The President's image has immense moral authority", she said when asked what the office of the President entailed. Earlier on July 8, NDA's Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind was in Bhopal to meet MLAs. Also read | Presidential election ideology-based, not person-centric: Meira on seeking Lalu's support Also read | I am fighting a particular ideology: Meira ALSO WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- The Cellebrite system can extract data from a variety of phones. Credit:Tessa Stevens Fairfax Media revealed last month government departments and agencies, including Centrelink, the Department of Employment and the ATO were using phone-hacking technology developed by Israeli security company, Cellebrite. Now a UK-based vendor has said major agencies, including the Department of Immigration, are buying off-the-shelf phone hacking tools to extract data from the phones of those they suspect of fraud. Fone Fun Shop owner Mark Strachan said he also sold these commonly available phone hacking devices to the Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police. Several Australian government agencies have admitted to using Cellebrite, but the use of the other devices sold by Fone Fun Shop suggests the agencies are using a much wider range of phone hacking tools than previously believed. Finbar O'Mallon looks into the agencies' purchases of this technology. Damages awarded A Canberra couple have won damages over the shoddy build of their purchased home. Credit:Louie Douvis Rising damp caused by the faulty installation of a vapour barrier, a balcony that directed water into the house, roof faults that allowed water in and cracked concrete in the garage. These were the problems, identified by an engineer's report, two Canberrans encountered after buying a Macgregor home. They have won more than $380,000 in damages after suing a builder and a seller over the shoddy build. In July 2009 a woman contracted construction company Hanson Australasia Pty Ltd to build the two-storey, four-bedroom house. A man and a woman arranged to buy the property from the woman in April 2010, before the home was finished. But they began to notice problems shortly after settlement, about three months later. Alexandra Back reports on the court decision. Greens try to soften report The ACT Greens have been accused of mishandling an allegation of sexual assault. Credit:Natalie Grono It's been a year since a Greens volunteer was allegedly sexually assaulted in the back of a car by another volunteer on federal election night. Now a former party member and member of its campaign team has gone public, frustrated at his inability to get any action from the Greens hierarchy. Zach Ghirardello has been advocating on behalf of the 21-year-old woman about the alleged assault since the night, when he was called in to deal with it. He has said the ACT Greens had no capacity to deal professionally with the woman's complaint. Because of this, she had been fobbed off. The ACT Greens tried to water down a damning report about their handling of the allegation and other critical incidents during last year's election campaigns. Katie Burgess and Kirsten Lawson with this report. Godless Canberra Pastor Ken Perrin of the Ainslie Church of Christ. Census results have shown that the inner-north has low numbers of religious people. Credit:Jamila Toderas The inner-north is well known for its hipsters and burgeoning cafe culture. But waves of young, wealthy people arriving into its trendy suburbs may be driving religion out. Census 2016 showed those who have moved into the inner-north's units and houses were more likely to report having no religion than elsewhere in Canberra. In Braddon, 51 per cent said they weren't religious while only 26.5 per cent said they were Christian. Only Acton (24.6 per cent), Civic (22.8 per cent) and Lawson (23.2 per cent) had fewer believers. The ACT's top magistrate refused to remove herself from a workplace injury case after she criticised industrial prosecutions as "abysmally run" and "plagued by a lack of diligence". Industrial Magistrate Lorraine Walker admitted her comments were "regrettably intemperate" and stemmed from frustration the criminal case against Qantas contractor Star Aviation had derailed. Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker admitted her comments were "regrettably intemperate" as she threw out the criminal case against Star Aviation. Credit:Jay Cronan But Ms Walker still threw out out the case against the company on a technicality after she found the charges before the court had been faulty. Star Aviation was charged after a cleaner allegedly hurt his back when he fell backwards from the service door of a Q400 turboprop aircraft parked in the QantasLink hangar at Canberra Airport in January 2014. The budget deficit has arguably been eclipsed as a political problem by a trust and respect deficit. Given a decade of leadership tension and coups, outdated ideological infighting, brazenly broken promises, expenses scandals and the corrosive ascendancy of conflict over collaboration, the standing of our politicians is historically low. This has helped drive membership of the main parties to a 50-year nadir, to the benefit of fringe groups and independents. Trust central, on the hill of discontent. Credit:Andrew Meares So, one might think mainstream politicians would be keen to improve public perceptions. But, in the face of a benign opportunity to support probity and ethics, they have, in the main, reacted with arrogance and scorn. Last month, high-profile corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald, who ran the judicial investigation that led to the resignation of Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen 30 years ago, sent to all members of Federal Parliament a survey, in conjunction with policy research group the Australia Institute, about accountability, integrity, nepotism, deception and the spending of public money. McLeod's Daughters may be returning to our screens and Barnaby Joyce is a fashion pin up. Welcome to the winter of 2017, the era of elevated rural chic. Where Fendi is designing shearling jackets and R.M. Williams are now producing gold boots. R.M. Williams are now selling a gold boot for women. Back in 1993, R.M. Williams created the President boot especially for Bill Clinton; now the popular Yearling Adelaide style comes in sparkling gold leather for Ziggy Stardust fans. But only female Bowie fans need bother adding these disco boots to cart. It is, outside the courtroom, the most reliable source of legal drama in Sydney: the personality clashes between barristers and solicitors working on Phillip Street in the heart of the city's legal district. NSW Law Society junior vice-president Coralie Kenny has taken the peak solicitors' body to court. Credit:YouTube This time, the NSW Law Society the representative body for the state's 30,000 solicitors is in turmoil as its junior vice-president takes it to court to head off a bid to oust her from the position. Coralie Kenny, who was elected junior vice-president in November, sought an urgent injunction in the Supreme Court late last Thursday preventing the Law Society's 22-member council voting on a resolution to remove her from the position. A former high-profile solicitor hatched a four-year scheme with two colleagues to avoid making bankruptcy and income tax payments by taking clients' fees in cash, a court has heard. Former lawyer Tim Meehan, 41, who acted for Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan, will likely face more than a year behind bars after pleading guilty to fraud and falsifying records. Former defence lawyer Tim Meehan is facing possible jail. Credit:Michelle Smith Crown prosecutor Michael Byrne told the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday Meehan had received more than $626,000 in cash payments from 19 clients over the course of four years while working at a Brisbane law firm. He called for the father-of-four to face at least 18 months behind bars, after he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated fraud and eight counts of fraudulent falsification of records. A show ride company and one its directors have been notionally fined more than $157,000 over the death of an eight-year-old girl thrown from a ride at the Royal Adelaide Show. Queensland-based company C, J & Sons Amusement Pty Ltd and director Jenny-Lee Sullivan admitted breaching safety laws in relation to the death of Adelene Leong. Adelene Leong died when she was thrown from a ride at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014. Credit:SA Police The schoolgirl was on holiday from Malaysia when she died after being thrown 10 metres from the Airmaxx 360 ride in 2014. In the industrial Court on Thursday, magistrate Michael Ardlie said he would have imposed fines totalling $157,500 but he was satisfied there was no way the parties could pay so declined to make an order forcing them to do so. Queensland's door would be open to billionaire Elon Musk if he wanted to talk about a project in the Sunshine State, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said following a leaders' roundtable featuring former US vice president and climate change activist Al Gore. Last week, South Australia announced Mr Musk's Tesla company as the principal builder of the world's largest lithium ion battery to expand the state's renewable energy supply. Climate activist Al Gore and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad in Melbourne on July 13. Mr Musk has promised to have the SA system installed and operating within 100 days, otherwise it will be free. Ms Trad said Queensland would say yes to Mr Musk if he wanted to turn his attention to the state once the South Australian battery was built. Australian small businesses are struggling to compete with big business and multinationals because of the rates charged by Australia Post. Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell wants to level the playing field after hearing the concerns of small business operators about the cost of sending parcels. Small business ombudsman Kate Carnell would like to see Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate consider bulk deals for the SME sector. Credit:Ben Rushton "It appears that Australia Post provides volume discounts to big customers who send large amounts of parcel mail," she says. "The SME sector is just struggling to compete with some of the offerings being made with the big guys and the multinationals. I am examining options to level the playing field for small business to compete fairly with big business when it comes to sending goods within Australia. One option may be to establish a buying collective." Carnell wants Australia Post to come to the party. Mira Rajput and Kareena Kapoor Khan want to ensure that their child has the best birthday party. By India Today Web Desk: Taimur and Misha might be blissfully unaware of what a good party entails, but that is not deterring their mothers, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Mira Rajput, who are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they have a birthday to remember. According to Mid-Day, the makers of Peppa Pig have approached Mira with the idea of having a theme party for Misha, who will turn 1 next month. Apparently, the makers of the British animated series want to increase the popularity of their show in India, and hosting a Peppa Pig-themed party for Shahid Kapoor's daughter will get them a lot of visibility. advertisement When Kareena got to know, she reportedly loved the idea and wants to have the same theme for Taimur's first birthday party in December. A source told the publication, "Since it's a few months away, Bebo wants to hold a meet-and-greet session with the cartoon figure when it comes to India." While the mothers are in momzilla mode, the fathers, Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan are said to prefer remaining out of this. ALSO SEE: These adorable photos of Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput's baby Misha will make your day 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: Misha's smelly diapers come to me, says Shahid Kapoor --- ENDS --- New battery storages that can deliver four hours of power to two regional Victorian towns of 100,000 people, and a solar farm that would power more than 400 trams are key projects in Victoria's new plan to increase renewable energy supply and reduce reliance on burning coal. The battery will be up and running by this summer, the state government says, and will provide at least 40 megawatts of power in western Victoria, where the electricity network is relatively weak, boosting reliability in towns including Bendigo, Horsham, Ararat, Red Cliffs and Kerang. Proposals that Bendigo or Ballarat lose electricity during a record-breaking east coast heatwave in February to guarantee power to NSW were angrily rejected by Victoria's energy minister Lily D'Ambrosio, who told the Australian Energy Market Operator "it was absolutely not appropriate that Victoria had to pay consequences for failures in New South Wales". Victoria's roll-out of renewable energy supply has gained extra urgency since the April closure of the Hazelwood coal-fuelled generator, which provided 20 per cent of the state's baseload power supply. Paris: They were handshake rivals before President Donald Trump said the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate accord, and his relationship with President Emmanuel Macron of France didn't seem to get any better after that awkward beginning. But Trump and Macron seem determined to put their strange and tense initial relationship behind them, in the service of a working partnership, and the love of a parade. Trump arrived in Paris just after 8.30am on Thursday, beginning his second European trip in two weeks. The visit was set in motion by a call Macron had made to discuss Syria, in which he invited Trump to the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14. The president and the first lady, Melania Trump, landed at Paris Orly Airport on Air Force One to the reception of a 10-car motorcade. One moment during the pleasantries between the American and French first couples was already drawing attention online though: Trump was captured remarking on the French president's wife's "shape" in a video posted by the French presidential Facebook account. Brussels: Europe is not demanding a "ransom" from Britain for leaving the EU, the bloc's lead Brexit negotiator said on Wednesday as he hit back at Boris Johnson's claim that the EU's "Brexit bill" was extortionate. Michel Barnier bristled at the British Foreign Secretary's suggestion that Europe could "go whistle" for a gross financial settlement of up to 100 billion ($150 billion), retorting it was not a ransom demand, but "simply settling accounts". Asked directly about Mr Johnson's remark, Mr Barnier paused theatrically before replying: "I am not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking" - a reference to the fixed two-year window for negotiating Britain's withdrawal from the EU. "People have used words like ransom," added Mr Barnier at a highly charged press conference ahead of the first full round of negotiations, which start in Brussels next week. "It's not an exit bill. It is not a punishment. It is not a revenge. At no time has it been those things," he said. New York has seen several Sondheim revivals this year, both on and off Broadway. Sunday in the Park With George and Pacific Overtures had runs, and Sweeney Todd is still piling up bodies downtown. Encores! Off-Center has now mounted Sondheim's other murderous musical, Assassins, for a short run at New York City Center and it is the most thought-provoking and timely of the bunch. Theatergoers who have dodged the show in the past will want to make sure they don't let this production whiz past. It was a troubling show when it premiered and it still is, but for different reasons today. When Assassins officially opened off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on January 27, 1991, audiences didn't know what to make of nine killers singing about their crushed dreams and crazed plots to assassinate presidents. Reviews were mostly negative. A Broadway revival was scheduled for 2001, but the tragic events of September 11 made the show's provocative material too abrasive for a nation in mourning. After a few years, though, Roundabout Theatre Company mounted a revival in 2004 at Broadway's Studio 54, with Neil Patrick Harris as the Balladeer. Audiences and critics reacted enthusiastically to it; by then, theatergoers seemed to be ready for the show's dark comedy and ironic dissection of the American dream. Loading... And now, in 2017, the show's themes align with the nation's desire to figure out where it has gone wrong. Anne Kauffman's production, though it takes a moment to find its footing, ultimately drives home a strong political message with its emphasis not on the nine misfits and malcontents who tried to kill presidents, nor even on the presidents they wanted to kill, but rather on the gun-loving country that brought them into being. Assassins has no story line to speak of: Nine historical figures including the likes of John Wilkes Booth (Steven Pasquale), Charles Guiteau (John Ellison Conlee), and Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (Erin Markey) mingle and interact with one another, making this less a musical than a revue in which songs are used to tell individual stories. After a shaky rendition of the opening number, "Everybody's Got the Right," in which the Proprietor (Ethan Lipton) invites the assassins to a makeshift shooting gallery of presidents (scenic design by Donyale Werle), things take a more promising turn when the Balladeer (Clifton Duncan) enters for "The Ballad of Booth" and sings, "Every now and then the country goes a little wrong." At the performance I attended, the audience erupted with roaring applause at the word "wrong," halting Duncan and the orchestra's performances for nearly a minute. Pasquale keeps the energy high with his stellar portrayal of Booth, the "pioneer" of American-president killers, dressed in mid-19th-century attire (spot-on costumes by Clint Ramos). Alex Brightman charges the stage with his Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant who, according to his song, "How I Saved Roosevelt," tried to shoot F.D.R. in order to alleviate his chronic stomach pains. Shuler Hensley gives a Sweeney-esque intensity to his Leon Czolgosz (the man who shot William McKinley in 1901). Conlee's Guiteau is the most "likable" assassin of the group, with his optimistic grin and happy refrain in "The Ballad of Guiteau." As he is about to be hung, he sings, "Look on the bright side, not on the sad side, inside the bad side, something's good." This is Sondheim at his darkly comic best. With finely combed hair and a creepy glare, Steven Boyer plays a quietly maniacal John Hinckley, who gets laughs when he duets with Markey in the hyperbolic love song "Unworthy of Your Love." Even funnier is Markey's duet with another Gerald Ford wannabe-assassin, Sara Jane Moore (Victoria Clark), as they fire off shots into a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sondheim and Weidman's ironic tone becomes darker as the show goes on. Danny Wolohan, dressed in a ragged Santa Claus costume, gives two ferocious and condemnatory monologues, one addressed to Leonard Bernstein (listen for the misattributed Sondheim lyrics from West Side Story) and Richard "Dick" Nixon. The show's climax comes when the assassins encourage Lee Harvey Oswald (Cory Michael Smith) to make a name for himself by killing J.F.K. ("Another National Anthem") and when the country is shattered by Oswald's crime ("Something Just Broke"). Far from celebrating these men and women, even as it pokes fun at them, Assassins ultimately takes aim at the audience and at a nation that has turned its back on so many of its citizens who, despite America's promise that hard work results in prosperity, never make it to "the head of the line." In the end, Assassins warns us that the children we raise and the beloved guns we refuse to relinquish may ensure that the line of assassins does not end with Hinckley. As the cast reprises "Everybody's Got the Right," the young actor Hudson Loverro enters, stands center stage, and, pointing his gun, fires. By PTI: (Eds: Updating with details of bail) Hyderabad, Jul 13 (PTI) The Telangana Police today arrested a legislator of the ruling TRS for his alleged misbehaviour with a woman collector of Mahabubabad district in Telangana. He was later released on bail at the Mahabubabad town police station, an official said. The MLA from Mahabubabad, B Shankar Nayak, allegedly behaved in a rude manner with the collector at a public meeting organised during the programme to launch Harita Haaram (a massive plantation drive) in that district yesterday. advertisement The collector later complained to police. Based on the complaint, the Mahabubabad town police last night registered a case against the MLA under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). Nayak appeared before police this morning after he was summoned. "After registration of the case, we called the MLA and he appeared before police. He was placed under arrest and granted bail on a personal bond, and he was subsequently released," a senior police official told PTI. "The collector in her complaint stated that she felt hurt over the MLAs indecent behaviour after he allegedly touched her hand," he said. "Further investigation is on...we are collecting CCTV footage and other clippings and will proceed accordingly," the official said. A person convicted under IPC section 354 shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Local TV channels aired a footage which purportedly showed the MLA allegedly touching the collectors arm. The MLA denied any wrongdoing on his part and said he respected the collector and apologised to her. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had yesterday expressed anger over the behaviour of his party MLA at the official event. The chief minister instructed the legislator to personally meet the collector and tender an unconditional apology to her. Rao warned the MLA that if he does not change his behaviour, he would be suspended from the party. The CM also asked Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari and TRS MP Sitaram Naik "to speak to the collector and settle the matter on behalf of the government and the TRS," and said such incidents should not recur. PTI VVK GK DV --- ENDS --- NOTICE OF SALE Case No.: 3:21-cv-00770-SVH BY VIRTUE of that certain Decree of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina heretofore granted in the case of ... NOTICE OF LIEN SALE Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: Store # ... NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these... The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it might enact a new law that would provide for jail time among other punishments for heads of NGOs that misappropriate government funds. The Supreme Court had previously asked the Centre to consider enacting such a law. Modi govt told Supreme Court a legislation will soon be enacted to take action against corrupt NGOs By Harish V Nair: Heads of NGOs, which misappropriate government funds or do not file annual statement, may soon go to jail or be slapped with hefty fines as penalty. There could be criminal proceedings for misappropriation and civil action for recovery of given funds. The Modi government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a legislation may soon be enacted in this regard and discussions are on at the top level to include a penal provision to punish errant NGOs advertisement "A penal provision needs to be made as it cannot be included in the mere guidelines. A separate regime is required for provision of punishment or fine," Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud. The ASG's comments came when the CJI said: "This is a very serious issue. Our directions are already there. You just implement it so that the authorities who are overseeing the activities of the NGOs get more teeth." The SC had in its order in April asked the Centre to examine enacting a law to regulate government funds for NGOs and prosecute them in case of misuse, misappropriation of funds or non-filing of statements. Passing detailed orders on the PIL by advocate M L Sharma in 2011, to seek a tab on functioning of NGOs, the bench had said mere blacklisting of NGOs who do not file annual statements will not suffice. Criminal proceedings for misappropriation and civil action for recovery of given funds must be initiated. "Rs950 crore is being given in total to all NGOs every year. This is a phenomenal amount... tax payers money ... since 78 ministries and departments were granting money to NGOs, a law on regulating funds and work by NGOs would be much better. Inform us in eight weeks whether you want to streamline NGOs through guidelines or through legislation," the bench had told the government. The SC order came after senior lawyer Amucus Dwivedi cited a CBI report that said only 10 per cent of NGOs filed annual income and expenditure statements. Raising the issue of transparency in functioning, the report said that out of 22,39,971 NGOs in 20 states (information from nine states is awaited), only 2,23,428 have filed balance sheets, a paltry 10 per cent. The Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology, which disburses funds to voluntary organisations, had recommended registration of 159 FIRs against various NGOs for alleged misappropriation or misuse of funds disbursed to them. ALSO READ | Supreme Court to Centre: Make a law to regulate NGOs, disbursal of funds ALSO READ | Validate your accounts or no foreign funds: Government to NGOs --- ENDS --- Salim Ismail Shah, 36, was attacked by a few men on suspicion of carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi area. The attackers were reportedly linked to a fringe group related to local MLA Bachchu Kadu. Four people have been detained in connection with the attack. (Video grab) By India Today Web Desk: A man was beaten up by locals in Nagpur's Bharsingi area on suspicion of carrying beef. The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday (July 12). Four people have been detained in connection with the case. Salim Ismail Shah, 36, was thrashed with rods and sticks by a few men said to be members of a group named - Prahar Sanghatan. The fringe group is allegedly linked to local MLA Bachchu Kadu. advertisement "I was carrying mutton not beef. I told the attackers about it but they refused to listen. I also told them that it was not my profession but in vain. The thrashed me and left. Later, some policemen took me to a hospital," Shah said. "I want them to be punished," he added. The latest incident in Nagpur adds to the long list of such unprovoked attack on people accused of carrying beef across the country. #WATCH: Man beaten up for allegedly carrying beef in Nagpur's Bharsingi, no arrests have been made yet. #Maharashtra (July 12th) pic.twitter.com/JiFAZMfRSS- ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Taking cognisance of the incident, Maharashtra Home Minister Ranjeet Patil said assured strict action against the culprits. "Regardless of whether it was beef or not, no one has the right to take law into their hands. We will take strict action. No one would be spared," Patil told India Today. Last month, a teenager - Junaid - was killed and his cousins were thrashed in a train by a mob which accused them of carrying beef. The incident took place when they were returning home in Ballabhgarh, Haryana, from Delhi by a local train after Eid shopping. Days later the horrific incident, a 200-strong mob beat up a Muslim man and set his house on fire after a dead cow was found outside his home in Jharkhand's Giridih district. (With inputs from Kamlesh Sutar in Mumbai) ALSO READ: Killing people in name of cow not acceptable, Gandhi won't approve: PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat Man lynched, 3 thrashed over rumours of beef eating on Delhi-Ballabhgarh train route Srinagar: DSP Ayyub Pandit beaten to death by mob outside Jamia Masjid Instead of admonishing cow vigilantes, it's time PM Modi acted against them WATCH: Man beaten up in Nagpur for carrying beef, 4 detained --- ENDS --- The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum's latest exhibit celebrates the importance of ranchers and their place in Texas history. The Legacy of Ranching: Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future showcases Texas ranches and highlights how they've changed over time. The exhibit, which opened March 2, will be on display in the Ansary Gallery until Jan. 8. Warren Finch, the director at the George Bush Library and Museum, said the museum not only worked with ranching museums from across the state to put the exhibit together, but a key partner was the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M. The department donated items and coordinated other donations for display through connections to ranchers from all over Texas. "Texas A&M is at the forefront of agriculture here in the state of Texas -- cattle breeding and improving cattle stocks, the heartiness of cattle for this climate," Finch said. "We talked a lot about that and different breeds of cattle that are raised from ranches here in the state of Texas. They we're very helpful there and helpful in the genetic component, that topic and the research. ... They had a lot of the contacts because they've worked with these ranches throughout the state of Texas." Penny Riggs, associate professor at the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M, said the inspiration for the exhibit came from George H.W. Bush's connection to Ann and Tobin Armstrong of the Armstrong Ranch. Riggs had worked with the museum before -- helping with the genome exhibit displayed a few years ago. The idea for a ranching exhibit formed shortly after that. "It kind of came off President Bush's connection to Ann Armstrong," Riggs said. "Ann Armstrong, of course, was an ambassador to Great Britain and had a very important political career -- but also her husband, Tobin Armstrong, was a real important force in the beef industry. And so, that was sort of our link where we started." Riggs said the department can use the exhibit as a tool inside the classroom. "One of the important things is this did provide an opportunity to collect a lot of information, materials and videos," Riggs said. "So, the plan is that these materials will be important educational materials we'll be able to use for quite some time. We'll be able to use in classes in the college and department and hopefully -- we're not sure exactly what will happen, but this a temporary exhibit over at the library, but we're hopeful that these materials can be used in a way where it can be on more public display on campus." Guests can expect to hear, see and interact with many things, including the oral history of the ranches from their families, among other things shared via video displays, and a 12-minute video explaining more of the history of Texas ranches and what those ranches look like today. Other topics include conservation of resources like minerals and water and what a modern-day ranch looks like. A few of the centerpieces include a replica chuck wagon explaining cattle drives and a giant Brahman bull and how important they are to cross-breeding cattle in Texas. "It's very interactive, there's a lot of components -- a lot of video, a lot of audio and a lot of touch screens, a lot of great photographs of the ranches across the state of Texas," Finch said. Finch said the exhibit celebrates the history of ranches in Texas and should be of interest to area residents and visitors alike "There's a mythology in the state and with people around the country, when they think about Texas, they think about ranching and the ranches in the state of Texas," Finch said. "Those ranches have great history -- and that history is very interesting to kind of look into and the cultural artifacts, the fact that some of those families, generations and generations later, are still running the same ranches. ... So, it's a topic that people in Texas enjoy seeing and reading about, it's also something people from outside the state who visit the Presidential Library are always so interested in seeing and reading about." The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For tickets and more information, visit https://bush41.org/. A resident of the Brenham State Supported Living Center who was found dead in the back of a van parked at the facility may have died from heat exposure, officials said. According to Carrie Williams, spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, staff of the Brenham facility could not find the woman for several hours. Eventually, she was found in the back of the van that was parked on the center's campus. CPR was performed on the woman, who was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. Officials with the Health and Human Services Commission say she may have died from heat stroke or another heat-related illness, though the investigation is in its initial stages. Washington County Justice of the Peace Doug Zwiener identified the resident as Amy Parrish. Her exact age is not available, but Zweiner said she was born in 1968, making her either 48 or 49. He said Parrish was severely mentally impaired. "Our residents are like family to us, and this is a heartbreaking situation," Carrie Williams wrote in a public statement. "It appears it was a tragic accident, and our thoughts are with everyone who was close to her." As a result of Parrish's death, two employees at the center have been reassigned from direct-care roles to positions considered "non-contact." The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are investigating what led to Parrish's death and are working with local law enforcement and the Office of the Inspector General. "Our residents are supervised by staff, and roll calls are taken as they move from activity to activity," Williams wrote in an email to The Eagle. "We keep a schedule for the residents, and staff are responsible for making sure the schedule is followed." Williams said residents are evaluated to determine what level of supervision is needed and are regularly evaluated to determine whether there are special risks. "This is their home, and they are afforded a level of freedom based on their assessments," she wrote. "We keep a low staff-to-patient ratio, and we train staff on resident safety, monitoring, roll calls, vehicle safety and other issues." Williams said 264 people live as residents at the center, which is a state-sponsored facility for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to the Brenham SSLC Volunteer Services Council, the campus is 200 acres and opened in 1974. Clifford Jones of Conroe placed his 33-year-old son, Caleb, at the facility eight years ago. "I have a generally favorable opinion of [the Brenham State Supported Living Center]," Jones said. "They do seem to have a hard time keeping staff on, and they switch them around a lot." Jones elaborated that since Caleb has lived at the Brenham facility, caretakers have rotated positions or changed careers more frequently than the Jones family would like. However, he said all of Caleb's caretakers are kind people who operate on a system that appears to work effectively. "Caleb pretty much needs to be supervised 24/7," Jones said. "For someone to have been in a car for hours, something obviously went wrong." Jones explained that Caleb, who lives with a low-functioning form of autism, resides by himself in a bedroom for two. The building that houses Caleb is divided into several wings with five to six bedrooms per wing, each room supporting two beds. For the approximately one dozen residents of each wing -- at least in Caleb's situation -- Jones said there are two to three caretakers always on duty in the wing. Caleb can stay in his room unsupervised and walk to the wing's common area, but Jones said to his knowledge, the residents do not leave their wing to go outside unless they are supervised, often with a group. It's unclear exactly how Parrish ended up in the van, or how many hours she was missing before staff finally located her. The center did not return requests for comment. According to the Mayo Clinic website, the temperature in a vehicle can rise by 20 degrees in 10 minutes, even with cracked windows. Once a human body exceeds a temperature of 104 degrees, it can experience heat stroke. The sufferer may vomit, fall into rapid breathing, have a racing heart rate and throbbing headache. Eventually organ damage may occur, leading to death. "Our top priority is resident safety, and we'll be looking closely at this situation to see if any policies need to be strengthened," Williams wrote to The Eagle. Parrish's body is being sent to Travis County for autopsy. The latest addition to College Station's Century Square development, The George hotel, is set to open next month. Officials said the 162-room hotel is designed with "an atmosphere of authentic Texas charm" and incorporates "exposed ceilings, brick accents and rich wood tones" alongside "bold neon and modern graphics." The hotel includes 5,800 square feet of meeting space as well as other features, including a courtyard, a swimming pool, outdoor leisure areas and a fitness center. Additionally, the hotel will house a restaurant and whiskey bar. "We are all incredibly excited for the opening of The George," said Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp in a statement. "Along with the other dynamic developments at Century Square, this will truly help usher in a new era for College Station -- not to mention the long-term revenue that will be generated to support Texas A&M academics and research." Room rates for the hotel are set to begin at $134 per night. For more information on The George, visit thegeorgetexas.com. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute is looking to help put the mission of the forthcoming RELLIS Campus into practice, further pursuing partnerships with private industry to deepen the impact of its research. TTI officials announced this week the state agency signed a memorandum of understanding with engineering and services provider WSP USA to strengthen the two entities' collaboration on the research and deployment of new transportation systems and technologies. Assistant Agency Director Christopher Poe said while TTI and WSP USA have had a decades-long relationship -- including pioneering work into the early development of high-occupancy vehicle lanes -- this new agreement will formalize the partnership while also establishing their joint intention to seek solutions to some of the emerging challenges such as the implementation of connected and automated vehicles on our roads. "Having the [memorandum of understanding] gives more momentum to both of our staffs to work more closely together," Poe said. He said the agreement fits well into the collaborative spirit of the Texas A&M University System's RELLIS Campus being developed just west of Bryan, where TTI broke ground on its new headquarters last month. There, Poe said, A&M researchers are planned to work hand in hand with industry partners toward the development and accelerated implementation of new technologies, systems and solutions. "With RELLIS, we're seeing private industry getting very interested in getting involved with A&M," Poe said. "The ability to work with the nation's leading research agency and having access to one of the largest colleges of engineering in the country is really exciting to the private sector." WSP USA President of U.S. Advisory Services John Porcari said in a statement the partnership will allow both parties to better keep up with the rapid advance of technology by working together to produce forward-looking and cost-effective transportation solutions. "Collaboration between leading researchers and everyday practitioners will help to better define needs for national and state-sponsored research while helping agencies reflect the current state-of-the-practice in their efforts," Porcari said. Alongside TTI's research expertise, Porcari said WSP USA is well poised to take the concepts they have developed for transportation systems management and operations and incorporate the connected and automated vehicle components of the near future. Poe said the partnership helps to address one of the more difficult challenges facing a research-focused institution such as TTI -- real-world implementation. "We do the research, but we're still one step away from those who have to implement or deploy it," Poe said. "...By having this team, we think it's going to help get research deployed in the real world by making an easier pipeline to link the public agencies with the research through a company like WSP." Poe said in addition to the partnership's research component, there also will be opportunities for academic involvement. He said professionals from WSP USA are expected to have the chance to act as guest lecturers to "help explain some of the real-world challenges they're seeing" and that students will have the ability to gain real-world exposure through internships with the company through the transportation management operations centers it operates around the country. "One of the ideas is to give the opportunity to students to have an internship working for these public agencies," Poe said. "This would give a student some real-world experience on how we operate our transportation systems and a much more realistic view of the career they're about to enter." Poe said looking forward he expects the partnership with WSP USA to be the first of many between "academia, the private sector and the public sector." "We see more of this coming that will help keep A&M and TTI at the leading edge of solving transportation problems," Poe said. A woman who was a resident of the Brenham State Supported Living Center was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the back of a van, and officials say she may have died from heat exposure. According to Carrie Williams, spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, staff of the Brenham facility could not find the woman for several hours. Eventually, she was found in the back of the van that was parked on the centers campus. CPR was performed on the woman, who was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. Officials with the Health and Human Services Commission say she may have died from heat stroke or another heat-related illness. Our residents are like family to us, and this is a heartbreaking situation, Williams wrote in a public statement. It appears it was a tragic accident, and our thoughts are with everyone who was close to her. Our focus right now is looking into how this could have happened and will make any necessary changes to be sure we are doing everything we can to protect our residents, Williams wrote. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is investigating. In the meeting, Sharif is expected to take the Cabinet members into confidence regarding the ongoing political turmoil that the ruling party is facing. By Alok Ranjan: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will convene a meeting of the federal Cabinet on Thursday to chalk out a strategy over Panama JIT report. In the meeting, Sharif is expected to take the Cabinet members into confidence regarding the ongoing political turmoil that the ruling party is facing. According to the Pakistan news channel Dunya News, the meeting will also discuss overall political, security and economic situation of the country. advertisement On July 12, the prime minister chaired a consultative meeting of his party leaders during which it was decided that he will not resign from his post over the Panama controversy. The members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have already shown their confidence and support to the prime minister. REVIEWING PANAMA JIT REPORT Nawaz Sharif's (PML-N) is also holding a meeting in Islamabad on Friday to review the Panama JIT report. The JIT submitted its final report on the money laundering case against the Sharif family on July 10 and 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. After the report, Pakistan is witnessing political unrest across the country in which the Opposition parties are demanding the resignation of the PM. Meanwhile, the PML-N leaders have taken up the stance that they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court. Also read: Panama Papers probe: Microsoft font Calibri might nail Nawaz Sharif, family in graft charges. This is how Also read: Pakistan Army kills 2 jawans in firing from across LoC in Kupwara --- ENDS --- The Bryan school district will not be held responsible for the release of court-sealed documents published in The Eagle and aired by KBTX, according to a judge's ruling today that denied Tommy Wallis' request for sanctions against his ex-employer. Just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, District Judge Orlinda Naranjo signed the one-page order denying Wallis' motion to hold BISD in contempt of court and to pay him almost $20,000 in attorney fees spent in his latest legal battle. The same judge ruled late last month after a 1 1/2-day hearing that top school officials - both employed by the district and two elected board members - were not responsible for the mid-June disclosure of a 10 1/2-page complaint against Wallis that accused him of 14 ethical violations. In a letter sent to Wallis' attorneys, the judge wrote: "In this case, even if the Court had held any of the individual school board members or administrators in contempt at the hearing, which it did not, the court could not hold Bryan Independent School District in contempt for any action not taken through a properly called meeting of its board of trustees." Though Naranjo was not required to do so, she referred to several court cases that support her decision. Wallis who was hired in April by the Kirbyville school district in East Texas and is involved in an unrelated controversy there initially asked the judge to jail any Bryan officials found in contempt, but his lawyers retracted that request during last month's hearing. Last fall, The Eagle, along with KBTX and WTAW, asked for multiple documents under the Texas Public Information Act and, for the most part, the Texas Attorney General's Office agreed in December that the records should not be kept secret. However, a month later Wallis went to court to block the release of complaints filed against him, as well as personnel records. A district judge in Austin signed the temporary injunction and scheduled an Oct. 2 hearing on the matter. Wallis' attorney told The Eagle this afternoon that his client still plans to take the case to court. Citing anonymous sources, the Eagle and KBTX published stories in mid-June that detailed the complaints against Wallis, who was forced to resign last fall after five years with the district. An attempt to get the media to reveal their sources was made by Wallis' attorney, but the judge threw out the motion, saying not all resources had been exhausted for them to learn who gave the documents to the newspaper and TV station. The Texas Free Flow of Information Act also protects reporters from outing sources. During the hearing, Wallis' attorneys did not challenge the allegations made in the complaint. Testimony during the hearing showed the complaint was filed by Brandon Webb, executive director of communications and public affairs, with contributions from Deputy Superintendent Timothy Rocka; Amy Drozd, assistant superintendent of business services; and Barbara Ybarra, associate superintendent of teaching and learning. All four of those top administrators testified that they did not share the documents with the media. Bryan's attorney, Harry Wright, along with board president Trey Moore and past president Doug Wunneburger, who still is a trustee, made the same statements when they were called to the witness stand. None of the employees were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement in October when Wallis was given $83,047, a letter of recommendation and the promise to keep details related to his departure secret. That agreement stipulated that Wallis, the board and those top four administrators could not discuss Wallis' exit with anyone, including their spouses. That agreement was signed by Wallis and Wunneburger. The grievances all of which, if shown to be true, would go against board policies range from giving preferential treatment to a vendor competing for district business and misuse of tax dollars to giving a raise without trustees approval and verbally abusing employees. He also was said to have repeatedly disposed of his household trash at the school administration building dumpster to avoid paying for trash pick-up at his home in the county. Such behavior signaled a pattern of entitlement, according to the list of allegations. The nuclear debate in the US is firmly centred on attempts to extend the lifespan of ageing, uneconomic reactors with state bailouts. Financial bailouts by state governments in New York and Illinois are propping up ageing reactors, but a proposed bailout in Ohio is meeting stiff opposition. The fate of Westinghouse and its partially-built AP1000 reactors are much discussed, but there is no further discussion about new reactors other than to note that they won't happen. Six reactors have been shut down over the past five years in the US, and another handful will likely close in the next five years. So how far and fast will nuclear fall? Exelon the leading nuclear power plant operator in the US claims that "economic and policy challenges threaten to close about half of America's reactors" in the next two decades. According to pro-nuclear lobby group 'Environmental Progress', almost one-quarter of US reactors are at high risk of closure by 2030, and almost three-quarters are at medium to high risk. In May, the US Energy Information Administration released an analysis projecting nuclear's share of the nation's electricity generating capacity will drop from 20 percent to 11 percent by 2050. There are different views about how far and fast nuclear will fall in the US but fall it will. And there is no dispute that many plants are losing money. More than half of the country's reactors are losing money, racking up losses totalling about US$2.9 billion a year according to a recent analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. And a separate Bloomberg report found that expanding state aid to money-losing reactors across the eastern US may leave consumers on the hook for as much as US$3.9 billion a year in higher power bills. Japan: Fukushima clean-up and compensation cost estimates have doubled and doubled again and now stand at US$191 billion (167 billion). An analysis by the Japan Institute for Economic Research estimates that the total costs for decommissioning, decontamination and compensation could be far higher at US$443620 billion (389544 billion). Only five reactors are operating in Japan as of July 2017, compared to 54 before the March 2011 Fukushima disaster. The prospects for new reactors are bleak. Japan has given up on its Monju fast breeder reactor successive governments wasted US$10.6 billion (9.3 billion) on Monju and decommissioning will cost another US$2.7 billion (2.3 billion). As mentioned, Toshiba is facing an existential crisis due to the crippling debts of its subsidiary Westinghouse. Toshiba announced on May 15 that it expects to report a consolidated net loss of US$8.4 billion (7.4 billion) for the 20162017 financial year which ended March 31. Hitachi is backing away from its plan to build two Advanced Boiling Water Reactors in Wylfa, Wales. Hitachi recently said that if it cannot attract partners to invest in the project before construction is due to start in 2019, the project will be suspended. Hitachi recently booked a massive loss on a failed investment in laser enrichment technology in the US. A 12 May 2017 statement said the company had posted an impairment loss on affiliated companies' common stock of US$1.66 billion (1.46 billion) for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2017, and "the major factor" was Hitachi's exit from the laser enrichment project. Last year a commentator opined that "the way to make a small fortune in the uranium enrichment business in the U.S. is to start with a large one." France: The French nuclear industry is in its "worst situation ever" according to former EDF director Gerard Magnin. France has 58 operable reactors and just one under construction. French EPR reactors under construction in France and Finland are three times over budget the combined cost overruns for the two reactors amount to about US$14.5 billion (12.7 billion). Bloomberg noted in April 2015 that Areva's EPR export ambitions are "in tatters". Now Areva itself is in tatters and is in the process of a government-led restructure and another taxpayer-funded bailout. On March 1, Areva posted a 665 million net loss for 2016. Losses in the preceding five years exceeded 10 billion. In February, EDF released its financial figures for 2016: earnings and income fell and EDF's debt remained steady at 37.4 billion. EDF plans to sell 10 billion of assets by 2020 to rein in its debt, and to sack up to 7,000 staff. The French government provided EDF with 3 billion in extra capital in 2016 and will contribute 3 billion towards a 4 billion capital raising this year. On March 8, shares in EDF hit an all-time low a day after the 4 billion capital raising was launched; the share price fell to 7.78, less than one-tenth of the high a decade ago. Costs of between 50 billion and 100 billion will need to be spent by 2030 to meet new safety requirements for reactors in France and to extend their operating lives beyond 40 years. EDF has set aside 23 billion to cover reactor decommissioning and waste management costs in France just less than half of the 54 billion that EDF estimates will be required. A recent report by the French National Assembly's Commission for Sustainable Development and Regional Development concluded that there is "obvious under-provisioning" and that decommissioning and waste management will take longer, be more challenging and cost much more than EDF anticipates. In 2015, concerns about the integrity of some EPR pressure vessels were revealed, prompting investigations that are still ongoing. Last year, the scandal was magnified when the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) announced that Areva had informed it of "irregularities in components produced at its Creusot Forge plant." The problems concern documents attesting to the quality of parts manufactured at the site. At least 400 of the 10,000 quality documents reviewed by Areva contained anomalies. Work at the Creusot Forge foundry was suspended in the wake of the scandal and Areva is awaiting ASN approval to restart the foundry. French Environment and Energy Minister Nicolas Hulot said on June 12 that the Government plans to close some nuclear reactors to reduce nuclear's share of the country's power mix. "We are going to close some nuclear reactors and it won't be just a symbolic move," he said. India: Nuclear power accounts for just 3.4 percent of electricity supply in India and that figure will not rise significantly, if at all. In May, India's Cabinet approved a plan to build 10 indigenous pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR). That decision can be read as an acknowledgement that plans for six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors and six French EPR reactors are unlikely to eventuate. The plan for 10 new PHWRs faces major challenges. Suvrat Raju and M.V. Ramana noted: "[N]uclear power will continue to be an expensive and relatively minor source of electricity for the foreseeable future. ... The announcement about building 10 PHWRs fits a pattern, often seen with the current government, where it trumpets a routine decision to bolster its "bold" credentials. Most of the plants that were recently approved have been in the pipeline for years. Nevertheless, there is good reason to be sceptical of these plans given that similar plans to build large numbers of reactors have failed to meet their targets, often falling far short." South Africa: An extraordinary High Court judgement on April 26 ruled that much of South Africa's nuclear new-build program is without legal foundation. The High Court set aside the Ministerial determination that South Africa required 9.6 gigawatts (GW) of new nuclear capacity, and found that numerous bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements were unconstitutional and unlawful. President Jacob Zuma is trying to revive the nuclear program, but it will most likely be shelved when Zuma leaves office in 2019 (if he isn't removed earlier). Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said on June 21 that South Africa will review its nuclear plans as part of its response to economic recession. South Korea: South Korea's new President Moon Jae-in said on June 19 that his government will halt plans to build new nuclear power plants and will not extend the lifespan of existing plants beyond 40 years. President Moon said: "We will completely re-examine the existing policies on nuclear power. We will scrap the nuclear-centred polices and move toward a nuclear-free era. We will eliminate all plans to build new nuclear plants." Since the presidential election on May 9, the ageing Kori-1 reactor has been permanently shut down, work on two partially-built reactors (Shin Kori 5 and 6) has been suspended pending a review, and work on two planned reactors (Shin-Hanul 3 and 4) has been stopped. Taiwan: Taiwan's Cabinet reiterated on June 12 the government's resolve to phase out nuclear power. The government remains committed to the goal of decommissioning the three operational nuclear power plants as scheduled and making Taiwan nuclear-free by 2025, Cabinet spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung said. UK: Tim Yeo, a former Conservative politician and now a nuclear industry lobbyist with New Nuclear Watch Europe, said the compounding problems facing nuclear developers in the UK "add up to something of a crisis for the UK's nuclear new-build programme." The lobby group noted delays with the EPR reactor in Flamanville, France and the possibility that those delays would flow on to the two planned EPR reactors at Hinkley Point; the lack of investors for the proposed Advanced Boiling Water Reactors at Wylfa; the acknowledgement by the NuGen consortium that the plan for three AP1000 reactors at Moorside faces a "significant funding gap"; and the fact that the Hualong One technology which China General Nuclear Power Corporation hopes to deploy at Bradwell in Essex has yet to undergo its generic design assessment. The only reactor project with any momentum in the UK is Hinkley Point, based on the French EPR reactor design. The head of one of Britain's top utilities said on June 19 that Hinkley Point is likely to be the only nuclear project to go ahead in the UK. Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive officer of SSE, an energy supplier and former investor in new nuclear plants, said: "The bottom line in nuclear is that it looks like only Hinkley Point will get built and Flamanville needs to go well for that to happen." There is growing pressure for the obscenely expensive Hinkley Point project to be cancelled. The UK National Audit Office report released a damning report on June 23. The Audit Office said: "The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's deal for Hinkley Point C has locked consumers into a risky and expensive project with uncertain strategic and economic benefits ... Today's report finds that the Department has not sufficiently considered the costs and risks of its deal for consumers. ... Delays have pushed back the nuclear power plant's construction, and the expected cost of top-up payments under the Hinkley Point C's contract for difference has increased from 6 billion to 30 billion." Writing in the Financial Times on May 26, Neil Collins said: "EDF, of course, is the contractor for that white elephant in the nuclear room, Hinkley Point. If this unproven design ever gets built and produces electricity, the UK consumer will be obliged to pay over twice the current market price for the output. ... The UK's energy market is in an unholy mess ... Scrapping Hinkley Point would not solve all of [the problems], but it would be a start." And on it goes. Hinkley Point is one of the "great spending dinosaurs of the political dark ages" according to The Guardian. It is a "white elephant" according to an editorial in The Times. EDF said on June 26 that it is conducting a "a full review of the costs and schedule of the Hinkley Point C project" and the results will be disclosed "soon". On July 3, EDF announced that the estimated cost has risen by 2.5 billion (to 23.2 billion, or 30.4 billion including finance costs). In 2007, EDF was boasting that Britons would be using electricity from Hinkley to cook their Christmas turkeys in December 2017. But in its latest announcement, EDF pushes back the 2025 start-up dates for the two Hinkley reactors by 915 months. Former Ecologist editor, Oliver Tickell and Ian Fairlie wrote an obituary for Britain's nuclear renaissance in The Ecologist on May 18. They concluded: "[T]he prospects for new nuclear power in the UK have never been gloomier. The only way new nuclear power stations will ever be built in the UK is with massive political and financial commitment from government. That commitment is clearly absent. So yes, this finally looks like the end of the UK's 'nuclear renaissance'." Switzerland: Voters in Switzerland supported a May 21 referendum on a package of energy policy measures including a ban on new nuclear power reactors. Thus Switzerland has opted for a gradual nuclear phase out and all reactors will probably be closed by the early 2030s, if not earlier. Germany will close its last reactor much sooner than Switzerland, in 2022. Sweden: Unit 1 of the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in Sweden has been permanently shut down. It was to be shut down on June 29, but an abnormal event on June 17 led to an automatic shut down and the reactor will not be restarted. Unit 2 at the same plant was permanently shut down in 2015. Ringhals 1 and 2 are expected to be shut down in 20192020, after which Sweden will have just six operating power reactors. Russia: Rosatom deputy general director Vyacheslav Pershukov said in mid-June that the world market for the construction of new nuclear power plants is shrinking, and the possibilities for building new large reactors abroad are almost exhausted. He said Rosatom expects to be able to find customers for new reactors until 20202025 but "it will be hard to continue." China: With 36 power reactors and another 22 under construction, China is the only country with a significant nuclear expansion program. However nuclear growth could take a big hit in the event of economic downturn. And nuclear growth could be derailed by a serious accident, which is all the more likely because of China's inadequate nuclear safety standards, inadequate regulation, lack of transparency, repression of whistleblowers, world's worst insurance and liability arrangements, security risks, and widespread corruption. This Author Dr Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia and editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter, where this article was originally published. Nuclear Monitor, published 20 times a year, has been publishing deeply researched, often critical articles on all aspects of the nuclear cycle since 1978. A must-read for all those who work on this issue! From colleagues at Ohio State: Clinical Faculty Position The Ohio State University, Michael E. Moritz College of Law Description: The Moritz College of Law invites applications for the position of Assistant Clinical Professor of Law in its Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic (EBLC), to start in late 2017. The EBLC professor has primary responsibility for directing and teaching the Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic, which provides third-year law students with the opportunity to learn lawyering skills by representing entrepreneurs and their start-up businesses. EBLC students typically work with clients on all phases of starting a business, including client intake, entity formation, legal business planning, and contract drafting (including employment and independent contractor contracts). When relevant for the client, students also learn how to protect the intellectual property of a business. The EBLCs clinical professor will have several areas of responsibility, including 1) supervising law students who represent clients under the Ohio Supreme Court's student practice rule 2) classroom teaching of lawyering skills, 3) engaging with the local and regional entrepreneurial community, and 4) participating in the life and governance of the College of Law. We will consider all applicants; however, we prefer candidates with significant experience in representing entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. Candidates also should have an excellent academic record that demonstrates potential for clinical teaching and preparation of clinical educational materials. Candidates should be admitted to the Ohio Bar or eligible for admission in Ohio. The starting salary range will be $78,000 - $81,000 for a 12-month contract; full University fringe benefits are provided as well. The ideal starting date will be November 15, or as soon thereafter as possible. The successful candidate will begin teaching in January 2018. Application Instructions: A resume, references, and cover letter should be submitted to Professor Paul Rose, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 55 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Send e-mail applications to rose.933@osu.edu. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will be accepted until the position is filled; preference will be given to applications received before September 1st. The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. About Columbus: The Ohio State University campus is located in Columbus, the capital city of Ohio. Columbus is the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of very affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries (see http://columbusregion.com/). Columbus and its many suburbs have consistently been rated as one of the Top U.S. places for quality of life. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. The GOP's red wave foundered nationally, but it swept away Democrats in Iowa This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Settling on whats become home design row along East Putnam Avenue, interior designer and gallery owner Gilles Clement has opened his new flagship design store in the Mill Post Plaza. This is Gilles dream, said the brands managing director for Greenwich Charles-Henri Cousins during a tour of the two-story showroom. Everything you see here is Gilles. Every piece you see here Gilles can talk about like his child. Clements showroom contrasts sharply with the traditional hues and patterns associated with New England homes. I come with a very Parisian sensibility thats not really Fairfield County style, Clement told Hearst Connecticut Media in January during a tour of his Greenwich pop-art gallery, which is located down the block from his design showroom. His flagship has generated a buzz among visitors due to its alternative offerings, according to Kim Meier, the companys marketing director. The night of the opening, people were saying they havent seen another design showroom of this caliber, Meier said. Floor-to-ceiling strings of gold beads separate portions of the showroom into vignettes that showcase spaces set up as bedrooms, dining rooms and living spaces. The many glamorous lighting fixtures Clement incorporated into each vignette comprise a distinct aspect of Clements store. Lighting to Gilles is like a piece of art, Meier said. Its an accessory that makes a home even more unique. Other highlights of the showroom include one-of-a-kind Japanese wood tables, Jimmie Martin hand-painted furniture and art by Robin Austin and Yves Klein. Clement boasts exclusive agreements with numerous European brands, Meier said, adding his Greenwich showroom will continually exhibit his finest pieces. The formerly Westport-based company announced last year its plans to maintain its gallery and design shop in Westport while making Greenwich its flagship location. Ahead of the Gilles Clement Designs Flagship showroom opening in June, Clement launched his gallery across the street in December. The two stores are separate because they cater to different clientele, according to Meier. They represent two different worlds that often come together and meld well, but are very different, she said in an interview last fall. The stores blend with their retail neighbors as a variety of home design-related stores have opened there, with luxury furnishings, mattresses, window shades, home decorations and a number of interior design options surrounding Gilles Clement. Those neighbors will help rather than hinder its business, Meier said, by increasing the neighborhoods appeal for customers. Its the beginning of a new adventure, Cousins, the managing director, said. The store is located at 120 E. Putnam Ave. Contact the writer mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_ The National Green Tribunal has further declared an environment penalty of Rs 50,000 on anyone who dumps waste in river Ganga. By India Today Web Desk: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today banned the dumping of any waste within 500 metres of the Ganga. It has also declared the river's stretch between Uttarakhand's Haridwar to Uttar Pradesh's Unnao as a no-development zone. The apex green court said the government in Uttar Pradesh should be "duty-bound" to shift leather tanneries from Jajmau to Unnao or any other place it considers appropriate within six weeks. advertisement In its order today, the top green court also said the 100 metres distance from the edge of the river, considered holy by many Hindus, will not be used for developmental purposes. The NGT has directed the governments in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats of Ganga or its tributaries. The NGT has further declared an environment penalty of Rs 50,000 on anyone who dumps waste in the river. It has formed a supervisory commitee to oversee the implementation of directions passed in its 543-page judgment and submit report on it. Earlier this week, the government told the NGT that a whopping amount of over Rs 4800 crore has been spent on rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries since 1986 till June 30 this year. The Ministry of Environment and Forests told the apex environment watchdog that Rs 6788.78 crore was released by the government for the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) since it was launched by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on January 14, 1986. Out of this, Rs 4864.48 has been spent till June 30 this year, leaving an unspent balance of Rs 1924.30 crore. Nearly 32 years after a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on pollution in the Ganga, the NGT had reserved its verdict on the second phase of the cleansing project between Haridwar to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh. The green panel, to which the 1985 PIL of noted environment activist M C Mehta was transferred by the Supreme Court in 2014, had divided the cleanliness drive in four segments of the river which passes through Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, spanning a distance of over 2500 kms. Also read: NGT pulls up Haryana government, Bharti Realty over felling of trees in Aravallis on Eid weekend NGT issues notice to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on contempt plea Bellandur Lake rejuvenation: NGT slams state for not shutting polluting industries ALSO WATCH | NGT serves ultimatum to Karnataka government over Bellandur lake pollution --- ENDS --- advertisement At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the main issue was whether drugs owned by a Colorado couple were for personal use or whether they planned to sell them. Harley Bequette and Alisha Criger, who both live in Cripple Creek, Colo., were arrested June 4 in Grand Island. After they were stopped for speeding at West Third and North Eddy streets, police found in their vehicle raw marijuana, edible THC candy, flavored wax and hash oil. Bequette and Criger are both charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The preliminary hearing in Hall County Court included testimony from Grand Island Police Officer Sean Cook. At the end of the hearing, prosecutor Alex West argued that the threshold had been met to bind Bequette and Criger over to District Court on both charges. Some of the packages were individually wrapped, West said. He also pointed out that officers found $992 in cash inside the car. In his testimony, Cook said that packages of candy labeled THC were found among real pieces of Starburst in an open Starburst bag. Defense attorney James Owen said the drugs found inside the vehicle dont add up to a lot. The raw marijuana weighed only about three and a half ounces, he said. He described the defendants as two Colorado residents who stopped at a dispensary on their way out of Colorado. In his testimony, Cook reported that couple, when arrested, said they were on their way to go camping in Genoa, Neb. There is no evidence that Bequette, 25, and Criger, 22, were going to distribute the marijuana, Owen said. The state failed to provide sufficient evidence that the couple intended to distribute the controlled substances. He asked that Bequette and Criger be bound over only the possession charge. Hall County Judge Art Wetzel said the question of intent to distribute is difficult these days, when there are marijuana dispensaries in neighboring states. Noting that almost $1,000 in cash was found in the car, Wetzel said there is enough evidence to show probable cause and bind the couple over on both counts. Whether they planned to distribute the drugs is a factual matter for the District Court to decide, he said. Wetzel scheduled their arraignment for 9 a.m. Aug. 1. Cook testified that he was doing seatbelt enforcement, heading westbound on Third Street, when he noticed the car, which appeared to be speeding, A check of the radar gun confirmed that they were speeding, Cook said. When he approached the car, he detected the aroma of marijuana and asked the pair to exit the vehicle. He found marijuana fragments on the drivers seat and also found marijuana hidden in a Bluetooth speaker. Another officer was present. The quantities of drugs found included 46 grams of THC wax and 393 grams of edible candy-type THC. In addition to the drugs, police found a tool called a dabber, familiar to drug users, in the trunk. Dear Annie: I recently called a friend to see whether her college-age daughter, Tiffany, could baby-sit for my 1-1/2-year-old granddaughter from 6 to 8 p.m. on a Saturday so I could attend a reception at a local club. I didnt hear back at first, but three days before the event, I finally talked with Tiffany, and she said that she would be available. We discussed exact times, and I asked what she would charge. She didnt have a set rate but thought $10 per hour would be fine. Having not paid a baby sitter for many years (Im a new grandmother), I said that I thought the rate should be $5 per hour but I would check with my daughter to see what she pays. My daughter confirmed that the average rate today is between $10 and $15 an hour. Thus, I planned to pay the $10 per hour (and thought I would probably give a tip, too), but I did not have a chance to call the sitter back until the morning of the event. Her mother answered the phone and said that other plans had come up for her daughter, and the mother had told her to go with the other plans because I had not gotten back to her on the rate. I was hurt and in total shock, not only because our families are very good friends but also because I did not think the rate was a deciding factor. My husband is in an assisted living facility, and I spend a great deal of time with him, which ties up most of my days, which they knew. The mother is forever telling me to take time off and have some time to myself, which I thought that I was doing. My questions to you are: Who is wrong? Should I feel hurt? Was I wrong to not get back to her until the morning of the event about the rate? I was disappointed and hurt the mother had not advised her daughter to call me, because she is forever saying that she tries to teach her children how to be responsible. I feel that I was let down and can no longer trust this family. Heartbroken and Hurt Grandmother Dear Heartbroken: Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and flaky baby sitters. You must really make a point of expressly confirming details with your sitter. I dont blame Tiffany for thinking you didnt want her to baby-sit anymore. Think of it from her point of view. The last thing shed heard from you was that her rate might be too steep and youd look into it. She probably assumed youd found a cheaper sitter or decided not to use one after all. In any case, I think youve taken the whole incident too much to heart. Your friend did not mean to hurt you. It seems as if this carried the weight it did for you because you were really looking forward to a night to yourself a rare occurrence. I would encourage you to make such me time less rare. Get out and socialize. You cant be properly supportive of your husband if you arent supportive of yourself and your own needs. Dear Annie: Please do not use the term golden years when referring to a persons retirement. Do some research about ageism in our language and what to avoid saying in order to make progress in this area. There are articles on the subject online. Euphemisms are not helpful in making progress. An Oregon Reader Dear Oregon Reader: Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention. I hadnt realized how that phrase could come across as condescending, but you can bet Ill keep it in mind now. Annie Lane, a graduate of New York Law School and New York University, writes this column for Creators Syndicate. Email questions to dearannie@creators.com. A project to turn a vacant single-family house into a four-unit apartment building is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Community Redevelopment Authority voted 3-0-1, with chairman Tom Gdowski abstaining, at its meeting Wednesday afternoon, to approve a redevelopment plan for Weinrich Development that calls for construction of a new, two-story apartment building at the corner of Division and Plum streets. Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity previously told The Independent he believes the units will all be two-bedroom apartments. The building would face Plum Street. Weinrich is requesting $52,768 in tax-increment financing to assist with the redevelopment project. This was the second time the CRA has approved the plan, after previously approving it at its June meeting. The Regional Planning Commission voted to approve the plan and forward it back to the CRA, before it goes before the Grand Island City Council for final approval at the councils July 25 meeting. This is an extra step we put in here, Nabity said Wednesday. In looking at statute, it is really pretty clear that you are not supposed to send this to City Council until the Regional Planning Commission makes their recommendation. So we added this step. There was no discussion amongst CRA members on the matter. The CRA also heard a report from Nabity on the preliminary CRA budget for the 2017-2018 year. He said the projected revenue from property taxes of $757,644 is being retained and includes $559,614 for CRA purposes, including grants, facade improvements, committed projects and staffing. It also includes $198,050 for Lincoln Park Pool. The total revenue from property taxes for TIF is $1,827,558. This $1.8 million does include $500,000 in other TIF project loans, Nabity said. We are anticipating less, but want to make sure we have budgeted for it to actually pay out. If we do not receive the money, we do not pay it out. If we receive more, we pay it out. But it is already committed to those projects. Under the CRA levy, he added, $200,000 is budgeted for facade improvements, $200,000 for property acquisitions and $200,000 for downtown life safety improvements. We may want to bump facade improvements up, Nabity said. I do have facade grants coming in and am anticipating others. He added the CRA could increase the facade improvement line to $350,000 by decreasing the other projects line by $150,000. In his budget proposal, he recommends the CRA put $300,000 in the other projects line for the 2018 budget an increase from $50,000 in the 2017 budget. Gdowski asked Nabity what the funds under the other projects line are used for. Nabity responded these funds have been used for things such as the Heartland Events Center parking lot, the parking lot at the Central Nebraska Humane Society and the skate park at Pier Park. Under revenue, Nabity said he decreased the land sales line from $250,000 in 2017, to $100,000 in 2018. We havent sold anything for a long time, he said. We could take it out and then if we sell it, budget for that. Grand Island City Councilman Vaughn Minton said he feels the budgeted amount for land sales will raise a red flag during budget review and cautioned Nabity to be prepared to defend it. At the conclusion of its meeting, the CRA held its annual retreat that included a discussion and review of blighted and substandard areas, TIF projects, facade grant procedures, life safety grant procedures and CRA-owned properties with Mike Bacon, an attorney with Bacon and Vinton Law Firm of Gothenburg. Nabity told The Independent Bacon is used by the CRA as its attorney for TIF projects. Its not every day you get to hear five people who died decades ago speak in the first person. Thirty-five people attended a Wednesday program in which living people portrayed characters from the past. One of the people portrayed was the namesake of the building that hosted the event. Members of the Hall County Historical Society presented the program, held at the Edith Abbott Memorial Library. Almost all of the people mentioned during the evening are buried in Grand Island. The most emotional presentation belonged to Michelle Setlik, who portrayed Fannie Williams. Fannies 6-year-old daughter, Goldie, was murdered in Grand Island in 1912. The little girl, Setlik said, had big brown eyes and was full of life, so loving and so trusting, she said meaningfully. Vast numbers of Grand Islanders stepped up to search for Goldie Williams and, then, to find her murderer. The man who killed her was discovered 25 years later, living in Colorado Springs, Colo. In concluding her compelling talk, Setlik told the audience not to dwell on the murderer. She urged people to remember the winning little girl and the way the community rallied around the family. She also encouraged everyone to go home and tell family members they love them. Because we are never promised more than today. We never know what tomorrow will bring, she said. In another talk, Judy Humiston portrayed author Caroline Converse, who lived from 1878 to 1976. One of her books, Island in the Prairies, can be found in the librarys Heritage Room. Her first book, I Remember Papa, was written in 1949. Converses father homesteaded on the south bank of the Platte River. He and his wife had three small children. When Converse was 5, the area was flooded. With the water rising, Converses mother set out in a boat to retrieve a cousin on the other side of the river. Humiston recounted what happened next. We watched her sail down the river and never be seen again. At the end of her talk, Humiston encouraged audience members to tell their children who they are, and their familys background. She also urged people to read Island in the Prairies. The book contains things that will lie softly on your heart, she said. In the first talk of the evening, Fred Roeser portrayed his great-grandfather, Oscar Roeser. In 1886, Oscar Roeser began the Bee Hive grocery store, which enjoyed a fine reputation because it offered quality goods at low prices. That building still stands at 115 W. Third St. Oscar Roeser later operated the Grand Island Creamery, which produced 38,000 pounds of butter a month. Roeser, who died in 1936, was on the county board of supervisors for more than five years. He was on the building committee that oversaw the construction of the current Hall County Courthouse. Sue Clement, who played Edith Abbott, talked about Abbott and her sister, Grace. Their grandmothers farm was a station on the Underground Railroad. When she was a little girl, the Abbott sisters mother, Elizabeth (Gardner) Griffin, fetched a ball and saw four eyes peering at her from the inside of a haywagon. The Abbott sisters father came from a long line of Puritans. His first New World ancestor was a passenger on the Mayflower. Their mother was a Quaker. When the girls were little, Susan B. Anthony stayed overnight at their home, after speaking at the Liederkranz. As young women, they assisted European immigrants while living at Jane Addamss Hull House settlement in Chicago. Grace later served under five U.S. presidents as director of the Department of Labors Childrens Bureau. The final talk was given by Jack Mato Cardinal, who presented Native American stories and played the flute. NGT puts blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use of nylon and synthetic manjha. By India Today Web Desk: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed complete ban on both nylon and synthetic manjha (kite string). The tribunal had on Tuesday, July 11 ordered all state governments to prohibit the "manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use" of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic threads used for flying kites, saying it posed a threat to the lives of birds, animals and humans. advertisement A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar clarified that the ban order would apply on nylon, Chinese and cotton manja coated with glass. The verdict of NGT "There shall be a total ban on the manja or thread for kite flying which is made of nylon or any other synthetic material and or is coated with synthetic substance and is non-biodegradable... "All chief secretaries of states and Union Territories are directed to enforce prohibition on manufacture and use of synthetic manjha/nylon thread for flying kites throughout the country," the bench said, according to PTI. Who filed the petition? The judgement came on the plea filed by animal rights body People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Khalid Ashraf and others which had contended that 'manjha' posed a grave threat to humans and animals as every year a number of deaths are caused by it. "Due to 'manjha' being coated with glass, metals and other sharp material, these strings act as good conductors of electricity, increasing the probability of detached manja strings stuck in power lines, electrocuting kite flyers and passers-by coming into contact with these strings," the petition had said. Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section. To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- Since President Donald Trump has taken office, reporting in the public interest has seen an encouraging resurgence. There is a renewed sense of purpose among reporters covering the White House and a renaissance in investigative journalism. All this should help burnish the medias tarnished credibility. But this good work is competing with a less admirable trend. The media have a bad habit of turning themselves into the story. And their tendency toward solipsism is as unbecoming as the presidents thin-skinned narcissism. Often the president uses his Twitter account to insult journalists. In February he called the FAKE NEWS media the enemy of the American People. Recently this sniping has turned into a full scale assault: Trump slandered MSNBCs Mika Brzezinski and celebrated violence against CNN my former employer by spreading a crude, doctored WWE video of the president body-slamming an embodied CNN logo. These tweets are dishonest, sexist and disturbing. They violate traditional standards of respectability and show deep contempt for the free press. CNNs senior media correspondent, Brian Stelter, has argued that the president aims to tear down outlets that dare challenge him. Of course its tempting to respond, but dishonest, sexist and disturbing is just Trump being Trump. Commentators should understand by now that President Trumps effort to brand traditional media fake news is akin to candidate Trump smearing his opponents as Little Marco and Crooked Hillary. He uses demeaning personal attacks to draw his targets off message and into an imbroglio on his terms. While Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio learned that engaging in this battle is neither constructive nor strategic, much of the press is ignoring those hard-won lessons and is itching to fight back. Entering this arena with the president is never a good idea. For example, after reporting on Trumps anti-CNN tweet for days, the network published an article about an anonymous Reddit user who posted one version of the body-slamming video. A line in the article seemed to suggest CNN might out or doxx the Reddit user, sparking an intense Twitter pile-on by the presidents online fans. CNN originally the victim in this story found itself on the defensive as newspapers around the country ran articles about journalistic ethics rather than the presidents outrageous behavior. The fact that the media cant win these fights isnt the only reason to resist the impulse to fire back; when the Fourth Estate stoops to the presidents level, important news goes un- or under-covered. The same day the media were busy clutching their pearls over the presidents vile tweet about MSNBCs Brzezinski, the White House instituted its new travel ban. The day the president ginned up outrage with the CNN body-slamming video, the Senate reportedly sent two new, secretly revised health care proposals to the Congressional Budget Office. A new travel ban and changes to health care are consequential stories. But when viewers tuned in to cable news and Sunday shows, they were treated to heaping doses of media self-indignation at Trumps slights. During these convulsions of self-reflective coverage, the media appear to be more concerned with their own interests than the interests of the American public. That undermines their relevance to news consumers and feeds the unfortunate perception that the D.C. press corps is a self-interested elite. Media defenders insist that intense coverage of the presidents war on journalism is warranted as a bulwark against encroachment on press freedoms. This is a legitimate concern. Real reporting is warranted when the administration takes actions that hinder the medias ability to do their job. The presidents Twitter tantrums, however, hardly qualify. Besides, Americans dont need convincing that the presidents conduct is out of line. According to a recent Survey Monkey poll, a majority of Americans disapprove of his use of Twitter. An NPR-Marist poll shows that more than 70 percent of Americans believe civility in Washington has declined since Trump took office. News organizations should therefore be more judicious about how much exposure to afford his attacks. Instead of giving top billing to outrageous anti-media tweets, news outlets should dedicate more airtime to reporting about the presidents executive orders, new standards at the Environmental Protection Agency, knee-capping of the State Department through understaffing, plans to slash student aid and food stamp assistance, efforts to radically alter our health care system, and instability in the Middle East and on the Korean peninsula. In a Supreme Court decision establishing news organizations right to publish the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War, Justice Hugo Black wrote that the press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the public. The media would do well to keep this standard in mind as they decide when and how to cover Trump. Stop taking the presidents bait. Its a losing proposition. NIA seized a 'Thank You' note from Hizbul from Naeem Khan's residence and recovered a Lashkar letter from the Srinagar residence of an aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Separatist leader Naeem Khan, who was exposed by the India Today sting operation for his role in fomenting unrest in the Kashmir Valley and receiving terror funding from Pakistan, may be headed for more trouble as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has gathered incriminating evidence against him and at least one more Hurriyat leader. A "thank you" note written in Urdu from Hizbul Mujahideen, a proscribed terror organisation, was recovered during raids from Naeem Khan's residence. More than 60 pages of blank paper with Hizbul Mujahideen letterhead were also seized. Naeem has been grilled on his links with the Hizbul Mujahideen, but he has remained evasive in his replies. advertisement Similarly, a Lashkar letter from 2006 seeking financial aid and donation has been recovered from the Srinagar residence of Shahid-ul-Islam, a close aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. ARRESTS LIKELY IN DAYS TO COME: NIA Although no one has been nabbed in the case so far, the NIA is not ruling out any arrest in the days to come. "We have asked them to give us a reasonable explanation on the letter. This is direct evidence. But we are giving them time to respond to our queries", an NIA official said. Another important suspect in the case is Zahoor Watali, an influential businessman known for his alleged hawala money links. He has dropped big names with political connections to mainstream politicians. A man with known hawala links has claimed his association with Abdullah family, sources said. He claimed before the NIA that he had known three generations including Sheikh Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. He also said that he was one of the main advisors for cross-border trade to former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Sources said this name dropping, however, has not helped his case. He has also allegedly dropped names of people from Pakistan and even the United States. According to sources, Watali is a man with dubious links in several cases slapped by multiple agencies like the income tax department and the misuse of expired passport to travel abroad. Agency sleuths say that Watali's past may be questionable, but he is being investigated on his multiple financial accounts. NIA AWAITING FORENSIC REPORT ON SEIZURES FROM RAIDS The NIA is also eagerly awaiting the forensic report from Cert-in (Indian Computer Agency Response Team) on seizures made from 26 raids with seizures including 22 computers, laptops, 94 mobiles, 170 pen drives and 26 memory sticks. A senior officer dealing with the case told India today, "We have sought details but they have only come in bits and pieces. By next week, we expect some results on the basis of which we can act." Based on the evidence, we would require a few more rounds of questioning. Sources said many suspects were not giving straight answers. Two maternal uncles of Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and his close aides were also questioned by the National Investigation Agency last week in connection with the funding of separatist groups in Kashmir. advertisement 7 SUSPECTS CALLED FOR QUESTIONING Armed with physical evidence, the NIA has once called 7 suspects to its Delhi headquarters. Those called in for questioning are separatists Nayeem Khan, Javed Gazi Baba, Bitta Karate - 1the trio stung by India Today in the Hurriyat truth tapes expose. The four others called by the NIA include Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Fantoosh, Shahid-ul-Islam and Zahoor Watali. Nearly a week after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's first death anniversary, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe on terror funding has picked up pace once again. The investigation had slowed down as Jammu and Kashmir Police took Nayeem Khan and other suspects into preventive custody, anticipating trouble in the Kashmir Valley. Since the last week has passed without much trouble, sources say the probe is moving in the right direction. Not satisfied with the response given by several of the suspects, there have been multiple rounds of questioning. Meanwhile, all 7 suspects have been asked to appear for a fresh round of questioning. Also read | NIA calls in Hurriyat leaders Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate, others for questioning advertisement Also read | Hurriyat suspends Naeem Khan 5 days after India Today expose on truth behind Kashmir unrest ALSO WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- After a violent mob of domestic workers protested and pelted stones, police had to handle the riot-like situation at Noida's Mahagun Moderene Society. As the investigation went on, two conflicting versions came up. Here's all you need to know about the case. By India Today Web Desk: It was a riot-like situation when a mob of angry domestic workers protested and pelted stones at an apartment complex in Noida. Facebook user Shubhansu Jha posted two videos showing the gravity of the situation at Mahagun Moderene Society, Sector-78. The villagers entered with rods inside the residential complex alleging that one of the residents had assaulted a domestic help. advertisement Two FIRs were filed as there are two conflicting versions to the incident. DOMESTIC HELP'S VERSION Zohra Bibi, 26, who works as a domestic help in Mahagun Moderne society, had a tiff with her employer pertaining to her salary. According to her, she had demanded Rs 12,000, her salary for two months, but instead of paying her, the employers accused her of stealing Rs 17,000. Zohra Bibi claims she was beaten up and said she fled to the basement of the apartment complex fearing more violence. Abdul Sattar, Zora Bibi's husband, along with other family members, went to enquire about her when she went missing but they were allegedly beaten up. According to him, Zohra was held captive by her employers. Abdul said after they were beaten with batons they resorted to pelting stones in self-defence. "They even threatened to kill us," he told HT. Facebook user, Nilanjana Bhowmick, posted Zohra's photos after talking to her. Here's what she wrote about Zohra's version of the incident: "This is Zohra, a 26-year-old who works as a domestic help in Noida. Following a tiff with her employer, she went missing for a day. Her family and neighbors -- poor day wage laborers -- started protesting and demanding to know her whereabouts. I spoke to her a while back and she confirmed she was locked up in a room the whole day [not in the boot of the car as my original post said]. Noida police, instead of taking action, is now firing at the protesters. There are at least five of them waiting outside, waiting for me to address this. I feel helpless and quite wretched because apart from posting on social media and speaking to the police, I don't even know from where I should start addressing this deep rot!!". A report in HT says that the police admitted that the maid was found inside the apartment complex in the morning. She was then taken for a medical check-up to a hospital but nothing came up in the medical test so she was discharged after an hour. advertisement EMPLOYER'S VERSION Harshu Sethi, employer of the Zohra, claims that in the past six months money was stolen from her purse frequently. But recently, when she found Rs 17,000 stolen she decided to confront Zohra. Harshu told Zohra that she was captured on CCTV camera stealing the money. That's when Zohra confessed to the crime and admitted that she took Rs 10,000 which they can adjust against her salary. Zohra allegedly requested Harshu not to report the matter to facility management otherwise she would lose jobs in other flats. Harshu, however, said she was firm that she would report the matter. Harshu asked Zohra Bibi to wait as she went inside to fetch a stole. However, she left Harshu's house leaving her mobile behind. Later in the evening, Zohra's husband and other family members came to her place looking for her. Next morning a mob broke window panes of their flat and entered their house, Harshu claimed. The family of three had to lock themselves in the washroom for an hour and were later rescued through a back door by society residents, as reported by TOI. According to Harshu, Zohra had hatched the plot with her family and relatives. advertisement SHO of the Sector 49 police station confirmed that they had procured footage which proved that Zohra was not being held captive at the apartment. A Facebook post that gave a rather communal angle to the story described Harshul Sethi's version of incident. Shubhanshu Jha, in his Facebook post, said "Mob of Bangladeshis riot at Mahagun Moderene Society, Sector -78, Noida. This is the fourth such incident in the area. You employ them, they will steal, if you question, they will bring mob and riot. If you ear well, live in a decent society, are secular and think that they wont harm you.. then you are living in an imaginary world." He claimed that the following was a message from the flat owner. "To narrate the story what happened :Yesterday our Bangaladeshi maid who does cleaning was asked if she has stolen money as we had intuitions that she is doing that. We told her that we have a video of her stealing money from home. She thought that she got cought and she accepted that she had stolen Rs.10000 which she asked to adjust in her salary. We denied that and said that we will inform about her in facility as she can do this in other 12 houses of Mahagun too. She insisted not to inform in facility as she will loose work. But we chose to inform in facility and asked her to come to facility with us. When asked to come to facility she ran away and the same will be cptured in cctv too. She left her phone at my home in this incident. The time was around 5:30 in the evening and on the spot i went to facility, informed everything to Mr.Ramaswami in facility and submitted the phone to him. He said you don't worry and he will take care of it as these Maids as they do this often. I went back to home. advertisement Then at 9 pm 2 ladies from Mahagun came to my home along with the husband of the maid and 2 guards. They asked us that this Maid Zora dint came back home. I informed the whole incident but suddenly her husband asked me that you have taken her phone. I thought how his husband knows that the phone is with me if his wife dint reached back home. I came to know that they are making story and the same was analysed by the mahagun ladies who came with him.Then around 10:30 her husband came again with 2 policemen at my home. He might had called on 100 number. He was asking me that where is his wife. I informed the whole incident again to police and also told them about the phone. Policeman shouted on his husband and asked him not to disturb us. They also told me and they do these things often and you don't need to worry. They told her husband to search for his wife outside or file a complaint as she is not here and we do not have to do anything with her. We slept assuming that the story is over pledging not to hire any Bangladeshi Maid in future..But in the morning they came in groups and you all know the scenario. They entered in my house by breaking the door glass. It was terrifying. It's about our life and I am afraid about the safety of my family and kid.I believe if searched on cctv it can be found how, when and where this maid went out of Mahagun. It was terrifying." WHAT NEXT? Two separate and conflicting FIRs have been registered for this case. Police said that they will go through both the versions thoroughly but since there are two FIRs filed, separate investigations will go on. Delhi Commission for Women has also stepped in on humanitarian grounds and sent two counsellors to Noida. --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 08:14 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8ad472 4 Editorial #Editorial,Donald-Trump,#DonaldTrump,kim-jong-un,#KimJongUn,Korean-peninsula,nuclear-arsenal,security,Security-Council Free As both United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jongun are unpredictable and impulsive, it is not impossible to expect that the prolonged nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula will trigger a military conflict or war. The United Nations Security Council has produced dozens of resolutions, including imposing trade and economic sanctions, whih are all meaningless to the North Korean leader. But the international community cannot just watch the rising hostility between Trump and Kim from afar, because the opposing camps could take any action against universal norms. Trump and Kim have exchanged harsh threats, and the nuclear confrontation is becoming personal to both. We need to remember that both less significant and major wars, including World War I and II, were often triggered by the ego of leaders. The North wants to negotiate directly with Washington and not with others. It belittled the role of Japan and South Korea, neighbors heavily guarded by the US military. Newly elected South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered a stick and carrot approach, but it will likely fail, as it did with his predecessors and also Japan. Pyongyang has even ignored China, its only ally and major economic donor. President Xi Jinping was apparently unimpressed with Trumps warning, but Xi has often expressed displeasure with the Norths stubborn defiance against his government. China may still be confident the crisis on the Korean Peninsula will never spiral out of control. Trump indicated that he had lost patience with Pyongyang. He recently tweeted North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA. Kim responded by demonstrating his militarys progressing build-up. We fear that both may lose control and commit unimanigable acts. Trump and Kim are desperate for recognition of their leadership in their own nations. Trump has been preoccupied with allegations of Russian involvement in his victory over Hillary Clinton in last years presidential election. His popularity continues to sink and at international fora like the G20 summit he was sidelined by other leaders, unprecedented for American leaders. The Norths nuclear threat is moving closer to reality, and Kim has repeatedly threatened to launch devastating nuclear attacks against any hostile country, including South Korea, Japan and even the US. His nuclear project is probably not as advanced as he boasts, but knowing that the only way to retain his power is by obtaining the deadly weapon, it seems just a matter of time before the North joins the club of nuclear states. Tension is escalating in the East Asian region, as Kim openly demonstrates his determination to nuclearize his state. Open war on the Korean Peninsula should be avoided by all parties. Negotiation and diplomacy are the only way to avoid a military calamity. However, for the time being, there is no hope that the North will give up. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tamma Febrian (The Jakarta Post) Singapore Thu, July 13, 2017 15:22 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8bd2d7 3 Opinion economic-growth,bank,bank-access,financial-inclusion,finance Free Banking inaccessibility is a severe issue in Indonesia with only around 36 percent of the population having access to bank account based on World Banks survey. A corollary to low banking penetration is low access to credit. This has, to a certain degree, limited the upside potential of the countrys economic growth as capitals are being channelled inefficiently. Based on study by IMF/MIT on sample of six emerging market economies, a 1 percent increase in credit to investment ratio done through increasing access to credit and enhancing credit intermediation efficiency could potentially increase a countrys GDP growth by 0.2-1.2 percent. Given Indonesias low credit penetration and access to credit, it is clear that there is much to gain from accelerating the financial inclusion program. The banking sector and Financial Services Authority (OJK) have made considerable efforts in recent years to tackle this issue. For example, Laku Pandai programme -initiated by OJK in 2015 - allows banks to tap into non-bank agent networks to offer the unbanked population some basic banking account and micro credit services. Since the inception of the programme, the number of new bank accounts served through the programme has grown from a mere 36,000 to 5.2 million as of March 2017 while number of agents, too, has grown substantially (329,000 as at end March 2017 vs 3,800 at June 2015). However, the initiative was not without its challenges. According to survey carried by University of Indonesias Institute for Economic and Social Research, about 90 percent of the beneficiary of the programme actually already held bank accounts. Moreover, most of the agents are located near to bank ATMs and bank offices, thus not reaching their supposed targets in remote areas. The banks have, also, in fact poured large investment into training the individual agents which strips much of the branchless bank cost benefit relative to traditional bricks and mortar approach. The initiative so far has relied on bank-led financial inclusion tactics whereby the participant banks, after getting approval from OJK, would then start to recruit these non-bank agents. This has partly contributed to the issue of concentration, as mentioned above, whereby recruited agents are more likely to be located nearby the bank branches, limiting potential penetration rate. Switching to a more hybrid method could offer a more effective solution. This would involve getting the banks to more actively engage the large telcos, retailers and the state-owned companies like Pertamina - as the non-bank agents. Combined together, these players distribution channels would be massive. They would also likely have a more adequate technology and infrastructure which may further assist better service to the unbanked populations. Banks could also significant reduce investment in training by collaborating with these major players to establish proper training centres and programme for the agents which will allow a more effective and manageable Know Your Client process and financial product training. Consequently, the unbanked population would also be more willing to bank to these agents that are more properly trained and qualifications than typical independent agents. Once these formal distribution channels are established and financial literacy is at comfortable level, the banks could also push the strategy further to include small retailers and stores which have played a significant role in facilitating low value and high volume financial transactions. According to a study, 75 percent and 80 percent of retail sales are done through this unorganized sector and the report also suggest that there are 2.56million retailers in Indonesia. Of course, financial literacy has to improve in tandem to get the economic engine going. This can be done through an effective implementation of educational programme on managing money to common citizens. For example, offering a simple mandatory application on customers smartphone through collaboration with the telecommunication companies - when they open a bank account at these non-bank agents could be a start. A more vigorous promotion of basic personal finance tips micro sites in the likes of moneysmart.sg in Singapore by the OJK would also be beneficial. These proposals are indeed easier said than done. But they are definitely not infeasible. There has been a number of success stories in neighbouring countries of an effective financial inclusion programme and if such plan is to be executed just as well in Indonesia, there is no doubt Indonesia could achieve that global economic power status as heralded by many - much faster than expected. *** The writer is associate director at Fitch Ratings Singapore, covering banks and financial institutions around ASEAN region. Previously he had worked at Credit Suisse for 4.5 years as a credit analyst within its Investment Bank and Private Banking arms. Tamma graduated from Singapore Management University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems and Operations Management. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to academia@jakpost.com. For more information click here. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marcel Thee (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 09:04 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8af479 4 People artist,painting,Varsam-Kurnia Free Jakarta-based artist Varsam Kurnia has made clear why he is one of the countrys rising artists. Hes held a number of much-praised exhibitions, including his first solo one for his graphic novel Ceramic Sky, and was recently shortlisted for the Unknown Asia exhibition, which was held by dia.lo.gue and Unknown Asia Japan. Im fascinated by our experience as human beings so many things, ideas, experiences are encapsulated in this meat sack and more particularly in our brain, the artist explains during his water coloring workshop. There are endless ways to tell our story as human beings and Im trying to find my voice to tell it. Having studied at the Illustration Academy in Kansas City, USA in 2011 and later through an online art school called The Art Department (now called the Applied Art Academy) for three years, Varsam has developed significant skills for executing his often-complex pieces. But his restless artistic spirit drives him to continue searching for ways to fully encapsulate the aforementioned human condition in the strongest of ways. The praise hes received is appreciated but it doesnt give him the artistic fulfillment he truly craves. Varsam Kurnia(Varsam Kurnia/File) I find it hard to pat myself on the back since I always feel I could do so much more. That proud moment is very short and dries up very quickly. If I still like what Ive made in a week or so, then thats an achievement in itself, he says. Though there are many names from the art world he admires, Varsam doesnt yet feel like hes found his style yet. The process of searching is something hes since abandoned, coming to an understanding with himself that sometimes letting things flow naturally is the best methodology. That philosophy seems to be reflected in the specificity he puts upon his influences: works instead of names. There are many artists I admire, but mostly it is a particular painting of theirs, not their entire oeuvre. I love Lautrecs In Bed and Monets Creuse Valley [The evening effect] and also Gustav Klimts work. The feeling they evoke is really something else. I teared up when I saw them in person. [Their works are] very different to what I do personally. As for contemporary influences, Varsam has less trouble mentioning names Benjamin Bjorklund, Jon Foster, Aron Wiesenfeld, Yoshitaka Amano, Magritte, Edward Kinsella, as well as Tim Walker, Florence Welch and Gerard DuBois because they never stay the same. Moonboy and His Star Guide by Varsam Kurnia(Varsam Kurnia/File) I do realize that there are [styles] that I tend to convey. I used to be frustrated about finding my style and I tried to replicate or mimic other styles that I found cool and attractive but in the end, I stopped trying and I just paint what I feel is right for the moment, Varsam says, adding that he even ran into a prolonged artistic block. I stopped painting for a while because whatever I sketched I found wasnt good enough, not cool enough, and such. Which is the worst mistake any artist can make, to stop creating. Hes since gotten back into it, of course, utilizing his preferred media of watercolor, diluted acrylic and ink. All of which he loves due to their unpredictable nature, which often results in happy accidents (though, he adds, sometimes very bad ones as well). The dialogue between the paper, the water and the pigment is really fun you feel a mixture of blessing and luck when something so random can end up so perfect. The moody, sometimes-gloomy, quality of his paintings and illustrations do not come preconceived, Varsam says. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Varsam Kurnia(Varsam Kurnia/File) It comes, he explains, from his admiration of pieces that contain enough depth to make someone stop in their tracks to observe and scrutinize. Its not that I plan to make paintings that are dark and moody, they just emerge fully formed like that sometimes. I like colorful paintings too! But a lot of times, the inspiration comes from a book I was reading and I enjoy darker fiction so maybe they interconnect in one way or another, Varsam suggests. In order to keep doing what hes doing, Varsam also works for commission, often drawing book covers. The different process of engaging with clients has given him new perspectives and even ideas that hes brought into his personal pieces. Hes even managed to mix-and-match his commission pieces with his own work. Often they interchange with each other. I might find a doodle I did years ago to be a good fit for a job, or a job might inspire a personal painting that can in turn, evolve into a project. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 18:32 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8c1f77 1 Health breast-cancer,#breastcancer,charity-run,#Charity,charity,lovepink,community,#community Free Indonesia Goes Pink, a breast cancer awareness event, is slated to be held on Oct. 7-8 in Nusa Dua, Bali. Initiated by the Lovepink community in collaboration with Bali Pink Ribbon, Reach to Recovery Surabaya and Surabaya Oncology Hospital (RSOS), the annual event will be held as part of world breast cancer awareness month. The two-day event is scheduled to feature a survivor gathering event, a charity run and a breast screening program. The survivor gathering event will be held on Oct. 7 and will feature workshops and a dinner. Meanwhile, the charity run, which includes a fun-walk, 5 kilometer, 10 kilometer, and 21 kilometer race, will be held the following day. Read also: Indonesian women reluctant to undergo breast screening Those interested in joining the charity run may register via the Indonesia Goes Pink website prior to Sept. 24. Indonesia Goes Pink vice chairman Samantha Barbara said the number of breast patient victims in Indonesia was increasing. [Lovepinks care center] receives two to three breast cancer patients every day, added Samantha. Through the Check Your Own Breasts (SADARI) program, Indonesia Goes Pink hopes to increase public awareness on the importance of early screening. "Early detection is one way to decrease the number of late-stage breast cancer victims," said Lovepink co-founder Shanti Persada. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Luh De Suriyani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Thu, July 13, 2017 09:20 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8afa0a 4 Food cheese,artisan-cheese Free The popularity of cheese in Indonesia makes it only natural for the country to produce its own cheese, because milk as its basic material is sufficiently available. Milk-producing cattle like cows and goats are widely raised in the country, and besides animal protein, cheese can also be made from vegetable sources of milk such as soybeans, almond seeds and other nuts. The founders of Yogyakarta-based Mazaraat Artisan Cheese recently shared their experience in cheesemaking in Bali. Stressing the use of milk in making cheese, married couple Muhamad Najmi (also known as Jamie) and Nieta Pricillia turn to local organic milk as their basic material. According to the young pair, only about six Indonesian families are engaged in cheese making. Some 10 people gathered at a stall in Denpasar recently to learn how to make cheese as part of the cooperation between Mazaraat and organic shop Satvika Bhoga. Into cheese: Participants learn about cheese during a workshop organized by Mazaarat in Bali. (JP/Luh De Suriyani) The equipment prepared included a portable gas stove and a stainless steel pan, in addition to milk and other nutritious ingredients. The four main ingredients needed are milk, kefir grain (to make kefir milk), rennet as an enzyme and salt. According to Jamie, Mazaraat cheese obtains milk from cow breeders in Yogyakarta. Local organic milk is the best, with a maximum transportation distance of 30 kilometers, he said, explaining that the farther the milk source is located, the less balanced its fermentation will be. When facing difficulties securing fresh milk, such as in Bali, the closest material that can be used is pasteurized milk. The second crucial ingredient is kefir, a cheese culture medium to be mixed with milk. Add kefir to 1 liter of milk, cover the mixture with cloth and leave it for 24 hours at room temperature. Before further processing, strain it with a plastic tea sieve to produce kefir milk and new kefir grains for further cheesemaking. Picture perfect: Chef William Wongso takes a photo of dish Sate Rica Keju (spicy cheese satay), which uses halloumi cheese that does not melt when fried or grilled, making it a perfect meat alternative.(Mazaraat/File) Ten liters of milk are needed to make about 1 kilogram of cheese. In the demo class in Denpasar, Jamie processed 4 liters of milk that was only mixed with 60 milliliters of kefir milk. Any amount of kefir milk left can be consumed, which is good for cell regeneration and stabilizing blood sugar levels. The next step is to cook the blend of milk and kefir milk by warming it on a stove with a temperature increase of around 1 degree Celsius every five minutes until it reaches 32 degrees, as shown on a thermometer immersed in the milk being stirred slowly. Heating it too fast will cause coagulation. The third ingredient is the enzyme rennet, the only ingredient still imported as production requires special laboratory equipment. Its uneconomical to produce rennet, especially as Indonesia only has six cheese artisans so far, said Jamie. Colby cheese(Mazaraat/File) Some 1/8 tablespoons of this curdling agent per 4 liters of milk is added to the already soured milk; stir for 20-40 seconds until the enzyme is thoroughly mixed and leave it for 60 minutes. Monitor the texture of the curd this produces and wait a few more minutes if it is not yet solid. This is followed by adding organic sea salt as the last ingredient. Iodinated salt should be avoided as the chemical kills the bacteria needed. Bali produces high quality sea salt, like Amed salt in Karangasem and Kusamba Farmers Salt in Klungkung. Fresh cow milk is more economical for cheesemaking, which in Yogyakarta costs about Rp10,000 (74 US cent) per liter. Mazaraat also aims to educate buyers about cheesemaking. For example, the process yields various nutritious byproducts like butter and milk fat. The other is whey, a protein from liquid remaining after cheese curd forms, which is widely used for bodybuilding. Kefir, too, is processed into facial masks. Low-fat milk is one byproduct that is often discarded by local cheese artisans due to the lack of technology to process it, despite the fact that properly-processed and packaged low-fat milk commands a high price in urban supermarkets. Halloumi sourdough canape(Mazaraat/File) Mazaraat brought along five products that day to be sold at Satvika Bhoga: Colby, with its orange hue has the most solid texture, as well as Camembert, Gouda, Feta and Halloumi, which is like tofu and can be directly consumed or prepared as food. Hira Jhamtani, an environmental activist and globalization writer who owns Satvika Bhoga in Denpasar, said the public should be informed about how to produce cheese so as not to depend on imports and to appreciate local materials. This is why he is interested in collaborating with Mazaraat and marketing its products. Jamie learned cheesemaking in Canada for four months and when he returned, his cheese production at home frequently failed. It turned out that in addition to his skills and the cheese recipe, he still had to observe the temperature and examine the contents of local materials. Cheese in Italy, for example, can last when left in the open. In November 2015, the couples introduced their premium cheese products at community and organic market events. Now they offer nine premium cheese varieties, but its not easy selling cheese at prices higher than those of factory products. Jamie and Nieta hope a lot more cheese artisans will appear in Indonesia, so that local production of quality cheese will increase. This can be promoted, among others, by organizing cheesemaking classes and providing information about the wonders offered by its ingredients. Crottin cheese(Mazaraat/File) Mozzarella(Mazaraat/File) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Peter MacArthur (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, July 12 2017 (Courtesy of Laily Rachev/Presidential Palace Press Bureau) Canada is free and freedom is its nationality. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada. It was this early quest for freedom that inspired the then Canadas ambassador to the United Nations in 1948, Gen. McNaughton, to advocate vigorously for Indonesias acceptance by the world body as a newly independent, decolonized country. We knew what nation-building was all about. In 1867 four British colonies in North America reached compromises and voted to join together in a Confederation as a new country. 150 years ago Canada was born out of vast wilderness, rich farmland, thousands of sparkling lakes, mighty rivers and towering mountains. French and English speaking people incorporated indigenous peoples lands dating back thousands of years and began to gradually expand westward and into the north, completing the national dream in 1949 with the addition of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador followed by the territory of Nunavut in 1999. It is said that Canada was born with the stroke of a pen in agreeing the British North America Act. Canadians did not fight for their independence, they signed for it. The True North Strong and Free, began to grow under the founding principle of Peace, Order and Good Government. These touchstones have served us well over the many decades of trials and tribulations of a modernizing country. Today Canada counts 36 million people from every corner of the world, representing all ethnicities, languages, religions, sexual orientations, shapes and sizes. This human diversity is matched by the countrys natural beauty. The second largest country in the world spans a continent from the Pacific to Atlantic Ocean, extending through the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole. As a modern G7 democracy, the Canadian confederation of 10 provinces and three territories today embraces diversity through national principles of official bilingualism, multiculturalism and a concept of inclusion and tolerance entrenched in the 35 year old Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This includes a deeply felt desire today to accept refugees fleeing horrendous conflicts40,000 so far from Syria. This year Canadas celebration focuses on four themes: diversity and inclusiveness; the environment; young people; and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. We reaffirm our commitment to engaging internationally to create new friendships to build a better world, looking toward the future with optimism. In this context, Canadians stand today for equality, justice, the rule of law, good governance, peaceful pluralism, strength in diversity, and democratic values that support progressive economic policies underpinning a stronger middle class, support for human rights and reaching out to help the most vulnerable around the world. The Canadian literary critic Northrop Frye has written that Canada must now preserve its identity by having many identities. Diversity is a Canadian decision, not an accident. Last year Canada admitted more than 320,000 newcomers, the most ever. Over 20 percent of Canadians are foreign born, a ratio that rises to 50 percent in our largest city, Toronto. Recent polling shows that 82 percent of Canadians think immigration has a positive effect on the economy while two thirds view multiculturalism as a positive feature of the modern day Canadian reality. From our French, British and Indigenous roots, Canada continues to open doors to cultures around the world. The more different we are, the stronger we arehigher rates of entrepreneurship and economic growth, better social cohesion and many cultural and civic benefits, not to mention creativity and some of the best international cuisine. So being responsible global citizens is at the Canadian core. When Canada and Indonesia joined other countries in signing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change we recognized that this was a borderless, international problem that has significant effects on our natural environment and weather, human health and the global economy. Canada is focused on proving that a strong economy and clean, biodiverse environment go hand in hand through creation of the green and blue economy jobs of tomorrow. For this reason, Canada has committed C$2.67 billion over five years to foster climate change resilience and green economic growth in countries such as Indonesia. We are also sharing peatland and forest management expertise and look forward to working with Indonesia and others in saving the oceans from plastics pollution and contributing to renewable energy development. As a young country, Indonesia can appreciate the fact that young people represent our future hopes and strength. No one is ever too young to be a leader and a renewed vision in this regard is essential if todays global challenges are to be addressed. As global citizens connected through social and other media, youth today are already engaging and leading positive change including in areas such as international assistance, social enterprises and public policy. Increasingly, girls and young women benefit from greater economic empowerment in the spirit of greater gender equality. This anniversary year has re-energized efforts to help new generations shape the future by giving everybody the means to contribute to society. In this vein, the number of Indonesian students and young tourists choosing Canada is on the upswing. This anniversary year also highlights the paramount importance of Canadas improving relationship with our indigenous peoples who pre-date Europeans and others by thousands of years. We are reaching out to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples in our North in an honest and open way to forge new relations based on understanding and reconciliation. In 2016 Canada pledged to adopt and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These improvements for the future are in line with the UNs 2030 Agenda of sustainable developments goals applying both in Canada and globally. Like Indonesia, Canada stands for the principle of unity in diversity. We have both emerged from colonialism as large, decentralized countries and depend greatly on our respective great natural resource wealth including our forests and fisheries. In 1956 president Sukarno was the first Asian leader to address the Canadian Parliament or accept an honorary degree from McGill University, speaking of the similarities despite the vast distances. It was Montreals McGill University that boasts a 60 year ongoing multi-disciplinary Islamic studies relationship with Indonesian institutions. The moderate, democratic form of Indonesian Islam synchronizes with the Islam practiced by over 1 million Canadians originating from all around the world and serves as a model for others. So we have much in common but we recognize ongoing challenges to our respective national objectives so there is much we can learn from each other. Collaboration between our two middle powers is strong and features in discussions between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Joko Jokowi Widodo when they meet, as they recently did in Hamburg, Germany for the G20 Summit. The Canadian fathers of Confederation and todays gender equal Canadian Cabinet identify with many of Indonesias founding Pancasila principles including unity and social justice. Each country advances progressively in pursuing respective national dreams. Canada has a 60 year history of standing alongside Indonesia in solidarity making almost C$2 billion in official development assistance investments with our partners. This is complemented by security cooperation and training. For the last 40 years Canada has also supported Indonesia and its Southeast Asian neighbors in ASEAN. As we celebrate this year, we look forward to deepening our engage here and across the dynamic ASEAN region. We can build on this tradition over the next 150 years as G20 and APEC partners who both accept the value of multilateralism. It is clearly understood in both our capitals that global threats such as climate change and terrorism can only be addressed successfully through cooperation among the many, not the few. In the spirit of making meaningful contributions to solving global problems, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canadas candidacy for election to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two year term that begins in 2021. As we chart our common future course together, specific areas for collaboration include UN peacekeeping, maritime affairs governing the blue economy, and balancing the economy and environment in our approach to forests and peatlands. To this we could add building a strong middle class through sustainable economic development buttressed by tax collection reform with a view to quality spending, and a brighter future with women, girls, and minority communities including indigenous communities to strengthen the integrity and cohesiveness of society in general. Such intensified collaboration going forward builds on our solid trade, investment and commercial partnerships. Canadian investors in Indonesia employ thousands of young Indonesians in financial and other service sectors, extractive industries, and increasingly manufacturing. Recently Canadian pension funds made investments in Jakartas infrastructure. Indonesian corporations are reciprocating by stepping up their natural resource industry investments in Canada. At the Canada 150 year mark, the mutually beneficial Canada-Indonesia partnership which president Sukarno praised 61 years ago shows great promise for the next 150 years. __________________________________ The writer is Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Indonesia to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login At this time, when China has upped the ante with its barrage of attacks against India on the issue of tension at the Doklam (Doka La) tri-junction, Ajit Doval's visit could come as a way to cool down temperatures. By Geeta Mohan: Even as the military stand-off at the border continues between India and China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to visit Beijing for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) NSAs meet later this month. The meeting is to be held in the Chinese capital on July 27, 28. While there are a series of meetings that are taking place ahead of the summit level meeting of the BRICS leadership that would take place later this year which would be hosted by China, this visit of the Indian NSA would be crucial. At this time, when China has upped the ante with its barrage of attacks against India on the issue of tension at the Doklam (Doka La) tri-junction, Ajit Doval's visit could come as a way to cool down temperatures. advertisement India today hinted at the need to remain engaged. "We have diplomatic channels available. We have embassies in both countries. Those channels will continue to be used," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said when asked how would the current border crisis be resolved. Adding that the matter is 'serious' and has 'implications' hence it was important to remain engaged. While to the question on if National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was travelling to Bejing on July 26, he said, 'there was no information with him'. Doval, who is also the Special Representative for the India-China border talks is scheduled to visit Beijing for the BRICS meet but there is no confirmation yet on where he would meet the Chinese Special Representative to discuss the current crisis on the sidelines of the meet. Also read: Chinese strategic expert: After Doklam, China can intervene in J-K Beyond Doka La: 10 irritants in India-China relation India-China standoff: All you need to know about Doklam dispute --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 08:30 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8af420 1 City Idul-Fitri-2017,influx,exodus,jakarta Free The Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency recorded 70,752 newcomers during the post-Idul Fitri influx who accompanied relatives or friends who lived in the city. The figure is 2.89 percent higher than the 68,763 newcomers in the 2016 post-Idul Fitri influx, agency data shows. Agency head Edison Sianturi said figures were collected from the Transportation Ministry, the Jakarta Transportation Agency, state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), state-owned ship operator PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni), state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura and state-owned public bus operator PT Damri. The Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency also conducted surveys at several railway stations, bus terminals and airports as well as monitored the situation on the field to see the distribution of newcomers across the city from July 6 to July 17. Meanwhile, field checks on the distribution of newcomers, locally known as Bina Penduduk (Binduk), will also be held on July 25 by the agency in cooperation with mayors, a regent, district heads, subdistrict heads, community unit heads and neighborhood unit heads, Edison added. Other organizations to be involved in the operation are the Jakarta Social Agency, the Jakarta Public Order Agency, the Jakarta Housing Agency, the Jakarta Manpower Agency, the National Police and the military. The Jakarta Transportation Agency estimates that about 6 million people left the capital city for their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri on June 25. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Luh De Suriyani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Thu, July 13 2017 Cheese, mostly still imported, has been increasingly inseparable from Indonesias culinary favorites as well as various traditional snacks. The popularity of cheese in Indonesia makes it only natural for the country to produce its own cheese, because milk as its basic material is sufficiently available. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 15:23 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8bd3d9 4 City drug-dealer,drug-network,drug-smuggling,Chinese,Jakarta-police Free The Jakarta Police have shot dead a Chinese national named Lin Ming Hui, who allegedly smuggled a single ton of crystal methamphetamine from China into Indonesia. He was shot while resisting arrest. We had to shoot him as he was trying to fight [investigators], Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Cmr. Argo Yuwono said as reported by Kompas.com on Thursday. The police also arrested two other Chinese nationals named Chen Wei Chuan and Liao Guan Yu on a beach near Mandalika Hotel in Serang, Banten, in the early hours of Thursday morning. The police are now hunting down another person from the network with the initials HYI. The arrest was made after a joint team from the Jakarta Police narcotics investigation directorate and the Depok Police foiled attempts to smuggle in crystal methamphetamine, locally known as sabu-sabu, from China. The case was uncovered following a tip off from Taiwan Police that there would be a sabu-sabu delivery from China to Indonesia. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 15:28 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8bd952 1 Business Sri-Mulyani-Indrawati,tax,tax-amnesty,tax-to-GDP-ratio Free Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has expressed concern over the countrys low tax-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio. At 10.3 percent, it is an indication that the tax received by the government is far lower than the potential. As a former World Bank official, I see the figure as very low, Sri said when speaking at an international tax conference in Jakarta as reported by kompas.com on Thursday. Read also: Government to revise down tax revenue target She said the government had tried to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio after organizing the nine-month tax amnesty that ended in March. Further efforts include making financial information more transparent by joining the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI) and cooperating with other countries, including members of G20, to fight tax evasion by multi-national companies and rich people. Since the 2008-2009 financial crisis, finance ministries across the globe have experienced the same things. Therefore, we have to jointly put pressure on tax evaders, she said, adding that the government had set a target tax-to-GDP ratio of 16 percent by 2019. International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing director Mitsuhiro Furusawa agreed with Sri Mulyani, stressing that Indonesia needed to increase its tax-to-GDP ratio. I think it is an ambitious target, but it can be achieved. The most important thing is political will, Mitsuhiro said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Damian Wroclavsky (Agence France-Presse) Brasilia Thu, July 13, 2017 14:08 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b9186 2 World Brazil,corruption,Latin-America Free Lula, who ruled Brazil from 2003-2010, was convicted and handed a 9.5-year prison term for accepting a bribe of a luxury seaside apartment and $1.1 million. But anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro, who handed down the sentence, said the 71-year-old Lula would remain free pending an appeal -- something his lawyers immediately said they would lodge. "We are appealing and will prove his innocence," the lawyers said in a statement sent to AFP. The conviction nevertheless landed a heavy blow on the prospect of Lula making a political comeback in presidential elections due in October next year. The verdict also sent a dramatic message to much of the rest of Brazil's political class that they, too, risked falling afoul of the anti-graft drive. Even the current president, Michel Temer, has been charged with taking bribes and several of his ministers have resigned after corruption claims were made. The sea change has come about because of Operation "Car Wash," a sweeping anti-corruption probe looking into a giant embezzlement and kickbacks scheme involving state-owned oil group Petrobras, construction firms and several political parties -- Lula's Workers' Party chief among them. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 10:00 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b4be8 1 Politics Hizbut-Tahrir-Indonesia,HTI,HRW,Human-Rights-Watch,Jokowi,jokowidodo,Islamic-caliphate,Pancasila,ahok,#ahok,basuki-tjahaja-purnama Free Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized President Joko Jokowi Widodo for signing on a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to ban Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), an Islamic organization that aims to establish a global Islamic caliphate. In a statement released on Wednesday, the group called the move a troubling violation of universal rights to freedom of association and expression. HRW researcher Andreas Harsono wrote that the government was only able to take legal actions against groups suspected of committing legal violations. However, banning any organization strictly on ideological grounds is a draconian action that undermines freedom of association and expression, rights that Indonesians have fought hard to establish since the Soeharto dictatorship, Andreas said. (Read also: Govt now allowed to disband mass groups) The decision to ban HTI comes about amid worsening sectarian tension in the country, particularly during the course of the Jakarta gubernatorial election that saw a Christian incumbent governor of Chinese descent face off against a Muslim challenger. The Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister announced in March that the government would ban HTI from operating in the country on the grounds that its vision of establishing an Islamic caliphate contradicted the pluralistic values of Pancasila. (kuk/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 19:49 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8c49f8 1 Business KOIMA-Korean-Importers-Association,visit,Indonesia Free The Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) on Thursday held a business-to-business (B2B) meeting with Indonesian traders at Sheraton Hotel Jakarta. The main purpose [of this meeting] is to buy some of your outstanding products, like oil palm, rubber [and] timber, KOIMA chairman Myoung Jin-shin told reporters. He added that it also aimed to secure more than $100,000 purchases of Indonesian goods, ranging from fruits, vegetables and spices, to palm oil and rubber. We know Indonesia has a lot of natural resources, so we Korean traders now are looking for better products [...] Indonesian products are cheaper and of better quality, compared to buying from Europe or America. It is also faster, he added. During the meeting, KOIMA also invited Indonesian businesspeople to take part in South Koreas 2018 Import Goods Fair scheduled for June 21-23 in Seoul next year. Jin-shin said KOIMA comprises more than 8,500 importers that can help local traders penetrate his country, which has a population of 50.62 million people. The event allocates 220 booths to lease for US$2,500 per 9 square meters or $2,000 per 9 sqm without a booth. All the events are part of efforts to materialize South Koreas dream to hit $2 trillion in total two-way foreign trade by 2020. The global economic slowdown has pushed total trade between Indonesia and South Korea into a negative trend for the past five years, dropping by 15.79 percent in average every year. It fell by 15 percent to $13.68 billion last year alone. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 13:02 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b6f48 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Lampung,outdoor-activities,festival,#festival,Krakatau-Lampung-Festival Free The annual Krakatau Lampung Festival is set to return from Aug. 21 to Aug. 27. The event aims to highlight Lampungs culture and tradition. It will present an art market, tour Mount Anak Krakatau and put on beach parties on the Tangkil and Mutun beaches. Read also: 10 destinations to visit in Lampung Other activities include snorkeling, swimming, flying kites, a food festival and competitions, said Lampung Tourism Agency head Budiharto. The festival also aims to promote other tourist attractions in Lampung such as Pahawang Island, Kiluan Bay, Putri Malu waterfall and Way Kambas National Park, he added. Up to 114,907 foreign tourists reportedly visited Lampung in 2016, while the number of domestic tourist arrivals reached 5.5 million. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 14:05 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b8758 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,China,foreign-investment,Lake-Toba,Medan,railway Free Chinese investors are reportedly eyeing a railroad development project connecting Medan with Lake Toba. They want to build the infrastructure and are ready to put up US$10 billion, said Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan. The railroad will connect Medan to Kualanamu and then Tebing Tinggi and Pematangsiantar. The line will end in the Lake Toba area. Read also: What to Know: 2017 Asian additions to UNESCO World Heritage List Late last year, five potential investors from Russia visited North Sumatra to survey the railroad project. With the availability of the railroad, travelers will only need to spend 3.5 hours to reach the famed tourist attraction, compared to traveling by private vehicle or public bus, which usually takes six hours. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 12:01 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b6389 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Semarang,China Free Following Split in Croatia and Ulsan in South Korea, Jianyang city in China has recently sent its delegates to Semarang to propose a partnership deal between the two cities. The delegates leader Yang Xin Qiang said that Semarang is close in history with China as evidenced by the story of Admiral Cheng Ho who arrived in Semarang. Today the Sam Poo Kong, also known as Gedung Batu Temple has also been built in Simongan, Gedung Batu, not too far from the Banjir Kanal Barat river which disembogues in the Java Sea. I hope a partnership deal between Semarang and Jianyang can be established. In terms of tourism, both cities have interesting tourist destinations, said Yang Xin Qiang. Semarang mayor Hendrar Prihadi received the delegates' intentions positively and mentioned that the city has plenty of attractions to offer to Chinese from categories such as religious tourism which encompass Central Java Grand Mosque, The Semarang Grand Mosque (Kauman) and Sam Poo Kong temple. Another category is the city-based tourist attractions such as Lawang Sewu and Old Town, education tourism such as Mangkang Zoo, Catfish Park, Mandala Bhakti Museum and finally culinary tourism in Pandanaran. Read also: A guide to visiting Semarang Were currently developing Kalipancur Waterfall and Rainbow Village consisting of 390 houses painted in attractive, eye-catching colors, said Prihadi. We are invited by Jianyang to make a follow-up visit to the city in November, and were taking a few entrepreneurs from Semarang with us, he added. Tourism minister Arief Yahya said he expects Semarang to be invited into partnerships with other cities from around the world. He said the city has many elements that make it a complete tourism destination. "In the tourism destination development, we have the 3-A formula; Attraction, Access, and Amenities. Semarang's strength lies in its access," he said. Yahya also appreciates the development efforts of Semarang's Ahmad Yani Airport, as it's creatively developed not only as an accessibility facility but also as an aesthetically attractive object that attracts tourists. "The Ahmad Yani airport in Semarang can be a tourism icon, and not merely a transportation infrastructure. This will breathe a new hope for Indonesian tourism, which president Joko Widodo has established as the nation's economic core," Yahya concluded. (asw) By PTI: Hoble: Goa BJP Panaji, July 13 (PTI) The BJP in Goa today accused the Congress of trying to malign the saffron party over registration of a dowry harassment case against its state leader Anil Hoble, saying it was trying to make capital out of a family matter. ?The BJP strongly condemns the attitude of the vested elements and the opposition Congress who is trying to make capital out of the family matter to malign the name of the party and its state vice president Anil Hoble who is reputed leader of Bahujan samaj with a number of years of dedicated social service to his credit," Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said in a statement here. advertisement Hoble, his wife Sandhya and son Milind have been booked under the Dowry Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code by Women?s Police Station yesterday. "We are fully confident that the police will conduct a free and fair investigation to bring out the truth behind the whole episode which appears to be a purely domestic family matter," Tendulkar said. We, however, condemn the efforts being made by some so called social activists and vested interest to politicise each and every event and drag the name of BJP and malign the name of its senior leader, he added. The trio has been booked under Section 498-A, 323 (domestic violence causing hurt), 506 (ii) (criminal intention) read with 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. Suchitra Shirodkar, mother of Hobles daughter-in-law had claimed that he was demanding dowry and had assaulted her daughter. In her complaint, she had alleged that Hoble threatened her (complainant) with dire consequences when she had come to rescue her daughter. PTI RPS SMJ --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 09:39 1948 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b3879 1 News Lion-Air,lion-air-group,flights,routes,Airlines,#airlines Free Lion Air and Batik Air, incorporated under the country's biggest low-cost carrier Lion Air Group, have opened new domestic and international routes this month. Company spokesman Andy M. Saladin said in a statement on Tuesday that Lion Air had opened new daily domestic routes from Pontianak's Supadio International Airport, connecting the West Kalimantan capital to Makassar, Kualanamu and Semarang. The airline has also opened a new route from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, with services connecting the Indonesian capital to Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, Central Java. Read also: Lion Air co-founder awarded Legion d'Honneur "Again we provided new access options to our customers, which of course we did as a form of commitment to serving flights at affordable costs and reaching destinations that were needed by the people of Pontianak, Makassar, Kualanamu, Semarang, Jakarta, and surrounding areas," Andy said in the statement, as quoted by Antara news agency. Lion Air has also added new international routes, he added, with flights connecting Batam with Changsha in China. This month, flights from Batam to Changsha will operate on July 12, 19 and 26, with reverse routes flying on July 13, 20 and 27. (liz/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 15:00 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8ba51d 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Jokowi,#Jokowi,President-Jokowi,Joko-Widodo,sumba,East-Nusa-Tenggara Free President Joko Widodo and first lady Iriana traveled to Southwest Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on July 12 to attend Tenun Ikat Sumba Festival and 1001 Sandalwood Horses Parade. The festival, dedicated to woven fabric (tenun ikat) is slated to run from July 12 to 15 while the 1001 Sandalwood Horses Parade ran from July 3 until 12. Read also: Sidoarjo turns mud waste area into tourist destination During his speech at the event, the President made a comment on Sandalwood pony that symbolizes knighthood and is sometimes presented as dowry and nose-kissing tradition that the president himself encountered upon his arrival on the island, It [nose-kissing tradition] symbolizes the breath of life, said Jokowi. Tenun Ikat Sumba Festival and 1001 Sandalwood Horses Parade are two real examples of how nature is providing us with local cultures that end up leading the tourism sector, he added. The president also hopes that the Sandalwood Horses Parade and Tenun Ikat Sumba Festival will be held continuously so the culture will be sustained and keep on attracting tourists even on low seasons. "The event has to be managed in a modern way, utilizing various social media as a promotion tool and inviting bloggers to Sumba to support the promotion. If necessary, we can involve local or international film directors who want to produce their films with the beautiful Sumba as the background. This way, NTT will be recognized abroad," the president said. After lunchtime, at 02:00 p.m., both President and the First Lady departed for Makassar, South Sulawesi via Tambolaka Airport. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 14:33 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8b9589 1 Destinations Padjajaran-Anyar,hanging-hotel,Hotel,travel,traveling,tourism,Purwakarta,Mount-Parang,#hotel,#traveling,#travel,#Purwakarta Free Those curious about the new hanging hotel in Purwakartas Mount Parang in West Java, which features several sleeping capsules at a height of up to 900 meters above sea level, can see more detailed information on the property compiled by kompas.com: Read also: What to Know: 2017 Asian additions to UNESCO World Heritage List A post shared by Badega Gunung Parang (@badegaparang) on Jul 10, 2017 at 8:00am PDT What's in a name The hotels name, Padjajaran Anyar, was reportedly given by Purwakarta Regent Dedi Mulyadi. It means that the Sundanese people in Purwakarta are able to create something as great as this, [which hopefully] can inspire others, Dhanni Daelami, one of the initiators of hotel operator Badega Gunung Parang, told The Jakarta Post. Dhanni said the property aimed to promote tourism around Mount Parang. Mt. Parang is an exotic rocky mountain that wasnt explored much prior to our efforts to develop it in 2013." Exotic design In an interview with kompas.com, Dhanni said the hotel would be built with a combination of steel, aluminum and polycarbonate walls. Although the hotel is designed to have a total of 99 rooms, only 11 rooms will be available on its opening day in October. "The rooms will be built gradually along the mountain's exotic routes," he explained. Dhanni added that the hotel was designed for adventure-seekers who don't necessarily possess outdoor skills. "Everyone above the age of six can visit the hotel." Read also: Nusa Penida featured in Maltese news publication Highlighted features A post shared by Badega Gunung Parang (@badegaparang) on Jul 9, 2017 at 2:08am PDT Padjajaran Anyar boasts a bed, toilet, air conditioner, Wi-Fi connectivity and breakfast for its guests. Dhanni explained that visitors could reach the skylodge by climbing via feratta (iron road) and strolling along the tyrolean bridge to reach their capsule. Meanwhile, they will need to rappel to climb down from the cliff. It is advised to bring a maximum of 10 kg of luggage during visits to Padjajaran Anyar. The price to pay The price for a room is said to range between Rp 3.3 million (US$247) to Rp 9.9 million based on the room's height. Read also: More foreign tourists flocked to North Sulawesi in May Available online Online reservations through reservation services and Badega Gunung Parangs own website will be available starting from November. Nearby attractions Hotel guests can experience Sundanese arts and cultural activities, ceramic art, farming and enjoy a nearby library about Mt. Parang. Is it safe? Dhanni said guests have nothing to worry about. The security will be very tight and observed 24/7, he said, adding that there would be CCTVs at each corner of the mountain walls. Slated to begin operations in October, the hotel operator states it has already received almost 100 bookings from both domestic and foreign tourists. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, July 13, 2017 16:32 1947 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8be5b2 1 News LIPI,national-youth-science-camp,PIRN,Science,research Free Indonesia lacks researchers compared to other Southeast Asian countries, according to Bambang Subiyanto, the vice chairman of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). As reported by Antara news agency, the country only has around 9,500 researchers, far below the ideal number of at least 250,000 researchers given its population of more than 250 million people. As part of an effort to boost the number of researchers, LIPI is hosting the 16th National Youth Science Camp (PIRN) in Aceh from July 9 to July 16. Bambang said around 450 students, including from senior high schools, Islamic senior high schools and vocational schools across the country's 28 provinces, are participating in the event. Read also: SabangMerauke aims to shatter misconceptions These students will learn how to begin research, what they should do and what the standards are, he said. Hopefully it will inspire them to conduct research and become researchers. PIRN is an educational activity that promotes research methodologies in science, engineering and social studies. The participants can expect to receive mentoring on scientific research, presentation, field training and exhibitions. The activity is being held in several locations across Aceh, including Pasir Putih, the Lampulo Fish Auction (TPI), Semen Andalas, Lampisang and Lhok Seudu. (wir/kes) The investigation team, which included officials from a military intelligence agency, presented its report to the Supreme Court on Monday. By Reuters: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday for the first time explicitly dismissed a report from a corruption investigation that raised questions about the source of his family's wealth, rejecting it as slander. Sharif, 67, serving his third term as prime minister, faces opposition calls to step down but he was defiant in his condemnation of the report that alleges his family's income from business was not large enough to explain its wealth. advertisement A Joint Investigation Team (JIT), set up by the Supreme Court to investigate corruption allegations that surfaced following the Panama Papers leak, also accused his children, including heir apparent Maryam Sharif, of signing falsified documents about ownership of off-shore companies. "The JIT report about our family businesses is the sum of hypotheses, accusations and slander," Sharif said in a statement after meeting his cabinet. "Accusations amounting to billions are being made here but no wrongdoing has been proven." The investigation team, which included officials from a military intelligence agency, presented its report to the Supreme Court on Monday. Copies of it were then leaked to the media, prompting a chorus of demands from political parties that he resign from office. "Nawaz's authority is completely eroded," Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice chairman of the opposition PTI party, told Reuters. "There is no legal, moral or political justification for him to continue." Pakistan has for decades been plagued by pervasive graft, and by rivalry between the military and civilian politicians. WORRIES HIT STOCKS Sharif's term expires in June 2018 and elections are expected two months later. If he were forced to step down, his ruling PML-N party could appoint a new leader as prime minister until the polls. Nevertheless, worries generated by the 254-page report has sent stocks tumbling amid fears of chaos after several years of relative stability and accelerating economic growth. The economy expanded by 5.3 per cent last fiscal year - its fastest in a decade. Big infrastructure investment by China has boosted growth while confidence has been buoyed by a decline in militant attacks. After years of electricity shortages and cuts, power outages have also been reduced but not eradicated. Sharif said the economic progress made since his election in 2013 showed the government was on the right track and any disruption would only hurt progress. "We will not let darkness once again prevail in our towns and factories," he said. Sharif, the son of an industrialist, will have his fate decided by the Supreme Court, which could disqualify him or order a trial. Sharif was originally nurtured by the military as a civilian politician who would protect their interests, and he served as prime minister twice in the 1990s. advertisement But he later fell out with an army chief and was ousted in a 1999 coup leading to a decade of exile. "Our family has gained nothing from the politics, in fact it has lost a lot," Sharif said. Also Read:Panama Papers probe: Microsoft font Calibri might nail Sharif in graft charges --- ENDS --- Half Moon and Zest Theatre bring What Once Was Ours to 27 venues from October. This influential and highly contemporary production is based on interviews in workshops created by the collaboration of two of the United Kingdoms leading youth theatre companies. The plot revolves around a half-brother and sisters complicated relationship. Katie and Callum come from essentially different backgrounds and are united solely by their fathers blood. The brother is suddenly in need of help, which gives rise to the plot twist. The enveloping scenic design, metaphorical lining of the story and the immersive original musical accompaniment create a striking play, which above all makes us reconsider our humanity and consideration for others. Inspired by recent contradicting political views, the production aims to establish a truly honest conversation, which perhaps could be the foundation of sincere change. Throughout extensive workshops held between November 2016 and January 2017 in Gateshead, Newcastle, Barnsley, Lincolnshire, and Tower Hamlets with young British citizens, the show boldly comments on divisions among UKs youth that arise from their views on Brexit, British culture, national self-awareness, and the intersection between society and politics. The performance incorporates quotes from these conversations verbatim, making it authentic and fearless. As Half Moons director Chris Elwell comments: What we found with the young people we worked with in our local Tower Hamlets schools was that they are so used to living in a tolerant and multicultural society that they hadn't considered what it might feel like to live somewhere more divided. As we delved into those opinions further with them, they talked about how they do sometimes group together with people with whom they feel a racial or cultural affinity, but that equally they are blind to those things more often than not. Both theatre companies are renowned for their extensive work with young performers and facilitating artists personal and professional growth. Half Moon and Zest Theatre strive to expose the younger generations inner conflicts and feelings through their work. This is exemplified by director Toby Ealdens past work as director of Nacro, a youth theatre organisation dedicated to a national crime reduction charity which toured across the country, including the National Theatre. The work of these companies is admirable simply because they aim to provide an original and genuine view on a highly misunderstood and complex subject: the collective consciousness of a vibrant and diverse British youth. The show will run between the 5th of October and the 24th of November 2017, touring over 27 venues. Further details on tour dates and tickets can be obtained at the following websites: www.zesttheatre.com or www.halfmoon.org.uk. Mr Barnier has given the UK five days to decide the fate of those citizens before secondary withdrawal talks get underway next Monday with Brexit secretary David Davis. The French politician also called out Boris Johnson's claim that the EU could "go whistle" over the costly exit settlement. In his speech at a conference in Brussels, he said: "I'm not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking." The chief negotiator also talked about the continued jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, including over citizens rights. He added:Finance was also on the table with the EU - Mr Barnier told the UK it must realise its financial obligation to the EU. He addressed Britain's Brexit financial settlement, insisting that the EU wasand wasor an Exit Bill." The chief negotiator also stated he wanted clarificationof talks. He spoke about three priorities - the financial settlement, citizens' rights and other separation issues, stating that "" in order for the EU and the UK to move foward in their discussion on the future relationship between the union and Britain. Before meeting Mr Davis, Mr Barnier will be holding talks with Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party and leader of the opposition of the current British Conservative government. He will also talk to two of the first ministers in the UK - Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland and Carwyn Jones, the first minister of Wales. The second wave of talks begin on Monday, July 17. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page The documents of the year 2006 submitted by Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Sharif have been found typed in the Calibri font, which had not been widely released until January 2007. By Hamza Ameer: The Microsoft font Calibri has now become the key piece of evidence in the investigation of Panamagate graft charges against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The documents of the year 2006, handed over by the Prime Minister Sharif's daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif were typed in the Calibri font, when the font was not widely available. The Calibri font was not widely released until 2007- this points at an anomaly in the documents that make a case of forgery. advertisement The lab that examined the documents noticed the discrepancy since, "Calibri was not commercially available before January 31 2007... neither of the originals of the certified declarations are correctly dated and happy [sic] (have been) to have been created at some later point in time." The company that created the font said that Calibri was delivered to Microsoft in finished form in 2004 and that the first public betas to include it were released in 2006. However Maryam Sharif rejected the report and tweeted a Quora page that said that Calibri was available in Windows beta as early as 2004. SHARIF'S KIDS IN LOOP The investigation goes back to the 2016 Panama Papers leak, which revealed details of people using a law firm to handle offshore accounts. Children of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have been named among those who siphoned their money off and to have made purchases that the Sharif family failed to publicly declare. Pakistan Supreme Court has formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to look into the case and its new findings. Investigators believe that the Nawaz family had more assets than they declared and forged documents to hide it. There are now calls for the Prime Minister to resign, though it appears that he intends to see the court case through. "Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in [the Supreme Court]," his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeted. Also read: 'Shah Rukh not under investigation in Panama Papers leak case' Panama Papers list Putin's aide, Nawaz Sharif, hundreds of Indians: 10 things to know Amitabh rejects Panama Papers leak, says his name has been misused On Facebook, Kashmiri boy befriends girl who turns out to be a male Pakistani handler Also watch | Nawaz Sharif appears before Pakistan SC in connection to Panama Papers case --- ENDS --- Tentang Situs Slot Online Resmi MGS88 Nama Situs MGS88 Minimal Deposit Rp. 10.000,- (Sepuluh Ribu Rupiah) Proses Deposit 2 Menit Metode Deposit Bank Transfer, Pulsa, E-Wallet Judi Online Terbaik Slot Online, Judi Bola, Casino Online, Togel Online, Tembak Ikan Provider Slot Gacor Mudah Maxwin Pragmatic Play, PGSoft, MicroGaming, Habanero Slot Gacor Gampang Menang Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza, Wild West Gold, Starlight Princess Win Rate 98% RTP Live Slot Gacor Tertinggi Hari Ini Terbaru Terlengkap Selamat datang di halaman RTP live dan informasi soal slot gacor hari ini dari situs MGS88 yang setiap hari selalu update. 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As a result, despite the availability of the vaccine, rabies deaths are high in India. advertisement Agra is facing acute shortage of anti-rabies vaccine since the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the country. Dozens of animal bite victims have been thronging to the Agra District Hospital but for the past two weeks the medicine is not available there. Anti-rabies vaccination is most effective if administered within 72 hours of an animal bite. A gap of two weeks can be fatal for the victims. BLAME GAME BEGINS When India Today asked the hospital authorities about the non-availability of anti-rabies vaccine, the officials blamed the supplier company. They said that the supplier company was yet to register itself on the GST Network. In such a situation, the concerned company has stopped the supply. However, the officials said that the old stock was used for a few days after the GST rollout. "Now there is no vaccine in stock either at the district hospital or at the SN Medical College," they said. Chief Medical Superintendant of the district hospital Dr Subodh Kumar told India Today that they were assured by the supplier that the vaccine would be made available soon after they issued a memo to the company. But, the vaccine has not arrived till date. SN Medical College Chief Medical Superintendant Dr Shailendra Chowdhary said that the companies had been asked to resume supply and raise the bills as per GST rates. WHAT PEOPLE SAID Talking to India Today, Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Shamshabad town said that he was bitten by a dog about a week ago. He had been visiting the district hospital every day with hopes that he would get the anti-rabies vaccine but to no avail. The medicine costs about Rs 1,200 in the open market while it is administered free at the district hospital. Bhagwan Singh said that he could not afford the market price of the vaccine as he earned only Rs 300 a day as daily wage labourer and had a family to support. Babu Khan of Kagarol town has a similar story to share. Babu had been visiting the district hospital for past four days without any luck with the vaccine. The hospital staff, on the other hand, say that they are not sure if the vaccine, when it comes, would be effective on these patients. advertisement There are 18 Community Health Centers in the Agra district and each centre has the facility for anti-rabies vaccination. On an average, the district hospital, SN Medical College, and the 18 CHCs vaccinated about 1200-1500 animal bite victims every month till last month. However, anti-rabies vaccines have not arrived since June 22 - more than a week before GST was implemented on 1 July. Social activist Rajkumar Nagrath has demanded strict action against the hospital authorities and the supplier saying that their approach in this matter has been callous. ALSO READ |Agra: Muslims call Amarnath terror attack a 'satanic act' Why couples in Agra are going to police, NGOs, elders to resolve marital disputes ALSO WATCH: Agra | Bajrang Dal activists attack police station to rescue 5 co-workers from lock-up --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today faced the wrath of the Supreme Court for his "intervention" in the process of publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is being monitored by the top court. The apex court observed that when it was monitoring the process of preparation and publication of the draft NRC, which is meant to identify original residents of the state to check illegal migration, through a court-appointed committee, no agency or authority can make such a statement. advertisement A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman warned that if the authorties intervened in the matter like this, it would "wash off its hands" as it does not appreciate such moves. "We do not appreciate any other authority intervening in the matter of preparation and publication of the draft NRC when this court has been monitoring the process," it said. The counsel representing Assam government said there was no intention on the part of the Chief Minister to interfere in the apex court proceedings. During the hearing, the bench was informed that though the deadline for publication of draft NRC was said to be March 31, 2018, the Chief Minister has stated that this would be done on or before December 2017. "Last time you had told us that you will do it by March 2018. It is good that you are doing it. But we have an on- record statement of Chief Minister of Assam that the draft NRC will be published in December 2017. Let him supervise then. We will wash off our hands. "When the Supreme Court is monitoring it, we dont see any other agency or authority to say that we will do it like this. Our attention is drawn to the Chief Ministers statement that he has revised the date to December 31, 2017," it said. The apex court also observed that it has spent time and energy for almost two years for this and it was "not fair" on the part of the Chief Minister to make such a statement. "When we are monitoring, how can anybody or any agency say this? We have spent two years time and energy on it. It is not fair to the court," the bench observed. The court noted in its order that though Prateek Hajela, state coordinator, NRC Assam, had earlier stated before it that the date of publication of draft NRC would be around March 2018, now he has said that it would be published by December end this year. "Statement of the state coordinator is pursuant to the statement of the Chief Minister of Assam that draft NRC would be published on or before December 31, 2017," it noted. "Be that as it may, we now understand that date of publication of draft NRC is on or before December 31, 2017," it said while adding that the budgetary allocation should be made available so that the work could be done by the year end. advertisement However, the top court also said that if the coordinator faces any difficulty, including intervention by any other authority, he shall forthwith report it to the court. Meanwhile, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar informed the bench that former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, heading a committee which was already entrusted some task by the court, has expressed his inability to oversee the construction of the fencing in the western front of the India-Bangladesh border. Kumar said Gupta has cited personal reasons, including health, and has declined to take up the work related to construction of fencing in the western front of the border. When the Solicitor General suggested some names to oversee the work, the bench said, "we would like to give it to a person who is not holding any office as government servant. We would like to give the work to a public spirited person. You can think over it and give us some names". The court also said it will have to constitute another committee for the work and asked the solicitor general and the counsel representing other parties to suggest some names within seven days. advertisement It said that it would finalise the name "in chamber" and pass an order with regard to the role of committee. The Solicitor General also told the court that fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border was going on but it had to be stopped in some stretches due to heavy monsoon rains. "Whatever you do, it is quite clear that some part of the border cannot be fenced as there are riverine areas. That is the most porous part of the border," the bench observed. However, Kumar said the government was doing its best in the area, including the stretch of 48.11 km of riverine area, and has installed floodlights and increased patrolling there. "We would like our committee to go there and see what is there and then give us the details," the court said. At the fag end of the hearing, when some counsel raked up the issue of smuggling across the border, the bench said, "smuggling and human trafficking, do not raise it before us". advertisement The apex court was hearing a matter relating to fencing of Indo-Bangla border. PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS ARC --- ENDS --- A Congress leader, who lost to AAP's Sukhpal Singh Khaira in the recently concluded Assembly election, has accused the latter of misrepresenting his educational qualification while filing nomination. By Manjeet Sehgal: After Delhi Tri Nagar AAP MLA Jitender Singh Tomar's fake degree row, now Punjab AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira also finds himself in the middle of a similar controversy. The Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Bholath constituency allegedly misrepresented his educational qualification in the nomination papers submitted to the Election Commission during three consecutive Assembly elections. "While filing his nomination papers in 2007, he stated that he has passed second year of BA, in 2012 he stated that he is a graduate and while filing nomination in 2017 he again mentioned his qualification as BA second year pass," alleged Congress' Ranjeet Singh Rana, who finished third in the constituency during the 2017 Assembly election. advertisement In a written complaint to the Punjab Assembly speaker and the Election Commission, the Congress leader has demanded action against the AAP legislator. The Congress leader also accused the AAP MLA of grabbing 22-acre land fraudulently which was meant for poor and landless farmers. "The land worth Rs 6.6 crore was misused for personal reasons and was later given to a bogus private organisation. This land was meant for poor and landless farmers but he misused it," alleged Ranjit Singh Rana. CHARGES MISCHIEVOUS, SAYS AAP LEGISLATOR When contacted, AAP legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira termed Ranjit Singh Rana's allegations of misrepresentation in educational qualification 'mischievous'. "This man (Ranjeet Singh Rana) polled only 5,900 votes; he was an Akali till August last year and is a frontman of Rana Gurjeet Singh and Bibi Jagir Kaur. He is making bogus allegations against me at the behest of the duo," alleged AAP's Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The AAP legislator said, "I dare Rana Gurjeet to come forward and fight with me directly. Today's press conference is a mischievous attempt by the Congress government to stall my election as Leader of Opposition." Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh confirmed that he has received a complaint which is being examined. "I have received a complaint against the member which is being examined. We are verifying the facts. I will be able to comment only after the verification process is over," the Speaker said. ALSO READ: Fake degree racket busted in Gurgaon, 4 held Punjab minister marks probe into fake degree racket Modi's degree is fake, demonetisation a Rs 8,000 crore scam, alleges Kejriwal ALSO WATCH: PM degree row: Modi's degree was forged, claims AAP --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 13 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton would have won the last years general elections, as this would have made America weaker. In his first major interview after his last weeks maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. advertisement "We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because Im a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. Thats what Putin doesnt like about me," Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in an interview. "And thats why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesnt want to see that," he said, according to the excerpts of the interview released by CBN. "From day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. Were going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. Were going to be exporting energy ? he doesnt want that. "He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy," he continued. The full interview is scheduled to be telecast today. "So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think probably not, because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldnt have spent the money on military," he said. "When I want tremendous energy, were opening up coal, were opening up natural gas, were opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that," said the US President. In the middle of a political storm, because of allegations of Russian connections by his campaign, Trump said the two countries can get along together. "Well he wants whats good for Russia, and I want whats good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and thats the way it is," Trump told CBN. advertisement His meeting with Putin in Germany last week went quite well, he said. "Sometimes youre not going to get along on things and sometimes you will. But we had a good meeting, it was a face to face meeting, it was a long meeting. It was two hours and 15 minutes. Everyone was surprised by the amount of time but that was a good thing and not a bad thing," he said. "Yeah, I think we get along very well and I think thats a good thing, thats not a bad thing. People said, Oh they shouldnt get along. Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesnt make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump said. Syria is one area where there is potential of a large cooperation. "I think we had an excellent meeting. One thing we did is we had a ceasefire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days," Trump said. advertisement "The ceasefire has held for four days. Those (previous) ceasefires havent held at all. Thats because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and its held. Now, I dont know whats going to happen. Maybe as were speaking they start shooting again. But this has held unlike all of the other ceasefires that didnt mean anything," he said. "So, that was a great thing that came out of that meeting. I think a lot of things came out of that meeting but I do believe its important to have a dialogue and if you dont have a dialogue, its a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody," Trump told CBN. PTI LKJ ARK --- ENDS --- After the Supreme Court dismissed the plea for vacation of stay on further proceedings in QNet case, billiards legend Michael Ferreira will not face any police custody into the 19 FIRs filed against the Hong Kong-based direct selling firm. By Divyesh Singh: The Supreme Court has dismissed the plea for vacation of stay on further proceedings against QNet marketing fraud case that was filed by the Maharashtra government in March this year. The order will ensure that billiards legend and Padmashree Michael Ferreira will not face any police custody into the 19 FIRs filed against QNet and Vihaan Direct Selling Ltd. across the country. advertisement The Supreme Court dismissed the application filed by the state of Maharashtra seeking vacation of stay. Earlier on March 27 this year, the Supreme Court had ordered a stay on all FIRs and proceedings against QNet's business in India. The dismissal of the plea also gives relief to various officials and agents accused in cases against QNet who would have been taken into custody if the stay had been vacated by the apex court. FERREIRA INITIALLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY MUMBAI EOW Ferreira was taken into custody initially by Mumbai EOW (Economic Offences Wing) when his bail plea got rejected by the Supreme Court. He was later taken into custody by Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore police. The process of his ongoing arrests in 19 cases would have gone on if the stay was vacated on the order issued by Supreme Court. Also, the order gives relief as there won't be any more FIRs concerning QNet. Had the court vacated the stay on proceedings, many more FIRs would have probably surfaced in various parts of the country where QNet was conducting business operations. The company's business operations won't suffer anymore. The order of rejection of the application for vacation of stay granted by the apex court earlier keeps the window of hope open for QNet and its subsidiaries in the country. There had been several cases registered against QNet starting with the first filed by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on a complaint filed by one Gurpreet Anand. Anand in his complaint alleged that QNet and its franchisee Vihaan Direct Markting run by billiards legend and Padmashree Michael Ferreira and his family members were duping people in the name of QNet. He had alleged that QNet agents were selling various products like Biodiscs, watches and pendants, which they claimed could cure cancer and other brain-related ailments. Anand's wife was approached by a QNet agent, who told her that the biodiscs they were selling for Rs 35,000 could change molecular structure of water, thus helping cure serious diseases like cancer and other brain-related ailments. He alleged that the agents presurised them to buy the product and when they refused, she started pressurising them. He also claimed that several offers of holiday packages and others were offered if one would bring in more clients for QNet. Based on the complaint, the Mumbai EOW registered an FIR and arrested several agents and also Ferreira when his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Supreme Court last year. advertisement OTHER STATES THAT HAVE REGISTERED CASES AGAINST QNet Various other states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi also registered cases against QNet and its franchisee company Vihaan Direct Selling Ltd. The cases registered against QNet officials and Vihaan officials were for cheating, fraud and under various sections of the IT Act. The Mumbai EOW had also sealed various bank accounts, which contained more than Rs 200 crores in them along with several properties belonging to the company. The FIR also contained names of QNet officials based in its headquarters in Malaysia and Hongkong. The Mumbai EOW suspected that the fraud committed by QNet and its subsidiary franchisees in India couldn't be worth more than Rs 1,000 crore. The initial relief was granted to QNet when the Karnataka High Court quashed an FIR registered against QNet senior official Naresh Subramaniam in February this year. QNet and its sub-franchisee Vihaan Direct Selling Ltd were granted further relief when the Supreme Court granted no interference to the stay issued earlier in March. advertisement A bench of Justice Nariman and Justice Kaul heard the matter briefly and observed that the stay granted on the earlier occasion needed no interference. The court thereafter dismissed the application filed by the state of Maharashtra seeking vacation of stay. The Supreme Court sought information from the state on the status of the appointment of the monitoring authority. In response, the state of Maharashtra indicated that they had not taken any steps in this regard. Also read | Hyderabad: Padma Bhushan awardee Michael Ferreira, 3 others arrested in Qnet scam Also read | Relief for multi-level marketing firm Qnet, as Kanataka HC quashes FIR against senior executive Also read | Boman's son Danesh Irani questioned by ED in QNet scam ALSO WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- Watertown landowners will be involved in new Corps flood-control study Thousands of persons had gathered in Rajasthan's Nagaur district from all over the state to demand a probe by the CBI into the death of gangster Anandpal Singh on June 24. By India Today Web Desk: A civilian was killed and over 20 policemen were injured, including a Superintendent of Police, in violence in a village in Rajasthan's Nagaur district on Wednesday over an alleged staged gunfight, police said. Thousands of persons had gathered in the village from all over the state to demand a probe by the Central Bureau of Inquiry into the death of gangster Anandpal Singh on June 24. His family claimed he was killed despite his willingness to surrender before police and that it was a part of the political conspiracy to eliminate him. advertisement Though police denied it, eyewitnesses said at least four protesters too were injured. Three seriously injured policemen were referred to a Jaipur hospital. Superintendent of Police (SP) Paris Deshmukh is among the injured in the violence at Sanvrad village. His vehicle was also torched. Internet services have been shut down and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has been imposed in the district as a precautionary measure. Situation continues to be volatile and tense in Nagaur. The protesters also damaged a section of the railway tracks in the area, following which rail traffic was diverted between Ladnu-Kuchaman section. Nagaur district has been tense since June 24 when Singh, on the run since September 2015, was gunned down by the police in Malasar village in Churu. Nagaur (Rajasthan): 16 injured in protest by Rajput community demanding CBI enquiry into the encounter of gangster Anand Pal Singh (12.07) pic.twitter.com/GtKO8uqRw1 ANI (@ANI_news) 13 July 2017 The gangster's family, backed by the Rajput community, is yet to cremate the body. Along with a CBI inquiry, the family is also demanding permission for Anandpal Singh's brothers, who are in judicial custody, to attend the funeral. The SP of Nagaur said the body was kept in a deep freezer at his house where elaborate security arrangement was made and police were allowing people to enter the village only after verifying their identity. The Rajasthan government has offered a SIT probe but Anandpal's family is sticking to its demands. Also read: Why this dreaded gangster's Facebook update has Rajasthan Police worried Protests by Rajputs turn violent in Rajasthan's Nagaur, 15 cops injured in clash Gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Rocky shot dead Watch: Rajasthan: Protests by Rajputs turn violent in Nagaur, heavy security deployed --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief leaders of opposition parties on the stand-off with China and the situation in Kashmir tomorrow, official sources said. Leaders of prominent opposition parties are being invited for the meeting where the two senior ministers will give a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation along the Sino-Indian border and Jammu and Kashmir and the government action, sources said. advertisement Ahead of the Parliament session, beginning Monday, the government is apparently aiming to build a consensus to deal with its biggest neighbour as well on Kashmir issue. In the latest tussle, New Delhi has expressed concerns over China trying to change the status quo at the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in Doklam area of Sikkim, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers 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. In Jammu and Kashmir, seven pilgrims were killed by militants in Anantnag district while returning from Amarnath cave shrine on last Monday. Four districts of the state -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag -- have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. Seventy-six people, besides two police personnel, were killed during the five-month unrest in the Valley following the killing of Wani. The unrest resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Opposition leaders have been criticising the government for the way it has handled the China and Kashmir matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis "silence" on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Gandhi yesterday accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. He also alleged the prime ministers pursuit of short- term political gains from the BJP-PDP alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. PTI ACB DV --- ENDS --- Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan will receive an honorary membership from The Jodhpur Tourist Guide Association of Rajasthan. In a gesture of awe by the guides to King Khan who will be seen playing a tourist guide in Canada in his upcoming film Jab Harry met Sejal, the association will confer SRK with a membership and a badge of token to represent the association. Rajasthan is one of the most renowned tourist attractions in India with the 'Tourist Guide' proving to be a profitable occupation in the state. Jodhpur guide Association, Rajasthan is a body consisting of over 140 members from the city who knows the city's history very well. Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most recognised actors across the globe because of his list of accomplishments, felicitations and doctorates he has received so far in his career. Now, the Honorary Membership of the Jodhpur Guide Association has been added to his long list of accolades. "We are thrilled to present this membership to Shah Rukh Khan. It would be our great honor to host him. It brings us great joy and pride that he would represent our profession in his film Jab Harry Met Sejal. We are happy because SRK will bring recognition of our work as he is mega star in Bollywood," Ratan Singh Rathore, president of Jodhpur Guide Association, said. From the looks of the mini trails of the film, Shah Rukh looks like an outspoken and fun-loving guide, who loves adventures. The group of ministries set up to decide on the modalities for Air India disinvestment is yet to hold its first meeting, panel member and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. As part of efforts to revive the loss-making airline, the Cabinet last month gave its in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries. A few players have evinced interest in the debt-laden national carrier. A group of ministers, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has been set up to looking into various aspects of Air India disinvestment. When asked about the ministerial group on Air India, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters, "So far, no meeting has happened." The group would look into the treatment of unsustainable debts of the national carrier, hiving off certain assets to a shell company and de-merger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries, among others. Air India has a debt burden of more than Rs 52,000 crore. It is surviving on little over Rs 30,000 crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA government. If Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government does not approve notification of municipal wards by Monday (17 July) afternoon, councillors and workers of Delhi BJP will take the issue to the people of Delhi and expose the government, said party chief Manoj Tiwari on Thursday. Addressing a joint press conference, Tiwari and leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta "warned" the Kejriwal government that if approval is not given to the ward notification for all the three municipal corporations by 17 July, they should be prepared for a public movement. "Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which was defeated in the municipal elections is bent upon taking revenge on the people of Delhi and only due to this, it is not allowing the BJP leadership elected by the people to work in the municipal corporations," said Tiwari. He said about 45 days ago the administrations of the three municipal corporations had forwarded the proposal for the re-organisation of the jurisdiction of zones but the office of minister Satyendra Jain had been sitting over the file for about a month. "The mayors of all the three Municipal Corporations and other leaders have met the chief minister and Jain many times but they are not ready to give their approval. Due to obstinate attitude of Kejriwal government, the most important standing committees and ward committees of the corporations are not being formed and due to this the elected councilors are not getting funds," said Gupta. He said with the onset of monsoon, the danger of an outbreak of diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria has already increased. The four-day monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly will start from August 8, the Delhi government has said. "The Cabinet approved the convening of the monsoon session of the sixth Vidhan Sabha from August 8 to 11," an official release said here. The Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also approved a proposal to increase the bed capacity at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) from existing 155 to 549. "Besides, super-speciality, teaching and training facility and advanced research facility, semi-automated parking, and emergency facilities like helipad are being created at the institute," the release added. The Delhi government also gave approval to the revision of Metro project estimates from Rs 389 crore to Rs 497 crore as per the latest estimates furnished by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. It reiterated its decision to provide Rs 1 crore to late ex-serviceman Ram Kishen Grewal as ex gratia as an exception. The decision will be sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval, the release said. Ram Kishen had allegedly committed suicide in November 2016 during the "One Rank, One Pay' agitation by ex-servicemen in Delhi. The Election Commission is busy preparing to hold Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh later this year. The biggest challenge before the Election Commission will be to allay apprehensions about the reliability of EVMs. Meanwhile, the poll panel may do well to consider a solution offered by an IIM graduate. By Prabhash K Dutta: The Assembly elections in five states during February and March saw the BJP emerge stronger as a political force and the Election Commission vulnerable in the face of allegations leveled by BSP chief Mayawati and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Mayawati made the first move but Arvind Kejriwal launched a belligerent offensive against the electronic voting machine (EVM). Both alleged that the EVMs were manipulated in Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in a way to favour a particular party. advertisement The Election Commission was forced to issue several clarifications and hold open challenge 'to prove hackability of the EVM.' The poll panel, in the aftermath of the allegations, is in the process to speed up integration of the voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) with the EVM. The Election Commission may be able to conduct the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections - scheduled for later this year - with VVPATs in order to remove doubts in the minds of people in the backdrop of serious allegations levelled by Opposition parties. The Centre has approved over Rs 3,000 crore to buy enough VVPATs for the EVMs for holding elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. But, there is another solution - offered by an IIM graduate and entrepreneur - to the question of reliability or unreliability of the EVMs. 'RIGHT2VOTE' SOLUTION Speaking to India Today, Neeraj Gutgutia, co-founder and CEO of the Right2Vote Infotech Pvt Ltd, claimed that "100 per cent free and fair voting is possible" beyond any amount of reasonable doubt. Neeraj Gutgutia has come up with a mobile app to enable the Election Commission to make voting a hassle-free, accessible to all and cost-effective affair. "The Right2Vote has built the world's first Mobile Verified Voting platform. The platform uses Aadhaar for real time verification just like JIO does for mobile connection. It is a two-minute and very secure process," Neeraj Gutgutia said. "The platform can substantially increase voting percentage in the country besides saving minimum 90 per cent cost, minimum 90 per cent time and minimum 90 per cent effort in election management," Gutgutia claimed. TALKS ARE ON WITH ELECTION COMMISSION Neeraj Gutgutia is in talks with two state election commissions as well as the Election Commission of India. "We are in talks with Maharashtra State Election Commission and Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission for a pilot run of the project in the two states. We are hopeful of running the pilot projects at the Zilla Parishad level in these states," Gutgutia told India Today. Gutgutia said that under the pilot project, the State Election Commission would decide on "a particular number of voters, who would cast their votes using the Right2Vote app. We may be running this pilot project in Madhya Pradesh by September." Neeraj Gutgutia, co-founder and CEO of Right2Vote Infotech Pvt Ltd, is in talks with the Election Commission. Neeraj Gutgutia, co-founder and CEO of Right2Vote Infotech Pvt Ltd, is in talks with the Election Commission. advertisement "Talks with the Election Commission of India are in initial stage. We have held a few meetings during which we suggested how new technology could be used to improve the efficiency of election process at a very less cost," Gutgutia said. A similar experiment is going on in Gujarat since 2010 when state became the first in India to use online voting in civic body polls. The results of the first attempt were not very encouraging but in 2011 online voting was used for the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation with reasonable success. Over 77.16 per cent of registered voters cast their votes either from home or from e-voting booths. The online voting platform was provided by a technology company Scytl in collaboration with the Tata Consultancy Services. HOW VOTING APP WORKS According to Neeraj Gutgutia, a voter is required to download the app from Google play store. At present the app is available on Android and iOS platforms. Only those voters can vote through the Right2Vote app who have enrolled for Aadhaar, which the government has made mandatory for almost all purposes. advertisement "On the day of poll, the voter will open the app and click vote punching in Aadhaar number and submit his or her finger print. The app will automatically connect to the Aadhaar server to verify the biometric details of the individual voter. If the Aadhaar server returns 'Yes' as answer, the voter will be able to cast his or her vote," Gutgutia said, adding, "It is just a two-minute process and a huge number of people can vote simultaneously without waiting in the long queues." "A person can vote even without using biometrics. In that case, the voter would receive a One Time Password (OTP) if the details of the person using the mobile number match up with the data on the Aadhaar server. Using the OTP, an eligible and verified individual can vote from anywhere in the world," Gutgutia said. What about those, who don't have Aadhaar or a smart phone? "We are in discussion of the Election Commission to put up screens at, say, post-offices which will have Wi-Fi access. The screens would use the same technology as Aadhaar linked app. Here anyone can vote without any chance of fraudulent voting," he said. advertisement SOME STATS FROM 2014 LOK SABHA POLLS The YouTube link of the Right2Vote analyses some figures of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. According to the Right2Vote analysis, about USD 5 billion was spent in conducting the general elections in 2014. The government spent Rs 3,500 crore in holding elections excluding security and political party expenses. The elections were conducted over 35 days in nine phases involving about 1 crore officials including police and security personnel. About 9,30,000 polling booths were set up for voting and 989 centres created for counting of votes. But, the most revealing figure was that about 27 crore people failed to exercise their right to vote. This is about 33 per cent of the total voters registered in the country. This means that the NDA, which got 31 per cent votes and formed the government with full majority after 30 years, received less votes than the number of people who did not vote. The Right2Vote claims that using their technology, the voting percentage could be achieved in excess of 90 per cent. "There is provision for postal ballot. But, the voting process is so cumbersome that soldiers and people on election duty - for whom this facility is available - don't usually vote. In the case of soldiers, less than three per cent of them voted in the last elections," Gutgutia said. ARE WE READY AND IS IT SECURE? Speaking to India Today, Gutgutia emphasised that talks with the Election Commission both at the central and state levels are focused on ensuring security of the electoral process while making the same more effective. More than 1.16 billion Indians have been enrolled in Aadhaar. There are about 81.5 crore voters in the country. The Narendra Modi government has been pushing for use of technology to improve governance and bring in reforms. This gives the idea of Right2Vote app a major boost. "The Right2Vote does not have access to Aadhaar data and it is not permitted to store data. The Aadhaar server only sends a 'Yes' or 'No' response when a person punches in the individual's Aadhaar number. The Aadhaar data of a voter never comes out and secrecy is maintained," he said. 'VOTES CAN BE CHANGED' When asked if the voting app would lead to being pressurised by the dominant family member of a susceptible voter or by a local bully who may threaten asking a voter to vote in his presence and in accordance to his wishes, Gutgutia said, "No technology can be foolproof. But, we have suggested to the poll panel of having an option of changing the vote once during the window of eight hours of polling." There is another safety tool. Voting through this mobile app will have face recognition technology. The voters' biometric details would be captured by the camera and matched with the Aadhaar data. To vote successfully, the data on two sides have to match. The Right2Vote app may be greatly helpful for the Indian voters living abroad. "There are over 1 crore Indian voters living in different parts of the world. It is not practically possible for them to come home and vote every time. Even the Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to come up with a solution. This app provides that solution," Neeraj Gutgutia claimed. Responding to question of security against hacking, Gutgutia said, "The voting app has encryption till individual vote level. If hacker wants to influence polling at a booth of 2,000 votes, he will have to hack the app 2,000 times during the eight hour window." "The biggest challenge will be to make people aware about the new voting platform," Gutgutia said while expressing hope that in case the Election Commission approved the Right2Vote app, Indian democracy "will have more power." ALSO READ | EVM row: Dhritarashtra EC wants Duryodhan to win, says Kejriwal; 13 parties to move poll panel today How Election Commission patiently but strongly refuted allegations on EVM tampering ALSO WATCH | Behind EVM row --- ENDS --- The nationwide ban on non-biodegradable kite strings (nylon and glass coated synthetic manjha) by the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday brought joy to the kite trading fraternity. PETA also welcomed the decision. The tribunal bench led by Justice Swantanter Kumar (retd), chairperson of NGT, directed all state governments to ban manufacture, sale, storage and purchase of manjha. The final hearing on the matter was held on 12 April. The cry against use of non-biodegradable materials for kite flying turned loud after they were reported to be the cause of several cases of serious injuries and and even deaths. In a telephonic conversation, chairperson of Bareilly-based Handloom Manjha and Kites Employees Welfare Association Kamal Asif told The Statesman, In 2016, Tareekh Habid, a lawyer filed a PIL in Moradabad regarding the ban on nylon strings. PETA interfered in the matter and stated that cotton strings were equally harmful and they too should be banned. PETAs claims were far-fetched and we explained to the honorable court that cotton strings are the traditional kite strings which do not cause much harm. Many parents approached me to report severe injuries which their kids had suffered after using non-biodegradable strings. I am extremely delighted with the fact that the court acknowledged our point and only banned nylon strings. Noida, Haryana, Delhi and Ghaziabad are among the states where factories that manufacture synthetic strings are situated. Mahender Kumar, 37, runs a kite shop at Lal Kuan, Old Delhi and has participated in international kite competitions. He expressed his satisfaction with the ban. Non-biodegradable strings are cheaper than traditional strings. More people opted for them but ended up paying a heavy price due to their harmful nature. Now that a ban has been imposed on nylon strings, it augurs well for those who are passionate about flying kites, said Kumar. Last August two children died in a bizarre accident when they went out on a drive with their father. Both the children had their heads out of the car's sunroof when they got entangled with a nylon kite string that fatally slit their necks. It was also noticed that strings made from artificial material were good conductors of electricity. It was common to see them entangled on wires and cases were reported of many birds getting electrocuted after coming in contact with them. This led to the involvement of PETA in the matter, said Bishan, owner of Bishan Chand & Sons. Bishans family is celebrating the ban as they feel that this will definitely provide a boost to their business. Kajal, wife of Bishan said, we are hoping now the sale of traditional strings will increase and people will realise the harmful effects of synthetic strings. Flying kites is an old tradition and pastime which families enjoy together. Things which can cause harm should be kept away. The Himalayas (abode of snows) is the mystical dwelling of gods. There is a magnetic pull that draws pilgrims and tourists to this place. Many are the names that lend themselves to this place. Ancient texts, such as the Ramayana, the Puranas, theVedas, the Mahabharata, all sing in unison of the glory and wonder of the Himalayas. A large number of peaks and ranges in the Great Himalayas are named after Lord Shiva, the Lord of Mountains and his consort goddess Parvati. Mt. Shivaling, Trishul, Nanda Devi are a few of the very well-known mountains named after Shiva and his family. The most famed and holiest mountain among all these is Mount Kailash (6,714 metres), and on top is the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva, who shares this lofty peak with his consort goddess Parvati. Holy mountain The grandeur of Mt Kailash, the famed holy peak in western Tibet situated to the north of the Himalayan barrier. This legendary snow-shrouded rock dome is revered by four different religions as one of the most sacred pilgrimage destination in Asia. Hindus regard Mt. Kailash as the earthly manifestation of Mt Meru, their spiritual centre of universe, described in the ancient texts as a fantastic World Pillar, around which everything else revolves, its roots in the lowest hell and its top kissing the heavens. Sprawling below is the sacred lake Manasarovar, where a ritual bath will deliver a pilgrim to Lord Brahma`s paradise and a drink of its holy water relinquishes the sins of a hundred lifetimes. For the Jains, Mt Kailash is acclaimed as a site where their first prophet achieved enlightenment. Buddhist cosmography identifies Mt Kailash with the mighty Mt Sumeru, the central peak of the world. The Father Mountain represents the means to enlightenment, and the lake Manasarovar, The Mother Principal, represents Buddhist transcendent consciousness. The holy Mt Kailash, a mystical power in peoples mind has been a symbol of relief from suffering to generation after generation of believers. Mt Kailash is known in Tibetan as Ghang Rimoche, meaning Precious Jewel of Snow, or by its aboriginal name, Ti-Se. From the slopes of Mt Kailash a stream is said to pour into Lake Manasarovar and from this lake flow four major rivers in four cardinal directions towards the ocean. These mythical rivers are now associated with the four major rivers originating near Mt Kailash ~ the Indus, the Bramhaputra, the Karnali and the Sutlej. Holy trail The pilgrimage to Kailash and Manasarovar is considered to be one of the most difficult in Asia. The distances are tremendous, the weather particularly harsh, supplies almost non-existent and bandits are a constant worry. Even with the convenience of roads and four wheel drive vehicles, the route is still an arduous adventure requiring a minimum of 30 days. Nevertheless pilgrims come from far corners of Asia, defying the hardships to walk the 52 km circuit around Mt Kailash, and 75 km around lake Manasarovar (add approximately 200 km on the Indian side of the yatra). The best time for this pilgrimage is from mid-May to mid-October. The weather is generally stable and visibility best during this time, though temperatures are typically cool during the day and below freezing at night. The present route from New Delhi consists of both bus journey and high altitude mountain trekking. The trekking route, which takes the pilgrims through some beautiful terrains and passes, covers Tawaghat, Thanidar, Pangu, Sosa, Narayan Ashram, Sirkha, Rungling Top, Simkhola, Gala, Jipti, Gudhi, Guji, Garbhyang, Kalapani, Avidhang, Lipu Lekh pass and Pala Taklakot. The circuit around Mt Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is covered in six days. The Mt Kailash circuit takes the pilgrims through Tarchen, Direbu, Zongzerebu and back to Tarchen. The circuit around Lake Manasarovar covers Huore, Chugu and Zaidi. This pilgrimage is conducted by Uttar Pradesh State Government and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KVMN), in association with Union external affairs ministry. KVMN makes all the arrangements, including accommodation in tin sheds at all the night halts, electricity through generators and simple vegetarian food. Medical and security facilities are also provided. UP Police, the Prantiya Suraksha Dal and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police provide a compoundable service to the pilgrims. Ponies and porters are also arranged for the convenience of the pilgrims. After Lipu Lekh pass, Chinese authorities take over and provide necessary facilities. Food is a big problem in Tibet as the Chinese authorities do not make arrangements for food during the parikrama(circumambulance). Hence the Yatris have to carry their own provisions in Tibet. Kailash parikrama south-west corner of Ngari, the western province of Tibet. Its dome shaped conical summit rises magnificently above all the neighbouring peaks, the highest point at the west end of the GhagtiseNyanchhan Thangiha range. Across the broad Bharka plains to the south, beyond the waters of Manasarovar and Rakshash Tal, towers another impressive mountain, Gurla Mandhatta (25,255 feet). The inhabitants of this region are the Drogpa, the sturdy Nomadic herders. The Kora or the Parikarama around Mt Kailash starts and finishes at Tarchen, a small wind-blown settlement at the base of holy Mt Kailash. From Tarchen, the pilgrim circuit enters the Lha Chhu (Gods river) valley, a spectacular canyon below the mountains western flanks. As the parikarama swings behind Kailashs sheer northern face, the trail climbs to the Drolma La, the Dolma Pass (5,670 m), the highest point en route and then descends quickly into the Lham Chhu Khyer valley before turning back towards Tarchen. Shortly after the Dolma Pass, to the south of the path is a large lake, the Gouri kund (Tukja Tsu, or the Compassion Lake). A dip in the holy water of Gouri Kund vanquishes all languor. It takes half an hour to climb down to it from the path. The scenery around the lake is very dramatic with soaring cliffs rising a 1,000 ft from the turquoise or the frozen waters. The detour is made to perform ritual ablutions, even though the water is extremely cold. The summit of Mt Kailash is visible from Tarchen though the best views in the area are a climb of about one hour, as one climbs up the ridge directly behind (north of) Tarchen at a height of 16,500 feet. The southern Sapphire face of Mt Kailash is stunning from here, its symmetrical slopes and brownish red base halved by a vertical slash known as the Stairway to Heaven. According to the Hindus, this large cleft in the mountain represents Lord Shivas long strands of matted hair falling and flowing about him. The holy river Ganges is said to emanate from one of his strands. The sheer icy north face of Mt Kailash is unveiled at Direbu. It is a common belief that walking or completing three or 13 circuits is particularly auspicious. Some pilgrims, particularly the Tibetan Bons, complete theparikramadoing full body prostrations along the ground, a slow journey that can take up to two weeks. One circuit is said to purify all the sins of a life time and 108 circuits will bring enlistment during this lifetime. In Da Lo, the year of the Horse in the 12 year Tibetan calendar, (2014 was the last one), walking the parikramais equal to 13 circuits completed during the year. To go closer to the base of Mt Kailash, one must have qualified by completing 13 circumambulations by the route. Manasarovar parikrama South of Mount Kailash, across the great plain of Bharka at the base of the majestic Mount Gurla Mandhatta, are the two lakes Manasarovar and Rakshash tal. They are the highest bodies of fresh water in the world, with Manasarovar, at 4,558 metres, about 50 metres higher than Rakshash Tal. Manasarovar has been proclaimed as `The Pearl of the lakes of the world by noted writer Sven Hedin. The two lakes are connected by a channel called Ganga Chu. Manasarovar is the larger of the two lakes (1,330 sq km as compared to 224 sq km) and considered by both Hindus and Buddhists to be the more worthy of veneration. Buddhists believe that Queen Maya, Buddhas mother, was carried here by the gods, and washed prior to giving birth to Buddha. The distance between Manasarovar and Rakshash Tal is just 10 km. The Lake Manasarovar is situated at a height of 14,950 feet and is about 300 feet deep, whereas, Rakshash Tal is at a height of 14,900 feet and is 150 feet deep. Although Manasarovar is traditionally circumambulated, Rakshash Tal is usually ignored. Manasarovars character or aspect is often clear and bright, whereas Rakshash Tal is frequently moody, overcast and dull. Because of its shape and mood, Manasarovar is likened to the sun and the forces of light, whereas Rakshash Tal is compared to the moon and the forces of darkness. The circuit around the Manasarovar is longer than that around Kailash but is more or less completely flat. The starting point for theparikramaof Manasarovar is the village of Huore. The long walk down the eastern shore takes one through diverse and beautiful landscapes, often cutting through areas of desert instead of following the shoreline, finishing at the Chugu or the Trugo monastery on the southern shore of the lake. The next stretch of the parikrama entails a full days walk from Chug to Tseti Lake at a place called Zaidi on the western shore. As one turns around the south west corner of the lake, you will notice a cairn made up of several peculiarly shaped rocks, upon which Tibetans make offerings of scarves, sweets and chang (locally brewed liquor). A couple hours further down the shore one will pass by some tall cliffs, in which are several blackened caves. A climb up provides a magnificent view of the lake. All around the lake, while walking one can peer down into the clear blue water and see giant fish swimming in its depths. One can also watch various kinds of wild geese and ducks. The Northern shore of the lake is not usually covered as part of the Parikrama because of marshes and cliffs that prevent one from approaching the shoreline. One can only traverse the marshy section in the winter when the ground is frozen. The Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra is an extremely difficult pilgrimage and the obstacles the people meet in trying to get to here are readily attributed to the power of the mountain itself, which allows only those with sufficient spiritual preparation a glimpse of the magical presence. To describe the trouble of the yatra, Frank Smyth, the great writer has said, So they venture on their pilgrimage, some born by the ponies, some toiling along in rags, some almost crawling. What goes on in the minds of these simple folk? Wonderment and fear must be the prime ingredients. Unknown dangers threaten at any moment the gods may let loose their wrath upon the helpless passerby. The author is a Delhi based freelance Travel photojournalist Ever since the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took upon itself to protect Muslim women from the scourge of triple talaq in the backdrop of ongoing litigation, the politics over Muslim Personal Law is heating up like never before. Contentious issues are being debated in the popular media with emphatic appeals to religious identity at the expense of gender justice. Predictably this communalisation of the debate has reduced the question of gender-just reforms in the putative Muslim community to triple talaq only. As a matter of fact, there are much more serious aspects of Muslim personal law which are waiting to be reformed since Independence. They mainly include divorce without maintenance, halala, polygamy and gender discriminatory inheritance laws. Ask any rational Muslim whether she wants to subject her female relatives to such discriminatory aspects of Muslim personal law and the answer is most likely to be in the negative. What then explains the persistence of these laws despite an egalitarian Constitution which promises dignity to all Indians? What explains the enthusiasm of BJP to protect Muslim women from triple talaq but not from widowhood caused by cow vigilantes? A section of Muslim intellectuals, mostly from high caste social locations, are building the argument that reforms, though desirable, should not be undertaken during the term of the current government as it does not have the confidence of Muslims. What about previous governments? If reforms were desirable why could they not be pushed during the reign of previous governments which arguably had the confidence of Muslims? In the ugly enterprise of denying justice to Muslim women even the so-called liberal Muslim voices seem to have aligned with the conservative forces of the community. What explains the relative absence of progressive male democratic voices of Muslim community from all popular platforms which are debating the issue? These questions impel us to take a fresh look at this issue. Historically, the politics of personal laws has worked to reinforce the Hindu-Muslim binary and consequently entrench both identities as monoliths. This entrenchment of communal identities effectively irons out caste fault-lines in both the communities. However, the politics around the personal laws is not the sole strategy in the task of perpetuating communal antinomies by the caste elite across religions. It is deployed in combination with various other cultural symbols which mark out the caste ridden diverse populace into two hostile groups. The most prominent among them are Aligarh Muslim University versus Banaras Hindu University, Urdu versus Hindi, Mandir versus Masjid and so on and so forth. However, the recent deconstruction of all these oppositional symbols, especially by dalit and pasmanda discourses, reveals some interesting pointers. When one employs caste analytics it becomes apparent that so far the controversies around personal laws have been utilized by the dominant caste groups across religions to maintain the dialectic of communal identity formation and repression of caste identity. Naturally those who produce communal identity also assume leadership positions in their respective religious groups. Thus, the communalisation of personal laws helps to preserve patriarchal privileges which are threatened by the constitutional promise of egalitarianism. Dr. BR Ambedkar considered patriarchy as the core of the caste order. Unlike polarised religious formations which are only a symptom of caste structure rather than the cause, patriarchy is the central pillar of the caste system itself. Therefore, in the religiously coloured controversies around personal laws the victims are always women. The male hegemony over the interpretation of personal laws curtails the agency of women willing to go for inter-religious or inter-caste marriage sometimes by risking their lives. Thus, it is clear that the question of personal law reforms is lost in communal identity politics which feeds into patriarchal notions of society. In this context Nancy Frasers advice to disentangle issues of cultural particularities from the domain of gender justice is of particular help. For this purpose the constitutional promise of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could be conceived around the principles of equality, liberty and fraternity committed to gender justice without disturbing cultural sensibilities associated with personal laws. The most important cultural symbol which is part of personal laws includes the marriage ceremony one that is essential for solemnisation of the marriage. A UCC could recognize all such ceremonies emanating from the cultural preference of either party to the marriage. From here on personal laws take a distinctive temporal shape that requires a just and reasonable settlement of inter-personal family disputes. The guiding principle in all such disputes is family welfare. The difficulty here is not divergence of laws relating to family but what constitutes family welfare. At a time when the notion of family itself is under strain it is desirable to have a flexible legal framework to address such challenges. A Uniform Civil Code could attempt to address these issues by moving the question of personal law reforms beyond religious binaries. The writer is Head of Glocal Law School, Glocal University, Saharanpur, UP. Earlier, he worked as an Assistant Professor at National Law University Orissa, Cuttack. He is a former Member of Aligarh Muslim University Court and the President of Post Graduate Law Students Union, Faculty of Law, Delhi University. The Guru has always been the source of knowledge and wisdom in the oral tradition that prevailed in ancient India from the time of the Vedasand Upanishads. The Guru Shishya Parampara or the tradition of transmission of knowledge from the Guru or mentor to the Shishya or disciple is followed in our classical arts till date. Guru-Purnima is celebrated to honour the Guru who is considered not just the provider of information, but also the transmitter of knowledge and wisdom from one generation to the next. Pt Arvind Parikh, the dedicated disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan, has been an equally devoted Guru, who has passionately carried forward this great lineage of the Itawa Imdadkhani Gharana to the next generation. After the day-long hectic schedule of looking after his business at the office; he spends the evenings training his students on a regular basis. He charges no fees from any of his students coming from different parts of the country and abroad to learn instrumental or vocal music. T h e disciples of Pt. Arvind Parikh from India and abroad celebrate Guru Purnima as an expression of their gratitude for their benevolent Guru. The two-day festival is an annual event held in different cities of India. After being held in Kolhapur, Vadodara, Nagpur and Bangalore in the previous years; Guru Purnima was held this year at the Ranga-Swar Sabhagar chavan Centre, Mumbai on 8 and 9 July. More than 30 disciples of Pt. Arvind Parikh offered their musical tribute to their mentor on this occasion. Inaugurating the two-day festival Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar fondly remembered Ustad Vilayat Khan who had given him many of his compositions and ragas like Saanjh Saravali. He also praised Pt. Arvind Parikh and congratulated his disciples for having received the grace of such an erudite Guru with profound knowledge and humbly shared the fact that even he seeks his guidance when in doubt about any raga. The recorded message of Ustad Vilayat Khan wishing Pt. Arvind Parikh on his 75th birthday, wondering more than half the time of our lives we have spent together, establishing the example of an ideal relationship between a Guru and his Shagird(disciple); and the fact that Pt. Arvind Parikh has been awarded the rare distinction of being a Fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi this year and he would complete 90 years of his fruitful life; made the occasion more momentous and meaningful. The Guru Purnima Utsav opened with the auspicious Shehnai. The sonorous strains of Bilaskhani Todi by Hasan Haider Khan from Kolkata made a melodious impact from the very beginning. The introductory Alap was followed with a composition in medium tempo Teentala, gradually catching speed to the culminating Jhala that maintained the melodious musicality till the end. Bhushan Parchure provided him the perfect accompaniment on Tabla. The Alhaiya Bilawal on Surbahar by Ashwin Dalvi from Jaipur was treated with devotional fervour through the meditative AlapJod and Jhala; justifying the dignified grace of the deep-sounding instrument that has become a rare treat in the concert circuits these days. The vocal recital (raga Patdeep) by Harpreet Hasrat, the melodious Jhinjhoti on sitar by Nishita Tambe, Yaman by young Danish Khan, Pilu by Varad Bhosle, Brindavani Sarang by Amrita More, Madhukauns by Amrita Kulkarni, Marwaby Jnanesh Amladi and Puriya by Rafat Khan Niyazi were the other remarkable performances. Rajiv Janardan gave an exquisite exposition of Gunji-Kauns; a melodious raga created by Pt. Arvind Parikh with a judicious blend of Malgunji and Malkauns. The detailed Alap-Jod-Jhala was followed by a couple of compositions in slow Jhaptala and Drut Teentala respectively. Rajivs command over the instrument helped him convey his fertile imagination maintaining the significant characteristics of the raga. Anutosh Deogharia gave him commendable support on Tabla. Maheboob Nadeem from the U.K. and Ramprapann Bhattacharya were some of the senior students who won the hearts of the audience bytheir Yaman and Shuddha Kalyan respectively. Tushar Bhatia played a melodious Thumri styleKafi with sprinkling of Shivaranjani, set to slow Deepchandi Theka. Apart from Sitar, Shubhasha Mishra played Bhimpalasi on Violin and Sharada Mushti played raga Desh on Rudra Veena which is an instrument of endangered species. Apart from the sizable audience on both the days, the two-day festival was also witnessed by renowned musicians like Ustad Shahid Parvez who also offered his tribute to Ustad Vilayat Khan and praised Pt. Arvind Bhai for his invaluable contribution as a Guru to the propagation of the Gharana and its specific style. Then there was Pt. Dhruv Ghosh, the renowned Sarangi player and an erudite musicologist, who unfortunately passed away the next day. The privilege controversy is as old as the Republic. What precisely are the privileges of legislatures and their members and whether, in cases of doubt or conflict between them and others, say the Press, can courts come into the picture is not clear. This is primarily because the framers of the Constitution preferred not to define the privileges but simply equated them with those of the House of Commons. The United Kingdom does not have a written Constitution and the powers of Parliament and its members have evolved out of conventions and centuries-old experience. In fact, the wholesale acceptance of the unwritten privileges of the British House of Commons by the Indian Parliament and State legislatures, functioning under a written Constitution which guarantees a set of fundamental rights, like the freedom of speech and expression has of late given rise to conflict between the legislature and Press or the judiciary for that matter. The Blitz case (1951),the Searchlight case (1959), Keshav Singh case (1964), Eenadu Editor Ramoji Rao case (1984), K.P. Sunil & Ors case (1992), The Hindu case (2003) and the recent case of two senior scribes of Kannada tabloids (in which Karnataka House sentenced them to one year jail together with a fine of Rs.10,000 each for writing defamatory articles against legislators), are the direct result of the confusion born out of non-codification of legislative privileges. The Indian judiciary too missed several opportunities to expound clearly the law on the subject. The majority judgement of the Supreme Court in the Keshav Singh case was so vague on several points that it became practically difficult for the high courts to interpret it in clear and precise terms. Soon after the verdict was delivered, conflicting versions of it begin to surface which have not been resolved so far. It is still an open question before courts whether or not the Parliament and State legislatures enjoy unfettered powers to commit people for breach of privilege. In this conflict of prestige and emotion between the legislature and Press or the judiciary, it is Indian democracy that has suffered the most. Our Constitution clearly envisaged that the privileges of Parliament and of State legislatures would be defined by law and until so defined would be what they were in the case of House of Commons at the commencement of the Constitution. But neither Parliament nor the State legislatures have defined them till today. It was probably feared that codification would expose the actions of legislatures to judicial interference to such an extent that they will not be able to discharge their functions with requisite dignity and grace. However, the absence of such codification could not prevent judicial intervention. The Supreme Court in its advisory opinion in reference case (1965) clearly upheld the courts competence to examine all privilege related cases and to rectify mistakes resulting from mala fide acts, caprice and arbitrariness. But notwithstanding the apex courts verdict in the Keshav Singh case, the scope of legislative privileges remains unlimited. Such an unfettered and undefined power is liable to be abused and it has actually been in the past not only used against innocent citizens and others like newsmen but even against legislators themselves. The plea that by attracting judicial intervention codification will make matters worse is without any basis, for legislatures prestige has not been impaired so far by judicial scrutiny of its various acts. Indeed, the image of Parliament or a State legislature is tarnished by undue show of temper, scenes of abusive exchanges, physical scuffles, breaking of microphones etc. almost a regular feature in various legislative assemblies. When a newspaper dares to report the same truthfully it is sure to be hauled up for contempt. It is high time to question the wisdom of granting to legislatures in India the same powers, privileges and immunities which the House of Commons in England had on 26 January 1950 the day the Indian Constitution came into being. Some of the Commons privileges were obsolete at that time and a few others relating to the Press have been facing a squeeze under the pressure of democratic norms, traditions and tolerance of criticism that are prized high by the mother of parliaments. Interestingly enough, the House of Commons has not exercised its power to sentence or reprimand a non-member since 1880, although it has contemplated using it on several occasions. Ironically, legislative privileges in India are invoked almost routinely without regard to the fact that excessive use of these claims by our legislators is discrediting the immunities they claim for themselves. They want the privileges and immunities of the House of Commons but take no notice of the tolerance that members of the U.K. Parliament extend to criticism of the Press and citizens. In India privileges have become the Democles Sword which hangs over those whose business it is to write on proceedings of the legislatures. If this is the use to which the notorious circumstance of uncodified legislative privileges is going to be put, the sooner public opinion asserts itself to have such privileges carefully and narrowly defined by Parliament and State legislatures (as rightly recommended by the Constitution Review Panel long back), the better it would be for the polity. The first and second Press Commissions have already stressed the need to define them. The Press has long been demanding a definition obviously because as things are, newsmen do not know when exactly they may be hauled up for breach of privilege. The Press Council of India, in its second report in 1970 too had made a strong plea for the codification of these privileges. Over and above, the Constitution itself very clearly contemplates that the powers, privileges and immunities of the legislatures shall be such as may be defined by legislation from time to time, and until so defined, shall be those of the House of Commons. The term until so defined can never mean for all time. The meaning is clear enough to those who are committed to democracy. Those who campaign for committed media may not understand it. If during all these years Parliament and State legislatures have not defined the privileges of their members, it is possibly because the members have preferred to keep themselves above the law. The Supreme Court has voiced this suspicion in just about so many words. The sovereignty of Parliament has little to do with it. Where there is a written Constitution especially such a detailed one as ours is, any legislature, including Parliament, is sovereign only to the extent that the Constitution says it is, and the extent in any specific situation is subject to the judgement of court. Finally, legislators inclined to be overzealous about their privileges must remember that in India it is the Constitution, not the legislature, from where all the three organs of the State the legislature, the executive and the judiciary derive their powers, that is supreme. Also, Lord Dennings observation in this regard is very relevant to remind law-makers this harsh reality on the ground : Be you ever so high, the law is above you . The writer is an Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court All countries should work collectively and decisively against terrorism and cross-border movement of terrorists, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said here on Wednesday, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. Addressing the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, she said the global community should work together to counter the increased threat from terrorism. The remarks by Mahajan, who is leading an Indian Parliamentary delegation to Russia, came two days after terrorists attacked Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir, killing seven of them and injuring 19. Earlier, Mahajan met Speaker of Duma Vyacheslav Volodin who conveyed condolences on behalf of himself and the members of the Russian Parliament on Monday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, according to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat. In her address to the Duma, the Lok Sabha Speaker mentioned that the Indian economy is growing at an appreciable rate and is one of the fastest among the emerging economies of the world by registering a growth 7.1 per cent in 2016-17. She said the Government of India has rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1 which is an important economic reform measure. Talking about India-Russia relations, she said there is an ambitious project of building energy-bridge. Opening of International North-South Transport Corridor, establishment of green-corridor, technology transfer and deepening the mutual friendships between the peoples of the two countries are the areas which need to strengthened and further consolidated, she said. Expressing happiness that the State Duma has instituted an Indo-Russian Federation Friendship Group, she informed that similar initiative has been taken in the Indian Parliament. She stressed that Parliamentary co-operation between the legislatures of Russia and the Indian states needs to be expanded. Highlighting the fact that defence relations between India and Russia have been historically important, Mahajan said these are not limited to seller-buyer arrangement but the bonds are deeper and friendly. Hittig back at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies for creating space for terrorists in Kashmir, the BJP said on Wednesday that the Nehru family was solely responsible for the state's situation. "What personal benefit can anyone draw out of bloodshed, but it only shows an immature mind who does not know the history of his own family. Because, if anybody is singularly responsible for the mess that we are watching in Jammu and Kashmir, it is the Nehru family," Bharatiya Janata Party Spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters here. She was responding to Rahul Gandhi's jibe at the Prime Minister through a tweet, in which he questioned the latter's policies and his pursuit of "short-term political gain" that he said "created space for terrorists" in the Valley and cost India strategically. "Not just from 1947, even after that, whatever has happened in Kashmir, if a person is to be blamed, it is Nehru himself and the policies the Congress followed after him and the 'jehadi' Islamist terrorism which happened in 1990s. I think he would do well to get correct briefing from his staff," Lekhi said. Echoing Lekhi's views, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that challenges around Kashmir were a legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family. "After returning from strategic and very well-known holiday, Gandhi has chosen to attack the Prime Minister, especially when the whole nation stands united against terrorism," she said. Hitting out at the Congress leader, Irani said that Gandhi speaks about personal gains and everybody in the country knows. "History has given proof that when it comes to challenges with regard to Kashmir, those challenges are given out to the country courtesy the Nehru-Gandhi family. "There are a few questions he needs to answer. Congress leader Mani Shanker Aiyar went to Pakistan and sought help to remove Narendra Modi and his government so that the Congress can come back to power. Is that the strategy for Rahul Gandhi's personal gain or is that political strategy?" Irani asked. In a series of tweets, Gandhi imitated the Prime Minister's style of describing his achievements in mathematical equations and said the growing terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was a fallout of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form the government in the state. "Short-term political gain for Modi from the PDP alliance has cost India massively. Modi's personal gain = India's strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood." With the hashtag AmarnathTerrorAttack, the Congress leader lashed out at the Prime Minister over increasing terror incidents in Kashmir. Even as the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at the Doklam sector is now in its fourth week, the government has called a meeting of top Opposition leaders on Friday to sensitise them about the situation ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament that begins early next week. Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will on Friday evening brief opposition parties on the stand-off with China at the Sikkim border. The meeting will be held at the residence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Invitations have been given to the Parliamentary leaders of all major Opposition parties including Congress, JD(U), Trinamool Congress and the Left. Opposition leaders have been criticising the government for the way it has handled the China and Kashmir matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on China, and had also met the Chinese ambassador to India. Rahul on Wednesday accused Modi of pursuing policies that created space for terrorists in Kashmir. He also alleged the prime minister's pursuit of short- term political gains from the BJP-PDP alliance in the state has cost the country dear and resulted in sacrifices of innocent Indians. The current military stand-off with China has drawn attention in the wake of provocative statements from the Chinese foreign office in the run-up to the G-20 summit last week. China has warned that it will not accept any dialogue till India withdraws its soldiers from what Beijing claims as its territory in Doklam. India and Bhutan say the land belongs to the tiny Himalayan kingdom. The face-off with China started after Indian Army personnel went to Doklam Plateau, a disputed territory along Bhutan-China border, on June 18 to stop the Chinese PLA personnel from constructing a road. The road would have altered the status quo in India-Bhutan-China tri-junction boundary point. (With inputs from agencies) The Indian Consulate in Jeddah is making arrangements to bring back the bodies of 11 Indian workers killed in a fire in a house in Saudi Arabia's Najran city, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Of the 11, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala and one each from Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Punjab, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at his weekly media briefing here. While Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmad, Waseem Akram, Mohammad Waseem Azizur Rahman and Vakeel Ahmad hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Kamalapan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan and Sreejith Kottassseri were from Kerala, Gauri Shankar Gupta was from Bihar, Morokanandan Kaliyan from Tamil Nadu and Paras Kumar Subedar from Punjab, he said. All of them were employees of Emaar EA Motahedon Trading and Contracting Company. The 11 migrant labourers died of asphyxiation in Najran on Wednesday in a fire that engulfed the windowless house they shared, the Saudi Gazette said. "Firefighters put out the blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," the report quoted Najran Civil Defence spokesman Abdullah Al-Farie as saying. The fire broke out at around 4 a.m. in the three-bedroom derelict house that had no windows for air circulation. Najran is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with volatile Yemen. Baglay said the Indian Consulate in Jeddah is in touch with local authorities and the Governorate of Najran region. "We are also in touch with the local authorities as well as the hospital to ensure that all possible assistance and treatment is extended to the injured," he sated. On Wednesday night, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that she had spoken to the Indian Consul General in Jeddah. "I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Najran is 900 Km from Jeddah. Our staff is rushing by the first flight available," she stated. "Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on regular basis." Growing Indo-Israeli military ties could push Pakistan and China to further forge defence cooperation, a Pakistani commentator said in remarks published on Thursday. "India's hectic efforts to enhance its military ties with Israel will probably make Pakistan and China foster their economic and defence cooperation in the region," independent researcher Ayaz Ahmed said in The News International newspaper. "Both Pakistan and China have recently come so close to each other that it appears rather elusive for India to pursue its hegemonic designs in the Indian Ocean region. "The more India militarily partners with other countries, the more Sino-Pakistan partnership becomes stronger to block Indian disruptive objectives in South Asia." Ahmed added, in the wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's path-breaking visit to Israel this month. Ahmed said India's decision to embrace Israel was also likely to turn the growing Indo-Iranian relations hostile. "If the Modi government continues to further cement military ties with Israel, Iran will probably hand over the strategically-important Chabahar Port to China and thereby shatter India's dreams to access the energy-rich Central Asia," the commentary said. "Pakistan should capitalise on the Indo-Israel bonhomie to bolster its relations with Iran and coordinate with Tehran to highlight the gross human rights violations being committed in Kashmir and Palestine." The government on Thursday firmly rejected Chinas offer to mediate between India and Pakistan, saying it was ready to discuss all issues, including Kashmir, with the neighbouring country within the bilateral framework. "Our stand is absolutely clear. You are aware that at the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular source that threatens peace and stability in the country, region and the world, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at a media briefing here. He was reacting to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons statement on Wednesday that Beijing was ready to play a constructive role in improving ties between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, where the situation has attracted the attention of the international community. There was no change in New Delhis position that all issues between India and Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally without the involvement of a third party, Baglay said. Union minister Kiren Rijiju and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday accused the national media of being "biased" towards the Northeast in reporting the massive floods and ignoring the region. Taking to Twitter, Rijiju said unlike floods in Kashmir and Chennai, the national media is "ignoring" the Northeast and not giving due coverage to the deluge as the region "readily does not exist in the minds of mainland". "Friends, don't cry that in this catastrophic moment national media ignores North East unlike Kashmir floods or Chennai floods. Govt cares," he tweeted. Replying to a twitterati, he said "Dear @KhonaHinal no deliberate ignorance but North-East readily doesn't exist in the minds of mainland. It requires efforts for attention". Rijiju hails from Arunachal Pradesh. Lending support to the union minister of state for home, Manipur chief minister Singh tweeted: "Kirenji Rightly said national medias are (sic) totally biased towards the north east. They are only for mainland not for the whole India". Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur are facing massive floods since last fortnight. At least 39 people have lost their lives in Assam, where 15 lakh people in 23 districts have been affected by the deluge. Five persons were killed and nine went missing as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit eight dwellings in Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare district yesterday. In Manipur, more than 20 per cent of the total paddy fields in all five districts of Imphal valley were hit by the floods. Manipur has suffered a loss of around Rs 131 crore in the floods since cyclone Mora hit the state in late May, leading to floods and related incidents like landslides, state Principal Secretary (Relief and Disaster Management) M H Khan had said yesterday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed anguish over the flood situation in various parts of the Northeast and promised all possible help from the Centre. He said he had asked Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju to personally supervise the rescue and relief operations and facilitate all possible help needed. The prime minister said he had spoken to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and officials, both in Delhi and the states, on the flood situation. He also reviewed the situation arising out of flood and other natural calamities in the North Eastern states during the monthly meeting of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI), a multi-modal platform through which he interacts with top officials of state governments via tele-conferencing. He assured the states of all possible help from the Centre, a PMO statement said. "I am anguished by the situation arising due to floods in various parts of the Northeast. I share the pain of all those affected by floods," Modi tweeted. "The entire nation stands with the people of Northeast during this time. Centre assures all possible help to normalise the situation," he added in another tweet. Modi had spoken to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday and assured him of all central help. In Assam, the flood situation deteriorated further yesterday, with six more people losing their lives and over 15 lakh people across 23 districts affected by the deluge. With this, the toll in this year's flood related cases has gone up to 39, including eight in Guwahati, a Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said. Five persons were killed and nine went missing yesterday as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit eight dwellings in Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare district. Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Puducherry and now West Bengal. The focus is on the Governor. Never before has the constitutional head of a state been exposed to public discourse, debate and legal scrutiny as in the recent past. Be it in the formation of government after an election or calling for a report from the political executive on the states affairs, his action, rather motive, falls short of the expectation of neutrality of the solemn office he holds. An uncanny feeling haunts the observer that he is singing the tune of his employer. In Goa, the governor did not consult the single largest party, the Congress, before giving Parrikar the green signal. The constitutional convention of inviting the single largest party in the case of a fractured mandate has been outlined by the Sarkaria Commission, later affirmed by a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court in Rameswar Prasad vs Union of India, 2005. The Puducherry Lieutenant-Governor has unilaterally nominated three defeated BJP candidates as MLAs and swore them in on 4 July without consulting the elected CM or the council of ministers. It would have been gracious for the West Bengal governor had he summoned the Chief Minister or any senior minister or chief secretary/D.G of police for an urgent one-to-one meeting to be apprised of the situation on the emotive communal flareup at Baduria and in some parts of Basirhat. Whether there was any immediate provocation behind the use of telephone to convey his anxiety may have to await a wellresearched probe, though a worthy of the central committee of the BJP has left no one in doubt by instantaneously describing the governor as a soldier of Modi Brigade. The role of the governor between1947 and 1967 when the Congress was having a clear majority at the Centre and in most of the states was not a matter of public controversy, and had least attention paid to it. Sarojini Naidu, one-time governor of UP said that she considered herself a bird in a golden cage. Even during this period, the position assigned to them by the Constitution made some of the illustrious governors very unhappy. Dr.Pattabhi Sitaramayya, governor of Madhya Pradesh had this to say, My duties as a governor lay more in getting visitors and providing them tea, lunches and dinners than anything else. The first thing I do in the morning is to peruse the list of visitors and invitees to lunch and dinner. Mrs.Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, governor of Maharashtra, was of the view that the office of the governor should be abolished. She felt that the only thing that could induce a person to accept governorship was the salary that the office carried. KM Munshi, governor of Uttar Pradesh had a tiff with his chief minister and complained to Pandit Nehru for redressal. When his plea was turned down, he described his job thus: to run a hotel and entertain guests. NVGadgil, governor of Punjab considered himself as the Patwari of the state of Punjab whose function was to assess the conditions prevailing in the state and report to the Union government. Post-1967 and especially after 1977, coalition governments started assuming office in states and at the Centre. Regional parties gained a strong foothold. The federalism debate gathered momentum. In actual working, in states where one party has a clear majority, the part played by the governor has been that of a constitutional head in the matter of asking the leader of that party to form the ministry. But in those states where there are multiple parties with an uncertain command over the Legislature,the governor has acted as a mere agent of the Centre in matters relating to inviting a person to form a ministry, or bringing about the removal of a ministry by means of a report under Article 356. The grounds upon which a governor may be removed by the President are not laid down in the Constitution. Hopefully, this power will be sparingly used to meet with cases of gross delinquency like bribery, corruption, treason or violation of the Constitution. A glaring exception to this sound principle took place when the President, on the advice of the National Front prime minister VP Singh, in December 1989 asked all governors to resign simply because another party had come to power at the Centre. A key element in the federalism debate is the appointment of partisan governors by the Centre in states ruled by the party in power or in oppositionruled states.The constitutional role of the governor is restricted to acting on the advice of the state Cabinet. He/shehas no independent executive power except where there is no majority government in place. Given this reality, and given the unabashed hypocrisy with which governments at the Centre(Congress, UPA, NDA) have manipulated governors in the past, it is high time to ask: do we need a governor at all? Is it for ceremonial occasions or for that transitory period during ministry-formation or to offer favours to defeated, disgraced and unemployed party stalwarts and politicians? Sometimes, the idea of an elected governor, as in the United States, is floated if the suggestion for abolishing the post is overruled. If presidents can be elected, why is this idea not favoured for appointment of governors? Why should the Centre appoint governors without a state's consent and inform the states ex-post-facto just to complete the formality? True federalism means that formation of governments at both Centre and states should be contingent on the principle that elected governments will hold the reins of power without an unelected governor coming in between. The US example may not suit us since our Constitution does not envisage a presidential system of government. Besides, in case of an elected governor, two rival centres of power will be engaged in outsmarting each other resulting in chaos and administrative deadlock. So,what is the alternative? After demonetisation and GST it will be a challenge to the NDA government to firm up a case for abolition of the post of governor. Rehabilitation of the deadwood of his party should not deter the prime minister from accepting this challenge. After all, do we really need a spare wheel at the statelevel? The writer is a former Joint Secretary to the Government of West Bengal. For a sitting prime minister, there could not have been a more damning indictment. The report of the joint investigation team (JIT) has charged the Sharif family on several counts from perjury and faking documents to hiding their sources of wealth and living beyond their means. Predictably, Nawaz Sharif has refused to bow out and has vowed to take the battle to the end. Now it is left to the Supreme Court to decide his fate. One is not quite sure how long it will take to wind up the case. But it is certainly going to be a messy endgame with the possibility of the third-term prime minister having to stand trial on criminal charges and being ousted by the court. The ensuing legal battle may drag on for long thus further deepening the political polarisation in the country. The outcome of this historical judicial action is bound to completely change the political dynamics and may well be the beginning of the end of the Sharif era. Another shock for Sharif is that the JIT report has also alleged that his daughter Maryam Nawaz, who has long been groomed as his heir apparent, has falsified documents. This may have doomed the familys plan for the transition of power to the second generation to failure. It was evident that such a detailed investigation into the familys foreign assets had caught the prime minister by surprise. Although the government had sensed the seriousness of the investigation at the end, it still appeared confident that at least the prime minister would scrape through with only some burn marks. A story published in a national daily on July 10, hours before the submission of the JIT report to the Supreme Court, and headlined to the effect that the investigation didnt find the prime minister guilty, in fact reflected the governments miscalculation. The government had certainly not expected such a sweeping indictment that has left the countrys most powerful political leader politically and morally damaged. Such a comprehensive probe into intricate financial deals spanning over almost three decades by a small team cobbled together from various departments, many of the members believed to have little experience of investigating white-collar crime, in just 60 days is astonishing. The gathering and verification of information from governmentcontrolled financial institutions against a sitting prime minister of a country where the rich and powerful appear to enjoy immunity from the law is by no means an easy task. Surely the backing of the countrys apex court may have been one of the factors. But this kind of probe could not have been possible without the clout of the members of the military intelligence agencies represented in the JIT. Understandably, their inclusion had raised many eyebrows and fuelled conspiracy theories about the military establishment being actively behind the investigation into the Panama scandal. Even the FIA developed some spine to nab the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan for alleged tampering with the records of companies owned by the Sharif family. Considering the low level of competence and expertise of investigation agencies it is indeed remarkable that a major part of the JIT probe involved intricate foreign financial transactions that had taken place over the years through the offshore companies owned by the Sharif family. Surely, the earlier investigations conducted by the FIA some two decades ago may have provided some important links, but the JIT probe was able to gather some substantive evidence to connect the dots. It was made possible by the effective collaboration of some other countries including Britain and the UAE under a mutual legal cooperation agreement. That helped the investigators get access to some critical information establishing Maryams ownership of the offshore companies that the family had long denied. Indeed, the record of communications between the offshore companies, foreign banks and the Sharif family helped fill the gaps. The detail of the cooperation is apparently in the 10th volume of the JIT report that has not been made public. Some foreign private investigative agencies hired by the JIT also helped to collect forensic evidence of alleged forgery of the documents. Such expertise was not available at home. With such substantive evidence produced by the JIT, it seems difficult for the prime minister and his family to extricate themselves from the mess. They had perhaps hoped that a prolonged legal and political battle could salvage the situation. There is no indication of the prime minister stepping down voluntarily which has increased political uncertainty in the country. That has stalled any hope of an early end to the crisis triggered by the leaked Panama Papers more than one year ago. The issue could have been resolved much earlier had the government agreed to an investigation into the matter in parliament. It was hubris that finally led to the intervention of the apex court. Sharifs fate has hung in the balance since the ruling of the five-member bench in May this year. Although he narrowly escaped disqualification, the formation of the JIT indicated that he was not out of the woods. Interestingly, the mandate given to the JIT went far beyond the original petitions of several political leaders. Although he appears defiant, the options for Sharif are now limited. He may still stay prime minister until the court ruling, but he has already lost political and moral authority. Any confrontation would not only be disastrous for the government but also for the democratic political process. Confronted with serious domestic and external challenges, the country cannot afford worsening political uncertainty and instability. The PML-N can still survive in power and complete its five-year term by electing a new leader and prepare for the next elections that are only months away. That is the only way that the political uncertainty can end. Democracy is not about personal power. More important is for the democratic political process to continue. A tainted leader can neither provide stability to the country nor lead his party into the next elections successfully. The delay in decision can only doom chances of a return to power. The prime minister must realise that it is the end of the road for him. Dawn/ANN. Kolkata had a foretaste of what to expect over the next three months when two hours of rain in the afternoon flooded a vast swathe of the city, most particularly the central, northern, and southern areas. It is testament to the almost appalling drainage and pumping systems that a typical monsoon shower in the afternoon can be no less disruptive than a political rally in terms of traffic movement, the Parama flyover above the EM Bypass being one of the worst affected stretches. True the confluence of a high tide in the Hooghly and the rain served to stall the city during the evening peak hours; the phenomenon occurs every year and both the KMC and the traffic police ought to have kept the lockgates open to let the rainwater pass during high tide. This was the elementary precaution that was not taken on Tuesday; the system needed to have been geared up after the almost incessant rain the night before. Furthermore, a swollen river is invariably mentioned in a meteorological forecast, which appears to have been overlooked. The Facebook entry of the traffic police, attributing the near-total dislocation to a political rally from Esplanade to Sealdah and the breakdown of a taxi near Bridge No. 4 is a feeble attempt to evade responsibility. If rain in the afternoon can stall traffic on roads and flyovers, there is life in the debate on whether the city actually bears witness to the development of under-development. True the pumping operation has been more prompt than usual, but the fact of the matter must be that the city makes do with an antediluvian system of drainage, which is the primary reason why Kolkata of 2017 simply cannot cope with seasonal rain. There has been no overhaul of the underground brick walls, that were laid in the 19th century. Small wonder that Tuesday's arterial blockage had spread from the north to the upmarket areas of the southern periphery. T he glitzy urban landscape above ground in certain pockets of the city chimes oddly with the grot beneath. Mayor Sovan Chattopadhyay sounded pretty helpless when he cautioned citizens that there will be waterlogging if the downpour is heavy. T rue the city woke up to a deluge on Tuesday, but at the threshold of the monsoon the civic authorities have been caught with all defences down, not to forget the chaotic traffic management. They have been equally helpless in containing the spread of dengue and other viral afflictions that are common during the monsoon which has only just begun. The time to act is now. The orchestrated transition from Sutanati to shopping malls has meant little or nothing in terms of improving elementary municipal services either in the segment of infrastructure or public health. When terrorists attack from the front, it means that they are not afraid of consequences. The story of the attack that killed seven pilgrims, returning from the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir, is somewhat similar. Lashkar-e-Toiba did not hesitate to take on the police or the army as if the terrorists knew that the counter challenge would fall short of their resolve to harm the security forces accompanying the yatra. Lashkar's involvement is a possibility, particularly when it has not claimed the responsibility yet. Even if they claim the responsibility, there is no certainty that they are doing so to cover up homegrown terrorists. Even the J and K Police have pointed fingers at Lashkar. It is quite likely that Lashkar is the perpetrator. The organisation is being battered so much in most countries in West Asia that it wants to resell itself. If it can frighten India, there is every possibility of nations in West Asia coming under its spell of fear. The nation is justified in expressing its horror because the victims were on a pilgrimage of faith which they cherish. It had nothing to do with politics. Unfortunately the whole episode, as the days pass by, is being politicised. The BJP is to blame. It has not bothered about the fact it has a share in the state government and some of the blame would come to it. This is not the first time that attacks on yatris have taken place. In August 2000, the terrorists had opened fire on over 95 people, leading to a death toll of 89. The series of attacks, which began on the night of 1 August, were believed to be planned. The following year too terrorists opposed to the local outfit Hizbul Mujahideens ceasefire declaration had attacked a pilgrim base camp at Pahalgam. A total of 32 people were killed in the base camp strike at Pahalgam, of which 21 were Amarnath yatris. Similarly, a militant hurled two grenades at a camp and later opened fire near the Amarnath shrine on the night of 20 July 2001, killing nearly 13 people, including three women yatris and two police officers. The attack took place around 1.25 am near Sheshnag, one of the highest stops on the way to the Amarnath cave. What is baffling is the fact that nearly 15,000 security personnel and policemen were deployed to offer protection to the Amarnath pilgrims in 2002. Yet, a terrorist attack could not be averted as eight people were killed and 30 were injured. The attack took place before dawn on the Nunwan camp on the way to the Amarnath shrine, according to reports. Coming back to the latest attack, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has hit out at the government, terming it a grave and unacceptable security lapse and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept responsibility. "This is a grave and unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards," he said in tweets. The bus, which was fired upon by terrorists in Kashmir, was not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board and was plying without any security cover long after the evening deadline fixed for the vehicles carrying Amarnath yatris, said Congress spokesperson Randeep S Surjewala. Pakistan may be involved, but that is only a suspicion so far. The government must lay before the country the evidence of Islamabads involvement. But we must cleanse our own house. Those proximate to the establishment are involved in training Hindu terrorists and as Hilary Clinton has said that if you nourish snakes in your courtyard, they are bound to bite you one day. Indigenous terrorists are now a reality and they do strike here and there. The attack on the Samjhauta Express is said to be the handiwork of homegrown terrorists. The biggest casualty of the Amarnath Yatra is Kashmiriyat, a secular way of life propagated by the sufis. This faith asserted itself when Maharaja Hari Singh quit government and left it to the popular leader, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. There was no communal feeling at that time. Fundamentalists and the propaganda by Pakistan have destroyed what was so beautiful. But why should we throw in the towel? For 70 years we have been upholding Indias ethos, secularism and democracy. We have added the word secularism in the preamble of our constitution. Ironically, Indira Gandhi did this when she, as Prime Minister, had imposed the emergency. Were Kashmiriyat to assert itself, basic values like free press would come to be respected. The Kashmiri Muslims have themselves to decide if their faith in togetherness is being replaced by fundamentalism. I was recently in Srinagar and found to my horror that youth, who have taken to the gun, want to convert the Valley into a sovereign, Islamic country. Leaders like Yasin Malik and Shabbir Shah have become irrelevant. Syed Shah Geelani and the Mirwaiz have a following but that was because they talked about Pakistan and Islam at the same time. They even support the stone-pelters saying that the stones were being hurled in the name of Islam. It is a dangerous trend to emerge. New Delhi will have to think hard and come up with a solution which is acceptable to the people in the Valley and the ruling party at the Centre. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has accepted the responsibility of arranging the yatra without any mishaps. The BJP should consult with other political parties and take necessary steps to create a consensus. The writer is a noted journalist columnist and commentator Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday reiterated his country's stance against the support and finance of terrorism, state-run MENA news agency reported. Sisi's remarks came during his meeting with Arab information ministers who are in Cairo for the meetings of their council. Sisi underlined the important role of the media in molding awareness of peoples regarding the challenges and threats facing the Arab countries in light of the current unprecedented regional situation and the growing threat of terrorism, MENA said. The Egyptian president added that terrorism caused much damage to the Arab nation over the past few years, stressing that confronting terrorism at all levels through a comprehensive strategy is a necessity. He also highlighted the important role of the media for publishing accurate information and spreading the values of tolerance. Sisi confirmed Egypt's keenness not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and not to conspire against any country. Egypt faces waves of anti-security attacks led by IS branch in North Sinai, since the army-led ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule. The attacks were mainly centered in Sinai Peninsula, but some extended to the capital and Delta cities. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed during the attacks. Last month, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and cut off sea, land and air links to the tiny rich Gulf nation, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. Qatar has strongly denied the charges against it, while rejecting a list of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday refused to resign despite demands for his exit in the wake of a damning report by the Panama case probe panel that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family. While addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, Sharif, 67, termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of allegations and speculation, Dawn Online reported. Pointing to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report, Sharif said: The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post. Sharif claimed that his family earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot. The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said. Those demanding my resignation on false and unwarranted claims should first look at themselves, Sharif said and announced that that he would not resign on demands of conspirers. According to the paper, the Cabinet members suggested that Sharif must fight the legal battle to vindicate himself in the Panama Papers case. The six-member JIT that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its 10-volume report submitted to the apex court on July 10 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 decision to convene today's meeting was taken during an informal meeting at the prime minister's house. All major opposition political parties have asked him to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday reiterated his country's stance against the support and finance of terrorism, state-run MENA news agency reported. Sisi's remarks came during his meeting with Arab information ministers who are in Cairo for the meetings of their council. Sisi underlined the important role of the media in molding awareness of peoples regarding the challenges and threats facing the Arab countries in light of the current unprecedented regional situation and the growing threat of terrorism, MENA said. The Egyptian president added that terrorism caused much damage to the Arab nation over the past few years, stressing that confronting terrorism at all levels through a comprehensive strategy is a necessity. He also highlighted the important role of the media for publishing accurate information and spreading the values of tolerance. Sisi confirmed Egypt's keenness not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and not to conspire against any country. Egypt faces waves of anti-security attacks led by IS branch in North Sinai, since the army-led ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 in response to mass protests against his rule. The attacks were mainly centered in Sinai Peninsula, but some extended to the capital and Delta cities. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed during the attacks. Last month, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and cut off sea, land and air links to the tiny rich Gulf nation, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. Qatar has strongly denied the charges against it, while rejecting a list of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties. By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 12 (PTI) The investigation into the Trump campaigns alleged connection with the Russians by Special Persecutor Robert Muller is not a "witch hunt", FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray said today. Wray, 50, who has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after he fired James Comey from this position in May, is a former high- ranking Justice Department official. advertisement "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," he told Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing. Mueller, a former FBI Director and predecessor of Comey, has been appointed as a special prosecutor by the Department of Justice to look into the allegations of the relationship if any between the Russians and the Trump campaign during the presidential elections last year. In several of his social media outbursts, Trump has repeatedly described such investigations as a witch hunt. The question was raised by Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsay Graham during Wrays confirmation hearing. "In light of the Don Jr email, and other allegations, that this whole thing about Trump campaign and Russias a witch hunt? Is that a fair description of what were all dealing with in America?," Graham asked Wray, who replied in negative. Wray did not specifically respond to the question if Trump can fire Muller. During the confirmation hearing, several Democratic Senators expressed their outrage over the firing of Comey on May 9. "Although were still sorting out all of the circumstances and details surrounding the presidents decision, it does not appear that Mr Comey was fired because the bureau was a mess, as originally stated, nor is there evidence that Mr Comey was dismissed because rank and file FBI agents had either lost confidence in him or because of his handling of the Clinton administration investigation," said Senator Diana Feinstein. "Rather, we find that rank and file agents of the FBI did, and continue to, overwhelmingly support James Comey. In addition, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told members of Congress that when he wrote his memo, President Trump had already decided to remove Mr Comey as FBI Director," she said. "Based on press reports and the presidents own words, the reason Mr Comey was dismissed was because he would not pledge his loyalty to the president and he would not lift the cloud of the Russia investigation. President Trump said in a televised interview, for example, I was going to fire Comey regardless of recommendation," the Democratic Senator said. advertisement Senator Patrick Leahy said that they have now learned that a number of members of the Trump campaign were eager to work and talk with members of the Russian organisation, even though theyre an adversary of ours, about the campaign. "I talk about this not so much in history, although we need to know exactly what happened, because we got to make sure it doesnt happen again," he said. Wray refrained from making any comment on the email communication between Donald Trump Jr, son of the president, and Russian sources who wanted to share information about Hillary Clinton. "To the members of this committee, any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation-state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know," Wray said. The FBI Director nominee was critical of the Russians. "I think Russia is a foreign nation that we have to deal with very warily," he said in response to a question. He acknowledged that in some situation they are an adversary of the United States. "Any threat, any effort to interfere with our election systems, whether its from a state actor like Russia, or from a non-state actor, its something that needs to be taken very seriously. It would be wise for all of us to proceed with great caution in the wake of that information," Wray said. PTI LKJ CPS --- ENDS --- advertisement Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday left for an official three-day visit to Bangladesh, his office said in a statement. During the visit, President Sirisena is expected to hold bilateral talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, as well as opposition leader Khaleda Zia, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying. Sirisena who is heading a 73-member delegation is expected to hold extensive bilateral discussions regarding ways to strengthen cooperation in the maritime, education, tourism, fisheries and health sectors, while focusing on promoting investments between the two countries. Both sides are also expected to sign 10 agreements. This is Sirisena's first official visit to Bangladesh since being elected President in 2015. He had travelled to Bangladesh earlier as Health Minister in 2013 and 2014. The President of the United States departed the White House for a two-day trip to Paris on Wednesday to meet with his French counterpart. Donald Trump will be welcomed by Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, and will attend the annual July 14 Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, Efe reported. The Air Force One carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump left Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Wednesday afternoon. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn have also travelled to Paris. The French president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were set to receive Trump and the First Lady at the Hotel des Invalides and accompany them to the tombs of Napoleon and French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, supreme Allied commander in World War I. Trump and Macron were expected to follow up on their bilateral meetings at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany last week. The two leaders will then convene a meeting with top advisers on "Syria and counter-terrorism topics" and then hold a joint press conference, according to the White House. China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam have the worlds four biggest coal-fired power plants in pipeline. Together, they represent 82 per cent of the 718 units globally under construction. Two Asian countries, China and India, account for the majority of an estimated 2,457 new coal-fired power stations either planned or in construction worldwide, as per the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, UK. While China has 384 coal power plants under construction, India has 149. Other growing Asian economies like Indonesia and Vietnam have 32 and 24 coal power plants under construction, respectively. The rest of the world, on the other hand, has 129 coal power plants under construction. China also has 795 proposed coal power plants, whereas India has 297, Indonesia has 87 and Vietnam has 56. The rest of the world has 504 proposed coal power plants in the offing. Together, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam have pipelines of 1,824 coal power plants either planned or under construction, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence, UK. China is looking to peak its overall coal consumption by 2020. The countrys coal-fired power generation has fallen since 2013 and old coal-fired plants are being shut. China is also ramping up its renewable and nuclear power. India is adding 15-20GW of coal capacity annually, although some 390GW of coal projects from 2010-2015 have also been cancelled. The country also has ambitious objectives for wind and solar energy, targeting an additional 140GW wind and solar capacity by 2022. Both nations, however, are also experiencing the fallout of being dependent on coal for energy production. In both China and India air pollution has become a major environmental concern. Curbs such as Indias carbon tax on coal would be expected to impact investment decisions for new coal power plants. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 58F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 41F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Movie review: 'War for the Planet of the Apes' is a rare breed of blockbuster remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Sadhu Dula Nath travels to religious sites with his best friends - his 10 dogs. By India Today Web Desk: A dog is a man's best friend. We have heard this saying a lot of times and there many who can identify with this. There is one such man who travels to religious sites with his dogs. According to reports by ANI, Sadhu Dula Nath travels to pilgrim sites with his ten dogs on a bike and calls them 'devotees'. The sadhu claims that he has never left his dogs alone anywhere and has been travelling to various religious sites with them since the past 10 years. advertisement He also recently took them to Amarnath. Sadhu Dula Nath along with his dogs travels to religious places on a bike, calls them 'devotees'; says travelling with them for last 10 yrs pic.twitter.com/SgT4hbZ1e9- ANI (@ANI_news) July 13, 2017 Dula Nath's adorable love for his dogs has won hearts on Twitter. my babies hv also visited a lot of religious places .. hv dipped in Sangam on Mahakumbhs JAI HIND JAI SANATAN JAI BHARAT- #Stupid??? (@swetamishraa) July 13, 2017 We all know at least one person who is crazy in love with dogs and prefer the company of the loyal canines over humans. If not, you're probably that one person. --- ENDS --- With just days left for the 2017 IIFA Awards, Bollywood stars have started descending in New York City which will host the 18th edition of the extravaganza. The Nawab of Bollywood, Saif Ali Khan, who will be hosting the award night alongside Karan Johar at the iconic MetLife Stadium, was among the first ones to arrive on Tuesday. Apart from Saif, Shahid Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor, Manish Paul and others were also spotted marking their presence for the awards. International Indian Film Awards (IIFA), which celebrates Bollywood, takes place in a different city outside of India every year in the hope of luring new audiences to the genre. The event will witness power-packed performances by Bollywood superstars- Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, to name a few. Varun Dhawan will also be making his debut at IIFA Awards with a stunning performance and will be also be seen co- hosting a segment of the star-studded awards night. The 18th Edition of IIFA awards will air exclusively live on COLORS from New York at 9 am and repeat at 6 pm, on July 16, Sunday. -ANI The fresh allegations against AIADMK General Secretary and convict V.K. Sasikala Natarajan of bribing top jail officials, including Karnataka Director General of Prisons (DGP) Satyanarayana Rao, in exchange of undue favours has put a spotlight on the Bengaluru central prison. Apparently, Sasikala's is just one among many such incidents of favouritism inside the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara in the city, according to the report submitted by Deputy Inspector General (prisons) D. Roopa to DGP R.K. Dutta and her boss Rao. The DIG, who took charge on June 23, is said to have urged Rao to act against the guilty staff. The report alleges twisting of jail manual rules in favour of a few inmates, apart from rumours of rampant bribing in exchange of favours. Roopa has also noted that senior jail staffers are allowing a host of illegal activities inside the prison, such as special treatment for high-profile convicts including Sasikala and stamp paper scam convict Abdul Karim Telgi. While Sasikala, convicted to four years jail term in disproportionate assets case, is being allowed to use a separate cooking room, Telgi has been provided with undertrials as aides, who also give him massages. The report also mentions rampant drug abuse by inmates. In a drug (urine) test conducted on July 10, as many as 18 tested positive. Most of them were found to have consumed cannabis (ganja), while urine samples of four inmates had traces of benzodiazepine. The report also revealed inaction against inmates who attempted to attack a doctor and a nurse in the prison. Reports of inmates using mobile phones and 'VIP' convicts enjoying privileges including relaxation in number of visitors have cropped up time and again. However, the current report from the senior official reveals the seriousness of the issue and calls for stringent action for sure. Rift in the West Bengal BJP has become prominent after state vice president Chandra Kumar Bose, criticised the censor board's decision to censor the documentary made on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. We may not agree with Amartya Sen. But censor board has no right to strangle the voice of any, Bose, grand nephew of Subhas Chandra Bose, said today. Meanwhile, Sen did not want to say much about the censorship of the documentary on him. He had earlier expressed his surprise that the feature did not get through the censor board. But Suman Ghosh, the documentary maker, said that there was nothing wrong in the feature that could invite censorship. Can't words like 'Gujarat' and 'cow' be uttered? We hope good sense would prevail and the feature would be given permission to be screened. Many people are desperate to see it, said Ghosh. Sources said Ghosh is planning to launch the movie on YouTube if there is a delay in granting permission. There was a barrage of criticism against the CBFC chairman, Pahlaj Nihalani for asking to cut the words 'Gujarat', 'cow', 'Hindutva' and 'Hindu India'. The documentary, An Argumentative Indian, was made on the life of Prof. Amartya Sen. It is a one-hour documentary that was shot in Shantiniketan. Eminent economist Kaushik Basu is seen interacting with Sen on various issues dealing with the Indian society. And it is at this point that topics such as the Gujarat riots, cow slaughters and other controversial issues rise. Dilip Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal president, said that it would be better if Prof. Sen restrained from making comments on national issues by taking a political stand. He is forgetting that he is not only a Nobel laureate, but also a Bharat Ratna. He is inviting trouble for himself. But we hope the issues would be resolved soon, said Dilip Ghosh. Sen is one of the strongest Modi critics who questioned the ideological position of BJP as a political party. Though he received Bharat Ratna from the BJP government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he loses no opportunity to lambast BJP. Recently at an occasion in Kolkata, when asked who he voted for in the 2014 election, Sen said, I won't tell you which party I voted for. But, I can tell you which party I did not vote for. That is BJP. The attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Botengo in Anantnag district has come at one of the most turbulent times in Kashmirthe rise in the separatist sentiment, resentment over the imposition of GST and a renewed offensive against militants by security forces after a year-long uprising was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani last July. Yet, condemnation against the atrocity has been unequivocal from all sections of the society. The outrage in Kashmir against the murder of seven pilgrims has also helped nip the chances of stoking communal tensions in the state. Many believe the courage of the Muslim driver, Salim, who steered the bus to safety in the face of indiscriminate firing, has also helped to calm down tempers outside Kashmir. On July 11, Khurram Parvez and Parvez Imroz, two noted civil rights activists of Kashmir, addressed a civil society gathering in Srinagar's Pratap Park and condemned the killings of innocent pilgrims. Khurram called the killing of pilgrims barbaric and gruesome. Kashmiris have always condemned such killings. The UNHRC should be allowed to probe all mysterious killings that occurred in Kashmir, including at Nadimarg and Chattisinghpora as the country's agencies have failed to investigate such killings, Khurram said. The representatives of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Yasin Khan, also spoke on the occasion. Khan expressed his sympathy with the families of the deceased. The KCCI also took out a protest march and demanded a probe into the attack and punishment for the killers. On July 12, to in a show of solidarity with the Amarnath pilgrims, an hour-long shutdown was observed in Pahalgam, the base camp for the annual yatra while local cab drivers held a protest demonstration. Shopkeepers and hoteliers closed business in the morning in Pahalgam and vehicular traffic also came to a halt. Members of the taxi drivers association held a protest demonstration. Some of them were carrying black flags and demanded an impartial probe into the atrocity In this hour of grief, we stand by our yatri brothers and the victim's families, said Mohammad Rafiq, a taxi owner who ferries pilgrims to Chandanwari from Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam. Calling pilgrims as our guests, Rafiq said their trust cannot be betrayed. In 1996, when flash floods hit the yatra route, the residents of Pahalgam had welcomed the pilgrims into their homes. Recently, locals in Pahalgam helped pilgrims, who were injured after a cooking gas cylinder burst. In Anantnag, members of South Kashmir Civil Society (SKCS) also organised a protest march at Lal Chowk against the killing of the pilgrims. In a statement, the civil society members called the attack inhuman. SKCS not only condemns the attack of yatris, but also believes the attack is an assault on the cultural ethos of Kashmir and we ask for an impartial probe into all civilian killings since 1989 by a judicial commission, the SKCS said in a statement. Following the fall in footprint of tourists in Kashmir due to the uprising, the pilgrimage provides a good source of income for many people such as transport service providers, hoteliers, and artisans. Though yatris don't spend much, it helps revive the spirit of welcoming guests in Kashmir. Tariq Patloo, a houseboat and resort owner and Dal lake conservationist, said he was pained at the killing of the pilgrims. They are guests and we feel sorry for what has happened to them this year, he said. We can do without business, but we will not accept killing unsuspecting people who visit Kashmir. Under pressure from the government, the separatist Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Yasin Malik also hailed people for condemning the killing of pilgrims. In a statement, the separatists said: This should serve as an eye-opener to those who encourage polarisation as a political tool, leave no stone unturned to demonise people through media and crush them by the use of force for their just political aspirations. Condemnation has also poured in massively from the supporters of the separatist cause in Kashmir on social media. Most have condemned the attack and termed it an attempt to polarise the society and malign the Kashmir cause. Interestingly, one of the most eligible bachelors of Bollywood, Salman Khan, counselled Krushna Abhishek about having babies. By India Today Web Desk: Krushna Abhishek and Kashmera Shah became parents to twin boys two months back, and few people know that Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was one of the people who nudged Krushna to have babies. "Many people counselled me about having babies, one of them was Salman," says the comedian. "Salman was one of the first stars I told about my twins. He was extremely happy for us," he added. advertisement On how it felt to become a father "When I first saw the twins, I didn't know how to react. I was scared to pick them up." On how fatherhood has changed Krushna as a person "I've become more responsible. I've never been an actor who relies on his producers. I've always been in such a position that I can walk off anytime. I never had the fear of a show not working or being ousted from it. But after having kids, I get that feeling. I'm no longer as carefree, there is a fear that keeps me in check." Krushna Abhishek will be seen in The Drama Company, set to premiere on July 16 at 8pm on Sat-Sun. Also read: Comedian Krushna Abhishek and wife Kashmera Shah are now parents to twins Also read: Not Sunil Grover, this popular comedian will be seen in Krushna Abhishek's new show Also read: Krushna Abhishek on Bharti Singh entering Kapil's show: How could she join him? --- ENDS --- Eleven Indians have been killed in a fire in the southern Saudi city of Najran, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed today. The ministry added that the Indian Consulate in Jeddah is providing all assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured in the tragedy. The deceased Indians include four from Uttar Pradesh, three from Kerala, one from Bihar, one from Tamil Nadu, while the details of two others are yet to be ascertained. The victims have been identified as Gauri Shankar Gupta from Bihar, Kampalan Sathyan, Baiju Raghavan and Sreejith Kottasseri from Kerala, Murokanandan Kaliyan from Tamil Nadu, and Tabrej Khan, Ateeq Ahmed, Waseem Akram and Vakeel Ahmedfro from Uttar Pradesh. The details of the two other deceased, Mohammed Rahman and Paras Kumar Subedar are still being collected, said the Ministry of External Affairs. The ministry added that it was sending its staff to the town and was providing "all assistance". In addition, the details of how many have been injured are still being collected, though initial reports suggest this number to be around five. Najran is a town 900 kilometres from Jeddah. The fire broke out on Wednesday. According to reports from Saudi Arabia, the victims were all workers in a construction company. The fire, which might have occured due to a faulty, old air conditioner, broke out in the building where they lived. Apparently, the house did not have any windows. "Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured," the local civil defence authority said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said, "I am aware of the fire tragedy in Najran...I have spoken to Consul General Jeddah. Our Consul General is in touch with the Governor of Najran. He is updating me on a regular basis," Swaraj said. (With inputs from Rekha Dixit) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into alleged irregularities at the central prison here, including preferential treatment being given to AIADMK (Amma) leader V.K. Sasikala. He said strict action will be taken against those found guilty. "We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in the Bengaluru Central Prison and ordered a high-level inquiry," Siddaramaiah, who is currenty touring Raichur district, posted on Twitter. "Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing (sic)," he tweeted. In a report submitted to DGP (Prisons) H S Sathyanarayana Rao yesterday, Deputy Inspector of General (Prisons) D Roopa had alleged that a special kitchen had been set up in the jail for Sasikala in violation of prison rules. "There are rumours that the kitchen is continuing to function despite the issue being brought to your (Rao) notice. There is also a talk that Rs 2 crore has been paid as bribe for this. "As unfortunately these allegations are also against you, it is requested that you look into the matter and take merciless disciplinary action against erroneous officials," the report signed by Roopa said. She also pointed out other "erroneous" practices in the prison including "preferential" treatment to fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi. Sasikala, along with her two relatives V NSudhakaran and Elavarasi, is lodged in the Parappana Agrahara centralprison here ever since her conviction in February in the disproportionate assets case. They are serving a four-year jail term. DGP Rao today rubbished Roopa's charge, terming it as "absolutely false, baseless and wild" and said hewould take legal recourse against his junior. Responding to this, Roopa said "let there be a fair fact-finding inquiry to find out the truth". Yogi govt scraps SP's populist schemes The first ever budget presented by the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has offered a raw deal to Samajwadi Party. Many of the populist schemes introduced by the previous government has been scrapped in the biggest ever annual budget (Rs 3,84,659.71 crore) in the history of the state, which was presented recently. The government decided to do away with many of the flagship programmes of the previous regime, including the laptop distribution scheme, kanya vidya dhan yojanaa scheme for meritorious girls in the stateSamajwadi health insurance scheme and yash bharti sammana scheme to honour eminent personalities in different fields. Call to avenge Amarnath killings There has been widespread resentment in Uttar Pradesh against Amarnath killings. Recently, Agra unit of Bajrang Dal gave a clarion call to avenge the killings of pilgrims. Bajrang Dal leader Govind Parashar said if the killings were not avenged within a fortnight, Bajrang Dal activists will go to Jammu and Kashmir to provide personal security to the pilgrims. The activists of the outfit also staged a protest, brandishing guns and swords. Parashar said the aim of the armed protest was to show their strength and to let others know that we are capable of dealing with any crisis. In 2016, when a national flag was burnt in the Valley, Parashar hoisted the tricolour in Lal Chowk in Srinagar. He had also challenged AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother to enter Agra after their acerbic remarks against Bajrang Dal and the VHP. Maneka Gandhi offers Rs 15 lakh for tiger reserve To curb tiger attacks in villagers, Women & Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi promised Rs 15 lakh to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. The fund will be utilised mainly for construction of an electric fence around the reserve to avoid man-animal conflict. The money will be released to the forest department from MPs fund soon. The forest area in Pilibhit, which was declared a tiger reserve in 2014, has been in news for frequent man-animal conflicts. According to official figures, since October last, 15 incidents of tigers attacking villagers have been reported. To avoid the attacks, the forest department decided to construct solar-fence around 10km long area of the reserve in the western pat of the forest where most of the recent attacks have taken place. Hooch crackdown In the wake of the death of 28 people in Azamgarh district after consumption of illicit liquor, the state government launched a campaign against those involved in the making and sale of illegal liquor. So far, the police have registered as many as 1,722 cases and sent 105 people to jail. According to the state excise department, in the raids that were carried out, distilling equipment which have the capacity to make around 36,000 litres of illicit liquor have been seized. Maximum cases have been registered in Lucknow zone from where over 7000 litres of hooch was seized. Agra stood second with 382 cases. Pakistan's former envoy to the United States Husain Haqqani has called on US President Donald Trump to take a tough stand against Pakistan if Washington wants to secure Afghanistan's trust. In an opinion piece titled 'To Win Afghanistan, Get Tough on Pakistan' for The New York Times, Ambassador Haqqani says, "Although the Taliban are said to control or contest 40 per cent of Afghanistan's territory, Taliban leaders operate from the safety of Pakistan." He said President Trump must now consider alternatives as Washington's incentives to Pakistan since the September 11 terror attacks have failed to dissuade the latter from stopping its support to the Taliban and other terror elements. Ambassador Haqqani opines that for Islamabad, the alliance with the United States has been more about securing weapons, economic aid and diplomatic support in its confrontation with India. He said both the US and Pakistan have disappointed each other because of divergence in their interests in South Asia. "The George W. Bush administration erred in ignoring the regrouping of the Taliban in Pakistan after their defeat in Afghanistan in the aftermath of September 11, considering Pakistan's cooperation in capturing some Qaeda figures as sufficient evidence of its alliance with the United States. President Barack Obama's administration tried to deal with a resurgent Taliban with a surge in troop numbers for a specific period. Mr Obama deployed armed drones to strike at Taliban targets inside Pakistan, but that proved insufficient in dealing with the leadership living in the Pakistani cities of Quetta and Peshawar," he writes. "Gen Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's former military dictator, had secretly authorised the drone strikes, and some of the drones operated from bases inside Pakistana policy that continued under his civilian successors. Under his rule, Pakistan audaciously denied having anything to do with the Afghan Taliban or its most sinister component, the Haqqani network," Ambassador Haqqani adds. He noted that the United States had presented evidence of Pakistan's links to Afghan militants just as the country transitioned from military to civilian rule in 2008. As Pakistan's ambassador to the United States at that time, Haqqani says he had urged Pakistan's civil and military leaders to engage with Americans honestly instead of sticking to blanket denials. "Islamabad's response was to argue that Pakistan does, indeed, support insurgents in Afghanistan, but it does so because of security concerns about India, which is seen by generals and many civilian leaders as an existential threat to Pakistan. But that excuse is based on exaggerations and falsehoods. India has no offensive military presence in Afghanistan and there has never been any evidence that the Afghans are willing to be part of India's alleged plan for a two-front war with Pakistan, he said. The former Pakistani envoy further said that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani recently asked India to train Afghan military officers and repair military aircraft after frustration with Pakistan, as it had failed to fulfil promises of restraining the Taliban and forcing them to the negotiating table. He said that Pakistan's leaders question Afghanistan's acceptance of economic assistance from India even though Pakistan does not have the capacity to provide such aid itself. "It seems that Pakistan wants to keep alive imaginary fears, possibly to maintain military ascendancy in a country that has been ruled by generals for almost half of its existence. For years, Pakistani officials falsely asserted that India had set up 24 consulates in Afghanistan, some close to the Pakistani border. In fact, India has only four consulates, the same number Pakistan has, in Afghanistan," Haqqani said. He said while evidence of an Indian threat to Pakistan through Afghanistan remains scant, proof of the presence of Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan continues to mount as Mullah Omar, the Taliban's leader, reportedly died in a Pakistani hospital in 2013 and his successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was killed in an American drone strike in Balochistan last year. He urged the US to not let Pakistan link its longstanding support for hard-line Pashtun Islamists in Afghanistan to its disputes with India. Haqqani said linking the outcome in Afghanistan to resolution of India-Pakistan issues would keep the United States embroiled there for a very long time. "The recent rise in Islamophobia in India and a more aggressive stance against Pakistan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not detract from recognising the paranoiac nature of Pakistan's fears" he said. "The Bush administration gave Pakistan $12.4 billion in aid, and the Obama administration forked over $21 billion. These incentives did not make Pakistan more amenable to cutting off support for the Afghan Taliban," he added. Haqqani also urged the Trump Administration to consider taking away Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, which would limit its priority access to American military technology, saying that aid to Pakistan should be linked to a sequence and timeline for specific actions against Taliban leaders. Pakistan said on Thursday that it was considering India's request to grant a visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav, the alleged Indian spy. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, however, regretted that India had imposed strict restrictions on the grant of visas to Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India, the Nation daily reported. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday complained that Pakistan was yet to give a visa to Jadhav's mother. She said she had personally written to Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz regarding a visa to Avantika Jadhav, who wanted to meet her son languishing in an unknown military prison in Pakistan. Pakistan says Jadhav was arrested from Balochistan province in March 2016 and alleged he was involved in spying and terrorist activities. He was convicted in April by a Pakistani military court and sentenced to death. In an explosive report to state government, IG prison D Roopa said Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to top officials of Bengaluru jail to have a special kitchen and other favours. By India Today Web Desk: VK Sasikala, the AIADMK chief, is getting special treatment in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central jail where she has been lodged after being convicted by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case in February. In her report DIG prison D Roopa has said that Sasikala and her associates were getting special treatment inside the jail. The AIADMK boss has even managed to get herself a special kitchen in complete violation of jail rules. advertisement FROM INDIA TODAY MAGAZINE: The enigma of Sasikala The explosive report further claims that Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore to jail officials to get special facilities. It also said that Karnataka Director General of Prisons (DGP) Satyanarayana Rao was one of the top officials who were paid money. "Sasikala has given Rs 1 crore bribe to Rao and another Rs 1 crore was distributed among officials, including warden of the central jail where she is serving 4-year sentence in an illegal wealth case for allowing her special privileges," the report which the DIG has submitted to the state government said. "As a reward for bribing the prison authorities from Rao to jail warden, Sasikala gets special menu daily, cooked by special chefs in a special kitchen near the women's cell," Roopa is said to have mentioned in the report. Co-convicts Sasikala's sister-in-law Elavarasi and nephew VK Sudhakaran were also held guilty by a trial court in September 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court on February 14 in the two-decade-old disproportionate assets case of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. ALSO READ: Bengaluru jail rules violated for VVIP prisoner Sasikala VK Sasikala receives hate mails even in jail What Sasikala's life is going to be like in Parappana Agrahara Central Jail WATCH: VK Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore for exclusive kitchen in jail, says prison report --- ENDS --- A traffic policeman explains, Today when I was driving, I noticed the driver talking on the phone while driving. I told the driver to stop on the side. The driver did not hesitate for a moment. He was honest with me, apologizing and understanding the gravity of his actions. In addition to talking on the phone, he also drove without an inspection on the vehicle for two months, and there was a baby seat in the vehicle. So, what is left to do? In these words, the policeman, Chanan Friedman, opened the post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, 17 Tammuz, and the posting gained tremendous popularity with over 14,000 likes and hundreds of responses. He continues, I made a gentlemans agreement with the driver. He did not believe me at first. I told him from here, you head directly for an inspection so we can all travel safely Friedman wrote. He didnt believe me at first. I gave him my cell number so he could notify me when this was done. He sent me a message an hour later. The moral of the story is that sometimes, we must exercise judgment. Punishment is not always the best way to achieve results. At times, there are other ways. He also posted a snapshot of the WhatsApp communications between him and the driver, who was stopped in Kfar Saba. The driver wrote him, Shalom dear sir. You stopped me not long ago and you asked me to send you a message that I had an inspection on the vehicle. I am a person of my word. He sent a photo of his registration to prove the validity of his statement. Office Friedman wrote back, Great. You saved yourself a 1,000 shekel [fine] towards paying for the inspection. From my point, you are forgiven and please drive carefully. The driver concluded We must admit there are good people and good policeman and this policeman is such an example. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) (PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) With the conclusion of the Mezuza Bank Project, during which thousands of mezuzas were put up in Jewish homes across Russia, this week a new innitiative was announced by Chief Rabbi of Russia, Berl Lazar. It was at the grand Sheva Brachos celebration of Menachem Mendel and Chana Tzivia Lazar, when the grooms father, Rabbi Berl Lazar, announced the start of a special new initiative: The Tefillin Bank. This came after the extremely successful Mezuza Bank, which helped thousands of Jews put up mezuzas in their home free of charge, thanks to generous individuals who sponsored them. Needless to say, these mezuzas were just the first step for many of these families, who continued to take on more mitzvos as a result. The wedding, which took place last week in the center of Berlin, was a tremendous Kidush Hashem as hundreds of people from the Jewish community of Berlin came to celebrate together with their Rabbi and mentor, father of the bride, Yehuda Teichtel. As Chief Rabbi of Berlin, Rabbi Teichtel has turned the city into a place of Torah, Yiras Shamayim, and Chesed for the many Jews residing there. A grand Sheva Brachos celebration was held in Moscow at the elegant Zhukovka Chabad House, with many esteemed guests, Rabbis, and public figures in attendance. It was during this event that Rabbi Lazar announced the start of the new initiative, commemorating fifty years since the Lubavitcher Rebbe started Mivtza Tefillin. That very same evening, the first three pairs of Tefillin were already presented to three proud young men who had committed to wrapping up daily, but for lack of funds, had been using borrowed Tefillin until now. Their joy at receiving this priceless gift knew no bounds. As the celebration continued, a few generous individuals stepped up to sponsor more sets of Tefillin, so that even more Jews will be able to take on this special mitzvah, which will undoubtedly lead to the fulfillment of many, many more. Photos: Levi Nazarov In a meeting of the Rabbinical Committee for Education of the Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael held in conjunction with the directors of the seminars held at the Rav Meir Seminar in Bnei Brak, it was decided, on the orders of Gedolei Yisrael, to tighten the supervision of girls schools including Beis Yaakov. Teachers applying for jobs who have earned an official academic degree from a college or university will not be considered. Taking part in the meeting were Rabbi Mordechai Stern (Vizhnitz), Rabbi Yaakov Cohen (Sanz), Rabbi Videslavsky (Gur) Rabbi Meir Kessler from the Litvish community Rabbi Natan Zukhovsky, Rabbi Chaim Mann, Rabbi Shlomo Breuer and committee secretaries Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein and Yosef Draiman were present. In addition, the directors of the seminars were Rabbis Wolf, Lieberman, Mendelssohn, Hildesheimer and the secretary of the committee, Rabbi Austerlitz. It was learned that during the discussion, those present spoke sharply about the break in the chareidi community, with more women and girls from the community permit themselves to attend mainstream academic institutions, at times, with permission from their husbands. The rabbis discussed ways to stop the breach and prevent the phenomenon from spreading, and mentioned the previous directive to ensure that chareidi schools do not receive teachers with academic degrees. The rabbis argued that while this remains an abstract threat to the present day, it is now necessary to tighten the supervision and enforce the regulations with great severity so that every Jewish woman will know that she will lose if she studies outside the permitted framework as outlined by Gedolei Yisrael. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Flash: Vertu makes luxury mobile phones which sell for thousands of pounds The jobs and pensions of nearly 180 UK workers at a luxury smartphone maker are at risk after a rescue plan failed. Vertu, which makes jewellery-encrusted phones, has a deficit of around 128million and cannot pay staff or its bills. Last week the Mail revealed around 500,000 was allegedly missing from its pension fund. At the end of June it applied to be put into administration by its owner, Turkish tycoon Hakan Uzan, who bought the firm in March. Uzan then intended to buy Vertu back. But at the High Court yesterday, the application was withdrawn and Vertu later said it was 'truly saddened' it could not save the business. It said it had no chance of financial viability. It is now likely to go into liquidation with a winding up petition lodged in Bristol on May 5 by WA Consultants over a debt of 79,834.18. However, Judge David Hodge yesterday adjourned the hearing for up to 48 hours to see if any other solution could be put forward. Vertu's 178 UK staff, mostly based at the manufacturing plant in Hampshire, have not been paid for June. The Brexit-battered pound has continued to push ASOS international sales higher, with the online fashion firm now expecting total revenue growth at the upper end of forecasts. ASOS shipped 16.9million orders in the four months to the end of June, helping total retail sales grow 26 per cent to 660million at constant currency, in line with analysts expectations. Overseas sales saw the biggest rise at 54 per cent to 134.5million, as the weaker pound makes the goods exported cheaper for international shoppers. Young and cool: Asos shipped 16.9million orders in the four months to the end of June UK sales rose 16 per cent to 234.6million, while in the US they soared 38 per cent to 94.4million and in Europe by 41 per cent to 196.6million. But shares in the AIM listed company fell 2 per cent, or 124p, to 5,685p in morning trading. ASOS chief executive Nick Beighton previously said that the rise in international sales allowed him to invest in price cuts for UK customers despite rising costs from the fall in the pound. Today he said the company continued to do so, a strategy which he said was paying off. Strong H1 sales momentum has continued through the third period supported by our ongoing investment in our customer proposition and in price, he said. This good performance has been underpinned by advances across all areas of our business including retail, technology, warehousing, delivery solutions and customer care, Beighton added. ASOS said it remains on track to notch up full year pre-tax profit of 79.4million. The group's buoyant results come at a time when most other British retailers are struggling with slowing or falling sales and rising cost pressures from the pound's fall in value. Last month, H&M, another brand popular among young people, said sales growth had slowed down in the second quarter. George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: ASOS is something of a rarity in the UK retail sector. While weaker sterling and a more frugal consumer give UK-focused rivals sleepless nights, the groups sizeable overseas sales means its management have no such worries. Indeed, the combined size of the EU and US markets means the international growth potential of ASOS is vast. The group already has a significant foothold in these markets, and its website and mobile app are attracting more hits every day. Salmon said the challenge for ASOS was to keep pace with the steep trajectory of customer demand. Not a bad problem to have by any stretch, but given the shares are trading on over 60 times expected earnings, the market is clearly looking for seamless execution. 'In this light, its reassuring to see the second European warehouse coming online without a hitch, especially since ASOS encountered some growing pains in Europe a few years ago, he added. ASOS said it will release its full-year results in October. CIity regulators are planning to rip up strict stock market rules to allow Saudi Aramco the world's biggest company to list its shares in London. Saudi Arabia wants to raise 75billion by selling 5 per cent of the state-controlled oil giant to investors, valuing the company at 1.5trillion in the biggest stock market flotation of all time. But rules in London dictate firms must offload at least 25 per cent of their shares to gain 'premium' status on the stock market something the Saudis want. To overcome the problem, and lure Aramco to London rather than New York, the Financial Conduct Authority is proposing to create a 'new premium listing category for sovereign-controlled companies'. Saudi Arabia wants to raise 75bn by selling 5 per cent of the state-controlled oil giant Aramco to investors The move sparked a backlash in the Square Mile as critics worried about corporate governance issues at Aramco, the risk to investors who buy the shares and damage to the City's reputation. The FCA proposals come just months after London Stock Exchange chief executive Xavier Rolet joined Theresa May on a charm offensive in Riyadh in a bid to woo Saudi ministers. The Prime Minister is understood to have hired legendary banker and former Lazard chairman Ken Costa to advise on the deal. Bankers, lawyers and other City advisers can look forward to a fees bonanza if Aramco picks London over New York. But institutional investor Royal London Asset Management said special concessions for Aramco would be 'highly inappropriate'. It warned that while the listing would bring a 'prize asset' to London, bending the rules to accommodate it 'flies in the face of what is acceptable'. Ashley Hamilton Claxton, corporate governance manager at Royal London, said the FCA's plans were 'bad news' for the City. BANKER SCHMOOZING FOR NUMBER 10 Deal maker: Lazard Chairman Ken Costa At the heart of the bid to woo the Saudis is one of the Citys best-known bankers. Ken Costa, the 67-year-old former chairman of Lazard, is working as an adviser to Theresa May as the UK seeks to help Saudi Arabia become less dependent on oil. The South African-born banker and philanthropist, who has two sons and two daughters with his wife Fi, started out at SG Warburg under legendary City figure Sir Siegmund Warburg. He advised Mohamed Al-Fayed on his 1.5billion sale of Harrods to the Qataris. Costa is chairman of Alpha International, which promotes an introductory course to the Christian faith that has been attended by more than 2million people in the UK and 27million worldwide. He has also published a book called God At Work, to encourage more Christians to work in the City. Garry White, chief investment commentator at Charles Stanley, said: 'We should not make any exceptions for oligarchs or state agencies to come to the UK market. In addition to the Saudi government, the main beneficiaries of this float, if it happens, will be advisers in the City and that's why they are keen. 'I worry about private shareholders and pensioners investing in a company where the corporate governance is opaque.' He also cast doubt over whether the listing will go ahead given the Saudis' own valuation. He said. 'It looks ambitious.' Aramco is the world's biggest oil producer and pumps around one in nine barrels of crude globally, but its value has come under scrutiny as it is based on estimates of oil reserves while the company has never released financial statements. The Saudi royal family is trying to make the country less dependent on oil revenue and is planning to float Aramco next year. FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey defended the proposals and said sovereign owners were 'different' to private sector individuals or companies, a fact 'long recognised' by investors. And he added: 'Refining the listing regime in this way would make UK markets more accessible while ensuring that the protections afforded by our premium listing regime are focused and proportionate.' The LSE said: 'We support initiatives that enable UK markets to function well. Providing discretionary access for investors to a broad range of UK and global companies is fundamental to London's role as the most international financial centre.' By Praveen Shekhar: A report filed by DIG prisons D Roopa has claimed that AIADMK chief Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to Bengaluru jail officials in return for special treatment inside the Parapana Agrahara, the central prison in Bengaluru prison. D Roopa, an IPS officer from Davangere, Karnataka exposed the sham running in the Bengaluru Parappana Agrahara Central jail and remains defiant in the face of controversy. However, this is not the only case of favouritism. advertisement Here is a list of some of the rich and powerful who have got special treatments in Indian Jails. VIP TREATMENT IN JAILS: Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy has paid a whopping Rs 1.23 crore to Tihar Jail authorities for all the special privileges he enjoyed for the past one year in a special cell. Roy was sent to Tihar Jail on March 4, 2014, for failing to refund over Rs 20,000 crore with interest to depositors. Tihar Jail authorities have received Rs 1,23,70,000 from Sahara Group for using the conference room. The payment includes charges for security, electricity, maintenance, rent and other facilities like food and water. Subrata Roy enjoyed benefits that had "never been seen by anybody in prison before". "Subrata Roy is the first person in the history of Tihar Jail to have comforts of air-conditioning. YERAWADA JAIL-AUGUST 2015: SANJAY DUTT'S PAROLE CRITICISED AS 'VIP TREATMENT' Sanjay Dutt was allowed to leave prison as his daughter is having a nose surgery and he wanted to be present for the same. However, he has been in the past for the number of breaks he gets in his prison term. Sanjay has left the prison on paroles and leaves of furlough numerous times over the last two years. This is reportedly being termed as VIP treatment by several quarters , who insist that other inmates don't get the same leniency. RANCHI-OCTOBER 3, 2013: VIP TREATMENT FOR LALU PRASAD IN PRISON Convicted Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad was a VIP prisoner in Birsa Munda Jail and was getting all the amenities due to such prisoners as laid down by the jail manual. Longer visiting hours in comparison with regular inmates, an upper division cell with a TV and two cooks, a generous supply of rice, fresh vegetables, mutton/chicken or fish, ghee, and seasonal fruits and the option of getting food from outside, are just some of the entitlements. JODHPUR CENTRAL JAIL - SEPTEMBER 2013: ASARAM BAPU Eats food cooked at homes of jail officials. Demanded Ganges water for bathing purposes, and the demand was reportedly met also. Two of his followers are his personal attendants in jail. advertisement ORAI- SEPTEMBER 2013: SANGEET SOM & SURESH RANA MLAs Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana were given VIP treatment in jail. The duo were being saluted in prison and were given a guided tour by the jail authorities. The jailor of the prison was caught on camera saluting Sangeet Som while the MLA was being taken into the jail. The Inspector General of Prisons, RP Singh told news agencies that since Som was an MLA and a public representative, he had his right to "basic courtesies". If the reason for the courtesies were beyond that, he "would look into it". LUCKNOW- JULY 2012: MUKHTAR ANSARI & VIJAY MISHRA The UPA's candidate for President, Pranab Mukherjee, broke bread in Lucknow with not just the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party head Mulayam Singh Yadav. Present at the grand lunch, among the many politicians and hangers-on, were two MLAs who are in jail on criminal charges. Mukhtar Ansari, an Independent MLA supported by the ruling Samajwadi Party, and Vijay Mishra of the SP are only released to attend Assembly proceedings. Mukhtar Ansari is an accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanad Rai. Vijay Mishra has been accused of attacking BSP leader Nanad Kumar Nandi. He too occupies a bed at a government hospital these days on health grounds. advertisement KAPURTHALA CENTRAL JAIL - APRIL 2013: JAGIR KAUR The amenities that former Punjab CM Bibi Jagir Kaur received after reaching jail had caused an uproar. Kaur was convicted to five years imprisonment after being found guilty of wrongfully confining and subsequently forcing her daughter to undergo an abortion. Among these facilities are a 32-inch television screen and a cable network connection that were installed in Kaur's prison, ostensibly for her to enjoy her favourite programmes while in jail. She had free access to her mobile phone and her relatives. TIHAR JAIL- OCTOBER 2011: VIKAS YADAV Vikas Yadav, son of politician DP Yadav and in jail for the murder of Nitish Katara, spent a lot of his prison time in a hospital. He also managed an outing for a night for Diwali and two policemen who allowed him to step out were subsequently suspended. An examination by doctors also revealed that he didn't have any medical problems that required hospitalisation. TIHAR JAIL-SEPTEMBER 2011: AMAR SINGH advertisement Defying the court orders that stated Singh to be put in one of the barracks, he lived in a ward with an attached bathroom in Tihar Jail. Had two cell mates with him, who scrubbed the floor of the cell 4-5 times every day. And frequently, they sprayed insecticides to keep the ward mosquito-free. The cell mates were not allowed to use Singh's bathroom. He was allowed home-cooked meals. TIHAR JAIL-2009: MANU SHARMA Manu Sharma, convicted of the murder of model Jessica Lal, had also been found partying in 2009 after being granted parole by a court to attend his grandmother's funeral and see his ailing mother. Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to Bengaluru jail officials for exclusive kitchen, other favours: Prison report --- ENDS --- Morrisons is the first 'big four' supermarket to commit to selling only British fresh meat throughout the year as part of a strategy to offer more locally sourced products. The supermarket chain will stop selling Australian and New Zealand lamb which it previously stocked during the winter and early spring months, along with European pork. It says that more than two thirds of its food is already British sourced compared to a national average of 52 per cent. 'Meating' demand: Morrisons is to sell only fresh meat sourced in Britain as part of a homegrown strategy The meat commitment refers to unprocessed fresh beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey. Another of its rivals, Co-op, made a similar move earlier in the year. As part of its programme, Morrisons says buyers are currently touring the country meeting potential local suppliers. Rob Youngson, meat director at Morrisons, said: 'Customers tell us that they want more homegrown food and we are listening. 'We have always been committed to selling British meat and today we are taking this a stage further by making a clear pledge that if you buy fresh meat at Morrisons it will be British.' Morrisons says it is able to make the commitment because it has a supply chain where uniquely it deals directly with British farmers. Rather than buying meat from intermediaries, the vast majority of its meat comes from Morrisons' own abattoirs and processing sites. Supermarket sweep: Britain's fourth biggest supermarket by market share says two thirds of its food is sourced locally Morrisons' livestock buyers buy cattle, pigs and lamb directly from farmers and say they will work closely to ensure this commitment is met throughout the year. Morrisons says it is British farming's biggest single customer and makes most of its own fresh food. CHECK YOUR FOOD The National Farmers Union website lists where supermarkets source their meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. A recent Omnibus survey showed 67 per cent would prefer to buy British with the remainder expressing no preference. The biggest reason for choosing British was a desire to support farmers and the local economy. Other key reasons were a perception of British produce being fresher and of higher (and reliable) quality, greater levels of trust in production standards - including animal welfare - and lower environmental impacts. Research from the British Food Report, commissioned by Morrisons, shows that 80 per cent of eggs, meat and dairy we eat comes from the UK. Meanwhile, 62 per cent of cereals we eat comes Britain but just 23 per cent of our fruit and vegetables we eat are locally sourced. In total, the EU supplies about a third of our food now, but Brexit is likely to change how much we pay for it in the future, the report says. In 2011, UK imports of food came from 168 countries - 90 per cent comes from just 24 countries including the Netherlands (5.9 per cent of all our food), Spain (5.1 per cent), France (3.3 per cent), Irish Republic (3.2 per cent) and Germany (2.6 per cent). It adds that many of the countries important for providing us with food - Spain, South Africa, Egypt and India - are 'water-stressed'. According to latest Kantar Worldpanel statistics, Morrisons has a 10.6 per cent supermarket share Tesco has 27.8 per cent, Sainsbury's 16 per cent and Asda 15.1 per cent. However, it is vastly under pressure from German discounters Aldi and Lidl, while Co-op has also seen a surge in recent years. Income is shared more fairly in Britain than most other Western nations, according to figures from the World Bank. They show that income inequality in the UK is less marked than in nations including France, Australia and Italy. Out of 157 countries surveyed by the international organisation, Britain comes 39th. But among the G7 club of wealthiest nations, only two fare better than Britain. These are Japan in 36th position and Germany in 22nd place. Figures from the World Bank show wealth in Britain is shared more equally than many other Western countries including France and Italy (file picture) The figures are at odds with the Left-wing argument that Britain is one of the most economically divided nations in the world. Jeremy Corbyn has called for a maximum wage law to reduce inequality in the UK. In January, the Labour leader said: We have the worst levels of income disparity of most of the OECD countries. It is getting worse. And corporate taxation is a part of it. If we want to live in a more egalitarian society and fund our public services, we cannot go on creating worse levels of inequality. In fact, the World Bank figures show the UK is one of the least divided countries in the world when it comes to wages. Income inequality is measured using a system called the Gini coefficient. Under this system, a score of 0 represents perfect equality or everyone earning the same amount of money. A score of 100 represents total inequality. The World Bank statistics show that the UK has a Gini coefficient of 32.6 just between Ireland and Nepal. Japans score is 32.1 and Germanys 30.1. This compares with France, which is marginally worse than Britain on 33.1 43rd position on the league table. Despite often being held up as a bastion of fairness, Canada is 49th on the list, with a score of 33.7. Australia is even further down, with a score of 34.9. The figures come despite calls by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for a maximum wage law to 'reduce inequality in the UK' The World Bank league table shows that other countries faring far worse than the UK include India on 35.1, Italy on 35.2 and Indonesia on 35.6. Turkey stands at 40.2, Russia on 41.6, China on 42.2 and Argentina 42.7. One of the worst performers is the US, which languishes at 108th on the league table with a Gini score of 46.1. Mexico is even worse at 48.2, Brazil is 48.4 and South Africa is significantly further down the table on 63.4. The island state of Comoros has the worst score in the world. The best-performing countries tend to be in Scandinavia and the Low Countries. Ukraine has the lowest inequality in the world, with a score of 24.6. It is followed by Slovenia, Norway, Belarus and the Czech Republic. MBABANE Taxi men will heave a sigh of relief as two of the robbers who posed as clients and hijacked one of their own at gunpoint have been sent to jail. They were sentenced to a collective 28 years but will spend eight years behind bars as some of the sentences will run concurrently. Thembeka Masika (29) of Bhekinkhosi and Thembela Dlamini (21) of Nginamadvolo were found guilty of all the five counts of robbery and housebreaking with intent to steal and theft by the court on Monday. Initially, the duo was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment each; however, their sentence was reduced after Mbabane Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini exercised her leniency. The two men are the ones who caused terror among taxi men operating in Mbabane. They once kidnapped Sikhumbuzo Ndlangamandla, whom they later abandoned in a forest after robbing him of his motor vehicle. Evidence that was presented in court was to the effect that the two who are also cousins, acted jointly with a juvenile and hired Ndlangamandla to ferry them to Dlangeni from Mbabane. On their way to Dlangeni, they threatened Ndlangamandla with what looked like a gun, knives and further tied him with cable tiers and a rope while at Hlobane, an area which is situated a few kilometres from the capital city. They then drove to Croydon with the juvenile sitting on top of the victim, with his hands and feet tied at the back seat of the car. His mouth was covered with sellotape so that he could not be able to shout for help. Ndlangamandla also informed the court that while on their way to the unknown destination, the trio would discuss what they were going to do with his life. He said there was a time when he overheard them planning to kill him before they eventually dumped him in the forest with his hands tied. The victim said the hijackers act left him with the view that they were leaving him to die in the forest. They were apprehended by the community while driving in the stolen car at Millet, an area situated at Maphalaleni Constituency. In the second incident, the duo hijacked another taxi man and robbed him of his car at Elangeni. The taxi was later found dumped at Ludzeludze after it was reported stolen to the police. They also robbed a shop assistant, Philile Magagula of her money and took her items while preparing to leave after work. MBABANE It was a case of so near yet so far for Simeon Makhubu when he was acquitted and discharged on four of the fraud charges he was facing. Judge Mbutfo Mamba yesterday acquitted Makhubu and his co-accused, Chawe Nxumalo, Comfort Hlophe and their companies M&Q Poultry Suppliers (Pty) Ltd and CB Office Automation on only four of the 87 charges. This was after their representatives, Noncedo Ndlangamandla and Bongi Magagula filed applications for their acquittal and discharge on seven of the counts in terms of Section 174 (4) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act of 1938. In terms of this Act, a suspect may apply to be acquitted while the matter is ongoing when it is realised that the Crown has failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Ndlangamandla represents Makhubu, Nxumalo and M&Q Poultry Suppliers, while Magagula appears on behalf of Hlophe and CB Office Automation. The defence counsels submitted that the Crown failed to prove that a sum of E150 000 was fraudulently diverted to CB Office Automation from the school. The money was allegedly paid to the company to settle a loan granted to the school by the company to pay examination fees to the Examinations Council of Swaziland because pupils failed to meet the deadline for payment. Judge Mamba said the evidence by the Crown on this charge was not there and acquitted and discharged the suspects. There was also a sum of E20 304 which Makhubu and Nxumalo were accused of defrauding the school by misrepresenting to Buy Cash Hardware that Makhubu, Nxumalo and M&Q Poultry Suppliers were eligible to take chicken feed from the store on credit. On this charge, Judge Mamba said there was nothing wrong that was shown with the purchases made at Buy Cash Hardware and acquitted the suspects. The defence further submitted that the Crown failed to prove its case in respect of the alleged defrauding of E50 930 by Makhubu, Hlophe and his company, by misrepresenting to the secretary of the school that invoices from CB Office Automation were genuine and for services rendered. According to Judge Mamba, there was no indication that the services allegedly rendered by CB Office Automation were not rendered. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing. Signing of documents while one is suspended is not a criminal offence known to me or the law. It could have been an administrative issue, said the judge and acquitted the suspects. MANZINI The damage has already been done. This is the assessment by schools administrators following the food crisis in schools in the country, which hit hard on most institutions during the current term. Government finally distributed food as of yesterday and more is yet to be taken to other schools countrywide. Sphasha Dlamini, the Secretary General (SG) of the Swaziland Association of Schools Administrators (SASA), said they were grateful that finally, government was delivering food in schools. The SG said the food would be a relief to them, parents and pupils as they feared the worst was yet to happen if the crisis was not addressed. However, in terms of performances, the damage is already done and the arrival of food at this time will not change much. She said the frood was being delivered at a time when teaching the pupils was almost over as from next week, most of them would be sitting for their mid-term examinations. She said the citical time, that of learning in a healthy state, had passed and the pupils were without food for a long time. During that period, pupils were not concentrating in class because they were hungry and as a result, there is little or nothing that they were able to learn. She said usually, during this time of the year, pupils would be revising in preparation for the mid-term examinations but after what had happened, there was nothing they could revise. Furthermore, Dlamini said in the last term of schools, the pupils would have about a month to learn before they sit for their final examinations. We are not pre-empting poor results but the damage has been done. However, as teachers we were trained to motivate pupils and they will do their level best to cover for the lost time in order to improve the performances of the scholars, she said. On the same note, the SG said as schools administrators, they encouraged pupils to pick themselves up and try to overcome the situation because this was their future. Meanwhile, Dlamini expressed hope that the present crisis would be a learning curve for government. D Roopa, an IPS officer from Davangere, Karnataka exposed the sham running in the Bengaluru Parappana Agrahara Central jail and remains defiant in the face of controversy. By Ashish Pandey: The maverick Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons who blew the whistle on the VVIP treatment given to AIADMK general secretary Sasikala in Bengaluru prison has decided to stick to her word. D Roopa, an IPS officer from Davangere, Karnataka exposed the sham running in the Bengaluru Parappana Agrahara Central jail and remains defiant in the face of controversy. advertisement In her report, she has mentioned how the Karnataka Director General of Prisons (DGP) Satyanarayana Rao was one of the officers on Sasikala's payroll who helped her avail special treatment- like a separate kitchen. The report reads how Sasikala allegedly paid Rs 2 crore to jail officials for a 'comfortable stay'. Quashing her report, DGP Rao lashed out against D Roopa and has asked for an explanation and evidences to back the allegations. WHO IS D ROOPA? D Roopa secured 43rd rank in the UPSC exam in 2000. During her training at NPS Hyderabad, she was ranked fifth in her batch and was the sole officer allotted to the Karnataka cadre. A sharp shooter, she has won numerous awards in NPA. She was conferred with President's Police Medal for Meritorious service on 26 January 2016. A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, D Roopa is also well versed with classical Hindustani music. As a SP, Roopa arrested the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Uma Bharti after the court order in a rioting case. When she was DCP of Bengaluru, she withdrew number of police personnel unauthorised to be attendants of VVIPs and politicians. As DCP City Armed Reserve, she withdrew a number of police vehicles that were being used in the cavalcade of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa without permit. Recently, she was involved in a Twitter spat with Mysuru Kodagu MP Pratap Simha after four senior IPS officers went on central deputation. ALSO READ | Cop vs cop in Karnataka over special treatment to Sasikala in Bengaluru jail Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to Bengaluru jail officials for exclusive kitchen, other favours: Prison report VK Sasikala receives hate mails even in jail ALSO WATCH | DIG Prisons stands firm on her allegations on Sasikala, demands inquiry --- ENDS --- PIGGS PEAK Alleged livestock thieves nearly paid with their lives when a South African mob of over 30 people attacked them for allegedly stealing goats. The three Swazi nationals are said to be based in SA. The alleged assault is said to have happened at a place known as Magudu on the South African side near Mhlangatane Inkhundla. One of the tortured three men, Aaron Bulunga alleged that they were beaten to a pulp by South Africans after they were accused of stock theft in Swaziland. The other two are already behind bars while Bulunga is chained to his hospital bed where he is recuperating. A fourth person who is said to be an elderly man managed to flee when the mob attacked, to take refuge at a South African police station. After spending some time at the police station in SA, the man was handed over to the Royal Swaziland Police. Though they were attacked by South Africans while in that country, the alleged stock theft is said to have taken place in Swaziland. The residents are said to have been angry that the alleged suspects were stealing goats from Swaziland and taking them to SA. It is alleged that the goats are in demand due to the high number of Asians in that country, who are said to prefer goat meat as opposed to beef. After severely beating the three, the mob allegedly handed them over to soldiers manning an informal crossing point. The soldiers then called the police who fetched the severely injured men. According to Bulunga, he alleged that he gave some money to two people who also live in SA but are Swazi nationals. Money The money was for the purchase of some goats on his behalf. However, instead of delivering the goats as per his request, the two people who had taken the money from Bulunga failed to deliver. I continuously reminded them that I need my goats but they never delivered, said Bulunga. After a long time of persistent pleas, he said the men eventually gave him five goats, adding that he did not realise that they were stolen. MBABANE Swazis travelling in a kombi got more than they bargained for when they were ordered by soldiers to strip stark naked just after crossing the Mozambican border. The group of Swazis who had visited Mozambique had the most adverse experience on their return journey last week Thursday when the kombi they were travelling in was stopped by soldiers and ordered them to strip as part of a routine body search. The passengers were from a vacation in the neighbouring country. Apparently, the soldiers were of the thought that they were hawkers who frequent the neighbouring State to buy items to sell locally. It is understood that some of these hawkers would wear their clothes in layers in order to avoid paying tax at the border. Narrating their ordeal, they said after entering Swaziland through Mhlumeni Border Gate, they were ordered by members of the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) to alight from the vehicle they were travelling in, as per the norm for people entering the country. The soldiers were in a tent mounted not far from the border gate, around Lugongolweni, on the junction to Sitsatsaweni. The passengers said they followed instructions and lay on the ground. After their bags and vehicle were searched, a female soldier is said to have ordered that everyone take off their clothes so that they could inspect them for hidden items bought from Mozambique. At first, the shocked citizens said they were hesitant to do as ordered but the female soldier insisted that they comply. They said they felt disrespected, embarrassed and reduced to nothing as they were made to undress in the open whereas it was cold. Also, the fact that they were a mixed gender made complying with the order quite uncomfortable. The woman was cruel! She ordered us to take off all our clothes in the open at night. Imagine all of us naked while she accused us of hiding things. She treated us like little children, said one female victim. She was not polite. What infuriates me is that they found nothing at all, they were just taking us for a ride, said another. They mentioned that they had gone to Mozambique on vacation but the soldiers would not hear any of it. The government on Thursday clarified that GST won't be levied on transactions where individuals sell their old gold jewellery or cars. In an important clarification that is bound to bring cheer to people who follow the gold old Indian habit of selling old gold jewellery for cash, the government on Thursday said that GST won't apply when individuals sell old gold ornaments or cars. Ever since the July 1 Goods and Services Tax roll out, there has been a worry among individuals and jewelers that transactions on old gold jewellery and cars would attract 3 per cent GST under the Reverse Charge Mechanism. The mechanism is meant for unregistered suppliers (in this case the customer) selling products to registered businesses (in this case, goldsmiths). advertisement Under RCM, registered business would be liable to pay 3 per cent GST while purchasing products from unregistered suppliers, which some assumed included individuals who do not normally deal in those products. The assumption was that if, for example, an individual sells old jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh to a jeweler, the latter would have to pay a GST of Rs 3,000, which he/she would deduct from the money paid for the jewellery. Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia on Wednesday made comments that furthered this idea. However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday clarified the situation that GST would not apply in cases when individuals sell their old jewellery to goldsmiths. The clarification means that jewelers will not be liable to pay GST under RCM when they purchase old gold from individuals. Similarly, the government has clarified that GST will not be levied in cases of individuals selling their old cars. However, if the person selling the old gold is an unregistered supplier of gold ornaments, then the GST of 3 per cent will apply, Jaitley further clarified. However, in instances when a jeweler is given old ornaments in order to make modifications, a 5 per cent GST would be levied as this will be considered to be job works. ALSO READ | GST: A tax reform so huge that confusion was inevitable ALSO WATCH | Exposed: Tax thieves out to sabotage GST --- ENDS --- Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Tammy Scileppi It seems every time we turn around, we hear or read about another creative, spirited and accomplished individual who happens to hail from Queens. In case you havent noticed, the boroughs history reads like a Whos Who of famous and talented people each of whom has made their mark on an ever-changing cultural scene. Maverick style icon, fashion tastemaker, and interior designer Iris Apfel nee Barrel an Astoria native who rose up from humble beginnings is still in the spotlight at age 95, and seems to be enjoying every minute of it. While commenting on the New York fashion scene for the past 70 years, the fearless and flamboyant feminist has also been inspiring women of all ages to feel comfortable in their own skin and to just be who they are. But Apfel is best known for creatively expressing her individuality and joie de vivre through lavishly accessorized and stylishly over-the-top outfits. For years, she has reminded her fans: Fashion, you can buy. But style, you possess. You may have seen Apfel featured in magazine ads or on TV commercials over the years, sporting her signature funky spectacles and always draped in unusual oversized beads, necklaces and bangles. These days, the spry nonagenarian, who has described herself as the worlds oldest living teenager, is making fashion waves again with a new generation of style-hungry New Yorkers. Apfels Bohemian taste in clothing and jewelry may have translated into a new kind of Boho Chic, and she seems to inspire some discerning millennials, who appreciate her ageless Rara Avis (Rare Bird) by Iris Apfel line of clothing, handbags and jewelry artifacts, featured on the Home Shopping Channel. Though retired, the savvy businesswoman has been busy collaborating with Atelier Swarovski on a new jewelry collection called AW17 Atelier Swarovski by Iris Apfel and she greeted patrons during a preview at an invitation-only event held June 22 at Rib & Rhein, a Newport, R.I., luxury boutique owned and operated by Thomas and Erin Ribeiro. Ms. Apfel epitomizes what we value in fashion today: a distinctive style born out of confidence and grace, with a strong emphasis on individuality, Thomas Ribiero said. She has been a trendsetter for some 70 years, constantly intrigued by fashion and always remaining at its cutting edge. But dont call her a fashionista. Apfels vibrant look seems to remind one of a colorful, rare bird. It was a stunning exhibit showcasing her personal collection of garments, fabrics and accessories at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute, entitled Rava Avis: The Irreverent Iris Apfel, that launched her newfound popularity in 2005. The Backstory Young Iris may have acquired her fashion sense from her mother Sadye a Russian-born immigrant who owned a boutique and her business savvy from both Sadye and her father, Samuel, who were successful entrepreneurs. Her fathers family owned a glass-and-mirror business. Her grandparents settled in Long Island City and owned a farm. Fueled by unbridled creativity, Apfels idiosyncratic, sartorial flair had transformed into a passion for exotic fabrics and interior design, early on. After studying art history at New York University and graduating art school at the University of Wisconsin in the early 1940s, she embarked on a career in fashion and started out with a $15-a-week job as copy girl at Womens Wear Daily, but quickly switched gears and took a job with an interior designer. The divine Ms. Apfel proudly embraces a more is more style mantra an attitude thats apparent in her interior decorating philosophy, as well. Two years after she married Carl Apfel (who died in 2015 at the age of 100) in 1948, Iris and her husband started their own fabric company, Old World Weavers, and worked together in interior decoration and textiles until 1992. During that time, they took on numerous design restoration projects at the White House for nine presidents: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Another woman of a certain age, feisty Queens gal Rita Plush is still staying active as an author, educator, and interior designer. When she isnt writing or running her decorating business, Plush teaches at Queensborough Community College in Bayside. The energetic grandma proved she still had it going on when she competed against 10 over-60 New York contestants at the 32nd Ms. New York Senior America Pageant, held on Long Island in April. Plush recalled meeting Apfel as a newly minted interior designer back in the 1970s, when going floor-to-floor at the Decoration & Design Building (D&D building) in Manhattan, the go-to source for designers. The first time I saw Iris Apfel, I was familiarizing myself with the different showroom offerings, Plush remembered. I decided to pop into Old World Weavers. The fabrics were gorgeous, truly old-world designs Napoleon anyone? Also hanging from the high, imposing racks were heavy, textured and exotic samples, and very expensive. And there, on what seemed to be a throne among all these fabulous fabrics was a woman wearing bangle bracelets on her wrists, and beads the size of ping-pong balls, who seemed to be dressed in the same fabrics she was selling, asking me if I needed help. Just looking, I meekly said, and scurried away. Apfels story emerged on the big screen when IRIS, a documentary about her life, hit theaters back in 2015. In the film, Apfel offers some pearls of wisdom. More than a fashion film, its a story about creativity and how a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. I dont have any rules, Apfel said in the film. If I did, it would be a waste of time. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry While he spent much of June leading the effort to stop deportation proceedings against Carlos Humberto Cardona, a Jackson Heights resident who aided the cleanup at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) was drafting legislation to protect the 1,000 to 2,000 undocumented immigrants who worked at the pile with Cardona. On Sunday, Cardona stood by Crowleys side on the steps of City Hall as the congressman announced his 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act, new federal legislation that would give Ground Zero recovery workers legal, permanent-resident status and allow them to continue living and receiving medical treatment in the United States, free from the threat of deportation. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, these workers stepped up to provide critical services so our nation could begin to heal and rebuild, Crowley said. Countless individuals went to work at a long, hazardous and painful job of clearing up the destruction of the attacks. Yet many of them still lack legal immigration options and have lived in fear of deportation from the country they served. It is a great disservice and injustice to these immigrants who call our country home, and thats why Im announcing legislation to ensure our nation does right by them. Cardona was held for four months at an ICE detention center in New Jersey, facing deportation to his native Colombia due to a 1990 attempted drug sale conviction. He was released June 28, one week after Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued Cardona a pardon, making the grounds for his deportation no longer valid. Cuomo based his pardon on Cardonas four months of work removing hazardous material at Ground Zero, resulting in acute respiratory issues, depression, anxiety and PTSD which would not be adequately addressed in Colombia. It was something that I had to do for this great nation. It was my duty to be there, Cardona said at City Hall. If it would happen again, truly, they could count on me. I would be there. Cardona was released from ICE custody after his conviction was expunged, but his immigration case is still pending, so deportation is still a possibility. U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), a co-sponsor of Crowleys bill, stood with Cardona at City Hall. At the time, we thanked each and every person who came here to help our city and our country in its moment of need. We cheered their work and their bravery, Nadler said. We called them what they were heroes. The Trump administration refuses to recognize the heroism of Mr. Cardona, or so many of the men and women who worked beside him. They want to call him a criminal and deport him. We must never allow that to happen. This bill, which I am proud to introduce with Mr. Crowley, will ensure that those heroes are never treated the way Mr. Cardona was, regardless of who lives in the White House. The 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act will likely face an uphill battle with a Republican-controlled Congress and with the Trump administrations on-going crackdown on illegal immigration. Crowley said the legislation does not have support from any Republican members of Congress. Meanwhile, Crowley took umbrage with his colleagues across the aisle after the House Appropriations Committee released a bill Tuesday allocating $1.6 billion to begin construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. An expensive, ineffective wall along our southern border wasnt sound policy when President Trump first proposed it, and House Republicans will make this campaign promise even worse by risking a government shutdown to fund it, Crowley, the House Democratic Caucus Chairman, said. Including allocations for this misguided wall in the appropriations process shows just how much Republicans are willing to risk our economic stability to give in to the worst proposals from this president. Our border is more secure than ever, and we shouldnt push forward a border wall that will cost American taxpayers billions. Democrats have long said we will not support funding for a wall, so this proposal is setting the stage for a GOP-driven government shutdown. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Lenore Skenazy As a warning, it may be important to note that reading this column may have the same effect it had on the woman writing it. (I must have a Popsicle or Good Humor right now!) But it wasnt always as easy as screaming (and going to the freezer, or deli). These things had to be invented, and I think we owe those stone-cold geniuses a salute. The Popsicle If it werent for Frank Epperson, we wouldnt have the Popsicle. And if it werent for his kids, wed be licking Epsicles, which sounds almost obscene. Heres the story. One night in 1905, when Frank was 11, he left a glass filled with water, Kool-Aid (or its 1905 equivalent), and the stick he was stirring them with out on his porch. This was in Oakland, the Brooklyn of San Francisco. You know how they say its always beautiful weather in California? Ha. The cup of sweetened water froze solid. Frank pulled it out by the stick and well, I think you can tell where this is going. He made these stick treats for his friends and, years later, he made them for his kids, too, calling them Epsicles a mashup of his name plus icicles. But his kids called them Pops Icles, because they were made by their pop, and they convinced their dad to change the name. Epperson started selling the Popsicles at Neptune Beach, Oaklands Coney Island. So novel were they that they had to be described to the public as a frozen lollipop, or a drink on a stick. They took off. By May of 1923, a single stand at the real Coney Island (in the real Brooklyn) sold 8,000 in a day. That same year, Epperson got a patent on his frozen treat. But, debt pressing down, he quickly sold the patent to a guy named Joe Lowe a decision Epperson later recognized as so epically awful that he is quoted as saying, I havent been the same since. For his part, Lowe expanded the business and, when The Great Depression hit, made the brilliant move of selling a two-stick Popsicle for the same price five cents so two kids could (with some persuading, perhaps) break them in half and share them. In 1986, the Popsicle company finally stopped selling doubles, supposedly swayed by moms who complained they were too messy. One has to wonder if that was truly the case, or if 50 years after the Depression someone on staff pointed out: Why are we still selling two for one? Anyway, now Popsicle is owned by Unilever, and Epperson is buried in the same California cemetery as another food genius: Trader Vic, inventor of the Mai Tai. The Good Humor Bar And what of the yin to the Popsicles yang: The Good Humor Bar? Well, its complicated and parallel. In 1922, an Iowa school teacher patented the Eskimo Pie, a square of vanilla ice cream enrobed in a chocolate shell (I love every word describing that pie). At approximately the same time, in Youngstown, Ohio, Harry Burt invented a chocolate coating that also enrobed a slab of vanilla ice cream. But when his daughter said it was too messy (kids seem essential to the confection invention process), he inserted a stick. He called it the Good Humor Bar and started selling them from a fleet of 12 trucks outfitted, originally, with the bells from his sons bobsled. Burt applied for a patent, but the officials in D.C. demurred, concerned his invention was too similar to the Eskimo Pie. Frustrated, Burt took a bucket of Good Humor bars to D.C. and passed them around the patent office to demonstrate the difference: His had a stick. Thus satisfied (or bribed, or just plain happy), the authorities gave him his patent. Guess what happened next? Burt sued Lowe the guy who bought the Popsicle company for copyright infringement. How dare Lowe sell something else frozen on a stick? By 1925, the suit was settled out of court and the deal was basically this: Popsicle could sell ice on a stick and Good Humor could sell ice cream. And sell they did. By the 1950s, there were 2,000 Good Humor trucks plying the streets of suburbia. The Good Humor men (no women until 1967) were required to take a two-day class in ice cream etiquette, like, Always tip your hat. But by the 70s, with gas prices, insurance, and competition (yes, Im talking to you, Mister Softee) all going up, the companys profits melted. Good Humor didnt become profitable again till the 80s, and by then, the bars were sold in stores, not streets. Today, Good Humor is owned by Unilever, too. The bars are still delicious, but like Frank Eppersons invention, they are no longer a mom- and (wait for it!) Popsicle business. If you want that, cool off with some shaved ice from a cart. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Mark Hallum Transit advocates have released a set of transportation initiatives for candidates to promote in the upcoming city elections that include seeking funding for public transit, Fair Fares for low-income commuters and protecting regular L train riders who face a two year shutdown in 2019. The policy priorities came as the Summer of Hell began Monday for LIRR customers. There are cutbacks in service as a result of Penn Station overhauls, which have shut down 19 percent of train traffic through the rail hub and displaced commuters onto the citys subways, which are under a state of emergency of their own, imposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Only Gov. Cuomo can fix New York Citys crumbling subways, but there is a lot the city can do to help New Yorkers get around the city safely and affordably, Riders Alliance Executive Director John Raskin said. I hope that candidates for mayor, City Council and other local offices will translate our proposals into public policy that can help millions of New Yorkers gain better access to jobs and economic opportunity. The first day of the Summer of Hell went better than expected, according to Cuomo and newly reappointed MTA Chairman Joe Lhota. The two leaders updated the public in a pair of Tuesday press conferences in which they said utilization of shuttle buses between loading points in Long Island and Manhattan was light. Lhota said the LIRR would continue to provide the initial amount of buses for at least a week to get a better understanding of how they will be used as the Penn Station work progresses. In late June Cuomo imposed a state of emergency to expedite technological upgrades to the citys transit system for a modern signal system and an updated fleet of train cars. An extra $1 billion was also added to the MTAs capital funds. But the initiative comes at the same time Amtrak has made the decision to overhaul the delay- and derailment-stricken Penn Station, where repairs have been long overlooked. This is expected to take eight weeks. LIRR riders have been advised of service changes, which cuts service by three peak hour trains on the Port Washington line, for example, affecting riders throughout northeast Queens. The LIRR customers have been encouraged by Cuomo and the MTA to take alternative routes through Hunters Point to the already over-burdened 7 train as other transfer opportunities. Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul Steely White said there are somewhat simple fixes for the citys transit woes that many leaders in city government are not looking into. As we all brace for the long-term fight to save our transit system, there are easy transportation solutions that candidates for office must champion right now, Steely White said. From Vision Zero measures that make walking and biking a safe option, to car-free Peopleways transporting 300,000 commuters during the pending L-Pocalypse, to affordable bike share in all five boroughsthere is no shortage of effective policies that candidates can adopt today. Lhota issued a memo to MTA employees promoting better service to riders by saying, Our customers are right; we arent very good right now. He expressed the desire to tap into the can-do attitude he saw in the agency staff during his first tenure as chairman and especially following Superstorm Sandy in which the subways were back up and running two days later. By PTI: pilgrims Srinagar, Jul 12 (PTI) Kashmiri separatist leaders today hailed the people of the Valley for showing their deep resentment against the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims. A statement issued jointly by Chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, head of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik said, "The protests over this ghastly act (attack on the pilgrims) and the participation of all segments of society in them is heartening to see." advertisement It is highly commendable that "the people of Kashmir have retained their humanitarian values and their belief in the great Kashmir ethos is intact," the statement said. They said this should "serve as an eye-opener to those who encourage polarisation as a political tool and leave no stone unturned to demonize a people through media and crush them by use of force for their just political aspirations that have a historical and democratic bases." The killing has sparked an outrage in Kashmir, with most people dismissing denouncing the attack on pilgrims. "All bloodshed on all sides is uncalled for, unfortunate and painful and should stop. That can happen only when the reality of Kashmir is accepted and ways and means of resolving the dispute addressed by the Indian State," the separatists said. "If the Government of India is seriously interested in the welfare of the youth of Kashmir and wants peace in the region, then it has to engage with their political sentiment and aspirations and give them the basic right to decide their future dispensation as guaranteed by the first Prime Minister of India and the international community," they said. PTI MIJ TA AKK AKK --- ENDS --- Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Gina Martinez Police were questioning three out of five suspects Thursday who allegedly assaulted and robbed a woman as she left a Jamaica Church. According to police at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday the 50-year-old victim left Celestial Church near 150th Street and Jamaica Avenue when she was approached by two men who pulled out a gun and took her money, cell phone, debit cards and clothes. Police said three other male suspects then joined the two men and forced the victim to perform oral sex on them, then fled in an unknown direction. The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition, police said. Police said the five suspects, described as four black males and one Hispanic, were all in their 20s. As of Thursday afternoon three people were in custody, police said. The investigation was still ongoing. Bridgewater looks to become a regional nightlife hub in western PA Bridgewater bars offer patrons a nightlife experience that is unique from any other in western Pennsylvania This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, once among the state's most powerful elected officials, had his federal conviction on corruption charges vacated by an appellate court on Thursday. Silver, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in May 2016, has remained free on bail while his case was on appeal. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Joon H. Kim said his office will seek a retrial of the Manhattan Democrat, noting the ruling sustained the heart of their criminal case. The Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Manhattan overturned Silver's 2015 conviction in a ruling that cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that narrowed the definition of bribery. The appellate judges in Silver's case found that, under the Supreme Court's ruling, the instructions given to the jury at Silver's trial were improper and prejudicial. The Supreme Court's retooling of the federal honest-services statute, which has long been a favored weapon of the Justice Department, was handed down 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 after determining that setting up a meeting, calling another public official or hosting an event does not qualify as an "official act." In Thursday's ruling, the appellate court ruled the judge's erroneous instruction to the jury at Silver's trial "was not harmless because it is not clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have reached the same conclusion if properly instructed, as is required by law for the verdict to stand." "We are grateful the court saw it our way and reversed the conviction on all counts," Silver's attorneys, Steven Molo and Joel Cohen, said in a statement. Kim said his office is disappointed but will move forward with a second trial. "Although finding that the Supreme Court's McDonnell decision issued after Silver's conviction required a different legal instruction to the jury, the Second Circuit also held that the evidence presented at the trial was sufficient to prove all the crimes charged against Silver, even under the new legal standard," he said. Silver was convicted of engaging in a two-track corruption scheme that padded his bank account with an estimated $4 million that prosecutors characterized as bribes and kickbacks disguised as legal fees. Silver, who was of counsel for the Manhattan law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg, was accused of helping steer state grants to a doctor who funneled mesothelioma patients to the law firm. Silver also did legal work for another Manhattan firm, Goldberg & Iryami, that handled property tax assessment appeals, and was similarly was accused of receiving legal fees through that firm from real estate developers that had extensive business before the Legislature. Silver's attorneys argued that the definition of an official act was "the exercise of actual governmental power, the threat to exercise such power or pressure imposed on others to exercise actual government power." Federal prosecutors, whom U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni ultimately agreed with, said an official act includes "any action taken or to be taken under color of official authority." "The District Court's charge, encompassing 'any action taken or to be taken under color of official authority,' was overbroad," the appellate decision states. "Like the improper instruction in the McDonnell case, the plain language of the instruction at Silver's trial captured lawful conduct, such as arranging meetings or hosting events with constituents." Judges added that the jury instructions also didn't meet a three-part test outlined in the McDonnell decision. Still, the judges don't fault Caproni or prosecutors for providing jury instructions that were "consistent with our precedent at the time." "We recognize that many would view the facts adduced at Silver's trial with distaste," the decision states. "The question presented to us, however, is not how a jury would likely view the evidence presented by the government. Rather, it is whether it is clear, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a rational jury, properly instructed, would have found Silver guilty. Given the teachings of the Supreme Court in McDonnell, and the particular circumstances of this case, we simply cannot reach that conclusion." The appeals court, however, rejected Silver's challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence used in the case. Among his challenges was an argument that prosecutors couldn't prove a money laundering charge because the proceeds of the schemes were lumped into a bank account with, as the court put it, "untainted funds." "Because money is fungible, once funds obtained from illegal activity are combined with funds from lawful activity in a single account, the 'dirty' and 'clean' funds cannot be distinguished from each other," the decision states. "As such, '(a) requirement that the government trace each dollar of the transaction to the criminal, as opposed to the noncriminal activity, would allow individuals effectively to defeat prosecution for money laundering by simply commingling legitimate funds with criminal proceeds.'" However, because the judges vacated the conviction on honest services fraud and extortion counts, they also were compelled to vacate the conviction on the money laundering count. The Silver case was brought by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, whose office won convictions of former state Senate Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos of Long Island and his son, Adam. Skelos is appealing his conviction. His attorney declined to comment on how the Silver decision might affect that case. After the appellate decision's ruling was posted, Bharara tweeted that "the evidence was strong." "The Supreme Court changed the law," he wrote. "I expect Sheldon Silver to be retried and re-convicted." Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave a reserved response to the ruling in Silver's case during a press conference in Buffalo. "Before we do the dissection and the analysis of the legal theories, let it be fully litigated and then we'll know where we wind up," the governor said, noting prosectors' plans to seek a retrial. Current Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who was elected to succeed Silver shortly after his 2015 arrest, issued a brief statement on respecting the judicial process. "As I have said we must respect the judicial process," he said. "It is a pillar of our democracy. Today's decision is a part of that process." Former U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian, who headed New York's Northern District from 2010 until he stepped down last month, said the onus is on Congress to fix the weaknesses in the honest-services statute that have been cited in multiple Supreme Court rulings. "This decision illustrates the changing legal landscape which is making it increasingly difficult to obtain and sustain federal public corruption convictions," Hartunian said. "With the Supreme Court repeatedly limiting the scope of federal corruption law in recent years, we will continue to see outcomes like this. Unless Congress acts, the line between public service and private benefit will continue to blur." Albany attorney Paul DerOhannesian pointed out the significance of the Second Circuit finding that the evidence was sufficient in this case, even if the jury instructions were improper in light of the McDonnell decision. "That is a significant part of this decision, that they find sufficient evidence not only because it means he could be retried but also because it shows there is sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction in this case upon retrial," he said. "That's why this is not a total victory for the defense and it's not a total loss for the prosecution." Whether a second jury would find enough to convict will be unknown until another trial is conducted. Consider the case of former Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who faced retrial on two honest services mail fraud counts after his initial conviction was overturned. He was acquitted in the second trial. "The parallel you can draw is the conviction was reversed because the improper law was applied at trial," DerOhannesian said. "In that case it was the honest services statute, in this case it was the official action definition. Both courts by the way, including Bruno, said there was sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction. Obviously, that doesn't mean a jury will convict, and I think Bruno shows that just because an appellate court finds sufficient evidence doesn't mean that a jury will." In a statement, Bruno said the Second Circuit decision "rightfully looked at the law and our constitution and determined that justice was not served." "It's unfortunate that any over-zealous prosecutor has unlimited resources and time to bring charges and seek convictions," Bruno said. "And as these cases are overturned, it's time that taxpayers demand that limited public resources be put to better use." The Brunswick Republican added that he hopes a new federal administration and U.S. attorney "refocuses attention on how these offices function with respect to the rule of law and more importantly our Constitution." The full decision is here. Silver lost his legislative position upon his conviction, and voters have since gone to the polls twice to fill the seat. Assemblywoman Yuh Line-Niou currently represents the 65th Assembly District in lower Manhattan. For decades, Silver accumulated power on Manhattan's Lower East Side, first winning election in 1976 after working as a law secretary for Civil Court Judge Francis N. Pecora. In 1994, the "obscure" and "soft-spoken" assemblyman, as the Times Union described him at the time, took over as speaker from Saul Weprin, who suffered a stroke in January of that year and died weeks later. For years, Silver kept a tight grip on the Assembly. He faced public dissension among his ranks in 2000, when Syracuse-area Assemblyman Michael Bragman, the Democratic majority leader, sought to have him removed from from the speaker's chair. Silver responded with swift political retribution that cemented his standing as one of the most powerful men in Albany. Still, scandal chipped away at that veneer over the years. A top aide to Silver, Michael Boxley, faced allegations of sexual misconduct in the early 2000s, and he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. Silver was also dogged by scandal in 2012, when the now-former Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez was sanctioned following an investigation into sexual harassment claims involving legislative staffers. Silver was slammed for agreeing to a confidential settlement with at least one of the woman who accused Lopez of sexual harassment. His arrest in January 2015 on federal corruption charges was the ultimate downfall of his career, though. Amid a chaotic series of days at the Capitol, Silver resigned from the speaker post just shy of 21 years in that role. Maintaining his innocence, he faded back into the rank and file as Bronx Democrat Heastie was elected to succeed him. "I will be a member of this house," he said at the time. "I was elected by my constituents. I do not intend to resign my seat in this house." Nearly 10 months later, the federal jury that convicted him gave him no choice in the matter, and he was expelled from office. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 AMSTERDAM Two local men and a New Jersey woman were arrested in Amsterdam Wednesday following an investigation into alleged drug sales in the city. Clifford M. Smith, 65, of 50 Vrooman Ave. in Amsterdam; Quentin Branch, 26, of 43 Moyston St. in Schenectady; and Quinetta Rouse, 24, of Camden, N.J., were arrested following a traffic stop on Guy Park Avenue around 3:30 p.m., according to Amsterdam police. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORTH GREENBUSH A love story between Kaylee Dedrick and fellow Occupy Wall Street protester Robert Grodt ended in tragedy when Grodt was killed July 6 by a land mine in Syria where he volunteered as a medic for a Kurdish militia. The couple met during the rallies in New York City's Zuccotti Park when he cared for her after she was hit in the face with pepper sprayed Sept. 24, 2011 by a New York Police Department commander. From that moment, their relationship blossomed. The couple came to the Capital Region where Dedrick's Wynantskill family is well known in political and education circles. Dedrick and Grodt's daughter Tegan Kathleen Grodt was born in 2012 at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Tegan was quickly nicknamed the "Occubaby" in the media. "What a story his life has been. Amazing," Martha Dedrick said Thursday about the 28-year-old Grodt. "He was so intelligent. It's an immeasurable lost," Dedrick said. Dedrick paused as she spoke to deal with the emotion of losing Grodt. She described how her daughter and the Dedrick and Grodt families are grappling with Grodt's death working with a Kurdish militia group, the People's Protection Units, also known as the YPG. Grodt and Dedrick had been living in the Capital Region raising their daughter. In February, Grodt decided to head to the Middle East to aid the Kurds, Martha Dedrick said. Videos of Grodt were posted by the YPG. In them, he explained why he had volunteered. This week, the YPG reported his death near Raqqa, Syria where fighting had been taking place against the Islamic State group. Grodt's survivors are reconciling his loss with his staunch beliefs. Kaylee Dedrick is the daughter of Charles S. Dedrick, head of the New York State Council of School Superintendents and former superintendent of Capital Region BOCES, as well as a former North Greenbush Democratic councilman. She's also the niece of William Dedrick, a former Democratic Rensselaer County legislator. Washington Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer raised a red flag Wednesday over security at upstate nuclear power plants, saying their vulnerability to potential hacking is "a wake-up call for all of us." The Senate's top Democrat released a letter he wrote to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Energy Secretary Rick Perry to expedite work to strengthen cyber defenses at "critical infrastructure" where such attacks "could have catastrophic effects." Schumer cited reports in The New York Times and Bloomberg that hackers had attempted without success to penetrate the operations of a nuclear power plant in Kansas, and that FBI and Homeland Security officials believed it was part of a pattern of attacks. "The reality is our nation's infrastructure is far too vulnerable to hackers and we must armor ourselves against this growing threat," he told upstate reporters in his once-a-week media call. He acknowledged that the attacks to date have not been successful, but he pointed to New York's nuclear plants as particularly vulnerable. Among those Schumer named were Indian Point on the Hudson River, which supplies power to New York City and is slated for closure in 2021, as well as plants such as the New York Power Authority's St. Lawrence Power Project in Massena, the Nine-Mile Point station in Oswego and the FitzPatrick plant in Scriba, on the shore of Lake Ontario. Nuclear power plants operate under strict federal guidelines to report any hacking attempts. A spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nuclear power industry's trade group, said none of the 99 working nuclear power plants in the United States had experienced penetrations of their operating systems. Schumer cited the 2015 case of an attempted Iranian hack of the operation of an early-1900s dam in Rye Brook, in Westchester County. Also, he said, the town of Brookhaven on Long Island had its website hacked. Neither attempt caused damage. Schumer used the opportunity to advocate for his vision of a new round of government-funded infrastructure improvements, which he said should include hardening against cyber intrusions. Schumer's $1 trillion measure stands in sharp contrast to President Trump's infrastructure proposal also $1 trillion. The Trump plan would seek to leverage private investment in infrastructure at a 5-1 private-public ratio. Schumer dismissed the Trump idea, saying that the need for returns on investment would prove far too costly for consumers. "Guess who'd pay the price?" Schumer said. "There is no free lunch." CANAJOHARIE Thirteen people were rescued from rapidly rising flood waters Wednesday night, village police said. Police and fire crews were sent to the Canajoharie Creek at 6:16 p.m. to rescue six people trapped in a gorge by the flood, police said. The group, which included people ages 6 to 43, had been hiking and swimming in Winter Green Park, unaware of heavy rainfall to the south. The village fire department's technical rescue team arrived at 6:33 p.m. to find the creek had swollen beyond its banks. The rescue crew navigated Class 3 rapids and extremely treacherous terrain to reach the hikers, police said. Officers, firefighters and rescue teams from nine other local, county and state agencies assisted in bringing all six people to safety without injury. At 6:52 p.m., the village fire department's rescue crew was sent to a second and third location along the creek, where seven more people were trapped. They were also rescued without injury, police said. The second and third rescues were coordinated by Montgomery County's emergency management coordinator and fire coordinator. The state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services sent crew members trained for swift water and high angle rescues. All 13 victims were evaluated at the scene by a local ambulance squad and released by 12:37 a.m. By PTI: Rameswaram (TN), Jul 13 (PTI) Seven Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for fishing in their territorial waters today, a fisheries official said. The fishermen from Mandapam near here were fishing at Neduntheevu, close to the island nations coast and taken to Kangesanthurai port there, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Gopinath said. Two boats used by them were also impounded by the navalmen, he added. advertisement On July 9, three fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai District were detained off Karainagar in northern Sri Lanka, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters. This is the third instance of arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy this month. The Tamil Nadu government has maintained that the retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the "only solution" to the vexed fishermens issue. PTI CORR SSN ROH DV --- ENDS --- Waterford police WATERFORD Officers arrested a 31-year-old mother Tuesday after finding her two small children wandering the village at 9:15 p.m., police said. Waterford police Sgt. Michael Schudt was sent to Third Street after someone reported finding two children walking up and down the block, police said. Albany A foot doctor with offices in Albany and Hudson pleaded guilty earlier this week to health-care fraud for illegally charging Medicare and private insurance companies for services he never provided, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York. Dr. Perrin D. Edwards, 64, also paid $410,000 to the federal government to resolve civil claims for submission of false claims for payment. The podiatrist, who lives in Kinderhook, admitted to providing services he knew were not covered by insurance, submitting claims for procedures he did not perform and providing other services, like trimming toenails, for patients who had no underlying conditions to allow those services to be covered. His actions involved adding false information to patients' records. Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14. He faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release after prison and a possible fine. Edwards's guilty plea was entered as part of a nationwide law enforcement operation targeting health care fraud, announced Thursday by the federal Department of Justice. The action involved 412 charged defendants across 41 federal districts, involving about $1.3 billion in false billings. ALBANY The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling overturning the conviction of ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver sent fresh shock waves through the New York political world on Thursday. But it's far from clear that federal or state lawmakers will take any action as a result. Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., haven't patched up the federal law whose weakening by court decisions allowed the reversal in the Silver case. And though the decision sparked fresh calls for reform in New York government, leading state lawmakers' reactions were muted. Last year, the Supreme Court decided in the case of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell that he had not violated the federal "theft of honest services" fraud statute, even though he and his wife took $165,000 in gifts and loans from a businessman seeking state help. The court found that acts such as setting up meetings, calling other public officials or hosting events do not on their own qualify as "official acts." It was the latest blow to the federal law which says that the public cannot be defrauded of its "intangible right of honest services" in exchange for bribes that has been a favorite of Justice Department officials in pursuing public corruption cases. The court ruling on Thursday delved into whether various acts by Silver constituted "official acts." The court found that in a number of instances if instructed under the precedent of the McDonnell decision, which came after Silver's trial a jury might find that Silver had not committed official acts in exchange from $4 million in payments In a sequence that foreshadowed this week's events, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno's 2009 corruption conviction was tossed out by the Second Circuit following a Supreme Court decision. That 2010 Supreme Court case, centered on the conduct of former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling, found that the honest services law only applied to bribery and kickback schemes. Former U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian, who headed New York's Northern District and unsuccessfully retried Bruno in 2014, said it would benefit prosecutors to have Congress amend the law. "Perhaps if Congress would clarify those parts of the definitions, it would bring clarity to the issue and allow prosecutors to better assess a case against a public official," he said. Defense lawyers and some lawmakers have been critical of the Justice Department's use of the statute, arguing that it has been used been abused and can criminalize the normal business of government. If the law were strengthened, it could help prosecutors go after members of Congress themselves. U.S. Rep. John Faso, a Republican from Kinderhook, said in a statement that he believes the House Judiciary Committee should "consider whether legislation needs to be adopted to clarify the law regarding 'honest services' by public officials." Faso noted that the appeals court had not found Silver's actions acceptable and that Faso had "full faith in the judicial process and the jury system to arrive at the legally correct verdict." The narrowing of the law by the Supreme Court could have broad consequences in what cases prosecutors choose to bring. In an editorial board meeting with the Times Union last year, then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara noted that lawmakers are rarely blatant in setting up quid pro quo arrangements, comparing the lawmakers to sophisticated white collar criminals. "You don't get a guy with a bag of money in an alley who hands it over to the politician who says, 'Thank you for the $25,000 in unmarked hundreds I am now going to vote in this other way because of this money,'" Bharara said. The state Legislature, meanwhile, showed little appetite for reform following the convictions by Bharara's office of Silver and ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and the Silver reversal is unlikely to change that dynamic. Skelos is currently appealing his own conviction on the basis of the McDonnell decision, arguing that case also had flawed jury instructions. Long Island state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor who holds Skelos' old seat, said New York could no longer rely on federal prosecutors to bring the lion's share of corruption cases. "It is well past time that our state Legislature enact real anticorruption measures and empower local district attorney offices to bring corruption cases," Kaminsky said in a statement. "Voters have no doubt that corruption exists on all levels of government and today's decision is one more striking blow to their faith in honest government. It is time for our state to step up." Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, said simply that we "must respect the judicial process" and the "decision is part of that process." Asked if the decision would raise the calls for ethics reform, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at an event in Buffalo, "You'll have people on all sides seeing what they want to see in this situation. My point is the (legal) situation isn't resolved." Supporters of holding a state constitutional convention seized on the Silver news. Once every 20 years, New York voters have the opportunity to vote to hold such a convention, which would open up the state's governing document to potential sweeping changes. This November, voters will decide whether to do so. "It makes a much stronger case for the constitutional convention," said Dick Dadey, executive director of the government reform group Citizens Union, of the Silver decision. "It's another example of how our laws are so weak and New Yorkers need to do the job of fighting corruption that the Legislature and governor have failed to deal with." ALBANY A 35-year-old Schenectady man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday for stabbing a man inside a Colonie home last year. State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin ordered Coreen Harris to spend five years on post-release supervision after he gets out of state prison. At 9 p.m. Jan. 17, Harris was inside a 409 Consaul Road home when he slashed a man in the face and stabbed him in the chest with a knife, police and prosecutors said. The victim suffered serious injuries, including a stab wound to the chest and facial disfigurement, that required surgery to repair, prosecutors said. A friend drove the man to the hospital after calling 911 from the parking lot of Mohawk Commons in Niskayuna, police said. The victim was dating the daughter of Harris's girlfriend at the time, Colonie Police Lt. Robert Winn said. "It was an interpersonal dispute they had that had been going on for months," the lieutenant said after Harris was arrested Feb. 2 in Queens. Prosecutors said he fled the area after the attack. Harris was found guilty of two counts of felony assault and one count of felony criminal possession of a weapon May 17. SARATOGA SPRINGS A 47-year-old Staten Island man pleaded guilty to felony burglary Wednesday in connection to an April 2014 break-in, the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office said. For nearly eight months, Robert H. Costanzo slipped through the hands of city police before he was arrested outside Rikers Island Nov. 26, 2014, for committing a home burglary in Spa City, police said. Saratoga Springs police charged Costanzo with felony burglary, misdemeanor obstructing government administration and harassment, a violation, as he was being released from the Queens jail. Police said Costanzo entered a home on America Way the night of April 3, 2014. A resident of the home called police while the burglary took place. Multiple police units tried to locate the intruder. An officer on foot observed a black vehicle moving slowly on Regatta View Drive just off of Dyer Switch Road, and spoke with the driver before radioing for back-up. The driver, who officers allege was Costanzo, suddenly punched the officer, sped away and abandoned the vehicle on Overlook Court, police said. Search efforts came up empty until November 2014 when Costanzo was arraigned and taken to Saratoga County jail without bail. Constanzo made headlines again months later, in May 2015, when he was arrested by sheriff's deputies inside the county courthouse while appearing on unrelated charges. That time, Costanzo was charged as a fugitive from justice and accused of a participating in a Connecticut kidnapping, robbery and burglary. He will be sentenced for the Saratoga Springs burglary at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 13. By PTI: Motihari, Jul 13 (PTI) The Sashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) has arrested two persons including a Nepalese citizen along with Nepalese currency notes from Indo-Nepal border in Bihars East Champaran district, officials said today. The two arrested persons have been identified as Ashish Kumar and Vijay Kumar Patel. Ashish is the resident of Sitamarhi district while Vijay is the resident of Parsa district in Nepal. advertisement SSBs 47th battalion Commandant Sonam Chhering said that SSBs team arrested the two persons along with Rs 6 lakh Nepalese currency during routine search of a vehicle yesterday. The duo was arrested when they crossed into Indian side from Nepal riding motorcycle near pillar number 393 under Raxaul police station of the district, he said adding that Rs 6 lakh was kept in a bag in the dickey of the bike which bore the Nepalese registration number. The two persons were handed over to Motihari Customs officials along with the seized money and motorcycle, SSB official said. PTI CORR AR RG --- ENDS --- IFA deputy president Richard Kennedy demanded an urgent review of the inspection and appeals procedures within the Department of Agriculture at this Thursday's, July 13, meeting of the Farmers Charter review Group in Portlaoise. He said this was line with the commitments given at the recent Oireachtas Agriculture Committee hearing on the issues and he requested that the review would commence without delay. Mr Kennedy told the Charter Review Group chairman Dr Sean Brady that Department inspections create an unnecessary level of anxiety and fear among farmers and this has to change. He called for the publication of the Department handbook on inspections to be made public so that there is transparency on the instructions given to the inspectors and how inspections are actually carried out on the ground. IFA is looking for a plan of action by the Department to bring about real change so that farmers are treated fairly and we expect Minister Creed to take a hands on approach to this important issue in line with the commitments given to the Oireachtas Committee and the Programme for Government, he said. Mr Kennedy said Minister Creed cannot allow the Department to delay or long finger the review on inspections or the appeals. In relation to payments, Richard Kennedy insisted that the GLAS payment debacle of 2016 is not repeated and called for all outstanding payments to be made without any further delay as well as a full pay out to all applicants under the 2017 scheme later this year. In addition, IFA was assured that the Charter commitments on ANCs involving payments in the third week of September will be delivered on. On the advance Basic Payment, which is due on October 16th, IFA requested that there will be a 70% advance payment. The Department committed to supporting this request with the EU Commission. At the Charter meeting, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that a total of 131,000 farmers had applied for the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme of which 113,619 applied on-line, a 13% increase on 2016 levels. A discussion was held regarding the EU requirement that all applications must be on-line in 2018 and a number of proposals and options were put forward to assist farmers with this requirement in 2018. On the 2017, National Reserve, 1,330 farmers have applied, of which 1,160 were young farmers and 170 were new entrants. The Department gave IFA an assurance that processing of these applications are underway so that eligible applicants will be paid in early December. Under the Young Farmer Scheme, Richard Kennedy said 9,950 have applied of which 1,630 are first time applicants. Richard Kennedy said IFA undertook a full review of applications and payments under all of the Farm Schemes at the Charter meeting. These include Basic Payment Scheme, Greening, ANCs, GLAS, AEOS, Organics, TB, Burren, Knowledge Transfer, BDGP, National Reserve, Young Farmers, Forestry, animal disease. The IFA deputy president pointed out that direct payments are a crucial element of farm income and any delay is totally unacceptable. For the Charter to have credibility among farmers, it must be seen to deliver these vital payments, he said. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. On Thursday, several Pennsylvania county commissioners flooded Washington, D.C., for a surprise meet-up with White House officials the first [July 12, 2017] CEMEX Invested More Than $50 Million in Environmentally-Friendly Actions in 2016 CEMEX further demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices in 2016, investing more than $50 million on projects and improvements in cement plant operations and other facilities to help reduce environmental impact and conserve nearby wildlife. CEMEX spent millions of dollars at its cement plants in 2016 to make changes benefiting the environment. Four cement plants-Brooksville, Miami, Clinchfield and Victorville-achieved the ENERGY STAR (News - Alert) Certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for 2017. Last year, all active CEMEX cement plants in the U.S. achieved the Wildlife Habitat Council's Conservation Certification, and several sites in California are currently working to attain that goal. "At CEMEX, we are committed to building a better future for the communities in which we live and work through sustainable business practices," said CEMEX USA president Ignacio Madridejos. "We continue to operate responsibly regarding the environment, and by investing in our operations, we are taking steps to honor that commitment." CEMEX's environmental initiatives also include wildlife conservation efforts. The Lytle Creek quarry in Rialto, Calif., hs more than 150 acres dedicated to wildlife habitat easements, including the Riversidean alluvial fan sage scrub, a habitat for the San Bernardino Kangaroo rat, an animal listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1998. CEMEX's Rockfield Quarry in Fresno County, Calif., recently installed nesting boxes for birds. Sparrows filled those boxes last spring, weeks after they were placed on the property. In Ventura County, Calif., CEMEX's Moorpark Quarry installed water guzzlers in 2012 to provide a safe and easily accessible source of drinking water for wildlife on the property. The crown jewel of CEMEX's environmental programs is the El Carmen Nature Reserve, a private conservation area that spans nearly 400,000 acres across the Texas-Mexico border in the Big Bend region. El Carmen is comprised of five different ecosystems and is home to a myriad of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. In May, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department awarded CEMEX the prestigious 2017 Lone Star Land Steward Award for the Trans Pecos Ecoregion for its ongoing commitment to sustainability and land stewardship. CEMEX received the Wildlife Habitat Council's Gold Tier Program of the Year for work at El Carmen in 2016. For more information on CEMEX's environmental and conservation efforts, visit cemexnature.com. CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries throughout the world. Its U.S. network includes 11 cement plants, 43 strategically located distribution terminals, 57 aggregate quarries and more than 270 ready-mix concrete plants. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006369/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 12, 2017] i2B Capital Provides $8M Structured Funding to National Surety Underwriters i2B Capital (www.i2bcap.com), a provider of direct financing to niche-market financial entrepreneurs, is pleased to announce the closing of an $8 million structured term loan to National Surety Underwriters, Inc. (NSU), previously known as Agency Bonding Captives, Inc. In addition, investors contributed a further $3.5 million to the transaction closing. The funding will be used by NSU for two purposes: The capitalization of a new and wholly owned subsidiary of NSU, National Fidelity Reinsurance Company, Inc. (NFRC), a special-purpose surety reinsurance captive licensed through the North Carolina Insurance Department and The merger of McCabe Inc and Independent Corporate Underwriters, Inc. (ICU), a Managing General Underwriter (MGU) specializing in surety bonds based in New Jersey. The new combined entity will enable NSU subsidiary NFRC to underwrite and reinsure surety bonds through its licensed insurance carrier partner, Clear Blue Insurance Company, Inc. (AM Best A- rated), of up to $2 million in any one bond and up to $4 million in the aggregate per principal insured. In addition, other surety bonds will be written and placed with multiple carriers through the ICU/MGU relationships enabling surety bonds to be written up to $100 million with insurance carrier approval. "This funding is an excelent example of i2B Capital's ability to navigate and resolve complex business financing issues," said Larry Curran II, CEO of i2B Capital. "The transaction included capitalization for three companies in three states with wide-ranging legal and regulatory requirements to create one synergistic entity able to service a broad spectrum of surety requirements." Barbara Anderson, COO of i2B Capital, added, "Our goal over the initial 36-month structured term loan is to prepare NSU for traditional institutional financing in the future. To accomplish that objective, we will provide the growth capital along with our commercial lending expertise to help NSU prepare for the disciplined reporting requirements and credit processes at the next level." National Surety Underwriters is a privately owned holding company, underwriting agency, and reinsurance captive headquartered in Philadelphia. CEO Rennie Rodriguez said, "Our expertise is building and managing specialty insurance agencies and we see tremendous opportunity for consolidation in a fragmented surety bond industry. Through offering a unique package to contracted surety bond agents and targeted strategic acquisitions, we are building a networked system of top-line surety agents." The McCabe/ICU merger will continue to be operated by original owner, Kevin McCabe, who has been appointed Chief Underwriting Officer of the Group and has joined the Board of Directors of the Holding Company. Mr. Rodriguez added, "With our reinsurance captive now licensed and capitalized, we can begin to issue bonds through Clear Blue and will revolutionize the way agents and principals procure surety." For more information contact Rennie Rodriguez at [email protected]. i2B Capital is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado with offices in Herndon, Virginia. The company provides senior debt and direct asset investments for growth capital to qualifying entrepreneurs and equity-backed emerging specialty finance companies throughout the United States. For more information, contact Barbara Anderson, COO and Managing Director of i2B Capital, at 703-871-3993 or [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712006378/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Stash Secures $40M in Series C Funding to Meet Massive Demand for Its Investing and Financial Education Platform NEW YORK, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stash, the financial technology platform that's revolutionizing investment and education for all Americans, announced today that it has raised $40 million in Series C funding. The round was led by Coatue Management and existing investors Breyer Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Valar Ventures. Stash has grown faster than any other investing service in the US and has raised a total of $78 million in less than two years. It's presently servicing over 850,000 accounts, 86% of which are first-time investors. In 2017 alone, Stash added over half a million new investors to its platform, with over 25,000 new customers joining every week. Stash has empowered a wide range of Americans new to the market, including freelancers, military personnel, and teachers, guiding them onto a path of financial independence. Stash allows its customers to invest in high-quality funds in a safe and secure way, guided by smart, simple, and effective strategies they'll use for life. This latest round will accelerate Stash's investments in technology and data analytics, to better serve its growing community of investors with more personalization, educational tools, and new products. Stash Retire, a simplified retirement platform, is scheduled to launch this summer for iOS and Android. "When it comes to investing, too many Americans are standing on the sidelines because they're unsure where and how to begin. Stash is the only investment platform focused on educating and empowering beginner investors," said Brandon Krieg, CEO and co-founder of Stash. "For too long, the financial services industry only made investig accessible to the rich, but at Stash, we believe anyone can become an effective investor with the right tools and education." Starting with just $5, anyone can sign-up for Stash and choose from over 35 curated investments based on their beliefs, interests, and life goals. Learn, Stash's education platform, provides jargon-busting, easy-to-understand financial education to over 1.5 million content subscribers. Coatue, an investor in groundbreaking global companies like technology and social media business Snap and China's ride-sharing giant Didi Chuxing, sees Stash as the financial services company for the modern era. "Stash is disrupting the financial services industry by removing barriers and making investing more approachable and accessible to the 100 million-plus Americans on the sidelines," said Coatue's Founder and Portfolio Manager Philippe Laffont. "Its rapid growth in a short period of time shows that Stash has found a way to transform how Americans manage their money and gain financial independence." For more information about Stash, visit www.stashinvest.com. For media inquiries, contact [email protected]. About Stash Stash is on a mission to empower a new generation of investors, giving everyone access to financial opportunity. Available on both iOS and Android, Stash breaks down complicated financial language and helps make it easier to start investing. Investors choose from a selection of over 35 curated investments enabling them to build a portfolio that reflects their interests, beliefs, and goals. Stash has a simple and transparent fee model of $1 per month for accounts under $5,000 and 0.25% a year for balances over $5,000. Clients are not charged additional commissions for trading or fees for transferring money in and out of accounts. The first month is free for everyone. Based in New York City, Stash started in February 2015 by Wall Street veterans Brandon Krieg and Ed Robinson. Stash is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. For more information, visit http://www.stashinvest.com About Coatue Coatue Management, L.L.C. is a TMT-focused global asset manager with ~$11B in assets under management and offices in New York, Menlo Park, and China. Since 1999, Coatue has sought to identify the biggest technology trends, including smartphone adoption & the mobile internet, social networking, ride-sharing, and the disruption of incumbent business models across media, advertising, and retail. Media Contact: Ally Federbush, [email protected], (916) 601-4367 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stash-secures-40m-in-series-c-funding-to-meet-massive-demand-for-its-investing-and-financial-education-platform-300487361.html SOURCE Stash [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Paycock Enters Russian Fintech Market with Its Convenient Mobile Payment Service SEOUL, South Korea, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The K-ICT Born2Global Centre, a major Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), announced that Paycock, one of its member companies, has signed a business MOU with AEB IT, a Russian financial IT corporation. As a result, Paycock will now begin commercializing its mobile payment solution to satisfy the needs of the Russian financial market, which is expected to undergo rapid growth in the near future. AEB IT is a subsidiary of JSCB Almazergienbank JSC, one of Russia's largest banks. Paycock will first engage in service management and technology transfer, via AEB IT, prior to supplying JSCB Almazergienbank JSC with Paycock Check, its mobile payment solution designed for merchants. Paycock Check is a mobile payment service that does not require a card-reading device, as the entire payment process is conductd using only a smartphone camera and near field communication (NFC) technology. Compared to card-reading devices, Paycock Check is up to 95 percent cheaper in terms of operating costs. The service offers not only credit card, barcode, and QR code payment options, but also issues cash receipts. Currently, Paycock holds two registered patents and 14 pending patent applications, and the company already possesses the security and recognition technologies that it will need in its future business endeavors in Russia. The recent signing of the MOU is a result of the Born2Global Centre's participation in [email protected] in June. CEO Kwon Hae-won said, "Our presentation and promotion of Paycock's business model through meetings with Russian IT companies, banks, and investors, for which we received assistance from the Born2Global Centre, led to our signing of the MOU with AEB IT, which had expressed great interest in our work. All parties agreed that our convenient mobile payment service is a new technology with great potential for application to the Russian market, where the fintech industry remains largely a blue ocean. In the future, we will be focusing our efforts on supplying related services to the local market." For more detailed information, please check out http://www.paycock.net or https://www.born2global.com/ Jina Lee [email protected] SOURCE K-ICT Born2Global Centre [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Deskera Partners With NASSCOM for Their 10,000 Start-ups Program BENGALURU, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Deskera, a global provider of cloud-based software solutions for small and mid-size businesses, has partnered with the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) to support their 10,000 Start-ups initiative as a sponsor of their start-up kit. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/450678/PRNE__Deskera_png_Logo.jpg ) In order to support start-ups in the NASSCOM program, Deskera software will now be included in the complimentary start-up kit provided to participants. Access to Deskera's cloud software will help the start-ups save on costs, ensure compliance, and provide scalable technology that can manage future growth during the initial stage of their business. Deskera's contribution to the 'Start-up kit' is an integrated, cloud-based suite of business applications that includes Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Human Resource Management Service (HRMS), and Project Management (PM). This will be available free-of-charge to all program participants for six months. NASSCOM's initiative is committed to incubating, funding and providing ambient support to 10,000 technology start-ups in India, by 2023. The aim is to nurture the hatchling start-ups into full-fledged technology companies through access to start-up incubators, accelerators, angel investors, venture capitalists, start-up support groups, mentors and technology partners. 10,000 Start-ups focuses on multi-fold activities that foster entrepreneurshp and provide robust early stage support to the enrolled companies. This initiative is a collaborative effort to empower young entrepreneurs to create ventures of global scale from India. Shashank Dixit, Founder and CEO Deskera has always encouraged bright young minds with business ideas and believes, "The start-up phase of a business is an exciting time, and anything that helps a new company save costs goes a long way. I applaud NASSCOM on their 10,000 Start-ups project, and for creating a vibrant environment that provides every young entrepreneur with an opportunity to pursue their ideas in the tech space." "As a start-up Founder, I am always looking for solutions that can simplify my life," explained Nikhil R. Jois, Co-founder and CEO of Eventosaur, a company participating in NASSCOM's 10,000 Start-ups initiative. He further added, "An all-in-one product like Deskera will help my business remain focused on our core competencies. We are thankful to NASSCOM for the partnership." For the past eight years, Deskera has been providing cloud-based business software to companies around the world. Today, more than 3,000 businesses, with approximately 80,000 users, manage their companies with Deskera Cloud ERP. "With this partnership, NASSCOM start-ups can run their complete business with a single suite of application so that they can scale seamlessly," said Hemanth Dattatreya, Global Head of Channels and Alliances. Deskera has been winning accolades for its cutting-edge applications. Deskera was the winner of the Red Herring 100 Asia 2016 and was featured in the Top 20 Finance Technology Solution Providers by CIO Advisor. About Deskera Deskera is a global leader in cloud-based solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. The company was founded in 2008 with the vision of using the cloud to bridge the digital divide between entrepreneurs and big businesses by creating greater access to the best technology. Our sophisticated, simple-to-use technology provides solutions that help all types of companies manage resources more efficiently across departments, from operations to accounting to sales to HR, on one platform. Deskera is headquartered in San Francisco, California with offices around the world including locations in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The company has a pan India presence with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Pune. To find out how cloud solutions can make it easier to run your business, please visit http://www.deskera.com. Media Contact: Shikha Samant Corporate Communications Manager Deskera [email protected] +91-20-67257008 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Randall County Upgrades Election Technology with Verity CANYON, Texas, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A bright idea three years ago is paying off in Randall County, where elections will soon be handled by the most advanced voting technology certified in Texas, Hart InterCivic's Verity Voting system. In 2014, Verity was not yet available, but Elections Administrator Shannon Lackey told county commissioners that it was time to figure out a plan for replacing aging voting equipment. Randall County's forward-looking officials set up a savings fund with a three-year timeline. As the County saved money, Verity was launched and certified, and Lackey prepared for change. On June 27, commissioners approved the Verity purchase, adding Randall County to a growing number of Texas jurisdictions thoughtfully choosing technology backed by a trusted Texas partner, Hart InterCivic. "Hart customer service is second to none," said Lackey, who has worked in the elections office since Hart's previous system was installed in the Panhandle county in early 2006. "Our commissioners were proactive they set up a savings fund for a replacement. I've got to thank them for that," she said after the 5-0 vote for Verity. "The timing is perfect." Lackey is looking forward to using Verity's updated technology. The system's easy-to-use touchscreenis familiar to voters, and a lightweight, removable tablet plus an array of accessibility features accommodate all voters, including those with disabilities. "It is important for a Vote Center county to be 100 percent electronic," Lackey added. With 85,000 registered voters, Randall County has used convenient and popular Vote Centers since 2013. Verity, which also handles paper ballots for absentee voting, is the only second generation digital scanning technology certified in Texas. Once election workers learn ballot programming and production, voter education on the new system will begin, Lackey said. "So far, all I've heard is 'awesome,'" she added. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of Hart InterCivic's Verity Voting system in mid-December, 16 Texas counties have purchased the state-of-the-art system. Federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in numerous jurisdictions throughout the U.S. "We welcome Randall County to the rapidly growing Verity family in Texas. It is gratifying to see counties' enthusiastic response to Verity's leading-edge technology in our home state," said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience. "Verity is the logical, trustworthy choice for Texas jurisdictions," Braithwaite said. "It is a versatile election system with state-of-the-art hardware and software designed in Austin and based on input from officials across the state, as well as other election experts nationwide." Hart's deep election background and strong reputation for customer care built a decade of trust in Randall County. "Anyone who hasn't worked with Hart is missing out. The equipment sells itself, and if there are ever needs or problems, help is just a call away," Lackey confirmed. "We'll use it next November, and my staff is very excited." For more information on the Verity Voting system, please visit www.hartintercivic.com/verityoverview. About Hart InterCivic, Inc. Austin-based Hart InterCivic is a full service election solutions innovator, partnering with state and local governments to deliver secure, accurate and reliable elections. Working side-by-side with election professionals for more than 100 years, Hart is committed to helping advance democracy one election at a time. Hart's mission fuels its passionate customer focus and a continuous drive for technological innovation. The company's new Verity Voting system makes voting more straightforward, equitable and accessibleand makes managing elections more transparent, more efficient and easier. Only Hart offers a completely new, certified voting system with both electronic and paper options. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/randall-county-upgrades-election-technology-with-verity-300487371.html SOURCE Hart InterCivic, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) With a Sino-Indian standoff on the border, RSSs economic wing Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to allow Chinese companies to set up new units in India. "The government should not allow the establishment of any new venture or any new manufacturing facility by Chinese firms as China is regularly indulging in transgression, incursion and other provoking activities on our borders," SJM National co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said. advertisement The SJM has written a letter to Modi saying that till now, the government has been giving China "apt" replies, "but it will be futile if the Centre does not halt their economic onslaught". India can "ill-afford" this "back-door entry of China in our country?s manufacturing sector", Mahajan said in the letter. The SJM, which promotes the use of indigenous products, said China was adopting a "policy of opaqueness" and not giving "space" to products from India. The SJM is observing 2017 as ?anti-China year?, as part of which it has so far got over 75 lakh people to pledge that they would reject ?substandard? Chinese products. PTI JTR BDS --- ENDS --- [July 13, 2017] Cole Haan Selects Aptos Enterprise Order Management to Support Best-in-Class Omni-Channel Retailing ATLANTA, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aptos, Inc., a recognized market leader in retail technology solutions, today announced Cole Haan LLC has selected the cloud-based Aptos Enterprise Order Management solution to enhance its best-in-class omni-channel retail operations. Headquartered in Greenland, N.H., Cole Haan is an iconic American lifestyle accessories brand and retailer of premium men's and women's footwear, handbags, leather accessories, outerwear and eyewear. Through the years, what began in 1928 as the vision of Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan to manufacture the highest quality leather footwear, has grown and evolved to a global retail powerhouse with an expansive range of products representing the distinctive Cole Haan commitment to craftsmanship, timeless style and design innovation. In recent years, Cole Haan has transformed its business model. Exclusively a wholesaler until 1982, the company today has extensive retail operations, with 259 stores across 30 countries, along with a thriving e-commerce business. Cole Haan leverages the Aptos Singular Commerce platform, including Aptos Store for point of sale and mobile point of sale, Aptos Customer Relationship Management and Aptos Audit and Operations Management. The addition of Aptos Enterprise Order Management will support Cole Haan's direct-to-consumer initiatives with robust omni-channel capabilities to integrate its digital and physical retail channels and support one complete view of customers, inventory, orders and more. Aptos Enterprise Order Management functions across all in-store and digital touch points, including complete integration with Aptos Store, for a unified view of the online/offline intersection of commerce, order brokering, order management, order fulfillment, logistics and analytics. "Aptos has been a tremendous partner in helping Cole Haan to provide seamless customer experiences throughout the entire shopping journey," said Ron Edwards, chief operating officer, Cole Haan. "The addition of Enterprise Order Management will allow us to gain efficiencies and consistency with unified processing of all orders originating from the store or ColeHaan.com, while enabling associates to provide customers with 'endless aisle' capabilities and streamlined returns of online purchases in the store." "Cole Haan captures the hearts and minds of loyal fans the world over with its combination of high-quality, distinctive merchandise and its unwavering focus on the customer," said Noel Goggin, Aptos CEO and culture leader. "We're proud to partner with Cole Haan to expand and enhance its omni-channel proficiency. With one view of the customer, inventory and orders, Cole Haan will be well-positioned to deliver on seamless customer journeys that transcend shopping channels." With over 125,000 stores live on its Singular Commerce platform available in the cloud, more than 500 retail brands across the globe rely on cloud-ready Aptos solutions. About Aptos "Engaging Customers Differently" In an era of virtually limitless choice, sustained competitive advantage only comes to retailers who engage customers differently by truly understanding who they are, what they want and why they buy. At Aptos, we too, believe that Engaging Customers Differently is critical to our success. We are committed to a deep understanding of each of our clients, to fulfilling their needs with the retail industry's most comprehensive omni-channel solutions, and to fostering long-term relationships built on tangible value and trust. More than 500 retail brands rely upon our Singular Commerce platform to deliver every shopper a personalized, empowered and seamless experienceno matter when, where or how they shop. Learn more: www.aptos.com Follow Aptos on Twitter @Aptos_Retail Aptos, the Aptos logo, "Engaging Customers Differently" and "Singular Commerce" are trademarks of Aptos, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Aptos, Inc. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cole-haan-selects-aptos-enterprise-order-management-to-support-best-in-class-omni-channel-retailing-300486956.html SOURCE Aptos, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Boy Scouts of America to Host 2017 National Jamboree at Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve MOUNT HOPE, W.Va., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Scouts, Venturers, Explorers, staff, volunteers and community members are preparing to live Scouting's adventure at the 2017 National Jamboree taking place July 19-28. Last held in 2013, the Jamboree is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for participants and a celebration of Scouting's commitment to adventure, service, conservation and STEM. "The 2017 National Jamboree showcases the Scouting mission by combining adventure and leadership development to give youth life-changing experiences they can't get anywhere else," said Matt Myers, National Jamboree Director for the Boy Scouts of America. "Over the 10-day event, youth will work toward new merit badges, complete thousands of hours of community service, make new and lasting friendships, and take part in adventures in the beautiful West Virginia wilderness. I want to thank the thousands of volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly to bring the best possible Jamboree experience to the Scouting community." Held every four years, the Jamboree is an opportunity for participants, volunteers, and visitors to experience the best of Scouting, all in one place. From one of the longest zip line courses in North America, to world-class skate park and ATV offerings, treetop canopy tours, rock climbing, patch trading and stadium shows, the 2017 National Jamboree features: The Big Zip Riders can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH as they soar on one of the longest zip line courses in North America . Riders can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH as they soar on one of the longest zip line courses in . The Ropes, The Rocks, and The Canopy Climbing, rappelling, and more at the largest and most extensive man-made climbing, challenge course, and canopy tour venue in the world. Climbing, rappelling, and more at the largest and most extensive man-made climbing, challenge course, and canopy tour venue in the world. The Bows and The Barrels Shooting sports and archery programs, from trap shooting and compact clays to 3-D archery targets and sporting arrows, where participants take aim at moving targets. Shooting sports and archery programs, from trap shooting and compact clays to 3-D archery targets and sporting arrows, where participants take aim at moving targets. Low Gear Mountain biking on 36 miles of forested trails. Mountain biking on 36 miles of forested trails. The Trax BMX biking and at one of the world's largest facilities. BMX biking and at one of the world's largest facilities. The Park Skateboarding at The Park, which features introductory, transition, street, and bowls sections, and a training area with mini ramps, banks, quarter pipes, and a foam pit for practicing aerial tricks. Skateboarding at The Park, which features introductory, transition, street, and bowls sections, and a training area with mini ramps, banks, quarter pipes, and a foam pit for practicing aerial tricks. The Pools and the Lakes Water sports at The Pools and Goodrich and TriDave lakes, including water obstacle courses, kayak touring, and stand-up paddleboarding. Water sports at The Pools and Goodrich and TriDave lakes, including water obstacle courses, kayak touring, and stand-up paddleboarding. Polaris OHV Center of Excellence A world-class ATV experience where Scouts learn to ride ATV's the right way, the safe way, while respecting the environment. A world-class ATV experience where Scouts learn to ride ATV's the right way, the safe way, while respecting the environment. Michael Surbaugh , Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. "This year, we expect that Jamboree attendees will contribute more than 100,000 hours of service in support of communities across West Virginia . And throughout the 10 days, participants will further our conservation efforts on the by making the experience here more sustainable, but, more importantly, by also making a commitment to those practices as they return home." In addition to fun and adventure, Scouts and adult volunteers will be giving back to the communities that surround the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Over the course of six days, both before and during the Jamboree, Scouts and volunteers will perform more than 100,000 hours total of community service making an impact in nearly every county across West Virginia. The Boy Scouts of America partnered with the Citizens Conservation Corps to identify more than 220 projects in local communities. Projects include flood remediation, painting structures, brush removal, historical preservation and trail work in parks. Scouts will also work in the New River Gorge National River, whose 70,000 acres of land lies next to the Summit Bechtel Reserve. The Boy Scouts of America has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, and the Summit Bechtel Reserve was designed to reinforce that focus on conservation. Here are a few of the ways sustainability is a consideration in both design and day-to-day actions at the Summit Bechtel Reserve and during the Jamboree: Energy The buildings at the Summit Bechtel Reserve are designed to use 30 percent less energy than conventional structures. The Summit Bechtel Reserve has also made investments in on-site renewable energy generation, including geothermal wells, photovoltaic solar panels, and wind turbines to reduce operating costs. The buildings at the Summit Bechtel Reserve are designed to use 30 percent less energy than conventional structures. The Summit Bechtel Reserve has also made investments in on-site renewable energy generation, including geothermal wells, photovoltaic solar panels, and wind turbines to reduce operating costs. Water Recognizing its role in protecting the New River, the Summit Bechtel Reserve uses a network of 60 acres of swales and rain garden to treat runoff by filtering it through plants. The Summit Bechtel Reserve also employs gray-water systems, low-flow fixtures, and composting toilets to reduce water use by two-thirds. Recognizing its role in protecting the New River, the Summit Bechtel Reserve uses a network of 60 acres of swales and rain garden to treat runoff by filtering it through plants. The Summit Bechtel Reserve also employs gray-water systems, low-flow fixtures, and composting toilets to reduce water use by two-thirds. Materials The Summit Bechtel Reserve is committed to thrifty and resourceful use of materials. Timber was salvaged for reuse in structures, while other materials were sourced from within 500 miles of the project to reduce emissions. The Summit Bechtel Reserve is committed to thrifty and resourceful use of materials. Timber was salvaged for reuse in structures, while other materials were sourced from within 500 miles of the project to reduce emissions. Economy By requiring a 25 percent local labor force and materials from nearby, developing the Summit supported the local economy. Every dollar spent in a local business re-circulates seven more times in the regional economy. By requiring a 25 percent local labor force and materials from nearby, developing the Summit supported the local economy. Every dollar spent in a local business re-circulates seven more times in the regional economy. Habitat conservationA full 10 percent (that's 1,060 acres) of the site's most ecologically- valuable land has been dedicated as a nature preserve. The Summit Bechtel Reserve has also planted over 60,000 Appalachian hardwood trees and established native grasses on campsites to restore wildlife habitat. Scouts can also explore the Conservation Trail at Scott Summit Center. This year marks the 80th year since the National Jamboree's inception in 1937. Since that time, it has become known as the BSA's most quintessential event, welcoming youth from different backgrounds, beliefs and cultures to celebrate Scouting and create memories to take with them through their time in Scouting and beyond. Media can find more information about the National Jamboree throughout the 10-day event on Scouting Newsroom. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit BeAScout.org. About the Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be "Prepared. For Life." The Scouting organization is composed of nearly 2.3 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and approximately 960,000 volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org. To access daily photos of the National Jamboree, please visit the official Boy Scouts of America Flickr photostream found here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/boyscoutsofamerica/. Instructions are as follows. Visit the photostream, choose the photo you want and click on it. In the bottom right corner of the screen just beneath the photo, look for the three dots; click the dots and choose "View all sizes" from the menu that pops up; this enables you to choose the size you want to download. Photos should be credited as "Photo courtesy of Boy Scouts of America" or "Photo: Boy Scouts of America." View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boy-scouts-of-america-to-host-2017-national-jamboree-at-summit-bechtel-family-national-scout-reserve-300487982.html SOURCE Boy Scouts of America [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Marco Bussadori joins Vision Critical as Chief Revenue Officer Vision Critical today announced that the company has hired Marco Bussadori to lead the company's North American sales and customer success teams as the Chief Revenue Officer for North America. "We have an unprecedented opportunity in front of us, as the market for our platform has expanded across the enterprise into multiple departments of customer-centric organizations," said Scott Miller (News - Alert), Vision Critical CEO. "Marco has the experience and expertise we need to fully exploit this opportunity, and we're thrilled to have him join us at this critical time in our growth." Mr. Bussadori joins Vision Critical most recently from BMC Software (News - Alert), with over 25 years of general management and sales leadership in a worldwide context in cloud, security, internet of things, digital infrastructure, mobile, artificial intelligence and datacenter management software organizations, acquired by the likes of IBM, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert) and VMWare. He has also served as an advisor to several early- to mid-stag startups in Silicon Valley, as well as in enterprise transformations and M&A transactions. Marco is a graduate of Middlesex University with an Honors Degree in Artificial Intelligence. "It's an exciting time to join Vision Critical, with the recent launch of its upgraded platform and a roster of stellar brands within its customer base," said Mr. Bussadori. "I look forward to working with the leadership, sales, and customer success teams to further strengthen the company's leadership position as more and more companies realize the critical importance of accessible, sustainable customer relationship intelligence in achieving their long-term business goals." About Vision Critical Vision Critical provides customer relationship intelligence software that improves customer relationships to grow customer lifetime value. Designed for today's always-on, social and mobile savvy customer, Vision Critical's technology helps large, customer-centric enterprises discover what their customers want so they can deliver what they need. Unlike traditional customer research, which is slow, expensive and gathers dust on a shelf, Vision Critical's customer intelligence platform replaces static data and cumbersome reports with real-time actionable customer intelligence that companies need to build better products, deliver better services and achieve better business outcomes. Hundreds of high-performance organizations use Vision Critical's technology. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at https://twitter.com/visioncritical. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005964/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Trial Date Set for Gunst v. Coast Surgery Center Wrongful Termination and Disability Discrimination Case A trial date has been set for the unique wrongful termination case brought against Coast Surgery Center by its former employee, Sheila Gunst. Gunst, who is represented by Carney Shegerian of Shegerian & Associates, Inc., a Santa Monica-based litigation law firm specializing in employee rights, claims she was wrongfully terminated while on disability leave caring for her dying husband. Gunst worked at Coast Surgery Center of South Bay from 2010 to 2014 as a Senior Collector. During her time at the Center, she exhibited an exemplary job performance and was even named the Center's "Business Office Employee of the Year" in 2011. On July 26, 2013, Gunst brought her husband into the Center to have a surgery performed. During the surgery, Gunst's husband suffered cardiac arrest and was left in a coma up to his death on December 22, 2013. In order to care for her ailing husband, Gunst took California Family Rights Act ("CFRA") leave and went on disability. For the five months her husband was in a coma, she visited him every day to care and support him. During the entire period Gunst was caring for her husband, management employees from the Center made verbal assurances to her that her job was secure and "would be there for her when she was read to return." In February 2014, after her husband died, Gunst filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Center, which is when she says, the Center began acting unlawfully toward her. In her complaint, Gunst claims that a supervisor began pressuring her to return to work, setting a March 1, 2014 return date. After Gunst pushed back and explained that she was still on valid disability leave, she says she was informed by the Center's HR team that she had two choices: "either quit or resign." Gunst reports that she attempted to explain that failing to extend her disability was causing her harm, but she says her supervisor responded that she "did not feel that was the case." Gunst was terminated on April 4, 2014. She claims that when she asked for the specific cause for her termination, she was told "there was no cause." Gunst is now suing the Center for wrongful termination because she believes she was fired for taking protected CFRA disability leave. "As a consequence of Coast Surgery Center's conduct as an employer, our client Ms. Gunst - a hard-working employee with a sterling performance record - has suffered and will continue to suffer psychological and emotional distress, humiliation, and mental and physical pain and anguish," said Shegerian. "Retaliation and unfair treatment of employees who are out on protected disability is an ethical problem that cannot be tolerated. It's our job to help her seek justice in court." The trial is scheduled to begin on August 1, 2017. (Case no. BC556362) With offices in Santa Monica and San Diego, Shegerian & Associates is a law firm specializing in protecting the rights of individuals who have been wronged by their employers. Richly experienced in labor and employment law and possessing an unparalleled success record as litigators (Carney Shegerian, Trial Lawyer of the Year Award winner for 2013, has won 76 jury trials in his career, including 33 seven figure verdicts), Shegerian & Associates is passionately dedicated to serving the needs of its clients. For more information about the firm, visit www.ShegerianLaw.com. Media Contact: To arrange interviews with Carney Shegerian, please contact Paul Williams, 310/569-0023, [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713006040/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Runkeeper Pledges to Get the Whole World Running for the Global 5K BOSTON, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Runkeeper, a leading mobile fitness app, is hosting the fourth Runkeeper Global 5K on July 15 and 16, 2017. The Global 5K is presented by ASICS and is a virtual race that can be run anywhere in the world, at any pace. The race takes place annually and allows our users to come together as a global community, have fun, and challenge themselves to set new personal records. "The Runkeeper community is incredibly diverse, and includes runners of all sizes and abilities from across the globe," said Sandrine Mangia Park, SVP of Marketing. "The Global 5K allows our users to set aside their daily routines, push themselves to reach their goals, and most importantly, come together as a global community and have fun." Last year, over 101,000 people participated and ran a cumulative total of 915,717 kilometers. Of the participants, 2,750 ran their first 5K, while 5,325 others hit a personal record. The Global 5K is free and anyone can participate by downloading the Runkeeper app and visiting the challenges section to sign up. Runkeeper is also collaborating with ASICS and Jaybird to host several Global 5K meetup runs in locations across the world in order to help bridge the gap between the digital and the physical and bring the Runkeeper commuity even closer together. The events will include giveaway prizes and the opportunity to get to know other members of the ASICS and Runkeeper community. Events will take place in the following locations: Please visit Runkeeper.com/global5K to learn more, print a race bib, and view race results from across the world. Participants can share race-day photos with the limited edition Global 5K social sharing filter and #RKGlobal5K. About Runkeeper Runkeeper is a leading mobile running app that helps people of all fitness levels get out the door and stick with running forever. It lets you easily track workouts, set goals, connect with community, and stay motivated. One of the first apps in the App Store launch in 2008, Runkeeper now has more than 50 million users across over 180 countries. The app is available in 12 languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Swedish, Dutch, Russian, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. Runkeeper was acquired by ASICS in March 2016 and is a proud member of the ASICS family. For more information visit www.runkeeper.com and follow @Runkeeper on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/runkeeper-pledges-to-get-the-whole-world-running-for-the-global-5k-300488128.html SOURCE Runkeeper [July 13, 2017] SPLICE Software Announces Senior Management Changes CHICAGO, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SPLICE Software, which specializes in using Big and small Data and Artificial Intelligence to drive customer engagement, today announced a series of senior management appointments to more effectively manage the core businesses and drive global expansion. Darin M. Reffitt has joined SPLICE as Vice President of Marketing, while Tracy Borreson has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Client Success in light of her expanded responsibilities and accomplishments as SPLICE's Director of Client Care over the past two years. These changes come as the company continues the expansion of its voice- and data-driven dialogs into the smart home/personal assistant arena with the recent launch of Alexa Skills and the pending release of similar applications for Google Home. As members of the executive management team, both Reffitt and Bradley will focus on further expanding SPLICE's reputation as the brand of choice for creating deeper customer connections through AI and voice technologies. Ms. Borreson joined the SPLICE team in 2012 to lead the Client Success Team and to provide valued client input for business and product development. Prior to SPLICE, Ms. Borreson perfected her communications expertise through senior level Project Management and Marketing positions at Kirk Marketing, Honeycomb Direct Mail, The Brick and CFCW. Her contributions extend to the community as well, as a current member of the WIN Technology Board and a past board member and Vice President of Marketing at the Credit Institute of Canada, Calgary Chapter. Tracy holds a Bachelor of Comerce in Marketing from the University of Alberta, and has attended additional professional courses in Leadership, Customer Service and Negotiations. Mr. Reffitt joined SPLICE in June with responsibility for all corporate marketing initiatives, including strategy, execution, and measurement to meet SPLICE's KPIs and organizational goals. Mr. Reffitt has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, with a broad range of expertise in the areas of lead generation, inbound marketing, social/digital marketing, conference & event planning, advertising, collateral development, thought leadership, sales operations & management, direct marketing, website optimization, and strategic planning. His previous roles include VP- and Director-level roles with EIS Group, BNY Mellon, PNC Bank, Santander, and The Franklin Mint, prior to forming his own marketing consulting firmMarketing Intelligents, LLCearlier this year. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree from Ursinus College and his MBA in Marketing from St. Joseph's University, and he volunteers with the Insurance Accounting & Systems Association (IASA) as VP-Marketing on the organization's management team. "Team and culture is the life blood here at SPLICE, and having strong leaders to guide our team is pretty exciting" says Tara Kelly, SPLICE Software President and CEO. "Getting the right people in the right seat is critical and I think we have done just that!" Recognized as a "2016 Cool Vendor" by industry analyst Gartner, SPLICE Software provides comprehensive automated communication solutions. Using proprietary technology, SPLICE integrates and applies data to allow companies to connect with customers across multiple platforms, including voice, text, social media and email. Learn more about SPLICE Software at www.splicesoftware.com. About SPLICE Software SPLICE Software blends art & science in creating stronger connections and improving the customer experience for insurers, bankers, and retailers. Our cloud-based Dialog Suite uses Big Data & Artificial Intelligence to deliver personalized Voice & SMS messages at critical moments along the customer journey; allows you to connect with customers via their channels of choice; and, enables you to collect and manage customers' permissions and preferences so you can personalize, test and measure like never before. For more information on SPLICE, visit our website, connect via LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter at @SPLICESoftware. MEDIA CONTACT; Kate Weckerly SSPR [email protected] 719-581-7102 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/splice-software-announces-senior-management-changes-300488218.html SOURCE SPLICE Software [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Mega Millions numbers for Friday, Nov. 11, 2022 Here are the winning Mega Millions numbers and results for the lottery jackpot drawing on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Amgen stock hits high on earnings, prospects of obesity drug In one of the worst years for the stock market since the 2008 financial crisis, Thousand Oaksbased Amgen is showing no signs of weakness. As of Wednesdays market close, the... Council approves rules to limit self-storage growth Future self-storage facilities in the city of Thousand Oaks will be excluded from prime commercial areas, according to a new ordinance adopted by the City Council this month. In a... Dealership does Distinguished thing SPECIAL TRIPChildren from Boys & Girls clubs in Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark, and Oxnard and Port Hueneme attended Misty Copelands Oct. 18 appearance in the Distinguished Speaker Series at... With no desks or chairs, students at a government-run school in Noida have been forced to sit on the floor. Authorities say they are waiting on the state government to provide the necessary furniture. Crores were spent to build the school. But due to lack of desks and benches, students have to sit on carpets during classes. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia) By Mail Today Bureau: A school in Uttar Pradesh is apparently teaching students the ground realities in a very literal way. Girls at the Rajkiya Balika Inter College in Noida's sector 51 are forced to sit on the floor as the classrooms have no desks or chairs. The institution though has a sterling new building that cost several crores and became operational on July 3. Inter colleges, also known as intermediate colleges, are government-run higher secondary schools in some states such as UP, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh. advertisement But while the students at the Noida school are made to sit on rugs, the teachers have sufficient furniture at their disposal. The report came a day after the state's nearly four-month-old Yogi Adityanath government announced a slew of measures for education in its budget aimed at the poor and backward classes, including Rs 52.66 crore to construct hostels for students and Rs 551.28 crore to reimburse their fees. When Mail Today spoke to authorities at the Rajkiya Balika Inter College, they said "arrangement for furniture will be made soon". The school has been constructed in Hoshiyarpur area of Noida's sector 51 this year. The orientation process began on July 1 while classes formally commenced the following Monday. According to the authorities, discussions are on for delivery of the furniture. But till then, the students will continue to sit on the floor. There were no blackboards or whiteboards either for the first few days and teaching was done orally. However, small blackboards are now being used till proper-sized ones are supplied. "The furniture has to be provided by the government. It is delayed primarily because elections came in between and then the government changed. Also, introduction of e-tenders might have slowed down the process a little bit more," Hem Lata, the principal, told Mail Today. She also said authorities didn't even provide enough rugs for girls to sit on. "We have bought a few carpets from our own funds and some were provided by local BJP worker Manmohan Chauhan," said the principal. "Even villagers have contributed a lot." Students say they are facing a lot of discomfort sitting on the floor all day. A lot of them complain of backaches and body pain. "When they were constructing this building for such a long time, they should also have made provisions for furniture in advance instead of waiting till the last moment," a student said. "Also, since generators have not been installed yet, we have to sit in uncomfortable heat whenever there is a power cut," another student said. The school also doesn't have enough teachers. There is a requirement for 15 postgraduate teachers, but only six have been appointed. advertisement According to the principal, one of the main reasons why there is a delay in filling the vacancies is the new transfer policy of the UP government, which has sent the whole process online. ALSO READ | UP school wants students to sport Yogi-like haircut, say no to beards and shun 'love jihad' ALSO READ | CBSE cracks down on schools selling uniforms, books, stationery: Not commercial establishments ALSO WATCH | School under the bridge: Changing young lives at Delhi's Yamuna Bank metro station --- ENDS --- By PTI: Kolkata, July 13 (PTI) Summoned by the CBI for his questioning of his alleged role in the Narada scam, West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee today failed to appear before the investigative agency and sought another date for the purpose. The CBI sources said Senior Trinamool Congress leader Mukherjee was summoned by the agency to explain his alleged involvement in the Narada sting operation, which shows many politicos and bureaucrats accepting cash from a fake businessman to accord official favour to his fictitious firm. advertisement "He has sought some more time and has told us that he would appear very soon before the CBI," a senior CBI official told PTI. According to the sources, the CBI would decide on the next date of appearance and subsequently issue another summon to Mukherjee. Posing as a businessman, journalist Matthew Samuels of Narada News had allegedly conducted a sting operation on several Trinamool leaders, including MPs, MLAs and ministers. The operation was aired just a fortnight before the 2016 West Bengal assembly election and featured a dozen Trinamool leaders purportedly accepting cash from the representative of a fictitious company. Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed and MLA and Kolkata Municipal Corporations Deputy Mayor Iqbal Ahmed have already been interrogated by the CBI in the case. PTI PNT KK RAX --- ENDS --- Update on the William Chick Scarritt House. Tiles are going on the west half of the roof. These were imported from Brazil. The tiles came by boat to Houston and then by rail to Kansas City. Next; the windows will be installed. Some of the window in the tower are curved. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two Kansas City residents have been charged with felony and misdemeanor animal abuse in connection with an injured dog known as "King," rescued by animal control officers in January 2017. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker charged Andre Christopher Brown, 31, with Animal Abuse by Torture and/or Mutilation, a Class E felony, and Animal Abuse, a misdemeanor. Kansas City Cuisine Stays Winning Kansas City restaurant named best BBQ restaurant in America One of Kansas City's most well-known barbeque joints has just been named the best BBQ restaurant in America by the New York Post. Joe's Kansas City topped a list of the top 28 BBQ restaurants in the country. Whether it's your favorite Kansas City BBQ, or not... Show-Me No Local Help Missouri Governor pledges additional law enforcement help to St. Louis, but not Kansas City St. Louis, Missouri has been ranked as "The Most Violent City in America." Now - Governor Greitens is looking to change that with a crackdown using the Missouri State Highway Patrol. However, Kansas City isn't far behind St. Louis on that list - but there's no push to curb violence on this side of the state. Flushing For The Troops KC tiny house project for veterans moves forward on the promise of flushing A rude surprise - no sewers - awaited Kansas City's Veterans Community Project after it acquired the site to build as many as 50 microhouses for the homeless. After much publicity but many months of delay, the infrastructure work has begun. Cowtown Hard Rock Review Iron Maiden doubled the heat at the Sprint Center last night Touring in support of its 2015 album, The Book of Souls, Iron Maiden took the stage in a sweltering Sprint Center last night. It was absurdly hot and humid on the streets of downtown Kansas City, and inside, the air conditioning could do only so much. Traditional Local Legends Congratulations to The Elders, Kansas City's Celtic rockers The Kansas Music Hall of Fame announced Celtic rockers 'The Elders' are its inductee for 2018. The Elders were formed in Kansas City in the 1990s by Norm Dahlor and Brent Hoad. Steve Phillips, Ian Byrne, Kian Byrne and Diana Ladio make up the six-member Celtic rock group. Hottieand her enduring online bikini body of work inspires this quick dip into some of the more important topics today.Dive right in . . .And this is thefor right now . . . Alonzo Washington: "Let me take the time to apologize to Lashanda Temple & Rosilyn Temple if they feel my criticism of Mothers in Charge are personal. They are not!!! Notice when I talk about Mothers in Charge I rarely say Ms. Temple's name. I am a gentleman & have respect for all women I just know the city if using Mothers In Charge to mislead the Black community & nothing is truly being done to address the murders of countless Black men, women & children in KCMO. I can't not say that truth. My attack is more so against the government of KCMO. They know funding balloon vigils won't work or change anything in the Black community. Honking a horn against murder won't help either. So, I will continue to educate our communities that we must do more than pray & throw up balloons but I want these two lovely ladies to know I'm not attacking them. I just have to wake Black people up. If black dogs were being killed in KCMO like Blacks are in KCMO White Folks would be outraged & the city would do far more than pray & throw up balloons: FACT!!!!!!! I have to speak truth!!!!! Sorry if I upset Lashanda & Rosilyn Temple!" Alonzo Washington: "I'm not attacking them personally but my opinion of Mothers in Charge isn't going to change. Mothers In Charge helps the organization get taxpayer's cash & get them on the local news. White news producers love them because it presents a image of failure of the Black community. Motherf*ckers get killed & then dumb motherf*ckers throw up balloons instead of give tips on the killers. It's a recipe for failure! I think these women are good people and they may not understand how they are being used to fail the Black community. Black people are being killed in large numbers every week. It is just a reality that we have to do more than pray & throw up balloons. Sorry to have to tell them both the truth!!! Give tips instead of blow up balloons. It's hip to give tips!!!" Here's a look at an important conversation developing among two parties who are both trying to help Kansas City in their own way.Recently, supporters of "Mothers In Charge" were angered by apt criticism about the futility of their efforts by KC CrimeFighter Activist Alonzo Washington.Rather than engage in online slap-fighting, here's the response that offers some perspective on how to better fight crime in Kasnas City.Checkit:An additional passage:More than anything, we think the efforts of Mr. Washington to encourage KCMO to cooperate with police deserves the spotlight and consideration as a much more effective method to fight crime.Developing . . . our TKC blog community is better than that Here'sby the writer Colin Patrick Flaherty:The video promotes the book: "Don't Make The Black Kids Angry" so you kinda know where he's coming from . . .Point of fact,The other clips are a bit more serious but there's not much commentary or insight . . . It's mostly just a promo for a book targeted at people who are easily manipulated, scared and probably have made a lot of unwise online purchases anyhoo.Do we cover a lot of the same stuff . . . ??? Yes. But here at TKC we can only hope that the haterz from both sides reveal their idiocy as we serve as a resource for news across the metro and encourage some thoughtful comments that appear every once in awhile amid the muck of gut reactions.Quick review: The video serves as a bombastic racially motivated starting point for consideration but it's an easily debunked and unsupported premise given that the clip is really just a book promo playing upon fears rather than working to offer any solution . . . Whereasand have long advocated civic & taxpayer support for police, better lighting and the curfew as a starting point to curbing flash mob violence.You decide . . . WILL THIS NEW KANSAS CITY ANTI-CRIME JOB HELP CURB THE DEADLY HOMICIDE SPIKE OR IS IT JUST MORE CITY HALL POLITICAL PATRONAGE?!?! One of the best and brightest of our blog community clowns the nomenclature: "I personally think we have enough violent crime without an organized program." The latest part of aplan to reduce deadly Kansas City crime involves hiring and even more community outreach.And so . . .Remember that most of theof anti-crime "activists" on the City Hall payroll have mostly served to demand more gun control and taxpayer subsidizedpizza parties.Here's the word . . .The City of Kansas City announced today that on July 16th, it will begin accepting applications for a newly created Violent Crime Programs Coordinator position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, with the hiring process expected to be conducted in August. The role will be a contract position and report directly to the City Manager.Kansas Citys violent crime doesnt have one cause, and it doesnt have one solution, said Mayor Sly James. That means we need collective effort. The Violent Crime Programs Coordinators work will be to ensure the advocates, law enforcement, researchers and activists who are working to make our community safer are accounted for in the strategy to reduce violence. And theres lots of work already being done to address systemic violence. But that work cant take place in silos, it has to be collaborative.This is a specialized position that will serve as a liaison in the Office of the City Manager to assist in efforts to reduce crime within communities in Kansas City, Missouri. The objectives are focused on collaboration with varied stakeholders including law enforcement, neighborhood leaders, organizations, elected officials and City Staff in order to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the Citizens Task Force on Violent Crime.Councilwoman Jolie Justus, who served as Chair for the Citizens Task Force on Violence, said the groups final report reflects two clear sentiments. First, as a community, we believe these recommendations are an essential component of reducing violent crime and they can complement the work of law enforcement and advocacy groups. Second, a lack of coordinated strategy has created a patchwork of violence prevention efforts when what we need is a cohesive, coordinated city-wide approach.That coordinated approach to reducing violent crime is essential to the new positions success. While organizations, community groups, institutions and law enforcement each represent critical work being done to build awareness, keep neighborhoods safe, or provide social or behavioral services the greatest opportunity for catalytic change is through a shared commitment to success.Keeping residents safe is our number one priority and that is a full-time job, however it takes more than just police to address issues leading up to violent crime, says Councilwoman Alissia Canady, who serves as Chair of the Neighborhoods and Public Safety Committee. We know we have to act intentionally to curtail the violence affecting our City. This new Coordinator will serve an important role helping to communicate and align the stakeholders, resources, and collaborative work necessary to reduce violent crime.The Citizens Task Force on Violence presented the Mayor with a set of recommendations for Kansas City to pursue aimed at reducing violent crime, including policy measures, research efforts, and community-based solutions. Creation of the Violent Crime Programs Coordinator was a priority recommendation key to facilitating the balance of the Task Force Report.Learn more: http://kcmo.gov/humanresources/careers-2/Phone: 816-513-1903 | Email: jobs@kcmo.orgTwitter: @CityofKCMOJobs | Facebook: www.facebook.com/CityofKCMOJobs################You decide . . . Greek Shipping and Island Policy ministry will put into public consultation a Presidential Decreee laying down the institutional framework for the supply of ships with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as fuel. Under this Decree, all ships sailing through Greek territorial waters will be obliged to use environmentally-friendly fuels, starting January 1, 2020. The draft Presidential Decree currently provided for consultation has 12 articles. Shipping and Island Policy Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis noted that the responsible departments of the Ministry after a hard work that lasted three months resulted in a very modern institutional framework for the supply of ships with Liquefied Natural Gas. He said that Greece did not have such an institutional framework until now, but now the gap has to be filled. The draft PD was given to all parties and stakeholders involved in the process, while the ministry remains open and available to all interested parties for proposals. The Greek ministry recommended that the interested parties should send their comments to the ministry until the end of August. The ministry's goal is to complete the process of preparing the Presidential Decree in September. The Minister of Shipping has stated that all the critical factors for aeration and especially safety for the protection of human life are taken into account. 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: fdecomite License: CC-BY-SA Source: ANA-MPA Eleven expatriate workers were killed in Saudi Arabia's Najran when a fire ripped through the windowless house they shared, reports said. Ten of those killed are Indians and one is a Bangladeshi. Six others were injured in the fire which broke out due to short circuit in an old air-conditioning unit, according to preliminary information. Firefighters put out a blaze in an old house lacking windows for ventilation. Eleven people died of asphyxiation, and six others were injured, in the southern province of Najran, the civil defense said in a tweet. The workers, who belonged to a construction company, were living near a gold market area in Faisaliah district. Among the six injured workers, four were from India, Saudi Gazette reported. The regions governor, Prince Jluwi bin Abdelaziz bin Musaed, has ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the fire incident, said an Arab News report. The governors office will be supervising the committee, which will include representatives from the Civil Defense, Municipality and the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, it said. The governor expressed disappointment on the lack of control on expatriates' humble lodgings in the region, questioning the role of field inspection teams, affiliated to the municipality and civil defense, said an SPA report. Oman Gas Company, a unit of Oman Oil Company, has signed key agreements related to Salalah LPG project, said a report. An agreement was signed with the Ministry of Oil and Gas on the right to build, own and operate the LPG extraction facilities, said the Times of Oman report. The agreement was signed by Eng Salim bin Nasser Al Oufi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, and Eng Isam bin Saud Al Zadjali, CEO of Oman Oil Company, owner of Oman Gas Company, it said. An agreement has also been signed with Oman Trading International Company to market the LPG. It has also entered into an agreement with Salalah Free Zone Company on the sub usufruct of about 20 hectares for the project at Salalah Free Zone. A lease agreement was signed with Salalah Port Services to allocate about 8 hectares for the LPG export facilities at Salalah Port. About $640 worth credit facilities agreements were also signed with a number of local, regional and international financial companies. Al Oufi said that the estimated cost of the project is about $820 million and that it will produce about 300,000 tonnes of liquefied gas. He added that the project will create 140 job opportunities at the operation state. The annual income of the project is expected to be $200 million. While about 10 per cent will be utilised at the local market, 80 to 90 per cent will be exported through International Marketing Company, added the report. Despite repeated reminders and orders from the Supreme Court, neither the states nor the Centre has been able to explain how Rs 900 crore were used by the states and Centre. By Anusha Soni: The Supreme Court today pulled up Centre over non compliance with international conventions regarding preservation of wetland sites in India. A bench headed by Justice Lokur told Centre, "India is supporting Paris Accord, Is this how you support it? How do you show your face to the international community. This is the respect you have for international conventions?". advertisement Despite repeated reminders and orders from the Supreme Court, neither the states nor the Centre has been able to explain how Rs 900 crore were used by the states and Centre. Under the international convention of Ramsar, 26 Ramsar sites or eco-sensitive areas were listed for conservation and maintenance. An angry bench even told the counsel for Ministry of Forest and Environment, "We will call the secretary and pack him to jail," said Justice Lokur when the Centre sought six months more time to file response. The Supreme Court in its order had identified over 2 lakh wetlands and asked for their conservation. --- ENDS --- Middle Eastern debt issuance reached $57.4 billion during the first half of 2017, an increase of 53 per cent year-on-year, according to a Thomson Reuters report. The value of announced M&A transactions with Middle Eastern involvement reached $20.1 billion in H1 2017, an 8 per cent increase from H1 2016, Thomson Reuters said in its quarterly investment banking analysis for the Middle East. Middle Eastern investment banking fees totalled an estimated $462.1 million during the first six months of 2017, 15 per cent less than the value of fees recorded during the same period in 2016, according to estimates from Thomson Reuters. Debt capital markets underwriting fees totalled $136.9 million, up 88 per cent year-on-year and the highest first half total in the region since Thomson Reuters records began in 2000, it said. Nadim Najjar, managing director, Middle East and North Africa, Thomson Reuters, said: Equity capital markets fees increased 36 per cent to $39.7 million. Fees generated from completed M&A transactions totalled $98.0 million, a 20 per cent decrease from last year and the lowest first six month total since 2012. Syndicated lending fees declined 41 per cent year-on-year to $187.6 million, a three-year low. Debt capital markets fees accounted for 30 per cent of the overall Middle Eastern investment banking fee pool, the highest first half share since 2001. Syndicated lending fees accounted for 41 per cent, while completed M&A advisory fees and equity capital markets underwriting fees accounted for 21 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, he added. HSBC earned the most investment banking fees in the Middle East during the first six months of 2017, a total of $29.2 million for a 6.3 per cent share of the total fee pool. UBS topped the completed M&A fee rankings with 20 per cent of advisory fees, while JP Morgan was first for DCM underwriting. ECM underwriting was led by EFG Hermes with $12.4 million in ECM fees, or a 31 per cent share. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China took the top spot in the Middle Eastern syndicated loans fee ranking. The value of announced M&A transactions with any Middle Eastern involvement reached $20.1 billion during the first six months of 2017, 8 per cent more than the value recorded during the first half of 2016. US chemical maker Tronoxs $2.2 billion acquisition of a Saudi Arabian titanium dioxide business is the largest deal to be announced so far during 2017, boosting inbound M&A to $6.6 billion, the highest first half total in 11 years. Domestic and inter-Middle Eastern M&A declined 46 per cent year-on-year to $2.8 billion, while outbound M&A activity dropped 13 per cent to $8.3 billion. Energy & Power deals accounted for 41 per cent of Middle Eastern involvement in M&A by value, while the financial sector dominated by number of deals. Six of the largest 10 deals announced in the region so far during 2017 were energy deals, the largest being Saudi Aramcos Saudi Refining units $2.2 billion payment to Royal Dutch Shell in the breakup of their oil refining joint venture Motiva Enterprises. Middle Eastern equity and equity-related issuance totalled $1 billion during the six months of 2017, a 72 per cent decline year-on-year and the lowest annual start for issuance in the region since 2004. Five initial public offerings raised $603.3 million and accounted for 60 per cent of first half ECM activity in the region. Dubai-based oil and gas production services firm ADES International Holding raised $243.5 million on the London Stock Exchange in May, the largest IPO in the region so far this year. Follow-on offerings accounted for the remaining 40 per cent of activity. The National Bank of Kuwait took first place in the H1 2017 Middle Eastern ECM ranking with a 24 per cent market share. Bolstered by Saudi Arabias $9.0 billion international Islamic bond in April and Kuwaits $8.0 billion debut international bond sale in March, Middle Eastern debt issuance reached $57.4 billion during the first half of 2017, 53 per cent more than the proceeds raised during the same period last year and by far the best annual start in the region since records began in 1980. Saudi Arabia was the most active nation in the Middle East accounting for 21 per cent of activity by value, followed by Kuwait with 18 per cent. International Islamic debt issuance increased 50 per cent year-on-year to reach $31.4 billion so far during 2017. JP Morgan took the top spot in the Middle Eastern bond ranking during the first half of 2017 with a 13.4 per cent share of the market, while HSBC took the top spot for Islamic DCM issuance with a 12.3 per cent share. -TradeArabia News Service Rosenblatt Report Says Widespread Dark Trading Bans Likely Under MIFID II Caps Come January 1, traders are likely to find that massive numbers of European stocks will be banned from the most-popular methods of dark trading. Thats the conclusion of a new Rosenblatt Securities report analyzing the potential impact of dark-pool regulations set to go live next year as part of revisions to the European Unions Markets in Financial Instruments Directive. The report, titled Shedding Light on MiFID IIs Dark Volume Caps, takes an in-depth look at how the new rules could affect trading in 757 stocks across 18 major European indexes. Bats Europe, a CBOE Holdings, Inc. company and the regions largest equities exchange operator, provided the data for the report. The double volume-cap rules trigger bans on certain types of dark trading when such transactions account for 4% of the total activity (over the past 12 months) in that security on an individual dark venue, or 8% of total trading in that stock market-wide. Securities breaching the 4% venue-specific cap are subject to a 6-month ban on the venue in question. Issues exceeding the 8% market-wide cap trigger a 6-month dark-trading ban market-wide. Key findings from the report include: Nearly three-quarters of all stocks measured breached the 8% market-wide cap UK and Irish stocks were heavily affected 89% of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 stocks, and 85% of Irelands ISEQ 20 constituents, exceeded the 8% cap Less-liquid issues are likely to suffer disproportionately under the caps: 83% of mid-cap index constituents breached the 8% threshold, compared with 67% of large-cap index constituents Individual dark pools surpassed 4% of total volume in a security 394 times, but there were only two instances in which an issue that did not trigger the 8% threshold breached the 4% cap The dark volume caps are probably the most consequential aspect of MiFID II for equity traders on day one, but theres been very little visibility into how impactful theyll be, said Justin Schack, a Managing Director and Partner at Rosenblatt who heads the firms market-structure group. We hope this report will illuminate things for institutional investors, as well as other market participants. Its particularly notable that the caps appear likely to disproportionately affect less-liquid stocks, said Anish Puaar, Vice President and European Market Structure Analyst at Rosenblatt, who authored the report. These names are already difficult to trade, which makes dark pools an appealing alternative for buy-side traders seeking to minimize information leakage and market impact. It will be interesting to see how restrictions on trading these stocks in the dark affect investor outcomes under MiFID II. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: You can opt out of certain types of cookies (e.g. those used in social media sharing) by choosing "I do not accept". The website will still largely function well, but with slightly less functionality in places. To manage your cookie preferences in future, visit the "Cookie Statement" link at the bottom of any page. BJP leader Sushil Modi on Thursday targeted Tejashwi Yadav on Twitter, seemingly comparing him to the juvenile who was involved in the dastardly Nirbhaya rape and murder. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who has been coming out with sensational exposes of corruption targeted at Rashtirya Janta Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members, stirred controversy on Thursady when he compared Lalu's Tejashwi Yadav with Nirbhaya's juvenile rapist. Modi took to Twitter to slam Tejashwi, who is Bihar's deputy chief minister. Modi did not name explicitly name Tejaswhi, but the context of tweet made it amply clear at whom the barb was aimed. advertisement "When someone without a moustache can commit heinous crime like Nirbhaya's rape, why can't such a person fraudulently amass properties", Modi said in his tweet, which was in Hindi. ? ??? ??? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ? ?, ???? ??? ? ?? ???? ?? ?- Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 13, 2017 Sushil Modi's post was in reference to Tejashwi's defence that he was just 14 or 15 years old and did not even have a moustache in 2005 when the railway tender scam that he has been linked to took place. Soon after Sushil Modi's controversial post, the RJD hit back with a tweet of its own. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi should tell the nation if he agrees with the comments made by Sushil Modi. Does the BJP also endorse Modi's comments", the RJD said via its official Twitter handle. In another tweet, the RJD added, "Sushil Modi is unnecessarily invoking rape victim Nirbhaya even after she has died and humiliating her just to prove his cheap argument". ALSO READ | Dump Lalu Prasad, get BJP support: Sushil Modi's offer for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar ALSO READ | BJP's Sushil Modi wants EC to disqualify Lalu's son, Bihar Dy CM Tej Pratap for hiding benami assets ALSO WATCH | Journalists assaulted by Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav's bodyguards outside Bihar Secretariat in Patna --- ENDS --- The two vessels were apprehended by the Coast Guard after its aircraft carried out extensive surveillance missions along the sensitive Gujarat coast with Pakistan. By India Today Web Desk: Two suspicious vessels have been caught by the Coast Guard off the Gujarat coast in the last 20 days. Their crew is being interrogated for any possible terror links as they were carrying high-end Thuraya satellite phones, which are mostly used by terrorists. Both these vessels had departed foreign ports and were not scheduled to enter any Indian port but claimed that they got drifted into Indian waters. This raised suspicion of the coastal security guards. advertisement The two vessels were apprehended by the Coast Guard after its aircraft carried out extensive surveillance missions along the sensitive Gujarat coast with Pakistan. On Jul 10, Indian Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft, on surveillance mission, sighted an unfamiliar boat adrift at sea. Leaving nothing to chance, the aircraft immediately informed the Coast Guard Ship Samudra Prahari in the area for investigation. The boat Al Bome Marize from Yemen was intercepted and boarded by Coast Guard Team at sea. Initial investigations revealed that the foreign boat with 3 crew from Yemen, 2 from Tanzania and 1 from Somalia, had developed engine problem on Jun 10 while operating off Yemen Coast and has been adrift since then. The boat was thoroughly searched for any illegal contraband or consignment. Thereafter, the boat was towed to Porbandar by Coast Guard ship for joint investigation by an interrogation team which is presently in progress to verify crew credentials. A Thuraya set along with two GPS sets was also recovered from the vessel. In a similar incident, a Dhow MSV AL Ariz was intercepted by Coast Guard ship on June 22 while maneuvering suspiciously off Gulf of Kutch and not replying on VHF. The Dhow loaded with sugar, cement, rice and five used cars had departed from Sharjah, UAE on May 21 for passage to Mukalla port in Yemen. The dhow with 11 Indian crew was investigated and then escorted by Coast Guard Ship to Mundra for joint investigation and rummaging. During initial interrogation, crew said they decided to head towards Indian Coast for shelter due to inclement weather. AIS and Thuraya sets were switched off during the passage. The crew along with 10 mobile phones and 2 GPS sets have been handed over to police and custom by Coast Guard. A thorough investigations and analysis by a joint team of Coast Guard, Police, IB and Customs is in progress. Also read: Coast Guard called in to rescue 25 workers stranded on barge in Mangaluru Women in combat: Coast Guard becomes 1st force to deploy female officers on frontlines --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Myanmars State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemning the terror attack that killed seven Amarnath pilgrims, the government said today. Suu Kyi also offered condolences to the victims of the July 10 terror attack. "Myanmar State Counsellor @OfficialSuuKyi writes to PM @narendramodi, condemns #AmarnathYatraattack and offers heartfelt condolences," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted. advertisement Leaders of several nations have condemned the attack on Amarnath pilgrims. PTI PR KUN --- ENDS --- New Delhi, July 13 With almost 91 lakh new taxpayers brought in the tax net last fiscal, the CBDT has asked the Income Tax Department to increasingly identify those who can pay tax but are not doing so, with a special focus on smaller cities. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman Sushil Chandra has written a letter to his regional I-T heads across the country asking them to "maximise" efforts for widening of the tax base during the current financial year of 2017-18. The CBDT frames policy measures for the tax department. Huge opportunities for identification of potential taxpayers have been opened up by data mining and data analytics conducted (by the department) in the wake of demonetisation and operation clean money," Chandra said in the letter, which has been accessed by PTI. Calling widening of tax base as one of the most important policy objectives of the CBDT, he said various steps have been taken to increase the tax base which have shown appreciable results. "It is quite encouraging to note that almost 91 lakh new taxpayers were added during financial year 2016-17. However, considering the increase in economic activities, both in the organised as well as unorganised sectors, there is a large scope for further widening of the direct tax base in the country," he stated in the letter. A senior official privy to the development said while no targets have been set by the CBDT in this context, it is estimated that about two crore fresh taxpayers could be easily added to the I-T net within this fiscal, if these measures are effectively implemented. As of now, the I-T department has about 6-7 crore registered taxpayers. The CBDT boss asked the taxman to tap data provided by the data mining and non-filers identifying database of the department, gather local intelligence, obtain inputs from market associations, trade bodies and others to find out more such people who are eligible to pay income tax but are not doing so. Data from the intelligence and criminal investigation wing of the department and from the operation clean money should also be used, he said, to send "request letters" to all potential taxpayers expeditiously and in a time-bound manner. He suggested that the tax officers can hold public sessions in this context. "Awareness meetings and outreach programmes may also be used for supplementing these efforts so as to encourage voluntary compliance, especially in tier-2 and 3 cities," the CBDT chairman wrote. Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are those which are slightly smaller in population density and working human resource as compared to the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and few others. He also asked the I-T chiefs to develop a "regional strategy" in line with the specific profile of the area under their jurisdiction to "significantly widen the tax base this year." PTI Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News Service Shimla, July 13 Nine days after the gang-rape and murder case of a minor girl shook the hill state of Himachal, the Special Investigation Team headed by IG (Southern Range) Zahur Zaidi on Thursday arrested six persons. Ashish Chauhan alias Ashu, 29, a resident of Sharal village in Kotkhai, was arrested early today. The other five, Rajender Singh (32) alias Raju (driver of a pick-up), a resident of Hiliala village; Subash Singh Bisht (42), and Deepak (29) alias Deepu, both residents of Pauri Garwal; Suraj Singh (29) and Lok Jung (19) alias Chotu, both from Nepal were arrested later in the day. Addressing the media, DGP Somesh Goyal said: There was no advance planning to commit the crime and it was a case of opportunity. We have physical, technical, forensic, circumstantial and confessional evidence against the accused. All the accused were living in Kotkhai area for past many years and they were nabbed from the area. Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) Zahur H Zaidi said the pick-up driver, Raju, was known to the victim. On July 4, when the victim was on her way back home, Raju offered her a lift. When the girl was offered the lift, the other five accused were also sitting in the vehicle and were drunk. Raju dropped some horticulture equipment at a farm, and on the way pulled the victim out at an isolated place where she was raped. He said that the girl was strangulated while she was being raped as the accused had held her head and mouth. Zaidi said the spot where the crime was committed and from where the body was recovered was the same. He said the police in the case have questioned 84 persons and screened 28 call details. The police have registered a case of rape and murder under Sections 302, 376 and Section 4 of POCSO Act against unknown people. The 16-year-old girl was a student at Mahasu government school in Kotkhai. Goyal has appealed to the people to desist from circulating unverified news and photographs related to the case on social media, which made the work of SIT that much more difficult. Besides, such posts can attract civil and criminal liability, he said. Tribune News Service Shimla, July 13 The Special Investigation Team today arrested six persons for the rape and murder of a 16-year-old schoolgirl at Kotkhai in Shimla district. They are Ashish Chauhan (29) alias Ashu of Sharaal village in the Mahasu area of Kotkhai, Rajender Singh (32) alias Raju (driver of a pick-up van) of Hiliala village, Subhash Singh Bisht (42) and Deepak (29) alias Deepu, both residents of Pauri Garhwal, Suraj Singh (29) and Lok Jung (19) both from Nepal. There was no planning to commit a crime and it was a case of opportunity crime and we have physical, technical, forensic, circumstantial and confessional evidence against them, said DGP Somesh Goyal, while addressing mediapersons. The viscera report was awaited and the police claimed that there was enough evidence, including call details of the accused, bites on breast, DNA and confessional statements. All accused had been living in Kotkhai for many years. Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) Zahur H Zaidi, who is also heading SIT, said the pick-up driver Raju, the main accused, was known to the victim and sometimes dropped her. On July 4, when the victim was on her way back home, Raju, who was accompanied by other accused, offered her lift and after offloading some horticulture equipment at a farm, he took her to an isolated place. The accused under the influence of alcohol raped her and after the act, she was strangulated, Zaidi said, adding that the spot where the crime was committed and from where the body was recovered was the same. Both human and technical intelligence was used and 84 persons were questioned and 28 call details were screened. Following some inputs, call details of Ashish, who was active on mobile, was screened and it was found that on the evening of July 4, he was not active on the cellphone which raised suspicion and during interrogation, he gave clues which helped in arresting other culprits, Zaidi said. As some photographs were circulated on the Internet regarding the case, the DGP has appealed to the people to desist from circulating unverified news and photographs related to the case on the social media which is making the work of SIT more difficult and cautioned that such posts can attract civil and criminal liability. The police had registered a case under Sections 302, 376 and Section 4 of the POCSO Act. The girl, a student of Class X, had joined the government school at Mahasu just one-and-a-half month back. Widespread protests by students, political and social organisations and Mahila Mandals seeking immediate arrest of the culprits mounted pressure on the police. Cant be compared with Nirbhaya case The police said the rape and murder case could not be compared to Nirbhaya case as in Nirbhaya, the statement of the victim was available, her friend was an eyewitness and footage of CCTV camera were also available but in this case there were no such witnesses or clues available. IG: Main accused known to victim Pick-up driver Raju, the main accused, was known to the victim and sometimes dropped her On July 4, when the victim was on her way back home, Raju, who was accompanied by other accused, offered her lift He took her to an isolated place and with others, she was raped and strangulated Fast-track case for early trial, says Dhumal Solan: PK Dhumal, former CM and Leader of the Opposition, while terming the rape and murder of a minor school girl of Kotkhai as an illustration of the worsening law and order in the state said all culprits should be arrested at the earliest and the case should be put in a fast track court for speedy trial. He said such happenings were deplorable and they reflected the failure of law and order in the state. Talking to media persons near Parwanoo he said fast tracking the case would deliver speedier justice to the aggrieved family. TNS Srinagar, July 12 Two soldiers were killed today as Pakistani troops, violating the ceasefire, resorted to firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in the remote mountainous Keran sector of Kupwara. The Army did not elaborate on the intensity of the firepower by the Pakistani troops. Since the past few weeks, the Pakistani army has been shelling border villages and forwards posts of the Indian Army in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Meanwhile, the security forces have launched a hunt for Pakistani national and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, the brain behind the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims on Monday, a senior police official said. The government has sounded the highest alert across Jammu and Kashmir. Proactive operations have been launched, mainly in south Kashmir, to track down Ismail with investigations, including communication intercepts, pointing to his involvement in the attack. The official said the Anantnag attack appeared to be in retaliation against the killing of several LeT terrorists, including top commander Bashir Lashkari, earlier this month. "Frustrated at back-to-back losses in the counter-insurgency operations over the past month or so, they are now attacking civilians and tourists," he said. A Home Ministry official in Delhi indicated that the anti-terror operations would be stepped up. Meanwhile, a central ministerial team comprising Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir held extensive discussions with the security top brass, Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. They discussed the security situation in detail before a security review with the local Army commander, Chief Secretary, the police chief and senior CRPF and BSF officers. Islamabad, July 13 Pakistan on Thursday said it was considering India's request to grant a visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother so that she can travel to the country to meet her son who was sentenced to death by a military court. India had requested Pakistan to allow Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "Pakistan is considering the Indian request for the grant of visa to the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. Zakaria's remarks came two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi said she had written a "personal letter" to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asking for approval of Avantika's visa application so that she may travel to Pakistan. She also said Aziz did not even respond to her letter. "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 had tweeted. Zakaria also accused India of imposing "conditions" for the approval of medical visas of Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in the country. Zakaria said asking for recommendations from Aziz to grant visas was against "diplomatic norms". Jadhav, 46, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military tribunal in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Pakistan has dismissed India's consular access request to Jadhav more than 15 times. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the Vienna Convention by doing so. India had approached the International Court of Justice in May seeking provisional stay to execution of Jadhav which was granted. PTI New Delhi, July 13 India said on Thursday that it was still committed to solving unresolved issues with Pakistan Kashmir included bilaterally, a day after China offered its services to mediate the dispute. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at his weekly press briefing that India's position on addressing all unresolved issues with Pakistan, including Kashmir, "in a bilateral framework" had not changed, the spokesperson said, adding the prime issue between the two countries was cross-border terrorism. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "Our stand is absolutely clear. You are aware that the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country that threatens peace and stability in the country, region, and the world. We are ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir under a bilateral framework," Baglay said. On the standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area, he said diplomatic channels would continue to be used for a resolution. He was reacting to the Chinese Foreign Office spokesperson on Wednesday saying that China was ready to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties over Kashmir, where the "situation has attracted the attention of the international community". "We are ready to talk Kashmir with Pakistan, but no third party mediation," Baglay said. PTI/ IANS Kodaikanal, July 13 Irom Sharmila, the indefatigable fighter against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, has decided to tie the knot. On Wednesday, she filed an application for marriage with her long-time British friend Desmond Coutinho in the office of Sub Registrar Rajesh in this hill station in Tamil Nadu. Sharmila, who had a disastrous debut in assembly elections in Manipur this year, filed the application under the Hindu Marriage Act. The Sub Registrar told her that since it is an inter-religious marriage, they have to file the application under the Special Marriage Act. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rajesh said their application would be put up on the notice board for any objections and the marriage could be performed after the expiry of the 30-day notice period. Sharmila, who moved to Kodaikanal and has been living with her friend for some months, told reporters that she came to Kodaikanal in search of peace and liked the place. Though defeated in her fight, she said she had not given up her cause. Sharmila is popular for her more than 16-year-long hunger strike demanding the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Manipur. She ended the fast in August last year. IANS Yash Goyal Jaipur, July 13 A man was killed and 35 others, including 30 cops, were injured in violence at Sanvarda village between protesters and police after a condolence meet organised by the Rajput community on Wednesday to pay tribute to gangster Anandpal Singh. They demanded a CBI probe into the fake encounter in which Singh was killed. The deceased was identified as Lalchand of Rohtak, while Jodhpurs Mahendra, who was seriously injured, was admitted to SMS Hospital in the wee hours of Thursday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Indefinite curfew was imposed on Thursday morning in Sanvarda village and adjoining places of Nagaur district, ADGP NRK Reddy said. Two hundred protesters, including Rajput leaders, have been arrested, and their role is being examined, he said. Thirteen companies of Rajasthan Armed Constabularies and 1,000 cops have been deployed and the situation was under control, the ADGP claimed. Meanwhile, the railways has cancelled the Ratangarh-Sardarshahar train, partially cancelled the Jodhpur-Hisar train and diverted three others after the agitation led to damage to the track on Sanvarda-Ratangarh-Churu-Bikaner section. Protesters snatched an AK-47 rifle and two pistols from guards of Nagaur SP and set afire the SPs car, the ADGP said. Meanwhile, taking a suo motu cognisance, Rajasthan Human Rights Commission has asked the state government that in case the family did not cremate Anandpal, the government should do so without delay. Anandpal was killed in the exchange of fire with police at Malasar on June 24. Since then Rajputs have been protesting, demanding a CBI probe in the encounter which they are calling fake. Kohima, July 13 The Nagaland political crisis took a new turn on Thursday day with the state cabinet turning down Governor P B Acharya's directive to Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu to call an emergency assembly session by July 15 to seek trust vote. A cabinet meeting headed by Liezietsu discussed the governor's directive last night and took the decision against calling any emergency session of the assembly. "The state cabinet was of the firm opinion that there was no justification for an emergency session of the assembly to discuss or resolve the internal affairs of the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF)," stated a joint statement issued by Chief Minister Liezietsu and Chief Secretary Panjak Kumar. The cabinet quoted a Supreme Court judgement, saying that "The governor can summon or prorogue and dissolve the House, only on the aid and advice of the council of ministers with the chief minister as its head, and not on his own." With the bypoll to Northern Angami-I seat already notified and the Model Code of Conduct in force, the cabinet felt that since the chief minister has filed his nomination on July 11, "it would not be legally proper for the cabinet to advise so, and for the governor to summon the assembly during this election period. "There is no split in NPF and the party supports the Shurhozelie-led ministry," the cabinet maintained. The governor's directive, asking Liezietsu to seek a trust vote in the assembly on or before July 15, came after former Chief Minister T R Zeliang staked claim to form the government. Zeliang claimed that he has the support of 37 NPF MLAs and seven independent legislators in the 60-member House. "The group of dissident legislators from the NPF, now reportedly camping at Kaziranga in Assam under the leadership of T R Zeliang, who are demanding change of leadership still belong to the NPF Party. "Though 10 MLAs have been suspended, they are still bound by their membership of the NPF Party and they do not have a separate identity in the assembly," the cabinet said. Therefore, the Cabinet said, the dissidents have "no legal right" to demand the Governor for effecting change of leadership, which can be taken up only in the official meeting of the NPF legislature party. It also said that they "cannot demand" a special assembly session to resolve an internal party matter either. The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, meanwhile, has urged the governor to dismiss the Liezietsu government and recommended the imposition of President's Rule in the State as it faces an "extraordinary situation of political instability". Acharya is yet to respond to the Cabinet's decision not to call an emergency session of the assembly. He is expected to arrive here tomorrow. The present strength of the 60-member Nagaland assembly is 59 as the Northern Angami I seat is vacant now. The bypoll for the seat would be held on July 29. In the assembly, the NPF has 47 members, the BJP four and independents eight. PTI A Swiss company has rolled out cannabis cigarettes for its consumers which can get them high, wherever it is legal to smoke in the country. By India Today Web Desk: If you come across marijuana smokers, the only pain they talk about is rolling their joints. And this is not joint-pain we talk about. Rolling a joint is pretty much like preparing your cigarettes, from the scratch. Well, the Swiss have gotten rid of the trouble that has irked countless cannabis connoisseurs and average consumers of the psychoactive drug. Photo: heimatzigaretten.ch advertisement A small tobacco-maker is now offering cigarettes they claim contain just the right amount of cannabinoid to be beneficial, according to an RT report. "The world's first tobacco-and-hemp cigarette comes from Eastern Switzerland," reads the website of an independent company called Koch & Gsell, reassuring those in doubt that, "yes, of course, it's legal." "The natural tobacco-and-hemp blend develops a bouquet of mild, sweet and spicy aromas when smoked, exuding the unmistakable scent of cannabis," reads a statement from the company, which is based in the canton of St Gallen in northeast Switzerland. LOOKS POSITIVE The new cigarettes contain a legally permissible amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the cannabis compound which is responsible for the high people get after the consumption of the psychoactive drug. They also have "an extremely high proportion of cannabidiol (CBD), a substance attributed with a range of different positive effects." CBD is also believed to help relieve pain, anxiety and various other conditions. HEIMAT CIGARETTES People can buy a pack of the new Heimat cigarettes for 19.90 Swiss francs (Rs 1,300 approximately) at kiosks. People can even order on the company's website. The cigarettes will be available in the supermarkets of one of the country's largest retail chains, the Coop, starting from July 24. SWISS CANNABIS AFFAIR With plans underway in Switzerland to decriminalise the consumption and production of cannabis for personal use, it's no longer a criminal offense to carry 10 grams of cannabis or less, which is now only punishable by a 100-franc fine (Rs 6,600 approximately). Smoking hemp cigarettes will be possible anywhere smoking is permitted, the Swiss company has warned consumers to not bring these abroad if they want to avoid criminal proceeding since there are countries where cannabis is still illegal to consume or possess. FYI || Old church converted into International Church of Cannabis for pot worshippers || FYI || Hollyweed: Prankster 'honours marijuana' changing LA's landmark sign || FYI || Hyderabad man turns 3 BHK apartment into marijuana field, arrested || --- ENDS --- New Delhi, July 13 The government has called an all-party meet on Friday on the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops along the border, government sources said on Thursday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The meeting, which is likely to be held at Home Minister Rajnath Singhs residence, is aimed at briefing the Opposition parties about the situation along the border in Sikkim, where a stand-off has been continuing since June. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will brief Opposition leaders on the standoff, the sources said. The meeting, for which invitation has gone from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, comes ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament set to start from July 17. A standoff is continuing between Indian and Chinese troops along the border in Sikkim, near India-China-Bhuta tri-junction since June. The trouble started after China attempted to build a road in Bhutans territory. Agencies Yash Goyal Jaipur, July 13 Gangster Anandpal Singh, who was killed in an exchange of fire with police on June 24, was on Thursday cremated at his native village, Sanvarda, in Nagaur district of Rajasthan during one-hour relaxation in curfew. One person was killed and 30, including policemen, injured in violence between protesters and police after a condolence meet organised by the Rajput community on Wednesday to pay tribute to Anandpal. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The deceased was identified as Lalchand of Rohtak, while Jodhpurs Mahendra, who was seriously injured, was admitted to SMS Hospital in the wee hours of Thursday. More than 300 villagers attended the cremation that took place in the evening amidst unprecedented security cover. The Rajasthan Human Right Commission has order the family of the slain gangster to complete cremation within 24 hours. Taking a suo motu cognisance, the rights panel had asked the state government that in case the family did not cremate Anandpal, the government should do so without delay. Around 200 protesters, including top leaders of Rajput community, were detained before the cremation to avoid any untoward incident. Fugitive Anandpal was killed in a police encounter at Malasar on June 24. A postmortem was held at Ratangarh Hospital on June 24 and second one, on a court order, on June 30 in Churu district. Since then members of the Rajput community were holding protests demanding a CBI probe into the encounter which they called fake. One person was killed and 35 others, including 30 cops, were injured in violence at Sanvarda village on Wednesday. Indefinite curfew was imposed on Thursday morning in Sanvarda village and adjoining places of Nagaur district, ADGP NRK Reddy said earlier. Two hundred protesters, including Rajput leaders, have been arrested, and their role is being examined, he said. Thirteen companies of Rajasthan Armed Constabularies and 1,000 cops have been deployed and the situation was under control, the ADGP claimed. Meanwhile, the railways has cancelled the Ratangarh-Sardarshahar train, partially cancelled the Jodhpur-Hisar train and diverted three others after the agitation led to damage to the track on Sanvarda-Ratangarh-Churu-Bikaner section. Protesters snatched an AK-47 rifle and two pistols from guards of Nagaur SP and set afire the SPs car, the ADGP said. Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 13 External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will tomorrow brief leaders of the Opposition parties on China in view of the Doklam crisis, and on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting will be held at the residence of Singh. Sources said the idea behind the meet was to reach out to the Opposition in an effort to build a consensus before the monsoon session of Parliament begins on Monday. The India-China standoff in the Doklam region also has Bhutan entangled in the situation, making it a complex one. While China has been noticeably aggressive in its comments and stand on the Doklam issue, India has been taking a more mellow and conciliatory tone. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Indian troops objected to the construction of a road in the Doklam region which China claims is part of its territory. India has stated that any attempts at construction would effectively mean an attempt to change the status quo and also have serious security implications. China, however, has stuck to the stand that for any meaningful dialogue to begin, Indian troops first need to withdraw from the region. Sanjeev Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 13 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on Thursday signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology to establish Indias first Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) at Patent Information Centre, Punjab. This is being set up under the World Intellectual Property Organisations (WIPO) TISC programme. The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India. Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal Point for the TISC national network. As the national focal point, CIPAM will identify potential host institutions, assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC programme. CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network. Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions an access to the global network. In upcoming years, CIPAM is planning to establish TISCs in universities, State Science Councils, R&D institutions, etc. TISC will give an impetus to knowledge sharing, sharing of best practices among the TISCs, capacity building, generation and commercialisation of IPs. WIPOs Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) programme provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally-based, high-quality technology information and related services, helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect and manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). New Delhi, July 13 Imagine a turmeric-filled cliff rock! Such a piece of art was witnessed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in the national capital, last month. According to their official website, ' Norway in India', it was a photograph of a cliff rock at the west coast of Norway, covered in turmeric (haldi) powder. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The print has been cut along the contour of the rock, so that the work takes on a double role as both sculpture and photo. The unique work of art, titled '60.220966N, 4.994361E,' is the piece by Norwegian artist Erik Friis Reitan, which was first exhibited at the exhibition ' Dwelling Pluralities' at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kerala. According to the website, the artist imported 20 kilos of turmeric powder from Kochi to Bergen, Norway, and spread it over the cliff rock, rendering it bright orange. The artist has created a vehicle for the spice to return to its homeland in a new context. "Spice trade has been, and still is, important to the commercial life of Kochi. The spice trade routes have formed connections between countries and continents, and thus facilitated the movement of culture," described the artist. The description further said that the turmeric powder used has a special significance and as according to various Indian traditions, the yellow powder from ground turmeric root is used as a spiritual symbol of purification and auspicious beginning, in addition to the strong beliefs of its medicinal qualities. Though such spiritual practice is not that prevalent in Norway, many of them regard nature as having a certain spiritual potential and meaning, resembling the beliefs of indigenous peoples. The website comments on the exhibit saying, "When we saw the exhibit at the Biennale, we thought that placing a replica of this work will aptly represent Norway-India fusion in the new Embassy building that itself is Norwegian architecture created with the help of Indian partners. The piece is now proudly placed in the Ambassador's office."ANI Mexico City, July 13 Attackers burst into a home in central Mexico during a party and murdered 11 people, the Hidalgo state security service and media reports said on Thursdaythe violence-plagued countrys latest mass murder. Authorities found the gory scene when they responded to an emergency call received just after midnight in the city of Tizayuca, said a statement. Media reports said gunmen had burst into a party at the house and shot dead seven men and four women. AFP Dhaka, July 13 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday defended Bangladeshs decision to buy two submarines worth $203 million from China, saying the move wont elicit negative reactions from other countries as it was for safeguarding the countrys sovereignty. Hasina called China a key-development partner and said Bangladesh purchased two Chinese-made submarines to modernise its defence system by upgrading the Navy into a three-dimensional force. I believe that the decision of buying two submarines from China is related to the national interest of Bangladesh, and it wont create any negative reaction in the political arena in the outside world, she told Parliament late Wednesday. The premiers comments came in response to a lawmakers question on the negative speculation four months after Bangladesh Navy commissioned the two Type 035G-class submarines, also known as Ming-class, naming them as BN Nabajatra and BN Agrajatra. She said Bangladeshs defence system was further strengthened than before due to induction of the two submarines into the Navy. The Prime Minister said the two submarines would make important contributions to safeguarding the countrys sovereignty and besides, its expected that the two submarines would play a special role in the Blue Economy meaning the countrys economic uplift. The conventional diesel electric submarines are equipped with torpedoes and mines. Bangladesh analysts said procurement of the two submarines at a cost of $203 million reflected the countrys growing economic and defence ties with Beijing. Hasina announced her plan to procure the Chinese submarines in 2013 when Bangladesh signed a billion-dollar deal with Russia to buy fighter training jets, helicopters and anti-tank missiles. PTI Washington, July 13 President Donald Trump has said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been happier if his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton had won last years General Election, as this would have made America weak. In his first major interview after his last weeks maiden meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Trump said he and the Russian leader both are advocating interest of their respective countries. But there is scope for co-operation between the two at the global stage. We are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because Im a big military person. As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. Thats what Putin doesnt like about me, Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in an interview. And thats why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesnt want to see that, he said, according to the excerpts of the interview released by CBN. From day one I want fracking and everything else to get energy prices low and to create tremendous energy. Were going to be self-supporting, we just about are now. Were going to be exporting energy he doesnt want that. He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills. "He would much rather have that because energy prices would go up and Russia as you know relies very much on energy, he continued. The full interview is scheduled to be telecast on Thursday. So there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think probably not, because when I want a strong military, you know she wouldnt have spent the money on military, he said. When I want tremendous energy, were opening up coal, were opening up natural gas, were opening up fracking, all the things that he would hate, but nobody ever mentions that, said the US President. In the middle of a political storm, because of allegations of Russian connections by his campaign, Trump said the two countries can get along together. Well he wants whats good for Russia, and I want whats good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a ceasefire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and thats the way it is, Trump told CBN. His meeting with Putin in Germany last week went quite well, he said. Sometimes youre not going to get along on things and sometimes you will. But we had a good meeting, it was a face to face meeting, it was a long meeting. It was two hours and 15 minutes. Everyone was surprised by the amount of time but that was a good thing and not a bad thing, he said. Yeah, I think we get along very well and I think thats a good thing, thats not a bad thing. People said, Oh they shouldnt get along. Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesnt make sense not to have some kind of a relationship, Trump said. Syria is one area where there is potential of a large cooperation. I think we had an excellent meeting. One thing we did is we had a ceasefire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days, Trump said. The ceasefire has held for four days. Those (previous) ceasefires havent held at all. Thats because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and its held. Now, I dont know whats going to happen. Maybe as were speaking they start shooting again. But this has held unlike all of the other ceasefires that didnt mean anything, he said. So, that was a great thing that came out of that meeting. I think a lot of things came out of that meeting but I do believe its important to have a dialogue and if you dont have a dialogue, its a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody, Trump told CBN. PTI Born on November 9, 1989, Tejaswi was just 15 years, 3 months and 16 days then. Nobody, though, claims that Tejaswi got involved in the illegal deal at the age of 15. By Rohit Kumar Singh: RJD chief Lalu Prasad's scam tainted son and deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav is right when he says that he did not have a moustache when the quid pro quo deal took place on February 25, 2005 between businessman Harsh Kochar and Lalu's close aide Prem Gupta, owner of Delight Marketing Private Limited. Born on November 9, 1989, Tejaswi was just 15 years, 3 months and 16 days then. Nobody, though, claims that Tejaswi got involved in the illegal deal at the age of 15. advertisement "I was just 14 or 15 then. I did not even have a moustache then, how could I have been part of the scam then?" defended Tejaswi Yadav when he briefed media after coming out of the cabinet meeting on corruption charges being leveled against him. But what was Tejaswi's age when he became a Director in Delight Marketing Private Limited for the first time on January 6, 2014, a shell company of Prem Gupta? He was 24 years, 1 month and 28 days old then, a age when he cannot claim to be a minor but an adult. Then why is he playing a victim card AND saying that he was being framed for being part of the scam when he was 15? He was not a part of the scam at the age of 15 but he definitely became part of the scam at the age of 24. Further, Tejaswi was 27 years, three months and five days old when the name of Delight Marketing Private Limited was changed to LARA Projects LLP, a company which is totally now controlled by Lalu and family. He became a full-fledged director in LARA Projects LLP on February 4, 2017. After becoming director in the new company, he also became the owner of controversial two acre of land in Patna which was gifted to Delight Marketing Private Limited in 2005. It is this piece of prime land in Patna's Saguna Mor area on which a mall worth Rs 750 crore of Lalu family was being built. "Tejaswi cannot hide escape from charges leveled on him by claiming that he was a minor. The charges on him are of the time when he was an adult," 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 Also watch: Lalu rail scam: Why JD-U silent, what's Nitish Kumar's next move? --- ENDS --- A Tulsa man whose husband has a pending lawsuit against the University of Tulsa regarding his 2015 suspension has filed an open records lawsuit against Tulsa Community College. Christopher Barnett cites what he says is TCCs refusal to provide all releasable copies of emails between a TCC employee and a professor at issue in the litigation against TU. The Tulsa County District Court petition seeks a declaration that TCCs policy requiring payment of fees from prior searches before subsequent Open Records Act requests will be acted upon violates state law. Barnett argued that the policy is contrary to Open Records Act provisions that prohibit public bodies from using search fees to discourage the public from requesting records. The Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office told the Tulsa World on Tuesday that it has agreed to TCCs request to take up the matter on its behalf after receiving a request from TCC on Monday to do so. Barnetts attorney, Spencer Bryan, said nonpayment of a prior search fee is not an exception to the acts requirements. TCC, according to the document, notified Barnett that he owed roughly $1,400 worth of search fees related to requests he made from July 2015 to May 2016 for emails and other documents and said it would not fulfill further requests until the balance was paid. Under TCCs view, a citizen must pay whatever TCC charges or summarily lose their rights under the act, Bryan said. Were hopeful the courts will see it differently and put an end to this policy. Barnetts petition states that he first served TCC in July 2015 with a request for emails between a male TCC employee who works with the VanTrease Performing Arts Center and a TU theater professor named in a January 2016 lawsuit filed by Barnetts husband, Trey Barnett. That suit argues that Trey Barnett was wrongfully suspended from TU effective January 2015 over the content of Facebook posts Christopher Barnett created. Christopher Barnett told the World in a January 2016 email that the TU theater professor and the TCC employee, who are now named in his petition, are married. The TU professor, whom Christopher Barnett implied was having an affair in his Facebook posts, was involved in disciplinary proceedings against Trey Barnett. Lauren Brookey, TCCs vice president of external affairs and TCC Foundation president, told the World in a phone interview that the initial request in July 2015 appeared to have been filed after one of the Barnetts asked about holding an event at the VanTrease Performing Arts Center in southeast Tulsa. Brookey said the request was declined but did not say why and declined to comment on whether the TCC employee identified in the suit was involved in that decision, citing personnel reasons. The types of requests, the volume, the years requested and the variety, that was our main concern. The time required to be responsive without a real understanding of how those requests correlated to public activities was a concern, Brookey said, calling the records requests voluminous. She said she hopes the Attorney Generals Office will help better outline what should be considered public business and whether requests can be worked on while a search fee payment is pending. In the same email previously sent to the World, Christopher Barnett said he tried unsuccessfully to lease space from TCC for the couples nonprofit production company. He said he became aware that the TCC employee named in the petition had obtained an email he wrote referencing the lease request and sent it to the TU professor, whom he alleged discussed the history that Trey Barnett who in 2015 was enrolled at TCC had with her at TU. He wrote that the rejection made it apparent that the TU professor is still causing problems for the couple even though Trey Barnett is no longer attending classes at the university. Calling the child sex-crime allegations against a Collinsville man despicable, a Tulsa County judge handed down a sentence of 25 years in prison on Thursday. Derick Dean Brown, 26, received two 25-year sentences in Tulsa County District Court for two counts of first-degree rape of a person younger than 14, as well as a five-year sentence for a charge of possession of child pornography and 20-year terms for one count each of forcible oral sodomy with someone younger than 16 and making lewd proposals to a child. He entered blind guilty pleas in May to the five 2015 felony charges while serving a 17-year federal sentence for similar offenses. District Judge Sharon Holmes said multiple times that she struggled with how to sentence Brown in part because of his age, military background and the severity of the allegations against him. I really do hope you get the help you need, sir, because you committed some despicable acts, she said. The prison sentences Holmes imposed will run concurrently with one another and also with Browns federal sentence, but Brown must spend at least 85 percent of his sentence in custody and register as a sex offender when he is released. Brown, then 23, was charged in the March 3, 2015, rape of the a then-13-year-old girl he met on the social media app Whisper, which allows people to send and receive messages anonymously. Police apprehended Brown, who is no longer in the military, after setting up a sting in which a detective communicated with him while posing as the girl. Assistant District Attorney Tanya Wilson asked Holmes to sentence Brown to life imprisonment, but Browns attorney, Lee Berlin, asked that she not impose a sentence longer than the one he received in federal court. Berlin said the court should consider that Brown voluntarily admitted wrongdoing and saved the girl from the ordeal of testifying in a trial. He also said Brown was himself a victim of sexual assault while he was stationed abroad. Before being sentenced, Brown stood up in Holmes courtroom to apologize to the girls family and to his own and said he wants to complete treatment programs for sex offenders while incarcerated. I know that shes gonna have to live with this for the rest of her life, Brown said. When he sat down, Holmes told him, You have essentially ruined a young womans life. I struggled with this because youre an Air Force veteran and you knew right from wrong, she said. I think you know its not OK and it never will be. Wilson read a victim-impact statement from the girl in which she said she didnt want to have sexual contact with Brown but did so because she didnt want to lose the person I told everything to. The girl later told a doctor she had been talking to Brown on the app, which resulted in her parents and later police being notified. She reported to police that she told Brown she was underage. Wilson emphasized that the Tulsa County case wasnt Browns first for a sex-crimes offense and pointed to evidence collected by police, which included a pornographic video of a small child and a dog, as proof that he didnt deserve leniency. Tulsa Police Child Crisis Unit Detective Aubrie Thompson said Browns remarks to her about how he is attracted to what hes attracted to showed her he wont respond to treatment. This is a young man who was 23, 24, and who preyed on a 13-year-old girl, Wilson told reporters after the hearing. One night he picks her up, and on the side of the road, he rapes her in three different ways. On the side of the road. A 13-year-old girl. That should never be her experience, and he knew better. In the federal case, Brown pleaded guilty to text messaging an underage girl in Montana and enticing her to send him pornographic content of herself when he was 21. That girl told detectives in 2015 that she believed she and Brown, whom she met while he was stationed at a Montana Air Force base, were in a relationship. Authorities recaptured two inmates from McDonald County, Missouri, after they allegedly escaped confinement and were thought to be heading to Tulsa. Missouri authorities recaptured the first inmate, John Weeks, on Thursday in McDonald County. McDonald County, Missouri Sheriff Michael Hall said authorities recaptured Christopher Walker, thought to have ties to Tulsa, on Friday morning. Weeks and Walker allegedly escaped the Missouri jail on Wednesday. The duo allegedly escaped through the jail's ventilation system and through a part of the jail under construction. Weeks was in jail on charges of assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, Hall said. Walker had also been charged with resisting arrest. During the escape, the duo allegedly stole a vehicle and swapped its license plates with a similar vehicle before abandoning it on a Missouri back road. The plates the two allegedly stole were Oklahoma plates. Walker has family in the Tulsa area, Hall said. A man was arrested late Wednesday on allegations that he assaulted his sister with hot grease after she teased him. Tulsa police arrested Donald Ray Brown Jr., 29, on a complaint of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to jail records. Police were told Brown was frying chicken at a residence in the 12900 block of East 17th Place and that his sister "was giving him a hard time," police wrote in an affidavit. Brown allegedly grew tired of it and threw the hot grease on her. Police said the grease mostly hit her left shoulder. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital to be treated for grease burns, according to the affidavit. Police arrested Brown without incident. He reportedly told officers that "he was tired of her always messing with him," according to the affidavit. Brown was booked into the Tulsa Jail just after midnight. He is being held without bond, pending his initial appearance. A recent study found Oklahoma has slashed more higher education funding over the last five fiscal years than any other state in the nation. Between FY 2012 and FY 2017, state appropriations for education decreased from $1,042,529,350 to $857,022,108, amounting to a 17.8 percent decrease, according to the Illinois State University study. The only other states whose last five-year appropriations accounted for an overall decrease were Louisiana, West Virginia, Alaska, Kentucky, Arkansas and Kansas, according to the study. The decreases range from 11.5 percent in Louisiana to a 1.8 percent decrease in Arkansas and Kansas. To make up for those cuts, Oklahoma universities and colleges have increased tuition, cut programs, and let go of faculty and staff. At a June 2017 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education meeting, the regents approved tuition increases at 25 of the states public colleges and universities. Only two institutions didnt raise tuition. While all public Oklahoma universities are affected by shrinking state appropriations, the smaller schools are particularly affected, as a larger percentage of their operating budget comes from appropriations. In higher education, you have kind of all the colleges lumped in together, and cuts hurt every single one of us, but when you get down to the community college level, the two-year college level, the rural college level, those cuts can be much more severe, said Jordan Adams, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Colleges public information and marketing coordinator. In Miami, appropriations at NEO have diminished by about $3 million in the last decade, with about $2 million of those cuts coming in the last three years, Adams said. To make ends meet after last years cuts, the college eliminated 27 faculty and staff positions and stopped offering dental, vision and long-term disability coverage in their employee benefit plans, Adams said. In addition to that, there have been some scholarship reductions, and the school has shuttered one academic program and two certificate programs. Were going to continue to do our best with what we have to educate as many students as possible and put them into the workforce, but each cut makes that more difficult, Adams said. Tulsa Community College saw a nearly $9.1 million cut in state funding over the past three fiscal years, including a nearly $2 million decrease from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2018, said Nicole Burgin, media relations specialist at TCC. To offset the reductions in state funding, TCC has eliminated 200 full-time positions about 20 percent of the colleges workforce through attrition and layoffs over the past three years, said TCC President Leigh Goodson. Everybody is doing so much more work because we have (fewer) people, Goodson said. Everybodys stretched thin. In addition, those cuts have resulted in the college not having any on-site nurses or print shops for faculty, Goodson said. There are also fewer course sections, since the college has not filled all vacant faculty positions, meaning its more difficult for students to build convenient class schedules, Goodson said. Our state has a tremendous need for a workforce that has the skills to support our economy, Goodson said. As we continue to cut higher education, we get further and further from meeting that need. At Rogers State University in Claremore, appropriations dropped 17 percent from FY 2012 to 2017. In fiscal year 2018, university officials are expecting to lose about $700,000 more, university spokesman David Hamby said in an email. Conditions are such that over the past few years the university has dropped some programs, like its therapeutic writing programs, in addition to its day-care center. Its also lost dozens of faculty and staff, and the remainder will be required to take a set number of furlough days again this school year to satisfy the budget. Last week, about six staffers left for better jobs in Tulsa or the surrounding communities, said Thomas Volturo, the universitys executive vice president for administration and finance. The obvious consequence of fewer faculty and staff is that fewer people are available to provide services to students. For instance, if there are fewer faculty members, there are also fewer class options for students, many of whom are attending school while working full-time and have busier schedules, Hamby said. To prepare for the coming school years, the university is looking at ways to offset more anticipated cuts to state appropriations, such as finding ways to increase donations for scholarships for students as tuition and fees increase, Volturo said. Even with fundraising, the long-term cuts to state appropriations make it harder for the university to educate students and help fuel the economy, Volturo said. Its becoming more difficult, he said. But we have a dedicated staff. What they do, its because they love it. Were here to help the students. Oklahoma has also made national headlines for leading the nation in decreasing K-12 funds. Since 2008, state formula funding per student in Oklahoma has decreased by nearly 27 percent, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis. That decrease is the largest in the nation, according to the analysis, which didnt include Hawaii, Indiana and Wyoming. Theres never a slow day at the Coffee Bunker. Veterans pack the small facility near 41st Street and Sheridan Road to help navigate life after service. The veterans here use the computer lab to search for jobs, read in the library or speak with service officers. And two $10,000 donations in the past month, from Broken Arrow Masonic Lodge and Faith Church of south Tulsa, have helped the Coffee Bunker to offer even more. The Coffee Bunker serves dozens of veterans each day, and its Operations Manager Scott Blackburn said the organization strives to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life through help from veterans whove been there before. Theres such a high demand it became to where they would go to different agencies and be treated as more of a number, Blackburn said. The challenge is to keep the care, keep the love of the veteran in it, not just get them to a service and get them through it. Designed to cater to post-9/11 veterans, the Coffee Bunker serves about 1,800 veterans a year, Blackburn said. Veterans arent the only ones at the Coffee Bunker active duty service members take advantage of the program, too. Senior Airman Sam Sorte returned from deployment in Iraq with the Air National Guard six months ago and said the services and resources offered at the bunker are revolutionary for veterans readjusting to civilian life. What theyre doing is something someone should have thought of 30 years ago, Sorte said. Its something thats long overdue. We need to give back and take care of these vets, especially these Vietnam-era vets because they didnt get that respect. Although the facilitys services are meant to help veterans, its roots are in the tragic aftermath of war. Mary Ligon founded the bunker as a way to remember her son, Daniel, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and saw combat in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004. She said when her son came home, he returned as a drastically different man. He committed suicide in 2007, and Ligon said she knew there had to be a way to not only honor her son, but also keep others from facing the same fate. God, if you dont do something redemptive with this, this will be the most tragic waste that ever happened, Ligon said. Somehow, something good would come out of Daniels very sad death. Through various programs combating veteran homelessness, drug addiction and unemployment, Blackburn said he wants to see the Coffee Bunker expand its programming further. Its why Jim Parham and the rest of the Broken Arrow Masonic Lodge saw a need. Parham, the master of the lodge, said the lodge made the donation after several members found the bunker as a way to readjust after coming home. When they came back, they missed the camaraderie, Parham said. They were looking for other guys like themselves. They found it in masonry but heard about it through the grapevine and then started going over to the Coffee Bunker. Parham said several lodge members volunteer at the Coffee Bunker. With only two full-time employees, the bunker depends on volunteers to help with programs and services, Blackburn said. Most of those volunteers are also veterans, and Blackburn said its part of a unique approach. When people talk about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) and things like that, ... theyre treating people with kid gloves instead of treating them with respect and giving them credit for who they are, Blackburn said. We dont make it sound like theyre the only one going through this. We put them with someone whos been through it. Our peer support is our greatest asset; its having veterans who have been through the system here and can explain it to them without treating them like children. Faith Church said its board agreed unanimously to make the large donation. We kept hearing from local veterans in our community and other organizations about the great work that Coffee Bunker was doing to provide a place of healing for local veterans and their families, said Kelly Goins, pastor at Faith Church. I was impressed by their vision and passion to help these men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. TRS MLA Shankar Nayak was booked after a woman IAS officer filed a police complaint against him for misbehaving with her during a public event. By India Today Web Desk: Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA B Shankar Nayak was today arrested for misbehaving with a woman IAS officer during a government event. However, the MLA was later given bail on personal bond. The police had on Wednesday booked Nayak following a complaint filed by the woman collector of Mahabubabad district. At a public meeting organised during the programme to launch Harita Haaram (a massive plantation programme) in Mahabubabad, the local MLA allegedly touched the woman IAS inappropriately. The incident was caught on camera. advertisement A video of the event being flashed on local news channels showed the MLA grabbing the collector's arm. Later, she is seen struggling out from the MLA's grip. The Mahabubabad town police registered the case against Nayak under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). If convicted under section 354, a person shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. DEFIANT MLA DENIES WRONGDOING The MLA denied any wrongdoing on his part and said he respected the collector and apologised to her. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had yesterday expressed anger over the alleged rash behaviour of his party MLA at the official event. The chief minister instructed the legislator to personally meet the collector and tender an unconditional apology to her. Rao warned the MLA that if he does not change his behaviour, he would be suspended from the party. The CM also asked Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari and TRS MP Sitaram Naik "to speak to the collector and settle the matter on behalf of the government and the TRS", and said such incidents should not recur. ALSO READ: It was their affection: Odisha MLA defends being carried by supporters through mud UP woman cop who stood up to bullying by BJP workers transferred Uttar Pradesh female cop chides bullying BJP workers, video goes viral WATCH: Telangana MLA misbehaves with woman district collector --- ENDS --- OKLAHOMA CITY - Police released the name of a man shot and killed by officers serving the man's felony warrant early Tuesday. Dorsey Glenn Taulbee Jr., 33, of Oklahoma City, died after being shot by officers early Tuesday morning. At 2:32 a.m., seven police officers entered a home at 2920 SW 23 to arrest Taulbee on a felony warrant for assault with a dangerous weapon. When they entered, Taulbee fired a gun at officers. The officers returned fire, killing Taulbee. The officers were not injured in the incident, and there was no one else in the house at the time of the shooting. Great news for nostalgia fans but there will be raised eyebrows over the original Batman series coming to SBS VICELAND next week. The multichannel plans to screen 34 episodes through double instalments every Friday from July 21. Thats despite SBS VICELAND recently indicating its brand was A premium TV experience for those curious about life right now. It is also off Charter for the channel. An SBS Spokesperson: SBS VICELANDs schedule includes some content which appeals to broader audiences, enabling us to cross promote and make a bigger impact for more Charter-focused titles. Holy revival! When it first premiered in 1966, Batman became something of a phenomenon. Today the adventures of the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder are more popular than ever, and a new generation of audiences are discovering the meaning of the term Batmania. Created by Bob Kane in Detective Comics #27, Batman is unique among super-heroes in that he cant fly, and he doesnt come from another planet or have supernatural powers. The appeal of the character is rooted in the fact that Batman is a normal human who takes the form of a bat to conceal his true identity and terrorise evil-doers. His only extraordinary attributes are his vast personal fortune, his strength and agility, and a keen detective sense. In 1984 all of Batmans 120 episodes were carefully remastered from the original negatives, restoring all of the sharpness and colour of the original network versions. Stars the late, great Adam West as Batman. Season One, Episode One: Hi Diddle Riddle (6.35pm) The arch-criminals twisted trail leads Batman to break the law himself, fall before the criminal charms of Molly the beautiful Molehill Mob moll in a discotheque, and brings Robin into the master-fiends evil clutches. Episode Two: Smack in the Middle (7.05pm) The prince of puzzles holds Robin hostage to lure Batman into a trap that could mean the end of the Caped Crusaders war against the underworld. Sunday Night comes forward for Seven this Sunday after a decision to delay Little Big Shots. Matt Doran reports on a major investigation into the 2009 death of Bob Chappell on a yacht in Sandy Bay, and evidence that could see his convicted killer walk free. Its one of Australias most baffling crimes and controversial court decisions a woman jailed for the murder of her partner despite there being no body, no murder weapon and no witnesses. Grandmother Sue Neill-Fraser is either a cold-blooded killer who bashed her partner to death and dumped his body off their yacht, or she is the innocent victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice. Bob Chappell vanished from their yacht, Four Winds, anchored in Hobarts Sandy Bay on Australia Day in 2009. Blood splatters were found inside the cabin, but to this day Bobs body has never been found. Neill-Fraser, who has always maintained her innocence, was sentenced to 23-years jail for the crime. Eight years on, her family and staunch band of supporters maintain shes not a murderer. Now, explosive new evidence has come to light that could see this convicted killer walk free; proof there was someone else on that boat. Sunday at 7.00pm on Seven. Both, Trump Sr. and Trump Jr. used to claim in past that there could not be a bigger lie than the alleged Russian help for the Trump campaign. By Santosh Chaubey: Time magazine has put Donald Trump Jr. on its cover page with an aptly curated tag - 'red-handed' and the Twitter handle of the magazine has tweeted an interesting video about it. The video highlights words like 'Russia - Clinton - private and confidential - info - Trump Jr. writing I love it - very high level and ultra-sensitive information' - from Trump Jr. email conversation to on possibility of getting damaging information about Hillary Clinton that he himself had tweeted after the New York Times story about his meeting with a Russian lawyer with Kremlin connection in June 2016 that promised compromising and sensitive information about the democratic rival of his father Donald Trump Sr. TIME's new cover: How Donald Trump Jr.'s emails have cranked up the heat on his family https://t.co/ZAsDutISc6 pic.twitter.com/QmtUOQf7uO advertisement While releasing the email chain, Trump Jr. had claimed that he was doing so in order to be totally transparent. Trump Sr. appreciated it saying his son Donald did a good job and he was open, transparent and innocent. Trump Sr. then went on to add his routine line about the ongoing FBI probe into Russian meddling into last year's US presidential election - 'this is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!' Here's my statement and the full email chain pic.twitter.com/x050r5n5LQ Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017 My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 But the New York Times immediately hit back saying that Trump Jr. was forced to do so as he was aware that the Times was going to release the email conversation. Trump Jr's act has brought a storm in America as it has effectively shut down all those tall claims by Donald Trump, his family and his associates that the whole story about Russian collusion was fake and phony and they had nothing to do with Russians. Both, Trump Sr. and Trump Jr. used to claim in past that there could not be a bigger lie than the alleged Russian help for the Trump campaign. But the email conversation clearly proves that the Trump campaign team was in touch with Russians irrespective of the fact the email chain doesn't prove that the Trump team indeed colluded with the Russians. And it has changed the whole discourse about the affair in the American political and media circles with experts even asking if Donald Trump Jr. can go to jail for it. --- ENDS --- 0: France and Germany did not concede a goal in qualifying. 1: Five teams are making their first UEFA Women's EURO finals appearances Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Scotland and Switzerland. 2: Only two nations have reached past finals without ever winning and they have both done so twice England (1984 and 2009) and Italy (1993 and 1997). 3: Only three nations have won this title Germany (eight times), Norway (twice) and Sweden (once). 4: Only one player has managed four goals in a UEFA Women's EURO finals match Norway's Marianne Pettersen in a 5-0 grop defeat of Denmark in 1997. It is also the joint-largest finals win with Germany v Russia in 2001 and Sweden v Finland in 2013. Getty Images 5: Italy's Melania Gabbiadini is the only player with a career total of five goals in UEFA Women's EURO finals group stages. 6: Germany's Inka Grings managed a record six goals in the 2009 finals to finish as top scorer for the second straight tournament. 7: The seven finals venues sharing the 31 games are Breda, Deventer, Doetinchem, Enschede, Rotterdam, Tilburg and Utrecht. 8: Four teams managed a perfect eight wins in qualifying France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. 9: Belgium's Tessa Wullaert was the top provider in qualifying with nine assists. 10: Three players managed ten goals in qualifying Norway's Ada Hegerberg, Iceland's Harpa Thorsteinsdottir and Scotland's Jane Ross. 16: For the first time there are 16 teams in the finals, up from the 12 in 2009 and 2013 and eight prior to that. 19: Celia Sasic (nee Okoyino da Mbabi) scored a record 19 goals in Germany's run to the 2013 title, including qualifying. 20: Years since the last hat-trick in a UEFA Women's EURO final tournament Angelique Roujas for France in their 3-1 win against Russia in the group stage on 2 July 1997. Highlights: Great Germany goals from the past 20 years 22: Years Germany have been reigning champions, winning the title back from Norway in 1995 and retaining it in 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013. 34: The oldest scorer in a post-1991 final tournament is Patrizia Panico aged 34 years 208 days for Italy in a 2009 quarter-final with Germany. Outfield players that could break that record this time are Ife Dieke and Leanne Ross of Scotland. 40: Germany's Birgit Prinz has scored a record 40 UEFA Women's EURO goals including ten in finals (a mark she shares with Grings). Prinz also has a record 23 finals appearances and five titles (1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009). 47: A record 47 nations entered the 2017 competition. 55: Patrizia Panico played in a record 55 UEFA Women's EURO games including qualifiers and, now retired, is absent from the finals for the first time since the group stage was introduced in 1997. 104: Germany became the first team to pass 100 finals goals during the 2013 edition and are now up to 104. They have conceded just 23 in those 44 games, of which 35 were won and just two lost. FPF 105: Minute of the second leg of their play-off against Romania in which Portugal got their decisive extra-time away goal, scored by debutant substitute Andreia Norton. 200: Last Friday Gemma Fay won her 200th cap for Scotland, the only player in the finals to be on a double century. 368: A record number of players are featuring in this largest-ever finals. 41,301: The competition record crowd that watched Germany beat Norway 1-0 in the 2013 final at Friends Arena, Stockholm. 216,888: The total number of people that watched the 25 games in the 2013 finals in Sweden. After the Second World War forced Marta Waschuk and her family from Ukraine, it was Canada that finally offered them the promise of a brighter future in 1950. The country did not disappoint. In Toronto, Marta met her beloved husband, Eugene. Together, they shared a deep reverence for traditions from their homeland and the challenge of balancing those with life in their new home country. There are two different identities," she reflects. "You're a Canadian, but part of you is Ukrainian. When Eugene passed away, he opted not to have a traditional Ukrainian song played at his funeral. He felt like Canada was his home, says Marta. Today, the walls of her house are lined with Canadian folk art, collected by her husband over the years from his travels across the country. And Martas eldest son, Roman, now serves as Canadas ambassador to Ukraine. I feel Canadian absolutely, she says, 67 years after her arrival. I'm staying put. Then and Now is a series of stories profiling refugees who have come to Canada over the years, in search of safety, stability and a chance at a better life. Starting from 1956, when Canada accepted its first major intake of refugees, the project uses archived images and family photos to tell the stories of refugees from Hungary, Viet Nam, Uganda, Somalia, Colombia, Cambodia, Burundi and El Salvador. Molecular biologist Mojtaba Tavakoli has come a long way in the 10 years since he fled Afghanistan with only an elementary education. Tonight, he is giving the keynote speech at an awards ceremony in Vienna, organized by the Association of Afghan Pupils and Students, which he helped to found. The 23-year-old science graduate, soon to start a doctorate in medical research, urges his fellow Afghan refugees: We must dream big. He tells the community, and his proud extended family: I stand here because of you, Applauding in the audience are his parents mother Rehana and father Joma Ali and Marion Weigl and Bernhard Wimmer, an Austrian couple who effectively adopted him when he arrived as a frightened, unaccompanied minor. This is a good evening, says Joma Ali, who was a farmer in Afghanistan, growing potatoes, fruit and vegetables in rural Ghazni province. I am very satisfied. As a boy, Mojtaba helped his parents in the fields. There was no science in my childhood, he says. And all I knew about Austria was that there were woods. "The scariest part was not knowing who I could trust." The farm was surrounded by the Taliban. The Tavakoli family was at particular risk, as they came from the persecuted Hazara minority. Sooner or later, we were going to be attacked, says Mojtaba. Europe was our only hope of safety. At the age of 13, Mojtaba and his older brother Morteza, 18, were sent ahead to Europe. Tragically, Morteza drowned on the sea crossing between Turkey and Greece, and Mojtaba was left to make the journey through the Balkans alone. The scariest part was not knowing who I could trust, he recalls. In Austria, he was taken into care and supported by Marion, a health care specialist, and Bernhard, an environmental scientist, who introduced him to science. I was inspired by Charles Darwin, says Mojtaba. He brought me to biology. Once he was granted asylum in Austria, Mojtaba was able to bring his Afghan family to join him, but tragedy struck the family a second time when another brother, Mustafa, 12, died of cancer in Vienna in 2014. Mojtaba Tavakoli in a Viennese coffee house. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Mojtaba Tavakoli talks to Bernhard Wimmer at a prize-giving organised by the Association of Afghan Pupils and Students at the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology in Vienna. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Mojtaba Tavakoli gives the keynote speech at a prize-giving organised by the Association of Afghan Pupils and Students in Vienna. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Award-winners display their certificates at a ceremony organised by the Association of Afghan Pupils and Students in Vienna. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Molecular biologist Mojtaba Tavakoli at work in the laboratory of the Medical University of Vienna. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Mojtaba Tavakoli enjoys dinner with his family at his parents' house in Vienna. Left to right: his mother Rehana Rahimi, sister Zahra Tavakoli, Mojtaba Tavakoli, brother Omid Tavakoli and his father Joma Ali Tavakoli. UNHCR/Gordon Welters Personal loss and gratitude for the support he has received motivate Mojtaba. I have seen things that people twice my age have not seen, he says. This makes me strict with myself to use my opportunities and make my family proud. At the ceremony, Mojtaba is receiving a certificate and a book prize from the Afghan association to mark his success in completing his BSc in molecular biology at the Medical University of Vienna. In fact, he has nearly finished his MSc in neuroscience and later this year will begin a PhD on neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinsons disease. Its a big field and theres little research, so its an up-and-coming subject, says Mojtaba, who had considered doing further study in Scotland, a centre for neuroscience. Instead, a Marie Curie scholarship from the European Union will allow him to study in Austria, at the Institute of Science and Technology in Klosterneuburg. I have a dream that one day someone from our community will win a Nobel Prize. This means he will stay close to his parents, three sisters and one brother. The younger ones are still in school but the oldest girl, Sohela, 21, is receiving a school leavers prize at the ceremony and the associations best wishes as she heads off to university to study physics. As each student goes to accept his or her prize, applause rings out in the Festsaal (grand hall) of the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology. This is a night for celebrating Afghan achievements and the communitys contribution to Austrian society. Another member of the audience, Reihana Mohammadi, 18, says she was there to support her brother. Hes going to university to do economics. Hes a role model for me. This gives me something to work for. Soraya Auhadi, 19, beams as she comes off stage, clutching a certificate for finishing school, and has permission from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce to open a restaurant. I took a three-month course in accounting, hygiene, customer service and labour rights and now I can employ others in my business, she says. All the students are aiming high but, in his address, Mojtaba urges them to dream even bigger. A slight, bespectacled figure, he speaks in fluent German. He does not mince his words about the difficulties refugees face in integrating into Austrian society. He calls on fellow Afghans to take an interest in politics and not to be passive in their new homeland. I have a dream, he concludes, that one day an Austrian government minister will have Afghan roots, and that someone from our community will win a Nobel Prize. The hall resounds to thunderous applause. By India Today Web Desk: India is a developing country and education is the backbone of its progress. The past few years have seen tremendous growth in the Indian job market where employers are increasingly looking for candidates equipped with skills specific to an area. They need professionals who can understand the functioning of a specific industry and deliver as per their requirement. 5 things a student must keep in mind when applying for an undergraduate degree: advertisement 1. With rapid advancement in all areas of industry whether information, technology, education, management and others, they are looking for very young people who not only have the required skills, but also have the foundations to pick up changes in skill requirements in specific areas as fast as possible. This is because it is a known fact that the human brain slows down as we grow older. It is in this context that undergraduate professional degrees play an important and vital role. 2. Each year thousands of students graduate and start competing in the job market. In a situation like this, it is essential for a student to have an edge that will help him/her out in the crowd. In order to prepare oneself for such a challenge, a student needs to opt for degrees that equip him/her with the knowledge of the industry. Undergraduate professional degrees like BCA, BBA, BJMC, BEd and others provide the students with direct knowledge of the industry, help them develop the required professional skills and leave the door open for higher studies at their leisure. 3. Today, the undergraduate professional degrees syllabi are designed keeping in mind that students are coming to study directly from school and hence, provide basic foundations needed before starting the profession-oriented subjects. At times, they also include personality development skills which benefit the student when working in a team in their respective profession. 4. In order that the students have a better understanding of the industry for which they are trained, these undergraduate professional degrees include guest lectures, industrial visits and summer internships which greatly benefit the students by giving them practical experience in addition to the classroom training. Guest lectures are generally given by people from the industry. They are the best to take advices from as they have 'been there, done that'. They help students with their experiences and valuable tips from on and off the field. They students also learn a lot about the corporate world. Students pursuing undergraduate professional degrees get to go for industrial visits wherein they get to know the ground realities. These visits help them in identifying the soft skills, the industry standards and other related aspects of working in that particular industry Summer internships are one of the best ways through which students get to have a first hand experience of the professional world. Through the internships, students get ample opportunities for networking in the appropriate area. They get to be in the field and in addition to classroom training; they get to see things functioning in front of them and thus have a great learning experience. The internships also help them while applying for jobs as companies look for candidates with experience. advertisement 5. The economy is changing drastically and industries are in need of more and more young professionals trained in specific areas with ability to pickup changes in their field quickly in comparison others. Students with such skills will be absorbed into various jobs without having to wait for long in comparison to the others, who may spend a much longer time waiting to get absorbed and wait even longer to see growth in their careers. Undergraduate professional degrees cater to this demand by providing students with the necessary foundation and professional training they need to build their careers successfully. Authored article by Damayanti Datta, PhD, PGP-X (IIM-A) Read: Startup: Whether to join or not? Read: This 23-year-old shares his internship experience at Google advertisement For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 13 (PTI) The US House of Representatives have voted to reauthorise three bills to address the issue of human trafficking both inside and outside the US. The development was hailed by US President Donald Trump and rights activists. "My administration is focused on ending the horrific practice of human trafficking, and the three bills the House of Representatives passed today are important steps forward," Trump said in a statement soon after the laws were passed by the House. advertisement Since taking office, Trump said he has met with courageous survivors, non-profit groups, and faith leaders who are devoting tremendous energy to raising awareness about human trafficking. The three bill passed by the House were Empowering Law Enforcement to Fight Sex Trafficking Demand Act, Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, and Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act. "I am hopeful that the Senate will take up and pass these three bills as soon as possible and I look forward to my continued work with the Congress on this important issue," Trump said. The House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. "Its a sinister enterprise that strikes at the very heart of our communities," he said. "This is truly a national problem, and that means its going to take a national effort to solve it. We want law enforcement to have every possible resource to protect our citizens. And we want to give real support?and a voice?to the victims of these awful crimes," Ryan said. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said there is simply no way to overstate the horrific nature of enticement, kidnapping, and human trafficking. "It is an absolute priority of President Trump and the Department of Justice to make those that seek to profit off the exploitation of others feel the weight of swift and certain justice. I am therefore extremely encouraged by the actions of Congress today in passing legislation aimed at stopping this scourge and commend all those that supported these bills," Sessions said. Describing human trafficking as a modern day slavery, Congressman Ed Royce said traffickers around the world abuse and exploit millions ? especially women and girls ? for commercial gain. According to credible estimates, more than 20 million people are currently victimised by sex trafficking and forced labour. It is a coercive, multi-billion dollar industry that destroys families and communities, strengthens criminal networks, and tramples human dignity, he said. advertisement Royce, who is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said this plague is global, and is not limited to the developing world. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, said human trafficking isn?t just another issue to address. "It is a crime against humanity and a form of human slavery that we have no right to ignore. This House, along with Ivanka Trump, and the White House have made ending human trafficking a consistent priority," he said. "Today, we passed another three bills to fight against human trafficking by aiding victims and detecting and preventing the crime. With these pieces of legislation, the House has now passed 16 anti-human trafficking bills that we urge the Senate to take up and send to President Trump?s desk as soon as possible," McCarthy said.PTI LKJ UZM --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 12 (PTI) The US and Qatar have signed a deal to combat terror financing as the oil-rich Gulf nation faces sanctions from its neighbouring countries for allegedly supporting extremism. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travelled to the Middle East to try to resolve the stand-off between Qatar and other Persian Gulf nations, which have accused their oil-rich neighbour of supporting terrorism. advertisement "We worked out an arrangement with the Qataris separate from the Qatar feud. And this is something were pretty proud of. That is the Qataris and the United States have signed a memo of understanding between the United States and Qatar on counter terrorism financing," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a daily news conference. This she hoped would pave the way for Qatar to go back into the good stead of the other four countries -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates -- that cut off relations with them on the issue of terror financing. "We know that all of those countries, as we talked about in Riyadh, share the concern about ISIS, the global terror network, and they recognise that we are all stronger when we are working together and coordinating in the fight against ISIS. "So we believe that this memo of agreement between the United States and Qatar is a good first start to get that underway," Nauert said. This new counter-terrorism financing and funding initiative that Tillerson announced yesterday in the region with his Qatari counterpart is a good first place to start, she said. "I think to highlight that the United States and Qatar have this agreement on terror financing sends a really good message to all of the nations that we can get to this agreement on this. "We can get to an agreement that terror financing is a major issue and a major concern. "So, I think that helps set a good example for the other nations that we hope that they will come to the table with us as well," Nauert said. The State Department spokesperson said she is not sure, at this point of time, if this could be extended to other countries as well. "Im not certain if this memorandum is going to be extended to the other nations. There could potentially be but I dont want to get ahead of the Secretary. I suppose there could be separate memorandums that would come of these conversations," she said. advertisement "Im hopeful we can make some progress to bring this to a point of resolution," Tillerson said during a joint news conference in Doha with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani. The Saudis along with three other nations moved last month to isolate Qatar for its alleged ties with terrorist organisations. They also hit the peninsula nation with a 13- point list of steep demands. Qatar has rejected the allegations and has refused to comply with the ultimatum. PTI LKJ NSA AKJ PMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jul 13 (PTI) Concerned that Chinas cancer- stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing, the US has urged China to grant him full parole and release his wife from house arrest. "We understand the Chinese hospital treating Nobel Peace Prize laureate and writer, Liu Xiaobo, has invited US, German medical experts to China for medical consultations. advertisement "We remain concerned that both Mr Liu and his family are unable to communicate with the outside world and that he is not free to seek the medical treatment of his choosing," the White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters during an off camera news briefing. "We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to grant him full parole and to release his wife from house arrest and provide them the protections and freedoms, such as freedom of movement and access to appropriate medical care consistent with Chinese constitution, legal system, and international commitments," Sanders said. The State Department said it was involved in helping to get a US doctor from MD Anderson Cancer Center to China to be able to take a look at him. "We would like for Mr Liu to be able to make his own health choices about where he would like to go," the State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. "I understand that his wife, who had been under house arrest, was able to be with him at the hospital. Were happy about that, however, we continue to call on China to release him so that he can receive medical treatment wherever he desires. If its in the United States, I think we would certainly welcome that," she said. In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal said the government that imprisoned Liu for his beliefs and failed to ensure his health cant ask the world to trust that it will give him the best care. "Mr Lius request for treatment in Germany offers him the chance to spend more time with his wife Liu Xia, who has been held under house arrest for seven years. Chinas greatest democracy advocate deserves to spend his last days in freedom so the world can hear the final testimony to his struggle," The Wall Street Journal said. Early this month, several top American lawakers moved a Congressional resolution urging the US President Donald Trump to help humanitarian transfer of Xiaobo. advertisement Introduced by Senators Marco Rubio, Jeff Merkley, and Ted Cruz, the concurrent resolution urged the government of China to unconditionally release Liu Xiaobo and his wife Liu Xia and allow them to reunite with their family and friends and seek proper medical treatment. The resolution also urges the Trump Administration to seek Dr Lius immediate humanitarian transfer. PTI LKJ ARK --- ENDS --- Chateau Nightclub & Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas rolled out the red carpet for two of the fiercest female MMA fighters in UFC during after-parties on Friday and Saturday night in honor of the 2017 UFC International Fight Week. (Pictured: Michelle Waterson Photo courtesy of Chateau). After participating in the Women of UFC panel and autograph sessions, Michelle The Karate Hottie Waterson hosted the Friday after-party, arriving at the club with her husband, Joshua Gomez, and a group of friends. Dressed to impress in a black and elegant skin-tight dress paired with black stilettos, she posed for photos on the red carpet. As she made her way to her lavish VIP booth in the center of the club, she was surprised with a confetti shower raining over the crowd and she was presented with a Michelle sign by Chateau servers. Surrounded by panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip, Waterson took to the DJ booth to pump up the crowd, and partied throughout the night. Following the surprise cancellation of her fight against Amanda Nunes, Valentina Bullet Shevchenko arrived at Chateau on Saturday with a large group of friends. Opting for casual jeans paired with a blue long-sleeved shirt with an intricate, golden design, she posed for photos on the red carpet before entering her soiree. The decorated kickboxer and muay thai fighter enjoyed her private VIP booth and bottle service, while mingling with fans. Her night continued with a confetti shower raining over the crowd as she, too, was presented with signs by Chateau servers. The rooftop club might not have been the octagon ring, but that didnt stop Shevchenko from having a good time and partying into the early morning hours. ENZ is offering this scholarship as a way to celebrate reaching one million social media followers across their various platforms, including the Study in New Zealand Facebook page, Twitter, Weibo, WeChat, Instagram, and Snapchat. The scholarship will cover tuition costs and course-related costs at a New Zealand educational institute of the students choice, up to a value of NZD$10,000 ($7,320). In order to enter the promotion, students must post a comment on ENZs 1 Million Cent Scholarship post on ENZs Facebook page by 12 PM on July 20. ENZ then will shortlist 10 candidates to compete in the second round where they will be asked to submit their education background, as well as documents related to their intention and ability to study in New Zealand. The final winner will be then decided by ENZ, based on the aforementioned criteria. John Laxon, Education New Zealands regional director of South, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, noted that more than 130,000 students choose to study in New Zealand every year from more than 180 countries. International students are a vital part of our online student community, and social media platforms play a key role in helping ENZ engage potential students. Creativity and innovation are at the heart of New Zealands education system and we excel at programmes that combine creativity and technology, said Laxon. This scholarship is designed with that focus in mind, and provides us with the opportunity to thank our dedicated social media followers by offering them an opportunity to pursue a positive learning experience in New Zealand. Currently, there are more than 2,200 Vietnamese students in New Zealand, and over the years weve seen an increasing number of Vietnamese students choosing New Zealand as their preferred study destination. Through efforts like this, we hope to creatively engage prospective students from Vietnam and around the Southeast Asia region, he added. Current and prospective Vietnamese students are welcome to apply for the scholarship. Applications for the scholarship are open until July 20, 2017, and the winner will be announced on August 1, 2017. Enormous profit In 2016, Petrolimexs consolidated net revenue was VND123 trillion ($5.46 billion) and pre-tax profit reached VND6.3 trillion, or $279.4 million (up 68 per cent compared to 2015). The petroleum giant will also pay dividend at the rate of 32.24 per cent, meaning investors will receive VND3,224 ($0.14) for each PLX share. The total amount Petrolimex will pay is estimated at VND3,736 billion ($165.7 million) for 1.16 billion outstanding shares. An increasing number of foreign investors are looking for a slice in the Vietnamese petroleum retail market With this, JX Nippon Oil & Energy, Petrolimexs only foreign strategic investor with 8 per cent (103,528,476) shares, will receive an enormous cash dividend of VND333.7 billion, tantamount to $14.8 million. In April 2016, after nearly two years of negotiations, JX Nippon Oil & Energy officially acquired 8 per cent of Petrolimexs share for around 20 billion, approximately $183 million. With Petrolimexs positive business outcome, JX Nippon Oil & Energys investment bears fruits after just one year. The state, represented by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, still owns the majority of Petrolimex. With 75.87 per cent of Petrolimexs shares, or approximately 982 million shares, the state will receive more than VND3.16 trillion ($140.1 million) in dividend payments. The dividend payment will officially take place at the end of August 2017. Petrolimex officially listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) on April 21, 2017 at VND43,200 ($1.9) per share. The current price of PLX shares is at VND69,000 ($3) per share. In its 2016 annual report, Petrolimex concluded that the world oil market was at a low point due to continued oversupply. In the region, the oil market has made almost no developments, with large supply and decreasing demand pushing the equilibrium in buyers favour. This was probably the reason why Petrolimex easily passed its initial target of VND4 trillion ($177 million) in pre-tax profit, reaching VND6.3trillion ($279.4 million). The expected dividend payment rate of 8 to 15 per cent was also easily surpassed. The success of Petrolimex also paved the way for the development of petroleum distributors in the last five years. Small window filled with potential Vietnam did not agree to open the petroleum market when joining the WTO and signing 11 free trade agreements, with the exception that companies investing in oil refineries in Vietnam can distribute their products. Thanks to this, Petrolimex and JX Nippon Oil & Energy slipped through the window of opportunity with the South Van Phong oil refinery project. According to Cao Hoai Duong, CEO of PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), foreign investors are gunning for the Vietnamese petroleum retail market because of its enormous potential for growth based on petroleum consumption per capita and economic potential. Data from import statistics and Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (BSR) shows that petroleum consumption in Vietnam is currently between 17 and 19 million tonnes per year, of which around 65 per cent is imported. Petrolimex currently holds 44 per cent of the domestic oil market, with over 50 per cent being directly sold to consumers, around 20 per cent directly sold to industrial customers, and over 50 years of experience in petroleum trading. All these give Petrolimex a huge market advantage. However, according to the Competition Law, Petrolimex cannot increase its market share above 50 per cent. In addition, the state will hold 65 to 75 per cent of its share, limiting Petrolimexs opportunity to attract more foreign investors and increase market share. Therefore, the remaining oil distributors will become windows for foreign businesses to join the Vietnamese petroleum market. PV Oil, the second largest petroleum distributor in Vietnam (controlling 20 to 25 per cent of the domestic market), is looking to sell up to 40 per cent of its shares to strategic investors. However, to enter the Vietnamese petroleum retail market through PV Oil, foreign businesses need to also acquire shares of BSR, which is responsible for managing and operating Dung Quat Oil Refinery. Binh Son is also planning for equitisation in November 2017. European action has become increasingly aggressive against US technology giants Amazon, Facebook and Apple, as well as Google. (AFP/LEON NEAL) "The French company Google Ireland Limited (GIL) is not taxable in France for the 2005 to 2010 period," the court ruled. Google paid just 6.7 million in corporate taxes in 2015 in France by booking revenues for its online empire at its European subsidiary in low-tax Ireland, a legal loophole prized by multinationals. The group employs 700 people in France but advertising contracts for its search engine or video-sharing website YouTube are signed with its Irish subsidiary. The French claim was the latest in a series against the California-based group, which faces mounting legal problems in the EU. European action has become increasingly aggressive against US technology giants Amazon, Facebook and Apple as well as Google. The EU hit Google with a record 2.4 billion fine on Jun 27 for abusing its dominant position in the search engine business and illegally favouring its own shopping service over rivals. In 2016, European competition chief Margrethe Vestager shocked Washington and the world by ordering iPhone manufacturer Apple to repay 13 billion in back taxes in Ireland after paying a near-zero rate of tax some years. Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron promised to get tough on US internet giants during his campaign, seeing their low tax rates as a source of resentment about globalisation and unfair on European companies. The government's public accounts ministry said later Wednesday that it was weighing an appeal. "The administration has two months to appeal these rulings and is already working to this end," it said in a statement. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had said on Sunday: "It is time Europe got a grip and defended its interests, making Google, Amazon and Facebook pay the taxes they owe European taxpayers." The French claim was significantly higher than the amount Google agreed to pay Italian and British tax authorities over its tax arrangements with its Irish subsidiary. In May, the group agreed to pay 306 million to Italian authorities. Last year, it struck a deal with Britain to pay 130 million (170 million) for a decade of business, which was criticised at the time by opposition MPs as being too low. The French claim was a fraction of the company's annual profits: In April, Alphabet, Google's parent company, declared a 29 per cent jump in profit to US$5.4 billion in the first quarter of 2017. The General Department of Taxation recently sent a document requesting the HCM City Department of Taxation to collect data to inspect tax payment of Uber and Grab. - Photo vneconomy.vn Traditional taxi firms claim that they have been subject to a variety of taxes and charges while Uber and Grab were only subject to a tax of 4 to 5 per cent of revenue. With about 30,000 taxis in Ha Noi and HCM City, traditional taxi firms must pay an average tax of VND2 trillion (US$91.7 million) annually, while the tax agencies have collected only VND20 billion per year from 31,000 contracted cars using Uber and Grab applications, online newspaper VnExpress reports. Nguyen Thi Hanh, director of department of personal income tax management, said that it is necessary to introduce a suitable tax policy for foreign enterprises doing business in Viet Nam without legal entity and accounting books to fulfill tax obligations. However, representatives of the taxi apps have claimed that they did not evade taxes. The online newspaper quoted Jerry Jim, director of Grab Viet Nam, as saying that Grab is a technology company and does not own any means of transport. Instead, they co-operate with transportation service providers to exploit their registered idle cars. Jim also emphasised that the company understands the concerns of Vietnamese Government over traffic jam reduction, and they are working actively with the authorities to complete compliance with Vietnamese law. The Ministry of Transport will provide information to the tax agencies to clarify Uber and Grab taxes soon. Nguyen Hong Truong, deputy minister of transport, said the ministry will work with the Ministry of Finance, especially the General Department of Taxation, to share documents and calculate tax management options more tightly to avoid inequality in tax collection. According to the General Department of Taxation, not only Uber and Grab, but also more than half of traditional taxi businesses reported losses in the past and did not pay corporate income tax. Other traditional taxi businesses payed taxes, but the paid amount was very low. The Greek economy has been bailed out by its eurozone partners three times from 2010-2015. (Photo: AFP/Philippe Huguen) The move is a further boost for Athens days after it secured a fresh tranche of cash from its latest bailout to meet crucial debt payments and avoid a fresh crisis. The decision showed the progress Greece has made, said European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis, who has special responsibility for the eurozone. "I invite Greece to build on its achievements and continue to strengthen confidence in its economy," Dombrovskis said, adding that it was "important for a return to the markets." EU rules require member states to run a budget deficit - the shortfall between government revenue and spending - of not more than 3.0 per cent of total annual economic output. The lifting of the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) for Greece will allow the government greater leeway in managing its finances after years of austerity and spending cuts demanded by Brussels to bring the budget deficit under control. "This follows the substantial efforts in recent years made by the country to consolidate its public finances coupled with the progress made" in its debt rescue programmes, the European Commission said in a statement. The Commission noted that if member states approve its recommendation later this year, only three countries will remain under the excessive deficit procedure - France, Spain and Britain. At the height of the financial crisis in 2010, 24 of the 28 member countries were on the EDP blacklist. The Greek economy nearly collapsed under a mountain of debt that year and it had to be bailed out by its eurozone parthers three times, the last in 2015, to prevent it bringing down the single currency bloc. Only last week, eurozone finance ministers approved the latest 8.5 billion-euro disbursement, just in time for Athens to meet major debt repayments and avert a default. In return for the bailouts, Greece had to adopt painful and hugely unpopular austerity measures. According to Commission figures, Greece ran a budget defict of 15.1 per cent in 2009, which had been turned into a surplus of 0.7 per cent last year, and it said it expected further progress this year as more savings are found. "As a result of these efforts, the deficit is now projected to remain below the 3.0 per cent threshold" for the next several years, it said. By PTI: London, Jul 13 (PTI) Criticism of Hillary Clinton over documents posted by WikiLeaks played a key role in her failed US presidential campaign and successful election of Donald Trump, a study of viral tweets has found. Twitter posts during the final two months of the 2016 election race shows Clinton was much more heavily criticised on social media compared with her rival Donald Trump. advertisement Posts relating to WikiLeaks were the most common form of attack on social media for the Democratic candidate, who was also heavily criticised on Twitter over an FBI investigation into her use of a private email server, researchers said. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK used computer analysis to study the top viral tweets each day between September 1 and November 8 last year They found that there were three times as many posts attacking Clinton than posts in her favour. By contrast, viral tweets relating to Trump were split equally in favour and against his campaign. Posts from Trumps social media campaign and his supporters had a more positive tone than that of his rival, with effective reach for slogans, policy promises and campaigning for swing states. Tweets backing Clinton tended to compare her with her rival, and to attack Trump rather than praise Clinton. Trump was criticised for his performance in election debates more than his links to scandals such as the Access Hollywood tape. Trump supporters were more likely to share news reports from less credible sources, the study found. In all researchers analysed almost 3,500 posts, which together were retweeted more than 25 million times. Tweets were labelled as being favourable to Trump, Clinton, or neither. They used data from TweetElect.com, which collates the most retweeted posts related to the US election. PTI MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- Students at Trung Trac Primary School in Ha Noi. Hundreds of parents have joined lucky draws to get a place for their kids at State-owned pre-schools, especially in Ha Nois new urban areas, due to the severe shortage of public facilities there.-VNS Photo Thanh Hai The lucky draws have been used for the past three years to give every child a chance to go to the school of their choosing as applications outstrip places at State schools. With this method, parents said they no longer had to stay up all night to queue for application forms. However, many admitted that their childs chances of going to a public school werent great. In Linh am Urban Area in Hoang Mai District, one of the most crowded districts in the city, many parents queued last Saturday to join the draw for the Linh am Practice pre-school. Le Ngoc Lien, a mother, said the school would only enroll 40 of the 99 applicants. She said she and her husband were both State employees. Their wages were too low to pay for a quality private school. "Ive accepted that there will likely be 60 children in each classroom. This means that teachers wont be able to look after all the kids, she said. Lien said many private schools offered affordable fees near her house, but conditions there in terms of hygiene and teacher quality were worse than at State-owned schools. Luckily, Liens number came up and her son got a place at the school. Nguyen Quoc Minh, another resident of the Bac Linh am Apartment Area, was not so fortunate. He didnt get a winning number, and was forced to send his daughter to a private pre-school nearby. Minh said he, like other parents, had been waiting with baited breath for the lucky draw, and nervously opened the results. Some shouted with happiness, while others sighed or smiled bitterly. The first model urban area in Ha Noi, Linh am Urban Area has become one of the most densely populated areas in the city, housing about 52,000 residents. In May 2015, the population was some 32,000. However, there are few pre-schools. In Hoang Liet Ward, there is only one public pre-school, school 13 per cent of local children. The same situation occurs in inh Cong Ward. This only pre-school receives nearly 30 per cent of total local children. Meanwhile, there are 100 and 50 private schools in the two wards respectively. Overcrowding The same overcrowding occurs in Cau Giay District. Pham Minh Hai, a resident of Dich Vong Hau Ward, said he was concerned that some parents whose children were five years old had to take part in a draw for Dich Vong Hau pre-school. Under instructions from the citys education department, five-year-old children are to be prioritised by schools if the number of applicants exceeds capacity. Nguyen Thi Kim Xuyen, deputy head of the districts Sub-department for Education and Training, said most schools had to conduct a draw as the number of applicants was much higher than capacity. inh Thi Thanh Hang, deputy head of Hoang Mai Districts Sub-department of Education and Training, said State-owned pre-schools in the district only met 40 per cent of demand. Thus, draws seemed to be the best method to avoid chaos. But education experts say draws for pre-school enrollment are not the solution. Instead, the citys Peoples Committee needs to build schools as quickly as commercial centres or high-rise buildings are built and draw up a roadmap to end school shortages in the city. Figures from the Ha Nois Education and Training Department show that there are about 30,000-35,000 children every year who need to go to nursery schools. But the number of schools remains limited roughly 1,000 schools, 733 of them State-owned. Because the price of refined iron ore is 200 times more expensive than raw iron ore created for export, reducing the export tax on raw iron ore is unreasonable and will discourage investments in ore sorting technology, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has concluded. - Photo baocongthuong.com.vn Due to the decreasing domestic demand for iron ore, domestic iron mines have a surplus inventory. Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) proposed the Prime Minister to allow the export of iron ore inventory, limonite iron and magnetite iron ore to remove difficulties for enterprises. The exports will last until the end of 2017. The MoIT also proposed the reduction of export taxes on high quality iron ore, if this product is allowed to be exported. MoF said that the export tax on iron ore and refined iron ore is 40 per cent equal to the ceiling rate set by the National Assembly. In order to encourage enterprises to invest in high-grade iron ore production, the MoF proposed a detailed plan for specific tariff for processed iron ore, with export tariffs lower than 40 per cent. The high export tax rates on raw or simple mineral resources is to limit the export of mineral resources. MoF will collect recommendations of MoIT to include in the draft decree amending Decree 122/2016, to submit to the Government in September, 2017. The total capacity of licensed iron ore mines is about 13 million tonnes per year, reported by the MoIT. Domestic blast furnaces are mostly small in size and large in fuel consumption, leading to inefficient operation. Therefore, they have stopped production or produced moderately. The efficient blast furnaces have a combined capacity of 2.6 million tonnes of steel per year, using about 4.6 million tonnes of iron ore per year. Iron ore is mainly exploited in the Northern mountainous areas, with difficult exploitation conditions, high transport costs and low ore quality leading to high production costs. When the global price of iron ore fell sharply last year, Hoa Phat Steel Joint Stock Company shifted to using import sources with a volume of over one million tonne instead of using domestic iron ore. Due to decrease in domestic consumption, until the end of November 2016, the amount of iron ore inventory in Viet Nam was about 1.9 million tonnes. Made for each other: Che lam tastes best with fresh green tea. - Photos: Hong Van/VNS Duong Lam is one of the few villages left intact from the Middle Ages in the Red River Delta. The old houses, built with laterite bricks, have remained virtually unchanged over the years. The oldest house in the village has been said to be around 400 year old. The residents are used to having strangers coming into their houses, asking questions about not only the village, but also its crafts and history, and later having lunch prepared by the family or even staying over night. For our one-day trip, the main concern was to book a decent lunch the group and, most importantly, learn to make che lam. The ancient houses in Duong Lam belong to big families and they are used to having big family get-togethers a few times a year. But over time, as Duong Lam became a popular attraction not only with international tourists, but also local school children and independent travellers, these families have geared themselves to host big parties more often. But the most popular request is still providing lunch for tourists. Duong Lam boasts quite a few delicacies: charcoal roasted pork, mia chicken - small in size but quite plump and juicy, and homemade soy sauce for fish stew or vegetable dips. All we wanted was some boiled chicken chops, boiled vegetables, a well done and seasoned fried egg and some rice. But since this would not be worth their while, we decided to order food by tray at VND600,000 (US$26), which has a little bit of everything including roasted pork, fried nem, boiled tofu, boiled chicken, a stir-fried dish and last but not least, the fish stew. Before we set out to go to the village, Id already called Duong Lan, a descendant of Duong, a famed scholar. Lan had agreed to prepare ingredients for us to learn how to make che lam, a local treat that every housewife can make, but one for which each family has a secret recipe. Id had lunch at Duong Lans place last year with my children and the che lam served for dessert was so good I wanted to learn to make it, and she agreed to teach me. "Yes, come here, Ill get the ingredients ready for you, but you need to take the whole thing when finished," she said on the phone. This would mean three kilos of finished che lam bars. To make three kilos of che lam, you need as many kilos of glutinous rice which is roasted until it pops (like popcorn) and ground a couple of times to get a fine flour. Two kilos of normal rice is also roasted and ground to get a soft powder. 200g of peanuts are roasted in a pan until golden brown, shelled and placed in a bowl. 200-300g of ginger (the older the better, according to Lan), unpeeled, is pounded. This is mixed well in six rice bowls of water, each bowl for half a kilo of sticky rice powder. In short, boil 1.5 litres of water with the pounded ginger and add 1.8-2 kilos of sugar, depending on your sweet tooth. The most demanding technique in making che lam is the stirring. When the ginger sugar mix boils, the heat is turned off. The three kilos of glutinous rice powder is added, stirring slowly in the same direction. It seems simple at first, but using only one big bamboo stick to stir the 3 kilos of glutinous rice requires strong arms. Next, the peanut is added and stirred well again. The heat is turned back on and the mixture is brought to boil. This is then taken off the stove and poured on to two big tray with the normal rice flour. The next part is both fun and a bit dangerous. More flour is added on top and you should keep stirring so that it cools down and wont get too sticky. It looks fun, but be aware, its burning hot and I suggest you dont let your children play near it until it cools down. After a couple of hours, the trays cool down and you can start cutting it into free-size bits mixed well with rice powder, or into neat rectangles that can be sliced later into bars. Either way it looks good and tastes best when consumed with a cup of fresh green tea. Visitors can go to Duong Lans house and ask her to help get each ingredient for this desert. She doesnt have sticky rice powder ready at hand, but she said shes willing to walk people through each step of the way. It was quite an experience for us, sitting in the big yard of her ancient house under the old fruit trees and very old coffee plants (belonging to the Rubiaceae family) in full bloom. It felt wed traveled back in time. Lan reminisced: "One of the most memorable times for me here was when I taught a group of Japanese high school students how to make che lam on a full moon autumn night," she said. "They were very courteous and keen to learn, they read and chatted, and it was very peaceful." Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people on board AFP/BULENT KILIC The jet was downed in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine on Jul 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 38 Australian citizens and residents. Initial findings released last year concluded the Boeing 777 aircraft was shot down by a missile transported from Russia, but Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement, putting the blame on Kiev. "My clients have waited three years, Mr Putin. There is still no accountability," Jerome Skinner, an American lawyer representing victims from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Do you not feel that such tragic loss deserves explanation? ... You stand as the only man who can set this right. "I will use the European Court of Human Rights and every other avenue available to bring the Kremlin to accountability ... Meet me and finally make amends for the victims of this tragedy." Skinner's plea came a week after countries leading the joint investigation team (JIT) - Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine - agreed that any trials would be carried out within the Dutch legal system. Preliminary criminal findings have said around 100 people were under investigation for playing "an active role" in the disaster. International investigators last month released videos of MH17 relatives talking about the pain of losing their loved ones, in the hope it would spur residents in Ukraine to come forward with new information, Dutch media said. The European Union last month formally rolled over damaging economic sanctions against Russia, imposed after the shooting down of MH17, for another six months, saying Moscow had failed to live up to its Ukraine ceasefire commitments. By PTI: (Eds: incorporating fresh developments) Kohima, Jul 13 (PTI) After turning down Governor P B Acharyas directive to seek trust vote by July 15, Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu tonight revoked the suspension of T R Zeliang, who has staked claim to form government, and 10 others. Former chief minister Zeliang, however, said he has not received any official communication about the revoking of suspension and his demand for forming the government stays. advertisement Zeliang, claiming the support of 41 of 59 MLAs in the assembly, wrote to the Governor on July 8 for an invitation to form the new NPF-led DAN government. Liezietsu then dismissed four ministers and 11 parliamentary secretaries and suspended them all besides Zeliang from the party. Of the parliamentary secretaries, five belonged to the NPF. An NPF release tonight announced revoking of the suspension order of Zeliang, four ministers and five parliamentary secretaries who were all party members. Besides, NPF withdrew suspension of three-time chief minister and lone Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, who was suspended for anti-party activities on May 17 last year. "The decision to withdraw suspension of the 11 NPF legislators was taken as part of a resolution adopted during a consultative meeting of the NPF Legislature Party along with NPF Central Party leaders held this evening at the chief ministers residential office," the NPF release said. It said the decision was taken for the sake of "true reconciliation and better understanding" to resolve NPFs "internal crisis" and for the sake of the larger interest of the Nagas. Zeliang, however, said, "I have the support of 36 NPF MLAs and seven Independent MLAs. we are firm on our claim to establish a new NPF government in the state." He said they were waiting for the Governor to return to Kohima and "call us to form the government or let the Chief Minister face the floor test." "We will return if the floor test is held by July 15. Otherwise we will wait," he told PTI over phone from Assam where he is camping with his supporters. Rajbhavan sources said, Acharya is out of station and is scheduled to return to Kohima tomorrow. "We have not received any official communication about withdrawal of suspension but came to know of it from friends in Kohima. We will decide (about it) only after receiving the official communication," Zeliang added. Asked whether his group would merge with BJP, he said "We have not taken any decision on that line. Since we are NPF MLAs, we will remain in NPF." advertisement Earlier, a cabinet meeting headed by the chief minister discussed the governors directive to face trust vote by July 15 and decided against calling any emergency session of the assembly for the purpose. "The state cabinet was of the firm opinion that there was no justification for an emergency session of the assembly to discuss or resolve the internal affairs of the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF)," stated a joint statement issued by Chief Minister Liezietsu and Chief Secretary Panjak Kumar. The statement quoted a Supreme Court ruling saying that "the governor can summon or prorogue and dissolve the House, only on the aid and advice of the council of ministers with the chief minister as its head, and not on his own." The present strength of the 60-member Nagaland assembly is 59 as the Northern Angami I seat is vacant now. The bypoll for the seat will be held on July 29. In the assembly, the NPF has 47 members, the BJP four and independents eight. There is no opposition. PTI NBS NN SMJ --- ENDS --- Study: Americans adultify black girls, view them as less innocent than their white peers 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. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Bachelor in Paradise is very much back in action, and it has a new premiere date. Season 3 will now air on Monday, August 14 one week later than the shows initial scheduled premiere date of August 8 and ABC is touting franchise favorites looking for another chance at love. The much buzzed about summer will include all previously announced cast members, as well as those that were at the center of the investigation. The investigation, of course, focused on the since-resolved sexual-misconduct allegations stemming from a heavily intoxicated night of filming between contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios. The network does not specify in what capacity Olympios and Jackson will be present on Paradise, since neither returned to filming after the incident occurred, but both have recently announced they will return for the fourth seasons reunion special. Its currently unclear how the show will address the allegations and their resolution, and if footage from the initial days of filming will be used. Via her publicist, Olympios issued this very cut-and-dried statement: I am very happy to be appearing on the Bachelor in Paradise Special. Warner Bros. reviewed footage and investigated the controversial encounter between Olympios and DeMario Jackson and found no evidence of sexual assault, leading the network to resume filming Paradise. Olympioss team, meanwhile, carried out its own investigation into the night in question. They did not find cause to pursue legal action, and the reality star said the process had been completed to my satisfaction. Jackson has participated in multiple interviews since leaving the show, but this will be Olympioss first time publicly taking questions about what took place in Sayulita, Mexico. Bates. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Kathy Bates has beat cancer twice and, with each diagnosis, Bates reveals shes sadly had to contemplate whether going public with the news might hurt her career. Last year, Bates talked about her manager warning her not to disclose her 2003 ovarian cancer diagnosis so she wouldnt be pigeonholed as the poster child for ovarian cancer. She now tells WebMD that it wasnt just her professional team who had concerns even her doctor thought the diagnosis might cost the Oscar winner work. Back in 2003, when I had ovarian cancer, my agent told me not to tell anyone about it, she says. Even my gynecologist, whose husband worked in the business, warned that I shouldnt come out with it because of the stigma in Hollywood. So I was very careful. But when Bates was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer in 2012, she felt it was time to take the risk and had been inspired by Melissa Etheridges breast cancer advocacy to speak up about her own fight, particularly as she continues to suffer from lymphedema, a condition resulting from her double mastectomy. Bates also says that while shes made the choice not to have breast-reconstruction surgery or wear prostheses in her personal life, she often still has to wear them for roles. Ive joined the ranks of women who are going flat, as they say. I dont have breasts so why do I have to pretend like I do? That stuff isnt important, she says. Im just grateful to have been born at a time when the research made it possible for me to survive. I feel so incredibly lucky to be alive. Photo: Ben Mark Holzberg/CBS The summer science-fiction event Salvation, which starts tonight on CBS, is oddly out-of-step with the rest of scripted television. Rather than back up the assertion that TV can do almost anything that theatrical films once did, it reminds you that there are some things that TV probably shouldnt attempt, unless the people running the show have (a) oodles of money to throw at the screen, and (b) formidable storytelling chops. Salvation, a series about scientists and military people trying to prevent an asteroid from wiping out humanity, obviously lacks (a) and seems fairly deficient in (b) as well. Its a rinky-dinky answer to a couple of films that were big 20 years ago, Armageddon and Deep Impact. Both were about extinction-level threats: In the first movie, it was an asteroid the size of Texas, Mr. President, to quote Billy Bob Thorntons memorable formulation, while in the second movie it was a comet that was supposed to send us all to dinosaurland. Lacking the exuberant trashiness of the former film and the earnest sentiment of the latter, Salvation contents itself with herding a bunch of great-looking but bland people into rooms filled with monitors, as well as hallways equipped with retinal scanners and the like, then has them squabble about how best to stop the giant rock tumbling toward Earth, with occasional interludes where they talk about their personal problems, which somehow manage to be less interesting than the ones that got sandwiched into the main plots of Armageddon and Deep Impact. Occasionally we get a field trip to the outdoors, or into space, as our heroes use elbow grease and can-do determination to try to stop the asteroid, nicknamed Samson. Problem is, you cant nuke the damned thing, because that would only tear it apart into lots of smaller rocks that would cause just as much damage, but in more places. No, we have to deflect it with a gravity tractor, which looks a bit like a scale model of a satellite from the 1970s. An opening sequence re-creating the real-life damage caused by the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor incident in Russia illustrates the gravity, pun intended, of Samsons threat. Salvation gets into the nitty-gritty portion of the tale only after a counterproductive lead-up, in which MIT grad student Liam Cole (Charlie Rowe) figures out whats going on, then brings his findings to tech guru Darius Tanz (Santiago Cabrera), only to trigger an NSA panic that brings both men and their colleagues into government custody, where they learn that the government, represented by Pentagon information officer Grace Barrows (Jennifer Finnigan), is already working on the problem. Im honestly not sure why we needed to see other people figuring out a problem that the authorities were already well aware of, and that we viewers were aware of before any of the characters (because why would we even be watching this if we didnt know it was about a killer asteroid?). But thats the mentality of this series, which expends prodigious energy on everything except what you actually want out of a project like this: cool problem-solving and fiery destruction. There isnt a single memorable performance anywhere in Salvation, although, to be fair to the cast, with a script this perfunctory, escaping with ones dignity intact is job no. 1 anyway. There is no direction to speak of, just shots of people saying lines, all cut together as chaotically as possible, the better to suggest excitement that the mini-series itself cant generate. The most entertaining performance is by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who goes on a fictionalized news channel to plea for early detection systems thatll identify rogue asteroids more quickly, because if a giant rock is out there waiting to splinter our planet and wipe out civilization, We just wont even know it until its too late. As Tyson says that last phrase, his eyes widen in an almost pleading way, as if hes realizing how bad this whole enterprise is, and what a terrible idea it was to lend his name to it. Perhaps we should pay for early detection systems to warn famous scientists not to play themselves on TV. Shia LaBeouf. Photo: D Dipasupil/Getty Images for the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Days after being arrested in Georgia for disorderly conduct, obstruction, and public drunkenness, Shia LaBeouf has issued an apology to the police, and public at large, on Twitter. I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it, the actor wrote. He added, I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me. The apology came after TMZ released a video of the actor at the Savannah, Georgia, police station. In the footage, LaBeouf can be heard accusing a black officer of arresting him because he is white and telling the officer that he will be going to hell, straight to hell, bro. LaBeouf is no stranger to run-ins with law enforcement. Earlier this year, he allegedly assaulted someone at his anti-Trump art project and/or protest #HeWillNotDivideUS, and in the past he was arrested for jaywalking and disrupting a Broadway performance of Cabaret. The Transformers star is aware of this pattern of bad behavior. My outright disrespect of authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst, LaBeouf continued in his post. It is a new low. A low I hope is the bottom. He then went on to explain that he is struggling with addiction and is hoping to achieve sobriety soon. Read the full statement below. This post has been updated throughout with new information. In the wake of last weeks column about composer Charles Ives, Ive been asked a couple of times if he was any relation to another famous American artist with the same last name. Since the middle of the 19th century, the phrase Currier and Ives has called to mind a particular kind of illustration: images that are as American as a symphony that would dare to incorporate old hymns, folk tunes and patriotic songs into an old world form. Speaking of music, even if composer Leroy Andersons 1948 Christmas classic Sleigh Ride didnt mention the duo by name (which it does), that song would still evoke nothing as much as those festive Currier and Ives winter scenes published 150 years ago that remain so associated with them today. Nathaniel Currier was born in Massachusetts in 1813 and when he was 15 became an apprentice at a Boston print shop. By 1835, he had moved to New York City and gone into the printing business for himself. For a short time he mostly took on jobs like sheet music and handbills but soon resolved that instead he would choose his own images. In December 1835, he made a print depicting the ruins of a building on Wall Street that had been destroyed in the citys calamitous fire that year and it was a sensation. A few years later he made one that depicted a recent steamship disaster in Long Island Sound and it sold over 1,000 copies. The public was hungry for images. His partner James Ives (no relation to composer Charles but every bit as culturally American) was born in New York City in 1824. As a child he was a gifted, self-taught artist, but in 1850 at age 26 signed on with the Currier Lithograph Company as a bookkeeper. Soon he was overseeing the entire business side of the shop. He became a full partner a few years later. His artistic talents were not left on the shelf however, and even as he managed the finances he quickly became the artistic eye of the company. He had an uncanny ability to sense what images people would like and which artists could depict them best. Soon he was interviewing artists for jobs and assigning them images. By 1857 he was a full partner in the firm and its name changed. In addition to their familiar winter scenes, the company also produced popular images of sailing ships, political cartoons, dramatic depictions of Civil War battles, and the most famous lithograph of the Lincoln assassination. Among those Ives hired was Frances Flora Palmer, the first woman in the United States to make a living as a professional artist. Shed been born in England in 1812 and immigrated to Brooklyn in the 1840s. By the 1860s she was one of Currier and Ives most prolific artists. Over the course of that decade she was credited with over 100 lithographs when most of the companys artists didnt get any individual recognition at all. She would sketch scenes outdoors, sometimes recruiting her husband and his friends to be models. Often, Ives would dispatch her out to Long Island to capture a particular vista he had in mind. While the company stayed in operation until 1907, ultimately producing more than 1 million prints of more than 7,000 individual pictures, Nathaniel Currier died in 1888, followed by Ives in 1895. They and their artists made an indelible impression on American culture, and even today show us how we saw ourselves as a people at a particular time in our history. Great art can do nothing better than that. Waco and most of its suburbs received a windfall when the Texas Comptrollers Office delivered sales tax rebates this week. The city of Waco saw a check for $2.97 million, which was 8 percent more than the $2.75 million rebate it collected in July of last year, according to a report released Wednesday by Comptroller Glenn Hegar. Rebates received in July reflect sales in May reported to Hegar in June. In a press release, Hegar announced he would send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts rebates totaling $680 million, which is 9 percent more than the total in July last year. Locally, the city of Hewitt continued to prosper from the opening of a new Walmart at Sun Valley Boulevard and Interstate 35. Hewitts July check for $177,763 reflected an almost 31 percent jump from last years $136,048. Meanwhile, Beverly Hills enjoyed a 16 percent increase, its rebate increasing from $41,438 last year to $47,921 this year. Lacy Lakeview saw a 17 percent jump, receiving a $102,167 rebate, compared to last Julys $87,370. McGregors rebate increased from $106,789 to $129,465, a 21 percent increase, while Woodway saw a 5 percent increase, from $177,325 to $186,705. Waco budget officer Laura Chiota said the city of Waco has received rebates totaling $31.6 million through July this fiscal year, which is $1 million more than it received from October through July the previous fiscal year. For the calendar year, Wacos rebates total almost $22 million, which is almost 3 percent more than it had received January through July of last year. Waco is seeing growth as a retail market, and the tourism industry is making a sizable contribution to our increase in sales, Chiota said. Chiota said the rebates go into the citys general fund, which provides revenue for several departments, including police and fire. Sales tax rebates often surge as gas prices fall, as consumers who save money at the pump have more disposable income. Communities such as Waco do not receive tax rebates on the sale of gasoline. Gasoline prices in Waco averaged $1.98 a gallon for regular unleaded during the week that ended Sunday, according to gasbuddy.com. That is 7 cents per gallon lower than the same time a year ago and 14.6 cents per gallon less than a month ago, according to the website. McLennan County commissioners got a look Wednesday at how much cost-of-living raises for all county employees would add to the budget and started reviewing raise requests for individual employees. Department heads and elected officials are seeking individual raises, in addition to cost-of-living raises, for 55 McLennan County employees, totaling $161,468.29, including benefits. Two department heads requested salary hikes for themselves. Human Resources Director Amanda Talbert said the latest cost-of-living assessment from the Baylor Center for Business and Economic Research, which is specific to Central Texas, identifies a 2.31 percent increase. County commissioners granted a 4.35 percent across-the-board cost-of-living raise last year. A 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment across the county would cost more than $672,000, and hitting the economic research centers 2.3 percent mark would cost more than $1 million, Talbert said. A 3 percent bump would cost the county $1.3 million, she said. Talbert also recommended the county renew its incentive pay plan, which commissioners first implemented during budget talks a year ago. The program allows department heads and elected officials to reward staff with one-time bonuses based on performance reviews. Talbert said county officials reported that the program was successful in its first year. A 1.5 percent incentive budget would cost more than $287,500. A 3 percent incentive plan would cost more than $575,000, and a 4 percent incentive budget would cost more than $766,700, she said. The incentive plan excludes the sworn peace officers in the sheriffs office, because the department has its own program. Individual raises Talbert is one of two department heads requesting a raise for themselves in the upcoming budget cycle. She requested a $2,578.36 raise, which would increase her salary to $86,502. Mental Health Court Services Coordinator Tessa Slovak is requesting a $7,023.55 increase in pay, which would move her salary to $62,217. Talbert is also seeking almost $73,000 for a new position in her department. No budget decisions are final until the final budget document is approved. Commissioners plan to adopt a final budget by mid-August. Budget discussions continue at 9 a.m. Thursday in the Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of the McLennan County Courthouse. Evelyn was born March 27, 1934 in West, the daughter of Jim and Janie (Krenek) Mashek. She attended St. Mary's School and was a 1952 graduate of West High School, prior to attending 4C Business College in Waco. On June 22, 1953 she was united in marriage to Lawrence A. Hlavaty in Abbott. Lawrence preceded her in death on November 30, 2011. Evelyn was a secretary for Texas Power and Light Company, now TXU, in Waco for over 40 years before retiring in 1992. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West. Evelyn was also very active with the VFW Post #4819 Ladies Auxiliary and the Catholic Daughter of American Court #829. She was very fond of animals, especially cats and dogs. Evelyn enjoyed reading and taking gambling trips to Las Vegas, Elko and Wendover, NV. She adored her only grandson and they made many fond memories together. She was known for being a very avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. To assess President Donald Trumps performance at the G-20 Summit, its worth remembering two things. First, for years, Republican foreign-policy commentators blasted Barack Obamas leading from behind foreign-policy strategy as an abdication of U.S. leadership and an abandonment of U.S. allies. A specific criticism was the notion that the Obama administration had done little while Russian President Vladimir Putin had intervened in Ukraine and Syria. A deeper criticism was that Obama seemed reactive to world events. Rather than setting the global agenda, Obama was often criticized for being a prisoner of other peoples agendas. The second thing is that, two months ago, two key Trump White House staff members wrote an extraordinary op-ed in the Wall Street Journal promising that Trumps strategy of America First would not mean America Alone. National security adviser H.R. McMaster and chief economic adviser Gary Cohn were quite explicit on this point: America First does not mean America alone. It is a commitment to protecting and advancing our vital interests while also fostering cooperation and strengthening relationships with our allies and partners. A determination to stand up for our people and our way of life deepens our friends respect for America. So did last weeks G-20 summit bear out McMaster and Cohns claim? No, it does not. In many ways, this cake was baked even before the summit started. The European Union and Japan responded to Trumps protectionist instincts by announcing an agreement on a trade deal. As The Washington Posts Ana Swanson reported: Leaders from Japan and the European Union on Thursday announced their agreement on the broad strokes of a trade deal that will cover nearly 30 percent of the global economy, 10 percent of the worlds population and 40 percent of global trade. ... the deal will create a trading bloc roughly the same size as that established by the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 1994 deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada. . . . the announcement appeared to be a calculated rebuke of both the United States, which has spurned global trade agreements in favor of more protectionist policies under President Trump, and Britain, which voted to leave the European Union last year. It does not seem as though Americas allies are really following Trumps lead here. Meanwhile, for all of Trumps happy talk in recent months about China pressuring North Korea, last weeks ICBM launch led to a coordinated statement from China and Russia. As The Diplomats DD Wu noted: What is noteworthy this time is that the July 4 joint statement is actually the first such statement issued under the name of both foreign ministries in 10 years. The statements prompt timing as well as the signing parties demonstrates the highest-level consensus and determination between both countries. Given that Russia and China are both the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the joint statement implies a strong alliance between the big two on the issue, which could be a double-edged sword for both North Korea and the United States. So for all the talk about a successful Trump-Xi Mar-a-Lago Summit, it would appear that China coordinated much more with Russia on North Korea. And Russia subsequently blocked any useful U.N. Security Council statement on North Koreas ballistic missile program. Finally, the United States was pretty marginalized at the G-20 summit itself. China and Germany took the lead in the run-up to the summit. In the aftermath, neither the New York Times nor The Washington Post write-ups looked pretty. From the Times: For years the United States was the dominant force and set the agenda at the annual gathering of the leaders of the worlds largest economies. But on Friday, when President Trump met with other leaders at the Group of 20 conference, he found the United States isolated on everything from trade to climate change, and faced with the prospect of the groups issuing a statement on Saturday that lays bare how the United States stands alone. And from The Post: President Trump and other world leaders on Saturday emerged from two days of talks unable to resolve key differences on core issues such as climate change and globalization, slapping an exclamation point on a divisive summit that left other nations fearing for the future of global alliances in the Trump era. The scale of disharmony was remarkable for the annual Group of 20 meeting of world economic powers, a venue better known for sleepy bromides about easy-to-agree-on issues. Even as negotiators made a good-faith effort to bargain toward consensus, European leaders said that a chasm has opened between the United States and the rest of the world. In the end, they all signed a communique, one that singled out the Trump administrations opposition to the Paris climate change accord. So, at best, the rest of the G-20 shrugged at Trumps discordant policy positions. At worst, they refused to follow him on any major issue. The economy and the environment were the issues that made up the bulk of the communique, and on both of these issues the United States was largely isolated. Trumps nationalist advisers are apparently giddy about the trip, believing that Trumps Warsaw speech combined with his bilateral meetings in Hamburg made him look presidential. In actuality, his Warsaw speech was a mixed bag. As for his bilateral with, say, Putin, the deliverables are dubious. On the plus side, a cease-fire in Syria appears to be holding. On the down side, Trumps proposed cyber-cooperation with Russia drew widespread mockery from experts and Republican politicians. The criticism was so fierce that Trump managed to contradict himself on Twitter in a single day: 7:50 a.m. July 9: Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded. 8:45 p.m. July 9: 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! Perhaps the biggest summit fail was Trumps lack of any agenda-setting power. There was no issue the president was able to push onto the agenda that was not already on the agenda. Instead, while Trump had his meetings, ties between other countries (the EU and Japan, Russia and China, the EU and China) seemed to deepen far more. So, to sum up: No other G-20 member agreed with the United States on the two key issues at the summit, climate change and trade. Trumps most high-profile bilateral meeting proved to be a political embarrassment for the administration. And the rest of the world is growing inured to Trumps America First strategy. Maybe, just maybe, America First does mean America alone. This week, the Internet has been lit up with the latest in the series of revelations about connections and communications between the presidents innermost circle and representatives of the Russian government. In the United States, the current chapter of the scandal featuring the presidents son, son-in-law, campaign chairman and a badly-shaved, former music publicist, plus what may be a series of smoking-gun emails may be seen as a bizarre yet consequential form of reality television. Around the world, the political furor in the United States is seen through a different lens, with international observers wondering if the drama might effect the ability of the worlds sole superpower to lead. Many in foreign capitals were still in shock at President Donald Trumps performance during his trip to Poland and at the Group of 20 summit. On that trip, Trump attacked his predecessor, the U.S. intelligence community and the news media, providing cover for a Polish government with increasingly authoritarian tendencies. Later in Hamburg, Trump was essentially shunned, a non-participant in a major trade deal, climate discussions and the final joint communique. This new U.S. isolation means that the G-20 has become G-19 + 1. The bigger question is whether Americas retreat from global leadership is a sign of more lasting change. In the 111 years since the first overseas trip by a U.S. president Teddy Roosevelts journey to Panama to check on the progress of the canal there have been more than 300 such missions led by Americas chief executive. Trump was the first in which the U.S. head of state was seen as neither the head of an important rising major power or as the leader of the free world. Now, those tracking the scandals in Washington are wondering whether they will make him and the country he represents weaker and weaker still. Trumps strange meeting on the fringe of the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed, yet again, that the Russians are not seeking to help perceptions. Trump looked weak and out of his depth a view only compounded when, after the meeting, Russian statements appeared calculated to undercut the U.S. president as he appeared to be bending over backward to accommodate them. For the Russians, of course, the meeting was just the latest chapter in an ongoing mission to weaken the United States and the Atlantic alliance. The specifics of their plan have become even better understood with revelations of the Russian proffer of assistance to the Trump campaign and Donald Trump Jr.s willingness to embrace the assistance of a hostile government. And within hours of the latest story breaking, Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer at its heart, was on U.S. television taunting the younger Trump and his colleagues for seeming to be longing for damaging information on Hillary Clinton. This behavior reminds us yet again that Russias primary goal was not to get Trump elected. It was to weaken the United States. Now with Trump in office, the best way to weaken our country is to fan the flames of the scandal enveloping the president. Putin and Russia benefit from the paralysis that a protracted series of investigations into Trump will cause. Trump, or at least some of those close to him, must be starting to see what happens to useful idiots when they are no longer seen to be useful. But, of course, the Russians are not the only ones who are benefiting from the combination of Trumps retreat from global leadership and the distracting swirl of scandals around him. The Syrian cease-fire brokered in Hamburg doesnt do much to help advance U.S. goals of defeating the Islamic State, but it does offer clear benefits to the Assad regime and Iran. Persian Gulf states, too, are increasingly stepping up to shape a regional policy in which the United States seems a bewildered by-stander. North Korea has clearly been testing the new president and has found little to suggest that the United States will act decisively to stop its race to become a fully fledged nuclear threat to American interests. North Korea knows that, if it can make the last sprint to having ICBMs that can reach America and enough warheads to thwart efforts to defang it, its influence will grow immeasurably. Trumps troubles help them too. The leaders of other nations have all indicated through actions such as those in Hamburg a willingness to fill the void left by the United States. China has said as much and grown increasingly assertive. It would be naive to think that as the Trump-Russia scandal deepens, as it now seems it inevitably will, that all these powers will view it not as political theater but as a significant force driving a geopolitical tectonic shift. As a consequence, when you watch the irresistible drama of each nights cable news revelations and debates, its important to see developments for what they are. They are not only the consequences of electing a potentially corrupt president surrounded by a bungling team with little regard for the law or U.S. interests. More important, the message to the world is that the planets sole superpower is distracted and hobbled. In other words, the Russian plan is turning out to have been a resounding success with profound global consequences. It is up to the American people and whichever leaders emerge to contain the damage. Burying the hatchet After more than 150 years, New Orleans, Memphis and other cities have decided the presence of Confederate statues on public land somehow constitutes an endorsement of slavery. So, in a fit of political correctness run amok, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis have been made personae non gratae and, Soviet-style, are being erased from history. I wonder if their opponents would share that sentiment. In 1913, more than 50,000 veterans gathered in Pennsylvania for the 50th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg. It was reported that two men, one from each side, went to a hardware store, bought a hatchet, came back to the battlefield and buried it. The climax was to be a reenactment of Picketts charge. As the rebel yell rang out and the old Confederates started forward again across the field, a moan, a gigantic gasp of unbelief rose from the Union men on Cemetery Ridge. It was then, one onlooker said, that the Yankees, unable to restrain themselves longer, burst from behind the stone wall and flung themselves upon their former enemies, not in mortal combat, but embracing them in brotherly love and affection. Union general Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who was at the reunion, called it a transcendental experience. A radiant fellowship of the fallen. President Woodrow Wilson summarized the spirit of the event: We have found one another again as brothers and comrades in arms, enemies no longer, generous friends rather, our battles long past, the quarrel forgotten except that we shall not forget the splendid valor. Do they sound like people who would want Confederate memorials relegated to the scrapyard? I suspect Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and most of the men who served in the Union army would be appalled by the disdain being shown to their former foes. David B. Anderson, Waco Independence Day! I have a problem calling Independence Day the fourth of July. I believe we diminish the importance and significance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the subsequent eight-year war to throw off the yoke of the British monarchy. It is believed that the signers would have been tried as traitors and hung had the war been lost. Many of them pledged their entire fortunes toward the task of liberty. With the great passage of time, it is easy to take this commitment and heroism for granted. I believe that the news media have a strong influence on culture and a responsibility on important holidays. I wanted to point this out so that like-minded citizens and journalists might call Independence Day just that, and drop the date reference. After all, if we are going to call Independence Day the Fourth of July, then lets call Christmas the twenty-fifth of December. David Morrow, Waco Oil industry myths The July 5 anti-ethanol column by Merrill Matthews contained exactly what you would expect from a think tank sponsored by oil companies citing a Michigan study sponsored by oil companies. Despite his claims to the contrary, biofuels have made a major contribution to U.S. energy security. In fact, they meet about 10 percent of Americas motor-fuel needs. This notion that fracking has created a glut of U.S. energy is just wrong. American oil production fell last year. Consumption of motor fuel hit a new record. And crude-oil imports climbed in 2016 with the largest increases coming from Iraq and Nigeria, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. American oil imports are much lower than they were a decade ago, thanks in part to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), but that doesnt mean we cant do more to protect consumers from price manipulation by Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Ethanol is better for the environment too, despite myths circulated by fossil-fuel advocates. The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture research proved once again that homegrown ethanol reduces carbon emissions by 43 percent, largely because farmers are making more efficient use of existing cropland not plowing up new land to grow corn. The simple truth is that homegrown biofuels play a vital role in Americas energy security. Ethanol protects consumers at the pump and increases octane for better engine performance. The biofuel industry also supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the heartland, and policymakers would be wise to listen to those voters before accepting oil industry myths at face value. Chris Bliley, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Growth Energy, representing supporters and producers of ethanol Permission denied! I do not give permission to the state of Texas to give any of my voting information to Donald Trump and his McCarthy era-bred commission! I have nothing to hide, as Trump suggests from his social-media pulpit. Im just an old man who has a lifetime in the workplace, earning a living, paying taxes the normal stuff. Maybe Trump has a lot to hide and continues to hide in his undisclosed tax returns. Ill make you a deal: Show me yours, Ill show mine! Louis Felan, Meridian Outraged in Waco I am a former Texan (a native) visiting family in Waco. I didnt think Texas ultra-conservative ways could shock me anymore, but then I read Ashley Bean Thorntons Trib column and learned that Waco somehow sidesteps the law of the land and denies marriage equality to same-sex couples. Amazing. Outrageous. Pathetic. Yes, Ms. Thornton, Waco will someday be ashamed. How sad that the city is not already shamed sufficiently. Jack Brennan, Cincinnati, Ohio Wanted in Rome is a monthly magazine in English for expatriates in Rome established in 1985. The magazine covers Rome news stories that may be of interest to English and Italian speaking residents, and tourists as well. The publication also offers classifieds, photos, information on events, museums, churches, galleries, exhibits, fashion, food, and local travel. A major exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale examines the close ties between the Spanish court and the Italian states in the 17th century. Art for arts sake, of course, but also in the Baroque period art was a diplomatic currency. Sometimes Italian rulers would offer paintings to curry favour with the Spanish in Naples and Milan and sometimes the Spanish kings and viceroys would buy works directly from the artists. When Diego Velasquez was the ambassador/buyer, the quality was guaranteed. Alternatively, in the reign of the ailing Charles II, the last of his line, a more practical option was to invite star painters to Spain most notably the Neapolitan masters Luca Giordano and his protege Solimena. The Duke of Urbino gifted Spain's Philip III the first picture in the exhibition Baroccis Call of St Andrew and, although it belongs to the Mannerist period, its dramatic diagonals, a hallmark of the Baroque, are already in evidence. Alongside it is Fede Galicias Judith and Holophernes. The splendour of Judiths dress in Galicia's work rather belies the horror of the event, and Holophernes head seems more wooden than human. Caravaggio There are no such discrepancies in Caravaggios Salome, snapped up by the Spanish crown during the reign of Charles III in the second half of the 17th century for a bargain 78 scudi. It was painted in late career, when Caravaggio was threatened not only by a papal death sentence but also with reprisals from the Knights of Malta after he had been declared membrum putridum et foetidum (putrid and fetid member) for an offence that remains unclear. Caravaggio's Salome was purchased by the Spanish crown during the second half of the 17th century. Holding the platter containing the Baptists head, Salome recoils in disgust from the very atrocity to which she had made herself an accomplice at the behest of her mother Herodias. Meanwhile the executioner, a staple figure in Caravaggios works, twists his back, his sword-hilt plainly visible since the painting's r estoration. Completing the circle, the old maid-servant (or, according to another interpretation, Herodias herself ) looks on with malefic intensity. Beyond the frame, story multiplies story. Bellori, Caravaggio's biographer, reports that the painter offered a painting of Herodias holding the Baptists head (this or one of two other Salome s, one of which is in Londons National Gallery) to the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta, hoping to placate him for whatever offen se he may have perpetrated while on the island. Caravaggios fears of reprisals were well-founded; the emissaries of the Knights of Malta caught up with him in Naples shortly before his death, slashing his face. Guido Reni Arriving in Rome in 1601 Guido Reni had been immediately impressed by Caravaggios genius, although far from being flattered by such homage, Caravaggio took offence. In Renis St Catherine, of which the Bolognese artist made several copies, the heavenward sweetness of her gaze borrows from Raphaels St Cecilia. In the next room, however, Reni has pride of place. Arriving in Rome in 1601, Reni had been immediately impressed by Caravaggios genius although, far from being flattered by such homage, Caravaggio took offence. Guido Renis Conversion was gifted to Spain by Prince Ludovisi in return for Spanish protection of his princedom of Piombino. In Renis rather than Caravaggios Conversion scene, Saul (who will later take the name of Paul) stretches toward the viewer in a pose reprising Raphaels Heliodorus chased from the temple, all flailing legs and arms . One art critic has suggested that the action in the Reni painting, particularly the twists and turns of Sauls body, is more reminiscent of Raphael's Heliodorus that the comparatively still Caravaggio version. The picture ended up in Spanish hands after Prince Ludovisi donated it to ensure the then super-powers protection for his tiny princedom of Piombino. Another gift was Guercinos Lot and his daughters . Mindful of the fate of Sodom and of Lots wife in the background, the two daughters, using wine as part palliative, part providential instrument, prepare to perform the unspeakable so that the race surviv es. Another wall features two pretty female heads by Baglione or Coglione as Caravaggio renamed him in a scurrilous poem, incurring for Caravaggio a libel charge and another mark on his criminal record. Jusepe de Ribera The next two rooms are dedicated to the Spaniard, Jusepe de Ribera, the artist best represented in this exhibition, most of whose mature work was done in Naples. From 1612 to 1616 Lo Spagnoletto, as he was also known, was in Rome and one can surmise that he would have encountered Caravaggio's work. If not in Rome, they surely would have met in Naples, where Caravaggio would soon flee to escape a papal death penalty. Illustrating Riberas label as poet of the repugnant are two St Jeromes. The first, each wrinkle lovingly observed, thrusts a skull toward the viewer with less than clean hands, only the Bible as an intermediary. In the second painting, the saint, even further into old age, hauls himself up by ropes attached to the roof of his grotto, dog-eared Vulgate, skull and feather as points of reference. Spains Jusepe de Ribera depicts St Jerome hauling himself up by ropes attached to the roof of his grotto. Yet, as well as gloom and shadow, Ribera could also do skylight as shown in the two large depictions of St Francis. Or again in the recently restored Jacob with Labans flock : the silvery light filters down to illuminate even the sheeps eyelashes as the much favoured Jacob looks heavenward to receive Gods next instruction. In the top corner rears a brown and rampant ram, a sign that Jacobs own tawny and mottled flock will soon outnumber the prize white herd of Laban, Jacobs stingy and trickish father-in-law. Riberas command of registers is there in his portrait of Don John of Austria, Philip IVs illegitimate son, sent to Naples at the age of 18 to quell a republican revolt against Spanish taxes. Notice, below the horse, the Bay of Naples and the fort of Castel dElmo. Not a shadow to be seen anywhere, nor for that matter Vesuvius. Or maybe Ribera was busy elsewhere. Pride and scorn Outside the frame flits the rumour that Riberas daughter bore the same Don John a child. Other candidates for paternity are Riberas brother or his brother-in-law. Bernardo de Dominici in his Lives of the Painters (1742) attributes the illegitimate birth as a divine punishment, given Riberas pride and scorn of the citys other painters, so hinting at the sometimes cut-throat rivalries underlying Naples Baroque glories. The Spanish connection continues with Velasquez. Painted after his first Italian trip, Jacobs Cloak borrows from Tintoretto not so much a chequered floor as, in Velasquez hand, a stage. Two of Josephs brothers act out their deception. Behind, one brother smiles at the performance; another, hands on mouth, suppresses a snigger. The pictures interplay of expressions is pure theatre, capturing the dramatic moment, a Baroque specialty. Credulous Jacob expresses paternal shock and grief, but it is left to the yapping dog in the corner to sniff out the ruse. Velasquez In the exhibitions second section upstairs, Velasquez court painter to Philip IV is indirectly present as royal art dealer, a genius to spot a genius. One of the works bought up for Philip IV during Velasquez's second Italian visit was Berninis Crucifix. Not that this prevented the painter from taking time off to paint Innocent Xs portrait which can be seen today in Rome's Galleria Doria Pamphilj. Via a section dedicated to another Neapolitan master, Vaccaro, we reach the final room. As though to compensate for his childlessness and chronic ill-health and restore the fading lustre to il siglo doro, Charles II (1665-1700) invited a series of artists to Spain, most notably Luca Giordano. The same Luca Fapresto (Luca paints quickly) remained there ten years, earning the title of caballero, a gentleman). Three paintings here show the honour was well-deserved. In Noahs drunkenness, grapes offer themselves to the viewers touch while the cloth with which Shem covers his fathers nakedness is of a richness to do Titian proud. Balaams ass, as in Velasquezs dog on the floor below, shows how an animal can sometimes see what here even, in Balaams case, a prophet cannot namely the angel blocking Balaams way toward Balak, the Moabite king who has invited the prophet to invoke Gods curse on the invading Israelites. Balaam raises his stick to beat the fractious beast, which (or rather who?), seconds later, will also speak. Giordano makes the animal disconcertingly human. The third painting The Taking of Christ encapsulates time and space with a precision modern film directors might envy. Illuminating three separate episodes, the torches might but for the solemnity of the subject matter be fireworks, while at the end of one of the paintings dramatic diagonals glimmers a crescent moon. Using his good offices, Giordano invited to Spain the still life painter, Andrea Belvedere, two of whose works occupy a room in the Scuderie exhibition. Solimena Then arrived Francesco Solimena, Giordanos former pupil from Naples. Solimena had aged; the two miniatures here were evidently helped on by his wearing two pairs of spectacles. A far cry from his youth: frescoing Napless Donnaregina church with the Miracle of the roses, the same Solimena had once prompted a certain cardinal to complain that the artists good looks would distract the adjoining cloisters Franciscan nuns from their devotions. Its a fitting end to an epoch (whether Hapsburg or Baroque), and also to an exhibition which lingers in the mind long after one has left. Martin Bennett The exhibition can be seen unitl 30 July. Scuderie del Quirinale, Via XXIV Maggio 16, tel. 0639967500, www.scuderiequirinale.it. This article was published in the June 2017 edition of Wanted in Rome magazine. 16 July. The producers of Unredeemed, a gangster movie filmed recently in Rome with an international cast, are launching a crowd-funding campaign to assist with the film's post-production phase. The launch party, from 19.30 at the riverside Lian Club on Sunday 16 July, will feature live music, a buffet, questions and answers with the cast and crew, and a sneak peek at the movie's trailer. gangster movie set in Rome, Described as the first ever English/Italianset in Rome, Unredeemed has been written and produced by Rome expat Eddie Zengeni. Originally fom the UK, of Irish-Zimbabwean heritage, Zengeni plays the lead role in the gangster movie which is being filmed entirely in Rome, in both English and Italian, and offers an alternative view of modern life in the capital. The film centres around Jimmy, a mixed-race London gangster whose pregnant girlfriend Sandra tries in vain to convince him to change his ways. However Jimmy is under pressure from his crime boss to carry out a murder. Can his friendship with a tough-talking Irish-American priest, who is suffering a crisis of faith, help save Jimmy from the road to ruin? Regular WarbirdsNews readers will remember a short piece we ran exactly a year ago HERE, which described the story of one familys quest to discover the resting place for one of their own, 1st Lt Loren Hintz, who disappeared in his Republic P-47D Thunderbolt on April 21st, 1945 during the final days of WWII in Europe. Lt Hintz flew with the 86th FS/79th FG, and was lost in action over northern Italy during the decisive Battle of Po River Valley, which led to the end of the once-mighty Wehrmacht. Although there must certainly have been an effort to locate his remains for repatriation at wars end, it obviously failed, and Lorens body lay where it fell, buried in the wreck of his machine. With the US militarys focus switching to maintaining the peace and re-establishing order in a conquered continental Europe, and with his squadron mates having left for home, it is easy to see how 1st Lt Lorens whereabouts could have slipped as a priority. Already a father at the time of his death; seventy years on, he has become a grand and great grandfather. Despite their enormous pride in Loren Hintzs service and sacrifice, it has been difficult for his family to feel closure over his loss, since he had no known grave. Lorens grandson, Hans Wronka, working with a dedicated group of passionate Italian aviation enthusiasts, sought to change this situation. Last year, they successfully located and excavated the site where Hintzs Thunderbolt crashed. The Italian group Archelogici dellAria (Archaeologists of the Air) started in 2009 as an online Facebook forum dedicated to the exchange of information concerning WWII aircraft crash sites in Italy. In 2015, the group became a non-profit and more formally organized entity. They have a terrific website now as well. Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing 310 Airport Rd Hangar 3 Fleming Field, South Saint Paul, Minnesota Schedule of events: 10 a.m. Presentation and slide show given by Hans Wronka 11 a.m. Q&A from Hans, AirCorps Aviation, and the Italian ADA 11:45 a.m. Presentation from AirCorps Aviation For further details click on Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing or www.aircorpsaviation.com/ findingloren Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker apologised "unreservedly" for his unflattering description of US flight attendants as grandmothers, a day after the remarks touched off a firestorm of criticism from labour unions and American Airlines. The informal comments at a private gala dinner in Dublin were "in no way" intended to cause offence, Sheik Al Baker said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker had said "you are always being served by grandmothers" on US airlines, adding that the average age of Qatar Airways cabin crews was 26. Credit:Jessica Hromas Sheik Al Baker had said "you are always being served by grandmothers" on US airlines, adding that the average age of Qatar Airways cabin crews was 26. American called the earlier remarks "both sexist and ageist" in a message to employees. "Cabin crew are the public face of all airlines, and I greatly respect their hard work and professionalism," Sheik Al Baker said on Wednesday. "There are big issues coming next decade and there's a real challenge for the politicians to get to grip with that so a real crisis is averted': analyst Simon Flowers. Credit:Jonathan Carroll And he said Australia risked bringing the gas industry to a halt which in 2015/16 exported $16 billion worth of LNG, mainly to China, Japan and South Korea. "If you look at what happened in Argentina for example in the 2000s when the governmenttried to stimulate its economy by capping domestic gas pricesthe result of that was they stopped all new development," he said. Export curbs are only intended to ensure that gas producers aren't buying cheap product in Australia and selling it into the international market. Credit:Michele Mossop "Now we could get into that place pretty quickly if we're not careful," he warned. "And as much we've got green and red tape slowing down development the last thing we need is economic uncertainty and the lack of an ability to sell into free markets to scale up investment." "We got here through a lack of political leadership, that is the start and end of the debate.": former Labor Resources Minister Martin Ferguson. Credit:Louie Douvis 'We could get into that place pretty quickly if we're not careful' Former Resources Minister Martin Ferguson also said sovereign risk is a live issue. "One of the hallmarks of our nation for many, many decades has been that we are a reliable supplier in terms of our contractual obligations." "To potentially put at risk the capacity of our exporters to meet the requirements of our customers raises very serious issues about sovereign risk in Australia and that is a major problem for Australia," he said. Simon Flowers, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said Australia was not at crisis point - yet. "There are big issues coming next decade and there's a real challenge for the politicians to get to grip with that so a real crisis is averted because it is looming," he said. 'Crazy debate' Mr Gallagher said attitudes towards natural gas were out of step with the rest of the world and said he and other business leaders needed to do more to educate the debate. He cited the US' use take up of shale gas under the Obama administration as a way of that country reducing its emissions. The US Energy Administration says LNG, which is higher in methane, emits almost half as much carbon dioxide when burned compared to coal. "Australia's quite unique because I go all over the world to talk to investors and everywhere I go gas is good." "Then you come to Australia and we're having this crazy debate about a clean resource that we have in abundance," he said. He said he and other company leaders had been "complacent" and needed to do more to counter campaigners and help politicians overcome activist pressures. "I agree we have to do better," he said. "I take that challenge on." He cited the taxi-driver measure as an example that attitudes towards gas extraction can be changed. "Every taxi driver opposes fracking passionately but has no idea why. And you have a five-minute conversation with them and say 'we've been doing that safely for nearly fifty years in South Australia' and they say 'wow.'" Political leadership blamed Mr Ferguson said the shortage of gas domestically was not the fault of the private sector. "We got here through a lack of political leadership, that is the start and end of the debate." He took aim at the Victorian Labor government, which in March banned fracking until 2020. At the time, Premier Daniel Andrews said the ban was a "triumph of one of the most amazing community campaigns that our state and indeed our nation has ever seen." But Mr Ferguson said the decision had contributed to the squeeze on gas supply domestically driving up electricity prices. "If the Victorian government had not put the moratorium in place then we would not have the problems that we currently have on the east coast of Australia because we would have more than sufficient gas both for the purposes of exports and energy security," Mr Ferguson said. Paul Schreier was the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet between 2010 and 2013. He said the states decision to introduce their own energy efficiency schemes, bans on coal seam gas exploration and renewable energy targets, as consensus on carbon pricing broke down federally had contributed to the parlous state of Australia's energy policy and supply shortages. Loading Surveillance in public places can be considered an invasion of privacy, but it could also be used to find lost children, track down persons of interest or provide data to retailers. Speaking at the annual Safe Cities Conference in Brisbane on Wednesday, Advanced Surveillance Group director Professor Brian Lovell said surveillance was very Big Brother, and unashamedly so. Facial recognition technology has also been used in retail to monitor who was looking at advertising billboards in New York's Times Square and in Chicago, as well as monitoring the ages and genders of those entering retail stores. Professor Lovell said the 2005 London bombings led former prime minister John Howard to recognise the value of surveillance. "He started up some programs for research and I got an inaugural funding from that and got some follow-up funding ... that's how I got into this area," Professor Lovell said. Google emerged as the victor in its latest legal battle in Europe on Wednesday, after a French court said the technology behemoth did not have to pay $US1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in back taxes. At issue was whether Google avoided taxes in France by routing sales in the country through an Irish-based subsidiary over a five-year period ending in 2010. But an administrative court in Paris ruled that the Irish subsidiary was not taxable in France. Google has been facing a steady stream of legal challenges across Europe, with many of the disputes focusing on the company's tax and competitive practices. Last month, European regulators levied a record $US2.7 billion fine against Google for favouring its own products over those of its competitors on its powerful search engine. A Gosnells man has been fined $10,000 and banned from owning a pet for ten years after his two elderly dogs had to be put down when RSPCA WA inspectors found them riddled with tumours and severe skin disease. Scooby, a male Kelpie cross, and Coda, a male Shepherd cross, were found by inspectors on Christopher Lee Gleich's Gosnells property with severe skin disease and large tumours in their mouths, stomach and testicles. The extent of Koda's skin disease meant he had to be put down. Credit:RSPCA WA When first questioned, Gleich told investigators the two elderly dogs had wandered onto his property. However he later admitted he owned both the dogs and said he had known "the dogs were suffering and had been deteriorating for several months" before he had been visited by inspectors. A West Australian man who attracted international attention by checking in a single can of beer on a flight from Melbourne to Perth has been revealed as Dean Wicken, a staff member for federal Liberal MP Melissa Price. Mr Wicken, the current WA Young Liberals policy director, made global headlines on Wednesday after posting footage on Facebook of his lone can of Emu Export arriving at Perth Airport's baggage claim for Qantas flight QF777 on Saturday. Mr Wicken, who was identified as Dean Stinson, the name he uses on Facebook, said he was behind the prank., posted a photo of his 'luggage'. Credit:Dean Stinson, Facebook Mr Wicken, who was identified as Dean Stinson, the name he uses on Facebook, said he was behind the prank. "I've had quite the notoriety," he said. Documents tendered to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse have revealed that Bunbury Bishop John Goody agreed to hire a priest in 1959 - despite knowing he had previously sexually abused a number of boys. In June 1958, Father William Kevin Glover was removed as a superior and parish priest in Victoria for "immoral and criminal sexual behaviour with boys and male adolescents". A letter submitted to the Royal Commission dated September 15, 1959, from Bunbury Bishop John Goody to Marist Fathers Provincial James Harcombe. He was given a formal canonical warning and sent to a 30-day penitential retreat in Armidale, NSW. Having been assigned a new parish, Glover was brought to Sydney in July 1959 and given a second canonical warning for committing similar offences. Paris: The European Union remains an incomplete project and will require changes to its treaties that bring greater convergence between euro zone member states, French President Emmanuel Macron said in comments published on Thursday. In an interview with French regional daily Ouest France, Macron, who favours deeper European integration, said Germany was benefiting from a "dysfunctional" euro zone. France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump engage in conversation at the start of the first working session of the G20 on Friday. Credit:AP Macron, elected in May, has called for giving the euro zone a single finance minister and a common budget - a proposal that has been met with caution by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and suspicion in Berlin that German taxpayers might be left having to shoulder common debts. Macron reiterated that he was not in favour of turning national debts of euro zone countries into a single pool of euro zone debt. From 10 to 11 July 2017, the WCO hosted its first Global Conference on Transit with the objective of boosting discussions among its Members on transit regimes efficiency and of promoting its Transit Guidelines, which were released in 2017. Representatives from Customs administrations, development partners and international organizations attending the event welcomed this new WCO tool and affirmed their commitment to implementing the measures prescribed in it. During the discussions, political will was identified as crucial for the improvement of transit conditions. On this point, the Minister of Finance of Zambia, Mr. Felix C. Mutati, reminded the audience of the African Union Summit decision to establish a Continental Free Trade Area by 2017 and the consensus among African countries on the need to cooperate to ensure freedom of transit on the African continent. Representatives from several of Africa's Regional Economic Communities present at the Conference, such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also highlighted the need to ensure that establishment functioning legal frameworks are in place to address the main challenges of regional transit regimes. The use of existing information and communication technology (ICT) solutions was also raised at the Conference. Today, numerous technologies are available to secure the movement of goods, such as electronic Customs seals which are actively used on containers transported from China to Europe and have proved to be reliable and efficient. The regional electronic tracking system used for goods transiting between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda was also mentioned as a successful project resulting from cooperation between neighbouring Customs administrations. The Representative from ECOWAS informed participants that work has started to connect the IT systems of ECOWAS Members. Regarding the challenges related to interconnectivity, the benefits of global implementation of the WCO Data Model were pointed out. Challenges relating to the use of technology were also discussed, with the Director General of Togo Customs drawing the audiences attention to limitations such as electricity blackouts or no internet connectivity. Particular attention was given to the difficulties faced by landlocked developing countries. During a special session on the issue, moderated by Ms. Gladys Mutangadura from the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), several concrete suggestions were made on how to turn land-lockedness into land-linkedness. The Director General of Paraguay Customs indicated that trade transactions in his country incur 30% additional costs due to Paraguays geographical limitations. The Representative from UN-OHRLLS confirmed that on average, LLDCs bear up to 40 % additional costs on trade transactions. The investment being made in hard infrastructure, such as roads, rail infrastructure, intermodal logistical hubs and dry inland ports, remains one of the main priorities in order to improve the situation. However, all the participants also confirmed the need for harmonization and simplification of border control procedures, as well as the promotion of ICT for the management of transit systems. Transit systems, such as the European Unions New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), the Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention) and relatively new transit facilitation initiatives in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC), were also discussed in detail. Turkey, a user of two transit systems - NCTS and TIR - highlighted the importance of digitalization of the transit processes and explained its involvement in the e-TIR project aimed at providing an exchange platform for all actors (Customs authorities, holders and guarantee chains) involved in the TIR system. In this regard, Turkey has participated in two pilot projects with two neighbouring countries, namely Georgia and Iran. Railway transport is playing an increasingly important role in moving goods between countries in Eurasia, as explained by the Representatives from China and Russia Customs as well as the Representative from the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF). It was pointed out that block trains now bring goods from China to Europe through Russia and Central Asian countries within a fortnight; four times faster than via maritime routes. It is worth nothing that in the absence of a global instrument regulating the movement of trains across borders, which would obviously be of benefit to transit operations, bilateral agreements are the norm. The Transit Guidelines were developed in close cooperation with international organizations and development partners, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UN-OHRLLS, World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and African Development Bank Group (AfDB). During the session on Enabling Transit Facilitation, development partners, such as the WB, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and German International Cooperation (GIZ), confirmed their readiness to use the WCO Transit Guidelines in the implementation and design of their current and future capacity building and technical assistance projects. Mr. Erich Kieck, a senior expert at the WB, stressed the need to compare the projects scope with the content of the Transit Guidelines. The Representative from GIZ announced the organization of a regional transit workshop in Central Asia in conjunction with the WCO, while the Representative from JICA declared that his Agency will continue to support the implementation of One Stop Border Posts. Last but not least, it was announced that the revision of the Transit Guidelines will be on the Agenda for the next sessions of the WCO Permanent Technical Committee. The WCO Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya, noted the possibility of developing a separate publication on transit encompassing national or regional best practices. Under the auspices of the WCO-ESA Project II (financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland), the WCO provided support to the Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Kenya from 27 to 29 June 2017. The overarching objective of this mission was to strengthen the regional network within the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region according to the Capacity Building approach. The WCO and the RTC staff carried out a joint diagnostic of WCO RTC Kenya in its capacity to act as a Centre of Excellence in the area of the Economic Competitiveness Package within the ESA region. RTC Kenya certainly makes a significant contribution in hosting key regional events in the region, and the aim of this mission was to ensure continued increase of its potential. The roles and responsibilities of RTC Kenya were clearly exposed and defined, in order to enhance the operational delivery of Capacity Building initiatives in the ESA region. Reviewing the Best Practices Guidance for the WCO Regional Entities enabled beneficiaries to benchmark other RTCs practices and challenges. From the discussions and analysis a number of recommendations emerged, aiming at addressing the listed challenges and enhancing RTC Kenyas capability to develop and deliver training at the regional level. The RTC staff was very committed within the process of this RTC review and achieved making concrete and realistic recommendations for the future of the RTC, to be implemented in the short and medium terms. The follow-up of this mission will contribute to foster RTC Kenyas autonomy and preparedness to establish sustainable methods for the design, management, delivery and monitoring of WCO Capacity Building activities for ESA Members. Home Real Weddings Wedding Perfection Is A Place In Italy Wanna See? Wedding Perfection Is A Place In Italy Wanna See? Wedding perfection is a place in Italy... wanna see? Okay maybe not literally, but this next couples international nuptials really feel nearly too good to be true. Originally from Ireland and wishing for a bit more sunshine that could be expected on their home turf they chose to tie the knot on the sunny shoreline of Sorento Italy. The end results are more than just stunning they will have you believing in fairytales and happily ever afters! Warm glowing sun dapples this entire day in a romantic atmosphere that seems to be a specialty of Italy's. Each heart melting moment was captured by the talented Julia Kaptelova Photography so be sure to check out the full gallery here. Plus you can watch the magic unfold in a wedding film clip shot by Studio Moments below. From the bride: I met Shane back in 2011 on his graduation day from Dublin Institute of Technology, where he attended the same course as one of my close friends. The attraction between us was instant but the timing wasn't right for us so we remained just friends until 2014, when we bumped into each other again at one of the late bars in Dublin. From that day on we have become inseparable and he proposed to me on our holiday in Dubai a year later. Shane and I always have dreamed of an outdoor summer wedding. Because the weather in Ireland is very unpredictable and it rains a lot, we decided to have a wedding abroad where the sunshine is guaranteed. Italy seemed like a perfect choice because we both love Italian landscape, foods and wines. I speak a small bit of Italian so that helped me a little bit during the planning process. During the planning process I was trying to accommodate for the guests from Ireland and guest from Russia, two different cultures but both very traditional. So as a compromise we had classic Sorrentian food and drink, a mixture of music styles, ranging from Harpist playing Celtic music, to a String Quartet playing classic music (from Russian composers) and a live Jazz band. I had no wedding planner so for the decorations and wedding supplies I relied on online wedding blogs, Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration and through some online research I was able to find suppliers for the weddings. The process wasn't easy but the hard work was definitely worth it in the end. I changed my mind on the theme of the wedding numerous times. My final decision was to go with an elegant outdoor summer wedding theme. The colour scheme was white and blush, with a small touch of gold. The wedding villa was located on top of the cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the amazing view of Naples, Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri in the background, so I felt the place didn't need too many decorations. I had large flower centerpieces on every table with white and blush roses, surrounded by gold candle holders. The surrounding trees had beautiful light and lanterns that came on in the evening time. The day went in a heartbeat! I am glad for the photographic evidence of my wedding day, because it was all over in a flash. I was glad for picking Villa Antiche Mura for my wedding venue because we were able to have a wedding ceremony on the White terrace with the backdrop of the blue sea and sky, then have our Aperitif there too. Dinner was in their Red terrace with the same beautiful view but with the cover of the trees for shade. So logistically it work just perfectly. The best decision I made during the wedding was to plan it exactly how we wanted. We thought about what our dream wedding would be and we worked off that idea. A good photographer and videographer are a must, because these are the memories you will have left after the day is over. You simply must watch the entire video from Studio Moments. A breathtaking and memorable wedding film that we could watch over and over. https://vimeo.com/199435648 Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 12, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 12, 2017 | 04:53 PM | PADUCAH, KY Paducah's Missy Eckenberg has been inducted as Rotary International District Governor for the 2017-18 year. Eckenberg, who has been a member of the Paducah Rotary Club for 21 years, will work with 55 clubs from Hickman to Frankfort to coordinate community and international service projects. She will also be responsible for organizing new Rotary clubs and strengthening existing ones. District 6710 stretches from Hickman to Bowling Green, Carrollton, Louisville and Frankfort. Eckenberg is the first woman from her club to serve as District Governor. She assumed office July 1. During an installation ceremony at The Carson Center, Eckenberg said her main goals for the coming year are to welcome people to join, help communities near and far, and share our activities with the public. "As local leaders and volunteers, Rotarians can help find community solutions to local needs. Rotary brings together leaders who exchange ideas and take action, she said. Rotary projects focus on disease prevention, health care, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Four region teams look to advance tonight in football playoffs By Paul Schaumburg, Graves County Schools Jul. 12, 2017 | 08:16 PM | MAYFIELD, KY The Graves County School District announces an amendment to its policy for serving meals to studentsunder the National School Lunch / School Breakfast Programs for the 2017-2018 school year. All students will be served lunch/breakfast at no charge at these schools: Graves County Middle and High schools, Gateway Academy High School, and the elementary schools of Central, Fancy Farm, Farmington, Lowes, Sedalia, Symsonia, and Wingo. For additional information please contact: Graves County Schools, Attention: Shelina McClain/School Nutrition Director, 2290 State Route 121 North, Mayfield, KY 42066, 270-328/674-1548, shelina.mcclain@graves.kyschools.us . In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. The Graves County School District is an equal opportunity provider. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 12, 2017 | 08:50 PM | BOAZ, KY A man was arrested on drug and other charges Wednesday in Graves County. Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon said his office received a report of a possible intoxicated man on KY 994 in the Boaz community. Upon arrival, a deputy found 24-year-old Dustin McReynolds reportedly under the influence of drugs. McReynolds gave the deputy a false name and social security number. When the deputy went to pat McReynolds down for weapons, McReynolds attempted to hide narcotics in his underwear. He also began to actively fight with the deputy. Police said McReynolds had 307 Klonopin tablets in his possession. He was arrested and charged with trafficking in controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest, public intoxication controlled substance, disorderly conduct and two counts of menacing. By The Associated Press Jul. 12, 2017 | 08:05 PM | NEW YORK, NY A security researcher says a lapse has exposed data from millions of Verizon customers, leaking names, addresses and personal identification numbers, or PINs. Verizon Wireless says 6 million customers were affected, but the company says that none of the information made it into the wrong hands. Thecompany says the only person who got access to the data was the researcher who brought the leak to its attention. The security firm, UpGuard, says the problem stemmed from a cloud server that a third-party vendor had misconfigured. Gartner analyst Avivah Litan says the issue comes down to human error and it doesn't make sense to blame cloud service providers like Amazon and Google. She says such lapses are likely common, but it's hard to know since we only know what's disclosed. Advertisement By The Associated Press Jul. 12, 2017 | LEXINGTON, KY By The Associated Press Jul. 12, 2017 | 05:40 PM | LEXINGTON, KY Vice President Mike Pence says the revised health care bill being offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will "begin the end" of former President Barack Obama's health care law. Pence traveled to GOP-friendly Kentucky on Wednesday to say he wanted to "turn up the heat" on Republicans to fulfill their pledge to uproot Obama's health care law. Speaking at a small business in Lexington, Pence sent a clear message to Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul as the Senate prepares to debate the updated health care bill that McConnell plans to introduce Thursday. Pence told supporters that he and President Donald Trump believe that Paul will join McConnell, his fellow Kentuckian, in supporting the legislation to repeal and replace Obama's law. Paul has been among a group of Republicans who have blocked a Senate vote on health care, saying the initial Senate bill didn't do enough to repeal Obamacare, and he has yet to see language that accomplishes that. Paul's office says the Kentuckian looks forward to working with Trump and Pence on a "real repeal bill." World's Largest English Language News Service with Over 500 Articles Updated Daily "The News You Need TodayFor The World Youll Live In Tomorrow." What You Arent Being Told About The World You Live In How The Conspiracy Theory Label Was Conceived To Derail The Truth Movement How Covert American Agents Infiltrate the Internet to Manipulate, Deceive, and Destroy Reputations July 13, 2017 Russian Lawyer Who Met Trump Son Had Torrid Affair With New York Times Reporter By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers An intriguing Federal Security Service (FSB) urgent action bulletin circulating in the Kremlin today states that an initial investigation into the affairs/linkages of Moscow attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, as it relates to her meeting the son of President Donald Trump, confirms her being a personal informant for the former American FBI Director James Comey, her being placed/inserted into this situation by the director of her husbands company, and her having initiated a torrid sexual relationship with a reporter for The New York Times. [Note: Some words and/or phrases appearing in quotes in this report are English language approximations of Russian words/phrases having no exact counterpart.] Russian attorney and FBI informant Natalia Veselnitskaya As we had previously reported in our 12 July article titled Russian Lawyer At Heart Of Trump Probe Revealed To Be James Comeys FBI Snitch, the FSB had determined that Natalia Veselnitskaya ( ) had become embroiled/entangled in the Hillary Clinton-Russian Railways money laundering scheme that led, in October, 2015, to President Putin firing its president Andrei Yakunin. Fired along with Andrei Yakunin from Russian Railways by President Putin, this new FSB bulletin states, were numerous of his top ministers, and as this relates to Natalia Veselnitskaya, included her husband Alexander Mitusov ( ), who was Yakunins First Deputy Minister of Transport. [English] Alexander Mitusov, husband of Natalia Veselnitskaya Alexander Mitusov and Natalia Veselnitskaya, this bulletin continues, met and married in 1999 [English] when they both were employed by the Department of the Prosecutor General (Central Federal District/Moscow) [English]and after leaving this employment, Natalia Veselnitskaya became a managing partner (2003) of a private Moscow law firm named Kamerton Consulting ( ). [English] While a managing partner at Kamerton Consulting, this bulletin details, one of Natalia Veselnitskayas main/top clients was the energy (oil/gas) transportation company SG-Trans OJSC (Russian legal name Federal Freight Company-OJSC)and whose general director, Alexei Taicher, hired her husband Alexander Mitusov as his vice president [English] after he was fired from Russian Railways. Being aware of the prior schemes related to Hillary Clinton employed by Russian Railways, and fearing that with Alexander Mitusov would transplant them at SG-Trans OJSC, this bulletin notes, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), on 3 March 2016, issued a warning to general director Alexei Taicher stating that he was in violation of Article 25.7 of the Federal Law On Protection of Competition to prevent violations of the antimonopoly law. [Note: Unlike in the United States , in Russia only the heads of companies can be charged for crimes, not the company itself.] At the time the FAS issued this criminal warning to general director Alexander Mitusov, this bulleting continues, he enlisted Natalia Veselnitskayas aid against President Putin using the Obama regime as leverageand who at that time was traveling frequently between the United States, Britain and Russia as part of her representation of a US Federal Government civil forfeiture complaint against the assets of nine Russian corporations controlling real estate in New York Citybut that the US government was forced to drop in exchange for $5.9 million with no wrongdoing admitted, and that Natalia Veselnitskaya characterized as almost an apology from the US government. [English] Due to Natalia Veselnitskaya being on a US State Department black list for her, and her law firms, many associations with Russian energy and banking companies under American sanctions, this bulletin continues, she was denied a visa to enter the United Stateswith her, instead, being issued a parole letter to enter the US in order to defend her client, and that was valid from October 2015 to early January 2016. As Natalia Veselnitskayas parole letter was ready to expire on 7 January 2017, this bulletin notes, she stated in a affidavit to the US Federal Court that her request to have it extended was deniedas was customary as the case she was representing had already been settled with only the final announcement of it to be made, and that was done a number of weeks later 12 May 2017. Immediately upon the denial of Natalia Veselnitskayas parole letter to extend her stay in America , however, this bulletin notes, FBI Director James Comeys US Department of Justice suddenly, and without notice, allowed her to stay in the US; during which time she not only met with Donald Trump Jr., but attended numerous US government functions and, most infamously, appeared in the front row of a hearing chaired by US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce sitting right behind the Obama regimes former US Ambassador to Russia Michal McFaul. CIRCLE OF CORRUPTION: FBI Director Comey Took Millions from Clinton Foundation Tied Companies Seeming to always be near Natalia Veselnitskaya during her time in the US, FSB analysts in this bulletin detail, was an American political commentator and writer for The New York Times named Jared Yates Sextonwho was not only her lover, but attended Trump protest rallies with her tooand as exampled by her rabidly anti-Trump Facebook page where she posted photos of many such protests. FSB analysts in this bulletin further reveal that Natalia Veselnitskaya and Jared Yates Sexton had been planning/plotting their attempt to discredit Donald Trump Jr. for over a yearand that Jared Yates Sexton himself stunning revealed to be true after Donald Trump Jr. suddenly released his emails this week relating to his meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, and that caused Sexton to have a Twitter meltdown. As to how The New York Times reporter Jared Yates Sexton was able to work on this story for a year before anything had actually occurred, this bulletin concludes, shows he was obviously being fed real-time information by his lover Natalia Veselnitskaya as events were occurringand as she has already been determined to be an informant for the Obama regimes FBI Director James Comey, proves too that this is yet another fake news event planned and orchestrated by the Deep State to harm President Trumpbefore he can drain the swamp. Other reports in this series include: Russian Lawyer At Heart Of Trump Probe Revealed To Be James Comeys FBI Snitch Enormity Of Hillary Clinton Penetration Into Russia Warned Could Topple US Government July 13, 2017 EU and US all rights reserved. Permission to use this report in its entirety is granted under the condition it is linked back to its original source at WhatDoesItMean.Com. Freebase content licensed under CC-BY and GFDL. [Note: Many governments and their intelligence services actively campaign against the information found in these reports so as not to alarm their citizens about the many catastrophic Earth changes and events to come, a stance that the Sisters of Sorcha Faal strongly disagree with in believing that it is every human beings right to know the truth. Due to our missions conflicts with that of those governments, the responses of their agents has been a longstanding misinformation/misdirection campaign designed to discredit us, and others like us, that is exampled in numerous places, including HERE.] [Note: The WhatDoesItMean.com website was created for and donated to the Sisters of Sorcha Faal in 2003 by a small group of American computer experts led by the late global technology guru Wayne Green (1922-2013) to counter the propaganda being used by the West to promote their illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq.] [Note: The word Kremlin (fortress inside a city) as used in this report refers to Russian citadels, including in Moscow , having cathedrals wherein female Schema monks (Orthodox nuns) reside, many of whom are devoted to the mission of the Sisters of Sorcha Faal.] American Today: It HAS Come To Blood (And Why JFK REALLY Had To Die!) Deep State In Disarray As Trumps Fathomless Federation Gains Ground Return To Main Page BMW Group achieves record first half-year results Worldwide Sales at premium carmaker BMW Group have achieved their best ever June result as well as a record first half-year, with sales of the BMW Groups three premium brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce increasing 5% year-on-year. BMW sales in the month of June 2017 totalled 232,620 units, representing a 2.1% increase year-on-year. Sales of the Groups three premium brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce increased 5% in the six months of the year, representing a total of 1,220,819 vehicles delivered worldwide. The BMW brand is reported to have achieved its best-ever first half-year, topping the million mark for the first time ever in the period. Global BMW sales totalled 1,038,030 units, +5.2% over the corresponding period in 2016. In June, the brands sales totalled 192,873 units, +2% year-on-year. Sales of the BMW X1 increased 45.2% (136,748) between January and June 2017, while deliveries of the BMW X5 increased 10.6% (89,958). BMW 1 Series sales grew 6.5% to 91,802 in the same period, and deliveries of the flagship BMW 7 Series were up +26.9% (32,290). Europe remains the BMW Groups most significant sales territory and, despite recent downturns in the regions two largest markets Germany and the UK, overall BMW Group sales for the first half of 2017 are up 2.2%. Sales growth in Asia were mainly driven by China, where combined BMW and MINI deliveries were up 18.4% in the first half-year. The Group says it continues to be affected by the decline in the overall automotive market in the U.S., while sales in other markets in the region maintain their positive growth, with BMW Group deliveries in Mexico and Latin America achieving a further double-digit increase. The Rolls-Royce brand delivered 1,575 units in the first half of 2017, a -6.5% decrease over the corresponding period in the prior year, which was particularly strong due to the popularity of the newly introduced Rolls-Royce Dawn. According to the luxury carmaker this base effect, and the absence from the market of the Phantom pending the introduction of the new Phantom later this year, account for the decrease in sales year-on-year. In the electrical vehicles segment a total of 42,573 BMWi, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles were delivered to customers in the first half of 2017, an 79.8% increase on the same period last year. The BMW Group says it is well on track to achieve its target of selling 100,000 electrified vehicles in 2017. The Associated Press report on the Total deal quoted one Iranian Member of Parliament as saying that it would break the taboo of American sanctions, thereby opening the way to more Western business deals even as tensions remained fraught between the Iranian regime and the White House under the administration of President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh claimed that even American companies would be welcome to do business with the Islamic Republic, and that it was only the US government that was standing in the way of potentially lucrative investments. However, these narratives were quickly disputed by international business analysts. And it has previously been emphasized that despite Irans months-long protests that the US is not doing enough to facilitate an Iranian recovery following implementation of the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic has taken no steps to bring itself into alignment with international standards like those set out for all nations by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering. It is in part because of disregard for standards such as these that the Iranian economy remains an unacceptable business risk, as pointe out on Thursday by The Street. The investment-oriented news source says that regardless of the move by Total SA, the more important decision makers in this situation are banks and lending institutions, and these remain extremely wary of the Iranian market. The article implies that there was little the US could have done under the previous presidential administration to facilitate international investment in Iran if Iranian officials failed to take action on their own. And the article states outright that the US doesnt have to do that much if it wants to continue frustrating Tehrans economic ambitions during this period of conflict with the Trump administration. These observations underscore the claims made by Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations, in an editorial published by the Washington Post. Takeyh points out that it is fairly common for Iran to be described as an island of stability in the midst of the instability of the broader Middle East. No doubt, this is a factor contributing to the decision by companies like Total SA to explore supposed investment opportunities in the Islamic Republic. But Takeyh pointedly disputes this talking point and insists that far from being stable, the Iranian regime is on the verge of political collapse. This same point was made last Saturday by National Council of Resistance of Iran President Maryam Rajavi and by supporters of the coalition, at its annual rally in Paris. Although Takeyh did not name the NCRI, he did separately argue that the empowerment of domestic critics of the Iranian regime, along with the imposition of economic penalties by the US and its allies, could help to speed the transition of the Iranian government from its current theocratic dictatorship to a popularly-favored democratic system. Takeyh also implied that the prospects for this transition would be even more immediate if the US was prepared for the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which may be imminent. The planning for all this must start today, Takeyh argues; once the crisis breaks out, it will be too late for America to be a player. But in some ways the US has already made its interest in regime change known. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the House Foreign Affairs Committee last month that the US should work towards support of those elements inside of Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government. The Trump administration as a whole has been eager to keep international attention focused on Iranian misbehavior, and it has followed up on this with increased sanctions on the countrys ballistic missile program. That cause has also been taken up by Congress, which is working to pass legislation that would extend terrorism-related sanctions to the entirety of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is generally understood that the threat of US sanctions helps to hold back would-be Western investment, even if it is not the only contributing factor. And at the same time that this helps to encourage the perception of Iranian instability, the same thing is accomplished by the continued expansion of tensions between Iran and its various adversaries. This is something that the White House has also promoted, through its moves to expand relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab powers. In May, the Arab Islamic-American Summit in Riyadh included collective statements criticizing Irans regional intrusions, and it coincided with the signing of a 110 billion dollar arms trade agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia. However, since then the collective Arab opposition to Iranian influence has hit a snag in the form of a diplomatic crisis between the Saudis and the nation of Qatar, which has expressed relative willingness to coordinate with the Islamic Republic. On Tuesday, following Qatars rejection of a series of demands presented by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as conditions for lifting their blockade of the fellow Arab country, the New York Times published an article explaining that Tehran would be happy to see [the crisis] quietly drag on because it distracts attention from the previous situation, in which the entire Sunni Arab world seemed lined up against Iran. Toward that end, the Iranians have reportedly sent food to Qatar in order to make up for what the country has been deprived of as a result of the blockade. But the Times suggests that Iranian assistance is unlikely to extend further than this, both because it would not be in the interests of the Iranian regime to seriously encourage a resolution and because that regime simply cannot afford a more serious investment in a neighbor with limited strategic significance. The initial aid to Qatar adds to the financial burden that the Islamic Republic has already incurred from its years-long provision of arms, salaries, and direct military assistance to forces fighting in defense of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. At the same time, Iran maintains similar influence over the civil war in Yemen, where it backs the Houthi. And in recent months the National Council of Resistance of Iran has reported that Iran has substantially expanded the terrorist training programs being run by the Revolutionary Guards. All of these things arguably contribute to the potential economic instability of the Islamic Republic, at a time when it is boasting of foreign investment prospects that have yet to manifest beyond agreements with a handful of Western companies. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sel Burrows laughed Thursday as he recalled Lt-Gov. Janice Filmons phoning him a month ago to tell the inner-city activist he was being invested into the Order of Manitoba. I almost dropped the phone, Burrows said moments before he joined 11 other outstanding Manitobans in a pomp-filled ceremony at the legislature. Henceforward, hell be Selwyn Burrows, O.M. He wont be pronouncing the two letters individually, Burrows advised: No, Im a child of the 60s I go Ommmmmmmmm. Filmon presided over the ceremony, held since 1999 to recognize Manitobans who have demonstrated excellence and achievement, thereby enriching the social, cultural or economic well-being of the province and its residents. Burrows said he had last encountered the lieutenant-governor when her husband Gary Filmon was Conservative premier in the 1990s, and Burrows was becoming known as a thorn in the side of government trying to get crack houses and dealers out of Point Douglas. Im quite pushy at times, I make peoples lives miserable, said Burrows. I was making life miserable for her husband. Burrows said the inner city has too many fantastic people whove given up. Hes worked with his neighbours for decades to show them they can effect change. They didnt want crack houses on their street, said Burrows, adding the breakthrough came when Keith McAskill became police chief and met the community more than halfway. We didnt know how to work with the cops, he said. His Order of Manitoba means a lot to the community, said Burrows. For him personally, Its stuff you dont do for an award. Winnipeg Free Press MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES File photo of Sel Burrows in his home in Point Douglas. The inner-city activist is one of a dozen Manitobans invested into the Order of Manitoba, Thursday. Doreen Brownstone, O.M., wanted everyone to know that any talk of her retirement from acting at the age of 94 is nonsense. No retirement, she said with a broad smile, waving her hand back and forth dismissively. After more than six decades on the stage, its hard for Brownstone to handle lines, said a friend, but shes playing Rutger Hauers mother in the TV series Channel Zero now filming in Manitoba. Its an overwhelming honour I never expected. All I did was have a good time on stage, Brownstone said. All the inductees are deserving of the title, Filmon said. It is my honour and privilege to provide over the induction of these 12 exceptional Manitobans and recognize the many gifts they have given to Manitoba, this country, and the world, Filmon told them As we celebrate Canadas 150 together, I am especially proud and confident the leadership and passion of these men and women will inspire others to continue building an even better Manitoba, and Canada, for the next 150 years and beyond, she said. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca The US is already making waves in its opposition to the Iranian Regime, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson advocating support for peaceful regime change in Iran and the Senate voting overwhelmingly in favour of further sanctions against Iran because of their ballistic missile programme, human rights abuses, and destabilisation efforts in the Middle East. Shafiee praised these actions, in particular the sanctions vote, for attempting to right the policy towards the mullahs, noting that the sanctions bill also targeted issues that the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the p5+1 countries had not. He wrote: It is for the first time in nearly four decades of mullahs rule that a U.S. Secretary of State clearly calls for regime change. It might be a coincidence that at the same time the strongest Senate vote to date against Irans religious dictatorship is passed with 98 votes out of 100. While some have worried that additional sanctions would upset the so-called moderates within the Regime, it is important to note that moderates would not allow human rights abuses to continue, would attempt to stop the proliferation of missiles by their government, and would speak out against destabilisation on other nation states. Shafiee wrote: Some in the West were falsely led to believe that Hassan Rouhanis second term would reign in Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ambiguous missile proliferation program. In the weeks after the sham election and before his official inauguration it became abundantly clear that no such change is in Iranian political horizons. Rouhani has, in fact, vowed to continue the missile programme and dismissed the USs sanctions. It is worth noting that the Iranian Regime did not halt its missile programme following the 2015 deal, and evidence from the NCRI and Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) reveals that Iran is actually working with North Korea on nuclear technology and has secret nuclear sites. Shaifee wrote: Some things will never change with this regime. It is constantly looking for back doors when it comes to transparency and coming clean on its nuclear and missile programs. The two are indivisible components of keeping the mullahs regime afloat in the turbulent times. He also noted that the Regime is not backing down in terms of regional destabilisation either, as noted by its continued harassment of ships in the Persian Gulf and support for the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. Shaifee wrote: The new sanctions bill is an effective first step to push back. Since its introduction the Iranian regimes officials are terrified of consequencesIt is obvious that a regime change policy, which does not involve U.S. military intervention, requires putting some teeth into it in another way. The bill and similar measures such as an outright blacklisting of IRGC as the main actor in all the regimes devious activities in Iran, in the region, and beyond, requires such drastic measures. Recognising the legitimate resistance of Iranian people against the regime is another undeniable component of a regime change. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter was taken to a Winnipeg hospital Thursday morning, after the 92-year-old appeared to feel faint while working on a Habitat for Humanity house. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jimmy Carter with volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity work site in Winnipeg on Thursday. President Carter has been working hard all week. He was dehydrated working in the hot sun, Habitat officials said in a statement. As a precaution, he was transported to St. Boniface General Hospital for rehydration. Mrs. Carter is with him, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and The Carter Centre said in a statement. Carter had been working in the sun for about 90 minutes when he went to sit down on a chair. As he sat, he appeared to wobble; Secret Service agents supported him, and whisked him back to where his motorcade was parked. After a few minutes, a waiting ambulance pulled to the back of the house, near where the president was sitting. The ambulance remained on site as paramedics walked over to attend to the president. The ambulance later left the site without lights or sirens. His motorcade followed the ambulance down the back lane. A number of Secret Service officers remain on site. Carter informed build leaders that he is feeling OK, according to Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford, and encouraged volunteers to continue on with their regular workday. Vehicles in former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's motorcade and Winnipeg police vehicles are seen outside the emergency department at St. Boniface Hospital Thursday. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press) Pleased to be here Earlier, Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn made their first public appearance in Winnipeg this morning, welcomed by the sound of thunderous applause. The Carters, who will stay in Winnipeg through Friday to work on a Habitat for Humanity build, arrived at the St. James work site shortly before 8 a.m. to lead a morning devotional. I just wanted to say how pleased we are to be here, Rosalynn Carter said to the over 500 volunteers gathered under the sites kitchen tent to greet them. Somebody just asked us if we could see the change in Winnipeg from the time when we were here before (in 1993), but we dont remember, Rosalynn, 89, said with a laugh. It was a long time ago. The former president opened by offering greetings from his home church of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga., and extended a special invitation to the volunteers. Youre all welcome to come (to the church), said Carter, the 92-year-old former president who served his term in 1977-1981, and added a wink: Not all on the same Sunday, but youre all welcome. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter is assisted by Secret Service after he appeared to feel faint while working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Winnipeg Only minutes after finishing the devotion, the Carters joined the crew at the house that will become home to Todd Gauthier and his daughters Chloie and Carmin, aged nine and seven. Under the watchful eye of a team of Secret Service agents, Gauthier and the volunteers gathered for a brief chat with Carter before picking up their saws and hammers. He just introduced himself, and said he wants to get going on the work and get it done, Gauthier said, while the Carters worked on sawing boards for the front steps. It was just straightforward, wanting to get the project going and complete it. Its pretty cool. That home, designated as the Carter House, is located at the construction site on Lyle Street where 21 Winnipeg houses are being built as part of Habitat for Humanity and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. 25 houses to be constructed in Manitoba A total of 25 houses are taking shape in Manitoba as part of a total 150 homes across the country to celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary. Eight of the homes will house Indigenous families. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter work with volunteers taking part in construction on Lyle Street Thursday morning as part of the Habitat for Humanitys 34th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Carter and his wife have volunteered since 1984 with Habitat for Humanity to build houses in places such as Winnipeg. Five hundred volunteers will be working each day in Winnipeg out of a pool of about 1,600 who have signed up. Successful applicants for Habitat homes must pay market value for their homes through a pay schedule thats based on income. At least one adult must be working full time and have been doing so for at least the past two years. Other requirements are a housing need, 500 hours of sweat equity, a willingness to be completely transparent in the transaction, and children in the household. The process is intense and intrusive in the hope itll avoid setting a family up for failure, said Sandy Hopkins, the chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba. After the houses are constructed, volunteers will make way for professionals to complete the final touches such as plumbing, electrical and heating. In the 36 years since Carter left the White House, Carter and the nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization called the Carter Centre that he founded in 1982 have helped people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, preventing disease and improving mental health care. The former U.S. president and first lady were in the Winnipeg in 1993 and helped build 18 Habitat homes in the North End. After Carter was 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. melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca with files from Ashley Prest Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Of all the people watching the desperate struggles faced by the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, few can empathize more than Sen. Murray Sinclair. As the former chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Sinclair witnessed first-hand the confusion, anger and internal conflict that is threatening to derail the MMIWG inquiry. He has a message for all those who fear for the future of this inquiry: hold fast. Sinclair would not comment on the drama unfolding at the MMIWG inquiry, but he did agree that much of what it is going through now is not only common to inquiries of this nature, but nearly identical to the challenges he faced eight years ago when he took the helm of the TRC following the resignation and termination of the three original commissioners. In particular, Sinclair said the similar structure of the two inquiries multiple commissioners collaborating to create a single vision for an inquiry can be a recipe for conflict and frustration. Multiple-commissioner inquiries are a real challenge, Sinclair said in an interview. Ive been involved in two of them, and I can tell you they tend to all work out the same way until the people involved find a way of accommodating themselves to the mandate and the mandate to themselves. If Sinclairs assessment is correct, the MMIWG inquiry still has some accommodating to do. This week, one of its five commissioners, Marilyn Poitras, resigned after complaining she was unable to perform her duties as a commissioner with the process in its current structure. Poitrass departure, which followed the resignation of the inquirys executive director in June, has sparked a firestorm of concern and criticism about the future of the inquiry and its embattled chairwoman, Marion Buller. Lost in all of the anger is the fact that the first year of the MMIWG inquiry is nearly a mirror image of what happened to the TRC and its examination of the effects of the residential school experience on Aboriginals. In October 2008, even before it was one year old, the chairman of the TRC, Justice Harry Laforme of the Ontario Court of Appeal, abruptly resigned after complaining he could not come to an agreement with the other two members of the commission Claudette Dumont-Smith and Jane Brewin Morley on a firm mandate. Three months later, Dumont-Smith and Morley resigned. It was into this maelstrom that Sinclair eventually waded. Sinclair said he was asked to lead the TRC when it was first struck in June 2008, but he declined. His reluctance had nothing to do with ambivalence for the subject or fear of the work involved. For Sinclair, it was more the fact he had already been through two other deeply complex and emotional inquiries, and was reluctant to take on another. In 1988, shortly after he was appointed associate chief judge of Manitobas provincial court, Sinclair and Court of Queens Bench Justice Alvin Hamilton undertook work on the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, a sprawling investigation into the relationship between Aboriginal people and the justice system that also delved deeply into two specific cases: the 1971 murder of teenager Helen Betty Osborne; and the 1988 shooting death of J.J. Harper by a Winnipeg police officer. The final report of the AJI was tabled in 1991. In 2000, Sinclair took the helm of a judicial inquiry into the 1994 deaths of 12 children who had been in the care of the pediatric cardiac surgery unit of Winnipegs Health Sciences Centre. The final report was delivered in 2001. It wasnt that I was trying to pass the job off, Sinclair said. Its just that most judges never get to do one inquiry like this. I had already done two, and they were both very emotional. Both inquiries had taken me away for long periods of time from my court work. Doing a third inquiry, I thought, was way too much. When he eventually agreed to take on the TRC and help get it back on track, Sinclair said he devised a strategy to rebuild the credibility of the initiative. We all understood when I got involved that the credibility (of the TRC) had suffered. Essentially, it was shot and we had a lot of work to do to rebuild the trust. Sinclair said his experience with inquiries helped guide the process. As a condition of taking on the chairmanship, Sinclair said he asked for, and received, the authority to approve two new commissioners to work with him: Marie Wilson, an executive with the Workers Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Territories; and Wilton Littlechild, a former Conservative MP and Alberta regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations. Sinclair said the first thing he did was spend four days with his new commissioners to hash out the mandate and methodology of the TRC. On the first point, Sinclair said he insisted the commission remain faithful to the original church settlement agreements, which had largely defined the scope of a national inquiry. On the second, Sinclair said he insisted on consensus about how the TRC would do its work. There were other matters to be managed, Sinclair said. Having been through the stress of the AJI and child-deaths inquiries, Sinclair said he was aware of the emotional and psychological toll that such work can levy. So, he insisted each of the commissioners connect with a health and wellness adviser to ensure that they could endure the intense workload and emotionally charged content. Even with all three commissioners mentally and physically prepared for the work to come, Sinclair said he knew the early days of the TRC would not be easy. The early stumbles suffered by the original chairman and commissioners were going to translate into a lot of anger that would be directed not only at the religious organizations that operated the residential schools. Sinclair said he learned this lesson while co-chairing the AJI. Many of the Aboriginal people that testified before the inquiry were angry at the way they had been treated by the justice system, and that included judges. Even though he was Manitobas first Aboriginal judge, Sinclair said he was not spared the abundant hostility that was a feature of the public hearings. Sinclair fully expected that to be repeated at the TRC. I told them that we all have to understand that for the first period of time, were going to be faced not only with people who are skeptical about the commission, but people who are angry at the commission, he said. I warned the commissioners and the staff that they had to be ready to take the abuse. Sinclair agreed all these experiences are relevant to the work of the MMIWG inquiry as it attempts to get back on track. And it must get back on track, he said. As fraught as they are with conflict and infighting, these inquiries serve an important purpose in society, he said. For the TRC, it was the opportunity to profoundly expand the countrys knowledge and understanding of the devastation of the residential schools experience. The final report, he said, helped create a national memory about residential schools. That opportunity to reveal and educate must not be squandered, he added. The greatest value of these inquiries always has been the education of the public, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/07/2017 (1948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Hundreds of Winnipeggers receiving physiotherapy and occupational therapy services free of charge on an outpatient basis at city hospitals will soon have to shell out their own hard-earned cash at a private clinic. The services are being privatized as part of a cost-cutting effort by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, which needs to find $83 million in savings to balance this years budget. An untold number of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and support staff will lose their jobs and its unclear whether existing private clinics will have the capacity to take on all the new patients that could be headed their way. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Alana Maertins, President of the Manitoba Society of Occupational Therapists, says some of her members will lose their jobs as a result of yesterdays WRHA announcement. The WRHA plans to end the adult hospital outpatient services by mid-October, for a savings of $1.5 million by March 31, 2018, when its budget year ends. Bob Moroz, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, the union that represents many of the physiotherapists and occupational therapists in Winnipeg hospitals, said dozens and dozens of his members are expected to receive pink slips. The union represents 181 occupational therapists and 266 physiotherapists. Certainly, the members that Ive talked to that provide these services are devastated, Moroz said Wednesday. This is removing services from the public system. Its privatization, plain and simple, from our point of view. Unaffected by the cuts are patients receiving specialized rehab services at Health Sciences Centre, including those attending the amputee clinic and those recovering from strokes. As well, the Easy Street Program at Misericordia Health Centre for patients requiring extensive rehab services after a life-altering health change is not affected. Special consideration will also be made for underprivileged Winnipeggers without private insurance, the WRHA said. But it has yet to define who will receive such consideration, except to say it will be based on income. Only HSC will provide occupational therapist and physiotherapist services to these clients. Alana Maertins, president of the Manitoba Society of Occupational Therapists, said her organization wasnt consulted in advance of the WRHA announcement. The society represents occupational therapists in hospitals as well as those in private practice, who will be expected to carry the extra burden once the hospital adult outpatient clinics close. Maertins said she will write to the WRHA to express her groups concerns with the changes. We want to convey that occupational therapy isnt always included in private insurance plans. So even though individuals are being told that theyre going to have to use private service, they may not have access to that, she said. Free outpatient hospital physiotherapist and occupational therapist services are only available upon referral by a doctor. According to the WRHA, there were 733 new patients assessed for occupational therapy last year and 6,235 new physiotherapy patients. There were more than 44,000 outpatient hospital visits for these services combined in 2016-17. Maertins said she is concerned some patients will go untreated because of the changes. Someone living in a Manitoba Housing unit near Grace Hospital, for example, who needs physiotherapy or occupational therapy may find it difficult to travel to HSC for care, she said. I think its going to cut a lot of people off, in terms of the rehab services that they would access, Maertins said. Supplementary health insurance plans typically cover a limited number of occupational therapist and physiotherapist visits. One private physiotherapy clinic told the Free Press Wednesday it charges $74.50 for an initial assessment and $60 for each follow-up session, which typically last about 45 minutes. Krista Williams, the WRHAs acting chief nursing officer, said she couldnt say how many hospital staff will be laid off as a result of cessation of the services. That will be determined in consultation with the unions involved, she said. Among the unknowns are system vacancies and what other employment opportunities may exist, she said. Occupational therapist and physiotherapist services for admitted hospital patients are not affected by the change. Our goal is to minimize impact to the staff as much as possible, Williams said, adding ending the outpatient services was a very difficult decision for administrators. We had a mandate from government to manage the budget. WRHA looked at all services we provide. We know that in many other jurisdictions across Canada this outpatient physiotherapy/occupational therapist service is not covered, she said. We had to make hard decisions, and we needed to identify them and move them forward. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Three Manitoba projects aimed at opening doors to affordable home ownership received a $1-million boost Wednesday. The money will be divided among the Canadian Mental Health Association (Westman region), SEED Winnipeg and Manitoba Tipi Mitawa to offer home ownership support for up to 51 low-to moderate-income families, Families Minister Scott Fielding said. Projects like these are positive, proactive steps to making homeownership a priority as well as making it a reality here in the province of Manitoba, Fielding said in Winnipeg. Ryan Thorpe / Winnipeg Free Press Kimb Williams became a homeowner with the help of Manitoba Tipi Mitawa. Were really excited to partner with organizations and provide home ownership for people that can benefit from it. We think its really important and its part of the solution going forward in terms of a housing strategy for the province. Funding for the three projects (selected by the province after a competitive proposal process) comes from a federal-provincial investment agreement announced in 2016, which will provide almost $90 million in affordable-housing investments in Manitoba over two years. That comes in addition to approximately $166 million in a joint, eight-year funding commitment to create more affordable housing options in the province. The investment announcement hit close to home for Kimb Williams, in more ways than one. With the help of Manitoba Tipi Mitawa (MTM), her family was able to buy their first home eight years ago on the 100 block of Rizer Crescent. The news conference was held at her home. The more families that can get involved with a program like this, the better, Williams said. There is no way we ever could have got a house, even though we were working hard and had our careers. Williams, 50, lives with her husband, Neil, and their two children. She works as a graphic designer and said before her familys involvement in the affordable home ownership program they felt they were working hard to invest in their landlords future not their own. She said the program has the added benefit of integrating Indigenous families into communities and giving them a sense of pride that comes along with being homeowners. By being involved in the program, we were able to establish roots and give our family a home, Williams said. We were able to get into a good neighbourhood and out of the areas we were living in. MTM is a non-profit organization established by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba Real Estate Association. As a result of Wednesdays funding announcement, it will be providing $540,000 to 10 Indigenous families to help transition them into home ownership. SEED Winnipeg will be provided $199,000 in funding to a cost-matching savings program aimed at helping up to 37 households purchase homes in Winnipeg. The mental health association will provide up to $261,000 to four households so they can buy three-bedroom condominiums in Brandon. Its about partnership between community and private-sector organizations to provide practical home ownership, Fielding said. It really provides life-changing opportunities for Manitobans. Its a win, win, win for the community, for the associations and, most importantly, for the residents who will be able to benefit from having home ownership. ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/07/2017 (1948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Just two days ago, it was a dizzying array of boards and beams intersecting at angles that would make an observer feel like they were standing in the middle of an optical illusion. On Wednesday, the boards formed recognizable shapes 21 houses were standing on the former site of the St. James police station, where Habitat for Humanity volunteers are building the homes in a week. The permanence of the structures reflects a stability in life Charles Harper is glad for. Harper, owner of the first house on the new block, moved through the Child and Family Services system as a youth, never staying in one place long. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The worksite is buzzing despite the rain. Charles and Christine Harper will soon own a Habitat home. I was in Winnipeg, went to Selkirk, went to St. Andrews, went to Island Lake, went to Gods Lake, to Thompson, back to Gods Lake. I was all over the place, said Harper, now a youth-care practitioner who works with high-risk children through Macdonald Youth Services. Hes happy he and his wife, Christine, can give their children the stability he never had. The couple has three children and is currently fostering two others. Oh, Dad, I cant wait until we move in! I love this, Harper recalled his six-year-old son, Pierson, saying when he saw pictures of the progress. Children arent allowed on the Winnipeg build site, but every family on the new block has some. Harper thinks its great the neighbourhood will be full of children whose families have gone through the construction process together. His children will no longer have to share rooms, as they currently do in Manitoba Housing. And the family will be able to plant trees. I want my kids to grow up with those trees because our culture, our background (believes) the spirit is with every living organism, he said. The house will welcome more life when the family adopts a dog something Harpers four-year-old daughter, Rosalyn, insists they do. As his hammer struck nailheads, Harper was thinking about his grandfather, Mordy White, who was a carpenter in Gods Lake. Its kind of emotional because I know if he was still around, he wouldve liked to hear about it, Harper said. He said he remembers sitting with his cousins and watching his granddad turn boards into homes until he got cancer. Then, Harper would sit on the couch and talk to White about construction. There was a lot of times when he was in pain the pain just went away when he talked about building, Harper said, noting White passed away in 2014. But Harpers favourite part of the building process is the energy in the rain-soaked air as 500 people, many of them strangers, work side-by-side to complete the 21-house project. When I was putting up the walls, I was cheering celebrating together after putting in effort, it just feels amazing, Harper said. When I was going foster home to foster home you meet some people that make you feel so welcome, then you meet some people that make you feel like strangers, like you dont belong there. So I learned not to trust people. Right now, Im just more open because this is a really positive atmosphere Im at an all-time high right now, Harper said. Habitat for Humanity wanted a good portion of this years Manitoba homes to go to Indigenous people because it was important to the organizations most famous boosters: former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife, former first lady Rosalynn. The Carters have been involved with Habitat since 1984, and the 92-year-old former president will be on the Winnipeg site today. Eight of the 21 new city homes will house Indigenous families. There is an enormous need for affordable homes for Indigenous families across the country, said Jay Thakar, manager of Habitat for Humanity Canadas Indigenous housing program. Applicants accepted by Habitat must pay market value for their homes through a pay schedule thats based on income. At least one adult must be working full time and have been doing so for at least the past two years. Other requirements are a housing need, 500 hours of sweat equity, a willingness to be completely transparent in the transaction, and children in the household. The process is intense and intrusive in the hope itll avoid setting a family up for failure, said Sandy Hopkins, the chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba. After the houses are constructed, volunteers will make way for professionals to complete the final touches such as plumbing, electrical and heating. stefanie.lasuik@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/07/2017 (1948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba families with lost loved ones called Wednesday on the remaining commissioners of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls to resign, forcing a hard reset of the entire process. The group insists the inquiry is so flawed it needs to be restructured if families are truly going to take part. It also wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to appoint a grassroots member from Manitoba as one of the new commissioners. The national inquiry has stalled and Manitoba families of MMIWG and survivors have lost confidence in this process, said Hilda Anderson-Pryz, co-chairwoman of a coalition called Families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Manitoba. The status quo can not remain. The group intends to write Trudeau to outline its concerns and set out the steps it wants him to take to salvage the inquiry. This hard reset requires the resignation of the three remaining commissioners and the lead commissioner and the inclusion of policing in the terms of reference, Anderson-Pryz said. We are also calling for an Indigenous-designed and Indigenous-led process for Manitoba. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, Co-chair of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Coalition says that Manitoba families of MMIWG and their survivors have lost confidence in the national inquiry process at a news conference in Winnipeg, Wednesday. Families feel cut out of the national inquiry by a lack of communication, a lack of regional focus, lack of transparency and failure to engage in an indigenous-led process, reporters were told at a news conference hosted by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in its Winnipeg offices. Two AMC chiefs issued a joint statements of support for the group later Wednesday. The families approach to the inquiry isnt unreasonable or unexpected, said acting AMC Grand Chief Norman Bone and Swan Lake Chief Francine Meeches, chairwoman of the AMC womens committee. We recognize that families and survivors are hurt and require immediate action to prevent more violence, said Meeches. The Manitoba families of MMIWG and survivors are resilient and strong and a Indigenous designed and led process is required for them to be heard. Wednesdays voices are part of a growing chorus that began more than a week ago with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson. She, too, called for the resignation of inquiry lead commissioner Marion Buller and the appointment of someone with grassroots connections. In recent weeks, key senior staff have quit the national inquiry. On Tuesday, Metis law professor Marilyn Poitras, one of the four commissioners led by Buller, resigned, citing problems with the structure and process of the inquiry. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Delores Daniels holds a photograph of her murdered daughter Serena McKay at the news conference Wednesday. Despite the shakeup, Buller has insisted she will not step down. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said this week Ottawa supports the existing process with the remaining four commissioners in place. A year ago, Ottawa appointed the five commissioners with a budget of nearly $54 million and a mandate to set up a national inquiry, hold hearings and wrap it up within two years. An interim report is due by the end of this year, a final report by the end of 2018 a timeline critics argue is too tight. Co-chairwoman of the Manitoba coalition, Sandra Delaronde, said there is a regional process in place that goes back years and offers families a voice theyre comfortable with. She called on Ottawa to respect it by including it as a parallel process in the national inquiry. Under that scenario, Manitoba would bring in its own Indigenous commissioner who would do the work regionally and feed into the national process. A 2014 RCMP report identified nearly 200 of the 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada as from Manitoba. The people in Manitoba feel its important to be in control of the inquiry. Weve waited 20 years for the inquiry and the inquiry in its current form is not hearing our voices. It is not inviting the consultation of people in the region Its not listening. We want control because we want the families to be heard so the recommendations are based on (their) experience, Delaronde said. NDP MLA Bernadette Smith (Point Douglas), a well-known advocate whose sister, Claudette Osborne, has been missing since 2008, wasnt always in favour of a national inquiry. Im supporting the national inquiry now because its here and families have been fighting for it for the last 30 years, she said at Wednesdays news conference. Theres been money spent and we cant go back. Theres things we dont know about because theyre happening behind the scenes. We need to support this inquiry. But we also need to listen to and support the families. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba small business gave Premier Brian Pallister his marching orders Thursday morning there will be no carbon tax in Manitoba. And small business would be even happier if Pallister joined Saskatchewan Premier Brad Walls court action to challenge the federal governments right to impose a carbon tax on provinces. Pallister has refused to agree to Ottawas terms so far, opting for an as-yet-undetermined made-in-Manitoba solution to climate change. JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Todd MacKay (front centre) and Jonathan Alward (from left), Jim Karahalios and Gunter Jochum were on hand for the protest Thursday afternoon on the steps of the legislature. A carbon tax is bad policy. Manitobans dont want a carbon tax, Canadian Taxpayers Federation prairie director Todd MacKay told reporters Thursday during a press conference at the Manitoba legislature featuring several organizations opposed to the proposed federal tax. Carbon taxes take money out of the pockets of businesses that would have paid for innovations to protect the environment, said Jonathan Alward, Manitoba director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Its going to be damaging to the Manitoba economy, to Manitoba jobs, Alward said. Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox quickly responded Thursday, telling the groups they need to support the province to find the best solution, and that they should be assured a plan is coming. This group and others taking a similar stance need to come to the realization that no action on climate change is not an option. To be clear the prime minister has stated that a carbon tax is coming, Cox said in a prepared statement. The choice for Manitoba is either a federal carbon tax, which would be punitive for the province, or a Made-in-Manitoba approach to addressing climate change. We will propose a plan that takes into account our previous investments in clean energy and provides sensitivity to our economic realities. These groups would be better served and would be better serving Manitobans if they joined in this effort. While protest rallies are frequently held on the steps of the Manitoba legislature, rarely do they feature protesters in suits and ties. MacKay said the Tories dont have voters consent for a carbon tax, which Ottawa plans to introduce next year at $10 per tonne of carbon emissions, rising to $50 per tonne in 2022. In their election platform and campaign, the Tories used the vague term carbon pricing. They didnt receive a mandate for carbon taxes, MacKay said. Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association spokesman Gunter Jochum said farmers have invested so much themselves into innovation that protects the environment, that his fuel costs per acre are the same now as in the early 1980s when he started farming just west of Winnipeg. Were doing things that help the environment already, Jochum said, adding Ottawa is proposing to punish farmers with a carbon tax, which might be invested in innovation research to achieve what theyre already achieving. Their newly-formed Manitoba Against Carbon Taxes Coalition is not questioning climate change, Jochum emphasized. Climate change is here, of course. Carbon tax is not going to stop climate change, he said. The groups are launching a campaign targeting Tory caucus members through rural newspapers, urging Manitobans to tell the Conservative MLAs they dont want a carbon tax. The first group targeted includes Pallister, and nine rural cabinet ministers and backbenchers, all male. Cox, a Winnipeg MLA, isnt included. Its the ones were starting with. We wanted to take it to the rural communities, MacKay explained. NDP environment critic Rob Altemeyer immediately released a statement calling on Pallister to do pretty much everything the coalition opposes, while also taking shots at the premiers lack of specific plans. Premier Brian Pallister promised a price on carbon during the election and continues to say his plan is to implement a price on carbon. Whether the province implements its own plan or Ottawas, Pallister will be levying hundreds of millions of dollars from Manitobans, but he refuses to explain how he will spend that money, Altemeyer said. Once again, Brian Pallister is using arguments with Ottawa as a smokescreen for what he intends to do, and he is risking millions of federal dollars in the process that could be used to create green jobs and make investments that save people money, he said. The Pallister government needs to reveal his plan and be clear that every single dollar of a carbon price will to go towards new initiatives that reduce carbon emissions or address impacts for low-income Manitobans and communities. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PINAWA A single dental X-ray is 100 times more radioactive than the leakage would be from an entombed Whiteshell Reactor No. 1 (WR-1), the company charged with decommissioning the nuclear reactor said Wednesday night. Thats the radioactive dosage to someone subsistence farming or harvesting fish, wildlife and berries downstream of the entombed reactor for a year, said Brian Wilcox, director of project delivery for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). The dosage amounts to 1/10,000th the legal allowable level. CNLs modelling essentially concluded exposure level is extremely small, Wilcox said. SUPPLIED This illustration shows how the Whiteshell Laboratories nuclear reactor would be encased in concrete for disposal. CNL is proposing burying WR-1 here in a concrete grout. It wraps up its final round of public forums next week before it submits an Environmental Impact Statement to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on Sept. 1. That Environmental Impact Statement will then be posted online, and the public will have 75 days to respond. A round of public hearings will be held by the safety commission in 2018, likely in Winnipeg, with a final decision in December of the same year. About 20 people attended the Pinawa meeting, including a large contingent of retired nuclear energy employees. Questions from the floor were sometimes technical, and there was a high level of familiarity with the scientific terminology. CNLs staff are virtually all former scientists from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., which ran the nuclear research site up until three years ago. The Whiteshell nuclear reactor is about 500 metres from the Winnipeg River. CNL estimates it will take about 100 years for groundwater to move from the entombed reactor to the river. However, there will be little radioactivity then as the reactor will be entombed in a concrete grout. It is when modeling ground behaviour over thousands of years, and deterioration of the concrete encasement, that calculations become very advanced. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is a conglomerate of international interests charged with disposing of the nuclear reactor by the federal government. Members of the conglomerate have handled the decommissioning of other nuclear reactors around the world but this is the first case in Canada. WR-1 operated near Pinawa, about from 1965-85 as a research tool to develop the Candu reactor. The original plan was to dismantle the reactor and store it in a facility at the Chalk River nuclear research facility in Ontario. However, CNL says moving the nuclear material is far more dangerous than simply burying it. It would be safer to simply fill in the five-story basement that currently houses the nuclear reactor. Peter Baumgartner, a retired AECL scientist, insisted that encasing nuclear reactors above bedrock runs the risk that sometime in the next 10,000 years continental glaciers will dig up and distribute the nuclear materials. SUPPLIED Illustration of the Whiteshell Laboratories nuclear reactor. Sitting in soils it will be bulldozed (by glaciers). Its that simple, he said. Canada has spent at least half a billion dollars researching embedded nuclear waste in bedrock, and thats the direction CNL should go, Baumgartner said. Another former AECL scientist argued the need for an independent assessment in addition to the ones by the applicant and the regulator. However, Canadian law does not require an outside assessment. Pinawa Mayor Blair Skinner called CNLs proposal a safe option, but stressed he was only giving his opinion. Skinner said the community is comfortable with nuclear energy and wants to lure nuclear industry to the community to fill the void once WR-1 is sealed. WR-1 is supposed to be sealed by 2024, which will cost the community about 300 jobs. One industry being targeted is the manufacture of small modular reactors for remote off-grid communities and mining sites, Skinner said. CNLs next to last public meeting is being held in Lac du Bonnet next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to allow cottagers to attend. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A new phone scam asks Winnipeggers to donate to Winnipeg Fire Firefighters. The real name of Winnipegs fire department is the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, and the organization is reminding the public it doesnt solicit for donations, door-to-door or over the phone. Neither does the United Firefighters of Winnipeg, which is a union representing firefighters in the city. I would encourage any members of the public to discuss this type of scam with their families, with their friends or anybody that they know who may be vulnerable, such as older people that they know who may regularly want to donate to other supporting agencies in the community, said Const. Tammy Skrabek, Winnipeg police spokeswoman. Canadian Anti-Fraud Centres website tells people to check out callers by asking for written information, a callback number, references and time to think over any offers. It reminds citizens to be careful about providing banking or credit card details and to just hang up if the call sounds suspect. More information on fraud protection and reporting can be found on the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centres website. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When dealing with public issues of a delicate nature, theres a tension that will always exist: the right to privacy versus the right to know. There exists a desire, particularly in an era in which online snoopers and hackers armed with ever-more-intrusive technological tools are frantically trying to make public what was previously considered private, to protect personal information in order to prevent harm physical, financial, social or other that might result from such information being distributed. Theres also the natural and necessary desire within a democratic society to compel governments and public institutions to conduct their business in an open and transparent manner that allows the public to hold them accountable for their decisions and actions. Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Files 'Truth' stands by the Supreme Court's entrance. The two agendas dont necessarily have to operate at cross purposes, but they almost always do. Consider, for example, the frustration of the advocacy group Dying With Dignity Canada when requests to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, for information related to the transfer between health-care facilities of patients seeking medical assistance in dying, were answered with copies of documents in which nearly all the printed text had been whited out. The request, filed under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), was submitted with the understanding that personal health information of patients and families, as well as names and email addresses that might identify individual health-care workers, would be removed. What Dying With Dignity Canada didnt expect was that almost all other information, including professional titles and designations, information about various facilities policies on assisted dying and even the names of hospitals being discussed, would also be redacted. How does that protect the public interest? asked Dying With Dignitys communications officer, Cory Ruf. Whose personal health and safety does it actually protect? These are fair questions. In preparing its response which amounted to a couple hundred heavily redacted pages that offer no real insight into how the provinces policies are actually functioning, according to Mr. Ruf the WRHA applied two separate FIPPA provisions, one dealing with protection of individuals personal information, and another specific to information that could reveal advice, recommendations or policy options developed by or for the public body or a minister. A spokesperson for the WRHA suggested that identifying sites in which medically assisted deaths were taking place might expose people working in or around them to danger. This seems unlikely, as the relatively new legal practice of assisted dying, despite many continuing objections to it, has not been enveloped by the sorts of public protests and violence associated with the never-ending abortion debate. This inaction-by-redaction tactic is not exclusive to the WRHA governments at all levels, as well as officials in public institutions funded by taxpayers dollars, routinely employ FIPPA as a shield to potential controversy rather than an instrument for public enlightenment. Politicians and public servants would be well served by a reminder that the information theyre withholding for reasons of convenience or controversy aversion belongs to the citizenry theyve been enlisted to serve. Canadians are still coming to terms with medically assisted dying, and struggling to understand all its attendant moral, ethical and faith-driven concerns. The question of legality has been decided, but a full and informed discussion must continue before the various jurisdictional issues can also be laid to rest and people in this country can consider their own end-of-life decisions. That can only happen if information about medically assisted dying is available to the public in a timely and reasonably considered manner. Whiting out entire pages of legitimately requested material amounts to an unnecessary whitewashing of the issue. However, the visitors were only taken to distinct locations where prisoners on display had access to education, media, communications, and work. According to state-run media, some attendants, such as the ambassadors of Indonesia, Portugal, and South Korea, praised the regime for the humane conditions in its prisons and its treatment of prisoners. Still, prisoners like Majid Assadi, a political activist who was arrested by agents of the regimes intelligence ministry on February 18th, tell a different story. Assadi was kept in solitary confinement for 50 days, and was incarcerated in Evins wards 209 and 240 for months before being transferred to the Gohadasht prison in Karaj, west of Tehran. His transfer came shortly before the foreign ambassadors visit. Assadi is still waiting to be tried for charges of supporting the opposition group, Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Additionally, Shabnam Madadzadeh, a political activist who recently escaped Iran, gave a harrowing account a few weeks ago, of the conditions in Gohardasht prison, where Assadi is now being held. Madadzadeh was threatened with execution, beaten, deprived of family visits and phone calls, and was kept in solitary confinement for long periods. According to an article by Amir Basiri for the Washington Examiner, In 2014, the regime executed political prisoner Gholamreza Khosravi, defying a widespread international campaign to halt the sentence. Basiri adds, In 2012, Sattar Beheshti, a blogger, was tortured to death in Evin prison There are many examples of the ways in which the regime treats dissidents. The crimes committed against political prisoners will become evident, and the truth will be known. The Iranian people will not forget or forgive these crimes of the regime, and they will not give up until its officials are held to full account for their actions. The international community should not be so naive, it should rely on testimony of those who suffered, the political prisoners, themselves. The Iranian regime attempted to whitewash their human rights violations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/07/2017 (1947 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Akosua Bonsu is an ambitious young West Transconian. The 23-year-old graduated from the University of Manitoba last year with a bachelors degree studying in global political economy. After working a term position within the provincial legislature for the past year, Bonsu plans to return to the U of M in the fall, eventually to pursue medicine. In the meantime, shell be among 30 young Canadians and one of only two Manitobans heading to Hong Kong and China to on Global Visions Junior Team Canada international mission. SUPPLIED PHOTO West Transconas Akosua Bonsu has a busy summer ahead of her, with a trade mission to Hong Kong and China and a church mission to Swaziland. This opportunity gives me another lens to look through at everything Ive learned so far, whether thats politics or health care, said Bonsu, who said she first got involved in Global Vision, a Canadian non-profit dedicated to community leadership, international trade, governance, and diplomacy, in her second year of university. Global Vision prepares youth for roles on global stage, Bonsu explained. Its a cool way to connect with youth in your region, or nationally. In 2013, Bonsu was chosen to take part in a western Canadian round table event, and then as part of Global Visions annual national youth caucus. Shes been heavily involved in the organization ever since, leading regional roundtables and taking on leadership roles at the national level. She was also selected to take part in the 2013 Global Vision international trade mission to Guangzhou, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a Global Vision vet, with this years international trade mission, Bonsu will get to try out her leadership skills in an international setting. Im hoping to get a chance to explore my leadership style, to put that into practice and see how well I work in this role, she said. I look forward to seeing how I grow and how it shapes me. From July 26 to Aug. 13, Bonsu and the other Global Vision Junior Team Canada members will travel to the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu as well as Hong Kong. There, theyll meet with trade local commissioners and members of municipal government. My target sectors are tourism and education, and economic development, Bonsu said. Being able to market Manitoba holistically, as a place to travel, to study, it gives a holistic feel to the process. To date, Bonsu has partnered with Tourism Manitoba to promote northern Manitoba as a unique travel destination. Shes still working on securing further partnerships before leaving on July 26. As though her trip across the Pacific werent enough to keep Bonsu busy this summer, shell be off across the Atlantic on another mission within a week of returning to Winnipeg in August. The second mission is a church mission to Swaziland, explained Bonsu, who is a member of the Riverwood Church in Elmwood. Bonsu will return from Swaziland on Sept. 1 just in time to start school again in the fall. I have a thirst for knowledge and love to learn, Bonsu said. I believe my new role with this years trade mission will allow me to do just that. Facebook.com/TheHeraldWPG Twitter: @heraldWPG Jacob Hornberg was recognized as the Kiwanis Sunrisers of Winona 4-H Youth Representative for June. Jacob is attending Northeast Iowa Community College and is the son of Ron and Renee Hornberg. He is a member of the Pleasant Busy Bees 4-H Club and has served as the historian, junior dairy leader and has been a herdsman at the Minnesota State Fair. Jacob has exhibited dairy, beef and swine projects throughout his time as a Winona County 4-H member. One of Jacobs outstanding accomplishments while being in 4-H was the opportunity to judge at World Dairy Expo. While in 4-H, Jacob has also been able to help Cloverbuds show their projects at the fair and seen them continue to grow as a 4-H members. Jacob was able to make new friends through 4-H and encourages others to join to do the same. 4-H has helped him develop his dairy project so that he was able to expand his herd of cattle and show at a national level. Winona Thursday 9:12 a.m. A woman on the 400 block of Chatfield Street reported a billfold missing from her home. 12:44 p.m. Walmart reported that from June 6 to July 4 a counterfeit $50, a $20 and two $10 bills were taken. 3:46 p.m. Charges of felony theft and possession of burglary tools were referred against Adrian Juan Briones, 26, La Crosse, after shoplifting electronics by removing the security tags with a device. He had been at several other Targets and is charged with taking $1,119.93 worth of goods. 4:03 p.m. A man at Fleet Farm reported damage to the front of his vehicle but wasnt sure when it happened. 4:41 p.m. Matthew Dillon Flowers, 33, Winona, was cited for no Minnesota drivers license and leaving the scene of a property damage accident in the parking lot of Kwik Trip at Huff and Sarnia streets. 8:25 p.m. Charges of domestic abuse (causing fear and harm) were referred against an 11-year-old Winona girl. Friday 1:22 a.m. Charges of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance and driving after revocation were referred against Julie Ann Bilicki, 42, Winona, after a traffic stop near Mark and Center streets. Winona County Thursday 7:30 a.m. Lewiston Fire and Ambulance and Winona County Sheriffs deputies responded to a car on fire on private property on County Road 12. There were no injuries. 4:37 p.m. The sheriffs office along with the Southeast Violent Crimes Task Force raided a house on County Road 25 south of Lewiston as part of an ongoing investigation and removed 100 suspected marijuana plants. No charges have been filed and the investigation is continuing. 5:44 p.m. Zachary Steven Sinclair Kidd, 30, Lewiston, was cited for speeding and careless driving after swerving into oncoming traffic multiple times on Hwy. 14 in Lewiston. Friday 3:57 a.m. A 16-year-old Winona boy was cited for careless driving after driving into a ditch on Old Homer Road near County Road 15. WASHINGTON That quaking beneath your feet is from shock waves in Washington where tipping points are merging with other tipping points to create the Mother of All Tipping Points. Not only did Donald Trump Jr. meet with a Russian attorney who, he was told, had damaging information about Hillary Clinton, but there are emails indicating that he knew in advance that the opposition research was part of the Kremlins effort to help Donald Trump become president. It thats not collusion, it seems at least collusioney, a newly minted term surely destined to erase all memory of Mondays exhaustively used nothing-burger. Smoking guns dont need to be nearly this hot to capture Washingtons attention, but these latest revelations should be enough to make every American take a deep breath. Whether Trump Jr. is merely stupid is yet to be determined, but he wasnt alone in that meeting. Joining him were his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, then Trump Sr.s campaign manager, who is known to have had business dealings in Russia for a number of years. The New York Times broke the story over the weekend, reporting that three (unnamed) individuals had corroborated the existence of the damning emails, which clearly establish intent to something. Tuesday afternoon, Trump Jr. released the email thread between him and some guy named Rob Goldstone a music publicist who knew some guy who knew Donald Trump vis-a-vis the Trump-owned Miss Universe contest. Got that? Goldstone arranged the meeting, which took place in Trump Tower in June 2016 just before the Republican primary season had ended to talk about dirt on the presumptive nominees general-election opponent. After Goldstone said that the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, had information that would incriminate Clinton, Trump Jr. replied that hed love it. Who wouldnt? Youre the namesake son of the man on track to become the Republican nominee and possibly president and Russia wants to help him win? Hell da! The fact that the alleged opposition research was part of Russias war on Clinton, as indicated in one of the emails, would have raised flags for most people no, make that for all but these people. Im confident that, if the nice Ace Hardware man who recently helped me select a mailbox were to receive such an email, hed contact the FBI as soon as possible. Which, obviously, is what Junior, Manafort and Kushner should have done. Thus, we can presume that all three knew better than to attend such a meeting. After all, it could well have been a trap and Im not sure it wasnt. But to the inexperienced minds of Kushner and Trump Jr., the calculation may have been as simple (and feeble) as: Why not? Defeating Clinton was in the national interest, wasnt it? And the Trumps have (or had) no pique with Russia. Trump Jr.s claim that he didnt tell his father about the meeting rather strains credulity, dont you think? Ditto Veselnitskayas claim that she has never worked for the Kremlin and has no idea what all the fuss is about. She was here to lobby against American legislation that her client finds objectionable. In an exclusive interview Tuesday with NBC News, Veselnitskaya said she never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that. Asked where Trump Jr. could have gotten that idea, she responded, It is quite possible that maybe they were longing for such an information. They wanted it so badly that they could only hear the thought that they wanted. So, apparently, the future of the Trump presidency is in the hands of Goldstone. He set up the meeting; he brought Trump Jr. into a damning email exchange; he promised dirt. Wait, who is this guy again? Well, thats a very good question. Hes an intermediary for Veselnitskaya, who either (a) works for the Kremlin and possibly even Vladimir Putin; or (b) is just a lawyer/lobbyist interested in U.S. policy. Wouldnt we like to know? Also possible is that President Trump knew all along about the meeting, which may be why he acts like a cocker spaniel at a Doberman rally whenever the name Putin comes up. What did Veselnitskaya really come to say? For whom? More shock waves are doubtless coming. Meanwhile, we know for certain: When a Russian lawyer meets privately with the future presidents son, his son-in-law and his campaign manager on a third-party promise of Clinton-disabling intel, its hard to say the Trump campaign had nothing to do with Russia. For now: Collusioney. In the month after the start of World War II, Winston Churchill said he couldnt determine what Russia was going to do: It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Nearly eight decades later, the same can be said about the Trump administrations relationships with Russia. Since Friday, when President Donald Trump held his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the president and his spokesmen have offered conflicting and contradictory accounts of what was said and agreed to. Among the big unanswered questions: What happened to the joint cyber-security agreement Trump said had been reached? Were U.S. sanctions against Russia brought up or not? Those riddles quickly got swallowed up by a bigger mystery: Trump arrived home Saturday evening as The New York Times was reporting that in June 2016, his eldest son, son-in-law and then-campaign manager had secretly met with a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. Donald Trump Jr. claimed the meeting was about Russias ban on adoptions by U.S. families. It got worse. On Sunday the Times reported that Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort had been lured to the meeting with a promise that the lawyer had potentially damaging information about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. quickly changed his story, admitting that dirt on Clinton had been brought up, but there was nothing meaningful in what the Russian lawyer presented. A third shoe dropped Monday evening when the Times reported that the meeting was arranged after Trump Jr. got an email from a well-connected Moscow music publicist saying lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya had information that was part of a Russian government scheme to help Trumps candidacy by hurting Clintons. Then on Tuesday morning the Times published the text of publicist Rob Goldstones email: This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Did Trump Jr. call a lawyer or the FBI? No, he hit reply: If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. This meeting was June 9, 2016. The following month, the FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies began investigating Russian election meddling. In October, the U.S. intelligence community said it was confident the Russian government was behind the cyber-hacking campaign. President Trump responded by denigrating the intelligence community most recently last week in Poland and firing FBI director James Comey, who had refused to drop the investigation. The president and his spokesmen consistently have denied that anyone in the Trump campaign cooperated with the Russians. Trump Jr. said Monday that hed be happy to talk about all of this with the Senate Intelligence Committee. As soon as hes under oath, the first question must be, How much of this did you tell your father? In the run-up to the annual Free Iran rally in Paris earlier this month, Tehran sent its foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to Paris to prevent the annual gathering of the opposition. A contract for the benefit of the French oil giant, Total, was signed. Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Kayhan daily, and affiliate of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, wrote an article titled Humiliated and Rewarded, which discussed the PMOI gathering in Paris and the signing of the Total contract occurring at the same time. He wrote, The remarks of former French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner at a PMOI meeting one day after Zarifs return from France is another sign of the French governments insistence on humiliating our nation. When Kouchner spoke at the gathering, he said, Zarif was welcomed in France yesterday. I do not want to blame French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. We are an old republic, and on this basis we can welcome everyone and accept him in our country, but perhaps we should do the right thing at the right time. He continued, saying that in his opinion, welcoming Zarif the day before this gathering was not a good idea. But we are very happy and proud that in fact the government did not publish a general statement about Mr. Zarifs visit, Shariatmadari wrote. On July 1st, at the Villepinte convention hall, northeast of Paris, the annual PMOI gathering was held. Some 100,000 supporters from all over the world attended this event. The hall was filled to capacity, but thousands stayed outside so that they could still share in the rally. In Tirana, the capital of Albania, another gathering was held, and joined the Paris summit via satellite. Nearly 3,000 PMOI members who were relocated from Iraq to Albania attended this event. These huge rallies show the strength of the PMOI, even while in exile. They organized a huge gatherings and hosted hundreds of political and parliamentary figures from all over the world. Maryam Rajavi, was the keynote speaker. She is an influential leader of this movement, who believes in gender equality and pluralism. In her speech she emphasized three essential facts. She said that the light of change is shining on Iran. The ruling regime is in disarray and the Iranian society is simmering with discontent. These circumstances, she said, highlight three fundamental truths related to freedom and liberty in Iran, as well as peace and tranquility in the region. According to Mrs. Rajavi, first is that the overthrow of the regime is an imperative. Second, this overthrow is within reach. The third is a democratic alternative and an organized resistance exists, which is capable of toppling the theocracy in Iran. Participants at the gathering said that the message and purpose of it was to declare war against the regime. They said that people of Iran and the region can only be free if the regime is overthrown. This seems to be proven by Khamenei himself, who, in a recent speech, warned that any change in the systems behavior means changing the whole system. With growing rifts in Irans leadership, and the increase in public dissent, the international community is waiting to see what will develop in Iran. The May 19th presidential election sparked an outbreak of protests, which were escalated by investors who had placed their savings in institutions linked to the state and/or the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). For the past year, the network associated with the Iranian opposition, Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), has focused its effort on raising awareness inside the country, especially among the youth. It is troubling that the perpetrators of the massacre during the summer of 1988, where at least 30,000 political prisoners in dozens of prisons throughout Iran were executed, still hold offices in todays regime. Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi is the minister of justice in President Hassan Rouhanis cabinet. Conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi was the favored candidate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the election, as well as being groomed to succeed Khamenei in the regimes ultimate leadership post. Both men were members of the four-man Death Commission presiding over the executions. Revelations made by the PMOI/MEK network inside Iran exposed those involved in the 1988 massacre. This placed Khamenei in a position of risking a major uprising that might be worse than that of 2009, or allow Hassan Rouhani another term as president. However, Rouhanis second term will be no different from his first. Recently, Khamenei and his faction have issued indirect threats against Rouhani, showing the great divide in Irans leadership. Also considered by many to be aimed at Rouhani was IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani lashing out at those targeting the Guards. He said, In the Islamic Republic, were all responsible towards martyrs, society, religion and our country. The biggest betrayal is to cast doubt toward the foundations of this system none today must weaken the corps. This is believed by some to be a reference to Rouhanis remarks against the IRGC through the elections process, and after presidential campaign. Adding to this, the Trump administration is weighing the option of blacklisting the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, and perhaps seeking regime change through supporting the Iranian opposition. Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House of Representatives, who has a close relationship with President Trump, said at a recent Iranian opposition rally near Paris, Iran must be free. The dictatorship must be destroyed. Containment is appeasement, and appeasement is surrender. The only practical goal is to support a movement to free Iran. Any other goal will leave a dictatorship finding ways to get around any agreement and to lie about everything. A prominent Saudi figure also showed support of such an initiative. Former Saudi intelligence chief, Turki Faisal said, The Iranian people are the first victims of [the mullahs] dictatorship. He added, Your effort in challenging this regime is legitimate and your resistance for the liberation of the Iranian people of all ethnicities, including Arabs, Kurds, Baluchis, Turks and Fars of the mullahs evil, as [Iranian opposition leader Maryam] Rajavi said, is a legitimate struggle. Evidence that regime change may be in the future for Iran is seen in these emerging developments, both domestically and abroad. By INU Staff INU At a ceremony entitled Healthy Life Festival on 11 July 2017, the Iranian regimes president Hassan Rouhani said: The strategic weapons built by the 11th (i.e. Rouhanis) government, make up 80% of the total weapons built in the previous governments. In his preliminary speech, in an attempted to take missile claims and the claims about military presence in the countries of the region out of the hands of the Khamenei Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and in order to advance his own demands, he made significant confession saying that despite the sanctions, his government has given the Iraqi government and the Syrian regime all the money and weapons they needed. He also noted the IRGCs missile attack on Syria and said: We hear that a missile fired from our land and targeted a center, a terrorist center. It is true that those who fired the missile tried hard and sacrificed but who built the missile? The defense Ministry builds these missiles. Rouhanis statements defending JCPOA once again exposed more than ever the depth of divisions among the regimes various bands. While attacking Khameneis band in this regard, Rouhani said: If the foreign minister were supposed to go out of the field with a few cursing and (insulting) slogans, the JCPOA would not be realized. Well, some people insulted the foreign minister, on their site, in their newspaper, on the anniversary of the revolution on February 11, on the streets of Tehran; well, one should not be excluded from the service field for the slogans of a few individuals. Rouhani also referred to the rival band as a minority that monopolized everything and added: We should not be afraid of those who unfortunately have the big loudspeakers unjustly at their disposal The singer, the saint and the civil rights legend Here's one of the many depictions of St. Martin de Porres. Photo - of - Hide Caption The subject of his dissertation, if not the work itself, seemed cut and dried to James Padilioni. He would connect jazz to plantation music, starting with music produced by slaves on the plantations of Tidewater, how it evolved and was flavored by the influx of people of color from New Orleans and other cultures until it became its own genre. And then he heard about the jazz icon who taped a prayer card of a saint to the front door of her Manhattan apartment in the 1980s. Nothing about his academic endeavor has been the same since. Padilioni is a doctoral candidate in American studies at William & Mary, and has been involved with a graduate affiliate program in Africana studies. He left recently for Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, which offered him a Consortium for Faculty Diversity fellowship to teach African-American history from 1863 to the present this fall. One of the nice things about the William & Mary American Studies Program is that were able, through advising, to work out a way to position our research within three or four different disciplinary frameworks, he said. I describe my research as drawing from the methodologies of history, ethnography and cultural studies. Although he also will be on the Lewis & Clark campus during the spring semester, Padilioni will primarily be free to work on his dissertation in residence, putting him back on the winding path to places and characters he never envisioned. The cabaret star and Brother Broom The woman with the prayer card on her door was Ada Bricktop Smith, who owned and performed at a series of trendy nightclubs in Paris starting in the 1920s. Among her many famous regulars was Cole Porter, who hired her to perform at parties at Chez Bricktop, and once asked her to teach his guests how to dance the Charleston. The more Padilioni researched jazz periods such as the Harlem Renaissance, the more he was struck by how many of the performers were Catholic, Smith among them. She, and many others, had an especially deep devotion to a saint whose name Padilioni, raised a Catholic, never heard before: Martin de Porres. As his research evolved, so did the title and thrust of his dissertation, to what he now refers to as Black Ecstacies: Remembering the Diaspora Through St. Martin de Porres. Born in 1579 in Peru, de Porres was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed African slave from Panama. He spent part of his youth in servitude to a surgeon/barber, where he learned some basic medicine. At age 11, he wanted to join a Dominican priory, but was rejected because descendants of Africans were barred from becoming full members of religious orders. Instead, he took work as a donado, or lay brother, at the priory, performing janitorial services for the right to wear the Dominican habit. He spent so many hours sweeping the priory that he was derisively dubbed Brother Broom. But de Porres also continued to practice medicine, welcoming poor and enslaved Africans into the priory where they were forbidden to be to feed and heal them. So now, all of a sudden, I had an interesting jazz story, and an interesting saint story, Padilioni said. Hes doing janitorial work, but hes also in the infirmary because of his skills. Hes turning the place into a hospital. Brother Broom becomes a legend At the age of 34, de Porres was permanently assigned to the infirmary, although he spent as much time as possible on the streets of Lima, tending to the poor. That choice made him unpopular at the priory; some of the Dominicans referred to him as the mulatto dog. He was always in trouble for healing people, Padilioni said, and he was frequently told not to do it. Stories soon surfaced from people who said they witnessed de Porres levitating, of being seen in two places at once, of literally holding conversations with animals, even of convincing the mice in the priory to stop eating the grain in the kitchen. When an epidemic broke out at the priory, 60 friars fell ill and were locked in their rooms. According to legend, De Porres tended to them all, passing through locked doors to stand beside their bed to heal them. In the 1850s, the son of a woman who was half-Indian, half-African, told the story of de Porres coming upon someone who was falling to the ground after losing his balance on a rooftop. The storyteller said that de Porres froze the person in mid-air, ran to the priory and asked the prior for permission to save the person. His request granted, de Porres raced back to the scene of the accident and brought the person slowly back to earth unharmed. I think these stories are being told by black Peruvians to laugh for and at themselves; yes, theres an official hierarchy in the church that says the superior has the actual authority, Padilioni said. But who has the actual authority? Isnt it the man who can perform miracles? Why does he need permission? The church wants you to think that he was this very humble, dutiful servant with a broom, but these and other stories show that people of color wanted his magical power to be this challenge of authority. Padilioni said while de Porres may have been a Peruvian legend, when other black people in the Americas found out about de Porres they created their own legends about him. And that led Padilioni to perhaps the storys strangest twist. Brother Broom as a cultural icon From 1935 to 1940 in and around Harlem, Padilioni said, de Porress presence was practically everywhere one looked. He has seen photos of people dressed like de Porres attending costume parties. There was an official Martin de Porres Guild. There was an off-Broadway play about his life. There was a halfway house connected to a church where strung-out jazz musicians went and in the process of drying out learned about de Porres. Street vendors sold statues of de Porres. The Journal of Negro History and The Journal of Negro Education published articles about him. They like the fact that this black person might become a saint in the biggest and maybe oldest institution in the world, Padilioni said. You have the factor of the saintly American negro, as they were describing him. These are not Catholic people; he has appeal outside of the church. He was even popular in the Harlem gay subculture. By this point, the Catholic Church clearly wanted him to become a saint, and was putting out its own stories, Padilioni said, adding with a laugh, but the queer Harlem angle certainly wasnt the direction the Vatican wanted to go. Two Martins: de Porres and King Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church was founded in Atlanta in 1912. Abutting the property is Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Sr., and Martin Luther King, Jr., were co-pastors, and where the civil rights leader was baptized as a child. In the 1950s, Padilioni said, Our Lady of Lourdes housed a seven-foot tall statue of de Porres on its grounds. In the 1960s, the St. Martins Human Relations Council held meetings at the church, and its members participated in the marches that King and his father planned right across the street. The two Martins kind of merge, Padilioni said. You have the ministry of Martin de Porres, and the charism of social justice and poverty absorbed into the Martin Luther King civil rights movement. Youve even got Catholic nuns down there picketing against police brutality. By 1962, de Porres had passed the three stages required for sainthood in the Catholic Church, including miracles attributed to him from 1948 and 1956, more than 300 years after his death. On May 6 of that year, Pope John XXIII canonized him and named him the patron saint of people of mixed race, innkeepers, barbers and public health workers. In 1964, King was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Paul VI. Among the places King stopped in Rome was the home of Ada Bricktop Smith, who at age 67 had closed her club and retired. She later moved back to the U.S. Five years ago, Our Lady of Lourdes in Atlanta produced a 100th anniversary commemorative album. The background music to the churchs litany of saints was black gospel genre. Only African saints were mentioned, de Porres chief among them. But King and wife Coretta Scott King also were included, an honor that technically couldnt happen because neither was Catholic. Its the mixing of whats orthodox and whats not, Padilioni said. Martin Luther King is kind of a saint the way we think about him. A lot of the practices of cultural memory that made Martin de Porres a saint have gone into making Martin Luther King a folk saint, too. Theres this amazing connection between the two. Also acknowledging Irans involvement in Iraq and Syria, and how he has placed the countrys economy at the disposal of such meddling, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, according to Fars news agency on July 11th, We supported the people of Iraq and Syria while being under the harshest of conditions Who provides the salary and weapons of these people? All the weapons Iraq needed and who provided the money while being under sanctions? It is the same about Syria. A missile has been fired from our soil and targeted the terrorists center however, who designed and built this missile? The government built this missile, the Defense Ministry built this missile who provided the money? The governments economic branch is providing the money a major effort was carried out [during my first term]. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) published an article on July 13th saying, These remarks prove once again how despite their increasing power struggle, the Iranian regimes various factions by no means differ in exporting terrorism, fundamentalist and warmongering. Until this regime is in power the mullahs will never forgo their meddling in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Bahrain. This is an inseparable branch of the mullahs survival strategy. Designating the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, and expelling this entity and their proxies from the region is a necessity in establishing peace and stability across the Middle East. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page UK government charts legal route out of Euratom 13 July 2017 Share The UK government's Department for Exiting the European Union has today published a position paper on nuclear materials and safeguards issues, which the head of the country's Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) says "demonstrates the complexity" of replicating arrangements with the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The document is part of the UK's Article 50 negotiations with the EU since the government has said Brexit includes leaving Euratom. Its publication was timed to coincide with the government's EU (withdrawal) bill, which makes 13 references to Euratom. Announcing publication of the position paper, the Department said: "While the UK is leaving Euratom we want to continue working closely with the Euratom Community to help ensure a smooth and orderly exit and to pave the way for a future relationship that benefits the UK and the remaining 27 Member States." Five principles It proposes to work with Euratom according to five principles: ensuring a smooth transition to a UK nuclear safeguards regime with no interruption in safeguards arrangements; providing certainty and clarity to industry and others wherever possible; collaborating on nuclear research and development in order to maximise the benefit of shared expertise and resources; minimising barriers to civil nuclear trade for industry in the UK, Euratom and third countries; ensuring mobility of skilled nuclear workers and researchers; and collaborating on areas of wider interest, including regulatory cooperation and emergency preparedness. The document also gives two "initial issues for discussion" - nuclear safeguards arrangements; and provision of legal certainty on immediate issues related to nuclear material in both the UK and Euratom to "provide certainty to industry and reassurance to all". As a leader in nuclear safety and with a "proven track record" as a responsible Nuclear Weapons State, the UK has been a "strong and active" member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 1957, it said. It enjoys a "wide-ranging and successful" partnership with the EU in the civil nuclear sector, which is "rooted in a strong and mutually beneficial trade relationship". Its expertise in nuclear research and development has put it "at the heart of wider EU collaboration to develop the clean energy of the future", it said. The Treaty establishing Euratom provides the basis for the UK's cooperation with the Euratom Community on civil nuclear issues. It includes the provision of safeguards arrangements for non-proliferation of nuclear materials, cooperation in nuclear research and development, mobility of workers and trade in the nuclear sector and wider nuclear regulatory cooperation, the paper notes. The UK invoked Article 106(a) of the Treaty establishing Euratom at the same time as Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), reflecting the fact the treaties of the EU and Euratom are "uniquely legally joined", it said. Equipment and material The document notes the importance of agreeing the future ownership and liabilities for safeguards equipment that is currently owned by the Euratom Community and located in the UK. "The UK will ensure that all necessary safeguards equipment is in place to comply with its IAEA obligations. As part of this, further consideration will be given to the possibility of the UK taking ownership of existing Euratom-owned equipment. This will need to be rooted in a common understanding of the fair value and liabilities of the equipment concerned, and interactions with the EU budget," it said. There are legal and contractual issues related to nuclear material in both the UK and EU, for which "early resolution" is important, the paper says, in providing the necessary legal certainty to operators and governments. The ownership of all special fissile material that is currently with the Euratom Community "by virtue of" Article 86 of the Treaty, and which is present on UK territory on the date of withdrawal, should transfer to the persons or undertakings with the right of use and consumption of the material pursuant to Article 87 of the Treaty, it says. This should apply in relation to all persons or undertakings with the right of use and consumption, whether these are established in the UK, EU or non-EU states, it adds. Contracts for the supply of nuclear material between operators in the UK and Euratom, which have been approved by the Euratom Supply Agency and European Commission, should remain valid and not require any further approvals, it says. Appropriate arrangements will also need to be agreed in relation to used fuel and radioactive waste, and this should include ensuring they remain the responsibility of the State in which it was generated, as is currently the case under Community Law, it adds. This should not affect the right of the UK or an undertaking in the UK to return radioactive waste after processing to its country of origin, it says. Nuclear Weapons State The UK remains "firmly committed", the position paper says, to maintaining its role as a responsible Nuclear Weapons State and non-proliferation leader, and to ensuring that a UK nuclear safeguards regime is in place that is commensurate with its international obligations through the IAEA. To ensure this, it gives five commitments from the UK. These are: to agree a Voluntary Offer Agreement with the IAEA that sets out the UK's primary safeguards arrangements in international law; take responsibility for meeting the UK's safeguards obligations, as agreed with the IAEA; in line with the specific circumstances of the UK and respecting the UK's current obligations, agree Nuclear Cooperation Agreements between the UK and key non-EU/Euratom States, including Australia, Canada, Japan and the USA - these agreements will underline the UK's commitment to upholding the safeguards obligations agreed with the IAEA; work closely with the European Commission to ensure a smooth transition to its new arrangements, including the setup of the new safeguards regime; and seek to ensure that the UK's new regime provides for continued close cooperation with the Euratom Community. 'Very little detail' Tom Greatrex, NIA chief executive, said: "While containing very little detail, the UK government's position paper demonstrates the complexity of replicating Euratom arrangements in UK regulation and co-operation agreements with third countries which the industry has warned of. The government must therefore make the need for transitional arrangements its starting point in negotiations. Failure to do so will risk precisely the disruption the government state they want to avoid. "It remains the UK nuclear industry's view that retaining Euratom membership will best serve the national interest. It may also be the most straightforward, seamless and sensible way to achieve the government's stated preferred outcome is through the associated membership the Euratom treaty enables. Exploring that should be a priority in discussions with European institutions. "The government has also said it wishes to provide "certainty and clarity" to industry. Given the lack of clarity to date, it is imperative now that the government ensures there is regular and ongoing dialogue with industry so there is a full appreciation of the practical, logistical and administrative consequences of these negotiations." Repeal Bill published An important part of Brexit is to ensure smooth continuation of all legal matters after the UK leaves the EU. The British government intends to pass a bill to transfer all EU-derived legislation into UK law, effective from the first day outside the EU. After this the UK will be free to make changes as it sees fit. To leave the European Union the UK must repeal the European Communities Act 1972. This necessarily means leaving Euratom, which is one of the three 'Communities', even though Euratom remains ostensibly separate because it was not incorporated by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009. The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, told the House of Commons in January that the 1957 Euratom Treaty uses the same institutions as the EU, including the European Court of Justice. "That's why," he said, "the 2008 EU Amendment Act makes clear that in UK law membership of the European Union includes Euratom and that's why Article 50 applies both to the European Union and Euratom." Today the government published the text of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill that would repeal the European Communities Act and put subsequent EU-derived law into UK statute, ahead of what is expected to be fierce parliamentary debate and numerous proposals for amendment. Davis also said in January the UK will seek an alternative agreement with the IAEA if it fails to negotiate "some sort of relationship" with Euratom during Brexit negotiations. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Vogtle 2 to load chromia fuel 13 July 2017 Share Advanced fuel assemblies featuring chromia-doped fuel pellets and chromium-coated fuel cladding are to be loaded into a US nuclear power reactor. The fuel, developed by Areva NP under the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) program, will be loaded into the Vogtle 2 plant in Georgia. Vogtle units 1 and 2 (Image: Southern Nuclear/NRC) Areva NP yesterday said four lead test assemblies featuring chromia additions to the fuel pellets and a chromium coating to the fuel rod cladding will be loaded into Vogtle unit 2 in spring 2019. The company will begin manufacturing the chromia-doped fuel pellets at its facility in Richland, Washington, later this year. John Williams, nuclear fuel director for Southern Nuclear Operating Company, which operates Vogtle on behalf of Georgia Power and the plant's other co-owners, said advanced technology fuel assemblies would make plants "even safer" and result in more flexible operations. "This game-changing technology is not a small step, but a leap for our industry," he said. The fuel technology aims to offer reactor operators more time to respond in emergency situations. Chromia-doped fuel pellets have a higher density and help to reduce fission gas release should a reactor lose cooling. The addition of a chromium coating to the fuel's existing zirconium alloy cladding offers advantages including improved resistance to oxidation at high temperatures, the reduction of hydrogen generation, and resistance to wear. Earlier this year Areva advanced to the second phase of the DOE's EATF program after four years of initial research to identify promising new technologies. The DOE awarded the company a $10 million, two-year grant, plus the continued use and support of the DOE's national laboratory facilities, to design and develop the advanced nuclear fuel concept. Robert Freeman, vice president of Areva NP's Commercial and Customer Centre for North America said the company's approach of incorporating advanced fuel characteristics into its proven GAIA fuel design, enables the fuel to be deployed into reactors more quickly. The development of the chromia-doped fuel is the near-term solution of Areva's EATF program. The next step will be the development of fuel using silicon carbide cladding with chromia-doped fuel pellets. The company is supported by partners including US national laboratories, universities and utilities, and is deploying and further improving its technology as part of the DOE's Fuel Cycle Technologies program. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics 10. It is home to Gangkhar Peunsum - the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Bhutan is home to Gangkhar Peunsum - the worlds highest unclimbed mountain. The mountains tallest peak is 24,840 ft and is located close to the border with China. The first mountaineering expedition to the summit in 1984 was unsuccessful, three subsequent attempts between then and 1986 were also unsuccessful. In 1998, a group of mountaineers successfully climbed to a subsidiary peak from the Tibetan side of the mountain. In 2003, the government of Bhutan completely banned attempts to climb the mountain to protect the local religious beliefs. In 1999, a team of Japanese climbers attempted to climb to the top of the mountain after acquiring a permit from China, but the attempt was called off after Bhutan complained to China. 9. It is home to rare species like the golden langur. A golden langur monkey. The golden langur is an endangered primate endangered to Bhutan and the areas bordering it. It is estimated that less than 4,000 individuals are left in the wild due to loss of habitat particularly mainly through deforestation. A hybrid species of the capped langurs and golden langurs have been sighted in southern Bhutan, a situation that could wipe out the golden langur as a distinct species. The traits of the capped langur are more dominant in the hybrid, and researchers have determined that it is more fertile than the individual species, a situation that may compound more to the extinction of the golden langur. 8. There are no traffic lights in its capital city. The capital city of Thimphu is one of the two capital cities in the world without traffic lights (the other being Ngerulmud in Palau). The local authorities attempted to erect traffic lights in the city, but there was a public backlash. Many considered the lights inefficient and ineffective, especially when compared to the to preferred traffic policemen. Today, traffic police stand on particular points in the city directing traffic through arm movements. 7. It created the idea of gross national happiness. The people of Bhutan prefer happiness to wealth. The ideology of Gross National Happiness was created by Jigme Singye Wangchuck, a former King. Unlike other countries who base success on the amount of wealth it owns, the king values the living conditions of the people and their social life. 6. It has never been colonized. Bhutan is among the countries that have never been governed, occupied, or conquered although some sources state that it was part of the Tibetan Empire between the 7th to 9th century. In 1910, Bhutan recognized the Suzerainty of Britain in exchange for autonomy under the Treaty of Punakha. In 1949, Bhutan signed a treaty of friendship with India in which India would guide the foreign policy of Bhutan, the treaty was later renegotiated in 2007 and the provision removed, allowing Bhutan to run its own foreign policies. Its policies are similar to that of India and cooperation among the two states has been stable. 5. Bhutan is the only country that absorbs more CO2 than it gives out. A Bhutanese forest. Bhutan is the only country in the world that absorbs more CO 2 from the atmosphere than it releases. The carbon sink environment occurs because forests cover 72% of the country, and the state has a small number of industries. It is estimated that the annual absorption of CO 2 is 6 million tons of carbon yet it produces only 1.5 tons of the gas. The constitution safeguards the carbon neutrality of the state, and several amendments have enacted including banning the export of timber and wood products, ensuring that not less than 60% of the country is under forest cover and that people would enjoy free hydroelectric power. Plastic bags have also been banned in the country. 4. Its national animal is the takin. A takin, or gnu goat. The takin or gnu goat is the national animal. The animal is so unusual and uncommon that many have neither heard of it or seen it. The Bhutanese believe that their divine madman who lived between 1455-1529 created the animal. During a visit to Bhutan, the public demanded that he should perform a miracle, he demanded a cow and a goat for lunch. He devoured the animals and put the goats head on the cows bones, clicked his finger and the animal came to life taking its current form. 3. It is the smallest state located entirely within the Himilaya mountains. Bhutan is the only country that is entirely enclosed within the Himalaya Mountains. It is also one of the smallest countries in Asia with an area of 14,824 square meters. Its population is approximately 780,000, a majority of whom are Buddhists. It is located in the Eastern Himalayas in South Asia and only borders China to the north and India to the south. 2. Its largest export is hydroelectricity. Bhutan produces more electricity than it requires. Its citizens access free electricity and the rest is exported to neighboring countries. In cooperation with India, Bhutan generates and exports power to India who further exports it to Nepal and Bangladesh. In 2015 it exported $36.5M worth of power. It is estimated that the country has a coal reserve of 1.3 million tons but consumes only 1000 tons annually. 1. If you ever visit, you can get a postage stamp of your face made. Anyone can get a personalized postage stamp with their face as the image. For $4 one can get a dozen postage stamps. Tourists send postcards home with their faces on their stamps to surprise their families. The post office in Thimphu is considered friendly to tourists and customizes the stamps for tourists. There are parts of the world that are fascinating and attract millions of tourists each year. The influx of visitors makes many such attractions to become crowded with tourists. However, there are few hidden gems around the world which despite having many attractions are not well known and hence offer visitors an intimate experience with the environment. 9. Alaska The natural beauty of Alaska. Alaska is the largest yet least populated state in the United States. Due to the states low population, most of its natural beauty is untouched by human activity. One of the key attractions in Alaska is the Denali Mountain, the highest mountain in North America which is found within the Denali National Park. 8. Innsbruck, Austria A street view of Innsbruck, Austria. Innsbruck is a city located in Tyrol, Austria and is the fifth largest city in the country with about 120,000 residents. The citys rich history is its key attribute and is home to many medieval monuments and buildings including the Hofkirche, an ancient tomb monument. Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport is the largest airport in the city and handles daily flights from major European cities. The city has an extensive railway network which connects it to Vienna, Venice, Zurich, and Munich. Visitors are encouraged to use the Innsbruck-Card which grants holders free entrance to all popular sites in the city and free access to public transportation. 7. Yukon A bridge in the Yukon territory. Yukon is one of the territories of Canada situated in the north of the country. The vast territory is home to about 33,897 people and has Whitehorse as its capital. Due to the territory being one of the least populated regions on earth, it offers some of the best sceneries and untouched natural landscapes. Most of the tourists visiting Yukon are en route to Alaska, and those who sample some key tourist spots in Yukon are amazed by the experience. Tourist attractions in the territory include Watson Lake which is home to the famed sign post forest (with over 70,000 signposts erected by travelers) as well as Kluane National Park which hosts vast scenic glacier landscapes. The most common mode of transport used when traveling to Yukon is by road via the Alaska Highway and the Cassiar Highway. The sole airport in Yukon is located in Whitehorse which handles direct flights to and from Vancouver and even as far as Frankfurt, Germany. 6. Romania The natural beauty of Romania. Romania is a European country located on the Balkan Peninsula with Bucharest as its capital city. Romania is a country full of contrasts with several world-class modern cities and other perfectly preserved ancient cities where time seems to have stopped. One ancient city is the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sarmizegetusa whose history goes back to the 1st century BC when it was the capital of the ancient Dacian kingdom. There are 17 airports in Romania, 12 of which handle international flights. 5. Sichuan Nighttime in Larung Gar, Sichuan. Sichuan is a Chinese province located in the central part of the country. It has a population of over 80 million people and has Chengdu as its provincial capital. The province is home to some of the best preserved natural attractions most of which are confined to national parks including Emeishan National Park, the Huanglongsi-Jiuzhaigou National Park, and the Jianmen Shudao National Park. Foreign visitors are warned of facing a language barrier with Mandarin being the majority language used in Sichuan. There is a large international airport situated in Chengdu which serves international visitors, and the entire province has an extensive road and rail network. 4. Oman A lagoon in Oman. Officially known as The Sultanate of Oman, Oman is an Arab country located in the Middle East. The country is a hidden gem of the Middle East, and foreign visitors were allowed to visit the country starting in1970s after the ascension of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. There are numerous natural and cultural attractions spread all over Oman ranging from the towering Hajar Mountains (the highest mountains in the Arabian Peninsula) in Northern Oman to picturesque sand dunes located in the Central Coastal Oman. Oman is open to visitors from all countries except Israeli citizens. Tourists from neighboring countries including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain do not require visas and are only required to have national ID cards. 3. Krakow Wawel castle in Krakow. Krakow is a city located in southern Poland and is the second-largest city in the country with its metropolitan region having a population of over 1.4 million people. The city is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. The old part of Krakow, the Old City, is the real gem of the city whose history goes back to the 12th century. Some key attractions in the Old City include the Wawel Castle and the Jewish synagogue and cemetery of Kazimierz. 2. Myanmar Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar. Originally known as Burma, Myanmar is a hidden gem in South-East Asia whose pristine beauty was hidden from the outside world for decades due to bloody civil wars which plagued the country. The dominant religion in Myanmar is Buddhism whose beliefs have influenced the nations culture. Some of the main attractions in Myanmar include the Ngwe Saung beach, a long stretch of white-sand beach where visitors get to ride elephants or take excursions to neighboring islands including the famed Bird Island. Tourists are also encouraged to visit Mount Popa, an extinct volcano located 50 kilometers southeast of Bagan where visitors take hikes to the summit of the mountain while admiring the beautiful biodiversity on the flanks of the mountain. To visit Myanmar, a foreign tourist is required to obtain a tourist visa before embarking on the journey to the country. 1. Tasmania Lake St. Clair National Park in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania is an Australian state and is the only island state in the country. Tasmania is also Australias smallest state with an area of 26,410 square miles. Due to Tasmanias isolation from continental Australia, the island has numerous picturesque attractions present nowhere else in Australia with over 45% of its total land area being protected. Each of the 19 national parks in Tasmania offers a unique experience and feature beautiful glaciers, pristine beaches, wilderness, and lush rainforests. Some popular national parks include the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, the Mole Creek Karst National Park, Freycinet National Park, and Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park. Tourists can visit Tasmania via flights from mainland Australia through airports in Hobart, Burnie, King Island and Launceston. Another popular form of transport to Tasmania is using two ferries which depart from the Port of Melbourne making daily trips to the island. African states dominated the 2017 Fragile States Index published by the Fund for Peace organization. The Index, formally known as the Failed States Index indicates the possibility of a country becoming a failed state due to a weak central government, non-provision of public services, high rate of crime and corruption, refugees, economic decline and political instability. The worlds newest state, South Sudan, remains the world most fragile state followed by Somalia. This article discusses the states that are most likely to be failed states. The index has a maximum score of 120 which signifies a failed state. 5. Sudan - 110.6 Sudan split from South Sudan in 2011 after South Sudan chose to be independent through a referendum. The Sudanese president Omar el-Bashir has a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. The desert state depended on the souths oil for its economy and cannot access the oil after the split. A score of 110.6 ranked it as the fifth most fragile state in the world. 4. Yemen - 111.1 Yemen is one of the most troubled countries in the world. In recent times, Yemen has been ravaged by diseases, civil war, and the rise of international terrorism led by Al-Qaida and ISIS. In July 2017, Yemen was battling an outbreak of cholera that was spreading across the state and resulting in the death of several hundreds of people. The displacement of people and international sanctions have condemned the state to a declining economy that cannot support its people. 3. The Central African Republic - 112.6 A fragile state index rating of 112.6 ranks the CAR as the third most fragile country. The recent conflict in the state led to a 0.5 drop in the index compared to 2016. The civil war began in 2012 after the toppling of Francois Bozize. Report of genocide and violation of human rights are not new in the country. The mass displacement of people has led to the increase in IDP camps within the border and refugee camps across the border. Instability in the country has condemned the country to a GDP of 1.503 billion USD. 2. Somalia - 113.4 In troubled Somalia, the ouster of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 led to the rise of militia led by General Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Since then, the country has been involved in a civil war. The worlds largest refugee camp, Dadaab, in Northeastern Kenya, hosts Somali refugees. Insecurity has led to the destruction of infrastructure particularly in the capital city Mogadishu. Despite having a long coastline, the country's economy is listed among the worst in the world. The government is unable to stand on its own and requires the help of the African Union troops to fight the Al-Shabaab militia and maintain peace. Somalia has been called a "failed state" and has a score of 113.4. 1. South Sudan - 113.9 South Sudan is the worlds newest state. It was formed in 2011 after splitting away from the northern portion of Sudan. After formation, the state experienced a short spell of security before internal wrangles over power and control of the oil-rich country led to violence. As of 2015, the GDP of South Sudan stood at 9.015 billion USD. The inability of the central government to curb insecurity has led to massive migration of people to the neighboring states, and the destruction of infrastructure. In 2017, South Sudan was given the title of the world's most fragile state. The West African state of Gambia is home to several species of vulnerable mammals. Political instability, environmental degradation, population growth, climate change, and human activities are the major reasons that have led to the decline in the numbers of these mammals. Here are the endangered species of mammals found in the country. Vulnerable Mammals of the Gambia Hippopotamus A majority of the hippo inhabit the River Gambia National Park. They spend much of their time in the rivers, marshes, and swamps and move to dry land to feed. It is estimated that about 7000 hippos are left in West Africa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals estimates that about 40 hippos are in Gambia. Uncontrolled poaching and lack of political goodwill in past governments led to a sharp decrease in the number of hippos. The same situation also affects the neighboring countries with Liberia or Mauritania among the countries with no hippos. African Elephant The African elephant is endangered in nearly every country. They are being hunted down for tusks that fetch high prices in the far east countries particularly China. In some African countries, elephants have been hunted to extinction including Gambia. The elephants of Gambia were hunted to extinction as far back as 1913. Today no elephants are roaming the wilderness of the Gambia. Lions The lions of Gambia suffered the same fate as the elephants. They were hunted down to extinction for sport and recreation. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals categorize the lions as a regionally extinct mammal. The lions roamed the parks of Gambia until they became extinct in 1940. Leopard The African Leopard is nearly extinct in Gambia. They are rarely seen, and the only evidence of their existence are footprints they leave behind. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals classified the leopard as nearly extinct in Gambia. The nocturnal mammal is known to inhabit the Kiang West and the national parks. Sperm Whale The cachalot or sperm whale is the largest toothed whale and toothed predator. It is considered a vulnerable animal by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals in several of its habitats although some places such as the Gambia have been affected the most. The sperm whale is often sighted off the coast of Senegal but rarely along the coast of Gambia. Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin The Atlantic umpbacked dolphin is considered vulnerable. It is native to the west and central African coastline including the Gambia. Their number is not exactly known but is is estimated that the population is declining as dolphins are becoming rarer to spot. The dolphin is hunted in some parts of the Atlantic coast of Africa as food while others migrate due to environmental contamination and degradation. African Manatee The African manatee is native to West Africa. It inhabits the rivers and swamps of West Africa. They are considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The manatee inhabits River Gambia. They spend much of their time in the water. They feed at sunset and night. Conservation Efforts Gambia is struggling with conservation efforts just like several other African countries. The 1977 Banjul Declaration sets out the states commitment to conserving the environment and the vulnerable animal species. The government has set up wildlife conservation units to help conserve the remaining animals from extinction. Lesotho, officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho, is one of the Southern African countries. It is encompassed by South Africa and has an area of approximately 11,583 square miles. Lesotho has a population of slightly over 2 million people. It attained independence from the UK on October 4, 1966, and changed the name from Basutoland to Lesotho immediately after independence. Lesotho means Into the land of the Sesotho people. The majority of the Lesotho people (40%) live below the poverty line with 25% infected with HIV. The country is also characterized by a high unemployment rate, economic collapse, and leadership challenges. Politics Of Lesotho Lesothos politics occur in the context of the parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy with the government headed by the prime minister. The king is largely ceremonial and does not exercise any executive power and is prohibited from engaging in political activities. The government is divided into three arms including executive, legislative, and judiciary. The government exercises the executive powers while the legislative power is with the two chambers of parliament and the government. The Constitution of Lesotho provides for the independence of the judiciary and protects it from interference by the other two arms of government. The Executive Branch Of The Government Of Lesotho The government of Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy headed by the prime minister who has the executive authority and is also the head of government. The King of Lesotho is largely ceremonial and is prohibited from actively taking part in political activities. He no longer possesses executive authority and only acts as a living symbol of the national unity. According to the Constitution of Lesotho, the leader of the party with the majority members of the parliament automatically becomes the prime minister and head of government. The monarch is hereditary. The college of chiefs can determine who becomes next in line of succession, depose the monarch, and also determines who becomes a regent if the successor is not of a mature age to assume the office. The Legislative Branch Of The Government Of Lesotho The legislative power is exercised by the government and parliament which comprises of the lower and the upper houses known as the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively. The National Assembly has 120 members who serve for a period of five years. 80 members of the National Assembly are elected in single-seat constituencies while 40 are elected by proportional representations. The upper house or the Senate comprises of 33 members known as principal chiefs, 22 of whose membership is hereditary. The other 11 principal chiefs are appointed by the king in consultation with the prime minister. The Judicial Branch Of The Government Of Lesotho The Constitution of Lesotho recognizes the judiciary as independent of the executive and legislature. The judicial system of Lesotho is made up of the High Court, Court of Appeal, Magistrate Courts, and Customary courts which are common in rural areas. Judges make their ruling without the jury. The Court of Appeal is made up of the president and six other judges. The High Court of Lesotho hears and determines civil and criminal matters and is headed by the Chief Justice. The King, upon the advice of the prime minister, appoints the Chief Justice and several senior judges Malta is an island country within the Mediterranean Sea, south of Italy. The country is about 122 square miles with a population of about 400,000 people. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom as a sovereign Commonwealth realm on September 21, 1964, and became a Republic in 1974. It is one of the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. Maltas parliamentary system and public administration closely resemble the Westminsters system. It conducts its politics in the context of a parliamentary representative democratic republic with the three levels of government. Maltas local government system is similar to the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The Executive Branch Of The Government Of Malta Until December 1974, Malta was a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the sovereign. The executive authority was exercised by the Governor-General on her behalf while the Cabinet run the affairs of the government under the leadership of the prime minister. In December 1974, Malta became a republic with the Constitution revised. The executive power is now vested in the president who is elected to a 5-year term by the House of Representative and his role as the head of state remains largely ceremonial. He appoints the prime minister from the majority party in the House. He also appoints cabinet ministers in consultation with the prime minister. The ministers are appointed from the members of the House of Representative. The prime minister of Malta heads the government and cabinet. The prime minister also can advise the president to dissolve the House of Representatives. The Legislative Branch Branch Of The Government Of Malta The legislative powers are exercised by the parliament consisting of the president and a unicameral House of Representative known as the Kamra tad-Deputati. The House is made up of 65 legislatures but a party can have additional members to the House to ensure a parliamentary majority if it wins an absolute majority of votes but is lacking majority seats in the House. Members are elected to the House from the 13 constituencies with each constituency returning 5 members. Malta does not hold any by-election between general elections instead, vacancies are filled by co-option. The parliaments term cannot exceed five years but can be dissolved earlier by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister. The House of Representatives legislates, enacts, and amend laws as well as approves presidential appointments such as the cabinet minister. The Parliament also elects the president. The Judicial Branch Of The Government Of Malta The judiciary comprises of the Inferior Courts, Court of Appeal, and the Constitutional Court. The magistrates are in charge of the Inferior Courts. Criminal Court consists of a judge and a jury while the Court of Appeal hears civil and criminal appeals. The Constitutional Court is the highest court in Malta and mainly adjudicates cases involving constitutional interpretation and human rights violation. The Chief Justice and Judges of the Superior Courts are appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister. The judges have a security of tenure until their mandatory retiring age of 65. However, they can be impeached by the House of Representative based on their inability to perform their duties or misconduct. A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took Three weeks after the Grenfell Tower inferno in west London, the initial shock and horror at the huge loss of life has given way to seething anger. The intervening period has only underscored the ruling elites callous contempt for the traumatised survivors of the fire and the working class as a whole. In the early hours of Wednesday, June 14, a small fire in a fourth-floor apartment in the Grenfell residential tower block rapidly became a raging inferno, engulfing the entire 24-storey building. The tower housed some 600 residents, many of whom had no chance of escape. The building housed workers and poor people living in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, situated at the same time in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the wealthiest district in London. Nothing could more starkly sum up the colossal growth of social inequality not only in Britain, but internationally. The burnt-out husk of Grenfell stands within a stones throw of ghost homes worth many millions that have never been occupied by their owners. It is only a few miles from Buckingham Palace. The building was a death trap. There was no sprinkler system, no central fire alarm system and just one stairwell, which quickly became filled with highly toxic fumes. The fire spread so rapidly because the building was wrapped from top to bottom in flammable cladding material, which emitted deadly hydrogen cyanide. The toxic covering had been installed to provide a more pleasant view for the rich residents nearby and keep real estate values high. When firefighters arrived to tackle the blaze, they were unable to deal with it due to poor access to the building and inadequate equipment and manpower. The Fire Brigade nationally has suffered devastating cuts over the last decade, with 11,000 firefighter jobs lost. Former London mayor and now Tory Foreign Minister Boris Johnson bears major responsibility for Grenfell, having closed 10 fire stations, withdrawn 14 fire engines and cut 522 firefighter jobs during his tenure. The Grenfell fire was not simply a disaster or tragedy, it was a crime. Today, three weeks later, it is still unknown to survivors, family members and friends and the public how many people perished in the blaze. The true fatality figure is being concealed by the government out of fear of a social explosion. But the silence of the authorities can only mean that the death toll is appallingly high. The Metropolitan Police say the 80 acknowledged to have died came mainly from 23 flats, yet there were 129 flats in the building. As of Tuesday evening, rescue teams had still not accessed the top three floors of the building, where it is understood that almost all of the occupants perished. The police say it will take well into next year before any accurate figure can be arrived at. The survivors of the inferno and people forced to evacuate their housing in the towers immediate vicinity have met with inhumane treatment from the authorities. Just 5 million have been offered by the government to Grenfell survivors, with less than half of this distributed so far. Despite Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's pledge that all survivors would be temporarily rehoused in the borough within three weeks, virtually nobody has been rehoused. Instead, entire families are being forced to sleep in hotels, with some sleeping rough in cars and parks. Behind the crocodile tears of the government and borough council at the death and destruction at Grenfell, their real attitude was summed up last week when they banned survivors, local residents and the media from attending the first meeting of the council to be held since the fire. The since-resigned Tory council leader, Nick Paget-Brown, insisted that to allow the public entry would likely result in disorder. Grenfell Tower was hardly unique. Testing on 181 tower blocks out of 600 identified as potentially covered in highly flammable material met with a 100 percent failure rate. Even after the Grenfell inferno, it is reported that the unsafe cladding may not be removed. According to the BBC, an Independent Advisory Panel set up by the government after the fire said it would ask experts whether the material could stay on a building under certain approved circumstances. The ruling elite is perpetrating a massive cover-up. Not a single person has been charged or arrested in a supposed criminal investigation ongoing since June 15. The public inquiry into the fire announced by May has already been exposed as a fraud. As with every other such inquiry held in response to a loss of life at the hands of the state, it will do nothing to establish the truth or bring the guilty to justice. The judge selected to chair it, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, let the cat out of the bag when he said the inquiry could be limited to the cause, how it spread, and preventing a future blaze. Jeremy Corbyn, the nominally left leader of the Labour Party, is doing all in his power to prop up Mays crisis-ridden minority government and contain popular anger. He immediately declared his support for Mays inquiry. Only when popular hostility made this position untenable did he send a friendly letter to May suggesting that the inquiry be held in two stagesthe first along the same lines as Moore-Bicks proposal, the second to deal with broader national issues. Speaking on the weekend before tens of thousands of anti-austerity protesters in London, many carrying signs demanding Justice for Grenfell, Corbyn avoided any suggestion of mass action to bring down the Tory government. He did not make a single proposal for bringing to justice those responsible or providing for the needs of the victims. There was not a hint of a challenge to the wealth or property of the British ruling elite. How could he make such a challenge, presiding as he does over a right-wing capitalist party that, with the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is no less implicated than the Tories in gutting all regulations on the corporations and banks and fuelling the growth of social inequality? Three weeks after the event, the historical and global significance of Grenfell is becoming ever more clear. It will not be forgotten. It will be seen by historians in the future as a significant turning point, fuelling the growth of anti-capitalist, socialist and revolutionary sentiment in the working class and the resurgence of class struggle. For masses of workers in Britain and internationally, their own lives will be divided into before and after Grenfell. The Grenfell fire is a crime of capitalism. The Socialist Equality Party insists those implicated in political and corporate circles must be immediately arrested, charged and put on trial. The mass requisitioning of accommodation must be organised to house those made homeless and denied access to their homes because of lack of heating, hot water and gas. Hundreds of billions of pounds must be allocated to strip the cladding from unsafe tower blocks, and a mass public works programme enacted to make all public buildings safe. This must be paid for through the expropriation of the billionaires and the nationalization of the building industry and the banks under workers control. The protests of residents in London against Kensington and Chelsea Council and the government over Grenfell and the sympathy and solidarity this has elicited among millions internationally is indicative of the new stage in the class struggle. This must be consciously directed toward the revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system. Since Hillary Clintons defeat in the 2016 elections, the corporate press, the Democratic Party, and a host of self-proclaimed left-wing groups that operate in the Democrats orbit have attempted to prove that Trumps election was the product of bigotry and backwardness in the white working class. This false narrative is further exploded by a new report titled Battlefield Casualties and Ballot Box Defeat: Did the Bush-Obama Wars cost Clinton the White House? Published in June by Douglas Kriner of Boston University and Francis Shen of the University of Minnesota Law School, the study concludes that the Democratic Party lost the 2016 election because working class voters in poorer areas hit hardest by military casualties from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan saw the Democratic Party as the primary party of war and militarism. They abstained or voted for Trump as a result. Kriner and Shen break down the shift away from the Democratic Party from 2012 to 2016 on a state-by-state and county-by-county basis and compare the shift with soldier death rates from Iraq and Afghanistan. The authors find extreme levels of disparity between county casualty rates. Just over half of all counties had a casualty rate of 1 or fewer deaths per 100,000 from Iraq and Afghanistan, while a mere 10 percent of counties have casualty rates of over 7 war deaths per 100,000 residents. The counties with the highest casualty rates are the poorest and least educated. Kriner and Shen find a strong positive correlation between Republican shift in 2016 and death and injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each states rise in the casualty rate by one person per million residents corresponded with a roughly .25 percent swing from Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016. The authors conclude that if the casualty rates in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin were lowered by 10 people per million, Clinton would have won all three states. Trump won each state by less than 1 percent, pushing him past the 270 electoral vote mark required to win election. Our analysis predicts that Trump would have lost between 1.4 percent and 1.6 percent of the vote if the state had suffered a lower casualty rate. As illustrated in Figure 2, such margins would have easily flipped all three states into the Democratic column. Trumps ability to connect with voters in communities exhausted by more than fifteen years of war may have been critically important to his narrow electoral victory. This process played out even more acutely on a county-by-county level: Trump was even more successful in surpassing Romneys 2012 performance in communities that had suffered disproportionately high casualty rates. Kriner and Shen explain that anti-war sentiment among the poorer sections of the population most impacted by the war has been a dominant, subterranean feature of American political life for over a decade. In 2004, one-and-a-half years after the Bush administration launched the war in Iraq, the authors point out that although Bush won reelection, he lost significant electoral ground in states and communities that had paid the heaviest share of the war burden in casualties. In 2006, when the Democrats won both houses of congress, Kriner and Shen note that Republican losses were steepest among communities that had suffered disproportionately high casualty rates in Iraq. They note, In both 2004 and 2006, voters in these communities became more likely to vote against politicians perceived as orchestrating conflicts in which their friends and neighbors died. Similarly, the authors explain that Barack Obama won the 2008 election in large part as a result of popular opposition to the war in Iraq, which Obama claimed to oppose. The electoral punishment suffered by Republicans in the 2000s was a story of both casualty and economic inequality, Kriner and Shen write. The communities suffering the most from the fighting overseas were communities with lower income and education levels. These communities, in turn, increasingly turned against political candidates insisting on more combat. But while voters in such communities increasingly abandoned Republican candidates in a series of elections in the 2000s, their opposition to war expressed itself in a turn away from the Democrats in 2016. After benefiting from the groundswell of opposition provoked by the Bush administrations wars, the Obama administration continued the wars and sent tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan. His administration was the first in US history to spend a full two terms at war. Under Democratic Party leadership, the government launched new wars in Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, and Syria. Clinton ran her 2016 campaign on calls for escalating US intervention in Syria and threatening war with Russia, a nuclear armed power. It is a testament to the record of the Democratic Party that Trumps jingoistic program could be viewed by many as the more dovish option. Kriner and Shens statistics reveal a powerful fact about American politics: the working class is tired of being used as cannon fodder in imperialist war. However, they add, In the post-election analysis of the 2016 cycle, discussion of war fatigue has been all but absent. This oversight may plausibly be due to the fact that most American elites in the chattering class have not, at least in recent years, been directly affected by on-going conflicts. Children of elites are not as likely to serve and die in the Middle East, and elite communities are thus less likely to make this a point of conversation. The costs of war remain largely hidden, and an invisible inequality of military sacrifice has taken hold. Indeed, the Democratic establishment and their pseudo-left supporters live in a different world than the workers whose racism and sexism they blame for Trumps election. Young people living in rural and semi-rural areas hit by decades of deindustrialization and nonstop cuts to social programs make up the bulk of the armed forces of US imperialism. High unemployment and low education often leave the military or National Guard as the only stable work options. Many regions with high recruitment rates also suffer under the weight of the opioid crisis and heavy rates of drug and alcohol abuse. While 7,000 soldiers died in Iraq and Afghanistan, tens of thousands of veterans have killed themselves; a total of 20 each day. But efforts by the Democratic and pseudo-left press to ignore the growth of anti-war sentiment are not, as Kriner and Shen claim, an oversight. The stock portfolios of the wealthiest 10 percent of the population depend on a constant supply of working class youth whose bodies and minds can be sacrificed to secure resources and cheap labor for the banks and corporations to exploit abroad. The government-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) this week published reports of leaked documents providing further evidence of crimes committed by Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan, while depicting them as simply the acts of individual soldiers. Most of the documents, which the ABC has not released, reportedly cover at least 10 incidents between 2009 and 2013 in which military investigators summarily cleared soldiers of killing civilians or other war crimes. Some of the atrocities, such as the killing of a captured detainee, were already known. Each inflamed popular hostility in Afghanistan to the Australian and other occupying forces. They underscore the inherently criminal character of the US-led Afghanistan war, now almost 16 years long. However, the material only gives a partial glimpse of Australias war crimes. It appears to have been leaked in an effort, accompanied by belated military inquiries, to clean up the reputation of the Special Forces by blaming a minority of soldiers, supposedly caught up in a warrior culture. Preparations are being made for even greater violence as part of an expanded force being planned by the Trump administration in a bid to reverse the increasing gains being made by the Taliban-led resistance. One incident occurred on March 27, 2011 in Sah Zafar, Chora Valley. According to the ABC report, Australian and Afghan troops were sent to capture a high-value Taliban target. After being shot at, the Australians returned fire and later found a dead man and a fatally injured child. Local people in a distressed state arrived at the scene and told the Australians that the dead man was the boys uncle, and that he was returning with his nephew from a medical clinic. By the ABCs account, Australian soldiers tested the dead mans hands and found traces of nitrate, which they said proved he had handled explosives and was an insurgent. However, this was later disproved, as there was no evidence the man was an insurgent, and nitrates are present within commonly-used fertilisers in Afghanistan. Bags containing medication were also found at the scene, lending further credence to the residents version of events. Nevertheless, an inquiry found that the Australian troops were acting within Australian Defence Force (ADF) rules of engagement. Other incidents included: Special Forces soldiers shot a young boy in Kandahar Province in 2012. Local villagers recovered the boys body, but the killing was never reported up the official chain of command. A secret new ADF investigation into this incident commenced in September 2016. A 14- or 15-year-old Afghan boy was killed in 2012, as were Bismillah Azadi and his six-year-old son during a raid on a house in 2013. Special Air Services (SAS) members killed two mullahs in 2012. Then Afghan President Hamid Karzai complained publicly about the killings, saying the deadly raid was not authorised by his government. An Afghan detainee was shot dead in 2013 after allegedly trying to seize an SAS troopers weapon. The Special Operations Task Group commanding officeron the advice of a Defence lawyerinitially refused to hand over evidence to Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) officials, insisting it was a clear-cut case of self-defence. In 2013, Australian troops commanded by SAS officer Andrew Hastie, now a Liberal Party member of parliament, severed the hands of alleged dead Taliban fighters. This followed an ADFIS training session where soldiers were told such methods could be used for identification purposes. Shortly before the ABC published its reports, it broadcast comments by a Special Forces veteran who said he had witnessed the development of a culture within a minority of operators within special forces seeking to get kills up in some attempt to glorify themselves amongst their peers. The anonymous officer, who came from middle management, said there was no doubt this behaviour has led to the death of large numbers of innocent civilians. He called for action to stop the infectious spread of this damning culture before it claims the reputation that precedes special operations command within the ADF and within militaries around the world. Such attempts to attribute the crimes to bad apples within the Special Forces are themselves a cover-up. Any brutal culture in the ADF is a direct result of the neo-colonial wars of occupation in the Middle East, which treat the population as a whole as the enemy and involve the killing of anyone who resists. There is a protracted record of lawless brutality by Australian and other allied forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Accounts of war crimes committed by Australian Special Forces are not new. Internal investigations, in recent conflicts alone, go back to the Australian military intervention in East Timor in 1999. The ADF paid out $120,000 in compensation for incorrectly killed and injured Afghan civilians during 20092011 alone, according to an Amsterdam International Law Clinic report. With payments of less than $2,000 per murder, that total indicates hundreds of casualties. Moreover, the rules of engagement of the ADF and other US-led forces permit such killings. Military inquiries invariably found that soldiers acted within the rules, and no further action should be taken. During the period covered by the reports, Afghans could be killed if they were allegedly directly participating in hostilities. This allowed the targeting of spotters suspected of keeping watch and relaying information to Taliban forces, without being armed themselves. Spotters could be shot for riding a motorcycle or talking on a radio. The Australian Liberal-National government, backed by the Labor Party, last year opened the way for even worse atrocities by allowing the ADF to extend the rules of engagement to specifically permit the bombing or shooting of supposed supporters of insurgents not taking an active part in the hostilities. The militarys actions have been whitewashed at the highest levels of the ADF, with the full support of successive governments. In May 2013, for example, Stephen Smith, the defence minister in the last Labor government, rejected complaints by Afghan detainees that they were subjected to humiliating public searches of groin and buttocks areas, as well as poor food and cold cells. The detainees had been captured by the ADF and incarcerated at a US military prison near Bagram air base. Smith flatly dismissed the reports and declared that Australians should be proud of the troops because the ADF has prided itself on its high standards and it has a well regarded international reputation for doing so. In reality, the Australian Special Forces, like their US, British and New Zealand counterparts, specialise in secretive targeted killings and assaults on suspected villages. For that they were lauded by both US President George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The new whitewashing of Afghanistan war crimes is a warning of further violence ahead. US Defence Secretary General James Mad Dog Mattis is reportedly proposing to add some 5,000 US soldiers to the nearly 9,000 already deployed in the country. At Washingtons request, Turnbulls government recently committed another 30 troops to Afghanistan, taking the ADF contingent to 300. No doubt, a bigger contribution will be demanded if the Pentagons plans proceed. During the Obama administrations surge of 20102011, the US had some 100,000 soldiers deployed in the countryalong with 30,000 from NATO and other US alliesyet still failed to quell the insurgency. Since 2001, successive governments have justified the Afghanistan invasion as part of the war on terror, supposedly waged to protect the public. The truth is that US imperialism is determined to retain a permanent military presence in Afghanistan, which is strategically located near the oil- and gas-rich former Soviet republics of Central Asia, as well as China, Russia and Iran, which Washington regards as obstacles in its quest for global hegemony. Russia has been attempting to broker a peace settlement between the Afghan regime and the Taliban. On the eve of a Moscow conference in April involving the regional powers, the US military unleashed the largest non-nuclear weapon in its arsenal on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, possibly killing hundreds more civilians. The author also recommends: Book details killing of Afghan civilians in New Zealand SAS raid [5 April 2017] Charges dropped against Australian soldiers over Afghan civilian killings [26 May 2011] On Tuesday roughly 700 New York City area airport workers at Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia walked off the job at 9PM, as part of a planned three-day strike. The action was called off the following day after contract service company PrimeFlight Inc. agreed to bargain with 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The workers involved in the strike included hundreds of wheelchair attendants, skycaps, baggage handlers, customer service agents, cabin cleaners, terminal cleaners and shuttle drivers who are employed by PrimeFlight Inc. The company subcontracts its workers to major airlines, including United Airlines, American Airlines, and JetBlue. Workers voted earlier this week for the strike in response to unfair labor practices by the company. They have particularly taken issue with the company providing insufficient time for cabin cleaners to go through security checks while cleaning airplanes. One customer service worker told PIX 11, during the strike on Tuesday, Were here standing together, fighting for what we believe infor our rights. Its not just for me, its for every single worker that works here. PrimeFlight Inc. has developed a reputation for illegal labor practices, and has regularly withheld wages from workers. According to officials from 32BJ, the company has been forced to pay $3.3 million in penalties and settlements since 2005. Last year the company also agreed to issue $1.8 million in back pay to 152 airport workers in Seattle. Workers in New Jersey filed a suit against PrimeFlight for wage theft last fall, and workers in New York filed a similar suit earlier this year. The strike was called after workers worked for months without a contract while SEIU 32BJ claimed PrimeFlight refused to bargain. According to officials from 32BJ, the workers are not easily replaceable because many of the positions require security clearance. Kevin Brown, vice president of 32BJ SEIU, estimated that over 10 percent of the service employees at Newark are contracted through PrimeFlight. Despite the militancy of the workers, the union has worked to keep them isolated while attempting to foster illusions in the Democratic Party. Prior to calling off the strike, the union allowed local Democratic Party politicians to posture as supporters of the workers by making appearances at the pickets set up on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker requested that PrimeFlight restart negotiations. A separate strike by 32BJ at Philadelphia International Airport was called off after American Airlines agreed to last minute discussions. The union had not arranged for workers at the Philadelphia Airport to participate in the limited three-day strike, but instead filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board on July 11 against PrimeFlight. 32BJ accused the company of refusing to bargain in good faith and making coercive statements. Its time for everyone to sit down, talk, and act like adults said Kevin Brown, talking like a management representative. The strikes are disrupting passengers travel plans, and if we can agree to living wages and a right to organize at Newark, which is an engine for economic growth, then we are only building a stronger community in New Jersey. The union is notorious for engaging in limited stunts in order to disorient workers and dissipate their anger. In 2015 it canceled a 24-hour strike of workers employed by Aviation Safeguards (AVSG) at two New York City airports. In exchange the union got the right to bargain on behalf of workers, and increase its own dues base. This is the first in a two part series, read part two here. In recent years, the multinational corporation Amazon has risen to become the preeminent online retail giant and the fourth most valuable company in the world. One of Amazons most significant business contracts, which has largely been kept hidden from the public since it was finalized in October 2013, was a $600 million deal for Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build a private computing cloud for the 17 American intelligence agencies known collectively as the intelligence community (IC). The deal initiated Amazons ever-deepening integration with the American state, and implicates the company in the international war crimes, mass spying and repressive operations carried out by the spy agencies of American imperialism. Similar to the Krupp company, which supplied arms to the German military during World Wars I and II, Amazon today provides the technological scaffolding for the wars waged by American imperialism. Since reaching its deal with the CIA, Amazons stock value has more than tripled from $319.04/share to $993.80/share today. In the process, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has amassed roughly $55.9 billion, becoming the worlds second-richest person with a current net value of $85.3 billion. Through the contract, known as the Commercial Cloud Service or C2S cloud, the company forged links to all 17 IC agencies. The cloud securely stores large portions of the internet and telecommunications data accumulated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); eight agencies of the Department of Defense, including the National Security Agency (NSA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the intelligence wings of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps; the Office of Intelligence and Analysis and Coast Guard Intelligence of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and the Intelligence Branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to name the most prominent agencies of the IC. Amazon runs the C2S cloud privately, behind the ICs firewall, enabling the IC agencies to securely share data with each other, separate from the internet at large. The C2S cloud is a major component of the Intelligence Community Information Technology Enterprise (IC ITE) program initiated by then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in 2011. According to Clapper, the goal of the program is to improve the ability to securely and efficiently discover, access, and share information within the IC. Along with the Amazon-built cloud, the NSA constructed its own private cloud to store the swathes of data it continually collects. The two clouds work in complementary fashion, and are gradually replacing the isolated data centers used by each of the 17 IC agencies. While the specific contents of the data shared between the IC agencies is classified and thus hidden from the public, it is undoubtedly used for all sorts of criminal operations. In a June 2015 speech, Clapper declared, we have hundreds of millions of records in the cloud from the big six agencies [the CIA, NGA, FBI, NSA, NRO, and DIA] and others. In April 2016, Beth Flanagan, a leading official at the NGA, revealed that data from IC ITE was used to accuse the Syrian government of carrying out the August 2013 chemical weapons attack in Ghouta. These allegations were exposed as a trumped-up lie by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, whose arguments were substantiated by a separate investigation by the United Nations. Nevertheless, the Obama administration almost enacted full-scale war against Syria, using these false allegations as a pretext. The sharing of datafacilitated by Amazonenables scenarios to take place where the CIA, NSA, NGA and the Air Force collaborate to identify, precisely locate and carry out the drone assassination of anyone deemed to be a terrorist, including American citizens. Thanks to Amazon, the spy agencies can now more seamlessly conspire to carry out bloody military campaigns, such as the military assault on Mosul, or secretly orchestrate the Saudi-led war against Yemen. They are no doubt using such technology to simulate and prepare for the long-planned wars against North Korea, Iran, China and Russia, which threaten to coalesce into a new, catastrophic World War between nuclear-armed powers. One of the most important technology procurements in recent history In mid-2012, the CIA began conducting negotiations with AWS, IBM and an unnamed third corporation to decide which company would win the 10-year, highly lucrative contract to create the private cloud for the IC, which had to be capable of analyzing 100 terabytes of raw data at a time, an immense figure. In February 2013, the CIA secretly selected Amazon as the winning bidder. IBM filed a bid protest, claiming they had offered a lower price than Amazon, but in October 2013, the US Court of Federal Claims sided with Amazon, which then began to build the C2S cloud infrastructure. The cloud became operational in the summer of 2014, with then-CIA chief information officer Doug Wolfe praising it as one of the most important technology procurements in recent history. Last month, current CIA CIO John Edwards declared in a speech at AWS Public Sector Summit, Its the best decision weve ever made... Its the most innovative thing weve ever done... It is having a material impact on both the CIA and the IC. There were a number of factors that led the CIA to partner with Amazon, one of which was their ability to save money in the long-term. While $600 million is an enormous sum, at that point the IC was spending upwards of $8 billion annually to store and analyze the billions of pieces of metadata, phone and internet records, and other information that it was collecting en masse on its self-built servers, as noted in documents leaked by Edward Snowden. Amazons cloud-based server offered a means to significantly reduce these costs, as it had a unique ability to scale up or down to meet the storage, computing and analytics needs of the IC at a given time. Amazon would also incorporate any innovations or improvements devised by their engineers, which happen on an almost daily basis, directly into the C2S cloud. Another advantage that AWS had over IBM and the third bidder was its commercial cloud marketplace, which is a place for vendors to sell software infrastructure and other online products to customers. Amazons commercial cloud marketplace was established in mid-2012 and rapidly grew over the following year during its bidding with the CIA. The marketplace allows customers to test software products and developer tools before committing to a purchase. This appealed to the IC, which was tired of having spent large sums of money on inferior products. After signing the C2S cloud contract, the IC gave Amazon the green light to build a classified cloud marketplace solely for the IC, which went live in April 2016. A third, highly significant reason that the IC transitioned to cloud-based computing and selected Amazon as their contractor stemmed from the increased need for internal security after recurring leaks made by whistleblowers, especially the cables obtained by Chelsea Manning and published by Wikileaks. Throughout 2010, Wikileaks released the Afghan War Logs and Iraq War Logs, exposing the war crimes committed against those countries populations, as well as a dossier of US State Department diplomatic cables provided by Manning that exposed the US governments foreign intrigues dating back to the 1960s, known as Cablegate. Clappers launching of the IC ITE initiative came the following year, in direct response to the evident weakness of the ICs security systems. Explaining how she walked away with immense amounts of government data, Manning wrote that she encountered Weak servers, weak logging, weak physical security, weak counter-intelligence, inattentive signal analysis... a perfect storm. Centralizing data storage onto the private IC ITE cloudsusing the advanced encryption methods developed by AWS and the NSAenables the IC to prevent massive leaks from within. One of the security measures provided by the clouds is the ability to meta-tag all data with information, including where it came from and who is authorized to see it. Analysts are now only able to access data if they have the authorization. Further, if an analyst attempts to download large amounts of data, as done by Manning and Snowden, the cloud automatically flags this activity, halting it and notifying security personnel. Officials have claimed that if the current IC ITE measures had been in place in 2010 and 2013, Manning and Snowden would not have been able to walk away with troves of data. To be continued Despotism is unjust to everybody, including the despot, who was probably made for better things . [A]ll authority is quite degrading. It degrades those who exercise it, and degrades those over whom it is exercised. Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man Under Socialism The Crown is a biographical drama series, created and written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Damned United), about the life and reign of Britains Queen Elizabeth II. The first, 10-episode season on Netflix treats the period from 1947, when the future Queen marries Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to 1955. Her coronation in June 1953 (her father, King George VI, dies in February 1952) obviously occupies a central place in the initial season. The Queens relationship with aging Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his, in turn, with political heir apparent, Anthony Eden, are also prominently featured. The British monarchy, commented Leon Trotsky in 1924, and hypocritical British conservatism in general, religiosity, servility, sanctimoniousnessall this is old rags, rubbish, the refuse of centuries which we have no need for whatsoever. Every genuine socialist will agree with this essential truth. But does that mean that a drama about the Queen of England and her various relations, associates and employees, which almost inevitably results in humanizing them to some extent, can have no possible value? Those who feel that way should probably read no further. John Lithgow and Claire Foy in The Crown Unquestionably, there is always the genuine danger in such a project of condoning or justifying the behavior and even the institutions represented, along the lines of the French saying, To understand all is to forgive all. As well, before any reader gets the wrong impression, The Crown is not in any profound fashion a historical or political critique of the monarchy. Rather, it is an imagining of the relationships among the members of the British royal family as though they were, so to speak, real people. As such, it is intelligently constructed and well performed. The Netflix series is quite sharp and even profound on certain mattersand dangerously wrongheaded, as we will discuss below, on others. The sharpness and best elements in The Crown generally come from the fact that British writers and directors, far more than their counterparts in America, for example, continue to view class as a determining factor of social life. In the US, a comparable dramaabout the Roosevelts or the Kennedys, perhaps, or even, God forbid, the Clintonswould contain moments of acting bravura and remarkable recreations of certain settings and occasions, but it would almost inevitably tie itself up in knots attempting to show how individual determination or will overcomes social constraints. Personal freedom through personal struggle, even if the struggle is ultimately unsuccessful, is the common American theme, and its a very threadbare one. In The Crown, Peter Morgan, along with directors Stephen Daldry, Philip Martin, Julian Jarrold and Benjamin Caron in the first season, emphasizes the monstrousness of the monarchy as an entity and demonstrates dramatically that its demands are implacable and inescapable. Duty for everyone involved (and this is not sacrifice for some higher cause either, but simply that of preserving the British ruling setup) requires the suppression of whatever elementary or vestigial human feeling they possess. In a revealing letter (in the second episode, Hyde Park Corner), Elizabeths grandmother, Queen Mary, the widow of King George V, appeals to her granddaughterfollowing the death of the latters fatherto put sentiments such as grief to one side now, for duty calls. I have seen three great monarchies brought down through their failure to separate personal indulgences from duty. You must not allow yourself to make similar mistakes. And while you mourn your father, you must also mourn someone else. Elizabeth Mountbatten. For she has now been replaced by another person, Elizabeth Regina [i.e., Queen Elizabeth]. The two Elizabeths will frequently be in conflict with one another. The fact is, the Crown must win. Must always win. The series is essentially a fictional working through of numerous episodes and conflicts in which the Crown and the social forces that stand behind it triumph every time. The viewer is not obliged to feel the slightest sympathy for individuals who lead lives of immense wealth and privilege at the direct expense of the British people, but it is clearly the creators notion that the Queen and her relations have been sentenced to an existence that dehumanizes and makes them miserable. In an interview with Radio Times, Morgan referred to the imprisonment of the institution. And the suffering of the family ripples out from the crown, inflicting profound abuse on people upon whom its assumed it only projects luxury. Its a hideous thing for them. There is also the matter that while politicians choose, within definite limits, to be what they become, members of the royal family are born into their situation and have for all intents and purposes no choice. There is something touching about the 13-year-old Elizabeth taking lessons on the British constitution from the vice-provost of Eton College. Probably no one deserves to be despised as the future head of state of a great power at age 13. Trotsky once noted that the great, moving forces of history, including monarchy, operate through people, and this in itself justified an interest in the personality of a historically significant monarch. But he added that it was necessary to show just where in a personality the strictly personal endsoften much sooner than we thinkand how frequently the distinguishing traits of a person are merely individual scratches made by a higher law of development. In its most compelling portions, The Crown demonstrates this predominance of the objective, of class forces, of historical law. It is a corrective to various forms of left subjectivism, which simplify life by reducing events and processes to the personal wickedness of those in power. The wretched people in this series are entirely the playthings of forces beyond their control. In the earliest episodes, Elizabeths father, George VI (Jared Harris), is portrayedin a flashbackas a man who only very reluctantly became king in 1936 when his brother, Edward VIII (Alex Jennings), now the Duke of Windsor during the series time-frame, abdicated. George VI dies of lung cancer and accompanying ailments at 56 in 1952. His widow (Victoria Hamilton) blames Edward (the man is a monster) for the early death: The responsibility of becoming king killed your father and I will never forgive his [the Duke of Windsors] selfishness and weakness in passing on the burden. Following their wedding in 1947, Elizabeth and Philip (Matt Smith) have no success in determining for themselves elementary things such as where they will live and what their last name will be. Those decisions are made for them. Later, the Queen vainly attempts to select her own private secretary. She comes up against Tommy Lascelles (Pip Torrens), the previous holder of the position and the nightmarish personification of royal tradition and rectitude. Torrenss performance, one of the most convincing and chilling in The Crown, has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Expressionless and, as always, utterly leaden-toned, Lascelles lectures the Queen (in Scientia Potentia Est) on why her choice for private secretary, Martin Charteris (Harry Hadden-Paton), is the wrong one: Theres a way of doing things here. An order developed over time, generations. And individuality in the House of Windsor, any departure from that way of doing things, is not to be encouraged. It results in catastrophes like the abdication. [I]ts in the small things that the rot starts. Do the wrong thing once, its easier to do it again. Do the individualistic thing once, it is easy to do it again. The next in line and the senior of my two deputies and the natural heir is Michael [Adeane]. Your man. The right man. But as always, the final say is with you, Maam. But, of course, it never is. And Lascelles, from his point of view, is quite right. Any reform of the archaic, irrational institution, any weakening of its order developed over time, might open the door to its being called into question as a whole. In regard to this issue, existential threats to the monarchy, The Crown reveals a schizophrenic attitude, or perhaps reflects the royal familys own one. On the one hand, the series tediously shows us scene after scene, in various parts of the globe, of crowds cheering the Queen and her consort-husband. (Was there no one in Britain or Kenya or Northern Ireland or Jamaica who did not offer rousing support?) On the other, every member of the monarchic inner circle, plus each top government official, is terrified lest popular sentiment should suddenly and radically alter. The suppression of every hint of royal scandal or even eccentricity is justified on the grounds that it might jeopardize public support. The series spends a good deal of time, too much time, in fact, on the relationship between Princess Margaret (Vanessa Kirby), the Queens younger sister, and Group Captain Peter Townsend (Ben Miles), an older man in the process of getting a divorce. The ins and outs of the affair are fairly complicated, but the gist of it is this: as a member of the immediate royal family, Margaret needs her sisters moral support, in opposition to the government and the Church of England, to wed a divorced man. In the end, despite earlier pledges of that support, Elizabeth accedes to pressure and facilitates the break-up of the relationship. The implication is that her sisters life will go downhill from here. The Queens mother, inevitably accompanied by the relentless Lascelles, first warns Elizabeth (in Gelignite) that If Margaret were to marry Peter, it would be a scandal. Dont mistake your current popularity for long-term security. Your uncles affair and abdication almost destroyed the monarchy. This could too. When the royal family, in alliance with the government, succeeds in crushing the Margaret-Townsend romance, the newspapers denounce the former for their brutality. One editorial (read out loud by Prince Philip) comments: The near-holy reverence shown for the Crown by the people of Britain is a fact of life, as the recent coronation has shown. Can that veneration be sustained in the light of the Royal familys cruelty to its very own members? The Royal family in Britain has survived a thousand proofs that it is artificial and superfluous and seems to have as deep a hold as ever on the loyalties of the people. It is not likely, however, to survive the clear proof that it is insensate and cruel. The treatment of her sister has now jeopardized the future of the monarchy in Britain. Philip, painted as a generally unsavory, selfish womanizer, with quite reactionary political connections, seems especially sensitive to the question of popular mood. In Smoke and Mirrors, which treats preparations for the coronation and the event itself in June 1953, he argues in blunt terms for televising and generally modernizing (paring down) the ceremony. When Elizabeth expresses incredulity at his plan to invite trade unionists and businessmen to Westminster Abbey, Philip replies: If you want to stay on the throne, yes. If you want to avoid a revolution, yes. You forget. I have seen first-hand what it is like for a royal family to be overthrown because they were out of step with the people. I left Greece in an orange crate. My father would have been killed. My grandfather was. Im just trying to protect you. (Philips grandfather, King George I of Greece, was assassinated in 1913. His father, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, was arrested in an uprising in Greece in 1922 and banished from the country for life. Philip was transported in a cot made from a fruit box.) Whatever else they dont understand (I know almost nothing, Elizabeth complains to her mother, who, while sloshed, is watching, wonderfully, a trashy variety show on television), the leading members of the royal family do sense intuitively how central the Queen is to the British bourgeois orderthat, in fact, she somehow holds it all together. Walter Bagehot, journalist (founder and owner of the Economist, in fact) and essayist, in his famous work, The English Constitution (1867), the very book Elizabeth is studying with the vice-provost in The Crown, observed, The use of the Queen [Victoria], in a dignified capacity, is incalculable. Without her in England, the present English Government would fail and pass away. Bagehot further noted that British royalty seems to order, but it never seems to struggle. It is commonly hidden like a mystery, and sometimes paraded like a pageant, but in neither case is it contentious. The nation is divided into parties, but the crown is of no party. Its apparent separation from business is that which removes it both from enmities and from desecration, which preserves its mystery, which enables it to combine the affection of conflicting partiesto be a visible symbol of unity to those still so imperfectly educated as to need a symbol. This is an approving manner of dealing with a social phenomenon Trotsky treats critically i.e., that the office of kingship is an interrelation between peoplethe king is king only because the interests and prejudices of millions of people are refracted through his person and that what the British bourgeoisie specifically has been able to achieve is a sort of hypnotic fascination for its culture, its world-historical importance. John Lithgow is very fine as Churchill, the cunning, coldblooded imperialist politician, whose career already dates back more than half a century when The Crown opens. The series offers what it surely considers to be a balanced picture of the geriatric prime minister, but since it accepts the British establishment on the whole, or at least considers its foundations to be immovable, The Crown, in its passive conservatism, paints a generally sympathetic portrait. However, it is not overly flattering and, indeed, Churchills dark and ruthless side emerges at certain important junctures. Act of God takes place in part during the Great Smog of London in December 1952, when a cold front, combined with windless conditions, resulted in airborne pollutants (mainly coal-produced) forming an almost impenetrable smog over the city for several days. At Richmond Bridge this morning, visibility was officially measured at one yard, we hear. As conditions for masses of people worsen and hospitals fill up, Churchill expresses his indifference at a cabinet meeting: Fog is fog. It comes and it goes away. Its an act of God, Bobbety. Its weather. The prime minister takes action only after one of his secretaries is killed in a smog-related accident. A title at the end of the episode notes that government medical reports at the time estimated that 4,000 people died as a direct result of the smog, while more recent research suggests that it caused some 12,000 fatalities. At this point in history, despite age and illness (at one point he is near death for a week, as the result of a stroke, a fact that is hidden from Elizabeth), Churchill is desperately clinging to power. One of the more telling sequences is a confrontation with Anthony Eden, impatiently next in line for the premiership, at Churchills country home, which explodes into verbal and near-physical violence. Churchill taunts Eden, who himself is in very poor health. Be careful, Anthony, too much excitement is not good for one so soon after an operation, he says. Eden replies, Spoken by a man who only two months ago was effectively dead. Churchill: Which makes two of us. Eden: I have recovered. Churchill, shaking with fury: Thats not what I hear. I hear you are a shadow of your former self. That when you walk, the pills rattle around inside of you! A word should also be put in for Stephen Dillane for his intense, restrained performance as artist Graham Sutherland, whose warts-and-all portrait of Churchill deeply offends the vain politician. Where The Crown goes most seriously and recklessly off-course is in its depiction of the Duke of Windsor, the abdicated Edward VIII. It seems to need the character as a dramatic foil to the constricted, protocol-governed royal family. The Duke is the liberated soul, the one who got away. And, as such, he is able to make all sorts of spiteful and sometimes truthful comments about the rest of the family. In Windsor, for example, while attending his brothers funeral, the former king writes to his wife, the former Wallis Simpson (Lia Williams), in Paris, They say hell is an inferno. What a sunless, frozen hell we both escaped in England. And what a bunch of ice-veined monsters my family are. How cold and thin-lipped, how dumpy and plain. How joyless and loveless. However, whatever their motives, the series creators have done a public disservice in rehabilitating one of the nastiest swine that walked the earth in the twentieth century. Edward VIII/the Duke of Windsor was a notorious anti-Semite and racist, pro-Nazi and ferociously anti-communist. In 1937, following his abdication, he and the Duchess of Windsor visited Adolf Hitler at his Bavarian mountain retreat. In the course of the visit, the Duke offered a full Nazi salute. The couple were known for their fascist sympathies before and during World War II, a conflict the former monarch blamed on Roosevelt and the Jews. For her part, Wallis Simpson reportedly conducted an affair with Joachim von Ribbentrop when the Nazi foreign secretary was in London. All in all, a loathsome pair! Even in regard to the less personally reprehensible figures and assuming the best of intentions, it is difficult for film producers and directors to match actors closely and strictly with historical figures. Only at the highest level of dramatic art is such an identity truly possible, in cases where actors, strongly sustained by directors and their colleagues, disdain being liked by audiences and strive only for historical truth. Even if the actual words spoken by Elizabeth II during the years in question were known to us, their very reading or performance by an appealing contemporary actress such as Claire Foy would give them a different, more amiable coloring. Foy does her best to portray someone of mediocre intellect and skills, a retiring young woman who would have preferred to spend her life in the countryside with dogs and horses, but she inevitably creates a human being, as do nearly all the performers, more attractive than the original. And, of course, these are not the actual words spoken by the Queen and family, they are lines of dialogue put down on paper by a nonpartisan and objective writer-creator, one who feels that the Queen does the job well. If you got a team of scientists together you couldnt create a better queen. This is not an argument for simply making the characters hatefulwho would want to watch a 10-part series under those conditions? In any event, taken with the necessary large grains of socio-historical salt, the results here are intriguing and even at times illuminating. In a case similar to the robo-fraud scandal that saw tens of thousands improperly thrown off their state unemployment benefits and hounded for repayment, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has denied food support to thousands of eligible claimants. The attack on claimants takes place under conditions where the state of Michigan has been drastically curtailing unemployment insurance benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps. Over the last several years, just as happened at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), a computer program used at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) improperly denied food assistance to eligible claimants. The computer program used databases that erroneously matched some SNAP food assistance recipients to fleeing felon warrants, triggering a cut-off of benefits. It was not until late August 2016 that a federal appeals court ruled against the MDHHS on the matter over objections by lawyers for the state, who were determined to stiff recipients. At one point in the SNAP case lawyers for the administration of Republican Governor Rick Snyder argued the state was not responsible for errors on the law enforcement database they used and so should not have to pay claimants. MDHHS was ordered by a federal judge in Cincinnati to pay $3,120 lump sum payments to 18,700 people unjustly cut off benefits. By late April 2017 the state claimed it had found and paid 15,000 people upwards of $47 million. The class action suit in the parallel robo-fraud UIA case is still pending. It was filed against the state in September 2015 by Royal Oak attorney Jennifer Lord and is expected to finally be heard this month. Little has been paid back to those UIA claimants owed money by the state. By late 2016, $5.4 million had been returned to just 2,571 claimants while the UIA Contingent Fund, where money from improper fines levied in UIA cases composed a substantial part of the revenue, went from $3.1 million in 2011 to $160 million in 2016. The UIA unemployment benefits scandal has a sinister tie in to the tax cuts already doled out so freely to businesses in the state. Earlier this year Governor Snyder signed a bill authorizing the diversion of $10 million from the Contingent Fund to fill a hole in the states general budget, which has been chronically starved for funds due to tax cuts to big business. The stories in the SNAP legal brief are as harrowing as those found in Lords UIA complaint. For example, one mentally disabled man was cut off food benefits when he was erroneously tied to a 1989 felony warrant an undisputed case of mistaken identity. Nevertheless his benefits were cancelled several times despite the efforts of advocates who undertook individual appeals on his behalf. The details outlined in the ongoing UIA class action suit are equally shocking. From August 2013 until late 2015 a computer program in the states Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) flagged unemployed workers as perpetrators of civil fraud related to unemployment benefits they received as far back as 2007. In February of this year an audit conducted by UIA itself showed a 93 percent error rate in 31,000 of the UIA cases where fraud determinations were made solely as the result of a computer program. Another tranche of 28,000 cases had some human input after the computer program initially flagged them. So far among the latter group where fraud was alleged, a whopping 44 percent error rate has been detected. The false determinations of civil fraud were devastating to the workers charged. They were the basis for egregious penalties in the form of 12 percent interest fees and fines of four hundred percent on benefits they received. Lives were shattered by punitive actions that followed the false-fraud charges. Many of the accused workers were unaware they were even victims until their income was targeted by aggressive collection tactics on the part of state officials. Wages were garnished, tax returns seized, future benefits denied. One lawyer noted the dramatic uptick in bankruptcy cases involving victims of the false fraud charges. Another law office involved in unemployment cases set up a hotline for clients contemplating suicide. The improper denial of benefits by the state goes hand in hand with the gutting of social supports at the state and federal level. With Medicaid under assault now in Washington, and ongoing changes at the state level across the country, the post-war social safety net is being assaulted from all sides. In 2011, Michigan imposed a five-year lifetime limit on cash welfare relief. TANF goes solely to families with children at home. With the new policy left in place after back benefits were temporarily restored in some cases, the number of TANF recipients in Michigan as a whole continued to fall. There were 46,500 cash welfare recipients in Michigan in May 2017, down from about 162,500 in December 2011. There are roughly 1.5 million currently on SNAP in Michigan. SNAP is a federally funded program administered by states. Because many no longer qualify for curtailed UIA benefits in the first place, a large proportion of Michigan workers exist on only SNAP food assistance benefits during periods of layoff. Late last year, DHHS notified 15,000 SNAP recipients in four counties that their benefits would be terminated if they did not comply with the states decision to demand work requirements under a federal SNAP option. A news release at the time from MDHHS indicated a work requirement allowed under federal law would be implemented across the state some time before the fall of 2018. Workers in part-time contingent and low-wage jobs will face a double penalty as these policies unfold. First, during the periods when they are without work, which now occur with alarming regularity, they could lose the SNAP benefits they currently rely on for subsistence. Such low-paid workers are often disqualified from receiving state unemployment benefits because their hours or pay are too low to meet benchmarks for the program. Further, as anyone who has ever applied for government assistance knows, the onerous qualifications and paperwork required to get SNAP contain trip wires designed to allow recipients to be disqualified. Just accounting for fluctuating work hours to match monthly SNAP awards is a challenge. Those who manage to qualify get only 20 weeks UIA in total, and many may face destitution without some additional support coming in. Incidents of vandalism attributed to protesters on the sidelines of last weekends G-20 summit in Hamburg are being exploited to whip up a right-wing law-and-order campaign throughout Germany. Any criticism of capitalism, austerity, military build-up and preparations for war is being criminalized. The goal is the construction of a police state directed not against a few vandals but the entire working class and all forms of social opposition. Every party now has inscribed as its election campaign theme the strengthening of the state apparatus against left-wing protest and social resistance. Free Democratic Party (FDP) chairman Christian Lindner spoke for them all when he demanded in the Bild newspaper more respect for the police and described criticism of capitalism as intellectual arson. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has placed itself at the head of this aggressive and demagogic campaign for a domestic security build-up. It is drawing on a long tradition. Nearly a century ago, Social Democratic Minister Gustav Noske declared that someone had to serve as the bloodhound, and played a key role in the brutal suppression of the November 1918 revolution, and the murdering of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. Today, the SPD claims it is better able to enforce Germanys new great-power policy than the right-wing Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU). The SPD has exploited the Hamburg events to attack Merkel and the CDU/CSU from the right. Its leading personnel are seeking to outdo each other with demands for hiring more police and the arming of officers. Justice Minister Heiko Mas (SPD) demanded a relentless clampdown on left-wing criminals, including the establishment of a European extremist database for left-wing radicals, and appealed for a rock against the left concert. The SPD executive has coined the term protest terrorism to criminalise mounting popular opposition to policies of ever more ruthless social attacks and the drive to war. Despite a major media campaign surrounding its new leader, Martin Schulz, the SPD suffered significant electoral defeats in recent state elections. The party is viewed contemptuously by large sections of workers and the general population, who see it for what it is: the party of Hartz IV austerity and militarism. The SPD is responding to this opposition by shifting sharply to the right. With its hysterical campaign against the left, the SPD is now openly appealing to right-wing, fascistic elements who previously supported the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The Left Party has responded positively to the rightward shift of the SPD and is calling for the strengthening of the state apparatus. While it participated in the main demonstration against the G-20 in Hamburg on Saturday, the Left Party explicitly defended police brutality against criticism and deepened its cooperation with the SPD and the security forces. Sahra Wagenknecht, the Left Partys parliamentary group leader and the lead candidate for the party in the federal election, stated in an interview with Die Welt, In Hamburg, we mainly saw marauding violent criminals who wantonly wrecked streets, set fire to cars, injured police officers, and threatened residents. Although there were wrong decisions by the police in the lead-up, obviously nobody can claim that in the subsequent clashes the violence was initiated by the police. On the contrary, 500 injured police officers speaks volumes, said Wagenknecht. The Left Party in Hamburg was even more open in its support for the police. The police had a tough and dangerous operation. We wish all of those injured a speedy and full recovery, wrote Sabine Boeddinghaus and Cansu Ozdemir, the co-chairs of the Hamburg Left Party state parliamentary group, and domestic policy spokeswoman Christiane Schneider. The Hamburg Left Party youth even described the police on its Facebook page as colleagues, threatened protesters, and offered their services to the security forces. We wish the injured colleagues a speedy and full recovery, and explicitly direct a warning to all violent criminals: anyone who we observe carrying out violence against our GDP colleagues [GDP is the abbreviation for the police trade union] will be identified and reported by Hamburg Left Party youth. We know where you live and would have no qualms about leading our colleagues in the GDP Hamburg in the early hours to your tents or sleeping quarters! The defence of the police, which is now being made a central issue by the SPD and Left Party, amounts to the defence of state terror against the population, and massive attacks on the basic rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of opinion. The extraordinary developments in Hamburg were not the instances of vandalism in the Schanzen district, but rather the provocative, brutal and unlawful operations of the security forces. The Committee for Basic Rights and Democracy sent 43 demonstration observers to Hamburg. They released an initial report at the beginning of the week, which stated, We observed the extent to which the police assumed control over events in the city during these days. They escalated the situation, ignored citizens and human rights, provided false information to the public, and used extreme violence against the people. The police had, backed up by the Hamburg government, tried out a state of emergency. Claims from the police and security forces that they were surprised by the scale of the violence are part of the lying propaganda campaign. In reality, the pictures of street battles, looting, and burning cars were sought by the state forces to carry out precisely the political campaign in favour of a stronger state and the agitation against left-wing critics of capitalism that is now taking place. The evidence for this is wide-ranging. Videos prove that undercover armed police were active in Hamburg among the anarchist demonstrators. The anarchist scene in Germany and Europe is full of police agent-provocateurs, and the authorities were well aware that groups ready to commit violence were travelling from several countries. Despite this, the police initially held back when violence broke out in the Schanzen district. They left the streets clear for violent hooligans and focused instead on taking videos and photos. The authorities also knew that right-wingers and hooligans participated in the violence. The neo-Nazi NPD called for this in advance, and said it would be present at the demonstrations. They intended to teach the protesters the necessary nationalist basic outlook, the neo-fascist party stated online. The right-wing group Hooligans against Salifists also called for members to meet at the central train station in Hannover on Saturday to travel to Hamburg. This appeal was known to the authorities, because there was a strengthened presence of federal police and railway security workers on the departure platforms, the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung reported on Sunday. On Monday, the Hamburger Morgenpost wrote that on the previous Saturday, more than a dozen neo-Nazis gathered at Hamburgs central train station. In the evening, the group moved on to the Schanzen district and joined in the vandalism. The SPD and Left Party know all of this. Their call for more police and the strengthening of the state apparatus is a response to the rapid intensification of the global crisis of capitalism. The election of Donald Trump as American president has brought the rot of the capitalist system to the surface and intensified it. The sustained, bitter conflict within the American ruling class is destabilising the leading Western power and intensifying the class struggle in the United States and internationally. While the conflicts between the great powers are sharpening, the oligarchic regimes are determined to enforce their interests against the population. This was made very clear during the G-20 summit in Hamburg. The German ruling class has responded to the America first policy of the Trump administration by promoting trade war and militarism. Seventy years after the defeat of Hitlers Nazis, Germanys ruling class is once again raising the demand to lead Europe so as to lead the world, as it was formulated in 2014 by the Foreign Ministry. To this end, the military budget is to be increased from 37 billion in 2017 to more than 60 billion in 2024. In security circles, discussions are ongoing about Germany acquiring nuclear weapons. As in the 1930s, these policies can only be implemented with the methods of dictatorship. The federal election campaign is heating up dramatically with the hysterical law-and-order campaign being pushed by all capitalist parties. Left-wing politics and protest are being criminalized in order to bring a government to power based on extreme right-wing and fascist forces, and capable of enforcing the policies of the ruling elite by force. The Socialist Equality Party (SGP) is the only political party standing in the federal election for a socialist and internationalist program against war and social inequality, and in defence of democratic rights. The SGP is warning workers of the enormous dangers they confront and preparing them for the class battles to come. Narendra Modis three-day visit to Israel last week, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Zionist state, represented a turning point in the development of military-strategic ties between the two countries. But it was more than that. On the part of Modi and Indias Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government the visit was meant to underscore that New Delhi is determined to purge any lingering vestiges of its former non-aligned foreign policy in pursuit of closer ties with the United States and its principal Asian alliesin the Asia-Pacific, Japan and Australia, and in the Middle East, Israel. Modi and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced the upgrading of ties between India and Israel to a strategic partnership, while casting their two countries as embattled champions of democracy. Underscoring the importance Israel attaches to courting Modi and further strengthening ties with India, Netanyahu gave the Indian Premier a grand reception. This included Netanyahu and his entire cabinet greeting Modi on the tarmac at Tel Aviv International airport on his arrival July 4. Only US presidents and the Pope have previously been granted such treatment. In welcoming Modi, Netanyahu said Tel Aviv had waited for such a visit for 70 years, i.e. since the creation of Israel itself. Under Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and his Congress Party government, New Delhi opposed Israels admission to the UN in 1949, a year after the Zionist state had been founded through war and the expulsion of much of the Palestinian population. To bolster its phony anti-imperialist credentials and as part of its promotion of non-alignment, India for decades thereafter claimed to be a champion of the Palestinian cause and refused to establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel. Indias Cold War non-alignment policy was bound up with the close relations it established with the Soviet Union during the 1950s in response to Washingtons burgeoning military-strategic partnership with Pakistan, Indias principal rival following South Asias bloody 1947 communal partition. In the aftermath of the Stalinist bureaucracys December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union and in lock-step with the Indian bourgeoisies abandonment of its state-led development strategy in favour of full integration into the US-led world capitalist order, New Delhi reoriented its foreign policy toward the pursuit of closer relations with the western powers, especially Washington. In 1992, Narasimha Raos Congress Party government established full diplomatic ties with Israel. Since then, New Delhis relations with Tel Aviv have been systematically expanded both by Congress-led governments and those led by the Hindu supremacist BJP. However, Modis three-year-old government has been determined, as part of a more assertive and ostensibly pragmatic foreign policy, to take Indias ties with Tel Aviv to a new level. According to Dore Gold, Israels Ambassador to India and the former director general of Israels Foreign Ministry, Since 1992 there has been a growing relationship between Israel and India, but it was under Prime Minister Modi that the relationship has really blossomed. In a clear message to Tel Aviv that his government is indifferent to Israels oppression of the Palestinian people and that Indias call for a Palestinian state is a hollow gesture, Modi broke with the longstanding Indian practice of combining official visits to Israel with a visit to Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu, for his part, clearly delighted in the company of the self-styled Hindu strongman, who came to political prominence in 2002 when as Gujarat Chief Minister he presided over an anti-Muslim pogrom. The India media, which has lauded Modis unabashed promotion of the Indo-US alliance as the cornerstone of the countrys foreign policy, has also hailed what the Times of India termed as Modis coming out party in Tel Aviv. A July 7 Indian Express editorial, titled Take-off in Tel Aviv, welcomed the de-hyphenation of Indias relations with Israel and Palestine, calling it perhaps the biggest achievement of this visit. Following their talks, Modi and Netanyahu issued a joint statement in which they pledged to further develop bilateral military-strategic ties, including through enhanced intelligence sharing and the joint development of defence products and related transfers of Israeli military technology. They also signed a half-dozen agreements to further economic and technical cooperation. Israel committed to assist India with water management and agriculture, and the two countries agreed to greater cooperation between their space agencies. Israeli weapon sales have been central to relations between New Delhi and Tel Aviv since even before diplomatic relations were established in 1992. Israel rushed military equipment to India both during the latters brief border-war with China in 1962 and its war with Pakistan over Bangladesh in 1971. Having purchased some $10 billion worth of Israeli weapons and military equipment over the last 10 years, India has become far and away Israels biggest market for arms, accounting for 41 percent of all its weapons exports. With India engaged in a massive rearmament program and currently the worlds largest arms importer, Tel Aviv is anxious to take an even bigger share of Indias weapons purchases. Currently, Israel is Indias number three defence supplier, trailing only Russia and the United States. In April, state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced a deal worth nearly $2 billion to provide sophisticated air and missile defense systems to the Indian armythe largest foreign defence contract in Israels history. India sees advanced defence equipment from Israel as critical for augmenting its military prowess in South Asia and the broader Indian Ocean region, against both arch-rival Pakistan and China, with which it is locked in an all-round competition for strategic influence in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Israel has sold India Phalcon early-warning aircraft, its Barack II air defence system, which is currently being outfitted on all major Indian warships, and surveillance drones. It has also reportedly provided technical assistance to Indias nuclear-weapons program. According to some news reports, Modi snared a deal to purchase armed drones during last weeks visit. The Israeli Defence Force also periodically conducts joint exercises with the Indian military, although these are generally kept under wraps. Later this month, India will participate, along with the US and five other NATO countries, in an air combat exercise being hosted by Israel. In their joint statement, Modi and Netanyahu reiterated their strong commitment to combat (terrorism) in all its forms and manifestations. Israel, as the main agency of US imperialism in the Middle East, justifies its provocative military build-up against its regional rivals and its repression of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories in the name of fighting terrorism. In the same way, India portrays its brutal military occupation of the countrys only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir, as a stand against terrorism and attributes the mass alienation of the Kashmiri people from Indian rule to Pakistani-supported terrorism, i.e., Islamabads support for various Islamist pro-Kashmiri separatist militia. The joint statement calls for strong measures . against . all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groupslanguage Israel will hold up as justification for its belligerence against Iran and the Palestinians, and India against Pakistan. The emphasis placed on collaboration in combating terrorism also underscores an important ideological component of the Modi governments partnership with Israel. The Hindu supremacist BJP and its allies, stretching back to V.D. Savarkarthe pre-independence All-India Hindu Mahasabha leader and Hindutva ideologuehave venerated Israel and its militaristic nationalism, claiming that its treatment of the majority-Muslim Palestinian population should be an example for the Hindu Indian nation. The news that Justin Trudeaus Liberal government has provided an apology and $10.5 million in compensation to Omar Khadra former child soldier, Guantanamo Bay detainee and torture victimhas provoked vicious, semi-hysterical opposition from the Conservatives and the most right-wing sections of the Canadian media. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, current Tory leader Andrew Scheer, and numerous other Conservative frontbenchers have accused the Liberals of rewarding a convicted terrorist and of offending Canadian Afghan war veterans, as well as the family of Christopher Speer, the US soldier Khadr is accused of killing during a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan. Ottawa spent almost $5 million fighting a lawsuit filed by Khadr. However, legal experts advised the Liberal government that a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that conceded Canada had been complicit in Khadrs torture and otherwise violated his basic rights meant he was all but certain to prevail in the case. Khadr was monstrously abused by US authorities with the complicity of successive Liberal and Conservative governments. In 2003 and 2004, Canadian officials colluded with US officials in Khadrs interrogation at Guantanamo Bay, despite knowing he was a minor, had no legal representation, and had been tortured. Khadr was long the youngest inmate of the Guantanamo Bay concentration camp and remained there for a decade, long after every other western government had secured the repatriation of any of their citizens who had been imprisoned in that legal black hole. Far from representing a principled repudiation of the unjust and inhumane treatment meted out to Khadr, the Liberals decision to settle was driven by base political calculations and for similar reasons is being backed by a substantial section of the ruling class, including the Globe and Mail, the traditional mouthpiece of Canadas financial elite. The Trudeau government concluded that the violation of Khadrs rights had been so egregious and longstanding it was discrediting the Canadian state and its justice system. Moreover, making good the wrong done Khadr will provide the Liberals with some progressive political cover as they press ahead with fresh attacks on democratic rights and preparations for war. The Canadian-born Khadr was detained by US forces in 2002 in Afghanistan, where he had been brought by his father, a senior al-Qaeda operative. Although he was a boy of just 15 and under international law should have been treated as a child soldier, that is a victim, the US military vindictively labelled him an enemy combatantnot subject to even the protections of the Geneva Conventionand terrorist. Despite differing accounts from within its own ranks, the Pentagon proclaimed Khadr had killed Speer during the US militarys assault on the al-Qaeda compound where he and his father were holed up. Khadr was initially held under brutal conditions at a black site on the Bagram air base in Afghanistan. Then, with the approval of the Liberal government, his American captors transferred him to Guantanamo Bay. There he was threatened with rape, used as a human mop to clean up urine, and suspended in stress positions for long periods of time, all while suffering the physical effects of back and shoulder injuries he suffered during the firefight in Afghanistan. Under the Liberal government of Paul Martin, Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) operatives interrogated Khadr, although they knew he had been softened up prior to their meetings by cruel treatment from his American jailers. This included subjecting him to a procedure known as the frequent flyer program, which involved moving prisoners to different cells every three hours to induce sleep deprivationa form of torture. In January 2010, Canadas Supreme Court ruled the Canadian government had violated Khadrs Charter, i.e., constitutional, rights. But infamously, it ruled that two lower courts had overstepped their authority by instructing the government to seek Khadrs repatriation. Bowing to the arguments of the Harper government, Canadas highest court said the judiciary should be wary of impinging on the executives prerogative to conduct foreign policy and, consequently, declared it would not prescribe any remedy for the violation of Khadrs rights. It was under these conditions and the threat of a possible life prison term, that later in 2010 Khadr agreed to a plea deal before a drumhead military commission set up by the Obama administration to try Guantanamo Bay inmates. The Harper government supported Khadrs arraignment by the military commission and hailed his subsequent conviction as legally bona fide. Today the Conservatives and the far right continue to denounce Khadr as a convicted terrorist. Yet even the US Supreme Court has found the commissions constitutionally flawed and of the eight convictions of Guantanamo Bay inmates that US authorities secured under them, four have already been overturned. Khadrs conviction is currently under appeal. The Conservatives campaign against the Khadr settlement is based on a wilful distortion of the facts of the case and must be taken as a warning of the extent to which the ruling class is breaking with traditional bourgeois-democratic norms. Even before Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould had officially announced the government apology last Friday, prominent Conservatives had taken to social media and the airwaves to denounce it. This confessed terrorist should be in prison paying for his crimes, not profiting from them at the expense of Canadian taxpayers, tweeted former Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. Harper made a rare public statement on current issues, condemning the apology as simply wrong, then joined his wife and son in donating to a website set up to support Speers family by far-right blogger and provocateur Ezra Levant. Conservative leader Scheer has vowed that he will use the first opposition day in parliament in the fall to force a vote on the Khadr settlement. It will be simple, he declared. Do you support paying a self-confessed terrorist over $10 million or do you stand with the common sense of millions of Canadians? Justin Trudeau will have to stand and defend it. While the Canadian state, both of the ruling elites traditional parties of government, and the Supreme Court are all complicit in violation of Khadrs rights, the Harper government, during its decade in office, went out of it ways to vilify and demonize Khadr. This was part of its bogus war on terror, which served as its justification for aggressive wars abroad, a sweeping assault on Canadians democratic rights, and the whipping up of anti-Muslim xenophobia. US authorities told Khadr his plea deal would facilitate his repatriation to Canada, but after it the Harper government long balked at permitting his transfer to a Canadian correctional facility. In 2015, when, after several years of incarceration in a maximum security Canadian federal prison, Khadr was granted bail under stringent conditions, the Harper government did everything in its power to prevent his release. This included seeking an emergency stay on the court ruling with the claim that Khadr represented a threat to public safety. This in spite of the fact that even Canadas correctional service had been compelled to acknowledge Khadr was a model prisoner. The Liberals belated legal settlement with Khadr cannot conceal the fact that it was the Chretien and Martin Liberal governments that initiated Canadas war on terror and colluded with Washington in the most harrowing abuse of Khadr. Nor was he the only Canadian subjected to torture with the connivance of Canadas national security apparatus. In the aftermath of the 2001 terror attacks Canada developed its own form of rendition in which CSIS and the RCMP got around the prohibition on torture by fingering Canadian terrorist suspects to foreign governments when they travelled abroad. Maher Arar, a Canadian of Syrian origin, is the best-known victim of this practice. On the basis of false intelligence provided by the Chretien government, US authorities rendered him to Syria, where he was held without charge or trial for a year. During this time, Canadian officials supplied Syrian authorities with information to use during his interrogation and torture. In 2007, the Harper government was forced to reach a legal settlement of $10 million with Arar. The announcement of the Liberals agreement with Khadr comes as the Trudeau government is engaged in a sharp shift to the right. Last month, it unveiled an aggressive new defence policy, including a 70 percent military spending hike, and pledged Canada will use hard poweri.e., waras an essential tool of its foreign policy. Two weeks later, it presented Bill C-59, legislation which keeps in place all of the essential attacks on democratic rights contained in the Harper governments Bill C-51, including new powers for the intelligence agencies to disrupt threats and expansive information-sharing provisions between government agencies, while adding new offensive cyberwarfare capabilities. In spite of the widespread public sympathy for Khadr, the Liberals are preparing to intensify the very policies of aggressive war abroad and attacks on democratic rights that resulted in the violation of his basic rights, including torture, illegal detention and the denial of due process. This author also recommends: Canadas Supreme Court rules foreign policy trumps citizens rights [19 February 2010] Canada reaffirms support for Khadrs Guantanamo Bay detention and prosecution [19 July 2008] Monday saw the announcement of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on European Union Relations in the UK. Its figurehead is Blairite MP Chuka Umunna, who is leading efforts to prepare a possible split-off from the Labour Partyhopefully after an extended period of renewed internecine warfare against party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Others named as supporting the group include leading pro-European Union (EU) Tory Anna Soubry; deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson; Stephen Gethins, Europe spokesperson for the Scottish National Party; Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party; and Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales) MP Jonathan Plaid. The parliamentary faction is supported by campaign groups including Best for Britain, led by Gina Miller, who successfully took the government to court to force a parliamentary vote before Prime Minister Theresa May could trigger Article 50the official notice to quit the EU. The move comes prior to todays initial moving of the Great Repeal Bill, which is set to reverse the 1972 European Communities Act passed when Britain became an EU member state and which adopted EU laws. The date marks the first anniversary of May becoming prime minister. The beginning of this month was dominated by discussions on the possible formation of a new party, after Corbyn loyalist Ian Lavery suggested the deselection of right-wing MPs. Labour was too broad a church, he said, in response to earlier reports that the Blairites are speaking to donors to build up the funds necessary to split the party. To avoid expulsion, the new group set three priorities that do not formally challenge Britains leaving the EU: to ensure the UK does not exit the EU without a formal deal; that all options are kept on the table; and to preserve the closest possible relations with the remaining 27 EU members after Brexit. However, it is clear that the desired end-game is to reverse Brexit. The groups formation follows the June 21 revolt by 49 Labour MPs who tabled a motion against the Queens Speech laying out the Conservative governments legislative agenda. The motion opposed any deal with the EU that does not commit the UK to remaining in the single market and customs union. A letter was also published in the Guardian signed by leading anti-Corbyn plotters including Liz Kendall, Ben Bradshaw and Wes Streeting defending the single market and insisting Labour should fight unambiguously for membership. Corbyn instructed his MPs to abstain on the vote. Afterwards, he sacked Shadow Ministers Andy Slaughter, Ruth Cadbury and Catherine West, while Shadow Transport Minister Daniel Zeichner resigned. Shadow Ministers Rupa Huq and Gareth Thomas voted against the whip. Umunna told Sky News that the new group had come together in the national interest, which no less than Tony Blair himself made clear means repudiating Brexit. Blair was asked in yesterdays edition of Irish World whether Labours official support for Article 50 was facilitating Theresa Mays government rather than holding it to account? He replied, I think there is a majority in the Labour Party for staying in the Single Market. In fact, theres probably a majority in the Labour Party for staying in the European Union. He added, The moment you decide leaving the single market is a bad idea therefore you want to stay then, frankly, it becomes very difficult to see what the point was of leaving the European Union. The anti-Brexit Labourites are among just over 100 MPs openly opposed to exit, but backers of the new group calculate that more can be won to the position given the support for EU membership or at least a soft Brexit by the dominant sections of big business, its economic impact and shifting sentiment in the population. On Sunday Vince Cable, the de facto leader of the Liberal Democrats following the resignation of Tim Farron, appeared on the BBCs Andrew Marr S how . Marr asked, Do you begin to see an alliance sufficiently deep into the Labour family, deep into the Tory family as well, of pro-EU politicians which is big enough to frustrate Theresa Mays ideas on Brexit? Cable replied, Yes, I think a lot of people are keeping their heads down. We will see what happens in the autumn when people come back. I am beginning to think that Brexit may never happen. I think the problems are so enormous. The divisions within the two major parties are so enormous. Cable has previously said he wants to form a cross-party coalition to openly oppose Brexitwhich is one step further than Umunnas declared intent but places him as a de facto ally in the struggle against Corbyn. He told Marr that Labour MPs who disagreed with Corbyns position on Brexit were welcome in the Lib Dems, stating that Corbyn managed to attract large numbers of people on the basis that he was leading opposition to Brexit. Actually he is very pro-Brexit, and hard Brexit, and I think when that becomes apparent, the divisions in the Labour Party will become more real and the opportunity for us to move into that space will be substantial. Cable added that there were was a very strong disaffected group within the Conservative Partythey are keeping their heads down at the momentbut I think they are very worried about the way their partys going. Corbyn, for his part, has been making a pitch for big business support, under conditions where the May government is hostage to its hard-Brexit wing and primarily concerned with preventing a political meltdown. May preceded todays debate with an appeal to all parties, including Labour, to share ideas and work with her to ensure a Brexit deal that meets the national interest. Corbyn dismissed this during Prime Ministers Question Time as a measure of her desperation. If you would like it, Im very happy to furnish you with a copy of our manifesto or better still, an early election so the people in this county can decide, he said. Corbyn spoke last week to the Chamber of Commerce and is to meet with EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier today for discussions in case of a snap election. The government could fall apart at any moment, he explained, ushering in a Labour government. The meeting would allow him to outline Labours jobs-first Brexit approachcentred on tariff free access to the single market. It would be a partnership with Europe in the future but not membership of the European Union, he said. With the Tories in a state of factional warfare, most consider that May will face a leadership challenge at least by the autumn. But it is the (pro-hard-Brexit) Minister for Brexit David Davis who is spoken of as Mays likely successor. This leaves the small pro-EU faction of the party to engage in a rear-guard action supporting a Labour and Liberal Democrat-led legislative war against the Repeal Bill when it is finally debated in the autumn. This centres on opposing the Henry VIII powers contained in the bill allowing hundreds of laws to be rewritten without primary legislation. Corbyn, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and their advisers calculate that this will lead big business to favourably consider a Labour government and its soft Brexit strategy. But Umunnas move offers an alternative pathand a realignment that could shift politics more decisively in a pro-EU direction. Moreover it could do so by raising the possibility of various coalitions and governments of national unitywithout the political risks associated with a majority Labour government that would be brought to power having exploited widespread anti-austerity sentiment and raising workers expectations of an end to the attacks on wages, working conditions and essential services. Gun battles continued to rage and air strikes sent plumes of smoke rising over Iraqs devastated second largest city Wednesday, more than 36 hours after the countrys prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, proclaimed victory in the nine-month US-backed siege of Mosul. The top US commander in the US interventions in Iraq and Syria, Gen. Stephen Townsend, told Pentagon reporters via a video call from Baghdad that fighting in the city could go on for weeks. Make no mistake, this victory alone does not eliminate ISIS, and theres still tough fighting ahead, Townsend said. There are still pockets of resistance in Mosul, holdouts, and hidden IEDs that will take weeks to clear. He added that there remained a lot of mopping up and back-clearing to be done. These terms are military euphemisms for a continuation of the killing and destruction that has left tens of thousands of civilians in Mosul either dead or wounded and driven over 900,000 from their homes. There are growing indications that the mopping up being carried out by Iraqi security forces and sectarian militias operating with the aid and guidance of US Special Forces advisers involves a campaign of revenge assassinations and terror against anyone believed to have collaborated with ISIS during the three years it controlled Mosul, as well as against the families of suspected ISIS members and supporters. Iraqi security forces have been dragging away men and boys seeking to escape the city. The Washington Post described a screening station set up in an old fairground on the eastern bank of the Tigris River where dozens of men sat in rows last week and waited for judgment. The article continued: Military intelligence officers in balaclavas sporadically moved among them to pull out an evacuee accused of working with the militants. Videos have surfaced of the brutal torture of such suspects, who have been beaten with hammers and run over with tanks. The dumping of burnt corpses near villages in the Tigris valley south of Mosul is now commonplace, according to a report in the London Times, which described how assassination teams are using ambulances to abduct their victims. Vengeance killings of suspected Islamic State (Isis) members and collaborators, together with evictions of families accused of Isis affiliation, threaten to inflame sectarian and tribal tensions even before Iraqi forces consolidate their victory in Mosul, the newspaper reported, adding that the trend of abduction, murder and displacement of anyone suspected of having a family member in ISIS, or serving the caliphate in even the most banal administrative capacity, is fast gaining pace. It cited estimates that up to 15 percent of Mosuls population, hundreds of thousands of people, were connected to ISIS, either through family ties or employment. In another sign of the growing sectarian carnage, Reuters reported Wednesday that 28 Sunni Muslim civilians were abducted in the Iskandariya district south of Baghdad this week, with 20 of them later found murdered. The suspects in the killings belong to a Shiite militia whose fighters are participating in the siege of Mosul. The wave of killings led the UN high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, to issue a statement Tuesday declaring: Horrific though the crimes of Isis are, there is no place for vengeance. Such punishments are an act of vengeance that works against national reconciliation and social cohesion. The US invasion of Iraq and the utilization by American occupation authorities of divide-and-rule tactics triggered sharp sectarian conflicts that erupted into a massive bloodletting. Continued bitterness within the Sunni population of Mosul and Anbar Province against discrimination and abuse from the Shia-dominated government in Baghdad and its security forces created the conditions in which ISIS was able to capture Mosul and up to a third of Iraqi territory in 2014. These conflicts threaten to intensify after the retaking of Mosul. The Abadi government has put forward no plans for restoring government or security to the shattered city, which the United Nations estimates will need at least $1 billion just to restore essential infrastructure such as water and electricity. In his Pentagon press conference Tuesday, General Townsend took umbrage over an Amnesty International report issued the same day accusing the US-led coalition of creating a civilian catastrophe in Mosul, with estimates of some 6,000 civilians killed in the western part of the city alone. The report accused the US military of having subjected the civilian population to a terrifying barrage of fire from weapons that should never be used in densely populated civilian areas. Townsend said he rejected any notion that coalition fires were anyin any way imprecise, unlawful or excessively targeted civilians. He described the siege of Mosul, which included bombardment with heavy artillery and continuous air strikes, as well as use of white phosphorous, a chemical weapon banned for use in populated areas, as the most precise campaign in the history of warfare. In the same breath, the general added that civilians will get caught in the crossfire. He continued: Civilians will get hurt. Civilians will get killed. And thats sad and its an unavoidable part of war. And commanders have to press on despite that. The US commander also stressed that the defeat of ISIS would by no means signal a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. I would anticipate that there will be a coalition presence here after the defeat of ISIS, General Townsend told reporters. All of us can look back to the end of 2011 when the US and coalition forces left Iraq the last time, and saw what played out in the intervening three years. I dont think we want to replay that. There are currently more than 5,000 US troops deployed in Iraq, together with thousands of military contractors and other units that are rotated in and out of the country. The Pentagon has requested nearly $1.3 billion in the 2018 budget to fund its support for Iraqi security forces. Washington aims to maintain a permanent military presence in both Iraq and neighboring Syria, where US proxy forces backed by American Special Forces advisers are conducting an equally bloody siege of the ISIS-held city of Raqqa. In an editorial celebrating the liberation of Mosul, the New York Times Wednesday pointed to a principal motivation for the US setting up permanent bases in the country, citing the importance of preventing Iran from expanding its influence in Iraq and in Syria, where with Russia it is a major ally of the Assad regime. The hollow victory celebrated by Washington and the Iraqi regime in Mosul is only bringing the US closer to a direct clash with Iranian and even Russian forces, setting the stage for a far wider and potentially world catastrophic war. The Trump administration has prepared a UN Security Council draft resolution that contains tough new economic penalties on North Korea following Pyongyangs purported intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test on July 4. At the same time, the US is drawing up its own unilateral sanctions against North Korea, as well as secondary sanctions against countries allegedly in breach of the US measures. The chief targets are Beijing and Moscow, which have already indicated they do not favour crippling sanctions on North Korea and could veto the US resolution. The draft was circulated to China and other UN Security Council permanent members this week. Senior UN diplomats told Reuters that the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, aims to put the resolution to the vote within weekscircumventing the months of negotiations that preceded other sanctions on North Korea. Citing a diplomatic source, the Russian newspaper Izvestiya reported that Beijing and Moscow would not support the US draft. The proposed restrictions imply the introduction of an embargo on energy supplies to Pyongyang and a ban on employing North Korean nationals abroad, the source stated. Details of the US resolution have not been released but Haley indicated to the UN Security Council last week that it would include a ban on oil exports to North Korea and on North Koreans working overseas. Russias deputy ambassador to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, bluntly declared last week that attempts to economically strangle North Korea are equally unacceptable, as millions of people are in great humanitarian need. Both Moscow and Beijing are hostile to any attempt by the US to precipitate an economic and political crisis on their doorstep that Washington could exploit to orchestrate a regime-change in Pyongyang. US ambassador Haley indicated that the draft resolution is an ultimatum and not up for negotiation or substantial amendment. Speaking last Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation, she said the US did not expect the resolution to be watered down and expected to know within days whether China and Russia would support it. Haley declared that the US was going to push hard against China and the UN resolution was going to be a really big test. Beijing had the ability to pressure Pyongyang, she said, and we need to see some more action going accordingly. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the US Justice Department had already initiated a federal court case that was partly unsealed last week, targeting offshore US dollar accounts associated with a network of five companies linked to the Chinese citizen Chi Yupeng. The alleged network included one of the largest Chinese importers of North Korean goods, Dandong Zhicheng Metallic Material Co. The Justice Department claimed, on the basis of dubious information from North Korean defectors, that Chi Yupeng had hidden transactions that helped to finance North Koreas military programs. The case could provide the basis for US penalties against the five companies, similar to those imposed on another Chinese corporation, Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co., last year. Late last month, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced US sanctions on Chinas Bank of Dandong, Dalian Global Unity Shipping and two Chinese business executives for their supposed business dealings with North Korea. These penalties come on top of other provocative US steps against China, including a major arms sale to Taiwan, and so-called freedom of navigation operations challenging Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang hit out on Tuesday against certain people, talking about the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, [who] have been exaggerating and giving prominence to the so-called China responsibility theory. Geng insisted China had made significant efforts to push Pyongyang to denuclearise and called on all parties to meet each other halfway. While Geng did not name any country, his remarks were clearly directed against the United States. Reflecting the increasingly bitter relations between Beijing and Washington, the spokesman declared: Asking others to do work, but doing nothing themselves is not okay. Being stabbed in the back is really not okay. Beijing has repeatedly proposed negotiations on the basis that North Korea freezes its nuclear and missile tests in return for the US and South Korea halting their large-scale joint military exercises. Washington has dismissed the plan out of hand. An online article in the official Peoples Daily this week accused the US and Japan of using the China responsibility theory to hide their own failure on the Korean Peninsula. It declared that both countries had refused to fulfill their duties to negotiate to reach a peaceful solution. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert fired back. While acknowledging that China had tightened sanctions on North Korea, she declared: We expect and we want you to do a whole lot more. Behind the push for tough sanctions is the US threat to carry out military strikes on North Korea that would trigger a devastating war on the Korean Peninsula and more broadly. US ambassador Haley told the UN Security Council the US was prepared to use the full range of our capabilities, including our considerable military forces to deal with North Korea. While declaring that the military option was not preferable, she emphasised: We will use them if we must. In the latest show of military force, the US Missile Defence Agency announced a successful test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system. An interceptor based in Alaska shot down an intermediate-range target launched over the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. The US is in the process of completing a THAAD battery deployment in South Korea, supposedly aimed against North Korea. Beijing has repeatedly criticised the installation, pointing out that the associated powerful X-band radar can be used to undermine Chinas nuclear deterrent against a potential US attack. With parliamentary elections due on September 23, New Zealands middle class pseudo-left groups, along with various pro-Labour commentators and union activists, are promoting British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a model for the NZ Labour Party. An outpouring of anti-Tory sentiment during the UK election saw Labours vote share increase by 10 percent and come within 2 percentage points of the Conservatives total. Among the younger generations, two-thirds of those aged 1824 and more than half of those aged 2534 voted Labour. The pseudo-left Socialist Aotearoa group and Unite union enthused over British Labours socialist manifesto. Unite leader Mike Treen boasted in the Daily Blog about meeting Corbyns shadow chancellor John McDonnell in London last year, hailing him as a radical leader of the working class movement. The International Socialist Organisation (ISO) claimed Corbyn proved with his genuine credentials, by fighting on class lines, that an alternative can be built. This is all a complete fraud, involving a falsification of Corbyns politics and those of the NZ and UK Labour Parties. There is no suggestion from the pseudo-lefts that the working class should break from Labour and its right-wing, pro-business agenda. Instead they are encouraging the illusion that Labour, under the influence of a left leader, can be transformed into a progressive alternative for workers. The ISO advised: For the NZ Labour-Green alliance to win a clear victory it must drop its conservatism and belief it must appeal to the middle ground. The trade union-funded Daily Blog called for the progressive political parties to actually stand for something and emulate what Corbyn did. New Zealand Herald liberal columnist Bryce Edwards lamented that Corbyns left-wing authenticity shows up the Labour Party here as being insipid, uninspired and opportunistic. The promotion of Corbyn internationally stems from the needs of the ruling classes to block the development of genuine socialist and revolutionary consciousness. Labour and its pseudo-left allies are seeking new mechanisms to contain the growing opposition among workers and youth to austerity, attacks on democratic rights and the build-up to war. The WSWS has warned: The greatest political danger is to identify the radicalisation of the masses with its initial and undeserving political beneficiaries such as Corbyn and the Labour Party. Despite his campaign rhetoric, Corbyn is not a socialist and has already abandoned many of his supposed principles. UK Labours election manifesto included the essential demands of the partys Blairite right-wing: a tight limit on government spending, immigration controls, as well as support for NATO and the Trident nuclear weapons system. Corbyns response to the terrorist atrocities in Manchester and London was to demand more police and extra funding for the army and secret services. Following the Grenfell Tower fire, he lined up behind the Conservative governments sham inquiry, which will cover up the responsibility of successive British governments for the catastrophe. The 2017 election in New Zealand is being conducted under conditions of deepening social crisis and mass disaffection with official politics, similar to what exists in Britain. One in four children lives in poverty and tens of thousands of people are homeless, while a tiny wealthy elite is profiting from property market speculation. A survey of 507 people by polling company Ipsos, published on July 3, found 56 percent of respondents believed traditional parties and politicians dont care about people like them and 64 percent agreed the economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful. In the past two elections around a million people have either not registered or refused to vote, compared to just over three million who did vote. After decades of right-wing policies, the working class correctly views Labour as a big business party, which supports the National Partys austerity measures. In the 1980s, the Labour government carried out sweeping privatisations and other pro-market reforms, including slashing taxes for the rich, which resulted in tens of thousands of redundancies and a widening gulf between rich and poor. The partys membership and support collapsed as the working class abandoned it in disgust. Having suffered three consecutive landslide election defeats since 2008, Labour is languishing at between 25 and 30 percent in the media polls. Like its counterparts in the US and Europe, Labour is responding to the economic crisis with right-wing nationalism and protectionism. Its first major policy announcement for the election was a promise to slash migrant numbers by up to 30,000almost half last years intake of 72,000. After the election, Labour intends to form a three-way coalition government with the Greens and NZ First. The latter has a long history of xenophobic agitation against Asian immigrants and has expressed sympathy for Trumps extreme nationalist agenda. Labour and NZ First have scapegoated Chinese people, in particular, for the housing shortage, unemployment and other symptoms of the social crisis. Both parties have demanded greater military spending to integrate the armed forces into the US build-up to war against China, on top of the $20 billion the government announced last year. For socialists, the urgent task is to demolish illusions in Labour and its allies, including the trade unions, as part of the fight to build a new party based on uniting the working class internationally against the profit system. The pseudo-left groups are profoundly hostile to this perspective. They represent sections of the middle class, including academics and union bureaucrats, who do not want the overthrow of capitalism, but rather to improve their own positions within it. In addition to hailing Corbyn and UK Labour, the New Zealand pseudo-lefts have promoted Syriza, the Greek pseudo-left party that won the 2015 election based on phony anti-austerity pledges. Once in power, Syriza worked with the European Union and the banks to deepen the assault on the Greek working class. In the 2014 election the ISO, Fightback and Socialist Aotearoa campaigned as members of the Mana Party and its ally the Internet Partyboth openly capitalist parties that aimed to enter a coalition government with Labour and the Greens. The ISO, along with the Unite union and others, fraudulently portrayed David Cunliffe, Labours leader in 20132014, as a left wing figure, despite his support for austerity and the US wars in the Middle East. The ISO also praised NZ Labours policy platform as the strongest indicator that the party was shifting leftward. In fact, the document called for an increase to the retirement age and participation in imperialist wars (see: New Zealand pseudo-lefts promote new Labour leader). The attempt to drum up support for Cunliffe failed to convince workers and youth. Labour received less than 25 percent of the vote, its worst result in 92 years. Mana, meanwhile, has lurched further to the right, recently calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty for Chinese drug smugglers. The Socialist Equality Group (NZ) opposes all the efforts to subordinate the working class to Labour and its allies. Labour is not a lesser evil to National. If it leads the next government it will attack immigrants, deepen the assault on workers living standards and ramp up the preparations for war. The authors also recommend: UK Labour leader Corbyn appoints opponents to cabinet as Blairite right wing continue to plot [6 July 2017] Mana Party leader calls for Chinese drug smugglers to be executed [30 June 201] New Zealand Labour Party marks its centenary [29 September 2016] The revelation that Donald Trump Jr. met in June 2016 with a Moscow lawyer with ties to the Putin government and Russian oligarchs has become the focus of intensifying political warfare in Washington. From the response of the Democrats and the media, one might think that Trumps son set up the meeting to turn over the US nuclear codes to the Kremlin. In reality, it seems that Trump Jr., then a campaign adviser to his father, met Natalia Veselnitskaya to get information damaging to Hillary Clinton. This sort of digging for dirt is not exactly unusual in American politics. Individuals associated with the Clinton campaign reportedly met with Ukrainian government officials in March 2016 in search of material that might discredit Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Clinton herself has connections with governments and intelligence agencies all over the world, which she no doubt sought to leverage in her contest with Trump. In any event, Trump Jr.s clumsy contact with a Russian lawyer doesnt quite measure up to Nixons efforts, during the 1968 presidential campaign, to sabotage the Paris Peace Talks, lest the sudden end of the Vietnam War cost him votes; or Reagans efforts to persuade the Iranian regime not to release American hostages before Election Day in 1980. The Trump Tower meeting, however, has acquired explosive significance in the context of the ferocious political battle that is being waged in Washington. Both Democrats and Republicans have said that the meeting with the Russian lawyer amounts to a smoking gun in the Trump-Russia investigations. Senator Tim Kaine, Clintons former running mate, said that with the meeting we are now moving beyond obstruction of justice into perjury, false statements and even potentially treason. Treasondefined in US law as levying war against the United States or supporting and giving aid and comfort to its enemiesis a capital offense. If Kaines words are taken literally, the 2016 Democratic vice-presidential candidate is suggesting that the son of the current presidentand, by implication, the president himselfis potentially guilty of a crime that could lead to execution. It is worth considering the issue that has generated this staggering level of political infighting. Neither the Democrats nor their media allies are working themselves into a frenzy over the horrific destruction and loss of life in the Iraqi city of Mosul, or the ongoing plans to deny health care to millions of Americans, or the rounding up and deportation of thousands of immigrants, or the staggering level of wealth concentration and social inequality in the United States. The conflict, rather, is entirely centered on issues of foreign policy. Trumps opponents in the Democratic Party and the most influential sections of the capitalist media (such as the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN) are being uncharacteristically aggressive because they are being supported by large sections of the military-intelligence apparatus. Trumps opponents do not believe for a minute that the fascist-minded president is an agent of Russia or any other foreign power. But they do fearand not without some degree of legitimacythat Trumps obsessive preoccupation with his business empire and personal wealth is colliding with the imperatives of American imperialism. The United States is ruled by a financial-corporate oligarchy. But the Trump administration is an oligarchic government with a kleptocratic and nepotistic twist. The deep and impenetrable entanglement between Trumps business interests and those of other billionaire cabinet members and administration policy has fueled suspicions that this collection of oligarchs is subordinating basic imperialist strategic interests to their personal moneymaking schemes. This is why the issue of Trumps relations with Russia and the role of different family members looms so large in this conflict. Given the fact that Russia is viewed as a hostile power, interfering with multiple US geostrategic interests, all signs that Trump is soft on Putin cause a high degree of alarm. But even the divisions over policy toward Russia do not fully explain the astonishing level of political conflict within the ruling elite. This is more than a crisis over policy. It is a crisis of class rule, rooted in the intractable economic, political and social problems confronting American imperialism. The decades-long erosion of the hegemonic position of the United States was covered over temporarily by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which was accompanied by triumphalist proclamations of the end of history and a unipolar moment of unchallenged US dominance. However, a quarter-century of unending and expanding war centered in the Middle East and Central Asia has failed to prevent the emergence of new rivals. The struggle to maintain its control over key geostrategic regions of the world has brought the US into ever more direct conflict with its larger competitors. The G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany last week made clear that the US is being directly and openly challenged. German Chancellor Merkels meetings with Chinese President Xi, and Merkels insistence that Germany must stake out an independent foreign policy, underscored the reality of waning US influence internationally. Trumps ruling-class critics worry that his actions are intensifying the crisis of US policy. Lawrence Summers, treasury secretary under Bill Clinton and economic advisor to Obama, voiced these concerns in a column published over the weekend. Trump was undermining the idea that the United States should lead in the development of international community, which has been a central tenet of American foreign policy since the end of World War II. His erratic behavior confirmed the fears of those who believe that his conduct is currently the greatest threat to American national security. The ruling class has no simple way out of its crisis. No doubt there are many discussions behind the scenes over scenarios for removing Trump from office, for installing Vice President Mike Pence, who has been busy meeting with top Republican donors in recent weeks, or arranging some other scenario. Even if Trumps ruling-class critics succeed in removing him through some sort of palace coup, however, that will not change the basic dynamic of decline and decay. They might, moreover, end up regretting what they set into motion. The more fundamental problem of the ruling elite is that it lacks a political program capable of inspiring support that extends beyond the top 10 percent of the population. Both parties are ferociously hostile to anything that upsets the current distribution of wealth. Almost forty years of social counterrevolution have completely eroded the popular legitimacy of state institutions. The fact that different factions of the state are hurling mud at each other and engaging in the most filthy and corrupt maneuvers only deepens popular hostility. History teaches that this type of conflict within the ruling class is always bound up with a revolutionary crisis. The real concerns of masses of workers, however, are entirely separate from and opposed to the issues dividing the ruling elite. Millions are angry over war, the assault on health care, the destruction of pensions, stagnating wages, declining life expectancy and police violence. These are the issues that will bring millions into struggle. It is urgent that the working class intervene with its own program. It cannot passively await the outcome of the conflict within the ruling class. It must advance its own interests and its own solution. In the Perspective column published last month, Palace coup or class struggle: The political crisis in Washington and the strategy of the working class, we wrote: Mass struggles are on the agenda in the United States. Protest rallies, demonstrations and strikes will tend to acquire a general nation-wide character. The political conclusion that flows from this analysis is that the fight of the working class against Trump and all that he represents will raise ever more urgently the necessity of a political mass movement, independent of and opposed to both the Republicans and the Democrats, against the capitalist system and its state. This objective tendency of social development must be developed as a conscious strategy of working class struggle. The task of linking the struggles against all the deplorable social conditions of life under capitalism with the political struggle against Trump and both big business parties, based on a socialist program, must be raised and become a topic of discussion within factories, workplaces, working class communities and schools and colleges throughout the country. The question of preparation, of building a political leadership in key sections of the working class, of constructing a revolutionary vanguard, is the decisive issue. We urge readers and supporters of the World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Party to join this fight. Former St. Anthony, Minnesota, police officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was acquitted last month of manslaughter and discharge of a deadly weapon after he fatally shot Philando Castile, will receive a $48,500 payout as part of his severance agreement. Yanez will also receive up to 600 hours of unused compensatory timebut the agreement did not specify how much of this time he had accrued. City officials announced this severance agreement on Monday as the most thoughtful way to move forward and help the community-wide healing process proceed. Following his acquittal, city officials released a statement declaring their intention to offer Yanez a voluntary separation agreement to help him transition to another career. Yanez shot Castile last year during a traffic stop for what the officer claimed was a broken tail light, despite the fact that the dash-cam video from Yanezs squad car showed otherwise. The officer also claimed at the time that Castile matched the description of a robbery suspect, telling another officer that he had a wide-set nose. During his trial, Yanez claimed in court that he feared for his life and thought that Castile was reaching for his guneven after Castile told the police officer that he had a permit for a weapon and had one in his possession, as is required by gun safety procedures. Diamond Reynolds, Castiles girlfriend, responded to the shooting by broadcasting a live video of the aftermath on Facebook, where she questioned the officer and managed to capture Castiles last words: I wasnt reaching for it. The disturbing video, in which Castile can be seen bleeding out from his wounds, quickly went viral online, sparking nationwide protests against police violence. After his trial, Minnesota officials released the video from Yanezs dash-cam to the public. The video showed the brutal shooting of Castile and refuted the basis of Yanezs defense that he was reaching for a gun. Both Castile and Reynolds can be heard in the video telling the officer that he is not reaching for a gun. Yanez aggressively fired his gun into the car despite the assurances of both Castile and Reynolds, killing Castile as he was reaching for his license and registration. In addition to Castile and Reynolds, Reynoldss four-year-old daughter was in the car. Responding to the announcement of Yanezs generous severance package, Clarence Castile, Philando Castiles uncle, told the Associated Press that Yanez should be in jail. Yanezs acquittal and subsequent payout follow a trend of police murder in America. Between 2005 and April 2017, only 80 police officers were arrested on charges of murder or manslaughter, and of this number only 28 were convicted. While most officers who shoot and kill do not face charges, those who do are usually acquitted, and then rewarded with a sum of money. Darren Wilson, the Ferguson, Missouri, police officer who brutally shot unarmed Michael Brown in 2014, received administrative leave while a grand jury deliberated and ultimately decided not to bring charges. Caesar Goodson, the Baltimore, Maryland, officer who gave Freddie Gray a rough ride in a van, ultimately killing him, received more than $87,000 in back pay after his acquittal. This trend held true throughout the Obama years and continues under the Trump administration, which has promised to provide even more support to the police and emboldened the most reactionary elements. Since January of this year, at least 650 people have been killed in encounters with police, according to online aggregator killedbypolice.net. Another tally kept by the Washington Post found that at least 523 people have been shot and killed by police in 2017, on track to match the 963 people fatally shot last year. Violence against civilians living in Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC) central Kasai province has surged in recent months, raising fears of all-out civil war. Some twenty villages have been destroyed, nearly 4,000 civilians killed, and more than 1 million displaced in Kasai since last August, when fighting erupted following the killing of the popular tribal leader Kamuina Nsapu by government forces. Recent fighting between government troops and militiamen affiliated with the National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo (CNPSC) in South Kivu province has displaced an additional 80,000 civilians, the United Nations reported Tuesday. Yesterday, UN investigators reported discovery of an additional 38 mass graves in Kasai. Analysts are warning that the fighting threatens to explode into a general war comparable to the First and Second Congo Wars, also known as the African World War or Great African War. Orchestrated by the United States government and its regional allies, war raged across Congo between 1996 and 2003, drew in the armies of six African countries, and resulted in the deaths of as many as five million civilians. At present, nearly four million Congolese are internal refugees, the highest number of any country in Africa. Over seven million are in dire need of humanitarian aid. It has become increasingly clear that the US and European powers are determined to seize upon the slaughter as the pretext for escalating their pressure campaign against the DRC government. Last week, a group of ten leading US congressmen demanded that the Trump administration pursue a special inquiry into the deaths of United Nations personnel in Kasai. On Tuesday, US Deputy Ambassador Michele Sison announced that the American government will impose sanctions against any Congo officials involved in attempts to delay and obstruct the holding of new elections before the end of the year. In an official letter leaked to the Financial Times this week, International Monetary Fund (IMF) director Christine Lagarde implied that any further transfers of IMF emergency funds to the DRC will be contingent upon President Joseph Kabilas acceptance of a Western-dictated political deal, including a timetable for his own removal from power. Western media are laying blame for the violence at the feet of the Congolese Army and Bana Mura, a militia with strong ties to the Kabila-led government, alleging that government forces are responsible for a series of recent atrocities. In Geneva last month, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al Hussein called for an investigation into what he called the landscape of horror in the Congo, and accused both the Bana Mura and the Congolese Army of mass killings and torture. In a June 30 comment published by the Washington Post, The crisis in Congo is spiraling out of control, Ida Sawyer, Africa head at Human Rights Watch, called for sustained, targeted and well-coordinated pressure on Kabila and his government at the national, regional and international levels. Congo is facing a political and economic crisis, and its only growing worse. President Joseph Kabila was due to step down in December 2016, at the end of his constitutionally mandated two-term limit. But he has managed to hold on to power by delaying elections and overseeing a brutal crackdown against those calling for the constitution to be respected, Sawyer wrote. The DRC leadership is unlikely to allow a real election any time soon, according to a political analyst cited by Deutsche Welle. Congos political crisis escalated on Sunday, when the Kabila government announced that it would remain in office through December 2017. Felix Tshisekedi, leader of Congos main opposition party, the Kasai-based Union for Democracy and Social Progress, denounced the move and vowed a full response. Kabila government troops captured and imprisoned leading members of the UDPS in June. The concerted pressure campaign against Kabila is motivated by strategic considerations associated with the drive of American imperialism to dominate the African continent at the expense of its rivals, above all China. Kabila is viewed by Washington as an unreliable agent of American imperialisms financial and commercial interests in the DRC. Kabila has greatly increased his and his familys fortune since taking the reins of power in 2001, securing control by the ruling clique over substantial holdings throughout the Congolese economy. Opposition leaders, including Tshisekedi and Moise Katumbi, are considered to be more malleable by imperialist strategists, and have increasingly been promoted in Western media. Perhaps nowhere in Africa are the stakes higher than in the DRC, whose vast natural resource reserves include the lions share of world cobalt supplies, a key component in cellphone batteries. The massive African nation, whose territory is equivalent to that of all of Western Europe, is emerging as a central target of the new scramble for colonial control over Africas markets, resources and labor forces, now being waged by American and European imperialism. The Kabila governments increasingly pro-Chinese policies are cutting across the interests of his erstwhile partners in Washington and Western Europe. Kabila has agreed to mining deals with Chinese firms in recent years, setting the stage for China to become the top developer of rare mineral extraction infrastructure in the country. On Tuesday, DRC officials announced talks with Russias state-controlled bank VTB toward potential investment deals and strategic projects worth in excess of $1 billion. Congolese foreign minister Leonard She Okitundu presented Russias top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, with a package of rare earth metals as a token of goodwill during a state visit to Moscow earlier this year. Congo has tried to cultivate closer diplomatic ties to Russia amid growing strains in its relationship with the European Union and United States over its failure to organize elections on time and alleged human rights abuses, Reuters reported last week. The explosive political tensions within the DRC are being amplified by the massive pressures being brought to bear on its economy by the deepening of the world capitalist crisis. Congo is experiencing intense economic difficulties as a result of the collapse of prices of raw materials on the world market, Prime Minister Bruno Tshibalala reported Wednesday. Congos central bank currently possesses currency reserves sufficient to pay for imports for a period of only three weeks, and the DRC economy is projected to shrink by nearly two percent in 2017. Nurses at Bostons Tufts Medical Center (TMC) went on strike Wednesday morning in the first nurses strike at a major hospital in the city in 30 years. The strike came after 18 months of negotiations and federal mediation yielded no agreement. The nurses, organized by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), are demanding the hospital increase staffing and resources, make salaries more competitive and keep a decent pension plan intact. The vast majority of Tufts 1,200 nurses walked out at 7 a.m. Wednesday for a planned one-day strike. However, TMC said it would lock out the nurses for five days as retribution for the action. The hospital has hired more than 300 nurses from across the country to take the strikers places, and says that any Tufts nurse who attempts to enter the hospital at 7 a.m. Thursday morning will be blocked by security. More than a thousand nurses and their supporters rallied outside Tufts Medical Center throughout the day on Wednesday. The strikers were joined by nurses from other Boston hospitals, firefighters, carpenters and other Boston-area unions, as well as by patients showing their support. A group of nurses from Brigham and Womens Hospital came to support the Tufts nurses. One of them, Robin, said, Patients need to be taken care of, but I dont think it will be the same nurse/patient ratio as with their own Tufts nurses. The Boston Globe reports that Tufts is spending a minimum of $6 million to hire the mercenary replacement nurses, and plans to pay them $60-65 an hour, working 12-hour shifts. Robin said of the $6 million, Give it to the nurses, the people who are invested and who have been here for many years caring for these people. Kathy, another Brigham and Womens nurse, said, I agree. Im here to support the nurses; the main issue is staffing. There is general concern that nurses cannot be adequately trained in such a short time to take over nursing duties at a new hospital. If you are that patient, or if its your loved one, that patient needs to be treated carefully and with all the protocols in place, Robin said. You always have the risk of nurses working in the emergency room, or working in the NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] that arent necessarily qualified, and familiar with the equipment. According to news reports by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, during the 2000 strike by MNA nurses at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, three nurses from the same strike replacement agency being used by Tufts were fired after separate incidents in which a patient was left alone after surgery, the wrong baby was given to a nursing mother, and a nearly fatal dose of morphine was given to a patient by a nurse who misunderstood a doctors order. Tufts nurse Shauna told the WSWS, The main issues are staffing and patient care. At the end of the day, I just hope the patients are being taken care of. But I worry about them. What kind of care will they get with these nurses being brought in? The striking Tufts nurses are demanding improved staffing across all units and floors of the hospital. Nurses say departments are chronically understaffed, with management regularly sending out blast-text messages asking them to pick up shifts. This means nurses are often assigned to unfamiliar departments, undermining patient safety. They are also calling for more charge nurses to oversee nursing assignments, as well as more IV-trained nurses. The MNA says that in addition to having some of the worst staffing conditions among Boston hospitals, TMC offers its nurses the lowest wages and retirement benefits in the city. David Schildmeier, the unions director of public communications, told MassLive.com that at bigger area hospitals like Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Medical Center top-scale nurses make $8-12 more per hour than top nurses at TMC, and that these nurses have not received a new step or pay raise in six years. Earlier in negotiations, Tufts had offered raises of between 5.5 percent and 10.5 percent over four years. But now that the hospital is spending at least $6 million to counter the strike with a lockout and replacement workers, it has reduced its offer to raises of between 3 percent and 5 percent. The other major issue in the dispute is nurses retirement plans. The hospital has proposed to freeze the defined pension plan for about 350 nurses and institute a higher-risk 403(b) matching program (a defined contribution plan, to which nurses must contribute). Nurses already in the defined contribution plan would continue to receive the lowest employer contribution of any nurses in the city. The MNA has countered with a proposal for a multiemployer defined benefit plan, which management has refused to consider. Patients joining Wednesdays picket line praised the dedication and skill of the Tufts nurses. Claire, whose mother-in-law Helen is a long-time Tufts nurse, credits the nursing staff with saving her sons life. My son was born here, Claire said. I was in the labor unit overnight and something just didnt feel right. In the morning, they changed shifts, and within 15 minutes the senior nurse had us in the OR and my son was delivered. She acted quickly, and she knew she had to respond. My son is six months; hes beautiful and healthy now. His heart rate was not right, and if she hadnt reacted as she did, I dont know what would have happened. I got emotional coming in here today, because if not for that nurses quick work my son wouldnt be here. The Tufts strike follows a one-day strike by 240 nurses in late June and a punitive two-day lockout by administrators at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Last year, 4,000 nurses at Allina Health in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota fought a five-week battle against managements demand that they accept a company-run insurance plan. Unions representing nurses at Tufts, Baystate and Allina Health are all affiliates of the National Nurses United, which in the face of growing attacks on nurses and other health care workers have promoted ineffective one-day strikes, while calling on Democratic Party politicians to defend jobs and conditions. In the end, the NNU and its Minnesota affiliate capitulated to Allinas demands. Far from defending workers, the Democratic Party has spearheaded the attack on health care and the workers who provide it, with the Obama administrations Affordable Care Act encouraging cost cutting and speedup in the hospitals and maintaining the domination of the insurance companies and giant hospital chains. This assault is being escalated by the Trump administration and bipartisan health care plan now being worked out in Washington. An effective strategy requires that rank-and-file nurses take the conduct of their fight into their own hands and mobilize support among other health care workers and throughout the working class to fight both big-business parties and the for-profit health system they defend. - Barbara Gibbs with The Alabama Department of Health has confirmed three cases of flesh eating bacteria, or "vibrio vulnificus," in Mobile County. Gibbs, who oversees the Infectious Disease and Control Department, said one case was from an individual who consumed raw oysters in another state and the other two cases were due to exposure to open wounds in area waters. Officials say the latter two cases happened during the month of June; one in the Mississippi Sound and the other was on Dauphin Island. They say all three cases are "mild cases." Earlier this week, the Gulf Coast News Today reported a 70-year-old Mississippi woman started getting symptoms after fishing off the Fairhope Pier. In the case of the unidentified Mississippi woman, we're told she reached into the bait bucket, where a live shrimp pricked her. After returning home to Mississippi, her hand began to swell and she got a fever, chills, and headaches. We're told she was rushed to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, where she had several surgeries. "This is not a common occurrence, and for that we are very grateful, said Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health. I think there are about 1,000 cases a year reported in the United States. Its not common, but when people have it, it's pretty severe." Dr. Landers says they are working with Mississippi health officials to investigate this case further. It is unclear right now whether the bacteria came from the water directly, or from the shrimp that pricked the woman's hand. All content 2017, WALA; Mobile, AL. (A Meredith Corporation Station). All Rights Reserved. Local and state health care leaders are alarmed by the Senates health care proposal, particularly the impact it would have on rural communiti You are the owner of this article. TOPPENISH, Wash. -- Incumbent Richard R. Lommers bid for another term on the Toppenish School Board is being challenged by two others. A mistrial was declared Friday in the case of a convicted sex offender seeking to be released from the states Special Treatment Center on McN TCG Will Demonstrate How to Secure the IoT at Next Week's IoT Evolution Expo Trusted Computing Group members will address the leading barrier to IoT success*, security, at next week's IoT Evolution Expo, Las Vegas in panel sessions and demonstrations. Steve Hanna, Principal at Infineon and co-chair of several TCG work groups addressing IoT and embedded security, will lead a panel Wednesday, July 19, 1:30 p.m. PDT on the topic of network security and securing the industrial IoT. The panel session will look at challenges with securing network gear and ways to implement strong security and includes participants from NetFoundry and TCG member Mocana (News - Alert). Hanna will join other industry experts in another panel, "IoT Security Strategies: Mastering the Zones of Trust", Wednesday, July 19 at 5:00 p.m. PDT. TCG members will demonstrate industrial IoT and network security in Booth #307 Tuesday evening, July 18 through Thursday, July 20 in the expo area of the event. Mocana will show implementation of TPM security specifications in a small form-factor (Intel (News - Alert) NUC) computing system with key Mocana software modules. Thedemo will show secure communications from a browser to an embedded Web server using keys generated and protected by the TPM, automated certification of the key, and remote attestation of the TPM-based device with trust measurements. Infineon will demonstrate protecting a typical smart building with the TPM and the TCG TNC network security architecture. Data across the network and in the cloud is protected and authentication ensures authorized access to the smart building application. The demo includes the Infineon TPM, a Cisco (News - Alert) industrial router with TPM and TCG's Trusted Network Communications standards deployed and open source software by the Technical University of Rapperswil, Switzerland. About TCG More information and TCG's specifications and work groups are available at the Trusted Computing Group's (News - Alert) website, www.trustedcomputinggroup.org. Follow TCG on Twitter and on LinkedIn. Brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. * Gartner (News - Alert), IoT Technology Disruptions, June 2017 Tweet this: Join @Infineon @Mocana TCG booth #307 demos #IoT security @IoTEvolution Expo 7/17-20. bit.ly/29sAywq View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170712005355/en/ There is legitimate anti-Semitism and there is illegitimate anti-Semitism. What is legitimate anti-Semitism? Its anti-Semitism directed at people who oppose the Netanyahu governments policy, like Jewish Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This distinction is clearly evident from the order issued by the Prime Ministers Office that Israels ambassador in Budapest, Yossi Amrani, retract a statement calling on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his party to halt a smear poster campaign against the Jewish tycoon. The ambassadors initial statement was issued following concerns that the campaign was evoking anti-Semitic sentiments against the Jewish population in Hungary, which includes more than 100,000 people. The alternative clarification statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus behest, fails to criticize the Hungarian prime minister over the campaign but does criticize the subject of the campaign, Goerge Soros, harshly referring to him as a man who continuously undermines democratically elected governments. Soros sin, if you havent heard, is supporting human rights organizations and democracy in Hungary and in many other countries, including Israel. Anti-Soros campaign in Hungary. Anti-Semitism directed at people who oppose Netanyahus policy is apparently legitimate (Photo: Reuters) Its safe to assume Netanyahu wouldnt have rushed to legitimize Orban and his partys sophisticated use of a language with anti-Semitic codes, which implies Soros is part of a Jewish financial conspiracy, if he were not a tycoon who funds human rights organizations but rather a tycoon funding the Israeli prime ministers media outlets and campaigns or offering his family gifts. While Netanyahu granted Orban a moral exemption for the campaign, which is part of his ongoing persecution of Soros, Jewish organizations and activists, as well as Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European Commission, have openly criticized the anti-Semitic nature of the actions and comments of the Hungarian prime minister and his party. This isnt the first time this month that Netanyahu shows tolerance towards Orban on matters involving anti-Semitism. About a week ago, as part of a nationalistic and racist election campaign, Orban delivered a speech praising Miklos Horthy, Hungarys leader during the Holocaust. Horthy was Adolf Hitlers ally, he cooperated with the Nazis during the occupation and allowed them to transfer about half a million of Hungarys Jews to the death camps. Orbans comments sparked a row and condemnations from the Jewish community in Hungary and from major Jewish centers around the world. Israels ambassador in Budapest asked for clarifications for Orbans remarks, but the Foreign Ministry eventually settled for the weak clarification from the Hungarian foreign minister, who said we must remember that Miklos Horthys regime had positive periods but also very negative periods. One of the explanations for this tolerant attitude, and for the acceptance of the Hungarian prime ministers actions and comments, is that Netanyahu doesnt want to sabotage his visit to Hungary next week. He had no problem, however, calling off a meeting with the German foreign minister, simply because the latter refused his demand to cancel his meeting with Breaking the Silence representatives. But beyond the useful political calculation, its not by chance that Netanyahu is so tolerant towards Orban. The two leaders share an ideology on the image of the desirable regime. They share the anti-democracy vision Orban and his party have been implementing in Hungary for several years now. This vision includes a gradual, systematic and intentional weakening of all the checks and balances in the constitutional system, as well as subjugating the external and internal control systems to the government which they are supposed to be supervising and reviewing. It includes massive legislation that weakens independent democratic centers of power and the legal system, legislation of nationalistic basic laws, taking over the media and persecuting minorities and civil society organizations in the name of defending national interests and the national spirit. Isnt it ironic that about a month ago, the Hungarian parliament adopted a NGO law similar to the Israeli one, which limits donations received from foreign countries? Likud members are complaining that Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett is creating political spins at their expense. After he proposed a bill to prevent Jerusalems division, all hell broke loose in their reactions. The Likud (or, in its real name, Benjamin Netanyahu) is right this time. Bennett is looking for opportunities to embarrass Netanyahus rightism, to raise the curtain wherever he can. When it only happens once, its a fundamental argument. When it happens all the time, its a trend. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter With the absence of a snappy opposition leader, Bennett is as close as it gets. He criticizes Netanyahu, challenges him in every cabinet meeting and in every media interview, and makes him retract his decisions once a week. If Bennett speaks out against construction in Qalqilya, Netanyahu remembers that he is unfamiliar with such a plan. If Bennett is in favor of an ethical code, Netanyahu releases a statement on the NGO Law. If Bennett backs the Shin Bet in its interrogations of Jews in the Duma arson case, Netanyahu follows in his footsteps. These two have been walking together since the elections, as if they have agreed to do so. Bennett is looking for opportunities to embarrass Netanyahus rightism, to raise the curtain wherever he can (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) The source of the current political spin, the ones that preceded it and the ones that will follow can be found in that moment on the eve of the 2015 elections, when Bennett went up on the stage with a guitar to sing for Netanyahu in a right-wing rally. He sang, Jerusalem of Gold, supporting and encouraging the prime minister, while the votes were moving in Netanyahus direction. In politics, support can spoil everything. In the past, Netanyahu had a different political perception. He left the hardcore right to smaller parties and focused on the mass of the moderate and centrist right. In election campaigns, the Likud spoke about security and peace, about economy and prevention of terror. The partys radicals were hidden and pushed aside; the statesmanlike ones were at the forefront of the campaign. The last elections changed Netanyahu, as well as his relations with the hardcore right. Netanyahu is now focusing on Bennetts voters. He looks at the journalists who are willing to take a bullet for him, he reviews the numbers of the Likuds national-religious volunteers and voters and the ideological right-wing base, and he understands that no matter what he doestheyre the people he doesnt have to convince. Theyre in his pocket, and one vote in the pocket is worth two votes in the bush. The more Netanyahu leans to the right, the more he narrows Bennetts political space and drags him to an increasing number of wars over the title of the real rightist, thereby stopping Bennettwho, despite the skullcap on his head, is a pragmatic and non-messianic rightistfrom being one, and binding himself to every whim and spin from the right. Take the Jerusalem bill, for example. There are many national problems in Jerusalem. I try to write and deal with them every few weeks. The division issue is not one of them. Jerusalem is indivisible, period. So the numbers make no difference. We cant ignore the fact that Israels governments are living in peace with the separation from five neighborhoods-villages in Jerusalem, that Israels capital has a tall fence with barriers preventing Israelis from entering, and that behind them there are Palestinian neighborhoods with no army or police, with full control of the Palestinian Authority at best and of Hamas at the worst. Areas with anarchy, terror cells and no governance. An absolute majority of Israelis dont know about them and have never been there. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat once suggested separating these neighborhoods from the city. Netanyahu has spoken in favor of the move in the past. Knesset Member Yoav Kisch, chairman of the Greater Land of Israel Lobby, supported the move on the eve of the elections. Former Yesha Council director Pinchas Wallerstein and myself considered the idea of transferring Kafr 'Aqab to the Palestinian Authority and annexing Givat Zeev. Former Minister Gideon Saar is in favor of a municipal change, Bennett is in favor at the right moment, and so are many of the Likud ministers. How do I know? I heard it first-hand. The second option is to tear down the walls and really annex the 100,000 Palestinians living there. To control them rather than just saying we control them. I know two people who support this option too: Jerusalem Councilman Arieh King and Bayit Yehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich. The law is not the problem, and the compromise Bennett and Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Zeev Elkin will come up with is not the solution. The only thing that can be done is to hold a governmental discussion on what should be done with these five neighborhoods. To tell the truth. To recognize the fact that were not there and to decide if we should be there or nor. No one will remember Netanyahu and Bennetts spins 50 years from now, but one day someone will ask what they did about these neighborhoods. How could they ignore them? Thom Yorke continues to defend Radiohead's decision to play in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, replying to repeated calls by British director and BDS advocate Ken Loach. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter On Tuesday, Yorke Tweeted, "Playing in a county isn't the same as endorsing its government. We've played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others. As we have in America. We don't endorse Netanyahu anymore than Trump, but we still play in America. Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke (Photo: Lior Kater) "Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them, about open minds not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression. I hope that makes it clear Ken." Yorke's comments were published in response to an article by director Ken Loach in The Independent, in which the British filmmaker wrote that Radiohead should have joined the cultural boycott of Israel. "I was surprised to read in Rolling Stone that Thom Yorke believed critics of Radioheads scheduled concert in Tel Aviv were simply 'throwing shit' at the band in public, without speaking to them privately. This is both inaccurate andeven if it were accuratequite irrelevant. "Whether in apartheid South Africa in the past or apartheid Israel in the present, when an oppressed community asks renowned international artists not to lend their names to their oppressors attempts to whitewash their human rights violations, it is our moral obligation to heed their appeals. "Yorke chides us for 'throwing around' the word apartheid. The definition fits, all too well. Palestinian men, women and children are forced from their homes only to see Israeli settlers move in, they watch their homes being demolished as illegal construction of Jewish-only homes proceeds on confiscated Palestinian land, they travel on racially segregated roads and face humiliation at Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks." Loach said that during the past three weeks, he had approached the band and its directors several times and asked to initiate a meeting with Palestinian artists, but has so far been ignored. "This is deeply disappointing. I dont know who is advising Radiohead, but their stubborn refusal to engage with the many critics of their ill-advised concert in Tel Aviv suggests to me that they only want to hear one sidethe one that supports apartheid," wrote Loach. Radiohead's scheduled appearance in Tel Aviv has been met with resistance for a number of months. Among those attempting to prevent the band from performing are Roger Waters and other British musicians who signed a petition calling on the band to halt the performance. President Donald Trump says he was unaware of his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer until recently. Trump tells Reuters in a White House interview before departing for Paris Wednesday that he "didn't know until a couple of days ago when I heard about this." Trump also defended his son's decision to take the meeting, saying he thinks "many people" would have done the same. Donald Trump Jr. was told the lawyer had compromising information on Hillary Clinton that was being shared as part of a Russian effort to help his father. Trump also said he spent the first 20 or 25 minutes of his lengthy meeting with Vladimir Putin confronting him last week and asking him about election meddling. Trump says Putin denied the conclusions of US intelligence officials that Russia was behind the effort. A former protester who met his partner when she was pepper-sprayed at Occupy Wall Street was one of two American volunteers killed fighting the Islamic State group in Syria last week. A US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia known as the YPG announced Tuesday that Robert Grodt, of Santa Cruz, California, and Nicholas Alan Warden, of Buffalo, New York, died in battle in Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital. Grodt had been active in several causes in the United States and met Kaylee Dedrick, of Albany, New York, at Occupy Wall Street in 2011. Their daughter was born in 2012 and was dubbed the Occubaby. Warden's father, Mark Warden, of Depew, New York, tells the Military Times newspaper his son served four years in the Army and five in the French Foreign Legion before going to Syria. [July 12, 2017] University of Cambridge Chooses Asite's Adoddle LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Asite is pleased to announce that the University of Cambridge has chosen to make the Adoddle platform their Project Information Management tool of choice for their BIM Level 2 project portfolio. The Estate Management Division at the University of Cambridge is a multi-disciplinary organisation responsible for the development, management and maintenance of the University estate. Adoddle is the premier cloud-based collaboration platform that empowers the most demanding businesses and government organisations around the globe. Together, this relationship will establish Adoddle as the pivotal Common Data Environment for the University of Cambridge and empower project teams to realise a global connection with the most up-to-date information in real-time, directly from the Adoddle Cloud Model Server. Chris Hinton, Technology and Innovation Lead, Estate Management, University of Cambridge said: "Our challenge within a diverse estate is to structure data and define assets to clear and industry recognised standards. The procurement of Adoddle as our Common Data Environment is the foundation for this and our vision of a digitally enabled estate." University of Cambridge Estate Management Portfolio The non-residential estate is currently valued at 2.7 billion (Insurance Replacement Cost) and its broad and complex nature presents many demanding challenges. Some buildings are 800 years old, Grade I Listed and protected by English Heritage, whilst others are new with highly sustainable building fabrics and buildings management systems. The capital development pipeline is 4.7 billion. The current building programme has committed funding of 640 million and provides a rich mix of activities that utilise best practice 'risk-averse' methods of planning, design, development and construction. About Asite Asite's CDE cloud technology gives everyone involved in construction and facilities projects access to key information regardless of location or device. It enables increased collaboration which results in fewer mistakes, delivering huge time and cost savings. Asite's Adoddle CDE platform allows firms to store and manage all project data in one central and secure repository. It is a bespoke platform which allows the clients to fully configure the structure of their content with highly controlled access and rich workflows. About Adoddle The Adoddle platform is used worldwide by leading property owners, architecture, engineering, and construction firms to manage their largest and most demanding capital investment programs. Adoddle helps people manage their projects and supply chains collaboratively, accessing the information they need, when and where they need it. It enables AECO companies to measure and track capital projects and asset operations. Asite was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in London's Tech City in the UK, with North American operations based in New York, and regional offices in Australia, India and South Africa. For more information, please visit: www.asite.com. CONTACT: Tracey Saunders, [email protected], +447779355815 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-cambridge-chooses-asites-adoddle-300487111.html SOURCE Asite [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] DUBAI - The US's top diplomat was expected to travel back to Qatar for more talks with the country's 37-year-old emir. The move comes a day after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrapped up discussions with the king of Saudi Arabia and other officials from Arab countries lined up against Qatar. Tillerson's travels have so far not led to any signs of a breakthrough in an increasingly entrenched dispute that has divided some of America's most important Mideast allies. Tillerson's trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jiddah followed discussions on Tuesday with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that ended with the signing of a counterterrorism pact. Pilots, Navy and Air Force rescue fighters from the British Army completed a three-day joint exercise with their Israeli counterparts Wednesday on a scale that has not been seen in a decade. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Black Hawk helicopter squadron on the Palmachim Base hosted the Royal Navy rescue fighters who operate on the twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter from the Royal Air Force (RAF). The British squadron which participated in the drill is stationed in nearby Cyprus on a base known as Akrotiri. Joint British and Israeli drill (: ") X In contrast to the rescue methods used by the IAF, which incorporates various helicopter models into the 669 Combat Search & Rescue unit, in the RAF, the rescue unit is organic with a permanent composition of rescue crews and pilots. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit During the exercise, the Israeli and British pilots and soldiers trained together a few kilometers from the coast. for scenarios in which they would be called upon to rescue survivors who have fallen victim to stormy weather conditions at sea. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit We learned a lot from them over the last few days. They were in our helicopters and we were in their helicopters. We saw, for example, that they use rescue tactics from the side of of the ship, whereas we descend directly onto the deck, Gilad continued in an interview with Ynet. They have experience We spent the post-flight debriefings together, watched their operations, and they watched us. The report released by Israels state comptroller Wednesday puts an end to the oh-so-convenient statement, There will be nothing because there is nothing. There is and there was plenty. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter What happened in the Communications Ministry during the years it served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus private estate can be referred to as Case 4,000. While the comptroller avoided explicitly recommending a criminal investigation into the matter, his scathing account doesnt leave the attorney general much room to maneuver. Each of the affairs alone, and all of them together, give off a strong smell of corruption. Power tends to corrupt, Lord Acton said; so does time. A lot of power over an extended period of time corrupts sevenfold. The submarine affair and the Bezeq affair share several characteristics and several heroes. The most obvious characteristic is greed. PM Netanyahu (R) and his cousin and lawyer, Shimron. How did the PMs confidant forget to tell him he was involved in a deal Netanyahu himself was promoting? (Photo: Emil Salman, Yaron Brener) When the position of communications minister became available in late 2014, Netanyahu insisted on appointing himself. This insistence raised doubts among anyone with knowledge in the field of communications. The Communications Ministry was meant to serve as a technical and business regulator, not as a political ministry or a press office, which is why the committees appointed to discussed the issue have repeatedly recommended cancelling the ministry and replacing it with an authority. Handing such a ministry to a prime minister is like letting the fox live in the henhouse. Another perplexing matter was the involvement of two of Netanyahus relatives, David Shimron and Isaac Molho, who run a law firm together. Shimron is Netanyahus private attorney and his representative in any political negotiation; Molho is his emissary on diplomatic missions. On its website, the law firm boasts, quite insolently, that it is one of Israels leading firms in the field of telecommunications. When lawyers run the kingdoms business and their private business simultaneously, the sin is waiting at the door, ready to strike. When its about decisions worth billions and a prime ministers direct involvement, the sin is outrageous. I exposed the two lawyers double status in many of my Yedioth Ahronoth columns. Netanyahu, as always, lashed out at the newspaper. Former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein was struck by fear. It took Weinstein five months to reach a conflict of interest prevention agreement with the lawyers. Its a twisted agreement, I wrote. As the comptrollers investigation reveals, this agreement wasnt worth the paper it was printed on. The gatekeepers weakness is a double-edged sword. Weinsteins weakness eventually hurt those he sought to pleasein this case, Netanyahu and his lawyer Shimron. They thought that everything is permitted, that everything is legitimate. Weinstein was their hubris. One of the problems in turning private lawyers into a prime ministers representatives and associates is the reputation they gain in the market. Attorney Shimron walked around government ministries like a king in his castle. He made a name for himself through the prime ministers aura. Businesspeople were impressed and waited at his door. This association and this aura are worth a lot of money, much more than the symbolic shekel the state pays attorney Molho for his services. The Communications Ministrys Shimron is the same Shimron involved in the submarine affair. While in the Bezeq affair the investigations have to do with the business decisions made by the companys owners and with the Communication Ministrys odd regulatory activity, in the submarine affair the investigations focus on the involvement of Maj. Gen. (res.) Eliezer Marom, agent Miki Ganor and attorney Shimron in promoting dubious security-related moves. The suspicions are serious; the explanations are lame. Public paying the price There is another person who plays a significant role in the Bezeq affair. Shlomo Filber was appointed director-general of the Communications Ministry by Netanyahu. I know him from his work in the Yesha Council. He was an efficient executionist, without the aggressive fanaticism some of his colleagues are known for. When I learned about the strange decisions he signed on, in the Likud campaign and in the Communications Ministry, I asked to meet with him and hear his version. He refused graciously. The feeling in the media industry was that Filber was working for Shaul Elovitch, Bezeqs controlling shareholder. A series of decisions, primarily the urgent letter Filber sent Bezeq behind the backs of senior ministry employees, a letter which aimed to help the company pocket hundreds of millions of shekels, shocked the market. His motive remains unclear, even after the comptrollers report. The explanation he offered at the time maintained, in short, that the state was letting Elovitch get richer, as it assumed the money he earned would be invested in upgrading the communication infrastructures. As the comptroller clarifies, that didnt happen. The price was paid by the public. Netanyahu and Bezeqs controlling shareholder, Shaul Elovitch. Why would the state help the telecommunications company get richer? (Photos: Eli Dasa, Kobi Gideon/GPO) Netanyahu planned to use his term in the Communications Ministry to create two changes: First, to increase the number of television channels in Israel so that none of the channels would be able to cover news and gain influence; second, to make it clear to businesspeople that if the media outlets they control behave themselves, it will be worth their while. Berlusconi combined with Elovitch. Has the plan died? Im not sure. There is another mystery around the submarine affair: Why was this huge purchase deal handled by the Prime Ministers Office instead of by the Defense Ministry? Why did Netanyahu insist, in a completely unprecedented manner, to hand the issue over to an office which is unfit to deal with it, without any control and without any discussion? Why was then-Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon okay with this? Today, Yaalon is accusing Netanyahu of corruptionnot just in Israel, but also in the foreign mediabut what did he do at the time, when he could have stopped the flow? The big question is the role Netanyahu played in these two affairs. If he knw nothingagainhis competence is questionable. If he did know, holy cow. And of course, who meddled where, who issued the order to cancel the tender and why, and how is possible it that Shimronthe confidantforgot to tell the prime minister that he was involved in a deal Netanyahu was promoting. In any event, Netanyahu and the group surrounding him appear to be approaching the oh-so-familiar moment from the past, when Israelis tell their leaders: Were sick of your corruption. The recent ceasefire agreement for southwestern Syria signed by the US and Russia which came into effect on Sunday also forbids foreign militias supported by Iran from operating in strategic areas in Syria adjacent to the Israeli border with Jordan, according to a report in the Foreign Policy magazine. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The agreement addresses, the report claims, Israeli and Jordanian demands that the Hezbollah terrorist organization and Iranian proxies and pro-Iranian militias be forbidden from approaching the border on the Golan Heights. Golan Heights (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Former American diplomats however believe that enforcing such a restriction would carry extreme difficulties. The question is, who is going to enforce that? Is Russia going to take on the responsibility for telling Iran what to do? Gerald Feierstein, a former US diplomat said to the Foreign Policy magazine. Iranians are much closer to Assads position on the way forward in Syria than the Russians are. President Trump and President Putin (Photo: AFP) Others however, are slightly more optimistic of the plans success. Andrew Tabler, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, for example, pointed to southwestern Syrias relative calmand the White House's influence among US-trained factions fighting Assads regimeas proof that it was a natural ground for US and Russian cooperation. I think its worth a try, Tabler told the magazine. If were going to test something, this is a good place to test it. Syrian battle near the Israeli Golan Heights (Photo: EPA) Fred Hof, a former State Department special advisor, says stipulations in the agreement were inserted purely to allay Israeli concerns. These included, for example, demands to ensure that southern Syria would be off limits for fighters of non-Syrian origin, which would include Iranian troops and their proxies, along with forces linked with ISIS and other terror groups. This could be designed mainly to reassure the Israelis that these elements would not be operating in proximity to the Golan Heights, said Hof. One of the Hamas's religious leaders on the Temple Mount was indicted Thursday for holding a position in a terror organization. According to the indictment, Nehad Zaier, 39, from east Jerusalem, ran a Whatsapp group as part of his job to document visits of Jewish civilians and MKs to the Temple Mount. Using this group, he distributed videos documenting clashes between Muslim worshipers and Israeli security forces at the holy site, as well as send out updates on the arrest of Hamas members. IDF soldiers confiscated equipment belonging to the Hamas satellite channel station Al-Quds TV in Hebron in a raid overnight Wednesday after suspicions arose that it was disseminating hateful information. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter A simultaneous raid was also carried out on media company in Hebron that supplies information to another Hamas broadcasting channel, Al-Aqsa TV. Various items were also seized during the raid. Raid on the TV station X According to Palestinian sources, computers and hard drives were among the items which were impounded from the second company, but the IDF says that it only confiscated memory cards and media content as part of an ongoing investigation into the two stations activities in order to search for materials containing support for Hamas and incitement to terror. Broadcasting equipment, the IDF sought to emphasize, was left untouched. If incitement material is discovered on the devices removed from the station, further steps are expected to be taken. The raid is the third or fourth to have taken place within the last two years on media stations and channels in the Hebron area, with most raids being conducted following suspicions of incitement. Gaza's power distribution company says supplies to the territory's 2 million residents have dropped to unprecedented lows, with blackouts lasting for more than 24 hours. While the Palestinian enclave needs at least 400 megawatts of power a day, only 70 are available since Gaza's power plant shut down late Wednesday. Diesel fuel from neighboring Egypt had kept the station running at half capacity since June 21, but deliveries were interrupted after a deadly attack on Egyptian soldiers last week near the border. Israel, the main provider of power to Gaza, has cut shipments at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian leader is trying to put pressure on Gaza's Hamas rulers. The militant group seized control of Gaza from Abbas' forces a decade ago. Holocaust survivors from the city of Iasi in Romania are finally eligible for reparations, Claims Conference President Julius Berman announced Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Some 15,000 Jews were murdered in the pogroms in Iasi in 1941. Some of those who survived the pogrom were forced to board train cars, where they were locked for days. As the train made its way slowly from town to town, many of the Jews died of suffocation, dehydration and having lost their minds. The Jews who remained in Iasi, which is in northeastern Romania, had to live under curfew inside an open ghetto in a designated part of the city. They were under constant threat of being expelled to labor camps and suffered violence and cruelty at the hands of both German and Romanian soldiers. Jews in Iasi in 1941 (Courtesy of Indiana University and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) In addition to monthly stipends for the survivors from Iasi, who haven't received any reparations so far, the Claims Conference has recently negotiated with Germany additional benefits for Holocaust survivors. Among these benefits is an increase in the 2018 budget for nursing care at home for survivors from $399 million to $462 million. Furthermore, the requirements have been eased for eligibility for stipends among survivors who had to hide or live under a false identity during World War II. So far, only those who lived under these conditions for six months or more were eligible for reparations, but now some 1,000 additional survivors who lived under these conditions for 4-6 months will be eligible as well. Finally, those who received a one-time payment at a lower sum than what is paid today will be eligible for payment from the Claims Conference. Jews in Iasi in 1941 (Courtesy of Indiana University and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) According to the Claims Conference, since 1952, Germany has paid $70 billion in direct compensation to some 600,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors across the world. Some 40 percent of that sum (about $28 billion) were paid to survivors living in Israel. These reparation payments continue to this very day. 'They've taken enough, taking from them is a mitzva' One of the survivors from Iasi is 83-year-old Koka Palmon. "Without the help of the Romanians, the Germans wouldn't have known where the Jews were hiding, and they (the Romanians) enjoyed carrying out these pogroms. If they hadn't cooperated, the killing would not have been to this extent," she told Ynet. "The Romanians are the one who set the flames using German hands, and it is a mitzva to take every penny. They took enough, they looted and killed, so we shouldn't be acting like we're asking for charity." Palmon, who was born in 1934 in Iasi, told her story for the first time a year ago, when she was crowned the runner up in the Holocaust Beauty Queen contest. It was only then, with a microphone in her hand and facing an audience of dozens of people, including members of her family, that she first recounted the horrors she had endured. Koka Palmon "I didn't say anything (before) because I didn't want to remember, and I didn't want to hurt my children. But since I started talking about it, I've been giving talks and lectures on it," she said. The day the pogroms started, she recounted, her father left home to open up the family-owned restaurant, so Palmon's mother went to look for her husband. "They hid him there, but the property owner decided if she couldn't hide her own husband, then my mother couldn't either. And so people were taken out of the basement where they were hiding, and my father had to go to the police station," Palmon said. "On the way there, the policemen hit him with a rubber baton. They hit and shot other people too. My father, who was quick, ran and made his way through the crowd, and then lied down on a pile of dead people, playing dead himself," she continued, visibly emotional. The next day, she said, "the order came to take everyone who lived to a stock rail car, and they closed the cars with bars so there wouldn't be much air left," she added with a pained look on her face. "My father would urinate into his hand and drink it. That's how he survived." Her father also tried to trade his gold wedding ring for some water, "but the soldier took the ring and brought the water to the window, out of reach for my father, and when my father asked for the water, the soldier shot his hand, and the bullet went right through," Palmon went on to say. Jews in Iasi in 1941 (Courtesy of Indiana University and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) "When my father returned home, he looked like a scarecrow. I didn't recognize him and fled from him. For a while, after he recovered, he was taken to do hard labor, as did my mother, and I would go with her," she recounted. "When the Russians started bombing, a bomb fell right on our house and we lived for half a year inside a basement with no food or water. When my mother took me out to get bread, I remember an SS officer walked by us and punched me hard right where my yellow Star of David was, and I fainted. People started gathering around him, and he fled, because he was afraid he'd be lynched," she continued. "These stories are just part of my suffering in life." After miraculously surviving the Holocaust, Palmon made aliyah to Israel, where she lived with her family at the height of the austerity period. She now has four children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. "You can't quantify the suffering of survivors who lived in fear they would be caught or exposed as Jews, which meant an immediate death sentence," said Claims Conference chief Greg Schneider. "The survivors who lived under these conditions, even for a few months, deserve the recognition these payments bring with them." "The horrors experienced by the Jews of Iasi have finally been recognized, after more than 70 years," added the head of the Claims Conference's negotiations team, Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat. "These survivors went through incomprehensible suffering and, for those who are still with us, we were able to achieve a certain measure of justice after all of these years." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked members of his Likud Party on Thursday to defend him in the media in light of a state comptroller report on his conflict of interest with Bezeq and the ongoing corruption investigation into Israel's submarine deal with Germany. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "There's an attempt to lynch me and a campaign against me," Netanyahu told MKs and ministers from his party in a meeting. "The goal is to bring me and the Likud down. Political elements and media figures are joining forces." Netanyahu called ministers Yariv Levin, Ze'ev Elkin, Miri Regev and Ofir Akunis, as well as MKs David Bitan, Miki Zohar and Amir Ohana to his office to update them on the latest scandals and instruct them on how to respond to them in the media. Netanyahu at a Likud party meeting with coalition chairman MK David Bitan (File photo: AFP) "I invited you over to tell you the facts, and you'll present them in interviews you give to the media," the prime minister told them. "According to the Justice Ministry and the comptroller report, I did not make any controversial decisions. In the submarines investigation, it was explicitly clarified I was not involved. But that doesn't matter. You know why? Because Bibi is guilty even if his innocence is proven," he went on to say. After the meeting, MK Miki Zohar commented that "We're going on the offensive. We're tired of the unforgivable besmirching of the prime minister. We have clear evidence he has nothing to do with any of the aforementioned affairs. It's time to stop trying to blame him for everything that happens in this country. It's time to stop with this unreasonable attitude that sees the prime minister as always guilty until proven otherwise." Netanyahu has no direct ties to the alleged corruption in the submarines deal investigation. But one of the main suspects, David Shimron, is a close associate of the prime minister. Shimron was barred from speaking to Netanyahu amid the ongoing investigation. On Wednesday, the state comptroller released a report on the Communication Ministry's treatment of the telecommunications giant Bezeq when Netanyahu, who is a close friend of the company's primary shareholder Shaul Elovitch, was the communications minister. US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy announced an Israeli-Palestinian water agreement on Thursday but dodged questions on whether he was making headway on reviving peace talks. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter At his first news conference in Jerusalem since launching a series of visits in March, Jason Greenblatt declined to say if he was any closer to a return to negotiations between the two sides that collapsed in 2014. "Let me interrupt you to save time. We are only taking questions about the Red-Dead (water) project," said Greenblatt, who was a legal adviser to Trump's businesses before being appointed Special Representative for International Negotiations. Jason Greenblatt and Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Reuters) He was referring to a World Bank-sponsored plan to build a nearly 200-km (120-mile) pipeline from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea and a desalination plant in the Jordanian port of Aqaba that was agreed in principle in 2013. Under that deal, which aims to increase fresh water supplies for Jordan, the Palestinians and Israel and revitalise the Dead Sea's falling water levels, Israel agreed to increase water sales to the Palestinian Authority by 20 million to 30 million cubic metres a year. Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, estimated it would take another four to five years to complete the $900 million endeavour. The desalination plant will produce at least 80 million cubic meters of water annually. Under an agreement signed with Jordan in 2015, Israel will buy up to 40 million cubic metres of that at cost each year. Greenblatt said Israel, whose own desalination plants have led to a water surplus, would sell up to 33 million cubic metres to the Palestinian Authority as part of the finalised agreement signed on Thursday. Palestinian Water Authority head Mazen Ghoneim put the figure at 32 million and said 22 million would go to the West Bank and 10 million to the Gaza Strip. "We hope that this deal will contribute to the healing of the Dead Sea and that it will help not only Palestinians and Israelis but Jordanians as well," Greenblatt said. PM Netanyahu with Jason Greenblatt (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO) "I am proud of the role that the United States and our international partners have played in helping the parties reach this deal and I hope it is a harbinger of things to come." The idea of a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea was first talked about by the British in the 1850s, as an alternative to the Suez Canal. Many plans have since been proposed, mainly aiming to preserve the Dead Sea, whose minerals are used in ointments and cosmetics. [July 12, 2017] Applitools Raises $8 Million Round Led by Sierra Ventures to Expand Its AI-Based SaaS Visual Application Testing and Monitoring Solution Bessemer Venture Partners also joined the round and former Salesforce SVP and Slack CMO/CRO Bill Macaitis joins Advisory Board SAN MATEO, California, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Applitools, the leader in AI-based Automated Visual Testing and Monitoring for mobile, web, and native apps, today announced it has raised an $8 Million round led by Sierra Ventures, with participation by Bessemer Venture partners and existing investors Magma Venture Partners, iAngels and La Maison. With this current round, Applitools' funding reaches $15 Million. Former SVP at Salesforce and Slack CMO/CRO Bill Macaitis is also joining the Applitools Advisory Board. Applitools launched its SaaS offering in January 2015 and since then, usage has constantly grown 25% quarter-over-quarter. In 2016, MRR multiplied 3X over 2015 and similar growth is expected in 2017. Today millions of visual tests are performed with Applitools each week. Applitools is trusted by companies of all sizes, including Fortune 100 customers in a variety of verticals such as Banking, Software, Online Retail, Insurance, Pharmaceuticals, and more. Applitools 200+ customers include household names like American Express, Intuit, MasterCard, Bose, Sony, Salesforce, Slack, ServiceNow, Twilio, Wix and Siemens. "We are very pleased to have Sierra Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners join our existing investors in this new round of funding," said Gil Sever, CEO of Applitools. "Their support validates our vision and gives us the capital we need to continue our mission - to bring AI-based Automated Visual Analysis to application test automation, application monitoring, and collaboration for automation engineers, DevOps, developers, and digital transformation leaders that need to adapt to Continuous Delivery. It's been an exciting few years since inception and the new funding will allow us to continue expanding our product offering and grow even faster." As part of the financing round, Tim Guleri, Managing Director of Sierra Ventures, joins the Applitools Board. "Tim's years of entrepreneurial leadership in taking companies through the next stages of growth and execution, combined with his vast network of partners and customers, make him a valuable addition to the Applitools Board," added Gil Sever. "In today's tred toward mass scale digitization across all verticals, a company's Application User Interface is its proverbial 'front door', and is key to staying competitive," said Tim Guleri, Managing Director of Sierra Ventures. "The breadth of device/browser combinations, coupled with continuously shortening development and release cycles, requires DevOps teams to fully automate the development and runtime as part of their digital transformation. Applitools is the only company that has used Artificial Intelligence at scale to provide a proven and robust solution for this acute pain-point. I am sure that their unique technology and execution can make them the leader of this new and exciting market segment." Applitools allows Test Automation, DevOps and Development teams to release software flawlessly and automatically through its SaaS Visual Testing and Monitoring product. Based on sophisticated image processing algorithms that mimic the human eye and brain, Applitools ensures that an app appears correctly and functions properly on all mobile devices, browsers, operating systems and screen sizes. About Sierra Ventures Founded in 1982 and investing its 11th venture fund, Sierra Ventures is a privately held venture capital firm that invests in early-stage, high growth emerging technologies companies. Sierra Ventures is known for working closely with exceptional entrepreneurs to build world-class category defining companies. A few of Sierra Ventures recent successful exits include the IPOs of InvenSense, Sourcefire, AuthenTec, and the acquisitions of Ooyala (by Telstra), Nexgate (by Proofpoint), Greenplum (by EMC), DynamicOps (by VMWare) and Bina Technologies (by Roche). Sierra has also backed prominent technology companies including Intuit, Healtheon, Active Software, Micromuse and Teradata. www.sierraventures.com About Bessemer Venture Partners Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) is a $4B venture capital firm that funds consumer, enterprise, and healthcare technology startups around the world, from seed stage to growth. BVP funded the early stages of Blue Apron, Pinterest, Twitch, Periscope, Skype, among others, and helped build 117 IPOs including Twilio, Yelp, LinkedIn, Shopify, and Wix. Follow us @BessemerVP. About Applitools Applitools is on a mission to help Test Automation, DevOps and Development teams to release and monitor flawless mobile, web, and native apps in a fully automated way that enables Continuous Deployment. Founded in 2013, Applitools uses sophisticated AI-based image processing technology to ensure that an app appears correctly and functions properly on all mobile devices, browsers, operating systems and screen sizes. Applitools has more than 200+ customers from a range of verticals, including Fortune 100 companies in Banking, Software, Online Retail, Insurance, Pharmaceuticals, and more. Applitools is based in San Mateo, California and Tel Aviv, Israel. For more information, please visit applitools.com. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/521532/Applitools_Side_by_Side_Test_Editor_View.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/521533/Applitools_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Egypt's Ministry of State of Antiquities has announced plans to renovate the Eliyahu Hanavi (Prophet Elijah) Synagogue in Alexandria at the cost of some $2.24 million, the head of the Department of Coptic and Islamic Antiquities, al-Saeed Helmy Ezza, told Al-Masry Al-Youm. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The synagogue, which was built in 1850, was forced to close its doors after part of the ceiling over the women's prayer section collapsed several months ago. Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt The renovation, according to Ezza, will include an architectural restoration of the structure and will begin as soon as the ministry's board of directors approves the project. Ezza said that although the law stipulates the Jewish community should bear the full cost of the renovation, it was decided to allocate to the project 40 million Egyptian pounds (2.2 million USD). When the synagogue was built in the 19th century, Alexandria had a magnificent Jewish community. As late as the 1930s, it numbered more than 20,000 Jews. These days, however, the community consists of only 18 registered Jewish members. It is trying its best to maintain the synagogue and help any of its members who are in need. They left home to serve in the Israeli army, for the most part in combat units. But that doesn't mean they don't miss their families. This is where the Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF) comes in. A non-profit with offices in the US and Panama, the FIDF tends to the needs of soldiers who have come to Israel with the expressed purpose of enlisting. Among its many activities, the organization also flies soldiers home to visit the people they left behind. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Roughly 80% of the flights funded for lonely soldiers to visit their families and friends are paid for by the FIDF. Last year, this included 917 flights. David reunited with his family X Arielle Zuckerman David, a combat soldier in the Rotem Regiment, belonging to the Givati Brigade, made aliyah fro France together with six of his school friends. "My mother asked me to come home for Paris, since I haven't seen my family in almost a year," he said. "I arrived especially for the Shavuot meal, which is very important for my family. Everyone is present during that meal." He added that he plans on remaining in Israel after his army service. "Of course I'm staying here. I want to study and live here. I really love this land and was raised on Zionism." David Arielle Zuckerman suprises her family X Arielle Zuckerman (20) made aliyah from New Jersey. She has been serving an instructor in the Home Front Command for a year and a half. She stated that she had made aliyah for herself but mainly for her grandfather, who is a Holocaust survivor. She added that it means a lot to her and her grandfather that she made aliyah and is serving in the land the Jews in the Holocaust had dreamt to live. She decided to surprise her family by arriving to attend her brother's graduation from medical school. She stated that she arrived at night, and that it took her mother a few seconds to register that she was standing in front of her. She ended up staying for a month. Daniel Mishler catches his family off-guard, in a good way X Daniel Mishler Daniel Mishler (24) came from Texas. He recalls talking about making aliyah with his mother and buying a ticket one week later. He has been serving in Givati's reconnaissance platoon for two years and nine months. When the homesickness grew to be too much, Daniel decided to surprise his family, as well. He flew out to a house where they were staying, in New York, arriving a few minutes before they did. They were stunned, and after an emotional reunion he, too, spent the next month with his family. Mishler admits that life in Israel can get lonely, but that the people here help fill the gap. Over the past week, the amount of sewage flowing by the Palestinians to the Hanun stream, which crosses Israel and the Gaza Strip, has increased, and Israel is feeling the impact of the pollution. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Following the electricity crisis and the collapse of sewage treatment plants in the Gaza Strip , Palestinians are dumping their sewage into the Hanun stream. Nahal Hanun; vacuum trucks are no longer effective (Photo: Roee Idan) At first the sewage flowed relatively slowly, and the vacuum trucks managed to overcome the hazard. In the past week, however, the amount of wastewater drained into the stream has increased significantly, causing it to be flooded with polluted water to the point of overflowing, causing the vacuuming of sewage water to be no longer effective. In recent days, the IDF has blocked the stream from the Gaza side with mounds of dirt in an attempt to stop the flow of sewage, but the Palestinians broke through the mounds and returned to dumping sewage into the stream. Photo: Roee Idan Hundreds of vacuum trucks operated in recent days to reduce the level of sewage, but without success. In addition, inspectors fumigated the area against the mosquitoes that started breeding there because of the accumulation of polluted water. Hof Ashkelon Regional Council head Yair Farjun said: "What we're seeing here is an ecological terror attack. The Israeli government must immediately resolve this crisis and not leave Hof Ashkelon Regional Council to deal with it alone." "The dozens of trucks that operate are no longer effective, he added, warning that "the water level rises daily and if the situation remains as it isthe stream will overflow. Beyond the visible pollution, the sewage water also pollutes the Coastal Aquifer very severely." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his speech at a ceremony marking the three-year anniversary of Operation Protective Edge that the Israeli government remains committed to bringing (Lt.) Hadar Goldin and (Sgt.) Oron Shaulwho are presumed dead after being taken captive in the operationback home. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Netanyahu said this on the backdrop of recent indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel for a prisoner exchange deal. Netanyahu (L) and Rivlin, at the ceremony (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) "The same applies to Abera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, Israeli civilians held in the Gaza Strip by a cruel enemy," clarified the PM, adding that "we are commanded to protect human life as much as possible, including the lives of soldiers, but there is no alternativewe must act for the benefit of the community and out of national responsibility." "We continue to fortify our forcesboth in defense and in attack capabilitieswith the acquisition of interceptor missiles, advanced weapons and in many other ways," said Netanyahu. "We do not accept any violation of our sovereigntynot in the south, not in the north, not anywhere." "Quiet will be answered with quiet, but whoever raises his hand on us will encounter a forceful response. Our enemies know this. Our enemies in the Gaza Strip know this even better," Netanyahu concluded. L to R: Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul President Reuven Rivlin echoed Netanyahu, saying: "This year, Herzl Shaul, Oron's father, passed away. Herzl asked me and I promised him that we would continue to work for the return of Oron and Hadar. "Here in the Hall of Remembrance, we reiteratethe State of Israel will continue to fulfill its mission of returning Oron and Hadar home to be buried in Israel. It is our moral and civic obligation." Abera Mengistu "We are not complacenton the contrary. We know that Operation Protective Edge will probably not be the last confrontation," said Rivlin in his speech. "We are fighting a cruel, extremist and murderous terrorist organization and we are prepared and ready to respond to every scenario and threat." "In the operation, we fought for our home. It was a war for a peaceful routine, for everyday life. A moral and just campaign of a sovereign state that seeks to protect its citizens," added Rivlin. "The operation brought about quiet for the entire Gaza area. The three years since then have been the quietest three years on the southern front in the last decade." Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "corrupt" and should resign over a possible conflict of interest related to the purchase of German submarines. Yaalon, an outspoken critic of Netanyahu's government, told Channel 10 TV on Thursday that as defense minister he was sidelined from the deal, which went ahead after Netanyahu replaced him last year. David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and personal attorney, has been questioned by police following revelations he represented the German firm involved in the $1.5 billion deal. Both Netanyahu and Shimron have denied any wrongdoing. Israel has ordered six submarines from Germany over the past two decades, with the final one set for delivery in 2018. The allegations concern a deal to purchase three more to replace aging vessels. Iraqi officials say they are aware of images circulating online showing Iraqi forces abusing suspected Islamic State militants in Mosul and that an investigation is underway. Brig. Gen Saad Maan, spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry, told Pentagon reporters Thursday that "we looked and suspended a number of those forces shown in those pictures and there is currently an investigation being conducted." He was speaking through an interpreter in a video conference. He added that "there might be some misbehavior or inappropriate conduct by some of the forces, yes, but the investigation is going on. We are against any violation against any human being and this is the position of the government." Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, an Iraq military spokesman, says anyone found to have violated human rights "will be held accountable militarily and we will be really severe." Human Rights Watch has condemned videos circulating on social media purportedly showing Iraqi forces killing and beating suspected militants. In a letter to the editor, the executive director of the Central and South Central Nebraska Mosaic made the following statement: Medicaid is a lifeline for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. That is correct. However, she goes on to state, Congress is attempting to cut that lifeline. That is not true. In 2017, $393 billion is being spent on Medicaid. Under the House bill, spending for Medicaid would go up each year to $474 billion in 2026. The Senates bill calls for increasing spending from $393 billion in 2017 to $466 billion in 2026. Slowing the rate of increase is not the same as cutting. The problem is that under the ACA, Medicaid was changed from its purpose. Medicaid originally was for low-income children, pregnant women, disabled individuals and the low-income elderly. The ACA gave Medicaid benefits to everyone, including able-bodied adults, making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. That level of funding is unsustainable. Unfortunately, there are not enough of the wealthiest among us, even taxing at a 100 percent rate, to continue the huge increases in Medicaid under the ACA. John Seim, York The Amish Cook column is celebrating its 26th year this month and it was three years ago this week that Gloria Yoder picked up the pen for the first time. Since then weve seen her family grow and learned a lot about the New Order Amish and Amish life in general. I want to thank readers for welcoming her into your home each week and thank Gloria for letting us all into her life. As the editor and creator of The Amish Cook column Im more than amazed that it is still going and it is because of you. If anyone would have told me when I was 18-years-old in 1991 that the column would still be chugging along in 2017, I would have thought they were nuts. But here we are. For me, there have been a lot of changes since Gloria took over. At the time, I had just become a Dad, with our daughter Aster born in September 2013. And since then we have welcomed another, our beautiful 10-month old Beatrice Rose keeps me on my toes. Its an exciting and happy time for this editor. Through July 31, there is an anniversary special on books, this will probably be the last time these are available: SUMMER BOOK ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL The entire Amish Cook softcover library is now available to celebrate the columns anniversary this summer. This is the last time these books will be offered, first-come, first served. The titles are: Original Amish Cook Cookbook, Williams Guide to Amish Country, The Best of The Amish Cook, Vol 1, The Best of The Amish Cook Vol 2,The Amish Recipe Project, The Amish Cooks Everything But the Kitchen Sink Book, The Amish Cook Cookbook, and two Amish-themed fiction novellas: Rebecca at the Beach,Searching for Rebecca - eight books for $69 plus $3 shipping, Send to: Oasis Newsfeatures, PO BOX 157, Middletown, Ohio 45042. Allow two weeks for delivery. Gloria will return next week, but it was just important for me to reach out and thank readers personally for being the best readers a column could ask for. Enjoy these three recipes from Glorias home to yours! PEANUT BUTTER CRUMB PIE 3- 9 pie crusts baked 9 cups milk, scalded 1 1/2 cups flour 4 cups white sugar Dash salt 1 tablespoon vanilla 9 egg yolks 3 cups cold milk CRUMBS: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2/3 cups peanut butter Mix crumbs mixture until crumbly. Put some crumbs in the bottom of each pie crust. Reserve the rest of the crumbs. Scald milk over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, egg yolks, and milk. Mix this together and pour into scalded milk. Heat and stir until thick. When cold add 3 cups of home whipped cream or whipped topping. Divide pudding into the baked pie crusts. Spread whipped topping. Top with remaining crumbs and serve. HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup instant clear jel 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 to 3 cups cream 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 quart frozen, chopped strawberries (optional) whole milk Stir the sugars, clear jel, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add cream, stir vigorously. Add vanilla and several cups milk. Pour into a quart ice cream freezer. Add milk until freezer is 3 close to being filled. Freeze with ice cream freezer. We like dividing the recipe into small batches and making it in a blender by using frozen milk cubes to freeze it. It then has a consistency similar to shakes or smoothies. We also prefer using less sugar and replacing it with maple syrup. YORK This years version of Wessels Living History Farms annual Living History Days play out Saturday and Sunday this week. The farms official Nebraska 150 event features exhibits, demonstrations, live animal experiences, wagon rides, musical variety, vendors and more. Humanities Nebraska is a substantial funding partner with Wessels for the many activities. Farm life from 1867 to the present will be represented both days. Saturday features Dan Holtzs Nebraska Through Song and Story on harmonica and guitar at noon. Staying with a musical theme, the 1st Nebraska Volunteers Brass Bands performance begins Saturday at 2. Live accordion music opens for both Holtz and the band. Sunday, Dorothy Reike presents Nebraska Farm Families During the Depression at 1 p.m. followed at 2:30 with Darrel Drapers The History of Nebraska as told by Peter Sarpy. Wessels director Hillary Mundt promises corn shelling with antique machinery at 11 a.m. Saturday, oat binding early Sunday afternoon and blacksmithing both afternoons. Visitors will also see: Tin smith Chris Hagemann on site both days to demonstrate his art and offer it for sale. The Nebraska Czechs Button Accordion group performs Saturday at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. Dan Glomski and the planetarium, both from the Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora, on the Saturday slate with 20-minute shows about the stars and the coming solar eclipse beginning every half hour from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Visitors are invited to test their skill at vintage lawn games and the farms resident animals always enjoy attention. Other activities include manure spreader rides, a scavenger hunt or simply relax and sip lemonade on the expansive front porch of the residence once occupied by the farms namesake Dave Wessels. The house, church, schoolhouse and other outbuildings will be open to explore. The Wessels gift shop and T Bar J Kettle Corn will doing business both days, too. [July 12, 2017] The Linux Foundation Announces Additional Keynote Speakers for Open Source Summit North America SAN FRANCISCO, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, today announced additional keynote speakers for Open Source Summit North America, taking place September 11-14 in Los Angeles, CA. The Linux Foundation Open Source Summit is the premier open source technical conference in North America, gathering 2,000 developers, operators and community leadership professionals to collaborate, share information and learn about the latest in open technologies, including Linux, containers, cloud computing and more. Initial keynote speakers were announced in June. In addition to those, the following have been confirmed as keynotes: Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Actor, Founder and Director of HITRECORD - an online production company that makes art collaboratively with over 600,000 artists of all kinds - will share his views on the evolution of the Internet as a collaborative medium, and key technological lessons learned since the company's launch , Actor, Founder and Director of HITRECORD - an online production company that makes art collaboratively with over 600,000 artists of all kinds - will share his views on the evolution of the Internet as a collaborative medium, and key technological lessons learned since the company's launch Wim Coekaerts, Senior Vice President, Linux and Virtualization Engineering, Oracle Chris Wright , Vice President & Chief Technologist, Office of Technology at Red Hat The full lineup of all Open Source Summit North America speakers and 200+ sessions can be viewed here. Open Source Summit North America also features tutorials and summits, all included with registration: Evening social and networking events include: Partner Reception (invitation required) - Sept 11 , 6:30-8:30pm , The Rooftop at The Standard Downtown , , The Rooftop at The Standard Downtown Onsite Attendee Reception + Sponsor Showcase - Sept 12 , 5:15-7pm , Platinum Ballroom at JW Marriott LA Live , , Platinum Ballroom at JW Marriott LA Live All-Attendee Reception - Sept 13 , 6:30-9pm , Paramount Studios Hollywood Registration is discounted by $150 through July 30, and academic and hobbyist rates are also available. In addition, applications are being accepted for diversity and needs-based scholarships. Members of the press who would like to request a complimentary press pass to attend should contact Dan Brown at [email protected]. Open Source Summit North America is made possible by Diamond Sponsors IBM, Intel and Microsoft; Platinum Sponsors Cisco, Google Cloud Platform, Red Hat and SUSE; and Gold Sponsors Cloud Native Computing Foundation, {code} by Dell EMC, CoreOS and VMware. Additional Resources YouTube: The Linux Foundation Event Experience (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WUeelICQ2U ) LinuxCon North America 2016 Event Recap (https://events.linuxfoundation.org/events/linuxcon-north-america) About The Linux Foundation The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and commercial adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org. The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Media Contact: Dan Brown The Linux Foundation 415-420-7880 [email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-linux-foundation-announces-additional-keynote-speakers-for-open-source-summit-north-america-300487154.html SOURCE The Linux Foundation This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun [July 12, 2017] Global Fixed Broadband Market - Trends, Statistics and Progress NEW YORK, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fixed broadband is a key infrastructure for future progress It has become very clear that innovation related to ICT and digital technologies is one of the key components for future economic and social strength. Countries with a sophisticated fixed and mobile telecoms infrastructure are well placed to take advantage of these future technological and societal developments. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03948160/Global-Fixed-Broadband-Market-Trends-Statistics-and-Progress.html Countries without the necessary infrastructure however are expected to lag behind, especially once innovations around the Internet of Everything, M2M and Big Data gather pace. We are already seeing the beginnings of sophisticated Smart Cities emerge in some parts of the world. Asia makes a strong claim to be leading the world when it comes to the general development of broadband internet. While mobile broadband is already a large and fast growing segment of the region's internet market, fixed broadband continues to underpin the delivery of internet services to households and businesses. Fibre-based fixed broadband services have taken on a major significance and are shaping up to define the broadband market of the future. This BuddeComm report aims to capture the progress of the current fixed broadband market around the world, supported by statistics, case studies and analysis. In addition, the report includes unique regional case studies written by BuddeComm's senior analysts, and incldes: Europe, USA, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. Key developments: South Korea and Japan are the leading two countries in Asia in regards to internet penetration with levels reaching over 90% in 2017. The legacy and impact of Google Fiber has been profound. International bandwidth continues to be primarily connected via US and Canada however North America's long held dominant position in this regard is declining and Europe's role is increasing. Many countries from the Middle Eastern region are aware that fixed broadband infrastructure is important for economic growth and keeping pace with technological advancements. While mobile broadband is often the leading access technology in many markets there are still enormous investments in fixed broadband infrastructure taking place. The European Commission (EC) has for some years promoted a vision to provide broadband as a universal service. The Irish government is poised to award a contract as part of its National Broadband Plan by which all premises will receive a service of at least 30Mb/s by 2022. With IP networks forming the foundation of the burgeoning market for bundled services, broadband has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the overall telecoms market in the USA. On the whole, the size of the overall Latin American market, and its potential for prolonged growth, continues to attract investment from international telcos. The results of these investments can be seen in upgraded networks, particularly in relation to LTE and FttP infrastructure. Many African nations have advanced National Broadband Plans in progress. To a great extent this infrastructure has been made possible by the increased bandwidth enabled by new and upgraded subsea cables. New Zealand - Progress in FTTH deployment continues unabated. It is rapidly becoming one of the leading FTTH countries. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03948160/Global-Fixed-Broadband-Market-Trends-Statistics-and-Progress.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-fixed-broadband-market---trends-statistics-and-progress-300487209.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Washington: US President Donald Trump said that he got along "very well" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the G20 summit last week. "I think we get along very well and I think that's a good thing, that's not a bad thing," Trump said on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), an American television network. "We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn't make sense not to have some kind of a relationship," Trump added. Trump also emphasised the importance of having a dialogue with Russia despite the differences between Washington and Moscow. "I do believe it's important to have a dialogue and if you don't have a dialogue, it's a lot of problems for our country and for their country. I think we need dialogue. We need dialogue with everybody," he said. During the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia, a cease-fire agreement in parts of Syria was struck in a bid to curb the bloodshed that has impacted both sides in the war-torn Middle East nation. "One thing we did is we had a cease-fire in a major part of Syria where there was tremendous bedlam and tremendous killing. And, by the way, this is now four days. The cease-fire has held for four days. Those (previous) cease-fires haven't held at all. That's because President Putin and President Trump made the deal, and it's held," Trump said in the interview. The interview came amid ongoing investigations into allegations that Trump's team colluded with the Russians to help him win last year's presidential election. Trump said he thinks Putin would actually have been happier with Hillary Clinton in the White House. "As an example, if Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That's what Putin doesn't like about me. And that's why I say, why would he want me? Because from day one I wanted a strong military, he doesn't want to see that," Trump added. [July 12, 2017] Aon Announces Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Release and Conference Call LONDON, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), the leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, plans to announce second quarter 2017 results on Friday, August 4th, 2017 in a news release to be issued before the market opens. Greg Case, president and CEO, will host a conference call at 7:30 am Central Time on Friday, August 4th, 2017. The conference call will be broadcast live through Aon's website at www.aon.com. Adobe Flash is required to listen to this webcast. A replay will be available shortly after the live webcast. The earnings elease and supplemental slide presentation will be available on Aon's web site at www.aon.com. About Aon Aon plc (NYSE:AON) Aon is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance. Follow Aon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aon_plc Sign up for News Alerts: http://aon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=58 Investor Contact: Scott Malchow Senior Vice President, Investor Relations +44-207-086-0100 Media Contact: Donna Mirandola Senior Director, External Communications - Americas 312-381-1532 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aon-announces-second-quarter-2017-earnings-release-and-conference-call-300487097.html SOURCE Aon plc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] BIGO LIVE Reaches 150 Million Users in 400 Days SINGAPORE, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In March 2017, Singapore-based global live streaming platform BIGO LIVE completed Series C funding and announced an active user-base of 70 million subscribers. Just 4 months later in July, BIGO LIVE reached a record-breaking of over 150 million subscribers with over 45 million monthly active users, marking BIGO LIVE's tremendous success globally covering more than 14 countries and regions since the launch of the app, all in just 400 days. BIGO LIVE's live streaming sector dominates Southeast Asia markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Besides that, many more newly registered BIGO users are coming from new markets such as Russia, Middle East, India, South America, Australia and some other territories. As a global live streaming social platform, BIGO LIVE integrated leading video streaming technology with low latency and best quality beauty camera functionality. BIGO LIVE officially launched into global market in March 12, 2016, primarily targeting young audience group aged from 18 to 25. BIGO LIVE users can watch a variety of live streaming content in trend and interact with live streaming hosts in real time. What makes BIGO LIVE stand out in the intensely competitive market sector? #1 Winning Formula: Right Timing, Global Vision, Seizing the Right Market Opportunity In 2016, live streaming business becomes one of the most sought after-business sectors in tech. BIGO LIVE is among the first group of tech companies to seize the market opportunity and adopts most innovative tactics to create a structure that allows lowest market costs while building an immense user-base. In 2017, BIGO LIVE has gained more market share in designated territories than most of its competitors. Application Launch Time Targeted Territories BIGO LIVE March, 2016 Southeast Asia:Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam Live.me April, 2016 U.S. Nonolive May, 2016 Southeast Asia:Indonesia?Malaysia?Thailand?Singapore Live.ly May, 2016 U.S. It'sMe June, 2016 Southeast Asia:Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos Kitty Live July, 2016 Southeast Asia:Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia MeMe October, 2016 Taiwan BIGO selected Southeast Asia countries including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia as the brand's first targeted market territories due to these markets immense growth of population, well established web environment, and a record surge of local internet users. After strategically setting up BIGO's market plan, BIGO topped the charts in App Store for nearly most of these targeted market territories. In April 2016, BIGO topped the Thailand App Store as the No.1 downloaded app in Thailand for 10 consecutive days, and it continued to stay on the Top10 list for most downloaded app in Thailand. #2 Winning Formula: Global Vision, Market Localization BIGO deeply embraces cultural diversity as its business goes global. Besides BIGO's global market penetration strategies, BIGO has set up a global network infrastructure allowing multi-cultural web adaptations to ensure the fastest live streaming speed locally. No matter in India, Russia, Middle East or North America, BIGO users praise that BIGO Live app to be a fast live streaming app with low latency they have ever used. With servers set up in multiple locations, BIGO Live makes it possible for users to open the app with no latency and switch rooms in different territories with ease. Offering the best user experience is BIGO's magic key to keep up with high user retention rate. Data proves that BIGO Live users spend on average 40 minutes on BIGO Live app. As a company embraces globalization and cultural diversity, BIGO's multi-cultural value is also reflected on its organizational structure and its internal management team. Many of BIGO's management members have formerly served companies including but not limited to Microsoft, Yahoo, Apple, Intel, etc. #3 Winning Formula: Multi-Cultural DNA since the launch of the App BIGO LIVE is a Singapore-based company with its global headquarter set up in Singapore. Singapore's multi-cultural influence has made positive impact on BIGO's company vision for globalization and cultural diversity. View More News at CyberMedia Press Center: http://www.cybermedia.com.tw/news About Bigo Founded in March 2016 and headquartered in Singapore, BIGO LIVE is a mobile Internet company focused on live streaming technology and platform services, and is committed to building a leading global community video broadcast platform. BIGO LIVE user interface is simple, a large number of users in Thailand on the line a month later won the Thailand App Store and Google Play social class list first. On-line only 10 months, the global membership of users exceeded 60 million, is the fastest growing live platform. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170713/1898474-1 SOURCE BIGO Technology Pte. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Washington: Observing that cyberspace is the "new battlefield", a top Microsoft official has called for a a global digital convention to combat cyberattacks that have morphed into sophisticated nation state attacks. "What started a decade-and-a-half ago as a sense that there were some teenagers in the basement hacking their way has moved so far beyond that. It has morphed into sophisticated international organised crime and, worse, sophisticated nation state attacks," Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer, Brad Smith, said in his keynote address at the Microsoft Inspire 2017 Conference here on Wednesday. "We see that in the headlines of the last few months. We see that in the attacks that have taken place. We see it in the nation state threats to which it has led. We see it even in the last two weeks, in an attack on a country that then spread around the world," Smith said, addressing thousands of partners of Microsoft at the conference. There were over 170 participants from India. "One thing has unfortunately become all too clear: cyberspace is the new battlefield and when you think about all of these recent incidents, this is a wakeup call. It is a wakeup call to all of us. It is a wakeup call to Microsoft and every partner and every customer and we hope to every government in the world, Smith said. As a company, he said, Microsoft has launched a four-part approach to strengthen cybersecurity including identity and access management. "We recognise as a company that we have the first responsibility to keep our customers safe," he said. Underlining that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, he said "It is a responsibility that all of us in this room share together, it is a responsibility that all of us share with our customers, because so much turns on the ability of customers to implement such important security fundamentals." "Fundamentals like two-factor authentication, fundamentals like the updating and patching of systems, fundamentals like whitelisting applications that should be downloaded, fundamentals like using our latest software, he told the Microsoft partners. Smith asserted that there is need to recognise together that cybersecurity is a cause. "It's a cause that is global in scope and paramount in importance and, unfortunately, it is a sobering time," he said. "It is a sobering time when you think about this, after World War II, seven decades ago, all the governments of the world got together and they agreed, they undertook an obligation legally that they would protect civilians in times of war, said the top Microsoft official. Given the seriousness of the issue, Smith said, one can take inspiration and learn from what the governments of the world learned from World War II. "When they came together in Geneva in 1949 and adopted what was called the Fourth Geneva Convention, a convention that pledged that they would not attack civilians in times of war. What we need today is a new Geneva Convention. We need a Digital Geneva Convention that will call on the governments of the world to pledge that they will not attack civilians through cybersecurity measures in times of peace. That is what we are calling for," Smith said. "As we ask governments to act, as we encourage them to act, we have the opportunity as an industry to act as well, to come together with our own accord, a tech sector accord that enables us to work together more effectively as an industry, that asks all of us as a global community and as global leaders to stand together behind a straightforward pledge that the world can count on us to stand up for our principles of 100 percent defence, 0 per cent offense," he said. "We will not help any government attack any customer anywhere. To the contrary, we will help defend every customer everywhere," Smith said amidst applause from the audience. HyperX Partners with Cosplay Artists and Hosts Scavenger Hunt at San Diego Comic-Con COMIC-CON - HyperX today announced it is teaming up with six of the finest U.S. cosplayers to host a unique cosplay scavenger hunt during Comic-Con 2017, the pop culture expo in San Diego. Comic-Con attendees are invited to compete for HyperX gaming gear prize packs - by exploring the show floor and finding any of the six D.Va cosplayers sporting custom painted HyperX Cloud Revolver S headsets including, Maid of Might, Elizabeth Rage, Rian Synnth, Ashlynne Dae, HendoArt, and Reagan Kathryn. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005317/en/ HyperX Cosplay Scavenger Hunt at Comic-Con 2017 with Cosplay artists. They will be wearing Cloud Revolver S gaming headsets, modified by the artists. (Photo: Business Wire) On Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22, the HyperX Cosplay Scavenger Hunt invites attendees to locate any of the six D.Va cosplayers around the convention floor, take a photo with them and post it to Instagram or Twitter (News - Alert), tagging @HyperX and including the #SDCC hashtag. The D.Va cosplayers will be wearing custom HyperX Cloud Revolver S headsets specifically designed by each cosplayer for their D.Va costumes. "HyperX is excited to partner with these cosplay artists during Comic-Con," said Dustin Illingworth, influencer marketing manager, HyperX. "The collaboration is one of many cosplay gaming activities supported by HyperX this year, and we are looking forward to the community's involvement along with the photos shared throughout the campaign." Attendees can view the work of the cosplayers participating in the HyperX Cosplay Scavenger Hunt on Instagram: Maid of Might, Elizabeth Rage, Rian Synnth, Ashlynne Dae, HendoArt, and Reagan Kathryn. In addition to the upcoming Scavenger Hunt, HyperX recently partnered with cosplayer Jessica, aka Maid of Might, for the first episode in HyperX's new YouTube (News - Alert) series: Behind the Cosplay. Episode two features the work of Elizabeth Rage. HyperX is collaborating with cosplayers to create original content and show their support for the gaming cosplay community. More information about the HyperX Cosplay Scavenger Hunt will be available on the HyperX Twitter account before the event starts. Winners will be randomly selected the week following the convention and will receive a HyperX Peripheral Kit - featuring a HyperX Cloud Revolver S headset, HyperX Alloy FPS keyboard, HyperX Pulsefire FPS mouse, and HyperX Fury S mousepad. About HyperX The HyperX gaming division was born from Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world's largest independent memory manufacturer, with the goal of providing gamers, PC builders, and power users with high-performance components. For 15 years, the HyperX mission has been to develop gaming products for gamers - high-speed memory, solid state drives, headsets, keyboards, mice, USB flash drives, and mouse pads - to the gaming community and beyond. The award-winning HyperX brand has carved its name atop the leaderboard by consistently delivering products that deliver superior comfort, aesthetics, performance, and reliability. HyperX gear is the choice of pro gamers, tech enthusiasts, and overclockers worldwide because it meets the most stringent product specifications and is built with best-in-class components. Join the global #HyperXFamily at facebook.com/hyperxcommunity, and learn how HyperX products can enhance your console experience and boost performance for both you and your PC at hyperxgaming.com. Whatever your skill level, whatever genres you play, we embrace all gaming enthusiasts everywhere with our core belief - We're All Gamers. HyperX is a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world's largest independent memory manufacturer. Established in 2002, HyperX is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA. For more information, please visit our HyperX website. Editor's Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact Mark Tekunoff, Kingston Technology Company, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA (News - Alert) USA 92708, 714-438-2791 (Voice). Press images can be found in Kingston's press room here. Kingston, the Kingston logo and HyperX are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All other marks may be the property of their respective titleholders. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005317/en/ [July 13, 2017] Roland DG to Sponsor FAB13 in Santiago, Chile IRVINE, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When the members of more than 1,000 Fab Labs around the world gather in Santiago, Chile for FAB13 July 31 through August 6, 2017, Roland DG will once again be on hand as a key sponsor of this annual gathering of the global Fab Lab community. This marks the fifth time Roland DG has sponsored the event which features presentations by thought leaders, hands-on workshops and demonstrations of digital fabrication, followed by a two-day "Fab Festival" open to the public. Roland DG's wide-format inkjet printers, 3D milling machines and other advanced digital devices used as the equipment of choice in many Fab Labs will be featured throughout the show in Roland's booth and workshop. Fab Labs, originated by the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, allow anyone from students and hobbyists to entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality. As a sponsor of FAB13, Roland DG will demonstrate the capabilities of its innovative products, including 3D milling machines, desktop vinyl cutters, wide-format inkjet printers and UV benchtop flatbed printers, at the event. In addition, Roland DG will conduct an interactive workshop covering the use of the company's CAMM-1 GS-24 cutter, CtStudio software and new Project Based Learning (PBL) tutorials. Centered around the theme "Fabricating Society," FAB13 will focus on new opportunities and new ways of doing things. The event will unite individuals from the political, business, academic, and professional arenas to discuss, collaborate and create communities around different local and global interests related to digital manufacturing, innovation and technology. "Roland is committed to the expansion of the Fab Lab movement, STEM programs, and digital fabrication around the world," said Andrew Oransky, President of Roland DGA. "Our cutting-edge devices are playing a crucial role in these educational environments, helping people develop ideas and products that improve our daily lives and our planet." As a desktop fabrication pioneer for over 30 years, Roland DG printers, cutters and milling machines have been recommended as tools for Fab Labs around the world. Combining the latest digital technology with compact size, ease of use and affordable prices, Roland DG's digital devices allow individuals from a wide variety of fields, including product designers, engineers, graphic designers, decorators, students, makers and hobbyists, to bring their ideas to life. To learn more about Roland's complete product lineup, visit https://www.rolanddga.com. Link to images related to this press release: https://www.rolanddga.com/en/company/pressroom/images/2017/fab13-and-logo About Fab Lab A Fab Lab is an open workshop offering digital fabrication as well as analog tools with the aim to make "almost anything." The concept was originally proposed by Professor Neil Gershenfeld, the Director of the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Currently, there are over 450 Fab Labs in over 55 countries, which under the three concepts MAKE, LEARN, SHARE, support Personal Fabrication, giving people the unprecedented ability to design and then produce their own customized products. Each local Fab Lab is connected to a network of Fab Labs around the world in order to freely share information, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate on solving problems and accomplishing projects. The Fab Lab Conference takes place once a year in a different city around the world, and serves as a forum to gather Fab Lab managers, core members and practitioners from the global Fab Lab network and beyond. For more information, visit http://fab13.fabevent.org. About Roland DGA Roland DGA Corporation serves North and South America as the marketing, sales and distribution arm for Roland DG Corporation. Founded in 1981 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Roland DG of Hamamatsu, Japan is a worldwide leader in wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, personalization and vehicle graphics markets; engravers for awards, giftware and ADA signage; photo impact printers for direct part marking; and 3D printers and CNC milling machines for the dental CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, part manufacturing and medical industries. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roland-dg-to-sponsor-fab13-in-santiago-chile-300487618.html SOURCE Roland DGA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [July 13, 2017] Abbott and Bigfoot Biomedical Announce Collaboration to Develop Breakthrough Diabetes Technologies ABBOTT PARK, Ill. and MILPITAS, Calif., July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and Bigfoot Biomedical today announced that the companies have entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize diabetes management systems, integrating Abbott's FreeStyle Libre glucose sensing technologyi with Bigfoot's insulin delivery solutions in the United States. This collaboration brings people living with diabetes a significant step closer to the ultimate goal of eliminating much of the daily burden of diabetes management. As part of the agreement, Abbott will provide Bigfoot with the next generation of its FreeStyle Libre glucose sensing technology. Bigfoot will utilize this technology in the development of the first-ever personalized, user-friendly systems intended to optimize insulin delivery without the need for fingerstick calibration of a glucose sensor. "Diabetes is increasing at record rates globally. There is a significant demand for tools that are intuitive and easy to use to help people take control of this complicated, challenging condition, but innovation in this area has been slow," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "Together with Bigfoot, we are challenging conventional methods of diabetes management by bringing together our expertise in superior glucose monitoring technology with a best-in-class insulin delivery system that is designed with the patient in mind. This will fundamentally transform the way diabetes is managed." All people with Type 1 diabetes, and nearly one third of people with Type 2 diabetes, must inject insulin to manage their glucose that's more than 6 million peopleii in the U.S. alone. Bigfoot and Abbott both share a vision to simplify the use of diabetes management systems for these insulin users: a goal that moves beyond technology and into accessibility and cost reduction for individuals, their health care providers and payers. "Bigfoot is committed to solving the hard problems inherent in blending consumer technology, enterprise systems and Class III medical devices in an effort to design an easy-to-use system for people with diabetes," said Jeffrey Brewer, Bigfoot Biomedical president and chief executive officer. "Both Abbott and Bigfoot understand the real-world use of diabetes devices. A no-calibration glucose sensor is the final piece of the puzzle needed to enable consumer-friendly and accessible integrated insulin delivery systems." Bigfoot has both injection and infusion pump-based insulin delivery systems in development. These investigational systems utilize intuitive design, Internet of Things connectivity, smartphone technology and machine learning automation to adjust insulin delivery or dosingwith the intent to keep glucose levels in an optimal range. Bigfoot anticipates initiating a pivotal trial incorporating FreeStyle Libre technology in 2018 at clinical research sites across the United States. Abbott's FreeStyle Libre system was introduced across Europe in 2014, and is now available in more than 35 countries and used by more than 300,000iii people with diabetes around the world. Two published clinical trialsiv and real-world evidence from more than 50,000 usersv show that people who use the FreeStyle Libre system scan their glucose levels an average of at least 15 times per day. The studies show that people who scan more frequently spend less time in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) while having improved average glucose levels, demonstrating improved glucose control overall. "Our companies have a shared commitment to developing products that are patient focused simple, convenient, discreet, affordable and provide actionable information," said Brewer. "We could not be more excited to be collaborating with Abbott's outstanding team in bringing new innovations to people with diabetes." In the U.S., the FreeStyle Libre system is currently pending approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. About the Agreement Under the terms of the agreement: Abbott will supply glucose measurement sensors for all of Bigfoot's insulin delivery systems in the U.S. as the exclusive sensors for those systems. Bigfoot will develop and commercialize multiple systems using Abbott's FreeStyle Libre sensor technology, including systems designed to perform auto-titration for Bigfoot's connected insulin injection devices, as well as automated insulin delivery using Bigfoot's insulin infusion platform. Financial terms are not being disclosed. About Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc.: Bigfoot Biomedical was founded by a team of people with a personal connection to Type 1 diabetes and, with its insulin delivery services, seeks to change the paradigm of care for insulin-requiring diabetes by leveraging data, connectivity, automation, and machine learning to reduce the burden on people with diabetes and maximize the leverage of health care providers. Learn more at bigfootbiomedical.com. Follow us on Twitter @BigfootBiomed and Facebook. About Abbott: At Abbott, we're committed to helping people live their best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 94,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @FreeStyleDiabet, @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal. __________________________________ i Pending FDA approval. Not available for sale in the U.S. ii https://professional.diabetes.org/sites/professional.diabetes.org/files/media/fast_facts_12-2015a.pdf iii Information on file, Abbott Diabetes Care iv Bolinder J, Antuna R, Geelhoed-Duijvestijn P, Kroger J, Weitgasser R. Novel glucose-sensing technology and hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes: a multicentre, non-masked, randomised controlled trial [published online September 12, 2016]. Lancet. 2016; Haak T, Hanaire H, Ajjan R et al. Flash glucose-sensing technology as a replacement for blood glucose monitoring for the management of insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes: a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Ther. 2017; 8: 55-73 v Dunn, T., Xu, Y., & Hayter, G. (2017). Evidence of a Strong Association Between Frequency of Flash Glucose Monitoring and Glucose Control Measures During Real-World Usage. Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, 19(S1). Doi: 10.1D89/dia.2017.2525.abstracts View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbott-and-bigfoot-biomedical-announce-collaboration-to-develop-breakthrough-diabetes-technologies-300487596.html SOURCE Abbott [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Kazakhstans market has great opportunities, and the Armenian businessmen must be active on promoting the Armenian product in this market, Ara Sahakyan Armenias Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kazakhstan said in an interview with Armenpress. -Mr. Ambassador, how would you assess the current level of the Armenian-Kazakh relations? -Since independence the Armenian-Kazakh relations in general are characterized as friendly and allied relations. Compared to the initial stage, these relations have developed, deepened and strengthened covering all possible spheres of inter-state relations. There is a constant political dialogue between the heads of our states, governments, foreign ministries and we must notice that they are deeper and progressive than it is between civil society structures. I mean the following: Armenia together with Kazakhstan is included in major integration economic structure such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), in a military-political alliance such as the CSTO, they cooperate within the frames of the UN, OSCE, CIS and other international and regional organizations. Those are political, military-political, economic platforms of dynamic and multivector mutual partnership where exchange, agreement and coordination of stances, views on issues of bilateral interest are taking place. And as for the trade-economic, humanitarian fields, the Armenian-Kazakh relations are not in accordance with the existing potential and the mutually trustable political and high level dialogue. The Embassy, of course, is making efforts to boost mutual trade turnover. The President of the Republic tasked the Armenian diplomatic missions in foreign countries to reach tangible results on boosting the diplomacys economic component. During the meeting of Ambassadors in March 2017 the Armenian Prime Minister gave the same task at practical-organizational level. Therefore, the development issues of bilateral economic ties are in the spotlight of our daily work: the Armenian foreign ministry attaches special importance to promotion of economic ties in the work of diplomats, as well as attraction of foreign direct investments, installation of latest technologies and innovations. Last year the President of Kazakhstan was expected to arrive in Armenia on official visit, however, the visit was postponed due to his health problems. The visit is still in the agenda of bilateral relations. Armenia is ready to host the President of Kazakhstan. -Mr. Ambassador, in your opinion, what kind of policy does Kazakhstan carry out in general? -Kazakhstan runs an initiative foreign policy. There are many examples. Kazakhstan has been elected as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and Armenia, as a friendly state, assisted its election. We are happy for not only the economic progress of Kazakhstan, but also for ongoing large-scale programs, as well as efforts on solving social problems and fighting against corruption. Moreover, the public assistance to ambitious initiatives of the countrys political leadership is also noticeable. The political leadership in its turn assists the national awakening, religious tolerance, communication to modern educational standards and cultural values. -You said that economic figures are not in accordance with the level of political dialogue. What figures do we have in terms of trade turnover between the two countries? What is the dynamics after joining the EAEU? -According to the results of the previous year, the trade turnover volume amounted to 3.3 million USD, whereas in 2015 this number was nearly 5 million USD. Before the crisis period this figure was high and reached up to 20 million. The export from Armenia comprises up to 80% of this volume. The mutual investments make a small number. Some try to explain this by our geographical position and objective factors deriving from it. However, I think this is an excuse rather than a reason. We and the Kazakh people work, make trade with countries farther away -In this case what is the reason? What problems do you see? -If we look at the problem not from diplomatic perspective, but as an ordinary citizen of Armenia, I can state that many of our businessmen spare no efforts to observe and enter the Kazakh market. Perhaps, one of its reasons is that it is not so accepted among the business circles to enter unfamiliar markets. It is incorrect not to use the opportunities of the Kazakh market. The country is rich not only with hydrocarbons, but also it has the entire range of non-ferrous metals. Over the past 25 years 265 billion USD direct foreign investments have been made. But the country needs highly-qualified labor force, as well as a desire to work with the partners. Expect from one-two companies, several natural juices, the Armenian product is not presented here. The only one is Ararat brandy. These gaps are filled by Armenians living in Kazakhstan who produce Armenian goods, such as Armenian lavash, cheese, dried fruits and etc. From practical perspective perhaps as a first step it will be right for Armenian businessmen to unite over any prospective direction and establish a representation here aimed at entering the Kazakh market. -In May Yerevan-Astana direct flight launched. What prospects do you see on this path? -Yes, Yerevan-Astana direct flight launched on May 31. The information I collect over the passenger flow, inspire hope that this chance will be used for expanding both the volumes of passenger and cargo transportations. The direct flight can boost tourism. I call on Armenian tour companies to seriously examine the tourism demand from Kazakhstan to Armenia. -What information will you provide about the Armenian community? What problems do you see in terms of maintaining the Armenian identity? -The major factor for maintenance of the Armenian identity is the direct link with Armenia. Many Armenian families spend their summer holidays in Armenia. Good or bad, there are many mixed marriages. The official number of Armenians in Kazakhstan is 25.000, but it reaches up to 35.000 at the peak of seasonal movement. There are Armenian cultural unions in all provincial centers. There are Sunday schools, dance groups, youth groups according to preferences. I would also highlight the positive role of the Diaspora Ministry on the works with the Armenian community. The Ministry quickly understands and reacts to any initiative and request. The Education and Science, as well as the Culture Ministries also work with the same approach. In general, the Armenian communities are firm. Armenian is a family language for many people. Armenians watch Armenian TV channels, visit Armenia and are happy for achievements of the Fatherland. Interview by Anna Gziryan YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on July 12 attended the session of the Academic Board of the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) after M. Heratsi at the Heratsi University Hospital, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress. The event was also attended by wounded soldiers who undergo rehabilitation treatment at the Heratis University Hospital. Soldiers Sargis Stepanyan and Gor Darmanyan awarded graduation diplomas to future doctors, including military doctors. The solemn ceremony kicked off with the march of the special military orchestra of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces. At the end of the ceremony President Sargsyan toured the rehabilitation center which is being created based on the cooperation between the YSMU and the Defense Ministry, got acquainted with the process of the works, the medical services to be provided by the center and promised to assist to implement this initiative as soon as possible. The President was reported that wounded, disabled soldiers will receive rehabilitation treatment in the center, a pshycological support will also be provided, as well as educational programs will be conducted. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Justice Minister Davit Harutyunyan hosted Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Armenia Gonzalo Urriolabeitia on July 12, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress. Welcoming the guest, the Justice Minister highly appreciated the existing cooperation between the two countries in a number of spheres and stated that there are firm grounds to deepen the mutual partnership in the justice field. Ambassador Gonzalo Urriolabeitia thanked the Minister for reception and discussed with him the possibility to sign an agreement on legal mutual assistance in criminal matters. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS.Armenia International Music Festival and Competition came to its outline. More than a week it gave a festive mood to the fans of classical music who had an opportunity to enjoy not only the pearls of classical music, but the compositions of modern composer Alexey Shor. The composers compositions are performed by the best orchestras and soloists of the world within the framework of the most famous festivals. Armenpress presents the interview with the composer: - Mr. Shor, you are the composer-in-residence of the Armenia International Competition and Festival. How do you assess the event that has been going on in Yerevan for more than a week? -First of all, I would like to say that I am very happy to be in Armenia and the composer-in-residence of the festival. The festival really impressed me with its scope: three orchestras, four conductors, many international stars and majority of them are from Armenia. I would like to highlight the piano competition that was held within the framework of the festival. It was a pleasure to see that my compositions were included as mandatory program for the competition. In general, I must say that it was a great idea to unite the festival and the competition. The jury members and contestants were involved in the concert life of the festival, attended concerts, communicated with artists, and were not encompassed just within the framework of competitions, as it is often arranged so. On the other hand, we should remember that the competition in Yerevan was the stage of selection for the grandiose competition, which will be held in Malta in 2018. - Throughout the concerts of the festival your music was presented and the audience warmly welcomed it. What are your impressions of the Armenian audience? -Absolutely wonderful audience, very warm and sympathetic! And also very spontaneous! I was very pleased to see many people come up to express their emotions and feelings right after the performance, at the concert hall. - Pieces from your suite "Childhood memories" were performed during the competition. In fact, forty-eight participants from different countries learned your compositions and presented their vision. You have already listened to the contestants. What's your impression? -Yes, of course, it was very interesting for me to listen to the performances of the contestants. First, the participants were very high level musicians, which was very nice. Second, the very wide and diverse geography of countries was represented during the competition (Syria, Russia, Iran, Georgia, China, Korea, France, Kyrgyzstan ....). This added a musical diversity to the competition. And, of course, it was very exciting to hear completely different interpretations of my works. - The State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, being the co-organizer of this project, performed your works during this festival. As far as we know, the Orchestra includes your compositions in their seasonal concerts. We have listened to their performance of the overture to your ballet "Crystal Palace", which amazed the audience of the festival. Do you like the interpretations of your compositions by the orchestra and do they embody your musical ideas? -Thank you for this question. I would like to talk about the Orchestra and Sergey Smbatyan. I was happy to attend their concerts at the festival, which were really successful. I also attended their rehearsals with a great interest. Sergey worked with the Orchestra very carefully and delicately and, the musicians reacted to his remarks with the same attention and readiness which was very nice to notice. A real "chemistry" of the collective and the conductor was visible. I am very glad that we are cooperating with them. By the way, the overture to the "Crystal Palace" you mentioned was a premiere. The whole ballet will be performed in Malta, on July 21, for the first time, with the leading soloists of the Bolshoi Theater. By the way, I would like to note that Sergey Smbatyan is well known in Malta, most recently he conducted the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra with a great success. - We know that your compositions are performed around the world by the best soloists. The artists of the festival Maxim Vengerov, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Nareh Agramanyan, Roman Kim and many others performed your works in Yerevan. What are your feelings during their performances? -Perhaps the most significant experience for the composer is to hear his compositions performed by the outstanding artists. After all, they add their brightest individuality to the music and due to this combination inexpressible sensations are created. I am very proud that such musicians perform my compositions. - You are in Armenia for the first time. Have you managed to visit the sights of our country? Which ones have been imprinted in your memory and do you think that Armenia will be a source of inspiration for another piece? -Thanks to the wonderful organization of the festival, I managed to see a lot and I must say that I am full of strong emotions. I hope I will be able to express them in the language of music in the course of time. Armenia is an amazing, very beautiful country that fills you with a rich palette of impressions-from bright and pleasant to tragic, and all those impressions deeply remain in ones soul. And I must confess, there was a personal purpose for my arrival in Armenia - my father spent twelve years in this wonderful country with me and my mother. That was a very important period for our family. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. In case of signing the initialed Armenia-EU new agreement, new opportunities will be opened for Armenia, Jean-Francois Charpentier Ambassador of France to Armenia, told reporters on July 13, reports Armenpress. The implementation of the agreement includes several fields for economic cooperation, such as agriculture, transportation, healthcare and etc. There are also provisions in the initialed agreement relating to service provision which is very important from commercial perspective. There are also many economic contractual provisions aimed at further improving the business environment between Armenia and the EU, Charpentier said. The EU-Armenia new agreement has been initialed on March 21. The Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian expressed confidence that the document will open new page in the Armenia-EU relations. The agreement is expected to be signed in November 2017 in Brussels. [July 13, 2017] Telco Systems Wins 2017 NFV Innovation Award MANSFIELD, Massachusetts, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Telco Systems, the leading provider of innovative CE 2.0, MPLS, IP, SDN/NFV solutions, today announced that the company has won the 2017 NFV Innovation Award from TMCNet, the leading news and information source for the communications industry. The NFV Innovation Award recognizes technology companies that are delivering on the promises of Network Function Virtualization by giving service providers new levels of flexibility, efficiency and agility in order to rapidly deliver new services and applications that will meet growing customer demands and drive new revenue streams. Telco Systems won this award recognition for its NFVTime solution and the innovative zero touch provisioning it provides for telcos and managed service providers to roll out and manage new NFV-based new managed services. NFVTime is an open, service-ready, plug-and-play uCPE solution that delivers a complete service environment for smoothly and rapidly launching NFV services. NFVTime integrates x86 commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) white box hardware, a carrier-class NFVi-OS and a broad portfolio of certified VNFs that are centrally managed and orchestrated. NFVTime dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of uCPE, SD-WAN and other managed service deployments and operations by providing enhanced zero touch service provisioning, monitoring and lifecycle management of any VNF service chain. By usin NFVTime, telcos and managed service providers also benefit from a short time-to-market and increased service agility for new on-demand offerings. "We are very proud to receive another award recognition for NFVTime and the clear value that our solution is providing our customers," commented Raanan Tzemach, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Telco Systems. "We are confident that NFVTime can position any telco or managed service provider to leverage the market opportunity created by virtualization into new attractive services and important new revenues." To learn more, please download our new whitepaper from Intel describing the value proposition and market differentiation of NFVTime titled Telco Systems NFVTime-OS is Foundation of Secure, Flexible uCPE. About Telco Systems Telco Systems delivers an industry-leading portfolio of Carrier Ethernet and MPLS-based demarcation, aggregation, NFV and uCPE solutions, enabling service providers to create intelligent, service-assured, CE 2.0-compliant networks for mobile backhaul, business services and cloud networking. Telco Systems' end-to-end Ethernet, SDN/NFV-ready product portfolio delivers significant advantages to service providers, utilities and city carriers competing in a rapidly evolving telecommunications market. Telco Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of BATM Advanced Communications (LSE: BVC). To learn more, visit Telco Systems at http://www.telco.com or follow Telco Systems on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About TMCNet TMCnet is the leading source of news and information for the communications and technology industries and is read by as many as one million unique visitors monthly. TMCNet publishes multiple magazines including Cloud Computing, IoT Evolution, Customer, and Internet Telephony. TMC also produces a variety of trade events, including ITEXPO, the world's leading business technology event, as well as other industry events. For more information about TMCNet, visit http://www.tmcnet.com. Press Contact Tony Miller +1-617-418-3024 [email protected] SOURCE Telco Systems [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has departed for Tavush province on a working visit on July 13, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress. The President visited one of the military units of the north-eastern border zone, toured the military unit and got acquainted with the military service and living conditions of soldiers, the conditions of engineering and fortification structures, as well as the combat readiness. Serzh Sargsyan encouraged a group of distinguished officers and soldiers by giving them gifts. He congratulated the defenders of the Fatherland, wished them success, good service, adding that their honest service is highly appreciated and thanks to them Armenian people can live calmly, work and develop our Fatherland. Serzh Sargsyan also participated in the opening ceremony of the new permanent place of the military unit located in Ijevan during which remarks were delivered by the Defense Minister, commander of the military unit, Spiritual leader of the Armed Forces, as well as one of soldiers. After the ceremony the President toured the military unit, got acquainted with the conditions, talked to the staff and dined with soldiers and commanders in the military canteen. The same day the President gave an interview to Armenia TVs R-Evolution program at the Defense Ministrys Mountainous Armenia resort in Dilijan. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan held a meeting with the delegation of the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), press service of the Ministry told Armenpress. The Minister was introduced on the companys main activity in construction and energy fields, such as construction of power plants, roads and buildings and etc. CMEC representative James Dong said the company is interested in making large-scale investments in Armenia. Minister Karayan presented the delegation the prospects on making investments in Armenias road construction and energy spheres. He in particular touched upon the construction of North-South highway. The Minister also presented the opportunities to carry out activity in the free economic zone which is being created in Syunik province. Agreement was reached that Director of the Development Foundation of Armenia Armen Avak Avakian will draw the attention of the company on the details of major investment programs in Armenia, and the Ministry will be in constant contact with the investors aimed at discussing the further steps for making investments. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Moscow district military court delivered the verdict in the Boris Nemtsov murder case. Zaur Dadayev, the perpetrator of the shooting was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, TASS reports. Although the prosecution sought life imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 rubles, the court ruled 20 years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 rubles instead. Dadayev was also stripped of his Medal for Courage and his rank of Lieutenant. The shooters accomplices were given 11-19-year sentences. Boris Nemtsov, former deputy prime minister under then-President Boris Yeltsin, co-chairman of the Parnas party and lawmaker of the Yaroslavl regional legislature, was gunned down in downtown Moscow on February 27, 2015. Five persons were arrested on suspicion of murdering the politician: Zaur Dadayev, Anzor and Shadid Gubashev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhayev who are believed to be the perpetrators of this criminal action. Another suspect, Beslan Shavanov, resisted arrest and blew himself up, TASS reports. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. During the 26th International Banking Congress in St. Petersburg entitled Finances For Development, which was attended by Armenias Central Bank president Arthur Javadyan, it was announced that the Armenian Arca cards and Russian Mir cards will begin operating in Russia and Armenia respectively from July of 2017, the Central Bank told ARMENPRESS. During her remarks at the congress, Elvira Nabiulina, Russias Central Bank president especially thanked the Armenian Central Bank and the Arca system for productive cooperation and partnership, as well as for the rapid and effective advancement of the system. During the November 7-8, 2016 meeting of CIS country national banks and payment systems executives in Yerevan, a Road Map was adopted under which the sides planned to complete the technical compliance and the mutual-acceptance of Mir and Arca payment systems in the infrastructures of participating sides by mid 2017. Nearly 273,000 Russian tourists visit Armenia annually, which amounts nearly 22% of the overall foreign tourist visits. The agreement will facilitate payment processes for tourists in the countries. Another advantage of the initiative is the fact that upon making transactions, the participants will be notified in advance about the exchange rate of the currencies. This is the first projects of its kind within the EEU, which proves the high-level cooperation between Armenia and Russia. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Yandex.Taxi, the online app for ordering a cab, which is owned by Tigran Khudaverdyan, a businessman of Armenian origin, signed an agreement with Uber on uniting the online travel businesses in the territories of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan. According to Interfax, the business volume is worth 3,7 billion dollars. According to the deal, Uber and Yandex will invest 225 million and 100 million dollars respectively in a new company. Yandex will assume the management of the new business (59,3%), while 36,6% will be owned by Uber, and the remaining 4,1% will be owned by the staff of the two companies. The new company will be led by Tigran Khudaverdyan, the CEO of Yandex.Taxi. Yandex said the agreement wont change anything for the users, everything will be available on the two apps as before. The drivers will be united in one single platform, which will enable to take orders from both Uber and Yandex. YEREVAN, 13 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 13 July, USD exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 478.90 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.84 drams to 545.85 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 8.00 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 3.10 drams to 618.79 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 118.93 drams to 18765.85 drams. Silver price up by 4.92 drams to 243.73 drams. Platinum price up by 430.82 drams to 14149.83 drams. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Members of the European Parliament Marek Jurek from Poland and Costas Mavrides from Cyprus urge Azerbaijan to stop using its own civilian population as a live shield and to introduce an OSCE independent investigative mechanism in the Artsakh line of contact. On July 4, 2017 Azerbaijani armed forces violated the cease-fire regime in the contact line. Azerbaijan had installed a multiple rocket launcher system in an inhabited village, thus using its own civilian population as a human shield. The cross-fire resulted in a tragic loss of two civilians on the Azerbaijani side. We deplore the loss of two innocent lives and emphasize that this tragedy, as well as other clashes between the armed forced could have certainly been avoided, if Azerbaijan agreed to install an independent investigative mechanism to determine which side exactly violates the cease-fire. The OSCE Minsk-Group has proposed this on several occasions. The Armenian side has agreed to install this mechanism. Unfortunately, official Azerbaijan continues to reject it, the MEPs said in a statement. The lawmakers underscored that the investigative mechanism could have helped in avoiding the 2016 April War, when Azerbaijan shelled Armenian villages killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan, who was on his way to school. The bodies of an elderly 90-year-old couple in the village of Talish, were brutally mutilated by the Azerbaijani forces, their ears were cut off. Since April 2016 the Azerbaijan armed forces have committed war crimes, including an ISIS-style beheading of an Armenian soldier Karam Sloyan. Pictures of the head were then posted on the social media by the Azerbaijani forces as a trophy and the cruel murder was praised as a heroic act. These barbaric acts are unfortunately an indirect consequence of Armenophobia in Azerbaijan, nurtured from the highest levels and acts, such as elevating Ramil Safarov, who killed an Armenian colleague in his sleep with an ax in Budapest, to a national hero by the current Government of Azerbaijan, the statement says. Marek Jurek and Costas Mavrides mentioned that the losses on both sides are tragic and they must absolutely be prevented. It is unacceptable to use a population as a human shield while shelling other inhabited areas and then abuse photos for propaganda purposes. An investigative mechanism must be immediately installed. We herewith call on Azerbaijan to stop using its own population as a human shield and install the OSCE independent investigative mechanism which would create favorable conditions for trust and negotiations, the MEPs said. YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with the 14th Golden Apricot International Film Festivals honorary guests and filmmakers from Armenia and around the world. The participants of the festival talked to the President of Armenia about the Golden Apricots past record, achievements, as well as this years contest programs, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS. Serzh Sargsyan sent a message to the 14th Golden Apricot International Film Festival, which reads in part, I am greeting the participants and the guests of the 14th Golden Apricot International Film Festival. I would like to specifically thank the organizers for consistency and dedication in organizing this long-awaited holiday for the inhabitants and guests of capital Yerevan. Well above being a source of immense pleasure for our film-lovers, this most prestigious Armenian film festival has an educational importance for young artists as a medium for promoting aesthetic values and an artistic worldview. The festival is meant to create a spiritual-cultural environment and an atmosphere without which one could hardly imagine creative flights. We are pleased to note Golden Apricots commitment to the history and traditions of the Armenian cinematographic art. Our classic heritage and contemporary works need to be publicized. The Armenian cinema should always be scrutinized and explored from the perspective of global and international developments. Once again, I welcome the Golden Apricot International Film Festival, which is the carrier and the herald of high taste and true artistic values, as well as the noble ideas of peace and humanity". [July 13, 2017] Teledyne to Acquire Scientific Systems, Inc. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) announced today that its subsidiary, Teledyne Instruments, Inc., has entered into an agreement to acquire assets of Scientific Systems, Inc. (SSI). Headquartered in State College, Pa., SSI manufactures precision components and specialized subassemblies used primarily in analytical and diagnostic instrumentation, such as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) systems and specific medical devices. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded by Andrew R. ("Andy") Charney in 1967, Scientific Systems is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high pressure positive-displacement piston pumps for a wide variety of analytical, clinical, sample prep and fluid-metering applications. SSI pumps can deliver very precise flow rates as low as 1 l per minute and achieve pressures up to 25,000 psi. The company's customers include leading OEM instrumentation suppliers in the fields of HPLC, flash chromatography, clinical diagnostics, protein analysis and purification, and other industries requiring precise fluid flow at high pressures. "I have peronally followed SSI for a number of years, and Teledyne has recently become one of SSI's larger customers. I have developed great respect for Andy Charney, the company, and the current management and employees of SSI," said Robert Mehrabian, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Teledyne. "SSI will provide Teledyne greater access to life sciences customers and markets, while Teledyne offers SSI additional technologies and new opportunities in the industrial space. We are proud to continue SSI's 50-year legacy of innovative, highly-engineered products and outstanding customer service." About Teledyne Technologies Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies' operations are primarily located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies' website at www.teledyne.com. Forward-Looking Statements Cautionary Notice This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to a pending acquisition. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Many factors, including the ability of Teledyne and Scientific Systems to achieve anticipated synergies, as well as market and economic conditions beyond either company's control, could change anticipated results. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170713005226/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] National Doughnut Week has raised 25,131 for charity The Childrens Trust. Sponsored by CSM Bakery Solutions, the week aims to raise funds for the UKs leading charity for children with brain injuries. This years National Doughnut Week was another huge success, said Lisa Boswell from CSM. The bakers and coffee shops really got into the spirit and created some wonderful doughnuts for the occasion, increasing footfall and encouraging customers to participate. The Childrens Trust is a fantastic charity and we are pleased to reveal another brilliant fundraising result. Bakeries such as JG Ross, SM Bayne, Warings Bakery, Leakers Bakery, Cavan Bakery and Greenhalghs all took part in the fundraising event, held from 6-13 May this year. Birds Bakery was recognised for its efforts in raising 9,000 for the charity, and was rewarded by CSM with a certificate for its contribution. Mike Holling, head of retail at Birds Bakery, said the company was thrilled to be recognised for taking part in the fundraising event. Our target this year was to raise 8,000 and we smashed this by raising 9,000 - our biggest achievement yet, said Holling. We sold 44,611 doughnuts during the week, up 24% compared to last year, and our new salted caramel doughnut, which was launched during National Doughnut Week, definitely helped to drive this. National Doughnut Week has been running for the past 26 years after being launched in 1991 by independent baker Christopher Freeman, owner of Dunns Bakery. Food-to-go supplier Tasties of Chester has been rescued from administration in a deal that has saved 188 jobs. Tasties produces sandwiches, toasties and salads under the Street Eats brand, and supplies customers including retailers, airlines and railway franchisees. The business operated from a factory in Sandymouth, near Chester, which has been sold alongside other assets to newly formed company Street Eat Foods Limited. British Baker understands that former Adelie Foods CEO Gavin Cox is a key player in the new business. Tasties had suffered cash flow problems after opening a second site in Stockley Close, near Heathrow last year. The 40,000sq m facility was a 4m investment as part of Tasties plans to triple its manufacturing capacity. In a move that saved 91 jobs at the Heathrow site, Tasties sold the facility to Greencore last month, before administrators were appointed. At the time, Paul Kingsley-Bates, chief executive of Tasties owner PK Food Concepts, which also owns the Pasta King business, said: Given the size and scale of Greencore, it is clearly better placed to make the investment needed to develop Stockley Close to its full potential. Street Eat Foods Limited will now operate the Chester business going forwards, and has taken on its 188 staff. The Tasties deal was a complex transaction, due to the separation of the two sites and the involvement of numerous stakeholders, said Steve Muncaster, managing director at administrators Duff & Phelps. We are pleased that we have been able to assist the company and its stakeholders in facilitating a solution that has preserved the Chester business and, most importantly, secured the jobs of 279 employees across the two sites." Kingsley-Bates said it was "very much" business as usual for the Pasta King business, but added: "Pasta King is VC owned and, as such, there is always the potential for a sale if the right deal can be struck." Pasta King will continue to use the Street Eats brand on hot food to go. If one looks closely, without being brainwashed by the Fake News, you notice that when the Polish Prime Minister's wife approaches the Trumps, the President is already engaged with her husband, and she makes eye contact with America's First Lady, who also hails from Eastern Europe, and greets her without making her wait, and then quickly turns to the President, who was done (by just a few seconds) with his greeting of the Polish leader: Below. If you look in the right hand corner of the video, you will see that this Fake News was provided by the Washington Post. In regards to the Russia Election Tampering matter: Is President Trump being treated fairly by core Democrats and the Mainstream Media? Yes, the new president is guilty until proven innocent. No, President Trump's treatment is dictated by the usual Democrat double standard. Don't care; there are more important issues facing America. 103 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? The Fake News has lost it, but is, nonetheless, unbowed, and more than ready to defend their unprincipled behavior.I tuned into CNN/Fake News last night, and all they could talk about was Trump, and how he admonished them as Fake News while he was on foreign soil, as if that is verboten; an affront to the the "Free Press" provision of the 1st Amendment, even repeatedly called the president a liar (can one imagine CNN calling Obama a liar for ObamaCare or Benghazi, just to name a few of the real big issues that he continuously lied about?) for telling the truth on them, a truth that would be most essentially true.Well, note to the dumbasses that create the Fake News: The President's 1st Amendment right to express himself "trump's" the 1st Amendment right for the Fake News to espouse Fake News , as is their unprincipled right to do so as per the U.S. Constitution (the Constitution does not govern the principled /unprincipled behavior of journalists).President Trump doing this "on foreign soil" does not detract from the Free Press right of all U.S. citizens, because the Fake News segment of the Free Press only occupies some of its space. While the Fake News of MSNBC and CNN does have a dwindling corner of the Free Press space, and is being lessened each day; rightly, more principled, far more intelligent information purveyors are taking their space.So, the Fake News has had its day, and fewer people now take them seriously, and to that extent, the law of supply and demand is working. This is still America, where some of us practice also Free Will.Continued note to the unprincipled hypocrites of Fake News: Stop promoting "fake news" like the hyperbolic lie of the 'snubbed handshake between Poland's First Lady' and your President.This is a perfect example of what Fake News looks like: An innocent exchange that did flow as the Hypocrites expected, so they edit the video for effect. Keep this up, and rest assured that we Patriots will do the same.The Fake News of CNN and MSNBC has had its time, and while it is you constitutional right to continue to express the Fake News, your incredulity when you are called for it is wearing thin for the rest of us. Gov. Roy Cooper announces targeted incentives for Infosys during a July 6, 2017, news conference. Photo taken from @NC_Governor Twitter account. The current political spat between North Carolina's governor and legislature has produced plenty of heated rhetoric. Plenty of accusations and counteraccusations involving misplaced priorities, hypocrisy , and at least a little mendacity.If the people of North Carolina are lucky, the political infighting could end up striking a blow against the state's use of targeted tax incentives.There's no guarantee of this positive outcome. But a recent Raleigh news conference offered a hint about how the turn against targeted incentives could take place.First, a confession: It's entirely possible that I'm engaging in a case of wishful thinking.My colleagues at the John Locke Foundation have spent more than two decades fighting in North Carolina against tax breaks and other incentives that target individual companies and favored industries. We have argued that the best incentives for economic growth improve conditions for all economic actors. These include general tax rate cuts, reductions in the regulatory burden, and policies that enhance individual freedom.The free-market arguments have encountered mixed success. In recent years, lawmakers have scrapped generous tax credits for the solar energy industry. They have converted an open-ended tax break for Hollywood filmmakers into a grant program with a set budget. They have cut funding for the Job Development Investment Grant program, a major pillar of state incentives.At the same time, the General Assembly continues to debate new or revised incentives programs. Legislative leaders have touted a provision in the newly enacted state budget that offers special breaks for "transformative" economic development projects. These are projects that promise to bring at least 5,000 jobs and $4 billion of investment to North Carolina.The following remarks from a June 27 committee debate in the N.C. House highlight a common legislative approach toward incentives.Rep. Susan Martin, R-Wilson, reminded colleagues.Then Martin added a caveat familiar to those who have followed the incentives debate for years.she said.When even those who proclaim the benefits of free markets continue to support incentives, critics should expect a long, hard fight.But perhaps Gov. Roy Cooper has offered some help.The governor summoned supporters and reporters to the State Capitol Thursday. During a 25-minute ceremony, Cooper unveiled details of a $25 million incentives deal. It enticed a promise of 2,000 new jobs over the next five years from Infosys, an India-based global technology consulting firm.Cooper stood before television cameras and welcomed the company to North Carolina. The president of Infosys addressed the assembled group. So did the president of Wake Technical Community College and the chairman of the Wake County commissioners.As for the General Assembly, the group that approved the funding that made the $25 million tax giveaway possible, its sole spokesman was Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake.Not the N.C. House speaker nor the Senate leader. Nor the heads of House and Senate budget, tax, or business-oriented committees. Instead the only lawmaker who had a chance to bask in the glow of the public spotlight was Chaudhuri - a legislative newcomer, from the minority party, and a frequently caustic critic of Republican legislative leaders.To be fair, Chaudhuri mentioned in his remarks that an Infosys executive had contacted him about three months earlier as the company was pursuing its site search. He appears to have had a more direct role in this deal than other lawmakers.Still, it's hard to imagine fellow legislators beaming with pride as Chaudhuri opened his remarks with, "Let me first, again, thank Gov. Cooper and his staff for his outstanding leadership in making this morning's announcement possible."Thanks to Cooper, but no mention of the General Assembly's commitment to the incentives program that made the Infosys deal possible.Cooper's press office was no more forthcoming than Chaudhuri with praise for legislators. The 12th and final paragraph in the official announcement of the Infosys deal listed the General Assembly as one of 10 "partners" in the project.If lawmakers get little credit for their support of targeted incentives, it's fair to ask how fervently they will commit themselves to those incentives in the future. Especially if, as Martin suggested, many of them approach incentives with no great degree of enthusiasm.One should be careful not to read too much into one incentives announcement. Cooper might change course. He might invite leading legislators to help him celebrate future deals.But that would represent a major political shift. Cooper has spent more time during his first six months in office berating legislative Republicans, rather than seeking common ground.If heated political divisions prompt the governor to continue steering clear of his legislative antagonists, keeping the public spotlight for himself, it would not prove terribly surprising if lawmakers showed even less enthusiasm for targeted tax giveaways in the future.That's an outcome North Carolina taxpayers should welcome. Wind farms targeted for temporary moratorium in energy bill; debate over effects on military operations continues Part of the array of turbines at the Amazon Wind Farm. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) An amended energy bill is putting supporters of renewable energy at odds with a state Senate leader concerned about the effect of wind farms on military bases.One of many bills on Gov. Roy Cooper's desk, House Bill 589 places an 18-month moratorium on permits for new wind farms, and two companies may drop plans for facilities planned for eastern North Carolina.Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow , introduced the bill. He toldthe waiting period for new permits would allow legislators to study how wind turbines may threaten local military exercises. The location of wind turbines, which can reach up to 600 feet, can affect the flight patterns of low-flying aircraft.If the military can't fully use airspace along the North Carolina coast, some state leaders say the military may pull out of the Cherry Point Marine airfield, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, in the next round of base shakeups. Local communities would lose thousands of high-paying civilian jobs if the bases emptied.Brown said.The Timbermill Wind project in Chowan County and Little Alligator wind farm in Tyrrell County could have received permits within a year, though the moratorium would delay the process until at least the last day of 2018.Apex Clean Energy, the developer of the Timbermill project, has been paying area landowners since 2013.Apex CEO Mark Goodwin said the moratoriumBrown said he thinks renewable energy sites are beginning to hurt nearby property values, a problem centered in eastern North Carolina, far from most supporters of renewable energy.he remarked.The wind farm moratorium has shifted attention from regulatory reforms within the bill.said Jon Sanders , director of regulatory studies at the John Locke Foundation Sanders says solar energy is given special treatment in North Carolina. He says a state law requiring utilities in the state, primarily Duke Energy, to buy a percentage of their power from renewable sources (including solar) results in artificially high rates that are passed on to consumers.Sanders argued.The bill also allows third parties to lease space, including rooftops, for solar energy providers. Cooper issued a press release in June praising the bill before the moratorium was added.Brown thinks solar is overbuilt in the eastern part of the state, and said he supports energy diversity.Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, sponsored the bill and has made clear he has no intention of interfering with wind-energy development. The moratorium was one of many late additions to Szoka's original bill.Brown said.Cooper has until July 30 to decide if he will sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. House wants continued state oversight of regional managed care services; most senators would let statewide providers operate Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, championed a version of mental health reform that would scrap regional managed care networks. (CJ photo by Dan Way) House and Senate Republicans are stuck in a debate about oversight of the state's largest mental health provider and who will control mental health services for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians.A conference committee could decide the fate of House Bill 403 , which passed each legislative chamber in dramatically different versions. The House, and some senators, want tougher oversight of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Services, the state's largest mental-health provider. The Senate version of the bill goes easier on Cardinal, critics say. It also would replace a system of regional, state-regulated managed-care entities (known as Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations) with managed-care groups that could be run statewide by for-profit companies or medical provider networks.Cardinal came under fire after a state performance audit cited the health care giant for improper and questionable practices. The Cardinal audit unearthed a large pool of cash reserves. It also concluded Cardinal improperly paid $1.2 million in executive salaries, issued exorbitant bonuses, held expensive staff events, rented high-end office space, and booked charter jet flights for in-state meetings, among other findings.The House unanimously passed H.B. 403 to boost oversight of Cardinal, and improve the operation of all LME/MCOs.Sen. Tommy Tucker, R-Union, said of Cardinal. He helped to create the LME/MCO system, and supports the House-passed version of H.B. 403.House members say the Senate is too lenient in its treatment of Cardinal, whose lobbyists include former state Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, and for which former state Rep. Rob Bryan is a senior vice president.The House and some Senate Republicans want the state to maintain control of the mental health system using the LME/MCO model.Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, and other Senate Republicans instead want to dissolve the LME/MCOs and transfer their assets to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Hise and his legislative allies hope to create a new system of for-profit managed care organizations and provider-led entities.Hise, a co-chairman of the Senate Health Care Committee, rewrote H.B. 403 when it reached the Senate. His version would overhaul Medicaid policy and accelerate mental health reforms. It passed the Senate by a 36-10 vote a couple of days before the General Assembly recessed.said Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth. Lambeth, former president of N.C. Baptist Hospital, is one of the three House conferees.With legislative sessions set for August and September, the two chambers could make a dealLambeth said.State Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, an architect of the LME/MCO system, said nothing in the Senate plan would improve behavioral health care. Both DHHS and medical providers oppose it, and the Senate shakeup could reverse gains in mental health care delivery.The current public/private managed care system helps patients, Dollar said. He is not confident the Senate's alternative would do as well.The LME/MCO system has saved hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Medicaid spending, Dollar said, replacing massive annual deficits with surpluses. Keeping taxpayer costs under control hasHise, who chairs the Senate conference committee, has not responded to requests for comment.Seven geographically arranged LME/MCOs administer services for mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Critics worry Cardinal could become one of a handful of statewide commercial managed care networks administering mental health services under the Hise plan, at the expense of smaller entities that have not abused the system.Mary Hooper, executive director of the NC Council of Community Programs, which represents the state's LME/MCOs, opposes Hise's plan. She says it would disrupt a service and payment system that works well."Consumers are being served, providers get paid, and savings are being reinvested into more services" by the managed-care groups, Hooper said.Tucker said most LME/MCOs are doing their job.Critics of the regional networks say they have accumulated $1 billion in reserves that should have been spent providing services.The NC Council of Community Programs denies that contention.A financial-standing document for March 2017 shows LME/MCOs all told had nearly $724 million in cash and short-term investments from funds allocated for mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual and developmental disability services.But they owed money to providers, had a statutory obligation to maintain a 30-day operating cash reserve, and had to replace state budget cuts to indigent services, totaling $472 million.Federal law also requires the LME/MCO system to maintain a Medicaid Risk Reserve fund of $224.3 million. Tom Campbell Many of us remember North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms' war against CBS news, complaining the "liberal press" consisted of, "men and women who, if they do not hate American virtues...certainly have a smug contempt for American ideals and principles." The war has only escalated and the media is in the crosshairs. Maine Governor Paul LePage recently said, "The sooner the print press goes away, the better society will be." Really?Count me among those with a healthy skepticism for the current state of the media. Too frequently, media outlets have strayed from straight reporting and appear to be taking sides in the partisan debate, especially on cable channels that often disguise "breaking news" with opinions. Many polls reflect media distrust and dissatisfaction, leading us to question how we got to this place.How can a sitting president proclaim the media is the "enemy" of the people? Is "fake" or biased news reporting so much worse than in times past? Are these attacks intended to intimidate and silence the media or could they be diversionary tactics to create distractions from real issues? Further, is it permissible for some outlets, like FOX News, to be so obviously biased, but unacceptable for others?What is the end-game strategy of media bashers? What outcomes do they hope for? Are they expecting a sudden revelation and abrupt change in direction from voices they criticize? Would they prefer a totalitarian media voice, like "Big Brother," or be willing to give someone the prerogative to eliminate certain voices? Who might that someone be?I've been on the receiving end of media bias, as well as attempts to silence my voice. It isn't pretty and is neither right nor correct. People feel at liberty to express any hateful, hurtful, even untruthful thing they feel like saying and the bullying, threatening and violence against my brethren in the media has increased exponentially in recent years. Is that really acceptable?In far too many instances media "stalkers" only call more attention to those they dislike and strengthen their resolve to continue. The best way to silence or muffle media voices with whom you don't agree is to ignore them. Stop watching and stop reading their work. When enough stop paying attention, those in the media world will either be forced to change or go away.We would also say that media responses to those who criticize them are counterproductive, especially when they give too much airtime to the criticisms. The proper response should be to listen, examine whether the criticism is legitimate and redouble their efforts to ensure reporting is accurate, fair and balanced. When they err, as they most certainly will, they have a responsibility to acknowledge mistakes publicly and take necessary corrective actions.Media bias and partisanship have always been present, going back to colonial times and the first printed broadsides. There has always been accompanying criticism, but no purpose is served in the current climate. Our nation has constitutionally guaranteed rights of free speech and any attempts to stamp out or silence media voices is unworthy of those who fought to ensure them. We caution our television viewers each week to stay informed and watch out for the spin, but would add it is time to de-escalate the war on the media. The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day? Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount. Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists. Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic squeezed between Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and China. Three-fourths of its territory is mountainous. Most of its six million people are Muslim; according to the local press, there are over 2,500 mosques in the country. In 2010, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted. During the referendum that followed people voted for a new draft of the Constitution, and the country became a parliamentary republic. At the same time, armed clashes between the Uzbek and the Kyrgyz unfolded in the south of the country. According to RBK, most of the young people in the country go to Russia as labor migrants to be able to feed their families or save up for a wedding. In 2015, the average salary in the country was 13,300 som (about $200) a month. French photographer Elliott Verdier went to Kyrgyzstan to see the unknown world of Central Asia with his own eyes. I like to travel to places that a man like me, born in a middle class family from Paris, would have never been. Meet people I would have never met. I want to testify of a world detached from breaking news, with deep social issues, to take time and break into peoples intimacy. This is why I try to find original themes that suit my everyday quest for beauty through struggling people full of nostalgia, melancholy, and sensitivity. Rather open republic than critical liberalism 13. 7. 2017 / Karel Dolejsi cas cteni 13 minut This essay was originally published here in Czech as "Radeji otevrenou republiku nez 'kriticky liberalismus'". In 1990, the sociologist Ralph Dahrendorf observed that the wave of revolution in Central and Eastern Europe did not bring about any new ideas. According to him, the Western model that was uncritically introduced by the new democracies was well past its peak and heading into apparent crisis. In 2017, Czech journalists Petr Honzejk and Erik Tabery disputed the proper form of liberalism, whether critical or basic. At the same time, Radoslav Prochazka has observed the creeping return of peoples democracy in Slovakia. There are more than 200 political parties and movements in the Czech Republic. Unlike in developed Western countries, the mass popularity of TV has been passed to another generation, and multiplexes and satellite broadcasts have provided tens - and soon to be hundreds - of channels. Despite statistics suggesting the potential for a flourishing public discourse in a wide media space, public attention is concentrated upon irrational fears instigated by demagogues. In a country with 3,000 well-integrated Muslims, which receives 80-90 asylum applications a month and is a pure recipient of EU financial support, the greatest threats are seen as Islam, immigration and Brussels. It is naive to suppose that we can falsify this agenda by rational argument: this supposition rests on a misunderstanding of the collective mental condition of our scared citizens. Attempts to provide facts to disprove irrational fears do not yield results, because they are not perceived as part of an honest and reasonable debate. Disproval of irrational worries is seen by the scared as a perfidious denial of their subjectively real dread. It is perceived as a lack of seriousness on behalf of the opponent and as personal disrespect. Moreover, fears around Islam, immigration and dictation by Brussels are being moulded into a peculiar worldview. Worldviews are not set aside for the sake of mere facts: people are in the habit of identifying with them. It is well known that in the military, a frontal assault of a furiously-defended position is not always the best idea. Local neo-conservatism for the poor (a political myth mobilising citizens of a militarily-dependent country against a fictitious enemy) is so well established in the Czech Republic that attempts to alleviate the fear of muslim immigrants, which is felt so deeply by an overwhelming majority of Czechs, by mobilising gamekeepers and firefighters against them (yes, indeed, this has been seriously suggested ias a remedy) give only a slight prospect of success. It is better to give up such attempts and to target the existing background infrastructure. Surely it would be much more sensible to try to establish a discourse of a different agenda, another view of the world, separate from the one suggested by populist bogeymen. It is vital for the long-term existence and operation of the national state of the Czech Republic, still a substantial part of the framework of political activity. Postclassical politics Western industrial civilization went through its classical phase in the 19th and 20th centuries. During this period, key cultural and political forms emerged which we still have to handle, despite being largely inadequate to the current condition, simply because it has become fashionable to relativize, expose, and deconstruct their inherited forms in recent decades - and critics so focused upon them do not make serious attempts to create anything really new. From a practical point of view, postclassical politics needs to handle collective identities and the series of institutions founded upon them, created in a bygone period of nationalism and nation state, because there is currently no substitute. Even though the problems at hand regularly and ever more frequently surpass the nation state, and cannot be solved at that level, the nation state is still the basis of forming a collective will which we cannot get by without. Many difficulties stem from this contradiction, and the neo-conservatism for the poor is one possible interim maladaptation a project pretending to defend the nation from non-existent threats, which it supposedly handles well, unlike the real ones. Liberalism or anti-liberalism? Honzejk correctly describes the liberals as living in an enclosed social bubble. Similar bubbles often virtual, and concentrated around social networks represent a current form of tribal identity. Honzejks problem is that he wishes to speak to all, but as a liberal he automatically speaks only to his own tribe. History and connotations of the notions liberal and illiberal present a burden disallowing any meaningful debate between the two camps. But even if you arent going to establish the two-hundredth-and-first political party with a compromise program, there is a potential way out of the deadlock. This possibility has the current character of a mere Weberian ideal type a measure applied to reality, never to be fully realised and may become a starting point of wider debate. It is not a political program. Primacy of the civic principle Advanced globalization, and the growing strain on international structures, has lead liberalism to an actual devaluation of the civic principle, which formed the basis of Western political projects after WWII. It has been replaced by global cosmopolitanism, unclearly outlined and mostly understood as a form of unlimited social deregulation. The illiberal reaction opposes this in favour of an archaic national (and sometimes religious) principle in different guises, and can thus unite supporters of the ultra-right and of extremists under its banner. There is a political rule that any absolute or infinity is unworkable, which also applies to the removal of borders, regulations and various other limits. Instead of arguing whether to be a liberal (and of which flavour) or illiberal, or whether to advocate deregulatory cosmopolitism or xenophobic nationalism, it is necessary to renovate the civic principle, and to differentiate it sufficiently from the national principle. Open republic In respect to the significant shifts of meaning which occurred in Czech society in recent years - in words such as democracy and direct democracy - surely it is much more suitable to say that the Czech Republic is simply a republic. Democracy always contains reference to Rousseaus volonte generale and in well-known past mutations had been additionally operationalized as the unity of will of the ruling and the controlled, with a warranted popular fuhrer at the helm; while the republic points firstly to the rule of law. When there is rule of law as opposed to the sovereign (i.e. not the popular majority which would vote for the deportation of the Jews), executive power is always principally limited. Minorities are protected by the constitution, and justice heeds protection of guaranteed rights. Such is the costly lesson of WWII. Constitutional order should be stronger than the general will of the people and it should not be easy to change it. In this sense, the project of the sixth republic of the French left in reality does not count as a republic, and rather constitutes an ill-conceived break from the principles of representative democracy. An open republic would be such a republic that consistently separates the civic from the national principle. Citizenship presupposes first of all a clear expression of the will of the applicant to become a citizen, an obedience of laws of the given state, an effort to adopt the political culture and an endeavour to integrate into existing society on the given states territory. In contrast to this, citizenship does not certainly demand a national bond based on kinship or an inherited mother tongue or cuisine - nor generally any leading culture (Leitkultur), as described, for example, in the proposal of the Bavarian CSU. The citizenry is principally broader than the nation, while at the same time much narrower than humanity, for practical reasons which can never be fully bypassed in politics. The civic principle moderates between tribal atavisms of all kinds, including national atavism and class atavism; and humanity as a whole. The traditional mixing of civic and national principles is a great disadvantage to Czech society, which modelled its belated one-sided modernisation in the 19th century on German romantic nationalism. It is necessary to refuse and overcome this tradition. It is also desirable to blunt the hysterical worry that the Czechs will melt into global cosmopolitism. National myth and the functional approach to cultural diversity The Czech national myth is an attempt to hold on to the fiction that the Czech basin is traditionally inhabited by members of a single ethnicity, i.e. the Czechs. Regardless of the fact that this single ethnic group is constituted by three different subgroups (with the Moravians and the Silesians) it never controlled the whole Czech basin until 1945. Furthermore, it was never sufficiently interested in settling the whole territory alone - if it would have been, there would be no reason for either German or Wallachian colonisation. These processes were initialised by local rulers as the dominant ethnic group did not wish to, or could not sufficiently, settle and use the territory in question. By contrast, the colonists, whether by virtue of different culture or just with talent loosened from the bonds of local majority culture, managed to settle and utilise these territories. This example shows us the real meaning of what is called cultural diversity. It certainly is not a purpose in itself (the more, the better), as supporters of multicultural ideology claim, but is always subservient to the viewpoint of function. Without German smiths and miners or Wallachian herdsmen, the Bohemian lands could not have reached their level of importance in Mediaeval Europe. As an ethnically homogenized territory since 1945, they have continued to lose any international relevance. Cultural diversity can certainly be an asset, as uncensored Czech history shows. The Vietnamese restaurateur, Syrian doctor or Ukrainian engineer may all be excellent contributors to Czech society. The depopulated Czech countryside and borderland (again becoming vacant) can potentially accommodate a considerable number of newcomers, especially if these areas would be developed and brought to prosperity even by the employment of farming and herding traditions of their original homeland not devastated by collectivisation. All sorts of things are possible. The idea we can gain anything by enforcing our customs on every newcomer is essentially wrong. The ideal though is not the most varied multi-culti society: rather, the ideal society is as functional as possible. Citizens with differing cultural and religious backgrounds must learn to live together so that needless conflicts do not occur. But that is no problem in the Czech Republic today. Simply put, talk of Muslims not wanting to obey Czech laws are lies. As a matter of fact, the average Muslim obeys laws far better than average atheist Czech. And it is certainly not Muslims who today spread hatred in the Czech Republic and incite violence. Openness and security The openness of the republic cannot be measured by the fact that it can accept a million refugees without consideration of who they are or where they came from. An open republic must also take care of its security. Background checks of asylum seekers for links to organised crime and terrorism should be seen as entirely in order. Asylum and citizenship are not, and should never be, granted on the basis of religious or ethnic affiliation. Certainly not in a republic ruled by a constitution and law as opposed to the will of a xenophobic majority. The relationship between openness and security is also rooted on another level. The key security problem of our region is not (and in foreseeable future will not be) terrorism based in Islamism. The main security threat is a Russia frantically arming itself - and the Czech Republic cannot enclose itself in its borders and pretend not to be concerned by the problems of the region. Control of the invasion corridor stretching through the Central European plain constitutes a common task for Polish, Czech and German armed forces. We cannot be short-sighted and deny this cooperation with our northern neighbours. Social cohesion as necessary condition Bad sectarian politics that convert all problems to that of wage levels and income differentials within a nation state cannot work in this postclassical period of European civilization. The national frames are too tight and it is necessary to start harmonising the wage policy on a regional scale at least. On the other hand, many problems and topics cannot be translated to social questions - and if you do that, other, potentially worse problems arise. It is however not advisable to reject the obsolete left, which is self-defined by internationalist values but intends to solve only national problems on the national level, in favour of the right, as both possess very similar behaviours. The voices of experts can be heard to say that the rejection of obsolete leftism is somehow analogous to the manoeuvre once accomplished by Blair, in that it is another appearance of the new centre. However, that centre can only be discussed if we suppose categories such as left and right still function and possess stable meanings. In Czech conditions when the left gathers to support xenophobic and conservative politicians, while part of the right remains the symbolic guardian of internationalism, we are somewhere else than we were in the times of Blair. The Czech right systematically underrates the question of social cohesion, and critics are partially correct when they relate current pathologies to this blindness. The party labelling itself as social-democratic distinctly prefers a national principle over a civic one, and intends to employ national prosperity as a barricade against the evil world. The party calling itself communist advocates ultra-right policies and the interests of a hostile foreign power. Left radicals, by logical fallacy, accuse imperialism of having brought about the very existence of security policy. It is certainly better to make a wide circuit around this kind of public discussion - even at the risk of being cheaply labelled a centrist. The pivotal dispute will in the end take place between those who recognize the existence of security politics (even in this, the most unstable period the continent has witnessed since WWII) but do not want to sacrifice openness to it; and those who see a future with barb-wired borders defended, as has been suggested in the Czech Republic, by gamekeepers and firemen. It will be between those who intend to modify civic principles according to the demands of these changed times - and those who prefer tribalism. (Translated by Michal Horak and Sean Mark Miller, subedited by Sam Beaton and Amy Mackinnon) 0 ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Wednesday he would visit Austria soon, despite having being barred this week from attending an event in Austria to mark the anniversary of last year's failed coup in Turkey. "We are going to have a bilateral meeting with the Austrian economy ministry. I think this meeting will take place this month," he told reporters. Austria's ministry of economics said it had received no official request from Turkey, and had learned about Zeybekci's plan only via the media. "But, of course, we are generally interested in bilateral talks," a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. The Alpine republic said on Monday Zeybekci could not visit Vienna to attend a gathering of Turks in Austria to mark the crushing of the coup attempt. Austria has been one of the most vocal critics in the European Union of Turkey's security crackdown since the failed coup last July, and has said it will not allow the Turkish government to exert political influence on its territory. Since the coup, in which more than 240 people were killed, Turkey has jailed more than 50,000 people pending trial and suspended or dismissed some 150,000 over alleged links with the exiled Muslim cleric Ankara blames for the coup. Turkey says the crackdown is necessary due to the security threats it faces. It said the block on its economy minister entering the country for the anniversary showed Vienna was not sincere in protecting democratic values. "If there is a new request we will evaluate it again," a spokesman for Austria's foreign ministry said on Wednesday of Zeybekci's comments. He added that while bilateral meetings were always possible, Vienna would not support major events "that bring foreign conflicts to Austria". Zeybekci said Austria was an "important economic partner for Turkey". "The two countries should always be involved in a dialogue," the minister added. The Turkish ambassador returned to Austria only days ago, after being recalled to Ankara nearly a year ago. His return had been seen as a sign of easing in the relations between the two countries. (Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu in Ankara and Kirsti Knolle in Frankfurt; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Andrew Roche) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram A year after prominent journalist Pavel Sheremet was killed by a car bomb in Kiev, no one has been arrested or prosecuted, even though Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko vowed a swift investigation. Authorities say Russia is the prime suspect, but the lack of progress in the case, coupled with evidence pointing to possible Ukrainian involvement, weaken Kievs credibility and suggest the need for an independent probe. A special report of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Published July 12, 2017 This report is available in and Table of Contents About This Report Introduction: Ukraine must prove its commitment to credibly investigating Sheremets murder Tough reporting earned Sheremet enemies in three countries Belarus days Russia days Ukraine days Pavels last days Infographic: Lines of Investigation Infographic: Investigation in Numbers Recommendations Video: Who Killed Pavel Sheremet? COVER PHOTO: A ceremony in Kiev marks the life and work of renowned reporter Pavel Sheremet in July 2016. (AFP/Sergei Supinsky) EDITORS NOTE: The Ukraine Days section of this report and the Lines of Investigation graphic have been corrected to reflect that Sheremet worked for the station OTR at the time of the Ukrainian Maidan protests. Gallows at Tokyo Detention Center TOKYO (TR) Japans Ministry of Justice on Thursday announced the execution of two male convicts on death row, reports the Sankei Shimbun (July 13). According to the ministry, Masakatsu Nishikawa, 61, who murdered four female managers of hostess clubs in 1991, and Koichi Sumita, 34, were both executed by hanging. Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda ordered the executions. Between December 13 and 28, 1991, Nishikawa killed the four women Kyo Harada (55), Noriko Murakami (51), both from Kyoto, Kumiko Masaki (45), from Hyogo Prefecture, and Fumiko Takahashi (55), from Shimane Prefecture by strangulation or stabbing. He also robbed the victims of more than 200,000 yen in cash. The following month, Nishikawa attempted to strangle Ayame Katsura, a 37-year-old rakugo storyteller, to death inside her residence in Osaka. On September 30, 2011, Sumita raped Misa Kato, 27, inside a warehouse of a company where she was employed. He then stabbed her about 10 times. Sumita, who formerly worked with Kato, then drove a vehicle containing her corpse to a garage in Osakas Sumiyoshi Ward where it was dismembered and dumped at a garbage site and in a river. There have been a total of 19 executions under the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which began in December of 2012. In November of last year, Kenichi Tajiri was hanged for killing two women in Kumamoto Prefecture in the most recent execution before Thursday. Japan executes two inmates, including one who appealed for a retrial Gallows at Tokyo Detention Center Japan hanged two death-row inmates Thursday morning, including a man convicted of multiple murders who had reportedly been seeking a retrial, the Justice Ministry said. Masakatsu Nishikawa, one of the two executed prisoners, had filed an appeal for a retrial. Nishikawa, 61, was convicted of murdering four female bar managers in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, in 1991. The other executed inmate was Koichi Sumida, 34, who was sentenced to death in February 2013 by the Okayama District Court for killing his former colleague, Misa Kato, 27, a temp staff worker on Sept. 30, 2011. Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda ordered the executions, which were the 18th and 19th carried out since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returned to power in December 2012. The previous execution, the first ordered by Kaneda, was carried out last November, when a man was hanged for killing two women in Kumamoto Prefecture. Kaneda told a news conference following the 2016 execution that the punishment was meted out for an extremely cruel case in which the precious lives of the victims were taken for selfish purposes. I gave the order after careful consideration. In October 2016, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations issued a declaration calling for the abolition of capital punishment and the introduction of life sentences without parole by 2020. Kaneda has expressed opposition to the idea, saying, A majority of Japanese citizens believe the death penalty is inevitable against heinous crimes. According to human rights organization Amnesty International, 141 countries legally or effectively abolished capital punishment as of the end of 2016. In 2016, 23 countries or regions, including Japan, executed inmates. Amnesty protested against the execution of the two inmates later Thursday. Cautious examination was necessary under the capital punishment system, as a nation takes away peoples lives, Amnesty said in a statement, referring to the case of Nishikawa, who had filed a plea for a retrial. For fair judgment, an opportunity for retrial should be secured, it said. Addressing Sumidas situation, Amnesty pointed out that his dropping the case automatically led to the ruling. Under the current system, even if the case has a problem in the process of investigation and indictment, the problem is overlooked when the suspect withdraws the case, the organization continued. The execution (of the two inmates) lacks a view to secure the right for fair judgment. Rights group slams Japan's latest executions as 'inhumane' as 2 murderers are hanged Death row at Osaka Detention Center The deaths bring the total number since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took power in 2012 to 19 Japan executed 2 convicted murderers on Thursday, the justice ministry said, ignoring calls from international rights groups to end capital punishment. The hangings of Masakatsu Nishikawa and Koichi Sumida bring the total number of executions since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took power in 2012 to 19. Nishikawa, 61, was convicted of killing 4 women in western Japan in 1991, while Sumida, 34, was sentenced to death for killing a female colleague in 2011 and dismembering her body. "Both are extremely cruel cases in which victims were deprived of their precious lives on truly selfish motives," Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda said. Calls to abolish death penalty grow louder in Japan Japan's Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda faces tough questions on capital punishment after 2 murderers were hanged. "I ordered the executions after careful consideration," he added. Amnesty International condemned Japan's continued use of the death penalty and said it was a "wanton disregard for the right to life". "The death penalty never delivers justice, it is the ultimate cruel and inhumane punishment," Hiroka Shoji, East Asia researcher for the group, said. Nishikawa was hanged while seeking a retrial. Though not unprecedented, it is rare in Japan. Kaneda indicated it was wrong to believe that death row inmates could not be executed while their retrial pleas are pending. "When a rejection is naturally expected, we cannot help avoiding carrying out [capital punishment]," Kaneda said, noting he was not commenting on either of Thursday's cases. Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Kaneda made the decision "appropriately under the provision of the law". The death penalty has overwhelming public support in Japan despite protests from European governments and rights groups. Opponents say Japan's system is cruel because inmates can be on death row for many years in solitary confinement and are only told of their impending execution a few hours ahead of time. Out of 124 death-row inmates, 91 are seeking a retrial, according to Jiji Press. Germany Urges Japan to Abolish Death Penalty Germany calls on Japan to abolish capital punishment, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office Baerbel Kofler said Thursday. Earlier in the day, media reported that 2 criminals were executed in Japan despite international criticism. "The federal government is against the death penalty ... I would like to ask the Japanese government to reconsider this practice and to stop further use of death penalty. In Japan there is an open discussion in the civil society regarding the matter of the abolition of the death penalty. I welcome this discussion, it is an important starting point for dialogue," Kofler said as quoted in the newsletter of the German Foreign Ministry. Kofler stressed that Germany and Japan worked closely and trustingly on many issues. 2 men hanged as reprehensible executions continue Control room and gallows at Tokyo Detention Center The Japanese government's continued use of the death penalty demonstrates a contempt for the right to life, Amnesty International said, following the execution of 2 men on Thursday. The executions, the 1st in Japan in 2017, take the number of people executed under the current government to 19 since 2012. Masakatsu Nishikawa, who was convicted of the murder of four people in 1991 and 1992, was executed at Osaka Detention Centre. He maintained his innocence on some of the charges against him and the Asahi Newspaper reported that he was seeking a retrial. Koichi Sumida, who was convicted of murder in 2011, was executed at Hiroshima Detention Centre. "Today's executions shows the Japanese government's wanton disregard for the right to life. The death penalty never delivers justice, it is the ultimate cruel and inhumane punishment," said Hiroka Shoji, East Asia Researcher at Amnesty International. "Executions in Japan remain shrouded in secrecy but the government cannot hide the fact that it is on the wrong side of history, as the majority of the world's states have turned away from the death penalty." On 1 July, Mongolia became the most recent and the 105th country worldwide to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. There are 124 death row prisoners detained in Japan, based on the latest figures from the Ministry of Justice. Secret executions Executions in Japan are carried out with prisoners typically given only a few hours' notice, and some given no warning at all. Their families, lawyers and the public are usually notified about the execution only after it has taken place. Secret executions are in contravention of international standards on the use of the death penalty. This and the lack of other adequate legal safeguards for those facing the death penalty in Japan has been widely criticized by UN experts. This includes defendants being denied adequate legal counsel and a lack of a mandatory appeal process for capital cases. Several prisoners with mental and intellectual disabilities are also known to have been executed or remain on death row. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime, the guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the offender or the method used by the state to carry out the execution. The death penalty violates the right to life and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! : Tokyo Reporter, July 13, 2017: Japan Times, July 13, 2017: South China Morning Post, July 14, 2017: Agencies, July 14, 2017: Amnesty International, July 17, 2017 Bulls from the Nunez del Cuvillo stockbreeder, in Andalusia, took to the streets of Pamplona on Thursday morning, for the seventh and penultimate Running of the Bulls at Sanfermines 2017. The run lasted two minutes and 40 seconds, and would have finished sooner were it not for the complete herd stopping once in the citys bullring, turning around, before finally heading into their pen. A total of six people were taken to hospital, two of whom had been gored by the bulls during the run. One man was being treated for a head injury. Tomorrow, Friday July 14, will see the last run of the fiestas at San Fermin 2017, and will feature animals from the Miura stockbreeder. The first encierro, or bull run, on Friday saw three injuries and there were two more gorings on Saturday. Since 1910, 16 people have lost their lives at the encierros. English version by Simon Hunter. A common question a urologist often hears from his male patients is: What can I do to reduce my risk of developing prostate cancer ? This is a great question all men should be asking. Men may not think much about their prostate until they have problems with it. But why wait until something goes wrong? If a man can work with his doctor in fine tuning how to treat his prostate with respect, then he will most likely improve his chances of dodging prostate cancer. Eating more fruit and veg can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis and has the important job of producing the fluid that together with sperm cells from the testicles and fluids from other glands makes up semen. Besides prostate cancer, the prostate is vulnerable to other conditions associated with it such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Thats why the earlier in life a man does think about it, the greater the likelihood of avoiding potential issues in the future. All men can and should take preventative steps to keep their prostate in tip-top shape, regardless of whether they have a family history of prostate cancer or not. According to the American Cancer Society, about 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2017. Around one man in seven will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. All men can and should take steps to keep their prostate in tip-top shape, regardless of whether they have a family history of cancer or not Here are seven ways a man can improve his chances of keeping his prostate healthy and cancer free: 1. Maintain a healthy body weight and exercise regularly Men should reach a healthy body weight for their height paying special attention to reducing central abdominal obesity or belly fat. Keeping a consistent, regular exercise program can help maintain weight and keep it from accumulating in the belly area. 2. Eat more fruit and vegetables Men should consume at a minimum five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The more a man chooses colorful produce to eat, the better. Choose from tomatoes loaded with the phytochemical lycopene along with pink grapefruit, watermelons and papaya, which also contain this healthy compound for prostates. Cruciferous vegetables are always a good choice for preventing all cancers and include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Bok choy and kale. 3. Get some sun Always use sunscreen but dont totally avoid the sun either. The sun is our main source of vitamin D, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Too little sun and a man may run the risk of increasing his chance of getting the disease. 4. Dont smoke The role of smoking appears to increase the risk of prostate cancer by affecting circulating hormone levels or through exposure to carcinogens. If a man currently smokes, he should seek help in quitting as soon as possible. 5. Choose foods rich in selenium The mineral selenium has been found in studies to have a role in preventing prostate cancer. Include more selenium rich foods such as wheat germ, tuna, herring, beef liver, eggs, sunflower and sesame seeds, cashews, mushrooms, garlic and onions. The mineral selenium has been found in studies to have a role in preventing prostate cancer 6. Know your family history for prostate cancer Its always advisable to know your family medical history and for a man it is important to know if any close relatives (father, brother or grandfather) ever had prostate issues or prostate cancer. A mans doctor needs to be informed of this as any man having a father or brother with prostate cancer has double the chance of developing this disease. Other factors putting a man at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer include: African-American People of Scandinavian descent Any man who has two or more family members who were diagnosed with prostate cancer 7. PSA blood test and digital rectal exam The standard tests for checking a mans prostate is the prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam. A man should consult with his doctor as to when these tests should begin but they should be done annually once they are started. Dr. Samadi is a board-certified urologic oncologist trained in open and traditional and laparoscopic surgery and is an expert in robotic prostate surgery. He is chairman of urology, chief of robotic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital. He is a medical correspondent for the Fox News Channel's Medical A-Team. Follow Dr. Samadi on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, SamadiMD.com and Facebook. During a state dinner last night in Buckingham Palace, on the first official day of the king and queen of Spains visit to the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth stated that none of the challenges currently facing the two countries would affect their good bilateral relationship. The banquet, which unusually was attended by the majority of the British royal family, was held after Spains King Felipe VI had addressed a joint session of the House of Commons and the House of Lords in Westminster. During his speech in parliament, which he delivered in English, he had tackled the thorny issues of Gibraltar and Brexit, and also paid tribute to Ignacio Echevarria, the Spaniard who was killed in the recent terrorist attack on London Bridge. A total of 150 guests attended last nights dinner, including politicians, diplomats, business leaders As well as members of the British royal family, a total of 150 guests attended last nights dinner, including politicians, diplomats, business leaders and other representatives of civil society. The executive chairman of Santander bank, Ana Botin, was present, as were representatives from other Spanish companies such as Pablo Isla from Inditex (the parent company of clothing retailer Zara), Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallet, from telecoms giant Telefonica, and Antonio Vazquez from IAG (the holding company that owns former flag carriers British Airways and Iberia, among other airlines). After the Spanish national anthem was played, Queen Elizabeth made a speech during which she emphasized the bonds of friendship between the two countries. The state visit, she said, was an expression of the deep respect and friendship that describes the relationship between Spain and the United Kingdom, one that she defined as dynamic and modern. The queen also reflected some of the former differences between Spain and the UK from the past that King Felipe had mentioned in his speech on Wednesday night, saying that it was inevitable that there were issues where the countries had not seen eye to eye. But she went on to state that a relationship like ours founded on such great strengths and common interests will ensure that both our nations prosper now and in the future, whatever challenges arise. There is no doubt that Spaniards will always be together with our British friends and allies King Felipe VI King Felipe then made a speech thanking the royal family for the invitation to the UK and expressing his enormous satisfaction at seeing the progress made in terms of the relationship between the two countries since the Spanish royals last state visit, made 31 years ago by then-King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. The depth of our links and the solidity of our friendship will help our respective governments deal with any issue about which there are still discrepancies, with the best will and the utmost spirit of collaboration. As he had done earlier in parliament, he expressed Spains solidarity with the British people. There is no doubt that Spaniards will always be together with our British friends and allies, shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism, he said. The king ended his speech with a toast to Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh and the people of the United Kingdom, after which the British national anthem, God Save the Queen, was played. English version by Simon Hunter. A date has been set for the exhumation of Salvador Dalis remains: July 20. But this will not be happening if the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation has anything to say about it. The Spanish artists heirs have lodged an appeal against an attempt to collect DNA samples from his body, in connection with a paternity claim filed by a 60-year-old woman who says she is Dalis daughter. A Spanish woman has filed a paternity claim against Dali. If the appeal is dismissed, the Surrealist masters remains will be taken out of their resting place in Figueres, under the dome of the Dali Theater-Museum, where they have been for nearly 30 years. The case began when a woman named Pilar Abel Martinez, a resident of Girona, began legal proceedings to prove that she is the daughter of the famous painter. A trial is set for September 18 in Madrid, but before that, the judge has asked for a DNA sample from Dali. Lawyers for the Dali foundation filed an appeal, asking for alternative measures to opening the painters grave. This is an essential step for me; I need for the truth to come out Pilar Abel Martinez We do not oppose paternity tests, but there are other options for extracting genetic material that fall short of exhumation, a foundation spokesperson told EL PAIS. This center has proposed collecting a sample from the claimants brother, on the basis that if both siblings share the same genetics, then they both have the same mother and father, and thus Pilar Abel Martinez is not related to Dali. On Tuesday, Abel Martinez traveled to Madrids official forensics center, the Instituto Anatomico Forense, where saliva samples were taken. Outside the building, she told reporters that she was very happy. This is an essential step for me; I need for the truth to come out, she said. But her lawyer, Enrique Blanquez, said that they would oppose getting Pilars brother involved because it would not be conclusive and would simply prolong a process thats been dragging on for more than two years. This is, in fact, not the first time that the same courthouse has ordered the exhumation of Dalis body. The first time was on December 21, 2016, according to the Catalan daily El punt-Avui. An appeal by the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation effectively halted the process. We do not oppose paternity tests, but there are other options for extracting genetic material Dali foundation spokesperson Pilar Abel Martinez, who was herself born in Figueres in 1956, has been publicly claiming to be the famous painters daughter since 2007. She says that her mother, a native of Pineda de Mar (Barcelona), told her that she had a secret affair with Dali in Port-Lligat (Cadaques), where she was working for a family that spent part of the year there. In 1955 she left her job and returned to her home town of Castello dEmpuries, where she got married. A few months later, Pilar was born. According to the latter, the first time she heard that she was Dalis daughter was from her own paternal grandmother, who repeatedly told her: I know you are not my sons daughter, but the daughter of a great painter, but I love you all the same. Her grandmother always accused her of being odd, just like your father a reference to Salvador Dali. This is not the first time that Abel has been involved in lawsuits concerning Spanish celebrities. After working for eight years as a fortune teller on a local television show in Girona, in 2005 she sued the writer Javier Cercas, claiming that she felt insulted after seeing herself portrayed in the character of a fortune teller named Conchi in his acclaimed novel Soldiers of Salamis. She asked for 600,000 in damages but the case was dismissed in early 2006. English version by Susana Urra. Felipe VI addressing a joint session of parliament in London. HANNAH MCKAY (AFP) With a storm brewing on the horizon of LondonBrussels relations over the Brexit negotiations, Felipe VI and Letizia of Spain finally began their twice-postponed state visit to the United Kingdom. The warm welcome extended by Queen Elizabeth and her family, as well as by the British government and parliament, underscored the excellent state of bilateral relations and common interests, and it served as a reminder of the last successful state visit by a Spanish monarch, in this case Felipes father Juan Carlos, 31 years ago now. Beyond an exceptional display of protocol by the British monarchy, there was a joint session of the House of Commons and the House of Lords in Westminster, where Felipe VI delivered a message rightly underscoring the importance of preserving bilateral relations before and after Britain exits the European Union. The king was right on target when he expressed dismay at the British peoples decision, yet showed full respect for this decision and pledged to work towards a scenario in which Spain and the UK, regardless of their differences, will be able to face common challenges together, especially with regard to fighting terrorism. As Felipe VI said in his speech, people deserve certainty and guarantees about their future Despite its friendly tone and praise-filled passages, the kings speech delivered mostly in English did not avoid the thorniest subjects. The Spanish monarch did not fail to mention Gibraltar or invoke the rights of Spaniards living in the UK who will be affected by Brexit. But Felipe VI also reminded the members of the oldest functioning parliament in the world about the importance that the Spanish economy has for the British economy through its businesses and capital, and its contribution to job creation and growth in Britain. The events in London were in stark contrast to what was happening on the other side of the Channel, where Michel Barnier, the EUs Brexit negotiator, was starting to show signs of impatience in the face of yet another British attempt at avoiding the tab that London will have to pick up before negotiating its future relationship with the EU. The British government must accept that its obligations to the EU will not end until the day that its departure is finalized, and that it has a mandate to take the country out of the Union, but not a mandate to default on its obligations. The British government must accept that its obligations to the EU will not end until the day that its departure is finalized Against this backdrop, it did not help at all to have Britains foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, join the debate in his usual blunt style and declare that Brussels officials can go whistle if they expect London to pay for leaving the EU. Johnson would do well to drop the demagoguery and get serious about a complex process where there is a lot at stake for his country. Barniers reply, and by extension the EUs, could not have been more logical: the European Commission has already published nine documents explaining its position, whereas the British position is a complete mystery, and time is running out. As Felipe VI said in his speech, people deserve certainty and guarantees about their future. English version by Susana Urra. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: Murder of civilians by Armenian servicemen in Azerbaijan is terrorism and separatism, wrote Ukrainian political analyst Yuriy Raykhel in his article about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, posted on Ukraines politeka.net portal. As a result of shelling of the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district by the Armenian armed forces, two civilians, including a child, were killed, says the article. 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 analyst noted in his article that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts solution could affect the development of trade and economic ties between the regions countries and other countries. As a result of the conflicts settlement, goods of the South Caucasus countries can be transported through the Caspian and Black seas, which will positively affect the Ukrainian market, said Raykhel. Therefore, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict meets Ukraines interests, he noted. The South Caucasus is a strategic region and therefore has always been in the field of view of foreign states interests. 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. Azerbaijans Armed Forces have anti-missile weapons capable of shooting down missiles from "Iskander" missile systems deployed in Armenia, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency. As defense minister, I declare that we have a system that can shoot down these missiles. We have 50 times more missiles. I fully stand by my words. Imagine the response strike on the infrastructure and military targets [of Armenia], if they [Armenian Armed Forces] decide to use them [the missiles]!? He went on to say that the "Iskander" missile system is good, but there are several questions. First, what type of Iskander missile system is it? There are many types of them. Second, in what condition is this "Iskander" missile system? Third, who manages this system? The fourth question is whether they [Armenian Armed Forces] will be able to use it. We, as military people, always consider the worst option, and we are ready for it, he said. Zakir Hasanov added that though the missiles he was speaking about were purchased not in Russia, their quality is not worse. He noted that Azerbaijans Armed Forces held military drills and combat shooting, adding that the result was excellent. We are confident that we will be able to protect our settlements and armed forces, he said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: The contract for the delivery of Russian tanks, BM-30 Smerch heavy multiple rocket launchers and Msta-S self-propelled howitzers to Azerbaijan is nearly complete, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on July 10 that another batch of ammunition, weapons and modern military equipment, purchased from Russia, was delivered to Azerbaijan. The previous batch was sent in June. The contract has already been fulfilled by almost 90 percent. We paid for it. There are little things left. Azerbaijan has received everything and has been using it successfully, Hasanov said. All these are modern weapons. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta has visited Baku branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University to meet its Head, Academician Nargiz Pashayeva. Nargiz Pashayeva highlighted the activity of the university, as well as its future development. They talked about the universitys current international relations, as well as its cooperation with the University of Oxford. The academician spoke of the activity of Scientific Center of Azerbaijan and Caucasian Studies named after Nizami Ganjavi at Oxford University. The Center is involved in research, academic exchange, scientific and practical conferences, scholarship programs, implementation of cultural projects. One of the functions of the Center is to collect scientific information, resource and library fund related to Azerbaijan. The popularization of science and public figures of Azerbaijan through the translation and publication of their work in English, French and German is an important part of the Center's activity. Academician Nargiz Pashayeva touched upon excavation works carried out in Barda, which was the capital of Caucasian Albania in the late period of the Roman Empire. Ambassador Robert Cekuta expressed confidence that Scientific Center of Azerbaijan and Caucasian Studies named after Nizami Ganjavi will carry out a number of great projects in the future. Nargiz Pashayeva also highlighted the activity of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus that is officially registered in the UK. Ambassador Robert Cekuta thanked for the meeting and said relations between Azerbaijan and the US dynamically develop and expand. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov met with US Ambassador Robert Cekuta, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said July 13. The sides exchanged views on military, military-technical, military education issues and organizing of mutual visits at the level of specialists and trainings, as well as on cooperation issues in defense, joint fight against terrorism and peacekeeping operations. Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Hasanov said that Armenia is a source of separatism, terrorism and extremism. Stressing that this is a threat not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the region, the minister said that the joint work of international organizations is required to prevent this threat. The US diplomat stressed that the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is important for ensuring the security and development of the South Caucasus region. Cekuta expressed deep condolences to the relatives of people who died as a result of the conflict, in particular, civilians killed in Alkhanly village of Azerbaijans Fizuli district. The US ambassador stressed the successful development of cooperation between the US and Azerbaijan in a bilateral format and within the NATO. Cekuta expressed gratitude for Azerbaijans contribution to the peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan. Then the ambassador introduced Adam Kavlick, new US military attache to Azerbaijan, to the Azerbaijani defense minister. Congratulating the new US military attache with the beginning of the mission in Azerbaijan, the minister wished him success in the work on expanding the ties between the armed forces of the two countries. CHARLESTON -- The Coles County Arts Council is pleased and proud to be providing scholarships for four local music students to attend summer instructional camps at Eastern Illinois University this July. The scholarship winners were chosen in an audition process involving fifteen young musicians, all of whom performed in the Arts Council Honors Recital in May. Pianist and vocalist Addie Bayer, Charleston High School class of 2017, the first place winner, will be enrolled in the Instrumental Jazz program. Violinist Noel Chi, a rising eighth grader at St. Johns Lutheran in Mattoon, was the second place winner and will be attending the Strings program. The third place winner was soprano Taylor Fleming, a rising sophomore at Charleston High School. Taylor will enroll in the Choir program. As Ms. Bayer and Ms. Chi have also been awarded partial scholarships by the EMC, the Arts Council was able to provide a partial scholarship to their first alternate, flutist Sydney Eastin of Hindsboro, who will be a junior at Oakland this fall. The second and third alternates were pianist Leah Mertz, who will begin seventh grade at Charleston Middle School in the fall; and baritone Remington Neal, a rising senior at Charleston High School. The Eastern Music Camps will offer their culmination concerts on the afternoon of Saturday July 22. For the times and locations, please visit the Eastern Music Camp page at www.eiu.edu. The Arts Council extends congratulations to their scholarship students, and to all local music students participating in the Eastern Music Camps this summer. Details added (first version posted at 17:26) Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received credentials of newly appointed Ambassador of Turkmenistan Mekan Ishanguliyev. Ambassador Mekan Ishanguliyev reviewed a guard of honor. Mekan Ishanguliyev presented his credentials to President Ilham Aliyev. Ilham Aliyev then had a conversation with the ambassador. The head of state stressed that the brotherly people of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have enjoyed friendship and cooperation for centuries. President Ilham Aliyev noted that today the intergovernmental relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan actively strengthen. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan is interested in strengthening the relations in political, economic, transport, humanitarian and other areas. The bilateral relations are successfully developing and are exemplary. President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his activities and expressed his hope that Mekan Ishanguliyevs diplomatic tenure will contribute to bringing the two countries closer to each other and to developing the relations in all areas. Ambassador Mekan Ishanguliyev extended President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedovs greetings to President Ilham Aliyev. The ambassador noted that he will spare no efforts to expand and strengthen the relations between the two brotherly countries and peoples during his tenure. Saying that the two countries historically enjoyed relations of good neighborliness, Mekan Ishanguliyev pointed out the existence of necessary potential for strengthening cooperation in political, economic, diplomatic, trade and cultural areas. The ambassador noted that transport sector is one of the key priorities of cooperation. Hailing favourable geographical location of both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, the ambassador noted that trade routes historically passed through the two countries. Mekan Ishanguliyev said the international cooperation issues are actively discussed by appropriate authorities of the two countries. The ambassador described meetings between the Turkmen and Azerbaijani presidents as the main factor in revitalizing cooperation. The ambassador said the Asian Games will start in Turkmenistan on September 17, adding that the president and people of Turkmenistan are looking forward to President Ilham Aliyevs participation at the event. President Ilham Aliyev said relations between the two countries actively develop. The head of state noted the importance of high-level meetings in strengthening the bilateral relations, adding that cooperation between related authorities, including state and private companies, should match up to this level. The head of state extended his congratulations on Turkmenistans hosting the Asian Games. President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his future activities. The head of state thanked for the greetings of Turkmenistans president and asked the ambassador to convey his greetings to Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: Financing of Azerbaijans Armed Forces increased by 17-20 percent in 2017, said Azerbaijans Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov in his interview with RIA Novosti agency. Although there is a crisis in the whole world and it didnt bypass us, but didnt hit hard. As the Minister of Defense, I am interested in financing the army last year, it only increased, said Hasanov. Therefore, the leadership of Azerbaijan, headed by President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, pays big attention to strengthening the army, equipping it with modern weapons, noted the minister. We have moved to a new qualitative level. In recent years, the task has been set to modernize the army, to strengthen it, added Hasanov. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 Trend: Azerbaijan is considering an opportunity of buying an additional batch of weapons in Russia, Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency. "We are reviewing certain weapons, requesting the information and conducting tests, Hasanov said in his first interview for the foreign media during the entire period of his serving as defense minister. The purchase of weapons is a multi-faceted issue, he said. On the one hand, it is necessary to avoid the template, on the other hand, heterogeneity creates problems in servicing. "This is a very difficult issue," Hasanov added. Earlier, the Azerbaijani defense ministry said that another batch of military equipment and ammunition purchased from Russia was delivered to Azerbaijan. The previous batch of weapons purchased in Russia was delivered to Azerbaijan in June. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan discussed organization of Uzbek cargo transportation through Kazakh port of Kuryk on the Caspian Sea. This issue was discussed at the meeting of head of Kazakh railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Kanat Alpysbayev and Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan - Chairman of the Board of Uzbek railway company Uzbekiston Temir Yullari Achilbay Ramatov in Tashkent, Kazakh company said in a message. Cargoes from the port of Kuryk could be further transported to the ports of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran. Within the meeting Kanat Alpysbayev and Achilbay Ramatov discussed further development of cooperation in railway transportation. "The parties discussed issues of flexible tariff policy, increase in the volume of cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, container trains organization, and the supply of Kazakh railroad engineering products in Uzbekistan," the company said. Moreover an agreement was reached on the timely transportation of Uzbek fruits and vegetables to Kazakhstan and Russia. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, cargo transportation by rail between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan amounted hit 7.554 million tons in January-June 2017, which is 4 percent more than in the same period of 2016. As many as 156 container trains went from China to Uzbekistan through the territory of Kazakhstan in the first half of this year, while last year, only a total of 110 container trains went the route. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Details added (first version posted on 10:30) Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: The International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) has received enough votes from creditors to start the process of restructuring its foreign liabilities, Bloomberg reported. Creditors holding more than 87 percent of the debt have voted in favor of the restructuring process, according to the report. Voting on the plan of voluntary restructuring of the IBAs foreign liabilities started on June 19 and will end July 18. Earlier, a number of creditors who did not agree with the restructuring of the IBAs foreign liabilities, appealed to the New York court, stating their non-recognition of the restructuring. The court considered the appeal and ruled in favor of IBA. Thus, the bank's assets will remain untouched in the process of restructuring. The banks total debt to foreign creditors is $3.3 billion. The International Bank of Azerbaijan has been operating since 1992 and is one of the countrys two state-owned banks. The General Meeting of shareholders of AccessBank held on July 6 reviewed several issues regarding the banks activity, said AccessBank in a message July 13. The new membership of the Supervisory Board also was discussed during the meeting and, the new chairman of the Supervisory Board was assigned and a new member was accepted. The new chairman, Jan Klassen, is substituting Orhan Aytemiz on this position. Meanwhile, Emre Yildiz was accepted to the Supervisory Board as a new member. Jan Klassen and Emre Yildiz both have an extensive banking experience and currently hold managing positions in advanced European financial institutions. Thus, the new composition of the Supervisory Board is as follows: Jan Klassen Chairman, Syed Aftab Ahmed member, Thomas Engelhardt member, Riener Muller Hanke member, Emre Yildiz member. AccessBank was founded in 2002 by the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, EBRD, IFC, KfW, a German consulting company LFS Financial Systems and AccessHolding. Being one of the leading banks of Azerbaijan, AccessBank offers a full range of banking services. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta has visited Baku Shipyard LLC, says the companys message posted on its website. According to the message, the ambassador was informed about the activity of Baku Shipyard and new projects during his meeting with the companys management. Prospects of future cooperation between Baku Shipyard and US companies were discussed during the meeting, says the message. It should be recalled that Baku Shipyard LLC is a joint venture of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd., inaugurated by Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in September 2013. Main activity of the Baku Shipyard consists of the construction of a variety of vessels ranging from offshore support vessels, general cargo vessels, tug boats, crane vessels, specialized vessels and passengers vessels to tankers. Baku Shipyard also undertakes ship repair and conversion of such vessels. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 13 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend Specialists of several Turkmen ministries and departments met with the heads of the European office of John Deere company during a working visit to Germany, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported. The prospects of business partnership were discussed in the context of developing Turkmenistan's agricultural sector, which relies on the latest scientific achievements, the latest technologies and innovative developments. John Deeres representatives offered to open an educational center in Turkmenistan with all necessary equipment for distance and video training. Turkmen specialists also visited the leading machine-building enterprises of Germany, including John Deeres biggest plants located in Mannheim, Bruchsal and Zweibrucken. A contract was signed with John Deere International GmbH (Switzerland) for the purchase of 1,350 agricultural machines, as well as plows, seeders, spare parts, consumables in December 2016. Agricultural machinery will be delivered in 2017-2020. Cotton and wheat are strategic crops of local agriculture. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide Georgia with 250 million euro loan to upgrade priority road infrastructure, the bank said in a message July 13. The loan agreement was signed by EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudak in the presence of Georgian Prime Minister Girogi Kvirikashvili and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in Tbilisi. In addition, the EU bank increased its support by 3.5 million euro to finance the completion of rehabilitation works at Georgias biggest hydropower complex, the Vardnili-Enguri HPP cascade. The 250 million euro loan is the second and last tranche of a 500 million euro framework loan for the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 253 kilometers priority primary and secondary roads identified by Georgias Government for the 2017-2020 period. The project, which will include road safety elements, will enhance both international connectivity notably on the East West Highway, part of the extended Trans-European Transport Network and domestic mobility. This will strengthen vital links between Georgia, Ukraine and Europe through the Black Sea ports, and also to Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia. The extension of the EIBs support for the Vardnili-Enguri HPP cascade follows the 20 million euro loan provided by the bank in 2010 in line with EU policy guidelines for EIB activities in the Eastern Partnership and supported by a 5 million euro grant from the European Commission. The additional 3.5 million euro in funding from the EIB will help to finalize a rehabilitation program concerning civil works as well as electrical and hydro mechanical work. This additional loan will provide assistance to secure the completion of a project that is expected to have a significant impact on Georgias hydroelectricity supply. The EIB has so far supported 21 projects with a total loan volume of over 1.5 billion euro in Georgia. A regional EIB office was opened in Tbilisi in 2015. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: The governments of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan reached an agreement to ban import and sale of goods, produced in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, in Tajikistan. The agreement was reached during the 4th meeting of Azerbaijani-Tajik intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, held in Baku July 13. During the meeting, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who is also a co-chair of the commission, noted the successful development of political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries. He reminded that Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have already signed 45 documents on cooperation in various fields. The sides discussed possibilities of exporting agricultural and industrial products from Azerbaijan to Tajikistan, expanding investment activities in areas of mutual interest and creating joint ventures. Speaking about the transportation projects implemented by Azerbaijan in the region, and the work of Azerbaijani Coordinating Council on Transit Freight, Mustafayev noted that Tajikistan can take advantage of these opportunities. A protocol was signed following the meeting of the intergovernmental commission. GREENUP -- The Embarras River Basin Agency, Inc. outreach office Food Pantry in Greenup has been receiving many blessings recently. The first phone call was from Jason Propst, president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, production manager for TLS Farmer Network, LLC and Cumberland County Pork Producer. Propst had been in contact with local pork producers through a program called Pork Power. According to Propst, Pork Power matches the donations of pork from local pork producers to local food pantries. We like to keep the pork donation local whenever possible. Cathy Earnest, manager of ERBA outreach office, was thrilled to received ERBA food pantrys blessing, 1304 pounds of ground pork in two pound packages. That is 672 packages of protein for a food panty whose meat supply was down to zero. We have been having such a great demand lately, our meat supply was all gone; what a blessing this has been! stated Earnest. Jason Propst delivered the meat, and along with David Handley (Food Pantry Coordinator), Sandy Deters (ERBA Housing Counselor and a Cumberland County Pork Producer), and Cathy Earnest (ERBA Outreach Manager) unloaded the cargo into the new freezers. David Handley had just finished moving the newly donated commercial freezer and refrigerator into place just days before the pork had arrived. For more information on donating pork to the Pork Power Program, call Jason Propst, IPPA at 217-246-2589. If you would also like to make a donation to ERBA food pantry, please contact Cathy Earnest, ERBA Greenup Outreach office at 217-923-3599. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: For the European Union (EU) and Georgia the timely implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor is important as well as its extension over time to additional supply countries, said the European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. He made the remarks ahead of the official visit to Georgia to attend Batumi International Conference "Ensuring Regional Stability" which will focus on the European Agenda, particularly on energy security and diversification of energy markets. Georgia has a key transit role to play in the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor, added Sefcovic. 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. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: US LNG will become competitive in Europe only when oil prices return to approximately $60-70 per barrel, believes Claudio Steuer, Director of SyEnergy, a UK energy consultant focused on strategy and commercial matters involving natural gas and LNG value chains. At the current low oil and gas benchmarks prices, traditional and new European gas supply contracts offer lower prices than USA LNG imports, and US LNG deliveries into Europe are expected to be much lower than originally anticipated, Steuer told Trend by email. The consultant noted that US LNG in its majority at the present time is commercialized under a liquefy of pay long term fixed tariff and available on FOB price basis on the US Gulf, adding that buyers still have procure LNG shipping services from a third-party to organize delivery of US LNG to the desired LNG re-gasification terminal. When you consider the additional possibilities of natural gas supply from the Caspian Region and East Mediterranean it is easier to see why in the long-term US LNG can only effectively contribute to enhancing European energy security if it is able to cut in half the current high cash cost structure and adopt a full service delivered LNG business model, Steuer said. He noted that over the longer term, it is more likely that US LNG will supply markets closer to the centers of production like Mexico, Caribbean Islands, Central America and South America. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Global gas demand is expected to grow by 1.6 percent a year for the next five years, with consumption reaching almost 4,000 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2022, up from 3,630 bcm in 2016, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Gas 2017 report. The global natural gas market is undergoing a major transformation driven by new supplies coming from the United States to meet growing demand in developing economies and as industry surpasses the power sector as the largest source of gas demand growth, according to the IEA. The report said that demand from the industrial sector becomes the main engine of gas consumption growth, replacing power generation, where gas is being squeezed by growing renewables and competition from coal. The United States the worlds largest gas consumer and producer will account for 40 percent of the worlds extra gas production to 2022 thanks to the remarkable growth in its domestic shale industry, said the IEA. By 2022, US production will be 890 bcm, or more than a fifth of global gas output. By 2022, the IEA estimates that the United States will be on course to challenge Australia and Qatar for global leadership among LNG exporters. The US shale revolution shows no sign of running out of steam and its effects are now amplified by a second revolution of rising LNG supplies, said Fatih Birol, the IEAs Executive Director. Also, the rising number of LNG consuming countries, from 15 in 2005 to 39 this year, shows that LNG attracts many new customers, especially in the emerging world. However, whether these countries remain long-term consumers or opportunistic buyers will depend on price competition. US LNG will be a catalyst for change in the international gas market, diversifying supply, challenging traditional business models and suppliers, and transforming global gas security, according to the IEA report. The analysts point out that this LNG glut is already affecting price formation and traditional business models and attracting new LNG-consuming countries like Pakistan, Thailand and Jordan. Europe could see growing competition between LNG imports and pipeline gas as domestic production declines, creating extra uncertainty on the sources of future supply, according to the report. IEA analysts state that the recent standoff involving Qatar, which supplies about a third of the worlds LNG, and neighboring countries has also underscored potential risks to gas supply security. Even in a well-supplied market, recent events remind us that gas security remains a critical issue. said Birol. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The deal signed between Iran and Frances Total company on the phase 11 of development of Irans South Pars gas field will give confidence to other European companies that have been considering investments since the 2015 deal on Irans nuclear program, William Arthurs, chairman of the London-based Transatlantic Institute, told Trend. "Total has had a long-term interest in Iran's energy sector, including proposals for the South Pars field, though it held back on further investment while the sanctions regime was in place, while continuing to supply petrol to Iran," he said. "This deal is beneficial for security in the region, while Iran looks to secure further investment." Arthurs pointed out that widening the diversity of supply will help European and global market stability and energy security. "A more competitive market will ensure that the long-term trend in energy resource prices is downwards, benefiting industry and domestic consumers, while new investment in energy sector technology will enhance profitability in the sector, even if prices fall," he added. The structure of this deal ensures that France and China (two of the other six participants in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal) will have an interest in keeping the 2015 deal largely in place, whatever specific sanctions the US may plan, according to Arthurs. Total and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) have signed a contract for the development and production of phase 11 of South Pars, the world's largest gas field. The project will have a production capacity of 2 billion cubic feet per day or 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day including condensate. The produced gas will supply the Iranian domestic market starting in 2021. This contract, which has a 20-year duration, is the first Iranian Petroleum Contract (IPC) and is based on the technical, contractual and commercial terms as per the Heads of Agreement (HoA) signed on November 8, 2016. Total is the operator of the SP11 project with a 50.1 percent interest alongside the Chinese state-owned oil and gas company CNPC (30 percent), and Petropars (19.9 percent), a wholly owned subsidiary of NIOC. The South Pars Phase 11 will be developed in two phases. The first phase, with an estimated cost of around $2 billion equivalent, will consist of 30 wells and 2 wellhead platforms connected to existing onshore treatment facilities by 2 subsea pipelines. At a later stage, once required by reservoir conditions, a second phase will be launched involving the construction of offshore compression facilities. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 13 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan discussed cooperation in the transportation and energy sectors, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message. Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov has recently paid a working visit to Uzbekistan. The Turkmen delegation was received by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, said the message. During the meeting, the sides discussed expansion of practical cooperation between the two countries and joint implementation of promising projects, aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership, reads the message. Moreover, political consultations were held between the two countries foreign ministers, where the sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues of international and regional agenda. Earlier, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited the business community of Uzbekistan to participate in the TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia (TAPI) gas pipeline project. Uzbekistan was also offered to proceed with the development of oil and gas fields on the Turkmen shelf of the Caspian Sea. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 13 By Demir Azizov Trend: A delegation of the European Union representatives led by Stefano Manservisi, director-general of the European Commissions Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) has arrived in Tashkent, the Uzbek Foreign Ministrys press service said in a message. The visits program includes meetings and negotiations with representatives of the Uzbek government, Foreign Ministry, State Committee for Investments and other state structures of the country, during which it is planned to discuss the priority areas of cooperation, including agriculture, economic development, private business and entrepreneurship, water management, energy and border management. The delegation will also hold several meetings with the diplomatic missions of the EU member states in Uzbekistan, as well as development agencies Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UNICEF Fund, World Bank to discuss key development issues and opportunities for strengthening cooperation. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 13 By Demir Azizov Trend: The 19th regional Central Asia media conference titled Open journalism in Central Asia will be held in Tashkent on October 18-19, 2017, says an OSCE message posted on its website. During the two-day event, some 80 participants, including journalists, representatives from governments, civil society organizations and academia along with international experts, will discuss current challenges to media freedom in Central Asia. The participants will discuss a wide range of issues, including current trends in news media distribution and challenges related to the digital and increasingly mobile environment, and how to better safeguard media freedom whilst combatting hate speech. The regional Central Asia media conference is held annually by Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. The previous 18th conference was held in Vienna. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 13 By Demir Azizov Trend: On July 13, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov received the World Bank (WB) Director for Central Asia Lilia Burunciuc, said the press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry. The WB delegation lead by Burunciuc arrived in Tashkent for holding bilateral talks. During the meeting in the Foreign Ministry, the sides discussed the prospects of partnership between Uzbekistan and the WB Group, reads the message. The parties paid special attention to cooperation as part of implementation of the Strategy for Action on five priority areas of the development of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021, and exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 11 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iranian and Italian railway companies signed memorandums of understanding on July 11 for mutual cooperation, the official website of the Iranian railway company said. A deal worth 1.2 billion euros for building a 135-kilometer high-speed railway between Irans central cities of Arak and Qom is among the MoUs which were signed by Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of Italy's state railway company and his Iranian counterpart Saeed Mohammadzadeh in Tehran. The railway is the first stretch of a high-speed rail line which the Italian side plans to build in Iran, with the other being a 320-km planned link between Tehran and Hamadan. The deal follows an earlier reached agreement that saw Italy promise Iran $5.6 billion in export credits in return for contracts to build the Qom-Arak and Tehran-Hamedan railways. Italy will also provide rolling stock for high-speed and conventional lines, training for Iranian railway managers and a research centre to develop railway technology. According to the report, the two sides also signed a MoU with Irans University of Science and Technology for training and transfer of technology. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Irans Foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif left Tehran for New York early on July 13, the foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, said. Zarif will take part in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, which is ongoing at the UN Headquarters, Qasemi said, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reported. The top Iranian diplomat is scheduled to hold meetings with thinkers and senior officials from various countries as well as international figures on the sidelines of the forum, Qasemi added. Zarif also will deliver a speech at the US Council on Foreign Relations on July 17, he said. The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2017, convened under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council, will end July 19. A three-day ministerial meeting of the forum will be held from July 17 to July 19. When an older adult is asked, What is the hardest part of growing older? -- The most common response is: losing ones independence. Moving from a home youve known to an apartment is distressing, but it has not taken away independence. In some ways, moving into an apartment frees up time formerly spent maintaining the home and yard. Giving up driving seems to be the hardest things to relinquish. Even though there are many alternatives to help us get around town, not being able to just get up and go when we want is hard! So, how do you decide when it is time to stop driving? The older adult doesnt want anyone to take their keys away -- and they certainly dont want some type of accident to be the cause! According to AARP, there are several questions we need to ask ourselves about driving. Depending upon the answers, it might be time to consider handing over the keys. Do you feel uncomfortable or nervous about driving yourself/others around the area? Are you starting to see small dents in your vehicle, on garage doors, in fences, or on curbs? Is it difficult to stay in the right lane of traffic? Do you get lost? Is it difficult to pay attention to all the road signs and signals? Are you responding more slowly to situations that happen unexpectedly? Are you taking medications that could affect your driving and/or your reaction time? Have you had any close calls recently (in the last 6 months-year)? Are you having trouble judging distances? Do other drivers frequently honk at you? Are any of your family/friends hesitant to ride with you? Do you find it hard to see the sides of the road when you look straight ahead? Do distractions make it hard for you to concentrate while driving? Is it hard to look behind you when changing lanes or backing up? Have you gotten any traffic tickets (or warnings) in the last two years? After honestly answering the questions, are several of your responses, Yes? If so, you should check with someone you trust to be straightforward with you to see if they think you should have your driving assessed. You might also want to talk with your medical caregiver to see if any of the medications youre taking could cause any of the problems. Talking with family members about this is also important. Having an open mind, listening carefully, and trying not to take what they are telling you as a criticism is very important. They care about you and dont want to hurt your feelings -- but they also want to be honest and for you to be safe! Think of it as constructive advice! In partnership with the Illinois Secretary of States office, your LifeSpan Center offers a free Rules of the Road Review beginning at 9:30 a.m. TODAY. The review course combines a study of the actual driving exam with a practice written exam. It also includes the opportunity to take a vision test. Seating is limited -- so please call 217-639-5150 to see if there is still seating available and come see us! Bottom line, there is no right age or time schedule for stopping and/or limiting your driving. There is no magic number. Each situation should be assessed on its own and each of us, along with our loved ones, will need to make the right choice when the time comes. Its about safety for everyone! The Coles County Council on Aging offices are located at the LifeSpan Center, 11021 E. Co. Rd. 800 N., Charleston. The telephone number is 217-639-5150 for the Coles County Council on Aging and LifeSpan Center. Come join us each weekday at noon for Lunch at LifeSpan. Peace Meals, sponsored by Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, are served Monday through Friday at a suggested donation of $3.50. To register, reserve a lunch or learn more, call 217-348-1800. Baku, Azerbaijan, July 13 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: Small town of Parsabad was filled with hundreds of heartbroken mourners on Wednesday to pay respect for a seven year-old girl who was raped and killed in an act of violence that sparked outrage across the town. Atena Aslani who went missing last month was found dead by police on Monday at an abandoned store which was used as a car parking space by a 40 year-old suspect. Forensic pathologists suggest the girl was sexually abused before being killed. Police said the suspect has confessed to the crime, local media outlets reported. As soon as the identity of the suspect was disclosed to the public, angry people gathered outside the suspects shop (where he had kidnapped the victim) and set fire to the property. Your browser doesn't support video. Please download the file: video/mp4 Social media footage depicts Abdollah Tabatabei, the prosecutor of the town, addressing people and promising to impose the harshest punishment against the convict but the protestors chanted stone him. Your browser doesn't support video. Please download the file: video/mp4 According to police department the suspect who has criminal record and was earlier jailed has also admitted the murder of another woman last year. At least five people were killed, all civilians, and more than eight wounded when a truck bomb attack targeted a security checkpoint on the outskirts of the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday afternoon, officials said, Anadolu reported. The attack took place in Sinka-Dheer, a small village on the outskirts of the capital, police Sgt. Ismail Adan told Anadolu Agency over the telephone. "A truck car bomb blast targeted a security checkpoint near an army base outside Mogadishu," he said. More than eight others, including women and children were wounded, and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, he added. Ahmed Sid Arab, Internal Security Ministry spokesman, confirmed the attack to reporters. Al-Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack. Wednesday's attack comes only hours after two people were killed in Mogadishu by gunmen. Russian President Vladimir Putin may have been better off if presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election, President Donald Trump said in an interview on Wednesday, Sputnik reported. "There are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he [Putin] would want," Trump told CBN News. "So, what I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think 'probably not." As an example, Trump explained that he wants a "strong military," which Putin "would hate." "We [United States] are the most powerful country in the world and we are getting more and more powerful because I'm a big military person," Trump stated. "If Hillary had won, our military would be decimated." Trump went on to say that he is also a supporter of fracking and other means to expand production of fossil fuels, reduce energy prices and make the United States an energy exporter. "We're going to be exporting energy he [Putin] doesn't want that. He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills," the US president noted. "He would much rather have that [windmills] because energy prices would go up and Russia, as you know, relies very much on energy." Trumps comments came just days after the first bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Trump and Putin met for more than 2 hours, and agreed to establish a new ceasefire in southern Syria. Six police officers were killed on Wednesday in central Kenya in an ambush by bandits suspected of killing four people in the same area last week, Anadolu reported. Police in the east African nation told local media that two of the police officers slain in the Laikipia County ambush were senior in rank, adding that some police officers injured in the attack had been airlifted to the capital Nairobi for treatment. A police officer who spoke to Kenyas Daily Nation newspaper on condition of anonymity due to restrictions to speaking to the media said the police were conducting a security patrol along the Baringo-Laikipia border when they were ambushed by over 100 bandits." In last weeks attack, bandits made away with an unknown number of livestock. The attacks are not new to the area, with most of the area residents keeping livestock, and there is a long history of tribal clashes over grazing land and cattle rustling. On Sunday seven people were killed and over 700 displaced in ethnic border clashes in Meru County near Laikipia. The Council strongly condemned the July 4 launch, calling it a growing threat to peace and security, Sputnik reported. "We are supportive of efforts underway at the United Nations to impose additional sanctions on the DPRK, and call for all nations to fully implement existing UN sanctions and make further efforts to apply decisive pressure to convince the DPRK regime to abandon its current threatening and destabilising path," the statement read, referring to the Asian country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). "The North Atlantic Council (NAC) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) unprecedented launch of a ballistic missile of intercontinental range on 4 July, a major escalation that directly violates multiple United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions and clearly demonstrates the growing threat posed by the DPRK to the Alliance, to global peace and security, as well as to the global non-proliferation regime," the statement said. The NAC also stressed its commitment to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula by peaceful means. On July 4, Pyongyang said it had carried out a successful launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-14, which fell into the Sea of Japan. North Korean media reported that the missile flew 580 miles and reached a maximum altitude of 1,740 miles. The test was sharply criticized by the international community. Ankara, Turkey, July 13 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The military coup attempt in Turkey July 2016 was aimed not only against the people, but also against the economy and the development of the country, Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya told reporters in Ankara July 13. She said that the events of July 15, 2016 were the bloodiest military coup attempt in the history of Turkey. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country as a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. More than 200 people were killed during the attempted coup. There is no doubt that the movement of Fethullah Gulen and his associates stand behind these events, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya said. There is no difference between the Gulen movement and the Kurdistan Workers Party (a left-wing organization based in Turkey and Iraq). She added that Gulens organization has been concealing its intentions from the Turkish people for 40 years under the cover of religion. Currently, Turkey is actively fighting against the Gulen movement, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya noted, adding that the people of Turkey actively opposed the coup plotters during the military coup attempt in the country. The minister noted that with the help of the people, Turkey was able to prevent the military coup. She also said that Turkey was deeply saddened by the silence of a number of Western countries on the day of the coup attempt. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Ankara, Turkey, July 13 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The attitude of European countries towards Turkey is unacceptable, Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya told reporters in Ankara. Those countries talk about democracy but, at the same time, apply double standards to Turkey, she said. She noted that Turkey is negotiating accession to the EU and is also actively fighting terrorism. The fight against terrorism needs to be in the interests of not only Turkey but also the entire world. Europe and the US must change their attitude towards Turkey. The world should support Turkey in the fight against terrorism. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization. KYODO NEWS - Jul 12, 2017 - 22:38 | All, Feature A Japanese entrepreneur once touted as a maverick business leader who could change Japan's clubby corporate culture caused a stir Wednesday for wearing a T-shirt showing a character resembling Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler on national television. Japan's public broadcaster NHK apologized for offending people over the shirt worn by Takafumi Horie on one of its programs aired live. Horie donned the black shirt featuring the face of a man and the words "NO WAR." (From NHK television) NHK said it has received some complaints from viewers saying it was "inappropriate" to wear such a shirt. Horie said on Twitter that he was stunned by the impact of NHK. "I have worn a shirt showing Hitler making a peace sign with the words 'NO WAR' a number of times, but this is the first time (my wearing this kind of shirt) went viral," said the 44-year-old who appeared as a guest on the information program "Gogo Nama." (@takapon_jp) He went on to say, "However way you look at it, wishing for peace is the only message you can see from this T-shirt." The wearing of Nazi-like attire or signs, which evoke memories of the genocide of Jews carried out by Hitler's Nazi Germany during World War II, often goes viral and draws criticism at home and abroad. Last year, a Japanese all-girl "idol" group named Keyakizaka46 was criticized for wearing outfits resembling Nazi uniforms. The former internet tycoon himself -- who has penned an autobiography with a Japanese title similar to that of a book written by Hitler -- is not new to controversy. He grabbed attention for his bold remarks about the country's business old guard and attempts such as a hostile takeover battle in 2005 with Fuji Television Network Inc. Horie, founder and former president of internet service provider Livedoor Co., was sentenced in 2007 to two years and six months in prison without suspension for involvement in accounting fraud and other securities law breaches. He was released in 2013 on parole after having served 21 months. Livedoor was delisted from stock exchanges after the scandal and absorbed by the Japanese unit of South Korean internet portal company NHN Corp. His investment portfolio includes Interstellar Technologies Inc., a space venture based in Hokkaido. The start-up which he founded said earlier this month it will launch a small-sized rocket developed independently without government funding. Business Wire LOS ANGELES, November 12, 2022--Lionel Messi, el jugador de futbol famoso en todo el mundo, en celebracion de su trascendental trayectoria futbolistica a nivel mundial, se ha asociado al estudio de Web3 de Ethernal Labs para crear la nueva generacion de experiencias con token no fungible (NFT, por sus siglas en ingles) y articulos digitales de coleccion. La coleccion estara disponible a partir del 27 de noviembre, a las 12 del medio dia hora del este, exclusivamente en ethernity.io. Marshall City Band concert to be held Friday MARSHALL -- The Marshall City Band will perform a concert this Friday evening on the Clark County Courthouse lawn at 8 p.m. under the direction of Blake Reynolds. The concert will include Military Escort, Sonata for Winds, highlights from Les Miserables, Gallito, Moscow, 1941, a medley from The Lion King, Fanfare Prelude on Lancashire, The Man I Love, The Chimes of Liberty, and conclude with The Stars-Spangled Banner. Band concerts are free and open to the public. Concerts will be held each Friday evening through Aug. 11 on the Clark County Courthouse lawn. New Rivers Church will be hosting the refreshments for this weeks concert. The Lions Club will be present in the antique popcorn wagon. To keep up-to-date on band activities, be sure to like the Marshall City Band on Facebook. Catholic Charities to provide backpacks and school supplies to eligible students MATTOON -- Catholic Charities of Coles, Douglas and Edgar Counties will be supplying backpacks with new school supplies to Mattoon students attending grades K-8. In order to be eligible, children must qualify for the free or reduced lunch plan and must register. Registration for the supplies will take place at Catholic Charities located at 4217 Dewitt. Registration will be held Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 9-11, between the hours of 9 a.m.1 p.m. Supplies are limited, so only the first 200 eligible students will receive a backpack. Proof of guardianship or a medical card will be required to sign up. If the student is already getting supplies from ERBA or some other program, they will not qualify for this program. Students attending Mattoon High School can contact ERBA 217-345-4840 before July 26 for assistance with their supplies. Contact Catholic Charities at 217-235-0420 with any questions. Los Angeles Apparel Dov Charney has started a new clothing company that's shockingly similar to American Apparel. The brand, called Los Angeles Apparel, launched in late 2016 soon before American Apparel the company that Charney founded declared bankruptcy in October. According to Bloomberg's Matthew Townsend, the sense of deja vu goes beyond the similar name. Other shocking similarities include: The motto: Charney is reportedly considering the slogan, "Made in South Central." American Apparels is "Made in Downtown L.A." The clothing: Los Angeles Apparel is upfront about the fact that its clothing is essentially identical to American Apparel's. "Below are original classic garments developed by Dov Charney over the last two decades," the website reads. "They are equivalent to the styles Charney has offered in the past, from a specification, color and textile perspective." Los Angeles Apparel The models: While Los Angeles Apparel hasn't launched any marketing campaigns like American Apparel's racy ads quite yet, models on the website share the brand's approach to "natural beauty," showcasing minimal makeup and thick brows. The customers: Los Angeles Apparel is starting as a wholesale business. Apparel companies, such as Cincinnati-based TSC Apparel, have simply swapped their American Apparel orders for Los Angeles Apparel after the brand filed for bankruptcy. The workers: American Apparel's bankruptcy meant that Charney could hire laid-off workers for his new company. The supplies: According to Bloomberg, Charney bought fabric, computers, sewing machines, and even light bulbs from American Apparel in the bankruptcy sale. The warehouse: American Apparel previously used Los Angeles Apparel's production center and warehouse space where Charney now also lives. "I will not leave. This is my bed. This is my room. This is where I sleep," he told Bloomberg. Story continues Charney was pushed out at American Apparel in 2014. He had been sued for harassment by employees several times, in suits that were settled or thrown out of court. Charney has denied the allegations against him. Canadian apparel maker Gildan bought the American Apparel brand for $88 million in a bankruptcy auction January, integrating the brand into the company's wholesale business. "The company is dead," Charney told The Atlantic of the deal. "Theyre just tossing around a brand. It's like Polaroid or Sharper Image. The spirit of American Apparel is dead." NOW WATCH: Forget Chicago and New York the best hot dog in the world is in Iceland More From Business Insider Dov Charney American Apparel founder Dov Charney has started a new wholesale clothing company called Los Angeles Apparel. Charney started the company late last year, two years after he was forced out of American Apparel by his own board and other investors in the company. His removal came after a string of sexual harassment allegations lodged against him by several of his own employees. Charney has consistently denied their claims. Some of those claims were settled by American Apparel's insurance company against Charney's will, and others were settled only on allegations that did not relate to sexual harassment. In a new interview with Bloomberg's Matthew Townsend, Charney was asked whether he is "going down the same path at Los Angeles Apparel and hooking up with employees." Charney deflected the question and didn't deny any sexual involvement with workers. Instead he responded cryptically, "That question is private, and it should be private." When asked if he's being "more careful," he said,"You always have to be cautious in the lawsuit society that were in, you know. ... I love the company, and I love the people I work with. Were very close and were holding hands and walking through the fire. We intend to be successful." [Money Basics: How stock splits work] Charney has never been charged or convicted for sexual harassment claims against him in any court of law. American Apparel previously settled cases with four models who claimed they had been harassed or sexually assaulted by Charney. The company paid a sum of $3.4 million to two models, according to court papers filed by the company. The other settlements were confidential. In 2015, after Charney had already left American Apparel, the company's board accused him of violating company policies prohibiting harassment and retaliation against former employees. Story continues "The company discovered voluminous evidence of Mr. Charneys sexual liaisons with employees and models," the company said in court papers. Charney was also accused of using ethnic slurs against workers and keeping videos on a company server of himself engaging in sex acts with models and employees. Charney denies these accusations. In response, Charney filed a defamation lawsuit against the company that was later dismissed. "The company had wanted to sell the company underneath me and rehashed distorted allegations into the media so they could distract the company and successfully hijack control of the company," Charney told Business Insider. He is in the process of suing former American Apparel officials over claims that they conspired to push him out of the company. Related: NOW WATCH: How grown men can actually look good in shorts More From Business Insider John McCain suggested on Tuesday that he expects more bombshell revelations to emerge in President Trump's Russia scandal. The Republican senator's comments came after Donald Trump Jr., under increased scrutiny because of his June 2016 meeting with a Russian government lawyer, released an email chain detailing how the meeting was arranged. "Another shoe just dropped," McCain told a CNN reporter outside a Senate office in Washington. "There'll be many more shoes that drop." The emails, which Trump Jr. posted on Twitter Tuesday morning after learning The New York Times was preparing to publish them, reveal how a British music publicist with ties to President Trump offered to arrange a meeting between Trump Jr. and the Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya. Trump Jr. is promised incriminating information about Hillary Clinton, and the publicist makes clear the information is "part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump." President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting at Trump Tower. Trump Jr. insists that no dirt on Clinton was ever delivered. [Money Basics: What is a security?] For McCain, it's not the first time he's telegraphed his concern with Trump's deepening Russia scandal. In May, after Trump cited the Russia investigation as his rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey, McCain compared the scandal to Watergate. john mccain "We've seen this movie before. It's reaching Watergate size and scale," McCain said. "This is not good for the country." "It's the centipede that the shoe continues to drop, "he added, using similar language to his comments on Tuesday. "Every couple of days, there's a new aspect of this really unhappy situation." McCain also used similar language in April when he told ABC that "every time we turn around, another shoe drops from this centipede." Story continues McCain's comments on Tuesday make him one of just two Senate Republicans to comment on the Trump Jr. email chain. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he found the conversation "disturbing." Watch the clip below: Sen. McCain: "There will be many more shoes that will drop." https://t.co/jkXlPkRXKE Meg Wagner (@megwagner) July 11, 2017 NOW WATCH: 'You're inflaming everybody!': Watch reporters clash with Sanders over press coverage More From Business Insider China army soldiers Zhanjiang Guangdong Chinese military personnel departed a naval base in Zhanjiang on Tuesday, destined for Beijing's new base in the East African country of Djibouti. China started construction on the base, which it officially calls a "logistics facility," in February 2016, and it has not said when the base might formally start operations. The Chinese navy has been assisting anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden and peacekeeping missions in Africa for some time, but the base in Djibouti will be Beijing's first such facility overseas. The base will ensure Chinas performance of missions, such as escorting, peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and west Asia, state news agency Xinhua said. "The base will also be conducive to overseas tasks including military cooperation, joint exercises, evacuating and protecting overseas Chinese and emergency rescue, as well as jointly maintaining security of international strategic seaways." Djibouti, home to about 800,000 people, also has French and Japanese troops, is strategically located in the Horn of Africa, sitting on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to Egypt's Suez Canal and one of the world's busiest shipping corridors. And the new Chinese base is just a few miles from Camp Lemonnier, a major US special-operations outpost. Djibouti Camp Lemonnier East Africa US military base "We've never had a base of, let's just say a peer competitor, as close as this one happens to be," US Africom Command chief Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said in March. "Yes, there are some very significant operational security concerns, and I think that our base there is significant to US because it's not only AFRICOM that utilizes" it, Waldhauser said at the time. US Central Command, which operates in the Middle East, Joint Special Operations Command, and European Command are active there as well. Story continues A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday that the Djibouti base was "primarily used for the better fulfillment of international obligations," and that, "China's defence policy is defensive in nature. This has not changed." State-run media outlet the Global Times was less reserved, saying in an editorial on Wednesday, "It is certainly the PLA's first foreign naval base ... It is not a supply point for commercial use." China navy sailors The base in Djibouti is just one project China has undertaken in the East African country. Chinese banks have funded at least 14 infrastructure projects in the country, including a railway connecting Djibouti and Ethiopia, valued at $14.4 billion. Beijing has made similar investments throughout the continent. US officials, as well as countries in the region, have expressed concern about the capabilities the new base gives Beijing and what it may augur about Chinese ambitions abroad. The US Defense Department said in a June report that the Djibouti base, "along with regular naval vessel visits to foreign ports, both reflects and amplifies Chinas growing influence, extending the reach of its armed forces." "China most likely will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries," the report said. Other countries in South Asia India in particular are concerned about Chinese activity in the region and see the Djibouti base as another part of Beijing's "string of pearls," which refers to Chinese facilities and alliances among Indian Ocean countries, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Indian Navy China is already heavily involved in the Pakistan port of Gwadar and is building a network of roads and power plants under a project known as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Civilian ports that Beijing has helped build in places like Pakistan and Sri Lanka can also receive naval vessels, fueling suspicions that China aims to deepen its strategic capacities in the region. India sees the Djibouti base as a potential hub for Chinese surveillance operations and has objected to China's planned shipping network with Pakistan, saying it cuts through disputed parts of Kashmir. Analysts have also said New Delhi is worried by Chinese submarines, warships, and tankers present in the Indian Ocean. India has tracked Chinese submarines entering the Indian Ocean since 2013, and a 2015 US Defense Department report also confirmed that Chinese attack and missile submarines were operating in the Indian Ocean. "The pretext is anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden," a Indian defense source told The Times of India in May. "But what role can submarines play against pirates and their dhows?" "If I were Indian I would be very worried about what China is up to in Djibouti," a Western diplomat briefed on Chinese plans said in March 2016. China Navy Other countries in the region have looked for ways to balance against what is seen as China's growing influence. Australia and India, along with countries like Vietnam and Japan, have considered informal alliances to bolster regional security in light of growing Chinese influence and doubts about US commitment under President Donald Trump. This week, the Indian, Japanese, and US navies started the Malabar 2017 exercise in the Bay of Bengal. The exercise, which this year features three aircraft carriers, is seen by some as a effort to check Chinese activity in the region. China has criticized such military balancing and has dismissed suggestions that it plans to expand its footprint abroad. After the US Defense Department report issued in June, Beijing said it did "not seek a sphere of influence." NOW WATCH: China just unveiled its first homemade aircraft carrier More From Business Insider Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States Cui Tiankai speaks during the "China and the U.S.: One Belt, One Road and 100-Day Plan," a discussion hosting high-level delegation of Chinese leaders, in Manhattan, New York, U.S., June 14, 2017. REUTERS/Bria Webb (The July 11 story was refiled to add wording in paragraph 5 to show that Cui said Chinese imports from North Korea dropped in April and May) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's ambassador to the United States has said reports of trade growth between his country and North Korea, in spite of international efforts to press Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs, give "a distorted picture." Last week U.S. President Donald Trump denounced China's trade with North Korea, saying it had grown almost 40 percent in the first quarter, and cast doubt on whether Beijing was helping to counter the threat from North Korea. Data released in April showed China's trade with North Korea grew 37.4 percent year on year in the first quarter, in spite of a ban on coal imports China announced in February. "This is a distorted picture," China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said in a speech to a Washington think tank on Monday. Cui said bilateral trade declined in 2015 and 2016, and Chinese imports from North Korea dropped by 41 percent in April and 32 percent in May as a result of the coal import ban. At the same time, Cui stressed that U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea did not constitute an embargo. "Normal trade ... is not banned by these sanctions," he said. The Chinese embassy released a copy of Cui's speech, originally delivered in an off-the-record setting, on Tuesday. Cui said China backed further U.N. action against North Korea for violations of U.N. resolutions such as nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). He did not though make clear whether China believed North Korea's latest missile test last week, which the United States described as a first ICBM test, was of that type of missile. Diplomats say the United States is aiming for a vote within weeks to strengthen U.N. sanctions on North Korea over the test, but Russia has objected to a Security Council condemnation of the launch as a U.S.-drafted statement labelled it an ICBM. Story continues Cui said sanctions were necessary, but could not solve the North Korean problem alone. He repeated a call for Washington to back a Chinese "suspension for suspension" proposal under which North Korea would freeze weapons testing in return for suspension of U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Washington says the exercises are needed to maintain defences against North Korea and U.S. officials say Beijing could face U.S. economic and trade pressure unless it does more to rein in North Korea. Washington is expected to press the issue when senior U.S. and Chinese officials meet on July 19 to discuss bilateral economic issues. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by James Dalgleish) * Two Republicans senators opposed; 1 more would spell doom * McConnell plans vote on Senate floor next week * $70 billion added to bolster individual insurance market (Recasts lead; adds comment from hospital group, details about provision aimed at Alaska, link to factbox) By Susan Cornwell and Yasmeen Abutaleb WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - Senate Republican leaders released on Thursday a revised plan to dismantle the Obamacare law, but it drew criticism from senators on both sides of the political divide within the Republican party, indicating a treacherous path for the bill. The bill played to the party's disparate factions by letting insurers sell cheap, bare-bones policies while retaining taxes on the wealthy. But the immediate outcry illustrated the difficult political terrain that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must navigate. He is under pressure by President Donald Trump to pass a healthcare bill and make good on Republicans' seven-year mission to gut Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement. "The American people deserve better than the pain of Obamacare. They deserve better care. And the time to deliver that to them is next week," McConnell said. In addition to the criticism from some senators, a major hospital association and one large insurer said the measure falls short in critical areas. With Democrats united against it, McConnell cannot afford to lose more than two Republican senators to win passage. But moderate Susan Collins and conservative Rand Paul voiced opposition to even bringing the new plan up for debate. Several senators said they had concerns about the legislation, particularly its Medicaid cuts, including Shelley Moore Capito, Rob Portman and John McCain. And two other Republican senators, Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy, complicated matters by announcing an alternative plan. McConnell, a skillful tactician who was forced two weeks ago to scrub a planned vote on an earlier version opposed by both moderates and hard-line conservatives in his party, has planned for a vote on the retooled bill next week. Story continues The continuing lack of consensus among Republicans on what to do with Obamacare after calling for its demise since 2010 shows that it is no sure thing that Trump's party will be able to get the job done. Healthcare is Trump's first major legislative initiative. Failure would call into question his party's ability to govern despite controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House. "SKINNY PLANS" The measure represents a retreat from long-standing Republican aspirations to dump Obamacare-related taxes. It retains two taxes on the wealthy that helped pay for the Obamacare law that the previous version would have repealed, and also keeps Obamacare's limits on corporate tax deductions for executive pay in the health insurance industry. The bill included a provision allowing insurers to offer stripped-down, low-cost healthcare plans - a measure proposed by Senator Ted Cruz to try to win over holdout conservatives. These "skinny plans" would not have to cover the broad benefits mandated under Obamacare like maternity and newborn care, mental health services and addiction treatment, outpatient care, hospitalization, emergency room visits and prescription drugs. Insurer groups, including the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, have derided the skinny plans, saying they would raise insurance premiums, destabilize the individual insurance market and undermine protections for pre-existing medical conditions. Moderate senators could balk at the provision for the same reasons. The new bill provides an additional $70 billion to help stabilize the individual insurance market on top of the $112 billion in the original bill to help insurers slow growth in premium costs and help lower-income insurance holders cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. The bill would phase out the Obamacare expansion of the Medicaid government health insurance program for the poor and disabled, and includes sharp cuts to federal Medicaid spending beginning in 2025. Moderate Republicans were spurned in their desire to see a reduction in Medicaid cuts in the revised version. Critics said despite some changes to coax wavering senators, the revised bill's core remains unchanged: restructuring and cutting the critical Medicaid social safety-net program, taking away insurance from millions of Americans and driving up healthcare costs for millions of the most vulnerable Americans, especially older people and the sick. The revamped bill contains a provision that appears to be aimed at winning over Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a moderate who had opposed the original bill. It would funnel additional money to states that have higher insurance premiums at least 75 percent of the national average. Alaska is the only state with premiums that high, Senate aides said. "UNACCEPTABLE FLAWS" Hospital and insurer groups have spoken out against the Senate Republican approach, particularly proposed Medicaid cuts. The cuts would result in lower revenues for hospital companies like Community Health Systems Inc and Medicaid insurance specialists like Molina Healthcare and Centene Corp . Molina Healthcare, which has more than 1 million customers on the Obamacare individual exchanges and manages Medicaid health programs, said the changes would leave insurers competing for the least risky customers and would make plans for sick people unaffordable. The American Hospital Association said the new version of the bill retained the "unacceptable flaws" of the previous version. "Instead of merely putting forth an update, we again call on the Senate to put forth an upgrade," Rick Pollack, president of the association, said in a statement. Healthcare stocks were mostly unmoved by the announcement, as Wall Street analysts described the core of the revised bill as largely unchanged from the earlier one. The new bill includes another $45 billion for fighting the opioid addiction epidemic, on top of the $2 billion in the earlier version. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which forecast that the previous version would have increased the number of Americans without health insurance by 22 million by 2026, is due to evaluate the new bill in coming days. The Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare, expanded health insurance coverage to some 20 million people, in large part by expanding Medicaid. The House of Representatives on May 4 passed its own version of healthcare legislation. Republicans have a 52-48 Senate majority, with Vice President Mike Pence able to cast a potential tie-breaking vote. Any bill passed by the Senate would have to go back to the House for approval. Repealing and replacing Obamacare, which Republicans fault as a costly government intrusion into the healthcare system, was a top campaign promise for Trump, who was monitoring the Senate developments during his visit to Paris. "I'd say the only thing more difficult than peace between Israel and the Palestinians is healthcare," Trump told reporters on his flight to Paris. (Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe, Yasmeen Abutaleb, Caroline Humer, Eric Walsh, Lewis Krauskopf and Richard Cowan; Writing by Will Dunham and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler) sessions Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday asking why the Department of Justice settled a major money-laundering case involving a real-estate company owned by the son of a powerful Russian government official whose lawyer met with Donald Trump Jr. last year. Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, on Tuesday tweeted an email chain from June 2016 in which he entertained accepting damaging information from a "Russian government attorney" about Hillary Clinton as part of the Kremlin's support for his father's campaign. That attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, represents the family of Pyotr Katsyv, the former vice governor of the Moscow region, whose son, Denis, owns the real-estate company Prevezon. The DOJ had been investigating whether Prevezon laundered millions of dollars through New York City real estate when the case was unexpectedly settled two days before going to trial in May. "Last summer, Donald Trump Jr. met with a Kremlin-connected attorney in an attempt to obtain information 'that would incriminate Hillary,'" the Democrats wrote, citing the emails he published. "Earlier this year, on May 12, 2017, the Department of Justice made an abrupt decision to settle a money laundering case being handled by that same attorney in the Southern District of New York. "We write with some concern that the two events may be connected and that the Department may have settled the case at a loss for the United States in order to obscure the underlying facts." The Prevezon case garnered high-profile attention, given its ties to a $230 million Russian tax-fraud scheme and the Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, whose suspicious death aroused international media attention and spurred the passage of the Magnitsky Act in 2012. Denis Katsyv and Veselnitskaya have become the face of Moscow's lobbying efforts against the Magnitsky Act in recent years. Story continues [Money Basics: What is a robo-advisor?] Democrats now want to know whether Veselnitskaya was "involved at any point in the settlement negotiations," and they have asked Sessions to provide the committee "with the prosecution files and any other explanatory materials related to the settlement." They also want to know whether there was "any contact between President Trump, White House personnel, the Trump family, or the Trump campaign with the Department of Justice" regarding Prevezon, and whether Sessions discussed the case "with anyone associated with the transition team," or with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, while he was being considered for attorney general. Both the US government and Prevezon claimed victory in the wake of the settlement. A spokesman for the US attorney's office told Business Insider at the time that the settlement saved taxpayers the expense of a trial, and he reiterated that the settlement was for "many multiples more" than the amount in fraud proceeds the government alleged were laundered through the New York real-estate purchases. He characterized it as a "very good outcome" for the government. But Prevezon described the settlement as proof that the company had done nothing wrong. It said it considered the offer from prosecutors "too good to refuse." "It was a surprise," John Dillard, a spokesman for Prevezon's attorneys, told Business Insider at the time. "We were getting ready for opening statements and fully expected to try the case. In fact, we were looking forward to it. "We reluctantly agreed to accept the government's offer when it became clear that the fine proposed was no more than we would have spent fully litigating the case, and that no admission of guilt, forfeiture, or continued seizure of any assets was required," Dillard added. "Essentially, the offer was too good to refuse." Read the full letter: Letter to AG Sessions (7.12.17) by natasha bertrand on Scribd Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. NOW WATCH: Trump's history with WWE explains a lot about his persona More From Business Insider A Saudi Aramco employee sits in the company stand at the Middle East Petrotech 2016, an exhibition and conference for the refining and petrochemical industries, in Manama, Bahrain, September 27, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/Files By Florence Tan and Nidhi Verma SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco will meet the full August crude oil requirements of its customers in India and southeast Asia as well as four of its North Asian buyers, several sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. This shows how Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, aims to retain market share in Asia, the region with the world's strongest demand growth. Saudi Arabia has been cutting exports to Europe and the United States to comply with a production cut deal by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and some non-OPEC countries such as Russia. For August, "there is no (supply) cut" even for heavier grades such as Arab Medium and Heavy crude to south Asian customers, one of the sources said. At least one of the North Asian buyers will also receive full supply of Arab Heavy crude that it has requested. This marks a change from supply cuts to these buyers in the first half this year as Saudi Aramco cut output of cheaper heavy crude to meet its OPEC quota. Saudi Aramco is selling Arab Heavy crude in August at the narrowest discount in more than three years. The OPEC cuts drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content, pushing Asian refiners to seek substitutes from Russia, Africa and the United States. Last week, India bought its first ever U.S. crude and its refiners plan to buy more. Saudi continues to supply slightly more light oil to Japan, one of the sources said. Saudi Arabia has increased its market share in Japan, its biggest Asian market, in the first half this year. Japan's imports of Saudi crude between January and June reached 1.3 million barrels per day, 7.7 percent up on a year ago. (Reporting by Florence Tan in SINGAPORE, Nidhi Verma in NEW DELHI and Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO; Editing by Susan Fenton and Jane Merriman) Heres a look at some of the stocks the Yahoo Finance team will be watching for you today. Target (TGT) shares were up sharply this morning after the discount retailer raised its profit and revenue outlook for the second quarter as more people shopped at its stores in April and May. Dow component Walmart (WMT) also higher on the news. Deltas (DAL) stock fell in early trading after second quarter earnings missed the mark due to higher costs. The good news is that total revenue jumped 3.3% from last year, matching expectations. Delta credits a rise in traffic for the bump up in revenue. Snaps (SNAP) stock got a nice pop in early trading after falling below its IPO price earlier this week. Stifel Nicolaus has turned bullish on the stock, upgrading it to buy from hold, with a price target of $22 a share. The firm believes that the recent sell-off in the stock presents a buying opportunity. US-listed shares of Yandex (YNDX) soared after the so-called Google of Russia announced its merging its ride-hailing operations with Uber in Russia and five neighboring countries. Were also tracking shares of Novartis (NVS). A Food and Drug Administration panel unanimously recommended the agency approve a Novartis drug for kids and young adults thats used to treat a type of blood cancer. The FDA typically follows the recommendations of its panels. The managing director of the International Monetary Fund urged global policymakers to stop inflation from becoming a runaway train at a time of extraordinary economic turmoil. The IMFs Kristalina Georgieva noted that the world economy has been hit by one shock after another the coronavirus pandemic, Russias invasion of Ukraine and a resurgence of inflation. But reining in rising prices should take priority, she said. If we do not restore price stability, we will undermine prospects for growth, she said. The Federal Reserve and other central banks have been raising interest rates to tame inflation. Georgieva acknowledged that the higher borrowing costs would pinch economic growth, but she urged policymakers to show restraint in spending money to ease the pain. trump pence The call is coming from inside the White House or near it, at least. A remarkable fact about The New York Times' Sunday report of the meeting of a Kremlin-linked lawyer and Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort is that the story was sourced to "three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it." Subsequently, The Times obtained Trump Jr.'s email exchange with the publicist Rob Goldstone to set up the meeting. That is the exchange during which Goldstone promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton obtained as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." And Trump Jr. responded not by saying, "What Russian effort to support my dad?" but rather, "I love it especially later in the summer." The Times cannot have gotten the emails from Goldstone. After all, The Times knew that Trump Jr. had "forwarded the entire email chain to Mr. Kushner's company work email, and to Mr. Manafort at his Trump campaign email." Goldstone wasn't included on that forward, as we can see from Trump Jr.'s publication of the email chain on Twitter after The Times called him for comment about it. So five people in or around the White House have been spilling highly incriminating information to The Times about Trump Jr.'s meeting, and an email chain that only Kushner, Manafort, and Trump Jr. possessed also made its way to The Times somehow. This raises a bunch of interesting questions: Why are some people close to the White House trying to destroy Trump Jr. in a way that risks destroying the whole Trump presidency? Why are they dribbling it out in a manner designed to inflict maximum political damage? And is it a coincidence that this is happening right after the president's long meeting with Vladimir Putin? I don't know exactly what's going on here. But I can only imagine that there must be some group of people in or around the administration who believe they stand to gain from these disclosures. Story continues I guess it's also possible they're disclosing this effort at collusion for altruistic or patriotic reasons, but I don't think that's very likely. A theory I saw some people floating on Sunday was that Kushner was putting information out to throw his brother-in-law under the bus, getting everyone to think of this as "Don Jr.'s meeting" rather than "Jared's meeting." And that was maybe plausible before we learned that Trump Jr. had been told the meeting would be part of a Russian operation to support his father, and before we learned that Trump Jr. forwarded Kushner and Manafort an email saying as much. Disclosure of this email exchange is a disaster for both Kushner and Trump Jr. It's hard to imagine why Kushner would have seen any advantage in getting it out. Of course, the other person who initially had the email chain was Manafort. I don't know what Manafort's interests are right now. Manafort doesn't work at the White House, but given this Politico story from May, it does seem that one might be able to describe him as an adviser to the White House. It also occurs to me that when candidate Trump was itching to put Chris Christie on the ticket and his offspring were pushing him, for some reason, toward Newt Gingrich, Manafort was the prime mover behind the Mike Pence choice. One report alleged Manafort faked a mechanical problem with Trump's plane so Trump would be forced to spend a night in Indianapolis, where Pence could pitch himself for the job. The person in the West Wing most plausibly a winner in this episode is Pence, who would stand to become president if Trump were forced from office. Pence, who has an unusually vigorous fund-raising operation for a first-term vice president, has been putting out ice-cold statements about this story. "The vice president is working hard to advance the president's agenda every day," Marc Lotter, his spokesman, said on Tuesday. "He was not aware of the meeting. He is also not focused on stories about the campaign especially those that pertain to the time before he joined the campaign." I'm not saying it's Pence or people aligned with Pence. Maybe there's someone else close to the White House with an incentive to put the screws to Trump's whole family. But clearly, someone is doing it for some reason. And whatever the reason is, it has to be interesting. NOW WATCH: Here's how Google Maps knows when there is traffic More From Business Insider I never cared about politics until last year, when two armed U.S. marshals banged on my door to serve me a congressional subpoena. As a medical student, I had performed research with fetal tissue at Stanford University to save the lives of babies with severe heart defects. Unfortunately, that research raised the ire of Marsha Blackburn, chairwoman of the House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives. I was asleep when the marshals startled me out of bed. The literal wake-up call made me realize that science involved more than just test tubes and white coats. There is a social and political component that cannot be ignored. So I delved into social media to speak out politically. Soon I discovered the vibrant conversations under President Donald Trumps tweets. It was like a national forum where even my small Twitter account could reach a large audience. If social media was an ocean, this was where the president chummed the waters. It was the epitome of free speech in all its power, beauty, and chaos. My first viral tweet to Trump was a political cartoon celebrating the Ninth Circuit Courts decision to reverse the Muslim travel ban. It got over 2,000 likes. A few days later I made a comment about how the greatest witch hunt in American history was the Salem witch trials against women. That tweet got over 4,000 likes and was featured on Twitter Moments. For the first time, it felt like I was finally being heard. Then the president blocked me. The tweet that supposedly triggered him was neither abusive nor vulgar. I simply said, Covfefe: the same guy who doesnt proofread his Twitter handles the nuclear button. It got over 1,000 likes before he hit the block button. While many may feel that it is a badge of honor to be blocked by the president, it certainly does not feel like that to me. In fact, it feels isolating. Millions of Americans have access to a public forum from which I am now excluded. Story continues Holly Figueroa OReilly, another Twitter user blocked by Trump, introduced me to Katie Fallow, lead attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. After discussing my situation with Fallow, I agreed to join a lawsuit against the president to unblock me and many others. We believe it is a violation of our First Amendment rights for the president to exclude us from viewing and responding to his tweets. Trump stated multiple times that his very powerful social media was a way to circumvent traditional media and talk directly to the people. Even his son Donald Trump Jr. used Twitter to disclose his explosive emails with a Russian lawyer directly to the public. While America's founding fathers may not have envisioned something like Twitter, they certainly knew the importance of free speech to a democracy. They would have been outraged if the president could ban an American citizen from reading his announcements in a newspaper or book. We have now extended those rights to both television and radio. If Twitter is somehow exempt, so too will be many new and emerging technologies. Blocking private citizens from reading a president's communications threatens our democracy, our freedoms, and our future. Eugene Gu is a resident physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and president and CEO of the Ganogen Research Institute. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Phoenix, July 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BioNovelus (OTC Pink: ONOV) has launched a series of events in Guatemala intended to introduce local producers and growers to disruptive, environmentally-responsible, agricultural solutions. The first presentation was held on July 6 at the Chamber of Commerce in Guatemala City. Additional BioNovelus Discovery Workshops will be held in the main Guatemalan cities from August to October 2017. BioNovelus presented its first two-hour workshop facilitated by Jean Ekobo, BioNovelus CEO and founder, and agronomic engineer Elmer Nij Reyes from Agrinco, who is in charge of CR-10 agricultural field trials for BioNovelus in Central America. The great turnout of 34 people for this first workshop included fruit and vegetable producers, coffee growers, large exporters of fruits and vegetables, agro-researchers from a prestigious Guatemalan university, and even representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture. Mr. Ekobo stated, This workshop series gives BioNovelus the opportunity to introduce CR-10 face-to-face to the companies that need it most, and to show concrete field trial results. The agricultural producers we met told us their constant challenges and frustration with bacteria and fungi development, especially in greenhouses, and the unfortunate escalated need for them to use three to four toxic chemical agents to try to keep these pathogens under control. These pathogens have a direct influence on the size of yield, Ekobo continues. We believe CR-10 can replace the over-usage of chemical agents and therefore help these companies significantly improve their yields and improve their bottom lines while preserving the environment. With the rising global demand for fruits and vegetables, CR-10 comes at the right time. In 2015, Guatemala exported $11.8B. The United States is Guatemalas top export destination ($4.28B)1. Agriculture comprises approximately 75 percent of Guatemalas export earnings, and accounts for half of the labor force. Close to 40 percent of the agriculture exported is shipped to the United States2. The Chamber of Commerce of Guatemala City hosted the event and is providing invaluable assistance in the organization and promotion of the workshops. Established in 1894, the Chamber has been an important engine in the development of the Guatemalan commercial and business sector. They are an essential aspect of making speedy and successful connections with Guatemalan companies. BioNovelus is proud to be a member of this organization. Sources: 1. http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/gtm/#Exports 2. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Guatemala-AGRICULTURE.html About BioNovelus: BioNovelus is a biotech company that honors the environment with innovative, cost effective, and disruptive technology-based solutions to crop protection, food security, and health challenges. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements covered by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results for the fiscal year 2017 and beyond could differ materially from the Company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "anticipates," "projects," "expects," "plans," "intends," "believes," "estimates," "targets," and other similar expressions that indicate trends and future events. Factors that could cause the Companys results to differ materially from forward-looking statements regarding the success of the workshops and efficacy of the crop restoration and results of CR-10 include the lack of capital needed to complete testing, the lack of experience with pursuing approval of this product and modifications and receipt of information that may be demanded by the registration of the CR-10 formula and the delays in the various government approval processes unrelated to the product itself. Factors that could cause lower turn-out in the future include the cities we select to have our workshops and the interest in alternatives to existing products, rates of success in CR-10 eradication of fungi and bacteria include the method and timing of applications of CR-10, the impact of the strength of fungi and bacteria contamination, and other environmental conditions resulting in re-infection. Factors that may impact Guatemalan acceptance of our product include the compatibility with other chemical products. There is no assurance of when registrations in Guatemala will be obtained for CR-10 Biofungicide and various applications as several field trials are still in progress. There is no assurance that the coffee rust application or any other crop protection or post-harvest protection applications will prove commercially viable. There is no assurance that any transaction will be done with Guatemalan distributors. Factors that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, without limitation, variation in demand and acceptance of the Company's products and services, general business and economic conditions beyond the Company's control the consequences of competitive factors in the marketplace including the ability to attract and retain customers, results of continuous improvement and other cost-containment strategies, compatibility with other chemical products, the application of the products, and the Company's success in attracting and retaining key personnel. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update forward-looking statements because of new information, since these statements may no longer be accurate or timely. Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933, and are subject to Rule 3B-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. 30 For more information, http://bionovelus.com SANTA ANA, Calif., July 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenkraft, Inc. (OTCQB:GKIT), a nationally recognized player in the alternative fuel engine and vehicle market is pleased to announce that the Company is getting a dramatic increase in demand for their trucks from various fleet operators all across the country. This increase in demand is due to the multitude of government incentives available to companies that switch to alternative energy trucks. Greenkraft is beginning to profit very heavily from this demand increase because the Company is getting orders from truck fleet operators ranging from 10 to 100 trucks, many of which have their own filling stations where they are getting CNG for low prices, as low as $0.50 per gallon. This ultimately translates into millions of dollars of revenue for GKIT, much of which comes directly from these various governmental incentives. Furthermore, GKIT controls nearly all the market share in the clean energy truck market as they are the only manufacturer offering trucks that run on both clean energy (CNG) Compressed Natural Gas and (LPG) Propane gas. George Gemayel, CEO of Greenkraft, Inc. says, Greenkraft is projecting an enormous increase in larger fleet orders which is where the Company will derive a great deal of new revenue. We have been getting calls from fleet operators all across the country that want to run their fleets with our CNG trucks! Sosi Bardakjian, CFO of Greenkraft, Inc. says, There is nothing better for a CFO to see than increased sales and revenue, and that is exactly what this increase in demand is going to do for the Company. Greenkraft, Inc. continues to work diligently to provide long-term value for the Company and its shareholders alike by increasing revenues and executing their clearly defined expansion plan that will allow GKIT to become the #1 source for alternative fuel trucks in North America. Greenkraft will constantly update the public and its shareholders on all Company progress by way of regular press releases and timely SEC filings. About Greenkraft, Inc. (OTCQB: GKIT) : Greenkraft, Inc., a profitable, revenue generating publicly traded company, is a major manufacturer of alternative fuel automotive products. Greenkraft, Inc. was created to introduce clean, green, efficient, automotive products that run on alternative fuels. GKIT offers alternative commercial forward cabin trucks and alternative fuel systems for various vehicles. GKIT's commercial trucks are powered by alternative fuels such CNG and LPG in Classes 4,5,6, and 7. Greenkraft, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures compressed American natural gas and propane gas forward cabin trucks, alternative fuel systems and alternative fuel engines. For more information, please visit our website at www.greenkraftinc.com. Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainty and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release should be considered in light of all filings of the Company that are contained in the Edgar Archives of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. BEVERLY, Mass., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Pharmaceuticals, (OTCQB:IPIX) (the Company), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announces that a majority of patients treated with Brilacidin achieved Clinical Remission in its Phase 2, open-label, Proof-of-Concept (PoC) clinical trial evaluating Brilacidin for mild-to-moderate Ulcerative Proctitis / Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS), two types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Brilacidin is being developed as a novel, non-corticosteroid, non-biologic treatment, with formulation development plans including oral tablets for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohns Disease and foam and/or gel for the treatment of UP/UPS. Results Using Modified Mayo scoring, the studys Primary Efficacy Endpoint of Clinical Remission at Day 42 (Week 6) was defined as: (i) an Endoscopy subscore 1; (ii) Rectal Bleeding subscore of 0; and (iii) improvement or no change from baseline in the Stool Frequency subscore. Topline results, which include additional detailed review of patient data in Cohort A and Cohort B following interim analysis, showed favorable Clinical Remission rates that were similar across cohorts. Rate of Clinical Remission (% of patients achieving) 60% Cohort A (3 of 5 patients)* 67% Cohort B (4 of 6 patients) 75% Cohort C (3 of 4 patients)* (*Among the 17 patients enrolled in the trial, one patient from Cohort A and one patient from Cohort C declined endoscopy at Day 42 and thus were not included in the analysis population of those achieving Clinical Remission, i.e., the total number of evaluable patients was 15.) The percentage of evaluable patients (n=15) meeting individual component criterion of Clinical Remission was also favorable, with rates similar across cohorts: (i) # Endoscopy subscore 1 (% of patients achieving) 80% Cohort A (4 of 5 patients) 67% Cohort B (4 of 6 patients) 75% Cohort C (3 of 4 patients) (#Note: Investigator assessment of rectal and sigmoid mucosa up to 40 cm from anal verge.) (ii) Rectal Bleeding subscore of 0 (% of patients achieving) 80% Cohort A (4 of 5 patients) 100% Cohort B (6 of 6 patients) 100% Cohort C (4 of 4 patients) (iii) Stool Frequency subscore, improvement or no change from baseline (% of patients achieving) 100% Cohort A (5 of 5 patients) 100% Cohort B (6 of 6 patients) 100% Cohort C (4 of 4 patients) Improvement in Quality-of-Life, using the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), was reported with more than 60 percent of patients in each cohort achieving a 10-point or more improvement after six weeks of treatment. At least half of patients in Cohorts B and C also showed 20-point or more improvement. Brilacidin for UP/UPS also was shown to be generally well-tolerated, with no Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) experienced by patients, which is consistent with the low levels of systemic absorption of Brilacidin observed in the trial. The Company has presented detailed topline results from the Brilacidin-UP/UPS trial, as well as information on the ongoing Brilacidin Phase 2 trial in the treatment of Oral Mucositis, at the Drug Discovery & Therapy World Congress in Boston, MA, held today. A corresponding slide deck is now posted to the Companys website at the link below: http://www.ipharminc.com/new-events-and-presentations/2017/7/13/drug-discovery-and-therapy-world-congress Comments As a practicing gastroenterologist, its extremely exciting to see Brilacidins emergence as a possible novel treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Brilacidins unique mechanism of action and compelling clinical trial results support its potential, said Francis A. Farraye, MD, MSc, Clinical Director, Section of Gastroenterology at Boston Medical Center, Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and Scientific Advisor to Innovation Pharmaceuticals. There exists a large unmet medical need in treating patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease given its complex pathogenesis and high degree of variability in how patients respond to a given treatment. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Innovation Pharmaceuticals team as they advance Brilacidin in the treatment of IBD. Arthur P. Bertolino, MD, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Medical Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals, commented: We are incredibly pleased with the successful completion of this trial and the dataset that we now have in-hand. To see such strong results with a basic formulation adds further credibility to where we believe we can take Brilacidin in treating the full continuum of IBD, particularly when optimally formulated and administered. Combined with the Brilacidin data for treating Oral Mucositis as a preventative medicine, we now have two solid anchors supporting Brilacidins considerable and diverse therapeutic potential. Study Overview In this Phase 2 PoC trial, a total of 17 patients received treatment across three sequential, dose-escalated cohortsCohort A (6 patients); Cohort B (6 patients); and Cohort C (5 patients). Patients received Brilacidin, once daily, at 50 milligrams (mg), 100 mg and 200 mg, respectively, administered per rectum as a retention enema for 42 days (6 weeks) of treatment. The Primary Efficacy Endpoint of the Brilacidin UP/UPS trial used Modified Mayo Disease Activity Index (MMDAI) scoring, a common measurement tool in managing Ulcerative Colitis preferred by many IBD specialists, to determine Clinical Remission at Day 42. Secondary Efficacy Endpoints included: change in MMDAI score, both Full and Partial, and change in patient Quality-of-Life as assessed by the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ). Alerts Sign-up for Innovation Pharmaceuticals email alerts is available at: http://www.ipharminc.com/email-alerts/ About Brilacidin Brilacidin is Innovation Pharmaceuticals lead drug candidate in its defensin mimetic franchise. Modeled after Host Defense Proteins (HDPs), the front-line of defense in the immune system, it is a small, non-peptidic, synthetic molecule that kills pathogens swiftly and thoroughly. Just as importantly, Brilacidin also functions in a robust immunomodulatory capacity, lessening inflammation and promoting healing. Due to its unique properties, the Company is studying Brilacidins effect on Oral Mucositis (under Fast Track designation) and on Ulcerative Proctitis / Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS) in Phase 2 trials. Additional trials of Brilacidin are planned in other conditions, including: Atopic Dermatitis, Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Acne. Brilacidin is also being developed under FDAs Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation as an antibacterial product for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI)qualifying it for Fast Track and possible Priority FDA Review and an extra 5 years of United States market exclusivity upon drug approval. Learn more here: http://www.ipharminc.com/brilacidin-1/ About UP/UPS Ulcerative Proctitis (UP), a limited type of Ulcerative Colitis (UC), is a mucosal inflammatory disease of unknown cause involving only the rectum. When it involves both the rectum and the distal colon, it is called Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UPS). It is characterized by inflammation, redness, and ulcerations of the mucosa. The course of the disease is variable and ranges from complete resolution to easily maintained remission to chronic relapses or refractory disease. Diagnosis can occur at any point in life, with approximately 30-50 percent of patients developing more extensive UC. There is currently no cure. According to estimates provided by GlobalData, the worldwide UC market, which includes products for UP/UPS, is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7 percent, from $4.2 billion in 2012 to approximately $6.6 billion by 2022. About Innovation Pharmaceuticals Proof-of-Concept (PoC) UP/UPS Trial Design This trial was conducted in an overseas hospital/clinic setting with Brilacidin being administered with water in an enema. A foam formulation of Brilacidin for use in future studies is planned and would be expected to improve patient convenience and future study results. The primary objective of Innovation Pharmaceuticals Proof-of-Concept (PoC) trial is to assess the frequency of clinical remission (defined using Modified Mayo Disease Activity Index [MMDAI] scoring) with Brilacidin administered per rectum by enema in patients with active UP or UPS after 6 weeks of treatment. Additional objectives include: evaluation of safety and tolerability of Brilacidin when administered per rectum; assessment of systemic exposure and/or pharmacokinetics of Brilacidin when administered per rectum; assessment of the efficacy of Brilacidin by change in MMDAI at Day 42/Week 6 and Partial MMDAI during treatment and by biomarker evaluation (from serum, feces, and rectum/sigmoid biopsy samples); evaluation of change in patient-reported Quality-of-Life (by the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire); and estimation of statistical power for subsequent trial(s) in UP and UPS. The PoC trial includes 17 patients divided into three cohorts. Cohort A and Cohort B received 50 milligrams (mg) and 100 mg of Brilacidin, respectively, once daily administered per rectum as a retention enema for 42 days. Dosing was increased to 200 mg once daily for 42 days for Cohort C. Endoscopic evaluation of the rectum and mucosa up to 40 cm from the anal verge was performed at screening and at the end of treatment/Day 42 ( 3 days). Per protocol, a safety committee reviewed safety and retention data (clinical laboratory findings, physical examination findings, vital signs, adverse events, use of concomitant medications, retention times) after 21 days of therapy for all six patients in each of Cohorts A and B before proceeding with initiating enrollment (dosing) into the subsequent cohort. About the Company Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI), formerly Cellceutix Corporation, is publicly-traded under the company symbol IPIX. The Company is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies in multiple diseases. The Company believes it has a world-class portfolio of first-in-class lead drug candidates and is now advancing them toward market approval, while actively seeking strategic partnerships. The Companys Psoriasis drug candidate Prurisol completed a Phase 2 trial and the Company more recently launched a Phase 2b study. Prurisol is a small molecule that acts through immune modulation and PRINS reduction. The Companys anti-cancer drug Kevetrin successfully concluded a Phase 1 clinical trial at Harvard Cancer Centers Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Company has commenced a Phase 2 study in Ovarian Cancer. In the laboratory, Kevetrin has been shown to modulate p53, often referred to as the Guardian Angel Gene due to its crucial role in controlling cell mutations. Brilacidin, a defensin mimetic compound, has shown in an animal model to reduce the occurrence of severe ulcerative Oral Mucositis (OM) by more than 94% compared to placebo. The Company is in a Phase 2 clinical trial with its novel compound Brilacidin-OM for the prevention of OM in patients with Head and Neck Cancer; interim results have shown a marked reduction in the incidence of severe OM (WHO Grade 3). The Companys lead antibiotic, Brilacidin, has completed a Phase 2b trial for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection, or ABSSSI. Top-line data have shown a single dose of Brilacidin to deliver comparable clinical outcomes to the FDA-approved seven-day dosing regimen of daptomycin. Brilacidin has the potential to be a single-dose therapy for certain multi-drug resistant bacteria (superbugs). Topline results are now available for the Phase 2, open label Proof-of-Concept trial, treating patients with Brilacidin for Ulcerative Proctitis / Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS), two types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The Company has formed research collaborations with world-renowned research institutions in the United States and Europe, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the University of Bologna. More information is available on the Company website at www.IPharmInc.com. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning projected timelines for the initiation and completion of clinical trials, our future drug development plans, other statements regarding future product developments, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. The Company has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as anticipates, believes, hopes, estimates, looks, expects, plans, intends, goal, potential, may, suggest, and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are the Companys need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock to Aspire Capital; the fact that the Companys compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation. dcharlin86 wrote: Thank you so much for the effort this link is very useful. I found an error in the link to CR8. The real CR8 question of talk about German Johannes. Could the mods please update CR8? CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- The online system for Charleston school district students to register for the 2017-18 school year opens Monday, according to a news release from the district. The online registration should be used for all students in the school district, including those who will attend special education programs outside of Charleston, the release said. A login ID and password to the district's Skyward system is needed for registration, the release said. The system can be used to register students and pay fees for the school year, it said. Parents and guardians who do not have a Skyward ID and password should email a request to the district's technology department at tech@charleston.k12.il.us. In addition to requesting a login, the email should also include the student's name and school that student will attend. The district has scheduled time on July 27 for help parents and guardians without internet access or who need assistance registering. The assistance session is set for 2-7 p.m. in the Charleston High School media center. For students new to the district, an information form must be completed before receiving a Skyward login and password. The form will be available at the online assistance session and at each of the district's schools. The news release also said students who will use the district's school bus service should register by Aug. 4 to help ensure that transportation is arranged for the start of the school year. The first day of student attendance for the school year is Aug. 16. School supply lists and more information about the school year is available on the district's website, www.charleston.k12.il.us. CHARLESTON -- A man was sentenced to prison after he admitted stealing what was reportedly several thousand dollars from an 83-year-old man for whom he served as caregiver. Dustin S. Brady pleaded guilty to charges of theft and financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person in connection with the thefts that allegedly occurred between October and March. Brady, 26, for whom court records list an address of 2 Mitchell Ave., Charleston, received what amounted to a six-year prison term. There were separate prison terms of four and six years for the two offenses but they will run at the same time. The exploitation offense could have resulted in a prison sentence of four to 15 years with probation normally an option. However, prison time was required for Brady because of a prior burglary conviction. The theft offense could have brought a two- to five-year prison term but prison time wasn't required for that offense. Records in the case indicate that Brady was employed as the 83-year-old man's caregiver and admitted taking the man, who had dementia, to the bank to withdraw money, then keeping some of it. The thefts were discovered when they bank officials became concerned about frequent, large withdrawals and Brady then told police he took about $1,000 each week from the man, the records say. A woman was also charged in connection with the alleged thefts but her case is still pending. In Brady's case, restitution wasn't ordered because attempts to get information about the amount stolen haven't been successful, according to Coles County Assistant State's Attorney Tom Bucher, who's prosecuting the cases. Bucher said he hopes to have more information on the amount of money stolen by the time the co-defendant's case is resolved. With the agreement reached in Brady's case, he received a chance to have his prison time shortened. Circuit Judge Brien O'Brien agreed to recommend Brady for the Illinois Department of Corrections' Impact Incarceration Program. Impact Incarceration is a discipline program often called a prison "boot camp" and prisoners who complete it successfully can be released well ahead of their normal parole dates. It will be up to prison officials whether to accept Brady into the program but the judge's recommendation was needed for him to be eligible. O'Brien denied Public Defender Anthony Ortega's request that Brady be allowed a one-week furlough before returning to jail to await transport to prison. The woman charged in connection with the reported thefts is Jordan A. Schnibben, 24, whose address on record is 2316 1/2 Shelby Ave., Mattoon. Noida, Jul 13 (IBNS): Angry over the disappearance of one of their own women working as a maid, a mob of 300 people attacked an upscale housing society in Noida on Wednesday morning, reports said. The incident broke out over a missing maid, who the mob thought was thrashed wrongfully and detained by one of the flat owners blaming her for a theft. The society houses over 2000 families. The near three-hour siege of Mahagun Moderne in Sector 78 involved the Sethis, Mitul, his wife Harshu and son Aryan, and their maid Zohra Bibi. Zohra, who was worked for them for the last six months, was accused of stealing money by Harshu, had not returned home on Tuesday night, rendering her husband suspicious. Upon seeing her wife default her usual time for returning home, her husband Abdul Sattar approached the society guards and inquired about her departure. Taking the help of the register, her husband and the guards established that the maid had indeed entered the premises but did not leave. Following an enquiry, the Sethis narrated their side of the story that Zohra had come and left when questioned about the theft. Unconvinced with the explanation, Sattar called the police, who, after their routine search concluded that the maid wasn't with the Sethis. Unhappy with the unfolding of events, Sattar went back to the slum that night and called a meeting and the next morning returned back to the society with 300 men and women, who vandalised the place. Stones were pelted and a scuffle broke out between the security personnel and the mob, but, nobody was seriously hurt. Police arrived at the place two hours later, by which time the place looked like a battle zone, the Time of India reported. Following another search, Zohra was found at another flat. The flat owners explained that she had complained of feeling ill and rested in their place at night. Two FIR's have been registered so far, one by Mitul Sethi, who accused 300 odd people of vandalising his property and another by Abdul Sattar, who accused the Sethis of thrashing his wife Zohra. Police have also squashed the theory suggested by some that Zohra was living illegally and was a Bangladeshi migrant, to which the law enforcement officers said that she carried proper documents. However, they have started investigation based on the complaints, of Zohra stealing the money and the Sethis thrashing and keeping her captive. Meanwhile, a Delhi based journalist, Nilanjana Bhowmick, who had rushed to the area and later spoke to Zohra, said the woman was locked up in a room all night and not allowed to go home. She posted picture of the woman on Facebook and also started a hastag justiceforzohra. She said Zohra is in hospital and being treated for her wounds. "When I reached I found police in riot gear, firing. It's incomprehensible. The situation is ludicrous. In the video you see below AK Singh, SP, Noida, has promised to take action after the husband has lodged an FIR. Please help us hold Noida police accountable to this promise. Pls share widely to ensure #justiceforzohra," she posted later. Image: TV grab and FB post of Nilanjana Bhowmick A third Vietnamese hostage held by Islamic militants in the Philippines has been killed. Filipino General Cirilito Sobejana confirmed Thursday that troops found the body of Viet Van Tran after a weekend battle between troops and Abu Sayyaf militants. The fighting also left four militants and a soldier dead. The body was found in the southern island province of Sulu. News reports quoted Sobejana as saying the victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He said it was not known whether the hostage was killed during fighting or was shot by his captors. The victim was the latest Vietnamese hostage to be killed while in custody of the Abu Sayyaf group. Last week, two Vietnamese hostages were found beheaded on the southern island of Basilan. Another Vietnamese hostage was shot by the captors earlier this year. All victims were working as crew members aboard two cargo ships when they were captured by Abu Sayyaf militants. One incident happened last February, the other in November 2016. One of the Vietnamese hostages escaped captivity in Basilan last month. But seven others are still being held by the militant group. Abu Sayyaf is currently holding a total of 21 hostages, including 15 foreigners, according to Philippine military officials. Abu Sayyaf was formed in the 1990s with financial assistance from al Qaeda. It split into a collection of factions in the mid-2000s and is now believed to include about 400 members. Several factions have declared allegiance to the Islamic State in recent years. The Counter Extremism Project says Abu Sayyaf operates from the Sulu Sea islands in the mostly Muslim southern Philippines. It seeks to set up an independent Islamic state in the region. Philippine troops have been battling Muslim rebels with ties to Abu Sayyaf in the countrys south for the past two months. The troops are searching for Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, a top leader of the Abu Sayyaf group for the past 20 years. Hapilon is on the FBIs Most Wanted Terrorist list. The search for him has been centered in the town of Marawi, on the island of Mindanao. More than 400 people have been killed in the fighting in Marawi since late May. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and about 20 percent of the town has been destroyed. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Radio Free Asias Vietnamese Service, the Associated Press and Reuters. 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 custody n. state of being held in captivity or jail faction n. group within a larger group that has different views and opinions than the rest Brother Shahzad Gill, an auxiliary visitor and the principal of La Salle High School in Faisalabad, Pakistan, traveled to Manhattan College in June for his second year participating in an intensive formation program that invites education professionals to more deeply understand the teachings of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. During the two weeks he spent on campus attending the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies, which was held from June 25 July 8, he and his fellow attendees were also challenged to discover ways that they could carry out the Lasallian educational mission. While at Manhattan, Br. Shahzad also had the opportunity to meet with Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., a Pakistani-American and Muslim scholar who serves as director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith (HGI) Center on campus, and Haris Ali 18, a current student who was born in Pakistan. Both of those meetings were facilitated by Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Ph.D., the Colleges vice president for mission. This summer, Br. Shahzad was one of 23 international participants who arrived in Riverdale this summer from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Nigeria, among other countries, where they were joined by representatives from Lasallian Christian Brothers institutions located across the U.S. As a second-year or Buttimer II participant, he was part of a group that studied and reflected upon De La Salles pedagogical writings both individually, and in smaller groups. Buttimer is a three-year intensive Lasallian education program that seeks to better acquaint higher education professionals with the Lasallian mission by helping them develop skills they can utilize to benefit their own ministries. Courses are conducted during a period of three consecutive summers, and at the end of the final year, students are eligible to receive graduate credits. The Buttimer Institute was named for Brother Charles Henry Buttimer, FSC, a 1933 Manhattan College graduate and former Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The program is carried out by the Office for Lasallian Education at Christian Brothers Conference, the Office for the Lasallian Region of North America. I have learned a lot in this very short time, which seems to have passed so quickly. I have experienced the tremendous and wonderful diversity of the groups and especially my Buttimer II group, he said of the experience. CHARLESTON -- Sixth-grade students at Jefferson Elementary School this fall will have use of individual laptop computers with help from the Charleston Rotary Club and the Excellence in Education Foundation. According to a press release, Rotary presented a check for $8,000 and the Excellence in Education Foundation added a $2,000 contribution to purchase 20 laptops for sixth-grade classrooms. The Charleston school district is purchasing an additional 15 laptops. The Charleston Rotary Club recently presented checks for $10,000 to the Charleston school district to assist the district with technology needs in the classroom. We are grateful to the Excellence in Education Foundation and Rotary for this donation, said Todd Vilardo, Charleston schools superintendent. Vilardo said most people are aware of how state funding has been reduced which has impacted technology spending. We dont have enough equipment for all the sixth-graders, Vilardo said. This will allow for all sixth-grade students to use the laptops. Mary Ann Pattenaud, the school districts technology director, said students in grades 7-12 currently have access to Microsoft Office 365. The district expanded access to sixth-grade students this past school year but sixth-grade students have just three stationary labs that they share with fourth- and fifth-graders. With the two donations and school district money, the district will purchase 35 laptops for sixth-grade use this coming school year. This donation is the second in a three-year commitment by Rotary to help Charleston schools bridge the technology gap. Prior to the 2016-17 school year, Rotary and the Excellence in Education Foundation provided more than $10,000 to purchase two SMART Tables for kindergarten students use at Mark Twain and Ashmore Elementary Schools. Rotary Pancake Day in April helps fund the technology project. A Rotary committee will meet with school officials this fall to determine what technology project will be funded for the 2018-19 school year. Contamination at a German factory that makes crucial machines used during open-heart surgery is the likely source of a global outbreak of deadly infections tied to the devices, the largest analysis to date shows. Scientists using whole-genome sequencing matched the DNA fingerprints of samples taken from infected heart-surgery patients from several countries, including the U.S., to samples from the devices, called heater-cooler units, in multiple hospitals - and at the production site. The study, published Wednesday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, concludes that heater-cooler devices made at the LivaNova PLC plant in Munich, Germany, were contaminated during production. The analysis provides a critical piece of the puzzle behind more than 100 severe - and sometimes fatal - infections in cardiac surgery patients worldwide since 2013, researchers said. "Our study closes the missing gap," said Stefan Niemann, a professor with the German Center for Infection Research and one of the study's co-authors. However, officials with LivaNova said that the study was too limited to draw conclusions. "LivaNova is concerned that the article expresses a level of certainty about a point source tie to the manufacturing process that is not warranted by the data," spokeswoman Deanna Wilke wrote in an email. Scientists from Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland analyzed 250 DNA samples of Mycobacterium chimaera, an organism typically found in soil and tap water. The review included samples from 21 infected patients in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and data from another 12 in the U.S. and Australia. The analysis included samples from heater-cooler devices by LivaNova and a second German brand, Maquet, plus hospital water sources and environmental sources. Scientists found a high degree of similarity in samples from the patients and from the LivaNova heater-cooler units and the LivaNova factory. The authors noted that they were not able to link individual patients to particular heater-cooler units because they lacked enough water and air samples to document transmission. Infections have been linked to contaminated water in the devices that is then misted into the air. They also warned against ending investigations into the problem too soon. Researchers found that some hospital water systems and Maquet heater-coolers were contaminated, raising concerns about local contamination. Vincent Karst, 55, of York, Pa., was among those infected with Mycobacterium chimaera. Known as Vinnie, the father of five and grandfather to 15 appeared to do well after open-heart surgery in March 2015. But, according to a lawsuit, he fell mysteriously ill and had to be re-hospitalized with what doctors later said was an infection tied to the heater-cooler unit used during his operation. Karst died in May from complications of the infection, his lawyer said. Patients in several other states have filed lawsuits claiming they were infected, too. Karst's surgery used a Sorin 3T heater-cooler, a device that circulates water to warm or cool patients' blood during bypass operations. More than 250,000 operations using the devices are performed each year in the U.S., and about 60 percent are done with the Sorin 3T models approved for sale in 2006. After a 2015 merger, Sorin became LivaNova. At least five other manufacturers also sell heater-coolers in the U.S. - and they all share a design that could pose a risk for infections, experts say. The heater-cooler devices use fans to regulate airflow. If the water in the system is contaminated with bacteria, the machines can send the germs into the air, where they can settle in open surgical sites or on cardiac implants before insertion. One complicating factor is that it can take months or even years to detect the slow-growing infections. Early reports of infections tied to heater-cooler units date to 2002, and Food and Drug Administration officials have said they were aware of the problem by 2014. At least 15 people in the U.S. have died, according to reports submitted to the agency. But the FDA waited more than a year to warn the public about the risk - and even longer to provide recommendations for action to hospitals and patients. Critics contend that if the agency had intervened earlier, more patients would have avoided infections, even death. The agency now warns that for 3T devices manufactured before September 2014, there is strong evidence of common contamination at the manufacturing site in Germany. But spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said local contamination can also occur and hospitals should "perform appropriate follow-up measures." Lawrence Muscarella, a Pennsylvania patient-safety consultant, said he's concerned that a focus on contamination at the factory might lead hospitals to relax their vigilance about what are often called Nontuberculous mycobacteria, or NTM, infections. "(They) might incorrectly conclude that what's to blame for these infections is contamination at a company's manufacturing plant, something the hospital can do nothing about, rather than understanding that hospitals can reduce the risk of NTM infections in open-chest patients," he said. At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where six patients developed infections tied to heater-cooler units, experts solved the problem by putting the devices in a room connected to - but separate from - the operating room, said Dr. Michael Edmond. "I don't think we can safely say the machines can be decontaminated," said Edmond, a clinical professor of infectious diseases. "The only safe mitigation strategy is you have to separate the air that comes out of that machine from the air in the operating room." Since the hospital took that action in January 2016, no new infections have been detected. "It works beautifully," Edmond said. 2017 Kaiser Health News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A blood clot forming in the carotid artery. Credit: American Heart Association Stroke survivors may experience delayed recovery of limb function up to decades after injury, according to a new case study. The article, published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurophysiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for July. The subject of the study is a man who suffered a stroke at age 15, leaving his left hand nonfunctional even after a regimen of physical therapy. Twenty-two years after the stroke, the man started swimming regularly after his doctor suggested it to lose weight. One year later, the man was able to move his left fingers in a limited capacity. He returned to physical therapy for several years and improved his recovery to the point of picking up small objects with his left hand. Researchers in London, Ontario, Canada, performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while the man flexed his fingers. They found that the nerve cells that control sensation (sensimotor neurons) on both sides of the brain had reorganized more than two decades after the stroke, leading to regained function. The research team suggested that a combination of physical activity and his young age when the stroke occurred might explain the late recovery. The man had previously regained function in his shoulder and elbow; the increase in activity seen with swimming may have provoked the reorganization of the sensimotor neurons. "The marked delayed recovery in our patient and the widespread recruitment of bilateral areas of the brain indicate the potential for much greater stroke recovery than is generally assumed," the researchers wrote. More information: Peter Soros et al. Motor Recovery Beginning 23 Years After Ischemic Stroke, Journal of Neurophysiology (2017). Journal information: Journal of Neurophysiology Peter Soros et al. Motor Recovery Beginning 23 Years After Ischemic Stroke,(2017). DOI: 10.1152/jn.00868.2016 For the first time this year a late breaking clinical trials session will be held at the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) Congress to highlight world-class research coming out of the region. The 21st APSC Congress, which is taking place 13-15 July in Singapore, will show-case original research from six late breaking clinical trials and 250 abstracts. The meeting is expected to be attended by over 2000 delegates from 45 countries. "The epidemic of cardiovascular disease is rising in Asia, and with this comes the growing realization that the disease phenotype may be different from that of other parts of the world. There are unique risk factors, genetics and public health issues which taken together mean that the findings of studies undertaken in the West may not automatically translate to Asian populations, "said Dr Jack Tan, the APSC Congress chair. "All this makes it really important to have a platform for Asian cardiovascular research. We hope new opportunities to present research at an Asia centered meeting will encourage more researchers from our region to get involved in clinical trials and registries." For example, the ASIAN-HF registry1, which is being presented at the late breaking clinical trials session on 13 July 2017, demonstrates how heart failure patients in Asia are younger and have more co morbidities than their western counterparts. The scientific content of the APSC, added Dr Tan, will be enhanced by European Society of Cardiology (ESC) hosted sessions. On Friday 14th July at 14:00- 15:30 (Room 335) ESC President Prof. Jeroen Bax will chair a session exploring new ESC Guidelines on prevention, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Then at 16:00-17:30 (Room 335) a second ESC session will look at cutting edge cardiology including the role of TAVI, Computed Tomography in Imaging and percutaneous coronary intervention for left main disease. "The idea of these sessions is to highlight both the latest ESC Guidelines and key topics from the last ESC Congress to give a flavour of our recent activities," said Prof. Jose Luis Zamorano, the ESC course director at APSC. "The ESC welcomes the opportunity for close collaborations with the APSC. While there may be some differences in patient populations, there is still a great deal that we can all learn from each other about different ways of practicing cardiology." ASIAN-HF registry In the late breaking clinical trial session Prof. Carolyn Lam, from the National Heart Centre, Singapore and Duke-National University of Singapore, will present the results of The Asian Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure (ASIAN-HF) registry1 which set out to gather real-world data on the demographics, risk factors and outcomes of heart failure patients in Asia. The prospective registry reviewed clinical characteristics and outcomes of 5,276 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; EF<40%) and 1204 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF; EF>50%). Subjects were recruited from 46 centres across 11 regions (including Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines). For the study, ICD-eligible patients were defined as those with ejection fractions 35% and New York Heart Association Class II-III. Results for the registry showed: Among patients with HFrEF, the mean age was 59.6 year (this contrasts with a mean age in the US of 70 years). Among patients with HFpEF, the mean age was 68 years (this contrasts with a mean age in the US of 72 year). Two thirds of subjects had two or more co morbidities. Having two or more co morbidities increased the odds of HFpEF (vs. HFrEF) by around 50%. Being a woman increased the odds of HFpEF (vs. HFrEF) threefold. At six months, 13.1% of patients had died or were hospitalized for HF (13.9% in HFrEF; 8.9% in HFpEF). Among 3240 ICD eligible patients only 389 (12%) were ICD recipients. Utilization of ICDs varied widely across Asia from 1.5% in Indonesia to 52.5% in Japan. Over a median follow-up of 417 days, ICD implantation reduced risks of all-cause mortality (HR=0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.97) and sudden cardiac death (HR=0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.79). "In our registry we are seeing that despite being much younger than patients in the rest of the world, Asian patients with heart failure have a high burden of co morbidities and risk factors, many of which are modifiable," said Prof. Lam. The study revealed underutilization of potentially life-saving implantable cardiac defibrillators. "This we believe may be due to lack of understanding around the device and cultural resistance to the idea of having a foreign body implanted, which represent opportunities for patient education," said Prof. Lam. The public in Asia, she added, need to be educated to take heart failure more seriously. The registry, she added, showed that there were distinct differences between Asian and Western patients with heart failure. "The results show that we can't just extrapolate the characteristics and outcomes of Western patients with heart failure to Asians, and that even within Asia we can't extrapolate results from one region to another. As cardiologists we need to be conducting more heart failure trials in Asia." The registry, said Prof. Lam, puts an infrastructure in place that can be extended to clinical trials. "We have shown that despite the language and cultural differences across Asia we can get together to successfully recruit thousands of patients. Our dream is that once we have completed the first observational phase we can move on to become an interventional trial network." Localization of pro-fibrotic hormones in heart muscle cells (green), which synthesize and release transforming growth factor-beta (red) following cardiac injury. Nuclei are shown in blue. Credit: Northwestern University Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a novel molecular mechanism that regulates scar formation in the heart, a common manifestation of aging and nearly every form of heart disease. The discovery was published in the journal Circulation. The scientists showed that heart muscle cells called cardiomyocytes are a principal source of the molecular signals that drive scarring in the heart, a process known as cardiac fibrosis. "Historically, these signals were thought to arise from other cell types in the heart," explained Panagiotis (Peter) Flevaris, MD, PhD, '12, '17 GME, instructor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and first author of the paper. "We also identified the gene that serves as the master regulator of the synthesis and release of pro-fibrotic signals from heart muscle cells across different species." First, Flevaris and colleagues showed that a familial mutation in that gene, which encodes the protein plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), leads to spontaneous cardiac fibrosis in otherwise healthy individuals in an Old Order Amish community. The findings in the human population confirmed previous observations in mice lacking the gene for PAI-1. Importantly, the scientists found that a protein called bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) can prevent the generation of fibrotic signals by cardiomyocytes and may be able to serve as a future therapy for cardiac fibrosis. "Tissue fibrosis is the leading cause of organ failure, but persists as one of the most pressing global health problems due to lack of effective pharmacotherapies. Currently, the only cure for cardiac fibrosis is heart transplantation," said Flevaris, who completed this research during a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Medicine's Physician-Scientist Training Program, working with senior author Douglas Vaughan, MD, Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine and chair of Medicine. "Supported by clinical and functional data, our work provides exciting new evidence that modulation of cardiomyocyte signals by BMP7 represents a unique therapeutic strategy to prevent cardiac fibrosis," Flevaris added. "This discovery not only provides a novel paradigm for how the heart muscle generates signals following injury, but also has the potential to transform healthcare for the heart failure population at large." More information: Panagiotis Flevaris et al. PAI-1 Controls Cardiomyocyte TGF- and Cardiac Fibrosis, Circulation (2017). Journal information: Circulation Panagiotis Flevaris et al. PAI-1 Controls Cardiomyocyte TGF- and Cardiac Fibrosis,(2017). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.028145 Researchers led by Arizona State University (ASU) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have identified altered expression of a gene called ANK1, which only recently has been associated with memory robbing Alzheimer's disease, in specific cells in the brain. Using an extremely precise method of isolating cells called "laser capture microdissection," researchers looked at three specific cell types - microglia, astrocytes and neurons - in the brain tissue of individuals with a pathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and compared them to brain samples from healthy individuals and those with Parkinson's disease. Following sequencing of each of these cell types, the ASU-TGen led team found that altered ANK1 expression originates in microglia, a type of immune cell found in the brain and central nervous system, according to the study published today in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. "Although previous genetic and epigenetic-wide association studies had shown a significant association between ANK1 and AD, they were unable to identify the class of cells that may be responsible for such association because of the use of brain homogenates. Here, we provide evidence that microglia are the source of the previously observed differential expression patterns in the ANK1 gene in Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Diego Mastroeni, an Assistant Research Professor at Biodesign's ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, and the study's lead author. All three of the cell types in this study were derived from the hippocampus, a small looping structure shaped like a seahorse (its name derives from the Greek words for horse and sea monster). The hippocampus resides deep inside the human brain and plays important roles in the consolidation of both short-term and long-term memory, and in the spatial memory that enables the body to navigate. In Alzheimer's disease - and other forms of dementia - the hippocampus is one of the first regions of the brain to suffer damage, resulting in short-term memory loss and disorientation. Individuals with extensive damage to the hippocampus are unable to form and retain new memories. "Using our unique data set, we show that in the hippocampus, ANK1 is significantly increased four-fold in Alzheimer's disease microglia, but not in neurons or astrocytes from the same individuals," said Dr. Winnie Liang, an Assistant Professor, Director of TGen Scientific Operations and Director of TGen's Collaborative Sequencing Center, and one of the study's authors. "These findings emphasize that expression analysis of defined classes of cells is required to understand what genes and pathways are dysregulated in Alzheimer's." Alzheimer's features many signs of chronic inflammation, and microglia are key regulators of the inflammatory cascade, proposed as an early event in the development of Alzheimer's, the study said. Because the study found that ANK1 also was increased two-fold in Parkinson's disease, "these data suggest that alterations in ANK1, at lease in microglia, may not be disease specific, but rather a response, or phenotype associated with neurodegeneration more specifically, neuroinflammation." More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's, an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills and eventually the ability to conduct even the simplest of tasks. For most patients, symptoms first appear in the mid-60s. For older Americans, it is the third leading cause of death, following heart disease and cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health. "The success of this, and many other studies, owes a great deal to the support and collaborative nature of the people of the Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium. The results obtained in this work emphasize the importance of methods that enable us to characterize the molecular profile of defined cells, either as a group or as single cells, that have been defined by any of several means," said Dr. Paul Coleman, Research Professor at Biodesign's ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, and the study's senior author. Dr. Eric Reiman, Director of the Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium and Clinical Director of Neurogenomics at TGen, said: "This study demonstrates the value of bringing together talented researchers from different disciplines and organizations to advance the scientific fight against Alzheimer's disease." More information: Diego Mastroeni et al, ANK1 is up-regulated in laser captured microglia in Alzheimer's brain; the importance of addressing cellular heterogeneity, PLOS ONE (2017). Journal information: PLoS ONE Diego Mastroeni et al, ANK1 is up-regulated in laser captured microglia in Alzheimer's brain; the importance of addressing cellular heterogeneity,(2017). dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177814 Overall survival of paediatric patients with average-risk (AR) and high-risk (HR) medulloblastoma treated from 1994 to 2013. Credit: American Society of Clinical Oncology The future of children with brain tumours is very promising. To do nothing is to ignore the very real possibility of a treatment and cure. It is the time now to accelerate clinical and laboratory research in childhood brain tumours. Brain tumours are the second most common childhood malignancy worldwide. In Malaysia, a nationwide epidemiological survey from 2010 to 2012 found that brain tumours comprise approximately 15% of all childhood neoplasms. The estimated overall incidence of brain tumours amongst Malaysians aged less than 18 years is approximately 9.9 per million per year. After leukemia, brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer deaths in children. Surprisingly, the public remain unaware of the magnitude of this disease. Brain tumours either can be benign or malignant and different proportions of histological subtypes are present in children compared to adults. Medulloblastoma, low grade glioma and ependymoma are the most prevalent paediatric brain tumours. Meanwhile, in children less than 3 years, a third of brain tumours are of the embryonic type. Malignant brain tumours are highly aggressive and may be associated with systemic metastases. Timely diagnoses with coordinated multidisciplinary team approaches are known to be pivotal factors that lead to increased overall survival and improved quality of life in children with brain tumours. Surgery represents the first line of treatment when addressing paediatric brain tumours. A retrospective review of paediatric patients with medulloblastoma treated in University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from January 1994 to December 2013 showed 5-year progression-free survival for patients 3 years was 41.7%14.2% in the high-risk group and 68.6%18.6% in the average-risk group, whilst the 5-year overall survival in these two groups was 41.7%14.2% and 58.3%18.6% respectively. Children younger than 3 years had 5-year progression-free and overall survival rates of 47.6%12.1% and 45.6%11.7% respectively. These rates are significantly inferior to those in developed countries. In our series, we postulate a number of contributing factors for this inferior outcome - these include : limited health care resources, inadequate financial support for diagnostic tests and research activities, absence of molecular subgroup information, lack of multidisciplinary neuro-oncology team in many centres, inadequate long-term follow-up and treatment abandonment secondary to cultural beliefs. At the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), the care and long-term multidisciplinary follow-up for children with brain tumours are co-ordinated by the Paediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit. The UMMC team follows more than 150 brain tumour patients, from infancy through adulthood in outpatient oncology clinics and approximately 10-15 children and adolescents with brain tumours are diagnosed every year. A multidisciplinary neuro-oncology team was formed in 2013 comprising paediatric oncologists, neurosurgeons, radiotherapists, clinical oncologists, neuropathologists and radiologists. The team discusses both paediatric and adult brain tumour cases at a weekly multidisciplinary conference. They provide the most innovative therapeutic solution in a well-structured multidisciplinary approach, while at the same time offering support to the patient and the family. The departments of neurosurgery, radiation oncology and biomedical imaging have recently expanded their services to include more state-of-the-art equipment and medical facilities, such as gamma knife radiosurgery, conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy. In addition, paediatric oncologists are able to offer evidence based chemotherapy following protocols from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) and International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP). While historically the prognosis of brain tumours has been bleak, there is good news on the horizon. The molecular era has advanced our understanding of brain tumour disease biology and identified distinct molecular subgroups with gene expression and DNA methylation, allowing better precision in choice of treatment. This is best exemplified in medulloblastoma which is the commonest childhood malignant brain tumour. The current treatment approach for managing medulloblastoma consists of maximal surgical resection, chemotherapy, craniospinal radiotherapy for older children or a radiotherapy-sparing approach using high-dose chemotherapy for children aged <3 years. Although this 'standard of care' has been effective in improving the outcome of children with medulloblastoma, unfortunately, survivors pay a high price for cure. Impairment in neurocognitive and neuroendocrine functioning, hearing, fertility, cardiopulmonary fitness and physical performance are increasingly recognized late-effects of chemo- and radiation therapy. To improve treatment precision and reduce unnecessary side-effects, customized and targeted therapies have been implemented for children with brain tumours. These efforts aim to reduce the intensity of treatment for patients with good prognostic molecular signatures in order to decrease morbidity, whilst introducing novel therapies for specific subgroups. For example, in 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System has incorporated molecular subgrouping (namely WNT/Wingless (WNT), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Group 3 and Group 4) in the diagnosis and management of medulloblastoma. Recent research, identifying mutation in the BRAF gene in brain gliomas, promises new answers as to how and why certain gliomas occur and the ideal treatment strategy for cure. Understanding of the heterogeneity of disease biology amongst the scientific communities worldwide has created a new culture for partnership with medical institutions, government and non-governmental organisations and lay people, without which the chance of finding a cure in brain tumours remains slim. Paediatric neuro-oncology is an evolving subspecialty in Malaysia. Molecular subgroup typing is not standard practice yet when making a diagnosis. The absence of molecular subgroup information in patients will preclude accurate risk stratification and result in suboptimal treatment. Given the future treatment of childhood brain tumours will require analysis to determine the underlying molecular subgroup in order to correctly risk stratify patients to subgroup specific treatments, understanding the impact of molecular subgroups in brain tumours in Malaysia is a critical first step. To address these gaps and challenges, the paediatric oncology team of University of Malaya has taken several steps. A brain tumour tissue repository with clinical annotation has been established since 2012 for molecular and genetic studies. Recently, international research collaborations with developed countries have been initiated. The first international brain tumour collaborative project entitled 'Molecular Classification of Paediatric Medulloblastoma in Malaysia' between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, West Australia and Paediatric Haematology-Oncology Unit in University of Malaya with three other Ministry of Health Hospitals (Penang General Hospital, Sarawak General Hospital and Sabah Woman and Children's Hospital (Likas)) are now underway. The objective of this project is to determine the prognostic significance of the four molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma by DNA methylation profiling (using the 850k methylation array) on diagnostic tumour tissue samples among medulloblastoma children in Malaysia. The aim is to translate the scientific discovery to identify the prognostic factors based on molecular signatures in order to improve the survival and quality of life in future patients. In addition, a twinning program between University of Malaya and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia will commence in the immediate future with monthly video conference, allowing interactive exchanges with world-renowned brain tumour experts. As brain tumour survivors suffer from significant morbidity following multimodal treatment, a research project focusing on late-effects and quality of life using a self or parent-report "patient questionnaire" is now under planning with International Outreach Program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA to determine the incidence of late-effects in limited resource countries. With all the genetic and biologic advances in paediatric brain tumours, it is crucial not to lose sight of the importance of prompt diagnosis. Diagnosis of brain tumour is delayed most of the time when compared with other paediatric malignancies. Thus, a retrospective review of delayed diagnosis of childhood brain tumours treated at UMMC from 2000 until 2015 will be undertaken to identify the causes, consequences and potential solutions. Paediatric neuro-oncology has advanced significantly especially in the past 5 years. Whole genomic analysis of the entire spectrum of paediatric brain tumours has afforded an opportunity to the paediatric neuro-oncology community to reconsider current treatment strategies and design better therapeutic solutions for children with brain tumours. Realistically, however the incorporation of tumour genomic information into "standard" treatment protocols is a major challenge in low and middle income countries due to its high cost. Nevertheless, the paediatric oncology team in University of Malaya will implement several collaborative strategies with international partners over the next 5-10 years to allow children from this region to benefit from personalized therapy for a wide spectrum of brain cancers. More information: Rajagopal R, et al. Challenges of treating of childhood medulloblastoma in a country with limited resources: 20 years of experience at a single center in Malaysia. Journal of Global Oncology 2017: 3(2):143-156 Provided by University of Malaya Firefighters, emergency responders, and other victim service professionals dedicate their lives to caring for others. But in order to do that effectively, they must also care for themselves. In addition to high-stress and dangerous environments, organizations that support victims of trauma must grapple with an occupational challenge called vicarious traumatization. It's the term for the negative residual effects people experience when they are exposed to the trauma of others continuously over time. To raise awareness and address this phenomenon, researchers at Northeastern's Institute on Urban Health Research and Practice recently developed a comprehensive online toolkit filled with evidence-informed resources called the Vicarious Trauma Toolkit. Vicarious trauma can manifest itself in many ways. A counselor for rape survivors may start to feel depressed, vulnerable, or unsafe. An emergency medical technician might worry excessively about the well-being of loved ones. A firefighter might become emotionally numb or hopeless about the future. To make matters worse, entrenched social norms discourage people in these professions from talking about vicarious trauma or seeking help. The toolkit came about when social and psychiatric epidemiologist Beth Molnar, associate professor and director of the Population Health PhD Program at Northeastern, saw a call for proposals from the Office for Victims of Crime within the Department of Justice. Molnar has academic expertise, but she also has firsthand experience in victim services. As a volunteer in the Boston Rape Crisis Center, Molnar would meet survivors of sexual assault in the emergency room. Although this work is understandably difficult, she never felt unsupported. The volunteers had ample opportunities to debrief and were encouraged to talk about their experiences. "They made sure the stories we heard from survivors didn't affect our lives in a negative way," Molnar said. However, she knew that her experience was more of an exception than a rule. A comprehensive 2013 report from the Office for Victims of Crime found that vicarious trauma is pervasive and can significantly impede workers' ability to do their jobs. Molnar and colleagues also recently published a paper on the state of the science and practice for vicarious trauma. "There is a recognition that victim service providers and first responders in these categories are day in and day out chronically and cumulatively exposed to violence and trauma, one victim at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time," said Janet Fine, project director for the Vicarious Trauma Toolkit. Fine has nearly 35 years of experience in the victim services field, including as part of the National Crisis Response Team at Ground Zero after 9/11. Partnering with Fine and other experts all over the country, Molnar wrote a proposal to create the Vicarious Trauma Toolkit. It was the only project selected for funding, receiving $2.125 million over four years. The toolkit is now available online. It's the culmination of a national survey, calls for materials from the field, a systematic review of research literature and websites, expert summits, and the development of 16 new tools. Before the official launch, Molnar and colleagues completed a pilot study of the website that included focus groups and interviews in seven locations around the country. In all, nearly 500 resources vetted for scientific rigor are included in the toolkit. The site is organized around four disciplinesvictim services, emergency medical services, fire service, and law enforcementalthough it is relevant to any field that supports trauma victims. The toolkit includes video testimonials, training materials, research literature, and research-backed policies and practices from organizations across the country. One of the toolkit's central resources is called the Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide. It's a new tool created to help first responder and victim services organizations assess their ability to effectively address vicarious trauma and create a plan for improvement. But it also signifies an important culture shift. Traditionally, the victim services field has placed the onus of responsibility on individual workers to handle their healthcare, including the mental and physical consequences of vicarious trauma. Sentiments such as "tough it out," "you're not made for this work," or "you can't take the heat," are ubiquitous, Molnar says. As a result, talking about the impact of trauma has been considered taboountil now. "We're changing that social norm so there's a positive, promotive, preventative set of responsibilities organizations can take on to make this kind of work healthy for people dealing with what we now call an occupational challenge, rather than a hazard or a negative part of the work." A condominium in Campinas, Brazil, where animals were detected with Leishmania infantum infection. Credit: Lais Moraes Paiz, 2015. In the past, leishmaniasisa parasitic infection that can be fatal in humanshas been confined to rural areas of the developing world. More recently, however, epidemics have occurred in urban environments, particularly areas of recent development. Now, researchers have surveyed the environmentally protected area in Campinas, Southeastern Brazil, which has undergone several changes by human action, especially the implementation of condominiums, and revealed that more than one percent of dogs, as well as some opossums and insect species in the area carry the parasite responsible for the most dangerous form of leishmaniasis. The results of their study are published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania parasites, which are spread by the bite of infected sand flies. There are three forms of the disease; visceral leishmaniasis (VL)or kala-azaris the most serious and is fatal in most cases if left untreated. Seven countries, including Brazil, are responsible for most of the VL cases in the world. Campinas, a city in Sao Paulo State in southeastern Brazil, reported the first case of VL in a dog in 2009 in a resident condominium located in the environmentally protected area. In the new work, researchers of the State University of Campinas and Adolfo Lutz Institute, Brazil, and colleagues from the Municipal Health Department wanted to examine the incidence of VL in animals and insects in 18 different points distributed in the 223 square kilometer environmentally protected area (EPA) where the original case was reported. The researchers collected nearly 600 blood samples from domestic dogs in the development in both 2013 and 2015 and, for three nights a month during a year-long study period, set up 60 baited ground traps to catch small mammals throughout the area as well as 2 or 3 light traps to catch insects. Blood samples were taken of captured mammals and the researchers used serological tests to study the infection in dogs and genetic testing to study the wild animals and insect specimens. In 2013, 1.5% of domestic dogs have antibodies for VL; in 2015, 1.3% tested positive. 477 sand flies were collected from the EPA, including six species of sand fly known or suspected to be able to transmit leishmaniasis. 3 individual flies carried Leishmania species responsible for VL. Eighty-two wild mammals from six species were captured during the study, and two opossums were identified as carrying Leishmania in blood, the first reported occurrence of the parasite in wild mammals in the region. "Discussion concerning the participation of wild species in the transmission of zoonotic parasites has become particularly important in recent years with the consolidation of the One Health concept. Anthropogenic changes in ecosystems are particularly important in this context, resulting in greater proximity between wild and domestic animals and humans," the researchers say. "Investigating a new VL focus in all its distinct aspects contributes to our understanding of the key elements of the transmission dynamics and disease control." More information: Donalisio MR, Paiz LM, da Silva VG, Richini-Pereira VB, von Zuben APB, Castagna CL, et al. (2017) Visceral leishmaniasis in an environmentally protected area in southeastern Brazil: Epidemiological and laboratory cross-sectional investigation of phlebotomine fauna, wild hosts and canine cases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11(7): e0005666. Journal information: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Donalisio MR, Paiz LM, da Silva VG, Richini-Pereira VB, von Zuben APB, Castagna CL, et al. (2017) Visceral leishmaniasis in an environmentally protected area in southeastern Brazil: Epidemiological and laboratory cross-sectional investigation of phlebotomine fauna, wild hosts and canine cases.11(7): e0005666. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005666 (HealthDay)For pediatric patients with alopecia areata (AA), vitamin D is negatively correlated with disease severity, number of patches, and disease duration, according to a study published online recently in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Mehmet Unal, M.D., and Gulsum Gonulalan, M.D., from the Konya Numune Hospital in Turkey, examined vitamin D status in 20 pediatric patients with AA and 34 pediatric healthy controls. The authors assessed the correlation between vitamin D status and disease severity, number of patches, and disease duration. The researchers found that the mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 15.47 7.66 and 11.09 10.53 ng/mL in patients and controls, respectively; no statistically significant difference was seen between the groups (P = 0.084). Significant, negative correlations were seen for vitamin D concentration with the Severity of Alopecia Tool score (P < 0.001; r, 0.831), number of patches (P < 0.001; r, 0.989), and disease duration (P < 0.001 and r, 0.997). "Vitamin D deficiency is not the only etiologic factor in AA pathogenesis, but in the presence of other etiological factors, this deficiency can aggravate AA severity, and thus, vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial in treatment of pediatric AA," the authors write. Copyright 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SAP has placed certain South African staff on administrative leave pending an investigation into contracts awarded by SAP South Africa. The investigation is lead by a law firm and supervised by board member Adaire Fox-Martin. SAP has brought in senior staff to run the local branch of the company while the review is conducted. According to reports, SAP South Africa used a company called CAD House as a sales partner to secure contracts with Transnet. CAD House is linked to the Gupta empire through Sahara Computers. Reports stated that SAP paid CAD House R99.9 million after R1 billion worth of contracts were secured by SAP thanks to the Gupta-linked unit. SAP said Fox-Martin is currently travelling to South Africa to address the concerns of customers, partners, and employees. Full transparency and integrity are imperative at our company and we will not tolerate any misconduct, said Fox-Martin. Treasury has detailed its inclusive growth action plan for the government, based on discussions between finance minister Malusi Gigaba and stakeholders. The plan follows Q1 2017 GDP data which showed South Africa is in a technical recession. Among the interventions are deadlines for the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services to ensure that new radio frequency spectrum is assigned to wireless network operators. The deadlines are: Direct Competition Commission to investigate the data prices July 2017 Commence roll-out of phase 1 of SA Connect Broadband programme August 2017 Conduct high level study on WOAN spectrum needs with a view to licence the remainder to the industry August 2017 Issue policy directive mandating ICASA to commence the licensing process December 2017 Complete the spectrum licensing process December 2018 Radio frequency licensing The December 2018 deadline to complete the spectrum licensing process coincides with the latest deadline the Minister of Communications, Ayanda Dlodlo, set to complete South Africas migration to digital TV broadcasting. Only once the migration is complete will sought-after spectrum known as the digital dividend be available. This spectrum will be useful for rolling out coverage over large areas that offers good indoor penetration. If the digital migration is not completed, the spectrum licensed may not be available to use and the government and ICASA will have to account for this possibility. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) has reached yet another milestone, with a significant development that cements the way towards the second phase construction of the colossal telescope. The Ghanaian and South African governments on Thursday announced the combination of first light science observations, which confirm the successful conversion of the Ghana communications antenna from a redundant telecoms instrument into a functioning Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) radio telescope. Ghana is the first partner country of the African Very Large Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) Network (AVN) to complete the conversion of a communications antenna into a functioning radio telescope. The 32-metre converted telecommunications antenna at the Ghana Intelsat Satellite Earth Station in Kutunse will be integrated into the African VLBI Network (AVN) in preparation for the second phase construction of the SKA across the African continent. The combination first light science observations included Methanol Maser detections, VLBI fringe testing and Pulsar observations. Reaching these three objectives confirms that the instrument can operate as a single dish radio telescope and also as part of global VLBI network observations, such as the European VLBI network. Following the initial first light observations, the research teams from Ghana and South Africa together with other international research partners continue to do more observations and are analysing the data generated, with the aim of characterising the system and improving its accuracy for future experiments. The Ghanaian government warmly embraces the prospect of radio astronomy in the country and our radio astronomy development plan forms part of the broader Ghana Science, Technology and Innovation Development Plan, said Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Ghanaian Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). As a SKA Africa partner country, Ghana is collaborating with the SKA South Africa (SKA SA)/HartRAO (Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomical Observatory) group to harness the radio astronomy potential of the redundant satellite communication antenna in Kutunse. A team of scientists and engineers from SKA SA/HartRAO and the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI), which is under MESTI, has been working since 2011 on the astronomy instrument upgrade to make it radio astronomy ready. Growing Africas science skills base In 2012, Ghana launched the GSSTI as the vehicle through which to grow its astrophysics programme. The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has been funding a large part of the conversion project through the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF). The African Renaissance Fund is aimed at strengthening cooperation between South Africa and other African countries and to support the development of skills and build institutional capacity on the continent, said DIRCO Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. Nine African partner countries are members of the SKA AVN, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia. A vital part of the effort towards building SKA on the African continent over the next decade is to develop the skills, regulations and institutional capacity needed in SKA partner countries to optimise African participation in the SKA, said Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor. The AVN programme is aimed at transferring skills and knowledge in African partner countries to build, maintain, operate and use radio telescopes. It will bring new science opportunities to Africa on a relatively short time scale and develop radio astronomy science communities in SKA partner countries, Minister Pandor said. The Leverhulme-Royal Society Trust and Newton Fund in the UK are co-funding extensive human capital development programmes in the SKA AVN partner countries. A seven-member Ghanaian team has undergone training in South Africa and has been trained in all aspects of the project, including the operation of the telescope. Several PhD students and one MSc student from Ghana have received SKA SA bursaries to pursue further education in various fields of astronomy and engineering. The Royal Society has awarded funding, in collaboration with Leeds University, to train two PhDs and 60 young aspiring scientists in the field of astrophysics. Based on the success of the Leverhulme-Royal Society programme, a joint UK-South Africa Newton Fund intervention [the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA)] has since been initiated in other partner countries to grow high technology skills that can lead to broader economic development in Africa. A Ministerial Forum comprising Ministers from the nine SKA AVN partner countries convenes on an annual basis to provide strategic and political leadership on the cooperation with the SKA and AVN projects, and on other relevant radio astronomy programmes and initiatives. The next SKA AVN Ministerial Forum will be held in Accra, Ghana, in August when the Kutunse radio telescope will officially be launched. SA News Now read: Microsoft opens new AI lab to take on Google Russia urges the parties to the Karabakh conflict to take necessary measures for stabilization of the situation, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova said. She noted that Russia is keeping this issue under special control and is doing everything to bring it back to the settlement process in case of aggravation of the situation. We support the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs statement that calls for the cessation of violence and the resumption of negotiations, she noted, commenting on ceasefire regime violation which led to the killing of two civilians, including a toddler. We offer our condolences to the families of the deceased. We consider further bloodshed unacceptable and urge the conflict parties to take necessary measures to stabilize the situation, she added. On Tuesday evening, the Azerbaijani forces, which are located nearby Alkhanlu village, opened fire on positions of Karabakh Defense Army. A 52-year-old Azerbaijani woman and a 2-year-old girl died in the ensuing exchange of fire. The European Friends of Armenia and members of the European Parliament Frank Engel, Josu Juaristi, Peter Niedermuller, Jaromir Stetina, Josep-Maria Terricabras issued a joint statement on the recent conflict escalation in the line of contact in Karabakh: 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. 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. Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million Gentiloni: EU countries have accumulated enough gas to get through the coming winter Several dozen activists detained at protest rally in Baku: They chant slogans 'Freedom!', 'Resign!' Princess Haya seeks asylum in Wales Pashinyan: Iran is concerned about the presence of other actors in our region, which are not in the territory of Armenia Pashinyan: Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan listened to presented proposals Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover Pashinyan: Yerevan supports Russia's proposals for Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement Pashinyan: Russia cannot withdraw from Karabakh unless it creates additional guarantees for peacekeeping mission Pashinyan: We will do everything to Armenia-Azerbaijan sign peace treaty by end of year Russia bans entry of Biden's family and White House press secretary Pashinyan: We believe there should be a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh 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 YEREVAN. Georgia is not considering the opening of roads for transit, special representative of the Georgian PM on Russia relations Zurab Abashidze said. His comment came as a response to the Armenian transport minister who said Armenia hopes to launch a trade corridor between Russia and Georgia through - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region in the near future. According to Abashidze, the negotiations between Russia and Georgia are underway on the implementation of the 2011 agreement on monitoring cargo turnover and there is no talk of additional preconditions that would allow Armenia to hope for the opening of a trade corridor through Abkhazia, Gruziya On-line reported. Now we are talking with Russia about the entry into force of the 2011 agreement. It is necessary to conclude contracts with the Swiss company (SGS), both from our own and from the Russian side. Our Swiss colleagues are actively engaged in talks. It is necessary to complete the preparatory phase of work on contracts and conclude them. Later on a Georgian-Russian-Swiss working group will be established, to monitor the implementation of the agreement, he said. I want to thank State Senator Dale Righter and State Representative Reggie Phillips for putting our campus community ahead of their own political interests by supporting the balanced budget enacted July 6. In 2015, the States temporary income tax rate of 5% expired. Lawmakers and the Governor understood this created a tremendous budgetary imbalance but they could not agree on a path forward, and so the impasse set in. Meanwhile, thanks to court orders, the State continued spending on autopilot well in excess of what the State was collecting in taxes. So, despite having no budget for two years, the States deficit actually grew. Bearing the brunt of the impasse were the sectors not covered by autopilot payments: social services and higher education. Eastern was cut the equivalent of an entire years state funding during the two year impasse. Just like any household or business, government also has to pay for products and services procured and for work performed. At EIU, many of the products and services procured are from vendors right here in our region. And the work performed is the work of your neighbors, your friends, members of your church congregations, and customers that keep your places of employment in business. EIU is a significant economic engine for our region, turning every $1 in state funding into $2 of economic activity. Sen. Righter and Rep. Phillips took some tough votes, and some people will undoubtedly be angry that their tax rates are returning to what they recently were. But our legislators knew the alternative: additional layoffs, excessive furloughs, continued enrollment declines, depressed real estate markets, and more empty storefronts. Sen. Righter and Rep. Phillips decided, at their own political risk, No. Not on our watch. For that -- I sincerely thank them. David Glassman, President, Eastern Illinois University Downtown Milwaukee has changed over the years, about that there is no question. What's especially noticeable to folks of a "certain age" is how much has gone away. Here are a few things that have departed the landscape in the city center, and if you remember them, there's a pretty good chance you spent a lot of time Downtown in the 1980s ... 1. The Grand Theater Back when you could see a film (or a concert) there... 2. Burger King on 2nd and Wisconsin It's loooonnnggg gone, but the mezzanine where you enjoyed your Whopper still exists. 3. Gabel News newsstand at 3rd and Wisconsin The newsstand started out on the northwest corner, in front of Walgreen's (which also moved), but by 1983 it had moved to the northeast corner, and then, in the mid-1990s, it simply disappeared. (Photo: Milwaukee Public Library) One of its longtime employees, Frankie Little, played bass for Spike Jones and His City Slickers in the 1940s and '50s. Little worked there into the '80s. 4. Hotel Randolph Charles Clayton Randolph moved the old Terminal Hotel to the southwest corner of 4th and Wisconsin in 1927 and named it after himself. By the dawn of the '80s, it appeared to be in pretty rough shape and by mid-decade it, and the old YMCA, the Maryland Hotel, the Big Boy, the wig shop, the shuttered Starship rock club all fell to the wrecking ball. There's a cool animated gif of the demolition here. 5. Penney's, Schwartz, Motown Beauty Supply, the Wisconsin Theater Some have said the Wisconsin Center isn't big enough to host certain types of conventions, but it sure covers a lot of the old Downtown. Beneath its foundation lies the old JC Penney that was on the northwest corner of 4th and Wisconsin and, to the west of it, a former Schwartz Bookshop. (Photo: Milwaukee Public Library) Across 5th Street, you'd find Motown Beauty Supply and the Wisconsin Theater, in its waning days. That building was packed with Milwaukee history, from the live music and dancing on its roof to the old draft office on the 6th Street side, where many young men reported for duty during World War II. 6. The Belmont Hotel Having moved here in the early '80s, I almost can't imagine the Belmont ever looking as snazzy as it does in the postcard below, but surely it did, even though when it closed the daily paper said it "was never a classy hotel." Though at times the barber shop, coffee shop and bar were beloved by their devoted clientele, Milwaukee had long since ceased to value the 105-room residential place by the time it was shuttered and pulled down in 1996. What was beloved was the sign that hung outside on the corner of 4th and Wells and it featured on one of my all-time favorite Pride of Milwaukee T-shirts. Surely, Kevin Callahan can make me another one of those, right Kev? 7. Radio Doctors Radio Doctors was THE record store in Milwaukee for generations. I bought records there, my mom bought records there when she was young and her dad did so, too. I wouldn't be surprised if his mom also got her favorite German tunes on wax there. No matter what moves into the space, this location will always be Radio Doctors for many Milwaukeeans. If you're of a certain age, you went there in the '80s to buy the first Blue Note CD reissues, Latin hip-hop 12"s, techopop cassettes or tickets to see The Clash at the Auditorium. 8. Johnnie Walker's and The Princess on 3rd and Wells Johnnie Walker's opened here in 1937 when the owner bought an existing clothing shop on the site (and another on Mitchell Street). It expanded into the old Brass Rail jazz (and later strip) club, and endured until 1984 when it moved to Wisconsin Avenue so the site could be cleared along with the adjacent Princess Theater for, well, nothing ... as you can see. Walker's last location closed in 2010, a victim of the recession, and, perhaps, changing tastes. 9. Gimbels Gimbels. Nuff said. 10. The park on Water and Wisconsin After The Pabst Building was razed in 1982, but during years before 100 E. Wisconsin was erected, the riverfront land on the northwest corner of Water and Wisconsin sat vacant, the land was landscaped simply with grass and a mural was put up on the south wall of the building that now houses Gold's Gym. It was a funky mural that looked different if viewed from the left than if viewed from the the right. The grassy patch wasn't all that much to behold but it looked better, and was deemed much safer, than an open pit. 11. Someplace Else Everybody loved Someplace Else, or so it seemed, for its two decades at 632-34 N. Water St. ... until it was destroyed by fire in February 1989. Nearly 150 firefighters battled the conflagration, which began in the basement of the pub, which also sometimes hosted concerts, including early '70s appearances by a nascent Cheap Trick. 12. City Center soup guy Rumor was the guy who ran the popular lobby food court at 735 N. Water St. back in the day might not have had all the requisite permits, but that didn't matter much so the story goes because his most devoted customer happened to be the mayor. I can't say if that's true, but I do know he's gone and the building's been gussied up since. 13. DesForges Booksellers There was a time when Downtown had a number of purveyors of the printed word, including DesForges on the corner of Wisconsin and Milwaukee. It moved there in 1981 when forced to vacate its spot across the street to make way for the 411 E. Wisconsin building. In 1985, Howard and Peggy Taylor who owned Webster's Books on Downer Avenue bought the place, but the book business was changing and DesForges didn't last but a few years longer. 14. The QFM banner building OK, so maybe you didn't come Downtown specifically to see the old (vacant, I think) factory building on the 400 block of North Plankinton that backed onto the river, but you could hardly miss it. For years, the building surrounded by vacant lots had a big WQFM advertising sign hanging from it ... or at least that's how my aging memory recalls it. But I can't get anyone else to confirm this, so perhaps I'm conflating memories. If so, I humbly retract No. 14. If you've got a photo of the building with the banner on it, please let me know. Anyway, I'm pretty sure the building which the 1910 Sanborn map describes as housing a robe factory, a "sweat pad" factory and a wholesale harness factory is just to the right of the lamppost in this one... (Photo: Milwaukee Public Library) Read about 11 dead and buried Downtown rock clubs here. The latest Jurassic Quest dinosaur experience is coming to Wisconsin Center More than 100 photorealistic dinosaurs are ready to delight families when Jurassic Quest opens at the Wisconsin Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave, Oct. 29-31. The latest news from Google on open source releases, major projects, events, and student outreach programs. Credit: University of Michigan Despite a plethora of alternative transportation modesbuses, trains, bicyclescity dwellers are driving more miles than ever, say University of Michigan researchers. In a new study using data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle of the U-M Transportation Research Institute examined the annual distance driven by locale and type of roadway in both urban and rural areas in the U.S. from 2000 to 2016. They found that during that time, urban distance driven increased by 33 percent, while rural distance driven decreased by 12 percent. Overall distance driven (combining both urban and rural) rose by 15 percentthe same rate of increase for U.S. resident population since 2000. "While the increase in overall distance can be fully accounted for by the increase in the U.S. population during the period examined, the divergent patterns of urban and rural driving are not fully accounted for by the corresponding changes in the amounts of urban and rural populations," Sivak said. Sivak and Schoettle say that a 19-percent increase in urban population from 2000 to 2016 can account for only 58 percent of the increase in urban distance driven. Further, rural distance driven decreased despite the fact that the rural population has remained virtually unchanged since 2000. The U-M researchers say that to better understand the factors that have contributed to these recent driving patterns, future research should look at the demographic factors of recent arrivals in urban areas; recent economic changes in urban and rural areas; who drives on urban and rural roads and for what purposes; and the impact of internet access and online activity on driving, especially in rural areas. Are you ready to USE your TALENTS to make the world a better place for Children? If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the worlds leading childrens rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote childrens survival, protection and development. The worlds largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. Will another planet be added to the list of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in our Solar System? Credit: NASA Last year, astronomers announced the existence of an unknown planet in our solar system. However, this hypothesis was subsequently called into question as biases in the observational data were detected. Now, Spanish astronomers have used a novel technique to analyse the orbits of the so-called extreme trans-Neptunian objects and, once again, they report that there is something perturbing thema planet located at a distance between 300 to 400 times the Earth-sun distance. At the beginning of 2016, researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, USA) announced that they had evidence of the existence of this object, located at an average distance of 700 AU and with a mass 10 times that of the Earth. Their calculations were motivated by the peculiar distribution of the orbits found for the trans-Neptunian objects (TNO) in the Kuiper belt, which suggested the presence of a Planet Nine within the solar system. However, scientists from the Canadian-French-Hawaiian project OSSOS detected biases in their own observations of the orbits of the TNOs, which had been systematically directed towards the same regions of the sky, and considered that other groups, including the Caltech group, may be experiencing the same issues. According to these scientists, it is not necessary to propose the existence of a massive perturber to explain these observations, as they are compatible with a random distribution of orbits. Now, however, two astronomers from the Complutense University of Madrid have applied a new technique less exposed to observational bias to study the so-called "extreme trans-Neptunian objects" (ETNOs)located at average distances greater than 150 AU, and which never cross Neptune's orbit. For the first time, the distances from their nodes to the sun have been analysed, and the results, published in the journal MNRAS, once again indicate a planet beyond Pluto. The nodes are the two points at which the orbit of an ETNO, or any other celestial body, crosses the plane of the solar system. These are the precise points where the probability of interacting with other objects is the highest, and therefore, at these points, the ETNOs may experience a drastic change in their orbits or even a collision. Like the comets that interact with Jupiter "If there is nothing to perturb them, the nodes of these extreme trans-Neptunian objects should be uniformly distributed, as there is nothing for them to avoid, but if there are one or more perturbers, two situations may arise," explains Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, one of the authors, to SINC. "One possibility is that the ETNOs are stable, and in this case, they would tend to have their nodes away from the path of possible perturbers. But if they are unstable, they would behave as the comets that interact with Jupiter do, tending to have one of the nodes close to the orbit of the hypothetical perturber." Using calculations and data mining, the Spanish astronomers have found that the nodes of the 28 ETNOs analysed (and the 24 extreme Centaurs with average distances from the sun of more than 150 AU) are clustered in certain ranges of distances from the sun; furthermore, they have found a correlation where none should exist between the positions of the nodes and the inclination, one of the parameters which defines the orientation of the orbits of these icy objects in space. "Assuming that the ETNOs are dynamically similar to the comets that interact with Jupiter, we interpret these results as signs of the presence of a planet that is actively interacting with them in a range of distances from 300 to 400 AU," says De la Fuente Marcos. "We believe that what we are seeing here cannot be attributed to the presence of observational bias." Until now, studies that challenged the existence of Planet Nine using the data available for these trans-Neptunian objects argued that there had been systematic errors linked to the orientations of the orbits (defined by three angles) due to the way the observations had been made. Nevertheless, the nodal distances mainly depend on the size and shape of the orbit, parameters which are relatively free of observational bias. "It is the first time that the nodes have been used to try to understand the dynamics of the ETNOs", De la Fuente Marcos says, adding that discovering more ETNOs (at the moment, only 28 are known) would permit the proposed scenario to be confirmed and subsequently constrain the orbit of the unknown planet via the analysis of the distribution of the nodes. The authors note that their study supports the existence of a planetary object within the range of parameters considered both in the Planet Nine hypothesis of Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin from Caltech, and in the original one proposed in 2014 by Scott Sheppard from the Carnegie Institute and Chadwick Trujillo from the Northern Arizona University; it also corresponds with their own earlier studies, which suggested that there is more than one unknown planet in our solar system. Is there also a Planet Ten? De la Fuente Marcos explains that the hypothetical Planet Nine suggested in this study has nothing to do with another possible planet or planetoid situated much closer to us, and hinted at by other recent findings. Also applying data mining to the orbits of the TNOs of the Kuiper Belt, astronomers Kathryn Volk and Renu Malhotra from the University of Arizona (USA) have found that the plane on which these objects orbit the sun is slightly warped, a fact that could be explained if there is a perturber of the size of Mars at 60 AU from the sun. "Given the current definition of a planet, this other mysterious object may not be a true planet, even if it has a size similar to that of the Earth, as it could be surrounded by huge asteroids or dwarf planets," explains the Spanish astronomer. "In any case, we are convinced that Volk and Malhotra's work has found solid evidence of the presence of a massive body beyond the so-called Kuiper Cliff, the furthest point of the trans-Neptunian belt, at some 50 AU from the sun, and we hope to be able to present soon a new work which also supports its existence." More information: C. de la Fuente Marcos, R. de la Fuente Marcos. "Evidence for a possible bimodal distribution of the nodal distances of the extreme trans-Neptunian objects: avoiding a trans-Plutonian planet or just plain bias?". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, July 2017. DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slx106 , Preprint adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017arXiv170606981D Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society The copepod species Calanus finmarchicus schedules its day using a genetic clock that works independently of external stimuli. The clock shapes the copepod's metabolic rhythms and daily vertical migration. This, in turn, has an enormous influence on the entire food web in the North Atlantic, where Calanus finmarchicus is a central plankton species. Wherever the high-calorie copepod is found determines where its predator species are. The results of the study will be published in the journal Current Biology. The world's oceans are home to a massive vertical migration. At dusk, countless plankton species, like copepods and krill, rise to the surface, where they gorge themselves on single-celled algae that can only thrive where there is sufficient sunlight. The cover of night offers the plankton protection from predators like fish, which need light to hunt. When dawn approaches, they sink back into the dark depths, where they can hide from their predators throughout the daycompleting a cycle that likely represents the largest daily movement of biomass on the entire planet. Though this phenomenon was first discovered over a century ago, researchers are still working to decipher which signals these marine organisms use to decide when to rise and when to descend. Light seems to be an important factoryet this migration also continues during the long polar night and in the deep sea, where hardly any light is detectable. Experts at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have now shown that the copepod species Calanus finmarchicus possesses an internal genetic clock that produces a specific 24-hour rhythm, independent of ambient conditions. Light is only needed in order to "reset" the clock occasionally. "This clock regulates the copepod rhythm of metabolic activity as well as their daily vertical migration," explains first author Soren Hafker. Working together with colleagues from the University of Oldenburg and the Scottish Association for Marine Science, he conducted a detailed study of this internal clock mechanism and compared the daily migration with the rhythm of the genetic clock. As Hafker recalls, "We were amazed to see how precisely the genetic clock maintained its 24-hour rhythm without any external stimuli, and that we found the same rhythm under controlled laboratory conditions as we did in the natural habitat of Loch Etive, Scotland." In their natural environment, the copepods can cover several hundred metres in their daily migrations; intriguingly, the researchers were able to confirm the same movement pattern in laboratory experiments. They began by simulating a natural day-and-night rhythm, and then kept the animals in constant darkness for several days. Under these conditions, they measured oxygen consumption (as an indicator of metabolic activity), the vertical migration behaviour, and the activity levels of different "clock genes." In the roughly one-metre-tall test tanks, the rhythmic vertical migration continued as it did in the field, even in constant darkness. This behaviour shows that migration is regulated by the genetic clock. As a result, the tiny crustaceans can predict the daily cycle, allowing them to withdraw to deeper water layers before there is enough sunlight for predators to find them. The copepod Calanus finmarchicus builds up large fat reserves in its body, making it an appealing source of food for many larger animals. As such, its daily migration is extremely important for the ecosystemespecially because, due to global warming, the distribution of many marine species has shifted closer to the poles. However, the duration of daylight varies much more throughout the year near the poles, which raises the question of whether the copepods' internal clocks can cope with these extreme conditions. As Soren Hafker concludes, "Only if we understand how genetic clocks function and how they affect the life in the oceans, we will be able to predict how marine species will respond to future changes in their environmentfor example, due to climate changeand what consequences this will have for marine ecosystems." More information: N. Soren Hafker, Bettina Meyer, Kim S. Last, David W. Pond, Lukas Huppe, Mathias Teschke: "Circadian Clock Involvement in Zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration". Current Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.025 Journal information: Current Biology Campaigners have called for justice for the 2016 murder of Honduran environmental activist Berta Caceres At least 200 environmental campaigners and protectors40 percent from indigenous tribeswere murdered around the world in 2016, the deadliest year on record, the watchdog organisation Global Witness said Thursday. The grim tally, double the number slain two years earlier, is the largest since the NGO began tracking such violence in 2002, it reported. The real number is probably higher as some killings go undocumented. Fatal attacks against activists have become more widespread, occurring in 24 countries in 2016, compared to 16 the year before. Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines accounted for more than half of the confirmed deaths, followed by India, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Bangladesh. Sixty percent of those murdered were from Latin America. "The battle to protect the planet is rapidly intensifying, and the cost can be counted in human lives," said Global Witness campaigner Ben Leather. "More people in more countries are being left with no option but to take a stand against the theft of their land or the trashing of their environment." Of the 100 killings that could be traced to specific industrial sectors, a third were linked to mining and oil operations, and a fifth each to logging and agribusiness. The number of environment campaigners murdered in 2016 by country and compared to 2015 Hydroelectric dams can also be a source of tension. On March 2, 2016, gunmen burst into the home of Honduran activist Berta Caceres and shot her dead. "The mother of four lost her life because she opposed the construction of the Agua Zarca hydropower dam on her community's land," said the report. The UN Environment Programme posthumously made Caceres one its "Champions of the Earth" in recognition of her advocacy of sustainable development. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder, among them an employee of dam construction company Desarrollos Energeticos. Protecting national parkswhere poachers hunt endangered species for meat and valuable body parts, such as elephant tusksproved to be a deadly occupation in 2016, with nine rangers murdered in 2016 in the DRC alone. Eleven others lost their lives elsewhere in the world. Most of the violence occurs in tropical countries, where poorly-regulated mining, logging and industrial-scale agriculture can lead to polluted water supplies, land grabs, and the displacement of indigenous peoples. 'Breakdown in law' Corruption and legal abuses sometimes resulted in law enforcers targeting environmental campaigners rather than protecting them. Police and soldiers have been identified as suspects in at least 43 killings, according to Global Witness, which listed all 200 victims. "Murder is the sharp end of a range of tactics used to silence defenders, including death threats, arrests, sexual assault, abductions and aggressive legal attacks," the NGO said. India, says they have are facing a complete breakdown in law. AFP Photo/Global Witness/Ravi Mishra The 50-page report highlights the testimony of activists who have confronted intimidation and violence for protesting what they describe as the environmental pillaging of their homelands. "We're experiencing a complete breakdown of law," said a campaigner known by the name of Richin, who has joined the Adivasi tribespeople in opposing large-scale mining in Chhattisgarh, a state in central-east India. "The state isn't protecting people's land rights and is acting like an agent for mining companies." Sixteen activists were killed in India in 2016, mostly over mining projects, a three-fold increase from the year before. The annual toll more than doubled in Colombia, where extractive industries backed by the government and funded by international development banks faced protests from indigenous peoples who say their land has been misappropriated, and their water fouled. In December, Wayuu rights activist Jakeline Romerowho spoke out against alleged abuses by corporations and paramilitary groups in the region of La Guajirareceived a pointed threat. "Don't focus on what doesn't concern you if you want to avoid problems," she was told in an anonymous text message. "Your daughters are very lovely... Bitch, avoid problems because even your mother could be disappeared." 2017 AFP Credit: ESA Seen at ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, BepiColombo has completed its final tests in launch configuration, the last time it will be stacked like this before being reassembled at the launch site next year to begin its mission to Mercury. The day before a final media viewing on 6 July 2017, the flight controllers who will operate the robotic explorer had an opportunity to meet 'their' spacecraft for the first time. The team comprises the engineers and specialists dedicated to BepiColombo. They work at ESA's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, where teams of experts design and develop the facilities, networks and systems to send commands and receive scientific data from all types of missions. The visit is an important step to allow the controllers to see the spacecraft and receive briefings from the mission scientists and managers with whom they will work closely throughout the life of BepiColombo. The team, led by Spacecraft Operations Manager Elsa Montagnon, have been working for the past two years defining flight procedures, building up control systems and conducting the initial tests and rehearsals of procedures that will be used to control BepiColombo during its mission. Graduate Student Matthew Parsons. Credit: Elle Starkman / PPPL Office of Communications Machine learning, which lets researchers determine if two processes are causally linked without revealing how, could help stabilize the plasma within doughnut-shaped fusion devices known as tokamaks. Such learning can facilitate the avoidance of disruptionsoff-normal events in tokamak plasmas that can lead to very fast loss of the stored thermal and magnetic energies and threaten the integrity of the machine. A paper by graduate student Matthew Parsons published in June in the journal Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion describes the application of the learning to avoiding disruptions, which will be crucial to ensuring the longevity of future large tokamaks. Parsons began research on this topic at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) as a member of the DOE's Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program. He collaborated with PPPL scientists William Tang and Eliot Feibush as a SULI intern in the summers of 2014 and 2015, and then as a temporary PPPL employee in 2016. "The plasma physics community is very interested in identifying more classifiers to study instabilities and disruptions," said Feibush. "Matt is ideally qualified to work on this key topic." Parsons developed new ways to apply his PPPL research as a Fulbright grantee at ITER, the international tokamak under construction in France, from September 2016 through April 2017 and based the paper on his work there. He currently is enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign "When you use machine learning," Parsons said, "you consider the models produced by the computer program to be black boxesyou put something into it and then get something out, but don't always know how the output is related to what you put in. In this paper, I make that black box a little more transparent." The black box does not need to uncover the mechanisms behind causal links. For example, a person might observe hundreds of thunderstorms and observe that lightning tends to precede thunder. That person might infer that thunder will again follow lightening during a future storm. But that inference does not include any information about how, exactly, lighting and thunder are related. Physicists can use machine learning to analyze the behavior of plasma, the hot soup of electrons and charged atomic nuclei corralled by magnetic fields within tokamaks. By feeding data from past experiments into a machine-learning program, scientists can learn which plasma behavior tends to precede disruptions. They can then build a system that monitors the plasma for signs of those disruption precursors, in theory giving the scientists time to steer the plasma towards stability. "One thing that really excites me about the analysis technique I propose is that it is actually quite simple and could fairly easily be implemented by anyone who is developing these machine learning models," Parsons says. "All you have to do is take the numerical output of the prediction model, which in some sense describes how close you are to a disruption, change your inputs by a small increment, and compare the new output to the original output. The smaller the change, the more stable the plasma discharge is with respect to the input variables. That is really the core of what I propose." Though black-box models tend to be shunned by the physics community, Parsons insists that they could be of service. "As physicists, the way that we look at problems is trying to understand the relationship between what goes into your model and what comes out," he says. "It's natural, then, that when we see these black-box models, we think that's not something we want to deal with because we don't understand what's happening." However, "a lot of the problems we're facing in fusion are very technical, and if we could arrive at some of the solutions using machine learning, I think it's prudent to explore all of the options and not exclude some just because they're different from our training." More information: Matthew S Parsons, Interpretation of machine-learning-based disruption models for plasma control, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (2017). DOI: 10.1088/1361-6587/aa72a3 International flags fly at United Nations headquarters, New York City. Credit: Osugi/shutterstock On Friday, 122 countries voted in favour of the "Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons". Nuclear weapons were the only weapons of mass destruction without a treaty banning them, despite the fact that they are potentially the mostpotent of all weapons. Biological weapons were banned in 1975 and chemical weapons in 1992. This new treaty sets the international norm that nuclear weapons are no longer morally acceptable. This is the first step along the road to their eventual elimination from our planet, although the issue of North Korea's nuclear ambitions remains unresolved. Earlier this year, thousands of scientists including 30 Nobel Prize winners signed an open letter calling for nuclear weapons to be banned. I was one of the signees, and am pleased to see an outcome linked to this call so swiftly and resolutely answered. More broadly, the nuclear weapon treaty offers hope for formal negotiations about lethal autonomous weapons (otherwise known as killer robots) due to start in the UN in November. Nineteen countries have already called for a pre-emptive ban on such weapons, fearing they will be the next weapon of mass destruction that man will invent. An arms race is underway to develop autonomous weapons, in every theatre of war. In the air, for instance, BAE Systems is prototyping their Taranis drone. On the sea, the US Navy has launched their first autonomnous ship, the Sea Hunter. And under the sea, Boeing has a working version of a 15 metre long Echo Voyager autonomous submarine. New treaty, new hope The nuclear weapons treaty is an important step towards delegitimising nuclear weapons, and puts strong moral pressure on the nuclear states like the US, the UK and Russia to reduce and eventually to eliminate such weapons from their arsenals. The treaty also obliges states to support victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons, and to address environmental damage caused by nuclear weapons. It has to be noted that the talks at the UN and subsequent vote on the treaty were boycotted by all the nuclear states, as well as by a number of other countries. Australia has played a leading role in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and other disarmament talks. Disappointingly Australia was one of these countries boycotting last week's talks. In contrast, New Zealand played a leading role with their ambassador being one of the Vice-Presidents of the talks. Whilst 122 countries voted for the treaty, one country (the Netherlands) voted against, and one (Singapore) abstained from the vote. The treaty will open for signature by states at the United Nations in New York on September 20, 2017. It will then come into force once 50 states have signed. Even though major states have boycotted previous disarmament treaties, this has not prevented the treaties having effect. The US, for instance, has never signed the 1999 accord on anti-personnel landmines, wishing to support South Korea's use of such mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with North Korea. Nevertheless, the US follows the accord outside of the DMZ. Given that 122 countries voted for the nuclear prohibition treaty, it is likely that 50 states will sign the treaty in short order, and that it will then come into force. And, as seen with the landmine accord, this will increase pressure on nuclear states like the US and Russia to reduce and perhaps even eliminate their nuclear stockpiles. When the chemical weapons convention came into effect in 1993, eight countries declared stockpiles, which are now partially or completely eliminated. Public pressure The vote also raises hope on the issue of killer robots. Two years ago, I and thousands of my colleagues signed an open letter calling for a ban on killer robots. This pushed the issue up the agenda at the UN and helped get 123 nations to vote last December at the UN in Geneva for the commencement of formal talks. The UN moves a little slowly at times. Nuclear disarmament is the longest sought objective of the UN, dating back to the very first resolution adopted by the General Assembly in January 1946 shortly after nuclear bombs had been used by the US for the first time. Nevertheless, this is a hopeful moment in a time when hope is in short supply. The UN does move in the right direction and countries can come together and act in our common interest. Bravo. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Credit: University at Buffalo Not everyone marvels at the speed of the internet. For researchers and companies sharing extremely large datasets, such as genome maps or satellite imagery, it can be quicker to send documents by truck or airplane. The slowdown leads to everything from lost productivity to the inability to quickly warn people of natural disasters. The University at Buffalo has received a $584,469 National Science Foundation grant to address this problem. Researchers will create a tool, dubbed OneDataShare, designed to work with the existing computing infrastructure to boost data transfer speeds by more than 10 times. "Most users fail to obtain even a fraction of the theoretical speeds promised by existing networks. The bandwidth is there. We just need new tools the take advantage of it," says Tevfik Kosar, PhD, associate professor in UB's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and the grant's principal investigator. Large businesses, government agencies and others can generate 1 petabyte (or much more) of data daily. Each petabyte is one million gigabytes, or roughly the equivalent of 20 million four-drawer filing cabinets filled with papers. Transferring this data online can take days, if not weeks, using standard high-speed networks. This bottleneck is caused by several factors. Among them: substandard protocols, or rules, that govern the format of how data is sent over the internet; problems with the routes that data takes from its point of origin to its destination; how information is stored; and limitations of computers' processing power. Rather than waiting to share data online, individuals and companies may opt to store the data on disks and simply deliver the information to its destination. This is sometimes called sneakernetthe idea that physically moving information is more efficient. Managed file transfer service providers such as Globus and B2SHARE help alleviate data sharing problems, but Kosar says they still suffer from slow transfer speeds, inflexibility, restricted protocol support and other shortcomings. Government agencies, such as the NSF and the U.S. Department of Energy, want to address these limitations by developing high-performance and cost-efficient data access and sharing technology. The NSF, for example, said in a report that the cyberinfrastructure must "provide for reliable participation, access, analysis, interoperability, and data movement." OneDataShare attempts to do that through a unique software and research platform. Its main goals are to: Reduce the time needed to deliver data. It will accomplish through application-level tuning, and optimization of Transmission Control Protocol-based data transfer protocols such as HTTP, SCP and more. Allow people to easily work with different datasets that traditionally haven't been compatible. In short, everyone's data is different, and it's often organized differently using different programs. Decrease the uncertainty in real-time decision-making processes and improve delivery time predictions. OneDataShare's combination of toolsimproving data sharing speeds, the interaction between different data programs, and prediction serviceswill lead to numerous benefits, Kosar says. "Anything that requires high-volume data transfer, from real-time weather conditions and natural disasters to sharing genomic maps and real-time consumer behavior analysis, will benefit from OneDataShare," Kosar says. James Cook University researchers in Australia say they now know exactly what makes horny cane toads boogie. And the toad tune could help sound the death knell for the pests. JCU's Ben Muller placed cane toad 'audio traps' with differing characteristics at various sites in the Townsville, Queensland, region. "We varied the sound they were playing to have different combinations of volume, frequency and pulse rate," he said. The team were particularly interested in attracting reproductive female toads (those carrying eggs). "A female cane toad may lay upwards of 20,000 eggs per clutch so removing a single female with eggs from the population is more effective for control than removing a single male," said Mr Muller. He said that male cane toads did not appear to care what variation of volume, frequency and pulse rate were used, but female toads were much choosier. "We found we could manipulate the proportion of females, and reproductive females, that we trapped by changing the calls used as lures." The scientists found that approximately 91% of the females trapped using a loud, low frequency tone with a high pulse rate were reproductive. "We think that low frequency calls indicate to female toads that they are hearing a large-bodied male and the high pulse rate means the male making the call has high energy reserves. These things combine to make them believe they have found a good breeding partner," he said. Mr Muller said the finding may help suppress toad numbers, but it was not a silver bullet. "Large-scale eradication of cane toads from mainland Australia using traps is probably not possible; however, eradication of island populations could be achievable if the trapping regime was correctly designed and implemented," he said. More information: Benjamin J Muller et al, Success of capture of toads improved by manipulating acoustic characteristics of lures, Pest Management Science (2017). DOI: 10.1002/ps.4629 Journal information: Pest Management Science Credit: CC0 Public Domain Rising temperatures due to global warming will make it harder for many aircraft around the world to take off in coming decades, says a new study. During the hottest parts of the day, 10 to 30 percent of fully loaded planes may have to remove some fuel, cargo or passengers, or else wait for cooler hours to fly, the study concludes. The study, which is the first such global analysis, appears today in the journal Climatic Change. "Our results suggest that weight restriction may impose a non-trivial cost on airline and impact aviation operations around the world," said lead author Ethan Coffel, a Columbia University PhD. student. As air warms, it spreads out, and its density declines. In thinner air, wings generate less lift as a plane races along a runway. Thus, depending on aircraft model, runway length and other factors, at some point a packed plane may be unable to take off safely if the temperature gets too high. Weight must be dumped, or else the flight delayed or canceled. Average global temperatures have gone up nearly 1 degree Centigrade (1.8 Fahrenheit) since about 1980, and this may already be having an effect. In late June, American Airlines canceled more than 40 flights out of Phoenix, Ariz., when daytime highs of nearly 120 degrees made it too hot for smaller regional jets to take off. Worldwide, average temperatures are expected to go up as much as another 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) by 2100. But that is only part of the story; heat waves will probably become more prevalent, with annual maximum daily temperatures at airports worldwide projected to go up 4 to 8 degrees C (7.2 to 14.4 F) by 2080, according to the study. It is these heat waves that may produce the most problems. "This points to the unexplored risks of changing climate on aviation," said coauthor Radley Horton, a climatologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "As the world gets more connected and aviation grows, there may be substantial potential for cascading effects, economic and otherwise." Most studies so far have focused on how aviation may affect global warming (aircraft comprise about 2 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions), not vice versa. But a handful of studies have warned that warming climate may increase dangerous turbulence along major air routes, and head winds that could lengthen travel times. Rising sea levels are already threatening to swamp some major airports. Coffel and Horton may be the only ones so far to look at takeoffs. In 2015, they published a smaller-scale paper, predicting up to four times more future temperature-related takeoff problems for the common Boeing 737-800 at Phoenix, as well as Denver, New York's LaGuardia and Washington's Ronald Reagan. The new study projects effects on a wide range of jets at these, plus 15 of the other busiest airports in the United States, Europe, the Mideast, China and south Asia. The authors estimate that if globe-warming emission continue unabated, fuel capacities and payload weights will have to be reduced by as much as 4 percent on the hottest days for some aircraft. If the world somehow manages to sharply reduce carbon emissions soon, such reductions may amount to as little as 0.5 percent, they say. Either figure is significant in an industry that operates on thin profit margins. For an average aircraft operating today, a 4 percent weight reduction would mean roughly 12 or 13 fewer passengers on an average 160-seat craft. This does not count the major logistical and economic effects of delays and cancellations that can instantly ripple from one air hub to another, said Horton. Some aircraft with lower temperature tolerances will far worse than others, and certain airportsthose with shorter runways, in hotter parts of the world or at higher elevations, where the air is already thinnerwill suffer more. For instance, facing LaGuardia's short runways, a Boeing 737-800 may have to offload weight half the time during the hottest days. Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, might be worse; its runways are long, but its temperatures are already very high. Airports probably less affected because they are in temperate regions and have long runways include New York's JFK, London Heathrow and Paris's Charles de Gaulle. Horton said that some effects could be mitigated with new engine or body designs, or expanded runways. But modifications would come at a cost, as aircraft are already highly engineered for efficiency; and expanded runways in densely packed cities such as New York are not an option. "The sooner climate can be incorporated into mid- and long-range plans, the more effective adaptation efforts can be," said Coffel. More information: "The impacts of rising temperatures on aircraft takeoff performance," Climatic Change, 2017. DOI 10.1007/s10584-017-2018-9 , link.springer.com/article/10.1 07/s10584-017-2018-9 Journal information: Climatic Change An Illinois woman has lost an appeal of her conviction and seven-day jail sentence for failing to obey a lawful order for refusing to get out of her car during a traffic stop on the edge of Lincoln. Alicia Campbell already has served the sentence, which made that issue moot, the Nebraska Court of Appeals said in its order Tuesday. But even if it wasn't, Judge Michael Pirtle wrote, the sentence was not excessive. On Aug. 27, 2015, Campbell was driving 79 mph in a 65 mph zone when a Nebraska State Patrol trooper stopped her near 91st Street and Nebraska 2 in a car with her fiance, Devin James, and her 5-year-old daughter. James, who travels the country training law enforcement on color blind and community-conscious policing and who wrote a book about unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, after Michael Brown's fatal shooting by police in 2014, recorded the traffic stop on his cellphone. After the stop, James said he believed they were stopped for "driving while black." What's clear from the cruiser and cellphone videos of the stop is that things escalated quickly, and the trooper broke the driver's side window, cutting himself on glass, during a struggle to get Campbell out of the car. James and Campbell both were arrested. Last year, a Lancaster County District Court jury acquitted James of assaulting the trooper. Another jury acquitted Campbell of the same charge a day later, but found her guilty of failing to follow the trooper's order. She appealed. In Tuesday's order, Pirtle said recordings show both James and Campbell interrupting the trooper and Campbell refusing to get out of the car and go back to the trooper's cruiser. At trial, she testified she was afraid and didn't get out because the trooper wouldn't tell her the reason for the stop and put his hand on his gun a few times during the stop. Her attorney on appeal contended the trooper's order wasn't lawful because he never told her the reason for the stop and asked her to exit her vehicle less than a minute after he walked up to the car. But the court disagreed, saying Campbell had no reason to question the trooper's authority. She was driving 14 mph over the speed limit when she was stopped. "The fact that he did not tell her that she was stopped for speeding does not make his order to exit the vehicle unlawful," Pirtle said. The court affirmed Campbell's conviction on the misdemeanor and her weeklong jail sentence. She was fined for speeding, possession of marijuana 1 ounce or less and possession of drug paraphernalia. The trooper who made the stop is no longer with the Nebraska State Patrol, according to a patrol spokesman. A 24-year-old man was arrested in North Dakota, accused of kidnapping a Beatrice girl he met through an online gaming group. The Beatrice Police Department received a report of the missing 14-year-old Monday morning. Police Chief Bruce Lang said the girl was enticed to leave her home by Nichollas Johnson of North Dakota, who she met through online gaming. They believed he had taken her to North Dakota. With the help of the Cass County Sheriff's Office, the Fargo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the girl was found in a hotel in Fargo, Lang said. Johnson was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. The girl is back with her family, Lang said. Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether Read more MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - On a warm afternoon in March, Chalmers Vasquez walked through the streets of Miami Beach hunting for standing water. Whatever he found, he dumped, each trickle of water sparkling in the sun as it rolled across the concrete. Vasquez, operations manager of Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control, peered into a puddle. There, he said, pointing to the squirming larvae of the worlds deadliest animal. The mosquito. One year after the Zika virus arrived in Miami, South Florida is in the midst of a new mosquito season. And experts expect the virus to return. The 2016 outbreak, while contained, brought lessons for Florida and other Gulf Coast states, including Texas, where Zika also appeared. Miamis challenges resistant mosquitoes, controversial pesticides and the difficulty of getting individuals to take action remain. We read about Zika. There was Zika in Brazil. And to be honest with you, we did not see that train coming. Not really, said Vasquez. We had dealt with dengue fever and chikungunya and we pretty much controlled the situation. It did not get out of hand. But Zika is a different beast. In his more than 25 years working in mosquito control, Vasquez has seen nothing like Zika: an infection with symptoms tough to identify and, therefore, difficult to track. In 80% of cases, victims do not show any symptoms at all. In a way, the danger becomes less about the mosquito, and more about the human carrier who fails to realize and report an infection. Its hard to avoid spreading something if you dont know its there. The mosquito carrying the virus, Aedes aegypti, is equally sly. In addition to Zika, the species carries the tropical diseases yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya. A female can lay eggs in tiny amounts of water and is known for being hardy. The species has adapted to a common class of insecticide, rendering it useless. Unlike in 2016, this year the department plans to test mosquitoes in the area on an ongoing basis for resistance. This mosquito is a formidable foe, Vasquez said. We did not realize how difficult it is to control. No information about Nebraska voters was turned over to the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity before that group paused its efforts earlier this week following a growing list of legal challenges. The commission's request prompted calls to county election offices inquiring about personal information, but only a few Nebraska voters canceled their registrations altogether in the week following the state's announcement how it would respond. On Monday, Andrew Kossack, a representative for the presidential commission, asked state election officers in an email to hold on to any voter data until a federal judge rules on a lawsuit filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center to block the request. Once the case is decided, the email said, further instructions regarding the request would follow. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law also filed suit against the commission Monday. Last week, Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale said he would comply with the request if the commission could offer assurances on how the data would be stored and used in compliance with state law. The commission, which wont formally meet until July 19, hasnt offered those assurances yet, and Nebraska's voter data was not turned over before the request was put on hold, said Laura Strimple, an assistant secretary of state. A majority of states had issued full or partial denials of the request from the commissions vice chair, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, for information including voters names, addresses, birth dates, political party registration and voter history. Gale said while much of that information was public record under Nebraska law, a request for the last four digits of voters Social Security numbers was not, and would not be included if the state in fact turned over information to the commission. President Donald Trump formed the group May 11 to investigate claims many coming from Trump himself that millions of illegal voters swung the popular vote in favor of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton last November. Cases of voter fraud appear to be exceedingly rare in Nebraska, however, where according to a report from the Secretary of States Office, 1.2 million people are registered to vote and more than 860,000 people cast a ballot in the 2016 general election. Two Dawson County voters, Ali Abdullahi and Shueb Ali, mailed in early ballots and later showed up to cast a vote on election day, according to court records. Both men were cited and fined $100 by Judge James Doyle IV. Unlike other states, which have reported growing numbers of voters asking to have their names and information struck from the voter rolls to prevent the information from being turned over to the commission, Nebraska voters have, for the most part, remained unfazed. About a dozen people in the last week have asked to have their information removed from the voter registry in Douglas County out of more than 344,000 registered voters, according to Election Commissioner Brian Kruse, although its not clear if the Trump commissions request was the reason. Election officials in the states most populous county have explained to voters that canceling their registration wouldnt necessarily prevent the information from being shared with the Trump commission, Kruse added. Weve been cautioning voters that just because you fill out a cancellation form today, it does not automatically ensure the information wont be sent to the commission, Kruse said. Sarpy County Election Commissioner Wayne Bena said about a half-dozen voters asked how to remove their information from the voter registry and were sent forms, but only one had been returned. Likewise in Dodge County, where a lone voter asked to strike their name from the rolls Wednesday morning, County Clerk Fred Mytty said. More than a dozen other county clerks in the state called randomly Wednesday said no voters had asked to cancel their registry, while others said they had fielded some questions from concerned citizens. A Gage County official said one voter inquired about the process but later chose to remain registered. Adams County reported a similar situation, but with a twist one voter asked about removing their information from the registry, but reflecting upon the upcoming special mail-in election to decide the future of a half-cent sales tax in Hastings, decided against it. The Lancaster County Election Commission has received 40 to 50 calls from voters asking how to remove their information from the database, Election Commissioner Dave Shively said, prompting staff to relay information from the secretary of state and explain local processes. But only five voters went through with the cancellation as of Tuesday, he added. One of the former Lancaster County voters who canceled their registration, Brenda Clements of Lincoln, said shes OK with not being registered to vote in the future. Describing her political views as center-left and her party affiliation as independent, Clements added that her vote did not carry much weight in a bright-red state and canceling her registration was a decision long in the making for someone who prefers privacy. There used to be a time when if you didnt want your telephone number listed in the book, you had to pay, Clements said. I paid. Shively said its not unusual for the local election office to receive cancellation notices from voters, although most of those notices are from people who move out of state. He said election officials work hard to maintain the integrity of the voting process, while providing publicly available information to parties and candidates seeking to learn more about the electorate. To have democracy, we sometimes have to take some pains to get there, he said. A Taiwanese man caught with a tonne of crystal meth was shot dead by Indonesian police after he tried to escape, authorities said Thursday. Lin Ming Hui was among a group of four Taiwanese men found in Banten province -- a couple of hours outside the capital Jakarta -- with 1,000 kilograms of the drug packed in 51 boxes. Police had begun investigating after receiving a tip-off from Taiwan authorities that drugs had been transported into Indonesia from China, Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said. "We caught them last night, but because one of them tried to escape he got shot and died. Two of them are now in our custody, while the fourth man managed to flee and we are now searching for him," Yuwono told AFP. Indonesia has some of the toughest anti-drugs laws in the world, including capital punishment for traffickers. Foreigners are regularly caught trying to bring drugs into Bali, a tropical resort island that attracts millions of visitors each year. Jakarta has stepped up a campaign against drug use and has executed several foreign and Indonesian narcotics convicts by firing squad in the past few years. Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were put to death in April 2015 for smuggling around 8.3 kg (18 pounds) of drugs. Another Australian Schapelle Corby returned home in May after spending 12 years in a Bali prison following her 2005 conviction for drug trafficking. Teary-eyed families of Malaysians killed when a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday demanded those responsible be brought to justice, ahead of the third anniversary of the disaster. All 298 people on board were killed when the jet was downed in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. A joint international investigation has determined that the Boeing 777 was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile fired from rebel-held territory, but a separate criminal probe has yet to arrest any suspects. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the downing of flight MH17, putting the blame on Kiev. Forty-three Malaysians were killed in the tragedy, including 15 crew members. About 90 of the victims' family members, many wearing black, Thursday attended a commemoration to mark the anniversary of the disaster, hosted by the Malaysian transport minister. "I want the suspects hunted down and punished for their crime," Fateen Izzah, whose engineer brother Hasni Hardi Parlan was killed in the disaster, told AFP. "Only swift justice will ease the pain my family and I have endured these three years," added the teary-eyed 27-year-old, as she clutched the hand of her husband. Mohamad Zaki, 40, who lost his 30-year-old student brother Mohamad Ali Mohamad Salim, echoed the call. "We want the authorities to nail those who shot the plane down. I know it will take a long time, but I will be patient," he said. The families were briefed by Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai on the latest developments in the investigation. "We are confident ... investigators will be able to identify the criminals responsible for the MH17 tragedy and we will be able to charge them in Netherlands," he said, adding the probe into the tragedy could be wrapped by early 2018. Dutch officials announced last week that the trial of any suspects arrested in the shooting down of flight MH17 will be held in the Netherlands after an agreement was reached with several countries leading a joint probe. Most of the victims were Dutch. jsm/sr/mtp Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA) recently announced the launch of the Taobao Global US Merchants Network to serve American small and medium-sized businesses. The network will help U.S. small businesses easily connect with merchants operating within Alibabas ecosystem, meaning small businesses can now reach the more than half a billion consumers on Alibabas platforms. Taobao Global US Merchants Network According to a media alert on Alibabas corporate news site Alizila, Taobao Global U.S. Merchants Network will provide a centralized matchmaking platform for U.S. small businesses to connect with U.S.-based merchants on Taobao Global. Taobao Global is a dedicated cross-border e-commerce channel within the larger Taobao Marketplace, Chinas large mobile-commerce destination. It facilitates American small businesses reach the millions of consumers on the Taobao marketplace. Alibaba created the Taobao Global U.S. Merchants Network to strengthen the connections between U.S. small businesses and Chinese consumers, said Alibaba President Michael Evans in a statement. The merchants who join this network are experts on Chinese consumers and are continually seeking new, unique American products for the millions of Chinese consumers they reach on Taobao. News of the launch of Taobao Global U.S. Merchants Network comes on the heels of this years Gateway 17, an inaugural U.S small business event attended by Alibaba Group Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma. The sold-out event, which Small Business Trends covered on-the-scene in Detroit, aimed at businesses interested in exporting goods or otherwise expanding their customer base in China. Network Strengthens Connection between U.S. Small Businesses and Chinese Consumers Small businesses interested in exporting or expanding their market in China may want to check this network out and tap into the huge customer base there. Taobao is known for its social and community-driven commerce where consumers not only shop, but also consume content and engage with each other, brands and retailers via messaging, live-streaming and interactive media. Chinese consumers are very eager to try on new products with high quality, new ideas, new concepts, new technology, Maggie Wang, CEO of Shanghai Amphora Star International Trade, who is an experienced hand at introducing U.S. beauty and cosmetic brands to Chinese consumers through Alibaba platforms, said. The network launched with over 300 US-based Taobao Global merchant members for U.S. SMEs to work with. Smer has once again proved that (mis)using history is its forte. Font size: A - | A + The Hello! that Prime Minister Robert Fico shouted from Devin Castle on July 5, when Slovakia marked a national holiday devoted to Ss Cyril and Methodius, was surely heard across the border in Austria, where scores of Slovaks were running around the towns and villages of Lower Austria, shopping for the bread and milk theyd forgotten to buy the day before. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There were many who preferred cross-border shopping on this national holiday the first in a long time (apart from Christmas) when shop owners were required by law to stay closed for the whole day as could be seen from the traffic jams at border crossings with Austria and Poland. On the other hand, there are still people who prefer more spiritual ways to celebrate national holidays including the prime minister, who spent part of the day at Devin Castle, a totem of Slovak mythology. He was careful to point to the fact that he was the only one of the three top constitutional officials to hail Cyril and Methodius. Hello! Im yelling and I am calling on the top constitutional officials of this country, that this is the most significant state holiday that Slovakia has and that we must value and honour it, Fico said to the crowd gathered at Devin. Fico ignored the fact that President Kiska was justifiably absent as his wife was about to give birth to their son, and politely(?) omitted to mention that the third senior constitutional official his coalition partner, Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko was not welcome to address the crowd, something which threatened to cause yet another mini-crisis in the coalition. The prime minister also failed to enlighten us regarding which criteria he had applied to determine that Ss Cyril and Methodius Day is our most important national holiday. Cyril and Methodius played a major role in the early history of what is now the Slovak nation. The two missionaries brought not only Christianity but also the basis of the first language and scripture to our ancestors, which no doubt deserves respect and commemoration. But does the prime minister really believe they are more important than, say, the heroes of the Slovak National Uprising (another of his favourite holidays)? In the heat of early July, as the news cycle slowed down, Smer once again proved that when it comes to political marketing if one leaves aside the flowers and postcards that it showers on women on March 8 making use of history that is distant, poorly understood and thus easy to twist, is its forte. The statue of Svatopluk in front of Bratislava Castle, also their doing, is proof enough of this. Fico was the main speaker at the Devin event, Marek Madarics Culture Ministry prepared the programme for the event, and Robert Kalinaks Interior Ministry made sure that buses brought attendees from all around the country. It was a national holiday and I will celebrate [holidays] as appropriate, Fico told a press conference when the opposition criticised him and his ministers for spending tens of thousands of taxpayers euros on the performance. Fortunately for the dignity of Cyril and Methodius, these petty verbal exchanges among politicians, filtered by the news media, are of secondary concern to the ordinary folk who woke up on July 5 only to realise they had no fresh bread at home. The closest that most Slovaks got to the cloud of hot air around Devin Castle that day was as they crossed the nearby Austrian border to fill their shopping trolleys. Mondi SCP wants to invest some 310 million while it asks for investment aid worth 49 million. Font size: A - | A + The European Commission (EC) announced on July 13 that based on its investigation, Slovakias decision to grant investment aid worth 49 million to the papermill Mondi SCP in Ruzomberok (Zilina Region) is in line with EU regulations on state aid. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The EC has concluded that state investment aid in the form of a tax allowance granted to the company in March 2016, following the ECs preliminary approval, will contribute towards developing the area without violating the competition rules of the EUs single market. Read also: Read also: Opposition slams aid for Mondi SCP Read more Mondi SCP wants to invest some 310 million in expanding the production line at its plant in Ruzomberok. In particular, it wants to acquire a machine for making a new product white-surface cardboard. The company should thus create 105 new jobs. The EC took into account the fact that the town of Ruzomberok is among the areas eligible for regional aid. In its media statement, the EC said that the positive effects of this project in terms of regional development outweigh any distortion of competition induced by state aid. Justice Ministry suggests postponement to ratification of the convention. Font size: A - | A + The governmental Slovak National Party (SNS) is not going to support the Istanbul Convention, as stated in its press release today. Hurting people in any way is impermissible and reprehensible and combining this topic with the topic of gender equality is unacceptable, the press release continued. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The chairman of the SNS, Andrej Danko, stated that the conventions focus on the prevention of the abuse of women presents the ideology of having different genders and sex. We all know that it is scientific nonsense. Gender is not only a set of roles or a social construct that has nothing in common with biological sex, said Danko, as quoted by TASR. Nobody chooses gender according to how they feel, he added for TASR. The aim of the Istanbul Convention is to remove traditions based on the stereotypical roles of men and women. According to Danko, stereotype is not always a bad thing. He mentioned that Slovak traditions such as Easter or folk dancing are also based on the stereotypical roles of men and women and together they create the Slovak national wealth and national identity. Read also: Read also: SNS leadership recalled top Presov party representatives Read more The decision-making process concerning whether stereotypes are negative or not has to stay in Slovakia, stated Danko for TASR. He added that he does not understand why children in schools should learn so-called non-stereotypical roles. I dont agree with several so-called independent foreign experts in the GREVIO council who dictate what is and what is not stereotypical, Danko added for TASR. The SNS, according to its own words, will not ignore the fact that more than 105 institutions and organisations asked them not to pass the Istanbul Convention in Parliament and asked for an open debate on the matter. It is not possible to accept the convention with the objections to the gender ideology. The SNS was asked to initiate a process so that Slovakia can announce to international parties that it does not want to be tied by this document and that it takes its signature back, continues Danko, as quoted by TASR. The SNS sees the solution in a law regarding the victims of criminal acts, that will not discriminate against victims of violation based on the motives of perpetrators, as it is written in the Istanbul Convention, and accept every logical, effective and preventive measure to prevent harm. Read also: Read also: Parliament Speaker says he feels nostalgic about totalitarian regime Read more The Justice Ministry suggested postponement of the ratification of the convention. The Ministry believes that the question of ratification causes fundamental contradictions. The convention was signed by 44 out of 47 European countries in 2011 in Istanbul. It is the first legally binding document that establishes standards to prevent violation of women and domestic abuse in Europe. So far, 23 countries have ratified it. Great Britain and Germany are among those countries that did not. Credit: Hyperloop One (Tech Xplore)Hyperloop One has accomplished a full systems test and it has reported that the test was successful. The transportation wonder "theoretically can send aluminum pods filled with passengers or cargo through a nearly airless tube at speeds of up to 750 mph," as noted in The Verge on Wednesday. What do they mean by "full" test? They tested the system's components[including the motor, vehicle suspension, magnetic levitation, electromagnetic braking, and vacuum pumping system. They need to know that the components operate successfully as a single, integrated unit in a vacuum. The significance of the test was that it proves Hyperloop is real, said Hyperloop One. What is more, "By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you're flying at 200,000 feet in the air," said Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and executive chairman of Hyperloop One. The vision is that people will be able to move between cities "as if cities themselves are metro stops," as said in the news release. The video released which shows the test preparation session has its own drama, and a viewer can pick up the tension knowing all the time spent in thinking and engineering Hyperloop One's test flight. "Power electronics, confirm ready for test...controls,, confirm ready for test...and Test Director, confirm ready for test..." Work of the group including engineers, fabricators, and welders, helped to make the test successful. Congratulatory remarks included a comment that, step by step, they were getting closer to the real thing. The Verge said Pishevar described the test as the company's "Kitty Hawk moment." The test was in a "vacuum environment," conducted on May 12, at their test track in the Nevada Desert. So what actually happened in the test? Their news release described the event. "The vehicle coasted above the first portion of the track for 5.3 seconds using magnetic levitation and reached nearly 2Gs of acceleration, while achieving the Phase 1 target speed of 70mph. " Future testing will show faster speeds. Reports said the next campaign will target 250 mph. In addition to announcing the test, Hyperloop One unveiled the prototype of its pod. The Verge: "The aerodynamic pod is 28 feet long and constructed of structural aluminum and carbon fiber. Using electromagnetic propulsion and mag-lev technology, it's designed to carry both cargo and human passengers at near supersonic speeds, Hyperloop One says." The news release said, "Hyperloop One's Pod is the only vehicle in the world that, with the company's proprietary linear electric motor, achieves autonomous high-speed propulsion and levitation in a controlled low-pressure environment." Challenges ahead? Of course. Josh Giegel and Shervin Pishevar, co-founders, Hyperloop One: "Getting here wasn't easy. The road ahead won't be any easier. But soon we will all be going farther and faster together." In a Hyperloop One FAQ, it was said that, "Once we successfully validate our technology in a series of successful test runs in 2017, we will progress toward building proof of operations facilities around the world to obtain international safety and certification standards. Our goal is to have three systems in service by 2021." 2017 Tech Xplore Alexander was waiting when James White stepped off the bus at Haymarket Park on Thursday completing his long journey home from Iraq. "I've Waited All My Life to Meet You," read the sign attached to Alexander as he rested in the arms of his mother, Sara White. Alexander was born April 25 while his father and about 90 other Nebraska National Guard soldiers were in the midst of their nine-month deployment in Iraq playing a hand in the dramatic, and perhaps historic, victory that finally drove Islamic State forces from the battered city of Mosul in northern Iraq. So, what do you think, James? "I think he's amazing!" Edward, 7, and William, 4, make a family of five. "Look There is My Father!" shouted Edward's sign. As the Omaha couple, both 27, hurried to their seats at the ballpark for a welcome home ceremony, James White said he had a single goal in mind. "I want to go home," he said. Life goes on while soldiers are gone, but it isn't all joyous. Samuel Crane, 22, of Lincoln returned to a changed family dynamic, too. "We lost his father in the middle of it," his mother, Susan Crane, said. "It was sudden, unexpected." Samuel returned briefly for the funeral. His mom and sister Anna, 13, and brother Zachary, 16, were at the ballpark to greet him for this homecoming. "It felt like it was not as exciting in the house while he was gone," Anna said. "I'm very, very proud of him," his mother said. "I feel like they really accomplished something." The Crane family said Samuel already had signaled the first thing he wanted when he got home. "He said he wanted to take a nap," Anna said. The return of the Lincoln-based Army National Guard headquarters detachment reduces current Nebraska deployment numbers to about 50 Guard personnel at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and "a handful" of Air National Guard airmen, according to Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska's adjutant general. The troops who returned Thursday "helped manage the fight" in Mosul, Bohac said. The 1st Infantry Division Main Command Post Operational Detachment includes specialists in such fields as intelligence, infantry, artillery, aviation, signal, engineering, logistics and chemical, as well as legal affairs, military police, administration and public affairs. The unit was formed in the spring of 2016 and participated in several major training exercises with active Army counterparts at Fort Riley, Kansas, before being mobilized last August. The soldiers arrived on buses at Haymarket Park, traveling beneath a huge U.S. flag hoisted atop the ladders of two fire engines and preceded by a motorcycle police escort. "We're glad to have you back in Nebraska," Gov. Pete Ricketts said in leading the welcoming ceremonies from the field at the ballpark on a cloudy, breezy July day. "Thank you for the courage to stand up for your country," he said, and for your "willingness to put yourself in a position of danger to fight our enemies." And speaker after speaker thanked the families, too. Viewpoint Evaluating the Success of Your Ed Tech Program Jeff Mao, who helped lead the nation's first statewide 1-to-1 learning program, offers advice on how to begin an ed tech evaluation. I've been a part of the education technology crowd for a long time now. My first teaching job was with Brewster Academy, a small boarding school in New Hampshire. In the fall of 1993, Brewster launched its first 1-to-1 laptop program with its ninth-grade students. We had no internet. The laptop batteries lasted fewer than two hours if you were lucky, and our software tools were mostly limited to a productivity suite. Despite the limitations of the technology back then, I learned a lot from my time at Brewster Academy. One of the things that we did well, that I still recommend to schools today, is to be targeted and intentional about how you use the technology. At Brewster, we measured success one skill at a time and one student at a time. A decade later, I joined the team at the Maine Department of Education that led the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) a much larger initiative. Whereas Brewster's total student body was fewer than 350 students, MLTI served about 35,000 students in more than 230 schools. How did we measure success? At the state-level, we looked at metrics different from the ones at Brewster. We looked at data points that we believed were indicators of positive movement forward, such as the percentage of teachers who engaged kids with the technology in either instruction or a learning activity, who used the technology to conduct research for lesson plans, or who used the technology to aid with assessing student progress. Looking at this data, we saw positive indicators of success. However, the question remained: Were student performance and learning improving? This question is hard to answer from the state-level and what I've learned over the years is to return to what I found at Brewster. Schools need to be targeted and intentional with their use of technology, as well as mindful of student growth at the individual skill level. Technology's Impact in One Classroom In 2009, MLTI published a research brief about a single science teacher in a small coastal town. Kevin Crafts taught eighth-grade science at the Bristol Consolidated School (where he continues today). Working with our researchers from the University of Southern Maine (USM), we examined student learning on a tricky science concept: the axis angle of the Earth and its impact. Crafts had two sections of eighth-grade science, and he taught the concept to the classes. He used the MLTI laptops with one group to create animated podcasts while the other group completed a more traditional poster assignment to demonstrate what they'd learned. All students completed pre- and post-assessments, as well as a retention assessment about a month later to compare growth and learning between the groups over time. The results showed that the group that used the technology to create animated podcasts outperformed their peers and a month later they showed very good retention of the concepts as compared to the other group. Reading through the research brief, you find other interesting details the researchers captured through their observations. They also conducted interviews that uncovered more insight into why the podcast assignment led to better student learning. I know that almost all schools and teachers will not be able to go into this much depth and, in particular, may only be able to conclude anecdotal and intuitive understanding of the "why." But with some preparation and planning, teachers can measure whether one method or another works better. Kevin Crafts no longer assigns the poster project and that's really what matters. He's found a better way. How to Begin Your Ed Tech Evaluation While it may seem daunting to a classroom teacher to replicate the work that Crafts and the USM researchers performed, there is a tool that could help you. The United States Department of Education commissioned the creation of an online tool the Ed Tech RCE Coach that not only helps you identify what you're really trying to measure but also will help you crunch the data and analyze it. Using the Ed Tech RCE Coach requires some work and planning and I don't believe its necessary for each and every lesson that you teach. However, if you're considering adopting a new technology tool for your district, school, or classroom or a significant change in how you teach a skill or concept, taking the extra time to leverage the tool can help you better gauge if you're moving in the right direction. Regardless of whether or not you use the tool, these three simple steps embedded in it can be terrific as guideposts for your teaching: Identify your desired outcome; Identify what success looks like; and Identify the tools and pedagogical approach that you're using. By following these simple steps, even without instituting a pre- and post-assessment or control and intervention groups, you can begin to better understand success. With these in place, you can make more direct comparisons between group performance and growth. Lacking these, you can compare this year's students to last year's students. It isn't perfect, but it's a start. To learn more about the Ed Tech RCE Coach, you can view an archived webinar hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. France 24 Videos In 2014, Nadia Murad was captured, alongside many other Yazidi women, by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in the Iraqi town of Sinjar. She was held hostage, enslaved, tortured and raped, before escaping to Mosul and making her way to Germany. After sharing the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize with Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, she is now a leading global advocate for survivors of genocide and sexual violence. Nadia Murad spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Paris Peace Forum. Murad said that more needs to be done to prevent sexual violence in conflict."Progress has been made on recognising survivors' right to reparations (...) but I think it's time to put political weight and resources behind the words," Murad told FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent."Not much has been done to prevent what happened to the Yazidi women and girls," Murad said. More than eight years later, "we still have 2,800 women and children who are missing in ISIS [another name for the IS group] captivity in Syria, Turkey and some parts of Iraq. No effort has been made by the international community or our own government or any international organisations to look for the missing Yazidi women and children and bring them back"."Sexual violence does not go away when war is over (...) Ukraine is sadly another example of a failure to follow through on commitments to preventing sexual violence in war," Murad continued."Women's rights were never a priority for the international community to prevent the use of sexual violence," Murad said.Read more on FRANCE 24 EnglishRead also:Amnesty International demands urgent help for survivors of sexual violence in TigrayAllegations of mass rape by Russian troops in UkraineIraqs Yazidi community: Nadia Murads ongoing fight for justice DOUALA (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers killed at least 12 people and wounded over 40 others in a small town in northern Cameroon near the Nigerian border late on Wednesday, a senior army source and a local official told Reuters. "There were 14 deaths, including the two suicide bombers, and 42 wounded," said an army colonel responsible for evacuating the wounded who asked to remain anonymous. "The attack was perpetrated by one suicide bomber, and the other was shot dead." The attack was carried out by two women who walked into a busy area in the centre of Waza, five miles (8 km) from the Nigerian border, said Midjiyawa Bakari, the governor for the Far North region where the attack took place. He said that 13 had been killed and 43 wounded. A baby was among the dead, he said. Many were seriously wounded and were flown to nearby hospitals, he said. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the region has been a frequent target of Boko Haram militants in their eight-year bid to carve out an Islamic caliphate beyond Nigeria. Last month, nine were killed in the town of Kolofata when two children carrying explosives blew themselves up near a camp housing people displaced by Boko Haram violence. In eight years, Boko Haram attacks have killed more than 20,000 people in the Lake Chad region, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger and, according to the latest U.N. refugee agency figures, displaced 2.7 million. (Reporting By Josiane Kouagheu, writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Toby Chopra) President Donald Trumps pick to head the FBI, Christopher Wray, on Wednesday said he would refuse to pledge loyalty to Trump and rejected his description of the probe into Russian election meddling as a witch hunt. My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017 Wray, nominated by Trump on June 7 to replace the fired James Comey as Federal Bureau of Investigation director, firmly sought to establish independence from the Republican president and even said it would be highly unlikely that he would agree to meet him in a one-on-one situation. Wray appeared at his U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing amid an uproar in Washington over 2016 emails released on Tuesday involving the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr. The emails showed the presidents son agreeing last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscows official support for his father. Wray deflected specific questions from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham about the presidents sons emails, but said, Any threats or effort to interfere with our election from any nation-state or any non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know. Trumps son did not notify the FBI and wrote that I love it of the Russians offer of information about Clinton. If youre still foggy on Trump Jnr story, this pieceby White House ethics lawyers for Obama and W. Bushis great.https://t.co/KduCRX5Bnw Benjamin Law (@mrbenjaminlaw) July 12, 2017 Wray, who appeared on target to win confirmation, also said he had no reason to doubt the U.S. intelligence communitys finding that Russia interfered with the election to help Trump get elected in part by hacking and releasing emails damaging to Clinton. In the aftermath of Comeys firing, the Justice Department named Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director, to serve as special counsel looking into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race to help Trump get elected and potential collusion between Moscow and Trump associates. Trump fired Comey on May 9 and later cited the Russia thing as his reason. Trump has often called the Russia probe a witch hunt and the Russia matter has dogged Trumps first six months in office. I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt, Wray told Republican Graham. Wray and Comey served together in the Justice Department under Republican former President George W. Bush, and both worked on the governments case in the Enron Corp fraud scandal in the early to mid-2000s. Wray said he was very committed to supporting Mueller in the special counsel investigation, calling him the consummate straight shooter and somebody I have enormous respect for. Police have arrested four people as they continue to search for a coin that is worth a staggering 3 MILLION. Hundreds of German special police raided several buildings in Berlin over the heist of the 221-pound Canadian gold coin stolen from one of the citys museums earlier this year. Heavily-armed masked police arrested the suspects, one wearing a hood over his head, in Berlins Neukoelln neighbourhood. Another nine people are being questioned in the case. Police said that all suspects are related to one another and aged between 18 and 20. The raids of 13 different buildings lasted several hours, but the gold coin was not recovered. Carsten Pfohl of the Berlin state criminal office said: We assume that the coin was partially or completely sold. Police arrested four people in connection with the theft of the Big Maple Leaf coin (AP) He added that police also confiscated clothes and cars to comb for traces of gold. The Canadian Big Maple Leaf coin, worth several million euro, was stolen from the Bode museum in March. Police say the three-centimetre thick gold coin, with a diameter of 53cm, has a face value of one million Canadian dollars (600,000). MORE: 200-lb gold coin worth $4M stolen from Berlin museum MORE: Heavily armed gang steals millions in stunning Paraguay heist However, by weight alone it would be worth almost 3.5 million at market prices. Experts think the coin may have been melted down already to cash in on the gold. Police also searched a jewellery store in the Berlin neighbourhood, saying they had indications the store may have been involved in the possible sale of the gold. Police released CCTV footage of the suspects just days before the raids (EPA) The thieves were most likely tipped off to the existence of the enormous coin by an acquaintance who worked at the museum as a guard, police said. At least two burglars broke into the museum at night on March 27, using a ladder to climb to a window from elevated railway tracks. They grabbed the coin, loaded it onto a wheelbarrow and then carted it out of the building and along the tracks across the Spree River before descending into a park on a rope and fleeing in a getaway car. Story continues Police had published footage from surveillance video asking the public for help in finding the thieves. The coin, which has an image of the Queen on one side and maple leaves on the other, was reportedly on loan from a private, unidentified person. It is one of only five that were made by the Royal Canadian Mint. Top pic: PA As it turns out, the four weeks and 25 Exacto knives it took to cut more than 14 rolls of sticky duct tape and fashion it into a prom dress and tux were worth it. Pius X High School students Emily OGara and Ethan Weber won the grand prize in the Duck brand Stuck at Prom duct tape scholarship contest and will each get a $10,000 scholarship. They were among 34 finalists who spent 3,000 collective hours and nearly a thousand rolls of duct tape to make one-of-a-kind prom attire. The Pius X pair won the top prize in the couples category. What makes the final round of voting so exciting is that we leave it up to the public to choose their favorites, said Ashley Luke, category manager at ShurTech Brands, the company that markets the Duck brand. Entrants are encouraged to promote their designs and rally a supportive fan base. From there, the votes just roll in! This is the 17th year for the contest and judges rate the prom dresses, accessories and tuxes based on workmanship, originality and of course the use of duct tape. After OGara and Weber made the top 10 couples, the public voted for them online and into first place. The first-place winner in the singles category took home a $1,000 scholarship, second-place winners in the couples category each took home a $5,000 scholarship and third-place winners got $3,000. Each of the remaining runner-up couples got $1,000. OGara, who said in an earlier interview the experience was exhausting but fun, plans to use her scholarship to attend the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota to pursue a degree in Spanish interpretation and translation. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia has said it is willing to deploy monitors to prevent any violations of a ceasefire in southwestern Syria by Syrian government forces, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday. Brett McGurk, U.S. special envoy for the coalition against Islamic State, said the United States was "very encouraged" by the progress since the ceasefire arranged by the United States, Russia and Jordan took effect on Sunday. "The Russians have made clear they're very serious about this and willing to put some of their people on the ground to help monitor from the regime side," McGurk told reporters. "They do not want the regime violating the ceasefire." Russia is the main backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias have helped put mostly Sunni rebels at a disadvantage over the past year. The wide array of rebels fighting Assad since 2011 includes jihadist factions and other groups supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies. The "de-escalation agreement" for southwestern Syria was announced after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany on Friday. Trump, in a news conference in Paris on Thursday, said work was under way to negotiate a ceasefire in a second region of Syria. "I think the president is referring to a very constructive discussion that he had with the Russians in building from this southwest agreement," McGurk said when asked about Turmp's remark. The United States has had "very constructive ... military-to-military discussions with the Russians about deconfliction arrangements" in recent weeks and is keen to explore the possibility of ceasefires in other areas, he said. McGurk said the United States, Russia and Jordan had conducted extensive discussions to agree on a detailed line of contact as a basis for the southwestern ceasefire, and were now looking at where monitors could be placed. "That discussion is very much ongoing, and I'm hopeful over the next week or so it can get somewhere," he said. Earlier on Thursday at a meeting of the anti-IS coalition in Washington, McGurk said Washington had pledged an additional $119 million for humanitarian aid in Iraq following the recapture of Mosul from Islamic State this month. He urged efforts and funds to stabilize areas of Iraq and Syria where allied forces had defeated the militants. "We have identified 100 critical stabilization sites in and around Mosul which will be the immediate focus for de-mining and restoration," McGurk said at the beginning of Thursday meeting. Iraqi forces clashed with Islamic State fighters holding out in Mosul's Old City on Wednesday, more than 36 hours after Baghdad announced victory over the jihadists in what the militant group had declared the de facto Iraqi capital of its "caliphate." Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's victory announcement signalled the biggest defeat for the hard-line Sunni group since its lightning sweep through northern Iraq three years ago. But pockets of Mosul remain insecure and the city has been heavily damaged by nearly nine months of gruelling urban combat. (Reporting by Eric Walsh and Fatima Bhojani; writing by Washington Newsroom; editing by Riham Alkousaa and Jonathan Oatis) ISLAMABAD A subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell said Wednesday that it made full payment in damages and compensation to the victims of an oil tanker fire in Pakistan that killed 215 people last month, hours after Pakistans oil and gas regulator threatened legal action. The tragedy took place after a fuel tanker crashed and started leaking on the side of a highway and hundreds of people from a nearby village rushed to the scene to collect the spilled fuel. They were engulfed in flames when the spill ignited. Pakistan subsequently asked Shell to pay $2.4 million, or $9,500 to the families of each person killed. On Wednesday, Shell Pakistan Limited in a statement said it made full payment to Pakistans Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, which would distribute the money among the victims. The latest development came after Shell said it was in discussions with Pakistani authorities over the means by which this financial assistance can appropriately reach the injured and the families who have lost their loved ones. It did not specify the amount it planned to pay. Imran Ghazanvi, a spokesman for Pakistans oil and gas regulator, confirmed they received about $2.4 million on Wednesday afternoon. He said their probe found the company responsible for the disaster. The tanker was not fit to transport oil and the drivers license was invalid, he added. Shell Pakistan Limited had already paid a $96,000 fine over the disaster. WASHINGTON Imagine that you are Donald Trump Jr. Your father has just clinched the Republican nomination for president. An acquaintance, someone you know from the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, calls asking to set up a meeting with a Russian who, he says, has information helpful to the campaign i.e., dirt on Hillary Clinton. Do you: (a) Worry that this doesnt sound completely kosher and ask for a bit more information for example, who is this person? (b) Worry that this doesnt sound completely kosher and call the campaign lawyer to figure out how to proceed? (c) Invite the unknown Russian to come to Trump Tower and ask then-campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and your brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, to sit in? The right answers, for anyone who has been around politics and political campaigns, are (a) or (b). Trump Jr.s answer, we now know after his first, incredible-on-its-face explanation that in the midst of a presidential campaign the top brass paused for a meeting primarily about adoption of Russian children was (c): Come on down! Why is this the wrong answer? As a practical matter, because you always want to be careful about dealing with political dirt: It can rub off on you. Recall that in the 1988 presidential campaign, two top aides to Michael Dukakis resigned over the leaking of a videotape that helped bring down rival Joe Biden over a cribbed stump speech. And because you always want to be careful about mixing foreigners and political campaigns. This was, granted, before the WikiLeaked documents surfaced and, along with them, increasingly alarming that is, increasingly alarming if your last name isnt Trump reports of Russian involvement in the election. But still, warning bells should have been ringing. Recall the front-page headlines and months of investigations during the Bill Clinton administration over money from Chinese nationals that ended up in the coffers of the Democratic National Committee. Granted, Trump Jr.s second statement does not specifically state that he knew in advance that the mystery guest at the meeting Natalia Veselnitskaya, a lawyer with close ties to the Kremlin would be Russian. But that seems a fair presumption given that Trump Jr.s relationship with the intermediary stemmed from their dealings in Russia. And heres why thats not just a political problem but a potential legal one. As Democratic election law expert and former Obama White House counsel Bob Bauer has noted, federal election law prohibits soliciting or accepting anything of value in connection with an election from a foreign national. Bauer raised this issue in connection with Donald Trumps public solicitation of and cheering for Russian assistance on WikiLeaks and Clintons emails. The admission of direct contact on a campaign issue takes that analysis a significant step further. Would damaging information about Clinton be something of value to the Trump campaign? Sounds like it to me. Trump Jr.s false and misleading statements on his involvement with Russians add to the argument that this is a man behaving as if he had something to hide. Asked by The New York Times in March whether he had ever discussed government policies related to Russia, Trump Jr. replied, a hundred percent no. Then, confronted by the Times about the Veselnitskaya meeting, he first said the participants primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children, before acknowledging, the next day, that in fact it concerned opposition research on Clinton. Trump Jr. asserted in a tweet Monday that there was no inconsistency in statements, meeting ended up being primarily about adoptions. In response to further Qs I simply provided more details. Right, he was just being helpful in omitting that pesky and barely relevant Clinton part. Happy to clarify. This is a serious and, for the president and those around him, potentially perilous development. E-mail: ruthmarcus@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal Prosecutors voluntarily dismissed a criminal case against a suspected rapist last month shortly after a judge agreed with their request to hold him without bond until trial because he posed a danger to the community. Instead of a lengthy pretrial detention, Archie Richardson, 64, was released from the Metropolitan Detention Center on June 21 when the charges against him were dismissed six days after District Judge Briana Zamora ruled that Richardson should be held in custody. The nature and circumstances of this crime, the violent nature of this felony and the strength of the states evidence all support a finding of preventative detention, Zamora wrote in her order. A spokesman for District Attorney Raul Torrez said prosecutors dismissed the charges because they had trouble communicating with the alleged victim in the case. But the case is still considered active, and prosecutors are now in communication with the victim, said Michael Patrick, a spokesman for Torrez. The office plans to seek a grand jury indictment of Richardson soon, he said. Torrez has been critical of defense attorneys, judges and criminal case rules that have led to dismissals and suspects release soon after their arrests. He has said judges too often deny his offices requests for pretrial detention. And he has criticized his predecessor for dismissing cases early in the process to avoid having them tossed because prosecutors cant make deadlines for discovery and other matters. Under former District Attorney Kari Brandenburgs tenure, which ended at the start of the year, thousands of cases were voluntarily dismissed, Torrez has said. In an email Wednesday, Torrez explained why Richardsons case was dismissed: We will no longer dismiss or nolle otherwise completed investigations because reports and ancillary materials are still being prepared by our law enforcement partners but not ready at arraignment. However, the DAs Office will continue to nolle cases when the evidence will not support a conviction at trial, when critical investigative work is not completed within a reasonable time or as in this case when we are unable to locate essential witnesses or the victim. Richardson was booked into jail on June 4, and prosecutors moved to have him held without bond the next day. Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office detectives had arrested him on suspicion of criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping after a woman reported that he raped her on June 3 in a bedroom in the 900 block of Page Court SW. When the victim tried to stop him, Richardson allegedly told her, If you try again, Ill break your face, according to Zamoras ruling. The judge noted that Richardson has a criminal history that spans more than 40 years and includes a charge of gross sexual imposition in 1977 and a criminal sexual penetration and criminal sexual contact arrest in 2001. Heather LeBlanc, Richardsons attorney, said that her client disputed the charges. LeBlanc said discrepancies in the alleged victims statements to police would have been part of his defense. She also questioned why prosecutors moved to have him detained until trial when there were ongoing communication problems with the victim. That should have been an indication that you shouldnt be holding someone, she said. State Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-Alamogordo, is plunging into the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce. Herrell is the first Republican to enter the race, which is wide open now that Pearce, also a Republican, announced he will campaign for governor rather than seek re-election next year. Im a conservative Republican definitely pro-God, pro-family, pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, Herrell said in an interview. Herrell, who grew up in Cloudcroft and has served in the Legislature since 2011, said shes a native New Mexican who understands the priorities of the district, which spans the southern half of the state. The Democratic candidates are David Baake, an attorney from Las Cruces; Tony Martinez, who retired after careers in the Army and the pharmaceutical industry; Mad Hildebrandt of Socorro; and Ronald Fitzherbert of Las Cruces. Dan McKay, dmckay@abqjournal.com NOT RUNNING: Lt. Gov. John Sanchez has not announced his political plans for 2018 but he wont be running for governor. Sanchez, an Albuquerque Republican, had previously been touted as a possible gubernatorial candidate, but announced his decision not to run for the office after U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce rolled out his 2018 bid for governor. The lieutenant governor made the announcement via a social media post that featured a picture of him and Pearce together, and a description of the fellow Republican as a good friend and ally. Recent attempts by New Mexico lieutenant governors to move on to the Governors Office have been unsuccessful. Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish was her partys gubernatorial nominee in 2010, but lost the general election to current Gov. Susana Martinez. And former GOP Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley was defeated in the 2002 primary for governor by none other than Sanchez, who went on to lose in the general election. Sanchez did not indicate this week when he might make a final decision about 2018 plans. He is also rumored to be a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Martin Heinrich, a Democrat. Dan Boyd, dboyd@abqjournal.com STUMPING: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca will hit the road this month for some statewide barnstorming. Apodaca, a former television executive, will hold the first stop on his state tour Sunday in Ruidoso. A total of 14 stops are scheduled and more could be added, according to this campaign. The events will involve Apodaca discussing some ideas for New Mexico including how to create 225,000 jobs. He also described the format as an interactive one that will allow him to listen to New Mexicans concerns, saying, I think thats one of the things our leaders have failed on. Apodaca is one of four Democrats vying for the partys 2018 gubernatorial nomination. The others are U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of Albuquerque, state Sen. Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces and anti-alcohol activist Peter DeBenedittis of Santa Fe. Dan Boyd SHENYANG, China Imprisoned for all the seven years since he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiaobo never renounced the pursuit of human rights in China, insisting on living a life of honesty, responsibility and dignity. Chinas most prominent political prisoner died Thursday of liver cancer at 61. His death at a hospital in the countrys northeast, where hed been transferred after being diagnosed triggered an outpouring of dismay among his friends and supporters, who lauded his courage and determination. There are only two words to describe how we feel right now: grief and fury, family friend and activist Wu Yangwei, better known by his penname Ye Du, said by phone. The only way we can grieve for Xiaobo and bring his soul some comfort is to work even harder to try to keep his influence alive. The 1989 pro-democracy protests centered in Beijings Tiananmen Square, by Lius account, were the major turning point of his life. Liu had been a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York but returned early to China in May 1989 to join the movement that was sweeping the country and which the Communist Party regarded as a grave challenge to its authority. When the government sent troops and tanks into Beijing to quash the protests on the night of June 3-4, Liu persuaded some students to leave the square rather than face down the army. The military crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people and heralded a more repressive era. Liu became one of hundreds of Chinese imprisoned for crimes linked to the demonstrations. It was only the first of four imprisonments. His final prison sentence was for co-authoring Charter 08, a document circulated in 2008 that called for more freedom of expression, human rights and an independent judiciary. What I demanded of myself was this: Whether as a person or as a writer, I would lead a life of honesty, responsibility, and dignity, Liu wrote in I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement, which he was prevented from reading aloud at his sentencing in 2009. He was sent to prison for 11 years on charges of inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms and greater human rights in his country. A year later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. The Norwegian committee lauded Lius long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The award enraged Chinas government, which condemned it as a political farce. Within days, Lius wife, the artist and poet Liu Xia, was put under house arrest, despite not being convicted of any crime. China also punished Norway, even though its government has no say over the independent Nobel panels decisions. China suspended a bilateral trade deal and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon, and relations only resumed in 2017. Dozens of Lius supporters were prevented from leaving the country to accept the award on his behalf. Instead, Lius absence at the prize-giving ceremony in Oslo, Norway, was marked by an empty chair. Another empty chair was for Liu Xia. In recent days, supporters and foreign governments urged China to allow him to be treated for cancer abroad, but Chinese authorities insisted he was receiving the best care possible. On Thursday, the Nobel Committee said Beijing bore a heavy responsibility for Lius death. But it also leveled harsh criticism at the free world for its hesitant, belated reactions to his serious illness and imprisonment. It is a sad and disturbing fact that the representatives of the free world, who themselves hold democracy and human rights in high regard, are less willing to stand up for those rights for the benefit of others, said the organizations chairwoman, Berit Reiss-Andersen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Liu Xiaobo was a courageous fighter for civil rights and freedom of opinion. Former President George W. Bush saluted Liu as a man who dared to dream of a China that respected human rights. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, meanwhile, urged Beijing to release Lius wife from house arrest and allow her to leave the country if she wishes. Liu was born on Dec. 28, 1955, in the northeastern city of Changchun, the son of a language and literature professor who was a committed party member. The middle child in a family of five boys, he was among the first to attend Jilin University when college entrance examinations resumed after the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. After spending nearly two years in detention following the Tiananmen crackdown, Liu was detained for the second time in 1995 after drafting a plea for political reform. Later that year, he was detained a third time after co-drafting Opinion on Some Major Issues Concerning our Country Today. That resulted in a three-year sentence to a labor camp, during which time he married Liu Xia. The couples friends and supporters described the dissident and his soft-spoken wife as being deeply in love. In the same statement Liu had prepared for his trial, he addressed his wife. Your love is the sunlight that leaps over high walls and penetrates the iron bars of my prison window, stroking every inch of my skin, warming every cell of my body, allowing me to always keep peace, openness, and brightness in my heart, and filling every minute of my time in prison with meaning, he said. But my love is solid and sharp, capable of piercing through any obstacle. Even if I were crushed into powder, I would still use my ashes to embrace you. Yu Jie, a longtime friend and a biographer, said Liu frequently gathered a small group of friends for frequent dinners at his favorite local Sichuan hot-pot restaurant, where he regaled younger intellectuals on literature and philosophy before returning home to write until dawn, as was his habit. No one was as active as he was, and no one had so much social interaction with the young people, Yu said. He was a bridge for generations of thinkers. Liu was only the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in prison, a fact pointed to by human rights groups as an indication of the Chinese Communist Partys increasingly hard line against its critics. The first, Carl von Ossietzky, died from tuberculosis in Germany in 1938 while serving a sentence for opposing Adolf Hitlers Nazi regime. Hitler was wild and strong and thought he was right but history proved he was wrong in imprisoning a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said Mo Shaoping, an old friend and Lius former lawyer. The authorities consider Liu Xiaobo guilty, but history will prove he is not. ___ Bodeen and Wong reported from Beijing. Associated Press researcher Fu Ting and reporter Gerry Shih contributed to this report from Beijing. ___ Online: Liu Xiaobos I have no enemies speech: https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2010/xiaobo-lecture.html DUBAI, United Arab Emirates The top U.S. diplomat concluded a week of shuttle diplomacy in the Persian Gulf crisis on Thursday bearing no promise of an imminent breakthrough, but he voiced optimism that Qatar and its four Arab neighbors might soon at least be willing to talk face to face. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson traveled to tiny, gas-rich Qatar for a second time for a lunch meeting with 37-year-old Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, following talks earlier in the week in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. As he flew back to Washington, Tillerson told reporters that the discussions had been helpful and that the U.S. planned to keep at it. In my view, theres a changed sense of willingness to at least be open to talking to one another, and that was not the case before I came, Tillerson said. It was a far cry from a U.S.-brokered resolution to the crisis that has now spanned more than a month, and no meeting of the feuding nations has yet been announced. But Tillersons aides had said ahead of time they didnt expect a quick solution would result from his four days of talks. Tillerson, a former Exxon Mobil CEO with deep experience in the oil-rich Gulf, has been shuttling between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and mediator Kuwait since Monday trying to repair a rift that is dividing some of Americas most important Mideast allies. Ahead of the trip, the U.S. said the crisis was at an impasse, but on Thursday the State Department said that was no longer the case. Tillersons clearest achievement was to secure a memorandum of understanding with Qatar to strengthen its counterterrorism efforts and address shortfalls in policing terrorism funding. That deal goes to the core of the anti-Qatar quartets complaints against the natural gas-rich state: that it provides support for extremist groups. Qatar vehemently denies the allegation, though it has provided aid that helps Islamist groups that others have branded as terrorists, such as the Muslim Brotherhood and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The anti-Qatar bloc Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates argues that the pressure and demands it has placed on Qatar helped lead to the counterterrorism pact, but it says the agreement does not go far enough to end the dispute. Those countries are holding fast to their insistence that Qatar bow to a 13-point list of demands that includes shutting down Qatars flagship Al-Jazeera network and other news outlets, cutting ties with Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting Qatars ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the tiny Gulf country. As he returned to Washington, Tillerson hed sought to catalog the Arab nations concerns in written documents and sort them into buckets so they would be easier to address. He said some categories of concerns could be addressed up front fairly quickly but others were more complex and would take longer to resolve. If we can begin to have some success beginning to take some of these issues off the table, because we now have a way to move forward, then Im hoping that will start the process of returning, normalizing relations, Tillerson said. Qatar has rejected the demands, saying that agreeing to them wholesale would undermine its sovereignty. It is intent on waiting out the crisis despite its neighbors attempts to isolate it. Shipping companies have set up alternate routes to get supplies into Qatar without going through the blockading countries, and flag carrier Qatar Airways continues to operate its 200-strong fleet by detouring over friendlier airspace. The government says it is covering a tenfold increase in shipping costs for essentials. Ally Turkey and nearby Iran have also boosted exports to Qatar, and the country has even taken to importing cows to meet a dairy shortfall caused by the closure of its only land border with Saudi Arabia. Still, the rift is causing hardship for some. Human Rights Watch said Thursday the dispute has left families separated, forced students out of their universities, and impeded medical care, including for a child who missed a scheduled brain surgery. The rights group also raised concerns about migrant workers based in Qatar who have been left stranded in Saudi Arabia and others in Doha who are struggling with a rise in food costs because of the blockade. Gulf autocrats political disputes are violating the rights of peaceful Gulf residents who were living their lives and caring for their families, Sarah Leah Whitson, the groups Mideast director, said in a statement. Meanwhile, the squabble among five of its Mideast allies has put the United States in an uncomfortable position and risks complicating the Pentagons operations in the region. Qatar hosts al-Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and hub for U.S.-led operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet, while American surveillance planes and other aircraft fly from the UAE. ___ Lederman reported from Washington. ___ Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adamschreck An Iraqi man ordered to pack a bag and report Thursday to a federal immigration office in Albuquerque chose not to appear and instead sought sanctuary at an undisclosed location. Hundreds of supporters of Kadhim Al-bumohammed clapped and cheered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Albuquerque after his attorney, Rebecca Kitson, announced that her client planned to stay with a local faith community she did not identify. Al-bumohammed, 64, had been expected to report to ICE officials early Thursday where he potentially faced detention and deportation to Iraq. ICE notified Al-bumohammed earlier this week to pack a bag and report for removal at the federal agency. At this time, Mr. Al-bumohammed, after consulting with his family and with other members of the faith community, has chosen to seek sanctuary with the faith community, Kitson told supporters over a megaphone. Her clients poor health drove his decision to seek sanctuary rather than surrender to ICE, she said. It has not ever been Mr. Al-bumohammeds intention not to turn himself in, Kitson said. Al-bumohammed will disclose his whereabouts to ICE officials by letter, she said. His choices are motivated in part because he has lost faith in the ability of our government to protect him, especially in detention, and given his very fragile health condition, she said. Al-bumohammed has a variety of serious health conditions, including limited kidney function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which requires him to use supplemental oxygen, Kitson said. He must take several medications daily, she said. The Iraqi man has lived in the U.S. since 1994. His wife is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and he has four U.S.-born children. Im really happy that I get to keep my dad, his daughter, Courtney Al-bumohammed, 17, told supporters. Were going to keep on fighting this. Were not going to stop. Relatives and supporters contend that Al-bumohammed would face persecution in Iraq because he aided the U.S. military during the Persian Gulf War in 1990-91, and later taught language and cultural awareness at military bases in California. For years, Iraq had refused to accept deportees. But in March, Iraq agreed to begin accepting deportees in exchange for being taken off the list of countries on President Trumps travel ban, triggering an ICE roundup of hundreds of Iraqi immigrants they say have criminal records including Al-bumohammed. In 1997 in California, he was convicted twice of misdemeanor domestic violence charges without serious injury. An ICE spokesman in Dallas alleged in a written statement Thursday that Al-bumohammed was convicted in 1996 in San Diego of assaulting a police officer. His failure to report on Thursday makes him an ICE fugitive, it said. Kitson could not be reached late Thursday for a response. Al-bumohammeds case caught federal attention in 2004 when federal agents found his misdemeanor violations and flagged him for deportation. Al-bumohammed lost three rounds of appeal to stay in the country and was ordered deported in 2010. But Iraq wasnt accepting deportees, so he was allowed to stay as long as he checked in annually, which Kitson said he has. He was scheduled for his annual check-in in September. The next step remains uncertain. Al-bumohammeds wife and eldest son have applied to regain his legal status in the U.S. as an immediate family member of U.S. citizens, Kitson said. Their intent is to reopen his case before the U.S. Immigration Court, she said. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Michigan halted the deportation of all Iraqis pending a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of about 1,400 Iraqis nationwide. SANTA FE Some much-needed light on dark money spending or an infringement on free speech rights? New Mexico campaign spending rules that would require more donor disclosure from groups spending big money on political advertisements generated strong reactions Thursday, at the first of three scheduled public hearings. More than 50 people showed up for the hearing at the state Capitol, and the proposed rules received support from more than a dozen local residents who say they would make New Mexico's campaign finance laws more transparent and less confusing. Free speech is vital to our democracy, as is knowing who paid for these (political) advertisements, said Viki Harrison, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, a group that supports the proposed rules and worked with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver's office to help draft them. However, the rules were the target of stinging criticism from several conservative-leaning groups, whose members said they could lead to donors being harassed and intimidated if their identities were to be made public. Burly Cain, the New Mexico state director of Americans for Prosperity, a nonprofit group linked to conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, called the rules an unconstitutional power grab by the secretary of state. You're actively working to try to take away the rights of people to speak their mind, he said during Thursday's hearing. The right of voters to freely speak their minds, and not disclose their information, is important. The rules, unveiled last month, would require groups active in New Mexico campaigns to disclose their donors if they spend more than $1,000 on political advertising during an election cycle. In addition, they would require donor disclosure if a political advertisement meeting the spending threshold had no other reasonable interpretation than as an appeal to vote for or against a candidate or ballot measure. Several national nonprofit groups launched a barrage of opposition against the proposed campaign spending rules in the days leading up to Thursday's hearing. Concerned Veterans for America, a Virginia-based group that's also backed by the Koch brothers, sent roughly 20,000 mailers to New Mexico residents and launched a digital ad blitz targeting the rules. Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat who was elected last year, told reporters after Thursday's hearing that she will listen to feedback from all parties but that she would put an emphasis on comments from New Mexico residents. She also defended her authority to administratively implement the rules, which are based in part on legislation that Republican Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed earlier this year, and said some critics have tried to distort their intent. I think there has been a misrepresentation by certain groups and individuals that this is about requiring individuals to disclose, she said, adding that it would be the responsibility of qualifying groups to disclose donor information. The Secretary of State's Office is holding its two other public hearings on the proposed rules next week in Albuquerque and Las Cruces and accepting written feedback through July 19. PROVIDENCE, R.I. U.S. governors responded largely along partisan lines Thursday to the latest Republican health care overhaul, although the plans long-term rollback in Medicaid funding remains a concern among many from both parties. The measure released by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell retains cuts to the state-federal insurance program for the poor, disabled and nursing home patients. Many governors have said they want Congress to protect people who gained coverage through the expansion of Medicaid that was allowed under former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act. Some 11 million Americans in 31 states have benefited from expanded Medicaid. The president promised us that everybody was going to get coverage, it would cost less and wed get better results, said Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who is chairman of the National Governors Association, which is meeting this week in Providence This plan that they just put out doesnt do any of that. Lower-income people who dont qualify for the program often go uninsured, showing up at emergency rooms for urgent treatment. Those costs often get passed along to the state. Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, said Republicans in Congress want to kill health care by phasing out the federal subsidy used to expand Medicaid and by ending protections for pre-existing conditions. Republicans attending the summer gathering were more receptive. GOP Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky said the new bill represents progress over an earlier version in the Senate and one that previously passed the House. He said it puts more emphasis on state control and flexibility to design health care programs. What we have is broken, he said. Give the states the control and the flexibility and well take care of the problem. We can produce healthier outcomes. Bevin has been a strident opponent of the Affordable Care Act, calling it an unmitigated disaster in Kentucky because of higher premiums for some consumers and increased costs for taxpayers. Yet seen through another lens, Kentucky has been one of the states to benefit most from the federal health care law, thanks mostly to expanded Medicaid that was pushed by the previous governor, a Democrat. Under the expansion, 400,000 Kentucky residents gained medical coverage, helping the states uninsured rate fall from 20 percent to 7.5 percent in just two years. Bevin has proposed several changes to the states expanded Medicaid program that, if approved by the federal government, would cause some 86,000 people to lose coverage within five years. Another Republican, Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, said he likes that the latest bill would provide more funding to help low-income people move off Medicaid and into the private market. But he remains concerned about Congress shifting costs to the states to maintain the same level of Medicaid coverage they have committed to. Arkansas is among the states that expanded the program under the Obama-era law. Im delighted with the significant amount of time devoted to this, with the Senate trying to get it right and not just pass something, Hutchinson said. Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada said he wants to protect people who were covered through the expansion of Medicaid in his state and ensure that costs are not shifted to the states. He also is concerned about the stability of insurance markets for people who dont have employer-sponsored care and must buy their own policies. The latest Senate bill tries to help those markets by providing more money for states to help lower health insurance costs for residents and allowing insurers to sell low-cost, skimpy policies. It also adds billions of dollars for states to combat the opioid overdose epidemic, a priority for governors. A governors-only session on Friday will give them a chance to ask questions of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Seema Verma, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also are expected to address the gathering that day. ___ Follow Jennifer McDermott on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JenMcDermottAP TULAROSA On Saturday, the eve of the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bomb test at the Trinity Site, the Tularosa Basin Downwinders will host their eighth annual candlelight vigil in the evening to honor those whose health they say have been impacted by the bomb. At precisely 5:29:45 a.m. on July 16, 1945, the worlds first atomic bomb was tested at the Trinity Site north of Alamogordo as part of the Manhattan Project. Success of the Trinity test meant an atomic bomb using plutonium could be used by the United States military in Japan during World War II. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders believe the Trinity test disturbed the genetics of residents in surrounding communities, leaving a cluster of cancer and illness in the descendants of those who witnessed the atomic bomb. The group has continued to fight for inclusion in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) since their formation in 2005. Over the last couple years the Tularosa Basin Downwinders collected health surveys from residents in Tularosa and Socorro, the two communities closest to the Trinity Site, and an expert compiled the findings into a Health Impact Assessment report. The report was released to the public in February and can be accessed online at www.trinitydownwinders.com/health-impact-assessment. I continue to fight because I know every day were getting a step closer, said Downwinders co-founder Tina Cordova. U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., who has been the primary sponsor of RECA amendments in the U.S. House of Representatives, will be attending Saturdays vigil to give an update on the progress. The vigil serves as a way for the Tularosa Basin Downwinders and public to remember the loved ones theyve lost in the community to illness. Last year we lit over 800 luminarias and that was just through a voluntary process of people coming forward and giving us the names of their loved one, Cordova said. The candlelight vigil will be held at the Tularosa Little League Field on La Luz Avenue in Tularosa and is open to the public. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders will begin gathering names for luminarias at 7:30 p.m. and the program will be from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Luminarias will be sold for a suggested donation of $1 each. Sameer Nair, Group CEO, Balaji Telefilms, is stepping down from an executive capacity. Nair was formerly in an advisory role with the company and now, on the completion of his three-year term, he is relinquishing his executive role w.e.f. July 15, 2017 and returning to an advisory capacity. Commenting on his tenure, Nair said, Its been an amazing experience working with Ekta, Shobhaji and all my other wonderful colleagues at Balaji. The company is in great shape the TV business is doing well; well soon add the DD shows to the mix in which the company retains IP. We now have in place a very measured approach to the movie business; and most recently we had a very successful launch of our global digital business with ALT Balaji. The management teams are in place and the company is well poised for its next phase of growth. I remain a mentor and guide to the company and a close fried of the family. Nair was CEO of NDTV Imagine for five years from 2006 to 2011. Prior to that, he was with Star India, where during a stint of 12 years he had held the positions of Programming Head, COO and CEO. Before joining Balaji Telefilms, Nair had co-founded Pride Rock. He had also worked with Goldwire Communications and UDI Yellow Pages. All women and girls have the right to decide freely whether rand when to have children. This is the core message that United Colors of Benetton and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, are sending out to the world at the London Summit on Family Planning. Today, more than 214 million women lack access to modern contraceptives. In 2016, an estimated 770,000 girls, some as young as ten years old, became mothers, with devastating effects on their health and future. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, up to 25 per cent of all young women leave school because of unintended pregnancies. Organized by the Government of the United Kingdom, together with UNFPA and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the London Summit on Family Planning is bringing together governments, institutions and stakeholders to move towards the goal of enabling 120 million additional women to gain access to modern contraception by 2020. Millions of women and adolescent girls are still waiting for access to modern contraceptives, said Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPAs Acting Executive Director. While we have reached thirty million more women over the past five years, thanks to the Family Planning 2020 initiative, we need to step up our commitments, expand our partnerships, and broaden our reach to ensure that no one is left behind. The latest outcome of an established collaboration between UNFPA and Benetton, the new Power Her Choices campaign, hopes to raise awareness about family planning and gain additional partners and signatories to this global commitment. Conceived by Fabrica, Benetton Groups research centre on communications, the main campaign image features a light bulb in the shape of a womb. Its a metaphor of how the work of UNFPA can help spark a new awareness in young women worldwide, said Carlo Tunioli, Fabricas Chief Executive Officer. Many girls, especially in developing countries, must be able to take control of their lives and have access to contraceptives." The campaign also includes a light installation in which lit bulbs form phrases that capture the campaigns spirit. One of the flashing phrases appears to read: I am pregnant. However, asa viewer approaches the installation, more light bulbs flicker and turn on, showing additional words that reveal the underlying message: I am not ready to be pregnant. The installation, which will display various messages, will be documented in a video and a series of GIFs to be shared on social media. MullenLowe Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of the strategic communications and PR agency salt. salt was founded in 2000 by Andy Last and Richard Cox together with founding employee Nicky Young. It is a multi-award winning agency with offices in London and Singapore. salt works with multinational companies including Unilever, ManpowerGroup, Givaudan and Ferrero, blending their corporate and consumer communications, enhancing their external reputation and promoting internal alignment to drive sales. Much of its work is focused on delivering meaningful and measurable social impact with iconic brands including Lifebuoy, Axe, Andrex and Hunter boots. Alex Leikikh, Global CEO MullenLowe Group noted The salt team are for sure brilliant communications practitioners, but to us they are way more than that. In a world where marketing practice areas are converging faster than Moore's law, clients need fresh, powerful ideas to differentiate. The folks at salt are world-class thinkers first and foremost with the intellectual strategic horsepower that drives conceptual level differentiation. And yes, they're damn good at PR and purpose driven communication too. salt, which will be rebranded as MullenLowe salt to accelerate the MullenLowe Group hyperbundling of marketing services, will add Asian and European strength to the existing MullenLowe Group PR capabilities in the US market. MullenLowe PR has offices in Boston, New York and LA and works with clients including American Greetings, JetBlue, Century21 and PepsiCo. At the 2017 Holmes Report Sabre Awards (the worlds biggest PR awards program dedicated to benchmarking the best PR work from across the globe) MullenLowe PR were named North American Creative PR Agency of the Year. Marianne Blamire, Managing Director and co-founder of salt Singapore said: We are thrilled to become part of the MullenLowe Group hyperbundled network in Asia. While weve been winning awards together for Lifebuoys social purpose-driven campaigns and have partnered on many other iconic Unilever brands since salt Singapore opened in 2012, this is an opportunity to take our collaboration to the next level. Im a strong believer that Asia represents a huge growth opportunity and is the most dynamic place to execute. Were looking forward to building bespoke teams with MullenLowe Group to deliver truly integrated strategic thinking and stand-out creative work for brands and companies across the region. In the next few months, salt London will move into the MullenLowe Group UK Shoreditch HQ. There they will join the 300+ strong MullenLowe London, MullenLowe Profero, MullenLowe Open and MullenLowe Mediahub teams. In Singapore, the physical integration of the salt team with MullenLowe Group Singapore will take place in due course. SI Partners, who have worked with salt for 7 years, consulted on the deal together with Osborne Clarke. We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain. Felipe Correa The steady revival of organized Anarchism in the anglosphere has led to a re-engagement with the fundamental strategic questions of Anarchism. In what way should a revolutionary organization be structured? How should a revolutionary organization struggle for reforms? What role does the revolutionary organization play in the revolutionary process? In grappling with these questions the most novel contemporary insights have undoubtedly come from the Anarchist movement in Latin America, where the tradition of organized, class struggle anarchism was growing and successfully struggling whilst in the anglosphere it was languishing in a long period of decline. In the spirit of clarifying and spreading the debates of Latin American Anarchism to the anglosphere, I contacted Felipe Correa in early 2022 and asked him questions that various comrades had raised during reading groups and informal discussions concerning the tendency questions that could not be easily answered by the texts available to us. His extensive response to my questions, ranging from the notion of power, the role of organizations, and the relation between Anarchism and class politics, offers valuable and unique insight into this important tendency. A new image has just leaked, and according to the source, this is the upcoming Honor Note 9 handset. This smartphone actually surfaced way back in March, and we havent heard much about it since then. In any case, if you take a look at the newly-leaked image, you will notice how thin the Honor Note 9s bezels are, presuming this info is accurate, of course. Bezels are basically non-existent on the phones sides, and it seems like a 2.5D curved glass is applied on top of the devices display. Interestingly enough, bezels are not that thick above and below its display either, and the companys branding is placed below the display. On the right side of this handset, you will notice a volume up, volume down and power / lock keys, and its also easy to notice that the phones frame is made out of metal. Now, the devices back side did not leak since March, and if the previously leaked image is anything to go by, then this handset will ship with a dual camera setup, and a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. Its back side will resemble the Honor 8 Pro, if the leaked image is legit. The Honor Note 9 is actually expected to ship with a rather large display, its predecessor sported a 6.6-inch panel, so the Honor Note 9 will almost certainly ship with a display which is larger than 6 inches as well. The Honor Note 8 was announced way back in August last year, so the Honor Note 9 will probably land next month, though its possible Honor might introduce it by the end of July, or even during IFA in Berlin in September. As far as specs are concerned, this handset will almost certainly be fueled by the Kirin 960, which is Huaweis most powerful processor at the moment, and it is already fueling the Huawei Mate 9, Huawei P10, Huawei P10 Plus and the Honor 9. The Honor Note 9 will ship with 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and chances are well get more than one storage variant of this handset. Android Nougat will come pre-installed on the device, and Huaweis Emotion UI skin will be applied on top of it. Advertisement Buy the Honor 8 Several unidentified men, who claim to be supporters of the Indian army, have attacked the stores of OPPO and Vivo in the city of Pune in India. The assault on two of the popular Chinese mobile phone brands comes amid an escalated conflict between the two countries over the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, who was, earlier this year, invited to a Buddhist conference hosted by the Indian culture ministry. The unidentified assailants were believed to be supporting the Indian government over the issue and the attack was supposed to be their way of asserting their unity with the Indian army, though government officials have yet to release a statement on the incident. It remains unclear, as of this writing this article, whether store personnel, or any other individuals inside those stores, were injured during the attack. The cost of property damage is also not immediately known following the incident. Both OPPO and Vivo have yet to release their respective statements on the mishap, though it is possible that the companies might temporarily cease operation in the area following these attacks. According to reports, attackers have torn down posters of the two brands in addition to destroying their shops. The incident is sad for both the Chinese firms and India collectively, as it does not help in resolving the friction between India and China, but instead only further deepens their hostility towards one another. More to the point, the attack could only dampen Chinas economic relationship with India, a major market for most Chinese products, mainly electronics, though. Chinas top smartphone manufacturers have been vastly making inroads to the Indian market in recent times. In fact, market research firm IDC reported earlier this year that Chinese smartphone vendors, which include Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo, have accounted for 40 percent of the Indian smartphone market last year. Other Chinese firms like Lenovo and LeEco have recently announced their plans to expand their offline presence in India. Other Chinese companies might follow suit in the near future, presumingn that the recent attacks in Pune wont deaden their appetite when it comes investing in India. LGs V30 smartphone is set to be announced next month, ahead of the IFA trade show in Berlin. The company hasnt said much about the device just yet, but it has sent out press invites to a press conference on August 31st in Berlin, and it definitely hints at the V30 coming. For the past two years, LG has unveiled its V-series smartphone in September, just after IFA, so it appears that the V30 may be coming a bit earlier this year. Now, there are rumors that the device will sport an OLED display, which would be a first for LG. Seeing as it almost always uses an IPS panel on its flagship devices. On top of that, its also being rumored that the LG V30 will actually make its way to Europe. The LG V10 did launch in Europe, a few months after its announcement. It originally debuted in South Korea and the US. Now the LG V20 did not make its way over to Europe, which made quite a few LG customers in Europe upset. And it seems like LG did hear those customers, as the rumor mill says this model will indeed make it over there. Now the next question is, how soon after launch will it come to Europe. The LG V30 is expected to share quite a few traits with the LG G6, and that should surprise no one. The rumor mill is pointing towards LG continuing to use a 18:9 aspect ratio display, which means the device will be taller than normal, but provide more screen real estate than what youd normally get in that physical size. Itll likely sport the Snapdragon 835 with 6GB of RAM, and itll also have the same camera setup as the LG G6, with dual 13-megapixel sensors. One of those being a wide angle sensor so that you are able to get more in the shot. Thats a feature that many users of the LG G5, G6 and V20 have absolutely loved. So its no surprise that it will be on the V30 as well. There have been quite a few renders appear of the V30 already, but some of those may not actually happen this year. And that might mean that the V30 will drop the secondary display, especially if it does stick with the 18:9 aspect ratio display. The latest piece of info that surfaced in China reveals that MIUi 9 does not exactly look a whole lot different than MIUI 8. Xiaomi, reportedly, shown off MIUI 9 to a couple of people during a private meeting, and according to the info gathered by them, MIUI 9 is actually quite similar to its predecessor in terms of the design, it seems like Xiaomi opted to make small design tweaks, nothing major, though that was exactly what the company was expected to do, and what they usually do from one iteration to the other, even though MIUI 8 is considerably different than MIUI 7. In addition to those small design changes, it seems like the MIUI icon will remain the same for the new version, at least according to the provided info. It seems like Xiaomi has opted to change quick launch shortcuts in MIUI 9, and this new version of the companys skin will be both lighter and simpler. MIUI 9 is expected to come with several new features, including the screen recorder option, Split Screen feature and Picture-in-Picture mode as well. Now, Quick Reply is not yet a part of MIUI either, but it could be included in MIUI 9, even though only one rumor suggested it might happen. MIUI 9 will be based on Android Nougat, and it seems like Xiaomi already started beta testing it. According to a rumor that popped up yesterday, the Xiaomi Mi 6 might actually receive an update to MIUi 9 before any other Xiaomi-branded smartphone, which actually makes sense considering that is the companys current flagship, and quite probably its most popular phone at the moment. MIUI 9 will arrive before any other major Xiaomi-branded smartphone gets announced, like the Mi Note 3, for example, so it makes sense for the company to push MIUI 9 to the Xiaomi Mi 6 first. Xiaomis CEO actually said recently that MIUI 9 will be really smooth and powerful, and one of the companys executives shared a couple of images of MIUI 9 recently as well. The company had actually confirmed, about a week ago, that MIUI 9 will launch before August 16, which means that its launch is really close, so stay tuned, chances are well see more leaked info before Xiaomi introduces MIUI 9. Sprint has released a new update to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the HTC U11 that will eliminate the unnecessary dropping off from the carriers Band 41 LTE network. This carrier utilizes the aforementioned frequency to offer fast data speeds to its subscribers through the Sprint LTE Plus network. It seems that the problem was first observed with the Samsung flagships devices, as the carrier worked with Qualcomm and Samsung initially to find the cause of the relatively slower speeds that the device owners experience. After quite some time, it was discovered that a bug in the radio code of the Snapdragon 835 is responsible for drop-offs. Since it is the chipsets code that was the culprit behind the slow data speeds, it is likely that similarly-equipped devices might be affected by the bug. It was the discovered that the HTC U11 is also suffering from reduced data speeds compared to other Band 41-capable devices. In order to get good data speeds on Sprints network, it is important that the devices connect reliably to the carriers LTE network running on Band 41 (2,500MHz). The carrier owns a substantial portion of the said spectrum across the United States, with the firm holding licenses to around 160MHz of the said band in the top 100 markets. Sprint utilizes 60MHz of the aforementioned spectrum in order to offer three-way carrier aggregation to supported devices. In addition, the carrier has begun offering devices with High Performance User Equipment (HPUE) technology to allow the carrier to match the coverage of its Band 41 signals to that of its Band 25 network (1900MHz). Once device owners install the new firmware update, they should expect increased download speeds when connected to Sprints network. Network speed data gathered by PCMag from Ookla has shown big jumps in average download speeds after the updates were installed in most of the affected devices. In the case of Samsung Galaxy S8, the download speeds went up by 4.5Mbps, allowing the device to reach average download speeds of 26.4Mbps. Meanwhile, HTC U11 units running on Sprints network also saw a rise in average download speeds with handset owners experiencing average download speeds of 27.9Mbps. This translates to an increase of 8.7Mbps. Samsung NEXT, the companys worldwide startup investment initiative, will be heading to Europe. Samsung has reportedly set up shop in Berlin, Germany, with plans to erect offices across Europe. Samsung NEXT is now officially open to companies all over Europe, though for the time being, funding for these companies will continue to draw on the $150 million in funding announced along with the creation of Samsung NEXT back in January. Felix Petersen, a recent hire who will be in charge of the subsidiarys European operations, called Europe an attractive market because of the diversity of talent available, both in the types of technologies specialized in and the unique perspectives of the people who hold those specialties and run local startups. Felix Petersen is no stranger to the startup funding market. He recently served as a venture capital partner at Faber Ventures out of Portugal. He also has a history of being on the receiving end of funding and exit buyouts, rather than being in charge of dishing out the funds. His geographically-based social network called Plazes was bought up by Nokia back in 2008, and he even managed to secure funding for a more unique offering called Amen, which was started by him and later sold off. At Samsung NEXT, he will have the final word in any funding or acquisitions, as well as how to manage relations with companies that the initiative is investing in. Samsung started up Samsung NEXT back in January, and the initiative even made an appearance at CES 2017. The initial funding round of $150 million was meant to be the first centralized, dedicated fund. Samsung had been involved in the world of venture capital before, but previous activity in the field had never had a centralized source of funding; many parts of Samsung have their own individual wallets, and this ended up meaning, for the most part, that the division of the company interested in the startup being funded or bought up would have to pay for that activity without any financial or administrative assistance from other divisions or the higher-ups that ran Samsung as a whole. Thus far, the program has invested in 60 different startups and made 15 buyouts, while 12 companies that were invested in have exited. A new Samsung-branded smartphone has just surfaced on Geekbench, and it seems like it will ship with the yet-unannounced Snapdragon 840 processor. The Samsung SM-G9600 is the device in question, and this could be the Galaxy S8 Mini or Galaxy S8 Lite handset, as this is clearly not the Galaxy Note 8. Whats odd here, is the SoC that is listed on Geekbench, the exact model is not mentioned, but the listing says that this is a quad-core processor which runs at 1.77GHz, and its motherboard is marked as sdm840, which suggests this is the Snapdragon 840 were looking at here. Now, most people would assume that the Snapdragon 840 will be more powerful than the Snapdragon 835, it makes sense, though that wont be the case if this listing is to be believed. The Snapdragon 840 will probably be just a tweaked version of the Snapdragon 820, though it will probably ship with a better GPU and modem. It is worth noting that this info has not been confirmed by Samsung, or anything of the sort, were basing all of this on the info Geekbench provided. Now, in addition to this SoC, Geekbench also says that this phone will pack in 4GB of RAM, and it will ship with Android 7.1.2 Nougat out of the box. Its also worth noting that this phone managed to score 1,782 points in the single-core, and 4,212 points in the multi-core test on Geekbench, which means that this SoC is quite capable, but it cannot measure up to the Snapdragon 835 in terms of sheer power. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus are the companys current flagship offerings. Both of these phones were announced back in March, and it will be interesting to see if the SM-G9600 truly is the Galaxy S8 Mini or S8 Lite, whatever name Samsung opts for. If that is the case, then we can expect this phone to sport a similar design to the Galaxy S8 flagships, if Samsung manages to fit such thin bezels in a smaller phone, as that handset will probably come with a smaller display than both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium that was released last month is now being treated to the July security patch. The new software package is being pushed out as an over-the-air (OTA) update for both the single-SIM and dual-SIM versions of the smartphone bearing the model numbers G8141 and G8142. The first firmware update for the XZ Premium rolled out last month with the software build number 45.0.A.5.1 and bringing with it the June security patch, while the latest update includes the patch dated July 1, consequently upgrading the device to the 45.0.A.7.90 build. Sony advises owners of the Xperia XZ Premium to update their flagships to benefit from any new features, as evidenced by the companys announcement of the patch seen below. However, the firm has not released a full changelog detailing the update which seemingly doesnt ship with any end-user additions. Regardless, its always a good idea to download and install such updates as soon as possible to keep your device secure. The patch will likely roll out gradually, and users should be receiving a notification prompting them to download it over the next few days. Alternatively, its possible to check for the update manually from the Settings menu on your handset by opening it, navigating to the About Phone section, and then selecting the System Updates option. Its advisable to connect the device to a Wi-Fi network and ensure it has at least 50 percent of battery left before downloading and installing the new software package so as to avoid the phone powering down during the process. The Xperia XZ Premium is Sonys latest flagship smartphone boasting a body made of metal and glass which is resistant to both dust and water. The phone is powered by Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip (SoC) with the Adreno 540 GPU and features a 5.46-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage thats expandable via a microSD card slot by up to 256GB. The handset supports 4G LTE and Bluetooth 5.0, in addition to being equipped with a 19-megapixel rear camera and a 13-megapixel front-facing shooter, with its hardware being powered by a non-removable 3,230mAh battery and the device itself being launched with Android 7.1 Nougat. Xiaomi is planning to open 2,000 new stores all around the world within three years from now, the companys Senior Vice President Wang Xiang told CNBC. In a statement provided earlier this week, Wang announced that the Chinese original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is targeting almost every country, adding that the firm is aiming to become a true global player in the near future. The tech giants executive declared Xiaomis worldwide ambitions only half a year after its Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun said that the company grew too quickly for its own good while not providing its annual smartphone sales figures for the first time in its seven years of existence. Leis previous comments implied that Xiaomi will put a much larger focus on sustainability in the coming years and while that may still be true, it seems that the firm is now also adamant to continue expanding its physical presence, both domestically and globally. Xiaomis initial business strategy was focused on direct online sales, allowing the OEM to keep its operating costs low and pass those savings on to consumers, offering aggressively priced devices oriented at providing high value for money. That approach partially continues to this date, with even the Mi 6 flagship being significantly more affordable than its Android-powered peers with comparable hardware. Xiaomis distribution efforts werent as consistent since 2010 and the consumer electronics manufacturer has been investing significant resources in developing a robust physical retail network in recent years. Out of all the stores that the company is now planning to open by late 2020, half of them will be in China, Wang said, suggesting how the firm is still looking to prioritize its home country where its currently behind Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo in terms of shipments, according to most established market research firms. While Xiaomi is now setting its sights on an increasing number of foreign markets, that global expansion is still expected to mostly encompass Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia in the immediate future, recent reports indicate. The companys growing network of physical stores is also closely connected to its efforts to get consumers to try its products before purchasing them, thus having an opportunity to prove that an affordable price tag doesnt equate to a low-quality user experience, Wang claims. An update on Xiaomis business endeavors should follow later this year.